Haley R.
Google
just left from having my birthday dinner here and knew I had to leave a review - it was that good! we ordered about 10 items across the menu (some pictured, not all) and enjoyed each one. the stand outs for us were the scallops and the miso tuna - I don't remember the exact names of the dishes, but honestly it doesn't seem like you could go wrong with any dish here. our cocktails, the old cuban and the sour wakamomo, were also very smooth and balanced. we opted for more sushi over dessert, but the tamago could've been on the dessert menu itself. it had the texture (and almost the taste) of spekkoek, a thin layer cake, which means it wasn't soggy at ALL - a common issue with tamago elsewhere.
even though we went for a special occasion and ordered accordingly, the menu was very accessible and had more affordable options for a regular meal. the atmosphere was refined but laid back, a bit dark but not too loud, just really comfortable for any type of outing. the server, bartender, and (I believe?) chef/owner were all kind and accommodating.
before now, I would have said the best sushi in chicago was at 312 fish market or aji, but gaoku easily ranks alongside them. I'll return for sure!