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Osaka Express - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
1311 W Taylor St(between Throop St & Ada St)
Chicago, IL 60607
Neighborhood: University Village
(312) 829-0288
- Nearest Transit:
-
Racine (Blue Line)
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
37 reviews for Osaka Express
Review Highlights
"Their bubble tea smoothies are amazing."
(in 11 reviews)
"Ooh gotta let that miso soup cool down a sec."
(in 5 reviews)
"AND, for you vegan chicagoans, this place has a VEGAN ROLL."
(in 2 reviews)
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37 reviews in English
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Review from FOOD A.
Crystal Lake, IL
12/8/2010
I live out in the suburbs, but have been coming to UIC for their dirt cheap dental school, (which is a great deal btw). I often grab lunch before or after an appointment, and found this little gem today. The 15% discount for students sign is what got me in the door, but was pleased with what I found inside.
Unlike some of the reviewers, I didn't find it confusing at all. I grabbed a menu from the front counter, took a seat, perused the menu and went back up front to order. Nice variety on the menu and nicely priced lunch specials. Nice friendly cashier and sushi chef.
I decided upon the lunch combination K which consisted of 1/2 a dragon roll and 1/2 a spicy tuna roll, (6 pieces each) for $8, added a hot green tea and a bowl of miso. After taking the aforementioned student discount, the total was $10 and some change. Not bad for sushi for lunch.
The food came up in about 8 min or so, just long enough for me to take out my laptop, access their free wi-fi, (the user name and password are clearly posted on the wall so you don't feel odd going up to the counter to ask), logged into slacker radio and yelp. Food looks good so pardon me for a min to taste.
Ooh gotta let that miso soup cool down a sec. Ok that's better, the soup is very nice. Lighter than most miso soups I've tasted, less salty, which I like. A good amount of seaweed green onions and tofu. I doubt it is home made dashi, but that is a rarity. The maki tastes good, fresh ingredients, but I understand what Dex was saying about the sushi rice. I wouldn't go so far as to say it is regular white rice, but I do expect more zing from sushi rice. That being said, I feel like it is a good price to value ratio for lunch. The unagi sauce on the top of my dragon roll is very tasty.
One last comment before I go, with the preface that this place seems to be a quick service type restaurant and not so much a sit down fancy place. Everything is served in disposable containers. It makes sense for a sushi express place, no dishes cuts labor and equipment costs. But if you are dining in like myself, I feel a little guilty for throwing away a paper cup, a tea bag, Styrofoam soup container, 2 lids, a plastic asian style soup spoon, plastic sushi tray, 2 packets of soy sauce, chopsticks and 2 napkins.
So overall, I say 4 stars; for convenience, price, service and proximity to UIC campus. If you are in the area, it's worth a stop in. Next time I wanna try one of these smoothies too, they looked good, but it's too cold today to get one. -
Review from Jass V.
Chicago, IL
11/29/2010
Not bad. The sushi was well made and tasty. Nothing particularly special but good.
When you first walk in it's a little confusing, but once you realize that you order at the counter and wait for your number to be called, it's smooth sailing.
The Michigan Roll was quite good and the rest (forgive me I can't remember what they were) were decent. Part of me wishes that they had actual soy sauce bottles for those who are dining in as it seems a little environmentally unfriendly to be forced to use packet after tiny packet of the stuff. But the place is clean, well (but still dimly enough to be low key date appropriate) lit, and the food is good. -
Review from Leanne M.
Chicago, IL
6/5/2008
Unbelievable. Just opened in UIC on Taylor Street- very unassuming from the outside but it's immaculate with tiny tiles everywhere, a fresh fruit stand up front, a sushi bar in back, and soothing sweet attitude about the place. I loved it!
they say you can never have it all.
you know: fast, quality, and cheap.
but at osaka, yes, you can!
everything is so fresh and adorably prepared!
Avacado rolls are $2.50 or maybe even less, and yes, that's cheap.
they also have ready to go rolls, seaweed salad, etc. all prepared fresh for you to grab on your way to class/work/etc.
AND, for you vegan chicagoans, this place has a VEGAN ROLL. it was pretty amazing with bits of inari mixed into the lot. Yummerific.
creative fun stuff, great for light fun dinner, lunch, or just a snack! easy five stars. easy. go there! support a new local business.Listed in: Chicago Veg & Meat-heads Live…
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Review from Luan N.
