Welcome to Sumi Robata Bar. Chicago's first true Robatayaki (Japanese BBQ). Enjoy the highest quality ingredients cooked over Japanese charcoal and cooked in front of you! We look forward to seeing you soon.
"We had a great early dinner at Sumi and our server was very helpful and friendly. As for the food, in my opinion, unless you are really into seafood, skip it, the portions (at least the two we tried) were really small and there wasn't much to them. However, the meat dishes were amazing. Definitely try the lamb and the sliders, they were amazing, as was the donut dessert. We will definitely be back, if not to just have several orders of lamb and sliders."
Dined on 5/22/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"New and comfortable sitting. Menus has great selection and well crafted food that is fresh and delicious. Definitely love to come back to try more variety."
Dined on 5/20/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, hot spot
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"Everything is thoughtful and done perfectly. I love this place. The flavors are deep and smart but so simple. Each dish is better than the last and the last dish was the best ever! Small plates, perfect to share and try as many as you can. You won't be disappointed! House made tofu! Like magic silken custard."
Dined on 5/20/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"When they say small plates... they really mean small plates! The food was good, there just wasn't enough of it. The hot appetizer sea bass and salmon teriyaki were the stand outs for me. The rest was a bit over salted for my liking. The only real problem for me though, was leaving the dinner table still hungry."
Dined on 5/16/2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, hot spot
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"We found the menu extensive and had many interesting and delicious options. The slider and ribeye were my favorites but all 11 dishes we had were delicious. I would definitely return."
Dined on 5/18/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, vibrant bar scene, hot spot, special occasion
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"Sitting at the Robata Bar was a treat in itself watching as the chefs cooked everything with precision and to perfection. The 100% Matsusaka Beef was incredible."
Dined on 5/17/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"One of the best restaurants I've been to in Chicago! We had to wait a little between courses, but the flavor was amazing and the ambiance too. Highly recommended"
Dined on 5/13/2013
Special Features: neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"We were delighted that Chicago magazine brought Sumi Robata to our attention. Unique tastes from the Robata grill are matched by a orderly dining room. We enjoyed each dish and felt the price ($125 for appetizers, two rounds of drinks and main course for two) was good value."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"The food at Sumi is amazing. You cannot know what you're in for by the simple menu descriptions. So delicate and smart. Anything with their house made tofu will blow your mind. Every dish became our favorite. The staff is friendly and enthusiastic. Great spot. Can't say enough."
Dined on 5/08/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, vibrant bar scene, late-night find, neighborhood gem, hot spot, great for lunch, special occasion
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"Sumi Robata exceeded our expectations based on the quality of the food and we had great seats at the "grill bar" (kind of like a sushi bar only you watch them cooking everything). We felt fortunate to be sitting at the bar (glass between cooking and eating) because in the back at the tables was nothing special. Even super noisy back there. The service was wonderful and very attentive. Other reviews complained about the portions and I would absolutely agree. Too many of the plates were one skewer rather than two and we had to cut small portions in two in order to taste everything. Overall we were very glad we kept our plans to go there because the food and service were terrific."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2006
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"Took rec from a friend, never looked back: Service was attentive, informative and knowledgable. Food, inventive, beautiful presentation, flavorful with right amount of seasoning. Each dish w/ components perfectly complimented but never overpowering. Dishes not to be missed, Saba (Japanese Mackerel), Gobo, Onsen Tomago, Ramps, Sea Bass and Pork Jowl, wish I was able to eat more. Dessert, O.K., I come from a pastry background, the Donut was very nice, but the Tofu Panna Cotta w/ Yuzu Curd and Candied Soy Bean was heaven. We were invited to enjoy the Charcoal Bar and were greeted by Choo and his apprentice. Both knowledgeable and inventive bar tenders. Strawberry Gazpacho, a Ginger drink all amazing. I love this place, will be back!"
Dined on 04/26/2013
2006
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"The mackerel sashimi, the grilled mochi, the grilled duck, and the grill scallops tasted out of this world. So did the chocolate donut with green tea dipping sauce for desert. Service was top-notch. Terrific place with low-key atmosphere. I hugely appreciate it when I can enjoy a conversation over dinner (and not compete with a booming stereo)."
Dined on 04/20/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion, hot spot
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"Sumi Robata has many small plate options with a few bites per plate; it's perfect to go with a group and try everything on the menu! The green tea mousse served with the doughnut dessert was delicious!"
Dined on 04/06/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, hot spot
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"For these prices,I expected something special. I was sorely disappointed. The food all tasted the same: dry, salty and bland. The waiter kept recommending things that turned out to be worse than the things we picked ourselves. The bar at which patrons eat doubles as the corridor, so there is constant motion all around you. All-in, a real bummer."
