So, my first review of Rollapalooza was for the first of many incarnations of the same sushi spot. I'm not sure, but it looks like management has changed a couple times, and the look, staff, and menu are much different than the first Rollapalooza I met and loved. However, I'm really still a fan! I work weird hours and often stop in by myself for a nice, quick dinner and a chance to read a little. The same people are always working when I go, and they remember me and are so, so welcoming! It's calm, but bright and cheery inside, the sushi is super, and the people who work here are really great. As with a lot of sushi places these days, some of the choices for rolls are ridiculous. These days, I don't usually bother with elaborate rolls with ten kinds of fish and a whole bunch of other crap in them, usually preferring sashimi, but the few rolls I've tried so far are tasty and nicely balanced. The sashimi is fresh, with good portions, and presented so beautifully! I took a picture of my food! I never take pictures of my food! Looking forward to my next visit! :) read more

I am a huge fan of this place. Great sushi place! Great taste and very pleasant people. It is BYOB place and no cork fee, which pretty awesome. Always fresh food there and yummi Miso Soup. Very modern design and great location, great place to have dinner and then hit some fun bars right across a street. Definitely coming back read more

The food was on point. We started with sashimi sampler and a smoky roll. I was not a huge fan of the sashimi but I also don't like fresh white tuna. The flounder however was AWESOME, and they had octopus. The smoky roll was also delicious. We then moved on to a house salad (huge!), Godzilla Roll, and Spicy Tataki Roll. One of the plates was on fire, which made all three of us drunk (byob!) girls were amazed. The workers were really nice, except they weren't the most helpful. The food was so good though I don't even care. read more

It's a small space, but efficiently organized. We tried several rolls. Tequila and Rollapalooza were delicious. The classic rolls were good too! Our waitress was friendly and attentive. Also keep in mind, it's BYOB. We really enjoyed this place for reasonable price. read more

Since the first reviewer was completely stupid and useless. I will offer the first REAL review. This place is now open and I have actually dined there! The over-all theme of the restaurant as you can guess by it's name is devoted to maki rolls. They have a very extensive selection of some familiar rolls (Dragon, city rolls, spider, etc) and some with rolls with an interesting spin. Food here is above average for a your typical budget northside sushi joint. I was surprised that they give you a free bowl of edamame as soon as you are seated. The dining room is dominated by a long sushi bar with a few tables by the walls. Decor is very bright, fresh, and modern...very Urban Outfitter-esque The fish was surprising fresh and the portions were large. Larger rolls were as big around as my fist and they did not skimp on the ingredients. Prices are also very reasonable for the amount of food that you get. Service was very friendly, though uneven. There was a shortage of drinking glasses and plates where not provided when the food arrived. Clearly, they have some bugs to workout but it is understandable as it is their first week. Overall I was impressed by Rollapalooza, with their focus on maki and large selection they have managed to set themselves apart from the ho-hum sushi places on Halsted. I would definitely return! read more

My boyfriend and I tried this place a few nights ago and we both were really impressed. The atmosphere was refreshing for a sushi place- it was bright and modern, not the normal dark and zen like atmosphere. The sushi was unique and super fresh. I highly recommend the Summer Roll! With white tuna, yellowtail, and pico de gallo on top, it really made for an interesting roll. read more

Is it bad when the delivery driver knows you?! I think not! Had to up the review to 5 stars. My new favorite roll is the tequila roll...perfect amount of spice with the fresh fish. I'm starting to think the ginger dressing had a little bit of crack in it...a couple days after having it I start dreaming about it! read more

This was my first time not only here, but to a sushi place at all and I'm glad Rollapalooza was my introduction to the cuisine. We made reservations to be safe and were glad we did. This place was tiny. However, the staff were nice and it was decorated so that the interior had a lot of character. We didn't byob this time, but we'll make sure we do next time. It should be noted that if you want anything other than water, you need to bring it. The two appetizers we had (Shumai and the seaweed salad) were enough to bring us back. The rolls, though, were great. I also thought they were very filling, but I am new to sushi, so perhaps the sensation overload got me. It was a long wait for the food, a little more than half an hour--I don't know if this is normal or not, being new to sushi places. We were really hungry by the time our rolls got to the table, but full when we left. There's only one toilet in the back and sometimes is home to a stray bug...so when we come back (which we intend to) we might try to avoid that. The total bill with two apps and two rolls came out at around $40--great for a date night! read more