Columbus, OH
2/7/2010 1 photo
Of course Osaka Express is not my ultimate sushi destination, but it's not a bad alternative in this part of town on the stretch of Taylor St. I mean $12 for chirashi don is an unbelievable price (although I thought the rice was too sweet, need a tad of vinegar buddy).
The site also says 15% off for students. I am so tempted to use my 10 yr old college ID next time. Yes, we Asians can get away with that kinda fraud. Don't be a hater cuz we age/decay like radioisotopes. You know what's the ancient secret to looking young? You get some freshly cooked sticky rice and apply to face/body. The steam from the rice helps to hydrate the skin. Then, you wrap seaweed around like a mummy. The minerals from the seaweed help to rejuvinate the skin. And finally drizzle some soy sauce on your head and let it permeate down the body. When the process is over, snort some wasabi to clear your body of toxins*
*This may not work for everybody. You may experience headache, nose bleed, change in skin color, itchiness, and laughter among peers. Please consult your physician before starting. -
Review from Danielle C.
Chicago, IL
9/28/2010
I can see this place out of my kitchen window-so I figured to give it a shot one day. It's nothing fancy at all-just quick and good food. Staff is always friendly.
Super cheap, good quality and the place is always clean. I usually get my sushi to go (I order online through their website), but I did eat here w/ my bf one time---it's byob (no cork fee). This is a great place if you're looking for something super casual. -
Review from Derrick T.
Woodridge, IL
8/15/2008
You know... as a past student of UIC, my biggest disappointment was that they never opened a worthwhile sushi place that was walkable for me.
First, my hopes were raised by the opening of Tatsu! But after a few rolls that were fairly bland and lacked any good substance of fish... I was disappointed. (This was the original opening of Tatsu, so this may have improved since...)
Then, a small store called Japonica opened up, and I thought "Excellent! Someone else to help raise the quality of sushi in this Italian neighborhood!" But after my very first meal with the rice undercooked and cold on the spicy tuna rolls... I couldn't ever go back. Especially at those prices.
Recently, I saw a flyer for Osaka Express 2 as they have plasted all of the professional buildings on the West Side of campus... with a gorgeous menu, I decided one of these days, I should just give it one last crack.
Upon a day that I forgot my chicken breast lunch (which ended up sitting on the kitchen counter all day at home unfortunately), I headed to Osaka Express 2 with a coworker to give the place a try. Grabbed take out, and the rolls were quite satisfying and quite good! So onto my test for sushi restaurants:
Rice cooked appropriately? Check.
Rolls wrapped tightly enough? Check.
No fishy taste? Check.
Clean flavors of vegetable and fish, distinguishable? Check.
My only two regrets is that I didn't take advantage of the 15% off, as they are celebrating their opening until the end of August, and also not getting a few piece of nigiri to truly test the fish quality, texture, and taste.
Fear not. I'll make sure to lay those two regrets to rest in the next week. ;)
Three piece of unagi roll, three pieces of spicy tuna roll, and four large pieces of salmon/avocado roll later, I was content and happy for the less than $9 lunch box. Yum.
Why only four stars? Because I've yet to test the full quality of their fish, and they were short staffed that day so it took an hour to get my take out. Next time, I'll remember to call ahead first.
Would I go back? Our office has planned a sushi lunch takeout for next week already. Absolutely. -
Review from Michael R.
Chicago, IL
7/7/2010
I liked that the place was self-serv. Obviously, this allows them to keep their prices lower since they do not have much overhead.
I found the sushi to be extremely good and fresh. The workers were very nice and the smoothies were to die for! I had a tapioca smoothie with pineapple and coconut. It was excellent.
If you stick to the regular sushi and don't get fancy, their rates are very affordable and the food is definitely worth it. Even if you go with the fancy ones, you still are getting a great deal.
They have free wifi and a fun and funky atmosphere. I will definitely return! -
Review from Jean Z.
Chicago, IL
10/27/2008
Is sushi rice supposed to be warm under the fish? I think so but Im not sure.
I loved my first order here but the $30 pricetag was bullshit.
The tuna is $2.00 each, ok I'll take that.
The mushy spicy tuna roll that was "MADE THIS MORNING, can you take this one from shelf" wasnt spicy and was rather gross, but I still ate it.
My best friends roll was topped with very fresh salmon which I'll admit I'm just gettting into these days but nevertheless, pretty good.
