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!“

“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.“

“This place is the perfect dining experience in my opinion. It's casual, yet intimate, and the atmosphere is chill hip hop. I got the Beef Bulgogi and the KFC and I am at odds with myself in choosing a winner between the two. I am 100% coming back to try the Tomago and Tonkatsu! The pièce de résistance was the Ube and strawberry dessert sandwich, it blew me away. However, what made this a 5 star experience in earnest was our server Calvin, he gave us so much knowledge and made us feel very comfy and welcome ? he is a G and I look forward to coming back to tell him how I feel about the rest of the menu!!!“

“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“

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

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

“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.“

“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.“

“The Sushi was absolutely delicious .“

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

“I believe this place is a sister location to The Sipping Turtle, that being said the food is so good. I love the freshness of the ingredients, it truly is fully customizable. Only thing I wouldn’t recommend is their smoothies, I just don’t think they have a lot of flavor (super bland smoothies, taste like a lot of ice)“

“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!“

“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!“

“Best food ever and service love“

“We enjoyed everything whatever we ordered“

“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!“

“Nice atmosphere, good sushi“

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

“California man says Yes, and highly recommend here“

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

“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.“

“Spectacular Omakase experience at Roka. Definitely worth the splurge if you’re looking for experience dining.

Our five course meal contained plenty of raw fish, cooked fish, meats, veggies and a dessert platter. Not a single item was a miss and we all left stuffed. Loved the variety of courses compared to a more traditional omakase. Don’t sleep on the dessert finale…I’m not a dessert fella but it was probably my favorite part.

Great service and a nice ambiance. Tables aren’t too close and the restaurant is lively, without being too loud. Loved sitting near the open kitchen.“

“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“

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

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

“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!!“

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

“First time here! Everything was delicious.“

“fantastic tiny place but the food sushi huge selection and ramen are great. I have such a nice experience Everytime I go there. The owners Akira and Kathy are THE NICEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. REALLY PLEASANT! I go next door for a pedi and I just feel so relaxed and nice going in this mini strip mall. I really recommend both. if your having a crappy day go get a pedi and enjoy some great sushi or ramen. it's a counter place but it has its own charm and coziness. they use to own the restaurant in Wilmette but downsized. so help keep this gem and go often.😀“

“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 ⭐️!“

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

“Overall: Tucked away but shouldn't be overlooked, a great sushi option downtown.

The good: Cozy seating, low lighting, and low ceilings make you feel welcome and at home. The staff (and restaurant as a whole) were very accommodating for our 1 year old, who loved the atmosphere and friendly service. They also helped us store our stroller and baby supplies, even with the limited space. The sushi was good with some interesting options that you may not see at other spots. We also enjoy the flavorful mochi bites for dessert.

The not-so-good: Not much! There may be higher quality sushi around town, but the prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is great.

Food/drink: 8/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 9/10“

“Had an amazing omakase experience with Chef Poom and Jane!

The food was incredibly fresh, and each dish was thoughtfully prepared and delicious. The attention to detail and presentation made it unforgettable. Highly recommend for anyone who loves quality sushi!“

“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 🙌🏼)“

“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.“

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

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

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

“First time visitor. The food was exceptional, getting the takoyaki and route 66 rolls. Takoyaki was very hot and fresh, and extremely tasty. And I wasn't expecting the portion size of the roll to be as big as it was. Decently priced for the entire meal. I would definitely recommend eating at this place.“

“We liked very much. We strongly recommend“

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

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

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

“Food is excellent! Love the atmosphere. Cooks and staff are so friendly! 🙂“

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

“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.“

“Get a party tray for 2 or more and you won’t be disappointed! This place is a great local spot for Lakeviewers, easy to pickup, quick and efficient and super delicious! All their sushi is super fresh, rice is the perfect texture, well-rounded variety of rolls for the trays. 👍👍👍“