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Lips Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar
Categories: Restaurants Asian Fusion Restaurants Sushi Bars Asian Fusion, Sushi Bars [Edit]
3705 N Southport Ave(between Waveland Ave & Grace St)
Chicago, IL 60613
Neighborhood: Lakeview
(773) 248-5477
- Nearest Transit:
-
Southport (Brown Line)
- Hours:
Mon 5 pm - 10 pm
Tue-Thu 5 pm - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 12 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
71 reviews for Lips Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar
Review Highlights
"...delectable rolls, including the White Tiger and Strawberry."
(in 4 reviews)
"...bomb as well as the Sundae roll--the sushi was very fresh."
(in 3 reviews)
"King Crab Asparagus - king crab&asparagus, cucumber..."
(in 2 reviews)
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71 reviews in English
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Review from Reva M.
Chicago, IL
10/24/2011
I love Lips. While I too am biased as it is in my hood, it is also the best sushi in my hood -- and there is plenty of competition. The staff is pleasant and the drinks are great. My favorite was the night I went with two friends - the guys at the sushi bar told us to tell them what we liked and didn't like and they would put together a platter for us - it was one of the best most memorable sushi experiences I've had.
The sushi at Lips is great. I LOVE the Sundae roll. The sushi is very fresh. The temperature is always cold. I have been many times and have never had bad sushi there. I have been with many people, and they've all wanted to go back afterwards.
So for a hidden neighborhood gem, I highly recommend Lips. I don't think it's open right now, but I'm looking forward to going again. -
Review from Anthony P.
Chicago, IL
7/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had a perfectly fine time here. It was dead on a Sunday evening. We got seated right away, and the server was very friendly.
The pan fried dumplings were a delicious start. The Rainbow and Philadelphia rolls were as tasty as I have had from other businesses.
With so many choices out there, I would not go out of my way to come here, but it is a good choice if you're in the area. -
Review from Jessica B.
Chicago, IL
7/25/2011
Tried Lips after purchasing a Groupon and was very pleased with the deal.
I loved everything we ordered except the spider roll. Godzilla roll was the bomb as well as the Sundae roll--the sushi was very fresh. Oh, and the seaweed salad and fried rice were both great as well! Service was a bit slow, as some of the negative reviews detail--but acceptable. They had nice outdoor seating, although we sat inside.
Sushi was all very good--this place isn't super close to my house, so we probably won't be back much, but definitely a good meal! -
Review from Amber S.
Hoffman Estates, IL
6/30/2011
Went here with 2 friends. I ordered the salmon teriyaki, my friends ordered the chicken pad thai and the other ordered tofu pad thai and a crunchy maki for us to split. Let me start off with the good. My salmon teriyaki was good. Big portion, the skin was left on the bottom so it was nice and crisp, and it wasn't dried out. It came with rice and some onions and asparagus and was only $16. My friends kept trying my dish and saying that their dish was just average and that they had better. The crunchy maki was good too but nothing special.
Now for the bad, and that was service. We had our orders taken right away however it took them at least 30 minutes or more to come out. My dish and the tofu pad thai were the first ones to come out and the chicken pad thai came out 5-6 minutes after. It was not a busy night either. There were maybe 4 tables including us sitting outside, none were inside and it seemed that other tables were annoyed at the food wait also.
In conclusion, I would probably eat there again if I'm around that area, but I would keep in mind that the service is slow and I would stick with ordering the salmon teriyaki again. -
Review from Shanna B.
Chicago, IL
4/8/2011
I should point out my biased love for Lips since it is in my 'hood. Actually, it is practically in my apartment as it approx 10 ten steps from my building. We get take-out every week or two lately, and we probably eat in once every couple of months just to switch it up. I will say that there is another sushi place just a block away - Sushi Mura -(let's say 15 steps from our apartment) that we used to frequent more...but for past few months it's been Lips all the way.
Reasons why Lips has become our go-to:
1. their Spicy Tuna rolls - sooo much better than other in the neighborhood...and better than most I've had thus far in the city for that matter. Unlike tiny spicy tuna rolls with seaweed on the outside, rice, and a small spicy tuna center, there are plenty big and stuffed with tuna, rolled in seaweed and rice on the ouside as it should be. Plus they very perfectly chop up the tuna with the spicy mayo.
2. online ordering! We order online and pick it up within 20-30 mins.
