Love the food! Service is good too the challenge is to get a table - but you can sign up in advance

My favorite sushi place around campus. It is a little bit pricey, however, the food worthy. During lunch, they have a couple of promoting. My favorites are: Salmon Poke Bowl salmon, avocado, cucumber, edamame, radish, wakame with yuzu teriyaki sauce Chicken Yaki Udon stir-fried udon noodles with chicken, vegetables & special house sauce Alaskan Roll salmon, avocado & cucumber Salmon or Tuna Roll Sakanaya Roll salmon, crab salad & grilled scallop with avocado & fish flakes Akedashi Tofu fried tofu with bonito & tempura sauce ​ Follow me on Instagram: @tryatreat read more

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First things first Sakanaya always has a special place amongst other campus restaurants. Remember to join the waiting list on Yelp so that you don't end up spending time in the waiting line Ordered a ramen, chicken katsu dish and a fried shrimp tempura roll for two people. Ramen was 2.5/5. Felt that the broth could be a lot better. The meat was fine but I have had better ramen in town. Chicken katsu was 2/5. The chicken was too dry and the sides along with the dish were meh. Fried shrimp roll was delish 5/5 The service was great and the food arrived pretty fast. The ambiance was also great. Sakanaya is a must go for special occasions to have a good experience. read more

Sakanaya - Fried Shrimp tempura - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Sakanaya is not the sushi joint you want to miss when you're in town! Before making my way to Chicago, I made a one week stop in Champaign to visit a friend. I was told that Sakanaya is perhaps the best sushi restaurant there. I strongly recommend utilizing the yelp waitlist feature as it gets swarmed by famished sushi muncher within minutes after their opening time. On two occasions I walked in at about 5:20 PM, 20 minutes after they opened. Wrong move, I ended up have to wait and stare at those trays of tasty sushi leaving the kitchen for a good 25 minutes. I think I drooled a bit too. Oh dang, TMI.. I generally enjoy all the sushi rolls I ordered. The memorable ones are sakanaya roll (salmon, grilled scallops, and avocado), playgirl roll (tuna, shrimp tempura, and avocado), and VIP roll (grilled salmon and lobster tempura). When you order the VIP roll, they will indeed serve it as if you're a VVIP! *look at the photo for more details* Why 4 stars then? I have to dock one star for its disappointing ramen. I was craving for ramen at the time and had been let down by other places in Champaign. Considering it's a 4.5 stars establishment and the substantial amount of amazing reviews for the ramen, I didn't think twice to get a bowl of tonkotsu ramen. I was wrong. The broth was bland, the chashu was dry and flavorless, and the egg was hard boiled instead of soft boiled. It wasn't even comparable to some of the decent ramen I had in Seattle, let alone the great one. Service was an A+, very attentive and insightful. If you do visit here, stick with the sushi and sashimi. You certainly won't be disappointed! read more

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Maybe it the best sushi place, however, it is oaky compared to sushi places in other parts of countries. Taste is okay. Service is spotty.

This restaurant defies all stereotypes of college campus eating. A hole in the wall that is easily overlooked, this restaurant is anything other than ordinary. This quality of sushi was fantastic. I started with the miso soup. Warming to the soul, it was tangy and perfectly seasoned. I then had the Otoro (a fatty tuna sashimi) and it was juicy, thick, and deliciously topped with green onions. I ordered the Cali crunch roll and the spicy salmon roll and was not disappointed with either. The Cali crunch is a must have with the eel sauce and tempura flakes making the roll stand out. I have nothing but good things to say about this restaurant. An absolute must try. read more

Sakanaya - Otoro: fatty tuna sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Best sushi in town! Make sure you use check in system. It's small and often busy. Do not like switch to QR code ordering and takes away from experience but food is good enough to go back. read more

We LOVE a this spot! My boys can eat a whole bowl of ramen! Their tower is something I crave all the time.

Outstanding sushi joint. Streamlined menu that hits on all cylinders with sophisticated selections.

