Blue Fin Sushi Bar
Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Wicker Park1952 W North Ave
(between Damen Ave & Milwaukee Ave)
Chicago, IL 60622 (773) 394-7373
- Nearest Transit:
Damen (Blue)
- Hours:
Mon 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Mon 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sat 1:00 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
Sun 1:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
63 Reviews for Blue Fin Sushi Bar
One of Blue Fin Sushi Bar's Favorite Reviews
This place gives Coast a run for it's money!
Coast is usually PACKED (im thinking bc it's BYOB), so we tend to venture over to Blue Fin to fulfill our sushi cravings! OH! And they have delivery now too!
I think the sushi is better at Blue Fin. It's never crowded when we go. I tend to prefer darker lighting (blue fin's is okay) when im eating sushi, but I'll take great food over perfect lighting I suppose! Other than that it's fantastic.
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Thursday is the night to go to Blue Fin. They have a House DJ and the martini's are half price.
Last thursday four of us ate a ton of sushi and had about 4 drinks and still got out under 65 each.
A must for all Bucktown, Wicker and Homboldt parkers.
i was in here last night with my boyfriend, so lack-luster reviews.
we started off with the tuna tartar. that was totally delicious! we decided to get the 2 pieces of fatty tuna nigiri and i think it was a volcano roll. i didn't care for the tuna, it tasted fishy. the volcano roll was tasty though.
we opted to try one more maki roll, and i chose the shiroyama (i think that's what i was called). that was pretty tasty as well.
the reason bluefin only gets 3 stars for me was the price. i think this place was totally overpriced. our 2 rolls, two pieces of nigiri, two beers and tuna tartar cost $70. the nigiri was $7 a piece. $7!! and it was fishy. not a good sign. we were also the only people in the place. for a sunday evening around dinner time, they should have been a lot busier.
alas, i shall have to dine elsewhere for sushi.
I must admit the over priced food is delicious. It's one of those places you go once in a while. GREAT place to take a date though...you just can't go wrong.
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I used to go to Blue Fin a lot, and they were always very friendly. A great selection of Sushi and some good good Sake (get it hot). I haven't been here in over a year though, so these reviews I see about the new management make me cringe, I'll have to see for myself.
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Every time I go to Bluefin (or Blue Fin, or whatever) my companion and I are the only people in the restaurant who do not work there. This makes me fear for the future of the establishment as I usually go on one of their two (TWO!) half-off wine nights.
Why? Because I am broke, cheap and thrifty, all at once.
This lack of other patrons always makes me feel special, like it's my own private sushi bar and they're giving me the wine so cheap because I am witty and ebullient and shower the staff with affection and respect. This is untrue, but comforting.
I almost always go for a trifecta of natural disasters (Earthquake, Hurricane, Volcano, et al) while my friend is fond of anything with the word Dragon or a woman's name. We are never disappointed. The fare is delicious, though not so good you will need to write your mother. The staff is, as you might expect, very attentive to the only two people in the room. The decor is ... meh, but not offensive.
All in all, it puts tasty fishes in my grillpiece with delicious wines atop 'em, and the waiter laughs at my jokes.
That's four stars in my book.
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I went to Blue Fin once about 3 years ago and had a great meal. So I went back on 6/1 when I was in the neighborhood. This place turned into a sad train wrack.
It's Sunday 7pm and it was empty. Just me and one other table. That should be my warning sign to not eat there. But I stayed and ordered. The lobster sashimi was poorly sliced and seasoned. The sea urchin tasted rotten. So I didn't finish them. There's still the black intestine in my shrimp sushi uncleaned so I didn't eat it either. And I found quite a few fish scales in my roll. I told the waitress (who's sweet), but the restaurant didn't do anything or take any item off my bill. The waitress felt bad and gave me an ice-cream mochi.
I spend $75 without any drink...ouch.
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What a disappointment. Under the previous owner, Blue Fin was one of my favorite sushi restaurants. The quality had been declining over the last year or so and is now in a full "MAYDAY!" caliber tailspin.
On our recent--and final--visit, nearly every single item we ordered was substandard. Since we had ordered the same menu items at one time or another in the past from this restaurant we were able to ascertain the appalling decline in the overall quality and execution.
