Great lunch specials at Ukai! We got a 3 roll maki lunch and a lunch bento. The three rolls came with miso soup which was your basic miso soup - pretty good. The shrimp tempura and spicy crab rolls were our favorites. The shrimp tempura had a bbq sauce or something on it that was really good and the spicy mayo on the crab roll was also really good and not tooooo spicy. The tuna avocado roll was just alright and the avocado was a little overpowering. The chicken teriyaki wasn't my favorite. It came with a gyoza that didn't have much taste, 4 pcs of a California roll that was fine, a little salad which was fine, and the chicken and rice which were super flavorful or saucy and came with some bland veggies. read more

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Really cute atmosphere. But don't let them seat you on the hall as someone walks by every five minute with a loud trolly on wheels rattling through the tile floor. Food was expensive for what we got - sashimi meal did not even come with miso soup. The bed of rice was good, tuna was good. Salmon was fine. Sashimi was sliced really thin. Which I appreciated but my dining partner did not prefer. Not all you can eat despite the other reviews. read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went to Ukai Sushi on Friday 1/30 during the snow storm when we realized we would much prefer a warm spot and a warm meal to hold us down as we waited for the snow storm to die down. Despite the snow storm, it was still a bit busy. We were able to be seated immediately and really enjoyed our server (who I completely forgot his name sorry!) who was very chatty and charismatic. **As a point of reference for my rating, 5/10 is average** Curry Chicken Katsu Ramen: I wanted to sip on a hot, flavorful broth while it was snowing out and it was pretty good! Great crunch on the chicken katsu. Noodles were buttery and curry was so aromatic and flavorful. Curry also included potatoes and carrots which were soft and packed with flavor from the curry. I thought it was missing a little salt, but my partner disagreed so maybe it's a difference of opinion. I also wish there was an option for a spicy curry since I love spicy food and I feel like it would taste really good with the rich flavors. Overall: 7/10. Spicy Seafood Ramen: The broth was delicious and had a slow burn for spiciness which was nice as someone who loves spicy food, and thus, has an above average spice tolerance. The seafood tasted a little boring in my opinion; it wasn't seasoned at all and thus relied heavily on the flavors of the broth. Nevertheless, the shrimp was fully peeled and had the tail cut off which was nice for convenience. Scallops and clams were well cooked; clams were especially great. Noodles had an amazing buttery flavor and were perfectly cooked al dente. Overall: 6/10. Magic Tuna Roll: I liked the flavors of both spicy and sweet; it wasn't too spicy but did have a kick if you happened to eat a jalapeno slice with a bit more seeds. Texture was nice; it had a crunch due to the deep fried rice but still remained chewy and "fresh" on the inside. Sushi was a lot of food (on top of the ramen though) so we quickly got full. Heavily recommend if you want a more creative take on a spicy tuna roll and don't mind some sweetness. Overall: 8/10. Overall experience: 7/10. read more

