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    Indie Cafe

    4.0 (844 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 3:30 pm, 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM

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    INDIE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Monte Carlo and Bangkok rolls
    Audrey E.

    Good experience overall at Indie Cafe! We started with crab rangoons - always recommend but I especially recommend here they were so good! Then I shared the Bangkok roll and Monte Carlo roll and both were tasty. I think I liked the Monte Carlo roll since I prefer some more fresh fish flavor and this one packed a punch. The service was great, they refilled our waters a lot and checked in occasionally. Restaurant looked nice, patio would've been fun if it wasn't so hot!

    Monte Carlo
    Mark T.

    You know the good thing about sushi? It's great when you want to eat a little, and aren't in the mood for Tapas and/or hot food. Yelp steered me towards Indie Cafe (though my phone's compass has me going in circles for a bit. I started with the Trio Carpaccio. I enjoyed that there were three different kinds of fish, and the sauce was a lovely blend of sweet, salty, and savory. The fish wasn't *the* best quality, but I'll give it an A-OK. Then there was the Monte Carlo. One question: why is it chewy? Turns out it is the spicy salmon filling! Unfortunately, this isn't the only way the roll missed the mark. The quantity of said salmon was low, and as for the white tuna up top, this otherwise beautiful ingredient was ruined with a heavy-handed use of sauce. The rice also did not blow me away, but that may have to do, at least in part, with the decision to mix it with tempura. Final nail in the coffin: seared fish adds a remarkable deliciousness, alas it seems only one piece had kissed the flame. Then there was the question of value - while the prices are more or less in line with what I would expect, the quality wasn't there in my opinion. Finally, where I can give them credit is the service. Polite, friendly, attentive, and reasonably fast. Thus, the sushi and carpaccio were forgettable at best. While I may not go for this part of the menu again, I am not necessarily against trying some of their Thai options.

    Wayne D.

    Cute indoor design, food is mediocre First the food is much later than promised. Seems for lots of other people as well Fried chive dumpling: not much filling. Either add some meat or more chive Ramen: soup is bland. Nothing like tonkatsu. Noodle texture is doughy, chashao is not cooked long enough, too chewy. Pad Thai : way too sweet Coconut glazed pork : this one's actually pretty good flavor and texture Would not come again

    Inside
    Rahima J.

    My friend and I came here for north neighborhood restaurant week and it was so cute. The inside is very vibey and intimate - low lighting and soft music vibes. The food itself was delicious and they had great offerings for their restaurant week menu. The service was very prompt and kind in explaining. I'd love to come back and try more of the sushi next time!

    Shrimp Shumai Crab Rangoon
    Katrina M.

    Our service was really quick which was nice. I got the peachy no. 14 cocktail and the jellies inside definitely made it different and fun. The shrimp shumai were not my favorite since they were mushier than shumai I have had at other places, but that may be personal preference. The crab rangoons were a little bit cold in the center, but had they not been they'd be really good. They were still good I just wasn't a fan of the colder part. The chicken pad Thai was definitely good. Ours had no spice but you could add some. I would come back to try the sushi since I saw they have amazing presentation, but so far I'd say the pad Thai was the best item we got.

    Crab Rangoon

    Amazing service and amazing food! The food came out quickly and tasted very fresh. The ambiance of the restaurant was very pleasant and perfect for a late night dinner.

    Steve B.

    Indie cafe sushi + Thai really is a different experience. The ambiance really is nice it is very peaceful when you come in and sit down. The food is very good. I will recommend the chefs omakase really quality fish and you could taste how fresh it was.

    Samurai Seven, Saba Sashimi

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    7 years ago

    Love love love this place. I order delivery from them all the time. Best sushi. Love their signature curry dishes.

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    17 years ago

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    18 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Delicious, fresh, and great flavor! I'm never disappointed when I order sushi from Indie.

