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Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North SideGrand (Red)
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Had lunch here with the significant other. Was impressed by the clean design that was also comfortable, and the tiny menu that, when opened up, held great lunch specials and tons of delicious dishes. There's definitely something for everyone, including those who are vegetarian/vegan and who prefer their fish and seafood cooked.
I had two tamago sashimi, two smoked salmon sashimi, and the winter roll -- delicious. The significant other unit had the vegetarian lunch platter and was very full. The vegetarian patty I sampled from his bento plate was delish.
Will be sure to return if I get the opportunity, really a great place. They also have amazing cocktails and really friendly and fast staff.
I also fell in love with their water glasses. Just loved the shape and weight of them.
There was a number of ladies out together for a work related lunch having a hoot. Definitely a great place for lunch w coworkers or after-work drinks and nibbles.
Everything I had was standard nothing stood out. I usually travel alone and in this place I got no personal attention at the sushi bar and well... in most other places they would at least ask you how your doing. First time I've ever seen 3 non asian sushi chefs that can barley speak clear English and one Asian decsent chef, you wouldn't expect that in the front of a Japanese sushi bar!?
Prices well there cheaper than Cali so it didn't hurt much but I'm sure there's better in Chicago
I saw this place on Check Please and luckily it was walking distance from my girlfriend's condo. We took a stroll over there and were pleasantly delighted. The place had a modern design to it yet still held on to it's Japanese roots. The sushi bar was well laid out and the seating was nice and open.
On to the food...and let me tell you, it was delicious! They have a wide selection of sushi dishes. My favorite is the Miami roll. It just screams yummy! If you are looking for hot food, they serve that as well.
With such a great first impression, we've gone back numerous times thereafter. My girlfriend even through me a surprise birthday dinner there and they were very accommodating. If you like sushi, you have to visit Oysy!
One would hope a sushi place would know how to properly cook a delicate piece of fish, but the $12 lunch special of Salmon Terryaki was dry and tough. If it doesn't flake away with a slight tug if one's chopsticks it shouldn't be served. Yet it was. Maki side was lackluster and service was polite but spotty. I won't be back.
Oysy is a fun and casual place to go. The menu isn't that big but quite adequate. The sushi selection is pretty standard with lots of creative rolls and executed very well. The other items on the menu are much smaller portions compared to other Japanese restaurants. They have the best salmon teriyaki, especially when it's cooked crispy. I like the miso steak too. It's kind of on the oily side, but that's what makes is good. The soft shell crab and agedashi tofu shouldn't be passed up. Their cocktails are nice, too. The waitstaff are all so friendly. We go there quite often, and each one of them makes it a point to say "hi" an "bye". My only criticism is their meager dessert menu. They need to serve tempura ice cream.
Eehhhhh, overpriced sushi....nothing special unless you want to be "seen" here. I went with some friends and to be honest, ambiance was cool but there was nothing that I couldnt get at my neighborhood take out for half the price. I just hate going to super "upscale" sushi restaurants because I just get pissed about the prices and I am like, I could be paying a third of the price for this at my little BYOB place. I just didnt think it was special.
Service was mediocre at best. We were ordering glasses of wine all night and the girl totally forgot mine until she was bringing the check...I was like, I dont want it now...?!
A friend of mine was in town from Atlanta and wanted to meet for dinner. He had one request...sushi!! I don't know a lot about sushi, but I had walked past Oysy quite a few times and figured we could go there.
I called the number on the website and made reservations, but when we arrived they did not have our reso. What?? It turns out that the only phone number listed on their website is for a different location, but they made room for us and we only had to wait about 10 minutes.
For dinner we ordered the fashion roll and the sushi platter, which was chef's choice. Again, I know nothing about sushi so everything seemed good. I wish we had ordered more, because when our sushi platter arrived and my friend started explaining what everything was...well, I wanted to try them all. Luckily, he's a southern gentleman and let me pig out while he ordered other items off the menu.
Oysy also had a great martini list. I had the lychee martini, which was a bit too sweet to drink with the sushi, but it was good. I'll definitely go back to try more 'tini's.