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This place continues to be a GEM! We go out of our way to come by when we're craving fresh nigiri and friendly service. Sarah and her team are amazing! In addition to our usual nigiri order (scallops, hamachi, salmon, super white , chuturo and uni), we also tried the handrolls (spicy tuna and spicy scallop) this time and highly highly recommend. Packed with fish and great flavor. Will be added to our standing order. Saturday dinner was busy but service was still great. BYOB is also a great benefit. Come check them out! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Spicy Scallop Roll, Spicy Tuna Rolltuna - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Honestly hit the spot because I was craving sushi! I was in town for an event at the Vic Theatre, so I wanted something close by that I could walk to. I had the: *Hotate sushi - really fresh! *Aji sushi - this was a special for the day! Aji is horse mackerel, but I appreciate the skin-less preparation which helped to reduce any incremental fishiness. *Kani salad (Crab meat, cucumber, tempura crunch topped w. spicy mayo & eel sauce.) - honestly i was going to get edamame or seaweed salad but this was intriguing so I said why the hell not. Can't go wrong with mayo, tempura crunch ha. It was fairly busy on a Wednesday night, but I appreciate how quick the service and food came out so I could head to the Vic theatre! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Scallop and aji (special of the day) sushi - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Let's you and I be completely honest with each other. Is Ukai Japanese Restaurant fancy and ritzy or what I would describe as bougie? No, it's not. Is Ukai going to be getting any Michelin stars anytime soon? Also no. Yet, these facts don't stop this place from being not only one of my favorite sushi spots in the city, but one of my favorite restaurants in the city! They have so many great things going for them! First, let's talk about the crab rangoons. These things are in a league of their own. Before Ukai, almost all of the rangoons I had were from Chinese takeout places, and were alright. The dough was okay, the filling was okay, so...edible, but not terrific. There was, however, one place in Massachusetts which would serve them fresh out of the fryer! They were always top-notch, and for 30 years of my life, I've not had a crab rangoon that beat those, until now. Not only does Ukai also serve them fresh, but the dough was amazingly light and flaky! Truly something to be experienced. The quality doesn't stop with the rangoons. With their sushi, a consistent favorite of mine is the White Sox roll. It is executed perfectly! The sauces on top, being the mayo and the eel sauce, are not overdone in the slightest. Both of these make their mark without overwhelming or overpowering the roll. Eel sauce is very saccharine, and Japanese-style mayo is very strong, that is to say, these are easy to accidentally be heavy-handed with, but is a non-issue. Going further, there is a generous amount of fish, which itself is high quality, both in freshness and in execution (I'm starting to sound like a broken record, aren't I?) In my experience, when places make spicy tuna, this is ground to oblivion with that light-orange spicy mayo that isn't even that hot. This wasn't the case here. The fish wasn't drowned by mayonnaise, and was properly spicy. In my book, the real measure of a quality sushi (maki?) roll is whether or not I feel it needs soy sauce... and in the case of the White Sox, it doesn't hurt, but isn't really needed! Now, I do want to touch on the Fiesta Roll. While generally the same notes apply in that it is quality and well executed, my critique with this one is I don't love the pickled jalapenos, but I 100% admit that this is a personal preference as opposed to an execution/quality issue. All this goes for what I consider very reasonable prices. While it's not as cheap as a hot dog, I feel that the value is 100% there, and I never leave feeling that I've overpaid considering what I've gotten for my money. Finally, I want to give Ukai points for their service, which is consistently friendly, attentive, and quick. Thus, Ukai has a well-deserved spot on my hall of fame, especially because considering the quality and amount of food you get, the cost isn't crazy expensive. read more

We came across Ukai while searching for sushi after a cubs game and we just so happened to walk by on our way home, so we stopped in for a quick and delicious bite. I enjoyed the crispy rice which was flavorful and had a good texture. The rice was a bit over cooked for me, but oftentimes that's the case so no knock there. We will likely stop in again! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We have been wanting to try this sushi place for a while, and it was definitely worth the wait. Some of the best crab rangoons I have ever had. I ordered way too much sushi, but it was all so delicious. I loved how they prepared the sushi at an open counter and we could see how it all was being made. This is one of those spots where will bring our friends and family to give them a Chicago food experience. read more

Recently just moved to West Lakeview. There are a couple of places near by and I been trying most of them besides Ukai. So I and my friend thought maybe it's about time. We went there yesterday for dinner. I would say this place is underrated!! We got dynamite and summer dragon. They both came as super extremely fresh one of them came as 8 pieces and the other was 10 pieces, the price was less than $40.00 All in all, highly recommend and definitely would go back read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Summer Dragon and Dynamite Roll - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you are looking for an affordable neighborhood sushi spot with quality and cooks just good enough to surpass whatever you can make at home that you would be willing to visit on a regular basis, this is the spot for you. What stood out to me about my meal here was the larger than usual sashimi cuts. Typically, I don't get cuts this big and high quality at a neighborhood sushi restaurant, so I appreciated it. The salmon avocado roll was rolled well with generous portions of avocado and salmon. I would add this to my regular sushi rotation just for the value. read more

