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Arami
Category: Restaurants Sushi Bars Sushi Bars [Edit]
1829 W Chicago Ave(between Wolcott Ave & Wood St)
Chicago, IL 60622
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
(312) 243-1535
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Melanie V. said: "Caramel Crunch + Dark Knight. FTW." read more »
250 reviews for Arami
Review Highlights
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"You must try the togarashi seared tuna appetizer." In 17 reviews -
"also the toro tartar bite, I could eat that by the bowlful." In 13 reviews -
"The flavors in the double sake paired perfectly together." In 20 reviews
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250 reviews in English
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Review from JENN K.
Chicago, IL
3/15/2012
Arami- Traditional meets modern sushi gem.
As an avid sushi fan, to date, this is my favorite sushi spot in the city. I find many places that focus on a traditional sushi experience are the older, more underwhelming spots, where as, the high-end sushi places tends to be too modern in cuisine. Arami has fantastic quality seafood, expect to pay good money... and this isn't one of the those pricey, 'place to be seen' spots either...
FOOD
Must get: Sake Garlic (special), Secret Hamachi (special), Hirame Spicy Tako, Double Sake & Hamachi Maguro Ebi.
Gelato Trio- The best of Black Dog gelato (my absolute favorite gelato and great to see Arami sourcing locally). Had Blood Orange, Sea Salt and Black Sesame- all fantastic!
SERVICE
Meticulous, quiet & unpretentious- precisely what I appreciate when sushi-ing.
AMBIENCE
Clean, small, peaceful... with nightclubs masquerading as restaurants left and right, Arami keeps everything clean so that you can focus on the food. I don't really remember the music, lighting, furniture- in a good way. -
Review from Jeff R.
We went to Arami in August of 2010 shortly after it opened and during the short time it was BYO. It was one of our best meals of 2010 and have recommended many people to try their sashimi and ramen. I'm also embarrassed that for one of our favorites we did not return for 18 months, especially since we moved into the neighborhood. A few weeks ago we re-acquainted ourselves and had a very nice sushi meal with the Dermans.
While our first visit was flawless and amazing (and cheap), my second visit had a few more blemishes. I acknowledge it's impossible to judge a restaurant on one trip, and probably harder with two separated trips so far apart. The highlights remained the same: love the tiny space and casual decor, great service and likely the best sashimi in town. We didn't love the maki rolls this time around and the ramen bowl did not have the same amazing memory as before. I was also surprised by the price - I'll happily pay for quality fish, but considering we didn't leave stuffed and didn't drink a lot it was not a cheap experience. The presentations are all top notch and can transform an unassuming wooden table into a work of art.
We are now better prepared to order what we like and stick to the high quality (and expensive) fresh fish and simple appetizers. It's a great place to have near by and a worthy destination for anyone in the area. If you're just craving maki rolls I'd recommend heading to a cheaper local BYO and lower expectations.
In total our meal consisted of seaweed salad, edamamae fatty tuna sashimi dollops, salmon, three maki rolls, two specialty rolls, vegetable ramen and more sashimi served on the huge bowl of ice with flowers. As I mentioned, everything was good but few things were amazing - and they were the deliciously subtle flavoring of the sashimi pieces. Best quality fish I've had in the city in a long time. It's so close and very good I'm sure we'll return and hopefully get back closer to the first rating than the second.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/22/2010
One of the best reasons I like trying new restaurants is that once in a while you find a really good… Read more »
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Review from Tera D.
3/18/2012
:( I so so so wanted to like Arami. I took a sushi making class a year ago and asked the teacher what his favorite sushi place was, figuring a sushi chef would certainly know. His answer was hands down Arami. Add to that the great Yelp reviews, and I was pumped. Sadly, it did not live up to expectations.
First and foremost I have to point out that we spent $100 for two people with hot tea as our only drink and we left HUNGRY. Well, the boy was hungry, and I felt in no way like I had eaten dinner. We ordered a mixture of hot and cold appetizers and two sushi rolls. It was two weeks ago and I can't remember a single one, except the tuna skewers which I remember for being overcooked. Super bummer. -
Review from Rabiya K.
Chicago, IL
5/21/2012
Easily the freshest sushi i I've had in this city (sorry LFM). Stick to the nigiris and sashimis (favorites included zuke sake hotate and secret hamachi) and maybe avoid the specialty rolls. Arami is good because they have fresh good quality seafood, it shouldn't be doused with too much spicy mayo and other crap (which the hamachi maguro was). And, if possible, avoid our waitress (wish I remembered her name) - a spacey and slightly rude weirdo who left in the middle of us ordering and did not return for about 20-30 minutes and then proceeded to remain MIA for a lot of our meal.
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Review from Morgan S.
Dallas, TX
3/15/2012
Terrific experience last night thanks to fresh fish and great recommendations from our server. Already craving a return visit.
The asparagus, shrimp tempura, spicy salmon roll is an absolute must! I recommend trying the nigiri specials as well and an eel flight.
Blood orange sake sorbet was the perfect way to cap off the meal. -
Review from Kelly M.
Chicago, IL
2/16/2012
Delicious. The sushi and creative appetizers at Arami are worth trying. I highly recommend the Toro Tartar Bite, which is what it sounds like, just a bite. But, your taste buds will thank you! I craved another one.
