Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Kai Sushi

    4.2 (59 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Kai Sushi Takeout or Delivery

    Kai Sushi Photos

    Business Info

    KAI SUSHI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Kai Sushi

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Sushi Platter Chicago Fire Roll
    Anna T.

    I got the sushi platter and the Chicago roll to go. Very quick service!! Overall this was eh. I would not recommend to a big sushi lover. The salad was fine, it would have been nice with iceberg lettuce. The nigiri was okay, the fish quality was not the best. The Chicago roll was the best part but didn't blow me away

    Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich and Mac n Cheese
    Jeff N.

    There are no words! I had the Kentucky hot sandwich and the mac & cheese. I am one step closer to Heaven.

    Ordered the scallop special, salmon avocado, shrimp tempura, dynamite and tuna avocado roll. Not the best quality sushi I've ever had but you can't beat the price at around $10-$16 per roll. The scallop special was the best one and I would order it again.

    2 Rolls Lunch special ($15)
    Miss A.

    I cannot in good conscience recommend this place to any true Yelper, mostly because of unfriendly waitstaff. The food was fine, just nothing wow about it. Maybe take out would be a more pleasant option. I walked in during lunch hour last week, the entire staff was sitting at the sushi bar eating and there were no customers. The host welcomes me as she gets up from eating, mouth still chewing and walks me to a table. I point out that it's dirty with bits of rice still present. She walks me to another table, this one is clearly not bussed from whomever ate here earlier with soy sauce streaks, and now I'm feeling like Goldilocks!! I point to a table that at least has a window view and requested she wipe it down. Oh the look of scorn in her eyes said it all! I should have left then but I was craving sushi and tried to give the benefit of the doubt. Although I have never been to Kai before, I did take mental note when I was out with friends and we passed it, one of them said it was a great lunch spot. I digress... I immediately noticed the menu was soiled but asked for the lunch specials. She flips the menu over pointing to the options on the menu. I tell her I need a minute. Almost 10-minutes pass. I end up walking up towards the sushi bar and the whole staff turns to look at me - AWKWARD!! I announce I was ready to order and the same girl says "ok what you want?" "I'll take the sushi roll lunch special" I say. One guy jumps up from the sushi bar and walks around to the kitchen. A few minutes pass then miso soup and water are brought to me. The girl said "excuse me, what sushi you want?" I say again "I'll take the sushi roll lunch special." Now this girl says "you no tell me what sushi, I no make nothing" yeah this really happened. In hindsight I should have just left but I pointed to which rolls I wanted and she wrote them down on her notepad and shuffled away. I truly hope it was a lack of communication, clearly English isn't her first language, but still the whole dynamic was rude! I picked a tempura crab roll and a spicy yellowtail roll, each 8 pieces. They arrived together on a platter ($15). Not completely filling but an adequate portion for a midweek lunch. The girl never checked on me or asked if I needed anything else. I walked up to the counter to pay my bill and for the first time in a very long time I did not feel a tip was justified. Without even so much as a thank you from any of the staff for my business I left. Kinda makes me wonder how they stay in business treating customers this way.

    Adrienne N.

    I'm picky about my sushi and have to say this was really good!!! It seems small but it's a great small neighborhood spot. Would highly recommend their scallop special roll. All the rolls were perfectly cut and everything tasted fresh. The service and staff were fast and friendly. I'd come back!

    Sashimi Appetizer
    Wendy H.

    It's a pretty good neighborhood sushi spot. Our favorite roll is the Hamachi Special Roll. For the price, the food isn't bad. I think the sashimi was pretty large. And I like that they prepare an orange for you at the end. Service is barebones but it's a small shop and the workers are friendly. The otoro was still a little frosty when we got it but I think they give generous fish slices for their sashimi so the value is there.

