Always one of the best spots in LP for sushi with a lot of long time customers. Good spot for an intimate setting

Rise Sushi is located in the best part of Lakeview - Southport! It's a pretty modern sushi spot with a lovely staff. My friend and I went on one of the last days of amazing Summer weather and sat on their outdoor sidewalk seating. They have a cute area to the side where you can dine alfresco and watch joggers run by every three minutes. We started with the salmon rangoon for $8 because it sounded cool! It's just like the crab rangoon you're used to seeing except with neatly diced up salmon. For some reason we thought it may have chunks of salmon in the crispy shell but it was the same consistency as the typical rangoons. Cheesy goodness! I had a Karate Maki $11 which was on special. It was very good and I was happy with it though I can't remember for the life of me all the ingredients. Just trust it was fresh and delicious! My friend had the Rise Chicken $17 which was not quite as sweet as we had hoped but enjoyable. Not enjoyable enough that we'd get it again, but it got the job done! If you need a drink after dining, pop over to Corridor Brewery! If you need a sweet treat, Jeni's (my nemesis) is right across the street. Overall a viable sushi option in Southport with a few items that are outside of the box. read more

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This was a decent sushi place. The rolls are reasonably priced but the drinks are on the more expensive side ($10-14 ish). Service was pretty good. The rolls took a lot longer than the dinner plate which I thought was weird but it did appear they had a lot of to go orders. Starting from top left and going counter clockwise, we got a California roll, dragon roll, Ginza, Mexican, and Pink (something I can't remember). The only one I didn't like was the pink one. Ginza was definitely my favorite (bottom left)! I'd come back for that roll. read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The place: This place is cute and sexy in one (basically, what I personally strive to be). The weather was fantastic, so we opted to eat outside. Our waiter was super patient and helpful with us, which was great because we definitely were distracted for at least the first 10 minutes. I couldn't help it....you know when you have someone show up for a first date and you can't believe how cute he is and can't stop talking but then realize you need to focus and order? Yeah that happened. Finally, after our patient waiter came by for the fourth (or fifth) time, we ordered. The taste: Yum. We shared a few very special rolls. One topped with kobe beef, one stuffed with salmon and topped with salmon and diced pears -- this one (karate maki, I think), is what dreams are made of. We each had a few delicious and meticulously crafted nigiri...which put us over the top. It turns out 2 rolls and nigiri ended up being a little too much food for us, but we also were saving room for Jeni's across the street. My face: A big smile because I scored 10% off the bill thanks to the yelp deal you get when you check in...though I did think it was a little strange when our waiter actually walked away with my phone, but don't worry, he came back and returned it. I think the bill came to ~$40 without drinks and before tip for 2 people. The gentleman I was with wouldn't let me pay though, so that's my best guess based on a few surreptitious glances. Recommendations: 1. Be adventurous and try one of the rolls on their special menu. 2. Eat outside if you can. read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - The one with diced pears on top - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Sushi was good but nothing out of this world. The shrimp fried rice on the other hand is another story. It comes in a big bowl enough for more than two people and it was SO good. I couldn't stop eating it. My party of 2 came here on a Tuesday night and there was no wait. Service was a tad bit slow. It looked like there was only one waiter there taking orders and bringing out food and one busboy going around giving water refills. Cute decor inside with dim lighting. Perfect for date night. read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - Red dragon roll on the right. Can't remember what the left roll was called. - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I REALLY like this sushi joint! The waiters are friendly, courteous, and professional. The decor is ambient, cozy, and well decorated. As for the food itself, and my personal favorite was the dragon roll, which has the unagi. It was tender, warm, and just a burst of flavors in your mouth. The flaming maki, is, literally served flaming. It's fantastic and am attractive, dramatic dish served. The Kobe roll is surprisingly the most modest dish; I was expecting something a bit more ecstatic, but it was just ok. Overall, fantastic experience at this sushi restaurant any. They have a special Groupon deal, so I'd suggest looking that up! read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - Flanking maki, Kobe, and unagi role before I ate most of it - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been to Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge multiple times and have no complaints what so ever. The service is always good and the sushi is always delicious with a capital D! I've never tasted the drinks or any of their non-sushi dishes so I can't speak to those, but I can say every roll I have had here has been fresh, tasty and satisfying to the taste buds. I recommend you give Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge a try. My favorite rolls: *Kobe-Hito *Yuzo Maki *Pink Sakura Maki *Hawaii Maki *Spicy Tuna read more

