Such an amazing dinner for date night. We were able to be sat early before our reservation which…read morewas appreciated. Service was very attentive. Regarding the food, we had some of the best sushi we've had in a long time! The oysters were so unique with the foam and extremely fresh. The 9 piece nigiri platter was a great tasting. They had on special Sea Bream and Barracuda nigiri that blew our socks off. But the best part of this meal was the Tako Maguro roll. Something neither of us had ever tasted before and will be dreaming about this sushi roll for a while !

This place is. Never. A. Miss. My goodness how I've missed you Juno. Hands down my favorite sushi…read morein Chicago and that's saying a lot because there are tons of great choices. Phenomenally fresh and always beautifully and artfully executed.

We went for my birthday dinner this year and wow did it ever over impress! The restaurant is TINY…read moreand we were seating at the counter with 3 other couples. The ambiance is reserved but comfortable and people were dressed from casual nice to more formal. The chef in front of us chatted a bit and was very friendly, happy to answer questions while he was prepping our next course. We had the matched wine courses as well and every one of them was a perfect hit for the course served. The service and the food were simple amazing. I would suggest this to anybody looking for the best Omakase experience in Chicago!

Masterclass in sushi, but the hospitality falls flat…read more I booked Mako for a special occasion, landing a rare 6:00 PM spot. The 23-course Omakase ($890 total for two, including two drinks) was culinary perfection,exquisitely crafted, beautifully presented, and fascinating to watch from the bar seating. The restaurant's interior is clean, moody, and Zen-like with dramatic lighting on the prep area. It starts off pin-drop silent, but as the night progresses, the room warms up into a pleasant communal energy. Unfortunately, the service did not match the quality of the food. The atmosphere among the staff was cold and stiff. Roles were confusing (asking for a oaper napkin resulted in odd glares), and when my guest unrolled their wet towel (oshibori), a staff member scolded them for not "pinching" it correctly. Furthermore, after calling ahead regarding a birthday, I was told they couldn't accommodate a candle or small dessert. Handing out a signed paper menu at the end of the night feels like a cheap substitute for real celebratory effort at a Michelin-level price tag. The chefs are brilliantly trained, but the awkward hospitality and rigid micro-aggressions meant we left without that warm, satisfied feeling you expect from fine dining. Great food, but the overall guest experience needs work.

This was an amazing experience, I cannot wait to attend one of their limited seatings when I get…read moreback to Manhattan. 12 course omakase tasting menu and they played old school hiphop and rap from the 80s and 90s all night! My personal fav. Grafitti all over the walls and plush velvet furnishings. 1. Yellowtail 2. bluefin tuna 3. Salmon roe 4. Albacore tuna 5. Chopped toro 6. Scallops 7. Miso cod 8. Fluke 19. Uni 10. Otoro 11. Wagyu with uni 12. Tuna Hand Roll Sushi by BOU Fulton Market was perfectly intimate sexy and cool. The fish was fresh and delicious, and the chefs are so fast, and knowledgable! I love sitting at sushi counters and getting to see them work, I love the stimulation. Service was outstanding the chefs made wonderful reccomendations including their secret menu item ' The BIG MAC' Ambiance was killer and its a small space with limited seatings every night. Perfect for a sexy date night experience and great for talking !!

This rating is SOLELY on how I perceive the dollar value of the experience. There's too many…read moreamazing omakase options in this city to where this one I'm still left a little hungry, a little wanting for more unique flavors rather than just nigiri, and a little more broke!! I've been here 2-3 times and each time it's just because I've gotten such a strong omakase craving and my other go-to spots are full for the night but this one just doesn't do it for me. There's other less expensive, more innovative omakase places in Chicago, I promise Upside: Chefs are absolute gems. The vibes are chic, cool and intimate, so my boyfriend and I have gone as a date spot. We got the upgraded "bougie" package and a few additional rolls cause again, basic menu doesn't hit the spot. Taken a friend there before too also opting for "bougie" because we wanted more rolls, but we split some dumplings on the way home if you catch my drift lol. For a slimmer 5'4" gal (my friend being literally a 4'10" gal) with a pretty decent appetite but nothing crazy, that shouldn't be happening consistently!

This is a Japanese-Scandinavian restaurant, and I'm surprised it isn't Michelin recognized because…read morethe entire experience genuinely felt like dining at a Michelin-level restaurant. Everything was clean, neat, organized, quiet, and pleasant--exactly the kind of atmosphere I love. The service was excellent and attentive from beginning to end. I especially loved how the dining experience progressed. They first seated me in one area for drinks and appetizers, then moved me to another setting for the main courses and dessert. It made the meal feel thoughtfully planned and gave the whole experience a unique flow. The food was exceptional from start to finish. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and appetizing, especially the fish, which was noticeably fresh and high quality. The presentation was also beautiful--delicate, creative, cute, and adorable without feeling overdone. Excellent food, beautiful presentation, impeccable service, and such a calm, refined atmosphere. It may not have a Michelin star, but it certainly felt like a Michelin experience to me.