I also enjoyed the Togarashi Seared Tuna which was served with a fresh and citrusy seaweed salad. My favorite sushi roll was the Double Sake maki mono. It had salmon, scallion, zuke salmon (soy marinated salmon) and lemon mayo.
This was the first sushi restaurant I had been to that didn't have soy sauce readily available. But, trust me. You don't need it! The flavors are perfectly balanced. However, they do have soy sauce if you absolutely insist.
The service was great. Our waitress was knowledgeable and attentive. The restaurant itself is very soothing and modern. The dining room has a spa/loft look with a wood ceiling, skylights and exposed brick walls. The skylights probably let in a lot of nice ambient light on summer evenings.
For once, a place that lives up to the hype! -
Review from Hoanglong N.
Chicago, IL
1/23/2012
This may be a skewed review since it is based off of a single item... but if you are looking for legit ramen... press the back button on your browser right now and keep looking.
.....
wait... seriously? you are still thinking of coming here for ramen? if u want good ramen, this is not your place. Go to mitsuwa instead, and i am not kidding. i had the arami ramen, and it was just an unpleasant experience. I left the restaurant with the same craving for ramen that led me to this restaurant in the first place.... a very sad, sad feeling that i want to spare you and your children, and yes, even the british children. almost ended up going to mitsuwa, but it was already late and closed.
the ramen was very... what's the word... oh, MEH. linear flavor, lacks the oh's and ah's, the meat was just a piece of meat, noodles tasted had texture like noodles from chicken noodle soup and broth tasted like chicken noodle soup broth. It was like chicken noodle soup without the chicken but with a piece of big piece of meat.
anyways, save yourself the despair and go to mitsuwa if u are drooling for ramen. I can't speak for the rest of the menu there, so maybe i will visit again and then pass final judgement. I had such high hopes for the ramen... such a shame........ -
Review from Tomjulio ,.
Milwaukee, WI
2/18/2012
oh god oh god oh god. Hell, if they could slice a raw piece of George Burns and put him on rice, they would here...and it would taste fucking delicious!
Beyond impressed with my first time here as I have many other staples for sushi in Chicago (Tokyo Marina, well the old cheaper version comes to mind) . Kind of hidden on a non-descrip block of old timey city businesses, Arami is the real deal Holyfield.
The lady and I came on a Chicago date night and were in a festive fish eating saki drinking mood when we stepped in with no reservations. Full place but we were able to sneak a few seats momentarily at the bar up front to partake in saki and a few apps. The hostess was great that night making room for us in a packed place. Dropped her a $20 pimp style for her troubles. Yeah, that's how I roll...er California roll. hahahaha...um yeah. After 30 minutes or so we got a VIP seating right at the sushi bar and this is where the fun started.
First off, I have to say that our server, Tiffany, was absolutely mind blowingly knowledgeable about not only the sushi menu, but the saki menu. She knew everything it seemed, and it came from her own love of the product and place. Just incredible. So owners if you are reading this, you best keep this little lady well paid and appreciated as long as you can. Ok....enough back petting, onto the fish.
Wow. simply, wow. Fresh. Unique. Variation. Presentation. They nailed everything. i had fish and combinations I have never had. Hirame collar, white sea eel, sea trout(so good), rare oysters with special toppings, white truffle oil and caviar on many sashimi pieces. Mind blowing. Tiffany help guide us through the menu with great suggestions and tempo. never felt rushed. Enjoyed every flavor and texture at the perfect tempo.
Ok..one small hiccup, which is nothing really, but it sticks out in an otherwise brilliant restaurant. As an app we got the baby grilled octopus. This was a total miss. It comes as a small salad with small pieces of over grilled octopus with shredded ice berg lettuce. a complete disappointment in flavor and presentation. Please change(better yet, lose) this item to compliment the other 99% of the great food on the menu and there you go.
In the end our bill was $300+ for a few hours of a personalized guided sushi and sake tour (a bottle and a half consumed easily) and it was well worth it. We splurged hard, but on any other night one could expect to drop $50-$80 here for two easily. We will be back Arami, we will be back. -
Review from Mindy S.
2/6/2012
After my second visit, it will definitely not be my last.
Beautiful environment, good music, amazing service, perfect food. Five stars if visiting them wasn't such a splurge, wish I could go all the time!
We ate our way through the menu over three hours :)
Some highlights:
The oysters on the special menu are INSANE. I have never had oysters in my life, but they looked soooo delicious that we ordered two more plates of them. I look forward to having them again.
The toro tartar bite made me crave it after my first visit, but disappointed on my second.
Both of the special gunkan nigiri were amazing.
The secret hamachi was a favorite.
The Tonkatsu Don is not something I would normally have, nor order again, but I am so glad I got to try it.
I've had the super fatty white tuna here and it is exceptional.
The two desserts we had were amazing, the ganache and the other one had baked mochi with icecream.
They made my girlfriend's birthday, as she later described in her thank you email, "an above and beyond dining experience". Thank you to the host who had the class to turn some flowers we had brought into a beautiful table display. Thank you to the waitress who served us diligently throughout the evening although we were undoubtedly slow. Our waitress walked us through the menu to begin with and had information on everything we asked about. -
Review from Alex B.