Dined on 04/05/2013
2011
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"Although the food was good and tasty, the portions were very small. It's hard to justify spending that much money and still feel hungry at the end of your night."
Dined on 04/03/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion
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"Sumi goes for the authentic feel of the small, neighborhood grill, with chefs greeting customers as they squeeze by the narrow seating in front of the kitchen. The food is fresh, the menu simple, and all is meticulously prepared. The steak ishi (a hot rock is brought to you so you can sear thin slices of beef yourself) is a great appetizer as is the chicken don with the freshly poached (in the shell) egg.The only miss was Kobe ribeye which was grilled medium instead of medium rare or rare which would have brought out the flavor. The service at the bar/kitchen was a bit awkward as you had constant traffic of people behind you and it was hard to turn 180 degrees to look at the server. Otherwise it was a pleasant, subdued atmosphere."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups
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"Stepping into Sumi, I realized that this was going to be a unique experience. I could see the chef manning the robata grill and attentively grilling skewered portions of meat and vegetables. The decor is modernist minimalism, classy, and pleasant. Our server was beyond awesome, and helped guide us through the exciting menu. Service was well-paced, and we never felt rushed or overwhelmed by the cadence of dishes we ordered. The flavors were beyond amazing. Simple, honest, and awesome. We will return many, many times."
Dined on 03/27/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion, hot spot
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"The food was good - I just do not think for the price it was worth it. They also had interesting exciting things on their menu- but did not have it available to order which is always disappointing.
each skewer is a few bits and is only for 1 person and all of it is priced pretty high - like $5 for 1. You will most likely spend a decent amount of money here to be completely full - but wouldn't be a bad choice if you want to try something new and do no want to eat a ton.
Chizakaya was my favorite place for japanese grilled skewers but sadly it has closed.
Another thing to note was that this place is LOUD! With everyone talking it has hard to hear others at your table - and then you end up speaking loudly over all the noise."
Dined on 02/23/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion, hot spot
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"The service was great and the food was delicious. I recommend the Maguro (tuna sashimi) and Ishi Yakima (marinated beef cooked on a hot stone at your table for appetizers. My favorite grilled items were the Wagyu beef and the lamb. The restaurant is small and much of the seating is along a bar facing the kitchen. It was fun to see the cooks work, but might not be the best place for a group."
Dined on 03/08/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, hot spot
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"We started our night downstairs at the bar which is dark and lacking ambiance. Our drinks took forever. I don't mind waiting for a craft drink. I understand they take time. We surpassed that amount of time by several minutes. After that back upstairs to our table at the bar where I could not keep from laughing as they grilled the smallest most expensive portions of meat ever. Our food was oddly timed and there were several large gaps between small plates. I honestly liked most everything I ate but it felt icontrived and I could have paid half as much for an exceptional dining experience at a dozen other restaurants. The staff was nice but trying way to hard so it came across as phony enthusiasm. Overall dissapointing evening."
Dined on 03/08/2013
2008
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"If you are a vegetarian I wouldn't recommend it. If you are a meat lover this is your place to go! The service was impeccable and food delicious. The extensive sake list was a bit pricey but the bottle we chose was well worth the price."
Dined on 03/04/2013
2010
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"Had a great time with my friend. Cocktail list is exciting and delicious. Would recommend their pomegranate and rum special. Having been my first Robata experience I was most certainly pleased- lamb robata was the best hands down, but the beef tongue was also quite good. Didn't mind sitting at the chef-bar, it actually ended up being fun."
Dined on 02/23/2013
2011
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies
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"I finally found this restaurant that can be compared to places in New York that served very good small Japanese dishes. Highly recommended! It is so far my favorite Japanaese place in Chicago area. ( btw, I have yet to find a good sushi place though I have been to most of the japanese restaurants here).
It is not a sushi place, aside from grilled dishes, there are good cold and hot appetizers."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"Have mixed emotions about my experience; The bad: I had a 8:30 reservation on Saturday night and was kept waiting for 1 hour for my table which is completely unacceptable. To add insult to injury, we were given no apology, no token comp, nothing but an excuse that someone showed up with more people in their party than they had reserved (hint, don't seat them), and that it was "really crazy" that night...Also, our waiter was also completely disinterested in serving us, which earned him the poor tip I left (you reap what you sow). The good-excellent and hospitable bar man Matthew Lipsky is a credit to his profession. I would probably have something good to say about the food had the service not left such a bad taste in my mouth,but I can't"
Dined on 02/16/2013
2007
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"Finally a Japanese yakitoriya restaurant that does it right. Food is perfect blend of traditional and mordern Japanese, free from the mayo and Asian fusion at most places in Chicago. Decor is stylish but not overwhelming. A great find."
Dined on 02/02/2013
2002
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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