I came to Green Tea Japanese Restaurant to celebrate my niece's birthday after searching for a great sushi spot, and I'm really glad we found it. I can honestly say it's one of the best sushi restaurants I've tried in Chicago, and one of the best I've had in my life. We ordered a lot of appetizers and everything was incredible. We tried several rolls, ramen, tuna tartare, chopped salmon pieces served on their own, and a few bento boxes, and everything was really delicious. The rolls were amazing, super fresh and full of flavor. You can really tell the quality of the fish. We also ordered some skewers as appetizers, including scallops and beef, and they were excellent as well. Everything that came to the table tasted fresh and well prepared. The service was good. I wouldn't say it was the best service in the world, but it was solid. The food was the main reason we went, and that part was absolutely amazing. The atmosphere is beautiful and the place itself is really nice. We were celebrating a birthday and they actually brought us a mango layer cake on the house, which was a really nice touch and something we appreciated. The only slightly uncomfortable moment was that we were seated at a table near the register, and I believe the owner was having a conversation on speakerphone. We could hear both sides of the call while we were eating, which felt a bit awkward. Aside from that, everything else was great. For how beautiful the place is and the area it's in, the prices are honestly very good. We were five people, ordered a lot of food, and everything was delicious. Just something to keep in mind, the 20% gratuity was already included for our table. The food was incredibly fresh, and I also noticed that many of the people working in the kitchen were Latino, which honestly didn't surprise me because the food was really, really good. If you have the chance to go, it's definitely worth it. Beautiful space, very fair prices, and excellent sushi. read more

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Ate here a couple nights ago with friends and I will definitely be back!! We shared a bunch of different rolls, and each were delicious!! We got the dragon maki, black garlic albacore maki, over the moon maki, three kings maki, and the takoyaki. Everything was great and I would recommend all of them! The service was great and the servers were very attentive. The restaurant is BYOB, and we were able to bring our own wine. Be aware there is a $2 uncorking fee. Overall, I definitely recommend this place for a nice date night or if you're craving a quality roll of sushi!! read more

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I took advantage of the shaded outdoor seating which was lovely. There were many nice lunch options. I tried the Ten Don. Particularly good miso soup. The Ten had a good selection of vegetables not typically included. Will come back to try ramen. Staff was very friendly and prompt. To note, it's card only here. read more

Bright clean space with decent service. The nasu (eggplant) tempura was surprisingly tasty along with the crispy brussel sprouts. The 8 piece nigiri set was presented beautifully and for the most part was good, however two pieces tasted metallic and had a strong fishy aftertaste. I'm assuming one was tuna with uni and the other was seared salmon; not sure as they never told us what each piece was. The crème brûlée and green tea cheesecake were just okay. Presentation and aesthetics are great, but food quality could be better. read more

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New favorite sushi place - it's affordable, great quality, and really clean and bright inside. I was so impressed by the food and atmosphere. -BYOB ($2 / person corkage) -Huge menu with all the classic sushi rolls, nigiri options, and robata options -Loved they include some pickled radishes with the sushi -Didn't take photos of all the rolls we got - but they all tasted FANTASTIC. Shishito peppers were grilled nicely, takoyaki had a great chewy bite to them, the rolls all had their own distinct flavor and were great to share as a table. I cannot wait to come back it was that good. read more

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Wow, the food here was amazing! Almost everything was super tasty and I'm definitely going back back. We ordered many items and my favorite were takoyaki, rolls, and ramen. Takoyaki is full of octopus - it was one of the best ones I've ever had. Ramen broth was rich and the chashu meat was tender and juicy! I also love the strawberry cream filling for the crepe cake. Unfortunately, Ribeye skewer was too rare, which made it chewy. Also, the place is clean and food comes very fast! read more

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Nice spot, people hype it up alot and I did like it! Some of the more unique cuts of fish and uni didnt taste as fresh which is why I took a point off but the service was friendly and it was a totally buzzing spot so im hoping it was just a weird one off time. The apps and hot items were really tasty I did like those! I think this would be a nice date spot for sure, nice vibes! read more

