Every time I am in Evanston I eat here. Even if I don't feel like sushi or I'm not that hungry, I still eat here. I love it here. I get a perfectly filling meal for 6 bucks. Spicy sweet potato tempura roll and a bowl of miso, and then some tea. Perfect. read more

They have... - sushi buffet - Cheap sushi - A variety of soups - Bunch of Japanese groceries/candies - To go sushi combo dishes - drinks I go here for quick sushi fix! read more

So unassuming and so delicious. Sea Ranch nails it every time, whether you're getting a traditional roll or a more experimental roll. They take their time (so maybe not the best option if you're in a hurry), and use meticulous care when crafting each roll for you to savor as you consume it. This place is soooooo good that my partner and I even have a theme song for when we're going there. read more

Grocery store meets all-you-can-eat sushi. This is the good stuff. Very fresh high quality sushi made by real Japanese pros. I went in on a Friday afternoon around 1:00 -- no waiting, not crowded, filled out my ticket and had my food within 5 minutes or so. Man was it good... I went for the all-you-can eat for $20. Think I got my money's worth. Staff was friendly and quick. One of the other customers saw me asking questions about the order ticket and asked me if this was my first time. Yep... Ooh you're going to love it! she told me.. No doubt. You might not be happy if you go during peak hours but if you can sneak away during the week for lunch you will not be disappointed. Not fancy seating or decor -- just a modest eat-in area... but the sushi is tops. read more

Giving 4 stars only because service is ok and decor is nothing to write home about, but sushi was very fresh and tasty! Recommend! read more

Sea Ranch - Seared scallop sushi with shiitake mushrooms and mango is a bomb - Seafood Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Vegan-friendly! Lots of vegetarian options, and they are very open to making items vegan when they are just vegetarian by default. For the price, the presentation and quality is really amazing. Sure, I've had better sushi rice, etc. before, but really no complaints here. Nice, sunny, affordable spot for a quick lunch with a friend. read more

Sea Ranch - Seafood Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

This is the type of place that I really wanted to like--family-owned business, convenience location, great prices--but sadly their sushi is just not good. I thought maybe I just happened to order poorly but each of the 4 rolls we ordered were not good, including the spicy tuna, which is standard enough that I would think it would be hard to mess it up. I've never before had sushi I didn't like, but this all tasted not-very-fresh and the flavor combos were strange and out of balance. In short, it was probably the worst sushi I've ever had (sorry, Sea Ranch!). I haven't tried anything other than sushi here so I can't speak to that. read more

This is a nice local spot here in Evanston, the staff are friendly. The sushi and soup taste good. They have a variety of items on their menu and the combinations are good. read more

This is the all-time best sushi I've ever had. The fish is so fresh that it's like butter, and all of the seafood rolls have big chunks of delish fresh fish in them. I love that they sometimes use rice paper and leafy veggies for the maki rolls instead of seaweed. Sometimes seaweed can be overpowering, and this slight tweak makes the flavors of the fish, veggies, and sauces stand out more. The sushi rice is also so fresh and delicious. I never realized how much the rice mattered until having GOOD rice in my roll here. My favorite is the Spicy California Crunch Roll. Instead of tempura frying the insides to get the crunch, they add little crunch balls that are amazing! For how good the sushi is, it's surprising that it's so cheap, but that makes it even better! And the service is always very friendly. I have tried several sushi rolls and all are terrific. But they also have soups, which are next to try on my list! read more

Sea Ranch is a dependable, if a bit out-of-the-way AYCE sushi joint. They're a few bucks higher than other chains (sushi para (letter), house of sushi and noodles), but i find the quality is generally better. They also don't do tacky shit like pile on the rice with subsequent orders. The AYCE menu is limited, unlike other places as well. I used to adore this place, and am still fond of it, but i will say that this last visit (with (visiting guests) left me somewhat disappointed. The salmon and mackerel were not very good at all, and our second order of maki were definately padded with more rice than the first order. This is definitely something i don't expect from Sea Ranch. Nevertheless i enjoyed myself, though i will think twice about going the distance again to visit. Ideally this is a place for students and other budget conscious peeps who want to have (usually) great quality sushi, however limited in range, at a good price (for the quality). The spicy michigan, illinois, tornado and chicago are all favorites of mine. read more

