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A traditional Japanese restaurant DOES exist in Chicago! No ridiculous fusion nonsense. Straightforward, honest Japanese food. Wonderful quiet setting. Good prices. They vary the specials a lot.
YES, it's a little dingy inside and in fact, the bathroom looks rather frightening. Ignore all of that. The food here is amazing.
Regular ramen = $8.50
Tonkatsu ramen = $10.50
The meat melted in my mouth and the broth was yum. Just a little too expensive. Also had one negi-hamachi maki that was pretty standard.
Best. Soup. Ever.
Seriously, try the Miso Ramen or the Katsu Ramen. Incredible.
Yes it is a hole in the wall, but there is a reason the majority of the people who come here are Japanese.
Beef Tataki - I love ponzu and the meat was pretty good, so this was my favorite of the meal
Broiled Sea Pike - nicely broiled, but should have been cleaned better, because that black stuff inside the fish makes it bitter! i made sure to scrape it off with my chopsticks (takes forever) before eating.
Sukiyaki - pretty good, not too sweet like some restaurants
Not to go against the conventional wisdom of pretty much everybody's parents, but sometimes, and I'm not saying all the time, but sometimes you can tell a book by its cover.
I can't even estimate how may countless times I had passed Ginza. But I never stopped in. There's was something a little too divey and shady about it to walk in alone (I mean it does share its space with the Tokyo Hotel). Still it fascinated me. Well with Mary T. in tow and looking for somewhere to eat on the way to the Outdoor Film Festival, I finally got the courage up to step inside.
The mental picture that I had was that this would be a hidden gem. It was going to be one of the best sushi places in Chicago. The only reason that people hadn't gone there in droves (I thought) was lack of a come hither facade.
No, the reason people haven't gone here is that it's just mediocre sushi. The rolls are small (though at a relatively acceptable price point for the size - around $5), dry (especially the seaweed which was almost crunchy), and my final cucumber roll tasted oddly of fish. At least the free miso soup was tasty. I left hungry, even after ordering desert, and paid much more than I would have at a more filling and fulfilling place.
They do have some good deals on full meals but limit the choices of what can be ordered (no substitutions). For those with dietary restrictions, this pretty much means ordering a la carte.
Now there did seem to be a few regulars hanging out at the sushi bar so maybe its just my palette that didn't appreciate their brand of maki. Though it did make me wonder if this might be one of those fronts for illegal poker games (because it wasn't much of a restaurant) and if that's why they were all there. The place did seem like it was seedy enough to support one. However, as I wandered back to the bathroom I didn't see any card games (they may have just hid it better than I could stumble upon). It's a shame because that might be something to make this place worthwhile.
From the outside Ginza looks like nothing special, even a little dingy and sketchy. Fortunately, the interior of the restaurant, small and simple, looks better. There is ample seating at the sushi bar as well as 4 or 5 tables in the front.
If you're looking for fancy, fusion rolls this is not your place; fortunately, I prefer simple, classic rolls. That said, I was still disappointed in the limited options on the sushi menu, there weren't even salmon rolls (other than 1 salmon skin option). I ended up going with the spicy tuna and negi hamachi rolls.
Our orders came with complimentary miso soup; I can't really rate it since it's not my thing. My rolls were just average; the fish portion of the rolls seemed a bit sparse. I also found it strange that the fish in my negi hamachi maki had spots of pink in it. Normally, negi hamachi is a white-yellow color without any pink spots; I don't know if that was a good or bad sign. From a taste standpoint the sushi was decent, nice zing on the spicy tuna.
Service was friendly and spot on, I thought it was nice that warm hand towels were left at the table. Ginzu's sushi didn't wow me, or even sway me enough to want to make a return trip; maybe the hot dishes are where it's at.
One of my absolute favorite sushi bars in the city. Ginza doesn't have to aim to please, the authenticity and seosoned sushi chefs keep me coming back for more. A traditional Japanese greeting upon entry is always good too...
