I recently found Blowfish on Yelp and had a chance to visit with my husband on a Saturday.  It has already grown from a hidden gem into a popular spot.  We made a 7:00 pm reservation and arrived on time.  The friendly hostess let us pick a table of our preference.  We settled into a spacious booth by a large window overlooking the front patio. Within minutes, the restaurant was completely packed, both indoors and outdoors.  There were guests waiting to be seated throughout the evening. If you visit on a busy night like this one, be prepared to allow longer time for the food to come to the table. I could see that some of the dishes were ready on the kitchen counter waiting to be delivered to the tables, but they seemed to be a bit short-handed, especially for the tables in the patio. Our server took our order at 7:10 pm, and it took 24 minutes for our food to come out at 7:36 pm. It was fine as we were not in a hurry. The décor of Blowfish is modern and comfortable.  Our server, Bu, was friendly, cheerful, efficient, and professional.  Both my husband and I ordered a Hot Green Tea ($2 x 2).  I ordered a Sakura Roll ($17), with crab mix, jalapeño, avocado, seared white tuna, white truffle oil, wasabi mayo, sweet soy sauce, and scallions.  It was beautifully presented and packed with flavors.  There were 9 pieces and I shared 1 with my husband who also liked it.  I ate some of the pieces whole and dissembled some of them, each of the ingredients was fresh and tasty, together they created complex flavors that didn't need any other sauces or wasabi.  It's a great choice that I'd happily order it again. My husband had a Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen ($18), with silky tonkotsu broth, pork chashu, kikurage, nitamago, scallions, corn, spinach, roasted seaweed, sesame, and black garlic oil.  The bowl of ramen looked attractive.  I asked him how it tasted; he said that it was one of the best bowls of ramen he's ever had!  Wow! That's high praise coming from him, I don't think I've ever heard him saying that before!  He said that there's a nice kick even though it was not noted on the menu.  I am intrigued and will definitely try it in our future visits. He also ordered 2 pieces of sashimi -- Hamachi/yellowtail ($8).  There seemed to be a misunderstanding, and two orders of sashimi were entered instead of one.  Since the sashimi portions were fairly small, he didn't bring it up to the server, he just happily ate them and paid the bill for 2 orders ($8 x 2).  The sashimi was fresh. We also ordered a Dragon Roll ($16) to go, that had shrimp tempura, BBQ eel, avocado, and cucumber.  It was also very good. Overall, we were delighted to discover Blowfish. Between the welcoming service, fresh, flavorful food, and comfortable atmosphere, it was an excellent dining experience. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Our first time here. We chose to come because of the mostly positive reviews, and I would agree with much of what I've read. Quick to be seated, clean environment, friendly staff. The wait staff gave us time to just browse the menu without coming to us too quickly which really appreciated. We ordered the following: 1. Miso soup (I gave 4.5 stars) I really enjoyed it for the flavor. 2. Cucumber salad (4 stars) they give a large portion, marinated and thinly sliced cucumber with a sesame sprinkle on top. My partner said it would be a 5 if it was marinated for less time because it seemed a little floppy. Either too thinly sliced or marinated too long. He was looking for a crunch. 3. Tuna lobster sushi roll. (4 stars) I didn't expect it to be ground tuna on top, I was envisioning just a mix of lobster and tuna, this was pretty ground and then spicy as well. It was still good, I didn't expect the spice I guess because it was in the mayo? The wait staff explained it. I do think the menu should reflect spicy dishes with some sort of symbol to help. Fresh ingredients though. I'll definitely finish this. 4. Sunrise salmon poke bowl. (4 stars) my partner wanted to rate this 4.5 but a pretty significant fish bone went into his mouth and poked him. Otherwise, flavor was good, fresh fish, he loves the colors and said it's "beautiful." 5. Gyoza. (3 stars) This was kind of soggy or mid. The outside was flavorful, the beef inside was bland. Thanks for having us! read more

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Local spot near work, tried for the first time. Food is 5/5. Quality / Quantity actually matches the price. Service was friendly and welcoming. Didn't expect the interior to look modern the way it did. Clean and hip. read more

