Way too over priced for a restaurant in a college town, and for a sushi restaurant in the middle of the Midwest. The service was friendly and the interior is clean. We started with the miso soup, which was very basic and I could tell it was premade and reheated before serving. My friend's avocado rolls had graying avocados which was just unappetizing. The kamikaze roll was actually really decent with fat pieces of fish inside and on top of the roll--this would be the only thing I get if I came back. The eel roll was average with too tiny of a piece of eel. read more

Sakanaya - Eel, Kamikaze *, Miso Soup, Avocado Roll (GF) - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I was insanely impressed by this place. Sometimes sushi places can be hit or miss (especially on campus). This was a hit and actually some of the best sushi I have had in awhile. Their menu is pretty large, but my favorites are the OMG, Philly, and Shrimp Tempura rolls. All of them outstanding. Their portions are also pretty large, even if the prices are a little high. The only downsides of this place are the wait, price, and ordering. Its a small place so you might need to wait. As for prices, sushi can sometimes be all over the place. This is charging higher end prices, but since the sushi is good, it makes up. Probably the biggest concern I have is the "self service" aspect. No longer are you ordering with a server and getting their recommendations. If I were new to sushi, I would be very scared by ordering something just based on what is on my phone. I also think it cheapens the experience. In all, this place is a hit and a new find for me. If you want to get some quality sushi on U of I campus, this is the place to be! read more

Sakanaya, How I love you so. Your VIP role, is the tastiest in all of Champaign. Hold the asparagus and add avocado, I just cherish each and every bite. I wish every place could have such great service. Order to go for quicker service, or dine in, I'd recommend going at opening to avoid a wait. read more

I was pleasantly shocked by how good this place was given its proximity to the ocean. I wasn't expecting Champaign to have good fresh fish. The salmon sashimi was exquisite and the Willis Tower was also shockingly good. I wish I got to try the tuna sashimi, but they had run out for the night. The wait took close to an hour, but our waiter explained that there was an issue with one of the head chefs so the kitchen was slower than usual. Even though it was a hectic night, our server was more than kind and knowledgeable about all the dishes! read more

This food was delicious. The service was quick and the rolls were breathtaking. We got the Sunset, Playgirl, Vegetarian Kamikaze, Dynamite signature rolls. Every one of them was beautiful and tasted so good. Totally recommend and it's so worth the price. Yum! read more

Sakanaya - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I enjoyed the food at Sakanaya. The Willis tower was fairly large and tasted really good, so did the Alaskan roll. I didn't like how you order on your own and pay on your own as it defeats the purpose of going to a restaurant. You are glued to your phone and have little interaction with the server. The food came out very quickly though. read more

Sakanaya - Willis Tower * - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Staff is very friendly. Restaurant doesn't take reservations but you can join a waitlist. They do have a waiting area next door. Expect to wait for at least 30 minutes for a table during dinner hours. Menu is all digital and orders are placed over an app. Food is delicious, well prepared. Highly recommended spot in Champaign read more

See all

Painfully mid. Theres a noticeably sharp decline in quality after coming to this spot for close to a decade. There's way too much rice in the sushi, and it tastes of vinegar. Sad to see happen to a formerly great establishment. read more

I never thought I would find a high-quality, delicious sushi place in the Midwest (and away from Chicago), but it turns out I was wrong. I came to Champaign for a weekend trip and gathered some recommendations from my friends who were UIUC alumni. The consensus was that Sakanaya was the #1 spot to hit up. I admit I was hesitant, but eager to be proven wrong. My group ended up joining the waitlist on a Friday night, pushing close to closing time. We ended up being a little disjointed and some of our party barely made it in at 9:55 when they stop seating parties at like 10pm for a 10:30pm closing time. Food: Yellowtail Nigiri ($3.5 each) - Delicious and fresh! I Love Salmon ($23) - 4pc sushi, 4pc sashimi, salmon roll & spicy salmon roll. Wow, so I thought I could handle this set by myself, but I was very wrong. After like getting through half of it, the richness of the salmon started slowing me down. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but I think personally I need more variety next time instead of eating like 20 pieces of salmon sushi. Super fresh and great quality though! My group saw some guy order the late-night chicken wings and we were instantly jealous. If I ever came back here, I would definitely get the chicken wings. They looked real crispy, tender, and large. Overall, the sushi was great! Sakanaya seems like the most crowded spot in town though, so beware of long wait times and always make sure to snag a spot on the virtual waitlist before coming in. read more

