Amazing food. Fresh, inventive sushi. Great service. Some of the best sushi you will find in Chicago.

I can't even with this place... just go. I don't think I can come up with the correct words to describe this place, just go! If you are a first timer, I highly recommend the Chef's Omakase. You can go up from there. I am indifferent about how this place evolved from a neighborhood place to an upscale place but I am certainly happy that Kai Zan is doing well. I have to admit, I did enjoy how well the staff knows what they are serving and all... so no complaints about that. read more

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Great sushi, everything fresh and made from scratch. Great service and not too loud, so can enjoy great food with a nice conversation. read more

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I was apprehensive to write a review prior to my 2nd visit based solely off of the fact that I believe "takeout sushi" is an oxymoron. However, this is the best damn sushi I've ever had & its the flavors & quality are consistently good. Each visit I ordered the "Kai zan bites set" & the "pearls set" which are both amazing & warrant me ordering each item every time I visit. My first visit I got the wagyu rice which honestly I wasn't a fan of. It didn't have the extremely rich wagyu flavor I've come to love. That's however the only negative thing I have to say about this place. On my 2nd visit o ordered the "flaming crab & angry crab maki set" & this is truly solidified my opinion of best sushi in Chicago. Twas amazingly good. They have earned me as a loyal & although it's expensive especially considering its take out, I'll be a repeat customer. read more

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Very small but well done sushi house. I would like to go back to try the chefs menu but everything we had off the Regina menu was great. We probably should have gotten some help and ordered sake instead of going with wine. The wine list isn't impressive but I guess that's understandable. They are pretty militant about reservations so be sure you read all the fine print. read more

I have been to kai zan over the years - first in 2016. They never disappoint. Great with allergies (gluten free) and have a fabulous omosake for something like $85. It is a great value. Would highly recommend kai zan for fun occasions and sushi. Came to celebrate my birthday and it was, as always, a spectacular experience! read more

KAI ZAN - Sushi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fresh fish, amazing ambiance. Every bite has his own unique flavored and textures. Also they're playlist is so good. Nice chill mix vibe. 10 out of 10 read more

KAI ZAN - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went and had an Omakase dinner here the other day and was unfortunately pretty disappointed. This is not a traditional Omakase this is definitely an American spin and most of the dishes that included fish were only tuna-based. They had no real other selections of fish to offer us and everything was very rushed. On top of that, most of the dishes that were served were drowned out with flavors from heavily added sauces. There was no real sashimi or nigiri experience unfortunately, which is what I'm looking for when I go to an Omakase dinner-- only the best cuts from the freshest options and the chefs current favorites. Sadly, this came highly recommended but if you want a true Omakase dinner go to Mako in the west loop! read more

KAI ZAN - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great Japanese in Westtown. Mushrooms were kind of dry and menu kind of lacking and vegetables but fish is great

Thé place was very cute. The food is absolutely delicious!!!!! I love that they had so many chefs specials, try them all out you won't regret. I'd rate it as one of my top sushi places. read more

KAI ZAN - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The best of the best!!! Every time I go to Kai Zan, the food is incredible, vibes are amazing, and the staff are awesome!!

Open for carry-out during the pandemic! I was excited to see that they were offering some of the favorites from their omakase menu. I had the Kai Zan bites set. The maki rolls were actually my favorite. Fyi, the specialty sushi pieces were much smaller than usual. The food was good, regardless, and I'm happy to support local businesses! read more

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My partner and I became obsessed with Kai Zan when we lived in Chicago 7 years ago. In July, we got a 10:30pm reservation (visiting from Ca) and felt like we were at thee gates of heaven. The freshness. The variety. The service. This is our favorite sushi spot in the country. read more

KAI ZAN - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Been going here for years. Best sushi in Chicago hands down!! My husband and I love this spot so much. we've had birthdays here, celebrations, so many special times at Kai Zan Best sushi EVERRRR updated: We went again for a date night last night and it was absolutely incredible from service to food it was such a lovely meal and experience! We love Kai Zan so much read more

