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Ara On
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Korean Japanese, Korean [Edit]
160 W Adams St(between La Salle St & Wells St)
Chicago, IL 60603
Neighborhood: The Loop
(312) 781-7300
- Nearest Transit:
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Quincy/wells (Brown Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line)
Lasalle/van Buren (Brown Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line)
Monroe-blue (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 9 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Trendy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
28 reviews for Ara On
Review Highlights
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"...sauce and sweet potato maki rolls and they were damn good." In 3 reviews -
"Ara On is a very nice lounge/sushi bar with friendly people." In 2 reviews -
"...looking to take advantage of some great specials after work." In 3 reviews
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Peggy S.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 4/19/2012
Since my review, I've gone to Ara On almost once a month. The quality and freshness of the food never disappoints, the staff always remembers us (and that I am vegetarian, which is super comforting) and takes good care of us. The owner has come over a number of times to say hi, make us a roll on the house or offer us sake or dessert.
The sushi bar is comfortable and its really enjoyable to watch the sushi chef's work. I've also had their tofu bahn mi, which isn't the healthiest, but is awesome. My husband loves their appetizers and drinks.
The point: the combo of food + service is definitely five star. Bump!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/27/2011
I love Ara On. My husband and I meet up here for dinner after a hard day sometimes and we are… Read more »
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Review from Yvonne O.
Chicago, IL
3/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm happy to see this place still around, but am puzzled by some of the menu changes. The sizzle plates are just weird - mashed potatoes with steak made me think I was at a Steakhouse and not an Asian place.....
The spicy tuna roll was really good, so I might just stick to sushi the next time around....
Still nice to have a quick and tasty lunch in the loop! -
Review from Kimmie W.
Chicago, IL
2/5/2012
I absolutely LOVE the location, decor and friendly waitstaff. Sorry, I just can't give it four stars, because I've had much better sushi. However; the sushi at Ara On is delicious, so please don't miss out on this place!
It's a great first date location! Try it you won't be disappointed!
;) -
Review from Pamela M.
Chicago, IL
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've got mixed feelings about this restaurant. I went here with the fiancee, his mom, and his sister for a pre-Mother's Day dinner. We were seated just before 9pm on a Saturday night, and the place only had 2 other tables occupied.
The service was great. No complaints there.
Overall, the food was hit or miss.
The complimentary appetizer of edamame was tasty with a hint of crushed pepper along with the usual salt seasoning.
The Vietnamese spring roll appetizer that we ordered was delicious. I'm not sure why it's considered "Vietnamese", though, because the star of the roll itself was the Korean kalbi (short rib) meat. Well, call it what you like, Ara-on. I'm calling it delicious!
The menu had lots of tasty options available, but this being a sushi restaurant, I decided to get sushi, namely the Dragon roll and the Mirage roll. Big mistake.
The dinner selections across the table were (1) Spider roll and Spicy Salmon roll, (2) Ribeye with truffle fries, and (3) Miso Yaki Salmon bento box.
The general consensus was that anything coming out of the kitchen was fantastic. The Miso Yaki Salmon had a fantastically crisp skin and delicious seasoning, including the greens that sat underneath. The ribeye was cooked to perfection, and the truffle fries were very tasty as well.
We also universally agreed that anything out of the sushi bar was subpar at best, and it's not just that we didn't like the combinations of ingredients that we ordered, either, in case you think we're being picky. The sushi itself wasn't packed very tightly and would start to fall apart once you picked it up.
So while we may be back, it won't be for sushi. -
Review from hungry w.
Chicago, IL
5/5/2012
While the food was on the level, I didn't find anything particularly spectacular. Nothing stood out as far as any of the items I have ordered, but I'll never go back after seeing how the owner treats his waitstaff. If this place excited your tastebuds or other senses, you've been eating too many sushi trays from the grocery store cooler.
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Review from Melanie S.
Chicago, IL
1/26/2012 6 Check-ins Here
I've slowly been coming around to Ara On, despite having worked across the street for over three years. I've now been here three times for lunch, and once for after-work cocktails.
Although they take reservations, it has never seemed so crowded that it would be a problem snagging a table without one.