I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Atsumeru in May 2026 to celebrate my wife's birthday, and…read morewe continue to rave about it daily. We checked in for our reservation, and the host politely wished my wife a happy birthday and mentioned our night would start off downstairs. We followed her to the basement. -- The basement was dimly lit, intimate, and cozy. The music was an upbeat jazz playing behind the bar, making it feel like a cozy living room with a private chef. The wine list was decent. They don't have cocktails yet as they just received their liquor license, but the Burgundy we chose paired well with our night. We cheersed our glasses, and the event started. Watching the chefs prepare the dishes behind the counter was like watching artists paint a picture, silent and beautiful. Our first course was crab, woodruff and apple. The crunchy texture and burst of flavor was the perfect start. Next was the wagyu, chestnut and katsuobushi. As a big fan of beef tartare, this was my favorite bite downstairs. The final bite downstairs was gjetost, onion, which was my wife's favorite. It tasted exactly like French onion soup in a single, decadent ball, with the onion and beef front and center. After this, we grabbed our drinks and were escorted upstairs to the main dining area. -- The room upstairs was upscale but not stuffy or pretentious, with calming music that set the mood. The chairs were incredibly comfortable, which I noticed right away. We were presented with some complementary champagne to celebrate my wife's birthday, which was a really appreciated touch. As we clinked our glasses, we started the main meal. The sablefish with corn silk and miso was fantastic, melting in your mouth with a great balance of savory flavor, a touch of heat, and a bit of crunch. Our second course was chawanmushi, trout, prawn and saffron, which was gorgeous to look at and had a welcoming mix of textures. The third dish was scallop, sudachi and fennel. I usually feel like scallops are overplayed at these types of restaurants, but boy, was I proven wrong. This was perfectly tender and probably my favorite dish of the night. The white wine sauce and citrus gave it a light feel, while unique bits of fried chicken added flavor and crunch. It might be the best scallop dish I've ever had. We also added the optional course of caviar, banana and beef. It was well worth the add-on, bringing a great harmony of salty caviar pops, sweet banana, and rich umami. The next course was mushroom, rice, yeast and egg yolk. You could really taste the Japanese and Nordic influences here with a full burst of umami. It wasn't my personal favorite, but my wife loved it, showing how subjective tastes can be. Next was the wagyu, koji and jus. They let you choose your own custom steak knife from a selection, which was an awesome, upscale touch. The A5 Wagyu had great flavor and was incredibly tender. The desserts were a phenomenal progression from savory-sweet to fully sweet. The foie gras, krumkake and cloudberry was rich, salty, and sweet, easily a favorite of mine. Next was the milk and pine dish. I usually roll my eyes when foodies say a dish transports them, but my tastebuds have been opened. With one bite, I closed my eyes and felt myself standing in a quiet, snowy pine forest. It was breathtaking. Our next course was sobacha, yuzu and cocoa husk, featuring a smooth ice cream over a nutty financier. The final course was three plates presented together: an explosive sea buckthorn bite with a fully liquid center, a Christmas-inspired ginger and speculoos cookie, and a meringue with hoja santa that my wife loved. Overall, these desserts were the perfect send-off. -- I'm excited to see this restaurant grow. I think they'll truly hit their stride once they have a full time sommelier and some cocktails on their menu. Thank you, Chef Devin, and your entire staff for an amazing experience for my wife's birthday. You are truly deserving of that coveted Michelin Star, if not two.

I love Itoko's brunch!! We can in for the early bird special…read more The steamed bun and lox had a unique take. The homemade everything steamed buns were so amazingly warm and soft. The cream cheese and salmon were the perfect portions to the bun. The egg souffle was cooking to perfection. I usually feel like I need some extra hot sauce on my eggs and the flavors were great and I didn't feel like I needed to drench the eggs in hot sauce. The pancakes were perfectly soft and not too sweet at all! Layering pancake, butter, pancake, butter and then dipping into the sauce made the perfect bite each time. We got most of our dishes through the southport set which is 100% worth it! On a side note not brunch related: the burger is really yummy. I love their hand rolls. The sushi rolls are a little small for me but still very well made.  I love all their cocktails. They are perfect drinks for the summer and are nicely bubbly. The staff is always so friendly and helpful. The restaurant is beautiful and much larger than you would think. The patio is great and friendly for dogs.

