Ok...so we went back and tried it with my mom who has eaten at the chi location. We went to see the show and my mother insisted we try it. We tried some items and this was a new menu, but a shocker the staff still didn't know what was in the items nor had they had a chance to try them from what our server had told us. The young lady at the end of the kitchen was wiping her nose on her arm, disgusting. And as we walked by my mom liked the lay out due to the chef being in arms reach to speak too, I guess the chef is on the line in chicago, but he didn't want to be bothered.
The servers were a bit more attentive this time around, so some improvement. Hosts were on point with greeting, and the patio seems cool. No table visits by a manager or chef, and it was still slow for mid week. But again it is the Monte carlo, and in the middle of a reconstruction.
As for the food it was better all around but still not comparable to raku and fukumimi. And again the hygiene standard of the cooks, I know they are union but that is a manager issue to enforce.
Sadly if it wasn't for my mother I wouldn't have been back and again no reason too...best of luck hate to see an empty restaurant, but there is more to this restaurant being empty then just construction going on around new York new York and monte carlo. Best of luck.