I have been here several times and this past week, twice! The service is great. I like sitting down and ordering online, and if you want something that online doesn't quite address, flag someone down and they'll help you. Very pleasant staff and tasty food. One thing though, I am not sure if they serve Escolar. It is often served in sushi restaurants as "White Tuna". It can cause some people stomach problems. It is very tasty though. If they do serve it it should be labeled as such and there should be a warning. If I am incorrect I hope someone from the restaurant corrects me here by a reply. read more

The food was excellent, the service was fast, and the people were polite. Would definitely go back again.

always love sakanaya, best sushi on uiuc campus! go to rolls are the kamikaze and playgirl :) some fun ones to try is the gold rush and sakanaya read more

Sakanaya - Kamikaze *Sakanaya *Playgirl * - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Sakanaya is a GREAT option for a bit of an upscale dinner in the heart of Campustown on Green St! Cannot recommend this restaurant enough; their food is top notch, ambience is bustling in the most amazing way, and the service is quite professional. They don't take reservations so be sure to give yourself enough time, especially on a busy night. Once you're in the restaurant you can be added to the Yelp waitlist (which is an effective feature I should add). Sakanaya is popular so anticipate at least a 15 minute wait on the weekend. However, no need to wait in the cold or right by the door! Just the door over they have a special location you can wait. (That small building may be for catered events but don't quote me on that.) If you're looking for a spot for a birthday dinner, a date night, or just a nice dinner with family and you're exploring the campus area, Sakanaya is the place to be! read more

Sakanaya is our favorite, and I mean FAVORITE sushi place in CU. The Willis Tower alone is worth the whole trip. Listen, if you want excellent rolls and incredible food, this is the one. The only downside about this place is that it's not bigger. You're likely to have to wait during the academic term. Sadly, they have no outside dining during COVID-19. As such, to go is the only way to go. Great ambience. Great food. Great staff. And the Willis Tower. What's not to like?! read more

Immediate service when walked through the door! Gave detailed info on what we ordered because we said we had never been before super easy ordering and payment AND gave us a free order of sushi roll THEN gifted us with a Polaroid picture because it was our friends birthday! Will be going back!! read more

Ordered pick-up during the COVID pandemic. The restaurant located on a busy street so have a check before you drive there. I like their roll with the freshness and combined flavor. But as a traditional sushi lover I would say their sushi/sashimi didn't meet the standard - you can tell the salmon is fresh, but the texture was not very good. It make me feel like chewing fibers more than having fish, and it's even kind of tedious to finish the plate. I would not recommend my friends to have their sashimi, but the rolls a still good for California roll lovers. read more

Husbands food was excellent and service was great. But I think I made the mistake of ordering the worst thing on the menu. So here is a tip: DO NOT GET THEIR RAMEN! Under any circumstances! This is by far the most terrible ramen I've had in my life! So many things that are just wrong with it... chunky fresh onions that dominate the taste, broth too salty, pork too dry and chewy. Even if you are craving ramen, you'd be better off getting an instant at a store than Sakanaya. (Sorry guys! If you are reading this, please please please reconsider the recipe! I am begging you!) read more

Amazing sushi at fair prices. Been here many times can't recommend it enough. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice with the low lighting but can be noisy at times, especially for those with sensory issues. read more

Best sushi in Campustown! Definitely on the pricey side but totally worth it for the quality. My go-to order is a Willis Tower with the Gold Rush 1848 and Playgirl rolls! read more

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After a 30-45 minute wait on a Wednesday night, we were able to get a spot. The tables feel a little cramped but other than that the sushi, and appetizers we got were spot on. Ordering and paying on the phone to make it quicker was appreciated too. Definitely will be going back, and would recommend. read more

Came here for a late dinner after a few years away and it was a great meal. I really appreciated the yelp waitlist as we didn't have to wait for a table. My friend and I shared the potato twist and I love salmon and everything was delicious. The only thing a little different was the spicy salmon roll not being mixed with the spicy mayo. Definitely would come back! read more

