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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.
  • Tempura Pumpkin Osaka

    OUT OF STOCK
    $28.00
  • 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
  • Umamicue Osaka

    OUT OF STOCK
    $28.00

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

Sriracha

$0.00

sauce made from sun-ripened chili peppers and garlic, perfect side to add some spice and kick

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
Closed • Opens Wednesday at 11:15AM
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