On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near West SideClinton (Pink, Green)
"Divine!! Absolute sushi bliss in a modern swanky setting!! I had the lunch special which was part Sushi, part Sashimi and a green envy roll.…" read more »
Loading...
This teeny-tiny Sushi restaurant is located within Presidential Towers- my current residence, making it SUPER convenient! Although small, I must admit I never have had a problem with seating or service- although I have avoided lunch crowds & have only dined here during their dinner service. The servers are so pleasant & eager to please, they always do something special for my boyfriend & I, whether it's dessert on the house or an extra cup of miso soup :) They really make you feel welcome & like a "regular". The sushi is excellent & artistically prepared. It almost looks too beautiful to eat! ALMOST! hehe. I have never had a problem with small portions or messyness as other reviewers have stated, but also don't like wasabi,so they could skip putting that on my plate altogether & I wouldn't mind heh! The Mochi dessert here is also fab! I would def recommend it in the green tea flavour!
For a fast lunch, or nice dinner, this is a great lil place that could easily become one of your regular spots :)
FAST + Cheap + High Quality Sushi = 4 Stars
lacking from the 5th star: its hard to enjoy your food, i have a short lunch.. ^_^
I work really close to this tiny Japanese spot in the loop. This place is ideal for any body working a 9-5 shift and only has a short lunch break. They are quick, fast and the customer service is top notch! My water glass is always full, even after i paid the check/tip has been settled.
I have experience sushi and and low, everywhere and any where! but i keep coming back to get the following specialty rolls:
- Randolph (eel, avocado, masago) $6.95
- Monroe (shrimp tempura, avocado, cilantro, mayo) $6.50
- Halsted (shrimp, avocado, cilantro, jalapeno) $6.50
An awesome value for your cash!
I recommend this to anyone and everyone with a SHORT LUNCH.
I work nearby from this teeny-tiny Japanese spot in the loop. It's become my safe zone, my refuge from the world when it's time to take a break, time to put the "9-to-5 on the shelf" for a moment or two. Although the servers don't don '37 pieces of flair', they are quite adept at getting you in and out rather efficiently.
All of their lunch specials are on point! There is a two roll special for $9.95, or three rolls for $11.95. However, the bento lunch box steals the show! It's around $10 and comes with your choice of meat (beef, chicken or salmon), a small cucumber salad, Japanese salad with dressing ,a small California roll, shrimp and vegetable tempura, and rice. All of the specials come with hot tea and miso soup. Be warned, there's a lot of food in the bento special, so come with an appetite for destruction and perhaps with a dining companion that can carry you back to the office in a wheelbarrow!
A Takumi visit is good for any day of the workweek, but there's something special about it's ability to completely turn around a "case of the Mondays'. After eating my bento, I usually return to work with a smile on my face, a spring in my step, and a sense benevolence that allows me to spare giving the beat down to that broken, good for-nothing fax machine on my hit list.
Thank you Takumi!
I have been here a few times now and I would agree that they have good sushi. Although my biggest complaint is that my rolls were very sloppily done. At first I thought it was because it was lunch time but the second time I went it was around 2:00 PM.
I did love the Yakisoba and the Beef Udon Noodles in broth.
This place is underwhelming, yet I keep coming back because it is close to the office. So glad the Chipotle nearby will be opening in November, which will make for better options. The sushi is essentially 'supermarket' sushi, even those rolls that should be more adventurous. On all occasions I have been here, they seem to stint on the wasabi. For the presentation, and the hit-or-miss service, I prefer carry-out. Inexplicably, all the sushi rolls seem to blend together and this place overall seems confused--offering a mix of curry dishes, noodles, and sushi. If you are in this area and craving sushi, by all means go here. If you are visiting from out of town, or otherwise in search of an outstanding sushi experience in Chicago, you can do much better than this place.
good japanese food for Chicago.
got the sushi rice marinated properly, therefore the rolls taste would be good.
tonkatsu here also nice,
can't go wrong with sushi or the kitchen.
wasabi sause done right (for tekkamaki)
There aren't a lot of places in the Loop for sit down sushi, but this place does a decent job.
