Located in the River North area of Chicago, came in for happy hour. Grabbed a seat at the bar to check out the menu. Staff were friendly, and it was busy, but they were mostly attentive. Bar has a great vibe, dim but not dark. Food was excellent! Tried the crispy rice and tako taki, then some sushi off the happy hour menu. Took some things to go, which were forgotten about for some time but these things happen. You pay by scanning a QR code at the end, which is on a little wooden stand at the bar. Overall, I would return! read more

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Great spot for amazing sushi. I was terrible with taking photos, but added two for you all. The sushi was fresh, tasty and had perfect presentation. Our server was amazing. Enjoyable experience, we would return anytime! Otoro is a must, don't miss out! read more

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Stopped by for happy hour. The deals were great, but the sushi was okay. The place was really busy and the food took forever to come out. I've had much better sushi elsewhere, so not sure I would come back. read more

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Food was divine So flavorful and creative The dessert was even better The pie is one of the best things on earth Place is charming/adorable Staff is superb Drinks were delicious Would return in a heart beat Highly recommend read more

SUSHI-SAN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was craving a lighter meal so we decided to go for sushi. Sushi-san was relatively higher rated so we decided to give it a try! Inside was a bit darker than expected with more of a bar vibe. The sushi itself was just decent. It was rather filling, but more so because there was a lot of rice in the rolls. The rice itself was also a bit chewy. The fish itself was relatively fresh, though the scallops were a bit disappointing because of how they were cooked. I did enjoy the plum drink I had though! read more

SUSHI-SAN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went to Sushi-San in December with my teenage sons and we loved it. We shared the Cashew and Crispy Rice Salad to start. Do not miss this salad. This place gets little clumps of crispy rice done perfectly. Yum! We got the Thai Basil Chicken sizzling rice and Beef n Bop sizzling rice as well as entrees (I can't remember what my other son got). Everything was delicious. The atmosphere was dark and chill and the service was on point. I recommended it to friends we were with who went the next day! I would go again if we were in the area. read more

I've definitely had better sushi. It was just average to me. Fish wasn't really fresh. Nothing special. read more

SUSHI-SAN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Sexy black walls, exposed concrete pillars, and moody lighting set the tone at Sushi-San. Kate, our server, was incredibly knowledgeable about gluten sensitivities, which made ordering much easier. Sushi-San is part of the Lettuce Entertain You group, so you can find pictures of almost every dish on their website. The Beef 'N Bop Sizzling Rice comes with a little tableside performance--your server pours the sauce on with flair. When it comes to maki rolls, you can choose between 5 or 10 pieces, which I appreciate for variety. There's a $19 lunch special where you can pick from a curated list of an appetizer and an entree. I went with a mini poke bowl--super fresh ingredients all around. I probably wouldn't order the Tako Taco again; while the tempura seaweed shell was solid, I would've preferred a crab filling over octopus. We were all shaken by how good the Matcha Oreo Fluff ice cream was--fluffy marshmallow swirled in, crushed Oreos, and creamy matcha ice cream blended into dessert perfection. We were already scheming how to recreate it at home. At the end of your experience, the staff gives you a warm towel to wipe your hands to truly make this a unique experience. read more

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I have definitely seen more than my fair share of the Sushi-San all day menu- their rolls are some of my favorite in the city and never miss! Recently, I was able to try their express lunch special, and let me tell you- this is undoubtedly one of the best deals in town! For $21, you can order three dishes bento-style with many main menu items available, so it's a great way to try some new dishes. The meal also comes with miso soup. I opted for the miso grilled salmon over rice, cold soba noodles, and salad-san. The soup was warm and comforting, and the salad was refreshing but flavorful with a variety of crunchy and perfectly ripe veggies. The soba noodles were pretty spicy and had an addictive creamy sesame garlic sauce that I could have slurped alone! The miso salmon stole the show for me, though. The fish was super fresh, well-seasoned, and perfectly cooked with a crispy charred exterior that melted in the mouth. The rice also was perfectly fluffy and flavorful, topped with fresh scallions and sesame seeds. Well done again, Sushi-San! Already looking forward to the next visit and can't recommend highly enough. read more

