I've been coming here for years and I can't believe I've never written a review! This place, is probably the best Japanese food in the Chicago area. The food they prepare uses fresh ingredients. The uni they serve is huge, creamy and sweet. I always order their uni toro tartare because it's the best! The food is innovative yet stay grounded in flavors. Hospitality is top notch and the decor is warm and inviting. I've never had a bad dish there! Highly recommend for date nights or small group gatherings! read more

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Had a great experience at Kai Zan, was looking for my first omakase and came across them, very happy with the choice. The service is dedicated to each party inside, small but functional space where you genuinely feel taken care of throughout. Each course was explained in detail before every bite which I appreciated, and the craftsmanship behind each piece showed in their open kitchen. The kind of flavors you reminisce on shortly after finishing, wishing for more. The yellowtail stood out the most had me order an extra piece after the omakase wrapped up, highly recommend. No old fashioned on the menu but the beer I had alongside served as a solid palate cleanser between bites. Finished the night with the lava cake warm, fluffy, paired with ice cream and just enough to top it all off. -Mr. read more

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Kai Zan is hands down the best sushi I've ever had. You have to get the Omakase. Each bite is crafted perfectly and they just keep getting better as they come out. The Pearls are incredible and the Flaming Scallop is a total showstopper with such a cool presentation. The chefs here are artists and the service is phenomenal. If you're looking for a life-changing meal in Chicago, this is it. read more

KAI ZAN - Oyster Shooter - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Hands down the best sushi I've ever had in Chicago, or anywhere else (including Japan!). Each bite was a brilliant combination of flavor and freshness. The atmosphere is charming, and the service was impeccable - attentive but not intrusive. It's a well-run restaurant that obviously takes pride in providing an excellent dining experience in every respect. Highly recommend! read more

WOW!!! Kai Zan is officially my new favorite sushi spot in Chicago (and even in all of the US?). The quality of the fish here is unmatched - we tried so many different cuts of meat and they were all phenomal. You truly cannot go wrong getting anything on the menu, but the one thing you simply cannot leave without is the Orange Crush. Our table actually got a second order after trying it! The inside is also super nice. Our party was sat inside a booth and it felt super intimate while not seeming performative or overly ornamental. They had fire 2000s music that somehow fit the vibes perfectly, and I always appreciate when I don't have to yell over a restaurants volume. Service was also phenomenal, will definitely be coming back!!! read more

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Wowwww Kai zan is by far the best sushi in Chicago!! I'm so glad I finally went! The space is really cute, we were in a booth. The service was great, our waiter Dan was exceptional! All the food came out very quick! To start we got a bottle of Sauvignon blanc- this was very crisp and refreshing! Apps we did shishito peppers and escolar. The escolar is absolutely incredible. It melts in your mouth and has a truffle sauce. We ended up ordering another! We then did the oyster shooter, angry crab, wagyu fried rice, fiesta maki and spicy toro maki. The oyster shooter is amazing. So much flavor and a bigger portion! My favorite was the spicy toro maki! The tuna was so fresh and the truffle scallions made this the perfect bite! To end I had the matcha cheesecake! This was so good, the matcha flavor was perfect! Not too strong or light! I am already itching to come back! read more

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I actually cannot explain how amazing this experience was. By far, best sushi experience I've had this year! Every single piece of fish was SO fresh but also with the added flavors, every single bite was to die for. It's a small sushi spot with limited seating and we sat at the chefs counter which I loved so I could see em everything being made. Our appetizers were incredible! My favorite was the maguro pearls. The scallop nigiri BLEW my mind and hands down best scallop nigiri I've ever had. The servers were so nice and very efficient in coursing our meals out since we did order quite a bit. We can't wait to go back!!! Not one bad thing to say about any dish. read more

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The best omakase ever!! 11 courses for 98 pp is such a good deal. Every single item was amazing. The service was great, I enjoyed the rundown of each course and they reheated the hot sake for us too. It's very small inside but I enjoyed the bar with the kitchen view and watching the prepping. read more