3. FREE spicy tuna roll with $20 purchase when you order online. This should really be my #1 reason!
4. They give us containers of eel sauce and spicy mayo for free everytime we get takeout. Not sure if this is standard or if we're just special
The prices for regular rolls are good ($4-6), but some of the specialtly rolls are pretty overpriced ($14). This is on par with the other sushi joints in the area and around town, though. Sometimes we just load up on the basics to get more for less $ (Spicy tuna, shrimp tempura - which is drizzled in eel sauce btw, philly roll, maybe the aslaskan with salmon/avocado, or hamachi.)
Fav specialty rolls:
-Godzilla - double shrimp tempura, avocado, cream cheese, masago, green onion, spicy mayo & topped w tempura crunch ($14)
-King Crab Asparagus - king crab&asparagus, cucumber, avocado, - tempura fried! topped w eel sauce and wasabi mayo ($10)
-Sundae - California roll covered with tuna, avocado, topped w black tobiko & wasabi mayo. ($12)
misc: miso soup is good and generous portions, veggie/shrimp tempura app is fab!, crab rangoon dip w wonton chips is good but heavy...noodle dishes are good but small portions. -
Review from Frank M.
Chicago, IL
2/16/2011
I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I kind of liked this little Chicago Sushi restaurant. Is the ambiance and setting as ornate as Tsunami Sushi, downtown? Probably not. Having said that, I thought Lips has very fresh, well prepared Sushi rolls and the service was nice.
We stopped by Lips a week after the Great Chicago Blizzard of 2011, so the weather was cold and the restaurant was pretty empty. Once inside, I was smitten by the dark room, with colorful artwork on the walls. At the bar, two young Asian women were having a drink while surfing the Internet. Perhaps the restaurant has WIFI, but I'm not sure.
We were seated near the wall, underneath the colossal lips montage. The tables are a bit close together, with bench seating against the wall, with wooden chairs on the other side of the table.
A very nice waitress promptly came over and asked us if we wanted drinks, and took our order. I will say that the service was a bit slow, but perhaps that was because there was only one waitress on the floor on such a slow night.
We are big sushi roll fans, so we opted for the rainbow and Hawaiian roll. Oh yes, we also ordered the edamame as an appetizer. Within minuets, our server brought out the edamame, which was warm and quite fresh.
The sushi itself was very good. I thought the pieces were artfully put together and the taste was a good as any other Sushi bar I've been to in Chicago.
We did not use a Groupon voucher or any other kind of on line discount to pay the bill. The bill was about somewhere around $40 dollars, which included three rolls, two non alcoholic beverages and the appetizer. -
Review from Amy F.
Chicago, IL
10/30/2011
I can honestly say that Lips has the BEST sushi I've ever tasted! Its so fresh and delicious and very reasonably priced. And it's right down the block from me, so you can't beat the location.
They were closed for "renovations" and were supposed to re-open in October but they haven't re-opened yet. Does anyone know if they're even going to re-open? I sure hope so because I'm really craving Lips Sushi! -
Review from Kim M.
Chicago, IL
1/23/2011
It's after 11:00, we're in Lakeview, and craving sushi. Then we remember we have a gift certificate for some place called "Lips" and vaguely remember them having late hours. After calling to confirm they were indeed open late, we giddily headed towards the restaurant. And so begins our evening of bleh...
While my guy looked for parking I headed into the restaurant to get a table. I walk up to what appears to be a hostess station and feel as though I'm crashing an employee party at the bar. Finally one of the gals looks up from her drink and asks me if I need a table. Biting back sarcasm, I nod and am seated by a young man that appears annoyed by my presence.
We sit for a while and are finally approached by a server who quickly takes our drink orders and rushes off. After returning with some hot tea and water we are able ask a question. We wanted to make sure the items labeled as "king crab" were not imitation crab as we had previously experienced at multiple sushi restaurants. With a combined air of annoyance and arrogance she replied that, "if it says king crab it's king crab. If it says imitation crab, it's imitation crab." Jeez. Sorry for asking sister.
The meal...