I have been to Itoko so many times and absolutely love their happy hour!! Their lychee martini is…read morethe best I have ever had. All their handrolls are something you must get! The rice bowl is so good as well. They give you a cute Polaroid pic for your special days either birthday or anniversary. This place is perfect for girls night or date night. Love their panna cotta which is so delicious. The service here is great! I will keep coming back especially for their happy hour.

I have had nothing but the best of times here. I am surprised it has taken me this long to write…read morethis wonderful review for the wonderful team here. It starts with the service, Michelle and her family do a phenomenal job in making sure they try to accommodate anyone and everyone and their preferences. They offer so much good advice on what to order based on what your likes and dislikes are. The ambience inside is subtle and has a nice dimmed lighting with greenery/plants galore. They have indoor and outdoor seating as well as boots that stretch into the back of the restaurant. It's a very nice date spot or family spot because they do have picnic tables outside as well. Now for the food, the quality of ingredients here is beyond exceptional. They use fresh ingredients and you can tell immediately. The fish is fresh and the combinations for the specialty rolls are out of this world. The rice is nice and soft and doesn't feel old like most places. The quality the fish is very fresh and does not smell. They have come up with great specialty role selections and pairings and even do customer specific rolls. They end each meal with a serving of mango, which is very unique and lovely to end your meal with as a pallet cleanser. This place is a hidden gem tucked away on the busy street of Randolph within West Loop. I need to say this more than once the food and quality of service here is beyond exceptional and everyone needs to make it out here to give them a shot. They also have a happy hour lunch that is worth checking out, which has Bento boxes. Love everything about this place and will definitely be coming back here for years to come

I popped in for dinner. Was going to try omakase but it was pretty quiet so i decided to grab a…read morecouple snacks instead. The miso was good, a bit salty. The ginger house salad was delicious! Zesty and flavorful! This was the highlight of my visit. The squid nigiri was good. I would have preferred it not be torched but it was still good. I added the ponzu sashimi appetizer because the sauces sounded delectable. It wasnt quite as loaded with flavor and texture as Id hoped but it was still good. I would have loved a stronger essence of the accents of chili oil and sesame oils. My server Kaylie was a sweetheart, very warm and attentive. It was nice that they offer happy hour specials.

Wow! What a wonderful spot! We came here to celebrate my birthday and it did not disappoint. We…read moremade reservations a few days in advance for a Saturday night and were seated right when we arrived. We tried a little bit of everything. We started with the brussel sprouts and followed it with the lemongrass beef lollipops, Wagu crispy rice, spicy tuna crispy rice, spicy tale of two tunas roll, and the massaman scallops. Everything tasted so good but the brussel sprouts and crispy rice are definitely dishes that are a MUST! The brussel sprouts came in a pretty decent portion - enough for 4 people to split. The crisp rice comes with four pieces and we did two Wagu and two spicy tuna...the Wagu were my favorite. The meat was so tender and basically melted in my mouth. For dessert we shared the Ridiculous. Since I was celebrating a birthday, they also brought out a special coconut cake dessert. When the waitress found out it was my golden birthday she brought us shots on the house too! Food was absolutely delicious. The service was excellent - shoutout to M for making my special day even more memorable! The vibe was also great - classy but comfortable.

I enjoyed a birthday dinner here with a couple girlfriends the other night. To start off, the…read morerestaurant has beautiful decor and ambiance, and they also gave us complimentary birthday sake shots and a signed birthday card which was incredibly sweet of them. We started off with the spicy salmon crispy rice, which came with 4 pieces and was incredibly well cooked and crispy indeed. We also tried the sweet potato caterpillar, which contained asian pear, avocado, black garlic teriyaki, and red pepper puree, truly a unique dish. For our main entrees, we tried the massaman scallops, which came with 4 scallops, curry, corn, okra, squash, and lime, which were beautifully cooked and complimented by the vegetables. We also tried the longevity crab noodles, which were a bit rich and tasty but short on crab. Lastly, we enjoyed a special birthday dessert not on the menu, which was bibingka with ube butter. We also tried the mochi, which was a nice way to end the meal. Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a beautiful ambiance and nicer meal in the West Loop.

We spent the day at the museum and also went to the botanical garden and was looking for a place to…read moreeat since we didn't complete our site seeing til later. We came by and didn't have any reservations and was luckily seated right away inside for a party of 5. The place was nice and cool with the AC blowing to help escape the heat!! The kids order ramen that they devoured and the misses and I ordered various sushi rolls which were delicious. The service was spot on - friendly, checking up on us, refilling drinks etc. it was a wonderful experience here and the food was great. Highly recommend this place!!

Took my daughter here where we were treated very well, fed well, and had a lovely time! The…read morerestaurant isn't very big but they do a nice job. All the food we tried was very fresh and good. My only problem at all was at the end we were ready for desert and the bill came instead. It wasn't a negative but we were both looking forward to sweets. We enjoyed our time and will be back.