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I ordered it to go but it was good! I liked it, curbed my sushi craving for sure. I didn't go inside or experience the service. read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - Crispy BBQ Spicy Tuna (left) and Red Dragon roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

Cute sushi & ramen place opened less than a yr. It's hidden from the road when you park & located at the former tapas restaurant. Go past the dance studio. Food: Crispy BBQ spicy tuna. This was really good & unique with crispy fried beets. Good serving size. Nigiri of sake smoked & tuna was just ok. Sakura roll with crab & seared spicy super white tuna was good. Aloha roll was wrapped in cucumber, which I think is weird. The fish inside was fresh with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, super white tuna. Ambiance: Love. Very pretty & renovated. Ample outdoor seating when the weather improves. Service: With a smile but she forgot my tea & I had to follow up. Overall, definitely worth checking out & a great addition to the area. read more

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First time here for a Valentine's Day dinner and it was a great experience! We arrived early and they were able to find us a nice seat-- the only wrinkle was that it was close to the sushi bar so staff traffic next to us was a bit distracting. The atmosphere is modern and the staff gave a friendly hello upon arrival and en route to the table. There was a lively crowd and our server was terrific- both friendly and efficient. The food was presented impeccably -- we ordered the tiger shrimp appetizer, sushi rolls, and nigiri. The appetizer was full of flavors and textures and we couldn't get over the generous portion of shrimp! The rolls were eye candy and tasted just as good-- so fresh and full of flavors. The nigiri portions were excellent and the fish was spot on fresh. The people eating next to us kept eyeing the rolls and ordered some. Despite the ominous name (isn't that the sushi that can be fatal) we had a great meal and will be back to try other rolls and the ramen. read more

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My son Zach wanted to go here again. He loved the Miso Soup, Edamame, and Avocado Roll. I had the Spicy Tuna and Shrimp Tempura. All were so delicious! Service was good on Saturday evening at 6:30pm. It was crowded. Both inside and outside seating available. read more

I wanted to love it. I really did. I was really looking forward to trying this new sushi restaurant, but unfortunately the experience fell short. Almost every dish was overwhelmingly hot--not in a flavorful, enjoyable spicy way, but simply burning my mouth. It made the meal uncomfortable rather than exciting. The one highlight was the eel, which stood out as the best of the night. Sadly, the wagyu beef was disappointing--poor quality and overly fatty. The tiger shrimp tempura was another letdown, arriving soggy instead of light and crunchy as tempura should be. Overall, I left feeling super disappointed. With better balance in seasoning, higher quality ingredients, and attention to texture, this place could improve, but as it stands, I wouldn't recommend it. read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

I've ordered from here twice. The tonkotsu ramen was fantastic- tasty and fresh. The spicy tuna and salmon avocado rolls were very disappointing. The sushi rice wasn't seasoned and it was hard and chewy. Sushi rice can make or break a roll and in this case it made it close to inedible. I'd come back for the ramen! read more

I've always gone to the Blowfish downtown location, probably at least once a month, so I had pretty high expectations coming here. Definitely make a reservation before you go because it's a popular spot and gets busy fast. The Northfield location has a lot of seating inside, good for both big groups and smaller hangouts. I came here to celebrate a birthday with my friend and everything we ordered was amazing. We got calamari, a few sushi rolls to share, and a poke bowl, and everything was a 10 out of 10. So flavorful and fresh. Our waitress was super nice and friendly too! The interior has really nice vibes and feels put together without being too fancy. I'd definitely come back again. read more

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So we've been here twice now. The first time was the staff was not prepared for the rush of patrons (no one being seated, no food coming out, too many to-go orders, etc). The second time, we did have reservations and we came in the middle of the week. Everything was more... normal. The place is very nice and modern. The clientele seemed a little older than the vibe it was giving off, so I don't know what that means. The service was also, just fine. I ordered the black garlic tonkotsu ramen and it was nicely laid out. The maki rolls were great, but the presentation was just a tiny bit sloppier than on the first visit. Definitely have a deep menu, so I'd like to try it out again. Probably stay on the mid-week though. read more

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10/10 would recommend. The food, service and ambiance were excellent. Cute little place if you're looking for an intimate date spot. read more

