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    Kai Sushi - South Loop

    4.2 (713 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars, Japanese
    Open 11:00 am - 10:30 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Kai Sushi - South Loop Takeout or Delivery

    Kai Sushi - South Loop Photos

    Business Info

    KAI SUSHI - SOUTH LOOP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Nigiri platter w miso soup
    Charles B.

    Great neighborhood sushi spot. Excellent food for dine in or take out. One of my favorite lunch places. Friendly services that is attentive and knowledgeable.

    Deamontria R.

    My friend lives in the building right above and it's always packed when i visit. When i tell you the sushi was BOMB AF! The flavors were vibrant and savory. It was so fresh. When i came to pick it up everyone greeted me and were super friendly. Definitely will be back, the google reviews don't lie! 10 out of 10!!!!

    Jazmin A.

    Kai Sushi is a great neighborhood spot with a BYOB option. The sushi is great and fresh, the place itself is no frills. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Staff is very attentive and sure to stay on top of any requests. Sushi options are great, there's something on the menu for everyone.

    Ocean Roll and Salmon Roll
    Cassie H.

    This lowkey, hidden spot in South Loop surprised me with how delish their sushi is! It can be a challenge to find a fairly priced but yet great tasting sushi in Chicago, but look no further because this place was tasty. I ordered 2 rolls and the miso soup -- the rolls were giving except for the soup. The soup was not flavorful and a bit watery but I'd come back again to try their other rolls/sashimi platters. The staff was friendly and we even got free fruit after our meal! They have patio seating too, which is great for warmer days.

    Flaming VIP Roll
    Natasha B.

    Still love this place. So nice to have a place with outdoor seating that doesn't get too packed. Ocean roll was really good, hamachi roll was good but preferred the ocean. Smoked salmon was as good as ever. Really enjoyed their seaweed salad too. And they have mochi! Still byob

    Eric L.

    Just had Kai delivered from Ubereats. I'm treating myself because my lovely wife doesn't like sushi, but she's at work right now. I ordered a spicy tuna, roll, the salmon roll, and the Unagi. They are all of high-quality with great flavor. I think the Unagi is my favorite, it's got a great barbecue finish to it. Will definitely order from here again.

    sashimi and nigiri combo with a scallop maki
    Thuy Dan T.

    A sushi gem in south loop! We ordered a little feast for two for take-out and it was such a pleasant meal. Take-out was easy to call in to order and pick up was an accurate estimated time and package very nicely. We got the sashimi and nigiri set with a side of the scallop maki. The fish was fresh, thick, sashimi pieces and delicious rice. The scallop was melt-in-your-mouth with torched miso butter on top. I was obsessed. Even the ginger dressing was extra fresh! I would not miss this spot if you want some quality sushi at an affordable price!

    Aria M.

    So dang good! The service was amazing, the sushi was great. The outside patio is so nice on a cool summer afternoon. I couldn't ask for more!!

    Nolan F.

    Delivery food review - sashimi appetizer, rainbow roll, And tempura shrimp Fish was good, not melt in your mouth but good. Avocado in the rainbow roll was creamy and the rice was okay. Nothing particular about the tempura, it's the standard cheap tempura. Udon noodles should be separated from the soup. Broccoli was odd but not a big deal. Soup lacked classic ingredients. If you're just looking to satisfy your sushi craving for a decent price, I'd recommend this place.

    Edamame
    Tosha R.

    I hadn't had sushi in awhile so decided to check out Kai which is basically around the corner. There's mostly parking along the street but not the easiest to score if during the day so I decided to do carryout. Prices are reasonable and liked the portion. I ordered Edamame, the sashimi appetizer - which consisted of salmon, tuna and a white fish - and a couple of rolls. It took me a few minutes to make up my mind but went with the Dragon and Ocean rolls. Got home and dug right in. All were pretty good. The rolls were packed pretty messy and when I opened the lid, the crusty flakes from the ocean roll went everywhere. I would go back to try a few other items.

    Rainbow roll, volcano roll, ocean roll, Chicago Fire Roll
    Vita P.

    Just a good local sushi joint in the neighborhood! They do check vax cards upon entry so be prepared when asked. We started off with miso soup seaweed salad. Miso soup could have been warmer, but the seaweed salad was excellent! We ordered the following rolls (in order of most liked to least liked): - ocean roll - volcano roll - Chicago fire roll - flaming VIP roll - rainbow roll We finished up with a complimentary orange palate cleaner Prices are pretty standard, just a good place in the neighborhood! Would return...

    Garden Salad with like no dressing...
    Paige K.