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I consistently have a good time when I come to Rise. Their sushi is some of the best around, so fresh, so delicious, that we are already talking about what we are going to order before we even open the front door. On this visit, with my friend's niece and nephew in tow, we ended up sitting in what I would deem the "kids section" on the banquette at the back wall. Hmmm . . . thought I. Would we get the same service we always get, or have we been shunned due to the little ones with us? Well my fears were for naught for Scott took excellent care of us, even crafting together some "kiddie chopsticks" for the little ones and letting us enjoy our dinner. The drinks were perfectly poured, the sushi was so fresh tasting that it almost melted in our mouths. Another plus? It came up quickly, which is even more of a plus when hungry mouths await! Dinner for 4 with drinks ran about $130 which included a couple of sashimi dinners along with a range of rolls. Street parking is pretty easy to find at this end of Southport as well. The only problem of our night? The bathrooms are "unisex" and my friend's niece has obviously been schooled to only go where there is a "W" on the door. Funny. It took me a bit of storytelling to get her to believe it was okay. Can't imagine what she told her mom when she got home! Great sushi, solid service and an atmosphere conducive to sitting and lingering (kids or not). Check it out! read more

This place is confusing. Is it Shine Sushi or Rise Sushi?! Both names are visibly seen on the outside awning and windows. The food. Mediocre at best. Chicken potstickers (fried) were horrible and lacked flavor. Spicy tuna roll was more sweet than spicy. And I'm sorry but what sushi place does NOT have escolar (super white tuna) available??? The lychee martini was undrinkable. Nothing here impressed. read more

Standard sushi place on Southport with great decor. This was my thrid night in a row eating sushi, so I had high expectations for the rolls I was about to eat. They met my expectations with some new flavors! My roommate and I got two rolls to split - Tochigi Maki (spicy tuna, mango, avocado, with spicy/sweet sauce) and the other roll was a type of shrimp roll on the special menu. I can't remember what it was called, but it had shrimp, cream cheese, and pecans with a type of sweet and salty honey sauce on top. The shrimp roll is one of my FAVORITE sushi rolls I've had anywhere in this city! If you check in on your Yelp app, you get 10% off your total bill. This came in handy since I was with 5 other friends and our tab came out to about $155! The waitress was very kind an present, but not overbearing. They wouldn't split the check for large parties, but we wrote on the back of the receipt how much money to charge on each card and she had no problem with that. They also kept our water glasses full - much appreciated after the Friday night I had had before :) We really enjoyed our time here and I'll certainly be back! read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - Akuma Maki is on the top w/ candied pecans is not on the normal menu, but is my absolute FAVORITE roll in Chicago. (No raw fish, FYI) - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is just so-so for me. For the price and ambiance I expect better sushi. My first mistake was going here with friends the day of a Cubs game. We got a window seat and since it was warm they had opened the windows. Nothing kills a nice dinner like drunken Cubs fans peering in the windows and yelling into the place. If the rating was based solely on presentation this place would've done much better in my book. I don't like rolls with a lot of stuff going on, just something plain and simple. I got a couple of spicy (or should I say unspicy) rolls. There was no kick at all to these rolls, I hate it when places overdo the spice, but here I was wondering if they remembered to put any in at all. I also don't like it when they dice up the fish and mix it with the spicy sauce, which a lot of places do, I feel like I'm getting gypped on the fish portion. Additionally, I didn't like the soy sauce either; I don't know what they do to it, but it's awful. Bottom line: for the price you can do much better. read more

