On more question - I can't seem to find this info - are they BYO?

Lee

Since nobody's replied to Leek, I'll re-iterate his query: Is Katsu BYO ?

Skimming prior posts I didn't come across references to a sake or wine list. Booze is important as I am planning a decadent evening.

Katsu serves beer, wine, and sake (and I think they may have other hard alcohol as well).

Regarding their BYO policy (corkage, etc), the best solution for is to call them and ask*.

Katsu
(773) 784-3383

Best,
Michael

*Facts like reservation policies, hours of operation, BYO policies, etc. change much more often than LTHForum threads get added to. If you need an accurate fact, call.

mauvais_sang wrote:Since nobody's replied to Leek, I'll re-iterate his query: Is Katsu BYO ?

Skimming prior posts I didn't come across references to a sake or wine list. Booze is important as I am planning a decadent evening.

They serve beer, wine, and sake. As I recall, the beer list is reasonably short and the standard Kirin/Asahi/Sapporo in various sizes that you would expect. The sake list runs around 8-12 deep, prices ranging from around $20 - over 100, I am not a connoisseur so I can't really speak to the quality, but I have tried 3 or 4 different bottles there and enjoyed them all. They might be accommodating if you want to bring something special on your own.

Enjoy!

So, we were out looking for hardware for our new cabinets tonight out on Touhy in Lincolnwood. The good news was that this would finally give me an opportunity to visit Katsu.

Bottom line...I thought it was very good. Not earth shattering. Actually, I thought, the perfect example of a Great Neighborhood Restaurant. It really reminded me of the type of places I would go with my parents growing up in NJ. Very good sushi, extraordinarily friendly staff, relaxing atmosphere. This is not Yasuda, and I'm not sure it's meant to be.

But, that's a bit of the problem. For the fiance and I our bill came to $163 after tax but before tip. Chu-toro was $8 per piece. It was good, but not $8 per piece good. Premium yellowtail was $8 per piece. Again, good but not that good. Make no mistake, I have zero qualms about paying $8 for a piece of raw fish, but it has to deliver the goods. I thought that tonight's sushi fell just a bit short. I'm not a big fan of the giant cuts of fish (but that's a style question), and I also thought the sushi rice was just ok.

On the positive side, the scallop was absolutely prisitne. Wild king salmon was fantastic. A salmon skin handroll was perfectly crunchy (both the nori and the salmon skin). Since I was in a nostalgic mood, I also enjoyed a really nice selection of oshinko.

Would I go back? If I were in the area, absolutely. But I'm a lazy lazy man, and it just wasn't good enough for me to make the trip on a regular basis. I do think that if someone is looking for sushi without the scene, Katsu is pretty hard to beat.

I have been to Katsu twice in the past month, and I completely agree with the descriptions of the pristine sashimi and the quality of some of the specials, esp. the unagi in egg custard and tiny clams in sake broth. However, our first trip was almost ruined by the only(?) male waiter employed there....luckily Ms. Katsu swooped and saved the day with her kindness and warmth. Unfortunately our second trip with newbies this weekend we got him as our server and while not ruining our spectacular meal made the evening less than pleasant. Our guests felt like he didn't want us there, couldn't pay attention while we were ordering, he forgot to place our appetizer order, brought our entrees after 45 mins after never showing at our table to replenish drinks or check on us....which we were starving, and just over all very aloof and generally rude. Everyone around us was being served, checked on, and having a very enjoyable evening.

We consider ourselves easy guests with few requests, and very forgiving of oversites and mistakes, but this just seems so out of place compared to Ms. Katsu and the other staff.

Thoughts?

G Wiv wrote:Ellen and I went to Katsu for an early dinner, had starters of broiled squid w/ginger and complimentary miso. Ellen had a daily special of grilled ginger marinated tuna, good, but slightly over cooked from her standpoint.

I hit pay dirt with the last little bit of fresh wasabi in the house. Fresh grated wasabi, perfect sashimi, what a treat. Dinner, with one glass of wine was even reasonable tonight, especially given the quality of the meal.

The problem with Katsu is now I don't enjoy sashimi other places. I guess the subject line is correct, I am Katsu's bitch.

Enjoy,
Gary

I don't even know how to respond to a Topic titled like this?

budrichard wrote:

G Wiv wrote:Ellen and I went to Katsu for an early dinner, had starters of broiled squid w/ginger and complimentary miso. Ellen had a daily special of grilled ginger marinated tuna, good, but slightly over cooked from her standpoint.

I hit pay dirt with the last little bit of fresh wasabi in the house. Fresh grated wasabi, perfect sashimi, what a treat. Dinner, with one glass of wine was even reasonable tonight, especially given the quality of the meal.

