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    Sanjusan

    4.4 (333 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Sanjusan Photos

    SANJUSAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Millena S.

    This might be long so I'll put a TL;DR.... atmosphere was very cool and the presentation as well, but the food didn't meet expectations and everything was expensive for the portion. There were some hits and misses, but overall unique experience for a Japanese-Italian fusion! Okay so to begin we were sat on the fourth floor which we had a slightly awkward elevator ride up with one of the hostesses. This is when I realized that there's no kitchen upstairs, so all food is brought up in a cart and stays in the elevator basically, so that was a bit unusual but I can get behind nuance!!! The layout and decoration of the place was definitely modern and minimalist, but the font size on the menu was so small that my parents had to grab their glasses to read it, no biggie though I accept the challenge. I loved the light wood contrasting the dark accents and ambient lighting, once the sun set it was moody and unique in a great way. I personally love architecture and interior design, so that's where some of my stars are coming from. The rest of the stars now. Alongside the design was the presentation of the food. Honestly 1000/10 presentation and descriptions, the workers explaining the food spoke a little bit too fast for me to remember anything but they were busy so I understand. The food was very delicious looking, but I hate to say it didn't taste like it looked. It was still good chicken and mushroom, but no WOW factor that made it unique enough to be expensive or japanese-italian. It was paired with this very spicy sauce, some seasoning, and a few veggies which didn't taste that good. I don't have the palate for Asian food, I'll be honest, but there was a vinegar taste to the veggies that I didn't appreciate. The mushroom was good, juicy but not too moist, it kind of fell flat at that though with no other flavor. The other skewers were great, wrapped with some sort of green stuff and conjoined with other vegetables. Overall 6/10 for the food, nothing overwhelmingly tasty thought which was disappointing. The service was great! A bunch of ladies running around making sure we're taken care of, I appreciated it all. It was my birthday so I had the two desserts offered. The fruity one was DELICIOUS with the apples and nuts and moist texture. The chocolate pastry with ice cream was a bit too much for me. It was a unique blend of chocolate, sesame, and ice cream which I liked in theory but the outside was overwhelming which made me dislike it. I was sad though because the ice cream was sooooooo good, I just wished the pastry wasn't as crazy. My siblings got pizzas, parents got pastas, everyone finished their food except for the pizzas. I think they were a little disappointed with the turn out of the pizzas because of the thick crust and dry toppings. I can't speak for them though so I'll leave it there!!! We got four drinks, the japanese lager, the yuzu NA drink, the red NA drink, and a sake flight. The lager was good, but not far from a regular beer. The yuzu citrus drink was BOMBBBBBB, it tasted like a refresher from a drink place you know!?!?! We loved that but there wasn't a lot of it to drink in the large wine glass so it was consumed quickly. The red NA drink, I don't remember the name, but it was cute and tasty, a bit bitter but that's my own palate. The sake flight was explained too fast for me to pick up anything other than the second one is "robust". The one in the clear glass tasted like mineral water and I loved it. I'm not a big drinker so I wasn't looking for a hard flight to choke down. The robust sake was in a cute grey cup and tasted like if a century old tree could produce liquid on tap. It packed a punch and reminded me of a dense, untouched forest. Now the last one, in the brown cup, was HARD. This tasted like something I would get at a bar to start the night. I personally didn't like it as much, it had a stinging taste that was difficult to drink. I gave that and the robust one to my brother and he took them like shots. Although Im not accustomed to the Japanese palate, I can appreciate what tethered my taste buds and what didn't. There were some hits and some misses, which I accept fully for a style that I've never had before. This place has great potential and is honestly a good spot to go, but I don't think it has replay value, meaning you go to try it out and then you say you went there. I had no idea what to expect before arriving until I heard the hostess mention that the chef was awarded the prestigious James Beard, which is cool but I don't know what that is so I figured that this was a fancier, more put together menu. The menus were paper and got wet because of the water glasses, which might've been a tad too small.

    Squid ink pappardelle
    Ally M.