    Finally tried Kai since it's only a couple blocks away. It is BYOB, so that was nice. We ordered the VIP, spicy tuna, spicy California, and Dynamite. The sushi itself was pretty good. Not my fav in Chicago but for the price and convenience, we may get it again. My problem was with the service... I called ahead and they told us they had tables available. We arrived and my husband asked the front for a table. She said they were full and started to walk away. He asked if she could put us on a waitlist and she did. Things get busy, we understood. We only waited about 10 minutes which isn't bad and got a table outside since we had our dog. The waitress dropped off waters right away but then didn't come back for like 20 minutes. My husband asked for an ice bucket for the champagne which she never brought so he finally went inside and got one. She finally took our order and our food took another 20+ minutes. Again not too bad for a food wait. We ate our food, finished our drinks and sat for another 20 minutes before my husband just brought the check inside because she never came back. We don't expect much but with a total of like 8 tables, you couldn't check on us once? Kind of ridiculous. Anyway, takeout may the best option here.

    Shiitake roll (left) and caterpillar roll (right)

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    2 years ago

    Did a quick lunch takeout of vegetarian options and enjoyed my rolls. Quick preparation, decent quality, and competitive pricing.

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    1 year ago

    Super tasty, good service, good price. Would visit again. Had salmon avocado roll. .

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Our first time trying here and it was great! We will be back for sure! Delicious and BYOB!

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    Kai Sushi - South Loop Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kai Sushi - South Loop

    Is the crab here real or imitation?

    It's imitation by default, but occasionally they have real crab on the specials board.

    Is it byob?

    Yes, no corkage fee, too!

    View All 3 Questions

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    There are few places in general across the US that serve up okonomiyaki, so I was thrilled to find…read morethis spot near my office. Ultimately, the food was just ok. I got the pork okonomiyaki lunch set and added a fried egg to it. I like that the table has a built in grill to keep it warm (I'm a slow eater, so this is extra beneficial for me). The bacon was quite salty, compounded by the okonomi sauce. Hoping the kombu vegetables would offset this, I mixed them into each bite to no avail. The pandan coconut mochi donut holes I chose were probably the highlight. They were crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and there was ample sauce for dipping. I think some people would find the service top notch here--constantly checking in on me and keeping water refilled. I guess that came with a cost: 3% service charge automatically applied, and the server proactively brought over a digital payment system, so the 18% tip I selected calculated off the total leading to what was essentially a tip of 23%.

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    SUSHI-SAN - Truffle Shiitake Maki

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    4.3(1.3k reviews)
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    The express lunch deal is so good! You get to choose 3 items from a nice list of options for $21!…read moreIt's really nice if you want to try multiple things or are indecisive. I got the salmon bowl, the salmon avocado maki, and tuna crispy rice. The salmon bowl was definitely my favorite. The salmon was cooked very nicely so that it wasn't dry, and I loved the miso glaze that they put on top. It added a very nice sweetness to the salmon and created a very nice char. It was pretty small portion size though. The salmon avocado maki was solid too. It was the most filling! You get 5 pieces :) The tuna crispy rice was just alright. The rice part was good, but there was a bit too much mayo in the tuna. The miso soup that came complimentary with it was good too! I like how generous they were with the seaweed. Such a nice vibe inside! It's definitely a nicer spot, but still casual enough for lunch. I wanna come back for dinner! Service was quick and server was kind.

    Kari's Rating 7.5/10…read more TDLR: -I was there a nice outdoor patio -Music is a little too loud for a normal conversation -Nothing's crazy special but the fish is fresh Came here with a friend at 5 PM on a Monday. The place wasn't that busy at this time but by the time we left around 6:30 it was pretty packed. Fish was decently fresh, not super creative combos out there like some places. I always get a salmon sashimi piece at the end to test the quality and it didn't disappoint. Everything else was fairly normal, probably not my favorite place in the city, but I got the job done.

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    SUSHI-SAN - Happy Hour! Spicy Tuna and Avocado Crunch - very simple and perfectly refreshing. 5/5

    Happy Hour! Spicy Tuna and Avocado Crunch - very simple and perfectly refreshing. 5/5

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    Ramen Wasabi

    Ramen Wasabi

    4.2(2.3k reviews)
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    I love Wasabi Ramen. Stopped in for a late lunch and was greeted with the familiar smell and…read morescenery. Had the tonkotsu with spice umami (it's always a hit), the sesame mai tai, and my husband had the spicy chicken paitan ramen and naked & famous. I was surprised at how tasty his ramen was! I may get it next time as it was as (if not more?!) delicious than my tonkotsu! I can't wait for next time.. this place has held up for years and I'm extremely confident it will continue to do so for many more.

