Fancy West Loop Japanese Restaurant Unveils Casual Patio With To-Go Cocktails

Michelin-starred Yugen has pivoted with a new patio space and casual offerings. The patio debuted earlier this month, as chef Mari Katsumura and company embark on a new chapter along Randolph Restaurant Row. Yugen still serves an eight-course tasting menu, but there’s also grab-and-go sandwiches and more from Kaisho.

Customers can still indulge with a $190 tasting menu, with an optional $125 beverage pairing. But there’s also yakitori, burgers, deep-fried pork cutlet sandwiches, and sorbet. Yugen’s interior, the same interior that house Grace, is a much more formal setting versus the tiki-influenced space outside. Katsumura wants diners to have more fun.

The front lounge is now reminiscent of a fancy Pret-a-Manger, where customers can find crustless Japanese sandwiches like egg salad, and ham and cheese. There’s also build-your-own ramen or dry noodle options. Those plastic bags filled with cocktails that have become increasingly popular during the pandemic are also available. Take a tour through the space below.