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    Akiro

    4.3 (61 reviews)
    Closed 3:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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    AKIRO ATMOSPHERE

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    Toro handroll
    Noah

    Came in for an early dinner with a reservation. Upon entering the restaurant, the ambient lighting and seating arrangement really set an elevated scene. With it being bar style seating, we got to see the chefs make every piece of our meal. We opted for the Guacamole as an appetizer, followed by the 6 piece hand roll set. The Guacamole was a unique take on traditional Guac with fried rice paper as the chips. Every piece of the hand roll was fantastic. The toro was by far our favorite of the bunch. The only reason I'm giving Akiro 4/5 stars is due to two reasons: 1. The sushi chef seemed to miss one of my rolls. This usually wouldn't be a big deal, but when I notified our server, the chef gave me a look as if I was lying. 2. While dining, there was an air vent above us that dripped water on us. Not a huge issue, and management was very apologetic.

    Hannah S.

    We sat at the bar and i just wanted to try a few things. i really enjoy the vibe in there and staff was extremely nice. when we went, a sushi chef was in training so i feel that quality didn't fully hit but he still did a great job! Usually when i sit at the bar I feel like the chefs are talking and communicating the meal and sharing stories but unfortunately didnt get to this time. the fish tasted very fresh!

    Joanne T.

    We made reservations 2 weeks in advance for a Friday night. The restaurant was classy and sleek. The service was great. You order by marking what items you want on the menu. It was difficult to tell what order the sushi chef was serving the sushi and can be difficult to hear what he was saying. The sushi quality was top notch and the handrolls were creative. The ceviche is a must and she scallop was super fresh.

    Patrick D.

    Chicago has gotten an influx of hand roll spots, but Akiro bring a Peruvian Japanese flair that is unique enough to make it memorable even among all the sushi restaurants here. Went here with my wife and had a nice dinner. The interior is a bunch of bar areas so you can see the chefs working and preparing all the fresh fish and handrolls in front of you. While you can order a la carte hand rolls and/or nigiri and other appetizers, the best value is to get one of their hand roll set menus with between 3-6 selected rolls, then add on if you are still feeling hungry. All the dishes were well prepared with fresh, good quality fish from the pervian style ceviche appetizer to the assortment of yellowtail, tuna, and salmon hand rolls we got. The cocktails were nice and easy to drink while balancing the alcohol and some sweeter flavors, and the miso brownie dessert with lucuma (a Peruvian fruit with a creamy, almost butterscotch/caramel like flavor) ice cream was well balanced and rich but not too sweet. If you are looking for a nice alternative to your typical sushi night or want to see what Peruvian Japanese cuisine is all about, Akiro is definitely worth a try.

    Toro
    Danielle Y.

    Saw this place on TikTok and I LOVE hand rolls so I had to try! Unfortunately it didn't hit the spot, maybe I'm spoiled since I'm from California but I wanted to find something like KazuNori. We were sat at the bar immediately without a reservation and our server was attentive. I assumed that since most was bar seating they would make the rolls in front of us, but instead they took our order and then it was brought out to us. Not a big deal, but why are we all facing a bar if there's nothing to look at? We ordered several hand rolls which were brought out all at once. I ordered 2 toro hand rolls. The fish itself was fresh but the rice was cold and the seaweed was SO CHEWY. I felt like a cow chewing on grass. I personally would not come back but the fish quality was fresh!

    Salmon nigiri
    Amber L.

    This is a Peruvian Japanese handroll bar. It's mostly chef counter seating but you can also sit outside with a reduced menu. There's more than just hand rolls. Some appetizers, sashimi and nigiri and dessert. The drinks were great! I recommend the pisco sour. The pricing was just right and the food was delicious. Service was also fast and nice. Very vibey for after work dinner or drinks.

    Pam C.

    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

    The restaurant
    Sidney Z.

    FINALLY! After 4 1/2 years in Chicago, I found a Japanese restaurant that can stand up to my old home in the San Fernando Valley, California. My 4 1/2 year search is finally over. Akiro, just north of Riverwalk is making amazing NIKKEI, SASHIMI, NIGIRIS and HAND ROLLS that (now) rival the one hundred Japanese restaurants on Ventura Blvd. from spanning from Studio City to Woodland Hills. Tonight (finally) was like a breath of fresh air! What was also very exciting was our favorite restaurant in Chicago was Pistores that recently closed and now houses Akiro; I call that karma. The redo at this address was fantastic. I felt like I was in the Ginza in Tokyo; that was pretty cool. Akiro was packed this Saturday night at 7:00 - that was a very good sign of things to come. I ordered their Five Hand Roll Set with: Salmon Toro Tuna Scallops Eel all were very very good. Unlike the S.F. Valley there was no wasbi or ginger, but their incredible (I'm sure home made) soy sauce made up for that. It was definitely NOT Kikkoman! It had this syrupy quality that caught my attention. I ended this extravagant dinner with shrimp tempura that just "wowed" me. I need to mention that the price of this dinner was not overpriced like many of the sushi restaurants I've experienced here in Chicago. The staff was very well trained in the art of making your meal a terrific experience and the ambiance was a quiet almost "zen" feeling. I know when my wife reads this review (she's in Los Angeles tonight) that when she comes back to Chicago, this will be the first place she will ask me to take her to - and I will, happily.