Takumi is a small space located in Presidential Towers and connected to My Thai restaurant. They have a fairly extensive menu complete with veggie and specialty maki and hot dishes. Despite the decent selection of lunch specials I went with a couple maki - spicy tuna and negi hamachi.
Service was quick and attentive, but the sushi was just average. The sushi gets average marks for the following reasons: pieces were on the small side; fish portions seemed skimpy for the price; rolls came apart way too easily.
Bottom line: Average, but a good option if you want to have sit down sushi in the Loop.
This little Japanese restaurant does a great job at serving quick and good food for a weekday lunch, or a quick dinenr! I've eaten here multiple times and always had great service! The restaurant is small, but cozy and prices are reasonable!
My favorite dish would be one of the curries, but I'd also go for some udon noodles or katsu for a change of pace. You can't really go wrong with any choice on the menu! I haven't tried the sushi yet, so that might be my next meal!
This is my favorite sushi place in the loop area for lunch. It's delicious with fresh sushi at good prices and is actually a nice sit down place.
My favorite is the takumi roll (hey, finally a restaurant's special roll that actually tastes good and is slightly different!) which has salmon, crab meat with tempura crumbs and spicy mayo - yum! Their salmon and tamago nigiri is also good (usually order that with my takumi roll). Their appetizers are also good - edamame, seaweed salad, agedashi todu. I also tried their Japanese curry and its actually really good! It was here I found out that I do like curry - just not Thai curry cuz of the coconut.
Hmm what else...they have good lunch specials too - 2 rolls with soup for like 10 bucks. Or order a bento box with your choice of meat teriyaki, cali roll, tempura, salad and miso soup for like 12 bucks.
Great place for lunch or even dinner!
I only wish I worked and/or lived closer! This simple, authentic sushi spot is awesome. I came here for dinner a few weeks ago and just loved it.
I highly recommend the following two rolls in order of preference:
1. Takumi - crab sake, avocado, crumb, spicy mayo
2. Unagi - fresh water eel, eel sauce, cucumber
3. Tempura Shrimp - tempura shrimp, masago, mayo, avocado, cucumber
The prices are also really decent. I must say this place is on par with Sai Cafe. Wow, I can't believe I just said that.
I come here for lunch often, though I recommend coming with a small party - like two-ish? There can be a long wait for a table, but if it's just you and a friend, you can sit at the sushi bar or grab a small table.
Sushi's good...but nothing that I haven't had anywhere else before. I guess for the southwest loop area it's the only stop for sushi, and it does the job. Bento box is all right, but if I'm not in a sushi mood, I probably wouldn't come here. Price is around what you'd expect for downtown.
I love this place for lunch! Every time I order out or eat in, the food is fresh, attractive (sushi needs to be!) and yummy.
The first nice day this last week was a perfect time to walk over to Takumi and satisfy my sushi craving. Got the rock n roll and the ommera - both VERY tasty and left me wanting more.
Service is quick for the lunch crowd. We waited about 15 minutes for a table at around noon - not too bad.
I'll be back!
Takumi, which is owned by the same people as the attached "My Thai" restaurant, is a small and sometimes cramped but nicely decorated Japanese restaurant in the Presidential Towers building. I like the food here because it is quickly prepared and good value. I've always found the service friendly and they also offer delivery.
As far as quality, I've tried several dishes like the sukiyaki, katsu curry, katsu don, and chicken teriyaki. The bento box, which comes with a california roll, assorted tempura, salad, and miso soup, is particularly good value. They're all decent, although I would prefer something more authentic in preparation. I don't hesitate to give them 3* but certainly closer to a 2 than 4.
I have also tried several of the sashimi/sushi and maki offerings but did not find the sushi that fresh or high quality, so would have rated Takumi 2* at best if on a sushi basis alone. For sushi in the area, I prefer the short walk to Sushi Wabi or Sushi Sai, or perhaps Meiji.
