After spending nearly two years trying--and failing--to secure a reservation at Tsuke Edomae in…read moreAustin, I learned that the restaurant is connected to Kyoten through chef Otto Phan. Kyoten Next Door offers a more casual and relatively affordable way to experience that style of omakase, with a focus on classic, straightforward nigiri. I made sure to book a New Year's Eve reservation while visiting Chicago, and the experience did not disappoint. The restaurant is quiet and intimate, with a graceful atmosphere that allows you to fully focus on the food. Each piece of nigiri was carefully sliced, seasoned, and assembled right in front of us. What stood out most was the precision behind each piece. The fish was cut and prepared in ways that felt noticeably different from other omakase experiences I've had, bringing out distinct textures and flavors with every bite. Each course felt thoughtful without being overly complicated. Overall, Kyoten Next Door absolutely deserves a place on any sushi lover's bucket list. It was a memorable experience from start to finish, and now I'm even more excited to try Kyoten.

We've been to pretty much every omakase in Chicago, and Kyoten Next Door is the best. Honestly,…read moreit's not even that close. We've gone three times now, and every meal has been just as good as the last. That's what really stands out. A lot of places can be great once. This place is great every time. The fish is incredible and obviously sourced with a lot of care, but the rice is what really separates it. They use a rice you won't find at any other restaurant in Chicago, and you can taste the difference immediately. It changes the whole bite. We've had a lot of very good omakase in this city. Some great ones. But this is the one we keep comparing all the others to. Best omakase in Chicago. No question.

Friendly and kind staff! The rolls came out quickly. The decorations are cute. We came for the…read moreweekday happy hour 4:30-6:30PM which included $4 off jumbo rolls, so we tried 3 jumbo rolls. Also tried 2 pieces of their limited fish for the day. We went before a night shift so couldn't try any drinks. I liked ThugLife2 the most, light, refreshing and good crunch from the jalapeño. Riverwalk was oily feeling with the tempura crunch, so not my favorite but if you like tempura, this is good. Sin nombre had interesting complex flavor but light with the yuzu marinade. The albacore was seared so slight firmer texture. The sashimi we got came with grated ginger and soy sauce and I didn't have to dip it at all. The texture was firm but not chewy, very fresh.

We stopped by for happy hour and were seated promptly. The jumbo rolls are $4 off during happy hour…read moreM-F and they have some apps and drinks as well. The ambiance was really nice with cool snippets of anime on the wall without being tacky. We got the tater tots, the dragon ball roll, and the chicago spring roll. The tater tots were hot and fresh dressed in a tograshi blend, truffle mayo, parmesan cheese and cilantro. I personally didn't love this combo of flavors too much, but my mom enjoyed them! The roll presentation was absolutely stunning. I was actually blown away by the sauces, which were customized by color but also flavor, so they actually were great to dip in. I was blown away by the hot sauce they used for the dragon breath, it had a real kick to it. Unfortunately i didn't like the eel quality tho, i think the roll would have been just fine without it and i found myself having to spit out some fatty piece to the eel that wasn't melting or going anywhere. The roll itself was way more filling than it looks too. The service was good! It got slower as the restaurant got busier but our water's stayed getting refilled which was good. I also absolutely love the bathroom! I was thrilled to see the extra thought they put into having feminine products AND mouthwash! That was the perfect touch and i wish more restaurants had it. They do charge 20% gratuity by standard, so just make sure you don't accidentally tip again later cuz they may not remember to point it out to you.

Came by with a large group for AYCE sushi, and ate a ridiculous amount…read more One-- we were able to get solid seating for a large group with a reservation. Two-- service was FAST. Some other AYCE places start to rate limit our group once they catch on that they're probably going to lose money off of us, but they continued to be prompt and quick with successive plates. Three-- cuts are thick here. I almost got full off of the first round because the salmon and tuna nigiri were surprisingly heftier than expected, and at a good fish to rice ratio at that. They have a good selection of nigiri and rolls. Only con is that the only way to get sashimi is via a sashimi salad on their menu, but that's no issue when the service and variety with everything else is fantastic! Would definitely visit again when in the area!

the quality is lacking, especially in their salmon rolls (and do not get the smoked salmon, it's…read morestraight up lox not the torched salmon you would expect) i couldn't eat a lot just because it was not good and hard to chew ice cream and mochi also came out super melted the tamago and scallop were good edamame was definitely microwaved would not be returning

