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

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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

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

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

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

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

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

Champaign's FINEST!!! Jk, I'm from out of town, so I don't have enough sample for sushi restaurants in town to make such claim. But I did enjoy my visit and food very much! A solid 4 stars. We joined the waitlist using Yelp and it was very convenient to check the live wait time here. It was really busy when we came in (Friday night) and we waited 10 minutes before being seated. The wait area staff/manager were very professional and friendly. However, both the waiting and seating areas were too narrowed. It was not comfortable and rather a small space. The food was pretty good! The sushi menu was extensive and they had a great drinks and appetizer menu. We tried the Green Tea, Squid Karrage, Eel sushi, Miso Soup, Shumai, Cali Crunch, and Willis Tower. These were way too more food for 2 people. The food portion was bigger than we thought. Out of all the food, I personally don't recommend Shumai and Miso Soup. Both of them felt like store-bought then microwaved. But everything else is delicious! read more

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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

Best sushi place in town and they have very friendly staff. Highly recommend the Willis Tower read more

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

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Back at Sakanaya after such a long long time!! Had a great time!! Menu is all revamped and the service is good. Our waitress Angelina was helpful and friendly. read more

Best sushi in Central Illinois by far! I've been to Hawaii and even they can't hold a candle to the freshness and quality that this place puts forward. If your looking for quality fish and a laidback contemporary feel this is the place to be. With technology forward service (QR coded ordering system) meal splits become so easy! Also for those looking for the traditional menu you only need to ask for those to be handed out. Your water isn't going to run dry either. I honestly can't say enough positive things about this place. I only wish we lived closer! read more

good good good. Food is delicious and cheap. Service is good, every waiter is enthusiastic. Ambiance lets me feel good and the decorations, furnitures are elaborate. read more

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I've had dinner here on a couple of occasions while on business. Spicy shrimp tempura udon ($13) is my favorite entree. Although, I left a bit disappointed last time. The broth wasn't well-seasoned and tasted pretty watered down. But the sushi quality is good. I had their sashimi appetizer and would do it again. For dinner, their shrimp tempura appetizer is worthy too. Cons - parking shrimp dumplings - it was so bland and tasted like it was steamed from the freezer. I could only try one. The server could tell I didn't enjoy it, but didn't do much to remedy the situation. seaweed salad read more

Yummy rolls, seaweed salad, and good prices. Very simple and dim aesthetic inside. I was caught off guard by the dimness and small size of the restaurant when I walked in. Not a bad thing, just something I noticed. I had two seaweed salads ($4/ea.) and the Spider roll ($10). Both were delicious and I was very happy with my experience here. If you're in college town, definitely stop in for lunch or dinner!! read more

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This is probably the best place in town for sushi. I tried their lunch specials : Sakanaya special and It's Seoul good. Both were so good! I also tried their miso ramen - thought it was okay. read more

Sakanaya - Sakanaya Special It's Seoul Good - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Things sure have changed in Campustown since my student days. I swear it looks like downtown Chicago landed from the sky with all of the tall buildings and fancy lampposts and well-dressed Millennials hanging out. Gone are so many traditions, such as the Coed Theaters or Mabel's, while others like Garcia's and Record Service have been trundled off to the nether regions of Chambana. And while the 80's may have belonged to the Illini, they certainly didn't include sushi. If sushi were available, I doubt it would have been of the amazing quality that is offered today at Sakanaya. With a cozy, warm but modern theme, Sakanaya is tucked in along Green Street and serves the campus community with the best sushi in town. Amazing sushi requires both absolute freshness and skilled preparation, and this place delivers both. Those with a fish fetish will find the chirashi to be quite delicious with large portions of fish put forth with artistry and flair. The nigiri sushi is just as good with buttery slabs of hamachi (yellowtail) and sake (salmon) piled upon seasoned rice. Kitchen preparations are also good. My favorite is the tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) served traditionally with shredded cabbage and rice. I haven't tried ramen or soba here but I look forward to doing that soon. Service is attentive generally speaking. Prices aren't cheap but good food generally isn't. The only problem I have is that now that I'm no longer a student, it can be hard to find parking nearby. For me though, that's a minor quibble. Sakanaya is well worth the journey to Campustown. Highly recommended. read more

Great place to go on a sushi date or hangout with friends! Back when I was in school about 4 years ago, a lot of friends went there often and I hadn't had a bad experience there myself. The interior is nice and the staff was good too. Overall, I think their sushi restaurant is the best in Champaign. read more

Best sushi restaurant in central Illinois. I've probably eaten here over 20 times and it has never disappointed. The sushi is typically very well made and the ramen is great too. Just a shame they got rid of their chicken wings... Definitely recommend a visit if you're ever in Champaign! read more

Sakanaya - Shrimp Tempura Roll' Salmon Roll Una-Q' White Emperor' Sakanaya' - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Place tastes authentic (Ive been living in Shanghai, had quality food there while also visiting Japan several times). Very generous with the amount of food thats being given. Wasnt the greatest fan of the rainbow with all the tuna salmon and other fishes on the roll. Wouldve been better if they just had a whole uncut fish on the roll but it was mid. Didnt get any diarrhea afterwards, so u can probably trust their quality. Miso soup was kinda salty read more

