This place has got to have the best sushi rolls in Chicago. We always order the Chef's special rolls and are always in awe at how they nail it every time. You start by telling the waiter what you don't like and they deliver a beautiful mouth watering creation. It's not your everyday spicy tuna dragon roll or tempura cream cheese stuff. It's fresh, unexpected flavors that are out of this world. My favorites are this saucy white mushroom roll and some type of strawberry balsamic creation. Since it's always a surprise, the only thing I wish I knew are the names! I prefer the special rolls over the omakase. Only thing to keep in mind is the place doesn't have much of an atmosphere like a Sunda or Sushi San. The chef rolls are the main event here. Enjoy! read more

Tanoshii West Loop - Chefs special rolls - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I feel like this spot in West Loop is so slept on! Amazing fresh fish with unique add ons. The bluefin truffle sashimi is to die for!! A close walk to the other bars in the area too! read more

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In the west loop right by the interstate exit on Randolph. I found paid parking ($4/hour), not many spots though so on weekends it's probably very hard to get one. Quick summary: experience was average. The sushi was not worth the price. They offer full omakase which is cool (chef decides every dish and what you eat that night. We got three orders of Mikes special sushi. The waiter was really quiet and awkward so I didn't really hear what they were...one was a mushroom one, one was some kind of truffle oil with chili oil or something I think he murmured, and the last I am not sure...possibly mumbled truffle oil with something. Surprisingly the mushroom one was the best and very unique. Really I enjoyed that. The other two were good but worth being $23 for one roll? Definitely not. The fish and chips was decent. I like how he mixed it at the table. $6 per person (menu says 12 for 2 people, and then it's $18 for 3, etc). Reminded me of big and littles ahi tuna taco but in chip form. Unfortunately the place is extremely overpriced and our waiter was really awkward and quiet. Nice but quiet and hard to hear what he said (and the restaurant is really quiet, so for him to be hard to hear, he really had to be quiet)... Can find better value and better tasting sushi elsewhere in the city. Decent but my main problem is the price paid for something that isn't extraordinary. We spent about $180 for 6 rolls + fish and chips and were still hungry afterwards and didn't enjoy that much. Unfortunate. read more

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Omakase is amazing-quality, variety and taste. Service is outstanding. Chefs and staff take care of special dietary requests.

Review of Omakase - $50 (goes up a little if you ask for something pricier like fatty tuna). They started us off with the fish and chips and bluefin sashimi. Next, nigiri and finally, Mike's special rolls (see attached photos). The flavor combinations were fantastic in fish and chips, bluefin sashimi, and special rolls. I prefer to lean towards traditional style but I decided to trust Chef Mike this time and boy does he know what he's doing. My friend and I really liked that chive sauce. I love how the ingredients and flavors melted together in the special rolls. Nigiri were solid; I like the thicker cuts of fish you get compared to most other sushi restaurants. Waitress was very nice and knowledgeable in explaining the dishes. She would frequently check on us. Food is on the pricier side so I think the omakase was a good decision to experience what you need to try, especially for a first time visit. read more

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I frequently visit Chicago, and every time I come I have to eat at Tanoshii, several times! The food is incredible and the staff is so wonderful! I think it is one of the best Japanese restaurants in the country. It is a must go!! read more

Hidden sushi gem! Finally got to try this spot at the end of Randolph. Highly recommend if you're looking for fresh, classic sushi rolls OR if you're feeling adventurous... we LOVED doing the "Full Omakase". The Omakase option is what they're known for - sushi chefs create personalized dishes for you based on preferences. Every dish was delicious, with fresh fish paired with unique sauces and flavors. Many of the items we wouldn't have ordered ourselves (usually sticking to California rolls), so this was a fun way to experience something new! The full Omakase experience is the perfect amount of food for 2 people. To further convince you to order the full Omakase, our waitress was extremely accommodating, friendly, and helpful throughout the night as she guided us through each course. We will be back! read more

Tanoshii West Loop - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely outstanding meal. My wife and I ordered the Valentine's Day menu, a generous assortment of small bites, sashimi, and rolls. Everything was delicious. The so-called fish and chips and scallop small bites were so creative. Everything was extremely fresh. Probably the best sushi experience we've had in Chicago. Definitely going back. read more

