Booze Box

After my last review management reached out, gave me credit on the house, and asked to try their food again. This time I ate from the sushi menu rather than the Japanese street food menu. Food was much better, and service as always was top notch.
A good restaurant and fun spot to go out — I’ll be back — but still not convinced this is among Chicago’s best sushi spots.

Booze box was right around the corner from Girl and the Goat and my friend Andy N and I decided to come by for a dessert.
The two desserts I had were amazing. The lychee ice cream and green tea cheesecake. YUM!
Protip: great service. but I’d have to come back and get food sometime

Awesome little cocktail spot underneath Sushi Dokku. The Southside is the bomb! Come on the earlier side. It was empty when we arrived at 6, but it’s small and seemed pretty crowded by the time we left. Also, oddly large bathrooms for such a small space.

We’ve only been here couple of times but have had great experience both times!
First time, we had to look for the entry but second time, we were pros!
Their sake selection is great as well as their sake flight that the bartender chose to our taste. We’ve never liked an unfiltered sake before until trying theirs. The pork belly small bites are heavenly!

This became my favorite chill place!!! Today was my second time here and I fell in love with this place even more. The place is small, with a DJ, dim lights and underground. Although the bartender takes a bit of a time to get your drinks, it’s worth the wait. I highly recommend this place mainly for a date., again it’s small and gets packed all the time…

I started coming here when it first opened and wasn’t so trendy and packed. It hurts to write this review because it’s come to the point where people now know where this place is and where to find it.
I like to tell my friends this is a speakeasy sake bar. No idea why I call it that. Maybe it’s because it’s hard to find and #2, they serve primarily sake. Music is pretty solid here. Drinks are great. Bartenders are absolutely attentive.
Wish this place was bigger because on a Friday/​Saturday night, the likelihood of getting a table or a seat at the bar is pretty slim.

Great bar!
I went here for my friend’s birthday. She reserved 2 booths, but when we got there, only 1 of them was available. We sat cozily in the booth, patiently waiting until the group sitting there was finished. Our server was very friendly and apologized about the booth and ended up taking off some items from our bill to compensate for the wait.
I started with the Bourbon Basil cocktail (Henry DuYore’s bourbon, lemongrass syrup & basil). It was very strong! It’s definitely a one and done kind of drink especially if you don’t drink a lot.
I really liked the ambiance of the bar. I felt like I was in a Japanese izakaya. It was very dark and moody. The music was good too! My friend knew the DJ so that was an added bonus.
I ordered the tako yaki (pan-​fried round dumpling, diced octopus, Japanese mayo, unagi sauce & bonito flakes) from the bites menu. One order includes four pieces. When our server brought the plate, the bonito flakes moved around looking as though it was alive. I don’t know if it was the sauce or the bonito flakes, but I thought it was too salty. My friends tried it and thought the same thing. Next time, I’ll order something different. Some of my friends ordered from the Sushi Dokku (restaurant that’s upstairs) menu and enjoyed their food.
I had a fun time at Booze Box. The atmosphere, drinks and service were all great. I definitely want to come back!

This is basically a small basement Izakaya under Sushi Dokku which you can enter through an alleyway. Chicago needs more basement bars like that. In any case, although small, I liked the atmosphere quite a bit. There was a mixed crowd which was nice and some trendy people there, which is also nice. The drinks for me were mostly decent, though a few misses. I wouldn’t say they do their drinks outstandingly well but they’re at least decent. As far as the food goes, we had a number of things. First of all, the bar snack bowl is good in general, and the rest of the food ranged from decent to solid. The green tea Soba noodles for example had good taste, but the noodles needed to be a little bit more al dente. The ramen broth wasn’t bad either, but again — the noodles weren’t really done right. The nigiri’s freshness was above average for Chicago and fairly fresh, but not super fresh either. The portion on the nigiri was pretty good. There were some other dishes I wish they had, like Tako Wasa, but will give them a pass since almost nobody in town does the dish for some reason (why not!?). I do wish, however, they had some Robata. If done right, that could make this place even better.
Overall, I’d say that it was a good experience and I’d recommend it to someone looking for a small, hip kind of bar in a Japanese setting. Don’t expect amazing food, but the food was fairly solid and some of the drinks were too.

I’m glad to have stumbled upon Booze Box. Walking up to the unmarked door with a red arrow glaring above it and deciding to go down the dark staircase may seem a bit intimidating, but don’t be. This place is not pretentious or judge mental at all.
The crowd is a bit older than your average college bar, which is nice. The space is very small, but very comfortable. The bartenders are great and make sure that you are well taken care of. The waitresses and friendly, and the best part is that you can order from the full Sushi Dokku menu (the restaurant above Booze Box) while their kitchen is open.
The drinks were great and unique. I’ve had spicy alcoholic drinks before and they were pretty blah, but these jalapeño drinks were delicious and the ingredients paired nicely. The sushi we ordered (just a spicy tuna roll) was also top notch! If you are strolling around Randolph Street and want a place to chill with friends, this is a great place to go. It does seem to get crowded, but we only had to wait a few minutes for a table. It was worth it.

