Holy Mary, Mother of God. This is unequivocally the most inequitably priced sushi restaurant in Chicago. It's been a few hours since we sat down to eat there, and I'm still in a state of disbelief. I'm in shock. I'm going to do my best to write in this state, but I don't know how well it's going to go. The sushi was fine. Good even. I want to give it its due. It wasn't great and it wasn't special, but it was good enough. To be frank, however, for it being "specially made" and "based on our tastes," it was all pretty pedestrian. Yeah, calling something pedestrian is a douche move. I don't care. I calls 'em like I sees 'em. So, let's discuss that the cheapest of our three Sushi Mike specials was $20. $20. $20. To be clear, this is for a skinny maki roll of 10 pieces. Skinny like sushi you get at Dominicks. $20. At this point, I think it makes sense to point out that precisely 0 sushi rolls on the Japonais menu cost more than $16. The same price point holds true for Sushi Mirai. This math is telling me weird things. For $4 less per roll, I could eat at Japonais, a place that's not really my scene, but certainly has a 'cool-factor' and makes some great food. For $4 more than Japonais, I could at eat Clark and Bryn Mawr, in a dark, unimpressive back room where the temperature stayed at a brisk 55 degrees throughout the entirety of 2.5 hours of waiting and starving. We never even received our last two rolls. We had to give up. I'm glad. If they had come, we'd have broken the $100 mark for a party of three who were barely even fed at a BYO. That might be the new definition of insane. read more

Katsu, my ass! That place was so rude, we left and went to Tanoshii instead. I don't eat sushi. Well, the raw stuff...makes me wanna puke in my mouth a little. But I have a new found love for veggie rolls. I love avocado, cucumber, cream cheese rolls. There was not a roll like that on the menu but I asked Mike, head "chef", to see what he could do and he said "no problem." What ended up on my plate was a delicious, super-creative, avocado, cucumber, cream cheese roll lightly topped with a peanut-y sauce in the shape of catepillar! It even had eyes! It looked just like the kind of catepillar Brittany Bechtold put in my hair when I was 7...except, this one, I wanted to eat it, not scream... It's BYOB and they played the strangest, most awesome music ever...song list included, but was not limited to "Billie Jean," "Rock me, Amedeus," and "Rock Me Like a Hurricane." Tanoshii definitely rocked me without rocking my wallet like Katsu would've... Ah! A catepillar! I mean, mmm...a catepillar! read more

Okay so this place really annoyed me and I hardly get annoyed and I hardly give out two stars. A few weeks ago I made reservations at Tannoshi but to my own mistake I made it for the wrong location and really wanted it to be here. We arrived at 6:30 and the place was practically empty. The guy told me Made the reservation at his partner location and told me to head over there. That's at least a half hour away with little traffic and obviously we would have been late over there. What really pissed me off is that they could have made an exception even though it was my fault since the place was empty. He kept saying those are for future reserved spots like for 7:30 and 8:00 which was more than an hour away. I begged him asking him if we could sit at the bar or anywhere really and that we eat super quick and would be out before those times guaranteed. He said sorry no. I've never been turned down like that especially since there were a plethora of empty tables. He didn't care that we drove over an hour from the burbs to get here, just plain rude and lacked all customer service. Being the kind of person who believes in second chances I decided to give them another shot last weekend and made another reservation, this time at this place. We arrived and were sat in their back room which felt very desolated and I would have preferred to be where the action was at. Oh and the room was also more than 70% empty on a Saturday night waiting for future reservations. Our hostess had that "I'm too cool for school attitude" about her the entire meal. She didn't really offer any recommendations and I had to really ask her what she would suggest. She felt too busy to give us any ideas. We decided to order a few simple rules to taste the quality of the fish and a few of their renowned specials. The simple rolls weren't expensive but lacked a lot of fish and were oh so blah. The specials we tried were the salmon special and the soft shell crab special, only thanks to the yelp pics on here. They were $20 and $22 and I felt extremely ripped off. Were they decent rolls? Yes absolutely. Anything out of the extraordinary? Nope. I mean that salmon roll had a few pieces of salmon, some drizzled honey and what looked like imitation crab inside. Yes you get like 9-10 pieces but for $22? I mean this isn't Sunda or any special downtown place so where do they get off charging such prices for such mediocre, lacking tons of fish, rolls. You can easily spend way too much here and I'm glad we didn't do too many other rolls. Toro and coast are way better in my opinion and wayyy cheaper. This is not Morimoto, it's a little edge water place charging way too much. I won't be back, and not only due to the sushi but mostly, how I felt I was treated which wasn't very nice. Maybe the Randolph location is nicer on the inside which a much nicer staff and I should have ended up their after all. read more

