We were in the area for the weekend over New Year's Eve. We went to a hockey game earlier in the day and were quite hungry at dinner time. We didn't want to travel too far from our hotel so we stopped in at ilovekeats. It was our first time - our server explained a few things to us and told us what was a popular order. We ordered a couple appetizers (the jalapeño/crab was awesome), a few rolls and a chasu don. The appetizers were very, very good as was the chasu don. The rolls were just okay. It was pretty quiet the night we went, I am not sure if that is because it was NYE or if it is always quiet. The restaurant was clean and the staff was very friendly. I think we would go back again when we are in the area - the appetizers were incredible. read more

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Menu is eclectic featuring Korean, Japanese, and Chinese inspired dishes. Excellent food. Everything we ate was tasty with big portions! They have TVs and a bar. Service is good. Would recommend. read more

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The place is clean and the staff was diligent. I had the ginger lemonade and that was the highlight for me. We ordered the karaage chicken and the Korean ramen with shrimp, One spicy and one mild. The karaage was juicy but wasn't crispy enough to me. They used what looked like a tempura batter. My daughter had the mild ramen and she said it was good. I had the spicy and it wasn't spicy enough for me and just needed a bit more flavor to the broth. It only has about 4-5 small shrimp. The lady was nice enough to bring me more paprika but that didn't do it for me. It was just missing something. read more

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The service was great here, but that was the main attraction. The space itself is not very cohesive, and there are screens and different decorations everywhere which makes the space a bit tacky. As an appetizer, we ordered the vegetable gyoza which came fried and was a bit greasy. I ordered the flaming bonfire sushi as my main. It came actually on fire, which I misunderstood on the menu as simply an exaggeration as to how hot it was. It arrived on fire in a dish of lighter fluid. My sushi was in the same plate sitting on top the lighter fluid with folded aluminum foil as it's only separation. The main flavor of the sushi was lighter fluid, which I couldn't tell if it was from the fire burning my sushi or from the fluid seeping in through the folds of the foil. Not great. I think the menu was very appealing and varied, and maybe I should've tried something else. read more

So good! The restaurant had a nice atmosphere. The welcome was warm and friendly, and the food was authentic and fresh, prepared by Japanese chefs in plain sight. I ordered the chicken teriyaki Bento Box. That was fire! Highly recommend going to I LUV SUSHI. read more

ilovekeats - B1. Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

So I think last time was just a fluke. I came here again and the service is very very good. The prices are slightly steep but the food was really good this time. read more

It had Good food and great vibes, super underrated and the service was pretty good too

Went to a Korean restaurant while allergic to soy, wheat, eggs, and dairy and they delivered!! Even without sauce the poke bowl was amazing!! read more

Perfect! Great ambiance, delicious food, amazing service. Lots of options on the menu. We tried several appetizers, sushi rolls and fried rice. All delicious. read more

Decided to try this place finally today and it is very delicious. They give you really good serving portions. The staff there were very nice. And the place is very clean and relaxing. Definitely a must try. Will be back again. read more

My oldest son recommended I Luv Sushi to me back in 2020. Since then I've gone with my sons, my sister, my nieces, my girlfriend, and I've recommended it to many people in Rockford. In fact my girlfriend had a birthday dinner with 14 guests for her son based on my recommendation. I just realized that I have never written a review... and I'm disappointed in myself. As far as I'm concerned I Luv Sushi has some of, if not the best Sushi in Rockford. Back when I first started going you could do all you can eat sushi. Where you paid a price per person and you could order rolls until you were full. However they did away with that. Which is unfortunate because it was worth the price if you plan on ordering a lot. They did away with it, and from what I understand it's because too many people tried to break the rules. IE No taking left overs home, pay additional for each piece not eaten, everyone at the table had to do the "all you can eat" option. I first hand saw people try to take advantage, so a few bad apples ruined it for everyone. Unfortunately it was probably a smart business move for them. I'm not going to list every roll, because there's just too many. I will say this. I have not had a bad one. Some are just okay, but nothing I regretted ordering. I do have my favorites. Crazy Girl Roll, Mango Tango, Fire Cracker, Bon Fire, ABC, Crunchy Munchy, and many more. Every time I go I tend to get at least one of those. Each taste is their own, but those are some of my favorites. Don't let the name dissuade you from trying their other dishes. They have more than sushi. The U-don noodle is fantastic. I've had the beef and chicken, both are deliciously fantastic. Great broth, and very filling. Seriously you get a huge bowl filled with broth, noodles, meat and more. So if you don't like sushi and you are with someone that does, try the noodles. They're fantastic and worth it. That way you can eat something good and they can get sushi. The interior décor isn't anything to brag about. The location is an old Ruby Tuesday that was converted into other restaurants before I Luv Sushi took over the location. It's more casual. They even have TVs showing pictures of various parties and events they've had there. If you are having a birthday, you can get a birthday throne for the birthday person to sit in. It's Midwest sushi. So if you're looking for the most amazing, fresh, best sushi you've ever had... you need to remember you're in Illinois... This is not a coastal city. What you get is some of the best sushi for the location. read more

