50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Highland Park

“The location is always kept clean, it is small and it is easier to take-out. The staff are SO friendly and patient! The portions are very generous and the prices speaks for it. Everything tastes fresh. I order pick up and it’s always ready before or by when I get to the location. Pick up/takeout is most common!“

“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.“

“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!!“

“Great place to hangout and good sushi“

“Small family run .
Don’t be deceived by the name. The food is very good. Very fresh really great service small intimate restaurant. They have a small dining area probably for parties that are somewhat small or overflow.. try it out so good !!
I guess you can order Omakasa I was looking at reviews and it looks amazing. It’s so fun to sit up at the sushi bar and watch their craft with those amazing knives so skillful.“

“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!“

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

“LOVE THIS PLACE !! ALL TIME FAVORITE RESTERAUNT THE FOOD IS AMAZING ! THE STAFF AND PEOPLE WORKING ARE EXTREMELY NICE AND MAKE YOU FEEL WELCOMED AND TAKEN CARE OF !! LOVE THIS PLACE SOOO MUCH. A MUST GO PLACE, THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE RESTERAUNTS BY FAR, ME AND MY BOYFRIEND LOVE THIS PLACE ? THE OWNER/MANAGER IS SO KIND AND ALWAYS TAKES CARE OF US, SHE IS A BEAUTIFUL SOUL❤️ WE LOVE THIS PLACE ! WOULDNT BE THE SAME WITHOUT THE STAFF ✅? FOOD IS WONDERFUL AND PRICING AMAZING EXTREMELY CHEAP FOR AMAZING QUALITY. EVERYTHING IS DELICIOUS“

“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!“

“This was a great little surprise date night spot. Not a huge menu but everything they had on the menu was fresh and great. The owner served us and she was a gear host

We dined in on a week night

Kid-friendliness: Plenty of space for kids“

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

“My family and I are very picky when it comes to sushi, but this place went beyond my expectations. They really stuffed the sushi with fresh ingredients. The quality of the fish was excellent. My father is especially particular about his sushi rice, and it was perfect for him. For the price of this sushi, it is definitely reasonable. I recommend this sushi restaurant to everyone. Will definitely come back to this place!“

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

“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 🙌🏼)“

“I was pleasantly surprised! We ordered create your own bowls and both selected the salmon option and they were delicious. Their oshinko is shredded which was different but kind of neat how it balanced out the flavor in the bowl.Pros:- bowls are delicious, I would order again- I'm happy the bowls are compostableCons:- the standard create your own bowl is pretty slim for the price, I added a couple extra toppings- the milk tea was okay, they're very sweet. I ordered the brown sugar milk tea and ordered less sweet to balance out the brown sugar but it was still too sweet. And the strawberry milk tea just tasted like a milk shake and while it tasted good - there wasn't any tea flavor, so that was disappointing.“

“We liked very much. We strongly recommend“

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

“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.“

“Love this place. Very fresh sushi!“

“The absolute best underrated sushi place in the area. The sweetest lovely woman runs the place, very friendly and traditional. Food is fantastic, and cheaper than other sushi places in the area. She sometimes can be the only one working so please be patient, support small businesses ?“

“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“

“Overall food was really good. Some apps not worth it for portion size/taste. Sushi was good but a bit lackluster. For this vibe and place of "chicagos first sushi" i was expecting a bit more flavor/presentation but still tasty. Drinka were good but thw bottles of sake seemed way overpriced. Service was great too. A little disappointed that i had included that we were celebrating a birthday and our table candle wasn't lit and no treat or little dessert was offered for the birthday person at this type of restaurant.“

“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.“

“I have eaten here many times. Usually the food is very good. This time wasn't up to par. My lychee martini didn't have any whole lychees in it. The fried squid was very tough. The skirt steak was good perfectly. Would I come back again, probably and order different food.“

“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.“

“Food was excellent. Highly recommend.“

“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!!“

“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!“

“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!“

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

“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.“

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

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

“the Ramen, muy delicioso.“

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

“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.“

“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“

“Jimoto is a great experience and excellent food. The apps and sushi are done very well. As a return customer, they are very consistent and it’s also a great dining environment.

My only comment would be about training the servers on the menu. Wasn’t sure if we had a new one last time, so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt, but he wasn’t familiar with the different tuna types on the menu (hamachi, otoro, etc). Still top notch, would highly recommend.“

“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.“

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

“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. “