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A nice sushi spot to dine at! Could be good for a date or just a casual meal with friends. The service was decent. We all got the chirashi bowl and tbh it was phenomenal. The vinegar rice was made well and the fish was soft and plentiful. I was super full by the end.
Simply fantastic! The above & beyond service (server name?), lovely presentation, fresh beyond fresh fish, clean beyond clean, cool Music, awesome layout...well, you get the picture! It was a great, great experience. Really though, I've never eaten fresher sushi. One regret: not enough room to order Ramen. Darn, we'll have to return! :-) Thank you, Ryota, for a lovely dining experience from start to finish! Patrick S., Chicago, IL
Came here to try their viral premium set, which was just under $100 (I forgot the exact price). I also ordered the chawanmushi and the umi tuna roll to round things out. The premium set was really good. The tuna, uni, and ikura were all very fresh, and they were generous with the portions. That said, it is a bit on the pricey side. I don't regret ordering it at all, but it's probably not something I'd get every time. The chawanmushi was a standout. It came with crab and ikura, and they were generous with the crab, which was fresh and not imitation. The egg was cooked perfectly with that smooth, jiggly texture. Definitely one of my favorite dishes of the meal. The umi tuna maki was solid, but not particularly memorable compared to everything else. The ambiance was really nice, very clean with a soft, modern feel that makes it a great date night spot. Overall, a great experience and I'd love to come back to try their mazemen and Japanese curry next time.
This Japanese restaurant offers a pleasant atmosphere with attentive and friendly service, making it an enjoyable place to dine. While the restaurant has a Japanese-inspired menu, the flavors felt more Americanized than traditional Japanese cuisine. The sushi rolls were generously sized, though they were quite thick with a heavier rice-to-filling ratio than I personally prefer. The Japanese curry was decent but lacked the depth and richness often found in more authentic versions. We also tried the octopus dish, which was prepared well but tasted slightly saltier than expected. Overall, this is a comfortable restaurant with good service and a welcoming environment. While the food did not particularly stand out for authenticity, it's still a nice option for a casual meal, especially for those who enjoy larger sushi rolls and a more approachable take on Japanese cuisine.
Ambiance - modern, spacious, great for lunch and dinner Service - staff were super nice and friendly, checked on my party often Food - fish quality was good, chicken karaage batter was really unique and not like other restaurants
Stumbled upon this restaurant prior to going to a concert at the united center. My family and I were pleasantly surprised at this quaint and cozy Japanese restaurant that offered some unique and very fresh food options. The uni bowl was so incredibly fresh with the fish eggs a nice pop that wasn't too salty. The veggie ramen was so rich and tasty - I don't normally chose a veggie ramen, but it was great! The cocktails and drinks were also quite tasteful. The service was excellent. Staff were kind and attentive.
Stopped by on a chilly night while visiting Chicago and was pleasantly surprised. The inside is cozy and small, making it a great spot for a conversational dinner. (The ambient lighting is also a nice touch) The ramen was pretty good but what stood out was the Shima unagi roll. Every bite just melts in your mouth and the flavor was phenomenal. Definitely up there in top rolls I've had and definitely the best unagi roll I've tried to this day. Overall, everything was clean, servers were kind, and they have a dish that makes it worth going back for. Great place.
A great ramen and sushi option in the West Loop neighborhood. The interior is modern while the lighting is warm and moody--the individual table lamps are a nice touch. Our waiter was kind, attentive, and energetic. We ordered the Tofu Tempura and the Spicy Salmon Roll to start. We were a little disappointed that they were out of spicy tuna, but the salmon was delicious. The tofu delicately fried without being chewy. I ordered the Classic Shoyu ramen as my entree. The broth was hearty and packed with the flavor and the chashu pork melted in your mouth.
Came here for a late lunch. Service was efficient and I was seated right away. I got the Chirashi. I loved that the rice came flavored. The ratio of fish to rice was perfect. Portion-wise it was just right. I felt it was priced a bit high ($65) but it was still a good dish. I would come back again for sushi if I was in the area!