The problem with Katsu is now I don't enjoy sashimi other places. I guess the subject line is correct, I am Katsu's bitch.

Enjoy,
Gary

I don't even know how to respond to a Topic titled like this?

Same way you'd respond if it were titled "Katsu".

I don't often go to Katsu for sushi. I admit that I typically prefer some of the glitzier (and cheaper) places in town (Agami, Bob San, Tank, etc.), but every time I've been to Katsu I've been amazed with the quality of the fish. I certainly enjoy my fun maki and fusion dishes (why I visit some of the other places mentioned above) but if I'm going to Katsu, I'm going for the pristine fish -- perfect texture, fresh, not served too cold . . . really flawless. You will not find this quality of fish at any of the other places in the city (please don't start chiming in about Mirai). I was reminded of this Saturday evening, especially with respect to the fatty tuna and super premium yellowtail. And while I'll continue to visit some of my favorite maki places in the city, when I'm looking for the most perfect quality sushi, I'll continue to head to Katsu. It's the only restaurant in Chicago I could comfortably recommend to a visiting sushi purist.

LTHForum,

Years after my mischievously titled post I remain faithfully Katsu's Bitch, last evening a prime example. Six of us celebrated a friends birthday moving through a progression of sashimi and nigiri so brightly fresh I feel compelled to use one of my fathers favorite descriptors, pristine. Steamed clams had spoons clanging at the bottom of the bowl for last puddles of broth, grilled beef tongue and veal liver with garlic chive showing Katsu's commitment to perfect ingredients simply stated ranges beyond the sea.

I am, was, and remain Katsu's Bitch.

As an aside, it appears the ever genial Haruko, Katsu's better half, is a character in the upcoming Wachowski bros Speed Racer. Though they spell it slightly differently (Horuko)

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:As an aside, it appears the ever genial Haruko, Katsu's better half, is a character in the upcoming Wachowski bros Speed Racer. Though they spell it slightly differently (Horuko)

'Tis true. And the character played by Rain, Taejo, was originally called Katsu!

Took the family to Katsu this past weekend to celebrate my son's birthday. He's a huge sushi fan and he'd never been there before. In fact, even for me, it had been a few years, which is all but inexcusable. Rarely have I been quite as excited as I was during the day leading up to our meal. There are only a select few places at which you just know you're going have a stand-out, superior-quality experience, and Katsu is one of them.

We walked into a mostly empty restaurant on-time for our 6 pm reservation. We were greeted warmly and seated right away (just so this important detail doesn't get lost later in this post, the restaurant was about 80% full when we departed at around 7:45). What followed was a glorious meal, which reflected the consistently high level of excellence for which Katsu is known.

We told Katsu that we'd come for the omakase and were then asked about our preferences. We explained that we liked everything and that we'd love a mix of things -- whatever chef felt was best. Katsu was very receptive to this and then asked my son if he would eat everything, too. Without missing a beat, my son told Katsu "please don't take it easy on me," and the procession of awesomeness began . . .



Anticipation, even though the wait was not long.



We know so little about sake but when we asked our server to select something for us, he brought us this small bottle, which was smooth and aromatic -- a great match for courses that followed.



Clams in Broth with Scallion
This was a great opener. I loved the tasty, tender clams and the complex broth, which I believe contained sake.



Flounder
I'd had a similar dish at Sea Saw in Scottsdale, AZ a few years back but this was just as memorable in its own right. The filet of the flounder was cut into small chunks, lightly battered and fried. The crisp pieces were then placed back into the shell of the fish (skin, bones and head), which had also been battered and fried. We were told that the entire fish was edible, which we kind of already knew. Talk about using the whole fish!



Flounder
Flounder, slowly disappearing.



Flounder
We saved the best for last.



Sashimi
This was a barrage of some of the finest fish I've ever tasted. It was so clean, so fresh, it was in a class of its own. Top-right and left: Yellowtail from Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Japan, top-center (and elsewhere): flounder with dried lemon, center: bluefin fatty toro, bottom-center: white super toro, bottom left: sea scallop, bottom right: salmon and salmon roe.



Wagyu Filet Mignon
We loved how Katsu mixed it up for us. This filet was juicy, delicious and delicate (if beef can be delicate).



Sushi
Another wondrous and immaculate assortment of fish, this time in sushi form. It was a moment of great parental pride and pleasure for me when the boy and I downed those delicious shrimp heads in unison.