All 4 stars are for the food! I only took one star off for the price range and the ambiance! The omakase rolls are delicious without a doubt but overpriced in my opinion. Our server the last time we went was super nice and helpful in suggesting options! The ambiance definitely needs work. They could revamp the place a little and add some good music and better lighting and furniture! Especially since this is on Randolph the interiors fall short compared to most restaurants around but they have so much potential since the indoor space is a decent size! The outdoor little tents also look like they've been placed oddly and lack planning. I hope this is constructive criticism because their food is definitely top notch and I would love to keep going here but we skip it sometimes because we are looking for a livelier ambiance! read more

Tanoshii West Loop - Chicken skewers - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was hands down the best sushi experience I've had in such a long time. All the ingredients are top quality and the flavors going on in these dishes are nothing short of amazing. For the deep dive full on sushi experience, I would order the Full Omakase. It includes 3 appetizers of your choice, Nigiri & 4 rolls. You can be completely surprised by the chef in what he prepares or sends out or you can tell him whats your favs are and he can incorporate them as he wants. Either way, you can't go wrong. I included a pic of everything we had on our Omakase and let me tell if I could get away with licking that empty fish without judgement I would do it. If you want to be in the heart of the city where the action is at on Randolph this place is it. We dined al fresco, inside is available as well. Be sure to bring your mask if dining inside or making a bathroom visit. They also have an Andersonville location as well, but its BYOB. Definitely give this place a try. read more

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We ordered from Tanoshii in the West Loop for an early Saturday dinner at home. The menu had lots of great options so we settled on dumpling appetizers, seaweed salad, and rolls to split. The spicy tuna special roll is a must. The tuna was melt in your mouth quality and everything else was delicious. I am excited to dine in sometime at Tanoshii and would recommend for incredible take out. read more

Tanoshii West Loop - spicy tuna special, chicago maki, spicy salmon maki - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Thoroughly enjoyed our takeout from Tanoshii tonight! The nigiri was so delicate and melted in your mouth, and the spicy tuna special roll had so much flavor! It's a little pricey (and fancy) for sushi to go, but they were very quick and everything was truly delicious. This was our first time ordering and I'd be eager to have a full meal in the restaurant. read more

Tanoshii West Loop - Hamachi, Sake and Hon Maguro Nigiri Spicy Tuna Special Roll Negi Hamachi Makimono Shishito Peppers - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A MUST TRY!! I had such a great experience the first time I went back a couple days later. Went in both times for dinner. Our waitress sat us down at our table and brought us water quickly. She was nice and gave off that friendly family feel. We ordered the Full Omakase. It was fun to tell them your preferences and then let them pick out the appetizer, nigiri and special rolls. I recommend telling them you want to try something with the honey truffle oil. This was something I have not seen on a roll elsewhere and it it truly amazing. I suggest ranking your favorite fish, telling them your spicy preference, if you like/ want fish. Definitely tell them if you have any allergies or do not like certain things. We got to try a lot and nothing was disappointing. The fish seems like a very high quality. They also have real wasabi!! Any passionate authentic sushi place will have this. Overall, if you don't try this place out you are really missing out. read more

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We walked in during Restaurant week, expecting to fulfill a reservation scheduled for 630 but found out that we had reserved for the other location, and miraculously, they found us a seat. We were there with two Chicagoans, who were big fans for this restaurant, and it fulfilled every expectation , we had the cod collar which was delicious and many different kinds of Nigri, and some delicious sake, and our server David was fabulous. We are so appreciative of the restaurants willingness to flex their schedule to make room for our party. It was a fabulous meal highly recommend. I'll be back next time I'm in town. read more

