This venerable market opened its doors in suburban Arlington Heights in 1991, quickly garnering a reputation as one of the top Japanese food emporiums in the Midwest. The grocery section is a true delight for home cooks, but there’s plenty of grab-and-go items like onigiri and a diverse food court with everything from Japanese crepes and bubble tea to yakitori and udon. The whole mall underwent a massive facelift in 2019.

Tucked inside a blink-and-miss-it strip mall in suburban Elk Grove Village, Tensuke is an unfussy treasure trove of Japanese ingredients, snacks, and candies, and includes a cozy food court. Sushi and sashimi usually get the most attention but don’t overlook comforting favorites like gyu don (beef and onions over rice) and curry rice.

Originally launched as a virtual pandemic pivot from chef Shin Thompson (Furious Spoon), this Japanese curry house has accrued a following with pork cutlets coated in crispy panko, traditional brown curry, Japanese fried chicken, and more. The to-go operation shut down in June but Thompson and his team aim to reopen Bokuchan’s in the fall as a dine-in restaurant.

This lively Bucktown restaurant has one of the largest sake selections in the city, rounded out by a carefully chosen selection of shochu, Japanese whisky, and beer. It all accompanies classics ranging from takoyaki and chawanmushi to zaru soba and natto with rice. There’s so much more to Japanese culinary culture than sushi and ramen, and Izakaya Mita can be a boisterous gateway for the uninitiated. The restaurant is temporarily closed due to the pandemic but chef Brian Mita aims to reopen in August.

This neighborhood hit in West Town is known by many for its enormous and colorful maki, but there’s also a robust robata selection. Skewer options range from yakitori to squid karaage to nasu (eggplant) with ponzu and teriyaki sauce. There are no losers here, especially when paired with a Japanese highball.

Boka Restaurant Group’s elegant Fulton Market destination from chef Gene Kato touts strong sushi and nigiri menus but wise diners know not to skip over the list of robata yaki, succulent skewered bites of nigima (chicken thigh), Alaskan king crab (shiso ginger mayo), and Berkshire pork loin. Other delights include a cold, delicate shiso soba (shiso buds, bottarga, white tensuyu), an Itameshi-style spaghetti (spicy beef curry, scallion oroshi, black garlic oil), and crispy fried sea bream collar (lemon, sea salt, scallion). Downstairs, patrons will find the subterranean Izakaya at Momotaro, a casual space with low lighting and an East-meets-West menu of burgers, noodles, maki, and more.

Kumiko, the nationally acclaimed cocktail hotspot from star bartender Julia Momose and her skilled team in Fulton Market, has rocked Chicago’s storied bar scene with smart, inventive Japanese-inspired drinks and bespoke flights. As she prepares to reopen for indoor service, Momose is applying the philosophy of a “dainingu bā,” a Japanese dining bar where there’s a strong connection between food and beverage offerings. That means patrons can expect thoughtful pairings like a rosu-katsu sandwich (complete with Kumiko’s adored milk bread) and a Seaflower (Nikka Coffey gin, yuzu-kosho, blanc vermouth, kabosu juice, lime).

This cozy, casual izakaya-style restaurant doesn’t always get the press afforded to its Michelin-starred sister restaurant Omakase Yume, but its menu from chef Sangete Park is a nostalgic wonderland of Japanese hits to accompany beer or cocktails. Standouts include juicy kaki fry (fried oysters), hamburg steak (ground beef, bean sprouts, onion, fried egg, demigras sauce, cabbage), and “sea yosenabe,” or Japanese seafood hot pot. There’s also tons of kushiyaki (skewers), plus some nigiri, maki, and sashimi.

During the pandemic, Arigato Market closed to the public as owner Brett Suzuki turned the storefront into a ghost kitchen where he’s making tacos using homestyle Japanese food and selling them at breweries across Chicago. Each brewery has a different menu, but Japanese yasai and katsu curries power many of the items. Diners can find Arigato tacos at Goose Island Fulton Market, Metropolitan, Midwest Coast, and On Tour breweries. Also, look for bento box specials.