Most of the sushi places I frequent are BYOB which is awesome, but sometimes you just want a fancy cocktail with your meal! The cucumber and pear martinis were awesome, but the one with grapefruit vodka and St Germain (the name escapes me, but it was at the top of the cocktail menu) wasn't so hot. It made me want to spit. Bleh! We ordered three rolls: Spicy Octopus, Pink Sakura Maki and I forget the third. It was one of the specials of the night and by the time we ordered, my martini hit me! I can tell you that the main ingredient was disappointment, though. The presentation was very nice, especially the creepy little soft shell crab legs sticking out of the Pink Sakura roll! The best roll was the simple, Spicy Octopus. It had a lot of flavor and a good rice to tentacle ratio. This is very important to me, you see. The other two were so bland! Maybe there was just so much going on, that the flavors all cancelled each other out. Most of the foofy maki rolls sound delicious, but I'd stick to simple ones and have a martini or two if I were to come back. read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - Spicy Octopus, Pink Sakura Maki and...I forget! - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a very family friendly restaurant with a large menu. We come here regularly and have a few staples. In my opinion the rolls are just ok- nothing too exciting so I won't come here if I'm just craving maki rolls. Here are our favorites: -Sesame Calamari: Ok, this sounds odd but they have the best calamari here that I've ever had! It comes with jalapeños and these crunchy onion things that are OMG amazing. We get this every single time -Tuna Tartare: really tasty, clean flavors -Sea Bass Appetizer: amazing, buttery perfection! -Sashimi dinner: fresh and great value for the amount of sashimi you get read more

We were driving around looking for a sushi spot, and it just so happened to have a parking spot available right in front so we decided to try it. Our waiter was really nice, especially with all my "unique" requests since I'm a picky non-seafood eating diner at a sushi place. I got their veggie sushi and the Yaki Udon. Both were really good as well as well priced. I had plenty of left over for the next day. My bf for their dragon roll and one of their new signature ones. He really enjoyed both and was stuffed. read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Hydrolyzed vegetable protein. This is what you would see on the ingredients if they kept their soy sauce in a real soy bottle and not old Sake bottles. This is a far inferior product compared to natural brewed soy sauce. This was a shame as the seared ahi and roll combo was great, for $17 I got a great portion of spice crusted ahi and a tempura sweet potato roll with tempura asparagus. It was fresh and full of flavors but it could have used some real soy. My girlfriend got the curry hot pot. Why this was served in a hot pot I do not understand as there was no real broth. It was full of mushrooms veggies tofu and a bit of curry that was hidden at the bottom. I did enjoy the brown rice at no extra charge. $13 Overall portions and quality were great for this price and we enjoyed the ability to dine al fresco. Granted we had no real sushi or sake so keep that in mind. read more

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I ordered delivery from here from Grub Hub due to the brown rice sushi option, which seemed interesting. The food itself was decent and the brown rice was a welcome change that was also pretty filling. It really only worked with the rolls though, the classic sushi on brown rice wasn't good enough to substitute the classic. The delivery, however, was a terrible experience. The guy spoke very little english and ended up going to the wrong building (even though I told him which one to go to). Despite my efforts to explain and even come downstairs (and to the other building) to find him, nothing worked. Eventually I got a call from the person at the wrong apartment confused as to why they had sushi at their door. I eventually got him to come back downstairs and finally corralled him and my food. I'm sure that it was his first time in that building and it can be a little confusing, but you should at least send someone that understands SOME direction. IF there is a next time, I hope he remembers the difference and I can focus on the food! read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - Brown rice California roll - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We are done. The order tonight was not acceptable, and it wasn't the first time; but it will be the last. I placed my pick up order and arrived when they said it would be ready. They hadn't even started making my order and I watched the entire sushi bar staff rush to prepare my order as I waited another 10 minutes for them to make the food--after they charged me. When I got the food home, it was ill prepared as the "rolls" (if you could call them that) were falling apart as you attempted to pick them up. If i wanted a rice bowl, I could get that somewhere else. On top of that some of them were not even prepared correctly. But the worst of it came when we called to tell them what they had done. The manager was defensive and not all responsive to the issues. She even admitted that she was aware that one of the rolls was not ready to leave when they packed it up. Then, why send it out?!! Her offer was a $20 credit when the messed up rolls cost significantly more than that. This is not ok. We all make mistakes. The real show of a good establishment is how they fix it. Offering me a credit for less than the cost of what was messed up is not the way a reputable business that cares about customer service and loyalty responds. I will not be returning. read more