Food is always incredible. The ingredients are fresh and just when you think it can't get better, another phenomenal dish comes out. Our favorite sushi in Chicago. read more

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My partner and I did a late anniversary dinner here and had the Omakase. We both generally liked about 75% of the menu. I could've done without either one of the shooters and without the tuna dashi, which was kind of tough and definitely fishy. For $65 per person, I expected to like all of it, so I was slightly disappointed, but the rest of the dishes won me over. If I were to come here again, I would see if I could sub out those two courses as they just weren't up to par with the rest. Other than the food, the ambience is great and the staff is very attentive. The place is cute and cozy, not too loud. read more

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super delicious and fast service. try to get seated at the high table and get the omakase. each dish is so perfectly curated and the fish just melts in your mouth. read more

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Absolutely amazing. Indulged in the omikase. Went for sushi previously. Will go again and again!

So, so good! Tasting menu is the way to go. It was all amazingly delicious with myself being partial to the sushi portions

Being from California, I am picky about my sushi and the freshness that comes with sushi from the Midwest. This place single handedly changed my mind. The fish quality is outstanding and the dishes are fantastic. The ambiance is great; especially if you get sat in the booth rooms, not the dining room. read more

I've been wanting to come to Kai Zan since precovid and I remember I made a reservation 2 years ago but it got cancelled due to COVID. I finally got a reservation here and it was worth waiting 2 years for it! I wish they still had their premium menu, but I guess they got rid of it cause of covid which is a bit of a bummer. I had the slightly lower tier omakase which is what they only offer now. I loved every single dish that was served and my favorite was the oyster shoot. The freshness of the oyster as it enters your mouth was just MAGNIFICENT! I told my friend about it and she started the site every day for a week straight! She got super lucky and picked up a reservation for the following Friday at a decent dinner time. I remember it was impossible to eat at Kai Zan at a normal 6-730pm time because the only options are always 430 or 930. Honestly, I don't think I need to explain much about this place because the picture says it all. I will definitely come back here if the menu changes or they decide to bring back the premium tier omakase. Kai Zan's type of omakase is definitely slightly different than other places. The chef doesn't serve it in front of you piece by piece, but it's more so like a meal that servers bring out as you finish each dish. I've had something similar like this in Philadelphia at Morimoto and was super disappointed. Kai Zan really knows what they're doing and I will definitely be back. I'll gladly let them rob me HAHA! read more

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The standout for me was the seared yellowtail special- it had the lightest char but it really balanced how buttery the fish was and had this garlicky yuzu punch- definitely my favorite part of my meal. Everything tasted right and was adequately spaced, I don't think there's such a thing as a mediocre dish and if there is it missed us. read more

Best sushi in Chicago. Service was great as well. Do the omakase and you will not regret. read more

KAI ZAN - Can't remember the name - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My boyfriend and I went here for the omakase to celebrate his birthday. The food was average and I think a good deal for the price. For food There were a few items that I was not impressed - the soup, the 4 box container with a salad, Char siu pork, and two other mini items. These items were very bland and the pork was so dry. The hamachi in the first picture was drenching in olive oil and I was not able to really taste anything. The sashimi is fresh at least and there were a few of the items that we liked. For the experience All the dishes were super rushed and it made us a little uncomfortable. As soon as we are done with something, another plate will be placed immediately in front of us, giving us little time to take a break or enjoy. The last 15 mins, we got 2 dishes at once as we were running out of the and had to finish both before we have to stuff everything. I don't particularly think we were at a pace where we'd be out of time as we were rushed the entire night. That definitely made the overall experience less than average On another note, I was surprise that the sashimi and sushi roll came as the last two courses as we got little room to fit them at the end. Not sure if we'd be back again read more

