Holu

Amazing work from our servers Leo and Sarah who explained each cut of meat in our signature and classic set. We also ordered the ube colada which went viral on tiktok, which was unique and great for a summer day. The miyazaki (the big flat meat) was amazing with the rice and honestly made my day. The interior was very vibey and we got our own booth that was secluded with ambient lighting. My one complaint is that the restaurant doesn't have its own bathroom, and instead shares one with the plaza it's in.Price: $$$ but reasonableRating: 9/10

About a 2-2.5: HOLU is described as a 'modern Asian steakhouse', taking pride in offering meats that are cut and trimmed in their kitchen.Their menu offers an omakase-style with 3 different options, and meats are prepared on a smokeless, ceramic charcoal grill.We came here as a group, and decided to go for the Surf + Turf option - this came with:+East + West Coast Oysters+Organic Greens+Atlantic Sea Scallop + Soba HOLU Crab Cake+African Jumbo Tiger Prawns+1/2 of an Australian Jumbo Lobster Tail+Short Rib Kimchi Stew + Rice+Dry-Aged Ribeye (from Iowa Farms)+Dry-Aged Spinalis (from Iowa Farms)+Wagyu Culotte (rom Westholme Farms)+and, Wagyu Flat Iron (from Westholme Farms)We also ordered additional a la carte items:+Galbi - marinated short rib (from Iowa Farms), served with gem lettuce+Honshu NY Strip - snow-aged marble from Niigata; a Japanese A5+Lobster Salad - prepared with avocado, onions, and tomatoes+Japanese A5 Wagyu Phoenix Dumplings+Organic Pickles+and, KimchiService was attentive.The restaurant itself has a classy vibe, and I really liked the tall clean partitions that separated each of the tables.Overall, we felt that for the quality and the portions served, it didn't really match the price point.Plenty of free parking in the area.+omakase-style menu options+attentive service+plenty of parking in the area

Great spot for a special occasion! We did the wagyu dumplings to start, then opted for the omakase experience. You get some banchan and sauces included in the omakase to compliment the meat, which is cooked at the table for you by your server. Everything was delicious! My only suggestion for Holu would be to have the meats labeled on the cutting board or have the servers say each meat before cooking as opposed to just once at the beginning (since it's hard to remember which is which as you're going through) & to give more time between each cut of meat as we felt like we were constantly having to finish what was on our plates since the next meat was already being prepared.I think this is a comparable restaurant experience to Cote in nyc, though for a similar price point, I think Cote is better.

Excited to go for restaurant week. Was able to snag a Saturday 5 pm reservation with an OpenTable notification. Located in the same building as 88 Marketplace. Plenty of parking. It was a great experience. Ambiance was dark and moody. Stuck with the restaurant week menu $59 and added an order of dumplings. The assortment of veggies and 2 sauces came out first: "Kimchi" as a Korean, I can say it wasn't authentic; pickled red cabbage; spicy cucumber; lotus root; and a green salad. It was a nice addition to the meal. The dumplings were good, nice skin and filling was tasty. Not sure what the crunchy lacey thing was, but it was pretty. The meat was outstanding. Cooked in front of us by our server. Each piece was tender, simply and well seasoned and cooked to our preference (medium). Service was great. The server was a bit pushy to order more than the restaurant week menu, but he was attentive and was great at explaining each piece of meat and how to enjoy it as they were placed on our plate. I think we over stayed our welcome, they definitely wanted us to leave, but didn't force us. I appreciated that. My friend and I hadn't seen each other in months and were busy catching up. Would I come here again? Yes! Although, it'll cost a lot more! :)

We came to try their Chicago Restaurant Week menu. While the meat was delicious! We are not sure if we would come back to try their regular menu, except for very special occasions. Fried rice could have more lobster and flavor; House salad could have been drenched in a bit of dressing. I do hope that Holu consider Happy Hour. I do love the service, the environment, and their unique cocktail menu, so I would come back to try their sushi and cocktails. While we did get cocktails, it didn't pair well with the meat and if anything, the meat would make you crave red wine (they do have a pretty good number of wine bottles). So I would recommend to have a happy hour to set up an environment that's more for sushi and cocktails.

One of the best premium steak cuts I had and this place cooked it to perfection just like how "medium" we wanted! Cozy and nice. Drinks were decent! Pricey fosure but definitely worth it. Service-they cook for you so that's nice. Free parking was the best part. I waited and called for weeks to get a reservation and once we got there we saw several booths and empty tables so I'm not sure why they don't have enough opening on open table. Idk if they don't have enough servers to each booth. But if you are able to get an appt, take it!

First off, before you go here, you might want to check their price first. We know this place is pricey since the get-go, but that didn't stop us from going here Quality - I can't say bad things about this place about the quality of their food. Literally, it's just the best meat (according to my husband!). I don't care much about beef, but since the husband and my friends love it, I am just another fourth wheel.Service - Definitely top-notch. They explained each meat to us and cooked it for us. It's just the best experience for the four of us.Ambiance - I do wish for the price they're offering, I wish that the place is more upscale. It feels like just a regular BBQ place if that makes sense. What's annoying is that the bathroom is not even in the restaurant. You have to go to the 'market' place. Overall, it's a great experience.

The ambiance is very comfy and modern. The food delicious! We ordered the Carnivore Package. It came with 10 selected steak cuts, veggies, stew, white rice, and a sushi combo. It was a great package with lots of delicious food. You have the waitress who has help, cook the food at your table. The good is fresh and tasty. All the cuts of meat were great. For desert you get a scoop of soft serve ice cream with strawberry topping and it is delicious. It was so good I asked for a second serving and they brought another one out. Highly recommend this place.

Overall, Holu was a lovely experience. The restaurant's aesthetic, especially for a mall location, was impressive, and our private booth with a grill was fun. Although we initially thought we'd be cooking, having a dedicated chef at our table turned out to be a pleasant surprise, ensuring the food was expertly prepared.Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, contributing to a positive atmosphere. However, the overall pace of the experience was slower than expected, so be prepared for a bit of a wait. We indulged in 4 meat cuts and the Wagyu fried rice; the latter stole the show, emerging as our favorite fried rice ever.Among the Australian Wagyu cuts, the culotte stood out with its tenderness and buttery perfection. The short rib followed as our next favorite, then the zabuton, and finally, the Australian Wagyu filet. We sampled 2 ounces of each cut, resulting in a nearly $200 total bill. While we anticipated the cost, it's unlikely we'd pay that much for a meal here again. Nevertheless, Holu is recommended for those seeking a fun, unique dining experience and a night out.

I absolutely loved my time at Holu and I think the restaurant week deal was definitely worth the price. The steak omakase was amazing and I didn't realize they cook for you which is perfect because I felt like our server, Leo, was the best and I would've burnt it someway somehow. Leo was super friendly and I will probably request that he be our server again. The plum duck addition was a great addition too because the duck was so succulent and tender. Overall it was a great experience and we were definitely well taken care of. You have definitely earned a loyal customer out of me! The place is super cute and nice for a date night or a celebratory dinner.