Gaijin

Q: Does Gaijin offer gift cards?

Gaijin does offer gift cards which you can purchase here .

4.7

112 Reviews

$30 and under

Japanese

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 1, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 39 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighbourhood gem
Charming
Innovative

Gaijin by Chef Paul Virant is Chicago’s first okonomiyaki restaurant, offering both Hiroshima and Osaka styles of the savory Japanese pancake. A self-described gaijin, or “outsider” in Japanese, Virant playfully embraces this perspective and honors traditional preparations and techniques, as well as his well-known passion for pickling and preserving.

Designed to deliver a lively and interactive culinary experience, the 60-seat space is anchored by a custom 12-foot griddle and chef’s counter and offers individual Hiroshima teppan griddles for table service.

The dessert menu features kakigori, a shaved ice dessert, along with mochi donuts and other Japanese-inspired treats. The bar program showcases highballs and a focused selection of beer – including a Moody Tongue-Gaijin collaboration house lager, sake, Japanese whisky, and wine.

We can’t wait to see you at Gaijin!

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Private dining

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Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Japanese, Japanese (Okonomiyaki), Asian
Hours of Operation
Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat, Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–6:00 pm
Phone number
(312) 265-1348
Website
https://gaijinchicago.com/
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
950 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607
Neighbourhood
West Loop
Parking details
None
Public transit
Morgan Green Line

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Experiences

Sunset Soundscapes - Monthly DJ Night
US$5.00 per person
Prepaid
Mar 19, 2025 only
Our monthly DJ night is back! This month, we're thrilled to have DJ Shon Dervis spinning a killer mix of city pop, funk, and soul from 6pm-9pm. Come early for happy hour deals from 5pm-6pm and stay for the vibes. Plus, enjoy half-off sake bottle all night long. A $5 deposit per person secures your reservation and will be applied to the final bill. See you there!
Chef Collaboration Night: Brian Jupiter
Mar 20, 2025 only
Gaijin is thrilled to welcome Chef Brian Jupiter of Frontier and Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods in on Thursday, March 20th, for the seventh installment of our Chef Collaboration series! Chef Jupiter will be in house from 6 - 8 p.m. to showcase his unique osaka-style okonomiyaki special. This is a one-night-only opportunity you won't want to miss!
Chef Collaboration Night: Christian Hunter
Apr 17, 2025 only
Gaijin is thrilled to welcome Chef Christian Hunter of Atelier in on Thursday, April 17th, for the eighth installment of our Chef Collaboration series! Chef Hunter will be in house from 6 - 8 p.m. to showcase his unique osaka-style okonomiyaki special. This is a one-night-only opportunity you won't want to miss!

Offers

Try Our Happy Hour Specials Starting At $5!
Multiple dates available
Mon - Thu - 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Join us Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., for selected highballs, sake, draft beer, starters and share plates, starting at $5. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are also welcome.

What 112 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.5Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Gaijin offers a "unique twist on delicious Japanese food" with standout dishes like okonomiyaki and mochi donuts. The "atmosphere is lively and inviting," making it an excellent spot for dates or group outings. Guests praise the "fantastic service," and the "chef's counter seating" is highly recommended for an immersive dining experience.

112 Reviews

C
Cody
Unspecified
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I have been wanting to try this place for a while now, I was exited to step in for brunch! The host was very kind, the ambiance was nice, and the noise wasn’t too loud. My server happened to be the bartender and I sadly didn’t get to catch her name(she was working the brunch shift on 2/23 and she was amazing! She helped me pick a drink, wasn’t intrusive, and had a warm bubbly and inviting personality. Sadly that’s about where it ends, everything was much so overly salted, I couldn’t finish my rice dish because the amount of salt that was on the food was aggressive. I didn’t complain nor ask for my money because it’s not worth the trouble, but please focus on bringing the flavor out in the food without needing to pile on the salt.
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J
Justin
Indiana
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on February 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We're very impressed with the unique flavors of an otherwise authentically created dish. The service was very friendly and prompt. The atmosphere was positive and inviting with a pleasant buzz among all the customers without being overly loud. While visiting Chicago, this was a great stop on our itinerary and the location has such easy access. For okonomiyaki regulars who have roots in the city of Osaka, we were very impressed! Don't forget the mochi donuts and the kakigori for dessert!
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J
Jennifer
VIP
Chicago
115 reviews
5.0
115 reviews
Dined on February 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
We ordered from the Chicago Black Restaurant Week menu. A fabulous & delicious selection and a great value. So tasty and you totally won over my friend. Huge fan.
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N
Nina
Chicago
60 reviews
5.0
60 reviews
Dined on February 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
This was a delightful experience from start to finish.
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P
Pranaya
Chicago
14 reviews
4.0
14 reviews
Dined on February 8, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
It was alright! Food was fine, not too loud, service was okay.
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J
John
VIP
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 8, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Good date spot. Great service. Something different to try if you’re feeling adventurous.
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A
Anshika
VIP
Detroit
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on February 7, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 1
We were vegetarians and having seated near the chef's table, we could see how meat was used even to cook veg dishes. The taste was just awful. We ended up ruining our stomach and also wasted the whole food.
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R
Rominna
Detroit
8 reviews
1.0
8 reviews
Dined on February 1, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
Mushy mealy lackluster meal. The chairs were uncomfortable and bulky. It’s hard to mess up okonomiyaki and yet…
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S
Sam
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was wonderful. We had the tuna starter, pork yakisoba, and beef okonomiyaki and all were extremely delicious. We finished with the mochi donut which was also perfectly cooked. Drinks were also great and service was great too. Highly recommend for a casual date night or group outing.
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P
Paulo
VIP
Detroit
56 reviews
5.0
56 reviews
Dined on January 31, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
A very pleasant experience partaking of a variety of dishes in their tasting menu.
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Gaijin is rated 4.7 stars by 112 OpenTable diners.