Kumiko

"After our first visit to Kumiko, we couldn’t wait to eat the perfectly doughy steam buns again. In fact, one night after going to Kikko, their seven-course omakase restaurant in the basement, we stopped back upstairs for another order of them. We’d been thinking about those buns non-stop, along with the katsu sweetbreads that look and taste like crispy chicken nuggets (but unfortunately don’t come in a 20-piece). We ended up spending the rest of the night cracking jokes with the bartender as they walked us through one of the best cocktail lists in the city. But we were only really half-listening - partially because we were still thinking about the A5 wagyu we just ate downstairs, and also because we’d already started booking our next reservations on our phone." - josh barnett, adrian kane

"This upscale cocktail bar and restaurant is from the owners of Oriole, a fancy and expensive tasting menu spot that’s right next door. You can order their cocktails, coffee drinks, and tasty little snacks. All the dishes look pretty and artistic, and you’ll find delicious options like tonakastu sandos and karaage." - sam faye, adrian kane, veda kilaru, nick allen

"Each visit to Kumiko feels like peaking inside of a Rolex. Every detail of this West Loop spot is crucial to having a relaxed, upscale bar experience—the pristine space that looks like the home of someone who wrote Minimalism 101, the calm way the staff effortlessly describes complex flavor profiles, and physical menus that look like art zines. This thoughtfulness carries over to their food and drink, with creative cocktails like a bold-yet-light Old Fashioned with green tea, and a crispy tonkatsu sando with cloudlike milk bread. Everything inside its intimate candle-lit interior flows so smoothly, they should have “guaranteed to be a great time” artfully etched in calligraphy on the menu." - josh barnett, sam faye, john ringor

"Unlike other upscale cocktail spots in the area, Kumiko doesn’t have velvet curtains or decorations that should come with “do not touch” signs. The intimate, pristine space is ideal for anniversary drinks, or relaxed hangs with people whose default speaking voice sounds like they regularly lead guided meditations. The attention to detail starts with menus designed like carefully crafted zines and extends to creative cocktails like a bold-yet-light Old Fashioned with green tea, and dishes like a crispy wagyu katsu sando with pillowy milk bread." - sam faye, adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen

"Unlike some glitzier spots on this guide, Kumiko doesn’t have velvet curtains or decorations that should have “do not touch” signs. Instead, this upscale West Loop cocktail bar is more nuanced and relaxed, opting for an intimate, pristine space. This means it’s ideal for anniversary drinks, or quieter celebrations with people who have energy levels that are a six out of ten. The calm way the staff describes flavor profiles is soothing, and the menus look like artfully crafted zines. This attention to detail extends to their food and drink, with creative cocktails like a bold-yet-light Old Fashioned with green tea, and a crispy tonkatsu sando with pillowy milk bread." - adrian kane, john ringor