Fantastic upscale sushi restaurant with a Peruvian twist - we started with the hamachi creviche and shrimp tempura and both er excellent We then had the hamachi and tuna sashimi and it was the best I have had in Chicago (especially the Hamachi). We also tried the A5 Waygu nigiri and were really impressed. Finally - we finished wish a few hand rolls (scallop, shrimp, and crab) - these are the most affordable items on the menu and are very popular. The vibe is upscale - it is sushi bar service only at what looked to be 4 different bars - and the prices were reasonable for Sushi. Focus on the handrolls if you are concerned about price - but don't skip the hamachi cerviche as it is amazing. Overall- great place and we will be back read more

We had a solid experience at Akiro. The ambiance is solid and the restaurant is massive. They are running multiple separate sections of sushi bars and it was one of the largest sushi restaurants I've been too. Service was really attentive and every bar section comes with their own dedicated chef. The room themselves were pretty subpar. I think if you like spicy mayo then these would be good. The fish was rather low quality and mostly masked by every roll having the same sauce. The chef was also pretty sloppy, dropping a ton of stuff and knocking things over as he made our rolls. In general it's worth a try in this hand roll trend but not sure I'd go back. The hand roll sets are a pretty good deal. I found the quality of the hand rolls read more

Akiro - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Akiro Hand Roll Bar is the first Nikkei hand roll bar in the U.S., blending Peruvian flavors into Japanese dishes and it was SO good. The vibes were great and sitting right in front of the sushi chef made the experience even better. 9/10. Service was good. Our server didn't check in as often, but we could easily flag her down and she was super nice and helpful with recommendations. 8/10. For starters she recommended the tuna tiradito which was super fresh and flavorful. 9/10. For nigiri, the squid was INSANE. Literally melted in my mouth like butter. 9.9/10 and I would go back just for that. The toro was great, especially torched. 8.5/10. Salmon didn't stand out much but had a cool green salsa. 7/10. The salmon truffle was delicious. 8.5/10. Unagi lowkey tasted like dessert with that sweet chocolate shaved on top. 8/10. A5 wagyu was also amazing. 9/10. For hand rolls, the acevichado was my favorite. Super unique flavor I've never had before. 9/10. The short rib hand roll was also amazing with perfect texture. 9/10. The rest were more mid. Tuna 6/10, ebi furai had too much spicy mayo 5/10, toro 7.5/10, scallop 7/10. The tres leches with matcha was the perfect ending. Dense cake, cream at the bottom, and barely any matcha flavor which I actually loved. 9/10. Cocktails were AMAZING. The lychee martini was strong, sweet, and didn't taste like alcohol at all. 10/10. The matcha sour didn't really taste like matcha but was still a great sweet drink. 8.5/10. Overall... best sushi in Chicago so far. Highly recommend. read more

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Ambiance - modern, intimate, offers a really casual and relaxed atmosphere Service - our server was nice but it was really hard to get her attention & for us to pay the bill; the thing that really threw me off is during the middle of dinner when I was chatting with my cousin, someone just cleared out my area (plate, chopsticks, spoon, soy sauce) but I still had 2 more hand rolls coming out Food - Tuna Tiradito - too salty, can't even taste the tuna Hamachi Ceviche - too sour Hand rolls - seaweed was crispy and fish quality was cold/fresh read more

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We visited Akira Chicago during Chicago Restaurant Week. The service was excellent throughout our visit. The staff were attentive, friendly, and made great suggestions from the special menu, which helped guide our choices and made the experience feel welcoming. The ambiance is warm and inviting. Everything we tried was tasty! The flavors were balanced and thoughtfully prepared, and the dishes felt fresh and satisfying. It was easy to see the kitchen's attention to detail and care in execution. Overall this was a solid Restaurant Week stop. read more

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I'm glad I got to try Akiro during restaurant week and made the time for lunch. It's a very cute spot and I like how everyone gets to see the hand rolls made. It is a bit tight when sitting down, but it's for the view of the making of the hand rolls. Our waitress was very nice and cleaned out sets and spilled food before each course. For restaurant week lunch, my friend and I ordered the shrimp tempura and tuna Tiradito as the apps, the tuna, salmon, and hamachi for the hand rolls, and we got our own miso & chocolate brownie. All of this was $30. We also ordered a Toro hand roll ($9) to try as we both love Toro. Our favorite hand roll was the Toro. Both appetizers were delicious, but they were not wrong in that they were small. For the dessert, we could not tell what the ice cream was supposed to taste like. I also felt that it needed to be a little soft to eat with the brownie as the brownie itself was a little dry. Overall, we enjoyed trying Akiro and had a good experience. read more