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The food seemed a little... wilted? Or packaged? Just, less than fresh. I sort of suspect they didn't actually serve me the roll I ordered, or swapped out some of the ingredients (tuna for yellowtail and I think lettuce for cilantro) in the roll I ordered. A lot of people come in and out and grab takeout, so it's a busy atmosphere. I came in around 5 for dinner, alone, and it was completely empty. I was sat at a 2-top and was reading a book and wasn't there a full hour even, but the next two tables who came in got seated RIGHT next to me on either side. Kind of felt like they were trying to make me uncomfortable and want to leave. I was planning to get tea and a desert maybe but, nevermind I guess. Also there's a hand written sign on the door stating no one can use their restroom-might be temporary, but look out. read more

Our usual Asian restaurant closed so I was looking for a new place to get a bento box for a weekday lunch. I was looking for a place near Roscoe Village and apparently there aren't many nearby that do! This is our second time at Ukai and our meals were delicious. I had the chicken teriyaki bento box, and my husband had the spicy ramen. They dialed down the heat for him, but they can make it as spicy as you like. On our first visit I had the shrimp and veggie tempura bento box which I liked very much. Service was friendly and prompt. The waitress laughed about me not liking cucumbers. For a weekday lunch you can find free street parking. read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - spicy ramen - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had a sumptuous Soicy Miso Ramen with pork outside on the sidewalk table seating after a working security at the Chicago Cubs baseball game. Beautiful early evening supper in Mid-September before the hour-plus commute home to the western suburbs. read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Spicy Miso Ramen on the sidewalk dining seating - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ive driven past this place a million times. Well today my wife and I dectto check it out. When we walked in we were greeted by a very welcoming staff. We were seated right away. The food was amazing. This may be my new go-to for Japanese food in the city. The sushi was perfect. The ramen was very good. My wife said her udon was fantastic. As I was looking around everyone else was ordering sushi so now I have to go back. Overall this place is great. Prices aren't bad at all. read more

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Amazing sushi spot and super reasonable prices! I'd recommend the Ukai No. 1 roll. My partner ordered the chef's special and loved it. We will be back read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Ukai No.1 - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Maybe we came on an off night, but the service was pretty slow and the food was so-so. We waited around 45 minutes for our food and I had to remind the server about my diet coke. I ordered the pink lady, which seems to be their signature/most popular roll, but it was nothing special. I will say it was filling though. read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Pink Lady - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We arrived during the week not long after they opened. I believe we were their first customers. The place filled up while we were there. They also do a bustling take out (Door Dash, Uber Eats, etc.). I ordered the Tuna Tartar to start. It was so fresh and delicious. This was the start of a dinner full of me making yummy sounds. The tortilla chips served with it seemed odd. I've had a somewhat similar dish in California and they had house made taro chips. That would be special. Still, the tortilla chips didn't detract from the flavor of the tuna tartar. It was a winner and I'd order it again and again. The fish offered on the Sashimi Platter was delightful. It was fresh, beautifully cut and presented and melted in my mouth. It was another yummy sound experience. We wrapped up dinner with the Mille Crepe Cake. I ordered strawberry. Mark ordered mango. Both were delicious, but the mango had a bit more fruit filling. The restaurant was decorated for Halloween. The ambience overall was understated and comfortable. Our server, who was the only person attending to customers in the restaurant as well as managing takeout orders, was attentive and sweet. She never let us see her sweat. On our next visit to Chicago we will eat here again. read more

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The sweet lady roll was amazing! The exterior had a crunchy texture and it was filled with flavor on the inside. The pickled radish and mango cucumber rolls were very good and refreshing! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Vegetable Tempura 8Pcs - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ukai sushi is really tasty! I will say the lunch special is totally worth it as you get a good spread of food to taste. Every thing was very fresh and tasty. I will say the service was kind of slow but, the taste of the food made up for that. read more