If you get past the seediness of the Tokyo Hotel just realize there are tea rooms and an entire dining area in the back, what looks like a dump at first glance will surprise you!
I loved the grilled hamachi neck and the dragon roll or chef's choice roll has never disapointed!
Hot Appetizer Menu: I don't know the authentic Japanese name, the buttered hamachi neck is amazing! I usually get a kaki fry, fried oyster appetizer but they were out of oysters that night. The neck was so juicy, perfectly seasoned and light that I would order it as part of my entre next time.The meat on the neck was ample and well worth the $7. The hamachi and tuna are comparable in size to most sushi places in the city I have frequented and are fresh and well cut.
I usually will opt for the $30 sashimi chefs choice entree, consisting of 10 or so pieces of various pieces of sashimi; hamachi, maguro, hirame, namasake, unagi etc ... I asked to exclude shrimp and squid and my request was accomodated.
I always feel better when I visit an Japanese restauarant to see many other Japanese people eating there too.... some weird validation of authenticity is always welcomed...
Not a cheap eat for sure, I never left there spending any less than $30-40 dollars... totally worth it to me!
Hole in the wall!
Beautiful restaurants surrounding this place and its under a dingy old sign called Tokyo Hotel.
Big sushi bar and 2 booths and a couple tables, very small.
I like "modern" or "american-ized" sushi in the first place, I love tempura fried, avocado, cream cheese, rice on the outside sushi. The spicy tuna roll was good, but definitely the seaweed was on the outside of the roll and it was a very tightly rolled sushi, so a smaller piece after it was cut up.
The tempura vegetables were very lightly fried with a sweeter sauce to dip them in.
We all had soup, which I would probably have loved in the winter time, but it is the middle of august and I ate the salty miso ramen soup and it heated me up.
Don't get me wrong, we went there with my boyfriend's roommate and he LOVES the place, totally enjoyed every bite of everything and even finished my dish. Just depends what type of Asian food you're into.
I enjoy a good hole in the wall, if their food is worthwhile, but this was not one of my favorites. Don't think I will go back.
My wife and I just moved to Chicago from Tokyo and went to Ginza for lunch. I read mixed comments about this place online, but most of the negative comments were from people who had no idea what real Japanese food is like and have never been to Japan.
This is exactly what I would expect from an Izakaya that does lunch service in Tokyo, both in terms of the food and the appearance of the restaurant. The portions were Japanese sized and quite excellent. I was desperately craving katsudon and my wife had the yakiniku / kariage set. Both were excellent and the kariage was definitely done properly and is not just "fried chicken"
We also asked to look at the the dinner menu and the server also brought us the secret menu which is available in Japanese only for us to look at. Alot of great things on that menu as well. We are definitely going to be back to try their sushi as well as order off the secret menu as it is basically an izakaya menu.
As far as pries go they look right to me. Most good ramen places in Tokyo charge about 1000 yen for a bowl that is about $10.50 here. The items on the special menu are in the $5 to $8 range which would be appropriate for 95% or all izakaya's in Tokyo as well.
When we spoke to the waitress (in Japanese) she said 90% of the customers are Japanese and I take this in meaning they have no interest in catering to this designer "sushi" movement that seems to be all over Chicago. Please note that sushi containing any of the following: cream cheese, smoked salmon, fried anything, rice on the outside of the roll, hot sauce, or avocado IS NOT SUSHI! You may like that stuff and it has its place on the menu, but it is about as authentically Japanese as Taco Bell is Mexican.
Now I speak Japanese and my wife is Japanese so we may be getting an experience that is better than the average "gaijin", but frankly, that is fine with me!
Looking forward to coming back many times!