They "redecorated" recently, adding new upholstery (essentially flannel sheets stapled haphazardly to a visible plywood frame), paint (a single coat of totally uneven lime green, complete with previous color visible from below, massive evidence of sloppiness, etc) and other delightful touches. I actually became nervous the last time I visited, thinking that if they are this careless about such simple things that I could not trust them to take any care whatsoever with providing fresh, quality food--a must when eating sushi.
Bottom line: Blue Fin appears to be on the way out. There is evidence of cost cutting in a myriad of areas, to the point where I was concerned about becoming sick from eating raw fish at this establishment.
Verdict: NOT RECOMMENDED.... AT ALL. ZERO. NADA.
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I used to come here for the (weekday) lunch special - a good amount of food for around $10-$15. Otherwise, the place is pretty pricey. I have mixed feelings about the quality - been a hit or miss the past times I have been there.
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Bluefin has become my new Lunchtime Sushi fix spot !!They have really great sushi lunch specials between $9-$14 that are really good !!Not exactly as great quality as Mirai but very decent sushi at a affordable price .I love how small and cozy they are and they are always jammin some funky house beats as I enjoy my meal (I loooove house music !!)Drinks are super strong too .(Thanks for making sure i finished off the rest of day at work with a nice lil buzz ...I sooo needed it !!)
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It's not a bad place to go. But we thought it was very average at best. The restaurant was very spacious, which is a positive.
Meh.
Overpriced. Mediocre. Trixieville.
I give it two stars because I'm of the opinion that no sushi is bad sushi (unless it's, you know... "bad sushi"), and our server was pleasant enough.
But if I'm feeling spendy and need to get my sushi on, I'd much rather take my money over to Hama Matsu.
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Very enjoyable, delicious experience.
My friend and I were all set to go to Piece, however they were at capacity, we were hungry, and it was cold and snowy. We looked across the street and found Blue Fin.
As we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the staff. We looked over the menu to find some new delicious sounding rolls and martinis. Our waitress was very cute, friendly, and helpful. We ended up taking all of her recommendations and she did not steer us wrong. They have some package deals, such as the honeymoon that allows you to get an array of different rolls, apps, soup, salad, etc. It really was practical. I have to say though I may have ate a bit too much but it was soooooo good.
The fish was very fresh, the rolls unique, the atmosphere pleasant. I recommend giving it a try.
Also, if you pay at least $50 of your bill in cash you get 10% off your next meal.
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I tried Blue Fin for the first time two weeks ago. It was a pleasant experience. I didnt really know what to expect since I'm a fan of Coast and Mirai. They have great deals. My friend and I had their $50 dinner which included miso, edamame, and two appetizers plus 4 rolls. I think thats pretty good for the price. It's in the neighborhood so I'm sure I will be back when I'm too lazy to go anywhere else. Let's keep it real, I would prefer Mirai, Coast and Japonais, but sometimes it's better to go for average and deals.
The Delta Force Roll is so freaking amazing...I was with my friend whom lived in Japan for two years the night I tried it. She said that it was the best Sushi she'd ever had. I agree!!!
Yeah, whatever, Wicker Park snobs don't like their decor, boo hoo hoo, but if you like Sushi, go here. Everyone's super nice, both times I've dined there, the entire staff says good bye to me as i walk out the door.
It's cozy, a little, costly, but friendly and very tasty!!!
Okay, I will admit that I am sushi-spoiled.
Having lived on both coasts I rarely have been able to find sushi in the Midwest which has cut the mustard, so to speak.
However, couple of years ago my Mommaship took me to Chicago (land o' my birth and Lincoln) for a "girls weekend" in which I got to pick the restaurants, events, etc. -- given that had been a while since I lived in Chi-town (like fifteen years) I didn't really know where to to go for dinner... so, I relied on recommendations from my friend Lindz... I decided that I wanted to take my Mommaship and Aunt to a sushi dinner (and, make them converts to the cult of sashimi) - Lindz recommended Blue Fin.
The ambiance was nice - they have the ultra-cool hipster vibe dead on. I found the ambient noise playing over the sound-system slightly distracting to trying to have a conversation... I'm sorry but the 8pm dinner rush in March is too early for trance-dance music... you know? Just give us some nice, soft classical until at least 9pm, yo... !
Now - for me - the food:
- The fish was adequately fresh, the portions pretty generous... their rolls were decent and inventive... I had some supremely good Monkfish liver and pretty decent Toro - along with my standard salmon sashimi w/soup, rice and seaweed salad. The Miso was a little fishy for my taste - but, it could have just been a bowl taken from close to the bottom of the pot.
