Diners' Choice: Japanese restaurants in Chicago

OpenTable

Updated April 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Japanese cuisine in Chicago? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The Omakase Room at Sushi-san

4.9

4.9 (84)

$50 and over

Japanese

River North (Chicago)

About the restaurant

The Omakase Room at Sushi-san is a culmination of Master Sushi Chefs Kaze Chan and Shigeru Kitano’s combined experience defining the Chicago sushi scene. While the menu and service are informed by tradition, guests can expect a transcendent experience that breaks down the formality and austerity usually accompanying omakase dining. Each dinner in the warm, modern, and intimate ten-seat space features luxury ingredients from around the world. Sophisticated and carefully curated beverage pairings are available to complement the meal.

Top review

adam

Dined 7 days ago

A deliciously memorable birthday experience. Beautiful private dining room. Amazing 18 course menu. Wonderful service from our chef and waitstaff.

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Experience

Omakase Reservation Deposit

Experience

Master Sake-Brewer Dinner deposit

Experience

Omakase Reservation Deposit

Omakase by Kanemaru

4.7

4.7 (14)

$50 and over

Japanese

River North (Chicago)

About the restaurant

Omakase by Kanemaru in Chicago offers an unforgettable omakase experience crafted by Chef Shinichiro Kanemaru, whose culinary journey spans over 30 years. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and deep respect for tradition, Chef Kanemaru combines time-honored techniques with subtle innovation, delivering dishes that are both visually stunning and exquisitely flavorful. At Omakase by Kanemaru, the intimate 10-seat counter invites guests into Chef Kanemaru's world, where each meal is a personalized journey. His warm hospitality and expert craftsmanship make every visit feel like a special occasion, whether you're a sushi connoisseur or a first-time guest. For Chef Kanemaru, every bite is a reflection of his lifelong dedication to the art of sushi, and his welcoming nature ensures a dining experience that is both refined and deeply memorable.
*We will be temporarily closed from July 8th to July 17th and will reopen on July 18th.

Top review

Avery

Dined on Apr 12, 2025

My wife and I had a lovely experience. It was a traditional sushi experience with high quality fish. The courses were nicely sequenced and we left feeling satisfied with our meal. The space was bright but comfortable and intimate. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed our time. They charged us $10 for water which I felt was a little tacky considering how much we spent on the full experience but that’s splitting hairs. Overall, it was a great omakase experience.

312 Fish Market

5.0

5 (22)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Lower West Side

About the restaurant

Hidden inside 88 Marketplace is 312 Fish Market -- a sushi lover's dream. We take great pride in improving upon your favorite nigiri, sashimi, hand rolls, sushi rolls, and party sets in new and creative ways.

As we do not compromise on quality, our chef sources the best fish from all over the world including Tuna, Madai, Kanpachi, Uni, Caviar, and more.

312 Fish Market is a BYOB establishment.

Closed every Wednesday.

We are also available for pickup, delivery and catering.

Please reach us at 312FishMarket@gmail.com or 872-222-7288.

Top review

OraliaVIP

Dined on Mar 14, 2025

Beautiful place for dinner! Will definitely come back

Yuzu Sushi & Robata Grill

5.0

5 (42)

$30 and under

Japanese

West Town

About the restaurant

Step into Yuzu Sushi & Robata Grill and be transported to a world of culinary artistry. This family-owned gem in Chicago's West Town neighborhood offers a vibrant and playful atmosphere, where modern Japanese cuisine meets artistic flair.

**A Feast for the Senses:**

Yuzu's menu is a symphony of flavors, textures, and colors. From the delicate sashimi platters adorned with intricate edible art to the sizzling robata-grilled skewers, each dish is a masterpiece. Indulge in signature maki rolls like the "Over the Rainbow," a vibrant explosion of tuna, salmon, and avocado, or savor the melt-in-your-mouth grilled salmon topped with a tangy Yuzu sauce.

**Beyond the Plate:**

The ambiance at Yuzu is as captivating as the food. The open kitchen allows you to witness the culinary magic firsthand, while the energetic atmosphere is fueled by old-school hip-hop beats. The walls are adorned with intricate Japanese comic characters, adding a touch of whimsy to the space.

Top review

MayurVIP

Dined 5 days ago

We love the lunch bento box specials! Lots of food and great variety...