Since this was a meh place that induced some snores, I'm reviewing it in robo speak. So here goes:
Late weeknight dinner. Towards 9. This was a spontaneous decision. We were both hungry. It looked more promising. Than chinese place next door. The food is reasonably priced. but it left me really unsatisfied. Wishing I had gone to fast food instead. Their menu is very basic. Do not expect to see yakisoba noodles. and the like. Tempura was not bad. The batter was in between. Not too light. not too heavy. I prefer the lighter. version. Their tuna was okay. Everything was borderline okay. Good for low key. quiet dinner. but food leaves a lot to be desired. There is better sushi out there. I am not putting them down. Because they are not trendy. I am an equal opportunity eater. so please.
My boyfriend and I thought this place was surprisingly good. Other reviews led us to not expect much, but it turns out that, for our purposes, they were wrong.
The atmosphere was what I expected an Izakaya to be like. It was lively and wasn't brightly lit, but that felt just right. Japanese conversations seemed to outnumber English ones, which was a welcomed change. The waitstaff humored our terrible Japanese with a friendly smile and a touch of curiosity.
The food was quick, savory, and authentic. The green tea was consistently served at the perfect, ready-to-drink temperature. We ordered the Tonkotsu ramen, and Nabeyaki Udon, and both were quite tasty, and comparable to other traditional Japanese places we have frequented in So Cal. The exception were the gyoza, which tasted as if they'd come from the grocery store, but the tasty green tea ice cream more then made up for them.
All and all we enjoyed Ginza and will be back. :)
I had been craving ramen for days, and Ginza was one of the few options available in downtown Chicago that was open for an early dinner (~5:30pm).
I went with a group of 6 people, so they sat us in one of the back rooms that appeared to have a more traditional Japanese style (you take off your shoes, sit on cushions, and shoji screens separated you from the next room). My first impression was that I did not want to take off my shoes, because the room was pretty dirty looking. I was too scared to examine the cushion that I was sitting on, but pretty sure it had been years since they were cleaned.
I ordered the miso ramen which was just okay. The broth was a bit on the saltier side, and there was only an average amount of ramen in the bowl. The waitress also got one of the orders wrong, but didn't offer to correct the mistake (which is not unusual for an Asian restaurant).
Overall, I don't think I will be returning to this restaurant any time soon based on this experience.
Add another River North Runch location to the list! Don't let the curb appeal (rather lack thereof), prevent you from giving Ginza a try.
If you are looking to impress a client, or a significant other by going to a place to see and be seen, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for delicious and reasonably priced Japanese food in the downtown area, you can't go wrong with Ginza (especially at lunch time.)
I've tried their unagi-don (grilled eel over rice) which was a pretty decent portion and tasty. Their lunch special for $8.95 is a hidden gem. You choose a main dish (beef or chicken teriyaki, shrimp tempura, pork katsu(cutlet), broiled fish, or my favorite curry!) and a side dish (edamame, seaweed salad, sashimi salad, omelet).
As I've mentioned in previous reviews, not a lot of local places seem to do curry. (Or maybe I need to look harder) I tried the lunch special curry along with the sashimi salad. My curry came with a decent amount of pork, potato and carrots, along with a healthy amount of rice. The sashimi salad was a salad with two larger pieces of sashimi (octopus and another fish type I always fail to identify), with a clear vinegar/sesame tasting type of dressing.
Overall, an excellent value for lunch in the area.
Service was efficient.
I'll gradually update this review as I try different items on the menu.
This is my favorite Japanese restaurant and I've been a loyal customer since high school!
What I love about Ginza is that it's truly authentic. They have the freshest sushi. I also enjoy their Ramen and Tempura.
I always feel at home when I'm in there because the staff is very friendly especially Michiko.
Now that I've read some of the other reviews I know I'll try the "best in Chicago, but not nearly as good as in L.A." tonkatsu ramen. Being the uninitiated white girl that I am, the sound of ordering ramen at a restaurant had no appeal to me.
I went with 3 co-workers for the lunch special. One of them was talking about the teriyaki beef special all the way there. The other lunch specials weren't too convincing so I followed her lead. It was good.
