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Clark/Division (Red)
Mon-Wed. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I did something terrible when I left Tsunami and my friends.
I walked a block east and bought a taco at Chipotle. I was still hungry!
The service was so slow! I had reservations as soon as I walked in: first, I looked around, and the place appeared to be filled with tourists. I mean, that's the location, so I should have expected it.
Second, they didn't have any sashimi plates for one person. I like sushi straight up - nothing complicated. I see the value and enjoyment of a cutesy pretty roll, but when I have a sushi craving all I want is high quality fish, wasabi, and a little soy sauce. So the only way I could get sashimi was ordering separate little Nigiri pieces and paying extra for just sashimi. Bad value and annoying.
Anyway, when we saw they it took thirty minutes to make a roll, and an extra twenty minutes for each extra little piece of nigiri, we got discouraged and left, even though we were still hungry.
The bill wasn't *that* bad, if you consider that it's sushi and you pay for location, but it wasn't good value either. We had asked them to make a simple asparagus roll and sweet potato roll for one of the vegetarians at the table, and they charged us the same for each of those as they did for a tuna roll. I don't know in what world sweet potato costs as much as tuna, but I don't think it's Chicago.
To start with...what a beautiful place. If it is not actually a converted church it looks like one. One of the rooms, the one that we were seated in, had a steeple in it.
Then we began to be served, the servers were very attentive and helpful. There were some things on the menu that I'd not seen before and needed help understanding. Some places that look this nice on the inside can get rather pretentious...this place was different. We ended up getting two flights of sake, which were all wonderful and the server took the time to tell us about each sake before we tasted.
Then we got our sushi, and our sushi was wonderful, I ate mostly sashimi, and it was so very fresh. Their menu had a lot of options, many not normally found at a sushi restaurant and had an astonishing 6 types of tuna, only bested by a place in Miami for me, unfortunately three of the fish that we ordered were not being carried at the moment. That always strikes me a bit off, if it is on your normal menu it should always be available or be made aware at the start of the meal. Still the fish was incredibly good and the experience was wonderful.
It wasn't the cheapest of places, but it was definitely worth the cost.
Tried to go here on Friday night...appears to be closed. : ( What's up with that???
The ahi tuna steak is incredible. One of my favorite dishes of all time.
While I can't call myself a…
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The only reason this place does not get 5 stars is because of the prices. I am in love with their Sumo roll(i hope that's right) Every time I miss sushi that's what I think of first. I am not crazy about the seaweed wrap paper so I asked for the soy kind. The result! Perfection... I love this place.. now if they could stop charging $20 a roll
I came here with a large group of people and really enjoyed myself. Yes, it's fairly pricey, but for the category it's in (trendy downtown sushi), it is one of the better places I've been to. It's much more relaxing than Sushi Samba or Sushi Rise, more spacious and comfortable than Sushi Wabi, and the food is much better and filling than Ai.
For the next birthday or special occasion, I'd definitely be willing to come back here.
A girlfriend had won an auction for a dinner for 2 so we decided to try it out. I thought the food was mediocre. There really isn't much to say about this place, it wasn't bad but it was great either. With all the better options out there for sushi, I don't think this is a place worth revisiting.
The decor, service and wine were decent though.
I've been here when you could count the number of diners on your hands, when it was so packed I walked in with some friends dressed to the nines and got shuffled into a corner, and I've sat in pretty much every nook and cranny of each room. The outside makes me think of a Malibu sushi restaurant I miss dearly. And while the inside does not, the décor is very much upscale trendy, and I enjoy it.
A few tips:
-Try to hit it up on a less crowded night - they'll be more attentive but they'll also serve complementary amuses to you if you're dressed nicely and it's quiet.
- Parking can be a pain in the ass because it's 2 blocks away from the Division/Clark / "Viagra triangle". I usually park west on Division past LaSalle and then allow myself 10 minutes to walk...or at least 15 minutes to search for street parking. Or take the El to Division/Clark.
