48 Best Japanese Restaurants near Highland Park

“Insanely delicious and fresh sushi.“

“A Big Shout Out to Happi Sushi in Highland Park. We were lucky enough to try a number of their apps and rolls. Every single thing we got was SO delicious 😋. Their sushi was fresh, tasty, and so yummy. The apps are unique and full of flavor. We just love this family owned restaurant. The staff goes above and beyond for each patron. Please try Happi Sushi, Friends. You will not be disappointed!!“

“I cannot say enough good things about Koya. I was so happy to find this restaurant. Everything we ordered, tempura, tempura udon soup, kids bento boxes, and sushi was incredibly good. Can't wait to go back!

Kid-friendliness: The bento box options for the kids were great! My 2 and 5 year olds loved it.“

“Great place to hangout and good sushi“

“I really like this place! I had the Tantanmen ramen and chicken karaage and both were bomb. Great service too. We were seated quickly and our food came out in under 10 mins. 5/5 stars in my book!“

“Excellent Ramen. Excellent bartender in Helen Try the Mango Tango Vegi Roll.“

“One of the best sushi spots in the suburbs 😍“

“Manooben is the cutest little hole-in-the-wall! It's cozy, homey, and owned by the sweetest Korean mama and papa. The kind of place that makes you feel at home. The name of the restaurant is an acronym for maki, noodle, and bento lol. So cute.

I tried the hand roll combo. Two massive hand rolls, packed with fresh ingredients, and a bowl of homemade udon that hit all the spot. The broth was simple but flavorful. It was clean and refreshingly light. The hand rolls were absolutely perfect. I'd go weekly for this combo if this place was near my workplace.

I also tried the spring train maki. The texture and flavors were solid, but those rolls are so fat and hearty, it will fill your whole mouth with every bite. You can really feel the love from the papa chef with those fat cuts.

Lastly, I tried the sashimi rice (Hwedupbap). The bowl was massive, and I wanted one at home so bad. This dish is also very simple, fresh sashimi over rice, drizzled with their homemade sauce. I love a good homemade sauce. I ended up squeezing that sauce onto every bite cause I love my food saucy.

Such a small place, full of love! I can't wait to go back.“

“Great food, fresh ingredients… worth every penny!“

“Pleasantly surprised by the ambiance, food and service. I had the poke bowl which was awesome, but my favorite item was the crab rangoon. They were made like pastries (instead of the crunchy cream cheese style ones) and were phenomenal. I'd highly recommend trying them out for yourself.“

“Folks, this is the real deal. All the food was great. I'm pretty sure the chef is Japanese. I say so because they have authentic items like Nira Tama and Kampyou Maki (both fabulous, by the way) that you won't see on the menu at other places. They also had Iichiko (wheat shouchu (think vodka)), and they were happy to make me an oolong wari. Loved it!“

“The widest selection of Sushi grade seafood Ive seen on a menu in a Long time- all very fresh and very generously portioned! Octopus and salmon Sashimi were the dessert orders from our kids 😂 We will definetly be returning, and highly recommend. Servers, Host, Owner, entire staff was extremely attentive- and to top it all they were happily and safely able to accomodate my childs severe dairy and peanut allergies (first sushi experience for him, and we Love seafood, so huge win for the whole family 🙌🏼)“

“We liked very much. We strongly recommend“

“perfect foods...great decorations.. nice price...“

“My family and I got several bowls from Koya. We loved all of the customizable toppings it offers as well as the complimentary miso soups and cookies that come with the bowls. The ingredients were fresh, and portions were pretty large. The food was very reasonably priced.“

“Good food with good asmosphere. I really recommend this restaurant if you are in a mood of craving yummy food!“

“Great fresh sushi and the owners are amazing!!! Everything I tasted was delicious, and some things I had never tried before“

“Love this place. Very fresh sushi!“

“I am not local, this is a regular go-to place for a friend, so when I visit with her, she wants to bring me. I had a Chinese Eggplant with chicken dish, flavorful and spicy. Also had some nigiri sushi, all very good. The Black Tobiko was plentiful and fresh. The Tamago and Inari, which are types of sushi that are deceptively simple seeming but really show a chef's knowledge and artistry, were excellent. I'm sure I will go again.“

“Really cute Japanese place close to the airport, our actual plan was to get Halal pizza from Girodano’s but had to change our plans and the wife picked this place at a walking distance.

Her favourite thing was the “spicy fire” appetiser, which is made with cream cheese, jalapeno and salmon. We also had the spicy ramen noodle soup and the yakisoba (another noodle dish but stir fry).