    A great spot to grab a bowl of steaming ramen on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Chicago. Note they…read moreclose sharply @3pm probably for a lunch break for the staff. The Alaskan cod sandwich was served on a bed of cabbage covered in a sweet teriyaki & brown mustard sauce with maybe a squeeze of kewpie sprinkled in between. The Berkshire pork eggrolls had microgreens & shaved radish on top of a crema type of sauce that balanced the heat of the kimchi nicely!! For the main attraction I ordered the spicy garlic ramen that was such a delightful mouth experience it really hit all the taste buds! The noodles were perfectly bouncy with the right amount of chew. The jellied egg was perfect and rounded the soup very well! The red chili threads enhanced the spicy miso broth just enough to slurp all the delicious goodness down! My husband ordered the Sapporo miso soup which had more of a creamy type of broth vs the spicy garlic. The noodles were also thinner than regular ramen & had a bouncy springy texture that just hit the spot! Since it was kinda chilly outside we also ordered hot green tea to accompany our spectacular ramen dishes. This place also offers delicious seasonal cocktails on the menu or hot sake if that's what you are hankering for. Definitely try this ramen joint if you are in the Logan square area your tummy will be so happy that you did!!

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    Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya - CHIRASHI

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    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!

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    Omakase Shoji - Banzai

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    Professional chefs. Comfortable space. Fresh seafoods. Delicious Omakase. Reasonable prices. Plenty…read moreof seats. What is imperfect here?

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    Miru

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    4.3(331 reviews)
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    Miru is one of those places where the experience is just as memorable as the food. We went with…read morefamily for sushi, and everything we tried felt creative and unique without trying too hard. And the lychee martini? Easily the best I've ever had. The views are absolutely spectacular--some of the best I've seen anywhere and, in my opinion, probably the best restaurant views in Chicago. What really took it to another level was the hospitality. We had family visiting from out of town, and they were greeted and welcomed by name, which was such a thoughtful touch. Between the incredible sushi, cocktails, views, and service, Miru delivered a truly unique and unforgettable Chicago experience.

    The three of us celebrated our daughter's birthday at Miru, the modern Japanese restaurant on the…read more11th floor of the St. Regis Chicago, which has a charming terrace overlooking the Chicago River, Navy Pier, and Lake Michigan. It was the views that attracted us to this venue. It turned out to be a perfect evening with beautiful weather for dining al fresco. Since it was a Monday evening, the large modern dining room was not too busy. As expected, the outdoor terrace was bustling. The terrace is basically divided into 3 sections. We were seated in the first section closest to Navy Pier and Lake Michigan, and this area filled up fast shortly after 6:00 pm. Service was friendly and professional throughout the evening. Our server Justin was very knowledgeable of the menu. Both the hostess and Justin wished our daughter a happy birthday several times. A birthday dessert with a lit candle on the side was presented to her at the end of the dinner, making it a special meal to her. Our daughter ordered a cocktail called Happy Days ($23) that came in a Japanese cat shaped jar/glass. My husband had a glass of Chablis ($21), and I had a mocktail Setting Sun ($14), which has fresh yuzu, Valencia orange, lychee, Soda. However, I could only taste the soda, I wished I could taste the lychee. For dinner, we ordered the following to share: Kani Kani Crispy Rice ($34) -- Justin recommended this dish. I really enjoyed the crispy rice and the minced crab meat topping, which was flavorful and not too spicy. However, my husband did not feel that was a crab flavor. Tempura Rock Shrimp ($19) -- a nice quantity for sharing, shrimp was fresh, but nothing too special. Crispy Spring Rolls ($28) -- 6 very small spring rolls were filled with Maine lobster, pork, with Thai orange sauce. They were delicious but we couldn't really distinguish the lobster or pork in the minced filling. (For the nigiri and sashimi, each order came with 2 pieces. Everything we tried was fresh.) Unagi +1 piece ($14 + $7) -- BBQ Fresh Water Eel Seared Salmon Belly Nigiri +1 piece ($23 + $11.50) Kinmedai ($18) -- Golden Snapper Chutoro ($21) -- Medium Fatty Tuna A5 Wagyu Nigiri ($49) - This was a surprise disappointment. All 4 pieces of Wagyu were tough and had gristle in them, so chewy that we had to spit them out. It's definitely not the melt-in-your-mouth A5 Wagyu experience that I was looking for. Duck Yakisoba ($28) - This dish was mixed on our table by a server, that added more fun to a dish that had egg noodles, duck confit, and ginger. It was flavorful with a good amount of duck. Black Cod ($44) - It was nicely seared and prepared. However, my first bite had a very slight fishy smell in it. Otherwise, it was a good dish. Black Sesame Mochi ($18) -- Charcoal-Vanilla ice cream, black sesame praline, and mochi sponge. Surprisingly, this was the highlight of the night! The flavors and all the different textures worked very well together. I could easily eat a couple of these myself! I am still craving for the aromatic crispy black sesame praline and creamy charcoal-vanilla ice cream a week later! With a 3.5% restaurant surcharge, our total bill came to $431.80 before tip. Valet parking was originally $50, but with restaurant validation, it was brought down to $35. All in all, we had a wonderful birthday dinner for our daughter. The stunning views and ambiance with excellent service made it a memorable evening, while the food was very good overall, there were a couple of disappointments. For us, Miru is a 4-star experience overall, with 5-star ambiance and service.

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    Kai Sushi - South Loop - sushi - Updated August 2026

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