Finally, a serious sushi joint in Andersonville! Ora is a substantial upgrade from the place that used to inhabit this space in every way -- better menu, better atmosphere, and higher quality food. First and foremost, I was impressed with the overall quality of the fish. The Scottish Salmon was like butter. Second, the maki menu is pretty inventive -- in a thoughtful way, not in a let's-see-how-many-things-we-can-cram-into-one-roll kinda way. I went for the Wasabitail, which included yellowtail, scallion, cucumber salsa, and bacon. Yes, bacon. It may sound a little weird or gimmicky but I am here to tell you it was delicious and you should go try one. Now. Third, the chefs/owners were exceptionally friendly and passionate about the food. If you are looking for a private, romantic evening, you might want to avoid the sushi bar because they can be pretty chatty. But if you are the kind of person who likes to get to know your sushi chef and the other folks who are making your dinner happen, you will love it here. I was feeling pretty cranky when I walked into Ora and I walked out with my spirits lifted from the friendly vibe. The fact that they gave us some free samples of other items on the menu didn't hurt either. There's no dessert on the menu yet (soon, I'm told) but just as I was wishing I could order some green tea ice cream, they brought me a bowl, on the house. My advice: check it out asap while Ora is still the new kid on the block, byob, and making the extra effort. read more

We called the restaurant and made a reservation for 8:45pm. We arrived at 8:45pm with a bottle of chilled wine. There was a table of six empty and two tables of four empty when we arrived. We were told that it would be a few minutes before we were seated. Subsequent to that, the restaurant seated a party of six and a party of 8 who arrived after us. It is 9pm and we haven't been seated. We were on time and should have been seated. The wine is warm now. We probably won't come back. Edit (5/29/16): In response to Justine B. I understand very well that restaurants, especially small ones, must plan out reservation space strategically. This problem of how many reservations a restaurant should allow and at what time isn't a new problem. Every restaurant has to figure it out. Again, we arrived at 8:45, and there were no other people waiting in the front of the restaurant or outside for seats. You say that the 8 top and the 6 top were reserved for 8:30. When the people who reserved the 6 top arrived, they CLEARLY stated to the maitre d' that they had a reservation for 8:45, not 8:30, so I'm confused when you say that their reservation was for 8:30. In addition, the 6 top diners arrived 5 or so minutes after we did, so it would make perfect sense for them to have had a reservation for 8:45. I find it unlikely that they had a reservation for 8:30 and arrived at 8:50, 20 minutes late, without apologizing or saying something at all about it to the maitre d'. You say "We offer of chilling wines for our guests, even the ones who would like to step out for a drink in a nearby establishment while they wait for the reservation before calling them when their tables are ready." This would have been good to know. No one offered to chill our wine while we waited. You say "Also because we are BYOB, customers sometimes tend to stay a little bit longer." This makes complete sense but disappoints me as an explanation or excuse as to why we had to wait so long. If you know that your diners tend to stay a little bit longer, then this unfortunate situation could have been avoided. You KNOW that you can't pack your reservations in so tightly, yet you did it anyway. What your restaurant should have done is told us that you did not have any availability at the time we requested. It is always better to be conservative than risk making someone wait so long when they have a reservation. Else, what is the point of a reservation? Frankly, this is just the old song and dance where a restaurant tries to pack in a ton of reservations so that they can have 100% coverage. The restaurant's explanation of why it happened, and the implication that they should be excused for it, is a little insulting. Other restaurants do better or, at the very least, they make up for it in some way. Waiting 20 minutes to sit down when you have a reservation isn't such a big deal. But for some reason, this time it really annoyed me, and I felt compelled to make a public comment. Transparent excuses don't help a restaurants' case. Figure out a way to avoid making diners wait 20 minutes to sit down. read more

