wow what a complete disappointment! my friends usually go there for the dollar tacos and now i know why.... For the price you pay, you can get alot more at other much better restaurants. The food was absolutely terrible. I paid $30 not only for bad food but i walked out not even half full. I mean to spend that much I'd like to be at least somewhat full. I ordered the pork belly over fried rice dish. Horrible. The fried rice had no taste what so ever and the dish was full of fat. Just disgusting fat. I couldn't believe it. The fat was sticking to the metal pan they served it in. I didn't even get to eat half the dish because it was all burnt and stuck to the bottom of the pan. Absolutely disgusting. The two drinks i ordered were way too sweet and had barely any alcohol. The cosmo didn't even taste like a cosmo. I was even at the point of complaining but i had to catch a movie and was running out of time. All in all, this is pretty much your typical "hipster" spot. And i hated it! I would never go back and would never recommend it to anyone.
(1)
Michelle F.
ARGH! Why aren't half stars an option?!?! I rounded up in this case. Management-FABULOUS Service (this time)- On par Drinks-WONDERFUL Food-Good *when* it was warm My Yelp ladies and I decided to meet here on a Thursday night for a bite to eat. We were looking for good food and strong drinks, and we definitely found both. We made reservations for 6:30, but were accommodated when we were early! They were even really nice when we needed to switch from outside to inside. With our Yelp chick-in offer, we were treated to two chicken tacos. They were served fairly quickly, but they were lukewarm at best. I think they would have been way better if they were warm, but they seemed to have a good flavor to them. We each ordered a few different things. Some sushi, the crispy potatoes for the table, a side salad, and I got the chicken noodles again. They definitely did not disappoint, but they were spicier than they were last time. The service was definitely better this time than the first time that I went (it was much faster this time and our waitress was more attentive). Also, when there was a problem with the bill, the manager was right there to fix it. Service with a smile :) I would definitely be back--their drinks are amazingly strong and delicious, and their food isn't too shabby either!
(4)
Kaye D.
This place is adjoined with Shaw's Crab House. You can get to Tokio Pub through the main entrance, but there is a seperate door to get there as well, so you don't have to navigate through Shaw's Oyster Bar. Came here during happy hour (5-6PM) and that happens M-F. All items on the one page of the menu were all half off: appetizers, tacos, and sushi. I checked in via FourSquare and got a deal of free edamame. I checked in via Yelp and got a deal of a free appetizer with a purchase of an entree (will be saving that one for later). We came in at 5 on a Tuesday and the seats at the bar were taken, but the rest of the tables were pretty wide open. My husband and I shared the sticky pork spare ribs to start it all off. I liked the asian BBQ sauce - tangy. Next up was to try the tacos. You order them in combos of 3 or 5. So, we got 1 crying tiger shrimp taco and 2 steak tacos. They are really small, practically 2-3 bites if you're able to keep all the food in the tortilla. I liked the steak tacos because the sweet and zesty after taste provided by the pickled ginger. Delish. Then, we kinda went a little overboard on sushi and ordered: godzilla roll, tokio spicy tuna roll (house favorite), lemon-lime rainbow roll, crazy dragon roll and shrimp tempura roll. All the rolls came out to my expectations except for the godzilla and spicy tuna. That doesn't mean it was bad by any means. My idea of spicy tuna is the tuna is wrapped inside. Here, the spicy sauce is a sauce on the bottom of the plate and the roll is placed on top of it with a big piece of cucumber on the inside of the roll and the tuna is laid on top of the roll. Talk about a completely different presentation of what I know spicy tuna to be. As for the godzilla roll, I feel like each restaurant has its own take on this one. So it's shrimp tempura and cucumber on the inside and salmon on top of the roll topped with guacamole and a tortilla chip on top (talk about a japanese-mexican fusion). The sauce was drawn in a "line" next to the roll. Presentation is definitely key here. Coming from Tokio Pub, it feels like a long hike to get to the bathrooms, which are located upstairs in the main entrance of Shaw's. If their tactic is to help you burn off some of the food you just ate, they definitely achieved their goal there! Probably won't be ordering the tacos again. Otherwise, food was tasty and we had a pleasant experience. Will likely return again during happy hour.
(4)
Daisy B.
On July 16th my boyfriend (although technically we were "just" friends at the time ;)) asked me to meet him at Tokio Pub. I was pretty stoked, as I had good Happy Hour at Tokio Pub with a girlfriend a month before that. This place is connected to Shaw's and my friend surprised me with prime-time valet parking for both our turbos. It was a great way to start the "date"... well.... the night continued to get better. The food was even more exceptional on that day, July 16. I always judge a sushi restaurant by what else (their sashimi of course!). So we ordered sashimi and it was very fresh, good portions and served on a cold stone. I thoroughly enjoyed it! We also shared the crispy rice and a variety of mini-tacos. Everything was super tasty. To finish up our wonderful meal, we decided to order a "Happi Ending" and chose their Mochi. To my surprise this mochi came out pre-cut and pre-portioned atop of about seven spoons. It was a really cute idea! Ready-to-slip into and melt in your mouth! lol. Anyway, it was probably the tastiest mango mochi I have ever had. Overall, I was very impressed with the entire evening (my date and the food)! We will definitely be back to Tokio Pub!
(5)
Britt C.
Very cute outdoor patio, with fans! The little things in life get me all the time. But it was too hot to sit outside so we went in. The inside is nicely decorated, and has a different feel than most places in the area which I liked. I came here after dinner to grab another drink and get some dessert. I ordered a blushing geisha which was pretty good ($10). For dessert they only had beignets, raspberry sorbet, and a trio of ice cream. We opted for the beignets, which arrived at the table in a tiny white paper bag with Tokio Pub printed on it. It was cute, something different. There were four small beignets in the bag, which were filled with warm chocolate. They were pretty good ($4). Watch out though if you try to just take a bite of one, the chocolate might break out and get all over you...yes, this did happen to me. For how chill this place seems I felt the prices were just slightly high, but not ridiculously so. They had an interesting menu, so I would go back to try a few things. Especially if it wasn't such a hot day to sit out on their patio!
(3)
Beth R.
Love Tokio Pub! The Pub Tea cocktail is dee-lish and refreshing. It's served in a mason jar with fresh mint and it just makes me happy. I love any place that has small bites to share...that way you can try a bunch of different flavors and not get stuck with one mediocre dish. The tuna hot rock is a fun and tasty way to eat ahi. The volcano roll, crispy rice, spicy edamame, and pork belly are wonderfully delicious bites of heaven. Finish your meal off with the beignets stuffed with molten melted chocolate and you'll have yourself a good time.
(5)
Richard B.
My wife and I went to the crab place next door and then here for drinks. We should of just went here to begin with. The service was fantastic. Very attentive, younger, but I did not feel intimidated (I am forty) and easy on the eyes. The drinks were great and reasonably priced. We looked at the menu to see what we misses. NEXT TIME!! Great place, good vibes, excellent service. Go here, not to the crab place next door.
(5)
Mike G.
Top notch service and a great atmosphere I sincerely recommend this pub. The tacos are great but a little on the small side.
(4)
Hans C.
Tokio Pub is not just a malicious growth metastasizing off the side of Shaw's Crab House. It is a Schaumburg destination in its own right. I've been here probably 6 or 7 times in about as many months, and I've always had a positive experience. Good food and great service and staff. Due to the varying specials they're constantly having (Happy Hour, $1 tacos, free gift certificates, etc.), I've had the opportunity to try the majority of the items on the menu. My personal favorites would be the crying tiger shrimp tacos, noodle bowls, wings, and maki rolls. The beignets are also a treat--just try not to let the hot chocolate splooge burn your unsuspecting mouth. Other than beer, I haven't had any drink from the bar yet, but that's on my to-do list when I stop in again next week. I didn't enjoy everything I tried, and some of the fare was just okay, but overall the food is quality, and to each his own. Another downside is the bathrooms are practically a day's journey and a labyrinth away. When you finally reach it, you almost expect David Bowie and some goblins to be there singing Magic Dance. My advice is to break that seal before you get seated. Tokio Pub is a great place to have a light meal and a couple drinks before continuing the night elsewhere. The restaurant is divided into an indoor section and a covered outdoor heated area. Both are comfortable. It's a small, intimate atmosphere, yet there's plenty of seating. Whether you're on a first date or just want to enjoy great $1 tacos and some beers, Tokio Pub fits the bill.
(4)
Lani G.
My girlfriends and I ate here for dinner last week. The tacos were outstanding. The sushi was terrible. It was "pasty tasing" and fishy. My girlfrined wouldnt eat hers. The service was good. Will come back but not for the sushi.
(3)
Alex K.
I had a light dinner here the other night. It's bar food, simple as that. The Asian noodle salad was a cold udon, some vegetables, dressed in a peanut sesame vinegar dressing. The flavours were good but nothing spectacular. The chicken taco was good. Street taco sized, the meat and the salad and dressing went well. Nothing out of this world. The fried/burnt rice thing should be taken off the menu. It's sushi rice, battered, fried, then topped with your choice of a number of things like a fried shrimp or whatever. Unappetizing. Service was awesome but we had gone quite early before it got crowded. Good place for a drink and bar food but nothing different or spectacular.
(2)
Taylor P.
Tacos and sushi... Is this heaven? I am a huge fan of Tokio Pub and always try to stop in if I am back in the suburbs. My favorites are the tacos (I order one of each, they are all amazing) and the lemon-lime rainbow roll. The nachos are also a huge portion if you want to grab a solid appetizer. I will continue to dine here whenever I can.
(5)
Rexcrisanto D.
SUSHI RATING BREAKDOWN: CLEANLINESS / NEATNESS Display Case: 4 Cutting Boards: 4 Sushi Bar: 3 Restaurant: 3 Bathrooms: 5 SUSHI CHEF (s) CLEANLINESS Professional Appearance: 5 Hand Washing: 3 Wiping of Knives: 3 Wiping of Board: 3 Makisu Bamboo Mats: 3 Cross Contamination Control: 3 Display Case Doors Closed after Opening: N/A SUSHI CHEF (s) SKILLS Sushi Rice Quality: 4 Nigiri Preparation (Shari / Neta): 3 Maki Roll Preparation: 3 Sashimi Preparation: 3 Presentation: 3 Friendliness / Interaction: 2 FOOD (SUSHI BAR) Freshness: 4 Taste: 3 Japanese Authenticity: 1 Innovation: 2 SERVICE: 1 Likelihood to return if nearby: 1 Likelihood to "go-out-of-my-way" to return: 0 TOTAL SCORE: 3 (Everything else is secondary) Preface: This review is based on their sushi alone. The new Japanese garden that was built last summer and the fact that its head chef, Naoki Nakashima, is Japanese really had me thinking I would enjoy some great authentic sushi. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The garden bears little resemblance with the food and atmosphere inside. First of all, this is an "American" sushi place inside an American crab house restaurant. When I walked in looking for the sushi bar, I was directed to sit at the "liquor bar," which happens to share the same space where the sushi is prepared. I had to order my sushi through the liquor bartender. Midway into placing my order I glanced and saw a look of confusion in her eyes. Clearly she didn't understand the Japanese names of the fish I was ordering (hamachi, sake etc). When I asked for green tea, I was told they don't have traditional green tea, but instead, a variety of gourmet teas. It's very sad when something as basic as "ocha" green tea isn't available with sushi. It's a staple for sushi just like wasabi, gari and rice vinegar - should be automatic. As for the sushi, the selection is poor, catering to the American palette to say the least. However, what they did have is fresh and not pre-frozen and pre-sliced. According to the Mexican sushi chef during my last visit, they have a steady influx of new fish delivered frequently enough to provide fresh tasting sashimi and netta for nigiri. I don't eat many rolls, but I had to try their King Crab California roll that uses real crab meat right out of its shell. I must say, it was one of the worst $15 I've spent on sushi. The idea of using fresh King crab sounds better than imitation kani kama, but the taste is too bland in comparison. If Hidekazu Tojo, the inventor of the California roll, made the original California roll like Shaw's King Crab California roll back in the 70's, sushi wouldn't be as popular today in America or the world. In short, if you're looking for crab and other American seafood dishes, this is a great place to go, however, If traditional Japanese sushi in a Japanese setting is your preference, go elsewhere.
(3)
Norberto S.
Food was great. Service was awesome and we got a free desert for being our first time here.
(5)
Kim M.
Been meaning to try this place out since it opened and we finally had a chance to go sans kiddos. We got the yelp check in special which was a maki roll. I am totally sushi illiterate so if this is wrong, my apologies. I didn't eat it, but the husband said it was excellent. We sat at the bar and I had multiple sake-tinis and they were so good. Great foreign beer selection. Great sake selection. I imagine if you are in here at night, and have a good buzz going on, you can almost feel like you are in Tokyo by the way it feels and looks inside. Great decor, almost movie-set like. We will be heading back to try out some real meals there in the near future.
(4)
Michelle L.
Nice addition to the mix of restaurants in the Woodfield Mall area but not the greatest if you want sushi. I'm used the eating at Coast and Tanoshii so the sushi at Tokio Pub was disappointing. I went on a Friday during lunch and the service was horrible too - loooong wait and the server kept forgetting things. if I'm in the area then I may go there again but I won't go out of my way to come back.
(3)
Andrew K.
I've come here a handful of times since I don't live too far. I definitely haven't sampled everything yet, but have mixed reviews thus far about some of the food, but there have been some pleasant hidden gems on the menu as well. . Highlights: the White Peach Sangria is sweet & refreshing and always hits the spot. The beignets are freaking AWESOME, get 2 orders for sure, sugary goodness. . A-OK: The rolls are pretty decent, but nothing to write home about. The Crying Tiger Shrimp Taco is decent as well, but the other tacos were nothing special. I'm not the biggest fan of Del Sol's tacos either (they're A-OK as well, don't get the hype) if that's giving you a reference point. . Let Downs: The non-shrimp tacos. Nothing special, and not bad either, just expected more from all the hype here on the reviews. Yakitori shrimp (pictured), again, not terrible, but it was hyped up a little by the waitress and thus, a little bit of a let down. . Will repeat and try other plates and update.
Read someone compare this place to being as good as wasabi in Logan square. NO. It is not. Do yourself a big favor and go to wasabi and get their ramen. The ramen here is overly salted and under flavored. Wasabi's ramen uses pork bones that have been cooked for days to flavor their broth. Tokio uses salt out of what can only be cost savings or laziness. Either way not worth the price when Wasabi is not that far away. Unfortunately this isn't the only place that jumps on the ramen fad without doing their homework, but it also isn't the worst. Hence the 3 stars.
(3)
Anya C.
It's really a place for American. If you want to grab a beer and hand out with friend, it's a good place to go. If you want to try Japanese food, it's NOT the place to go. I ordered UDON noodle soup and they served noodle soup NOT with UDON noodle. The pork belly was over-cooked. Soup base was not good either.
(3)
Jules H.
Happy place, good bites! Food and drink specials rule the show here and they do not disappoint. Okay sushi, really good tacos, menu for everyone. Eating and drinking here is a breeze...good service, fun date spot.
(4)
Jessica M.
I came here with a coworker for a nice leisurely lunch. I was surprised that I never noticed this place even though I have been to Big Bowl a few times. I like the vibe of this place. It's a little hip without trying too hard and a lot of natural decor elements make it relaxed. If nothing else, try the bbq braised pork nachos! They are delicious and the serving is big! We split a couple of sushi rolls and they were tasty as well. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and we had a great experience. I would definitely come back to try something new and different. After everything we ordered and split our bill was a bit high for lunch but it was great for a treat! Added bonus: there were not very many people in there at lunchtime so we didn't feel rushed and the atmosphere was quiet enough to have a good conversation.
(4)
Brian G.
I went back to Tokio pub to give it a second chance, due to continued positive feedback from friends. This time around I tried the Garlic Steak. It was quite delicious - very flavorful and and fresh. It was kind of skimpy on the steak, but for a price of $13 it wasn't an insulting portion size (and i'm a big eater who likes big portions). My wife again had the tacos, and my analysis on these has not changed. They are delicious, but bit-sized. At a cost of $3 per taco, I'm thinking an average male is paying roughly $1 per bite, which is just silly to me. My recommendation to Tokio Pub would be to include some sort of side dish to make it feel more like a meal. Even my 5'1", 105lb wife wasn't full after 5 tacos. Something wrong there. I will say, however, that the customer service is impecable at Tokio Pub. As soon as I expressed the slightest displeasure with my food, it was dealt with by the manager in a friendly and prompt manner. The wait staff was great, and the ambiance of the restaurant is a good too. The outdoor seating are is especially nice. Let me also caveat my review by saying that I don't eat sushi, so there's an entire half of my menu that I can't comment on. There is a ton to choose from on the menu - far beyond what i've reviewed - so I'd recommend that everyone try it at least once.
(3)
Joe P.
We ordered the Godzilla Roll and were pleasantly surprised. The sushi seemed fresh and the flavors were good. The Gyoza was also very good and came with a mustard flavored sauce which was interesting (not a huge mustard fan but this was enjoyable in small amounts to me). I ordered the Chop salad and was not disappointed. My wife and I split the Teriyaki Chicken and it was delicious. All the food this time made our bad experience seem like this was a completely different restaurant.
(4)
C. G.
Awesome experience! Need to head here more often.
(4)
Yvonne O.
So glad I checked into what Lettuce Entertain You had opened in recent times, because I am not in Schaumburg that often and would never have known about this gem. We went in for Sunday brunch and were the first people there (at 11 - even though it starts at 10). We ordered some drinks and then got down to serious eating. We started with the pork mini tacos (YUM!) So happy they were not dry and the sauce and guac on them was perfect. Then I got the french toast tempura maki with a delicious bananas foster sauce on the side - such a clever idea and not overly sweet like some places make their French toast options (I'm looking at you Ditka's with your cereal coated diabetes fare) I also had a side of the eggs three way fried rice that had an unusual (but yummy) oil in there - something was super spicy. Husband had the burger and enjoyed it as well. All this was under $50! And, with a Lettuce Card, you can put the tip on there, so we essentially ate for free! I'm hooked and totally coming back for lunch or dinner.
(5)
Care M.
Love this place, you feel like you are in downtown Chicago even though its located in Schaumburg. Very tasty tacos, and just the right portion size.
(5)
Gail G.
My friend and I both tried this place for the first time and we both had a really great experience! Granted, we came on a Friday night during Happi Hour, so all the food we ordered was half-price, but STILL.... the food (and cocktails, which are not half price) were great! I made a reservation for 5:30pm on a Friday, and there was no problem being seated on time. They even had a covered outdoor seating area, but it was so hot and humid that it was basically empty. There were two couples sitting out there as we left and neither of us could imagine how they could bear it! Keep in mind, this is not marketed as, nor attempting to be, an authentic Japanese restaurant. I mean, isn't it obvious by their spelling of "Tokio" instead of "Tokyo"?? People complaining that the food isn't authentic should know better. Being half-Japanese, I only get annoyed with Japanese restaurants that claim to have authentic food, but plainly do not. Japanese/Asian Fusion restaurants like this one do not offend me. Since Nozumi in the South Barrington Arboretum closed down several months ago, this will probably become my new go-to place when I'm craving some Fusion or sushi. I will definately be back!
(5)
Jenna P.
Whoa. First time eating here.. LOVED it. Jacob was our server (he ROCKS, so charismatic, woo Jacob!!!) he recommended Crispy chicken tacos, & the volcano roll. Both are a must! Also, the crunchy tuna rice, delicious. Will definitely be back!
(5)
Jen H.
Gave this place a second chance and I'm so glad we did. Our server, Jillian, was phenomenal. There is something to be said about excellent customer service nowadays and she went above and beyond for us. The food was amazing. We went during happy hour and ordered the majority of the appetizers. Everything was delicious. My particular favorites were the mini tacos and the sweet potato sushi. Based upon the food, happy hour specials and superior service, our whole group will be back!
(5)
LaLaLaLa L.
Ok.. So.... Went here on a Monday night. Cute place... very small. Butted up with Shaws next door. The menu looked awesome and we were excited to try different things. We started out with Tacos. We got one chicken, one steak and one nacho. You had to order in increments of 3 or 5. When they came out, they were the size of my thumb. Very small. They were also $3 each... so $9 for 3. I was splitting them with my husband.. so we each got 1 bite of each. Super yummy... Super expensive for what they were. We got a ceviche to share. It was so disgusting I couldn't eat it. It was so overly fishy that it almost tasted rancid. I don't know how you could share a kitchen with Shaw's and have bad ceviche... but whatever. for entrees, my husband ordered the pork belly and I got the filet. We were going to share both. When they came, there were 3 pieces of pork belly that were about 2.5 inches in length. The rest of the place was nothing but rice. The filet was 5 very! thin strips of steak with a mound of noodles. The steak tasted mealy .. as if it marinated in the oil way too long. There was no flavor. The noodles tasted like those store bought Knorr packaged noodles that you add water and butter to. It was gross. Both of these meals were unfortunately expensive... For dessert, we got the beignets. There were four of them, but instead of coming on a plate... they come in a little to-go bag. I thought that was weird.. as if they were rushing us out. I would never come back here again and am sad to know this is a Lettuce restaurant... as they are usually pretty awesome. The only exception I would make is MAYBE for $1 tacos...
(2)
Todd L.
One of my favorite places in the suburbs. You must order the pork belly nachos and a maki roll. Trust me.
(5)
Jenna K.
We decided to celebrate a friend's birthday by experiencing restaurant week at Tokio Pub. The 4 of us were famished and most food is DELICIOUS when you are in this state. However, I was just not impressed with the quality of food served that night. We ordered the dinner for 2 for $33. Edamame started off the meal, which was lackluster. The taco combo was in dire need of flavor. The spicy tuna roll was probably the best tasting entree item that we were served, but we felt that the spicy mayo was bordering on the thin line of "too spicy". Now I eat my fair share of spicy, but this spicy tuna left us with an unpleasant lingering burn. The ramen bowl (beef with soy) was flavorful, but a tad too salty. The highlight of the meal was honestly the rice crispie treats. Conclusion... I probably won't be back for the food.
(2)
Shaun S.
Food is average, definitely not up to standards of a quality Japanese place. But it is shaws crabhouse. The seafood is good, but Asian inspired things are average at best. I do like going there in the spring/summer to have some drinks and a snack. The pulled pork nachos were good as was the calamari.
(3)
Colleen M.
Great food and service. We checked in and got a free starter- what a great surprise! My favorite(s) are the sweet potato tempura roll and the hot rock NY strip. It's a fun way to enjoy a meal. I can't wait to go again!
(5)
Brittany K.
My girlfriend and I decided to try Tokio Pub after receiving a Lettuce Entertain You giftcard for Christmas. I'd been seeing the place around online and thought this was the perfect opportunity to give it a shot. We made reservations for 7pm on a Sunday night and were seated not QUITE promptly but soon enough I suppose. In all reality we probably didn't need reservations as the place wasn't all that crowded. We still had to wait a few minutes for a table though. After we were seated I went to hunt down the bathroom and was surprised to realize this place was actually attached to Shaw's. I didn't actually ever find the bathroom as going into a completely different restaurant to pee seemed too daunting while drunk and hungry. I ordered the miso soup app and the king crab california roll as my entree. My girlfriend had the bbq pork nachos as well as some of the mini tacos they had. They advertise them as tacos but really they are mini tacos. Barbie doll house tacos honestly. Our appetizers and entrees came out at the same time which was a little strange, especially since we were sitting at a small table so getting all the plates required a little Tetris style maneuvering. The soup was pretty good - the menu says it comes with mushrooms but mine didn't have any (which was great. I hate mushrooms.) The nachos were OK. My girlfriend liked them but I thought the sauce was way too sweet. I tried a shrimp taco - nothing special really. The sushi was fucking disgusting. Limp cucumber, chewy, fishy crab and tough nori. I have had bad sushi. I have eaten bad sushi. I left this bad sushi on the plate. They also served it with a suspicious white sauce. It smelled like ranch but was probably a spicy mayo or something. No soy sauce, though I doubt the soy sauce would have helped. Our waitress was very nice and asked what was wrong when she saw I wasn't eating the sushi. I told her I didn't like the quality/wasn't quite as fresh as I have had and she took it off the bill for me. Anyway - I expected the place wouldn't be the best. What restaurant sells tacos AND sushi? AND is by a mall? right. But it was crappier than expected. They got my order right and all....it was just really poor quality. No thank you. But really - it is by Woodfield, what would you expect?
(1)
Larry B.
went here yesterday in late afternoon. Small room attached to Shaw Crab house. Trying to sell itself an an izakaya but not so much. more of a hipster fusion place. ordered the potato salad which was a little bland and the potatoes were a little underdone. ordered 3 of the tacos which a tiny but tasty. had the pork belly with hoisin which is nice, the fish taco which is better and the crying tiger shrimp which was best, bathed in sri racha sauce. not a bad venue but you would need to eat a lot of these tacos if you were hungry. i would go back for an app but then go to Shaws for a more substatial meal.
(3)
G B.
What a great addition to Schaumburg! After living downtown for 7 years, moving to the suburbs was hard...especially finding unique places to eat, and TPub was definitely a breath of fresh air! My friends and I really enjoyed everything ate, and the service was spectacular. My favorites would have to be ALL the cocktails, Lobster Crispy Rice, BBQ Braised Pork Nachos (YUM!), Acapulco roll, Crispy Pork Belly, and the Tacos are all delicious! Definitely a win for Lettuce Entertain You if you ask me.
(5)
Amanda R.
First time at Tokio Pub, and we weren't really sure what to expect. When we arrived without a reservation, we were sat out on the heated patio. The chairs were uncomfortable (being patio furniture) and it started getting cold towards the end of our meal. They also had loud dubstep music pumping on the patio, which made it really difficult to hear the waitress. We came here craving sushi, but the sushi menu was so small we ended up going with regular entrees instead. Oh, except my companion ordered one of the tuna on grilled rice and one of the shrimp on the same. I tried a bite. Interesting texture, but the shrimp was cold. Appetizer was the miso soup which, while really good, was missing the mushrooms the menu advertised. For main course, I ordered the shrimp entree, which was five average-sized shrimp in a good (but not fantastic) sauce. The rest of the plate was filled with... grilled bamboo? I'm really not sure. On the menu it's just identified as a "grilled side". Basically just there to fill the plate. Either way, it really wasn't that good, so I didn't eat it, and essentially paid $14 for five shrimp. The one shining moment of the meal, however, was the bananas fosters. It was a tiny portion, but oh my goodness was it delicious! The bill. Oh boy. Let's not talk about that. The portions are small. The cost is not. So, cold patio, uncomfortable furniture, loud music, small portions, overpriced menu, "entrees" which are 75% filler... but a fantastic dessert. We joked that if we ever came back, we would skip the meal and get four orders of bananas fosters instead. Truth be told, I wasn't 100% joking when I suggested that.
(2)
Jenny V.
I love their taco time! $1 tacos for one hour, days are changed weekly. I tried their fish, shrimp and angry chicken tacos. all were yummy. my fav was the shrimp taco. We got a free appetizer for checking in (thanks yelp!) we shared the sort rib nachos which were very tasty! i will be back during taco time! =]
(4)
Adam E.
Awful. Just the worst food. The chicken tasted like bad fish and smelled just about as bad. Pork tacos were okay, but nothing that really stood out.
(2)
Christina A.
My husband and I wandered into Tokio Pub after a few oysters at Shaw's and since our first visit we keep coming back. The staff is super-awesome; fun, friendly and fans of their our product (I love that). Everything is served tapas style so we often pop in to TP for a mid-shopping snack and cocktail. The first time we went we asked the server to choose everything for us and loved every selection (especially the martinis)! My favorite part? They serve jello shots!
(4)
Ang R.
***Restaurant Week Review*** Make a reservation. It's teeny. The restaurant week menu was great, and a great value. $33 per couple, not person. Everything was really tasty. The nachos were probably the highlight for me, though those Asian barbecue ribs were very tasty too. (And the white peach sangria was awesome.)
(4)
Deepak N.
Went here before a movie. Waitress was super nice. Sushi rolls were sub par. Not authentic. Expensive. Loud drunk patrons. Meh. Better off going to sushi ya or something.
(1)
Pete V.
From a distance Tokio Pub appears to be an oasis lost amidst chain restaurants, sprawling megaplexes, and generic retail that pervades the Schaumburg mall area. Not that I have anything against this, after all there are many people who love this atmosphere, but I prefer a more authentic, non-American feel sometimes, and when it comes to the Japanese itzakaya concept, I literally jump at the opportunity to discover a Japanese pub that captures the lively and local atmosphere that seems to be hard to duplicate here in the States. I appreciate what Lettuce Entertain You is trying to do here with Tokio Pub. They indeed attempt to create a lively, chatty atmosphere centered around good food, beer, and of course sake. But there are many details that they simply miss, or like a dealer inspecting a fake rolex, appear to be imperfects immediately apparent the trained eye. For one, they are serving tacos here. Even worse, the tacos are better than the Japanese food. Which, of course, isn't saying much, but I was disappointed in both the noodles and maki rolls. I feel like saying, if you are going to open an itzakaya, you must get the noodles right. Especially ramen. Period!! The ramen noodles seemed manufactured, and were a tad overcooked, the broth was bland and lacked depth and flavor. To top it off it was served warm, and not hot enough. When you can sip the broth without cringing, you know the broth is not hot enough. Noting stood out to me about the maki rolls, I will say the rice was good quality and prepared well, but the rolls were assembled correctly, and were so badly rolled, that they fell apart when I picked them up with my chopsticks. Another failure is the fact that they are serving draft beer in 11.5 oz glasses, but they fail to mention this on the menu. I do concede that the beer prices seem to be a bit lower than normal at $4 per glass, but come on guys, do you really think that you can get away with this when every other restaurant and bar in America serves draft beer by the pint? Our server mentioned that they had some craft beer companies dictate that the glasses be smaller than the serving size of the beer glass/can, and they have a glut of small glasses on hand, but that is no excuse for deceiving your customers. Go out and buy new glasses for crying out loud!!! Last I checked you can buy pint glasses at Ikea for what, $1.50 each? Finally, the one good food item we had were the tacos, which I thought were shockingly good. Once you get around their deceptive pricing where they charge you a premium to order a mixed set of tacos, you can then avoid that trap and order them a la carte/by the couple and enjoy! Overall, I don't think I would go back to Tokio Pub, but then again, they are doing (or attempting to do) something that is quite different than most of the generic and outdated concepts here in Schaumburg, so I might have to give them another chance, especially if they get new draught beer glasses. Until then let's hope I can avoid megaplex central for the time being.
(2)
Carolyn B.
This place was our go-to in early spring, but service and quality have gone downhill since April..we won't be back.
(2)
Melanie P.
Love this place! Super relaxed, we always sit out on the patio (rarity in the suburbs). Great place to go with groups- order more, try more. I recommend the Sake Sangria and any of the tacos (partial to the pork belly). Service has always been good. Nice place to go to get away from all of the Schaumburg chains.
(5)
Jie S.
Tokio pub could be a nice place to have a drink with a light Asian-Tapas style food. But with limit food choices, very small portions, and high price tag, I am not sure if i want to go back again. The decor was decent. I like the comfortable bench along the wall. The service was great. Our waitress came back many times to make sure we were doing fine and replaced the used plates with the clean ones. It was a slow night with just 2 tables inside and a few more outside. Drinks first, my Sake Sangria was fine. Yuzu drop was pretty tasty. Every taco order came with two mini tacos. We have tried Pork, Tuna, and shrimp. The pork tacos are flavorful and tender. The best out of three tacos we picked. We were told the Tuna one was supposed to be seared with raw meat in the middle but those turned out to be fully cooked which I didn't like. The shrimp one was fine which was grilled with a little bit spicy flavor. The barbecue combination plate came with one shrimp, two chicken meat balls, tow dice sized park belly skewers, and two ribs. Shrimp was the same one as in Tacos. Other meat were simply taste the same flavor with different texture and too sweet for my taste. I felt like they just brushed the sugar or honey coat on those meat pieces. Rainbow roll and dragon roll were fine but nothing special. Only three choices of deserts. A bag of the Beignets was essentially 4 tiny chocolate filled Munchkins. Passion fruit ice cream was fine. I feel like they lack of some excitement in sweets here. I was suggesting to go to another place to get some deserts. In the end, we paid around $40 per person and I was not even full. Just too expensive for the small portion! No wonder it was empty for the dinner time!
(3)
Rocky B.
It was my first time here and we had a really good experience. Since the restaurant is connected to Shaw's, the place is a bit small. We got there about 7pm and the wait wasn't too bad. We only waited for 10 mins. Our glasses were filled right away when we sat done. The menu is very easy to read. Our waitress took awhile to get to us but it wasn't too bad. We started off with the calamari and I must say it's probably the best calamari I have ever had. The sauce was so delicious and it was filled with so much flavor. For $9 you'd expect it to feed at least 4-5 ppl, but honestly, I could've ate the whole thing and still be hungry. But I guess that's why they're called appetizers. My husband ordered beef, chicken and nacho tacos. It was very delicious. The nacho taco had a tiny kick to it but it was still good. Definitely not your average taco taste but it's worth trying. I had the filet mignon yakitoro and that was really good. The steak and mushrooms were in shish kabobs and the fried rice had a fried egg on top. It was delicious. The steak wasn't heavily seasoned or spicy. It had just the right amount of seasoning and sauce. Then for dessert we had the s'mores and the beignets. The s'mores was sooo good. It was like a ice cream cookie sandwich but with graham crackers and melted marshmallows and chocolate on the side for dipping. The beignets however was still good, but for the price, it wasn't worth getting again. You get 4 tiny little doughnuts filled with chocolate. Overall, we had a great experience. We would definitely come back again. The bus boys were attentive and so was our server. She always had a smile on her face. The serve was a little slow but the food made up for it.
(4)
Amber S.
I came here for my sister's birthday and I love it so far. I ordered the Tokio surf and turf hot rock and it was very good. It was my first time ordering a hot rock dish and the waitress was very helpful explaining how to cook the meal. It was a nice experience. For drinks I ordered the sake sangria and later in the night, I ordered plain sake. Since it was my first time ordering sake, the waitress was nice enough to order a beginner sake drink for me which I enjoyed. The only complaint I had about the drinks is that the sake sangria was a bit watery; almost as if it had stayed out for a while and the ice melted a little bit. I brought a cake for my sister's birthday, I emailed the restaurant to make sure it was okay so I didn't have a chance to try any of the dessert items. Since it was on the actual day of my sister's birthday, we received gift certificates for her age amount. I can't wait to come back and try something new on the menu. I also adored the music selection of the restaurant. It was the music that I would play at home or in the car.
This place tries way too hard to be trendy/hipster without the flavor to back it up. Some of the menu items are on the tastier side but everything we tried was doused in sauce and salted beyond flavor recognition. Presentation is fantastic and service was decent and friendly. We ordered most of the taco flavors, robata combo plate and the tuna and lobster crispy rice. Out of the five taco flavors (pork, shrimp, steak, fish and chicken) I like the fish taco and my wife like the shrimp taco. The steak taco had way too much ginger and both the pork and chicken were sauced beyond recognition. The robata combo plate was more of the same as their flavors are repeated throughout their limited menu. The crisp rice was a waste of money so don't even bother ordering them. Small pieces of deep fried and salted rice topped with sauced up fish makes you reach quickly for beer to quench that salt thirst. Atmosphere is what you would expect of a "trendy" sushi joint with way too loud electronic music in a tiny brushed metallic environment. If you like to dress in skinny jeans and eat sub par Japanese pub fare then this is your place. Make sure you bring plenty of money because the miniscule tapas portions will keep you ordering more and more to find some satisfaction while the tab keeps piling up. Good idea, poor execution. For real Japanese pub fare at fair prices try Sankyu by Elmhusrt and Golf. They carry a great variety of Japanese beer on tap and in pitchers with an ever changing pub menu that is big enough (and portioned large enough) to satisfy your pub cravings.
(2)
Phil M.
Great Happy Hour spot! Convienently located and a super nice staff!
(4)
Jaclyn H.
I loved my meal a bit more than my husband, I think, but we were both fans. We went for brunch and I had the French toast maki with mango and kiwi and a banana's foster dipping sauce. It's certainly sweet, but not over the top. I got my savory on with a piece of the shrimp crispy rice. It was wonderful. My husband enjoyed three tacos, two crying shrimp and a nacho taco. He found them a tad pricy a $3 each, but an entree with three tacos would likely be $9 or more at many restaurants. He was disappointed in the ramen, though. Noodles were mushy and overcooked. Broth was rather bland. We checked in on Yelp and enjoyed free gyoza, which are potstickers and were yummy! Small place, but I would love to go back and sit in their tented area this summer.
(4)
Joon L.
Beware the hot green tea is served felm a can and costs $5 a pop! Food is ok. Not close to being authentic at all. Service is so so.. Would never go back to this place and would never recommend it to anyone. This was a disappointment.
(1)
Tejas B.
A buddy and I ate there yesterday. We ordered the Udon noodles soup with chicken and both of us got food poisioning. Horrible. They also removed the Bento Box from the lunch menu which was the best thing on the menu.
(1)
Luke S.
I was really unimpressed by this place. I had big expectations, but all that happened was that I walked away hungry with a large bill. They need to establish some sort of lunch menu, or else they will continue to have two tables occupied on a daily basis. The concept is great and the food was OK, but the portions were so tiny. Everything that we ordered was literally one or two bites. I was also a little put off by the small can of green tea. When you think of Green Tea you think of it like an iced tea where you can have free refills, not 8 ounces and no refill. I feel like I am harping on a lot of negatives, but it just didn't work for me. Our server was nice, but I would much rather dine at Shaws, which shares the location, for lunch going forward if I am ever in the area (which I rarely am).
(2)
Jay N.
This appears to be a former back room of the Shaw's next door. The food comes from the doors to Shaw's and the restrooms are located there as well. Therefore, the parking is still pretty limited and you would be best served to use the garage nearby. Staff and servers were welcoming and helpful. Going in, I knew it would be small plates for sharing and to try out new dishes. The steak tacos were pretty meaty and had slightly different flavorings than a taqueria:ginger and some salsa, but it's not really good for sharing. We had the crab crispy rice. The crispy rice is simply Japanese sticky rice, rolled in panko, and deep fried. The crab was blended with some chili and roe so you're paying extra for not just the pure crab which was slightly disappointing. The chili hid some of the crab taste. The shrimp ceviche was laid out on a small platter instead of still being in the acidic juices, which makes me question the freshness. Our server recommended the bbq pork belly nachos, which ended up being slightly better than our other choices. It was overly covered in cheese and a sweet sauce served with a side of guacamole and sour cream. We finished with the warm bagged beignets, which were tasty but can get messy if you don't swallow them whole, and the creme brulee trio. The orange flavor was by far the best but the lemongrass and ginger were too similar in taste. Maybe a matcha flavor would have been better to replace one of those two. They have a good variety of drinks and serve water in a stoppered bottle, but was disappointed from a taste/uniqueness standpoint and even further exasperated at the value and experience.
(2)
Natalie R.
I really like this restaurant. We usually go for the tacos and 1-2 rolls. It's a really cool atmosphere in the Streets of Woodfield and Japanese/Mexican fusion food. I've never gotten any of the main dishes, but they look tasty. The spicy edamame app is addicting! My only complaint is the service. I've been here 6 times and have had rude waitresses 5 of them. Unfriendly, not particularly helpful. One was great until the end when she would not shut up about the LEYE promotions. It was like getting chased on the beach for a timeshare. Leave me alone!
(4)
Andi S.
Very good place and very good staff! Great service and quick with the refills on our wine and beer.
(5)
Yaeko M.
I liked american asian themed ambience. The service was pretty good. We went there ib Thursday around 8:30pm. The food was okay. We had the signature tacos. Shrimp taco was very good. When I go there next time, $1 taco hour or happy hour (half price).
(3)
Nicky S.
We utilized our gift certificates and picked up a variety of menu options. The girl on the phone said it would be ready in 15 minutes. We're a 20 minute drive away so I sent my husband off after the call. He said the order was not ready when we got there, but he had no problem waiting at the bar. We made sure to order a range of food and my mindset was very open to this second time around. Shrimp ceviche - This was light and refreshing but not enough chips included. Braised pork tacos - Decent, but not special Braised pork belly noodles - not seasoned properly, not enough salt, lacked unami and depth. I did like how they layered the pork on top of the soup as to not soak the meat in the broth. Robata Grilled Skirt Steak - Husband's dish. He generally doesn't have negative reviews of restaurants but said he was not impressed and the steak was overcooked. Conclusion: I give the management major props for handling my poor first experience swiftly and allowing me a second shot. If the review was solely based on their actions this would be 5 stars instead of 3. Despite this I am still unimpressed with the food. It's very average and something that might impress those who are content going to Applebees or Ruby Tuesdays. I am torn because there is much potential with the atmosphere, menu options and beverage selection, that it's a shame the main event doesn't live up to the image. The flavors are not as bright and exciting as one would expect. The broth and sauces lack dimension and leave much to be desired. Frankly after a bite or two of each item I was bored. Management obviously cares about their establishment, hence reaching out to their customer-base, so I would ask them to round up their kitchen staff, taste each of their menu items and ask themselves if it's the most delicious thing they've ever tasted, or if something needs to be tweaked. It might not be the chefs, it could be the recipes are too bland to begin with. If the menu items were revamped I would be happy to come back on my own dime and try this restaurant once more.
(3)
Jordan G.
Did not eat here, but we did sit at the bar and had a few cocktails! VERY cool atmosphere! I had a raspberry martini which was delicious and my boyfriend tried a few of their variety of craft beers. It's a small, quitter bar (at least when we were there) that looked to be setting up live music on the patio for later. Very cool!
(4)
Ashley P.
Classy...love it! Sliders delish. Drinks delish. Gone twice now, same waitress (Claire) and she was so sweet and so great! We are new to the area and we love this place already!
(5)
Carmella M.
Went here for girls night out and was plesantly surprised. Right next to Shaw's and you have to go thru Shaws and use thier restrroms. Which is no big deal Small menu great mixed drinks and very nice atmosphere inside wasn't to crowded service was freindly and food was very tasty.
(4)
Sumara K.
I can't even lie. I (insert expletive here) love tacos. Especially when paired with delicious drinks. That being said, I'm super critical of tacos, especially when partaking in said delicious drinks. Tokio Pub combines a few of my favorite things. Alcohol, palate shocking tastes, and a an atmosphere that does not rely on kitsch to make you like them. Warning to any big eaters though; they serve things in small portions. The first time we went was on a Saturday night and they had $3 dollar glasses of wine and sangria. Delicious. I ordered the ceviche, the pork nachos, and we received two free chicken tacos for checking in on Facebook. To be fair we went in rather late and the kitchen was soon to be closing. While the chicken taco left much to be desired, the pork nachos were delicious. The ceviche was higher on the guacamole and lower on the shrimp, but still very pleasing to my palate. The red sangria and white sangria were equally delicious, though I will admit that I ordered only the white sangria and was brought the red by our server who wasn't exactly the most attentive girl ever. :( There was also karaoke on Saturday nights, but it seemed like no one was really biting. The DJ was very cool though and took requests in between singers. Two weeks later we returned, on a Friday night this time. Go figure we ended up with the same server, but this time we sat outside because the weather was gorgeous. I had the pork belly taco (HOLY SJFSLJFLKSJLFKS SO GOOD) and the nacho taco (again, HOLY FJSKLJFDLkasJFLSJFSLKDSJAL SO GOOD). The blushing geisha was a delicious compliment to my small meal, and I would have ordered another one but it was taking too long for drinks. Aside from a few minor serving issues, I REALLY love this place. The food is fantastic, and can you really beat a restaurant that has a $1 taco hour? C'mon!
(4)
Alicia F.
Good food, service started out great then towards the middle of our night we got ignored and had to wait a very long time for our entrees. The server even forgot our appetizer order.
(3)
Justine S.
I was here last night for my birthday. Our server was awesome! she recommended the best food options for interest. Food overall was great. ORDER THE NACHO'S FOR APPETIZER! this is a must!! so gooood! My dad ordered the ahi tuna and they give it to you with hot rocks to cook it! best part, its still good! THIS IS A MUST GO!!!! and they had 1$ taco's last night too. yum
(5)
Todd B.
Complete hype and style over substance. My wife order sushi - which took ages and came out with FROZEN cucumber in the middle. Nothing we ordered had any flavor... from the quasi-Mexican tacos - to the not-so-Asian soup and sushi. The only reason I'm giving 2 stars - is because the manager comped the frozen sushi. I'm not really one to write negative reviews - because I don't want to trash someone's business... but a company as large as L.E.Y. gets it this wrong - changes needed to be made quickly.
(2)
Joy C.
Not a good place for dinner, the portion size is super small, and it is very expensive. The food is not even fresh, the finger size taco costs $3 each, what are they thinking? To make it even worse, this place is super loud, you can hear all the conversation from the next tables.
(1)
Lucy E.
I think it is quite interesting to see the range of reviews this place is getting. Really I would give it like a 4.5, but I'll round up to 5! I went here for dinner with my brother last night, as I want to plan a party here for my husband and I. Although I am not quite sure how we will fit a large party in here, I am confident that they will make it work. Formerly being in the service industry, I can say that that aspect was exceptional! Maybe even a little overboard. We were approached by nearly every server/manager/busboy you name it to make sure we were happy and everything looked and tasted good. That's an A+ in my book. The serve gave us some great suggestions as well, and was very knowledgeable about the menu! No moving on to food, as I mentioned I am looking to book a party here, so naturally I wanted to try everything. Tacos: I tried steak, chicken, fish, and shrimp. They were all awesome! Small, but after looking at the menu, I kind of figured they would be pretty small. The first 1/2 of the menu is all tapas style dishes! They were all flavorful, and it was a good way to try different things! Tuna Tartar: again small sized, but worth it! The avocados are marinated in some citrus flavoring (probably so it doesn't brown), but it really gives it a little extra umph. I also like how it is served with tortilla chips, which keeps up with the spanish/japanese fusion theme. Sushi: We tried the spicy tuna and calamari shrimp roll. The spicy tuna was good, but it was a little eclectic I guess. It was quite interesting how the tuna was on the outside, the spicy sauce on the bottom, and the cucumber rolled into the middle. Definitely a cool take on it! The calamari shrimp roll was pretty good too! It was definitely something different to try. Hot Rock Steak: I really wanted to get the lobster too, but we had already gotten sooooo much! It was very interesting and a fun experience. You cook your own steak on the rock (or tuna or lobster tail). The cut was good and fresh, although there are only 5 little strips, very yummy none the less! Steak Udon Bowl: My brother got this one! It was delish, perfect amount of seasonings and a pretty hearty portion! Miso Salmon: Definitely different than most, but still flavorful from the fish to the noodles. Sadly, after trying so many other things, I only had the one bite and took the rest home. Finally Dessert!: My brother got the beignets which are to die for! They aren't typical beignets, but more like dark chocolate fried in a thin wonton. They were served in a cute little bag. I also wanted to try the dessert nachos, which one of the managers had comped for us, as I was really unsure about the "sweet guacamole". It was interesting, but not to my taste. I think the nachos would have been much better with more "strawberry kiwi salsa" and drizzled chocolate rather than the sweet guac. All in all, I am excited to book a party here! I loved it! It definitely had an urban feel in a suburban area.
(5)
Patricia D.
I went here for a friend of mines birthday, and it was a really nice place. Nice setting, friendly staff, and really good food. The price is pretty reasonable too. They have live music on Saturdays which made it fun. The bathroom is a far walk, as you have to walk to Shaw's next door. But otherwise it's a fun place to go to.
(4)
B M.
YUM!!!! I had a great lunch here today. My spicy tuna was perfect! I also enjoyed the tuna hot rock which was not only tasty but fun to cook. Oh and the shrimp crispy rice was spot on. Service was wonderful. I've read a bunch of reviews and have some comments. This is not a "traditional" sushi restaurant BUT it is wonderful. The dishes are creative and interesting. It is was nice to find a menu that wasn't identical to every other sushi restaurant in town. I liked that the atmosphere wasn't traditional. It is called Tokio PUB. It is a fusion of a sushi restaurant and pub. I have eaten sushi coast to coast and I love it. The tuna I had here was as good as it gets and the rice was seasoned nicely. I will be back.
(5)
Chris M.
Neat hip and trendy spot. Music was Dubstep- Came here on a Monday and plenty of room for people to come without a reservation. Drinks and appetizers were fantastic along with the service. Dinner was good too, not cheap but not expensive meals. Plan on returning.
(4)
Insun M.
Out of the 5 dishes we ordered, only the calamari stood out. The rest of the dishes were sort of blah and forgettable. Bonus star for the creative crispy rice sushi but they lose a star because the salmon was WAY too fishy tasting (and I LOVE sushi)..sort of felt like sushi thats been out for too long which is scary because since its the summer places that serve al fresco should be more careful handling raw foods. I ordered a soda and it was flat. They gave me a replacement and it was worse then the first. I HATE flat soda. Especially $2.75 flat soda. And where in the word on the menu are the chocolate filled doughnuts???? I was looking forward to those and they were not on the menu! I literally read the menu 5 times over specifically to look for those doughnuts! Had to settle for the banana foster that should be renamed "sugar foster." I think I would come back for drinks and a few of the plates as snacks instead of for a real dinner.
(2)
Emily F.
I've been here a couple times now and have not had anything that I didn't like. Sushi is fantastic with a bit of a different approach. Tacos are another no brainer. Love small plate type of places like this where you can try a whole bunch of stuff instead of one enormous entree. Also love that they have pitchers of margaritas and soju (which are great as well). Just tried the crispy pork belly for the first time and fell in love. This place can get pretty packed since it is so tiny so I would make a reservation if going on the weekend. I use open table
(5)
Nicole M.
Heard this place only served little tapas like plates, so I wasn't really to trilled to try it. It's inside of Shaws. Came here on a Saturday night and the place was kinda dead. Place its self looked cool. Waitress was nice. Pork Belly: This was my 1st time trying pork belly and I didn't really know what to expect. You get 4 bite sized pieces. The taste was good but it was very dry and chewy. I was thinking it would be moist and tender... not at all. Ribs: 3 ribs, barely any meat but tasted good. Sushi: Lemon lime rainbow roll: Very sour tasting! I am not a big sour fan, I was thinking a hint of lemon lime. But the fish on top tasted very fresh and good. We left unsatisfied and still hungry. Wahhhh We ended up going somewhere else and getting more food! haha
(3)
Pari S.
Went here with a group of friends on a Saturday night. We were a party of 8. Very small place, next to Shaw's crabhouse...There is an open entrance way that is literally open into Shaw's crabhouse dining area. Nice atmosphere. We were seated at a high table right by the front door, right by the bar, a nook where all the waitresses goes to put in orders and right by that entranceway of Shaw's crabhouse. (Which I have to say, for a party of 8, this was a very bad spot to put us.) There were lots of traffic going back and forth, at one point a waitress knocked over a glass, and it broke all over onto the floor. However it was quickly cleaned up. We were given a One page menu. Which had some interesting items to pick from. We ordered a pitcher of white peach Sangria right away. Which I found was very good. I like the bits of fruits inside it. I happened to sit at the end of the table, so that was where the waitress came by to talk to us each time. I think at one point, I was very confuse on how to order. All items were more tapas style. (finger food) And of course my party wanted to try lots of things... after a bit of explaining we finally got a few things ordered. The food came out pretty fast and appeared freshly made. So a plus on that. We ordered: Fish tacos, beef tacos, crispy rice with tuna, sliders, dragon roll, braised pork noodle soup, nacho, fried calamari, doughnuts in a bag, some smashed fried potatos, meatballs. (Sorry if i forgot the name of some of these dishes. We kind of shared all of what we ordered, so I tried a bit of this and that.) I liked the fish taco best. The fish was fried crispy, with some small bits of mango or fruits, and a spicy kick. The beef taco was good too. But it had ginger in it, which threw me off. I don't like ginger much, so that didn't go too well for me. The crispy rice with tuna, was ok. We were told by the waitress that was the best thing she liked, but it was not my favorite. It was different, but the flavor didn't come out for me. The braised pork noodle was ok. The meat was very tender and juicy on the inside, and the broth of the soup was good. It was served with Udon noodles. Not really a wow noodle soup for me. Since I am asian and been eatting noodle soups all my life, I have different standards for noodle soups. I also ate a huge slice of garlic in my soup. I didn't realized it was garlic. I thought it might of been some kind of sliced meat or something. But no it was garlic. Don't get me wrong, I love garlic. I just don't eat it by the slices. So that didn't go well with me either. I didn't really have a napkin to spit it out... and was forced to chew and swallow it. Thank goodness I'm not single anymore. The garlic breathe would've scared the date away. The other thing I liked was the fried calamari. It had a creamy sauce on it. I almost want to say, kind of like a mayo sauce. Everything else was just ok for me. One word of advise... don't bring 3 big hungry guys to this place with you. The portions are small, bite size, tapas style. We had to ask for the menu 3 to 4 more times after we received our food and ate it. Our guys were still hungry. By the time we finished, our ticket came out to be more then what we expected. We split it up evenly 8 ways. It was $48 per person and I have to add, nobody drank much alcohol, except for that one pitcher we got in the beginning. So yes, it was all finger food in that tab. Would I go here again? Maybe. For happy hour, or to just enjoy some finger foods. And won't be bringing any more hungry men. Well if you do, maybe feed them before you go here.
(3)
Liz L.
I went here with my girlfriends for a we survived the holiday dinner. I was kind of excited to go here...it looked like they had a great menu and looked a little bit of fusion cooking served in a tapas type way. It was a little packed on a early Saturday (I made reservations). The good: 1. The Interiors were great 2. The taste of the food was good The bad: 1. Service was lacking I think the woman we had serving us was overloaded with tables. 2. At one point we had no silverware and we has to wait like 10 minutes to hunt someone down. 3. I ordered vegetarian tacos and it took them 25 minutes (then I told her to forget it) ...she said they were making sure that they were exactly how I wanted them (they were 2 non meat tacos?) 4. Since I only had edamame my friends and I ended up going to a fast food restaurant to watch me eat. 5. Over crowded...I saw some of the places they put tables and seated people and I felt bad people were getting knocked all over the place. I thinkk they try to hard to be cool and hip and it ends up being bad service and overcowded. Honestly I would skip this place....good food with bad service doesn't cut it in my book.
(1)
Joel O.
Went here for lunch with about 7 other people. Has kind of a trendy vibe. I got the chicken bento lunch box. Came with chicken and sauteed noodles, miso soup, fried rice, and edemame. Portion sizes were small, which I liked. Noodles were bland, everything else was standard. Price was a little high for me. If the noodles were better it would bump it up a star.
(3)
Aaron K.
We walked into the new lettuce restaurant Tokio Pub and were warmly greeted and quickly sat. Alice was friendly and knowledgable. She knew all the ingredients in all the foods. It was a pleasure sitting in her section. The overall ambiance of the restaurant was funky and fresh. I would reccomend this watering hole to any twenty an thirty something's looking to pre-party or to have a happy hour. There is a cocktail for virtually everyone on the menu. The patio is a hip and inviting. I wish it was warm so we could have sat out there. Overall This could be the hottest new spot in the suburbs. The place was full of cute young servers and played some cool chill dance beat music.
(5)
Jerome J.
Came here for the restaurant week specials again. No reservation. So they seated us in the heated (but still so chilly I could see my breath) patio even though the dining area was half empty. Food is always delicious, but service is awful. Wait staff is not knowledgeable especially about the restaurant week menu. 3 different parties got up and left because they weren't being served. The service has absolutely taken a dive since our last visit a year ago. The only redeeming factor is that the food quality hasn't suffered. Even the drinks are now bland, but were previously delicious.
(2)
Mary B.
My friend and I went here for a few drinks the other night. We had never been there before but heard about it. We love Lettuce restaurants so we decided to venture over there. We only had a few beers, which were sort of an interesting selection, and some of the food. Everything was really delightful over there. Our bartender was so awesome and recommended really good food. We had the braised pork and pineapple tacos and then the chicken tacos. WOW. Braised pork and pineapple was amazing. The tacos are a pretty good size. The server said only two bites, but it was definitely more than that. Really interesting food and very tasty. Our bartender also recommended the fried tofu squares. I'm not a big fan of tofu but these were absolutely amazing! And they came with a sauce that was good too. Beer was fine, nothing amazing but they have some interesting ones like Sapporo and a few others. The next day I even took my mom and sister to the place. They enjoyed it too. We did a tapas type of meal because they have so many little meals so it was nice. However, this time the music was WAY too loud and really annoying. It was in the afternoon and there were some business people there too and I could tell they weren't that happy either. By the time we paid our bill, we were happy to leave because all of a sudden the bass on this music just got out of hand. With the loud music aside, the service and food was really awesome. I hope everyone checks it out. Good place.
(4)
Susan C.
This place is very quaint and cozy. Their menu items boast some fantastic sushi and their tacos are absolutely delicious! The tacos are very small, but are packed with tons of flavor. I have come here several times for dinner and once for the lunch buffet on the weekends. While I do not necessarily think the lunch buffet is anything to brag about, the dinner menu is fantastic. My boyfriend and I ate here about a week ago on a Tuesday night (1/2 price bottle of wine night!) he had 5 tacos, I had 3, we ordered 2 sushi rolls, 1 crispy rice, 1 bottle of wine and dessert - the bill was around $85. The food is fantastic. The beignets are absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Their service is fantastic as well. The waitresses were very attentive without being overly annoying. If you're in the area, definitely check this place out!
I've been anxiously awaiting for this place to open, and we finally made it here on their 4th day open. Must be some sort of "tradition" we're beginning, going to places on their 4th day of business. In any case, we wanted to take advantage of the very brief Chicago warm weather, so we sat outside on the patio, dimly lit and nicely decorated. Mia was our server and she was really nice. She knew the menu really well, and gave us her suggestions, but to be honest, she didn't have ANY dislikes. That says a lot because if you're gonna sell sometime, you better like something more than you dislike something. It's just like going into an interview and saying you have NO WEAKNESSES. A big NO-NO. We had the chicken wings, the crispy lobster rice, beef skewers, and salmon tataki. I wasn't wowed by the lobster rice or the chicken wings, but the beef skewers were nicely tenderized and flavored, and the salmon tataki was out of this world. It had a nice teriyaki sauce and was topped off with a perfectly salt-ified miso. Not overpowering at all, but brought a nice element to a fresh piece of salmon. Mia also gave us some complimentary potato salad. It has chunky and tasted very light. All the plates were small, as this place is a Japanese tapas pub. To round it off nicely, bf said everything was very refreshing and clean. Agreement here. For dessert, we had the beignets and some more complimentary ice cream. The beignets were fabulous, as they were chocolate filled and the chocolate inside wasn't oooey gooey thick, but more so a nice creamy texture. The guava ice cream was ok. Not my fave. Mia was really sweet and while she may have had good intentions, it got kinda offputting when after EVERY single thing we ate, she wanted some feedback. Also, just a little bit of a tip. If you're going to give complimentary of ANYTHING, don't announce it before it comes. Just bring it along with the other plates, explain what it is and keep it moving. I get you guys are a new place and trying to find out what's new and what's likeable, but I was starting to feel like a guinea pig by the time we left. Customers will tell you what they like and don't like, especially if the stuff hits an all time low or an all time high, such as the salmon tataki. On our way out we met will Jill and Bill. Both likeable people who were concerned about the feedback of their customers, but they weren't overly pushy. Cute little place in Street of Woodfield. 3 and a half stars.
(4)
Megan O.
I love Tokio Pub! It's a small restaurant/bar right next to Shaws in the Streets of Woodfield right across from the parking garage (because you know, I need to tell you exactly where it is even though the address is provided above, hehe.) Great music, good ambiance, very hip for Schaumburg, lol. The first time I came here was for an engagement party and they rented out the entire venue. Pretty impressive. They served their signature tacos, sushi, dip and other items offered on their menu. I fell in love with the BRAISED PORK TACOS. Great selection on beer, and their "In Bloom" ($10) is definitely exotic. A week later, my boyfriend and I came back for their DOLLAR TACO SPECIAL, where every taco (yes, EVERY taco) is $1! So of course we ordered every taco and that is when I fell in love with their FISH taco. O.M.G. I normally don't like fish tacos, but that was DE-LISH! You have to be their follower on Twitter or a fan on Facebook to know what day and time they will be serving them. I will definitely check this place out again, but only when they have their dollar tacos. In my opinion, I wouldn't want to spend 5 bucks for just 2 tacos... call me money conscious, but when I'm hungry, 2 small tacos won't suffice my appetite!
(4)
Collin P.
City like food in the suburbs? Tokio pub recently opened and is attached to the oyster bar at Shaws Crab House. Hard to find unless you really look, this new lettuce entertain you spot is small, and definitely a spot city folk who have moved out to the suburbs will appreciate. The vibe is a back alley of tokyo pub, with small tables and what not. Food wise, they have some great choice. It's a mix of Latin and asian food, with Asian tacos and lots of seafood items. The portioins are smal, more tapas style than anything, but even at that they are a little too small. City prices for tiny bites of food may not fly. 10.00 for 3, 2-inch tacos seems a bit much, although the flavor combinations and ingredients are good. This is the kind of place people will go to once they know about it, and definitely the after movie crowd across the street will filter in. Good food, little pricey, good job by lettuce entertain you on the environment.
(4)
Eric F.
Wow Wow Wow Tokio Pub had an amazing ambiance, super fun and really hip. It really reminded me of a place you would find in the city. While it doesn't have the prices of a family diner, the food is outstanding,and they have such a great variety of items. I thought the Shoshito pepper salad had such an interesting taste, as did the other dishes. (Boom potato salad was intensely good! Love the name too heh). It wasn't your typical everyday restaurant selections. Very unique, and most importantly, amazing taste. Best part was that the drinks were made with a really good amount of alcohol. The bartenders didn't hold back at all, and made the drinks nice and strong without ruining the overall flavor of the drink. I had the Ginger Mojito. SO TASTY! The service was outstanding; all of the waitresses loved to joke around and were great with helping out with any questions we had. They genuinely seemed to be having a great time. Our server's name was Claire! She was very attentive and a ton of fun. Amazing service! Tasty, unique food, fun people, wonderful staff, great tunes, and a super cool atmosphere. Overall, awesome time! I'll be back for sure!
(5)
Joyce A.
I went to a pool party hosted at Lifetime Fitness and catered by Tokio Pub- so this review is just for the food and the servers. All of the servers were very friendly and attentive. The Food: Think tapas with an Asian or Mexian twist! My two favorite foods were the steak tacos and the tuna crispy rice! I am not normally a fan of sushi- but this was just too good. The bag of beignets should be illegal- melt in your mouth mini-donut filled with wam chocolate- a chocoholic delight. Apparently, from the other reviews- it's not a very large place, otherwise it would make a great party destination for lots of fun food (like an elite event). But, since they apparently do cater- I'd recommend them to anyone thinking about throwing a party and needing it to be caterred!
(5)
Vincent T.
The BBQ pork belly with rice and fried egg is amazing!!!!!! The staff made my our first time experience that much better. They feature a very enticing mix of Japanese and Hispanic dishes that are cleverly fused together along with there specialty sake-sangria drinks you'll never want the night to end. One last thing try the dessert nachos.......hidden secret
(5)
Giuseppe D.
My mother was in town this weekend and wanted to take me out somewhere. I wanted to try something new and, being that she was staying in the Schaumburg area, I gratefully stumbled upon Tokio Pub. For anyone who hasn't been there before, like myself, the place might be confusing to find. It's basically connected to Shaw's in the Streets of Woodfield so you'll have to look for it off to the side of the giant "Shaw's" sign. After finding it, the rest of the experience turned out great. Tokio Pub is a "tapas" style restaurant, so everything comes in appetizer portions. This initially discouraged me, as I'm a heavy eater, but it worked out perfectly because it lets you order multiple menu items. First was the braised pork tacos, which is braised pork, cabbage, and caramelized pineapple. Yes, pineapple! In two tortillas. I was timid about what the taste would be at first, I'd never had pineapple on a taco, but the combination of the juice from the meat and the sweet juice from the caramelized pineapple was irresitable! Also had the crying tiger shrimp, which is a large piece of shrimp, sriracha hot chili sauce, cabbage, and guacamole. Again, the fusion of all the flavors turned out great. The chili sauce on the shrimp was a tangy spice that was cooled off by the smooth guacamole spread across. Very good. Barbecue pork belly nachos, what can I really say about this? The chips are warm and homemade, smothered with pork belly, cheese, and guacamole. Again, very satisfying, no complaints with this item either. We also ordered the sliders. But when they came to bring them out, they were chicken wings. We gave each other a look and the waitress must've noticed because she asked if something was wrong. We told them we had ordered the sliders but we're fine with eating the chicken wings. They insisted on bringing out sliders, as well, and putting both items on the house! This was really a treat as it was TWO dishes, and both were phenomenal. The sliders came with small but thick patties and a wasabi mayo that was truly enticing. Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you want to look at it), I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the food because I was too busy shoving it in my face :( I didn't get a chance to try any of the rice, but the rest of the food items were amazing and I'll easily return for those. All of the drinks were on special, so I treated myself to about a half dozen Blue Moons. The ambiance was pretty chill, not too loud, not too quiet, perfect for a Friday day with a small group of friends, a few small appetizers and drinks would be perfect to start the night. And lastly, the service was great. The server gave us many insights on the items, had casual conversation and made us laugh. Overall, definitely returning with a group of friends. It's a must.
(5)
Kelly P.
Tiki charm with a quality service. Have been a few times and had good if not great pub style food (cheap and quick). Locals go on taco night-best to avoid. Quiet, fun, great drinks and tapas style food make for a relaxed early evening or a romantic late night.
(5)
James L.
Asian style tapas dishes. Every dish was very tasty! portions were decent, nothing crazy. I would go back to try some more...
(4)
Jamie F.
This is my favorite place in Schaumburg to kick back, have some small plates, and get together with friends. I visit here often since it's a great halfway meeting point for colleagues, family and friends. The BBQ Pork Nachos are sooooo tasty! One of my favorite things ever, but I am a HUGE nacho fan. Their tacos are delicious. My favorite is the Crying Tiger Shrimp. The Crispy Rice is surprising...you can't go wrong with any of the 4 options. The sushi is fresh and delightful. My only complaint is that they don't have a more extensive sushi menu. But, what they have featured is always high quality. I have never been able to go to Tokio Pub during $1 taco time (which is an hour chosen at random each week), but you can visit their website and find out which hour is featured each week.
(4)
Justin D.
I came to Tokio Pub the other day with my girlfriend, really wanting to love this place. Unfortunately I thought it fell a little flat. We ordered quite a bit so we could get a chance to taste a lot: Drinks: Ginger Mojito - Tasty, but nothing that special. I didn't really taste much of the ginger or mint in it. Sake Sangria - my girlfriend seemed to enjoy it. Food: BBQ Pork Belly - Came in two skewers. The sauce was good and it was a little fatty which I expected with pork belly. I thought overall it was decent, but again nothing special. Chicken Meatballs - These also came out on skewers. 2 small meatballs per skewer. The meatballs were very tender and moist and flavorful. Crying Tiger Shrimp - 3 shrimp grilled on skewers with sriracha sauce. Just ok. Angry Chicken Tacos - 2 tiny tacos (supposed to spicy) with kim chi. I couldn't even taste the kimchi. The flavor was ok, but with a name like "angry chicken" you expect some kind of a punch and it was pretty mild. Crispy Rice (Lobster and Tuna) - These are basically nigiri, but the rice is deep fried. These were tasty. The texture of the rice was a nice change from you standard sushi rice. Boom Potato Salad - This was good. Diced red and sweet potatoes in a spiced mayonnaise. Pickled Cucumber Salad - The waitress actually brought this one out as a freebie stating it was one of her favorites. It was basically like any pickled cucumber salad that you would get for free at any sushi place. It was good, but it's a pickled cucumber salad. They normally charge $3 for it... really?? The staff was all very friendly and willing to make recommendations. We came in on a Sunday and it was pretty dead, but it was a Sunday. Overall, we paid $70 plus tip for what was not very much food at all. At that price I would expect the food to be much more than just average. If they are going to be tiny portions at that price, then they better be delicious. I don't think I'll be going back, unless the fellow yelpers start giving it an overwhelming 4 or 5 stars.
(3)
Michael P.
Incredibly cool place, my wife and I love shaws anyway and this place is like cafe babareeba meets your favorite sushi place Would recommend the short ribs ad the spicy edamame If you like cool alcoholic beverages try the sangria with sake Will be back for sure
(4)
Stacy B.
My friend and I went to Ikea and stopped by Tokio Pub for dinner after. We LOVED it! I'm in the city and it felt like the city in the suburbs. The Food - was fantastic! We ordered a lot of stuff as it is all small plates. The pickled cucumber salad was light and flavorful, perfect for the summer. The chicken meatballs were tender and delicious. The steak and scallion yakitori were perfectly cooked. The tacos were great! Highly recommend the crispy calamari but our favorite was the crispy rice combinations. We ordered the 5 piece combo and split it and loved it all (tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab and lobster). We finished with the bag of beignets--pure heaven. The cocktails - So good! Refreshing and pretty too. We got the In Bloom, which was on the sweet side but delicious. The blushing geisha was great. Both of these drinks had edible flowers in them which was a cool touch. We also had the sake sangria (available as a cocktail or in a pitcher) and it was the best! It felt festive. The perfect drink to have on their patio (where I'll want to sit on my next visit). The service - Our server Nicole was super nice and knew the menu inside and out (even though it was only open a couple of days). Felt like another great Lettuce Entertain You restaurant experience (from my experience, usually a very good food and service combo). The Decor - Very cool, did not feel like the burbs at all. Felt like we were back in the city. We thought it would be a good place for girlfriends or a date. The music was great too, very hip but we could hear each other talk at the same time. I definitely will go back to this place whenever I hit Ikea or Woodfield Mall shopping--a great addition to Schaumburg!
(5)
Navi K.
My ex-bf and I wanted to grab a bit to eat so I took him here. we had a great time, Carolina I believe was our waitress name was fun times. she joked around with us and the food was great! we will be back of course!!! also she even told us that since i was in the industry we get 20% off of our bill which was even super better!!
(5)
Amanda G.
A great asian place in Schaumburg! We sat on the patio and ordered a variety of items. The crispy rice is amazing. We tried all three kinds but the lobster stood out as our favorite. We also ordered the tuna tartare which was both fresh and delicious. We got the Dragon Maki and the sushi tasted awesome! Definitely a great place with great service. Also you can check in on Yelp to get a free appetizer here or on Foursquare to get a free maki roll.
(4)
John A.
Reminds me of a tapas restaurant which I love. A group of 6 of us ate here so we were able to try most of the menu. The highlights included: Tuna Crispy Rice. Great mini steak tacos and mini fish tacos(fish tacos had a nice zip to them...diced jalapenos). Shrimp Ceviche - we ordered a second serving Tuna Tartar - we ordered a second serving Disappointed with the pork belly skewers...tough texture. Hostess and waitstaff were very friendly and we will return. I'm sure this restaurant will get even better with time.
(4)
Kevin S.
Been here once... and let me styart off by saying i'm not a huge sushi enthusiast, nor do I eat it on a even monthly occasion. The drinks were a little on the weak side, but then again they are basically everywhere. Whatever sushi we ordered (3 types) I dont remember nor do I care to, but I loved all 3. delicious, i'll be back.
(4)
Long N.
Reserved a table at 8:00 P.M. Which is fine with my wife and two small children. Came there at 7:35 to make sure we were on time for dinner, since this place supposed to be the talk of the town. The Owner told me and my wife that its going to be a 45 min wait even though we reserved a table at 8:00. He told us that he would take care of us and comp our bill 75 to even 100 percent because of the inconvenience. I told him that we were ok and will leave to play at game works in the meantime. They call us back in ten mins which we were happy since it was 8:00. Came back and they put us near the door. We ordered what was recommended from the staff. The nacho taco was good which my son was saying, since he was hungry from the start. My wife and I had the crying shrimp tacos. We were contemp that the tacos were big as a Mexican place, but they were bite sizes. The udon noodle soup was a little over powering for the taste. Overall experience was a shame since it was next to a fine dine restaurant. The price was too expensive and the owner never acknowledged us that he was going to hook us up since I had two small children on a late Friday night. Never again that I would spend my time driving from Aurora to eat at a small taco joint!
(1)
Tina A.
I only went here based on the fact that my boyfriend got a lettuce entertain you gift card from his job and our choices were limited unless we wanted to venture out to the city. We went here on a Friday night and had to wait an expected half an hour. We had to got to the bar in Shaw's Crab house which connected to them because there was very limited space at the restaurant area. The hostess came to get us in about 15 min time and were were seated and served immediately. The waitress was very polite and informative. We were starving and were eager to order some sushi( since the restaurant does call itself a sushi bar) but I was surprised to only about 5 rolls on the menu. We started out with a pitcher of mojitos and the pork nachos. The drinks were pretty good, but the nachos were bland and the pork was dry and boring. We then decided on a few other thing and picked the Tokio spicy tuna roll, crispy rice lobster, some sriracha shrimp skewers, and bbq ribs. Every single plate was just ok. The spicy tuna rolls had kick but they were nothing special. Crispy rice lobster tasted like fish sticks left in the oven too long but a little more salty. Shrimp skewers were ok but just because l love Sriracha sauce.The BBQ ribs were nothing I could have gotten from the deli in Jewel. They did have decent little donuts with a chocolate center that ended the meal. All in all I would say just come for the drink and music ( music was awesome). Good thing I was in good company and that we also had a gift card because the $80 check took me a little by surprise. I was also a little turned off by the fact that our waitress pushed a dining card on us pretty persistently at the end of our meal and made it clear that even though we had said no thank you" that we were making a poor decision. So would I go back? Absolutely not.... pros: Good mojitos Music was awesome Cons: lets just say my boyfriend ate a PB and J as soon as we got home
(1)
Chaka T.
I love this place, especially on $1 taco night. The crispy fish tacos are stunning. I moved from the city from Schaumburg, this place feels like I'm in the city. I also love the tuna tartar appetizer, the pork tacos and the chocolate filled Beignets. The cocktails are well presented and different. It's my go-to place now.
(5)
Chelsea H.
Good food and great sake! I had a sampling of things, but the Fuji Apple Sake was worth buying the whole bottle. It was divine! The service was great. Our waitress and host were awesome. The hot rock steaks were good. The goyza was tasty. The rolls were ok, but the volcano was the best of the ones we tried. The price is right and it looks like they have an array of specials for certain days. Will be back someday for sure!
(4)
Laura Z.
exquisite. but be careful about the Sushi category, as it actually serve a lot of nachos!
(4)
Rosalynn E.
I found a new love in the suburbs! The food, atmosphere, and staff was absolutely perfect. I had the "In Bloom" martini with the edible flower which was delicious. I love the mild sweetness of the drink accompanied by it's unique garnish. Our waitress was outstanding. It's nice to see staff that's enthusiastic about the concept and food. My date and I were so excited to try everything off the menu that we ended up ordering 8 items plus dessert! Everything tasted amazing, but the one thing that really stood out to me were the calamari. It was spicy yet sweet with a really nice crispiness to it. I will definitely be coming back. They have a patio i need to try out that would be a perfect on a nice day.
(5)
mxwp d.
I had a leye gift card and decided to go here and check it out last Saturday night upon my gf's recommendation. I am not really a fan of tapas, but might as well use the gift card. We thought we had to wait in line, but the place was pretty empty, though it started to fill up the later it got. The food was decent but I say skip the noodle dishes. There is much better ramen at other places. The chicken tapas was disappointing, but the sushi rolls were quite tasty. Actually, of all the dishes we tried, the seafood based ones were better than the others. I suppose it makes sense since they are using Shaw's kitchen. I must knock it some since it was a pricey meal and the quality did not warrant such a price tag. tldr: Go for early or late light dinner before movie or Gameworks. Stick with seafood tapas, don't get noodles or non-seafood tapas.
(3)
Vicki K.
Yet another example of the mediocrity of LEYE's restaurants. We only went because we had a gift certificate and wanted somewhere close by. It's not horrible food, but bland, bland, bland. The best thing we had was the pork tacos. The tuna tartare has absolutely no flavor and the fish tacos were good, but nothing to write home about. The crispy rice sushi, again very bland - the only thing you could taste was the crispy rice, you'd never know there was tuna on top, except for the texture. And then, to turn the waitress into a salesperson, was a turn-off - trying to peddle their "frequent diner" cards for $25....no thank you. Not worth the time and effort, as with all LEYE restaurants
(2)
Julie Y.
Three words. Pork Belly Nachos. I make the trip up to Woodfield just for those babies. I've been here twice recently and the 2nd time something was off. It came out cold and not as juicy as before. Still absolutely delicious mix of sauces though! Check in through yelp and it's free! Service has always been great. I have yet to try the $1 tacos... but I definitely want to one day! The tacos on a normal day are a little pricey for me. I have tried the pork belly, tofu, and kimchi tachos. Of the three, the kimchi ones were the least memorable. The hot sauce ratio was a bit too high for me.
(4)
Amber H.
Went here based on Yelp reviews and would have to give it 5 stars ourselves! We had a little bit of everything, left very full and couldn't wait to share how great our experience was. We had an incredible male server - very knowledgeable about the food and beer selection, offered us his personal favorites, and was very attentive. For an appetizer, we had the potstickers and thai basil skirt steak on river rocks. The river rocks were about the size of a big baked potato! You literally put the piece of steak on for 5-10 seconds max, and cook to your liking right at your table. It was a very cool experience and not to mention, incredibly flavorful and arguably our favorite item! We tried the yellowfin tuna sushi and the endless ramen bowl (I loved the beef and my boyfriend loved the pork) - SO full of every flavor and you could taste it all in every bite. The ambiance isn't something to write home about - it's next to Shaw's, and open to that restaurant. It's rather small but could use dimmer lights for a more intimate feel. All in all we were pleasantly surprised and wish it was closer to visit more often! This comes highly recommended!
(5)
Mike M.
Great all around! Ended up in Schaumburg to do some shopping and stopped into Tokio Pub on Saturday afternoon. Was instantly greeted by the manager who sat us right away and was attentive and gracious through the entire meal. I think Bill was his name? The service was perfect and really fast--she was funny and knew a ton about the mentu. Their sushi chef also creates for Shaw's (which has the best sushi around imo) so I knew the fish was going to be really fresh and creative. Bill described the sushi as more of a sushi-samba style, with great attention to quality of the fish and tasty sauces--which i think is a perfect description. I loved their take on nigiri, whereby the sushi rice is fried and crunchy on the outside. Lots of texture here which was a welcome surprise. Ours was topped with lobster--I could've eaten 2 orders myself. There are also tacos on the menu a la Big Star style (another one of my go-to's in the city) and a beer and sake list that was interesting and really affordable! Basically, this place was the best of all of my faorite worlds for an afternoon of eating. Tacos, sushi, grilled shrimp, sake, beer, and a really fun server. Oh, and the music was really cool too! I will definitely be heading out to enjoy the patio this summer and looking for many more reasons to head to Schaumburg again in the very near future. Kampai Tokio Pub!!
(5)
David N.
Went there last night after a little shopping with my wife and daughter. I had 2 sushi rolls, fair at best, my wife also had a sushi roll, same opinion. I think we will stick to real sushi houses like Tsukasa. My daughter had 3 tacos and again very fair. The restaurant had a nice decor but for the $100.00 it cost me there are much better places, doubt I will be back.
(2)
Allen B.
Sunday's Noodle Bowl special is delish. Their Tokio chopped salad, udon noodles in a ramen soup base, and a dessert for $15. Add either an egg or the braised pork to the noodles, or both! The rest of the menu isn't too special. I haven't tried the tacos, but that's the next thing on my list to try. 5/5 service, 4/5 food, 3/5 for $.
(4)
Sarah S.
Yummy fusion food, but a little pricey. Definitely a trendy hang out spot.
(4)
Christian M.
My family and I went here for the first time during their "happi hour" in which each item on the first page of the menu is half off.. The ambiance was nice, though the place was fairly empty. We selected from the happi hour menu and ended up ordering chicken and fish tacos, the ny strip hot rock, gyoza potstickers, godzilla and crazy dragon rolls, chicken wings, and the pork nachos. There was some confusion among our servers, with them initially bringing out only half of our orders mixed in with another table's food. Given this, they took back food from our table and brought out missing dishes from our order multiple times. Notwithstanding, we ultimately enjoyed our meal. Each dish met or exceeded our expectations, with the nachos and maki rolls being table favorites.
(4)
Angela Z.
I appreciate that this place is trying to be a city-type place, but the menu was just ok for me. I really was not a fan of that "crispy rice" with the sushi at all. Not trying to be mean but, it's basically a lump of deep fried starch that tastes kind of gross with the sushi in my opinion. I'm all for creativitiy but I would really prefer if they had some good rolls and fresh nigiri instead. I think that if they altered the menu here a little that the place has potential. The patio is cute and I like that it's open later than other places in the burbs. The service was very good as well. But for now the food and prices just don't match up for me. Although, the fish tacos were not half bad!
(3)
elizabeth m.
Food was excellent and they were able to accommodate my party of 10. Loved the fish tacos, pork belly nachos, and especially their ginger mojito! I really didn't mind it was connected to Shaw's or that is wasn't that big. It had a nice vibe going. I will definitely be back! I didn't give it 5 stars because nothing's perfect.
(4)
Emely S.
Nacho Taco is my favorite!! Wish they would bring back the sliders. The sliders were absolutely phenomenal.
(4)
Ed J.
The place was OK. The ambiance is hip and nice. Food-wise I thought it was expensive for what you get for. I had the tacos which were decent. My friend got the noodles. I could see this as a nice place to grab drinks with friends or a date. Service was good so I might give this place a try again and maybe try the sushi.
(3)
Carlos S.
I've lived in many cities around the world London, NY, Mexico City, Cologne....I know what good restaurants are with original food that makes you want to keep exploring the menu.....Tokio Pub brings that to the Chicago suburbs. Ever since I moved here from NY I've been looking for that special place that offers innovative flavors without having to drive all the way downtown. In an area crowded with chains and oversized menus with 10,000 calorie dishes I was glad to find a place that made me feel like I was in a cosmopolitan area while eating good food. Service was extremely friendly, flavors were original and surprising and the drinks were just awesome. I have a new favorite. Try it and you will be pleasantly surprised (unless you are the kind of person who thinks good food is a "cheesecake factory" sized plate that gives you a ton of food for your money)
(5)
Marie H.
Love this place. I'm not s big seafood person so I love that there are plenty of good "land" options. The hot rock appetizer is one of my favorites, especially the skirt steak with the spicy Thai basil. Had the Marinated Chicken Yakitori this time. The chicken, scallions, and rice together is a perfect bite. Yum! And we have always had the great service. My only complaint would be the loud music, but I like a quieter eating environment.
(4)
Matt S.
Between a great waitstaff that is knowledgable, friendly and attentive and absolutely incredible food, Tokio Pub is one of my favorites! Taco Time is amazing as is everything else I've tried on their menu. It's a great part of Lettuce Entertain You and I'll continue to go back!!
(5)
Maria A.
Started with free potstickers from Yelp check in. These were quite tasty. Took advantage of the Sunday special-- for an additional $3, you get a bottomless bowl of ramen but you don't have to get the same flavor. You can sample all 3 flavors. Pork ramen was flavorful even after holding off on the kimchee and picking out the pickled ginger. Fried coconut bao was just okay. The chocolate filled beignets though were like crack! UPDATE: Had to knock off one star...came home after dinner and an hour later, fingers in both hands were tingling. Looked up and it's either because of too much sodium or MSG. Had to drink at least 64 ozs of water to get it to stop. It eventually went away after 4-5 hours.
(3)
Howard L.
They have selective half-priced appetizers and entrees here between 5 and 6 pm on weeknights. We had for dinner tonight: Shrimp tempura roll Grilled steak ramen bowl A three taco combo - crispy fish, crispy chicken, and barbecue pork Ramen burger This was the first time (and alas it will be the last time) that I tried a ramen burger ($11) and I learned that I much prefer a good conventional burger with a bread bun. The fried ramen just didn't have the right texture and taste with a beef patty. The large burger patty itself was just fine. The small tacos were ok at $1.50 each but would be pricey at the regular $3 price. The ramen bowl was fine, but we proactively asked them upon ordering to dilute the salt level down for us, and they did well for us on that front. Overall, an ok meal in a friendly comfortable setting, the kind of setting you expect in a LEYE franchise.
(3)
Jimmy W.
Stopped in for a little lunch... Started with the Skirt Steak Hot Rock. Overall it's ok, way too much basil marinade which killed the presentation and didn't really make you want to eat it. Like a small lake of watery green sauce on raw meat... How about spoon a little onto each slice of meat... Once cooked it was good enough but had to get a second rock for the last piece... Had the Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna. Not bad for a gimmicky snack... Finished with 3 tacos. Shrimp, Steak, & Chicken. At $3 ea not that great a deal for the small size. Quality was ok. If you've ever ben to Mercadito etc downtown you'll know what I mean. Others have said $1 taco hour or happy hour is the time to go and I'd have to agree. TP is different in it's offerings but I can't say it hits home for me personally. Nothing was bad here just so so. I had a couple beers and my bill was $44 out the door. I might go back if someone else wanted to go but it's not a destination for me. In a couple years I'll probably forget what it was like and return for a visit...
(3)
Amanda M.
As others mentioned, it is a little confusing on where to go. We entered through the long walkway and into the side and we just waited by the bar area and were taken care of promptly. For a group of 4 on Saturday around 9pm, there were still a number of open tables. Our sever mentioned that she was new, so she didn't know much about the various beers, but she did offer samples so that was nice. My friend explicitly said he was GF when ordering, but she brought out regular soy sauce for his sushi dish. Good thing he asked. She was apologetic and brought out the GF soy sauce. I would think most people with dietary restrictions generally are cautious anyway, but that's still worrisome for mishaps like that. Anyways, I got the ramen burger, as I've never had it and for being quite a fad for awhile, I don't really know many places even in the city to have this. All of our food came out at an appropriate time. The ramen burger was quite greasy but I didn't mind. I thought it was a bit bland but also thought that it was as good as it was going to be. I'm glad I tried it and it wasn't bad by any means, but likely will not get it again. I tried boo's pork belly and the pork belly and pineapple skewers were quite yummy. The accompanied rice worked well with the dish. My friend's hot rock lost heat pretty quickly so he had to ask for another one. I feel like it is their responsibility to check on the hot rocks though. Overall, Tokio Pub is good for the area and one of the better options over there, but by no means is it amazing. Prices are fair though. I would like to try their ramen next time especially as it is $12 vs. average $16 bowls at places in the city, even mediocre ones.
(3)
J C.
I went here for the first time for a last minute get together with close friends on a Friday afternoon. The lunchtime atmosphere was relaxed and somewhat comfortable - definitely trendy. We ordered a maki roll, a salad, chicken tacos and a very unique cook-the-meat-on-a-stone dish. All the dishes were pleasantly delicious and nicely presented. Our server was also very sweet with minimal interruptions which was appreciated. Initially, I felt the prices were a bit high for the portions of eacg dish. After trying the food, I didn't mind the cost at all. I look forward to my next experience at Tokio Pub in the near future!
(4)
Mike M.
I've been to Tokio Pub a couple times, but it seems like every time I go they change up their menu just a little bit. The menu seems more targeted these days, basically just offering various apps, sushi rolls, tacos, and ramen bowls. I thought I remember them in the past offering more entree style dishes. While it's a little limited, everything I've tried on the menu so far has been pretty tasty. I usually go later at night or on weekends, but I decided to meet up a friend for an earlier dinner on a random Monday. Lucky for us it turns out there were some killer deals when we went. We got there just in time for their happy hour, which means it's half off select items on their menu. Then half an hour later they said it was taco time and all tacos would be $1 for an hour. On top of that we got a free gyoza appetizer just for checking in on Yelp. For drink specials they had $5 cocktails. Can't beat dem deals. Food: I was in the mood for some ramen (when am I not?), and for the first time I had the unique opportunity to order ramen two ways: one in soup form, and also in burger form. Yea that's right, they were offering a ramen burger. Spicy chicken ramen - I'll be honest. I came in with lower expectations and was pleasantly surprised. I knew this place didn't specialize in ramen so I wasn't expecting them to be simmering pork bones for multiple days to achieve extreme depth in their broth. The noodles were on the thinner side and were pretty standard. The chicken was actually breaded and fried, and it even kept its crispy outside even though it was floating in the broth. The broth was actually pretty delicious too. It wasn't that rich, but it definitely wasn't bland. The broth had a thin texture, yet was flavorful and slightly spicy from the chili oil, with a good amount of saltiness too, which I personally like. It was basically just a tasty bowl of soup, and I can't really complain about that. Ramen burger - This is basically a hamburger that uses a chunk of compressed, pan-fried ramen noodles as the bun. It's definitely a unique concept I haven't seen at too many other places. I thought the actual ramen element was more of a gimmick than anything though. It didn't really add any distinct flavor to the burger or really remind me of ramen in any way. The outside of the noodle buns had a nice sear to it but for the most part the middle was soft and kind of mushy. I didn't think the ramen part was bad, just nothing special from a taste standpoint. In my opinion the real star is the actual burger patty. The meat was super tender and juicy and it had a nice molasses glaze that gave it a sweet/savory Asian spin to it. It was a pretty tasty burger that makes you curious enough to try at least once. Overall Tokio Pub is a solid place that has a modern and trendy atmosphere and offers a decent Asian fusion menu that is even better when there's a bunch of specials available.
(4)
Ashley A.
Since my first time here, I have been back several times and always enjoy dining at Tokio Pub. I must say it is one of my favorite Lettuce Entertain You restaurants! It always seems to be crowded, even on weeknights, but I think that's a good sign that they are bringing in business. I love the tacos (all of them), especially during Taco Time! and the Hot Rock entrees. Always a pretty decent craft beer selection. I absolutely love the decor, hanging lights & designs on the walls. The patio is really cute & romantic. I'm glad I gave this place a second (and third and fourth...) chance because I really do like this place. Actually have reservations for tonight!
(5)
Danielle S.
I have driven past Tokio Pub so many times, and have tried pretty much every place around it. Finally, I tried it for a belated birthday dinner. First, we started off with the Tauntaun, which was $5 that night. Speaking of which, they have some great appetizer/drink deals throughout the week! The Tauntaun is basically a moscow mule. Very good! We then shared the Japanese hot rock appetizer. I thought it was neat and definitely something I have never seen before. However, I think it's a bit overpriced for what you get, so I probably wouldn't do it again. We then had one of each of the tacos, and one of the sushi rolls. I wasn't impressed with the sushi at all, but the tacos were good (the Tiger Shrimp was the best). They are small, hence the reason why they are so cheap. Since it was my birthday, we got a free order of the Beignets. So good!! The service was very good throughout the night. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and helped us out through the night. I would come back, especially during a happy hour.
(4)
datarez z.
The spicy chicken ramen was very good and actually spicy. Nice craft beer selection and Alice was great!
(5)
Christine L.
Came here on a Monday night to meet with some friends for dinner. Wasn't really sure where to go after we had walked in, and even after entering the restaurant it was a little confusing as there wasn't a host stand. I ended up walking all the way through to Shaw's, realized I was no longer in Tokio Pub, and then walked all the way back and asked the guy behind the bar who was very friendly and seated me immediately. We made use of the check-in offer (free gyoza!) and I ordered the ramen burger, have to try it once in my life, right? The gyoza was okay. The ramen burger was good, but I'm not sure is get it again. The burger itself and the toppings were great, the ramen part I wasn't really a fan of. They are thinner than your typical ramen noodle and so do have the same "al dente" bite and they were a bit bland. Like it could use a packet of ramen seasoning sprinkled on top, although that might be a bit excessive. Overall the experience was good, food was okay. I would check it out again.
(3)
Jaci Y.
Not too bad we had a Tokio Pub coupon from the lettuce entertain you booklet $10 off our tab. I ordere their SLOW-BRAISED PORK IN FUKUOKA BROTH and their NACHO TACO with barbecue-braised pork and salsa guacamole. Can I say YUM on the Nacho Tacos it was good. I liked the Ramen but I didn't love it. Our waitress was very nice and moved our table to a bigger one as we had more guest arriving to join us for lunch. Props to the entire staff for being friendly and accommodating for us.
(4)
Liz M.
The waiter was now very knowledgable at all or friendly. The tacos I got were cold as well. Felt claustrophobic in the restaurant as well and was not a pleasant experience. I wish their sushi menu was more extensive and they offered more Japanese dishes. Won't be returning.
(1)
Kristina K.
It is my 100th review and I was hoping to save it for a place that was 5 star worthy. Well, whatever, I am over it. My friend and I decided to go to Tokyo pub for brunch as we talk about visiting all the time but never do it. I liked the decor. It was trendy. Small joint connected to Shaws but very cute. They have a closed patio which was heated but nobody was there. I want to go and visit it in the summer. My friend had a mixture of tacos and I had the ramen steak soup. She loved her tacos, they were bite size and fit for barbies but hey she was happy. I liked my steak soup but I didnt love it. I think i would have loved it had it not been so salty. It had so many fun ingridients and presented gorgeously. Thumbs up on that. The mimosas were fantastic too. I am definitely going back. I just dont know why I didnt visit before.
(3)
Alina S.
Super delish! Can't wait to go back and try more. Although the service was a bit slow (and they didn't offer a free dessert for a bday, they just placed 2 candles around the bag of beignets I ordered as my dessert- so I had to share, boo) all in all we had a great dinner to celebrate a family bday. We ordered an assortment of tacos to start. I had the shrimp and it was wonderfully seasoned. The perfect spice level. The pork belly ones I hear were great too. The chicken ones weren't anything to write home about and just tasted like a chicken tender on a taco I heard my Bf say. I went for some sushi as my entree. The best roll was the Acapulco roll and the rest (California, Godzilla, and Lemon Lime) were nothing special. I did grab a bite of the steak skewer entree and the filets were perfectly cooked and seasoned as well. The beignets I ordered for dessert were tasty. Not too sweet on the outside and filled with an almost a bit bitter but sweet chocolate syrup. Yummmmmy!
(4)
Joe J.
My girlfriend and I were leaving GameWorks last night and wanted dinner, but weren't sure where to go. As both Big Bowl and Tokio Pub were within view, we debated between those two options. We finally decided to try Tokio Pub as it looked a but more modern/hip, and I'm glad we did. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food was delicious. My lady tried one of the ramen bowls, which was huge and looked beautiful upon its arrival. She said it was delicious, and based on appearances, I wasn't surprised. I ordered the pork belly yakitori and was similarly pleased. The skewers of alternating pineapple and pork belly presented an amazing flavor combination, and the fried rice served with an egg on top made for a tasty companion. Add in a nice selection of beers and complimentary "beignets" (really more like donut holes full of chocolate sauce) for dessert, and it was a wonderful experience all around. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Valerie A.
Was seated by a very nice hostess tonight right away. She brought us water but that was about all we got. Sat for about 10 mins on the patio before walking into the bar to state we have not had service and would just like to sit at the bar were the seats were open .... but ended up beings occupied. We over heard the table next to us talking about the extremely slow service. We decided to spend our money down the street at granite city.
(1)
Sandra Y.
I came here today with 2 other people for lunch. It was our first time here so we ordered a little of everything to try. Our server was super nice & helpful. Make sure you check in for free gyoza! :) Maybe it was the lunch menu, so it was a small menu? Maybe it's just always like that. I'm not sure. We ordered the Japanese hot rock filet mignon, gyoza, crying tiger shrimp tacos, crispy fish tacos, lemon lime rainbow roll, slow-braised pork in fukuoka broth (ramen), & then beignets for dessert. The Japanese hot rock filet mignon was as fun as it was tasty. It was nice to be able to cook it for as long as you like your steak cooked. Med rare for me, of course! It seemed like the rocks lost heat really quickly tho. The second time around, it was hot, but not sizzling hot. Also, they knew 3 people were eating and they only brought 2 rocks. Hmm... but they did bring me one right away after I asked. It also came with a dipping sauce trio thing with pickled ginger cucumber, salt, & some dipping sauce.. not sure what was in it. The order comes with 5 pieces of filet & the extra piece we ordered was $2. Gyoza was ok. It was free so I can't complain. The tacos were small, but very good. We ordered one for each person, but I easily could've eaten them all by myself. Literally 2-3 bites for one taco. They both had a spicy kick to them. The tiger shrimp was huge! The tacos were my favorite of the things we ordered. The lemon lime rainbow roll was just your typical roll. It had tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and crab. The slow-braised pork in fukuoka broth was a ramen. My problem with ramen is that it's usually really bland. I haven't really found one that I like yet. This was not much different. It had kimchi in it, so it kinda felt like I was eating at home. Watered down, overcooked ramen with kimchi that has been washed. If you're korean, you'll know what I mean. Other than that, I didn't like it that much. It was just ok, no flavor. Last we got the beignets. They were filled with chocolate & they were tiny! Nothing special. Mostly everything was really good (half was good, half was ok), just the portions were on the small side & seemed pricey for the portion size. I'd still come back tho. Maybe when they have $1 tacos since those were so good, but I'll bet it gets super busy those days, plus parking must be a nightmare.
(3)
Linh L.
Had a fun girls night out here. We were in the area and decided to stop by. I loved our server. She was fun, relaxed, and wasn't bothersome. (I can't stand it when servers come back just because they're bored.) Good drinks and small bites. The ramen burger wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be crispy. I guess it's because they look like the packaged instant noodles.
(5)
J F.
Good food, great service! Ordered taco combo, ramen soup, and sushi...all good. Minor miscue on our drink order; manager apologized profusely and more than made up for the mistake. Customer for life!
(5)
Nick M.
Love the music here. Very hip and low key place to meet for food. My fiance and I went here yesterday for lunch. We were craving sushi and we've always wanted to try it here. We ordered the sweet potatoe maki roll and the spicy tuna roll. Both of which were very good. As a side we also order three smalllll tacos which were $3 each (too expensive).
sunday ramen endless bowls...so yum! They have three kinds -try all three. Chicken ramen came with a spicy broth that had depth and character. It is definitely spicy for those who can't take spice (I personally liked it alot) guaranteed to sweat, but its a good heat. Steak/beef served with a soy based broth was a little strange as the flavors don't quite fit with a ramen bowl -tasty on a taco though. And of course winner winner is the pork, classic rich thick broth and well prepared pork. I downed the entire bowl of broth. I could have the broth as my breakfast lunch and dinner. Noodles were somewhat clumpy on some of the bowls we tried though, so there is some improvement to be had. When I feel like a little ramen, it helps to have a little more variety for just a few bucks more for the Sunday special. Yelpers get something just for checking in. Service is good and friendly, informative and knowledgeable servers. Other items that I enjoy include tacos (a bit on the small end, but each is a burst of flavor!). Two bites each taco for my chomping. Each week Tokio has taco night hour $1 tacos, must order either in 3's or 5's. Goes down great with a Sapporo.
(4)
Christopher K.
I can't say I've had this thought often... But if I could give more than 5 stars it would be reserved for Tokio Pub Few times in my life have I had a dinner experience where the actual experience is what I remember. My time at Tokio was one of those expertly crafted evenings. Each month Tokio has special events. Last night was their 4 year anniversary party. 4 courses, 4 drinks, $45. Each course, each drink, wowed my table and brought the dining experience to a whole new level. The play on normal foods was elegant and sophisticated while being fun and whimsy. A lot of courses menu's get bogged down by trying to show up the previous course, this wasn't that. Each dish offered something new to the meal. We started with Thai Nachos and sparkling sake, followed by a dish called Tuna Butterfly in a Spring Field and a citrus cocktail, and then the main course was Bacon and Egg Ramen with a glass of Beaujolais, and to wrap up the evening we had a Birthday Cake Egg Roll with a cake batter booze shake! In addition Tokio had $5 handcrafted cocktails so we tried a few of those. My favorite is The Local, which is few gin, koval rose hip, social sparkling sake, cream of coconut, basil, fresh lemon juice, and like nothing I've ever had before. Needless to say I will be back to Tokio, and my group already made reservations for their next event, their Beer Dinner on May 18th! Did I mention that for attending the event we each got a $40 gift certificate for next time? Really Tokio can't be beat. Check it out and fall in love like I did!!!
(5)
B R Hungry X.
Good deals, food is hit or miss. Call it good about 60% of the time. Sushi is decent, ramen is a good but a bit salty for my palette. Tacos are a great deal when you go for happy hour or $1 taco days. Fish tacos are one of our favorites, Hub likes the pork tacos. Dessert has good prices too. Need to get the s'mores when you go! Best dessert ever. Not sure we'd come here for full price, maybe once in awhile. Want to try the robata sometime.
(3)
Brittany M.
Looking for something tasty and relatively fast before the movies. Couldn't decide between Tokyo Pub and Big Bowl. But then Tokyo Pub smelled much more appetizing and there was no wait. Service was super friendly and knowledgable. I ordered the pork BBQ nachos.. Delicious!! My boyfriend ordered the spicy ramen bowl which was also good if you really love the flavors of sesame and soy. Overall great experience, great food, interesting menu. I would definitely go back and try the crazy dragon roll.