Tanoshi - Salmon special $22 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love sushi and this was terrible. It gets 2 because I can't do 1.5. I don't know who this sushi mike guy is, but if he's so awesome, why can't he make a basic roll? I went on a saturday evening. You should come expecting a local BYOB hangout, where a caucasian crowd gathers to be adventurous and chat over glasses of whatever wine they brought. It's very friendly. But I came for dinner, which was the worst sushi I've had made to order. Easily. We ordered an appetizer, and four rolls coming out to ~$50 for two. Their card says it's "food for the senses". Here's what I sensed: The agadashi tofu, which should be japanese custard tofu lightly fried, was a regular tofu of medium firmness not at all silky or custard-like and they didn't even manage to make it lightly crunchy. Apparently they tried to make up for this by drenching it in sauce, which was the right sauce and made it tasty, but not worth it. (If you want to try custard tofu, Ken Kee makes it with vegetables, not agadashi style, but it's probably healthier and it's super tastey.) The rolls (alaskan, tempura roll and two other basic ones) were memorable only in their awkward skimpyness. The fish in the alaskan was thinner than my chopstick. Biting into the seaweed skin was a texture akin to biting into a soggy defrosted crab leg, it was rolled tightly and the way it poped and tore chewing was unpleasent. How can a sushi roll be tough? How?? With little filling aparently, I mean the fish to rice ratio was alright, but there was just so little of it. For the price, it was too little and too few (6 pieces the size of a knuckle). Perhaps they put so little raw fish in for sake of their patrons who may not be used to eating raw? I didn't order the made to order special after seing the poor quality of the basic rolls. The service was barely passable. I'm cutting them slack for being busy, and they did accomodate us when we requested a window seat. But the food took a while to come out, my tea was not refilled until I requested it when dinner was almost over and the waiter recommended one or two of the lackluster rolls. You will have fun if you want to make friends and nice-nice with the chefs at the sushi bar and bring a bottle. Being drunk would definitely help with the exprience. I'm assuming that's how it got so many 5 stars because I have never been more dissapointed by the texture and quality of japanese food. Dominicks has done better and that is a sad sad thing. read more

The sushi here is some of the best I've had. If you're going to eat at Sushi Mike's, here are three recommendations to get the most out of your experience: 1) don't come here with a party of more than 4 people. 2 is ideal. this is because... 2) sit at the bar. it's cozy and you get to watch them make your food; it's a great show 3) order The Special. the rolls are a little pricey, but you won't be disappointed Sushi Mike clearly has a following and it's easy to see why. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be rushing to come back any time soon. About 3 rolls into our amazing dinner, Sushi Mike pulled our waiter aside behind the register (in front of all the customers and other staff) and started reaming him. It went on for what felt like ages. I don't know whether the guy deserved it or not, but it made us feel really uncomfortable. I kept worrying if it was something we'd done that had gotten this poor guy in trouble. It left a bad taste in my mouth that lasted far longer than any of the tasty food they served us. There are lots of places in this city that serve amazing food. The next time I want great sushi, I'm going to a place that treats their staff with dignity. read more

This experience almost requires two different reviews. Food and Experience. The Food: Absolutely amazing. I've never actually ordered anything off the menu, so I can only comment on what Mike has created. Count on one thing regarding the food: Tanoshii does not serve anything that isn't fresh and of high quality. I learned that I actually like uni (sea urchin) at this place because of how fresh it is. If it isn't good, Mike won't serve it. I recommend calling ahead to see what's good that day if you are craving something in particular. The quality of the sashimi is top notch. The rolls are fantastic. Creative, with delicious sauces and fish/vegetable/fruit combinations. The portions are very generous. I don't even know if they serve dessert there - I'm always stupidly full by the time we get that far! We've gotten takeout a couple of time and there is no loss of quality in the fish or the presentation. Excellent!! The Experience: It really depends on things such as the phase of the moon, the day of the week, and how busy things are. Our during the week experiences have all been excellent. Lots of personal attention to everyone there, no waiting, not to mention the best fish ever. Weekends are a bit different. Waits are longer, and it is definitely recommended to get reservations for an earlier time (before 7:30) if you want to sit at the bar, and if you are hungry. The atmosphere is louder and pretty funny. Everyone always remembers to bring an extra bottle of whatever the BYOB is for Mike, so once in a while it can get awkward if Mike is enjoying the B a bit too much. Regardless of speed of service or odd comments, the fish has always been the best. I also think the biggest unsung hero at Tanoshii is Chris. He is hilarious, extremely hard-working, and makes excellent rolls. This place is pricier than other casual spots, but we're in the mid-west and this is the best fish I've had consistently so far in Chicago. read more

ehh. The rolls were unimpressive and I HATE when sushi joints say they have crabmeat when they really use a CRABSTICK. That already lost two stars already. The Mike Special roll was interesting but it wasn't amazing like everyone said so that lost another star. The service was great and it's BYOB so I'm settling on 2 stars. Side note. Everyone speaks Korean. My boyfriend overheard (very easily as they were yelling it across the tiny restaurant) that they were ordered a summons that day and that the owner was an ass to one of his employees. Maybe they should realize some people speak the same language as the staff and try to act professional in all languages in front of guests. read more

What a surprise! Fresh sushi with an amazing flavors along with various sauce that owner has developed for many years

