Doing something for yourself can provide a unique level of satisfaction, which is why it's important you keep paying poor people to do stuff for you, so they can experience it. Well not really, but who cares? Get a taste of self-reliance, Eastern-style, at Gyu-Kaku.

A Japanese BBQ concept already established in NYC, Cali, and Hawaii, G-K's first Chi outpost has an open kitchen surrounded with bright wood accents and black and red booth-style seating where folks'll experience Yakiniku, in which patrons cook small pieces of meat on their own in-table grills, but not in-table grillz, as those belong on the (Paul) Walls. There's a dizzying array of proteins, from Kobe rib eye and ahi tuna, to pork jowl and beef tongue, all of them soaked in a marinade of your choosing (Miso, Basil, White Soy) before you grill 'em up and dunk them in assorted sauces (sweet 'n spicy, ponzu...), though take care not to double dip, lest your companions dub you a Nasty Freaq. Veggies also find their way onto the grill, from shiitake mushrooms and shishito peppers, to foil-wrapped options like garlic spinach and Japanese sweet potato, while those who prefer to not do anything can opt for noodle dishes like a spicy kimchee bibimbap that comes sizzling in a stone pot (oddly, none of the ingredients arrive baked).

As far as drinks, there's a robust selection of sake and a Japanese-heavy beer list, allowing you to shout out "Hey, sap...pour-o!"