Yum... this is a hidden gem in Barrington. It has been around for a long time for good reason. It is soooo good. The portions of fish in their rolls is generous. Very high quality. We most often get food to go. Sometimes we dine in. We go for the extraordinary food, not the scene. If you are looking for a trendy scene go to Shakou. If you want super high quality sushi, come here. My family's typical order is- 3 spicy tuna maki House special maki Rainbow maki Soft shell crab maki That is enough for our 2 adults and 2 teenage boys. Sometimes we get a few nigiri too. read more

One of our favorite places for good Japanese. Simple decor, quite ambiance, fresh ingredients

Great food and service. Not too loud. Have been coming here for years especially to celebrate birthdays. read more

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This place has been around for a very long time and has also been on my list for almost just as long. I finally got the opportunity to come here for some sushi after hopping off the metra nearby. Unfortunately, our experience was pretty rushed and stressful because a huge party had also taken over the restaurant which slowed the one sushi chef, few waitresses, and kitchen. Otherwise, the food and sushi was delicious and fresh and at good prices. We had the sashimi platter, which had a nice variety of thick cuts of fish. Miso soup was also complementary for everyone. I also got a fresh side salad. We ordered a couple of rolls too, which were all tasty and good portions - the dragon, dynamite, and Boston. We also got the spicy scallops appetizer from the kitchen (had to order another one after seeing how small this was), which was a favorite with a nice rich sauce. The soft shell crab appetizer was also crispy and delicious but also smaller. read more

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Sagano And Mr Lee have been in Barrington for a long time at this point, 32+ years. The food is always fresh and delicious. Love the spicy tuna rolls. Best ever! We ususally pick up carry out. Everyone is always very pleasant. Highly recommend Sagano. read more

Do not come here if you have any other plans for the rest of the night. I called to make a reservation. The sweet old woman on the phone said I don't need one. I brought my wife 20 minutes later and was made to wait despite the mass amounts of open tables. Fine, okay I can be patient. We notice they were short staffed, okay, again we can be patient and understanding. We put in our full order as we knew it may take some time. Nothing crazy, just the two of us. TWO hours later we get our dinner???!! Ridiculous! I'll come back when I don't have anything better to do with the rest of my evening. The server was great, the food was acceptable but definitely not worth the wait. Please hire more help. read more

I've passed this place hundreds of times over the years and had dinner there on a recent Friday night for the first time. We arrived around 6:20 pm. We were greeted quickly by a very nice woman and were seated right away. Upon entry, you can tell this place is locked in time. I assume this is exactly how it looked when it opened in the 2000s...pink and teal paint, geometric shapes, black ceramic tile, awkward partitions, etc. The restaurant was spotless though...not a speck of dust that I could see. Doorways were divided with decorative curtains that displayed various art scenes. The restaurant has a main area and a bar area that is somewhat separate. It's fairly large inside with approximately 20 tables. Upon seating, we were given worn out laminated menus with price changes taped to them. Looks like inflation hit Sagano as well. The waitress/host/runner/etc. (she was the only one there doing everything front of house) was pleasant and informative but was rushed as she needed to take care of an increasingly busy restaurant. Nothing stood out on the menu, so we opted to just do appetizers for this visit. They have appetizers from "the sushi bar" and "from kitchen". We opted for "from kitchen" because the sushi chef was very unsanitary (I'll share that later). We ordered 4 items: 1. Shrimp Shumai: Excellent! Tasted homemade and had a great flavor and consistency 2. Combination Tempura (shrimp and vegetables): Boring and flavorless 3. Ika Butter: Slightly spicy and a bit rubbery, but overall enjoyable 4. Yakitori: Very tender and flavorful Service was slow, but I guess that's to be expected with only one person handling everything. Ambiance was standard and relaxing. Some oldies played on the speakers while we ate. At one point, guitar and drum music started blasting through the wall from The School of Rock next door. Definitely not what you want to hear while eating and something they should talk to their landlord about...unless they like that. It was off-putting in that setting. Price was around $50 before tip. Seemed high for what we ordered. Sushi chef never washed hands and did not wear gloves while preparing food. He took several phone calls with his cell phone and scratched his head and nose while preparing food. Definitely not what you want to see from someone preparing raw ready to eat foods. Needless to say, we stayed away from the sushi bar. Everything that people ordered from the sushi bar looked nice though. I would be fine skipping this place in the future as the food was just average and the hygiene is bad, but I am glad it has survived for so long. Not sure if they'll last much longer based on the extremely limited hours. There is no in-restaurant seating during most of the week and hours are 5-9 pm most days. read more