The dishes we ordered were just as delicious as they looked! Our go to maki order at any sushi restaurant is always the negi toro. This one at Ryota is so generously packed with fish! The rice to fish ratio is PERFECT. This is definitely something I'll order over and over again. The second entree we ordered was the sashimi set. Everything was beautifully plated. It's nice if you just want to try a bit of everything. The ambiance here is very moody with modern decor. They have individual lamps on each table where you can adjust the lighting if you'd like :)
FANTASTIC experience! I was so excited to try Ryota after seeing the hype online and it did not disappoint. Service was great and restaurant is clean and cute. There was lots of metered street parking when we went on New Year's Eve. We tried the chirashi bowl, mazemen chicken kaarage, shima unagi, negi toro maki. It was all so delicious and plenty of food for 2. My boyfriend and I eat sushi pretty frequently and we both thought the fish was fresh and well-balanced. The shima unagi was yummy, but smaller than I expected so keep that in mind. Chirashi had great presentation and the variety is good. My boyfriend loved the negi toro maki! Definitely get the mazemen with the chicken kaarage for the extra $1! Adds a nice crunch, and the dry ramen is comparable to Kajiken in my opinion. We look forward to coming back!
Delicious neighborhood spot in the West Loop! Fish was super fresh and yummy. Decor was cute. Service was ok, but this is more of a casual spot. Amazing option for lunch or date night!
All the fish was super fresh, apps were very crisp and had great sauces, noodles had great chewy texture! The salmon and tuna rolls were very complex in flavor, not like anything I've ever had (each had a sweet/pickled element that really made the dish stand out)! We ordered: - kawa salmon roll (my fav!) - shima unagi - umi tuna (chutoro was so tender) - karaage (perfect amount of breading) - calamari - mazemen (solid portion size) was a group of 6 and we shared everything family style, left feeling satisfied but not super full. service was solid and the restaurant is small but not loud.
3 months ago
I had been fixating on Ryota's Premium Set Donburi for a while, so I made sure to stop by for lunch during my trip to Chicago. My husband ordered the ramen, which was fairly average, while we shared the premium box. The kaisendon was everything I hoped it would be, topped with ikura, uni, otoro, and caviar over perfectly seasoned rice. I'd definitely recommend asking for extra seaweed so you can make your own little hand rolls as you eat. There were more than enough toppings to satisfy a serious sushi craving, especially if ikura, uni, otoro, and caviar are your favorite things. This was easily the highlight of the meal for me. read more
2 days ago
3.5 stars TL;DR: solid kitchen dishes, but the sushi fell short Stopped by at an odd hour (3PM) when it wasn't too busy and grabbed a table. It slowly started filling in shortly after that. Interior is cute date night vibe. Service was nice and attentive. FOOD: ~Cha Yen (4/5): thai tea with a sweet milk foam on top. Nice tea flavor and balanced by the sweetness of the milk foam. Very tasty ~Hokkaido scallop cold noodle (4/5): seasonal menu item, but this was very good and unique flavor. Reminded me of a soba broth with different noodles. Balanced and light in flavor. Refreshing ~Crab meat chawanmushi (4/5): perfectly steamed with pudding like texture. Decent amount of crab meat. Delicate seasoning with light bonito flavor. ~Ryota premium set (3.5/5): solid amount of ikura and uni. Ikura and uni were flavorful and clean. Toro was fine but some muscle fibers made it hard to bite through. Biggest issue was the rice. Not the best sushi rice. Slightly stale and too cold/as if it came right out of the fridge. Marked as MP; was $98. Expected better overall quality. ~Eel sashimi (3.5/5): fine ~Kanpachi (2/5): had a sticky/pasty film on it ~Scallop (3/5): also fine but not the freshest This place is cute and the kitchen dishes were great, but I would pass on the sushi. read more
1 month ago
Tempura: the shell is crispy, but might not be thin enough, making it a little bit greasy; the veggie is tender inside but is not very juicy/sweet. Chirashi: all fish are fresh, scallop is 5/5, shrimp is not sweet enough; the addition of the flower on top has a unique fragrance, it adds an extra flavor to those red fish, but it might be too much for the shell/white fish. The service is great. read more
17 days ago
