This is my favorite place for sushi in KCMO. The brazed salmon cheeks are amazing, and the staff is always friendly and helpful to me. read more

The place is a bit old and funky and so to is the fish. I asked for ponzu and they charged me $3.00. The best part is It wasn't even ponzu, in short I paid $135 for cheap sake and sushi that was not fresh. if you like sushi and I meant real good fresh fish....this is not the place. read more

These were some of the best Rolls I've had in Chicago. Hidden gem tucked away on Rush Street. Great service, nice decor on the inside. read more

Friends Sushi - Friends Maki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Let me just start by saying... ORDER THE SAMO-Ae MAKI ROLL!! I am an absolute sushi lover & this has got to be by far the greatest roll I've ever tasted. I also had the Fujiyama Maki Roll - the King Crab really does it with the combination of Shrimp, Kani Kama, Tempura Flakes & the Spicy Mayo! Yes I finished these BOTH while at the restaurant. I was full but I could not stop. This is now my to-go to whenever I am back in town! Everything is up par with COVID standards. Soy sauce enclosed in sealed packages. Everything properly cleaned, & a good amount of space between tables. The smooth piano and jazz music gives the restaurant a peaceful energy. The staff was excellent. My glass was always full. I was well recommended, well served & yet hardly ever bothered. My sushi was well prepared. I'm truly satisfied with my lunch experience today. read more

Friends Sushi - Sumo- Ae Maki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went last Friday for a friend's birthday and was really excited to try a new sushi place. However, I must admit I'm pretty picky with my sushi. My friends sometimes call me snob, but I just think it's because I try more sushi spots than they do. Anyways... My key take aways: 1. They seemed understaffed. My friends and I arrived after my other friends and it took the staff 20 minutes to notice so we could order our drinks. 2. Spicey Edamame and Goyza was delicious!! Edamame was cooked perfectly and Seasoning was all over and had a good kick to it. Goyza was amazing too, different than a lot of goyza I've had elsewhere but it was a great surprise. I just wish they gave us more than just four. Six would be a better bang for your buck. 3. Rolls were ok (I've definitely had better)...we had: Dragon, Musketeers, Saki Maki, Can You Handle It? I think I expected better because of the price to be honest. 4. I had the Sashimi Supreme which was 15 pieces of chef's choice fish which came with salad. I knew that because of the price ($38) it wasn't going to be the BEST fish, but I expected better quality. I think because of this alone I couldn't give this restaurant 4 stars. 5. Drinks were great! We had: Asian PearTini, Lychee Martini, and my favorite the Mango Martini that literally tasted like a mango smoothie. 6. We got free shots at the end of the night along with a tasty dessert for my friends birthday! Thank you bartender - Cheers!!! Overall, I recommend to go and try for your self if you can afford going out for just an OK meal. Staff was SUPER nice though, the food quality was what needs improvement. read more

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Volcano roll is so good! If I'm craving sushi, that's the place to go! Also the espresso martini is amazing!

Superb. Had one of each chef special roll. Ordered a second Duo roll. It has truffle oil and tuna. Crazy good. Love the black rice. Loud if you're not ready for it. We were. read more

This is my 5th time visiting Friends Sushi. I come here every time I visit Chicago. It's one of my favorite places. Everything from the food, to the atmosphere, to the service, and location is perfect. read more

Asked for a chirashi and they made this bowl for me. A little pricey but super tasty! read more

Friends Sushi - Asked for a chirashi and they made this bowl for me. A little pricey but super tasty! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Not really impressed. We came on a day that was in the single digits and it was very cozy and dark inside. We really liked the atmosphere here for a Saturday night dinner with a group. Let me tell you it's quite fun/interesting eating sushi to EDM music. However, the tables are really close together since the place is on the smaller side. We ordered calamari for the table and it came out in 3 giant tentacle pieces. No rings like your typical calamari. Now, imagine trying to split giant tentacles with chopsticks. It's not possible. It got messy and we had to use our hands. Price is expensive. The signature rolls are about $16. Quality was just okay to be honest. We ordered some raw rolls and some cooked ones. The rolls were a bit on the mushier side, the fish wasn't super fresh, and the rolls just kind of lacked flavor - not worth $16. Some of the pieces were extremely big and impossible to eat in one bite - this resulted in everything falling apart when trying to just bite half of it or nearly choking from trying to eat it all in one bite. I'll stick to my other sushi spots around the city! read more

Friends Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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They served this to me and I immediately left. They did refund me for the rolls because initially I had just paid not wanting to make a scene with complaining. I won't be back or recommend. read more