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I am so amazed by their quality of food! The chirashi bowl was so fresh, with each slice of fish melting in your mouth with savory fattiness. The cuts were thick and satisfying. I was really full by the time I finished the bowl, and the price is actually a lot cheaper compared to other places that are of less quality! My boyfriend ordered the ramen and it was yummy as well. Will definitely have to come back and try other dishes! Service and ambiance were great! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came here because I was craving Chirashi and a lot of the sushi restaurants in Chicago were closed. It turned out to be a really good decision because their chirashi had great value (so much fish for what I would say is less pricy than what I've typically seen). They seasoned their rice with seaweed and I was surprised that they included things like the ginger, avocado, and pickled radish when I've usually only seen fish and egg on typical chirashi bowls. The fish had good texture and tasted really fresh so I was definitely impressed! The friend that I went with got a Playgirl roll and liked it as well but I didn't try it so I can't speak to how that tasted. The environment is really clean and it was quiet when I went. The workers there were super friendly as well and there are cute drawings on the wall (assuming from younger fans of the restaurant!) Overall, definitely recommend this place if you're ever craving sushi. I will definitely be returning :) read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Chirashi ($26) in front Playgirl roll in back - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is our go-to sushi spot! It is BYOB so it's fun to great a bottle of wine and sit inside and there is tons of seating and it is nice. The service is fantastic and everyone is very sweet. The menu is huge and super reasonable and you get soooo much fresh fish in the rolls. Love this place! read more

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Love this restaurant! We try and come weekly. The sushi is fresh and delicious, but the RAMEN is the gem! Spicy miso is savory and soooooo good!!! A must!! The owner is also super nice and service is great. Give it a try! read more

Great value for your money and a respectable selection. You can get great prices for cuts that are often obscenely expensive at American sushi restaurants, such as toro/otoro sashimi. I always recommend classic, traditional rolls above the over-engineered designer rolls, and Ukai does a great job with these. They are simple and delicious, as sushi is meant to be. Visit here if you're looking for a good experience and are tired of sushi being triple the price it should be. Great spot! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Fried Calamari - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Some rolls are a bit pricey but they are worth every cent. I love the options and combinations they have on their menu. I chose this place over every sushi place in Lakeview every time just because it is so quick, so good, and so consistent. I love the crunchy salmon and the Alaska roll so much!! The bears roll is also super good. They have great combos as well and deals for lunch. I hope this place sticks around! read more

Ordered take out because of the really fresh lunch special! Two rolls or the poke bowl are both perfect lunch portions for $13-$15 dollars. Online ordering was very seamless, and the food was ready within 15 minutes. There was also a smooth pick up process, so no complaints! Poke was simple but very tasty because all the ingredients were fresh/crisp. I also loved the spicy sauce included. I also really enjoyed the sweet potato roll and spicy salmon roll. Both were simple but very well executed. The sweet potato had a little crisp which was great! Will definitely return for the full dine-in experience. read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Spicy Salmon Maki and Sweet Potato Maki - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Just great ramen and sushi every time. I always make it a point to stop in when I'm in town.

I'm new to the area and was turned off by the prices for sushi around here. Decided to splurge on myself and this place is definitely worth it. There was a more than satisfactory amount of fish in each of the sushi rolls that I ordered. Will probably be where I get my sushi from now on. read more

We walked passed by this place a couple of times before. So when we wanted to dine on Japanese food, we decided to come here on a Tuesday evening. Good decision. I ordered the Shrimp & Veggie Tempura Udon Noodle Soup. The vegetable tempura tasted delicious. I liked how the udon came in a soy broth with 2 pieces of thin fish cakes. The soy broth tasted a bit on the salty side. Joseph ordered the chicken katsu with curry sauce. He said it tasted good. It took about 15 minutes to get our orders. But worth the wait. Near the entrance, customers could pick up their online orders next to the sushi bar. A good place to go on a date, bring friends or have dinner with family. read more