ilovekeats - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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Highly recommended everything is so delicious (sushi,bento boxes,noodles etc. Service is very good read more

ilovekeats - Shrimp bento box - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

I'm so happy we final tried this place!! Had a little bit of everything! The wings were amazing!! Super crunchy and hot!! The chicken fried rice was traditional but still really good! The crispy tuna tataki will definitely be my go to from now on and the rolls we tried satisfied my sushi cravings!! Will definitely be back read more

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Stopped by about an hour before closing (we arrived late for a roadtrip) and the service was excellent. The cute throne under the neon sign was a nice touch to the kid-friendly ambiance. Enjoyed great fried rice and the pink lady rolls - yum! read more

ilovekeats - Dining area - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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In Rockford for work and this spot is across the street from the hotel I'm staying in. What the what people, 3.5 stars?! This spot is a gem! I love the name, the modern but comfy atmosphere, good food and the nice staff. Honestly it looks like the negative reviews are from people who went in expecting all-you-can-eat sushi. They stopped doing this after the pandemic which makes sense because with ingredient shortages right now, there would be limited availability anyway. Suck it up and pay for the quality haha! So anyway I went in around 7pm on a Thursday and it was steadily busy. I was greeted and seated immediately and Seoyeon was my sweet server. There is a lot on the menu so it took me a bit to order. I ordered genmaicha, my fave hot tea and the lobster cigar which is kind of like a fried spring roll with cream cheese. It's something you want to share because it's really rich! I also ordered the tuna/avocado roll, kani nigiri and the wagyu nigiri. One review mentioned that the rolls were small but the tuna/avocado roll was five big pieces as in the picture. Kani was typical and the seared wagyu nigiri was really good! I wish I'd gotten the surf and turf roll! After my meal I noticed the managers walking around and before I left, Sato, one of them came to me. She was so kind and really wanted to know what I think. I told her everything was great and she mentioned their "sister" property in Mt Prospect called Mr. Kimchi which I hope I can try as I'm heading east toward Chicago for a meeting. If you are hesitant, check this place out. And then write a good review. They really deserve better than the current 3.5! And my mother is Japanese so I'm picky! I will be back next time I'm in the area! read more

ilovekeats - Genmaicha tea and the big pieces of Tuna Avocado Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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A little confusion as it appears this is no longer I Luv Sushi but some kind of Korean fusion place. I was a little disappointed as it had been awhile since we'd eaten here, only to find out it no longer existed. The menu is significantly pared down compared to the previous owners. That being said, the food that my husband and I had was quite nice. The service was a little slow and for the low volume of people in the restaurant, makes me wonder how it will be if they're ever really busy. But overall not bad, no longer my go to sushi place as I like the larger menu with more options read more