All the sushi I've tried here is great. In particular, the Chicago roll and escolar is amazing and my personal favorites! Great service. Free hot barley!! And there are some shelves filled with imported Asian goods for you to peruse/purchase. Can't speak to the all you can eat but have heard great things from friends who do. Overall, simplicity and basic ingredients combine with a 'ma and 'pa feel for an awesome experience! read more

Sea Ranch has the best sushi in Evanston! I love the California maki because it is so cheap and they make it fresh. There is only one thing I don't like about sea ranch, and it is that they do not have that good seating. It feels like you are in a store, not sea ranch. I don't think it's their fault I just think that is how the building works. read more

Food is really good here! The quality of the fish is simply amazing. I think it is the best Japanese food Evanston has to offer. The interior may look less fancy than other Japanese restaurants, but the quality of the food completely makes up for this. I'm giving it four stars instead of five as the service is very much hit or miss. The younger waiters are a bit dismissive. It also closes quite early (usually around 8pm) so you can'y come here for a late dinner. read more

No frills I took my kid when visiting her in college Sushi is very good Reasonable price and fast after ordering Service is great but this is a bare bones place to go for great food only Size of nigiri could be bigger but spicy Michigan roll was packed w fish and had perfect amount of spice People next to me had all u can eat and the quality of his food looked equal to a la carte read more

I used to really like this place but after several delivery failures I've come to the conclusion that this simply isn't worth it. First off, the price that you pay for the food is high. And they give you such small portions too for some of the combo options that I might as well just nix the combo and get individual items instead. Second, their delivery service is awful. The past couple of times I've ordered delivery it's taken them an hour and a half to get me my food. I live maybe a five minute drive from this place. And I always order at least two hours before closing. That being said, there is also something wrong with the phone number on the website or something because when I tried to call inquiring about my order the number redirected me to an automated message that repeated "please enter your access code". Way to go on the customer service. If you don't mind eating in at this place and paying a decent amount of money then go for it. I probably won't be eating here again unless I visit the restaurant in person and have nowhere else to spend my money. read more

Udon noodle soup w unagi and rice $8.99. No expert but hit the spot. Had sushi in the past excellent. Solid food for a fair price in a store with Dempster st view. read more

I loved the service and the employees are very kind! The sushi was very fresh and delicious. I had the spicy tuna roll and it was fabulous!

Sea Ranch has great sushi and soups and a fantastic grocery section. The atmosphere is perfect for what it is. One of the best Evanston establishments read more

I don't know why this place gets 4 stars! Chicken teriyaki was tasteless, dishes were dirty and 2 of my sushi had the remains of Wasabi Disappointed! Anyway sushi taste good and fresh! read more

Best place for carry out Sushi. Don't let the reasonable price fool you. They have real deal.

Absolutely the worst sushi I've ever had total disappointment a waste of $18 I might as well of taken the money and thrown it out the window on the Edens Expressway. So if you're thinking of wasting your money stop on in and get some sushi read more

I'm surprised this is so highly rated. There is a unique market in the restaurant. The food served from the restaurant however, is awful. The shrimp tempura roll was made with soggy tempura. There was no crunch to it...think moist and flavorless. The real crab roll was just real crab, with no flavors. I would not come back. read more

I loved the food here I got the tan tan ramen and spicy tuna roll and the ramen came with California roll. But I think they forgot the imitation crab in the California roll wich was very funny but I dont like imitation crab anyway so I really enjoyed it. Everything was very fresh and tasty definitely will go back thought out the summer for the sushi and when the cold comes back for the ramen . read more