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Kai Zan never disappoints! Every dish is incredibly fresh, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor. The quality of the fish is outstanding, and you can tell the chefs put so much care into every plate. My absolute favorite is the Pearls--they are a must-order! They're perfectly balanced, incredibly fresh, and one of the most memorable bites I've had anywhere. I find myself thinking about them long after the meal is over. The service is friendly and attentive, and the intimate atmosphere makes every visit feel special. If you're looking for some of the best sushi in Chicago, Kai Zan belongs at the top of your list. I can't wait to come back! read more

Kai zan remains one of my favorite sushi spots in Chicago. The maguro and escolar pearls and the orange rush and angry crab are my must gets! Got a spicy scallop handroll this time which was one of the best I've ever had. Also loved the special of the day- the madai carpaccio, was so light and summery and the flavor profile reminded me of a caprese salad. read more

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Food was absolutely excellent. Service was top notch. I liked the private booths and appreciated the low key vibe of the place. read more

KAI ZAN - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Incredible sushi and really cool ambiance. We sat at the kitchen so were able to see all the food being made which was really interesting to watch. It was however incredibly cramped and you were constantly in the way of someone walking by. The sushi tastes and textures were all incredibly unique and SO tasty. A bit expensive in my opinion so would probably come back for the tasting menu vs a la cart (portions were very small for a la cart). read more

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So I'll start with the positive. The food is excellent. Now to the notes: from the first moment I called the focus was on the fact that I only had the table for an hour and a half. We arrived 15 mins late and they reminded us that we had an hour and 15 mins. We ordered omakase... they rushed it out. I felt like we had to dump it down our throats. Then the cherry of top at the end, as we're finishing our wine, a hostess arrives at our table and tells us we need to leave. It took me longer to do my makeup than experience the restaurant. :-\ Is this hospitality?! And -- the beverage program. Online it says byob however when you call they emphatically tell you that you may not bring a bottle, even if you're willing to accept a corkage fee. The list needs to be better for those demands. I'm sorry but I'm feel this was a miss. read more

Incredibly satisfying meal from start to finish. Started off with Shishito peppers, so flavorful. Next up we received a surprise treat from the owners, some workshop treat, which was delicious. Then a couple of small sushi plates, which were flavorful and memorable. Lastly, the waygu fried rice, which was a life changer. Also had a really delicious beer, a Yuzu and citrus ale. On top of all of this, the service was second to none. Wish I could give them six stars. read more

Amazing! We had such a lovely dinner here. The cozy interior with pop music had us nodding her heads while enjoying the Chef's Omakase 10-course meal. Pricing is extremely reasonable for $99 per person. Some memorable parts of our meal included the amuse bouche with fish in a watermelon puree, nigiri pieces including fluke, chutoro, and salmon, fried short rib ball, and hand roll. For dessert, we shared the Coconut Ube Cake which was divine. Coconut foam plus ube served with Japanese pumpkin, and almonds. Perfect combination of sweetness combined with the crispy almonds for a texture contrast. Service was exceptional as well. read more

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I was so excited to try Kai Zan with my friend, but I ended up feeling super disappointed. I sat on the experience for a few weeks before deciding to go ahead with a review because I wondered if my experience was just a fluke. Hopefully it is! I fear it may not be. We went around Saint Patrick's Day and did the omakase. It's a good price in theory. The reality was, we were underwhelmed with most courses. There were a few standouts: The most traditional nigiri courses were the best The shooters were huge and impossible to eat without making a mess and ultimately kind of gross because there was copious amounts of foam They had a funny take on fish and chips which in theory sounded interesting but wasn't great, and it just wasn't at all the flavor profile we were there for The desserts were truly bad. Both of them, very disappointing. Be aware that the cheesecake is unlike any form of cheese cake you'll ever encounter and is merely a dry cake with some cheese in it. So overall on food, a B- I guess. As sushi lovers that felt pretty sad! In an omakase I don't expect to love everything but in this case we had to scrounge for items we liked across many dishes we didn't. There was very little heat or acid in the dishes as a whole. The other big issue was service. Service was attentive but incredibly rushed. I had a miscommunication with my friend and didn't realize he'd already been seated before I arrived so I was sat about 5 minutes after our reservation time because I thought I needed to wait for him. That's my bad! But 5 minutes doesn't explain the pace of coursing that took place. We had several drinks each, the omakase, and ordered dessert, and we were rushed at every turn. This included plates being whisked away the moment I set my chopsticks down, while I was still chewing. This also included us being asked to wrap up our dinner a few minutes after dessert was served. We had been there 90 minutes. A restaurants table turns is their business (within reason- I know some folks can be obnoxious and hang around for hours), not my problem. Feeling rushed when we're eating at a perfectly normal pace and trying to enjoy dessert is really, really uncomfortable. You shouldn't offer an omakase if you're going to make people feel like they are sprinting through it. read more