Amazing sushi and entrees. Nice decor. Good service, too! Favorite dish: -Spicy Basil stir fry (with beef); it has a lot of eggplant and all of the flavors are on point. Other great dishes: -Tuna Tartare -some other appetizers I can't remember -The Sushi Dish I wouldn't recommend: the Ramen. It wasn't bad, but not great either. That's okay; this place is a sushi restaurant and doesn't boast its ramen. I would definitely return! read more

Loved this place, especially for my girls night with friends. Also love that that I can get a glass of wine without it being BYOB and other cocktails to choose from. The menu has something for everyone, even if you're not a sushi lover. I had 2 specialty rolls and the chicken lettuce wraps with a glass of wine for about $40 with tip. One thing I have to mention too, is they never use "false" meat/fish in their rolls, which is comforting considering that has been a huge issue in sushi restaurants as of recently. You're not getting the fake/ make you sick/ all you can eat sushi here, you're getting quality rolls that are well made and with ingredients you can actually trust. Will be coming back again! read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - A nice Syrah before dinner - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

For whatever reason the sushi at Rise is better than at their sister locale, Shine. They have the same menu but for some reason, unbeknownst to me, they just roll it up better at Rise. It is kind of unfortunate because Shine, in Lincoln Park always seems to be less crowded and has a better lay-out. But I digress, as this review is to focus on Shine. As can be garnered from the other reviews this place can be loud. Its not unbearable by any means, and if you are not hypersensitive to noise, it really isn't an issue. You do have to speak louder than what most people would probably find comfortable, but its not as though there is blaring music. Why this may not be the ideal spot for a intimate date, its a fun place to go with friends and I really like their sushi. Don't be turned away by other peoples negative reviews based on noise, it isn't THAT bad. There is a lack of barriers between tables to absorb or deflect noise, its pretty much one huge space. Rise gets pretty packed on weekend nights, and unfortunately do not take reservations for parties less than 6. This is a place where I would go when there is no wait or with a large party. If it is just me and my GF then we often go to shine, especially on the weekends. Niku maki is my favorite roll here. I have tried a lot of others and never had one that I did not like. Also, the chicken fried rice is aweeeesssssoooommmmeeeeee. I would give it 3.5 Stars but am rounding up because I think it will point the average where it should be. For more of my reviews go to www.ShawnKemp.yelp.com read more

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I got the Hawaiian Maki-which had albacore, green onion (didn't taste that at all), sweet mayo rolled in macadamia nuts. I also got the Kasimi Maki-which has lobster, mango, mango sauce and kiwi. They were both surprisingly delightful, I ordered two different rolls incase I didn't like one but I ended up devouring both. Not featured in the photo: the salmon ragoons that we're devoured all too quickly to get a photo of. The Wrigley Fizz- for all you gin and mojito fiends- is a must, best of both worlds. read more