1/16/2012 2 photos
Wow, what a find this place is. Get here now, before the world discovers it and beats a path here. Hands down the best Sushi I've had in a while. The presentation and inventiveness give it the nod over other more traditional players like Sushi Wabi. And the service matches the food - we had an all around fantastic evening. Arami is now on the top of our list.
A few highlights from the evening. Our server was very knowledgeable and made some great suggestions when she learned our party of 4 was settling in for the long haul and wanted to be adventurous. She suggested a sake I'd never had - Chrysanthemum - poured over ice and garnished with cucumber to accompany our first course selections. Terrific choice and a great accompaniment. We had the Toro Tartar Bite and the Tako (Oyster) spring roll - both of which were triumphs. I was skeptical of the Octopus, since I am usually not a fan, but this preparation with cilantro was great and the octopus very tender. The highlight though was the Uni Shooter. So delicious and unique - this is a truly memorable dish and resulted in our entire table of four "mmmmmmm"ing in unison as we did the shots. A great way to start the meal.
We had a number of excellent nigiri and maki mono next - these change daily and I'm reasonably sure you can't go wrong. They were all delicious and were well accompanied by the Chokaisan sake suggested by our server (did I mention she was excellent and always suggesting the right menu items?). The highlight of the evening though was the Horse Mackerel (see picture) which was not only a thing of beauty, but one of the cleanest, most delicious raw fish preparations I've ever eaten. I don't typically love sushi, but I still think of how wonderful this dish is.
Arami is a great restaurant - fresh, interesting sushi and wonderful service. I am already looking forward to my next trip there. -
Review from Tiffany L.
Waukegan, IL
Updated - 1/10/2012
I've been back a couple more times and have enjoyed myself more with each time here. I finally had the omakase and it was very good. I'd definitely have to say this is one of my favorite places in the city to come for sushi.
The quality of fish is probably one of the best in Chicago -- Try the omakase for a good variety.
I loved all of their raw appetizers -- tuna tartare, oysters, and especially the uni shooter.Listed in: Where I Chow Down in the…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/27/2010
Yes, I'm going to say it: I really wanted to love this place.
After hearing rave reviews about this… Read more »
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Review from Ryan H.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 12/30/2011
Since I get asked this all the time I thought I would post my personal recommendation on what to order at Arami. Wash it down with a bottle of Drunken Snapper unpasteurized sake. Thank me later.
Togarashi Seared Tuna
Uni Shooter
Japanese Horse Mackerel (on specials menu)
Live Scallops (on specials menu)
Sea Trout (on specials menu)
Madai
Maguro Kani
Secret Hamachi
Akami Ankimo
Hirame Spicy Tako Hand Roll
(Optional: Pick a ramen dish or throw in another maki roll)
Note: There are, of course, many excellent items on the menu which I may have omitted. The above list constitutes my "greatest hits" and is admittedly subjective. The well trained staff can guide you on further selections.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/27/2010
My new favorite sushi restaurant in Chicago. The fish quality is stellar. The hamachi is so good I… Read more »
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Review from Tina R.
Chicago, IL
12/22/2011
Absolutely fantastic and fresh sushi!! Everything was so delicious. We went on a random Wednesday night at 6:30pm. It wasn't crowded at all but it definitely picked up by the time we left. The service was impressive also- super attentive but not overbearing, very knowledgeable, and pretty chill.
On to the food:
-Started with the toro tartare bites- wonderful and left us wanting much much more.
-All three special sashimi- came with two pieces each, perfect for us. Each one was delicious and flavored to perfection. The truffle oil was my favorite of those.
-Chef's choice sashimi- amazing presentation, reminded me of a tropical paradise. Our waitress instructed us on the progression of flavors, which was very helpful. It came with 16 pieces, two of each fish. All of it was super fresh, clean and just plain delicious
-Hiarme spicy tako- my husband said it was the best roll he has ever had. The octopus and apple was such a unique and surprising combination, it just wowed us. Party in our mouths!
-Hamachi maguro ebi- perfectly spicy and crisp flavors.
Each of the rolls came with suggestions on how to eat it with or without soy sauce. The wasabi is flavorful and has a great kick to it.
We had a totally awesome experience at Arami, we could not have asked for better food or service. Highly recommend it!! We'll absolutely be back. -
Review from Jeffrey M.
Hammond, IN
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Several times throughout my meal I found myself saying, that is the best thing I had all night. Looking back I'm not sure which was my favorite. Like many of the dishes themselves, no one ingredient/dish dominated, rather each struck a subtle note and contributed it's own texture. The result of each dish, like the meal itself was with each bite you had a symphony in your mouth.
The first best dish I had all night was the uni shooter. The diced cucumber pops in your mouth like good caviar. The toro bite packs an unbelievable amount of fatty tuna flavor on such a small spoon. The secret hamachi was my next favorite dish. The tiny slices of mushroom paired with the truffle oil is perfection. The zuke sake hotate and soft shell crab with spicy ebi, the ginger infused Japanese ale and a bottle of the Narutotai Drunken Snapper sake all left me drifting in a cloud of hedonistic over indulgence.
