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    Ukai Japanese Restaurant

    4.0 (487 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Ukai Japanese Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

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    UKAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Ukai Japanese Restaurant

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    Magic Tuna
    Daniela N.

    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.

    Spicy Scallop Roll, Spicy Tuna Rolltuna
    Kim L.

    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!

    Scallop and aji (special of the day) sushi
    Tiffany S.

    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!

    Derrik B.

    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!

    Summer Dragon and Dynamite Roll
    Cesstawut K.

    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

    Salmon Avocado Roll, Magic Tuna, hamachi & salmon sashimi
    Sherard C.

    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.

    Spicy Miso Ramen  on the sidewalk dining seating
    Nestor E.

    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.

    spicy ramen

    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.

    Tempura chicken
    Anthony O.

    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.

    Ukai No.1
    Liz B.

    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

    Tuna Tartar
    Scott N.

    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.

    Pink Lady
    Tina L.

    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.

    Steve B.

    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.

    Chirashi ($26) in front
 
 Playgirl roll in back

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    1 month ago

    good food but they play gospel music so loud i cannot even hear the people i'm eating with talking

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    5 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    thank you so much. We really appreciate your review

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

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    thank you so much

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    6 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    Sarah L.

    thank you so much. We appreciate your 5 stars review.thanks again

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    1 year ago

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    Thank you so much for your kind review

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    8 months ago

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    Thank you so so much . We appreciate your business !

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    1 year ago

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

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    2 years ago

    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!

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    Page 1 of 13

    Ask the Community - Ukai Japanese Restaurant

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    Omakase On Me

    4.5(16 reviews)
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    Making the trek from the burbs to the city on a Saturday night is a pain these days so when we do…read moreso we like to make it worth it. And Omakase on Me was well worth it from both an entertainment and food perspective. I had booked this for our anniversary about a month ago after seeing the stellar reviews and we are huge sushi fans. I didn't research too much so wasn't exactly sure how it worked, but the surprise was part of the fun. We arrived for our 7:30pm reservation and were asked to sit to the side until everyone arrived. I figured they'd take us to a table in the back, but then realized there's just one bar where everyone sits. They do 3 seatings a night: 530pm, 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Our entire experience was about an hour of 15 min and we left super full and well entertained. There are 16 courses. I believe about 5 appetizers, followed by many sushi courses, 1 hand roll and finally a delicious cheesecake for dessert. I was super full around course #8 and my husband had to start helping me out even though it was all so good. It wasn't the best sushi I've ever had, but really good by Chicago standards. We were sitting next to a lovely couple from Seattle where they do have a really good fresh sushi and they were fans too. The presentation was so fun that you'll definitely want to keep your phone handy to take pics and videos. And the staff was upbeat, hilarious and so nice! They also kept the sake flowing. They do offer other drinks, but we really didn't need to order on top of all of the sake. Our total ended up being around $400, which is pricey for a meal for 2 but felt like it was a show plus sushi...and such a unique experience. My husband loved it all and thanked me for finding something super fun to celebrate our anniversary. On your way out you'll also have the opportunity to sign the wall. For the cost I think it was a one time experience for a date night, but i do think it would be a blast to fill the place with a bunch of friends so maybe we'll do that at some point!

    This is more of a party place than fine sushi. We were the only ones there on a Monday. They have a…read morelot of gimmicky tricks. The sushi was fine but overpriced. I enjoyed chatting with the sushi chefs but I wouldn't go back as there are better omakase places.

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    This is a sushi-only omakase, so don't expect appetizers, salads, or other courses before the…read moresushi. The focus here is completely on the nigiri, which actually makes for a simple and enjoyable experience. The counter seats around 10 people, giving the restaurant a casual and intimate atmosphere. Even though the setting is relaxed, the meal is not rushed at all. The main chef was very attentive and gentle, making sure everyone had finished each piece before moving on to the next course. I really appreciated how he paid attention to every guest individually. The three chefs also created a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere throughout the meal. One thing I especially liked was how clearly they explained every piece of sushi and what was on it, including the fish, preparation, and even the type of soy sauce or seasoning used. The information was also displayed on a board above the counter, making it easy for everyone to follow along and know exactly what they were eating. The amount of food was just right, and everything was prepared carefully. If you are a little intimidated by very traditional or adventurous omakase--unusual fish, stronger flavors, or more exotic ingredients--this would be a great place to start. The selections are approachable without taking away from the omakase experience. What stood out the most to me was the service. I loved how much the main chef cared about each person at the counter and made sure everyone was comfortable and enjoying the experience. It felt personal, warm, and unpretentious. Thank you to all three chefs for such a pleasant meal!

    My friend was visiting from out of town and we decided to try AJI for omakase. The co owner…read moreintroduced each dish and the atmosphere was relaxed. Even though omakase can feel intimidating or uptight, it felt comfortable. Most of the dishes had a hint of lemon which I'm not a fan of, but I understand it helps balance the fishiness for others. When there were a few pieces without lemon, just the fish itself, I was blown away. The fatty tuna with caviar and uni tasted like a million bucks. The dessert was also incredible sooo rich and full of flavor. Overall, I highly recommend AJI and would definitely come back again.

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    I love Itoko's brunch!! We can in for the early bird special…read more The steamed bun and lox had a unique take. The homemade everything steamed buns were so amazingly warm and soft. The cream cheese and salmon were the perfect portions to the bun. The egg souffle was cooking to perfection. I usually feel like I need some extra hot sauce on my eggs and the flavors were great and I didn't feel like I needed to drench the eggs in hot sauce. The pancakes were perfectly soft and not too sweet at all! Layering pancake, butter, pancake, butter and then dipping into the sauce made the perfect bite each time. We got most of our dishes through the southport set which is 100% worth it! On a side note not brunch related: the burger is really yummy. I love their hand rolls. The sushi rolls are a little small for me but still very well made.  I love all their cocktails. They are perfect drinks for the summer and are nicely bubbly. The staff is always so friendly and helpful. The restaurant is beautiful and much larger than you would think. The patio is great and friendly for dogs.

    I have been to Itoko so many times and absolutely love their happy hour!! Their lychee martini is…read morethe best I have ever had. All their handrolls are something you must get! The rice bowl is so good as well. They give you a cute Polaroid pic for your special days either birthday or anniversary. This place is perfect for girls night or date night. Love their panna cotta which is so delicious. The service here is great! I will keep coming back especially for their happy hour.

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