A nice sushi spot to dine at! Could be good for a date or just a casual meal with friends. The service was decent. We all got the chirashi bowl and tbh it was phenomenal. The vinegar rice was made well and the fish was soft and plentiful. I was super full by the end. read more
6 months ago
Simply fantastic! The above & beyond service (server name?), lovely presentation, fresh beyond fresh fish, clean beyond clean, cool Music, awesome layout...well, you get the picture! It was a great, great experience. Really though, I've never eaten fresher sushi. One regret: not enough room to order Ramen. Darn, we'll have to return! :-) Thank you, Ryota, for a lovely dining experience from start to finish! Patrick S., Chicago, IL read more
5 months ago
Came here to try their viral premium set, which was just under $100 (I forgot the exact price). I also ordered the chawanmushi and the umi tuna roll to round things out. The premium set was really good. The tuna, uni, and ikura were all very fresh, and they were generous with the portions. That said, it is a bit on the pricey side. I don't regret ordering it at all, but it's probably not something I'd get every time. The chawanmushi was a standout. It came with crab and ikura, and they were generous with the crab, which was fresh and not imitation. The egg was cooked perfectly with that smooth, jiggly texture. Definitely one of my favorite dishes of the meal. The umi tuna maki was solid, but not particularly memorable compared to everything else. The ambiance was really nice, very clean with a soft, modern feel that makes it a great date night spot. Overall, a great experience and I'd love to come back to try their mazemen and Japanese curry next time. read more
4 months ago
This Japanese restaurant offers a pleasant atmosphere with attentive and friendly service, making it an enjoyable place to dine. While the restaurant has a Japanese-inspired menu, the flavors felt more Americanized than traditional Japanese cuisine. The sushi rolls were generously sized, though they were quite thick with a heavier rice-to-filling ratio than I personally prefer. The Japanese curry was decent but lacked the depth and richness often found in more authentic versions. We also tried the octopus dish, which was prepared well but tasted slightly saltier than expected. Overall, this is a comfortable restaurant with good service and a welcoming environment. While the food did not particularly stand out for authenticity, it's still a nice option for a casual meal, especially for those who enjoy larger sushi rolls and a more approachable take on Japanese cuisine. read more
6 months ago
Ambiance - modern, spacious, great for lunch and dinner Service - staff were super nice and friendly, checked on my party often Food - fish quality was good, chicken karaage batter was really unique and not like other restaurants read more
7 months ago
Stumbled upon this restaurant prior to going to a concert at the united center. My family and I were pleasantly surprised at this quaint and cozy Japanese restaurant that offered some unique and very fresh food options. The uni bowl was so incredibly fresh with the fish eggs a nice pop that wasn't too salty. The veggie ramen was so rich and tasty - I don't normally chose a veggie ramen, but it was great! The cocktails and drinks were also quite tasteful. The service was excellent. Staff were kind and attentive. read more
Stopped by on a chilly night while visiting Chicago and was pleasantly surprised. The inside is cozy and small, making it a great spot for a conversational dinner. (The ambient lighting is also a nice touch) The ramen was pretty good but what stood out was the Shima unagi roll. Every bite just melts in your mouth and the flavor was phenomenal. Definitely up there in top rolls I've had and definitely the best unagi roll I've tried to this day. Overall, everything was clean, servers were kind, and they have a dish that makes it worth going back for. Great place. read more
A great ramen and sushi option in the West Loop neighborhood. The interior is modern while the lighting is warm and moody--the individual table lamps are a nice touch. Our waiter was kind, attentive, and energetic. We ordered the Tofu Tempura and the Spicy Salmon Roll to start. We were a little disappointed that they were out of spicy tuna, but the salmon was delicious. The tofu delicately fried without being chewy. I ordered the Classic Shoyu ramen as my entree. The broth was hearty and packed with the flavor and the chashu pork melted in your mouth. read more