We ordered the tuna tartar and 2 pieces of king crab (kani) nigiri. The tuna tartar is presented in a martini glass that is filled with shredded beet. Unfortunately there was zero ponzu sauce on the tuna and avocado because it was all at the bottom of the glass with the icky beets. We had to order a side of the sauce (to the annoyance of the waitress) and while we were waiting we picked out a disappointingly small portion of tuna and avocado. The dish was at least 75% beets (and note the menu mentioned NOTHING about the horrible beets). Unfortunately the beet flavor penetrated the delicate flavor of the tuna. A major failure. The kani was mediocre. The pieces themselves were decently sized, but the meat was a bit flavorless and on the dry side.
Anecdotal interjection...as we're eating our appetizers we notice the only other table of patrons becoming more and more agitated. One of them finally storms over to the staff bar party and comes back with some sweeteners. I'm totally jealous. Not only did I need a refill of my tea, but I had to fish-out a crumpled Splenda packet from my purse.
Back to the meal...
We ordered the King Crab Asparagus Roll, Shrimp Tempura Maki and the Boston Maki. In terms of flavor the rolls were fairly decent. Nothing amazing, but fresh enough (we've had some pretty scary sushi experiences). The issue came with trying to chew the rolls. The nori was so chewy it was as though our rolls were wrapped in rubber bands. It wasn't just bad...it was inedible.
Our no-where-to-be-found waitress finally appears and I attempt to explain the nori issue. Apology? Nope. I got the "hmm, I don't know why. We haven't had any complaints." Really? The nori could outlast chewing gum and you're going to blow me off? Oh, and I never got that refill on my hot tea.
Weird staff + weird service + weird food + weird atmosphere = 1 star. -
Review from Kylie H.
Chicago, IL
10/17/2010
We just moved to Chicago and live about a block away from this place, so I really wanted to like it. But this was honestly one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in awhile. I can't figure out why this place has so many great reviews.... we were so disappointed that we actually went out in search of bar food after our dinner here.
First, we had their spring roll appetizer which was beyond terrible, practically sacrilegious for anyone who's a true spring roll connoisseur. It was an un-fried roll filled with "grossness and failure" according to my boyfriend. To top it off they added thinly sliced egg and drizzled a sickeningly sweet mango sauce. Gross. Epic Failure.
The sushi was not much better. We ordered a spicy shrimp tempera roll and one of their specialty rolls, the White Tiger roll. The shrimp roll was average but the specialty roll was poorly conceived and not well executed. The inside of the roll needed something to give it some texture, it was all mush and not very fresh tasting. For $13 a roll I expect good quality sushi. Not muddled flavors.
It's possible I would go back in to try some of their hot dishes, but not very likely. At least it was BYOB..... -
Review from Karrie O.
Chicago, IL
7/26/2011
Wow! Was I excited when this joint opened-just minutes away from my doorstep. While there are many sushi bars to explore in the windy city, I would have to say that this one in particular sticks out to me the most. My ol roomie and I became quite the regulars whether we were grabbing a quick bite on the weekday or dining with drinks on the weekend. One of the things I love most-besides the great sushi are the specials that they have. Once a week(it changes quite often) they have $5 martini night. The Saketini is my fave and 1 or 2 and you're good to go. A lil FYI though-if you have a http://restaurant.com coupon....specials don't count. Kinda lame I know but they have to make money somehow. You're better off going during the week and getting the specials or saving your coupon for a non special night.
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Review from Kate L.
Chicago, IL
3/23/2011
I really love this place. For the same price as most other sushi places in the city, you get a lot more variety, it's byob and they always have $3 sake bombs, which is a great deal!
I like everything I've tried, but my personal favorite maki rolls (and the reason I keep coming back all the time) are the Hawaiian roll, the Strawberry maki and the White Tiger (my personal fave). -
Review from Lenene W.
Chicago, IL
6/5/2011
When we walked in it was hot and there was no air on. I thought that was a bad sign for fresh cool sushi and it was. The asparagus wrapped beef was dry and the beef was sort of like gyro meat. The Philadelphia roll was not good and the Boston roll was even worse. One piece of the salmon had some sort if string coming out like something you would find on raw chicken. It was horrible. We will never go back
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Review from David R.
Chicago, IL
4/1/2009
We had Tendon ( Shrimp and vegetables tempura covered over sushi rice) and Chilean Sea Bass( Blanched spinach, chili garlic cream sauce.) It was tasty.
We were at Lips last weekend night and I have to say it's a great little BYOB ($2 corkage / person) sushi place that we highly recommend! -
Review from Caroline M.
