Hello again fellow Advisors... Had the opportunity to visit this sushi spot. Of course with 900+ reviews and 4 stars it makes your craving for sushi easy to satisfy. It's right downtown near all. Don't walk too fast though, you may miss it. Small spot but once inside it has a cool white decor. Service was good. I saw a pic of this plate with a dragon and I really tried to get it, but the chef was too busy. So, note to self, if I ever go again make sure I'm there when the place opens. We ordered a few rolls that were delish. The Yakuza and the Can you handle it were my favs. Given the chance I'll definitely visit again. Hope this helps... read more

Friends Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

For a place called "Friends" it wasn't where I would go with friends. One beer on the menu and one size of Sake so not very "friend friendly". Love the 3 part concept but it's poorly executed. Only got menus for the section of restaurant I was in. Sushi menu lacked a lot and overpriced. The soup I got was great though. A cross between chicken soup and egg drop soup. read more

Friends Sushi - Oyako Soup Creamy Spicy Tuna Maki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Atmosphere was cozy and intimate inside but the prices are pretty high for the average taste of the food. I'm labeling this an Instagram place because you probably see videos of the cool look but when it comes to food, you can get better sushi elsewhere. read more

The food was amazing!!! The romantic feel to it was definitely there the place is super welcoming and a great atmosphere. Our server was super nice and very helpful. If your in chicago I highly recommend coming here! read more

Super yummy sushi! The vibe was super cute in here and it's a very small place. We came around 5pm with no wait and barely anyone in there so that was a plus as well. Food came out extremely fast as well. read more

Friends Sushi - Creamy Spicy Tuna Maki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My wife and I were looking for later evening dinner spots when we stumbled upon Friends Sushi. It is kind of a hole in the wall from the outside but very hip inside. We Dined here pre-Covid and it is a great place with good vibes. A little dark but it does set the mood nicely for a nice evening meal. The price was affordable The sushi itself was very well made and tasty. We also had their prune sake which sounds a little weird but a nice mix between sake and wine. Would definitely come here again when indoor dining is allowed! read more

Love Friends Sushi! Every time I go, I order a few different roles to share, but I always always always order the Can You Handle It (I'm a sucker for mango)! The Firecracker is a fun and unique starter to add to your order too! The restaurant is small so be prepared for a little wait if you're going during the weekend. read more

Friends Sushi is such a gem! The sushi quality is so high. The salmon melts in your mouth, and they have so many different unique rolls to choose from. The japanese tiramisu is otherworldly! So light and fluffy! Highly recommend this place! read more

Friends Sushi is definitely a top 3 sushi spot in Chicago - at first glance, it is easy to dismiss given the unassuming exterior on Rush Street, nestled between a few buildings. However, the interior is evocative of a few spots in SoHo NYC, cozy interior with a modern vibe. Service is quick and friendly as well, but reservations on a Saturday night are recommended (we saw a few groups walk away after realizing how busy the small spot was). While the venue is busy, hip cozy, the food is naturally the true draw. For a group of 4, we ordered a few appetizers: the firecracker (really interesting mix), crab cake (real crab, not imitation and the aioli is so good), and the shumai (this was the most iffy in the group but I enjoyed it). Then we ordered a mix of maki: the Can You Handle It (we could handle it and it was probably the best maki roll), the Umi (awesome but a safe cooked shrimp tempura), King California, Rainbow Maki, and Spicy Tuna. We ordered something like 7 maki rolls in total but given the taste, quality, and our collective hunger - we devoured the meal. Happy I was able to introduce some fellow sushi lovers to Friends. Looking forward to my next visit already. read more

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I just moved to Chicago and have been looking for a great sushi place near me that I can walk to and Friends Sushi is definitely it. The atmosphere is very intimate and small, which I appreciate in a sushi restaurant and the fish is so fresh and delicious. There are many different options for rolls, so I'm excited to go back and try other ones and it is very reasonably priced. Friends Sushi is a great place if you're looking for a very satisfying sushi dinner! read more

Friends Sushi - Shrimp Shumai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've never had such good and fresh sashimi and maki before! I totally get the rating for this restaurant. read more