And a bubble tea.
The pricetag no shit: THIRTY BONES!
Good thing I'm recession proof. Always room for sushi, Only reason I'm thinking about this place is cause I want sushi NOW and dont want to walk 3 blocks in the wind/cold - this place is right across from my office for the next couple months.
I'll take a drive to Japonica instead. Hmmm, why doesnt this jobsite have a bike? Good idea said Green-Jean. -
Review from Tracy K.
Chicago, IL
3/2/2009
Yum.
Both my mouth and my wallet like this place.
Staff are friendly and efficient, and although small, the dining area serves its purpose.
I don't eat fish, but their veggie maki (specifically shitake and avocado) did the trick. And their miso is both tasty and generously portioned.
I dig that you fetch your food and bus your own tables, but am a little displeased that everything is disposable. I understand that it streamlines their business, but throwing everything away after one use leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Regardless, I know I will be back again.. and hopefully sooner rather than later. Next time I am here I will have to try a smoothie and their vegan roll, and maybe celebrate some other obscure holiday with my dear friend Diana Z. -
Review from Darcy H.
Boston, MA
7/30/2008
I just ate there. So yummy! I'm moving home to Michigan in two weeks and I don't want to buy groceries, so I'm eating out every night. : / Luckily, I stopped at Osaka2 one day. I initially went there for the smoothie. I got mango/peach. It was so good. Tasted like I was eating the hybrid fruit, but in juice form. Really tasty.
The next time, I got it with tapioca. The tapioca was warm while my drink was real cold. I'm not so much a fan of that mixture. I let it set for a few minutes and the tapioca cooled down. Much better.
I ordered out and by the time I gulped down my smoothie, I was already full. I thought about refrigerating my sushi but thought it might be gross the next day.
I ordered the Spicy Shrimp Roll ($4.50 for six pieces) and the Cucumber Roll ($2.25!! for six pieces). While, I waited I watched the food network and the lady commented on how much she liked my bag. How nice! Five minutes later my food was ready and I was out the door. When I got home they included everything: napkins, soy sauce, and a little plastic dish. It was all so delicious. The Spicy Shrimp Roll had tasty sauce and fresh shrimp and avocado. The cucumber had a bit of a salty edge, which was quite good.
Overall it was very good. I will go there again before I go home, maybe for the lunch special (until 2 pm). -
Review from Sagar N.
Chicago, IL
4/8/2010
The Best Smoothies in the World!
Move over Jamba, get out of the way Smoothie King! If its a hot summer day (or even a cold summer day) and I'm craving a smoothie this is the place I will go. I've tried plenty of other 'asian' smoothies and literally no place produces the consistent quality and flavor that this place does. I've seen the process a few times and I'm convinced the secret to the quality comes down to 1) fresh ingredients 2) a solid starter base and 3) super hi-power blending technology. Bottom line is, I go to this place just for the smoothies. The fact that they have decent sushi and its a BYOB make it all the better. Only downside is that its a little nondescript building away from the main block of commercial real estate but seriously not by much. Seriously though, go there.Comment from Barry C. of Osaka Express 4/10/2010
Thanks for coming to Osaka. Your review is encouraging.… More » -
Review from Paul P.
Chicago, IL
5/31/2010
Osaka 2 go is a great sushi joint. Very clean and simple atmosphere. Ordering is no hassle, the sushi is very fresh and service is excellent. I love their tempura udon - one of the best in Chicago (my opinion). Very reasonable priced.
They have some very cool promos (students get % off, online ordering with % off, etc.). -
Review from Diana Z.
Chicago, IL
3/2/2009
I always forget to yelp places I frequent until I take someone new there. Today, I went with Tracy I. to Osaka, my neighborhood sushi joint, and was reminded of its yelping potential.
I will say here that my sushi tastes are pretty unrefined. I'm a simple shiitake mushroom/avocado roll kind of girl. For these whims, Osaka pleases me greatly. I am also pleased greatly by the prices (my two rolls were $2.75/$2.50 respectively for 6 pieces). They also have a delicious selection of smoothie flavors, though I must say their tapioca bubbles are often slightly frozen.
Osaka has a pretty small dine in area, but it is nicely decorated. The only down side to its decor is its large flat screen TV which made an unexpected loud noise that startled the heck out of me. The friendly staff did apologize for this however.
Osaka also delivers which I find lovely (enough so that my roommate and I ordered from them twice in two days, eep!).