Sakanaya - I Love Sushi (GF) * Don Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Went with my friends and everyone of us agreed that the each of the dishes were good. A must try place. This is the first time I tried Salmon teriyaki. It was delicious. The decoration was good, so is the environment and so are the waiters! We also had sushi sample platter and shrimp tempura. read more

Sakanaya - Salmon Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Although only takeout and delivery available, lot of care taken to create warm and welcoming ambiance. Ordered for 7 people - I live salmon plate that included massive pieces of sashimi and salmon rolls both maki and plain roll style. Salmon was buttery and delicious. The chicken and don katsu was well portioned with rice and cabbage salad with Mayo/ketchup dressing. Also had extra rolls of California rolls and very savory gyoza. Complimentary miso soups included. All in all very satisfying sushi experience in the heart of uiuc campus. read more

This place is the best sushi in Champaign. It's always fresh and delicious and never disappoints. Every time we try another place, we enjoy it but always return here. Dining in can be busy but take out is quick and just as good. read more

Honestly some of the best sushi I've ever tasted! I look forward to enjoying this place even more Post-COVID and you bet it is one of the first things on my bucketlist! read more

Sakanaya - Willis Tower and Sakanaya' - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Fried salmon was a game changer! The salad was very good as well! I went to this place several times while on business and was not disappointed. read more

I think this restaurant is the best restaurant here, the only drawback might be that its sashimi is cut too big. read more

Sakanaya - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Finally visited tonight, and I have to say, the long wait was worth it. To begin with, the aesthetic of this restaurant is amazing. It has a nice chill feel to it with the music playing. The music isn't loud but you can still feel it and it creates a very relaxing atmosphere. Service is also very nice and helpful, and also is surprisingly fast. I remember my order came only 5-7 minutes after I ordered it. The sushi is also amazing. For reference, I'm someone who usually doesn't like specialty rolls, as I find they just tend to feel like a bunch of random stuff put together that doesn't nesscarily work, but this restaurant has changed my opinion on specialty rolls. I ordered the White Emperor Roll, which is a white tuna avocado asparagus roll topped with snowcarb and tobiko. I felt like everything worked really well together flavor-wise, especially the tobiko with the snowcarb and tuna. As well, I found the price for the rolls to be quite reasonable for the size of what I got, which something I usually don't see with sushi restaurants in general. Overall, I enjoyed my visit to Sakanaya, and look forward to visiting again. read more

Sakanaya - White Emperor - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Delicious Japanese food & great service. Fresh & well prepared. Great selection of rolls. Will return!

Nice local gem in the heart of the University of Illinois campus. The sushi was delicious!

The Eel don bowl's rice is too soft and moist, nothing like what it should expect from a Japanese restaurant. The rice of the chirashi bowl is totally opposite, it is hard and feels like over night, has no vinegar flavor. read more

Sakanaya - Eel don . - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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I've been in IL for a week now and apparently this is the closest sushi place near campus which explains why it's always packed. I'm not just talking weekends. The locals tell me that this establishment is always busy and after my experience here I can see why. Save yourself some time and join the waitlist. I joined the waitlist at 5:40pm and received a notification that I needed to check in at 6:15 which I did. The wait wasn't too long after that and I was seated at 6:35pm. Shout out to my lovely waitress, Karen. Karen was polite and friendly and frequently checked in on my table. I ordered pretty much the entire list of nigiri which all are delicious. Lastly, I ordered chicken udon with a side of spicy sauce. Karen warned me that it was spicy so to use sparingly but someone like me who enjoys spice, I thought it was wonderfully spicy and not too over the top so I ordered a couple more to go with my leftovers :) Come here. The staff seems nice and the food is good. read more

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I love the food here and the staff. The staff are nice and patient I especially love their chicken wings. I'll be coming soon:)

Besides the new six-pack dorm building, upgraded computer center in the Illini Union, Panda Express on Green Street, and new dining halls being built AFTER I graduated and thus making me feel like a chump, this restaurant being a new addition to Green Street is the cherry on top! Thanks, U of I, thanks. If you're a college student taking your girl (or guy) on a hot date and want to impress but don't have a car, THIS is your spot. Make sure you bring $$$$. It's not for the cheap. It's small, trendy and a bit romantic on the inside. You pass by the sushi bar on the way in with seriously the cutest sushi plush dolls sitting inside the display. Try staring into one and being able to say no to its face. So, now what? - Order the Sakanaya roll! Sooo good! - *****Make sure to check in on your Yelp app to get your completely free miso soup***** (which was really good) Definitely hit up this spot if your wallet allows it! read more

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Sakanaya has the best sushi on campus. It is great for a date night or grabbing dinner with your friends. All the sushi taste fresh and you can tell they use quality ingredients. I think it's also fairly priced for what you get. There offer a lot of other dishes aside from sushi which Iook delicious but I have not tried. I would definitely go back to try their other dishes. read more