We went here for lunch on a coworkers birthday recently, and while I wasn't disappointed, I wasn't wowed either with the exception of the white dragon. It was both delicious and a work of art. Almost everyone at our table had the lunch box special, which could be why our socks were knocked off, but everything was tasty and fresh.
$12 Bento Box. Done and done. You can easily spend this at your crappy cafeteria or "THAT" well known sandwich chain with the freaky fast delivery.
Miso soup, a small salad, 6 pieces of nigiri, an assortment of spicy salmon and caliornia rolls (about 6 pieces), as well as tempura shrimp and veggies. That's a lot for such a low price. Now I feel like a salesman...Everything's fresh, our prices can't be beat!
Oh and PS. their tableside delivery is also freaky fast so TAKE THAT jimmy!
My wife tells me that oy sy means tasty in Japanese, she's usually right so there.
Sushi has been very fresh and *tasty* and they have some nice lunch box specials for about $12.
Cute place for a date. Prices are reasonable, and food is delicious.
My friends and I always pick Oysy sushi when we're looking for a hip place for cocktails and girls' night. This place is reasonably priced given the location and swanky decor. The sushi is delicious and the cocktails are super creative. There's urban picnic table seating and we've never waited longer than 10 minutes for a table during prime hours (though making an online reservation with Open Table first will guarantee no wait time. Don't be late - they'll definitely give up your table after 15 minutes!
I've gone here several times for their sushi lunch box special, and for $12, it's a great deal. You get miso soup, a small salad with ginger dressing, tempura veggies and shrimp, an omelette-y type thing, plus two rolls (California and spicy tuna) and six pieces of chef's choice nigiri. You can also choose different boxes, featuring a hot entree of fish or chicken plus the sides, but I've always had the sushi. Tasty, fresh, and fast, in a satisfying portion size, for a terrific price. Who could ask for anything more?
This is our favorite sushi place in the city. We eat here at least once a month and I am never disappointed!
I really like their maki rolls because they always taste very fresh. My favorite is the avocado maki and those are always really fresh and never brown or over ripe. The wasabi is usually pretty potent (more so than other sushi places we've been to) and if you run out of ginger they will bring you PLENTY more if you ask. Also-I have always asked for the maki rolls to be cut into 8 pieces and this has never been a problem. The tofu agadashi is delicious. They say their miso soup does not have any meat broth in it (like some restaurants use). The vegetable tempura includes a large variety of vegetables, including: lotus root, sweet potato, green bean, asparagus, broccoli,..?
The decor is somewhat zen-like and I think it's very soothing and calming-not overly stimulating or loud. They have a sushi bar, a very small bar at the front of the restaurant, numerous bamboo (fake?) booths, and maybe a small table or two.
The bathroom has never felt dirty and I think the sink is pretty cool in the women's bathroom (sorry I wouldn't know about the men's!). The wait staff is always quick to greet you when you walk in and we have never had much of a wait-maybe we waited 20 minutes-once.
While I have found other sushi places in lincoln park which are a tad bit cheaper and somewhat comparable in quality, I definitely prefer to save my bus fare and go to Oysy-It's my favorite!!
I had a nice lunch here on Sunday. The service has always been good. I have been here several times in the last 3-4 mos and always manage to score a table right at the window which makes for good people watching. The price is very reasonable for the neighborhood! The atmosphere is nice and most importantly every time I have been it has been fresh. The seaweed salad is pretty typical w/ sesame, cucumber and lemon - deelish. The sushi presentation is whimsical and they have a nice selection of rolls. I particularly like the summer roll which has cilantro and green pepper. The firecracker is super unique & tasty as it's deep fried and contains cream cheese (this could be dessert!) I am also a fan of the red dragon very light and fresh. The Saketini is my favorite cocktail on the menu.
LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
We really love this place and come here often for the fantastic specialty maki rolls and Toro Tartare with Caviar (DELISH!).
The fish is fresh and the taste of the rolls is always top notch. They just never disappoint in their service and their food.
They have good martini's and they don't skimp on the alcohol (always a plus). They also have wine and can make almost anything you want at their bar.
I also like that we rarely have to wait to get a seat, even on the weekends if there is any type of wait, it goes rather quickly.
The atmoshere is laid back, simple and zen. This place is not fancy, just simple and clean.