SUSHI-SAN - Express lunch: Miso Salmon bowl, Chilled Soba Noodles, Salad-San - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Sushi-San is so solid every single time! The sushi is great. I think the shishito peppers are an underrated gem. It's definitely more on the fusion side but still very good. And the happy hour on the weekend is clutch! read more

SUSHI-SAN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had a really lovely experience here for a friend's birthday! Service was so friendly and helpful, explaining the menu for us and making recommendations. The eggplant tempura and edemame are MUST GETS. To me, edemame is edemame is edemame. But this was so well seasoned it was really a game changer! The tuna avocado is also a must get, the tuna is really amazing quality and even the non-sushi lovers at our table really enjoyed it. Spicy salmon was a pass for me, the salmon was good but the spicy sauce is borderline too bell-peppery and the flavor takes over the subtle salmon. The California roll with lobster was also really great. Drinks were all good, just an overall great time here and good, quick service. I'm really looking forward to coming back next time I'm in town! read more

SUSHI-SAN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Sushi San is definitely one of my fav sushi spots! The ambiance of this place is just how I like restaurants to be. Dim lights and everyone having conversation. I wanted a lychee martini but the bar was out of lychee pure so our waitress made me something very similar that was strong and delicious. The food was amazing as well and I can't want to come back and visit read more

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As a River North local, I was looking for a quick dinner and craving sushi, so I stopped by Sushi San. I've been here before mostly for the fried rice, but this time decided to focus on the sushi. We started with the crispy tuna rice, which was excellent, crispy, flavorful, and I love that they offer multiple protein options. For rolls, we ordered the shrimp tempura, spicy salmon, and lobster California. The sushi was solid, nothing groundbreaking, but definitely comforting and satisfying. I also tried one of their hand rolls, which was decent but not particularly memorable. The ambiance is dark and moody in a stylish way, and the service was spot on. The staff was friendly, attentive, and got us seated right away. Overall, Sushi San is a reliable go to when you want good quality sushi or fried rice without breaking the bank. It's casual enough that you don't have to dress up, but still feels like a nice night out. A solid neighborhood spot. read more

SUSHI-SAN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is a wonderful place with a menu you can charge through. It great for groups so you can take full advantage of the great menu. Our group of 5 had about 15 different items and loved them all. My favorites were the sizzling chicken rice and the spicy tuna crispy rice. There is such variety and quality in everything they serve. Borita was our server and she was a ball of energy and suggestions. It's a happening place and a little loud. read more

Amazing food and such a fun spot for sushi in the city. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Highlights: - Crunchy Avocado Roll - simple but so satisfying, with a perfect crunch. - Charred Baby Corn - smoky, sweet, and one of those unexpected small plates you end up loving. - D-Luxe Nigiri - absolute standout -- melt-in-your-mouth quality and worth it if you're a sushi fan. - Beet Salad - light, fresh, and a nice balance to all the richness. Drinks were on point too -- I had an Old Fashioned, plus we shared Asahi, cold sake, and even a Heineken Zero. Everything paired really well with the food. The vibe is cool and energetic, service was friendly and fast, and the whole experience just felt seamless. Definitely one of my favorite sushi spots in Chicago. read more

SUSHI-SAN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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When I tell you we cleared every plate! This spot not only brings great vibes it also has amazing food and service. Great place for date night, happy hour, or solo dinner. Can't recommend this place enough. Also Jerry is one of the best waiters! 13/10 couldn't recommend this place more! read more

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Sushi-San was a good choice for a meetup with a friend. It would also be a good choice for a date. Drinks and food came out pretty timely and the presentation of each menu item was nice. The lighting was just right. -good enough for pics, but still dim. I really enjoyed my cocktail. I'd have ordered more had I not been fasting all day. I thought the food to be priced really well, but the portions are on the small side. We ordered the broccolini which was mostly stems and disappointing. The maki rolls were good. I think I enjoyed the beef n bop the most. Especially the runny egg on top. Service was good. We had a reservation and were seated immediately which I appreciated. We had water at our table, so no need to wait for waitstaff to fill glasses. Our check arrived promptly once we finished, but I didn't feel rushed We all agreed that we liked Sushi-San. read more