Drinks: If you're like any of my girlfriends and enjoy fruity fancy drinks, the raspberry mojito is always a hit. As the adventurous unofficial bartender of groups, I've tried the rest. The mai tai kicked my ass and took most of one dinner to knock back, and even their lychee martini was pretty stiff. If you can handle your liquor, order away, but this is one of the few places downtown where you really get your liquor's worth in a $10+ martini...or at least, it tastes like it.
Hamachi kama (yellowtail collar) is one of the ways I like to test a sushi restaurant, and the fact that Tsunami serves it as a regular appetizer only serves to show its authenticity. I grew up on Japanese cuisine and the kama here is top notch. The serving size is quite generous (Kama was the special at Kamehachi a few weeks back and Tsunami's appetizer made it look like a few pieces of sashimi). The only way to improve it would be to add some daikon to it.
With regards to the actual sushi, the volcano roll is a spicy hit with a bunch of my coworkers and friends. Their specialty rolls are a bit smaller in size than I'd like, so I usually try them once for kicks and never again. And as I always tell my friends - why on earth would you pay M.P. (market price) for fresh fish in Chicago? Toro here is as good as it gets in the Midwest, but it's still not worth it i.m.o.
Finally, dessert: their taiko is the bomb. Words don't do it justice. I'm not kidding.
Tsunami has been a Chicago sushi staple for some time now. With a sweet central location you are close to a lot of the Old Town/Gold Coast action which is nice if that's your thing. The only problem sometimes with being a trusty, dusty stand-by (read: Kamehachi, Tsunami, Sai Cafe) is that you can in turn at times project a trusty, rusty feel in your establishment. I get a bit of that nineties vibe when visiting Tsunami: close your eyes and you can totally picture Rachel, Ross, Phoebe and Co. downing their sake and gabbing about contraception over a dragon roll here. Well you know, if they were real people and all.
The upstairs lounge does a better job on ambiance and seems to get quite a crowd on weekend nights. Not shabby at all for a date night actually and the drinks, including specialty martinis are better than most you'll find in a sushi joint.
Tsunamis menu is surprisingly robust with the oysters with lemon and ponzu as an amazing starter. Follow that up with some flaming dynamite (some of the best I've had) and the Kani Su (expensive but worth it) and you've got some great starters to prime you for any of the main events. Boasting entrees you don't normally find like Australian rack of lamb and Broiled Scottish Salmon there is something for everyone in addition to the long list of specialty maki they've focused on pumping up in recent years. The sushi lover will find everything from simple spicy tuna and rainbow rolls to their sumo maki that comes with just about everything except the kitchen sink. Dessert won't hit a dull note either with their Tempura Banana, an absolute must try if you manage to save room after all that nigiri.
Consistency has is merits, and this is by no means a lukewarm 3-star review. I hit up Tsunami a few times a year but always choose to mix it up with the trendier, newer set of emerging sushi spots. Competition has it's price and there are just too many spots I love in Chicago to put Tsunami in the same league.
My husband and I ate here last weekend because we saw they had a 12 anniversary prix fixe menu for 25 bucks. We give this place only 3 stars because the food is only so-so, and the drinks were a total rip-off. We had the lychee martinis and they sick like 3 huge lychees in the drink, which takes up a lot of volume. When you pull the lychees out, the glass is only half full :( Also, the lychees looked like they'd been sitting around for a LONG time. I've had many a "lycheetini" and this one def had the worst quality lychees i'd ever seen. Def not worth the 8 bucks we paid.
The sushi was average at best. They use a lot of fake crab at this place, which i've never liked. My husband and I felt the word "meh" described the food pretty accurately. Not horrible, but nothing to write home about.
Service was good....so I give this place 3 stars. This place is way overpriced for what you get. Try Ai, Sushi Naniwa, or Kamehachi instead...they are MUCH better sushi options in the gold coast/old town area.
I grew up eating sushi and over the years, I've become picky. Ok, yes, I get it, I sound like a snob, but I can't stand all you can eat sushi places. The fish always seems like they're serving you the last cut before Charlie the Tuna and Co picks up the rest. It's not my fault, blame my parents.
Tsunami, in my opinion, takes the proverbial rice cake. The fish is some of the freshest I've had in Chicago, and most places I've visited around the country (the best still holds my heart in San Francisco). The staff is attentive, polite and always good for a fun recommendation if you're willing to try the daring.