This is actually my second time at Rollapalooza and have to admit they have some really good sushi.. Their prices are comparable to other sushi places with their portions being slightly bigger.. I love that they are BYOB and have no corkage fee. One thing to note is that they don't offer any non-sushi entrees in their menu, aside from the appetizers.. read more

BYOB no corkage fee! Need I say anymore?! I came here on a Saturday night with my family and we had a group of 6. They were able to accommodate our reservation at 6:00pm but did ask if we could be out by 8:00 to accommodate others. I felt slightly rushed to order but once we all gathered our thoughts and agreed on food we ordered a variety of different rolls and nigiri. The quality of the sushi was exceptional, I have zero complaints whatsoever on the freshness of their fish. The tequila roll was absolutely amazing but I will say the crazy roll was the best one I tried. At the end, instead of desert, we decided to order two orders of shrimp dumplings. I regret not getting these earlier because they were so full of flavor an piping hot in temperature when they came out. We were out in a matter of an hour or so and didn't feel rushed during the meal. I will absolutely be coming back here again for it was decently priced and great quality sushi. read more

I am not a huge fan of sushi. I'll eat it but I have never gone out for it. This was my first time. We got right in and sat down quickly. The service was prompt and speedy but there's something about the lack of personality or willingness to tend to a customer that the waitresses emit. I used to be a waiter myself and I would at least tell my party my name and show some enthusiasm towards the table. I didn't get this here. "Hi, how are you?", "Okay I'll put that in for you.", "How is everything?", "Here's the bill. Thank you very much." Basically the conversation between the waitress and me. I mean, it's only one person. The rest of the staff seemed nice and attentive. Maybe next time it will be better. As for the food. We ordered the Wild Tartar and I absolutely loved the spicy tuna but did not care for the salmon. I am not a huge salmon fan so that should have been expected. But I tried it anyway. We also ordered the Yellowtail and Scallion, as well as the Spider Roll. Both were awesome. I thought the Spider Roll was fantastic. The food made up for the service and I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a not-so-expensive sushi place to dine at. read more

Awesome neighborhood Sushi Bar in Lakeview. Been a couple times and it gets better each time. Get to know Eric, the head Sushi chef - once you go, you'll be back. Rolls are inventive and lots of variety - tell him what you like and let him work his magic. Stopped in for a late night dinner on a Monday around 10:00pm. Although we were the last table, you wouldn't know based on the service we received. We ordered some Edimame, the Smokey (smoked salmon was torched perfectly) and the Dynomite (which was an interesting mix of snowcrab mix, white tuna, scallops, avocado, mozzarella - again, delish). After we placed our order, Minnie (our waitress), brought us some hand rolls (crunchy spicy tuna) - compliments of the chef. They were amazing. Kudos to Rollapalooza for their delicious food and great staff - we will back for sure. read more

This place is AMAZING. I am a sushi fanatic and have been to the lowest end all you can eat sushi places and the most expensive fancy sushi spots downtown and NOTHING beats this place. The food, (best ive ever had) The atomosphere (super relaxed, yet intriguing and chic) and finally the chefs, staff are among the most polite, caring I have ever met. OH NOT TO MENTION, their prices are the same as any other sushi place and with way better food. I seriously would ONLY get sushi from this place. read more

Hits the spot every time. While I only really like sushi in San Francisco for reasons you can probably pinpoint, this place does it right for Chicago. Highlights: * Great sashimi * Excellent rolls * Superb service * Inexpensive for the quality of fish * Great location * BYOB Highly recommended for a sushi place. While other sushi places may have a more fun ambiance, I say who cares especially when I go for the quality of sushi rather than ambiance - unless of course it's a special occasion. Give Rollapalooza a go you won't be disappointed! read more

BYOB without a corkage fee. Reservations available on Open Table, which is fantastic. Location is easy to get to and decor inside is very nice for a BYOB Sushi spot. Location is a tad small, but works especially with a reservation. Sushi was very very good for the price points. Lots of rolls, inventive menu overall. Food came out vey quick on a Friday, but we were never rushed. Would recommend to any group of 2-6. Much larger and they wouldnt have room. read more

