Instead, the new restaurant aims to attract groups of women who want to socialize and relax in their surroundings.

Sushi Suite has accumulated a largely male clientele - perhaps the Chicago counterpart to New York’s notorious Sushi Bros, drawn by the cachet of a pricy dinner. In another wrinkle, Sushi Boutique is designed to appeal to women, Dominguez adds. The company operates outposts in its home city, as well as Miami and New Jersey, and plans to open another new venue in Chicago by the end of 2021. Founded in 2018, the brand drew criticism for its its lauded and controversial chef, David Bouhadana, who is white but has used a stereotypical Japanese accent while speaking English to customers. It’s a fancier experience than older sibling Sushi by Bou, the New York mini-chain that serves $50 omakase meals in 30 minutes. The six-seat omakase restaurant features 17 courses over an hour for $125 a head. Sushi Suite 202, the brand’s first Chicago outpost, debuted in January 2020 inside a second-floor room at the Hotel Lincoln. “We’re trying to make more approachable, so once we have general consensus with guests - ‘we trust these guys’ - we can push the funky dishes,” Dominguez says. Sushi Boutique/Barry Brecheisenĭominguez also plans to offer a menu inspired by izakaya, highlighting classics of the pub genre like kushiyaki (grilled skewers) with bites of miso black cod and glazed trumpet mushroom kabayaki. The intimate space is well-suited to socializing. An outdoor patio space is also in the works but those plans are not yet finalized.

Tucked inside Claridge House’s 500-square-foot ground floor space, the restaurant will seat eight along the bar and 20 two-top seats indoors. (botan ebi, king crab, shiso, uni, truffle, caviar). Executive chef Jordan Dominguez (Sushi Suite 202, Noyane, Momotaro) will feature a sushi menu with familiar maki like spicy tuna alongside handrolls, chef-selected “omakase boxes,” and rolls like the $25 Bougie Tartar (A5 wagyu, gobo kinpira, shishito) and the $50 Y.U.L.O. Sushi Boutique aims to provide a more relaxed experience than its high-end predecessor and appeal to diners are still learning about Japanese food. The space previously housed Juniper Spirits & Oysters, which closed last year during the pandemic. Sushi Boutique, a slightly more casual sister spot to Sushi Suite 202 in Lincoln Park, has a Saturday, October 2 opening date inside Claridge House at 1244 N. The New York-based team behind Lincoln Park’s trendy speakeasy-style omakase spot will expand its local footprint this weekend with a sleek new sushi restaurant inside a Gold Coast hotel.

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