(4)
Stan P.
Dodd was great service was Amine fabulous as well. The soups are soooo good. Appetizer of pot stickers, and spicy tuna roll were perfect as well.
(5)
Peter R.
Ramen burger. A burger with ramen noodles serving as the buns. That is slightly peculiar, but the result is undeniably splendiferous. This and the BBQ pork belly nachos are my two favorite things on the menu here. The tacos are also good in their own right, but the ramen burger is my main squeeze. This spot is connected to Shaw's in Streets of Woodfield, and it is a favorite lunch time and after work spot for me and the Voltron crew. I work in EGV and don't mind the short mini trek to this awesome spot in Schaumbeezy.
(4)
Chelsea D.
The service we received on 06/13/15 was tremendously better than back in February. I made a reservation on Open Table for 6:30pm and we were seated right away after checking in with the hostess (who could have been a bit friendlier). I included my seafood/shellfish allergy in the comments/requests area on OT which was passed along to our waiter, Kevin. He politely introduced himself and was considerate in getting all the details about my allergy before asking what we wanted to drink. He let us take our time in ordering and was knowledgable about the menu when we asked for recommendations. He always made sure to check on us to see if we needed anything else and refilled our water without asking. We ordered 1 of the Japanese Hot Rock skirt steak with spicy thai basil appetizers that comes with 5 slices of skirt steak. You cook the meat yourself on a hot stone and watch it sizzle (which is cool because it is a smaller version of kbbq "all you can eat"). We each got our own hot stone. You also get house-made marinades, cucumber salad, and hot mustard sauce. We also ordered the chicken and pork Potstickers that comes with ginger sesame vinaigrette. This is your basic potstickers, which you can buy frozen and in bulk at Costco and cook at home yourself, so it's honestly not worth the money for 5 pieces. For our entrees, we got the filet mignon Yakitori with grilled crimini mushrooms in a spicy soy-garlic glaze. It also comes with a sunny side up egg on a delicious bed of fried rice. This is highly recommendable! My boyfriend also ordered the Tauntaun cocktail which is 42 below (vodka), pok pok thai basil, fresh lime juice, and goslings ginger beer. He said it was refreshing and he could barely taste the vodka. Kevin said it is one of the most popular cocktails. We also ordered food to go for my parents and we got 1 of each taco, the marinated chicken Yakitori, and the ramen burger. My boyfriend said he would go back for sure for the ramen burger - angus beef, soy "molasses" mizuna, green onion, all in between two ramen "buns," and a side of cucumber salad. Thanks to Amanda Roche for welcoming us back to Tokio Pub. It was worth trying again.
(4)
Femme C.
We ordered sushi, edamame, and tacos. Our server Emine was very sweet and helped us guide through the menu and provide a recommendation. I ordered a beverage not on the menu as they use the bar at Shaw's too. So, if you see something you like not on the menu, ask. My gf ordered the nacho tacos which they are fame for, you can mix and match. I went with the sushi which was yummy.
(5)
Brian B.
We enjoyed this place well enough. Maybe a little pricey but was a fun night out. Sorta trendy hip background music and fairly dark inside. This place is more of an appetizer joint rather than full complete entrees. We started with two of the different marinated steak slices that you drop onto a searing hot rock they bring you to quickly cook them and that was fun. Then tried two different sushi rolls which were very fresh and decent. The had one each of the little tacos. Those were real good. Especially the fish and ginger beef tacos. Then finished with the calamari which I really liked. We did a pitcher of the pub tea drink that was good but steep at $25. Pretty large bill for two people considering it was not exactly a lot of food portion. But still we liked the place and may try it again in the future.
(4)
Isabel K.
food was good - my rock was cold and service needed some help will return - great taco promos!!
(3)
Rose D.
The management invited us to come back and give them another chance and we finally made our way back to the mall area. We came on a Friday night and they were busy but the service was quite good (4-stars for service). On this visit the timing of our various courses came out at appropriate intervals and the service was attentive & timely. Even though there is a bottle of water on the table we never filled our water glasses ourselves and someone else was already doing it for us. Some of he food, however, could have definitely been better (2-4 stars ranging for the food) so I'll split the difference and settle on 3-stars overall. We started with the Sweet Potato Tempura Roll which was both our fave - a different & vegetarian take on a sushi roll that was quite tasty. For the entrees we ordered the Ramen Burger and 5-tacos (2 fish, 2 nacho & 1 shrimp). The Ramen Burger is a novelty and while the burger itself was cooked & seasoned perfectly, with a delicious glaze on it, the ramen "bun" really had no flavor and I would have rather had a regular bun that would hold up better and allow for more toppings on the burger. The tacos came on this platter with metal holders to keep each individual taco upright and I would have thought perhaps the metal would have been warmed to help keep the tacos warm longer but it was not and by the time just 1 taco of the 5 were consumed the other 4 were just luke warm...so the final 3 tacos were pretty much cold by the time they were eaten (and my husband is a quick eater so it's not like he was dilly-dallying eating them). He said the nacho taco had the best flavor. The fried fish taco seemed like a small frozen fish stick they fried and the fish had a bit of an off-flavor...as if frozen too long or fried in oil that needed to be changed. He liked the shrimp taco but it only had 2 shrimp on it (these tacos are smaller but only 2 shrimp seemed a bit sparse even for the small size) and they had the tails on so you had to remove the tails and then put the shrimp back on the taco before you could eat it - seemed a bit odd. For dessert we tried the Coconut Bao which came with ice cream & the Coconut Bread Pudding. The Coconut Bao was quite small in comparison to the giant piece of bread pudding - granted the bread pudding is $1 more than the bao. Both tasted quite good, though the bread pudding could have used some sort of sauce.
(3)
Sendizzy S.
In a nutshell, it's the go-to Happy Hour ramen place in the area. For being part of a chain restaurant they have a unique feel. Their menu draws in flavors primarily from Asia but fused with Latin dishes and drinks. I recommend this place for any work outing. Also worth mentioning is their indie music selection playing in the background; always a good array. The only downfall is that it doesn't have its own restroom. Patrons have to go through Shaw's to get to it.
(4)
Emery C.
Amazing food! I recently discovered this place about three months ago and I'm pretty sure I've been here about 12 times ever since. Their ramen burger is usually my go-to but last time I got one of their spicy chicken ramen bowls... Unreal, this is a must try place!
(5)
Ali N.
Sushi is very nice . I ordered tune spicy tuna roll, marinated chicken, it was ok chicken nothing surprising We ordered ramen noodles bowl, it was ok too Nothing exciting
(3)
Mike F.
The Ramen Burger is the best burger ever! It was super delicious! Alice the bartender was also the best ever!
I had a very pleasant experience at Tokio Pub today. My server, Kevin, has been very attentive and informative. I came at a very good time: Sunday is bottomless Ramen, and from 5:00-6:00pm is $1 tacos. I ordered the Grilled Steak in Soy-Ramen broth noodle bowl first. The broth was a little salty for my taste, but they don't skimp on the meat and veggies. I also ordered the Slow-Braised Pork in Fukuoka Broth: AWESOME. I really appreciated the fatty cuts of pork; the fat is the best part of any meat in my opinion. Taking advantage of happy hour, I decided to try the tacos. I ordered a crispy chicken, steak, nacho (with BBQ braised pork), and crispy fish. All of them were great, but my favorites are definitely the crispy fish and the nacho. AMAZING flavor with both. And the beignets are a MUST. They're not beignets in the traditional sense; they're more like donut holes with a dark chocolate filling. But they're sugary amazing goodness. Treat yourself. I look forward to coming again to try the Ramen Burgers and hot rock appetizers. Give them a try! And ask for Kevin as your server, he's great. :-)
(4)
Michelle M.
Happy hour is great for select 1/2 price sushi and ramen. Volcano roll is great if you enjoy spice and the ramen portions are very generous (expensive if not during happy hour). Do NOT let them seat you next to where the busboys put their bins of dirty plates, it is SO annoying and located next to a set of tables for some odd reason. Some of the tables are so close together that it makes you feel like you are dining with strangers. Service feels rushed each time as though the goal is to get you "in and out." Overall a nice quick happy hour stop, but would not waste your money on the experience or prices if you're not there for the specials.
(3)
Ericka L.
So whenever I come here I just eat like a big fatty. Get the coconut curry soup...you'll want it fed to you intravenously from now on. Love the potstickers...and you get a free order of them when you check in with your Yelp app! Crispy fish and chicken tacos? YUM! Tiger shrimp tacos? YUM AND PREPARE TO BREATHE FIRE Yep...usually all in one sitting. Also be on the lookout for their Taco Time. You have to follow them in Twitter or Facebook in order to see when the next one is. Taco Time is one hour where all tacos are $1 each...trust me...that's a heavenly deal.
(5)
Josh G.
I'll preface this review that you should not trust maps to get you to this place. I honestly did not know I kept getting told to enter via Higgins Road, where that was not possible unless you went through the Streets of Woodfield, which you need to do to get to this place. I spent about 20 minutes trying to find this place as I was meeting some friends after work here. Needless to say, it is in the same building as Shaw's Crab Shack and I should've looked this up prior to coming in Friday night traffic. I was surprised that this place wasn't more busy at 6 P.M. on a Friday night, but it definitely picked up the pace as the night went on. If you're coming later than 7 P.M. on Friday, I'd recommend getting reservations. Like other reviews have already mentioned, it is a bit quirky of an entrance as it takes you to an indoor/outdoor place before proceeding to inside the restaurant to be seated. Make sure to enter by the Tokiopub sign otherwise, you'll be going to Joe's Crab Shack and have to walk all the way to the other side of the building. My friends were already here about 25 minutes prior to me showing up, so they already ordered some great appetizers off their "Happi Hour" menu. I had the Shrimp Tempura, which I was rather impressed with. I put too much wasabi on my tempura and it burned the whole way down. I thought it was great and well done. I followed that by ordering a variety of Tacos. The tacos were great, but I probably should've gotten something else as it was not as filling as I'd hoped it would be. If you're hungry, get a ramen bowl. Those things are huge and will get the job of satisfying your hunger. Three people ordered the Ramen bowl and no one finished it. They ended up boxing it and taking it home. This place had a hip/fun atmosphere and felt very trendy in a good way. I would also come back to this place again as well. The service we had was also very good and attentive.
(4)
Lily F.
After an hour of deciding where to eat, my friend and I decided to come to Tokio Pub to try it out after hearing great things from Yelp. We loved how simple, yet diverse the menu was. It's not a typical sushi or Japanese restaurant. They have a few special rolls, ramen, tacos, and some other unique food items, including the ultra cool hot rock where you can cook your own ahi tuna or steak. We received our free gyoza after checking in on Yelp (woot!) and also ordered the volcano roll and the ahi tuna hot rock as starters. The volcano roll didn't taste like anything similar to the volcano rolls I've had, but not in a bad way. Instead of crawfish mixed in creamy sauce on top of some California rolls, their version was a lot lighter, with little pieces of fried pieces of red peppers on top of a tuna roll. The hot rock ahi tuna was fun and amazingly tasty and the gyoza was simply delectable. The dumpling skin wasn't too thick and the accompanying sauce wasn't too sweet. We ordered the pork ramen and crying tiger shrimp tacos with some hot sake for our entrees. Even looking back at it now, there is nothing to complain or even nitpick at. The ramen had a great broth and I loved the kimchee that they added. Overall, I had a memorable meal and would love to come back.
(5)
Meatdowntown C.
Reasonable prices and great flavors. I love the simplicity of the menu. The shrimp tacos were just okay, but the steak ones were pretty good. We also ordered the pork ramen and the beef ramen. Definitely the beef ramen was more fun and flavorful. I would have preferred if they have different types of noodles for the ramen options. The fried rice and skewer "Yaki something" was very decent. The volcano sushi was the star of the night. It was simply excellent but you must tolerate hot and spicy. The coconut bread pudding was very very good. I will definitely come back.
(4)
Melanie S.
*Review for Happy Hour only* Happy Hour (M-F from 5-6) at Tokio Pub is a great deal, but probably the only reason I'd come here. Several appetizers are priced at 50% off, which is a good thing, because I would have felt kind of ripped off paying full price. Normally I'm never in Schaumburg on a weekday at this time, but I was in the area taking my niece for a driving lesson on Memorial Day, so I was able to take advantage. Let's face it: after taking a 16 year old out driving, I needed many drinks. On Mondays, most of the cocktails are only $5, so coupled with specially-priced apps, it's a no-brainer. Drinks are Asian-inspired (many have sake) and are tasty and drinkable. I really liked the Tokio Rose. We ordered two sushi rolls: the shrimp tempura and the spicy tuna. Both were large and plenty to share, and considering the portion size, probably the best value on the 50% off menu. We also tried the ahi tuna and filet mignon "hot rock." Comes marinated and raw, and then you cook it on the hot rock. Really tasty, but I would never pay $10 (full price) for such tiny portions. Tacos were excellent too, but at $3/each, you'd be crazy to order them at any time other than Happy Hour or Taco Time. The service was great, the food was good. I especially liked the chocolate beignets we brought home. All in all, I enjoyed Tokio Pub, but I can't imagine coming here and paying full price without feeling cheated. Having said that, it's definitely worth coming here for Happy Hour. You'll eat some tasty viddles without breaking the bank.
(3)
Jillian M.
Even been at Woodfield and think "Hmmm I want sushi". Well this place is NOT for you! Pretentious hipster version Perhaps... Bland over priced and maybe 5 sushi choices. Great if you want to be ironic and have a "cool" place to tag yourself in on Facebook. Fish tacos were a fish stick in a tortilla. Crazy dragon roll was presented well and had the most flavor so for that alone they get 2 stars. Shrimp tempura roll was bland and over stuffed with lettuce garnish to fill it. Just terrible. If you're legit hungry, don't go.
(2)
Angela P.
Happy hour. 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 50% off most appetizers and small plates. Why haven't you bookmarked this place yet? Why haven't you BEEN here yet? We loved everything we ordered. Two of us shared five tacos, two sushi rolls, BBQ nachos, and potstickers. Total? $55, which also includes two cocktails. We weren't charged for the tacos, but it's still an absolute STEAL. I love that we were able to order a bunch of different things and share at such a low price. The sweet potato roll, spicy tuna roll, and BBQ nachos were my favorites. My friends offered me a glass from their pitcher of sangria, and I soon learned that I should never turn down sangria, because you'll get that cross-eyed, "are you fcking crazy?" look from your friends. I actually just really wanted to browse the cocktail menu. I had the Tokio Rose cocktail which had St. Germain and...who cares what else was in it, it has St. Germain! I also had my eye on the Ginger Mojito. Maybe next time. The inside of this place is definitely on the trendy list. Not too bright, not too loud, and busy but not too crowded. I'd come back here for a girl's night, date night, or if I just needed some damn food and a cocktail after a particularly stressful day. When we arrived at 5:00 p.m., the place was nearly empty. We left just before 7:00 p.m., and it was bustling! I don't know if it was me just being a nervous nancy about getting out on time (needed to be at a Whole Foods event at 7!) or if it really did take a few extra minutes to get us our checks and swipe our credit cards. Nevertheless, make sure that if you've got somewhere to be when it's busy that you give yourself a few extra minutes to cash out. They were also very accomodating with our semi-large group and had no qualms with splitting the checks, which is awesome!
(5)
Nick B.
Came here for the first time the other day to enjoy a quiet dinner with my girlfriend. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. The food was great, our waitress was nice and the soundtrack was catchy. After looking at the prices on the menu, I was a bit scared, but our final bill was way less than I thought it was going to be. They also have specials on both Yelp and Foursquare (free stuff connoisseurs, rejoice!) Will definitely be returning.
(5)
Megan T.
We really enjoy eating here. On Sundays they have all you can eat Ramen bowls and different specials each night. The music and atmosphere is nice and my two little ones like it here too. Most of the waiters are nice, however every now and then we get a grumpy girl. I LOVE the crunchy shrimp. The menu is simple and pretty customizable because it is simple. Recommend giving it a try.
(4)
Rebecca C.
With so many Asian/Pan-Asian/Japanese/Ramen/Sushi style places inundating and crowding the landscape in and around Chicago, Tokio Pub is one of the many. Like most of them, they're all starting to blend into an abyss that's more America does Japanese Sushi rolls, come taste the rolls we have! Well, we did, only we didn't try Tokio Pub's rolls. After awhile, the fad is redundant. A friend and I dined there for lunch on a Saturday. We first split a "Simple Salad," which translates to "don't bother." At $7, the handful of radicchio with some avocado and a sprinkling of seeds, seemed more appropriate for a side salad included with a meal, than a salad standing alone. Anyways, my friend ordered the chicken Yaki, I ordered the 5 taco sampler and we shared both. The chicken was excellent, albeit salty, but just enough to be tasty. The "vegetables" were limited to green onions, which was disappointing, but somewhat expected. The rice that came with the dish was delicious, but also had enough salt going on to disinfect the mouths of a day's patients at the dentist. The taco sampler was delicious. While they were kind of small, especially for $15, each taco was loaded and filling. With a decent sized doggy bag, we shared the Beignets since Hanna H guaranteed they were fantastic - which they were. Served a bit kitschy, in a paper bag, the 4 little donuts melt in your mouth and are loaded with freshness and flavor. If there weren't so many similar venues, I would maybe give an extra star. Since there are way too many copycats, and this is one of the LEY places that's not exceptional over the rest, I give them 3 stars. For service, definitely 4 or 5 stars. That is where they DO shine.
(3)
Chris K.
Not worth it. The restaurant seems like an afterthought and just through it up with the extra space from Shaw's. The layout is awkward and the entrance looks like your walking into a closed bar and then enter by the kitchen. The food is overpriced for the portions and very bland for a Japanese/Mexican flare restaurant. The staff is kind of useless when selecting a dish because everything is good. Also, he was too busy talking about himself, so I took the bottle of water opened it and started refilling glasses of water for the table.
(1)
Genevieve L.
Tokio pub is actually connected to Shaws. Portions are smaller and meant to be more like tapas but the food is good. The drinks are also strong. Good place to relax after a long day of work
(4)
Claire N.
We have been here twice in the last 3 months and it has been amazing both times. The pork tacos are so good, as are the pork nachos! It's the same pork on both, so I highly recommend trying one or both of them. We have also tried the sushi rolls and calamari. The spicy tuna roll was so good - awesome sauce on it and great quality. The calamari was super awesome too, but I think next time I would ask for the sauce on the side - although it's really good, it started to make the calamari a little mushy as you got to the bottom and after it had saturated for awhile. We also tried the hot rock filet as an appetizer. That was something new for me and I loved it! It's fun AND tasty! The mojito they have is super good too (and not skimpy on the alcohol)! Overall, this place is a must-try, especially if you live in the Schaumburg area!
(5)
Jennifer L.
My mom picked this place for Sunday brunch to celebrate some sort of holiday in the spring. Perhaps it was Mother's Day or the April birthdays (mine, hers and my father's). My memory escapes me. We had planned on going elsewhere, but she backed out since she didn't want to trek out into the city, which is understandable. The pub isn't very large and had a minimalist chic look to it. I definitely enjoyed the dark wood tables and clean lines. The prices for brunch were fairly reasonable, with the most expensive item being $15. However, the menu was a little odd to me. It's definitely not your traditional brunch. You will not find a simple eggs, hash browns, sausage/bacon plate here. Instead, you will see something called a french toast "maki" on the menu, which is a tempura french toast with bananas foster sauce, kiwi and mango. If that's not out of the box; then I don't know what is. I was so intrigued by it and almost got it, but the tempura wasn't sitting too well with me. So, I chickened out and got the crispy fish tacos, which are $3 each. You can order 3 or 5. And, you can mix and match tacos. They also offer chicken, steak, pork and shrimp. A chipotle remoulade was atop the tacos. And, by golly, was it spicy! Again, my tolerance for spice is low, but I was really feeling it with the sauce. The price, for what it was worth, was good and the portion size was just right - not too large or too small. Those with larger appetites would be best off ordering five tacos. Don't skip out on the chocolate beignets for something sweet after your meal. For $4 you get 5 of them and can take them home if you don't devour them there. I definitely recommend ordering more if you've got sugar monsters (such as myself) in your party. Those people will probably want a bag (or two) all to themselves! Unfortunately, service wasn't the greatest and was slow since there were only two waitresses working. It was also pretty cold inside, which was strange since the outer enclosed patio area was heated. You get a free gyoza appetizer if you check in on Yelp. Just make sure your server take it off. It was on our bill so we had to kindly ask her to remove it, which she did without issue. Oh, and it's connected to Shaw's so you'll have to go there to use their bathroom, which is upstairs. Overall, decent brunch, but I definitely would be hard-pressed to come back and don't think I would unless someone else really wanted to dine here.
(3)
Nicolette H.
Such an awesome place. I love that the restaurant is smaller in size and more intimate. Great cocktails- The Local was AMAZING. It has gin, sake, cream of coconut and ginger as ingredients. As some highlights: the pork belly was the best thing I had there. Ahi Tuna was also excellent quality, and the volcano roll was delish. I find myself suggesting this place when going out with a few friends or on a date. The service is always great, but this past Friday, I had one of the best servers I've ever had. I wish I caught his name, but he recently moved here from LA and was working in the area close to the bar. He was so helpful, guided us through the menu, was very attentive without being overbearing. I'll be requesting him again. Love this restaurant.
(5)
Griff M.
Made a reservation for this place! We were seated in the back room, all by ourselves. My wife and I were totally ok with it because it was quiet! Waitress took our drink order and was very polite in walking us through the menu. After she left, the manager came over to our table. He said that he had a perfect spot that opened up in the main dining room and apologized for seating is in the back room! After we moved, he proceeded to buy us a round of drinks and dessert! My wife and I were thrilled. We had the tacos and a sushi roll and all were delicious!!!! The wait staff was so attentive and absolutely amazing!! This was our first time there and we will be going back soon. A+++++++++++
(5)
Jeremy W.
Just finished my first visit to Tokyo Pub and was very satisfied. The food was excellent and our server, Chris, was very helpful with our meal choice. I had the dragon roll and rainbow roll. Both were delicious. I also tried the bang bang calamari from my mom's plate and it was one of the best calamari I've had in awhile. I will definitely come back and recommend this place to friends.
(5)
Russell K.
Absolutely fantastic. (Oh and if you can't find it, it's attached to Shaw 's) Enjoy.
(5)
Michelle T.
Love the vibe and the general coolness of this place! The sushi is excellent and they have killer Sangria. The staff always have fun welcoming personalities and they make your time with them enjoyable. Check it out! One of our favorites!!
(5)
Sarah S.
An update to say Tokio Pub has completely won me over - I'm completely obsessed. Their happy hour is 5-6 each day and they have a TON of food that is half off during that hour including maki rolls. Their sweet potato tempura roll fulfills my need for orange poe-tah-toe rolls and has spinach tempura crumbs on the outside. I absolutely love that little touch. Every roll I've tried at Tokio Pub is phenomenal and during happy hour they are just $4-5!!! It really doesn't get better than that in the pricing department. I'm always pushing everyone to Tokio Pub for their amazing happy hour - and on Tuesdays it gets even better! Half price bottles of wine all day. They have a sweet Snapdragon Riesling that I get every time for $14. Fantastic deal! The best part about Tokio Pub is their outdoor patio. It's the perfect spot for a nice weather day happy hour. Plus, I've had amazing service every single time I've gone.
(5)
Mykil G.
One wonderful little gem in the heart of the Streets of Woodfield. Fantastic primer before catching a move too. We really enjoy the chef's fusion. Be sure to try the tacos, sushi and hot rock. Enjoy...
(4)
Alena K.
Very trendy atmosphere and the staff is super friendly. Went there on a Friday night and had their $1 taco special. The crying tiger shrimp and the chicken tacos were the best. The fish one was not bad. The others a bit too plain for my liking overall great deal. We also had the lemon and lime dragon roll which was fresh. The drinks are small but taste good. We had the s'mores dessert which was not bad but too much ice cream and the marshmallow was hard to add to the treat. Prices are a tad high for the portion size. Overall would recommend. Nice hang out place for a group of friends or a casual date. They have very cute patio space for the summer that I would want to come back for.
(4)
Melissa A.
Tokio Pub is a quaint little restaurant attached to Shaw's Crab House. I came here today with some friends for lunch to the finish off Restaurant Week 2014 with a bang! I'm glad we came here because I definitely will be back to get my fill of this place. They offered restaurant week deals for lunch and dinner, and even though we came for lunch we ordered the dinner menu since we're gluttons! The restaurant week menu was $33 for two people and we were given the following dishes to share between the 2: two choices of edamame over rice (spicy something or like a ginger sauce), 3 tacos of your choice, a tuna (?) cucumber maki roll, two types of ramen to choose, and oreo rice krispy treats for dessert. The tacos I tried were the steak and crying tiger shrimp taco; both were delicious but the shrimp one was phenomenal. I could have eaten 3 of the crying tiger shrimp tacos for a meal, it was that good. The choices for ramen were either a steak or pork ramen. We ordered the steak ramen and it was decent but nothing special; I wouldn't recommend coming here solely for the ramen. We took our oreo rice krispies to go since we were tight on time especially because our server wasn't very attentive. She stood around and talked with the other servers a lot since it wasn't very busy when we were there. We intended to save the rice krispies for later since we were stuffed from the meal, but once we got into the car we immediately opened the container and stuffed them into our mouths..and it was not in a ladylike fashion at all haha The rice krispies were absolutely wonderful and I would recommend ordering them if they offer them on their regular menu. I mean, how can rice krispy treats infused with oreos not be awesome?? Oh, side note, Tokio Pub offers happy hour Monday through Friday from 5-6pm. They have half priced appetizers, select sushi rolls, tacos, and a few other things on their menu. Our server also said they have drink specials on Mondays and Tuesdays I believe; $5 cocktails on Mondays and I don't remember what the drink special was for Tuesday (sorry I'm useless, can't eat and listen at the same time). Also, I read on the menu that they have something called "Taco Time" which is when they offer their tacos for $1 one day for one hour a week. UM HOW AWESOME IS THAT?? Apparently you have to follow them on facebook, twitter, or on their website to be in the know. I read on their chalkboard by the door the next taco time is FEB 11TH AT 8PM so HEADS UP if you want some bomb tacos!
(4)
Katie M.
I have never had a bad meal at Tokio Pub. Since going with some friends a few months ago, every time I've gone I've ordered something different. And every time they've been so good. I highly suggest either of their ramen bowls. Both are really delicious! My favorite sushi roll has to be the Godzilla roll that they make. The rolls are a bit bigger than I'd like to shove in my mouth, but 100% worth it. You can really taste all of the ingredients, and the guacamole is an interesting addition to sushi. Make sure you check in on Yelp! Tokio Pub does have deals for when you check in. The last time I was here I got free Gyoza, which were pretty much potstickers. But they were pretty great.
(4)
Kat A.
I came here with my friend during restaurant week to try this place out. The deal was really good. Only $33 for both of us to share the four courses. The edamame was the first course...nothing special. But the next course, the tacos were delish. My favorite was the shrimp taco. The ramen was ok. I wouldn't order it again. And the final course was the dessert-cookies and cream rice krispy treast. They were really good! I would come back to try some of the other items on their menu and get the tacos again.
(4)
Abha S.
OMG what a great place to go and hang out for a few with family and friends. I am so glad I found another Ramen place closer to me ! Ordered their spicy chicken ramen bowl and boy was it hot! The portion size was great and my husband enjoyed his Ramen burger. We loved the ambience and would happily return with our friends :)
(4)
Kristy M.
Don't waste your time going here! Not even for the Happy Hour deals... First, this restaurant is apart of Shaws which means that they share the same TINY parking lot and valet service. Note that the valet service used all the parking spots close to the restaurant to push customers to use valet VS parking super far away. I was here over the week for the $1.00 tacos and GROSS! The menu has few options and when you ask to modify the $1.00 tacos they wont let you. I met up some friends about an hour after they arrived, spent 20 minutes looking for parking and after sitting down at the table the waitress took forever to greet me, take my order and once my food was out she couldn't even bring me clean silverware. Never Again will I be going to Tokio Pub and highly suggest you don't either...
(1)
Julie Y.
Came here for lunch and ordered a bunch of vine, sushi, wings and tacos. They were all really good! I recommend the wings!!
(4)
Christine D.
I'm pretty sure this is one of the only Tokio Pubs around. Good happy hour specials and they have a great sushi selection. Also...their fish tacos are a must. The windows open up so it's perfect for warm weather. They also have a s'more dessert. The graham cracker is homemade and it's a big portion...definitely get it and share it. I just flat out love this place and you will too.
(4)
Natasha R.
Japanese style tapas? Yes please....!!! I finally made it out here for my friends wedding dinner and I am incredibly pleased with the food and service. Tokio Pub is connected to Shaw's, so it's a bit of a weird design and very small compared to other LEYE restaurants. It's made up of two rooms, one is in the inside and the other is more like a in-closed outdoor patio with a heated lamp so it wouldn't get too cold. That's where our large party had a table and it was terrific because Tokio Pub was PACKED, but we never felt it since there was lots of room and quite enough to hear each other without having to shout. If you are looking to have a large party, I suggest asking for this room. Everything was preordered and the food just kept coming and coming and coming! It was all super delicious, but I couldn't even sample all of it because we were so full by the end of the night. Looking through the menu, they have many options for different style parties, so I would def recommend this to anyone in the future. The sushi came out real quick, so I did not catch any of the names of the rolls, but they were all incredibly fresh. I will have to order a couple rolls next time I make it out here. We had a couple of the edamame bowls - garlic or spicy, and I have to say that they were one of the best I've ever tried. They come served on top of rice, which is different from any other sushi restaurants. There were a bunch of other items, but I only remember the tacos that came later in the night. I only tried the crying tiger shrimp tacos, but DAMN sooo good! They offer $1 tacos once a week for an hour, so i NEED to come back for just that alone! My boyfriend and I shared the $22 pitcher of the White Peach Sangria.. it's a tad bit expensive, but hella good! I need one of those next time, but without having to share. As for the dessert, they brought beignets in the cutest little baggies ever! It's impossible to describe the deliciousness of them, so my suggestion is to make sure you have enough room in your tummy and see for yourself. They are kind of like small fried balls, so I am sure that won't be a problem. Overall, great experience and I can't wait to come back here and try other items on the menu!
(4)
John Q.
Went here on a Saturday night after hearing all the good reviews about how awesome this place is. We were greeted and seated right away when we walked in. The waitress provided excellent service and the atmosphere was nice. The waitress answered our questions about the menu and we decided to get try some Takoyaki, Steak/Chicken/Shrimp tacos, and the Ramen Burger. Starting off with the Takoyaki, the presentation was nice and came in a nice little boat with a skewer. These little balls were quite good however were different from the one's I had before. There was a little chunk of octopus in there however the inside was hollow. I was expecting that there would be filled with the batter in the center. The tacos were not that impressive to me, the chicken was dry. The steak marinade was so-so, it just seemed like teriyaki steak. The shrimp taco was the best out of the three and I would get it again. Last, but not least was the Ramen Burger. We were quite curious of this since on the menu it said that there were limited quantities....I wonder why...The Ramen Burger is indeed a patty with ramen instead of the buns. I was expecting the Ramen to be crispy so it had some crunch with the burger, however it was very soggy and oily. The burger lacked texture and felt like mush in your mouth. The food here is so-so. Not sure if I would return, maybe it was just an unlucky night.
(3)
Roma L.
Updating my review for Tokio Pub. Went here during their taco time last Tuesday since they go for a dollar instead of 3 dollars. Who wouldn't want that? My last visit I wasn't impressed with their tacos but that night I enjoyed the shrimp taco it was delish especailly with the guacamole and had a bit of a kick as well. My boyfriend enjoyed the chicken taco. Since it was taco night and they were busy the tacos were flying out of the kitchen. No disappointments when it came to the tacos this time around. BUT.. sushi you have disappointed me this time :( seemed like they were focusing more in the preparation of the tacos and didnt really care for finesse of the sushi as you can tell.. my boyfriend even asked me if that was the sushi we had ordered our last visit. Haha. Now that I looked at the picture I just noticed the sushi we ordered recently is missing that white sauce on top? Plus they went scarce on avocado? And the "crunchy" green topping wasn't crunchy at all.. Overall I wish sushi was more consistent in quality.. and hope to enjoy the tacos as much as I have this last visit. Will be back.
(4)
Meg X.
Great service. Food is too expensive for what's served, but it's tasty food. Overall a reasonably acceptable dinner.
(3)
Charlie C.
The food was fine. Nothing spectacular. Overpriced IMO for the portion sizes. The service was fine. Again, nothing spectacular but definitely room for improvement. The waiting area is non existent so if you are waiting for a table you end up standing right by the door. That area is squeezed tight so there is only room for about 2 people to stand, which makes for an awkward situation if others are waiting, as well. You are also standing almost on top of the people who are seated by the door, which again makes for an awkward experience for both parties. The atmosphere is pretty average. Again, nothing really stood out about it. I'm not sure I'll be going back anytime soon.
(3)
Haeley J.
I've gone here twice in the past 2 months and service is always great. We had the same waitress both times, sorry I don't remember her name... brown hair, medium height lol. She's great though... super attentive and provides great input on the food there. So what did I order?? The first time I went in I ordered the Godzilla Rolls and 3 tacos (nacho taco, crying tiger shrimp, and the crispy fish)...The Godzilla Roll was awesome seeing as though it was topped with guacomole and had the delicious eel sauce on the side (check out the pic). Out of the tacos the nacho taco was really good so I'm looking forward to checking out their barbeque-braised pork nachos, those are probably really good!! On the second visit I had their sweet potato tempura roll which is light and delicious, with a slight sweet taste which I loved. Then I had their crazy dragon roll which yes, I thought that it was really good too (see pic). For Apps both times I had the gyoza which I've never had before... Love the sauce that comes with it and I think it's a great app and good price. So yeah the food is always fresh and really good, I still have more to try so I'll let you know if anything changes ;-)
(5)
Michelle P.
OMG! We ate here last night and it just tasted so good I was rolling my eyes in ecstasy! I always have the tacos, usually one of each. I had the chicken, steak and pulled pork tacos, they were excellent. My Husband always gets the Hot Rocks entree. The chopped salad was delicious and they split it in half for us! I also ordered the chicken and waffles, SO good!! We enjoyed it so much that we talked our friends into coming back with us this coming Tuesday!! Also, their wait staff is SO nice! We both agreed last night that we had never had a bad meal there! Oh, yeah! Don't forget to order the beignets for dessert, delicious! Lol, I just checked my old review! As you can see, I'm loyal to my favorites, and added a new one! What can I say? I know what I like!
(5)
Geraldine A.
I enjoy dining here. They have changed their menu over the years and have taken some of my favorite things off. But the service here is fantastic and that's what keeps me coming back.
(4)
Lindsey M.
My first time here and was really surprised how much I enjoyed it. I took my friend here for Sushi since I figured it was a sushi place but soon realized they don't have much of a sushi selection so we ordered the Dragon Roll, spicy calamari, and a ramen bowels. Although they have a smaller menu everything was really good and we were not disappointed that it wasn't the 'sushi place' we had expected ! I would go back just to get the Spicy pork Ramen bowel again...very good, never had anything like it before. Great drinks and they gave us a free little dessert since it was our first time there! Excellent service and good ambiance, its actually connected to Shaws crab house which I didn't realize before. Would recommend if your in the market to try something different.
(4)
A.H P.
I was recommend to this place with high hopes of a great experience and good Japanese inspired foods. My fiancee and I went on Thursday and started out with two rolls of sushi one was a tuna crunch and the other was there take of a spicy tuna roll. They were ok but nothing special. Next we got the filet mignon hot rocks. It was super weird and not efficient, the rock cooled really quick. We shared this dish, it was a good portion. We noticed everyone was having the tacos we tried the pulled pork, the skirt steak, and the chicken. We did not care for any of them. We were sat inside next to the garbage/ the dirty dishes. My fiance got chewed up by mosquitos while dinning, this could of been unrelated but it ruined our night.
(1)
Lance R.
Ok so see my tip to get my vibe on this place. (Like the TGIF of Japanese - bad description - need a happy meal to make this ok. If you want AMERICANIZED Japanese this is good, but I really had to do a re-look at it to appreciate it (I am a sushi snob)) BUT I am updating this because I am being spammed with offers in my email to return. so I am going to give it another shot --- look at my soon to come update
(2)
Jessica T.
Love this place. Love the Atmosphere. And the tacos are the SHIT!
(5)
Patrick F.
I gotta give this place a solid 5! For a location that is in dire need of a parking garage, it was worth the walk from my car in the rain. Our server was Chad and he works every night except Thursdays. HIGHLY recommend him. A FourSquare check in got us a free order of the best damn edamame I've ever had. It was tossed in a slightly spicy ginger garlic seasoning. We ordered a few sushi rolls as an appetizer. My friend ordered the Godzilla and I ordered the Dragon. Both rolls yielded 8 pieces and were presented so uniquely. The Godzilla had tortilla chips in the shape of dinosaur scales on each piece and the Dragon had the head and tail of the shrimp. The taste of each were outstanding! My "entree" was the (5) Combo tacos. They have a 3 combo, but 5 gets you one of each. Variety is the spice of life after all right? And speaking of spices, each taco was so unique and full of flavor. They get their seafood fresh too. One of the perks of sharing a wall with Shaws Crab House. The price point is a tad high, but if you don't get any alcohol or desert, you can keep costs very reasonable. I can't wait to go for Taco Time! $1 Tacos for one hour, one day a week. They also have Happi Hour M-F from 5-6pm, which gets you half price starters, tacos and their Japanese Hot Rock, where you cook your protein at the table! Lastly they also have a chef battle once a month that serves 4 courses and a beer pairing from local breweries. Those events sell out fast, so call for a reservation. They're also on open table, but on a Saturday night, they weren't packed. I could however see it being busier on a beautiful summer night with the shades up. It's a very nice feature to have available. I strongly recommend checking out their website to see a full range of what they offer. Personally I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Candice G.
4.5... can I do a 4.5? No? Okay, well look at the 4 stars I'm throwing up and think 4.5 instead. Lettuce Entertain You has a decent thing going on, though there are, of course, exceptions to this rule when people start associating certain businesses (ahem, Cheesecake Factory) with the suburban-in-a-bad-way stigma, but Tokio Pub proves LEY is still a hip force to be reckoned with. I really like Tokio Pub. They've made me second guess the eye-roll I do almost immediately after anyone utters the words 'cheesecake' and 'factory' and then of course, ceremoniously follows it up with "and there was just so much food!". I'd had Tokio Pub on my to-do list for a while now but I think their menu highlights of 'tacos, sushi, barbeque' made me put this on the back-burner. Despite the good things I'd heard, Tokio Pub sounded like it was going to be just another kittywampus collection of everything and anything under the sun, who think that just because you have the ingredients to make something, you should. But that's not how it should be. I don't need to go to a restaurant with 10 pages of items and a section of sh*t from every part of the world and frankly, I hope I never hit a point where I'm craving sushi, spaghetti, egg rolls, nachos, mac and cheese and tikka masala all at the same time. Aaaanyway, Tokio Pub left me pleasantly surprised in more ways than one. First off, their specials are insane. As a girl on a budget, I know the importance of stretching that dollar- and as a girl who's a really sh*tty cook, I know the value of finding the most economical way to still get down on delicious grub. So please, let me outline Tokio's bevy of special options for you: Sunday: $5 specialty drinks. Your options are limited to 6 different choices, but that's still not a bad deal. Choose from bloody Marys, mimosas, screwdrivers, sakemosas, Mr. Miyagi Smash & a drink called the Bloody Samurai. Mondays: A select draft microbrew is only $3. #Steal Tuesdays: Half priced bottles of wine & sake. Monday-Friday from 3-6pm you get half off all apps. Ain't nothing wrong with that and their appetizers are actually pretty stellar. I recommend the peanut noodle salad, which is something I would've never ordered on my own but they sent some over complimentary and it was stellar and defo not lacking on the spice or the cilantro. Also, don't pass up those crying tiger shrimp with sriracha. I didn't find them very spicy, but I did find them delicious and devoured in record time. Good job, Belly! Taco Time: Once a week they have a thing called taco time, where all their tacos are $1 for 1 hour. Their next one just happens to be tomorrow, October 17th, starting at 7pm. It's specias like this that make me think that maybe I could survive if I ever did become homeless. Think about it. 1 gourmet taco or 2 cans of cat food? Yep. I think I know where my hobo shoes are headed. For sushi, I'm a sucker for spicy tuna and I think Tokio did it fairly well. It was $10 for the roll, but it was filling and comparable more to those fancy maki rolls you'd get at sushi-centric restos, than the typical smaller, simpler spicy tuna. For tacos, I went with tofu, though next time I will be going fancy with the crying shrimp & tuna poke. Our tacos were all pretty lukewarm, if that, but that didn't disguise that they were damn good tacos. I think I could've eaten 10 of those tofu tacos. In fact, I'm seriously considering dropping by tomorrow for $1 Taco Time. Dessert, the chocolate filled beignets. Why can't the portion on THIS be Cheesecake Factory sized. Good Lord, Good Food. Lastly, don't forget to check-in on your Yelp app. If you do, you get two free crispy chicken tacos! Can't argue with that. Okay, I don't eat chicken, so maybe I could but the I'd say overall, most people would not argue with two free tacos. Oh- and their sangria, albeit a bit pricey for a pitcher when you're operating on a pauper's budget, goes down dangerously quick.
(4)
Benny R.
The decor is very nice. Staff was very friendly.
(4)
Kerry S.
Never had a bad experience or bad food! The crispy glazed pork belly haunts me in my dreams!
(5)
Stefan K.
The outdoor seating area was a nice environment. Well as nice as you can be when your view is a parking garage or packing lot. But the overall place was nice. A big minus was the lack of restrooms, you have to hike over to Shaws next door. Servers were friendly, but the kitchen was rather slow. Still working out the bugs in the system maybe. The food was hit or miss. Not a fan of the edamame because it is just drenched in their oily sauce. The seasoning was good, but just too much oil. The portions were small in my opinion. I would recommend this place for a quick bite and a drink after a movie. Otherwise, there are many better places for sushi fusion type foods.
(2)
Jessica P.
Rating: 3.5 I came here on a Friday evening.. I met my friend for dinner at around 7:00PM and the place seemed packed, but we were able to get seated immediately.. Food: Lemon Lime Rainbow Roll (~$10) - my friend had this and said it was ok... BBQ braised pork nachos (~$8 Warm Plate Appetizer) - definitely very filling for an appetizer shared amongst 2 people... it can be shared amongst 3 ppl.. tasted good.. good amount of sweet and salty.. Tiger Shrimp (~$6 Warm Plate Appetizer) - 3 pieces of shrimp, each piece has spicy sauce on it and comes on a skewer..it's definitely a light appetizer...does not fill you up..tastes good, but isn't sooo great that I would crave it... one time experience is good. Pork Belly ($3 for 1 mini-taco) - contains carmelized pineapple, cabbage, and cilantro..tasted good.. it's a 2 bite taco.....might need to order 3+ tacos for your stomach to be content (this goes for any of the tacos...) Shrimp Crispy Rice ($3 for 1 small piece of shrimp + crispy rice) - comes with fried shrimp and crispy rice (it is basically like a fishstick, but instead of the fish inside of the stick, it's rice...)..tastes good, but pricey for a small bite (smaller bite than the taco..) Beignet ($1 per small bite-size donut, each order comes with 4 donuts) - mini bite size donut filled with melted chocolate, tastes delicious and comes out fresh (warm as if it was just baked!)..YUM Portions: small - don't expect any leftovers!! Prices: the prices seemed kind of high for the portions of food that are provided...I spent around $40 total dining for two females... so if you eat a lot.. you'll have to spend quite a bit to get full... **I think they have a $1 for an hour taco deal if you sign-up for their email listing.. Customer Service: the waitress was pretty attentive in getting our orders; however, it was a little bit of a wait getting the check back... Atmosphere: decent place to come on a date (only if your date is not stingy/extreme money saver...if they are stingy.. expect to eat a little!!), with friends, with a friend.. Parking: might be difficult to find a parking spot on a weekend night since it is located next to other restaurants and places. I would come here again just to try out other items on their menu.. :)..
(3)
Joanna M.
Overpriced and pretentious without the food to back it up. Don't get anything involving sushi or chicken here. Anything else is ok.
Dined for dinner at 7:30pm on Saturday August 9th. Our server (unsure of his name) was pleasant enough when he interacted with us but was very absent. We ordered the crunchy tuna roll and the dragon roll. Instead of the tuna, they brought us a California roll. When we said we didn't order that, they brought us the right one. Dragon roll was very tasty, crunchy tuna was flavorless and mushy. Ahi tuna and the skirt steak hot rock apps were both decent. Clearly, that's their schtick. Chicken and waffles was a huge let down but we enjoyed the pork belly dish. When our check came, I noticed the server did order us the wrong sushi. He charged us for the $15 Cali roll and I had him change it to the $12 crunchy tuna. After dinner, we strolled around the shops and the food sat very heavy on both our stomachs. Overall experience, 5/10. Won't be returning.
(3)
Tiana T.
We went back and gave Tokio Pub a second chance after we had bad experience with the wait staff. After complaining, the management went out of their way and offered to have us come back- on them. This time around we had a great experience. The food was delicious and the service was attentive. I highly recommend trying the tacos!
(5)
Bridget D.
I would give this place more stars if it wasn't so expensive. For what it is, much like Shaw's, it is too expensive. Now that I'm aware of the happy hour specials, I'm a lot more likely to visit at that time. We went on the weekend. We enjoyed the tacos, though they need to learn about doubling up on tortillas. Ours fell apart and were a big mess. The sushi rolls were good, though I wouldn't go there specifically for sushi. There's too many amazing sushi places in the northwest suburbs for that. They have a great selection of sake and Japanese beer and a cute cocktail list. We had a s'mores dessert that was very simple but really good! The service was excellent. Our server gave us a bunch of great recommendations and was attentive.
(3)
Leah C.
looks better on paper/pictures... i originally discovered this spot in a parent/kiddo newsletter listing kid-friendly brunches: kids eat free! everything we ordered was just okay. the french toast sushi and beignets were the biggest hits at the table. i think we enjoyed the drinks most - yummy blood orange mimosa for me! service was very friendly and attentive too. i can see myself returning to meet up for happy hour if ever in the area but aside from the kids eat free promo, i wouldn't have listed this as a not to miss brunch.
(3)
Tina L.
Crispy rice with sushi on top? Yum! Love the combination of the flavors and of course, the crunch of the crispy rice. :) Tried 3 different tacos: chicken, fish and pork -- all delicious and worth trying! Also got the crispy glazed pork belly with the fried egg. It was a little on the sweet side for me, I wish the flavors were a little more subdued, but still good overall. Gonna have to try this place for HH or something, even though I live and work in the city...
(3)
Zach T.
Tokio Pub is a little room off the side of Shaw's crab house. Their food is Asian fusion with a specialization on small plates and tacos. We split some tasty wings, then my wife had one of the crispy rice sushi plates that was very good, and I had a 5-taco combo. (be cool: they were very small tacos). The fish was far and away the best, if a little spicy. The chicken with kimchi was good and spicy. The shrimp was almost flavorless, as was the pork. We closed with the beignets. They were excellent. That and 2 drinks each put us back $70. It's a good alternative to what's in the area, and an intimate experience, but I wouldn't rush back.
(3)
Brian E.
Went to have a early dinner & to try the "robata-que", the best was the beginning which was a sunday special cocktail.Out of the 4 'rounds' of food the victory goes to chicken noodle soup, asian chopped salad & crispy pub potatoes.The meat dishes all tasted them same, Chinese 5 spice with a sugary soy glazed,It did not help that the meat dishes felt like they were at room temperature when eating them. cold pork nachos totally gross!! At the time of are service there were maybe 8 people in the place so the service was fine just not sure if it was meant to be a "slow pace" between rounds.maybe that's why some of the food was cold when it arrived at the table? Next time I would like to try the sushi or the $1 tacos but my past luck with a leye group restaurant not been good, 4 place's of disappointment & counting.
(2)
Jessica G.
I'll give this place 3 stars for only being open for two days at the time we went there. We were greeted and seated promptly. Our server came to our table quickly and did a nice job of getting our drinks and getting our orders taken. We noticed that perhaps they need some help with teaching the correct way to pronounce some of the times but for two days, they didn't do too badly. Some of the food items were pretty good - the cucumber salad and the potato salad were fantastic, as were the fish and pork tacos. I also liked the fried tofu and the dipping sauce pretty well. The beignets, while kind of weird for a Japanese place, were quite yummy, as was the passion fruit ice cream. The Angry Chicken in the tacos were just so-so as were the spicy skewered shrimp. For things that were supposed to be spicy, the flavor just wasn't there, and we didn't love the pub wings - make them boneless with that sauce and I would probably eat a lot more of them. Also, the pork belly was too fatty according to those who ate it. We find it odd that the server didn't bring our food to us - random people did and not sure if they were ordinarily bussers but they were enthusiastic and did do a nice job of explaining what each item was. The other thing we would have liked to see is that the dishes come out when they are ready, not when everything in the round is done. Having gone to actual izakayas in Japan, this is how they do it there and it keeps the hot hot and the cold cold plus then people aren't sitting and waiting for things for longer periods of time. Most tapas places around do that, as well. We did think the service was quite good for the most part, even though one of the staff tried to take one of the beers off the table before my dining companion was done with it, which was a little weird. There is high potential for good things here. There are a few things that could be improved upon and we'll probably go back in a few months and see how things are going. Overall, a solid three-star start.
(3)
Tracey H.
Great food, great service. The nachos were scrumptious, and even better...they were FREE for checking in with Yelp when we arrived. Will return...
(4)
Joe S.
You won't likely find many (any) contenders in the area. We sampled a good portion of their menu. Original presentation and lots of nice touches throughout our experience. Crispy fried sushi and boom! potato salad were favorites.
(5)
Grace M.
This is a great tapas and drinks restaurant. I went with a fairly big group of 9 people and I don't know if it was because the place is small but we ended up waiting for a table for about 40 minutes? Anyways, the servers told us that the first round of drinks were going to be on them. UM....can you say SCORE?! The wait wasn't even that bad because we were all busy mingling with one another. After we finally got seated and the waitress told us that we could get 4 PITCHERS of their drinks for free. To better illustrate how great this was let me just say that a single serving of their sangria, yuzu margarita, mojito, or passion punch is around $7-8. A pitcher, if you so choose to order, for each of the drinks is $25. So we went there to get food AND drinks. The drinks were on them so we got 4 pitchers which would have been easily $100 for free. Ok....time for the food. The food was delicious. The barbecue sauce on the pork belly reminds me of the sauce us Filipinos use on our barbecues (the one on the stick). Again this place is tapas style so I really don't suggest going there if you hadn't eaten the whole day. Each plate cost $5-$8 I think? I say I think because like I said we received free pitchers. haha. They were very good and the waitress gave us free "1 item on the menu" cards for each of us after our dinner. We will be returning to Tokio Pub again.
(4)
John D.
I went to Tokio pub a few times now and its a great place to dine. The food is great and something new to try, the music good as well. The service was outstanding, our server Cat provided excellent service and made my experience there a great one. She was very fun and outgoing. As long with the rest of the staff was very pleasant. would recommend Tokio pub highly.
(5)
Nicole O.
I was shopping last week in the suburbs and was beyond thrilled to find Tokio Pub! Exhausted from a trip to Ikea and a bit worse for the wear, I stumbled upon this gem and now I can't wait to go back! The food was AMAZING- the menu is set up so you can try a lot of items even when dining solo....it was perfect! The flavors are sophisticated, the ingredients fresh, and the prices are reasonable. My server was so knowledgeable and guided me through the menu perfectly. I can't wait to go back and try the cocktails. Tokio Pub is the only spot for me in Schaumburg! PS- I also must mention the decor- I felt like I truly was in the City. Very hip and very comfortable!
(5)
Renee B.
Great little gem of a restaurant! My girlfriend and I popped in for lunch and drinks and we surprised how delicious everything was. The server, Charlotte made great suggestions. The food is small plates which is a great way to get to taste a little of everything.
(5)
Kate W.
The menu of this place made me drool. The food wasn't as great as I had hoped. The ginger mojitos were very yummy. We got an array of tacos, the nachos, and my friends got some sushi. The tacos weren't bad, nothing out of this world. The nachos were ok. My friends said the sushi was ok, nothing special. Overall it's not bad, but not worth the price.
(3)
Michelle W.
This was my second time at Tokio Pub and the food is still excellent. However, we sat at the bar this time and the service was definitely lacking. The bartender was not at all interested in how our food or drinks were but more interested in her friend at the end of the bar. I highly recommend the food here, I love everything but next time I would definitely sit at a table for better service.
(2)
Caitlin O.
I personally loved the interior design here more than anything - but that's not to say my food was bad! The pork belly nachos were utterly delicious, The crunchy sushi was a nice change of pace from my standard sushi options, much as I enjoy them - I like the texture change, it's unusual and quite good. As for dessert, the 3 mini creme brulees were absolutely fabulous - I particularly enjoyed the ginger, though both the orange and the lemongrass were subtle and tasty. All of the cocktails ordered were also amazing and shared between friends - I could drink endless amounts of that sake sangria! Service was prompt and friendly, pricing was a bit high but still very reasonable - it's essentially a short menu of Asian fusion tapas. We spent about $130 between 4 people, but that also included a fair chunk of drinks so it doesn't really surprise me at all. Will definitely be going back!
(4)
Mike B.
Went here for date night. Vibe was cool. Waitress was nice. Good beer selection and my wife lived the peach sangria. Food was pretty good. We really liked the tacos,especially the shrimp. The only problem was the kitchen. It is super slow. We went early (7:00 on Saturday). The place was not full. They had a ton of servers and managers running around but I still felt like it took forever to get food. The menu is almost Tapas style so my wife and I decided to try a bunch of different items. They were all very good,but it took almost 30 minutes to get each item so it really killed the flow of our experience. The food runners always seemed a little confused and were coming up to tables asking if the food they had was for them. I am guessing this could be fixed with some process improvement. Overall, great food but felt abandoned several times during the meal because the food took so long. Fix that and this is a 4/5 star joint.
(3)
Van K.
Great concept - love the atmosphere and the food! We went there not knowing what to expect as it is brand new place. I've seen good reviews on yelp and decided to give it a try. The service was exceptional - great happy staff welcomed us and we got a nice seat outdoor! The foods are served in tapas style-perfect bite size that goes well with wine, beer or cocktails! Perfect place to hang out with friend and have a great chat! Love the creme brule and salmon tartar! (hey, i think they share the same kitchen as shaw's -so you can bet they have really good seafood!) The whole management team is awesome! Leye - You guys always seem to come up with very innovative ideas!
(5)
Chad D.
Decent little place. Got the small tacos to share and a beer or two. Good stuff.
(4)
David C.
Just had my first experience at Shaw's Tokio Pub in Schaumburg. WOW!!! does not do enough justice to how wonderful everything was. It is a Tapas sort of menu, in that they are small plates to share and share we did. The menu was anything but traditional. We shared an assortment of tacos and an assortment of sushi rolls. We also enjoyed the the pork belly nachos and Tiger Shrimp. Lunch was topped of with the chocolate filled beignets. Sara the manager walked us through the menu making fantastic suggestions all along the way. If you have not been to Tokio Pub in Schaumburg, stop whatever you are doing and go right now!!!
(5)
Scott K.
Went on a Sunday afternoon, quiet, but waitress was friendly. Food was very good. We sampled quite a bit. Cocktails a lil expensive, but overall we like our experience
(4)
Lauren R.
Can't go wrong great food!
(4)
Kelli Ann L.
Because we have no 1/2 stars, I am rounding up - based on a few things.....service can be a bit slow - but it is a fun and relaxed atmosphere...and BECAUSE we were waiting for some food - our server brought us refills on our mojitos - the ginger ones - and did not charge us - and the desert was yummy and free! Every thing we ate was tasty and good - not too much heat - but enough spice to make your mouth perk up - portions are small on everything but the sushi - but it is made for sharing. It is like a menu of alot of great appetizers. The bathrooms are pain because you have to go through Shaw's Oyster bar and then to the lobby and up some stairs...but heck - I enjoyed the food and it was great to sit outside in 80 degree weather under an awning - and they have heaters out there too - if it cools off - there are so few places around the area where you can eat outside that you would want to - and this was fun. :0)
It was pretty hard to find the place - there is a very small neon sign to the right of Shaw's and their entrance is tucked away - they really need to work on being more visible. We had lunch there last week and were only 1 of 2 tables at peak lunch time with Schaumburg being full of office buildings around the area - the attached Shaw's was crowded. Really wanted to like the place but the food was not memorable - portions small - it can really add up - lunch for 2 without drinks was $60! Some of the food seemed undercooked. Would not go out of my way to go again.
(2)
George E.
Delicious food. The combinations of flavors are excellent. We tried almost everything on the menu. Just go.
(5)
Bob L.
Bad boring overpriced everything. Eat at Shaws next door.
(1)
Patricia J.
FINALLY got to check out this cool new spot on Thursday night... loved it! Great vibe & service. Mouth still watering remembering the super yummy eats & cocktails!! Can't wait to get back!
(5)
Phill C.
The thing working about in the burbs is there's only so many places to go and you just start getting tired of some. When i read Tokio Pub was opening in Schaumburg, I got really excited. It's about damn time we got some new restaurants up in this beeech! We went the day after their opening for their first lunch service. Unfortunately, they weren't ready to open for lunch that day... wah wuh waaaaah. But no big deal, they were really apologetic and gave us each a $20 gift certificate to come back. Sweet! Of course we went back the following Monday and decided to sit outside, since the weather was awesome that day. Well it was actually quite windy that day and our empty beer/soda cans kept getting knocked down. That was a minor annoyance, as I wished our server would've taken them away. Also at times service was a bit slow, but they just opened so I understand they're still working some kinks out. Oh yah beer. They have a nice little beer menu, with choices such as cans of Red Stripe and Daisy Cutter. They also have a small wine and sake list, as well as sake Jello shots. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share, including the chicken meatballs, pork belly, sweet baby back ribs, crispy salmon rice, crispy tuna rice, pub wings ,and braised pork tacos. Yah that sounds like a freakin lot of food, but keep in mind this place is an izakaya, so these are a few bites. But I've been to other izakayas and I wish portions were a bit larger here. I enjoyed the Pork Belly and the Sweet Baby Back ribs the most. The Pub Wings were good, but the wings weren't that meaty. Everything else was just okay, including Beignets we ordered for dessert. They came in a tiny paper bag and were more like donut holes filled hot chocolate goo. As the server suggested, you have to eat these in one bite or else hot chocolate would squirt squirt everywhere. But I guess I was expecting a real beignet. My co-worker was also raving about the Crying Tiger Shrimp, so I'll have to try that next time. This izakaya is definitely a nice joint to have some drinks with friends and munch on some small plates of food. I thought the food overall was just okay, but I'll be back for sure to give this place another try. I'm not sure if this will become a frequent lunch stop as it was a bit pricey for the portions, but I'm sure I'll be back to have some drinks with friends.
(3)
Julie S.
Last minute plans for tonight found us here for their Taco Time! Great $1 tacos from 8pm to 9pm. We decided our plan at 7:30 and called to make reservations. We were told they were full till 8:30 but were put on a wait list. Arriving with a party of 6 at 7:45 we were told we were on the wait list and not guaranteed how long it would take. Within 5 minutes the hostess approached us and informed us we could have the long bar table as soon as those 10 people were seated. 2 minutes later we were seated. Our waitress, Alice was fantastic!!! Very attentive and always checking on us. The mgr Bill was also very nice and apologized for the wait. After 39 great tacos for our party we got the bill. Alice told us that we were not charged for our wine as the Mgr felt bad about our having to wait. Unbelievable!!!!! We have been here before and have never been disappointed in the service or food. I highly recommend this place!!
(5)
Tony H.
I'd been to BaBaReeba, and was expecting some dynamite atmosphere and food to match. Tokio Pub was not all I hoped it would be, but it was A-OK anyway. The thing that got us most was the portion sizes. Seemed tiny for what you actually received. For example, $5 for a plate of two fried crispy rice & shrimp pieces, just a little bit bigger than a fortune cookie. Or $5-$7 for two tacos depending on what type of protein you get on them. I also should've known better when ordering a Fat Tire for $5, with it coming in a 12oz. can. Big on flavor, just not on size. Overall I enjoyed the company I was with. They comped one dish for our table of 5, so we could "try it out" without any obligations. They also comped my cousin and I each a "jello shot" for our birthdays. Our server was alright, but the hostess was the highlight of the night for us out on the patio. She chatted it up with us, seemed pretty sincere, and she said we were the most fun table she'd had all night Overall, our tab came out to about $120. Probably won't stop here again unless I'm in the area and looking for a light mid-day meal.
(3)
Erik H.
The lack of interesting, intimate nightspots in the Schaumburg area has rubbed me the wrong way since moving here, but with the opening of Tokio Pub I think I've finally found a decent place to drink in a cozy, cool atmosphere. There isn't a wild amount of drinks but the small selection is intriguing, including different kinds of sake and sake mixed drinks. The food is also very good with a lot of Japanese-inspired fusion dishes, but the small tapas-style plates quickly add up. Eat dinner beforehand and come here to wind down on a weekend night.
(4)
Jd P.
Server was Roy, service was great! Food as always wonderful. Do Check in for free ap. tacos chicken waffle and tuna avocado roll and bottle of Pinot noir.
(5)
Diana A.
I'm slowly making my way through their menu, and it's all worthy of five stars. Pros: Amazing mixed drinks (albeit you're paying city prices), decent portion sizes and fresh, wonderfully flavored food. Also, the chocolate beignets will almost certainly make your week. Cons: Their menu is a bit pricey, and I've had a few dishes come out cold, especially if it's a busy night or you order multiple small things to share. My suggestions: Pork belly udon noodles, the crying shrimp taco and the raspberry sake-tini.
(5)
Samantha R.
Although the service can be sometimes slow it is more then worth the wait. The staff are generally nice and accommodating offering great service with a smile. The food is delicious. I recommend the nachos and beignets. Taco time is prime hour to go and fill up! Plus the outside eating area is in perfect harmony to the indoor cool ambiance matched with the chill playlist of music, great for all ages. Summer time is when the sangria and tapa is needed and Tokio Pub is my "it" place to go; fun & tasty!
(5)
Faith D.
Only reason we tried this place was because we had a coupon. It's a teensy bit out of the way from our usual circuit of places for a casual Friday dinner. And it's quirky because it's attached to Shaw's in Schaumburg. There's a small indoor section and a lovely outdoor section -- which is where we opted to sit as there are only so many perfect evenings in Chicago. Other than the fact that the outdoor seating faces the Streets of Woodfield parking lot, it's "al fresco" kinda sorta. I started with sake sangria. In a word "OMG" -- delicious! Next time we'll get the pitcher rather than by the glass because it was the perfect beverage for a beautiful summery evening. These are small plates and are meant to be shared. Prices per item are reasonable but they add up very, very quickly. Here are some of the things my husband and I ordered: Crispy rice combo (1 shrimp, 1 crab, 1 lobster); crispy calamari, crispy tofu squares, bbq pork belly, sweet baby back ribs, angry chicken tacos. Everything was delicious and presentations were lovely. There was a lot of "fried" stuff which surprised me a bit. Anything with "crispy" in the title meant it was fried. Hubby had a beer -- our total was $65 (we had a coupon for $20 so $45 plus tip). We were with another couple and their tab was $64! They ordered totally different stuff. Our server, Claire, was adorable but probably (per corporate policy) was really pushing us to order more. At the end of dinner she comped us 2 desserts. The beignets and the passion fruit ice cream. Those beignets (donut holes stuffed with warm chocolate ganache) were A-MAZE-ING!!! The ice cream was delicious and the perfect yin/yang of hot/cold. Now that we've got the hang of it (I think) -- it's just a bit out of the way but the deliciousness and cuteness make us want to go back sooner rather than later. I held back a star because of price. Individually - things are priced well but it did add up quickly and we will be mindful. No matter what -- I'm splurging on the sake sangria.
(3)
Derek C.
We were here for a friend's birthday party and the food, drinks and staff made it very enjoyable. The food: lots of small plate asian/mexican fusion dishes. my personal favorites were the pork belly and also the braised pork tacos. We tried a few other dishes as well and they were also good. Drinks: We tried the Blushing Geisha, the Mojito and a beer called victoria. All were very good. They also had a full bar. Service was also great, as the two servers we had were very attentive and took good care of us. A few people also stayed quite late and we didn't realize that the place wasn't open that late, but the staff didn't try and kick us out, but they did give us subtle hints that they were closing, like leaving the checks. so they were nice about letting us stay a bit past closing. other things to note, the space was small, but it is attached to Shaw's. They have a decently sized outdoor area which is great when the weather is nice. So we'll definitely have to try this place again and sit outdoors when it's nice out.
(4)
Anya K.
My boyfriend took me here on a Friday night, all the staff members asked us how we found out about it, but triple reward points have definitely caught our attention. The atmosphere is very chic, the music was in the background - not taking over the conversation and not making extra noise - perfect level of loudness and just enough to set the mood! Out waitress was really sweet, and made some good suggestions, so we tried the kim chee three, the shishito pepper salad (awesome), the bbq pork belly, sweet baby ribs, braised pork and grilled steak tacos (steak is way better), chicken yakitori, pub wings, tuna tartare (a must try), 3 piece crispy rice with lobster and salmon, and salmon tataki. No room for desert after all that. We also shared a pitcher of ginger mohito. Okay, I loved the food here. The tuna tartare is the number one next thing I get when I come back, the shishito pepper a little different but so good, I loved the ribs, the steak tacos - getting again for sure. I have to say that this place was a pleasant surprise, and after all that food we left perfectly buzzed and happy. Great place for a city feel in the burbs, and good for no hassle date night!
(5)
Mina H.
Not sure why I have not reviewed this place yet... been here at least 4 times since it opened back in early summer. LOCATION GPS was confused, because the address showed Shaws. Dealio - its annexed and directly across from the parking garage. AMBIANCE LOVE eating on the patio, the setting is chill and convenient to a movie or Gameworks... and the staff must be taking customer service pills, b/c they are SUSPICIOUSLY nice. I can only imagine the pep talks at the beginning of each shift. FOOD Basically asian fusion tapas. Faves are the fish tacos... but the other two kinds are good too. Also like their salads! Liked the food enough to get sold on their Lettuce Entertain You Freq Diners Club membership. I dont give out 5 stars often. Nuff said.
(5)
Liz K.
A girlfriend and I were scoping places around the Streets of Woodfield to get dinner and she was saying that Lettuce Entertain You opened another restaurant called "Tokio Pub". She also said she heard great things about their food. Since we've finally overcome this insane heat wave (at least for now) we sat outside on the patio. The atmosphere is awesome! We sat near the street side and we really didn't mind because trees that resemble palm trees were blocking the street. It was nice to be sort of enclosed so we didn't see cars drive past us. They have it set up real nice with lights strung on the ceiling and it doesn't get too loud out there. We orded the shrimp ceviche and crispy calamari as appetizers and they were delicious! They were perfect proportions for appetizers! I definitely wouldn't order them in place of an entree. We ordered as we went along, basing it on how hungry we got, and we ended up getting the crazy dragon roll, godzilla roll and 3 tacos. I didn't think the godzilla roll wasn't anything too special. It's your typical shrimp tempura sushi. If I remember correctly, the crazy dragon roll had a yellow casing and it was very flavorful! The tacos were incredible! We got the nacho taco, crispy fish, and the crying tiger shrimp tacos. If you like a little kick to your taco, the crying tiger shrimp is your winner! It's lightly glazed in sriracha. I personally loved the nacho taco - the braised bbq pork was yummo! Overall, it's a delicious spot but a little pricy for the food they offer. It's definitely a nice dinner place! You can expect to spend at least $40-$60 if you do appetizers and entrees. Happy eating!
(5)
Frank A.
Came here with reservations for my Bro's B-day. Was seriously expecting greatness based on the hype. We arrived here and was seated right by the entrance. I sort of felt bad that some our party was facing the door. I know there was a slight draft and it was freakin winter. It had to be chilly on that side of our table. Other than that, I suppose you'd really have to come here with the intention of drinking and not having an all out feast. I know, I know, this place is more in the style of a tapas. At the same time, the prices are a bit too high. I mean the food was OK, not great. We ordered virtually everything on the menu and I was still struggling to find something that would leave me satisfied. In the end, the food was alright, but we were left with a massive bill. Yea, yea... tapas.. I know... I did drink a little, but I guess I needed to drink a lot more... oh well.
(2)
Samantha V.
I was just informed in a private message from the owner that they are in fact keeping the delicious tacos. Trust me, you will be missing out if you don't try these. I always put this place off until about 2 weeks ago and when I went i had a lovely waitress recommend a sampler to me and i definitely could kick myself for not going to this place sooner than I did. They also have interesting entrees where you cook your food yourself on a hot rock that I saw and want to try. You can also throw parties here on their heated patio. I really love this place and their beer is pretty cheep too!
(5)
SasaChaCha C.
Place was tightly packed. Tables are very tiny and place is dimly lit.. Food is unique
(3)
Luci W.
My boyfriend and I are basically regulars there and some of the waitress would recognized us and would alway greet us with a smile on their face. We love their food too much. Way too much. We alway order the pork braised nacho. Omgee so effin good. My boyfriend would order seconds during the happy hours. We love happy hours cause we r college kids lol. We shall pay them a visit again!
(5)
Chris M.
Way overpriced. I ordered an $16 steak dish that came with 8 thinly sliced strips of steak on a bed of ramen noodles. My wife's salmon was about the same. $5 potsticker appetizers were the smallest I've ever seen and our $3 coke was flat. Nice atmosphere if you don't mind music so loud you can't hear each other talk at 6pm, decent service. The food tasted good all around but for what we ate I would have expected to pay no more than half the price we did.
(2)
Cody M.
LOVE this place. Have yet to have a bad dish but the atmosphere is awesome (small and quaint). You truly feel as if you are in a mom and pop shop versus a larger corporation owned environment. The best is the crying tiger shrimp and ribs! Great selection of drinks are also on tap and cant wait to go again. Staff is consistent in its level of service...not great but not bad by any stretch of the word. I will continue to come to this location for something just a tad different than your usual restaurant.
(5)
Valerie W.
Unfortunately, i wasn't impressed with Tokio Pub. I really really REALLY wanted to love it, but it just fell flat all around for me. We went for a friend's birthday a few weeks ago. The one very good point was that they were very accommodating to our large group, but because of the setup of the place, we were not able to all sit together. The service was quick and friendly, despite our large group spread across the restaurant I had perused the menu ahead of time, and was really looking forward to all of the delicious things they were offering. None of it was *that* delicious: Tuna Tartare w/ tortilla chips ($8): The portion was small, and it had obviously been made ahead of time and refrigerated (the tuna was far too cold to have been freshly cut by the sushi chef) Spicy Tiger shrimp tacos ($6 for 2): the concept of all of the tacos is excellent, but the flavor didn't jive for me. They were DOUSED in sriracha. I love sriracha. It was still too much. Lemon-Lime rainbow roll ($9): again, tasted like it had been made in advance and refrigerated. Sushi is not supposed to be COLD. I could only eat one piece before pawning it off on others who aren't as picky. Crazy Dragon Roll($9): I did enjoy this one, but there was too much rice in the roll. I really hate when sushi places use too much rice. Grilled chicken stir fry noodle dish ($13): there were several noodle dishes on the table. They take the same noodles and slap a different protein down with them. I was less than impressed all around. Pitcher of Ginger Mojitos ($22): The pitcher was very small for $22, like a half pitcher. I could definitely taste the ginger and the lime, not so much the rum. I would not go back to Tokio Pub... If I'm going to spend that much money and am in the area, I'll go to the Oyster Bar at Shaw's.
(2)
Christy S.
I absolutely LOVE this place and so does my husband! It is our go-to place whenever we don't know where we want to go. We probably eat here once a week. What also makes it great is their happy hour during 5-6pm. The entire left side of the menu is half price! Sushi is delicious and fresh, the tacos are delicious (yes small, but great.) I've also had their Noodle bowl and it was delicious. I don't think I've tried anything there that I haven't liked. One complaint I would have is... Why did you get rid of the ceviche????? It was SO SO good and I miss it! :) Also you MUST have the Beignets when you are there, they are so amazing, A little pricey, but worth it when you taste them.
(5)
Amy G.
Why not give it 5 stars. It was delicious. It's a small, sort of hidden gem. For starters we had the pork nachos and maki rolls. Both out of this world. I had the noodle dish while my husband had pork belly, both excellent. Food portions were good, and I can't wait to go back for $1 tacos. I am so glad we found this place, and we will be back.
(5)
Bill M.
Very good, who knew sushi and tacos could pair so well. Only thing bad about my last visit was the water, it tasted horrible.
(4)
Kelli W.
Considering this place is small and one of my favorites for small plates, I might regret adding to their ratings; I want to keep it to myself. The food, service, and atmosphere are consistently perfect. Food is priced right, service is unobtrusive and attentive, and the bar plays great mellow music. I could go on, but plenty of others have.
(5)
Minjee Y.
Just came in last night for TACO TIME. I still believe the quality of their tacos is great and taste fantastic. I found out the culprit to my nausea after leaving the place and it has to be due to the sugary girly drinks that I no longer can do. This time I made sure I was getting wine or beer and chose to go with wine. I'm coughing up some more stars because I think Tokio Pub deserves them. The customer service is a lot better. The staff must've changed. Our waitress was phenomenal because she was quick and always around when we needed her. Please come here for taco time I really advise you all to do so!
(4)
Blythe B.
I love this place - it's close to work, I really like the menu and if you go at the weekday happy hour or TACO TIME - the prices ROCK! Me and a larger male friend ate there at happy hour and we ate a lot - the bill came to $28. Lovely! A week ago - a friend treated me to a nice Saturday lunch and the bill came to $46 - he thought it was just 'okay' and 'overpriced'. I still love it and I think he was expecting something else. But like another person wrote - don't go specifically for sushi - there aren't a lot of sushi options. So far - my favs: the tuna tartare (served in a timbale with guac and breally good nacho chips (I just moved from Colorado and I could eat a bag of these chips naked), the hot rocks (the ahi and the filet), I LOVE THE NACHO TACO (love the cabbage slaw and the hoisin on them), the fried fish and the crying fish are good, too. Hmm what else - the gyoza are lovely - OH - and the tempura squash roll - that was a nice newbie to my palate. I had a salad once and it was good and refreshing. And iced green tea.
(4)
Taylor M.
I have been back here several times since my last review and therefore felt it needed to be updated. Now that Tokio Pub has become more a more seasoned restaurant the service seems to have gotten much better. I love the food here, it seems to be Shaw's quality without the steep prices. The sushi rolls are decently sized and made with a good quality sushi. The calamari here is also fantastic you have to try it! You can get it for free with the new Yelp Check in deal! They also have three different types of edamame which are yummy... my favorite is the garlic version... but the spicy is good too! Every time I think I tried everything on the menu, they change it up and it is all new to me again! Oh and they are open late... until midnight on Fridays!
(4)
Shannon M.
Amazing food! We were fairly surprised how good this was. The atmosphere was quaint and it was very relaxing. Highly recommend the pot stickers and filet.
(5)
Yen V.
I've been here three times and had a good time on all occasions. I like their ramen burger (it's sweet so if you like sweet burger then you'll like it). I also love their sushi (easy on the white rice, fresh fish, yummy sauce). I also had the fish tacos but they were okay. My favorite was the pork belly nachos. They were so delicious! Highly recommended it!
(4)
Jackie M.
LEYE always does well with service and loungy atmosphere, but somehow it stops short in asian cuisine. This place used to be Ben Pao-ish place and the redundancy of Big Bowl confuses me. As much as I hate to say this, they ought to remove the food menu and focus more on drinks and apps. Total grease on a plate. Robata grill miso glazed salmon was incredibly salty and the side ramen stir fry was a cheap corn oil slick. Yuck. The atmosphere is interesting and is linked up to Shaw's Crab house. To get to the washrooms means you have to cross over the casual dining section of Shaw's and into the main dining room upstairs. It's bizarre.
(1)
Keith S.
I was skeptical of this being another trendy asian fusion joint, that's usually a recipe for disaster. Not the case here. Some of the menu highlights: The asian inspired tacos are excellent. Favorite: Shrimp Crispy rice. Never had anything like this before, very good. Have had a few samplings of the rolls which were also good. Not on the menu always, but they typically have the deep fried ice cream balls. Get those. Seriously. Ask for them. So good. Service has been great. Love the screened in patio though the furniture is not the most comfortable. You can happily forget that you're at Streets most of the time. Pricing is fair for the menu & location.
(4)
Sal R.
Have been planning on checking this place out for awhile and finally got a chance too. Glad I did. I didn't really know what to expect for a Japanese restaurant with a taco section but was pleasantly surprised. Everything we tried from the appetizers, to the tacos, to the Tokio Surf and Turf was very good. The hot rocks to throw the food on were a fun and interesting way to cook some of the entrees to your liking. Drink menu wasn't vast but the ones that were tried all were very good. Sake Sangria as an example. The atmosphere was cool and laid back and just made it feel like a fun place to eat and relax. Will be going back again, hopefully very soon.
(4)
Michele B.
Not bad, but wasn't really worth the trip for their 2nd birthday bash. The servings are quite small and the service was spotty. The half price sangria pitcher had more ice than sangria and the serving was enough for maybe two typical sangria glasses . The spicy edamame was very tasty, but for $4 and 14 pieces?? It was somewhat decieving since the bottom of the bowl was filled with rice. The hot rock sushi was entertaining at best-as I said the service was spotty and three quarters of the way through the rocks were not hot enough to cook on.
(2)
Jae K.
Came in around 8 pm on a Tuesday. Four people in the party. Didn't get our food till 9:36. Drink order took forever, and then the waiter disappears for what seemed like forever. We tracked down another server and asked him to track down our waiter. It took more than an hour for the waiter to just take the food order. We were all starving and figured anything would be delicious but the food was ok at best. Somewhat bland and overpriced. Staff were friendly but not very attentive.
(2)
Jeremy C.
Manages to be eclectic attached to corporate Shaw's. Solid beer list and good small bite food. An easy go-to when we are in the area.
(4)
Sandy T.
I really want to love this place.....I really do. Especially because of their $1 taco nights which always excited me. When they first opened, I couldn't wait to go there. But after 3 attempts, I feel like maybe I had too high of expectations? Of course when there was $1 taco nights, I tried all their tacos. I would say all the tacos are just OKAY meaning sometimes it lacked flavor but the nacho taco has been consistently good. I also had their sashimi which was also decent. But I do not like any of the rolls I have tried which was almost all of them minus shrimp tempura and sweet potato. The staff members are pleasant people, so I never had a completely terrible experience, just disappointing experience I guess...
(3)
Melanie M.
Went here to meet up with a few friends after work for sushi. It wasn't a great experience. The place itself is kind of strange. It's attached to Shaw's Crab House, and it had an odd vibe. It felt like we were in a back room of Shaw's that happened to have a tiny little bar. I even had to walk over to Shaw's to use the restroom. Very strange. In terms of the food, everything is way more expensive than it needs to be. I ended up paying about $20 after tip for one roll and no drink. The rolls tasted about average, but definitely overpriced for what they were. One of the people in my group ordered something from the happy hour menu thinking that it would be half price since it was on that menu. However, once we received the bill, we discovered that it was full price since we apparently ordered at 5:58 instead of 6pm (I'm not kidding). I get that it technically wasn't 6pm yet, but come on. She could have waited for 2 minutes before putting the order in or at the very least TOLD US that happy hour didn't start for a few more minutes. That's just poor customer service in my opinion. None of us will be returning to this place.
(2)
Rosanna L.
Really enjoy the outdoor patio and with the weather being cool it was a perfect date night. Boyfriend and I shared edamame, pork belly udon, and chicken kimchee tacos. Tokio Pub tries to be different with their edamame by asking if you would like it in a sauce, but when it comes to these green soy beans I'm a plain jane, we did have the two sauces on the side and it didn't make it any better, possibly worse. Pork belly udon was average, the broth needs more seasoning/flavor, the pork belly strips were delicious, wish we had more of that and vegetables in our noodle soup. Chicken kimchee tacos were subpar, it lacked flavor and kimchee, possibly because I'm a big kimchee eater but I can see how they would only put a small amount. Enjoy the atmosphere and had decent food.
(3)
John G.
Cute atmosphere with an indoor bar/seating and outdoor lounge. Conveniently located within Streets of Woodfield and connected to Shaw's Crabhouse. Service was very good, friendly wait staff and door greeters. Eclectic menu containing very Americanized Japanese food, limited sushi...and tacos. Unfortunately the food was rather sub-par. Drinks were served with slightly expired lemons, food was poorly dressed, and sushi ingredients were all undercooked. All in all, an average Asian inspired restaurant that suffers from much of the same issues as is connected partner - more flair than flavor.
(3)
Ann J.
Had dinner here with some colleagues while in the area on business. Was very happy with the service, food, and the prices were very reasonable. Definitely be sure to try one of the Hot Rock appetizers (we had the skirt steak and the ahi tuna). And don't be confused... this restaurant is attached to the side of Shaw's Crabhouse... you can enter on the side directly into Tokio Pub, or go through Shaw's to get there.
(5)
Rachel E.
Great trendy boutique style dining. Small portioned and decent priced dishes, give you a chance to try a lot of what Tokio Pub has to offer. Asian fusion and somewhat tapas style, great for date night and ladies night out. Popular drinks such as peach sangria and ginger mojiotos can be ordered in pitchers, which is great for group dining. Specialty cocktails are semi sweet yet strong which makes the $10 price point reasonable. Friendly staff and casual yet trendy atmosphere. Our server, Alice, was sweet and attentive. Definitely try their mix and match tacos in orders of 3-5 and hot rock combos. Hot rock combos give you the fun experience of searing your sliced tuna and or steak on a hot rock, definitely a fun and unique way of dining without breaking the bank. Definitely will be going back again!
(4)
Cristie F.
Tokio Pub is always revamping their menu, which is def a good thing. However, with a fairly recent change in my diet ((no longer a carnivore)) I was bummed to see there wasn't many vegetarian options aside from edamame, a tofu taco, and a sweet potato roll. Boo. I had hoped for more of a variety. When I informed the waitress of my dietary restrictions ((and explained that no, I didn't eat seafood either - some "vegetarians" do...)), she was more than helpful and accommodating to my no meat or seafood request. Along with my delicious tofu tacos, a vegetarian tofu//shanghai noodles//mushroom//spinach//red pepper//sweet soy dish was created for me. It was fantastic. Let me not forget, big thanks to Tokio Pub for a free appetizer check-in offer!!
(4)
Emily B.
We were in Schaumburg and wanted to try something new. I looked through the Yelp check-in offers and was pleased to find the generous offer from Tokio Pub. (1 free starter). I love small plates and I love to share, so it didn't take much convincing to get us here. We arrived sans reservation and snagged the last two seats at the bar. In another stroke of luck, Tokio Pub had a Restaurant Week menu. Score! We started with drinks, I ordered the raspberry saketini and the hubz got a Robert The Bruce on tap. Our free starter was the ceviche - yum! For the RW menu there were four courses for two people for $33 total. The appetizer was braised pork nachos. A large portion and great combination of salty and sweet. The next course was the taco sampler. We tried the shrimp, steak and fish. All delicious and all about two bites each. The third course was the starter sampler. It included two spicy tiger shrimp, two chicken meatballs and three baby back ribs. Before the dessert came out we each had a jello shot. It was dragonberry flavor and dangerously delicious. The dessert was, however, THE highlight of the meal - a bag of chocolate filled beignets. OMG. The warm donut holes melt in your mouth and leave behind a healthy portion of melted dark chocolate. Heavenly. Our server, the bartender, was one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was talkative, punctual and helpful. Overall it was a nice evening. The restaurant had a good vibe and there is still more on the menu that I would like to try.
(4)
Gaurav M.
The server was really friendly. Gave some really good recommendations. The food and drinks we had were pretty gooood. More or less value for money!
(4)
Michelle C.
Finally tried this place after my roommate had been ranting and raving about it. She usually comes for the $1 tacos.. anyway, I thought food was okay. Tacos were delicious but were $3 for 1 taco.. Boyfriend had the pork broth ramen, we both thought that it tasted too gingery and a little bit on the saltier side... I've definitely had better at different restaurants. His sister and I had the braised pork with the glazed chili-garlic sauce. It was pretty good. My rice was a little bit hard and crunchy though.. not sure if it was undercooked or burnt. Maybe next time I go I will try the Sushi
(3)
Vern R.
Let me start by saying ...endless bowls Sunday???? Yes please! Their Ramen bowls were exactly what I've been craving for all week...the voodoo chicken omg pure goodness....many kids still talking about their pulled pork Asian street nachos..yes You heard right...sorry you'll have to go and order..i can't even explain how yummy they got this one right...small size like for two people, shop order two of you want to share Many hubby got the mignon and he did out was cooked perfectly...not too wild about his sides BUT the best was the service...although the love for my soup still stands it was lukewarm...then again lukewarm...but the third time around not only was it perfect...but i had a bowl too go home...the manager himself delivered it! Once he noticed the problem ( from the 1 soup) he was non stop at our table and the waitress as well...but i wouldn't expect any thing less than that from "lettuce us entertain" restaurants... (Shaws) The positive reaction from the staff outweighed the glitches Thank you so much for a wonderful Sunday dinner!! And i believe the manager on Sunday is Shawn? ( that's what my son said) thank you# I hope YOUR manager reads this!
(5)
Arkadiusz B.
Have really good time here. Good food, friendly staff. Drinks could be a little bit stronger but come on I'm Polish ;)
(4)
Saba A.
Connected to Shaw's Crabhouse, this chic lounge was a great stop for a nice light dinner on a weeknight. We came in at 5:15 perfect for a happy hour menu (great prices for small plates). They change their happy hour menu weekly and the service was great. Our server was educated about the food and told us a little about it. What I got: -Fish Tacos -Spicy Tuna Rolls (not spicy-they were okay) -Spicy Tiger Shrimp (large shrimp-popular I guess) -Chicken Meatballs (satisfying) Here's the menu: tokiopub.com/menu I checked in on Yelp and got a free starter. So that was awesome. Will be stopping by again, maybe to watch a game next time! They had TV's.
(4)
Peter P.
Reasonable prices and great food. Located next to Shaw's so perhaps they share a kitchen. The Asian-inspired tacos are amazing (especially the duck), but the real star for me was the Ramen bowl. The broth was borderline perfect. Make sure you sign up for their text-messaged specials so you know when they do theier $1 taco night every month.
(4)
Robby K.
tuna tartar. rice with bbq pork on it. the way lunch should be... Apps- we got the pork belly donburi rice bowl. it was very lightly and tastily seasoned with magical bbq sauce. i almost sauced myself when they brought the tuna over guac which was drizzled perfectly with lime juice. Entrees- the Udon noodle bowl with shrimp tempura and pork belly. it is up there with some of the best Ramen in the city such as that of Wasabi in Logan Square ;-). the Tiger Shrimp taco is serious flavor and a good chuck of meat. small portion, but better for your waistline. the crispy fish taco was also way unique and not beer battered which was a pleasant surprise. i drank a Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale by 3Floyd's. also it is great that they bring a perfectly chilled carafe of water to every table its a great date spot and we had the pleasure of overhearing some embarrassing first date conversations from the table next to us. lets just say they definitely met online... small draft beer selection which matches the small interior space located in the same building as Shaw's seafood. they did have a pretty good sized outdoor seating section which is heated and enclosed in the winter. i imagine in the summer with the outdoor sections the service might be slower than we experienced for lunch on a sunday afternoon. but again that is only speculation. this is a 4 1/2 star place but i plan on coming back soon. we'll have to update this review after getting down and dirty with other menu selections.
(5)
Lomax, K.
An eclectic menu, with good daily specials and signature drinks. But...the experience was hindered by the server. She was arrogant, easily distracted and not attentive. I consider myself a good tipper, usually 20-25%, but in this case I tipped the lowest I ever have. The BBQ pork nachos were delicious, but everything else was just ok. I will definitely not be going back anytime soon.
(2)
Stella L.
Tacos tasted great, consistently; hot rock entree Filet Mignon impressive, becoming a regular item every visit for us; last but not the least, the unforgettable Beignets!
(5)
Nancy H.
Alice is the best sever ever! Great service, happy hour is a great deal. Atmosphere is chic and trendy. Good beer and wine. Tasty food and fresh sushi!
(4)
John D.
Amazing! Definitely exceeded my expectations. I had the Gyoza - perfectly seared with a delightful garlic soy sauce; the Crispy BBQ Pork Belly with fried rice was deliciously sweet and crispy; but the BEST part was the warm chocolate-filled beignets...WOW!
(5)
S H.
First time at the restuarant. Won't go back. Sat for 10 minutes before a server greeted us. Ordered Sushi, Ramen Buger and Orange Blossom Martini. Everything was below average. Got a chance to have a few of the tacos. Only worth 50 cents.....
(1)
Liam A.
Love, love, love. It's the sister restaurant to Shaw's Crab House and she's a hip, trendy, and younger sister restaurant at that. They have their own separate entrance just off to the side of Shaw's. You enter in through their outdoor seating (enclosed and fully heated in the colder months but is completely open weather-permitting) and into a door leading to the host stand. It definitely is a lot smaller than Shaw's but the seating arrangements cleverly make up for the lack of space. Our servers the past few times have been extremely nice, albeit obviously flustered during busier nights, and are always willing to provide suggestions and explanations on menu items. I was surprised to see a version of the now infamous ramen burger on the menu considering where I was (this is Schaumburg after all) but that's the beauty of Tokio Pub. It's like a hip city eatery in the middle of the quintessential 'burb. The ramen burger was delicious and worth trying by the way. It held up a lot better than I expected and the angus beef patty was juicy and flavorful. They only make a certain amount a night so ask your server if there's any left. For the sushi I definitely suggest the sweet potato roll (just trust me!). Very interesting tasting, in the best way, and have had me coming back for more. They're also known for their tacos and out of their list the crying jumbo shrimp is a must try. They have "Happi" Hour specials on Monday-Friday from 5-6 so that's a good time to taste test a lot of things on their menu. Also, you can follow their twitter or Facebook and there they reveal this once-a-week $1 Taco Hour. I wouldn't drive all the way out there for that one hour but it's helpful if you're in the area already. Oh, and save room for dessert! They have great "beignets" here and I put that in quotations because if you've had real beignets before you'd be surprised at what they're trying to pass as beignets here (basically just fried dough balls filled with chocolate) but once you get over that detail you'll come to enjoy this melt in your mouth creation.
(5)
Ben D.
Food was very good, when you actually got what you ordered. Sure, we had a big party, but they brought us other table's orders more than once. My boss waited almost 45 minutes for a coke and required multiple reminders. Don't get me wrong, the food was awesome. They simply need to get the staff much better organized and they would get a 5 star from me, easily.
(3)
Russell D.
The Manager reached out to me shortly after my original post. She apologized and sent me two vouchers to the restaurant. I came back today and had a wonderful meal. I highly recommend the Pork Belly Benedict. Thank you Tokyo Pub!
(5)
Tracy L.
its a love hate relationship wih this place. LOVE $1 taco night. hate that any other night, theyre always too busy to pay attention to you. warning(bc our waitress did not): kitchen closes at 10p and u can only get sushi.....after leaving us hungry and excited with full menus and disappearing for 15 mins. the sushi isnt anything to rave about. their menu has changed slightly, they at least were able to make the drink that used to be on the menu I liked.
(3)
Sherwin C.
This is a slightly unusual restaurant as it has the feel of a normal pub but food more like a izakaya. It has potential since the food is prepared quite well (like crispy dishes are actually crispy and many dishes have a variety of textures) although a little salty for my tastes. But if you enjoy bold and spicy flavors, the food here will be perfect for you. The chicken meatballs were very tasty and unlike the ones you find in the supermarket. They're made with fresh ingredients and have a distinct Asian flavor to them. You only get 4 meatballs per order but don't let that discourage you from trying them. The barbeque braised pork nachos were practically a mini meal in itself. Inbetween the crispy chips is a special mix of vegetables and their own version of salsa. This comes with a good amount of pork inside. I found this to be quite balanced and a well designed dish. The spicy tiger shrimp is quite spicy and extremely flavorful. It's good if you like spicy grilled shrimp but it is quite expensive. However, if cost isn't a concern, this is quite enjoyable. The crispy pub potatoes were really crispy and served in plentiful amounts. An amazing deal if you order during happy hour as this is enough to feed some people. It's kind of hard to describe the flavor but I think most people will enjoy it. The calamari and shrimp roll and dragon roll were okay to me. Both had great presentation and a lighter refreshing flavor but I prefer Sushi Para or Sun Shui's versions more. With this being said, I like fusion style rolls more than traditional rolls so some people may really enjoy these a lot. Same with noodles, I enjoy Vietnamese or Chinese style noodle soups more but the braised pork belly and naked dumpling soups were both done fairly well. I ended the meal with a chocolate filled beignets. These were crispy on the outside with a molten center. A little sweet but quite enjoyable. Although some items were too salty, sweet, or spicy for me, it's clear that the chef has a good concept of dish design and excellent execution. I'd love to eat here more frequently if there were more dishes in a light and refreshing style. Even if they don't add them, the unique variety will keep me coming back.
(4)
BB C.
This place is great! Went with a group of people from work. The food was tasty and our glasses were always filled. A MUST are they flavorful nachos, Sushi rolls, and the Amazing tacos. Simply Delicious!, Drinks were superb! The staff was on it. No complaints here, will be back soon enough.
(5)
Claire K.
This place is awesome. I love the atmosphere and the food is so good. The staff is friendly, and pretty knowledgeable about the food if you have any questions (which I always have a lot). I suggest the rainbow roll and any of the tacos. YUM
(5)
Dan F.
I visited in 2013 but forgot to post then. The food was fantastic. We had the Braised Pork Belly and the Grilled Ahi Tuna. The sushi rolls were great too. Good experience.
(5)
Jennifer C.
I like this place. As most of you know suburban food frightens me, but this place is pretty good. I like the crying tiger shrimp tacos, the chicken tacos, and the BBQ pork tacos best. The side of potatoes are awesome and a definite fav of both my hubby and I. We've also had the BBQ platter, which was fine but I think I prefer the tacos. Overall I like this place and I'll definitely go back. The service here is also quite good.
(4)
Lauren K.
This place has a cool atmosphere and awesome food. Another great Lettuce restaurant. To drink, I had the In Bloom which was delicious and had a cute flower floating in it. We had 3 tacos (the fish, shrimp, and pork - pork was my fave, my husband liked the shrimp best). I had the hot rocks entree with ahi tuna and NY strip steak. It was fun to cook the meats and then add to a delicious bowl of rice and stir fried vegetables. A little pickled cucumber salad and dipping sauce came with the entree, as well. My husband had the crispy pork belly which also came with rice and veggies. Fantastic. Dessert was the hot chocolate filled beignets which are great! We came on a Friday and though it wasn't too busy when we arrived our order was mixed up with a neighboring table who got our tacos causing a bit of a wait for our food. Oops! Our waitress was very nice and accommodating however, and we ended up with a little treat for the wait. We would definitely return because the food is worth it!!
(4)
Steven N.
After this experience, I'm going to have to seriously consider discounting reviews of suburban restaurants by about 50%. It's as if most, NOT all, suburban people really have no idea what good food really is. (those of you who rated this place well, you know who you are =) ) This place bills itself as a Japanese pub that serves Japanese tapas. They have a word for these places in Japan - Izakaya, unfortunately, the owner doesn't really understand this concept well enough to qualify him/her to open up such restaurnt. This food at this place is so horrible that I would only recommend this place to my frienemies. About the only thing good was the service by our nice waitress. It actually pains me to spend time to write this review, so I'm just going to take the lazy route by posting a bullet list of our experience: - Bad, confusing menu with limited choices - fail - Good service, but slow kitchen - fail - Japanese tacos - not too bad, actually, but for some reason you are only allowed to order 3 tacos or 5 tacos. What if I want to order just 1, or 2 or 4? Also, please remove the shrimp tail shell in the shrimp taco. - fail - Udon broth has tons of MSG - fail - No wasabi for sashimi - fail - Really bad sashimi. Fish is not fresh and the chef doesn't know how to cut - fail
It was pretty hard to find the place - there is a very small neon sign to the right of Shaw's and their entrance is tucked away - they really need to work on being more visible. We had lunch there last week and were only 1 of 2 tables at peak lunch time with Schaumburg being full of office buildings around the area - the attached Shaw's was crowded. Really wanted to like the place but the food was not memorable - portions small - it can really add up - lunch for 2 without drinks was $60! Some of the food seemed undercooked. Would not go out of my way to go again.
(2)
George E.
Delicious food. The combinations of flavors are excellent. We tried almost everything on the menu. Just go.
(5)
Bob L.
Bad boring overpriced everything. Eat at Shaws next door.
(1)
Patricia J.
FINALLY got to check out this cool new spot on Thursday night... loved it! Great vibe & service. Mouth still watering remembering the super yummy eats & cocktails!! Can't wait to get back!
(5)
Ben D.
Food was very good, when you actually got what you ordered. Sure, we had a big party, but they brought us other table's orders more than once. My boss waited almost 45 minutes for a coke and required multiple reminders. Don't get me wrong, the food was awesome. They simply need to get the staff much better organized and they would get a 5 star from me, easily.
(3)
Sherwin C.
This is a slightly unusual restaurant as it has the feel of a normal pub but food more like a izakaya. It has potential since the food is prepared quite well (like crispy dishes are actually crispy and many dishes have a variety of textures) although a little salty for my tastes. But if you enjoy bold and spicy flavors, the food here will be perfect for you. The chicken meatballs were very tasty and unlike the ones you find in the supermarket. They're made with fresh ingredients and have a distinct Asian flavor to them. You only get 4 meatballs per order but don't let that discourage you from trying them. The barbeque braised pork nachos were practically a mini meal in itself. Inbetween the crispy chips is a special mix of vegetables and their own version of salsa. This comes with a good amount of pork inside. I found this to be quite balanced and a well designed dish. The spicy tiger shrimp is quite spicy and extremely flavorful. It's good if you like spicy grilled shrimp but it is quite expensive. However, if cost isn't a concern, this is quite enjoyable. The crispy pub potatoes were really crispy and served in plentiful amounts. An amazing deal if you order during happy hour as this is enough to feed some people. It's kind of hard to describe the flavor but I think most people will enjoy it. The calamari and shrimp roll and dragon roll were okay to me. Both had great presentation and a lighter refreshing flavor but I prefer Sushi Para or Sun Shui's versions more. With this being said, I like fusion style rolls more than traditional rolls so some people may really enjoy these a lot. Same with noodles, I enjoy Vietnamese or Chinese style noodle soups more but the braised pork belly and naked dumpling soups were both done fairly well. I ended the meal with a chocolate filled beignets. These were crispy on the outside with a molten center. A little sweet but quite enjoyable. Although some items were too salty, sweet, or spicy for me, it's clear that the chef has a good concept of dish design and excellent execution. I'd love to eat here more frequently if there were more dishes in a light and refreshing style. Even if they don't add them, the unique variety will keep me coming back.
(4)
BB C.
This place is great! Went with a group of people from work. The food was tasty and our glasses were always filled. A MUST are they flavorful nachos, Sushi rolls, and the Amazing tacos. Simply Delicious!, Drinks were superb! The staff was on it. No complaints here, will be back soon enough.
(5)
Claire K.
This place is awesome. I love the atmosphere and the food is so good. The staff is friendly, and pretty knowledgeable about the food if you have any questions (which I always have a lot). I suggest the rainbow roll and any of the tacos. YUM
(5)
Lauren K.
This place has a cool atmosphere and awesome food. Another great Lettuce restaurant. To drink, I had the In Bloom which was delicious and had a cute flower floating in it. We had 3 tacos (the fish, shrimp, and pork - pork was my fave, my husband liked the shrimp best). I had the hot rocks entree with ahi tuna and NY strip steak. It was fun to cook the meats and then add to a delicious bowl of rice and stir fried vegetables. A little pickled cucumber salad and dipping sauce came with the entree, as well. My husband had the crispy pork belly which also came with rice and veggies. Fantastic. Dessert was the hot chocolate filled beignets which are great! We came on a Friday and though it wasn't too busy when we arrived our order was mixed up with a neighboring table who got our tacos causing a bit of a wait for our food. Oops! Our waitress was very nice and accommodating however, and we ended up with a little treat for the wait. We would definitely return because the food is worth it!!
(4)
Steven N.