Chicago, IL
11/3/2008
Lips.....?? Hmm, I still don't get it. In fact, I almost didn't come here just because of the name. If you can get over the name of this place, you'll be in store for some pretty average sushi.
We just wanted a light dinner so we went straight to the maki and picked out 3 at random: Spicy Bullet, Hawaiian, & Sundae.
Their presentation was beautiful! The maki rolls were all arranged on a gorgeous platter. However, for the price (I think they all range from $5-14) I don't feel they stood out from all the other sushi restaurants out there quite honestly.
But, here is what makes it worth going: $5 martini special. Everyday(!!!) Sure it's not Grey Goose vodka....and they aren't strong either, but for $5 you can't be too picky ;)
I do want to come back & try some other dishes (like their lamb) and also their appetizers sounded pretty good, too. If anything, I'll have another pear martini. -
Review from Jackie P.
Chicago, IL
6/1/2009
Underwhelmed might be the best way to describe my visit to Lips. Like most people who have reviewed i was intrigued by the name and by the signage. I was also eager to catch up with a friend and I think that was really the most interesting thing about my night.
With all the glowing Yelp reviews I really thought I was in for a treat and to top it off they had $5.00 martinis that were actually really strong. All seemed to point to a great dinner.
Apparently I was mislead a bit. The rolls are small and they are a little skimpy with the fish. The sashimi is also on the small side but I believe here it would be the better value. I remember the prices seeming cheapish compared to other places I've been and apparently that is reflective of the sizes of the rolls and the fish.
I hate to jump on the Lips isn't all that bandwagon, however, I find myself there anyway. Come on and join me! I'll point you in the direction of some pretty delicious places...much better than Lips.Listed in: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish,…
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Review from liz d.
Chicago, IL
11/17/2008 2 photos
The new sushi restaurant named Lips? The name alone was too intriguing to pass up. Making a reservation was our first plus, considering they were turning people away because of the extensive reservation list. Grace, our server, recommended some delectable rolls, including the White Tiger and Strawberry. Both excellent. My recommendation would be the Crab Cake appetizer. I savored every bite.
Everything we tried was so fresh, which is difficult to find in the Midwest. Definitely worth the price. Rolls range from $5-14. Martinis (at least on the Saturday we were there) were only $5!! To sum it, great service, wonderful sushi, cozy atmosphere. I know I will be back, sooner rather than later. -
Review from SHERESSE S.
Chicago, IL
2/15/2009
My boyfriend and I always drive by here. I always thought they're name and they're logo were intriguing. I Just love the logo-design (since I'm a graphic designer). On Valentines day (last night), My boyfriend took me here. It's really am amazing restaurant, It's designed very well. The staff are all extremely friendly. Since they were so busy we were sat in the back where all the lips photos are hung on the wall. We ordered Miso Soup, Some Rolls for each of us, Saki, and a Valentines Martini, Which I don't remember what was in it exactly i remember yogurt peach snaps and vodka in other-words it was excellent. The Miso Soup was extremely good. The rolls were perfect usually places I've been if you go when they're busy the rolls are always falling apart, these were perfection. They had all of they're rice colored pink in honor of valentines day. Food on a Scale from 1-10 was about a 9.
Definitely a place we will be returning to.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from linda N.
Elk Grove, CA
9/8/2010
So I came here since it was in the neighborhood when I last visited Chicago.
I could not forget their salmon with beurre blanc.... it was the best salmon I have ever had, besides yummy salmon sashimi.
My friends and I could not agree on a place, so we ended up here. I don't remember how their food was, but my crispy salmon with beurre blanc and crispy white rice was crispy, savory, delectable, and delicious in every way. Even almost a year later, I can still remember it.
The skin is super crispy, the beurre blanc was exceptional and the rice was ridiculous. I would come back to Chicago just to eat this salmon.
Yummy. Gave it 4 stars for just this one exquisite dish. -
Review from heather l.
Chicago, IL
1/2/2009
I was really excited to eat here, especially when I saw the lips on the wall, but that excitement was cut short when they sat my boyfriend and I literally in front of the door! People had to squeeze in back of us to get out, and the frequent blast of arctic air was not fun!
We were warned that there was going to be a wait once we sat down, but I never expected to wait 45 minutes for our appetizer and another 15 after that for our food! The restaurant was only half full!
