Wagyu House by The X Pot

I am giving a huge shout out to everyone at the Xpot I was fortunate enough to have been invited to try the 17 course meal at the sushi bar tonight .
Little did I know what I was in for. To say that each course was better than the last would be a huge understatement! Every time I thought it couldn't get any better guess what it did!
Chef K Is a master in that kitchen, his talents and presentation were fantastic and the entire staff both front and back of house we're impeccable. You cannot go anywhere near the South-loop and not stop in and take in the beautiful atmosphere and the delicious food. The bar looks and sounds fantastic. The Mixologists created drinks that were nothing short of Amazing. One big plus was not having an issue with parking anywhere since there were ample places to park on the street and in the parking garage. I truly look forward to my next evening out there with friends and family!
XOXO G!

Amazing all around, service was impeccable and food was amazing. Had the chance to pre-test the 16 course omakase - the meat and ingredients were all super fresh.

My experience at The X Pot was phenomenal and unforgettable! This new hotpot restaurant is an homage to Wagyu! This place does not only serves hotpot but offers a special Omakase tasting menu of premium Wagyu courses. The Omakase counter was intimate but spacious and it fits up to 6-8 people. We were in for a treat! Dinner and a show by the incredible Chef K is unbeatable anywhere.

Every single course was mind-blowing incredible and consists of creative custom plates of Japanese A5 Wagyu, Hokkaido sea urchin, Black truffle, foie gras, caviar and more. Everything was so rich in flavor and every savory bite was an explosion of umami. In addition, there were 4 unique sets of tea pairing for every course that was habitually replenished and replaced throughout the meal.

The whole ambiance is very modern and futuristic with robots assisting in the service. Every angle and corner of this restaurant is so beautiful to look at! Great place with family and friends, intimate dates, business outings and large group events!

OMG the service!! Without the amazing service here it wouldn't feel complete! & of course a restaurant of this caliber, service was at at the upmost highest level! I felt like a Queen here! Everyone was outstanding and attentive. You can see the servers are highly well trained and they continue to make sure you feel completely comfortable and happy.

So grateful to have experience the Wagyu artistry of X pot by Chef K paired with the outstanding over the top service! X pot is absolutely one of the most special and memorable dining experience in my life! Chicago is in for a treat!!!!

I was fortunate to try out the 17 course omakase on Oct 2. From the cocktails to the dessert, everything was superb. Price is high ($288) but what most ordinary people don't understand is that the price is pretty good for all of the expensive ingredients used. If you've ever been to Michelin tastings or omakase's, you usually get one small piece of A5 Miyazaki wagyu and that's it. With the X Pot omakase you get a generous amount throughout the meal. The 4 different teas are great for palate cleansers.

Fantastic omakase experience at the X pot Chicago. Some of the best beef and sushi I have had in a while. Can't wait to try the hot pot there when they fully open!

We came here when the hot pot menu was available. We had the chefs tasting menu. It's absolutely beautiful inside with the lights and fixtures. The staff are super friendly. Extremely attentive service. The food was delicious and could not recommend the wagyu feast enough. My favorite was definitely the wagyu dumplings and the wagyu foie gras bibimbop. It's definitely an elevated experience and had a great time.

A truly unique Wagyu tasting menu that changes each night. The biggest draw is the intimate attention from the chefs and the new dishes that are developed for each seating. The plating is exquisite and the quality of the meat and seafood matches the $288 per person price tag. There were some misses unfortunately, mostly with the rice texture and preparation of the raw wagyu, which was served way too cold. I'll try to highlight my thoughts on each course below:

Course 1 - X Salad (2/5)
A basic salad with field greens. The visual presentation with the micro greens, sliced cucumbers and pine nuts was appealing, but there was nothing really memorable about this dish.

Course 2 - Golden Chicken Bisque (4/5)
You immediately notice the stunning yellow color of the soup. The bone broth is rich but not creamy. There are no discernable herbs or spices in the soup, so all you taste is the chicken essence. They include small pieces of squid that were braised for 6-8 hours, completely transforming the texture. This should be the way all squid is prepared.

Course 3 - "One Bite" (2/5)
Raw sliced wagyu with green apple slices, foie gras, topped with caviar. The wagyu slices are way too thick and served way too cold. I spent half the time chewing on cold beef fat because it didn't render properly.

Course 4 - Deluxe Sashimi platter
A selection of Wagyu, Toro, Lobster and Oyster. My least favorite was the Wagyu which again was served too thick and cold for a raw preparation. The Toro and Oyster were delicious but the most memorable item was the raw lobster. The soft sweet delicate flesh resembles amaebi - a definite must-try for an adventurous eater.

Course 5 - Wagyu in lobster broth (4/5)
An unique take on surf and turf. The broth tasted strongly of dried shrimp which naturally pairs well with braised cabbage (a favorite homestyle Chinese dish). The addition of the wagyu slices added a rich meaty component that also compliments the cabbage.

Course 6 - Akami nigiri with caviar (3/5)
I had major issues with the rice. The grains were far too loose and hard and didn't pair well the soft texture of the fish. By the time the fish melted in my mouth, I still had pieces of rice to work through. I believed they used a more traditional Akazu red vinegar to season the rice but the it could have been a lot more vinegar forward.

Course 7 - Toro nigiri with uni (4/5)
Uni was sweet and delicious with no hint of funk. Toro was equally soft and rich. A great combination, but same issues with the rice.

