Yusho

Grilled meats on skewers served in a chef's-counter setting on Chicago's northwest side: Yusho carved out a specific and deliberate niche in the city's Japanese dining scene, drawing on yakitori tradition without replicating it wholesale. Chef Matthias Merges, who spent years as executive chef at Charlie Trotter's before opening this Logan Square address, brought a technically grounded hand to a format that can easily drift toward the casual and careless. The space itself was designed by his wife, Rachel Crowl, giving the room a coherence that many chef-driven neighborhood spots lack. The menu extended well beyond the grill. Duck confit takoyaki balls and Logan Poser Ramen became the dishes most associated with the restaurant, alongside tuna tartare with ponzu and yuzu, baby octopus, and tofu doughnuts. Sunday noodles, a dedicated weekly menu of ramen and soba priced at $20 per guest, gave regulars a reason to return on a rhythm. Individual items ran as low as $6, placing Yusho firmly in the mid-priced bracket rather than the fine-dining tier, which made the Trotter's pedigree behind the stove all the more notable. Chicago magazine named Yusho one of its Best New Restaurants of 2012, and coverage from Condé Nast Traveler and Eater followed. That early recognition reflected something genuine: a kitchen applying real technique to a format that Chicago had not seen executed at this level in the Logan Square and Avondale corridor. An Eater Chicago report in 2017 noted the original Kedzie Avenue location was closing, marking the end of the restaurant's run at this address.

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