Our waitress was out of it and the menus were really strange and difficult to read.
The only thing that's preventing me from giving this place one star is the food. We got a tofu appetizer that was delicious and three different rolls that were equally good.
Needless to say, I will not be going back here unless I see that it's totally empty. Maybe that way I'll get a spot away from the door and my food will come at a reasonable time. -
Review from Arlene A.
Updated - 2/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I enjoyed my food at Lips. The Godzilla Roll had the things I look for in every meal, good flavors and texture. The crunch of the tempura was balanced nicely with the chili sauce and avocado. The pom martini's are yummy and $5.00 if you go on Monday's but be warned, if you plan on using a promotional coupon like http://Restaurant.com you will pay full price for your alcohol. You should also know that they automatically add a 15% gratuity if you use it. All in all, I'm sure we'll go back, even without a coupon.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/12/2009
So, you know that saying "you get what you pay for?" ITS TRUE! Lured in by a Foodler coupon that… Read more »
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Review from Alison E.
Chicago, IL
3/18/2011
Lips was pretty good. Came here with some friends because they had a gift certificate thing, and we weren't disappointed (okay, maybe Mister was, because he doesn't like sushi). I shared with C, 'cause she's vegetarian too, and she likes sushi. We got veggie egg rolls, futo vegetable sushi, sweet potato tempura sushi, and yakisoba with tofu. They kindly made our sushi with soy paper (?) rather than nori, because C doesn't like seaweed. I couldn't really tell the difference, but in either case the sushi was good. Mister just had tempura, which he seemed okay with. E got unagi-don, which was not a "don(buri)" at all. Donburi is by definition meant to be served in a bowl, but this was on a plate. The presentation was nice, but it just wasn't the same. Similarly, the sushi looked pretty, but one on each plate had things sticking up "artfully" that made them kind of hard to eat. They would have been nice to take pictures of, but we were really just looking for food.
My biggest complaint about Lips, though, is proximity of seating. The place is pretty small, and it wasn't especially crowded, but we really got the impression we were sitting at a cafeteria table or something. The two tables on either side of us were so close that you couldn't really go in or out without knocking things off your table or your neighbor's. -
Review from Babs H.
Chicago, IL
6/1/2009
I came here for my birthday dinner a few weeks ago with a reservation for 10 people at 7:30. 3 of the 9 guests accompanying me were on time and 2 of them cancelled last minute due to traffic. The staff was very patient with my shitty guests being an hour late on a Friday night. They didn't neglect us or get short with us, so I made sure tip the server extra well as a thanks.
On to the foodz!
I got the steak with smoked salmon nigiri and a couple cocktails. I think my total (not including tip) was about $30. This is not bad at all for a decent cut of steak, nigiri, and more than one alcoholic bevvy.
Everyone else seemed pleased with their food, too. -
Review from Kristy N.
4/8/2010
Ordered carry-out from here last night and was underwhelmed. It's not that the sushi was bad, it just wasn't great. I'm of the mindset that anywhere you go in Chicago for sushi is going to be pretty much the same as far as quality and taste is concerned. This place, I don't think that I would order from again. The spicy tuna was as to be expected but the Drunken roll that I ordered just didn't do it for me. The miso was tasty and had a lot of seaweed (which i liked) but not much tofu.
To sum up - there are plenty of other sushi options and I'm gonna stick to those. -
Review from Mila G.
Minneapolis, MN
12/1/2008
Decent sushi place, and while some people might not enjoy giant photos of sprinkle covered lips staring down at them, I kinda like it! Go gimmicks!
Unfortunately, the first thing I noticed here was the odd menus. They are put together with heavy staples and very difficult to read - all 3 in my party missed the specialty maki page for the first 5 minutes of looking at the thing.
The $5 martinis were a pleasant surprise, and since no one informed us that this happened every day, we felt like we happened in at exactly the right time! My friend ordered the Cosmo Diva, which was my favorite, followed by the Fuzzy Navel (Peach? Berry?)
The sushi was just fine and arrived in a timely manner. I'm used to large pages of sushi menu including all the basic rolls - however, maybe you can order stuff thats not on the menu if the ingredients are clearly present?
I liked that they rolled the spicy mayo for my spicy philadelphia roll into the roll. I've never previously encountered a place that does this - revolutionary! -
Review from Elizabeth T.