I was raised by the school of thought that you should sit at the bar, discuss the fish with the chefs and enjoy the whole experience before you even take the first bite. Sushi is an art and watching the preparation is most certainly part of the art form. But for some reason, I'm always drawn upstairs. It's so much fun! My favorite seat is by the fireplace, it's cozy and is fantastic for a little people watching (my favorite pastime, next to baseball). The mural along the opposite wall is beautiful, the owners, to my knowledge flew in an artist from Japan to paint it. I'm always drawn to it.
Ok, yes, I just contradicted myself, but sometimes you have to step outside of your behind-the-sushi-bar comfort zone and relax. Oh and before you pay your tab, try any one of their chocolate deserts. TRUST ME... they're amazingly delish and I simply cannot get enough.
What can I say about this place? I was forced into going here because my friend was hungry and couldn't wait till we got to the place in Lakeview I'd been told such good things about.
First impression: Trying too hard to be chic/trendy
Second Impression (after entering) - Kinda cute actually
Best dish? Good edamame :) We scarfed it down!
He ordered the sushi boat.. The eel was dry and unpleasant to eat. The yellowtail was chewy and overall the fish was nothing to write home about.
Alas!!
Y'all can keep it ;)
You can't fault Tsunami for deftly being what it is: a sushi place in the Old Town bar district. That means lots of dude-bros and their completely banal dresscode for bar hopping, and their female targets that seem to find that look appealing.
Me? I could care less about that scene. I had my fraternity days, and don't care to revisit them without the good friends I made in those days.
So we have the establishment. We had a large party very late at night, so that means we were seated symmetrically in the center tower room, with its high ceilings and rafters. Made for a pretty cool experience.
The maki was pretty decent, large rolls full of fresh ingredients, with the occasional surprising touch, however nothing innovative here. The nigiri was solid, my cuts of maguro and toro were very nice, and I did enjoy the hamachi off my sister's plate. The martinis were pretty average, and they seemed a bit of a scam because they load them up with absolutely huge lychee. Make sure to ask for them on the side! The sake selection is solid and I enjoyed the flight I had.
Overall, whats there to say that hasn't been said already? It a big sushi joint in Old Town. Shrug. I'll stick with my new-style places when i'm picking the scene.
I really like Tsunami. I agree with other reviews that this place is a little pricey, but part of my dining experience has a lot to do with ambiance. If you are going on a date, or just looking to have an initmate evening, ask to be seated upstairs. The lounge/restaurant upstairs is very laid back, and has an almost club like atmosphere. Sometimes, it can get a little noisy upstairs, but it's not too bad if you stay away from the bar. I also think they have a nice couched off section where you can chill with friends and talk. The sushi is very good, and I really love their sweet plumb wine!
I'm a huge fan of this place. My favorite is the Ebi Tango Maki...if you haven't had it you should. The White Tiger is great as well. Its a little pricey but worth it and I have to admit that the staff is A+.
Dessert are yummy as well!
Even given that IL has no ocean coasts - there has to be better sushi in Chicago... Noisy, too big, tacky decor, average WAY over-priced sushi... and a $100 tab for 1... I don't get what happened!
Tsunami gets one star to stop the madness...
I'm a business traveler and was looking for 'Papa Milano' on N. State, which looks like it closed and gave way to a new office or condo development...
I actually really enjoyed this restaurant. Love the hot saki! They also have a great cocktail selection as well!
The service was excellent, and the rolls were pretty big. The best part - the food seems authentic!
Decor is beautiful too. Very well done.
Not my favorite place, but great if you're in the neighborhood!
Wait, you guys, this place is not good. No seriously, like its not good at all. Ok, actually the food is fine. Not the best sushi I've ever had, but definitely some unique rolls (all served on a big boat, ahoy matey!)...
however, the service stinks. I mean, the irritable hostess wouldn't seat our party until we were all there, blah blah blah. And it didn't really matter because the restaurant wasn't that crowded anyway for a Friday night. But when we finally sat down, we were given one menu for our party of four. Why? Because they ran out. I'm thinking, did you just have THAT many tables turn over that you have no menus? I honestly think Tsunami just has a menu deficiency (perhaps some klepto lifted them?) because its not like any more of them showed up at our table after 20 minutes. But I digress...