I order the Arami ramen and one taste of that rich deep broth and I know this is the best ramen I've had in Chicago. The braised beef and the contrast the sour pickles add is amazing. I have the braised duck donburi and the fact that the rice holds it's own, is in fact the star rather than the vehicle in a dish with the most amazing duck, chilies with just the perfect amount of heat, and pickled fresno, says all that needs to be said about that rice.
We're at the threshold now. I've written too much, you've read too much. Like I was at this point in the meal last night. Although I was pleasantly drunk I ordered a Japanese whiskey and green tea based cocktail. Although I was bursting at the seams I had the server recommended mochi from the dessert menu. Then just to make it out of there a pot of loose leaf green tea. DONE -
Review from Dana G.
Chicago, IL
12/25/2011
Enough has been said about this restaurant so only thing I will add here is that this is probably the best sushi/sashimi place in Chicago... Or at least top 3. We eat a lot of sushi and not just those popular sushi restaurants that serve cream cheese rolls to the hungry masses.
Arami has rare cuts that are appreciated with people who want sushi beyond the typical salmon, yellow tail, and (spicy-woah) tuna.
Can best be summarized as a sushi place for sushi/sashimi lovers. Exotic pieces of fish, intricate preparation, amazing freshness. If you appreciate these qualities about a sushi restaurant, go here and strap your seatbelt in! Only thing that hurt them was disappointing ramen (see our wasabi review to find THE ramen!) -
Review from Kate H.
Chicago, IL
3/9/2012
Arami is now one of my favorite special occasion sushi places. Tucked away on the western end of a budding foodie paradise, Arami combines the thoroughly Japanese approach to food of appealing to all senses and friendly, down-to-earth Chicago-style service. Our server was knowledgeable and attentive while still being easygoing. The space is sophisticated in a minimalist, not-too-trendy way--the perfect balance between uber hip Japonais/Mirai and the no-frills Katsu. Most importantly, the food was aesthetically pleasing, texturally complex, and incredibly delicious.
Whether nigiri topped with cuts of fresh, flavorful, undressed hamachi, rolls encased with deep-fried unagi and jalapeno sauce, or tasting spoons of shiso-dusted toro, Arami offered a broad range of delicious ways to part us of our money. The plain nigiri showcased the quality of the fish--the botan ebi and sake (salmon) were excellent. At the other end, the Toro Tartare Bite and truffle-oil topped Secret Hamachi, were carefully constructed twists on sashimi, as beautiful to look at as it was to eat, at once both experimental and faithful to the underlying fish flavors. My fiance and I delightfully savored the tiny morsel-sized edible "artwork." The special rolls, while very tasty, were least exciting because they merely reflected a better executed version of what a lesser sushi joint with lower-grade fish does and in doing so masked the natural flavor of the superb fish. And, after pieces of delicate, unadulterated nigiri and ambitious, one-of-a-kind takes on dressed sashimi, the rolls were less satisfying. In addition to many approaches to raw/barely cooked fish, the menu also includes Japanese homestyle foods like ramen and donburi; incorporating these dishes would likely keep costs down, but if you enjoy great sushi/sashimi, it's worth the (hefty) splurge.
Price: $50-$80/person (nigiri $2.50-$6; special rolls $13) -
Review from Michael M.
Chicago, IL
2/7/2012
This is definitely in my top 5 in terms of sushi places in Chicago and I really like the cozy feel inside. Try some of the more inventive smaller dishes on the menu. They change frequently, and while they won't fill you up, you will get some amazing flavors. The only thing keeping me from five stars is the price. It's a little much for what you get.
The bar has some pretty good drinks as well. -
Review from Andy V.
Deerfield, IL
4/1/2012
Poor service dropped 5+ star rating to 3.
The sushi at Arami is quite possibly the best in Chicago. Although a little pricey, the variety and quality of all the food was fantastic. In addition, Arami has a broad selection of high quality sake.
We had a 7:00 reservation which they honored immediately. The table are slightly close together but it was helpful to see what others were ordering. We ordered a wide array of appetizers, soup, sashimi and rolls. At first they began bringing food too fast to our table. It was manageable but annoying. Every dish was better than the next.
After a while, they left our dishes on the table and we were waiting for our last roll to be brought out. The issue we encountered dealt with our ticket being misplaced in their kitchen and our last dish never being served. Tables which were seated an hour after us were continually getting food. We informed our waitress of the issue and came back to let us know about the problem. Twenty minutes later our food was not brought so I kindly asked for the check. There is only metered street parking and our 2 hour time limit was expiring.
The waitress knew it was my wife's bday and offered a free desert but by this time, I was done. I would have been extremely upset to have to wait and get a parking citation.
We will go back because the food was amazing, but would not recommend going on a Friday or Saturday. It was too bad we had the service issues because we would certainly become regulars. -
Review from Yashar Y.
Newark, NJ
3/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Solid 5 stars for Sushi in Chicago.
To being, this comes from a couple that have sushi on very regular basis.
We ve been to this place three times and everytime its been better than the last time.
The staff are super friendly, the chef himself and the sous chefs are all friendly. Make sure to offer them a drink, as they work very hard and the chef makes sure that he drinks anything that u offer him.