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My family orders here consistently. I personally enjoy the miso soup and chicken teriyaki. The inside has lots of traditional decorations and color blocks, and there's even a little bar to watch your sushi be made. The service is a bit slow and the hours are awkward, but I would definitely recommend stopping by. read more

The best sushi in the northwest suburbs. Mr Lee is a master sushi chef and the staff are top notch

I dined here at the sushi bar for the first time this year (Saturday night, 11-9-2024)! I usually order about $100-$200 of take out! It was a GREAT experience! The main dining room was PACKED, so thankfully, I had the sushi bar area to myself! Anyway, for appetizers, I had the Golden Lobster, Golden Shrimp and Shrimp Shumai Dumplings (which were so pillowy soft and delicious)! Then for entree, I had a Salmon Skin Handroll, Spicy Tuna Handroll, and a ton of nigiri: Uni/Sea Urchin, Unagi/Smoked Eel, Salmon, Fatty Salmon, Tuna, Fatty Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, Mackerel, Ikura/Salmon Roe, Spicy Tobiko/Flying Fish Roe, and Tamago/Scrambled Egg! My total bill was $190!!! It was well worth it because I had the sushi bar area to myself, got to watch these cool blues videos on the flat screen TV, and have a nice time talking with Owner/Executive Chef Mr. Lee! I will, of course, be back for more awesome sushi! By the way, you can only dine in on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights! You can do take out on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights! They're closed on Mondays! read more

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Got take out from here on 3/7! For appetizers, I ordered the wasabi shumai, shrimp shumai, golden lobster and golden shrimp (most Japanese restaurants don't have any of those appetizers on their menu)! For entrees, I usually order almost every piece of nigiri (I especially love the uni, unagi, ikura, fatty hamachi, salmon toro) along with a salmon skin hand roll and spicy tuna hand roll.The service is quick, friendly and efficient! The restaurant is clean, cozy and colorful--like it has always been these past 2 or 3 decades (which is how long my family and I have been dining here)! read more

Sagano Japanese Restaurant - Dinner Menu 3-7-2024, part 1 of 2 - Japanese Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

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Been coming here for as long as I can remember. Food is always authentic and fresh. Service is always good just a little slow as they only have a few people working on busy nights, so please come patient! read more

Sagano Japanese Restaurant - Shrimp tempura maki, California Maki, spicy salmon maki - Japanese Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

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A local gem with better food and more generous portions than its competitor across the street. The mere fact that this place survived Covid and the grand opening of its competitor speaks volumes of their dedication to food quality. If you want no nonsense sushi, this is a solid pick. read more

Always delicious. Very nice bright ambiance. Beautiful plants throughout. Fast service

Freshest sushi around. No frills kind of place. You won't find deep fried rolls here but love it super fresh flavors. My son loves the chicken teriyaki dinner, very hearty serving too. read more

The food was amazing as always. The place was very busy, so a slight delay in service was to be expected. The restaurant is clean and quiet. A perfect date night experience as we could comfortably talk to each other. Highly recommend Sagano. read more

We visited Sagano's for dinner last night. The service was outstanding. The restaurant was very clean with plenty of seating available and the food was outstanding. This is a hidden gem if you love sushi and are looking for a place to go. You will not be disappointed. read more