Rise Sushi & Sake Lounge - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Patio + Sushi + Warm Summer Night = Love. I'd be happy to leave it at that, but it would make for a pretty crappy review. I can't speak much for the inside as we only completed a single pass through the dining room on our way outside. The patio was impressive in that it was actually a sidewalk cafe (with room between tables) rather than a clusterfuck of people sitting atop of one another. To start, I had edamame and my friend had the spring salad with ginger dressing. Even though it was unsalted, the edamame was fresh and delicious. My friend enjoyed her salad as well. For our rolls, my friend was planning on sticking to her two favorites (California and Spicy Tuna), but I convinced her to add some spice with one of the special rolls (both of which had the same components, but added a few extras such as jalapenos and different sauces), and she thanked me for it when her meal came. I enjoyed the Ginzu (lobster, spicy mayo, cucumber, jalapeño with tobiko and wasabi tobiko on top) and spicy soft shell crab rolls. I actually liked the soft shell crab roll better than the Ginzu despite it being a specialty roll. The service was good and our waiter didn't rush us when we lingered after our meal. The evening atmosphere at Roscoe and Southport was perfect for two old college roommates catching up on the last half decade. The people watching isn't half bad either as Southport is one of my favorite meet and greet parts of the city. read more

We have been coming here for years and it never disappoints! It's delicious food and the place is super clean, which I like! We love their green curry and red snapper. read more

I'm kind of surprised it's taken me this long to write a review for Rise since it was one of my first finds when I moved to Chicago seven years ago. I have been a loyal customer ever since; sometimes going multiple times a month, and other times there has been a year between visits. I love sushi and could easily eat it once a week, but I have to pace myself. Rise is one of my top three favorite sushi places in the city but it definitely has its niche. This is the trendiest of my three (often surrounded by trixies and men with makeup) and have to carefully chose the time and day I go, depending on what type of dining experience I want. If you want a low-key experience I go on weekday evenings, early on weekends, or during the summer for their outdoor patio. If I'm going out and hitting the town, you head here at 8:30 p.m. on a Friday or Saturday night. A few of my favorite rolls include: unagi, dragon, rainbow, spicy tuna, pink sakura (yum), and honey (my "must have" every time). The food is fresh, aesthetically pleasing, and not crazy expensive. The service is totally random, but never impressive. read more

I'm kind of surprised by all the bad reviews of this place. I ate in once and got take-out another time (because my local joint does not have spicy scallop rolls, which my sister and I are both currently obsessed with). Both times I really liked it. I went in with three other chicks on a Friday night around... 8 or 9. So it was a later dinner, and the crowd thinned out while we ate -- thus we really didn't have the whole "omg it's so loud in here" thing. Unless, um, maybe we were the loud ones. I guess we were pretty gabby. Waiter was nice and pretty accommodating; he made one of my friends a small sample of the wasabi martini (um, yuck) when she couldn't decide. Overall I think they have a pretty interesting selection of rolls. Both times, I had the Red Dragon, which I really really liked, and the roll with Asian pear was pretty tasty too. Be forewarned, the rolls with spicy mayo are not incredibly spicy, and are kind of sweet. Lucky for me, I enjoyed that. Oh, and pretty bathrooms. Of course. read more

Okay, so maybe it was 95 degrees outside and they didn't have their air on... But really, should you ever be served sushi warm? I don't think so. I was thoroughly disappointed in the service and the food. As I was sitting at the sushi bar (alone... mind you...) the place was not very full. -- I'm still astonished that I was served sushi warm -- I was thinking, why am I here. I quickly asked for the check and left. I don't think i can ever go back. Maybe it was a fluke, but once you've had mediocre sushi, it's just not worth the trip again. oh well... read more

I love RIse. I've been there three times and each time has been great. It is always extrememly crowded and does get loud, but I think it makes for a good time = ) The martinis are TO DIE FOR!! The peach martinis are the best, I have never had a better martini. I think the sushi is fresh and not very expensive. My friends have had the noodle dishes and they have enjoyed them as well. You have to make reservations or else you will wait a long time! read more