Friends Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I won't lie: I came here for the cool decor. GUILTY. Normally, I won't have sushi from anywhere else other than the two joints by my house..but I wanted CHICAGO SUSHI! The location of this restaurant is quite empty, which scared me for a moment. A restaurant on a quiet street....seems fishy. Sunday night, this place was not crowded. The decor was absolutely adorable - it was like a kid's jungle! Even though it was like a Japanese kid's kind of restaurant, the place maintained a romantic-like atmosphere with the low-lit candle setting. We had the Friends roll and the crunch & cream roll. Both were unbelievably creamy and crunchy, it was delicious! I don't think $14 for the Friends roll was exactly worth it but good to know what it's like. Both rolls were loaded with tempura crumbs..yum! Also had the red bean ice cream & banana tempura, which I don't think was worth it. The ice cream was average and even though I did like the 2 slices of banana tempura, it was not worth the price. The presentation was very plain and they could've used a whole banana. The most annoying thing was the chair. There is literally a hole where your ass is, so ladies, have your bags on your lap or on the floor because it will drop. read more

Friends Sushi - Red Bean Ice Cream & Banana Tempura - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Pretty good. Fish was very fresh. I will be returning. Friends roll was the best out of our entire order. read more

Friends Sushi - Friends roll(the best). Caterpillar toll(too crunchy). Devil...(better if you remove the fish from the top) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Looking for a trendy, intimate restaurant that serves delicious and quality sushi at a reasonable price? Look no further! With a last minute reservation, my friend and I were able to dine here on a busy Sunday night. If you can, I recommend making a reservation just because the restaurant itself is small. When we arrived, it looked like several parties were waiting for a table so... Better safe than sorry! Our server was wonderful, she was friendly, checked in with us but not too much which I appreciate. We started off with the grilled calamari which was a first for me. I've only ever had fried calamari but I enjoyed it grilled, however it didn't have as much of its usual flavor (almost tasted like chicken). The sushi rolls we ordered were delicious and large! I cannot remember the exact names but I love that this place used fresh and quality ingredients. That's the only way to make sushi in my book. Sushi isn't bogo so it can be expensive, but I don't think you'd break the bank ordering two rolls. I actually thought it was reasonably priced, but for those who usually order bogo it may be more than you anticipate. But with such wonderful service, and a trendy and intimate ambiance, this place is perfect for a date or just catching up with a friend! I really recommend you check it out if you're in the mood for some good sushi! read more

Friends Sushi - Grilled calamari starter - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great ambiance in the evening and their food is great, I love their spicy miso soup..

This was a good choice for our group as some do not eat sushi and there were other choices. We had the shrimp Shumai, miso soup, and firecracker to start. The miso soup was so good. We then had the big friends signature maki as well as the friend maki. For the non sushi eaters everyone went with the bento box. Everything tasted fresh. Service was good but a little on the slow side . Our service was pleasant. read more

I was very impressed with the service at Friend Sushi, we ordered salmon carpaccio, scallop Butteryaki, salmon belly sashimi, Hmachi Belly Sashimi and Sweet & Spicy roll (substitute salmon with kajiki with a little up charge) I think prices are not so reasonable with two drinks my total was $90. Although I do understand for the area and location some up charge is expected... As far as the ambiance it's very cozy with table arrangements pretty close. It's not your typical 6:30pm dinner rush kinda place, gets busy around 8 or 8:30! Over all it's worth a visit.... read more

I highly recommend this place to any sushi lover, we were a group of 7 and they were able to fit us in last minute on a Sunday (Father's Day) an hour and a half before they closed. We ended up giving this place a try since we could not find any other place and we were very happy we went here. Food was amazing and fish was very fresh, the maki rolls are well served and big. The place itself is comfortable and has a cozy/chill vibe to it along with a good music playlist. If we could, we would've stayed longer and enjoyed a couple more drinks. Our server was very attentive and made sure we got everything we asked for/needed. Highly highly recommend, my group and I were not disappointed! read more

Walking in the restaurant, first impressions of the interior: it felt very avant garde with white tables and decor. The Food: So the day I went, I ordered the lunch special which included a miso soup, a sushi roll, teriyaki chicken, and rice. It was alright. I had the basic california roll which didn't seem like it was made on the spot since the nori was not as crispy as it could be. The miso soup was quite good. The teriyaki chicken was a bit underwhelming as the chicken was a bit dry and placed over some steamed veggies. The service was good. Overall, it was an alright place, though perhaps the other rolls are a better option than the lunch combo? read more

