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    Kai Sushi - Lakeview

    4.5 (151 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars, Japanese
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Kai Sushi - Lakeview Takeout or Delivery

    Kai Sushi - Lakeview Photos

    Business Info

    KAI SUSHI - LAKEVIEW ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Intimate
    Happy hour specials

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    Sneydy A.

    Their nigiri was amazing! My friend had a sweet potato roll and some gyoza because she doesn't like seafood and she said it was all so delicious!

    Went to Kai by myself for dinner and had an excellent time! Delicious poke bowl, great service, and even gave me a cute cut up orange with my check. Definitely will be a new regular!

    Dynamite Roll Spicy Hamachi Roll
    Eugene B.

    One of the reasons we chose to move to Southport was to have to luxury of walking my wife home from work and stop by the many eateries around the area. Kai is such a place. The sushi rolls were tasty. I want to go back to see the consistency of the rice. The staff showed great hospitality and we felt the warm welcome. The decor is modern/modest. Definitely worth a try! Next time I'll have to see partake in the drink menu. One more thing, the Dynamite roll has a hefty portion of seared scallops. I recommend it:)

    Green Turtle + Spicy Crab
    Emily W.

    My friend and I got takeout using Doordash to eat during our podcast episode. The food was pretty decent and arrived on time! She likes this spot because they have good veggie sushi. I would go back.

    Julie T.

    Had a super fantastic omakase experience here and we were even able to bring our infant. Super friendly staff and the food was spectacular. The chef was very knowledgeable with everything and we even got to chat about omakase in Chicago. It's been awhile since we were able to dine out after having a baby & I was pleased that we were able to bring her along. I'm already telling my husband we should go back.

    Sushi counter
    Jillian P.

    The staff and chefs were so kind and gracious when my two kids and I popped in for dinner. They let us sit at the counter and the sushi chefs got to chatting with the kids. We ordered 3 rolls and 3 orders of sashimi and they came out fast! My kids gobbled up so much food. And then the chefs treated them to green tea ice cream and a mochi ball. Going out to dinner with kids can be so exhausting, but it goes a long way when it's for food they love and the service is spectacular! PS -- it's BYOB. I'll have to remember that for next time.

    Caviar, uni, ikura, fatty tuna on rice
    Nolan F.

    (Disregard previous review which was for South Loop location) Omakase: 1. Caviar, Santa Barbara uni, ikura, fatty tuna on rice 2. Hokkaido scallops topped with Japanese uni and uni butter 3. Alaskan king crab, avocado puree, miso butter 4. Alaskan King Salmon, Wakame salad, ginger Yuzu vinagrette (ate one sashimi and forgot photo ) 5. Nigiri - Horse mackeral & King Madai The #1 sushi rice bowl was incredibly fresh and flavorful and nicely balanced with the rice underneath. The #2 scallops had excellent flavor from the miso butter and the blowtorch searing. The avocado puree made with Yuzu was so good. I sat at the bar and the whole customer experience got better and better because the omakase was not only excellent but also had fun conversations with the chefs and waitresses. I finished with Tofu Udon which was decent but I wouldn't have high expectations. On a previous visit, I've also tried a sashimi platter which was fresh and not expensive. In general, I would recommend Kai sushi for good sushi that won't break your wallet or is at least cheaper than the fancy places.

    Dining room
    Charles B.

    After watching a movie at music box we ventured down the street and found Kai. Great atmosphere, excellent service, and seriously tasty sushi. Excellent salmon shashimi.

    Ashley B.

    Prime location, so expect a short wait if you go on a weekend night. Unique rolls and good service. BYOB. I will be back!

    Nigiri 15 pc

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    4 months ago

    The rolls were good. Not the best sashimi. It's a decent pick up spot for the neighborhood

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    6 months ago

    Delicious, always fresh and so affordable! One of my favorite places to get take out in the city.

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    2 years ago

    Hi this place has an incredible atmosphere and great food. BYOB, please keep in mind. Loved the service. They were very nice.

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    Page 1 of 4

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    Miru

    Miru

    4.3
    (319 reviews)
    5.0 mi
    $$$

    I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Miru…read more We were visiting Chicago for a short trip, and with so many excellent dining options, choosing where to eat wasn't easy. I almost decided to save Miru for our next visit, but I'm glad I made time for breakfast here on our departure day. Located inside the St. Regis Chicago, the restaurant offers beautiful views. The service was excellent--attentive, friendly, and professional. I ordered the Tokyo Breakfast. The salmon was perfectly cooked and paired beautifully with rice, a soft-poached egg, and salmon roe. The miso soup was slightly salty on its own, but it worked surprisingly well when enjoyed with the rice toward the end of the meal. Overall, a memorable breakfast experience. I'd love to return and try the lunch or dinner menu on my next trip to Chicago.