The portions were a good size, I was able to eat most of my food and not feel terrible and too-full after. The green tea and miso that's included with the special were both better than average. The sashimi side salad was nice too, though the tuna chunk in it obviously not too fresh.
A good lunch find and the other reviews here make an enticing appeal for a return visit.
This place is pretty legit. You'll hear some Japanese being spoken among the dudes making the sushi, and the intense wood paneling and interior decorating is perfect. Perfect if you feel more comfortable in a home-style Japanese place rather than a trendy Asian-fusion joint with wacky rolls.
We ordered the Agedashi tofu, miso, rice, a California roll and a selection of nigiri. I have to say the Agedashi tofu was probably the worst I've ever had. If it was fried, I couldn't tell, because it was mostly some tofu squares sitting in a really under seasoned broth. I don't know what happened, but don't order this dish.
All of the fish we had tasted really fresh, and that left me with really impressed with that aspect of the restaurant. The toro was only $8 for 2 pieces- really a bargain, and as good as I've had at other, fancier, Chicago-area Japanese places.
I wouldn't go out of my way to visit Ginza, but I'd like to come back and try the ramen, since it's the one dish no one else in Chicago seems to make.
Coming from SoCali, I miss having delicious, authentic Japanese Ramen. I knew Ginza would be authentic right away when I saw that they close after lunch mid-day (all legit Japanese restaurants seem to do this) and reopen for dinner.
Pros:
+ Best ramen without a doubt in the city.
+ I've had both the miso and Tonkatsu ramen and enjoyed them both.
+ The location is super convenient, and the atmosphere of the restaurant is clearly Japanese, I like being seated in the back booths, chasing hot sake with small glass cups of beer from the big kirin bottles, it's a lot of fun with friends.
Cons:
- Best ramen in the city is not a huge accolade, given that its basically between Ginza and Cocoro.
- Ramen noodles are not freshly made. I've been spoiled by freshly made ramen noodles at ramen restaurants in OC (shin sen gumi etc.), I've just found the consistency of the noodles here to be less than desirable and clearly from dried noodle packs.
- Prices are really steep, 11 bucks for Tonkatsu ramen? There are certain places where I am ok with paying that much or even a bit more, but this is not one of those places, the serving size is relatively small to add to that.
Verdict:
This is primarily a review of their ramen, and for that I'd say its very average, but given that still the best in the city. As a result, although I wish there was better ramen options, this place gets "regular" status.
The tonkatsu ramen soup was very thick and delicious! The place felt very small, but also cute and intimate. I liked their hot green tea as well.
Love the down to earth vibe in this place, and of course the food. There are no modern furniture pieces, fruity martinis, or fancy sushi combinations here. In fact, this place is very much a hole in the wall that seems to be completely overlooked among the high-end restaurants surrounding it. But they do some seriously good japanese food here.
Ginza serves up some damn good ramen, udon, and other noodle dishes at a reasonable price. Their sushi menu is not that large and you won't find anything outside of the simple and standard items - no mayonaise, avocado, or other exotic sushi ingredients here. Normally I like those concoctions, but in Ginza's case, I don't miss it. Their sushi is excellent and simple. However, the real deal here are the noodle soups.
i love this place because of its consistency. it is quaint and a great place to take a load off and just relax and enjoy a balanced meal. the food always tastes the same. it isn't the best sushi i've ever had but it also never lets me down. a lot of good memories. :)
i recommend it because the sushi rolled tiny and tastes fresh, the ramen is big and authentic and the atmosphere is something hard to come by living here. be adventurous with the menu. its all equally good!
My friend had been here before and suggested we go, so I checked it out on Yelp before we went. The promise of Tonkatsu ramen had my mouth watering. We showed up around 8PM on a Saturday and waited behind 2 couples. My friend apologized profusely, because she said that it was never that busy, but I noticed that there were a lot of Japanese customers, so I knew it was legit. It's truly a hole-in-the-wall with no room to stand.