The place itself offers a good combination of casual or romantic. U can either sit by the sushi bar and feel a little more casual, or grab one of the tables in the back and have a nice romantic dinner.
We ve ordered the omakase every time, and in all honesty, we dont know how they do it, but the quality of the fish is amazing. Combine that with the amazing presentation that Chef BK puts into ur dish and ur in for a nice ride. They have some of the best fish that we ve tired and to be honest, after living in NYC and Vancouver, we still cant figure out how a place in mid-west can get such good quality fish.
The price is a little expensive, but its what u pay for such good quality.
We miss this place and if we ever go back to Chicago, we ll definetly be there!
Thanks for the good times. -
Review from Caroline A.
Chicago, IL
10/8/2011
Arami is my new second favorite sushi restaurant in Chicago. I was just here a few days ago and am already looking forward to coming back. If you're looking for a great neighborhood sushi restaurant that isn't too trendy or club like, this is your place.
A few highlights:
+ If you like oysters, GET THE OYSTERS.
+ Toro Tartare Bite - it's a small bite, but you'll savor it.
+ Uni Shooter - Easily one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth.
+ Secret Hamachi - Second best thing I put in my mouth. It's fresh, buttery and topped with truffle oil.
+ Spicy Tako Roll - It's just ok. A little too sweet, imo.
Rolls are great and always a safe choice. However, I recommend going for their special sashimi and nigiri pieces, as well as their hot and cold selections at the top of the menu. I don't even recall which rolls we had, but I guess they were ok.
My one complaint is that the music is too loud.
I'm coming back for the ramen. Soon. Who wants to come? -
Review from Liza S.
Milwaukee, WI
12/4/2011
By far, the best sushi I have had in the Chicago area and a beautiful restaurant. From the minute you walk into the dining room, you know you are in for something special.
The space is intimate and organic , with natural light streaming in from the wooden, slanted ceiling and brick walls.
The sushi bar is the focal point of the dining room and the chefs radiate with concentration and passion for the composition and art of each dish. Some of the most beautifully composed sushi presentations I have ever seen.
We started with the uni shooters. Uni is one of my favorite things. The musky, creamy texture of the uni was complimented by tobiko, diced cucumber, shiso and house soy sauce and served in shot glasses housed inside a dramatic orchid arrangement that was literally two feet tall!
Recommended by our server, the mushroom salad had enoki, shitake and shimeji mushrooms and was served warm. The mushrooms were delicate, earthy and balanced by sesame and meyer lemon.
The grilled baby octopus salad was refreshing and tender. Tender morsels of grilled octopus were tossed with daikon, napa cabbage and edamame and the acidity from the meyer lemon again rounded out the dish.
We tried a couple pieces of house nigiri. I was impressed with the quality of the squid, fish and the RICE!
The spicy spider roll with ebi was also pure deliciousness.
*Note that this is a very traditional Japanese sushi experience. Chef will let you know if soy sauce is acceptable and it is not available on the table. Chopsticks should not rest on the table. The focus should be on the clean flavors of the fish and the presentation, not loading each piece with soy and wasabi.
We also tried the arami ramen. While the kimchi flavored broth and pork belly were sublime, I felt the noodles were overcooked and a little sub par.
Finally, the korabuta pork cheek don buri was the absolute highlight of our experience. Karashi, miso and vinegar made an amazing sauce to mix with the rice bowl. The pork was delicately breaded and fried and had tremendous flavor. Braised cabbage and pickled shishito added texture and acidity.
I observed serveral diners doing the omakase menu which is probably the option I would want to go with next time. The masterpieces that the chef was producing were unbelievable. -
Review from cassie r.
12/9/2011 Seated via OpenTable
If I choose a restaurant, I don't choose sushi -- I'm by no means an expert, nor do I want to be. And quite honestly, I'm a hot mess with a pair of chopsticks. So, keep this disclaimer in mind.
Arami offers high quality Japanese food, no arguments there. The reason my rating isn't higher is twofold. First, our waitress never took the time to welcome us and make sure we understood the menu and our options. Second, this place has an air of pretentiousness that I'm just not a fan of, with prices that just added to this uncomfortable ambience.
As far as the food, here's a rundown:
Toro Tartare Bite - SUPER tiny offering, and not worth the price.
Secret Hamachi - love truffle oil, but again, SMALL bites.
Arami Ramen - meh. a bit blah, but a huge bowl of soup - definintely hearty, so if you order this as an app, it might fill you up fast.
Unagi Maguro - safe bet if you have a sushi virgin at your table.
Shrimp Tempura Asparagus - love the asparagus with the mixed seafood.
Albacore Unagi - my favorite of the night - the toasted almonds were a delicious add.
Finally, word to the wise -- there IS a second page to the wine list -- don't make the same mistake we did and order what you think is a simple white wine, to only discover you ordered a weirdly sweet rice wine instead. -
Review from Ryan L.
10/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had an inauspicious start to our trip to Arami.