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Had Miso, seaweed salad and two rolls, pictured! All was yummy. Definitely a lot for 1, but had a nice to go box. Good location off highway, plenty of parking and service was good! read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - Rainbow and Pressed rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

First time here. Love the ambiance and the food was great! Husband and I each had white miso soup, shared Chips and fish appetizer and had Creamy Scallop roll and Fugu roll. We'll definitely be back! read more

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I like this place a lot, they have fresh and professionally prepared sushi. What would improve the experience for me - if they made their miso soup portion much smaller, added fresh green salad to their menu, and made soy sauce dish a little bigger so it can make dunking a piece of nigiri possible without spills (right now those dishes are super tiny). I am including a photo from their competition, Blu Fish Sushi in Glenview, that got it right. read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - photo from another sushi place that got it right: green salad, miso soup, soy sauce dish great for comfortable dunking of piece of nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

Mochi is really good love the ice cream. Would rather eat the ice cream plain but amazing still!! Best Shirley temple I've ever had!! Ice cream is so good!! This restaurant should get regular ice cream too but that's the only odd thing.it took ten mins to get food!- so fast!! Amazing!! Waitress is so nice!! 4.5!! Thank you! read more

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The atmosphere was welcoming and relaxed, making it a good choice whether you're stopping in for a casual meal or meeting up with friends. Service was attentive without being intrusive, and everything arrived in a timely manner. The well-prepared sushi and ramen stood out with its rich, savory broth and perfectly cooked noodles. read more

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We've been here twice--both times the food was amazing! The first time here there was a very long wait--maybe they had just opened and were still figuring out their processes. People in line were legit mad, demanding to speak to the manager, storming out, etc. I didn't mind the wait because it was date night and we'd left the kids at home! But if we had been in a hurry or brought hungry kids, it could have been frustrating. The second time we went it was, for whatever reason, much less crowded, much less busy, and a very reasonable wait time. Both times the food was consistently incredible. We will definitely go back, probably would not risk it on a day we're crunched for time, but in any case the food is worth it. Plenty of parking available as well. read more

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In town from California was craving ramen and so glad stopped in! Food was delicious, thank you PJ for the great service, clean and delightful ambiance . read more

This is the second time I've been here. I believe their bento boxes are only available during lunch. The sushi is good and the bento boxes are decent. I had the shrimp tempura bento and upgraded the 4 piece california roll that comes with it to spicy tuna. There were many people but the server was a little slow and I might be a little picky but she did touch my sushi roll when she put the plate down on the table. read more

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This place is as mid as it gets sorry but not sorry ... first the good is that the portion sizing is huge like you get double portion of noodle without even asking for it. The tsunami roll was also very interesting not bad but felt like a giant kimbab but sushi style. As for the flavor , broth etc the ramen was very very mid and the tonkotsu barely had another flavoring in it. It felt super bland and did not have that umami taste. The spicy beef was a bit more bold but very salty and more pasty consistency. The meat were ok - smaller in size but not bad. The weirdest thing though was the layer of spinach inside the bowl.. sorry spinach in ramen isn't a thing and it makes the soup very blanchy and just tastes like you are drinking spinach soup. It is also very soggy so it does not add any texture as well. Lastly look at that egg - it's so over done and yellow and dry!!!! Ugh I hate when you overcook the egg n still cut it open like what are you showing off ?!? Staff were nice and large outdoor seating although the umbrellas should be larger to prevent tree leaves from landing on your food.. For suburb standards maybe this is 4 stars but man this is so mid as stated earlier. read more

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This is one of the best sushi places to try especially if it's the first time. It had great vibes and awesome staff. The food is fresh and delicious! This is coming from a picky 10 year old 5 STARS! read more

As you pull into the property, you see a small mall area signs will guide you to blowfish they are located in the middle with a wonderful garden area for eating outdoors very ambient secure can see from the road A great place to eat, and as you walk in very elegant, but also with a casual appearance The food is high grade fresh, and a fun atmosphere Enjoy your time there I will once again read more

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Fantastic Moonrise roll - Omgosh melts in your mouth! Also loved the Tsunami, and the appetizer shrimp tempura was delicious, especially with the cabbage slaw & walnuts? Yumm!! Good service to boot read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - Tsunami & Moonrise rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

