Daruma – Japanese Restaurant in Chicago’s Northern Suburbs 🍣

Rushed to Torizen on a Friday night after a 2-hour drive, only to be told the wait was an hour with no guarantee — so we headed to our backup, Daruma, instead. Lately I’ve been obsessed with The Solitary Gourmet, and walking in, I felt just like Goro, scanning the menu and eyeing what other diners were having. The place was full of Japanese locals speaking Japanese, and the owner (also the chef?) was directing the non-Japanese staff in Japanese-accented English. No reservation, so we sat at the sushi bar — hey, that’s still omakase-adjacent, right? The menu had daily specials + regular items — more variety than Torizen, and pricier too. A wooden board on the wall listed the day’s fresh fish. They also had tatami private rooms. Felt exactly like one of those cozy family-run spots Goro visits — warm, authentic, and delicious. 🍱 Chirashi – $36 Thick, satisfying cuts of sashimi — great quality, though at that price, I wished for some otoro! The tamagoyaki at the end had a light soy milk flavor — nice palate cleanser. 🍜 Tonkotsu Ramen – With a Japanese owner, you know the ramen won’t disappoint. 🍗 Karaage Chicken Wings – MVP of the night! Huge wings with crackling hot skin straight out of the fryer — like chicken wing tempura. So good. 📰 Old newspaper clippings on the wall showed this place has been around since at least 2000 — though $18 for a meal back then was pretty pricey! 🍵 Matcha Tiramisu (to-go) – The only letdown. Whipped plant-based cream + soggy ladyfingers — run away. #WhatIAteToday #ChicagoJapanese #ChicagoEats #Daruma #Schaumburg