50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Winnetka

“Came here for their happy hour, but ended up having a three course meal. The ramen noodle salad appetizer was fantastic and I'm someone that does not like salad. The sushi was delicious! I believe we got a spicy tuna roll, dragon roll, Godzilla roll. We're suckers for recommendations and were told the Chicago fire roll and the sticky date pudding were worth it. We agree! Definitely leave some room for dessert! Quality food and service!“

“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“

“Unbelievably fantastic. Every bit of this meal was so tasty. The meat was very tender, usually not a fan of plain white rice but even the plain rice by itself was somehow flavorful. Great portion sizes too, this was like 2.5 meals for me and I spent $10 on the lunch special. Wow“

“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!“

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

“Ive been here before for the sushi and yakisoba and enjoyed it. This time I got the teriyaki beef half veg half rice bowl but wouldn’t really recommend. It came with 3 pieces of vegetables. The beef was a bit chewy with a piece or two of gristle, and it was kinda drowned in teriyaki sauce. Most everything else i had from here was good, just wasnt as big a fan of this.“

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

“This place was AMAZING! The food, service, and atmosphere was all 10/10. First off, the owners were incredibly kind and helped us and checked in with us. Also the food was so delicious. You can tell they spend time making their food and it was all definitely fresh. All of our food came out piping hot and fresh and was so delicious also great prices by the way. Also the atmosphere of Manooben was so cozy and cute. Loved this place, definitely recommend, and will be coming back!!“

“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.“

“Insanely delicious and 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.“

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

“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 🙌🏼)“

“First time here! Everything was delicious.“

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

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

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

“This sushi/ramen bar is conveniently located in the village crossing plaza in Skokie. If you're in the area for the movie theater or anything else, it's absolutely worth stopping for.

The interior has a relaxing, Sunday-afternoon kind of vibe.

The ramen broth is prepared 18+ hours in advance to ensure flavor profile is maximized. There are a lot of great options for everyone of all dietary restrictions.

The banana coconut smoothie was one of the best I've had at a restaurant.

Stop by and check them out!“

“The food was awesome!!! I definitely recommend! 🙂“

“We liked very much. We strongly recommend“

“Sushi cravings, this is the place to savor good sushi and rolls. The ambiance is excellent, with plenty of space, a very artistic atmosphere, and outstanding table service. Highly recommended. Walk-ins are welcome, but for large parties, reservations are required.“

“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!“

“Love this place. Very fresh sushi!“

“First time going here was amazing, staff was great and very respectful, and don’t even get me started on the ramen, everything about it was amazing from the taste to the look. But yeah honestly great place to grab ramen.“

“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!!“

“Excellent food and service!! Highly recommend!“

“Best kosher sushi in Chicago.“

“We were so excited to have found this new place for yummy sushi poke bowl! We adore that modernized look of the restaurant and there are a lot of variety of poke bowls to choose from. My boys like the mushroom and California rolls sushi while I enjoyed the spicy hot fish poke bowl a lot. The staff and owner were super friendly and nice. The place was stylish, neat and clean. The sashimi was fresh and delicious! The food was served fast and the price was reasonable too. We are definitely coming back!“

“Love this place, the food is delicious! Anything I’ve ordered has been amazing and my friends say the same!“

“We had a fabulous dinner last night at Chicago Kalbi with Cummins Peru, Komat'su, and the VPs from Antimina copper mine.

Such a great place, where you cook the wagyu & kobe beef at your table. The food was delicious ?

Isao Tozuka, the chef and his wife Chiyo-san, are fabulous hosts, very friendly, and really happy to help and show you how things are do e.