Evanston, IL
4/23/2010
This place is what I'd expect if McD's served sushi.
My friend and I went there on a random night. Both of us were so hungry that we would have eaten anything. The first few bites were just satisfactory enough to satiate the need to continue living. After we realized that we weren't going to die from starvation, we started to actually taste the sushi and it was bad. I really wanted to like this place but there was nothing to like about it. The service was really very slow and there was no one else in there and one sushi chef. (wtf?) The decor is so weird. I expected lips to be part of the decor but they are like inappropriately sensual - almost sexual - lips on the wall. A few of them have something dark on them - it looks like they dipped their lips in an ashtray. Gross.
I will not be returning. -
Review from Kelly C.
5/17/2010
I liked this neighborhood sushi place in the Southport corridor. We went with some friends who live nearby, and the staff recognized them immediately and made us all feel welcome. The food mixed some nice flavors and filled me up.
There's a lot on the menu ranging from special sushi rolls to cooked rice and noodle dishes to lamb. I'm concerned that the restaurant may have too much on the menu to do it all well, so I'd like to see them focus more narrowly on sushi and a few asian dishes to make sure its always fresh. They had also run out of dessert ... which can also happen when you have a long menu. -
Review from Julia J.
4/2/2010
I really wanted to like Lips. Really, I did. The sushi place I liked in my neighborhood closed down, and I liked their prices and selection. Unfortunately, I will never go back.
I arrived at 6:30 on a Thursday night (1/2 priced wine). I was the only person there until my friend arrived 5 minutes later. The ambiance was not so good. It was way too warm in the restaurant, and there was no air flow, so it was really stuffy. We had to ask the waitress to turn up the air. She said she would, but it didn't feel much different in there. The music was a weird mix of techno and pop alternating back and forth. I ordered a martini off the menu, and the waitress had to tell the bartender what was in it. It showed when I got the drink. Not very good. I switched to wine after that.
We ordered a few maki rolls, which weren't rolled very well. They fell apart on us, making it difficult to eat. The fish didn't taste bad though, so I gave it the benefit of the doubt.
That is, until 2:30am when I woke up feeling horrible and burping up the taste of sushi. My stomach was not happy with me. So, I went and laid on the bathroom floor hoping I would pass out or throw up so my stomach would settle. I didn't end up getting sick, but I'll never go back to Lips. Ever. -
Review from Lynn O.
Chicago, IL
1/6/2010
Do not discriminate based on the name. Yes, there are giant lips on the walls, but for the right price I can look past that. Loved it because I was able to make a last minute reservation for a group of 7 on a Friday night (Coast, I'm looking at you). It's BYOB, which automatically makes me happy, AND only a $2 corkage fee for the entire table!
We tried a good amount rolls and everything was delicious. A nice variety of traditional and unique specialty rolls that were a hit with the group. I'll give the Hawaiian role (unagi, avocado, macadamia nuts and mango) a special shout out. The prices are great, reasonably priced specialty roles. I'd give it 5 stars, but for me that would be putting it on par with Kaze, which it was not. -
Review from Erik S.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 2/2/2010
So, it's been a year since my last review here, and I must say, it still kicks ass. Great rolls! Fresh, tasty, good sushi. The service is excellent.
Give this place a try. No better place in Chicago. As good, maybe, but not better!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/8/2009
OK, so I (we) tried it again, and it didn't disappoint. Everything was good, Tiger Roll, Spicy… Read more »
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Review from Alan K.
Palatine, IL
4/3/2010
Whoever mentioned that the green tea was good is correct... It was very delicious. I went here for Sushi, speciafically sashimi. I can't comment much on the food becasue I really did not experience everything Lips has to offer. There was nothing wrong wtih my dish, in fact it tasted as good as I expected it to taste. But, I didn't really get adventurous enough critique the menu.
I was very excited to go to a restaurant named Lips with outlandish pink and purple decor. Unfortunately where Lips fell short was in service. The waitress was freindly and got our orders correct, but just didn't seem on the ball. There is so much potential for fun in this restaurant. The wait staff's demeanor and energy did not match the fun, unique, interesting decor. Maybe the waitresses could wear bold colored lipstick and offer a kiss on the cheek goodbye... then everyone I would encounter the rest of the evening would know I went to Lips. And wouldn't that make Lips the best place to take a date that needs to keep their jealousy in check!
