Japonais Restaurant Review

600 W. Chicago Ave. (Halsted St.) Send to Phone

Scenesters and sushi enthusiasts chill at this sleek, riverside Japanese lounge.

Cuisine

Open

Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner nightly

Features

Heart-healthy dishes
Romantic setting
Private room(s)
Full bar
Reservations suggested
Outdoor dining
Open late
Valet parking
Casual

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The presentations at this sleek restaurant are artful and elegant (the shapes of the plates alone are a feast for the eyes)---without being ostentatious. The hot-and-sour soup, for example, may be served in a deep white bowl that swoops like a Frank Gehry building. Panko-breaded oysters with a smoky bacon gratin might lounge on a long, narrow dish. But it's not all about looks. We recommend the Kobe carpaccio, the paper-thin slices of beef forming rows of shingles, amped up by a yuzu-ginger sauce. Although the menu keeps an eye on traditional Japanese cuisine and sushi, its other is on a more modern approach to Asian cuisine. The results are as impressive as the atmosphere, which involves splashes of color, textured glass and overhead waves of expensive wood. Service is on top of everything, and there is a first-rate selection of sakÃ©, to boot. Be sure to check out the river walk patio in summer.

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Sad Demise by Dealguy on 07/23/2009

Having been a good and loyal customer from the beginning, I am sorry to say that Japonais has deteriorated. My experience there a couple of weeks ago is a good, yet tragic, example of this. The filet mignon (which I've enjoyed many, many times before) came out burned to a crisp. No one bothered to check on us to see how our meal was (we were on the outside patio), and I literally had to carry my plate to the host stand and wait for a manager to come out. By the time they had re-cooked it my guest was completely finished with her sushi. The manager did not offer to comp the meal, but instead, informed me to contact the director of operations. Japonais is tired and worn down.