    Such a fun a cozy little spot in the north loop! It's definitely small, but they have a patio outside, and inside is bright with high ceilings. The staff were great, providing recommendations & never making us wait. The food is amazing. Expensive, but amazing. We had the Hiramasa crudo & Duck tataki to start, both super light and refreshing but still very flavorful. Then the chicken skewers & squid ink pappardelle for our mains, both great as well! The portions are small, so keep that in mind. I loved the toasted breadcrumbs on the pasta, it was a fun texture with the al dente noodles. I want to come back to try the pizza!

    Jack G.

    Dining here was a sensory delight. The pasta dishes were exquisite, especially the Mentaiko Lumache with pistachios. Our pizzas were excellent; true Napoli style. Being seated at the kitchen counter allowed us to watch the chefs ply their art. That itself was almost as enjoyable as the tasty desserts. Strongly recommend.

    Squid ink pappardelle
    Shell J.

    After great experiences at the other sister restaurants, Kado no Mise, Kaiseki Furukawa, and Gori Gori Peku, I came to Sanjusan with high expectations, and it absolutely delivered. My visit wasn't even planned; it was a weekday evening, fairly full, but I was able to grab a seat at the bar. The staff at and around the bar were incredibly friendly, and they helped me explore a few sake options to pair with the Duck Tataki. That dish was an absolute wow. Duck is notoriously hard to cook well, and I honestly can't name many great duck dishes even in high-end Midwest restaurants. But this one? Perfectly seared, paired with turmeric ponzu, chickpea, and mango, giving it a texture reminiscent of seared tuna but with richer flavor. Truly exceptional. Because the Duck Tataki impressed me so much, I went for a second dish: the ink pasta. Another wow. I've had squid ink pasta before, but never as pappardelle, and I loved how the flavors were layered into the pasta itself. Another strong 5-star dish. Both dishes really showcased Sanjusan's Japanese-Italian fusion at its best. I'll definitely be back--many more times.

    Shelly H.

    Everything about this place was absolutely perfect - the food, the service, and ambience were all 5/5. Pork gyoza with foie gras and wood ear mushrooms was incredible, I could have eaten 20 of them. Duck tataki is a must for duck lovers. Arancini was delicious and gorgeous presentation. We also got the squid pappardelle - amazing. You can't go wrong with anything you order here. Drinks were all beautifully crafted as well. It was the perfect date night and we can't wait to return!

    Marcus O.

    Very unique cuisine of Japanese-Italian fusion in a chic area of North Loop. Standout appetizers -- lamb, which looks like tuna ... so good! The croquette and mushroom kaarage are also very memorable. My pasta was superb, creamy with a bit of heat. Can't say much for the space as we sat outside... but the interior I did see was really cool. Definitely a spot to check out.

    Jeremy S.

    Simpling amazing. We tried a Japanese fusion pizza, the Calabrian. It had a Japanese sausage with Ricatto. The cocktail creations were super delicious.

    Old fashioned
    Laura S.

    I went with a girlfriend at 645 on a Tuesday. This restaurant is very small, so although they do accept walk ins, I would make a reservation to ensure you get a table. Food 5/5: We went in with the concept of sharing and had the old fashioned, pork gyoza, mentaiko lumache pasta and the Isaac Becker pizza. All of our food came at the same time, so if you want things at different times I would be explicit about that. The gyoza was the perfect balance of flavors and I'd absolutely go back for. The pasta was the perfect umami balance and is elevated with the crunch of the pistachio. The pizza was definitely more than MN spicy, so if you're not a spice fan it would be a no go. Overall well balanced, and the pizza crust was light and fluffy! We were all given a zeppole and it was the most amazing mix between warm and cold! Very well balanced. Service: 4/5. We did have to wait a bit for drinks and food. The waitress thoroughly apologized, and overall it wasn't a huge issue because I had a lot to catch up on with my friend. Other than that, the service was great. The waitress explained the menu to us and was otherwise attentive. Ambiance: 4/5. This is a very small space. If you don't like dining close to other people, this would not be your place. We sat at the chefs counter which was fun to see all the food being made. I was sitting next to someone who was left handed, and I'm right handed, and we bumped into each other a few times. He was very friendly, so overall not a big deal. The plus of sitting close, our neighbors didn't finish their dessert and shared with us. The other thing that felt a little misplaced was the paper menus. It felt very cheap for this elevated space in my opinion. Overall the food was absolutely amazing.

