Absolute best Japanese food I’ve had since living in Japan, and even a little better. We split a regular omakase and added a couple extra a la carte orders, as well as dessert. Our waiter, Justin, was extremely knowledgable and passionate about describing each of the foods and helping us craft our dinner menu with flavors that would meld perfectly. I will be back here many, many times!
Our meal was simply amazing, and I don't even eat sushi! Decided to go out of my comfort zone and take my boyfriend here for his birthday. The reviews were amazing, and he loves sushi and Asian cuisine. We both ordered the chef's choice omakase, added uni, shared some hot sake, and ordered strawberry mochi for dessert to share. From the minute we walked in the door, the service was amazing, and I have never had such a fantastic dining experience! Highly recommend, and we will be back any time we're in Chicago!
Kai Zan is truly one of the best sushi restaurants in the entire world. The owners and staff are amazing people. They are creative, humble and extremely knowledgeable about their craft. Cheers to Kai Zan and those of you that get the chance to experience it for yourselves.
Best sushi in Chicago easily and among the best anywhere else. We enjoyed both the regular and premium omakase last night and were not disappointed. It was an outstanding value considered the amount of delicacies we were served. Almost felt guilty to have uni, caviar atop lobster nigiri (see picture below). These are the best 3 bites ever! Hope to return.
MIND = BLOWN. Best sushi in Chicago hands down. Amazing Japanese cuisine, beautiful presentation, delicious sake, and incredible, personalized service (I have several dietary restrictions). The unagi was to-die-for and every bite from their menu was unique and very special. Very knowledgeable and accommodating staff, and cozy atmosphere. I will be coming back here many, many more times.... I can't wait to see what's next up on the menu!
What else can you say about a restaurant with so many accolades? The service is consistently outstanding! The food is absolutely to die for! By all means, treat yourself to omakase, if only once. I love seeing the sustained success and consistency. It's not very often a restaurant maintains this level of excellence.
Ate here tonight for the first time. The soba seafood special was to die for. Actually all the good, starting with the oyster shooter to the mochi was fantastic. Justin, our waiter was very sweet and knowledgable. Million kisses to the chefs for doing their thing. You will see us again!
Kai Zan is now my #1 sushi place. From the first bite to last one I fell in love. The Chef brothers know how to delight. Great service and a excellent wine & beer list. I can't wait to go back.
My favorite sushi place in Chicago! Hands down! Thank you for all the yumminess you bring to your customers! �
The best Japanese food I've tasted so far. We each had the Omakase, both Chef's Choice & the Premium...neither disappointed us. From the presentation to the taste, delectable! One of the Chefs/Owners approached our table & engaged in a brief conversation, which we appreciated. The servers though could've worn decent outfits since the ambiance was in between casual & fine dining. The only thing that didn't appeal to us is the location. Otherwise, the overall experience was pleasant. Pricey but really worth it!
EVERYTHING about this place is amazing. From the warm welcome and seating from the hostess, the servers and the delicious food, it was the perfect dining experience.
My favorite place for the best quality Sushi, stellar service & hospitality, cozy decor and great beverage program...and I own a Sushi restaurant !!!
Simply the best Sushi in Chicago. The Omakase (means I leave it to you, aka chef's special) is truly awesome. One of the best experience you will have.
Oishi Desu Yo. A Must!! Ten course flavor feast. Uni was superb. Servers were a delight and each wonderfully knowledgeable.
it was my first time at Kai Zan and the experience was wonderful! I took my boyfriend there for his birthday and this restaurant blew us away with their ambiance and amazing food!
The Omakase is a must!
Miso soup was the best any family member had enjoyed. The next five courses kept improving the experience. Kai Zan, or perhaps kaizen, is true to their name!
Tried them on a whim and now I must come on a weekly basis! The fish is the freshest I've tasted and the food is served like art. Yummy art. Service is great too. Staff is friendly and attentive. So excited they are serving alcohol a huge plus for me.
Beautiful presentation of delectable bites. We celebrated with the Omakase. Prefer tuna over salmon but had the butteriest salmon ever here. Didn't have to supplement our order with other sushi as all were included in the Omakase of the day.
Delicious and great ambience too.
Every sushi selection was very fresh and having its own unique flavor-fulness. Presentation of the sushi plates were subtle and colorful. Don't forget the ribeye! Amazing too!!
Desserts are made in- house. Yum!
Service was impeccable. The server was very friendly and knowledgeable to explain each dish served.
Street parking was easy to find on a weekend too.