Course 8 - Braised Wagyu short ribs (3/5)
A new experimental dish. The meat was braised in chinese five spice for that classic taste. It is served with white asparagus and an apple puree. Braising is a method usually reserved for breaking down tough collagenous cuts of meat, and I don't think it showcased the wagyu. The same effect could have been achieved with lesser cuts.

Course 9 - Wagyu nigiri with uni and foie gras (3/5)
The uni was lost in the strong flavor of the foie gras. I would suggest removing it entirely and serving it aburi-style to enhance the umami.

Course 10 - Himalayan Grill - Wagyu Tongue (2/5) and Ribeye (5/5)
Beef tongue was tough and chewy, I've definitely had better at my local izakaya. The ribeye was expectedly amazing and soft. Make sure to dip it in the ponzu sauce provided.

Course 11 - Wagyu Sukiyaki (4.5/5)
The thin meat is cooked briefly in the sweet and salty sauce and served on top of rice along with a raw egg yolk (not pictured). The rice provides the perfect base to absorb the richly sauced meat. You can dip the meat in the yolk, but I think the better option is to put the yolk right in and mix. The rice would be improved using a short-grained variety to give a soft stickier texture.

Course 12 - Wagyu Uni wrap (3/5)
The truffle flavor provided an interesting accent. My wrap was over seasoned. Same issues with the rice.

Course 13 - X Swan (5/5)
This is the star of the whole menu, and surprisingly not a wagyu course! The body is a pastry puff stuffed with roast duck. The duck flavor shines and the flaky shell is the perfect vehicle for the rich filling.

Course 14 - Wagyu sandwich (4/5)
I'm a little disappointed with the portion size on this one. I would have preferred a full slice of the sandwich, along with a thicker cut of the steak.
The mushroom sauce on the side is earthy and balanced. You will definitely need to add the sauce because the steak itself is under-seasoned.

Course 15 - Gelatin dessert (5/5)
Their take on the classic Taiwanese Aiyu jelly drink. The texture on the jelly is great and the brown sugar syrup added the necessary sweetness. They served this with a tiny spoon but do yourself a favor and sip this like a martini. As an added bonus, you get to appreciate the beautiful colors through the glass. This is a perfect light and refreshing dessert after a rich meal.

We had been following this place for months and were super excited for it to open. We signed up immediately once they had reservations available for the Omakase. The interior is beautiful and the staff is awesome and professional. My complaint is with the food. For $288 per person, we were expecting a mind blowing, taste out of this world experience and we just didn't get that. This place prides itself on its Wagyu beef and it was practically the center of every dish. That's pretty heavy for 17 courses. Everything was presented beautifully. Some plates were fantastic while others just lacked flavor and the meat was chewy. The cuts were just not tender. The next course would come before I had enough time to finish chewing the current course. The second course soup had no flavor. The gelatin at the end was inedible and sour. There were some standouts like the sashami, roasted duck and the waygu sandwich but nothing that was any better than what you could get at an average restaurant. The real wasabi was the star of the show for us. We had never had fresh and couldn't get enough. I wish we had waited for the hot pot seating but for now I can't foresee making the trip back. I was sad they weren't offering any of their specialty cocktails that night when it was advertised with the omakase. We were only given tea. I, myself, am not a tea drinker so it was disappointing. The whole experience for what we payed was horribly disappointing and I wouldn't do it again or recommend to anyone else.

超级可爱的牛牛世界
Everything is amazing here. The food, ambiance and SERVICE！I love everything about it! Can't wait to come back.

The most luxurious hot pot feast I have ever had is finally here in Chicago, courtesy of the X Pot! I had first heard about X Pot from seeing some videos of the main location in Las Vegas (at the Venetian/Palazzo hotel) and always planned on making a stop there the next time I would be visiting Vegas. However, when I read in the news that there was going to be a new location opening in Chicago, I was no doubt going to try and get the experience here instead. The X Pot finally opened its individual hot pot tasting menu this week (only a small number of reservation slots are available, so move quick!) and I managed to snag a 5:30PM slot for Thursday evening. Since it's still just a soft opening, they're still working on getting things ready to go (e.g., the front entrance is still in construction, the liquor license is in process, etc.), but that doesn't mean the experience is any less! The tasting menu for individual hot pot was what was offered for the soft opening, and it comes starring an A5 miyazaki wagyu feast (the marbling of the beef is amazing to gaze at!). We also opted for the wagyu sashimi/himalayan salt block grilled selection for an extra $28, which was a pretty good deal considering the amount of beef and the different preparations/additional premium ingredients (foie gras, caviar, gold leaf, and black truffle!). The golden chicken soup base for the hot pot (which is their most popular base and takes the chefs 6 hours to make) was super flavorful and had tons of umami, savory depth was a great option to cook the meats and seafood selection with. The accompanying vegetables are fresh, and the sauce selection was a perfect complement to the hot pot ingredients. The other side dishes worked well with the hot pot, including the signature X swan puff pastry dish, which was filled with a tasty duck filling. To end, a wonderfully refreshing palate cleanser for dessert -- the Szechwan ice jelly with strawberries.

The service was phenomenal, and everyone on the staff was super attentive and very considerate, especially when we had mentioned to them that we needed to leave by 7PM (in order to catch a concert performance in the Loop starting at 7:30PM). The food came out relatively quickly as a result and we were able to leave on time!

Definitely looking forward to when X Pot starts to settle in and the experience is more fleshed out (I want to see the robotic servers in action!). Can't wait to return next time!