This was my first time at an Omakase…read more This is a tiny restaurant on the second floor of Sushi San. Where Sushi San is large and loud and social, the Omakase room is a tranquil oasis. You will be taken upstairs by a host into a private salon with couches creating several seating areas. Here you can have a pre dinner drink from their extensive and unique bar. Once all diners are ready, you will be led up 2 stairs into the Omakase room which was hidden behind a curtain. There is one table - a U shaped bar around the chefs preparation. There were 9 seats the night we were there, but they might fit up to 12 if people are friendly. There is a marble pedestal with a spotlight in front of each diner which serves as your plate. (Leave it where it is, the chef needs to reach it, and you'll want it under the right to the the fabulous presentation) The night we were there was a special event, the sake producer was in town and paired his sake with the food. There were 18 courses and 6 sakes. I'm not normally a sake person, but it was our son's 34th bday, and he is. ALL the sakes from Junmai Ginjo were outstanding. I have no words for the food. It was out of this world. SO inventive, so beautiful, and definitely the best sushi we've had, hands down. This place is VERY expensive, but well worth your saved pennies for a truly memorable special night. Once we pay off the loan, we'll start saving to come again!

Absolutely insane. I've never been treated like this before - the service is impeccable, I felt…read morelike royalty. The food... don't get me started. The freshest fish I've quite literally ever had in my life. Each dish is intricate and luxurious, ranging from sea urchin to caviar to lobster to bluefin tuna. Gorgeous room, incredible food, excellent service - this was the best food experience I've ever had!

This was an amazing start to for Chicago dining. Fresh off of a 10-hour flight, this spot was an…read moreoasis. Not only was the hospitality midwestern aloha, the food, service, and attention to details was spectacular. You are greeted with a cocktail to get things started. It was 94 degrees outside, so that treat was refreshing, bright, and bubbly. My boyfriend opted for the non-alcoholic version without the fizz and he gulped it down in two sips. We were then whisked off to the dining room and presented with an array of beverage options as the chef began preparation for the omakase. The music was so good, I found myself using shazam to find the names of different tracks. The chef noticed and said they post their evening playlist on IG. BONUS: Get the Tanjiro drink. It is a green monster inspired by an anime character. You get extra points if you know which one. The lychee is subtle and whoever is behind the bar is a genius. Sean had a no-alcohol red bean cocktail that was beyond creative and way beyond delicious. The hospitality didn't end there. The servers, (you will enjoy multiple) when we asked them for recommendations on where to go in Chicago, presented us with a handwritten list of things that they enjoy and continued to verbally add tips throughout the night. Everything from dive bars to Broadway made the list. This place ranks as some of the best service I have ever received. The chef was kind, thoughtful, and so was every person in the space. The starter trio included an okonomiyaki croquette, japanese egg salad served in a cone, and a milk bread tea sandwich with herbs. I will dream about that egg salad. . .and the milk bread sandwich had an herby-tang that was cut with butter. Delicious! Each course, as with any omakase, comes with guidance and instructions. No ginger, but a delightful pickled apple, shiso leaves, and mizuna with wasabi, yuzu salt, and an umami "dropper" rounded out a playful series of hand rolls. Different and I enjoyed the vegetal touches. The Norwegian Trout was a stand-out and the anago was surprising. I don't like anago, but this was very good. That trout though. . .drool! The chawanmushi was exceptional and surprising with a pea puree and so many additional elements. The taste changes as you move toward the bottom of the cup. It was very unexpected. The somen was ridiculous. That broth had the rich and velvety texture of tonkotsu, but was miso, soy-milk-based and vegan. The somen noodles were perfect. This was a fantastic way to end the savory courses and head into dessert. While the butter mochi cake and small bites were good, I think time stopped for my boyfriend when he started eating the strawberry soft serve with buttermilk, candied lemon peel and bits of freeze-dried strawberry. It reminded me of some flavors from the crack-seed store, but the chef said the strawberry was like what you might get from a box of Special K. It made me want to send him a few bags from the crack seed store. :-) . The texture and flavors were perfect and balanced. This is a special place. You should go. (Lifting you by Jungle is now playing)

Amazing space! Absolutely love the vibe, the music, the creativity in the courses, the wine pairing…read moreOMG the wine pairings!! The sommelier is a GENIUS. What a combo between incredible omakase and wine/sake. I love it here. I would come back in a heartbeat and do love the quality of service too. 10/10 spot.