We came here for the first time this past week for my birthday dinner. It was amazing! I am a self-proclaimed foodie, and really wanted to have a delightful experience for dinner, and this did not disappoint. All of the rolls we had were fresh and delicious. The service was also friendly, and the atmosphere warm and welcoming. I can't wait to go back! read more

Fresh fish, good prices, new friendly owners and BYOB = a win The new owners made a huge improvement on this place. The fish is consistently fresh and the service is super friendly. Favorite rolls: Mafia (spicy tuna + black rice) Tropical (w/ Mango) White tuna and avocado (melts in your mouth) If you want something different the tuna and salmon lettuce wraps are also really good. read more

When it comes to what I like about Japanese food and sushi, this place has what I want. We try to stop by at least once or twice a month and would go more if sushi wasn't so expensive in general. Even though, Rollapalooza gets my vote over over spots for a few reasons: creativity with food, quality of food and finally, location. It happens to be less than five minute walk from my house. There are not many places I give 5-stars, but I decided to give Rollapalooza 5-stars because the experience is always enjoyable and I always leave satisfied. The chef and waiters recognize us when we come and provide good service. I wouldn't say over the top amazing service, but in general, no real complaints about the service. From an ambiance point-of-view, the place is quite small, but we don't feel packed in. The places always has people but never have I had to wait for a table. For the food, we seem to always order similar rolls and sashimi, and when we have ventured off the path, we have not been disappointed. When it comes to the rolls, I typically order something with Shrimp Tempura and most any roll with their snow crab mix, which is, as some might say, "off the chain." From a sashimi perspective, we typically order a salmon (sake), tuna, white fish and of course, kani, which is so freaking delicious. We always ask for 2 or 3 orders of the Kani, which at $7 bucks a pop, jacks up our bill. If they did a Kani special weekend, I would be a very happy man. If you like sushi and contemporary rolls, try this spot out. I bet you will like it. read more

Always an excellent experience: both dining in & carrying out. The staff is friendly and efficient, the food is amazing and fresh, and the menu has some great creative dishes. I tend to go for vegetarian rolls over fish, and they have some unique ones (not usually the case when it comes to veggie rolls, the fishy ones always seem to have all the fun!). Highly recommend. read more

Best Sushi in Chicago. It's fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced. It's byob, which is always a plus. The rollapalooza blossom and acapulco rolls are both great!! The place is very small, so I recommend making a reservation. read more

Rollapalooza has a plethora of creative rolls. We ordered several basic rolls and a few unique ones. The bill was normal for sushi places (high), but they did throw in a free Spicy Tuna roll (through Foodler), which made me edit my order to accommodate for the free food. The rolls were delicious and satisfying. Try the Meguan- the chili paste on top is a different, yet welcoming addition. The delivery service was speedy and the order was accurate. I would undoubtedly order from here again, especially with the freebie! read more

By far my favorite sushi place!! This place is simply amazing. There is no corkage fee and a new wine store called 'Paired' just opened up across the street on Buckingham where Kafka used to be. What keeps me coming back to this place is the excellent food and friendly service. We usually order the 20 piece sashimi platter which features a variety of fresh fish that changes with the daily selection. Everything is very reasonably priced too, especially for how delicious everything is. When we order rolls we like to get the Spicy Tataki (comes to the table on fire!), the Mafia, or the super white tuna with avocado (we get it wrapped in black rice instead of the traditional white rice). All are amazing! I also like some of their more adventurous creations- Eric will make a dessert that has diced salmon, white tuna, avocados, tomatoes, and asparagus in a sweet sauce that is surprisingly delicious. One piece of advice- the place is not huge (maybe seats 50 guests when completely full) so you may want to make reservations ahead of time. Enjoy!! read more

Rollapalooza - Delicious specialty dessert at Rollapalooza- salmon, tuna, orange, mango, and asparagus in a sweet sauce - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

4 years later and this is still my go-to sushi spot. Amazing service and my husband and I crave it when we want good, healthy food. Consistently awesome. Adding to my favorites the Acapulco and the Tequila, but in all honesty you can't go wrong here. read more