Being the last-minute type, we of course decided to go to Arami without reservations. It was 8:30pm on a Thursday night, so we hoped to get lucky. The hostess told us the wait would be about 15 minutes, so we embraced our good fortune and sat at the bar to wait. She came back 15-20 minutes later and said it would be another 10 minutes. So we waited again. We watched 4 groups come in after us and get seated before us. Now they could've had reservations so I won't hold that against them. We were seated 50 minutes later at 9:20pm, but the hostess was apologetic and gave us some edamame while we waited. It was all just weird.
We took it in stride and sat down inside, where it has a very clean feel. The patio looked pretty from our vantage point.
Here is what we ordered (we ordered other stuff, but I'm drawing a blank right now as to what it was)-
Togarashi Seared Tuna - which is on top of a bed of seaweed salad dressed with creamy meyer lemon dressing. This was, by far, one of the best dishes I've eaten this year. I believe anything with togarashi will be delicious. And they killed it (in a good way) with the seaweed salad.
Soft Shell Crab and Spicy Ebi - Pieces so flavorful that soy sauce is unnecessary, and frankly, recommended to eat without. Very good.
Hapu'upu'u - Hawaiian grouper. This was a special, and luckily I got the last piece they had that night. With the consistency and feel of lobster, it was quite tasty.
Order the triple gelato item for dessert. It's from Black Dog. You'll thank me later.
The Rising Sun cocktail was weaker than expected. Not too impressed with it. The food was top notch, however. The sushi is pricey but I feel it reflects on the creativity and quality of the food. Just be sure to make rezzies ahead of time. -
Review from Jennifer P.
Chicago, IL
10/10/2011
Unfortunately Arami was a let down for me. I was really excited to go as I have heard great things but it's hard to compete as there are so many sushi restaurants in Chicago. When I walked in the first thing I experienced was a strong fishy smell. This was such a turn off. When you are thinking about fresh fish you don't want it to smell rancid.
The waitress we had was great. She went into a lot of detail regarding the menu and described each dish with such enthusiasm that it really got you excited about the food. Unfortunately when we got the food it just really did not live up to her description.
I will not be back here as I have other fave sushi spots. -
Review from Mrs. E.
Chicago, IL
3/12/2012
To be honest, I don't really understand the hype. I do think that Arami is well-decorated and I love the cozy atmosphere, but the food was sub-par.
My husband's favorite sushi place in Chicago is Macku, so a lot of our friends told us that we should try Arami because it's similar in feel and food.
Well, it's not. At least not in my opinion. I think that the sukiyaki is just plain wrong: the broth is wrong, the meat is not the right slice of beef that you're supposed to use, the portions are wrong, the noodles are cut (which is really weird - why cut the noodles?), and the bowl is not jam-packed with simmering goodness like it should be.
My husband thought that the special sashimi and nigiri we good, but there weren't enough of them.
The presentation of the sushi was admittedly very elegant. And we received attentive service by the wait staff. But if I want to go to a great Japanese/sushi restaurant in the city with rock solid Japanese food, it's still going to be Macku by a mile. -
Review from Tony S.
Naperville, IL
4/29/2012
Food is decent not sure about the hype. Owner/manager kid is a punk and doesnt honor reservations.
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Review from Maram K.
Chicago, IL
11/7/2011
Great oysters and great sushi rolls!
I should've stopped there.
I had the duck, and it was dry and bland and couldn't stomach the rest. I was still hungry so ordered the mushroom salad to replace it and that too was bland. So I didn't finish either. I re-ordered another one of the Spicy Tako rolls instead to help fill up.
I really enjoyed the sushi but would definitely pass on the other menu items in the future. It's not "up there" with other sushi places I like to frequent in Chicago but I'd go again if a friend wanted to try it.
P.S. I second the other Yelpers complaining of the "fishy smell". I know, its a SUSHI restaurant and I normally don't care, but it was a bit overwhelming. -
Review from Kris R.
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
maybe i'm not the best person to review this place, mainly bc i'm allergic to fish (but not shellfish!). i was TRES excited to try this place as it's in my 'hood. my girlfriend and i came here for dinner on a thursday. arami is really cute!!! i love the decor, fresh, organic, nature-y. at first you don't think it's big (that's what she said), but once you get in the back there's a whole other area of seating, including an outdoor section. however, it's pretty damn loud in there. i felt like i was screaming bloody murder.
we ordered the shishito peppers - i'd never had them before, and they were pretty decent. chargrilled, sesame seeds, in some sort of vinaigrette. i ordered the soft shell crab roll - it was not the best. 6 pretty small pieces and the wrap kept falling off! 10 dolla for that, but it should have been more like 6 dolla. my friend ordered the hamachi maguro maki, and she said it was decent. her's came with like, 10-12 pieces, and it was only $3 more!!!!
id much rather go to yuzu down the street. i feel like i can get more for my $. maybe i didn't try the right dishes and maybe it's bc i can't eat fish. i'd give it another try, but i just sometimes have a problem with overpriced sushi - it's already expensive, so why not go somewhere cheaper and much more delicious?? -
Review from Dina L.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 2/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Other than Katsu, this is my favorite sushi spot in this city. My favorite thing to do is the omakase-it makes me such a happy girl!
1 Previous Review:
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2/20/2011
Sushi is delicious. Noodle dishes aren't as authentic as i'd like, but they are delicious.