Akahoshi Ramen

4.8

4.8 (441)

$30 and under

Japanese

Logan Square

About the restaurant

Akahoshi Ramen is a humble ramen shop in the city of Chicago. Everything is made in the restaurant, including all soups, seasonings, toppings, and noodles.

We are not an authentic ramen shop, though we value the history of ramen, and our ramen is influenced by its past and its future potential. The dish, popularized in Japan after World War 2, is symbolic of both struggle and perseverance. It is both a simple dish, and a fantastically complex one that we treat with reverence and respect.

Roughly translating to “Red Star,” the name “Akahoshi” is a love letter to two cities; Sapporo, Hokkaido, where red stars adorn city monuments, and Chicago, Illinois, where the red star decorates the city flag. Our ramen is influenced by Japanese and American ideals in cooking.

We hope you will join us to enjoy a bowl of ramen, made with the respect and passion it deserves.

Top review

Daniel

Dined 1 day ago

My favorite Ramen in the city. Easily. Thank you to the team.

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4.7

4.7 (347)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Irving Park

About the restaurant

At Raisu, the focus is on providing the freshest fish and excellent costumer service. Our fish flown in from Japan twice a week. On a level comparable to other high end sushi restaurants, yet for an affordable price. Traditional nigiri (served with freshly grated wasabi) comes with signature toppings. Reserve ahead of time for Omakase, which is available in limited quality.

Top review

David

Dined on Mar 30, 2025

Fantastic food, even better service. Would certainly come back.

NORIKO

4.8

4.8 (77)

$31 to $50

Japanese

West Town

About the restaurant

We are located in the Lower Level of Perilla Fare. Please enter through Perilla Fare Restaurant and check in with the host.

NORIKO handroll bar is a new sushi restaurant concept specializing in handrolls which are prepared immediately in front of you. Each unique handroll is packed with flavor and carefully crafted with high quality ingredients in this intimate underground space.

Top review

HeatherVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Great hand rolls! Thanks for great food and great service.

RAMEN-SAN - River North

4.8

4.8 (280)

$30 and under

Japanese

River North (Chicago)

About the restaurant

Ramen-san is a bold and energetic neighborhood joint that slings hot noodles, ice-cold beer and rare expressions of Japanese whisky all to the tune of the best ’90s hip-hop in town. It respects the traditions but keep things uniquely untraditional in its yuzu sake bombs, crispy dumplings, spicy kimchi fried ramen and more. The restaurant is open for lunch, dinner and late-night dining seven days a week.

Top review

Mikey

Dined on Apr 12, 2025

We love Ramen-San! We try to make it out at least once a year.

Juno

4.6

4.6 (1571)

$50 and over

Japanese

Lincoln Park

About the restaurant

Nestled in the heart of Lincoln Park, Juno is a refined Japanese dining destination dedicated to the art of sushi. With a focus on quality, consistency, and innovation, the menu showcases both traditional and modern Japanese flavors, complemented by an extensive selection of sashimi, nigiri, and premium sake.

Experience Juno’s signature Omakase, a curated tasting menu by Executive Chef/Owner BK Park, featuring the finest seasonal ingredients. This intimate dining journey includes approximately 20 meticulously crafted bites, from sashimi and appetizers to warm plates, nigiri, and dessert.

Please inform our team of any allergies or dietary restrictions when booking.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 2 days ago

The food was delicious but smaller serving sizes than expected/typical.

Itoko

4.8

4.8 (580)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Lakeview / East Lakeview

About the restaurant

Situated in Lakeview's iconic Southport Corridor, Itoko is a neighborhood Japanese and robata restaurant from Gene Kato, Executive Chef of Momotaro. “Itoko” meaning “cousin” in Japanese, refers to the connection with Momotaro, located in the Fulton Market District. The menu features the high level of ingredients and technique that Chicago has come to expect from Chef Kato, alongside a beautiful interior curated for the Southport neighborhood. The menu itself features uniquely interpreted sushi rolls that allow the high-quality fish to be the star of the sushi experience. In addition, an innovative beverage menu with a focus on cocktails & highballs highlights the relationship between the technique of the food created by the kitchen and how this is complimented by the beverage selection.

Top review

Luis

Dined on Apr 14, 2025

We celebrated my wife’s birthday and it was incredible, our server was super nice and explained the dishes and drinks to us, everything was delicious. Beautiful place, will be back

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