Cozy ambiance inside and the service is really good too. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to have sth asian“

“Yummy food and good service.“

“Nice vibe on a Saturday night, pretty busy. The restaurant is very nice looking inside. Our server was great, but very busy. The food was OK. We had several different things and some better than others. The tuna crispy rice was pretty good. The potstickers were also pretty good. The spicy deluxe funeral was very good, but the noodle dish we had was not something we would order again. It was thin noodles with vegetables and beef. The beef was very small and very dry/overcooked. The noodles didn't really have enough sauce. Overall, I would like to come again and order more sushi and try other items. I think it's worth another try. Some things we saw at other tables looked good, but it was our first time eating there and we didn't know what to order.“

“Warm, cozy, and slightly upscale. The izakaya has karaoke rooms available for rent, but the vibe of the place is great for ordering a few beers, some karaage, and whatever's on special (check their Instagram).Don't forget to bring something to read. They use great coffee beans and have good pour over technique if you get a cup of coffee to cap your meal.Haven't checked out any of the live Jazz or classical music but it sounds interesting!“

“Fresh, Fresh, Fresh Seafoods! Great Service! Tasty foods.“

“Akai Hana has been in business for over 30 years, and the steady traffic means the sushi is fresh and safe, offered at a good price. However, the ambiance is lacking, with an outdated, cafeteria-like vibe and cheap-looking menus. It’s a solid spot for a quick, no-frills sushi meal, but not the place for a special dining experience.“

“Always great entertainment and food!!!“

“good goodàaassssssssssssss“

“What a great experiences! The food was amazing! The family enjoyed themselves in the beautiful restaurant and wonderful staffs! Definitely reminded my daughters of grandma's cooking! 🫰“

“Great food and beautiful restaurant ambience.“

“My first time at a hibachi restaurant and it was amazing and such a great experience, Food was Delicious!!!!“

“Food was excellent. Highly recommend.“

“The best sushi spot in Evanston. They flew in a 200 lb tuna from Japan.“

“The lady behind the counter was ready to take my order as soon as I walked up, she was very pleasant. I ordered #1 teriyaki with white rice and veggies + extra protein. It came out to 13.33$, more than fair price for the portion I recieved. Cook got to working it right away and it came out fresh. I could barely close the plate with how much chicken was on it. Everything was hot and great tasting just how I remember Sarku to be. Shame this is one of the last few locations available. I’ve been to this location once or twice before but definitely will keep it in mind more often.“

“We had a great meal here! The food was super fresh and tasty, and the staff was really nice, suggesting dishes that fit our diet. It's a family-friendly spot, and we left feeling really happy. We'll definitely be back! Thank you!!“

“My favorite sushi place! Love their Spicy Salmon Maki! Nice cozy place.“

“Stopped by on Wednesday 02/06! And was greeted and attended by Mercedes. She was SUPER kind and attentive with my order! Very grateful she took my needs seriously since I fast on Wednesday's/Friday's & can only eat vegan. She went above & beyond to make sure my needs were meet! & as I was waiting I noticed how clean the area is. & once I got my order it came out so fresh; plan on visiting again! & thank you for the great experience!“

“Top Notch!! Soon fun!! Staff is great, atmosphere is great... fun for kids and family and friends. Highly recommend!!“

“Excellent Ramen. Excellent bartender in Helen Try the Mango Tango Vegi Roll.“

“Our family has been coming here for over a decade; at least a couple of times/month. Every single time the food has been consistently great and the sushi is fresh. The staff know exactly who I am when I am there and always get the “Red Carpet” treatment.“

“This place was no joke the best thai food I have ever had. We went twice in two days. The thai iced coffee, sushi, pad thai, sesame seed chicken, and chicken gyoza were amazing. Crab Rangoons were the best we had ever eaten. Every employee was courteous and super friendly!“

“The absolute best neighborhood sushi place I've ever come across! How is their product so fresh!?! (Super H Mart is two miles away) The family owned business is one of my favorites in my 'hood. Intimate, clean, and welcoming it's just the Best!“

“First time trying Nobori, and I must say the Sushi was amazing. The owner Nobori was kind, friendly, and attentive. To start, we ordered edamame, and miso soup. One of the best miso soups I've had. Edamame was streaming hot, and yummy. We ordered Ramen miso soup, which was really tasty. For sushi we ordered, the Patrick roll, Galapagos roll, and sushi/sashimi combo that comes with spicy tuna rolls. For dessert we ordered green tea ice cream. All the rolls were phenomenal. We will def be back.“

“great place to eat, very good service and very large portions. loved it here“

“A hidden gem! Jimoto Sushi delivers unique, flavorful twists on classic rolls. The seaweed salad + cream cheese combo was surprisingly great (8/10), the Hamachi was a standout (9.2/10), and the spicy tuna roll with wasabi aioli might be the best I’ve ever had (9.3/10!). The IPA was also a pleasant surprise—fruity, bold, and smooth (7.6/10). Not every roll was perfect, but overall this spot nails creativity and taste. 8.6/10 overall—highly recommended if you’re in Chicago.“

“Awesome. Kid friendly. Portions were generous and fresh. Can't wait to come back.“

“A small place but the sushi & rolls are so good !
I ordered the Lunch special A - 3 rolls and B - Futo maki. Couldn't finish it, so I brought the left over and ate it. Many Americans were enjoying! Thank you for the owner !

Vegetarian options: Many rolls and more menus !
And we can ask what ingredients to add and remove from the original ingredients.“

“Yum I feel like they changed there peanut sauce :(“

“It was alright. Expected more from the chef outside of the one 10 second fire that was pretty much the whole show. Benihana still does the show which my family really enjoyed. Thought I'd give Ron of Japan a shot to see if it's similar. Food was good for the price. Layout of the restaurant was nice. “