I am presently having a gastronomical orgasm. Forgive the graphic language. The epitome of freshness takes time. The highest quality is not fast food. I have the solution. I had to have my eyes examined for my annual appointment-- so this is what you do. Call the Sea Ranch and place your order over the phone-- pay for it over the phone--then get your exam. Then she called me when my order was finished-- and gave me courteous, friendly, curbside service. That was only the beginning. I have gone to sushi and Japanese restaurants on both coasts-- and the freshness and quality here cannot be matched. If you DON'T have an eye appointment-- here's the solution. Place your order-- drive to Gilson Park and meditate ( lower your blood pressure) and get the highest quality sushi in Evanston. Let us support our local businesses-- especially when we are getting the highest quality at a very good price. If you want fast food-- go to McDonald's. The best -- go to Sea Ranch! read more

This is a wonderful place for sushi- especially for takeout. The sushi is totally fresh, cheap and delicious. As far as the interior goes, the evironment is lacking, but the actually quality of the food makes up for it. A nice thing about dining in, is that their green tea is complimentary. They also have a very small market on the other side which is nice if you want to pick up some essentials. read more

The cheapest but also the best sushi in Evanston. Doesn't have the sexy ambience of a typical sushi restaurant. However the food is amazing and it's byob. read more

This has been my favorite sushi restaurant in Evanston for as long as it has been open. I eat a filling meal here for $8 - the Plain Udon Set is a large bowl of nabeyaki udon soup, and it comes with a california roll - which I replace with a salmon roll, because it doesn't cost anything extra. Although the prices have gone up in the past couple of years, the sushi is still the best-priced and best quality in town. I used to only recommend this place for basic sushi staples, but recently they have been developing more specialty rolls that are delicious - my favorites are the Tornado and Hokkaido rolls. Although some people complain about customer service, this place isn't designed to be a restaurant with waiters and menus. I've never had any issues with the workers, and I usually eat here a couple times a month. Overall, this is a great place that offers cheap, delicious sushi and also allows you to pick up hard-to-find asian groceries. Definitely recommended. read more

HEARTHEARTHEARTHEARTHEART!!! ok, so i admit: i think i am only giving this place 5 stars because i rate places relative to what else is around. i suppose if i found this little gem in LA i may rate it a bit lower, but given that good asian (regardless of which country) food is hard to come by in evanston, Sea Ranch has stolen my heart. first off: the groceries. where else can i find nori and miso and their awesome home made carrot-ginger salad dressing within a two mile radius of where i live? jewel osco? i don't think so. i love that i am able to make asian dishes at home again because i can find most of what i need here. secondly, the staff. everyone i've encountered working there has been so accommodating and nice. thirdly, the food. granted, i have yet to try the raw fish there, but i can't say i see zarusoba and ramen very often in other japanese restaurants, and they have both here. not the fanciest of dishes, and as another reviewer pointed out, they don't serve chashu with the ramen but it is still tasty nevertheless (to be honest i didn't even realize there was no chashu until i read the said review because they compensate with lots of veggies)! yes, it is a bit pricier than one would expect, but for me it is worth it because i can't find these things anywhere else. and yes, it is a small and casual place, but it is always clean and tidy so i don't mind. read more

Sea Ranch is part small Japanese grocery store and eat-in/take out place. This is a great place, right off the Dempster purple line, to get some Japanese/Asian grocery items without the need of a car. They sell rice, curry roux, noodles, seaweed, sauces, spices, candy, beverages, fresh fish, etc. They do not sell produce though. They also have the freshest AYCE sushi option in Evanston. For 24.99, you can get all you can eat sushi from nigiri to basic to specialty rolls, as well as edamame, servings of udon, soba, or ramen. They also offer complimentary green tea and barley tea. The AYCE menu is limited compared to other places however the quality of the rolls is high. This is the only place that I've found that offers many nigiri options with nice quality. The fish you get in the sushi isn't minced and mixed. You really get to appreciate the flavorful notes of each ingredient. read more

One of my favorite places for Sushi!! The restaurant is clean, the service is fast and it's affordable. My 11-year-old loves it too. The staff was courteous and happily answered my daughter's questions about certain menu items. read more