This place is just OK, at best. We were hit with their strange marketing strategy that entailed "what you don't like". I said well I don't eat raw but what sushi do you have that is cooked? Of course then you are stamped with an "L" on your forehead. So the soft-spoken boy rattled off California roll, shrimp tempura roll, etc. Oh how original! There's the end of the customer pleasing. I asked if they could do a spicy California roll ie spicy mayo, yes but mayo must be on the side and it's 50 cents. I was like, OK, kinda shocked. I guess Mike and co. cannot put the mayo inside the roll. I also ordered the shrimp tempura roll. I asked if they had Uni, which I love, almost to prove I know the deal, no....we don't. We were also being sold on the fish and chips, which I thought maybe was some panko crusted Japanese version of the Brit staple. No, it (as I observed) is a tuna tartar type thing that Mike molds then smashes and then serves to the lucky drooling customers on some tortilla chips. I've had similar things before, no big deal but not doing raw these days. Don't quite get this presentation. Why not serve it unmolded in its shape surrounded by the chips. Whatever. Bottom line, food items reviewed as follows. California rolls worst ever. I don't even mind the fake crab, but how about real. I wouldn't mind paying a few bucks more. I thought this was a higher end place. Never got the 50 cent mayo. Skinny, chewy, bland and dry. I read on yelp that the nori here is tender and special. It was tough and almost couldn't chew. Shrimp tempura roll...worst ever. Again dry and bland. Do they have a dragon roll or creative take on a cooked item? Didn't seem so and/or was not communicated by our server. Both of these I have had much better at countless sushi places even grocery store type sushi. The shumai was OK in a decent ponzu sauce but really tasted like just from a frozen bagged item from any asian store. My friend's salmon terriyaki was good on a bed of decent crisp veggies w/ rice. He got miso soup which I was denied I guess because I didn't rank. Maybe it would have been 50 cents. I agree with a couple Yelpers. There are way better places to go, including Japonais for about the same $ and much more satisfying. And dare I mention Sunshine Cafe or even Toyko Marina or Indie Cafe, Renga Tei, Katsu, etc. . There is simply no warmth or satisfaction here. A cold place, not a pleasant experience on any level. That's the bottom line for me. read more

I am a bit torn with this place. I heard mixed reviews. The general consensus was that the Mike's Special is what should be ordered. But if you ordered the typical items, they are good as well. The Special, which was custom (we were asked what we liked and disliked) turned out well. However, the typical items were not good. The Special came out first but was a but delayed (took 15 minutes). There weren't that many people in restaurant either. Then it took another 15-20 minutes to get our other orders. You would think the Soft Shell Crab, or the Dragon, or the Unagi would be delicious. But they weren't. Very bland.. Such a shame. It appears he focuses on the Specials more than the more traditional/every day items. Unfortunately, I will not be going back. read more

This is by far my least favorite sushi place I've been to in Chicago. I'm a huge sushi fan and I believe it's pretty hard to mess up the standard rolls, but this place was no enjoyable at all. The server didn't know what sriracha was which was a huge issue because I can't eat sushi without my favorite cock sauce!!! I also really enjoy a TINY sliver of a lemon peel in my sushi for freshness or a squirt of lemon on top of my salmon rolls, so I asked the server if she could put a TINY amount of the peel in my roll and got whole lemon slices. They put them in EVERY roll I ordered, and it was so overpowering I couldn't eat it. I explained this to the server in detail about how it's just a tiny sliver, and she didn't quite understand I guess. Totally ruined the whole experience for me. Took us forever to get soy sauce brought to our table as ours was empty. The pot stickers/dumplings we ordered were also drenched in sauce instead of the sauce on the side so that was an awful appetizer experience. Really, I don't even want to write too much more abou this place because I didn't like it at all. I'll never go back there and it's literally two blocks away from me. I'll travel a little further for better quality food no problem. Maybe this was just a one time thing as the average rating here is 4 stars, but I'd rather eat at Hello Sushi on Damen or a billion other places in Chicago than here. read more

If you're a regular at this place, you'll love it here. I've been here a couple times. Since going vegan I don't eat sushi anymore (Yes, vegetarians can eat sushi. Don't ask - they just can.) so it's an increasingly rare occasion that I find myself in a sushi restaurant, but Tanoshii is alright. That is, if you don't mind waiting 50 minutes on a Tuesday night in a half-full restaurant while the servers literally spoon feed glistening morsels of delectable shit into the mouths of the bourgeois lizard-faced regulars at the next table while you and your dining partner's stomachs and brains are searing with hatred because you've been waiting forever for a couple of Mike's rolls which are going to cost about as much as a black-market kidney and they could at least maybe fit those in amongst the sushi they're showering on the lizards and the other regulars at the bar. That said, where else can you say: "Bring us two delicious vegan sushi rolls!" and it works? Also, they were playing Steely Dan the whole time. I happen to have a sense of humor, and also I kind of like Steely Dan because my high school boyfriend made me listen to them all the time and I have sort of a pleasantly charred groove in my brain for those guys and so it was amusing to me but seriously STEELY DAN? You know that means vibrator in the 50's, right? read more