Bonus points for their color coated green "vegetarian option" note on their menu. It is most helpful during the "what can I eat" scan.Listed in: Won't You Be My Neighbor
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Review from diana t.
Chicago, IL
7/1/2008
This place is absolutely delicious and cheap. The fish is fresh and I love the fact that the rice is usually newly made and sometimes still warm- a rarity amongst sushi places.
$12 for a chirashi on rice,
$2-$5 rolls
LOVE IT. The decor is really cute on the inside and the food channel is always on tv. It has a neat trendy ambiance without the pricetag.
I'm only taking out 1 star because last time they shortchanged me $10. They corrected the problem but still. $10.
you also get 15% off your order with their recent promo.
Oh and be careful not to trip when you walk in. Theres 2 steps by the door that I never see. -
Review from Ria C.
Chicago, IL
11/17/2009
The bubby and I ventured to Little Italy for some sushi on a very slow Thursday night. Throughout the entire night, it was only 3 sushi chefs, the cashier, ourselves, and our best friend Red, but we didn't mind. We stopped by Lush on Halsted to pick up Red and a few other friends for our future bouts.
As noted in the previous reviews, Osaka is a self-service BYOB establishment, but is very appropriate for a casual date night. The Begees were stayin' alive in the background which made for quite a romantic evening. I swear I saw the bubby's jeans and sleeves get tighter and flair out, but it may have been Red casting a spell on me.
Spicy Salmon Roll-So fresh and just lightly dressed with mayo. I really enjoy the taste of raw fish, and don't quite care for an overload of condiments that typical American Rolls pack.
Chicago Roll - (Tuna, Salmon, White Tuna, Yellow Tail, Shrimp, Avocado, and Fish Egg) - This was good, but not as good as the spicy salmon. Best to stick with the standard rolls here as the fish is so fresh it's best to enjoy it sans frills.
Escolar Sashimi - Creamy melt in your mouth taste only super white can truly deliver. This was superb and oh so fresh.
Shrimp Tempura Udon - Soup was a good add-on a cold windy day, but a little pricier ($10) than typical Udons of the same quality.
Did I mention all of this was $29? Yep...better start heading to Osaka... Side Note: Little Italy strangely has more Asian restaurants that Italian ones. Misnomer perhaps? -
Review from Dex Y.
Chicago, IL
7/20/2010
What's all the hype about?? I got some spicy salmon rolls and unagi rolls from them today. Totally mediocre. First of all, the rice - cornerstone of good sushi - was poorly made. It's supposed to be sticky and chewy but mine tasted like bland regular rice. Second, spicy salmon should be 'spicy'. Maybe this sushi bar has a quite different definition of 'spicy', who knows.. Third, the flavor of wasabi was way too mild. I was hoping for something that 'kicks in the nuts' but merely got 'a slap on the wrist'. The soy sauce, by the way, didn't add any fun into the experience. I must say the ingredients were fresh, but shouldn't that be a given for sushi that costs more than a dollar?
Maybe I'll give their smoothie a shot later, but I'll absolutely stay away from their sushi, unless provided for free. -
Review from Dean D.
Chicago, IL
8/15/2008
It's true. Cheap, fast, good sushi (finally!). Definitely call in your order. The place is small but nice. I love that they include tiny bowls for your soy sauce.
My fav rolls were the Michigan Roll, Hawaii, and Osaka roll.
I signed up for Yelp to review this place.. it really is that good! -
Review from Jane T.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2010
My bf and I have ordered delivery from this place 3 times already. All 3 times they have satiated our craving for delicious sushi. It was fresh and they delivered right to our door, I don't know what more a person could ask for - seriously, sushi while in your pjs! Their online ordering makes it all so much more easier.
I haven't tried their smoothies yet but I definitely will on my next order. -
Review from Jen C.
Chicago, IL
5/14/2010
LOVE the fresh fruit smoothies! These are the best in town!
I am so happy there is one here in Little Italy - I was just walking by and finally discovered them for myself, and now I always pass the one on Michigan Ave too! Fresh fruit smoothies galore for me!
They have strawberry, banana, honeydew, lychee, coconut, pineapple, watermelon...and probably a few more flavors that I can't think of right now. Pick up to two flavors!
(Although my bf prefers watermelon smoothies from Seven Treasures in Chinatown as opposed to here because I think they are a little bit sweeter there - but he agrees that these are awesome fresh fruit smoothies and loves to get them here also).