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Tried Akiro for restaurant week and was definitely not disappointed! I got to try their torched toro and scallop nigiri, both of which were very nicely made. Fish was fresh and the garnishes/seasonings were well done. The hamachi handroll that we got for the third course was especially memorable. Nice and light flavor with a hint of tanginess from the lime. I also got the crab handroll but found the filling slightly under seasoned. Would've liked a more peppery kick. The matcha tres leches was a lovely way to end the meal - not overly sweet (though could use some additional matcha to the cream) but very nicely soaked in the milk-based syrup The only ding on the meal would be the rice - not super well cooked/maybe the quality was mediocre? The rice was felt meal-y and almost sandy on the tongue Ambiance was great, nice set up with four "stations" each with a sushi master making nigiri's and rolls for the customers. Overall great experience! read more

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I'm typically not super impressed with the quality of food in River North, but this place is worth the hype! All the fish and flavors were super fresh and delicious. The hand rolls are also a great bang for buck - they're definitely not skimping out here. My favorite bites were the Scallop Nigiri, Burger Nigiri, and Salmon Hand Roll. It's also super aesthetic inside and roomier than it appears at first. Most seating is at one of the two bars which are in front of the sushi chefs which is a cool experience to see your bites being made! read more

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Atmosphere: -Gorgeous interior. There's at least 4 "sushi bar" areas with about 12ish seats per bar, so the place is bigger than you think. -Not too loud or dark, so perfect for a good yap session. The lychee martini was balanced and not too sweet. I think every girl ordered this specific drink in our area. Drinks: -Decent selection of wine, but do not get the Sancerre - it's very buttery and does not taste like your traditional Sancerre. The Albariño is the way to go. Food: -6 hand rolls for $39 and the nigiri pieces ranged from $5-$18, so they are on the pricier side and were fine, nothing to write home about. -Best bite was the tuna tiradito. The miso and chocolate brownie with lucuma ice cream was a bite I'd remember. It tastes like caramel or butterscotch, so good. TLDR: -great atmosphere for a girls night or date night -get the tuna tiradito, drinks, and dessert -good but not out of this world hand rolls (the set menu is a better deal than a la carte but if I'd had to pick: the toro and acevichado were the best bites). You won't be that full I promise! read more

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Came here for a relaxed dinner and really enjoyed the experience. The restaurant has counter seating and the space feels modern and clean. It was not too crowded or loud, which made it easy to actually enjoy the food and conversation. Our waiter approached us pretty soon after we sat down, walked us through the menu, and gave thoughtful recommendations that ended up being spot on. We started with the hamachi ceviche. The fish was very fresh, though the sauce was a little too sour for my taste and slightly overpowering. We also ordered the tuna sashimi, which again was super fresh and clean. For nigiri, we tried the toro, salmon, scallop, and salmon truffle. I usually prefer my sushi pretty traditional without a lot of toppings, so I was a bit skeptical when I saw aioli being added. To my surprise, it worked really well. The fish was torched perfectly so the fat rendered nicely without overcooking the fish. The flavors were unique but balanced, and the nigiri honestly melted in my mouth. We then moved on to the hand rolls, and the fish to rice ratio was perfect. It did not feel like I was getting filled up on rice, and once again the fish was fresh. The Peruvian flavors were unexpected but worked surprisingly well. We ordered the crab, scallop, toro, and acevichado. The panko in the crab hand roll added great texture, and the crab itself tasted fresh and real, not imitation. The acevichado was the most unique and ended up being my favorite since it was really refreshing. We finished with the matcha tres leches. It was not too sweet and I loved the texture of the cake, though I wish the matcha flavor was a bit stronger. Overall, a really enjoyable meal with thoughtful service and creative flavors that still respect the fish. Would definitely come back. read more

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Loved the design of this restaurant! It felt cozy, yet luxurious. We got the hand roll set of 6, and were pleasantly surprised with how fast service was. It helps that there were multiple different stations each with their own chef. Standout rolls for me were the toro and acevichado. Personally, I think the Ebi Furai was not a good fit for this set, especially not to end with. Felt a little bulky and does not leave a fresh taste. Amazing service, and solid food! read more

Akiro - Hand roll - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Akiro has a clean, modern ambiance that instantly sets the tone for a great meal. The ingredients are incredibly fresh warm rice, crisp nori, and fish that tastes clean and vibrant. The scallop and toro rolls were the standout, with a melt in your mouth quality you don't find often. Service is friendly and well timed, giving the experience a relaxed, curated feel. It's a bit on the pricier side, but the quality and atmosphere make it worth it. read more