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Review from Ashley V.
Chicago, IL
10/18/2011
Picture this: walking into a sushi restaurant on a Saturday night, expecting delicious sushi, and smelling the worst, fishy-est smell like rotten tuna.
Hostess/Host were completely rude to people who walked up being late for reservations. We were in the bar area waiting to be sat and saw them turn people away for being late saying "the kitchen closes at 10:45".... but it was only 10pm, so that didn't make sense.
The rolls are nothing special, not even that good. Fish looked at least a day or 2 old.
With SO many other great Chicago sushi restaurants, this is one to AVOID.
TRY: Toro Sushi (on Clark--BYOB); Coast Sushi (on Damen--BYOB); Sushi Samba (on North Wells--more expensive, but amazing Japanese and Brazilian), AND MORE... -
Review from Amanda Z.
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Arami turned out to be a very lovely spot to celebrate one of our favorite gal's birthdays.
Reservations are easy to make via yelp (and recommended, it gets busy!), so we were all set for our dinner celebration in a jiff.
The ambiance is very zen, with crisp lines and very clean and earthy feels to the space. The patio looked particularly green and lovely, but alas, we dined indoors. It is a bit loud inside, so it might be a little difficult for a date, but for our party of four, it was perfect.
Starting with a lovely crisp sauvignon blanc, our palates were ready for some food. Mussels? Yes, please. Plentiful and absolutely delicious. For three girls, it was more than enough. The toro tartar bite wasn't half bad either. We also shared the grilled baby tako (yum), soft shell tempura (standard, but tasty), hamachi maguro ebi (YUM), and the shrimp tempura asparagus (double YUM).
The fish was very fresh and beautifully presented. We all were extremely pleased with the food. In lieu of dessert, we all opted for a cocktail. We enjoyed the special cocktail (with blueberry and lychee), the ginger moon, and the shiso crazy. Thumbs up! I'd skip the wine next time and enjoy a cocktail or two.
Even our non-sushi lovin' lady friend found something to enjoy (braised short rib)...and gave it a thumbs up. She also made her own veggie maki, which is a really nice option for those who don't do raw.
My tips:
-Bring a few friends to try more items. You'll be glad you did.
-Skip the wine and go for the cocktails. They're really delish.
-Save your pennies. It ain't cheap.
-Make a reservation.
Pricey, yes, but absolutely delicious when you're feeling like a more upscale sushi/Japanese experience. -
Review from Boon K.
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
The presentation here is amazing and everything thing we order had so much thought put in on how it was serve. The fish is very fresh here and prices are reasonable to include the type of high level presentation the food comes with. There dessert needs a little work the panna cotta was not good at all, it was trying to be a pumpkin pie or something. It was really salty and the homemade granola was dry and too crunchy to chew. What made up for that was the black sesame ice that was amazing. The toro tartare was good just wish the serving size was bigger. The special mackerel sashimi came with a really good soy sauce dipping and I think my favorite thing here was the secret Hamachi.
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Review from Paul C.
9/6/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Best sushi in Chicago. I was shocked. Arami is on a pretty nondescript block of Chicago Ave, and if you blink you'll easily drive past. Coming in here I was quite underwhelmed. The ambiance of the place left something to be desired. It's a little on the loud side and we were moved from one wobbly table to another wobbly table. I also felt the place was a little cramped, but once the food started coming I forgot all about these minor inconveniences.
The Chef's choice sashimi was great, beautiful presentation and the fish tasted so fresh I wondered if Arami had a secret wormhole from Chicago to the ocean. Also sampled several different rolls, the spicy salmon with shrimp tempura being my favorite. The salmon just melts in your mouth.
I was also pleasantly surprised by Armi's oysters ( 4 for $12). They put the sauce on the oysters for you, which I usually despise, but at Arami it worked perfectly. The mignonette sauce was great and Arami's wasabi sauce mimicked the tang of horseradish to great effect.
I wasn't overly impressed with the cocktails. Arami features a wide selection of sundry Asian alcohols, which if you're not familiar with before you go, you probably won't get much enjoyment out of. The cocktails we tried were ok, but nothing wowed me. I'd say come with a buzz on already and save a buck or two.
It gets expensive at Arami, so come prepared to drop some dough on one of the best sushi experiences you'll have in Chicago. Oh, and free street parking on a Friday night around 9:30 was a cinch. I'm looking forward to my next visit.Listed in: Oysters, Chicago's Finest
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Review from Heather M.
Naperville, IL
9/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Loved loved loved this place. Interesting mixture of tastes in their rolls also with unexpected textures. The appetizers should be taken seriously...we typically do the edamame when we eat sushi but HERE you should eat them all. They were amazingly tasty!!!!
The smoky tastes of the flame touched tuna was fantastic. The servers really know what wine to pair with rolls and the chefs let u know what rolls to dip in soy and which rolls to not dip.
The place looks small from the front but it runs deeps. The tables in the back are surrounded by exposed brick, skylights, and windows which makes for a great environment. -
Review from Matt L.
7/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Looking at one's own Yelp page is a bit like looking in the mirror. You're vain if you do it too often, but you kind of have to do it once in a while to make sure you don't have shit on your face.
