Small and unassuming spot with spectacularly good sushi. The service was friendly and attentive. Highly recommend.

I was intrigued by the photos of the fresh looking sashimi and sushi so I decided to give it a try. :: service & experience:: Service was extremely attentive. The Cubs were playing that night so I shamelessly asked them to turn on the TV. Turns out the TV was there for decoration only haha. Other than that, the restaurant felt extremely intimate since they were playing some romantic love songs. Can be a bit awkward if you come here with a friend. :: food :: Even though uni is not in season right now, they have it. Our waitress told me that they get them in fresh everyday. It was good (too chilled/cold) and certainly hit the spot, but not sure if it was worth $10 for two pieces. The sweet shrimp was fine, although I'm not sure why they put some sauce on the fried shrimp heads. The sashimi platter was a decent value, with the yellowtail being the best one. A lot of their menu items have escolar, which I try to avoid. So if that's not your thing either, keep that in mind. For the price, it was actually pretty good. But if I want quality, I'd rather spend a little bit more and get something more fresh. Or if I am just craving that irresistible combination of vinegar, rice, and fish, I'd rather go somewhere cheaper. Kai Sushi is in the awkward mid-range position that does neither exceptionally well. read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - sashimi platter deluxe - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Great BYOB spot in the South Loop. Had a wonderful evening to dine al fresco in their spacious sidewalk patio-area. All our sushi was fresh and delicious. We Especially liked the Unagi Nigiri and you can't go wrong with any of the chef's special maki rolls. Did I also mention that the prices are super affordable for the quality of sushi you receive. read more

We ended up here bcos of the kids but always lacks something.., I am not crazy about their sushi! read more

See all

Decent sushi. I came during lunch hour on a weekday and the place was about half full. Nothing extraordinary to report, and especially for the price I don't think I'll be returning. It's a good spot for your sushi fix if you're in the South Loop overall though. I did like that they had 6 veggie rolls but the quality wasn't anything to gush over. I got the avocado, cumcumber and sweet potato tempura. My favorite was the tempure by far. Our waitress was incredibly friendly and sweet. Wish I got her name. One thing to note is that they give you cucumber salad in the begining so that was nice. Good enough to go to if youre craving sushi, not somewhere for anything amazing. read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Miso soup and cucumber salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Conveniently located in the south loop, the location is small but cozy. Service is fast. The cucumber appetizer that they give everyone is yummy! I ordered the chirashi bowl ($21) which comes with a bowel of miso soup and 10 slices of sashimi and 2 eggs. The fish is very fresh and delicious but I was expecting more! Pricey but good. They've got some pretty good lunch specials here it seems like, will be back then! read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Chirashi bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So, sometimes you walk in to a Sushi restaurant in a city your are just visiting and you take a chance. Tonight was the biggest surprise for me. I asked the Sushi chef to feed me, oh my god what a surprise. Every plate was out of this world. I will be eating here for the rest of the week every night read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - This is an amazing place. Every item is out of this world. I have never had Sushi this good. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The service is pretty good but the sushi itself is typical "meh" American sushi. All of the special roles have WAY too much going on and way too many sauces on it... the fish is kind of mushy in texture as well so the food is not the greatest. However, it is fairly cheap and is a cute atmosphere read more

See all

Used to be my favorite sushi restaurant in southloop but not anymore. As soon as I entered I knew something was changed. Then I figured out that the difference was in the behind the bar, sushi making station. Yes, it's been a while since I went to the restaurant but I did remember vividly how great the chefs were. Not this time. Different chefs. Different staffs. And consistent with the quality of the foods. The hardness of rice. The freshness of the fish. Unorganized stuffs displayed at the entrance. Nothing was good. I won't go back again. (Guess the ownership was changed when they folded Kome on 13th.) read more

I have always been curious about this place as my ex gf lived in the building that this place resides. I recall smelling the raw goodness almost every time I set foot in the building; not to mention the place always seemed packed. I decided recently it was time to finally check it out. I realized the place is BYOB as I noticed there wasn't a bar...I obviously stuck with water due to this fact. I ordered a couple of pieces of eel and it was very good. The spicy tuna was very good as well. There was another roll on special that we ordered that included orange chunks...was pretty meh. Outside seating available for all the summertime al fresco fans. read more