Delicious dining options that cater to sushi lovers, vegetarians and meat eaters. Dishes are beautifully presented and prepared. Bento boxes offer a variety of dishes to sample. It's BYOB but they will provide the wine chiller and glasses. The service was very good and the ambiance is chic yet comfortable. read more

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Really good and fresh sushi - big fan. The prices are decent, BYOB with a liquor store near by and outdoor seating available. Very nice employees, not the best service but not bad at all. Nice inside, clean, modern in a walk up home type of building. I'd go back! read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Dragon maki - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We passed by a few times going down Broadway and finally made it in. We were pleasantly surprised by the prompt staff and peaceful atmosphere. We ordered: - Thai Iced Tea - Robata Sampler - Monster Maki - Tempura Udon The Robata Sampler is a must, every item on it was delicious and cooked to perfection. The tempura was very delicate and light, plus the saltiness paired well with the Udon. The monster maki was also very flavorful. Overall a great experience and highly recommend coming for great Japanese food. read more

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This place just really isn't good. The katsu chicken and their sauces are way too salty and there's something weirdly off about their sushi rolls. Their tempura is fine but that would be really hard to mess up. I've also ordered delivery twice from this place and they've forgotten at least one thing both times. I'd avoid getting delivery from here to avoid that! read more

A nice casual sushi spot with reasonable pricing, perfect for a laid-back meal. We started with the tropical salmon, which was fresh, but I wish the slices were a bit thinner. Unfortunately, the spicy tonkotsu ramen was a miss for me--the broth was decent, but the noodles were super soggy, which took away from the experience. The omakase set was definitely worth it, especially for under $50. The presentation was beautiful, and most of the pieces were solid, except for the uni--it had a strong aftertaste, and with uni, it's either great or it's not worth including. If the quality isn't there, I think they should just leave it out. They did give us a heads-up that the set would take a while, and it ended up taking about 30 minutes to come out. The restaurant has a clean, modern aesthetic, and the service was friendly. Overall, a good spot with some solid options, and I'd come back for the sushi! read more

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Green Tea used to be my favorite Japanese restaurant in Chicag o which is why I've always wanted to go back. I finally made it there again, but it was a huge disappointment. The service is now extremely poor--nothing like it used to be. The cups even had a strong bleach smell, which was very unpleasant. The fish wasn't fresh, and the rice was cold And hard. Overall, the food quality has clearly gone downhill A big time. The music was too loud, and the environment was very noisy. Even though we weren't sitting at the same table, we could clearly hear everything the people next to us were saying, which made it hard to enjoy the meal. Honestly, this experience was very disappointing. I definitely won't be going back read more

Visited this restaurant for the first time for restaurant week and was very pleased with the quality and amount of food that we got to enjoy with the $60 menu! Everything we had was 10/10, service was friendly and efficient. The ambiance was casual and cute for date night! read more

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I come to this place all the time. The quality of sushi here is phenomenal. Any salmon roll is so tasty too. Their spicy mayo on top of anything is also delicious. I always get the spicy miso soup as well when I come. read more

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Friend saw this on social and we were excited to try! The interior is really cute - I felt like I was walking to to a friends house. It's not the biggest so be sure to make a reservation! Service was great! Our waitress was so lovely and helpful. For food my favorites were the robata sampler and the volcano. I loves everything on the robata sampler and you get a good mix of fish, meat, and veggies. Plus the sauces were fab! The volcano was SO flavorful. I loved that it was warm and the spice was super manageable. Similar to what comes on top of a typical volcano roll. The over the moon roll was a miss for me. The crab on the inside was a bit dry, as was the black rice. I did like the avocado and salmon roe on top but it wasn't enough to combat the dryness. The Chicago roll was unique (even the shape!) and tasted great. Everything worked together really nicely. The shumai was good - pretty standard. The sauce was a little off for me, so I just ate the shumai plain. No worries. The scallop yuzu was good too - sweet from the yuzu and salty from the salmon roe. Good cold appetizer. read more

