Chicago’s West Loop has welcomed Gaijin as the city’s first okonomiyaki concept, which offers both Hiroshima and Osaka styles of the savory Japanese pancake. Robert Quellos of locally based FC Studio designed Gaijin, which translates to “outsider,” to evoke both warmth and energy.
Spread across 1,200 square feet, the restaurant seats 60 in the dining room and 14 at the bar. Diners are oriented around the open kitchen, which features a custom 12-foot-long griddle and chef’s counter to draw visitors into the theatrics of preparation. Individual Hiroshima teppan griddles are embedded into all tables.
