50 Best Japanese Restaurants in Chicago

“"This is my new favorite thing." -Dr. A. Haller“

“Quick friendly greeting and seating on a cold, wintery evening. The place was busy but the service was prompt and accurate. Excellent quality food and large portions. And you'll probably never be short of soy sauce per your taste.“

“We enjoyed everything whatever we ordered“

“Amazing freshest sushi , best in the town , great service , and nice ambiance.“

“Wow, amazing lunch, just amazing!❤️😃“

“Amazing sushi... unique offerings, and ultra delicious. i seriously think about my next visit waaaay too much...“

“I really enjoy with with Matcha drink tonight“

“Wonderful service and excellent rolls!! Overall great experience“

“Sashimi were fresh and ikura were delicious. Staff were friendly. Like others said, they have small portions. Two of us ordered agendashi tofu, chicken karaage, variety of kushiyaki, chirashidon and a sushi roll. We didn't feel so full when we left.“

“This place is the perfect dining experience in my opinion. It's casual, yet intimate, and the atmosphere is chill hip hop. I got the Beef Bulgogi and the KFC and I am at odds with myself in choosing a winner between the two. I am 100% coming back to try the Tomago and Tonkatsu! The pièce de résistance was the Ube and strawberry dessert sandwich, it blew me away. However, what made this a 5 star experience in earnest was our server Calvin, he gave us so much knowledge and made us feel very comfy and welcome ? he is a G and I look forward to coming back to tell him how I feel about the rest of the menu!!!“

“Best Japanese food in Chicago“

“Foods are outstanding and delicious Friendly staffs and great service“

“I tried the non- soupy ramen. It was not bad, but definitely not too special.

I ordered the traditional one and the curry one. Both orders seemed a bit salty, likely due to the sauce. Presentation of the dishes looked good.

Service was good as well.

I’m not sure I would be excited to return.
In a h mall“

“Amazing time! Danny was my server! He is the best very attentive very helpful. the hostess was great also and sweet“

“I took my girlfriend here last night to celebrate our 3 year anniversary and we had such a good time. We got there before our reservation and sat at the bar and enjoyed a drink before our seats were ready. Tashon was a great bartender/ manager was very attentive and always made sure everything was to out liking. Chef Ump put on a great experience and made everything perfectly. He was very engaging and also made sure everything was to our liking. Overall, wed highly recommended this place to anyone especially celebrating something special and want to do something different. 10/10 and will be back!“

“Not only is the omakase pretty legit here, shout out to Chef Bou for adjusting the rice when I mentioned I was getting full, but this is also a place I feel safe coming as a female solo diner.

Thank you Chelsea and Maddie. That's worth its weight in gold.“

“Upscale, elegant atmosphere. Outstanding cocktails.“

“Delicious food and fabulous service!“

“We had a fabulous dinner last night at Chicago Kalbi with Cummins Peru, Komat'su, and the VPs from Antimina copper mine.

Such a great place, where you cook the wagyu & kobe beef at your table. The food was delicious ?

Isao Tozuka, the chef and his wife Chiyo-san, are fabulous hosts, very friendly, and really happy to help and show you how things are do e.

I would definitely recommend coming here. It's a unique place. Make sure you book though ad it can be busy.“

“The food and service is excellent! I do not know what the previous person experienced. I, along with everyone else around me, paid after we finished eating. This Black-owned business is crushing it. They helped me make my poke diabetic-friendly with much flavour. I look forward to coming back again with my return flight. My favourite bartender is Lerin!“

“Awesome place for Karaoke Bar Nice rooms music choices and a party atmosphere“

“Very nice spot for evening cocktails. Service was outstanding. The food was a little uneven. Some dishes were outstanding (brussel sprouts, edamame, sliders) but others like the crispy rice and tuna, maki rolls) were pedestrian especially given the reputation and price point. We still had a very nice time and would definitely go back.“

“The best omakase experience I have ever had. The wine/sake pairing was perfection, the staff are welcoming and knowledgeable, the chefs are outstanding. The food is stunning and delectable of the highest quality. There are not enough superlatives or adjectives to express how much I enjoyed my meal and the entire experience.“

“I called ahead on a Tuesday for their dinner reservations, we were told they weren't busy that night so we went ahead and made the one hour drive just for their sushi and their great reviews. We had the best experience and their sushi was truly top notch. We basically ordered everything on the menu from sushi, caviar to desserts and drinks. they did not disappoint, customer service was superb. The owner even came outside to attend us, he showed up with his own bottle of sake. I truly appreciate the great experience we had at this beautiful and clean restaurant. I have nothing bad to say, the food was high quality and extremely delicious. I definitely recommend this location, even if you have kids which I did. We left so happy and satisfied, loved it.“

“This place still continues to be good. However, as prices to up, I don't think it's suitable anymore for me to continue spending money in this location.
I have been going to this place since I was in highschool. They have good food and have made noticable renovations through the years.“