I would definitely recommend coming here. It's a unique place. Make sure you book though ad it can be busy.“

“Mariana, our waitress was wonderful. The teriyaki salmon combination was delicious, as well as the soft shell crab and tempura appetizer. The miso soup and cucumber salad that came with the combination was the best I have had. Topped it off with green tea and red beans ice cream. Mmmmmm!“

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

“Yummy food and good service.“

“Good food for a great price. Service was fine, not friendly, not rude, but very quick and competent.
Trust me on this, get the noodles, oh yes yummy. And add veggies, very satisfying. Hubs agrees.
I was happily surprised by the amount of well made food for the price. And made quickly.“

“Great place to hangout and good sushi“

“Ramen noodle restaurant in fashion outlet mall of Chicago. Food was ok. I asked for spicy and it was truly spicy. Egg was not fully cooked. Service was decent and fast. Prices were high, maybe because it's the fancy mall, but I think it is overpriced compared to the food. Food court was noisy.“

“Wonderful dining experience. Excellent food and fantastic service. Service was top notch for a large group (12).“

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

“From the first sip of the miso soup, I knew we were in for a treat. Easily one of the best I've had! The house salad was very fresh and vibrant. Don't miss out on the deluxe rolls. Not only did they arrive beautifully presented, but each bite was truly a sushi lover's dream 😋. Our waitress was attentive and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. This is a lovely clean and cozy place. Will definitely be back soon!“

“Had a great time last night. Thank you so very much!! Excellent!“

“Over the years, Indie Cafe has been amazingly kind and thoughtful in their service, and their food preparations and presentations always go above and beyond all of my expectations. From quadruple-checking whether or not a menu item is gluten-free, to recommending the best wine/sake pairings for an entrée, their staff have always ensured that I've left their restaurant knowing that I was appreciated as a customer. And welcomed as a friend. Maya is hands-down one of the most excellent servers I've had the pleasure of dining with. She always goes above and beyond with her level of professionalism and attention, and her personality is lovely as well! Given the quality of their sashimi, the creativity behind their menu, and the warmth in their hearts? I look forward to dining with them for many years to come.“

“The service was fantastic the day I was there 2/13/26. Ordered in person. Ordered rangoon, pot stickers, fried rice, chicken fried rice bowl (with specific vegetables only) side of noodles, extra side of fried rice and was all cooked great!! The order took about 10-12 minutes which is exactly what they said when I ordered it. Very nice staff. Would order again from this location.“

“Great Food cozy place Food was delicious“

“Love this place. Great sushi with great prices!“

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

“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 had a work lunch here and ordered the Sukiyaki, Udon, Ika, and Uni handroll. Everything was fresh and fantastic. I needed a copy of my receipt more than a month after I had dined with them, and the staff went out of their way to retrieve it and send it to me. I'm very excited to dine here again!“

“Nobori Sushi is a sleek, welcoming spot that blends traditional Japanese charm with a modern, relaxed vibe. The sushi here is consistently fresh and beautifully presented — every roll feels thoughtfully crafted rather than rushed. The Nigiri and sashimi stand out in particular, with melt-in-your-mouth texture and clean, balanced flavors.

Service is polite and attentive without being overbearing, and the staff seems genuinely proud of what they serve. The menu offers a nice mix of creative rolls alongside classic favorites, and the prices feel fair for the quality you’re getting.

The ambiance is calm and intimate, perfect for either a quiet dinner or a casual night out. If anything, a few of the cooked dishes could use a touch more seasoning, but that’s a minor note in an otherwise excellent meal.

Overall, Nobori Sushi earns a solid four stars — a dependable go-to for quality sushi, great service, and a pleasant dining experience.“

“best sushi in the chicagoland area for me! this little stall inside Hmart Niles’ food court is such a hidden gem. my husband and i actually come here once a week now, it’s officially become our comfort-food spot. i’m not a raw-sushi person at all, but they have amazing cooked options. i'm obsessed with the salmon yaki roll. seriously, it’s that good, always fresh and consistent.

we chatted with the owner once, and he told us he even makes the wasabi from scratch. the wasabi alone deserves an award, so flavorful, not the harsh store-bought kind. the owner is almost always there, making the sushi himself and running things with such a friendly vibe. he truly deserves recognition. this is literally the only sushi my stomach can tolerate, so that says a lot.

and it’s not just the sushi. their entrées are unforgettable too. my husband swears by the chicken katsu: crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and the portion/price is super fair.

definitely worth stopping by if you’re in the area!“