I was having a sushi craving. And not one that could be satisfied by the seafood/sushi counter at Jewel. Or Whole Foods' love for brown rice in their sushi rolls. I wanted the real stuff. The only thing that would able to satisfy this craving is a huge, signature maki roll where you can almost not see the white rice because the roll is topped with an abundance of other goodies/fishies. But even still, it's definitely made with white rice. I'm all about the white rice guys. My friend and I headed to Ora on Friday night at about 9:45 PM for a late, late dinner. Since both of us returned from separate vacations where we both had the habit of ordering too much to eat, we decided to scale back just a little bit - we ordered the Dynamite Specialty Maki roll and a Spicy Salmon roll. BAM! The Dynamite Roll was amazing!! Tbh, I can't remember everything that it had in it, but whatever covered the top of the roll (maybe scallops?) was delicious. The roll came with 5 pieces, so it's definitely a little pricey for sushi, but well worth it. The roll was great and both my friend and I agreed that we hadn't had anything like it before. The spicy salmon roll, although may appear to be a normal selection, was also great. The pieces were pretty large in comparison to other spicy salmon rolls I've ordered and was pretty good. The service and ambiance were also on point. I'd definitely come back again just to get lit from the Dynamite Roll. read more

Two things I love about Ora: 1 - the sushi combos. 3 regular rolls for about $17 and a cup of Miso. 2 - the incredible freshness of the fish. Buttery, fresh, tasty pieces of fish in each roll. The service is so attentive, even in a busy night. When we were there, each table was full. The ambiance is modern with lots of dark wood and mood lighting. read more

I've definitely had my share of good sushi before, even in good ole Nippon (that's Japan). This is by far the BEST sushi in Chicago. HANDS. DOWN. End of story! You know that the sushi chefs have a passion for this. They really know their stuff and strive to give you the best quality to maximize taste. I really appreciate the love and care that goes into the dishes and sushi. You can really taste it! I know that I'll definitely be frequenting this place as much as possible, especially since it's so close to where I live! Someone else called this a gem of Andersonville, and I completely agree! I almost don't want to tell people to go so that I can keep it ALL TO MYSELF! hahaha. Just kidding. Sort of... read more

If you have ever even glanced at a word I've written, you know that sushi is my ambrosia but that G-d continues to challenge me with a wonderful set of parents, who are fatally flawed in that they also prefer their fish cooked - and thus, after I had deemed SarSar and Stevo were sick of me after a solid 10d of bonding time during my last time home, I made a run for it to Ora w my partner in crime, as it had long been on my radar as a place to try. Make a res, got there around 730p on Sat and due to the limited seating, there is was a wait - though it is BYOB, so there are clearly ways to make this sitch enjoyable (read: get teenage girl wasted in the dark corner where those not neurotic enough to plan in advance are banished to to wait for a table) - but make sure you stay sentient enough to enjoy the wonderful nosh. Started w misos and a house salad - std ginger dressing was fairly on point, though the salad wasn't particularly special - miso was warm and pleasantly briney. KM made it rain with a chirashi main - hefty assortment of fish layered over seasoned rice - though if you're feeling adventurous, get their spicy version - for $19, it's a fair amnt of food, unless you pound sush like I do. They have 10ish fancy rolls, but after abt 4 ingredients my palate kind of dies a little, so we skipped those and indulged in salmon/avo, yellow tail/scallion, shitake/avo, tuna, and california rolls - all of which clocked in around $5-7 - the fancy rolls are closer to $12-15 - portions of fish were ample, the CA roll (w real crab, obs) had this amazing spice in it - not mayo - but something heavenly - and the black sesame seeds on the outside added a surprising, noticeable twist - oh, and and I had a few orders of nigiri too - the medai w ginger was unreallll - worth ordering a few non-maki options - though it's priced per piece, which is always a sad-face situation, but dear Lord is it worth it. Din for 3 was around $65, which is quite reasonable given the amnt of food consumed - though it's much easier to spend more if you go all eel/tuna/salmon/spicy mayo/avo/unicorn sauce on your rolls. Noise is fairly aggressive - and the place gets packed - nevertheless, worth a visit, though service is fairly absent/shitty, so don't go hangry. For non-sushi heathens, I think they even have a few cooked entrees/starters you can enjoy - giving me hope that maybe one of these days I'll drag the folks down here. After giving them a lil Xanax and telling them we're going to Joe's Stone Crab or something. B/c that's how I repay them for their unending love and support. With deception. read more

Ora serves the best sushi I have ever had! I typically don't like sushi and when I do I order tempura sushi. At Ora I got the Dynamite roll and edamame. Everything tasted so good and was even enjoyable to a picky sushi eater. read more