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The happy hour at Sushi-San is absolutely worth the visit! They have an assortment of wine, beer, and cocktails for between $5-10 and snacks (sushi rolls and apps) for $6, you really can't beat that. The sushi is always super fresh and they definitely don't skimp when it comes to their drinks. The service is always very attentive and the servers are more than willing to walk you through their food and drink offerings. The vibes here are also immaculate! The hip hop music, dimmed lights, and overall eating experience is why I keep coming back. Definitely try to make a reservation as it can get busy! read more

SUSHI-SAN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Probably the best sushi in Chicago for the price. Not cheap, but not overpriced. Loved the apps, and rolls. Their lemonade soot in. Would love for them to do warm rice like @sugarfish La has. Would be a game changer. read more

Loved sushi san! The lobster california is a classic roll, service also was so incredible and accommodating to us. They did so well with the gluten free options. Music and lights down low is also perfect. read more

Great ambiance and service (on the counter). Food was pretty good as well. Tried the Crazy Shrimp Tempura, Edamame, Crunchy Avocado Maki, Snack-O, Mango Mochi and Nama Chocolate - enjoyed all. The sushi was pretty basic but still good. Lot of vegetarian options. read more

SUSHI-SAN - Crazy Shrimp Tempura - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had a small bite with a buddy here at the bar on a Saturday night. The place was packed and looked to be well liked. I liked the ambiance of the dining room and bar, there was a good Japanese feel to the place. I had a cold sweet sake which was delightful. But the pork fried rice bowl I got blew my mind. I will be back for sure. read more

This is a pretty good sushi place that I would revisit. The had the best edemame I have ever had. It was roasted in some kind of meat fat that gave it a smoky meaty flavor. It was memorably good. We ordered a variety of rolls from the happy hour and regular menu. Everything we tried from the happy hour menu was good. The crazy shrimp tempura was excellent so we ordered another. Two things that disappointed were the shitake mushroom truffle roll. It sounded good but it was bland and I could not taste any truffle in it whatsoever. You can substitute cucumber slices for rice so that the roll is wrapped in cucumber instead, but you have to pay two dollars more. While I like having this option if you want to limit your carb intake, it was not a good choice for us because we found it made the roll too wet, watery, and bland. The service was good and the place is kind of dark inside. We sat by the windows where it was bright. read more

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This was our father's day lunch after the Northwestern commencement. Sushi-san and ramen-san are sister restaurants and they have some shared items across both places. Super large space with cute booths. I will say the service was a little all over the place. The hall looked pretty understaffed so we were mostly patient but I think to rub salt in the wound, our server kept yapping w the group behind us but like wouldn't even stop by ours to clear our plates and at the end he just told us to pay via QR code instead of offering anything else or even the dessert menu. We were looking forward to the dessert but in the end just decided to pay and get dessert elsewhere. The express lunch menu here was a pretty good deal. They let you pick any 3 items regardless of category (veggies, maki, specialty) for $21 or the lunch oma-kaze for $26. Both come with miso soup and the oma-kaze gets seaweed salad as well. I liked the cucumbers with chili crisp a lot. At first glance it looked like there was not enough sauce for each slice of cucumber but I was humbled by how extremely yummy the chili crisp was. It was very garlicky and quite spicy and each dollop was so flavourful that it went super well with the thick sliced of cucumber. The slices of green onion also added another layer of refreshing/spicy flavour that was overall just super cohesive and yummy. Top 5 cucumber salads I've ever tried (and I've tried many). We were all talking about how we wanted to ask to buy a jar of the chili crisp to take home. The togarashi chicken nuggets were pretty tasty too. The skin was peeled slightly but fried all together that each nugget was an interesting mix of meat and skin fully coated and fried then tossed in togarashi. I liked the amount of togarashi and it was actually surprisingly spicy. The coating was super even which is always appreciated. The spicy mayo based dipping sauce brought it all together. The chilled soba noodles in my express lunch was super yummy. It had the same chili crisp from the cucumbers that I really liked and had a sesame sauce base. It was super nutty from the sesame seeds + sauce with slight bursts of spicy + garlicky flavours from the chili crisp. I love cold soba to begin with but this was pretty unique and tasty. The spicy tuna maki was also a very unique flavour. I think they used a gochujang base to add the spicy that made it slightly sweet but also was just a completely different kind of spicy than other spicy tuna rolls I've ever had. It came with spicy mayo dip which was yummy but I still really liked dipping in the soy sauce + wasabi combo (which btw the soy sauce here is made with shiitake mushrooms and tue wasabi was a perfect level of spice). The yuzu yellotail was also quite yummy. It came with a ponzu dipping sauce which was supper fitting. The yuzu part was a little lacking tbh but it was a very yummy roll nonetheless. read more