The decor is kind of hit or miss; I like that they re-purpose tree trunks into tables, but I'm not such a big fan of their lighting. The tables are spaced apart nicely; I like that that they don't make people sit on top of each other, which seems to be the norm at Loop restaurants. They have a few tables in the lobby entryway of the restaurant, just off the revolving doors, which seems odd to me. I can't imagine sitting there in the winter.
The food is generally good, but some things are better than others. I've tried several things but so far my favorite is their tuna avocado salad, which comes with lightly-seared tuna, perfectly ripe avocado, fresh orange segments, and it's served with watercress tossed in a sesame vinaigrette. It's so refreshing and delicious.
I've also tried a couple of their bento boxes, which are a good value. They feature a protein entrée (chicken or steak teriyaki, sesame scallops, salmon or ginger pork tenderloin), a couple pieces of California roll, fresh fruit (usually a mix of melon, grapes and orange), potato croquettes (basically Japanese tater tots), some shrimp and vegetable tempura, and a salad. It's quite a lot of food (but I do wish it came with rice). My only nitpick is that the chicken teriyaki is dark meat, but I've tried the steak and scallops and those are both great.
Naturally they serve nigiri as well as maki, and banh mi sandwiches (which come with terrific garlic-herb fries). Even their edamame is a step up; it comes warm, not cold, and it's dusted with togarashi, so it's got a nice spice to it.
The service can be hit or miss too. I've had okay service before, but today our server was fantastic. She was personable, efficient, and had the most adorable English accent. One member of our group is a vegetarian and when she ordered miso soup, our server (without any prompting) went to make sure the soup is vegetarian-friendly (this soup usually is). Thankfully she checked because it turns out it is made with fish stock. I know the vegetarian was happy she went the extra mile to find out.
Three stars seems kind of low, but it's not quite four-star worthy just yet. That may change with a few more visits.Listed in: Keeping you in the Loop, Dim Sum Lose Some
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Review from Kate M.
Updated - 7/22/2011
I can't quite give Ara on another star after a few more visits. I'll upgrade them to an A-OK from an Eh, just OK though. A recent lunch visit has me more hopeful for this Loop Japanese/sushi spot.
I successfully avoided having to make any decisions for myself by letting my lunch date do all the ordering (a smile and "I want whatever you want" can go a long way). Our lunch was better than I remember on past visits. There was some bacon friend rice mentioned on the special menu, and I'm a bacon whore, but we couldn't find it on the menu by itself. I contented my bacon-less self with the lunch we did order and it was good and filling.
The service could still use a little help. Our server wasn't around as much as we wanted/needed. I always get a little frustrated when a hostess seats me next to the busing station when there are plenty of other open tables. I didn't protest, I should've, it was annoying.
Ara On could step up their game to a 4 star dining spot if the service was better. I need to try their Japanese dishes too, some of them sound very good.Listed in: Lunch in the Loop, Let's roll around together...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/12/2011
Eh, just ok. A friend and I had a lunch date in the loop and were looking for sushi, there aren't… Read more »
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Review from George K.
1/11/2012
I was fearful when we walked in and the restaurant had less people in it then a Jason Caffey led Bulls game (for those of you that remember, I sympathize). We tried the sweet potato roll and the california roll first and they tasted fresh and delicious. Nothing too overwhelming about them but they aren't exactly overwhelming sushi to begin with. Second round was the specialty rolls as we ordered the Smokey Eye and the Red Dragon. Naturally, my compatriot Dragon preferred the Red Dragon roll (think Step Brothers on the nickname) while I was partial to the Smokey Eye. All in all it was a solid meal for less than $40 (including 1 drink each), just wish the place was a little more lively. Recommend.
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Review from Stacy S.
Chicago, IL
2/27/2012
What a great place!
The food was amazing and the server was so nice! We made reservations for last Saturday night, but apparently we didn't need them, as the place was completely empty! That was a little weird at first, but it didn't matter once we got our food. The sweet potato vegetarian sushi was so good. I got the sizzle plate of chicken and mashed potatoes. Also, the server was so nice to let me substitute more mashed potatoes for the vegetables! My boyfriend got a bento box, which was full of delicious things too. I cannot wait to go back, and I definitely recommend this place!!! -
Review from Sam N.