*Edit: came back a second time and loved it again! Would highly recommend. Our server this time was Rebecca and she was fantastic. Super friendly and helpful!* Fantastic spot! First time here and I'm sure it won't be my last! First of all, it has a HUGE menu. A little overwhelming with a few too many choices, but the good part about that is they have something for everyone. I went here with my family for lunch and collectively we got a few different ramen dishes and a bento box. The ramen was so flavorful, creamy, and satisfying. One of the best I've had. The pork was perfectly cooked with a nice crispy sear, and the broth of the one I got (the first choice on the menu) was very ginger-forward and I was all about it. My wife got the black garlic ramen which was very tasty as well, just make sure you like the taste of black garlic because it's strong. The nice part about ordering ramen is you can add a sushi roll to your meal for only $2. We all did that and agreed that their sushi is out of this world. My dad got the bento box and he said it was excellent--the potstickers were my personal favorite, I got to steal one of those--the only thing he'd change was that the chicken was dry. They have a diverse drink menu with some really cool options I've never seen before (looking at you sake mixed drinks) plus they have some cheap drink specials, like the bourbon old fashioned which was very tasty, and also very sweet. If you want more of a dry old fashioned, you'll want to ask them to tone down the sugar. They also offer all you can eat sushi for lunch and dinner. I believe the prices were around $30 for dinner and $22 for lunch. FYI, you'll have to ask for that menu specifically, as they don't list that on their normal menu. Atmosphere is fun, modern, and Japanese. I loved it. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Excellent spot that I already look forward to visiting again soon! read more

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I have been wanting to try I Sushi for a bit now. It is practically in Radisson's Parking lot. So o save the short walks for the crappy cold rainy days. Ok enough of a back story. I ordered online a Hawaiian Roll and Pineapple Fried Rice. The Asparagus wrapped Sushi was tremendous and the Pineapple Fried Rice was very good with a mixture of vegetables that I have not experienced in my rice before. Presentation!! You know what they say about food? Half of the enjoyment is in the presentation. The rice was served in a half sliced Pineapple!! Surprise! Do not let the exterior fool you. The interior is not your average sushi restaurant. The kids will love the King Chairs at the tables. A sake bar. Sushi Bar. Bar Bar. You get the point. Very clean and cautious with ALL of the current COVID suggestions. And the people are very friendly. read more

ilovekeats - Side of Sushi Bar and Dining Room. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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I stopped in for dinner while staying for the night at nearby hotel and boy, am I glad I did! Outstanding service and the sushi was fantastic! The place was very clean and well staffed, with all employees smiling and seemingly having a good time. That usually speak volumes about a business. I will certainly come back again when passing through the area in the future. read more

ilovekeats - Firecracker Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Not all Bento Boxes are created equal! Congratulations to I Luv Sushi for a delicious meal. I had the Teriyaki Bento Box and the chicken was moist and mixed in with Asian vegetables in a sweet teriyaki sauce marinade. As you can see in the photo attached, the portions and selection were generous. Most importantly everything was fresh. As for the service, well a 10+ is not high enough to describe Cassandra. She made me feel welcome, knew the menu very well and made excellent suggestions. You need to get here and experience this wonderful place for yourself. read more

ilovekeats - Chicken Teriyaki, California Sushi Roll, fresh tomato's and salad with ginger dressing, veggie dumplings, and steamed white rice. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Alright buckle up. I first ate here when it was still the previous owners managing it. I loved their sushi and was so happy I had finally found my sushi spot in town. Then I came back one month later and the transition to the current owners had happened-- and suddenly, I didn't like their sushi anymore. I was devastated. Fortunately I tried the other things on their menu, and their korean fried chicken wings are PERFECTION. Great wing sizes, amazing crispy skin and breading, fantastic flavors. The soy garlic, honey garlic were great. They used to allow mixing and matching of different flavors but recently stopped that, which is a bummer. Still, i'm glad we have something like this exists in Rockford now. (No photo because I always devour them when they arrive to the table lol) I also recently tried their corn cheese fries and BOY OH BOY were they sooooo good. Umami, sweet and crispy. Their sushi may not be great, but for their chicken, 5 stars deserved! read more

ilovekeats - Corn cheese fries, beef yakisoba - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Such a cute, chill place to eat for dinner. Their sushi rolls and Korean bbq tacos are the best in Rockford.. IMO. Service has always been good in our experience. This place is definitely our go-to for Sushi nights. read more