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Wow what a delicious little spot. Everything we ate was super fresh. The restaurant itself is cozy and really cute. Service was fast! Will be coming back soon! read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Miso soup - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ordered three times from this restaurant and had various experiences (flavors and quality). The food quality and flavor are very not consistent. The amount of the dish and freshness of the ingredients various. Sunsai Tako: I had a great experience on my first order. The flavor and marinade were amazing. The shredded daikons on the bottom paired well with the seasoned squids. However, my second time ordering the same dish was the complete opposite. The dish itself had a strange smell and the portion was very small. Salmon Don: The salmon pieces were pretty fresh( standard level). I really like how it comes with pickles, added a great crunch and flavor to the Don. However, the quality of the rice depends on the day and luck, the rice can be VERY soggy. Negi Hamachi Maki: Not greatly salted. The fish did not went well with the scallions. Super White Tuna Jalapeo Maki: Don't recommend this dish. I really wanted to try this maki because I really like a hamachi Jalapeño maki from another restaurant. This roll did not taste good, the tuna did not pair well with the jalapeño. Chiraishi: This Don is not worth the price. The quality of the fish is not the best. I think you can find a better quality fish within this price range. I had trouble finishing this dish, not because of the portion, but because how mediocre the fish was. Also, the pickles did not save the plain taste of the dish. Veggie Maki: this is probably my favorite dish in this store. I didn't find this maki elsewhere yet, I love the crunch of all the veggies in this roll. My to-go maki from this store. Baby Octopus: Very sweet and salty. The octopus are not great quality and not greatly marinated. Don't recommend. Ginger Saba Maki: I had a great time enjoying this roll on my first order. The Saba was fresh and great seasoned, the amount of ginger was just right (it didn't steal the flavor of Saba and covered the fishy Saba taste). HOWEVER, the second order was a complete disaster! The Saba was super fishy, the ginger was unevenly distributed, and the rice was extremely soggy. I never tried this restaurant in-person, but the food inconsistency prevents me from giving this place another chance. I think there are better options in town. read more

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WOWWWW. This place is amazing! Food is phenomenal AND reasonably priced! The entire restaurant is beautiful and very clean. I could not be happier with any restaurant. read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Garden salad - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Green tea is very unassuming and I will say that it was very different in a good way. The service was great. Our waitress checked in often with me. And the food was very good. I have to say one of the best quality from what I have been able to try over the years. The atmosphere or ambiance was out of this world. If only other places had the kind of style that green tea had! I will say that the fried tempura was the best from all other Japanese restaurants I have been to. Give green tea a try, you don't regret it! read more

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A pleasant surprise for me! I ordered several bento boxes at lunch and some individual items as well. Particularly liked the black maki roll and the bacon wrapped asparagus. I got the black rice on several pieces and found it to add a rich and unique flavor. A pretty good sized seating area; not fancy but pretty nice ambience for either lunch or dinner. And the quality of the food does not disappoint! Don't be afraid to order dessert either. The green tea cheese cake with green tea ice cream is a knockout. I'll be back! read more

A clean, inviting, brightly lit place with pleasant servers. The Scallop Yuzu was delicious. The Hamachi Ponzu with jalapeños was good too, as was the salmon (sake) nigiri. The ribeye robotayaki was fair -- it could've been more tender, and a really great piece of ribeye steak doesn't need the overly sweet sauce they doused it with. The only disappointment was the ikura nigiri. The nori wrap was limp, when it should be crisp, and the salmon eggs lacked the 'pop' of really fresh ikura. Overall, a nice restaurant that I'll return to. read more

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5 stars I love Green Tea Restaurant because their Japanese food is amazing! They have a great variety of options like sushi, ramen--basically all the stuff you'd want to eat. It was pretty quiet, but I actually loved that about it. I ate a whole bowl of ramen, and all the ingredients were super fresh. The decor was superb, and the place was really clean--not crowded or messy at all. Everything felt high quality and well taken care of. I can't wait to come back soon! read more

great service, and sushi super fresh! got a parking spot right in front! place is chilly so bring a sweater. read more