- For the price of my dinner ($62 some odd dollars not counting sake of which I had a copious amount) I could have had a FEAST in either San Francisco or Boston... the aggregate value was disappointing. However, I chalked it up to sushi being something of an incongruity in a land-locked (I'm sorry lovely as Lake Michigan is it is not the Pac or Atl ocean - it's just not) state. Okay, whatevs.
What the highlight of the evening was:
- Watching my Mommaship and Auntie's faces pucker up as they tried Toro and Monkfish liver for the first time... PRICELESS!
Made the meal worth every penny.
Of my Mommie's money.
Yes, I'm that kinda punk.
(They got chicken and beef bento, so don't fret that they starved... I wouldn't let my Mommaship and Auntie order stuff that they wouldn't like...)
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LOVE the saki flight! Blue Fin is in a great location...I love heading there before a night out in Bucktown. The sushi is very fresh and the combinations are quite good. They give you large portions which is nice and the a wide range of choices. At times the services is a little slow, but the ambiance is very cool and contemporary. This is a good place to go with a group before heading out for the night.
Yesterday was so NOT the day to offer me mediocre food and service. PMS is a bitch, let me tell you.
I walked into Blue Fin with Jason B. yesterday because we were both hungry and we had been thinking of coming here for a while. Oh, it just wasn't a good idea. We were the ONLY patrons in the place. The cluster of staff at the front told us they were happy we figured out how to get in despite the construction. Cute.
We were seated and began to look over the menu. I do not recommend the sushi to anyone that may be allergic to shellfish; almost all the maki had some form of shellfish. The prices were pretty high--I think the cheapest maki was nine dollars.
As far as service goes, it was average. Our server was polite, but I was nearly slurping the last drops of water from my glass just to get it filled again. Also annoying was the fact that the staff were going in and out of the rear doors to report for work and bring in necessary food items. The decor was nice, but poorly done. The booth cushions looked like a five-year-old put the fabric on. I just don't think they've made up their minds on what central theme they want in there.
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I had a great first experience here, although I know better than to give a sushi bar five stars based on just one visit. I thought it managed to balance the traditional and modern approaches to sushi quite well. There was a wide-ranging menu and lots of funky roll (maki) selections, but the fish was extremely fresh and managed to speak for itself.
A few little details that I liked too: our edamame came out nice and hot, instead of seeming like it had been nuked from the freezer. The waitress tipped us off as to what kind of fish were freshest that day. And they gave us a little gift card for paying in cash rather than credit.
I don't know; I feel like this place gets a bad rap because decor and ambiance-wise, it does try a little too hard, and fits into a rather stereotypical template of the trendy sushi bar. It can therefore seem "very two years ago" in the same way that Vegas casinos get dated really quickly. But block that out because the fish is quite good and the service was very helpful, or at least it was on this visit.
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Can someone who doesn't eat sushi review a sushi ? Apparently so. Well this place has a pretty cool decor, and there are some non-sushi dishes. What can I say? I love fish, I just don't eat raw stuff aside from fruits, vegetables, and females. Har! Tempura shrimp here were not too bad though, and the sushi certainly looked amazing from a presentation stand point.
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An attractive space but the scene, and the bill, are bloated. The servers were nice but it's a see and be seen type joint and you've got to really love mediocre sushi to be willing to pay what they charge.
One of the most expensive places I've ever been. I went with a group of ten and it was $60 per person. We didn't even try that much and we got one bottle of sake.
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Even if their sushi tasted craptacular, which it doesnt, i'd return.
Why do they have my unconditional love?
Blue Fin Sushi Bar delivered fresh sushi, (excellent) maki, miso & edamame (and potstickers that we didn't pay for) to my *home* on Superfuckingbowl Sunday.
Hooray for Blue Fin Sushi Bar.
(Go Bears)
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My husband and I tried Blue Fin for the first time this past weekend and definitely put it on our "top 5" sushi places in Chicago! We had picked out our rolls and placed the order when the waitress said, "did you see our special combinations?" We looked again and decided to get a combination - - 2 miso soups, 2 salads, edamame, 1 appetizer, and 4 rolls. We picked all special rolls that were $12 or $13 each and loved each one of them! They were so unique, but yet fantastic. The combination was only $50, so we made out on the deal (although we were very stuffed aftereward).