Friends Sushi - Lunch Combo: teriyaki chicken and california roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was all set to bump them down to three stars based on my most recent dine and the one prior...but now down to two. Why? Read on! The "Tuna Lover" "specialty roll" was quite small, ($16 no less) did not come with any sense of dijon balsamic (as advertised) and upon request, I was brought some type of liquid that added really no flavor to the roll. The fish itself was slightly dry and the wasabi was dry and crumbling...so that's hardly fit for a four star rating. As for wine selection, only one of several popular varietals ( i.e. only one Chardonnay, one Cab, offered) on the menu is hardly adequate. I've also dined here a couple times since my prior review and was already leaning toward a lesser score and this most recent dine confirmed it. The seaweed salad was the only thing that was actually wonderful. They slid further - from a three to a two star - when I looked at the app that I use to book my table they did not credit my dine - my reservation was no where to be found, even though I checked in at the hostess stand and my name was there on their screen. I find this sketchy - "Friends" uses a reservation platform and then didn't follow through and check me in. Seems they are not crediting the guest nor the app that brought them in. That's not so friendly now, is it? A shame too, I'm going to skip checking out their nearby second location. read more

The restaurant is VERY small and the tables are VERY close to each other. Be prepared to get to know your neighbors. We arrived and were seated quickly without a reservation. Many people seemed to be picking up takeout while we were there. The wait staff was tentative but the tables are rather small and they could have cleared the empty plates a bit better to make room. They have the Shrimp Tempura appetizer and a Shrimp Tempura Roll, while I was ordering appetizers I asked for Shrimp Tempura but they brought me the roll. I guess I should have specified but I honestly didn't think about it. When I said something to the waitress she's apologized and said she should have asked, I was going to order them both anyhow so it wasn't that big of a deal. To be honest he Sushi was good but the Shrimp Tempura appetizer really didn't taste that great. I wouldn't order it here again. Overall, t he meal was good, nothing spectacular but I'd go again if I were in the area. read more

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It's hard for me to rate this place because we could barely see what we were eating. It was SO dark in there. To take a pic of the food one of us had to use the flashlight on their ph while the other took the pic. Everything tasted good. But for me it lost some of the pleasure that I get when eating sushi, which is seeing its beauty. Sorry Friends. read more

Friends Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The pick-up was smooth. The cucumber, asparagus, and avocado roll - delicious! And right next to a great salon so go, go, go! read more

Friends Sushi - Yummy rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely rude woman at the front of the restaurant made us feel very unwelcome. Slammed our menus down on the table and walked away. Won't come Back read more

We ordered 2 Rainbow rolls for a total of $40 which is kind of crazy. Also I was very confused because it took about 25-30 minutes for our food to arrive after we ordered and it's sushi aka nothing needs to be cooked. I would give the taste 4 stars, but the price and service bring my review down to 3 stars. read more

Friends Sushi - 2 Rainbow rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great sushi, great ambiance, great service. Overall good value. Never disappoints. Highly recommend.

I tried a lot of things & here my fav nigiri, sashimi & maki: Albacore Nigiri Seared Salmon Belly Sashimi - 10/10 Spicy Tako (octopus) Maki The Spicy Miso Soup (I asked for chili oil on the side to keep it from being extra oily but had them add togarashi) was good as well but not exceptional . read more

Friends Sushi - Seared Salmon Belly is on point. Aroma of seared fatty salmon was in harmony with its generous taste profile. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was fresh and tasteful. The vibe here was calm and nice. I would highly recommend this place. read more

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I can vouch for the crispy spicy shrimp- not to too battered like many deep fried rolls can be, just the perfect amount to crisp it up. Can also vouch for the volcano. An explosion of flavor in your mouth! read more

This is a fantastic place to go to if you if you just want to eat delicious food quickly! The chefs and waiters are so nice it's great! I had the most delicious California roll and miso soup that I have ever had. And you won't find that in you usual big brand. read more

Friends Sushi - Miso soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was decent, although sushi is expensive and small portions. 12$ for 5 pieces. They have lunch specials which are There are tons of bugs on the walls...gross! I had a beetle in my side salad...double gross! I told the waitress who was shocked and apologized. I ordered a side of edamame (2$) and they didn't charge me for that. Ambience is very cool. But ultimately, I will not be coming back! read more