What a great experience. Had a friends birthday dinner here. Staff was nice and very patient with our big party. Food was super good, dragon and honey rolls were our favorite. Can't go wrong with sake and martinis to drink. Again super nice server didn't hesitate on allowing us to split the check in multiple ways, and the restaurant allowed us to bring a birthday cake in. Thanks for a successful dinner and will return again. read more

Rise, in the Southport corridor, is the sister restaurant to Shine, in Lincoln Park. But their menus are not identical so don't expect to be able to order the same things. However, my favorite Tuna Tartar is available here as well as at Shine. Start with the Tuna and you will not go wrong. It is tuna cut into about 1/2 chunks and served in a sesame sauce with what appear to be crispy fried wontons with which to scoop the tuna into your mouth. I could live on a daily diet of this. Their rolls are sometimes a hit and miss, but the Spicy Tuna Maki, the Spicy Scallop Maki, the Yuzo Maki, the Mexican Maki and the Crazy Maki are pretty good. Plus, if you are in the mood for a maki roll with a hint of sweetness try the Tochigi Maki or the Kinomi Maki. I have also had the Shrimp Tempura Maki and it has been okay, but not one of my favorites. The have an extensive wine and saki list. But their fruit tea is excellent as is their hot green tea. I like to finish off with Mochi for dessert. They usually have red bean and green tea. It's a light way to end the meal. The wait staff is excellent and attentive to refilling the water and tea as needed without being intrusive. read more

Lotsa stars in particular for the summer outdoor eating. Because there is nothing better than hearing someone asking: "Does she like maki?" Why, YES, she does. Thank you and Stand back, as I will devour the whole tray. Oh, you were asking about Princess my darling, precious baby rottweiller-mix? Her too. read more

I came to Rise for a farewell dinner for a friend. Another friend picked the restaurant and to be honest I wasn't excited about it. I had dined at Rise maybe six years ago and I didn't remember loving it. But what I did remember is they served their water with a cucumber slice and I LOVED it and started doing that at home myself. I may not have loved Rise six years ago, but, boy, do I love it now. The restaurant has really cute ambiance. Nice, airy space, wood tables and great décor. But the true highlight of the evening was the sushi...as it should be. We started off with a seaweed salad (huge order btw, enough to share with four people) and edemame. I couldn't stop eating the seaweed salad. It is delicious and I highly recommend. For sushi, we ordered four specialty rolls. We got the Mexican, Pink Sakura, Flaming Maki, and another one I don't remember. Sorry, totally forgot! But every roll was amazing and melted in your mouth. I liked the Fire Roll the best. For dessert we got something with chocolate. All in all, a great experience. The bill for four specialty rolls, two appetizers, three green teas, one beer and one dessert was $90.00 The only reason I'm giving it four stars and five is because I think their prices are a little bit high. By the way, they no longer serve their water with a cucumber slice....I think they should bring that option back because it totally was a nice refreshing twist. read more

I had much higher hopes for this place. When I walked by earlier in the week, the view from outside looking in was wonderful. Great ambiance, sleek and simple decor, something you would expect from a good, highly-regarded sushi restaurant. The service was good. Our server (Greg) was friendly and on top of things. We were never left waiting or wondering where the hell our food was; everything was prompt and we were checked in on multiple times in the evening. The food...sucked. To put it bluntly. This sushi restaurant is crazy on the mayo. Who ever decided it was a good idea to put mayonnaise in sushi? Not sure but, bad idea. We were very careful to choose the rolls that did not say "spicy mayo sauce" or "special sauce" or whatever. But, we weren't careful enough. Greg's one (major) downfall was that he recommended the Yuzo Maki. NOT a good roll. You could taste the mayo! Gross. Anyway, to make a long story short, we ended up having them remake the rolls without a trace of mayo because yeah, as I said earlier, gross! Only come here if you're a hard-core mayo lover. Otherwise, you'd be better off dining at probably any other sushi restaurant in the Chicago area. Not a good experience and IF I come back here again, I'll steer clear of the sushi. They did have noodle dishes so there's definitely good variety. Also, looked like they had some nice cocktails so maybe another visit would entail a drink and...well, that's about it. read more