Another DELICIOUS dinner at Sagano. My Dad and I met again for sushi. He had the tempura and sushi combo. I think he said "this is so good" about 20 times. I was kind of jealous looking at the huge amount of sushi plus the tempura. But I certainly didn't go hungry. I got the rainbow roll and a yellow tail roll. The fish pieces were generous. And so fresh! The server remembered us from our last visit. She is so nice. It took a while for our mains to be ready so she brought us a complimentary appetizer of tempura fish. Delicious! Bottom line, I can't wait to return. Not sure what i will get but I'm sure it will be fantastic. Yummm! I might have to get take out to keep me content until next visit! read more

The best sushi in the area. I've been coming here since the 90s, and nothing has changed. The retro ambiance with soo many beautiful potted plants, the high quality food, the great waitstaff. Just my favorite place to eat anytime we have a date night. 10/10! read more

I came here with my girlfriends a few weeks ago on a Friday evening and we had a nice time. The place is quiet and charming and reminded me of a small sushi place in Japan. I loved all the plants they had everywhere. The servers and workers here seem very friendly which I liked. We were a party of 6 and one thing I do not like is that not everyone got their sushi at once which is annoying as some people had to wait an extra ten minutes which isn't right as everyone should have had their food come out at once even if we all had to wait a little longer. Let's talk about the sushi, it was very good and very fresh. The nigiri that was spicy scAllop was my favorite, the spicy tuna and eel rolls were all delicious. I mean overall the quality of fish was very good so no complaints there. They do charge $3 for spicy mayo which is a lot in my opinion. I mean $1 fine but for a little sauce that's a lot. Overall, we had a nice time and I'd definitely come back as the quality of sushi is very good here and they do have my vote as one of my new suburban faves in the area. But maybe a little more organization would be great here. read more

Sagano Japanese Restaurant - Yummy spread - Japanese Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

Ambiance very nice, a bit loud if you want to have a conversation but the customer service and doors make up for that small issue. Had probably the best tasting sushi in a long time! read more

I've been driving by Sagano for years, always wondering about it but never taking the time to stop. Now I'm kicking myself for waiting so long. Food: The tiger eyes appetizer is amazing and their seaweed salad is flavored perfectly. I vary the rest of my meal, but those two are always a must! The spicy tuna roll is very good. I love that they don't use the minced spicy tuna mixture so many other restaurants in the area use for that roll. In all the dishes, they really let the quality of their fish shine. I recently had the Canada salad, which is warm salmon in spicy sauce (not very spicy) over mixed veggies and lettuce. The portion was very generous and the flavor was great. I'll be getting it again, but it also made me want to try their other salads. The Canada roll is good too, but I liked the salad better. The menu is more skewed towards raw fish than some of the other Japanese/Asian fusion restaurants in the 'burbs. They have a few cooked roll and a small cooked menu, so if you're going with a person who doesn't want raw fish, they'll have some options but not many. They also don't have as many "signature" type rolls as new sushi places (e.g. rolls with fruit, multiple sauces, fusion rolls, etc.). I don't consider either point a negative one, just be aware before going that this is more old school. Service: The servers have always been friendly and quick with bringing out the food. No complaints. Decor: The interior is extremely unique and I actually really like it. I can't keep plants alive no matter how hard I try. However, I can appreciate the effort it takes to keep so many plants alive and it's both impressive and uplifting. Being surrounded by living plants that provides a very relaxing environment. They also act as nice room dividers, creating a greater sense of privacy. The music is also soothing and kept at a good level. It's not trendy, nor is a it trying to be, but it works well and it gives the restaurant character. Random Thoughts: Any restaurant that's been around as long as they have must be doing something right and they are! The bathroom could use a bit of a facelift but it's always been clean. Great place to go, especially during the week as it's very quiet. Extremely good value for the price, quality, and quantity of the food. This has become my go to restaurant when I'm in the Barrington area. read more

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Came here for lunch with my best friend and we were super happy we gave it a try! Super nice staff and excellent food! The decor kind of reminds me of the 90s but it's still cute and they have a bunch of plants! We got their egg roll appetizer and it came out SUPER hot (yay)! It was pretty good, I wasn't a big fan of the ground beef in it though (it was a little on the dry side.) The miso soup is the best I've ever had too!! I'd go back just for that! I got nigiri and it was super fresh and the salmon melted in my mouth! Scallop nigiri was good - wasn't really what I was expecting but still yummy. My friend got a spicy salmon roll and a dragon roll - she said it was amazing ! For two miso soups, an appetizer, 6 pieces of nigiri and two rolls it was around $75 with the tip. Can't wait to come back and try other menu items!! read more