Love this place. I’ve only walked in twice for drinks and the people who work here are the nicest! Both times we were able to grab seats and they were incredibly attentive but also just genuinely concerned that we were taken care of and happy.
I’ve had the saketini, sake sampler a couple times and the tap wine. Also tried the deviled eggs. Yummy. I want to come back and try more of the bites. Get here earlier, it fills up!

Cool little spot hidden underground off an alley with a great vibe. They were completely booked up on a Saturday but we were able to loiter around the bar. There isn’t much space, and we were one of the only groups standing.
The cocktails were inventive and interesting but not my personal favorite. Same with the food. Just a simple matter of taste.
I would reco friends to check out the menu and go, but probably won’t be back myself next time I’m in Chicago.

Did you have any idea that Japanese speak-​easys were a thing? Me neither, until I heard about this awesome little gem in West Loop! The alleyway entrance is a bright red arrow, but you can also enter from inside by the bar. The steps lead down to a small, yet trendy, space with booths along the perimeter of the room and the bar in the middle, which leaves for plenty of bar seating.
The menu is amazing — I didn’t realize that you also get the Dokku menu, so there are so many food options! I highly recommend sampling the specialty cocktails. I tried the momotaro and chill gin mojito. The momotaro was good, very light and sweet, but the chili gin mojito is what I would return for. A refreshing mojito with a kick of chili powder — yum! For food, we ordered both off of the Booze Box bites menu and the Dokku menu. We started with the Tako Yaki (a pan-​fried dumpling with bonito flakes) and chicken karaage (japenese fried chicken). From there, we had the crispy maguro maki and the chef’s special. Overall, it was a fantastic meal with interesting drinks and great ambience.
Weekend tip: if you are planning on eating here on a Friday or Saturday night and want a booth for your group, make a reservation.

A friend and I came on a Saturday night for drinks and while it was crowded, we were able to nab a few bar stools. While the drinks were tasty – chamomile whiskey sour & bourbon basil (y)– the service was unbelievably slow. We ordered okonomiyaki sometime during our first drink, asked them to check on our order two or three times, and didn’t receive it until over an hour (and a drink or two) later. All we wanted was something to soak up the booze!
I tried to figure out what the main demographic of the patrons was, but it seemed to be rather varied. Mainly young professionals – naturally, given the neighborhood– but there was a good mix of girls’ night out, happy hour round 3, and semi-​uncomfortable first dates.

Shhhh don’t let the secret out! This is a hidden gem of Randolph Street dining.
If you’re looking for what Momotaro and Izakaya at Momotaro have to offer without being stuck with a late reservation or not one at all since they are the hot spot then this is your spot! I have dined at Sushi Doku and it is great sushi. To add this downstairs sake bar and lounge is a great idea.
There is a separate entrance that can be missed but you can also enter through Sushi Doku behind the bar down the stairs. There is a small amount of booth seating but also bar seating in this cozy venue.
I did see that they offer a chef’s selection Omakase dinner where the chef prepares everything privately, table side.
We however chose to sip some drinks at the bar and nibble on some small bites.
I started with a sake and then a cocktail. Both were delicious and the bartender was very helpful in selecting the right drink for me.
To eat we actually were able to order from both the Sushi Doku menu as well as the Booze Box menu.
We tried the Drowning Taco which was a garlic lovers heaven. Full roasted cloves of garlic and thinly sliced octopus in a bowl drowned in olive oil, vinegar and lime… how could this go wrong?! Each bite was very juicy and flavorful.
From the Sushi Doku menu we had the Smoked Salmon sashmi and the Ecuador-​Maguro, Hamachi, Avocado, Cucumber, Tobiko, Cilantro, Wasabi Mayo, Jalapeño. The smoke salmon was the perfect amount of smoke but I did feel that it was a bit too salty for my liking. The Ecuador was very good too. Had hints of crunch and the roll was made well. I would only suggest a little more heat. When I read jalapeño I immediately gravitated towards the selection but was left a little underwhelmed.
Overall a great experience. There was plenty of attention and knowledge among the staff and everything was brought out in a timely fashion. I enjoyed the ambiance of something private and hidden. A great night to catch up with girlfriends or go on a date. You can definitely feel the vibe of trendy as well as casual.

Love this place! The hot sake with chambord is genius— chambord is my favorite liqueur and the two combined is sooo good. Ordered some sushi to snack on, and were feeling in a crabby mood, so ordered the soft shell sushi– Northern California. This was probably the best sushi I’ve had in Chicago— the seaweed was crispy and the flavors delicate. The kani was disappointing though— although it was so dark in there I wondered to myself if they mixed it up and gave us tuna instead. Oh well, I’d gladly try more of their other sushi options— next time I’m definitely hitting up Sushi Dokku.
Chili gin mojito was pretty spot on here. Love the ambiance of the place– we crammed into a tiny 2 person booth with a red light above our table— very Tokyo bar feel to it. Our server was super sweet and great. We didn’t love the DJ’s choice of music, but I would definitely come back here for drinks and snacks.

