Sho Wagyu
By Naperville Magazine
June 2026 View more Table for Two
Naperville restaurant features yakiniku in style
When this Korean-Japanese restaurant made its debut in December, it went by the name Sho Kalbi. Since then, it has slowly transitioned to the name Sho Wagyu, reflecting its focus on high-quality beef.
It can be somewhat confusing, as some exterior “Sho Kalbi” exterior signage is still visible, but rest assured, if the name starts with Sho, you’re in the right place (2764 Aurora Ave., Naperville).
The restaurant features yakiniku, a Japanese dining style in which bite-size pieces of meat are cooked on a tabletop grill, either by a chef or by yourself (the restaurant strongly suggests leaving the cooking to its chefs.)
The proteins are served with bowls of sauces, sides (vegetables, salad), and rice, easily passed around.
It’s a communal style of dining best enjoyed with a group, but Sho Wagyu offers tabletop seating to parties as small as two (and, if the place is quiet enough, even a solo diner).
“When I see a table of people laughing, genuinely enjoying the food and each others’ company—that’s it; that’s success,” says owner-founder Steve Hiro Shin. “If they leave feeling like they’ve been part of something special, then we’ve done our job right.”
If you go the grilling route (and you should), you can choose among several cuts and styles, including wagyu beef (Australian or Japanese), U.S. Angus beef, and chateaubriand (tenderloin).
The meat is sliced thin, and thus is easily enjoyed using only chopsticks (fear not; steak knives are available, and the chef-server is quick to offer them). But the thinness means that the meat cooks more quickly than one might expect; for that reason, my recommendation is, whether speaking with the chef or cooking yourself, to ask for a temperature slightly lower than usual.
So if you prefer medium-rare, think rare; medium, order medium rare. If you prefer medium-well, please head to the nearest burger barn, because cooking wagyu past medium makes the angels cry. (I will grant that the beef here is so wonderfully rich and tender that a little extra heat won’t be problematic.)
The Australian wagyu ($53 or $97, depending on size), provided terrific flavor and near melt-in-mouth texture. Kalbi, a beef dish of Korean origin, typically is made with minor cuts, but not so at Sho, which uses filet mignon, bathed in a delicious marinade (soy, garlic, ginger, and sesame, in perfect balance). The kalbi can be ordered without the marinade, but absent allergy concerns, I can’t imagine doing so.
“The beef we bring in from Japan is the pinnacle,” Shin says. “We’re talking about meat that’s been raised with meticulous care.”
Whichever you choose, the beef will be accompanied by miso soup or salad (the soup nurturing, the salad refreshingly ice-cold), and servings of kimchi (fermented cabbage, slightly spicy), cucumbers, stir fried vegetables, and rice (choice of white or fried rice—I recommend the latter).
Another way to go is the Prestige Quartet (a sampling of four cuts), or the A5 wagyu trio (“when that wagyu hits the grill, there’s an immediacy to the experience,” Shin says). Or you can opt for the Sho Tasting, a presentation of six courses that includes appetizer and dessert ($89).
Good as it is, grilled beef isn’t the only thing on Sho Wagyu’s menu. Worthy starters include pan-seared pork gyoza, nicely crisped; batter-fried Korean-style chicken, spicy boneless nuggets served with a soothing, slightly sweet sauce; jap chae, a traditional Korean dish of stir-fried vegetable tossed with translucent sweet-potato-starch noodles; and a seafood pancake combining shrimp and squid (or scallops, it varies) with carrots and onions and just enough light batter to bind them all together.
For a quick, budget-friendly ($18) taste of Japanese wagyu, order the A5 nigiri, two bite-size pieces of rice draped with cooked beef. Think of it as “intro to wagyu,” if you will.
And Sho offers a fine bulgogi, a Korean dish of grilled and sliced marinated beef (rib eye in this case) tossed with vegetables and served on a sizzle platter. Big enough to share.
Desserts are western in style, though there are green-tea and tempura ice creams available. Tiramisu seems strangely out of place here, but it’s a good version. I’d shoot for the mini-cakes, half a dozen small squares that might include flourless chocolate cake, raspberry shortbread—even a tiramisu square. They’re easy to share or to take home.
The dining room is attractively contemporary, done in tones of black, polished wood, and stainless steel. Cushioned chairs offer very comfortable seating. A long bar is a good place to sit for a quick bite, though the grill-equipped tables, each capable of seating eight, is where the fun happens.
Photos: Phil Vettel; Sho Wagyu (interior and Sho Tasting)