bleh. I went here with my fiance and we were just awfully disappointed. We eat sushi an awful lot, so I can say that it's NOT because I don't know what good sushi is supposed to taste like, or what the price for good sushi is. I've read some of the other reviews that say the fish was fresh. I don't know what that means to you. I'm going to have to agree with the yelper who said that the shrimp looks like it's from a platter you can get from some grocery store. It's plastic-looking and chewy. I don't understand why people rave about the flavor. WHAT FLAVOR? The flavor of the sauce that they DROWN everything in? It all tasted the same! I want to savor the taste of my fish, not struggle to get through the sauce! There was so much rice in the roll, I couldn't tell where my fish was. I actually thought they gave me the wrong thing. This poor place is O-V-E-R-P-R-I-C-E-D for what it is. We spent about $120 without drinks- that's kind of a lot!! - and still had to eat dinner later, because our hunger was not satisfied. I'm going to save my complaints on the service and decor, you can figure that out for yourself, maybe it's a matter of taste. I can honestly say you should save your money and make the trip up to the Indie Cafe at 5951 N Broadway. It's close enough. I was so sad, this place is 100 feet from my place and I wanted it to be good. I still feel a tinge of bitterness every time I walk by it. boo. read more

The rice to fish ratio is in your favor at Tanoshii, especially with the Sushi Mike special. This place is not your run of the mill, all you can eat, soy sauce on every bite joint. Yes, they have a full menu with nigiri, apps, bento boxes, and special rolls but I would try the special at least once. First, we received a flavorful spicy fish, avocado, and roe-packed ceviche prepared for each of us on a giant tortilla chip. Are you allergic to certain fish, do you not like spicy food? Whatever you tell the server, he will bring you something you probably have not had at a sushi place prior. For example, we had one roll that had a tiny sliced strawberry in it. It didn't taste fruity at all, it tasted like sushi. The subtle hints of creativity they put into their food makes this place unique and worth trying. Things to note: Sushi Mike rolls vary from $16-$22. They take reservations. They have a BYOB corkage fee. read more

Flat out, thee best, most creative sushi in Chicago. "Sushi Mike" is fabulous, he tosses the menu if you sit at the bar and will make something awesome with your favorite ingredients. "No soy sauce!" a frequent refrain, and you don't need it! We got there before the owner was in, but he entered during our visit - the energy of the place really picked up -clearly he's a man who loves his work. read more

Since I was recently named both "Maki Princess" and also "Sushi Loving Loud Mouth" I figured I might as well live up to the titles and so here is yet another review from this Maki Princess - Sushi Loving Loud Mouth! After leaving Tanoshii tonight I can say without a doubt I have no idea what all the hype is about. I left with a very so so feeling of this place and that's really sad because I really love my sushi. Here's the reasons I wouldn't travel to Andersonville again to eat at Tanoshii. 1. The service is really slow. They move at a snails pace here. Our server Paul was super nice about everything and believe me my dining companion and I threw a lot at him. So props to Paul but really when a table orders an appetizer it should come before the actual meal. 2. We did get our appetizer finally (see above) but it was not as the menu described and was not very good. Note to self do not order the gyoza here. Just don't do it. I felt bad about sending it back since they forgot about at the beginning of our meal but bad food is bad food. 3. The rolls are pretty good. But they are filled with a lot of rice. I like my fish thick (see my review of Bentonara) and I like my fillings full and not just full of rice. Also the rolls or sorta sloppy. They easily fall apart and unroll. 4. I will not pay $8.00 for a California roll when it's made with Krab not crab. Sorry try again. 5. Speaking of pricing. The pricing here is decent but some rolls are a lot more expensive than others. Again $13 for a roll with Krab stick and salmon only isn't going to cut it. So there you have it the low down on Tanoshii from the Maki Princess - Sushi Loving Loud Mouth! Stay tuned my friends. read more

So let me begin with the end; my bill was $145 for two people (including tip) with no alcohol (it's a byob). We ordered 1 appetizer and 5 rolls. That's it. The service is very good and friendly. Sushi Mike is busy, but gregarious and helpful in coming up with innovative and fun options tailored to what you tell him your preferences are and what he has that came in fresh. HOWEVER, the ambiance is average for a sushi place. The sushi is good, fresh, and different; overall, I'd say above average. But at Japonais prices, way overpriced. read more

