We have been regular customers at Kansaku. But our most recent experience was very unpleasant. The young waitress took our appetizer order and didn't return to our table until 8:29PM. By that time, we had finished eating our appetizers, and she proceeded to inform us that the kitchen ran out of salmon and tuna, and it was closing in 1 minute. We had to make a decision to change our original entree selection containing the two main ingredients that were no longer available. While we asked the staff to wait a couple of minutes so that we could make a new selection, the sushi chef said loudly across the dining room "they have to order NOW!" Needless to say, due to the lack of training of the waitress, and the rudeness of the sushi chef that night, it soured our dining experience. Plus the food was really mediocre. We won't be returning to Kansaku any time soon and we will also inform our friends about our experiences. read more

Ordered lunch at the office. Food was good. Decent portion. Would definitely try more read more

Kansaku - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

This is our go-to place for Japanese. All of the options are legit, fresh made. The wine list is good unlike other places. My favorite is the calamari and tempura shrimp. read more

After a long day, I treated myself to some sushi at an Evanston staple. Restaurants in this area come and go, but this one has stayed and I understand why. Great food and service. I let the chef drive my sashimi choices and got beautifully presented 12 pieces of goodness that brought me back to my Japan travels last year. In addition to this, I had the beef tataki which was also very good and provided a nice balance to my sashimi. Would come back again! read more

Kansaku - Beef Tataki - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Came here for dinner with my husband. We mainly chose the restaurant because they were listed in the inkind app only for me to find out at the end of the meal that their payment system hadn't been linked to inkind yet. The food quality was subpar. The pork katsu was dry and the meat wasn't juicy at all. Nigiri quality was just mid. We got the spicy dragon roll and the shrimp roll, and both tasted extremely western. The shrimp roll tasted surprisingly like Italian food. Service was prompt and professional, we got our waters filled pretty promptly and plates cleared away pretty fast as well. Not sure why they're ranked so highly on Google Maps. The Yelp reviews are more accurate for food quality. Restaurant itself is really pretty and clean. Food is in the pricier end. We spent $85 pre-tip on 2 sushi rolls and one dinner bento box. There are slight discounts if you pay in cash. read more

Kansaku - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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We went mainly for sashimi, apps and sake. Very nice selection of good quality fish, if not expertly cut, artfully presented in generous chunks. Also had ika (squid) salad which was something not on most menus; it was very good. The miso soup was decent enough. Only the grilled beef rolled asparagus was disappointing. Meat texture was weird and it was overcooked and dry. Asparagus had good texture and the sauce was delicious. Mentioned our opinion to waiter who said he was sorry. Don't know if the message relayed to cooks . We Had a cold sake flight (lowest end of the 3 offered) and a carafe of hot sake because it was frigid out. All were good and reasonably priced. Would return and do recommended as the menu was large, they were unique offerings, the room was comfortable, service was attentive and as a bonus for us, it participates in InKind. read more

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I attended a dinner gathering with a large group so got to see many different plates. It is a fairly small room, so was surprised to see that there was another large party in addition to us. Most of the food was pretty solid. The star of the evening in my opinion was the fried mushroom appetizer, it was very yummy. The udon I opted for was ok, but dimmed in comparison to udon I've had elsewhere. All throughout our meal, I kept hearing a sharp popping sound. I could not place the sound so just assumed it was the sushi chefs' knives smacking the metal top prep table or something of that nature. When I got up to use the facility, I gained a better view of the rest of the room, at which point, I identified the source of the popping sound. It was a bug zapper to the left of the sushi bar. That was about it for me, whatever dining atmosphere there was went right out the window. Then I could not stop thinking of how many times it had been popping, that would be a lot of bugs; and why are there so many bugs? It was a rabbit hole gift not of my choosing. read more

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All the food was fresh and amazing! Service was too notch from the moment you walked in. Even if you sat at the bar like i did.... The chefs were very attentive! Highly tecommend! read more