I haven't been here since 2018 and my husband has never been. We are from San Diego so finding good sushi in Chicago has been nearly impossible when you compare it to the West coast. Most places have been terrible. Well we stopped by Tanoshii on Randolph on a walk tonight just to look at the menu. We were greeted by Michelle. She was LOVELY. We talked to her about what we like and don't like and she made some recommendations that sounded delicious. So we decided to order them and take them to go. Only waited 15 minutes. They offered us some fresh mango while we waited. We took the sushi home...and WOW. Finally a spot we love! Everything was fresh, they don't overload with all that mayo and sauces. The rolls had mostly fish in them and less rice, which is also rare to find. The combination of different types of fish and the light sauces were an excellent mesh of flavors. The only thing is the spicy ones weren't spicy at all but at least they were flavorful. Highly recommend this place! Here's what we got: Hamachi, spicy tuna, jalapenos, marinated Korean red pepper sauce Salmon, truffle honey and habanero gochjong sauce Shrimp tempura, potato strings, sweet wasabi sauce Bluefin tuna, spicy tuna, baked Japanese chili oil read more

Came here with family and we had the best experience.Food was superb, sushi and sashimi was extremely fresh and the special toro/uni handrollls was out of this world. Still salivating thinking of those hand rolls. Cant wait to come back. read more

First time experience here and it was wonderful! We sat outside on the patio in the front of the restaurant. The sidewalk is slanted so it can be awkward at first to sit but the tables are sturdy and you get used to the slant. The view of the city with the sunset was beautiful. Started off with a glass of their white wine, which was reasonably priced. They have a large selection of wine, beer and cocktails. The service here was great and they provide a good explanation of Mike's special rolls, which this place is known for. We got the fish & chips as an appetizer which was surprisingly wondeful, the flavors mixed well. After, we had 2 mikes special rolls which are a good size and the ingredients tasted so fresh. For these rolls, you tell your waiter your likes/dislikes and they give these to the chef who then creates a custom roll. All the flavors blended together well and this was fun to try something completely new and unique. read more

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My go-to neighborhood sushi restaurant. Get the omakase! The sushi is fresh and sauces is so flavorful. Palatable Japanese whisky drinks! The servers are experienced and attentive. read more

Walked in for a Saturday night dinner for four, just before the dinner rush. We all chose to do omakase. I was skeptical at first - looking at the menu, even the structure of the omakase, it's not the traditional sushi omakase I'm accustomed to. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how good the flavors and textures were as the food arrived. To put it succinctly, it was all just really delicious, balanced food! The sauces never overpowered the fish, the fish was extremely fresh tasting and tender. We paid extra to get tuna belly (otoro), which is always worth it and Tanoshii did not disappoint. When I saw "fish and chips" on the menu, it didn't sound that appealing..but it was actually delicious! True to it's name, we left here very happy! read more

Fish was extremely fresh. The pairings were super unique and expertly crafted. I'm not big on rolls usually, but there were a few I had to try. Great experience read more

Certainly the most underrated sushi place in West Loop. Tons of reasonable menu options and consistently great Omakase. I really enjoy this restaurant. read more

I am so upset that our experience here was so terrible! After hearing great reviews about this place, I was super excited to have one of the special rolls that they make based on your preferences. My friend was in town for the day, so I took him to this spot to enjoy a nice meal to catch up. We started off with a tempura appetizer and one of the "special rolls", picking something particular based off the fact that I don't like too much sauce on my roll. The waitress was super informative and friendly when we initially put in our order, but holy the food took forever to come out. Once the tempura appetizer was fully finished (after about 30 minutes), the sushi roll then finally came out. This honestly wasn't that great! I was so disappointed as I couldn't even taste the wasabi in the "fresh wasabi sauce". There really was barely any fish on it too, so I should have just ordered a rainbow roll for half the price. We had also ordered some sashimi and planned to order another roll, but after waiting another hour we decided it wasn't worth it. After this hour, we said something to the waitress who then realized that THE ORDER NEVER WENT THROUGH. You would think she would notice after all this time.... So when we FINALLY got our sashimi, all the waitress did was apologize quickly and give us a measly 25% discount. After waiting a full two hours for our food, we should have been comped for the sashimi. I am appalled that not even a manager or anyone said anything to us. The fish quality was good, but definitely not worth this experience. read more