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Sit at the chef's counter. Or don't. But if you don't, be jealous. This place is basically the tapas bar of sushi! It provides small and perfect bites that keep showing off. Hand rolls with zero fluff. Think of it as my fancy hot dog era, but make it elite. The octopus stole the show and the scallop nigiri was unique for me. Loved the vibe. read more

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Another day, another handroll bar. My college roomie is visiting from Boston, which already has amazing food options. What I guaranteed she didn't have though, was America's first Nikkei handroll bar, which is Peruvian Japanese fusion. This restaurant is famous in Spain, so the owners brought it to Chicago. They are also sister restaurants with Matilda and Kayao. We started with the tuna tartar, which had a nice yuzu kosho emulsion with thin wafers. The wafers compliment the tuna well, and the creaminess worked so well with the raw fish! We opted for their largest Handroll set which comes with 6, each served separately. You can watch the chef make it in front of you, and we were seated right next to the bar. The bartender was friendly, so that was a huge plus! This included the salon, toro, tuna, scallop, acevichado, and the ebi furai. All of them were amazing, but I was genuinely so stuffed afterwards. These were the largest handrolls ever, and every piece had such a huge piece of quality fish. None of it was minced up, but rather made whole. Now this is a FUSION restaurant, so if you want a no frills experience with just fish, you might not love this. Each roll contained extra flavors like like scallion, aioli, togarashi, avocado, or aji Amarillo. However, the flavors were never repetitive, and each roll complimented its added ingredient super well. The only gripe I have is that the seaweed was not the most crisp that it could be. They also have a few nonalcoholic cocktails that we thought were delicious with a little twist! The blueberry mule was so refreshing. read more

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This was one of the best meals I've had in recent memory in Chicago! The hand rolls were amazing, and the 6 hand roll set for $39 is a great price for the very high quality of the fish. I tried a few of the nigiri (toro, burger, truffle tuna) and while they were good, I felt like the hand rolls were more worth it because they were the same price, but the hand rolls were much bigger and equally as tasty as the nigiris in my opinion. The ambiance is super chic and modern and this is the perfect place to catch up with friends or celebrate a special occasion. read more

Wonderful first restaurant week brunch with besties..... really high quality hand rolls the matcha pisco had. A nice balance but I wish it had more matcha read more

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Yum! Overall, Akiro is one of the best spots I've tried recently. The vibe is great. Everyone sits around one of four chef's counters, watching the chefs prepare rolls right in front of you. Be warned this place is definitely not great for groups. There are some places where the counter curves where you could, I guess, sir a group of four but it would still be difficult to have a conversation. For drinks, I loved the lychee martini. It was absolutely delicious. For food: 1. Tuna Tartare: The sauce on the fish was delicious, but the cracker it was served with didn't make much sense to me. 2. Tuna Sashimi: Perfect. 3. 4-Piece Hand Roll Set: All the rolls were good, but the tuna was my favorite. The combination of tuna and the crunch of jalapeño was chefs kiss. I've seen some complaints that the rolls are too rice-heavy, but I don't agree. While they're not overloaded with fish, they feel well-balanced. read more

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Walked in on a Friday night and was able to grab a seat at Chef Raul's counter. We each did the 5 hand roll set, the ceviche app and then grabbed some nigiri at the end. Fish was fresh, flavors were great and service was attentive (shoutout to David). David explained that they're a Japanese and Peruvian fusion Nikkei spot and you can definitely tell with the amazing flavor profiles. Highly high recommend the ceviche. Perhaps one of my fave ceviche in a while and a great example of their fusion flavor. Hand rolls - all were great but my power ranking would be the scallops, toro, ebi furai, tuna and then salmon but would definitely get any of them again and some of the a la carte sounded fun. Nigiri - the toro with caviar and bone marrow is so good and presentation was so fun! Hubby tried the burger and it was so cute and unexpected flavorful. Chef Raul also had us try chuturo and otoro and it was just melt in your mouth delicious. Will definitely be back to try more. Amazing service by chef Raul and David. read more

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Absolutely fabulous! Full disclosure: I don't eat raw fish so this review only covers veggie/meat options. The short rib and avocado hand rolls were to die for! I also tried the duck which was good but not as good. I'd say about 3-4 hand rolls per person is good depending on how much nigiri you order. The burger nigiri was a delicious little bite, but arguably not worth $8. The service is good. The rolls and nigiri are made right in front of you and are plated up as soon as they're ready. The chef is preparing for the entire table so it does take a bit of time. read more