The best, hands down. This will be a lengthy review, so heads up. Mike doesn't read YELP reviews but I owe it to him to spread the good word. I do frequent Tanoshii, for the past year I have gone on average 2-3 times per month. Sushi is one of my favorite foods, so i thoroughly appreciate what Mike (the owner) is doing at Tanoshii. I have eaten at many top Sushi restaurants in the city as well as the country (including NOBU in Miami, LA, and Malibu). Tanoshii is hands down the best I have ever had. The food is amazing for a few reasons, but most of all because of the freshness and quality of the fish and other ingredients. There is no Soy sauce in the entire restaurant. Mike creates his own sauces to go on his rolls. He uses ingredients like 14 year old balsamic, truffle oil, honey, oregano, strawberry's, and much more to create his sauces. Mike goes to the fish markets in Chicago 4-5 a week. I won't share his secrets on how he confirms that the fish he selects is what is delivered to his restaurant, but he ensures it is what he chose. He has also shared multiple times that he is one of maybe 5 sushi chefs in the city that he will see at the fish markets. Majority of sushi restaurants in the city (over 300 locations in chicagoland that serve sushi) place orders for fish and do not hand select. I highly recommend you order "sushi mike" or "mike's way". Mike will create rolls for you. He will ask if you have any allergies, if you like spicy or not s[icy, and create magic from there. The fish he has varies day to day because he only uses whatever is freshest from the fish markets that morning. For example...Some days he has blue fin tuna, some days he has big eye tuna, some days octopus, some days he does not have any of that. Now for the experience...be prepared to take your time and know that it is not a fast and quick experience. Your experience takes sometime because 1-Mike wants you to enjoy your food, truly enjoy every bite. Therefore he will only serve you one roll at a time (if you order mikes way). 2- he likes to concentrate and dedicate his attention to each group of people. For example, I have been seated at the bar at 9 pm, and not received my first roll till 10 pm. This is because he is focusing on other patrons food, making each experience unique and personal. Food from the kitchen, such as soup/dumplings/tempura/edamame/etc. does come out extremely quick so order from the kitchen if you're hungry while waiting for Mike. I highly suggest starting with the fish and chips, mike will make right in front of you. Also, props to Max. Max is the other sushi chef who works along side Mike. He is absolutely phenomenal. I sometimes ask Max to make a roll or two for me and my wife instead of Mike. Tips: Be prepared for a lengthy yet amazing experience. BYOB Mike likes Miller Lite, feel free to bring some as he will toast and drink with you. As the saying goes..."if you don't like my rolls, ok. If you don't like my fresh fish, get the F out!" If you plan on sitting at the sushi bar (which i believe is the only way to get the full experience at Tanoshii) make sure to make reservations ahead of time. Tables are always available but the bar is where you want to be. read more

Boo. This place was so bad it actually caused me to create a yelp account. Let's recap the evening... First we walk in, the room looks cool - cool sushi bar feel. Pretty standard for your low key neighborhood sushi joint. I liked it. Then we were seated, not in the cool low key sushi bar area, but rather, in this creepy back room with no lighting and sponged painted pink walls. It looked like a run down hospital nursery. The service a was mediocre. Not very attentive. Also, a roach was climbing on the wall directly behind my wife. She had to move to the other side of the table. When we brought this to the attention of the waiter - he walked away and came back about 4 minutes later. Yes, that is right a ROACH was sitting at our table for almost five minuets. Gross. Why we didn't just get up and leave is now beyond me. I heard so many good reviews on yelp, so we had to try it out. Also, when we got the bill - no adjustment for the aforementioned roach. Not even a free drink. Very bad service indeed. Don't bother going to sushi mike. Unless you like bad service and like roaches dining with you. read more

This is my favorite place for sushi, and the reviews that recommend reserving a spot at the sushi bar are spot on. The quality of the fish is amazing, but the real standout are the sauces. The fresh wasabi sauce is really outstanding, and his sun-dried tomato, yuzu, spicy mango and brown sauces are excellent as well, and he goes easy on the salt so you can still taste the fish. (By the way, if you thought a sun-dried tomato sauce on fish wouldn't be good, I went in thinking that too. I was wrong.) But here's a really useful hint. Go a little later at night when Tanoshii isn't as busy. Mike likes to get really creative, but he doesn't have the time to make some of the rolls when the restaurant is crowded. We went in at 9 pm on a Thursday. If you do the same, your patience will be rewarded. read more

oooooooooooh the famous sushi mike and his custom made rolls, everyone talks about how great you are.... A bunch of us went out, 6 makes a bunch doesn't it? We all got "Mike's special" Welp, ONE was really good. It was kinda like a variation on a rainbow roll with some kick. There were 2 that were slightly enjoyable. and 3 that were pretty much not good. for 16-22 bucks each, NOT WORTH IT. Yeah, we spent between 20 and 30 bucks each (no drinks!) and had to go out to dinner AFTER going out to dinner to get full. read more

Sometimes there's nothing I like more than a night out at a BYOB restaurant where you can eat, drink, and generally linger in the back of a restaurant until the servers and hosts are giving you the stink eye to give up your 10 person table already. Tanoshii earned a three star review from me because at no point did our boisterous table of BYOdrunken fools receive anything but excellent service. We were able to hang out until our wine-soaked hearts' desired. However! Part of the reason we were at dinner for so long was the wait for food was very long. Half of our party ordered the chef's maki special, which as other reviews have noted is basically telling the chef to make up a roll of his choosing. I was able to try each of the five "unique" rolls and they were ok, but each roll came out one at a time. It was so spread out that I was the last one served and the non-sushi eaters at the table had already received their dishes, eaten, and had their plates cleared before I had my first bite. Not cool. Clearly the chef was busy with other people and took his time with the rolls, so thankfully the server was attentive. If I'm paying that much and waiting that long for a sushi roll it better be damn good. read more