I am by no means a sushi expert, but I care about quality for sure. The quality of the fish and the quality of the rice on the yellowtail nigiri we had was immaculate - the fish was so fresh and tender and the perfect bite. We also ordered the spicy salmon makimono and after ordering one of the chefs specialty rolls, we loved the experience so much we ordered another. The chef specialty role is a great experience here because they take into account your preferences - they ran some unconventional potential ingredients past us to make sure we'd be ok with it and also took into account we like spicy food. So the rolls that came out were super refreshing and spicy. The first one had marinated red pepper and the second had a gochujang chilli sauce - I was impressed with how they combined those different ingredients. Really great to see a chef riff like this and a great way to be surprised without having to do opt in to an entire omakase. Outside of that the overall service was exceptional. Our server gave us a heads up when another larger party got seated so we could get our orders in first and not have as long a wait for our food - truly was on our side which I love. Also she recommended an amazing cocktail which had mezcal and yellow chartreuse - highly recommend this cocktail but based on how our server was so knowledgeable about the other options, I'd bet the other drinks here are stellar as well. Ambiance was a little odd - we were seated in the front In a mostly empty part of the restaurant. Seemed like other patrons were in the back? Felt empty where we were but their plant collection is quite luscious - so if you value privacy in that way it's nice. read more

My son now insists on eating here every time we are in the neighborhood. The food quality is excellent, and the host recognizes us. It feels like home. The sushi is outstanding, but I'm now hooked on the King Crab Salad. Most restaurant salads don't interest me, but this one is perfect! read more

Tanoshii West Loop - The King Crab Salad. Soignèe - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I keep looking for a world class sushi restaurant in Chicago. It seems a city of this size should have one, but I've tried all the likely contenders, and still keep looking. Tanoshii is another in that list. It is good, but not great. We had the full omakase, which is how I judge all high-end sushi places. At our request it consisted of mostly sashimi. The omakase style places an array of fish on a plate and then adds sauces and seasoning. Here are the courses we had: Tempura: this was my companion's favorite course, which says something about the other courses, because she is a sashimi lover, not a tempura lover. We asked for it as our appetizer because of raves here on Yelp, and it was indeed a nice, light tempura preparation, but it will not change your life. Fish and Chips: essentially a spicy tuna tartare, spread onto a wonton at tableside, it was fine, but better without the wonton. Maguro Truffle: tuna shaped into a rose and topped with truffle oil. It was good, but I've had this dish elsewhere served with crunchy bits which really elevate it above this level. Striped bass in ponzu chili sauce: this was the first of several sashimi courses that had a certain sameness. As my companion put it, "It's drowned in oil." In fact all of the sashimi was quite oily. Oil was even poured onto the rolls. The bass was surprisingly tough. Seared salmon with Italian seasoning: this was an interesting flavor combination, with a distinct oregano flavor, but again, very oily. Madai, hamachi, otoro: this was a nigiri course, and was one of the best--simple, flavorful, with excellent quality fish. Since this is what many diners will choose, it is the reason for my four star review. Escolar wrapped around sauteed shiitake mushrooms: this was the best thing we had. It is an off-menu roll, but you can order it, and you should. It was unctuous and perfectly balanced, and by far the most complex item we sampled. True, it is also oily, but with a purpose, and if it is the only oily thing you have, it is a great choice. The omakase came to $66 per person, which seems very reasonable to me. I would not have it again because of the oily repetitiveness of it, but I might return to Tanoshii for nigiri and tha mushroom roll. read more

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I have been going to this restaurant since 2014, staff very friendly and I love the restaurant atmosphere . try the special roll mushroom and fish and chips tuna . read more

My bestie invited me out for dinner at Tanoshii, and we had a blast! The restaurant had such a great value to offer during restaurant week, and the dasai 50 sake that the server recommended was the perfect choice of drink for our GNO. I'm already planning my next visit when things calm down after Restaurant Week. I can't wait to go back and explore more of their amazing menu. It's definitely a place worth revisiting! read more