04/12/17 update.... My last review was 4 years ago; I absolutely love this place. After all the years I've been coming here, I have yet to have a bad experience. This is an Andersonville gem. Keep up the great work!!!! Hands down, this is consistently the best Sushi Bar I have ever been to. We have been coming here for a couple weeks after they opened. My first visit to Ora happened on a whim. My girlfriend and I had gone out to another sushi joint but didn't go because I couldn't find parking and I was getting aggravated driving around looking for said parking. Driving back up Clark St, I was stopped at the light at Foster, happened to look over and seen that there was a Sushi joint right there(Ora) and a space right out front. We went back the very next day and have consistently been going back one to two times a week since. Things to consider if you decide you want to see if I'm full of crap or not.... 1- They can get very busy, so it's best to call ahead and reserve a table. 2- Service might be slow at times, but you should understand that they have a small staff, decent size restaurant, and a passion for the food that they put out(cant rush perfection). I hope this review helps some of you decide to give this little gem of Andersonville's, a go. If so, you probably see this ugly mug there! read more

I was excited to go here based on all the good reviews, but I didn't think it was all that and a bag of chips. The sushi was ok, but I've experienced much better at other similar BYOB places (like Tanoshi up Clark a bit). Personally when I see a bunch of "spicy" rolls on a menu, or rolls with mayo, cream cheese, and other random non-sushi type things my eyebrow tends to go up b/c it makes me think they are trying to mask the quality of the fish with other flavors. Seeing this, my friend and I focused on nigiri and sashimi. We ordered one of their combo plates that had half and half. I was disappointed to see that they used the same fish on the nigiri as they did for the sashimi - kinda boring. We're usually pretty adventurous sushi people and this was your typical tuna, salmon, whitefish type of stuff. There was one piece of fish that had such a bad odor and taste that we couldn't eat it. Not sure what it was. The service was pretty slow, but we weren't in a rush so it didn't matter. I chalked it up to the place still being new and working out the kinks. Again it wasn't horrible, but nothing to write home about either. read more

I've only written a few reviews and thought that since Ora is doing something that benefits me, I should return the favor. First of all, it's BYOB , the sushi is delish, and it's very reasonably priced. If thats all you need to know, then stop reading now and just go. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and the service by both the sushi chefs and the server were excellent. I cannot say enough great things about the staff. What blew me away, however, was their knowledge around celiac and gluten intolerance and their ability to work with my husband and I without making me feel as though it was a hassle. We used to indulge in sushi often and then I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Every attempt I made to eat asian food in general since then has been so problematic that I assumed it would be out of my diet unless i made it myself. On a whim, I searched on yelp for "gluten free Asian"and this place popped up as being somewhat gluten friendly. Since we live in the neighborhood, it was a no-brainer to check it out. I am so glad we did! The manager and a sushi chef informed me that they recently re-formulated their garlic wasabi mayo to be gluten friendly and it was amazing in their wasabi roll (my personal fav of the night) We got a few other rolls (cant remember their names but all were great) as well as some sides. It was also mentioned that they would soon be making a gluten free menu which will make ordering there even easier than it already is. I am quite sure I over heard one of the chefs instruct the other to "clean the area" so they even took special precautions in prepping our rolls. Again - this blows me away! Ora, went above and beyond to take care of me and as its a favorite of many of my non celiac friends, it will be nice to resume BYOB girl's nights in the hood! Thanks for making your restaurant as inclusive as possible. We will be be back! read more

Woohoo! As good as it gets! (I'm just copying the Yelp rating gauge) Ora Sushi is definitely about as good as it gets. From working at multiple sushi restaurants, I know the whole process of making, preparing and serving sushi so I'm extremely picky about my sushi and sushi restaurants. Ora Sushi stands above the rest. To be fair, there are other great sushi places but smaller, intimate, high quality sushi places such as Ora are harder to find these days. Did I mention it's BYOB?! I can't remember the last time I was able to BYOB to a sushi restaurant. That alone is worth the visit. On this particular occasion, I sat at the sushi bar and talked with the chef. He told me that it's the little things that make the difference such as their homemade sauces, home cured salmon, and even toasting the sesame seeds in house! As I tasted the first piece, I was shocked with how much those little differences added to the taste. Pros: -Fresh, simple, delicious rolls -Intimate and not pretentious -Very experienced and skilled sushi chef -Reasonable prices -BYOB!!! Ora Sushi is definitely worth a visit. If my repeat trip is as good as my first, I'm a customer for live. Definitely as good as it gets. read more

