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Gaijin by Chef Paul Virant is Chicago’s first okonomiyaki restaurant, offering both Hiroshima and Osaka styles of the savory Japanese pancake.
  • Gaijin

Gaijin

950 W LAKE ST, Chicago, IL
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FOOD
外人 Merch

Featured Items

  • Beef Osaka

    osaka-style okonomiyaki with slow-cooked 21-day-aged black Angus beef and roasted garlic, topped with scallions, bonito, okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo
    $27.00
  • Chicken Karaage

    marinated chicken thigh, breaded and fried in the traditional Japanese style, served with a side of yuzu kosho mayo
    $14.00
  • Pork Belly Yakisoba

    stir-fried yakisoba noodles with fried pork belly, cabbage, and mushrooms, tossed in a savory yakisoba sauce and topped with sesame seeds
    $23.00

FOOD

Small Plates

  • Tsukemono Trio

    curated rotating selection of Japanese-inspired pickled vegetables
    $5.00
  • Kombu Vegetables

    kombu marinated celery, fermented green beans, radish, sesame
    $6.00
  • Miso Soup

    soybean broth with tofu, wakame seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, and scallions
    $6.00
  • Gaijin Salad

    House Gaijin Salad with orange-miso vinaigrette, romaine, cucumber, carrots, radish, bean sprouts, arare, and sesame seeds
    $7.00
  • Twice-Cooked Garlic & Senbei

    rayu oil roasted and flash fried garlic cloves, served along senbai rice crackers
    $10.00
  • Bok Choy

    sautéed baby bok choy, topped with sesame, garlic, shoyu, and fried shallots
    $10.00
  • Veggie Tempura

    tempura battered and fried assorted vegetables: broccoli, mushrooms, marinated green beans
    $10.00
  • Enoki Mushrooms

    Four Star golden enoki mushrooms, sauteed with soy sauce and garlic, topped with curry sesame seeds
    $12.00
  • Chicken Karaage

    marinated chicken thigh, breaded and fried in the traditional Japanese style, served with a side of yuzu kosho mayo
    $14.00
  • Honey Glazed Ribs

    dry-cured baby back ribs, slow roasted and drizzled with honey chili, served along rice with lemon-ginger pickled turnips
    $21.00

Yakisoba

  • Veggie Yakisoba

    stir-fried yakisoba noodles with cabbage, corn, bean sprouts, and mushrooms, tossed in a savory yakisoba sauce and topped with sesame seeds
    $19.00
  • Shrimp Yakisoba

    stir-fried yakisoba noodles with grilled shrimp, cabbage, and mushrooms, tossed in a savory yakisoba sauce and topped with sesame seeds
    $24.00
  • Pork Belly Yakisoba

    stir-fried yakisoba noodles with fried pork belly, cabbage, and mushrooms, tossed in a savory yakisoba sauce and topped with sesame seeds
    $23.00
  • Octo Yakisoba

    stir-fried yakisoba noodles with grilled octopus, cabbage, and mushrooms, tossed in a savory yakisoba sauce and topped with sesame seeds
    $25.00

Osaka

Japanese savory cabbage pancakes cooked on a griddle with customized ingredients. Toppings can include. Okonomiyaki sauce: a savory rich sauce made with over fifteen fruits and vegetables. Kewpie mayo: A rich mayonnaise made with only egg yolks. Aonori: Aromatic Dried seaweed from the coast of Japan. Bonito flakes (katsuobushi): Dried, fermented and smoked skipjack tuna or bonito. Umami explosion that dances with heat. Arare: Japanese glutinous rice crackers, flavored with soy sauce.
  • Veggie Tempura Osaka

    osaka-style okonomiyaki topped with lightly battered and deep-fried assorted vegetables, puffed rice, okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo (can be adjusted to be vegetarian or vegan)
    $19.00
  • Phoenix Bean Tofu Osaka

    osaka-style okonomiyaki topped with Phoenix Bean tofu, puffed rice, okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo (can be adjusted to be vegetarian or vegan)
    $19.00
  • Beef Osaka

    osaka-style okonomiyaki with slow-cooked 21-day-aged black Angus beef and roasted garlic, topped with scallions, bonito, okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo
    $27.00
  • Pork Belly Osaka