WOW! BEST SUSHI I'VE HAD EVER! My brother has been going to sunshui in Arlington Heights for years and he has gotten to know the head sushi chef Eric. Well he found out that Eric his famous Sushi Chef opened up his very own place on halsted! He was the Nicest sweetest guy! The guy definitely knows his sushi and is very creative with his art of sushi. The whole is very kind and on point with service and it makes you feel very welcome! I highly recommend it! read more

- Yep. -- Loved it. --- Rolls were delicious. ---- I will be going back. ----- The prices were spot on. ------ Definitely better than expected, and will go back if I'm in the neighborhood. Note: The only reason I can't give it 5 stars is because it's not the best sushi I've had, but there's great options, good sized rolls, affordable prices, and a nice atmosphere that make this a go-to spot. read more

Great place with insane amount of options. Took me forever to read the menu and I didn't even read it all. I choose the black monster but substituted white rice for black. I also had the rollapalooza roll. The most interesting roll I've ever had. So good! I couldn't finish it all but yum!!! There is no sake which means no sake bombs. Sad face but they do allow you to bring your own. Also, no fee where some places I've been have a fee for uncorking. Service was quick and food was good. I drink a whole bottle of red by myself and I feel accomplished. And that's all I have to say about that. Jackée read more

I am surprised at the affordability of the restaurant was, given the location. I thought they might raise the cost for normal dishes. My group stopped in for dinner on a Thursday night around 5:30. Server was courteous and had gave us ample time to find what we wanted. We did throw in an appetizer of shumai first and it came out very hot and delicious. Each dumpling was in its own little compartment and sitting in sauce. Very good; wets our appetite before the sushi. The Godzilla roll with the shrimp and cilantro tasted so fresh; the turtle with the eel was tender-everything we got was highly satisfactory. It's a place I think you can go crazy at with all your rolls or even control yourself with a couple rolls with friends before walking down for drinks. read more

I went here on a friday night around 7 pm with my boyfriend. We were lucky to sit down within 5 minutes, since there are only 3 tables for 2-4 people, 1 table for maybe 6 people, and the seats at the sushi bar. We brought a bottle of white wine from Kafka. I was happy that they didn't charge a fee for us to open it. However, they did not provide any container with cold water or ice in it for the wine. The decor was cool. While we were looking at the menus, one of the waitresses came to us 4 times asking if we were ready. Once we put the menus down, it took her 15 minutes for her to come to us again. When there are less than 10 parties and two waitresses...not good. We ordered the tuna avacado roll, the rainbow roll and the kamikaze roll (I think). The fish was all very fresh and good. The Kamikaze was very, very onion-y.(after going home and using listerine, I still tasted it in my mouth. Not hot.) They brought the rolls out separately; I would have preferred them to have been brought out together. This was definitely enough food for two people. I was full and satisfied. They also brought some edamame before the meal, but it was soggy and a bit flavorless. No sign of the tea mentioned in earlier reviews; maybe you only get it if you don't bring wine. So this is more of a 3.5 star review for the freshness of the fish, and the fact that the rolls were really good when we actually got them. The price was also decent, better than Wakamono down the street. Service was bad. I don't cut slack for bad service; good restaurants have both, and in this economy...you've got to bring it or fail. They also don't have a website, they would benefit from one of those since I will probably only go to them for take out in the future. read more

Amazing sushi! All the rolls are yummy! I've ordered many different ones and I'm never disappointed.

Sushi was amazing!! So many options and the Mafia roll was amazing. The staff were very friendly. When my friend and I got there it was a little early for dinner and we were the only ones there. By the time we left around 7, every table was filled! There were also tons of to go orders going out the door. One thing I will say is that the restaurant had a weird smell... mixture of cleaning supplies & raw fIsh? This was my first time here so maybe that's not the norm but it did make me a little uneasy at first, but glad we decided to stay! read more

Amazing sushi!!! I started with the house salad, I usually prefer a normal ginger dressing but the peanut butter added a nice touch to the dressing. I got 2 rolls, the tropical and the crazy philly. The tropical was my favorite but the crazy philly was also amazing! I would definitely go back next time I'm in the area. read more