This place is a sushi gem. We went around 6pm for dinner and were sat immediately at the sushi bar. I would recommend making reservations as it is a small restaurant and seats fill up quickly. We ordered sweet potato frittatas as an appetizer - delicious. Surf and turf rolls, a roll with scallops and spicy salmon. Sushi was amazing. The special rolls were also delicious and tasted full of delicate favors but I was sad I couldn't taste the fish as much. Would definitely order them and recommend them but not if you're craving the taste of the fish. Another great thing is they're byob and next to a liquor store. You can also tell that the sushi chefs are serious about the quality of their food and the service. read more

Came here on a Saturday night with a sushi craving. Since Ora came recommended on Yelp, we decided to give it a try. We were seated at the sushi bar so we got to witness the ninja-like skills of the young chef that was preparing the dishes. So impressive! The staff was really friendly and the service was quick. We ordered a few rolls (honestly I can't remember them and they don't have a menu online.. sorry!). They were out of the crab roll that night which was kind of a bummer. We ordered the chirashi, which was reasonably priced and really good.. also they added some (I think) oshinko which really made the rice a lot more satisfying (in my opinion) because after the fish was all gone we also kept on eating the rice. We also ordered a few exotic sounding rolls.. everything was really really good. I'm more of a nigiri fan but the rolls at Ora were really good for showcasing the quality of the fish, which was top notch. At the end, the chef gave my friend and me each a piece of nigiri on the house. Melt in your mouth! Definitely a cool experience by the sushi bar, and a dynamic and fun staff. Will be back! read more

Holy cats! Yelpers, thank you so much for helping me find this amazing sushi gem. I heard tell that the maki was great here; you won't get any arguments from me on that end. But, I'm certainly not driving RIGHT past Toro on my way to Uptown to see if I can find better maki. And I had the chirashi and wasabi tail. Both are great. Truth be told, friends, the nigiri and sashimi are the belle of the ball. I mean, sheeiittttt (pronunication from The Wire). Do yourself a favor and gorge on the wonderful selection of one-piece-wonders: - Beni Toro -- Salmon Belly. The fat content on this beast was like a party in my face. They put a sear on this to activate the fat, and it melted into my mouth. Get it. - Sea Bream -- It's beautiful. And probably new to most people. Have an adventure. This is premium - Unagi -- Fresh Water Eel. Lots of smoke. Great texture. Wonderful sauce. - Hamachi Toro -- Yellow Tail Belly. With Hamachi already being one of my favorites, how could I not like this. I mean, it's belly, man. - 7 spiced escolar. I'd be lying if I said I knew what the hell this was, but it was tasty. This is a great BYOB date spot, as other folks have mentioned. The only reason that they didn't get the fifth star is because it was only moderatly crowded, and it took 2 of us almost two hours to eat. Come here, open the menu to the nigiri section, and pick anything. read more

This would be an easy five stars if the host didn't rush us from our table. "Are you done with this?" No. [Takes it anyway.] If someone were waiting for our table, it still would've been rude but I wouldn't have been as bothered. No one was waiting. The food is ridiculously tasty and surprisingly hearty for sushi. It's an interesting menu. The room is nice, bustling, no-frills but attractive. Ora is a great date spot. So it's disappointing to have the spell broken so abruptly. It was like a leisurely drive that ended with a squirrel smashing through the windshield. Forgetting that diners often choose restaurants for the experience as much as the food is an unforgivable sin. I'll be happy to return when there's someone different working the door, and not needlessly bussing tables. read more

I loved the before, and I love the after! The spicy salmon roll, is well simply put, the best spicy salmon roll I have ever had... I have had a ton of sushi, and all sorts of goodness, this roll is just exceptional, I hope it stays that way, two times so far and it has been exceptional two times, here is to the future! All the food was excellent, the tea was special, and I mean that in a good way! We will be back! read more

The Good: Delicious sushi. Classy yet laid-back atmosphere. Not over-priced. BYOB and there's a liquor store a block away. The Bad: OK service. They took a while to come to the table and find a wine glass. The miso soup was not good (how can miso soup not be good?!). Overall, a great experience. Five stars. read more