Sakanaya - I love sushi - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Great great great Japanese restaurant near campus!!! I have heard the deliciousness of Willis Tower among my different groups of friends for so many times, and today I ultimately had the chance to taste it in person! Beside the Willis Tower, I also ordered a plate of Takoyaki, and a piece of Sashimi-style Fatty Salmon. Both of the Takoyaki and Salmon were good, you can bite a piece of octopus inside each ball. However, for the Salmon, I do think the quantity was too little. It cost 5 dollars for just one bite! Anw, the Willis Tower was just amazing like all of my friends recommended. The sauce was just appropriately balanced between sweetness and saltiness, and the appearance was extraordinarily impressive. Highly highly highly recommend! The order and check process was pretty convenient and fast. You just need to scan the code, place your order in the website where they provide detailed information and pictures of specific items, and use your ApplePay or cards to check out whenever you are ready. The dining environment inside is pretty clean and neat as well, with a kinda Japanese vibe! Love it! Finally, I would like to mention that the only open lunch time of Sakanaya is Saturday, with a very limited time period, so it might be a little hard for people like me who used to eat more during lunch to hunt for delicious food here. If you decide to go there on Saturday noon, pls remember to place your name in the waitlist before 12:50, otherwise there's a risk that you may miss the open hours. It's so enjoyable to finally witness the famous food and explore this wonderful restaurant!!! :) read more

See all

Sakanaya is my favorite place on campus. When you walked in, you see the fish presented in the sushi bar. All the fish looks clean, fresh, well wrapped and not all thrown together. All the menu items have the perfect presentation and that shows how much respect Sakanaya has for the quality. The rice in all the rolls have a great balance of seasonings, not too soft or firm! My friend and I ordered the playgirl roll and the I love salmon platter - both VERY delicious! Playgirl: This is my go-to roll. When in doubt, you should order this signature roll as it has the tuna and shrimp tempura work so well together! The roll is so flavorful and the sauces do not overpower the taste of the fish. I love salmon platter: It has both beautiful presentation and fabulous taste-- it's perfect for a salmon lover like me, with its beautiful plating that makes you want to take a picture before you start. Every bite of the salmon is scrumptious and with the different rolls that come with it along with the nigiri and sashimi that comes with the I love salmon platter, you get both plenty of salmon deliciousness and tasty variety. read more

Sakanaya - I love salmon platter - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

See all

Moving to the MidWest from California was an eye opener for me especially when talking about the freshness and difference between sushi places. With that said, I just gotta say that Sakanaya is the absolute best sushi place in all of Champaign. I was really picky when it came to trying out new spots when I moved here, and Sakanaya is definitely top tier. My coworkers and I always get the lunch special which comes with two basic sushi rolls (I always get the shrimp tempura and Cali crunch rolls) for 11 dollars! Best deal out there forsure! HIGHLY RECOMMEND! read more

Longest wait, rude staff We went there at 5:20 pm on Valentine's day and waited for three and half hour. When the waitlist system told us to see the host to be seated, we were asked to wait for another 30 minutes. The blue hair Korean host said we were standing in her way and demanded us to wait at the waiting room around the street corner, otherwise we are free to leave. The food was okay, but this is the worst experience I can imagine in a restaurant. I will not be returning ever! read more

Sakanaya - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

The best sushi spot in Champaign! Granted I've had better sushi in NYC, Sakanaya was a go-to spot for special dinners with friends! The prices are reasonable for a college town and there's plenty to choose from on the menu. The restaurant is quite small meaning there's not much indoor seating. Booking your reservations in advance here is crucial! The staff was very kind and checked in on us regularly. Definitely one of the must try restaurants in Champaign! read more

Sakanaya - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Their sushi is really good & it's cute inside! Super convenient for me! Rate it 4/5. Can use sprite! read more

Nice service and atmosphere, the food was overall good but my favorite was the Gold Rush 1848! read more

Sakanaya - Top to bottom: fatty salmon tataki roll, gold rush 1848, champaign-urbana - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Small place with tasty food. No private parking. Come early to avoid long waiting time. I liked the varieties of sushi and bowls. Simple inner decoration. Prompt service. Definitely planning to go back . read more