Mediocre sushi with very little fish and an unreasonable price tag. The salads are good and wait staff are nice, but that doesn't come close to redeeming the rolls. Probably the worst deal for sushi I've seen in Chicago. read more

I'll make it simple, this place is GREAT! I was immediately attracted to this particular restaurant because I am new to the area and where I'm from, there are a million amazing sushi restaurants. I was going through withdrawals! Anyway, I talked a friend into going with me. Everything we ordered was delicious! My only qual was the service got a little sparse once the business picked up. When we first arrived it was fairly early and empty but as our meal went on the restaurant got completely filled. (Good sign) read more

Rollapalooza - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I would rather pay 13 dollars for 1 of there entrees than receive an oral favor for free. Yeah. I would highly recommend the dynamite roll for sushi noobs who are afraid of fish taste, it was stellar. read more

This restaurant is nothing short of perfection. I have been going here since it opened and travel all the way from the northwest suburbs. I have successfully tried each and every roll on the menu over the past few years and I have never came across one I would not order again. Each roll is amazing and presented in such an art. The Meagun roll is by far the greatest and probably named after someone amazing. Each roll has its own flavor to satisfy any hunger taste you may have that day. Overall, I do not think it is possible to come to this restaurant and leave unhappy. It is by far the best sushi in the city and the most reasonably priced. Do yourself a favor and get to Rollapalooza right now, you will not regret it!!!! read more

Rollapalooza is my favorite neighborhood sushi spot. Having checked out many of the sushi joints in LV/LP, Rollapalooza differentiates itself by the quality and variety of sushi options as well as the modern yet cozy feel. A few noteworthy rolls: black monster, turtle (comes out shaped like a turtle), and mafia roll. This place consistently delivers high quality and fresh food for any sushi lover. I'm generally a fan of places offering black rice and low carb options too. Allows more people to enjoy the many sushi restaurants of Chicago! read more

Hands down best sushi I have had in a while. Fish melted in your mouth and the edamame was cooked to perfection with the right amount of salt. I would recommend getting the 3 basic rolls for $15 (great deal right?!). We also splurged on the black monster to try black rice. Again... Melted in your mouth and you didn't notice the rice (some places it's all rice with a hint of fish....) the favors blended together amazingly with the perfect hint of cream cheese and spice. Will be coming back PLUS it's BYOB!!!! read more

Rollapalooza - $15 for 3 basic rolls plus $15 for signature roll (black monster) = happiness, melt in your mouth fish, and a sushi coma. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have searched this city for a fresh, clean, and affordable sushi restaurant. My search was over after my first bite from a Rollapalooza roll. The restaurant is small, but it takes reservations and it's BYOB with a 7-11 down the street. Every member of their staff is attentive and friendly. I have never felt rushed or pressured to leave. I will say that it can get a little loud, but I've found that any restaurant in Chicago is loud even if you're going to a Michelin-star restaurant. Whether you're eating in the restaurant, taking it to go, or getting it delivered, it will be fast and presented beautifully. Y'all, I cannot even tell you how good this place is! My mom frequently visits from St. Louis and Rollapalooza is always first on our list of things to eat. You can't go wrong with any of the items on the menu--and believe me, we've eaten most of them. But here is a list of our favorites for some help deciding: -Cucumber salad -Meguan -Dragon -Mafia -Spicy tataki -Pink flower They have low-carb options that are all delicious. You can also get black rice instead of white in any roll. Seriously, you have got to go to Rollapalooza. read more

My husband and I went for an early dinner, and we were the only customers. Server was very nice. We shared the Caterpillar and the Unagi Q. Loved the Caterpillar, the Unagi Q was okay. My husband also had the Baby Lobster roll (liked it, but said he would have liked it more without the sauce/spicy mayo? in the lobster). He also had three kinds of sashimi, which he enjoyed. Cute place, pretty quick service. read more

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Okay tried this place again and still love it. What makes me love it even more? Went here two weeks ago to get some takeout to go watch a movie. Seriously the dude working was awesome probably the only time in my life I will walk into a sushi restaurant and hear Poison being blasted. Made my week. read more