Sagano Japanese Restaurant - Salmon nigiri, tuna nigiri and scallop nigiri. In the back is the spicy salmon roll and the dragon roll! - Japanese Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

This restaurant and sushi bar has been around for a long time. Offering authentic Japanese cuisine and a fantastic sushi bar. We have never been disappointed with their food or service. Authentic Japanese cuisine very reasonable prices. read more

Sagano Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

I went here for the first time with my roommate yesterday. It was absolutely amazing! The decor I actually really enjoyed, I was impressed that all the plants were real and they were gorgeous. My roommate and I got two appetizers, three sushi rolls and two drinks each. The food especially the golden shrimp and the spicy white tuna roll was delicious! The best part was that it is affordable! The costumer service is great! It was just one lady doing it all by herself and she still took really good care of us! I recommend this place 100% please, please go!! read more

If a Japanese restaurant does not have cooking tables, it has all the potential to be authentic. As you step in into this cozy restaurant, you are welcomed by a very attentive server. She showed us the best seats as we had a very early dinner reservation. Let's start from the very beginning: drinks. The restaurant has a carefully selected list of sake (that's what you order at the Japanese restaurant , right?). A very common Miso soup tasted realy good here. My soft shell crab was very lightly breaded and had a marvelous sweet taste which means it was done just right . Beef tataki was perfectly seared, it was accompanied by a sauce with the shredded radish adding a nice note to the flavour. My husband's combination plate of lobster and steak was mouthwatering. His tempura vegetables were the best he ever had. For my main dish, I ordered a sashimi plate of the variety of fishes of my choice. The presentation was tasteful, the fish was fresh and delicious. The chef's creative touch at my plate was two tuna little rosettes. I can not believe I did not discover this restaurant earlier. I highly recommend this restaurant and cannot wait to be back! read more

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Awesome! Love this place and the owner is a great guy! Gonna order a bunch of stuff tonight!

Been here three times already. All good experiences. Food is good and fresh. Never dissatisfied. Spacious dining area. Fish is always fresh! Love the eel! read more

Went for a birthday party. Half the restaurant was closed down. Food was probably prepped ahead of time. Was it the best sushi??? No. Was it good? Absolutely!! Best part was the size of the fish on the nigiri!!! Huge. Was it because it was a party? Or because the people throwing the party were regulars? Who knows. It was huge!! I would love to go back and taste some freshly made. Ours was prob made the day before or the morning of so I'm sure it sat in the fridge a bit. Would like to go back and try it on a smaller scale. read more

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Great sushi and not very expensive. The saki is good and comes in a nice big sale bottle and is hot. The decor inside is a bit stuck on the early 90s, but it's entertaining to look at. Maybe teenagers can think it's "vintage decor". The small regular rolls (tekka, etc,) aren't too bad if a size. And there is plenty of fish. You can tell it's all fresh and it's presented nicely. Just wish they had a low MSG soy sauce. I do like this place and it's in the rotation for dining on regular basis. read more

