Chicago’s New Izakaya — Hiro Bar Izakaya 🍢

After Porto (RIP 🥲) closed, the Celeste Group announced they’d take over the space for a Japanese izakaya. Since Mita’s closed, West Town has been missing a solid late-night spot — so I was excited to try it. Stopped by while packing up my old apartment nearby. 🥝 Kiwi Highball (non-alc) – Refreshing, tangy, perfect for summer. 🐟 Seared Salmon Tataki – A bit overcooked for tataki, but the pickled onions and avocado helped balance it. 🍣 Toro Hand Roll – Minced tuna was smooth, but the rice was too mushy. Flavor was decent. 🥩 Grilled Ribeye – Nicely charred outside, tender inside — solid. 🍄 Grilled King Trumpet Mushrooms – Meaty and savory, like veggie “steak.” 🐔 Grilled Chicken (Sasami) & Chicken Meatball – Unfortunately both were dry and burnt, especially the scallion tucked inside. The meatball — more like a log — was bitter from charring. I sent them back, and the chef apologized, comped them, and remade some to-go… but they were still over-charred. 😓 Service was gracious, but the food needs work. For now, maybe better as a second-stop drinks spot with just a snack or two. Here’s hoping they improve with time. 📍 Hiro Bar Izakaya 1600 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 #HiroBarIzakaya #ChicagoIzakaya #JapaneseFood #WestTown #NewInTown #HitOrMiss