Our server was really inattentive. And as the restaurant thinned out, we thought he would make himself more available. But no, he didn't. Everything just took a very loooong time. Like drinks. And getting soy sauce dishes. And silverware (yes, silverware). Someone must have felt bad because they threw an extra plate of edamame our way. Thanks.
Oh, and then I went to the bathroom, a lovely single stall. And I had to to do something in there that required toilet paper, if you catch my drift. There was no TP; I had to take care of business with a rough paper towel. And when I went to wash my hands, they were scalded from the hot water tap (ok, that isn't really any ones fault, but it still hurt).
A couple of final things worth noting: one, the decor is really cheesy and outdated, plus the lighting is just... bad. (I'm not sure why, but that really bothered me.) And last, I just wanted to share with you that my table had the pleasure of sitting next to two d-bags with their escorts/mail-order brides for the evening. And after they had a few too many choco-martinis, their conversation made for some interesting eavesdropping.
I went to Tsunami for the first time last Sat. night with the BF. We had a great time, enjoyed the food and service. We even met the GM, who was very kind and gracious. The atmosphere is hip, and we LOVED the fact that they had a fireplace. Sooo cozy (and you don't often think of sushi/japanese places as cozy).
I started with a Lychee martini which I didn't really like. I was suprised about it, cuz I usually love those. It tasted "off," and kinda almost like a dirty martini. I mean, I drank it anyway b/c it's alcohol, but wouldn't order again.
Anyway....the food...
We were give the tastiest little amouse bouches to start out with and then had the red dragon roll (amazing) and crabcake. My only compaint...I wish the sauce surrounding the crabcake would've been spicy. I was craving that. Anyway, I had the sesame salmon, which was prepared wonderfully and was very tasty and sweet, and the BF had shrimp and scallops in an orange buerre blanc that were excellent. The capper was our dessert! It was a giant cookie/ice cream tower thing-y that looked like part of the male anatomy. Quite phallic! Delicious! Highly recommend that. We cracked up when that hit our table.
I will totally go back to Tsunami for the atmosphere and food! Good going!
I've been eating at Tsunami about twice monthly for the past year. Overall, this is a pricey but elegant place with wonderful sushi. I am surprised to see negative reviews that highlight sushi quality -- Tsunami consistently serves what I consider high-quality, beautifully-prepared sushi. I have never had a bad experience there, and it's consistently better than Ra Sushi, another great place I frequent when I want good sushi in a more casual, lower-priced setting.
Tsunami offers innovative rolls -- try the Q-Maki, a delicious rice-less maki with spicy crab and cucumber, or the spicy tuna roll, gratefully flavored with natural spices and not mayonnaise. You can order any maki with brown rice, too, which works well on rolls like the Alaskan Maki with fresh salmon and avocado. The seared escalar is absolutely wonderful and not easy to find in Chicago. Tsunami's sake flights are a great way to enjoy sake throughout the meal.
I always sit at the bar where I enjoy the atmosphere and can watch my sushi being prepared. Perhaps my only gripe about Tsunami is the bar itself: I'd like to see them update the coppery, Formica-ish finish with something that doesn't take me back to 1977. Servers can be rushed at times, but they are uniformly quite knowledgeable about sushi and the menu, and the guys behind the sushi bar are fantastic.
I have probably had better sushi in Chicago, but not so much better to justify the eye-popping bill and offensive service I received twice at Mirai, or the less cozy, high-gloss environment of Blue Water Grill, which I also frequent. As with most sushi bars, Tsunami is best, I've found, on weekends despite the crowds because you know the fish is fresh for the weekend rush.
The asparagus beef rolls, flaming dynamite, Mexican maki, volcano maki, and spicy tuna were all fresh, tasty, and artfully presented! The outdoor seating is a must and so is the unfiltered sake....