Tanoshii West Loop - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went with a group of friends for restaurant week yesterday and very disappointed with the experience. The servers were not attentive, forgot portions of our orders, and had to be reminded multiple times that we were waiting on various drinks/food items. My rolls came almost 1 hour after my other friends, and I was told the chef makes the food by "roll" so mine were last. What???!. Would not recommend coming here and definitely will not come back. There are much better sushi restaurants with superior service nearby. Run. Far. Away. read more

My friend and I came in on a Wednesday night with no reservation, but it was mostly empty, and we had no trouble getting seated right away. The service was attentive and quick throughout the night. Gyoza (5/5) - The classiest plating for gyoza I've seen. It tasted like pretty standard gyoza, but it was extra pretty. Calamari (5/5) - The batter was on the thick side, but it still tasted not too heavy. It was a great appetizer, both taste- and portion-wise. Saba nigiri (5/5) - Saba is my favorite sushi fish, so I order it at every Japanese restaurant. It tasted great. Sushi Mike's special rolls (4/5) - We got two of these. This is where you tell the server of any dietary restrictions, and the chef prepares a unique roll for you on the spot. As a result, I don't remember what exactly was in each one, but for one of them, the sauce felt really exploratory and spicy and threw me off a little bit. read more

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The omakase didn't wow me as much as the server sold us on it. I think it could have used a soup, more sashimi/nigiri, a revamped entree, and something more than just half of an unripe mango for dessert. The rolls were very obviously something to fill us up rather than for us to experience a true omakase, which was a bummer because they were boring and greasy to eat. It definitely took us a few trudging minutes to finish them. The interior felt a tad stale for anything romantic. I guess the name of the restaurant implies a livelier crowd. We had a lovely server who walked us through his admiration for the omakase, and another server who seemed to hate his job. Overall, I just can't imagine returning for the course meal, but maybe ordering directly from the counter in front of the sushi chefs would be a better, more catered experience. The fish itself was at least pretty good quality. read more

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I'm such a lucky girl! Best sushi I've had in Chicago since moving back from NYC two years ago. Order the Chef's Sushi Roll Tasting, let your server know if you don't like something (for example I hate mayo), then sit back and enjoy. Our first sushi roll had a bit of truffle, sounds unusual but the taste -amazing! Can't wait to return. read more

Tanoshii West Loop - Chef's Tasting -Sushi Rolls - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best sushi I have ever had!!! On my recent trip to Chicago, I met up with my cousin and uncle and tried this restaurant out of it being convenient for us to all meet there. Our waitress was super informative and tailored our sushi experience to our group including accommodating my shellfish allergy (the fried shrimp heads in the photos were not mine). The chef chose the flavor combinations after we told him what fish we like. One of the rolls had octopus and another had truffle. The flavor combinations were very contemporary and it was an adventure of flavors I had never tasted before. We all had a great time catching up and the sushi was by far the highlight of our time in Chicago. I will forever remember my sushi at Tanoshii's. We had many rounds of sushi with beers and cocktails and the bill was $60 a person which was fair for what we ordered and the caliber of sushi we had. read more

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Went here for lunch and the group of three decided to order four of Mike's special rolls. Chef's choice - which I think is the way to go. The rolls were generally very good, creative, and fresh. One of the rolls with tuna was fantastic. Another roll with yellowtail and jalapeño was also good but very dry. Pass on mushroom if they ask - it's not great. They said to try the rolls without soy sauce but they should have put some on the table for the less flavorful rolls. My salad was mediocre as was the tuna appetizer that was recommended (totally bland and we didn't even finish it). The ambiance and environment is also a bit lacking but service was good and attentive. We dropped $50pp for lunch so it was a bit much for what we got. However I think this place has the potential to be good so will go back. read more

Tanoshii has a great omakase experience where the chef creates a meal that is coursed out throughout your stay. You can ask if you want anything subbed in or out and then the rest is up to the chef. I thought it was a pretty good value for how fresh the fish was. The fatty tuna was the best piece and is a must get. The fish and chips is their most popular appetizer. I thought the tuna/pico/avocado mixture tasted so fresh, but unfortunately the chip it came on wasn't very good and should have been deep fried for a bit longer to offer that salty flavor. read more