First Thing is First: The sushi is top notch. I mean really excellent. I am a vegetarian and even the options available to me are among the best I have ever eaten (the spicy asparagus roll, for example). My partner--the meat eater--feels equally strongly about the fish options. Its just really excellent food. Apparently the miso--I weep that it contains fish sauce--is unusually worthwhile. HOWEVER...Ora also is superlative in its horrible service. Its pretty clear that they are understaffed, which is something I can feel a lot of empathy for, but I'm a little baffled about why they have never tried to rectify this problem. Business is obviously booming--why do you only have a few waitresses and a severely stressed out host? More in that Vein: Why am I put on hold for 7 to 10 minutes at a time before giving up and just ending the call? Why is the phone constantly busy so I can't even be put on hold in the first place? If you--by some miracle--can actually get an order placed on a Friday or Saturday night, why do they give you a wildly inaccurate estimate as to how long it will take to prepare your order so that you end up lingering awkwardly in their tiny space near some couples tiny table as you wait for your take out to be ready? Why does it take an hour and a half to have your food served if you're sitting down? Why does the waitress never check on your table nor refill water glasses? Please Ora, pretty please, just fix this service stuff because I'm so discouraged that your tasty food is barely bringing me back anymore. read more

This is definitely a new favorite sushi spot. Service: Fast and friendly. My friend is gluten-free and the server and kitchen were very good about helping us navigate the menu. Food: Fresh fish. Tasty looking small plates. Lovely presentation. Oh, and they put fancy roasted garlic salt on the edamame. Delicious. I love the sashimi/nigiri options that come with a few extra components. Spicy tuna was actually a bit spicy. The wasabi tail maki was also a favorite. Prices: Competitive. Just ever-so-slightly less than I expect to pay for great sushi. BYOB alos helps me avoid sticker shock when the bill comes. Atmosphere: Quite nice. Dimly lit and nicely decorated. Unlike some other places, they do not cram the tables in so close that you are literally rubbing elbows with your neighbor. And there is no bumping techno, which I always appreciate at a sushi restaurant. I'll be back. Hopefully Ora stay exactly the same once it inevitably gains popularity. read more

Welcome to the neighborhood Ora! This new sushi restaurant has an excellent atmosphere, solid service, and very good maki. The miso and edamame were both nicely done. The beef tataki was delicious! We also tried the spicy tuna, dynamite roll, and a few others. All were excellent with a good fish to rice ratio. Overall, we had a great experience at Ora. read more

Fan-freaking-tastic sushi. Beyond pretentious staff. 4 stars for the food: Let's start with the food. Oh my. I'm still making my way around Chicago sushi joints looking for something comparable to the West coast sushi I have grown accustomed to. So far Ora is at the top of the list. The fish is fresh, the rolls are inventive but not ridiculous and I saw maybe one roll that had cream cheese in it (thank you for realizing cream cheese doesn't belong near sushi). The sushi and rolls were good, really good. 2 stars for the staff: We walk in early, like way early because we were going to an event nearby. The place was completely empty because we were well before dinner hour. The dude rushes up to us and asks if we had a reservation. I looked around at ALL of the empty tables and said, no. He said (and I'm not kidding), let me see what I can do. He made us stand there for a few minutes while he was "seeing what he could do" in the back somewhere. Um, ok. Awkward. He then sat us. The next person we encountered took one look at us (we were dressed down for the before mentioned event) and made a judgment call and spoke to us like we were neanderthals. Baby, I've traveled to Japan multiple times and have eaten sushi at the finest restaurants in this country - I got this. I seldom write bitchy reviews, but they were exceptionally bitchy and it's noteworthy. Go for the sushi, ignore the pretentiousness. I hope they remedy that because I would like to go back and eat in peace. read more

I went there once on a double date. It was an experience. The first thing that I noticed was the service. The waiter was extremely nice and put up with our groups many questions. He recommended multiple things, even though we ended up ordering pretty much the entire menu. The food was unique as sushi goes, definitely not your typical sushi flavors. I would have to put it at one of my top 5 sushi restaurants. A must try is the oyster motoyaki. A big plus is it's byob. The restaurant itself is not very large and can get pretty loud. Trust me even if it sounded like a jet plane in the restaurant you still need to try it! read more

Me and a group of friends went here and tried almost every roll on the menu! I love love loved the selection here and would recommend to anyone and everyone. We also had the edamame and the the baked oysters. Those were a little too rich for me. The flavor profile was something I had not experienced before but I love trying new things. Will be back again and again and again ! read more