Kansaku - Sashimi sampler - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Located in lovely downtown Evanston, Kansaku is a pretty decent Japanese/sushi restaurant. There's quite a bit of competition in the area for this cuisine, but Kansaku still has some nice offerings. The restaurant itself is really pretty and the wait staff attentive. We got gyoza and yakitori for appetizers. The gyoza was actually incredibly delicious with or without the equally delicious sauce. Unfortunately, the yakitori doesn't seem to be grilled and the chicken didn't have much of a flavor. As for entrees, I got some sushi. The salmon nigiri wasn't anything to write home about. The salmon ceviche was an interesting maki. The real star here was the nabeyaki udon, which I regret not ordering myself! The broth was delicious and the mixture of vegetables was perfect. My tiny complaint is that the udon noodles were slightly too soft but maybe that's because they had spent a little more time cooking in the broth. Otherwise a perfectly solid place. read more

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Food is great. My one wish would be the Spicy Tuna Maki Roll. I would like for them to make it with spicy mayo. Instead of with chili oil only. The service was very good. Our waiter TK helped us with roll choices & other suggestions. The ambience was very nice. I might suggest a quieter bug zapper. But other than that, the table & chairs were comfy & clean. A mention about the clean bathrooms, as that is always a plus!! read more

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Their food is good. In dining also good. But if you want to wait 30 minutes after they told you your food would be ready then enjoy. For $100 bucks and a nice tip for pick up, I'll try a different place. Sorry guys this wasn't the first time. When I asked they said " we are busy" ya well you have a phone call and we will come later. read more

When looking for a nice relaxing spot for sushi for either date night or a night out either friends, Kansaku is a great option! With their fun homey feel, and delicious cocktails, and a variety of sushi rolls there's something for everyone. I personally love eating their speciality ones, and often ask the staff that they enjoy and get those! Sometimes they recommend new ones that I wouldn't dare try on my own but end up loving. All in all, if you're looking to come for a dinner or the weekend, be sure to make your reservation to avoid a wait! read more

It's one of the few Japanese restaurants nearby that offer A variety of Donbury dishes. I bet I didn't spell that correct but basically it's things like pork katsu don, a pork tenderloin pounded flat, then covered with Panko flakes and deep-fried. Served over that luscious sweet, sticky rice. I put my own pickled ginger on top. This restaurant really serves up a great katsu don And many other dishes from the kitchen. I found all five or six different dishes, including sushi to be extremely good. read more

False advertising Poor customer service Walked by the restaurant in the afternoon on Thursday 5/15 Saw on their window sign ( see photo) Konsaku daily specials: Sake Thursday. House hot sake. Large 7.00 Went back Thursday night, had dinner, and had 2 house hot sakes On our check, the sakes were 10.00 each Addressed this with our server, and pointed out their sign advertising Sake Thursday with 7.00 hot sake She said that " isn't available anymore" I pointed out that's their current advertisement, on their window right now, and she would only say that's not available Asked to speak with manager, she said "she would tell him" Manger did did not come over, we left Horrible business model, unacceptable customer service False advertising. Sign advertising Specials and Sake Thursday with house hot sake for 7.00 is still on their window as you can see in photos read more

Kansaku - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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We dined in at Kansaku for sushi. It was a cool place, we liked the vibe. The food was pretty good too. We will be back to try their noodles. read more

Top notch ingredients offered in both traditional and innovative/creative ways. Want something off the beaten track? Just ask. The sake list is also extensive. There are some peak rush hour times, so every now and then, they're playing catch up. However, the volume of trade should tell you something. Even a small wait is rewarded with a feast for the senses. A regular stop when I'm in Evanston. read more

We decided to try this little place for a nice relaxing dinner out. An anniversary dinner. Ambiance was beautiful. Very chic, and clean. Dimmed lighting. The food was very good. Fresh and delicious. Service was another story...although the service was good...it all felt very rushed. We were asked in a span of 10 minutes, three times if we were ready to order. Coming from the service industry, when a client puts their menus to the side that is your queue to come over to the table... when they are still actively looking or talking, you do not keep asking them if they're ready to order... after multiple times we finally decided to order because we were rushed. From appetizer to entrée was about 5 minutes. Again, RUSHED. While we were still having our entrées, we were asked multiple times if we were done eating or if we could have our plates taken away .... Check was dropped. We were asked three times within 8 to 10 minutes about paying.....finally my boyfriend asked the server what the rush was? The restaurant closes at 10:30 and we were practically being thrown out at 8:40 PM. We chose this place because of the ambience and the food, hoping to have a relaxing night where we could talk as well. A rushed service sort of ruined the experience. read more