After this experience, I'm going to have to seriously consider discounting reviews of suburban restaurants by about 50%. It's as if most, NOT all, suburban people really have no idea what good food really is. (those of you who rated this place well, you know who you are =) ) This place bills itself as a Japanese pub that serves Japanese tapas. They have a word for these places in Japan - Izakaya, unfortunately, the owner doesn't really understand this concept well enough to qualify him/her to open up such restaurnt. This food at this place is so horrible that I would only recommend this place to my frienemies. About the only thing good was the service by our nice waitress. It actually pains me to spend time to write this review, so I'm just going to take the lazy route by posting a bullet list of our experience: - Bad, confusing menu with limited choices - fail - Good service, but slow kitchen - fail - Japanese tacos - not too bad, actually, but for some reason you are only allowed to order 3 tacos or 5 tacos. What if I want to order just 1, or 2 or 4? Also, please remove the shrimp tail shell in the shrimp taco. - fail - Udon broth has tons of MSG - fail - No wasabi for sashimi - fail - Really bad sashimi. Fish is not fresh and the chef doesn't know how to cut - fail
(2)
Jessica N.
wow what a complete disappointment! my friends usually go there for the dollar tacos and now i know why.... For the price you pay, you can get alot more at other much better restaurants. The food was absolutely terrible. I paid $30 not only for bad food but i walked out not even half full. I mean to spend that much I'd like to be at least somewhat full. I ordered the pork belly over fried rice dish. Horrible. The fried rice had no taste what so ever and the dish was full of fat. Just disgusting fat. I couldn't believe it. The fat was sticking to the metal pan they served it in. I didn't even get to eat half the dish because it was all burnt and stuck to the bottom of the pan. Absolutely disgusting. The two drinks i ordered were way too sweet and had barely any alcohol. The cosmo didn't even taste like a cosmo. I was even at the point of complaining but i had to catch a movie and was running out of time. All in all, this is pretty much your typical "hipster" spot. And i hated it! I would never go back and would never recommend it to anyone.
(1)
Michelle F.
ARGH! Why aren't half stars an option?!?! I rounded up in this case. Management-FABULOUS Service (this time)- On par Drinks-WONDERFUL Food-Good *when* it was warm My Yelp ladies and I decided to meet here on a Thursday night for a bite to eat. We were looking for good food and strong drinks, and we definitely found both. We made reservations for 6:30, but were accommodated when we were early! They were even really nice when we needed to switch from outside to inside. With our Yelp chick-in offer, we were treated to two chicken tacos. They were served fairly quickly, but they were lukewarm at best. I think they would have been way better if they were warm, but they seemed to have a good flavor to them. We each ordered a few different things. Some sushi, the crispy potatoes for the table, a side salad, and I got the chicken noodles again. They definitely did not disappoint, but they were spicier than they were last time. The service was definitely better this time than the first time that I went (it was much faster this time and our waitress was more attentive). Also, when there was a problem with the bill, the manager was right there to fix it. Service with a smile :) I would definitely be back--their drinks are amazingly strong and delicious, and their food isn't too shabby either!
(4)
Kaye D.
This place is adjoined with Shaw's Crab House. You can get to Tokio Pub through the main entrance, but there is a seperate door to get there as well, so you don't have to navigate through Shaw's Oyster Bar. Came here during happy hour (5-6PM) and that happens M-F. All items on the one page of the menu were all half off: appetizers, tacos, and sushi. I checked in via FourSquare and got a deal of free edamame. I checked in via Yelp and got a deal of a free appetizer with a purchase of an entree (will be saving that one for later). We came in at 5 on a Tuesday and the seats at the bar were taken, but the rest of the tables were pretty wide open. My husband and I shared the sticky pork spare ribs to start it all off. I liked the asian BBQ sauce - tangy. Next up was to try the tacos. You order them in combos of 3 or 5. So, we got 1 crying tiger shrimp taco and 2 steak tacos. They are really small, practically 2-3 bites if you're able to keep all the food in the tortilla. I liked the steak tacos because the sweet and zesty after taste provided by the pickled ginger. Delish. Then, we kinda went a little overboard on sushi and ordered: godzilla roll, tokio spicy tuna roll (house favorite), lemon-lime rainbow roll, crazy dragon roll and shrimp tempura roll. All the rolls came out to my expectations except for the godzilla and spicy tuna. That doesn't mean it was bad by any means. My idea of spicy tuna is the tuna is wrapped inside. Here, the spicy sauce is a sauce on the bottom of the plate and the roll is placed on top of it with a big piece of cucumber on the inside of the roll and the tuna is laid on top of the roll. Talk about a completely different presentation of what I know spicy tuna to be. As for the godzilla roll, I feel like each restaurant has its own take on this one. So it's shrimp tempura and cucumber on the inside and salmon on top of the roll topped with guacamole and a tortilla chip on top (talk about a japanese-mexican fusion). The sauce was drawn in a "line" next to the roll. Presentation is definitely key here. Coming from Tokio Pub, it feels like a long hike to get to the bathrooms, which are located upstairs in the main entrance of Shaw's. If their tactic is to help you burn off some of the food you just ate, they definitely achieved their goal there! Probably won't be ordering the tacos again. Otherwise, food was tasty and we had a pleasant experience. Will likely return again during happy hour.
(4)
Russell D.
The Manager reached out to me shortly after my original post. She apologized and sent me two vouchers to the restaurant. I came back today and had a wonderful meal. I highly recommend the Pork Belly Benedict. Thank you Tokyo Pub!
(5)
Tracy L.
its a love hate relationship wih this place. LOVE $1 taco night. hate that any other night, theyre always too busy to pay attention to you. warning(bc our waitress did not): kitchen closes at 10p and u can only get sushi.....after leaving us hungry and excited with full menus and disappearing for 15 mins. the sushi isnt anything to rave about. their menu has changed slightly, they at least were able to make the drink that used to be on the menu I liked.
(3)
Saba A.
Connected to Shaw's Crabhouse, this chic lounge was a great stop for a nice light dinner on a weeknight. We came in at 5:15 perfect for a happy hour menu (great prices for small plates). They change their happy hour menu weekly and the service was great. Our server was educated about the food and told us a little about it. What I got: -Fish Tacos -Spicy Tuna Rolls (not spicy-they were okay) -Spicy Tiger Shrimp (large shrimp-popular I guess) -Chicken Meatballs (satisfying) Here's the menu: tokiopub.com/menu I checked in on Yelp and got a free starter. So that was awesome. Will be stopping by again, maybe to watch a game next time! They had TV's.
(4)
Peter P.
Reasonable prices and great food. Located next to Shaw's so perhaps they share a kitchen. The Asian-inspired tacos are amazing (especially the duck), but the real star for me was the Ramen bowl. The broth was borderline perfect. Make sure you sign up for their text-messaged specials so you know when they do theier $1 taco night every month.
(4)
Nancy H.
Alice is the best sever ever! Great service, happy hour is a great deal. Atmosphere is chic and trendy. Good beer and wine. Tasty food and fresh sushi!
(4)
John D.
Amazing! Definitely exceeded my expectations. I had the Gyoza - perfectly seared with a delightful garlic soy sauce; the Crispy BBQ Pork Belly with fried rice was deliciously sweet and crispy; but the BEST part was the warm chocolate-filled beignets...WOW!
(5)
Daisy B.
On July 16th my boyfriend (although technically we were "just" friends at the time ;)) asked me to meet him at Tokio Pub. I was pretty stoked, as I had good Happy Hour at Tokio Pub with a girlfriend a month before that. This place is connected to Shaw's and my friend surprised me with prime-time valet parking for both our turbos. It was a great way to start the "date"... well.... the night continued to get better. The food was even more exceptional on that day, July 16. I always judge a sushi restaurant by what else (their sashimi of course!). So we ordered sashimi and it was very fresh, good portions and served on a cold stone. I thoroughly enjoyed it! We also shared the crispy rice and a variety of mini-tacos. Everything was super tasty. To finish up our wonderful meal, we decided to order a "Happi Ending" and chose their Mochi. To my surprise this mochi came out pre-cut and pre-portioned atop of about seven spoons. It was a really cute idea! Ready-to-slip into and melt in your mouth! lol. Anyway, it was probably the tastiest mango mochi I have ever had. Overall, I was very impressed with the entire evening (my date and the food)! We will definitely be back to Tokio Pub!
(5)
Britt C.
Very cute outdoor patio, with fans! The little things in life get me all the time. But it was too hot to sit outside so we went in. The inside is nicely decorated, and has a different feel than most places in the area which I liked. I came here after dinner to grab another drink and get some dessert. I ordered a blushing geisha which was pretty good ($10). For dessert they only had beignets, raspberry sorbet, and a trio of ice cream. We opted for the beignets, which arrived at the table in a tiny white paper bag with Tokio Pub printed on it. It was cute, something different. There were four small beignets in the bag, which were filled with warm chocolate. They were pretty good ($4). Watch out though if you try to just take a bite of one, the chocolate might break out and get all over you...yes, this did happen to me. For how chill this place seems I felt the prices were just slightly high, but not ridiculously so. They had an interesting menu, so I would go back to try a few things. Especially if it wasn't such a hot day to sit out on their patio!
(3)
Beth R.
Love Tokio Pub! The Pub Tea cocktail is dee-lish and refreshing. It's served in a mason jar with fresh mint and it just makes me happy. I love any place that has small bites to share...that way you can try a bunch of different flavors and not get stuck with one mediocre dish. The tuna hot rock is a fun and tasty way to eat ahi. The volcano roll, crispy rice, spicy edamame, and pork belly are wonderfully delicious bites of heaven. Finish your meal off with the beignets stuffed with molten melted chocolate and you'll have yourself a good time.
(5)
Richard B.
My wife and I went to the crab place next door and then here for drinks. We should of just went here to begin with. The service was fantastic. Very attentive, younger, but I did not feel intimidated (I am forty) and easy on the eyes. The drinks were great and reasonably priced. We looked at the menu to see what we misses. NEXT TIME!! Great place, good vibes, excellent service. Go here, not to the crab place next door.
(5)
Mike G.
Top notch service and a great atmosphere I sincerely recommend this pub. The tacos are great but a little on the small side.
(4)
S H.
First time at the restuarant. Won't go back. Sat for 10 minutes before a server greeted us. Ordered Sushi, Ramen Buger and Orange Blossom Martini. Everything was below average. Got a chance to have a few of the tacos. Only worth 50 cents.....
(1)
Hans C.
Tokio Pub is not just a malicious growth metastasizing off the side of Shaw's Crab House. It is a Schaumburg destination in its own right. I've been here probably 6 or 7 times in about as many months, and I've always had a positive experience. Good food and great service and staff. Due to the varying specials they're constantly having (Happy Hour, $1 tacos, free gift certificates, etc.), I've had the opportunity to try the majority of the items on the menu. My personal favorites would be the crying tiger shrimp tacos, noodle bowls, wings, and maki rolls. The beignets are also a treat--just try not to let the hot chocolate splooge burn your unsuspecting mouth. Other than beer, I haven't had any drink from the bar yet, but that's on my to-do list when I stop in again next week. I didn't enjoy everything I tried, and some of the fare was just okay, but overall the food is quality, and to each his own. Another downside is the bathrooms are practically a day's journey and a labyrinth away. When you finally reach it, you almost expect David Bowie and some goblins to be there singing Magic Dance. My advice is to break that seal before you get seated. Tokio Pub is a great place to have a light meal and a couple drinks before continuing the night elsewhere. The restaurant is divided into an indoor section and a covered outdoor heated area. Both are comfortable. It's a small, intimate atmosphere, yet there's plenty of seating. Whether you're on a first date or just want to enjoy great $1 tacos and some beers, Tokio Pub fits the bill.
(4)
Lani G.
My girlfriends and I ate here for dinner last week. The tacos were outstanding. The sushi was terrible. It was "pasty tasing" and fishy. My girlfrined wouldnt eat hers. The service was good. Will come back but not for the sushi.
(3)
Alex K.
I had a light dinner here the other night. It's bar food, simple as that. The Asian noodle salad was a cold udon, some vegetables, dressed in a peanut sesame vinegar dressing. The flavours were good but nothing spectacular. The chicken taco was good. Street taco sized, the meat and the salad and dressing went well. Nothing out of this world. The fried/burnt rice thing should be taken off the menu. It's sushi rice, battered, fried, then topped with your choice of a number of things like a fried shrimp or whatever. Unappetizing. Service was awesome but we had gone quite early before it got crowded. Good place for a drink and bar food but nothing different or spectacular.
(2)
Taylor P.
Tacos and sushi... Is this heaven? I am a huge fan of Tokio Pub and always try to stop in if I am back in the suburbs. My favorites are the tacos (I order one of each, they are all amazing) and the lemon-lime rainbow roll. The nachos are also a huge portion if you want to grab a solid appetizer. I will continue to dine here whenever I can.
(5)
Rexcrisanto D.
SUSHI RATING BREAKDOWN: CLEANLINESS / NEATNESS Display Case: 4 Cutting Boards: 4 Sushi Bar: 3 Restaurant: 3 Bathrooms: 5 SUSHI CHEF (s) CLEANLINESS Professional Appearance: 5 Hand Washing: 3 Wiping of Knives: 3 Wiping of Board: 3 Makisu Bamboo Mats: 3 Cross Contamination Control: 3 Display Case Doors Closed after Opening: N/A SUSHI CHEF (s) SKILLS Sushi Rice Quality: 4 Nigiri Preparation (Shari / Neta): 3 Maki Roll Preparation: 3 Sashimi Preparation: 3 Presentation: 3 Friendliness / Interaction: 2 FOOD (SUSHI BAR) Freshness: 4 Taste: 3 Japanese Authenticity: 1 Innovation: 2 SERVICE: 1 Likelihood to return if nearby: 1 Likelihood to "go-out-of-my-way" to return: 0 TOTAL SCORE: 3 (Everything else is secondary) Preface: This review is based on their sushi alone. The new Japanese garden that was built last summer and the fact that its head chef, Naoki Nakashima, is Japanese really had me thinking I would enjoy some great authentic sushi. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The garden bears little resemblance with the food and atmosphere inside. First of all, this is an "American" sushi place inside an American crab house restaurant. When I walked in looking for the sushi bar, I was directed to sit at the "liquor bar," which happens to share the same space where the sushi is prepared. I had to order my sushi through the liquor bartender. Midway into placing my order I glanced and saw a look of confusion in her eyes. Clearly she didn't understand the Japanese names of the fish I was ordering (hamachi, sake etc). When I asked for green tea, I was told they don't have traditional green tea, but instead, a variety of gourmet teas. It's very sad when something as basic as "ocha" green tea isn't available with sushi. It's a staple for sushi just like wasabi, gari and rice vinegar - should be automatic. As for the sushi, the selection is poor, catering to the American palette to say the least. However, what they did have is fresh and not pre-frozen and pre-sliced. According to the Mexican sushi chef during my last visit, they have a steady influx of new fish delivered frequently enough to provide fresh tasting sashimi and netta for nigiri. I don't eat many rolls, but I had to try their King Crab California roll that uses real crab meat right out of its shell. I must say, it was one of the worst $15 I've spent on sushi. The idea of using fresh King crab sounds better than imitation kani kama, but the taste is too bland in comparison. If Hidekazu Tojo, the inventor of the California roll, made the original California roll like Shaw's King Crab California roll back in the 70's, sushi wouldn't be as popular today in America or the world. In short, if you're looking for crab and other American seafood dishes, this is a great place to go, however, If traditional Japanese sushi in a Japanese setting is your preference, go elsewhere.
(3)
Norberto S.
Food was great. Service was awesome and we got a free desert for being our first time here.
(5)
Kim M.
Been meaning to try this place out since it opened and we finally had a chance to go sans kiddos. We got the yelp check in special which was a maki roll. I am totally sushi illiterate so if this is wrong, my apologies. I didn't eat it, but the husband said it was excellent. We sat at the bar and I had multiple sake-tinis and they were so good. Great foreign beer selection. Great sake selection. I imagine if you are in here at night, and have a good buzz going on, you can almost feel like you are in Tokyo by the way it feels and looks inside. Great decor, almost movie-set like. We will be heading back to try out some real meals there in the near future.
(4)
Dan F.
I visited in 2013 but forgot to post then. The food was fantastic. We had the Braised Pork Belly and the Grilled Ahi Tuna. The sushi rolls were great too. Good experience.
(5)
Jennifer C.
I like this place. As most of you know suburban food frightens me, but this place is pretty good. I like the crying tiger shrimp tacos, the chicken tacos, and the BBQ pork tacos best. The side of potatoes are awesome and a definite fav of both my hubby and I. We've also had the BBQ platter, which was fine but I think I prefer the tacos. Overall I like this place and I'll definitely go back. The service here is also quite good.
(4)
Michelle L.
Nice addition to the mix of restaurants in the Woodfield Mall area but not the greatest if you want sushi. I'm used the eating at Coast and Tanoshii so the sushi at Tokio Pub was disappointing. I went on a Friday during lunch and the service was horrible too - loooong wait and the server kept forgetting things. if I'm in the area then I may go there again but I won't go out of my way to come back.
(3)
Andrew K.
I've come here a handful of times since I don't live too far. I definitely haven't sampled everything yet, but have mixed reviews thus far about some of the food, but there have been some pleasant hidden gems on the menu as well. . Highlights: the White Peach Sangria is sweet & refreshing and always hits the spot. The beignets are freaking AWESOME, get 2 orders for sure, sugary goodness. . A-OK: The rolls are pretty decent, but nothing to write home about. The Crying Tiger Shrimp Taco is decent as well, but the other tacos were nothing special. I'm not the biggest fan of Del Sol's tacos either (they're A-OK as well, don't get the hype) if that's giving you a reference point. . Let Downs: The non-shrimp tacos. Nothing special, and not bad either, just expected more from all the hype here on the reviews. Yakitori shrimp (pictured), again, not terrible, but it was hyped up a little by the waitress and thus, a little bit of a let down. . Will repeat and try other plates and update.
Read someone compare this place to being as good as wasabi in Logan square. NO. It is not. Do yourself a big favor and go to wasabi and get their ramen. The ramen here is overly salted and under flavored. Wasabi's ramen uses pork bones that have been cooked for days to flavor their broth. Tokio uses salt out of what can only be cost savings or laziness. Either way not worth the price when Wasabi is not that far away. Unfortunately this isn't the only place that jumps on the ramen fad without doing their homework, but it also isn't the worst. Hence the 3 stars.
(3)
Anya C.
It's really a place for American. If you want to grab a beer and hand out with friend, it's a good place to go. If you want to try Japanese food, it's NOT the place to go. I ordered UDON noodle soup and they served noodle soup NOT with UDON noodle. The pork belly was over-cooked. Soup base was not good either.
(3)
Jules H.
Happy place, good bites! Food and drink specials rule the show here and they do not disappoint. Okay sushi, really good tacos, menu for everyone. Eating and drinking here is a breeze...good service, fun date spot.
(4)
Jessica M.
I came here with a coworker for a nice leisurely lunch. I was surprised that I never noticed this place even though I have been to Big Bowl a few times. I like the vibe of this place. It's a little hip without trying too hard and a lot of natural decor elements make it relaxed. If nothing else, try the bbq braised pork nachos! They are delicious and the serving is big! We split a couple of sushi rolls and they were tasty as well. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and we had a great experience. I would definitely come back to try something new and different. After everything we ordered and split our bill was a bit high for lunch but it was great for a treat! Added bonus: there were not very many people in there at lunchtime so we didn't feel rushed and the atmosphere was quiet enough to have a good conversation.
(4)
Brian G.
I went back to Tokio pub to give it a second chance, due to continued positive feedback from friends. This time around I tried the Garlic Steak. It was quite delicious - very flavorful and and fresh. It was kind of skimpy on the steak, but for a price of $13 it wasn't an insulting portion size (and i'm a big eater who likes big portions). My wife again had the tacos, and my analysis on these has not changed. They are delicious, but bit-sized. At a cost of $3 per taco, I'm thinking an average male is paying roughly $1 per bite, which is just silly to me. My recommendation to Tokio Pub would be to include some sort of side dish to make it feel more like a meal. Even my 5'1", 105lb wife wasn't full after 5 tacos. Something wrong there. I will say, however, that the customer service is impecable at Tokio Pub. As soon as I expressed the slightest displeasure with my food, it was dealt with by the manager in a friendly and prompt manner. The wait staff was great, and the ambiance of the restaurant is a good too. The outdoor seating are is especially nice. Let me also caveat my review by saying that I don't eat sushi, so there's an entire half of my menu that I can't comment on. There is a ton to choose from on the menu - far beyond what i've reviewed - so I'd recommend that everyone try it at least once.
(3)
Joe P.
We ordered the Godzilla Roll and were pleasantly surprised. The sushi seemed fresh and the flavors were good. The Gyoza was also very good and came with a mustard flavored sauce which was interesting (not a huge mustard fan but this was enjoyable in small amounts to me). I ordered the Chop salad and was not disappointed. My wife and I split the Teriyaki Chicken and it was delicious. All the food this time made our bad experience seem like this was a completely different restaurant.
(4)
C. G.
Awesome experience! Need to head here more often.
(4)
Lucy E.
I think it is quite interesting to see the range of reviews this place is getting. Really I would give it like a 4.5, but I'll round up to 5! I went here for dinner with my brother last night, as I want to plan a party here for my husband and I. Although I am not quite sure how we will fit a large party in here, I am confident that they will make it work. Formerly being in the service industry, I can say that that aspect was exceptional! Maybe even a little overboard. We were approached by nearly every server/manager/busboy you name it to make sure we were happy and everything looked and tasted good. That's an A+ in my book. The serve gave us some great suggestions as well, and was very knowledgeable about the menu! No moving on to food, as I mentioned I am looking to book a party here, so naturally I wanted to try everything. Tacos: I tried steak, chicken, fish, and shrimp. They were all awesome! Small, but after looking at the menu, I kind of figured they would be pretty small. The first 1/2 of the menu is all tapas style dishes! They were all flavorful, and it was a good way to try different things! Tuna Tartar: again small sized, but worth it! The avocados are marinated in some citrus flavoring (probably so it doesn't brown), but it really gives it a little extra umph. I also like how it is served with tortilla chips, which keeps up with the spanish/japanese fusion theme. Sushi: We tried the spicy tuna and calamari shrimp roll. The spicy tuna was good, but it was a little eclectic I guess. It was quite interesting how the tuna was on the outside, the spicy sauce on the bottom, and the cucumber rolled into the middle. Definitely a cool take on it! The calamari shrimp roll was pretty good too! It was definitely something different to try. Hot Rock Steak: I really wanted to get the lobster too, but we had already gotten sooooo much! It was very interesting and a fun experience. You cook your own steak on the rock (or tuna or lobster tail). The cut was good and fresh, although there are only 5 little strips, very yummy none the less! Steak Udon Bowl: My brother got this one! It was delish, perfect amount of seasonings and a pretty hearty portion! Miso Salmon: Definitely different than most, but still flavorful from the fish to the noodles. Sadly, after trying so many other things, I only had the one bite and took the rest home. Finally Dessert!: My brother got the beignets which are to die for! They aren't typical beignets, but more like dark chocolate fried in a thin wonton. They were served in a cute little bag. I also wanted to try the dessert nachos, which one of the managers had comped for us, as I was really unsure about the "sweet guacamole". It was interesting, but not to my taste. I think the nachos would have been much better with more "strawberry kiwi salsa" and drizzled chocolate rather than the sweet guac. All in all, I am excited to book a party here! I loved it! It definitely had an urban feel in a suburban area.
(5)
Patricia D.
I went here for a friend of mines birthday, and it was a really nice place. Nice setting, friendly staff, and really good food. The price is pretty reasonable too. They have live music on Saturdays which made it fun. The bathroom is a far walk, as you have to walk to Shaw's next door. But otherwise it's a fun place to go to.
(4)
B M.
YUM!!!! I had a great lunch here today. My spicy tuna was perfect! I also enjoyed the tuna hot rock which was not only tasty but fun to cook. Oh and the shrimp crispy rice was spot on. Service was wonderful. I've read a bunch of reviews and have some comments. This is not a "traditional" sushi restaurant BUT it is wonderful. The dishes are creative and interesting. It is was nice to find a menu that wasn't identical to every other sushi restaurant in town. I liked that the atmosphere wasn't traditional. It is called Tokio PUB. It is a fusion of a sushi restaurant and pub. I have eaten sushi coast to coast and I love it. The tuna I had here was as good as it gets and the rice was seasoned nicely. I will be back.
(5)
Chris M.
Neat hip and trendy spot. Music was Dubstep- Came here on a Monday and plenty of room for people to come without a reservation. Drinks and appetizers were fantastic along with the service. Dinner was good too, not cheap but not expensive meals. Plan on returning.
(4)
Insun M.
Out of the 5 dishes we ordered, only the calamari stood out. The rest of the dishes were sort of blah and forgettable. Bonus star for the creative crispy rice sushi but they lose a star because the salmon was WAY too fishy tasting (and I LOVE sushi)..sort of felt like sushi thats been out for too long which is scary because since its the summer places that serve al fresco should be more careful handling raw foods. I ordered a soda and it was flat. They gave me a replacement and it was worse then the first. I HATE flat soda. Especially $2.75 flat soda. And where in the word on the menu are the chocolate filled doughnuts???? I was looking forward to those and they were not on the menu! I literally read the menu 5 times over specifically to look for those doughnuts! Had to settle for the banana foster that should be renamed "sugar foster." I think I would come back for drinks and a few of the plates as snacks instead of for a real dinner.
(2)
Emily F.
I've been here a couple times now and have not had anything that I didn't like. Sushi is fantastic with a bit of a different approach. Tacos are another no brainer. Love small plate type of places like this where you can try a whole bunch of stuff instead of one enormous entree. Also love that they have pitchers of margaritas and soju (which are great as well). Just tried the crispy pork belly for the first time and fell in love. This place can get pretty packed since it is so tiny so I would make a reservation if going on the weekend. I use open table
(5)
Nicole M.
Heard this place only served little tapas like plates, so I wasn't really to trilled to try it. It's inside of Shaws. Came here on a Saturday night and the place was kinda dead. Place its self looked cool. Waitress was nice. Pork Belly: This was my 1st time trying pork belly and I didn't really know what to expect. You get 4 bite sized pieces. The taste was good but it was very dry and chewy. I was thinking it would be moist and tender... not at all. Ribs: 3 ribs, barely any meat but tasted good. Sushi: Lemon lime rainbow roll: Very sour tasting! I am not a big sour fan, I was thinking a hint of lemon lime. But the fish on top tasted very fresh and good. We left unsatisfied and still hungry. Wahhhh We ended up going somewhere else and getting more food! haha
(3)
Pari S.
Went here with a group of friends on a Saturday night. We were a party of 8. Very small place, next to Shaw's crabhouse...There is an open entrance way that is literally open into Shaw's crabhouse dining area. Nice atmosphere. We were seated at a high table right by the front door, right by the bar, a nook where all the waitresses goes to put in orders and right by that entranceway of Shaw's crabhouse. (Which I have to say, for a party of 8, this was a very bad spot to put us.) There were lots of traffic going back and forth, at one point a waitress knocked over a glass, and it broke all over onto the floor. However it was quickly cleaned up. We were given a One page menu. Which had some interesting items to pick from. We ordered a pitcher of white peach Sangria right away. Which I found was very good. I like the bits of fruits inside it. I happened to sit at the end of the table, so that was where the waitress came by to talk to us each time. I think at one point, I was very confuse on how to order. All items were more tapas style. (finger food) And of course my party wanted to try lots of things... after a bit of explaining we finally got a few things ordered. The food came out pretty fast and appeared freshly made. So a plus on that. We ordered: Fish tacos, beef tacos, crispy rice with tuna, sliders, dragon roll, braised pork noodle soup, nacho, fried calamari, doughnuts in a bag, some smashed fried potatos, meatballs. (Sorry if i forgot the name of some of these dishes. We kind of shared all of what we ordered, so I tried a bit of this and that.) I liked the fish taco best. The fish was fried crispy, with some small bits of mango or fruits, and a spicy kick. The beef taco was good too. But it had ginger in it, which threw me off. I don't like ginger much, so that didn't go too well for me. The crispy rice with tuna, was ok. We were told by the waitress that was the best thing she liked, but it was not my favorite. It was different, but the flavor didn't come out for me. The braised pork noodle was ok. The meat was very tender and juicy on the inside, and the broth of the soup was good. It was served with Udon noodles. Not really a wow noodle soup for me. Since I am asian and been eatting noodle soups all my life, I have different standards for noodle soups. I also ate a huge slice of garlic in my soup. I didn't realized it was garlic. I thought it might of been some kind of sliced meat or something. But no it was garlic. Don't get me wrong, I love garlic. I just don't eat it by the slices. So that didn't go well with me either. I didn't really have a napkin to spit it out... and was forced to chew and swallow it. Thank goodness I'm not single anymore. The garlic breathe would've scared the date away. The other thing I liked was the fried calamari. It had a creamy sauce on it. I almost want to say, kind of like a mayo sauce. Everything else was just ok for me. One word of advise... don't bring 3 big hungry guys to this place with you. The portions are small, bite size, tapas style. We had to ask for the menu 3 to 4 more times after we received our food and ate it. Our guys were still hungry. By the time we finished, our ticket came out to be more then what we expected. We split it up evenly 8 ways. It was $48 per person and I have to add, nobody drank much alcohol, except for that one pitcher we got in the beginning. So yes, it was all finger food in that tab. Would I go here again? Maybe. For happy hour, or to just enjoy some finger foods. And won't be bringing any more hungry men. Well if you do, maybe feed them before you go here.
(3)
Mary B.
My friend and I went here for a few drinks the other night. We had never been there before but heard about it. We love Lettuce restaurants so we decided to venture over there. We only had a few beers, which were sort of an interesting selection, and some of the food. Everything was really delightful over there. Our bartender was so awesome and recommended really good food. We had the braised pork and pineapple tacos and then the chicken tacos. WOW. Braised pork and pineapple was amazing. The tacos are a pretty good size. The server said only two bites, but it was definitely more than that. Really interesting food and very tasty. Our bartender also recommended the fried tofu squares. I'm not a big fan of tofu but these were absolutely amazing! And they came with a sauce that was good too. Beer was fine, nothing amazing but they have some interesting ones like Sapporo and a few others. The next day I even took my mom and sister to the place. They enjoyed it too. We did a tapas type of meal because they have so many little meals so it was nice. However, this time the music was WAY too loud and really annoying. It was in the afternoon and there were some business people there too and I could tell they weren't that happy either. By the time we paid our bill, we were happy to leave because all of a sudden the bass on this music just got out of hand. With the loud music aside, the service and food was really awesome. I hope everyone checks it out. Good place.
(4)
Susan C.
This place is very quaint and cozy. Their menu items boast some fantastic sushi and their tacos are absolutely delicious! The tacos are very small, but are packed with tons of flavor. I have come here several times for dinner and once for the lunch buffet on the weekends. While I do not necessarily think the lunch buffet is anything to brag about, the dinner menu is fantastic. My boyfriend and I ate here about a week ago on a Tuesday night (1/2 price bottle of wine night!) he had 5 tacos, I had 3, we ordered 2 sushi rolls, 1 crispy rice, 1 bottle of wine and dessert - the bill was around $85. The food is fantastic. The beignets are absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Their service is fantastic as well. The waitresses were very attentive without being overly annoying. If you're in the area, definitely check this place out!
I've been anxiously awaiting for this place to open, and we finally made it here on their 4th day open. Must be some sort of "tradition" we're beginning, going to places on their 4th day of business. In any case, we wanted to take advantage of the very brief Chicago warm weather, so we sat outside on the patio, dimly lit and nicely decorated. Mia was our server and she was really nice. She knew the menu really well, and gave us her suggestions, but to be honest, she didn't have ANY dislikes. That says a lot because if you're gonna sell sometime, you better like something more than you dislike something. It's just like going into an interview and saying you have NO WEAKNESSES. A big NO-NO. We had the chicken wings, the crispy lobster rice, beef skewers, and salmon tataki. I wasn't wowed by the lobster rice or the chicken wings, but the beef skewers were nicely tenderized and flavored, and the salmon tataki was out of this world. It had a nice teriyaki sauce and was topped off with a perfectly salt-ified miso. Not overpowering at all, but brought a nice element to a fresh piece of salmon. Mia also gave us some complimentary potato salad. It has chunky and tasted very light. All the plates were small, as this place is a Japanese tapas pub. To round it off nicely, bf said everything was very refreshing and clean. Agreement here. For dessert, we had the beignets and some more complimentary ice cream. The beignets were fabulous, as they were chocolate filled and the chocolate inside wasn't oooey gooey thick, but more so a nice creamy texture. The guava ice cream was ok. Not my fave. Mia was really sweet and while she may have had good intentions, it got kinda offputting when after EVERY single thing we ate, she wanted some feedback. Also, just a little bit of a tip. If you're going to give complimentary of ANYTHING, don't announce it before it comes. Just bring it along with the other plates, explain what it is and keep it moving. I get you guys are a new place and trying to find out what's new and what's likeable, but I was starting to feel like a guinea pig by the time we left. Customers will tell you what they like and don't like, especially if the stuff hits an all time low or an all time high, such as the salmon tataki. On our way out we met will Jill and Bill. Both likeable people who were concerned about the feedback of their customers, but they weren't overly pushy. Cute little place in Street of Woodfield. 3 and a half stars.
(4)
Megan O.
I love Tokio Pub! It's a small restaurant/bar right next to Shaws in the Streets of Woodfield right across from the parking garage (because you know, I need to tell you exactly where it is even though the address is provided above, hehe.) Great music, good ambiance, very hip for Schaumburg, lol. The first time I came here was for an engagement party and they rented out the entire venue. Pretty impressive. They served their signature tacos, sushi, dip and other items offered on their menu. I fell in love with the BRAISED PORK TACOS. Great selection on beer, and their "In Bloom" ($10) is definitely exotic. A week later, my boyfriend and I came back for their DOLLAR TACO SPECIAL, where every taco (yes, EVERY taco) is $1! So of course we ordered every taco and that is when I fell in love with their FISH taco. O.M.G. I normally don't like fish tacos, but that was DE-LISH! You have to be their follower on Twitter or a fan on Facebook to know what day and time they will be serving them. I will definitely check this place out again, but only when they have their dollar tacos. In my opinion, I wouldn't want to spend 5 bucks for just 2 tacos... call me money conscious, but when I'm hungry, 2 small tacos won't suffice my appetite!
(4)
Collin P.
City like food in the suburbs? Tokio pub recently opened and is attached to the oyster bar at Shaws Crab House. Hard to find unless you really look, this new lettuce entertain you spot is small, and definitely a spot city folk who have moved out to the suburbs will appreciate. The vibe is a back alley of tokyo pub, with small tables and what not. Food wise, they have some great choice. It's a mix of Latin and asian food, with Asian tacos and lots of seafood items. The portioins are smal, more tapas style than anything, but even at that they are a little too small. City prices for tiny bites of food may not fly. 10.00 for 3, 2-inch tacos seems a bit much, although the flavor combinations and ingredients are good. This is the kind of place people will go to once they know about it, and definitely the after movie crowd across the street will filter in. Good food, little pricey, good job by lettuce entertain you on the environment.
(4)
Eric F.
Wow Wow Wow Tokio Pub had an amazing ambiance, super fun and really hip. It really reminded me of a place you would find in the city. While it doesn't have the prices of a family diner, the food is outstanding,and they have such a great variety of items. I thought the Shoshito pepper salad had such an interesting taste, as did the other dishes. (Boom potato salad was intensely good! Love the name too heh). It wasn't your typical everyday restaurant selections. Very unique, and most importantly, amazing taste. Best part was that the drinks were made with a really good amount of alcohol. The bartenders didn't hold back at all, and made the drinks nice and strong without ruining the overall flavor of the drink. I had the Ginger Mojito. SO TASTY! The service was outstanding; all of the waitresses loved to joke around and were great with helping out with any questions we had. They genuinely seemed to be having a great time. Our server's name was Claire! She was very attentive and a ton of fun. Amazing service! Tasty, unique food, fun people, wonderful staff, great tunes, and a super cool atmosphere. Overall, awesome time! I'll be back for sure!
(5)
Joyce A.
I went to a pool party hosted at Lifetime Fitness and catered by Tokio Pub- so this review is just for the food and the servers. All of the servers were very friendly and attentive. The Food: Think tapas with an Asian or Mexian twist! My two favorite foods were the steak tacos and the tuna crispy rice! I am not normally a fan of sushi- but this was just too good. The bag of beignets should be illegal- melt in your mouth mini-donut filled with wam chocolate- a chocoholic delight. Apparently, from the other reviews- it's not a very large place, otherwise it would make a great party destination for lots of fun food (like an elite event). But, since they apparently do cater- I'd recommend them to anyone thinking about throwing a party and needing it to be caterred!
(5)
Vincent T.
The BBQ pork belly with rice and fried egg is amazing!!!!!! The staff made my our first time experience that much better. They feature a very enticing mix of Japanese and Hispanic dishes that are cleverly fused together along with there specialty sake-sangria drinks you'll never want the night to end. One last thing try the dessert nachos.......hidden secret
(5)
Giuseppe D.
My mother was in town this weekend and wanted to take me out somewhere. I wanted to try something new and, being that she was staying in the Schaumburg area, I gratefully stumbled upon Tokio Pub. For anyone who hasn't been there before, like myself, the place might be confusing to find. It's basically connected to Shaw's in the Streets of Woodfield so you'll have to look for it off to the side of the giant "Shaw's" sign. After finding it, the rest of the experience turned out great. Tokio Pub is a "tapas" style restaurant, so everything comes in appetizer portions. This initially discouraged me, as I'm a heavy eater, but it worked out perfectly because it lets you order multiple menu items. First was the braised pork tacos, which is braised pork, cabbage, and caramelized pineapple. Yes, pineapple! In two tortillas. I was timid about what the taste would be at first, I'd never had pineapple on a taco, but the combination of the juice from the meat and the sweet juice from the caramelized pineapple was irresitable! Also had the crying tiger shrimp, which is a large piece of shrimp, sriracha hot chili sauce, cabbage, and guacamole. Again, the fusion of all the flavors turned out great. The chili sauce on the shrimp was a tangy spice that was cooled off by the smooth guacamole spread across. Very good. Barbecue pork belly nachos, what can I really say about this? The chips are warm and homemade, smothered with pork belly, cheese, and guacamole. Again, very satisfying, no complaints with this item either. We also ordered the sliders. But when they came to bring them out, they were chicken wings. We gave each other a look and the waitress must've noticed because she asked if something was wrong. We told them we had ordered the sliders but we're fine with eating the chicken wings. They insisted on bringing out sliders, as well, and putting both items on the house! This was really a treat as it was TWO dishes, and both were phenomenal. The sliders came with small but thick patties and a wasabi mayo that was truly enticing. Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you want to look at it), I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the food because I was too busy shoving it in my face :( I didn't get a chance to try any of the rice, but the rest of the food items were amazing and I'll easily return for those. All of the drinks were on special, so I treated myself to about a half dozen Blue Moons. The ambiance was pretty chill, not too loud, not too quiet, perfect for a Friday day with a small group of friends, a few small appetizers and drinks would be perfect to start the night. And lastly, the service was great. The server gave us many insights on the items, had casual conversation and made us laugh. Overall, definitely returning with a group of friends. It's a must.
(5)
Kelly P.
Tiki charm with a quality service. Have been a few times and had good if not great pub style food (cheap and quick). Locals go on taco night-best to avoid. Quiet, fun, great drinks and tapas style food make for a relaxed early evening or a romantic late night.
(5)
James L.
Asian style tapas dishes. Every dish was very tasty! portions were decent, nothing crazy. I would go back to try some more...
(4)
Jamie F.
This is my favorite place in Schaumburg to kick back, have some small plates, and get together with friends. I visit here often since it's a great halfway meeting point for colleagues, family and friends. The BBQ Pork Nachos are sooooo tasty! One of my favorite things ever, but I am a HUGE nacho fan. Their tacos are delicious. My favorite is the Crying Tiger Shrimp. The Crispy Rice is surprising...you can't go wrong with any of the 4 options. The sushi is fresh and delightful. My only complaint is that they don't have a more extensive sushi menu. But, what they have featured is always high quality. I have never been able to go to Tokio Pub during $1 taco time (which is an hour chosen at random each week), but you can visit their website and find out which hour is featured each week.
(4)
Justin D.
I came to Tokio Pub the other day with my girlfriend, really wanting to love this place. Unfortunately I thought it fell a little flat. We ordered quite a bit so we could get a chance to taste a lot: Drinks: Ginger Mojito - Tasty, but nothing that special. I didn't really taste much of the ginger or mint in it. Sake Sangria - my girlfriend seemed to enjoy it. Food: BBQ Pork Belly - Came in two skewers. The sauce was good and it was a little fatty which I expected with pork belly. I thought overall it was decent, but again nothing special. Chicken Meatballs - These also came out on skewers. 2 small meatballs per skewer. The meatballs were very tender and moist and flavorful. Crying Tiger Shrimp - 3 shrimp grilled on skewers with sriracha sauce. Just ok. Angry Chicken Tacos - 2 tiny tacos (supposed to spicy) with kim chi. I couldn't even taste the kimchi. The flavor was ok, but with a name like "angry chicken" you expect some kind of a punch and it was pretty mild. Crispy Rice (Lobster and Tuna) - These are basically nigiri, but the rice is deep fried. These were tasty. The texture of the rice was a nice change from you standard sushi rice. Boom Potato Salad - This was good. Diced red and sweet potatoes in a spiced mayonnaise. Pickled Cucumber Salad - The waitress actually brought this one out as a freebie stating it was one of her favorites. It was basically like any pickled cucumber salad that you would get for free at any sushi place. It was good, but it's a pickled cucumber salad. They normally charge $3 for it... really?? The staff was all very friendly and willing to make recommendations. We came in on a Sunday and it was pretty dead, but it was a Sunday. Overall, we paid $70 plus tip for what was not very much food at all. At that price I would expect the food to be much more than just average. If they are going to be tiny portions at that price, then they better be delicious. I don't think I'll be going back, unless the fellow yelpers start giving it an overwhelming 4 or 5 stars.
(3)
Stacy B.
My friend and I went to Ikea and stopped by Tokio Pub for dinner after. We LOVED it! I'm in the city and it felt like the city in the suburbs. The Food - was fantastic! We ordered a lot of stuff as it is all small plates. The pickled cucumber salad was light and flavorful, perfect for the summer. The chicken meatballs were tender and delicious. The steak and scallion yakitori were perfectly cooked. The tacos were great! Highly recommend the crispy calamari but our favorite was the crispy rice combinations. We ordered the 5 piece combo and split it and loved it all (tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab and lobster). We finished with the bag of beignets--pure heaven. The cocktails - So good! Refreshing and pretty too. We got the In Bloom, which was on the sweet side but delicious. The blushing geisha was great. Both of these drinks had edible flowers in them which was a cool touch. We also had the sake sangria (available as a cocktail or in a pitcher) and it was the best! It felt festive. The perfect drink to have on their patio (where I'll want to sit on my next visit). The service - Our server Nicole was super nice and knew the menu inside and out (even though it was only open a couple of days). Felt like another great Lettuce Entertain You restaurant experience (from my experience, usually a very good food and service combo). The Decor - Very cool, did not feel like the burbs at all. Felt like we were back in the city. We thought it would be a good place for girlfriends or a date. The music was great too, very hip but we could hear each other talk at the same time. I definitely will go back to this place whenever I hit Ikea or Woodfield Mall shopping--a great addition to Schaumburg!
(5)
Navi K.
My ex-bf and I wanted to grab a bit to eat so I took him here. we had a great time, Carolina I believe was our waitress name was fun times. she joked around with us and the food was great! we will be back of course!!! also she even told us that since i was in the industry we get 20% off of our bill which was even super better!!
(5)
Amanda G.
A great asian place in Schaumburg! We sat on the patio and ordered a variety of items. The crispy rice is amazing. We tried all three kinds but the lobster stood out as our favorite. We also ordered the tuna tartare which was both fresh and delicious. We got the Dragon Maki and the sushi tasted awesome! Definitely a great place with great service. Also you can check in on Yelp to get a free appetizer here or on Foursquare to get a free maki roll.
(4)
John A.
Reminds me of a tapas restaurant which I love. A group of 6 of us ate here so we were able to try most of the menu. The highlights included: Tuna Crispy Rice. Great mini steak tacos and mini fish tacos(fish tacos had a nice zip to them...diced jalapenos). Shrimp Ceviche - we ordered a second serving Tuna Tartar - we ordered a second serving Disappointed with the pork belly skewers...tough texture. Hostess and waitstaff were very friendly and we will return. I'm sure this restaurant will get even better with time.
(4)
Kevin S.
Been here once... and let me styart off by saying i'm not a huge sushi enthusiast, nor do I eat it on a even monthly occasion. The drinks were a little on the weak side, but then again they are basically everywhere. Whatever sushi we ordered (3 types) I dont remember nor do I care to, but I loved all 3. delicious, i'll be back.
(4)
Long N.
Reserved a table at 8:00 P.M. Which is fine with my wife and two small children. Came there at 7:35 to make sure we were on time for dinner, since this place supposed to be the talk of the town. The Owner told me and my wife that its going to be a 45 min wait even though we reserved a table at 8:00. He told us that he would take care of us and comp our bill 75 to even 100 percent because of the inconvenience. I told him that we were ok and will leave to play at game works in the meantime. They call us back in ten mins which we were happy since it was 8:00. Came back and they put us near the door. We ordered what was recommended from the staff. The nacho taco was good which my son was saying, since he was hungry from the start. My wife and I had the crying shrimp tacos. We were contemp that the tacos were big as a Mexican place, but they were bite sizes. The udon noodle soup was a little over powering for the taste. Overall experience was a shame since it was next to a fine dine restaurant. The price was too expensive and the owner never acknowledged us that he was going to hook us up since I had two small children on a late Friday night. Never again that I would spend my time driving from Aurora to eat at a small taco joint!
(1)
Tina A.
I only went here based on the fact that my boyfriend got a lettuce entertain you gift card from his job and our choices were limited unless we wanted to venture out to the city. We went here on a Friday night and had to wait an expected half an hour. We had to got to the bar in Shaw's Crab house which connected to them because there was very limited space at the restaurant area. The hostess came to get us in about 15 min time and were were seated and served immediately. The waitress was very polite and informative. We were starving and were eager to order some sushi( since the restaurant does call itself a sushi bar) but I was surprised to only about 5 rolls on the menu. We started out with a pitcher of mojitos and the pork nachos. The drinks were pretty good, but the nachos were bland and the pork was dry and boring. We then decided on a few other thing and picked the Tokio spicy tuna roll, crispy rice lobster, some sriracha shrimp skewers, and bbq ribs. Every single plate was just ok. The spicy tuna rolls had kick but they were nothing special. Crispy rice lobster tasted like fish sticks left in the oven too long but a little more salty. Shrimp skewers were ok but just because l love Sriracha sauce.The BBQ ribs were nothing I could have gotten from the deli in Jewel. They did have decent little donuts with a chocolate center that ended the meal. All in all I would say just come for the drink and music ( music was awesome). Good thing I was in good company and that we also had a gift card because the $80 check took me a little by surprise. I was also a little turned off by the fact that our waitress pushed a dining card on us pretty persistently at the end of our meal and made it clear that even though we had said no thank you" that we were making a poor decision. So would I go back? Absolutely not.... pros: Good mojitos Music was awesome Cons: lets just say my boyfriend ate a PB and J as soon as we got home
(1)
Chaka T.
I love this place, especially on $1 taco night. The crispy fish tacos are stunning. I moved from the city from Schaumburg, this place feels like I'm in the city. I also love the tuna tartar appetizer, the pork tacos and the chocolate filled Beignets. The cocktails are well presented and different. It's my go-to place now.
(5)
Rosalynn E.
I found a new love in the suburbs! The food, atmosphere, and staff was absolutely perfect. I had the "In Bloom" martini with the edible flower which was delicious. I love the mild sweetness of the drink accompanied by it's unique garnish. Our waitress was outstanding. It's nice to see staff that's enthusiastic about the concept and food. My date and I were so excited to try everything off the menu that we ended up ordering 8 items plus dessert! Everything tasted amazing, but the one thing that really stood out to me were the calamari. It was spicy yet sweet with a really nice crispiness to it. I will definitely be coming back. They have a patio i need to try out that would be a perfect on a nice day.
(5)
mxwp d.
I had a leye gift card and decided to go here and check it out last Saturday night upon my gf's recommendation. I am not really a fan of tapas, but might as well use the gift card. We thought we had to wait in line, but the place was pretty empty, though it started to fill up the later it got. The food was decent but I say skip the noodle dishes. There is much better ramen at other places. The chicken tapas was disappointing, but the sushi rolls were quite tasty. Actually, of all the dishes we tried, the seafood based ones were better than the others. I suppose it makes sense since they are using Shaw's kitchen. I must knock it some since it was a pricey meal and the quality did not warrant such a price tag. tldr: Go for early or late light dinner before movie or Gameworks. Stick with seafood tapas, don't get noodles or non-seafood tapas.
(3)
Vicki K.
Yet another example of the mediocrity of LEYE's restaurants. We only went because we had a gift certificate and wanted somewhere close by. It's not horrible food, but bland, bland, bland. The best thing we had was the pork tacos. The tuna tartare has absolutely no flavor and the fish tacos were good, but nothing to write home about. The crispy rice sushi, again very bland - the only thing you could taste was the crispy rice, you'd never know there was tuna on top, except for the texture. And then, to turn the waitress into a salesperson, was a turn-off - trying to peddle their "frequent diner" cards for $25....no thank you. Not worth the time and effort, as with all LEYE restaurants
(2)
Julie Y.
Three words. Pork Belly Nachos. I make the trip up to Woodfield just for those babies. I've been here twice recently and the 2nd time something was off. It came out cold and not as juicy as before. Still absolutely delicious mix of sauces though! Check in through yelp and it's free! Service has always been great. I have yet to try the $1 tacos... but I definitely want to one day! The tacos on a normal day are a little pricey for me. I have tried the pork belly, tofu, and kimchi tachos. Of the three, the kimchi ones were the least memorable. The hot sauce ratio was a bit too high for me.
(4)
Amber H.
Went here based on Yelp reviews and would have to give it 5 stars ourselves! We had a little bit of everything, left very full and couldn't wait to share how great our experience was. We had an incredible male server - very knowledgeable about the food and beer selection, offered us his personal favorites, and was very attentive. For an appetizer, we had the potstickers and thai basil skirt steak on river rocks. The river rocks were about the size of a big baked potato! You literally put the piece of steak on for 5-10 seconds max, and cook to your liking right at your table. It was a very cool experience and not to mention, incredibly flavorful and arguably our favorite item! We tried the yellowfin tuna sushi and the endless ramen bowl (I loved the beef and my boyfriend loved the pork) - SO full of every flavor and you could taste it all in every bite. The ambiance isn't something to write home about - it's next to Shaw's, and open to that restaurant. It's rather small but could use dimmer lights for a more intimate feel. All in all we were pleasantly surprised and wish it was closer to visit more often! This comes highly recommended!
(5)
Mike M.
Great all around! Ended up in Schaumburg to do some shopping and stopped into Tokio Pub on Saturday afternoon. Was instantly greeted by the manager who sat us right away and was attentive and gracious through the entire meal. I think Bill was his name? The service was perfect and really fast--she was funny and knew a ton about the mentu. Their sushi chef also creates for Shaw's (which has the best sushi around imo) so I knew the fish was going to be really fresh and creative. Bill described the sushi as more of a sushi-samba style, with great attention to quality of the fish and tasty sauces--which i think is a perfect description. I loved their take on nigiri, whereby the sushi rice is fried and crunchy on the outside. Lots of texture here which was a welcome surprise. Ours was topped with lobster--I could've eaten 2 orders myself. There are also tacos on the menu a la Big Star style (another one of my go-to's in the city) and a beer and sake list that was interesting and really affordable! Basically, this place was the best of all of my faorite worlds for an afternoon of eating. Tacos, sushi, grilled shrimp, sake, beer, and a really fun server. Oh, and the music was really cool too! I will definitely be heading out to enjoy the patio this summer and looking for many more reasons to head to Schaumburg again in the very near future. Kampai Tokio Pub!!
(5)
David N.
Went there last night after a little shopping with my wife and daughter. I had 2 sushi rolls, fair at best, my wife also had a sushi roll, same opinion. I think we will stick to real sushi houses like Tsukasa. My daughter had 3 tacos and again very fair. The restaurant had a nice decor but for the $100.00 it cost me there are much better places, doubt I will be back.
(2)
Allen B.
Sunday's Noodle Bowl special is delish. Their Tokio chopped salad, udon noodles in a ramen soup base, and a dessert for $15. Add either an egg or the braised pork to the noodles, or both! The rest of the menu isn't too special. I haven't tried the tacos, but that's the next thing on my list to try. 5/5 service, 4/5 food, 3/5 for $.
(4)
Sarah S.
Yummy fusion food, but a little pricey. Definitely a trendy hang out spot.
(4)
Christian M.
My family and I went here for the first time during their "happi hour" in which each item on the first page of the menu is half off.. The ambiance was nice, though the place was fairly empty. We selected from the happi hour menu and ended up ordering chicken and fish tacos, the ny strip hot rock, gyoza potstickers, godzilla and crazy dragon rolls, chicken wings, and the pork nachos. There was some confusion among our servers, with them initially bringing out only half of our orders mixed in with another table's food. Given this, they took back food from our table and brought out missing dishes from our order multiple times. Notwithstanding, we ultimately enjoyed our meal. Each dish met or exceeded our expectations, with the nachos and maki rolls being table favorites.
(4)
Angela Z.
I appreciate that this place is trying to be a city-type place, but the menu was just ok for me. I really was not a fan of that "crispy rice" with the sushi at all. Not trying to be mean but, it's basically a lump of deep fried starch that tastes kind of gross with the sushi in my opinion. I'm all for creativitiy but I would really prefer if they had some good rolls and fresh nigiri instead. I think that if they altered the menu here a little that the place has potential. The patio is cute and I like that it's open later than other places in the burbs. The service was very good as well. But for now the food and prices just don't match up for me. Although, the fish tacos were not half bad!
(3)
elizabeth m.
Food was excellent and they were able to accommodate my party of 10. Loved the fish tacos, pork belly nachos, and especially their ginger mojito! I really didn't mind it was connected to Shaw's or that is wasn't that big. It had a nice vibe going. I will definitely be back! I didn't give it 5 stars because nothing's perfect.
(4)
Emely S.
Nacho Taco is my favorite!! Wish they would bring back the sliders. The sliders were absolutely phenomenal.
(4)
Ed J.
The place was OK. The ambiance is hip and nice. Food-wise I thought it was expensive for what you get for. I had the tacos which were decent. My friend got the noodles. I could see this as a nice place to grab drinks with friends or a date. Service was good so I might give this place a try again and maybe try the sushi.
(3)
Carlos S.
I've lived in many cities around the world London, NY, Mexico City, Cologne....I know what good restaurants are with original food that makes you want to keep exploring the menu.....Tokio Pub brings that to the Chicago suburbs. Ever since I moved here from NY I've been looking for that special place that offers innovative flavors without having to drive all the way downtown. In an area crowded with chains and oversized menus with 10,000 calorie dishes I was glad to find a place that made me feel like I was in a cosmopolitan area while eating good food. Service was extremely friendly, flavors were original and surprising and the drinks were just awesome. I have a new favorite. Try it and you will be pleasantly surprised (unless you are the kind of person who thinks good food is a "cheesecake factory" sized plate that gives you a ton of food for your money)
(5)
Stefan K.
The outdoor seating area was a nice environment. Well as nice as you can be when your view is a parking garage or packing lot. But the overall place was nice. A big minus was the lack of restrooms, you have to hike over to Shaws next door. Servers were friendly, but the kitchen was rather slow. Still working out the bugs in the system maybe. The food was hit or miss. Not a fan of the edamame because it is just drenched in their oily sauce. The seasoning was good, but just too much oil. The portions were small in my opinion. I would recommend this place for a quick bite and a drink after a movie. Otherwise, there are many better places for sushi fusion type foods.
(2)
Zach T.
Tokio Pub is a little room off the side of Shaw's crab house. Their food is Asian fusion with a specialization on small plates and tacos. We split some tasty wings, then my wife had one of the crispy rice sushi plates that was very good, and I had a 5-taco combo. (be cool: they were very small tacos). The fish was far and away the best, if a little spicy. The chicken with kimchi was good and spicy. The shrimp was almost flavorless, as was the pork. We closed with the beignets. They were excellent. That and 2 drinks each put us back $70. It's a good alternative to what's in the area, and an intimate experience, but I wouldn't rush back.
(3)
Brian E.
Went to have a early dinner & to try the "robata-que", the best was the beginning which was a sunday special cocktail.Out of the 4 'rounds' of food the victory goes to chicken noodle soup, asian chopped salad & crispy pub potatoes.The meat dishes all tasted them same, Chinese 5 spice with a sugary soy glazed,It did not help that the meat dishes felt like they were at room temperature when eating them. cold pork nachos totally gross!! At the time of are service there were maybe 8 people in the place so the service was fine just not sure if it was meant to be a "slow pace" between rounds.maybe that's why some of the food was cold when it arrived at the table? Next time I would like to try the sushi or the $1 tacos but my past luck with a leye group restaurant not been good, 4 place's of disappointment & counting.
(2)
Scott K.
Went on a Sunday afternoon, quiet, but waitress was friendly. Food was very good. We sampled quite a bit. Cocktails a lil expensive, but overall we like our experience
(4)
Lauren R.
Can't go wrong great food!
(4)
Kelli Ann L.
Because we have no 1/2 stars, I am rounding up - based on a few things.....service can be a bit slow - but it is a fun and relaxed atmosphere...and BECAUSE we were waiting for some food - our server brought us refills on our mojitos - the ginger ones - and did not charge us - and the desert was yummy and free! Every thing we ate was tasty and good - not too much heat - but enough spice to make your mouth perk up - portions are small on everything but the sushi - but it is made for sharing. It is like a menu of alot of great appetizers. The bathrooms are pain because you have to go through Shaw's Oyster bar and then to the lobby and up some stairs...but heck - I enjoyed the food and it was great to sit outside in 80 degree weather under an awning - and they have heaters out there too - if it cools off - there are so few places around the area where you can eat outside that you would want to - and this was fun. :0)
(4)
Jessica G.
I'll give this place 3 stars for only being open for two days at the time we went there. We were greeted and seated promptly. Our server came to our table quickly and did a nice job of getting our drinks and getting our orders taken. We noticed that perhaps they need some help with teaching the correct way to pronounce some of the times but for two days, they didn't do too badly. Some of the food items were pretty good - the cucumber salad and the potato salad were fantastic, as were the fish and pork tacos. I also liked the fried tofu and the dipping sauce pretty well. The beignets, while kind of weird for a Japanese place, were quite yummy, as was the passion fruit ice cream. The Angry Chicken in the tacos were just so-so as were the spicy skewered shrimp. For things that were supposed to be spicy, the flavor just wasn't there, and we didn't love the pub wings - make them boneless with that sauce and I would probably eat a lot more of them. Also, the pork belly was too fatty according to those who ate it. We find it odd that the server didn't bring our food to us - random people did and not sure if they were ordinarily bussers but they were enthusiastic and did do a nice job of explaining what each item was. The other thing we would have liked to see is that the dishes come out when they are ready, not when everything in the round is done. Having gone to actual izakayas in Japan, this is how they do it there and it keeps the hot hot and the cold cold plus then people aren't sitting and waiting for things for longer periods of time. Most tapas places around do that, as well. We did think the service was quite good for the most part, even though one of the staff tried to take one of the beers off the table before my dining companion was done with it, which was a little weird. There is high potential for good things here. There are a few things that could be improved upon and we'll probably go back in a few months and see how things are going. Overall, a solid three-star start.
(3)
Tracey H.
Great food, great service. The nachos were scrumptious, and even better...they were FREE for checking in with Yelp when we arrived. Will return...
(4)
Joe S.
You won't likely find many (any) contenders in the area. We sampled a good portion of their menu. Original presentation and lots of nice touches throughout our experience. Crispy fried sushi and boom! potato salad were favorites.
(5)
Michelle W.
This was my second time at Tokio Pub and the food is still excellent. However, we sat at the bar this time and the service was definitely lacking. The bartender was not at all interested in how our food or drinks were but more interested in her friend at the end of the bar. I highly recommend the food here, I love everything but next time I would definitely sit at a table for better service.
(2)
Grace M.
This is a great tapas and drinks restaurant. I went with a fairly big group of 9 people and I don't know if it was because the place is small but we ended up waiting for a table for about 40 minutes? Anyways, the servers told us that the first round of drinks were going to be on them. UM....can you say SCORE?! The wait wasn't even that bad because we were all busy mingling with one another. After we finally got seated and the waitress told us that we could get 4 PITCHERS of their drinks for free. To better illustrate how great this was let me just say that a single serving of their sangria, yuzu margarita, mojito, or passion punch is around $7-8. A pitcher, if you so choose to order, for each of the drinks is $25. So we went there to get food AND drinks. The drinks were on them so we got 4 pitchers which would have been easily $100 for free. Ok....time for the food. The food was delicious. The barbecue sauce on the pork belly reminds me of the sauce us Filipinos use on our barbecues (the one on the stick). Again this place is tapas style so I really don't suggest going there if you hadn't eaten the whole day. Each plate cost $5-$8 I think? I say I think because like I said we received free pitchers. haha. They were very good and the waitress gave us free "1 item on the menu" cards for each of us after our dinner. We will be returning to Tokio Pub again.
(4)
John D.
I went to Tokio pub a few times now and its a great place to dine. The food is great and something new to try, the music good as well. The service was outstanding, our server Cat provided excellent service and made my experience there a great one. She was very fun and outgoing. As long with the rest of the staff was very pleasant. would recommend Tokio pub highly.
(5)
Nicole O.
I was shopping last week in the suburbs and was beyond thrilled to find Tokio Pub! Exhausted from a trip to Ikea and a bit worse for the wear, I stumbled upon this gem and now I can't wait to go back! The food was AMAZING- the menu is set up so you can try a lot of items even when dining solo....it was perfect! The flavors are sophisticated, the ingredients fresh, and the prices are reasonable. My server was so knowledgeable and guided me through the menu perfectly. I can't wait to go back and try the cocktails. Tokio Pub is the only spot for me in Schaumburg! PS- I also must mention the decor- I felt like I truly was in the City. Very hip and very comfortable!
(5)
Renee B.
Great little gem of a restaurant! My girlfriend and I popped in for lunch and drinks and we surprised how delicious everything was. The server, Charlotte made great suggestions. The food is small plates which is a great way to get to taste a little of everything.
(5)
Kate W.
The menu of this place made me drool. The food wasn't as great as I had hoped. The ginger mojitos were very yummy. We got an array of tacos, the nachos, and my friends got some sushi. The tacos weren't bad, nothing out of this world. The nachos were ok. My friends said the sushi was ok, nothing special. Overall it's not bad, but not worth the price.
(3)
Caitlin O.
I personally loved the interior design here more than anything - but that's not to say my food was bad! The pork belly nachos were utterly delicious, The crunchy sushi was a nice change of pace from my standard sushi options, much as I enjoy them - I like the texture change, it's unusual and quite good. As for dessert, the 3 mini creme brulees were absolutely fabulous - I particularly enjoyed the ginger, though both the orange and the lemongrass were subtle and tasty. All of the cocktails ordered were also amazing and shared between friends - I could drink endless amounts of that sake sangria! Service was prompt and friendly, pricing was a bit high but still very reasonable - it's essentially a short menu of Asian fusion tapas. We spent about $130 between 4 people, but that also included a fair chunk of drinks so it doesn't really surprise me at all. Will definitely be going back!
(4)
Mike B.
Went here for date night. Vibe was cool. Waitress was nice. Good beer selection and my wife lived the peach sangria. Food was pretty good. We really liked the tacos,especially the shrimp. The only problem was the kitchen. It is super slow. We went early (7:00 on Saturday). The place was not full. They had a ton of servers and managers running around but I still felt like it took forever to get food. The menu is almost Tapas style so my wife and I decided to try a bunch of different items. They were all very good,but it took almost 30 minutes to get each item so it really killed the flow of our experience. The food runners always seemed a little confused and were coming up to tables asking if the food they had was for them. I am guessing this could be fixed with some process improvement. Overall, great food but felt abandoned several times during the meal because the food took so long. Fix that and this is a 4/5 star joint.
(3)
Van K.
Great concept - love the atmosphere and the food! We went there not knowing what to expect as it is brand new place. I've seen good reviews on yelp and decided to give it a try. The service was exceptional - great happy staff welcomed us and we got a nice seat outdoor! The foods are served in tapas style-perfect bite size that goes well with wine, beer or cocktails! Perfect place to hang out with friend and have a great chat! Love the creme brule and salmon tartar! (hey, i think they share the same kitchen as shaw's -so you can bet they have really good seafood!) The whole management team is awesome! Leye - You guys always seem to come up with very innovative ideas!
(5)
Chad D.
Decent little place. Got the small tacos to share and a beer or two. Good stuff.
(4)
David C.
Just had my first experience at Shaw's Tokio Pub in Schaumburg. WOW!!! does not do enough justice to how wonderful everything was. It is a Tapas sort of menu, in that they are small plates to share and share we did. The menu was anything but traditional. We shared an assortment of tacos and an assortment of sushi rolls. We also enjoyed the the pork belly nachos and Tiger Shrimp. Lunch was topped of with the chocolate filled beignets. Sara the manager walked us through the menu making fantastic suggestions all along the way. If you have not been to Tokio Pub in Schaumburg, stop whatever you are doing and go right now!!!
(5)
Carmella M.
Went here for girls night out and was plesantly surprised. Right next to Shaw's and you have to go thru Shaws and use thier restrroms. Which is no big deal Small menu great mixed drinks and very nice atmosphere inside wasn't to crowded service was freindly and food was very tasty.
(4)
Jessica T.
Love this place. Love the Atmosphere. And the tacos are the SHIT!
(5)
Michael P.
Incredibly cool place, my wife and I love shaws anyway and this place is like cafe babareeba meets your favorite sushi place Would recommend the short ribs ad the spicy edamame If you like cool alcoholic beverages try the sangria with sake Will be back for sure
(4)
G B.
What a great addition to Schaumburg! After living downtown for 7 years, moving to the suburbs was hard...especially finding unique places to eat, and TPub was definitely a breath of fresh air! My friends and I really enjoyed everything ate, and the service was spectacular. My favorites would have to be ALL the cocktails, Lobster Crispy Rice, BBQ Braised Pork Nachos (YUM!), Acapulco roll, Crispy Pork Belly, and the Tacos are all delicious! Definitely a win for Lettuce Entertain You if you ask me.
(5)
Larry B.
went here yesterday in late afternoon. Small room attached to Shaw Crab house. Trying to sell itself an an izakaya but not so much. more of a hipster fusion place. ordered the potato salad which was a little bland and the potatoes were a little underdone. ordered 3 of the tacos which a tiny but tasty. had the pork belly with hoisin which is nice, the fish taco which is better and the crying tiger shrimp which was best, bathed in sri racha sauce. not a bad venue but you would need to eat a lot of these tacos if you were hungry. i would go back for an app but then go to Shaws for a more substatial meal.
(3)
Matt S.
Between a great waitstaff that is knowledgable, friendly and attentive and absolutely incredible food, Tokio Pub is one of my favorites! Taco Time is amazing as is everything else I've tried on their menu. It's a great part of Lettuce Entertain You and I'll continue to go back!!
(5)
Maria A.
Started with free potstickers from Yelp check in. These were quite tasty. Took advantage of the Sunday special-- for an additional $3, you get a bottomless bowl of ramen but you don't have to get the same flavor. You can sample all 3 flavors. Pork ramen was flavorful even after holding off on the kimchee and picking out the pickled ginger. Fried coconut bao was just okay. The chocolate filled beignets though were like crack! UPDATE: Had to knock off one star...came home after dinner and an hour later, fingers in both hands were tingling. Looked up and it's either because of too much sodium or MSG. Had to drink at least 64 ozs of water to get it to stop. It eventually went away after 4-5 hours.
(3)
Howard L.
They have selective half-priced appetizers and entrees here between 5 and 6 pm on weeknights. We had for dinner tonight: Shrimp tempura roll Grilled steak ramen bowl A three taco combo - crispy fish, crispy chicken, and barbecue pork Ramen burger This was the first time (and alas it will be the last time) that I tried a ramen burger ($11) and I learned that I much prefer a good conventional burger with a bread bun. The fried ramen just didn't have the right texture and taste with a beef patty. The large burger patty itself was just fine. The small tacos were ok at $1.50 each but would be pricey at the regular $3 price. The ramen bowl was fine, but we proactively asked them upon ordering to dilute the salt level down for us, and they did well for us on that front. Overall, an ok meal in a friendly comfortable setting, the kind of setting you expect in a LEYE franchise.
(3)
Jimmy W.
Stopped in for a little lunch... Started with the Skirt Steak Hot Rock. Overall it's ok, way too much basil marinade which killed the presentation and didn't really make you want to eat it. Like a small lake of watery green sauce on raw meat... How about spoon a little onto each slice of meat... Once cooked it was good enough but had to get a second rock for the last piece... Had the Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna. Not bad for a gimmicky snack... Finished with 3 tacos. Shrimp, Steak, & Chicken. At $3 ea not that great a deal for the small size. Quality was ok. If you've ever ben to Mercadito etc downtown you'll know what I mean. Others have said $1 taco hour or happy hour is the time to go and I'd have to agree. TP is different in it's offerings but I can't say it hits home for me personally. Nothing was bad here just so so. I had a couple beers and my bill was $44 out the door. I might go back if someone else wanted to go but it's not a destination for me. In a couple years I'll probably forget what it was like and return for a visit...
(3)
J C.
I went here for the first time for a last minute get together with close friends on a Friday afternoon. The lunchtime atmosphere was relaxed and somewhat comfortable - definitely trendy. We ordered a maki roll, a salad, chicken tacos and a very unique cook-the-meat-on-a-stone dish. All the dishes were pleasantly delicious and nicely presented. Our server was also very sweet with minimal interruptions which was appreciated. Initially, I felt the prices were a bit high for the portions of eacg dish. After trying the food, I didn't mind the cost at all. I look forward to my next experience at Tokio Pub in the near future!
(4)
Liz M.
The waiter was now very knowledgable at all or friendly. The tacos I got were cold as well. Felt claustrophobic in the restaurant as well and was not a pleasant experience. I wish their sushi menu was more extensive and they offered more Japanese dishes. Won't be returning.
(1)
Mike M.
I've been to Tokio Pub a couple times, but it seems like every time I go they change up their menu just a little bit. The menu seems more targeted these days, basically just offering various apps, sushi rolls, tacos, and ramen bowls. I thought I remember them in the past offering more entree style dishes. While it's a little limited, everything I've tried on the menu so far has been pretty tasty. I usually go later at night or on weekends, but I decided to meet up a friend for an earlier dinner on a random Monday. Lucky for us it turns out there were some killer deals when we went. We got there just in time for their happy hour, which means it's half off select items on their menu. Then half an hour later they said it was taco time and all tacos would be $1 for an hour. On top of that we got a free gyoza appetizer just for checking in on Yelp. For drink specials they had $5 cocktails. Can't beat dem deals. Food: I was in the mood for some ramen (when am I not?), and for the first time I had the unique opportunity to order ramen two ways: one in soup form, and also in burger form. Yea that's right, they were offering a ramen burger. Spicy chicken ramen - I'll be honest. I came in with lower expectations and was pleasantly surprised. I knew this place didn't specialize in ramen so I wasn't expecting them to be simmering pork bones for multiple days to achieve extreme depth in their broth. The noodles were on the thinner side and were pretty standard. The chicken was actually breaded and fried, and it even kept its crispy outside even though it was floating in the broth. The broth was actually pretty delicious too. It wasn't that rich, but it definitely wasn't bland. The broth had a thin texture, yet was flavorful and slightly spicy from the chili oil, with a good amount of saltiness too, which I personally like. It was basically just a tasty bowl of soup, and I can't really complain about that. Ramen burger - This is basically a hamburger that uses a chunk of compressed, pan-fried ramen noodles as the bun. It's definitely a unique concept I haven't seen at too many other places. I thought the actual ramen element was more of a gimmick than anything though. It didn't really add any distinct flavor to the burger or really remind me of ramen in any way. The outside of the noodle buns had a nice sear to it but for the most part the middle was soft and kind of mushy. I didn't think the ramen part was bad, just nothing special from a taste standpoint. In my opinion the real star is the actual burger patty. The meat was super tender and juicy and it had a nice molasses glaze that gave it a sweet/savory Asian spin to it. It was a pretty tasty burger that makes you curious enough to try at least once. Overall Tokio Pub is a solid place that has a modern and trendy atmosphere and offers a decent Asian fusion menu that is even better when there's a bunch of specials available.
(4)
Michelle M.
Happy hour is great for select 1/2 price sushi and ramen. Volcano roll is great if you enjoy spice and the ramen portions are very generous (expensive if not during happy hour). Do NOT let them seat you next to where the busboys put their bins of dirty plates, it is SO annoying and located next to a set of tables for some odd reason. Some of the tables are so close together that it makes you feel like you are dining with strangers. Service feels rushed each time as though the goal is to get you "in and out." Overall a nice quick happy hour stop, but would not waste your money on the experience or prices if you're not there for the specials.
(3)
Amanda M.
As others mentioned, it is a little confusing on where to go. We entered through the long walkway and into the side and we just waited by the bar area and were taken care of promptly. For a group of 4 on Saturday around 9pm, there were still a number of open tables. Our sever mentioned that she was new, so she didn't know much about the various beers, but she did offer samples so that was nice. My friend explicitly said he was GF when ordering, but she brought out regular soy sauce for his sushi dish. Good thing he asked. She was apologetic and brought out the GF soy sauce. I would think most people with dietary restrictions generally are cautious anyway, but that's still worrisome for mishaps like that. Anyways, I got the ramen burger, as I've never had it and for being quite a fad for awhile, I don't really know many places even in the city to have this. All of our food came out at an appropriate time. The ramen burger was quite greasy but I didn't mind. I thought it was a bit bland but also thought that it was as good as it was going to be. I'm glad I tried it and it wasn't bad by any means, but likely will not get it again. I tried boo's pork belly and the pork belly and pineapple skewers were quite yummy. The accompanied rice worked well with the dish. My friend's hot rock lost heat pretty quickly so he had to ask for another one. I feel like it is their responsibility to check on the hot rocks though. Overall, Tokio Pub is good for the area and one of the better options over there, but by no means is it amazing. Prices are fair though. I would like to try their ramen next time especially as it is $12 vs. average $16 bowls at places in the city, even mediocre ones.
(3)
Danielle S.
I have driven past Tokio Pub so many times, and have tried pretty much every place around it. Finally, I tried it for a belated birthday dinner. First, we started off with the Tauntaun, which was $5 that night. Speaking of which, they have some great appetizer/drink deals throughout the week! The Tauntaun is basically a moscow mule. Very good! We then shared the Japanese hot rock appetizer. I thought it was neat and definitely something I have never seen before. However, I think it's a bit overpriced for what you get, so I probably wouldn't do it again. We then had one of each of the tacos, and one of the sushi rolls. I wasn't impressed with the sushi at all, but the tacos were good (the Tiger Shrimp was the best). They are small, hence the reason why they are so cheap. Since it was my birthday, we got a free order of the Beignets. So good!! The service was very good throughout the night. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and helped us out through the night. I would come back, especially during a happy hour.
(4)
datarez z.
The spicy chicken ramen was very good and actually spicy. Nice craft beer selection and Alice was great!
(5)
Christine L.
Came here on a Monday night to meet with some friends for dinner. Wasn't really sure where to go after we had walked in, and even after entering the restaurant it was a little confusing as there wasn't a host stand. I ended up walking all the way through to Shaw's, realized I was no longer in Tokio Pub, and then walked all the way back and asked the guy behind the bar who was very friendly and seated me immediately. We made use of the check-in offer (free gyoza!) and I ordered the ramen burger, have to try it once in my life, right? The gyoza was okay. The ramen burger was good, but I'm not sure is get it again. The burger itself and the toppings were great, the ramen part I wasn't really a fan of. They are thinner than your typical ramen noodle and so do have the same "al dente" bite and they were a bit bland. Like it could use a packet of ramen seasoning sprinkled on top, although that might be a bit excessive. Overall the experience was good, food was okay. I would check it out again.
(3)
Jaci Y.
Not too bad we had a Tokio Pub coupon from the lettuce entertain you booklet $10 off our tab. I ordere their SLOW-BRAISED PORK IN FUKUOKA BROTH and their NACHO TACO with barbecue-braised pork and salsa guacamole. Can I say YUM on the Nacho Tacos it was good. I liked the Ramen but I didn't love it. Our waitress was very nice and moved our table to a bigger one as we had more guest arriving to join us for lunch. Props to the entire staff for being friendly and accommodating for us.
(4)
Kristina K.
It is my 100th review and I was hoping to save it for a place that was 5 star worthy. Well, whatever, I am over it. My friend and I decided to go to Tokyo pub for brunch as we talk about visiting all the time but never do it. I liked the decor. It was trendy. Small joint connected to Shaws but very cute. They have a closed patio which was heated but nobody was there. I want to go and visit it in the summer. My friend had a mixture of tacos and I had the ramen steak soup. She loved her tacos, they were bite size and fit for barbies but hey she was happy. I liked my steak soup but I didnt love it. I think i would have loved it had it not been so salty. It had so many fun ingridients and presented gorgeously. Thumbs up on that. The mimosas were fantastic too. I am definitely going back. I just dont know why I didnt visit before.
(3)
Alina S.
Super delish! Can't wait to go back and try more. Although the service was a bit slow (and they didn't offer a free dessert for a bday, they just placed 2 candles around the bag of beignets I ordered as my dessert- so I had to share, boo) all in all we had a great dinner to celebrate a family bday. We ordered an assortment of tacos to start. I had the shrimp and it was wonderfully seasoned. The perfect spice level. The pork belly ones I hear were great too. The chicken ones weren't anything to write home about and just tasted like a chicken tender on a taco I heard my Bf say. I went for some sushi as my entree. The best roll was the Acapulco roll and the rest (California, Godzilla, and Lemon Lime) were nothing special. I did grab a bite of the steak skewer entree and the filets were perfectly cooked and seasoned as well. The beignets I ordered for dessert were tasty. Not too sweet on the outside and filled with an almost a bit bitter but sweet chocolate syrup. Yummmmmy!
(4)
Joe J.
My girlfriend and I were leaving GameWorks last night and wanted dinner, but weren't sure where to go. As both Big Bowl and Tokio Pub were within view, we debated between those two options. We finally decided to try Tokio Pub as it looked a but more modern/hip, and I'm glad we did. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food was delicious. My lady tried one of the ramen bowls, which was huge and looked beautiful upon its arrival. She said it was delicious, and based on appearances, I wasn't surprised. I ordered the pork belly yakitori and was similarly pleased. The skewers of alternating pineapple and pork belly presented an amazing flavor combination, and the fried rice served with an egg on top made for a tasty companion. Add in a nice selection of beers and complimentary "beignets" (really more like donut holes full of chocolate sauce) for dessert, and it was a wonderful experience all around. We will definitely be back!
(5)
J F.
Good food, great service! Ordered taco combo, ramen soup, and sushi...all good. Minor miscue on our drink order; manager apologized profusely and more than made up for the mistake. Customer for life!
(5)
Nick M.
Love the music here. Very hip and low key place to meet for food. My fiance and I went here yesterday for lunch. We were craving sushi and we've always wanted to try it here. We ordered the sweet potatoe maki roll and the spicy tuna roll. Both of which were very good. As a side we also order three smalllll tacos which were $3 each (too expensive).
(4)
Peter R.
Ramen burger. A burger with ramen noodles serving as the buns. That is slightly peculiar, but the result is undeniably splendiferous. This and the BBQ pork belly nachos are my two favorite things on the menu here. The tacos are also good in their own right, but the ramen burger is my main squeeze. This spot is connected to Shaw's in Streets of Woodfield, and it is a favorite lunch time and after work spot for me and the Voltron crew. I work in EGV and don't mind the short mini trek to this awesome spot in Schaumbeezy.
(4)
Marie H.
Love this place. I'm not s big seafood person so I love that there are plenty of good "land" options. The hot rock appetizer is one of my favorites, especially the skirt steak with the spicy Thai basil. Had the Marinated Chicken Yakitori this time. The chicken, scallions, and rice together is a perfect bite. Yum! And we have always had the great service. My only complaint would be the loud music, but I like a quieter eating environment.
(4)
Sandra Y.
I came here today with 2 other people for lunch. It was our first time here so we ordered a little of everything to try. Our server was super nice & helpful. Make sure you check in for free gyoza! :) Maybe it was the lunch menu, so it was a small menu? Maybe it's just always like that. I'm not sure. We ordered the Japanese hot rock filet mignon, gyoza, crying tiger shrimp tacos, crispy fish tacos, lemon lime rainbow roll, slow-braised pork in fukuoka broth (ramen), & then beignets for dessert. The Japanese hot rock filet mignon was as fun as it was tasty. It was nice to be able to cook it for as long as you like your steak cooked. Med rare for me, of course! It seemed like the rocks lost heat really quickly tho. The second time around, it was hot, but not sizzling hot. Also, they knew 3 people were eating and they only brought 2 rocks. Hmm... but they did bring me one right away after I asked. It also came with a dipping sauce trio thing with pickled ginger cucumber, salt, & some dipping sauce.. not sure what was in it. The order comes with 5 pieces of filet & the extra piece we ordered was $2. Gyoza was ok. It was free so I can't complain. The tacos were small, but very good. We ordered one for each person, but I easily could've eaten them all by myself. Literally 2-3 bites for one taco. They both had a spicy kick to them. The tiger shrimp was huge! The tacos were my favorite of the things we ordered. The lemon lime rainbow roll was just your typical roll. It had tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and crab. The slow-braised pork in fukuoka broth was a ramen. My problem with ramen is that it's usually really bland. I haven't really found one that I like yet. This was not much different. It had kimchi in it, so it kinda felt like I was eating at home. Watered down, overcooked ramen with kimchi that has been washed. If you're korean, you'll know what I mean. Other than that, I didn't like it that much. It was just ok, no flavor. Last we got the beignets. They were filled with chocolate & they were tiny! Nothing special. Mostly everything was really good (half was good, half was ok), just the portions were on the small side & seemed pricey for the portion size. I'd still come back tho. Maybe when they have $1 tacos since those were so good, but I'll bet it gets super busy those days, plus parking must be a nightmare.
(3)
Valerie A.
Was seated by a very nice hostess tonight right away. She brought us water but that was about all we got. Sat for about 10 mins on the patio before walking into the bar to state we have not had service and would just like to sit at the bar were the seats were open .... but ended up beings occupied. We over heard the table next to us talking about the extremely slow service. We decided to spend our money down the street at granite city.
(1)
Ashley A.
Since my first time here, I have been back several times and always enjoy dining at Tokio Pub. I must say it is one of my favorite Lettuce Entertain You restaurants! It always seems to be crowded, even on weeknights, but I think that's a good sign that they are bringing in business. I love the tacos (all of them), especially during Taco Time! and the Hot Rock entrees. Always a pretty decent craft beer selection. I absolutely love the decor, hanging lights & designs on the walls. The patio is really cute & romantic. I'm glad I gave this place a second (and third and fourth...) chance because I really do like this place. Actually have reservations for tonight!
sunday ramen endless bowls...so yum! They have three kinds -try all three. Chicken ramen came with a spicy broth that had depth and character. It is definitely spicy for those who can't take spice (I personally liked it alot) guaranteed to sweat, but its a good heat. Steak/beef served with a soy based broth was a little strange as the flavors don't quite fit with a ramen bowl -tasty on a taco though. And of course winner winner is the pork, classic rich thick broth and well prepared pork. I downed the entire bowl of broth. I could have the broth as my breakfast lunch and dinner. Noodles were somewhat clumpy on some of the bowls we tried though, so there is some improvement to be had. When I feel like a little ramen, it helps to have a little more variety for just a few bucks more for the Sunday special. Yelpers get something just for checking in. Service is good and friendly, informative and knowledgeable servers. Other items that I enjoy include tacos (a bit on the small end, but each is a burst of flavor!). Two bites each taco for my chomping. Each week Tokio has taco night hour $1 tacos, must order either in 3's or 5's. Goes down great with a Sapporo.
(4)
Christopher K.
I can't say I've had this thought often... But if I could give more than 5 stars it would be reserved for Tokio Pub Few times in my life have I had a dinner experience where the actual experience is what I remember. My time at Tokio was one of those expertly crafted evenings. Each month Tokio has special events. Last night was their 4 year anniversary party. 4 courses, 4 drinks, $45. Each course, each drink, wowed my table and brought the dining experience to a whole new level. The play on normal foods was elegant and sophisticated while being fun and whimsy. A lot of courses menu's get bogged down by trying to show up the previous course, this wasn't that. Each dish offered something new to the meal. We started with Thai Nachos and sparkling sake, followed by a dish called Tuna Butterfly in a Spring Field and a citrus cocktail, and then the main course was Bacon and Egg Ramen with a glass of Beaujolais, and to wrap up the evening we had a Birthday Cake Egg Roll with a cake batter booze shake! In addition Tokio had $5 handcrafted cocktails so we tried a few of those. My favorite is The Local, which is few gin, koval rose hip, social sparkling sake, cream of coconut, basil, fresh lemon juice, and like nothing I've ever had before. Needless to say I will be back to Tokio, and my group already made reservations for their next event, their Beer Dinner on May 18th! Did I mention that for attending the event we each got a $40 gift certificate for next time? Really Tokio can't be beat. Check it out and fall in love like I did!!!
(5)
B R Hungry X.
Good deals, food is hit or miss. Call it good about 60% of the time. Sushi is decent, ramen is a good but a bit salty for my palette. Tacos are a great deal when you go for happy hour or $1 taco days. Fish tacos are one of our favorites, Hub likes the pork tacos. Dessert has good prices too. Need to get the s'mores when you go! Best dessert ever. Not sure we'd come here for full price, maybe once in awhile. Want to try the robata sometime.
(3)
Brittany M.
Looking for something tasty and relatively fast before the movies. Couldn't decide between Tokyo Pub and Big Bowl. But then Tokyo Pub smelled much more appetizing and there was no wait. Service was super friendly and knowledgable. I ordered the pork BBQ nachos.. Delicious!! My boyfriend ordered the spicy ramen bowl which was also good if you really love the flavors of sesame and soy. Overall great experience, great food, interesting menu. I would definitely go back and try the crazy dragon roll.
(4)
Stan P.
Dodd was great service was Amine fabulous as well. The soups are soooo good. Appetizer of pot stickers, and spicy tuna roll were perfect as well.
(5)
Linh L.
Had a fun girls night out here. We were in the area and decided to stop by. I loved our server. She was fun, relaxed, and wasn't bothersome. (I can't stand it when servers come back just because they're bored.) Good drinks and small bites. The ramen burger wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be crispy. I guess it's because they look like the packaged instant noodles.
(5)
Chelsea D.
The service we received on 06/13/15 was tremendously better than back in February. I made a reservation on Open Table for 6:30pm and we were seated right away after checking in with the hostess (who could have been a bit friendlier). I included my seafood/shellfish allergy in the comments/requests area on OT which was passed along to our waiter, Kevin. He politely introduced himself and was considerate in getting all the details about my allergy before asking what we wanted to drink. He let us take our time in ordering and was knowledgable about the menu when we asked for recommendations. He always made sure to check on us to see if we needed anything else and refilled our water without asking. We ordered 1 of the Japanese Hot Rock skirt steak with spicy thai basil appetizers that comes with 5 slices of skirt steak. You cook the meat yourself on a hot stone and watch it sizzle (which is cool because it is a smaller version of kbbq "all you can eat"). We each got our own hot stone. You also get house-made marinades, cucumber salad, and hot mustard sauce. We also ordered the chicken and pork Potstickers that comes with ginger sesame vinaigrette. This is your basic potstickers, which you can buy frozen and in bulk at Costco and cook at home yourself, so it's honestly not worth the money for 5 pieces. For our entrees, we got the filet mignon Yakitori with grilled crimini mushrooms in a spicy soy-garlic glaze. It also comes with a sunny side up egg on a delicious bed of fried rice. This is highly recommendable! My boyfriend also ordered the Tauntaun cocktail which is 42 below (vodka), pok pok thai basil, fresh lime juice, and goslings ginger beer. He said it was refreshing and he could barely taste the vodka. Kevin said it is one of the most popular cocktails. We also ordered food to go for my parents and we got 1 of each taco, the marinated chicken Yakitori, and the ramen burger. My boyfriend said he would go back for sure for the ramen burger - angus beef, soy "molasses" mizuna, green onion, all in between two ramen "buns," and a side of cucumber salad. Thanks to Amanda Roche for welcoming us back to Tokio Pub. It was worth trying again.
(4)
Femme C.
We ordered sushi, edamame, and tacos. Our server Emine was very sweet and helped us guide through the menu and provide a recommendation. I ordered a beverage not on the menu as they use the bar at Shaw's too. So, if you see something you like not on the menu, ask. My gf ordered the nacho tacos which they are fame for, you can mix and match. I went with the sushi which was yummy.
(5)
Brian B.
We enjoyed this place well enough. Maybe a little pricey but was a fun night out. Sorta trendy hip background music and fairly dark inside. This place is more of an appetizer joint rather than full complete entrees. We started with two of the different marinated steak slices that you drop onto a searing hot rock they bring you to quickly cook them and that was fun. Then tried two different sushi rolls which were very fresh and decent. The had one each of the little tacos. Those were real good. Especially the fish and ginger beef tacos. Then finished with the calamari which I really liked. We did a pitcher of the pub tea drink that was good but steep at $25. Pretty large bill for two people considering it was not exactly a lot of food portion. But still we liked the place and may try it again in the future.
(4)
Isabel K.
food was good - my rock was cold and service needed some help will return - great taco promos!!
(3)
Rose D.
The management invited us to come back and give them another chance and we finally made our way back to the mall area. We came on a Friday night and they were busy but the service was quite good (4-stars for service). On this visit the timing of our various courses came out at appropriate intervals and the service was attentive & timely. Even though there is a bottle of water on the table we never filled our water glasses ourselves and someone else was already doing it for us. Some of he food, however, could have definitely been better (2-4 stars ranging for the food) so I'll split the difference and settle on 3-stars overall. We started with the Sweet Potato Tempura Roll which was both our fave - a different & vegetarian take on a sushi roll that was quite tasty. For the entrees we ordered the Ramen Burger and 5-tacos (2 fish, 2 nacho & 1 shrimp). The Ramen Burger is a novelty and while the burger itself was cooked & seasoned perfectly, with a delicious glaze on it, the ramen "bun" really had no flavor and I would have rather had a regular bun that would hold up better and allow for more toppings on the burger. The tacos came on this platter with metal holders to keep each individual taco upright and I would have thought perhaps the metal would have been warmed to help keep the tacos warm longer but it was not and by the time just 1 taco of the 5 were consumed the other 4 were just luke warm...so the final 3 tacos were pretty much cold by the time they were eaten (and my husband is a quick eater so it's not like he was dilly-dallying eating them). He said the nacho taco had the best flavor. The fried fish taco seemed like a small frozen fish stick they fried and the fish had a bit of an off-flavor...as if frozen too long or fried in oil that needed to be changed. He liked the shrimp taco but it only had 2 shrimp on it (these tacos are smaller but only 2 shrimp seemed a bit sparse even for the small size) and they had the tails on so you had to remove the tails and then put the shrimp back on the taco before you could eat it - seemed a bit odd. For dessert we tried the Coconut Bao which came with ice cream & the Coconut Bread Pudding. The Coconut Bao was quite small in comparison to the giant piece of bread pudding - granted the bread pudding is $1 more than the bao. Both tasted quite good, though the bread pudding could have used some sort of sauce.
(3)
Sendizzy S.
In a nutshell, it's the go-to Happy Hour ramen place in the area. For being part of a chain restaurant they have a unique feel. Their menu draws in flavors primarily from Asia but fused with Latin dishes and drinks. I recommend this place for any work outing. Also worth mentioning is their indie music selection playing in the background; always a good array. The only downfall is that it doesn't have its own restroom. Patrons have to go through Shaw's to get to it.
(4)
Emery C.
Amazing food! I recently discovered this place about three months ago and I'm pretty sure I've been here about 12 times ever since. Their ramen burger is usually my go-to but last time I got one of their spicy chicken ramen bowls... Unreal, this is a must try place!
(5)
Ali N.
Sushi is very nice . I ordered tune spicy tuna roll, marinated chicken, it was ok chicken nothing surprising We ordered ramen noodles bowl, it was ok too Nothing exciting
(3)
Mike F.
The Ramen Burger is the best burger ever! It was super delicious! Alice the bartender was also the best ever!
I had a very pleasant experience at Tokio Pub today. My server, Kevin, has been very attentive and informative. I came at a very good time: Sunday is bottomless Ramen, and from 5:00-6:00pm is $1 tacos. I ordered the Grilled Steak in Soy-Ramen broth noodle bowl first. The broth was a little salty for my taste, but they don't skimp on the meat and veggies. I also ordered the Slow-Braised Pork in Fukuoka Broth: AWESOME. I really appreciated the fatty cuts of pork; the fat is the best part of any meat in my opinion. Taking advantage of happy hour, I decided to try the tacos. I ordered a crispy chicken, steak, nacho (with BBQ braised pork), and crispy fish. All of them were great, but my favorites are definitely the crispy fish and the nacho. AMAZING flavor with both. And the beignets are a MUST. They're not beignets in the traditional sense; they're more like donut holes with a dark chocolate filling. But they're sugary amazing goodness. Treat yourself. I look forward to coming again to try the Ramen Burgers and hot rock appetizers. Give them a try! And ask for Kevin as your server, he's great. :-)
(4)
Ericka L.
So whenever I come here I just eat like a big fatty. Get the coconut curry soup...you'll want it fed to you intravenously from now on. Love the potstickers...and you get a free order of them when you check in with your Yelp app! Crispy fish and chicken tacos? YUM! Tiger shrimp tacos? YUM AND PREPARE TO BREATHE FIRE Yep...usually all in one sitting. Also be on the lookout for their Taco Time. You have to follow them in Twitter or Facebook in order to see when the next one is. Taco Time is one hour where all tacos are $1 each...trust me...that's a heavenly deal.
(5)
Josh G.
I'll preface this review that you should not trust maps to get you to this place. I honestly did not know I kept getting told to enter via Higgins Road, where that was not possible unless you went through the Streets of Woodfield, which you need to do to get to this place. I spent about 20 minutes trying to find this place as I was meeting some friends after work here. Needless to say, it is in the same building as Shaw's Crab Shack and I should've looked this up prior to coming in Friday night traffic. I was surprised that this place wasn't more busy at 6 P.M. on a Friday night, but it definitely picked up the pace as the night went on. If you're coming later than 7 P.M. on Friday, I'd recommend getting reservations. Like other reviews have already mentioned, it is a bit quirky of an entrance as it takes you to an indoor/outdoor place before proceeding to inside the restaurant to be seated. Make sure to enter by the Tokiopub sign otherwise, you'll be going to Joe's Crab Shack and have to walk all the way to the other side of the building. My friends were already here about 25 minutes prior to me showing up, so they already ordered some great appetizers off their "Happi Hour" menu. I had the Shrimp Tempura, which I was rather impressed with. I put too much wasabi on my tempura and it burned the whole way down. I thought it was great and well done. I followed that by ordering a variety of Tacos. The tacos were great, but I probably should've gotten something else as it was not as filling as I'd hoped it would be. If you're hungry, get a ramen bowl. Those things are huge and will get the job of satisfying your hunger. Three people ordered the Ramen bowl and no one finished it. They ended up boxing it and taking it home. This place had a hip/fun atmosphere and felt very trendy in a good way. I would also come back to this place again as well. The service we had was also very good and attentive.
(4)
Jillian M.
Even been at Woodfield and think "Hmmm I want sushi". Well this place is NOT for you! Pretentious hipster version Perhaps... Bland over priced and maybe 5 sushi choices. Great if you want to be ironic and have a "cool" place to tag yourself in on Facebook. Fish tacos were a fish stick in a tortilla. Crazy dragon roll was presented well and had the most flavor so for that alone they get 2 stars. Shrimp tempura roll was bland and over stuffed with lettuce garnish to fill it. Just terrible. If you're legit hungry, don't go.
(2)
Lily F.
After an hour of deciding where to eat, my friend and I decided to come to Tokio Pub to try it out after hearing great things from Yelp. We loved how simple, yet diverse the menu was. It's not a typical sushi or Japanese restaurant. They have a few special rolls, ramen, tacos, and some other unique food items, including the ultra cool hot rock where you can cook your own ahi tuna or steak. We received our free gyoza after checking in on Yelp (woot!) and also ordered the volcano roll and the ahi tuna hot rock as starters. The volcano roll didn't taste like anything similar to the volcano rolls I've had, but not in a bad way. Instead of crawfish mixed in creamy sauce on top of some California rolls, their version was a lot lighter, with little pieces of fried pieces of red peppers on top of a tuna roll. The hot rock ahi tuna was fun and amazingly tasty and the gyoza was simply delectable. The dumpling skin wasn't too thick and the accompanying sauce wasn't too sweet. We ordered the pork ramen and crying tiger shrimp tacos with some hot sake for our entrees. Even looking back at it now, there is nothing to complain or even nitpick at. The ramen had a great broth and I loved the kimchee that they added. Overall, I had a memorable meal and would love to come back.
(5)
Meatdowntown C.
Reasonable prices and great flavors. I love the simplicity of the menu. The shrimp tacos were just okay, but the steak ones were pretty good. We also ordered the pork ramen and the beef ramen. Definitely the beef ramen was more fun and flavorful. I would have preferred if they have different types of noodles for the ramen options. The fried rice and skewer "Yaki something" was very decent. The volcano sushi was the star of the night. It was simply excellent but you must tolerate hot and spicy. The coconut bread pudding was very very good. I will definitely come back.
(4)
Melanie S.
*Review for Happy Hour only* Happy Hour (M-F from 5-6) at Tokio Pub is a great deal, but probably the only reason I'd come here. Several appetizers are priced at 50% off, which is a good thing, because I would have felt kind of ripped off paying full price. Normally I'm never in Schaumburg on a weekday at this time, but I was in the area taking my niece for a driving lesson on Memorial Day, so I was able to take advantage. Let's face it: after taking a 16 year old out driving, I needed many drinks. On Mondays, most of the cocktails are only $5, so coupled with specially-priced apps, it's a no-brainer. Drinks are Asian-inspired (many have sake) and are tasty and drinkable. I really liked the Tokio Rose. We ordered two sushi rolls: the shrimp tempura and the spicy tuna. Both were large and plenty to share, and considering the portion size, probably the best value on the 50% off menu. We also tried the ahi tuna and filet mignon "hot rock." Comes marinated and raw, and then you cook it on the hot rock. Really tasty, but I would never pay $10 (full price) for such tiny portions. Tacos were excellent too, but at $3/each, you'd be crazy to order them at any time other than Happy Hour or Taco Time. The service was great, the food was good. I especially liked the chocolate beignets we brought home. All in all, I enjoyed Tokio Pub, but I can't imagine coming here and paying full price without feeling cheated. Having said that, it's definitely worth coming here for Happy Hour. You'll eat some tasty viddles without breaking the bank.
(3)
Angela P.
Happy hour. 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 50% off most appetizers and small plates. Why haven't you bookmarked this place yet? Why haven't you BEEN here yet? We loved everything we ordered. Two of us shared five tacos, two sushi rolls, BBQ nachos, and potstickers. Total? $55, which also includes two cocktails. We weren't charged for the tacos, but it's still an absolute STEAL. I love that we were able to order a bunch of different things and share at such a low price. The sweet potato roll, spicy tuna roll, and BBQ nachos were my favorites. My friends offered me a glass from their pitcher of sangria, and I soon learned that I should never turn down sangria, because you'll get that cross-eyed, "are you fcking crazy?" look from your friends. I actually just really wanted to browse the cocktail menu. I had the Tokio Rose cocktail which had St. Germain and...who cares what else was in it, it has St. Germain! I also had my eye on the Ginger Mojito. Maybe next time. The inside of this place is definitely on the trendy list. Not too bright, not too loud, and busy but not too crowded. I'd come back here for a girl's night, date night, or if I just needed some damn food and a cocktail after a particularly stressful day. When we arrived at 5:00 p.m., the place was nearly empty. We left just before 7:00 p.m., and it was bustling! I don't know if it was me just being a nervous nancy about getting out on time (needed to be at a Whole Foods event at 7!) or if it really did take a few extra minutes to get us our checks and swipe our credit cards. Nevertheless, make sure that if you've got somewhere to be when it's busy that you give yourself a few extra minutes to cash out. They were also very accomodating with our semi-large group and had no qualms with splitting the checks, which is awesome!
(5)
Rebecca C.