I love sushi and in Evanston, you can't beat the freshness of the fish at Sea Ranch. They even sell their fish and other products in the market area too. Ordering takes place at the counter and then you find your table, so the vibe is very fast-food-like. The place is small with only 6 tables, which can get crowded at lunch time but the turnaround is fast. They have free green tea and water in self-serve urns, but I wish the cups weren't styrofoam. Overall, the food is affordable, well-presented and tasty. Nothing too fancy about the rolls themselves, they have standard specialty rolls like the Caterpillar and Dragon but the stars of each of the rolls are not the additions, it's the fish. read more

We've been going here for years and years (Evanston and Wilmette locations). Excellent sushi for the price, great staff. The fish here is absolutely fabulous although it's very expensive per pound. This is probably the best place for carryout in the area for sushi. BIG sushi pieces and they're not greedy with their fish inside the sushi (big pieces). read more

I tried the AYCE here!!! I've NEVER heard of a sushi place that offers IKURA as part of AYCE. Heavenly! The $25 AYCE is totally worth it to eat ikura, delicious, delicious ikura. They've got a good selection of rolls and nigiri. Once again Sea Ranch proves they do sushi right. I've heard many times that rice and tamago is how you know whether a sushi place is legit-both take a lot of time to make right and both are very difficult to make properly. Sea Ranch has both down. Their rice here is perfect-the right texture and just the right amount of rice vinegar. Their tamago is delicious. So soft and sweet, SO FRESH. yumyumyum. read more

Found this place on Grubhub, sushi arrived earlier 15 minutes earlier than expected.. the dragon roll was my favorite, tasted super fresh!! Overall satisfied customer read more

I was definitely surprised by the quality of sushi at Sea Ranch in Evanston since I didn't really like the Sea Ranch in their other location. I loved the rolls and the nigiris were definitely very fresh. I had great service all three times I've been there. They recently started serving ramen as well. The ramen is average in terms of taste but good enough for when I crave it. It's a good place to go when you want something fast and satisfying when craving sushi. read more

Not impressed at all. You walk in the door and it's a tiny grocery store with a few tables (which was okay, I guess, because we were the only people there). The total lack of anything resembling a restaurant would have been fine if the food quality was exceptional, but it definitely fell short. We went for dinner at 7pm and the lady behind the counter said it was too late to get the all-you-can-eat. I mean, it's prime dinner time. What's up with that?! So we proceed to order some rolls, for pretty much the same price the AYCE would have been. We get the rolls and they're really just okay. The tempura crumbs were stale and the fish didn't taste super fresh. To top off our experience, someone came into the store/restaurant and started harassing us to buy something from him (soda, candy, chips, etc). When we politely declined, he was visibly upset and started making rude comments, which was a little strange. The restaurant did nothing at all to stop this. They must have known he was there, because there was no one else in the store and he was carrying a milk crate full of candy and soda. Bottom line: If you're in the mood some quick carry out sushi this is fine. If you want a nice restaurant for good sushi and you're in Evanston, skip this place and head to Siam paragon (they do AYCE on Sun and Mon) or Koi. read more

Excellent prices for sushi, udon, and Japanese snacks. The location is close to the Dempster CTA station.

Sea Ranch, as the name suggests this place is pretty "rough", but what it lacks completely in style it makes up for in convenience and goodness. Not the best sushi I've had in the greater Chicago area, but definitely my new go to joint in Evanston. read more

Still haven't had sushi here yet but I came here with a friend today and tried the tonkatsu ramen, which I actually really enjoyed. The broth was creamy and flavorful and while the noodles did not have as much of a bite as I usually like, but I enjoyed the toppings a lot even though there was no meat. The California rolls were yummy and I would totally order this again. Minor complaint besides the lack of pork: the food was not as hot as I would have liked when it was served. But otherwise, decent experience! read more

This place is a gem. Their prices are so reasonable! I love ordering their lunch boxes because you get sushi with it!