28 Best Japanese Restaurants near Lake Forest

“Best sushi. Better than your fancy Chicago spot. It’s the only restaurant we frequent regularly. They have something for everyone including non sushi lovers.“

“Emma was amazing!!! I came in on a busy Sunday night for an authentic Japanese meal and I got that and more. Amazing Sukiyaki! I also got a tekka maki so i can try the FRESH wasabi! Emma, the bartender/host/server was so friendly and helpful despite having a crazy busy restaurant! This is my new favorite Japanese restaurant!!“

“Food is always great and their service is amazing. They have an extensive menu with everything from great appetizers to traditional Japanese desserts. Good selection of drinks both regular and adult. Prices are reasonable for the quality of the food and service. You can depend on having a great experience!“

“Insanely delicious and fresh sushi.“

“It was a day to remember when I thought of hosting a party to grace the occasion of my grand daughter Vismaya’s promotion graduation to middle school. I was suggested to have it at Hanakawa Japanese Steak & Sushi Bar restaurant. The whole family not regretted the choice and
enjoyed. An ambience of authenticity, experienced chefs, tasteful food and lovable staffs.“

“No complaints whatsoever! We enjoyed our sushi rolls, Miso soup etc. and the atmosphere was very authentic as well as professional. Service was a solid, steady pace, and the chocolate lava cake was irresistible however I forgot to take a picture I ate it so fast. We will 100% be returning in the future, great stuff!!“

“Birthday boy wanted sushi so we began locating sushi restaurants near where we were staying. We landed on Starfish due to its good ratings. They have a nice patio outside, but we opted to sit inside. Debbie quickly introduced herself and took our drink order. Debbie was very personable; we shared laughs with her. She was very knowledgeable when I mentioned I was gluten free and brought out the gf soy sauce. Our appetizers came out quickly. I have an obsession with spring rolls, and these were the best I've ever had. Really. Granted, they were a bit different from the usual, but everyone who had a slice agreed they were delicious. My daughter only likes the shaggy dog roll (which is what we call it in Houston). Debbie had the manager come over to see if they could make one. They had a very similar roll which my daughter ordered and enjoyed. I appreciated how they were more than willing to accommodate our requests. Our food came out pretty quick, and we all enjoyed our dinner. When we arrived, Debbie had asked if we were celebrating anything which we were, my son's 18th birthday. She brought out balloon swords which prompted us to have swords fights. It was quite funny! They then brought out ice cream with a candle and sang loudly to him. So glad he got to blow out a candle on his birthday! I cannot recommend this place enough. From the food to the atmosphere to the staff, you will surely have a great time!“

“I'm not much of a Sushi person but that might have changed after my visit here. Went for a friend's birthday dinner, no reservations, no wait, just walked in and was seated. After ordering, food less than 10 minutes later and looked GREAT! My favorite was the shrimp roll. Will definitely be eating here more“

“Love it!!!, the food and service was amazing. Would go for it again. 10/10!“

“Everything was excellent!!!“

“Always great entertainment and food!!!“

“Food was absolutely delicious!! Highly recommend!!“

“Wonderful place, the food is amazing! The staff is always so friendly!“

“Love this place. Very 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 honestly really liked this place! My friend took me to dinner here and it really is a hidden gem. Yes, the prices are high, but the food and service was worth it. The owner is also such a cute, lovely lady and she makes the experience even better. She gave us free egg rolls and they were absolutely delicious. Our server was also kind and the whole vibes of the place are just super nice. Def recommend!“

“The spicy crab poké bowl was lacking spicy crab, although the kimchi made up for it. Chicken fried rice was very tasty but not enough as a meal. Charsu was very fatty. Beef shoyu ramen was ok. The two slices of beef were a little tough. I liked the tasty broth, with lots of ramen, but I would have liked some kimchi or other pop of flavor.“

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

“Great place to hangout and good sushi“

“If you want the very best sushi go to Taste of Tokyo! We can’t say enough about how nice, friendly, and creative the owners and their staff are! If they don’t have something on their sushi menu that you want, then just ask! And they will gladly make it! If you want to relax with comfortable seats, great background music, reasonable prices, then visit Taste of Tokyo! If you love to support small businesses in your community then visit Taste Of Tokyo! We are just so grateful for them and their Great Foods!“

“So, I stopped here after my post-op visit and ordered crab rangoon & orange chicken.
The crab rangoon is what I ate first, and as someone who has visited over three dozen american-chinese food selling restaurants in the Chicagoland area it is the best I have ever eaten. Really really spectacular. Incredibly tasty, strong flavors in both the filling & the sauce. Perfect amount of wrapping to filling. Will be coming here again when I'm in the area, just so I can get another set of them. I genuinely considered going back in and ordering another set when I finished the first but I had my orange chicken to eat so I sadly decided against it.

The orange chicken was next, and it was okay. I did enjoy it, but it came with onions (which I love) and bell peppers (which I hate) so I would've asked for it without the bell peppers if I'd known. Also the flavor wasn't as strong as I like, I prefer a strong orange flavor and a lot of sauce. This didn't have that, but it was the crispiest chicken I've ever had with orange chicken so that was definitely a bonus.
All in all, I'll definitely come back the next time I have an appointment here, mostly to get crab rangoon but I'll definitely be trying other things as well!“

“Really good place! I was expecting generic Chinese but I was pleasantly surprised. I asked the owner if the egg foo young was made with real eggs, or eggs from a carton. He was kind of shocked at the notion he would use eggs from a carton and assured me it was made with fresh eggs and freshly-made vegetables, like he would not be caught dead doing it any other way. That gave me a good feeling about the place - he clearly had pride in what he does. We had a vegetarian and a celiac in the party and he was very understanding and respectful of their needs. We are picky eaters but were all very happy with our meals, which were really good. Big portions too!“

“I ordered food for takeout. The app was easy to use. My food was ready at the time I requested. I was greeted when I arrived and my food was hot. I really enjoy the chicken bowl and chicken potstickers. It appears they have vegetarian options available for those who prefer that. I also feel they have a good rewards program.“

“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!“

“Fuji Thai is the best restaurant in the area! I worked here for 4 years when I was younger and Ive been back as a customer every time I’m in town for the past 5 years. I can say from first hand experience, everything is clean and sanitary. The staff was always great to work with. For a first job, I couldn’t have asked for more. And Mona and her family (owners) are amazing! The food is incredible. Almost everything on the menu is made fresh and from scratch. Favorites: Tom kha soup Panang curry Double shrimp lover“

“My wife and I totally enjoyed their food. We were a bit surprised to see that the AYCE went up to $28.99. We will go back.“

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

“Very kind gentleman who offered a sample of teriyaki chicken… That what got me to get food here lol. He was quick and piled as much food as humanly possible into the box. They definitely make sure you have enough for lunch AND dinner (if you can’t finish it all in one sitting). Good price for the amount of food you get, definitely recommend.“