Chicago Japanese Cuisine 🇯🇵 Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya

This spot has a 4.6 Google rating and zero negative reviews on social media—so we had high hopes. But after dropping $200 for three people, it was a major disappointment 💣. 🍤 Tempura Zensai (Mixed Tempura) – Besides two shrimp, it was all sweet potato, purple yam, and bell peppers. $12, not terrible but skippable. 🍢 Yakitori: Harami (Beef Skewers) – Just okay. Negima (Chicken Thigh) – Quality control issues: only one of three skewers was tender; the other two were tough 😖. Kawa (Chicken Skin) – Way too greasy, could only handle a couple bites. Sunagimo (Chicken Gizzard) – Decent, the only one worth ordering. 🍣 Toro Tartare – The main reason we came… $45 for a tiny bit of sashimi buried under a mountain of scallions and 95% rice 🍚. Felt completely ripped off. 🐟 Sake Trio – A few ordinary slices of sashimi, nothing special—and still overpriced. The frustrating part wasn’t just the small portions—it was the terrible service and forced 20% tip 😤. If there’s one “pro,” maybe the food looks decent in photos… but after spending $200 and leaving hungry, we were so mad we had to go grab Jollibee right after #WeekendPlans #ChicagoLife #ChicagoEats #ChicagoJapanese #ExploreChicago #WindyCity