Revel in Chicagoā€™s Evolving Dining Scene

Chicagoā€™s pulsating and evolving dining scene is one of the best things about visiting or living in the City of the Big Shoulders. Thereā€™s always something new and exciting to experienceā€”and taste!

Hot to the streets, West Town welcomes Chicagoā€™s first-ever Nordicā€“Japanese fine dining restaurant and itā€™s as splendid and newfangled as you might think.

With the inimitable Chef Devin Denzer at the helm, Atsumeru utilizes the exacting refinement of traditional Japanese technique and blends it with the discipline, color, and loveliness of Nordic fare. What transpires are beautiful Instagram-worthy dishes, full of flavor, and a genius amalgam of surprises throughout the well-planned tasting menu.

Enjoy An Intimate Night Out

Worth talking about, Atsumeruā€™s vibe is silky, velvety, and romantic, with ambient lighting, floor-to-ceiling drapes, interesting artwork, and a hush that envelops the dining room in anticipation. Everything moves with intention here, slowly and with purpose. You can expect to dine with a partner or friend in a minimalistic space that feels unencumbered, imaginative, and ideal for private tĆŖte-Ć -tĆŖtes and stolen glances.

Chef Denzer has long been working on this concept and with the detail and care of each course, you can clearly tell that much thought went into creating this menu. While the fare is Japanese and Nordic-inspired, you will also notice an upper midwestern influence as Denzer spent his childhood in Minnesota. Making perfect sense, Chicago is an ideal location for this new restaurant.

For four years, Denzer expertly hosted a pop-up series called Loon, where he found his footing blending these specific styles and techniques. Fittingly, at Atsumeru, itā€™s completely personal.

Expect An Evening that Flows

The menu consists of 10ā€”12 courses, each one more beautiful than the next. Dinner commences in a cool and calm underground lounge before moving upstairs to another intimate locale. The flow is natural and creates an engaging experience for guests in this warm and welcoming environment.

From crab to wagyu to sablefish to scallops to caviar to foie gras to a string of deserts that will make you question all other deserts; youā€™re in for a real treat here, an epicurean adventure.

One dish, a nod to Loon, is the Milk & Pine, which is a small ball of ice cream in a white chocolate shell, infused with pine needle oil and tongue loving kombucha, and a crisp snowflake cookie on top. If you have any memories of walking through a pine forest, deep in the winter season, youā€™ll instantly be brought back there within the first bite.

Book a Reservation

Open Wednesdayā€”Saturday, from 5:00ā€”9:00 p.m., this West Town neighborhood restaurant is located at 933 N. Ashland Avenue. Reservations are a must.