In town for work and looked up "food near me" and I Luv Sushi was one of the first places to pop up. So happy I stopped in here tonight. Upon entering I was greeted right away by what seemed to be the owner or the manager. She was very friendly. I sat at the bar & Nicole was the bartender and was also helping many other tables. She was fantastic! She knew I hadn't been in before, so she took the time to recommend things on the menu for me. I had the Gyoza which is your standard beef Gyoza (they have a veggie option as well). Nicole also highly recommended I tried the Pearl Roll. She compared it to a sushi meatball and she wasn't wrong. It was so good! If you live in Rockford, or happen to be traveling for work, I would highly suggest stopping in here for a quick bite! read more

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Love the place and so did the kids owners super nice place clean food tastes good will be back

It took me a long time to get to this review, but here it is. I was in Rockford for a sports event back in May. I was craving sushi but I kept telling myself "It's Rockford, Illinois, basically the middle of nowhere, you won't find anything good" Boy was I wrong. The I Luv Sushi Platter was HUGE 2 rolls, 8 pieces of sushi, 6(?) Pieces of sashimi. Holy shit. In NYC this platter would have been at least $60. This platter cost $34 and it was truly some high quality sushi. The rice was flavored to perfection, the fish was beautifully aged with distinct flavors. I loved the salmon in particular. In addition, don't you dare skip their black garlic ramen or their tuna steak. Both of these dishes were amazing. The black garlic ramen was so fragrant and deep with the added black garlic oil, and the noodles were cooked to perfection. The tuna steak came with a teriyaki sauce and a miso butter glaze- this combination was mouthwatering. In addition to the amazing food, the service was absolutely sublime. One manager, her last name is Sato per the name tag, was so conversational and helpful with our experience. We had a particular issue where we forgot to apply a coupon before we asked for the check, but Sato helped all of us to rectify that so we could use our coupon- it was out last meal there so we wouldn't have been able to use it otherwise. She also asked us about our event and was truly an amazing entertainer and conversationalist. If this event ever comes back to town, I'll definitely be returning just because of how kind and personable she was. Not to mention that the service overall was also just amazing. Thank you for making our experience in Rockford truly one to remember!! I'm so glad gems such as you all exist in such a remote part of the country. It's places like you that gives me hope that Asian cuisine won't be reserved for those only in big cities, but thay everyone will, someday, be able to experience high quality Asian food. read more

ilovekeats - I Luv Sushi Platter ($34 at the time of posting) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

We came in early for dinner having never been here before. I don't know why I haven't heard more people talk about this place, it's really good! We got the Hawaiian roll and the takoyaki was awesome!! Friendly good service as well, didn't bug us all the time but checked in at the right times. read more

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In town for business. Arrived early, just after 5PM, restaurant was pedestrian, a few tables. I sat at the bar and was waited upon by Andy. Very professional polite but not overly chatty. The food, I'm easy Salmon rolls, seaweed salad and Ikura Nigiri style to finish. The rice and salmon were on point as was the seaweed salad, the Ikura (Salmon rowe) was fresh and robust! read more

Visited for the first time for my bday. We reserved a table to take advantage of the Oct-Dec 2021 birthday promo. Be sure to remind the server about the discount promo since we actually forgot, BUT the manager still helped us out. Atmosphere: Quite nice. The simplistic outside and cozy inside. It had a very fancy, old fashioned looking japanese bar. The lighting was mellow, easy on the eyes. Music not too loud, so we weren't drown out by noise like other places. Food: Appetizers: We ordered were mostly fried stuff, gyoza, lobster cigar, etc. so it had the standard taste. The tempura was lightly battered and refreshing actually since tempura is sometimes overfried and greasy Entrees: We ordered only rolls and a bowl of ramen, will try nigiri sushi next time. The ramen was good. Simplistic taste and mild, no biting oily taste. A few criticisms I have is that the rolls we ordered seemed a bit lacking as they were smaller than expected. It seems the chef squeezed the rolls too tightly, so the volume of the roll is greatly reduced. However, lack of ingredients due to supply chain shortage is to blame too. The spicy tuna they use is the korean style recipe here, so it's not my cup of tea. I grew up eating japanese style spicy tuna rolls, the japanese mixture uses less ingredients, but has more flavor and texture. Would love to see that here maybe I absolutely loved the surf and turf roll. Service: The service was very good. Luckily it wasn't too busy, so the staff was attentive. Again, as mentioned above, the manager was very accommodating and absolutely nice! Based on this visit, I wanna give 4/5 stars since the service was absolutely amazing. There is room for improvement on the rolls, however I look forward to trying more things, especially since I've been looking for a regular place to frequent in Rockford read more