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    Page 9 of 22

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    Miru

    Miru

    4.3
    (320 reviews)
    7.4 mi
    $$$

    I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Miru…read more We were visiting Chicago for a short trip, and with so many excellent dining options, choosing where to eat wasn't easy. I almost decided to save Miru for our next visit, but I'm glad I made time for breakfast here on our departure day. Located inside the St. Regis Chicago, the restaurant offers beautiful views. The service was excellent--attentive, friendly, and professional. I ordered the Tokyo Breakfast. The salmon was perfectly cooked and paired beautifully with rice, a soft-poached egg, and salmon roe. The miso soup was slightly salty on its own, but it worked surprisingly well when enjoyed with the rice toward the end of the meal. Overall, a memorable breakfast experience. I'd love to return and try the lunch or dinner menu on my next trip to Chicago.

    It's all about the views!…read more Miru is one of the newer sushi restaurants relatively uncompetitive sushi scene in Chicago, and it hits the spots for those interested in classy ambience and jaw dropping views. The sushi is phenomenal, as were our drinks... but the other entrees are disappointing. The karaage and duck yakisoba in particular in quality could be from any corner restaurant in Chicago. The service lends itself more casual, and I noticed they were consistently quite slow to clear our table. I don't think people come here for the food as much as the views. Overlooking Streeterville from this angle and vantage was truly jaw dropping and for this reason I still strongly recommend Miru.

    Photos
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    Inside
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    Jinsei Motto

    Jinsei Motto

    4.6
    (150 reviews)
    7.4 mi

    Came here for the lunch omakase, which features dry-aged fish. Overall, the fish was fresh and…read morewell-prepared--nothing particularly mind-blowing, but definitely good quality, especially for a more affordable omakase option. My only critique is the pacing. Since the chef already had the fish sliced and prepped, I expected a smoother flow, but the meal took about an hour and a half for 14 pieces of sushi. It felt a bit slow, especially for a lunch service. That said, if you're looking for a reasonably priced omakase with quality fish, this is a solid choice.

    Went for restaurant week with friends. Got there early after work and was able to hit the happy…read morehour which is a decent deal. Got the snow maiden sake and the spicy scallop hand roll. Both were great. Our bartenders were lovely and very friendly. Found out this is a Malort tasting room and we were able to sample some different Malorts (the cocoa one was good!). Then we were taken back to our table for dinner. Our server was super friendly as well. Started with the miso soup and crispy tuna bites which were probably my favorite dishes. The taki yoki fritters weren't bad either. We saw people getting omakase, so we ordered a yummy looking piece they were receiving. It was just okay (chutoro truffle). The nigiri was also okay. The tuna piece was the only I really loved. The fish quality wasn't as high as I was expecting. The sushi was decent. A little too much truffle in the spicy blue fin tuna and a little too vegetable forward in the hamachi serrano. All in all, the atmosphere and amazing service pushed this up to a 4 for me.

    Photos
    Madai
    Madai
    O toro
    O toro
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    Omakase Shoji

    Omakase Shoji

    4.8
    (51 reviews)
    6.6 mi

    I live in LA and have eaten at 20+ omakase restaurants, so I was curious what Chicago's scene had…read moreto offer. Omakase Shoji more than answered that question. The restaurant houses both an omakase counter and an izakaya, but in completely separate spaces. The omakase side is an intimate, beautifully designed counter with around 10 seats. We were the only guests that evening, so the whole experience felt wonderfully private -- just us, Chef Shoji, and the fish. Chef Shoji opens the meal by presenting the actual fish you'll be eating, all flown in twice a week from Japan or Spain. It immediately signals what kind of meal you're in for. The 20 courses were well-paced and the quality was consistent throughout. Nigiri and sashimi were pristine, but the hot dishes were equally impressive, which surprised me. Both sides of the menu showed real craft and attention to detail. Service was fantastic -- warm, attentive, and never stuffy. At $210 per person, it's a special occasion meal, but one that genuinely delivers on the price. As someone who eats a lot of omakase back home in LA, I wasn't sure what to expect. I left genuinely impressed. Highly recommend if you're looking for a serious sushi experience in Chicago!!!