While perusing my page for new UFCs (yeah, I may as well have entered a fucking beauty contest, what of it), I noticed my last three reviews are for Yelp Elite events. Even for a questionable character such as myself, this was a pretty grim observation.
So here I am, reviewing a sushi restaurant. I'll qualify my review with this: I'm not a connoisseur of sushi. It's usually my third-to-last choice in terms of food groups, right before balut and other embryo-based foods. It's not that I particularly mind sushi itself, but I kind of despise soy sauce, so I have to get the rolls with a bunch of stuff in them or get something more straightforward and put comical amounts of wasabi on. In the latter instances, people generally flee the table as tears flow from my eyes and I start violently shaking in nasal pain.
Arami is a good place to get some more creative fish dishes that don't involve wasabi-induced seizures. It's a bit on the pricey side, and the Rising Sun cocktail I ordered on my last visit (my personal code of ethics dictates that I have to order any cocktail with Hum in it) was on the weak end. Note: that's not the same as a weekend.
The back patio is very small and pretty. Like me. -
Review from Danny B.
Chicago, IL
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Chef from Mirai? Win!
Dare I say..? I think I like Arami even more than Mirai. Hands-down the best sushi you will find in the city! Trust me - I have been through the good, the bad, and the ugly as far as sushi goes. I hunt. And I have found.
The saki is incredible - and strong! The fish is so fresh, you would think they caught it out back. I have never tasted tuna so soft and buttery. Everything on the menu looked delicious, and everything we got was perfect. I left in a sushi coma. To top it all off the presentation is incredible.
The restaurant itself is bright and beautiful. There are large open windows and crisp and mellow decor.
This place is perfect. You will not find better sushi. -
Review from lana v.
Chicago, IL
2/11/2012
Both my husband and I were very impressed with the food here. I was very excited to try this place and loved everything we ordered. Our waitress was ok, not very friendly or helpful, but the food was so amazing we didn't even care. We ordered everything that was recommended on Yelp and loved it. The presentation was excellent, and the food was fresh and creative.
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Review from Brett K.
Greeley, CO
9/8/2011 3 photos
Just ask the Chef to make you what he feels like. Freshest everything. 10 out of 10 for presentation. This Chef cares about his food and reputation. The highest all around quality of seafood I've had in my life with an intimate atmosphere.
Sake Suggestions (Both about $60 a piece)
Narutotai (Aluminum Bottle) = Amazing
Wakatake = Amazing -
Review from Rachel N.
1/7/2012
I have a lot of questions abt Arami. One, why the eff is this adorable resto in the Ukrainian Village? Two, why has it taken me this long to discover this gem?
Went on a Friday night with a party of 12 for my brother's big 2-3 -- I was sure that the place didn't actually exist, given that the street is full of Western stores and a sketchy looking medical clinic, but as soon as you step inside, you are enveloped in blonde wood loveliness and delectable raw fish.
We were seated in the covered outdoor back patio (complete w/ mini fireplaces, love) -- and then proceeded to order, oh, idk, pretty much EVERYTHING. The sake and beer selection is baller (try the 19.5% alc content sake and then try to use chopsticks. JUST TRY) -- and the menu is simultaneously creatively Japanese and American -- standouts were the uni shooters, mushroom salad, ebi yaki, sake mussels, chili-oil salmon roll, secret hamachi sashimi, and the kimchi ramen. My parents refuse to eat raw fish (me: Just try the roll. Dad: I am not touching that salty nastiness. Me: fine, I'll eat yours, gobble, gobble, gobble), and all of the veg rolls I ordered for them were interesting and adult -- the avo roll came topped w/ toasted almonds, the grilled enoki roll had a gorgeous sauteed garlic on top, and the grilled asparagus roll was seductively sweet -- so if someone is a fussy eater, they can still leave feeling well fed.
Oh, and the presentation of everything is stunning -- lots of orchids, rocks, ice, etc etc -- enough to make a food porn photog out of me.
Lord, I don't know how much din for 12 was; however, there is only 1 piece of fish in most of the nigiri orders (minus one star, I'm too ravenous of a consumer for that bs) -- but I think we dropped at least $125/pp, though I think it could be done for less if you are perhaps more....delicate w/ your ordering. Worth a trip.Listed in: Turning Japanese
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Review from Annie D.
Chicago, IL
7/9/2011
I have regrets.
I took my man friend here for his birthday and was pretty excited about the menu. Our first exchange with the host was weird. We had a reservation but she wasn't sure if a table would be available any time soon and was trying to sell us on sitting at the sushi bar. When we declined she promptly responded with "Ok, I can get you a table" and led us to one of multiple that were open in the main dining room.
This main dining room? Loud. Like make-your-ears-bleed loud. I couldn't hear anything my dining partner was saying much less make out a single word our server had to say. I recommend coming on a nice day and sitting outside if you have expectations of actually enjoying the company you're with.
Food was pricey but tasty. The boyfriend loved everything he ordered and the fish was very fresh. Service was curt and unfriendly with little to no eye contact.
Overall--between the noise and the price and our rude-ass server, a return visit is doubtful. This suspicion is aided by the fact that post-meal I felt like barfing for the rest of the evening. Happy Birthday, Jim.
