I'm surprised to see the mixed reviews for Daruma - the food seemed very authentic to me and service was absolutely top notch. I decided to give Daruma a try after a Japanese coworker recommended it. The location is typical strip mall on Golf road. I have driven by this place a million times and admittedly would have never given it a shot if my coworker had not recommended it. When I walked in I was surprised how comfortable I felt. The decor was nothing fancy... reminded me of the Narita in the 90s, but the space was very well lit and comfortable. The food was pretty awesome. We started with the Asari Sakamushi - fresh plump clams in a salty sake broth. It was pretty darn good and definitely Ikazaya worthy. The classic Kaki fry was tasty, although I thought the tartar sauce was kind of weak. I would have liked it with some Tonkatsu sauce but I suppose that's probably not considered authentic. The nigiri was on the pricier side, but the ingredients were very fresh and definitely mid to top grade. This is most telling in the meaty Uni and the sweet Amaebi. As part of the Amaebi, they also battered and deep fried the shrimp heads and served it with lemon juice - if you're not too squeamish to give this a try, it is well worth the money and the guilt. Lastly I had the Mentai Spaghetti which was served on a teppan. I didn't expect to see my pasta on a teppan and was disappointed that it made the spaghetti drier than I would have liked it. Nonetheless I'm a huge fan of Mentai and had no problem eating it all. I will definitely be back. read more

Good food, their ham and cheese and spaghetti are always my favorite, they had different variety of food, sushi just ok so I prefer to order some dishes from the menu. Service is bad if they get really busy so don't be surprise......usually I go there during weekdays to avoid the waiting line. But still, I like the place read more

Closed on Mondays, this is one of the best sushi places I've been. It's very fresh, they make their own soy sauce (which is fantastic), and their non-sushi menu has a lot to offer. read more

Just moved to this area and this place was right on the corner. My boyfriend and I went to get some sushi but we felt extremely uncomfortable the whole time because everyone in the restaurant was Japanese and looking at us like we didn't belong there. The whole menu is in Japanese so we didn't know what to order. We just got a few sushi rolls and left. Won't be going back.. read more

I had one of their specialty ramens and it was the best ramen that I've eaten from this area. I Aldi enjoyed they sushi and other dishes. The staff is very nice as well. read more

It's good for the maki rolls but the sushi is better in Barrington. No offense but the service is just okay. I'm going to think about there dragon rolls and udon noodle because they were better than average. Send me a comment and I'll tell you about the best sushi in the Chicago land area. read more

Better like your sushi because if you don't your screwed. Do yourself a favor and go to sushi ya. The service is way better and the staff is very friendly. read more

This restaurant is comparably one of the best sushi place outside of Chicago,The fish is extremely fresh and big servings .For lunch the specials are around $9.00-$10.00 .It includes a small salad,and soup.Tea comes with all meals.Sushi rolls read more

I lived in Hoffman Estates for 10 years then is when i first discovered this place. I've been away for a long time. I've never been to Japan i can only imagine walking through that door and funding the same type of place somwhere in the birth place of sushi. Maybe it's Sapporo talking but for me it was god like experience, gem among all the sushi places. As the only westerner among all the patrons of this place, the ambience, the wonderful smells, sounds are amazing. Food that melts in your mouth with the delicate sweet tingling taste of ginger in beetween the bites. I miss this place i want to be here more oftem close my eyes listen to the room and eat this wonderful food. read more

Found our new Japanese restaurant! Went in on Saturday night with a reservation. They were busy and had to wait, but that's ok because we were early. We went on a recommendation from a friend. Why five stars: 1) Excellent spicy scallop nigiri. 2) My son had the "chicken nugget", ( I don't remember the name) a deep fried nugget, marinated in soy sauce. Outstanding! 3) The best Ramen Noodle! Only available on weekends. Big bowl of delicious noodles. 4) The service was attentive by all the staff, never had an empty class and the plates were cleared quickly and efficiently. We will be back and will bring a healthy appetite. read more

If you're looking for real Japanese sushi, come here! Just like in Japan, their sushi involves more fish than rice. Some sushi restaurants have that are 90% rice, but not here. Also, the rice is perfect, not too hard and not too soft. Plus, it is seasoned very well. If you get Maki rolls or nigiri, you won't be disappointed. read more

I went here with my best friend for her birthday meal in April. We had the Beef Karokke Potato, Chicken Karaage and Ika Ring Tempura hana awaka. Their Tappas menu was awesome. I loved the Karokke Potatos so much. It tasted like Mashed Potatos wrapped in awesomeness. I will probably be going back to try the rest of their menu read more

