F. A. Q.

POLICIES
There is absolutely no physical touching of any staff member, on or off stage. Violation of this rule will result in immediate removal from the show without refund.

  • No audience member may enter the stage area without being expressly invited by a cast member. 
  • All audience volunteers who wish to participate must sign a waiver. We reserve the right to revoke your invitation to join the cast on stage at any time for any reason. Reasons may include (but are not limited to) being visibly intoxicated or if our staff determines that you are unable to safely participate in the show for any reason.
  • Masks are not required. But if it brings you comfort, please feel free to wear a mask throughout the night.

Do you serve food?
YES! BATSU! takes place in a beautiful lounge theatre within Kamehachi – Chicago’s original sushi bar since 1967 – in the heart of Old Town. 

Kamehachi has the best sushi and Japanese food in all of Chicago! Come hungry and eat, drink, BATSU! email [email protected] with menu questions.  

Never a minimum.  Eat. Drink. BATSU! 

What is your schedule?
Currently playing every Friday & Saturday night at 7pm.

*Private buyouts available. Email [email protected] and tell us about your event to get started.

Do you serve food and drinks? Are they included in the ticket?
Yes! Kamehachi has an awesome food and drinks menu offered throughout the show. Food & drinks are NOT included in your ticket price. There are no minimums of any kind.

Interested in a private performance? Please email us [email protected] for more info on ticket, food and drink packages for 40 or more of your closest friends or colleagues.

SAKE BOMB POLICY – We are very pro Sake Bomb. Please Bomb your Sake prior to the Batsu Game beginning. Sake Bombing during the game is super distracting to the actors on stage, those seated around you, and therefore, not permitted. KANPAI.

I really want to come on a specific date, but I see you are sold out online….
We always try to maximize our intimate space to accommodate as many people as possible. If you are looking for a few extra seats, go ahead and send us an email at [email protected] to see if it is possible to arrange.

If you are looking for 4 seats or more, it is very unlikely we can accommodate you at a sold out performance.

My friends all bought tickets, but now it’s sold out! Can I squeeze in and join them?
Maybe. Some tables do allow us to add one or more seats. Some do not. Email us at [email protected] with the party name you want to join and we will take a look to see if we can make it happen for you.

What about tickets at the door? Is there a wait list?
If there are tickets available online, those same tickets are available at the door. If the show is sold out online, there are no tickets at the door. We do allow for a wait list.

  • No guarantee we will get anyone from list in 
  • List closes at showtime

Can you accommodate a group of my size?
Generally, the number of tickets offered reflects the total available. If we have 2 for sale and you need 20, we can not. But if you need 8 and there are 7 available, go ahead and email us at [email protected] and ask.

How do I make a reservation?
You must purchase tickets directly from our website. We can not hold reservations, tickets, or tables; the only way to secure entry/tables is to purchase on our website. Ticket/table availability subject to change without notice.

How early do I need to buy tickets?
Since every show is different, there is no hard and fast rule. Some shows sell out more than a month in advance. If you are looking on the ticketing page and you see there are only a few tickets left for the performance you are interested in, you should consider that date as being very close to being sold out.

What is the pricing for a ticket?

We have 2 ticket tiers – VIP and Standard:

VIP Tickets – $70

  • Best tables in the house.
  • Each ticket comes with 1 hachimaki headband (鉢巻, “helmet-scarf“ worn in Japanese culture as a symbol of effort or courage by the wearer) to take home.
  • Those who wear their hachimaki headband with honor will enjoy random visits from our Sake Ninja.  (not unlimited sake)
  • Each guest will be presented with a warm Oshibori (hand towel) upon arrival to freshen up.

Standard – $40

  • Entry into BATSU! (That's pretty great on its own!)

Upfront, fine print stuff: Tickets do not include food or drinks. Tickets are processed by our ticketing operator, Tock, who includes a non-waivable ticket service fee.

All tickets must be purchased in the same tier in order to be seated together.

Interested in a private performance? Please email us [email protected] for more info on ticket, food, and drink packages for 40 or more of your closest friends or colleagues.

How does seating work?
First purchased, first served. We will automatically seat you together in as few tables as possible, as close together as possible, and in the best seats available within your ticketing tier, at time of purchase. That’s just common sense. Seating is assigned by the BATSU! Customer Care Team, all of whom have graduated with Honors from the Tetris School of Seating. Each double majored in Customer Experience and in Kindness.

How long is the show?
Every show is different, but you can expect to be out two hours after your showtime.