See all

Awesome sushi place with friendly staff! Really enjoyed stopping here for sushi. Restaurant isn't very big, and had a modern looking ambiance. They have a small sushi menu but the selection is on point. Enjoyed the VIP and Crunch Munch rolls very much. read more

Sakanaya - VIP Crunch Munch Cali Crunch - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Went here with some friends! Service was great and the place was very nice. We had ourselves the sushi and sashimi combo platter, Willis tower, shrimp tempura, eel bowl. Food was awesome! The quality was amazing. If you love sushi and you're near UIUC you need to come here at least once. read more

See all

Sakanaya is probably one of the only places I would ever go to eat sushi in Champaign. It's a pretty small restaurant, so there aren't a whole lot of tables and seating. Prices are also really steep so be prepared to spend a lot of money if you want to leave full. I'd also recommend coming during hours that aren't busy because they tend to have longer wait times. I went around 5pm on a Sunday but it was still full of people. Rolls were fresh and delicious! Service was great. read more

Sakanaya - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

See all

Korean-Japanese style sushi place. Friendly server. Very long waitlist, but the food is good. read more

Sakanaya - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Loved it. Amazing sushi and great vegetarian options. Best sushi in the Champaign area. I would definitely recommend.

**Inspite of what started as a great 5 star meal, I give Sakanaya 1 star due to a health code violation and their inept handling of this violation** I am all about second chances, but not for this establishment**if you like details, please read on :). My wife and I were in Champaign this week. Initially we were looking to get sushi on Sun night and found Sakanaya on Yelp and after reading the stellar reviews and seeing their menu and pictures, we were sold. To our disappointment, they are closed on Sunday but that didn't stop us from getting lunch here on Monday. Even though they were busy over the lunch hour, we were seated promptly and didn't mind sitting on one of their communal tables. We initially ordered the 'I love salmon' platter (if you love salmon, get this), and the shrimp tempura roll. Food arrived promptly and the salmon was very fresh. For the money this was great value. We were still a little hungry and ordered one of their lunch specials that included a spicy tuna roll, and 5 pieces of chef selected sushi. This also came with miso soup. When the spicy tuna roll came, my wife noticed a strand of hair (most likely a man's) on one of the cut pieces. I flagged down our server and we showed it to her. She apologised and immediately took it away to get a replacement. Soon after, my wife who was a little turned off by finding the hair strand, and sitting across from me with a direct view of the sushi chefs started noticing that the chefs kept looking at out direction, and smirking. This led her to believe that when our replacement plate came back within 3 minutes, that we had received the same roll sans the hair strand. I told her it was in her imagination and that the restaurant wouldn't do that. I offered to eat the roll myself and she had the sushi piece. We got our check and paid our bill, even for the roll with the hair. On my way out, I asked this younger Asian chef if he threw out our original roll and he said of course. So I asked him to show me the trash, with the roll and he flipped out. He asked me to get the f*^% out of the restaurant. This was not cool and only reinforced our belief that the same roll was served again. What ensued for the next 10 minutes was just back and forth but sadly no evidence of a discarded tuna roll. We heard everything from the trash was taken out to how someone in the staff ate it. Although the owner, an older Asian lady was there, she didn't speak much English to comprehend what transpired but did say Sorry. One of the other servers apologized and offered to comp our meal. Adamant as I was, I didn't want a free meal but an apology from the young cocky chef, who by the way disappeared inside and didn't return until we probably left. Guilty, perhaps? read more

Sakanaya was a pleasant surprise! The meat quality was incredibly fresh and the flavors were definitely there. The rice was the perfect softness and there was not too much on each roll. For a sushi spot in Champaign, I did not expect it to be this good! My favorite rolls were the dragon and kamikaze, both packed with flavor. I would definitely come again. read more

I've been here countless times and they never disappoint! Service is great, food is delicious, and atmosphere is wonderful. I recommend the Sakanaya Roll for specialty rolls, the seared salmon for an appetizer, and the I Love Salmon for the salmon lovers. The platter is so worth the price and the fish is very fresh. Plus the slices are huge! I've also had the sushi sandwich (like the Willis Tower in a sandwich!), Takoyaki (solid), I Love Sushi (great adventurous choice since the fish changes), and the Playgirl roll is also delicious. Oh and also Curry Katsu Don and Chicken Wings, but if you're at Sakanaya you have to get the sushi. I love going for lunch because they have affordable lunch prices, especially the pick two rolls just for $10. Not sure if this had changed since covid but it's definitely a steal. As for wait time, I've never made a reservation and got seated at a reasonable rate. The restaurant is pretty small and popular, so waiting is a given. You can look at the waitlist on Yelp before heading there. read more