Sagano is a worthy alternative when you're in the mood for Japanese food and don't feel like going all the way to the Arlington Heights area for all the great places over there. It's located right along the train tracks in downtown Barrington. They have a tiny parking lot behind the building but you can just park at Jewel next door and walk over if it's full (although it never is). When you walk in you'll immediately notice all the plants everywhere. It's like you're eating in a garden. It's never been busy at all when we come here for lunch. Maybe 1 or 2 other tables max. It's good if you're in the mood for a nice quiet lunch. Food: I'm honestly not really a fan of sushi, so I can't really comment on that, although I heard it's pretty good here. I'm usually the only one ordering off the main menu when we come here haha. Tempura - The tempura here is alright. It's a little lacking in flavor for me, and just tastes like plain fried food. You definitely need the dipping sauce to give it some life. They usually give a few shrimp, a slice of sweet potato, a piece of broccoli, a carrot, a green bean, and one onion ring for their tempura. Karaage - The chicken karaage was great. The texture was just amazing with a super crunchy, battered outside and juicy, meaty inside. There was just enough ginger flavor, but not overpowering. If it wasn't so expensive per wing, I would've just ordered a bunch of these as my meal. Udon Soup - Really refreshing soup with a very light seafood based broth. It's not very rich like a pork based ramen, but it's still flavorful and has plenty of saltiness. The noodles in the soup are the best part. Super thick with just the right amount of chew. The soup is literally just broth and noodles with no garnishes, which is actually the way I prefer it. Throw some togarashi on there and you're good to go. Beefkatsu - Like the karaage, the breading on this was really good. It had a great crunchy outer layer but the beef cutlet inside was still very tender. The sauce that came with it was very bold and tangy. It was almost like a more intense Asian-style barbecue sauce. Overall, Sagano offers decent Japanese food close to my office in Barrington. It's does the job when my co-workers are in the mood for some sushi and has enough options for a non-sushi lover to enjoy. read more

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Sagano is a terrific find in the Barrington area. The lovely couple that owns the restaurant is always so kind and amiable. Food is delicious. If you want genuine Japanese cuisine, this is the place to go. The sushi is fresh, and I'm especially impressed by the sea urchins. The lobster dish is out of the world! It's so amazing that I can't find the right words to describe it. The Chilean sea bass is cooked to perfection. The scallops and fresh oysters aren't a bad dish to try either. Service is impeccable. The sushi chef and the wait staff are always on top of their game. Tea/water is constantly refilled and orders don't take too long. FYI, if you become a regular at this restaurant, the owner prepares a sake box just for you. Anyways... I highly recommend Sagano Japanese Restaurant! read more

First time trying this place and was highly disappointed. Took over 30 minutes for my order. I've read previous reviews about slow service at this place and now it's been proven. The golden shrimp was burnt so I ended up throwing it out, not edible at all. The sushi was just ok, nothing special. The karaage was not boneless and was just ok. Karaage is amazing at Kitakata and done just right. The chicken katsu was subpar as well. Go to Naomi Sushi in Barrington if you're looking for fresh and tasty Japanese food with faster service. read more

Really great sushi and wonderful service. The ambiance is outdated but don't let that stop you from going! The prices are very reasonable.

Mr. Lee is INCREDIBLE! My dad and I have had sushi all over the world, and we believe this compares to the very best. He knows fresh quality fish and sets the standard for an authentic experience. Sit at the sushi bar and watch him work--you'll likely run into customers that have been coming regularly for the past 20 years! read more

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First review since they reopened for pick up/delivery! I've never tried this place pre-covid bc we just moved to the area, but it was great. We've tried countless Japanese places through the years and we were really impressed! Got the chicken katsu, karrage, and many different kinds of rolls. Everything was delicious. The fish was fresh and there was plenty of filling for each of the maki rolls. This is gonna be our go to place for a nice sushi dinner from now on. read more

Went here for the first time. Service was quick. Tried an appetizer called tiger eyes and it was delicious! Never had anything like it. Sushi was fresh and tasted good. Will definitely be back read more

Sagano Japanese Restaurant - Tiger eyes - Japanese Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

The best authentic sushi in town! Although some may consider Sagano a little pricey, you definitely get what you pay for. The food is always very fresh and the staff is great. Even when ordering out, the food is always presented perfectly. read more

Mr. Lee is the man (Chef/Owner)! Authentic Japanese Cuisine and Spot On Sushi Bar. I have been coming here on & off for over 20 years. Never a bad experience. If you want quality faire, heaven in the mouth, you go no more, but to Sagano's. A nice spot in a nice town. Cheers! read more

Have been going here for years this is my comfort food so good each bite has so many layers of flavor so so good Mr Lee is a master a great way to start the new year read more

Sagano Japanese Restaurant - As always the food here is not only good too look at but it tastes great too - Japanese Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

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