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I popped into Sushi-San for a quick lunch while in town for the Democratic Convention. I truly could not look at another Chicago-style hotdog and a sushi lunch was exactly what I needed. I sat at the bar and did the Express Sushi and Sashimi, which was a great deal. Everything was fresh and delicious and the service was attentive and quick but the reason I am giving only 3 stars is because one of my nigiri pieces had a hair on it. I alerted the bartender and he handled it perfectly -- he was apologetic, quickly got rid of it and had a fresh piece made for me right away. I'd love to go back to try more of their menu for dinner and hope to do so the next time I'm in Chicago. read more

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Wow, the food here is amazing! I've been to Chicago multiple times and the authenticity and flavors are fantastic. I think this is the best Japanese place I've tried so far in this city. Service was great. Quick, prompt, helpful. They were very accommodating to our little family and two strollers. Trendy place, but not intimidating for families. We tried a few different rolls that I can't recall the names, but they were all very good. The tako taco was unique and something I'd never tried before. Fried seaweed. Very well executed. I can say the same for the scallop aburi. The dish that had the most flavor for me was the beef b bop sizzling rice. It came out like in a Korean clay/stone pot. Bubbling and still hot. I enjoyed it very much and so did my husband. read more

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Rapidly moved into my favorite sushi restaurant when I'm visiting Chicago. The service is superb and friendly, and they'll go above and beyond to make sure you're satisfied! The food is delicious and you can't get fresher seafood. Family favorites are the shoshito peppers and the Okinawa sugar pie. No matter how full we are, we always have to split a piece for dessert. read more

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I caught Happy Hour after work on a Monday. As a singleton I could grab a seat at the bar with no wait. Romello helped me out and had some great suggestions. I was in for a light dinner and ended up with the happy hour spicy tuna (5pc) and avocado crunch (5pc) and a glass of wine. It was plenty for me! I took my last 3 pieces to-go because I couldn't bear to waste them! The music was fun, lots of hip-hop throw-backs. It was a fun place to grab a bite - I'll be glad to do dinner there with coworkers in the future. The rolls were fairly simple but so perfectly done. The spicy tuna was accurately spicy, in the best way and I was legitimately surprised at how much I loved the avocado roll. I could eat that every day! So smooth! This Seattle seafood gal is very happy with this new-to-me Chicago sushi spot! read more

SUSHI-SAN - Happy Hour! Spicy Tuna and Avocado Crunch - very simple and perfectly refreshing. 5/5 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was amazing. The chicken nuggets were my favorite!! The caramel cake was the best read more

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Spontaneously came here and staff was very helpful and accommodating! Went in a Sunday night and it was still super busy surprisingly. Food was 6.7/10 in my opinion, felt like I had to gulp down water after each bite because food was salty? Even the rice in the nigiri was salty which was odd in my opinion. But favorite dish I ate was the cold soba noodles! read more

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Great sushi spot! The restaurant is dimly lit, nice vibes on the interior. Staff were very friendly and attentive. Sushi is fresh and delicious. I love that you have the option to order half rolls (5 pieces) so that you can try more. It was a busy Friday night so the food took a bit longer than hoped to come out but not a big deal. Favorites: hamachi and spicy tuna crispy rice. I would definitely recommend this spot to someone looking for a nice sushi dinner, especially for a date! read more