I don't think we have ever left here and been unsatisfied, so if you are looking for a great sushi place that always delivers, I suggest you try this place out!
Here is what I don't understand about Oysy. They use the term izakaya. Why? Do you really think people in Chicago are really that dumb?
Oysy is nothing close to an izakaya. Just because you serve sushi doesn't mean that you are an izakaya. No okinomyoki, no takoyaki, none of the traditional small plate Japanese dishes that define izakaya. But I digress.
Sushi in Chicago is dime a dozen. Oysy doesn't break from that tradition. Can you go to Oysy and get adequate sushi? Yes. But why settle? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Oysy is bad, it's just not that great.
The octopus salad is nothing special. The texture was that of frozen octopus which to me is the sign of a lazy chef. The tempura was not prepared correctly (stiff, hard batter that had little flavor). The sushi was just OK, but definitely nothing to write home about. The soft shell crab was soggy and oily.
For a quick lunch this place is fine, if you work downtown, but I'd -never- make a special trip to go here and to me, that's what defines a great establishment.
Prettayyyy good!
Is it the best sushi I have ever had? No...but its pretty good!
I ordered the philly roll (the one on their specialty menu) and it was awesome because besides the usual salmon and cream cheese it also had asparagus and avocado. I forgot the name of the other roll I had :( But it was also delish!
My bf ordered a platter and was v. pleased except with one piece of fish, he said it was extra slimy? Not sure what happened there.
Services was great, super friendly and fast. Okay prices, good location, fresh tasting and innovative rolls...didn't try any of the drinks, maybe next time!
Solid 3 stars. Nice looking place. Good fish.
Somewhat lacking in warmth, probably a result of the neighborhood.
If you're nearby, it's not a bad pick, but I'll bet there are more soulful options outside the Loop.
The service was good, and the food tasted just like I expected. This place gets three stars because it doesn't do anything particularly unique or innovative with its food, but it doesn't do anything wrong, either.
Oysy delivers, but it delivers in a way that doesn't kick you in the mouth or ingrain itself in your brain. You won't be disappointed, but you won't be enthralled either. It's just... reliable.
Good not great. I have been to Oysy a couple times and every time it fulfills my sushi craving, but I've had better. Besides the rainbow dragon roll, which was outstanding, all the other rolls were pretty mediocre. I really hate it when you get a roll with the fish all chopped up into one big blob. I much prefer rolls where you see one solid piece of fish present.
This god awful blob was present for the black pearl, emerald, and ruby rolls. I have had similar rolls at other sushi restaurants that I found to be far superior (i.e. Wakamono and Matsuyama). Perhaps I ordered the wrong things here, but these are listed as their specialty rolls so I expected more.
Besides the rolls, the atmosphere is very nice here. Lots of space so it would be a great place for a big group. It is also nice to have the option to order alcohol which seems to be rare with our million BYOB sushi restaurants. Sometimes I want a place that has hot sake!
Overall, not my first choice for sushi, but I wouldn't turn it down either.
For those who love sushi (and who doesn't, except for uncultured swine), this Oysy (an Americanized spelling of the Japanese word for "delicious") is a fun new twist on it! Several of the sushi and sashimi designs are shaped like animals (my favorite is the dragon) and it's often ALL edible. There's also regular a la carte stuff for those of you who aren't quite ready to venture outside of your sushi comfort zone.
Definitely worth your time and money.
GET THE SALMON SKIN HANDROLL!!!!
Ok I was kinda disappointed with the rolls.. we got the dynamite, summer, chicago & ruby... they were... okay, nothing spectacular :[ The ruby had a certain sweetness to it that we couldn't get our finger on. Everything was really pretty tho, I have to say. The octopus salad with lime dressing was really good... seaweed salad was tasty and light (sometimes the dressing on it can be too heavy)... the sashimi was fresh and delicious!!!! (Don't forget to get the scallop!!!) & the tuna tartar was... HUUUUUUUGE.. it was a MONSTER to finish... it was ground really fine into a huge ball...
The best out of the rolls I thought was the Chicago... fresh and sauce free but nothing spectacular. I thought the dynamite was too dry.. which is strange for a sushi roll to me. I've never had one that tasted dry in my mouth before. The summer roll was tasty but the cilantro was a little overwhleming and then random green pepper was... different, altho I couldn't taste it?! So what's the point other than the crunch?