    It's all about the views!…read more Miru is one of the newer sushi restaurants relatively uncompetitive sushi scene in Chicago, and it hits the spots for those interested in classy ambience and jaw dropping views. The sushi is phenomenal, as were our drinks... but the other entrees are disappointing. The karaage and duck yakisoba in particular in quality could be from any corner restaurant in Chicago. The service lends itself more casual, and I noticed they were consistently quite slow to clear our table. I don't think people come here for the food as much as the views. Overlooking Streeterville from this angle and vantage was truly jaw dropping and for this reason I still strongly recommend Miru.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Tempura Rock Shrimp
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    Jinsei Motto

    Jinsei Motto

    4.6
    (150 reviews)
    4.7 mi

    Came here for the lunch omakase, which features dry-aged fish. Overall, the fish was fresh and…read morewell-prepared--nothing particularly mind-blowing, but definitely good quality, especially for a more affordable omakase option. My only critique is the pacing. Since the chef already had the fish sliced and prepped, I expected a smoother flow, but the meal took about an hour and a half for 14 pieces of sushi. It felt a bit slow, especially for a lunch service. That said, if you're looking for a reasonably priced omakase with quality fish, this is a solid choice.

    Went for restaurant week with friends. Got there early after work and was able to hit the happy…read morehour which is a decent deal. Got the snow maiden sake and the spicy scallop hand roll. Both were great. Our bartenders were lovely and very friendly. Found out this is a Malort tasting room and we were able to sample some different Malorts (the cocoa one was good!). Then we were taken back to our table for dinner. Our server was super friendly as well. Started with the miso soup and crispy tuna bites which were probably my favorite dishes. The taki yoki fritters weren't bad either. We saw people getting omakase, so we ordered a yummy looking piece they were receiving. It was just okay (chutoro truffle). The nigiri was also okay. The tuna piece was the only I really loved. The fish quality wasn't as high as I was expecting. The sushi was decent. A little too much truffle in the spicy blue fin tuna and a little too vegetable forward in the hamachi serrano. All in all, the atmosphere and amazing service pushed this up to a 4 for me.

    Photos
    Madai
    Madai
    O toro
    O toro
    Akami

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    Omakase Shoji

    Omakase Shoji

    4.8
    (51 reviews)
    3.8 mi

    I live in LA and have eaten at 20+ omakase restaurants, so I was curious what Chicago's scene had…read moreto offer. Omakase Shoji more than answered that question. The restaurant houses both an omakase counter and an izakaya, but in completely separate spaces. The omakase side is an intimate, beautifully designed counter with around 10 seats. We were the only guests that evening, so the whole experience felt wonderfully private -- just us, Chef Shoji, and the fish. Chef Shoji opens the meal by presenting the actual fish you'll be eating, all flown in twice a week from Japan or Spain. It immediately signals what kind of meal you're in for. The 20 courses were well-paced and the quality was consistent throughout. Nigiri and sashimi were pristine, but the hot dishes were equally impressive, which surprised me. Both sides of the menu showed real craft and attention to detail. Service was fantastic -- warm, attentive, and never stuffy. At $210 per person, it's a special occasion meal, but one that genuinely delivers on the price. As someone who eats a lot of omakase back home in LA, I wasn't sure what to expect. I left genuinely impressed. Highly recommend if you're looking for a serious sushi experience in Chicago!!!

    We did the omakase dinner. Food was absolutely delicious. So fresh, unique and beautifully…read morepresented. Service was remarkable. It's a little gem. Small cozy place.

    Photos
    Set up
    Set up
    Crispy tuna
    Crispy tuna
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    Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya

    Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya

    4.5
    (100 reviews)
    4.0 mi

    So pleasantly surprised! Came in on a Friday night for a 6:30 reso and the place was empty BUT it…read morewas packed, seemingly by regulars, by the time we left. Service was a little slow at time but they got slammed very quickly and and we weren't in a rush. What we got: - chuturo nigiri - so buttery - hamachi nigiri - good flavor and cut - chili hotate - love the flavor - negi toro maki - good flavor - unakyu- fine a little on the sweeter side - Amai - not my favorite and I think the tuna had a strong fishy flavor Overall, good meal and pretty reasonable bill. Will definitely be coming back to check out the rest of the menu!

    Such a wonderful spot! Fantastic happy hour. Everything was made fresh and tasted delicious…read more Service was super friendly, and they even brought out a free birthday mochi for my friend. We got the karage, three of the skewers , and the spicy salmon and tuna rolls. This place, along with the entrance is a bit hidden, so would love to see them market themselves more as I think it's a spot people would really love, especially for more affordable sushi in the River North area. Quiet and cozy ambiance for casual outings but also cute enough to be a date spot. Got seated immediately. Service was a bit slow, but that's only because they seemed to have one host/server working at the time, who was working super hard and kept a super pleasant and attentive vibe. I will definitely be back!

    Photos
    Sushi bar area
    Sushi bar area
    CHIRASHI
    CHIRASHI
    Teriyakidon

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    Kai Sushi - Lakeview - sushi - Updated July 2026

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