Chicago, IL
9/25/2011
The People who run this place know what they are doing terms of quality and service. Jimmy the owner and Bevin who is a manager are top notch in my book. Even though this is tucked away in a building on the corner of LaSalle and Adams, you should endeavor to go and tast their sushy creations. I brought in a large group of people and they even gave us free samples/WOW
Thanks. -
Review from Kyle H.
5/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Ara On, Ara Off! Wait, Ara On was fairly "on" during a recent lunch time visit with one of my favorite friends. As many reviews mention, it's fairly empty before Noon, so grabbing a table without a reservation is no problem. We were greeted warmly, and service was very nice during our visit.
I'm not much of a sushi expert, but I enjoyed the presentation and taste of the Sunrise Roll (w/diced watermelon) and the specialty 190 s. (s. for "south") soy paper rolls. Not to be confused with the 190 North rolls anytime Janet Davies "rolls" in! (Thanks, I'll be here all week, try the Miso soup). The California rolls were good as well.
Ara has a fair offering of "real food" as well, and I really wanted to order the Flat Iron Steak off of the "Sizzle Menu" just so I could say "Sizzle".
I love that the tables are cut from trunks of trees, and the decor is modern and nice, although the lighting could be toned down; it's all Bright Lights, Big City in here! Ara has a nice long bar with friendly bartenders, and a couch/lounge area that would be good for an after work drink or pre-dinner drinks.Listed in: Loop Lunchin', Rollin' With My Homies
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Review from Diana K.
Chicago, IL
3/28/2012
Okay so this is in my building so location is super great for me but I still can't give it five stars because the service is not the greatest. (I also can't pronounce the name or even remember it...shocking I actually got close enough when I searched to write a review haha) One of my colleagues ordered the tartare, only to be told they were out of it 15 minutes later. Took over an hour and a half to get our food (which was good) and then took at least an extra half an hour to get our check by the time we originally wanted it....and the tartare was added to the bill. Took at least another 20 minutes for them to take it off...and this is in the middle of a work day. I've been a couple of times before...the steak salad was good although they could have given more greens but there was plenty of steak. Their Bahn mi sandwiches are also really tasty and satisfying and come with really yummy fries. If you can get stuff to go, I think that's the way to do it.
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Review from Adam K.
6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Meh its ok. Kind of what I expected, tons of overhead + location = high prices. Food was aight nothing special.
Here's what I got:
BANH MI SANDWICH - Fried Tofu this was kinda bland, the bread was uninspired and did not remind me of the epic bread from Bon Bon sandwiches on north and western (check out my review.)
Served with Thai coleslaw, This was OK, seemed like it was sitting out for a long time tho.
garlic herb French fries, - Best part, I really enjoyed these.
MISO SOUP - Weak, not enough fish sauce or something, virtually no greens. -
Review from Sunil D.
4/8/2011
I had very low expectations going in here for the first time. I hadn't heard anyone talk about it, the Japanese place that was formerly in the space quickly came and went, there aren't a ton of good sushi/Japanese places in the loop to eat....so why would this place be any different.
We walked in at 11:45 on Friday for lunch and the place was scattered with empty tables, I took this as a red flag and we almost went somewhere else, luckily we stuck with our first instinct. (The place did fill up and was packed by the time we left). We started out with the shortrib spring rolls and sweet and spicy shrimp small plates. After our first bite, me and my fellow diner looked at each other with our jaws dropped. The food wasn't only good, it was phenomenal. The shortrib spring roll was rolled and cut like a maki roll, basically a sushi roll with beef and rolled in rice paper. For a small plate, it provided 5 huge pieces of "maki." The shrimp were huge, tasted fresh, had a nice kick, then only downside was it came with 3....forcing us to flip for the last one, with me on the losing end.
We tried two sushi rolls that were good, but were good sushi, honestly nothing to write home about. Solid maki rolls, but like many of my favorite Asian places, the other stuff is just too good to opt for the sushi.