3.45 Another Sushi Girls' Dinner. The coolest part of this sushi joint is the dark, wooden bar. Just looks so damn cool! It's not quite a sushi bar, I don't even think in serves alcohol, it fits yet it shouldn't. The second coolest part was the Tuna Tataki. Although, oddly the waiter scooped all of it evenly onto our three chips; it was impressively plenty. Spicy & Fresh. The rolls, usual sake and different varieties of maguro nigiri were all average. Fresh but average. So....for a quote from 3 non-anorexic girls: Appetizer 5 rolls 8 nigiris BYOB wine =around 100 bucks. Not bad. Cute place to catch up with friends.... read more

This is without a doubt my favorite sushi restaurant in the city! Chef Mike is not only an artist but enjoyable to be around as well. He always impresses me with his new creations whenever I come in -- from tuna to mushrooms to truffle he knows exactly what to put together to excite my tastebuds. It is truly a treat every time I visit! read more

My favorite sushi place in the Midwest....honestly. Sushi Mike's fish is fresh and inventive and I don't even get tired of the big band CD that plays on repeat. Don't order off the menu, sit at the bar and ask for Mike's specials... inevitably a combination of unagi and peanut sauce, maguro and basil and oil, or himachi and shataki mushrooms. Don't wrinkle your nose.. you got to try it. And what could be better than BYOB.. pick up a bottle of your favorite something across the street at In Fine Spirits. read more

What comes to my mind when I think of girls' night out ? Sushi & wine! My friend had heard of this restaurant from a few different people and since it was in the neighborhood we thought we'd check it out. We went on a Wednesday night and by the time we left it was packed. We ordered the fish and chips which was a tuna tartar on top of a wonton chip. It was really tasty, but they took away the extra tuna tartar mixture after they packed it on to the wonton chip, which was really annoying. We would of eaten it without another chip! For dinner, we ordered Mike's Special. You pick the ingredients and they create rolls for you. We all really liked cilantro, jalapeno, unagi, mango, avocado, etc and they created the some pretty interesting rolls. One came with mango and truffle oil and another came with sliced strawberries and a combo of the ingredients we requested.The rolls were really good, but also pretty $$. I've been to a lot of sushi restaurants where the rolls have been just as good or better and they were not as expensive. It was BYOB so we saved money there, but I don't think I will be going back. To me, it was just A-OK. read more

I have such mixed feelings about this place... First, the food is amazing... Chef Mike's special is the way to go if you have any sense of adventure. They will bring you as many delicious rolls of sushi as you can eat, and chances are one more because you'll naturally not think you're full, order one more, eat two more bites, realize you are full, have the next roll come anyway, take a taste, see how delicious it is anyway, then eat it despite being full, and accept the appropriate amount of gluttony happily without regard for the potential after affects on your soul or if a bald Kevin Spacey would be likely to show up to your house. However, I feel like there are more and more issues with the waitstaff each time I am there. I am not sure if the overly aggressive nature of the chefs is preventing them from keeping talent (there appeared to be some public scolding about ticket writing last time I was there) or if there is some bad hiring. I know it can be hard to work in a stressful environment so I am not sure where the blame should lie. But I do believe service is a significant part of a dining experience and when your custom sushi rolls take so long to create, you cannot have servers forgetting to take orders. And if/when you do make a mistake that causes us to go buy an extra bottle of wine to make our drinks last through our meal, perhaps comp'ed edamame is fair compensation while we hungrily stare at other peoples' delicious food. Go when it's not busy... which is... well, I don't know. read more

The best Sushi of my lifetime! No cap- no bull- just the best fish you'll ever have and a laugh or two!

I Just have to be honest, we got takeaway yesterday and it really didn't work out for us. We got takeaway yesterday from Tanoshii. They were very nice and prompt and like I had requested, they had the food ready by 7pm so that we could pick it up and take it home. We ate it about 20 minutes later. They were also very kind to make sure some of the vegetarian items were vegan or could be made vegan. All in all the service was good. We got Veg dumplings, the tofu app, a few special rolls, a few orders of scallops, tempura and a few orders of their pumpkin soup. My brother and mom really enjoyed the soup, but the scallops were soggy, the dumplings hard and chewy and the fried tofu cold and tasteless. The rolls were just ok. We didn't even get to the tempura. We don't really think that much of the food we ordered was conducive to take out. Sincerely. We will not get takeout from there again. Just as a suggestion, perhaps they should make a separate take out menu that includes only the items on their menu that can perhaps sit out a little longer without changing form completely. The portions were small, which would have been fine if the food was tasty and in form. the 120$ or so we paid was entirely too much for the experience we had. read more