Green Tea Japanese has a really nice atmosphere and vibe when you first arrive and the staff is friendly and attentive upon entry. I had a reservation for 830 which they were able to promptly seat me and take my order. They were considerate on the amount of food I ordered and I asked them to course it properly. The pacing of the food was not great however. They quickly brought many things out and we ran out of room at our table for the food we ordered. Items ordered: Niku Udon Uni Shooters Scallop Ponzu Spicy Kanpachi Crispy Brussel Sprouts Nigiri omakase - miso soup and salad that came with And then the green tea cheesecake. Honestly I thought I had found a great new spot to grab some nicely plated decent portion for price restaurant and would be closer to 4.5 stars for the review. However things went south for the omakase. While gorgeous, it was the opposite of the rest of the courses as this took forever. The nigiri was split white rice and black rice. I'm not sure if it was just the end of the night or not but the rice was absolutely terrible. Hard white rice and the black rice was not set I'll be transparent and say I have never had black rice before so maybe it's an acquired taste but both my guest and I had stomach churn eating the rice. The experience tainted by this item being the most expensive item as well. The idea of an omakase is to trust the chef, but I probably wouldn't do that again in the future... Overall I would go back for everything other than that nigiri plate... with maybe more reservations on the quality of what I was consuming read more

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I found 2 pieces of plastic inside my sushi roll. Obviously disgusting and I'm lucky I didn't choke on it. I would have been less upset if management gave me a refund but unfortunately they refused to do so. When I reached out and provided pictures, they acknowledged what happened and all they offered was an apology. I followed up 2 times asking for a refund or compensation of any kind for this experience and I was shocked to be completely ignored. read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been eating at Green Tea for the last 25 years of my life. It was always one of my favorites. Visited at least once a month. Little hole in the wall, BYOB, amazing quality fish, friendly staff, sub-$10 maki rolls, and THE best spicy tuna roll that was ever created. I hoped that when the new owners purchased the Green Tea name a few years ago that they would carry on with the original traditions but that's unfortunately not the case. The fish quality is subpar, the cost is high, some of the staff are not friendly, and the special spicy tuna recipe is no more. Maybe they can turn it around (I hope they do) and find their footing but until then I will not be recommending or going back. read more

Beautiful restaurant with attention to detail on all counts. We started with the crispy Brussels sprouts and I highly recommend them. I enjoyed a poke bowl and loved it. Everything was fresh, delicious and reasonably priced. . We will be regulars! read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Dining table - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered a tuna bowl to be delivered and it took over 50 minutes. It takes ten minutes tops to make the food. Don't waste your time with this place! read more

Super cute restaurant! We were walking around the area and my feet were so tired after walking to the Zoo from the Loop. We happened to walk past while we were super hungry so we stopped by! We both got Sushi B (Lunch) coincidentally and we enjoyed it so much! It was a great price and it was fun seeing what the chef's chose for us. The waitress was very nice and did take a second to get the bill as she was the only one working. I saw her check up on everyone all the time so she definitely goes above and beyond! Overall this was a great, accidental visit! Would definitely want to try a bento or a poke bowl next time as I was eyeing the bentos the people next to us ordered haha. read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Sushi B (Lunch) - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Me and my bf stopped here for a date night a few days ago! Their little patio outside was adorable but we decided to eat inside instead and it was nice and quiet and comfortable in the dining area. A bit small, but it fits quite a few tables! We ended up getting a few different rolls, i tried the Negi Hamachi roll and the Unagi Q, my bf got their California roll and their vegetarian Wisconsin roll, and we got the Ebi nigiri to share. The rolls were great! It all tasted really fresh and my bf said the veggie roll was delicious! The Ebi nigiri was slightly sweeter than what i'm used to but still delicious. The only complaint i have was that the rolls were a bit too big for me but i'm sure that's the opposite of a complaint to some, and the service was a bit slow but it seemed like there was only two servers and it was quite busy for a weeknight. Everyone was very nice and accommodating to those that came in without reservations. We ended with the creme brûlée and it was absolutely delicious! We considered getting another to go but we were too full by the end. The price wasn't bad at all either, a little under $65 for 4 rolls, a nigiri, and dessert! I'd definitely recommend this place :) read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Negi Hamachi maki, Unagi Q maki, Ebi - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very delicious restaurant with a TERRIBLE bedside manner We were initially impressed and excited to have this restaurant move into our neighborhood. Finally, a beautiful spot with fresh fish and stunning plating! Everything we ordered was exceptionally well-executed. Plus, it's BYOB with a liquor store conveniently located across the street--perfect! However, things took a turn. After encouraging us to order dessert and tea at 9:45 on a Friday night--which typically requires time to enjoy--they abruptly asked us to leave. We watched as all the remaining guests were ushered out, accompanied by the service team loudly shouting "bye-bye" with cheerful smiles. Our reservation was at 8 p.m., and with a bill totaling $345 + tip, we naturally expected to finish our evening at our own pace. Fifteen to twenty more minutes would have sufficed. This abrupt dismissal completely soured an otherwise wonderful experience, and sadly, we won't be returning ever. read more