Yellowtail from Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Japan



Bluefin fatty toro



Flounder with Umeboshi (at least I think it was umeboshi)



Unagi
This unagi wasn't part of the sushi plate but my son mentioned early on that he loved eel. So, in a moment of much-appreciated overkill, Katsu sent this out for him with the sushi course.



Unagi Chawan Mushi (aka steamed custard with eel)
This savory custard caught our eye on the menu and even though we were darned full, we had to try it. In addition to the unagi, it also contained ginkgo nuts, shiitake mushrooms and fish cake. Delectable!



Navel Orange
The season for navels in California is winding down but damn if this wasn't one of the best oranges I've tasted all winter. I laughed when I tasted it because even the citrus at Katsu is a cut above.

This was such a great meal, I warned the boy that I may have permanently ruined all other Chicago sushi for him by taking him to Katsu. This sets the bar so high that none of my other favorites can really touch it. The cooked courses were terrific (and may be equalled elsewhere, I suppose) but the raw courses were in a class by themselves. Add to that the excellent service, the reasonable (great value for what it is) prices and the overall vibe and it's easy to see why so many around here proudly refer to themselves as Katsu's beeyatches.

I mentioned to a friend that this meal was the antidote for last weekend's tatami room kaiseki dinner at L.20 and then realized how snarky that sounded. I really enjoyed the meal at L.20 and its quality was inarguable. Chef Gras had put out more than a dozen courses that celebrated and showcased the sea. But in the context of what Katsu had done for us, I was now seeing that meal in a different light.

Even before Katsu, I felt like the dinner at L.20 was somewhat lost on me. At the time I thought that, perhaps, it was the all-fish and seafood-based menu that didn't entirely click with me ("really, it's not you, it's me"). So, while my appreciation for the quality of the ingredients and the skill used in preparing them was high, the meal as a whole didn't entirely compel me. Eating at Katsu helped me understand why. On some levels, Katsu did with one plate -- the sushi plate -- what L.20 took 17 courses to do -- showed off the wonders of the sea. No sea-faring ingredient I enjoyed at L.20 was any higher in quality than what Katsu offered, yet Katsu served us so much more. He took us on a journey. Beyond showcasing the immaculate fish, he served us soup and tempura and beef and custard. The sensations his creations delivered were unified in theme, yet varied enough to create a distinct progression -- a drama of sorts.

Again, I'm not bashing the kaiseki at L.20 because it was exemplary on so many levels. But it just didn't speak to me in the way our meal at Katsu did. I initially thought that chef Gras had adhered to the all-sea theme in duty to authenticity or tradition but that doesn't seem to have been the case. The omakase at both Katsu and the aformentioned Sea Saw -- both helmed by chefs of Japanese descent -- had contained non-sea-faring items. For that matter, so too did Gras' kaiseki -- bread, butter, chocolate, Western wines. So, the lack of variation at L.20 was not a necessary part of the experience. Instead, it was a function of the chef's choices, within the context of the restaurant's mission. But even L.20 serves wagyu beef and pork belly. And that's where the L.20 experience kind of unraveled a bit for me. But it took a phenomenal meal at Katsu to make me understand this. And my initial thought about wanting to return to L.20 -- but not for the kaiseki experience -- now made complete sense. To draw a weak metaphor, I appreciated the artistry of chef Gras' voice, I just didn't like the story he was telling.

So, anyway, I digress The bottom line is that our meal at Katsu was not only amazing and thoroughly enjoyable but the experience was also so profound, that it helped me develop context and understanding about meals I'd had at other restaurants. I am almost ashamed that it had been over 2 years since my last visit to Katsu and I know (and have promised myself) that it will not be nearly that long until the next one.

=R=

=R=

Great-looking post - thanks for sharing; Makes me really want to try Katsu. One question - the dishes, were they all portioned for two?

Ronnie - sounds and looks like a fantastic birthday celebratory meal! I have NEVER been disappointed at Katsu. Katsu's Napolean Roll = sheer bliss for me.

P.S. - Lucas's palate is quite impressive! I think at his age if my Mom put any fish in front of me that wasn't coated in breading and from a box labled "Mrs. Paul's...." well, let's just say I'd be leaving the table without dessert.

Jay K wrote:=R=

Great-looking post - thanks for sharing; Makes me really want to try Katsu. One question - the dishes, were they all portioned for two?

Pretty sure they were portioned for 3, where applicable. I'm guessing that the filet, the flounder and the custard would be the same size regardless of the number of diners. And even though the sushi plate presented items in pairs, there was so much there, it would have been hard for 2 people to finish it, especially after all the other courses (and we were charged for 3). A few of the pieces on that particular plate, we split, so we could each try all the items we wanted to. But even for the 3 of us, we were extremely full by the end of the meal. BTW, the meal, with tax, before tip was $389. Definitely not inexpensive but a value by even the most discriminating standards, I'm guessing.

