Kumiko

A finely balanced, minimalistic menu encourages you to try pretty much everything on it. Creative combinations that blend traditional japanese flavors with some unexpected twists. Exceptionally knowledgable and passionate Sommelier is an additional bonus if you sit at the bar.

fantastic experience. The cocktails are perfect, and I am not easy to satisfy when it comes to cocktails. The food was delicious. It made for a perfectly romantic evening. We did get nudged out as there is apparently a specific amount of time one can sit at the table. And they were very accommodative to my girl who is vegetarian. All in all it was excellent and we will return.

Kumiko/kikko is without doubt the best new place to eat and drink in the city. It blends comfort and elegance with an attention to detail rarely seen in Chicago.

Delicious food and great service all around. Will definitely be back

For all the hype, this place was not very memorable. The drinks we re outrageously priced- $25 for an old fashioned?! And the service left something to be desired. Our waiter came over, told us kitchen was changing over at 10pm and if we wanted to order food from regular menu, we would need to put in order by 10pm so he would come right back to check on us. Then he disappeared and did not return until 30 minutes later, around 10:25pm. We didn't want food but if we had, we would have missed the opportunity. The atmosphere was a bit Ikea-looking and uninspired. I have had better cocktails for much more reasonable prices in the west loop and Fulton Market.

It was absolutely incredible!

Went for a few bites, but primarily for the liquor/flights/cocktails. One of the most interesting, fun, and engaging experiences I’ve had at a restaurant. A superb beverage program featuring high demand and high quality spirits.

Thank you Julia, Sammy and team. What a special experience!

Well worth the visit! Amazing drink and food experience.

Fabulous experience- lots of fun and the food and drinks were sublime

Lovely cocktails. Well trained and knowledgeable staff. Delicious food.

Absolute attention to detail sets the place apart from the rest.

Inspiring Cocktails! We had a lovely time there. Don't expect to be full.

We sat at the bar and were served by Julia. She is a master of her craft: focused, efficient, and adroit in each movement. Her natural charm and warmth of character made us feel at ease despite the fact that we do not frequent establishments of this caliber. Sammy and Julia both conversed with us in a welcoming way and were willing to answer all our questions.

The drinks were phenomenal, the pepper berry tonic (a spirit free) and triptych both exceeded our already high expectations. The tonic was a tasty drink that prompted us to order a second one and the triptych was so deep and strong that it kept me satisfied with small sips throughout the whole experience.

I usually find phrases like “depth of flavor” too pretentious for my reviews, but it seems the only thing that can describe the tastes of the food we had. Everything from our first bite of nigiri to our final bite of milk bread was a delight. Their steam buns were soft and satisfying, our favorite being the pork belly, and their tempura prawns were almost too beautiful to eat. When we did though, we were amazed by the flavor that they packed into such a small dish.

Seeing that my wife might have been a bit cold, she was even offered and provided a beautiful shawl to wear.

In summary, everything in our experience was exemplary in terms of service, taste, and beauty. Kumiko is well worthy of its stellar reputation.

This gorgeous, thoughtful, and delicious place is an oasis of serenity, grace, and elegance in an often, way too chaotic city. I am obsessed with the bespoke cocktails made with rare sakes and so many off the beaten path spirits. And I love to sit at the bar for a perfect one-bite dishes paired with Julia and Sammy's suggested drinks. I would go every night if my pocketbook allowed!

Such a perfect spot for a date. Quiet incredibly elegant and endlessly thoughtful. A jewel.

The cocktails are amazing and the food was surprisingly good. Stellar service.

Marvelous. Everything was perfect. Could not have been happier with the experience. A new favorite spot.

This was an awesome experience! Thank you so much. Can’t wait to come back next time I am in town.

I really really wanted to not just like but love Kumiko. Unfortunately the price is excessively high for the value and the promise outweighs the delivery in both ambiance, drinks and overall experience

Love this place. A nice serene escape from Chicago!

Unexpected once in a lifetime experience marrying exotic cocktails and delicious bites.

Wonderful food. Even better service. Thank you to the Kumiko staff

Overal the drinks are creative and interesting. The bites are not a great value. I would recommend eating beforehand or after.

A magical experience all the way around. Just amazing

Best japanese place I have been to outside of Japan

Excellent food and drinks. Great ambiance for catching up with old friends.

Great drinks! Great food, but tiny tiny portions

The cocktails are just outstanding.

Literally flawless.

Everything was incredible. From the food to the cocktails to the service. Will ABSOLUTELY be returning sooner than later.

Relaxed, fine dining experience. I really enjoyed the drinks and the small bites offered.

I would recommend it to a friend with an explanation of what the dining experience is about. Extremely small bites, literally, and very expensive. The tastes were fabulous but tiny portions. The drinks were fabulous. They have a great mixologist...very creative and delicious drinks. Next time I would go for a drink and a couple of apps before going someplace else for dinner.

my experience was absolutely amazing , zack the Bar Manager took me on a creative journey of sake, tea and non alcoholic drinks. The Bar Snacks of bao buns trio of short rib , shiitake mushrooms and pork belly paired amazing with my martinis flights which were deconstructed from the actual drink , sake and tea in very asian inspired glassware which btw were showcased on the back wall evenly placed and perfectly measured. I will be back as i’m a private chef and love to find amazing spots not on everybody’s radar to enjoy small bites of love and creative cocktails for everyone to enjoy . cheers ! happy 7 month anniversary!

We loved Kumiko - the drinks were incredibly creative, the service was attentive and friendly, and the food (although small bites) paired well with all of it.

This a unique and beautiful cocktail lounge specializing in spirits and sake from Japan. There are food pairings available also featuring Japanese style preparations. Everything was delicious and service is excellent, although a little tense. Everything is very creative, but also extremely expensive. I absolutely would go back.

I found the lack of variety in Japanese whiskeys disappointing. The food was moderate - not unbelievably good nor unbelievably disappointing. Due to the service and ambiance I was expecting better food and more alcoholic variety.

Honestly, what else to say about this place that hasn’t been said? My favorite food critic, Phil Vettel, said nothing but great things which isn’t the normal for him so at least trust that. Anyways, this place is comfortable and has the best cocktails in the city. The staff is pretty elegant, and the drinks are expensive but so worth it. Love you, Kumiko.

Excellent but pricey

Outstanding cocktails, sake flights, and small bites. Not sure I've ever been someplace that compares to this. Julia behind the bar was uber knowledgable and helped guide us through a sale flight, cocktails, and a few small bites. Everything was extremely impressive!