Can't go wrong here. Sesame calamari. Chef roll. Mexican Maki. Fatty roll. Honey roll. BAM. My favorites. People watching is fun and service is attentive. You'll prob drop $35 a person but sooooo worth it. Enjoy! My favorite sushi in the country. read more

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I've been wanting to try Rise for a long time now, but rarely make it out to Southport. I finally got there last night. I had trouble deciding between 3-4 stars, but guess I'm feeling extra nice this morning. The service wasn't great, like many of the reviews said. We got there around 7:30ish and there were about 5 empty tables for 2. They told us we could sit at the sushi bar or wait 1/2 hour for a table, which I didn't really understand sine they had so many available tables (and they don't take reservations). We decided to wait and were called within 5 minutes to sit down. It was a little strange, but much better than the alternative of waiting for over an hour. Our waiter was pretty good and the sushi came out fast, but they were out of Jack and the mango dessert...and it was still early in the evening. I had read a few reviews about the banana roll, but couldn't find it on the menu. The waiter said it was no longer on the menu, but they could make it for us. We decided to go with that as well as the kochi roll, Mexican maki, and the honey crunch. The banana roll was good, but a bit on the mushy side...the kochi (lobster meat/eel) was probably my favorite. I also thought the seaweed salad was good, but the miso soup wasn't the best I've had. Overall, I thought the sushi was pretty good. It wasn't the most amazing sushi I"ve ever had and it's a little bit on the expensive side so I'm not sure if I would rush back. I did like the atmosphere though and agree with many of the reviews that it's a really good date spot. read more

Lately, the trend in sushi places in Chicago is to take a lounge and slam a sushi bar inside of it. I'm not sure this is the direction sushi should be heading in. While I do enjoy a sleek interior and smooth drum n bass in the background while I'm being served my meal, it becomes problematic when the emphasis is solely focused on the atmosphere while the attention to the food becomes secondary. I go to restaurants to eat first and be comfortable second. If the best sushi in the entire universe was served in a dark, damp cave where a small, angry gnome would come out intermittently to whack your shin w/ a spiked club, I'd still go... and give it 5 stars. That's just how I roll. But most of these new "hip and trendy" sushi places seem to have it in reverse. They spend so much time and energy making the place seem and feel nice they somehow lose focus on the food. Not to say the food at Rise is terrible b/c it isn't. It's fairly decent and comparably priced w/ all the other "sushi-lounges" so you won't experience sticker shock - assuming you've been to the other myriad of sushi-lounges that litter the city. I'm a bit more critical to Rise as this place has so much potential to be a great sushi restaurant. The neighborhood it's located in is constantly buzzing w/ activity and I believe in rewarding a neighborhood of such energy (not to mention spending power) w/ a great product. In short, the people who maintain Rise's business and reputation (see all the other reviews for this place) deserve more - much more. First of all, the waitstaff can at least pretend to be excited to see their patrons. I've always gotten the lukewarm reception when entering this place, no matter how busy nor empty it was inside. This, to me, signals one thing - they've taken their customers for granted. They can put on the surly act b/c they know someone else will come in and pay their price. This is a very dangerous position for any place to take. Secondly, the food is decent but in comparison to their image, it really downgrades their attempt at a great meal. I just wish the chefs would approach the construction of the meals as an expression instead of a menial chore. If you were to pay close attention to how the food is made (a bar seat will get you a front row view), you'd immediately recognize the robot-like demeanor and clinical execution of each order (please note the rice dispensing machine on the seaweed wrap). I'd expect this behavior at the local cafeteria but certainly not at a place where they're going to charge you mid-price for a handful of rolls. In conclusion, Rise is a decent neighborhood bar that just happens to serve sushi. Be prepared for some attitude and to pay a bit more than you would for average sushi. read more