Great sushi in a great atmosphere in River North! We made reservations for 8pm on Black Friday and were seated on time. Staff was immediately attentive and very friendly. Atmosphere: Nice! It's a cozy, dim restaurant that gives you a feeling of privacy even though tables are somewhat close together. The dining room is small and the tables were all full, but it's still somewhat quiet. Very easy to enjoy a meal and conversation. The dimness hid some of the wear-and-tear on the furniture. This place is unpretentious and comfortable, with a touch of classy. A gem in River North. Food: Fantastic! Everything we tried--from the specialty makis and sashimi to the appetizers--were great. We loved everything we ordered. And it was great for our vegetarian son, who filled up on agedashi tofu (some of the best we've ever had) and cucumber and avocado rolls. Service: Friendly and attentive. Our glasses were never empty for long and the food was served promptly. We will certainly be going back! read more

I was seated at the Sushi Bar by the Manager Put. I ordered a glass of Pinot And a California Maki and Shrimp Tempura Maki. I noticed that the Sushi Bar Makers/Chefs -only 1 out of 4 was wearing gloves! Really????? When I asked Manager Put about it- First He Said- "The Prep Person isn't touching anything." But he WAS- he is the prep guy!! Are you kidding me? If you treat me this way-as a consumer- what do you have to say to THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? Then I said "Watch- everybody has their fingers on everything!" He never went over and encouraged his staff to put gloves on. Myself like others work hard and going out for dinner is a luxury-if you cannot follow standards of the health code and are a manager who makes excuses for why people are handling my food without gloves then maybe it's time for you to NOT be serving food. Conclusion-I promptly cancelled my sushi order and left!!! read more

The BF and I stopped here for a late lunch on a weekday and had a nice meal overall. We both chose to get lunch combos. Miso soup was included in both. I got the 2 sushi + 2 maki roll set (specifically I chose tuna and salmon sushi, and crunchy spicy salmon and unagi asparagus maki) all for $17. The sushi was 2 pieces of nigiri to be more precise. The food was good, but nothing mind blowing. Not the restaurant's fault necessarily, just that the lunch special options are obviously more limited. The BF chose to get a salmon teriyaki bento box for $16. It came with the salmon, rice, salad dressed with a sweet sauce, and a good amount of vegetable tempura. The salmon was cooked well, nice and crispy with a tender interior. Again, well executed but nothing to write home about. At the end of the meal, we agreed that Friends Sushi was solid but felt a bit expensive for what we got. I would still come back though since sushi is relatively scarce in this area of Chicago. read more

Friends Sushi - 2 sushi (salmon, tuna) + 2 maki (unagi asparagus, spicy crunchy tuna) lunch set for $17 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It makes me very sad to write a bad review for Friends Sushi, because their food is very good - the fish is always fresh, without exception, which means their sushi is excellent. We made a reservation for a Saturday evening for 3 and headed there with our toddler. After maneuvering the entrance (no accessible options for a stroller or otherwise), we waited about 15min for the hostess to attend to us. Upon telling her we had a reservation, she told us flat out that we ought to have made the reservation for 4 because of the baby. Even when we offered to leave the stroller at the door, she said we'd have to wait another 30-45min to be seated, because none of the current seating options would accommodate a baby. I understand that the small space makes things difficult, but this still wasn't acceptable. We ended up leaving and getting dinner at another restaurant that was more child-friendly. read more

Really enjoyed this place. Great vibe. Goid service. Food was delicious. I will visit again.

Hip little sushi spot! The decor here is very sleek and futuristic. Felt a bit crammed though. But I guess it kind of adds to the vibe. They have house music playing in the background as well. Glad we made reservations on OpenTable a few hours prior since it was pretty busy on a Saturday night. We ordered the following items: - Sweet & spicy signature maki - Can you handle it? signature maki - Fire wing signature maki - Creamy spicy tuna raw maki - Salmon nigiri All of the rolls were pretty good, paired nicely with a Sapporo beer. They do have decent selection of makis to choose from. I would pass on the salmon nigiri next time though, felt like could have gotten better quality for the price elsewhere. My favorite roll out of the 4 was the can you handle it?, which had salmon, avocado, jalapeño, Japanese peppers, cucumbers, topped with unagi, mango, spicy mayo, and unagi sauce. Usually comes with cilantro too but I asked for it without. #thanksOR6A2gene Anyways, the service here was fantastic. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. Friends is a great place to come for a causal date night! read more