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Consistently the best sushi around. This is not your cheap crap filed sushi . It's fresh and flavorful and on the more expensive side . But it's delicious. My only complaint is I wish they had more options for hot sake . read more

Hands down one of the best values for Omakase in the city, especially if you like your Omakase with a bit of variety and not just straight nigiri or handrolls for each course. Service was attentive and restaurant was small and cozy. read more

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Disappointing Service Marred a Special Celebration at Kai Zan We were excited to celebrate a close friend's 50th birthday at Kai Zan. The three of us have been friends for 25 years, and we chose this restaurant for what we hoped would be a memorable evening. Unfortunately, what should have been a joyful celebration was overshadowed by poor and frankly uncomfortable service. The evening started off well. Our initial server, Brian, was warm, attentive, and made us feel welcome. However, after we placed our orders, service unexpectedly switched to another server named Daniel -- and that's where things took a turn. Midway through dinner, the birthday girl ordered a second glass of champagne. We were deep in conversation and didn't immediately notice that the glass she received was only half full. When we politely pointed this out to Daniel, his response left us stunned. He paused, looked unsure, and said, "I'll go check the cameras." He left us in silence -- and shock. When he returned, he brought another half glass, not even a full pour to make up for the short one -- and then handed it to her with a visible dirty look before walking away without a word. Not only was it unprofessional, but it also felt accusatory and disrespectful, especially given the occasion. We brought this to the attention of the manager and requested to have Brian return as our server. Although Brian did come back to our table, the mood had already shifted. The rest of the dinner felt awkward, especially with Daniel continuing to serve surrounding tables and casting occasional glances our way. It's disappointing that a place known for its food and atmosphere would allow such a sour service experience to happen, especially during a milestone celebration. The food may have been good, but it's hard to enjoy a meal when you're made to feel uncomfortable -- or worse, distrusted -- by your server. We expected better from Kai Zan. read more

Came here for me and my boyfriend's anniversary and had I believe was the last seating. The omakase was good for its value in Chicago but apparently used to be even bet te r value a few years ago.... Our omakase was 96 each with 10 course. read more

Great selection of more than nigiri/sashimi omakase, however I didn't feel it was worth the price for me. read more

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We love to check out omakase spots especially in the Chicagoland area so of course Kai Zan was on our list! We tried their 10 course Chef's Choice omakase (note: menu varies). Pictured are a few of our favorite/the most interesting bites! Our Menu: Madai Carpaccio: Japanese red snapper, basil, toro, black tobiko, olive oil Escolar & Maguro Pearls: seared tuna and escolar, sushi rice, spicy aioli, truffle oil, scallions Angry Crab: spicy crab wrapped in tuna, tempura crunch, spicy aioli Shooters: oysters and scallops, ponzu sauce, quail egg, scallions, tabasco, black tobiko Orange Rush: lightly seared scallops, seared salmon, citrus glaze Baby Octopus: jicama, mango, ginger, seaweed Main: shrimp, char siu, tako yaki, tako wasabi Nigiri (Chef's choice) Dynamite Mussels: New Zealand mussels, masago, black tobiko, scallion aioli Sashimi (assorted fish) Everyone was so friendly! Each course was explained to us prior to consumption. Most of our omakase experiences have been super intimate with less than 14 people so this was definitely a different vibe but do note that Kai Zan offers more than omakase. We had an AMAZING beef-related appetizer (not pictured) and dessert (highlighted first ) so we look forward to trying more of their regular menu items next time! read more