    We did the omakase dinner. Food was absolutely delicious. So fresh, unique and beautifully…read morepresented. Service was remarkable. It's a little gem. Small cozy place.

    Photos
    Set up
    Set up
    Crispy tuna
    Crispy tuna
    Wagyu katsu

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    Sushi by Bou- Fulton Market Chicago @ Emily Hotel

    Sushi by Bou- Fulton Market Chicago @ Emily Hotel

    4.5
    (131 reviews)
    7.1 mi

    This was an amazing experience, I cannot wait to attend one of their limited seatings when I get…read moreback to Manhattan. 12 course omakase tasting menu and they played old school hiphop and rap from the 80s and 90s all night! My personal fav. Grafitti all over the walls and plush velvet furnishings. 1. Yellowtail 2. bluefin tuna 3. Salmon roe 4. Albacore tuna 5. Chopped toro 6. Scallops 7. Miso cod 8. Fluke 19. Uni 10. Otoro 11. Wagyu with uni 12. Tuna Hand Roll Sushi by BOU Fulton Market was perfectly intimate sexy and cool. The fish was fresh and delicious, and the chefs are so fast, and knowledgable! I love sitting at sushi counters and getting to see them work, I love the stimulation. Service was outstanding the chefs made wonderful reccomendations including their secret menu item ' The BIG MAC' Ambiance was killer and its a small space with limited seatings every night. Perfect for a sexy date night experience and great for talking !!

    This was my first omakase experience and simply wow. The setting was giving speakeasy -- it was…read moreintimate, with only 8 other people and then two chefs in a small, dimly lit room. This was arguably the best sushi I've had in Chicago -- we got to try 12 different pieces of nigiri / hand rolls. My favorites were the lean and fatty tuna pieces, the black miso cod hand roll, and the wagyu beef. The only one not for me was the salmon roe, I'm not a big fish eggs gal Minus trying to talk to one of the chefs about his background in sushi and him not giving two shits about chatting with me I'd say this was still a 10/10 experience LOL and I wish I could go to omakase on the regular

    Photos
    The Big Mac
    The Big Mac
    Sushi by Bou- Fulton Market Chicago @ Emily Hotel
    Ikura - Salmon Roe

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    Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya

    Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya

    4.5
    (100 reviews)
    6.6 mi

    So pleasantly surprised! Came in on a Friday night for a 6:30 reso and the place was empty BUT it…read morewas packed, seemingly by regulars, by the time we left. Service was a little slow at time but they got slammed very quickly and and we weren't in a rush. What we got: - chuturo nigiri - so buttery - hamachi nigiri - good flavor and cut - chili hotate - love the flavor - negi toro maki - good flavor - unakyu- fine a little on the sweeter side - Amai - not my favorite and I think the tuna had a strong fishy flavor Overall, good meal and pretty reasonable bill. Will definitely be coming back to check out the rest of the menu!

    Such a wonderful spot! Fantastic happy hour. Everything was made fresh and tasted delicious…read more Service was super friendly, and they even brought out a free birthday mochi for my friend. We got the karage, three of the skewers , and the spicy salmon and tuna rolls. This place, along with the entrance is a bit hidden, so would love to see them market themselves more as I think it's a spot people would really love, especially for more affordable sushi in the River North area. Quiet and cozy ambiance for casual outings but also cute enough to be a date spot. Got seated immediately. Service was a bit slow, but that's only because they seemed to have one host/server working at the time, who was working super hard and kept a super pleasant and attentive vibe. I will definitely be back!

    Photos
    Sushi bar area
    Sushi bar area
    CHIRASHI
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    Teriyakidon

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    Teriyakidon

    Indie Cafe - sushi - Updated July 2026

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