Good sushi and sake in an outdoor setting is a perfect way to enjoy the warm Chicago weather.
There was an appetizer with imitation crap and shrimp that was spicy and oh so good. I can't remember the name, but who knew fake crab could be so good?
Being that it was Friday night at 6pm and there was hardly anyone in the restaurant, we had quite the enjoyable experience.
Started off with a french martini for me (on the strong side but not too strong) and a mojito for him (it was certainly not the best I've had) and an oyster shooter for each - they were decent.
We each ordered 2 rolls and they came in about 25-30 minutes. His arrived about 5 minutes before mine which was slightly disturbing. I had the Aloha and Crunchy Shrimp (except instead of the shrimp made it tuna - not crunch ;-) ) maki which were excellent - no complaints. He had the Tsunami and Unagi maki - I did not try them but from his opinin - very good.
The atmosphere was really nice except they sat us in a HUGE booth for two people.
I think overall - pretty decent vallue for what you get. I would probably return if I didn't have so many other places to try but I will recommend.
I read through some of the other reviews and see that you either love this place or you are extremely disappointed. I was not the latter.
From the moment we walked in to the moment we walked out, I cannot find one thing to complain about or critique at Tsunami. The prices were reasonable, the food was phenomenal, the music was perfect, the decor rocked and the service was great.
Between two of us, we ordered an appetizer, two maki rolls (the Red Dragon was excellent), each had an entree and followed with dessert. We both had a couple of cocktails along with wine for dinner. The total cost on the entire evening, including gratuity came out just over $100.... Which I thought was great.
We ate on a Saturday night, but made it in kind of early. The reservation was for 630pm so there were not many other patrons in yet. The General Manager even stopped by the table just to say 'Hi' and ask how things were. I really appreciated this.
All in all, I would say that Tsunami wow'd me. It's been a long time since I've been to a restaurant and left with a feeling of utter satisfaction. Thank you Tsunami.
I really liked this place. This was the first time I ever tried sushi and seeing from my reviews- I wasn't put off by it. The waiter was super helpful and patient with us and recommended some great rolls. Love wine, but not a huge fan of the sake, but what do I know about sake since that was the first time I had it.
Some of the signatures rolls, like most sushi places, are a little pricey but you get what you pay for: quality, fresh sushi.
I had a great experience with Tsuanmi.
Beautiful ambiance, great service & excellent sushi. I had a bit of a time with the hot sake, but it's not the restaurants fault that I'm a lightweight ;).
I gave Tsunami three stars just because 1) the service is good and 2) I remember what it used to be like. When I first came to Chicago, Tsunami was THE best. But in the past few years, its lost its luster. And it has nothing to do with all of the uber-trendy places that have opened up. I really don't care about being apart of a scene. I just care for good food. With Tsunami, the fish quality has just gone downhill. The appetizers and main courses are good. But there is better sushi in the city. If you're looking for a different spot to hang out with some friends though, I would definitely reserve one of the couches upstairs. Always a favorite of mine and the ambiance is pretty relaxing.
For a sushi restaurant in Chicago, this was always my favourite. Yummy fish, great ambiance - an all-around good sushi joint - especially for being in the middle of the US.
In addition to the fish, the wine was delish! This is the restaurant where I first discovered Brancott Reserve's Savignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of NZ... a classic favourite.
As for the negative reviews on here... Admittedly I haven't been back to the restaurant in a few years, so it MAY have changed. I give you that. But, I initially found this venue through my Swiss friend, Leni, whose dad raises tilapia, opearting fish farms in Indonesia and Honduras. And every time her dad was in town, they'd go here for sushi. I'd say her family knows fish, so unless Tsunami totally changed where they buy their fish, I see no reason to hate on this place. And if you do, where else do you recommend for sushi in Chicago? Frankly, I was at a loss when I lived there for school...
Seriously, i don't know what people are talking about. This place is definitely 3 stars at the most. The only reason i even eat there is because it's across the street from me. it's over priced, too loud, too big, sushi is average at best. Every time i go there i end up sitting next to some frat reunion guys pounding sake bombs. Any place that serves sake bombs cannot possibly be considered a real sushi restaurant.