The Best!!!
Dropped in after work with a friend for a bite and left impressed. Walked in and the hostess graciously found us seats at the bar. The food was delicious and presented beautifully. The chefs sent over some bites for us to try and even this was perfectly seasoned. Will definitely make reservations next time for an extended dinner. Highly recommend!
Have to rave about this place! It is so hard to find fresh, good sushi anywhere that the drive from the suburbs was worth it. This place came highly recommended and it did not disappoint. It's small, so reservations need to be made. They do stick to the times pretty strictly, so give yourself enough time to park.
If you're wanting a full experience definitely opt for the Omakase. It's worth it! You get a little bit of everything. The flavors, texture and presentation are above par here and will definitely be coming back to enjoy more items from the menu.
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I have ventured to countless sushi restaurants in different cities, states, and even traversed through Japan itself. I have never had such a culinary experience as I did at Kai Zan.
I never thought I would fall head over heels for a sushi restaurant. The quaint and small environment made me feel special and like I was among a lucky few who had the opportunity to try their masterpieces.
We started with the special hand roll - the expertly fried taro wrapper had a delicate, flaky texture that contrasted perfectly with the succulent fish inside. In addition, there was a small and artfully placed Brussels sprout that added a delightful balance to the buttery dish.
Next, the Orange Rush was a true work of art, with a buttery soft salmon seared to perfection on the outside, and a plump, juicy scallop coddled within. An absolute delight.
The Oyster Shooter was an adventurous ride for sure! The fresh flavors of the oyster combined with the tang of the citrusy ponzu sauce created an unexpected but delightful explosion of flavors in my mouth. It was crazy, and I loved it.
The most expensive dish on our receipt was the Wagyu fried rice. One of the most luxurious dishes of the night, the fried rice was a symphony of flavors. Each ingredient had a purpose and danced in my mouth as I savored every bite.
The Green Monster lived up to its name with its stunningly vibrant and eye-catching appearance. This sushi roll was heavily enveloped in creamy avocado, perfectly complementing the tender unagi cradled within. With just one bite, it felt like I was eating a buttery cloud as all the components melted in my mouth, leaving me spellbound.
The Dynamite Mussels had a unique twist on the traditional favorite, with a special homemade mayo and eel sauce that brought out the natural flavors of the mussels.
Last but not least, the Char Siu delivered the final round of applause. The pork was smoky, fatty, and salty, covered in a delicious sauce that left me wanting more.
Kai Zan has mastered the technique of harmonizing different flavors and textures into their signature dishes. Each item they serve is an extraordinary experience in its own way. The passion and mastery that went into crafting each dish were palpable, and I felt privileged to be a part of it. It's rare to have such an experience at a restaurant, and I can't wait to go back to Kai Zan and try all the other dishes I missed. Chicago, you are so lucky.
Had their special presentation of small plates and it was really cool. I would do it again and enjoyed the experience. It was weird though, when it came to deserts we asked for a bit more time and our waiter looked at his wrist watch... not sure if they have "timed tables" or what but that was a bit of weird way to end an otherwise pleasurable time
I came right at opening and secured a seat at the counter.
I toured around the menu with the shiitake and hotate skewers, agedashi tofu, hamachi kama, and hotate and botan ebi nigiri.
The agedashi tofu was the sleeper hit of the meal. I was delighted that the botan Ebi nigiri came with fried shrimp heads ; they’re so delicious.
There’s a lot more to explore on their menu and it’s a great spot for sushi. I definitely recommend it.
This is by far the best sushi I’ve ever had. After 8 years living in the neighborhood, we finally made reservations and it didn’t disappoint! Amazing!
Delicious omakase! I dined in with two friends on a Tuesday night. We made a reservation 3-4 days in advance since it's a smaller, more intimate restaurant, having a reservation is important. Every course was amazing and perfectly timed. I'm not even a fan of wasabi but the way it was used in the dishes was delightful. The fish and oysters were incredible. Two of us had traveled from out of town and tried 10+ restaurants while in the city, yet we found this to be the most wonderful meal yet! We finished with a smoked anchovy ice cream and it was mind blowing. It sounds unappealing, I know, but it was perfect - from presentation to taste. One of the best meals of my life!
Fantastic! I went for my birthday dinner and had some of the best sushi of my life. Very quick service and I definitely recommend the chefs choice - so many interesting new flavor combinations. The hot sake was delicious and I got it reheated in the middle of the meal as it cooled off. Can’t wait to come back.
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