The Izakaya

"Tap into the scary side of Hello Kitty — who knew? — when this West Loop subterranean lounge celebrates the 50th anniversary of the iconic Japanese character. For the Hell-o Kitty party from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday, October 31, Momotaro will transform into an eerie underworld of pink and black with plenty of playful touches. The entry includes izakaya dishes, including satsumaimo fries (sweet potato fries with miso mayo), Nagoya karaage (spicy fried chicken), and sushi handroll and dessert stations. Look for cocktails spotlighting event partner Beam Suntory. Tickets ($90) include unlimited food and three cocktails and are available on Tock." - Lisa Shames, Eater Staff

"Izakaya is a very dark bar in the basement of sushi spot Momotaro. Come here for cocktails and great Japanese small plates that you can't find upstairs—we like the donburi and a burger on house-made bao. It's a useful low-key option in a neighborhood that doesn’t have many. " - nick allen, john ringor, adrian kane

"Its bowl of tantanmen (a 2019 Ramen Fest award winner, the menu helpfully notes) is balanced and flavorful, spicy but not face-melting. The broth is light and complex..." - Ashok Selvam

"You’ve probably heard people talking about The Izakaya without even realizing it. Such is the power of an incredibly generic name. This place is, in fact, a little izakaya in the East Village, and it’s a bright, minimalist space with plain white walls decorated with a couple of hats (for some reason). But as unremarkable as this place might seem, the food here is surprisingly delicious. The thick-cut salmon sashimi, for example, comes in chunks the size of 12-sided dice, which is officially how we’d like to eat all of our raw fish from now on. The chicken nanban is also very good (especially with the creamy sauce on the side), and you can get a table here pretty easily." - Bryan Kim

"Chef Suzanne Cupps will join Momotaro chef Gene Kato to create several stations of Japanese cuisine, including food and drinks from an open bar." - Naomi Waxman