Sakanaya - I Love Salmon - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Fish provided in the restaurant is so delicious. I can recommend dishes of the restaurant for Japanese. I had a sushi sashimi combo. Sashimi often has bad raw smell, but sashimi in the restaurant doesn't have it. So, it didn't need wasabi for me in the time. 日本人におすすめできるくらい、おいしい生魚が提供されます。 $35 sushi sashimi combo を食べました。 日本で食べる質と量の感覚だと、値が張りました。 味に関しては、日本のヘタなお店で食べるよりもおいしかったです。変な生臭さは全くありませんでした。 量はそれなりで、成人男性でも十分お腹いっぱいになりました。 英語が苦手な私には、店員が何を言ってるのかハッキリ理解できませんでしたが、入店から退店まで、戸惑うことはありませんでした。英語が苦手でも食べたいものを食べられます。 キリンの瓶ビールがありました。 お酒を飲みたい方はパスポートなどのIDを提示する必要があります。 read more

Sakanaya - Sushi & Sashimi Combo - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Had a good sushi after a long time! Would come back soon. Our waitress Angie was very friendly and helpful!

I was craving sushi and wasn't sure where to go. Then I saw sakanaya and I saw how long the line was and thought to myself this place must be really good. I ended going there for dinner with my friend. We order one roll and their willis tower (their most popular dish). The ordering process was really easy. We order through a website and also pay through that website. They have a good customer service too. The vibe there was also amazing. Its good for a birthday dinner or going on a date in general. Overall I have a really good experience at sakanaya read more

The food and service was great! Some of the best sushi we've had. Love the spicy! We'll be back!

Came here with the family since my cousin recommended this place. We got there around lunch time on a Friday after Thanksgiving and the place was pretty packed. Even with a reservation, we had to wait probably around 10-15 minutes. We ordered the wings for the appetizer which actually came last because our waiter said wings tend to take longer. My cousin ordered a sushi tower of sorts which actually was quite delicious. I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen which was quite good. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the broth was quite rich and tasty. The diced onions were a nice addition since they provided a nice crunch. Waiters were all friendly. 4 stars since this one waiter dropped some plates twice while we were eating. read more

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Very disappointed. I used to love this place because of the good food. But it looks like it went down hill. First off, they don't provide any vegan or vegetarian options. They cut their menu down a lot. The staff is very rude and very short. I asked her to recommend me ANYTHING that's vegan, she said "we don't do vegan here." Just very short and rude. So I had to order something that had animal products in it which really disappointed me. Then one of my friend's order never came out. He finally reordered it, and it took over 20 minutes for it to come out. And my other friend's order had a hair in it. Also the food I got had a salmon bone in it. I ordered the yaki udon. It definitely isn't how it used to be. I wish they can accommodate vegan and vegetarians. Hire or train more friendly staff members. They don't provide a warm environment. Will not be coming back. read more

Not a great place if there is someone in your party that does not like sushi. My husband does like sushi so that is why he chose this place but even he was not impressed. read more

4-star sushi in Champaign-Urbana? Yep, it's true! My daughter and I were on a college visit to the U of I and yelped our way to Sakanaya. I'm glad we did because this little sushi joint is a gem. Our server, Jane, recommended we try the Willis Tower, Gold Rush 1848 and the Sakanaya roll. They were all beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. I was sure the Willis Tower was a gimmicky dish, but the flavors are absolutely amazing when squashed together as suggested - you really have to order this! We added the seaweed salad and a California roll to our order, neither of which were stand outs like the aforementioned dishes, but overall we were super happy with our meal. The place was jam packed at 6pm, but getting a table is a breeze with the yelp waitlist option. Great place on all fronts - ambiance, service and FOOD! read more

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Food is great. However, the restaurant is too small. Waiting time can be up ward of an hour during busy hours. Especially hard to reserve for busy people. read more

Best sushi that I have ever had. The tower was spectacular, and the rolls were new and different from the usual sushi selection. The place is small, and wait times can be a little excessive, but it has definately been worth the wait for the food. read more

Been there three times in a month. Love spicy shrimp tempura udon most! Highly recommended! read more