Came here for a late lunch. Service was efficient and I was seated right away. I got the Chirashi. I loved that the rice came flavored. The ratio of fish to rice was perfect. Portion-wise it was just right. I felt it was priced a bit high ($65) but it was still a good dish. I would come back again for sushi if I was in the area! read more
9 months ago
The dishes we ordered were just as delicious as they looked! Our go to maki order at any sushi restaurant is always the negi toro. This one at Ryota is so generously packed with fish! The rice to fish ratio is PERFECT. This is definitely something I'll order over and over again. The second entree we ordered was the sashimi set. Everything was beautifully plated. It's nice if you just want to try a bit of everything. The ambiance here is very moody with modern decor. They have individual lamps on each table where you can adjust the lighting if you'd like :) read more
FANTASTIC experience! I was so excited to try Ryota after seeing the hype online and it did not disappoint. Service was great and restaurant is clean and cute. There was lots of metered street parking when we went on New Year's Eve. We tried the chirashi bowl, mazemen chicken kaarage, shima unagi, negi toro maki. It was all so delicious and plenty of food for 2. My boyfriend and I eat sushi pretty frequently and we both thought the fish was fresh and well-balanced. The shima unagi was yummy, but smaller than I expected so keep that in mind. Chirashi had great presentation and the variety is good. My boyfriend loved the negi toro maki! Definitely get the mazemen with the chicken kaarage for the extra $1! Adds a nice crunch, and the dry ramen is comparable to Kajiken in my opinion. We look forward to coming back! read more
All the fish was super fresh, apps were very crisp and had great sauces, noodles had great chewy texture! The salmon and tuna rolls were very complex in flavor, not like anything I've ever had (each had a sweet/pickled element that really made the dish stand out)! We ordered: - kawa salmon roll (my fav!) - shima unagi - umi tuna (chutoro was so tender) - karaage (perfect amount of breading) - calamari - mazemen (solid portion size) was a group of 6 and we shared everything family style, left feeling satisfied but not super full. service was solid and the restaurant is small but not loud. read more
If you're looking for an under the radar sushi spot with special attention to excellent sushi, you're in for a treat at Ryota. This spot in the West Loop is approachable and has a menu that reflects the attention to detail in sourcing quality fish. There's bench and chair seating with lighting dimmed to create an intimate dining experience. Service is friendly. My server was happy to answer any questions and make recommendations which were accurate and pleasing to the palate. The chicken karaage was highlighted as someone's favorite online so I had to see what the hype was about. They weren't wrong! The breading is very soft and the chicken deliciously tender. There's a slightly spicy aioli that comes with it, but I was happy to enjoy the karaage by itself. The sushi was a revelation given where we are in the middle of the country. Minimal rice and large cuts of salmon and tuna were par for the course here. The chefs know how to prepare and cut the fish perfectly here. The difference in texture, sweetness, and presentation was nicely assembled in the umi tuna and kawa salmon. I very much enjoyed the mazemen ramen with ground pork and poached egg. I was expecting to dip it into a broth, but this dish was self-contained but still in the mazemen style. Once the poached egg was mixed in, all the ingredients blended together for an umami profile. Ryota is a place I would frequent just to enjoy all the sushi. Very much a cut above the rest in the Midwest. read more
Stopped by this newer Ramen & Sushi spot in the West Loop and has the perfect vibe. Casual but intimate, with excellent service and incredibly fresh food. We ordered the Chirashi Bowl and the Ryota Premium Set. Both came with a great portion of beautifully fresh seafood over seasoned sushi rice. The Premium Set was the star with Otoro, Uni, Caviar, and Ikura. Easily some of my favorite bites of the night. The Chirashi Bowl had Salmon, Tuna, Yellowtail, Scallops, and more. All super fresh and delicious. I'd definitely come back again for the experience and the quality of the food. read more
