Gaijin

Q: Does Gaijin offer gift cards?

Gaijin does offer gift cards which you can purchase here .

Visa Dining Collection

4.7 (150)

$30 and under

Japanese

950 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607

Make a reservation

2 people

May 19, 2025

May 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 15 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Innovative
Lively

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!

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Japanese, Okonomiyaki, Asian
Hours of operation
Tue–Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 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
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

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

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card

Experiences

Chef Collaboration Night: Andrew Zimmerman
Jun 18, 2025 only
Gaijin is thrilled to welcome Chef Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia and Proxi in on Wednesday, June 18th, for the tenth installment of our Chef Collaboration series! Chef Zimmerman 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!
Gaijin Seasonal Omakase Experience
$70.00 per person
Multiple dates available
Enjoy a new, elevated dining experience at Gaijin! Each five course tasting menu will be our chef's expression of the season, with okonomiyaki at the center. Menu $70 / Optional beverage pairings $35 Available Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Please note that not all dietary restrictions may be able to be accommodated for this menu. Please call 312-265-1348 with any questions or concerns.
Gaijin Matsuri
$65.00 per person
Prepaid
May 18, 2025 only
Multiple times
Join Gaijin for our third annual celebration of springtime, community, cuisine and culture, in partnership with Suntory Global Spirits, the Japan America Society of Chicago, and the Japanese Culture Center. Enjoy unlimited passed appetizers, okonomiyaki, and desserts, as well as Suntory cocktails and -196 seltzer. Enjoy traditional Japanese musical performances and omikuji (fortune-telling).

Offers

Try Our Happy Hour Specials Starting At $5!
Multiple dates available
Tue - Thu - 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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 150 people are saying

Gaijin reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Gaijin offers a vibrant dining experience with "delicious food" and "excellent service." The Japanese street food-inspired menu, featuring standout okonomiyaki and mochi donuts, is a must-try. The "unique twist" on traditional dishes and the inviting ambiance make it a "wonderful" spot. Don't miss the creative cocktails and extensive mocktail options!

150 Reviews

A
Alejandra
New York City5 reviews
3.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
We didn’t enjoy too much, but the problem was that we wanted sushi (in open table the restaurant appeared as a Japanese/sushi restaurant) . We decided to stay because it will be very difficult to find place in another restaurant. The waitress helpful, explains to us the dishes and we order. They looked good but the flavors were very mild, we didn’t found them special. The cocktail was very good. So if you want sushi be aware that not all the restaurants in open table under sushi sell sushi.
Is this helpful?
S
Samuel
Indiana1 review
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food. Cute vibe. Little loud but not distracting.
Is this helpful?
M
Melody
New Orleans4 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 10, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our server was probably the busiest guy in the restaurant, and he was amazing. Food was outstanding. Highly recommend!
Is this helpful?
P
Pamela VIP
Chicago15 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 8, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was delicious! Service was excellent! And the owner came over, introduced himself and wanted to know how everything was. Really appreciated that. Will definitely be back!
Is this helpful?
W
William VIP
Chicago68 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great. Many vegetarian dishes. All our food was delicious
Is this helpful?
S
Siobhan
Chicago1 review
5.0
Dined on April 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food is delicious! If you’ve never had okonomiyaki before, you’re in for a treat. It’s a Japanese “comfort food” that translates to “whatever you like, fried!” The dish is cooked in a large griddle and nearly always contains eggs and shredded cabbage, plus some flour. It’s topped with a sweet, savory sauce (kind of like a less-cloying barbecue sauce); Kewpi mayonnaise; green onions; powdered seaweed; and shaved smoked fish. Beyond the basics, this dish is completely customizable! You can remove any of the traditional toppings and add any number of meats, vegetables, or seafood- whatever you like! Gaijin takes this concept and makes it upscale and interesting without losing authentic flavor. The only downside? The cost. It’s reasonable for a nice dinner out in Chicago. But it may feel like a bit of sticker shock to anyone who’s used to thinking of okonomiyaki as a cheap, filling, no-frills meal. Similarly their main dessert, kakigori, a Japanese spin on the snow cone, is elevated from a cheap, light street food to a huge, filling, photo-worthy dessert (but delicious!) I also appreciate their extensive mocktail menu. Service was great! Everyone was efficient, friendly, and happy to answer questions.
Is this helpful?
A
Anna VIP
Chicago1 review
5.0
Dined on April 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We sat at the counter and it was incredible to watch the cooking happen right before our eyes. The food,ambiance and service was excellent and I loved the storage in the seats for my purse. Great idea! We had the shrimp yakisoba, bok choy, boneless ribs and topped it off with a fabulous chocolate donut. Just wow! Great pricing for the location. A must try!
Is this helpful?
Z
Zach VIP
San Diego7 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
we chose to do the passport experience for $45 a person, it was awesome, so much food.
Is this helpful?
A
Alison
Munich10 reviews
3.0
Dined on April 20, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Just wasn’t wowed by the food. Wish they gave more suggestions of how to order the various dishes because there are clearly so many ways to customize.
Is this helpful?
A
Anya
Cleveland8 reviews
4.0
Dined on April 20, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
The food was pretty good. The limited menu was tough for gf options. Our waiter didn’t seem to enjoy we needed guidance on what to order but I’d still go back.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Gaijin using the Order Online button.

Gaijin is rated 4.7 stars by 150 OpenTable diners.

Gaijin does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.