This place is really small, but since I lived in Presidential Towers, I always just ordered take out. The sush is just ok for the price you pay. None of the rolls are very impressive. I prefer the sushi at Thai Urban Kitchen over this place, even if it's more expensive. But it's not a bad place when you have a craving for sushi. The katsu don was pretty good.
While all Japanese food is somewhat expensive, this is good value for money. Sushi is fresh and tasty, and the non-sushi food makes me happier than anything else. Its rare where you can see Chirashi Don, Oyaku Don, and Ten Don all on the menu next to the ever present Una Don.
I am a big fan, I wish I lived or worked closer to this place.
I am a reverse commuter, so I thought I'd throw in my two cents about dinner at Takumi.
It's magical.
Because my friends and I are usually the sole diners (i.e., sole tippers), the evening service is quite good. The sushi isn't always quick to come out, but that could be due to my boyfriend's penchant for ordering maki rolls by the gross ton. Either way, we usually fill the pre-sushi void w/ Sapporo and sake.
In short, you get to be king for 2 hours, with a little servant at your beck and call who brings you all the food and booze you care to digest for prices unheard of compared to other West Loop sushi joints.
If that's not your thing... you're an idiot.
While the quality of sushi isn't as good as Sushi Sai's, Takumi more than makes up for it with stellar (FAST and ACCURATE) service. Sushi Sai, send a couple of your employees over to observe how it's done!
The rolls and nigiri pieces are all pretty good. I typically get the sushi ume (5 pieces + 1 roll) or the makimono, which is a chef's choice of 3 rolls. Only problem with that is sometimes, I don't get a straight answer on what the rolls are (although I've never had a bad one).
Me: What's the makimono?
Server: It's 3 rolls prepared by the chef.
Me: What are the 3 rolls?
Server: It's the makimono.
Me: And what is the soup du jour?
anyway, if you're craving lunchtime sushi but can't convince your coworkers to eat raw fish, you can also tell them about the great donburi selection that Takumi has. Tannin Don and Una Don are my favorites. The chicken katsu curry is also very delicious.
This place gets packed at lunch and there is very limited seating since its a small restauarant. The best time to go is before or after the lunch rush hour. I used to live in the PT building and never had to step outside to pick up my order. There is no better feeling than picking up a carry out order in flip flops and PJ's in the Chicago winter without having to go outside. YUP. Love it. Eat it. And I did. I ordered the salmon bento box (includes tempura, salad, california roll, and gomaae. I ate it ALL. So yummy!
Takumi is number one in my book. The last two times I was there, we were in and out well under an hour and had great meals plus sushi for only about $30 total. Their lunch specials are a good portion - perfectly sized to add on a roll and not feel disgusting afterwards. The waitstaff is friendly and attentive and most importantly - they know how to PACE a meal!!! The miso comes right after you order, then the rolls and finally the entree. None of this piecemeal service or everything piling up at once. I am so glad this place is so close to the office and that I can get out for some comfrot food and back to the drudgery without wasting 2 hours!
I'm not a fan of fish, but I do love this sushi restaurant because of their vegetarian options. The spinach sushi is the best!
The place is small, so if you want to dine in during lunch, you better get there early, though service is very fast and efficient. Take-out is an excellent option.
The rolls are a little small, so I always get two of them; it makes my stomach very happy.
This sushi habit will be my financial ruin. It will be a delicious descent into poverty though. I may as well share my experience with all of you Yelpers before I have to become a hobo.
I got take out from Takumi yesterday and was pretty happy. The Alaska roll gets a thumbs-up. The salmon was the right flavor, texture and temperature, and the roll was larger than expected. I had more than enough food for dinner with an Alaska roll and California roll (total was $12).
It's not mind-blowing, but I'll definitely go back for more takeout when I'm in the area.
This place has for reals Japanese food. Not for pretensies or Chinese take-out with sushi options, but real Japanese food.
You may ask yourself, "Well, isn't sushi real Japanese food?" I guess so if you want to go by nutritional standards, but since ancient times, they've included other items on their menu. Wikipedia can verify that.