This is a very small restaurant, but I'm glad they were able to accommodate our big party. We came for an early dinner and ordered a good amount. Everything took a long time though unfortunately because of a new sushi chef. The house salad was great with everything I tried- most of us got bento boxes and added some rolls to share. The tonkatsu ramen and soft shell crab appetizer (though small) were tasty also. The rolls we got were the monster (no cream cheese), winter roll, fried oyster roll, and three kings roll. All were delicious and fresh but on the smaller side. I liked the food here but was just frustrated by how long everything took! read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Three kings roll and Monster Maki - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fish was fresh! Sushi was great! Sides, not so much. Edamame & miso was doused in salt. Gomae was too sugary. The host was attentive, kid friendly and kind, making it a very nice experience. read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Chicago Spicy Crazy Maki - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool little spot on a busy street in Lincoln park. The value is definitely there especially for the lunch specials. You get a good amount of food but the quality of the food and fish is nothing to write home about. Everything was just good enough. If you're looking for a spot that'll satisfy your craving for sushi while not breaking the bank, this is the place for you! read more

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Green Tea is a small but cozy restaurant! There are not a lot of tables, so not ideal for big groups, but it was perfect for me and a friend! We walked in without a reservation and were able to get a two person high table. The food came out pretty fast! I tried the agedashi tofu and the edamame. I loved the batter on the tofu! The sauce it came in was fine but made the batter a little more soggy than I wanted. They have an entire section on the menu for veggie maki, which is so great!! I didn't get any this time but I would next time I come. Two of the 'bigger' veggie rolls come with cream cheese in them, which I don't love in sushi. The regular veggie roll looked good though, and I would definitely come back here! read more

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I have walked pass this place a number of times. Went to grab lunch. Only person, so sat quickly. Had the bento A lunch with grilled saba. It comes with miso soup and salad first. The bento box had grilled saba, 2 shrimp tempura, and 4 pieces of California roll. One star because service is extremely slow. It took over 20 minutes to get my food. There was no other dine in customer. A guy did come in to pick up a takeout. I did not finish my lunch since I need to be in the office by 1pm Although the waitress did apologize, Nothing was offered for the delay or inconvenience. read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Entrance - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here after a trip to the LP zoo and really enjoyed it! Rolls are by no means large but they taste fresh and the rice is perfectly chewy. Prices are reasonable for Lincoln Park sushi. It's not a big space but the intimate atmosphere adds to the charm. Love how we have a go-to spot not far from the zoo to dine at after a day's outing. read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I haven't been to much Sushi in the city yet, however I was soo happy with my experience at Green Tea Japanese! I came to dine-in on a Monday and we were the only people eating inside. However, over the course of 2 hours, at least 15 people came in for to-go orders. It is a small restaurant, so if you want to come on a weekend I'd make a reservation. Ordered the edamame, which was hot, large, and nicely salted. I ordered the spicy tuna and the spider roll, also tried the hamachi. The rolls are all really large, really good quality fish, and so flavorful. The staff was also incredibly friendly. I only have good things to say about my experience at Green Tea. I will be back! read more

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant - Edamame - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food choices have really increased since the new owner took over several years ago. Also, the prices are pretty high, but the quality of the food is excellent! The Chicago Crazy roll is a BIG roll and totally DELICIOUS! read more