We were seated in a booth in the way back and we ordered the pork katsu and Tonkatsu ramen. My ramen was delicious and I'm so glad I found a place that makes it in the city. I've been craving it since my trip to LA in December. It can't really compare to Daikokuya in LA, but it's a satisfying attempt. My friend and I liked the pork katsu and all the sides were delicious as well.
Prices felt a bit high, given the smaller portions and bland decor, but I must come back for the sushi, which my friend says is a great deal. I'd also like to come back with a group and check out the private rooms in back.
Please note, as some of the reviews have stated, the service is pretty slow. Our waitress didn't like being efficient, taking everything step-by-step. She was surprised that we wanted to order our entrees with our drinks, and didn't want to take my credit card as we asked her for a box for our leftovers. Instead, she took 30 minutes to box up our food, bring over our check, take our payment, and return with the receipts, one step at a time. Somewhat aggravating, but I'd still go back if I wasn't in a rush.
If service is better when I go back, I'll give 'em 4 stars, but for now, 3 will do.
I never thought I'd end up checking this place out given the proximity to the run-down Tokyo hotel and hole in the wall Chinese restaurant, but "never say never"!
This past Wednesday I met a friend for dinner here. Yes, the decor is definitely out-dated, but some may say this makes the place more charming. The service is great. The food is average and a bit under-seasoned for my taste. We started with the tuna maki roll ($5); the tuna was fresh. I ordered the shrimp and vegetable tempura udon ($9.50). The broth was really flavorless. The tempura was pretty good. As with any tempura, you need to eat it right away or else the batter will get all soggy and peel off; I seemed to have forgotten this. At the end of our meal, our waiter brought us two cups of green tea.
To be honest, I don't think I'd plan to come here again just because there are so many other Japanese restaurants that are better. But, if I'm in the area and lazy, I might stop in.
...........oh boy. a japanese restaurant where the waitress barely knows english, and only smiles and nods at you repeatedly between requests, like she's being forced to do so. blech...
i had the sashimi salad (very fresh and delicious!), some eel, the lunch special sliced beef sweet & sour teriyaki with sticky with rice, some tofu-miso soup, tuna, and a host of other pretty good stuff; i couldn't keep up with all the names, or even care to - the food was good.
well, i'll tell you this: ginza is in a great location. and this is the kinda place that will attract two types of patrons: tourists and loyal regulars. being that its in a great location, there are gazillion other jap restaurants to to visit before considering ginza. even the decor is still stuck in 1985. i dunno how that helps the food or take away from it, but it sure impacts the overall experience.
....eh, i'll say try it out by yourself for lunch sometime. oh and take a good book with you.
I love Ginza, but I don't love Ginza. You know how that goes.
The food is consistently good. Not amazing, but good. It's a little pricey, but the vegetarian sushi platter is nicely priced. Sadly, the miso it comes with is fish-based and they won't sub out a salad.
The labyrinthine nature of the back of the place is fun, the tea rooms are comfy and make you feel like you're really in Japan (well, I assume, I've never been; at least it makes you feel like you're not in touristville). One time, though, after it rained, it smelled mighty bad back there. Like wet, rotting carpet. Hoo boy.
The service is consistently good, though. Never had a problem with it, and the guys behind the sushi bar are friendly.
Irashaimase, salari-man-san! (Welcome, japanese businessman)
GINZA, straight up, is EXACTLY what a mediocre Tokyo Japanese restaurant would be like if you walked into one in a not-so-fashionable part of Tokyo. From the staff, to the patrons and the food, it was like a tornado picked this sucker up and plopped it in the middle of Chicago. The interesting thing is, if you are Japanese and want to eat Japanese food, and not have Tiffany or Trixie elbow you with her cellphone arm, and spill her Cosmo on your hamachi while her Mr.Right-this-second Chad asks you to move, THIS is the place to go.
NOMIMONO - Drinks are DEFINITELY Japanese. Don't even bother with the small beer (12 oz.). In Japan, the small beers are for babies or grandmothers. Go with the 40 oz sucker. And keep them coming. Sake,? Yeah, that too.