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After rescheduling our reservation 3 or 4 times, I finally made it. Did the omakase and everything was delicious. For 85pp this is one of the best value tasting menus in the city. It's accessible and down to earth. There was one issue I couldn't let go of that kept me from rating a 5 and that was the pace of the meal. Don't get me wrong, I love an efficient meal but I do have an issue with serving the next course while I'm still working on the one in front of me. While great value, it's still an expensive and I want to enjoy the experience and not be rushed. read more

Came here for the first time since Covid and Kai-Zan did not miss a step. My wife and I got Omakase to keep things simple. We just sat down by the bar area and let the chefs take care of our evening. Food was delicious as expected. I honestly can't remember the names of every dish but our fav is definitely the escolar (came out 3rd). The shooters were a bit too adventurous for me. I appreciated the different dimensions of flavors and texture that the chefs threw at us. By the time the sashimi came out, we were nearing stomach capacity. Portions were definitely enough. The entire dinner was an experience in itself. I highly recommend the Omakase! Really affordable too. read more

Best sushi omakase for its price in Chicago. Fish is extremely fresh and the plates are beautifully crafted. Service is top notch. Intimate environment. Will go back read more

Delicious. Some of the best sushi in Chicago Have been here twice, first time ordered off the menu, and went back within a month to try their Omakase The Omakase is quite a lot of food, and adventurous, but worth it. read more

KAI ZAN - Octopus from Omakase - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great service and friendly staff. Great omakase with very reasonable pricing. Great date night spot in Chicago. read more

KAI ZAN - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm so glad I got a reservation here for my birthday! We did the omakase and it did not disappoint!! There were many unique flavors and for $85+, it was well worth it. I love the intimate atmosphere, almost every table they had were booths and it cancels out everyone else's conversations. Every staff member we encountered was super nice and polite! I will definitely be coming back here on any future Chicago visits!! read more

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Google says it's still a BYOB but it definitely is not. Was really excited to try this place, it's been on my list for a few years; it's made top lists of sushi restaurants in Chicago but I was not that impressed. The fried tofu was soft tofu and a weird soggy texture, and there actually weren't that many sushi roll options. It was good, but not my favorite. Service was good. read more

Outstanding. The chefs menu is an incredible value - SO much food. Sushi and sashimi are delicious but I also loved their cooked offerings suck as the pork belly sooo yummy. Beautiful restaurant with nice booths for larger parties. Great service. Do not recommend any of their wine but they have sake and beer I think. read more

Wow... I think I found my top sushi place in Chicago and top 3 around the US. My boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner and our experience was phenomenal. Service was top notch - all the staff were so knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly. It's so hard to come across this type of amazing service in Chicago. The place is small, cozy, and intimate. We got seated at a booth, which was so perfect for our dinner date. We opted for the chef omakase, which is $70 for 10 courses I believe. You definitely will leave full. The dishes came out at a perfect pace. For each course, someone would come over and explain what the dish was along with the flavors in it. I drool every time I think of how amazing each course was, it was that good. Our favorite was the Madai carpaccio - freshest red snapper and olive oil gave it so much flavor and the toro (fatty tuna belly) just MELTS in your mouth! The escolar and maguro pearls was our absolute favorite - perfectly seared and that truffle is to die for. I can't even begin to explain how delicious all the flavors were. I will be coming back to try the premium omakase along with the uni. Make reservations a few weeks out. Credit card is required if it's for more than a party of 2. read more