    I really wanted to like Kai Sushi, but it was a disappointment. The miso soup had a very strange taste -- not the comforting flavor you expect. The sushi itself was just okay, nothing memorable, and definitely not worth coming back for. With so many other sushi spots in the area that are fresher and better, I won't be returning here.

    spicy crab salmon mango Spicy Tuna Roll
    Eric C.

    it's perfect down the street from our house. mango salmon roll was well made and the service was fast. we sat on the outdoor patio it was clean. nice to people watch. they have coke products & mochi ice cream

    Janet R.

    Just moved into the building and I'm loving this place! Have had the super crunchy roll, ocean roll and cucumber salad, can't wait to try it all!

    Matteo J.

    Such a relaxing spot. Very good sushi and calm and quote atmosphere made me enjoy the most of my lunch

    Victoria W.

    I've been to their state street location multiple times and was happily surprised to see that they had also opened up a location in river North! I ordered my favorite, the ocean roll, and it was just as delicious as it usually is from their state street location. The staff was attentive and kind. The only feedback that I would give is that the day that I dined here, for some reason there was several fruit flies that kept hanging over our table, which was distracting and detracted a little bit from the meal.

    Tonkatsu Ramen Lunch Special.

    See all

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Prashmi K.
    85
    167
    599

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jay B.
    0
    138
    12

    2 years ago

    Very solid place. We come here all the time and it never disappoints. I like the crunch roll and cucumber salad. Good value.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Sushi here was really good. I think they do a lot of takeout cause they've got a mini fridge full of solo condiments for your order

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Sushi and salad was very good. Service was prompt. Our takeout order was ready as promised. I really liked the Ocean Roll.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sam W.
    4
    235
    5

    4 years ago

    sushi was okay, they do have a large menu and wide variety of choices, also a bit pricey

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of E T.
    0
    27
    0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Kai Sushi

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Sushi Bars 26,267 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    STR Sushi Taku Rotary

    STR Sushi Taku Rotary

    4.6
    (336 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$$

    This was probably the nicest rotary sushi that I have been to. Also, not only is it rotary sushi,…read moreit's all you can eat! We came around 215 and were told the kitchen closed at 245 due to lunch service ending. The rotary was consistently stocked with lots of options. Part of their all you can eat is being able to order off the menu as well. I ordered one roll off this menu. Service was friendly. I enjoyed. If I lived closer , they do have a rewards program.

    This was my first time visiting a rotary sushi restaurant. It has been a bucket-list item for me…read morefor a while and I finally made it out to STR Sushi Taku Rotary! I have been to the Sushi Taku restaurant on Division countless times. I went with friends and did all-you-can-eat. My favorite item we had was the salmon and yellowtail carpaccio which we ordered separately off of the menu. It was flavorful and tasted fresh. It can be a little hard to remember all of what I ate since our group was grabbing plates based on how it looked instead of just the name. The Philadelphia roll tasted great. There were 1-2 tempura rolls which were okay. The sauce used on the octopus balls was amazing! I wish I could put that sauce on everything! It was so savory with some umami flavor as well. The creme brulee was okay, I wouldn't try it again. I think it could have had more flavor and-/or sweetness. The mochi as always was great. The coconut ice cream was a surprise in how great it tasted!

    Photos
    STR Sushi Taku Rotary
    Appetizers
    Appetizers
    Miso Soup

    See all

    Miso Soup
    Miru

    Miru

    4.3
    (318 reviews)
    1.3 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
    Inside
    Inside
    Tempura Rock Shrimp
    Tempura Rock Shrimp
    Cherry Blossom G&T

    See all

    Cherry Blossom G&T
    Jinsei Motto

    Jinsei Motto

    4.6
    (150 reviews)
    0.6 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
    Akami

    See all

    Akami
    Sushi by Bou- Fulton Market Chicago @ Emily Hotel

    Sushi by Bou- Fulton Market Chicago @ Emily Hotel

    4.5
    (131 reviews)
    0.6 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

    See all

    Ikura - Salmon Roe
    Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya

    Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya

    4.5
    (100 reviews)
    0.3 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
    CHIRASHI
    Teriyakidon

    See all

    Teriyakidon

    Kai Sushi - sushi - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...