Rise is definitely my first choice for sushi in Lakeview. The decor is modern and trendy but it doesn't feel stuffy or pretentious. Everything I've tried has been delicious, I would recommend ordering all your rolls off the specials menu, they change periodically, and I've never been disappointed. My favorite is the Kasumi maki, it's light and a little sweet and I always eat more than my share. I also recommend the lychee martini. Side note: Sushi Mura is my second choice for sushi on Southport. The staff is incredibly nice, feels like a family atmosphere, and you get more for your money. The rolls are more traditional but still super tasty. Last time I was there, one of the chefs kept doing sake bombs with a birthday table. It's a good time. Either way, you win! read more

I first went to Rise with a new friend who was getting me acquainted with the neighborhood as I am new to Chicago. The sashimi and nigiri was awesome. I'm somewhat new to ording that versus speciality rolls and have found it to be better than the nigiri and sashimi at other sushi restaurants. The fish tastes fresh. For this visit we sat at a table and the service was great. The ambiance is cool - not pretentious but trendy. The second time I went I sat at the bar and ordered sashimi and a speciality roll. I loved the specialty roll I had which was similar to the Hawaiian maki on the online menu but I don't see the exact roll listed. The bartenders were great and made dining alone a good experience. I'm looking forward to going again. read more

Ahh the simple joys of eating raw fish wrapped in seaweed and rice on an outdoor patio in the middle of summer. Given that Rise isn't BYOB, you probably aren't getting the best value if you plan on coming here and sharing a bottle of wine. Still, the food is great, the ambiance is fantastic, and the service is excellent as well. The Mexican Roll and the Oahu Roll were both delicious. Also Rise has the best seaweed salad I can find! read more

Rise always looked like a cute neighborhood sushi restaurant, so I was excited about going and eating some yummy sushi here. We decided to go to Rise on a whim this past Saturday and arrived at about 6:30 without reservations. There wasn't a wait, but the place was filling up already being early in the evening. We sat near the really long sushi bar, which is located in the middle of the restaurant, not tucked in some tiny corner like most places. On the opposite side of the sushi counter was the bar, which was interesting making the center of the restaurant a focal point. Their maki's looked innovative...a Hawaiian roll with macadamia nuts--very cool. We shared the Honey roll, Fatty roll, and spicy tuna, along with a few pieces of albacore tuna nigri. The nigiri was my favorite part--tasted buttery and super fresh. I loved that. Their rolls, even though we only got 3, were less than exciting. I just don't think the prices justified the quality of the maki rolls. The quantity and size of the rolls were a bit overboard, like 2-3 bites per slice without feeling like you're choking on fish and rice. Quality and quantity weren't equal during my experience. I also thought the drink prices were relatively high considering the area being west Lakeview or North Center or whatever it's considered. $10 cocktails are downtown prices for me. Stick with the nigri and you'll be satisfied; choose wisely with the maki. I don't think this is a good place for large groups because it does get very noisy and difficult to carry a decent conversation. read more

Hands down the best Sushi in Chicago! I was always scared to try Sushi but after eating at Rise I immediately became a Sushi freak! I've eaten at several sushi places all of which have been decent-good, but Rise is AMAZING! The staff is freindly and helpful...to the point that we always have trust and let them choose a roll or two for us. The drinks are good! my personal favorite is the Lychee martini. Their spicy Fried Calamari appetizer is the best calamari I have EVER had. I have never had their entrees but friends (non-sushi eaters) always rave about how good their food is. It can get busy on certain nights so make reservations or come in early. We have never had to wait more then 15 minutes. I've been on differnt days of the week and the atmosphere has been differnt. During the week its less busy and crowded and ideal for a date or place to have converstion. Weekends it gets crowded and a bit too Loud, so its not as easy to have a conversation without yelling. Highly recommend Rise. Food is Amazing. Staff is friendly. Drinks are good. Great place to meet friends for dinner/drinks before going out. read more