Gaoku Izakaya — Incredibly Delicious Japanese Izakaya in Chicago 🍶

Beyond expectation!!! We visited on a Monday night to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday. It wasn’t crowded, so the owner gave us lots of attention. Every dish and drink was a hit — we’ll definitely be back to try more! 🦐 Tora Ebi – Huge prawns! The sauce is the soul of this dish. 🍣 Sashimi Platter – Changes daily. The charred white fish was less fishy — even as someone who usually only eats salmon, I found it delicious! 🐚 Hokate Scallops – Sweet, fresh scallops with a yuzu-based sweet-and-sour sauce. 🍚 Mini Crispy Chashu Don – Not your typical don! It’s like a crispy version of Taiwanese braised pork rice — more meat, less rice, super satisfying. The owner shared that they use pork from their ramen, dice it, air-dry for two days, then fry it. Unique and so good! Small bowl but incredibly filling. 🍰 Matcha Tiramisu – Tiramisu with cocoa/espresso swapped for matcha, served in a wooden box with a wooden spoon — pure happiness! We originally ordered uni nigiri, but the owner said the uni wasn’t up to standard that day and didn’t serve it. Instead, he gifted us tiramisu as a birthday treat 🎂 — complete with a candle! 🍡 Mochi – Also great. 🍜 Thai Curry Ramen – Honestly tasted better than some Thai restaurants 🤣 🍹 Three cocktails – All excellent, no misses. 🥃 The owner even treated us to birthday shots and joined us for a mezcal toast. Service and food were both outstanding — highly recommend! We’ll be back to try more dishes next time. 📍 Gaoku Izakaya & Craft Drinks 2759 W Augusta Blvd, Chicago, IL 60622 #ChicagoEats #ChicagoJapanese #ChicagoFoodRecs #FoodExploreChicago 🥢🍣