Have yet to try the sushi...I'm sure I will one day and then I will update my review. :)Comment from Barry C. of Osaka Express 5/15/2010
Hi, Thanks for coming to Osaka. You really have good memory… More » -
Review from Claire S.
Chicago, IL
5/27/2009
Seriously craving sushi today, and since I can't leave work I hopped onto GrubHub to search for sushi places that delivered to the medical district. So here's the breakdown on my new stand-by work-sushi place.
Price: The prices were right. Even their specialty rolls were all under $10, which is tricky to find in Chicago. Most of their standard rolls (spicy tuna, California, etc) averaged about $4/roll (6 pieces to a roll), veggie rolls only set you back about two bucks. Miso soup and edamame, both necessities with sushi lunches, were only $2 each. Also, their HUGE, freshly made smoothies were only $3, and you could skip the tapioca bubbles... Score.
Food: The food was good, we were all impressed. The rolls tasted fresh and were tightly rolled, so no messy-messy. My friend's miso smelled wonderful and my edamame was freshly steamed. The smoothie was awesome; I combined the strawberry and mango flavors and opted out of the tapioca bubbles (the factor that usually gets me to shy away from smoothies at Thai, Japanese, and sushi joints). I'm not a huge sushi connoisseur though, so while I can say the fish tasted fresh and didn't leave a gross after-taste, I can't fully comment on its quality.
Delivery: One word: Amazing. They separate the hots and the colds, pack in tiny plastic bowls for the plethora of soy sauce packets, chopsticks, you name it. They told me an hour for delivery, it showed up in 20 minutes, and the delivery guy even pointed out which rolls were which in our order.
Overall: This will be my new work sushi place. I was impressed with quality, price, and delivery. Plus, you can order online which is definitely helpful. -
Review from Scott A.
Charlottesville, VA
4/27/2009
Get. A. Smoothie. Do it. Don't even think twice. I'll admit, I'm a huge sucker for smoothies, but the lemon syrup base that they use here - it really takes it to a new level.
As far as sushi goes, the prices are reasonable and reflect the quality that you get. I don't like cali rolls, but the spicy cali roll here is quite tasty. The spicy white tuna uses a slab of tuna instead of ground up pet food stuff, and throws in some avocado, which are both huge bonuses. I find myself often craving the Chicago Roll (especially for the $6 they charge for all that fish!) and enjoy the Let's Roll whenever I have a lactaid handy.
One last tip - if you can find a combo that you like, the lunch special is a pretty good deal. If you find one that you only like part of, send me a message and I'll stop by to eat your leftovers. -
Review from Doe L.
Chicago, IL
3/19/2010
the "name" rolls aren't very cheap in my opinion. they are relatively small for a $9-$10 roll. I think I'd rather stick to the simple rolls that are under $5.
The nice part, they aren't drowned in sauce. The "no name" roll, which is tuna on top of spicy tuna, wasn't very spicy at all... In fact, I barely tasted any spicy sauce... it tasted just like a tuna loaded roll... which is delicious too. Besides, you can probably ask for more sauce anyway right? *EDIT* i just went back and got a spicy tuna roll (sans the cucumber). it had a good kick to it. i loved it.
The ingredients were amazingly fresh. Especially for a place called Express.
I like how sashimi piece are cheaper even though they come in orders of 4 for some reason...
We came in here thinking it was a restaurant so we were a little taken back by the "Self Serve". We're not disappointed though, self serve means no tip required right?? The rolls take a bit of time to make, but we were just relaxing on a nice day anyway so we didn't mind.
TIP: order ahead. show your student id for discount!Comment from Barry C. of Osaka Express 3/20/2010
Thank you for coming to Osaka 2 on Taylor. Yep, Osaka 1 &… More » -
Review from Courtney M.
Chicago, IL
12/13/2010
just went there today for the first time off a recommendation from a friend..
Well, first off, their prices are really good... basic rolls are like $5 (6 pieces).. the more elaborate rolls are between $7-10 still not bad considering most sushi prices..
I had to order my typical seaweed salad - I think it was like 3.50 or so... VERY fresh and tasty, my only complaint is that there was not enough dressing.
I also ordered the spicy tuna roll, which was only like $4. VERY fresh, and pretty tasty. Nothing too fancy, but still decent.