My friend and I stopped by for Ryota for dinner last week. Service was fantastic, and we were seated right away. We shared the Salmon Ponzu, Umi Tuna roll, and Shoyu ramen. Both the salmon and tuna roll tasted really fresh. The ramen was only okay for me because the chashu pork was quite fatty in my opinion, but the broth was rich and not overly salty. I'd love to come back to try more of the items on the sushi menu. read more
1 year ago
A friend was in the mood for ramen at a BYOB spot: A very challenging task, but we discovered Ryota. Very contemporary and modern, yet minimalistic decor that I feel gives the place an upscale feeling, like the "cute neighborhood date spot". We started with the fried chicken gyoza and chicken karaage. The gyoza was fresh (you can tell) and the sauce a bit on the sweeter side, which I enjoyed. The karaage wasn't overly oily and was hit with the table. Now came the ramen: I have the vegetable ramen (make it spicy...which they do charge you an extra $1). But wow, talk about a filling and delicious ramen bowl, with fresh veggies, tofu that wasn't too firm to break apart and mix in the bowl, and a portion so large that I brought half of it home to eat for dinner the next night. Definitely will keep this ramen spot in mind for the future. (They're BYOB until they get their liquor license, so hurry to it out, if you can!) read more
First time stopping by Ryota & truly was not impressed. The ambience is extremely underwhelming, it is a very boring looking dining space. The service was also not that great. It took over 5 mins for someone to come over to ask us what we wanted to drink, and by that time we were already ready to order. The restaurant only had three other tables filled, and no one came to ask how our food was. The sushi wasn't bad, but also wasn't great. 3/5, nothing I would ever come back again to order. Too expensive for only six pieces and mediocre. read more
3.5 stars overall. I like the revamped space compared to its predecessor Sumu- intimate with a slightly more elevated vibe. Although the restaurant was busy, service was attentive and quick. However, food was a bit underwhelming. We ordered the calamari, scallops, and the maguro trio. The calamari was a little bland and had some fibrous parts. The maguro trio set was fresh and had a good fish to rice ratio. My only complaint with it would be that the rice is heavy on vinegar. Scallops were decent with a nicely seared top and soft inside. Potentially would go back if the premium set with uni was available- unfortunately it wasn't during this visit. read more
On 6/4/25, we ordered: Ryota Premium Set - Otoro, Uni, Ikura, Caviar Nigiri Set Tokyo Style, Pork Broth, Shoyu Ramen Karaage Karaage starter was excellent and probably my favorite karaage in the city rn. My friends liked their ramen and Nigiri. I could tell, from looking, the Nigiri was fresh and high quality. I was disappointed with my ryota premium set. If you look at their Instagram and compare with what I actually got, they gave less uni and roe and no caviar for the SAME PRICE. Later, I asked them about this on Instagram DM and they kindly explained they had to change the portions because the original formula was unsustainable for the price. However, as of this review posting 6/10, they still have not made any corrections to their Instagram nor menu about this change. They had one waitress servicing the whole restaurant - not good. read more
7 months ago
The premium set and chirashi are fresh but rice tastes raw. Can taste bitterness in 10 percent of the uni in the premium set. Other than that the seafood is high quality. I recommend regular chirashi. Service is average. Fried chicken is good. Scallops is nah. Drinks are fine. read more
This place was quiet early on during a weeknight but started to fill up a little more after 7. Lots of seating (with booths on one side of each table) and a small sushi counter. Fish/sushi was tasty and fresh. The chirashi was very pretty and the matcha martini was tasty. Portions were a little small for the price except for the salad which had an amazing dressing. Service was decent (attentive, smily) but it took a bit to get our change when we were ready to leave. All in all tasty though. read more
Great revamp of a neighborhood spot! I came here with my mom the day after they opened and we really enjoyed our dinner. The ambience is much more contemporary and sleek than it was before. It's nice because this is still a neighborhood spot but has a more upscale vibe to it now. Good for family or a date! They did not have their liquor license when we went yet so we tried two drinks off of their non-alcoholic menu and really enjoyed them. My mom had a jasmine tea and I had a Thai tea with a cold foam top that was amazing. For food, we got a scallop appetizer and then a couple of sushi rolls. We mixed between the classic rolls and the more specialty ones and enjoyed everything. The staff here are so friendly and attentive. We will be back! read more
