Best Sushi Bars in Chicago, IL

What do you do when you’re seeking sushi? You could try preparing it at home or explore Chicago for the best sushi in the Windy City. Discover the following six popular sushi restaurants awaiting your visit.

Juno

Image by Jakub Dziubak is licensed with Unsplash License

From Zagat to The Michelin Guide, culinary reviewers praise sushi chef B.K. Park’s standout creations at Juno. This hip Lincoln Park sushi restaurant gives sushi enthusiasts encounters with the world’s seafood treasures in creative sashimi and sushi presentations. Red snapper from Korea, sweet red prawn from Argentina, delicate uni from Santa Barbara, and yellowtail from Japan merely hint at the offerings from Juno.

Spicy octopus temaki (hand rolls) complement the signature Sake Yaki with grilled salmon. Signature trio items include a tuna trio (akami, chutoro, and o-toro) and an eel trio (shiro, aka, and unagi). For the ultimate Juno immersion, choose the chef’s selection of sashimi (16 pieces) for $56 or the chef’s selection of nigiri (nine pieces) for $42.

Location: 2638 N. Lincoln Ave.

Telephone: 773-935-2000.

Kai Zan

In 2012, Chicago sushi legends Melvin and Carlo Vizconde teamed up to create Kai Zan, an omakase dinner experience combining modern and traditional sushi techniques. The Vizconde duo demonstrates their creative interpretation of Japanese-inspired cuisine through their repertoire of tasty bites.

Take your taste buds on a journey through the world of nigiri and maki. The S.O.S. Maki combines salmon skin, octopus, spicy aioli, cucumber, and masago. If you’re craving something grilled, go for the Grilled Hamachi Nigiri, featuring grilled hamachi brushed with a soy sauce glaze and topped with minced jalapeno peppers. Vegetarian diners can order five pieces of carefully crafted vegetarian nigiri expertly prepared by Kai Zan’s sushi masters.

Don’t worry if you can’t decide what you’d like to order based on the menu offerings. Kai Zan’s sushi chefs can prepare other traditional maki, nigiri, and sashimi upon request.

Special Note: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all members of a dining party until further notice.

Location: 2557 W. Chicago Ave.

Telephone: 773-278-5776.

Momotaro Restaurant

Image by Kyle Head is licensed with Unsplash License

Headquartered in the bustling Fulton Market District of Chicago, Momotaro honors the cultural heritage of Japan through exceptional sushi. Executive Chef Gene Kato and Chef de Cuisine Chris Jung deliver elevated Japanese cuisine while respecting culture and tradition.

Kato’s selected sushi offerings delight the palate with flavors and textures of the finest sushi ingredients. The Buri features sliced yellowtail, avocado, grapefruit ponzu, and radish. For an exquisite taste, try the Maguro, featuring bluefin tuna, garlic shoyu, turnip, and puffed buckwheat.

Don’t miss out on experiencing Momotaro’s lower-level Japanese bar, The Izakaya. Its shared plates menu reflects Tokyo’s Yokocho street scene, complete with carefully crafted cocktails, sakes, and a selection of Japanese whisky. Pair your drinks with a temaki hand roll or sashimi served with pickled ginger, wasabi, and myoga salad.

Location: 820 W. Lake St.

Telephone: 312-733-4818.

Nobu Chicago

Internationally acclaimed sushi chef Nobu Matsuhisa showcases sushi innovation at his flagship restaurant Nobu Chicago, which opened at the Nobu Hotel in 2020 in Chicago’s West Loop. When you sit at the 28-foot sushi bar, prepare your senses to experience Matsuhisa’s masterpieces, including his New Style Sashimi with whitefish, salmon, or scallops. The omakase-style signature tasting menu is ideal for large groups of people and offers a primer to Matsuhisa’s sushi and sashimi repertoire.

No sushi experience at Nobu Chicago is complete without a pairing of sake. Light-bodied and medium-bodied Hokusetu Sake offerings complement the exquisite preparations by delivering rich tones that accent the finest quality ingredients in the sushi and sashimi.

Location: 854 W. Randolph St.

Telephone: 312-779-8800.

Sushi Suite 202

Discover an intimate sushi experience like no other. Sushi Suite 202 at Hotel Lincoln is a sushi speakeasy, an exclusive dining suite for parties of six or fewer people. One swipe of a key card is all it takes to unlock the door to a glamorous dining experience that awaits in this exclusive six-seat sushi bar and lounge.

Sink into luxe velvet furniture in the main lounge seating area, sit at the wood-and-stone sushi bar, and savor the sushi delights prepared by Chef Jordan Dominguez. The 17-course, 60-minute omakase sushi dining extravaganza, priced at $149, features elegant nigiri sushi that includes botan ebi and prized Hokkaido uni lovingly crafted from sustainable fish sourced from across the world.

Location: 1816 N. Clark St.

Telephone: 888-591-1234.

Yuzu Sushi and Robata Grill

Colorful sushi roll with salmon, Japanese food by Farhad Ibrahimzade is licensed with Unsplash License

Many culinary experts prize sushi as an art form. Nowhere is this sentiment held more highly than at Yuzu Sushi and Robata Grill in West Town, Chicago. Colorful sauces decorate platters with vibrant hues that capture your attention when they’re set in front of you, adding to the dining experience.

Initially targeting a younger, more hip urban audience, Yuzu Sushi and Robata Grill serves the hipster and fine dining patron with sushi and robata specialties unique to this unpretentious establishment.

The jumbo sushi rolls are out-of-this-world creations that reflect a clever play on traditional sushi rolls with updated twists. The Motown Effect is a deep-fried delicacy delivering smoked salmon, cooked eel, crab stick, cream cheese, avocado, and jalapeno topped with spicy mayonnaise, sweet soy sauce, scallions, and red flying fish roe.

Sushi a la carte (nigiri or sashimi) includes unagi (cooked eel) or madai (Japanese red snapper). For a true delight, don’t pass up the Hamachi Crudo with ponzu sauce, olive oil, black Hawaiian sea salt, Hamachi, ponzu sauce, capers, microgreens, and pickled red onions.

Location: 1751 W. Chicago Ave.

Telephone: 312-666-4100.

Now that you know the best places to go for sushi in Chicago, you can experience the sights and tastes of exceptional sushi preparation. What did you think about our list of sushi restaurants? Did we overlook one of your favorites in the area? Write to us and let us know so that we can add your recommendations to this article. Dr. Lisa M. Schoene and her dedicated staff of podiatric and sports medicine staff enjoy sharing these culinary gems of our region with residents and visitors.