What a great spot! Never knew it was here but the sushi is out of this world! I sat up at the bar and the head chef was sitting there too and gave me a couple of specials recommendations. They did not disappoint. Was awesome watching the sushi chefs do their thing right in front of me too. Everyone was super friendly and decor was hip and warm. But it's all about sushi and it didn't disappoint. And you all know how much I love brussel sprouts...the ones here were Check it out if you're in the area. read more

Great service, ambiance, and all the food was amazing! We were celebrating graduation and they made it perfect for us. Would definitely come back. read more

SUSHI-SAN - Salad San - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food and ambiance is pretty decent here, but I found their billing practices pretty offensive. They charge you an extra 3% on the bill without telling you, the reason given "so they don't have to raise menu prices". Oh great, instead being honest about how much the food costs they try to bury it in the back end and hope people don't notice. It says you can ask to have it removed, but I'm sure they're banking on people not doing that. When it comes time to tip, their "suggested" tip is 25% and your other two options are 22 and 28%. If you have your magnifying glass with you, they also have a "custom" tip link where you can change it to a normal 15-20% tip. The food was fine, but the end of the meal felt like a money grab so I won't be back. read more

I was visiting Chicago and decided to come here. The food was really good and came out pretty quickly. I've been crazing sushi for some time and this hit the spot. I had the Express Lunch and I picked the Vietnamese Pork, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Spicy Salmon. Delicious! read more

SUSHI-SAN - Vietnamese Pork, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Spicy Salmon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food and drinks was amazing. Perfect place for a date night or girls night out. Definitely recommend this place. read more

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I stopped here for dinner and it was pretty good! I started with the shishito peppers. They were ok, standard. Also had the hot mess (beverage), again decent... The waitress was nice enough, but it's a bit loud and it was a bit hard to hear her. For the rolls, I had the Lobster California and Spicy Tuna. The Lobster California was actually more tasty, especially if with the dipping sauce. I would order that again. I found it interesting that the site shows some sort of searing, but when I inquired about a seared roll, they don't have anything on the menu-- that was a bit misleading and disappointing. Service was quite slow and one server actually left the empty plates while setting a new one down. It was just me, a party of one in a small corner, so it would have been nice if he'd helped keep the area a bit cleared. The music was pretty good and I can imagine this being a great place to catch up after the workday! I'd come back! read more

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Sushi-San is a cute restaurant but they really cram as many tables as they can in there. It makes it almost 'family style' dining because you might as well be sitting with the table next to you if you get seated in the middle section. We were able to walk in without a reservation on a weekday night which was nice. I liked that you could choose to order a full roll or a half roll because I like to be able to try different things on the menu. They had some solid veggie options, but surprisingly no tofu option for the sizzling rice. They had two veggie sushi options which looked really good, but I went with the half spicy salmon roll. The roll itself was fine but the star of the show was the tempura Japanese eggplant. OMG! I've never seen this on a menu before and it was incredible. It was so light and airy, the dipping sauce was great, and I loved the spices they had on top. I would come back for this alone! read more

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Solid sushi offerings in a really hip and fun space. We came on a really crazy night and got held up in traffic so we missed our reservation window by about 20 minutes but luckily the hostess was able to seat us after only waiting about 15-20 minutes more. The food here is solid with excellent fish quality. The crispy rice was good although the spicy tuna lacked kick. Edamame was good but could've been a bit more charred. Cocktails were well done so kudos to the bartender. For entrees we got some sets including the Mr. Maguro as well as the Mega set. Both sets had good portion size (maybe a tad large) and fish quality was good. Service here was excellent from the front of the house all the way to the servers. Hostess was excellent at dealing with guests, take out orders and answering the phone while the place was a madhouse. Definitely a pro. Our server was also great - friendly, engaging and funny. If I had a criticism of this place, its value. Prices are a bit high but not outrageous. Overall a very good meal and service here is second to none. read more

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Sushi-San does not belong as # 1 on Yelp in sushi in Chicago which it currently is. It reaks of Lettuce Entertain You. However, the River North outlet of Sushi San is slightly better than the one in the Sears Tower. 2 visits to each location were enough. Small portions, indifferent service, over priced - Lettuce Sushi it clearly is. read more