TABEMONO - Well, the food is average for Japanese. I tried the soy ramen and the bento box. Miso soup was EXCELLENT. Bento box was average, good selection, plenty of food, salmon was very fresh and perfectly cooked (I didn't ruin the salmon by getting it teriyaki, I asked for 'shio' or grilled with salt - this also gives you a very clear indication how fresh the fish is) good pickles, overcooked steamed rice. Ramen was basically Tokyo style, not too flavorful broth, good noodles, green onion, kameboko (a fishcake slice), but very passable (next time I will order the miso-ramen). The fish was very fresh as any Japanese place should be.
IKURA DESU KA? - No, I am not asking for salmon eggs. Pricing is about average for a Japanese meal. $28 for a large bento box, ramen was $10, all was pretty good. Beer was excellent, service was also very fast.
NAZE IKIMASU KA? - Why go there? Well, it is a nice quiet place to sit and reflect in a real Japanese restaurant (probably the last remnant of the Japanese population in Chicago). Food is solid and good, without the neon. Many Japanese folks were there at the counter, eating, reading, and enjoying their time in a Japanese environment. This is a taste of home away from home.
Now if they could only smoke in there...
REVIEWS FOR LEVELS OF RAMEN EXPERIENCE:
Japanese person from Japan: Ma-ma
U.S. person who's had real ramen in U.S.: Eh, I'm hungry anyway
U.S. person who's thinks they know what ramen is in U.S.: Wow! Look! Ramen!
Eastern European person who's has no idea what ramen is: It's delicious!
After reading the numerous mixed reviews, I decided "the hell with it" and took the boyfriend (who is a big sushi fan) out for something a little more authentic.
We were not disappointed.
Yes, the last redecorating was probably done when Carter was in office....yeah, the storefront looks a little shady...sure, we were the only white folks in the restaurant...but, I've gotta tell ya - it was a very good meal.
Now I don't know "authentic" Japanese cuisine from nothin' but the miso ramen I ordered was excellent - very rich and flavorful. The bf went on a sushi spree, and the rating was two thumbs very enthusiastically up - maybe not for creativity, but certainly for freshness and quality.
I did try the Toro - like butter. Mmmm...
Take a chance on this place when you're downtown. I can assure you, there will be no tourists there! You'll be in for a nice experience.
I love how as soon as you step inside this place you completely forget that your in the downtown area. No noise no windows. Just you and the music playing and of course "irashaimase!"
Their place, like many said, isn't fancy. Which, I think, is good because a lot of places sometimes work so hard on the decor they forget about making good food.
I always want to try something new I'm there but I almost every time end up getting their lunch box. It's a lot of food and super cheap. The sake they offer is great. I usually go to Mitsuwa to get that brand so I'm happy to go to Ginza and have it with my meal. It's funny that when you ask for it hot, they microwave it right there in front of you. That's awesome.
My friend once ordered vodka-cranberry and they didn't offer that, to give you an example of their drinks offering. Stick with beer or sake.
Loved it! I went there twice in 3 days. Both times I had the tonkatsu ramen because I LOVE tonkatsu ramen. The sushi was also great although I had very few due to my ramen meals. The first time I came, I was by myself so I sat at the bar. The second time, I brought 8 people with me, and they gave us one of those private rooms in the back where we got to sit on tatami and such. Fun, fun! Everyone had a great time and loved the food. Highly recommended!
Came here b/c of a recommendation for a no-frills, mom n pop style, traditional Japanese sushi restaurant. I wasn't expecting a ton, but I gotta say I was a bit disappointed. I ordered a chirashi (my classic, "is ____ restaurant's sushi any good dish") and while some of the fish was great, others tasted a bit fishy. Maybe it was b/c I went at the very end of the night, but I didn't come away all that impressed. The fish was slightly cheaper, but nowhere as plentiful or as tasty as the fish at Niu, below the RiverEast AMC. Decor was really dingy, I know it's a mom n pop shop, but place just looked run down and I sat on a chair I'd expect to see in Chinatown, not downtown.