We came here on a Sunday at noon- the restaurant was pretty empty. The sushi is nothing special. The salmon wasn't particularly fresh and sushi rice wasn't very soft/chewy. I always get the salmon avocado roll at sushi places, and usually it doesn't disappoint since it's such a simple roll.. but this place did. Not a bad price point, but no great sushi here either. read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Salmon Avocado Roll, eel avocado roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place for sushi delivery! Every roll we ordered was super fresh and delicious! Would definitely recommend if you're in the mood for sushi in the south loop. Will be wanting to try in person in the future as well! read more

Love it!! Esp their green turtle roll! All rolls are so amazing, fresh and tasty. Highly recommend! Keep up the good work Kai sushi! I'll keep ordering more :) read more

A pretty good sushi place. It's chill and quiet but everyone is friendly. We got the sashimi platter, ocean roll, rainbow roll, and the blue tuna special (or something like that). The sashimi platter and ocean roll are things that i definitely recommend. The fish is really fresh for the platter and the ocean roll is just a good roll in general. Definitely worth getting. The rainbow roll was alright. Nothing to go crazy over. It was a pretty basic roll that is more on the safe and simple side of the menu. Finally, definitely keep away from the blue tuna special thingy. On the original roll, it was supposed to have seared tuna, but since my friends and I don't particularly like it, we just got regular raw tuna. The roll's filling is crab meat and it did not go well with the tuna. It made everything really heavy and thick in texture. It definitely needed a sauce or just something sharp or crunchy to cut through the monotonous texture and flavor. Lowkey feel like this place is more on the bougie end of the scale. The prices aren't too crazy but are still up there. (I didn't want to be the fatass of the group so I didn't order more when I definitely could've eaten more) Give it a visit if you want fresh sushi and don't mind spending at least $30. read more

See all

The sushi rolls were alright. The dragon roll was drenched in sauce. I think it would have tasted fine without all the sauce. We also ordered another roll to which it said it would have Japanese sauce, but it didn't have any which was weird. We were still hungry and thought to order another roll because it was snowing outside and finding another place to eat would be a hassle, but we couldn't decide on what to order just in case we ordered something that might ruin the whole experience. We ended up finding my beloved L'ours for dessert and milk tea. I thank Kai Sushi for not filling us up enough to cause me to have to search for a dessert place. read more

This is the only place I get sushi from in Chicago. Definitely the best and freshest sushi place in all of the Chicagoland area.

Delicious fresh fish, good service, yummy appetizers - we liked everything! We ordered the seaweed and squid salads first and then the sushi platter, hamachi roll, and the Chicago fire. All delicious but especially the Chicago fire and albacore, escolar, hamachi, and salmon nigiris that came with the platter. It is BYOB. Lots of outdoor patio space. read more

See all

Even though we live 2 blocks away, we hadn't been back for a while. We decided to do a Monday night dinner at Kai and I was disheartened by how far they've fallen. First the place needs a good cleaning. Floors were dirty and cobwebs were visible in ceiling corners. The tiny menus had been reused so many times, mine was splattered with soy sauce. Second, the sushi isn't that great. The Chicago Fire roll was missing something. Tasted boring. All the rest of the rolls were bland and mushy. The special Tuna Tartar was decent but would have worked better as a poke. It also was mushy. I guess the only saving grace was the meal was relatively cheap but it's obvious you get what you pay for. Personally I think sushi should be unique and flavorful. And unfortunately Kai is going for boring and mushy in a setting that needs to buy a Swiffer. read more

Always consistent always delicious like the first day it opened! Love the dragon roll, crunch, Chicago spicy and Cali roll. The Cali roll is unique it's a crab salad inside. The volcano is a favorite to me! read more

Service was great. The sushi was beyond average but not close to great. We ordered the sashimi appetizer the fish was not very fresh. We also ordered 3 special rolls, there was too much rice. The rice made the whole roll taste sour because of the vinegar. If they could reduce the rice to just one layer, that would make everything just perfect. read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