Fun drinks and good food. We only tried their sushi/​sashimi. I would love to come back and try their warm dishes.
The ambiance is quite cozy. The service was just ok, but it’s probably because we came with a such a big group.

Came here because of Au Cheval. Freaking long wait there so my group came here to kill time.
The entrance is located in an alleyway. Bar is super dark and small. We were the only people there. They offer a variety of Japanese whiskeys.
All the workers were Asian. I was so happy to see them because I felt like I didn’t see that many Asians in Chicago.
Would love to see what this place looks like when it’s poppin.

This place could totally be in Japan. You have to walk down a dark alley to a door by a large arrow. Then you walk downstairs to a super cool place.
Is it really $$? I think it’s more like $$$. It doesn’t really matter how much it costs because Booze Box is pretty awesome. The name doesn’t sound very classy but trust me, it is.
We got a couple of cocktails at the bar (~$ 15 each) and ordered the cheapest snacks on the menu (snack mix and one deviled egg). The drinks and food are ok; the vibe is what makes Booze Bar great.

Did I suddenly walk into a yakuza club in Kabukicho, Shinjuku? Didn’t get that reference? Then it’s time to plan your next trip to Tokyo, friends.
Booze Box is a fitting name for this izakaya. Like ones in Japan, you enter downstairs behind an actual sushi restaurant (whom I swear pays for the liquor license, since my tab was charged under their name instead of BB) and into a dark, eerie bar.
Red everywhere. No, not the blood of your ancestors. It’s tinted red for that laid back, sultry ambience. The three of us were seated at a booth where we were able to see all the action happening. From the bartenders pouring our drinks to patrons striking up conversations with workers around the dimly lit countertop.
As for the drinks, expect to pay a bit more than your average bar. Drinks run from $ 8 — $ 16, given the kind of cocktail you’d enjoy. They offer some standard sake options you’d find at other restaurants, but if you’re unfamiliar with the Japanese liquor, ask them for a recommendation! I stuck with my usual nigori sake (chilled) and thoroughly enjoyed sipping on my friend’s saketini.
The food here wasn’t bad either. Note that it’s going to be standard Japanese pub food with smaller portions, so don’t expect to get full here. We ordered the karaage, and instead of receiving it as nuggets, we got it in the form of spicy wings. Different, but nonetheless tasty.
Thanks Booze Box for a chill happy hour out before we took the streets of Boystown!
No free parking, so good luck looking for a spot on the streets. がんばれ！

I found out about Booze Box while looking on Unilocal for new places to check out in the West Loop. I think I saw it described as an underground Japanese bar that serves street food inspired appetizers. That sounded like awesomeness, so we decided to check it out on a Friday night.
I read that the entrance would be in the alley behind Sushi Dokku, so I was expecting something more like the entrance for Three Dots. But the alley behind just looked like a normal alley with dumpsters around. There was one door though that was semi-​decorated with wood or something and two guys were standing near it. We didn’t wanna look like total Booze Box rookies, so we just rolled up to the guys without asking them if it was the right place and whipped out our IDs like we knew the whole time. Awww yea… walked in like we were regulars.
Ambiance: The space was dark and cozy, and the general atmosphere was real chilled out. There was a DJ spinning some music in the front and there was just a rectangular bar in the center of the room with stools (they aren’t moveable btw) all around. Along the walls were semi-​enclosed wooden booths, which looked perfect for groups. It was pretty dim but there were red lights glowing all throughout the place. I absolutely loved the vibe of this place.
Drinks: They had a huge variety of sake as well as cocktails and various Japanese beers. I tried the Gin Mule, which was good, but I definitely wanna try some of the Japanese whiskeys I saw the next time I come back. They had a lot of drinks that you can’t necessarily get any many other bars, so it was a nice change of pace from my usual makers+diet order.
Food: We were actually more excited to try the stuff on the bites menu than anything else. Since we already ate dinner, we just ordered a few things. I will definitely come back to try the rest of the food on the menu though.
Tako yaki — Deep fried balls filled with octopus and Japanese mayo. Loved the crispy outside and the super creamy texture of the inside. The fish flakes on top were wilting from the heat of the balls, which kinda gave a cool movement effect that made the dish look alive haha.
Deviled Eggs — Probably some of the best deviled eggs I’ve ever had. They captured such a bold essence of Asian flavors that I’ve never tasted in deviled eggs before. Awesome combination of seaweed and chili oil.
Chicken Karaage — I ate the bones?!? Warning: this karaage wasn’t boneless like most of the ones I’ve tried, so don’t just dive right in and take a huge bite like I did lol. These were pretty big pieces of fried chicken that were perfectly crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside. Instead of a dipping sauce, it came with a dry salt and pepper mixture.
Overall, I was really impressed by Booze Box. I loved the vibe, the variety of Japanese liquor and the awesome Izakaya style small plates. I will definitely be back.