ilovekeats - Mixture of fresh and fried rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Wonderful service! .....Amazing food Well Done! The sushi was fresh and delicious. Restaurant is very trendy and spacious. read more

ilovekeats - Shrimp Yaki-Soba - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

First time here, visiting from Northern California. Atmosphere, impressive, staff, super friendly helpful, sushi, outstanding! Fresh, tasty, unique spin on presentation. Overall some of the best sushi I've had in years. Great experience and food! read more

ilovekeats - Rainbow roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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This food was amazing , not a bad dish in the restaurant. We spent almost $300 dollars because drinks and food were spectacular. Are waiter was a teen boy and he was funny and make the experience even better 10/10 for me. read more

This place is not good I had a rool and the shrimp still had skin on it I also ordered saki and didn't taste very good. And way over priced never going back to this place my stomach hurt after eating here. read more

Very friendly waitress and attentive busboys. I enjoyed the salmon poke bowl but the sushi rolls tasted FISHY and the hot green tea tasted like miso soup? read more

ilovekeats - Salmon poke bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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This is a great place with amazing food and authentic atmosphere. It's within walking distance from all hotels. The thing that really stood out to me was the excellent service that was provided. Johnathan was outstanding! Could not have asked for better. Very personal and professional. read more

ilovekeats - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

I've been here many times but this last time was excellent. They updated the inside since I had been there, added a nice personalized touch. The food, was delicious and it reminded me of something I'd eat at a restaurant in the suburbs. I got the sushi poke bowl and a side California roll. My boyfriend got the sweet and sour chicken and a roll with cream cheese and crab and it was fried, he can't remember the name. The presentations were just awesome and very well detailed, this is something that was new. The manager I believe, may have been owner, stopped by every table towards the end of the meals and asked how the food was. He is an exciting man and also gives you suggestions on what to do with some of the rolls. I can't wait to go back and like I said, this time was different. read more

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Great food and comfortable setting. My daughter and I will definitely be going back before we head back to California read more

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This is my favorite Sushi restaurant since they opened! Best sushi ever! The service was always great, the owner always friendly and talk to customers, she is a pretty Korean lady read more

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The food is delicious, the fried chicken is the best, friendly environment, and great vibe. We always love coming here.

This is the BEST sushi in town! My husband and I have tried every AYCE location and this is by far the best quality. Service was great - if you're there ask for Ester, she made excellent recommendations and our drinks were never empty. Also make sure to ask to say hello to the owner, Bryan, very nice man and truly creates works of delicious art with every roll. We can't wait to go back and try the ramen. First place in Rockford and surrounding area to offer it. Premium rolls and appetizers are included in the all you can eat. Ambiance is very modern and intimate. GO HERE you won't regret it! Pictured are some rolls ( we ate our apps and second set too quick for pics) read more

ilovekeats - Pearl roll ( recommended by our server ) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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Staying nearby and this place came recommended. First warning. Reservations strongly recommended. Second warning. Was told it would be 40-50 minute wait to get a table without reservations. What they meant was that it would be about that long to have someone take your order once you sat down at your table. Third warning. Not a fan of the music. Not fitting with an Asian theme. Sort of sounded Latin or maybe Eastern European technopunk. but the only thing that came thru was the squeaks and beats. (Nothing wrong with that in the right mood but it just seemed to add to my Hangry.). Never got served and finally left after 30 minutes. read more