I did notice far more women in the restaurant than men. Thanks to another Yelp review I was looking out for the guy/girl ratio. Maybe if the waitresses offered signature "Lips" kisses more men would dine here; hopefully not at the expense of the female diners. -
Review from cory c.
Chicago, IL
7/20/2010
I went for dinner last week and was happy with my experience. The specialty rolls were AWESOME, whereas the basic rolls were just okay, but I guess you get what you pay for. They had a good beer selection, and I guess Tuesday was 5.00 martini day, which explained why there were more drinkers than eaters in the restaurant when we arrived. I also had the Miso soup and Edamame which were both average, nothing too notable, and the Seaweed salad which was incredible. I will probably skip the other items and have two of those next time along with some specialty rolls.
Either way, I was overall happy with the restaurant and will likely be returning. I also love that its close to the Music Box Theatre, great spot to grab a bite before a show! -
Review from Stephen R.
Chicago, IL
7/29/2009
An awesome time.
Went to Lips for a friend's birthday dinner. Amazing food -- and inexpensive to boot! Their boutique maki rolls were DIVINE; I'm a complete and total convert.
More, it's Bring Your Own Wine. I think everyone in the party brought a bottle, so needless to say everyone was pretty lit by the end of the evening. For a table of 15, it basically broke down to $30/person with gratuity, appetizers, and entrees!
It was an awesome experience, the staff was exceptional, and the decor is super cute! Complete and total recommend.
They were also having $5 martinis which sounded great, but it was probably to everyone's benefit that we just stuck with our wine. :) -
Review from Karolyn S.
Chicago, IL
4/24/2011
The absolute WORST sushi I've ever eaten. We had to ask for ginger as it wasn't even served with our rolls. No wonder the place was empty on a Saturday night.
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Review from Jacques M.
Chicago, IL
3/14/2010
I know it's kind of toolish (that should be a word) but I like eating Asian food with a fork something about the wood texture of chopsticks just isn't appealing (Yes, I'm that guy). This of course has nothing to do with my review, but I just wanted to share that bit info (no need to thank me).
Seriously though, this is one of the best restaurants on Southport that nobody is going to (at least on weekdays). The Sushi is excellent. I had the Tiger & the Spicy Shrimp rolls both were hearty flavorful portions and the Tiger rolls fall into the category of some of the best Sushi I've had. The Egg Roll & Noodles were well prepared, presented, and full of flavor. In summary the meal was very good.
I actually like the atmosphere (Unlike some other reviewers). The modern feel is a nice touch and I think they pull it off. The pictures of lips, pink walls, and strange techno(ish) music make it somewhat unique atmosphere. I mean how many more Asian Lion Statutes and Battle pics do we really need to see at Japanese (Asian) restaurants?
The price are reasonable (but no great bargain) and the $1 per person corkage fee seems unnecessary, probably loses them some business also as many people won't go to BYOB (or BYOW in this case) places with corkage fees (even $1). We ordered quite a bit of stuff two set of sushi rolls two entrees and a couple beers it came out to be about $52 (with tip). You could probably order enough sushi for two people for under $30 (with drinks). We were the only one's there, but our server was friendly and attentive.
When I'm craving some good sushi Lips ranks pretty high on my list, so check it out people. -
Review from Melissa B.
Frankfort, IL
11/1/2010
It's just OK. The prices are great and the atmosphere is good. The sushi just wasn't as good as other spots in the area. Don't get me wrong it's not bad... Just not great. BYOB really helps though. Maybe a nice spot to try if you're on a budget and craving sushi.
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Review from Christy M.
Chicago, IL
7/25/2009
Though it is good sushi, it also didn't blow me away. My fave in the city is still a tie between Coast in Bucktown and Tank in Lincoln Square. That being said....
Lips has a strange name. I don't get it, nor do I really want to. It sounds dirty to me. I don't know if I'm allowed to state that (the obvious) but I just did! So there! They tried to tie it all in by painting the walls red, having red bar stools and a collage of photos of women's lips, smiles, teeth. Still.... kinda creepy for a sushi place. Maybe it's too hip for me though and I just don't get it.
That being said... the ambiance is cool. It is hip and trendy. It's fun. Probably a fun date place or even girls night out restaurant.