Kansaku - Scallop Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Man the ambiance is off the chain, smooth r&b playing in the background will make me come back and spend my coins. Do we start with bacon-wrapped scallops? They were delicious as always. We also had drinks which were a margarita made with Patron and a pear martini! Our entree was a Lobster King, creamy Lobster, and crab crunch rolls. They were made perfectly. Our server was really nice and professional. Kansaku is my favorite sushi restaurant. They have never let me down. But I have to say the music they are playing is really impressive considering they're in downtown Evanston. Mywife and I are the only minorities in the entire place other than the workers . They are jamming y'all! I can't believe it...it made the experience even more enjoyable to eat here! Now not just because of the cuisine but I actually have another reason to come dine in. All they need is a dance floor now! read more

Kansaku - We ordered three rolls - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

The food and ambiance were great. The service was okay! I wish one of the servers would treat the customers equally. They opened the door while it was a little cold for us to let fresh air come in. The server or manager talked to the table next to us, saying, "When you are cold, let me know, and we will close the door." She didn't even bother asking us; well, in fact, we have a kid, and we get more air on our table. I would expect better service from this restaurant as their price is not cheap. read more

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This is our favorite Japanese Sushi Restaurant in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. As a matter of fact, we don't go anywhere else for Sushi or Japanese Food! read more

The udon and ramen are salty but I understand that those are not their specialty as there's only one kind of each in the menu but their beef tatake and sushi rolls are good read more

A-MAZING!! Got the Kansaku roll, Carnival, Creamy Lobster, Crab Crunch, and Dynamite. All were so delicious!!! There is not better sushi place around ! read more

Food was good. Nice atmosphere. I really have nothing more to add because i am a positive person. read more

Kansaku - Assorted Sushi and warm saki. We got 2 orders of of the tempura udon. - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

The sushi is really good and I come back time after time. Service is okay as well but if you are charging 20% tip for a party of 5 then it should be off the subtotal and not after tax. Especially, for a party of 5 the bill is minimum of $300-400. Tax alone is $30-40, that not something we as patron should be obligated to tip. This is a review to the establishment to fix. read more

Orders thru an app for delivery. The bento boxes do not come with rice. How is that even possible? Is this an Asian restaurant or not? Just absurd. Rest of the meal was very mid. Not worth the prices charged. read more

This business has terrible practices .. it does not pay out its drivers the tips they have earned. A customer can place an order directly with them and tip generously.. either they or DoorDash process the payment and keep the full fare while the delivery driver that is dispatched through DoorDash gets a $2 payout.. every receipt clearly states the tip amount (which again is a good amount.. usually at least 10%) upon asking the staff why that's the case.. they simply say "we do not keep the driver's tip and that you will need to contact DoorDash." When asking DoorDash there is no logical explanation other than the merchant processes the payment and they have no control over it. Who is responsible for the tip payment? Shameful especially when drivers are working long hours & hard to earn their salaries. Consider Todoroki or Hokkaido.. far more better options in Evanston. read more

Good but nothing that will blow you away. More like a 3.5/5. But certainly a solid option for sushi in Evanston. All rolls tasted good and fresh, service was nice, and restaurant was modern! read more

Kansaku - Spicy Scallop, Rainbow roll - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Came here for a bento lunch when I was back in town for work. Nice quiet little place in Evanston that has a pretty good lunch special on their menu. The bento boxes have a nice variety and is more than filling enough for lunch. They also brew their own beer which goes pretty well with the sushi and nigiris. read more

Kansaku - Chicken Teriyaki Bento - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Relaxing vibes for lunch! The sushi was great. Recommend the carnival roll. The tea came in really cute cups! read more

