50 Best Japanese Restaurants in Chicago

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

“Stopped for a quick bite and couldn’t have been happier with our choice. The ramen was rich, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Alex took the time to walk us through the menu and made excellent recommendations that really elevated our meal. Fantastic service and delicious food! We will absolutely be back!“

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

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

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

“The food was great. A terrific interpretation of Japanese favorites for the local neighborhood.“

“Nice and cozy sushi bar. Great food!! Recommended“

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

“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.“

“We went here for our anniversary this year! This omakase is unique compared to other ones we’ve done. There’s a mixture of hot dishes, sashimi, nigiri, and custards. All were really delicious and meticulously presented and well thought out. We also did the sake pairing which was fun and really good. On top of all that the service was phenomenal and Chef Shoji was so kind and wonderful and it was amazing to watch him work. Highly recommend!“

“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“

“We enjoyed everything whatever we ordered“

“The food was very yummy! It was so beautiful in the bowl😀 the staff was helpful and prompt, especially explaining the menu.
The seating is a bit sparse and not very accommodating to old & young.
Thank you we will return!“

“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!“

“So much to love. Many tasty options and it's BYOB!“

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

“My favorite place for sushi. A hidden gem of the neighborhood. Nice and hard working people. Food is very good. Highly recommended!“

“Really enjoyed this place. Ramen seemed priced fine for the amount you get, very flavorful. Nigiri was very fresh, buttery soft. It was more expensive but well worth it. Some of the specialty sushi dishes would be more doable with a group of people so can try a little of everything for a more reasonable price. Definitely would come again.“

“Friendly server, delicious food, affordable.“

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

“We loved all the tropical plant life at Poke Okie Cafe

It really set a relaxing mood.

I got the 3-scoop poke bowl, it was thoroughly delicious!

My hubby got the roasted duck rice bowl, good but very dry.

We both got a Hawaiian sunshine smoothie- Big Mistake!

No, seriously.

They were amazing, but very filling. We could have gotten one and shared it.

Go to Pokie Okie!

💃💃💃Follow @suttondancer5757 for more food and experiences in and around Chicago 💃💃💃“

“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!!“

“I had such a great experience at Chubby Cattle Chicago! Our server, Zaid, was incredibly kind, attentive, and friendly the whole time. He made sure we had everything we needed and explained the menu so patiently. It’s rare to meet someone who genuinely makes your dining experience better — thank you, Zaid, for being so nice and making our dinner extra enjoyable!“

“This is one of my favorite places ever, for a succulent , mouthwatering , epic , divine , romantic , dining experience suitable for everyday or very special events . Very romantic , intimate atmosphere .The steaks will transport you to another dimension . The staff is very professional , yet warm , welcoming , very attentive and devoted to making sure you are taken care of . An exquisite sensory experience ,engaging all of the senses , and exceeding my expectations in spades .“

“California man says Yes, and highly recommend here“

“Delicious food. Great variety of sushi, beautifully plated. Great service as well.“

“The Sushi was absolutely delicious .“

“Nice atmosphere, good sushi“

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

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

“I came by for the lunch special recommended by a friend and it’s 3 rolls, 2 pieces of sushi, and miso soup for 15 if you dine in! I like that the amount of rice they use is less most other places so I can actually taste the other ingredients. Their sweet potato tempura is nice and crisp when eaten fresh. Will come back“

“I absolutely LOVE this place ! I love the staff . They make me feel welcomed every time I come and the food is delicious! Best sushi , noodles and soups I’ve ever tried. Even the smoothies are amazing. This place deserves more than 5 stars.“

“The Sushi was fresh, the flavors were bold and the rice was fluffy. Will be back for sure and the staff was so friendly and welcoming.“

“BEST RAMEN! i dream of it sometimes. something about the coconut milk broth ramen piqued my interest last night, and I'm glad I listened to my intuition. Oh my goodness. whoever's recipe that is, please give them a massive hug for me right now and say thank you because that was the most delicious thing I've had in so long. What a TREAT! these folks have somehow managed to incorporate happiness as an ingredient in their food, so when you eat it, All the happiness particles travel through your body for 24 to 48 hours and you feel extremely satisfied and fulfilled. you might miss the ramen afterwards, and you might end up having dreams about it like I do but trust me, they're pleasant dreams.“

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

“Had a great time here. The food and ambiance was amazing . All the staff from host to server was friendly and knowledgeable. My friends and I loved almost everything from here and will definitely be coming back. The only problem is how warm it is inside like abnormally warm. 🥵“

“Their Ramen is absolutely delicious!! 5 stars.“

“Good shusi and also lots of other Japanese dishes. Pleasant service.“

“Wonderful, authentic, beautiful Japanese sushi & food with a fantastic, hands on owner & exceptional service.“

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

“First time here with my son. We love it!! So fresh! Definitely coming back.“

“First time here! Everything was delicious.“

“Best food ever and service love“

“We had the pleasure to eat here today and everything was GREAT. The atmosphere was nice and homey.They have some new customers. Thank you guys so much!“

“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 ⭐️!“

“Absolutely delicious! Kind and cozy atmosphere. Wonderful staff. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Chicago 🍜🍣🫶🏼“

“Sakura was a cozy restaurant with really good Sushi, we enjoyed our time there! 😊🙏🏻“

“Simply put the best Ramen I have ever had. So flavorful and rich. If you don’t come here you are missing out on a oral orgasm lol. Highly recommend and Christine the bartender makes one mean spicy margarita ….🤤🤤🤤🤤“

“Wow. It's simply impossible that fine dining could be this fantastic. Tashon, Jens, and Jackie rolled out the red carpet so amazingly, you would have thought our last name was Bou. Sebastian behind the counter was simply breathtaking. We've had omakase at some of the world's leading places in Miami, in Seattle, in NYC, and Tokyo, led by folks who were trained by one of the global icons, and I have to say that Sebastian's ability to create absolutely new and inventive tastes and flavors - while adhering to simple and gorgeous presentations - was simply unmatched. While Sebastian was working his magic, the rest of the team was working hard to make sure every other part of the experience was simply flawless. Water? Always full. Cocktails? We were always asked about how we enjoyed each one well before each was empty, by the expert mixologist who was able to explain the difference between how American mint and Japanese mint can enhance the flavor of certain beverages. Plates? Cleared instantly. Feedback welcomed by the chef? Absolutely. The energy level is not “watch me make your next item while the brightly lit room cowers in awkward silence” - like so many high end omakase spots. This experience is more like “Do you want to be sad when your dinner ends because you don't know when you're ever going to feel this happy with a meal?” There's so much more I could say, including how the effective background evening vibes by Utah's legendary DJ Ta-Salmon made us want to sing each employee's praises. As MJB once said, it truly feels like this team is a family, and it was a Family Affair. Concluding, let me say what MJB would - when you go to Sushi by Bou at Fulton Market - Leave your stress (and hunger) at the door, so when you step inside, you'll see what's in store. Sigh... I know every review is supposed to have one “constructive critique”, but we can't find a single flaw in our entire experience. Thank you, Sushi by Bao team!“