I'll admit I'm spoiled. I live in the Bay Area and have experienced some great sushi. Daruma did not disappoint my memory of good sushi. We had a spicy tuna roll, a crunchy shrimp tempura roll, a caterpillar roll, and eel sashimi, plus two bowls of miso soup and iced tea for $40. The sushi rice was perfectly cooked, the fish fresh, the service was prompt and courteous. After reading other yelp reviews about wait times, I called ahead and made a reservation (8pm, Sunday night) but it wasn't actually needed. Recommended without hesitation. read more

This place has been around since the mid eighties, so it's a consistent place food-wise. They have good maki rolls, and their quality of their tuna sashimi is great. Some rolls lack a little bit of flavor. read more

First time my wife and I have eaten here and we LOVED IT!!! Great food, great service and great pricing :)

This Japanese restaurant is the most authentic you can get in the area, Chicago included. They offer a wide variety of tapas style dishes that most people would not have considered to be part of Japanese culinary culture. For any visitors, I would suggest trying to go beyond the usual Japanese offerings like teriyaki whatever and fried rice. My favorites are the marinated stewed pork, the rare sliced steak, or any of the nigiri. Wait staff is attentive but unobtrusive. read more

The place itself is rather run down on the inside..it looks as though at one time it was a nice place but now has fallen into disrepair. Daruma had horrible quality fish within the sushi and sashimi was exceedingly poor tasting... I was highly disappointed after reading very good reviews here on yelp but then finding the experience much less than satisfactory.. I will never be going back. read more

The sushi is very good! Tasty, fresh, and the spicy stuff is perfect. With that said, here is what I don't like: 1.) Sports sushi bar....really? If I wanted to watch football, I would have walked another 20 feet to Wild Bull. Ditch the big screen... 2.) Piano covers of The Lion King and various 90's hits do not suit a sushi restaurant. I want to hear either Japanese folk music, or at the very most some J-pop. 3.) The decor is nice....except the floor makes it feel like a McDonalds... read more

It seemed authentically japanese. It was a great setting. The food was delicious! Would definitely go again and recommend to others.

I just went here last night with friends, I'm not sure if it was the holiday week, but we waited over an hour to be seated and there were multiple tables open that they weren't seating people at, next time we will be making a reservation for sure. It was very traditional, however the service wasn't that great and it took over an hour to get a bowl of ramen, which should not take more then 15 minutes to prepare even if the kitchen is very busy. Would I go back? Probably because the food was that delicious but certainly not without a reservation, and I'm more likely to order take out if possible. It wasn't worth the wait. My husband and I visited Japan last year and never had an experience like we did last night with all of the waiting. read more

My favorite Japanese restaurant! One of the most authentic Japanese restaurants around here. In stead of your typical order, try some dishes from their ala carte menu. read more

Definitely the best Japanese restaurant in the NW suburbs! We've been coming here for years. Food and service is impeccable. Really fresh sushi, great nabeyaki udon! read more

Best Japanese restaurant I've been to in a long time. Very very authentic vibe and dishes. My family and I ordered a multitude of dishes that all came out quick and deliciously prepared. I would definitely choose to go there for all my Japanese food cravings. I'm sure my parents, who are Japanese, would love it as well. read more

Daruma Restaurant - Chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

One of my favourite Sushi restraunts around town. Has the authentic feel of a Japanese place, The little rooms with the Japanese Dining tables are fun. Love the sushi menu , some of the starters and entres are a must try. read more

This place is absolutely fantastic! It's one of my favorite place to be hang out. The freshest sushi that I ever had, fine rolls and delicious kitchen food! I love its seating areas especially the private rooms. Just love the food and satisfied with the price too! Truly recommendable place! read more

You don't get better food than Daruma! Here you will find the best tapa style appetizer, sushi and best ramen hands down. Service is so good here that it will put some higher end places to shame. The only problem: price. But I gladly pay higher for the quality and freshness. My wife and I generally spend about $100 give or take 20 bucks. We come here about once a month as its a good 45 min drive. Yes we drive this far for the best sushi and ramen combo in Chicago land. read more