What is a “hachimaki” and what happens if I put one on my head?
The hachimaki is a Japanese headband — like in The Karate Kid, only BATSU! style. They are $20 and are available at the show, during the ticket purchase check out as an add-on, or you may pre-purchase by clicking the link in your confirmation email.

Hachimaki headbands (鉢巻, “helmet-scarf“ worn in Japanese culture as a symbol of effort or courage by the wearer) are yours to take home. The hachimaki is not only an awesome and fun souvenir, but for those who wear it with honor, our stealthy Sake Spirt pours random free shots of sake. While this is NOT unlimited free sake (that would be crazy - and we are told, illegal) you will see that sneaky Sake Spirit several times throughout the night. Wear your hachimaki every time you come to BATSU! at any location! 

Can my group purchase their tickets separately?
Sure. If your group buys individually, we do need someone to be the group organizer and send us an email at [email protected] with a list of ticket holder names so we can adjust the seating chart. If you have any group members that tend to wait to the last minute, they may lose their ability to purchase.

Do you offer group rates?
We do not offer group rates, but will help you coordinate to make sure your group has a wonderful time!

Interested in a private performance? Please email us [email protected] for more info on ticket, food, and drink packages for 40 or more of your closest friends or colleagues.

Is BATSU! appropriate for my company outing?
Absolutely. We welcome corporate groups and client outings to every performance! If you want to bring your coworkers or clients, head over to batsuchicago.com for tickets or email [email protected] for our Customer Care Team.

WARNING: After attending, you will be the office hero, so prepare yourself for multiple back-pats, sincere accolades, and general praise for being the one who recommended and/or organized the company outing to BATSU!

How old do you have to be to BATSU!
You must be 21+ to drink or sign up for a chance to participate in BATSU! We recommend that you be at least 18 years old to attend the show - no one under 16 will be admitted. If your 16 or 17 year old is super mature and you don’t mind exposing them to mature improvised content and a drinking culture, then sure, it’s fine by us. We check IDs, so please have it ready.

I’m coming for a Birthday BATSU! What’s the deal with that? Can we bring a Birthday Cake?
You are welcome to bring cupcakes; regular cakes are not permitted.

  • Step 1 - Email [email protected] and let them know you'd like to bring cupcakes. 
  • You may bring the cupcakes prior to showtime. You must coordinate with [email protected] to arrange.
  • The cupcakes will be kept by Kamehachi in their walk-in cooler during the show - so long as you email [email protected] in advance.
  • We will bring out your cupcakes immediately following the show.
  • You may bring 1 or 2 candles – This way you can put the birthday person's age in those cute number candles on one of the cupcakes... if you want – in fact, if they’re turning 100, you can have 3 candles.
  • No table decorations or large hats are permitted. I mean, people behind you have to be able to see the show, amiright?!
  • Tiaras and sashes, however, are super okay.
  • Singing Happy Birthday is of course permitted AFTER the show has ended and never DURING the show - seriously, it has happened.

Is BATSU! wheelchair accessible?
Unfortunately, no. BATSU! is performed in Kamehachi's upstairs lounge. We regretfully do not have access to a lift. For more information or question about anything accessibility related, please do not hesitate to reach out and ask: [email protected].

We truly would love to find a way share the BATSU! experience with everyone.

Can I participate in BATSU!?
Maybe. Our staff has the sole right to select anyone they want, as well as to not select anyone they want. They can even unselect someone after they've been selected if our staff changes their mind.

This is who they are looking for:

  • Guests who are fun, happy, and nice.
  • Guests who are not visibly drunk or high.
  • Guests who arrive prior to showtime. (this is a good tip)
  • Guests who are 21+ and who sign the waiver.
  • Guests who arrive PRIOR to showtime.

Can I have a private BATSU! party?
Absolutely and here is why you should!

  • Up to 55 guests
  • Flexible start time
  • Customized seating chart! (You can choose who sits where!)
  • All audience volunteers are your team members!

Interested in a private performance? Please email details about your event and your preferred date(s) to [email protected] for more info on ticket, food, and drink packages for 40 or more of your closest friends or colleagues.

Contact us:
[email protected]

Is there a super broad rule that covers just about everything?
Yep, it’s the “Just Be Cool” Rule.

The “Just Be Cool” Rule
Any offending guest (and possibly their whole party) who repeatedly becomes a distraction to or inappropriately touches any performer, staff, and/or other audience members, and/or who says or does anything deemed racist, or who is intentionally unkind to any performer, staff member, or any other guest, may be asked to leave.

We have worked very hard to provide a fun and kind environment. We will protect it and our customers' experience. Just be cool (クールにしていてください) and everything will be wonderful.

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくお願いします).