Food is amazing service is great! Clean and the staff is very welcoming Try the brisket ramen! And wagyu appetizer!! read more

Beef brisket ramen is amazing! Tiger shrimp tempura is not traditional Japanese tempura but it is a must try. read more

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The food and service were amazing. All the items were perfect blend of flavor and spices (not necessarily spicy). The brisket ramen was spicy but I it could be customized for those less tolerant of the heat. This will definitely be top of our Japanese restaurants. Very clean and new and it looks like it'll have outdoor seating for the nicer days ahead. read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - Crispy BBQ Spicy Tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

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I was so excited for new sushi in the neighborhood that I broke my rule about waiting for a new restaurant to get their kinks out. I'm willing to try this again in a few weeks, but the first experience (on opening weekend) was just OK. Our waiter had his hands full with a bunch of tables and ignored us for most of the time. We finally called someone else over to take our order and that waiter was happy to do so. We started with shishito peppers (too sweet) and the crispy BBQ spicy tuna. I really liked the tuna, but my husband wasn't as big of a fan- well, more for me! And then followed it up with a miso soup and a ginormous seaweed salad for my husband. We filled up on apps so by the time our sushi arrived we didn't have much room, but chose a few rolls that weren't fried or filled with cream cheese (the names are escaping me right now). We ate a few pieces of each and then decided between being super full and the sushi being just so-so to take the rest home to our sushi monster boys at home. They ate it up in about 3 seconds, but my youngest exclaimed "this is no AO sushi." As I was leaving the waiter very sweetly came out and let me know i forgot my credit card. Today (5 days later) I realized he had given me someone else's credit card, but fortunately they still had mine when i stopped by today. I wish they had called me considering that had my name and phone # from my reservation, but appreciate them holding it for me all week. I'll give them a bit of time to get it together and perhaps will try it again! read more

Amazing. Food, service, wine and beer. Just as good as Edgewater location. Salmon wrapped scallops big time fav

Great service and excellent food size. The ramen had amazing flavor and I would definitely try this place out! Can't wait to come back to try more sushi! (Written by my 12 year old) read more

From the moment I walked into Blowfish Sushi & Ramen, I knew it was going to be a treat. The atmosphere is clean, welcoming, and modern, and the staff is incredibly friendly and attentive. And the ramen? Rich, comforting, and just right. It brings to mind the premium quality you would expect from a Tomkotsu ramen and ingredient quality that makes some of Chicago's top ramen spots, but in suburbs. read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - tonkotsu ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

Great food and great service! The bowl with tempura shrimp and crab salad was a highlight

blowfish is a gem in a Northfield strip mall in conspicuously lingering over the North Shore with what may be a very fine sushi rolls and Ramen available in the area. We really enjoyed everything as well as the friendly and attentive service. Thank you again, Blowfish, very nice evening out. read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - Tamago and red dragon roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

Unfortunately, I found the food to be very mediocre. I'm used to going to Japanese restaurants for my sushi where they get their fish straight from Japan read more

The Blowfish brothers are at it again! Same great soosh, new Suburban locale in Northfield Sushi always on point! Servers are great, friendly & even help you out of the rain. Ambiance, good tables & fun atmosphere read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - Me & my honey at Blowfish on Happ - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

Delicious! We ordered the Creamy Scallop and the Smokey Eye under the special rolls and they were so good! Definitely check this place out!

Very very good and fresh! We had several rolls that all had different flavor and we honestly loved them all. Server was kind. We will be back read more

Excellent service, generous portions, and comfortable seating. Especially good were the stuffed salmon (we ordered seconds!) and the seared wagyu. read more

Ambience is lovely, lighting dim but appropriate for dining, music in background not overpowering. Service was prompt and friendly. My husband had the ramen and found it to be delicious! I had the flaming tuna poke bowl and it was fresh and so tasty! We will definitely be back soon! read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - Flaming Tuna Bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois

Food was delicious. The rolls were amazing especially the crispy tuna app, firecracker roll and dynamite read more

Blowfish Sushi & Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Northfield, Illinois