My husband ordered saki and I drank water - - so not much to say about the drinks. The atmosphere was nice - quaint place, a little romantic, but nice overall. They also have valet, which is a plus.
We will definitely be back to Blue Fin - - soon! I would recommend it to any sushi fan.
Blue Fin was great until mid-2005 or so, when they changed management. Since then, the service has been very poor and the food has been, let's say, less than fresh.
We have tried Blue Fin 5 or 6 times since 2005 hoping that they would go back to the way they were (great food, fast and super nice service), but I fear that this is only a memory now...
I came here to satisfy a sushi crave, and was pleasantly surprised to hear that it would only take 10 minutes to make. From the outside you would think that it was just some hole in the wall place, but it's actually pretty nice inside. I'm tempted to see if the experience would sway my opinion, but the food is what will always keep me going back to a place. I did get my food pretty quick for a pick up order, and the staff was very friendly. The menu was pretty extensive, and did want to try other makis in addition to the ones I got. I like for the pieces to be cut al the way through, and it was disappointing to have to pull them apart and not have it all come undone. The sushi was okay, but not something I would rave about. I don't think that this will be a sushi pick up place for me, but I could be persuaded to go inside and try it out.
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Three years ago when I lived in Bucktown this was my favorite sushi place. I loved that they had a full bar and I loved the food. What the hell happened to the place I knew and loved?
I went last night and the smiling hostess that normally greets us was no where to be found. When we finally were seated the restaurant was close to empty even though it was a peak hour during Saturday night. We were seated in an area that smelled mildewy or moldy or something sort of rank.
The service was horrible. I only saw our waitress twice. Once when she took our order, then when she brought our food. Someone else had to bring us our bill and someone different from him brought the credit card.
And the sushi just tasted off somehow. Not nearly as tasty as I remembered. I feel like they need to close down for 2 weeks to redecorate, steam clean and retrain staff.
I like this place alright, the food is decent... but the prices are too high for the quality. I like the environment it is cozy and tasteful, but sometimes a bit too loud. And in the past year or so has been overrun by Wicker Park Usurpers. *sigh*
They do get bonus points for their bourbon offerings, but I dunno... it is just kind of hard to get excited about going here. Meh.
:o/
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This is definitely my favorite sushi place in the city. I only wish that I lived closer so I could go there more often! I've been there a few times for friends' birthdays and have always gotten shots on the house. One time I went there, Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman were eating at a table nearby. Check it out sometime!
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The servers are nice. The service was sort of slow. The food is... mediocre at best. I like the music they play, though it's a bit on the loud side.
The seared tuna was dry (yuck, how do you manage?). The sushi portions were small and the amount of rice they use for them is laughable. The fish did NOT taste very fresh - my super white tuna was dry. It wasn't even cooked! How do you make dry raw fish? HOW? Poop on that. Not to mention it was pretty flavorless.
There's better sushi in the city. Go somewhere else. Bleah. Anyone who says the sushi here is "totally awesome" must be delusional.
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This place was phenomenal. The fish was huge and fresh. It was an incredible combination of delicate texture and subtle flavor, which I was shocked to find in Chicago. It was as good as the best sushi I have ever had in LA and with a great atmosphere. They employ a live DJ, which is not as pretentious as it sounds, since the techno music goes very nicely with the updated feel of this place, but I did not find it too trendy. The rolls range from standard to unusual and all the fish we tried was great. The soft shell crab was a little tough and the portions are small. Each order is one piece instead of two. Needless to say it was expensive. The tuna in particular is delicious and the tartare appetizer was flavorful and sharp. I like the golden tobiko they use and the selection of fresh fish was small but interesting. I enjoyed the sake sampler and am a little sad that I have not been at a place like this at home.
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Another trendy sushi bar/restaurant that's too overpriced, but people go there anyway for the hype. Sushi and sashimi are good, but not exceptionally fresh. Getting the servers' attention in the midst of a large crowd can be a challenge, but we still managed to have fun with enough sake. I personally prefer eating Japanese food in a more relaxing environment, though... 3.5 stars.