Akiro - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a stunning restaurant! Perfect for date night or an elevated small group GNO! All seats are bar and are situated around the chef stations so you get to watch them create your meal which was sooooo cool! Elevated atmosphere, food and service! Our waiter, I think Jonathan ?? Was lovely! Everything we ordered was 10/10 but of special mention is the tiradito, burger nigiri, salmon truffle nigiri and the fish and chips hand roll! YUM YUM YUM ! read more

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Came to Akiro for the first time for restaurant week and was super impressed so came back again to celebrate my friend's bday dinner! We had the appetizer tuna tiradito to start which had melt in your mouth pieces of sashimi soaked in delicious sauce. We also tried the hamachi ceviche this time which was not as good as the tuna in my opinion, but definitely still tasty and more filling! And then we each got the six hand roll piece which was too much for us in retrospect - these hand rolls are sizable and we were honestly full by 3 after having the appetizers. But the 6 hand rolls for $39 were a great deal we didn't want to pass up! They also have some unique a la carte options - we tried the burger and the unagi nigiri which were both delicious, although small for the price so I think the hand rolls are better value for the money. All in all, everything was fresh and delicious and would recommend for anyone looking for a fun spot for date night/hanging with a friend or for even a nice quick solo meal! read more

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If you're a sushi lover, Akiro Hand Roll Bar is an absolute must-try in Chicago. From the moment you sit down at the sleek bar, you can feel the attention to detail and freshness that sets this place apart. Every roll was perfectly crafted right in front of us -- flavorful sauces, crisp hand rolls, and the freshest fish you could imagine. Each hand roll was a little piece of art -- especially the tuna caviar and short rib rolls -- they literally melted in my mouth. You can tell they take pride in quality over quantity here, and it shows in every bite. Yes, it's a little on the pricier side -- but honestly, it's worth every single dollar. You're paying for premium ingredients, artistry, and that elevated omakase-style experience that's hard to find anywhere else. read more

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So glad to have another hand roll place in town! The bar style seating arrangement is nice (although typical for handroll places so you can see the rolls being prepared) and service overall was friendly (they had opened just two weeks ago). Very calm atmosphere inside! We ordered a selection of apps, nigiris, hand roll set and some hand rolls a la carte: Apps - Edamame, tuna tiradito, tuna tartar, hamachi ceviche Nigiri - unagi, scallop, wagyu Handrolls - short rib, tuna, toro, ebi furai, salmon, scallop They were all very delicious! Seaweed paper is nice and crisp as they should be. Unagi with dark chocolate was a surprising combo and highly recommended! It was a great first experience at Akiro - delicious food and pretty decent price point! I'd recommend! read more

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This place was so good. Absolutely loved the hand rolls and nigiri choices and many options were affordable. We got their 6 hand rolls and a scallop, tuna and otoro nigiri which was filled with flavors. I would say when we walked in, the person at the front could have been a little more nicer but overall our waiter was so nice. He gave us the rundown of the menu and gave us time to look over the menu. The ambiance inside was really nice and I enjoyed how we can see the hand rolls being made. The lychee martini was good. Such a great place for a date night or catching up with friends. read more

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I came here for an early dinner this past week and because of the holidays, the restaurant was pretty open. The decor was minimalist but sleek, and the waitstaff was nice and attentive. I had the miso soup, toro nigiri, scallop nigiri, salmon/tuna/ebi hand roll set, fish & chips hand roll, and the miso and chocolate brownie. Everything tasted delicious and fresh. I think my favorites were the nigiri and ebi hand roll. The brownie was good and not overly sweet. I'll definitely have to come back to try out the other types of hand rolls. read more

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Ambiance - 10/10. It was a great date night spot. I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Service - 9/10. Food came out fast. Drinks were quick. It was a little hard to flag someone down to get water refills, otherwise amazing service. Food - 9/10. I loved the food. I usually don't enjoy sashimis but this was impeccable. The fish was fresh. The rolls were well made and easy to eat. I have been to the Barcelona location, and I have to say I enjoyed Chicago more. I highly recommend the tuna sashimi. Absolutely delicious. I tried the guacamole for fun. It was very limey. I liked it with the fried rice cracker. Delicious! read more

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I almost didn't write a review because I want to gatekeep this spot!!!!! Amazing quality, fast but not rushed service, super reasonable price. Of course I always love the toro handroll, but my sneaky faves were the scallop, ebi, and ceviche. The hamburger nigiri was intriguing so I had to try and wow the Wagyu is so juicy and love the concept! Only disappointed by the dessert, I had high expectations since Matilda, the sister restaurant across the street, blew me away with their dessert, but honestly doesn't detract from how great this sushi is. read more