With so many Asian/Pan-Asian/Japanese/Ramen/Sushi style places inundating and crowding the landscape in and around Chicago, Tokio Pub is one of the many. Like most of them, they're all starting to blend into an abyss that's more America does Japanese Sushi rolls, come taste the rolls we have! Well, we did, only we didn't try Tokio Pub's rolls. After awhile, the fad is redundant. A friend and I dined there for lunch on a Saturday. We first split a "Simple Salad," which translates to "don't bother." At $7, the handful of radicchio with some avocado and a sprinkling of seeds, seemed more appropriate for a side salad included with a meal, than a salad standing alone. Anyways, my friend ordered the chicken Yaki, I ordered the 5 taco sampler and we shared both. The chicken was excellent, albeit salty, but just enough to be tasty. The "vegetables" were limited to green onions, which was disappointing, but somewhat expected. The rice that came with the dish was delicious, but also had enough salt going on to disinfect the mouths of a day's patients at the dentist. The taco sampler was delicious. While they were kind of small, especially for $15, each taco was loaded and filling. With a decent sized doggy bag, we shared the Beignets since Hanna H guaranteed they were fantastic - which they were. Served a bit kitschy, in a paper bag, the 4 little donuts melt in your mouth and are loaded with freshness and flavor. If there weren't so many similar venues, I would maybe give an extra star. Since there are way too many copycats, and this is one of the LEY places that's not exceptional over the rest, I give them 3 stars. For service, definitely 4 or 5 stars. That is where they DO shine.
(3)
Jennifer L.
My mom picked this place for Sunday brunch to celebrate some sort of holiday in the spring. Perhaps it was Mother's Day or the April birthdays (mine, hers and my father's). My memory escapes me. We had planned on going elsewhere, but she backed out since she didn't want to trek out into the city, which is understandable. The pub isn't very large and had a minimalist chic look to it. I definitely enjoyed the dark wood tables and clean lines. The prices for brunch were fairly reasonable, with the most expensive item being $15. However, the menu was a little odd to me. It's definitely not your traditional brunch. You will not find a simple eggs, hash browns, sausage/bacon plate here. Instead, you will see something called a french toast "maki" on the menu, which is a tempura french toast with bananas foster sauce, kiwi and mango. If that's not out of the box; then I don't know what is. I was so intrigued by it and almost got it, but the tempura wasn't sitting too well with me. So, I chickened out and got the crispy fish tacos, which are $3 each. You can order 3 or 5. And, you can mix and match tacos. They also offer chicken, steak, pork and shrimp. A chipotle remoulade was atop the tacos. And, by golly, was it spicy! Again, my tolerance for spice is low, but I was really feeling it with the sauce. The price, for what it was worth, was good and the portion size was just right - not too large or too small. Those with larger appetites would be best off ordering five tacos. Don't skip out on the chocolate beignets for something sweet after your meal. For $4 you get 5 of them and can take them home if you don't devour them there. I definitely recommend ordering more if you've got sugar monsters (such as myself) in your party. Those people will probably want a bag (or two) all to themselves! Unfortunately, service wasn't the greatest and was slow since there were only two waitresses working. It was also pretty cold inside, which was strange since the outer enclosed patio area was heated. You get a free gyoza appetizer if you check in on Yelp. Just make sure your server take it off. It was on our bill so we had to kindly ask her to remove it, which she did without issue. Oh, and it's connected to Shaw's so you'll have to go there to use their bathroom, which is upstairs. Overall, decent brunch, but I definitely would be hard-pressed to come back and don't think I would unless someone else really wanted to dine here.
(3)
Nicolette H.
Such an awesome place. I love that the restaurant is smaller in size and more intimate. Great cocktails- The Local was AMAZING. It has gin, sake, cream of coconut and ginger as ingredients. As some highlights: the pork belly was the best thing I had there. Ahi Tuna was also excellent quality, and the volcano roll was delish. I find myself suggesting this place when going out with a few friends or on a date. The service is always great, but this past Friday, I had one of the best servers I've ever had. I wish I caught his name, but he recently moved here from LA and was working in the area close to the bar. He was so helpful, guided us through the menu, was very attentive without being overbearing. I'll be requesting him again. Love this restaurant.
(5)
Chris K.
Not worth it. The restaurant seems like an afterthought and just through it up with the extra space from Shaw's. The layout is awkward and the entrance looks like your walking into a closed bar and then enter by the kitchen. The food is overpriced for the portions and very bland for a Japanese/Mexican flare restaurant. The staff is kind of useless when selecting a dish because everything is good. Also, he was too busy talking about himself, so I took the bottle of water opened it and started refilling glasses of water for the table.
(1)
Genevieve L.
Tokio pub is actually connected to Shaws. Portions are smaller and meant to be more like tapas but the food is good. The drinks are also strong. Good place to relax after a long day of work
(4)
Claire N.
We have been here twice in the last 3 months and it has been amazing both times. The pork tacos are so good, as are the pork nachos! It's the same pork on both, so I highly recommend trying one or both of them. We have also tried the sushi rolls and calamari. The spicy tuna roll was so good - awesome sauce on it and great quality. The calamari was super awesome too, but I think next time I would ask for the sauce on the side - although it's really good, it started to make the calamari a little mushy as you got to the bottom and after it had saturated for awhile. We also tried the hot rock filet as an appetizer. That was something new for me and I loved it! It's fun AND tasty! The mojito they have is super good too (and not skimpy on the alcohol)! Overall, this place is a must-try, especially if you live in the Schaumburg area!
(5)
Nick B.
Came here for the first time the other day to enjoy a quiet dinner with my girlfriend. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. The food was great, our waitress was nice and the soundtrack was catchy. After looking at the prices on the menu, I was a bit scared, but our final bill was way less than I thought it was going to be. They also have specials on both Yelp and Foursquare (free stuff connoisseurs, rejoice!) Will definitely be returning.
(5)
Megan T.
We really enjoy eating here. On Sundays they have all you can eat Ramen bowls and different specials each night. The music and atmosphere is nice and my two little ones like it here too. Most of the waiters are nice, however every now and then we get a grumpy girl. I LOVE the crunchy shrimp. The menu is simple and pretty customizable because it is simple. Recommend giving it a try.
(4)
Griff M.
Made a reservation for this place! We were seated in the back room, all by ourselves. My wife and I were totally ok with it because it was quiet! Waitress took our drink order and was very polite in walking us through the menu. After she left, the manager came over to our table. He said that he had a perfect spot that opened up in the main dining room and apologized for seating is in the back room! After we moved, he proceeded to buy us a round of drinks and dessert! My wife and I were thrilled. We had the tacos and a sushi roll and all were delicious!!!! The wait staff was so attentive and absolutely amazing!! This was our first time there and we will be going back soon. A+++++++++++
(5)
Jeremy W.
Just finished my first visit to Tokyo Pub and was very satisfied. The food was excellent and our server, Chris, was very helpful with our meal choice. I had the dragon roll and rainbow roll. Both were delicious. I also tried the bang bang calamari from my mom's plate and it was one of the best calamari I've had in awhile. I will definitely come back and recommend this place to friends.
(5)
Russell K.
Absolutely fantastic. (Oh and if you can't find it, it's attached to Shaw 's) Enjoy.
(5)
Michelle T.
Love the vibe and the general coolness of this place! The sushi is excellent and they have killer Sangria. The staff always have fun welcoming personalities and they make your time with them enjoyable. Check it out! One of our favorites!!
(5)
Sarah S.
An update to say Tokio Pub has completely won me over - I'm completely obsessed. Their happy hour is 5-6 each day and they have a TON of food that is half off during that hour including maki rolls. Their sweet potato tempura roll fulfills my need for orange poe-tah-toe rolls and has spinach tempura crumbs on the outside. I absolutely love that little touch. Every roll I've tried at Tokio Pub is phenomenal and during happy hour they are just $4-5!!! It really doesn't get better than that in the pricing department. I'm always pushing everyone to Tokio Pub for their amazing happy hour - and on Tuesdays it gets even better! Half price bottles of wine all day. They have a sweet Snapdragon Riesling that I get every time for $14. Fantastic deal! The best part about Tokio Pub is their outdoor patio. It's the perfect spot for a nice weather day happy hour. Plus, I've had amazing service every single time I've gone.
(5)
Mykil G.
One wonderful little gem in the heart of the Streets of Woodfield. Fantastic primer before catching a move too. We really enjoy the chef's fusion. Be sure to try the tacos, sushi and hot rock. Enjoy...
(4)
Alena K.
Very trendy atmosphere and the staff is super friendly. Went there on a Friday night and had their $1 taco special. The crying tiger shrimp and the chicken tacos were the best. The fish one was not bad. The others a bit too plain for my liking overall great deal. We also had the lemon and lime dragon roll which was fresh. The drinks are small but taste good. We had the s'mores dessert which was not bad but too much ice cream and the marshmallow was hard to add to the treat. Prices are a tad high for the portion size. Overall would recommend. Nice hang out place for a group of friends or a casual date. They have very cute patio space for the summer that I would want to come back for.
(4)
Melissa A.
Tokio Pub is a quaint little restaurant attached to Shaw's Crab House. I came here today with some friends for lunch to the finish off Restaurant Week 2014 with a bang! I'm glad we came here because I definitely will be back to get my fill of this place. They offered restaurant week deals for lunch and dinner, and even though we came for lunch we ordered the dinner menu since we're gluttons! The restaurant week menu was $33 for two people and we were given the following dishes to share between the 2: two choices of edamame over rice (spicy something or like a ginger sauce), 3 tacos of your choice, a tuna (?) cucumber maki roll, two types of ramen to choose, and oreo rice krispy treats for dessert. The tacos I tried were the steak and crying tiger shrimp taco; both were delicious but the shrimp one was phenomenal. I could have eaten 3 of the crying tiger shrimp tacos for a meal, it was that good. The choices for ramen were either a steak or pork ramen. We ordered the steak ramen and it was decent but nothing special; I wouldn't recommend coming here solely for the ramen. We took our oreo rice krispies to go since we were tight on time especially because our server wasn't very attentive. She stood around and talked with the other servers a lot since it wasn't very busy when we were there. We intended to save the rice krispies for later since we were stuffed from the meal, but once we got into the car we immediately opened the container and stuffed them into our mouths..and it was not in a ladylike fashion at all haha The rice krispies were absolutely wonderful and I would recommend ordering them if they offer them on their regular menu. I mean, how can rice krispy treats infused with oreos not be awesome?? Oh, side note, Tokio Pub offers happy hour Monday through Friday from 5-6pm. They have half priced appetizers, select sushi rolls, tacos, and a few other things on their menu. Our server also said they have drink specials on Mondays and Tuesdays I believe; $5 cocktails on Mondays and I don't remember what the drink special was for Tuesday (sorry I'm useless, can't eat and listen at the same time). Also, I read on the menu that they have something called "Taco Time" which is when they offer their tacos for $1 one day for one hour a week. UM HOW AWESOME IS THAT?? Apparently you have to follow them on facebook, twitter, or on their website to be in the know. I read on their chalkboard by the door the next taco time is FEB 11TH AT 8PM so HEADS UP if you want some bomb tacos!
(4)
Katie M.
I have never had a bad meal at Tokio Pub. Since going with some friends a few months ago, every time I've gone I've ordered something different. And every time they've been so good. I highly suggest either of their ramen bowls. Both are really delicious! My favorite sushi roll has to be the Godzilla roll that they make. The rolls are a bit bigger than I'd like to shove in my mouth, but 100% worth it. You can really taste all of the ingredients, and the guacamole is an interesting addition to sushi. Make sure you check in on Yelp! Tokio Pub does have deals for when you check in. The last time I was here I got free Gyoza, which were pretty much potstickers. But they were pretty great.
(4)
Kat A.
I came here with my friend during restaurant week to try this place out. The deal was really good. Only $33 for both of us to share the four courses. The edamame was the first course...nothing special. But the next course, the tacos were delish. My favorite was the shrimp taco. The ramen was ok. I wouldn't order it again. And the final course was the dessert-cookies and cream rice krispy treast. They were really good! I would come back to try some of the other items on their menu and get the tacos again.
(4)
Abha S.
OMG what a great place to go and hang out for a few with family and friends. I am so glad I found another Ramen place closer to me ! Ordered their spicy chicken ramen bowl and boy was it hot! The portion size was great and my husband enjoyed his Ramen burger. We loved the ambience and would happily return with our friends :)
(4)
Kristy M.
Don't waste your time going here! Not even for the Happy Hour deals... First, this restaurant is apart of Shaws which means that they share the same TINY parking lot and valet service. Note that the valet service used all the parking spots close to the restaurant to push customers to use valet VS parking super far away. I was here over the week for the $1.00 tacos and GROSS! The menu has few options and when you ask to modify the $1.00 tacos they wont let you. I met up some friends about an hour after they arrived, spent 20 minutes looking for parking and after sitting down at the table the waitress took forever to greet me, take my order and once my food was out she couldn't even bring me clean silverware. Never Again will I be going to Tokio Pub and highly suggest you don't either...
(1)
Julie Y.
Came here for lunch and ordered a bunch of vine, sushi, wings and tacos. They were all really good! I recommend the wings!!
(4)
Christine D.
I'm pretty sure this is one of the only Tokio Pubs around. Good happy hour specials and they have a great sushi selection. Also...their fish tacos are a must. The windows open up so it's perfect for warm weather. They also have a s'more dessert. The graham cracker is homemade and it's a big portion...definitely get it and share it. I just flat out love this place and you will too.
(4)
Sal R.
Have been planning on checking this place out for awhile and finally got a chance too. Glad I did. I didn't really know what to expect for a Japanese restaurant with a taco section but was pleasantly surprised. Everything we tried from the appetizers, to the tacos, to the Tokio Surf and Turf was very good. The hot rocks to throw the food on were a fun and interesting way to cook some of the entrees to your liking. Drink menu wasn't vast but the ones that were tried all were very good. Sake Sangria as an example. The atmosphere was cool and laid back and just made it feel like a fun place to eat and relax. Will be going back again, hopefully very soon.
(4)
Natasha R.
Japanese style tapas? Yes please....!!! I finally made it out here for my friends wedding dinner and I am incredibly pleased with the food and service. Tokio Pub is connected to Shaw's, so it's a bit of a weird design and very small compared to other LEYE restaurants. It's made up of two rooms, one is in the inside and the other is more like a in-closed outdoor patio with a heated lamp so it wouldn't get too cold. That's where our large party had a table and it was terrific because Tokio Pub was PACKED, but we never felt it since there was lots of room and quite enough to hear each other without having to shout. If you are looking to have a large party, I suggest asking for this room. Everything was preordered and the food just kept coming and coming and coming! It was all super delicious, but I couldn't even sample all of it because we were so full by the end of the night. Looking through the menu, they have many options for different style parties, so I would def recommend this to anyone in the future. The sushi came out real quick, so I did not catch any of the names of the rolls, but they were all incredibly fresh. I will have to order a couple rolls next time I make it out here. We had a couple of the edamame bowls - garlic or spicy, and I have to say that they were one of the best I've ever tried. They come served on top of rice, which is different from any other sushi restaurants. There were a bunch of other items, but I only remember the tacos that came later in the night. I only tried the crying tiger shrimp tacos, but DAMN sooo good! They offer $1 tacos once a week for an hour, so i NEED to come back for just that alone! My boyfriend and I shared the $22 pitcher of the White Peach Sangria.. it's a tad bit expensive, but hella good! I need one of those next time, but without having to share. As for the dessert, they brought beignets in the cutest little baggies ever! It's impossible to describe the deliciousness of them, so my suggestion is to make sure you have enough room in your tummy and see for yourself. They are kind of like small fried balls, so I am sure that won't be a problem. Overall, great experience and I can't wait to come back here and try other items on the menu!
(4)
John Q.
Went here on a Saturday night after hearing all the good reviews about how awesome this place is. We were greeted and seated right away when we walked in. The waitress provided excellent service and the atmosphere was nice. The waitress answered our questions about the menu and we decided to get try some Takoyaki, Steak/Chicken/Shrimp tacos, and the Ramen Burger. Starting off with the Takoyaki, the presentation was nice and came in a nice little boat with a skewer. These little balls were quite good however were different from the one's I had before. There was a little chunk of octopus in there however the inside was hollow. I was expecting that there would be filled with the batter in the center. The tacos were not that impressive to me, the chicken was dry. The steak marinade was so-so, it just seemed like teriyaki steak. The shrimp taco was the best out of the three and I would get it again. Last, but not least was the Ramen Burger. We were quite curious of this since on the menu it said that there were limited quantities....I wonder why...The Ramen Burger is indeed a patty with ramen instead of the buns. I was expecting the Ramen to be crispy so it had some crunch with the burger, however it was very soggy and oily. The burger lacked texture and felt like mush in your mouth. The food here is so-so. Not sure if I would return, maybe it was just an unlucky night.
(3)
Roma L.
Updating my review for Tokio Pub. Went here during their taco time last Tuesday since they go for a dollar instead of 3 dollars. Who wouldn't want that? My last visit I wasn't impressed with their tacos but that night I enjoyed the shrimp taco it was delish especailly with the guacamole and had a bit of a kick as well. My boyfriend enjoyed the chicken taco. Since it was taco night and they were busy the tacos were flying out of the kitchen. No disappointments when it came to the tacos this time around. BUT.. sushi you have disappointed me this time :( seemed like they were focusing more in the preparation of the tacos and didnt really care for finesse of the sushi as you can tell.. my boyfriend even asked me if that was the sushi we had ordered our last visit. Haha. Now that I looked at the picture I just noticed the sushi we ordered recently is missing that white sauce on top? Plus they went scarce on avocado? And the "crunchy" green topping wasn't crunchy at all.. Overall I wish sushi was more consistent in quality.. and hope to enjoy the tacos as much as I have this last visit. Will be back.
(4)
Meg X.
Great service. Food is too expensive for what's served, but it's tasty food. Overall a reasonably acceptable dinner.
(3)
Charlie C.
The food was fine. Nothing spectacular. Overpriced IMO for the portion sizes. The service was fine. Again, nothing spectacular but definitely room for improvement. The waiting area is non existent so if you are waiting for a table you end up standing right by the door. That area is squeezed tight so there is only room for about 2 people to stand, which makes for an awkward situation if others are waiting, as well. You are also standing almost on top of the people who are seated by the door, which again makes for an awkward experience for both parties. The atmosphere is pretty average. Again, nothing really stood out about it. I'm not sure I'll be going back anytime soon.
(3)
Haeley J.
I've gone here twice in the past 2 months and service is always great. We had the same waitress both times, sorry I don't remember her name... brown hair, medium height lol. She's great though... super attentive and provides great input on the food there. So what did I order?? The first time I went in I ordered the Godzilla Rolls and 3 tacos (nacho taco, crying tiger shrimp, and the crispy fish)...The Godzilla Roll was awesome seeing as though it was topped with guacomole and had the delicious eel sauce on the side (check out the pic). Out of the tacos the nacho taco was really good so I'm looking forward to checking out their barbeque-braised pork nachos, those are probably really good!! On the second visit I had their sweet potato tempura roll which is light and delicious, with a slight sweet taste which I loved. Then I had their crazy dragon roll which yes, I thought that it was really good too (see pic). For Apps both times I had the gyoza which I've never had before... Love the sauce that comes with it and I think it's a great app and good price. So yeah the food is always fresh and really good, I still have more to try so I'll let you know if anything changes ;-)
(5)
Michelle P.
OMG! We ate here last night and it just tasted so good I was rolling my eyes in ecstasy! I always have the tacos, usually one of each. I had the chicken, steak and pulled pork tacos, they were excellent. My Husband always gets the Hot Rocks entree. The chopped salad was delicious and they split it in half for us! I also ordered the chicken and waffles, SO good!! We enjoyed it so much that we talked our friends into coming back with us this coming Tuesday!! Also, their wait staff is SO nice! We both agreed last night that we had never had a bad meal there! Oh, yeah! Don't forget to order the beignets for dessert, delicious! Lol, I just checked my old review! As you can see, I'm loyal to my favorites, and added a new one! What can I say? I know what I like!
(5)
Geraldine A.
I enjoy dining here. They have changed their menu over the years and have taken some of my favorite things off. But the service here is fantastic and that's what keeps me coming back.
(4)
Lindsey M.
My first time here and was really surprised how much I enjoyed it. I took my friend here for Sushi since I figured it was a sushi place but soon realized they don't have much of a sushi selection so we ordered the Dragon Roll, spicy calamari, and a ramen bowels. Although they have a smaller menu everything was really good and we were not disappointed that it wasn't the 'sushi place' we had expected ! I would go back just to get the Spicy pork Ramen bowel again...very good, never had anything like it before. Great drinks and they gave us a free little dessert since it was our first time there! Excellent service and good ambiance, its actually connected to Shaws crab house which I didn't realize before. Would recommend if your in the market to try something different.
(4)
A.H P.
I was recommend to this place with high hopes of a great experience and good Japanese inspired foods. My fiancee and I went on Thursday and started out with two rolls of sushi one was a tuna crunch and the other was there take of a spicy tuna roll. They were ok but nothing special. Next we got the filet mignon hot rocks. It was super weird and not efficient, the rock cooled really quick. We shared this dish, it was a good portion. We noticed everyone was having the tacos we tried the pulled pork, the skirt steak, and the chicken. We did not care for any of them. We were sat inside next to the garbage/ the dirty dishes. My fiance got chewed up by mosquitos while dinning, this could of been unrelated but it ruined our night.
(1)
Keith S.
I was skeptical of this being another trendy asian fusion joint, that's usually a recipe for disaster. Not the case here. Some of the menu highlights: The asian inspired tacos are excellent. Favorite: Shrimp Crispy rice. Never had anything like this before, very good. Have had a few samplings of the rolls which were also good. Not on the menu always, but they typically have the deep fried ice cream balls. Get those. Seriously. Ask for them. So good. Service has been great. Love the screened in patio though the furniture is not the most comfortable. You can happily forget that you're at Streets most of the time. Pricing is fair for the menu & location.
(4)
Patrick F.
I gotta give this place a solid 5! For a location that is in dire need of a parking garage, it was worth the walk from my car in the rain. Our server was Chad and he works every night except Thursdays. HIGHLY recommend him. A FourSquare check in got us a free order of the best damn edamame I've ever had. It was tossed in a slightly spicy ginger garlic seasoning. We ordered a few sushi rolls as an appetizer. My friend ordered the Godzilla and I ordered the Dragon. Both rolls yielded 8 pieces and were presented so uniquely. The Godzilla had tortilla chips in the shape of dinosaur scales on each piece and the Dragon had the head and tail of the shrimp. The taste of each were outstanding! My "entree" was the (5) Combo tacos. They have a 3 combo, but 5 gets you one of each. Variety is the spice of life after all right? And speaking of spices, each taco was so unique and full of flavor. They get their seafood fresh too. One of the perks of sharing a wall with Shaws Crab House. The price point is a tad high, but if you don't get any alcohol or desert, you can keep costs very reasonable. I can't wait to go for Taco Time! $1 Tacos for one hour, one day a week. They also have Happi Hour M-F from 5-6pm, which gets you half price starters, tacos and their Japanese Hot Rock, where you cook your protein at the table! Lastly they also have a chef battle once a month that serves 4 courses and a beer pairing from local breweries. Those events sell out fast, so call for a reservation. They're also on open table, but on a Saturday night, they weren't packed. I could however see it being busier on a beautiful summer night with the shades up. It's a very nice feature to have available. I strongly recommend checking out their website to see a full range of what they offer. Personally I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Candice G.
4.5... can I do a 4.5? No? Okay, well look at the 4 stars I'm throwing up and think 4.5 instead. Lettuce Entertain You has a decent thing going on, though there are, of course, exceptions to this rule when people start associating certain businesses (ahem, Cheesecake Factory) with the suburban-in-a-bad-way stigma, but Tokio Pub proves LEY is still a hip force to be reckoned with. I really like Tokio Pub. They've made me second guess the eye-roll I do almost immediately after anyone utters the words 'cheesecake' and 'factory' and then of course, ceremoniously follows it up with "and there was just so much food!". I'd had Tokio Pub on my to-do list for a while now but I think their menu highlights of 'tacos, sushi, barbeque' made me put this on the back-burner. Despite the good things I'd heard, Tokio Pub sounded like it was going to be just another kittywampus collection of everything and anything under the sun, who think that just because you have the ingredients to make something, you should. But that's not how it should be. I don't need to go to a restaurant with 10 pages of items and a section of sh*t from every part of the world and frankly, I hope I never hit a point where I'm craving sushi, spaghetti, egg rolls, nachos, mac and cheese and tikka masala all at the same time. Aaaanyway, Tokio Pub left me pleasantly surprised in more ways than one. First off, their specials are insane. As a girl on a budget, I know the importance of stretching that dollar- and as a girl who's a really sh*tty cook, I know the value of finding the most economical way to still get down on delicious grub. So please, let me outline Tokio's bevy of special options for you: Sunday: $5 specialty drinks. Your options are limited to 6 different choices, but that's still not a bad deal. Choose from bloody Marys, mimosas, screwdrivers, sakemosas, Mr. Miyagi Smash & a drink called the Bloody Samurai. Mondays: A select draft microbrew is only $3. #Steal Tuesdays: Half priced bottles of wine & sake. Monday-Friday from 3-6pm you get half off all apps. Ain't nothing wrong with that and their appetizers are actually pretty stellar. I recommend the peanut noodle salad, which is something I would've never ordered on my own but they sent some over complimentary and it was stellar and defo not lacking on the spice or the cilantro. Also, don't pass up those crying tiger shrimp with sriracha. I didn't find them very spicy, but I did find them delicious and devoured in record time. Good job, Belly! Taco Time: Once a week they have a thing called taco time, where all their tacos are $1 for 1 hour. Their next one just happens to be tomorrow, October 17th, starting at 7pm. It's specias like this that make me think that maybe I could survive if I ever did become homeless. Think about it. 1 gourmet taco or 2 cans of cat food? Yep. I think I know where my hobo shoes are headed. For sushi, I'm a sucker for spicy tuna and I think Tokio did it fairly well. It was $10 for the roll, but it was filling and comparable more to those fancy maki rolls you'd get at sushi-centric restos, than the typical smaller, simpler spicy tuna. For tacos, I went with tofu, though next time I will be going fancy with the crying shrimp & tuna poke. Our tacos were all pretty lukewarm, if that, but that didn't disguise that they were damn good tacos. I think I could've eaten 10 of those tofu tacos. In fact, I'm seriously considering dropping by tomorrow for $1 Taco Time. Dessert, the chocolate filled beignets. Why can't the portion on THIS be Cheesecake Factory sized. Good Lord, Good Food. Lastly, don't forget to check-in on your Yelp app. If you do, you get two free crispy chicken tacos! Can't argue with that. Okay, I don't eat chicken, so maybe I could but the I'd say overall, most people would not argue with two free tacos. Oh- and their sangria, albeit a bit pricey for a pitcher when you're operating on a pauper's budget, goes down dangerously quick.
(4)
Benny R.
The decor is very nice. Staff was very friendly.
(4)
Kerry S.
Never had a bad experience or bad food! The crispy glazed pork belly haunts me in my dreams!
(5)
Lance R.
Ok so see my tip to get my vibe on this place. (Like the TGIF of Japanese - bad description - need a happy meal to make this ok. If you want AMERICANIZED Japanese this is good, but I really had to do a re-look at it to appreciate it (I am a sushi snob)) BUT I am updating this because I am being spammed with offers in my email to return. so I am going to give it another shot --- look at my soon to come update
(2)
Minjee Y.
Just came in last night for TACO TIME. I still believe the quality of their tacos is great and taste fantastic. I found out the culprit to my nausea after leaving the place and it has to be due to the sugary girly drinks that I no longer can do. This time I made sure I was getting wine or beer and chose to go with wine. I'm coughing up some more stars because I think Tokio Pub deserves them. The customer service is a lot better. The staff must've changed. Our waitress was phenomenal because she was quick and always around when we needed her. Please come here for taco time I really advise you all to do so!
(4)
Jessica P.
Rating: 3.5 I came here on a Friday evening.. I met my friend for dinner at around 7:00PM and the place seemed packed, but we were able to get seated immediately.. Food: Lemon Lime Rainbow Roll (~$10) - my friend had this and said it was ok... BBQ braised pork nachos (~$8 Warm Plate Appetizer) - definitely very filling for an appetizer shared amongst 2 people... it can be shared amongst 3 ppl.. tasted good.. good amount of sweet and salty.. Tiger Shrimp (~$6 Warm Plate Appetizer) - 3 pieces of shrimp, each piece has spicy sauce on it and comes on a skewer..it's definitely a light appetizer...does not fill you up..tastes good, but isn't sooo great that I would crave it... one time experience is good. Pork Belly ($3 for 1 mini-taco) - contains carmelized pineapple, cabbage, and cilantro..tasted good.. it's a 2 bite taco.....might need to order 3+ tacos for your stomach to be content (this goes for any of the tacos...) Shrimp Crispy Rice ($3 for 1 small piece of shrimp + crispy rice) - comes with fried shrimp and crispy rice (it is basically like a fishstick, but instead of the fish inside of the stick, it's rice...)..tastes good, but pricey for a small bite (smaller bite than the taco..) Beignet ($1 per small bite-size donut, each order comes with 4 donuts) - mini bite size donut filled with melted chocolate, tastes delicious and comes out fresh (warm as if it was just baked!)..YUM Portions: small - don't expect any leftovers!! Prices: the prices seemed kind of high for the portions of food that are provided...I spent around $40 total dining for two females... so if you eat a lot.. you'll have to spend quite a bit to get full... **I think they have a $1 for an hour taco deal if you sign-up for their email listing.. Customer Service: the waitress was pretty attentive in getting our orders; however, it was a little bit of a wait getting the check back... Atmosphere: decent place to come on a date (only if your date is not stingy/extreme money saver...if they are stingy.. expect to eat a little!!), with friends, with a friend.. Parking: might be difficult to find a parking spot on a weekend night since it is located next to other restaurants and places. I would come here again just to try out other items on their menu.. :)..
(3)
Joanna M.
Overpriced and pretentious without the food to back it up. Don't get anything involving sushi or chicken here. Anything else is ok.
Dined for dinner at 7:30pm on Saturday August 9th. Our server (unsure of his name) was pleasant enough when he interacted with us but was very absent. We ordered the crunchy tuna roll and the dragon roll. Instead of the tuna, they brought us a California roll. When we said we didn't order that, they brought us the right one. Dragon roll was very tasty, crunchy tuna was flavorless and mushy. Ahi tuna and the skirt steak hot rock apps were both decent. Clearly, that's their schtick. Chicken and waffles was a huge let down but we enjoyed the pork belly dish. When our check came, I noticed the server did order us the wrong sushi. He charged us for the $15 Cali roll and I had him change it to the $12 crunchy tuna. After dinner, we strolled around the shops and the food sat very heavy on both our stomachs. Overall experience, 5/10. Won't be returning.
(3)
Tiana T.
We went back and gave Tokio Pub a second chance after we had bad experience with the wait staff. After complaining, the management went out of their way and offered to have us come back- on them. This time around we had a great experience. The food was delicious and the service was attentive. I highly recommend trying the tacos!
(5)
Bridget D.
I would give this place more stars if it wasn't so expensive. For what it is, much like Shaw's, it is too expensive. Now that I'm aware of the happy hour specials, I'm a lot more likely to visit at that time. We went on the weekend. We enjoyed the tacos, though they need to learn about doubling up on tortillas. Ours fell apart and were a big mess. The sushi rolls were good, though I wouldn't go there specifically for sushi. There's too many amazing sushi places in the northwest suburbs for that. They have a great selection of sake and Japanese beer and a cute cocktail list. We had a s'mores dessert that was very simple but really good! The service was excellent. Our server gave us a bunch of great recommendations and was attentive.
(3)
Leah C.
looks better on paper/pictures... i originally discovered this spot in a parent/kiddo newsletter listing kid-friendly brunches: kids eat free! everything we ordered was just okay. the french toast sushi and beignets were the biggest hits at the table. i think we enjoyed the drinks most - yummy blood orange mimosa for me! service was very friendly and attentive too. i can see myself returning to meet up for happy hour if ever in the area but aside from the kids eat free promo, i wouldn't have listed this as a not to miss brunch.
(3)
Tina L.
Crispy rice with sushi on top? Yum! Love the combination of the flavors and of course, the crunch of the crispy rice. :) Tried 3 different tacos: chicken, fish and pork -- all delicious and worth trying! Also got the crispy glazed pork belly with the fried egg. It was a little on the sweet side for me, I wish the flavors were a little more subdued, but still good overall. Gonna have to try this place for HH or something, even though I live and work in the city...
(3)
Blythe B.
I love this place - it's close to work, I really like the menu and if you go at the weekday happy hour or TACO TIME - the prices ROCK! Me and a larger male friend ate there at happy hour and we ate a lot - the bill came to $28. Lovely! A week ago - a friend treated me to a nice Saturday lunch and the bill came to $46 - he thought it was just 'okay' and 'overpriced'. I still love it and I think he was expecting something else. But like another person wrote - don't go specifically for sushi - there aren't a lot of sushi options. So far - my favs: the tuna tartare (served in a timbale with guac and breally good nacho chips (I just moved from Colorado and I could eat a bag of these chips naked), the hot rocks (the ahi and the filet), I LOVE THE NACHO TACO (love the cabbage slaw and the hoisin on them), the fried fish and the crying fish are good, too. Hmm what else - the gyoza are lovely - OH - and the tempura squash roll - that was a nice newbie to my palate. I had a salad once and it was good and refreshing. And iced green tea.
(4)
Taylor M.
I have been back here several times since my last review and therefore felt it needed to be updated. Now that Tokio Pub has become more a more seasoned restaurant the service seems to have gotten much better. I love the food here, it seems to be Shaw's quality without the steep prices. The sushi rolls are decently sized and made with a good quality sushi. The calamari here is also fantastic you have to try it! You can get it for free with the new Yelp Check in deal! They also have three different types of edamame which are yummy... my favorite is the garlic version... but the spicy is good too! Every time I think I tried everything on the menu, they change it up and it is all new to me again! Oh and they are open late... until midnight on Fridays!
(4)
Shannon M.
Amazing food! We were fairly surprised how good this was. The atmosphere was quaint and it was very relaxing. Highly recommend the pot stickers and filet.
(5)
Yen V.
I've been here three times and had a good time on all occasions. I like their ramen burger (it's sweet so if you like sweet burger then you'll like it). I also love their sushi (easy on the white rice, fresh fish, yummy sauce). I also had the fish tacos but they were okay. My favorite was the pork belly nachos. They were so delicious! Highly recommended it!
(4)
Jackie M.
LEYE always does well with service and loungy atmosphere, but somehow it stops short in asian cuisine. This place used to be Ben Pao-ish place and the redundancy of Big Bowl confuses me. As much as I hate to say this, they ought to remove the food menu and focus more on drinks and apps. Total grease on a plate. Robata grill miso glazed salmon was incredibly salty and the side ramen stir fry was a cheap corn oil slick. Yuck. The atmosphere is interesting and is linked up to Shaw's Crab house. To get to the washrooms means you have to cross over the casual dining section of Shaw's and into the main dining room upstairs. It's bizarre.
(1)
Michele B.
Not bad, but wasn't really worth the trip for their 2nd birthday bash. The servings are quite small and the service was spotty. The half price sangria pitcher had more ice than sangria and the serving was enough for maybe two typical sangria glasses . The spicy edamame was very tasty, but for $4 and 14 pieces?? It was somewhat decieving since the bottom of the bowl was filled with rice. The hot rock sushi was entertaining at best-as I said the service was spotty and three quarters of the way through the rocks were not hot enough to cook on.
(2)
Jae K.
Came in around 8 pm on a Tuesday. Four people in the party. Didn't get our food till 9:36. Drink order took forever, and then the waiter disappears for what seemed like forever. We tracked down another server and asked him to track down our waiter. It took more than an hour for the waiter to just take the food order. We were all starving and figured anything would be delicious but the food was ok at best. Somewhat bland and overpriced. Staff were friendly but not very attentive.
(2)
Jeremy C.
Manages to be eclectic attached to corporate Shaw's. Solid beer list and good small bite food. An easy go-to when we are in the area.
(4)
Sandy T.
I really want to love this place.....I really do. Especially because of their $1 taco nights which always excited me. When they first opened, I couldn't wait to go there. But after 3 attempts, I feel like maybe I had too high of expectations? Of course when there was $1 taco nights, I tried all their tacos. I would say all the tacos are just OKAY meaning sometimes it lacked flavor but the nacho taco has been consistently good. I also had their sashimi which was also decent. But I do not like any of the rolls I have tried which was almost all of them minus shrimp tempura and sweet potato. The staff members are pleasant people, so I never had a completely terrible experience, just disappointing experience I guess...
(3)
Melanie M.
Went here to meet up with a few friends after work for sushi. It wasn't a great experience. The place itself is kind of strange. It's attached to Shaw's Crab House, and it had an odd vibe. It felt like we were in a back room of Shaw's that happened to have a tiny little bar. I even had to walk over to Shaw's to use the restroom. Very strange. In terms of the food, everything is way more expensive than it needs to be. I ended up paying about $20 after tip for one roll and no drink. The rolls tasted about average, but definitely overpriced for what they were. One of the people in my group ordered something from the happy hour menu thinking that it would be half price since it was on that menu. However, once we received the bill, we discovered that it was full price since we apparently ordered at 5:58 instead of 6pm (I'm not kidding). I get that it technically wasn't 6pm yet, but come on. She could have waited for 2 minutes before putting the order in or at the very least TOLD US that happy hour didn't start for a few more minutes. That's just poor customer service in my opinion. None of us will be returning to this place.
(2)
Rosanna L.
Really enjoy the outdoor patio and with the weather being cool it was a perfect date night. Boyfriend and I shared edamame, pork belly udon, and chicken kimchee tacos. Tokio Pub tries to be different with their edamame by asking if you would like it in a sauce, but when it comes to these green soy beans I'm a plain jane, we did have the two sauces on the side and it didn't make it any better, possibly worse. Pork belly udon was average, the broth needs more seasoning/flavor, the pork belly strips were delicious, wish we had more of that and vegetables in our noodle soup. Chicken kimchee tacos were subpar, it lacked flavor and kimchee, possibly because I'm a big kimchee eater but I can see how they would only put a small amount. Enjoy the atmosphere and had decent food.
(3)
John G.
Cute atmosphere with an indoor bar/seating and outdoor lounge. Conveniently located within Streets of Woodfield and connected to Shaw's Crabhouse. Service was very good, friendly wait staff and door greeters. Eclectic menu containing very Americanized Japanese food, limited sushi...and tacos. Unfortunately the food was rather sub-par. Drinks were served with slightly expired lemons, food was poorly dressed, and sushi ingredients were all undercooked. All in all, an average Asian inspired restaurant that suffers from much of the same issues as is connected partner - more flair than flavor.
(3)
Ann J.
Had dinner here with some colleagues while in the area on business. Was very happy with the service, food, and the prices were very reasonable. Definitely be sure to try one of the Hot Rock appetizers (we had the skirt steak and the ahi tuna). And don't be confused... this restaurant is attached to the side of Shaw's Crabhouse... you can enter on the side directly into Tokio Pub, or go through Shaw's to get there.
(5)
Rachel E.
Great trendy boutique style dining. Small portioned and decent priced dishes, give you a chance to try a lot of what Tokio Pub has to offer. Asian fusion and somewhat tapas style, great for date night and ladies night out. Popular drinks such as peach sangria and ginger mojiotos can be ordered in pitchers, which is great for group dining. Specialty cocktails are semi sweet yet strong which makes the $10 price point reasonable. Friendly staff and casual yet trendy atmosphere. Our server, Alice, was sweet and attentive. Definitely try their mix and match tacos in orders of 3-5 and hot rock combos. Hot rock combos give you the fun experience of searing your sliced tuna and or steak on a hot rock, definitely a fun and unique way of dining without breaking the bank. Definitely will be going back again!
(4)
Cristie F.
Tokio Pub is always revamping their menu, which is def a good thing. However, with a fairly recent change in my diet ((no longer a carnivore)) I was bummed to see there wasn't many vegetarian options aside from edamame, a tofu taco, and a sweet potato roll. Boo. I had hoped for more of a variety. When I informed the waitress of my dietary restrictions ((and explained that no, I didn't eat seafood either - some "vegetarians" do...)), she was more than helpful and accommodating to my no meat or seafood request. Along with my delicious tofu tacos, a vegetarian tofu//shanghai noodles//mushroom//spinach//red pepper//sweet soy dish was created for me. It was fantastic. Let me not forget, big thanks to Tokio Pub for a free appetizer check-in offer!!
(4)
Emily B.
We were in Schaumburg and wanted to try something new. I looked through the Yelp check-in offers and was pleased to find the generous offer from Tokio Pub. (1 free starter). I love small plates and I love to share, so it didn't take much convincing to get us here. We arrived sans reservation and snagged the last two seats at the bar. In another stroke of luck, Tokio Pub had a Restaurant Week menu. Score! We started with drinks, I ordered the raspberry saketini and the hubz got a Robert The Bruce on tap. Our free starter was the ceviche - yum! For the RW menu there were four courses for two people for $33 total. The appetizer was braised pork nachos. A large portion and great combination of salty and sweet. The next course was the taco sampler. We tried the shrimp, steak and fish. All delicious and all about two bites each. The third course was the starter sampler. It included two spicy tiger shrimp, two chicken meatballs and three baby back ribs. Before the dessert came out we each had a jello shot. It was dragonberry flavor and dangerously delicious. The dessert was, however, THE highlight of the meal - a bag of chocolate filled beignets. OMG. The warm donut holes melt in your mouth and leave behind a healthy portion of melted dark chocolate. Heavenly. Our server, the bartender, was one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was talkative, punctual and helpful. Overall it was a nice evening. The restaurant had a good vibe and there is still more on the menu that I would like to try.
(4)
Gaurav M.
The server was really friendly. Gave some really good recommendations. The food and drinks we had were pretty gooood. More or less value for money!
(4)
Michelle C.
Finally tried this place after my roommate had been ranting and raving about it. She usually comes for the $1 tacos.. anyway, I thought food was okay. Tacos were delicious but were $3 for 1 taco.. Boyfriend had the pork broth ramen, we both thought that it tasted too gingery and a little bit on the saltier side... I've definitely had better at different restaurants. His sister and I had the braised pork with the glazed chili-garlic sauce. It was pretty good. My rice was a little bit hard and crunchy though.. not sure if it was undercooked or burnt. Maybe next time I go I will try the Sushi
(3)
Vern R.
Let me start by saying ...endless bowls Sunday???? Yes please! Their Ramen bowls were exactly what I've been craving for all week...the voodoo chicken omg pure goodness....many kids still talking about their pulled pork Asian street nachos..yes You heard right...sorry you'll have to go and order..i can't even explain how yummy they got this one right...small size like for two people, shop order two of you want to share Many hubby got the mignon and he did out was cooked perfectly...not too wild about his sides BUT the best was the service...although the love for my soup still stands it was lukewarm...then again lukewarm...but the third time around not only was it perfect...but i had a bowl too go home...the manager himself delivered it! Once he noticed the problem ( from the 1 soup) he was non stop at our table and the waitress as well...but i wouldn't expect any thing less than that from "lettuce us entertain" restaurants... (Shaws) The positive reaction from the staff outweighed the glitches Thank you so much for a wonderful Sunday dinner!! And i believe the manager on Sunday is Shawn? ( that's what my son said) thank you# I hope YOUR manager reads this!
(5)
Arkadiusz B.
Have really good time here. Good food, friendly staff. Drinks could be a little bit stronger but come on I'm Polish ;)
(4)
Robby K.
tuna tartar. rice with bbq pork on it. the way lunch should be... Apps- we got the pork belly donburi rice bowl. it was very lightly and tastily seasoned with magical bbq sauce. i almost sauced myself when they brought the tuna over guac which was drizzled perfectly with lime juice. Entrees- the Udon noodle bowl with shrimp tempura and pork belly. it is up there with some of the best Ramen in the city such as that of Wasabi in Logan Square ;-). the Tiger Shrimp taco is serious flavor and a good chuck of meat. small portion, but better for your waistline. the crispy fish taco was also way unique and not beer battered which was a pleasant surprise. i drank a Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale by 3Floyd's. also it is great that they bring a perfectly chilled carafe of water to every table its a great date spot and we had the pleasure of overhearing some embarrassing first date conversations from the table next to us. lets just say they definitely met online... small draft beer selection which matches the small interior space located in the same building as Shaw's seafood. they did have a pretty good sized outdoor seating section which is heated and enclosed in the winter. i imagine in the summer with the outdoor sections the service might be slower than we experienced for lunch on a sunday afternoon. but again that is only speculation. this is a 4 1/2 star place but i plan on coming back soon. we'll have to update this review after getting down and dirty with other menu selections.
(5)
Lomax, K.
An eclectic menu, with good daily specials and signature drinks. But...the experience was hindered by the server. She was arrogant, easily distracted and not attentive. I consider myself a good tipper, usually 20-25%, but in this case I tipped the lowest I ever have. The BBQ pork nachos were delicious, but everything else was just ok. I will definitely not be going back anytime soon.
(2)
Stella L.
Tacos tasted great, consistently; hot rock entree Filet Mignon impressive, becoming a regular item every visit for us; last but not the least, the unforgettable Beignets!
(5)
Diana A.
I'm slowly making my way through their menu, and it's all worthy of five stars. Pros: Amazing mixed drinks (albeit you're paying city prices), decent portion sizes and fresh, wonderfully flavored food. Also, the chocolate beignets will almost certainly make your week. Cons: Their menu is a bit pricey, and I've had a few dishes come out cold, especially if it's a busy night or you order multiple small things to share. My suggestions: Pork belly udon noodles, the crying shrimp taco and the raspberry sake-tini.
(5)
Samantha R.
Although the service can be sometimes slow it is more then worth the wait. The staff are generally nice and accommodating offering great service with a smile. The food is delicious. I recommend the nachos and beignets. Taco time is prime hour to go and fill up! Plus the outside eating area is in perfect harmony to the indoor cool ambiance matched with the chill playlist of music, great for all ages. Summer time is when the sangria and tapa is needed and Tokio Pub is my "it" place to go; fun & tasty!
(5)
Liam A.
Love, love, love. It's the sister restaurant to Shaw's Crab House and she's a hip, trendy, and younger sister restaurant at that. They have their own separate entrance just off to the side of Shaw's. You enter in through their outdoor seating (enclosed and fully heated in the colder months but is completely open weather-permitting) and into a door leading to the host stand. It definitely is a lot smaller than Shaw's but the seating arrangements cleverly make up for the lack of space. Our servers the past few times have been extremely nice, albeit obviously flustered during busier nights, and are always willing to provide suggestions and explanations on menu items. I was surprised to see a version of the now infamous ramen burger on the menu considering where I was (this is Schaumburg after all) but that's the beauty of Tokio Pub. It's like a hip city eatery in the middle of the quintessential 'burb. The ramen burger was delicious and worth trying by the way. It held up a lot better than I expected and the angus beef patty was juicy and flavorful. They only make a certain amount a night so ask your server if there's any left. For the sushi I definitely suggest the sweet potato roll (just trust me!). Very interesting tasting, in the best way, and have had me coming back for more. They're also known for their tacos and out of their list the crying jumbo shrimp is a must try. They have "Happi" Hour specials on Monday-Friday from 5-6 so that's a good time to taste test a lot of things on their menu. Also, you can follow their twitter or Facebook and there they reveal this once-a-week $1 Taco Hour. I wouldn't drive all the way out there for that one hour but it's helpful if you're in the area already. Oh, and save room for dessert! They have great "beignets" here and I put that in quotations because if you've had real beignets before you'd be surprised at what they're trying to pass as beignets here (basically just fried dough balls filled with chocolate) but once you get over that detail you'll come to enjoy this melt in your mouth creation.
(5)
Yvonne O.
So glad I checked into what Lettuce Entertain You had opened in recent times, because I am not in Schaumburg that often and would never have known about this gem. We went in for Sunday brunch and were the first people there (at 11 - even though it starts at 10). We ordered some drinks and then got down to serious eating. We started with the pork mini tacos (YUM!) So happy they were not dry and the sauce and guac on them was perfect. Then I got the french toast tempura maki with a delicious bananas foster sauce on the side - such a clever idea and not overly sweet like some places make their French toast options (I'm looking at you Ditka's with your cereal coated diabetes fare) I also had a side of the eggs three way fried rice that had an unusual (but yummy) oil in there - something was super spicy. Husband had the burger and enjoyed it as well. All this was under $50! And, with a Lettuce Card, you can put the tip on there, so we essentially ate for free! I'm hooked and totally coming back for lunch or dinner.
(5)
Care M.
Love this place, you feel like you are in downtown Chicago even though its located in Schaumburg. Very tasty tacos, and just the right portion size.
(5)
Gail G.
My friend and I both tried this place for the first time and we both had a really great experience! Granted, we came on a Friday night during Happi Hour, so all the food we ordered was half-price, but STILL.... the food (and cocktails, which are not half price) were great! I made a reservation for 5:30pm on a Friday, and there was no problem being seated on time. They even had a covered outdoor seating area, but it was so hot and humid that it was basically empty. There were two couples sitting out there as we left and neither of us could imagine how they could bear it! Keep in mind, this is not marketed as, nor attempting to be, an authentic Japanese restaurant. I mean, isn't it obvious by their spelling of "Tokio" instead of "Tokyo"?? People complaining that the food isn't authentic should know better. Being half-Japanese, I only get annoyed with Japanese restaurants that claim to have authentic food, but plainly do not. Japanese/Asian Fusion restaurants like this one do not offend me. Since Nozumi in the South Barrington Arboretum closed down several months ago, this will probably become my new go-to place when I'm craving some Fusion or sushi. I will definately be back!
(5)
Jenna P.
Whoa. First time eating here.. LOVED it. Jacob was our server (he ROCKS, so charismatic, woo Jacob!!!) he recommended Crispy chicken tacos, & the volcano roll. Both are a must! Also, the crunchy tuna rice, delicious. Will definitely be back!
(5)
Jen H.
Gave this place a second chance and I'm so glad we did. Our server, Jillian, was phenomenal. There is something to be said about excellent customer service nowadays and she went above and beyond for us. The food was amazing. We went during happy hour and ordered the majority of the appetizers. Everything was delicious. My particular favorites were the mini tacos and the sweet potato sushi. Based upon the food, happy hour specials and superior service, our whole group will be back!
(5)
Ashley P.
Classy...love it! Sliders delish. Drinks delish. Gone twice now, same waitress (Claire) and she was so sweet and so great! We are new to the area and we love this place already!
(5)
Liz L.
I went here with my girlfriends for a we survived the holiday dinner. I was kind of excited to go here...it looked like they had a great menu and looked a little bit of fusion cooking served in a tapas type way. It was a little packed on a early Saturday (I made reservations). The good: 1. The Interiors were great 2. The taste of the food was good The bad: 1. Service was lacking I think the woman we had serving us was overloaded with tables. 2. At one point we had no silverware and we has to wait like 10 minutes to hunt someone down. 3. I ordered vegetarian tacos and it took them 25 minutes (then I told her to forget it) ...she said they were making sure that they were exactly how I wanted them (they were 2 non meat tacos?) 4. Since I only had edamame my friends and I ended up going to a fast food restaurant to watch me eat. 5. Over crowded...I saw some of the places they put tables and seated people and I felt bad people were getting knocked all over the place. I thinkk they try to hard to be cool and hip and it ends up being bad service and overcowded. Honestly I would skip this place....good food with bad service doesn't cut it in my book.
(1)
LaLaLaLa L.
Ok.. So.... Went here on a Monday night. Cute place... very small. Butted up with Shaws next door. The menu looked awesome and we were excited to try different things. We started out with Tacos. We got one chicken, one steak and one nacho. You had to order in increments of 3 or 5. When they came out, they were the size of my thumb. Very small. They were also $3 each... so $9 for 3. I was splitting them with my husband.. so we each got 1 bite of each. Super yummy... Super expensive for what they were. We got a ceviche to share. It was so disgusting I couldn't eat it. It was so overly fishy that it almost tasted rancid. I don't know how you could share a kitchen with Shaw's and have bad ceviche... but whatever. for entrees, my husband ordered the pork belly and I got the filet. We were going to share both. When they came, there were 3 pieces of pork belly that were about 2.5 inches in length. The rest of the place was nothing but rice. The filet was 5 very! thin strips of steak with a mound of noodles. The steak tasted mealy .. as if it marinated in the oil way too long. There was no flavor. The noodles tasted like those store bought Knorr packaged noodles that you add water and butter to. It was gross. Both of these meals were unfortunately expensive... For dessert, we got the beignets. There were four of them, but instead of coming on a plate... they come in a little to-go bag. I thought that was weird.. as if they were rushing us out. I would never come back here again and am sad to know this is a Lettuce restaurant... as they are usually pretty awesome. The only exception I would make is MAYBE for $1 tacos...
(2)
Todd L.
One of my favorite places in the suburbs. You must order the pork belly nachos and a maki roll. Trust me.
(5)
Jenna K.
We decided to celebrate a friend's birthday by experiencing restaurant week at Tokio Pub. The 4 of us were famished and most food is DELICIOUS when you are in this state. However, I was just not impressed with the quality of food served that night. We ordered the dinner for 2 for $33. Edamame started off the meal, which was lackluster. The taco combo was in dire need of flavor. The spicy tuna roll was probably the best tasting entree item that we were served, but we felt that the spicy mayo was bordering on the thin line of "too spicy". Now I eat my fair share of spicy, but this spicy tuna left us with an unpleasant lingering burn. The ramen bowl (beef with soy) was flavorful, but a tad too salty. The highlight of the meal was honestly the rice crispie treats. Conclusion... I probably won't be back for the food.
(2)
Shaun S.
Food is average, definitely not up to standards of a quality Japanese place. But it is shaws crabhouse. The seafood is good, but Asian inspired things are average at best. I do like going there in the spring/summer to have some drinks and a snack. The pulled pork nachos were good as was the calamari.
(3)
Colleen M.
Great food and service. We checked in and got a free starter- what a great surprise! My favorite(s) are the sweet potato tempura roll and the hot rock NY strip. It's a fun way to enjoy a meal. I can't wait to go again!
(5)
Brittany K.
My girlfriend and I decided to try Tokio Pub after receiving a Lettuce Entertain You giftcard for Christmas. I'd been seeing the place around online and thought this was the perfect opportunity to give it a shot. We made reservations for 7pm on a Sunday night and were seated not QUITE promptly but soon enough I suppose. In all reality we probably didn't need reservations as the place wasn't all that crowded. We still had to wait a few minutes for a table though. After we were seated I went to hunt down the bathroom and was surprised to realize this place was actually attached to Shaw's. I didn't actually ever find the bathroom as going into a completely different restaurant to pee seemed too daunting while drunk and hungry. I ordered the miso soup app and the king crab california roll as my entree. My girlfriend had the bbq pork nachos as well as some of the mini tacos they had. They advertise them as tacos but really they are mini tacos. Barbie doll house tacos honestly. Our appetizers and entrees came out at the same time which was a little strange, especially since we were sitting at a small table so getting all the plates required a little Tetris style maneuvering. The soup was pretty good - the menu says it comes with mushrooms but mine didn't have any (which was great. I hate mushrooms.) The nachos were OK. My girlfriend liked them but I thought the sauce was way too sweet. I tried a shrimp taco - nothing special really. The sushi was fucking disgusting. Limp cucumber, chewy, fishy crab and tough nori. I have had bad sushi. I have eaten bad sushi. I left this bad sushi on the plate. They also served it with a suspicious white sauce. It smelled like ranch but was probably a spicy mayo or something. No soy sauce, though I doubt the soy sauce would have helped. Our waitress was very nice and asked what was wrong when she saw I wasn't eating the sushi. I told her I didn't like the quality/wasn't quite as fresh as I have had and she took it off the bill for me. Anyway - I expected the place wouldn't be the best. What restaurant sells tacos AND sushi? AND is by a mall? right. But it was crappier than expected. They got my order right and all....it was just really poor quality. No thank you. But really - it is by Woodfield, what would you expect?
(1)
Natalie R.
I really like this restaurant. We usually go for the tacos and 1-2 rolls. It's a really cool atmosphere in the Streets of Woodfield and Japanese/Mexican fusion food. I've never gotten any of the main dishes, but they look tasty. The spicy edamame app is addicting! My only complaint is the service. I've been here 6 times and have had rude waitresses 5 of them. Unfriendly, not particularly helpful. One was great until the end when she would not shut up about the LEYE promotions. It was like getting chased on the beach for a timeshare. Leave me alone!
(4)
Andi S.
Very good place and very good staff! Great service and quick with the refills on our wine and beer.
(5)
Yaeko M.
I liked american asian themed ambience. The service was pretty good. We went there ib Thursday around 8:30pm. The food was okay. We had the signature tacos. Shrimp taco was very good. When I go there next time, $1 taco hour or happy hour (half price).
(3)
Amanda R.
First time at Tokio Pub, and we weren't really sure what to expect. When we arrived without a reservation, we were sat out on the heated patio. The chairs were uncomfortable (being patio furniture) and it started getting cold towards the end of our meal. They also had loud dubstep music pumping on the patio, which made it really difficult to hear the waitress. We came here craving sushi, but the sushi menu was so small we ended up going with regular entrees instead. Oh, except my companion ordered one of the tuna on grilled rice and one of the shrimp on the same. I tried a bite. Interesting texture, but the shrimp was cold. Appetizer was the miso soup which, while really good, was missing the mushrooms the menu advertised. For main course, I ordered the shrimp entree, which was five average-sized shrimp in a good (but not fantastic) sauce. The rest of the plate was filled with... grilled bamboo? I'm really not sure. On the menu it's just identified as a "grilled side". Basically just there to fill the plate. Either way, it really wasn't that good, so I didn't eat it, and essentially paid $14 for five shrimp. The one shining moment of the meal, however, was the bananas fosters. It was a tiny portion, but oh my goodness was it delicious! The bill. Oh boy. Let's not talk about that. The portions are small. The cost is not. So, cold patio, uncomfortable furniture, loud music, small portions, overpriced menu, "entrees" which are 75% filler... but a fantastic dessert. We joked that if we ever came back, we would skip the meal and get four orders of bananas fosters instead. Truth be told, I wasn't 100% joking when I suggested that.
(2)
Jenny V.
I love their taco time! $1 tacos for one hour, days are changed weekly. I tried their fish, shrimp and angry chicken tacos. all were yummy. my fav was the shrimp taco. We got a free appetizer for checking in (thanks yelp!) we shared the sort rib nachos which were very tasty! i will be back during taco time! =]
(4)
Adam E.
Awful. Just the worst food. The chicken tasted like bad fish and smelled just about as bad. Pork tacos were okay, but nothing that really stood out.
(2)
Joel O.
Went here for lunch with about 7 other people. Has kind of a trendy vibe. I got the chicken bento lunch box. Came with chicken and sauteed noodles, miso soup, fried rice, and edemame. Portion sizes were small, which I liked. Noodles were bland, everything else was standard. Price was a little high for me. If the noodles were better it would bump it up a star.
(3)
Aaron K.
We walked into the new lettuce restaurant Tokio Pub and were warmly greeted and quickly sat. Alice was friendly and knowledgable. She knew all the ingredients in all the foods. It was a pleasure sitting in her section. The overall ambiance of the restaurant was funky and fresh. I would reccomend this watering hole to any twenty an thirty something's looking to pre-party or to have a happy hour. There is a cocktail for virtually everyone on the menu. The patio is a hip and inviting. I wish it was warm so we could have sat out there. Overall This could be the hottest new spot in the suburbs. The place was full of cute young servers and played some cool chill dance beat music.
(5)
Pete V.
From a distance Tokio Pub appears to be an oasis lost amidst chain restaurants, sprawling megaplexes, and generic retail that pervades the Schaumburg mall area. Not that I have anything against this, after all there are many people who love this atmosphere, but I prefer a more authentic, non-American feel sometimes, and when it comes to the Japanese itzakaya concept, I literally jump at the opportunity to discover a Japanese pub that captures the lively and local atmosphere that seems to be hard to duplicate here in the States. I appreciate what Lettuce Entertain You is trying to do here with Tokio Pub. They indeed attempt to create a lively, chatty atmosphere centered around good food, beer, and of course sake. But there are many details that they simply miss, or like a dealer inspecting a fake rolex, appear to be imperfects immediately apparent the trained eye. For one, they are serving tacos here. Even worse, the tacos are better than the Japanese food. Which, of course, isn't saying much, but I was disappointed in both the noodles and maki rolls. I feel like saying, if you are going to open an itzakaya, you must get the noodles right. Especially ramen. Period!! The ramen noodles seemed manufactured, and were a tad overcooked, the broth was bland and lacked depth and flavor. To top it off it was served warm, and not hot enough. When you can sip the broth without cringing, you know the broth is not hot enough. Noting stood out to me about the maki rolls, I will say the rice was good quality and prepared well, but the rolls were assembled correctly, and were so badly rolled, that they fell apart when I picked them up with my chopsticks. Another failure is the fact that they are serving draft beer in 11.5 oz glasses, but they fail to mention this on the menu. I do concede that the beer prices seem to be a bit lower than normal at $4 per glass, but come on guys, do you really think that you can get away with this when every other restaurant and bar in America serves draft beer by the pint? Our server mentioned that they had some craft beer companies dictate that the glasses be smaller than the serving size of the beer glass/can, and they have a glut of small glasses on hand, but that is no excuse for deceiving your customers. Go out and buy new glasses for crying out loud!!! Last I checked you can buy pint glasses at Ikea for what, $1.50 each? Finally, the one good food item we had were the tacos, which I thought were shockingly good. Once you get around their deceptive pricing where they charge you a premium to order a mixed set of tacos, you can then avoid that trap and order them a la carte/by the couple and enjoy! Overall, I don't think I would go back to Tokio Pub, but then again, they are doing (or attempting to do) something that is quite different than most of the generic and outdated concepts here in Schaumburg, so I might have to give them another chance, especially if they get new draught beer glasses. Until then let's hope I can avoid megaplex central for the time being.
(2)
Chelsea H.
Good food and great sake! I had a sampling of things, but the Fuji Apple Sake was worth buying the whole bottle. It was divine! The service was great. Our waitress and host were awesome. The hot rock steaks were good. The goyza was tasty. The rolls were ok, but the volcano was the best of the ones we tried. The price is right and it looks like they have an array of specials for certain days. Will be back someday for sure!
(4)
Laura Z.
exquisite. but be careful about the Sushi category, as it actually serve a lot of nachos!
(4)
Jie S.
Tokio pub could be a nice place to have a drink with a light Asian-Tapas style food. But with limit food choices, very small portions, and high price tag, I am not sure if i want to go back again. The decor was decent. I like the comfortable bench along the wall. The service was great. Our waitress came back many times to make sure we were doing fine and replaced the used plates with the clean ones. It was a slow night with just 2 tables inside and a few more outside. Drinks first, my Sake Sangria was fine. Yuzu drop was pretty tasty. Every taco order came with two mini tacos. We have tried Pork, Tuna, and shrimp. The pork tacos are flavorful and tender. The best out of three tacos we picked. We were told the Tuna one was supposed to be seared with raw meat in the middle but those turned out to be fully cooked which I didn't like. The shrimp one was fine which was grilled with a little bit spicy flavor. The barbecue combination plate came with one shrimp, two chicken meat balls, tow dice sized park belly skewers, and two ribs. Shrimp was the same one as in Tacos. Other meat were simply taste the same flavor with different texture and too sweet for my taste. I felt like they just brushed the sugar or honey coat on those meat pieces. Rainbow roll and dragon roll were fine but nothing special. Only three choices of deserts. A bag of the Beignets was essentially 4 tiny chocolate filled Munchkins. Passion fruit ice cream was fine. I feel like they lack of some excitement in sweets here. I was suggesting to go to another place to get some deserts. In the end, we paid around $40 per person and I was not even full. Just too expensive for the small portion! No wonder it was empty for the dinner time!
(3)
Rocky B.
It was my first time here and we had a really good experience. Since the restaurant is connected to Shaw's, the place is a bit small. We got there about 7pm and the wait wasn't too bad. We only waited for 10 mins. Our glasses were filled right away when we sat done. The menu is very easy to read. Our waitress took awhile to get to us but it wasn't too bad. We started off with the calamari and I must say it's probably the best calamari I have ever had. The sauce was so delicious and it was filled with so much flavor. For $9 you'd expect it to feed at least 4-5 ppl, but honestly, I could've ate the whole thing and still be hungry. But I guess that's why they're called appetizers. My husband ordered beef, chicken and nacho tacos. It was very delicious. The nacho taco had a tiny kick to it but it was still good. Definitely not your average taco taste but it's worth trying. I had the filet mignon yakitoro and that was really good. The steak and mushrooms were in shish kabobs and the fried rice had a fried egg on top. It was delicious. The steak wasn't heavily seasoned or spicy. It had just the right amount of seasoning and sauce. Then for dessert we had the s'mores and the beignets. The s'mores was sooo good. It was like a ice cream cookie sandwich but with graham crackers and melted marshmallows and chocolate on the side for dipping. The beignets however was still good, but for the price, it wasn't worth getting again. You get 4 tiny little doughnuts filled with chocolate. Overall, we had a great experience. We would definitely come back again. The bus boys were attentive and so was our server. She always had a smile on her face. The serve was a little slow but the food made up for it.
(4)
Amber S.
I came here for my sister's birthday and I love it so far. I ordered the Tokio surf and turf hot rock and it was very good. It was my first time ordering a hot rock dish and the waitress was very helpful explaining how to cook the meal. It was a nice experience. For drinks I ordered the sake sangria and later in the night, I ordered plain sake. Since it was my first time ordering sake, the waitress was nice enough to order a beginner sake drink for me which I enjoyed. The only complaint I had about the drinks is that the sake sangria was a bit watery; almost as if it had stayed out for a while and the ice melted a little bit. I brought a cake for my sister's birthday, I emailed the restaurant to make sure it was okay so I didn't have a chance to try any of the dessert items. Since it was on the actual day of my sister's birthday, we received gift certificates for her age amount. I can't wait to come back and try something new on the menu. I also adored the music selection of the restaurant. It was the music that I would play at home or in the car.
This place tries way too hard to be trendy/hipster without the flavor to back it up. Some of the menu items are on the tastier side but everything we tried was doused in sauce and salted beyond flavor recognition. Presentation is fantastic and service was decent and friendly. We ordered most of the taco flavors, robata combo plate and the tuna and lobster crispy rice. Out of the five taco flavors (pork, shrimp, steak, fish and chicken) I like the fish taco and my wife like the shrimp taco. The steak taco had way too much ginger and both the pork and chicken were sauced beyond recognition. The robata combo plate was more of the same as their flavors are repeated throughout their limited menu. The crisp rice was a waste of money so don't even bother ordering them. Small pieces of deep fried and salted rice topped with sauced up fish makes you reach quickly for beer to quench that salt thirst. Atmosphere is what you would expect of a "trendy" sushi joint with way too loud electronic music in a tiny brushed metallic environment. If you like to dress in skinny jeans and eat sub par Japanese pub fare then this is your place. Make sure you bring plenty of money because the miniscule tapas portions will keep you ordering more and more to find some satisfaction while the tab keeps piling up. Good idea, poor execution. For real Japanese pub fare at fair prices try Sankyu by Elmhusrt and Golf. They carry a great variety of Japanese beer on tap and in pitchers with an ever changing pub menu that is big enough (and portioned large enough) to satisfy your pub cravings.
(2)
Phil M.
Great Happy Hour spot! Convienently located and a super nice staff!
(4)
Jaclyn H.
I loved my meal a bit more than my husband, I think, but we were both fans. We went for brunch and I had the French toast maki with mango and kiwi and a banana's foster dipping sauce. It's certainly sweet, but not over the top. I got my savory on with a piece of the shrimp crispy rice. It was wonderful. My husband enjoyed three tacos, two crying shrimp and a nacho taco. He found them a tad pricy a $3 each, but an entree with three tacos would likely be $9 or more at many restaurants. He was disappointed in the ramen, though. Noodles were mushy and overcooked. Broth was rather bland. We checked in on Yelp and enjoyed free gyoza, which are potstickers and were yummy! Small place, but I would love to go back and sit in their tented area this summer.
(4)
Joon L.
Beware the hot green tea is served felm a can and costs $5 a pop! Food is ok. Not close to being authentic at all. Service is so so.. Would never go back to this place and would never recommend it to anyone. This was a disappointment.
(1)
Christina A.
My husband and I wandered into Tokio Pub after a few oysters at Shaw's and since our first visit we keep coming back. The staff is super-awesome; fun, friendly and fans of their our product (I love that). Everything is served tapas style so we often pop in to TP for a mid-shopping snack and cocktail. The first time we went we asked the server to choose everything for us and loved every selection (especially the martinis)! My favorite part? They serve jello shots!
(4)
Luke S.
I was really unimpressed by this place. I had big expectations, but all that happened was that I walked away hungry with a large bill. They need to establish some sort of lunch menu, or else they will continue to have two tables occupied on a daily basis. The concept is great and the food was OK, but the portions were so tiny. Everything that we ordered was literally one or two bites. I was also a little put off by the small can of green tea. When you think of Green Tea you think of it like an iced tea where you can have free refills, not 8 ounces and no refill. I feel like I am harping on a lot of negatives, but it just didn't work for me. Our server was nice, but I would much rather dine at Shaws, which shares the location, for lunch going forward if I am ever in the area (which I rarely am).
(2)
Jay N.
This appears to be a former back room of the Shaw's next door. The food comes from the doors to Shaw's and the restrooms are located there as well. Therefore, the parking is still pretty limited and you would be best served to use the garage nearby. Staff and servers were welcoming and helpful. Going in, I knew it would be small plates for sharing and to try out new dishes. The steak tacos were pretty meaty and had slightly different flavorings than a taqueria:ginger and some salsa, but it's not really good for sharing. We had the crab crispy rice. The crispy rice is simply Japanese sticky rice, rolled in panko, and deep fried. The crab was blended with some chili and roe so you're paying extra for not just the pure crab which was slightly disappointing. The chili hid some of the crab taste. The shrimp ceviche was laid out on a small platter instead of still being in the acidic juices, which makes me question the freshness. Our server recommended the bbq pork belly nachos, which ended up being slightly better than our other choices. It was overly covered in cheese and a sweet sauce served with a side of guacamole and sour cream. We finished with the warm bagged beignets, which were tasty but can get messy if you don't swallow them whole, and the creme brulee trio. The orange flavor was by far the best but the lemongrass and ginger were too similar in taste. Maybe a matcha flavor would have been better to replace one of those two. They have a good variety of drinks and serve water in a stoppered bottle, but was disappointed from a taste/uniqueness standpoint and even further exasperated at the value and experience.
(2)
Jerome J.
Came here for the restaurant week specials again. No reservation. So they seated us in the heated (but still so chilly I could see my breath) patio even though the dining area was half empty. Food is always delicious, but service is awful. Wait staff is not knowledgeable especially about the restaurant week menu. 3 different parties got up and left because they weren't being served. The service has absolutely taken a dive since our last visit a year ago. The only redeeming factor is that the food quality hasn't suffered. Even the drinks are now bland, but were previously delicious.
(2)
Phill C.
The thing working about in the burbs is there's only so many places to go and you just start getting tired of some. When i read Tokio Pub was opening in Schaumburg, I got really excited. It's about damn time we got some new restaurants up in this beeech! We went the day after their opening for their first lunch service. Unfortunately, they weren't ready to open for lunch that day... wah wuh waaaaah. But no big deal, they were really apologetic and gave us each a $20 gift certificate to come back. Sweet! Of course we went back the following Monday and decided to sit outside, since the weather was awesome that day. Well it was actually quite windy that day and our empty beer/soda cans kept getting knocked down. That was a minor annoyance, as I wished our server would've taken them away. Also at times service was a bit slow, but they just opened so I understand they're still working some kinks out. Oh yah beer. They have a nice little beer menu, with choices such as cans of Red Stripe and Daisy Cutter. They also have a small wine and sake list, as well as sake Jello shots. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share, including the chicken meatballs, pork belly, sweet baby back ribs, crispy salmon rice, crispy tuna rice, pub wings ,and braised pork tacos. Yah that sounds like a freakin lot of food, but keep in mind this place is an izakaya, so these are a few bites. But I've been to other izakayas and I wish portions were a bit larger here. I enjoyed the Pork Belly and the Sweet Baby Back ribs the most. The Pub Wings were good, but the wings weren't that meaty. Everything else was just okay, including Beignets we ordered for dessert. They came in a tiny paper bag and were more like donut holes filled hot chocolate goo. As the server suggested, you have to eat these in one bite or else hot chocolate would squirt squirt everywhere. But I guess I was expecting a real beignet. My co-worker was also raving about the Crying Tiger Shrimp, so I'll have to try that next time. This izakaya is definitely a nice joint to have some drinks with friends and munch on some small plates of food. I thought the food overall was just okay, but I'll be back for sure to give this place another try. I'm not sure if this will become a frequent lunch stop as it was a bit pricey for the portions, but I'm sure I'll be back to have some drinks with friends.
(3)
Julie S.
Last minute plans for tonight found us here for their Taco Time! Great $1 tacos from 8pm to 9pm. We decided our plan at 7:30 and called to make reservations. We were told they were full till 8:30 but were put on a wait list. Arriving with a party of 6 at 7:45 we were told we were on the wait list and not guaranteed how long it would take. Within 5 minutes the hostess approached us and informed us we could have the long bar table as soon as those 10 people were seated. 2 minutes later we were seated. Our waitress, Alice was fantastic!!! Very attentive and always checking on us. The mgr Bill was also very nice and apologized for the wait. After 39 great tacos for our party we got the bill. Alice told us that we were not charged for our wine as the Mgr felt bad about our having to wait. Unbelievable!!!!! We have been here before and have never been disappointed in the service or food. I highly recommend this place!!
(5)
Tony H.
I'd been to BaBaReeba, and was expecting some dynamite atmosphere and food to match. Tokio Pub was not all I hoped it would be, but it was A-OK anyway. The thing that got us most was the portion sizes. Seemed tiny for what you actually received. For example, $5 for a plate of two fried crispy rice & shrimp pieces, just a little bit bigger than a fortune cookie. Or $5-$7 for two tacos depending on what type of protein you get on them. I also should've known better when ordering a Fat Tire for $5, with it coming in a 12oz. can. Big on flavor, just not on size. Overall I enjoyed the company I was with. They comped one dish for our table of 5, so we could "try it out" without any obligations. They also comped my cousin and I each a "jello shot" for our birthdays. Our server was alright, but the hostess was the highlight of the night for us out on the patio. She chatted it up with us, seemed pretty sincere, and she said we were the most fun table she'd had all night Overall, our tab came out to about $120. Probably won't stop here again unless I'm in the area and looking for a light mid-day meal.
(3)
Erik H.
The lack of interesting, intimate nightspots in the Schaumburg area has rubbed me the wrong way since moving here, but with the opening of Tokio Pub I think I've finally found a decent place to drink in a cozy, cool atmosphere. There isn't a wild amount of drinks but the small selection is intriguing, including different kinds of sake and sake mixed drinks. The food is also very good with a lot of Japanese-inspired fusion dishes, but the small tapas-style plates quickly add up. Eat dinner beforehand and come here to wind down on a weekend night.
(4)
Jd P.
Server was Roy, service was great! Food as always wonderful. Do Check in for free ap. tacos chicken waffle and tuna avocado roll and bottle of Pinot noir.
(5)
Tejas B.
A buddy and I ate there yesterday. We ordered the Udon noodles soup with chicken and both of us got food poisioning. Horrible. They also removed the Bento Box from the lunch menu which was the best thing on the menu.
(1)
Chris M.
Way overpriced. I ordered an $16 steak dish that came with 8 thinly sliced strips of steak on a bed of ramen noodles. My wife's salmon was about the same. $5 potsticker appetizers were the smallest I've ever seen and our $3 coke was flat. Nice atmosphere if you don't mind music so loud you can't hear each other talk at 6pm, decent service. The food tasted good all around but for what we ate I would have expected to pay no more than half the price we did.
(2)
Cody M.
LOVE this place. Have yet to have a bad dish but the atmosphere is awesome (small and quaint). You truly feel as if you are in a mom and pop shop versus a larger corporation owned environment. The best is the crying tiger shrimp and ribs! Great selection of drinks are also on tap and cant wait to go again. Staff is consistent in its level of service...not great but not bad by any stretch of the word. I will continue to come to this location for something just a tad different than your usual restaurant.
(5)
Faith D.
Only reason we tried this place was because we had a coupon. It's a teensy bit out of the way from our usual circuit of places for a casual Friday dinner. And it's quirky because it's attached to Shaw's in Schaumburg. There's a small indoor section and a lovely outdoor section -- which is where we opted to sit as there are only so many perfect evenings in Chicago. Other than the fact that the outdoor seating faces the Streets of Woodfield parking lot, it's "al fresco" kinda sorta. I started with sake sangria. In a word "OMG" -- delicious! Next time we'll get the pitcher rather than by the glass because it was the perfect beverage for a beautiful summery evening. These are small plates and are meant to be shared. Prices per item are reasonable but they add up very, very quickly. Here are some of the things my husband and I ordered: Crispy rice combo (1 shrimp, 1 crab, 1 lobster); crispy calamari, crispy tofu squares, bbq pork belly, sweet baby back ribs, angry chicken tacos. Everything was delicious and presentations were lovely. There was a lot of "fried" stuff which surprised me a bit. Anything with "crispy" in the title meant it was fried. Hubby had a beer -- our total was $65 (we had a coupon for $20 so $45 plus tip). We were with another couple and their tab was $64! They ordered totally different stuff. Our server, Claire, was adorable but probably (per corporate policy) was really pushing us to order more. At the end of dinner she comped us 2 desserts. The beignets and the passion fruit ice cream. Those beignets (donut holes stuffed with warm chocolate ganache) were A-MAZE-ING!!! The ice cream was delicious and the perfect yin/yang of hot/cold. Now that we've got the hang of it (I think) -- it's just a bit out of the way but the deliciousness and cuteness make us want to go back sooner rather than later. I held back a star because of price. Individually - things are priced well but it did add up quickly and we will be mindful. No matter what -- I'm splurging on the sake sangria.
(3)
Derek C.
We were here for a friend's birthday party and the food, drinks and staff made it very enjoyable. The food: lots of small plate asian/mexican fusion dishes. my personal favorites were the pork belly and also the braised pork tacos. We tried a few other dishes as well and they were also good. Drinks: We tried the Blushing Geisha, the Mojito and a beer called victoria. All were very good. They also had a full bar. Service was also great, as the two servers we had were very attentive and took good care of us. A few people also stayed quite late and we didn't realize that the place wasn't open that late, but the staff didn't try and kick us out, but they did give us subtle hints that they were closing, like leaving the checks. so they were nice about letting us stay a bit past closing. other things to note, the space was small, but it is attached to Shaw's. They have a decently sized outdoor area which is great when the weather is nice. So we'll definitely have to try this place again and sit outdoors when it's nice out.
(4)
Anya K.
My boyfriend took me here on a Friday night, all the staff members asked us how we found out about it, but triple reward points have definitely caught our attention. The atmosphere is very chic, the music was in the background - not taking over the conversation and not making extra noise - perfect level of loudness and just enough to set the mood! Out waitress was really sweet, and made some good suggestions, so we tried the kim chee three, the shishito pepper salad (awesome), the bbq pork belly, sweet baby ribs, braised pork and grilled steak tacos (steak is way better), chicken yakitori, pub wings, tuna tartare (a must try), 3 piece crispy rice with lobster and salmon, and salmon tataki. No room for desert after all that. We also shared a pitcher of ginger mohito. Okay, I loved the food here. The tuna tartare is the number one next thing I get when I come back, the shishito pepper a little different but so good, I loved the ribs, the steak tacos - getting again for sure. I have to say that this place was a pleasant surprise, and after all that food we left perfectly buzzed and happy. Great place for a city feel in the burbs, and good for no hassle date night!
(5)
Mina H.
Not sure why I have not reviewed this place yet... been here at least 4 times since it opened back in early summer. LOCATION GPS was confused, because the address showed Shaws. Dealio - its annexed and directly across from the parking garage. AMBIANCE LOVE eating on the patio, the setting is chill and convenient to a movie or Gameworks... and the staff must be taking customer service pills, b/c they are SUSPICIOUSLY nice. I can only imagine the pep talks at the beginning of each shift. FOOD Basically asian fusion tapas. Faves are the fish tacos... but the other two kinds are good too. Also like their salads! Liked the food enough to get sold on their Lettuce Entertain You Freq Diners Club membership. I dont give out 5 stars often. Nuff said.
(5)
Liz K.
A girlfriend and I were scoping places around the Streets of Woodfield to get dinner and she was saying that Lettuce Entertain You opened another restaurant called "Tokio Pub". She also said she heard great things about their food. Since we've finally overcome this insane heat wave (at least for now) we sat outside on the patio. The atmosphere is awesome! We sat near the street side and we really didn't mind because trees that resemble palm trees were blocking the street. It was nice to be sort of enclosed so we didn't see cars drive past us. They have it set up real nice with lights strung on the ceiling and it doesn't get too loud out there. We orded the shrimp ceviche and crispy calamari as appetizers and they were delicious! They were perfect proportions for appetizers! I definitely wouldn't order them in place of an entree. We ordered as we went along, basing it on how hungry we got, and we ended up getting the crazy dragon roll, godzilla roll and 3 tacos. I didn't think the godzilla roll wasn't anything too special. It's your typical shrimp tempura sushi. If I remember correctly, the crazy dragon roll had a yellow casing and it was very flavorful! The tacos were incredible! We got the nacho taco, crispy fish, and the crying tiger shrimp tacos. If you like a little kick to your taco, the crying tiger shrimp is your winner! It's lightly glazed in sriracha. I personally loved the nacho taco - the braised bbq pork was yummo! Overall, it's a delicious spot but a little pricy for the food they offer. It's definitely a nice dinner place! You can expect to spend at least $40-$60 if you do appetizers and entrees. Happy eating!
(5)
Frank A.
Came here with reservations for my Bro's B-day. Was seriously expecting greatness based on the hype. We arrived here and was seated right by the entrance. I sort of felt bad that some our party was facing the door. I know there was a slight draft and it was freakin winter. It had to be chilly on that side of our table. Other than that, I suppose you'd really have to come here with the intention of drinking and not having an all out feast. I know, I know, this place is more in the style of a tapas. At the same time, the prices are a bit too high. I mean the food was OK, not great. We ordered virtually everything on the menu and I was still struggling to find something that would leave me satisfied. In the end, the food was alright, but we were left with a massive bill. Yea, yea... tapas.. I know... I did drink a little, but I guess I needed to drink a lot more... oh well.
(2)
Samantha V.
I was just informed in a private message from the owner that they are in fact keeping the delicious tacos. Trust me, you will be missing out if you don't try these. I always put this place off until about 2 weeks ago and when I went i had a lovely waitress recommend a sampler to me and i definitely could kick myself for not going to this place sooner than I did. They also have interesting entrees where you cook your food yourself on a hot rock that I saw and want to try. You can also throw parties here on their heated patio. I really love this place and their beer is pretty cheep too!
(5)
SasaChaCha C.
Place was tightly packed. Tables are very tiny and place is dimly lit.. Food is unique
(3)
Luci W.
My boyfriend and I are basically regulars there and some of the waitress would recognized us and would alway greet us with a smile on their face. We love their food too much. Way too much. We alway order the pork braised nacho. Omgee so effin good. My boyfriend would order seconds during the happy hours. We love happy hours cause we r college kids lol. We shall pay them a visit again!
(5)
Ang R.
***Restaurant Week Review*** Make a reservation. It's teeny. The restaurant week menu was great, and a great value. $33 per couple, not person. Everything was really tasty. The nachos were probably the highlight for me, though those Asian barbecue ribs were very tasty too. (And the white peach sangria was awesome.)
(4)
Deepak N.
Went here before a movie. Waitress was super nice. Sushi rolls were sub par. Not authentic. Expensive. Loud drunk patrons. Meh. Better off going to sushi ya or something.
(1)
Carolyn B.
This place was our go-to in early spring, but service and quality have gone downhill since April..we won't be back.
(2)
Melanie P.
Love this place! Super relaxed, we always sit out on the patio (rarity in the suburbs). Great place to go with groups- order more, try more. I recommend the Sake Sangria and any of the tacos (partial to the pork belly). Service has always been good. Nice place to go to get away from all of the Schaumburg chains.
(5)
Valerie W.
Unfortunately, i wasn't impressed with Tokio Pub. I really really REALLY wanted to love it, but it just fell flat all around for me. We went for a friend's birthday a few weeks ago. The one very good point was that they were very accommodating to our large group, but because of the setup of the place, we were not able to all sit together. The service was quick and friendly, despite our large group spread across the restaurant I had perused the menu ahead of time, and was really looking forward to all of the delicious things they were offering. None of it was *that* delicious: Tuna Tartare w/ tortilla chips ($8): The portion was small, and it had obviously been made ahead of time and refrigerated (the tuna was far too cold to have been freshly cut by the sushi chef) Spicy Tiger shrimp tacos ($6 for 2): the concept of all of the tacos is excellent, but the flavor didn't jive for me. They were DOUSED in sriracha. I love sriracha. It was still too much. Lemon-Lime rainbow roll ($9): again, tasted like it had been made in advance and refrigerated. Sushi is not supposed to be COLD. I could only eat one piece before pawning it off on others who aren't as picky. Crazy Dragon Roll($9): I did enjoy this one, but there was too much rice in the roll. I really hate when sushi places use too much rice. Grilled chicken stir fry noodle dish ($13): there were several noodle dishes on the table. They take the same noodles and slap a different protein down with them. I was less than impressed all around. Pitcher of Ginger Mojitos ($22): The pitcher was very small for $22, like a half pitcher. I could definitely taste the ginger and the lime, not so much the rum. I would not go back to Tokio Pub... If I'm going to spend that much money and am in the area, I'll go to the Oyster Bar at Shaw's.
(2)
Christy S.
I absolutely LOVE this place and so does my husband! It is our go-to place whenever we don't know where we want to go. We probably eat here once a week. What also makes it great is their happy hour during 5-6pm. The entire left side of the menu is half price! Sushi is delicious and fresh, the tacos are delicious (yes small, but great.) I've also had their Noodle bowl and it was delicious. I don't think I've tried anything there that I haven't liked. One complaint I would have is... Why did you get rid of the ceviche????? It was SO SO good and I miss it! :) Also you MUST have the Beignets when you are there, they are so amazing, A little pricey, but worth it when you taste them.
(5)
Amy G.
Why not give it 5 stars. It was delicious. It's a small, sort of hidden gem. For starters we had the pork nachos and maki rolls. Both out of this world. I had the noodle dish while my husband had pork belly, both excellent. Food portions were good, and I can't wait to go back for $1 tacos. I am so glad we found this place, and we will be back.
(5)
Bill M.
Very good, who knew sushi and tacos could pair so well. Only thing bad about my last visit was the water, it tasted horrible.
(4)
Kelli W.
Considering this place is small and one of my favorites for small plates, I might regret adding to their ratings; I want to keep it to myself. The food, service, and atmosphere are consistently perfect. Food is priced right, service is unobtrusive and attentive, and the bar plays great mellow music. I could go on, but plenty of others have.
(5)
Nicky S.
We utilized our gift certificates and picked up a variety of menu options. The girl on the phone said it would be ready in 15 minutes. We're a 20 minute drive away so I sent my husband off after the call. He said the order was not ready when we got there, but he had no problem waiting at the bar. We made sure to order a range of food and my mindset was very open to this second time around. Shrimp ceviche - This was light and refreshing but not enough chips included. Braised pork tacos - Decent, but not special Braised pork belly noodles - not seasoned properly, not enough salt, lacked unami and depth. I did like how they layered the pork on top of the soup as to not soak the meat in the broth. Robata Grilled Skirt Steak - Husband's dish. He generally doesn't have negative reviews of restaurants but said he was not impressed and the steak was overcooked. Conclusion: I give the management major props for handling my poor first experience swiftly and allowing me a second shot. If the review was solely based on their actions this would be 5 stars instead of 3. Despite this I am still unimpressed with the food. It's very average and something that might impress those who are content going to Applebees or Ruby Tuesdays. I am torn because there is much potential with the atmosphere, menu options and beverage selection, that it's a shame the main event doesn't live up to the image. The flavors are not as bright and exciting as one would expect. The broth and sauces lack dimension and leave much to be desired. Frankly after a bite or two of each item I was bored. Management obviously cares about their establishment, hence reaching out to their customer-base, so I would ask them to round up their kitchen staff, taste each of their menu items and ask themselves if it's the most delicious thing they've ever tasted, or if something needs to be tweaked. It might not be the chefs, it could be the recipes are too bland to begin with. If the menu items were revamped I would be happy to come back on my own dime and try this restaurant once more.
(3)
Jordan G.
Did not eat here, but we did sit at the bar and had a few cocktails! VERY cool atmosphere! I had a raspberry martini which was delicious and my boyfriend tried a few of their variety of craft beers. It's a small, quitter bar (at least when we were there) that looked to be setting up live music on the patio for later. Very cool!
(4)
Sumara K.
I can't even lie. I (insert expletive here) love tacos. Especially when paired with delicious drinks. That being said, I'm super critical of tacos, especially when partaking in said delicious drinks. Tokio Pub combines a few of my favorite things. Alcohol, palate shocking tastes, and a an atmosphere that does not rely on kitsch to make you like them. Warning to any big eaters though; they serve things in small portions. The first time we went was on a Saturday night and they had $3 dollar glasses of wine and sangria. Delicious. I ordered the ceviche, the pork nachos, and we received two free chicken tacos for checking in on Facebook. To be fair we went in rather late and the kitchen was soon to be closing. While the chicken taco left much to be desired, the pork nachos were delicious. The ceviche was higher on the guacamole and lower on the shrimp, but still very pleasing to my palate. The red sangria and white sangria were equally delicious, though I will admit that I ordered only the white sangria and was brought the red by our server who wasn't exactly the most attentive girl ever. :( There was also karaoke on Saturday nights, but it seemed like no one was really biting. The DJ was very cool though and took requests in between singers. Two weeks later we returned, on a Friday night this time. Go figure we ended up with the same server, but this time we sat outside because the weather was gorgeous. I had the pork belly taco (HOLY SJFSLJFLKSJLFKS SO GOOD) and the nacho taco (again, HOLY FJSKLJFDLkasJFLSJFSLKDSJAL SO GOOD). The blushing geisha was a delicious compliment to my small meal, and I would have ordered another one but it was taking too long for drinks. Aside from a few minor serving issues, I REALLY love this place. The food is fantastic, and can you really beat a restaurant that has a $1 taco hour? C'mon!
(4)
Alicia F.
Good food, service started out great then towards the middle of our night we got ignored and had to wait a very long time for our entrees. The server even forgot our appetizer order.
(3)
Justine S.
I was here last night for my birthday. Our server was awesome! she recommended the best food options for interest. Food overall was great. ORDER THE NACHO'S FOR APPETIZER! this is a must!! so gooood! My dad ordered the ahi tuna and they give it to you with hot rocks to cook it! best part, its still good! THIS IS A MUST GO!!!! and they had 1$ taco's last night too. yum
(5)
Todd B.
Complete hype and style over substance. My wife order sushi - which took ages and came out with FROZEN cucumber in the middle. Nothing we ordered had any flavor... from the quasi-Mexican tacos - to the not-so-Asian soup and sushi. The only reason I'm giving 2 stars - is because the manager comped the frozen sushi. I'm not really one to write negative reviews - because I don't want to trash someone's business... but a company as large as L.E.Y. gets it this wrong - changes needed to be made quickly.
(2)
Joy C.
Not a good place for dinner, the portion size is super small, and it is very expensive. The food is not even fresh, the finger size taco costs $3 each, what are they thinking? To make it even worse, this place is super loud, you can hear all the conversation from the next tables.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Jessica N.
wow what a complete disappointment! my friends usually go there for the dollar tacos and now i know why.... For the price you pay, you can get alot more at other much better restaurants. The food was absolutely terrible. I paid $30 not only for bad food but i walked out not even half full. I mean to spend that much I'd like to be at least somewhat full. I ordered the pork belly over fried rice dish. Horrible. The fried rice had no taste what so ever and the dish was full of fat. Just disgusting fat. I couldn't believe it. The fat was sticking to the metal pan they served it in. I didn't even get to eat half the dish because it was all burnt and stuck to the bottom of the pan. Absolutely disgusting. The two drinks i ordered were way too sweet and had barely any alcohol. The cosmo didn't even taste like a cosmo. I was even at the point of complaining but i had to catch a movie and was running out of time. All in all, this is pretty much your typical "hipster" spot. And i hated it! I would never go back and would never recommend it to anyone.
(1)Michelle F.
ARGH! Why aren't half stars an option?!?! I rounded up in this case. Management-FABULOUS Service (this time)- On par Drinks-WONDERFUL Food-Good *when* it was warm My Yelp ladies and I decided to meet here on a Thursday night for a bite to eat. We were looking for good food and strong drinks, and we definitely found both. We made reservations for 6:30, but were accommodated when we were early! They were even really nice when we needed to switch from outside to inside. With our Yelp chick-in offer, we were treated to two chicken tacos. They were served fairly quickly, but they were lukewarm at best. I think they would have been way better if they were warm, but they seemed to have a good flavor to them. We each ordered a few different things. Some sushi, the crispy potatoes for the table, a side salad, and I got the chicken noodles again. They definitely did not disappoint, but they were spicier than they were last time. The service was definitely better this time than the first time that I went (it was much faster this time and our waitress was more attentive). Also, when there was a problem with the bill, the manager was right there to fix it. Service with a smile :) I would definitely be back--their drinks are amazingly strong and delicious, and their food isn't too shabby either!
(4)Kaye D.
This place is adjoined with Shaw's Crab House. You can get to Tokio Pub through the main entrance, but there is a seperate door to get there as well, so you don't have to navigate through Shaw's Oyster Bar. Came here during happy hour (5-6PM) and that happens M-F. All items on the one page of the menu were all half off: appetizers, tacos, and sushi. I checked in via FourSquare and got a deal of free edamame. I checked in via Yelp and got a deal of a free appetizer with a purchase of an entree (will be saving that one for later). We came in at 5 on a Tuesday and the seats at the bar were taken, but the rest of the tables were pretty wide open. My husband and I shared the sticky pork spare ribs to start it all off. I liked the asian BBQ sauce - tangy. Next up was to try the tacos. You order them in combos of 3 or 5. So, we got 1 crying tiger shrimp taco and 2 steak tacos. They are really small, practically 2-3 bites if you're able to keep all the food in the tortilla. I liked the steak tacos because the sweet and zesty after taste provided by the pickled ginger. Delish. Then, we kinda went a little overboard on sushi and ordered: godzilla roll, tokio spicy tuna roll (house favorite), lemon-lime rainbow roll, crazy dragon roll and shrimp tempura roll. All the rolls came out to my expectations except for the godzilla and spicy tuna. That doesn't mean it was bad by any means. My idea of spicy tuna is the tuna is wrapped inside. Here, the spicy sauce is a sauce on the bottom of the plate and the roll is placed on top of it with a big piece of cucumber on the inside of the roll and the tuna is laid on top of the roll. Talk about a completely different presentation of what I know spicy tuna to be. As for the godzilla roll, I feel like each restaurant has its own take on this one. So it's shrimp tempura and cucumber on the inside and salmon on top of the roll topped with guacamole and a tortilla chip on top (talk about a japanese-mexican fusion). The sauce was drawn in a "line" next to the roll. Presentation is definitely key here. Coming from Tokio Pub, it feels like a long hike to get to the bathrooms, which are located upstairs in the main entrance of Shaw's. If their tactic is to help you burn off some of the food you just ate, they definitely achieved their goal there! Probably won't be ordering the tacos again. Otherwise, food was tasty and we had a pleasant experience. Will likely return again during happy hour.
(4)Daisy B.
On July 16th my boyfriend (although technically we were "just" friends at the time ;)) asked me to meet him at Tokio Pub. I was pretty stoked, as I had good Happy Hour at Tokio Pub with a girlfriend a month before that. This place is connected to Shaw's and my friend surprised me with prime-time valet parking for both our turbos. It was a great way to start the "date"... well.... the night continued to get better. The food was even more exceptional on that day, July 16. I always judge a sushi restaurant by what else (their sashimi of course!). So we ordered sashimi and it was very fresh, good portions and served on a cold stone. I thoroughly enjoyed it! We also shared the crispy rice and a variety of mini-tacos. Everything was super tasty. To finish up our wonderful meal, we decided to order a "Happi Ending" and chose their Mochi. To my surprise this mochi came out pre-cut and pre-portioned atop of about seven spoons. It was a really cute idea! Ready-to-slip into and melt in your mouth! lol. Anyway, it was probably the tastiest mango mochi I have ever had. Overall, I was very impressed with the entire evening (my date and the food)! We will definitely be back to Tokio Pub!
(5)Britt C.
Very cute outdoor patio, with fans! The little things in life get me all the time. But it was too hot to sit outside so we went in. The inside is nicely decorated, and has a different feel than most places in the area which I liked. I came here after dinner to grab another drink and get some dessert. I ordered a blushing geisha which was pretty good ($10). For dessert they only had beignets, raspberry sorbet, and a trio of ice cream. We opted for the beignets, which arrived at the table in a tiny white paper bag with Tokio Pub printed on it. It was cute, something different. There were four small beignets in the bag, which were filled with warm chocolate. They were pretty good ($4). Watch out though if you try to just take a bite of one, the chocolate might break out and get all over you...yes, this did happen to me. For how chill this place seems I felt the prices were just slightly high, but not ridiculously so. They had an interesting menu, so I would go back to try a few things. Especially if it wasn't such a hot day to sit out on their patio!
(3)Beth R.
Love Tokio Pub! The Pub Tea cocktail is dee-lish and refreshing. It's served in a mason jar with fresh mint and it just makes me happy. I love any place that has small bites to share...that way you can try a bunch of different flavors and not get stuck with one mediocre dish. The tuna hot rock is a fun and tasty way to eat ahi. The volcano roll, crispy rice, spicy edamame, and pork belly are wonderfully delicious bites of heaven. Finish your meal off with the beignets stuffed with molten melted chocolate and you'll have yourself a good time.
(5)Richard B.
My wife and I went to the crab place next door and then here for drinks. We should of just went here to begin with. The service was fantastic. Very attentive, younger, but I did not feel intimidated (I am forty) and easy on the eyes. The drinks were great and reasonably priced. We looked at the menu to see what we misses. NEXT TIME!! Great place, good vibes, excellent service. Go here, not to the crab place next door.
(5)Mike G.
Top notch service and a great atmosphere I sincerely recommend this pub. The tacos are great but a little on the small side.
(4)Hans C.
Tokio Pub is not just a malicious growth metastasizing off the side of Shaw's Crab House. It is a Schaumburg destination in its own right. I've been here probably 6 or 7 times in about as many months, and I've always had a positive experience. Good food and great service and staff. Due to the varying specials they're constantly having (Happy Hour, $1 tacos, free gift certificates, etc.), I've had the opportunity to try the majority of the items on the menu. My personal favorites would be the crying tiger shrimp tacos, noodle bowls, wings, and maki rolls. The beignets are also a treat--just try not to let the hot chocolate splooge burn your unsuspecting mouth. Other than beer, I haven't had any drink from the bar yet, but that's on my to-do list when I stop in again next week. I didn't enjoy everything I tried, and some of the fare was just okay, but overall the food is quality, and to each his own. Another downside is the bathrooms are practically a day's journey and a labyrinth away. When you finally reach it, you almost expect David Bowie and some goblins to be there singing Magic Dance. My advice is to break that seal before you get seated. Tokio Pub is a great place to have a light meal and a couple drinks before continuing the night elsewhere. The restaurant is divided into an indoor section and a covered outdoor heated area. Both are comfortable. It's a small, intimate atmosphere, yet there's plenty of seating. Whether you're on a first date or just want to enjoy great $1 tacos and some beers, Tokio Pub fits the bill.
(4)Lani G.
My girlfriends and I ate here for dinner last week. The tacos were outstanding. The sushi was terrible. It was "pasty tasing" and fishy. My girlfrined wouldnt eat hers. The service was good. Will come back but not for the sushi.
(3)Alex K.
I had a light dinner here the other night. It's bar food, simple as that. The Asian noodle salad was a cold udon, some vegetables, dressed in a peanut sesame vinegar dressing. The flavours were good but nothing spectacular. The chicken taco was good. Street taco sized, the meat and the salad and dressing went well. Nothing out of this world. The fried/burnt rice thing should be taken off the menu. It's sushi rice, battered, fried, then topped with your choice of a number of things like a fried shrimp or whatever. Unappetizing. Service was awesome but we had gone quite early before it got crowded. Good place for a drink and bar food but nothing different or spectacular.
(2)Taylor P.
Tacos and sushi... Is this heaven? I am a huge fan of Tokio Pub and always try to stop in if I am back in the suburbs. My favorites are the tacos (I order one of each, they are all amazing) and the lemon-lime rainbow roll. The nachos are also a huge portion if you want to grab a solid appetizer. I will continue to dine here whenever I can.
(5)Rexcrisanto D.