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Highly recommend for sushi lovers! 10/10 for both food and ambiance. Will definitely return! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Tonkotsu Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My family stopped in and had a very good experience! Friendly people and great food! The spicy tuna was more spicy that we are used to but still very good. read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - The Cubs roll and Rainbow Dragon - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great neighborhood sushi that has weathered the pandemic and gotten even better with time. Fish quality is generally excellent, and the tempura is not too greasy. We usually do takeout-- boxes are packed nicely. Turnaround time is fast, and they have always been accurate with my orders. read more

We came back here for the first time in a long time. While Ukai isn't our go-to spot, it is convenient. The last time we came I remember thinking it was overpriced and smaller portions; this time I was pleasantly surprised to learn this has changed. Ukai is BYOB so we walked in with a bottle of sake to share. Service was a little on the slow side so I wouldn't recommend visiting if you're in a rush. We came during the week for dinner. There was us and 4 other tables and it took us 10-15 minutes for anyone to come talk to us after we were seated. If you need a server I recommend flagging them down. We ordered 2 rolls and nigiri (see pictures). Due to smaller portions last visit, we opted for full rolls instead of half rolls. We also got the gomae as a starter. We love the gomae here, but the portion size is still on the small side. The rolls were HUGE. We ended up taking some home since we were a bit ambitious with the ordering. There was lots of fish, which I love. A little too much sauce on the rolls for my taste, but it's easy to wipe off. Overall I was happy with the Bears roll and Hawks roll. The Bears roll was my favorite, but I'm biased because I LOVE salmon! The nigiri was decent - the ika was normal sized but the scallops were HUGE! I couldn't get over it - I've never seen scallops that big. While the texture and size was good, the scallop didn't have the sweetness I'm accustomed to. The squid was okay - I appreciated the scoring and torch on it. Overall, I'd come back again. I'm glad to see that they beefed up the portion sizes! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Ika Squid Nigiri and Hotategai Scallop Nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm obsessed with this place! Great for lunch - affordable and fast. Portion is good and they're always playing music of the early to late 2000s, which is amazing! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent experience at this restaurant last night. Came here with a group of friends. This restaurant is in Lakeview East, and there's plenty of street parking available. It's also BYOB - I wish we had know this beforehand! The group ordered multiple appetizers including the chicken gyoza, which was delicious! I also ordered the Tako Sansai for my starter, which was a marinated octopus salad and tasted fresh. Then, for my main course, I chose the Pink Lady specialty roll. It came with salmon, avocado, scallions, and rolled up in pink soy paper and torched salmon. It was absolutely delicious and very filling. We received great service, and our waiter was friendly and attentive. The prices were similar to other sushi restaurants in Chicago (1 specialty roll cost $17, appetizers were around $7). Overall, I recommend this restaurant and look forward to coming back! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Pink Lady - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great sushi spot!! Got delivery from here and it was very good, fish was fresh and the rolls were very full with minimal rice. Will return!

the restaurant is spotless, and the service is excellent. The sushi is incredibly fresh and has a wonderful flavor.definitely come back read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really a great find in Lakeview. Great quality and tasty sushi! Very affordable and all 3 times I have been there service has been great! read more

Ukai Japanese Restaurant - Pink Lady, Cubs, Lili Monster - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent sushi in a nice atmosphere. Byob, so you can take a nice Champagne, the perfect sushi match, without running up the tab. The fish quality is excellent, and the sushi chefs were very fast here. Rolls are quite large, so bring a healthy appetite and a big mouth! We liked the hamachi jalapeno appetizer and the Sox roll the best. You can also get certain rolls in half portions. The Cubs roll was a nice way to finish. read more

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Really good ramen with flavorful and tender tonkotsu. Solid rice bowl and sushi. We really loved the tuna tataki roll with shrimp tempura. Very clean space with lots of room. Good servers including one who ran outside the restaurant to return a left behind phone. read more