They only had mochi for dessert... but the martinis looked interesting.. green tea ice cream martini? Cool... I duno if I'd go back again tho... maybe just for a lot of the salmon skin handrolls :D
The worst meal I have had in Chicago. I love the one in the South Loop so my friend and I thought to go here since we were on Michigan Ave. Big Mistake.
It started with the tuna tartar dish. It was really the same thing they have in the spicy tuna roll. Everyone knows thats the older Tuna. If you dont have it with rice, its pretty bad. For the most expensive tuna dish on the menu, surely they can come up with something better.
All three of our rolls were tasteless and bad. Sushi I have reluctantly bought in the supermarket was much better then the rolls we had there.
The grilled Sea Bass we had was sliced very thin. I think it was previosly frozen. It was horrible.
Oh, and a rotten cherry tomato that tasted like fish was in my salad.
Service was good and I can't really say anything bad about that. Nothing was taken off our bill and though we did complain about the tartar, she said she could only replace it with something else. Yeah, something else really bad! The only positive mention I can muster is the Lychee Martini.
I am very disappointed in this place. Even if they gave me a free meal, I would not go back.
Very overpriced sushi, this is one of those trendy places for non-Asians who make way too much money. You can guess that by the name, a purposeful misspelling of oishii, it's very symbolic that they chose to corrupt Romaji for their moniker. You'll rarely see customers from the Far East dining here, as those with a taste for authentic, hit the Japanese or Korean run places on the North end of town. The ambiance, the decor, that's what you're paying for, this place is beautiful, as are much of the staff. On the downside, the sushi is below average, though beautiful in presentation, often it's not even authentic in that sense, and the prices are a good two standard deviations above average. In spite of the high prices, the service isn't very good, the waitstaff knows little to nothing about Japanese cuisine, and in fact, seem to fabricate nonsense when queried. I've heard that their lunch time bento box special isn't bad, but in general, this is the sort of place that people choose for status over substance. If it's authentic Japanese you want, the odd thing about Chicago is that you're going to have to go to one of the Northside Korean-owned sushi places, where a lot of them have well-trained Mexican chefs, which is one of those "only in America" social situations that, for me, beats the alleged fun gained from bragging about dining at an overpriced tasteless trendy restaurant.
I have three words for you...Rainbow... Dragon... Roll. This thing was awesome, and I would go there just for that. As for the rest of the food, eh, it was OK. Pretty typical as sushi joints go. Also, parking is either in a paid garage, or street parking, which is very difficult.
For me, I would only go if I'm down there already, and have a taste for sushi.
I went with couple of my friends for maki. Their special maki rolls are very tasty and different. My favorite was the Firecracker. Deep fried rolls!! If you want yummy rolls, I recommend. :D
I have been to many, many sushi places in the city, and this one is my fave! The service is always good and the atmosphere is relaxed but fun.
They make some interesting cocktails, but also have a nice selection of sake and wines. Their rolls are inventive, beautiful, fresh, and tasty.
It's one of those rare downtown gems nestled in a jungle of overpriced and under-delicious chain restaurants that the tourists seem to totally ignore! Excellent downtown-dinner-after-work spot. Decently priced, too. I almost always get outta there having spent $30 or less, drinks included.
I'm no sushi expert, which could be considered a rarity being that I'm originally from Los Angeles and sushi is not only a delicacy but a religion lol! I actually went a good decade without eating sushi before but a friend of mines took me here for my birthday and I had an amazing time. The service was great and the waitress actually explained in full detail what every entree that I questioned was made out of and how it looked. The food itself was excellent, if sushi can be better than this I must experience it. The avocado maki was/is AMAZING. Please treat yourself to this, its a mouthgasm!!!
Now, I dont know much about sushi, but I do know that this place is classy and delicious. The pricing is.. a bit much, but you are downtown and should expect to pay for what youre working with. The people are super friendly and their outdoor seating is very cute.
Im a fan for sure.