SUSHI RATING BREAKDOWN: CLEANLINESS / NEATNESS Display Case: 4 Cutting Boards: 4 Sushi Bar: 3 Restaurant: 3 Bathrooms: 5 SUSHI CHEF (s) CLEANLINESS Professional Appearance: 5 Hand Washing: 3 Wiping of Knives: 3 Wiping of Board: 3 Makisu Bamboo Mats: 3 Cross Contamination Control: 3 Display Case Doors Closed after Opening: N/A SUSHI CHEF (s) SKILLS Sushi Rice Quality: 4 Nigiri Preparation (Shari / Neta): 3 Maki Roll Preparation: 3 Sashimi Preparation: 3 Presentation: 3 Friendliness / Interaction: 2 FOOD (SUSHI BAR) Freshness: 4 Taste: 3 Japanese Authenticity: 1 Innovation: 2 SERVICE: 1 Likelihood to return if nearby: 1 Likelihood to "go-out-of-my-way" to return: 0 TOTAL SCORE: 3 (Everything else is secondary) Preface: This review is based on their sushi alone. The new Japanese garden that was built last summer and the fact that its head chef, Naoki Nakashima, is Japanese really had me thinking I would enjoy some great authentic sushi. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The garden bears little resemblance with the food and atmosphere inside. First of all, this is an "American" sushi place inside an American crab house restaurant. When I walked in looking for the sushi bar, I was directed to sit at the "liquor bar," which happens to share the same space where the sushi is prepared. I had to order my sushi through the liquor bartender. Midway into placing my order I glanced and saw a look of confusion in her eyes. Clearly she didn't understand the Japanese names of the fish I was ordering (hamachi, sake etc). When I asked for green tea, I was told they don't have traditional green tea, but instead, a variety of gourmet teas. It's very sad when something as basic as "ocha" green tea isn't available with sushi. It's a staple for sushi just like wasabi, gari and rice vinegar - should be automatic. As for the sushi, the selection is poor, catering to the American palette to say the least. However, what they did have is fresh and not pre-frozen and pre-sliced. According to the Mexican sushi chef during my last visit, they have a steady influx of new fish delivered frequently enough to provide fresh tasting sashimi and netta for nigiri. I don't eat many rolls, but I had to try their King Crab California roll that uses real crab meat right out of its shell. I must say, it was one of the worst $15 I've spent on sushi. The idea of using fresh King crab sounds better than imitation kani kama, but the taste is too bland in comparison. If Hidekazu Tojo, the inventor of the California roll, made the original California roll like Shaw's King Crab California roll back in the 70's, sushi wouldn't be as popular today in America or the world. In short, if you're looking for crab and other American seafood dishes, this is a great place to go, however, If traditional Japanese sushi in a Japanese setting is your preference, go elsewhere.
(3)Norberto S.
Food was great. Service was awesome and we got a free desert for being our first time here.
(5)Kim M.
Been meaning to try this place out since it opened and we finally had a chance to go sans kiddos. We got the yelp check in special which was a maki roll. I am totally sushi illiterate so if this is wrong, my apologies. I didn't eat it, but the husband said it was excellent. We sat at the bar and I had multiple sake-tinis and they were so good. Great foreign beer selection. Great sake selection. I imagine if you are in here at night, and have a good buzz going on, you can almost feel like you are in Tokyo by the way it feels and looks inside. Great decor, almost movie-set like. We will be heading back to try out some real meals there in the near future.
(4)Michelle L.
Nice addition to the mix of restaurants in the Woodfield Mall area but not the greatest if you want sushi. I'm used the eating at Coast and Tanoshii so the sushi at Tokio Pub was disappointing. I went on a Friday during lunch and the service was horrible too - loooong wait and the server kept forgetting things. if I'm in the area then I may go there again but I won't go out of my way to come back.
(3)Andrew K.
I've come here a handful of times since I don't live too far. I definitely haven't sampled everything yet, but have mixed reviews thus far about some of the food, but there have been some pleasant hidden gems on the menu as well. . Highlights: the White Peach Sangria is sweet & refreshing and always hits the spot. The beignets are freaking AWESOME, get 2 orders for sure, sugary goodness. . A-OK: The rolls are pretty decent, but nothing to write home about. The Crying Tiger Shrimp Taco is decent as well, but the other tacos were nothing special. I'm not the biggest fan of Del Sol's tacos either (they're A-OK as well, don't get the hype) if that's giving you a reference point. . Let Downs: The non-shrimp tacos. Nothing special, and not bad either, just expected more from all the hype here on the reviews. Yakitori shrimp (pictured), again, not terrible, but it was hyped up a little by the waitress and thus, a little bit of a let down. . Will repeat and try other plates and update.
(3)Erica D.
I'd have to admit, I was drawn to this place by a coupon. $20 off of $40! How can you deny such an awesome deal & try out a new joint! It just so happened the couple that was joining us happened to have eaten at Tokio Pub and loved it. We arrived with a 7:30 reso and were seated promptly. The tiny matchbox size restaurant was packed to the walls. The décor was trendy/modern, top 30 songs blaring through the restaurant and conversation absorbed the empty space. A pitcher of Sake Sangria (red wine) was refreshing and stiff; just the way I like it! The Beer and wine list was impressive. Extensive menu featuring everything from sushi to stir fry to tacos. Pulled Pork Nachos to start for the four of us; warm, crisp tortilla chips fully loaded with toppings= DELICIOUS... Entrees consisted of the Chicken stir fry served over rice; lightly seasoned, fresh, juicy chicken... awesome! Followed by the famous, Dragon Roll--- Yum yum. The duo to our quatro persisted in ordering dessert for the table. Mini doughnuts. OMG. Are these legal? Lightly fried balls of dough filled with dark fudge. My man and I ordered the Smores.. 2 Ice cream bars with graham crackers, paired nicely with hot fudge and marshmallows. Total Bill for 2: $75.00 w/coupon $55.00 Not too shabby for cocktails, beers, appetizer, 2 entrees and 1 dessert. Yep!. HOT DOG WAS IT DELICIOUS :-)
(4)Glenn K.
Read someone compare this place to being as good as wasabi in Logan square. NO. It is not. Do yourself a big favor and go to wasabi and get their ramen. The ramen here is overly salted and under flavored. Wasabi's ramen uses pork bones that have been cooked for days to flavor their broth. Tokio uses salt out of what can only be cost savings or laziness. Either way not worth the price when Wasabi is not that far away. Unfortunately this isn't the only place that jumps on the ramen fad without doing their homework, but it also isn't the worst. Hence the 3 stars.
(3)Anya C.
It's really a place for American. If you want to grab a beer and hand out with friend, it's a good place to go. If you want to try Japanese food, it's NOT the place to go. I ordered UDON noodle soup and they served noodle soup NOT with UDON noodle. The pork belly was over-cooked. Soup base was not good either.
(3)Jules H.
Happy place, good bites! Food and drink specials rule the show here and they do not disappoint. Okay sushi, really good tacos, menu for everyone. Eating and drinking here is a breeze...good service, fun date spot.
(4)Jessica M.
I came here with a coworker for a nice leisurely lunch. I was surprised that I never noticed this place even though I have been to Big Bowl a few times. I like the vibe of this place. It's a little hip without trying too hard and a lot of natural decor elements make it relaxed. If nothing else, try the bbq braised pork nachos! They are delicious and the serving is big! We split a couple of sushi rolls and they were tasty as well. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and we had a great experience. I would definitely come back to try something new and different. After everything we ordered and split our bill was a bit high for lunch but it was great for a treat! Added bonus: there were not very many people in there at lunchtime so we didn't feel rushed and the atmosphere was quiet enough to have a good conversation.
(4)Brian G.
I went back to Tokio pub to give it a second chance, due to continued positive feedback from friends. This time around I tried the Garlic Steak. It was quite delicious - very flavorful and and fresh. It was kind of skimpy on the steak, but for a price of $13 it wasn't an insulting portion size (and i'm a big eater who likes big portions). My wife again had the tacos, and my analysis on these has not changed. They are delicious, but bit-sized. At a cost of $3 per taco, I'm thinking an average male is paying roughly $1 per bite, which is just silly to me. My recommendation to Tokio Pub would be to include some sort of side dish to make it feel more like a meal. Even my 5'1", 105lb wife wasn't full after 5 tacos. Something wrong there. I will say, however, that the customer service is impecable at Tokio Pub. As soon as I expressed the slightest displeasure with my food, it was dealt with by the manager in a friendly and prompt manner. The wait staff was great, and the ambiance of the restaurant is a good too. The outdoor seating are is especially nice. Let me also caveat my review by saying that I don't eat sushi, so there's an entire half of my menu that I can't comment on. There is a ton to choose from on the menu - far beyond what i've reviewed - so I'd recommend that everyone try it at least once.
(3)Joe P.
We ordered the Godzilla Roll and were pleasantly surprised. The sushi seemed fresh and the flavors were good. The Gyoza was also very good and came with a mustard flavored sauce which was interesting (not a huge mustard fan but this was enjoyable in small amounts to me). I ordered the Chop salad and was not disappointed. My wife and I split the Teriyaki Chicken and it was delicious. All the food this time made our bad experience seem like this was a completely different restaurant.
(4)C. G.
Awesome experience! Need to head here more often.
(4)Yvonne O.
So glad I checked into what Lettuce Entertain You had opened in recent times, because I am not in Schaumburg that often and would never have known about this gem. We went in for Sunday brunch and were the first people there (at 11 - even though it starts at 10). We ordered some drinks and then got down to serious eating. We started with the pork mini tacos (YUM!) So happy they were not dry and the sauce and guac on them was perfect. Then I got the french toast tempura maki with a delicious bananas foster sauce on the side - such a clever idea and not overly sweet like some places make their French toast options (I'm looking at you Ditka's with your cereal coated diabetes fare) I also had a side of the eggs three way fried rice that had an unusual (but yummy) oil in there - something was super spicy. Husband had the burger and enjoyed it as well. All this was under $50! And, with a Lettuce Card, you can put the tip on there, so we essentially ate for free! I'm hooked and totally coming back for lunch or dinner.
(5)Care M.
Love this place, you feel like you are in downtown Chicago even though its located in Schaumburg. Very tasty tacos, and just the right portion size.
(5)Gail G.
My friend and I both tried this place for the first time and we both had a really great experience! Granted, we came on a Friday night during Happi Hour, so all the food we ordered was half-price, but STILL.... the food (and cocktails, which are not half price) were great! I made a reservation for 5:30pm on a Friday, and there was no problem being seated on time. They even had a covered outdoor seating area, but it was so hot and humid that it was basically empty. There were two couples sitting out there as we left and neither of us could imagine how they could bear it! Keep in mind, this is not marketed as, nor attempting to be, an authentic Japanese restaurant. I mean, isn't it obvious by their spelling of "Tokio" instead of "Tokyo"?? People complaining that the food isn't authentic should know better. Being half-Japanese, I only get annoyed with Japanese restaurants that claim to have authentic food, but plainly do not. Japanese/Asian Fusion restaurants like this one do not offend me. Since Nozumi in the South Barrington Arboretum closed down several months ago, this will probably become my new go-to place when I'm craving some Fusion or sushi. I will definately be back!
(5)Jenna P.
Whoa. First time eating here.. LOVED it. Jacob was our server (he ROCKS, so charismatic, woo Jacob!!!) he recommended Crispy chicken tacos, & the volcano roll. Both are a must! Also, the crunchy tuna rice, delicious. Will definitely be back!
(5)Jen H.
Gave this place a second chance and I'm so glad we did. Our server, Jillian, was phenomenal. There is something to be said about excellent customer service nowadays and she went above and beyond for us. The food was amazing. We went during happy hour and ordered the majority of the appetizers. Everything was delicious. My particular favorites were the mini tacos and the sweet potato sushi. Based upon the food, happy hour specials and superior service, our whole group will be back!
(5)LaLaLaLa L.
Ok.. So.... Went here on a Monday night. Cute place... very small. Butted up with Shaws next door. The menu looked awesome and we were excited to try different things. We started out with Tacos. We got one chicken, one steak and one nacho. You had to order in increments of 3 or 5. When they came out, they were the size of my thumb. Very small. They were also $3 each... so $9 for 3. I was splitting them with my husband.. so we each got 1 bite of each. Super yummy... Super expensive for what they were. We got a ceviche to share. It was so disgusting I couldn't eat it. It was so overly fishy that it almost tasted rancid. I don't know how you could share a kitchen with Shaw's and have bad ceviche... but whatever. for entrees, my husband ordered the pork belly and I got the filet. We were going to share both. When they came, there were 3 pieces of pork belly that were about 2.5 inches in length. The rest of the place was nothing but rice. The filet was 5 very! thin strips of steak with a mound of noodles. The steak tasted mealy .. as if it marinated in the oil way too long. There was no flavor. The noodles tasted like those store bought Knorr packaged noodles that you add water and butter to. It was gross. Both of these meals were unfortunately expensive... For dessert, we got the beignets. There were four of them, but instead of coming on a plate... they come in a little to-go bag. I thought that was weird.. as if they were rushing us out. I would never come back here again and am sad to know this is a Lettuce restaurant... as they are usually pretty awesome. The only exception I would make is MAYBE for $1 tacos...
(2)Todd L.
One of my favorite places in the suburbs. You must order the pork belly nachos and a maki roll. Trust me.
(5)Jenna K.
We decided to celebrate a friend's birthday by experiencing restaurant week at Tokio Pub. The 4 of us were famished and most food is DELICIOUS when you are in this state. However, I was just not impressed with the quality of food served that night. We ordered the dinner for 2 for $33. Edamame started off the meal, which was lackluster. The taco combo was in dire need of flavor. The spicy tuna roll was probably the best tasting entree item that we were served, but we felt that the spicy mayo was bordering on the thin line of "too spicy". Now I eat my fair share of spicy, but this spicy tuna left us with an unpleasant lingering burn. The ramen bowl (beef with soy) was flavorful, but a tad too salty. The highlight of the meal was honestly the rice crispie treats. Conclusion... I probably won't be back for the food.
(2)Shaun S.
Food is average, definitely not up to standards of a quality Japanese place. But it is shaws crabhouse. The seafood is good, but Asian inspired things are average at best. I do like going there in the spring/summer to have some drinks and a snack. The pulled pork nachos were good as was the calamari.
(3)Colleen M.
Great food and service. We checked in and got a free starter- what a great surprise! My favorite(s) are the sweet potato tempura roll and the hot rock NY strip. It's a fun way to enjoy a meal. I can't wait to go again!
(5)Brittany K.
My girlfriend and I decided to try Tokio Pub after receiving a Lettuce Entertain You giftcard for Christmas. I'd been seeing the place around online and thought this was the perfect opportunity to give it a shot. We made reservations for 7pm on a Sunday night and were seated not QUITE promptly but soon enough I suppose. In all reality we probably didn't need reservations as the place wasn't all that crowded. We still had to wait a few minutes for a table though. After we were seated I went to hunt down the bathroom and was surprised to realize this place was actually attached to Shaw's. I didn't actually ever find the bathroom as going into a completely different restaurant to pee seemed too daunting while drunk and hungry. I ordered the miso soup app and the king crab california roll as my entree. My girlfriend had the bbq pork nachos as well as some of the mini tacos they had. They advertise them as tacos but really they are mini tacos. Barbie doll house tacos honestly. Our appetizers and entrees came out at the same time which was a little strange, especially since we were sitting at a small table so getting all the plates required a little Tetris style maneuvering. The soup was pretty good - the menu says it comes with mushrooms but mine didn't have any (which was great. I hate mushrooms.) The nachos were OK. My girlfriend liked them but I thought the sauce was way too sweet. I tried a shrimp taco - nothing special really. The sushi was fucking disgusting. Limp cucumber, chewy, fishy crab and tough nori. I have had bad sushi. I have eaten bad sushi. I left this bad sushi on the plate. They also served it with a suspicious white sauce. It smelled like ranch but was probably a spicy mayo or something. No soy sauce, though I doubt the soy sauce would have helped. Our waitress was very nice and asked what was wrong when she saw I wasn't eating the sushi. I told her I didn't like the quality/wasn't quite as fresh as I have had and she took it off the bill for me. Anyway - I expected the place wouldn't be the best. What restaurant sells tacos AND sushi? AND is by a mall? right. But it was crappier than expected. They got my order right and all....it was just really poor quality. No thank you. But really - it is by Woodfield, what would you expect?
(1)Larry B.
went here yesterday in late afternoon. Small room attached to Shaw Crab house. Trying to sell itself an an izakaya but not so much. more of a hipster fusion place. ordered the potato salad which was a little bland and the potatoes were a little underdone. ordered 3 of the tacos which a tiny but tasty. had the pork belly with hoisin which is nice, the fish taco which is better and the crying tiger shrimp which was best, bathed in sri racha sauce. not a bad venue but you would need to eat a lot of these tacos if you were hungry. i would go back for an app but then go to Shaws for a more substatial meal.
(3)G B.
What a great addition to Schaumburg! After living downtown for 7 years, moving to the suburbs was hard...especially finding unique places to eat, and TPub was definitely a breath of fresh air! My friends and I really enjoyed everything ate, and the service was spectacular. My favorites would have to be ALL the cocktails, Lobster Crispy Rice, BBQ Braised Pork Nachos (YUM!), Acapulco roll, Crispy Pork Belly, and the Tacos are all delicious! Definitely a win for Lettuce Entertain You if you ask me.
(5)Amanda R.
First time at Tokio Pub, and we weren't really sure what to expect. When we arrived without a reservation, we were sat out on the heated patio. The chairs were uncomfortable (being patio furniture) and it started getting cold towards the end of our meal. They also had loud dubstep music pumping on the patio, which made it really difficult to hear the waitress. We came here craving sushi, but the sushi menu was so small we ended up going with regular entrees instead. Oh, except my companion ordered one of the tuna on grilled rice and one of the shrimp on the same. I tried a bite. Interesting texture, but the shrimp was cold. Appetizer was the miso soup which, while really good, was missing the mushrooms the menu advertised. For main course, I ordered the shrimp entree, which was five average-sized shrimp in a good (but not fantastic) sauce. The rest of the plate was filled with... grilled bamboo? I'm really not sure. On the menu it's just identified as a "grilled side". Basically just there to fill the plate. Either way, it really wasn't that good, so I didn't eat it, and essentially paid $14 for five shrimp. The one shining moment of the meal, however, was the bananas fosters. It was a tiny portion, but oh my goodness was it delicious! The bill. Oh boy. Let's not talk about that. The portions are small. The cost is not. So, cold patio, uncomfortable furniture, loud music, small portions, overpriced menu, "entrees" which are 75% filler... but a fantastic dessert. We joked that if we ever came back, we would skip the meal and get four orders of bananas fosters instead. Truth be told, I wasn't 100% joking when I suggested that.
(2)Jenny V.
I love their taco time! $1 tacos for one hour, days are changed weekly. I tried their fish, shrimp and angry chicken tacos. all were yummy. my fav was the shrimp taco. We got a free appetizer for checking in (thanks yelp!) we shared the sort rib nachos which were very tasty! i will be back during taco time! =]
(4)Adam E.
Awful. Just the worst food. The chicken tasted like bad fish and smelled just about as bad. Pork tacos were okay, but nothing that really stood out.
(2)Christina A.
My husband and I wandered into Tokio Pub after a few oysters at Shaw's and since our first visit we keep coming back. The staff is super-awesome; fun, friendly and fans of their our product (I love that). Everything is served tapas style so we often pop in to TP for a mid-shopping snack and cocktail. The first time we went we asked the server to choose everything for us and loved every selection (especially the martinis)! My favorite part? They serve jello shots!
(4)Ang R.
***Restaurant Week Review*** Make a reservation. It's teeny. The restaurant week menu was great, and a great value. $33 per couple, not person. Everything was really tasty. The nachos were probably the highlight for me, though those Asian barbecue ribs were very tasty too. (And the white peach sangria was awesome.)
(4)Deepak N.
Went here before a movie. Waitress was super nice. Sushi rolls were sub par. Not authentic. Expensive. Loud drunk patrons. Meh. Better off going to sushi ya or something.
(1)Pete V.
From a distance Tokio Pub appears to be an oasis lost amidst chain restaurants, sprawling megaplexes, and generic retail that pervades the Schaumburg mall area. Not that I have anything against this, after all there are many people who love this atmosphere, but I prefer a more authentic, non-American feel sometimes, and when it comes to the Japanese itzakaya concept, I literally jump at the opportunity to discover a Japanese pub that captures the lively and local atmosphere that seems to be hard to duplicate here in the States. I appreciate what Lettuce Entertain You is trying to do here with Tokio Pub. They indeed attempt to create a lively, chatty atmosphere centered around good food, beer, and of course sake. But there are many details that they simply miss, or like a dealer inspecting a fake rolex, appear to be imperfects immediately apparent the trained eye. For one, they are serving tacos here. Even worse, the tacos are better than the Japanese food. Which, of course, isn't saying much, but I was disappointed in both the noodles and maki rolls. I feel like saying, if you are going to open an itzakaya, you must get the noodles right. Especially ramen. Period!! The ramen noodles seemed manufactured, and were a tad overcooked, the broth was bland and lacked depth and flavor. To top it off it was served warm, and not hot enough. When you can sip the broth without cringing, you know the broth is not hot enough. Noting stood out to me about the maki rolls, I will say the rice was good quality and prepared well, but the rolls were assembled correctly, and were so badly rolled, that they fell apart when I picked them up with my chopsticks. Another failure is the fact that they are serving draft beer in 11.5 oz glasses, but they fail to mention this on the menu. I do concede that the beer prices seem to be a bit lower than normal at $4 per glass, but come on guys, do you really think that you can get away with this when every other restaurant and bar in America serves draft beer by the pint? Our server mentioned that they had some craft beer companies dictate that the glasses be smaller than the serving size of the beer glass/can, and they have a glut of small glasses on hand, but that is no excuse for deceiving your customers. Go out and buy new glasses for crying out loud!!! Last I checked you can buy pint glasses at Ikea for what, $1.50 each? Finally, the one good food item we had were the tacos, which I thought were shockingly good. Once you get around their deceptive pricing where they charge you a premium to order a mixed set of tacos, you can then avoid that trap and order them a la carte/by the couple and enjoy! Overall, I don't think I would go back to Tokio Pub, but then again, they are doing (or attempting to do) something that is quite different than most of the generic and outdated concepts here in Schaumburg, so I might have to give them another chance, especially if they get new draught beer glasses. Until then let's hope I can avoid megaplex central for the time being.
(2)Carolyn B.
This place was our go-to in early spring, but service and quality have gone downhill since April..we won't be back.
(2)Melanie P.
Love this place! Super relaxed, we always sit out on the patio (rarity in the suburbs). Great place to go with groups- order more, try more. I recommend the Sake Sangria and any of the tacos (partial to the pork belly). Service has always been good. Nice place to go to get away from all of the Schaumburg chains.
(5)Jie S.
Tokio pub could be a nice place to have a drink with a light Asian-Tapas style food. But with limit food choices, very small portions, and high price tag, I am not sure if i want to go back again. The decor was decent. I like the comfortable bench along the wall. The service was great. Our waitress came back many times to make sure we were doing fine and replaced the used plates with the clean ones. It was a slow night with just 2 tables inside and a few more outside. Drinks first, my Sake Sangria was fine. Yuzu drop was pretty tasty. Every taco order came with two mini tacos. We have tried Pork, Tuna, and shrimp. The pork tacos are flavorful and tender. The best out of three tacos we picked. We were told the Tuna one was supposed to be seared with raw meat in the middle but those turned out to be fully cooked which I didn't like. The shrimp one was fine which was grilled with a little bit spicy flavor. The barbecue combination plate came with one shrimp, two chicken meat balls, tow dice sized park belly skewers, and two ribs. Shrimp was the same one as in Tacos. Other meat were simply taste the same flavor with different texture and too sweet for my taste. I felt like they just brushed the sugar or honey coat on those meat pieces. Rainbow roll and dragon roll were fine but nothing special. Only three choices of deserts. A bag of the Beignets was essentially 4 tiny chocolate filled Munchkins. Passion fruit ice cream was fine. I feel like they lack of some excitement in sweets here. I was suggesting to go to another place to get some deserts. In the end, we paid around $40 per person and I was not even full. Just too expensive for the small portion! No wonder it was empty for the dinner time!
(3)Rocky B.
It was my first time here and we had a really good experience. Since the restaurant is connected to Shaw's, the place is a bit small. We got there about 7pm and the wait wasn't too bad. We only waited for 10 mins. Our glasses were filled right away when we sat done. The menu is very easy to read. Our waitress took awhile to get to us but it wasn't too bad. We started off with the calamari and I must say it's probably the best calamari I have ever had. The sauce was so delicious and it was filled with so much flavor. For $9 you'd expect it to feed at least 4-5 ppl, but honestly, I could've ate the whole thing and still be hungry. But I guess that's why they're called appetizers. My husband ordered beef, chicken and nacho tacos. It was very delicious. The nacho taco had a tiny kick to it but it was still good. Definitely not your average taco taste but it's worth trying. I had the filet mignon yakitoro and that was really good. The steak and mushrooms were in shish kabobs and the fried rice had a fried egg on top. It was delicious. The steak wasn't heavily seasoned or spicy. It had just the right amount of seasoning and sauce. Then for dessert we had the s'mores and the beignets. The s'mores was sooo good. It was like a ice cream cookie sandwich but with graham crackers and melted marshmallows and chocolate on the side for dipping. The beignets however was still good, but for the price, it wasn't worth getting again. You get 4 tiny little doughnuts filled with chocolate. Overall, we had a great experience. We would definitely come back again. The bus boys were attentive and so was our server. She always had a smile on her face. The serve was a little slow but the food made up for it.
(4)Amber S.
I came here for my sister's birthday and I love it so far. I ordered the Tokio surf and turf hot rock and it was very good. It was my first time ordering a hot rock dish and the waitress was very helpful explaining how to cook the meal. It was a nice experience. For drinks I ordered the sake sangria and later in the night, I ordered plain sake. Since it was my first time ordering sake, the waitress was nice enough to order a beginner sake drink for me which I enjoyed. The only complaint I had about the drinks is that the sake sangria was a bit watery; almost as if it had stayed out for a while and the ice melted a little bit. I brought a cake for my sister's birthday, I emailed the restaurant to make sure it was okay so I didn't have a chance to try any of the dessert items. Since it was on the actual day of my sister's birthday, we received gift certificates for her age amount. I can't wait to come back and try something new on the menu. I also adored the music selection of the restaurant. It was the music that I would play at home or in the car.
(4)Shannon H.
I am crazy about this place! Has a cool swanky sort of vibe. Beautiful outdoor patio with fans that make it comfy even in the heat! Both staff and management are passionate and enthusiastic about this new fusion restaurant. Ask them why it's spelled Tokio! So that u know, this is like a tapas place with small plates that are meant to be shared. Its like ordering several appetizers for a meal. So don't be expecting huge portions. It's small plates with prices to reflect that. Servers are knowledgeable and will guide u around the menu. They seem to enjoy working there and will respond to any questions/complaints. They definitely have a team approach, so don't be surprised if several people stop by your table! The food....Oh Em Gee the food! Delicious! I have tried most things on the menu and love it all. I highly recommend the beef skewers and crying tiger shrimp (slightly spicy) They are just perfect! Just recently I tried the ribs, at Charlottes prompting. They were as she puts it PHENOMENAL! Not your typical BBQ, these zesty treasures melt in your mouth! They have a perfect green salad as well that I feel compliments the beef skewers. Not crazy about the mixed drinks, although I did enjoy a pitcher of Passion Punch I believe it's called! If it's your birthday, they will give you a jello shot on the house! They are delicious and fun! Who knew you could class up a Jello shot? Desserts are all awesome and include brûlée, Passionfruit ice cream, and warm chocolate filled donut holes (binets sp?) I would recommend this place to anyone and I find it refreshing to have a little Chicago flavor in the suburbs! It's fun for a quick lunch, bite before or after the movies, or even to hang out late night and have a few drinks. You can come here on a budget or you can come here to wine and dine. Prices are affordable so you cam choose how much you spend. Lettuce Entertain You has done it again! And you won't be disappointed if you go!
(5)Phil S.
This place tries way too hard to be trendy/hipster without the flavor to back it up. Some of the menu items are on the tastier side but everything we tried was doused in sauce and salted beyond flavor recognition. Presentation is fantastic and service was decent and friendly. We ordered most of the taco flavors, robata combo plate and the tuna and lobster crispy rice. Out of the five taco flavors (pork, shrimp, steak, fish and chicken) I like the fish taco and my wife like the shrimp taco. The steak taco had way too much ginger and both the pork and chicken were sauced beyond recognition. The robata combo plate was more of the same as their flavors are repeated throughout their limited menu. The crisp rice was a waste of money so don't even bother ordering them. Small pieces of deep fried and salted rice topped with sauced up fish makes you reach quickly for beer to quench that salt thirst. Atmosphere is what you would expect of a "trendy" sushi joint with way too loud electronic music in a tiny brushed metallic environment. If you like to dress in skinny jeans and eat sub par Japanese pub fare then this is your place. Make sure you bring plenty of money because the miniscule tapas portions will keep you ordering more and more to find some satisfaction while the tab keeps piling up. Good idea, poor execution. For real Japanese pub fare at fair prices try Sankyu by Elmhusrt and Golf. They carry a great variety of Japanese beer on tap and in pitchers with an ever changing pub menu that is big enough (and portioned large enough) to satisfy your pub cravings.
(2)Phil M.
Great Happy Hour spot! Convienently located and a super nice staff!
(4)Jaclyn H.
I loved my meal a bit more than my husband, I think, but we were both fans. We went for brunch and I had the French toast maki with mango and kiwi and a banana's foster dipping sauce. It's certainly sweet, but not over the top. I got my savory on with a piece of the shrimp crispy rice. It was wonderful. My husband enjoyed three tacos, two crying shrimp and a nacho taco. He found them a tad pricy a $3 each, but an entree with three tacos would likely be $9 or more at many restaurants. He was disappointed in the ramen, though. Noodles were mushy and overcooked. Broth was rather bland. We checked in on Yelp and enjoyed free gyoza, which are potstickers and were yummy! Small place, but I would love to go back and sit in their tented area this summer.
(4)Joon L.
Beware the hot green tea is served felm a can and costs $5 a pop! Food is ok. Not close to being authentic at all. Service is so so.. Would never go back to this place and would never recommend it to anyone. This was a disappointment.
(1)Tejas B.
A buddy and I ate there yesterday. We ordered the Udon noodles soup with chicken and both of us got food poisioning. Horrible. They also removed the Bento Box from the lunch menu which was the best thing on the menu.
(1)Luke S.
I was really unimpressed by this place. I had big expectations, but all that happened was that I walked away hungry with a large bill. They need to establish some sort of lunch menu, or else they will continue to have two tables occupied on a daily basis. The concept is great and the food was OK, but the portions were so tiny. Everything that we ordered was literally one or two bites. I was also a little put off by the small can of green tea. When you think of Green Tea you think of it like an iced tea where you can have free refills, not 8 ounces and no refill. I feel like I am harping on a lot of negatives, but it just didn't work for me. Our server was nice, but I would much rather dine at Shaws, which shares the location, for lunch going forward if I am ever in the area (which I rarely am).
(2)Jay N.
This appears to be a former back room of the Shaw's next door. The food comes from the doors to Shaw's and the restrooms are located there as well. Therefore, the parking is still pretty limited and you would be best served to use the garage nearby. Staff and servers were welcoming and helpful. Going in, I knew it would be small plates for sharing and to try out new dishes. The steak tacos were pretty meaty and had slightly different flavorings than a taqueria:ginger and some salsa, but it's not really good for sharing. We had the crab crispy rice. The crispy rice is simply Japanese sticky rice, rolled in panko, and deep fried. The crab was blended with some chili and roe so you're paying extra for not just the pure crab which was slightly disappointing. The chili hid some of the crab taste. The shrimp ceviche was laid out on a small platter instead of still being in the acidic juices, which makes me question the freshness. Our server recommended the bbq pork belly nachos, which ended up being slightly better than our other choices. It was overly covered in cheese and a sweet sauce served with a side of guacamole and sour cream. We finished with the warm bagged beignets, which were tasty but can get messy if you don't swallow them whole, and the creme brulee trio. The orange flavor was by far the best but the lemongrass and ginger were too similar in taste. Maybe a matcha flavor would have been better to replace one of those two. They have a good variety of drinks and serve water in a stoppered bottle, but was disappointed from a taste/uniqueness standpoint and even further exasperated at the value and experience.
(2)Natalie R.
I really like this restaurant. We usually go for the tacos and 1-2 rolls. It's a really cool atmosphere in the Streets of Woodfield and Japanese/Mexican fusion food. I've never gotten any of the main dishes, but they look tasty. The spicy edamame app is addicting! My only complaint is the service. I've been here 6 times and have had rude waitresses 5 of them. Unfriendly, not particularly helpful. One was great until the end when she would not shut up about the LEYE promotions. It was like getting chased on the beach for a timeshare. Leave me alone!
(4)Andi S.
Very good place and very good staff! Great service and quick with the refills on our wine and beer.
(5)Yaeko M.
I liked american asian themed ambience. The service was pretty good. We went there ib Thursday around 8:30pm. The food was okay. We had the signature tacos. Shrimp taco was very good. When I go there next time, $1 taco hour or happy hour (half price).
(3)Nicky S.
We utilized our gift certificates and picked up a variety of menu options. The girl on the phone said it would be ready in 15 minutes. We're a 20 minute drive away so I sent my husband off after the call. He said the order was not ready when we got there, but he had no problem waiting at the bar. We made sure to order a range of food and my mindset was very open to this second time around. Shrimp ceviche - This was light and refreshing but not enough chips included. Braised pork tacos - Decent, but not special Braised pork belly noodles - not seasoned properly, not enough salt, lacked unami and depth. I did like how they layered the pork on top of the soup as to not soak the meat in the broth. Robata Grilled Skirt Steak - Husband's dish. He generally doesn't have negative reviews of restaurants but said he was not impressed and the steak was overcooked. Conclusion: I give the management major props for handling my poor first experience swiftly and allowing me a second shot. If the review was solely based on their actions this would be 5 stars instead of 3. Despite this I am still unimpressed with the food. It's very average and something that might impress those who are content going to Applebees or Ruby Tuesdays. I am torn because there is much potential with the atmosphere, menu options and beverage selection, that it's a shame the main event doesn't live up to the image. The flavors are not as bright and exciting as one would expect. The broth and sauces lack dimension and leave much to be desired. Frankly after a bite or two of each item I was bored. Management obviously cares about their establishment, hence reaching out to their customer-base, so I would ask them to round up their kitchen staff, taste each of their menu items and ask themselves if it's the most delicious thing they've ever tasted, or if something needs to be tweaked. It might not be the chefs, it could be the recipes are too bland to begin with. If the menu items were revamped I would be happy to come back on my own dime and try this restaurant once more.
(3)Jordan G.
Did not eat here, but we did sit at the bar and had a few cocktails! VERY cool atmosphere! I had a raspberry martini which was delicious and my boyfriend tried a few of their variety of craft beers. It's a small, quitter bar (at least when we were there) that looked to be setting up live music on the patio for later. Very cool!
(4)Ashley P.
Classy...love it! Sliders delish. Drinks delish. Gone twice now, same waitress (Claire) and she was so sweet and so great! We are new to the area and we love this place already!
(5)Carmella M.
Went here for girls night out and was plesantly surprised. Right next to Shaw's and you have to go thru Shaws and use thier restrroms. Which is no big deal Small menu great mixed drinks and very nice atmosphere inside wasn't to crowded service was freindly and food was very tasty.
(4)Sumara K.
I can't even lie. I (insert expletive here) love tacos. Especially when paired with delicious drinks. That being said, I'm super critical of tacos, especially when partaking in said delicious drinks. Tokio Pub combines a few of my favorite things. Alcohol, palate shocking tastes, and a an atmosphere that does not rely on kitsch to make you like them. Warning to any big eaters though; they serve things in small portions. The first time we went was on a Saturday night and they had $3 dollar glasses of wine and sangria. Delicious. I ordered the ceviche, the pork nachos, and we received two free chicken tacos for checking in on Facebook. To be fair we went in rather late and the kitchen was soon to be closing. While the chicken taco left much to be desired, the pork nachos were delicious. The ceviche was higher on the guacamole and lower on the shrimp, but still very pleasing to my palate. The red sangria and white sangria were equally delicious, though I will admit that I ordered only the white sangria and was brought the red by our server who wasn't exactly the most attentive girl ever. :( There was also karaoke on Saturday nights, but it seemed like no one was really biting. The DJ was very cool though and took requests in between singers. Two weeks later we returned, on a Friday night this time. Go figure we ended up with the same server, but this time we sat outside because the weather was gorgeous. I had the pork belly taco (HOLY SJFSLJFLKSJLFKS SO GOOD) and the nacho taco (again, HOLY FJSKLJFDLkasJFLSJFSLKDSJAL SO GOOD). The blushing geisha was a delicious compliment to my small meal, and I would have ordered another one but it was taking too long for drinks. Aside from a few minor serving issues, I REALLY love this place. The food is fantastic, and can you really beat a restaurant that has a $1 taco hour? C'mon!
(4)Alicia F.
Good food, service started out great then towards the middle of our night we got ignored and had to wait a very long time for our entrees. The server even forgot our appetizer order.
(3)Justine S.
I was here last night for my birthday. Our server was awesome! she recommended the best food options for interest. Food overall was great. ORDER THE NACHO'S FOR APPETIZER! this is a must!! so gooood! My dad ordered the ahi tuna and they give it to you with hot rocks to cook it! best part, its still good! THIS IS A MUST GO!!!! and they had 1$ taco's last night too. yum
(5)Todd B.
Complete hype and style over substance. My wife order sushi - which took ages and came out with FROZEN cucumber in the middle. Nothing we ordered had any flavor... from the quasi-Mexican tacos - to the not-so-Asian soup and sushi. The only reason I'm giving 2 stars - is because the manager comped the frozen sushi. I'm not really one to write negative reviews - because I don't want to trash someone's business... but a company as large as L.E.Y. gets it this wrong - changes needed to be made quickly.
(2)Joy C.
Not a good place for dinner, the portion size is super small, and it is very expensive. The food is not even fresh, the finger size taco costs $3 each, what are they thinking? To make it even worse, this place is super loud, you can hear all the conversation from the next tables.
(1)Lucy E.
I think it is quite interesting to see the range of reviews this place is getting. Really I would give it like a 4.5, but I'll round up to 5! I went here for dinner with my brother last night, as I want to plan a party here for my husband and I. Although I am not quite sure how we will fit a large party in here, I am confident that they will make it work. Formerly being in the service industry, I can say that that aspect was exceptional! Maybe even a little overboard. We were approached by nearly every server/manager/busboy you name it to make sure we were happy and everything looked and tasted good. That's an A+ in my book. The serve gave us some great suggestions as well, and was very knowledgeable about the menu! No moving on to food, as I mentioned I am looking to book a party here, so naturally I wanted to try everything. Tacos: I tried steak, chicken, fish, and shrimp. They were all awesome! Small, but after looking at the menu, I kind of figured they would be pretty small. The first 1/2 of the menu is all tapas style dishes! They were all flavorful, and it was a good way to try different things! Tuna Tartar: again small sized, but worth it! The avocados are marinated in some citrus flavoring (probably so it doesn't brown), but it really gives it a little extra umph. I also like how it is served with tortilla chips, which keeps up with the spanish/japanese fusion theme. Sushi: We tried the spicy tuna and calamari shrimp roll. The spicy tuna was good, but it was a little eclectic I guess. It was quite interesting how the tuna was on the outside, the spicy sauce on the bottom, and the cucumber rolled into the middle. Definitely a cool take on it! The calamari shrimp roll was pretty good too! It was definitely something different to try. Hot Rock Steak: I really wanted to get the lobster too, but we had already gotten sooooo much! It was very interesting and a fun experience. You cook your own steak on the rock (or tuna or lobster tail). The cut was good and fresh, although there are only 5 little strips, very yummy none the less! Steak Udon Bowl: My brother got this one! It was delish, perfect amount of seasonings and a pretty hearty portion! Miso Salmon: Definitely different than most, but still flavorful from the fish to the noodles. Sadly, after trying so many other things, I only had the one bite and took the rest home. Finally Dessert!: My brother got the beignets which are to die for! They aren't typical beignets, but more like dark chocolate fried in a thin wonton. They were served in a cute little bag. I also wanted to try the dessert nachos, which one of the managers had comped for us, as I was really unsure about the "sweet guacamole". It was interesting, but not to my taste. I think the nachos would have been much better with more "strawberry kiwi salsa" and drizzled chocolate rather than the sweet guac. All in all, I am excited to book a party here! I loved it! It definitely had an urban feel in a suburban area.
(5)Patricia D.
I went here for a friend of mines birthday, and it was a really nice place. Nice setting, friendly staff, and really good food. The price is pretty reasonable too. They have live music on Saturdays which made it fun. The bathroom is a far walk, as you have to walk to Shaw's next door. But otherwise it's a fun place to go to.
(4)B M.
YUM!!!! I had a great lunch here today. My spicy tuna was perfect! I also enjoyed the tuna hot rock which was not only tasty but fun to cook. Oh and the shrimp crispy rice was spot on. Service was wonderful. I've read a bunch of reviews and have some comments. This is not a "traditional" sushi restaurant BUT it is wonderful. The dishes are creative and interesting. It is was nice to find a menu that wasn't identical to every other sushi restaurant in town. I liked that the atmosphere wasn't traditional. It is called Tokio PUB. It is a fusion of a sushi restaurant and pub. I have eaten sushi coast to coast and I love it. The tuna I had here was as good as it gets and the rice was seasoned nicely. I will be back.
(5)Chris M.
Neat hip and trendy spot. Music was Dubstep- Came here on a Monday and plenty of room for people to come without a reservation. Drinks and appetizers were fantastic along with the service. Dinner was good too, not cheap but not expensive meals. Plan on returning.
(4)Insun M.
Out of the 5 dishes we ordered, only the calamari stood out. The rest of the dishes were sort of blah and forgettable. Bonus star for the creative crispy rice sushi but they lose a star because the salmon was WAY too fishy tasting (and I LOVE sushi)..sort of felt like sushi thats been out for too long which is scary because since its the summer places that serve al fresco should be more careful handling raw foods. I ordered a soda and it was flat. They gave me a replacement and it was worse then the first. I HATE flat soda. Especially $2.75 flat soda. And where in the word on the menu are the chocolate filled doughnuts???? I was looking forward to those and they were not on the menu! I literally read the menu 5 times over specifically to look for those doughnuts! Had to settle for the banana foster that should be renamed "sugar foster." I think I would come back for drinks and a few of the plates as snacks instead of for a real dinner.
(2)Emily F.
I've been here a couple times now and have not had anything that I didn't like. Sushi is fantastic with a bit of a different approach. Tacos are another no brainer. Love small plate type of places like this where you can try a whole bunch of stuff instead of one enormous entree. Also love that they have pitchers of margaritas and soju (which are great as well). Just tried the crispy pork belly for the first time and fell in love. This place can get pretty packed since it is so tiny so I would make a reservation if going on the weekend. I use open table
(5)Nicole M.
Heard this place only served little tapas like plates, so I wasn't really to trilled to try it. It's inside of Shaws. Came here on a Saturday night and the place was kinda dead. Place its self looked cool. Waitress was nice. Pork Belly: This was my 1st time trying pork belly and I didn't really know what to expect. You get 4 bite sized pieces. The taste was good but it was very dry and chewy. I was thinking it would be moist and tender... not at all. Ribs: 3 ribs, barely any meat but tasted good. Sushi: Lemon lime rainbow roll: Very sour tasting! I am not a big sour fan, I was thinking a hint of lemon lime. But the fish on top tasted very fresh and good. We left unsatisfied and still hungry. Wahhhh We ended up going somewhere else and getting more food! haha
(3)Pari S.
Went here with a group of friends on a Saturday night. We were a party of 8. Very small place, next to Shaw's crabhouse...There is an open entrance way that is literally open into Shaw's crabhouse dining area. Nice atmosphere. We were seated at a high table right by the front door, right by the bar, a nook where all the waitresses goes to put in orders and right by that entranceway of Shaw's crabhouse. (Which I have to say, for a party of 8, this was a very bad spot to put us.) There were lots of traffic going back and forth, at one point a waitress knocked over a glass, and it broke all over onto the floor. However it was quickly cleaned up. We were given a One page menu. Which had some interesting items to pick from. We ordered a pitcher of white peach Sangria right away. Which I found was very good. I like the bits of fruits inside it. I happened to sit at the end of the table, so that was where the waitress came by to talk to us each time. I think at one point, I was very confuse on how to order. All items were more tapas style. (finger food) And of course my party wanted to try lots of things... after a bit of explaining we finally got a few things ordered. The food came out pretty fast and appeared freshly made. So a plus on that. We ordered: Fish tacos, beef tacos, crispy rice with tuna, sliders, dragon roll, braised pork noodle soup, nacho, fried calamari, doughnuts in a bag, some smashed fried potatos, meatballs. (Sorry if i forgot the name of some of these dishes. We kind of shared all of what we ordered, so I tried a bit of this and that.) I liked the fish taco best. The fish was fried crispy, with some small bits of mango or fruits, and a spicy kick. The beef taco was good too. But it had ginger in it, which threw me off. I don't like ginger much, so that didn't go too well for me. The crispy rice with tuna, was ok. We were told by the waitress that was the best thing she liked, but it was not my favorite. It was different, but the flavor didn't come out for me. The braised pork noodle was ok. The meat was very tender and juicy on the inside, and the broth of the soup was good. It was served with Udon noodles. Not really a wow noodle soup for me. Since I am asian and been eatting noodle soups all my life, I have different standards for noodle soups. I also ate a huge slice of garlic in my soup. I didn't realized it was garlic. I thought it might of been some kind of sliced meat or something. But no it was garlic. Don't get me wrong, I love garlic. I just don't eat it by the slices. So that didn't go well with me either. I didn't really have a napkin to spit it out... and was forced to chew and swallow it. Thank goodness I'm not single anymore. The garlic breathe would've scared the date away. The other thing I liked was the fried calamari. It had a creamy sauce on it. I almost want to say, kind of like a mayo sauce. Everything else was just ok for me. One word of advise... don't bring 3 big hungry guys to this place with you. The portions are small, bite size, tapas style. We had to ask for the menu 3 to 4 more times after we received our food and ate it. Our guys were still hungry. By the time we finished, our ticket came out to be more then what we expected. We split it up evenly 8 ways. It was $48 per person and I have to add, nobody drank much alcohol, except for that one pitcher we got in the beginning. So yes, it was all finger food in that tab. Would I go here again? Maybe. For happy hour, or to just enjoy some finger foods. And won't be bringing any more hungry men. Well if you do, maybe feed them before you go here.
(3)Liz L.
I went here with my girlfriends for a we survived the holiday dinner. I was kind of excited to go here...it looked like they had a great menu and looked a little bit of fusion cooking served in a tapas type way. It was a little packed on a early Saturday (I made reservations). The good: 1. The Interiors were great 2. The taste of the food was good The bad: 1. Service was lacking I think the woman we had serving us was overloaded with tables. 2. At one point we had no silverware and we has to wait like 10 minutes to hunt someone down. 3. I ordered vegetarian tacos and it took them 25 minutes (then I told her to forget it) ...she said they were making sure that they were exactly how I wanted them (they were 2 non meat tacos?) 4. Since I only had edamame my friends and I ended up going to a fast food restaurant to watch me eat. 5. Over crowded...I saw some of the places they put tables and seated people and I felt bad people were getting knocked all over the place. I thinkk they try to hard to be cool and hip and it ends up being bad service and overcowded. Honestly I would skip this place....good food with bad service doesn't cut it in my book.
(1)Joel O.
Went here for lunch with about 7 other people. Has kind of a trendy vibe. I got the chicken bento lunch box. Came with chicken and sauteed noodles, miso soup, fried rice, and edemame. Portion sizes were small, which I liked. Noodles were bland, everything else was standard. Price was a little high for me. If the noodles were better it would bump it up a star.
(3)Aaron K.
We walked into the new lettuce restaurant Tokio Pub and were warmly greeted and quickly sat. Alice was friendly and knowledgable. She knew all the ingredients in all the foods. It was a pleasure sitting in her section. The overall ambiance of the restaurant was funky and fresh. I would reccomend this watering hole to any twenty an thirty something's looking to pre-party or to have a happy hour. There is a cocktail for virtually everyone on the menu. The patio is a hip and inviting. I wish it was warm so we could have sat out there. Overall This could be the hottest new spot in the suburbs. The place was full of cute young servers and played some cool chill dance beat music.
(5)Jerome J.
Came here for the restaurant week specials again. No reservation. So they seated us in the heated (but still so chilly I could see my breath) patio even though the dining area was half empty. Food is always delicious, but service is awful. Wait staff is not knowledgeable especially about the restaurant week menu. 3 different parties got up and left because they weren't being served. The service has absolutely taken a dive since our last visit a year ago. The only redeeming factor is that the food quality hasn't suffered. Even the drinks are now bland, but were previously delicious.
(2)Mary B.
My friend and I went here for a few drinks the other night. We had never been there before but heard about it. We love Lettuce restaurants so we decided to venture over there. We only had a few beers, which were sort of an interesting selection, and some of the food. Everything was really delightful over there. Our bartender was so awesome and recommended really good food. We had the braised pork and pineapple tacos and then the chicken tacos. WOW. Braised pork and pineapple was amazing. The tacos are a pretty good size. The server said only two bites, but it was definitely more than that. Really interesting food and very tasty. Our bartender also recommended the fried tofu squares. I'm not a big fan of tofu but these were absolutely amazing! And they came with a sauce that was good too. Beer was fine, nothing amazing but they have some interesting ones like Sapporo and a few others. The next day I even took my mom and sister to the place. They enjoyed it too. We did a tapas type of meal because they have so many little meals so it was nice. However, this time the music was WAY too loud and really annoying. It was in the afternoon and there were some business people there too and I could tell they weren't that happy either. By the time we paid our bill, we were happy to leave because all of a sudden the bass on this music just got out of hand. With the loud music aside, the service and food was really awesome. I hope everyone checks it out. Good place.
(4)Susan C.
This place is very quaint and cozy. Their menu items boast some fantastic sushi and their tacos are absolutely delicious! The tacos are very small, but are packed with tons of flavor. I have come here several times for dinner and once for the lunch buffet on the weekends. While I do not necessarily think the lunch buffet is anything to brag about, the dinner menu is fantastic. My boyfriend and I ate here about a week ago on a Tuesday night (1/2 price bottle of wine night!) he had 5 tacos, I had 3, we ordered 2 sushi rolls, 1 crispy rice, 1 bottle of wine and dessert - the bill was around $85. The food is fantastic. The beignets are absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Their service is fantastic as well. The waitresses were very attentive without being overly annoying. If you're in the area, definitely check this place out!
(4)Ellie D.
This is a cool little place in Schaumburg that has a nice vibe to it. My fiancée and I discovered it last year in the spring time and have been back a few times since. Their tacos are quite amazing! The restaurant has "Taco Time" weekly for an hour or so and the tacos are just $1. Their bento box lunch and sushi selection (although small) is awesome too. I prefer sitting outside on a nice day but it's cozy inside too. They always have a wide selection of drinks. I am not sure which cocktail I had but I remember it was really fruity & good. Check it out!
(4)April P.
I've been anxiously awaiting for this place to open, and we finally made it here on their 4th day open. Must be some sort of "tradition" we're beginning, going to places on their 4th day of business. In any case, we wanted to take advantage of the very brief Chicago warm weather, so we sat outside on the patio, dimly lit and nicely decorated. Mia was our server and she was really nice. She knew the menu really well, and gave us her suggestions, but to be honest, she didn't have ANY dislikes. That says a lot because if you're gonna sell sometime, you better like something more than you dislike something. It's just like going into an interview and saying you have NO WEAKNESSES. A big NO-NO. We had the chicken wings, the crispy lobster rice, beef skewers, and salmon tataki. I wasn't wowed by the lobster rice or the chicken wings, but the beef skewers were nicely tenderized and flavored, and the salmon tataki was out of this world. It had a nice teriyaki sauce and was topped off with a perfectly salt-ified miso. Not overpowering at all, but brought a nice element to a fresh piece of salmon. Mia also gave us some complimentary potato salad. It has chunky and tasted very light. All the plates were small, as this place is a Japanese tapas pub. To round it off nicely, bf said everything was very refreshing and clean. Agreement here. For dessert, we had the beignets and some more complimentary ice cream. The beignets were fabulous, as they were chocolate filled and the chocolate inside wasn't oooey gooey thick, but more so a nice creamy texture. The guava ice cream was ok. Not my fave. Mia was really sweet and while she may have had good intentions, it got kinda offputting when after EVERY single thing we ate, she wanted some feedback. Also, just a little bit of a tip. If you're going to give complimentary of ANYTHING, don't announce it before it comes. Just bring it along with the other plates, explain what it is and keep it moving. I get you guys are a new place and trying to find out what's new and what's likeable, but I was starting to feel like a guinea pig by the time we left. Customers will tell you what they like and don't like, especially if the stuff hits an all time low or an all time high, such as the salmon tataki. On our way out we met will Jill and Bill. Both likeable people who were concerned about the feedback of their customers, but they weren't overly pushy. Cute little place in Street of Woodfield. 3 and a half stars.
(4)Megan O.
I love Tokio Pub! It's a small restaurant/bar right next to Shaws in the Streets of Woodfield right across from the parking garage (because you know, I need to tell you exactly where it is even though the address is provided above, hehe.) Great music, good ambiance, very hip for Schaumburg, lol. The first time I came here was for an engagement party and they rented out the entire venue. Pretty impressive. They served their signature tacos, sushi, dip and other items offered on their menu. I fell in love with the BRAISED PORK TACOS. Great selection on beer, and their "In Bloom" ($10) is definitely exotic. A week later, my boyfriend and I came back for their DOLLAR TACO SPECIAL, where every taco (yes, EVERY taco) is $1! So of course we ordered every taco and that is when I fell in love with their FISH taco. O.M.G. I normally don't like fish tacos, but that was DE-LISH! You have to be their follower on Twitter or a fan on Facebook to know what day and time they will be serving them. I will definitely check this place out again, but only when they have their dollar tacos. In my opinion, I wouldn't want to spend 5 bucks for just 2 tacos... call me money conscious, but when I'm hungry, 2 small tacos won't suffice my appetite!
(4)Collin P.
City like food in the suburbs? Tokio pub recently opened and is attached to the oyster bar at Shaws Crab House. Hard to find unless you really look, this new lettuce entertain you spot is small, and definitely a spot city folk who have moved out to the suburbs will appreciate. The vibe is a back alley of tokyo pub, with small tables and what not. Food wise, they have some great choice. It's a mix of Latin and asian food, with Asian tacos and lots of seafood items. The portioins are smal, more tapas style than anything, but even at that they are a little too small. City prices for tiny bites of food may not fly. 10.00 for 3, 2-inch tacos seems a bit much, although the flavor combinations and ingredients are good. This is the kind of place people will go to once they know about it, and definitely the after movie crowd across the street will filter in. Good food, little pricey, good job by lettuce entertain you on the environment.
(4)Eric F.
Wow Wow Wow Tokio Pub had an amazing ambiance, super fun and really hip. It really reminded me of a place you would find in the city. While it doesn't have the prices of a family diner, the food is outstanding,and they have such a great variety of items. I thought the Shoshito pepper salad had such an interesting taste, as did the other dishes. (Boom potato salad was intensely good! Love the name too heh). It wasn't your typical everyday restaurant selections. Very unique, and most importantly, amazing taste. Best part was that the drinks were made with a really good amount of alcohol. The bartenders didn't hold back at all, and made the drinks nice and strong without ruining the overall flavor of the drink. I had the Ginger Mojito. SO TASTY! The service was outstanding; all of the waitresses loved to joke around and were great with helping out with any questions we had. They genuinely seemed to be having a great time. Our server's name was Claire! She was very attentive and a ton of fun. Amazing service! Tasty, unique food, fun people, wonderful staff, great tunes, and a super cool atmosphere. Overall, awesome time! I'll be back for sure!
(5)Joyce A.
I went to a pool party hosted at Lifetime Fitness and catered by Tokio Pub- so this review is just for the food and the servers. All of the servers were very friendly and attentive. The Food: Think tapas with an Asian or Mexian twist! My two favorite foods were the steak tacos and the tuna crispy rice! I am not normally a fan of sushi- but this was just too good. The bag of beignets should be illegal- melt in your mouth mini-donut filled with wam chocolate- a chocoholic delight. Apparently, from the other reviews- it's not a very large place, otherwise it would make a great party destination for lots of fun food (like an elite event). But, since they apparently do cater- I'd recommend them to anyone thinking about throwing a party and needing it to be caterred!
(5)Vincent T.
The BBQ pork belly with rice and fried egg is amazing!!!!!! The staff made my our first time experience that much better. They feature a very enticing mix of Japanese and Hispanic dishes that are cleverly fused together along with there specialty sake-sangria drinks you'll never want the night to end. One last thing try the dessert nachos.......hidden secret
(5)Giuseppe D.
My mother was in town this weekend and wanted to take me out somewhere. I wanted to try something new and, being that she was staying in the Schaumburg area, I gratefully stumbled upon Tokio Pub. For anyone who hasn't been there before, like myself, the place might be confusing to find. It's basically connected to Shaw's in the Streets of Woodfield so you'll have to look for it off to the side of the giant "Shaw's" sign. After finding it, the rest of the experience turned out great. Tokio Pub is a "tapas" style restaurant, so everything comes in appetizer portions. This initially discouraged me, as I'm a heavy eater, but it worked out perfectly because it lets you order multiple menu items. First was the braised pork tacos, which is braised pork, cabbage, and caramelized pineapple. Yes, pineapple! In two tortillas. I was timid about what the taste would be at first, I'd never had pineapple on a taco, but the combination of the juice from the meat and the sweet juice from the caramelized pineapple was irresitable! Also had the crying tiger shrimp, which is a large piece of shrimp, sriracha hot chili sauce, cabbage, and guacamole. Again, the fusion of all the flavors turned out great. The chili sauce on the shrimp was a tangy spice that was cooled off by the smooth guacamole spread across. Very good. Barbecue pork belly nachos, what can I really say about this? The chips are warm and homemade, smothered with pork belly, cheese, and guacamole. Again, very satisfying, no complaints with this item either. We also ordered the sliders. But when they came to bring them out, they were chicken wings. We gave each other a look and the waitress must've noticed because she asked if something was wrong. We told them we had ordered the sliders but we're fine with eating the chicken wings. They insisted on bringing out sliders, as well, and putting both items on the house! This was really a treat as it was TWO dishes, and both were phenomenal. The sliders came with small but thick patties and a wasabi mayo that was truly enticing. Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you want to look at it), I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the food because I was too busy shoving it in my face :( I didn't get a chance to try any of the rice, but the rest of the food items were amazing and I'll easily return for those. All of the drinks were on special, so I treated myself to about a half dozen Blue Moons. The ambiance was pretty chill, not too loud, not too quiet, perfect for a Friday day with a small group of friends, a few small appetizers and drinks would be perfect to start the night. And lastly, the service was great. The server gave us many insights on the items, had casual conversation and made us laugh. Overall, definitely returning with a group of friends. It's a must.
(5)Kelly P.
Tiki charm with a quality service. Have been a few times and had good if not great pub style food (cheap and quick). Locals go on taco night-best to avoid. Quiet, fun, great drinks and tapas style food make for a relaxed early evening or a romantic late night.
(5)James L.
Asian style tapas dishes. Every dish was very tasty! portions were decent, nothing crazy. I would go back to try some more...
(4)Jamie F.
This is my favorite place in Schaumburg to kick back, have some small plates, and get together with friends. I visit here often since it's a great halfway meeting point for colleagues, family and friends. The BBQ Pork Nachos are sooooo tasty! One of my favorite things ever, but I am a HUGE nacho fan. Their tacos are delicious. My favorite is the Crying Tiger Shrimp. The Crispy Rice is surprising...you can't go wrong with any of the 4 options. The sushi is fresh and delightful. My only complaint is that they don't have a more extensive sushi menu. But, what they have featured is always high quality. I have never been able to go to Tokio Pub during $1 taco time (which is an hour chosen at random each week), but you can visit their website and find out which hour is featured each week.
(4)Justin D.
I came to Tokio Pub the other day with my girlfriend, really wanting to love this place. Unfortunately I thought it fell a little flat. We ordered quite a bit so we could get a chance to taste a lot: Drinks: Ginger Mojito - Tasty, but nothing that special. I didn't really taste much of the ginger or mint in it. Sake Sangria - my girlfriend seemed to enjoy it. Food: BBQ Pork Belly - Came in two skewers. The sauce was good and it was a little fatty which I expected with pork belly. I thought overall it was decent, but again nothing special. Chicken Meatballs - These also came out on skewers. 2 small meatballs per skewer. The meatballs were very tender and moist and flavorful. Crying Tiger Shrimp - 3 shrimp grilled on skewers with sriracha sauce. Just ok. Angry Chicken Tacos - 2 tiny tacos (supposed to spicy) with kim chi. I couldn't even taste the kimchi. The flavor was ok, but with a name like "angry chicken" you expect some kind of a punch and it was pretty mild. Crispy Rice (Lobster and Tuna) - These are basically nigiri, but the rice is deep fried. These were tasty. The texture of the rice was a nice change from you standard sushi rice. Boom Potato Salad - This was good. Diced red and sweet potatoes in a spiced mayonnaise. Pickled Cucumber Salad - The waitress actually brought this one out as a freebie stating it was one of her favorites. It was basically like any pickled cucumber salad that you would get for free at any sushi place. It was good, but it's a pickled cucumber salad. They normally charge $3 for it... really?? The staff was all very friendly and willing to make recommendations. We came in on a Sunday and it was pretty dead, but it was a Sunday. Overall, we paid $70 plus tip for what was not very much food at all. At that price I would expect the food to be much more than just average. If they are going to be tiny portions at that price, then they better be delicious. I don't think I'll be going back, unless the fellow yelpers start giving it an overwhelming 4 or 5 stars.
(3)Michael P.
Incredibly cool place, my wife and I love shaws anyway and this place is like cafe babareeba meets your favorite sushi place Would recommend the short ribs ad the spicy edamame If you like cool alcoholic beverages try the sangria with sake Will be back for sure
(4)Stacy B.
My friend and I went to Ikea and stopped by Tokio Pub for dinner after. We LOVED it! I'm in the city and it felt like the city in the suburbs. The Food - was fantastic! We ordered a lot of stuff as it is all small plates. The pickled cucumber salad was light and flavorful, perfect for the summer. The chicken meatballs were tender and delicious. The steak and scallion yakitori were perfectly cooked. The tacos were great! Highly recommend the crispy calamari but our favorite was the crispy rice combinations. We ordered the 5 piece combo and split it and loved it all (tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab and lobster). We finished with the bag of beignets--pure heaven. The cocktails - So good! Refreshing and pretty too. We got the In Bloom, which was on the sweet side but delicious. The blushing geisha was great. Both of these drinks had edible flowers in them which was a cool touch. We also had the sake sangria (available as a cocktail or in a pitcher) and it was the best! It felt festive. The perfect drink to have on their patio (where I'll want to sit on my next visit). The service - Our server Nicole was super nice and knew the menu inside and out (even though it was only open a couple of days). Felt like another great Lettuce Entertain You restaurant experience (from my experience, usually a very good food and service combo). The Decor - Very cool, did not feel like the burbs at all. Felt like we were back in the city. We thought it would be a good place for girlfriends or a date. The music was great too, very hip but we could hear each other talk at the same time. I definitely will go back to this place whenever I hit Ikea or Woodfield Mall shopping--a great addition to Schaumburg!
(5)Navi K.
My ex-bf and I wanted to grab a bit to eat so I took him here. we had a great time, Carolina I believe was our waitress name was fun times. she joked around with us and the food was great! we will be back of course!!! also she even told us that since i was in the industry we get 20% off of our bill which was even super better!!
(5)Amanda G.
A great asian place in Schaumburg! We sat on the patio and ordered a variety of items. The crispy rice is amazing. We tried all three kinds but the lobster stood out as our favorite. We also ordered the tuna tartare which was both fresh and delicious. We got the Dragon Maki and the sushi tasted awesome! Definitely a great place with great service. Also you can check in on Yelp to get a free appetizer here or on Foursquare to get a free maki roll.
(4)John A.
Reminds me of a tapas restaurant which I love. A group of 6 of us ate here so we were able to try most of the menu. The highlights included: Tuna Crispy Rice. Great mini steak tacos and mini fish tacos(fish tacos had a nice zip to them...diced jalapenos). Shrimp Ceviche - we ordered a second serving Tuna Tartar - we ordered a second serving Disappointed with the pork belly skewers...tough texture. Hostess and waitstaff were very friendly and we will return. I'm sure this restaurant will get even better with time.
(4)Kevin S.
Been here once... and let me styart off by saying i'm not a huge sushi enthusiast, nor do I eat it on a even monthly occasion. The drinks were a little on the weak side, but then again they are basically everywhere. Whatever sushi we ordered (3 types) I dont remember nor do I care to, but I loved all 3. delicious, i'll be back.
(4)Long N.
Reserved a table at 8:00 P.M. Which is fine with my wife and two small children. Came there at 7:35 to make sure we were on time for dinner, since this place supposed to be the talk of the town. The Owner told me and my wife that its going to be a 45 min wait even though we reserved a table at 8:00. He told us that he would take care of us and comp our bill 75 to even 100 percent because of the inconvenience. I told him that we were ok and will leave to play at game works in the meantime. They call us back in ten mins which we were happy since it was 8:00. Came back and they put us near the door. We ordered what was recommended from the staff. The nacho taco was good which my son was saying, since he was hungry from the start. My wife and I had the crying shrimp tacos. We were contemp that the tacos were big as a Mexican place, but they were bite sizes. The udon noodle soup was a little over powering for the taste. Overall experience was a shame since it was next to a fine dine restaurant. The price was too expensive and the owner never acknowledged us that he was going to hook us up since I had two small children on a late Friday night. Never again that I would spend my time driving from Aurora to eat at a small taco joint!
(1)Tina A.
I only went here based on the fact that my boyfriend got a lettuce entertain you gift card from his job and our choices were limited unless we wanted to venture out to the city. We went here on a Friday night and had to wait an expected half an hour. We had to got to the bar in Shaw's Crab house which connected to them because there was very limited space at the restaurant area. The hostess came to get us in about 15 min time and were were seated and served immediately. The waitress was very polite and informative. We were starving and were eager to order some sushi( since the restaurant does call itself a sushi bar) but I was surprised to only about 5 rolls on the menu. We started out with a pitcher of mojitos and the pork nachos. The drinks were pretty good, but the nachos were bland and the pork was dry and boring. We then decided on a few other thing and picked the Tokio spicy tuna roll, crispy rice lobster, some sriracha shrimp skewers, and bbq ribs. Every single plate was just ok. The spicy tuna rolls had kick but they were nothing special. Crispy rice lobster tasted like fish sticks left in the oven too long but a little more salty. Shrimp skewers were ok but just because l love Sriracha sauce.The BBQ ribs were nothing I could have gotten from the deli in Jewel. They did have decent little donuts with a chocolate center that ended the meal. All in all I would say just come for the drink and music ( music was awesome). Good thing I was in good company and that we also had a gift card because the $80 check took me a little by surprise. I was also a little turned off by the fact that our waitress pushed a dining card on us pretty persistently at the end of our meal and made it clear that even though we had said no thank you" that we were making a poor decision. So would I go back? Absolutely not.... pros: Good mojitos Music was awesome Cons: lets just say my boyfriend ate a PB and J as soon as we got home
(1)Chaka T.
I love this place, especially on $1 taco night. The crispy fish tacos are stunning. I moved from the city from Schaumburg, this place feels like I'm in the city. I also love the tuna tartar appetizer, the pork tacos and the chocolate filled Beignets. The cocktails are well presented and different. It's my go-to place now.
(5)Chelsea H.
Good food and great sake! I had a sampling of things, but the Fuji Apple Sake was worth buying the whole bottle. It was divine! The service was great. Our waitress and host were awesome. The hot rock steaks were good. The goyza was tasty. The rolls were ok, but the volcano was the best of the ones we tried. The price is right and it looks like they have an array of specials for certain days. Will be back someday for sure!
(4)Laura Z.
exquisite. but be careful about the Sushi category, as it actually serve a lot of nachos!
(4)Rosalynn E.
I found a new love in the suburbs! The food, atmosphere, and staff was absolutely perfect. I had the "In Bloom" martini with the edible flower which was delicious. I love the mild sweetness of the drink accompanied by it's unique garnish. Our waitress was outstanding. It's nice to see staff that's enthusiastic about the concept and food. My date and I were so excited to try everything off the menu that we ended up ordering 8 items plus dessert! Everything tasted amazing, but the one thing that really stood out to me were the calamari. It was spicy yet sweet with a really nice crispiness to it. I will definitely be coming back. They have a patio i need to try out that would be a perfect on a nice day.
(5)mxwp d.
I had a leye gift card and decided to go here and check it out last Saturday night upon my gf's recommendation. I am not really a fan of tapas, but might as well use the gift card. We thought we had to wait in line, but the place was pretty empty, though it started to fill up the later it got. The food was decent but I say skip the noodle dishes. There is much better ramen at other places. The chicken tapas was disappointing, but the sushi rolls were quite tasty. Actually, of all the dishes we tried, the seafood based ones were better than the others. I suppose it makes sense since they are using Shaw's kitchen. I must knock it some since it was a pricey meal and the quality did not warrant such a price tag. tldr: Go for early or late light dinner before movie or Gameworks. Stick with seafood tapas, don't get noodles or non-seafood tapas.
(3)Vicki K.
Yet another example of the mediocrity of LEYE's restaurants. We only went because we had a gift certificate and wanted somewhere close by. It's not horrible food, but bland, bland, bland. The best thing we had was the pork tacos. The tuna tartare has absolutely no flavor and the fish tacos were good, but nothing to write home about. The crispy rice sushi, again very bland - the only thing you could taste was the crispy rice, you'd never know there was tuna on top, except for the texture. And then, to turn the waitress into a salesperson, was a turn-off - trying to peddle their "frequent diner" cards for $25....no thank you. Not worth the time and effort, as with all LEYE restaurants
(2)Julie Y.
Three words. Pork Belly Nachos. I make the trip up to Woodfield just for those babies. I've been here twice recently and the 2nd time something was off. It came out cold and not as juicy as before. Still absolutely delicious mix of sauces though! Check in through yelp and it's free! Service has always been great. I have yet to try the $1 tacos... but I definitely want to one day! The tacos on a normal day are a little pricey for me. I have tried the pork belly, tofu, and kimchi tachos. Of the three, the kimchi ones were the least memorable. The hot sauce ratio was a bit too high for me.
(4)Amber H.
Went here based on Yelp reviews and would have to give it 5 stars ourselves! We had a little bit of everything, left very full and couldn't wait to share how great our experience was. We had an incredible male server - very knowledgeable about the food and beer selection, offered us his personal favorites, and was very attentive. For an appetizer, we had the potstickers and thai basil skirt steak on river rocks. The river rocks were about the size of a big baked potato! You literally put the piece of steak on for 5-10 seconds max, and cook to your liking right at your table. It was a very cool experience and not to mention, incredibly flavorful and arguably our favorite item! We tried the yellowfin tuna sushi and the endless ramen bowl (I loved the beef and my boyfriend loved the pork) - SO full of every flavor and you could taste it all in every bite. The ambiance isn't something to write home about - it's next to Shaw's, and open to that restaurant. It's rather small but could use dimmer lights for a more intimate feel. All in all we were pleasantly surprised and wish it was closer to visit more often! This comes highly recommended!
(5)Mike M.
Great all around! Ended up in Schaumburg to do some shopping and stopped into Tokio Pub on Saturday afternoon. Was instantly greeted by the manager who sat us right away and was attentive and gracious through the entire meal. I think Bill was his name? The service was perfect and really fast--she was funny and knew a ton about the mentu. Their sushi chef also creates for Shaw's (which has the best sushi around imo) so I knew the fish was going to be really fresh and creative. Bill described the sushi as more of a sushi-samba style, with great attention to quality of the fish and tasty sauces--which i think is a perfect description. I loved their take on nigiri, whereby the sushi rice is fried and crunchy on the outside. Lots of texture here which was a welcome surprise. Ours was topped with lobster--I could've eaten 2 orders myself. There are also tacos on the menu a la Big Star style (another one of my go-to's in the city) and a beer and sake list that was interesting and really affordable! Basically, this place was the best of all of my faorite worlds for an afternoon of eating. Tacos, sushi, grilled shrimp, sake, beer, and a really fun server. Oh, and the music was really cool too! I will definitely be heading out to enjoy the patio this summer and looking for many more reasons to head to Schaumburg again in the very near future. Kampai Tokio Pub!!
(5)David N.
Went there last night after a little shopping with my wife and daughter. I had 2 sushi rolls, fair at best, my wife also had a sushi roll, same opinion. I think we will stick to real sushi houses like Tsukasa. My daughter had 3 tacos and again very fair. The restaurant had a nice decor but for the $100.00 it cost me there are much better places, doubt I will be back.
(2)Allen B.
Sunday's Noodle Bowl special is delish. Their Tokio chopped salad, udon noodles in a ramen soup base, and a dessert for $15. Add either an egg or the braised pork to the noodles, or both! The rest of the menu isn't too special. I haven't tried the tacos, but that's the next thing on my list to try. 5/5 service, 4/5 food, 3/5 for $.
(4)Sarah S.
Yummy fusion food, but a little pricey. Definitely a trendy hang out spot.
(4)Christian M.
My family and I went here for the first time during their "happi hour" in which each item on the first page of the menu is half off.. The ambiance was nice, though the place was fairly empty. We selected from the happi hour menu and ended up ordering chicken and fish tacos, the ny strip hot rock, gyoza potstickers, godzilla and crazy dragon rolls, chicken wings, and the pork nachos. There was some confusion among our servers, with them initially bringing out only half of our orders mixed in with another table's food. Given this, they took back food from our table and brought out missing dishes from our order multiple times. Notwithstanding, we ultimately enjoyed our meal. Each dish met or exceeded our expectations, with the nachos and maki rolls being table favorites.
(4)Angela Z.
I appreciate that this place is trying to be a city-type place, but the menu was just ok for me. I really was not a fan of that "crispy rice" with the sushi at all. Not trying to be mean but, it's basically a lump of deep fried starch that tastes kind of gross with the sushi in my opinion. I'm all for creativitiy but I would really prefer if they had some good rolls and fresh nigiri instead. I think that if they altered the menu here a little that the place has potential. The patio is cute and I like that it's open later than other places in the burbs. The service was very good as well. But for now the food and prices just don't match up for me. Although, the fish tacos were not half bad!
(3)elizabeth m.
Food was excellent and they were able to accommodate my party of 10. Loved the fish tacos, pork belly nachos, and especially their ginger mojito! I really didn't mind it was connected to Shaw's or that is wasn't that big. It had a nice vibe going. I will definitely be back! I didn't give it 5 stars because nothing's perfect.
(4)Emely S.
Nacho Taco is my favorite!! Wish they would bring back the sliders. The sliders were absolutely phenomenal.
(4)Ed J.
The place was OK. The ambiance is hip and nice. Food-wise I thought it was expensive for what you get for. I had the tacos which were decent. My friend got the noodles. I could see this as a nice place to grab drinks with friends or a date. Service was good so I might give this place a try again and maybe try the sushi.
(3)Carlos S.
I've lived in many cities around the world London, NY, Mexico City, Cologne....I know what good restaurants are with original food that makes you want to keep exploring the menu.....Tokio Pub brings that to the Chicago suburbs. Ever since I moved here from NY I've been looking for that special place that offers innovative flavors without having to drive all the way downtown. In an area crowded with chains and oversized menus with 10,000 calorie dishes I was glad to find a place that made me feel like I was in a cosmopolitan area while eating good food. Service was extremely friendly, flavors were original and surprising and the drinks were just awesome. I have a new favorite. Try it and you will be pleasantly surprised (unless you are the kind of person who thinks good food is a "cheesecake factory" sized plate that gives you a ton of food for your money)
(5)Marie H.
Love this place. I'm not s big seafood person so I love that there are plenty of good "land" options. The hot rock appetizer is one of my favorites, especially the skirt steak with the spicy Thai basil. Had the Marinated Chicken Yakitori this time. The chicken, scallions, and rice together is a perfect bite. Yum! And we have always had the great service. My only complaint would be the loud music, but I like a quieter eating environment.
(4)Matt S.
Between a great waitstaff that is knowledgable, friendly and attentive and absolutely incredible food, Tokio Pub is one of my favorites! Taco Time is amazing as is everything else I've tried on their menu. It's a great part of Lettuce Entertain You and I'll continue to go back!!
(5)Maria A.
Started with free potstickers from Yelp check in. These were quite tasty. Took advantage of the Sunday special-- for an additional $3, you get a bottomless bowl of ramen but you don't have to get the same flavor. You can sample all 3 flavors. Pork ramen was flavorful even after holding off on the kimchee and picking out the pickled ginger. Fried coconut bao was just okay. The chocolate filled beignets though were like crack! UPDATE: Had to knock off one star...came home after dinner and an hour later, fingers in both hands were tingling. Looked up and it's either because of too much sodium or MSG. Had to drink at least 64 ozs of water to get it to stop. It eventually went away after 4-5 hours.
(3)Howard L.
They have selective half-priced appetizers and entrees here between 5 and 6 pm on weeknights. We had for dinner tonight: Shrimp tempura roll Grilled steak ramen bowl A three taco combo - crispy fish, crispy chicken, and barbecue pork Ramen burger This was the first time (and alas it will be the last time) that I tried a ramen burger ($11) and I learned that I much prefer a good conventional burger with a bread bun. The fried ramen just didn't have the right texture and taste with a beef patty. The large burger patty itself was just fine. The small tacos were ok at $1.50 each but would be pricey at the regular $3 price. The ramen bowl was fine, but we proactively asked them upon ordering to dilute the salt level down for us, and they did well for us on that front. Overall, an ok meal in a friendly comfortable setting, the kind of setting you expect in a LEYE franchise.
(3)Jimmy W.
Stopped in for a little lunch... Started with the Skirt Steak Hot Rock. Overall it's ok, way too much basil marinade which killed the presentation and didn't really make you want to eat it. Like a small lake of watery green sauce on raw meat... How about spoon a little onto each slice of meat... Once cooked it was good enough but had to get a second rock for the last piece... Had the Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna. Not bad for a gimmicky snack... Finished with 3 tacos. Shrimp, Steak, & Chicken. At $3 ea not that great a deal for the small size. Quality was ok. If you've ever ben to Mercadito etc downtown you'll know what I mean. Others have said $1 taco hour or happy hour is the time to go and I'd have to agree. TP is different in it's offerings but I can't say it hits home for me personally. Nothing was bad here just so so. I had a couple beers and my bill was $44 out the door. I might go back if someone else wanted to go but it's not a destination for me. In a couple years I'll probably forget what it was like and return for a visit...
(3)Amanda M.
As others mentioned, it is a little confusing on where to go. We entered through the long walkway and into the side and we just waited by the bar area and were taken care of promptly. For a group of 4 on Saturday around 9pm, there were still a number of open tables. Our sever mentioned that she was new, so she didn't know much about the various beers, but she did offer samples so that was nice. My friend explicitly said he was GF when ordering, but she brought out regular soy sauce for his sushi dish. Good thing he asked. She was apologetic and brought out the GF soy sauce. I would think most people with dietary restrictions generally are cautious anyway, but that's still worrisome for mishaps like that. Anyways, I got the ramen burger, as I've never had it and for being quite a fad for awhile, I don't really know many places even in the city to have this. All of our food came out at an appropriate time. The ramen burger was quite greasy but I didn't mind. I thought it was a bit bland but also thought that it was as good as it was going to be. I'm glad I tried it and it wasn't bad by any means, but likely will not get it again. I tried boo's pork belly and the pork belly and pineapple skewers were quite yummy. The accompanied rice worked well with the dish. My friend's hot rock lost heat pretty quickly so he had to ask for another one. I feel like it is their responsibility to check on the hot rocks though. Overall, Tokio Pub is good for the area and one of the better options over there, but by no means is it amazing. Prices are fair though. I would like to try their ramen next time especially as it is $12 vs. average $16 bowls at places in the city, even mediocre ones.
(3)J C.
I went here for the first time for a last minute get together with close friends on a Friday afternoon. The lunchtime atmosphere was relaxed and somewhat comfortable - definitely trendy. We ordered a maki roll, a salad, chicken tacos and a very unique cook-the-meat-on-a-stone dish. All the dishes were pleasantly delicious and nicely presented. Our server was also very sweet with minimal interruptions which was appreciated. Initially, I felt the prices were a bit high for the portions of eacg dish. After trying the food, I didn't mind the cost at all. I look forward to my next experience at Tokio Pub in the near future!
(4)Mike M.
I've been to Tokio Pub a couple times, but it seems like every time I go they change up their menu just a little bit. The menu seems more targeted these days, basically just offering various apps, sushi rolls, tacos, and ramen bowls. I thought I remember them in the past offering more entree style dishes. While it's a little limited, everything I've tried on the menu so far has been pretty tasty. I usually go later at night or on weekends, but I decided to meet up a friend for an earlier dinner on a random Monday. Lucky for us it turns out there were some killer deals when we went. We got there just in time for their happy hour, which means it's half off select items on their menu. Then half an hour later they said it was taco time and all tacos would be $1 for an hour. On top of that we got a free gyoza appetizer just for checking in on Yelp. For drink specials they had $5 cocktails. Can't beat dem deals. Food: I was in the mood for some ramen (when am I not?), and for the first time I had the unique opportunity to order ramen two ways: one in soup form, and also in burger form. Yea that's right, they were offering a ramen burger. Spicy chicken ramen - I'll be honest. I came in with lower expectations and was pleasantly surprised. I knew this place didn't specialize in ramen so I wasn't expecting them to be simmering pork bones for multiple days to achieve extreme depth in their broth. The noodles were on the thinner side and were pretty standard. The chicken was actually breaded and fried, and it even kept its crispy outside even though it was floating in the broth. The broth was actually pretty delicious too. It wasn't that rich, but it definitely wasn't bland. The broth had a thin texture, yet was flavorful and slightly spicy from the chili oil, with a good amount of saltiness too, which I personally like. It was basically just a tasty bowl of soup, and I can't really complain about that. Ramen burger - This is basically a hamburger that uses a chunk of compressed, pan-fried ramen noodles as the bun. It's definitely a unique concept I haven't seen at too many other places. I thought the actual ramen element was more of a gimmick than anything though. It didn't really add any distinct flavor to the burger or really remind me of ramen in any way. The outside of the noodle buns had a nice sear to it but for the most part the middle was soft and kind of mushy. I didn't think the ramen part was bad, just nothing special from a taste standpoint. In my opinion the real star is the actual burger patty. The meat was super tender and juicy and it had a nice molasses glaze that gave it a sweet/savory Asian spin to it. It was a pretty tasty burger that makes you curious enough to try at least once. Overall Tokio Pub is a solid place that has a modern and trendy atmosphere and offers a decent Asian fusion menu that is even better when there's a bunch of specials available.
(4)Ashley A.
Since my first time here, I have been back several times and always enjoy dining at Tokio Pub. I must say it is one of my favorite Lettuce Entertain You restaurants! It always seems to be crowded, even on weeknights, but I think that's a good sign that they are bringing in business. I love the tacos (all of them), especially during Taco Time! and the Hot Rock entrees. Always a pretty decent craft beer selection. I absolutely love the decor, hanging lights & designs on the walls. The patio is really cute & romantic. I'm glad I gave this place a second (and third and fourth...) chance because I really do like this place. Actually have reservations for tonight!
(5)Danielle S.
I have driven past Tokio Pub so many times, and have tried pretty much every place around it. Finally, I tried it for a belated birthday dinner. First, we started off with the Tauntaun, which was $5 that night. Speaking of which, they have some great appetizer/drink deals throughout the week! The Tauntaun is basically a moscow mule. Very good! We then shared the Japanese hot rock appetizer. I thought it was neat and definitely something I have never seen before. However, I think it's a bit overpriced for what you get, so I probably wouldn't do it again. We then had one of each of the tacos, and one of the sushi rolls. I wasn't impressed with the sushi at all, but the tacos were good (the Tiger Shrimp was the best). They are small, hence the reason why they are so cheap. Since it was my birthday, we got a free order of the Beignets. So good!! The service was very good throughout the night. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and helped us out through the night. I would come back, especially during a happy hour.
(4)datarez z.
The spicy chicken ramen was very good and actually spicy. Nice craft beer selection and Alice was great!
(5)Christine L.
Came here on a Monday night to meet with some friends for dinner. Wasn't really sure where to go after we had walked in, and even after entering the restaurant it was a little confusing as there wasn't a host stand. I ended up walking all the way through to Shaw's, realized I was no longer in Tokio Pub, and then walked all the way back and asked the guy behind the bar who was very friendly and seated me immediately. We made use of the check-in offer (free gyoza!) and I ordered the ramen burger, have to try it once in my life, right? The gyoza was okay. The ramen burger was good, but I'm not sure is get it again. The burger itself and the toppings were great, the ramen part I wasn't really a fan of. They are thinner than your typical ramen noodle and so do have the same "al dente" bite and they were a bit bland. Like it could use a packet of ramen seasoning sprinkled on top, although that might be a bit excessive. Overall the experience was good, food was okay. I would check it out again.
(3)Jaci Y.
Not too bad we had a Tokio Pub coupon from the lettuce entertain you booklet $10 off our tab. I ordere their SLOW-BRAISED PORK IN FUKUOKA BROTH and their NACHO TACO with barbecue-braised pork and salsa guacamole. Can I say YUM on the Nacho Tacos it was good. I liked the Ramen but I didn't love it. Our waitress was very nice and moved our table to a bigger one as we had more guest arriving to join us for lunch. Props to the entire staff for being friendly and accommodating for us.
(4)Liz M.
The waiter was now very knowledgable at all or friendly. The tacos I got were cold as well. Felt claustrophobic in the restaurant as well and was not a pleasant experience. I wish their sushi menu was more extensive and they offered more Japanese dishes. Won't be returning.
(1)Kristina K.
It is my 100th review and I was hoping to save it for a place that was 5 star worthy. Well, whatever, I am over it. My friend and I decided to go to Tokyo pub for brunch as we talk about visiting all the time but never do it. I liked the decor. It was trendy. Small joint connected to Shaws but very cute. They have a closed patio which was heated but nobody was there. I want to go and visit it in the summer. My friend had a mixture of tacos and I had the ramen steak soup. She loved her tacos, they were bite size and fit for barbies but hey she was happy. I liked my steak soup but I didnt love it. I think i would have loved it had it not been so salty. It had so many fun ingridients and presented gorgeously. Thumbs up on that. The mimosas were fantastic too. I am definitely going back. I just dont know why I didnt visit before.
(3)Alina S.
Super delish! Can't wait to go back and try more. Although the service was a bit slow (and they didn't offer a free dessert for a bday, they just placed 2 candles around the bag of beignets I ordered as my dessert- so I had to share, boo) all in all we had a great dinner to celebrate a family bday. We ordered an assortment of tacos to start. I had the shrimp and it was wonderfully seasoned. The perfect spice level. The pork belly ones I hear were great too. The chicken ones weren't anything to write home about and just tasted like a chicken tender on a taco I heard my Bf say. I went for some sushi as my entree. The best roll was the Acapulco roll and the rest (California, Godzilla, and Lemon Lime) were nothing special. I did grab a bite of the steak skewer entree and the filets were perfectly cooked and seasoned as well. The beignets I ordered for dessert were tasty. Not too sweet on the outside and filled with an almost a bit bitter but sweet chocolate syrup. Yummmmmy!
(4)Joe J.
My girlfriend and I were leaving GameWorks last night and wanted dinner, but weren't sure where to go. As both Big Bowl and Tokio Pub were within view, we debated between those two options. We finally decided to try Tokio Pub as it looked a but more modern/hip, and I'm glad we did. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food was delicious. My lady tried one of the ramen bowls, which was huge and looked beautiful upon its arrival. She said it was delicious, and based on appearances, I wasn't surprised. I ordered the pork belly yakitori and was similarly pleased. The skewers of alternating pineapple and pork belly presented an amazing flavor combination, and the fried rice served with an egg on top made for a tasty companion. Add in a nice selection of beers and complimentary "beignets" (really more like donut holes full of chocolate sauce) for dessert, and it was a wonderful experience all around. We will definitely be back!
(5)Valerie A.
Was seated by a very nice hostess tonight right away. She brought us water but that was about all we got. Sat for about 10 mins on the patio before walking into the bar to state we have not had service and would just like to sit at the bar were the seats were open .... but ended up beings occupied. We over heard the table next to us talking about the extremely slow service. We decided to spend our money down the street at granite city.
(1)Sandra Y.
I came here today with 2 other people for lunch. It was our first time here so we ordered a little of everything to try. Our server was super nice & helpful. Make sure you check in for free gyoza! :) Maybe it was the lunch menu, so it was a small menu? Maybe it's just always like that. I'm not sure. We ordered the Japanese hot rock filet mignon, gyoza, crying tiger shrimp tacos, crispy fish tacos, lemon lime rainbow roll, slow-braised pork in fukuoka broth (ramen), & then beignets for dessert. The Japanese hot rock filet mignon was as fun as it was tasty. It was nice to be able to cook it for as long as you like your steak cooked. Med rare for me, of course! It seemed like the rocks lost heat really quickly tho. The second time around, it was hot, but not sizzling hot. Also, they knew 3 people were eating and they only brought 2 rocks. Hmm... but they did bring me one right away after I asked. It also came with a dipping sauce trio thing with pickled ginger cucumber, salt, & some dipping sauce.. not sure what was in it. The order comes with 5 pieces of filet & the extra piece we ordered was $2. Gyoza was ok. It was free so I can't complain. The tacos were small, but very good. We ordered one for each person, but I easily could've eaten them all by myself. Literally 2-3 bites for one taco. They both had a spicy kick to them. The tiger shrimp was huge! The tacos were my favorite of the things we ordered. The lemon lime rainbow roll was just your typical roll. It had tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and crab. The slow-braised pork in fukuoka broth was a ramen. My problem with ramen is that it's usually really bland. I haven't really found one that I like yet. This was not much different. It had kimchi in it, so it kinda felt like I was eating at home. Watered down, overcooked ramen with kimchi that has been washed. If you're korean, you'll know what I mean. Other than that, I didn't like it that much. It was just ok, no flavor. Last we got the beignets. They were filled with chocolate & they were tiny! Nothing special. Mostly everything was really good (half was good, half was ok), just the portions were on the small side & seemed pricey for the portion size. I'd still come back tho. Maybe when they have $1 tacos since those were so good, but I'll bet it gets super busy those days, plus parking must be a nightmare.
(3)Linh L.
Had a fun girls night out here. We were in the area and decided to stop by. I loved our server. She was fun, relaxed, and wasn't bothersome. (I can't stand it when servers come back just because they're bored.) Good drinks and small bites. The ramen burger wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be crispy. I guess it's because they look like the packaged instant noodles.
(5)J F.
Good food, great service! Ordered taco combo, ramen soup, and sushi...all good. Minor miscue on our drink order; manager apologized profusely and more than made up for the mistake. Customer for life!
(5)Nick M.
Love the music here. Very hip and low key place to meet for food. My fiance and I went here yesterday for lunch. We were craving sushi and we've always wanted to try it here. We ordered the sweet potatoe maki roll and the spicy tuna roll. Both of which were very good. As a side we also order three smalllll tacos which were $3 each (too expensive).
(4)Lisa H.
After all the huge craze of ramen burgers in New York, I knew I had to try the hype for myself. I searched through the Chicagoland area to find a place that serves up a decent ramen burger and stumbled across Tokio Pub. The raving reviews won me over. My sister and I stopped in for lunch one afternoon while we were in the area. If you are having a little trouble locating Tokio Pub, fear not, it shares a building with Shaw's Crab House. Just head towards that way and you will soon discover the small doorway that will lead you into a lounge like atmosphere. As we entered the pub, we noticed the place was empty except for a couple of tables. Even with the almost empty pub, the service seemed to be nonexistent. No one was around to greet us and give us a table; we had to walk up to the bar so we could be seated. After grabbing seats, it even took a while for our waiter to come by. Finally when we were able to order, we decided share: Goyzas - Japanese potstickers filled with chicken and pork served with a ginger sesame vinaigrette. Free with a yelp check-in and a purchase of an entrée, so why not? They were nothing special, just tasted like regular frozen goyzas bought from the grocery store. Ramen: Slow-Braised Pork in Fukuoka Broth - fresh ramen, wakame, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, shitake mushrooms, and a soy-marinated egg. This ramen wasn't my cup of tea, but my sister thought it was ok. Ramen is supposed to be hearty and bursting with flavor, but to me the ginger overpowered the whole entrée. Ramen Burger - angus beef patty, soy molasses, and green onions served with a side of cucumber salad. I had high hopes for this burger, but it was nothing like what I read about. The ramen is supposed to be fried hard enough to hold the shape, but still soft on the inside. My ramen burger was soggy and following apart. The molasses could be the culprit, but who knows. The patty was overcooked, so it was a slight bit chewy. This really was a huge disappointment. Overall, I enjoyed the ambiance but that was it. The food was mediocre and the service was horrible. Also, the bathrooms were a huge inconvenience. You have to walk through Shaw's Crab House and then up the stairs to access the bathrooms. Be prepared to take a long trek. If you were thinking of coming here, I would recommend you to opt out. There are so much better places in the area to grab a bite to eat.
(1)Monty W.
sunday ramen endless bowls...so yum! They have three kinds -try all three. Chicken ramen came with a spicy broth that had depth and character. It is definitely spicy for those who can't take spice (I personally liked it alot) guaranteed to sweat, but its a good heat. Steak/beef served with a soy based broth was a little strange as the flavors don't quite fit with a ramen bowl -tasty on a taco though. And of course winner winner is the pork, classic rich thick broth and well prepared pork. I downed the entire bowl of broth. I could have the broth as my breakfast lunch and dinner. Noodles were somewhat clumpy on some of the bowls we tried though, so there is some improvement to be had. When I feel like a little ramen, it helps to have a little more variety for just a few bucks more for the Sunday special. Yelpers get something just for checking in. Service is good and friendly, informative and knowledgeable servers. Other items that I enjoy include tacos (a bit on the small end, but each is a burst of flavor!). Two bites each taco for my chomping. Each week Tokio has taco night hour $1 tacos, must order either in 3's or 5's. Goes down great with a Sapporo.
(4)Christopher K.
I can't say I've had this thought often... But if I could give more than 5 stars it would be reserved for Tokio Pub Few times in my life have I had a dinner experience where the actual experience is what I remember. My time at Tokio was one of those expertly crafted evenings. Each month Tokio has special events. Last night was their 4 year anniversary party. 4 courses, 4 drinks, $45. Each course, each drink, wowed my table and brought the dining experience to a whole new level. The play on normal foods was elegant and sophisticated while being fun and whimsy. A lot of courses menu's get bogged down by trying to show up the previous course, this wasn't that. Each dish offered something new to the meal. We started with Thai Nachos and sparkling sake, followed by a dish called Tuna Butterfly in a Spring Field and a citrus cocktail, and then the main course was Bacon and Egg Ramen with a glass of Beaujolais, and to wrap up the evening we had a Birthday Cake Egg Roll with a cake batter booze shake! In addition Tokio had $5 handcrafted cocktails so we tried a few of those. My favorite is The Local, which is few gin, koval rose hip, social sparkling sake, cream of coconut, basil, fresh lemon juice, and like nothing I've ever had before. Needless to say I will be back to Tokio, and my group already made reservations for their next event, their Beer Dinner on May 18th! Did I mention that for attending the event we each got a $40 gift certificate for next time? Really Tokio can't be beat. Check it out and fall in love like I did!!!
(5)B R Hungry X.
Good deals, food is hit or miss. Call it good about 60% of the time. Sushi is decent, ramen is a good but a bit salty for my palette. Tacos are a great deal when you go for happy hour or $1 taco days. Fish tacos are one of our favorites, Hub likes the pork tacos. Dessert has good prices too. Need to get the s'mores when you go! Best dessert ever. Not sure we'd come here for full price, maybe once in awhile. Want to try the robata sometime.
(3)Brittany M.
Looking for something tasty and relatively fast before the movies. Couldn't decide between Tokyo Pub and Big Bowl. But then Tokyo Pub smelled much more appetizing and there was no wait. Service was super friendly and knowledgable. I ordered the pork BBQ nachos.. Delicious!! My boyfriend ordered the spicy ramen bowl which was also good if you really love the flavors of sesame and soy. Overall great experience, great food, interesting menu. I would definitely go back and try the crazy dragon roll.
(4)Stan P.
Dodd was great service was Amine fabulous as well. The soups are soooo good. Appetizer of pot stickers, and spicy tuna roll were perfect as well.
(5)Peter R.
Ramen burger. A burger with ramen noodles serving as the buns. That is slightly peculiar, but the result is undeniably splendiferous. This and the BBQ pork belly nachos are my two favorite things on the menu here. The tacos are also good in their own right, but the ramen burger is my main squeeze. This spot is connected to Shaw's in Streets of Woodfield, and it is a favorite lunch time and after work spot for me and the Voltron crew. I work in EGV and don't mind the short mini trek to this awesome spot in Schaumbeezy.
(4)Chelsea D.
The service we received on 06/13/15 was tremendously better than back in February. I made a reservation on Open Table for 6:30pm and we were seated right away after checking in with the hostess (who could have been a bit friendlier). I included my seafood/shellfish allergy in the comments/requests area on OT which was passed along to our waiter, Kevin. He politely introduced himself and was considerate in getting all the details about my allergy before asking what we wanted to drink. He let us take our time in ordering and was knowledgable about the menu when we asked for recommendations. He always made sure to check on us to see if we needed anything else and refilled our water without asking. We ordered 1 of the Japanese Hot Rock skirt steak with spicy thai basil appetizers that comes with 5 slices of skirt steak. You cook the meat yourself on a hot stone and watch it sizzle (which is cool because it is a smaller version of kbbq "all you can eat"). We each got our own hot stone. You also get house-made marinades, cucumber salad, and hot mustard sauce. We also ordered the chicken and pork Potstickers that comes with ginger sesame vinaigrette. This is your basic potstickers, which you can buy frozen and in bulk at Costco and cook at home yourself, so it's honestly not worth the money for 5 pieces. For our entrees, we got the filet mignon Yakitori with grilled crimini mushrooms in a spicy soy-garlic glaze. It also comes with a sunny side up egg on a delicious bed of fried rice. This is highly recommendable! My boyfriend also ordered the Tauntaun cocktail which is 42 below (vodka), pok pok thai basil, fresh lime juice, and goslings ginger beer. He said it was refreshing and he could barely taste the vodka. Kevin said it is one of the most popular cocktails. We also ordered food to go for my parents and we got 1 of each taco, the marinated chicken Yakitori, and the ramen burger. My boyfriend said he would go back for sure for the ramen burger - angus beef, soy "molasses" mizuna, green onion, all in between two ramen "buns," and a side of cucumber salad. Thanks to Amanda Roche for welcoming us back to Tokio Pub. It was worth trying again.
(4)Femme C.
We ordered sushi, edamame, and tacos. Our server Emine was very sweet and helped us guide through the menu and provide a recommendation. I ordered a beverage not on the menu as they use the bar at Shaw's too. So, if you see something you like not on the menu, ask. My gf ordered the nacho tacos which they are fame for, you can mix and match. I went with the sushi which was yummy.
(5)Brian B.
We enjoyed this place well enough. Maybe a little pricey but was a fun night out. Sorta trendy hip background music and fairly dark inside. This place is more of an appetizer joint rather than full complete entrees. We started with two of the different marinated steak slices that you drop onto a searing hot rock they bring you to quickly cook them and that was fun. Then tried two different sushi rolls which were very fresh and decent. The had one each of the little tacos. Those were real good. Especially the fish and ginger beef tacos. Then finished with the calamari which I really liked. We did a pitcher of the pub tea drink that was good but steep at $25. Pretty large bill for two people considering it was not exactly a lot of food portion. But still we liked the place and may try it again in the future.
(4)Isabel K.
food was good - my rock was cold and service needed some help will return - great taco promos!!
(3)Rose D.