We ordered 6 rolls and it was ready quickly. All sushi was fresh and delicious. Rolls were 8 pieces each and good size. read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Spicy Tuna Roll Spicy Salmon Roll Ocean Roll Dynamite Roll Lobstermania Roll Flaming VIP Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came across this place while looking for a good sushi spot and we haven't looked anywhere else since. This has become our go-to sushi place. Great service and the food has never disappointed us. Price gets pretty high but worth it! read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Favorite sushi place!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Shushi Platter was well worth the visit. For those that enjoy spicy and super white tuna the Whote Tiger roll is amazing. Service was speedy and very knowledgable of the menu. I've tried sushi all over the US and overseas and this is definitely a place I would suggest visiting. read more

See all

I'm a fan! Loved their service and the Sushil was amazing. We ordered miso with edamame as usual... What really got my taste buds excited was their specialty spicy tuna. Staff was very friendly, and the ambiance was casual. We loved the corner table right behind the structure pole, BYOB made our experience even more enjoyable without worrying about a hefty $$ bill. Chef stays in touch with his guest by sending something very special; ours was ice-cream. I think that's a very good quality of any chef who typically doesn't get to see their guest but yet makes a connection with small gestures. overall a must try - little gem of a place! read more

My daughter & I came to Kai and sat outside. The sushi selection was great and tasted incredibly fresh. Service was wonderful too.

Five stars all around. We've been ordering pick up and it's ready so quickly! They're also doing a great job of distancing. Before the weather got cooler, we always saw every table full outside. I love the salmon avocado roll and yellowtail roll. You also get a TON of edamame in your order. It's definitely priced very fairly. I can't wait until it warms up again and we can try eating outside. read more

The food at Kai Sushi was delicious. I highly recommend the salmon belly sashimi. It came on a bed of cucumber with roe on top. We also ordered the tuna tartare and 3 other rolls - special spicy tuna, rainbow, and Chicago Fire Roll. Then finished with mango and strawberry mochi. Everything was fresh and tasty! Our server was attentive and kind. Please check out this place if you're in the neighborhood. read more

The Food tasted very good, BUT there is AN IMPORTANT HEALTH issue. I took PICTURES of the three CHEFS who were preparing the sushi rolls, one of them HAD NO GLOVES COVERING HIS HANDS! which puts customers in a SERIOUS risk of FOOD POISONING! This gloves-less guy even picked something that fell on the floor while he was working, dusted off his hands and went back to work again and I SAW HIM! When I asked the waitress why this guy isn't taking food handling precautions in consideration aka no gloves, her answer was "well I know some Italian places who don't abide by food handling precautions as well!", REALLY??? I wouldn't count on someone's personal view of how clean their hands should be when IT COMES TO THE FOOD THAT I'M EATING! Ps : I'll upload the evidence to the pictures section of this profile read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - The chef is NOT WEARING GLOVES while preparing the food! be aware of SERIOUS FOOD POISONING RISK! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Really good sushi. Loved the dynamite roll (baked crab and scallop). It was not exactly what I expected. I couldn't really taste the scallop. Still it tasted good and had nice crispness to the crab. The rainbow roll was good too. Fresh fish and a good balance of crunch and softness. The mochi ice cream dessert was good too. Thin mochi (not the costco mochi from a box!) laid on an oversized plate that makes you wonder how two mochi ice cream balls can cost $3.50. But then you eat the delicate mochi ice cream and dip it in the chocolate sauce on the plate and you get over the price tag real quick. Next time I go I'll make reservations first. Got a little packed later in the evening on a Saturday night. It was pretty open at 7pm, but come 7:45pm, the wait started growing to 15-20 minutes without a reservation. read more

I went to kai after the riverboat architecture tour! we were pretty hungry so we ordered an appetizer and three rolls. between our appetizer of squid salad (delicious) and our rolls (delicious), they Brought us a complimentary cucumber salad (delicious). They have much more of a variety of rolls than the one near my house in Lakeview, which is still really (delicious). It tasted super fresh and was followed up by a complimentary half of an orange as a sweet treat. definitely a bang for our buck! read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Honestly I didn't expect to get such a high quality food! Always fresh and great taste! Thank you guys read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Sakura Blossom I guess - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Watching the marine life at Shedd's Aquarium nearby put us in a sushi mood. Haha, I swear we're good people - don't judge! It was a lovely sunny day, so after a pedicab ride over (too far to walk, when you're hungry!) I was thrilled to see their patio seating. We were served quickly, and for this sushi snob, everything was truly top notch: Chirashi Sushi - tamago, white tuna, yellowtail, albacore and salmon on perfectly vinegared sushi rice Uni Sashimi - super fresh, smaller pieces of dark orange uni from Hokkaido Deluxe Sashimi Platter - salmon, snapper, albacore, white tuna, tuna Service was gracious and polite, and lunch here was exactly what we wanted. I'd absolutely recommend coming here for sushi! read more