    Tuna handroll
    Tray

    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.

    Crystal Z.

    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

    Sushi chef . Set up restaurant allows you to watch your food being made
    Genna G.

    Every once in a long while I dine somewhere I dream of returning to even before I exit the front door . Thai happened tonight at Akiro and definitely wins for my favorite dining experience so far for 2026. Bar seating only so not the ideal place for a group. Go with a friend or date . The food is outstanding- Every bite . Got 4 hand rolls and loved all with the tuna being the standout of the night ( although my teen and husband would argue the Ebi tempura for the win ). Didn't love the scallop which had a tad too much mayo for my liking. This Japanese / Peruvian hand roll / sushi spot is their first location in the US with multiple locations in Spain and Italy, Service was solid too. Don't miss it if you are a fan of raw fish . A plus !!!

    Marissa R.

    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.

    Acevichado
    Kaitlyn C.

    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.

    Matcha tres leches

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    21 days ago

    Really good hand rolls!! Definitely get a reservation!! Cool vibes with great service!! Does feel like a jazz club

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    Geja's Cafe

    Geja's Cafe

    3.9(1.7k reviews)
    1.8 miLincoln Park
    $$$

    Step off the streets of Chicago into a beautifully dimly lit fondue experience is so cozy inside…read morewith the music of a live Spanish guitar that really create a private magical experience. All the premier dinners come with salad, cheese, fondue, and the chocolate fondue - You are just choosing what protein you would like. The Prince Geja combination has a little bit of everything. However, we most liked the seafood which includes lobster and the scallops were to die for! Also the beef also cooks well. Favorite dipping sauce included the pimento mayo, chimichurri, and garlic butter. The cheese fondue is quite rich and the bread is quite filling so maybe get as much cheese as you can on each piece of bread. The chocolate fondue, I think is actually the best course as the Belgium chocolate melts so well and has a decadent but not overly sweet flavor. It pairs well with all that is provided for dipping, which includes poundcake, rice Krispies, strawberries. They also have some liquor that they light on fire at first so you can roast the marshmallows. It is such a well thought out experience. Service flows very well from two waiters who take your order set up your fondue pots for each course, but be prepared to spend at least 2 hours on this experience. Check out the Groupon but also I read a review that they just tack on the extra $50 so it's not really too much of a savings. Not sure if this is true.

    Had a fantastic evening at this classic spot!…read more Food was super tasty and fresh! The seafood was probably my favorite! The full dinner with chocolate and cheese was perfect! Also appreciated that they were accommodating for the vegetarian in our party. Everything except the cheese course can be made vegan friendly as well. The service was top notch! Appreciated that they called me ahead of time to confirm our reservation and ask about food allergies. All the staff was incredibly helpful and attentive. They were quick to refill items and answer any questions we had. The location is classic fondue restaurant, cozy and romantic. However, also perfect for catching up with a friend. I love the history in this place and really enjoyed the mood lighting. Pricing was fantastic for the quality of service, food, and drinks! Look forward to many happy returns!

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    Geja's Cafe
    Geja's Cafe
    Geja's Cafe

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    Gemini - Crispy Shrimp Spring Rolls

    Gemini

    4.0(774 reviews)
    1.9 miLincoln Park
    $$

    As a Gemini celebrating my birthday season with other Geminis, it only felt right to celebrate at…read moreGemini! When we arrived, I was a bit concerned because we hadn't received our menus. And that's because the menus were being printed with a personalized birthday message! Our server was attentive, knowledgeable, and struck the perfect balance of checking in without being overbearing. The mussels (provençal-style) were delicious and enough to share among three people. The truffle-parmesan fries: We couldn't tell if they were too salty or just salty enough, but somehow we couldn't stop eating them! I ordered the baby wedge salad with chicken, and while the chicken looked small at first, it ended up being a large enough portion to last the salad. We were also surprised with complimentary desserts: the Chocolate Chunk Cookie Skillet and Buck Russell's Cake. Though I'm not a sweet person, my dining companions thoroughly enjoyed them.