    osaka-style okonomiyaki with fried pork belly and bacon, topped with bonito, okonomiyki sauce, and kewpie mayo
    $25.00
  • Fried Shrimp Osaka

    osaka-style okonomiyaki topped with breaded and fried shrimp, puffed rice, okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo
    $26.00
  • Octopus Osaka

    osaka-style okonomiyaki with braised octopus and honey chili-gastrique, topped with bonito, okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo
    $27.00
  • Duck Osaka

    osaka-style okonomiyaki topped with teriyaki duck, bonito, okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo
    $30.00
  • Traditional Negiyaki

    savory scallion pancake with bacon, topped with bonito and ponzu sauce
    $19.00
  • Mushroom/Yuba Negiyaki

    savory scallion pancake with roasted mushrooms and a layer of yuba, topped with shio kombu seaweed and ponzu sauce
    $19.00
  • Duck Sel Osaka

    OUT OF STOCK
    $32.00

Hiroshima

A variation where the ingredients are layered (rather than mixed), with the addition of yakisoba noodles. CANNOT BE VEGAN.
  • Traditional Hiroshima

    layered okonomiyaki with yakisoba noodles, bacon, cabbage, egg; topped with bonito, okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo (not available gluten free)
    $22.00
  • Mushroom/Yuba Hiroshima

    layered okonomiyaki with yakisoba noodles, roasted mushrooms, yuba, cabbage, egg; topped with okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo (not available gluten free)
    $22.00

Sides

  • Chili Crunch

    spicy sesame chili crunch made in-house
    $2.00
  • Sriracha Mayo

    kewpie mayonnaise blended with sriracha, offering a tiny and spicy kick
    $1.00
  • Kombu Vegetables

    kombu marinated celery, fermented green beans, radish, sesame
    $6.00
  • Rice

    steamed rice topped with furikake: a blend of sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, salt
    $3.00
  • Kim-Chi Side

    house fermented cabbage with chili, garlic, ginger.
    $4.00
  • Sambal

    sambal oelek, a spicy chili paste with salt and vinegar
  • Sriracha

    sauce made from sun-ripened chili peppers and garlic, perfect side to add some spice and kick
  • Seasonal Kimchi (persimmon)

    salted and fermented apple, marinated in a spicy Korean-style sauce.
    $6.00

Mochi Donuts

Glazed rice flour donuts. Crispy outside, fluffy and chewy inside.
  • Matcha Donut

    Matcha powder, and citrus glazed rice flour donuts. Crispy outside, fluffy and chewy inside.
    $6.00
  • Strawberry Donut

    Strawberry glazed rice flour donut. Crispy outside, fluffy and chewy inside.
    $6.00
  • Pandan Donut

    Pandan: the leaf of a tropical plant paired with coconut, in a classic South Eastern Asia flavor combo. Glazed rice flour donut. Crispy outside, fluffy and chewy inside.
    $6.00
  • Chocolate Donut

    Valrhona Dark Chocolate glazed rice flour donuts. Crispy outside, fluffy and chewy inside.
    $6.00
  • Kinako Donut

    Roasted Soybean flour glaze on a rice flour donut. Crispy outside, fluffy and chewy inside.
    $6.00
  • Coffee Donut

    Coffee glazed rice flour donuts. Crispy outside, fluffy and chewy inside.
    $6.00

Ice Cream

  • Black Sesame Scoop

    $7.00
  • Black Sesame Half Pint

    Black Sesame house-made ice cream
    $12.00
  • Matcha Scoop

    $7.00
  • Matcha Half Pint

    House-made Matcha ice cream
    $12.00
  • Sorbet Scoop

    $7.00

外人 Merch

外人SHIRT

  • GUEST TSHIRT

    $25.00
  • Sparrow Coffee 1lb Bag

    $20.00

Book

  • Preservation Kitchen

    $30.00

Duck Osaka

$30.00

osaka-style okonomiyaki topped with teriyaki duck, bonito, okonomiyaki sauce, and kewpie mayo

Customize your item

Protein Add On

Optional

Osaka-Style Add On's

Optional
Request advisory
In addition to any special request, please inform us if you will need cutlery for your meal and/or extra sauces.
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Gaijin Location and Ordering Hours

(312) 265-1348
950 W LAKE ST, Chicago, IL 60607
Open now • Closes at 8PM
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