Finally (yes we pigged out)....we split the bahn mi pulled pork sandwich. I'm a huge bahn mi fan and will trek all the way up to argyle to get my fix if need be. This was one of the best I've had, although it wasn't stuffed with veggies like the standard/traditional preparation, it was filled with juicy (but not watery) pulled pork, that had great flavor and depth with just the right amount of head from the jalapeno. A nice crusty baguette was strong enough to soak up the flavor of the pork and still have a nice crunchy crust to it. Quite honestly, one of the best sandwiches I've ever had (and worth every last cent of the $13). The accompanying cole slaw was a little too creamy, but the fries were phenomenal. I don't know what they did to them, but they were seasoned to give it a distinct flavor.
Service was good, a little slow (but acceptable as it was swamped by 12 15). The atmosphere was good, had a nice buzz, but not loud or overbearing. Items on the menu are a touchy on the pricey side for a lunch in the loop, but with that said we spent $70 with tip and that was enough food to feed a party of 3....or leave the two of us walking out of there in a food coma. Perfect for a Friday afternoon.... -
Review from Hillary E.
Chicago, IL
1/18/2011
After a long day of work (or what felt like it), a coworker and I decided to eat dinner around the loop then head home. We were craving something Asian and somewhere we could sit for awhile and catch up.
Well, we arrived here for dinner and were one of the only tables in the entire restaurant. Yeah, it's the loop and it's dinner time - but it's unappealing to be dining alone in a pretty large restaurant. You would expect fantastic service, but our server only came over once in awhile.
We ordered a bottle of white wine with dinner, and it was brought out at room temperature. We understand that it may not already be chilled - but the server shouldn't have poured us gigantic glasses of it until it had chilled more. I think that was our biggest complaint about the service - common sense. I also don't remember seeing these $5 specialty cocktails because we may have gone that route had we been aware of them.
The food we ordered came out quickly - for appetizers we ordered the baked stuffed salmon (good!) and what I remember to be a beef spring roll type appetizer (a little bit spicy) that also came with some mango chutney. We also had two rolls - the pink roll and the super vegetarian maki. The portion sizes were large and we couldn't finish all the food.
I don't like dining when absolutely no one else is in the place, so everyone can hear your conversation echo in the surrounding silence. Service should have been more observant since we were the only ones there - at least the food came out pretty quickly and we could enjoy dinner at our pace since no one was waiting to sit down. -
Review from Aisha L.
Brookline, MA
4/1/2011
I really enjoyed this place. I have been in for two lunches and one dinner. Really friendly staff (Margaret was our waitress) and great food for reasonable prices, especially for Sushi. The rolls are delicious!
They have this great house hot tea too which is a blend that tastes terrific. I dont what it it is. Jasmine green?
I got the salmon roll, and the rainbow roll. They also have great cooked food too if you dont like raw.
I recommenced this place! -
Review from Dan L.
Palatine, IL
12/3/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Food is fresh, consistent, and cooked perfectly. My go to place for lunch when the same old same old just wont do.
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Review from morgan g.
Manhattan, NY
12/2/2011
Yummmmyyyy!
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Review from Jerome K.
Chicago, IL
11/23/2011
I recently visited Ara On with a few friends and it was pretty good. Mind you, we were only there for Happy Hour, but I'd highly recommend it for any one looking to take advantage of some great specials after work. The drinks were good, the atmosphere was cool, and the food was sexy. I had the garlic and herb fries with aioli dipping sauce and sweet potato maki rolls and they were damn good. It's like someone gave my taste buds a "happy ending". The service was also outstanding. True, the restaurant was practically empty, but that might be due to the fact that we went right before Thanksgiving. I'll definitely head back to Ara On soon.
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Review from Jacob K.
Chicago, IL
8/18/2011
Ara On is a very nice lounge/sushi bar with friendly people. There is techno music in the background, but it is not super loud. The prices were very reasonable, but unfortunately the sushi, with the exception of the rolls which contained shrimp tempura were very average. This is a nice place to hangout and have a drink but the rolls were not memorable. Perhaps their entrees are a better option.
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Review from Travis S.
Bryan, TX
8/5/2010 1 photo
This used to be Shikago, but came under new ownership/management last week.