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Dined at Kai Zan and requested the mini omakase offer, which is a wonderful value. Our reservation was at 5:30, but got there early and they offered to seat us at 5:00. The salad was good, but was very light on dressing. The maguro/escolar course was insanely delicious. We had the soup, short rib, nigiri and hand rolls and all were very good. The part that wasn't so great was we felt completely rushed. I hold some responsibility for that because after they brought the maguro course while we were eating the salad, and the soup while we were eating maguro, I should have asked them to slow down. The restaurant was not empty, but wasn't full like they needed to turn the table. The Tock reservation asked if it was an occasion and I mentioned it was our anniversary. The next 3 courses came flying out, and despite both of us opening cards, and gifts, the waiter never engaged in any cordial conversation and finally dropped the check less than one hour after we'd been seated for the six courses. read more

We came to Kai Zan to celebrate a birthday. We ordered the omakase menu. It was best sushi we've ever had. We've tried the Michelin star restaurant Mako last year and weren't impressed. This blew them out of the water. The only downside is that it's small and it was far for us. We wish there was a north side location. read more

I wasn't able to get a last minute reservation since I was the in the area but the hostess helped me place an order for carry-out. During the beginning of covid I had ordered a dinner bento set that was no longer on the menu but there was a dinner platter set for 1 that I chose. The sushi was just as good as I remembered. It came with a miso soup, flaming tuna maki, chef selection nigiri, fiesta maki, escolar pearls, maguro pearls, piece of angry crab and orange crush piece. The sushi was so delicious and I ended up eating it in my car since I couldn't wait for the long drive home to enjoy it. read more

KAI ZAN - Dinner Platter for 1 - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Kai Zan meaning "ocean and mountain" is the passion project of twin brothers who brought fresh sushi and nigiris to Humboldt Park. I went with the waiter's recommendation and tried their flaming tuna roll. Delicious! Would come again. read more

KAI ZAN - Char Siu and Flaming Tuna - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My FAVORITE meal during our time in Chicago. I was lucky enough to grab a reservation during our weekend in town and I'm so happy I was able to. We had a 9:45pm seating and did omakase. Super cute and intimate restaurant setting. We didn't sit at the bar, but they placed us in a booth which worked with us. We had the BEST food and the BEST server. For a ten course omakase, this was GREAT value. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and accommodating in all ways possible. He mentioned that it would be a challenge to finish all ten courses and I immediately said, "challenge accepted." And...a challenge it was. I got full halfway through the meal! I enjoyed all of the courses, except the "main," which felt pretty out of place. I was not a fan of takoyaki and pork belly. It was super fatty. The fish/seafood, however, were spectacular. Since we were there near closing, they were rushing a bit to get our ten courses out so they can close the kitchen. At one point, I had so many dishes on my table... it was off-putting, but I get it. All in all, definitely get your reservations in! You won't regret it. I'm absolutely returning. read more

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Straight up DELICIOUS AND AWESOME STAFF! 1st I need to give a shout out to Zoey for accommodating myself and service dog. He was super well behaved and enjoyed being out of the car from the last 2days. Food was excellent and far cry from what you will get in Sarasota. Have to say the Pork Belly Skewer was my favorite! read more

KAI ZAN - Assortment of Sashimi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This has to be the cheapest, highest quality, and most filling omakase I've had in Chicago! The fish was great, and I appreciated the variety in the omakase course. The waiter was able to detail and explain each dish when they served us, and the pacing of the food was perfect too Even though the portions were generous, we still couldn't help ourselves and ordered some nigiri on the side. They tasted so fresh!! So yummy that we had to order second rounds haha Will recommend to friends and family :) read more

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One of my favorite spots in the city. A true hidden gem. Chefs Omakase menu is extremely well thought out, delicious, unique and satisfying. The mastery is in the details! Professional service, cozy atmosphere. read more

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This spot is pretty small but is my favorite omakase spot in chicago! It is about $100 but doesn't feel as though the quality is being compromised on at all. I enjoy that it was more unique that the standard omakase experiences I'm used to. The courses were creative, & you could choose to participate in table side omakase rather than needing to sit at the chef's counter. read more

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so incredibly delicious! the chef had something urgent so we weren't able to have the usual, but our waiter still helped us customize an omakase that fit even better in our budget. Everything was so good and the quality was amazing. Loved the ambiance of the restaurant as well-- it was a great date night. read more