The management invited us to come back and give them another chance and we finally made our way back to the mall area. We came on a Friday night and they were busy but the service was quite good (4-stars for service). On this visit the timing of our various courses came out at appropriate intervals and the service was attentive & timely. Even though there is a bottle of water on the table we never filled our water glasses ourselves and someone else was already doing it for us. Some of he food, however, could have definitely been better (2-4 stars ranging for the food) so I'll split the difference and settle on 3-stars overall. We started with the Sweet Potato Tempura Roll which was both our fave - a different & vegetarian take on a sushi roll that was quite tasty. For the entrees we ordered the Ramen Burger and 5-tacos (2 fish, 2 nacho & 1 shrimp). The Ramen Burger is a novelty and while the burger itself was cooked & seasoned perfectly, with a delicious glaze on it, the ramen "bun" really had no flavor and I would have rather had a regular bun that would hold up better and allow for more toppings on the burger. The tacos came on this platter with metal holders to keep each individual taco upright and I would have thought perhaps the metal would have been warmed to help keep the tacos warm longer but it was not and by the time just 1 taco of the 5 were consumed the other 4 were just luke warm...so the final 3 tacos were pretty much cold by the time they were eaten (and my husband is a quick eater so it's not like he was dilly-dallying eating them). He said the nacho taco had the best flavor. The fried fish taco seemed like a small frozen fish stick they fried and the fish had a bit of an off-flavor...as if frozen too long or fried in oil that needed to be changed. He liked the shrimp taco but it only had 2 shrimp on it (these tacos are smaller but only 2 shrimp seemed a bit sparse even for the small size) and they had the tails on so you had to remove the tails and then put the shrimp back on the taco before you could eat it - seemed a bit odd. For dessert we tried the Coconut Bao which came with ice cream & the Coconut Bread Pudding. The Coconut Bao was quite small in comparison to the giant piece of bread pudding - granted the bread pudding is $1 more than the bao. Both tasted quite good, though the bread pudding could have used some sort of sauce.
(3)Sendizzy S.
In a nutshell, it's the go-to Happy Hour ramen place in the area. For being part of a chain restaurant they have a unique feel. Their menu draws in flavors primarily from Asia but fused with Latin dishes and drinks. I recommend this place for any work outing. Also worth mentioning is their indie music selection playing in the background; always a good array. The only downfall is that it doesn't have its own restroom. Patrons have to go through Shaw's to get to it.
(4)Emery C.
Amazing food! I recently discovered this place about three months ago and I'm pretty sure I've been here about 12 times ever since. Their ramen burger is usually my go-to but last time I got one of their spicy chicken ramen bowls... Unreal, this is a must try place!
(5)Ali N.
Sushi is very nice . I ordered tune spicy tuna roll, marinated chicken, it was ok chicken nothing surprising We ordered ramen noodles bowl, it was ok too Nothing exciting
(3)Mike F.
The Ramen Burger is the best burger ever! It was super delicious! Alice the bartender was also the best ever!
(5)Mekhala E.
It was horrendously crazy outside on this wintery Tuesday. As someone who has lived in California and Texas for the most part, this snow thing was fascinating....for a split second.... and then I got bored! We were looking for something close to our hotel with decent food and vibe. Tokio Pub was a pleasant surprise; it was quite full for a Tuesday night. The ambiance is pub like of course, a little dim for my liking but comforting nevertheless. Because it was a little gloomy outside, I would have liked Tokio Pub to blast ACDC or likes just to perk things up..I live in San Francisco, I am used to flamboyance and loudness, I think Tokio could use some of that (in winters at least). Also, people who are talking about the rolls and sushi not being authentic here, you need to take a step back and think about what you are saying. The establishment has "pub" in its name, I don't think they are pretending to be an authentic sushi place. A quick look at the menu will tell you that this is strict pub fare that happens to be heavily Japanese influenced. We were seated immediately upon arrival, our server, Alice (I think) was great. She took time to explain the concept to us and was very attentive. They had the restaurant week menu that day- for two people, $33 something for three shareables, one entrée and one dessert is not bad. But we skipped it, we are unpredictable that way. Wait, we are not, we ended up getting the most predictable shi*$ on the menu. The bang bang calamari was incredible. The calamari was fresh and cooked perfectly, the breading was light and the dressing was not overpowering at all. If you are a fan of bang bang or rock shrimp, give this a shot, it is good. Volcano roll was also very good, I have never had a roll with soy paper before, the light green colored paper that almost looks like lettuce. It is not as chewy as nori, has a very subtle taste and is a great variation for rolls. Our Server informed us that you can ask for any roll to be made with soy paper. The most disappointing preparation of the night was the king crab California roll. The rice was pretty dry and this dish did not do anything for us. This is what you get for ordering a California roll outside of California ;) If you want to get some beers or sake or whatever, sit back and eat some food without thinking about the caloric intake, go check out Tokio Pub.
(4)Kimsy S.
I had a very pleasant experience at Tokio Pub today. My server, Kevin, has been very attentive and informative. I came at a very good time: Sunday is bottomless Ramen, and from 5:00-6:00pm is $1 tacos. I ordered the Grilled Steak in Soy-Ramen broth noodle bowl first. The broth was a little salty for my taste, but they don't skimp on the meat and veggies. I also ordered the Slow-Braised Pork in Fukuoka Broth: AWESOME. I really appreciated the fatty cuts of pork; the fat is the best part of any meat in my opinion. Taking advantage of happy hour, I decided to try the tacos. I ordered a crispy chicken, steak, nacho (with BBQ braised pork), and crispy fish. All of them were great, but my favorites are definitely the crispy fish and the nacho. AMAZING flavor with both. And the beignets are a MUST. They're not beignets in the traditional sense; they're more like donut holes with a dark chocolate filling. But they're sugary amazing goodness. Treat yourself. I look forward to coming again to try the Ramen Burgers and hot rock appetizers. Give them a try! And ask for Kevin as your server, he's great. :-)
(4)Michelle M.
Happy hour is great for select 1/2 price sushi and ramen. Volcano roll is great if you enjoy spice and the ramen portions are very generous (expensive if not during happy hour). Do NOT let them seat you next to where the busboys put their bins of dirty plates, it is SO annoying and located next to a set of tables for some odd reason. Some of the tables are so close together that it makes you feel like you are dining with strangers. Service feels rushed each time as though the goal is to get you "in and out." Overall a nice quick happy hour stop, but would not waste your money on the experience or prices if you're not there for the specials.
(3)Ericka L.
So whenever I come here I just eat like a big fatty. Get the coconut curry soup...you'll want it fed to you intravenously from now on. Love the potstickers...and you get a free order of them when you check in with your Yelp app! Crispy fish and chicken tacos? YUM! Tiger shrimp tacos? YUM AND PREPARE TO BREATHE FIRE Yep...usually all in one sitting. Also be on the lookout for their Taco Time. You have to follow them in Twitter or Facebook in order to see when the next one is. Taco Time is one hour where all tacos are $1 each...trust me...that's a heavenly deal.
(5)Josh G.
I'll preface this review that you should not trust maps to get you to this place. I honestly did not know I kept getting told to enter via Higgins Road, where that was not possible unless you went through the Streets of Woodfield, which you need to do to get to this place. I spent about 20 minutes trying to find this place as I was meeting some friends after work here. Needless to say, it is in the same building as Shaw's Crab Shack and I should've looked this up prior to coming in Friday night traffic. I was surprised that this place wasn't more busy at 6 P.M. on a Friday night, but it definitely picked up the pace as the night went on. If you're coming later than 7 P.M. on Friday, I'd recommend getting reservations. Like other reviews have already mentioned, it is a bit quirky of an entrance as it takes you to an indoor/outdoor place before proceeding to inside the restaurant to be seated. Make sure to enter by the Tokiopub sign otherwise, you'll be going to Joe's Crab Shack and have to walk all the way to the other side of the building. My friends were already here about 25 minutes prior to me showing up, so they already ordered some great appetizers off their "Happi Hour" menu. I had the Shrimp Tempura, which I was rather impressed with. I put too much wasabi on my tempura and it burned the whole way down. I thought it was great and well done. I followed that by ordering a variety of Tacos. The tacos were great, but I probably should've gotten something else as it was not as filling as I'd hoped it would be. If you're hungry, get a ramen bowl. Those things are huge and will get the job of satisfying your hunger. Three people ordered the Ramen bowl and no one finished it. They ended up boxing it and taking it home. This place had a hip/fun atmosphere and felt very trendy in a good way. I would also come back to this place again as well. The service we had was also very good and attentive.
(4)Lily F.
After an hour of deciding where to eat, my friend and I decided to come to Tokio Pub to try it out after hearing great things from Yelp. We loved how simple, yet diverse the menu was. It's not a typical sushi or Japanese restaurant. They have a few special rolls, ramen, tacos, and some other unique food items, including the ultra cool hot rock where you can cook your own ahi tuna or steak. We received our free gyoza after checking in on Yelp (woot!) and also ordered the volcano roll and the ahi tuna hot rock as starters. The volcano roll didn't taste like anything similar to the volcano rolls I've had, but not in a bad way. Instead of crawfish mixed in creamy sauce on top of some California rolls, their version was a lot lighter, with little pieces of fried pieces of red peppers on top of a tuna roll. The hot rock ahi tuna was fun and amazingly tasty and the gyoza was simply delectable. The dumpling skin wasn't too thick and the accompanying sauce wasn't too sweet. We ordered the pork ramen and crying tiger shrimp tacos with some hot sake for our entrees. Even looking back at it now, there is nothing to complain or even nitpick at. The ramen had a great broth and I loved the kimchee that they added. Overall, I had a memorable meal and would love to come back.
(5)Meatdowntown C.
Reasonable prices and great flavors. I love the simplicity of the menu. The shrimp tacos were just okay, but the steak ones were pretty good. We also ordered the pork ramen and the beef ramen. Definitely the beef ramen was more fun and flavorful. I would have preferred if they have different types of noodles for the ramen options. The fried rice and skewer "Yaki something" was very decent. The volcano sushi was the star of the night. It was simply excellent but you must tolerate hot and spicy. The coconut bread pudding was very very good. I will definitely come back.
(4)Melanie S.
*Review for Happy Hour only* Happy Hour (M-F from 5-6) at Tokio Pub is a great deal, but probably the only reason I'd come here. Several appetizers are priced at 50% off, which is a good thing, because I would have felt kind of ripped off paying full price. Normally I'm never in Schaumburg on a weekday at this time, but I was in the area taking my niece for a driving lesson on Memorial Day, so I was able to take advantage. Let's face it: after taking a 16 year old out driving, I needed many drinks. On Mondays, most of the cocktails are only $5, so coupled with specially-priced apps, it's a no-brainer. Drinks are Asian-inspired (many have sake) and are tasty and drinkable. I really liked the Tokio Rose. We ordered two sushi rolls: the shrimp tempura and the spicy tuna. Both were large and plenty to share, and considering the portion size, probably the best value on the 50% off menu. We also tried the ahi tuna and filet mignon "hot rock." Comes marinated and raw, and then you cook it on the hot rock. Really tasty, but I would never pay $10 (full price) for such tiny portions. Tacos were excellent too, but at $3/each, you'd be crazy to order them at any time other than Happy Hour or Taco Time. The service was great, the food was good. I especially liked the chocolate beignets we brought home. All in all, I enjoyed Tokio Pub, but I can't imagine coming here and paying full price without feeling cheated. Having said that, it's definitely worth coming here for Happy Hour. You'll eat some tasty viddles without breaking the bank.
(3)Jillian M.
Even been at Woodfield and think "Hmmm I want sushi". Well this place is NOT for you! Pretentious hipster version Perhaps... Bland over priced and maybe 5 sushi choices. Great if you want to be ironic and have a "cool" place to tag yourself in on Facebook. Fish tacos were a fish stick in a tortilla. Crazy dragon roll was presented well and had the most flavor so for that alone they get 2 stars. Shrimp tempura roll was bland and over stuffed with lettuce garnish to fill it. Just terrible. If you're legit hungry, don't go.
(2)Angela P.
Happy hour. 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 50% off most appetizers and small plates. Why haven't you bookmarked this place yet? Why haven't you BEEN here yet? We loved everything we ordered. Two of us shared five tacos, two sushi rolls, BBQ nachos, and potstickers. Total? $55, which also includes two cocktails. We weren't charged for the tacos, but it's still an absolute STEAL. I love that we were able to order a bunch of different things and share at such a low price. The sweet potato roll, spicy tuna roll, and BBQ nachos were my favorites. My friends offered me a glass from their pitcher of sangria, and I soon learned that I should never turn down sangria, because you'll get that cross-eyed, "are you fcking crazy?" look from your friends. I actually just really wanted to browse the cocktail menu. I had the Tokio Rose cocktail which had St. Germain and...who cares what else was in it, it has St. Germain! I also had my eye on the Ginger Mojito. Maybe next time. The inside of this place is definitely on the trendy list. Not too bright, not too loud, and busy but not too crowded. I'd come back here for a girl's night, date night, or if I just needed some damn food and a cocktail after a particularly stressful day. When we arrived at 5:00 p.m., the place was nearly empty. We left just before 7:00 p.m., and it was bustling! I don't know if it was me just being a nervous nancy about getting out on time (needed to be at a Whole Foods event at 7!) or if it really did take a few extra minutes to get us our checks and swipe our credit cards. Nevertheless, make sure that if you've got somewhere to be when it's busy that you give yourself a few extra minutes to cash out. They were also very accomodating with our semi-large group and had no qualms with splitting the checks, which is awesome!
(5)Nick B.
Came here for the first time the other day to enjoy a quiet dinner with my girlfriend. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. The food was great, our waitress was nice and the soundtrack was catchy. After looking at the prices on the menu, I was a bit scared, but our final bill was way less than I thought it was going to be. They also have specials on both Yelp and Foursquare (free stuff connoisseurs, rejoice!) Will definitely be returning.
(5)Megan T.
We really enjoy eating here. On Sundays they have all you can eat Ramen bowls and different specials each night. The music and atmosphere is nice and my two little ones like it here too. Most of the waiters are nice, however every now and then we get a grumpy girl. I LOVE the crunchy shrimp. The menu is simple and pretty customizable because it is simple. Recommend giving it a try.
(4)Rebecca C.
With so many Asian/Pan-Asian/Japanese/Ramen/Sushi style places inundating and crowding the landscape in and around Chicago, Tokio Pub is one of the many. Like most of them, they're all starting to blend into an abyss that's more America does Japanese Sushi rolls, come taste the rolls we have! Well, we did, only we didn't try Tokio Pub's rolls. After awhile, the fad is redundant. A friend and I dined there for lunch on a Saturday. We first split a "Simple Salad," which translates to "don't bother." At $7, the handful of radicchio with some avocado and a sprinkling of seeds, seemed more appropriate for a side salad included with a meal, than a salad standing alone. Anyways, my friend ordered the chicken Yaki, I ordered the 5 taco sampler and we shared both. The chicken was excellent, albeit salty, but just enough to be tasty. The "vegetables" were limited to green onions, which was disappointing, but somewhat expected. The rice that came with the dish was delicious, but also had enough salt going on to disinfect the mouths of a day's patients at the dentist. The taco sampler was delicious. While they were kind of small, especially for $15, each taco was loaded and filling. With a decent sized doggy bag, we shared the Beignets since Hanna H guaranteed they were fantastic - which they were. Served a bit kitschy, in a paper bag, the 4 little donuts melt in your mouth and are loaded with freshness and flavor. If there weren't so many similar venues, I would maybe give an extra star. Since there are way too many copycats, and this is one of the LEY places that's not exceptional over the rest, I give them 3 stars. For service, definitely 4 or 5 stars. That is where they DO shine.
(3)Chris K.
Not worth it. The restaurant seems like an afterthought and just through it up with the extra space from Shaw's. The layout is awkward and the entrance looks like your walking into a closed bar and then enter by the kitchen. The food is overpriced for the portions and very bland for a Japanese/Mexican flare restaurant. The staff is kind of useless when selecting a dish because everything is good. Also, he was too busy talking about himself, so I took the bottle of water opened it and started refilling glasses of water for the table.
(1)Genevieve L.
Tokio pub is actually connected to Shaws. Portions are smaller and meant to be more like tapas but the food is good. The drinks are also strong. Good place to relax after a long day of work
(4)Claire N.
We have been here twice in the last 3 months and it has been amazing both times. The pork tacos are so good, as are the pork nachos! It's the same pork on both, so I highly recommend trying one or both of them. We have also tried the sushi rolls and calamari. The spicy tuna roll was so good - awesome sauce on it and great quality. The calamari was super awesome too, but I think next time I would ask for the sauce on the side - although it's really good, it started to make the calamari a little mushy as you got to the bottom and after it had saturated for awhile. We also tried the hot rock filet as an appetizer. That was something new for me and I loved it! It's fun AND tasty! The mojito they have is super good too (and not skimpy on the alcohol)! Overall, this place is a must-try, especially if you live in the Schaumburg area!
(5)Jennifer L.
My mom picked this place for Sunday brunch to celebrate some sort of holiday in the spring. Perhaps it was Mother's Day or the April birthdays (mine, hers and my father's). My memory escapes me. We had planned on going elsewhere, but she backed out since she didn't want to trek out into the city, which is understandable. The pub isn't very large and had a minimalist chic look to it. I definitely enjoyed the dark wood tables and clean lines. The prices for brunch were fairly reasonable, with the most expensive item being $15. However, the menu was a little odd to me. It's definitely not your traditional brunch. You will not find a simple eggs, hash browns, sausage/bacon plate here. Instead, you will see something called a french toast "maki" on the menu, which is a tempura french toast with bananas foster sauce, kiwi and mango. If that's not out of the box; then I don't know what is. I was so intrigued by it and almost got it, but the tempura wasn't sitting too well with me. So, I chickened out and got the crispy fish tacos, which are $3 each. You can order 3 or 5. And, you can mix and match tacos. They also offer chicken, steak, pork and shrimp. A chipotle remoulade was atop the tacos. And, by golly, was it spicy! Again, my tolerance for spice is low, but I was really feeling it with the sauce. The price, for what it was worth, was good and the portion size was just right - not too large or too small. Those with larger appetites would be best off ordering five tacos. Don't skip out on the chocolate beignets for something sweet after your meal. For $4 you get 5 of them and can take them home if you don't devour them there. I definitely recommend ordering more if you've got sugar monsters (such as myself) in your party. Those people will probably want a bag (or two) all to themselves! Unfortunately, service wasn't the greatest and was slow since there were only two waitresses working. It was also pretty cold inside, which was strange since the outer enclosed patio area was heated. You get a free gyoza appetizer if you check in on Yelp. Just make sure your server take it off. It was on our bill so we had to kindly ask her to remove it, which she did without issue. Oh, and it's connected to Shaw's so you'll have to go there to use their bathroom, which is upstairs. Overall, decent brunch, but I definitely would be hard-pressed to come back and don't think I would unless someone else really wanted to dine here.
(3)Nicolette H.
Such an awesome place. I love that the restaurant is smaller in size and more intimate. Great cocktails- The Local was AMAZING. It has gin, sake, cream of coconut and ginger as ingredients. As some highlights: the pork belly was the best thing I had there. Ahi Tuna was also excellent quality, and the volcano roll was delish. I find myself suggesting this place when going out with a few friends or on a date. The service is always great, but this past Friday, I had one of the best servers I've ever had. I wish I caught his name, but he recently moved here from LA and was working in the area close to the bar. He was so helpful, guided us through the menu, was very attentive without being overbearing. I'll be requesting him again. Love this restaurant.
(5)Griff M.
Made a reservation for this place! We were seated in the back room, all by ourselves. My wife and I were totally ok with it because it was quiet! Waitress took our drink order and was very polite in walking us through the menu. After she left, the manager came over to our table. He said that he had a perfect spot that opened up in the main dining room and apologized for seating is in the back room! After we moved, he proceeded to buy us a round of drinks and dessert! My wife and I were thrilled. We had the tacos and a sushi roll and all were delicious!!!! The wait staff was so attentive and absolutely amazing!! This was our first time there and we will be going back soon. A+++++++++++
(5)Jeremy W.
Just finished my first visit to Tokyo Pub and was very satisfied. The food was excellent and our server, Chris, was very helpful with our meal choice. I had the dragon roll and rainbow roll. Both were delicious. I also tried the bang bang calamari from my mom's plate and it was one of the best calamari I've had in awhile. I will definitely come back and recommend this place to friends.
(5)Russell K.
Absolutely fantastic. (Oh and if you can't find it, it's attached to Shaw 's) Enjoy.
(5)Michelle T.
Love the vibe and the general coolness of this place! The sushi is excellent and they have killer Sangria. The staff always have fun welcoming personalities and they make your time with them enjoyable. Check it out! One of our favorites!!
(5)Sarah S.
An update to say Tokio Pub has completely won me over - I'm completely obsessed. Their happy hour is 5-6 each day and they have a TON of food that is half off during that hour including maki rolls. Their sweet potato tempura roll fulfills my need for orange poe-tah-toe rolls and has spinach tempura crumbs on the outside. I absolutely love that little touch. Every roll I've tried at Tokio Pub is phenomenal and during happy hour they are just $4-5!!! It really doesn't get better than that in the pricing department. I'm always pushing everyone to Tokio Pub for their amazing happy hour - and on Tuesdays it gets even better! Half price bottles of wine all day. They have a sweet Snapdragon Riesling that I get every time for $14. Fantastic deal! The best part about Tokio Pub is their outdoor patio. It's the perfect spot for a nice weather day happy hour. Plus, I've had amazing service every single time I've gone.
(5)Mykil G.
One wonderful little gem in the heart of the Streets of Woodfield. Fantastic primer before catching a move too. We really enjoy the chef's fusion. Be sure to try the tacos, sushi and hot rock. Enjoy...
(4)Alena K.
Very trendy atmosphere and the staff is super friendly. Went there on a Friday night and had their $1 taco special. The crying tiger shrimp and the chicken tacos were the best. The fish one was not bad. The others a bit too plain for my liking overall great deal. We also had the lemon and lime dragon roll which was fresh. The drinks are small but taste good. We had the s'mores dessert which was not bad but too much ice cream and the marshmallow was hard to add to the treat. Prices are a tad high for the portion size. Overall would recommend. Nice hang out place for a group of friends or a casual date. They have very cute patio space for the summer that I would want to come back for.
(4)Melissa A.
Tokio Pub is a quaint little restaurant attached to Shaw's Crab House. I came here today with some friends for lunch to the finish off Restaurant Week 2014 with a bang! I'm glad we came here because I definitely will be back to get my fill of this place. They offered restaurant week deals for lunch and dinner, and even though we came for lunch we ordered the dinner menu since we're gluttons! The restaurant week menu was $33 for two people and we were given the following dishes to share between the 2: two choices of edamame over rice (spicy something or like a ginger sauce), 3 tacos of your choice, a tuna (?) cucumber maki roll, two types of ramen to choose, and oreo rice krispy treats for dessert. The tacos I tried were the steak and crying tiger shrimp taco; both were delicious but the shrimp one was phenomenal. I could have eaten 3 of the crying tiger shrimp tacos for a meal, it was that good. The choices for ramen were either a steak or pork ramen. We ordered the steak ramen and it was decent but nothing special; I wouldn't recommend coming here solely for the ramen. We took our oreo rice krispies to go since we were tight on time especially because our server wasn't very attentive. She stood around and talked with the other servers a lot since it wasn't very busy when we were there. We intended to save the rice krispies for later since we were stuffed from the meal, but once we got into the car we immediately opened the container and stuffed them into our mouths..and it was not in a ladylike fashion at all haha The rice krispies were absolutely wonderful and I would recommend ordering them if they offer them on their regular menu. I mean, how can rice krispy treats infused with oreos not be awesome?? Oh, side note, Tokio Pub offers happy hour Monday through Friday from 5-6pm. They have half priced appetizers, select sushi rolls, tacos, and a few other things on their menu. Our server also said they have drink specials on Mondays and Tuesdays I believe; $5 cocktails on Mondays and I don't remember what the drink special was for Tuesday (sorry I'm useless, can't eat and listen at the same time). Also, I read on the menu that they have something called "Taco Time" which is when they offer their tacos for $1 one day for one hour a week. UM HOW AWESOME IS THAT?? Apparently you have to follow them on facebook, twitter, or on their website to be in the know. I read on their chalkboard by the door the next taco time is FEB 11TH AT 8PM so HEADS UP if you want some bomb tacos!
(4)Katie M.
I have never had a bad meal at Tokio Pub. Since going with some friends a few months ago, every time I've gone I've ordered something different. And every time they've been so good. I highly suggest either of their ramen bowls. Both are really delicious! My favorite sushi roll has to be the Godzilla roll that they make. The rolls are a bit bigger than I'd like to shove in my mouth, but 100% worth it. You can really taste all of the ingredients, and the guacamole is an interesting addition to sushi. Make sure you check in on Yelp! Tokio Pub does have deals for when you check in. The last time I was here I got free Gyoza, which were pretty much potstickers. But they were pretty great.
(4)Kat A.
I came here with my friend during restaurant week to try this place out. The deal was really good. Only $33 for both of us to share the four courses. The edamame was the first course...nothing special. But the next course, the tacos were delish. My favorite was the shrimp taco. The ramen was ok. I wouldn't order it again. And the final course was the dessert-cookies and cream rice krispy treast. They were really good! I would come back to try some of the other items on their menu and get the tacos again.
(4)Abha S.
OMG what a great place to go and hang out for a few with family and friends. I am so glad I found another Ramen place closer to me ! Ordered their spicy chicken ramen bowl and boy was it hot! The portion size was great and my husband enjoyed his Ramen burger. We loved the ambience and would happily return with our friends :)
(4)Kristy M.
Don't waste your time going here! Not even for the Happy Hour deals... First, this restaurant is apart of Shaws which means that they share the same TINY parking lot and valet service. Note that the valet service used all the parking spots close to the restaurant to push customers to use valet VS parking super far away. I was here over the week for the $1.00 tacos and GROSS! The menu has few options and when you ask to modify the $1.00 tacos they wont let you. I met up some friends about an hour after they arrived, spent 20 minutes looking for parking and after sitting down at the table the waitress took forever to greet me, take my order and once my food was out she couldn't even bring me clean silverware. Never Again will I be going to Tokio Pub and highly suggest you don't either...
(1)Julie Y.
Came here for lunch and ordered a bunch of vine, sushi, wings and tacos. They were all really good! I recommend the wings!!
(4)Christine D.
I'm pretty sure this is one of the only Tokio Pubs around. Good happy hour specials and they have a great sushi selection. Also...their fish tacos are a must. The windows open up so it's perfect for warm weather. They also have a s'more dessert. The graham cracker is homemade and it's a big portion...definitely get it and share it. I just flat out love this place and you will too.
(4)Natasha R.
Japanese style tapas? Yes please....!!! I finally made it out here for my friends wedding dinner and I am incredibly pleased with the food and service. Tokio Pub is connected to Shaw's, so it's a bit of a weird design and very small compared to other LEYE restaurants. It's made up of two rooms, one is in the inside and the other is more like a in-closed outdoor patio with a heated lamp so it wouldn't get too cold. That's where our large party had a table and it was terrific because Tokio Pub was PACKED, but we never felt it since there was lots of room and quite enough to hear each other without having to shout. If you are looking to have a large party, I suggest asking for this room. Everything was preordered and the food just kept coming and coming and coming! It was all super delicious, but I couldn't even sample all of it because we were so full by the end of the night. Looking through the menu, they have many options for different style parties, so I would def recommend this to anyone in the future. The sushi came out real quick, so I did not catch any of the names of the rolls, but they were all incredibly fresh. I will have to order a couple rolls next time I make it out here. We had a couple of the edamame bowls - garlic or spicy, and I have to say that they were one of the best I've ever tried. They come served on top of rice, which is different from any other sushi restaurants. There were a bunch of other items, but I only remember the tacos that came later in the night. I only tried the crying tiger shrimp tacos, but DAMN sooo good! They offer $1 tacos once a week for an hour, so i NEED to come back for just that alone! My boyfriend and I shared the $22 pitcher of the White Peach Sangria.. it's a tad bit expensive, but hella good! I need one of those next time, but without having to share. As for the dessert, they brought beignets in the cutest little baggies ever! It's impossible to describe the deliciousness of them, so my suggestion is to make sure you have enough room in your tummy and see for yourself. They are kind of like small fried balls, so I am sure that won't be a problem. Overall, great experience and I can't wait to come back here and try other items on the menu!
(4)John Q.
Went here on a Saturday night after hearing all the good reviews about how awesome this place is. We were greeted and seated right away when we walked in. The waitress provided excellent service and the atmosphere was nice. The waitress answered our questions about the menu and we decided to get try some Takoyaki, Steak/Chicken/Shrimp tacos, and the Ramen Burger. Starting off with the Takoyaki, the presentation was nice and came in a nice little boat with a skewer. These little balls were quite good however were different from the one's I had before. There was a little chunk of octopus in there however the inside was hollow. I was expecting that there would be filled with the batter in the center. The tacos were not that impressive to me, the chicken was dry. The steak marinade was so-so, it just seemed like teriyaki steak. The shrimp taco was the best out of the three and I would get it again. Last, but not least was the Ramen Burger. We were quite curious of this since on the menu it said that there were limited quantities....I wonder why...The Ramen Burger is indeed a patty with ramen instead of the buns. I was expecting the Ramen to be crispy so it had some crunch with the burger, however it was very soggy and oily. The burger lacked texture and felt like mush in your mouth. The food here is so-so. Not sure if I would return, maybe it was just an unlucky night.
(3)Roma L.
Updating my review for Tokio Pub. Went here during their taco time last Tuesday since they go for a dollar instead of 3 dollars. Who wouldn't want that? My last visit I wasn't impressed with their tacos but that night I enjoyed the shrimp taco it was delish especailly with the guacamole and had a bit of a kick as well. My boyfriend enjoyed the chicken taco. Since it was taco night and they were busy the tacos were flying out of the kitchen. No disappointments when it came to the tacos this time around. BUT.. sushi you have disappointed me this time :( seemed like they were focusing more in the preparation of the tacos and didnt really care for finesse of the sushi as you can tell.. my boyfriend even asked me if that was the sushi we had ordered our last visit. Haha. Now that I looked at the picture I just noticed the sushi we ordered recently is missing that white sauce on top? Plus they went scarce on avocado? And the "crunchy" green topping wasn't crunchy at all.. Overall I wish sushi was more consistent in quality.. and hope to enjoy the tacos as much as I have this last visit. Will be back.
(4)Meg X.
Great service. Food is too expensive for what's served, but it's tasty food. Overall a reasonably acceptable dinner.
(3)Charlie C.
The food was fine. Nothing spectacular. Overpriced IMO for the portion sizes. The service was fine. Again, nothing spectacular but definitely room for improvement. The waiting area is non existent so if you are waiting for a table you end up standing right by the door. That area is squeezed tight so there is only room for about 2 people to stand, which makes for an awkward situation if others are waiting, as well. You are also standing almost on top of the people who are seated by the door, which again makes for an awkward experience for both parties. The atmosphere is pretty average. Again, nothing really stood out about it. I'm not sure I'll be going back anytime soon.
(3)Haeley J.
I've gone here twice in the past 2 months and service is always great. We had the same waitress both times, sorry I don't remember her name... brown hair, medium height lol. She's great though... super attentive and provides great input on the food there. So what did I order?? The first time I went in I ordered the Godzilla Rolls and 3 tacos (nacho taco, crying tiger shrimp, and the crispy fish)...The Godzilla Roll was awesome seeing as though it was topped with guacomole and had the delicious eel sauce on the side (check out the pic). Out of the tacos the nacho taco was really good so I'm looking forward to checking out their barbeque-braised pork nachos, those are probably really good!! On the second visit I had their sweet potato tempura roll which is light and delicious, with a slight sweet taste which I loved. Then I had their crazy dragon roll which yes, I thought that it was really good too (see pic). For Apps both times I had the gyoza which I've never had before... Love the sauce that comes with it and I think it's a great app and good price. So yeah the food is always fresh and really good, I still have more to try so I'll let you know if anything changes ;-)
(5)Michelle P.
OMG! We ate here last night and it just tasted so good I was rolling my eyes in ecstasy! I always have the tacos, usually one of each. I had the chicken, steak and pulled pork tacos, they were excellent. My Husband always gets the Hot Rocks entree. The chopped salad was delicious and they split it in half for us! I also ordered the chicken and waffles, SO good!! We enjoyed it so much that we talked our friends into coming back with us this coming Tuesday!! Also, their wait staff is SO nice! We both agreed last night that we had never had a bad meal there! Oh, yeah! Don't forget to order the beignets for dessert, delicious! Lol, I just checked my old review! As you can see, I'm loyal to my favorites, and added a new one! What can I say? I know what I like!
(5)Geraldine A.
I enjoy dining here. They have changed their menu over the years and have taken some of my favorite things off. But the service here is fantastic and that's what keeps me coming back.
(4)Lindsey M.
My first time here and was really surprised how much I enjoyed it. I took my friend here for Sushi since I figured it was a sushi place but soon realized they don't have much of a sushi selection so we ordered the Dragon Roll, spicy calamari, and a ramen bowels. Although they have a smaller menu everything was really good and we were not disappointed that it wasn't the 'sushi place' we had expected ! I would go back just to get the Spicy pork Ramen bowel again...very good, never had anything like it before. Great drinks and they gave us a free little dessert since it was our first time there! Excellent service and good ambiance, its actually connected to Shaws crab house which I didn't realize before. Would recommend if your in the market to try something different.
(4)A.H P.
I was recommend to this place with high hopes of a great experience and good Japanese inspired foods. My fiancee and I went on Thursday and started out with two rolls of sushi one was a tuna crunch and the other was there take of a spicy tuna roll. They were ok but nothing special. Next we got the filet mignon hot rocks. It was super weird and not efficient, the rock cooled really quick. We shared this dish, it was a good portion. We noticed everyone was having the tacos we tried the pulled pork, the skirt steak, and the chicken. We did not care for any of them. We were sat inside next to the garbage/ the dirty dishes. My fiance got chewed up by mosquitos while dinning, this could of been unrelated but it ruined our night.
(1)Lance R.
Ok so see my tip to get my vibe on this place. (Like the TGIF of Japanese - bad description - need a happy meal to make this ok. If you want AMERICANIZED Japanese this is good, but I really had to do a re-look at it to appreciate it (I am a sushi snob)) BUT I am updating this because I am being spammed with offers in my email to return. so I am going to give it another shot --- look at my soon to come update
(2)Jessica T.
Love this place. Love the Atmosphere. And the tacos are the SHIT!
(5)Patrick F.
I gotta give this place a solid 5! For a location that is in dire need of a parking garage, it was worth the walk from my car in the rain. Our server was Chad and he works every night except Thursdays. HIGHLY recommend him. A FourSquare check in got us a free order of the best damn edamame I've ever had. It was tossed in a slightly spicy ginger garlic seasoning. We ordered a few sushi rolls as an appetizer. My friend ordered the Godzilla and I ordered the Dragon. Both rolls yielded 8 pieces and were presented so uniquely. The Godzilla had tortilla chips in the shape of dinosaur scales on each piece and the Dragon had the head and tail of the shrimp. The taste of each were outstanding! My "entree" was the (5) Combo tacos. They have a 3 combo, but 5 gets you one of each. Variety is the spice of life after all right? And speaking of spices, each taco was so unique and full of flavor. They get their seafood fresh too. One of the perks of sharing a wall with Shaws Crab House. The price point is a tad high, but if you don't get any alcohol or desert, you can keep costs very reasonable. I can't wait to go for Taco Time! $1 Tacos for one hour, one day a week. They also have Happi Hour M-F from 5-6pm, which gets you half price starters, tacos and their Japanese Hot Rock, where you cook your protein at the table! Lastly they also have a chef battle once a month that serves 4 courses and a beer pairing from local breweries. Those events sell out fast, so call for a reservation. They're also on open table, but on a Saturday night, they weren't packed. I could however see it being busier on a beautiful summer night with the shades up. It's a very nice feature to have available. I strongly recommend checking out their website to see a full range of what they offer. Personally I can't wait to go back!
(5)Candice G.
4.5... can I do a 4.5? No? Okay, well look at the 4 stars I'm throwing up and think 4.5 instead. Lettuce Entertain You has a decent thing going on, though there are, of course, exceptions to this rule when people start associating certain businesses (ahem, Cheesecake Factory) with the suburban-in-a-bad-way stigma, but Tokio Pub proves LEY is still a hip force to be reckoned with. I really like Tokio Pub. They've made me second guess the eye-roll I do almost immediately after anyone utters the words 'cheesecake' and 'factory' and then of course, ceremoniously follows it up with "and there was just so much food!". I'd had Tokio Pub on my to-do list for a while now but I think their menu highlights of 'tacos, sushi, barbeque' made me put this on the back-burner. Despite the good things I'd heard, Tokio Pub sounded like it was going to be just another kittywampus collection of everything and anything under the sun, who think that just because you have the ingredients to make something, you should. But that's not how it should be. I don't need to go to a restaurant with 10 pages of items and a section of sh*t from every part of the world and frankly, I hope I never hit a point where I'm craving sushi, spaghetti, egg rolls, nachos, mac and cheese and tikka masala all at the same time. Aaaanyway, Tokio Pub left me pleasantly surprised in more ways than one. First off, their specials are insane. As a girl on a budget, I know the importance of stretching that dollar- and as a girl who's a really sh*tty cook, I know the value of finding the most economical way to still get down on delicious grub. So please, let me outline Tokio's bevy of special options for you: Sunday: $5 specialty drinks. Your options are limited to 6 different choices, but that's still not a bad deal. Choose from bloody Marys, mimosas, screwdrivers, sakemosas, Mr. Miyagi Smash & a drink called the Bloody Samurai. Mondays: A select draft microbrew is only $3. #Steal Tuesdays: Half priced bottles of wine & sake. Monday-Friday from 3-6pm you get half off all apps. Ain't nothing wrong with that and their appetizers are actually pretty stellar. I recommend the peanut noodle salad, which is something I would've never ordered on my own but they sent some over complimentary and it was stellar and defo not lacking on the spice or the cilantro. Also, don't pass up those crying tiger shrimp with sriracha. I didn't find them very spicy, but I did find them delicious and devoured in record time. Good job, Belly! Taco Time: Once a week they have a thing called taco time, where all their tacos are $1 for 1 hour. Their next one just happens to be tomorrow, October 17th, starting at 7pm. It's specias like this that make me think that maybe I could survive if I ever did become homeless. Think about it. 1 gourmet taco or 2 cans of cat food? Yep. I think I know where my hobo shoes are headed. For sushi, I'm a sucker for spicy tuna and I think Tokio did it fairly well. It was $10 for the roll, but it was filling and comparable more to those fancy maki rolls you'd get at sushi-centric restos, than the typical smaller, simpler spicy tuna. For tacos, I went with tofu, though next time I will be going fancy with the crying shrimp & tuna poke. Our tacos were all pretty lukewarm, if that, but that didn't disguise that they were damn good tacos. I think I could've eaten 10 of those tofu tacos. In fact, I'm seriously considering dropping by tomorrow for $1 Taco Time. Dessert, the chocolate filled beignets. Why can't the portion on THIS be Cheesecake Factory sized. Good Lord, Good Food. Lastly, don't forget to check-in on your Yelp app. If you do, you get two free crispy chicken tacos! Can't argue with that. Okay, I don't eat chicken, so maybe I could but the I'd say overall, most people would not argue with two free tacos. Oh- and their sangria, albeit a bit pricey for a pitcher when you're operating on a pauper's budget, goes down dangerously quick.
(4)Benny R.
The decor is very nice. Staff was very friendly.
(4)Kerry S.
Never had a bad experience or bad food! The crispy glazed pork belly haunts me in my dreams!
(5)Stefan K.
The outdoor seating area was a nice environment. Well as nice as you can be when your view is a parking garage or packing lot. But the overall place was nice. A big minus was the lack of restrooms, you have to hike over to Shaws next door. Servers were friendly, but the kitchen was rather slow. Still working out the bugs in the system maybe. The food was hit or miss. Not a fan of the edamame because it is just drenched in their oily sauce. The seasoning was good, but just too much oil. The portions were small in my opinion. I would recommend this place for a quick bite and a drink after a movie. Otherwise, there are many better places for sushi fusion type foods.
(2)Jessica P.
Rating: 3.5 I came here on a Friday evening.. I met my friend for dinner at around 7:00PM and the place seemed packed, but we were able to get seated immediately.. Food: Lemon Lime Rainbow Roll (~$10) - my friend had this and said it was ok... BBQ braised pork nachos (~$8 Warm Plate Appetizer) - definitely very filling for an appetizer shared amongst 2 people... it can be shared amongst 3 ppl.. tasted good.. good amount of sweet and salty.. Tiger Shrimp (~$6 Warm Plate Appetizer) - 3 pieces of shrimp, each piece has spicy sauce on it and comes on a skewer..it's definitely a light appetizer...does not fill you up..tastes good, but isn't sooo great that I would crave it... one time experience is good. Pork Belly ($3 for 1 mini-taco) - contains carmelized pineapple, cabbage, and cilantro..tasted good.. it's a 2 bite taco.....might need to order 3+ tacos for your stomach to be content (this goes for any of the tacos...) Shrimp Crispy Rice ($3 for 1 small piece of shrimp + crispy rice) - comes with fried shrimp and crispy rice (it is basically like a fishstick, but instead of the fish inside of the stick, it's rice...)..tastes good, but pricey for a small bite (smaller bite than the taco..) Beignet ($1 per small bite-size donut, each order comes with 4 donuts) - mini bite size donut filled with melted chocolate, tastes delicious and comes out fresh (warm as if it was just baked!)..YUM Portions: small - don't expect any leftovers!! Prices: the prices seemed kind of high for the portions of food that are provided...I spent around $40 total dining for two females... so if you eat a lot.. you'll have to spend quite a bit to get full... **I think they have a $1 for an hour taco deal if you sign-up for their email listing.. Customer Service: the waitress was pretty attentive in getting our orders; however, it was a little bit of a wait getting the check back... Atmosphere: decent place to come on a date (only if your date is not stingy/extreme money saver...if they are stingy.. expect to eat a little!!), with friends, with a friend.. Parking: might be difficult to find a parking spot on a weekend night since it is located next to other restaurants and places. I would come here again just to try out other items on their menu.. :)..
(3)Joanna M.
Overpriced and pretentious without the food to back it up. Don't get anything involving sushi or chicken here. Anything else is ok.
(2)Somchai S.
Went here before the Super Bowl with the fiancé. I was craving some sushi & he doesn't eat sushi so we needed to find a place we'd both like. The place was very empty. But nice decor. I had a $25 gift card. We checked in a received a free BBQ nacho. Omg my mouth was in heaven. Sweet tender pork, BBQ & sour cream drizzled on top crunchy chips, what's not to love. Great flavor & balance of sweet & spicy. We had the shrimp, BBQ beef, fish, & chicken tacos. They were all great. I didn't mind that they were on the smaller size since the quality seemed to be of the higher end. I'll be excited to go on one of their $1 taco nights. The shrimp tempura roll was average, but it met my sushi craving. They have a great menu & I can't wait to go again to try the noodle bowls. The bartender & server were great. The bartender recommended a great japanese beer for my fiance and our server was prompt & polite.
(5)Lori B.
Dined for dinner at 7:30pm on Saturday August 9th. Our server (unsure of his name) was pleasant enough when he interacted with us but was very absent. We ordered the crunchy tuna roll and the dragon roll. Instead of the tuna, they brought us a California roll. When we said we didn't order that, they brought us the right one. Dragon roll was very tasty, crunchy tuna was flavorless and mushy. Ahi tuna and the skirt steak hot rock apps were both decent. Clearly, that's their schtick. Chicken and waffles was a huge let down but we enjoyed the pork belly dish. When our check came, I noticed the server did order us the wrong sushi. He charged us for the $15 Cali roll and I had him change it to the $12 crunchy tuna. After dinner, we strolled around the shops and the food sat very heavy on both our stomachs. Overall experience, 5/10. Won't be returning.
(3)Tiana T.
We went back and gave Tokio Pub a second chance after we had bad experience with the wait staff. After complaining, the management went out of their way and offered to have us come back- on them. This time around we had a great experience. The food was delicious and the service was attentive. I highly recommend trying the tacos!
(5)Bridget D.
I would give this place more stars if it wasn't so expensive. For what it is, much like Shaw's, it is too expensive. Now that I'm aware of the happy hour specials, I'm a lot more likely to visit at that time. We went on the weekend. We enjoyed the tacos, though they need to learn about doubling up on tortillas. Ours fell apart and were a big mess. The sushi rolls were good, though I wouldn't go there specifically for sushi. There's too many amazing sushi places in the northwest suburbs for that. They have a great selection of sake and Japanese beer and a cute cocktail list. We had a s'mores dessert that was very simple but really good! The service was excellent. Our server gave us a bunch of great recommendations and was attentive.
(3)Leah C.
looks better on paper/pictures... i originally discovered this spot in a parent/kiddo newsletter listing kid-friendly brunches: kids eat free! everything we ordered was just okay. the french toast sushi and beignets were the biggest hits at the table. i think we enjoyed the drinks most - yummy blood orange mimosa for me! service was very friendly and attentive too. i can see myself returning to meet up for happy hour if ever in the area but aside from the kids eat free promo, i wouldn't have listed this as a not to miss brunch.
(3)Tina L.
Crispy rice with sushi on top? Yum! Love the combination of the flavors and of course, the crunch of the crispy rice. :) Tried 3 different tacos: chicken, fish and pork -- all delicious and worth trying! Also got the crispy glazed pork belly with the fried egg. It was a little on the sweet side for me, I wish the flavors were a little more subdued, but still good overall. Gonna have to try this place for HH or something, even though I live and work in the city...
(3)Zach T.
Tokio Pub is a little room off the side of Shaw's crab house. Their food is Asian fusion with a specialization on small plates and tacos. We split some tasty wings, then my wife had one of the crispy rice sushi plates that was very good, and I had a 5-taco combo. (be cool: they were very small tacos). The fish was far and away the best, if a little spicy. The chicken with kimchi was good and spicy. The shrimp was almost flavorless, as was the pork. We closed with the beignets. They were excellent. That and 2 drinks each put us back $70. It's a good alternative to what's in the area, and an intimate experience, but I wouldn't rush back.
(3)Brian E.
Went to have a early dinner & to try the "robata-que", the best was the beginning which was a sunday special cocktail.Out of the 4 'rounds' of food the victory goes to chicken noodle soup, asian chopped salad & crispy pub potatoes.The meat dishes all tasted them same, Chinese 5 spice with a sugary soy glazed,It did not help that the meat dishes felt like they were at room temperature when eating them. cold pork nachos totally gross!! At the time of are service there were maybe 8 people in the place so the service was fine just not sure if it was meant to be a "slow pace" between rounds.maybe that's why some of the food was cold when it arrived at the table? Next time I would like to try the sushi or the $1 tacos but my past luck with a leye group restaurant not been good, 4 place's of disappointment & counting.
(2)Jessica G.
I'll give this place 3 stars for only being open for two days at the time we went there. We were greeted and seated promptly. Our server came to our table quickly and did a nice job of getting our drinks and getting our orders taken. We noticed that perhaps they need some help with teaching the correct way to pronounce some of the times but for two days, they didn't do too badly. Some of the food items were pretty good - the cucumber salad and the potato salad were fantastic, as were the fish and pork tacos. I also liked the fried tofu and the dipping sauce pretty well. The beignets, while kind of weird for a Japanese place, were quite yummy, as was the passion fruit ice cream. The Angry Chicken in the tacos were just so-so as were the spicy skewered shrimp. For things that were supposed to be spicy, the flavor just wasn't there, and we didn't love the pub wings - make them boneless with that sauce and I would probably eat a lot more of them. Also, the pork belly was too fatty according to those who ate it. We find it odd that the server didn't bring our food to us - random people did and not sure if they were ordinarily bussers but they were enthusiastic and did do a nice job of explaining what each item was. The other thing we would have liked to see is that the dishes come out when they are ready, not when everything in the round is done. Having gone to actual izakayas in Japan, this is how they do it there and it keeps the hot hot and the cold cold plus then people aren't sitting and waiting for things for longer periods of time. Most tapas places around do that, as well. We did think the service was quite good for the most part, even though one of the staff tried to take one of the beers off the table before my dining companion was done with it, which was a little weird. There is high potential for good things here. There are a few things that could be improved upon and we'll probably go back in a few months and see how things are going. Overall, a solid three-star start.
(3)Tracey H.
Great food, great service. The nachos were scrumptious, and even better...they were FREE for checking in with Yelp when we arrived. Will return...
(4)Joe S.
You won't likely find many (any) contenders in the area. We sampled a good portion of their menu. Original presentation and lots of nice touches throughout our experience. Crispy fried sushi and boom! potato salad were favorites.
(5)Grace M.
This is a great tapas and drinks restaurant. I went with a fairly big group of 9 people and I don't know if it was because the place is small but we ended up waiting for a table for about 40 minutes? Anyways, the servers told us that the first round of drinks were going to be on them. UM....can you say SCORE?! The wait wasn't even that bad because we were all busy mingling with one another. After we finally got seated and the waitress told us that we could get 4 PITCHERS of their drinks for free. To better illustrate how great this was let me just say that a single serving of their sangria, yuzu margarita, mojito, or passion punch is around $7-8. A pitcher, if you so choose to order, for each of the drinks is $25. So we went there to get food AND drinks. The drinks were on them so we got 4 pitchers which would have been easily $100 for free. Ok....time for the food. The food was delicious. The barbecue sauce on the pork belly reminds me of the sauce us Filipinos use on our barbecues (the one on the stick). Again this place is tapas style so I really don't suggest going there if you hadn't eaten the whole day. Each plate cost $5-$8 I think? I say I think because like I said we received free pitchers. haha. They were very good and the waitress gave us free "1 item on the menu" cards for each of us after our dinner. We will be returning to Tokio Pub again.
(4)John D.
I went to Tokio pub a few times now and its a great place to dine. The food is great and something new to try, the music good as well. The service was outstanding, our server Cat provided excellent service and made my experience there a great one. She was very fun and outgoing. As long with the rest of the staff was very pleasant. would recommend Tokio pub highly.
(5)Nicole O.
I was shopping last week in the suburbs and was beyond thrilled to find Tokio Pub! Exhausted from a trip to Ikea and a bit worse for the wear, I stumbled upon this gem and now I can't wait to go back! The food was AMAZING- the menu is set up so you can try a lot of items even when dining solo....it was perfect! The flavors are sophisticated, the ingredients fresh, and the prices are reasonable. My server was so knowledgeable and guided me through the menu perfectly. I can't wait to go back and try the cocktails. Tokio Pub is the only spot for me in Schaumburg! PS- I also must mention the decor- I felt like I truly was in the City. Very hip and very comfortable!
(5)Renee B.
Great little gem of a restaurant! My girlfriend and I popped in for lunch and drinks and we surprised how delicious everything was. The server, Charlotte made great suggestions. The food is small plates which is a great way to get to taste a little of everything.
(5)Kate W.
The menu of this place made me drool. The food wasn't as great as I had hoped. The ginger mojitos were very yummy. We got an array of tacos, the nachos, and my friends got some sushi. The tacos weren't bad, nothing out of this world. The nachos were ok. My friends said the sushi was ok, nothing special. Overall it's not bad, but not worth the price.
(3)Michelle W.
This was my second time at Tokio Pub and the food is still excellent. However, we sat at the bar this time and the service was definitely lacking. The bartender was not at all interested in how our food or drinks were but more interested in her friend at the end of the bar. I highly recommend the food here, I love everything but next time I would definitely sit at a table for better service.
(2)Caitlin O.
I personally loved the interior design here more than anything - but that's not to say my food was bad! The pork belly nachos were utterly delicious, The crunchy sushi was a nice change of pace from my standard sushi options, much as I enjoy them - I like the texture change, it's unusual and quite good. As for dessert, the 3 mini creme brulees were absolutely fabulous - I particularly enjoyed the ginger, though both the orange and the lemongrass were subtle and tasty. All of the cocktails ordered were also amazing and shared between friends - I could drink endless amounts of that sake sangria! Service was prompt and friendly, pricing was a bit high but still very reasonable - it's essentially a short menu of Asian fusion tapas. We spent about $130 between 4 people, but that also included a fair chunk of drinks so it doesn't really surprise me at all. Will definitely be going back!
(4)Mike B.
Went here for date night. Vibe was cool. Waitress was nice. Good beer selection and my wife lived the peach sangria. Food was pretty good. We really liked the tacos,especially the shrimp. The only problem was the kitchen. It is super slow. We went early (7:00 on Saturday). The place was not full. They had a ton of servers and managers running around but I still felt like it took forever to get food. The menu is almost Tapas style so my wife and I decided to try a bunch of different items. They were all very good,but it took almost 30 minutes to get each item so it really killed the flow of our experience. The food runners always seemed a little confused and were coming up to tables asking if the food they had was for them. I am guessing this could be fixed with some process improvement. Overall, great food but felt abandoned several times during the meal because the food took so long. Fix that and this is a 4/5 star joint.
(3)Van K.
Great concept - love the atmosphere and the food! We went there not knowing what to expect as it is brand new place. I've seen good reviews on yelp and decided to give it a try. The service was exceptional - great happy staff welcomed us and we got a nice seat outdoor! The foods are served in tapas style-perfect bite size that goes well with wine, beer or cocktails! Perfect place to hang out with friend and have a great chat! Love the creme brule and salmon tartar! (hey, i think they share the same kitchen as shaw's -so you can bet they have really good seafood!) The whole management team is awesome! Leye - You guys always seem to come up with very innovative ideas!
(5)Chad D.
Decent little place. Got the small tacos to share and a beer or two. Good stuff.
(4)David C.
Just had my first experience at Shaw's Tokio Pub in Schaumburg. WOW!!! does not do enough justice to how wonderful everything was. It is a Tapas sort of menu, in that they are small plates to share and share we did. The menu was anything but traditional. We shared an assortment of tacos and an assortment of sushi rolls. We also enjoyed the the pork belly nachos and Tiger Shrimp. Lunch was topped of with the chocolate filled beignets. Sara the manager walked us through the menu making fantastic suggestions all along the way. If you have not been to Tokio Pub in Schaumburg, stop whatever you are doing and go right now!!!
(5)Scott K.
Went on a Sunday afternoon, quiet, but waitress was friendly. Food was very good. We sampled quite a bit. Cocktails a lil expensive, but overall we like our experience
(4)Lauren R.
Can't go wrong great food!
(4)Kelli Ann L.
Because we have no 1/2 stars, I am rounding up - based on a few things.....service can be a bit slow - but it is a fun and relaxed atmosphere...and BECAUSE we were waiting for some food - our server brought us refills on our mojitos - the ginger ones - and did not charge us - and the desert was yummy and free! Every thing we ate was tasty and good - not too much heat - but enough spice to make your mouth perk up - portions are small on everything but the sushi - but it is made for sharing. It is like a menu of alot of great appetizers. The bathrooms are pain because you have to go through Shaw's Oyster bar and then to the lobby and up some stairs...but heck - I enjoyed the food and it was great to sit outside in 80 degree weather under an awning - and they have heaters out there too - if it cools off - there are so few places around the area where you can eat outside that you would want to - and this was fun. :0)
(4)Kim S.
It was AWEFUL! I should have walked out from the start! When my fiancé, my daughter (in a car seat) and I walked in they sat us right away, there was maybe six tables total in the restaurant. He sat us and walked away, (notice how I didn't mention that he brought us a high chair or a sling for my daughter?) He also sat us next to the bussing station apparently. A manager then moments later walked in and asked us if we would like a baby sling for the car seat and asked to move us because it was dangerous to have a baby next to the bussing station. I ordered a miso soup, the surf and turf ( steak and aki tuna) and a sushi roll. My fiancé just ordered sushi rolls for his entrée to come with the meal. TWO HOURS LATER I had to flag over the waitress and ask her if my soup was going to come before the entrée, she said that the kitchen was backed up and it would be a while. I thought to myself it's soup but ok I will be patient. A HALF hour later here comes my soup, then TWO mintues later here comes our sushi with my main entrée. When ordering the surf and turf the idea is they give you hot rocks to sear the RAW steak and the tuna on. I placed my steak on the hot rock and it got kinda brown, I thought to myself I am a little nervous eating this. Three tables over I can hear another customers rock sizzling when he places his steak on the hot rocks. That's about when I lost it.....so I called over the manager. Before I even said anything she says to me " We just didn't have a good night huh?" I told her that I had to flag the waitress over to even ask about my meal, Honestly is she would of just said hey the kitchen is a little backed up I would of been ok with it. So the manager tells me the kitchen was backed up, and they restaurant just had a bad night and comps the whole meal without even me complaining. I found that a little strange. Also remember what I told you earlier, minus the soup we waited TWO AND A HALF HOURS for sushi, and surf and turf which is raw and you cook it in front of you on hot rocks. Do you see where I am going with this yet? I waited TWO AND A HALF HOURS FOR RAW FOOD!!!!! But the decision is yours if you want to go, I don't think I will EVER go back.
(1)Sean Y.
It was pretty hard to find the place - there is a very small neon sign to the right of Shaw's and their entrance is tucked away - they really need to work on being more visible. We had lunch there last week and were only 1 of 2 tables at peak lunch time with Schaumburg being full of office buildings around the area - the attached Shaw's was crowded. Really wanted to like the place but the food was not memorable - portions small - it can really add up - lunch for 2 without drinks was $60! Some of the food seemed undercooked. Would not go out of my way to go again.
(2)George E.
Delicious food. The combinations of flavors are excellent. We tried almost everything on the menu. Just go.
(5)Bob L.
Bad boring overpriced everything. Eat at Shaws next door.
(1)Patricia J.
FINALLY got to check out this cool new spot on Thursday night... loved it! Great vibe & service. Mouth still watering remembering the super yummy eats & cocktails!! Can't wait to get back!
(5)Phill C.
The thing working about in the burbs is there's only so many places to go and you just start getting tired of some. When i read Tokio Pub was opening in Schaumburg, I got really excited. It's about damn time we got some new restaurants up in this beeech! We went the day after their opening for their first lunch service. Unfortunately, they weren't ready to open for lunch that day... wah wuh waaaaah. But no big deal, they were really apologetic and gave us each a $20 gift certificate to come back. Sweet! Of course we went back the following Monday and decided to sit outside, since the weather was awesome that day. Well it was actually quite windy that day and our empty beer/soda cans kept getting knocked down. That was a minor annoyance, as I wished our server would've taken them away. Also at times service was a bit slow, but they just opened so I understand they're still working some kinks out. Oh yah beer. They have a nice little beer menu, with choices such as cans of Red Stripe and Daisy Cutter. They also have a small wine and sake list, as well as sake Jello shots. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share, including the chicken meatballs, pork belly, sweet baby back ribs, crispy salmon rice, crispy tuna rice, pub wings ,and braised pork tacos. Yah that sounds like a freakin lot of food, but keep in mind this place is an izakaya, so these are a few bites. But I've been to other izakayas and I wish portions were a bit larger here. I enjoyed the Pork Belly and the Sweet Baby Back ribs the most. The Pub Wings were good, but the wings weren't that meaty. Everything else was just okay, including Beignets we ordered for dessert. They came in a tiny paper bag and were more like donut holes filled hot chocolate goo. As the server suggested, you have to eat these in one bite or else hot chocolate would squirt squirt everywhere. But I guess I was expecting a real beignet. My co-worker was also raving about the Crying Tiger Shrimp, so I'll have to try that next time. This izakaya is definitely a nice joint to have some drinks with friends and munch on some small plates of food. I thought the food overall was just okay, but I'll be back for sure to give this place another try. I'm not sure if this will become a frequent lunch stop as it was a bit pricey for the portions, but I'm sure I'll be back to have some drinks with friends.
(3)Julie S.
Last minute plans for tonight found us here for their Taco Time! Great $1 tacos from 8pm to 9pm. We decided our plan at 7:30 and called to make reservations. We were told they were full till 8:30 but were put on a wait list. Arriving with a party of 6 at 7:45 we were told we were on the wait list and not guaranteed how long it would take. Within 5 minutes the hostess approached us and informed us we could have the long bar table as soon as those 10 people were seated. 2 minutes later we were seated. Our waitress, Alice was fantastic!!! Very attentive and always checking on us. The mgr Bill was also very nice and apologized for the wait. After 39 great tacos for our party we got the bill. Alice told us that we were not charged for our wine as the Mgr felt bad about our having to wait. Unbelievable!!!!! We have been here before and have never been disappointed in the service or food. I highly recommend this place!!
(5)Tony H.
I'd been to BaBaReeba, and was expecting some dynamite atmosphere and food to match. Tokio Pub was not all I hoped it would be, but it was A-OK anyway. The thing that got us most was the portion sizes. Seemed tiny for what you actually received. For example, $5 for a plate of two fried crispy rice & shrimp pieces, just a little bit bigger than a fortune cookie. Or $5-$7 for two tacos depending on what type of protein you get on them. I also should've known better when ordering a Fat Tire for $5, with it coming in a 12oz. can. Big on flavor, just not on size. Overall I enjoyed the company I was with. They comped one dish for our table of 5, so we could "try it out" without any obligations. They also comped my cousin and I each a "jello shot" for our birthdays. Our server was alright, but the hostess was the highlight of the night for us out on the patio. She chatted it up with us, seemed pretty sincere, and she said we were the most fun table she'd had all night Overall, our tab came out to about $120. Probably won't stop here again unless I'm in the area and looking for a light mid-day meal.
(3)Erik H.
The lack of interesting, intimate nightspots in the Schaumburg area has rubbed me the wrong way since moving here, but with the opening of Tokio Pub I think I've finally found a decent place to drink in a cozy, cool atmosphere. There isn't a wild amount of drinks but the small selection is intriguing, including different kinds of sake and sake mixed drinks. The food is also very good with a lot of Japanese-inspired fusion dishes, but the small tapas-style plates quickly add up. Eat dinner beforehand and come here to wind down on a weekend night.
(4)Jd P.
Server was Roy, service was great! Food as always wonderful. Do Check in for free ap. tacos chicken waffle and tuna avocado roll and bottle of Pinot noir.
(5)Diana A.
I'm slowly making my way through their menu, and it's all worthy of five stars. Pros: Amazing mixed drinks (albeit you're paying city prices), decent portion sizes and fresh, wonderfully flavored food. Also, the chocolate beignets will almost certainly make your week. Cons: Their menu is a bit pricey, and I've had a few dishes come out cold, especially if it's a busy night or you order multiple small things to share. My suggestions: Pork belly udon noodles, the crying shrimp taco and the raspberry sake-tini.
(5)Samantha R.
Although the service can be sometimes slow it is more then worth the wait. The staff are generally nice and accommodating offering great service with a smile. The food is delicious. I recommend the nachos and beignets. Taco time is prime hour to go and fill up! Plus the outside eating area is in perfect harmony to the indoor cool ambiance matched with the chill playlist of music, great for all ages. Summer time is when the sangria and tapa is needed and Tokio Pub is my "it" place to go; fun & tasty!
(5)Faith D.
Only reason we tried this place was because we had a coupon. It's a teensy bit out of the way from our usual circuit of places for a casual Friday dinner. And it's quirky because it's attached to Shaw's in Schaumburg. There's a small indoor section and a lovely outdoor section -- which is where we opted to sit as there are only so many perfect evenings in Chicago. Other than the fact that the outdoor seating faces the Streets of Woodfield parking lot, it's "al fresco" kinda sorta. I started with sake sangria. In a word "OMG" -- delicious! Next time we'll get the pitcher rather than by the glass because it was the perfect beverage for a beautiful summery evening. These are small plates and are meant to be shared. Prices per item are reasonable but they add up very, very quickly. Here are some of the things my husband and I ordered: Crispy rice combo (1 shrimp, 1 crab, 1 lobster); crispy calamari, crispy tofu squares, bbq pork belly, sweet baby back ribs, angry chicken tacos. Everything was delicious and presentations were lovely. There was a lot of "fried" stuff which surprised me a bit. Anything with "crispy" in the title meant it was fried. Hubby had a beer -- our total was $65 (we had a coupon for $20 so $45 plus tip). We were with another couple and their tab was $64! They ordered totally different stuff. Our server, Claire, was adorable but probably (per corporate policy) was really pushing us to order more. At the end of dinner she comped us 2 desserts. The beignets and the passion fruit ice cream. Those beignets (donut holes stuffed with warm chocolate ganache) were A-MAZE-ING!!! The ice cream was delicious and the perfect yin/yang of hot/cold. Now that we've got the hang of it (I think) -- it's just a bit out of the way but the deliciousness and cuteness make us want to go back sooner rather than later. I held back a star because of price. Individually - things are priced well but it did add up quickly and we will be mindful. No matter what -- I'm splurging on the sake sangria.
(3)Derek C.
We were here for a friend's birthday party and the food, drinks and staff made it very enjoyable. The food: lots of small plate asian/mexican fusion dishes. my personal favorites were the pork belly and also the braised pork tacos. We tried a few other dishes as well and they were also good. Drinks: We tried the Blushing Geisha, the Mojito and a beer called victoria. All were very good. They also had a full bar. Service was also great, as the two servers we had were very attentive and took good care of us. A few people also stayed quite late and we didn't realize that the place wasn't open that late, but the staff didn't try and kick us out, but they did give us subtle hints that they were closing, like leaving the checks. so they were nice about letting us stay a bit past closing. other things to note, the space was small, but it is attached to Shaw's. They have a decently sized outdoor area which is great when the weather is nice. So we'll definitely have to try this place again and sit outdoors when it's nice out.
(4)Anya K.
My boyfriend took me here on a Friday night, all the staff members asked us how we found out about it, but triple reward points have definitely caught our attention. The atmosphere is very chic, the music was in the background - not taking over the conversation and not making extra noise - perfect level of loudness and just enough to set the mood! Out waitress was really sweet, and made some good suggestions, so we tried the kim chee three, the shishito pepper salad (awesome), the bbq pork belly, sweet baby ribs, braised pork and grilled steak tacos (steak is way better), chicken yakitori, pub wings, tuna tartare (a must try), 3 piece crispy rice with lobster and salmon, and salmon tataki. No room for desert after all that. We also shared a pitcher of ginger mohito. Okay, I loved the food here. The tuna tartare is the number one next thing I get when I come back, the shishito pepper a little different but so good, I loved the ribs, the steak tacos - getting again for sure. I have to say that this place was a pleasant surprise, and after all that food we left perfectly buzzed and happy. Great place for a city feel in the burbs, and good for no hassle date night!
(5)Mina H.
Not sure why I have not reviewed this place yet... been here at least 4 times since it opened back in early summer. LOCATION GPS was confused, because the address showed Shaws. Dealio - its annexed and directly across from the parking garage. AMBIANCE LOVE eating on the patio, the setting is chill and convenient to a movie or Gameworks... and the staff must be taking customer service pills, b/c they are SUSPICIOUSLY nice. I can only imagine the pep talks at the beginning of each shift. FOOD Basically asian fusion tapas. Faves are the fish tacos... but the other two kinds are good too. Also like their salads! Liked the food enough to get sold on their Lettuce Entertain You Freq Diners Club membership. I dont give out 5 stars often. Nuff said.
(5)Liz K.
A girlfriend and I were scoping places around the Streets of Woodfield to get dinner and she was saying that Lettuce Entertain You opened another restaurant called "Tokio Pub". She also said she heard great things about their food. Since we've finally overcome this insane heat wave (at least for now) we sat outside on the patio. The atmosphere is awesome! We sat near the street side and we really didn't mind because trees that resemble palm trees were blocking the street. It was nice to be sort of enclosed so we didn't see cars drive past us. They have it set up real nice with lights strung on the ceiling and it doesn't get too loud out there. We orded the shrimp ceviche and crispy calamari as appetizers and they were delicious! They were perfect proportions for appetizers! I definitely wouldn't order them in place of an entree. We ordered as we went along, basing it on how hungry we got, and we ended up getting the crazy dragon roll, godzilla roll and 3 tacos. I didn't think the godzilla roll wasn't anything too special. It's your typical shrimp tempura sushi. If I remember correctly, the crazy dragon roll had a yellow casing and it was very flavorful! The tacos were incredible! We got the nacho taco, crispy fish, and the crying tiger shrimp tacos. If you like a little kick to your taco, the crying tiger shrimp is your winner! It's lightly glazed in sriracha. I personally loved the nacho taco - the braised bbq pork was yummo! Overall, it's a delicious spot but a little pricy for the food they offer. It's definitely a nice dinner place! You can expect to spend at least $40-$60 if you do appetizers and entrees. Happy eating!
(5)Frank A.
Came here with reservations for my Bro's B-day. Was seriously expecting greatness based on the hype. We arrived here and was seated right by the entrance. I sort of felt bad that some our party was facing the door. I know there was a slight draft and it was freakin winter. It had to be chilly on that side of our table. Other than that, I suppose you'd really have to come here with the intention of drinking and not having an all out feast. I know, I know, this place is more in the style of a tapas. At the same time, the prices are a bit too high. I mean the food was OK, not great. We ordered virtually everything on the menu and I was still struggling to find something that would leave me satisfied. In the end, the food was alright, but we were left with a massive bill. Yea, yea... tapas.. I know... I did drink a little, but I guess I needed to drink a lot more... oh well.
(2)Samantha V.
I was just informed in a private message from the owner that they are in fact keeping the delicious tacos. Trust me, you will be missing out if you don't try these. I always put this place off until about 2 weeks ago and when I went i had a lovely waitress recommend a sampler to me and i definitely could kick myself for not going to this place sooner than I did. They also have interesting entrees where you cook your food yourself on a hot rock that I saw and want to try. You can also throw parties here on their heated patio. I really love this place and their beer is pretty cheep too!
(5)SasaChaCha C.
Place was tightly packed. Tables are very tiny and place is dimly lit.. Food is unique
(3)Luci W.
My boyfriend and I are basically regulars there and some of the waitress would recognized us and would alway greet us with a smile on their face. We love their food too much. Way too much. We alway order the pork braised nacho. Omgee so effin good. My boyfriend would order seconds during the happy hours. We love happy hours cause we r college kids lol. We shall pay them a visit again!
(5)Chris M.
Way overpriced. I ordered an $16 steak dish that came with 8 thinly sliced strips of steak on a bed of ramen noodles. My wife's salmon was about the same. $5 potsticker appetizers were the smallest I've ever seen and our $3 coke was flat. Nice atmosphere if you don't mind music so loud you can't hear each other talk at 6pm, decent service. The food tasted good all around but for what we ate I would have expected to pay no more than half the price we did.
(2)Cody M.
LOVE this place. Have yet to have a bad dish but the atmosphere is awesome (small and quaint). You truly feel as if you are in a mom and pop shop versus a larger corporation owned environment. The best is the crying tiger shrimp and ribs! Great selection of drinks are also on tap and cant wait to go again. Staff is consistent in its level of service...not great but not bad by any stretch of the word. I will continue to come to this location for something just a tad different than your usual restaurant.
(5)Valerie W.
Unfortunately, i wasn't impressed with Tokio Pub. I really really REALLY wanted to love it, but it just fell flat all around for me. We went for a friend's birthday a few weeks ago. The one very good point was that they were very accommodating to our large group, but because of the setup of the place, we were not able to all sit together. The service was quick and friendly, despite our large group spread across the restaurant I had perused the menu ahead of time, and was really looking forward to all of the delicious things they were offering. None of it was *that* delicious: Tuna Tartare w/ tortilla chips ($8): The portion was small, and it had obviously been made ahead of time and refrigerated (the tuna was far too cold to have been freshly cut by the sushi chef) Spicy Tiger shrimp tacos ($6 for 2): the concept of all of the tacos is excellent, but the flavor didn't jive for me. They were DOUSED in sriracha. I love sriracha. It was still too much. Lemon-Lime rainbow roll ($9): again, tasted like it had been made in advance and refrigerated. Sushi is not supposed to be COLD. I could only eat one piece before pawning it off on others who aren't as picky. Crazy Dragon Roll($9): I did enjoy this one, but there was too much rice in the roll. I really hate when sushi places use too much rice. Grilled chicken stir fry noodle dish ($13): there were several noodle dishes on the table. They take the same noodles and slap a different protein down with them. I was less than impressed all around. Pitcher of Ginger Mojitos ($22): The pitcher was very small for $22, like a half pitcher. I could definitely taste the ginger and the lime, not so much the rum. I would not go back to Tokio Pub... If I'm going to spend that much money and am in the area, I'll go to the Oyster Bar at Shaw's.
(2)Christy S.
I absolutely LOVE this place and so does my husband! It is our go-to place whenever we don't know where we want to go. We probably eat here once a week. What also makes it great is their happy hour during 5-6pm. The entire left side of the menu is half price! Sushi is delicious and fresh, the tacos are delicious (yes small, but great.) I've also had their Noodle bowl and it was delicious. I don't think I've tried anything there that I haven't liked. One complaint I would have is... Why did you get rid of the ceviche????? It was SO SO good and I miss it! :) Also you MUST have the Beignets when you are there, they are so amazing, A little pricey, but worth it when you taste them.
(5)Amy G.
Why not give it 5 stars. It was delicious. It's a small, sort of hidden gem. For starters we had the pork nachos and maki rolls. Both out of this world. I had the noodle dish while my husband had pork belly, both excellent. Food portions were good, and I can't wait to go back for $1 tacos. I am so glad we found this place, and we will be back.
(5)Bill M.
Very good, who knew sushi and tacos could pair so well. Only thing bad about my last visit was the water, it tasted horrible.
(4)Kelli W.
Considering this place is small and one of my favorites for small plates, I might regret adding to their ratings; I want to keep it to myself. The food, service, and atmosphere are consistently perfect. Food is priced right, service is unobtrusive and attentive, and the bar plays great mellow music. I could go on, but plenty of others have.
(5)Minjee Y.
Just came in last night for TACO TIME. I still believe the quality of their tacos is great and taste fantastic. I found out the culprit to my nausea after leaving the place and it has to be due to the sugary girly drinks that I no longer can do. This time I made sure I was getting wine or beer and chose to go with wine. I'm coughing up some more stars because I think Tokio Pub deserves them. The customer service is a lot better. The staff must've changed. Our waitress was phenomenal because she was quick and always around when we needed her. Please come here for taco time I really advise you all to do so!
(4)Blythe B.
I love this place - it's close to work, I really like the menu and if you go at the weekday happy hour or TACO TIME - the prices ROCK! Me and a larger male friend ate there at happy hour and we ate a lot - the bill came to $28. Lovely! A week ago - a friend treated me to a nice Saturday lunch and the bill came to $46 - he thought it was just 'okay' and 'overpriced'. I still love it and I think he was expecting something else. But like another person wrote - don't go specifically for sushi - there aren't a lot of sushi options. So far - my favs: the tuna tartare (served in a timbale with guac and breally good nacho chips (I just moved from Colorado and I could eat a bag of these chips naked), the hot rocks (the ahi and the filet), I LOVE THE NACHO TACO (love the cabbage slaw and the hoisin on them), the fried fish and the crying fish are good, too. Hmm what else - the gyoza are lovely - OH - and the tempura squash roll - that was a nice newbie to my palate. I had a salad once and it was good and refreshing. And iced green tea.
(4)Taylor M.
I have been back here several times since my last review and therefore felt it needed to be updated. Now that Tokio Pub has become more a more seasoned restaurant the service seems to have gotten much better. I love the food here, it seems to be Shaw's quality without the steep prices. The sushi rolls are decently sized and made with a good quality sushi. The calamari here is also fantastic you have to try it! You can get it for free with the new Yelp Check in deal! They also have three different types of edamame which are yummy... my favorite is the garlic version... but the spicy is good too! Every time I think I tried everything on the menu, they change it up and it is all new to me again! Oh and they are open late... until midnight on Fridays!
(4)Shannon M.
Amazing food! We were fairly surprised how good this was. The atmosphere was quaint and it was very relaxing. Highly recommend the pot stickers and filet.
(5)Yen V.
I've been here three times and had a good time on all occasions. I like their ramen burger (it's sweet so if you like sweet burger then you'll like it). I also love their sushi (easy on the white rice, fresh fish, yummy sauce). I also had the fish tacos but they were okay. My favorite was the pork belly nachos. They were so delicious! Highly recommended it!
(4)Jackie M.
LEYE always does well with service and loungy atmosphere, but somehow it stops short in asian cuisine. This place used to be Ben Pao-ish place and the redundancy of Big Bowl confuses me. As much as I hate to say this, they ought to remove the food menu and focus more on drinks and apps. Total grease on a plate. Robata grill miso glazed salmon was incredibly salty and the side ramen stir fry was a cheap corn oil slick. Yuck. The atmosphere is interesting and is linked up to Shaw's Crab house. To get to the washrooms means you have to cross over the casual dining section of Shaw's and into the main dining room upstairs. It's bizarre.
(1)Keith S.
I was skeptical of this being another trendy asian fusion joint, that's usually a recipe for disaster. Not the case here. Some of the menu highlights: The asian inspired tacos are excellent. Favorite: Shrimp Crispy rice. Never had anything like this before, very good. Have had a few samplings of the rolls which were also good. Not on the menu always, but they typically have the deep fried ice cream balls. Get those. Seriously. Ask for them. So good. Service has been great. Love the screened in patio though the furniture is not the most comfortable. You can happily forget that you're at Streets most of the time. Pricing is fair for the menu & location.
(4)Sal R.
Have been planning on checking this place out for awhile and finally got a chance too. Glad I did. I didn't really know what to expect for a Japanese restaurant with a taco section but was pleasantly surprised. Everything we tried from the appetizers, to the tacos, to the Tokio Surf and Turf was very good. The hot rocks to throw the food on were a fun and interesting way to cook some of the entrees to your liking. Drink menu wasn't vast but the ones that were tried all were very good. Sake Sangria as an example. The atmosphere was cool and laid back and just made it feel like a fun place to eat and relax. Will be going back again, hopefully very soon.
(4)Michele B.
Not bad, but wasn't really worth the trip for their 2nd birthday bash. The servings are quite small and the service was spotty. The half price sangria pitcher had more ice than sangria and the serving was enough for maybe two typical sangria glasses . The spicy edamame was very tasty, but for $4 and 14 pieces?? It was somewhat decieving since the bottom of the bowl was filled with rice. The hot rock sushi was entertaining at best-as I said the service was spotty and three quarters of the way through the rocks were not hot enough to cook on.
(2)Jae K.
Came in around 8 pm on a Tuesday. Four people in the party. Didn't get our food till 9:36. Drink order took forever, and then the waiter disappears for what seemed like forever. We tracked down another server and asked him to track down our waiter. It took more than an hour for the waiter to just take the food order. We were all starving and figured anything would be delicious but the food was ok at best. Somewhat bland and overpriced. Staff were friendly but not very attentive.
(2)Jeremy C.
Manages to be eclectic attached to corporate Shaw's. Solid beer list and good small bite food. An easy go-to when we are in the area.
(4)Sandy T.
I really want to love this place.....I really do. Especially because of their $1 taco nights which always excited me. When they first opened, I couldn't wait to go there. But after 3 attempts, I feel like maybe I had too high of expectations? Of course when there was $1 taco nights, I tried all their tacos. I would say all the tacos are just OKAY meaning sometimes it lacked flavor but the nacho taco has been consistently good. I also had their sashimi which was also decent. But I do not like any of the rolls I have tried which was almost all of them minus shrimp tempura and sweet potato. The staff members are pleasant people, so I never had a completely terrible experience, just disappointing experience I guess...
(3)Melanie M.
Went here to meet up with a few friends after work for sushi. It wasn't a great experience. The place itself is kind of strange. It's attached to Shaw's Crab House, and it had an odd vibe. It felt like we were in a back room of Shaw's that happened to have a tiny little bar. I even had to walk over to Shaw's to use the restroom. Very strange. In terms of the food, everything is way more expensive than it needs to be. I ended up paying about $20 after tip for one roll and no drink. The rolls tasted about average, but definitely overpriced for what they were. One of the people in my group ordered something from the happy hour menu thinking that it would be half price since it was on that menu. However, once we received the bill, we discovered that it was full price since we apparently ordered at 5:58 instead of 6pm (I'm not kidding). I get that it technically wasn't 6pm yet, but come on. She could have waited for 2 minutes before putting the order in or at the very least TOLD US that happy hour didn't start for a few more minutes. That's just poor customer service in my opinion. None of us will be returning to this place.
(2)Rosanna L.
Really enjoy the outdoor patio and with the weather being cool it was a perfect date night. Boyfriend and I shared edamame, pork belly udon, and chicken kimchee tacos. Tokio Pub tries to be different with their edamame by asking if you would like it in a sauce, but when it comes to these green soy beans I'm a plain jane, we did have the two sauces on the side and it didn't make it any better, possibly worse. Pork belly udon was average, the broth needs more seasoning/flavor, the pork belly strips were delicious, wish we had more of that and vegetables in our noodle soup. Chicken kimchee tacos were subpar, it lacked flavor and kimchee, possibly because I'm a big kimchee eater but I can see how they would only put a small amount. Enjoy the atmosphere and had decent food.
(3)John G.
Cute atmosphere with an indoor bar/seating and outdoor lounge. Conveniently located within Streets of Woodfield and connected to Shaw's Crabhouse. Service was very good, friendly wait staff and door greeters. Eclectic menu containing very Americanized Japanese food, limited sushi...and tacos. Unfortunately the food was rather sub-par. Drinks were served with slightly expired lemons, food was poorly dressed, and sushi ingredients were all undercooked. All in all, an average Asian inspired restaurant that suffers from much of the same issues as is connected partner - more flair than flavor.
(3)Ann J.
Had dinner here with some colleagues while in the area on business. Was very happy with the service, food, and the prices were very reasonable. Definitely be sure to try one of the Hot Rock appetizers (we had the skirt steak and the ahi tuna). And don't be confused... this restaurant is attached to the side of Shaw's Crabhouse... you can enter on the side directly into Tokio Pub, or go through Shaw's to get there.
(5)Rachel E.
Great trendy boutique style dining. Small portioned and decent priced dishes, give you a chance to try a lot of what Tokio Pub has to offer. Asian fusion and somewhat tapas style, great for date night and ladies night out. Popular drinks such as peach sangria and ginger mojiotos can be ordered in pitchers, which is great for group dining. Specialty cocktails are semi sweet yet strong which makes the $10 price point reasonable. Friendly staff and casual yet trendy atmosphere. Our server, Alice, was sweet and attentive. Definitely try their mix and match tacos in orders of 3-5 and hot rock combos. Hot rock combos give you the fun experience of searing your sliced tuna and or steak on a hot rock, definitely a fun and unique way of dining without breaking the bank. Definitely will be going back again!
(4)Cristie F.
Tokio Pub is always revamping their menu, which is def a good thing. However, with a fairly recent change in my diet ((no longer a carnivore)) I was bummed to see there wasn't many vegetarian options aside from edamame, a tofu taco, and a sweet potato roll. Boo. I had hoped for more of a variety. When I informed the waitress of my dietary restrictions ((and explained that no, I didn't eat seafood either - some "vegetarians" do...)), she was more than helpful and accommodating to my no meat or seafood request. Along with my delicious tofu tacos, a vegetarian tofu//shanghai noodles//mushroom//spinach//red pepper//sweet soy dish was created for me. It was fantastic. Let me not forget, big thanks to Tokio Pub for a free appetizer check-in offer!!
(4)Emily B.
We were in Schaumburg and wanted to try something new. I looked through the Yelp check-in offers and was pleased to find the generous offer from Tokio Pub. (1 free starter). I love small plates and I love to share, so it didn't take much convincing to get us here. We arrived sans reservation and snagged the last two seats at the bar. In another stroke of luck, Tokio Pub had a Restaurant Week menu. Score! We started with drinks, I ordered the raspberry saketini and the hubz got a Robert The Bruce on tap. Our free starter was the ceviche - yum! For the RW menu there were four courses for two people for $33 total. The appetizer was braised pork nachos. A large portion and great combination of salty and sweet. The next course was the taco sampler. We tried the shrimp, steak and fish. All delicious and all about two bites each. The third course was the starter sampler. It included two spicy tiger shrimp, two chicken meatballs and three baby back ribs. Before the dessert came out we each had a jello shot. It was dragonberry flavor and dangerously delicious. The dessert was, however, THE highlight of the meal - a bag of chocolate filled beignets. OMG. The warm donut holes melt in your mouth and leave behind a healthy portion of melted dark chocolate. Heavenly. Our server, the bartender, was one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was talkative, punctual and helpful. Overall it was a nice evening. The restaurant had a good vibe and there is still more on the menu that I would like to try.
(4)Gaurav M.
The server was really friendly. Gave some really good recommendations. The food and drinks we had were pretty gooood. More or less value for money!
(4)Michelle C.
Finally tried this place after my roommate had been ranting and raving about it. She usually comes for the $1 tacos.. anyway, I thought food was okay. Tacos were delicious but were $3 for 1 taco.. Boyfriend had the pork broth ramen, we both thought that it tasted too gingery and a little bit on the saltier side... I've definitely had better at different restaurants. His sister and I had the braised pork with the glazed chili-garlic sauce. It was pretty good. My rice was a little bit hard and crunchy though.. not sure if it was undercooked or burnt. Maybe next time I go I will try the Sushi
(3)Vern R.
Let me start by saying ...endless bowls Sunday???? Yes please! Their Ramen bowls were exactly what I've been craving for all week...the voodoo chicken omg pure goodness....many kids still talking about their pulled pork Asian street nachos..yes You heard right...sorry you'll have to go and order..i can't even explain how yummy they got this one right...small size like for two people, shop order two of you want to share Many hubby got the mignon and he did out was cooked perfectly...not too wild about his sides BUT the best was the service...although the love for my soup still stands it was lukewarm...then again lukewarm...but the third time around not only was it perfect...but i had a bowl too go home...the manager himself delivered it! Once he noticed the problem ( from the 1 soup) he was non stop at our table and the waitress as well...but i wouldn't expect any thing less than that from "lettuce us entertain" restaurants... (Shaws) The positive reaction from the staff outweighed the glitches Thank you so much for a wonderful Sunday dinner!! And i believe the manager on Sunday is Shawn? ( that's what my son said) thank you# I hope YOUR manager reads this!
(5)Arkadiusz B.
Have really good time here. Good food, friendly staff. Drinks could be a little bit stronger but come on I'm Polish ;)
(4)Saba A.
Connected to Shaw's Crabhouse, this chic lounge was a great stop for a nice light dinner on a weeknight. We came in at 5:15 perfect for a happy hour menu (great prices for small plates). They change their happy hour menu weekly and the service was great. Our server was educated about the food and told us a little about it. What I got: -Fish Tacos -Spicy Tuna Rolls (not spicy-they were okay) -Spicy Tiger Shrimp (large shrimp-popular I guess) -Chicken Meatballs (satisfying) Here's the menu: tokiopub.com/menu I checked in on Yelp and got a free starter. So that was awesome. Will be stopping by again, maybe to watch a game next time! They had TV's.
(4)Peter P.
Reasonable prices and great food. Located next to Shaw's so perhaps they share a kitchen. The Asian-inspired tacos are amazing (especially the duck), but the real star for me was the Ramen bowl. The broth was borderline perfect. Make sure you sign up for their text-messaged specials so you know when they do theier $1 taco night every month.
(4)Robby K.
tuna tartar. rice with bbq pork on it. the way lunch should be... Apps- we got the pork belly donburi rice bowl. it was very lightly and tastily seasoned with magical bbq sauce. i almost sauced myself when they brought the tuna over guac which was drizzled perfectly with lime juice. Entrees- the Udon noodle bowl with shrimp tempura and pork belly. it is up there with some of the best Ramen in the city such as that of Wasabi in Logan Square ;-). the Tiger Shrimp taco is serious flavor and a good chuck of meat. small portion, but better for your waistline. the crispy fish taco was also way unique and not beer battered which was a pleasant surprise. i drank a Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale by 3Floyd's. also it is great that they bring a perfectly chilled carafe of water to every table its a great date spot and we had the pleasure of overhearing some embarrassing first date conversations from the table next to us. lets just say they definitely met online... small draft beer selection which matches the small interior space located in the same building as Shaw's seafood. they did have a pretty good sized outdoor seating section which is heated and enclosed in the winter. i imagine in the summer with the outdoor sections the service might be slower than we experienced for lunch on a sunday afternoon. but again that is only speculation. this is a 4 1/2 star place but i plan on coming back soon. we'll have to update this review after getting down and dirty with other menu selections.
(5)Lomax, K.
An eclectic menu, with good daily specials and signature drinks. But...the experience was hindered by the server. She was arrogant, easily distracted and not attentive. I consider myself a good tipper, usually 20-25%, but in this case I tipped the lowest I ever have. The BBQ pork nachos were delicious, but everything else was just ok. I will definitely not be going back anytime soon.
(2)Stella L.
Tacos tasted great, consistently; hot rock entree Filet Mignon impressive, becoming a regular item every visit for us; last but not the least, the unforgettable Beignets!
(5)Nancy H.
Alice is the best sever ever! Great service, happy hour is a great deal. Atmosphere is chic and trendy. Good beer and wine. Tasty food and fresh sushi!
(4)John D.
Amazing! Definitely exceeded my expectations. I had the Gyoza - perfectly seared with a delightful garlic soy sauce; the Crispy BBQ Pork Belly with fried rice was deliciously sweet and crispy; but the BEST part was the warm chocolate-filled beignets...WOW!
(5)S H.
First time at the restuarant. Won't go back. Sat for 10 minutes before a server greeted us. Ordered Sushi, Ramen Buger and Orange Blossom Martini. Everything was below average. Got a chance to have a few of the tacos. Only worth 50 cents.....
(1)Liam A.
Love, love, love. It's the sister restaurant to Shaw's Crab House and she's a hip, trendy, and younger sister restaurant at that. They have their own separate entrance just off to the side of Shaw's. You enter in through their outdoor seating (enclosed and fully heated in the colder months but is completely open weather-permitting) and into a door leading to the host stand. It definitely is a lot smaller than Shaw's but the seating arrangements cleverly make up for the lack of space. Our servers the past few times have been extremely nice, albeit obviously flustered during busier nights, and are always willing to provide suggestions and explanations on menu items. I was surprised to see a version of the now infamous ramen burger on the menu considering where I was (this is Schaumburg after all) but that's the beauty of Tokio Pub. It's like a hip city eatery in the middle of the quintessential 'burb. The ramen burger was delicious and worth trying by the way. It held up a lot better than I expected and the angus beef patty was juicy and flavorful. They only make a certain amount a night so ask your server if there's any left. For the sushi I definitely suggest the sweet potato roll (just trust me!). Very interesting tasting, in the best way, and have had me coming back for more. They're also known for their tacos and out of their list the crying jumbo shrimp is a must try. They have "Happi" Hour specials on Monday-Friday from 5-6 so that's a good time to taste test a lot of things on their menu. Also, you can follow their twitter or Facebook and there they reveal this once-a-week $1 Taco Hour. I wouldn't drive all the way out there for that one hour but it's helpful if you're in the area already. Oh, and save room for dessert! They have great "beignets" here and I put that in quotations because if you've had real beignets before you'd be surprised at what they're trying to pass as beignets here (basically just fried dough balls filled with chocolate) but once you get over that detail you'll come to enjoy this melt in your mouth creation.
(5)Ben D.
Food was very good, when you actually got what you ordered. Sure, we had a big party, but they brought us other table's orders more than once. My boss waited almost 45 minutes for a coke and required multiple reminders. Don't get me wrong, the food was awesome. They simply need to get the staff much better organized and they would get a 5 star from me, easily.
(3)Russell D.
The Manager reached out to me shortly after my original post. She apologized and sent me two vouchers to the restaurant. I came back today and had a wonderful meal. I highly recommend the Pork Belly Benedict. Thank you Tokyo Pub!
(5)Tracy L.
its a love hate relationship wih this place. LOVE $1 taco night. hate that any other night, theyre always too busy to pay attention to you. warning(bc our waitress did not): kitchen closes at 10p and u can only get sushi.....after leaving us hungry and excited with full menus and disappearing for 15 mins. the sushi isnt anything to rave about. their menu has changed slightly, they at least were able to make the drink that used to be on the menu I liked.
(3)Sherwin C.
This is a slightly unusual restaurant as it has the feel of a normal pub but food more like a izakaya. It has potential since the food is prepared quite well (like crispy dishes are actually crispy and many dishes have a variety of textures) although a little salty for my tastes. But if you enjoy bold and spicy flavors, the food here will be perfect for you. The chicken meatballs were very tasty and unlike the ones you find in the supermarket. They're made with fresh ingredients and have a distinct Asian flavor to them. You only get 4 meatballs per order but don't let that discourage you from trying them. The barbeque braised pork nachos were practically a mini meal in itself. Inbetween the crispy chips is a special mix of vegetables and their own version of salsa. This comes with a good amount of pork inside. I found this to be quite balanced and a well designed dish. The spicy tiger shrimp is quite spicy and extremely flavorful. It's good if you like spicy grilled shrimp but it is quite expensive. However, if cost isn't a concern, this is quite enjoyable. The crispy pub potatoes were really crispy and served in plentiful amounts. An amazing deal if you order during happy hour as this is enough to feed some people. It's kind of hard to describe the flavor but I think most people will enjoy it. The calamari and shrimp roll and dragon roll were okay to me. Both had great presentation and a lighter refreshing flavor but I prefer Sushi Para or Sun Shui's versions more. With this being said, I like fusion style rolls more than traditional rolls so some people may really enjoy these a lot. Same with noodles, I enjoy Vietnamese or Chinese style noodle soups more but the braised pork belly and naked dumpling soups were both done fairly well. I ended the meal with a chocolate filled beignets. These were crispy on the outside with a molten center. A little sweet but quite enjoyable. Although some items were too salty, sweet, or spicy for me, it's clear that the chef has a good concept of dish design and excellent execution. I'd love to eat here more frequently if there were more dishes in a light and refreshing style. Even if they don't add them, the unique variety will keep me coming back.
(4)BB C.
This place is great! Went with a group of people from work. The food was tasty and our glasses were always filled. A MUST are they flavorful nachos, Sushi rolls, and the Amazing tacos. Simply Delicious!, Drinks were superb! The staff was on it. No complaints here, will be back soon enough.
(5)Claire K.
This place is awesome. I love the atmosphere and the food is so good. The staff is friendly, and pretty knowledgeable about the food if you have any questions (which I always have a lot). I suggest the rainbow roll and any of the tacos. YUM
(5)Dan F.
I visited in 2013 but forgot to post then. The food was fantastic. We had the Braised Pork Belly and the Grilled Ahi Tuna. The sushi rolls were great too. Good experience.
(5)Jennifer C.
I like this place. As most of you know suburban food frightens me, but this place is pretty good. I like the crying tiger shrimp tacos, the chicken tacos, and the BBQ pork tacos best. The side of potatoes are awesome and a definite fav of both my hubby and I. We've also had the BBQ platter, which was fine but I think I prefer the tacos. Overall I like this place and I'll definitely go back. The service here is also quite good.
(4)Lauren K.
This place has a cool atmosphere and awesome food. Another great Lettuce restaurant. To drink, I had the In Bloom which was delicious and had a cute flower floating in it. We had 3 tacos (the fish, shrimp, and pork - pork was my fave, my husband liked the shrimp best). I had the hot rocks entree with ahi tuna and NY strip steak. It was fun to cook the meats and then add to a delicious bowl of rice and stir fried vegetables. A little pickled cucumber salad and dipping sauce came with the entree, as well. My husband had the crispy pork belly which also came with rice and veggies. Fantastic. Dessert was the hot chocolate filled beignets which are great! We came on a Friday and though it wasn't too busy when we arrived our order was mixed up with a neighboring table who got our tacos causing a bit of a wait for our food. Oops! Our waitress was very nice and accommodating however, and we ended up with a little treat for the wait. We would definitely return because the food is worth it!!
(4)Steven N.
After this experience, I'm going to have to seriously consider discounting reviews of suburban restaurants by about 50%. It's as if most, NOT all, suburban people really have no idea what good food really is. (those of you who rated this place well, you know who you are =) ) This place bills itself as a Japanese pub that serves Japanese tapas. They have a word for these places in Japan - Izakaya, unfortunately, the owner doesn't really understand this concept well enough to qualify him/her to open up such restaurnt. This food at this place is so horrible that I would only recommend this place to my frienemies. About the only thing good was the service by our nice waitress. It actually pains me to spend time to write this review, so I'm just going to take the lazy route by posting a bullet list of our experience: - Bad, confusing menu with limited choices - fail - Good service, but slow kitchen - fail - Japanese tacos - not too bad, actually, but for some reason you are only allowed to order 3 tacos or 5 tacos. What if I want to order just 1, or 2 or 4? Also, please remove the shrimp tail shell in the shrimp taco. - fail - Udon broth has tons of MSG - fail - No wasabi for sashimi - fail - Really bad sashimi. Fish is not fresh and the chef doesn't know how to cut - fail
(2)Kim S.
It was AWEFUL! I should have walked out from the start! When my fiancé, my daughter (in a car seat) and I walked in they sat us right away, there was maybe six tables total in the restaurant. He sat us and walked away, (notice how I didn't mention that he brought us a high chair or a sling for my daughter?) He also sat us next to the bussing station apparently. A manager then moments later walked in and asked us if we would like a baby sling for the car seat and asked to move us because it was dangerous to have a baby next to the bussing station. I ordered a miso soup, the surf and turf ( steak and aki tuna) and a sushi roll. My fiancé just ordered sushi rolls for his entrée to come with the meal. TWO HOURS LATER I had to flag over the waitress and ask her if my soup was going to come before the entrée, she said that the kitchen was backed up and it would be a while. I thought to myself it's soup but ok I will be patient. A HALF hour later here comes my soup, then TWO mintues later here comes our sushi with my main entrée. When ordering the surf and turf the idea is they give you hot rocks to sear the RAW steak and the tuna on. I placed my steak on the hot rock and it got kinda brown, I thought to myself I am a little nervous eating this. Three tables over I can hear another customers rock sizzling when he places his steak on the hot rocks. That's about when I lost it.....so I called over the manager. Before I even said anything she says to me " We just didn't have a good night huh?" I told her that I had to flag the waitress over to even ask about my meal, Honestly is she would of just said hey the kitchen is a little backed up I would of been ok with it. So the manager tells me the kitchen was backed up, and they restaurant just had a bad night and comps the whole meal without even me complaining. I found that a little strange. Also remember what I told you earlier, minus the soup we waited TWO AND A HALF HOURS for sushi, and surf and turf which is raw and you cook it in front of you on hot rocks. Do you see where I am going with this yet? I waited TWO AND A HALF HOURS FOR RAW FOOD!!!!! But the decision is yours if you want to go, I don't think I will EVER go back.
(1)Sean Y.
It was pretty hard to find the place - there is a very small neon sign to the right of Shaw's and their entrance is tucked away - they really need to work on being more visible. We had lunch there last week and were only 1 of 2 tables at peak lunch time with Schaumburg being full of office buildings around the area - the attached Shaw's was crowded. Really wanted to like the place but the food was not memorable - portions small - it can really add up - lunch for 2 without drinks was $60! Some of the food seemed undercooked. Would not go out of my way to go again.
(2)George E.
Delicious food. The combinations of flavors are excellent. We tried almost everything on the menu. Just go.
(5)Bob L.
Bad boring overpriced everything. Eat at Shaws next door.
(1)Patricia J.
FINALLY got to check out this cool new spot on Thursday night... loved it! Great vibe & service. Mouth still watering remembering the super yummy eats & cocktails!! Can't wait to get back!
(5)Ben D.
Food was very good, when you actually got what you ordered. Sure, we had a big party, but they brought us other table's orders more than once. My boss waited almost 45 minutes for a coke and required multiple reminders. Don't get me wrong, the food was awesome. They simply need to get the staff much better organized and they would get a 5 star from me, easily.
(3)Sherwin C.
This is a slightly unusual restaurant as it has the feel of a normal pub but food more like a izakaya. It has potential since the food is prepared quite well (like crispy dishes are actually crispy and many dishes have a variety of textures) although a little salty for my tastes. But if you enjoy bold and spicy flavors, the food here will be perfect for you. The chicken meatballs were very tasty and unlike the ones you find in the supermarket. They're made with fresh ingredients and have a distinct Asian flavor to them. You only get 4 meatballs per order but don't let that discourage you from trying them. The barbeque braised pork nachos were practically a mini meal in itself. Inbetween the crispy chips is a special mix of vegetables and their own version of salsa. This comes with a good amount of pork inside. I found this to be quite balanced and a well designed dish. The spicy tiger shrimp is quite spicy and extremely flavorful. It's good if you like spicy grilled shrimp but it is quite expensive. However, if cost isn't a concern, this is quite enjoyable. The crispy pub potatoes were really crispy and served in plentiful amounts. An amazing deal if you order during happy hour as this is enough to feed some people. It's kind of hard to describe the flavor but I think most people will enjoy it. The calamari and shrimp roll and dragon roll were okay to me. Both had great presentation and a lighter refreshing flavor but I prefer Sushi Para or Sun Shui's versions more. With this being said, I like fusion style rolls more than traditional rolls so some people may really enjoy these a lot. Same with noodles, I enjoy Vietnamese or Chinese style noodle soups more but the braised pork belly and naked dumpling soups were both done fairly well. I ended the meal with a chocolate filled beignets. These were crispy on the outside with a molten center. A little sweet but quite enjoyable. Although some items were too salty, sweet, or spicy for me, it's clear that the chef has a good concept of dish design and excellent execution. I'd love to eat here more frequently if there were more dishes in a light and refreshing style. Even if they don't add them, the unique variety will keep me coming back.