We live about 2 minutes from the place but it never got us interested in going there until we went there first time more than a year ago. We are visiting that place regularly since then. It is kind of hidden in the back of the plaza, interior design passed its year of splendor but it has this thing to it. I have never been to Japan but being there makes you feel like it. Service is fast, waiters are nice and what is most important the food is great. We tried a lot of different things and were surprised with taste and freshness. I have to admit they have one of the best rolls I have ever had. They are not fancy like in some places with catchy names, they are simple and fresh. I talked to main chef there and he said they always make fresh rice every day no matter what. Agedashi tofu is very subtle and tasty as well as their soups. They also got bunch of various appetizers from the kitchen which I strongly recommend. Comparing to other sushi places we have been to this place has good prices on food and sushi. I would give 4.5 stars for this place. read more

Never going back. Service was incredibly SLOW. Extra star for the food. We were surprised since all the reviews were positive, but it took forever to get the food. Sushi and udon soup were tasty though. Prices for nigiri were per piece, pretty pricey. I'm hoping it was an off day for them, but I will not be going back. read more

A nice quiet place to have some good food. I tried the udon, which is hard to mess up on the first place. But they certainly do a good bowl of udon! read more

Daruma is conveniently located within walking distance of my friend's house, so one night we decided to take a stroll and try this place out. I have to say, the service was attentive and friendly. The prices were also quite reasonable. I thought the decor inside was nice, and there were some private rooms for larger groups. We were seated in the back room, and the chairs were very uncomfortable. The food was nothing spectacular. We ordered only sushi, and got the Jennifer roll, spicy tuna roll, spider roll, and harumaki roll. I found the rolls to all be a bit bland, but with a little extra wasabi they were tasty. I would give this place a shot if you're in Schaumburg and hungry for sushi. It won't be your best sushi encounter, but for the price you won't be disappointed. read more

My family and I come here all the time! The best place for sushi and sashimi with reasonable prices too! The appetizers are delicious as are all of the entrees that I've tried. The atmosphere and service are great. There are private rooms with tatami mats that look like you are dining in Japan! I give it a big thumbs up! read more

Menu seems very traditional Japanese, which is exciting at first. The Ramen was plentiful and very good, but lacked any spice. The sushi menu is very weak. It lacked a variety of rolls with different combinations, the rolls were very basic. The sushi itself it was far from the best I have had, even in the suburbs. I shall not return. read more

Authenticity comes to mind when thinking of Daruma. It's so authentic, in fact, that most of the customers were Japanese- a good sign indeed! I tried several items which were all tasty and reasonably priced. The service was also very solid. They also have traditional side rooms (where you sit down and eat) which you have to reserve in advance. In all, I give Daruma two thumbs up!!! read more

This is definitely one of the best places in the suburbs for sushi! I went there on Sunday night for a Valentine's dinner. It didn't disappoint. Not only are their rolls really fantastic, THEY MAKE THEIR OWN SAUCES! The sushi dipping sauce they make is a little sweet and not too strong like soy sauce. It also leaves the flavor of what you're eating in tact, only enhances. They also don't have your typical eel sauce, they make their own version which is delightful as well. I give this place 5 stars for creating and making their own sauces and other items. read more

Daruma has been one of my favorite places to go for years. A very unique character in every dish prepared. It is a rare find in the Midwest, with their modern twists on a variety of classics. Love it! I can assure you that no matter what you decide to order here, it will amaze you! If you want a different experience I guarantee that this will give you a whole new outlook on Japanese food! Also, very authentic in flavor and cooking style. read more

Love this place! They have authentic Japanese food and customer service is good too :)

Sushi in Schaumburg. Eh. I don't know about that. This place is alright though. Definitely caters well to Japanese businessmen. Overall it's a good value and the food is decent. read more

This place is awesome! I came in 15 minutes after the kitchen closed. I asked the woman where else was open in the area that I could get something healthy from, no fast food. She asked me what I wanted, and I said anything healthy. She then grabbed the menu and asked what I like. I told her I was new to sushi and still learning about it so she was very kind and suggested the Boston rolls for me (delicious!!) and then had the kitchen make it for me even though they were already closed! Very, very satisfied! Will definitely be back! read more

best Japanese food in Chicago area. by which i mean authentic not fusion (i.e. cream cheese rolls, which i also like) i have lived in Japan for years, travel there every few months, etc. Trust me, the best. read more

My favorite sushi place. My husband loves it too. It is an authentic Japanese restaurant with Japanese sushi master. They have separate menu in Japanese which I wonder if it is the same menu in english version but I never asked. I always order sushi deluxe and my husband orders Chirash deluxe. Sushi is always fresh and yummy. read more