I did like that this place was actually Japanese owned/run and that when I ordered my yakitori that the waitress gave me a choice of salty (of course! you always take the shio-flavored yakitori!) versus (the Americanized) terriayki sauce flavor. The menu was seriously traditional. This is not a place to go if you want fancy creations of rolls. They did have a few homecooking items - like the ochazuke and onigiris (riceballs, but alas no yakionigiri). I'll prob go back to try their ramen and tonkatsu at some point.
Update (10/13/07): Ramen was definitely passable - ask for the tonkotsu (white soup), not to be confused with tonkatsu (lightly battered pork). Only thing is you only get 2 slices of charsiu with your noodles, probably need something else to fill you up
Update (2/16/08): Never ever order the udon, don't be tricked when they say the ramen is sold out. Not the right kind of noodle and not much taste to it.
For a noob like me, this is the best Japanese lunch in the city. Each bento box is like a lesson in Japanese culture, and really eye-opening.
This is where I first had natto, after multiple "are you sure?"s from the wait staff, and I'm glad I did.
A real treasure. Thank goodness the Tokyo Hotel has resisted the hideous development that's been going on all around it.
This restaurant is above Tokyo Hotel and is a hole in the wall ...so the atmosphere isn't too great. The booth I sat in is too tight to really be able to seat 4 comfortably.
Despite the atmosphere and the uncomfortable factor, the place was pretty busy on a Wednesday night, and the sushi wasn't bad either.
If you have 5 or more people, you get to sit in the private rooms in back.....and eat Japanese style....with pillows on the floor...stuff like that.
It's a decent restaurant....I'd probably go back. :)
FOOD:
OMG -- It is extremely hard to find some good tasting ramen in chicago,, and this place definately hit the spot. I recommend the Tonkotsu ramen (my favorite in Japan) because it actually tasted good. I've tried other places ramen,, and they all missed the great flavors involved in the broth and have been bad :( .
The other food here is good too. Authentic flavors and styles. The meats do have some fatty tissues, so if you need 'cleaned' up food, I.E. pure chicken breast , fatless pork,, you'll have some issues with that,, but the flavors are still good.
Im not a big sushi eater ,,, i only love japanese food,, so i cant comment on the sushi.
Atmoshpere/Service:
On weekends, they are busy,, and service is a bit slow at times,, so go with some patience/assertiveness.
I do like the traditional feel of "IRASHIMASEEeeee" when you enter japanese restaurants.
Overall,,, a great home-style restaurant with tasty food. Decent place to take someone who has not tried japanese food and get them started on some authentic cuisine and atmosphere. (4 stars only because its homestyle and a bit slow service,,, but this is a good tasting restaurant)
We've all been "somewhere" and "authenticity" is venomous word. Come here for the lunch specials. One can not have a better piece of saba shioyaki in the city at that price. There is no better place to dine solo and devour a relatively affordable bowl of chirashi on a ... Wednesday nite.
Been here a dozen times and never been sick. Didya know gag reflect can be willed? And self-fulfilling prophecies are exactly that?
Ginza gives you the feeling that you're not in Chicago but in Japan. It's a hole-in-the-wall place. The service and food are good. Everytime I'm there, I see many Japanese working men eating there and that makes me feel that Ginza's food has to have at least some authenticity to it. One nice thing is that after your meal, the server will bring a cup of green tea to each person at the table, and it's complimentary too. I also love their ramen. Will definitely be back.
this is a great place for lunch, they have some cheap and varied lunch specials and (as others have noted) the majority of workers and patrons are actually japanese. this may come as a shock to many of you, but many sushi joints in the city are run by koreans or other non japanese...so this place not only feels real, it is real!
another sign of its japanese-ness, the "employees must wash their hands" sign is in japanese and english and nothing else!