Everyone talks about sushi Mike being this fabulous person. I have been to many, many, many asian establishments and I was so disappointed in this restaurant. I really, really, really wanted to like him, but... First of all there's so prices on the menu for Mike's specialty rolls until you get the bill... i don't know about you but i dine out ALOT and $100- for NO ALCOHOL for just sushi is expensive for a small joint. $20 for a salmon roll are you kidding me? we're not at japonais.... i do have to say the spicy tuna was delicious but the softshell was eh, fish and chips which they think is a fabulous dish is just salmon tartar w LOTS of tomatoes, fish tonkatsu was good but the rice sucked... i can say that because i'm asian and i know what sticky rice is supposed to taste like, it wasn't as fresh as you think. Most importantly it took 1 hr to make three rolls. That is CRAZY!!!!!! if you are going to push sushi mike and fabulous rolls hire extra workers. I will never go back. Go to Ora down the street, AMAZING sushi for lot less and better service. read more

They managed to make two members of our party cry, and just about ruined my sister's birthday. Avoid this place at all costs. Party of 11 on a Saturday night. We all arrived a little bit late for the 7pm reservation, so maybe the wait staff just felt like being vindictive, but more likely they just didn't care as we sat there waiting for menus, glasses, any sort of service. Took about 20 minutes. Once we finally got that stuff, and eventually placed our order for some appetizers, we seemed to be back on track. The apps came out quick enough, though they were kinda lacking in flavor, especially the calamari. Guess we shouldn't have ordered 3 of them sight unseen, but we just assumed they'd be tasty. Nope, bland breading and bland dipping sauce. Oh well, we're here for sushi, not calamari, right gang? We got our sushi orders in pretty promptly, and then waited. And waited. And...waited. Not so for those of our party who had non-sushi entrees - they were served while the rest of us twiddled our thumbs. Unprofessional. My pregnant wife can't have raw fish, so the sushi Mike special, where you tell him what you want and don't want, seemed ideal. She was clear on disallowing raw fish or avocado (not a fan), but when around 9:40 (remember we got there at 7:20), a roll was finally served her, she dutifully and stoically began peeling off the large slices of avocado on top. That's when I finally lost my mind. Never in my 35 years have I been so close to flipping a table, throwing a plate against a wall, and storming out. I would've felt justified. The story ends kinda anti-climactically with us paying for what food we did get. They gave us an alleged discount, but the bill was still over $150. I hated the idea of giving them anything, and they deserved far less than that, but whatever. Sushi Mike should've prostrated himself before us in a gesture of deep apology, but clearly he didn't care. Several of us left hungry, some were reduced to tears, and all were unhappy. Tanoshii should be embarrassed. read more

Not sure what all the hype is...sushi was good but about par for the course. We did enjoy the Sushi Mike special but for $19 it just wasn't worth it. I understand it was a big roll but I've had similar rolls for about $14. It was a take a spicy tuna with an interesting sauce and tuna on top of the roll with some tempura crunch but that was about it. We said we pretty much like everything including spicy and we got something without a wow factor. The other rolls we got were fine but nothing different for the price. The ngiri is $3-$4 a piece which is just ridiculous. There are other places that you will pay half that and get bigger pieces, including my favorite place, Rolls N Bowls. The other thing was the A/C was not working well and we went in on a 100 degree day. This took away from the experience a bit, so we ate fast and left. I might come back once more to try but for the price we paid I'd rather go elsewhere. Nothing to write home about. read more

I came here for the first time, yesterday and was blown away by the food here. The restaraunt is dimly lighted, and has a smaller front dining area across from the sushi bar. It was rather crouded for a Monday night, but I'm guessing that's a pretty good sign! There is a larger dining area in the second room. my gripe is that the service was not that great. There was one waiter for 9 tables. Since I'm new to sushi I settled for something practical and something more off the cuff. My date and I decided to have the Vegetable sushi and the Red Snapper special. The Red Snapper special was phenomenal. I will most definitely be back. read more

Whenever I want to impress someone with my knowledge ((ahem)) of sushi restaurants in Chicago, I always recommend Sushi Mike who now owns two locations (this original one and another downtown in the West Loop). Never mind the fact that I am not really even much of a fan myself of this type of food. (I may not initially publicize this when I begin my rave.) Honestly I'm delighted to continually see as my accompanying tablemates revel in the high quality sashimi and sushi here. The "chef's choice" option is adventurous but never fails to please. Me, I'm a fan of their udon noodles soup and the stir fry yakitori. Japanese food has plenty to offer. The mostly Japanese staff is attentive, unfailingly polite and accommodating to every level of comfort with this cuisine, from first timers to regulars. It's a worthwhile experience to observe and be served by the staff, regardless of the exquisite food. A wonderful dining experience. Never disappoints. Makes me look like I know what I'm doing when I tell a friend, "This is where to go" and then I find it later that _these_ people are now recommending it the same to others! Depending on the night, Sushi Mike (his Americanized nickname) is at one location or the other. His assistants are well trained and do a superlative job. Always a perfect job... He has trained them well. But "Mike" is elevated and deserving of his fame that has grown steadily in the last fifteen years. I remember reading articles about him before he struck out on his own and when he became a name in his industry here. read more

