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Because apparently not everything in Japan gets lost in translation, the former Charlie Trotter's exec chef drew on the energy and community he discovered in the country's street food scene when conceiving Yusho, relying on his architect wife to channel his vision into an eclectic space centered around a bar made from century-old wood beams and lit by reclaimed lights dangling at different lengths, and a skylit back room equipped with a projector playing anime, so you won't be alone in having eyes bigger than your stomach.

Behind the bar's a charcoal grill cranking out yakitori birdage like duck legs w/ wasabi & sweet onion, chicken skin w/ Japanese mustard & pickle garlic, and quail w/ barley, laver seaweed, and winter chestnuts, though Joey's likely hibernating after all those hot dogs. Other grilled goodness includes sambal-spiced bison tongue with daikon, and kimchi/black garlic pork belly, while less-grilled chef's selections range from pig's feet/sweet potato gyoza, to sea urchin w/ shiso and Buddha's hand, seriously enlightening whichever line cook got the Buddha's hand job.

Naturally there's copious sake and Sapporo on tap, and they're also making their own bitters, tonic, and more for specialty 'tails like the Hemingway in Hokkaido, a sake- and togarashi-kissed, daiquiri-esque concoction certainly capable of getting you lost, and requiring translation.

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See the full menu and score a reservation at Yusho-Chicago.com