I love this place for a Japanese meal more on the traditional side. They actually serve ramen, which is surprisingly hard to find here. The sushi is also reasonably priced and of decent quality. The really nice bonus is if you are able to sit in their traditional booths in the back.
This place is horrible, the old lady there has an attitude problem, and its just dirty. I saw roaches in the bathroom and in the back area as I was going there.
The quality was pretty low sashimi wise, i had the hamachi kama, which was fried and overly salted.. traditionally, this is a dish that is broiled.
I would recommend itto sushi, or sunshine cafe for that mom and pop style.
Of course, I went there again to give it another shot... so sad
joe kurokawa stopped for a moment and thought to himself, "shit, how come everytime it starts rainin' i got no umbrella." joe didn't own an umbrella. didn't like lugging them around. he was simply in the manner of complaining. on a sunny day, he'd complain of it being too bright, though neither did he own sunglasses; if there was one thing joe kurokawa couldn't stand, it was wearing sunglasses.
shuffling south on wabash, he came to the intersection of ontario. "jesus christ, how come an american city's gotta name a street after some canadian province," he mumbled, and crossed without waiting for the light. shuffle shuffle, shuffle shuffle. ohio street. "fer da love a mary," he grumbled, "how come a city in illinois should name anudder street after a whole nudder state?!" and again, didn't wait for the light.
on the southwest corner of ohio and wabash, joe kurokawa was drizzle dampened and slightly chilled. he had nowhere to go. nothing to do this afternoon but walk around and complain. looking up, he saw a sign proclaiming, "tokyo hotel."
"a tokyo hotel on ohio street," he said aloud. "in chicago, illinois. ain't we got no self-respect?" under the tokyo hotel sign was another: "ginza fish." finding himself getting hungry and wanting out of the rain, he stepped in.
the first thing he noticed was how dumpy it looked. orange booths with smoke-yellowed walls, it resembled more your average 70's american diner than japanese fish joint. which was the second thing he noticed. despite the name, it wasn't just a fish joint. their menu offered a full array of homey, japanese delectables.
joe opted for sukiyaki: a down-home, cure-all for his blues. "gimme da raw egg widdit, too," he said. for dipping the meat, the way his momma taught him. "and some ocha."
tea came and he sipped. sukiyaki followed and he munched. "mmmmmm," he sighed. his first positive thought of the day. "not too bland, not too sweet, good-sized tofu chunks, bamboo's crunchy, anna meat ain't all'at fatty, ee'der." he ate. dripped clear noodles on his chin. hung his head over the steaming broth to clear his nose. poured a cup of tea over his remaining rice and slurped this concocted dessert of ochazuke, the way his long-gone momma taught him.
with still nowhere to go and nothing in particular to do, he stepped back out to the chilliness of an umbrellaless drizzle. for the first time today, joe kurokawa had no complaints.
Ginza is one of my 2 go-to sushi places in Chicago. Owned by Japanese, run by Japanese, it serves really good Japanese kitchen food. The sushi is pretty good as well. My standard order would be a round of sushi, and a bowl of the tonkotsu ramen. The place is a hole in the wall, so if you are looking for a hip cool restaurant, keep looking. For good sushi and ramen (and reasonably priced lunch specials), Ginza is a good choice
Just had a meal at Ginza. Honestly, it's not the best. We had tonkotsu ramen (good), miso ramen (average), california roll (nothing special), and futo maki (not bad). that came out to be $38 before tax. Not terribly cheap. But it is an authenic Japanese atmosphere, as the previous reviews mentioned. All the workers, and most of the customers were Japanese. But i will go back, only because there is no other decent ramen place anywhere in Chicago!. I would have to go to Arlington Heights otherwise. Thank god there is a ramen place...i only wish it were better.
wednesday and thursday…
Chicago, IL
No Corkage Fee For Yelpers!
Neighborhood: Noble Square
Chicago, IL
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Caterers
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Hotels
Arlington Heights, IL
Category: Japanese
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