(4)BB C.
This place is great! Went with a group of people from work. The food was tasty and our glasses were always filled. A MUST are they flavorful nachos, Sushi rolls, and the Amazing tacos. Simply Delicious!, Drinks were superb! The staff was on it. No complaints here, will be back soon enough.
(5)Claire K.
This place is awesome. I love the atmosphere and the food is so good. The staff is friendly, and pretty knowledgeable about the food if you have any questions (which I always have a lot). I suggest the rainbow roll and any of the tacos. YUM
(5)Lauren K.
This place has a cool atmosphere and awesome food. Another great Lettuce restaurant. To drink, I had the In Bloom which was delicious and had a cute flower floating in it. We had 3 tacos (the fish, shrimp, and pork - pork was my fave, my husband liked the shrimp best). I had the hot rocks entree with ahi tuna and NY strip steak. It was fun to cook the meats and then add to a delicious bowl of rice and stir fried vegetables. A little pickled cucumber salad and dipping sauce came with the entree, as well. My husband had the crispy pork belly which also came with rice and veggies. Fantastic. Dessert was the hot chocolate filled beignets which are great! We came on a Friday and though it wasn't too busy when we arrived our order was mixed up with a neighboring table who got our tacos causing a bit of a wait for our food. Oops! Our waitress was very nice and accommodating however, and we ended up with a little treat for the wait. We would definitely return because the food is worth it!!
(4)Steven N.
After this experience, I'm going to have to seriously consider discounting reviews of suburban restaurants by about 50%. It's as if most, NOT all, suburban people really have no idea what good food really is. (those of you who rated this place well, you know who you are =) ) This place bills itself as a Japanese pub that serves Japanese tapas. They have a word for these places in Japan - Izakaya, unfortunately, the owner doesn't really understand this concept well enough to qualify him/her to open up such restaurnt. This food at this place is so horrible that I would only recommend this place to my frienemies. About the only thing good was the service by our nice waitress. It actually pains me to spend time to write this review, so I'm just going to take the lazy route by posting a bullet list of our experience: - Bad, confusing menu with limited choices - fail - Good service, but slow kitchen - fail - Japanese tacos - not too bad, actually, but for some reason you are only allowed to order 3 tacos or 5 tacos. What if I want to order just 1, or 2 or 4? Also, please remove the shrimp tail shell in the shrimp taco. - fail - Udon broth has tons of MSG - fail - No wasabi for sashimi - fail - Really bad sashimi. Fish is not fresh and the chef doesn't know how to cut - fail
(2)Jessica N.
wow what a complete disappointment! my friends usually go there for the dollar tacos and now i know why.... For the price you pay, you can get alot more at other much better restaurants. The food was absolutely terrible. I paid $30 not only for bad food but i walked out not even half full. I mean to spend that much I'd like to be at least somewhat full. I ordered the pork belly over fried rice dish. Horrible. The fried rice had no taste what so ever and the dish was full of fat. Just disgusting fat. I couldn't believe it. The fat was sticking to the metal pan they served it in. I didn't even get to eat half the dish because it was all burnt and stuck to the bottom of the pan. Absolutely disgusting. The two drinks i ordered were way too sweet and had barely any alcohol. The cosmo didn't even taste like a cosmo. I was even at the point of complaining but i had to catch a movie and was running out of time. All in all, this is pretty much your typical "hipster" spot. And i hated it! I would never go back and would never recommend it to anyone.
(1)Michelle F.
ARGH! Why aren't half stars an option?!?! I rounded up in this case. Management-FABULOUS Service (this time)- On par Drinks-WONDERFUL Food-Good *when* it was warm My Yelp ladies and I decided to meet here on a Thursday night for a bite to eat. We were looking for good food and strong drinks, and we definitely found both. We made reservations for 6:30, but were accommodated when we were early! They were even really nice when we needed to switch from outside to inside. With our Yelp chick-in offer, we were treated to two chicken tacos. They were served fairly quickly, but they were lukewarm at best. I think they would have been way better if they were warm, but they seemed to have a good flavor to them. We each ordered a few different things. Some sushi, the crispy potatoes for the table, a side salad, and I got the chicken noodles again. They definitely did not disappoint, but they were spicier than they were last time. The service was definitely better this time than the first time that I went (it was much faster this time and our waitress was more attentive). Also, when there was a problem with the bill, the manager was right there to fix it. Service with a smile :) I would definitely be back--their drinks are amazingly strong and delicious, and their food isn't too shabby either!
(4)Kaye D.
This place is adjoined with Shaw's Crab House. You can get to Tokio Pub through the main entrance, but there is a seperate door to get there as well, so you don't have to navigate through Shaw's Oyster Bar. Came here during happy hour (5-6PM) and that happens M-F. All items on the one page of the menu were all half off: appetizers, tacos, and sushi. I checked in via FourSquare and got a deal of free edamame. I checked in via Yelp and got a deal of a free appetizer with a purchase of an entree (will be saving that one for later). We came in at 5 on a Tuesday and the seats at the bar were taken, but the rest of the tables were pretty wide open. My husband and I shared the sticky pork spare ribs to start it all off. I liked the asian BBQ sauce - tangy. Next up was to try the tacos. You order them in combos of 3 or 5. So, we got 1 crying tiger shrimp taco and 2 steak tacos. They are really small, practically 2-3 bites if you're able to keep all the food in the tortilla. I liked the steak tacos because the sweet and zesty after taste provided by the pickled ginger. Delish. Then, we kinda went a little overboard on sushi and ordered: godzilla roll, tokio spicy tuna roll (house favorite), lemon-lime rainbow roll, crazy dragon roll and shrimp tempura roll. All the rolls came out to my expectations except for the godzilla and spicy tuna. That doesn't mean it was bad by any means. My idea of spicy tuna is the tuna is wrapped inside. Here, the spicy sauce is a sauce on the bottom of the plate and the roll is placed on top of it with a big piece of cucumber on the inside of the roll and the tuna is laid on top of the roll. Talk about a completely different presentation of what I know spicy tuna to be. As for the godzilla roll, I feel like each restaurant has its own take on this one. So it's shrimp tempura and cucumber on the inside and salmon on top of the roll topped with guacamole and a tortilla chip on top (talk about a japanese-mexican fusion). The sauce was drawn in a "line" next to the roll. Presentation is definitely key here. Coming from Tokio Pub, it feels like a long hike to get to the bathrooms, which are located upstairs in the main entrance of Shaw's. If their tactic is to help you burn off some of the food you just ate, they definitely achieved their goal there! Probably won't be ordering the tacos again. Otherwise, food was tasty and we had a pleasant experience. Will likely return again during happy hour.
(4)Russell D.
The Manager reached out to me shortly after my original post. She apologized and sent me two vouchers to the restaurant. I came back today and had a wonderful meal. I highly recommend the Pork Belly Benedict. Thank you Tokyo Pub!
(5)Tracy L.
its a love hate relationship wih this place. LOVE $1 taco night. hate that any other night, theyre always too busy to pay attention to you. warning(bc our waitress did not): kitchen closes at 10p and u can only get sushi.....after leaving us hungry and excited with full menus and disappearing for 15 mins. the sushi isnt anything to rave about. their menu has changed slightly, they at least were able to make the drink that used to be on the menu I liked.
(3)Saba A.
Connected to Shaw's Crabhouse, this chic lounge was a great stop for a nice light dinner on a weeknight. We came in at 5:15 perfect for a happy hour menu (great prices for small plates). They change their happy hour menu weekly and the service was great. Our server was educated about the food and told us a little about it. What I got: -Fish Tacos -Spicy Tuna Rolls (not spicy-they were okay) -Spicy Tiger Shrimp (large shrimp-popular I guess) -Chicken Meatballs (satisfying) Here's the menu: tokiopub.com/menu I checked in on Yelp and got a free starter. So that was awesome. Will be stopping by again, maybe to watch a game next time! They had TV's.
(4)Peter P.
Reasonable prices and great food. Located next to Shaw's so perhaps they share a kitchen. The Asian-inspired tacos are amazing (especially the duck), but the real star for me was the Ramen bowl. The broth was borderline perfect. Make sure you sign up for their text-messaged specials so you know when they do theier $1 taco night every month.
(4)Nancy H.
Alice is the best sever ever! Great service, happy hour is a great deal. Atmosphere is chic and trendy. Good beer and wine. Tasty food and fresh sushi!
(4)John D.
Amazing! Definitely exceeded my expectations. I had the Gyoza - perfectly seared with a delightful garlic soy sauce; the Crispy BBQ Pork Belly with fried rice was deliciously sweet and crispy; but the BEST part was the warm chocolate-filled beignets...WOW!
(5)Daisy B.
On July 16th my boyfriend (although technically we were "just" friends at the time ;)) asked me to meet him at Tokio Pub. I was pretty stoked, as I had good Happy Hour at Tokio Pub with a girlfriend a month before that. This place is connected to Shaw's and my friend surprised me with prime-time valet parking for both our turbos. It was a great way to start the "date"... well.... the night continued to get better. The food was even more exceptional on that day, July 16. I always judge a sushi restaurant by what else (their sashimi of course!). So we ordered sashimi and it was very fresh, good portions and served on a cold stone. I thoroughly enjoyed it! We also shared the crispy rice and a variety of mini-tacos. Everything was super tasty. To finish up our wonderful meal, we decided to order a "Happi Ending" and chose their Mochi. To my surprise this mochi came out pre-cut and pre-portioned atop of about seven spoons. It was a really cute idea! Ready-to-slip into and melt in your mouth! lol. Anyway, it was probably the tastiest mango mochi I have ever had. Overall, I was very impressed with the entire evening (my date and the food)! We will definitely be back to Tokio Pub!
(5)Britt C.
Very cute outdoor patio, with fans! The little things in life get me all the time. But it was too hot to sit outside so we went in. The inside is nicely decorated, and has a different feel than most places in the area which I liked. I came here after dinner to grab another drink and get some dessert. I ordered a blushing geisha which was pretty good ($10). For dessert they only had beignets, raspberry sorbet, and a trio of ice cream. We opted for the beignets, which arrived at the table in a tiny white paper bag with Tokio Pub printed on it. It was cute, something different. There were four small beignets in the bag, which were filled with warm chocolate. They were pretty good ($4). Watch out though if you try to just take a bite of one, the chocolate might break out and get all over you...yes, this did happen to me. For how chill this place seems I felt the prices were just slightly high, but not ridiculously so. They had an interesting menu, so I would go back to try a few things. Especially if it wasn't such a hot day to sit out on their patio!
(3)Beth R.
Love Tokio Pub! The Pub Tea cocktail is dee-lish and refreshing. It's served in a mason jar with fresh mint and it just makes me happy. I love any place that has small bites to share...that way you can try a bunch of different flavors and not get stuck with one mediocre dish. The tuna hot rock is a fun and tasty way to eat ahi. The volcano roll, crispy rice, spicy edamame, and pork belly are wonderfully delicious bites of heaven. Finish your meal off with the beignets stuffed with molten melted chocolate and you'll have yourself a good time.
(5)Richard B.
My wife and I went to the crab place next door and then here for drinks. We should of just went here to begin with. The service was fantastic. Very attentive, younger, but I did not feel intimidated (I am forty) and easy on the eyes. The drinks were great and reasonably priced. We looked at the menu to see what we misses. NEXT TIME!! Great place, good vibes, excellent service. Go here, not to the crab place next door.
(5)Mike G.
Top notch service and a great atmosphere I sincerely recommend this pub. The tacos are great but a little on the small side.
(4)S H.
First time at the restuarant. Won't go back. Sat for 10 minutes before a server greeted us. Ordered Sushi, Ramen Buger and Orange Blossom Martini. Everything was below average. Got a chance to have a few of the tacos. Only worth 50 cents.....
(1)Hans C.
Tokio Pub is not just a malicious growth metastasizing off the side of Shaw's Crab House. It is a Schaumburg destination in its own right. I've been here probably 6 or 7 times in about as many months, and I've always had a positive experience. Good food and great service and staff. Due to the varying specials they're constantly having (Happy Hour, $1 tacos, free gift certificates, etc.), I've had the opportunity to try the majority of the items on the menu. My personal favorites would be the crying tiger shrimp tacos, noodle bowls, wings, and maki rolls. The beignets are also a treat--just try not to let the hot chocolate splooge burn your unsuspecting mouth. Other than beer, I haven't had any drink from the bar yet, but that's on my to-do list when I stop in again next week. I didn't enjoy everything I tried, and some of the fare was just okay, but overall the food is quality, and to each his own. Another downside is the bathrooms are practically a day's journey and a labyrinth away. When you finally reach it, you almost expect David Bowie and some goblins to be there singing Magic Dance. My advice is to break that seal before you get seated. Tokio Pub is a great place to have a light meal and a couple drinks before continuing the night elsewhere. The restaurant is divided into an indoor section and a covered outdoor heated area. Both are comfortable. It's a small, intimate atmosphere, yet there's plenty of seating. Whether you're on a first date or just want to enjoy great $1 tacos and some beers, Tokio Pub fits the bill.
(4)Lani G.
My girlfriends and I ate here for dinner last week. The tacos were outstanding. The sushi was terrible. It was "pasty tasing" and fishy. My girlfrined wouldnt eat hers. The service was good. Will come back but not for the sushi.
(3)Alex K.
I had a light dinner here the other night. It's bar food, simple as that. The Asian noodle salad was a cold udon, some vegetables, dressed in a peanut sesame vinegar dressing. The flavours were good but nothing spectacular. The chicken taco was good. Street taco sized, the meat and the salad and dressing went well. Nothing out of this world. The fried/burnt rice thing should be taken off the menu. It's sushi rice, battered, fried, then topped with your choice of a number of things like a fried shrimp or whatever. Unappetizing. Service was awesome but we had gone quite early before it got crowded. Good place for a drink and bar food but nothing different or spectacular.
(2)Taylor P.
Tacos and sushi... Is this heaven? I am a huge fan of Tokio Pub and always try to stop in if I am back in the suburbs. My favorites are the tacos (I order one of each, they are all amazing) and the lemon-lime rainbow roll. The nachos are also a huge portion if you want to grab a solid appetizer. I will continue to dine here whenever I can.
(5)Rexcrisanto D.
SUSHI RATING BREAKDOWN: CLEANLINESS / NEATNESS Display Case: 4 Cutting Boards: 4 Sushi Bar: 3 Restaurant: 3 Bathrooms: 5 SUSHI CHEF (s) CLEANLINESS Professional Appearance: 5 Hand Washing: 3 Wiping of Knives: 3 Wiping of Board: 3 Makisu Bamboo Mats: 3 Cross Contamination Control: 3 Display Case Doors Closed after Opening: N/A SUSHI CHEF (s) SKILLS Sushi Rice Quality: 4 Nigiri Preparation (Shari / Neta): 3 Maki Roll Preparation: 3 Sashimi Preparation: 3 Presentation: 3 Friendliness / Interaction: 2 FOOD (SUSHI BAR) Freshness: 4 Taste: 3 Japanese Authenticity: 1 Innovation: 2 SERVICE: 1 Likelihood to return if nearby: 1 Likelihood to "go-out-of-my-way" to return: 0 TOTAL SCORE: 3 (Everything else is secondary) Preface: This review is based on their sushi alone. The new Japanese garden that was built last summer and the fact that its head chef, Naoki Nakashima, is Japanese really had me thinking I would enjoy some great authentic sushi. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The garden bears little resemblance with the food and atmosphere inside. First of all, this is an "American" sushi place inside an American crab house restaurant. When I walked in looking for the sushi bar, I was directed to sit at the "liquor bar," which happens to share the same space where the sushi is prepared. I had to order my sushi through the liquor bartender. Midway into placing my order I glanced and saw a look of confusion in her eyes. Clearly she didn't understand the Japanese names of the fish I was ordering (hamachi, sake etc). When I asked for green tea, I was told they don't have traditional green tea, but instead, a variety of gourmet teas. It's very sad when something as basic as "ocha" green tea isn't available with sushi. It's a staple for sushi just like wasabi, gari and rice vinegar - should be automatic. As for the sushi, the selection is poor, catering to the American palette to say the least. However, what they did have is fresh and not pre-frozen and pre-sliced. According to the Mexican sushi chef during my last visit, they have a steady influx of new fish delivered frequently enough to provide fresh tasting sashimi and netta for nigiri. I don't eat many rolls, but I had to try their King Crab California roll that uses real crab meat right out of its shell. I must say, it was one of the worst $15 I've spent on sushi. The idea of using fresh King crab sounds better than imitation kani kama, but the taste is too bland in comparison. If Hidekazu Tojo, the inventor of the California roll, made the original California roll like Shaw's King Crab California roll back in the 70's, sushi wouldn't be as popular today in America or the world. In short, if you're looking for crab and other American seafood dishes, this is a great place to go, however, If traditional Japanese sushi in a Japanese setting is your preference, go elsewhere.
(3)Norberto S.
Food was great. Service was awesome and we got a free desert for being our first time here.
(5)Kim M.
Been meaning to try this place out since it opened and we finally had a chance to go sans kiddos. We got the yelp check in special which was a maki roll. I am totally sushi illiterate so if this is wrong, my apologies. I didn't eat it, but the husband said it was excellent. We sat at the bar and I had multiple sake-tinis and they were so good. Great foreign beer selection. Great sake selection. I imagine if you are in here at night, and have a good buzz going on, you can almost feel like you are in Tokyo by the way it feels and looks inside. Great decor, almost movie-set like. We will be heading back to try out some real meals there in the near future.
(4)Dan F.
I visited in 2013 but forgot to post then. The food was fantastic. We had the Braised Pork Belly and the Grilled Ahi Tuna. The sushi rolls were great too. Good experience.
(5)Jennifer C.
I like this place. As most of you know suburban food frightens me, but this place is pretty good. I like the crying tiger shrimp tacos, the chicken tacos, and the BBQ pork tacos best. The side of potatoes are awesome and a definite fav of both my hubby and I. We've also had the BBQ platter, which was fine but I think I prefer the tacos. Overall I like this place and I'll definitely go back. The service here is also quite good.
(4)Michelle L.
Nice addition to the mix of restaurants in the Woodfield Mall area but not the greatest if you want sushi. I'm used the eating at Coast and Tanoshii so the sushi at Tokio Pub was disappointing. I went on a Friday during lunch and the service was horrible too - loooong wait and the server kept forgetting things. if I'm in the area then I may go there again but I won't go out of my way to come back.
(3)Andrew K.
I've come here a handful of times since I don't live too far. I definitely haven't sampled everything yet, but have mixed reviews thus far about some of the food, but there have been some pleasant hidden gems on the menu as well. . Highlights: the White Peach Sangria is sweet & refreshing and always hits the spot. The beignets are freaking AWESOME, get 2 orders for sure, sugary goodness. . A-OK: The rolls are pretty decent, but nothing to write home about. The Crying Tiger Shrimp Taco is decent as well, but the other tacos were nothing special. I'm not the biggest fan of Del Sol's tacos either (they're A-OK as well, don't get the hype) if that's giving you a reference point. . Let Downs: The non-shrimp tacos. Nothing special, and not bad either, just expected more from all the hype here on the reviews. Yakitori shrimp (pictured), again, not terrible, but it was hyped up a little by the waitress and thus, a little bit of a let down. . Will repeat and try other plates and update.
(3)Erica D.
I'd have to admit, I was drawn to this place by a coupon. $20 off of $40! How can you deny such an awesome deal & try out a new joint! It just so happened the couple that was joining us happened to have eaten at Tokio Pub and loved it. We arrived with a 7:30 reso and were seated promptly. The tiny matchbox size restaurant was packed to the walls. The décor was trendy/modern, top 30 songs blaring through the restaurant and conversation absorbed the empty space. A pitcher of Sake Sangria (red wine) was refreshing and stiff; just the way I like it! The Beer and wine list was impressive. Extensive menu featuring everything from sushi to stir fry to tacos. Pulled Pork Nachos to start for the four of us; warm, crisp tortilla chips fully loaded with toppings= DELICIOUS... Entrees consisted of the Chicken stir fry served over rice; lightly seasoned, fresh, juicy chicken... awesome! Followed by the famous, Dragon Roll--- Yum yum. The duo to our quatro persisted in ordering dessert for the table. Mini doughnuts. OMG. Are these legal? Lightly fried balls of dough filled with dark fudge. My man and I ordered the Smores.. 2 Ice cream bars with graham crackers, paired nicely with hot fudge and marshmallows. Total Bill for 2: $75.00 w/coupon $55.00 Not too shabby for cocktails, beers, appetizer, 2 entrees and 1 dessert. Yep!. HOT DOG WAS IT DELICIOUS :-)
(4)Glenn K.
Read someone compare this place to being as good as wasabi in Logan square. NO. It is not. Do yourself a big favor and go to wasabi and get their ramen. The ramen here is overly salted and under flavored. Wasabi's ramen uses pork bones that have been cooked for days to flavor their broth. Tokio uses salt out of what can only be cost savings or laziness. Either way not worth the price when Wasabi is not that far away. Unfortunately this isn't the only place that jumps on the ramen fad without doing their homework, but it also isn't the worst. Hence the 3 stars.
(3)Anya C.
It's really a place for American. If you want to grab a beer and hand out with friend, it's a good place to go. If you want to try Japanese food, it's NOT the place to go. I ordered UDON noodle soup and they served noodle soup NOT with UDON noodle. The pork belly was over-cooked. Soup base was not good either.
(3)Jules H.
Happy place, good bites! Food and drink specials rule the show here and they do not disappoint. Okay sushi, really good tacos, menu for everyone. Eating and drinking here is a breeze...good service, fun date spot.
(4)Jessica M.
I came here with a coworker for a nice leisurely lunch. I was surprised that I never noticed this place even though I have been to Big Bowl a few times. I like the vibe of this place. It's a little hip without trying too hard and a lot of natural decor elements make it relaxed. If nothing else, try the bbq braised pork nachos! They are delicious and the serving is big! We split a couple of sushi rolls and they were tasty as well. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and we had a great experience. I would definitely come back to try something new and different. After everything we ordered and split our bill was a bit high for lunch but it was great for a treat! Added bonus: there were not very many people in there at lunchtime so we didn't feel rushed and the atmosphere was quiet enough to have a good conversation.
(4)Brian G.
I went back to Tokio pub to give it a second chance, due to continued positive feedback from friends. This time around I tried the Garlic Steak. It was quite delicious - very flavorful and and fresh. It was kind of skimpy on the steak, but for a price of $13 it wasn't an insulting portion size (and i'm a big eater who likes big portions). My wife again had the tacos, and my analysis on these has not changed. They are delicious, but bit-sized. At a cost of $3 per taco, I'm thinking an average male is paying roughly $1 per bite, which is just silly to me. My recommendation to Tokio Pub would be to include some sort of side dish to make it feel more like a meal. Even my 5'1", 105lb wife wasn't full after 5 tacos. Something wrong there. I will say, however, that the customer service is impecable at Tokio Pub. As soon as I expressed the slightest displeasure with my food, it was dealt with by the manager in a friendly and prompt manner. The wait staff was great, and the ambiance of the restaurant is a good too. The outdoor seating are is especially nice. Let me also caveat my review by saying that I don't eat sushi, so there's an entire half of my menu that I can't comment on. There is a ton to choose from on the menu - far beyond what i've reviewed - so I'd recommend that everyone try it at least once.
(3)Joe P.
We ordered the Godzilla Roll and were pleasantly surprised. The sushi seemed fresh and the flavors were good. The Gyoza was also very good and came with a mustard flavored sauce which was interesting (not a huge mustard fan but this was enjoyable in small amounts to me). I ordered the Chop salad and was not disappointed. My wife and I split the Teriyaki Chicken and it was delicious. All the food this time made our bad experience seem like this was a completely different restaurant.
(4)C. G.
Awesome experience! Need to head here more often.
(4)Lucy E.
I think it is quite interesting to see the range of reviews this place is getting. Really I would give it like a 4.5, but I'll round up to 5! I went here for dinner with my brother last night, as I want to plan a party here for my husband and I. Although I am not quite sure how we will fit a large party in here, I am confident that they will make it work. Formerly being in the service industry, I can say that that aspect was exceptional! Maybe even a little overboard. We were approached by nearly every server/manager/busboy you name it to make sure we were happy and everything looked and tasted good. That's an A+ in my book. The serve gave us some great suggestions as well, and was very knowledgeable about the menu! No moving on to food, as I mentioned I am looking to book a party here, so naturally I wanted to try everything. Tacos: I tried steak, chicken, fish, and shrimp. They were all awesome! Small, but after looking at the menu, I kind of figured they would be pretty small. The first 1/2 of the menu is all tapas style dishes! They were all flavorful, and it was a good way to try different things! Tuna Tartar: again small sized, but worth it! The avocados are marinated in some citrus flavoring (probably so it doesn't brown), but it really gives it a little extra umph. I also like how it is served with tortilla chips, which keeps up with the spanish/japanese fusion theme. Sushi: We tried the spicy tuna and calamari shrimp roll. The spicy tuna was good, but it was a little eclectic I guess. It was quite interesting how the tuna was on the outside, the spicy sauce on the bottom, and the cucumber rolled into the middle. Definitely a cool take on it! The calamari shrimp roll was pretty good too! It was definitely something different to try. Hot Rock Steak: I really wanted to get the lobster too, but we had already gotten sooooo much! It was very interesting and a fun experience. You cook your own steak on the rock (or tuna or lobster tail). The cut was good and fresh, although there are only 5 little strips, very yummy none the less! Steak Udon Bowl: My brother got this one! It was delish, perfect amount of seasonings and a pretty hearty portion! Miso Salmon: Definitely different than most, but still flavorful from the fish to the noodles. Sadly, after trying so many other things, I only had the one bite and took the rest home. Finally Dessert!: My brother got the beignets which are to die for! They aren't typical beignets, but more like dark chocolate fried in a thin wonton. They were served in a cute little bag. I also wanted to try the dessert nachos, which one of the managers had comped for us, as I was really unsure about the "sweet guacamole". It was interesting, but not to my taste. I think the nachos would have been much better with more "strawberry kiwi salsa" and drizzled chocolate rather than the sweet guac. All in all, I am excited to book a party here! I loved it! It definitely had an urban feel in a suburban area.
(5)Patricia D.
I went here for a friend of mines birthday, and it was a really nice place. Nice setting, friendly staff, and really good food. The price is pretty reasonable too. They have live music on Saturdays which made it fun. The bathroom is a far walk, as you have to walk to Shaw's next door. But otherwise it's a fun place to go to.
(4)B M.
YUM!!!! I had a great lunch here today. My spicy tuna was perfect! I also enjoyed the tuna hot rock which was not only tasty but fun to cook. Oh and the shrimp crispy rice was spot on. Service was wonderful. I've read a bunch of reviews and have some comments. This is not a "traditional" sushi restaurant BUT it is wonderful. The dishes are creative and interesting. It is was nice to find a menu that wasn't identical to every other sushi restaurant in town. I liked that the atmosphere wasn't traditional. It is called Tokio PUB. It is a fusion of a sushi restaurant and pub. I have eaten sushi coast to coast and I love it. The tuna I had here was as good as it gets and the rice was seasoned nicely. I will be back.
(5)Chris M.
Neat hip and trendy spot. Music was Dubstep- Came here on a Monday and plenty of room for people to come without a reservation. Drinks and appetizers were fantastic along with the service. Dinner was good too, not cheap but not expensive meals. Plan on returning.
(4)Insun M.
Out of the 5 dishes we ordered, only the calamari stood out. The rest of the dishes were sort of blah and forgettable. Bonus star for the creative crispy rice sushi but they lose a star because the salmon was WAY too fishy tasting (and I LOVE sushi)..sort of felt like sushi thats been out for too long which is scary because since its the summer places that serve al fresco should be more careful handling raw foods. I ordered a soda and it was flat. They gave me a replacement and it was worse then the first. I HATE flat soda. Especially $2.75 flat soda. And where in the word on the menu are the chocolate filled doughnuts???? I was looking forward to those and they were not on the menu! I literally read the menu 5 times over specifically to look for those doughnuts! Had to settle for the banana foster that should be renamed "sugar foster." I think I would come back for drinks and a few of the plates as snacks instead of for a real dinner.
(2)Emily F.
I've been here a couple times now and have not had anything that I didn't like. Sushi is fantastic with a bit of a different approach. Tacos are another no brainer. Love small plate type of places like this where you can try a whole bunch of stuff instead of one enormous entree. Also love that they have pitchers of margaritas and soju (which are great as well). Just tried the crispy pork belly for the first time and fell in love. This place can get pretty packed since it is so tiny so I would make a reservation if going on the weekend. I use open table
(5)Nicole M.
Heard this place only served little tapas like plates, so I wasn't really to trilled to try it. It's inside of Shaws. Came here on a Saturday night and the place was kinda dead. Place its self looked cool. Waitress was nice. Pork Belly: This was my 1st time trying pork belly and I didn't really know what to expect. You get 4 bite sized pieces. The taste was good but it was very dry and chewy. I was thinking it would be moist and tender... not at all. Ribs: 3 ribs, barely any meat but tasted good. Sushi: Lemon lime rainbow roll: Very sour tasting! I am not a big sour fan, I was thinking a hint of lemon lime. But the fish on top tasted very fresh and good. We left unsatisfied and still hungry. Wahhhh We ended up going somewhere else and getting more food! haha
(3)Pari S.
Went here with a group of friends on a Saturday night. We were a party of 8. Very small place, next to Shaw's crabhouse...There is an open entrance way that is literally open into Shaw's crabhouse dining area. Nice atmosphere. We were seated at a high table right by the front door, right by the bar, a nook where all the waitresses goes to put in orders and right by that entranceway of Shaw's crabhouse. (Which I have to say, for a party of 8, this was a very bad spot to put us.) There were lots of traffic going back and forth, at one point a waitress knocked over a glass, and it broke all over onto the floor. However it was quickly cleaned up. We were given a One page menu. Which had some interesting items to pick from. We ordered a pitcher of white peach Sangria right away. Which I found was very good. I like the bits of fruits inside it. I happened to sit at the end of the table, so that was where the waitress came by to talk to us each time. I think at one point, I was very confuse on how to order. All items were more tapas style. (finger food) And of course my party wanted to try lots of things... after a bit of explaining we finally got a few things ordered. The food came out pretty fast and appeared freshly made. So a plus on that. We ordered: Fish tacos, beef tacos, crispy rice with tuna, sliders, dragon roll, braised pork noodle soup, nacho, fried calamari, doughnuts in a bag, some smashed fried potatos, meatballs. (Sorry if i forgot the name of some of these dishes. We kind of shared all of what we ordered, so I tried a bit of this and that.) I liked the fish taco best. The fish was fried crispy, with some small bits of mango or fruits, and a spicy kick. The beef taco was good too. But it had ginger in it, which threw me off. I don't like ginger much, so that didn't go too well for me. The crispy rice with tuna, was ok. We were told by the waitress that was the best thing she liked, but it was not my favorite. It was different, but the flavor didn't come out for me. The braised pork noodle was ok. The meat was very tender and juicy on the inside, and the broth of the soup was good. It was served with Udon noodles. Not really a wow noodle soup for me. Since I am asian and been eatting noodle soups all my life, I have different standards for noodle soups. I also ate a huge slice of garlic in my soup. I didn't realized it was garlic. I thought it might of been some kind of sliced meat or something. But no it was garlic. Don't get me wrong, I love garlic. I just don't eat it by the slices. So that didn't go well with me either. I didn't really have a napkin to spit it out... and was forced to chew and swallow it. Thank goodness I'm not single anymore. The garlic breathe would've scared the date away. The other thing I liked was the fried calamari. It had a creamy sauce on it. I almost want to say, kind of like a mayo sauce. Everything else was just ok for me. One word of advise... don't bring 3 big hungry guys to this place with you. The portions are small, bite size, tapas style. We had to ask for the menu 3 to 4 more times after we received our food and ate it. Our guys were still hungry. By the time we finished, our ticket came out to be more then what we expected. We split it up evenly 8 ways. It was $48 per person and I have to add, nobody drank much alcohol, except for that one pitcher we got in the beginning. So yes, it was all finger food in that tab. Would I go here again? Maybe. For happy hour, or to just enjoy some finger foods. And won't be bringing any more hungry men. Well if you do, maybe feed them before you go here.
(3)Mary B.
My friend and I went here for a few drinks the other night. We had never been there before but heard about it. We love Lettuce restaurants so we decided to venture over there. We only had a few beers, which were sort of an interesting selection, and some of the food. Everything was really delightful over there. Our bartender was so awesome and recommended really good food. We had the braised pork and pineapple tacos and then the chicken tacos. WOW. Braised pork and pineapple was amazing. The tacos are a pretty good size. The server said only two bites, but it was definitely more than that. Really interesting food and very tasty. Our bartender also recommended the fried tofu squares. I'm not a big fan of tofu but these were absolutely amazing! And they came with a sauce that was good too. Beer was fine, nothing amazing but they have some interesting ones like Sapporo and a few others. The next day I even took my mom and sister to the place. They enjoyed it too. We did a tapas type of meal because they have so many little meals so it was nice. However, this time the music was WAY too loud and really annoying. It was in the afternoon and there were some business people there too and I could tell they weren't that happy either. By the time we paid our bill, we were happy to leave because all of a sudden the bass on this music just got out of hand. With the loud music aside, the service and food was really awesome. I hope everyone checks it out. Good place.
(4)Susan C.
This place is very quaint and cozy. Their menu items boast some fantastic sushi and their tacos are absolutely delicious! The tacos are very small, but are packed with tons of flavor. I have come here several times for dinner and once for the lunch buffet on the weekends. While I do not necessarily think the lunch buffet is anything to brag about, the dinner menu is fantastic. My boyfriend and I ate here about a week ago on a Tuesday night (1/2 price bottle of wine night!) he had 5 tacos, I had 3, we ordered 2 sushi rolls, 1 crispy rice, 1 bottle of wine and dessert - the bill was around $85. The food is fantastic. The beignets are absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Their service is fantastic as well. The waitresses were very attentive without being overly annoying. If you're in the area, definitely check this place out!
(4)Ellie D.
This is a cool little place in Schaumburg that has a nice vibe to it. My fiancée and I discovered it last year in the spring time and have been back a few times since. Their tacos are quite amazing! The restaurant has "Taco Time" weekly for an hour or so and the tacos are just $1. Their bento box lunch and sushi selection (although small) is awesome too. I prefer sitting outside on a nice day but it's cozy inside too. They always have a wide selection of drinks. I am not sure which cocktail I had but I remember it was really fruity & good. Check it out!
(4)April P.
I've been anxiously awaiting for this place to open, and we finally made it here on their 4th day open. Must be some sort of "tradition" we're beginning, going to places on their 4th day of business. In any case, we wanted to take advantage of the very brief Chicago warm weather, so we sat outside on the patio, dimly lit and nicely decorated. Mia was our server and she was really nice. She knew the menu really well, and gave us her suggestions, but to be honest, she didn't have ANY dislikes. That says a lot because if you're gonna sell sometime, you better like something more than you dislike something. It's just like going into an interview and saying you have NO WEAKNESSES. A big NO-NO. We had the chicken wings, the crispy lobster rice, beef skewers, and salmon tataki. I wasn't wowed by the lobster rice or the chicken wings, but the beef skewers were nicely tenderized and flavored, and the salmon tataki was out of this world. It had a nice teriyaki sauce and was topped off with a perfectly salt-ified miso. Not overpowering at all, but brought a nice element to a fresh piece of salmon. Mia also gave us some complimentary potato salad. It has chunky and tasted very light. All the plates were small, as this place is a Japanese tapas pub. To round it off nicely, bf said everything was very refreshing and clean. Agreement here. For dessert, we had the beignets and some more complimentary ice cream. The beignets were fabulous, as they were chocolate filled and the chocolate inside wasn't oooey gooey thick, but more so a nice creamy texture. The guava ice cream was ok. Not my fave. Mia was really sweet and while she may have had good intentions, it got kinda offputting when after EVERY single thing we ate, she wanted some feedback. Also, just a little bit of a tip. If you're going to give complimentary of ANYTHING, don't announce it before it comes. Just bring it along with the other plates, explain what it is and keep it moving. I get you guys are a new place and trying to find out what's new and what's likeable, but I was starting to feel like a guinea pig by the time we left. Customers will tell you what they like and don't like, especially if the stuff hits an all time low or an all time high, such as the salmon tataki. On our way out we met will Jill and Bill. Both likeable people who were concerned about the feedback of their customers, but they weren't overly pushy. Cute little place in Street of Woodfield. 3 and a half stars.
(4)Megan O.
I love Tokio Pub! It's a small restaurant/bar right next to Shaws in the Streets of Woodfield right across from the parking garage (because you know, I need to tell you exactly where it is even though the address is provided above, hehe.) Great music, good ambiance, very hip for Schaumburg, lol. The first time I came here was for an engagement party and they rented out the entire venue. Pretty impressive. They served their signature tacos, sushi, dip and other items offered on their menu. I fell in love with the BRAISED PORK TACOS. Great selection on beer, and their "In Bloom" ($10) is definitely exotic. A week later, my boyfriend and I came back for their DOLLAR TACO SPECIAL, where every taco (yes, EVERY taco) is $1! So of course we ordered every taco and that is when I fell in love with their FISH taco. O.M.G. I normally don't like fish tacos, but that was DE-LISH! You have to be their follower on Twitter or a fan on Facebook to know what day and time they will be serving them. I will definitely check this place out again, but only when they have their dollar tacos. In my opinion, I wouldn't want to spend 5 bucks for just 2 tacos... call me money conscious, but when I'm hungry, 2 small tacos won't suffice my appetite!
(4)Collin P.
City like food in the suburbs? Tokio pub recently opened and is attached to the oyster bar at Shaws Crab House. Hard to find unless you really look, this new lettuce entertain you spot is small, and definitely a spot city folk who have moved out to the suburbs will appreciate. The vibe is a back alley of tokyo pub, with small tables and what not. Food wise, they have some great choice. It's a mix of Latin and asian food, with Asian tacos and lots of seafood items. The portioins are smal, more tapas style than anything, but even at that they are a little too small. City prices for tiny bites of food may not fly. 10.00 for 3, 2-inch tacos seems a bit much, although the flavor combinations and ingredients are good. This is the kind of place people will go to once they know about it, and definitely the after movie crowd across the street will filter in. Good food, little pricey, good job by lettuce entertain you on the environment.
(4)Eric F.
Wow Wow Wow Tokio Pub had an amazing ambiance, super fun and really hip. It really reminded me of a place you would find in the city. While it doesn't have the prices of a family diner, the food is outstanding,and they have such a great variety of items. I thought the Shoshito pepper salad had such an interesting taste, as did the other dishes. (Boom potato salad was intensely good! Love the name too heh). It wasn't your typical everyday restaurant selections. Very unique, and most importantly, amazing taste. Best part was that the drinks were made with a really good amount of alcohol. The bartenders didn't hold back at all, and made the drinks nice and strong without ruining the overall flavor of the drink. I had the Ginger Mojito. SO TASTY! The service was outstanding; all of the waitresses loved to joke around and were great with helping out with any questions we had. They genuinely seemed to be having a great time. Our server's name was Claire! She was very attentive and a ton of fun. Amazing service! Tasty, unique food, fun people, wonderful staff, great tunes, and a super cool atmosphere. Overall, awesome time! I'll be back for sure!
(5)Joyce A.
I went to a pool party hosted at Lifetime Fitness and catered by Tokio Pub- so this review is just for the food and the servers. All of the servers were very friendly and attentive. The Food: Think tapas with an Asian or Mexian twist! My two favorite foods were the steak tacos and the tuna crispy rice! I am not normally a fan of sushi- but this was just too good. The bag of beignets should be illegal- melt in your mouth mini-donut filled with wam chocolate- a chocoholic delight. Apparently, from the other reviews- it's not a very large place, otherwise it would make a great party destination for lots of fun food (like an elite event). But, since they apparently do cater- I'd recommend them to anyone thinking about throwing a party and needing it to be caterred!
(5)Vincent T.
The BBQ pork belly with rice and fried egg is amazing!!!!!! The staff made my our first time experience that much better. They feature a very enticing mix of Japanese and Hispanic dishes that are cleverly fused together along with there specialty sake-sangria drinks you'll never want the night to end. One last thing try the dessert nachos.......hidden secret
(5)Giuseppe D.
My mother was in town this weekend and wanted to take me out somewhere. I wanted to try something new and, being that she was staying in the Schaumburg area, I gratefully stumbled upon Tokio Pub. For anyone who hasn't been there before, like myself, the place might be confusing to find. It's basically connected to Shaw's in the Streets of Woodfield so you'll have to look for it off to the side of the giant "Shaw's" sign. After finding it, the rest of the experience turned out great. Tokio Pub is a "tapas" style restaurant, so everything comes in appetizer portions. This initially discouraged me, as I'm a heavy eater, but it worked out perfectly because it lets you order multiple menu items. First was the braised pork tacos, which is braised pork, cabbage, and caramelized pineapple. Yes, pineapple! In two tortillas. I was timid about what the taste would be at first, I'd never had pineapple on a taco, but the combination of the juice from the meat and the sweet juice from the caramelized pineapple was irresitable! Also had the crying tiger shrimp, which is a large piece of shrimp, sriracha hot chili sauce, cabbage, and guacamole. Again, the fusion of all the flavors turned out great. The chili sauce on the shrimp was a tangy spice that was cooled off by the smooth guacamole spread across. Very good. Barbecue pork belly nachos, what can I really say about this? The chips are warm and homemade, smothered with pork belly, cheese, and guacamole. Again, very satisfying, no complaints with this item either. We also ordered the sliders. But when they came to bring them out, they were chicken wings. We gave each other a look and the waitress must've noticed because she asked if something was wrong. We told them we had ordered the sliders but we're fine with eating the chicken wings. They insisted on bringing out sliders, as well, and putting both items on the house! This was really a treat as it was TWO dishes, and both were phenomenal. The sliders came with small but thick patties and a wasabi mayo that was truly enticing. Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you want to look at it), I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the food because I was too busy shoving it in my face :( I didn't get a chance to try any of the rice, but the rest of the food items were amazing and I'll easily return for those. All of the drinks were on special, so I treated myself to about a half dozen Blue Moons. The ambiance was pretty chill, not too loud, not too quiet, perfect for a Friday day with a small group of friends, a few small appetizers and drinks would be perfect to start the night. And lastly, the service was great. The server gave us many insights on the items, had casual conversation and made us laugh. Overall, definitely returning with a group of friends. It's a must.
(5)Kelly P.
Tiki charm with a quality service. Have been a few times and had good if not great pub style food (cheap and quick). Locals go on taco night-best to avoid. Quiet, fun, great drinks and tapas style food make for a relaxed early evening or a romantic late night.
(5)James L.
Asian style tapas dishes. Every dish was very tasty! portions were decent, nothing crazy. I would go back to try some more...
(4)Jamie F.
This is my favorite place in Schaumburg to kick back, have some small plates, and get together with friends. I visit here often since it's a great halfway meeting point for colleagues, family and friends. The BBQ Pork Nachos are sooooo tasty! One of my favorite things ever, but I am a HUGE nacho fan. Their tacos are delicious. My favorite is the Crying Tiger Shrimp. The Crispy Rice is surprising...you can't go wrong with any of the 4 options. The sushi is fresh and delightful. My only complaint is that they don't have a more extensive sushi menu. But, what they have featured is always high quality. I have never been able to go to Tokio Pub during $1 taco time (which is an hour chosen at random each week), but you can visit their website and find out which hour is featured each week.
(4)Justin D.
I came to Tokio Pub the other day with my girlfriend, really wanting to love this place. Unfortunately I thought it fell a little flat. We ordered quite a bit so we could get a chance to taste a lot: Drinks: Ginger Mojito - Tasty, but nothing that special. I didn't really taste much of the ginger or mint in it. Sake Sangria - my girlfriend seemed to enjoy it. Food: BBQ Pork Belly - Came in two skewers. The sauce was good and it was a little fatty which I expected with pork belly. I thought overall it was decent, but again nothing special. Chicken Meatballs - These also came out on skewers. 2 small meatballs per skewer. The meatballs were very tender and moist and flavorful. Crying Tiger Shrimp - 3 shrimp grilled on skewers with sriracha sauce. Just ok. Angry Chicken Tacos - 2 tiny tacos (supposed to spicy) with kim chi. I couldn't even taste the kimchi. The flavor was ok, but with a name like "angry chicken" you expect some kind of a punch and it was pretty mild. Crispy Rice (Lobster and Tuna) - These are basically nigiri, but the rice is deep fried. These were tasty. The texture of the rice was a nice change from you standard sushi rice. Boom Potato Salad - This was good. Diced red and sweet potatoes in a spiced mayonnaise. Pickled Cucumber Salad - The waitress actually brought this one out as a freebie stating it was one of her favorites. It was basically like any pickled cucumber salad that you would get for free at any sushi place. It was good, but it's a pickled cucumber salad. They normally charge $3 for it... really?? The staff was all very friendly and willing to make recommendations. We came in on a Sunday and it was pretty dead, but it was a Sunday. Overall, we paid $70 plus tip for what was not very much food at all. At that price I would expect the food to be much more than just average. If they are going to be tiny portions at that price, then they better be delicious. I don't think I'll be going back, unless the fellow yelpers start giving it an overwhelming 4 or 5 stars.
(3)Stacy B.
My friend and I went to Ikea and stopped by Tokio Pub for dinner after. We LOVED it! I'm in the city and it felt like the city in the suburbs. The Food - was fantastic! We ordered a lot of stuff as it is all small plates. The pickled cucumber salad was light and flavorful, perfect for the summer. The chicken meatballs were tender and delicious. The steak and scallion yakitori were perfectly cooked. The tacos were great! Highly recommend the crispy calamari but our favorite was the crispy rice combinations. We ordered the 5 piece combo and split it and loved it all (tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab and lobster). We finished with the bag of beignets--pure heaven. The cocktails - So good! Refreshing and pretty too. We got the In Bloom, which was on the sweet side but delicious. The blushing geisha was great. Both of these drinks had edible flowers in them which was a cool touch. We also had the sake sangria (available as a cocktail or in a pitcher) and it was the best! It felt festive. The perfect drink to have on their patio (where I'll want to sit on my next visit). The service - Our server Nicole was super nice and knew the menu inside and out (even though it was only open a couple of days). Felt like another great Lettuce Entertain You restaurant experience (from my experience, usually a very good food and service combo). The Decor - Very cool, did not feel like the burbs at all. Felt like we were back in the city. We thought it would be a good place for girlfriends or a date. The music was great too, very hip but we could hear each other talk at the same time. I definitely will go back to this place whenever I hit Ikea or Woodfield Mall shopping--a great addition to Schaumburg!
(5)Navi K.
My ex-bf and I wanted to grab a bit to eat so I took him here. we had a great time, Carolina I believe was our waitress name was fun times. she joked around with us and the food was great! we will be back of course!!! also she even told us that since i was in the industry we get 20% off of our bill which was even super better!!
(5)Amanda G.
A great asian place in Schaumburg! We sat on the patio and ordered a variety of items. The crispy rice is amazing. We tried all three kinds but the lobster stood out as our favorite. We also ordered the tuna tartare which was both fresh and delicious. We got the Dragon Maki and the sushi tasted awesome! Definitely a great place with great service. Also you can check in on Yelp to get a free appetizer here or on Foursquare to get a free maki roll.
(4)John A.
Reminds me of a tapas restaurant which I love. A group of 6 of us ate here so we were able to try most of the menu. The highlights included: Tuna Crispy Rice. Great mini steak tacos and mini fish tacos(fish tacos had a nice zip to them...diced jalapenos). Shrimp Ceviche - we ordered a second serving Tuna Tartar - we ordered a second serving Disappointed with the pork belly skewers...tough texture. Hostess and waitstaff were very friendly and we will return. I'm sure this restaurant will get even better with time.
(4)Kevin S.
Been here once... and let me styart off by saying i'm not a huge sushi enthusiast, nor do I eat it on a even monthly occasion. The drinks were a little on the weak side, but then again they are basically everywhere. Whatever sushi we ordered (3 types) I dont remember nor do I care to, but I loved all 3. delicious, i'll be back.
(4)Long N.
Reserved a table at 8:00 P.M. Which is fine with my wife and two small children. Came there at 7:35 to make sure we were on time for dinner, since this place supposed to be the talk of the town. The Owner told me and my wife that its going to be a 45 min wait even though we reserved a table at 8:00. He told us that he would take care of us and comp our bill 75 to even 100 percent because of the inconvenience. I told him that we were ok and will leave to play at game works in the meantime. They call us back in ten mins which we were happy since it was 8:00. Came back and they put us near the door. We ordered what was recommended from the staff. The nacho taco was good which my son was saying, since he was hungry from the start. My wife and I had the crying shrimp tacos. We were contemp that the tacos were big as a Mexican place, but they were bite sizes. The udon noodle soup was a little over powering for the taste. Overall experience was a shame since it was next to a fine dine restaurant. The price was too expensive and the owner never acknowledged us that he was going to hook us up since I had two small children on a late Friday night. Never again that I would spend my time driving from Aurora to eat at a small taco joint!
(1)Tina A.
I only went here based on the fact that my boyfriend got a lettuce entertain you gift card from his job and our choices were limited unless we wanted to venture out to the city. We went here on a Friday night and had to wait an expected half an hour. We had to got to the bar in Shaw's Crab house which connected to them because there was very limited space at the restaurant area. The hostess came to get us in about 15 min time and were were seated and served immediately. The waitress was very polite and informative. We were starving and were eager to order some sushi( since the restaurant does call itself a sushi bar) but I was surprised to only about 5 rolls on the menu. We started out with a pitcher of mojitos and the pork nachos. The drinks were pretty good, but the nachos were bland and the pork was dry and boring. We then decided on a few other thing and picked the Tokio spicy tuna roll, crispy rice lobster, some sriracha shrimp skewers, and bbq ribs. Every single plate was just ok. The spicy tuna rolls had kick but they were nothing special. Crispy rice lobster tasted like fish sticks left in the oven too long but a little more salty. Shrimp skewers were ok but just because l love Sriracha sauce.The BBQ ribs were nothing I could have gotten from the deli in Jewel. They did have decent little donuts with a chocolate center that ended the meal. All in all I would say just come for the drink and music ( music was awesome). Good thing I was in good company and that we also had a gift card because the $80 check took me a little by surprise. I was also a little turned off by the fact that our waitress pushed a dining card on us pretty persistently at the end of our meal and made it clear that even though we had said no thank you" that we were making a poor decision. So would I go back? Absolutely not.... pros: Good mojitos Music was awesome Cons: lets just say my boyfriend ate a PB and J as soon as we got home
(1)Chaka T.
I love this place, especially on $1 taco night. The crispy fish tacos are stunning. I moved from the city from Schaumburg, this place feels like I'm in the city. I also love the tuna tartar appetizer, the pork tacos and the chocolate filled Beignets. The cocktails are well presented and different. It's my go-to place now.
(5)Rosalynn E.
I found a new love in the suburbs! The food, atmosphere, and staff was absolutely perfect. I had the "In Bloom" martini with the edible flower which was delicious. I love the mild sweetness of the drink accompanied by it's unique garnish. Our waitress was outstanding. It's nice to see staff that's enthusiastic about the concept and food. My date and I were so excited to try everything off the menu that we ended up ordering 8 items plus dessert! Everything tasted amazing, but the one thing that really stood out to me were the calamari. It was spicy yet sweet with a really nice crispiness to it. I will definitely be coming back. They have a patio i need to try out that would be a perfect on a nice day.
(5)mxwp d.
I had a leye gift card and decided to go here and check it out last Saturday night upon my gf's recommendation. I am not really a fan of tapas, but might as well use the gift card. We thought we had to wait in line, but the place was pretty empty, though it started to fill up the later it got. The food was decent but I say skip the noodle dishes. There is much better ramen at other places. The chicken tapas was disappointing, but the sushi rolls were quite tasty. Actually, of all the dishes we tried, the seafood based ones were better than the others. I suppose it makes sense since they are using Shaw's kitchen. I must knock it some since it was a pricey meal and the quality did not warrant such a price tag. tldr: Go for early or late light dinner before movie or Gameworks. Stick with seafood tapas, don't get noodles or non-seafood tapas.
(3)Vicki K.
Yet another example of the mediocrity of LEYE's restaurants. We only went because we had a gift certificate and wanted somewhere close by. It's not horrible food, but bland, bland, bland. The best thing we had was the pork tacos. The tuna tartare has absolutely no flavor and the fish tacos were good, but nothing to write home about. The crispy rice sushi, again very bland - the only thing you could taste was the crispy rice, you'd never know there was tuna on top, except for the texture. And then, to turn the waitress into a salesperson, was a turn-off - trying to peddle their "frequent diner" cards for $25....no thank you. Not worth the time and effort, as with all LEYE restaurants
(2)Julie Y.
Three words. Pork Belly Nachos. I make the trip up to Woodfield just for those babies. I've been here twice recently and the 2nd time something was off. It came out cold and not as juicy as before. Still absolutely delicious mix of sauces though! Check in through yelp and it's free! Service has always been great. I have yet to try the $1 tacos... but I definitely want to one day! The tacos on a normal day are a little pricey for me. I have tried the pork belly, tofu, and kimchi tachos. Of the three, the kimchi ones were the least memorable. The hot sauce ratio was a bit too high for me.
(4)Amber H.
Went here based on Yelp reviews and would have to give it 5 stars ourselves! We had a little bit of everything, left very full and couldn't wait to share how great our experience was. We had an incredible male server - very knowledgeable about the food and beer selection, offered us his personal favorites, and was very attentive. For an appetizer, we had the potstickers and thai basil skirt steak on river rocks. The river rocks were about the size of a big baked potato! You literally put the piece of steak on for 5-10 seconds max, and cook to your liking right at your table. It was a very cool experience and not to mention, incredibly flavorful and arguably our favorite item! We tried the yellowfin tuna sushi and the endless ramen bowl (I loved the beef and my boyfriend loved the pork) - SO full of every flavor and you could taste it all in every bite. The ambiance isn't something to write home about - it's next to Shaw's, and open to that restaurant. It's rather small but could use dimmer lights for a more intimate feel. All in all we were pleasantly surprised and wish it was closer to visit more often! This comes highly recommended!
(5)Mike M.
Great all around! Ended up in Schaumburg to do some shopping and stopped into Tokio Pub on Saturday afternoon. Was instantly greeted by the manager who sat us right away and was attentive and gracious through the entire meal. I think Bill was his name? The service was perfect and really fast--she was funny and knew a ton about the mentu. Their sushi chef also creates for Shaw's (which has the best sushi around imo) so I knew the fish was going to be really fresh and creative. Bill described the sushi as more of a sushi-samba style, with great attention to quality of the fish and tasty sauces--which i think is a perfect description. I loved their take on nigiri, whereby the sushi rice is fried and crunchy on the outside. Lots of texture here which was a welcome surprise. Ours was topped with lobster--I could've eaten 2 orders myself. There are also tacos on the menu a la Big Star style (another one of my go-to's in the city) and a beer and sake list that was interesting and really affordable! Basically, this place was the best of all of my faorite worlds for an afternoon of eating. Tacos, sushi, grilled shrimp, sake, beer, and a really fun server. Oh, and the music was really cool too! I will definitely be heading out to enjoy the patio this summer and looking for many more reasons to head to Schaumburg again in the very near future. Kampai Tokio Pub!!
(5)David N.
Went there last night after a little shopping with my wife and daughter. I had 2 sushi rolls, fair at best, my wife also had a sushi roll, same opinion. I think we will stick to real sushi houses like Tsukasa. My daughter had 3 tacos and again very fair. The restaurant had a nice decor but for the $100.00 it cost me there are much better places, doubt I will be back.
(2)Allen B.
Sunday's Noodle Bowl special is delish. Their Tokio chopped salad, udon noodles in a ramen soup base, and a dessert for $15. Add either an egg or the braised pork to the noodles, or both! The rest of the menu isn't too special. I haven't tried the tacos, but that's the next thing on my list to try. 5/5 service, 4/5 food, 3/5 for $.
(4)Sarah S.
Yummy fusion food, but a little pricey. Definitely a trendy hang out spot.
(4)Christian M.
My family and I went here for the first time during their "happi hour" in which each item on the first page of the menu is half off.. The ambiance was nice, though the place was fairly empty. We selected from the happi hour menu and ended up ordering chicken and fish tacos, the ny strip hot rock, gyoza potstickers, godzilla and crazy dragon rolls, chicken wings, and the pork nachos. There was some confusion among our servers, with them initially bringing out only half of our orders mixed in with another table's food. Given this, they took back food from our table and brought out missing dishes from our order multiple times. Notwithstanding, we ultimately enjoyed our meal. Each dish met or exceeded our expectations, with the nachos and maki rolls being table favorites.
(4)Angela Z.
I appreciate that this place is trying to be a city-type place, but the menu was just ok for me. I really was not a fan of that "crispy rice" with the sushi at all. Not trying to be mean but, it's basically a lump of deep fried starch that tastes kind of gross with the sushi in my opinion. I'm all for creativitiy but I would really prefer if they had some good rolls and fresh nigiri instead. I think that if they altered the menu here a little that the place has potential. The patio is cute and I like that it's open later than other places in the burbs. The service was very good as well. But for now the food and prices just don't match up for me. Although, the fish tacos were not half bad!
(3)elizabeth m.
Food was excellent and they were able to accommodate my party of 10. Loved the fish tacos, pork belly nachos, and especially their ginger mojito! I really didn't mind it was connected to Shaw's or that is wasn't that big. It had a nice vibe going. I will definitely be back! I didn't give it 5 stars because nothing's perfect.
(4)Emely S.
Nacho Taco is my favorite!! Wish they would bring back the sliders. The sliders were absolutely phenomenal.
(4)Ed J.
The place was OK. The ambiance is hip and nice. Food-wise I thought it was expensive for what you get for. I had the tacos which were decent. My friend got the noodles. I could see this as a nice place to grab drinks with friends or a date. Service was good so I might give this place a try again and maybe try the sushi.
(3)Carlos S.
I've lived in many cities around the world London, NY, Mexico City, Cologne....I know what good restaurants are with original food that makes you want to keep exploring the menu.....Tokio Pub brings that to the Chicago suburbs. Ever since I moved here from NY I've been looking for that special place that offers innovative flavors without having to drive all the way downtown. In an area crowded with chains and oversized menus with 10,000 calorie dishes I was glad to find a place that made me feel like I was in a cosmopolitan area while eating good food. Service was extremely friendly, flavors were original and surprising and the drinks were just awesome. I have a new favorite. Try it and you will be pleasantly surprised (unless you are the kind of person who thinks good food is a "cheesecake factory" sized plate that gives you a ton of food for your money)
(5)Stefan K.
The outdoor seating area was a nice environment. Well as nice as you can be when your view is a parking garage or packing lot. But the overall place was nice. A big minus was the lack of restrooms, you have to hike over to Shaws next door. Servers were friendly, but the kitchen was rather slow. Still working out the bugs in the system maybe. The food was hit or miss. Not a fan of the edamame because it is just drenched in their oily sauce. The seasoning was good, but just too much oil. The portions were small in my opinion. I would recommend this place for a quick bite and a drink after a movie. Otherwise, there are many better places for sushi fusion type foods.
(2)Zach T.
Tokio Pub is a little room off the side of Shaw's crab house. Their food is Asian fusion with a specialization on small plates and tacos. We split some tasty wings, then my wife had one of the crispy rice sushi plates that was very good, and I had a 5-taco combo. (be cool: they were very small tacos). The fish was far and away the best, if a little spicy. The chicken with kimchi was good and spicy. The shrimp was almost flavorless, as was the pork. We closed with the beignets. They were excellent. That and 2 drinks each put us back $70. It's a good alternative to what's in the area, and an intimate experience, but I wouldn't rush back.
(3)Brian E.
Went to have a early dinner & to try the "robata-que", the best was the beginning which was a sunday special cocktail.Out of the 4 'rounds' of food the victory goes to chicken noodle soup, asian chopped salad & crispy pub potatoes.The meat dishes all tasted them same, Chinese 5 spice with a sugary soy glazed,It did not help that the meat dishes felt like they were at room temperature when eating them. cold pork nachos totally gross!! At the time of are service there were maybe 8 people in the place so the service was fine just not sure if it was meant to be a "slow pace" between rounds.maybe that's why some of the food was cold when it arrived at the table? Next time I would like to try the sushi or the $1 tacos but my past luck with a leye group restaurant not been good, 4 place's of disappointment & counting.
(2)Scott K.
Went on a Sunday afternoon, quiet, but waitress was friendly. Food was very good. We sampled quite a bit. Cocktails a lil expensive, but overall we like our experience
(4)Lauren R.
Can't go wrong great food!
(4)Kelli Ann L.
Because we have no 1/2 stars, I am rounding up - based on a few things.....service can be a bit slow - but it is a fun and relaxed atmosphere...and BECAUSE we were waiting for some food - our server brought us refills on our mojitos - the ginger ones - and did not charge us - and the desert was yummy and free! Every thing we ate was tasty and good - not too much heat - but enough spice to make your mouth perk up - portions are small on everything but the sushi - but it is made for sharing. It is like a menu of alot of great appetizers. The bathrooms are pain because you have to go through Shaw's Oyster bar and then to the lobby and up some stairs...but heck - I enjoyed the food and it was great to sit outside in 80 degree weather under an awning - and they have heaters out there too - if it cools off - there are so few places around the area where you can eat outside that you would want to - and this was fun. :0)
(4)Jessica G.
I'll give this place 3 stars for only being open for two days at the time we went there. We were greeted and seated promptly. Our server came to our table quickly and did a nice job of getting our drinks and getting our orders taken. We noticed that perhaps they need some help with teaching the correct way to pronounce some of the times but for two days, they didn't do too badly. Some of the food items were pretty good - the cucumber salad and the potato salad were fantastic, as were the fish and pork tacos. I also liked the fried tofu and the dipping sauce pretty well. The beignets, while kind of weird for a Japanese place, were quite yummy, as was the passion fruit ice cream. The Angry Chicken in the tacos were just so-so as were the spicy skewered shrimp. For things that were supposed to be spicy, the flavor just wasn't there, and we didn't love the pub wings - make them boneless with that sauce and I would probably eat a lot more of them. Also, the pork belly was too fatty according to those who ate it. We find it odd that the server didn't bring our food to us - random people did and not sure if they were ordinarily bussers but they were enthusiastic and did do a nice job of explaining what each item was. The other thing we would have liked to see is that the dishes come out when they are ready, not when everything in the round is done. Having gone to actual izakayas in Japan, this is how they do it there and it keeps the hot hot and the cold cold plus then people aren't sitting and waiting for things for longer periods of time. Most tapas places around do that, as well. We did think the service was quite good for the most part, even though one of the staff tried to take one of the beers off the table before my dining companion was done with it, which was a little weird. There is high potential for good things here. There are a few things that could be improved upon and we'll probably go back in a few months and see how things are going. Overall, a solid three-star start.
(3)Tracey H.
Great food, great service. The nachos were scrumptious, and even better...they were FREE for checking in with Yelp when we arrived. Will return...
(4)Joe S.
You won't likely find many (any) contenders in the area. We sampled a good portion of their menu. Original presentation and lots of nice touches throughout our experience. Crispy fried sushi and boom! potato salad were favorites.
(5)Michelle W.
This was my second time at Tokio Pub and the food is still excellent. However, we sat at the bar this time and the service was definitely lacking. The bartender was not at all interested in how our food or drinks were but more interested in her friend at the end of the bar. I highly recommend the food here, I love everything but next time I would definitely sit at a table for better service.
(2)Grace M.
This is a great tapas and drinks restaurant. I went with a fairly big group of 9 people and I don't know if it was because the place is small but we ended up waiting for a table for about 40 minutes? Anyways, the servers told us that the first round of drinks were going to be on them. UM....can you say SCORE?! The wait wasn't even that bad because we were all busy mingling with one another. After we finally got seated and the waitress told us that we could get 4 PITCHERS of their drinks for free. To better illustrate how great this was let me just say that a single serving of their sangria, yuzu margarita, mojito, or passion punch is around $7-8. A pitcher, if you so choose to order, for each of the drinks is $25. So we went there to get food AND drinks. The drinks were on them so we got 4 pitchers which would have been easily $100 for free. Ok....time for the food. The food was delicious. The barbecue sauce on the pork belly reminds me of the sauce us Filipinos use on our barbecues (the one on the stick). Again this place is tapas style so I really don't suggest going there if you hadn't eaten the whole day. Each plate cost $5-$8 I think? I say I think because like I said we received free pitchers. haha. They were very good and the waitress gave us free "1 item on the menu" cards for each of us after our dinner. We will be returning to Tokio Pub again.
(4)John D.
I went to Tokio pub a few times now and its a great place to dine. The food is great and something new to try, the music good as well. The service was outstanding, our server Cat provided excellent service and made my experience there a great one. She was very fun and outgoing. As long with the rest of the staff was very pleasant. would recommend Tokio pub highly.
(5)Nicole O.
I was shopping last week in the suburbs and was beyond thrilled to find Tokio Pub! Exhausted from a trip to Ikea and a bit worse for the wear, I stumbled upon this gem and now I can't wait to go back! The food was AMAZING- the menu is set up so you can try a lot of items even when dining solo....it was perfect! The flavors are sophisticated, the ingredients fresh, and the prices are reasonable. My server was so knowledgeable and guided me through the menu perfectly. I can't wait to go back and try the cocktails. Tokio Pub is the only spot for me in Schaumburg! PS- I also must mention the decor- I felt like I truly was in the City. Very hip and very comfortable!
(5)Renee B.
Great little gem of a restaurant! My girlfriend and I popped in for lunch and drinks and we surprised how delicious everything was. The server, Charlotte made great suggestions. The food is small plates which is a great way to get to taste a little of everything.
(5)Kate W.
The menu of this place made me drool. The food wasn't as great as I had hoped. The ginger mojitos were very yummy. We got an array of tacos, the nachos, and my friends got some sushi. The tacos weren't bad, nothing out of this world. The nachos were ok. My friends said the sushi was ok, nothing special. Overall it's not bad, but not worth the price.
(3)Caitlin O.
I personally loved the interior design here more than anything - but that's not to say my food was bad! The pork belly nachos were utterly delicious, The crunchy sushi was a nice change of pace from my standard sushi options, much as I enjoy them - I like the texture change, it's unusual and quite good. As for dessert, the 3 mini creme brulees were absolutely fabulous - I particularly enjoyed the ginger, though both the orange and the lemongrass were subtle and tasty. All of the cocktails ordered were also amazing and shared between friends - I could drink endless amounts of that sake sangria! Service was prompt and friendly, pricing was a bit high but still very reasonable - it's essentially a short menu of Asian fusion tapas. We spent about $130 between 4 people, but that also included a fair chunk of drinks so it doesn't really surprise me at all. Will definitely be going back!
(4)Mike B.
Went here for date night. Vibe was cool. Waitress was nice. Good beer selection and my wife lived the peach sangria. Food was pretty good. We really liked the tacos,especially the shrimp. The only problem was the kitchen. It is super slow. We went early (7:00 on Saturday). The place was not full. They had a ton of servers and managers running around but I still felt like it took forever to get food. The menu is almost Tapas style so my wife and I decided to try a bunch of different items. They were all very good,but it took almost 30 minutes to get each item so it really killed the flow of our experience. The food runners always seemed a little confused and were coming up to tables asking if the food they had was for them. I am guessing this could be fixed with some process improvement. Overall, great food but felt abandoned several times during the meal because the food took so long. Fix that and this is a 4/5 star joint.
(3)Van K.
Great concept - love the atmosphere and the food! We went there not knowing what to expect as it is brand new place. I've seen good reviews on yelp and decided to give it a try. The service was exceptional - great happy staff welcomed us and we got a nice seat outdoor! The foods are served in tapas style-perfect bite size that goes well with wine, beer or cocktails! Perfect place to hang out with friend and have a great chat! Love the creme brule and salmon tartar! (hey, i think they share the same kitchen as shaw's -so you can bet they have really good seafood!) The whole management team is awesome! Leye - You guys always seem to come up with very innovative ideas!
(5)Chad D.
Decent little place. Got the small tacos to share and a beer or two. Good stuff.
(4)David C.
Just had my first experience at Shaw's Tokio Pub in Schaumburg. WOW!!! does not do enough justice to how wonderful everything was. It is a Tapas sort of menu, in that they are small plates to share and share we did. The menu was anything but traditional. We shared an assortment of tacos and an assortment of sushi rolls. We also enjoyed the the pork belly nachos and Tiger Shrimp. Lunch was topped of with the chocolate filled beignets. Sara the manager walked us through the menu making fantastic suggestions all along the way. If you have not been to Tokio Pub in Schaumburg, stop whatever you are doing and go right now!!!
(5)Carmella M.
Went here for girls night out and was plesantly surprised. Right next to Shaw's and you have to go thru Shaws and use thier restrroms. Which is no big deal Small menu great mixed drinks and very nice atmosphere inside wasn't to crowded service was freindly and food was very tasty.
(4)Jessica T.
Love this place. Love the Atmosphere. And the tacos are the SHIT!
(5)Michael P.
Incredibly cool place, my wife and I love shaws anyway and this place is like cafe babareeba meets your favorite sushi place Would recommend the short ribs ad the spicy edamame If you like cool alcoholic beverages try the sangria with sake Will be back for sure
(4)G B.
What a great addition to Schaumburg! After living downtown for 7 years, moving to the suburbs was hard...especially finding unique places to eat, and TPub was definitely a breath of fresh air! My friends and I really enjoyed everything ate, and the service was spectacular. My favorites would have to be ALL the cocktails, Lobster Crispy Rice, BBQ Braised Pork Nachos (YUM!), Acapulco roll, Crispy Pork Belly, and the Tacos are all delicious! Definitely a win for Lettuce Entertain You if you ask me.
(5)Larry B.
went here yesterday in late afternoon. Small room attached to Shaw Crab house. Trying to sell itself an an izakaya but not so much. more of a hipster fusion place. ordered the potato salad which was a little bland and the potatoes were a little underdone. ordered 3 of the tacos which a tiny but tasty. had the pork belly with hoisin which is nice, the fish taco which is better and the crying tiger shrimp which was best, bathed in sri racha sauce. not a bad venue but you would need to eat a lot of these tacos if you were hungry. i would go back for an app but then go to Shaws for a more substatial meal.
(3)Matt S.
Between a great waitstaff that is knowledgable, friendly and attentive and absolutely incredible food, Tokio Pub is one of my favorites! Taco Time is amazing as is everything else I've tried on their menu. It's a great part of Lettuce Entertain You and I'll continue to go back!!
(5)Maria A.
Started with free potstickers from Yelp check in. These were quite tasty. Took advantage of the Sunday special-- for an additional $3, you get a bottomless bowl of ramen but you don't have to get the same flavor. You can sample all 3 flavors. Pork ramen was flavorful even after holding off on the kimchee and picking out the pickled ginger. Fried coconut bao was just okay. The chocolate filled beignets though were like crack! UPDATE: Had to knock off one star...came home after dinner and an hour later, fingers in both hands were tingling. Looked up and it's either because of too much sodium or MSG. Had to drink at least 64 ozs of water to get it to stop. It eventually went away after 4-5 hours.
(3)Howard L.
They have selective half-priced appetizers and entrees here between 5 and 6 pm on weeknights. We had for dinner tonight: Shrimp tempura roll Grilled steak ramen bowl A three taco combo - crispy fish, crispy chicken, and barbecue pork Ramen burger This was the first time (and alas it will be the last time) that I tried a ramen burger ($11) and I learned that I much prefer a good conventional burger with a bread bun. The fried ramen just didn't have the right texture and taste with a beef patty. The large burger patty itself was just fine. The small tacos were ok at $1.50 each but would be pricey at the regular $3 price. The ramen bowl was fine, but we proactively asked them upon ordering to dilute the salt level down for us, and they did well for us on that front. Overall, an ok meal in a friendly comfortable setting, the kind of setting you expect in a LEYE franchise.
(3)Jimmy W.
Stopped in for a little lunch... Started with the Skirt Steak Hot Rock. Overall it's ok, way too much basil marinade which killed the presentation and didn't really make you want to eat it. Like a small lake of watery green sauce on raw meat... How about spoon a little onto each slice of meat... Once cooked it was good enough but had to get a second rock for the last piece... Had the Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna. Not bad for a gimmicky snack... Finished with 3 tacos. Shrimp, Steak, & Chicken. At $3 ea not that great a deal for the small size. Quality was ok. If you've ever ben to Mercadito etc downtown you'll know what I mean. Others have said $1 taco hour or happy hour is the time to go and I'd have to agree. TP is different in it's offerings but I can't say it hits home for me personally. Nothing was bad here just so so. I had a couple beers and my bill was $44 out the door. I might go back if someone else wanted to go but it's not a destination for me. In a couple years I'll probably forget what it was like and return for a visit...
(3)J C.
I went here for the first time for a last minute get together with close friends on a Friday afternoon. The lunchtime atmosphere was relaxed and somewhat comfortable - definitely trendy. We ordered a maki roll, a salad, chicken tacos and a very unique cook-the-meat-on-a-stone dish. All the dishes were pleasantly delicious and nicely presented. Our server was also very sweet with minimal interruptions which was appreciated. Initially, I felt the prices were a bit high for the portions of eacg dish. After trying the food, I didn't mind the cost at all. I look forward to my next experience at Tokio Pub in the near future!
(4)Liz M.
The waiter was now very knowledgable at all or friendly. The tacos I got were cold as well. Felt claustrophobic in the restaurant as well and was not a pleasant experience. I wish their sushi menu was more extensive and they offered more Japanese dishes. Won't be returning.
(1)Mike M.
I've been to Tokio Pub a couple times, but it seems like every time I go they change up their menu just a little bit. The menu seems more targeted these days, basically just offering various apps, sushi rolls, tacos, and ramen bowls. I thought I remember them in the past offering more entree style dishes. While it's a little limited, everything I've tried on the menu so far has been pretty tasty. I usually go later at night or on weekends, but I decided to meet up a friend for an earlier dinner on a random Monday. Lucky for us it turns out there were some killer deals when we went. We got there just in time for their happy hour, which means it's half off select items on their menu. Then half an hour later they said it was taco time and all tacos would be $1 for an hour. On top of that we got a free gyoza appetizer just for checking in on Yelp. For drink specials they had $5 cocktails. Can't beat dem deals. Food: I was in the mood for some ramen (when am I not?), and for the first time I had the unique opportunity to order ramen two ways: one in soup form, and also in burger form. Yea that's right, they were offering a ramen burger. Spicy chicken ramen - I'll be honest. I came in with lower expectations and was pleasantly surprised. I knew this place didn't specialize in ramen so I wasn't expecting them to be simmering pork bones for multiple days to achieve extreme depth in their broth. The noodles were on the thinner side and were pretty standard. The chicken was actually breaded and fried, and it even kept its crispy outside even though it was floating in the broth. The broth was actually pretty delicious too. It wasn't that rich, but it definitely wasn't bland. The broth had a thin texture, yet was flavorful and slightly spicy from the chili oil, with a good amount of saltiness too, which I personally like. It was basically just a tasty bowl of soup, and I can't really complain about that. Ramen burger - This is basically a hamburger that uses a chunk of compressed, pan-fried ramen noodles as the bun. It's definitely a unique concept I haven't seen at too many other places. I thought the actual ramen element was more of a gimmick than anything though. It didn't really add any distinct flavor to the burger or really remind me of ramen in any way. The outside of the noodle buns had a nice sear to it but for the most part the middle was soft and kind of mushy. I didn't think the ramen part was bad, just nothing special from a taste standpoint. In my opinion the real star is the actual burger patty. The meat was super tender and juicy and it had a nice molasses glaze that gave it a sweet/savory Asian spin to it. It was a pretty tasty burger that makes you curious enough to try at least once. Overall Tokio Pub is a solid place that has a modern and trendy atmosphere and offers a decent Asian fusion menu that is even better when there's a bunch of specials available.
(4)Michelle M.
Happy hour is great for select 1/2 price sushi and ramen. Volcano roll is great if you enjoy spice and the ramen portions are very generous (expensive if not during happy hour). Do NOT let them seat you next to where the busboys put their bins of dirty plates, it is SO annoying and located next to a set of tables for some odd reason. Some of the tables are so close together that it makes you feel like you are dining with strangers. Service feels rushed each time as though the goal is to get you "in and out." Overall a nice quick happy hour stop, but would not waste your money on the experience or prices if you're not there for the specials.
(3)Amanda M.
As others mentioned, it is a little confusing on where to go. We entered through the long walkway and into the side and we just waited by the bar area and were taken care of promptly. For a group of 4 on Saturday around 9pm, there were still a number of open tables. Our sever mentioned that she was new, so she didn't know much about the various beers, but she did offer samples so that was nice. My friend explicitly said he was GF when ordering, but she brought out regular soy sauce for his sushi dish. Good thing he asked. She was apologetic and brought out the GF soy sauce. I would think most people with dietary restrictions generally are cautious anyway, but that's still worrisome for mishaps like that. Anyways, I got the ramen burger, as I've never had it and for being quite a fad for awhile, I don't really know many places even in the city to have this. All of our food came out at an appropriate time. The ramen burger was quite greasy but I didn't mind. I thought it was a bit bland but also thought that it was as good as it was going to be. I'm glad I tried it and it wasn't bad by any means, but likely will not get it again. I tried boo's pork belly and the pork belly and pineapple skewers were quite yummy. The accompanied rice worked well with the dish. My friend's hot rock lost heat pretty quickly so he had to ask for another one. I feel like it is their responsibility to check on the hot rocks though. Overall, Tokio Pub is good for the area and one of the better options over there, but by no means is it amazing. Prices are fair though. I would like to try their ramen next time especially as it is $12 vs. average $16 bowls at places in the city, even mediocre ones.
(3)Danielle S.
I have driven past Tokio Pub so many times, and have tried pretty much every place around it. Finally, I tried it for a belated birthday dinner. First, we started off with the Tauntaun, which was $5 that night. Speaking of which, they have some great appetizer/drink deals throughout the week! The Tauntaun is basically a moscow mule. Very good! We then shared the Japanese hot rock appetizer. I thought it was neat and definitely something I have never seen before. However, I think it's a bit overpriced for what you get, so I probably wouldn't do it again. We then had one of each of the tacos, and one of the sushi rolls. I wasn't impressed with the sushi at all, but the tacos were good (the Tiger Shrimp was the best). They are small, hence the reason why they are so cheap. Since it was my birthday, we got a free order of the Beignets. So good!! The service was very good throughout the night. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and helped us out through the night. I would come back, especially during a happy hour.
(4)datarez z.
The spicy chicken ramen was very good and actually spicy. Nice craft beer selection and Alice was great!
(5)Christine L.
Came here on a Monday night to meet with some friends for dinner. Wasn't really sure where to go after we had walked in, and even after entering the restaurant it was a little confusing as there wasn't a host stand. I ended up walking all the way through to Shaw's, realized I was no longer in Tokio Pub, and then walked all the way back and asked the guy behind the bar who was very friendly and seated me immediately. We made use of the check-in offer (free gyoza!) and I ordered the ramen burger, have to try it once in my life, right? The gyoza was okay. The ramen burger was good, but I'm not sure is get it again. The burger itself and the toppings were great, the ramen part I wasn't really a fan of. They are thinner than your typical ramen noodle and so do have the same "al dente" bite and they were a bit bland. Like it could use a packet of ramen seasoning sprinkled on top, although that might be a bit excessive. Overall the experience was good, food was okay. I would check it out again.
(3)Jaci Y.
Not too bad we had a Tokio Pub coupon from the lettuce entertain you booklet $10 off our tab. I ordere their SLOW-BRAISED PORK IN FUKUOKA BROTH and their NACHO TACO with barbecue-braised pork and salsa guacamole. Can I say YUM on the Nacho Tacos it was good. I liked the Ramen but I didn't love it. Our waitress was very nice and moved our table to a bigger one as we had more guest arriving to join us for lunch. Props to the entire staff for being friendly and accommodating for us.
(4)Kristina K.
It is my 100th review and I was hoping to save it for a place that was 5 star worthy. Well, whatever, I am over it. My friend and I decided to go to Tokyo pub for brunch as we talk about visiting all the time but never do it. I liked the decor. It was trendy. Small joint connected to Shaws but very cute. They have a closed patio which was heated but nobody was there. I want to go and visit it in the summer. My friend had a mixture of tacos and I had the ramen steak soup. She loved her tacos, they were bite size and fit for barbies but hey she was happy. I liked my steak soup but I didnt love it. I think i would have loved it had it not been so salty. It had so many fun ingridients and presented gorgeously. Thumbs up on that. The mimosas were fantastic too. I am definitely going back. I just dont know why I didnt visit before.
(3)Alina S.
Super delish! Can't wait to go back and try more. Although the service was a bit slow (and they didn't offer a free dessert for a bday, they just placed 2 candles around the bag of beignets I ordered as my dessert- so I had to share, boo) all in all we had a great dinner to celebrate a family bday. We ordered an assortment of tacos to start. I had the shrimp and it was wonderfully seasoned. The perfect spice level. The pork belly ones I hear were great too. The chicken ones weren't anything to write home about and just tasted like a chicken tender on a taco I heard my Bf say. I went for some sushi as my entree. The best roll was the Acapulco roll and the rest (California, Godzilla, and Lemon Lime) were nothing special. I did grab a bite of the steak skewer entree and the filets were perfectly cooked and seasoned as well. The beignets I ordered for dessert were tasty. Not too sweet on the outside and filled with an almost a bit bitter but sweet chocolate syrup. Yummmmmy!
(4)Joe J.
My girlfriend and I were leaving GameWorks last night and wanted dinner, but weren't sure where to go. As both Big Bowl and Tokio Pub were within view, we debated between those two options. We finally decided to try Tokio Pub as it looked a but more modern/hip, and I'm glad we did. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food was delicious. My lady tried one of the ramen bowls, which was huge and looked beautiful upon its arrival. She said it was delicious, and based on appearances, I wasn't surprised. I ordered the pork belly yakitori and was similarly pleased. The skewers of alternating pineapple and pork belly presented an amazing flavor combination, and the fried rice served with an egg on top made for a tasty companion. Add in a nice selection of beers and complimentary "beignets" (really more like donut holes full of chocolate sauce) for dessert, and it was a wonderful experience all around. We will definitely be back!
(5)J F.
Good food, great service! Ordered taco combo, ramen soup, and sushi...all good. Minor miscue on our drink order; manager apologized profusely and more than made up for the mistake. Customer for life!
(5)Nick M.
Love the music here. Very hip and low key place to meet for food. My fiance and I went here yesterday for lunch. We were craving sushi and we've always wanted to try it here. We ordered the sweet potatoe maki roll and the spicy tuna roll. Both of which were very good. As a side we also order three smalllll tacos which were $3 each (too expensive).
(4)Peter R.
Ramen burger. A burger with ramen noodles serving as the buns. That is slightly peculiar, but the result is undeniably splendiferous. This and the BBQ pork belly nachos are my two favorite things on the menu here. The tacos are also good in their own right, but the ramen burger is my main squeeze. This spot is connected to Shaw's in Streets of Woodfield, and it is a favorite lunch time and after work spot for me and the Voltron crew. I work in EGV and don't mind the short mini trek to this awesome spot in Schaumbeezy.
(4)Marie H.
Love this place. I'm not s big seafood person so I love that there are plenty of good "land" options. The hot rock appetizer is one of my favorites, especially the skirt steak with the spicy Thai basil. Had the Marinated Chicken Yakitori this time. The chicken, scallions, and rice together is a perfect bite. Yum! And we have always had the great service. My only complaint would be the loud music, but I like a quieter eating environment.
(4)Sandra Y.
I came here today with 2 other people for lunch. It was our first time here so we ordered a little of everything to try. Our server was super nice & helpful. Make sure you check in for free gyoza! :) Maybe it was the lunch menu, so it was a small menu? Maybe it's just always like that. I'm not sure. We ordered the Japanese hot rock filet mignon, gyoza, crying tiger shrimp tacos, crispy fish tacos, lemon lime rainbow roll, slow-braised pork in fukuoka broth (ramen), & then beignets for dessert. The Japanese hot rock filet mignon was as fun as it was tasty. It was nice to be able to cook it for as long as you like your steak cooked. Med rare for me, of course! It seemed like the rocks lost heat really quickly tho. The second time around, it was hot, but not sizzling hot. Also, they knew 3 people were eating and they only brought 2 rocks. Hmm... but they did bring me one right away after I asked. It also came with a dipping sauce trio thing with pickled ginger cucumber, salt, & some dipping sauce.. not sure what was in it. The order comes with 5 pieces of filet & the extra piece we ordered was $2. Gyoza was ok. It was free so I can't complain. The tacos were small, but very good. We ordered one for each person, but I easily could've eaten them all by myself. Literally 2-3 bites for one taco. They both had a spicy kick to them. The tiger shrimp was huge! The tacos were my favorite of the things we ordered. The lemon lime rainbow roll was just your typical roll. It had tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and crab. The slow-braised pork in fukuoka broth was a ramen. My problem with ramen is that it's usually really bland. I haven't really found one that I like yet. This was not much different. It had kimchi in it, so it kinda felt like I was eating at home. Watered down, overcooked ramen with kimchi that has been washed. If you're korean, you'll know what I mean. Other than that, I didn't like it that much. It was just ok, no flavor. Last we got the beignets. They were filled with chocolate & they were tiny! Nothing special. Mostly everything was really good (half was good, half was ok), just the portions were on the small side & seemed pricey for the portion size. I'd still come back tho. Maybe when they have $1 tacos since those were so good, but I'll bet it gets super busy those days, plus parking must be a nightmare.
(3)Valerie A.
Was seated by a very nice hostess tonight right away. She brought us water but that was about all we got. Sat for about 10 mins on the patio before walking into the bar to state we have not had service and would just like to sit at the bar were the seats were open .... but ended up beings occupied. We over heard the table next to us talking about the extremely slow service. We decided to spend our money down the street at granite city.
(1)Ashley A.
Since my first time here, I have been back several times and always enjoy dining at Tokio Pub. I must say it is one of my favorite Lettuce Entertain You restaurants! It always seems to be crowded, even on weeknights, but I think that's a good sign that they are bringing in business. I love the tacos (all of them), especially during Taco Time! and the Hot Rock entrees. Always a pretty decent craft beer selection. I absolutely love the decor, hanging lights & designs on the walls. The patio is really cute & romantic. I'm glad I gave this place a second (and third and fourth...) chance because I really do like this place. Actually have reservations for tonight!
(5)Lisa H.
After all the huge craze of ramen burgers in New York, I knew I had to try the hype for myself. I searched through the Chicagoland area to find a place that serves up a decent ramen burger and stumbled across Tokio Pub. The raving reviews won me over. My sister and I stopped in for lunch one afternoon while we were in the area. If you are having a little trouble locating Tokio Pub, fear not, it shares a building with Shaw's Crab House. Just head towards that way and you will soon discover the small doorway that will lead you into a lounge like atmosphere. As we entered the pub, we noticed the place was empty except for a couple of tables. Even with the almost empty pub, the service seemed to be nonexistent. No one was around to greet us and give us a table; we had to walk up to the bar so we could be seated. After grabbing seats, it even took a while for our waiter to come by. Finally when we were able to order, we decided share: Goyzas - Japanese potstickers filled with chicken and pork served with a ginger sesame vinaigrette. Free with a yelp check-in and a purchase of an entrée, so why not? They were nothing special, just tasted like regular frozen goyzas bought from the grocery store. Ramen: Slow-Braised Pork in Fukuoka Broth - fresh ramen, wakame, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, shitake mushrooms, and a soy-marinated egg. This ramen wasn't my cup of tea, but my sister thought it was ok. Ramen is supposed to be hearty and bursting with flavor, but to me the ginger overpowered the whole entrée. Ramen Burger - angus beef patty, soy molasses, and green onions served with a side of cucumber salad. I had high hopes for this burger, but it was nothing like what I read about. The ramen is supposed to be fried hard enough to hold the shape, but still soft on the inside. My ramen burger was soggy and following apart. The molasses could be the culprit, but who knows. The patty was overcooked, so it was a slight bit chewy. This really was a huge disappointment. Overall, I enjoyed the ambiance but that was it. The food was mediocre and the service was horrible. Also, the bathrooms were a huge inconvenience. You have to walk through Shaw's Crab House and then up the stairs to access the bathrooms. Be prepared to take a long trek. If you were thinking of coming here, I would recommend you to opt out. There are so much better places in the area to grab a bite to eat.
(1)Monty W.
sunday ramen endless bowls...so yum! They have three kinds -try all three. Chicken ramen came with a spicy broth that had depth and character. It is definitely spicy for those who can't take spice (I personally liked it alot) guaranteed to sweat, but its a good heat. Steak/beef served with a soy based broth was a little strange as the flavors don't quite fit with a ramen bowl -tasty on a taco though. And of course winner winner is the pork, classic rich thick broth and well prepared pork. I downed the entire bowl of broth. I could have the broth as my breakfast lunch and dinner. Noodles were somewhat clumpy on some of the bowls we tried though, so there is some improvement to be had. When I feel like a little ramen, it helps to have a little more variety for just a few bucks more for the Sunday special. Yelpers get something just for checking in. Service is good and friendly, informative and knowledgeable servers. Other items that I enjoy include tacos (a bit on the small end, but each is a burst of flavor!). Two bites each taco for my chomping. Each week Tokio has taco night hour $1 tacos, must order either in 3's or 5's. Goes down great with a Sapporo.
(4)Christopher K.
I can't say I've had this thought often... But if I could give more than 5 stars it would be reserved for Tokio Pub Few times in my life have I had a dinner experience where the actual experience is what I remember. My time at Tokio was one of those expertly crafted evenings. Each month Tokio has special events. Last night was their 4 year anniversary party. 4 courses, 4 drinks, $45. Each course, each drink, wowed my table and brought the dining experience to a whole new level. The play on normal foods was elegant and sophisticated while being fun and whimsy. A lot of courses menu's get bogged down by trying to show up the previous course, this wasn't that. Each dish offered something new to the meal. We started with Thai Nachos and sparkling sake, followed by a dish called Tuna Butterfly in a Spring Field and a citrus cocktail, and then the main course was Bacon and Egg Ramen with a glass of Beaujolais, and to wrap up the evening we had a Birthday Cake Egg Roll with a cake batter booze shake! In addition Tokio had $5 handcrafted cocktails so we tried a few of those. My favorite is The Local, which is few gin, koval rose hip, social sparkling sake, cream of coconut, basil, fresh lemon juice, and like nothing I've ever had before. Needless to say I will be back to Tokio, and my group already made reservations for their next event, their Beer Dinner on May 18th! Did I mention that for attending the event we each got a $40 gift certificate for next time? Really Tokio can't be beat. Check it out and fall in love like I did!!!
(5)B R Hungry X.
Good deals, food is hit or miss. Call it good about 60% of the time. Sushi is decent, ramen is a good but a bit salty for my palette. Tacos are a great deal when you go for happy hour or $1 taco days. Fish tacos are one of our favorites, Hub likes the pork tacos. Dessert has good prices too. Need to get the s'mores when you go! Best dessert ever. Not sure we'd come here for full price, maybe once in awhile. Want to try the robata sometime.
(3)Brittany M.
Looking for something tasty and relatively fast before the movies. Couldn't decide between Tokyo Pub and Big Bowl. But then Tokyo Pub smelled much more appetizing and there was no wait. Service was super friendly and knowledgable. I ordered the pork BBQ nachos.. Delicious!! My boyfriend ordered the spicy ramen bowl which was also good if you really love the flavors of sesame and soy. Overall great experience, great food, interesting menu. I would definitely go back and try the crazy dragon roll.
(4)Stan P.
Dodd was great service was Amine fabulous as well. The soups are soooo good. Appetizer of pot stickers, and spicy tuna roll were perfect as well.
(5)Linh L.
Had a fun girls night out here. We were in the area and decided to stop by. I loved our server. She was fun, relaxed, and wasn't bothersome. (I can't stand it when servers come back just because they're bored.) Good drinks and small bites. The ramen burger wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be crispy. I guess it's because they look like the packaged instant noodles.
(5)Chelsea D.
The service we received on 06/13/15 was tremendously better than back in February. I made a reservation on Open Table for 6:30pm and we were seated right away after checking in with the hostess (who could have been a bit friendlier). I included my seafood/shellfish allergy in the comments/requests area on OT which was passed along to our waiter, Kevin. He politely introduced himself and was considerate in getting all the details about my allergy before asking what we wanted to drink. He let us take our time in ordering and was knowledgable about the menu when we asked for recommendations. He always made sure to check on us to see if we needed anything else and refilled our water without asking. We ordered 1 of the Japanese Hot Rock skirt steak with spicy thai basil appetizers that comes with 5 slices of skirt steak. You cook the meat yourself on a hot stone and watch it sizzle (which is cool because it is a smaller version of kbbq "all you can eat"). We each got our own hot stone. You also get house-made marinades, cucumber salad, and hot mustard sauce. We also ordered the chicken and pork Potstickers that comes with ginger sesame vinaigrette. This is your basic potstickers, which you can buy frozen and in bulk at Costco and cook at home yourself, so it's honestly not worth the money for 5 pieces. For our entrees, we got the filet mignon Yakitori with grilled crimini mushrooms in a spicy soy-garlic glaze. It also comes with a sunny side up egg on a delicious bed of fried rice. This is highly recommendable! My boyfriend also ordered the Tauntaun cocktail which is 42 below (vodka), pok pok thai basil, fresh lime juice, and goslings ginger beer. He said it was refreshing and he could barely taste the vodka. Kevin said it is one of the most popular cocktails. We also ordered food to go for my parents and we got 1 of each taco, the marinated chicken Yakitori, and the ramen burger. My boyfriend said he would go back for sure for the ramen burger - angus beef, soy "molasses" mizuna, green onion, all in between two ramen "buns," and a side of cucumber salad. Thanks to Amanda Roche for welcoming us back to Tokio Pub. It was worth trying again.
(4)Femme C.
We ordered sushi, edamame, and tacos. Our server Emine was very sweet and helped us guide through the menu and provide a recommendation. I ordered a beverage not on the menu as they use the bar at Shaw's too. So, if you see something you like not on the menu, ask. My gf ordered the nacho tacos which they are fame for, you can mix and match. I went with the sushi which was yummy.
(5)Brian B.
We enjoyed this place well enough. Maybe a little pricey but was a fun night out. Sorta trendy hip background music and fairly dark inside. This place is more of an appetizer joint rather than full complete entrees. We started with two of the different marinated steak slices that you drop onto a searing hot rock they bring you to quickly cook them and that was fun. Then tried two different sushi rolls which were very fresh and decent. The had one each of the little tacos. Those were real good. Especially the fish and ginger beef tacos. Then finished with the calamari which I really liked. We did a pitcher of the pub tea drink that was good but steep at $25. Pretty large bill for two people considering it was not exactly a lot of food portion. But still we liked the place and may try it again in the future.
(4)Isabel K.
food was good - my rock was cold and service needed some help will return - great taco promos!!
(3)Rose D.
The management invited us to come back and give them another chance and we finally made our way back to the mall area. We came on a Friday night and they were busy but the service was quite good (4-stars for service). On this visit the timing of our various courses came out at appropriate intervals and the service was attentive & timely. Even though there is a bottle of water on the table we never filled our water glasses ourselves and someone else was already doing it for us. Some of he food, however, could have definitely been better (2-4 stars ranging for the food) so I'll split the difference and settle on 3-stars overall. We started with the Sweet Potato Tempura Roll which was both our fave - a different & vegetarian take on a sushi roll that was quite tasty. For the entrees we ordered the Ramen Burger and 5-tacos (2 fish, 2 nacho & 1 shrimp). The Ramen Burger is a novelty and while the burger itself was cooked & seasoned perfectly, with a delicious glaze on it, the ramen "bun" really had no flavor and I would have rather had a regular bun that would hold up better and allow for more toppings on the burger. The tacos came on this platter with metal holders to keep each individual taco upright and I would have thought perhaps the metal would have been warmed to help keep the tacos warm longer but it was not and by the time just 1 taco of the 5 were consumed the other 4 were just luke warm...so the final 3 tacos were pretty much cold by the time they were eaten (and my husband is a quick eater so it's not like he was dilly-dallying eating them). He said the nacho taco had the best flavor. The fried fish taco seemed like a small frozen fish stick they fried and the fish had a bit of an off-flavor...as if frozen too long or fried in oil that needed to be changed. He liked the shrimp taco but it only had 2 shrimp on it (these tacos are smaller but only 2 shrimp seemed a bit sparse even for the small size) and they had the tails on so you had to remove the tails and then put the shrimp back on the taco before you could eat it - seemed a bit odd. For dessert we tried the Coconut Bao which came with ice cream & the Coconut Bread Pudding. The Coconut Bao was quite small in comparison to the giant piece of bread pudding - granted the bread pudding is $1 more than the bao. Both tasted quite good, though the bread pudding could have used some sort of sauce.
(3)Sendizzy S.
In a nutshell, it's the go-to Happy Hour ramen place in the area. For being part of a chain restaurant they have a unique feel. Their menu draws in flavors primarily from Asia but fused with Latin dishes and drinks. I recommend this place for any work outing. Also worth mentioning is their indie music selection playing in the background; always a good array. The only downfall is that it doesn't have its own restroom. Patrons have to go through Shaw's to get to it.
(4)Emery C.
Amazing food! I recently discovered this place about three months ago and I'm pretty sure I've been here about 12 times ever since. Their ramen burger is usually my go-to but last time I got one of their spicy chicken ramen bowls... Unreal, this is a must try place!
(5)Ali N.
Sushi is very nice . I ordered tune spicy tuna roll, marinated chicken, it was ok chicken nothing surprising We ordered ramen noodles bowl, it was ok too Nothing exciting
(3)Mike F.
The Ramen Burger is the best burger ever! It was super delicious! Alice the bartender was also the best ever!
(5)Mekhala E.
It was horrendously crazy outside on this wintery Tuesday. As someone who has lived in California and Texas for the most part, this snow thing was fascinating....for a split second.... and then I got bored! We were looking for something close to our hotel with decent food and vibe. Tokio Pub was a pleasant surprise; it was quite full for a Tuesday night. The ambiance is pub like of course, a little dim for my liking but comforting nevertheless. Because it was a little gloomy outside, I would have liked Tokio Pub to blast ACDC or likes just to perk things up..I live in San Francisco, I am used to flamboyance and loudness, I think Tokio could use some of that (in winters at least). Also, people who are talking about the rolls and sushi not being authentic here, you need to take a step back and think about what you are saying. The establishment has "pub" in its name, I don't think they are pretending to be an authentic sushi place. A quick look at the menu will tell you that this is strict pub fare that happens to be heavily Japanese influenced. We were seated immediately upon arrival, our server, Alice (I think) was great. She took time to explain the concept to us and was very attentive. They had the restaurant week menu that day- for two people, $33 something for three shareables, one entrée and one dessert is not bad. But we skipped it, we are unpredictable that way. Wait, we are not, we ended up getting the most predictable shi*$ on the menu. The bang bang calamari was incredible. The calamari was fresh and cooked perfectly, the breading was light and the dressing was not overpowering at all. If you are a fan of bang bang or rock shrimp, give this a shot, it is good. Volcano roll was also very good, I have never had a roll with soy paper before, the light green colored paper that almost looks like lettuce. It is not as chewy as nori, has a very subtle taste and is a great variation for rolls. Our Server informed us that you can ask for any roll to be made with soy paper. The most disappointing preparation of the night was the king crab California roll. The rice was pretty dry and this dish did not do anything for us. This is what you get for ordering a California roll outside of California ;) If you want to get some beers or sake or whatever, sit back and eat some food without thinking about the caloric intake, go check out Tokio Pub.
(4)Kimsy S.
I had a very pleasant experience at Tokio Pub today. My server, Kevin, has been very attentive and informative. I came at a very good time: Sunday is bottomless Ramen, and from 5:00-6:00pm is $1 tacos. I ordered the Grilled Steak in Soy-Ramen broth noodle bowl first. The broth was a little salty for my taste, but they don't skimp on the meat and veggies. I also ordered the Slow-Braised Pork in Fukuoka Broth: AWESOME. I really appreciated the fatty cuts of pork; the fat is the best part of any meat in my opinion. Taking advantage of happy hour, I decided to try the tacos. I ordered a crispy chicken, steak, nacho (with BBQ braised pork), and crispy fish. All of them were great, but my favorites are definitely the crispy fish and the nacho. AMAZING flavor with both. And the beignets are a MUST. They're not beignets in the traditional sense; they're more like donut holes with a dark chocolate filling. But they're sugary amazing goodness. Treat yourself. I look forward to coming again to try the Ramen Burgers and hot rock appetizers. Give them a try! And ask for Kevin as your server, he's great. :-)
(4)Ericka L.