Ora - Oysters ! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I am a sushi purist, having spent most of my adult eating life around Japanese food in Taiwan and Japan. That being said, I can say with resounding confidence that Ora is one of the TOP TEN sushi restaurants I've ever been to. At first look, you might dismiss it as a fusion joint that banks on excessive mayo and cream cheese, but that would be a grave mistake. This small restaurant is able to deliver fresh and inventive Japanese food at a price point that exceeds its stature. The nigiris were fantastic! Some of the standouts were the 7 Spiced Escolar and Anago (salt water eel, tastier than Unagi, the fresh water eel). The tuna and salmon cuts were so fresh, I thought I was dining at the Tokyo fish market. As for the rolls, we tried almost every signature roll on the menu. I would recommend most of them, but my ultimate favourites were: - Wasabi Tail - Chirashi - Dynamite The Chirashi and Dynamite will blow you away. Theses rolls alone can fight a world war, and win. The Nooky and Scallop Volcano came a close second. These are the backup soldiers. If you like spicy, the Beef Tataki is the way to go. I've never tasted a beef tataki so flavourful, but it will burn of spice and leave a great scar/memory. After my dinner at Ora, I haven't been able to look a California Roll in the eye again. This may change in the future, when I'm desperate, but for now I'm saving up for my next trip back. read more

I hate to do this, because the staff here is fantastic and I want to give them more of my business. I must raise the issue, however, of my disappointing experience last week. While eating one of my rolls, I bit into something quite hard. I thought it might be a bit of food, but when I took the offender out of my mouth, it was some sort of little glass/plastic/whatever ball. I have no idea where it came from, and neither did the chefs, but they apologized profusely when I mentioned that my tooth was hurting from it. Surprisingly, they didn't offer to take the roll from me and replace it. And when I closed out, I was unpleasantly surprised to find the roll in question still on my check. Now, I'm not one to make a fuss. I've been in the business, and I never want to be one of "those" customers. But seriously, when there's a foreign object in my food, I either expect the item to be replaced or removed from the bill. I don't think that's much to ask. I will probably give them another chance, because I truly like the folks who work there, and I imagine that this was just a fluke. But unfortunately I think this will taint my opinion for a while, until I'm sure that it won't happen again. read more

This is one of my all time favorite sushi restaurants. The service is always superb. Every time I go, I try one of my waitress's favorite rolls, and I'm always impressed. Some of my favorites have been the ever popular Surf and Turf as well as the Dragon roll. I also love that, at Ora, the waitresses suggest that you try the specialty rolls without any soy sauce because they are already moist and full of flavor. It's 100% true! I've attempted this at other sushi places, and found that it's not always the case. Often times the soy sauce is a necessity just to get the roll down the hatch. Ora is also BYOB which is a delight. The atmosphere is great for an intimate night out for 2. If you haven't been to Ora, you have to give it a try. I'm sure you'll fall in love too! read more

We went to Ora the on their opening night. The staff was incredibly friendly and always checking on our table to make sure we were enjoying the meal. The food was absolutely fantastic. Everything was so fresh and all the rolls were very unique. The surf and turf and dynamite rolls were my favorite and both came highly recommended by our server. I'd say my least favorite thing about this meal was the miso soup...and even that was good! We went back the next week and the staff immediately recognized us and were just as friendly as they were on their opening night. The food was just as good, if not better and we've decided this will probably be a weekly occurrence. The prices aren't bad either, even for a tight budget! read more

Delicious! Amazing! Deliciously amazing! From the moment I walked into Ora the complete sensory adventure began. The volume is kept low but the combined sounds of Jazz, R&B, and dance are just loud enough to create a fresh vibe. The restaurant is small yet it welcomes you with an infectious warmth and energy much larger than its size. Table seating is intimate and comfortable but the bar is definitely the place to be so you can get to know the young minds (Dalbert Song: Owner/Partner, Jordan: Sous Chef, Derek: Restaurant Manager, and Kyle: Server) behind this modern day twist on traditional Japanese cuisine. They are eager to give recommendations on their personal favorites and a detailed description of what dishes work well together. It's like getting a two-for-one: pay for dinner; get a complimentary cooking lesson. We started with the warm edamame topped with crushed sea salt and some of the best hot tea I have ever had. The tea was a combination of green and white leaves infused with apple and cinnamon. It was smooth, mild, perfectly balanced and crisp enough to clean the palate after each course. We moved on to the Shitake Mushroom/Avocado Maki Roll and the Blue Shell Crab Signature Roll. The two were the perfect pair as the mild and nutty flavors of the mushrooms and avocado complimented the bold spiciness of the crab. These two rolls are now on the list of my permanent favorites. And dessert--well that left me without words other than "Mmmm..." Hands down, Ora has the best mochi ice cream in Chicago. Hand-picked by the owners (mochi lovers themselves) and flown in from Hawaii, they offer blueberry, tiramisu, chocolate espresso, and pistachio. Blueberry is the last flavor I would have thought of for mochi but it was absolutely divine. Do not leave without trying it! Ora is located in the heart of Andersonville, but trust me, it's worth the trip no matter how far away you live. Enjoy! read more

