Toro Sushi

AhMazing sushi ! Great service and incredible and informed menu and staff with gluten free menu options beyond just tamari!

This is a cool lil sushi spot in Lincoln Park. Very small inside with limited seating but it has a good vibe and it is BYOB so that is cool. I didn't know that so I'll have to go back with a group and take advantage of that.

Wrestled a bit with this rating, but landing on 3/5 stars. The food itself was a 4.5/5 if not a 5/5 but the service was definitely lacking - 2/5. I ordered multiple items that I had to remind the wait staff of after 10-15 minutes. They were polite about it, but they just seemed a bit spacey and forgot. It was like 8 PM on a Sunday when I stopped in so I guess I'll give them a bit of a pass. Overall, its a great environment for sushi. I sat at the bar and the chef was really funny and super fast. Once my orders actually got in, they came out right away. I will say also that they brought the food out in an interesting order. I got the miso soup like 5 minutes after the first roll, so that kind of threw me off. Normally would want to eat it with the edamame before hand... (sigh) oh well!

The food:

El Fuego Roll - 4/5
This thing is packed with flavor and had a ton of stuff in it. Surprisingly I think it was one of the cheaper specialty rolls at like $15 so I was happy with it. It is pretty cilantro forward (luckily I like cilantro) but if you don't like cilantro I would definitely steer clear. Overall, loved it.

Hamachi hand roll - 4/5
Just a super fresh hand roll. I love yellowtail and they load these things up so it was just really full of the fish flavor. Exactly what I was looking for

Spicy salmon skin hand roll - 6/5
I ordered this at the last second after seeing another yelp review about it. Normally wouldn't get salmon skin, but thought I would give it a try... OMG. Absolutely stole the show. One of the best sushi-like dishes I have ever had. Super rich, and packed with umami flavor. Nice kick of spice as well. If I go back, I might just order like 3 or 4 of these and call it a day.

Miso Soup - 3/5
I am pretty neutral on miso soup in general, and this one was pretty standard. Absolutely did the job, and I think was only like 3 bucks so no complaints.

Edamame - 2/5
very little seasoning and it was like 6 bucks. Feel like it should be standard that sushi spots give this for free. At least they give you a sh!t ton, I was eating these for like an hour.

Definitely going to give this place another visit in the future- the Kamikaze roll looked pretty crazy, and want to give it a try.

Solid work from the kitchen and fresh fish from the sushi bar, combine with inventive sushi roll menu items to deliver an all-rounder that deserves a place on your regular rotation.

Is the dining room a bit tight? Is there nowhere to hang your coat? Yes and yes. But don't let that stop you.

Solid sushi spot! I've been wanting to check this place out for a few years now and just got around to trying it while I had some out of town friends here.

The place is small and cozy with only a few tables. It's also BYOB which is always a plus. Service was a bit slower but wasn't a problem.

The menu offers so many different items, so there's pretty much something for everyone. The nigiri is very fresh and delicious. I really liked the red snapper! The toro melts in your mouth. The Mackerel is one of the better ones I've tried in the city. The specialty sushi is really good! We all enjoyed it and would definitely come back again.

Green mussels - comes with two mussels per shell, super creamy, very saucy and spicy! 4/5
Pig in the sea - 4/5; the bacon is really interesting
Trixie - 4/5
Oh my god - 4.5/5
Arizona - 4/5
Halloween - 4.5/5; spicy, I loved the torched flavor
Tipsy Trixie - 4.5/5

Toro is the best deal in town if you are good with a mediocre meal. For $ 18.95 you get a feast : pick your choice of protein ( chicken, beef or salmon) and then 2 sides ( we went with the spicy tuna roll and 3 piece sushi). You also get miso soup and salad included.

The 3 pieces of sushi and miso soup were the only good things we ate. The salmon was inedible ( raw inside but not in an on purpose sort of way ). The rice was not good ( how do you mess up rice?). The salad was not good - bland with a flavorless watery ginger dressing. The spicy tuna roll was decent at best. The service was fast and friendly. The restaurant was packed so a lot of people likely love the huge portions, great prices, decent sushi and friendly service. Just skip the cooked salmon protein option in the bento box ( and rice?) and you might have a bit better luck than we did. Really wanted to like this place. May give it one more try.

I am obsessed with the eggplant sushi here. Great options for vegetarians and omnivores alike. Really good honoring allergies here

I was this place was open for lunch during the week. Their Bento Box Lunch special is truly something special. I called in the order and was getting packaged up as I was arriving. They really have a great staff here.

I ordered two Bento Boxes. One with Beef teriyaki, tekka maki, and a California maki. The other box was chicken teriyaki, kappa maki, and sashimi. The Bento boxes came with miso soup, salad and rice. I also ordered a Volcano maki roll which was very delicious. The beef teriyaki was good, but I preferred the chicken teriyaki. The side rolls were all good, but my favorite was the sashimi. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. I wasn't a big fan of the kappa maki and probably wouldn't order it again. I can definitely see myself coming back to try more of their sushi offerings.

We live fairly close to Toro so always find ourselves getting take out from here on weekdays. The sushi is on the cheaper side, but the flavor and freshness is always there. I personally enjoy their more simple rolls-- their spicy salmon skin hand roll, which includes avocado and eel sauce, is one of the best I have had in Chicago. However, they have a variety of innovative and unique sushi offerings anyone is sure to enjoy. We rarely ever eat in as it is a quite small and casual dining space, but the service here is always prompt whether eating in or dining out. A must try in the Lincoln Park area.

We've been here a few times - most recently on a Tuesday night right when they opened (5PM).

I LOVE Toro Sushi! The fish quality is very fresh - I've never had an old piece of fish here. The quantity is also generous, especially for the nigiri/sashimi!

We ordered the El Fuego and Awesome roll, and then some nigiri to go with our meal. We scarfed down the rolls; the Awesome is an old favorite of ours and the El Fuego with the heat + fresh cilantro flavor was right up our alley.

The nigiri was just awesome. The scallop has a butteriness and slight sweetness you don't get at other sushi places. The ikura were popping eggs of umami goodness and had a nice mouthfeel. The salmon was flavorful and melted in our mouth! Even though their sashimi and nigiri are priced higher than other places, it's SUPER worth it and I can't recommend it enough :)

We got there right at open so it was only us and one other table. Our rolls came out quickly and our server was super nice and attentive. We were ogling some hand rolls one of the chefs was making because we were so hungry - they noticed and waved, and we laughed that they caught us. They ended up throwing in some FREE salmon sashimi with our food on the house! The service here was honestly 5 stars! I'm glad they didn't close in COVID.

My fiancé and I actually had our first date here, so Toro has a special place in our hearts. Please go here and check it out! You won't be disappointed!

Best sushi in Chicago and there isn't a close second. The Sunny roll is the best roll on the menu - a must order every time!