So whenever I come here I just eat like a big fatty. Get the coconut curry soup...you'll want it fed to you intravenously from now on. Love the potstickers...and you get a free order of them when you check in with your Yelp app! Crispy fish and chicken tacos? YUM! Tiger shrimp tacos? YUM AND PREPARE TO BREATHE FIRE Yep...usually all in one sitting. Also be on the lookout for their Taco Time. You have to follow them in Twitter or Facebook in order to see when the next one is. Taco Time is one hour where all tacos are $1 each...trust me...that's a heavenly deal.
(5)Josh G.
I'll preface this review that you should not trust maps to get you to this place. I honestly did not know I kept getting told to enter via Higgins Road, where that was not possible unless you went through the Streets of Woodfield, which you need to do to get to this place. I spent about 20 minutes trying to find this place as I was meeting some friends after work here. Needless to say, it is in the same building as Shaw's Crab Shack and I should've looked this up prior to coming in Friday night traffic. I was surprised that this place wasn't more busy at 6 P.M. on a Friday night, but it definitely picked up the pace as the night went on. If you're coming later than 7 P.M. on Friday, I'd recommend getting reservations. Like other reviews have already mentioned, it is a bit quirky of an entrance as it takes you to an indoor/outdoor place before proceeding to inside the restaurant to be seated. Make sure to enter by the Tokiopub sign otherwise, you'll be going to Joe's Crab Shack and have to walk all the way to the other side of the building. My friends were already here about 25 minutes prior to me showing up, so they already ordered some great appetizers off their "Happi Hour" menu. I had the Shrimp Tempura, which I was rather impressed with. I put too much wasabi on my tempura and it burned the whole way down. I thought it was great and well done. I followed that by ordering a variety of Tacos. The tacos were great, but I probably should've gotten something else as it was not as filling as I'd hoped it would be. If you're hungry, get a ramen bowl. Those things are huge and will get the job of satisfying your hunger. Three people ordered the Ramen bowl and no one finished it. They ended up boxing it and taking it home. This place had a hip/fun atmosphere and felt very trendy in a good way. I would also come back to this place again as well. The service we had was also very good and attentive.
(4)Jillian M.
Even been at Woodfield and think "Hmmm I want sushi". Well this place is NOT for you! Pretentious hipster version Perhaps... Bland over priced and maybe 5 sushi choices. Great if you want to be ironic and have a "cool" place to tag yourself in on Facebook. Fish tacos were a fish stick in a tortilla. Crazy dragon roll was presented well and had the most flavor so for that alone they get 2 stars. Shrimp tempura roll was bland and over stuffed with lettuce garnish to fill it. Just terrible. If you're legit hungry, don't go.
(2)Lily F.
After an hour of deciding where to eat, my friend and I decided to come to Tokio Pub to try it out after hearing great things from Yelp. We loved how simple, yet diverse the menu was. It's not a typical sushi or Japanese restaurant. They have a few special rolls, ramen, tacos, and some other unique food items, including the ultra cool hot rock where you can cook your own ahi tuna or steak. We received our free gyoza after checking in on Yelp (woot!) and also ordered the volcano roll and the ahi tuna hot rock as starters. The volcano roll didn't taste like anything similar to the volcano rolls I've had, but not in a bad way. Instead of crawfish mixed in creamy sauce on top of some California rolls, their version was a lot lighter, with little pieces of fried pieces of red peppers on top of a tuna roll. The hot rock ahi tuna was fun and amazingly tasty and the gyoza was simply delectable. The dumpling skin wasn't too thick and the accompanying sauce wasn't too sweet. We ordered the pork ramen and crying tiger shrimp tacos with some hot sake for our entrees. Even looking back at it now, there is nothing to complain or even nitpick at. The ramen had a great broth and I loved the kimchee that they added. Overall, I had a memorable meal and would love to come back.
(5)Meatdowntown C.
Reasonable prices and great flavors. I love the simplicity of the menu. The shrimp tacos were just okay, but the steak ones were pretty good. We also ordered the pork ramen and the beef ramen. Definitely the beef ramen was more fun and flavorful. I would have preferred if they have different types of noodles for the ramen options. The fried rice and skewer "Yaki something" was very decent. The volcano sushi was the star of the night. It was simply excellent but you must tolerate hot and spicy. The coconut bread pudding was very very good. I will definitely come back.
(4)Melanie S.
*Review for Happy Hour only* Happy Hour (M-F from 5-6) at Tokio Pub is a great deal, but probably the only reason I'd come here. Several appetizers are priced at 50% off, which is a good thing, because I would have felt kind of ripped off paying full price. Normally I'm never in Schaumburg on a weekday at this time, but I was in the area taking my niece for a driving lesson on Memorial Day, so I was able to take advantage. Let's face it: after taking a 16 year old out driving, I needed many drinks. On Mondays, most of the cocktails are only $5, so coupled with specially-priced apps, it's a no-brainer. Drinks are Asian-inspired (many have sake) and are tasty and drinkable. I really liked the Tokio Rose. We ordered two sushi rolls: the shrimp tempura and the spicy tuna. Both were large and plenty to share, and considering the portion size, probably the best value on the 50% off menu. We also tried the ahi tuna and filet mignon "hot rock." Comes marinated and raw, and then you cook it on the hot rock. Really tasty, but I would never pay $10 (full price) for such tiny portions. Tacos were excellent too, but at $3/each, you'd be crazy to order them at any time other than Happy Hour or Taco Time. The service was great, the food was good. I especially liked the chocolate beignets we brought home. All in all, I enjoyed Tokio Pub, but I can't imagine coming here and paying full price without feeling cheated. Having said that, it's definitely worth coming here for Happy Hour. You'll eat some tasty viddles without breaking the bank.
(3)Angela P.
Happy hour. 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 50% off most appetizers and small plates. Why haven't you bookmarked this place yet? Why haven't you BEEN here yet? We loved everything we ordered. Two of us shared five tacos, two sushi rolls, BBQ nachos, and potstickers. Total? $55, which also includes two cocktails. We weren't charged for the tacos, but it's still an absolute STEAL. I love that we were able to order a bunch of different things and share at such a low price. The sweet potato roll, spicy tuna roll, and BBQ nachos were my favorites. My friends offered me a glass from their pitcher of sangria, and I soon learned that I should never turn down sangria, because you'll get that cross-eyed, "are you fcking crazy?" look from your friends. I actually just really wanted to browse the cocktail menu. I had the Tokio Rose cocktail which had St. Germain and...who cares what else was in it, it has St. Germain! I also had my eye on the Ginger Mojito. Maybe next time. The inside of this place is definitely on the trendy list. Not too bright, not too loud, and busy but not too crowded. I'd come back here for a girl's night, date night, or if I just needed some damn food and a cocktail after a particularly stressful day. When we arrived at 5:00 p.m., the place was nearly empty. We left just before 7:00 p.m., and it was bustling! I don't know if it was me just being a nervous nancy about getting out on time (needed to be at a Whole Foods event at 7!) or if it really did take a few extra minutes to get us our checks and swipe our credit cards. Nevertheless, make sure that if you've got somewhere to be when it's busy that you give yourself a few extra minutes to cash out. They were also very accomodating with our semi-large group and had no qualms with splitting the checks, which is awesome!
(5)Rebecca C.
With so many Asian/Pan-Asian/Japanese/Ramen/Sushi style places inundating and crowding the landscape in and around Chicago, Tokio Pub is one of the many. Like most of them, they're all starting to blend into an abyss that's more America does Japanese Sushi rolls, come taste the rolls we have! Well, we did, only we didn't try Tokio Pub's rolls. After awhile, the fad is redundant. A friend and I dined there for lunch on a Saturday. We first split a "Simple Salad," which translates to "don't bother." At $7, the handful of radicchio with some avocado and a sprinkling of seeds, seemed more appropriate for a side salad included with a meal, than a salad standing alone. Anyways, my friend ordered the chicken Yaki, I ordered the 5 taco sampler and we shared both. The chicken was excellent, albeit salty, but just enough to be tasty. The "vegetables" were limited to green onions, which was disappointing, but somewhat expected. The rice that came with the dish was delicious, but also had enough salt going on to disinfect the mouths of a day's patients at the dentist. The taco sampler was delicious. While they were kind of small, especially for $15, each taco was loaded and filling. With a decent sized doggy bag, we shared the Beignets since Hanna H guaranteed they were fantastic - which they were. Served a bit kitschy, in a paper bag, the 4 little donuts melt in your mouth and are loaded with freshness and flavor. If there weren't so many similar venues, I would maybe give an extra star. Since there are way too many copycats, and this is one of the LEY places that's not exceptional over the rest, I give them 3 stars. For service, definitely 4 or 5 stars. That is where they DO shine.
(3)Jennifer L.
My mom picked this place for Sunday brunch to celebrate some sort of holiday in the spring. Perhaps it was Mother's Day or the April birthdays (mine, hers and my father's). My memory escapes me. We had planned on going elsewhere, but she backed out since she didn't want to trek out into the city, which is understandable. The pub isn't very large and had a minimalist chic look to it. I definitely enjoyed the dark wood tables and clean lines. The prices for brunch were fairly reasonable, with the most expensive item being $15. However, the menu was a little odd to me. It's definitely not your traditional brunch. You will not find a simple eggs, hash browns, sausage/bacon plate here. Instead, you will see something called a french toast "maki" on the menu, which is a tempura french toast with bananas foster sauce, kiwi and mango. If that's not out of the box; then I don't know what is. I was so intrigued by it and almost got it, but the tempura wasn't sitting too well with me. So, I chickened out and got the crispy fish tacos, which are $3 each. You can order 3 or 5. And, you can mix and match tacos. They also offer chicken, steak, pork and shrimp. A chipotle remoulade was atop the tacos. And, by golly, was it spicy! Again, my tolerance for spice is low, but I was really feeling it with the sauce. The price, for what it was worth, was good and the portion size was just right - not too large or too small. Those with larger appetites would be best off ordering five tacos. Don't skip out on the chocolate beignets for something sweet after your meal. For $4 you get 5 of them and can take them home if you don't devour them there. I definitely recommend ordering more if you've got sugar monsters (such as myself) in your party. Those people will probably want a bag (or two) all to themselves! Unfortunately, service wasn't the greatest and was slow since there were only two waitresses working. It was also pretty cold inside, which was strange since the outer enclosed patio area was heated. You get a free gyoza appetizer if you check in on Yelp. Just make sure your server take it off. It was on our bill so we had to kindly ask her to remove it, which she did without issue. Oh, and it's connected to Shaw's so you'll have to go there to use their bathroom, which is upstairs. Overall, decent brunch, but I definitely would be hard-pressed to come back and don't think I would unless someone else really wanted to dine here.
(3)Nicolette H.
Such an awesome place. I love that the restaurant is smaller in size and more intimate. Great cocktails- The Local was AMAZING. It has gin, sake, cream of coconut and ginger as ingredients. As some highlights: the pork belly was the best thing I had there. Ahi Tuna was also excellent quality, and the volcano roll was delish. I find myself suggesting this place when going out with a few friends or on a date. The service is always great, but this past Friday, I had one of the best servers I've ever had. I wish I caught his name, but he recently moved here from LA and was working in the area close to the bar. He was so helpful, guided us through the menu, was very attentive without being overbearing. I'll be requesting him again. Love this restaurant.
(5)Chris K.
Not worth it. The restaurant seems like an afterthought and just through it up with the extra space from Shaw's. The layout is awkward and the entrance looks like your walking into a closed bar and then enter by the kitchen. The food is overpriced for the portions and very bland for a Japanese/Mexican flare restaurant. The staff is kind of useless when selecting a dish because everything is good. Also, he was too busy talking about himself, so I took the bottle of water opened it and started refilling glasses of water for the table.
(1)Genevieve L.
Tokio pub is actually connected to Shaws. Portions are smaller and meant to be more like tapas but the food is good. The drinks are also strong. Good place to relax after a long day of work
(4)Claire N.
We have been here twice in the last 3 months and it has been amazing both times. The pork tacos are so good, as are the pork nachos! It's the same pork on both, so I highly recommend trying one or both of them. We have also tried the sushi rolls and calamari. The spicy tuna roll was so good - awesome sauce on it and great quality. The calamari was super awesome too, but I think next time I would ask for the sauce on the side - although it's really good, it started to make the calamari a little mushy as you got to the bottom and after it had saturated for awhile. We also tried the hot rock filet as an appetizer. That was something new for me and I loved it! It's fun AND tasty! The mojito they have is super good too (and not skimpy on the alcohol)! Overall, this place is a must-try, especially if you live in the Schaumburg area!
(5)Nick B.
Came here for the first time the other day to enjoy a quiet dinner with my girlfriend. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. The food was great, our waitress was nice and the soundtrack was catchy. After looking at the prices on the menu, I was a bit scared, but our final bill was way less than I thought it was going to be. They also have specials on both Yelp and Foursquare (free stuff connoisseurs, rejoice!) Will definitely be returning.
(5)Megan T.
We really enjoy eating here. On Sundays they have all you can eat Ramen bowls and different specials each night. The music and atmosphere is nice and my two little ones like it here too. Most of the waiters are nice, however every now and then we get a grumpy girl. I LOVE the crunchy shrimp. The menu is simple and pretty customizable because it is simple. Recommend giving it a try.
(4)Griff M.
Made a reservation for this place! We were seated in the back room, all by ourselves. My wife and I were totally ok with it because it was quiet! Waitress took our drink order and was very polite in walking us through the menu. After she left, the manager came over to our table. He said that he had a perfect spot that opened up in the main dining room and apologized for seating is in the back room! After we moved, he proceeded to buy us a round of drinks and dessert! My wife and I were thrilled. We had the tacos and a sushi roll and all were delicious!!!! The wait staff was so attentive and absolutely amazing!! This was our first time there and we will be going back soon. A+++++++++++
(5)Jeremy W.
Just finished my first visit to Tokyo Pub and was very satisfied. The food was excellent and our server, Chris, was very helpful with our meal choice. I had the dragon roll and rainbow roll. Both were delicious. I also tried the bang bang calamari from my mom's plate and it was one of the best calamari I've had in awhile. I will definitely come back and recommend this place to friends.
(5)Russell K.
Absolutely fantastic. (Oh and if you can't find it, it's attached to Shaw 's) Enjoy.
(5)Michelle T.
Love the vibe and the general coolness of this place! The sushi is excellent and they have killer Sangria. The staff always have fun welcoming personalities and they make your time with them enjoyable. Check it out! One of our favorites!!
(5)Sarah S.
An update to say Tokio Pub has completely won me over - I'm completely obsessed. Their happy hour is 5-6 each day and they have a TON of food that is half off during that hour including maki rolls. Their sweet potato tempura roll fulfills my need for orange poe-tah-toe rolls and has spinach tempura crumbs on the outside. I absolutely love that little touch. Every roll I've tried at Tokio Pub is phenomenal and during happy hour they are just $4-5!!! It really doesn't get better than that in the pricing department. I'm always pushing everyone to Tokio Pub for their amazing happy hour - and on Tuesdays it gets even better! Half price bottles of wine all day. They have a sweet Snapdragon Riesling that I get every time for $14. Fantastic deal! The best part about Tokio Pub is their outdoor patio. It's the perfect spot for a nice weather day happy hour. Plus, I've had amazing service every single time I've gone.
(5)Mykil G.
One wonderful little gem in the heart of the Streets of Woodfield. Fantastic primer before catching a move too. We really enjoy the chef's fusion. Be sure to try the tacos, sushi and hot rock. Enjoy...
(4)Alena K.
Very trendy atmosphere and the staff is super friendly. Went there on a Friday night and had their $1 taco special. The crying tiger shrimp and the chicken tacos were the best. The fish one was not bad. The others a bit too plain for my liking overall great deal. We also had the lemon and lime dragon roll which was fresh. The drinks are small but taste good. We had the s'mores dessert which was not bad but too much ice cream and the marshmallow was hard to add to the treat. Prices are a tad high for the portion size. Overall would recommend. Nice hang out place for a group of friends or a casual date. They have very cute patio space for the summer that I would want to come back for.
(4)Melissa A.
Tokio Pub is a quaint little restaurant attached to Shaw's Crab House. I came here today with some friends for lunch to the finish off Restaurant Week 2014 with a bang! I'm glad we came here because I definitely will be back to get my fill of this place. They offered restaurant week deals for lunch and dinner, and even though we came for lunch we ordered the dinner menu since we're gluttons! The restaurant week menu was $33 for two people and we were given the following dishes to share between the 2: two choices of edamame over rice (spicy something or like a ginger sauce), 3 tacos of your choice, a tuna (?) cucumber maki roll, two types of ramen to choose, and oreo rice krispy treats for dessert. The tacos I tried were the steak and crying tiger shrimp taco; both were delicious but the shrimp one was phenomenal. I could have eaten 3 of the crying tiger shrimp tacos for a meal, it was that good. The choices for ramen were either a steak or pork ramen. We ordered the steak ramen and it was decent but nothing special; I wouldn't recommend coming here solely for the ramen. We took our oreo rice krispies to go since we were tight on time especially because our server wasn't very attentive. She stood around and talked with the other servers a lot since it wasn't very busy when we were there. We intended to save the rice krispies for later since we were stuffed from the meal, but once we got into the car we immediately opened the container and stuffed them into our mouths..and it was not in a ladylike fashion at all haha The rice krispies were absolutely wonderful and I would recommend ordering them if they offer them on their regular menu. I mean, how can rice krispy treats infused with oreos not be awesome?? Oh, side note, Tokio Pub offers happy hour Monday through Friday from 5-6pm. They have half priced appetizers, select sushi rolls, tacos, and a few other things on their menu. Our server also said they have drink specials on Mondays and Tuesdays I believe; $5 cocktails on Mondays and I don't remember what the drink special was for Tuesday (sorry I'm useless, can't eat and listen at the same time). Also, I read on the menu that they have something called "Taco Time" which is when they offer their tacos for $1 one day for one hour a week. UM HOW AWESOME IS THAT?? Apparently you have to follow them on facebook, twitter, or on their website to be in the know. I read on their chalkboard by the door the next taco time is FEB 11TH AT 8PM so HEADS UP if you want some bomb tacos!
(4)Katie M.
I have never had a bad meal at Tokio Pub. Since going with some friends a few months ago, every time I've gone I've ordered something different. And every time they've been so good. I highly suggest either of their ramen bowls. Both are really delicious! My favorite sushi roll has to be the Godzilla roll that they make. The rolls are a bit bigger than I'd like to shove in my mouth, but 100% worth it. You can really taste all of the ingredients, and the guacamole is an interesting addition to sushi. Make sure you check in on Yelp! Tokio Pub does have deals for when you check in. The last time I was here I got free Gyoza, which were pretty much potstickers. But they were pretty great.
(4)Kat A.
I came here with my friend during restaurant week to try this place out. The deal was really good. Only $33 for both of us to share the four courses. The edamame was the first course...nothing special. But the next course, the tacos were delish. My favorite was the shrimp taco. The ramen was ok. I wouldn't order it again. And the final course was the dessert-cookies and cream rice krispy treast. They were really good! I would come back to try some of the other items on their menu and get the tacos again.
(4)Abha S.
OMG what a great place to go and hang out for a few with family and friends. I am so glad I found another Ramen place closer to me ! Ordered their spicy chicken ramen bowl and boy was it hot! The portion size was great and my husband enjoyed his Ramen burger. We loved the ambience and would happily return with our friends :)
(4)Kristy M.
Don't waste your time going here! Not even for the Happy Hour deals... First, this restaurant is apart of Shaws which means that they share the same TINY parking lot and valet service. Note that the valet service used all the parking spots close to the restaurant to push customers to use valet VS parking super far away. I was here over the week for the $1.00 tacos and GROSS! The menu has few options and when you ask to modify the $1.00 tacos they wont let you. I met up some friends about an hour after they arrived, spent 20 minutes looking for parking and after sitting down at the table the waitress took forever to greet me, take my order and once my food was out she couldn't even bring me clean silverware. Never Again will I be going to Tokio Pub and highly suggest you don't either...
(1)Julie Y.
Came here for lunch and ordered a bunch of vine, sushi, wings and tacos. They were all really good! I recommend the wings!!
(4)Christine D.
I'm pretty sure this is one of the only Tokio Pubs around. Good happy hour specials and they have a great sushi selection. Also...their fish tacos are a must. The windows open up so it's perfect for warm weather. They also have a s'more dessert. The graham cracker is homemade and it's a big portion...definitely get it and share it. I just flat out love this place and you will too.
(4)Sal R.
Have been planning on checking this place out for awhile and finally got a chance too. Glad I did. I didn't really know what to expect for a Japanese restaurant with a taco section but was pleasantly surprised. Everything we tried from the appetizers, to the tacos, to the Tokio Surf and Turf was very good. The hot rocks to throw the food on were a fun and interesting way to cook some of the entrees to your liking. Drink menu wasn't vast but the ones that were tried all were very good. Sake Sangria as an example. The atmosphere was cool and laid back and just made it feel like a fun place to eat and relax. Will be going back again, hopefully very soon.
(4)Natasha R.
Japanese style tapas? Yes please....!!! I finally made it out here for my friends wedding dinner and I am incredibly pleased with the food and service. Tokio Pub is connected to Shaw's, so it's a bit of a weird design and very small compared to other LEYE restaurants. It's made up of two rooms, one is in the inside and the other is more like a in-closed outdoor patio with a heated lamp so it wouldn't get too cold. That's where our large party had a table and it was terrific because Tokio Pub was PACKED, but we never felt it since there was lots of room and quite enough to hear each other without having to shout. If you are looking to have a large party, I suggest asking for this room. Everything was preordered and the food just kept coming and coming and coming! It was all super delicious, but I couldn't even sample all of it because we were so full by the end of the night. Looking through the menu, they have many options for different style parties, so I would def recommend this to anyone in the future. The sushi came out real quick, so I did not catch any of the names of the rolls, but they were all incredibly fresh. I will have to order a couple rolls next time I make it out here. We had a couple of the edamame bowls - garlic or spicy, and I have to say that they were one of the best I've ever tried. They come served on top of rice, which is different from any other sushi restaurants. There were a bunch of other items, but I only remember the tacos that came later in the night. I only tried the crying tiger shrimp tacos, but DAMN sooo good! They offer $1 tacos once a week for an hour, so i NEED to come back for just that alone! My boyfriend and I shared the $22 pitcher of the White Peach Sangria.. it's a tad bit expensive, but hella good! I need one of those next time, but without having to share. As for the dessert, they brought beignets in the cutest little baggies ever! It's impossible to describe the deliciousness of them, so my suggestion is to make sure you have enough room in your tummy and see for yourself. They are kind of like small fried balls, so I am sure that won't be a problem. Overall, great experience and I can't wait to come back here and try other items on the menu!
(4)John Q.
Went here on a Saturday night after hearing all the good reviews about how awesome this place is. We were greeted and seated right away when we walked in. The waitress provided excellent service and the atmosphere was nice. The waitress answered our questions about the menu and we decided to get try some Takoyaki, Steak/Chicken/Shrimp tacos, and the Ramen Burger. Starting off with the Takoyaki, the presentation was nice and came in a nice little boat with a skewer. These little balls were quite good however were different from the one's I had before. There was a little chunk of octopus in there however the inside was hollow. I was expecting that there would be filled with the batter in the center. The tacos were not that impressive to me, the chicken was dry. The steak marinade was so-so, it just seemed like teriyaki steak. The shrimp taco was the best out of the three and I would get it again. Last, but not least was the Ramen Burger. We were quite curious of this since on the menu it said that there were limited quantities....I wonder why...The Ramen Burger is indeed a patty with ramen instead of the buns. I was expecting the Ramen to be crispy so it had some crunch with the burger, however it was very soggy and oily. The burger lacked texture and felt like mush in your mouth. The food here is so-so. Not sure if I would return, maybe it was just an unlucky night.
(3)Roma L.
Updating my review for Tokio Pub. Went here during their taco time last Tuesday since they go for a dollar instead of 3 dollars. Who wouldn't want that? My last visit I wasn't impressed with their tacos but that night I enjoyed the shrimp taco it was delish especailly with the guacamole and had a bit of a kick as well. My boyfriend enjoyed the chicken taco. Since it was taco night and they were busy the tacos were flying out of the kitchen. No disappointments when it came to the tacos this time around. BUT.. sushi you have disappointed me this time :( seemed like they were focusing more in the preparation of the tacos and didnt really care for finesse of the sushi as you can tell.. my boyfriend even asked me if that was the sushi we had ordered our last visit. Haha. Now that I looked at the picture I just noticed the sushi we ordered recently is missing that white sauce on top? Plus they went scarce on avocado? And the "crunchy" green topping wasn't crunchy at all.. Overall I wish sushi was more consistent in quality.. and hope to enjoy the tacos as much as I have this last visit. Will be back.
(4)Meg X.
Great service. Food is too expensive for what's served, but it's tasty food. Overall a reasonably acceptable dinner.
(3)Charlie C.
The food was fine. Nothing spectacular. Overpriced IMO for the portion sizes. The service was fine. Again, nothing spectacular but definitely room for improvement. The waiting area is non existent so if you are waiting for a table you end up standing right by the door. That area is squeezed tight so there is only room for about 2 people to stand, which makes for an awkward situation if others are waiting, as well. You are also standing almost on top of the people who are seated by the door, which again makes for an awkward experience for both parties. The atmosphere is pretty average. Again, nothing really stood out about it. I'm not sure I'll be going back anytime soon.
(3)Haeley J.
I've gone here twice in the past 2 months and service is always great. We had the same waitress both times, sorry I don't remember her name... brown hair, medium height lol. She's great though... super attentive and provides great input on the food there. So what did I order?? The first time I went in I ordered the Godzilla Rolls and 3 tacos (nacho taco, crying tiger shrimp, and the crispy fish)...The Godzilla Roll was awesome seeing as though it was topped with guacomole and had the delicious eel sauce on the side (check out the pic). Out of the tacos the nacho taco was really good so I'm looking forward to checking out their barbeque-braised pork nachos, those are probably really good!! On the second visit I had their sweet potato tempura roll which is light and delicious, with a slight sweet taste which I loved. Then I had their crazy dragon roll which yes, I thought that it was really good too (see pic). For Apps both times I had the gyoza which I've never had before... Love the sauce that comes with it and I think it's a great app and good price. So yeah the food is always fresh and really good, I still have more to try so I'll let you know if anything changes ;-)
(5)Michelle P.
OMG! We ate here last night and it just tasted so good I was rolling my eyes in ecstasy! I always have the tacos, usually one of each. I had the chicken, steak and pulled pork tacos, they were excellent. My Husband always gets the Hot Rocks entree. The chopped salad was delicious and they split it in half for us! I also ordered the chicken and waffles, SO good!! We enjoyed it so much that we talked our friends into coming back with us this coming Tuesday!! Also, their wait staff is SO nice! We both agreed last night that we had never had a bad meal there! Oh, yeah! Don't forget to order the beignets for dessert, delicious! Lol, I just checked my old review! As you can see, I'm loyal to my favorites, and added a new one! What can I say? I know what I like!
(5)Geraldine A.
I enjoy dining here. They have changed their menu over the years and have taken some of my favorite things off. But the service here is fantastic and that's what keeps me coming back.
(4)Lindsey M.
My first time here and was really surprised how much I enjoyed it. I took my friend here for Sushi since I figured it was a sushi place but soon realized they don't have much of a sushi selection so we ordered the Dragon Roll, spicy calamari, and a ramen bowels. Although they have a smaller menu everything was really good and we were not disappointed that it wasn't the 'sushi place' we had expected ! I would go back just to get the Spicy pork Ramen bowel again...very good, never had anything like it before. Great drinks and they gave us a free little dessert since it was our first time there! Excellent service and good ambiance, its actually connected to Shaws crab house which I didn't realize before. Would recommend if your in the market to try something different.
(4)A.H P.
I was recommend to this place with high hopes of a great experience and good Japanese inspired foods. My fiancee and I went on Thursday and started out with two rolls of sushi one was a tuna crunch and the other was there take of a spicy tuna roll. They were ok but nothing special. Next we got the filet mignon hot rocks. It was super weird and not efficient, the rock cooled really quick. We shared this dish, it was a good portion. We noticed everyone was having the tacos we tried the pulled pork, the skirt steak, and the chicken. We did not care for any of them. We were sat inside next to the garbage/ the dirty dishes. My fiance got chewed up by mosquitos while dinning, this could of been unrelated but it ruined our night.
(1)Keith S.
I was skeptical of this being another trendy asian fusion joint, that's usually a recipe for disaster. Not the case here. Some of the menu highlights: The asian inspired tacos are excellent. Favorite: Shrimp Crispy rice. Never had anything like this before, very good. Have had a few samplings of the rolls which were also good. Not on the menu always, but they typically have the deep fried ice cream balls. Get those. Seriously. Ask for them. So good. Service has been great. Love the screened in patio though the furniture is not the most comfortable. You can happily forget that you're at Streets most of the time. Pricing is fair for the menu & location.
(4)Patrick F.
I gotta give this place a solid 5! For a location that is in dire need of a parking garage, it was worth the walk from my car in the rain. Our server was Chad and he works every night except Thursdays. HIGHLY recommend him. A FourSquare check in got us a free order of the best damn edamame I've ever had. It was tossed in a slightly spicy ginger garlic seasoning. We ordered a few sushi rolls as an appetizer. My friend ordered the Godzilla and I ordered the Dragon. Both rolls yielded 8 pieces and were presented so uniquely. The Godzilla had tortilla chips in the shape of dinosaur scales on each piece and the Dragon had the head and tail of the shrimp. The taste of each were outstanding! My "entree" was the (5) Combo tacos. They have a 3 combo, but 5 gets you one of each. Variety is the spice of life after all right? And speaking of spices, each taco was so unique and full of flavor. They get their seafood fresh too. One of the perks of sharing a wall with Shaws Crab House. The price point is a tad high, but if you don't get any alcohol or desert, you can keep costs very reasonable. I can't wait to go for Taco Time! $1 Tacos for one hour, one day a week. They also have Happi Hour M-F from 5-6pm, which gets you half price starters, tacos and their Japanese Hot Rock, where you cook your protein at the table! Lastly they also have a chef battle once a month that serves 4 courses and a beer pairing from local breweries. Those events sell out fast, so call for a reservation. They're also on open table, but on a Saturday night, they weren't packed. I could however see it being busier on a beautiful summer night with the shades up. It's a very nice feature to have available. I strongly recommend checking out their website to see a full range of what they offer. Personally I can't wait to go back!
(5)Candice G.
4.5... can I do a 4.5? No? Okay, well look at the 4 stars I'm throwing up and think 4.5 instead. Lettuce Entertain You has a decent thing going on, though there are, of course, exceptions to this rule when people start associating certain businesses (ahem, Cheesecake Factory) with the suburban-in-a-bad-way stigma, but Tokio Pub proves LEY is still a hip force to be reckoned with. I really like Tokio Pub. They've made me second guess the eye-roll I do almost immediately after anyone utters the words 'cheesecake' and 'factory' and then of course, ceremoniously follows it up with "and there was just so much food!". I'd had Tokio Pub on my to-do list for a while now but I think their menu highlights of 'tacos, sushi, barbeque' made me put this on the back-burner. Despite the good things I'd heard, Tokio Pub sounded like it was going to be just another kittywampus collection of everything and anything under the sun, who think that just because you have the ingredients to make something, you should. But that's not how it should be. I don't need to go to a restaurant with 10 pages of items and a section of sh*t from every part of the world and frankly, I hope I never hit a point where I'm craving sushi, spaghetti, egg rolls, nachos, mac and cheese and tikka masala all at the same time. Aaaanyway, Tokio Pub left me pleasantly surprised in more ways than one. First off, their specials are insane. As a girl on a budget, I know the importance of stretching that dollar- and as a girl who's a really sh*tty cook, I know the value of finding the most economical way to still get down on delicious grub. So please, let me outline Tokio's bevy of special options for you: Sunday: $5 specialty drinks. Your options are limited to 6 different choices, but that's still not a bad deal. Choose from bloody Marys, mimosas, screwdrivers, sakemosas, Mr. Miyagi Smash & a drink called the Bloody Samurai. Mondays: A select draft microbrew is only $3. #Steal Tuesdays: Half priced bottles of wine & sake. Monday-Friday from 3-6pm you get half off all apps. Ain't nothing wrong with that and their appetizers are actually pretty stellar. I recommend the peanut noodle salad, which is something I would've never ordered on my own but they sent some over complimentary and it was stellar and defo not lacking on the spice or the cilantro. Also, don't pass up those crying tiger shrimp with sriracha. I didn't find them very spicy, but I did find them delicious and devoured in record time. Good job, Belly! Taco Time: Once a week they have a thing called taco time, where all their tacos are $1 for 1 hour. Their next one just happens to be tomorrow, October 17th, starting at 7pm. It's specias like this that make me think that maybe I could survive if I ever did become homeless. Think about it. 1 gourmet taco or 2 cans of cat food? Yep. I think I know where my hobo shoes are headed. For sushi, I'm a sucker for spicy tuna and I think Tokio did it fairly well. It was $10 for the roll, but it was filling and comparable more to those fancy maki rolls you'd get at sushi-centric restos, than the typical smaller, simpler spicy tuna. For tacos, I went with tofu, though next time I will be going fancy with the crying shrimp & tuna poke. Our tacos were all pretty lukewarm, if that, but that didn't disguise that they were damn good tacos. I think I could've eaten 10 of those tofu tacos. In fact, I'm seriously considering dropping by tomorrow for $1 Taco Time. Dessert, the chocolate filled beignets. Why can't the portion on THIS be Cheesecake Factory sized. Good Lord, Good Food. Lastly, don't forget to check-in on your Yelp app. If you do, you get two free crispy chicken tacos! Can't argue with that. Okay, I don't eat chicken, so maybe I could but the I'd say overall, most people would not argue with two free tacos. Oh- and their sangria, albeit a bit pricey for a pitcher when you're operating on a pauper's budget, goes down dangerously quick.
(4)Benny R.
The decor is very nice. Staff was very friendly.
(4)Kerry S.
Never had a bad experience or bad food! The crispy glazed pork belly haunts me in my dreams!
(5)Lance R.
Ok so see my tip to get my vibe on this place. (Like the TGIF of Japanese - bad description - need a happy meal to make this ok. If you want AMERICANIZED Japanese this is good, but I really had to do a re-look at it to appreciate it (I am a sushi snob)) BUT I am updating this because I am being spammed with offers in my email to return. so I am going to give it another shot --- look at my soon to come update
(2)Minjee Y.
Just came in last night for TACO TIME. I still believe the quality of their tacos is great and taste fantastic. I found out the culprit to my nausea after leaving the place and it has to be due to the sugary girly drinks that I no longer can do. This time I made sure I was getting wine or beer and chose to go with wine. I'm coughing up some more stars because I think Tokio Pub deserves them. The customer service is a lot better. The staff must've changed. Our waitress was phenomenal because she was quick and always around when we needed her. Please come here for taco time I really advise you all to do so!
(4)Jessica P.
Rating: 3.5 I came here on a Friday evening.. I met my friend for dinner at around 7:00PM and the place seemed packed, but we were able to get seated immediately.. Food: Lemon Lime Rainbow Roll (~$10) - my friend had this and said it was ok... BBQ braised pork nachos (~$8 Warm Plate Appetizer) - definitely very filling for an appetizer shared amongst 2 people... it can be shared amongst 3 ppl.. tasted good.. good amount of sweet and salty.. Tiger Shrimp (~$6 Warm Plate Appetizer) - 3 pieces of shrimp, each piece has spicy sauce on it and comes on a skewer..it's definitely a light appetizer...does not fill you up..tastes good, but isn't sooo great that I would crave it... one time experience is good. Pork Belly ($3 for 1 mini-taco) - contains carmelized pineapple, cabbage, and cilantro..tasted good.. it's a 2 bite taco.....might need to order 3+ tacos for your stomach to be content (this goes for any of the tacos...) Shrimp Crispy Rice ($3 for 1 small piece of shrimp + crispy rice) - comes with fried shrimp and crispy rice (it is basically like a fishstick, but instead of the fish inside of the stick, it's rice...)..tastes good, but pricey for a small bite (smaller bite than the taco..) Beignet ($1 per small bite-size donut, each order comes with 4 donuts) - mini bite size donut filled with melted chocolate, tastes delicious and comes out fresh (warm as if it was just baked!)..YUM Portions: small - don't expect any leftovers!! Prices: the prices seemed kind of high for the portions of food that are provided...I spent around $40 total dining for two females... so if you eat a lot.. you'll have to spend quite a bit to get full... **I think they have a $1 for an hour taco deal if you sign-up for their email listing.. Customer Service: the waitress was pretty attentive in getting our orders; however, it was a little bit of a wait getting the check back... Atmosphere: decent place to come on a date (only if your date is not stingy/extreme money saver...if they are stingy.. expect to eat a little!!), with friends, with a friend.. Parking: might be difficult to find a parking spot on a weekend night since it is located next to other restaurants and places. I would come here again just to try out other items on their menu.. :)..
(3)Joanna M.
Overpriced and pretentious without the food to back it up. Don't get anything involving sushi or chicken here. Anything else is ok.
(2)Somchai S.
Went here before the Super Bowl with the fiancé. I was craving some sushi & he doesn't eat sushi so we needed to find a place we'd both like. The place was very empty. But nice decor. I had a $25 gift card. We checked in a received a free BBQ nacho. Omg my mouth was in heaven. Sweet tender pork, BBQ & sour cream drizzled on top crunchy chips, what's not to love. Great flavor & balance of sweet & spicy. We had the shrimp, BBQ beef, fish, & chicken tacos. They were all great. I didn't mind that they were on the smaller size since the quality seemed to be of the higher end. I'll be excited to go on one of their $1 taco nights. The shrimp tempura roll was average, but it met my sushi craving. They have a great menu & I can't wait to go again to try the noodle bowls. The bartender & server were great. The bartender recommended a great japanese beer for my fiance and our server was prompt & polite.
(5)Lori B.
Dined for dinner at 7:30pm on Saturday August 9th. Our server (unsure of his name) was pleasant enough when he interacted with us but was very absent. We ordered the crunchy tuna roll and the dragon roll. Instead of the tuna, they brought us a California roll. When we said we didn't order that, they brought us the right one. Dragon roll was very tasty, crunchy tuna was flavorless and mushy. Ahi tuna and the skirt steak hot rock apps were both decent. Clearly, that's their schtick. Chicken and waffles was a huge let down but we enjoyed the pork belly dish. When our check came, I noticed the server did order us the wrong sushi. He charged us for the $15 Cali roll and I had him change it to the $12 crunchy tuna. After dinner, we strolled around the shops and the food sat very heavy on both our stomachs. Overall experience, 5/10. Won't be returning.
(3)Tiana T.
We went back and gave Tokio Pub a second chance after we had bad experience with the wait staff. After complaining, the management went out of their way and offered to have us come back- on them. This time around we had a great experience. The food was delicious and the service was attentive. I highly recommend trying the tacos!
(5)Bridget D.
I would give this place more stars if it wasn't so expensive. For what it is, much like Shaw's, it is too expensive. Now that I'm aware of the happy hour specials, I'm a lot more likely to visit at that time. We went on the weekend. We enjoyed the tacos, though they need to learn about doubling up on tortillas. Ours fell apart and were a big mess. The sushi rolls were good, though I wouldn't go there specifically for sushi. There's too many amazing sushi places in the northwest suburbs for that. They have a great selection of sake and Japanese beer and a cute cocktail list. We had a s'mores dessert that was very simple but really good! The service was excellent. Our server gave us a bunch of great recommendations and was attentive.
(3)Leah C.
looks better on paper/pictures... i originally discovered this spot in a parent/kiddo newsletter listing kid-friendly brunches: kids eat free! everything we ordered was just okay. the french toast sushi and beignets were the biggest hits at the table. i think we enjoyed the drinks most - yummy blood orange mimosa for me! service was very friendly and attentive too. i can see myself returning to meet up for happy hour if ever in the area but aside from the kids eat free promo, i wouldn't have listed this as a not to miss brunch.
(3)Tina L.
Crispy rice with sushi on top? Yum! Love the combination of the flavors and of course, the crunch of the crispy rice. :) Tried 3 different tacos: chicken, fish and pork -- all delicious and worth trying! Also got the crispy glazed pork belly with the fried egg. It was a little on the sweet side for me, I wish the flavors were a little more subdued, but still good overall. Gonna have to try this place for HH or something, even though I live and work in the city...
(3)Blythe B.
I love this place - it's close to work, I really like the menu and if you go at the weekday happy hour or TACO TIME - the prices ROCK! Me and a larger male friend ate there at happy hour and we ate a lot - the bill came to $28. Lovely! A week ago - a friend treated me to a nice Saturday lunch and the bill came to $46 - he thought it was just 'okay' and 'overpriced'. I still love it and I think he was expecting something else. But like another person wrote - don't go specifically for sushi - there aren't a lot of sushi options. So far - my favs: the tuna tartare (served in a timbale with guac and breally good nacho chips (I just moved from Colorado and I could eat a bag of these chips naked), the hot rocks (the ahi and the filet), I LOVE THE NACHO TACO (love the cabbage slaw and the hoisin on them), the fried fish and the crying fish are good, too. Hmm what else - the gyoza are lovely - OH - and the tempura squash roll - that was a nice newbie to my palate. I had a salad once and it was good and refreshing. And iced green tea.
(4)Taylor M.
I have been back here several times since my last review and therefore felt it needed to be updated. Now that Tokio Pub has become more a more seasoned restaurant the service seems to have gotten much better. I love the food here, it seems to be Shaw's quality without the steep prices. The sushi rolls are decently sized and made with a good quality sushi. The calamari here is also fantastic you have to try it! You can get it for free with the new Yelp Check in deal! They also have three different types of edamame which are yummy... my favorite is the garlic version... but the spicy is good too! Every time I think I tried everything on the menu, they change it up and it is all new to me again! Oh and they are open late... until midnight on Fridays!
(4)Shannon M.
Amazing food! We were fairly surprised how good this was. The atmosphere was quaint and it was very relaxing. Highly recommend the pot stickers and filet.
(5)Yen V.
I've been here three times and had a good time on all occasions. I like their ramen burger (it's sweet so if you like sweet burger then you'll like it). I also love their sushi (easy on the white rice, fresh fish, yummy sauce). I also had the fish tacos but they were okay. My favorite was the pork belly nachos. They were so delicious! Highly recommended it!
(4)Jackie M.
LEYE always does well with service and loungy atmosphere, but somehow it stops short in asian cuisine. This place used to be Ben Pao-ish place and the redundancy of Big Bowl confuses me. As much as I hate to say this, they ought to remove the food menu and focus more on drinks and apps. Total grease on a plate. Robata grill miso glazed salmon was incredibly salty and the side ramen stir fry was a cheap corn oil slick. Yuck. The atmosphere is interesting and is linked up to Shaw's Crab house. To get to the washrooms means you have to cross over the casual dining section of Shaw's and into the main dining room upstairs. It's bizarre.
(1)Michele B.
Not bad, but wasn't really worth the trip for their 2nd birthday bash. The servings are quite small and the service was spotty. The half price sangria pitcher had more ice than sangria and the serving was enough for maybe two typical sangria glasses . The spicy edamame was very tasty, but for $4 and 14 pieces?? It was somewhat decieving since the bottom of the bowl was filled with rice. The hot rock sushi was entertaining at best-as I said the service was spotty and three quarters of the way through the rocks were not hot enough to cook on.
(2)Jae K.
Came in around 8 pm on a Tuesday. Four people in the party. Didn't get our food till 9:36. Drink order took forever, and then the waiter disappears for what seemed like forever. We tracked down another server and asked him to track down our waiter. It took more than an hour for the waiter to just take the food order. We were all starving and figured anything would be delicious but the food was ok at best. Somewhat bland and overpriced. Staff were friendly but not very attentive.
(2)Jeremy C.
Manages to be eclectic attached to corporate Shaw's. Solid beer list and good small bite food. An easy go-to when we are in the area.
(4)Sandy T.
I really want to love this place.....I really do. Especially because of their $1 taco nights which always excited me. When they first opened, I couldn't wait to go there. But after 3 attempts, I feel like maybe I had too high of expectations? Of course when there was $1 taco nights, I tried all their tacos. I would say all the tacos are just OKAY meaning sometimes it lacked flavor but the nacho taco has been consistently good. I also had their sashimi which was also decent. But I do not like any of the rolls I have tried which was almost all of them minus shrimp tempura and sweet potato. The staff members are pleasant people, so I never had a completely terrible experience, just disappointing experience I guess...
(3)Melanie M.
Went here to meet up with a few friends after work for sushi. It wasn't a great experience. The place itself is kind of strange. It's attached to Shaw's Crab House, and it had an odd vibe. It felt like we were in a back room of Shaw's that happened to have a tiny little bar. I even had to walk over to Shaw's to use the restroom. Very strange. In terms of the food, everything is way more expensive than it needs to be. I ended up paying about $20 after tip for one roll and no drink. The rolls tasted about average, but definitely overpriced for what they were. One of the people in my group ordered something from the happy hour menu thinking that it would be half price since it was on that menu. However, once we received the bill, we discovered that it was full price since we apparently ordered at 5:58 instead of 6pm (I'm not kidding). I get that it technically wasn't 6pm yet, but come on. She could have waited for 2 minutes before putting the order in or at the very least TOLD US that happy hour didn't start for a few more minutes. That's just poor customer service in my opinion. None of us will be returning to this place.
(2)Rosanna L.
Really enjoy the outdoor patio and with the weather being cool it was a perfect date night. Boyfriend and I shared edamame, pork belly udon, and chicken kimchee tacos. Tokio Pub tries to be different with their edamame by asking if you would like it in a sauce, but when it comes to these green soy beans I'm a plain jane, we did have the two sauces on the side and it didn't make it any better, possibly worse. Pork belly udon was average, the broth needs more seasoning/flavor, the pork belly strips were delicious, wish we had more of that and vegetables in our noodle soup. Chicken kimchee tacos were subpar, it lacked flavor and kimchee, possibly because I'm a big kimchee eater but I can see how they would only put a small amount. Enjoy the atmosphere and had decent food.
(3)John G.
Cute atmosphere with an indoor bar/seating and outdoor lounge. Conveniently located within Streets of Woodfield and connected to Shaw's Crabhouse. Service was very good, friendly wait staff and door greeters. Eclectic menu containing very Americanized Japanese food, limited sushi...and tacos. Unfortunately the food was rather sub-par. Drinks were served with slightly expired lemons, food was poorly dressed, and sushi ingredients were all undercooked. All in all, an average Asian inspired restaurant that suffers from much of the same issues as is connected partner - more flair than flavor.
(3)Ann J.
Had dinner here with some colleagues while in the area on business. Was very happy with the service, food, and the prices were very reasonable. Definitely be sure to try one of the Hot Rock appetizers (we had the skirt steak and the ahi tuna). And don't be confused... this restaurant is attached to the side of Shaw's Crabhouse... you can enter on the side directly into Tokio Pub, or go through Shaw's to get there.
(5)Rachel E.
Great trendy boutique style dining. Small portioned and decent priced dishes, give you a chance to try a lot of what Tokio Pub has to offer. Asian fusion and somewhat tapas style, great for date night and ladies night out. Popular drinks such as peach sangria and ginger mojiotos can be ordered in pitchers, which is great for group dining. Specialty cocktails are semi sweet yet strong which makes the $10 price point reasonable. Friendly staff and casual yet trendy atmosphere. Our server, Alice, was sweet and attentive. Definitely try their mix and match tacos in orders of 3-5 and hot rock combos. Hot rock combos give you the fun experience of searing your sliced tuna and or steak on a hot rock, definitely a fun and unique way of dining without breaking the bank. Definitely will be going back again!
(4)Cristie F.
Tokio Pub is always revamping their menu, which is def a good thing. However, with a fairly recent change in my diet ((no longer a carnivore)) I was bummed to see there wasn't many vegetarian options aside from edamame, a tofu taco, and a sweet potato roll. Boo. I had hoped for more of a variety. When I informed the waitress of my dietary restrictions ((and explained that no, I didn't eat seafood either - some "vegetarians" do...)), she was more than helpful and accommodating to my no meat or seafood request. Along with my delicious tofu tacos, a vegetarian tofu//shanghai noodles//mushroom//spinach//red pepper//sweet soy dish was created for me. It was fantastic. Let me not forget, big thanks to Tokio Pub for a free appetizer check-in offer!!
(4)Emily B.
We were in Schaumburg and wanted to try something new. I looked through the Yelp check-in offers and was pleased to find the generous offer from Tokio Pub. (1 free starter). I love small plates and I love to share, so it didn't take much convincing to get us here. We arrived sans reservation and snagged the last two seats at the bar. In another stroke of luck, Tokio Pub had a Restaurant Week menu. Score! We started with drinks, I ordered the raspberry saketini and the hubz got a Robert The Bruce on tap. Our free starter was the ceviche - yum! For the RW menu there were four courses for two people for $33 total. The appetizer was braised pork nachos. A large portion and great combination of salty and sweet. The next course was the taco sampler. We tried the shrimp, steak and fish. All delicious and all about two bites each. The third course was the starter sampler. It included two spicy tiger shrimp, two chicken meatballs and three baby back ribs. Before the dessert came out we each had a jello shot. It was dragonberry flavor and dangerously delicious. The dessert was, however, THE highlight of the meal - a bag of chocolate filled beignets. OMG. The warm donut holes melt in your mouth and leave behind a healthy portion of melted dark chocolate. Heavenly. Our server, the bartender, was one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was talkative, punctual and helpful. Overall it was a nice evening. The restaurant had a good vibe and there is still more on the menu that I would like to try.
(4)Gaurav M.
The server was really friendly. Gave some really good recommendations. The food and drinks we had were pretty gooood. More or less value for money!
(4)Michelle C.
Finally tried this place after my roommate had been ranting and raving about it. She usually comes for the $1 tacos.. anyway, I thought food was okay. Tacos were delicious but were $3 for 1 taco.. Boyfriend had the pork broth ramen, we both thought that it tasted too gingery and a little bit on the saltier side... I've definitely had better at different restaurants. His sister and I had the braised pork with the glazed chili-garlic sauce. It was pretty good. My rice was a little bit hard and crunchy though.. not sure if it was undercooked or burnt. Maybe next time I go I will try the Sushi
(3)Vern R.
Let me start by saying ...endless bowls Sunday???? Yes please! Their Ramen bowls were exactly what I've been craving for all week...the voodoo chicken omg pure goodness....many kids still talking about their pulled pork Asian street nachos..yes You heard right...sorry you'll have to go and order..i can't even explain how yummy they got this one right...small size like for two people, shop order two of you want to share Many hubby got the mignon and he did out was cooked perfectly...not too wild about his sides BUT the best was the service...although the love for my soup still stands it was lukewarm...then again lukewarm...but the third time around not only was it perfect...but i had a bowl too go home...the manager himself delivered it! Once he noticed the problem ( from the 1 soup) he was non stop at our table and the waitress as well...but i wouldn't expect any thing less than that from "lettuce us entertain" restaurants... (Shaws) The positive reaction from the staff outweighed the glitches Thank you so much for a wonderful Sunday dinner!! And i believe the manager on Sunday is Shawn? ( that's what my son said) thank you# I hope YOUR manager reads this!
(5)Arkadiusz B.
Have really good time here. Good food, friendly staff. Drinks could be a little bit stronger but come on I'm Polish ;)
(4)Robby K.
tuna tartar. rice with bbq pork on it. the way lunch should be... Apps- we got the pork belly donburi rice bowl. it was very lightly and tastily seasoned with magical bbq sauce. i almost sauced myself when they brought the tuna over guac which was drizzled perfectly with lime juice. Entrees- the Udon noodle bowl with shrimp tempura and pork belly. it is up there with some of the best Ramen in the city such as that of Wasabi in Logan Square ;-). the Tiger Shrimp taco is serious flavor and a good chuck of meat. small portion, but better for your waistline. the crispy fish taco was also way unique and not beer battered which was a pleasant surprise. i drank a Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale by 3Floyd's. also it is great that they bring a perfectly chilled carafe of water to every table its a great date spot and we had the pleasure of overhearing some embarrassing first date conversations from the table next to us. lets just say they definitely met online... small draft beer selection which matches the small interior space located in the same building as Shaw's seafood. they did have a pretty good sized outdoor seating section which is heated and enclosed in the winter. i imagine in the summer with the outdoor sections the service might be slower than we experienced for lunch on a sunday afternoon. but again that is only speculation. this is a 4 1/2 star place but i plan on coming back soon. we'll have to update this review after getting down and dirty with other menu selections.
(5)Lomax, K.
An eclectic menu, with good daily specials and signature drinks. But...the experience was hindered by the server. She was arrogant, easily distracted and not attentive. I consider myself a good tipper, usually 20-25%, but in this case I tipped the lowest I ever have. The BBQ pork nachos were delicious, but everything else was just ok. I will definitely not be going back anytime soon.
(2)Stella L.
Tacos tasted great, consistently; hot rock entree Filet Mignon impressive, becoming a regular item every visit for us; last but not the least, the unforgettable Beignets!
(5)Diana A.
I'm slowly making my way through their menu, and it's all worthy of five stars. Pros: Amazing mixed drinks (albeit you're paying city prices), decent portion sizes and fresh, wonderfully flavored food. Also, the chocolate beignets will almost certainly make your week. Cons: Their menu is a bit pricey, and I've had a few dishes come out cold, especially if it's a busy night or you order multiple small things to share. My suggestions: Pork belly udon noodles, the crying shrimp taco and the raspberry sake-tini.
(5)Samantha R.
Although the service can be sometimes slow it is more then worth the wait. The staff are generally nice and accommodating offering great service with a smile. The food is delicious. I recommend the nachos and beignets. Taco time is prime hour to go and fill up! Plus the outside eating area is in perfect harmony to the indoor cool ambiance matched with the chill playlist of music, great for all ages. Summer time is when the sangria and tapa is needed and Tokio Pub is my "it" place to go; fun & tasty!
(5)Liam A.
Love, love, love. It's the sister restaurant to Shaw's Crab House and she's a hip, trendy, and younger sister restaurant at that. They have their own separate entrance just off to the side of Shaw's. You enter in through their outdoor seating (enclosed and fully heated in the colder months but is completely open weather-permitting) and into a door leading to the host stand. It definitely is a lot smaller than Shaw's but the seating arrangements cleverly make up for the lack of space. Our servers the past few times have been extremely nice, albeit obviously flustered during busier nights, and are always willing to provide suggestions and explanations on menu items. I was surprised to see a version of the now infamous ramen burger on the menu considering where I was (this is Schaumburg after all) but that's the beauty of Tokio Pub. It's like a hip city eatery in the middle of the quintessential 'burb. The ramen burger was delicious and worth trying by the way. It held up a lot better than I expected and the angus beef patty was juicy and flavorful. They only make a certain amount a night so ask your server if there's any left. For the sushi I definitely suggest the sweet potato roll (just trust me!). Very interesting tasting, in the best way, and have had me coming back for more. They're also known for their tacos and out of their list the crying jumbo shrimp is a must try. They have "Happi" Hour specials on Monday-Friday from 5-6 so that's a good time to taste test a lot of things on their menu. Also, you can follow their twitter or Facebook and there they reveal this once-a-week $1 Taco Hour. I wouldn't drive all the way out there for that one hour but it's helpful if you're in the area already. Oh, and save room for dessert! They have great "beignets" here and I put that in quotations because if you've had real beignets before you'd be surprised at what they're trying to pass as beignets here (basically just fried dough balls filled with chocolate) but once you get over that detail you'll come to enjoy this melt in your mouth creation.
(5)Yvonne O.
So glad I checked into what Lettuce Entertain You had opened in recent times, because I am not in Schaumburg that often and would never have known about this gem. We went in for Sunday brunch and were the first people there (at 11 - even though it starts at 10). We ordered some drinks and then got down to serious eating. We started with the pork mini tacos (YUM!) So happy they were not dry and the sauce and guac on them was perfect. Then I got the french toast tempura maki with a delicious bananas foster sauce on the side - such a clever idea and not overly sweet like some places make their French toast options (I'm looking at you Ditka's with your cereal coated diabetes fare) I also had a side of the eggs three way fried rice that had an unusual (but yummy) oil in there - something was super spicy. Husband had the burger and enjoyed it as well. All this was under $50! And, with a Lettuce Card, you can put the tip on there, so we essentially ate for free! I'm hooked and totally coming back for lunch or dinner.
(5)Care M.
Love this place, you feel like you are in downtown Chicago even though its located in Schaumburg. Very tasty tacos, and just the right portion size.
(5)Gail G.
My friend and I both tried this place for the first time and we both had a really great experience! Granted, we came on a Friday night during Happi Hour, so all the food we ordered was half-price, but STILL.... the food (and cocktails, which are not half price) were great! I made a reservation for 5:30pm on a Friday, and there was no problem being seated on time. They even had a covered outdoor seating area, but it was so hot and humid that it was basically empty. There were two couples sitting out there as we left and neither of us could imagine how they could bear it! Keep in mind, this is not marketed as, nor attempting to be, an authentic Japanese restaurant. I mean, isn't it obvious by their spelling of "Tokio" instead of "Tokyo"?? People complaining that the food isn't authentic should know better. Being half-Japanese, I only get annoyed with Japanese restaurants that claim to have authentic food, but plainly do not. Japanese/Asian Fusion restaurants like this one do not offend me. Since Nozumi in the South Barrington Arboretum closed down several months ago, this will probably become my new go-to place when I'm craving some Fusion or sushi. I will definately be back!
(5)Jenna P.
Whoa. First time eating here.. LOVED it. Jacob was our server (he ROCKS, so charismatic, woo Jacob!!!) he recommended Crispy chicken tacos, & the volcano roll. Both are a must! Also, the crunchy tuna rice, delicious. Will definitely be back!
(5)Jen H.
Gave this place a second chance and I'm so glad we did. Our server, Jillian, was phenomenal. There is something to be said about excellent customer service nowadays and she went above and beyond for us. The food was amazing. We went during happy hour and ordered the majority of the appetizers. Everything was delicious. My particular favorites were the mini tacos and the sweet potato sushi. Based upon the food, happy hour specials and superior service, our whole group will be back!
(5)Ashley P.
Classy...love it! Sliders delish. Drinks delish. Gone twice now, same waitress (Claire) and she was so sweet and so great! We are new to the area and we love this place already!
(5)Liz L.
I went here with my girlfriends for a we survived the holiday dinner. I was kind of excited to go here...it looked like they had a great menu and looked a little bit of fusion cooking served in a tapas type way. It was a little packed on a early Saturday (I made reservations). The good: 1. The Interiors were great 2. The taste of the food was good The bad: 1. Service was lacking I think the woman we had serving us was overloaded with tables. 2. At one point we had no silverware and we has to wait like 10 minutes to hunt someone down. 3. I ordered vegetarian tacos and it took them 25 minutes (then I told her to forget it) ...she said they were making sure that they were exactly how I wanted them (they were 2 non meat tacos?) 4. Since I only had edamame my friends and I ended up going to a fast food restaurant to watch me eat. 5. Over crowded...I saw some of the places they put tables and seated people and I felt bad people were getting knocked all over the place. I thinkk they try to hard to be cool and hip and it ends up being bad service and overcowded. Honestly I would skip this place....good food with bad service doesn't cut it in my book.
(1)LaLaLaLa L.
Ok.. So.... Went here on a Monday night. Cute place... very small. Butted up with Shaws next door. The menu looked awesome and we were excited to try different things. We started out with Tacos. We got one chicken, one steak and one nacho. You had to order in increments of 3 or 5. When they came out, they were the size of my thumb. Very small. They were also $3 each... so $9 for 3. I was splitting them with my husband.. so we each got 1 bite of each. Super yummy... Super expensive for what they were. We got a ceviche to share. It was so disgusting I couldn't eat it. It was so overly fishy that it almost tasted rancid. I don't know how you could share a kitchen with Shaw's and have bad ceviche... but whatever. for entrees, my husband ordered the pork belly and I got the filet. We were going to share both. When they came, there were 3 pieces of pork belly that were about 2.5 inches in length. The rest of the place was nothing but rice. The filet was 5 very! thin strips of steak with a mound of noodles. The steak tasted mealy .. as if it marinated in the oil way too long. There was no flavor. The noodles tasted like those store bought Knorr packaged noodles that you add water and butter to. It was gross. Both of these meals were unfortunately expensive... For dessert, we got the beignets. There were four of them, but instead of coming on a plate... they come in a little to-go bag. I thought that was weird.. as if they were rushing us out. I would never come back here again and am sad to know this is a Lettuce restaurant... as they are usually pretty awesome. The only exception I would make is MAYBE for $1 tacos...
(2)Todd L.
One of my favorite places in the suburbs. You must order the pork belly nachos and a maki roll. Trust me.
(5)Jenna K.
We decided to celebrate a friend's birthday by experiencing restaurant week at Tokio Pub. The 4 of us were famished and most food is DELICIOUS when you are in this state. However, I was just not impressed with the quality of food served that night. We ordered the dinner for 2 for $33. Edamame started off the meal, which was lackluster. The taco combo was in dire need of flavor. The spicy tuna roll was probably the best tasting entree item that we were served, but we felt that the spicy mayo was bordering on the thin line of "too spicy". Now I eat my fair share of spicy, but this spicy tuna left us with an unpleasant lingering burn. The ramen bowl (beef with soy) was flavorful, but a tad too salty. The highlight of the meal was honestly the rice crispie treats. Conclusion... I probably won't be back for the food.
(2)Shaun S.
Food is average, definitely not up to standards of a quality Japanese place. But it is shaws crabhouse. The seafood is good, but Asian inspired things are average at best. I do like going there in the spring/summer to have some drinks and a snack. The pulled pork nachos were good as was the calamari.
(3)Colleen M.
Great food and service. We checked in and got a free starter- what a great surprise! My favorite(s) are the sweet potato tempura roll and the hot rock NY strip. It's a fun way to enjoy a meal. I can't wait to go again!
(5)Brittany K.
My girlfriend and I decided to try Tokio Pub after receiving a Lettuce Entertain You giftcard for Christmas. I'd been seeing the place around online and thought this was the perfect opportunity to give it a shot. We made reservations for 7pm on a Sunday night and were seated not QUITE promptly but soon enough I suppose. In all reality we probably didn't need reservations as the place wasn't all that crowded. We still had to wait a few minutes for a table though. After we were seated I went to hunt down the bathroom and was surprised to realize this place was actually attached to Shaw's. I didn't actually ever find the bathroom as going into a completely different restaurant to pee seemed too daunting while drunk and hungry. I ordered the miso soup app and the king crab california roll as my entree. My girlfriend had the bbq pork nachos as well as some of the mini tacos they had. They advertise them as tacos but really they are mini tacos. Barbie doll house tacos honestly. Our appetizers and entrees came out at the same time which was a little strange, especially since we were sitting at a small table so getting all the plates required a little Tetris style maneuvering. The soup was pretty good - the menu says it comes with mushrooms but mine didn't have any (which was great. I hate mushrooms.) The nachos were OK. My girlfriend liked them but I thought the sauce was way too sweet. I tried a shrimp taco - nothing special really. The sushi was fucking disgusting. Limp cucumber, chewy, fishy crab and tough nori. I have had bad sushi. I have eaten bad sushi. I left this bad sushi on the plate. They also served it with a suspicious white sauce. It smelled like ranch but was probably a spicy mayo or something. No soy sauce, though I doubt the soy sauce would have helped. Our waitress was very nice and asked what was wrong when she saw I wasn't eating the sushi. I told her I didn't like the quality/wasn't quite as fresh as I have had and she took it off the bill for me. Anyway - I expected the place wouldn't be the best. What restaurant sells tacos AND sushi? AND is by a mall? right. But it was crappier than expected. They got my order right and all....it was just really poor quality. No thank you. But really - it is by Woodfield, what would you expect?
(1)Natalie R.
I really like this restaurant. We usually go for the tacos and 1-2 rolls. It's a really cool atmosphere in the Streets of Woodfield and Japanese/Mexican fusion food. I've never gotten any of the main dishes, but they look tasty. The spicy edamame app is addicting! My only complaint is the service. I've been here 6 times and have had rude waitresses 5 of them. Unfriendly, not particularly helpful. One was great until the end when she would not shut up about the LEYE promotions. It was like getting chased on the beach for a timeshare. Leave me alone!
(4)Andi S.
Very good place and very good staff! Great service and quick with the refills on our wine and beer.
(5)Yaeko M.
I liked american asian themed ambience. The service was pretty good. We went there ib Thursday around 8:30pm. The food was okay. We had the signature tacos. Shrimp taco was very good. When I go there next time, $1 taco hour or happy hour (half price).
(3)Amanda R.
First time at Tokio Pub, and we weren't really sure what to expect. When we arrived without a reservation, we were sat out on the heated patio. The chairs were uncomfortable (being patio furniture) and it started getting cold towards the end of our meal. They also had loud dubstep music pumping on the patio, which made it really difficult to hear the waitress. We came here craving sushi, but the sushi menu was so small we ended up going with regular entrees instead. Oh, except my companion ordered one of the tuna on grilled rice and one of the shrimp on the same. I tried a bite. Interesting texture, but the shrimp was cold. Appetizer was the miso soup which, while really good, was missing the mushrooms the menu advertised. For main course, I ordered the shrimp entree, which was five average-sized shrimp in a good (but not fantastic) sauce. The rest of the plate was filled with... grilled bamboo? I'm really not sure. On the menu it's just identified as a "grilled side". Basically just there to fill the plate. Either way, it really wasn't that good, so I didn't eat it, and essentially paid $14 for five shrimp. The one shining moment of the meal, however, was the bananas fosters. It was a tiny portion, but oh my goodness was it delicious! The bill. Oh boy. Let's not talk about that. The portions are small. The cost is not. So, cold patio, uncomfortable furniture, loud music, small portions, overpriced menu, "entrees" which are 75% filler... but a fantastic dessert. We joked that if we ever came back, we would skip the meal and get four orders of bananas fosters instead. Truth be told, I wasn't 100% joking when I suggested that.
(2)Jenny V.
I love their taco time! $1 tacos for one hour, days are changed weekly. I tried their fish, shrimp and angry chicken tacos. all were yummy. my fav was the shrimp taco. We got a free appetizer for checking in (thanks yelp!) we shared the sort rib nachos which were very tasty! i will be back during taco time! =]
(4)Adam E.
Awful. Just the worst food. The chicken tasted like bad fish and smelled just about as bad. Pork tacos were okay, but nothing that really stood out.
(2)Joel O.
Went here for lunch with about 7 other people. Has kind of a trendy vibe. I got the chicken bento lunch box. Came with chicken and sauteed noodles, miso soup, fried rice, and edemame. Portion sizes were small, which I liked. Noodles were bland, everything else was standard. Price was a little high for me. If the noodles were better it would bump it up a star.
(3)Aaron K.
We walked into the new lettuce restaurant Tokio Pub and were warmly greeted and quickly sat. Alice was friendly and knowledgable. She knew all the ingredients in all the foods. It was a pleasure sitting in her section. The overall ambiance of the restaurant was funky and fresh. I would reccomend this watering hole to any twenty an thirty something's looking to pre-party or to have a happy hour. There is a cocktail for virtually everyone on the menu. The patio is a hip and inviting. I wish it was warm so we could have sat out there. Overall This could be the hottest new spot in the suburbs. The place was full of cute young servers and played some cool chill dance beat music.
(5)Pete V.
From a distance Tokio Pub appears to be an oasis lost amidst chain restaurants, sprawling megaplexes, and generic retail that pervades the Schaumburg mall area. Not that I have anything against this, after all there are many people who love this atmosphere, but I prefer a more authentic, non-American feel sometimes, and when it comes to the Japanese itzakaya concept, I literally jump at the opportunity to discover a Japanese pub that captures the lively and local atmosphere that seems to be hard to duplicate here in the States. I appreciate what Lettuce Entertain You is trying to do here with Tokio Pub. They indeed attempt to create a lively, chatty atmosphere centered around good food, beer, and of course sake. But there are many details that they simply miss, or like a dealer inspecting a fake rolex, appear to be imperfects immediately apparent the trained eye. For one, they are serving tacos here. Even worse, the tacos are better than the Japanese food. Which, of course, isn't saying much, but I was disappointed in both the noodles and maki rolls. I feel like saying, if you are going to open an itzakaya, you must get the noodles right. Especially ramen. Period!! The ramen noodles seemed manufactured, and were a tad overcooked, the broth was bland and lacked depth and flavor. To top it off it was served warm, and not hot enough. When you can sip the broth without cringing, you know the broth is not hot enough. Noting stood out to me about the maki rolls, I will say the rice was good quality and prepared well, but the rolls were assembled correctly, and were so badly rolled, that they fell apart when I picked them up with my chopsticks. Another failure is the fact that they are serving draft beer in 11.5 oz glasses, but they fail to mention this on the menu. I do concede that the beer prices seem to be a bit lower than normal at $4 per glass, but come on guys, do you really think that you can get away with this when every other restaurant and bar in America serves draft beer by the pint? Our server mentioned that they had some craft beer companies dictate that the glasses be smaller than the serving size of the beer glass/can, and they have a glut of small glasses on hand, but that is no excuse for deceiving your customers. Go out and buy new glasses for crying out loud!!! Last I checked you can buy pint glasses at Ikea for what, $1.50 each? Finally, the one good food item we had were the tacos, which I thought were shockingly good. Once you get around their deceptive pricing where they charge you a premium to order a mixed set of tacos, you can then avoid that trap and order them a la carte/by the couple and enjoy! Overall, I don't think I would go back to Tokio Pub, but then again, they are doing (or attempting to do) something that is quite different than most of the generic and outdated concepts here in Schaumburg, so I might have to give them another chance, especially if they get new draught beer glasses. Until then let's hope I can avoid megaplex central for the time being.
(2)Chelsea H.
Good food and great sake! I had a sampling of things, but the Fuji Apple Sake was worth buying the whole bottle. It was divine! The service was great. Our waitress and host were awesome. The hot rock steaks were good. The goyza was tasty. The rolls were ok, but the volcano was the best of the ones we tried. The price is right and it looks like they have an array of specials for certain days. Will be back someday for sure!
(4)Laura Z.
exquisite. but be careful about the Sushi category, as it actually serve a lot of nachos!
(4)Jie S.
Tokio pub could be a nice place to have a drink with a light Asian-Tapas style food. But with limit food choices, very small portions, and high price tag, I am not sure if i want to go back again. The decor was decent. I like the comfortable bench along the wall. The service was great. Our waitress came back many times to make sure we were doing fine and replaced the used plates with the clean ones. It was a slow night with just 2 tables inside and a few more outside. Drinks first, my Sake Sangria was fine. Yuzu drop was pretty tasty. Every taco order came with two mini tacos. We have tried Pork, Tuna, and shrimp. The pork tacos are flavorful and tender. The best out of three tacos we picked. We were told the Tuna one was supposed to be seared with raw meat in the middle but those turned out to be fully cooked which I didn't like. The shrimp one was fine which was grilled with a little bit spicy flavor. The barbecue combination plate came with one shrimp, two chicken meat balls, tow dice sized park belly skewers, and two ribs. Shrimp was the same one as in Tacos. Other meat were simply taste the same flavor with different texture and too sweet for my taste. I felt like they just brushed the sugar or honey coat on those meat pieces. Rainbow roll and dragon roll were fine but nothing special. Only three choices of deserts. A bag of the Beignets was essentially 4 tiny chocolate filled Munchkins. Passion fruit ice cream was fine. I feel like they lack of some excitement in sweets here. I was suggesting to go to another place to get some deserts. In the end, we paid around $40 per person and I was not even full. Just too expensive for the small portion! No wonder it was empty for the dinner time!
(3)Rocky B.
It was my first time here and we had a really good experience. Since the restaurant is connected to Shaw's, the place is a bit small. We got there about 7pm and the wait wasn't too bad. We only waited for 10 mins. Our glasses were filled right away when we sat done. The menu is very easy to read. Our waitress took awhile to get to us but it wasn't too bad. We started off with the calamari and I must say it's probably the best calamari I have ever had. The sauce was so delicious and it was filled with so much flavor. For $9 you'd expect it to feed at least 4-5 ppl, but honestly, I could've ate the whole thing and still be hungry. But I guess that's why they're called appetizers. My husband ordered beef, chicken and nacho tacos. It was very delicious. The nacho taco had a tiny kick to it but it was still good. Definitely not your average taco taste but it's worth trying. I had the filet mignon yakitoro and that was really good. The steak and mushrooms were in shish kabobs and the fried rice had a fried egg on top. It was delicious. The steak wasn't heavily seasoned or spicy. It had just the right amount of seasoning and sauce. Then for dessert we had the s'mores and the beignets. The s'mores was sooo good. It was like a ice cream cookie sandwich but with graham crackers and melted marshmallows and chocolate on the side for dipping. The beignets however was still good, but for the price, it wasn't worth getting again. You get 4 tiny little doughnuts filled with chocolate. Overall, we had a great experience. We would definitely come back again. The bus boys were attentive and so was our server. She always had a smile on her face. The serve was a little slow but the food made up for it.
(4)Amber S.
I came here for my sister's birthday and I love it so far. I ordered the Tokio surf and turf hot rock and it was very good. It was my first time ordering a hot rock dish and the waitress was very helpful explaining how to cook the meal. It was a nice experience. For drinks I ordered the sake sangria and later in the night, I ordered plain sake. Since it was my first time ordering sake, the waitress was nice enough to order a beginner sake drink for me which I enjoyed. The only complaint I had about the drinks is that the sake sangria was a bit watery; almost as if it had stayed out for a while and the ice melted a little bit. I brought a cake for my sister's birthday, I emailed the restaurant to make sure it was okay so I didn't have a chance to try any of the dessert items. Since it was on the actual day of my sister's birthday, we received gift certificates for her age amount. I can't wait to come back and try something new on the menu. I also adored the music selection of the restaurant. It was the music that I would play at home or in the car.
(4)Shannon H.
I am crazy about this place! Has a cool swanky sort of vibe. Beautiful outdoor patio with fans that make it comfy even in the heat! Both staff and management are passionate and enthusiastic about this new fusion restaurant. Ask them why it's spelled Tokio! So that u know, this is like a tapas place with small plates that are meant to be shared. Its like ordering several appetizers for a meal. So don't be expecting huge portions. It's small plates with prices to reflect that. Servers are knowledgeable and will guide u around the menu. They seem to enjoy working there and will respond to any questions/complaints. They definitely have a team approach, so don't be surprised if several people stop by your table! The food....Oh Em Gee the food! Delicious! I have tried most things on the menu and love it all. I highly recommend the beef skewers and crying tiger shrimp (slightly spicy) They are just perfect! Just recently I tried the ribs, at Charlottes prompting. They were as she puts it PHENOMENAL! Not your typical BBQ, these zesty treasures melt in your mouth! They have a perfect green salad as well that I feel compliments the beef skewers. Not crazy about the mixed drinks, although I did enjoy a pitcher of Passion Punch I believe it's called! If it's your birthday, they will give you a jello shot on the house! They are delicious and fun! Who knew you could class up a Jello shot? Desserts are all awesome and include brûlée, Passionfruit ice cream, and warm chocolate filled donut holes (binets sp?) I would recommend this place to anyone and I find it refreshing to have a little Chicago flavor in the suburbs! It's fun for a quick lunch, bite before or after the movies, or even to hang out late night and have a few drinks. You can come here on a budget or you can come here to wine and dine. Prices are affordable so you cam choose how much you spend. Lettuce Entertain You has done it again! And you won't be disappointed if you go!
(5)Phil S.
This place tries way too hard to be trendy/hipster without the flavor to back it up. Some of the menu items are on the tastier side but everything we tried was doused in sauce and salted beyond flavor recognition. Presentation is fantastic and service was decent and friendly. We ordered most of the taco flavors, robata combo plate and the tuna and lobster crispy rice. Out of the five taco flavors (pork, shrimp, steak, fish and chicken) I like the fish taco and my wife like the shrimp taco. The steak taco had way too much ginger and both the pork and chicken were sauced beyond recognition. The robata combo plate was more of the same as their flavors are repeated throughout their limited menu. The crisp rice was a waste of money so don't even bother ordering them. Small pieces of deep fried and salted rice topped with sauced up fish makes you reach quickly for beer to quench that salt thirst. Atmosphere is what you would expect of a "trendy" sushi joint with way too loud electronic music in a tiny brushed metallic environment. If you like to dress in skinny jeans and eat sub par Japanese pub fare then this is your place. Make sure you bring plenty of money because the miniscule tapas portions will keep you ordering more and more to find some satisfaction while the tab keeps piling up. Good idea, poor execution. For real Japanese pub fare at fair prices try Sankyu by Elmhusrt and Golf. They carry a great variety of Japanese beer on tap and in pitchers with an ever changing pub menu that is big enough (and portioned large enough) to satisfy your pub cravings.
(2)Phil M.
Great Happy Hour spot! Convienently located and a super nice staff!
(4)Jaclyn H.
I loved my meal a bit more than my husband, I think, but we were both fans. We went for brunch and I had the French toast maki with mango and kiwi and a banana's foster dipping sauce. It's certainly sweet, but not over the top. I got my savory on with a piece of the shrimp crispy rice. It was wonderful. My husband enjoyed three tacos, two crying shrimp and a nacho taco. He found them a tad pricy a $3 each, but an entree with three tacos would likely be $9 or more at many restaurants. He was disappointed in the ramen, though. Noodles were mushy and overcooked. Broth was rather bland. We checked in on Yelp and enjoyed free gyoza, which are potstickers and were yummy! Small place, but I would love to go back and sit in their tented area this summer.
(4)Joon L.
Beware the hot green tea is served felm a can and costs $5 a pop! Food is ok. Not close to being authentic at all. Service is so so.. Would never go back to this place and would never recommend it to anyone. This was a disappointment.
(1)Christina A.
My husband and I wandered into Tokio Pub after a few oysters at Shaw's and since our first visit we keep coming back. The staff is super-awesome; fun, friendly and fans of their our product (I love that). Everything is served tapas style so we often pop in to TP for a mid-shopping snack and cocktail. The first time we went we asked the server to choose everything for us and loved every selection (especially the martinis)! My favorite part? They serve jello shots!
(4)Luke S.
I was really unimpressed by this place. I had big expectations, but all that happened was that I walked away hungry with a large bill. They need to establish some sort of lunch menu, or else they will continue to have two tables occupied on a daily basis. The concept is great and the food was OK, but the portions were so tiny. Everything that we ordered was literally one or two bites. I was also a little put off by the small can of green tea. When you think of Green Tea you think of it like an iced tea where you can have free refills, not 8 ounces and no refill. I feel like I am harping on a lot of negatives, but it just didn't work for me. Our server was nice, but I would much rather dine at Shaws, which shares the location, for lunch going forward if I am ever in the area (which I rarely am).
(2)Jay N.
This appears to be a former back room of the Shaw's next door. The food comes from the doors to Shaw's and the restrooms are located there as well. Therefore, the parking is still pretty limited and you would be best served to use the garage nearby. Staff and servers were welcoming and helpful. Going in, I knew it would be small plates for sharing and to try out new dishes. The steak tacos were pretty meaty and had slightly different flavorings than a taqueria:ginger and some salsa, but it's not really good for sharing. We had the crab crispy rice. The crispy rice is simply Japanese sticky rice, rolled in panko, and deep fried. The crab was blended with some chili and roe so you're paying extra for not just the pure crab which was slightly disappointing. The chili hid some of the crab taste. The shrimp ceviche was laid out on a small platter instead of still being in the acidic juices, which makes me question the freshness. Our server recommended the bbq pork belly nachos, which ended up being slightly better than our other choices. It was overly covered in cheese and a sweet sauce served with a side of guacamole and sour cream. We finished with the warm bagged beignets, which were tasty but can get messy if you don't swallow them whole, and the creme brulee trio. The orange flavor was by far the best but the lemongrass and ginger were too similar in taste. Maybe a matcha flavor would have been better to replace one of those two. They have a good variety of drinks and serve water in a stoppered bottle, but was disappointed from a taste/uniqueness standpoint and even further exasperated at the value and experience.
(2)Jerome J.
Came here for the restaurant week specials again. No reservation. So they seated us in the heated (but still so chilly I could see my breath) patio even though the dining area was half empty. Food is always delicious, but service is awful. Wait staff is not knowledgeable especially about the restaurant week menu. 3 different parties got up and left because they weren't being served. The service has absolutely taken a dive since our last visit a year ago. The only redeeming factor is that the food quality hasn't suffered. Even the drinks are now bland, but were previously delicious.
(2)Phill C.
The thing working about in the burbs is there's only so many places to go and you just start getting tired of some. When i read Tokio Pub was opening in Schaumburg, I got really excited. It's about damn time we got some new restaurants up in this beeech! We went the day after their opening for their first lunch service. Unfortunately, they weren't ready to open for lunch that day... wah wuh waaaaah. But no big deal, they were really apologetic and gave us each a $20 gift certificate to come back. Sweet! Of course we went back the following Monday and decided to sit outside, since the weather was awesome that day. Well it was actually quite windy that day and our empty beer/soda cans kept getting knocked down. That was a minor annoyance, as I wished our server would've taken them away. Also at times service was a bit slow, but they just opened so I understand they're still working some kinks out. Oh yah beer. They have a nice little beer menu, with choices such as cans of Red Stripe and Daisy Cutter. They also have a small wine and sake list, as well as sake Jello shots. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share, including the chicken meatballs, pork belly, sweet baby back ribs, crispy salmon rice, crispy tuna rice, pub wings ,and braised pork tacos. Yah that sounds like a freakin lot of food, but keep in mind this place is an izakaya, so these are a few bites. But I've been to other izakayas and I wish portions were a bit larger here. I enjoyed the Pork Belly and the Sweet Baby Back ribs the most. The Pub Wings were good, but the wings weren't that meaty. Everything else was just okay, including Beignets we ordered for dessert. They came in a tiny paper bag and were more like donut holes filled hot chocolate goo. As the server suggested, you have to eat these in one bite or else hot chocolate would squirt squirt everywhere. But I guess I was expecting a real beignet. My co-worker was also raving about the Crying Tiger Shrimp, so I'll have to try that next time. This izakaya is definitely a nice joint to have some drinks with friends and munch on some small plates of food. I thought the food overall was just okay, but I'll be back for sure to give this place another try. I'm not sure if this will become a frequent lunch stop as it was a bit pricey for the portions, but I'm sure I'll be back to have some drinks with friends.
(3)Julie S.
Last minute plans for tonight found us here for their Taco Time! Great $1 tacos from 8pm to 9pm. We decided our plan at 7:30 and called to make reservations. We were told they were full till 8:30 but were put on a wait list. Arriving with a party of 6 at 7:45 we were told we were on the wait list and not guaranteed how long it would take. Within 5 minutes the hostess approached us and informed us we could have the long bar table as soon as those 10 people were seated. 2 minutes later we were seated. Our waitress, Alice was fantastic!!! Very attentive and always checking on us. The mgr Bill was also very nice and apologized for the wait. After 39 great tacos for our party we got the bill. Alice told us that we were not charged for our wine as the Mgr felt bad about our having to wait. Unbelievable!!!!! We have been here before and have never been disappointed in the service or food. I highly recommend this place!!
(5)Tony H.
I'd been to BaBaReeba, and was expecting some dynamite atmosphere and food to match. Tokio Pub was not all I hoped it would be, but it was A-OK anyway. The thing that got us most was the portion sizes. Seemed tiny for what you actually received. For example, $5 for a plate of two fried crispy rice & shrimp pieces, just a little bit bigger than a fortune cookie. Or $5-$7 for two tacos depending on what type of protein you get on them. I also should've known better when ordering a Fat Tire for $5, with it coming in a 12oz. can. Big on flavor, just not on size. Overall I enjoyed the company I was with. They comped one dish for our table of 5, so we could "try it out" without any obligations. They also comped my cousin and I each a "jello shot" for our birthdays. Our server was alright, but the hostess was the highlight of the night for us out on the patio. She chatted it up with us, seemed pretty sincere, and she said we were the most fun table she'd had all night Overall, our tab came out to about $120. Probably won't stop here again unless I'm in the area and looking for a light mid-day meal.
(3)Erik H.
The lack of interesting, intimate nightspots in the Schaumburg area has rubbed me the wrong way since moving here, but with the opening of Tokio Pub I think I've finally found a decent place to drink in a cozy, cool atmosphere. There isn't a wild amount of drinks but the small selection is intriguing, including different kinds of sake and sake mixed drinks. The food is also very good with a lot of Japanese-inspired fusion dishes, but the small tapas-style plates quickly add up. Eat dinner beforehand and come here to wind down on a weekend night.
(4)Jd P.
Server was Roy, service was great! Food as always wonderful. Do Check in for free ap. tacos chicken waffle and tuna avocado roll and bottle of Pinot noir.
(5)Tejas B.
A buddy and I ate there yesterday. We ordered the Udon noodles soup with chicken and both of us got food poisioning. Horrible. They also removed the Bento Box from the lunch menu which was the best thing on the menu.
(1)Chris M.
Way overpriced. I ordered an $16 steak dish that came with 8 thinly sliced strips of steak on a bed of ramen noodles. My wife's salmon was about the same. $5 potsticker appetizers were the smallest I've ever seen and our $3 coke was flat. Nice atmosphere if you don't mind music so loud you can't hear each other talk at 6pm, decent service. The food tasted good all around but for what we ate I would have expected to pay no more than half the price we did.
(2)Cody M.
LOVE this place. Have yet to have a bad dish but the atmosphere is awesome (small and quaint). You truly feel as if you are in a mom and pop shop versus a larger corporation owned environment. The best is the crying tiger shrimp and ribs! Great selection of drinks are also on tap and cant wait to go again. Staff is consistent in its level of service...not great but not bad by any stretch of the word. I will continue to come to this location for something just a tad different than your usual restaurant.
(5)Faith D.
Only reason we tried this place was because we had a coupon. It's a teensy bit out of the way from our usual circuit of places for a casual Friday dinner. And it's quirky because it's attached to Shaw's in Schaumburg. There's a small indoor section and a lovely outdoor section -- which is where we opted to sit as there are only so many perfect evenings in Chicago. Other than the fact that the outdoor seating faces the Streets of Woodfield parking lot, it's "al fresco" kinda sorta. I started with sake sangria. In a word "OMG" -- delicious! Next time we'll get the pitcher rather than by the glass because it was the perfect beverage for a beautiful summery evening. These are small plates and are meant to be shared. Prices per item are reasonable but they add up very, very quickly. Here are some of the things my husband and I ordered: Crispy rice combo (1 shrimp, 1 crab, 1 lobster); crispy calamari, crispy tofu squares, bbq pork belly, sweet baby back ribs, angry chicken tacos. Everything was delicious and presentations were lovely. There was a lot of "fried" stuff which surprised me a bit. Anything with "crispy" in the title meant it was fried. Hubby had a beer -- our total was $65 (we had a coupon for $20 so $45 plus tip). We were with another couple and their tab was $64! They ordered totally different stuff. Our server, Claire, was adorable but probably (per corporate policy) was really pushing us to order more. At the end of dinner she comped us 2 desserts. The beignets and the passion fruit ice cream. Those beignets (donut holes stuffed with warm chocolate ganache) were A-MAZE-ING!!! The ice cream was delicious and the perfect yin/yang of hot/cold. Now that we've got the hang of it (I think) -- it's just a bit out of the way but the deliciousness and cuteness make us want to go back sooner rather than later. I held back a star because of price. Individually - things are priced well but it did add up quickly and we will be mindful. No matter what -- I'm splurging on the sake sangria.
(3)Derek C.
We were here for a friend's birthday party and the food, drinks and staff made it very enjoyable. The food: lots of small plate asian/mexican fusion dishes. my personal favorites were the pork belly and also the braised pork tacos. We tried a few other dishes as well and they were also good. Drinks: We tried the Blushing Geisha, the Mojito and a beer called victoria. All were very good. They also had a full bar. Service was also great, as the two servers we had were very attentive and took good care of us. A few people also stayed quite late and we didn't realize that the place wasn't open that late, but the staff didn't try and kick us out, but they did give us subtle hints that they were closing, like leaving the checks. so they were nice about letting us stay a bit past closing. other things to note, the space was small, but it is attached to Shaw's. They have a decently sized outdoor area which is great when the weather is nice. So we'll definitely have to try this place again and sit outdoors when it's nice out.
(4)Anya K.
My boyfriend took me here on a Friday night, all the staff members asked us how we found out about it, but triple reward points have definitely caught our attention. The atmosphere is very chic, the music was in the background - not taking over the conversation and not making extra noise - perfect level of loudness and just enough to set the mood! Out waitress was really sweet, and made some good suggestions, so we tried the kim chee three, the shishito pepper salad (awesome), the bbq pork belly, sweet baby ribs, braised pork and grilled steak tacos (steak is way better), chicken yakitori, pub wings, tuna tartare (a must try), 3 piece crispy rice with lobster and salmon, and salmon tataki. No room for desert after all that. We also shared a pitcher of ginger mohito. Okay, I loved the food here. The tuna tartare is the number one next thing I get when I come back, the shishito pepper a little different but so good, I loved the ribs, the steak tacos - getting again for sure. I have to say that this place was a pleasant surprise, and after all that food we left perfectly buzzed and happy. Great place for a city feel in the burbs, and good for no hassle date night!
(5)Mina H.
Not sure why I have not reviewed this place yet... been here at least 4 times since it opened back in early summer. LOCATION GPS was confused, because the address showed Shaws. Dealio - its annexed and directly across from the parking garage. AMBIANCE LOVE eating on the patio, the setting is chill and convenient to a movie or Gameworks... and the staff must be taking customer service pills, b/c they are SUSPICIOUSLY nice. I can only imagine the pep talks at the beginning of each shift. FOOD Basically asian fusion tapas. Faves are the fish tacos... but the other two kinds are good too. Also like their salads! Liked the food enough to get sold on their Lettuce Entertain You Freq Diners Club membership. I dont give out 5 stars often. Nuff said.
(5)Liz K.
A girlfriend and I were scoping places around the Streets of Woodfield to get dinner and she was saying that Lettuce Entertain You opened another restaurant called "Tokio Pub". She also said she heard great things about their food. Since we've finally overcome this insane heat wave (at least for now) we sat outside on the patio. The atmosphere is awesome! We sat near the street side and we really didn't mind because trees that resemble palm trees were blocking the street. It was nice to be sort of enclosed so we didn't see cars drive past us. They have it set up real nice with lights strung on the ceiling and it doesn't get too loud out there. We orded the shrimp ceviche and crispy calamari as appetizers and they were delicious! They were perfect proportions for appetizers! I definitely wouldn't order them in place of an entree. We ordered as we went along, basing it on how hungry we got, and we ended up getting the crazy dragon roll, godzilla roll and 3 tacos. I didn't think the godzilla roll wasn't anything too special. It's your typical shrimp tempura sushi. If I remember correctly, the crazy dragon roll had a yellow casing and it was very flavorful! The tacos were incredible! We got the nacho taco, crispy fish, and the crying tiger shrimp tacos. If you like a little kick to your taco, the crying tiger shrimp is your winner! It's lightly glazed in sriracha. I personally loved the nacho taco - the braised bbq pork was yummo! Overall, it's a delicious spot but a little pricy for the food they offer. It's definitely a nice dinner place! You can expect to spend at least $40-$60 if you do appetizers and entrees. Happy eating!
(5)Frank A.
Came here with reservations for my Bro's B-day. Was seriously expecting greatness based on the hype. We arrived here and was seated right by the entrance. I sort of felt bad that some our party was facing the door. I know there was a slight draft and it was freakin winter. It had to be chilly on that side of our table. Other than that, I suppose you'd really have to come here with the intention of drinking and not having an all out feast. I know, I know, this place is more in the style of a tapas. At the same time, the prices are a bit too high. I mean the food was OK, not great. We ordered virtually everything on the menu and I was still struggling to find something that would leave me satisfied. In the end, the food was alright, but we were left with a massive bill. Yea, yea... tapas.. I know... I did drink a little, but I guess I needed to drink a lot more... oh well.
(2)Samantha V.
I was just informed in a private message from the owner that they are in fact keeping the delicious tacos. Trust me, you will be missing out if you don't try these. I always put this place off until about 2 weeks ago and when I went i had a lovely waitress recommend a sampler to me and i definitely could kick myself for not going to this place sooner than I did. They also have interesting entrees where you cook your food yourself on a hot rock that I saw and want to try. You can also throw parties here on their heated patio. I really love this place and their beer is pretty cheep too!
(5)SasaChaCha C.
Place was tightly packed. Tables are very tiny and place is dimly lit.. Food is unique
(3)Luci W.
My boyfriend and I are basically regulars there and some of the waitress would recognized us and would alway greet us with a smile on their face. We love their food too much. Way too much. We alway order the pork braised nacho. Omgee so effin good. My boyfriend would order seconds during the happy hours. We love happy hours cause we r college kids lol. We shall pay them a visit again!
(5)Ang R.
***Restaurant Week Review*** Make a reservation. It's teeny. The restaurant week menu was great, and a great value. $33 per couple, not person. Everything was really tasty. The nachos were probably the highlight for me, though those Asian barbecue ribs were very tasty too. (And the white peach sangria was awesome.)
(4)Deepak N.
Went here before a movie. Waitress was super nice. Sushi rolls were sub par. Not authentic. Expensive. Loud drunk patrons. Meh. Better off going to sushi ya or something.
(1)Carolyn B.
This place was our go-to in early spring, but service and quality have gone downhill since April..we won't be back.
(2)Melanie P.
Love this place! Super relaxed, we always sit out on the patio (rarity in the suburbs). Great place to go with groups- order more, try more. I recommend the Sake Sangria and any of the tacos (partial to the pork belly). Service has always been good. Nice place to go to get away from all of the Schaumburg chains.
(5)Valerie W.
Unfortunately, i wasn't impressed with Tokio Pub. I really really REALLY wanted to love it, but it just fell flat all around for me. We went for a friend's birthday a few weeks ago. The one very good point was that they were very accommodating to our large group, but because of the setup of the place, we were not able to all sit together. The service was quick and friendly, despite our large group spread across the restaurant I had perused the menu ahead of time, and was really looking forward to all of the delicious things they were offering. None of it was *that* delicious: Tuna Tartare w/ tortilla chips ($8): The portion was small, and it had obviously been made ahead of time and refrigerated (the tuna was far too cold to have been freshly cut by the sushi chef) Spicy Tiger shrimp tacos ($6 for 2): the concept of all of the tacos is excellent, but the flavor didn't jive for me. They were DOUSED in sriracha. I love sriracha. It was still too much. Lemon-Lime rainbow roll ($9): again, tasted like it had been made in advance and refrigerated. Sushi is not supposed to be COLD. I could only eat one piece before pawning it off on others who aren't as picky. Crazy Dragon Roll($9): I did enjoy this one, but there was too much rice in the roll. I really hate when sushi places use too much rice. Grilled chicken stir fry noodle dish ($13): there were several noodle dishes on the table. They take the same noodles and slap a different protein down with them. I was less than impressed all around. Pitcher of Ginger Mojitos ($22): The pitcher was very small for $22, like a half pitcher. I could definitely taste the ginger and the lime, not so much the rum. I would not go back to Tokio Pub... If I'm going to spend that much money and am in the area, I'll go to the Oyster Bar at Shaw's.
(2)Christy S.
I absolutely LOVE this place and so does my husband! It is our go-to place whenever we don't know where we want to go. We probably eat here once a week. What also makes it great is their happy hour during 5-6pm. The entire left side of the menu is half price! Sushi is delicious and fresh, the tacos are delicious (yes small, but great.) I've also had their Noodle bowl and it was delicious. I don't think I've tried anything there that I haven't liked. One complaint I would have is... Why did you get rid of the ceviche????? It was SO SO good and I miss it! :) Also you MUST have the Beignets when you are there, they are so amazing, A little pricey, but worth it when you taste them.
(5)Amy G.
Why not give it 5 stars. It was delicious. It's a small, sort of hidden gem. For starters we had the pork nachos and maki rolls. Both out of this world. I had the noodle dish while my husband had pork belly, both excellent. Food portions were good, and I can't wait to go back for $1 tacos. I am so glad we found this place, and we will be back.
(5)Bill M.
Very good, who knew sushi and tacos could pair so well. Only thing bad about my last visit was the water, it tasted horrible.
(4)Kelli W.
Considering this place is small and one of my favorites for small plates, I might regret adding to their ratings; I want to keep it to myself. The food, service, and atmosphere are consistently perfect. Food is priced right, service is unobtrusive and attentive, and the bar plays great mellow music. I could go on, but plenty of others have.
(5)Nicky S.
We utilized our gift certificates and picked up a variety of menu options. The girl on the phone said it would be ready in 15 minutes. We're a 20 minute drive away so I sent my husband off after the call. He said the order was not ready when we got there, but he had no problem waiting at the bar. We made sure to order a range of food and my mindset was very open to this second time around. Shrimp ceviche - This was light and refreshing but not enough chips included. Braised pork tacos - Decent, but not special Braised pork belly noodles - not seasoned properly, not enough salt, lacked unami and depth. I did like how they layered the pork on top of the soup as to not soak the meat in the broth. Robata Grilled Skirt Steak - Husband's dish. He generally doesn't have negative reviews of restaurants but said he was not impressed and the steak was overcooked. Conclusion: I give the management major props for handling my poor first experience swiftly and allowing me a second shot. If the review was solely based on their actions this would be 5 stars instead of 3. Despite this I am still unimpressed with the food. It's very average and something that might impress those who are content going to Applebees or Ruby Tuesdays. I am torn because there is much potential with the atmosphere, menu options and beverage selection, that it's a shame the main event doesn't live up to the image. The flavors are not as bright and exciting as one would expect. The broth and sauces lack dimension and leave much to be desired. Frankly after a bite or two of each item I was bored. Management obviously cares about their establishment, hence reaching out to their customer-base, so I would ask them to round up their kitchen staff, taste each of their menu items and ask themselves if it's the most delicious thing they've ever tasted, or if something needs to be tweaked. It might not be the chefs, it could be the recipes are too bland to begin with. If the menu items were revamped I would be happy to come back on my own dime and try this restaurant once more.
(3)Jordan G.
Did not eat here, but we did sit at the bar and had a few cocktails! VERY cool atmosphere! I had a raspberry martini which was delicious and my boyfriend tried a few of their variety of craft beers. It's a small, quitter bar (at least when we were there) that looked to be setting up live music on the patio for later. Very cool!
(4)Sumara K.
I can't even lie. I (insert expletive here) love tacos. Especially when paired with delicious drinks. That being said, I'm super critical of tacos, especially when partaking in said delicious drinks. Tokio Pub combines a few of my favorite things. Alcohol, palate shocking tastes, and a an atmosphere that does not rely on kitsch to make you like them. Warning to any big eaters though; they serve things in small portions. The first time we went was on a Saturday night and they had $3 dollar glasses of wine and sangria. Delicious. I ordered the ceviche, the pork nachos, and we received two free chicken tacos for checking in on Facebook. To be fair we went in rather late and the kitchen was soon to be closing. While the chicken taco left much to be desired, the pork nachos were delicious. The ceviche was higher on the guacamole and lower on the shrimp, but still very pleasing to my palate. The red sangria and white sangria were equally delicious, though I will admit that I ordered only the white sangria and was brought the red by our server who wasn't exactly the most attentive girl ever. :( There was also karaoke on Saturday nights, but it seemed like no one was really biting. The DJ was very cool though and took requests in between singers. Two weeks later we returned, on a Friday night this time. Go figure we ended up with the same server, but this time we sat outside because the weather was gorgeous. I had the pork belly taco (HOLY SJFSLJFLKSJLFKS SO GOOD) and the nacho taco (again, HOLY FJSKLJFDLkasJFLSJFSLKDSJAL SO GOOD). The blushing geisha was a delicious compliment to my small meal, and I would have ordered another one but it was taking too long for drinks. Aside from a few minor serving issues, I REALLY love this place. The food is fantastic, and can you really beat a restaurant that has a $1 taco hour? C'mon!
(4)Alicia F.
Good food, service started out great then towards the middle of our night we got ignored and had to wait a very long time for our entrees. The server even forgot our appetizer order.
(3)Justine S.
I was here last night for my birthday. Our server was awesome! she recommended the best food options for interest. Food overall was great. ORDER THE NACHO'S FOR APPETIZER! this is a must!! so gooood! My dad ordered the ahi tuna and they give it to you with hot rocks to cook it! best part, its still good! THIS IS A MUST GO!!!! and they had 1$ taco's last night too. yum
(5)Todd B.
Complete hype and style over substance. My wife order sushi - which took ages and came out with FROZEN cucumber in the middle. Nothing we ordered had any flavor... from the quasi-Mexican tacos - to the not-so-Asian soup and sushi. The only reason I'm giving 2 stars - is because the manager comped the frozen sushi. I'm not really one to write negative reviews - because I don't want to trash someone's business... but a company as large as L.E.Y. gets it this wrong - changes needed to be made quickly.
(2)Joy C.
Not a good place for dinner, the portion size is super small, and it is very expensive. The food is not even fresh, the finger size taco costs $3 each, what are they thinking? To make it even worse, this place is super loud, you can hear all the conversation from the next tables.
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