Had a great time here! The food was really good and the drinks were yummy too. I recommend trying a specialty roll, it's not on the menu but you pick a fish and the chefs make the rest. It was a great roll! We also had edamame, shishito, and a few of the regular rolls. A pretty view of the skyline as well. Def a good place for sushi!! read more

Tanoshii West Loop - Tuna specialty roll, Alaska roll, spicy tuna - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's all about Mike's choice! There's really no reason to look at the menu. Just tell your waitress what you don't like and leave the rest up to Mike. The result= 5 star sushi that actually rivals the sushi I've experienced on the west coast. Besides Mike's infamous sushi rolls there's not much to Tanoshii. We tried the fish and chips appetizer that so many yelpers rave about, which looked like a tuna tartare pizza. It was good, but I'd almost rather have another one of Mike's rolls instead next time. Tanoshii's atmosphere is fine, but nothing really to Yelp about. The service was mediocre as well. When we first walked in for our 7:30pm reservation they asked if we'd be willing to sit at the sushi bar. If we wanted to sit at the sushi bar why would we make a reservation? Our waitress was nice and helpful, but slow...and they weren't overly busy on a Friday night. Since we were leaving our meal up to Mike I was a bit worried to see the bill, especially since I read many reviews complaining about the expense. It was around $100 for an appetizer, 3 rolls (2 being chef's choice), a glass of wine and a few beers. Personally I don't think that's a bad deal for a night out in the city. Regardless of the atmosphere and slow service I'll be back for some of Mike's sushi. read more

Tanoshii West Loop - Chefs choice - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tanoshii has become my favorite restaurant. I pick it up a few times a week. You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu- if you're wanting specialty rolls the Salmon Truffle roll is to die for. If you want something a little more simple all of the Makimono rolls are so good. I could have endless spicy tuna rolls... they are that good. For appetizers: the veggie gyoza, scallops, kushiyaki and bluefin sashimi are sooooooooo soooo good. You have to get the gyoza. Fish quality is great. The staff are amazing. Service is quick and all the staff are super attentive. Casual ambiance. I hope this place stays around forever. Highly recommend! read more

Absolutely amazing food and service. We came on a Sunday evening without reservations and got sat immediately. The server and bartender made us feel like family. They recommended the most amazing food. The sushi literally melted in my mouth. We stayed for much longer than expected. Would recommend 100% read more

Came here on a week-night for sushi. Seated promptly. Decor was modern but a little dark so bring your flashlight to read the menu! Appetizer: Age Dashi tofu. I think this dish needs some work, the skin wasn't evenly coated and though it was okay, it just wasn't quite there in terms of taste and texture. I order this dish at every Japanese restaurant and I expected better for such a high end/expensive establishment. Ordered 4 rolls - 2 of the special rolls where they can make you a custom creation and you tell them what types of fish you like. Two other were Philadelphia and Chicago roll. The Custom rolls are good portioned but be prepared to pay around 21.00 each. We were pretty surprised at the cost and after eating 2 of the special rolls split between 2 people we were still hungry. So we ordered 2 more regular makis. The sushi tastes very good, you can tell the ingredients are fresh and high quality. The creations are unique so you won't see it anywhere else however what gets you is the PRICE. These rolls are so very expensive. At the end of the meal, although the food was good but it isn't so good to the point where you feel every bit of your $75.00 was worth the value. I may not be articulating this well but we didn't feel satisfied after leaving. The sushi at NIU is just as delicious and a fraction of the cost considering you get big portions. It's pretty difficult to find excellent sushi and large portions for a reasonable price in Chicago. I had very high hopes because of the rave reviews on yelp. Maybe we didn't order the right menu items?? Dessert - they are still working out their formalized dessert menu but as of right now serving Mochi balls - very expensive mochi balls that you can purchase at the grocery store. I wish they had green tea or red bean fried ice cream! read more

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Solid 4 stars. Had the omakase - most of the items were delicious, but some of the special rolls had too much going on taste and spice wise. From the appetizers, the fish and chips were good, but I didn't like the scallops. The elderflower cocktail was quite delicious. Service was attentive. read more