    Over all this place was okay, and when I say okay it was mediocre…read more How ever I would like to point out that the staff and I repeat the staff was very friendly not to mention very welcoming. I came here with three others and we all ordered different things from the brunch menu along with a few drinks. The atmosphere here is open, modern, and pretty eye catching, we all heard a few negative comments about brunch here and rather than just taking words of advice we came anyways. To be honest we should've went elsewhere, the only thing about the food that actually seemed to have any flavor was the fries and even they were a little salty like my wallet when we left LOL The Jumbo (not so much) Lump Crab Benedict at $25 was honestly boring lacking any flavor also it didn't even come with potatoes I ended up sharing my Lincoln Park Turkey Club that was good but even it was pretty basic at $21, the Burger at $21 literally looked like something off the kids menu the bun was bigger than the patty LOL and the Blackened Chicken Caesar at $19 was more like an appetizer size and the chicken at least it was juicy not dry. Other reviews about brunch here seem to be about the same and honestly I think it's funny they don't even try to elevate their food when so many say about the same things. I think the only reason why people come to this place is 1. It's located in Lincoln Park and 2. that makes it a trendy spot to eat. So why bother fixing anything when it's just trendy and flavorless Their brunch is mediocre but apparently dinner is where it's at. However after the experience with brunch I'm not even sure I would even go back. Come here for the staff eat at your own expense maybe your food will have flavor or not but honestly do what you want and keep it trendy

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    Gemini - Nice view inside restaurant

    Nice view inside restaurant

    Gemini - Avocado Toast + Lincoln Park Turkey Club

    Avocado Toast + Lincoln Park Turkey Club

    Gemini - Burrata crostini

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    Burrata crostini

    Esme

    Esme

    4.0(154 reviews)
    2.1 miLincoln Park
    $$$$
    Fine dining
    Private events

    My rating of a 3 is specifically for the Restaurant Week menu though I'll say it definitely didn't…read moreinspire me to come back. I really wanted to like it; this was a nine-year anniversary dinner. Service was really attentive and friendly and I did appreciate that they brought out specific utensils for me as a left-handed person, never saw that before! The restaurant felt a bit bare and sterile, I think I was maybe expecting a little more decor on the table for a Michelin star restaurant. To echo several of the reviews below, the salad was awkward to share and scanty, the soup was good but the bread served with it felt like an afterthought, the sturgeon wasn't anything special though the sauce was quite good, and we are pretty sure the cut of beef was not wagyu or if it was it was not cooked the right way. The beef was the most disappointing part, I couldn't even chew through all of it. The add-ons were the best part - pasta was great and our dessert was delicious. But the rest of the meal was unfortunately mediocre. Hoping that others have a different experience with the regular menu!

    This review is for Restaurant Week!…read more I really like Esmes vibe overall. It's chic and minimalist. I love that the tables are widely spaced out so you don't feel like you're on top of another party. I loved the bowls everything was served in, and the silverware was unique. And the service was great. I appreciate when they left everyone finish before they clear the table. While I thought all the food was good, I think it overwhelming fell flat flavor wise. I don't think anything blew me away like I was expecting which was disappointing. We had the caviar supplement, which they accidentally gave us two of (amazing), which was good but also didn't blow me away. I wasn't the biggest fan of the flavors of the soup but that's probably a personal problem. The sturgeon and wagyu were alright. I wish I left being amazed but I left thinking I wouldn't come back, not even for RW again. I think my favorite bite of the night was the sticky date cake. I think it was the most flavorful but it wasn't the best dessert I've ever had. It lacked SOMETHING but I couldn't tell you what.

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    Esme
    Esme
    Esme

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    Sparrow - Bar area Hotel Nacional

    Sparrow

    4.3(348 reviews)
    0.8 miNear North Side
    $$

    Right before starting writing this one, I wrote a review for Kibbitznest, another phenomenal…read moreChicago bar with a totally different theme and vibe. That is to say: I am not throwing words of praise like "one of a kind" and "phenomenal" around lightly. Both are different and still amazing. Sparrow has a vibe straight out of the 1920s. The decor, signage, use of color, and absence of screens or TV's all contribute to the theme. The music is also appropriate and plays at the perfect volume to be pleasant without forcing one to raise their voice. I tried the Green Daisy and a House Old Fashioned. The Green Daisy was boozy and had some herbaceous notes. A little tartness and a little sweetness helped balance the drink out and make for a phenomenal sipper. I loved the creativity with this one! The House Old Fashioned was also well done, assembled with quality ingredients in balance with one another. Nothing wrong with a well-executed classic. The prices are more or less reasonable considering the location and overall market, with bevies costing around $16. The bar staff is excellent! Very friendly and welcoming! Final verdict: A spot where I can say come for the drinks and stay for the vibe. It's the kind of place where walking in you are transported a century into the past. Everything about the experience, including the atmosphere, drinks, service, and prices, is calling me to return and bring some people with me.

    This might be my favorite rum bar in the country. If you want intimate spaces, moody lighting,…read moreextensive rum selections, and drink specials come here. Monday nights are my favorite because they offer a different specialty rum in special. It's a great way to try different kinds. They also serve beer, wine, and every other spirit you can imagine. Cocktails are on point. Seating options are varied: bar seats, small tables in back, bench seating with tiny tables up front. Quiet and comfortable.

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    Sparrow - Entry

    Entry

    Sparrow - Menu

    Menu

    Sparrow - Perfect Perfect

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    Perfect Perfect

    Akiro - japanese - Updated September 2026

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