4 months ago
Staff is extremely friendly. Quaint little cafe style ambiance and food that will surely send you to flavor town. Get the bowl; you'll know which one. read more
2 months ago
Service here is really good and relaxed. The restaurant was bright and ambiance was casual. I came here for lunch around 1 pm. I got the premium set and my fiancé got the ramen. Fish was really fresh and it was filling (can be shared with another person). They made their own soy sauce and I appreciate that it was lighter and it didn't overwhelm seafood. The Uni was fresh and sweet. Otoro was buttery. The ramen was not very salty which I like and the noodles have a good chew. read more
1 year ago
Ryota is a nice addition to the west loop. The selection of sushi was pretty nice, but service is a little slow. I think the food is tasty, but maybe more pieces should be incorporated with the pricing. The restaurant is small so be prepared to sit close, but it's not uncomfortable. I really liked the bluefin tuna roll. read more
Have been wanting to check out this spot! Prices are quite high for the dishes, but makes sense since it is west loop. Particularly really enjoyed the soup-less ramen dish! Was the highlight of the meal for me. The chirashi was also beautiful to look at and eat! Would recommend coming here with a group to try all the different dishes! read more
Heard about this spot through TikTok, so we decided to give it a try! I wanted to note that all of the staff who assisted us were really nice and patient, and gave us great recommendations as well. We decided to order the premium set, which looked very appetizing, along with a salmon avocado roll and kashi shrimp roll. Out of everything, I liked the kashi shrimp roll the best and I think it's worth to try more of their specialty rolls. The salmon avocado roll was pretty common and I am not sure if it's that worth to get at this restaurant. The premium set was also very tasty, as expected, but I think for me personally, it's a one time experience dish, not something I would order every time, just because of the hefty price tag. But the quality of the fish, especially the uni, was great! Slightly sweet and not very ocean-y at all. Overall, this is a great spot for a date night or a friends' gathering. (: read more
Came across this small and cozy sushi restaurant in the West Loop. Was craving for Uni and so was delighted to find their Ryota premium set. This was served in a cute oval wooden box with a bed of sushi rice seasoned with furikaki topped with toro, generous amount of Hokkaidō Uni, and ikura. The toro was also garnished with caviar. This was delicious! The Uni especially was fresh and creamy. Complete fan. The host told me later that I actually ordered the last set of the premium set for the weekend. Sorry guys. If you're looking to order the premium set please wait until next week. But it's totally worth the trip. Their Uni comes directly from Hokkaidō Japan. read more
I didn't realize this was the old Sumu restaurant before coming in. When I went to Sumu it was alright. Ryota is so much better by a mile!! The thai style drinks we're fabulous i am addicted to the mango one. The roll we ordered was tasty but the fresh sashimi and Ryota premium set are what really showed me how great this place is! The fish truly is so fresh and the premium set is worth the hype! Service was great! It was busy and we still got our food in a reasonable amount of time and recommendations were great! We had the perfect amount of food! The ambiance is more upscale which matches the quality of the dinner. Can't wait to take my sister back to try their vegan ramen! read more
1 year ago
This place is so cute and very relaxed vibe. The service was a bit slow, but it's a new spot and still working out the kinks so I think that'll fix itself with time. The sushi here is SO good. I got the chirashi bowl and the fish is so buttery it melts in your mouth. Sushi rice was the perfect consistency and flavorful. I cannot wait to come back to try the rest of the menu! read more
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More info about Ryota
1131 W Madison St
Chicago, IL 60607
West Loop, Near West Side
Directions
(312) 997-9988
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https://www.ryotachicago.com
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