Service: 5+ stars. Super friendly. they checked on us and gave recommendations Ambiance: 5 stars. low lit and initimate Free byob: 5 stars creativity: 4 to 5 stars Food:...maybe 3 stars. Given the raving reviews, we came in seeking a clean refreshing dinner but it seemed the rolls we ordered were either to crunchy and fried or too saucy and spicy or had a smokey flavor with too many things going on texturely. their preparation was just soo different that we didnt feel like we had a light sushi dinner. -The usual basic spicy salmon was so spicy that I could not even taste the fish. It was so red that I thought it could be tuna but I just could not tell through the gooey spicy chili sauce and low lit ambiance. -The albacore tataki roll had a smoky flavor to it and could not taste many of the other ingredients. the hubby thot it was too fishy for his liking. - The scallop dynamite was pretty good. it was creative and with a very fried crunchy texture. -The spicy octopus was the only roll we found kind of relatable. - the beni toro was certainly the only fresh item. the salmon belly melted in your mouth but unmemorably. the place is small so call ahead for rezzo. read more

Ora - Beni toro - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A casual atmosphere with food that matches any fancy Japanese restaurant. Some of the sushi rolls are unique - my favorite is the surf and turf. read more

This place blew me away! I think I have found my new, favorite sushi spot. To start, this place is BYOB, which is always a plus in my book. This place also had a good vibe to it. We sat at the sushi bar and our waitress was very helpful. We started out by ordering their popular sweet potato fries. They were really good especially the yogurt sauce. My favorite roll was the "Nooky" roll and my girlfriend really liked the "Wasabi Tail" roll. Both were excellent. We ordered some Nigiri, which was also excellent. The Escolar and Hamachi Toro were super fresh. Upon ordering more of this Nigiri the waitress recommended her favorite, the Mebachi. She recommended to no use soy sauce because it was already marinated in some old ancient soy sauce. It was absolutely delicious. I had to order more! I can't wait to go back to Ora! read more

One word....DYNAMITE! Seriously, try the dynamite roll. Amazing flavors. I went to Ora for the first time for a valentine's dinner. I've had sushi all over this city and have never felt so compelled to write a review until now. The spot is quaint, uncrowded, great service, and most importantly...has delicious, fresh sushi with unique flavor combinations along w/ your 'classic' faves. We did have reservations made a few days in advance, but that's saying a lot for valentine's day that we were able to get an 8pm reservation. This place is a gem. Try it out and you won't be disappointed. In fact, it most likely will be your new favorite spot. If you're feeling adventurous, try the Spicy Octopus roll. YUM! read more

Let me begin with a simple statement: I've paid twice as much for sushi that is half as good. This was honestly one of the best meals I've eaten, and the place is byo! I enjoy ordering the chef's selection at most places, and as a result I went for the appropriately named "Sushi and Sashimi Set." It was the most expensive menu item at a whopping $27. Every piece is well dressed with the right amount of whatever-it-is-that-sushi-chefs-use, and every bite leaves that delicious umami goodness on the tongue. The place is small and incredibly appropriate for a date night or a quieter, relaxing evening. Let the chefs work their magic, and you will not be disappointed. I'm looking forward to my next meal here. read more

I had dinner and sat at the counter. It was my first time there so I wasn't sure really what to get or what was good so the server gave lots of great recommendations! The head chef was very friendly and outgoing with the others at the counter. I would definitely go back and highly recommend it! read more