Overall, it was a good experience. Here's the break-down:
Outstanding: Super white tuna nigiri; hamachi nigiri; Summer Roll; Ruby roll;
OK: Salmon nigiri; Red snapper nigiri; Chicago Crazy roll; Tuna Tartar
Gross: the drinks-- way too sweet and will give you a stomach ache
So, know what to order and order that. Don't bother with the specialty syrups, er, I mean drinks.
I keep ragging on River North restaurants, as being a vast chain-infused wasteland. Yet, I seem to keep dining there. And, I take clients there too. What does that say about the integrity of this reviewer?
So accordingly, Tuesday's lunch was Oysy. Of several options presented to the guests, Oysy was the choice. So be it said I.
We sampled a good number of the rolls, seaweed salad, as well as some spicy tempura shrimp. The rolls were respectable, the seaweed salad as would be expected. The spicy shrimp tempura was tres tasty, but then again when is anything deep fried and served with a special sauce anything less than?
The service was polite and efficient. I'd return, but I think I enjoy the atmosphere and rolls at Kamehachi a little better.
We're pretty snobby when it comes to Japanese food and Oysy delivers.
There is quite a vast menu, and the plates are small giving you an opportunity to try lots of different dishes.
I've come here a couple of times because it is about a block away from where I work. It doesn't usually get too crowded at lunch, so it's a good bet for a business lunch time-wise.
The sushi here, however, is unremarkable. I've never had anything memorably good, although I have also never had anything memorably bad. The rice has an ok texture, the fish is fresh "enough" - which means it really isn't, and the service is good-not-great.
I'll probably eat here again because of its proximity to the office and because they now have outdoor seating, but if you have the time to wander a few blocks north I'd recommend Friends Sushi for a great sushi lunch (or dinner) on the Magnificent Mile.
Good sushi at a reasonable price in the Loop/Gold Coast. I like how they adorn the rolls to look like caterpillars, dragons, etc. The seaweed salad and sesame crusted scallop appetizer were also solid. Delicious lychee martini. They also have a pear martini that is more tart than others I've tried and also very good. Attentive service also.
Great rolls. No wait, maybe the best rolls I've ever had. I consider myself lucky to have eaten here. Super white tuna? Are you serious? I love this place.
Went there on a Monday night so there were not to many people in the place. Plus, the decor is cheesy modern trendy stuff. But that is not important.
The Sushi is surprisingly fresh. Especially the hamachi and the scallops. The portions are nice and the taste was excellent. The prices are very reasonable considering the location and the quality of fish. Our waiter was excellent as well. I definitely see myself becoming a regular at this place.
It rocks.
When I lived in the Near North, this was my go-to sushi joint. Seaweed salad is tasty, caterpillar roll and winter roll are delicious, and you can't go wrong with splitting the 2-person sushi party tray.
I've probably been here 15 times and I've always left satisfied. Then again, I'm generally satisfied with mediocre sushi... but I would at least classify this as slightly-better-than-mediocre sushi. It's a very reliable place, and especially given the lack of good, cheap sushi restaurants in the area, I would give this a solid four stars for anyone who lives or works nearby. I think I'd bump that down to three stars if you're not in the area - this definitely isn't a place to travel across town for.
I love this place. I originally went here with one of my friends for dinner and I liked it so much that I went here for dinner on my birthday. The food is fresh and strangely, my favorite thing about this place is a chicken tempura roll that is delish. Unusual, I know, but it was soo good.
Overall the atmosphere is very relaxed and the place is clean. The tables are huge and can fit a group of about 8 people. Service is very fast and the servers are very attentive.You get a list of things on the menu and you write in how many of a specific thing you want and you hand it in. Simple. Everything is reasonably priced with rolls priced between 3 and 5 dollars.
You should really go eat there sometime.
This place has the highest quality-to-price ratio of all sushi restaurants in Chicago. On a good day, everything is perfectly fresh and you're not missing out on anything a pricier establishment could offer. On days when it's not all perfect, most of the fish will be perfect and all of it will be at least very good.
I'm more of a maki and sashimi eater than a roll eater, but I have to say that their Summer roll is delicious.
When I go here with my husband we go all-out: martinis, free-flowing sake, and tons of sashimi. The bill is usually around $100.
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Chicago, IL
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Category: Japanese
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Category: Sushi Bars
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