Stopped by Joto craving sushi. I've heard great things about their dry-aged fish and they certainly…read moredon't make it a secret with the fish hanging on display. The restaurant is plenty spacious with lots of options for seating. Our server was helpful and gave thoughtful recommendations. We ordered the mussels to start - great choice as it is served with bread to soak up all the garlic butter. We also ordered the 12-piece sushi set and were pleased by the variety of fish provided. All pieces of fish were fresh and had unique seasonings to accentuate different flavors. To finish, we ordered the Tuna Tekka roll and loved how big the rolls were. Overall, had a good experience at Joto and will come back to try the BBQ skewers (only served on weekends).

food - mid, just mid in general, not even comparing with food in the same tier…read more ambiance - made a little sense i had the table-side omakase

I have been wanting to try this place for a couple years and glad I was finally able to and for my…read morebirthday! It is very cute and intimate inside as it's your party with the chef. Our chef was a lot of fun and was great at giving us good food, presenting the food, and having fun with us. All the food was delicious! It was a 17 course omakase and I felt pretty full at the end. We did add the wagyu at the end which was $28 a piece. It was great! My favorites were the toro with caviar and truffle. I know people get nervous about whether they're full after the omakase, but with a drink and a shot of sake, I felt pretty full. I wanted to order more but I knew I was full. I can tell by how tight my belt is, and I wanted to move my belt down one. Overall, I highly recommend this spot as it's delicious and such a great time! Chris was great!

Sushi Suite 202 is a completely unique experience, unless you're someone that's dined at an omakase…read morestyle restaurant before. My wife and I have eaten plenty of sushi in our lives, but this was our first omakase experience, and it was wonderful. IMO, for many reasons, this is a special occasion type of dining experience... a date night, a birthday, anniversary, etc... First of all, it's intimate to the extent that the restaurant itself is in a renovated suite in the Lincoln Hotel. There's no sign. If you don't have a reservation, you're not eating there. The space itself only holds 12 or so people plus the three staff members which consists of a mixologist, a maetre d' and your sushi chef. The room itself is designed to make you feel like someone dropped a sushi bar in your living room. It's clean, homey and comfortable. The service was impeccable, as it should be when you've got maybe up to 8 people to take care of... the mixologist (Ivan?) and maître d' (sadly, I can't recall her name) were both friendly and helpful, and only engaged when you needed them. My wife and I were celebrating our anniversary, and purchased a "Date Night" package - which included the 17 course meal and a drink flight. It was $150/pp but it was worth every penny. It was a perfect amount of food, and the three drinks we were served (vodka, tequila and gin based) were all delicious. The wife and I each ordered one more drink, and when they presented us with the bill, it was exactly what we expected. They even included the gratuity on the bill, and we both agreed it was well worth the money for the whole experience. Our sushi chef, Ken, was awesome. Again, I've sat at sushi bars a million times, but to have a chef prepare each piece by hand, just for you and 5 others, while explaining the process, the fish, etc.... was a pretty amazing. The sushi was delicious, even though I couldn't tell you the names of all of it.. Ken was hard to understand at times, but the wife and I got the gist of what we were being told, even if we didn't quite catch the names of all the pieces. Scroll through my pictures... I tried to fill in some of the blanks. All-in-all, it was an amazing time. Plan for a whole evening because even though there is inherently a time limit due to the nature of their business, you never feel rushed. It was relaxing and laid back and allows you the time to really enjoy every sip and bite of your meal.

Had a great experience here! Very similar in vibe and quality to the sushi by bou in West Loop…read more Love that it's literally inside of a hotel room, felt like a true speakeasy experience. We had a private dinner and Ken and the bartender were so nice. Great thing to do for a special occasion.

there were ever a moment where felt like I accidentally booked a billionaire's private dinner…read more.. this was it. Walking into Sushi Suite Speakeasy isn't just dinner -- it's an initiation. No crowds. No chaos. Just an ultra-intimate, hidden sanctuary where every seat feels like it was reserved for royalty. The energy? Smooth, exclusive, almost cinematic. And then the omakase begins... Each course was presented with the precision of a luxury watch and the soul of an artist. The fish was so fresh it felt like it bypassed Chicago and came straight from Tokyo in first class. Every bite was a perfect balance of temperature, texture, and flavor -- delicate, intentional, and unforgettable. You're not just eating sushi -- you're being guided through a story. Warm seasoned rice. Melt-in-your-mouth toro. Uni that tasted like the ocean's best kept secret. Hand rolls that redefined what "fresh" means. And the chef -- part master craftsman, part host of the most exclusive dinner party you've ever attended -- making every guest feel like a VIP. Course after course, you realize you're not checking your phone... not looking around... not thinking about anything except the next bite. That's when you know it's special. This wasn't dinner. This was a private performance. This was luxury without the attitude