See all

The wife and I have been around the block on her sushi cravings, and Kai has been our favorite so far. The South Loop proximity doesn't hurt, but on the price-quality scale, Kai hits the spot. Like a bunch of other sushi joints in Chicago, Kai is BYOB. The overall price point comes in a little below average, and the quality of the fish has been amongst the best thus far. Service was above-average upon our visit, and the overall feel of their South Loop location is homey and cozy. In a diversification play effort, we haven't been back yet. But when the idea of sushi is bandied about, a return to Kai floats to the top of the list. read more

See all

Very delicious, very fresh and very unique sushi here! Very nice ambiance and the customer service is great!!! My brothers favorite of ALL time is the Chicago Fire- I liked it too but I also love the Volcano Roll and all the rest of the 10 we tried... AWESOMENESS. And yes it's a nice to have the option of BYOB! read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Tuna Tataki amazing - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Good food and service! No long wait times!BYOB! What more can I say! Will return soon!

The South Loop dining scene has been bombing lately, and one of the hidden gems is Kai. Located close to the EL and CTA stops, the location is ideal for those on public transit, there is street parking but if you're visiting at peak hours you may have to circle. As a vegetarian my favorite roll is the "Shiitake Special Roll", which at $10 is a steal, as per my dining companions the sashimi is fresh, and there are a variety of options so that everyone at your table will leave with a full tummy at a price that won't hurt your wallet. The fresh oranges they serve when you request your check is a nice touch. The service is as relaxed as the atmosphere, the servers are friendly and do not hesitate to bring you ice or drink ware as needed. This BYOB spot is an ideal place to chit chat with your pals after work and share the news of the week. read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Shiitake Special Roll bottom left. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

It was a cold rainy night and we were looking for something hot to eat. We walked in and were immediately greeted by the host. Their menu looks small and limited to just sushi, but they also offer noodle soup dishes here. We asked about noodle dishes and they offered beef curry udon, tempura shrimp udon, and beef udon. We ordered the curry udon and the tempura shrimp udon and both of them tasted really good. For dessert, we ordered the tempura fried banana with green tea ice cream. So good! Service was fantastic. Our waiter was super nice and attentive and refilled our water and tea multiple times. We really enjoyed our visit here. I'm so happy its in my neighborhood. I will definitely be back! As a bonus, they were open Christmas Eve! FYI--they are closed Christmas day. read more

I've been here twice and they have not disappointed. Their sashimi is fresh and nicely presented. The rolls are a fair size and come in 8 pieces. They have three items on the lunch menu that comes with a miso soup with nice pieces of tofu. The price point is fair. Service is pleasant as well. There is also outdoor seating when the weather permits. And there's complimentary orange at the end of the meal. read more

Kai Sushi - South Loop - Sashimi Lunch Special and Philly Roll Starting from the left: Escolar, Tuna, Yellowtail, Salmon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

THE FISH IS SO FRESH HERE. OH MY WORD. so good LOVE all the rolls but ESPECIALLY THE CHICAGO FIRE. its got ALL the fishes :D to be honest, i didn't even care for just the fish/sashimi before here TOTALLY changed my mind love the atmosphere/music/the people here! oh and def check out the ocean roll too, its deelish my friend got it and loves it! ^^ read more

God I love this hidden gem of a business. All of their fish is top notch quality and underpriced. Best deal in the city. I order delivery from them 1-2x per week and it's always perfect. They beat out Momotaro, Toro Sushi, Kai Zan, and a bunch of other worthy sushi places. I started ordering delivery from them during the pandemic and have still not dined indoors anywhere, including this lovely place. They know my food allergy (escolar) and are just wonderful. It's a huge comfort to me that I can get great sushi without leaving my home. Can't wait until I'm able to visit them in person! Get the salmon belly, the ikura, the hamachi, and the ama ebi nigiris. For people who love real sushi, not the deep fried nonsense doused in truffle oil. read more