In an update to the news announcing the patio at Sumi Robata Bar (702 North Wells), Chef Kato has now announced new hours and lunch service starting today (April 22). The restaurant will now be open to lunch patrons every Monday-Friday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. The lunch announcement comes with the launch of a new Bento option, which is a traditional boxed lunch composed of compartmentalized menu items. The box features your choice of a vegetable, seafood, or protein cooked on the robata grill and served over rice. A selection of dishes from the restaurant’s Hot and Cold Appetizer menus will also be available. This lunch launch is a big deal for those who love the Japanese cuisine served up at Sumi, and the news of the patio opening makes a lunch break sound even better. For anyone who didn’t read the post on the restaurant’s patio, you can do so below:
Spring is here and with the season comes the inevitable patio dining. Chef Gene Kato and his new restaurant, Sumi Robata Bar (702 North Wells), have announced their new outdoor patio. They actually call this multi-level alfresco space an outdoor zen patio, can’t for the zen. The restaurant, which opened in January of this year, has been getting great reviews and is characterized by the culinary technique of cooking over Japanese charcoal. And now this Spring, guests of Sumi will be able to enjoy this traditional robatayaki experience on a patio.
They are deeming this outdoor space an urban oasis. As you enter from the city streets, you will be flanked by Japanese siding meant to resemble a “kura” on one side, and the other by lush native evergreens that encase the space. Chef Kato is really wants this to be a tranquil space, he even personally tends to the Japanese zen garden that occupies a portion of the patio. The patio will feature a variety of seating arrangements, from traditional two tops to a cozy cabana-style lounge adorned with drapes. I wish I could convince Chef Kato to put a hammock on the patio just for me, that would be truly zen. Because it’s meant to inspire tranquility, Chef Kato has limited seating, limited as in only 20 seats. The smaller number of dining patrons around you will give it a more intimate feeling, which is conducive to a tranquil experience. No exact date on when the patio will officially open because, as we all know, Chicago weather can be pretty unpredictable, but it will be opening soon. For any questions about Sumi Robata Bar or to make reservations, call 312-988-7864. But just so you know, the zen patio will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