The food itself is tasty. It's a great neighborhood spot with a touch of pizzaz!! And I feel like the staff has always been really kind and helpful and informative and "johnny on the spot" about their jobs.
If you are looking for a nice date night sushi place that won't break the bank, (It'S BYOB!!!) or a fun Thursday night girls night out... I'd recommend this place.
They have a major leg up on other sushi restaurants in the city that fall into the "hole in the wall" category and have virtually no ambiance or decor- but good sushi. This place has better than "good" sushi and really fun exotic ambiance! And when dining out, I do pay for ambiance. -
Review from Zach M.
Chicago, IL
3/7/2010 2 Check-ins Here
After several visits, Lips remains my go-to spot for good, fresh, no frills sashimi. They are likely the best value for quality sashimi in Chicago. The ala carte prices are reasonable, but I recommend the sashi mori chef's selection. The selection offers a consistent base of kajiki maguro, sake and hamachi, accompanied by varying standbys and typically something a bit unusual, like their house smoked salmon.
The tuna tartarki appetizer (seared tuna, shitake and seaweed salad) is also pretty tasty, although it's often poorly constructed. This is representative of their whole presentation style, which is understated to the point of appearing sloppy. The cuts are uneven, especially on the garnishes, and on one occasion they served the taraba on a leaf of romaine. I considered eating it as a lettuce wrap, but then thought better of it.
The décor is quite simply absurd. Instead of embracing the character of the room, they attempted and failed at making it look very modern and geometric, and then they invited cupid to come in and vomit all over the walls. It is truly something to behold, and don't miss the men's restroom, where they managed to utilize every clashing hue of blue.
Regardless, I come for the food and not the view, and they have yet to disappoint on that level. I wouldn't take a date here, but Lips is always on the top of my list when I'm considering something delicious and affordable on a weekday. -
Review from Jorge M.
1/3/2011
The food at this places was pretty good, the decoration was awesome. We were on of the last tables at this place. The menu has pretty good chooses with good prices. I had the Spider and it was to die for, the misu soup was bland and look a bit weird. Service was okay, our waitress didn't seem to happy to have people there. dessert came out in a cool presentation, but it was flavorless.
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Review from Candace C.
Chicago, IL
11/3/2009
Ah, yeah. Kind of a weird place to find ourselves last night. (Monday)
My boyfriend and I decided to grab some food before heading to a movie at the Music Box. We parked our bikes right by the theater and figured it would probably be a good idea to stick close by so we'd have more time enjoy dinner before the show. There aren't a ton of options over there and I work at a bar, so pub grub wasn't my first choice. The bf had an hankerin' for sushi - hence, how we ended up at Lips.
We hadn't even really noticed the name, we just saw that it was an Asian Bistro, so when we walked in, the place definitely took us aback a bit. First thing I noticed is that everyone there who wasn't working, was female. Big groups of ladies sharing rolls and drinking bottles of wine. The walls are total lipstick shades out of the 80s. Faux tealights on the tables.
We sat down, got our menus and the $5 martini list interested me, but I opted to just get some green tea (which was really good, and not too bitter). I wasn't feeling as hungry as the bf, so I got some mochi instead. $5 for two small pieces of cut up mochi ice cream (not the best deal). The bf said his sushi was tasty, but the rolls were much smaller than places we've been to before.
Honestly, I don't think we'll ever come back to Lips, but it has nothing to do with the service (which was friendly and fast). It's just not that great of a deal for the trek (we live in Logan Square) and the atmosphere and creepy lips pictures are a little off-putting. -
Review from Claire P.
Chicago, IL
11/12/2009
I came here with my boyfriend on a random Monday night. We both love sushi and have been trying every place within the area of my new apartment. We ordered three different types of rolls to share. Unfortunately two of the rolls were covered in spicy mayo (which I usually LOVE) however this spicy mayo was so spicy my lips were burning and I couldn't enjoy the fish. I guess I just wasn't expecting it to be that hot seeing as I've had a lot of sushi with spicy mayo on it before. Even besides the spicy mayo debacle the rolls were just okay.
Other then that the service was just okay too. We were one of only three groups in the whole place but our waitress was very slow and we had to flag her down to order more drinks (after our glasses sat empty for a while). I think she much would have preferred to Facebook with her friend sitting at the bar on the laptop.
The saving grace of this whole meal was the $5 martini special. They were very good and very strong :)