I have to add something here. After i posted the above review for a lackluster meal, the owner wrote me! She introduced herself and asked how they can make the next experience better. I thought that was so very cool of her. i was moved. it doesn't change my review of the last meal, but i will certainly head back at some point and maybe change my mind.
About 5 years ago I was a huge fan of Tsunami...a swanky sushi restaurant located right in the middle of the gold coast. Good sushi (a bit on the expensive side) and even better people watching. In the past few years I've noticed Tsunami has gone downhill, but have heard rumors lately that it's been getting better.
Last night I picked up sushi from here to see if there is any truth to these rumors. My fiance and I split 4 rolls and they were all good (the volcano roll was probably the best one), but still doesn't compare to some of my favorite sushi restaurants: Toro, Kaze, and Blu Coral. However, I realize that sushi is always better when you actually eat it in the restaurant so I'd be willing to give it another try.
This tidal wave isn't that powerful.
The only cool thing about this place is the outside seating area and the cool name.
The sushi was below average and way too expensive.
We were sitting outside, sipping on our beers, it started to drizzle. The waitress asked if we would like to go inside.... over and over and over again.
We did not melt. Neither did the sushi in my mouth. O'well.
Bleh.
I actually used to love Tsunami, but the last several times we've gone have been...underwhelming.
Sushi no longer tastes as fresh, service is deplorable (we actually waited about 25 minutes for our drink order to even be taken) and the atmosphere seems a bit dated.
The one thing I would go back for - the Tower of Chocolate Dessert....Delicious.
I went to Tsunami often with an ex-boyfriend and almost always had a good dining experience. The weird thing is that it was never busy when we went, even on a typical weekend night! The restaurant is big and there is an upstairs lounge area though I've never been upstairs.
FYI- I haven't been there in over a year so not sure if anything has changed.
I would always order the tekka don (fresh tuna over seasoned rice with assorted japanese vegetables) and he would get the chicken ton katsu (fried chicken tenderloin).
Ok this is what I found weird about this place. EVERY TIME he ordered that dish, he would ask if he could have chicken instead of pork. The waiter always initially said no but then a minute later would say "well... let me check with the chef and see what he can do." And then 10 minutes later would come back and say that it could be done. Honestly, this happened at least 15 times! I mean it got to the point where it was plain annoying.
Anyways, I love the tekka bowl, it's my favorite in the city. I think because I love the vegatables that come with the dish. I don't know, there's something about it that makes it great.
I think you should give this place a try if you're in the Gold Coast. It's really not a bad place, just a little tweaks to be made.
Tsunami is a swanky restaurant that's a great place to go for a light dinner and company...if it weren't for the expensive price tag. For all the sushi they offer, I feel like Naniwa is a better bet for a much cheaper price.
I liked the idea of sake flights, but the flavors seemed horribly bland for some and blisffully wonderful for others. The real highlight of the meal wasn't even the fish! It was dessert. A delicate tower of vanilla ice cream, caramelized cookies, etc.
The maki rolls were good and the nigiri was fantastic. But for what I was paying, it didn't exactly floor me. In fact, I found myself comparing the flavors of the fish unfavorably to other establishments. However, I will admit that their sea scallops were meltingly delicious. But their salmon seemed bland.
The service was great however. The server was a cutie, so my friend felt obliged to tip a little extra. However, until the quality goes up and the price goes down, I don't think I'll be visitng any time soon.
Each time I've dined here it was rather late at night, but the waiters never seemed to mind that we were closing down the place. My first visit was on business and I was actually very surprised at the reasonable menu prices. However, there are definitely items to splurge on if you have the money and pallet for more rare specialities.
The wait staff is very attentive and receptive to questions. They are more than happy to explain menu items and offer recommendations. The sake flights are also a nice touch, however, I learned I do not particularly like cold sake.
The place definitely has a swanky appeal without the inflated prices.
During a charity raffle, my man won a $100 gift certificate for Tsunami, so we decided to check it out on his birthday. We discussed the rating over dinner and both decided the restaurant only warranted 3 stars (we've been together a long time and had nothing better to talk about).
