Atsumeru — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

We had the privilege of dining on their second night open, and if I hadn’t known that, I never would have guessed. From start to finish, the experience was seamless, every detail felt like it had been refined for years.

The multi-course menu was nothing short of spectacular. Each dish balanced creativity with precision, showcasing technique and flavor in a way that’s both surprising and deeply satisfying. The pacing was perfect, thoughtful without ever dragging, and the service team moved with the kind of polish and confidence you usually only see at long-established fine dining institutions.

The atmosphere itself elevated the evening: elegant, warm, and attentive without being overbearing. You could feel that every member of the team cared about making the night memorable.

It’s rare to walk away from a brand-new restaurant convinced you’ve just witnessed the beginning of something special, but that’s exactly how it felt. I have no doubt this will earn Michelin recognition. It already carries itself like a restaurant at that level.

If you’re a lover of fine dining and want to experience a team operating at the top of their game, don’t wait. This place is...

Having traveled to both the Nordics and Japan regularly, Atsumeru brought us back to some of our favorite flavors that we encountered during those trips.

We arrived for the earliest seating on a Friday which started in the basement lounge for a welcome drink and a few bites before moving to dinner on the main floor.

Overall, the pacing was good and we enjoyed how many of the dishes had thoughtful textural elements added to help set them apart. The chawanmushi had both skate wing and crisp seaweed added which made each bite an adventure. The canelé had a perfectly caramelized crust which paired nicely with the savory foie gras. Another standout is the milk and pine which is reminiscent of a walk through the forest during winter.

We added both the caviar course which was served towards the beginning of the upstairs dinner experience and then tea which was served with the dessert courses.

The service was warm, but not stuffy and in total the experience lasted just...

We loved our dinner here, and cannot recommend Atsumeru enough. The food was very interesting and had unique flavors. The portion sizes were perfect. I had the vegetarian menu and it was so tasty. We also liked that the meal started in the basement for some light bites and then moved upstairs for the main meal. We cannot...