    Fettuccine with crab and saffron butter
    Claire L.

    I have been here many times and think the food and service is very good! The miso pesto pizza is genius and one of my favorites but last night I had the fettuccine which is most expensive pasta on their menu clocking at $47. It is worth every bite. Its a sizable portion and did not leave me completely hungry by the end. The sauce is not like an Alfredo but still creamy. It's very light but yet rich with a generous portion of crab that you can taste the sweetness. Their patio is nice and not too noisy. It had really filled up on a Tuesday night, so please make sure to make a reservation!

    Fettuccine Ai Uni
    Jay S.

    Years overdue, but one experience was able to define my entire impression of this establishment because the food was really good. Some of the items in my pictures no longer exist on the menu, but I have faith that whatever they have decided to replace those items with must be great as well. It is also cool to see some of the items that I had in 2021 are still around! I am honestly really happy to see it. Pretty much everything was a hit in my opinion. The A5 wagyu nigiri resulted in one very pleasant bite because the wagyu beef, which was supposed to be fatty in texture, did it work in providing the rice with a rich flavor as well. The panzanella had multiple ingredients such as cucumber, avocado, and serrano pepper, and having a bonito mayo giving it additional flavor made the dish work but in terms of flavor and texture. The stracciatella was interesting because I have never seen salsa verde and wasabi together in one dish, and it tasted pretty good. I wasn't used to it, but I could more than tolerate it for sure. The pork gyoza was really good as well, not only because the wood ear mushrooms provided a layer of texture that the dumpling didn't have, but also because the foie gras provided some richness to the gyoza. In terms of pasta, both the squid ink pappardelle and the fettuccine ai uni were great! The pasta was al dente. There was enough crab and bolognese in the dish. And the pecorino romano cheese in the squid ink pasta provided extra creaminess texture since I mixed it in with the sauce. Both dishes were super solid. It seems like prices have increased drastically since I was last here in 2021, which I understand is because of inflation, but it makes the dishes way less afforable now. The squid ink pasta, which is still on the menu, went from $23 to $32.5, and that's quite a bit. Because of that, I don't think this is one of those places one would visit all the time. For a special occasion, though, based on the food alone, worth it.

    squid ink pappardelle
    Karina P.

    Sanjusan was an INCREDIBLE meal. The cozy, dimly-lit restaurant was pretty crowded on a Saturday night, but the service was great. To start, we got the Rikyu with green tea vodka and the Sanju with sake, both of which were refreshing. For mains, the squid ink pappardelle was INSANE - the pasta was so fresh and the sauce was perfect. Their signature Isaac Becker pizza, with spicy tuna as a topping, was worth the hype; it unexpectedly worked really well. Can't wait to be back.

    Verdi pizza
    Michael K.

    I really enjoyed my dinner at Sanjusan! I'd been dying to try it ever since all of my friends raved about it. I was also intrigued by the Japanese-Italian fusion with serving small plates, pizza, and pasta amid an industrial-chic atmosphere. When we first arrived I didn't realize that they have several floors accessible by elevator, the initial interior on the first floor was a bit smaller than I anticipated. But once we rode the elevator up, a big dining space awaits. We ordered the Verdi pizza (miso pesto, mozzarella, walnuts, and Parmesan) which was excellent. Really great flavor profile and the crust was chefs kiss! For entrees we ordered some pasta dishes, I got the Trattole Fra Diavoli (tomato, basil, anchovy, and Parmesan), I enjoyed this. It wasn't heavy or overpowering on the anchovy and the balance of flavors was quite unique. I could really taste the fusion of Japanese and Italian components. my friend ordered the Mentaiko Lumache (pistachio, basil, toasted nori) and really loved her meal. Wonderful experience all around with immaculate vibes.