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Fresh and flavorful. A must try if in the area. Sakanaya exceeded my expectations. I would never expected sushi in Chambana to taste better than most sushi in Chicago for a lesser price. This is not to say the menu items are within the average college students budget, but a California roll at a $5-$6 is not bad. But if you're like me, you want and crave the prober items which were pretty reasonable. I love Sushi $25 (10 pc sushi) - 5 stars Tuna Tatami $12-$14 - 4 stars Willis Tower $12- a serious show stopper; 5 stars (My favorite item) Miso Soup, free with Yelp check in - 5 stars Ambiance - 5 stars Service - 5 stars; the hostess takes your name and number. If you leave, you are sent a text message when your table is ready read more

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Still my go-to place whenever I'm back on campus. The VIP and Vegas rolls are my favorites. They are very creative with the rolls which I like. If you are looking for an appetizer, the Willis tower is always a hit. The ramen is so-so, I would recommend looking else where for better ramen. The broth needs more depth. The sangria is amazing! It's a bit on the pricier side, but what can you expect for seafood when you're in the middle of cornfields? There is always a wait so be sure to check-in before you arrive on either Yelp or NoWait. But it's worth it! read more

I must have been hangry bc when I was when I was quoted a 20 min wait at 5:30 on a Thursday, I was half deflated-half irritated and for a flash, thought about a plan B for dinner. It's great that Sakanaya's business seems to be thriving! By the numbers... 40: approximate number of guests the small restaurant seats. 10: actual number of minutes I had to wait for my table. 1: check-in on Yelp that'll score you a free bowl of miso soup. 14: dollars it'll cost ya for an order of bulgogi, and let me tell you, was I craving bulgogi that week! Entree also comes with soup, bowl of white rice, salad, 2 little dumplings, and 2 pieces of sushi. Boom. Nigiri: not a number, but fun to say, and I thoroughly enjoyed my yellowtail and fatty salmon ones ($3-4 apiece). Waitress Sophia was so pleasant! Glad Yelp tipped me off to yet another fine establishment. Last note: you won't find street parking on Green St. Look on the side streets, but make sure you have coins to feed the meters! read more

Sakanaya - Fatty salmon and yellowtail nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Sakanaya is my go to place on campus. The sushi quality is amazing, they give you very generous cuts of fish, and don't overpower it with a lot of rice. Dinner could get pretty pricey, so I recommend going for lunch! They have REALLY awesome deals (you can get two rolls for $10, along with other deals on signature rolls. You can get dinner items for lunch as well. The Hwe-Dup Bap is my go-to - it is HUGE and although I wish there were more fish in it, the veggies balance it very well. The service is very kind and do whatever they can to accommodate you. I would recommend getting there as soon as they open, if you don't want to wait. It gets packed very quickly, and the restaurant itself is not very big. Overall, amazing place for good quality sushi and service! read more

Sakanaya - Hwe Dup Bap, lunch combo (Alaskan roll + shrimp tempura roll) - Japanese Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Restaurant Review So after 4 years of visiting this restaurant numerous times and even twice in the past week, it is sad to say that I am not visiting this restaurant again. I have not only spent a ton of money here, but i have referred numerous patrons to this restaurant. With the multiple times I have visited, sometimes we bring food for our 1 and 5 year old because they do not likely anything with sushi rice and the few times they had the ramen, my son drank an entire bottle of water at bedtime due to the salt content. We have switched and gotten McDonald (which I know has salt as well, depending on what you select) which they always enjoy while we had our meal. Today we had surprise guests from out of town and we came for a second time this week for a meal. The general manager of the restaurant came over and began to lecture me for 10 minutes/arguing about the food for the two kids. Mind you there is 5 paying adults at the tables and the two kids. I explain how I had numerous times come to the restaurant and you can even seen on my facebook pictures were we brought our own food in. The general manager basically repeated over and over that the rules are no outside food (MIND YOU this is not written anywhere) even if it is for kids/infants, that he knows we are regulars and he brought over free miso soup which no one drank (i didn't ask for this nor does it offset what you put me through), and then he proceeded to stand over me while I tried to pull up my facebook pictures showing we had brought in food from the outside for our kids numerous times we have come in. I can understand if you come over and state in the future the kids can't have there own meals and you can decide if you want to visit our establishment, but to stand there lecturing for 10 minutes in front of my family, guests, and other customers is just absurd. I spoke with the owner Jin as well and indicated I would have to put this information up because it would be fair for families to understand whether they are family friendly in terms of dietary issues. Overall I have never been so displeased and heartbroken as this was my favorite restaurant they have given so much word of mouth campaign to coworkers, friends, and neighbors. With that I will have to close this culinary chapter because a meal should be fun, not something that irritates you beyond belief. read more

Wow. The food here is excellent! The service is a little weird if you are with a group where you or another person in your group needs to take the order for everyone on their phone and then it comes out. The place is very small so come early or expect to wait. The wait later in the evening was almost two hours! read more