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Wanted Sushi on a Saturday night and we were a party of five. So I go to Yelp found this place made reservations and went. It was if all the planet's were in line and the stars in the sky as we were truly lucky to get in! I arrived first and wait in a seat in the im the very front. Once everyone arrived it was literally minutes to get seated in the only table available. My group loved my pick as it was small,local, and delicious. We all started with cocktails and proceeded to order most of the menu as we were hungry. I ordered both the friends cocktail as well as the much talked about Friends roll. I just kept ordering until we were full. That's the good thing about sushi you can eat it and not feel bloated. The food was great as well as the service. Of course I checked out the tables next to me to make sure we covered all the good dishes. This is a must next visit to Chicago! read more

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The sushi was delicious!! Fast and friendly service and exactly what I was looking for. read more

Friends Sushi - Crispy Spicy Tuna Maki and Crispy Spicy Salmon Maki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great restaurant to try japanese shabu shabu in chicago. The soup is just so amazing ang it tastes so good. They have so many food available on the rotating belt that you can just grab and add it on your bowl. I love the korean fried chicken. Tastes good and very crunchy. I would come back here. read more

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Pretty decent sushi! Not the best I've ever had, not the worst I've ever had. But great for the price point especially in Gold Coast. Love the small atmosphere and the vibe is a lot nicer than you would think from the outside. Sushi is not Gluten Free due to something they put in their rice which stinks! read more

Friends Sushi - Rainbow Maki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

While looking for a place for a solo dinner in Chicago, Friends Sushi came up in the Yelp search, and I decided to give it a try. Very unassuming location from outside, however, very cool looking inside, with unusually shaped tables and very comfy swivel chairs. Once the lights were dimmed, the chic place became instantly romantic. Good selection of wines and cocktails. I had sparkling Sake which was tasty, but a bit unusual as it contained jelly inside. I got Sashimi Deluxe for my dinner, which included Miso soup, served in a large cup - really enjoyable presentation and a good soup. Sashimi were excellent, generous cuts, tasty fish, nicely made fresh wasabi - delicious and reasonably priced at $29 for what you get. Had mochi green tea ice cream for dessert - it was good but a bit less than what I expected at the overall level of food. If I have a gripe, it would be a strange choice of music for a Japanese restaurant - mostly hard rock and similar. Excellent service, prompt and attentive. Definitely recommended. read more

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The food is just OK, the rolls were made my amateurs, as you couldn't pick one up without it falling apart. The pictures on here make it look like an upscale sushi joint, this is faaaar from the truth. I don't think they have washed a window or interior mirror since they opened. I mean, come on people, you had all that down time with the 'Rona, and your business is disgusting. You have to walk past the kitchen to use the also disgusting bathrooms, and oh my, how the health department hasn't stepped in to protect the public, I have no idea. The dining area is neat looking, but just dingy, the white chairs need either cleaned or repainted, the mirrors looks like a basset hound licked them from top to bottom and top it off with rainbow led lights and you just want to throw up. Look up my other reviews, I usually have SOMETHING good to say, but I am at a loss here. read more

Friends Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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i love this place, i've been multiple times and it never disappoints! everyone is so nice and the place is really cozy and intimate. read more

Friends Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A bit pricey, but delicious sushi and food all around. I got the Volcano roll and the oyako soup, and both were delicious choices! My husband got the spicy salmon maki, which looked hefty for sushi! The ambiance is great, although I wish they had a bit more lighting. read more

Friends Sushi - Oyako Soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very pleasant staff. An intimate atmosphere of dim lighting, great cocktails (I highly recommend the lychee Martini), and the assortment of sushi rolls made for an excellent dining experience. Stop by and support small businesses. read more

I LOVE sushi but I don't get to have it very often... I really enjoyed my meal here. We came around 7:30 and had probably a 15 minute wait. It was hopping there- only a few outside seats, so we were inside. There was a very helpful server who directed me in the direction of the sweet potato tempura roll and it was delightful. I also had an asparagus roll- both of which were good sized. My friend asked for their most popular dish- which was the Friend roll and she enjoyed it very much. She had a Philly roll as well and we both had a very satisfying and tasty meal. She ordered something called eel sauce (?) and said it was very good as well. I would go back! read more

Friends Sushi - Asparagus roll and sweet potato tempura roll- really good vegetarian selections - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere was very light and vibrant. The entrance looks a little shabby, but once inside you will not be disappointed. read more

Mediocre sushi, the ambiance is nice but the sushi is okay for the price point, probably wouldn't come here again

This was a great experience for the most part. I will start off by saying that the chairs in this place are terrible. Having said that I'd still come back. But I do highly recommend to the owners that they switch these out for studio more comfortable chairs as soon as possible. Now to the food. I had the fire cracker for an appetizer. It comes with three pieces and is absolutely delicious. For my man I had the musketeer roll. This felt like a classic roll but also had pieces of jalapeño in it which provided a nice touch of space. If I came back tomorrow and did the exact same thing I'd be pretty happy. Lots of great stuff on the menu so I do intend to come back to try other items. I should also mention that the service was fantastic and everybody working there was super friendly. read more

Friends Sushi - Firecracker - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My wife and I came here for dinner on a Saturday night after making reservations. The restaurant had a romantic ambiance to it. We ordered Sake maki, Crispy Spicy Tuna maki, Nama Sake nigiri, Alamo Maguro nigiri, Tekka maki, & Spicy Salmon Roll maki while sharing a glass of sake. My favorite was the Nama Sake and my wife's favorite was the Crispy Spicy Tuna maki. Overall, great sushi when you're in downtown Chicago. read more

Friends Sushi - Nama Sake, Akami Maguro, Sake Maki, Tekka Maki, & Spicy Salmon Spicy Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Sooooo fresh. Some of the best sushi I have had in Chicago hands down. Everything was so tender. Great service too! Cute little set up, perfect for dates or just going solo like I did! Would recommend! read more

Say no to friends. As someone who loves a good sushi spot. This was a disappointing find. While the service and ambiance was fine, I've had much better sushi elsewhere. However, if you've only known sushi in the Midwest, then maybe this place is good enough. I'll most likely not return. In fact, the only reason I'm writing this review is to remind myself not to return. read more

This was a wonderful little fin. I just happen to be walking and saw it. It was packed even though it's small inside. I have the most wonderful scallop appetizer and then the sashimi was delicious. I was looking around at the other tables and everything looked so tempting and they seem to make specialty drinks too. Excellent dinner. read more

My husband surprised me with a birthday trip to Chicago and we came here for dinner. The miso soup (regular not spicy) was the best miso soup I have ever had. The sushi rolls we got were the Spring Pink Roll and the Black Shrimp Roll and they were outstanding! My husband and I are both sushi lovers and get it twice a week and always try new places in other cities. This place is hands down one of the best I've been to. The fish was so fresh, the flavors were incredible, and nothing was too overpowering. It all had the perfect ratios. The chefs were really nice and said hello as we walked by and our waitress was very sweet. I wish I could bring this place home with me! read more

Located near Magmile and nearby the red line, this place is prime! They take reservations on Open Table, and I highly recommend it as it can get crowded. The place itself is very crowded. It's narrow inside and they stuffed it with as many tables as possible making it awkward to get around. I would say that's the biggest downside of this place. The restroom has a tv in front of the stall which I find hilarious. Now to the food. The crunchy spicy tuna roll is a MUST!!! A lil over priced but it's fried spicy tuna goodness. The Can You Handle It is also a good choice. I've tried two other maki rolls(don't remember the names) that had too much cream cheese or too much wasabi on it. Should have just ordered two of the spicy tuna and can you handle it. Drinks - lychee martini!! The lychee itself looks old so I wouldn't recommend eating it. But the actual drink is delicious. read more

The dragon roll usually includes shrimp tempura but tonight it did 't. But I was still charged $17! They're usually very reliable but not this time read more

Excellent selection of maki rolls. Great tasting quality sushi. Quiet, right in the middle of downtown.

Interesting place to grab some sushi....but left happy and satisfied. You walk in and you would not think that this place is a sushi joint with its white walls and furniture, EDM music playing in the background and it being as dark as a night club. Nonetheless, the sushi was fresh and the sake was reasonably priced. Definitely a younger and hip crowd. I would say that selection of fish is somewhat limited to your typical fare, which is fine. Service was fine. read more

The atmosphere is dark (your eyes will adjust in 10 minutes) with contemporary instrumental music in the background (a little loud for my taste). The seats are placed close together, so if the restaurant is full-house with tables with sake on them, expect to have to raise your voice to have a conversation. At the door, the server is very welcoming and professional. I was surprised at first that a sushi place as elegant as this did not have Uni sushi. Soon I discovered that this restaurant was heavily leaning toward Japanese fusion. But that's okay, because the food was really really good. It was a plus that the server asked us if we wanted the appetizer and the entrees in that order or the whole order placed on the table at once. Very considerate staff. Shrimp tempura was surprisingly well made. The soy sauce for the tempura had a stronger-than-usual ginger scent, and its combination with the tempura breading was well-thought out. Five large shrimps for $10 is in my opinion a very nice deal as well. Crunchy Roll and Spicy (or Red I don't recall) Dragon Roll were pretty good. Crunchy Roll was freshly prepared, and I could tell that they put genuine effort in rolling their maki. The Dragon Roll began spicy and salty (in a good way) and slowly transitioned into subtle sweetness. I wasn't here for fusion food, but boy was this a game changer. I would definitely recommend this place to the Japanese fusion indulgers who like to dine in dark, moderately noisy environment. read more

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