Overall, its a great place if you want a quick bite... but not if you are looking for a fancy sit-down restaurant.
Basically, good for people like me who crave the taste of sushi, but have to stick to a budget, and a busy schedule!!
Oh I almost forgot, %15 off for students (with ID) and also they have lunch specials, combo meals for around $7-8 - I defenitely have to try this!! -
Review from Michelle P.
Englewood, CO
7/25/2009
I have been on a "Sushi Binge" like you wouldn't believe. After visiting Osaka Express the other day, I needed more. Because I was no where close to downtown & they close earlier during the week, I decided to give Osaka 2 on Taylor Street a whirl. They were open till 10:00pm, great works for me. I called the order in for take out.
This time I ordered the Miso Soup, seaweed salad, the shiitake roll & the salmon avocado roll ($13.00) The miso was hot and hit the spot. Hoping the seaweed salad was better than Osaka Express..it wasn't i think it was worse. I think i got triple amount of cucumbers than last time. Absolutely no dressing on the salad. The rolls were fresh , even with being 15 minutes to closing time.
This location has more hot food selections like Udon & noodle dishes where as the Osaka Express did not. Next time I will try the noodle dishes, but I like the fact they are open late on the weekends. -
Review from Anne N.
Chicago, IL
2/8/2010
Osaka 2 is pretty much a place you would order out, not really a place to dine in. The rolls are pretty cheap and also wasn't too bad. I only ordered their regular rolls which was only about $4.25 each, so less than a dollar per piece (6 pieces per roll). If you order online, you get a 10% discount on your order, but you can only order online if you want it delivered. I wanted to pick it up, so ended up having to order by phone and didn't get the discount.
So, if you want just a quick fix for your sushi craving, i would recommend this place as it is affordable, OK sushi, and my order was ready for pick up in 10 minutes! -
Review from AJ M.
Chicago, IL
2/25/2009
Hankerin' for some sushi but too lazy to go somewhere, I went on a search for restaurants that would deliver me these fish gifts. I decided to give this place a try and here is what I thought...
My Order: California Roll, Spicy Salmon Roll, Philadelphia Roll, Dragon Roll, and Rainbow Roll.
Rice: Well cooked, appropriately sticky.
Fish: Most of the fish was so-so. Rainbow Roll's fish was a little tough but did not leave a fishy after taste. On the other hand, the Spicy Salmon roll's fish was old and left the distinct aftertaste of fish. Definitely not the best quality here.
Wrap: The wrapping was well done and none of the pieces fell apart. Awesome.
Gestalt: The best roll in the mix was the Philadelphia. In a lot of places that I've been to that serves this roll, they put too much cream cheese that makes the sushi too mushy. At Osaka, they didn't and it tasted pretty good and balanced. The Spicy Salmon Roll was not good - fish was bad and I could barely tell that the spice was there. So basically I was left with a fishy-tasting roll that desperately needed some spicy sauce to help cover-up its odorous tracks. California roll was fine - it usually is at most places. The Dragon Roll was a bit bland. I'm not sure what kind of sauce they had on it but it wasn't as flavorful as I would expect. The Rainbow Roll suffered from a slightly tough fish piece that sort of ruined the roll.
Overall: I've had better. Not sure if I'll order from this place again. I think the best part about this place is that it's less expensive that most of the sushi places close to University Village. -
Review from Richard A.
Chicago, IL
3/16/2009
So today I went to Osaka Express 2 with two friends of mine. I ordered the Tempura Udon for $10.00. At that price point I expected a big bowl of Udon, instead I got what appeared to be a kid size bowl of noodles. I'll admit that the food was good, but not $10.00 good. I was still hungry when I left.
I'm more of a bang for the buck kind of guy. So, if that were the judging factor, I would have to say that Osaka Express has failed at that. I wouldn't come back here again. -
Review from Jeremy M.
Chicago, IL
2/19/2010
Don't order from this place if you work downtown. Just ordered over $25.00 worth of food, with a tip before delivery, and got a call from an unknown number. It was my driver telling me he couldn't bring my food to my office! He claimed he wasn't allowed and I had to meet him on the street at his car.
I am obviously at work, it's lunchtime and it's a little busy. Luckily I was able to go meet him, but this is ridiculous. Why offer delivery services if you can't be bothered to deliver?
Needless to say, I won't be ordering from them again and the food is not even that good.
Disgruntled in Chicago... -
Review from Matt P.