Warning: The Sushi Mike Special should not be used for casual sushi binges, california rolls, or "I want my sushi done my way." He's a sushi chef and an excellent one at that. Let him surprise you. Otherwise, have the dragon roll and leave satisfied. Jeremy and I went after he came back raving about Sushi Mike. I was skeptical - especially at a bill that was $50 a person. Seriously?? Can sushi be THAT good in Chicago? Yes. Yes it can. Sake in hand, Jeremy demanded we sit at the bar and converse with Mike. Best decision ever. For $50, Mike fed us (sometimes chopstick-fed us!) the best sushi I've ever had, hands down. When our sake ran out, he kept pouring us more (!). We never touched the soy sauce. We never needed wasabi. All we needed was to converse with Mike, to let him take care of us, and to enjoy the ride. All in all, we left 10 pounds heavier than we came. I've never eaten so much great sushi in my life. This was the first time I tasted dessert-like sushi or had sushi so delicate I was hand-fed. A few tips: - Be ready to have a relationship with your Sushi chef. - DON'T sit at a table for the Special. If Mike doesn't see you, he can't talk to you. If he can't talk to you, you'll get a roll or two. - Bring your own sake to start. Drink with Mike. Kompai. He's a great guy. - Let him choose your adventure. After all, he's the expert. - If you just want sushi, sit at a table and order a dragon roll. read more

Worst. Restaurant. Ever. Two and a half hours and 3 people didn't even eat. Delivered food and didn't know who to give it to. Didn't know what they were bringing. 2 plus hours in and they delivered the chefs choice. You tell them what you want and the chef makes whatever he wants within those criteria. I gave the waiter TWO criteria and they f***ed up my order. Waitress ARGUED with us when they forgot one person's order. Food that did arrive did not come together, in fact, it was over an hour from the first person to last person served. The owner came to the next table over for several victory laps but couldn't be bothered to step up for us. F*** you sushi Mike. read more

Chef Mike's Special. I'm sooooo glad that I, and my two companions, went this route. You just tell your server about your likes and dislikes when it comes to sushi and the chef whips up something that is sure to strike your fancy! One of my companions asked for a certain fish (I forget what it was), and our server straight up told us that it was not very good right now and offered two similar choices that he said were very good and fresh. I love that in a restaurant, it always makes me feel like they are going that extra step to make sure what you get will be excellent. We had two rolls that were more traditional in presentation, though not in taste, and one that was served looking like tacos in delicious mango shells! Luckily, our server also had the good sense to instruct us on how to eat it. All three rolls were so good, we wanted to order more (especially after looking around at other diner's sushi, yum!), but were too stuffed and decided against it. I cannot wait to go back! Oh, and it's BYO. read more

I live in an area in Lakeview where there are a ton of Japanese restaurants and Tanoshii is by far the best sushi I have had in Chicago so far. Since it's BYOB, we bought a bottle of pinot grigio. We came in around 6 pm and sat at the bar. The place was fairly empty but there were several reserved tables. For apps, we got the Fish and Chips. It's not on the menu, so make sure to order it. It's one big chip with fresh guacamole and fresh salmon mixed together. Delicious! I was pleasantly surprised. For sushi, we got three of the Sushi Mike's Specials. You just tell him what you like and don't like and he will make whatever creation. Since we were at the bar, we got to see all the action and the attention to detail was amazing. We did order off the menu as well. Fresh sake, tuna, along with their specialty rolls. Everything was fantastic and fresh. Yes, this place can be a little expensive, but it's worth it for the quality of sushi. read more

This place is okay. The service isn't that great. We didn't have napkins on our table and we had to flag down the waiter a couple of times just to follow up on things (the bill, some more water, etc.) I really wanted to like this place but it seems like when they're busy they can't keep up. We had the unagi and it was fishy tasting and chewy. That's when things become unpleasant. The sushi was okay but not great. There are definitely interesting options on the menu but based on the 3 choices we made, I do not need to go back. read more

This is the second time I've been to Tanoshi and both times did not disappoint. The place is pretty small, only seats about 30 or 40 and has a dozen person sushi bar. The sushi is priced about the same as higher-end places on Randolph, $12-$15 for fancy rolls like dragons, caterpillars, and spiders, and $4-$7 for ebi, spicy tuna, etc. We got edamame, miso, and then 3 rolls, plus a "Sushi Mike" special. The edamame was WAY over-salted; I felt like I had just spent an hour in the dead sea after eating it. But the miso and sushi more than made up for it. The rolls off the menu were outstanding, and the sushi mike special, while certainly not even close to anything I had ever tasted before (I think that's the point) was great. As for ambiance, date-worthiness, etc. this is definitely a locals place and not a see and be seen establishment like Coast. However, depending on the kind of person you're with, they may be impressed with your ability to find outstanding sushi off the beaten path and you certainly don't get the up and down looks to make sure you paid at least $120 for your jeans and your girlfriend is carrying a Longchamp purse. Also, I'm writing this the next morning and feel totally fine so even though it's a small indy place, the fish is fresh. :) read more