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Looking for a new date spot? Tucked away in West Town, Kai Zan is my go-to place when my husband and I want a fancy date night. At a reasonable $65 per person, the omakase is impressive and includes 10 courses featuring the restaurant's greatest hits. I was blown away by the creativity of the food's presentation - you can tell that the chef puts so much thought into every single detail of each dish, which makes the whole experience so exquisite. The food comes out very quickly here and the service is stellar, so you'll be finished with your 10 courses in about an hour and a half. Kai Zan does serve alcohol, but we did see a couple run out and buy their own bottle of wine so I believe you can carry in booze as well. We ordered the Wandering Poet sake which we paired with an IPA. Favorite courses: Oyster and scallop shooters with quail egg: I was a bit hesitant to try but each bite is just packed with flavor Orange Rush: a seared scallop wrapped in salmon on top of a purple seashell Dynamite mussels: mussels with a kick Angry crab: spicy crab wrapped in tuna with a tempura crunch Because the restaurant is rather small (which makes it intimate) and very popular, reservations are highly recommended. If you are looking to be absolutely blown away with amazing sushi in a hip environment, check out Kai Zan ASAP! read more

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Always quality and solid sushi with good service and reasonably priced. Just wish they did take out too

The best Japanese restaurant I've been to in Chicago. Everything is so well made and such great quality. Despite this, the prices are very reasonable. The sushi is my favorite but really everything I've gotten (especially the takoyaki) is amazing. The service is also wonderful. Waiters are respectful, responsive, and warm. Thank you for bringing such culinary greatness to the neighborhood! During dinner hours, you NEED a reservation. Plan in advance because reservations are hard to get. read more

Can't believe we hadn't been here. Heard so many great things and it still exceeded our expectations! The food is delicious and the service is great! They are however sticklers for the 1.5 hour dining time. We found ourselves being rushed through the prefixed menu especially since we wanted to take our time to enjoy the vast variety of food that came out! Other than that, cute place with great food! read more

The omakase is such a great deal with fantastic food quality. Food is slightly of fusion type but overall great for people craves for Omakase. The matcha crème brûlée is so good! The yuzu cheesecake is just ok. read more

KAI ZAN - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Considering I love nothing more than raw fish it's a shame it took me so long to get here. Small restaurant + melt-in-your--mouth sushi = difficult to get a reservation. However, my friend put our names on a waitlist awhile ago and got a call the day before they had a table free up. And so we traded in our original Italian plans for for sushi. They had a perfect table waiting for us- our own little secluded area. It seems like most of the tables in the restaurant are this special with the exceptions of a few regular tables up front. Our group of 4 was quite comfortable in there, but 6 would have been fine as well. We ordered some much needed cold sake (long day with the little ones) and our very informative waiter told us about the specials. They all sounded good- the soft shell crab special at the top of the list. We decided to order the chefs choice (there was a fancier name for it) and there was some sort of deal where you could share as a couple. Fortunately, my husband shares my taste in sushi. We also added a few specials. Our 10+ course meal of small bites could not have been more delicious. By the end we wanted more, but mostly cause the food was so good. We added a sushi roll which was probably the most disappointing part of the meal but still good. And then of course dessert - green tea ice cream and creme brûlée. Highly recommend booking a res (or at least putting yourself on their waitlist) soon! read more

KAI ZAN - Our own personal booth - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first time trying out an omakaze! My mom told me she needed to make a reservation ahead of time and that making changes to the reservation cost money. So if you plan on eating here, plan properly and accordingly! The omakaze is charged per person and is 7 courses total. I am not am expert on omakazes so the roughly $60 per person for the omakaze may or may not break your bank (poor college student speaking here, I wouldn't have imagined coming here if it weren't for my parents tbh lol). There were two menus to choose from for the omakaze. One allowed the sushi chefs to utilize their creativity to make a unique menu for you at a higher charge. The other is a pre-set menu that costs less. Each course of the omakaze were delicious, small bites of sushi or sashimi. The most interesting was the raw quail egg shot; not a huge fan but not terrible. The best was the fatty tuna nigiri in my opinion. The last course is a plate of sashimi for each person, and plates of rolls. Each party gets different rolls based on how many people are in your party. I thought that I wouldn't be full bt the meal but by the end I could barely finish and my stomach was so full. This was overall an enjoyable experience and would recommend (to those who could afford it). read more

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