First, let's start out with the good. My raspberry mojito was nice. The miso soup also was delish, as was the crab cake appetizer (although quite small).
However, the main dishes seemed overpriced and not that flavorful. We ordered the sushi supreme (9 pieces chef 's choice sushi) and the charred peppercorn crusted ahi tuna loin (an "entree from the kitchen"). Luckily, we were sharing because the tuna arrived about 15-20 minutes before the sushi did. The wasabi soy crème fraîche on the tuna totally overpowered its taste, which is a shame. Also, I would consider it to be more of an over-sized appetizer because it didn't really have the sustenance to be an entree -- just mildly warm tuna in a weird sauce. In fact, it was pretty boring after a while.
The sushi was good, although the fish could have been more flavorful. My man and I both agreed that we'd had better fish for less $$.
They did bring us a complimentary desert for his birthday with a candle, which was great! Also, our server was nice, although she seemed a bit overwhelmed, even though it wasn't that busy. We would probably not go back, although it was a nice night out for what we paid -- $25 total after using the gift certificate!
I had heard things about Tsunami being the place to celeb-watch, but I must have been reading an old paper. The service was good and the sushi was good, but it's all par for what I expect from a nice Japanese restaurant. They might charge a little more than others, too (location is convenient though).
My gf expressed interest in the fatty salmon or tuna which was listed as market price. I figured it couldn't be that expensive, so I said, sure, go ahead. Well of the three pieces, she and I each had one and it was delicious. I really wanted another, but figured since she ordered it, she'd get it. Well she offered it to me and when I got the bill, I sure was glad... Each piece was 11 dollars!! Thanks gf!
Semi-OK sushi, super pricey. Cool interior, but I have had way better food.
I got to watch some classic Gold Coast older man + younger bleached blonde woman who was not his wife snogging action, so that made my night pretty sweet.
If you're looking for quality sushi, there are better places than this one.
Yep, I'm a fan! The second floor was great for casual drinks and chatting with the uber cool Becky. The drinks were well made and the apps we ordered were perfect. I would have given it 5 stars, but I didn't order a full dinner... but I'll be back. :)
After passing this restaurant several times, my boyfriend and I ventured up here for a date night. We arrived at the dinner hour during the week in the summer. We were seated near the patio, which turned out to be a nightmare. A family was seated, taking up the entire patio area, letting their kids run freely throughout the restaurant. They were screaming, knocking into the staff, and causing quite a disruption. I felt like I was in a McDonald's in the suburbs with a Playplace. I must've been shooting some dirty looks because someone came over, apologized, and said the family would be leaving shortly. However at this point, the damage had already been done. We were already halfway through our meal and on our way to be "leaving shortly." No thanks.
I've thought about giving this restaurant another go, in hopes there won't be screaming children in the restaurant. But I've found better sushi places and haven't yet gotten around to it...
The food is alright, but what I love about this place is that you can ALWAYS get a table here without reservations (it's never packed, and is bi-level w/an upstairs lounge and a separate bar upstairs).. and their LYCHEETINIS.
I LOVE LYCHEES and MARTINIS. You have to get them if you go here!
Hard to judge the quality of the sushi because your body is a rotting corpse by the time it arrives. Yes, there are beautiful people, and yes, it's a stylish place but if you actually came here to eat sushi you are better off going to Jewel down the street. I liked my saketini, but it wasn't enough to stave off my hunger until the one waiter working the entire patio finally moseyed over to take our order. I'm not sure what the problem is with the service -- why it is so slow, so terribly remiss. It just never seemed to dawn on any of the staff that the tables were restless and hungry. Especially with sushi, you need attentive service because more often than not you will order more rolls, pieces, sashimi, drinks. My party didn't even dare ask for more rolls, lest we were trapped waiting for an hour more.
The maki -- the dragon roll, the amai roll, the crazy roll -- are nothing to go there for -- not to mention, really overpay for. Hardly anything fresh -- certainly no specials.
wednesday and thursday…
Chicago, IL
No Corkage Fee For Yelpers!
Neighborhood: Noble Square
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Gold Coast
Category: Restaurants
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