50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Skokie

“Awesome vibe, the atmosphere is spectacular and the service is exceptional! We got ramen which was very nice. You can add or take away from any of your choice ramen. We also got a cucumber salad, their fried chicken and kimchi, all very good.You order everything via an iPad, even order water. Very cool services. We will definitely be coming back for the sushi next!“

“Yummy food and good service.“

“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 were staying next door and trying to find a lunch spot. We chose Sando Street, and were very happy we did. First time trying a sando. We got the Bulgogi and Tonkatsu Sandos. They were excellent! They tasted very fresh, great combinations of flavors and textures. Tip: eat the sando from the wrapper as long as you can, otherwise bits of sando fall out. (That’s what a fork is for!). Staff was very nice and helpful. Atmosphere was decent - it is a small place with a couple of booths, a few tables, and a counter. While we were there, we saw quite a few carry-outs go out the door. Highly recommended.“

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

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

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

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

“We enjoyed everything whatever we ordered“

“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.“

“Spent an evening trying the Omakase menu and it was absolutely incredible! The staff were so friendly and sweet, and the food was some of the best we’ve had. It really was a meal to remember! We hope to be back soon, and would 100% recommend this to anyone considering this restaurant for a meal!“

“The Sushi was absolutely delicious .“

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

“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!“

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

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

“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!“

“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“

“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 💃💃💃“

“We tried Miso & Nori for the first time and it quickly became one of our favorite local sushi spots. Every dish that we had was incredible, the service was A+, and love the ambiance. We would definitely be back again. Highly recommended!“

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

“Nice atmosphere, good sushi“

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

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

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

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

“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.“

“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.“

“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!!“

“Best food ever and service love“

“We liked very much. We strongly 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“

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

“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 ⭐️!“

“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 🙌🏼)“

“have eaten here for many years. I am aware of the new management but we will continue to come to the eat at RengaTei“

“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.“

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

“Great sushi and super friendly. Good sake and drinks too. Some people have commented that it is fairly fast. It is. But that is actually fairly standard for most omakase places I've been including in Japan. If you want a 3 hour slow relaxed dinner, go eat a Michelin Star or three. If you want great sushi in a friendly atmosphere, come here.“

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

“First time here! Everything was delicious.“

“The food was delicious. Interesting experience. Waitress was very personable“

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

“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.“

“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.“

“I’ve been coming to this Japanese restaurant since I was young. The place looks a bit dated, but they stay true to the basics. Stopped by while in Highland Park for my kid’s sports practice, and it was a nice, simple meal. I honestly wish this place were busier—it deserves more love.“