=R=

LynnB wrote:Ronnie - sounds and looks like a fantastic birthday celebratory meal! I have NEVER been disappointed at Katsu. Katsu's Napolean Roll = sheer bliss for me.

P.S. - Lucas's palate is quite impressive! I think at his age if my Mom put any fish in front of me that wasn't coated in breading and from a box labled "Mrs. Paul's...." well, let's just say I'd be leaving the table without dessert.

The kid loves anything that lives in water and many green vegetables, too. Go figure

=R=

Man oh man! Them's some pictures, ronnie. You have indeed outdone yourself. As it happens, the Lovely Dining Companion and I had a somewhat less than compelling experience at Katsu some years back (and, although I didn't bother to check, I suspect the post is back up there somewhere). Between your pics and your narrative, I was thoroughly impressed.

I also enjoyed your reaction to Katsu as a gloss on the kaiseki at L2O. I'd really urge you to excerpt it and put it on that thread as well so that people who don't see this will have the benefit of it.

Again, many thanks for a thoughtful, illuminating review.

Outstanding stuff.

Quick question...does that kind of omakase need to be ordered in advance, or can one just sit down and order it?

jesteinf wrote:Outstanding stuff.

Quick question...does that kind of omakase need to be ordered in advance, or can one just sit down and order it?

I'm not sure if Ronnei ordered ahead or not, but in my experience, you can just ask for it when you get there.

Ronnie -

Your comments about comparing L.20 to Katsu are appreciated. Although I've never been to L.20, I've been to similar restaurants and I've been to Katsu many times. For me it's about expectations and how those expectations are met.... or not.

The first time a friend took me to Katsu about 8 years ago, I had no expectations except my friend's shared opinion. The decor, the menu and the prices didn't grab me by the throat and say, "We're awesome... understand?" Then I tasted the food... that's what made me declare, "This is awesome." When a restaurant puts on airs it better do one hell of a job with the food. That's not always the case, unfortunately. And the more I eat at places like Cemitas Pueblas or Sun Wah or Katsu, the bar becomes increasingly higher for restaurants whose lofty reputation precedes them.

I had an experience this past weekend at Renga Tei that was similar to yours at Katsu. First time there and I was blown away. Mostly this was because I eat a lot of just okay sushi and Japanese food. When you get the good stuff, simply, you realize how good it is.

ronnie_suburban wrote: Without missing a beat, my son told Katsu "please don't take it easy on me," and the procession of awesomeness began

An excellent attitude for such a young man.

ronnie, this post is outstanding, not only for its pictures and description of the experience at Katsu, but also for your "digression" re: L2O.

I've been to Katsu only once (and that a few years ago), and your post has inspired me to check it out again.

Hi - quick question -

In the picture of the nigiri - what is that with the translucent kinda cover in the lower left hand corner?
And oh yeah, excellent post. I'm now thinking of going on Friday for a pre valentine date. My bride's b-day is also Valentine's day*, so fancy dinner ON her b-day is out of the question. Hate going out on Vday.

*Oh the JOY!

seebee wrote:In the picture of the nigiri - what is that with the translucent kinda cover in the lower left hand corner?

Looks like scallop to me. Katsu often has excellent scallops that he has flown in from Seattle.

Scratch that. I was looking at the wrong picture. The scallop was in the sashimi picture.

Edited to correct myself

Ronnie, this post is remarkably timely for me. I have friends coming to town in 10 days and we have already decided to make Katsu our first meal on the way back from O'Hare. One friend in particular has been craving it since she moved away a few years ago. The anticipation was already palpable; now I'm just drooling all over my desk.

That is Friday night. Ironically enough, Saturday we are in fact going to L20 - though not for kaiseki.

I'll try to post about both afterward, but I'm ashamed to admit that although I write for a living, my posts are never quite as eloquent as yours.

stevez wrote:

jesteinf wrote:Outstanding stuff.

Quick question...does that kind of omakase need to be ordered in advance, or can one just sit down and order it?

I'm not sure if Ronnei ordered ahead or not, but in my experience, you can just ask for it when you get there.

As Steve said, we just walked in and ordered it. But I'm guessing that a call in advance couldn't hurt and could, perhaps, lead to an even more special dinner. It'd certainly be hard to surpass fish flown in from Tsukiji Fish Market but who knows what Katsu might have up his sleeve.

Josh, if you haven't been to Katsu, I definitely think you should try it. I don't know many people who would have as much context for Katsu -- or appreciate it much -- as you.