Kansaku - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Had I known my half order of chicken teriyaki (for the low, low price of $18) would consist of 1 chicken tender, 1/2 cup rice, and maybe 2/3 cup of limp, flavorless vegetables I would have just poured myself a bowl of cereal. $18 for 1 chicken tender! read more

Kansaku - For reference, my hand measures 6" from middle finger to edge of my palm. - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Excellent service and food quality. A must try if you're in Evanston. I will definitely be back. Fresh and well made. We had the mixed tempura bento box dinner, half chicken teriyaki dinner, and negi hamachi maki. All were excellent read more

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I've been to Kansaku a few times. Their sushi rolls are on the better side in Evanston, and I remember liking their ramen soup, but my friend was severely disappointed by their yakitori. Overall, pretty average Japanese restaurant. Dined: May 17, 2022 read more

I came here for a business lunch and greatly enjoyed my food. It was during lunch so I got the Bento box. What a steal! Lots of food for a pretty low price. I went with the sashimi box which was quite excellent. I really liked the California roll which was super fresh! The service was also pretty quick and friendly. The only downside was that I was hoping for a little more selection for the bento box. Still, it was excellent and I will be coming back again. Its hard to find quality sushi for lunch these days. This place has it! read more

I was visiting friends in Evanston. They have a gorgeous condo up in the sky with incredible views so we ordered delivery from Kansaku. I loved dining at their restaurant as much as I did having it delivered. Ordering via the website was super easy. It was confirmed and an arrival time was given. Well it arrived ahead of schedule and everything was correct. The maki rolls were fantastic. We tried to order a variety and found everything to be fresh and full of ingredients. Some were lighter in taste but still full of flavor. I tend to enjoy the lighter rolls and my friends like ones with a little kick. In addition to our food, the restaurant sent plenty of napkins, chopsticks and sauces. I appreciated that they sent low sodium soy sauce also. Nice touch! I understand why my friends are regulars at Kansaku. If I lived in Evanston I would be too! read more

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Excellent, authentic Japanese cuisine. Service was terrific. Not too pricey either. In a lovely area of Evanston. read more

Kansaku - Teriyaki salmon with veggies and rice. - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I came here on two separate occasions while in the Chicago area - one with my family, the other with my friend. I wouldn't say I was entirely wowed by this place. The food was good, but it wasn't any better than good. I've had better sushi elsewhere. The taste was more "westernized" sushi rather than authentic Japanese sushi. The Katsu I had was quite delicious though. The service here, however, is good, attentive and quick. On both occasions I came here, I never had an issue with service. Ambiance wise, the restaurant is more on the quiet side, which is nice especially if you are trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of nearby Northwestern or Chicagoland. I wouldn't say I'd totally avoid this place though. I still left feeling somewhat satisfied with what I ate. But I wouldn't also go out of my way to come here. read more

Kansaku - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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What can I say...This is a very good spot for sushi in Evanston...The service can be hit or miss lately but im sure it's just staffing issues from what I can tell. Honestly I've never had a bad sushi experience eating here and will most certainly be back. read more

Took my son and his friends here after their basketball game. We had the creamy lobster (because it sounded fun), spicy crunch, caterpillar, and Dragon roll. All were really good. The creamy lobster and dragon were my favorite. I also had a glass of the Hibiki "Japanese Harmony"(they do need to invest in the large cubes). I also had my son and his friends try Unagi a la carte, which they were shocked that they liked it. My son also ordered the shoyu ramen. It came with pork belly, which was the best tasting pork belly I ever had. read more

Phenomenal! Great service, great food, great vibes. My food and everything those at my table had was delicious. The green tea mochi ice cream was especially awesome to me. Good portion sizes too, so though everything is moderately priced you're getting good bang for your buck. Only downside I think the cocktails were just ok, but next time I'll just save and drink water because everything else was fantastic read more

Kansaku - Mochi Ice Cream green tea option - Japanese Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Overpriced place, small portions. Food was ok, service was fine. It is not an authentic "Japanese" place. It also could be cheaper