For instance, noodles are to Japan what hot dogs are to Chicago complete with late night vendors. There is nothing like a bowl of Udon in the winter or cold Soba in the summer. If you want to get stared at, order the Sukiyaki which is just the most awesome hot pot noodle dish you can get for a couple of people.
The gomae (spinach salad like thing), shumai (steamed dumpling goodness), and yakitori (BBQ chicken skewers) there is exquisite.
The Katsu-Don there is also one of the best dishes you can get there. That's the kind of stuff you'd eat at someone's house. It's a breaded cutlet cooked with egg (I recommend the chicken). The rice gets all saucy and it's delicious.
Live a little and go beyond terriyaki!
If you work in West Loop and you have a craving for a sushi lunch Takumi is excellent for take out!
Other sushi places in the area I've tried for lunch are either cheap (in both cost and quality) or are more than I want to spend for a work-day lunch on the go. (Or worse - are expensive and so slow that you're late getting back to work.) Takumi was neither - the maki rolls were very tasty, their service was FAST, they got everything right, and it was surprisingly inexpensive. The sushi lunch combo I got was only $12 for 3 maki rolls and miso soup!
Kind of a small restaurant in Presidential Towers - maybe half of My Thai next door, which gets just as popular for lunch after 11:45 AM on weekdays. You can order take-out, as well, and they deliver.
The rolls are small (0.75" in diamater) and not tightly rolled. I order the lunch specials, which are two 6-pc rolls (1 is a California) for $9.95, or three rolls (1 is a California) for $11.95. They also have a bento box for $9.95 with your choice of meat, a small cucumber/vinaigrette Japanese salad, 3-pc California roll, a few slices of vegetable tempura, and a bowl of rice. These lunch specials come with miso soup.
Service is ok - not the friendliest, and they are always in a hurry because it gets so busy.
A strong choice for a Japanese lunch in the (West) Loop! Although there is an existing franchise in the loop that specifically caters to lunchtime Japanese cuisine, I feel that Takumi is not only the better value, but tastes better too! Located in the base of Presidential Towers, it's original footprint was slightly bigger when it first opened. Since then that space has now been taken over by the adjacent restaurant. It's a lot more...er..."intimate" now. That being said, there are enough seats and a small sushi bar area.
As a Loop Lunch Location (outer fringes edition), once you know what you want, you are in for a treat. You can elect to have one of the bentos (chicken, beef, salmon) and its various accompaniments. Or if you are a fan of donburis (rice bowls), they have a good variety available: Sendon (veggie tempura), teriyaki (chicken/beef), una (broiled eel...yum!), chirashi (assorted sashimi), and tekka (tuna...another favorite!). You get a good amount of sushi rice with sesame seeds sprinkled on top, with a side amount of vegetables. My recent tekkadon came with thinly sliced cucumber and avocado.
Their tempura appetizer was also well done and evenly cooked. My portion had two onion rings, one sweet potato, broccoli, zucchini, and two pieces of shrimp.
If you are a to-go eater, look up the menu on http://chicago.menupag... and call in your order ahead of time.
If you work in the west loop, this is a terrific lunch option. The bento lunch specials are amazing. For about $10 you get your choice of chicken, beef and salmon bento. It is served with miso soup, California rolls, tempura, rice and salad. And it is all absolutely delicious. The bento is served with mushrooms, which is a great addition over other bentos I have had.
I have also sampled their sushi and was very impressed.
The place is small and tends to get crowded at the lunch hour. You may want to go on a day when you can sneak away from your desk a little before or after noon.
Takumi is a perfect lunchtime spot. They offer several sushi and box lunch options, all of which includes plenty to fill even me (and I eat a lot at sushi restaurants) in the $8 - 11 price range. While it's a little more than I would spend than at a place like Tokyo Lunchbox, it is well worth the extra few bucks for the greatly enhanced quality.
This review is based on my first visit to the establishment and will be adjusted in accordance to my experience during a second run.
I definitely will more than likely visit this place again as the fresh taste of the sushi was pretty much above average. Normally, at such places, I would miss out on their bento box specials but I finally had the chance to try it out this time around. The price for the bento box was fair especially considering the near loop location.
