Chicago Food｜TenGoku🏮 Japanese Charcoal Grill Izakaya

Sister restaurant to Chicago’s Michelin-starred Yume, TenGoku offers a traditional Japanese izakaya atmosphere with small plates and higher prices — perfect for an occasional cozy night out with a few friends. Came for the wagyu hot pot, but the charcoal-grilled fish, fish collar, and ramen really stood out. Yakitori, however, isn’t quite as good as Momotaro’s. 📌 Highlights: 🍲 Sukiyaki (Wagyu Hot Pot) – 8 slices of wagyu + 2 eggs, loaded with veggies. The beef wasn’t as fatty as expected, but the broth was decent — worth a try. 🐟 Black Cod Misoyaki – Highly recommend‼️ Perfectly grilled, tender and flavorful. 🍣 Salmon Carpaccio – Great little appetizer with nice seasoning. 🐟 Grilled Kama (Fish Collar) – Another winner, crispy skin pairs perfectly with sake🍶. 🍚 Wagyu Fried Rice – Small bowl with a sprinkle of wagyu bits. 🐟 Aji Fry (Fried Horse Mackerel) – Crispy and tasty! 🍗 Chicken Karaage – Just okay. 🍢 Yakitori: 🐂 Beef Gyuton (Beef Tongue) – Thick-cut, recommended❗️ Others like chicken gizzard, negima, and pork belly were less seasoned — needed extra salt or sauce. 🍣 Ikura Uni Don – Good balance, not too rich. Market price ($36) — my brave friend ordered two bowls and almost couldn’t move afterward 😂 🍜 Maze Soba + Chashu – Highly recommended‼️ Biggest portion, rich flavors, tender chashu. 🍮 White Sesame Pudding – Creamy, strong sesame flavor — delicious❗️ 📍 TenGoku 651 W Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL #ChicagoEats #JapaneseIzakaya #WagyuHotPot #ChicagoFoodie #MichelinSisterSpot 🥢🔥