Friends Sushi - $12 shrimp tempura roll (5 pieces) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I try caterpillar roll at every new sushi restaurant I go to, and unfortunately the caterpillar maki at Friends Sushi did not impress me. Unlike many of other caterpillar rolls I have tried, the blend of eel, cream cheese and sushi rice was meh. The crispy salmon skin was quite salty and stood on its own, the overall taste was not inviting enough for another bite, which is disappointing because I love caterpillar rolls! The portion was generous and food was delivered quickly during lunch hours. read more

Actually good. The seaweed salad and tuna tataki are great!! Some maki rolls are good

Volcano roll was absolutely amazing. Had a couple of other rolls that were great, but this one stuck out as the clear winner. Definitely spicy but not to the level that you can't feel the flavor. Would go again given the chance! read more

While visiting from NYC dropped in & was soo happyEverything about this restaurant is excellent! The service, atmosphere, the amazingly delicious drinks we got (lychee martini, Mai Tai), fresh sushi (Summer roll, Spicy Tuna Roll & Crispy Creamy) Sooosooo delish!! We had to order a second order of the Summer Roll. Very chill and decor is cute. Perfect for date night! Our waitress was very attentive and gave superb recommendations. We are definitely coming back!!! read more

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

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Ordered delivery from this restaurant. Wouldn't do it again. Everything was packaged fine and the food was good but it wasn't anything special. I literally just got a Unagi Donburi that costed $26 and the bowl wasn't even full. The unagi itself was okay, again nothin g special but not terrible and it only came with some miso soup that was good. From my experience: way overpriced. I've had really good sushi for cheaper than this. read more

Friends Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came for dinner with colleagues on a Tue night. It was busy but no wait around 7pm. Dim lighting, modern decor, upbeat music, not very spacious but looks more cramped than it actually is. Limited options for strict vegetarians and vegans. Soups have fish powder or fish broth, noodles have egg, etc. most things are pre-made so can't accommodate preferences. The edamame and vegetable Maki is about it. Edamame came out warm, lightly salted and not soggy, which was great. I asked for an Avocado-Asparagus-Cucumber roll, which isn't on the menu but they made it. I had the Oshinko roll as well. Both were well made. I also had green tea, which was served hot like it should be, and they did a good job of keeping my cup filled up. My colleagues had special rolls and both were pleased. They did comment that the fish was sliced much thinner than other places. Overall, great food and great atmosphere. -1 star for not accommodating vegan and vegetarian preferences in menu items that aren't already vegan or vegetarian. read more

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Honestly this place looks like it used to be a nail salon but the servers were friendly and the food was good! Its a bit pricey but thats a given because of the area. We shared some rolls and nigiri. Perfect lunch pitt stop! read more

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I had dinner here on a Sunday night meeting a friend with whom we had overlapping business trips in Chicago and decided to go here as it was near both our hotels. The best part of the dinner was the service, I will say they did a good job of staying on top of my water and tea refills, were friendly and welcoming. Unfortunately it's a bit downhill from there. The place has many tables packed together with are difficult to navigate between without bumping into others, we luckily were against a wall so didn't get bothered too much. It was also very loud inside, a combination of both the music and others conversations (again the table spacing was just too close). My friend ordered 2 rolls, I however went with sashimi. To be fair, I'm very particular about my sashimi, but it just wasn't very good. It wasn't bad, I didn't feel sick or have any issues, but the fish simply wasn't as fresh as I'd expect, some pieces (e.g. the Hokkigai) even felt a little dry, and the selection was limited. The wasabi also was poor quality, flaking/crumbling apart, I've honestly had better from delivery places. I ordered two full rounds of fish (never repeating), hoping it might improve (and because I was hungry), but it never got any better. The edamame was decent. I will not be returning to or recommending this place, maybe it's ok if you just want rolls but if you're looking for good quality sashimi and nigiri go elsewhere. read more

What a cute little spot! Inside looks like a dark futurist lounge. I would highly recommend making a reservation. There is a small sushi bar and about 6-7 tables with 4 of those being a 4 seater. Very small area. They do however deliver and have take away if that's important to you. Sushi was really good. I always do edamame but I did not enjoy it here. No flavor what-so-ever! Also, tip for all sushi places, I wish there were pictures for each sushi roll. Would make it so much easy to order. read more

Friends Sushi - Umi roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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