=R=

stevez wrote:

seebee wrote:In the picture of the nigiri - what is that with the translucent kinda cover in the lower left hand corner?

Looks like scallop to me. Katsu often has excellent scallops that he has flown in from Seattle.

I'm sorry that I cannot recall the fish under the cover (will check my notes later) but the cover itself was a special ginger that Katsu prepared. It was gari-like but a bit omre aromatic and complex.

=R=

mailsf wrote:Ronnie, this post is remarkably timely for me. I have friends coming to town in 10 days and we have already decided to make Katsu our first meal on the way back from O'Hare. One friend in particular has been craving it since she moved away a few years ago. The anticipation was already palpable; now I'm just drooling all over my desk.

That is Friday night. Ironically enough, Saturday we are in fact going to L20 - though not for kaiseki.

I'll try to post about both afterward, but I'm ashamed to admit that although I write for a living, my posts are never quite as eloquent as yours.

mailsf, you're too kind

I'll be very curious to get your take on the back-to-back experiences. My first meal at L.20 was one of my favorites of 2008. As of now -- and yes, I know it's early -- this dinner at Katsu was my favorite of 2009, so far. The potential for greatness is, I think, very much in place at L.20. For me personally, that potential is in the dining room and not, based on my single experience, in the tatami room. Katsu . . . well, Katsu just throws down.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

stevez wrote:

jesteinf wrote:Outstanding stuff.

Quick question...does that kind of omakase need to be ordered in advance, or can one just sit down and order it?

I'm not sure if Ronnei ordered ahead or not, but in my experience, you can just ask for it when you get there.

As Steve said, we just walked in and ordered it. But I'm guessing that a call in advance couldn't hurt and could, perhaps, lead to an even more special dinner. It'd certainly be hard to surpass fish flown in from Tsukiji Fish Market but who knows what Katsu might have up his sleeve.

Josh, if you haven't been to Katsu, I definitely think you should try it. I don't know many people who would have as much context for Katsu -- or appreciate it much -- as you.

=R=

We went once, maybe 2 or 3 years ago. I thought it was good, certainly among the best in Chicago, but not revelatory (i.e., it didn't give me a "tingle up and down my leg" like Yasuda does). In all fairness, we didn't sit at the sushi bar and I'm pretty sure we were there mid-week so we may not have experienced Katsu at its best.

I'm definitely up for giving it another shot, especially after seeing your pictures.

jesteinf wrote:So, we were out looking for hardware for our new cabinets tonight out on Touhy in Lincolnwood. The good news was that this would finally give me an opportunity to visit Katsu.

Bottom line...I thought it was very good. Not earth shattering. Actually, I thought, the perfect example of a Great Neighborhood Restaurant. It really reminded me of the type of places I would go with my parents growing up in NJ. Very good sushi, extraordinarily friendly staff, relaxing atmosphere. This is not Yasuda, and I'm not sure it's meant to be.

But, that's a bit of the problem. For the fiance and I our bill came to $163 after tax but before tip. Chu-toro was $8 per piece. It was good, but not $8 per piece good. Premium yellowtail was $8 per piece. Again, good but not that good. Make no mistake, I have zero qualms about paying $8 for a piece of raw fish, but it has to deliver the goods. I thought that tonight's sushi fell just a bit short. I'm not a big fan of the giant cuts of fish (but that's a style question), and I also thought the sushi rice was just ok.

On the positive side, the scallop was absolutely prisitne. Wild king salmon was fantastic. A salmon skin handroll was perfectly crunchy (both the nori and the salmon skin). Since I was in a nostalgic mood, I also enjoyed a really nice selection of oshinko.

Would I go back? If I were in the area, absolutely. But I'm a lazy lazy man, and it just wasn't good enough for me to make the trip on a regular basis. I do think that if someone is looking for sushi without the scene, Katsu is pretty hard to beat.

I am Katsu's bitch, but I am a L.A. transplant to Chicago. This place is arguably the best Sushi in Chicago, but no Sushi place in Chicago has shown up on a top 10 list (or top 20 for that matter) on a national basis. An opal in coal mine, but not a diamond.

However, depending on what you ate, $163 isn't all that expensive in the world of sushi even in Chicago you can blow far more than that, especially if you had some booze. You could always take a trip to Tokyo.

I don't think we had booze with that meal (maybe a beer). The price we paid for that meal is roughly in line (maybe a bit more) with what we've been paying lately at Ponzu.

For reference though, I've paid about that much for omakase just for me at Yasuda. So, believe me, I'm well aware of what one can pay for quality sushi (I've yet to blow the super big wad at Masa, but hope to one day).