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It may be a trendy overpriced sushi bar but then it's one of my favorite trendy overpriced sushi bars! First off bring a marker because you can write on the walls in the entrance! For the young or just somewhat hip crowd you gotta love the person standing up spinning beats beats beats.. but not so loud that you can't hold a good conversation with friends or a date. On Thursdays it's Half Price drinks which will make that same conversation even better for the somewhat shy or nervous. And then there's the food.. which has not let me down so far.. very tasty, fresh, and as sushi goes eloquently displayed. I wouldn't say I love this place but I really really like it! Just watch out for that miso soup after a few drinks !!! (inside joke sorry)
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Maybe I went on an off night, but the sushi here was terrible. The sashimi looked (and tasted) old, and the maki is not very imaginative. It seemed every roll was some combination of crab and/or tuna, mayo, and avocado! Not very creative. And the rolls were all very pricey - $9-$12 for some crab? Give me a break.
The only reason I gave this place two stars is that the drinks were quite nice - I had a flirtini that was quite yummy. With so many good sushi options in Chicago, I won't be spending any more money here.
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Didnt rock my world. The sushi is average but the prices are high. Its not bad, but there are so many other GREAT places nearby that I just wouldnt bother.
Service was good.
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For me, this is a place that reminds me of being wowed by a big city. "Bright lights, cool sushi place!" must have been what I was thinking when I dined here as a teenager. The plush seats, the sleek black uniforms, the dark atmosphere, the techno.
Going back as a city dweller, I'd say this place was pretty average. Pretty expensive too. We loaded up on hot saki, lots of maki, and then some dessert. I will say that one memory left over was the mochi ice cream. So good!
I'd say, overall the vibe of the place, plus the happenin' corner its on help give the place a "cool" atmosphere. The food is OK and the dessert is great. I'm not a sushi snob, so my opinion might be slightly uninformed.
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The sushi and the drinks are really good here! I've been coming here for years and think it gets better everytime!
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I'm really not sure why my friend told me to go here... I'm not even really sure where to begin with my review. It's quite tradgic in my opinion how ever humble it may be...
Colleen J. and I walk in and there is no one to greet us at the door merely a sign which reads "Please Wait to be Seated" So we grab a menu and start looking it over to see if there is anything we will possibly enjoy. Colleen J. isn't really impressed but not nessisarily unimpressed. So we get greeted and sat at a table only to look around and notice that we are the only two people in the entire restaurant. (side note, it was an hour after they offically opened for business that night)
The sushi wasn't what it was built up to be by my other friends. Couldn't believe that they felt it was better than some of the other restaurants here in wicker park. I'm not saying that wicker park has GREAT sushi but there are places that are consitant and I just don't really see blue fin being that. And for the price I was really let down. They need to do something there to make the food better...
And lets not go into detail about the decor. They need to make the restaurant look like it wasn't thrown together in 2 weeks. I know that they've been open for a while and I'm really un impressed with how they've decorated the interior.
The final note is the dessert. I'm a huge fan of red bean ice cream it's one of the best flavors in the world in my opinion. And here again Blue Fin lets me down. The ice cream tasted like dirty freezer. Come on people. If you're going to put something in a dirty freezer put it in a container that is air tight. I don't like the first bite of my dessert to taste like rotting food. And it wouldn't hurt to clean out the freezer once every 2 months (AT MOST).
My reccomendation don't go.
And yes Colleen J. is PMSing.
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I have to disagree with some of these yelpers. The sushi was ok...not mouth watering, as some other places I habe been. I didn't like the fact that ten minutes after we sat down, extremely loud techno music came on and we couldn't have a conversation. Decent sushi in a fun part of town.
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This is not a place I would bother with regularly (their are better deals elsewhere) but it was a special occasion and its local, so we decided to splurge.
February. Thursday night. 8pm. Empty (for the most part). Good music in the background.
We chose to get what I would call something of a "meal deal." It included all courses and you could chose what dishes you wanted. I thought it would be a nice idea seeing as how my dining partner had never been to a sushi restaurant.
We both really enjoyed our meal and the atmosphere. The service was average. I still wouldn't go out of my way to make a recommendation but if a friend was in the neighborhood and wanting sushi, I would mention it as an option.
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This place came highly recommended to me, but I have to be honest that I wasn't that impressed. I thought the sushi was average at best. The seaweed salad we got was practically frozen and I didn't feel like the rolls or pieces had much flavor. Maybe I had it on an off night, but there are lots of other sushi places I would rather go back to.
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