Chicago, IL
10/10/2010
Not bad for (kinda) fast sushi.
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Review from Sara L.
Chicago, IL
11/15/2010
I love this place. It's clean, it's cheap, and the quality is pretty decent for what you're paying. I never really tried the specialty rolls, so I can't really review on those. I always get the basic rolls or Chirashi-Don and I think that it tastes a lot better than Ichiban down the street b/c the sushi rice has more flavor in it and the fish tastes better.
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Review from Kara S.
Chicago, IL
11/4/2010
I live under a block from this place. It's definitely the freshest sushi on the street - simple and tasty. The restaurant itself is very clean and modern. The options aren't overly interesting, but they make good sushi and good smoothies at reasonable prices. If you want a roll that's not on the menu and they have the ingredients, they will accommodate you. The 15% student discount is another plus.
This is definitely my go-to sushi restaurant, but if I didn't live here, I would not go out of my way to order from it. I also really wish they had brown rice. PLEASE GET BROWN RICE! -
Review from BRIT D.
Chicago, IL
1/14/2010
okay weird.
this place is so weird.
It's reallly cute inside but I don't think they've heard of customer service. I came for the 15% student discount. I guess it's my fault for not knowing before hand that it's not really a dine in place. So we get in and sit down. The lady comes up to us hands us menus and tells us to go up to the counter and order when we are ready... which seemed a little strange because no one was in the place and there was like 5 workers.... but whatever I went up and ordered for us. I was about to turn and walk back to the table but the guy behind the counter said "NO! pay first, then we call number." Okay, so I paid.... then they gave me a recite. I came back to the table in 1 minute later I hear over a microphone "12243". My boyfriend and I look at our recite... HEY! That's our number! Whaddya know?! We're the only people in this place and they are calling our number!
hmmm okay....
So we get our tray of food in plastic containers. cold boring edamame. miso soup that taste like water and rubber tofu. seaweed salad was good, as well as the cucumber salad. My tuna roll and my boyfriends tropical roll were both not fresh and obviously pre made since they "called our number" just a few minutes after ordering.
like I said before, I guess we were just un aware of this place being a fast food Japanese restaurant. whatever it was $20 and I will probably never come back. -
Review from Kathryn J.
Chicago, IL
5/5/2010
Great and cheap sushi! It does take a little while to prepare so call ahead for your order if you are in a hurry. Their bubble tea smoothies are amazing! Very fresh and fruity!
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Review from Sarah S.
Chicago, IL
12/10/2009
I received 50% coupon from the mail so I was like why not? I ordered spicy scallop roll, spider roll, and salmon sashimi. The only thing I liked was the salmon sashimi because it was fresh but everything else was meh. they put too much seasame seeds on the outside rice of the roll so it was over powering. Inside the spider roll where the soft shell crab is, the crab was hardly there and too much fried. I will try again for their special roll next time but my first impression was not that great.
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Review from Anne M.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 9/3/2008
So I must've been starving the last time I ate from here. Ordered take-out again and ALL the rolls were strangely warm. This time, I ordered the tempura shrimp roll, futomaki and spicy tuna maki roll. Again, the futomaki was rolled way too loose but this time was warm, leaving the "fresh" vegetables inside soft and soggy. The spicy tuna roll leaves a lot to be desired ... the tuna itself was minced so finely and when mixed with the 'spice', the texure was nothing but a mushy mess and had me questioning the actual freshness of the tuna. The tempura shrimp roll was also soggy and there was no crisp to the tempura, not to mention the lack of flavor aside from grease. Too bad, I had high hopes for this place but unfortunately won't return again.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/16/2008
Just finished eating my take out from Osaka and I'd have to say I'm pretty impressed. Not Sushi… Read more »
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Review from aneel u.
Chicago, IL
2/25/2010
I've ordered from here several times, and it's one of my favorites. The food is pretty good, and is well-priced, but my favorite thing about this place is how they package everything. They always ask how many people are eating, and provide enough utensils and soy sauce and extras for however many people you tell them. The miso soup is ALWAYS hot (and tasty!) when I get it, which is no small feat, especially considering the sushi stays pleasantly chilled. Try the spicy shrimp roll - you won't regret it!
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Review from Kami T.
Chicago, IL
1/17/2010
I found this place through a coupon I got in the mail, but I will definitely come back. Their smoothies are pretty good and the prices are very fair.