    Garrett Z.

    We came here to celebrate life events and meet up with some good friends recently. Upon first hearing about this place and the Japanese/Italian fusion concept, I was interested to find out what this place was all about. Ambiance: The restaurant has a few different concepts through three levels. We were on the top floor which was quiet and had larger tables. It was nice for our larger group so we had space and time to chat and enjoy our night. The restaurant is hip and modern, clean lines and neutral colors. Simple and sleek - this will be a theme throughout. Food and drink: We started out with cocktail hour. The drink menu is fairly small and hosts 1-2 drinks per popular liquor choice. I tried the Old Fashioned as I usually lean that way anyways. Not overly impressed with the drinks here. I was expecting more presentation and flavor fusion, especially because the food does it so well. It wasn't a bad drink but it wasn't anything special that brought a wow factor. Put it in a neat glass, pair it with an interesting relish, something! For $17 a drink, I just felt like something more could have been included. The food menu on the other hand does a great job of pairing two very different cuisine types into very palate entertaining dishes. The main options are either pasta or pizzas with various small dishes to try too. All of the food that our table ordered was simply but neatly presented and so photo worthy. My wife and I tried a pasta and pizza dish to share between the both of us, both were very tasty. Bright, flavorful, inventive - we loved both but I especially liked the pizza. Size vs. price - the pizza was the better deal because it was fairly large for a personal pizza. Service: Service was on top of everything and very welcoming. Our server was very informative and made sure the whole group was taken care of. I think the staff were walking up like three flights of stairs throughout our dinner so I have to give them props for doing that all night! Price: Prices were on the steeper side but they are found on the North Loop and so not too surprising, I knew that going in. For the most part, the service and food quality offset the sticker price. My consensus: Good place to try something different from normal surf and turf and a great place to go if you have a group that is interested in dining and drinking for an extended period of time. Food fusion is always fun to try and this is a great place to experience something different and tasty!

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    11 days ago

    One dish was cold. When we brought this to the waiter, she argued. They did end up removing the charge but not graciously.

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    Stef T.

    Thank you, Stephanie!

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    Thank you, Tiffany!

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    4 months ago

    Food is really good but way too expensive. Will I still come back anyways? Hell yeah.

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    Ask the Community - Sanjusan

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    Annona Gourmet - Cafe menu & water station

    Annona Gourmet

    4.7(20 reviews)
    3.2 mi
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    Stopped in mid-morning on a Saturday, specifically on the hunt for a certain olive oil flavor…read moreneeded for a recipe. I was a little confused at first because the place still has signage or references from its previous name, but it all worked out just fine. As soon as you walk in, you're immediately hit with the amazing smell of garlic (I think the owner was roasting it that day--heavenly). My friend and I took our time browsing all the different olive oils and goodies. The shop has a really nice balance--part store, part cozy café. We ended up chatting with the owner for a bit, and she was welcoming. Overall, it was a really pleasant experience. We ordered the tomato mozzarella panini and a coffee each. I'll be honest--a tomato mozz sandwich wouldn't normally be my go-to, but it was surprisingly flavorful, light, and still filling (half was enough for me). Everything we had was delicious. There's seating inside.... tables and even a comfy couch--giving it that laid-back, neighborhood vibe. Also appreciated that there's a parking lot, which made things easy. If I'm in the area again and need olive oil (or just a chill spot for a coffee and bite), I'd absolutely stop in again!

    I've been wanting to visit this spot for years-- their new name is Curiouser Foods. What a charming…read morelittle oilery tucked away with a curated selection of balsamic vinegars, olive oils, teas, and rare ingredients that food lovers dream about. The moment we walked in, the scent of garlic filled the air. The owner let us in on the secret: she was prepping garlic for their sandwiches. Naturally, we had to try the caprese sandwich, and it did not disappoint--fresh, flavorful, and that garlic? Incredible. The whole place gave off relaxed European vibes, and the staff couldn't have been friendlier. I'll definitely be back.

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    Sanjusan - pizza - Updated May 2026

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