Upon first arrival I was somewhat nervous as the staff seemed busy and inattentive in welcoming myself along with other patrons ahead of me. Fortunately I had a reservation and what a smart move on my part. After about ten minutes I was finally acknowledged and seated accordingly. Unfortunately, this did set the tone for my meal. A young waitress with glasses quickly changed that initial impression! She welcomed me, presenting the menu and guiding myself and my guest through the menu. She offered some of her favorites which we gladly accepted . Throughout the evening she was attentive, and never a bother. Highly notable items on the menu include: Unagi & Cucumber Maki: basic, simple, fresh. Chirashi Maki: again, premium fish [escarole] with bright ginger and sesame notes. Scallop Volcano Maki: generous, umami flavor with a slight sweetness given by the scallops. All of these rolls certainly did not require any additional sauce [i.e. soy] or the use of additional wasabi as there was enough heat from some of the spicier maki. Even our server recommended we not spoil the soy reduction sauce or the natural, clean taste of the fish or scallop that the chef had placed on the maki. For those that are more accustomed to more Americanized zushi or sushi, Ora does offer the usual suspect ingredients of cream cheese and avocado. They also remain BYO for the moment. Take head: make a reservation in advance as the restaurant is small and has only a dozen or so tables plus the sushi bar. Great job chefs, sous-chefs, servers, kitchen staff of Ora! [ gochisōsama deshita, something to be translated as "it was a feast!"] read more

Still remains one of the best spots for sushi in Chicago! Started coming here four years back, and it continues to be one of the best options for sushi I'd ever recommend. The fish is so fresh, and the space is always fun! Salmon Nigiri, Scallop Volcano (one of my favs), Surf n Turf Spicy Tuna roll, wasabi tail roll, Dynamite (one of my favs), nooky, etc. They're all SO good!! BYOB, and they can chill your wine if you'd prefer. read more

Yum! My girlfriend and I stopped in on a whim. My expectations were pretty low since: * I'm very picky about sushi restaurants * I knew that they had only open for about a month * I had woken up on the wrong side of the bed and quite frankly I thought nothing would appease me. First impressions were good I enjoyed the décor, casual a bit romantic. Our server was adorable he was very personable and had good knowledge of the menu. I thought the prices were reasonable and the food...well the food far exceeded my expectations. The standard California roll and avocado roll were good but what turned like into love was when a spicy specialty roll called the dynamite walked into my life. It had crab, salmon and shrimp tempura stuff, cream cheese, spicy sauces and it was magic...I think I came a little; my girlfriend was jealous. So why the four stars when I am so obviously smitten? Well getting the food was a little slow; next time I might skip a roll and substitute an appetizer to prevent staring at other people's yummy food on their tables and making them uncomfortable. Also the music was a little loud...fortunately the music selection itself was to my liking so no real loss for me on that one. read more

I don't write a lot of these, but this place is too good to not to. We did the omakase (not specifically on the menu) and everything was excellent. Service was spot on as well. Sit at the bar if you can. Stop by Hopleaf for a nightcap. Perfect evening. read more

Best salmon rolls in the city. The fish is fresh, high quality, and flavorful. Even my boyfriend, who usually shies away from fish went to town on the Sake Maki. The Avocado was smooth and buttery, they know how to select. Ate ourselves into a food coma for a reasonable price. It's a small, intimate space that's easy to overlook when you're walking down the street but incredibly worth the visit. We will be coming back. read more

The only reason I am giving this 2 stars instead of one is because the seaweed salad was pretty good. I would love to rate the rest of the food but it never came. We came here on a Friday night, having experienced many sushi restaurants around Chicago and wanting to try something new. First off, we made a reservation and it took them 20 minutes to seat us. Already I was unhappy. Looking over the menu at the table, everything looked pretty good and considering the prices, it should be fantastic. It took the waitress about 15-20 minutes to even take our orders. 15 minutes later, the miso soup and seaweed salad come out. As all of this is happening, there are 4 sushi chefs behind the counter and you figure since there are so many and the restaurant is rather small, the food would be fast. You soon realize, that all of the rolls they are making are for take-out orders. At least a dozen people came in and picked up their take-out while we were there. We waited an hour for our sushi rolls, constantly check with our server who said they would be ready momentarily...they never were. Eventually we just got up and left (which have done maybe one other time in my life) and went to our favorite sushi restaurant up the street which was phenomenal! Never going to this place again. read more