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Hmmm a lot of hit and miss for me at this place. Came here with my brother based on rave reviews from some coworkers that were in the area before on a work trip. We were able to put ourselves on the waitlist via yelp and only ended up waiting a couple minutes in person after checking in :) We shared the shrimp tempura to share which came with four shrimp and two onion rings. The batter on the onion rings was weirdly smooth and I didn't like it. The batter on the shrimp was much better but also sort of thickly textured and not as light as other tempura I've had. But I should also add I am sort of a snob about my Japanese food! I got the chirashi bowl for my main entree. First off I have never seen anyone put sour pickled carrot ends on a chirashi bowl. It was just gross, I regret putting that in my mouth out of curiosity. Overall I thought the sashimi pieces were really varied in their quality. The squid left a strange squishy texture in my mouth, the octopus was also meh, and the tuna felt extremely dense. I liked the rest of the cuts more, and have mixed feelings about the salmon which I thought had awesome flavor but was also served a little more room temp than typical. Overall not a stunning bowl and would probably get a non-raw dish next time. To be overly nit picky I will also add that I wasn't impressed with the plating, specifically with the arrangement of sashimi on the rice bed, which I found to be sort of haphazard and jagged rather than in a pattern or circle that I've seen at most other places. My brother got the sake don (salmon sashimi in a rice bowl) and unagi roll - I got a bite of each and thought both were ok but nothing amazing. We went to Miga a few days ago and I had a better experience there. Miga definitely feels more upscale than Sakanaya but I would say the prices are comparable. Would probably not come back, and if I did, I would not get sashimi again. More pricey than I thought the quality was worth. read more

Sakanaya - Sake don - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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I love salmon so I decided to try I Love Salmon Plate and absolutely loved it. As a salmon connoisseur, I highly recommend it. All the salmon was fresh and the pieces were thick. The plate was so large that I could not finish it and had to enlist help from other people at our table. I would advise that if you do not arrive within 10 minutes of their opening time, be prepared to have 30 minutes to an hour wait. We walked in 5 minutes after they opened and half the restaurant was already filled, and within 15 minutes of opening, there was already a line going out the door. read more

I returned to Sakanaya for the first time in ages and I am happy to share with you all that this place is awesome. I use to order the first item in the noodle section but now that I don't eat pork anymore, I had to find something new. I tried the OMG roll and I'm delighted to let you all know this item is so delicious. I was happy I ordered that. It's not filling so I would recommend you order it as an appetizer. The wait time is anywhere from 30-60 minutes on the weekend but I don't blame them, I'll be waiting in line to get a seat every chance I get. I do hope they add noodle with chicken broth instead of just pork. I was too scared to try the vegetarian bowl. My friend liked it. read more

The wait was not worth it. Unfortunately The food was okay. The service was poor. We left a purse under the table. Talked to several staff members who said they 'looked' and didn't see it. It had been less than 30 minutes since we left so we know someone was not seated and had left in that amount of time. Of course the police arrived several minutes after we called and magically found the purse! Wow! Points for the police. No points for this restaurant. Spend your money with people who are trustworthy and who you want as a part Of your community! read more

Our favorite place! This is the best sushi we could hope to have away from the coasts. Check them out!

Sakanaya is the best place to get sushi on campus. That being said, it can get a little pricey depending on when you go. The lunch specials are usually reasonably priced, but dinner can be tricky. The prices are the only thing that knocks this down to 4 stars for me, otherwise it'd be an easy 5. Great service, quality food, and awesome ambiance. read more

Sakanaya - Lunch special - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

What a great place!!! they take great pride in their dishes which you can see by the presentation and then by the taste! What an amazing experience. Great ambiance, exceptional service, and delicious food. If I could give it more than five stars I would! And don't miss the OMG roll, its on fire. Literally. read more

Do yourself a favor and go here! There will be a wait just wait patiently lol its worth it!! The willis tower is amazing and totally worth anything you have to go to get it!! Every layer is so delicious together and one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. All the sushi rolls we have gotten are always fresh and delicious. The place is small you can see your food being prepared. The staff is wonderful and knowledgeable of the menu. A must go! read more

Sakanaya - Yummy beer - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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