Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya

372 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
(312) 291-9663

Recent Reviews Order Online Reserve

Customers' Favorites

Ikigai Yakitori
Sashimi Omakase
Nigiri Omakase
Miso Soup
Butabara
Hotate
Karaage
Sushi

Menu

IKIGAI ZENSAI
EDAMAME
Steamed soybeans with sea salt
MISO SOUP
Red miso soybean paste with wakame, tofu, dashi and scallions
FRESH GREEN
Fresh mixed green, cucumber, tomato, pepitas and miso-ginger dressing
KARAAGE
Japanese fried chicken, lemon zest, scallions with lime zest, mentaiko spicy mayo
GYOZA [5]
Deep-fried dumplings filled with group chicken and vegetables with chilli soy vinaigrette
TAKOYAKI [5]
Octopus balls with mayo, okonomiyaki sauce, bonito flakes, aonori seaweed
IKA GESO
Deep-fried Japanese squid tentacles with lemon
TEMPURA ZENSAI
SASHIMI OF THE DAY [6]
Seasonal assorted raw fish

BENTO BOX
BENTO BOX
Choices of meat, served with miso soup, rice and assorted side dishes

DONBURI
CHIRASHI
Assorted raw fish, cucumber, tamago, salmon roe and nori over rice
UNAGI DON
Barbecued freshwater eel, cucumber, tamago, sansho pepper and nori over rice
TORIDON
Grilled chicken thigh, scallions and nori with teriyaki sauce over rice

KUSHIYAKI
NEGIMA
Chicken thigh, tokyo negi, togarashi
SASAMI
Chicken breast, yuzu kosho
KAWA
Chicken skin with shio and tare sauce
SUNAGIMO
Soy marinated chicken gizzard
TORI HATSU
Chicken heart with shio or tare sauce
TEBASAKI
Chicken wings with shio and pepper or tare sauce
BUTABARA
Soy marinated pork belly
HARAMI
Marinated skirt steak, tokyo negi
MISO SAKE
Salmon with miso shio koji
SHISHITO
Japanese sweet pepper with kabayaki sauce and bonito flakes
ASPARAGUS
w/ Shio
OKURA
w/ Shio
SQUASH GRAY
w/ Shio

BINCHOTAN SETTO
IKIGAI YAKITORI [4]
Chef's assorted chicken selections
IKIGAI KUSHIYAKI [6]
Chef's assorted selections

NIGIRI
AKAMI NIGIRI
BOTAN EBI NIGIRI
Spot prawn
HAMACHI NIGIRI
Yellowtal
HOTATE NIGIRI
Scallop
IKURA NIGIRI
House marinated salmon roe
KAMPACHI NIGIRI
Wild Amberjack
MADAI NIGIRI
Red sea bream
SABA NIGIRI
House marinated mackerel
SAKE NIGIRI
Faroe Island salmon
TAMAGO NIGIRI
House made sweet omelet
UNAGI NIGIRI
Barbecued freshwater eel
YARI IKA NIGIRI
Japanese Hokkaido squid

SASHIMI
AKAMI SASHIMI
Bluefin Tuna Loin
BOTAN EBI SASHIMI
Spot prawn
HAMACHI SASHIMI
Yellowtal
HOTATE SASHIMI
Scallop
IKURA SASHIMI
House marinated salmon roe
KAMPACHI SASHIMI
Wild Amberjack
MADAI SASHIMI
Red sea bream
SABA SASHIMI
House marinated mackerel
SAKE SASHIMI
Faroe Island salmon
TAMAGO SASHIMI
House made sweet omelet
UNAGI SASHIMI
Barbecued freshwater eel
YARI IKA SASHIMI
Japanese Hokkaido squid

SUSHI SETTO
NIGIRI TO SASHIMI [4|8]
Chef's seasonal assorted nigiri and sashimi selections

IKIGAI MAKIMONO
TEKKA MAKI
Tuna roll
SAKE MAKI
Salmon roll
CHILLI TUNA
Spicy tuna, scallions
NEGIHAMA
Chopped yellowtail, scallions
CALIFORNIA
Spicy crab meat, cucumber, avocado
UNAKYU
Barbecued eel, cucumber, unagi sauce
EBI TEMPURA
Shrimp tempura, cucumber, unagi sauce
TUNA AVOCADO
Tuna, avocado
SAKE AVOCADO
Salmon, avocado
BABY SHIITAKE
Shiitake tempura, togarashi
KAPPA MAKI
Cucumber
KAMPYO MAKI
Marinated sweet gourd
AVOCADO MAKI
ASPARAGUS MAKI
AVOKYU

IKIGAI TOKUSHUNA
RAINBOW
Spicy crab meat, cucumber, avocado topped with assorted raw fish
SPIDER
Breaded soft-shell crab, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo, unagi sauce
FUYU
Shrimp tempura, kampyo, cucumber, topped with aburi salmon, salmon roe, scallions, miso sauce and unagi sauce
DRAGON
Shrimp tempura topped with unagi, spicy avocado mousse and unagi sauce
MAIMO
Ube and sweet potato tempura topped with avocado, kabayaki sauce and tobanjan mayo

SIDES
RICE
SUSHI RICE (TAMAKI GOLD)
PICKLES
GINGER
WASABI
SHISO LEAF
AVOCADO

SAUCES
PONZU
UNAGI SAUCE
KABAYAKI SAUCE
SOY SAUCE
SPICY MAYO
TEMPURA SAUCE
TERIYAKI SAUCE
MISO-GINGER DRESSING
CHILLI OIL
HOT SAUCE
AVOCADO MOUSSE

DESSERTS
ICE CREAM
MOCHI ICE CREAM [2]
LAVA CAKE
Chocolate lava cake with green tea ice cream

SPECIALS
HAMACHI TATAKI

NA BEVERAGES
COKE
DIET COKE
SPRITE
GINGER ALE
ICED TEA
GREEN TEA
HOT TEA
RAMUNE

Photos

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Recent Reviews

Based on other reviews, I had decent expectations. However, the food wasn’t quite right during my visit, the rice split into two chunks when I picked it up and struggled to hold together. I also noticed some resistance when biting into it, which is quite unusual for Japanese cuisine.
July 2025
The staff was friendly, but the food didn’t live up to the expectations set by the photos in the reviews. The sushi rice in the nigiri lacked the proper texture, and the taiyaki was dry and not at all moist or flavorful.
July 2025
Pretty decent Japanese place for river north area. I do have to say their food iso n the saltier side. We loved the izakaya selection. Especially their kushiyaki selection! Strony recommended the pork belly and prawn and chicken skewers selection ! Their service was amazing too
June 2025

More Reviews

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Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya

372 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 291-9663