KAI ZAN - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I think I have trust issues of midwestern states and sushi now..... Just no. I was so incredibly disappointed in the fish quality and price of Kai Zan when the reviews were so good.... Omakase price was not reasonable for the quality of the fish we were eating. It was so fishy I had to chase my sushi... also I feel like the use of Mayo is borderline misused here... perhaps to mask the fishy taste???While service was prompt and servers were nice and checked in, there's not much they could have done about the freshness and quality of the ingredients... It just wasn't it. I wouldn't ever come back. Ambiance was nice, it was a intimate smaller restaurant, but it doesn't make up for the food. We spit some items out as they were so fishy..... Huge regret and lots of sadness with Kai Zan and now I'm hesitant to ever try sushi on this side of the USA again now. read more

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This omakase experience was so creative & delicious! Although it's 10 courses, several of them are more than one bite (including a pair of nigiri courses with 2 pieces each, a trio of yaki balls & a hand roll to end) so it's more than enough food. There's a big wow course with the flaming scallops, which was probably my favorite. The service was also terrific & we liked having the private room. read more

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Our party of 4 was seated in a separate little room which had its own privacy that I really liked. My friend was raving about their Polenta Bites & Spicy Toro Maki, so I was super excited to try those on top of their Fiesta Roll. All of these were amazing!! I love the crispy kale that they use here, it adds for a really flavorful crunch which was a nice surprise. The Fiesta Roll was different as I'm not used to lime on a roll, but it definitely works! The Spicy Toro Maki was really good too, I'm not a huge fan of tuna as I highly prefer salmon but here, I found myself to gravitate towards their tuna the most. I would definitely recommend ordering any of the 3 I tried as they were all yummy choices! read more

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Kai Zan is interesting. I was told this was a favorite sushi spot so had to try. Everything is unique but almost everything was seared. Which kinda took the raw fish vibe away from me! That's fine though. We had the orange rush, angry crab, polenta bites, hamachi nigiri, fiesta maki, and more. Everything tasted very fresh and flavorful. I would recommend doing the Omakase. We went the other route and wish we did Omakase. The dishes I saw coming out were spectacular! Next time, Omakase for sure. The place is small, music is chill, people are nice. Wish the menu had more fish/nigiri options. Other than that, Good spot! read more

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Made a last minute decision to try Kai Zan with a friend who already had a reservation on a Friday night. Getting a reservation is highly recommended by the way. The restaurant is cozy with very limited seating. We received great service from the hostess and our server. I (unfortunately) have developed a fish allergy, so I couldn't really eat the sushi, but my friend had several different pieces and raved about each. I tried the green salad and the chicken skewer...both were great. They have cocktails, but we didn't try any. Even though I couldn't eat sushi, I would definitely recommend this place for those who can and like it. read more

KAI ZAN - Green salad - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We did the Omakase chef's choice. I can't even describe it, everything was so delicious and beyond the realm of what I knew of sushi. Now, I am not an expert and have not had sushi in Japan yet. But I've gone to plenty of places in Chicago and elsewhere and nowhere was like this. Will not leave out service and atmosphere because those were good too, but the food was just such a trip. Wow read more

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We did a la carte and everything was outstanding. The space is inviting and warm--especially in the booths! The service was a bit too quick sometimes when dropping off items, but if you have questions they're definitely willing to help. Given how complex some of the dishes are and that I'm by no means a fish expert, the almost drive-by speed announcements when delivering items sometimes made it difficult to understand what was placed on our table. Other than that it seemed to be good value and I'm definitely looking forward to trying out the omakase next time! We especially enjoyed the maguro pearls, the polenta bites that had a wonderful warm creamy polenta wrapped in escolar, the taro tuna-scallop handroll, orange rush, and the chef's choice sashimi which had delicious cuts of fish. read more

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Just went here for my birthday and it was a great spot besides one thing. We did the omakase and you definitely get your moneys worth. The only thing which other people have mentioned is the time limit. I understand you're busy, but at least give people time to eat dessert if they order it. I had received my birthday dessert when I was not even done my sashimi. I felt it was rushed and unappetizing when the table with old dishes was not cleared before eating dessert. I had to take my sashimi to go ask I was only able to eat one piece before the dessert came. Food was great and enjoyed all the dishes nonetheless but the time limit might stop me from coming back. Especially having a stomach that is slow to digest. read more

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