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Food : Wagyu A5 was great. Ceviche was good. Other than that just okay. Not many items on the menu. No uni. Cavier was N/A. Tuna Tatar was blend and a little bit smelly. But the restaurant is beautiful. I was expecting more as they only have 3 locations all over the world, but maybe it was just me. read more

Came with family. This was a great experience. Food was amazing. Service was very attentive. The atmosphere was lovely. read more

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Adding this spot to my restaurant rotation. Loved the quality and taste of the nigiri and hand rolls. I came in with low expectations after seeing the Infatuation review, but this isn't the first time I've disagreed with one of their reviews - I thought the sushi here was among the best in the city. The flavors and freshness were on point. Michael was our sushi chef and great - shout out to him! Also cocktails here are among the best - loved the matcha sour and lychee martini. read more

Akiro Hand Roll Bar offers a beautiful ambiance that leans more toward a modern Japanese interior design than Peruvian, creating a clean and calming atmosphere that sets the tone for the meal. The service was good and attentive throughout, making the experience smooth and enjoyable. As a starter, the miso soup and hamachi ceviche were amazing -- balanced, flavorful, and a great way to open the meal. We tried both hand rolls and nigiri, and everything was excellent. The fish was noticeably fresh, and each bite delivered that clean, vibrant quality you expect from a great sushi spot. The whole experience was perfectly accompanied by a lychee martini, which complemented the dishes without overpowering them. read more

Akiro is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots in the city! The manager, Carlos, checked in on us throughout the night and was so warm and attentive. Arturo was our server and had great recommendations. And Chef Michael killed it with the nigiri and handrolls. The toro caviar nigiri and the hamachi crudo were the standouts for me, but everything I've had on the menu is so yummy. Already excited for my next visit! read more

Just dined at Akiro for the first time. The food and environment were great, but we were terribly disappointed in the service. Not sure if it was because we went during restaurant week, but it took us 35 minutes post our reservation time to be seated. We checked in as soon as we arrived (on time for the reservation) and were told it would be a few minutes. Beyond that, not a single staff member communicated about the delay or acknowledged the wait. We also weren't served one of our hand rolls and had to remind the wait staff/chef before they took our dinner plates away for dessert. read more

Hey! This used to be Pistores. Remember that. This is from the people that's behind Matilda, Kayao, Ayayay and etc. This is the first Nikkei hand rolled bar in the city. I had a Edamame. The staff and service are akiroful. read more

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We have been to Akiro 4x now: The ambience is perfect! The music is low and you can hear the person next to you. The food is phenomenal and for a very reasonable price. We get the set of 6 hand rolls and we're stuffed. The tuna tiradito tastes delicious and is a hefty serving of tuna. Sushi chef Michael made the best hand roll we've had by adding a simple yet effective twist! You can tell he enjoys his work. The only negative is that they haven't quite got their service down at the counter. Each visit they have given us the wrong roll (of which they gave the correct and we got to eat the wrong one for free-benefit) or have missed our extra rolls all together and we have to remind them. Overall, obviously one of our favorite restaurants!! Cannot recommend enough! read more

Everything from the service to the quality of the fish to the preparation was exceptional. The vibe was chill and inviting.

Hard to get a reservation but totally worth it! Handrolls 10/10 Service 10/10 Atmosphere 10/10 Starters 100/10 read more

Akiro - Ceviche y prawn tempura - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Looking for a lighter meal, stumbled upon Akiro. Pluses, cool place. Minuses, not really where you want to go for Sushi. Peruvian sushi, via Spain. $70+ . . . Definitely not worth it. read more

The restaurant itself wasn't too bad. Food was delicious, service was ok, and overall environment was pleasant. The reason this is a 1-star review is because when we were seated by the hostess, she asked us for any food allergies and my wife very clearly noted she is allergic to pineapples. Fast forward to the end of the meal when we were chatting with the waitress about what we enjoyed, and the waitress mentioned the short rib had pineapple in it, which was not mentioned on the menu. What's really the point of asking for allergies if that information is just going to be tossed out the window? Luckily after a few benadryl my wife's allergic reaction has subsided, but if this happened to other patrons who have much more severe allergies, then what? read more

Carolina was our server and treated us so well! She was super educated on the menu and the background of the restaurant and was so attentive to our needs. The food was amazing, we will definitely be back to try different things. Would definitely recommend! read more