For the quantity and quality, I would say it has surpassed it and met the level where I would give it four stars. If they can replicate or improve upon the previous experience I've had, then I will revise this and give it five stars.
I'm fairly looking to returning this joint to try their other specials and try their house rolls.
Warmer weather, I will return.
Fresh.
Great lunch specials.
Delicious!
I came in there for lunch by myself and the food was good. I ordered the Ton Katsu lunch and a Ocean maki. The Ton Katsu is a breaded pork cutlet that is fried, it was served over rice, it was tasty. The only thing I didn't like about it was the visuals. It looked like it was sitting out for a while. We all eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths. The Ocean Maki was good, it was spicy and the fish was fresh.
When I went, I thought the service was slow. As I said, I came here myself for lunch and was seated at end of the sushi bar. It was about 10 minutes after I sat down until someone came to greet me. Then it was a while till he came back to take my order. Food came out in about 20 minutes. So I was there for about 40 minutes before I started eating. Maybe I am expecting too much but I just thought lunch service would be a little quicker.
I will definitely be back here and hopefully have a different experience.
This is another great place for sushi IF you have not eaten real sushi in your life. When your sushi comes out from the same kitchen that serves the Thai restaurant next door, you have to wonder if they also make pizza and tacos on the same assembly line. What they serve here resembles "sushi" that has all the hallmarks of feed from a suburban mall food court. IF you know your sushi, you'll know that the rice has the wrong texture. There is no characteristic of skills in how they are made because its has no structure. Lastly, the quality and freshness of the fish is 3rd rate stuff reincarnated several times over. There are many places that serves what resembles the look and taste of sushi but with a monkey as a chef. This is one. For the price that they charge, it is just as good as the embalmed sandwiches that sits at the bottom shelf at the local White Hen Pantry.
This is a good place to have a quick lunch and get a sushi fix. The sushi/rolls could be better...I think they might make all the rolls on the lunch special earlier in the day (but I could be wrong!). The spicy tuna roll is gross, don't order it. It's mushy tuna...not a piece of tuna. I love the tempura appetizer and bento box is also a yummy choice. The service is just so-so...
Tip...this place is small and tends to fill up fast on Fridays...so get there early (11:15).
This place has a great lunch menu. I suggest the bento box which includes california rolls, vege & shrimp tempura, salad, miso soup, & your choice of meat (beef, chicken, salmon). All this for about $11.
The place is small and usually packed so I recommend carry out if possible.
I came here for the lunch special with some co-workers and have been dying to go back ever since! Delicious sushi, great variety, reasonable (for the loop) prices... How can one go wrong???
I have only been for dinner, and each time it has been delicious. The drink prices are reasonable and the sushi is great. We got the Tornado roll and wanted 10 more. I enjoy the teriyaki entrees but the hibachi shrimp was to die for!!!!!!! I LOVE SHRIMP. Entrees come with miso soup and a salad- tons of food for a decent price. The service is definitely "authentic" japanese ifyouknowwhatimeanandithinkyoudo.
I love this place for lunch during the week. Get here at 1130 or face a mob waiting for a table. Tables turn very quickly; however, because service is super fast.... making for not a lot of time for smiles but at lunch I can do without a lot of fuss. Food is outstanding. Sushi delicious, and other entrees chirasi don, beef terriaki don, tempura (light with a perfect crunch). great deal is the bento box with 3 pieces sushi, chick/beef or salmon terriaki, rice, miso soup, 3-4 pieces tempura, and salad for $10. Its too much for one person but the terriaki travels very nicely home for dinner. Fantastic green tea. Try it!
Best Uni in Chicago
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
wednesday and thursday…
Chicago, IL
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Sushi Bars
Where to eat for lunch when you're in the loop.…
My go-tos for lunchtime in Downtown (other than…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
I tried sushi for the first time four years ago,…
I don't venture out to eat for lunch very often,…
"You won't accept a guy's tongue in your mouth and…
Enabling my sushi addiction wherever and whenever…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