“Ora is a fantastic sushi restaurant with FRESH fish and excellent service. Definitely a go to for date night.“

“Our waiter Kong was so attentive and very helpful with choices from the menu since this was our first time eating at this restaurant. The sushi was amazing! We had the Crab Wontons, Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen, the Lobster fried rice, Rock N Roll, Spice Girl, and the Spicy Cowboy rolls. The atmosphere, staff, and food will definitely have us coming back when we are in town!“

“We enjoyed everything whatever we ordered“

“30 years I’ve been going to Sai Cafe. Quality has never changed. Always the best.“

“Some of the best sushi my girlfriend and I have had in Chicago. Never had a bad meal!“

“California man says Yes, and highly recommend here“

“Every time I leave this place I look forward to coming back.“

“Very nice place . Owners are really good people , very warm and friendly . A large selection of drinks and great hang out place . Love it ! Highly recommend!!“

“Voor de 5e keer hier gegeten. Heerlijke pokebowl en sushi. Ruime keus.“

“The dragon roll delicious also the Spicy tuna yum.. and I had the Lychee tini 🍸 it was also great my new spot for sushi“

“My boyfriend and I LOVE the food here! The nigiri is absolutely delicious - melts in your mouth and so fresh! We’ve been here several times before going to zanies or second city. It’s now become our go-to sushi restaurant! We tend to sit upstairs, which is a quaint place to sit for privacy. We seem to always get the same server, Yord. He is SUPER helpful and kind! He helps us pick out different foods when we are feeling adventurous. Now that I know his name, I’m going to ask where his section is so that I can be waited on by him! 😁 finally, the manager came by our table to ask how everything was tasting and how the service was. That was a great touch to an already impressive experience. 5 out of 5 ⭐️!“

“I will say this was a 3.5/4 out of 5. I’m rounding up my overall rating to a 4.

It’s a very nice ambience inside with various seating options (bar, high stool, regular seating). When we went around 7pm it was practically empty and not sure if because it’s a new restaurant or it was a week day but I recommend going on a weekend when it is a bit more lively. Despite it not being packed, service was a bit slow.

Food wise - the food tasted really good however the portions were tiny for the price. We ordered the cucumber salad, mushroom skewers, and chicken sandwich. All were really good. Mushroom skewers were seasoned very well but were a bit dry (no sauce or anything). Also, chicken sandwich was very good but the chicken was a bit dry. We asked for more honey mustard because it was so dry and then saw that they charged us for the additional mustard which was a bit penny pinching. The sandwich is very flavorful and chicken was thoroughly cooked.

There’s also not a lot of vegetarian options.

All in all the food was good in my opinion however do have these few suggestions.“

“The Xtra hot flavor on the chicken sandwich is blazing hot 🥵 but still full of flavour. Loved it.“

“Friendly staff and great vegan options! The mushroom ramen is amazing!!! They have a great happy hour Monday - Friday from 4-6pm“

“The food is delicious and the drinks are great!! The atmosphere was amazing!!“

“Good sushi and ramen. A little noisy. And warm; hot day in Chicago. Attentive service.“

“I love this place so much. Everything about it is just perfect.“

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“Decently priced new omakase in town. The nigiri was well paced and appreciated the attentive waiter providing insight on the selection and order. Bar service ran slow. Water service was timely. I’m not always a big proponent of any special treatment but I think if you write both honeymoon AND birthday on the reservation there should probably be a little something to make the occasion, especially if they plop a QR code in front of you at the end to ask you for a review. Left a sour and disappointing note to the night, not sure who missed that but something to be aware of if people are coming to spend hard earned money to mark a special occasion. We ended up going down the street to Chef’s Special for a little more hospitality in that regard and got a candle in our dessert and some comped cookies. A little goes a long way!“

“Excellent sushi in Lincoln Park. Staff is fabulous. We were treated like gold in the back cocktail room. A hidden gem!“

“First time at the division location! Good food awesome flavors & nice staff! Definitely coming back to this location 🫶“

“Delicious food. Wonderful service.“

“We had a terrific experience here. Great service, atmosphere, and the Hong Kong style curry cuttlefish was to die for. Will definitely be back“

“Over the years, Indie Cafe has been amazingly kind and thoughtful in their service, and their food preparations and presentations always go above and beyond all of my expectations. From quadruple-checking whether or not a menu item is gluten-free, to recommending the best wine/sake pairings for an entrée, their staff have always ensured that I've left their restaurant knowing that I was appreciated as a customer. And welcomed as a friend. Maya is hands-down one of the most excellent servers I've had the pleasure of dining with. She always goes above and beyond with her level of professionalism and attention, and her personality is lovely as well! Given the quality of their sashimi, the creativity behind their menu, and the warmth in their hearts? I look forward to dining with them for many years to come.“

“Had a great time last night. Thank you so very much!! Excellent!“