Last time I was here I had a great sampler of pan-Asian food. This time I decided to order sushi at the bar. I had a dragon roll and a spicy tuna roll. Both were quite good. They have standard maki rolls as well as more interesting/expensive ones.
They have a respectable wine and beer menu as well as a full bar. The restaurant is very open with a separate bar area, a sushi bar area and a regular dining area with tables.
After dinner the new owner brought me a scoop of Asian pear sherbet. It was served with a single mint leaf in a ceramic tea kettle. It was quite good with hints of ginger.
I don't like restaurants with TVs and Ana On has one. Not ideal, but at least the sound is off. The music is your standard pop music - no sushi house music.
Overall, a great place to eat in the Loop especially if you're staying at the Club Quarters or the W. -
Review from Sean B.
9/7/2010
Now AraOn, this place was meh.
The good: I got a Bento box, tempura was done right, the soy sauce bowl was cute, the potato component was good, as was the California roll.
The bad: I ordered the NY steak Bento box and got the chicken. Then we were charged the wrong amount for it on the bill. Also, they practically hovered throughout the meal. I was having something of a sensitive conversation and they kept interrupting over and over again, even after I said no to more water or diet soda.
There was this annoying cafeteria cleaner smell as I entered the south entrance through the lobby. Didn't help to solidify an impression of the place.
The place is a good business lunch local if you need something in the immediate area. Otherwise I'd pass for better Japanese quality elsewhere. -
Review from Joe R.
Westmont, IL
7/30/2011
The Bahn Mi sandwiches are a great lunch order. My brother and I split the Pulled Pork and Short Rib sandwiches. I highly recommend both and would like to try the Grilled Chicken for my next visit.
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Review from Jonathan W.
Chicago, IL
8/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I went here and my only take away was that I was pleasantly surprised. At this point in my life I'm way too familiar with the Korean / Thai / etc. knockoff Japanese restaurant thing so when I got there I was banking on slamming down an overpriced spider roll or some tempura and calling it a day. I'm not at all a roll guy but the 190 roll is really a work of art. I could tell the chefs were young, enthusiastic and really cared. The fish was decent. Not the best I've had but I have a feeling they will keep working at it.
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Review from ric g.
Chicago, IL
4/8/2011
I am not a sushi guy, but the meat dishes were delicious. The sake was great, chilled perfectly.
The service was impeccable. The wait staff was attentive. Jimmy Kim, the owner, came by our table to welcome us and ensure everything was meeting our expectations.
The location was a great central loop location, perfect for lunch or after work dinner.
And finally, the Library, on the 40th floor is a unique room to host functions. Beautiful views and a very cool setting. Literally, an old law library. -
Review from Mark P.
Oak Ridge, NJ
9/2/2010
This is now called AraOn Restaurant, and is one door down from the W Hotel.
As with any sushi restaurant, I am a bit nervous when the place is dead empty. I know this area of town is dead anytime after lunch, but figured "what the heck" and gave it a shot with a friend.
The edamame was our app, and it was fairly standard with a touch of spice added to it. Maybe a touch more salt and spice for my taste would be good. The miso soup though, for the price at least, was nothing to write home about. Would be a skip next time.
As far as the sushi, it was very good. Fresh, tasty and well prepared. We had a few spicy rolls (tuna and salmon) and each was very, very good. In addition, I had a volcano roll which was good and a bit different. There was cooked, thin shrimp on top, along with a sauce that was like cocktail sauce but a bit hotter. It was actually very good, but reminded me of a shrimp cocktail overall. Not saying it was bad, just different.
Also, one other cool thing to note, I had ordered the hot saki...and was happy to have it served along with a masu... a small wooden box to drink it out of. Might seem silly, but it is a cool different way to drink it which totally changes the taste. -
Review from Elizabeth A.
Chicago, IL
10/4/2011
Ara-On has a very peaceful atmosphere, I enjoyed my dining experience very much. However was a bit frightened when the owner barked a hello and goodbye at me.
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Review from Thea Y.
Chicago, IL
10/29/2010
Looks fancy, nice presentation but no flavor, no taste. Nigiri and sashimi not fresh at all. Do not go there. It's bad!