See all

Atmosphere was so great, service was good, food was amazing. Very very busy though and we did have to wait a little bit, so I recommend reservations read more

Literally the best. We got 4 different rolls and they all tasted amazing. We could not pick a favorite. Cali Crunch' Yaya Roll' Crunch Munch'" OMG'" ( Left to Right ) ....yes the OMG'" is literally on fire. And it tasted fire. Highly Recommend! Only down side is the wait. We got there 20 minutes after they opened and STILL had to wait 45 minutes to get seated. When we go back we'll definitely order takeout or make reservations ahead of time. Parking was a headache too. It's in campus so expect to walk but it's so nice that it's very enjoyable. Clean area. read more

Sakanaya - Cali Crunch' Yaya Roll' Crunch Munch'" OMG'" - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

See all

I lived in Japan for several years and recently came to Urbana from Los Angeles, so my expectations were modest for Japanese in the Midwest. The atmosphere at this location was comfortable and clean, we were seated right away and the service was good. The food came promptly and the presentation was attractive. The quality of the food, however, leaves little to be desired. While the fish (salmon, yellowtail, tuna, etc.) was acceptable (but by no means great), the shellfish was not. The sea urchin was not fresh and should not have been served - it was clearly going bad. The octopus was over-boiled and had the texture of hard leather. The scallops were dry on the outside, completely lacked flavor and were also not fresh. The rice was crumbly and dry, not sticky and warm as it should be. And the shrimp "tempura" was made with tonkatsu crumbs, not tempura batter. While this location might be fun for college students trying out different varieties of Americanized sushi rolls, those looking for quality Japanese food should look elsewhere. read more

Always a pleasant experience coming here even when they're super busy. The wait staff are always helpful and polite. My go-to for food is the crunch munch and miso soup; so tasty! Good food plus a cozy, lighted atmosphere, you can't go wrong. Worth the wait! read more

Excellent sushi with many varieties and amazingly friendly service! The waitlist option is highly recommended and very accurate for seating. read more

Outstanding food, atmosphere, and service. Not many places have uni and it tastes so fresh!

Sakanaya used to be the place to get silky salmon and tuna sashimi. Our family's favorite rolls were Playboy and Playgirl. Let's face it, all of their rolls were delicious! Something changed in 2024. The fish is no longer silky and fresh tasting. The tempura is not light, it has become thick and doughy. They stopped using tempura batter. It is crumbs now, probably a frozen product. Last few times, the rice was hit or miss, often soggy and sour. The quality of ingredients has gone down, way down. No longer our favorite spot. read more

Sakanaya has the best sushi in Champaign, I got the dragon roll today and it was fantastic but I recommend their VIP/ Aburi / and Aburi. You can't get sushi this quality at such a reasonable price anywhere else :) read more

Great service and best sushi in Champaign! Love the crunch munch roll, octopus, and edamame.

Had an okay experience when we went. Service was great order was wrong the first time but no big deal they fixed it

Truly excellent sushi. Strange to find such great quality in Champaign, Il. Took my niece for dinner while visiting her at school. Neither of us had been there but the reviews were good so we took a chance. Food was incredible and the service very attentive and helpful. Great menu too with a good selection of some of the off the beaten path cuts like chutoro. read more

Fast service, good food. I had a bunch of different sushi, I think like 5 different rolls for 60$. They have a lot of unique stuff on their specialty menu. Was able to try a lot of new rolls here. read more

Very happy with our food, had the curry katsu bowl which had shrimp tempura, a croquette, curry, rice. Some various rolls. Really good shrimp tempura. Kind of small, theres a place to wait next door. Anything over 6 people you may have to sit at different tables. read more

See all

Lots of vegetarian options! The crispy tofu bento, vege dynamite, and vegetarian miso soup was delicious.

Ordered 'I love sushi' dish, the cut is very thick and fish taste a little bit smelly. Won't recommend. Better order the rolls. read more

Sakanaya - I love sushi, not very good - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois