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Name: Coast Sushi Bar
Address: 2045 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL, 60647
Telephone: (773) 235-5775
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.86

Coast Sushi Bar

2045 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL, 60647

(773) 235-5775
Store is closed

Coast Sushi Bar Menu

Appetizer

Sesame Crusted Scallop

Asparagus Beef

Edamame

Exotic Tempura (a)

Gomaae

Gyoza

Mixed Tempura (a)

Salmon Spring Roll

Soft Shell Crab

Sunny Side Shitake

Tropical Ceviche

Tuna Tartare

Wasabi Shumai

Shrimp Tempura (a)

Angry Salmon

Scallop Teriyaki

Fried Tofu

Hamachi Carpacio
Soup

Oyako

Niku

Miso

Seafood Soup

Tofu Soup

Spicy Miso
Salad

Agedashi Tofu Salad

Fresh Gomaae

Ginger Salad

Seaweed Salad

Warm Shrimp Salad

Quri Su
Sushi Entree

Chirashi

Hamachi Don

Namasake Don

Sashimi Plate

Sushi Plate

Tekka Don

Unagi Don

White Tuna Don
Nigiri

Amaebi

Creamy Scallop

Ebi

Fresh Sake

Hamachi

Hirame

Hokkigai

Hotate

Ika

Ikura

Kani

Lobster

Madai

Maguro

Masago

Saba

Sake

Spicy Creamy Scallop

Super White

Suzuki

Tako

Tamago

Tobiko

Unagi

White Tuna

White Fish Temp
Sashimi

Amaebi (sa)

Anago (sa)

Ebi (sa)

Fresh Sake (sa)

Hamachi (sa)

Hirame (sa)

Hokkigai (sa)

Hotate (sa)

Ika (sa)

Ikura (sa)

Kani (sa)

Madai (sa)

Maguro Red (sa)

Masago (sa)

Saba (sa)

Sake (sa)

Super White (sa)

Suzuki (sa)

Tako (sa)

Tamago (sa)

Tobiko (sa)

Unagi (sa)

White Tuna (sa)
Kitchen

Seared Tuna

Tamarid Duck

Tempura Dinner

Teriyaki

Yakisoba
Signature Maki

Ceviche (r)

Coast Crab (r)

Maine (r)

Po Boy (r)

Smoking Pumpkin (r)

Sunrise (r)

Volcano (r)

Wasabi (r)

White Dragon (r)

Octo R

Tuna On Top (r)
Vegetable Maki

Asparagus (r)

Asp Temp (r)

Avo (r)

Avo Q (r)

Kampyo (r)

Kappa (r)

Moo (r)

Oshinko (r)

Shiitake (r)

Shiitake Temp (r)

Sp S. Potato Temp (r)
Maki

Sp / Scallop (r)

Alaska (r)

California (r)

Crunchy (r)

Dragon (r)

Ebi Avo (r)

Ebi Q (r)

Ebi Tempura (r)

Fresh Philly (r)

Futo (r)

Hamachi Avo (r)

Hamachi J (r)

Nama Avo (r)

Nama J (r)

Nama Q (r)

Negi Hama (r)

Negi Tuna (r)

Negi White Tuna (r)

Philly (r)

Rainbow (r)

Salmon Skin (r)

Scallop (r)

Spicy Creamy (r)

Spicy Ebi (r)

Spicy Hama (r)

Spicy Salmon (r)

Spicy Tako (r)

Spicy Tuna (r)

Spicy White Tuna (r)

Spider (r)

Super White Avo (r)

Super White J (r)

Super White Q (r)

Tek Q (r)

Tekka (r)

Tekka Inout (r)

Tuna Avo (r)

Tuna J (r)

Una Avo (r)

Una Q (r)

White Tuna J (r)

Hamachi Q [r]

White Tuna Avo (r)

W Tuna Q (r)

Crunchy Sp Salmon (r)
Desserts

Choco Sticks

Ice Cream

Mochi Ice Cream

Sherbet

Healthy Meal suggestions for Coast Sushi Bar

Appetizer

Sesame Crusted Scallop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Asparagus Beef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Edamame [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Exotic Tempura (a) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gomaae [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gyoza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mixed Tempura (a) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Spring Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soft Shell Crab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sunny Side Shitake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tropical Ceviche [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Tartare [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Wasabi Shumai [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Tempura (a) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Angry Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scallop Teriyaki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Tofu [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hamachi Carpacio [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Soup

Oyako [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Niku [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Miso [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seafood Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tofu Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Miso [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Salad

Agedashi Tofu Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Gomaae [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ginger Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seaweed Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Warm Shrimp Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Quri Su [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sushi Entree

Chirashi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hamachi Don [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Namasake Don [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sashimi Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sushi Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tekka Don [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Unagi Don [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Tuna Don [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Nigiri

Amaebi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Creamy Scallop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ebi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Sake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hamachi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hirame [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hokkigai [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hotate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ika [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ikura [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kani [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lobster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Madai [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Maguro [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Masago [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Saba [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Creamy Scallop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Super White [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Suzuki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tako [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tamago [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tobiko [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Unagi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Fish Temp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sashimi

Amaebi (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Anago (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ebi (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Sake (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hamachi (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hirame (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hokkigai (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hotate (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ika (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ikura (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kani (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Madai (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Maguro Red (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Masago (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Saba (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sake (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Super White (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Suzuki (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tako (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tamago (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tobiko (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Unagi (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Tuna (sa) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Kitchen

Seared Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tamarid Duck [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tempura Dinner [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Teriyaki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Yakisoba [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Signature Maki

Ceviche (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coast Crab (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Maine (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Po Boy (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Smoking Pumpkin (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sunrise (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Volcano (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Wasabi (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Dragon (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Octo R [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna On Top (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Vegetable Maki

Asparagus (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Asp Temp (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Avo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Avo Q (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kampyo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kappa (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Moo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oshinko (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shiitake (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shiitake Temp (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sp S. Potato Temp (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Maki

Sp / Scallop (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Alaska (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

California (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crunchy (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dragon (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ebi Avo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ebi Q (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ebi Tempura (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Philly (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Futo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hamachi Avo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hamachi J (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Nama Avo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Nama J (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Nama Q (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Negi Hama (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Negi Tuna (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Negi White Tuna (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Philly (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rainbow (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Skin (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scallop (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Creamy (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Ebi (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Hama (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Salmon (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Tako (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Tuna (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy White Tuna (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spider (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Super White Avo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Super White J (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Super White Q (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tek Q (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tekka (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tekka Inout (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Avo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna J (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Una Avo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Una Q (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Tuna J (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hamachi Q [r] [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Tuna Avo (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

W Tuna Q (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crunchy Sp Salmon (r) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Desserts

Choco Sticks [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ice Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mochi Ice Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sherbet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Carrie G.

Yummiest sushi in Chicago!
(5)
LVgirl H.

oh please... over rated!!!!
(1)
Dave B.

Great spot, easy location. Sushi is great for Chicago and this place is BYOB. Atmosphere here is fun and upbeat. Roll variety offers everything you want and few fun new options to try.
(4)
Brett F.

No review yet from me for COAST?? WHAT?!?! I don't even see how that's possible considering I go to Coast almost once a week... I see a lot of negativity from my fellow un-coast-friendly Yelpers, but I'm one to go against the grain and I think Coast is the MOST!! Yes, it is difficult to get a reservation on a weekend night at Coast but that is because they dont reserve the whole restaurant. They save half for walk-ins so that people who live in the neighborhood can actually swing by on a Friday or Saturday night with a bottle of their favorite booze (mine: Sapporo....Mmmmmmm) and have a chance at getting seated without having calculated a reso months in advance. Amen!! How nice to not just be turned away.... Maybe I'm the sole sushi maven to appreciate that and take advantage of the walk-in aspect frequently... yes, sometimes there is a wait but alas!! The place is BYOB... so uncork your Pinot Grigio, relax and enjoy the company of whomever you're with... or, come back on a Wednesday. Either way it's all about the food... I love the sushi. The sashimi and special maki alike.... A few highlights: *The spicy miso soup.... made with jalapenos. A total sinus remedy... Hayfever BE GONE!! *Coast Crab *White Dragon *Volcano *Crunchy Spicy Tuna *Hamachi Carpaccio *Toro Sashimi Yum Yum Yum. It's decorated cute... cherry blossom wall paper, candles, dark wood and nice low-lighting... cute for date nights and girls' night out... the byob is key and keeps the bill cheap... And if you really want to be a complainer about reso's and waiting... they DELIVER!! Wooooo!!!
(5)
Chris T.

I would definitely go back to Coast for sushiii! I went to Coast for the first time with my girlfriend who was anxious to take me there after she had gone a couple of times in the past and had great experiences. This was my first true sushi experience and it couldn't have gone better as far as the freshness and flavor! The Po Boy maki was huge and delicious. I could really taste all the individual flavors from the cream cheese to the eel sauce. Among others, we also tried the Spicy Sweet Potato tempura, which was definitely the "guilty pleasure" pick of the night. Who would order a sweet potato sushi? Well, we did and it was great! Prices were reasonable. Plus, it's BYOB. However, our waiter told us it was a 1 bottle limit on parties less than 3. Not sure if this was a special Valentine's day rule since there tons of reservations that day or what. But they wouldn't uncork our second bottle:( One other minor complaint was that the tables were super close together. Once again, maybe it was only this way because of all of the Valentine's day reservations. Either way, I felt a lack of privacy. However, this could be meant to make the sushi experience more social... so I can see how this could be a positive too. It seemed like almost everyone dining there that night was a twenty-something like ourselves. It's definitely a hot spot in town and with food like theirs, it deserves to be.
(4)
Katiria G.

Good/ bad: pretty friendly staff. However, at one point in time the waiter came over to our table, and the table next to ours, apparently in search of something? She never gave us a proper explanation....she just kind of bent over and looked under our tables. Awkward? Yeah, just a tad. The sushi is pretty good, but I've had better. It's a bit crowded and loud. The chairs are unbelievably comfortable!
(2)
Ben K.

Sushi: very strong. It's nice to find sushi the quality of other upper tier restaurants at a BYOB sushi place where you don't have to drop $100 for dinner for two if you want to share a bottle of wine. Of particular note was the Sunrise roll, which featured a nice combination of tuna, mint (?!) and mango exterior, but went together extremely well. The White Dragon and Crunchy Spice Tuna roll were also delicious. Unfortunately the Ceviche roll was fairly disappointing; I was unable to taste any of the lime marinade advertised for the scallop in the roll. By far the highlight of the meal for me was the special appetizer, the hamachi carpaccio. Paper thin tuna, dressed in an acidic vinaigrette with cilantro and a thin slice of jalapeno. This appetizer literally blew me away with its intense concentration of fantastic flavor. I would get two of them next time.
(4)
Kris R.

my bff and i went on a romantic date (she is a girl. she is pretty.) girls' night!!! they say that coast is the place where you bring 253 of your closest gf's, meaning 334 bottles of wine (since it's byob) and talk about only the best gossip. probably a great place to pick up chicks (gentlemen, write this down). the rolls were great. we split the coast crab, spicy scallop, and the ebi tempura. edamame was different in an awesome way - smokey. yum. oh the lava cake! it wasn't really a lava cake, but maybe more like a mousse or a ganache. either way, it was totes yummy. so a LOT of their rolls have either cream cheese or mayo (which i love) but my date wasn't too crazy about it. we got the ebi without the mayo to compromise, but it wasn't that good, in my opinion. i will definitely come back though. there were about 5 more rolls i wanted to try, but i wanted to get drunk so my date would be impressed with me. im classy. WAIT WAIT WAIT. i totes forgot. our waiter looked like ryan gossling!!!! my date loves him. so she couldn't help but stare a LOT. a LOT. like, hello?? i'm your date!!!! it's okay, though, she brought me a gift which involved justin timberlake dancing and singing. i guess we're even.
(4)
Christine U.

Worst service EVER! It was disappointing becuase I used to LOVE going to Coast...I went there for my Birthday & was disaapointed becuase our server was a total scarastic jerk. I will go back for the food, but I will make sure to sit at the sushi bar.
(2)
Eman S.

I should start off by saying that I am allergic to seafood. Okay, I got that out of the way, now I can review. I am a fan of sushi places that take risks for non-seafood eaters when creating new sushi. Coast unfortunately does not have anything outside of a vegetable roll. So we started off with the edemame and that was as expected. So for dinner I got the vegetable roll tempura and it was pretty good, but nothing I would go around a brag about. The food alone is about three stars, but the fourth star comes from the GREAT service. Our waiter was so good and helpful. He was on top of everything and never missed anything.
(4)
Laura C.

Great place. Cool vibe. My fav is the Philly Roll. My boyfriend loves the White Dragon. There is always a wait. BYOB is great :) Go there!!
(4)
Eric P.

I don't ness see myself as a sushi expert. I just enjoy eating sushi because different restaurants seem to do something different with it. I tried Coast Sushi off the recommendation of a friend a little over 3 weeks ago. I wanted to take someone out for dinner on their birthday and since we both love food, we were like "sushi!" in a girlish high pitched shrill. Walking in, you notice the extremely friendly staff that greets you at the door (even the sushi chefs said hello as we walked into the foyer). We were able to find a seat right away on a Sunday night when it was moderately busy. The atmosphere was dark but still welcoming. Our waitress (who's name i forget, I wish i remembered but she was tall with maybe dark blondish/light brownish hair) was helpful and very friendly. She gave us detailed explanations on what hamachi and tobiko was and recommendations if we liked a certain thing. The food was so good that we ordered roll upon roll until I felt my wallet scream for mercy. I wish I knew this place was BYOB, then we would have bought a bottle and maybe stayed longer. Overall a great experience. I've actually been fiending for Coast Sushi lately. I enjoyed myself. To the waitress: You probably don't remember but I was the black guy that came in with the white girl and we couldn't decide what we wanted for like 15 minutes. You're awesome. If I can remember your name, I'll ask for you.
(5)
Lisa K.

Hands down the best sushi in Chicago. Make reservations!
(5)
Christina G.

How have I not written a review for Coast yet? I love this place. Cool atmosphere. Usually can find street parking. I have been coming here for five years, every couple of months or so. Never had a bad experience. The sushi has ALWAYS been awesome, the prices are fair, and it's BYOB. Without a reservation there is usually a wait but I can't remember it ever being crazy long. Most of the specialty rolls are really good, and so are a lot of the appetizers. For bigger tables, they can't chill more than two bottles of wine, and don't have refrigerator space to hold the extras. Just FYI.
(5)
jon m.

Absolutely amazing!! What a great BYOB sushi place!
(5)
Tuyet H.

I went here last week for the first time on my birthday. I love the atmosphere, service were good. Our waiter was sweet and very friendly and hopefully. The place is really big, one down side about it is there only 1 bathroom stool. I have to wait 10min just to use the bathroom. But beside that the food is great! Out of the things we ate (picture posted) my fave have to be the Tofu and the Tamarind Duck. LOVE THE TAMARIND DUCK! Least fave is the seafood soup, it was too sweet for my taste.
(4)
Steve M.

Coast killed it last night! We walked right in and grabbed seats in the bustling dining area (busy for an early dinner - 630). Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and even went out of her way to fix our wobbly table! We had oysters in an orange citrus sauce (mmmmm), white dragon roll, spider roll and something with delicious tempura flakes and red roe. This is not your average sushi joint! Highly recommend. Go there!
(4)
Kimberly L.

In a word, YUM. In many more words: pretty setting, friendly service, delicious food, and it's a BYOB baby! I live closer to South Coast, which I still adore, but I was looking to mix it up a little. Grabbed a bottle of bubbly and my friend and we high-tailed it on over for a 7:00 dinner. The hostess and server were very helpful and very kind. We were enjoying a beverage and some hamachi carpaccio (yellowtail in ponzu sauce--delish!) in the blink of an eye. It was crazy busy within moments of our arrival but service never faltered. The hamachi, goma-ae, gyoza, and maki were fresh and delicious. And I think we spent less than $50 for both of us. A bargain, indeed for such a lovely evening.
(4)
Marie B.

Seated 45 mins after our reservation - horrible service.
(1)
Mel W.

OMG. This place is amazing. Super fresh and not with overly fishy tastes. I've been to a tonne of sushi places in Chicago and have been generally disappointed. Almost gave up on sushi til a friend suggested Coast. Sushi redeemed!! Coast has awesome ambiance and awesome food. Loved every minute!
(5)
Ashley P.

Currently rivaling Sushi Wabi for my all-time favorite sushi place in the city. This place is BYOB, so stock up on the white wine before you head over. I can honestly say everything I've ever had at this place has been excellent - tuna nigiri, salmon nigiri, and the ever-popular Rainbow and Dragon Maki. Love the essence of this place. Very trendy, but in a way that it can get away with. The service is great but it's usually packed on the weekends, so keep that in mind.
(4)
Faye S.

The fish was AWESOME. Seriously. The rice ball was perfect (after our weird experience with giant, dense rice balls at Sushi Wabi). The rolls were on the smaller side, not only in circumference, but in number of pieces as well. We got the ceviche roll and I wasn't that impressed. It was just a bunch of stuff rolled together. I was expecting a little more...substance and creativity. The super white tuna is really good too!
(4)
Justin G.

My absolute favorite sushi place in the city, this place is BYOB (though I believe they limit it to 2? and charge bottle service). The sushi is top quality and reasonably priced. I love the White Dragon roll here as well as their appetizers. Never disappoints!
(5)
Hen H.

I absolutely love this place and recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for a great variety of sushi. If and when you do go the White Dragon is a must try, it is amazing. The prices are reasonable and the waiters are very friendly and helpful with suggestions.
(5)
An P.

How in the world have I never ever eaten here??? On a rainy day where I was supposed to go to the grand opening of a restaurant in Hotel Felix, the rain combined with interminable traffic led to a disastrous ride through traffic, watching cars cut us off and plenty of staring at red lights that refused to turn green. As the hours ticked away, it was apparent a change in plan was necessary and we rolled out to Coast Sushi. before the obligatory trip, we stopped at the nearby 7-Eleven and rocked ourselves a six-pack. Good thing we did not get a twelver as I read on the menu after we sat down that a six pack was the maximum allowed for two people! Service was prompt and the server brought a bucket of ice for the sixer and stood ready to take orders. Not being ready, we let her know we needed more time. As I perused the menu, there were plenty of specialty house makis featuring many an eel ingredient including eel sauce, but I switched over to the maki and the kitchen entrees. Sushi plates ranged from $21-$27 featuring a variety of sushi and sashimi specials. Other entrees included, NY strip steak, chicken teriyaki and tempura dishes for $16-$20. On the maki side I decided to delve into crunchy spicy tuna maki, spicy white tuna maki and spicy salmon maki and a bowl of miso soup. The miso went down quickly and the sushi came quickly after. My eyes lit up as the crunchy maki tuna maki was topped off with a generous pile of panko bread crumbs so I could take other maki rolls and roll them around the pile to render them all crunchy!!!! Ginger was plentiful and the soy was great. Unlike Kaze Sushi, Coast Sushi portions are large and will fill you up even after housing your plate faster than hyenas after the kill. With sushi gone, the busboys rolled in faster than thunder after lightning and whisked our plates away. The music in Coast was chill ambient lounge music while the lighting was dim and ambient. The black wooden tables showed some signs of wear and tear, reflecting the raw popularity of Coast. We got there and had a seat with empty tables to our right and left, but eventually another two couples sat to our right and left, but between the music and the conversation, we were able to tune out other conversations. All in all a terrific atmosphere with exemplary food leaving me full and satisfied!
(5)
Cassandra R.

Coast is a small neighborhood place, but the food is big on flavor and the service is friendly and personal. After walking a mile in high heeled boots my dinner companion and I stepped into this place out of desperation. The restaurant was full but we were seated rather quickly. Started off with a pot of delicious jasmine green tea to warm us up and proceeded to have some very fresh, very creative and very tasty sushi. The White Dragon Roll was my favorite, but everything we tried was delicious. The bill came out pretty reasonable also.
(4)
Mande B.

Love, Love, Love this place! Have been going here for years and it's still my favorite. Remember it's BYOB and they'll heat your sake up for you. You must try the Red V (it's not on the menu, but they continue to serve it if you request.) If you don't feel like the wait, just go a little early as it usually doesn't get packed pre-7pm.
(5)
Elyse G.

Best Sushi Ever!!! Its very Intimate for a date night and also a great place to hang out with friends. Its the best of both worlds. The best part about it....... BYOB! :) Must try the Dragon Roll. Yum!
(5)
Emily C.

Coast, I dig you. Judging by my list and other reveiws, I am obviously a big fan of sushi. So when I saw the write up on this month's Chicago magazine on Coast with the gorgeous food-porn pictures of the sushi, I literally dropped my plans to grill out and caught the bus to Coast. Neato thing #1: Our waiter was just plain awesome. He knew all the specials front and back, made solid recommendations, knew the somewhat obscure wine we brought (and gave it the thumbs up), joked around with everyone, and pretty much was a total pro. Neato thing #2: Coast has a really interesting menu. A lot of the sushi places I go to (as a notorious cheapskate) are, well, totally basic. Even the basic makis at Coast had a twist on them. My absolute, total favorite was the spicy creamy. I have never had sushi literally melt in my mouth like that. The texture, the flavors, all of it were just perfect. And for 8 bucks. Score! Neato thing #3: BIG ASS MAKIS. 'Nuff said. Not so neato thing: Meh on the tempura. Shrimp tempura rolls have been the barometer by which I measure sushi places in the past. Coast just threw this formula out the window because their shrimp tempura had a flavor remniscent of Long John Silver's, but everything else was freaking fabulous. Onto more neato things. Neato thing #4: Huge selection of sashimi & nigiri. I tried clam, bonito (some sort of awesome tuna cousin), and black tobiko. Apparently they have sea bass also. Way more selection than I'm used to seeing on sashimi menus. Neato thing #5: Their desserts here are really awesome looking. I'm used to green tea ice cream, weird looking puddings, or nothin' at sushi places. They had something chocolatey and really pretty here and the girls at the table next to me got it and I couldn't stop ogling it. If I hadn't been stuffed to the gills (BAD PUN ALERT!), I would have gotten one too. Overall, mostly quite neato and definitely worth a go.
(4)
Barbara D.

3.5 stars It was good but it wasn't THAT memorable since I hardly remembered going here. The BYOB is cool, especially since while you're waiting for your table you can have a seat up front and start sipping your suds. The place is just a bit too crowded for my liking...but the sushi was slightly above average.
(3)
Amy H.

I went to Coast last Sunday after wandering Bucktown for a few hours with some dude. Turns out, it's pretty awesome. I have a terrible memory, but we ordered the special hibachi carpaccio with jalepeno and lime, a spicy salmon roll, something with scallops and a volcano roll. Everything was ridiculously fresh and delicious; you can really taste how excellent the fish is. Another bonus was the fresh wasabi we got on the side. How have I not had it before? Who knows. But it's the bomb dot com. Overall, the atmosphere is casual but sophisticated. Our waitress was friendly, and very willing to offer suggestions when we realized that we didn't order quite enough food. I'd definitely come back with a large group and more wine.
(4)
Clover S.

I write this review as a celiac and a celiac only. NEVER eat here if you have celiac disease. The food is not safe. They claim to provide gluten-free food. They even have a cute little menu that says "Gluten Allergy" on the front marked up so you know what you can supposedly order and eat safely. I repeat - THE FOOD IS NOT SAFE. We had a lovely waiter, named James, who was clearly well educated on gluten and who helped me navigate the menu and the specials. He even brought wheat- free tamari out of the back for me. After I had ingested a few maki rolls, my partner who had heard me voice concerns earlier about sushi rice having gluten in it, asked James if there was gluten in the vinegar they used to make the rice. He was quick to admit he wasn't sure and went to go double check. Shortly thereafter, James returned and said "Actually, I was mistaken. The rice is a problem. There is gluten in the vinegar. Nothing here is apparently safe for you." So, we cancelled the rest of the meal and told him we were finished. He apologized profusely. And even returned a few times to tell us that he felt terrible and that he wouldn't have ever done anything to hurt me, he thought he could trust the "Gluten Allergy" menu and advice from the managers. James' service was excellent. The manager came over and I explained to her the detriment of handing people a menu with "Gluten Allergy" written on it with claims that they actually have safe dishes that we can eat when they don't. I also explained that I will get really sick from the food. She said that if I wanted to go to the doctor they would cover it. A nice gesture, I guess? She didn't understand, as most people don't... its not as if I can go to the hospital and get a shot... or some drugs... I just get sick. And eventually, the more that this happens, the more chance I have of developing ... you know... fun stuff like stomach cancer. Anyway, I tried to explain this to her. I told her that wasn't how it worked. She left. Then the bill arrived. Yeah, that's right, they asked us to pay for our meal (which was only $40). We explained that since they had basically poisoned me, we didn't feel it fair to pay for the check. She stalled us, tried to call the other managers, she said she needed me to fill out some form, and that ...yes, we should pay for our bill. My husband, best friend and I got a bit heated... asked if she was sure she felt like we should pay... if she was really certain that this was what she wanted. She said yes - and so I agreed to pay - and then, THEN she wouldn't take my credit card. She used it as bait to get me to wait while she called the other managers...presumably to bring me some "form"...said she needed us to wait a bit longer, as if the 20 minutes of waiting and the 10 minutes of arguing wasn't enough. I told her we had to leave and to quit calling the other managers... just to let me pay and leave... and she. wouldn't. do. it. She kept telling us to wait. No f-ing joke. So, we just left. Really super extraordinarily sucky dining experience.
(1)
Karin S.

One of the best sushi spots in Chicago. The prices aren't outrageous yet the ambiance and scene would make you think otherwise. On the weekends it is very crowded but the BYOB feature is key. The hostess will open your bottle while you wait for your table. The quality of the food is awesome and without an outrageous drink tab, the prices are pretty reasonable. One of my Chicago fav's. There is also another location in the South Loop on Michigan Ave. (not BYOB and doesn't have the "Po-Boy Roll"...but still trendy and delicious!)
(4)
julie t.

As any reader can tell from the other reviews, Coast Sushi is great. There was an hour wait on Saturday night, but we brought wine and set up shop at the tables in the front and the time passed quickly. Needless to say, byob at a sushi restaurant is a great way to save $$. The food, once we sat down, was perfect-- best thing ever was that they had gluten free soy sauce. For anyone needing that, this is the place to go...maybe call ahead to make sure they have some in stock (they were running low last night, and I think I finished it up :), but what really got me was how knowledgeable and accommodating they were with finding the right sauce and warning me about other rolls on the table that I shouldn't eat...everyone I talked to there was great, and I had full confidence in anything they suggested (and felt good afterwards :) I ordered the Chirashi, which was amazingly fresh and good. I didn't try anything else, but the rolls on the table looked just as great. The only reason it got a star knocked off the rating was because it was pretty dark in the restaurant, and so noisy that it was hard to hear across the table. Might have been okay for a romantic date, but I found it hard to hear (and see!) friends farther down the table from me. All in all, this is a sushi place that, despite not living in the neighborhood, I will come back to often.
(4)
Mari D.

I have a hard time even giving this place a one star. To start, I ordered a salmon skin roll to go a few weeks ago and got a purina jerky treat instead. I could not even call to complain because I was afraid of what I might say. However, we did give it another try last night, hoping for a better "dine in" experience, but again were left disappointed. The spicy tuna was very fishy, and we couldn't bare to eat it. When we complained about the taste, the manager said that "everyone else is eating it and not complaining." This is an unacceptable reply from a manager, and they have definitely lost an avid sushi goer along with some friends.
(1)
Christine M.

I've heard the name of this place numerous times but never quite knew where it was, what it was like -- only through hearsay. Definitely love any sushi place that is BYOB and is also nicely decorated. The seating area in the back is definitely the spot to get, a lot more intimate (albeit a little dark) and cozy. Started with some Edamame and continued onto the Volcano Roll (warning, this puppy is HOT!) and I'm drawing a blank at the other ones we got . But, you could definitely tell that it was super high-quality fish and they put a lotta love into those rolls. Really enjoyed my dinner here and would go back any time.
(4)
Stacy F.

BYOB. Amazing Sushi. Friendly Staff. Good Ambiance. I'm in!
(4)
Melanie R.

This is one of my favorite sushi restaurants. The sushi rolls are great, and I love that it is BYOB.
(5)
Sagar N.

Really one of the best sushi experiences I have ever had (even in comparison to way more expensive places). Service and ambience really differentiate this place from others, but the menu was very creative and fresh. Don't exactly recall what we got but I remember the yellowtail being good and the desserts being excellent. Presentation is everything in Japanese cuisine and coast did a very good job of that. BYOB is a big plus, but, again, the service is what sells it for me.
(5)
Megan G.

I had an incredibly bad experience here. Heard this place was great, so I took my brother and sister-inlaw (who love sushi) to "show off" what Chicago had to offer. The two appetizers we had were satisfactory, but then it took 45 minutes to get a total of only 4 rolls, which was VERY UNSATISFACTORY! When we asked our server if our order was coming, she replied "Yes, it's just finishing it's last touches", as if we were stupid for asking. Are you kidding me? If a customer's order is taking more than an acceptable amount of time, the reply of a server should always be "I'm SO sorry, let me see what the issue is!" Not only did they not care, but it ruined our night out, and was embarrassing for me as a host. I have never experienced such bad service in Chicago. The rolls that we finally got were loaded with panko crumbs, and lacking of any creative presentation. Paid a butt load to be very disappointed.
(1)
Erin N.

White Dragon and Hamachi Carpaccio--every time. Love that it's BYOB because it justifies my extensive fish spending habits. Oh, and the shredded sweet potato appetizer is to die for.
(4)
Helena B.

I'd been trying to decide if I should save this local gem for a date or a visit from my sister. Little Sis introduced me to sushi, so I think of her with every wasabi-tinged bite, but I must say I'm very glad my first visit to Coast was on date-night. The dark, sleek, candle-lit interior makes you feel a bit sexier before your Miso soup even hits the table. Speaking of the Miso soup, it was delicious. And don't worry, they do have spoons if you are hopelessly Western like me and want to scoop out every last bit of tofu goodness. Next was the toro sashimi. Heavenly. As promised, it practically melted on your tongue. We followed with three different rolls (Spider - a personal favorite, Alaska, and Hamachi Jalapeno). My date picked the Hamachi Jalapeno, and to be honest, I wanted nothing to do with it (Jalapenos? Gross. No thanks. All yours, buddy). However, when they arrived, I had to try one (all in the name of Yelp, yo) and they were shockingly good! The jalapeno was very subtle - a very pleasant surprise. Throughout the meal, our server was great - very attentive and willing to help or explain if we had questions. I'll definitely be back - next time with Little Sis.
(4)
Jenn S.

I went here with a small group of friends and had a great night. We were literally there until closing. That being said, BYOB is without a doubt the best thing in the world. It certainly made for a more affordable experience. Our waitress was super nice and didn't say anything about the fact that we had more bottles then allowed (yes-there are rules posted about how much alcohol you can have at the table). The sushi itself was great. Very few restaurants in the city have albacore (which is not pan seared) so I was in heaven when I saw it on the menu. My only complaint is this: We all clearly ordered our rolls separately due to allergies and food restrictions. When the food came, it was all on one plate. It would have been nice just to check first to make sure that the food could be put on a single plate. Plus it wasn't grouped together correctly. I had one roll on the left and one way over on the other side. That's it...that's the only problem that I had. Nothing to deter me from going back.
(4)
Kodey F.

Best sushi in Bucktown no contest. They have a great menu, and I prefer BYOB, as it's so much cheaper to buy a bottle at Binny's than to buy by the glass at a restaurant. I definitely recommend the potstickers as an app, but make sure you always ask fir the specials. I have had pretty great crab cake app before, but you have to catch it at the right time. Many of the sushi rolls come with roe, so if you're not a fan of fish eggs make sure you order without, no problem. No dirty looks like you might get elsewhere. If you're not in the mood for sushi, they have some great fish entrees, and once again keep an eye out for their specials. When it's time for dessert, try the mochi. It might sound weird, and it might even look weird, but it's delicious. I have tried all the varieties, and while I'm partial to tiramisu, they are all delicious. They keep half the restaurant open for walkins and take reservations for the other half. I live close, so i swing by and put my name in and give them my number, and they call when your table is ready. Much better than waiting in their waiting area, which is a little cramped. Pus then you get to walk in past all the people waiting and feel like a celebrity getting seated right away. But don't consider driving, unless you want to do valet or drive around Bucktown looking for a space.
(5)
L. B.

My #1 favorite sushi in the city. So fresh, and so creatively delicious. I always order my staple fresh salmon sashimi, and the unbelievable White Dragon rolls...ohhhhhh those knock my socks off. I heard they are worse for you than a big mac, but I don't care one bit. Love the BYOB factor, not only does it save me a couple bones, but it makes waiting the 45 plus minutes for a table not too crappy. Plenty of people to socialize with, too! Getting a rez is a biotch, so plan ahead, or wait 2 hours. You will still probably wait a half an hour with a rez, btw. Well, well worth it though!
(5)
Nicolas H.

Don't get me wrong, the sushi here is definitely good. I just don't think its worth the hype or waiting for more than 10 minutes for a table. The sushi is defintely overpriced for what you get, and nothing really stood out as exceptional. If I ever go back I'll attempt to sit at the sushi bar and maybe things will improve...
(3)
Emily G.

Best sushi place in Chicago hands down! The white dragon roll is my all-time favorite sushi roll. The servers here are very friendly and know a lot about sushi, our server was able to make perfect recommendations when we gave our preferences. BYOB was an added bonus!
(5)
Lindsey P.

Really good sushi in Chicago. Service, atmosphere, and most importantly, the food was great. Must try the angry salmon roll!
(5)
Vas S.

I recently ordered take out here after a long hiatus (due to moving from the area and trying to save money) and forgot how good the sushi is. I have not been to a ton of places in Chicago, but so far this has been the best place I have found in the area. The dragon roll is by far my favorite. I also enjoy the eating in the restaurant every once in a while as it has a pretty cool decorum inside (helped out by the numerous attractive girls that frequent this place). The only drawback for here is that I think it can be a bit expensive for not the largest quantity of food, but its well worth the price if you enjoy good sushi.
(5)
Lauren S.

I went for dinner last night for a post-birthday celebration and was definitely impressed. We were seated immediately, the staff was super friendly and attentive (shout-out to our waiter, Ryan), and best of all, it's BYOB. My friends and I split 3 rolls--the PoBoy, Spicy Crunchy Tuna, and the Alaska, and all were delicious. We also tried an appetizer that was a special--I forgot the name but it had crab inside a fried dumpling of some sort and was served on a stick, atop a bed of mango and crunchy noodles. All of the rolls were fantastic, though some of the pieces were so huge, they proved a bit difficult to eat with chopsticks, so I did feel a little tacky eating with my hands. I would recommend Coast to anyone who likes sushi, and I'll definitely be going back!
(5)
Nicole A.

Third time here, although this place is good, I am not quite sure it deserves as much attention as it seems to get on yelp. They do have a delicious fish soup for $7, but other then that I think these prices are just silly for the size of the serving. There are plenty of BYOB sushi restaurants that will serve more, charge less, and be great quality. Whats a perk to Coast? The service has been really great every time I come - friendly and attentive.
(3)
Kurt U.

I order delivery from Coast a good bit, but I have yet to make it into the restaurant...will have to get to that at some point. From a delivery standpoint, the sushi and chirashi are generally good, and their prices are reasonable. Every once in a while, they have an off night, but on a whole, they are always on my short list for delivery.
(4)
Michelle L.

I love that this place is BYOB. We brought a bottle of wine to split. The table next to us had a six-pack of beer and wine. The large party behind us? A bottle of vodka. For an appetizer my friend and I split yellowtail carpaccio, which was amazing. It came with five pieces, so I was secretly delighted when my friend told me to take the last piece. I highly recommend starting with this. The flavor and freshness was right on. Per our servers recommendation, we ordered the White Dragon Maki-- a shrimp tempura, wasabi tobiko, cream cheese avacado roll topped with scallion spicy sauce, wasabi dressing, eel sauce, and tempura crumb. (Wowza,) I was a little worried that the roll with be huge with all the ingredients, but it was perfectly proportioned. Bite-sized and delicious. With it we ordered the Coast Crab, spicy white tuna and yellowtail scalion maki. All were great, and we left full. I would definitely come back here and give it 4 stars.
(4)
Kamilah S.

Coast has to be one of my favorite sushi bars, its BYOB, YEAH. Its not over priced, the fish is very fresh and I always get something new when I go and its always good. I have been like 5 times and I love it.
(5)
Gina M.

After rave reviews from both Yelp and my best friends, I had to get my tail to Coast to see what all the hype was about. Let me say, I was not that impressed. First, the staff. I called in the cab on the way there to get the address and the conversation went a little like this.... Me: Hi. Where are you located. Host: Damen Me: Damen and what... Host: Uhh..closest cross street is Ashland. Me: Great! Do you take reservations Host: Ummm..if you would have called a week ago maybe. But not now. Me: Ok, whats the wait right now. Host: A half hour at the least. Me: Ok, well we are about 5 minutes away in our cab, would it be ok for me to put our name it now? Host: No Me: Ok well we'll be there soon. Thanks (Click) When we got there, a different host (female, the one on the phone was male) didn't even take our names. We were seated right away. Um ok? I thought the atmosphere was nice...but it was so loud! I dont mind a loud resturant but my date and I were practically yelling at eachother. We ordered some miso soup and instead were brought edamame. When they brought our soup, the waitress realized our mistake and took the edamame away. It was a little confusing because some sushi places give free edamame...why were they taking it away? I only had one! haha All our rolls were brought out at the same time which i liked. But I didn't like how the waitress tried to upsell us on almost everything we ordered (Namasake? The fatty salmon is much better you want that instead? No! Its three dollars more) As far as taste goes, it was very similair to most other sushi places ive been in the city. Pretty good but nothing blew me away. I do not reccomend the Sunrise roll ( i think thats what it was called.) It has mango and mint. I thought I'd love it but it tasted like a mojito in not a good way. We even let the table next to us try our leftover rolls because they were comtemplating ordering it too...after their taste they decided 'No" I would give Coast another shot but I am not buying into all the hype.
(2)
Caroline A.

My girlfriends and I checked out Coast on a Saturday night. I was excited to eat here, because I heard so many great things. Everything is great at Coast, except for the ridiculously long wait to get a table. My friends and I finished a bottle and half of wine before being seated (took TWO hours). If I wasn't with such great company, I would have walked out. Food was impressive. The tuna tartare is FANTASTIC.... delicate, flavorful and melts in your mouth yummy. The rolls were decent, but not as good as Mirai in my opinion. We had the spider, wasabi, volcano and toro. All were great. We also had the large sushi plate as well as the large sashimi plate (there were four of us, ok?) The sashimi is excellent... very fresh, and pieces are pretty big. Once we were seated, the service was excellent. Our server really knew the menu inside out, and the food came out quickly. I always ask for extra ginger and wasabi... and he definitely delivered! The decor was decent, not spectacular though. I'll be back... with reservations of course!
(4)
Annie G.

This is pretty much my favorite sushi place going on five years. Here's why: - affordable. It's BYOB so I can enjoy a yummy white wine and perhaps some Sapporos as I dine on my food. Signature rolls are in the $10-$15 range, all others are under $10 - tasty. Everything I've had, I liked. The things I MUST order each time: spicy miso, una avo roll, and per my husband, a seaweed salad. had their signature ceviche roll for the first time recently and drooled madly over it. oh baby. fish is always fresh. - service. consistently consistent. good service. - dessert. i'm not a desserty, but 3 times out of 5 i oder it here. it's perfectly proportioned, priced and pretty. Pitfalls of coast - it's usually PACKED on the weekends beginning 7-9. when they say 2 hour wait, they're not just saying it. expect it to be at least 2 hours - said packed crowd is often really douche-y - sometimes it gets a little steamy in there. they need a dehumidifier or something.
(4)
Erica R.

Great sushi! My bf loves the duck here too. Sunday afternoons are the best time to go. They are not too busy at this time. Our waitress wasn't very good though. She never came back to our table one time to even ask if we wanted refills. We had to stop her ourselves twice to get her attention.. :/
(4)
jenise r.

Me and my girlfriends came here this past Saturday for a late dinner and to exchange our grab bag gifts. We had a 930 reservation, the hostess was nice, but the waitress....I think she was having a bad day. We were seated and the rest of our group arrived, we had a few bottles of wine and some beer with us. When the waitress came and asked if we wanted anything right away a few of us ordered miso soup. She then proceeded to tell us about their new BYOB policy and how they can't open the bottles or something and a bunch of other stuff I wasn't able to catch because she was talking so fast. Everyone ordered their rolls, I wasn't very hungry so I just ordered the Wasabi Shumai and wow! When you eat one give yourself 5 seconds and the wasabi hits you and you feel like a fire breathing dragon for a few seconds. I also had the Agedashi tofu salad (fried tofu, scallion, bonito flakes on fresh baby spinach with warm dashi dressing) I really liked this salad and see myself walking over from work here to pick one up for lunch. Dashi is seaweed and soysauce etc soaked so it has that seaweed taste some don't like We finished up dinner with green tea mochi and opened up our gifts our waitress brought the bill while we were opening. As soon as the last person opens up their gift our waitress comes over super fast and and says "Can you please take care of this now?" and walks away. We all looked at each other and were kinda shocked at how rude that was and we all noted her crabby attitude earlier in the night and we were trying to be extra nice but ehhh. Tsk Tsk lady. Hope she went home and got some.
(3)
Ryan G.

This has to be my favorite sushi bar in chicago (lawrence fish market is the best sushi, but it's just pickup), and is the only one (of the 15-20 so I've been to in the city) that I've come back to. The quality of the fish has been top notch every time that I've been back, and it's BYOB so you can save on the drink costs. This makes it the perfect place to come when you're looking to take the next step up from the all you can eat or bargain sushi to the true sushi experience! I've had a bunch of the maki rolls, and from the simple tekka to the gigantic po' boy, every one has been amazing. I'm a huge fan of unagi, and Coast served up the best unagi nigiri that I've had in Chicago.
(5)
Kristine L.

I just now noticed how many sushi restaurant reviews I have. I clearly have a problem. Well, now that that's out there... I tried Coast for the first time on the suggestion of my friend who probably found it here on Yelp. I've tried many a contemporary-designed-kinda-upscalish-looking sushi joint from Shine to Japonais (Japonais is overrated, btw) to SushiSamba so cute decor doesn't really impress me anymore, but admittedly, Coast was really pretty. A little more intimate also. And dark, but I'll get to that later. I got there way earlier than the rest of my party, so I walked a half-block down to fetch a bottle of wine (i dig BYOB places!) and waited up front. The waiting area is big and doesn't make you feel awkward, which I appreciate. So only a couple cons here: We had a party of 8 and our table was ready immediately, which was great, but set up in such a way that no one could get into their seats without having to literally climb over and maneuver chairs and people from our table AND the table behind us. Very unsexy. Also it was RIDICULOUSLY dark in there. I had to either hold my menu face-level to catch light from the table behind me or practically set the thing on fire with the tiny candle. More unsexy behavior. Ambiance is great, dudes, but a tiny bit more light would have made it more comfortable. On the upside, I totally could've gone out to dinner with no makeup and no one would be the wiser. I admittedly get unreasonably annoyed by little things, so the dark and the squished table setup could have formed a venomous opinion right there, but the food and service was great! I got a sashimi plate and each piece of sashimi was soooo good. I don't think I really knew what ppl were talking about with "melt in your mouth" descriptions until then. Totally perfect. Plus, I felt totally satiated with the small sashimi plate, which incl miso soup (welcome on a chilly night!) and some rice. Most everyone else in my party got rolls and really seemed to like them. Also, one of my friends was rly late to dinner, but they brought her order out pretty quickly so it wasn't awkward for her to sit and wait. Really nice experience in the end, and I would probably go again if I was in the neighborhood... AND IF THEY'D GET SOME DAMN LAMPS. :-p
(4)
Andrea B.

The masses pretty much have this one right. I give it a 4. Good, solid quality sushi that isn't too expensive (and it's BYOB). And I'm basing this on the nigiri, because throwing mayo or cream cheese on your 'creative' rolls just hides bad fish. My best sushi experience in Chicago so far. Better than Toro in Lincoln Park, and much much much better than Sushi Ra or Sushi X (now sushi para x?). Give it a go, people. Get the sushi plate, yum.
(4)
Amanda R.

I went here on a Wednesday night, at 9:30pm- it was slow at first yet picked up around 10pm, the atmosphere was laid back and relaxed. Low lighting and great friendly faces. The server was knowledgeable and friendly, we had an appetizer as well as the sunrise, service (these two were bad!!! no sauce or flavoring) and the dragon and the volcano roll, those two were amazing!!! Dessert was fruit- ice cream with chocolate sauce very delicious- this sushi restaurant uses a lot of mango which is unique and great!! Overall a great choice! I would go back!!
(4)
steve k.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at this Bucktown sushi hub known for trendy everything. I usually order for carry out because the clientele that i see in there is usually a bit overwhelming for me. Loud drunks due to its BYOB policy and people who use sites like this to find something "different" and "hip" or the best "something off the beaten path." The quality of food for the take out portion without all of the ambiance was impressive. The spicy Miso soup is the s&^* and is a surprising accompaniment to the sushi that they have. I personally think its a bit pricey for what it is but Sushi has this amazing price stigma attached to it these days that its hard to find any kind of normal pricing for something simple like salmon or tuna make. Otherwise food is solid to my taste. Dining in the restaurant itself is a bit daunting because its so freaking dark and full of "trendies" that love to eat sushi anywhere and everywhere and try every single sushi restaurant because it sounds cool to people who may be too squeamish to even try something like raw fish. They sound daring-good for you. Regardless of the dark settings, crowd, loud bar like atmosphere and moron server, the food did hold its ground and was still delicious. Which in the end is always the most important thing-especially when it comes to something like sushi and delicate flavors. Hence the four stars.
(4)
I've heard the name of this place numerous times but never quite knew where it was, what it was like -- only through hearsay. Definitely love any sushi place that is BYOB and is also nicely decorated. The seating area in the back is definitely the spot to get, a lot more intimate (albeit a little dark) and cozy. Started with some Edamame and continued onto the Volcano Roll (warning, this puppy is HOT!) and I'm drawing a blank at the other ones we got . But, you could definitely tell that it was super high-quality fish and they put a lotta love into those rolls. Really enjoyed my dinner here and would go back any time.
(4)
Tyler D.

Great sushi. One of my top sushi places in Chicago for sure. And no cork fee!
(5)
Jessica S.

What can I say? I love sushi and I love a byob that lets me bring a bottle of wine to enjoy said sushi. Food was delicious, service was great, I was able to enjoy my meal without feeling rushed. Fantastic place.
(4)
J F.

This spot is about 2 blocks from my new place so me and the b/f checked it out on a Saturday night around 8. There was a 35 minute wait for a table, but we got right in at the sushi bar. Nice atmosphere and lots of happening people. We had an awesome crab cake with yummy ginger sauce for an appetizer and 3 orders of maki, (the maine, the ceviche and the spicy tuna). The rolls were good, nice flavor combos, but not really highlighting the fish as good as they could. Someone else said that most of the maki have mayo - which is true, but I'm okay with that. We also had fruit and chocolate for dessert, which was pretty straightforward. We received great service from our waitress, who was very fast, friendly and accommodating. I felt like I didn't get much for my money though. The maki are the same size as a store bought rolls, even the "special" maki came out with less than 5 rolls to the order. When we got the bill the appetizer was $17 for 4 crab cakes (what?!). Kind of pricey (and this is coming from someone who eats sushi at least once a week, so I am familiar with pricey sushi). I gave this place a 4 because the food we did have was good, but it still doesn't beat out wakamono in lakeview (the place by which I rate all other sushi bars. We will likely go back in the next few months due to the location and good service.
(4)
Kelsey O.

Coast rocks. Best sushi in Chicago, I'd say. Very fresh, killer creative and innovative rolls, delicious soups, salads and apps. The staff is surprisingly very nice and not at all pushy, unlike staff at other sushi places like Wakomono. The only downside is it's soooo busy, so make your reso far in advance. No way you are doing a walk-in here, at least on the weekend. They jam you in pretty good but this doesn't bother me at all. Also, remember it's BYOB. And, don't bring your kids here. That would be annoying for all parties involved.
(4)
Kristin S.

Went here last night for an early Valentine's Day dinner. I'd say it's closer to 4.5 stars than 4. First impressions: This place is BIG, and DARK. I don't know why, but I thought the place would be much smaller than this. It's not actually so big, but it has two rooms and seem crowded because they really know how to pack the tables in. As far as atmosphere, I really liked the dim lighting and the decor, but it's a little too romantic for how loud and crazy this place can get. If you seat 60 people in a small room, it's gonna get loud. Because of the loudness, I wouldn't recommend this place for a first date. I couldn't hear the server when she was telling us about the specials (she was also a bit of a mumbler, so that didn't help), and it was hard to hear my boyfriend at times. We didn't mind shouting, but this is definitely not a cozy, quiet place. The food: We started off with the awesome spicy miso but decided against more appetizers so we'd have more room for fishies. We had the white dragon roll (AMAZING! Get it and thank me later), the Sunrise roll with mango, tuna and mint (very good as well), the spicy scallop roll (lots of stuffing, not much rice = perfect) along with some super white tuna (buttery and delicious) and some toro (expensive fatty tuna, but yummy for a special occasion). I had dessert waiting at home, so I can't comment on that. Just looking around other tables made me want to order more rolls though I was completely stuffed. The service: Meh. That pretty much sums it up. Our server was okay. She seemed bored and was really soft-spoken. I don't really care much about service, but she did get annoying at the end of the meal with clearing our table 4 or 5 times to send us the message that it was time to leave. At one point, we joked that she'd come back and blow out our candle. She also took the check after we'd paid and before we were ready to leave to get her tip which I always think is just a tad rude. Overall, I will definitely come here again for a special occasion type night when I want to bring only one bottle of alcohol for 2 people. (Our food came to over $20 per person so no fee, but I heard they charge a corkage fee if you don't meet this requirement. That's just tacky.) The sushi was good and it came out very fast for us, though I've read other people had to wait quite some time. Service could be better but no major disasters, so I'd give service an adequate 3 star rating.
(4)
John H.

Price range as expected, trendy, dimly lit, and very loud, average sushi. If it weren't so close, I probably wouldn't go back a second time. It's definitely a fusion place rather than authentic/traditional, but the wait was a little long, lots of loud people (it's BYOB and they all brought too much), and they were out of super fat tuna.
(2)
Marissa b.

Hands down my favorite sushi bar in Chicago, or anywhere for that matter. First and foremost, I have to mention that I don't eat anything completely raw, so I wouldn't consider myself a sushi connoisseur, but I love Coast. They have awesome rolls... some of my faves are Po'Boy, White Dragon Roll, and the Popper (not on the menu). Also, obviously being BYOB makes it even better. The atmosphere is sleek and modern, kind of romantic, but also great for a dinner with friends.
(5)
Drew S.

Sushi on a silver platter, what a world. A couple things that stick out from my trip to Coast. This would be better served if Yelp.com learned how to use bullet points: - They have a bizarre kind of teetotaling BYO policy restricting you to 1 bottle of wine or a sixer per 2 people. They will heat up the sake for you if you pour it into the container. 1 bottle isn't quite enough for a medium length meal unless you're a total lightweight as far as I'm concerned. I assume we can thank the christian right for this. That's bad. - The maki and nigiri were delicious. That's good. - The $22-25 sushi and sashimi plates come with 6 different types of fish but aren't quite enough food, order another maki or something. They do come with a choice of soup. That's good. -You have the option of ordering real fresh wasabi root for $2 extra. -The toppings contain potassium bonzoate. (that's bad) Ok some I'm watching Treehouse of Horror 3.
(4)
betsy b.

This place rocks. The sushi is always so good and I love BYOB. I don't like that they dictate how much you can drink but whatever, I can get over that. We had an 8:30 res and there were a ton of people waiting when we got there...I was expecting a wait but we were seated instantly....I was amazed!!! We had a bunch of different rolls that were all outstading. One was called Sunrise I believe and it had mango on it with tuna and mint...it was devine. We also tried a Volcano roll which was really good but drenched in tempura crumbs...thankfully they were easy to scrape off. I love coast and it's my top BYOB sushi pick.
(4)
Anabella J.

best sushi place i tried so far in Chicago!their specials are awsome!they are a little pricy but only specials.white dragon roll is good,autum roll(season only) are a must!!!oh dont forget to make reservations because their waiting lines are extremely long!good thing i did and as soon as we walked in we got the table and service.5 star for sure!!!
(5)
Andrea C.

went here for the first time for a friends birthday party...and i have a few thoughts...(i guess i always do). pros: -byob...and no corking fee, but no liquor, beware -really really fresh fish...the tuna was melt in my mouth...best sushi ive had in chicago so far... -really nice staff, super helpful..my bf isnt much of a sushi person (hes trying but it may be an acquired taste for him) and our server was really great about helping him pick a roll he'd like -there was some roll w/eel in it...and it was delicious. im not normally an eel person (too sweetish) but this roll was really great! cons: -pretty pricy...most of the rolls were pretty large, but they charge you a pretty penny...coast is a special occasion type of place for me! -not enough spicy sauce on the spicy tuna...sadness. -1 stall for the ladies restroom. i went twice (it was a long dinner ok?!) and there was a line of at least 5 ladies ahead of me...
(4)
Lauren D.

I love sushi, but I can't muster up that much excitement for Coast Sushi. My main gripe is that their basic sushi just isn't that good. Sometimes all I want is a piece of fish on a little rice! At Coast I have been disappointed in both the quality of the fish and the portions. I do have to give them credit, all of the fancy, super expensive rolls that I have tried have been pretty tasty. But, $15 for a fried veggie roll!? That seems a bit excessive to me.
(3)
Candice R.

Coast began what was to be a very tasty night. We had a great server, although we did have to open our own bottle of wine. I find it odd that Coast will limit the amount of wine to one bottle per two people, tell you that legally they're not allowed to open it, and then throw you a corkage fee on top of all that. I guess it's the ambience and reputation. Still, the both the food and the service were perfect . I wouldn't say it's the best sushi ever, but the server was honest and steered us in the right direction, and we enjoyed every bite. We had the scallops and the soft shell crab appetizer to start, both very tasty. We ate our way through four rolls and a piece of nigri: white dragonroll, coast crab roll, po boy roll, white dragon roll. Suzuki nigri because I love me some sea bass. They were all very good, my favorites being the white dragon roll and the coast crab roll. Full though we were, I had spied a strawberry chocolate dessert on the way in that I felt needed to be ordered. I'm glad I did. It doesn't seem like something that would be in a sushi restaurant, but oh was it yummy. Coast, I like you, but I don't like your BYOB rules. They're weird!
(4)
chris c.

Went here a while back w/a couple friends. Recap: We wait a while for a table. Got seated and brought a couple of bottles of wine w/us. We ordered and asked to get a bottle open. They ran out of wine glasses so we got regular glasses. We poured some wine and then after a bit, out regular glasses of wine were filled with WATER. So all that went to waste and we got new wine glasses and opened the other bottle. Later our waiter spilled another another glasses on the table after knocking it over. Thru out the nite, I had to constantly look for him because he was no where to be found. To order more, I had to go get him at another table. Let's just say the service was HORRIBLE at best. Then when we paid out bill, the hostess and waiter thought it would be appropriate to ask why he was not tipped more. (note: TIP = To Insure Promptness.) She said that it's typical to tip at least 20+% for their service. Have ordered carryout a few times since. Got 3 stars because of the food. It seems that everyone agrees service is poor but food is good.
(3)
Allison S.

Coast - Newsflash - you are not the only BYOB sushi restaurant in Chicago. Was your sushi above average? Yes. Quite good, actually. Unfortunately, your customer service was so poor, it negated your sushi skills. I realize patrons should not excessively hold up a table on a busy weekend night with drinking and talking, but when dessert is verbally offered (we had to ask for a menu), followed by "and just so you guys know, we have another reservation for 6 that needs your table in 20 or 30 minutes." ARE you kidding me? Have that discussion with an appropriate table who may be done with their meal (including dessert and coffee) but are opening another bottle of wine, NOT a group who progressed through their meal in a timely fashion and haven't even seen a dessert menu yet. I see I am not the only person with this complaint, so maybe consider extending your reservation time slots. At the very least, educate your wait staff on proper customer service. Unlike what our waitress told us, we were NOT informed of this *timed dinner slot* when the call was made for the reservation. No big rush to return any time soon.
(2)
Tiff H.

Thanks to the Japanese for inventing sushi. Again, the best sushi I've ever had is in the upstate of South Carolina. Chicago has some great sushi places and some are a lot better than others, but I only know of one decent BYOB one in my area...Coast. My first time here was for my 23rd bday in 2007. Loved it then...was still in awe of the great city invention of BYOB. I've been coming ever since. Ebs B is right. The noise level is horrible, and it's hard to have an intimate dinner there; however, I've managed here and there. The sushi is fresh. Salmon sashimi is ordered every time I come as is the shumai. Spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls are good. The angry salmon is fantastically spicy, and I always devour those little chip things. Po Boy, White Dragon, Tuna Avo, Volcano, Spider, Dragon, those are favorites I always stand by. Rolls are kind of small but they're standard size for Chicago...(I come from SC, land of the oversized, and that includes sushi rolls). Pretty decent for the price you pay--I've averaged about $25-45 a person, but I can outeat a guy who is 5x my size when it comes to sushi. Staff is always friendly as well, maybe a bit slow due to the fact they're contantly slammed. I keep my trips to a Mon-Wed night now in order to beat the crowd. BYOB...can't go wrong. They're pretty strict with their bottle policy bc they get slammed so make sure you make reservations.
(4)
Leigh R.

Went here for a girls night out! It is always hard to order sushi with a large group and for the waiter to organize everything. Coast did a great job taking our order, splitting our checks, and helping us have a fun night. They also recommended so great rolls for us to try and made sure all food allergies were addressed. Sushi - delicious, unique rolls but the only complaint is they are a bit small. I thought the price was a bit high considering how much we got for our money Atmosphere - Great decor, nice waiting area in front! BYOB - makes this an affordable night on the town! I understand they only let you have so many bottles on the table though so we hid them in our purses. haha.
(4)
molly w.

Solid 4 stars. I've dined in twice and ordered carryout/delivery a few times as well. Solid food, I just wish that they had a larger selection of specialty maki. Glad it's relatively close to my house, it beats driving to Toro in Lincoln Park to get decent sushi.
(4)
Kristie H.

I have had multiple friends recommend Coast to me and my only regret is that I waited to go. We ordered 4 different rolls, all fantastic. They serve real wasabi (you must request and pay extra), which now that I have had it, it will be hard to eat the horseradish fake wasabi that usually comes with sushi. The atmosphere and music is relaxing. Our waiter was knowledgeable. It's also BYOB, we brought Saki, they chilled it for us at our table. It was perfect. Verdict, my boyfriend and I will be moving next door so that we will never be without quality, delicious sushi, again.
(5)
Milo F.

Cozy, friendly, delicious sushi
(5)
Nicole R.

Went to coast on the first snowy night of the winter. Outside the weather was no good, you forgot about all of that when stepping inside. Coast is a romantic, dimly lit restaurant with lots of candles. Our server Mark was AWESOME. He was honest with his recommendations and they were all delicious! Yes the white dragon was awesome, and so was his recommendation for a roll that was created years ago for Valentine's Day that they will still make. I forget the name but it has asparagus inside and a tempura scallop on top that you eat with your hand (it looks like a sushi cupcake). He even asked if we wanted a bucket of ice for our 6 pack we brought! I recommend going! Having a full bar would have made me give it a 5 star rating.
(4)
Erick R.

great place for a first date sushi was awesome plus you gotta love Thai food ! BYOB is an exceptionally lovely thing in this world the staff could be friendlier, my date an i sat at the sushi bar and we got bumped into quit a bit because of the size of the restaurant and location of the restroom, it looks more comfier to sit by the windows but i do enjoy watching the chefs roll up, they were quit friendly too. the price for 2 people to get filled up was great plus if you don't know what to get ask the chef what he recommends my hat goes off to you Coast Sushi Bar
(4)
Jennifer K.

Went to dinner here on Friday and as always it was just brilliant! I have to say the service was supreme and it adds even more to an incredible evening out when you service is above and beyond your average "pleasantries". Thanks for the great dinner/service Mark!
(5)
Ryan S.

My wife ate here Saturday night with some friends and ended up spending most of the night throwing up -- and all she had was the vegetarian sushi, not even the raw fish. She was too sick to work on Sunday and only went to work today because she had a meeting. I have called the health department. Needless to say, we will never go back and you shouldn't either.
(1)
Robyn T.

Is it shocking that I had never been to Coast during the work week? Yes, I'm one of those people who always tends to be in a big group that waits for hours (yes I waited nearly 2 hours once for my friend's b-day celebration) so it was a nice treat on a Wednesday night to walk in and be seated. Immediately. I'm a fan of the dark, modern wood tones and chic atmosphere with a complete lack of attitude (ok, usually). Service is pretty good too though sometimes listening to the ingredients in all the daily specials can be a little much -- can I get that in writing? Even if its 80+ degrees outside I find myself ordering the spicy miso soup. This stuff is addictive...I love when they have the hamachi carpaccio appetizer too - 5 tender slices of fish with a little jalapeno. Spicy and oh so good. I guess I really like jalapenos and sushi as I'm writing this because one of my favorite signature rolls at Coast is the Popper roll. The dragon is divine and isn't as large and awkward as the dragon roll at other sushi haunts.
(4)
Cynthia A.

Wait, why haven't I written a review yet about my favorite sushi place?! Well, I'm going back tonight, so why not now. So, I'm not a sushi snob. I admit, I like the rolls with all the sauces, mayo, and extras on them. I also appreciate just the pieces. Here, you get a good mix of both. As everyone else said, the white dragon is my absolute favorite roll ever. Try the coast crab, also. Even if you are skittish about pieces, you HAVE TO order a piece of super white tuna. I promise you'll love it. It never disappoints. The thing I love most about Coast (aside from BYOB) is that it is ALWAYS consistent in every aspect. Tip: Although South Coast is very good, it doesn't compare to the Bucktown location.
(5)
Becca S.

I will start off by saying that the sushi and other food is delicious. But this is Chicago, good sushi is not hard to find. Turns out good service is. I went August 5 for a good friend's birthday. We chose the location because we all love sushi and who doesn't love a good BYO? We had made a reservation for a party of 11. The restaurant was not very crowded at all this Thursday, which might be why they kindly seated us before the whole party had arrived (or perhaps that's their policy - a good one!). We sat down and our waitress came to introduce herself. It was Kim by the way. Not one smile. There were only four of us so far, but she kept trying to get us to order an appetizer. I appreciate the initial offer, but we said no a couple of times. Let it go. Or not, it did eventually work and we ordered some edamame, but talk about pushy. We had several bottles of white wine but we were informed she could only give 2 chillers per table. Despite the fact that in reality we were 3 tables pushed together. Finally 9 of us had shown up, and we'd gotten texts from the other 2 that they probably were not going to make it. Kim did not like this one bit. She said "so how many will you be? The reservation was for 11. I need to figure out the numbers." Birthday girls said "looks like we'll just be 9, the other two are maybes at this point so we'll order without them." As if birthday girl hadn't spoken Kim says "So your whole party isn't coming? How many will be here? Not 11?" What the heck? What "numbers" is she figuring out? There were going to be 11, now there are 9. Done. Figured. Get over it. Parties of 5 or more include gratuity if that was her concern, she's still covered there because her attitude would have certainly cost her a few percent if I could have chosen myself. The difference between 9 and 11 isn't much and honestly, we would have needed the same table size for 9 people anyway. Fast forward to dessert. The birthday girl hushes the table and announces she has something to tell us all. She gets about 3 words out and Kim comes back and asks if we want to order dessert. Now, I think it was obvious 8 of us were hanging on birthday girl's every word, but Kim didn't notice. That's fine. Birthday girls says "could you please give us a moment?" Kim says "sure" but first lists off all the desserts while we all stare in wonderment. When she's done she stands there, and asks if we know what we want. Birthday girl says "could you please just give us a minute?" Exasperated sigh by Kim and she stalks off. We did order dessert, and she did put a candle in birthday girl's, which was very sweet. But I don't think I saw more than one smile over 2.5 hours. We had to flag her down to ask her to open wine for us, and we never did get more than 2 chillers. If you're going to be BYO, be BYO. Don't half ass it and act put off that you have to do some extra work. Despite the good food, I'll never go back to Coast because of Kim. I can't speak for my whole party, but I know a good portion of us feel the same way.
(2)
Amy K.

Well I've been here a number of times and eating in isn't too bad. The atmosphere warm and the wait staff has been nice (although they did charge for a dessert even though it was my friends birthday. Kind of cheesy). The best part is the BYOB. However I feel like they get away with hiking up the price for mediocre fish because of it. Also the wait is OUTRAGEOUSLY long even if you have a reservation. It is walking distance though so I can't say i won't be back. I ordered take out and found that the fish was actually worse than I remembered. It was actually kind of mushy...eeeewwww... Hopefully just a bad day for fish in general. So next time I will probably order Sushi Wabi and have my own BYOB in my living room.
(2)
Krystin I.

Eh. Not the place to go if you like real, honest sushi. I was really excited to try Coast after seeing "Check Please." My husband and I were a little disappointed, I hate to say, since I really wanted to love this place. It just felt very average. We yearned for fresh sashimi and innovative roles, but it seemed every maki roll contained either fried fish and/or way too much panko ("crunchies"). The food was decent, and the atmosphere tries to be club-ish. Didn't hate it, but didn't love it either. BYOB was a plus in my book though.
(3)
Kori M.

The sushi was good. Service was horrible. No such thing as personal space. The tables are literally like 5 inches away each other. Had to yell across the table to my date. Way too loud. NO SOY PAPER!!! That majorly sucked because I'm not a big fan of seaweed. Won't be returning which sucks because I truly enjoyed the sushi but the ambience was severly lacking and I'd actually like to hear what the person I am with is saying...
(2)
Scott H.

Awesome sushi. Great recommendations. BYOB. Affordable prices. Large portions. Stay away from the Shrimp head, even if you are like me and like to try things. Yuck! S&JApr08
(4)
Bryan D.

As far as sushi goes, Coast is definitely above average, but it's certainly not extraordinary. I tried raw oysters for the first time last night and was pleasantly surprised. It can get pretty busy and they do take reservations, but only for half the restaurant, so you can still walk in and get a table. It's a bit more expensive than I'd like it to be, but it has the atmosphere to qualify as a 'fancy' dinner for date night.
(4)
Michael H.

If you're looking for a scene, this is your place. If you're looking for excellent sushi, look elsewhere.
(2)
Jim K.

The BYOB aspect actually makes this place pretty affordable. I recommend the steak teriyaki. The only thing to stay away from is the kani pieces; they're way too small for the price.
(4)
Andrew A.

I chose Coast for Valentine's Day dinner with my wife based on Yelp reviews. She's beautiful and amazing and deserves the best. Coast is not the best. Service was extremely slow, the dining room so dark and loud we could barely see or hear each other. This was not helped by the fact that the tables were REALLY crammed together. I seriously think there wasn't much more than 8-10" between us the next diners on both sides. Their conversations, their complaints about the service, were practically on top of ours. The valet was also slow, and very haphazardly organized. As for the sushi, it should be said that one of the stars I'm awarding is for the White Dragon roll alone. I'd order it for carryout again if I had any inclination to give this place any more of my money. Which I don't at this point. Outside of that, the other three maki we had were inoffensive, and passable, but certainly not exceptional. Maki done well should have a variety of textures and flavors, and most of ours were one note, sometimes even a little mushy. We also sampled a special appetizer (the name of which escapes me now: it was a piece of fish wrapped in fish with a little fritter) which was outright unpleasant, with a strong briny bite and that fish "stink" you associate with old or cheap cuts of fish. Considering we paid, $11 for two bites, it was the biggest disappointment of the night. I had hoped Coast would give us an "upscale" sushi experience. I was looking forward to really treating the both of us and sharing our love of the cuisine, even prepared to spend triple digits. As it was, we couldn't wait to get out of there and move the evening someplace else.
(2)
Jenny T.

Mmm, mm, mmm! I have heard so many good things about Coast & let me tell you, they weren't lying. The sushi is fresh, the appetizers are just enough food to get a taste, and the desserts are to die for. The waitstaff is so, so helpful & is happy to help you make decisions based on what you like & are in the mood for. Coast was great from the food to the accommodating hosts & waitstaff. I was on time for the reservation, but the rest of the party was about 15 minutes late. After experiencing so many "you're entire party isn't here, so we'll have to give up your reservation", I was really nervous. I asked the host if this was going to be an issue & he told me not at all. Phew! Once the rest of my party arrived, we had many appetizers, such as the spicy crab cakes, the fresh salmon spring rolls, and the scallops. The salmon spring rolls were not at all what I was thinking (think Thai-style with tofu), but they were absolutely amazing. It was more like a piece of salmon wrapped inside a wonton wrapper. The salmon was so tasty that I was not disappointed whatsoever. I had the spider roll, which was fabulous. Very tasty & very filling. I tried to fresh Philly roll, which was yummy as well. Anything with avocado in it is a-ok with me. Speaking of avocado, these were the first rolls that I could actually taste the avocado & it was absolutely divine. The salmon teriyaki is out of this world as well. Geez, I don't think you can go wrong here. Honestly. Plus it's BYOB (kinda pricey, $5.00 per person who is drinking if you don't spend a total of $20.00 per person)! The desserts were unbelievable. I tried a chocolate mousse cake with chocolate covered strawberries. I don't even like chocolate that much, but damn I couldn't get enough. We then also had a dessert sampler with three different desserts. They were good, but the banana's wrapped in a wonton wrapper were..I don't even know an appropriate word for them. Heavenly? Scrumptious? Undeniable? Who knows, but you gotta try it. Coast was delicious, romantic, and somewhere where I'll definitely be seen again!
(5)
Tara C.

A tad bit over priced. But we had a group of eight which they accommodated pretty well. Although the only reservations they could give was early dinner or later night before closing. And they had a specific amount of time you could have the table for which I thought was strange (we had the table from 7-9:15pm). That was the first time I experienced a restaurant giving a specific amount of time you could stay at a table. They even had a limit of amount of alcohol we could bring as a group. For instance, one bottle of wine, one six pack of beer, or one bottle of sake per every two people at the table. With no hard liquor. So many rules for just a dinner.
(4)
Thomas B.

Affordable sushi, not super creative or out of this world fresh, but it's a hip place, byob, and as I said cheap. Super rude service. I order sashimi and they tried to tell me that my salmon was tuna. First of all I'm not stupid, and seeing that I already ordered toro, why would I order more tuna? When I asked them to correct it for me, they told me just to order more, which I did not want to, I am not a fat kid. So they had me use my used chop sticks to return the tuna to them. I mean really? That's kinda gross. There's better, but nonetheless, this is an option.
(3)
Amanda Z.

Ah - I love this place. Hands down, BEST sushi in Chicago. I don't care what anyone else tells you - Coast is where it's at! (and it's BYOB & it's super clean - triple wham bam!) The only thing that has ever made me cringe at Coast is the service you receive as a walk-in, obviously you're going to have to wait, but being rushed is a no-no. I live in the neighborhood so I have popped in a couple of times without any reservations - which is cool - I know I'm going to have to wait so I bring an extra bottle of wine to sip on. They have a section designated for walk-ins and I swear I get the same server every. freaking. time. and every freaking time, she rushes the dinner. So annoying. Just stop. No I have not looked at the menu yet. No I do not know what I'm going to order yet. No I am not done eating. Anyway, aside from that, Coast is great! Just make reservations and you're bound to have an awesome experience and eat the best sushi of your life. Favorite item & it's not on the menu: Yellowtail Carpaccio. Just ask for it :)
(4)
Diane H.

Underwhelmed by the experience and the food; it way okay, not great. Came here with a group of girls on a Friday night for a 7pm reservation. The decor was nice; typical for sushi spots around town that'd I've been to. We ordered a bunch of apps to share, but I'd probably skip them next time. We got ceviche, that I wish had more flavor, beef wrapped asparagus which was ill designed as a sharing plate, and some dumplings which were good. The miso soup was good, and I though it was cute how it was served in a cup meant for sipping. After the apps we ordered a bunch of rolls. We each ordered our own but shared as well. i got the special a summer roll. It was pretty disappointing that my roll came out a 5 minutes after someone else's summer roll and a good 15 minutes after the first round of rolls were ordered...not good timing for the delivery of our food. The rolls I sampled were good. Promptly at 9 we were asked to leave as the next party was waiting for the table. We were told this ahead of time when we made the reservation so it wasn't a surprise, but it was a new experience for me. Overall, there are other BYOB sushi spots that I'd probably pick before Coast next time.
(3)
Andrew D.

Brought girlfriend here for her birthday. Note that I told the staff we were coming here for her birthday. Yet, despite the request, we were initially seated at a table by the bus station. If it's one pet peeve I possess, it's being seated next to a bus station, especially when I requested a nice, intimate table. However, after this small hiccup, the experience was wonderful and just as everyone had described from fellow Yelpers to Metromix and Chicago Magazine. Armed with 2 bottles of Otto's Dream Sauvignon Blanc (one of the finest wines I've ever tasted and a great option with sushi), we got a nice intimate table in the back after waiting an extra 15 minutes. Because of the prior inconvenience, we were given complimentary Miso. The rolls here are unlike those of generic sushi place. The ingenuity and originality that the chefs here put in is truly untouchable minus a few of the other sushi elites in the city. We tried a spider roll, which exceeded expectations, really packed a punch. Then we had the unique "ceviche" roll which was better than we expected. Finally, we finished with the oyster roll - also great, I had never had oysters in sushi. At the conclusion of the meal, the waitress brought a trio of complimentary ice cream scoops. Coffee, green tea, and cinnamon (I think...) - all delicious and a cap to a nice evening. This could possibly be the best BYOB in Chicago.
(4)
Megan K.

Best. Dragon roll. Ever. BYOB - they say they have a limit of one bottle of wine or one six pack per two people, but I just carry a really big purse and, WOAH, where did that 2nd bottle of wine come from?! You can gorge yourself here without spending very much - with a group of four we usually spend $20 per person or less. This is my go-to sushi place in the city.
(5)
M P.

Who would have thought that you can get sushi this good in the Midwest where there's no coast. It was not as good as Hama (which is authentic and pretty hard to beat) but I'd say pretty good in my book.
(4)
Deb S.

After reading a lot of the recent negative reviews out there I felt compelled to write a positive one because our experience was above and beyond. Keep in mind we went on a Sunday afternoon, but the service was excellent. The waiter was informed about the menu/ specials and completely attentive. He came over with the ice bucket for our wine and uncorked it almost immediately. Add in that he had a good sense of humor and I thought the service was great. On to the food, which was delicious! We ordered 3 different rolls and an appetizer, but the true highlight was the chocolate dome cake with ginger ice cream. I shared this with my friend, but I wanted to knock her off the chair and eat it all myself. If you had a bad experience here, I would strongly recommend giving Coast another chance. This is a very popular Chicago spot so maybe try it during a traditionally less busy time for the optimal experience.
(4)
Holly O.

After YEARS of people telling me to go here, I finally did on Saturday, with some old college friends - and it was, indeed, AWESOME. Problem, though - they were just featured on "Check Please" - so now they're even busier. Good for them, bad for patrons. We came at 6:30 on a Saturday with no reso, expecting to have to wait - which we did, but an hour & 15 minutes is not so bad when they let you drink your wine in the waiting area. Nice! Literally, though, starting at 6:45 the waiting area became standing room only, so if you're gonna try to go on a Sat without a reso, go early or else. Thank you fellow Yelpers, because you were RIGHT ON with the "White Dragon" recommendation, and the "Red V". In fact, we liked the White Dragon so much, we ordered another round of it. Yummmmmmm... Successful night was had by all.
(5)
Annette Q.

I don't usually write reviews but in this case, I need to share our horrid experience. I've also waited a couple of days before writing this so I could write a less scathing review. We went in on 1/1/13 for a friend's birthday celebration. We were a party of 10. First off, we were seated by the windows & door. It was wicked cold as are Chicago winters. The birthday girl came in half frozen & asked for hot tea. They'd run out of tea....really? The area in which we were seated was only a couple of degrees warmer than it was outside. The bday girl AND her husband, on separate occasions asked if we could move to the other room but were told no. I didn't want to appear wimpy & was pulling my coat onto my leg but when my boyfriend actually put on his coat & gloves, I too, put on my coat. The gentleman next to me apologetically put on his sweater & mumbled something about layers as his wife had her scarf wrapped around her neck. I later found out that the bday girl also had her coat over her legs. I've read up on the reviews of this establishment & have noticed that service is not always the best quality. Well, par for the course. Once our entire party was seated, our server asked if anyone was there for the first time. I raised my hand & said, 'Me!' She looked me in the eye & went onto a different subject. I'm still wondering if she was just taking a poll without an end result. Our server took our order & I ordered 2 rolls. I guess it's the fashion to haphazardly place whatever rolls & pieces on which ever plate. One of my rolls ended up by me with someone else's roll on the same plate & my other roll ended up on the other end of the table. I had to pass my plate down to I could get my other roll. I knew that wasabi was available since I had some with appetizers. Of course there wasn't any on my end of the table so once again, my plate took a journey to the other end of the table for a chunk of the green stuff. I then thought it strange that pickled ginger wasn't being served (the plate with my ebi & the other roll looked quite desolate without wasabi & ginger). I noticed ginger on someone's plate & when I asked, they said, 'Yeah! We've got some! Pass your plate down!!' so for the third time, my plate was hiked over to the other end of the table. When my bf went to the restroom, he noticed that there was definitely room for our party in the other room so why my friends were told that we couldn't move is a mystery to me. I ended up texting the bday girl apologizing that were going to eat & run It was truly that cold. I let her know that we'd be going for sushi & a much warmer & longer experience in the near future. She apologized to me which of course I let her know wasn't her fault. I give this establishment one star because the sushi was decent. I can't see any reason to return to this place. There are many other sushi restaurants that have good sushi & good service without all the ridiculousness.
(1)
Kate J.

My boyfriend and I came here on Sunday evening for a nice sushi dinner. I had made 7pm reservations, we were seated immediately. I had never been but had heard great things about it. Our waiter came, took our drink order and we ordered a appetizer- tempura shrimp. It was average, fried shrimp, nothing special. We then ordered our entrees. We each got 2 rolls- while everyone else was being seated , served (rather quickly mind you) nearly 40 minutes had gone by, no sign of our waiter nor our sushi. I saw a platter sitting at the end of the sushi bar, and every waiter looked at the tag, the tray and walked right past. It was nearly 50 minutes by the time our server realized it was ours and brought it to us. Neither my boyfriend or I are ones to complain, he was a OK server, only came to our table roughly 3-4 times. The sushi was delicious, and definitely would give that 5 stars. But, the service, SUCKED. It was terrible.. he never came to refill our drinks, we both had unsweetened tea, and practically forgot about us. I'm not sure of who our server was; but, he was terrible.
(3)
Anna P.

I love Coast Sushi. GO now if you have not been yet.
(5)
Jo N.

Best sushi ever! Great atmosphere as well. It's a byob kind of place so that's a huge money saver :)
(5)
Jodi K.

The sushi is ok but very expensive for what it is. Every chance that they get they add extra charges. $1.00 for cucumber in a roll... $2.00 for spicy sauce. The service was subpar and the overall experience was less than impressive. While the sushi was ok/good I would never return.
(2)
A.J. M.

Went here for one of my many birthday dinners. Was stunned at how crowded it was for a Wednesday night. Thankfully, we had reservations, but the place was packed and booming. The server was very good at getting us familiar with the menu, and recommended an appetizer while we waited for the rolls. We had the sake shu mai (I believe). It was fantastic and was a nice starter while waiting. Our four rolls came, and they were presented beautifully and just looked great. While we enjoyed each one, the crab was our least favorite, while the night's special roll, Firecracker, was a beauty of both appearance and taste. It was one of the best rolls I've ever eaten, and the other two rolls (Po Boy and a simple spicy hamachi) were also succulent and just executed perfectly. Sure, the Po Boy is quite big, but it's still not as obnoxious as some JUMBO rolls can be. Overall, Coast was fresh, tasty, and definitely worth going back. And hell, it's BYOB, so that keeps things at a reasonable price point!
(5)
Sunil D.

A really fun spot to go to with a group of friends. Great sushi, great service ( a roll of the dice apparently, as the waiter told us how most of his counterparts "suck"....in a half joking tongue in cheek manner). The rolls were all very creative and fresh, a step up from your standard Chicago BYOB Sushi spot. Some of our favorites besides the rolls were the Tropical Ceviche and some new pork belly appetizer that wasn't on the menu yet, but was one of the best things I've eaten in a long time. I'm usually not a fan of BYOBs, I seem to never bring enough (or rarely too much) wine. Fortunately there is a well stocked 7-11 that carries a decent win selection (for a 7-11) across the street, which is convenient.
(4)
Kristie C.

so i only go this to-go, but seriously amazingly fresh sushi. it's hard for me to eat a ton of nirgiri/sashimi, but this place really hits the spot. try their (+) sunrise roll, mango w/tuna, SUPER good (+) even their california roll is superb- from the thinly sliced cucumbers, to the way it's sliced, etc. just try it! (-) appetizer - chicken udon soup, a little too sweet. tastes like there's msg :( definitely will have to come back and try more stuff here!! make reservations in advance
(5)
Joe H.

Coast is a great place to go with friends or with a date. My wife and have done this place as "date-night" a few times and have a great time. Last time there was with my brothers and their wives. This is a BYOB place and they're real good about that. They'll show up at the table with glasses ready to go right out of the gate. Also, they have a bottle policy, it's like one bottle per couple, at a time but I've never seen them say anything about it. The sushi is great. The Tuna-On-Top is one of my all-time favorites. I love this and get this every time I go. Really, you could order anything from this menu and not be disappointed. My wife doesn't eat seafood (Yeah, that's weird that she loves sushi) so she always orders some form of veggie roll. I've tried the roll, and it's very good as well. Service is always solid. If you ask them a question, such as what they'd choose, you'll always get honesty. It's nice to get on when asked. Very solid service. I've never had bad service. I'll continue to go this place.
(4)
Philip J.

Amazing sushi! Try the angry salmon. It's not on the menu. You will not be disappointed. I have been coming here for years. Best sushi in Chicago.
(5)
Marisa P.

I've tried to love this place since it always gets so much hype, but I always leave here with a lackluster experience. The Hamachi carpacio is delicious, but hardly worth $13. I can't even remember the other maki we had, it was that unmemorable. We ordered a few rolls that were supposed to be spicy, but they lacked flavor and depth. I've given up on Coast and have become an Enso groupie.
(3)
Alison M.

I don't understand the mediocre reviews. I thought this was a sushi restaurant at its best. BYOB with a great little waiting area where you can drink your wine. Great sushi. Reasonably sized rolls - not so big that you have to choke them down. The hamaci carpacio appetizer was probably the highlight, but my table really enjoyed the white dragon, coast crab, and ceviche rolls as well. Nice ambiance. Good service. No complaints from me; this was a 5 star experience all around.
(5)
Raquel D.

I don't really get the hype that surrounds this place. Yes, it is tasty and fresh. Yes, it comes out pretty. Yes, it's BYOB - with a corkage fee. But the service is slow and you always have to wait so be sure to make a reservation. Normally a wait on any given day would strike me as a good thing, but I honestly think it's just b/c they are slow. I dunno... Don't get me wrong, it's def good, but if I remember correctly, it's on the pricier side. I have been here multiple times, especially for bday celebrations so I guess that would make it a sorta "special occasion spot"? Well, whatever the case, it's good stuff - it just doesn't necessarily pop into mind when I'm needin my sushi fix. With that said, I'd prob be back for another occasion should someone decide to have it there.
(3)
Sara B.

I'm moving far away this summer to a place halfway across the world. My time in Chicago is coming to an end and, frankly, there's a lot I won't miss. Coast, among a handful of other places, will definitely receive a weepy goodbye from me. I love Coast. I always have. Truly, it is one of the top 3 best sushi places I have ever been to...anywhere. The fish melts in your mouth and the maki mono never looks or tastes like it was just baptized in rice. Sure, it's a wee bit on the pricey side but if entrance into Heaven required a bottle of wine and $100 (which is usually what I spend on average when it's my boyfriend and I) then I'd say most people would gladly pay up. I know I would, and do. This, my friends, is sushi divinity. Hell yeah.
(4)
Tim S.

I know I am the last person in the world to try Sushi, but in the spirit of expanding my horizons... why not. Full disclosure... I don't eat fish, always found fish to taste "fishy" and if Fish wasn't "Poison" why is the French translation Poisson... So, Reservations for 6:30, immediately seated, water glasses filled and the our server (Greg I believe) stopped by to open our bottle and tell us the specials. As a Sushi Virgin I have no idea what I am looking at on the menu so I deferred the ordering to my guide through this ordeal... Start Asparagus wrapped with Beef in a delicious sauce (hey baby steps I'm in a Sushi Restaurant). Now the adventure begins... White Dragon Roll, Crunchy Tuna Roll and an item not on the menu a Jalapeno roll. I know, I know, not to adventurous for all you cool kids that are versed in Sushi. To my surprise I survived and actually liked it... a lot. Asked our server for a recommendation for a final roll. He came back with another item not on the menu that had Caviar dabbed on the top with a Japanese leaf that was similar to Basil. Me Caviar? Delicious. For my first foray into Sushi I have to say I will be back to be a little more adventurous. My lovely guide took it easy on me and for that I appreciate it. Thank you Coast, now I can't bail the next time someone mentions Sushi.
(4)
Kori E.

Yummy! My boyfriend and I live about a 10 minute walk away from this place and this is the first time it struck us to walk down here for dinner! Silly us! Anyways, we have been to the Coast in the South Loop and I had been to this location once before and it was as good as I remembered. We started off with the halibut carpaccio and it was to die for! It was so fresh and the flavor was like an explosion in your mouth! We then had the specialty volcano roll, which was spicy and delicious and a few other rolls. The only downside I would say to Coast is there BYOB rule, of only one bottle per 2 people. And $1 per person for BOYB dessert. It just seems a little nit picky to start setting limits on what people can bring in. Its just seems a bit silly!
(4)
Mary H.

Unlike most BYOB restaurants in Chicago (which tend to be small, hole-in-the-wall type places), Coast has a funky, modern and hip atmosphere. The food is really good, reasonably priced and the service is exceptional. A great place to come with a larger group - especially if you're looking to impress out of towners! Try the sweet potato roll - it was to die for!
(5)
Lynn R.

BYOB places hold a special place in my heart. But it's not enough to win me over with this only; my wine needs to be paired with a fine meal. Coast, you deliver. A note to all interested in trying this place out: Make a Reservation. Came in at 630pm with a reservation and most of the tables were already filled. By the time I left around 8, it was even more packed. The good news has traveled fast apparently. The rolls are phenom. They have their specialty maki and a few others on their regular menu that I've never even seen at other places. Ordered the Ceviche, Spicy Scallop, Rainbow, and Spicy Sweet Potato. My favorite out of all of them? The sweet potato. It's their vegetarian best seller and I'm not even a vegetarian! It had a hint of spiciness balanced by the sweetness of the potato and I really liked the crunchy texture. The other rolls were just as delish and were well rolled so I didn't have to worry about my amateur chopstick skills butchering the presentation. Our waitress was very friendly and good about making recommendations and asking any questions. I liked it because she was there when we needed her, but not overbearing and hovering.
(4)
Jessica T.

Great sushi every time I've ordered. Some of their rolls are a little expensive, but they never disappoint. I've dinned in at Coast and ordered to go.
(5)
Jeff R.

For whatever reason it took me a long time to dine at Coast in Bucktown even though it's been around with many high marks. I've waited about a month to write about our meal so I can't recall each maki roll we ordered but it doesn't matter. The food is very good and the atmosphere is lively and fun due in no small part to the BYOB policy. It's classier and trendier than your neighborhood BYO which means it's slightly harder to get into but the food is clearly better. I really think it's one of the better all around BYO sushi places I've been to in a while - especially in the area. It may not "wow" you with everything on the table and you know the servers are desperately trying to turn tables - but a few rolls stood out for excellent flavors. And finally, the value is better than average for good service and a fun experience in a good setting. We started with my favorite - an order of gomae - and it came in a funny presentation of three small separate pieces instead of a large one. that didn't matter because it was tasty with a nice sesame sauce. We also tried two of the specials: one sashimi and another salmon type roll with something in the middle. I really liked the sashimi with a hot pepper and a little kick. Refreshing and simple. As the first picture demonstrates,we ordered a lot of food for the four of us. We ate it all fast enough to order a couple extra too. Everything was great and I don't quite remember which rolls were my favorite. We used spicy rolls when possible and enjoyed the liberal use of tempura flakes or crunchy this and that. The menu is plenty large to keep you satisfied and interested for many visits. There's a good reason Coast remains one of the more popular sushi restaurants in town, especially one that combines high quality and a BYO policy. Maybe I'm late to the game but I'm glad I made it eventually - coast is a solid choice for a fun night (just remember to make reservations and avoid the my previous mistake).
(4)
Sylvie S.

Coast makes sushi taste like no other sushi in my opinion. Most people do find sushi pretty gross and disgusting because it is raw fish. In my opinion I absolutely love it and am a huge fan. I have been to many sushi restaurants in not just Chicago but many other states and so far i have found that Coast as my favorite. Everyone does have there own opinion about Coast but in my opinion I absolutely loved it. Everyone knows that if a sushi restaurant is warm and gross looking it most likely will get you sick. Not in Coasts case, yes the restaurant is freezing but that is the best thing for the sushi which means its fresh. As many times as i have been there the sushi has not yet disappointed me yet and they do always present the sushi very elegant and nice. Another thing I noticed about going to Coast is that it is really a good idea to get there around 7 or 8 because by then it does get very crowded, so if you are planning on having a nice dinner or even a nice romantic date you will not be disturbed by many people the con about Coast is it is very Crowded and kind of tight spaced but that doesn't mean you always need to go with a big Group. One of my favorite rolls would have to be the Rainbow Roll because I absolutely love all the fish on top and the roll all together. I would recommend this restaurant for a nice get together with friends or even a date. Coast is Check plus for me ! :)
(4)
Jonathan C.

The best thing by far is the BYOB. The place is decorated like a lounge, and not like a sushi place. It looks nice, its trendy looking inside which is pretty cool. For an app we got the Hamachi Carpacio. The Hamachi was really really thin and was covered in lime and other sauces. So it was more like ceviche strips. While ceviche is good, I wanted something raw. The Maki was not that amazing in my opinion. It was covered in so many tempura crumbs you couldn't even taste other textures. Lots of their signature rolls had avocado AND cream cheese together. Thats too much creamy and not enough fishy. The best thing by far was their sunshine roll. It had the perfect amount of mango to complement the rest of the roll. All in all, not the place I expected from all the raving about
(2)
Andre W.

The Sunrise Roll (wow!) Spicy Tuna Spicy Salmon Creamy Spicy Tuna Crunchy Spicy Tuna The ginger was the best I ever had Not too crowded at 10:30 on a Friday evening Coast, could you possibly posses the best sushi I have had outside of my rendezvous in Miami....Hmmmmm
(5)
Patty M.

Fantastic place! Food was amazing, and BYOB! I thought the prices were pretty reasonable too - we ordered a lot of food, and it came to about $35/person. Best sushi I've had in a long time!
(5)
Libby T.

byob delicious sushi in bucktown - i miss it so! often a wait. give your # to the waitress then go around the corner for a cocktail at danny's around the corner.
(5)
Emily N.

Yay for date night! Finally got back to Coast after a few years and it was better than I remembered. Although, I did get take out last time... Strolled in on a busy Thursday night and were greeted with a 30 minute wait. Gave the hostess my cell and chilled out in the car with just enough time for each of us to finish a beer. BYOB six packs come in handy while waiting to be seated. We grabbed a (surprisingly comfy) seat at the sushi bar. It was pretty neat to watch the precision and artistry of the chefs. With our beers on ice, we were ready to start ordering ,what turned into, a gluttonous feast. Spicy miso soup and seaweed salad to start. Both totally hit the spot. The softshell crab appetizer was to die for for, as were the scallops. We ended up getting like 3 or 4 rolls, all equally delicious. But the crowning glory was the toro topped with a quail egg. Total mouthgasm! I'll go back just for that. We finished with a mix of the ice creams, my favorite was the ginger. Perfect way to end the meal. The atmosphere here is exactly what you'd expect for Bucktown. The service was stellar, amazing sushi and BYOB. How can you go wrong?
(5)
Colleen C.

Let's go over the happy moments: BYOB (bubbly for all!) Chic, stylish setting Very above average sushi Four of the best females I know in Chicago. Take reservations (Monday night, still pretty packed) Now, the not-so-happy moments: A "dessert fee" for bringing our own birthday treat (I get it, but still. Blah...if their desserts were any good, it would be one thing, but they are pretty standard fare.) -Waitress coming up at the end of the meal: Her: You guys know about the dessert fee, right? Us: Oh yes, we were made aware when we made a reservation. Her: Oh, ok. Well, I wasn't going to charge you, but now that I know you know, and that "they" know (who's they!?), then I'll just add it to the bill. Us: Um, ok. ::::she leaves::: Me: Moral of the story, NEVER admit you know anything. Friends: right. The real kicker: We brought 4 cupcakes (I was abstaining), and were charged $5. ($1 per person). I realize this is trivial, but coupled with the above statement...ULTRA tack-o-rama. Other items of interest: I tried the Seared Tuna with carmelized sweet potato slices. The tuna was fresh, lovely, well presented, but the sweet taters were badly undercooked...never should they "crunch." Eh, kind of ruined it for me, and at a $20 entree....this shouldn't be an issue. Still a stellar spot for BYO sushi. Def make a reservation (even during the week), and if you are bringing cupcakes, prepare thyselves for the fee....or just pretend you don't know anything, and then maybe you won't get charged? Weird. :) PS. work on the bathrooms. If I am paying a good $50 for my meal, the soap dispenser shouldn't be all busted, and it should be CLEAN.
(3)
Giji F.

Safe & Boring sushi...too dark you can't see the plate presentation. Soggy spider roll, white dragon is not bad. The mood is good. Sorry but the quality is not great, tastes like a $2.00 sushi place.
(2)
Mike K.

This place has great sushi!! and the fact is is BYOB is awesome! BUT they throw gratuity are parities greater then 5 or more.. So we had six people and our server wasnt that attentive. We asked for cups for sake bombs which never arrived after 20 minutes so i had to go up to the busser and ask him again. Then he gave us dirty glasses.. Anything extra that we ordered took forever.. if i do come back it will be with 3 or 4 people just so our server can earn his/her tip!!
(3)
Jeff A.

Coast always pleases me, we were hungry and it was late, coast was open! We forgot to bring our own drinks, don't forget this is a BYOB... The sushi was on point, really fresh and really good, we ate very light and left very satisfied, our server was so nice, I mean really cool! My only complaint was chipped china and glasses, actually had two pieces of chipped china and a chipped glass... I have a ceramics technology background and chipped china is a food-born illness hazard and chipped glasses can cause injury, so I strongly suggest that you kidz at Coast go through and throw out the old dishes maybe start over completely...
(3)
Angie M.

Angie's List of Reasons Why I Love Coast: 1. Variety - There's no shortage of maki rolls on the menu at Coast. Some personal faves are the Coast Crab, Ceviche, Sunrise, White Dragon, Wasabi and Sweet Potato (Don't judge. It's awesome). 2. Bite sized pieces - Sounds like an odd selling point, right? But I love the fact that the rolls are small enough to be bite sized. This means I'm not battling with having to take down a roll slice in 2 or 3 bites, which is messy. And you don't get every flavor into your mouth at the same time. And let's be honest, it's pretty unladylike. So the one bite roll slices at Coast are tops. 3. BYOB - Although there is an annoying new rule that you can only have 1 bottle of vino per 2 people. Pffft.... 4. Relatively inexpensive - We're not talking dirt cheap sushi (actually, really cheap sushi kind of scares me), but it's affordable. I love Coast. It's one of the best around. Although I always TRY other sushi joints, I always come back to Coast. Kind of like a good for nothing ex-boyfriend that you just can't let go...
(5)
Jason M.

Some of the best sushi in the city. Great prices and high quality. Try the volcano, spicy creamy, and spicy scallop. Plus BYOB! You won't be disappointed
(4)
Nicole B.

Total deliciousness. Ordered the white dragon roll, one of the specials, and the soft shell crab appetizer. We split it between two of us, and it was more than enough food. Also, we went on a Saturday night without a reservation, and I had figured there would be a wait, but it wasn't too bad. They told us 45 minutes, but it really only took about 20-25 minutes until we were seated. The lighting is very dim, but it works. My only gripe is that the line for the bathroom is ridiculously long, as there's only one bathroom for women, and one for men. And the fact that some girls take 10 minutes in the bathroom (really? what are you bitches doing in there??) is a little too crazypants for me.
(4)
Jonathan J.

Good spot in a good location that is easy to get to. The sushi is very fresh and prepared beautifully, and I prefer a BYOB spot. The service was good, and all-in-all it was a great experience. I know I'll be coming back again son.
(5)
S.Y. D.

As avid sushi eater, I'm pretty tough when it comes to completely impressing me on great maki rolls. For the value, atmosphere and quality of seafood, you can't go wrong with Coast. The fact that is is BYOB is also an added bonus. I would recommend making reservations in advance but if you didn't, the wait is worth it! I come there at least once a month and I'm always drawn to to the White Dragon Maki roll. My other favorite rolls is the Volcano for a kick of good spice and their spicy tuna. I think I've had all their rolls to date and there isn't one that I would classify as bad. The appertizers are also great. I'm particularly a big fan of the aparagus beef and tuna tartare.
(5)
Julia J.

So, I'm guilty of buying into the hype of this place. It does have its issues, but I still really enjoy it and have had great experiences each time I've gone. I love that it's BYOB because it cuts down on the cost. Their specialty maki can be pretty pricey, so I like the option of bringing my own wine or sake. Like a lot of others, I love the white dragon roll, and I can't say there is anything on the menu that I didn't enjoy. I had the oysters one night and a few of the other menu items, which have all been fresh. The service has always been fine...not amazing, but nothing to get your panties in a bunch about. Besides, it's always packed in there, so you have cut your service people a little bit of slack. I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Amy H.

I am not an expert on sushi. In fact, this was only my second time ever eating it. So I'm not sure if Coast is "as good as it gets" 5 STARS, because I don't have any experience to base it on. I will say that Coast was pretty damned good! We started with some yellow fin with lime, cilantro, and jalapeno. So good! Our server mentioned having some fresh oysters that had just been flown in so we tried those too. OMG! Praise Jesus! Phenomenal. I could have eaten plates and plates of the oysters and yellow fin appetizers, but we moved on to some rolls. The spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls were ok. The white dragon roll was probably the best thing that I've ever had in my mouth. It was so good that we ordered another one along with a shrimp tempura atop a roll with asparagus inside. I really loved Coast. The food was really good. It's BYOB. The atmosphere was nice. The staff was friendly. If my date hadn't gotten wasted off of the sake the night would have been perfect.
(4)
Jennifer H.

I was told about Coast several years ago and finally went. I wish I would have went sooner. This was some of the best sushi I have ever had. The Firecracker roll (not on regular menu but ask for it) was amazing. It was a little pricey at $19 but worth every penny. We also had the white dragon, spicy tuna, and coast crab. The service was great, presentation was impressive, and you can't go wrong with BYOB
(5)
Abe Z.

I'm a huge Sushi Lover, I've had Sushi In Seattle,New York,Las Vegas,California you name it I've tried it. I'm not saying this place is the best because I'm from chicago but Coast Sushi has never failed to Impress me. Every Time i go there it feels like my first time. The Sushi is soooo fresh and just melts in your mouthh aahhhh lol cant talk about it now. I always get the same rolls the White Dragon is by far my fav. The Spicy Scallop,Spicy Ebi and the Najma Jalapeno. It's also byob which is pretty cool. You Must try this place !!
(5)
Robert B.

Right now our favorite, love that i can order delivery on line and don't need to talk to anyone. I can be a bit antisocial. Wish (or hope) you can get alchohol there now. I haven't physically been to the place in a while. Sushi Wabi, I think closed, which was my comparable
(5)
Samuel M.

Came here with a group of 5 for a sloshy Saturday night dinner. We called on Thursday for a res and they were already booked, so we had to go the Patrick Bateman-unapproved route with no reservation. The wait wound up being epic (over 1.5 hours), but that is to be expected for a swanky establishment at peak dining hours on a Saturday. Plus Map Room is 2 blocks away, so we didn't have much of a problem with this at all. Service was prompt and attentive. All of the rolls were fresh and interestingly presented - the crunchy spicy tuna with avocado was my personal favorite, served with all the pieces stacked into a pyramid doused in panko. Very unique. The regular spicy tuna was also good, and even the kappa (cucumber and avocado), ordinarily mediocre, was delicious. Unfortunately for this review but fortunately for my life, last night was a sorry for partying moment for me, so I don't remember much more than that. I was almost certainly belligerent and was by no means the only one in the joint, so that's more points for Coast. The bill didn't hurt by any means (under $20 per person for a large amount of sushi). I'm definitely going to be back - this is definitely my new go-to for BYOB sushi. I'd advise making reservations ~1 week in advance to mitigate the wait. Highly recommend!
(4)
Marizza R.

I stopped into Coast about a month ago. My brother was in town and is a BIG fan of sushi so my boyfriend and I decided that we'd splurge on dinner that night. All the rolls that came out were fantabulous! Not one complaint. Everything was fresh and the wine we brought paired very well with our meal. The only dilemma was the service, as it was a Saturday night, and our waitress forgot to attend to our table on several requested occasions. Aside from the poor service the food was great.
(4)
Michael S.

Tried this place after a recommendation from a friend who said the sushi is good and the place is the best. Well this place is good and the sushi is quite good too...What I did not expect was the really long wait late on a late Thursday night. Came here and we were seated right away. Decor was the usual dark and trendy looking atmosphere.. Nothing really original there.. As far the sushi goes, I thought the quality was pretty good. I liked the coast crab maki and the volcano roll. The Po' boy maki had lots of fish in it, but it kind of felt like House of Sushi in taste.. So the food was good. I wouldn't say it' is as good as some of my favorite places, but it's definitely better than most. What sucked was the wait to be served. It was excessive and since we were dining so late we were absolutely starving by the time the food came. The waitress was nice and did refill our drinks promptly and apologized for the wait so that was a saving grace.. Didn't bring anything to drink as we didn't expect to dine here, but I think this is the essence on why this place is so popular. It's in a trendy neighborhood and it offers BYOB sushi. Coast still dinged my wallet and for the price you can get a better value elsewhere, but it's not too bad.. Will have to try this place again in the future and bring some booze.. For now it's a 3.5 star place to me.. Better than just okay, but not a fan of this place.. At least until I take advantage of their BYOB...
(3)
Meridith E.

If you're wanting great sushi, at a decent price, with some great service and nice atmosphere, this is the place to go. Coast has a great space, with two joining dining spaces and limited seating at the sushi bar itself. They take reservations, and I recommend that you make one if you want to have an "adult dinner time" at/after 7pm. If you don't, you could wait for a bit. Also, it's BYOB....with a 7-11 across the street and boozy shop up on the corner in case you forget to bring your beverages. The sushi always tastes fresh, and the servers will help you figure out which rolls your table would like if there are picky sushi eaters. They do specials depending on the season, and I have never had a bad experience when I've tried them. Their dragon roll is the best I've had in the city, and their shitake roll is delicious (there's something in the marinade they use). Other recommendations would be the spicy tuna and ceviche rolls! P.S. Their take-out is pretty good, too, and is quick!
(4)
Amy K.

It's okay, a bit pricey for sushi especially when Chicago has so many other places to pick from, I prefer Bob San's rolls whether dine in or take out and it's about the same price. Just depends on what you're craving in sushi and we all have our favorite spots, this just wasn't the one for me.
(3)
Erik B.

We have been here 3 times and it keeps getting worse. The sushi is very mediocre and the service the last time was horrible. This is the most overrated sushi place we have eaten at in the city. We will not be coming back.
(1)
Lauren B.

I have heard great things about this BYOB sushi place so I figured I would give it a try. I went to dinner on Labor Day with a few girlfriends, and thankfully it was no were near as packed and loud as others have stated it would be. Unfortunately your service when dining at a restaurant can really make or break your opinion......in this case we received what I consider to be a poor service. Our waitress was quite neglectful and slow when she was paying us attention. In terms of the cuisine, the fish was fresh and tasty but a bit expensive for a byob place. My girlfriends had the beef and asparagus appetizer and informed me they have had better, Suffice it to say, I wont be coming back......I think there are better sushi establishments in our great city. Thats just my opinion
(2)
Courtney C.

I really want to like Coast, and at one point 2 years ago, I did. But it's time to break up. And it's you, not me. I love BYO places. And I love sushi. Which is why I used to be in love with Coast. But now the maki rolls are mediocre, the noise is deafening, and the diners are obnoxious. They do not enforce their "one bottle per two people" rule which results in gaggles of sad, drunk, single girls having a girls-night-out, during which everyone yells and cackles in ear-drum cracking decibels at a table five inches away from yours. In addition to the overly-loud atmosphere, it is too dark to read the menu and to see what you are eating, which might be a good thing, since their food has gone down-hill. Since I have had to end my relationship with Coast, my new fave BYO sushi place is Wasabi on Milwaukee. Their maki rolls are much better, their prices are similar, its not that far away, and I don't leave wishing I had punched the drunk girl sitting at the next table.
(2)
Timothy L.

The best sushi in Chicago, period. The specialty rolls are creative, yet not over the top - which is easy enough to do and ruin the genius of it. But it is the simple rolls that you can genuinely experience the care and quality that goes into every ingredient prepared at this restaurant. The spicy shrimp roll, while very simple, is far from generic with its juicy shrimp pieces, perfectly spiced, and glittered with roe. This is my favorite sushi roll ever. That's saying a lot considering I eat sushi weekly and at at least a dozen different places across Chicago. And the BYOB part....just inspires me to splurge more every time!
(5)
Ebs B.

Fresh and excellent tasting sushi would give this place 5 stars. However, the noise level is atrocious. I couldn't hear the person sitting right next because of the noise level. Plus, the server did not refill our drinks until we finally had to ask the busboy. Although the rolls were not really creative, they were solid and what sushi should be. They were rolled tightly and tasted great. The prices were middle of the road as far as sushi restaurants go. I will definitely be frequenting this place again.
(4)
Doug v.

Wow. Bucktown. How you've changed. Wish Coast was there when I lived at McLean & Damen back in the '90's & early Aughts. Not that there was ANYTHING wrong with Nick's Chicken Pit (as we used to affectionately call it)! Awesome place, Coast. All food was fantastic and the sushi extremely fresh. The rolls have a rather playful quality to them...working with contrasts: crunchy-chewy, crisp-slippery, cool-warm, spicy-sweet. Flavors are bright, balanced & perfectly controlled. The service was spot on. The ambiance is appropriate for a Bucktown sushi house (read sushi house decor with tragically hip, tragically monied clientelle). We wound up there when a friend requested we take her for her birthday as she was craving the white dragon roll. Now I understand why. It's a must. Also be sure to request the now-off-the-menu popper roll. And if you're Family, pair it with the rainbow roll along side. (No snickers from those of Rainbow Nation. Oh, ok, go ahead. Snicker. The husband and I did. Our straight female company were clueless.) Not only are they visually stunning together, but they taste amazing. Wow...did that sound gay. Oh well, you get my meaning. The standbys such as spicy crunchy tuna hold up as well. Suffice to say, we made pigs of ourselves. Move over Rise!
(4)
Ashley K.

One of my all time favorite sushi spots. If it wasn't so out of my way, I'd eat here a whole lot more. I love that they have spicy miso. Every sushi place has miso soup - how hard is it to throw a couple jalapenos in there and make it spicy miso?? Apparently hard because not enough places do it. I've never had anything from here that I didn't like but some of my favorites are the coast crab and the white dragon. I don't find that the prices are too expensive for the quality of the food and the freshness of the fish. I also love that this place is BYOB and that there is a liquor store conveniently located down the block. Coast - please do me a favor and relocate right outside my front door.
(4)
Chelsea F.

Coast, I wanted to give you four stars, I really did but let me tell you why I didn't. The people that work there, including the managers, are rude. They have no problem asking you to leave when they need your table, they have no problem not honoring your reservation and making you wait 30 minutes even when you have one. They have no problem charging you for the other 3 pieces of rolls you didn't eat even when everybody else at the table didn't like it. Guess what? Everybody tried it, nobody liked it. Their BYOB "policy" is dumb - seriously, you're a restaurant, people sometimes sit and squat - that's just part of the biz, okay? Other than that, you do, for the most part, make pretty good sushi. My recos are the White Dragon of course, Crunchy Spicy Tuna, and pretty much everything else - except the Po Boy. The Po Boy just has too many things going on in it and it's not pleasant to eat. Don't eat it if you're out on a date! Apps - try the Hamachi Carparcio, so good! Desserts - mochi all the way! Don't get the fruit sticks. They are literally piceces of fruit with Hersey's dipping sauce. I mean, seriously, I can do that at home. Overall - you go there for the food, not the service.
(3)
Kay M.

Yum! When I moved to Bucktown I was looking for my new favorite sushi spot (used to be Sushi House in Oak Park before their chef Yoshi left - WHERE DID HE GO?!) Rolls are great, not too much rice so Im not stuffed full of it and can enjoy all the flavors in my sushi. Ceviche and White Dragon (sans cream cheese) are my personal favorites and the Angry Salmon appetizer is THE BEST. BYOB is always appreciated.
(5)
Josephine L.

I heart this place so much. It has everything you could want in a restaurant: beautiful decor, pleasant atmosphere, attentive service, even a fantastic location (hello Bucktown!) but most of all, the food is exquisite. I was initially worried that Coast Sushi wouldn't live up to all the hype, but it surely does. You must, must try their signature makis. That is what they're famous for. My picks are the Wasabi, Coast Crab, Ceviche and Volcano. I don't even like wasabi, but I definitely liked the Wasabi roll. And did I mention that it's in Bucktown? On a strip of N. Damen Ave. filled with gorgeous, unique clothing boutiques. If you're a sushi-loving fashionista (i.e. any woman over 18 living in a big city), this place will seem like the brainchild (and love child) of Vogue and Gourmet. Bring money. You WILL spend it.
(5)
Julie A.

Maybe I'm missing something? I don't understand why so many people think this place is so mind blowing. Its nothing special sushi at ridiculous prices. We had a larger party, and they told us that we couldn't do a 7:00 reservation, on a Tuesday, and that we had to do the 6:30. Why? There was no one in there until 8:30. So what was the big deal? Regardless, its just ok, and there's better sushi in this city.
(3)
Abeer A.

This place has amazing sushi, probably the best I've had! Their specialty rolls particularly won my heart over! Ambiance is nice, dimmed lighting-but a little too loud for my taste! Do not think you can stroll in here without reservations, you will have to wait, a really long time! Definitely will go again!
(4)
Katie D.

A great sushi place in town for the perfect price. A fabulous place for a date or even to hang out with a bunch of friends. The dim lights makes gives a different look and best part is its BYOB.
(4)
Kimberly T.

The sushi here is good! The spicy yellowtail roll was AMAZING! The first yellowtail roll I've ever had was at Nobu in Miami and the two compare in taste. The dim lights very sexy. The service was excellent and the parking wasn't to bad. See you soon Coast.
(5)
Adele n.

The goods: - Pretty nice environment (if you want to see/be seen or feel like you're out on the town). - BYO. - good service. - yummy Japanese ice cream for dessert. - fish was not the best ever, but decent for the price point. The ehs: - the sunrise maki (tuna, mango, mint) was flavorless. - it's very loud. - the AC was cranked way high. - maki options mostly involve mayo, tempura, or other things that make healthy sushi unhealthy.
(3)
Chris C.

Man you have that this place is byob. Man time to pop bottles! White Dragon role is to die for!
(4)
Steven N.

Wow - I hardly give out 1-star ratings, but I'll gladly frame this up and hand deliver this to the owner. This is where you would go to eat garbage-grade fish in a dark loungy setting. About the only thing good about this place is the fact that I was dining with my beloved wife. For starter, the place is so dark that you can't even see what you are putting in your mouth. But that's not a capital offense. The food is the real culinary crime being committed against humanity here. The server has the audacity to tell us the fish is imported from Japan when we asked about where they buy their fish. If you have any standards in sushi at all, you wouldn't put the frozen, low-grade fish in your mouth. I should point out that this is not an authentic Japanese place. One of the simplest tests you can use is to taste a Japanese restaurant's tempura. If the breading is not the light, authentic Japanese tempura breading, like this place, this should be a good sign that this place has no idea what real Japanese cooking is like. This places uses "fried jalapeno" type of breading...too thick and over-powering on the taste buds. I checked out their website and saw that they received the Best of Chicago from Chicago Magazine and the Zagat award for excellence in 2004. That may be the case, but those days are long gone. The website also claims that they use the freshest ingredients and top quality fish from around the world - I find this claim hard to believe. You don't have to take my word for this. Try this place out yourself and be prepared to be disappointed...that is unless you like eating in a lounge / club atmosphere, then I guess you could accept the low quality of the food.
(1)
Caroline M.

I've been to Coast a few times and have really enjoyed each experience. I thought it was a little weird when the server informed us that, "We don't do bottle service anymore" and she handed me a wine opener & walked away. Kind of weird that they won't even open the wine for you anymore, but I can get over that. The fish was excellent, as always. Fresh fish, BYOB at no charge, attentive service, reasonable prices. Note: Be sure to make a reservation, or you will have a looooong wait.
(4)
Brian P.

I love this place! Watch out for the girls using the mens bathroom who wont let you pee because they are probably doing cocaine (which they were). Delicious rolls--fresh and never too unbalanced.
(4)
James L.

This place is solid for sushi. BYOB of course makes it better. Had a few good times at this place and i'm never against going here when it's mentioned by friends!
(4)
Kim A.

Why why why does this place still have an average 4 stars? Do people in Bucktown like average sushi, long waits, and rude staff? The first time I went here, I LOVED it. The second time, LOVED it. And then it all went downhill from there. From rude people taking reservations, to rude servers, I've seen it all. Honestly, I think it's only proximity that keeps us coming back. Our last stint at Coast involved a chilly 45 minute wait (we were given an estimate of 15 mins) in the front by the desk. Upon being seated between two aisles (really? really?! It was like a scene from a bad rom com), we order. FIrst, Mr. Server, please don't act like I've never eaten sushi before. When you ask me "have you been here before?" and I say "Yes" that means... I HAVE EATEN SUSHI BEFORE AND I KNOW HOW YOUR MENU WORKS. Tried the salmon tartare, pretty tasteless and not worth the money. I will say, the quality of the sushi is about the same, good not great. So that was ok. This is the kicker. We were on the fence about dessert, and were going to ask to see the menu again. This is not unusual, right? Instead of asking if we were "ok" if we needed anything else... Mr. Server brings the CHECK. We politely ask for the dessert menu, and this dude looks like he's going to murder us. Awesome impression. And, Coast, your dessert menu leaves much to be desired. We opt to NOT have dessert, and Mr. Server brings the check again, exasperated. Mea culpa. We still have a few sips of wine left, so instead of laying down a card right away, we chat some more. I want to note, we were NOT lingering, I think this bro can wait for two people to finish ONE half glass of wine a piece. But no. He comes back 3 minutes later asking us to "maybe wrap things up because we're really busy tonight". Um... WHAT! Really, I wanted to lose it on this guy, but I didn't. I was annoyed because the table behind is (a table of 6 women, looked like a birthday) had been in the middle of their entree when we sat down, and had just popped open a new bottle of wine. How come THEY are allowed to linger, but you rush to turn over the worse table in the joint? Was there a demand to have your coat stepped on? Did people want to feel the draft from the constantly opening door? Do people LIKE having to SCREAM across the generic house XM station to enjoy conversation? Screw you, Coast. If I have my way, I VOW never to return again.
(1)
PJ S.

Put on fat pants. Tofu soup Po boy Volcano White dragon Sweet potato Sashimi plate Waddle to Hot Chocolate for dessert. Food coma.
(5)
Heidi S.

Service was amazing. Excellent lunch on a lazy Thursday: volcano, white dragon, and asparagus beef were superb!
(4)
Elle B.

I remember going here about 2 1/2 year ago. Although I can't remember what all I ordered aside from Tuna Roll and the Tuna Tartare: tuna cubes in ginger wasabi sauce with sesame chip. I feel that it speaks volumes that I still remember vividly the name of the restaurant and my favorite item that I ordered off the menu. But I must say both of them ..especially the Tuna Tartare were not only uber fresh but extremely good. I know I had a few more roll, especially because I remember dropping about $40 bucks on my to-go order. SN: There is a long story intertwined with this, but the reason it gets 4/5 starts is because on a Sunday is when I went, and I called to find out what time they closed thinking that I would be able to enjoy the ambience and drink some warm sake since the receptionist said they were open until midnight. And when I got there and 9:40p.m. I was told that the person was mistaken because they closed at 10p.m. and stopped seating people at 9:30p.m. So I wasn't too happy about carrying all that food back to Midland. Bottom Line: I know for a fact if I ever find myself back in the Chi, I will not be leaving until I get to experience Coast Sushi Bar in it's entirety! Believe that!
(4)
Joe E.

Hearing from a lot of friends that Coast is some of the best sushi in Chicago, I had to try it out. Coast does have excellent sushi and is delicious, but I couldn't label it as my favorite. Overall, the rolls were incredible... they have a huge variety, tons of specials, and are reasonably priced. What the restaurant lacks are great appetizers. The atmosphere is fun, and it always seems busy. It is a great BYOB restaurant that you can eat and drink at for hours... so keep that in mind! With all that said, I do recommend coming here for the sushi; I just don't suggest filling yourself up on their appetizers.
(4)
Andrea R.

Tasty sushi, but HORRIBLE service! Nine of my girlfriends took me here last night to celebrate my bday- thanks friends! I walked in celebrating my 28th bday and feared I'd be 43 by the time our sushi FINALLY made it out to our table. Yes, a table of 10 young women (notice i'm still trying to milk the "young" for as long as I can) is no easy task for any waitress to handle, but waiting 1 1/2 hours for sushi to come out is unacceptable. I wasn't exactly shy about sharing my thoughts with the manager who was very unapologetic and didn't do anything to rush the process along. Fortunately I still had a good bday celebration (with no thanks to Coast) due to good friends, lots of wine, and a delicious cookie cake...
(2)
Jessica S.

This place has been on my radar forever, and when my girlfriend sugested it last night, I was in! Great atmosphere, BYOB, unique sushi rolls, I'm loving Coast right now. I heard it is always packed so be prepared to wait, but at 7:00 on a Wednesday night we were seated right away. The White Dragon Roll was fantastic. Decent prices and BYOB, I will be going back to Coast!
(5)
J. J.

The sushi here was really, really fresh. Very good, but some room for improvement. I'm a huge fan of salmon and eel, and none of the rolls I got were that out-of-the-park. I'm not a huge fan of places that are fully BYOB, personally. I'd like the option to get a glass of wine or order of saki when I'm out. The fake candles at each table were really cheesy and stupid. Overall, good and affordable. But there are better places out there.
(4)
Kristi T.

Oh Coast, how I have a love hate relationship with you. LOVE: Ambiance. BYOB. Date nights - you can actually hear each other and have a conversation! Girls Nights - some wine, some sushi. Some more wine, some more sushi.. totally acceptable! Funky, friendly wait staff. Delicious, consistent, quality, fresh sushi!!! White Dragon Roll - crunchy tempura shrimp, soft filling, creamy drizzle Spicy Sweet Potato Roll - tastes like thanksgiving sweet potato casserole with brown sugar... yum Classic California - you can't ever go wrong here JalapeÃ±o Popper - little kick to go with your meal! HATE: I am seriously obsessed and have to have it at least every 5 days. So good that my girls and I legitimately have email chains about it. While it isn't ridiculously expensive once in a while, its the most expensive delivery/take out meal I've had. If only I loved Potbelly as much as Coast I could buy a new pair of heels every month! Hands down my first go-to restaurant for out of towners. Or girls nights. Or date nights. :)
(5)
Ben D.

Returned to Coast this past weekend on Saturday night. Just as good as my first experience. Only difference was I had a reservation for 930, which I was thankful for (place was packed). Literally sat us 8 min late. I did not complain to a soul that we were seated a couple minutes late. Honestly, it wasn't a big deal to me whatsoever. At the table we were visited by a manager unexpectedly and offered a discount on our current meal or I could save it for another time. Just confirms with me that they care about their customers and reputation.
(5)
Meg P.

My favorite place to get sushi in the city. The White Dragon roll is my all-time favorite and they always have great specials to fit the season. The best part about Coast is that it is BYOB. Great spot for a date night!
(4)
Kelly G.

Coast sushi was delicious!!!! I was quite impressed by the flavors and quality for something so far from an ocean. BYOB without a corking fee made the restaurant 5 star to me.
(5)
Danielle D.

I had heard this place was great. Went on a date here, everything was great except I think I got sick from the tuna roll. Can't be positive but the day after my stomach was off ALL day. I was also irritated that they didn't have valet on Monday. Ambiance is good, romantic. Server wasn't that attentive. Overall, meh.
(3)
John H.

The rolls were very good. I had the sushi dinner and the cuts of fish were clean and fresh. Unfortunately their rice was off. It had a sweet taste to it as if it had sugar or syrup added to the batch. Tasted very untraditional. Would try this place again to see if it was just a bad batch.
(3)
blake d.

El Bueno: sleek, dimly-lit interior conducive to scoring on a first date. some good specialty rolls. byo policy. El Malo: very long waits without a reservation. more than a few boring specialty rolls. El Feo: service suffers from West Town Apathy. The best possible way to experience this place would be as a date, with a reservation, a bottle of chilled white wine, while limiting your order to the tried-and-true specialty rolls. We had reservations, so no problem there. Three of our four were seated at the table when our server arrived. He began telling us about their special of the night, after which we asked that he come back and repeat it when our fourth was seated. He then picked up our wine and began to open it. My party was split on whether or not this was a faux pax. The two who had previously been servers said that it was, but neither I nor my friend thought it was too big of a deal. But, when our sever dumped our edamame waste into our bowl of unfinished edamame without asking, we all were kind of shocked. He said nothing, then asked if we were done with our tuna tartare of which nothing remained. He seemed stoned, and proved to be a jackass. There were other slip-ups as well, highlighted by his cleanup. There was some spilled soy sauce-wasabi which he managed to wipe fromt he middle of the table onto my pants. He didn't notice until he overheard me complaining to my friend, to which he responded with typical West Town Apathy. Anyway, on to the food... We had the tuna tartare, which was bland and boring. For specialty rolls we had: White Dragon- always good here and by far the highlight of our meal 9/10. Volcano- probably a 7/10. Ceviche- overpowered by cilantro and plain bad (where was the jalepeno and mango?!) 3/10 Sunrise- OK, the mint came through, but otherwise a boring 5/10. For sashimi we had Toro, Hamachi, Sake and Maguro, in order of taste and texture. The first three were quite good, but the Maguro was lacking. It's possible that we got slices from a less-than-ideal section of the cut. Not rushing back here. ps. Why are there like 8 American Apparel kids working behind the front counter?
(2)
Loran S.

Excellent sushi. Fabulous prices. Service was top-notch. Honestly, I only have good things to say! Ambiance was nice, and would be a great date-night. We had the Sunshine roll and it was out-of-this-world good! Oh--and its BYOB--who doesn't love that? I would absolutely recommend this place!
(5)
Jen D.

This was my first visit to the original Coast in way too long, I'm not sure what kept me away because the food is delicious. Maybe it is the extended wait if you don't have a reservation? Rolls were really great. The best maki I've had in a some time. Rainbow roll - Great fish AND the pieces are appropriately bite sized rather than mongo pieces you struggle to eat politely. Ceviche roll - Lime marinated shrimp, jalapeno, cilantro. Unexpected and awesome. Eel - Very standard. Solid. Pumpkin roll - Really great. I thought it had pumpkin inside, but apparently not according to someone else. It does have salmon on top. It was really yummy. Bottle limit is weird and annoying, but probably helps avoid people camping out on a Fri or Sat night which I can appreciate. Also, you have to open your own bottle. Evidently this is a city law that is not really enforced, except they were busted for it recently which means they are enforcing it now. They have the really un-user friendly type of opener, so you may wnat to bring your own bottle opener. And the service was great. Our server was friendly and attentive.
(4)
Justin G.

Been going here for over a year and not sure why I have not posted a review. If you eat in, be sure to call ahead, earlier is better than later. If you are waiting, you can always open your bottle of wine (or beer) early in the waiting area. BYOB. The servers are always nice, and can explain anything you want to know about the menu/specials etc. Usually they end up convincing me to try something new. I have brought Non-sushi fans to this place, and they always leave satisfied with something unexpected. The price is higher than your normal sushi place, but its well worth every penny. One particular menu item makes every trip worth it: The White Dragon. By far one of the best tasting things to ever put in your mouth. I could continue with this review, but just order the white dragon; thats it. This is why I love this place! Carry out is always an option if its too crowded as well.
(4)
Jeremiah Z.

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Chicago! Its lively, affordable, BYOB, and offers some of the tastiest sushi in the city without having to pay Randolph Street prices. The environment is great for all types of occassions and parking is decent around the restaurant. I've had just about every maki roll on the menu and I think they're all good depending on your tastes. The quality of the fish is excellent, but I won't say its the best I've had in Chicago. I personally love sashimi and I will attest that theirs is fresh...just not top of the line. The only major downfall is that its a victim of its own success and the lack of a diner-friendly reservation system can make it difficult to get a table at times. However, I firmly believe that the overall value, BYOB policy, and hip decor make this place a slam dunk and a great experience for sushi lovers. Again, if you go on Fri or Sat night, expect to wait as you would any other popular restaurant. I almost exclusively go there during the week now to avoid crowds and get more personalized service.
(5)
Emily W.

Definitely some of the worst service I've ever experienced. Arrived with my boyfriend on a Sunday night (night before Memorial Day, no less) to find the restaurant more or less half empty, with plenty of tables open. We request a table for two, but are asked to wait a few minutes because we don't have a reservation. Mild eye roll.... It was downhill from there. We finished an entire bottle of wine before our dinner even arrived....waiting nearly 45 minutes for our sushi!! The table of six next to us ordered, finished their dinner AND dessert before our food even arrived. Food was blah. Rolls were all bland and tasted the same. Surely our waitress was apologetic?! NOPE. MIA the entire evening. We were still hungry, but after a TWO HOUR dinner that was supposed to be a quick bite, we weren't about to waste our time. Absolutely ridiculous. So so so many better sushi restaurants in the city. Looks like we'll be leaving Coast to the young BYOB crowd and moving on to greener pastures.
(1)
Kyle B.

I've been to Coast on numerous occasions and have always been satisfied with my meal. I've decided to break it down in to pros and cons because that is how I am feeling today: Pros 1. The Maki is extremely delicious, tastes fresh and has wonderful presentation. 2. It is BYOB and there is a liquor store down the street with a decent craft brew and wine selection. 3. Very cool decor and great for dates (assuming you have a date.) Cons 1. Always crazy crowded. You should call for a reservation or you will most likely be waiting for a looong time. You can drink in the waiting room though so, you know, score. You could probably get a table if you get there right when they open but let's be honest, who does that?? 2. The wait staff has never been particularly friendly, but they are certainly professional. Sort of like a coworker you get along with, but would never have a beer with. 3. It is priced just enough where it wouldn't be an everyday sushi place. It's sort of like the difference between Olive Garden and Maggiano's. It's the Maggiano's of Sushi. 4. Expect to feel out of place if you aren't on a date or part of a girls night out. Personal experience I know, but it still hurts all the same. Overall I totally dig this place. The White Dragon Maki is insane good. I think there is Nicotine in it. Not really. But really.
(4)
Tom T.

I'd been starving for sushi for a while now so a group of my friends met up at Coast about a month ago. We BYOB. The atmosphere at Coast is very hip and modern. The clientÃ¨le were good-looking. The noise level is pretty high, so you will have to shout if you're at the other end of the table. The tables are very close together so expect some chair banging as you dine. We ordered a lot of rolls and nigiri pieces. I can't remember all the rolls we ordered. Everything was pretty delicious. We ordered a Gomae appetiizer and it came out in a small piece looking like a piece from a roll. I've had better gomae at other places and much more for the money. The salmon nigiri pieces were fresh and delicious. I wanted an oyster shooter, but they don't serve that at Coast. Bummer! There were 6 of us and we got out of there for $35 per person. Not bad considering the quality of sushi and the amount that we ordered. I like Coast. I think their sushi is good, deserving of 3.5 stars, but since I can't do 3.5, I'll give it 4 stars.
(4)
Deanna B.

Picked up some sushi to-go. Absolutely delicious. Very fresh and I loved all of the spicey rolls they had to offer! Next time I'd like to eat at the restaurant but either way I'll be getting sushi from there again!
(5)
Haley D.

Coast was delicious. Period. Ordered the White Dragon roll, which we liked so much we ordered two!! Probably the best roll I have ever eaten. Also ordered the special of the day which was a Tuna on Top. It was very good, had a piece of jalepino for a good kick. Also got the Po' Boy, which was good, but too big to eat in one bite (which I dislike, what am I supposed to do with that?)!! 4 stars because the prices are a bit high for my sushi liking. Most of thier special rolls are around $15. If they were closer to $10 this would become a once a week thing. BYOB and no cork fee. major plus.
(4)
Anish T.

I strongly recommend Coast if and only if you are planning to drink there. Bringing a bunch of beers and/or wine (no corking fee!) definitely brings out the true value of this restaurant. The sashimi selection as well as creativity of the rolls are quite impressive, though admittedly quite a pricey! Cons: -really into their tempura flakes. -not extremely attentive towards heavy byob'ers -costs extra to substitute anything Pros: BYOB! -very lounge-y ambiance -very fresh sushi -lots and lots of fresh jalapeno options! All in all definitely a good find in Wicker Park, though it's a bit more upscale than its surroundings / what I'm used to.
(4)
Kelly A.

I've been to coast twice and both times I had to scratch my head because I'd heard many people rave about Coast, but couldn't quite get what the hype was about. Yes, it's BYOB. Yes, the atmosphere is trendy and a bit elegant. But the sushi for me just isn't as inventive or flavorful as other sushi places I have been to like Tank. To me, signature maki is always what I prefer and their signature maki list is really short (9 rolls compared to my Beloved Tank's 25). I think the redeeming part is that the 9 rolls they do make are really good and the ingredients were fresh and high quality both times I went. If less variety in speciality rolls doesn't bother you or if you are more of a classic maki or sashimi kind of sushi eater, this place is good. The bottom line is I think the BYOB nature of this & the atmosphere are good but to me they eclipse the sushi itself. It's good for a 1st or 2nd date when atmosphere generally outweighs culinary exploration, but if it's more about the sushi eating experience and less about atmosphere, I'd probably go elsewhere.
(3)
Grace G.

I dream of Coast rolls Po boy, Sweet Potato, Crunch Make reservations That's my Coast haiku, and it tells it like it is. Coast is my favorite sushi bar in Chicago (sorry Japonais, you have your fans too) because it is delicious, BYOB, and has a really cool atmosphere. It can be hard to get a table though so always call for a reservation (see haiku).
(4)
Maria C.

Our waiter was helpful and friendly. I felt bad that we were taking a bit of time deciding what to get since it was our first time trying sushi. I forgot what the waiters name is but he was super patient and helped us pick out things to try.The sushi was also good as far as I could tell. Cant really help much though since i dont have anything else to compare it to, sorry!
(5)
Heather M.

This is one of my favorite sushi bars in Chicago. Everything is super fresh and tasty. Sushi comes out quickly and in a timely fashion. My only dislike is the atmosphere...its very dim and the tables are very close to each other...so you never have much privacy.(The last time I went, my friend and I overheard a couple breaking up LOL...) They have an appetizer called "Fried salmon wonton's" that are to die for... be prepared to wait if its a warm friday or saturday night...definitely suggest having reservations if you can... and again whats not to love about BYOB and NO corkage fee!
(4)
Donisha L.

I love love LOVE Coast. They are super reasonably priced, they are fairly convenient in terms of parking and trendy neighborhood atmosphere, and they are BYOB. 1 bottle per 2 people, however we managed to smuggle in 6 for a group of 6 and the waitress didn't even filp out. Yes I said it, one bottle per person. Awesome! Unfortunately I am allergic to avocado. Most sushi places look at me like i'm insane when I say skip the avocado..."WHAA You don't want avocado?!?! We can't do that?" Ummmm excuse me, if you don't skip the avocado I will die, end of discussion just DO IT! Here at Coast, they wrote it in big bold letters ALLERGY, sure no problem! Now that's what I like to hear. Some reviewers will remark "This place is not real sushi." Whatever, it's always packed in here so they must be doing something right. I was a little irritated when we tried to drop in one Friday night and they said it would be up to a 2 hour wait....ha....no thanks. But I guess that is a lesson learned in planning ahead!
(4)
Bryan Y.

I walk by this restaurant everyday on my home and it always looks closed because it is so dark from the outside. Once you get in the inside its just as dark. Apps 1. Sear Sesame Scallops: they were okay when you ate them with the salad 2. Spicy Miso Soup: wasn't spicy Maki's: didn't taste fresh and the presentation was sub par. They sprinkled tempura flakes over all the rolls so it was difficult to determine which roll was what. All the rolls below except for the Coast Crab roll tasted very similar. 1. Volcano Roll 2. Spicy Tuna Crunch 3. Spicy Salmon 4. Coast Roll I can't say I enjoyed anything. It was strange to see 10 sushi chefs on staff when there were only 2 tables being served. Also, it was awkward when my wife and I were attempting to flag someone down for our check and everyone who wasn't are waitress ignores us. Everyone continued to clean and didn't even bother to grab our waitress.
(2)
Jenna S.

My favorite sushi restaurant in the city! Great selection, fresh fresh fish! We sat at the sushi bar the night that we went (there was no wait) and it was very fun! The chefs were very professional and creative. The atmosphere of the restaurant is great; a bit dark, romantic, chocolate brown tones. Very very nice. The BYOB makes the place even better; we brought beer and they kept it chilling in the back in the fridge. Our waiter was very attentive while taking our order and coming back to refresh our beverages. All in all, best sushi in Chicago. They also deliver! Fast, quick, and still fresh when you receive it. They even try to plate it well instead of just shoving it all in a to-go container.
(5)
Jasmine C.

We had a great time at Coast. Nothing better than BYOB sushi! We got the tuna tartare appetizer and weren't too impressed with it, but the rolls were amazing. We got the white dragon roll (my favorite, soo good), the po boy roll, and the philly. They were all really fresh and definitely delicious. We went on a Friday night without a reservation and only waited about 15 minutes. Our server was great, the food came out quickly, and our water glasses were always full. We'll definitely be back!
(4)
Kristie H.

This place is amazing. I'm still a little bit of a sushi amatuer, but I do know what I like and what I don't, and what it's supposed to taste like. Luckily, I went with someone who lives in Chi-town and knew that this place is a BYOA - bring your own alcohol. So we made sure to stop at the local market and pick up 2 bottles of wine. When I walked in I was immediately impressed, the ambiance is very modern and relaxed and the staff was extremely friendly, and spoke English very well. We were seated and brought over a wine chiller; however, when we pulled out our bottles, we were advised that only 1 bottle is allowed at a time. Since we didn't know that rule, they were very forgiving and said that we could have both bottles, but only 1 on the table at a time. They also aren't allowed to pour it for you, since they do not carry a liquor license. So be ready to pour as much as you want in your glass! We ordered a huge array of sushi and it came out in decent time, as most sushi place should, as it's RAW! The food was amazing, and I can't wait until I'm in Chicago again to go back to Coast.
(5)
Gina M.

Absolute BEST sushi in Chicago. I've tried falling in love with other places but have failed miserably. Do yourself a favor and get on these signature makis! Service is always excellent and the liquor store on the corner has the best selection of beer to pair with your meal!
(5)
Judith N.

Quickly becoming a favorite spot. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable - or at least our girl was :) Started with some miso and a special crab cake appetizer, which was pretty good, but not the best ever. The sushi on the other hand was phenom. And... it's BYOB (yay), -without any hassle (yay). Everything was very chill and easy going and lent to a great night, and dinner with friends. For 3 of us it was $120 and we were all full of sush and some kind of delish chocolate dessert.
(4)
Nick S.

Right now, Coast is holding the belt for my favorite place to get sushi. I love the fish, ambiance, BYOB and the location. Although it's BYOB, we went in there and spent $250 for 4 of us. It was definitely worth it.
(5)
Nick C.

Coast is it! BYOB and great sushi
(5)
emily h.

have been back a few times since my previous review and experiences were much better, 4 stars!
(4)
Kara C.

It's going to be packed....and loud....and totally worth it. Great sushi and BYOB?! Doesn't get better than that. As for rolls, I would definitely recommend the Maine Roll and the Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll. I've also heard great things about the Angry Salmon Roll, but unfortunately it wasn't on the menu. Regardless, I think everything here is fresh, high quality sushi...you probably can't go wrong at Coast.
(4)
Jeff W.

This place is excellent... I had heard multiple good reviews for this Wicker Park/Buck Town hot spot and finally got to try it for myself. It lived up to all expectations. Great date spot... BYOB certainly helps too. Wish I could offer more suggestions, but we went with pretty much what everyone else suggested... Edamame and Seaweed Salad to start. Can't go wrong with these... We also got the King Crab Roll, Po' Boy Roll, and White Dragon Roll. All were very good and I would recommend. Next time I hope to step outside the box a little. Atmosphere is great though, and we went on a Sunday night at 6:30 and there was no wait. Saturday however might be a different story as I have heard but worth it.
(4)
Lynn L.

I've been going to Coast for a bit now, and I tend to go in for a walk-in and usually get seated within.. 10-15 mins. Although the last visit I had, I made reservations which Coast changes times on me 3 times.. and when we arrived, a table was still not ready. Afterwards, My 2 friends left for the washroom, the hostess asked us if we'd like to wait for our friends to come back or to be seated now. I asked to wait for our friends to come back as they would only be a 1 min longer. Little did I know, even if I had reservations.. my table was given to another group that walk-in... I waited about 30-45 mins for my table. Pretty much, a reservation is useless at Coast or the blonde curly hair young girl clearly doesn't understand what a reservation means. I was pretty upset at this point, esp cause I had friends visiting from NYC. This hostess is a rookie who clearly doesn't understand how to flip tables quick enough and time everything correctly with reservations and walk-ins. Besides the terrible long wait I anticipated, The sushi came out fast and the server was great. Although, I wish they were trained a little more in depth on how to serve wine and perhaps keeping my cork on the table. I had to walk out the restaurant with an open bottle of wine sipping that down the street as quickly as possible. Found it interesting that all the sushi chefs are actually all Thai. As well as the owners of the place. I'd keep that hush hush. I would suggest trying the white dragon, spider and pol boy rolls. And of course the spicy miso soup is a given. But honestly, the spider roll is my favorite by far.. every visit I've had at Coast.
(4)
Lisa M.

Coast is my go to sushi place. Delicious, fresh sushi well made. The portions are perfect and consistent. The fact that it is BYOB helps keep the tab at a reasonable price. The white dragon is like no other and I highly recommend it. They have lunch hours as well as dinner. I would recommend making reservations for dinner in advance to avoid a long wait. The only thing that turned me off was the fact that when our party brought too much beer for BYOB, our waiter declined to put our extra 12 pack in their fridge. :( Not that they had to, but it would have helped us out. lol
(4)
Sara L.

I think I would recommend this place more for the atmosphere than the sushi. The quality of the fish was decent, and they have a decent sized selection. However, it just didn't blow me away. I had the White Dragon, the Japanese Relief Sushi (w/ shiitake tempura..white tuna,avacado etc etc), Spicy Crunchy Tuna, & the Rainbow Roll. I can understand why people may say that isn't filling, and that's because they use a lot less rice than most restaurants, which isn't a bad thing. I think the problem for me though was the flavor of the sushi rice. .it was too bland. Sushi rice plays a hugggee role in the taste of the rolls, and when a restaurant has the recipe down.. then even the simple tuna maki roll can be amazing. Everyone says the White Dragon is the best, etc etc..but I think there was too much eel sauce to actually enjoy the roll. Out of all the rolls I had..i would recommend getting the roll on Specials ..specifically for the Japanese Relief. I never had shiitake in my roll before, and it was actually pretty good~ The Spicy Crunchy TUna & Rainbow roll...were just alright. Once again..these rolls would be great compared to other good sushi restaurants if they just had the sushi rice down. If you smother your sushi in soy sauce, then I don't think it would be a problem. Our bill came out to be a little over 60 bucks with tip, and we left still hungry. I wouldn't mind coming back if I happened to be in the area, but it definitely did not make my favorites list.
(3)
Terrence C.

I'll start by saying I think Coast is a bit overrated. The sushi was fresh, and above par, but nothing out of the ordinary. I was particularly impressed with the freshness of the sashimi. The portions of fish were generous. I had namasake and super white tuna. I also had the tuna tartar which was a bit bland. My specialty rolls were more so along the lines of common rolls both in size and taste. Simply adding some color or garnishments doesn't demand the term "specialty". I only had two rolls, and maybe those were lesser flavorful. I'm playing devils advocate. The highlights of Coast is the decor. It is very much date worthy. It is dimly lit with a modern japanese feel. The location is great, and off the busy streets where so many other sushi spots are situated. Our server was very nice, and I have nothing negative to say about the staff. I'd try it again if i was in the area, but SO many more sushi spots in chicago with much better food at a much more reasonable price.
(3)
Eunkyung K.

Seriously, you all had it better. Maybe I had a high expectation after reading all the reviews here. But seriously. The consistency of rice is the most critical aspect of good shushi. I had their shushi combo and the rice was so dry and hard that I could almost feel individual rice in my mouth. YUCK! And plus, given the awful taste of the food and the price, this is not the place to go. The decoration is really dark; the whole atmosphere is just not welcoming or friendly. I agree with some of the reviewers here. If you are BYOB, be BYOB.
(2)
Liz M.

We had a blast at Coast and I'm not sure if it was the company or the food! It just so happened that in the same week I found myself at two of Chicago's sushi joints and I have to say, Coast was the better. Everything was fresh and well made. I tried the White Dragon (thanks to a review on here) and the Philly rolls as well as sharing edamame and a potsticker like appetizer that I wasn't paying attention to when it was ordered! Everything was very good. One of the best things about Coast is it's not just sushi. My fiancee, who does not like, and won't eat sushi, was about to order a teriakyi New York strip and was very pleased! I love that it's BYOB because I knew I was getting a wine I enjoyed! I guess they say one bottle per two people but we had a bottle of champage and a bottle of wine for three of us and no one said anything! The only negative I can say is the atmosphere. It is very hard and thus very loud. Even with three of us at a smallish table I often found myself having to repeat or ask my friends to repeat what they were saying.
(4)
Tera D.

Meh, uninspired. After reading the list of specialty rolls, I actually had a hard time finding more than one or two that I even wanted to order. And it's not that I'm a picky sushi eater, these just didn't sound very "specialty." Ultimately, nothing we ate was bad, but I was hard pressed to pick a favorite roll because none stood out to me. Even the spicy miso soup, which I thought would be a unique twist, was just miso soup with a few jalapeno slices floating in it. I wouldn't go back.
(3)
Hoang L.

It's a nice place for BYOB and a date. Dark inside. Bathrooms could be cleaner. Specialty rolls could be larger and cut into small pieces. Edamame sucked. Unsalted, so plain. Miso soup was pretty good though. A bit on the salty side. Service could be more attentive. We didn't get our soy sauce when the food was brought out, nor did he check up on us.
(3)
CN D.

First and most important, Sushi to me was good, not excellent or "OMG" but good. I should note that typically I'm not a fan of sushi so it may take better than average to win me over. Second, make a reservation. I was one of the first to arrive for our party so we did wait until everyone came before checking in for our 8:30p reservation. That said, I was able to watch several groups walk in/out and get the response from the hostess that the wait will be hour or two. Of course, all seemed annoyed which I deduced from the eye rolls, arm movements, and language. Moral of this story is make a reservation! They also are more than happy to allow you to open your BYOB (awesome) beverage in the waiting section (only room for 10 or so). They do offer the ability to take your number and call you when a table is ready. Third, the bathroom is single use. Given the number of tables in the restaurant and already established high volume of patrons. This really was annoying. Also, our table was close so there would be 3/4 ladies waiting (felt like lurking) at any given time. Overall it was an enjoyable experience but felt a bit crowded in regards to table space, walking room, bathrooms and waiting area.
(3)
natalie v.

This is my favorite sushi joint. And it's BYOB, which always wins points in my book. I have never had anything from here that was sub-par. Often they have fatty toro, fatty hamachi or fatty salmon. All of these things are incredible. Their oysters are delicious. I always want more of their ginger salad. Their specials are always interesting. I'm never afraid of trying something new here. And you can eat and eat and eat and eat and you won't spend a ton of money. Now, keep in mind, that any good sushi is somewhat pricey; however, the quality is supurb. And it's worth the amount on your check. I even got my husband liking sushi by taking him here. I call that a win for me. I recommend a reservation because they get pretty busy.
(5)
Connie C.

From Seattle to LA to NY to Chicago, this is hands down one of the Top 10 best Sushi spots ever. Period. The decor is fabulous, the seating is good for two to ten (though a 4 top would probably be best for an overall superior experience). The Dragon rule will ruin you and the service is consistently good.
(5)
Carter G.

Overall great date place, just make sure you make a reservation at least 5 days out otherwise your not getting in without a long wait. Had dinner at Coast last night. Being the guy I am I always like to make the woman feel comfortable so I stuck with the basics to keep her happy as she has only been eating sushi for a few years. APP: Shrimp/Veggie Tempura for an app was good. SUSHI: Rainbow Roll I thought was fantastic. Then tried the Spicy Salmon Roll which was nice. (Side Note: All the fish was fresh and the portions were appropriate for the price.) Next came the soft shell crab roll which was average. Lastly, my date wanted to try the Philly Roll (which I didn't taste as being Jewish... if I want Lox and Cream Cheese I would just go pick up Lox and Bagels on Sunday), but my date enjoyed it so I'm sure it was good. DESERT: We had Fruit with Chocolate. The Kiwi, Papaya, Strawberry were all fresh, but the chocolate sauce just tasted like heated up Hershey's. I was a big fan of the fruit. OVERALL: Good Date place and would return.
(4)
Irene H.

Had a late Monday night dinner here with a friend. We had the ceviche appetizer, soup for the each of us, and 3 rolls. The ceviche was very flavorful although the sesame "chip" was confusing. I had the niku beef soup with bits of udon. It was good. We tried the volcano, rainbow, and salmon-avocado rolls. The rainbow was the best of the three. The volcano was a little too mushy. The bill was about $60, including tax + tip, for the two of us. The decor is really nice and trendy. The meal was good but not extraordinary.
(3)
Jenna Q.

One of the best sushi spots in the city! This was my third visit to Coast and I went for my birthday dinner with three other friends. It was Monday night so it wasn't too crowded and it was such a phenomenal experience, like it always is. John was our server and he was so nice, attentive, knowledgeable, etc... This truly is one of the best BYOB spots around and their sushi is absolutely delicious! Highly recommended, but make sure you make a reso!
(5)
Jeanie P.

The nigiri/sashimi here was fantastically fresh and perfectly cut! (5 stars for sure!) The specialty rolls here were just okay... really nothing special (3 stars) The hamachi carpaccio appetizer was wonderful. It had hamachi with a small jalapeno slice and lime juice served with a side of mixed greens with balsamic. Recommend it! You get five slices of hamachi. We tried the spicy tuna (pretty good), volcano, some sort of crab roll, and yellowtail avo. None of these were really memorable or remarkable, but they weren't bad. Next time I'll order more sashimi/nigiri and less of the rolls. Horrible parking situation here, but 10 dollar valet available at door.
(4)
Sarah D.

The White Dragon, as many people have noted, is outstanding. Other rolls range from pretty good to totally bland. Service on a Saturday night was exceedingly slow, and the BYOB policy is one bottle for every two people at the table. I'm a little unclear as to why this place is so highly rated.
(2)
Christa R.

Really amazing place. It's probably my favorite place in town. There is valet. It is BYOB. The prices are extremely reasonable for the quality of food that you're getting. The service is outstanding and we didn't have one roll that we didn't love. The White Dragon is out of this world. You really must order it. Great place for a date or a girls night out. We use it as our go to Moms night joint. The lights are dim. Very sexy/trendy without feeling stuffy or pretentious. That only drawback was that the bathroom was only a onesie. Couldn't have dealt without that but I won't knock 'em for it as everything else possible was perf.
(5)
Keith D.

Love coast. So accommodating and the food is great. The waitress even warned us that she had a huge party in addition to us and offered to reseat us. We told her we were not in a rush, and to take her time. She was still amazing. Love the BYOB and there are two stores right nearby to purchase. Great atmosphere.
(4)
FelineFluff F.

BYOB? Check. Amazingly fresh sushi? Of course. Good Value? Bet the farm. Been loving Coast for nearly 10 years. Friendly staff that knows their stuff and aren't afraid of sharing their knowledge in a unpretentious way. Food shows up seemingly tight when you want it and I've never felt rushed to vacate the table. Love me some Coast.
(5)
Jason C.

Coast may be my favorite BYOB sushi spot in Chicago. I love Toro Sushi just as much BUT I didn't have to wait an hour to be seated at Coast since they allowed reservations. The inside was spacious which was a welcome change compared to the common "touching elbows" situation at Toro. It might seem like a minuscule thing but having more space enhances a proper dining experience. The food? Yum-o. The most important ingredient, the fish, was fresh and practically melted in my mouth. The other ingredients were not to be overlooked either and complimented the sushi well. The mochi cakes for dessert rounded out an awesome meal. When the bill came, we could hardly believe the inexpensive amount we paid for such an delightful meal.
(5)
Jessica W.

Coast is my neighborhood sushi spot, so I'm there often (2 nights in a row this week)! Obviously they must be doing something right to keep me coming back. Food: The sashimi at Coast is excellent, always serving up the freshest fish. The hamachi (yellowtail) carpaccio appetizer is out of this world delicious, along with the fatty salmon sashimi and the lobster sashimi. The maki rolls are very inventive, however I have found that when the roll contains tempura fried pieces, it often times comes out cold. This is a bit of a turn off, as the temperature of these rolls makes a huge difference in the flavor. Nonetheless, the white dragon roll is still my favorite. Atmos: Extremely dark, the atmosphere inside of the restaurant has a swanky, romantic feel. Guaranteed wait on the weekends and often times during the late week. Bring a bottle of your favorite wine and they will open it for you to drink as you wait. There is a liquor store less than a block away at Armitage and Damen that has a decent wine selection. Service: The service is average to good here. No huge complaints or praises. Price: The fact that the restaurant is BYOB helps a lot, but the prices are still rather high. But that usually holds true for sushi in general.
(3)
Jaclyn N.

I've heard good things about Coast and it was extremely busy when I went which should be a good sign... I'm not one to complain too much about restaurants but I was extremely disappointed. Soft shell crab app was oil logged so much so that there was a puddle of oil on the plate. The ceviche was fine but everything in it was pre cooked and the sesame cracker was noticeably stale. Sushi was mediocre, extremely thin sashimi for the price.... Service was good at least. I understand hot food being mediocre at sushi restaurants but the sushi should make up for it. If the food was not so pedestrian the lack of execution maybe wouldn't have been so bad. I just don't understand how busy it is. Just for scenesters who don't like food I guess.
(2)
Lori Taylor R.

We visited Coast on Monday at 7:30 and the restaurant was fairly busy. Luckily, my husband had made a reservation for my birthday. We were seated at a table and began reviewing the menu. We made our selections and then waited and waited and waited. Finally the server came over, 20 minutes had passed since we were seated. Devin discussed several items they were featuring that were not on the menu. We decided to go with his suggestion of spicy crab cake stick and the seaweed salad, which I love. The spicy crab cake stick appetizer was tasty, but $17 for an appetizer, really? We also ordered the volcano, tuna on top, coast crab and two pieces of unagi. The unagi was delicious the other three rolls all tasted very similar and I wasn't incredibly overwhelmed by any of the three. There was a large table of ladies sitting next to us that were thoroughly enjoying themselves, so much so that they broke two wine glasses during their meal. This did not help improve our experience, lack of service and overall disappointment.
(2)
Elyse D.

Tried Coast last night for the first time and was IN LOVE with it! I went with a group of 7 and the low bill at the end of dinner was such a pleasant surprise. Our waiter was wonderful and we took many of his suggestions for things to try. I tried the Angry Salmon appetizer as well as the sesame crusted scallop and both were fantastic. ESPECIALLY the scallop. For sushi we ordered about 10 rolls and had a taste of everything. My favorites were the Philly roll, the White Dragon roll, and the Alaska roll. My least favorite was the salmon skin roll. I love good BYOB places because you get so much bang for your buck. I will definitely be going back to Coast!
(4)
Nicki W.

Went here with a group of 20 people to celebrate my birthday and I'm so glad we chose Coast. Pretty much every single one of my friends had been except for me. I'm a huge Sushi fan but don't live in the neighborhood so I had yet to venture out. Big props to our waitress for handling our demands as we ordered 4 of pretty much everything on the menu. I think we had more bottles of champagne and wine on the table than food, so everyone was enjoying themselves. I also want to give a big shout out to whoever was taking reservations. As my party grew, I kept them updated throughout the week. It went from 12 people to 20 people which pretty much maxed them out in that back room. They were always very friendly and willing to make sure we were comfortable. This was on a Monday night, so it was easier for them to deal with such a large group, but still...mad props! The sushi was really tasty and everyone was enjoying themselves. I loved the atmosphere. I think the waitress said at one point that we had the highest tab she's ever seen in there. Either way, it was a BLAST. I'll come back with a couple of my friends next time!
(4)
Melissa Q.

I love me some Coast. I've been here twice and both were great experiences. The second time was with a party of 6. We ordered a variety of appetizers, sushi & desert. Coast did an amazing job bringing the food out seperately. As soon as we were done with one plate another would come out a minute later. It let the table really enjoy each different appetizer & roll. The food is amazing, but the fact that Coast is BYOB really seals the deal. I will be back again soon!
(4)
Aurora P.

I love this place! The food is GREAT! Will come over and over and over again!
(5)
Kathleen K.

Went to Coast for the first time with my BFF. We had a reservation and got seated right away on a Wednesday night after finding street parking (free) not far down the street from the restaurant. Our server immediately brought us a wine bucket with ice for BYOB bottle of wine and opened the bottled for us. There is no corkage fee. The BYOB is great but limited to one bottle of wine/booze/six pack per two people. Generally not a problem, but just an FYI. We ordered edamame which came very quickly after we ordered it. We then had the white dragon roll (delicious!) and the volcano (also tasty). The food seemed very fresh. My only issue was the size of the rolls...kind of lacking. I have been to a lot of other sushi places that have rolls priced the same as Coast but have rolls that are much "fuller." Overall the quality of good was great so I'll be back again, but just be prepared to order another roll if you're hungry.
(4)
Kryste N.

I've tried alot of sushi places around this town, and I keep coming back to Coast as my favorite. I think I'm going to stop going elsewhere, and just make the drive to Wicker Park and enjoy all the remaining sushi meals I will have while on this planet. This place is by far the most reasonably priced for the quality, variety, and friendly attentive waitstaff. I LOVE the white dragon roll, the white tuna carpaccio with jalapeno and cilantro, and their soft shell crab. You stand out Coast, in a sea of sushi places, you are the shark!!
(5)
Chee K.

Actually - I want to give this restaurant 3 1/2 stars but Yelp doesn't have halfs yet. Don't get me wrong, I really do like the sushi here. Their rolls are inventive and fresh. The waitress was so-so. I asked for tomago, unagi and salmon, plus some rolls. I got two tomago and no salmon. That's ok though. I also had their spinach appetizer, it was good but not the best. I felt their peanut sauce was a little bit too murky. And this is what really deterred me, the noise level. OK - yeah, I know I'm in a hip Bucktown joint, boy do they not let you forget it. Really, you can't do anything about the noise level, everyone is enjoying themselves. I just had a hard time listening to the conversation or even what the waitress was telling me. And that was on a Wed. night, can't imagine what it's like on the weekends. I guess I am old fashion wanting my sushi restaurants nice and calming. It's good and I would go back, maybe for takeout?
(3)
Lauren G.

I don't know how I lived in Bucktown for the past three years and never ventured into Coast, but I am so glad I finally made it! Yummy sushi, not too expensive (for sushi) and a great atmosphere. Me and a girlfriend split the fancier rainbow roll, a crunchy tuna, and a spider roll. All were well made and fresh tasting. I especially liked the seaweed salad. Only downsides were that we got seated at a bad table and a waiter completely doused us in champagne when a popped bottle went array. To his credit, he apologized and offered free dessert. Recommended.
(4)
Hillary D.

I was pretty disappointed with the sushi here. Although, I have to admit, I live on the west coast and realize that sushi in the midwest isn't going to be the same. My biggest complaint with this place is that is was hard to find a roll on their menu that didn't have some sort of mayo on it! It's hard to enjoy the real taste of sushi when it's covered in a mayo based sauce. Things I liked: BYOB was cool and both the rainbow roll and the crunchy spicy tuna rolls were pretty good! I won't be back to Coast.
(2)
Pheebe L.

Mushy tasteless sushi rice, unimaginative makis. They dim the lights down too much so you can't see the lousy food you're eating. Nice ambiance if you like the lounge setting. But for real delicious sushi go to Hatsu Hana
(1)
Kelsey K.

Wow, best sushi in the city and a BYOB?? Have I died and gone to heaven?? I can't even begin to tell you my favorite thing on the menu, because everything rocks. Definitely get the Wasabi Tobiko though, especially if you have a cold or allergies. It clears up your head better than any cold medicine I've ever used. If you like fresh sushi, you'll love every single thing on the menu.
(5)
Alison M.

I know, I know, there's over 200 reviews for Coast, why bother reviewing it? But, I have to, since I'm not sure why there's so much hating going on. I mean, it's reasonably priced delicious sushi AND BYOB. Who can argue with that? Personally, I've always enjoyed Coast. Last time I was there, I tried two regular makis-- dragon and spider and two signature ones--po' boy and coast crab. The soft shell crab in the spider was really meaty and although it was a bit larger than what I normally like in a roll, I think that I enjoyed the po'boy the best--maybe because it contained cream cheese, avocado, and tempura crumbs. Spicy, sweet, and super tasty.
(4)
Janna V.

Meh Coast- Its not on my top 5 sushi spots in the city. But it will do. I like byob but I think coast would be better as an establishment that serves their own stuff. The decor, service, and sushi tend to be really inconsistent and frankly just not worth the hype (i'm allergic to hype anyways). The noise level and the lighting only add to the in-cohesiveness. I will give them some props for the spicy miso soup...not that i cant boil water, toss in some fermented soy and a couple of slices of jalapenos and have the same thing at home...but i wouldnt have thought of that myself and my stomach thanks you Coast.
(3)
Danny B.

This is coming from having worked at Coast Sushi more than it is from knowing what good sushi is. The restaurant is hip. It looks slick. Expect to wait for your table and expect to wait for your food during peak dinner hours. Prepare for a drunken frenzy in the waiting room on Friday nights, yuppies are shoulder to shoulder, and you can hardly hear. The servers are young and cool. The sushi is flavorful, colorful, and presented nicely. My favorite roll I've tried is the Coast Crab. BYOB!
(3)
KM M.

After my second trip to Coast, I decided I had enough informatoin to write my review. Coast is pretty darn good. In fairness, it's near impossible (in my opinion) to find "great" sushi in Chicago, so to me, pretty darn good is, well, just that. Their Wasabi Shumai is some of the best I've had in the city, I could probably eat about 10 of those, but I try to remember to save room for sushi! They have a lot of rolls to choose from, including a good number of daily specials. You have to ask what's in the specials though b/c it's only the name of the piece on the board. Both servers I've encountered have been nice and timely. The place is always busy, definitely a good sign. Only 1 bathroom stall each for men and women, so don't wait until you're about to burst to go, b/c will probably be a line. They have a wide variety of Mochi flavors, some of which I've never seen on other menus, like Tiramisu. Loved the mint chip Mochi, that was my favorite out of the 5 I've tried. Obviously BYOB is great, keeping the bill extremely reasonable. Make a reservation and go check it out!
(4)
DJ S.

We came here the other night and I will never come back. The hostess was so rude as was the waitress. Couldn't be bothered and complete lack of service. Never got served it was ridiculous. Coast, you just lost two customers. There is a cute sushi bar a few doors down. Go there.
(1)
Chris M.

White Dragon Roll is the best thing ever!!! I seriously order two of these for the table whenever I go here. They are to die for. Another one that surprisingly good are the sweet potato rolls. Trust me, they seem weird but they are yummy. It's BYOB which is really nice, but the decor is a little bit too upscale looking for me. I wear jeans and a nice shirt here everytime, and yet I feel underdressed everytime I go. Oh well. The waitstaff could be a bit faster here too. It's not a very big place, and yet I always feel like when I need something, no one is around.
(4)
Stephanie F.

I was treated to dinner at Coast this past Tuesday night, and while we both had a great time... The server described an amazing special sushi roll that we both agreed would be great. It had a lot of fun things included in it and the main fish was yellowtail, I believe. So when the waiter returned, we agreed to order the special as well as a white tuna roll. A few minutes later the waiter returned to inform us that they had run out of a few key ingredients of the special roll, but the sushi chef could make another special roll consisting of "white tuna and ginger" for us if we'd like. So my complaint is mostly with the waiter because we'd already ordered a tuna roll and he offered to serve us another one instead of the exciting variety that had previously excited our minds and tastebuds. The food arrived promptly and on pretty platters, so no complaints there. The pseudo-special roll was great with a surprise crunch and a perfectly finely graded tuna. It send the "sushi happiness high" chemicals straight to the brain and down my arms. If only the waiter had been a bit more educated. Ambiance is pretty good here, but a little crowded and a little loud. The lighting is quite nice as the candlelight danced right out of my date's eyes. I think Coast should invest in a liquor license and create a cocktail menu to compliment a sophisticated sushi experience.
(3)
Melissa W.

BYOB is where it's at - especially with sushi, right? cause let's face it - the good stuff's not cheap. so HUGE plus... and allowed me to feel free to spend the "saved" cash on more rolls. And the sushi at Coast is great! I'm a huge fan of the White Dragon and the Jalapeno Hamachi... yummmmm - my stomach's growling as I reflect... The server was chill, plenty of personality, and wasn't pushy which was much appreciated given the confusion which appropriately characterizes our group's ordering technique. Potential bad things..... 1) Place is super crowded. Went on a Tuesday night and was absolutely packed. However, they do reservations - which I highly recommend! 2) Place is LOUD - generally. Specifically, the two drunk guys that were sitting behind us added a whole another level to the preexisting cacophony. But I like this place and will definitely be back.
(4)
George K.

Solid place to eat sushi in the city, went with my brother and his wife for a belated birthday dinner. Was a little disappointed by the white dragon roll, didn't seem worth the money for 4 pieces of mediocre sushi. However, the fresh philly, california, crunchy spicy tuna, and salmon/jalapeno rolls were all delicious. The highlight is the lack of fee for BYOB, which isn't always the case. Who doesn't like to get drunk and eat sushi while wondering why I only saw a single Asian employee? She must have been ronery and sadry arone! Recommend for a try.
(4)
Dee W.

I have been coming here for years, and just realized I NEED to review it. I eat a lot of sushi, and this is top of the list. There are two things about Coast that annoy me (and I'm listing them off the bat so I can move on to praise), and even they are not enough to knock off any stars. #1 No matter when I call, I can never seem to secure a reservation between the hours of 7-9pm on the weekends (I'm almost convinced it's a big secretive ploy). #2 This new "1 bottle per couple rule" really puts a damper on things, as I almost love my wine as much as my sushi. On to the things I like...there are lots. Spicy miso, asparagus beef app, seaweed salad, spicy tuna roll, "special" popper roll (I've yet to go when it's not on special), white dragon roll (I literally daydream about this), the freshness of all the fish, and of course, the prices. Very reasonable for the quality of sushi. Oh, and if you don't like rolls that you can't take down in one bite, make sure you ask about some of their specialty rolls because some of them are definitely more than a mouthful...and not recommended on a first date. ;)
(5)
David A.

Great BYOB place for Sushi in the city, highly recommend reservations. The Sushi is always good, for some reason they always have a rare tuna special, believe its Blue fin, if its so rare, why do you have it every time I have been in? As for the BYOB, its still quite expensive. I have never gotten out of there on a date night for under $80 after tip. Good looking crowd, good for large parties.
(4)
Tim C.

Chicago for sushi. It's a cause for concern for someone who comes from LA, where sushi joints and "fusion" restaurants outnumber liquor stores. I don't pretend to be a sushi snob, but I can tell the difference between the places that sell you fish and the places that sell you the restaurant. This was the latter. Went for a friend's birthday. Tried a roll or two, which were alright (though everyone from Illinois was impressed), my teriyaki salmon ( I prefer shioyaki) was almost fast food bowl fare dressed up as fine dining. And I realize now that the hamachi carpaccio, which was oversalted and overseasoned, seems sort of antithetical to the concept of sushi. Okay, so maybe I am a bit of a sushi snob, but I actually like the taste of the fish. The GOOD thing about this place is the BYOB policy, which is limited to wine, beer, and sake, but really all you need when you eat sushi. This is the nicest BYOB place I have ever been to. You can get TOASTED here and the wait staff was very accommodating for it. And honestly, when you're going to get that drunk (like many of us were trying to) good sushi is sort of a waste, and 'good enough' sushi will do just fine. Except that you pay a premium dollar for it. We all still had a good time. The verdict: LA's "fusion" punches Chicago in the mouth in the sushi contest, but Chicago is too drunk to care.
(3)
Robin W.

This place is really really good! They have all your favorite traditional rolls and then some really creative additions! It's really fresh sushi. The restaurant has a great atmosphere. Perfect spot for a date or dinner out with the girls. By the decor, I was super surprised that it is BYOB (as most BYOBs are a little dumpier). I am excited to go back to this place with more wine and an empty belly! PS The Coast in South Loop is equally as good - same menu - but not BYOB :(
(5)
Kathy S.

Got to finally try Coast (only been to South Coast as that location is much closer to me) and it was a great experience. Can't recall too many of what we had because everything was good but not memorable except for the angry salmon. First of all, how could you not love something called angry salmon?? I get a mental image of a salmon looking fiercely at me and going "Grr!!" Plus, it was absolutely scrumptious. You know it's good if you're debating on ordering another one even though you already ordered way too much food. Service was also excellent so I was a happy camper.
(4)
Jen M.

I definitely have to be in the mood for sushi. That being said, when I have been in the mood and subsequently eaten here, I have been pleased. They have a big menu, they're not too pricey, and they serve fresh and delicious sushi. However, it is very busy and you almost always need a reservation. Parking is also a pain. I think this place is hyped up and overrated. I think you can find good, reasonably priced sushi almost anywhere, but I'm no expert!
(3)
Ben P.

This is everything I don't like in a restaurant. Trendy. Pretentious. Over priced. Small portions. The one thing I will say is that the fish was fresh. But the rolls are TINY. And it was nothing special at all. I really don't get the hype. Toro remains best sushi in the city!
(2)
Kathryn M.

Coast is one of my favorite go-to sushi restaraunts, and here's why. It's nicer (and pricier) than your mom and pop joint, but not a place that will break the bank either. You can come with a small group of friends, or make it an intimate date destination. Either way you play it, the great ambience + awesome fish + good service + BYOB = a truly stellar evening. What I don't like is the typical hour long wait to get a table. So imagine my absolute surpise and delight when I recently showed up on a weekend night, to a nearly empty waiting area (good for me, not so much for them, I realize). Either way we were sat within 10 minutes, and our server, a friendly redheaded guy took great care of us. Well-versed in the menu and the specials, he made great recommendations and let us continue to order as the rolls came out so we could judge our hunger on a roll-by-roll basis. Very nice. Some of my favorites are the spicy scallop maki, volcano roll, and the toro, kani, and hamachi nigiri. I also really enjoy the gyoza, and the hamachi carpaccio appetizer with the jalepeno and sweet sauce is pure yum. To be honest, I don't think I've ever had a roll or piece of fish here that I didn't enjoy. The real test? I recently brought my dearest sushi-lovin' companion, and Coast made him a believer as well. Sold!
(5)
Regine J.

Nothing stupendous here, folks. Don't buy into the atmosphere. Just because they have glowing wood table tops doesn't mean they have glowingly delicious food. The Sushi is not good enough to make me come back, simply because the environment is awful enough to make the Sushi pale in comparison to---well, almost anything. The place is always super cold (as in brrr) and cold (as in vibes). I don't ever want to dress up to eat Sushi, because frankly, Sushi cravings are probably the most desperate food cravings there are, and that means pajamas.
(3)
Brady H.

My wife and I tried Coast a few months ago, but with some out of town guests hankering for sushi on a Sunday night, we figured too much trouble to get into Toro, so we should try Coast again. I was a bit apprehensive after reading the reviews - though our first visit was just fine. I'm not much of a maki guy, but I figured our friends were pro-maki and didn't need piles of toro. I called about an hour or so prior to getting there and secured a reservation. We were also promptly seated as soon as we showed up. Our table was in the hinterlands all the way in the back past the bathrooms, but service turned out to be flawless. Our waitress was attentive, got all the orders correct, and the pacing was great. Actually, after each round we ordered the next round of dishes. We started with a hamachi jalapeno special - tasty! We also tried the edamae, the warm shrimp salad (sweet corn tempura was interesting in a good way), agadashi tofu, and ceviche. I'd pass on the ceviche as a family style sharing dish. We tried about 9 maki, including three vegetarian ones at the end. The sweet potato tempura, oshinko, and shitake ones were all delicious. We tried the standard rolls - white dragon, ceviche, spicy scallop, a special with smoked salmon and cream cheese, super white tuna, etc. Nothing was all that memorable and it was at times like eating candy, but it was a fun dinner and everyone left happy. Dinner with 20% tip (there were 5 of us) was about $32 a person + 2 bottles of byob white wine. Very good deal! my only complaint is that the place is so dark!!!
(4)
Chelsea M.

Loud and crowded and wonderful! Food is great and it's BYOB with NO corking fee! Highly recommend, but definitely make a reservation unless you like two hour waits!
(5)
Pooja S.

Crowded on a Monday night? Unheard of! We went to Coast impromptu as a kind of commiserative dinner... with the expectation we would get a table, it being a Monday night.. wishful thinking. We sat at the bar and ordered. Coast King crab roll, white dragon roll awesome!! also their crab cakes which was a special starter were yum too. be warned although this is a BYOB it is NOT cheap. For 2 starters and 3 rolls we paid $80 all in. Their special rolls are great but they are $13 a pop. It is still my most fave place for sushi in Chi town and I eat sushi all the time!
(5)
Jamie K.

Coast is a great sushi restaurant. With the emergence of sushi place after sushi place, Coast stands near the top. I enjoy lots of things from a sushi menu and I tried lots of them my first time at Coast. I had fresh salmon, yellowtail and spicy creamy scallop sushi. All were excellent. Almost the best I have ever had. I also had bites of various rolls our table ordered. I had at least one piece of 4 different rolls. They were all excellent as well. I tried the spicy miso soup and the normal miso soup. The spicy is spicy. Make no mistake about it. The pieces of jalapeno floating on top of the soup were a bit much for me - and I like spicy food. It was girlfriend's birthday and they brought her dessert but then added it to the bill??!! HA. Now that is lame. That won't happen at Sai Cafe. All in all, Coast comes highly recommended. I look forward to my next visit.
(4)
Anne A.

Great Sushi - Bad Service Love the sushi - it's delicious. BUT delivery is BAD. They've messed up my order a number of times and most recently refused to bring out the food they left out (1/2 my order) saying they were too busy. The person on the phone could not have cared less that we were one person's dinner short. Overall, frustrating experience and I will avoid ordering from there again for awhile.
(3)
Sarah P.

Yummers! love sushi. Get the white dragon roll!
(5)
Rose N.

I have been here a number of times and it offers a great selection of food but I cannot stomach the wait to be seated or the prices when I compare to Kin or Butterfly. It is okay once in a while; please remember to try other places as well.
(3)
Ryan H.

Awesome sushi, BYOB, affordable prices. Nuff said.
(5)
Teenie K.

Coast's sushi is actually pretty good. of the 7-8 rolls we ordered, all were yummie. my favorite was the shitake mushroom tempura roll. i never had sushi with only mushrooms before but the combination of textures and flavors worked really well together. also interesting about Coast: BYOB, imported wasabi from japan, and they don't serve tea unless you order it. i kinda wished for the green tea that's usually freely served like agua, but oh well.
(4)
Foodie S.

BYOB! Always a wait so call ahead and make a reservation...loud atmosphere BUT Everything is tasty!
(4)
Abbe M.

Coast Sushi opened in 2003, and the food is a direct representation of its longevity. Consistency, consistency, consistency. Every time I go, I order the volcano and the white dragon maki and every time, I'm reminded of why Coast is my go-to sushi spot. I'm sad to say, however, that the service has been slipping. Without asking, our server ran through the specials and opened our bottle of wine before our entire party had been seated. It was clear that he was simply just going through the motions. The lack of initial couth was one of many offenses throughout our meal. The problem, Mr. Spikey-Haired Server, is that there are a million flash-in-the-pan sushi joints just waiting to show you up. And in this case, they could achieve that with mere eye contact and a smile. A functioning brain would be a perk, of course. My instinct is to continue going to Coast, but next time to offer on-the-spot critiques. The risk? Any proactive behavior carries the weighty concern of behind-the-scenes revenge. Therefore, the new plan is to air my grievances with management on the way out. With so many unemployed people in Chicago, there's no dearth of available servers out there. Perhaps enough complaints will result in a few deserved pink slips. If anything, it will put a little power back into the diners hands.
(3)
Lauren L.

If you are in the mood for decadent, creative sushi rolls, Coast is the place to be. Just bring some wine and you have a perfect evening. p.s. try the white dragon. Delish!
(4)
Michelle L.

I used to love Coast, and it's been a long time since my husband and I have been there so we decided to try it out again on a random weeknight. We were told the wait would be 30-45 minutes, which is a long time but hey, good for them for being so packed! We waited in the waiting area and asked the host if he could chill our champaign - he curtly told us we would get a chiller when we sat at our table....ok fine. So with the long wait, and since we couldn't have our bottle chilled, we decided to open it and have a drink while we waited (we all know what happens when a cold bottle of bubbly warms up and then you open it - wanted to avoid that!). My husband asked the same tall, curly haired host if we could get 2 wine or champaign glasses, he gave us 2 warm water glasses. Not a big deal, but we were drinking some pretty good bubbly and I wanted something with a stem. So I asked him for 2 wine glasses, his response: you'll get them when you sit down. Yes, I know - but we're drinking it now, and will bring it with us when we sit down. He rolled his eyes, huffed and said to hold on while he gets them. Excuse me?? I am not being demanding here. He was a pretentious jerk who didn't seem to like his job in the least. On the bright side, we only had to wait about 15 minutes before we were sat. Out waitress was very friendly and helpful, and we ordered a bunch of rolls that we remembered we loved. Now I said before that I haven't been to Coast in a long time, and when we started eating our food I remembered why. Coast maki is the kind of maki that beginners like, or people that don't really like fish like. It's the kind of maki that's drenched in fried tempura and mayo sauces that while it is quite tasty, you cannot taste the fish (except for the Creamy roll - yum). In addition, the portions are so small that we were left hungry (after ordering a lot). For example, the White Dragon that was always my favorite roll - it's basically a roll covered in tempura with eel and mayo sauce on it - well that's all I tasted, if I didn't see the ingredients on the menu I would have no idea what was actually inside of it - and for $14 (I think) it was the exact same size as the regular rolls. Perhaps my tastes matured? Maybe I've had truly good sushi too many times to think that Coast food is actually good (compare Coasts White Dragon to Oysy's White Dragon and you'll see what I mean)? I don't know, but while I liked it (heck, I like fast food sometimes too) it was not what I consider to be maki. So, while the dÃ©cor is absolutely lovely and the byob aspect is great, I will probably not return to Coast as I know what good sushi is and it's not at Coast.
(1)
William K.

Jeez, there are million reviews for this place. It's a solid 4 stars... great sushi, excellent service, nice ambiance. My tulip Holly and I ripped the place up with 3-4 courses. Holly had the special white tuna tartar, I had the flaming salmon (with the sparklers), and my wasabi dish stood out as well. Remember it's BYOB. We forgot but recovered that fumble with a nice Chianti Classico at the Quickie Mart down the street. He he!
(4)
Christian P.

Still some of the tastiest sushi ever, but not as great as its sister restaurant. So being in the south loop I am a religious eater at South Coast sushi. Friends north of the river brag that their Coast is better than the south coast because north is BYOB, south is standard full bar, wine, sake. Finally made it to the Coast and sampled their sushi. The selection did not seem as broad as South and many of my favorite friend rolls, were prepared differently than what i'm used to at south coast. That said the service, freshness of fish and layering of tastes still makes coast some of the best sushi ever. No matter if you're looking for fancy rolls that combine a bunch of fishes, flavors and textures, or super simple rice and fish....coast does NOT disappoint. My sashimi was so fresh and tasty, even ordered another round. the byob factor of here was very very nice i must say, and the crowd was pretty cool too.
(4)
Lauren S.

Great tasting fresh fish. I recommend the Volcano roll if you're eating in. If you're getting take out, I wouldn't get it - it tends to fall apart and get a little soggy for some reason. Pretty much any of their signature rolls get a big thumbs up. As for the alcohol policy that many have written about... I've been there several times with 2 bottles of wine an haven't heard a thing about it. I think if you just keep it under control you should be fine. My only complaint is with walk ins... many times i've been told that the table I was sitting at would be needed in an hour and a half. We finished well within that time, but it doesn't put you at ease to know your experience has an expiration date. Save yourself the trouble and call for reservations.
(4)
Ellie B.

Can you please tell me what 20% of $125 would be? $25 you say? Right. So can you explain why our waiter, John, got up in our grills for leaving a $24 tip? Apparently he considers that to be only 12%. I'm not sure where he took math. Everything leading up to this was wonderful. Some of the best sushi I've ever had - fresh, flavorful, wonderful indgredient combinations... Excellent service... almost. So we camped at our table, this much is true. But we also order $125 worth of food. When the waiter thought we had left the 12% tip, he came up to the table and said "Um, I'm sorry, was there something wrong here? Because it's my job to ask. You only left me 12%." We explained - we split the tab between 3 cards. $8 tip on each. That's $24. Which equals 19%. Okay, so maybe it was 1% less, but are you seriously insulting us like this? I tried to explain the situation and he got very huffy. "Well, the standard is at least 15%, but if that's what you guys are USED to leaving, that's fine, but I'm just saying..." Uh, didn't I just explain this to you stoopie pants? I dropped another $10 in cash, even though I knew we were in the right. Why? Because I had a buzz and had no desire to argue with him anymore. This seriously put a damper on what would have been a 5 star experience. And further more, I really liked our server up until this point. And having been a server, I completely understand his frustration HAD we actually left a mere 12%. I'm just upset that he chose not to listen. So he ultimately received a 24% tip. And we received a major insult. Fair trade? I think not.
(2)
Q D.

Coast is an amazing place. It can get very busy here on a weekend night so make a reservation or get there earlier. I think the longest I've waited was 2 hours, but it is well worth it. Coast is BYOB so feel free to bring some good wine and champagne. It has a very intimate setting, so it's good for a date or to just socialize with a group of friends. The staff will give their best recommendations if you need them as well. I visit this place frequently and I've never had a bad experience.
(5)
Michele H.

Yummy is all I can say. If you like sushi you will love coast the WHite Dragon is awesome. We went with another and ordered a bunch of stuff all of it was just delicious the desserts are mouth watering all great. Another wonderful BYOB!
(5)
noel c.

YOU MUST MAKE A RESERVATION... even on the weekdays. coast is very delicious. why do i love the ginger salad so much? it's only spring mix with a very yummy, fresh, light ginger dressing -- but, i still can't help but order it every time i go. BYOW. none of the following will disappoint: *spicy crunchy tuna *seaweed salad *sweet potato tempura roll *unagi (eel) *mochi ice cream *oshinko
(4)
Liz L.

Hi Everyone, For Sushi this place is pretty good. Nice people and good sushi. It is always dependable. :) One thing that I will say is kind of weird is some of their severs are off sometimes. I mean like they have not been socially groomed to work with other people. You can BYOB, which is kind of great (but there are like 50 million rules in the good old days there weren't as many as there are now, you may want to call ahead)! What I really liked about this place is all the different people who come here...weird I know but it is such a great mix of people and somehow makes the experience more enjoyable. :) The food is great and they have a vast variety of different types of sushi. It is usually pretty busy but I have always had really great luck. I have waited 10 mins or less to get in without RSVPing :) So grab a fish eating friend by the hand and swim on down to COAST.
(3)
Jane T.

I read somewhere that this place was named the best sushi in Chicago so decided to give it a shot. I read several reviews and noticed there were many complaints regarding service. I actually went on a Sunday so we were seated promptly and our server was attentive. I'm a huge fan of ordering makis because you can really get a sense of a restaurant's ingenuity and creativity through their makis. I ordered some signature makis and thought that they were phenomenal. Although I raved about them all night, my boyfriend had their nigiri and thought they were average. He also felt the consistency of the rice was too mushy. If I do venture back, it'll definitely be for the maki rolls. Side note: Don't be put off by the decor. We were in tshirt and jeans! It's actually extremely romantic inside. [edit]: This is Jane's bf. I'm the one who had the nigiri and I didn't like it at all. It tasted alright, but the consistency was pretty bad - the fish didn't feel fresh, and the rice was like a mushy ball of shame and regret.
(4)
Josh F.

This is our favorite sushi joint in the city. When out of town friends come into town we pick up a couple bottles of Riesling and head over to Coast. We love the atmosphere and the cost is always very reasonable. There can be quite a wait on the weekends so I suggest getting there a little early or just be prepared to wait. Also, there is no corkage fee on the BYO if each person spends over $15.
(5)
kevin c.

Have been to this place many times and it remains one of my favorite sushi places in the city. The signature rolls are very good and very original. The BYOB aspect works in its favor as well. Sushi is fresh and well handled. A wonderful place overall!
(4)
Stephen G.

After hearing great things from quite a few friends, I took my girlfriend a couple of nights ago. I was very impressed. Excellent sushi, and excellent service. Apparently you can only bring one bottle of wine per two people, but that was fine with us as we focused more on the sushi than our drinks (plus we had just had a couple of fairly filling brews over at Map Room). I would definitely go to Coast again, but not too often...those rolls do add up.
(4)
Ben B.

To trendy for their own good. Portions are small and pricey. It was very busy, but as I see with Chicago the people seem to prefer the name/look rather than quality. There are better places for sushi.
(2)
Janette L.

YAY! I FINALLY got to go to Coast this weekend after trying to for months. I can never seem to convince people to wait the 1 hour waits or 9:45pm seatings. What can I say? I roll with a hungry group. Food was good. You can tell the fish is fresh. This is the place if you like Maki. There did not seem like there were many other options. We also got the Hamachi Carpaccio (not on the regular menu but is on the specials menu - the blackboard hanging over the sushi chefs) and it was very good. You can read the other 195+ reviews on the good and the bad. What I found useful to know is: No corkage fee if you spend more than $15 a person (should be easy to do), they will take reservations but you need to provide a credit card, and as I learned from some regulars of this place - a twist off wine bottle and solo cups will get you through the 1hour wait (thanks to that group that shared a glass of your wine with me!)
(4)
Christina L.

All I have to say is Hamachi Carpaccio. I am always with a bunch of people when I come here and we end up sharing this dish (which I always insist on getting). The problem is then I have to share it. Don't get me wrong - I love sharing types of restaurants - more to try. However I must admit that I just want to eat the whole plate of thinly sliced hamachi served with a thin slice of jalepeno, a cilantro leaf and some spicy chili oil all by myself. Now that I got that off my chest... everything else is good as well. The atmosphere is a little too hip for their own good in my opinion but I'm kind of averse to places that think they are very trendy. I love the crunchy spicy tuna and white dragon and they often have interesting special rolls as well. Prices can get a little steep if you order the more interesting rolls but the byob factor saves cash so I guess it all evens out.
(4)
mary b.

Order the following and you will not be disappointed. I love the fact that it is BYOB also. Sea scallops with sesame for app. Whatever the freshest fish of the day is for (toro happened to be that day and it melted in our mouths. We ordered a second round for the table because it was so darn good) White dragon roll (large and in charge) Spicy tuna roll (better than your average spicy tuna, had tempura crunch and was pretty big) Volcano roll (nice and spicy with tuna) Bring your own white wine vodka and beer as we did and the waiter graciously and qucikly chilled all of the above. We skipped dessert because we were so full. (Mind you it was me and 2 dudes so the rolls were pretty filling) I cant wait to go back to check out mor fresh fish and the other rolls there. I prefer this place over Bob San for sure. The BYOB element makes it even more attractive! We had a reservation which allowed speedy seating.
(5)
William R.

This was my first time dining at Coast on 8/14/13. It's been around for so long and most people I know have been so I thought I would give it a shot. They aren't on OpenTable, which is a little annoying for the consumer but saves them money so no big deal. I called to make the reservation, no problems there though I wish they would have mentioned it is BYOB. But, I could have asked so not a problem. We were seated right away and our server immediately came to take an appetizer order. Unfortunately that was the last we saw of her for a good 15 minutes. Finally I asked another waiter to send her over so we could place our order. We got about 2/3 of our food about 20 minutes later, then the final role about 15 minutes after that. So the food was definitely slow to come out. When the food finally did arrive it was just not very flavorful. We had 2 of their standard Maki rolls which didn't have much flavor, then one of their special rolls which did have some flavor but wasn't that impressive. I also noticed that most of the rolls included mayo. I really wish sushi restaurants in Chicago would get off this mayo kick, putting mayo in every roll just masks the flavor of the fish. So anyway, food was ok but nothing special. But the worst part was that the womens restroom was out of order so there was a single mens room available for the entire restaurant. On top of that the door didn't lock or even close all the way, awesome. I waited about 10 minutes in line to use the restroom which I guess wasn't horrible given that I had a long time to kill before the food arrived. I'm kind of surprised they would be open with on single bathroom for the whole place. I really hope it broke that same night and there was nothing they could possibly have done to fix it right away, that's about the only way that would be understandable. So with all of the sushi options in Chicago I will be staying away from Coast.
(2)
Tad S.

BYOB, which is always good. Odd however - they told us 3 times on the phone about the policy of only 1 bottle of wine, sake, or 6 pack of beer per couple. Several other couples had wine and beer... a clear violation of policy that was so important it had to be said three times, and repeated on arrival. Not sure how you get in the special exception club, but whatever! Place was very crowded. We had a 9 PM reservation, and arrived 15 minutes early. They stated, we can seat you in 10 minutes. Wonderful!!! Finally, 25 minutes later - at 10 after we get seated... No where to sit and wait. Had to stand, and there were tons of people. Obviously very popular restaurant. The food was very average. Pricing average. Two of us ate for about $65. Sushi portions small. Nothing very special about this place. Just a regular good sushi joint.
(3)
george k.

City Search calls this the best Sushi place in Chicago. I think they are full of it, but I am yet to find one that is really better. The food is overpriced and the place is always jam packed. I think they shrunk the portions down since they first opened as well. If you make an order for carryout be ready to weave through a swarm of a-holes as you try and make your way to the counter. I will still go there, but it is because there is not much else to choose from. Someone open up a better place in the same hood!
(4)
Sarah Q.

This was my first real experience with sushi (I was too scared to try it before, but wow, I was missing out!) and it was amazing--now I'm hooked! We tried to get reservations but they were booked, so we just came around 10 pm instead and waited about 20 minutes for a table...after 10:30 the restaurant starts to empty out a little. We had the White Dragon Roll since everyone raves about it on Yelp, and they're right--it's so delicious! About $13 for eight pieces. We tried two other veggie rolls (spicy sweet potato tempura and asparagus tempura) that are reasonable at $4-$5 and come with 5-6 pieces. The spicy sweet potato is really tasty, but the asparagus could have been more tender. We finished it off with the dessert special--flourless chocolate dome filled with white and milk chocolate mousse, accompanied by strawberries, vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce. I liked it because it wasn't too sweet and was nice and light, so even though we were stuffed with sushi, the dessert didn't take us over the edge. I was apprehensive about the service since it's gotten mixed reviews on Yelp, but our server was super nice and helpful!
(4)
Nana H.

I cant believe I've been here the amount of times I've been without writing a review for this place. It's the bomb for hot dates because you get to bring a bottle or two of wine/beer/whatever and enjoy the evening with some pretty decent sashimi and maki. The prices are pretty good for the rolls and their specials are good, but you may want to ask the waiter how much they cost and if they are sharable, sometimes they can be small and expensive.
(4)
Michael J.

My 1-star rating is based entirely on Coast's new, overbearing byob policy. I recently learned the hard way that alcohol will be limited to 1 bottle of wine per 2 people, and you can no longer bring in hard alcohol at all. I understand that they were having people stay too long and get too drunk, but how about a policy of we reserve the right to ask you to leave at any time? Is the sushi still good? Yep. Will Coast still be at the top of my list of sushi joints: Probably not.
(1)
Ben W.

I've been here a few times and it has not yet failed to be a very good experience, from the food to the ambience. And so adaptable, it's proven great as a date place and I've taken friends here who are visiting Chicago for the first time. What I find interesting is the service, usually pretty good but I've had a couple of very quirky servers with strange mannerisms, which I'm fine with, it just gave us something else to talk and laugh about. Their new rule sounds like a complete downer which is an unfortunate black mark against this bright dining spot
(4)
David W.

Okay, I have returned, with a group a friends on a Tuesday night thinking it might be an off night. It was packed. Glad we had an reservation. The quality of food has improved or maybe it's the new year and I've decided to be less snobby with sushi. Thus the rating has improved. We ordered rolls only. They introduced a pumpkin roll..... pumpkin is reference to the color of roll, actually filling is squash. It's really good, perfect blend of sweet salty savoriness. I still recommend the place for a group of friends and not a date place. I mean, the decor and lighting is great for a date, but the tables are real close, no intimacy and everyone is loud due to the BYOB drinking factor. Also, make it a 5 top..... with the new 1 bottle per 2 people, bring 5 people and you get to bring 3 bottles. Though the waitress said the new policy is overlooked if the place isn't busy, but really, have you ever been when it wasn't busy? Make one of the bottle sake and you are golden.
(4)
Tanya M.

The reason for the 3 stars... the music is so loud that it has caused me to not return. The food is delicious and the staff is friendly but one of the times that I went there was on a date with my boyfriend and even though we were seated at the tiniest table and the place was dead, we still could barely hear each other. My voice actually hurt by the end of the night from having to yell everything I said. In my opinion thats too much effort for some sushi.
(3)
Aiga J.

my favorite sushi place!!!!!!!!! exceptionally amazing!!!!! dont forget byob!
(5)
Kara G.

It was Toro Tuesday, but since we had our usual foursome, and it was pretty late, there was no way we were getting a table. So of course the Todds et al opted for plan B- Coast Sushi. I had been there before for a book club meeting, and really liked the food, so although I was sad to have to forgo Toro, I was excited for Coast. We had called in a last-minute reservation (I recommend making a reservation, because it does fill up) and basically walked in and were seated almost immediately. We uncorked the wine, ordered some edamame, then ordered our requisite 7-8 rolls. We fed our faces, me until I was about to enter into a food coma, which obviously attests to the fact that the sushi is pretty damn good. Not too much in terms of selection (the menu is a bit limited but their offerings are good ones), but as I said, we weren't disappointed. The ambiance is nice- a little too dark (I almost tripped over a table of people on my way to the bathroom because I couldn't see that well in the dark !) but nice- so if you want to get cozy but be discreet, this would be a good place- just ask for a table in the corner.
(4)
Keith O.

Overall Coast offers everything a quality sushi bar should...except for alcohol. It's an BYOB restaurant, which I didn't know until I sat down and looked at the surrounding tables. Luckily the convenient store one block south on Damen sells wine. Anyway, a friend and I had the Soft Shell Crab appetizer, 3 large rolls for dinner (which we couldn't finish) and the bill was only $38. It was terrific tasting sushi at a great value. If driving, expect to pay for valet. Parking options in that area are slim.
(4)
Scott D.

Amazing sushi! Of the places I've been to in Chicago, Coast offers the tastiest sushi. The ambiance is comfortable and elegant, but can feel overcrowded at peak hours. Expect a large forum (seating for 70) at this Wicker park spot, which is a sharp contrast to the smaller sports commonly found in the north-side. Recommended for a couples and small groups willing to pay a little extra for a chic dining.
(5)
Adam L.

Service is good, sushi quality is great, environment is greater, BYOB is greatest. The only negative I have with this place is many times, it is hard to get a table. I have gotten take-out from here many times and only negative there is missing the presentation and freshness of food when brought to your table individually.
(5)
Isabella W.

I don't understand the hype surrounding Coast. I understand it's BYO and there' s a lot of variety, but honestly, do you really think those rolls are top-notch, inventive, and tasty? This was my 2nd time back, and among a party of 4, we had a good 7-8 rolls, from signature to simple makis: volcano, sunrise, spicy scallop, negi hamachi, spicy tuna, spicy ebi. NOne of them had distinct flavor, and I couldn't taste the fish in any of them. Even worse, the spicy sauces weren't even spicy. Maybe it was an off night (it was a Sat night), but everything was just barely at standard for me. There are too many BYO sushi places in the city for me to return to Coast.
(2)
L N.

I have been going to Coast for a few years. I had a one or two sushi places i really liked, but since first trying Coast, I have been unable to eat sushi anywhere else in Chicago. Try the yellow tail carpaccio. Wow.
(4)
erica m.

I love this place, the food is soo good. I highly recommend the white dragon. Its BYOB, go early, if you might be waiting a while for a table but its totally worth it. I've been there a few times and each time I've had a great experience. I order take out from there all the time and its so yummy and easy because while everyone is waiting an hour for a table I just walk up to the counter and get my food, pay and im on my way. :D
(5)
Tom A.

The sushi here is incredible. I love that it is BYO. While it seems to be trendy at first glance, you'll notice regulars if you, yourself, become a regular. Try anything with spicy mayo. Highly recommended!
(4)
Lucas P.

Sushi is meant to be eaten , this sushi is meant to be fully enjoyed. The selection they offer here far surpasses the usual that you will find in most places. They have a lot of people coming through this place and that shows that the product is fresh. With great byob, this place ends up being a deal for dinner or lunch
(4)
Helen A.

The best sushi in the city!
(5)
Leah E.

AWFUL!!! This was hands down one of the WORST sushi experiences I have ever had.. So disappointing because the place came highly reccommended. I wouldn't go there again if someone paid me. I'd like to preface this with this: I've been a server for 10 yrs and it takes a LOT for me to complain. I'm very understanding and very forgiving, but I was so disappointed with this experience. We arrived for a late dinner on Monday around 10-1030, so they were not busy at all. Yet, my friend and I waited over ten minutes for someone to greet us. Our server seemed distracted and unconcerned with our table. I understand byob, but never once refilled our glasses. We ordered a Sunrise & Wasabi roll as well as several pieces of sashimi. Our server brought us a plate with a piece of shrimp and a small roll. Took him quite a bit of time to notice and seemed very unapologetic. When we did get the Sunrise roll, the tuna was disgusting. I've tasted better out of the can. Too bad our server never came to check on us and inquire as to why we weren't eating it. The salmon was great (the best part of the evening). The rest of the sushi was ok, not very impressed. At last call for food, we ordered another 2 rolls, the crunchy spicy tuna and a spicy tako...and he brought us the wrong one...again. Did not once apologize or seem at all worried that he messed up...again. By this time it was around 11:15. I had read that they are open until midnight. Yes, we were the last table, but we had spent a lot of money on subpar food. Two minutes after dropping off the correct roll, our server became super attentive...he came by to ask if we were finished with the roll that we had eaten one piece of. We never did finish that roll because it too was lacking freshness. The octopus was sliced so thickly it was like eating rubber. Overall, the food would have been easier to swallow had the service been decent. But both were lacking and it was incredibly embarrassing because we were celebrating my friend's 30th birthday and our friend had flown in from Austin, TX to be here. I will never return to this restaurant and hope this particular server gets reprimanded. I've worked in several restaurants that these Yelp! reviews are taken very seriously and I hope this one is. I do NOT like writing this snarky review, I,d rather of had a nice evening with my friends.
(1)
Jessica H.

Some of the best sushi in the city and it's BYOB! The wait staff isn't all that friendly but it seemed like it wasn't his night so might not be typical of this place. Can't wait to go back again!
(4)
Eileen O.

I am not a big sushi fan, but last night I met up with a bunch of friends at Coast and loved it. Firstly, it's byob, which is fantastic. They were able to accommodate a party of 7 plus a baby under the age of 1. The staff was fantastic and friendly. The food was outstanding. We got everything from carpacio and sushi to sukiyaki. Everything was delicious. It's a bit pricey, but was absolutely enjoyable and worth it.
(5)
mildred v.

My friends and I ate here to do our annual christmas gift exchange. Although we had a reservation, we had to wait a bit which was understandable since we were a larger party (8) and all of us were not there anyway. The rolls were pretty good but I'm honestly used to buffet style sushi places so i can get my belly filled to the max. Just to give you a taste of my sushi capacity I ordered the spicy salmon, dragon, ceviche, and spicy sweet potato. the dragon was no different or any better than any other place i've been to. the spicy sweet potato was exactly what the name implies. I was impressed with the spicy salmon which included SCALLION - mmmmmmm. This spicy salmon comes second to my favorite spicy salmon at Japonica (Taylor street) which has cilantro. I also enjoyed the ceviche roll (I've never seen it offered anywhere else) it is a lime marinated scallop with ebi, tako with mango, jalapeno and cilantro. I thought it was creative and delicious. They are BYOB which is great, they provide wine chillers, glasses and a n opener. Our waitress wasn't feeling us from the beginning. She seemed annoyed by us for no particular reason. Bad day maybe or that time of the month? Whatever the case I would've shorted her on the tip if it wasn't included in the gratuity. I mean come on. at the end of dinner we were opening our gifts and right after the last person pulled her gift out of the box - she comes over and says - "can you take care of this (the check) now. . . ." We were all looking at each other after she left with the same look on our faces ("damn, what a bitch!!!"). it's not like they were closing yet and the restaurant was still half full (there were still people there and also a lot of space to seat any incoming diners). So I don't know what her problem was. I think I'll call in for a few spicy salmons and a ceviche when I'm in the neighborhood but I wouldn't make plans to dine in again because of the service and how busy it is.
(3)
Jeanus T.

Nice and romantic place! Sushi and maki are not bad at all. And it's a BYOB place.
(4)
Clare K.

Coast has good sushi, but honestly, it's all about the ambiance for me. Unless it's BAD sushi, all sushi sort of tastes the same to me. I really like sushi, but I guess I am just equal opportunity & not one to rave about individual places. I like that it's BYOB, though. Really cuts down on price...however, if I am not mistaken, they charge the corkage fee per person, not bottle. That kind of annoyed me. So if (almost) all sushi is good sushi & it's all about the ambiance, why not Japonais? Coast is closer to my house.
(4)
Jamie B.

I just had dinner with my friends here a couple hours ago and all I have to say is this place was absolutely delicious! Definitely get the White Dragon Roll....Amazing!!!! Everything was fresh and service was so quick! The staff was friendly too! Our server helped us make awesome decisions! I'll definitely be a regular from now on ;)!
(5)
Christina S.

Went here the other night with a couple of friends for an early dinner (6:45). We made a reservation, but when we got there the restaurant was almost empty, so I doubt we would have had to wait, even if we hadn't made one. Our waiter was incredibly friendly and attentive, and gave us some great suggestions on what to order. The sushi was fantastic, some of the best I've had (in Chicago, at least). The hashimi carpaccio was absolutely FANTASTIC, as were all of the maki rolls we ordered. Because it's BYOB (and pretty reasonably priced), we all left very satisfied for under 25 bucks. Works for me. However, I would definitely recommend making this an early dinner destination, because by the time we left, it was getting super busy, and I was starting to see where some of the other yelpers were coming from with their complaints about this place. The tables are so close together that when I got up to leave, the guy next to us was treated to my ass in his face. On the house, buddy. Also, the noise factor got to be overwhelming towards the end. And I couldn't help but notice all the people standing around waiting for tables as we were walking out the door. Bottom line: I would definitely come back here, but probably would want to save it for weeknights when I want to eat early... and in relative peace!
(4)
Jill C.

Freshness and flavors - excellent (had Hamachi Carpachio, Sunrise Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, and Sashimi 12 Piece Platter). But the servings were teeny-tiny at the price. Wait time - Great, which is to say none, at 7 pm on a Thursday (last night). Atmosphere - Awful. Way too loud, way too dark. There were only two of us, but I felt like I was shouting to converse. And as the place started to fill up, I couldn't wait to get back outside for a little peace! I had to tilt the menu toward the window to read it, as we were sitting near the back and it is very dark. Service - Cheerful and knowledgeable, but so slow we nearly left before our drink orders were even taken. Once we placed our order, the appetizer took a lifetime to come out, and we had plenty of time to cool our heels once that was cleared before our main dishes came out. Don't come here hungry, you'll be miserable waiting on the food and ultimately disappointed by the emaciated roles.
(2)
Vanna T.

Now that I think about it, I think I've been here more than any other restaurant in this city- a combination of ALWAYS having great sushi, good service, never a wait TOO long, and the fact that it's BYOB and parking is do-able make this place 5 stars in my opinion. Decor inside is nice, candles on the tables and dimmed lighting make it a great date spot, and prices are very reasonable for quality sushi. There's always it seems some spicy jalepeno roll on special that is sooo good and i always get it, though I can't remember the name. I've loved Coast from my first mouthful of sushi and I'mma continue loving it for years to come.
(5)
Dan M.

If I could only eat at one last sushi spot in Chicago, this would be it. Coast Crab is the most delicious maki roll I've ever had. Spicy miso is great as well.
(5)
Jen B.

Update: Back for a second visit on a Thursday night, and I love this place more than ever. I branched out and tried a specialty roll that included Japanese squash. Sounds gross, right? False. It was wonderous. I can't remember what it was called, so I'm dubbing it the "Slutty Pumpkin." I also tried the crab cake appetizer, which was more like fried crab inside a fried wonton. Again, sounds a bit revolting, no? Somehow Coast makes it great. The Po' Boy is still delicious, and so huge that it's hard to eat without looking like a glutton. I would caution you that this is not a spot for a quick bite. Things move rather leisurely so be prepared for that. Also, I tried the fresh wasabi this time around, at the request of some self-described foodies, and as I predicted, I could not tell the difference. But hey at least I seemed more worldly.
(5)
C. B.

The atmosphere here is super hip and modern...perhaps that's what you pay for? I was rather disappointed in their sushi rolls. I had heard good things and was sorely disappointed at how much I paid for rolls that really weren't all too good.... I'm not up on my Wicker Park restaurants, so maybe this is the go-to sushi place in WP...but it rates pretty darn low in my book.
(2)
anna k.

Everything was really good. Had their featured Sushi and rolls. Portion size was spot on and the knife skills were Dooley noted. Asparagus side was a hidden gem. Service was professional with being snobby. Food was fast, awesome 'cause I was a starvin'. Place was packed but the noise level was minimal, thumbs up. byob and they deliver!
(4)
Joy M.

I'm a sushi fanatic and have tried a lot of different places that Chicago has the offer. Coast is of one the few places that I keep going back. The freshness of the sushi combined with the creativity of the chef is what keeps me coming back. A must try there is the Angry Salmon! There might be a wait for a table, especially on a weekend, but thats okay! Because this place is BYOB, and they allow you to open your bottle while waiting for your table.
(4)
Robin H.

I have only been to a handful of Sushi restaurants in Chicago, but Coast is the only one that I have returned to again and again. I do, I love Coast! I have never been less than impressed with the quality of the sushi, the presentation, the waitstaff, and the vibe of the restaurant itself. Great date spot. I am partial to the rolls, and they have always been delicious. The man normally gets the sushi or sashimi plate, which always works for him. They often have really yummy sounding specials as well. Sushi! Yum!
(5)
Jane W.

Great spot. Went late on Thursday night with reservation and although when we got there the place was jumping and extremely loud it mellowed out around 9:30. Sushi rolls were good but the tuna and yellowtail were out of this world. Not the most romantic environment but for what we got it was very reasonably priced. It was boyfriends birthday and they did beautiful desert with candle deal. Very complimentary BYOB. Wait staff was first rate. Will definitely go back.
(5)
Joshua Y.

Overall, the food we had was quite good. Everything else about the restaurant SUCKED! Our appetizers took a long 45 minutes to get served and only about half of them made it to our table. Apparantly, another server grabbed our "apps" and gave them to another table. Finally, when our other apps did come out, the server said, "Here are your crab cakes, watch out, they're hot and shit!" I'm quoting him verbatim on that one. We asked for wine glass 5x before they brought them out. There was this drunk gal that was yelling, "Amurica!!!" throughout the course of our dinner, then she felt inclined to light up in the middle of the restaurant not abiding by the 15 ft law or whatever. Did the management do anything? NOPE! After we finished our apps, we anxiously waited for our sushi as well. In what seemed to be an hour after ordering it, our sushi arrived. Finally, when we complained to the manager, she pulled out her "time card" to argue about when we arrived, when we ordered, etc. During our discussions, she would giggle as if to say, "I've got these suckers by the balls!!!" Never at any point did she admit fault whatsoever nor did she try to fix anything! In the end she took off 20% from our bill which we felt was ridiculous! I could go on and on about Coast. In the end, talk about horrible restaurant management! I think management should attend McD's Hamburger University to learn a thing or two on service. I've never had such a horrible dining experience in my life and will NEVER goto COAST SUSHI again!
(1)
Jennifer A.

Fantastic quality sushi and I'm a picky purist. I usually take it out and service is super speedy. Worth the price.
(4)
Shweta N.

I first came here shortly after moving to Chicago as it was highly recommended by a lot of fellow foodies. We started with one of the specials of the night:hamachi carpacchio with jalapeno, which was absolutely delicious. This was followed by their sunrise, white dragon, and volcano maki rolls, which were equally enjoyable. Another bonus is that its BYO :) Coast has a very cool ambience and can be quite intimate, but it's also great to enjoy with a group of girlfriends (they do have seating for larger groups). Remember to make reservations; even with reservations, we ended up waiting about 20 minutes for our table.
(4)
Milena M.

This place is an awesomely good time. They have some very inspired rolls and everything is super fresh. We had fatty yellowtail and my chirashi was amazing. The pieces of fish were a good size. They have a large selection of dessert including specials. If they have the chocolate cake on special, I would definitely recommend that. The tofu appetizer was also very yummy.
(4)
Rachelle G.

I don't even know if another review for Coast is necessary seeing as how there are well over a hundred. Came on Sunday a little after six, and I was beyond happy that there was no wait. I was a bit afraid as this was a fairly regular complaint amongst everyone. Great ambiance, although I think the tables are a bit too close for comfort. Food was delish! We had a few specialty rolls and each was interesting and a great combination. Corkage fee of $5 or if you ave. $15/person in your group, they waive the corkage fee. I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Jessica A.

One word: unimpressive. I had high hopes, which is perhaps unfair going into any restaurant with good reviews - you hope your experience will be fantastic, too. I didn't know I would need to make reservations on a Monday night, and so we ended up sitting at the sushi bar rather than waiting an hour or so for a table. I usually like sitting at the sushi bar because you get to see what's getting made - but that's not the case here. The sushi chefs are separated from the customers at the bar by design, and when the rolls are finished they're set behind a wall , hidden away from curious observers like myself, and then quickly whisked away to tables by food runners and servers. Oh, sushi sushi, you romance me so. Sadly, that is not the case here. We barely spoke to one another, my sushi rolls and I. It was like eating with an awkward stranger. While the sashimi cuts are fresh and mildly conversational, the rolls were disappointing and silent. My friend and I ordered the white dragon and wasabi rolls - the wasabi roll was to both of our liking, but the white dragon roll was literally the size of my forearm because the rice was an inch and a half thick around a dime-sized mixture of shrimp tempura (which I couldn't see or taste), cream cheese, tobiko, and avocado. Service was unmemorable, prices are moderate - BYOB helps that though - the restaurant itself is loud and busy, the decor is comfortable, and the lighting is somewhat low to set the mood, whatever it may be. All in all, I will go back again and give it another shot, but I'm in no rush for masochism.
(2)
Jenna C.

Ok so Coast is good, but not great. I have never felt really happy after eating here, especially when I remember how much my ehh meal just cost me. The lychee sorbet is fantastic but other than that you can get most things better at Hachi's.
(3)
erika g.

I live in the area and ordered Coast for take-out recently. It took twice as long as it would have if we would have eaten in the restaurant. (90 minutes for sushi?) The sushi is overpriced for what you get. I will not be returning / ordering again.
(2)
Lori S.

The White Dragon is hands down the best maki roll in the city. Restaurant is BYOB and it is great that they take reservations (highly recommended - the place is always packed). Great for a date or with a group.
(5)
Terris A.

Love this place. I have been here three times and two of those times were with very large groups. The service has always been great. This is by far the best sushi in Chicago that I have had. I have always recommended friends to try them out and get hooked like I am. The sushi quality is high and the presentation is always amazing.
(5)
Brian M.

White Dragon Rolls are out of this world. I've been to the majority of the sushi bars in Chicago and this roll out does them all. Make sure you try at least a piece of the Toro too, it's as good as it gets. Prices are a little high but the quality and tastes are really top notch.
(5)
Val G.

TOTALLY GOTTA LOVE THIS PLACE! It is the Best Sushi and the Po Boy is My Fav! The Service is always good and The BYOB is a plus! Their Appetizers and Desserts are always Yummy, it is pretty much the same thing repeated with Specials But the Asparagus Beef and Spicy Crab Appetizers are a must!
(5)
Steve T.

The sushi was decent, we ordered Tomago nigiri, however the rice was INSIDE. Last time I checked, that's no longer nigiri if you make it somewhat like a roll. We've had better Tomago at Sushi Mura. The volcano and white dragon were good, as well as the crunchy spicy tuna. Sushi gets 3-3.5 stars. Coast should work on the politeness level of its staff to the patrons. I was not impressed. Their new alcohol policy also is less than to be desired. They cannot touch your bottle, and you can only have 1 for every 2 people. Interestingly enough, you can have wine and a 6 pack of beer for 2 people... which seems to be counter intuitive to said policy. Service Level 1 star. Alcohol Policy -10. If you don't live in the area, I wouldn't recommend trekking out for this place.
(2)
Becky R.

Finally! I've been wanting to try Coast for years now, but never made it, mostly because I kept hearing how crowded it is. Well, not on Super Bowl Sunday, my friends! I started with spicy miso, which was quite tasty and the mug helped warm my chilly hands. My friends and I shared four rolls: the volcano, the coast crab, the sunrise, and a special roll called the Pauper (I think). All four were excellent rolls, but the volcano and the coast crab knocked my socks off! The volcano was just the right amount of spicy, piled high with the delicious tempura crunch. Yum! The Coast Crab surprised me. It was probably my favorite roll. What can I say? I love me some roe. And they were generous with it. I'll be back.
(5)
Courtney M.

One of the best sushi places I've visited (thanks, Christine L!). I love the atmosphere, and it never hurts that it's BYOB. We tried some specialty rolls, like the pumpkin roll, as well as their crab roll, and I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty everything was. Edamame was served promptly and the service was also very good. I really enjoyed eating here and wish there was a sushi place as cool as this in south OC!
(5)
Nhu N.

9 times out of 10 the sushi is amazingly fresh. The po'boy roll is one of my faves. Although, I honestly come here for their kick@ss tempura. Something of the breading leaves a sweet aftertaste. 4 stars for BYOB!
(4)
Michelle O.

Loved byob. Fresh tasting. Haven't had uni in a long time and just HAD to order it. It was as rich tasting as I remember although it doesn't compare to the uni fresh from the ocean in Japan. Either way.. Great sushi/sashimi. We had wasabi roll, rainbow roll, volcano roll, hamachi carpaccio special, large sashimi, fresh wasabi (extra fee) -- all for $100! Great food, great ambience, great price, great service... Priceless
(4)
Brian G.

I dined in a few years ago, and was really impressed with the atmosphere. I remember not being blown away by the sushi. I recently ordered delivery from this place one night to try it as an alternative to SushiX for delivered sushi. The worst! All our sushi was freezing cold. The spicy tuna had next to no meat in it, and was obviously siting in a fridge prepared god knows how long ago. If I want cold, old sushi I'll go to Dominicks.
(2)
Tina T.

I did not read any of the yelper reviews about Coast prior to eating here; we were in the neighborhood shopping and stopped in to eat. I thought it was good sushi and decent service. A couple of standouts: the hamachi tuna carpaccio appetizer special was really good; the tuna was thinly sliced as a carpaccio should be, drizzled with a garlic oil and topped with jalapenos - mmm! I thought their tuna in general was really good; their maguro was buttery and tender and melted in my mouth. Other rolls were slightly above average than some of the other places in Chicago. BYOB - did not know that ahead of time, but luckily there is a liquor store around the corner. The server was really nice, but she did forget to uncork our bottle. And what's up with only 1 bathroom? I mean, seriously, the place is about 3 storefronts wide, and one bathroom to share between women? Overall, a good experience; if I was in the hood, I'd go back. I don't know that I'd make a special trip though!
(4)
Adam K.

Meh I've had better. The spicy tuna was not great, neither was their spider. The fish seemed fresh for the most part. The rice was too sweet and kinda mushy.
(2)
Hilary P.

Good decor and lighting, friendly servers, yummy sushi! My friend and I joke about the "Oast" tour of Toast Too for breakfast and Coast Sushi for dinner, right across the street but that's not to say we're ever disappointed if that is indeed the plan! All my friends in LA mock me for eating sushi "in the middle of the country" but I have to say that the rolls at Coast are pretty damn good! I do remember really enjoying the white dragon and coast crab maki both quite a bit. I can't speak to their sashimi, but the quality of the fish also seemed to be quite good. Dark and kind of trendy so probably a good date place too!
(5)
Johanna C.

Coast is a good place. Not great but good. They don't have much selection under their signature makis but they have a decent maki selection in general. I had the Dragon and Una Avo and they were both very delicious. It is worth the $2 to try the authentic wasabi. Prices are typical. This place is BYOB. Service is okay but could be better. I sat at the sushi bar so I cannot speak for the acoustics if you were to sit at a table. It is loud in general.
(3)
Laura P.

I had a great experience here. First of all, I wasn't super hungry but was craving some good sushi. My friend and I had the spicy scallop roll, seaweed salad, and split a mushroom/egg appetizer - all were served to us fairly quickly, even though it was super packed! So, all in all, the service was really good. I really liked the dark, sexy atmosphere of the restaurant. Plus, you'll always win at a BYOB establishment.
(4)
Elliott R.

Yeah it's good sushi and I like coast - the reason I'm giving it one star is that they serve bluefin tuna. I'm not a huge treehugger type but the truth is that this fish will only be around a few more years until it's extinct. I'm using my rating as sending a message to Coast to not serve this fish anymore.
(1)
Rich K.

Celebrated my birthday here last night. I love this place. Servers are always excellent. Every sushi roll was fantastic. Definitely my favorite sushi joint in the city. The homemade wasabi was fantastic.
(4)
Amy M.

It's a decent place, but overrated and the quality is extremely inconsistent. Is everyone rating it on a single visit or something? I've eaten in the restaurant a number of times and get takeout quite a bit due to its proximity to my home. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's really. not. good. Don't get me wrong, I'll still eat there or get takeout on occasion, but is it really worth the attention and glowing reviews it gets? Meh. If going out with friends I prefer less crowded, less expensive maki fare. ...Or maybe I'm just drinking a different kind of Kool-Aid than everyone else?... P.S. I almost forgot to specify why I keep coming back. I can order takeout (or delivery) direct from them online and then walk there to pick up my order. Never had a problem with that service.
(3)
Jenny z.

LOVE the sushi, hate the tude. When this place first opened, the service still sucked but at least you could get a table and not be surrounded by former Wrigleyvillers/Lincoln Parkers loudly discussing clubs/cars/real estate. Now, the sushi is still great (white dragon roll, fatty tuna, yum), but the place is packed with Striped Shirt Guys and the desperate to get engaged chicks who love them. Ick. Even with a reservation you are going to wait, and wait, and wait...... I second what another poster said below - I walk in wearing chucks and jeans and people look at me like I'm a leper. I eat at Le Bouchon all the time and never get any attitude there for jeans and sneakers. So, sorry, I'm not getting dressed up to impress some assholes who are going to get married and move to the burbs in 2 years as soon as she gets pregnant and/or the insanely rude waitstaff. I'm a nice girl, I bathe, I'm not wearing bags on my feet or swathed in 17 layers of discarded clothing. I just don't feel like dressing up like I'm going to the prom for dinner, okay? Suck it up, d-bags and quit staring. Blergh. So why do I keep going back? A) I DO like to make the Chads & Trixies uncomfortable, and B) the really great sushi.
(3)
Eugene V.

Absolutely love this place! The white dragon roll and the po' boy roll - while a little on the expensive side - are absolute musts! If you're brave, go for the uzura (quail egg) with masago or tobiko nigiri. Something quite different from most other places. It is BYOB, which is great, especially since there is no corkage fee. Try to get in within the hour after they open, maybe hour and a half, and stay a while. They get busy after. Slightly dark, not loud.
(5)
Laura H.

Who doesn't love Coast? I feel like this place is a well-known staple in Chicago....with it being BYOB this place would be my equivalent to Tango Sur but for sushi not steak.
(4)
tina m.

The atmosphere is fantastic. Low lighting and lots of candles, which is essential for any good sushi place. It's BYOB so you have to bring your own wine, but let's face it--it makes the bill that much cheaper. BUT it's PACKED on the weekends. If you have a spur of the moment sushi craving on a Friday or Saturday night, forget going to Coast as you'll have to wait forever in their teensie lounge. You might as well head over to Blue Fin (which has better sushi anyways if you ask me). Good food, good service, great atmosphere. A
(4)
Shelby C.

Coast is delicious! I visited there for the second time Friday night and couldn't help but fall in love even more with the decor and fun atmosphere. Pros: Perfect for a big group, we came with 6 and once we were seated our very knowelagable and sweet waiter was super quick. He told us this was his third waiting job at a sushi place and recommended the right stuff for us. The ginger salad is also huge and well worth the $5. I would also recommend the Sunrise Roll (Mango, Tuna and Mint)! It is so refreshing and not to filling. One con: Our reservation was already late at 9:30 and we got seated at 10:15 but being a BYOB and allowing us to have a few of our drinks made that seem less annoying. I am also not a fan that a lot of there rolls have tempura crumb on top....something I am not in to. Overall, this place is pretty delicious and a perfect place to take out of town guests and show them sushi in Chicago. I would definitely recommend a reservation and bringing your own bottle!
(4)
Liz S.

Coast has really fresh sushi and they are amazing at their plating. Downfall is that reservations are difficult to make, it's a tad loud, and parking is sometimes difficult. But, if you want to get sushi that's fresh and artistic plating this is the place. Also, as most other sushi places, they have their own speciality rolls, which I have never been disappointed by.
(4)
Dan N.

Before moving to Chicago I spent 4 years in San Diego, and you could say that really set the bar all future sushi restaurants. It took over a year to find a joint that has really, really good quality sushi, but when we did it happened to be right in our new neighborhood. My fiance (who is a vegetarian) and I love Coast, not only for the quality of their food but for the BYOB aspect and it's proximity. It can be REALLY busy on Fri & Sat nights, so we tend to go during the week nights but in the end this is the best all-around sushi experience I've found in Chicago so far.
(5)
Caitlin S.

Okay, I'll admit it. I've never been inside coast so I can't really judge ambiance or service or anything like that. Since they deliver to my door, I have no reason to leave my apartment when I want to eat some decent sushi. Everything we've ever ordered has been delicious and fresh tasting. The delivery service takes generally somewhere between 45-60 minutes, so keep that in mind when ordering. Also, they always magically give us the right amount of chopsticks for the people eating... I don't know how the do it!
(4)
Sohni S.

Delicious sushi, but a tad overpriced as the rolls are small compared to other places that charge less or the same for much more. Be prepared to wait forever for a table! Highly reccomend the Po Boy and White Dragon if you like very decadent rolls full of tempura, sauce, cream cheese, etc. Heavenly! Sexy atmosphere, dark, good music and BYOB
(4)
JP D.

I give 4 stars because, - Sushi is really good, not the best I've ever had, but pretty close - I love the neighborhood - BYOB! - Not too pricey - Great place to bring large groups
(4)
Vanessa P.

So I read the reviews for Coast before I went to the restaurant and I went there expecting attitude and douchebaggery. I have to say, I didn't find that to be the case at all. When we arrived, the place was packed and the hostess said that it would be a 25 minute wait for the table, but that the sushi bar was open. We immediately sat at the sushi bar. Our server was very nice, funny and was around when we needed him to be. (And his birthday is 2 days before mine, which makes him even cooler.) We had the california roll, crunchy spicy tuna, unakyu (mmm, eel) and the dragon roll. Everything came out very quickly and tasted very fresh. Maybe I went on a good off-day. I don't know, but I will be back.
(4)
Kat F.

I live in SF and this BYOB + sushi is completely foreign to me. I expected the sushi to be low in quality but it wasn't. LOVE this place and such a deal. Please open in the west coast!
(5)
Annie T.

All I wanted for my birfffday was some delicious sooosh. And delicious soosh I got! Our party of 6 had a reservation and were promptly seated. The restaurant is perfectly decorated-- trendy slash comfy slash awesome! Throw in BYOB and you get a table of drunks fumbling with their chopsticks. Love it. We started with salads, edamame and miso. I tried the regular and the spicy miso soups. The spicy miso deserves a star of it's own. Oh muh gah. Jalapenos galore! So zesty and flavorful. The soup was perfect with a side of kick. The rolls did not disappoint. My favorites maki rolls were the Ebi Tempura and Spicy Tuna Crunch. Perfectly assembled with just the right ingreds. I loved the cucumber in the Spicy Tuna Crunch. Now on to the fresh pieces. Coast has some of the freshest salmon/Nama Sake in Chicago that rivals Sai Cafe's. Their yellowtail-- not so much. The service was great. Our blonde Asian waitress (possibly my blonde bombshell friend Amber and I's love child) was super attentive and answered all our questions. The bus boys kept our table spic and span throughout the meal and didn't snicker/act awkward when they overheard my inappropriately risque stories that shouldn't be told in public. My only gripe? WE GOT CHARGED FOR MY BIRTHDAY DESSERT! Who does that? I thought it was a universal rule that you get complimentary birthday desserts! Apparently not. God bless my friends for treatin me to a sweet and satisying happy ending. :)
(5)
Whitaker J.

Always good. Very busy usually but I've never had an extremely long wait or felt inconvenienced by the crowd - it's truly a testament to how quality the sushi is. The BYOB is such a plus considering the sushi is reasonably priced so overall you end up with a satisfying meal that doesn't end up being ridiculously expensive. They have a great version of a 'Mexican' Roll - which is my favorite but every time i go I can't shy away from "THE WHITE DRAGON" roll. Just do it.
(4)
Miss A.

I wish I could give it 4.5 stars! The sushi is great and reasonably priced. Same goes for the appetizers. The menu is more extensive than a lot of other sushi places, too, so I can always experiment and try new things. I really like that it's BYOB, too. The only complaint that I have is about the acoustics - it gets really loud in there, to the point where you have to shout across your table to have a conversation. Still, it's a regular date spot for me and my boyfriend!
(4)
Ariel B.

There's a poem on the wall behind the sushi bar at coast, that was written by a little girl. "I love Coast. Coast is the best. Coast is the best. Better than all the rest." I have to agree with the little girl, Coast is quite good. But you are probably wondering why I only gave it 4 stars. Well, when I sit at the sushi BAR, I expect to order and talk to the sushi chef. That's where the real magic happens. However, not at Coast. You order from a server. The guys behind the counter get really taken aback when you try to order for them. Don't make the same mistake we did, just sit and wait until someone comes to you. I'm a big fan of trying the "designer sushi" or "specialty rolls". I like to see how creative the sushi chef's can get. Coast did not disappoint. We ordered 6 rolls. The most interesting roll was the Sunshine roll with ginger soaked tuna wrapped with mango. The tastiest roll was the Po'Boy, with the White Dragon Roll coming in a close second. We went around 6:45 on a Wednesday and there was already a wait for a table without a reservation, so we decided to sit at the sushi bar. We got served right away (well, after I tried to order from the Sushi chef who seemed slightly confused). The place was a bit loud, but it wasn't too terrible. The rolls we had were very good and a little on the pricey side. Again, we had the designer suhi, not the regular maki or negri rolls. Those looked quite reasonable, even their dragon roll. And if you BYOB, if you order at least $15 per person they waive their $5 per person corkage fee. So easy to do with sushi. :) We will definitely be back. There are two more specialty rolls we want to try in addition to see how they do their regular rolls. Service was good. Overall very happy, except for the fact that I can't order from or talk to the sushi chef.
(4)
Sarah C.

Awesome restaurant. I agree, make reservations! BYOB offsets the expensive food and makes it all the better. Our waiter forgot only one maki out of several and it was immediately brought to us. I definitely reccomend the white dragon maki
(4)
Sonia L.

I am convinced this is my favorite sushi place in Chicago. Although pricey for a BYOB place, the rolls are unique and I really think there is a special freshness that goes into each roll made at Coast. The atmosphere is awesome. It is a modern, but too contemporary feel. The waitstaff is nice and knowledgeable. I wish I could tell you what rolls were good, but I can't remember! Anyway, it's a good spot for a date or a small group of friends. It's a loud and busy place, so get ready to yell.
(5)
angela D.

We went to a restaurant in Vancouver by the same name so we thought we would try this one to see how it compares. We so enjoyed our meal and our server was so helpful in making our choices. Would not change a thing we ate. Everything so fresh, so unusual and cannot wait to go back. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys sushi and to anyone who wants to try it.
(5)
Chris S.

Great sushi, and right around the corner from Danny's. Combine the two for one great date night. My only complaint is that it gets kinda noisy.
(3)
Martha D.

Ok so I'm writing another review on a sushi restaurant...I really do eat at other kinds of places. My friends and I just went to Coast and I forgot how much I liked their sushi. Andrea N. picked it (after the awful experience she had at Hey Sushi she didn't trust me.) The Volcano rolls are the best I've ever had - so spicy! I also loved the Coast Crab and the Spicy Salmon. BYOB is always a good thing, and it was nice to see that the place was still packed late on a Tuesday night. I'd go more often if it wasn't so far away. Taxi fare to Bucktown is a killer.
(4)
Dana H.

What a great sushi spot! And, that it is BYOB makes it that much better;) The menu is original...yes, all the sushi staples are there, but the specials are not cookie-cutter...and they have tons of specials not listed on the menu...so many so that our waitress listed a few, then told us if there was something we were craving she would let us know if there were any specials... The service was great, the fish was fresh and the place was packed on a Monday night. FYI...we had the wasabi apple special roll, white dragon sans cream chz, creamy spicy (that sounds horrible, but it is delish) and hamachi avocado...plus a few pieces. All were great, but my fav was the white dragon.
(4)
Kelly M.

Delcious.... I am not a huge sushi person, I mean I like the basic rolls, but I get scared to try other "different" rolls. My friend had her birthday dinner here, and it was amazing, I tried so many different things and loved them all. Also, the fact that it is a byob is amazing, we had a bottle of wine for each of us. The service was great, and the price of the food was the cheapest I have had a in long time. Reservations def a must for a Friday or Saturday, gets super crowded.
(5)
Dan M.

Okay, I really enjoy the sushi....however the waiting and the seating are ridiculous. We have been to Coast several times and always have to wait for greater than 45 min (even with a call-ahead). Oh yeah, and if you go during winter bring extra clothes....it is freezing. Unless you have hours to kill, there are many more places to eat sushi.
(2)
Jeanine H.

Whenever I want to have a special night with friends or that special someone, I always come here. So grateful to the girl who suggested it to me 3 years ago. This place is THE spot to dine on a wonderful assortment of beautiful sushi creations and enjoy a sexy atmosphere. Great variety for vegetarians (the exotic tempura should be called erotic tempura), perfect music selections to set the tone and you can have it your way with this BYOB treasure. Sexy, trendy yet casual, it's a hot spot for starting your night out & even better for finishing the evening.
(5)
Clarissa D.

There are so many byob sushi places all over Chicago, and Coast is one of my favorites. Some places are full of what I think of as cheap imitation sushi: gigantic rolls stuffed with things like cheese and fake crab, covered in sweet sauce and suffocating in tempura flakes. Blech. Coast is not like those places! They have a great selection of rolls with fresh ingredients, that are not overdone. There is also authentically prepared, delicious nigiri. I had both uni and ama ebi at Coast, and they were amazing. This is definitely a keeper in the Bucktown neighborhood.
(4)
Olivia L.

My favorite sushi restaurant EVER! My girlfriends and I come here often and always have a blast! The food is amazing and service is great! Love that we can bring our own wine... We always get a variety of appetizers to split between us and have SO much fun! Must-haves: angry salmon, sesame crusted scallops, tropical ceviche, hamachi carpacio!!!! We usually car pool and then do valet, which is great for the price and convenience. I'm pregant now and am craving sushi from COAST every day!
(5)
Jonathan A.

This is probably my favorite sushi place in Chicago. Usually I just get carryout, but the times I have eaten here have made for a nice night out. It's usually always busy on the weekend, so beware, but when we used to live close by we would put our name down then go next door to Danny's for a drink and have them call us when our table was ready, which is really cool. The rolls are excellent. The signature makis are great if you want to splurge. The atmosphere is buzzing and since they expanded the dining room they seem to do twice the business. I've never taken advantage of the BYOB, but that is a nice option. There is the Polonia liquor store just down the block to pick stuff up. The sushi is a couple bucks more than other places, but I think it is worth it.
(4)
Nicholaus H.

Outstanding food!!!! great sushi!!! we tried the oyster shooter that the server suggested, absolutely delicious! Make reservations as they are always packed.yakisoba beef noodles seemed pricey for what we got but were tasty as well. The hosts were nice but the server was lackluster.
(4)
Aletta J.

We liked Coast a lot! The restaurant is small, and the tables were small for four people but the food was good. We made our reservaions for 5:30 on a Sat. night and walked right in and were pretty much the only ones there for 15 mins. It was clean bright even with the dark walls and ceiling. Variety of offerings -- not the typical rolls so we went that way. We are from the 'burbs so there's not a TON of fantastic sushi places for a decent price. The white dragon roll was delicious as were a few other pieces. The fried firecracker shrimp were tasty on the outside, but really done a little to long... BYO is a great idea! It was good and we'll be back. We ended up walking to Hot Chocolate for after dinner treats.
(3)
Jeff M.

Sushi was pretty good - not the best I've had in chicago, but pretty good. The variety of rolls was good. Service was average. Ambiance is nice - a little dark and if you don't like too much noise, it might not be your place, but it was great for a Saturday evening in my opinion. I like the BYOB. If you're a big drinker, be prepared for the limit (1 bottle per couple or 1 6-pack). One suggestion would be if you are going and know you will have a 20-30 min wait for a table, you can pop open your poison while waiting. I would definitely recommend giving this place a shot.
(4)
Parisa S.

The fish here is extremely fresh - the super white tuna is amazing. BYOB is great, and the atmosphere is pleasant (except on weekend nights when the noise factor gets a little too high and you find yourself shouting to talk to the person across the table from you). My two complaints are these: 1) rolls here are not that exciting. Mind you, I'm not a fan of mayo-laden, tempura heavy amatuer rolls, but I do like some creativity and Coast's maki - be them signature or not - fall short. The one exception to this comment is the fact that their crunchy spicy tuna roll, despite being topped with fried tempura dough, is amazing. 2) the dessert selection is pathetic. Don't bother saving room...instead, load up on the pieces. PS people here are generally stylish - how refreshing for chicago - so don't roll in with levi's circa 1999, please.
(4)
Jessi L.

Welcome to my favorite Chicago restaurant. I'm lobbying to get on Check, Please! with them. I'm in at least once a month which is saying something considering I try to only eat out once a week and given the amount of new restaurants in Chicago. I love the atmosphere here- they did really well on the dcor (walls look like a Snow &Graham card). I usually make a weekend reservation around Tuesday and have found it to be both a great spot for a date and just a girl's night out. Also, because it's BYOB, it's easy to split edamame, salads, two rounds of Maki and mochi and still come out having had an awesome dinner for $30-40 a person. My favorite rolls have to be the White Dragon, Ikura and occasionally they do a great Angry Salmon special. Coast crab is great as well and don't miss the classics or sashimi- everything is very fresh.
(5)
Shawn C.

I wanted to give this place 4 stars but their new BYOB policy kind of ticked me off. Actually, the new policy isn't what actually did it, it was the 'two' people dining with a bottle of wine and a bottle of champagne which they clearly drank. I was told on the phone of their new policy, but apparently it's not heeded by all staff. I think the new policy should be such that if it's busy we'll ask you to either finish fast or move to the bar area. That being said, as usual our sushi is pretty good. The apps were good, some hamachi special was DELISH. Our maki were good as always, white dragoon, volcano and spicy crunchy tuna and a couple of others. We got a few of the specials but only one proved to be as good as our usual standard maki. This is no Mirai sushi, but it's damn good and w/o the liquor bill you come out definitely ahead. I've always had good service here. Nothing to complain about in that area. Our poor waitress was SO nice. I wish I could remember her name. However, one of our diners screwed up the bill and our waitress had to do a lot of voiding and recharging and she was as nice as pie about it. THANK YOU, whoever you are.
(3)
Emily M.

I loved coast!! went there with a few good friends and a few bottles of wine the other night and had a great time!! The atmosphere here is inviting and perfect for conversation. We tried a bunch of different rolls but I highly recommend the Coast crab roll and the White dragon roll. All in all a great experience I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Mike M.

Coast is easily one of my favorite sushi destinations in all of Chicago. The ambiance is sheik and modern, and the sushi is top notch. If you like deep-fried sushi, this is the place for you. The White Dragon and Coast Crab Roll have never disappointed me or my dates. Wasabi lovers shouldn't think twice about getting the Wasabi Shumai for an appetizer. Dislikes: Service can be a bit flighty at times due to high volume, but you'll forget about that once the food hits the table. I strongly recommend making a reservation if you can as this place is usually packed to the brim Thursday through Saturday. I know that they keep 50% of their tables open to walk-ins, so as long as you are patient, you'll eventually get a table. Enjoy!
(5)
Jennifer H.

If I could I would give this another .5 of a star. Pros: BYOB and while we were waiting for a table, people in the waiting area were all sharing...cool Cons: A long wait for a table. Pros: Really cool place. Great vibe. Everyone is having a good time. Everyone is dressed to impress. Cons: Food was ok but not great. I ordered the Sashimi plate and the quality was ok. The rolls were very good. All in all - the atmosphere outshines the food, but I'll definitely go back.
(3)
Jennifer L.

This review is for the delivery service only. Coast is pricey, but tasty. Our nigiri were fresh and delicious, and the white dragon roll was fabulous. So far, it's the best delivered sushi that I've experienced. I'd definitely like to try Coast for sit-down service. Updated 4/25: The Volcano roll is SPICY! I like spicy food, but this was a little much.
(4)
Tara P.

I have no complaints, only praise. I went with two friends. We had reservations and were apparently seated promptly (I was a bit late). Service was excellent throughout. The server didn't rush us even though there was a sizable crowd at the door, and he kept both the bottle of white and sparkling we brought on ice. He even brought new glasses when we switched to a bottle of red. We started with edamame and seaweed salad - both standard appetizers, prepared as expected. We tried several kinds of maki, and all were delicious. We also each had pieces of fatty tuna, and they were excellent. Everything we ate was fresh, delicious and delivered promptly to our table. While this isn't quite Mirai, it's an excellent alternative when you want to byob.
(4)
ninja p.

DE-MOTHERF'IN-LICIOUS!! oooh.. sooo good. i luv luv luv the coast crab - my favorite! chicken dumplings r goood so are the wasabi shu mai & seaweed salad (MOST of the time. the deserts r just okay - could use more selection... but who luvs BYOB?? ME! :) avoid the weekend - you'll wait forever! boooo
(4)
Katie M.

It's pricey or whatever, but the white dragon roll is amazing. I know it's been said before, but it just can't be said enough. Try it. Best maki I've ever had.
(4)
Greg S.

Quality is much much higher than most other places i've been to around chicago. The wait was long but they have a nice sitting area and they'll take your number and give you a call if you want to go down the street or whatever. My only complaint is that it was extremely loud in here on a friday night. Could barely hear the people sitting next to me. They should get some acoustical panels or something.
(4)
Brittany H.

This was my first time coming to Coast and I was really excited to try it! I am not a big sushi fanatic but I definitely enjoy the specialty rolls. My friend and I didn't bring any wine but we definitely would for our next trip to Coast. We both started off with the Spicy Miso soup- it was delicious! Served in heavy mug and topped off with slices of jalapenos! For sushi we order the King Crab and White Dragon.I really like the White Dragon as it was extremely flavorful. I would go with the White Dragon again and maybe try something else next time instead of the King Crab-another it was very good as well. For dessert my friend got the lychee sorbet and I got two little mochis- the white chocolate raspberry one was awesome!! Over all Coast is very intimate and a great date place an very well priced. In light of the recent blizzard we took advantage of the $10 valet.
(4)
amai r.

Cute atmosphere BYOB helps when going as a big group. HOWEVER - if you are a TRUE sushi lover who understands authentic sushi/sashimi - you will be very disappointed by their sashimi. The sashimi pieces were paper thin and the portion size for a $23 large sashimi plate was just pitiful. When I say paper thin, I mean paper thin, when I pick the pieces up with my chopstick, it just sags over. Most other sushi places have at least 3-4 times the thickness of the sashimi at Coast. They don't even know how to cut the sashimi pieces correctly. There is a reason why REAL Japanese sushi chefs go through years of apprenticeship to learn how to properly slice sashimi pieces to ensure maximum flavor and texture. I didn't hear one word of Japanese among the restaurant staff. If you are going for the americanized rolls and don't know the difference between authentic sushi vs rolls with creamcheese and tempura crunch (cheap fillers) then by all means go ahead and enjoy. In terms of the other items - the teriyaki dishes had very small portions and hardly filling for $15-20. Gyoza was deepfried which is a no-no. The tempura tasted stale and the oil they used was probably old.
(1)
Julia T.

This is a nice cozy spot to dine with your sweetie on a Friday night. It is candle lit through out the place. It is a bit loud since it packed on the weekend. I would recommend calling a few days ahead to set up your reservations because this place fills up fast. I called on Wednesday afternoon for a Friday reservation and there was only one slot left and that was because someone had just cancelled! Their oysters are amazing there! We asked for 1 order and we ended up ordering another because they were so good! They have a great appetizer list and I would also recommend the pot stickers. I am a huge fan of sushi and I would say that their sushi is sub par. The service is great and I would definitely come back.
(4)
John L.

Great sushi place, definitely my favorite in the west town area. I love the robust green tea, and the sushi is consistently top notch. Surprisingly, one of my favorites is the shiitake mushroom sushi. Delicious! I can't seem to find any other sushi place that can replicate it. Excellent Unagi and dragon rolls too. Decent size portions, and prices aren't too bad. The place has excellent decor and friendly staff too.
(4)
Ben P.

I'd heard good thing, so when my gf wanted to celebrate getting a raise we thought we'd hit up some fancy sushi. We were seated right away and our nice bottle of New Zealand sauvignon blanc was quickly poured and set in a chiller. As our server poured the wine (which came with a Stelvin [aka. screwcap] enclosure) he told us that not everything in a screwcap is crap! What an ass! We ordered some appetizers and a couple rolls and everything came out well prepared and nicely displayed. After eating thru that we wanted to order some nigiri, so we told our waiter we wanted to order more. He said ok, then walked away and didn't return until I managed to make eye contact with him. Once he brought the nigiri he mis-identified every piece. How lame can you get?? The fish had terrible texture, looked less than super fresh and came on a hockey-puck's worth of rice. After finding the bottom of our bottle we left and will most likely never return.
(2)
Cindy D.

I went here years ago when it was only one storefront and badly decorated with a fake palm tree in the front. Back then, the quanitites were plentiful at reasonable prices. Now, as it is beautifully decorated, the prices hasn't changed so much, but the quanities have. I still have to admit, it is one of my favorite places to get sushi, but it is a bit more pricey than what we have paid for in the past. To be full my bf and I ordered 5 rolls and 6 pieces of sashimi. If you like sashimi, order it here. It's $3 a pop, but the slices are the biggest I've seen around chicago.
(3)
Glynnis S.

A romantic dinner....for 4 Love love love Coast....and so do a lot of people. By 8 pm on a Tuesday night, the place was poppin' and there were at least 20 others waiting to be seated. Why I love it: BYOB! Easy street parking (rare in Bucktown)! The Tuna Carpaccio special! Why it's not getting 5 stars: Wonk-wonk on the Ceviche Roll and the $16 price for their Yakisoba dish (basically a handful of noodles with a couple pieces of asparagus thrown in). What we ate: Tuna Carpaccio - Tangy, spicy, buttery. Negihamachi, Spider Roll, Spicy Tuna, Spicy Tako, salmon with avo - ALL solid and delicious. Spicy Tuna Crunch - Very flavorful but I felt I lost the buttery tuna texture in all that tempura crunch. Ceviche Roll - Meh. It was weird. A chunk of jalapeno, a chunk of mango, a chunk of scallop. It was listed under their signature dishes, so we decided to try it. It was ok, I would never order it again. Dessert was chocolate mousse with ice cream - perfect end to the meal. We were "Those People" and had our kids with us. In our defense, it was our anniversary, we ate early (7 pm) and even requested a table away from the crowds so as to not disturb our fellow sushi-eaters. My kids (ages 3 and 2) are foodies-in-training so they were awesome. Anyway, they ate some of the soft shell crab, a bite of the salmon roll, miso soup and the yakisoba noodles. If I'm at a sushi place, the last thing I'm going to order is noodles and that's probably what Coast figured...why else would they charge $16 for this? That's the cost of 2 makis! Either way, the kids gobbled it up so it was all good. We've dined there numerous times without the kids and the host/wait staff was always good. But with the kids, there was no judgment, no weird looks. In fact, they were extra accommodating and sweet. They are the reason why I'm taking the time to write this review.
(4)
Jonathan F.

Coast, you rock. Who cares if you have to wait an hour to get food -- YOU CAN DRINK WHILE YOU DO IT! The staff is always friendly - the food is always fresh...and it's just down the street. I've eaten there three times in a week and a half. Enough said :)
(5)
Katie V.

For someone who has never liked sushi, coast has completely changed my mind. I have ventured out and tried almost anything on the menu the white dragon roll is by far my favorite so is the spicey Tako. I also love that it's byob and the prices are very affordable
(5)
Yumiko F.

I grew up eating fresh sashimi so i am very picky about eating sushi. But this place was great. I was not expected.. Price was good and not over priced as I see often at other sushi place.. I was super hungry so i felt like they served a little bit slow comparing to the amount of sushi chef were there.. but i guess that was just me. BYOB style is also cool.
(4)
Melanie K.

I adore this place, to me it is the best sushi in Chicago. super fresh, and what can be better than BYOB!!!!! their super white tuna is absolutely delicious and their rolls are creative if you don't make a reservation, be prepared to wait! It gets crazy!
(5)
kim w.

1st time- Walked in, bland lobby area with BYOB bottles already opened up all over the place, whatever, and a waitlist early on a Thursday evening- fine. I stood by the sushi bar before seating to scope the product and was overwhelmingly surprised then overly excited to just sit and eat it all. The dining rooms are nice, cozy but airy/open, active with a pleasant buzz. The server was cute, quick to greet but rattled off the specials while staring out the window. Guest and I got into our wine: grenache/shiraz, the mushroom appetizer came out in good time, but we waited a good length for Round 2... I could have cared less until my guest seemed bothered by it. Over 25 minutes. After which, we were presented with three rolls of a decent size -meaning at least I could fit a piece in my mouth without awkward ugliness. Lastly, hit our big plate of sashimi. DELICIOUS. Bright, young flavors. Delicate, moist. Until I bit down, found a hard spot in my Unagi, eel, ??? swallowed and ended up with something (a fish bone) lodged in my throat. True story, and I never thought it would happen to me. Oh, the dangers of sushi-consumption! Oh well. Three trips to the bathroom with my hand in my mouth, trying to find a plastic-y needle-like thing poking me from inside the neck. The manager was attentive of course- bringing hot water to soothe, rice balls to shift the sharp thing, more ice water to rinse down, and finally -fourth try in the ladies room, gagging all the while - gross - I got it, the prize, like the Golden Ticket, a baby Bone! All that drama, and I really just wanted to eat more and more and more! I've been dreaming about The White Dragon roll and toro, himachi, hirame. BYOB: Bring plenty to drink or just walk 3 minutes to the Armitage/Damen corner store for an alright-okay Bev. selection.
(4)
Amanda T.

Scrump-Diddly-Umptious. I honestly don't exactly remember what we ordered, but I do remember that we ordered a lot of sushi. And it was all great! And it's BYOB, which is a plus. The place is chic and sophisticated, yet at the same time very relaxing. However, the tables are a little too close together. I overheard a little too much info on what the couple at the table over were gonna do afterwards... But all in all...Coast...go there.
(4)
rachel c.

There are too many great sushi restaurants in Chicago to deal with the pretension of Coast. Instead of looking down their nose at their guests, they should focus on service... We all but got kicked out one night when we opened our last bottle of wine AFTER we had finished our dinner. We asked our server to open it, and she flat our refused, "no. you're done eating." Now I can understand the logic if it was 8 p.m. and they had a wait, but it was about 10:30 and the restuarant was only half full, with no one waiting. So... naturally we had our strong male friend open it by pushing the cork into the bottle with a Chapstick. She was horrified, needless to say. The food is good, but that doesn't make Coast worth it.
(3)
Lauren R.

Excellent restaurant. Great prices for amazing sushi. Awesome BYOB policy. Super friendly staff. Recommend making reservations especially on the weekend.
(5)
Jessica H.

Ok im gonna let you in on a lil Jess interior desgin tip. I have this thing about rest's....it cant be the best of the best unless the food is off the hook and the decor makes me want to go home and re do my living room. HELLLLO coast (and the bongo room for that matter but thats another review another day) Yah i guess its slightly pricey but i dont mind paying a pretty penny for sushi, its when i dont i get a lil nervous...but this is some of the best sushi ive ever had...WAY better than japonais and japonais is up there on my list of sushi favs too!! The dragon roll is beyond amazing, they dont skip on the eel sauce and they have some AWESOME special rolls....the wait has always been suuuupppper nice and weve never had a problem with resos or getting a seat. I like in edgewater and im sure there are 1000 awesome sushi places to try between my place and coast yet somehow coast ALWAYS wins with me!!
(5)
Elizabeth J.

I love this place. The atmosphere is great and the service has always been great. They can get really busy so sometimes you will have a wait. But they will open your wine for you and you can drink it while you wait. The white dragon is by far the best. I highly recommend trying Coast!
(4)
lisa k.

Great sushi place for the price. The atmosphere is very cozy. The great thing about it is that it is byob and you can sit in front or near the bar and drink your beverage while you wait. The staff is very knowledgeable about the sushi and they also make fresh wasabi! Yum! A great date place!
(3)
Jon S.

AMAZING! Devin was our waiter and OMG he knows everything there is to know about sushi. Even if the food was horrible, which it was not, he would have made it terrific with his knowledge and ability to suggest the perfect sashimi or roll or anything really. Then I asked one I the chefs to make something completely off the wall. He asked what I liked, I told him, and then came a wonderful on the spot creation that had amazing architecture and balance with all of the things one could ask for. This place is by far the most creative and best sushi location in the city and maybe even the Midwest! I'd go back daily if I could!
(5)
Tara M.

I went to Coast for a friend's birthday recently and LOVED it! And it's nice to go to a more upscale restaurant that is BYOB. They get five stars for the Dragon roll alone. Not super traditional, but it is fantastic! My mouth waters just thinking about it. I also enjoyed the Sunrise roll. I wish they delivered to my neighborhood... Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Kathryn G.

Enjoyed the great (and large) menu selection and the wonderful rolls. Appreciate it being byob to cut down on the cost. A bit loud and very busy when we were there on a friday night. 4 of us had a great time and will be back.
(4)
Matt S.

Definitely in my top 3 of sushi places in Chicago. I absolutely love this place. I was lucky enough to have the girlfriend take me out here, and I was very impressed. We ended up waiting a long time for a table around 8 on a Friday night, but that's expected here. When we finally sat down our waitress was very attentive, and I thought we had very good service. The rolls were impeccable and very tasty.. My favorite part...its BYOB!! The prices can be higher than most other sushi joints, but why not splurge once every couple months for some amazing sushi?!
(5)
Danielle R.

Falling within walking distance of my place I fall into the trap of convenience more than anything when it comes to Coast. I do like the atmosphere (once seated) and the sushi is decent (albeit, perhaps a little over-priced) but each time I go I get the feeling this place is being overrun by LP visitors as everyone is dressed "to impress" and is trying way too hard. But, I've always enjoyed the food so I seem to keep coming back! Be prepared for a long wait if you go on a weekend night. Luckily, though, it is BYOB and there is a liquor store just down the street to help pass the time.
(4)
Camden D.

White dragon roll is amazing! Byob which is a plus! Always love everything I've ordered! Service has been very snobby several times with one particular male server but last time I went had a wonderful server. Best sushi in Chicago by far! Great value!
(4)
Chris G.

This place is good. No Boose.. That sucks! Is it me or is this place super dark? I feel like I need a miners hard hat to eat my sushi... The spicy tuna crunch is the one that stuck out. Friendly staff and easy to get a table.. Cheap ****Worth a trip***
(3)
Tara F.

The sushi is absolute perfection. I have been a few times, always consistent, always fresh, and always delicious. The service is not great; slow, unenthusiastic and cold. This is my absolute favorite spot for Sushi in Chicago, therefore I would give 5 stars if it weren't for the bad service; therefore I will minus a star for that. Coast is BYOB which is convenient and fun for a date or group. Reservations highly recommended!
(4)
Katherine R.

I really don't understand how this restaurant does it. I have never had a bad experience here and never had a bad piece of fish. The girls and I hit up Coast the night before Thanksgiving (sorry I've been slacking Johnny T!) and it was fabulous. We ordered the White Dragon....four times. My friend is obsessed with this roll, and she has every right. The roll is frickin amazing! The creamy and crunchy textures are perfectly balanced by the spicy mayo. Our server thought we were insane; we were there for quite some time and put away an impressive amount of sushi. The place was, as always, packed and the sushi was excellent. It's safe to say I've tried every roll on the menu with a few exceptions...everything is magnificent. Really though. I recommend Coast to any person that enjoys sushi and have converted a couple along the way. I always recommend reservations...this place is normally bumping. BYOB, limit to a bottle of wine per two people....their somewhat new policy. Kind of annoying considering all that says to me is, " Eat and get out." I get it...but when you have that much business, take care of the patrons! I'll be back....on Friday!
(5)
Robbie J.

Best sushi in the city!!!! seriously!!!!! I go to Japonais and Samba but this place is the best. It is truly amazing what they do with all their menu items not just the sushi, which is remarkable! Even the Apps, entrees and deserts are amazing! I go at least once a week cause i need my fix and eating bad sushi is just unacceptable but i take a lot of newbies here and it will convert even the most close minded sushi hater! Plus BYOB!!!!
(5)
kevin b.

sweet restaurant, awesome atmosphere, great sushi, byob, real wasabi, white dragon roll is ridiculous. also tend to have (and run out of) specialties e.g. hamachi/toro/etc kinda pricey for kinda small portions, but overall a sick place. MAKE RESERVATIONS ON THE WEEKENDS
(4)
Rishi K.

Awesome sushi for the price. Spicy scallop is delicious. Eel here is the best I've ever had. go here and see what good quality fish can do the ordinary hand roll.
(5)
Catherine H.

AMAZING sushi! Not that I'm a contisseaur or anything but everything was good! The server was great at making suggestions. As said multiple times the white dragon roll is not to be missed, probably the best sushi roll i've ever had. We also tried the Po'boy which is similiar and very good. The rolls are large and we left with our stomachs full. Yay good sushi!
(4)
Katie C.

I'd never been here before, but my friend was dying to go back...he made advance reservations, but somehow Coast had no record of that...it was a Thursday and the place was pretty crowded, but they still seated us right away (!) which was quite nice of them. We found the waiter to be incredibly knowledgeable and helpful (comped us for a mistake in the order)....and the liberal BYOB policy is certainly a HUGE plus (no corkage fee with minimum $15/pp). We ordered two of the appetizer specials...one (salmon dish) was so-so, but the other (white tuna) was amazing...unfortunately, not on the menu. Pretty much everything we ordered was great, and quite fresh...unfortunately, as both of us are sushi fiends we were barely able to stay under $100. Loved the spicy salmon maki....the Volcano was good, but had a bit much going on (crumbled tempura everywhere)...spider maki was excellent....Maguro was delicious. Overall, quite satisfied!
(5)
Kevin B.

As a snobbish Lincoln Parker I must say, I have finally found a reason to venture west. Best sushi in the City. Hands down. Get the dragon roll, you will not be disappointed.
(5)
John P.

Geat Sushi Great Style..Great waiter.. It's hard to find a combo like this I can't wait to go back.I think this will be my new fave place to go for my cravings ....If you like a drink with your Sushi then you will love this BYOB spot ...hey more fish for your dollar. they have a web site and you can droll before you go.. The waiter that we had was great and this is a large place for a sushi joint....try there special's if you like to try something new...
(4)
Sarah H.

Delicious sushi.. delightful atmosphere.. and a staff that gracefully put up with our group of eight giggly, semi-intoxicated, slightly hyper ladies. Excellent! Oh and it's BYOB (*no corkage fee if you spend $15 which is no problem with all the amazing fish!)
(4)
Alice K.

I have high expectations when it comes to sushi. The fish has to be extra fresh, the rice on maki has to be perfected packed and the appetizers and miso soup need to complement to main entree. Coast is by far the best sushi place I've been to in Chicago because of its affordable prices, BYOB standing and a cool decor. I highly recommend trying the daily specials!
(4)
Alycia N.

I went to Coast recently for a friends birthday and had a great time! Everyone like the food and it was not too expensive. The sushi was fresh and the dessert was amazing!! We all ordered several plates of Mochi, which is by far one of the best desserts I have ever had! The ambiance of this place is casual and fun for any occasion. I chose it also because it is BYOB!! The only draw back of this place was that when we went it was very busy on a Saturday and somewhat felt rushed to leave by our waitress. So when you go make sure you are on time. Overall though, I will definitely be going back soon!
(4)
Erin J.

I first ordered from Coast because they delivered to my hood. (Ukrainian village) When I got my order I was impressed with the deliciousness of the food and how big the rolls were. The rice was perfect and the fish was so pretty and yummy. Now for the bad part. It cost me a better part of a paycheck and I had to wait an hour. I know that is sort of standard, but it still sucks for something that isn't cooked. I had been ordering in for months until I actually went in and I had a very similar experience to Ms. McButter. My friend and I went in during off hours. I should tell you that my friend collects comic books and looks very much like a 40 year old comic book collector. (No offense to the adult comic book collecting community, but there is a certain look that some of you have and I find it endearing) Needless to say that this is not the "look" that most people at Coast have. It is very much a yuppie refuge, and my friend was stared at. I wasn't immune to such treatment by others either having bright red hair at the time. We got a feeling that we were thought of as amusing by others. The waitress was very nice to us, but I would never go here on a Saturday night. This place leaves me conflicted. I love the sushi, but I dislike the yuppie crowd that ostracizes others who don't conform to them. There is a reason that I don't hang out in Lincoln Park. Coast should move there.
(3)
Jessica L.

Every roll I've ever gotten here I absolutely love! They have creative rolls and each ingredient goes so well together. The fish is the freshest and even the seaweed salad edamame and spicy miso are to die for. Best sushi in Chicago!
(5)
Julie H.

Not as newsy as some other reviewers, but my experiences with Coast have been decent: delivery is fast (especially for a Friday night) and the sushi is good. But seriously, why is this place so damn expensive? UPDATE: After getting Coast delivered a few times, I finally tried eating at the restaurant. I definitely think its better than most places and they do have some good specials, but that is some seriously pricey sushi!
(4)
Ron S.

This place had awesome sushi and appetizers with a very creative and delicious touch.
(4)
Daniel W.

I've been here a number of times and would say its my vote for the best sushi in Chicago. Not that I've tried them all. Great service, great choices, always hoppin' and BYOB.
(4)
Jason W.

REVISED 1/26/07 This USED to be one of my favourite sushi places. I have eaten there a total of 8 times. It seems that the food is getting progressively WORSE. For two people inc tip the bill was $94. For $94 and none of it going to booze the meal should be awesome, but it was not even close. They sat us in the front next to the valet box shoved into the window area and froze the entire meal. Don't even try to ask for a new table...no way. Our rolls were so meager in portions it was disgusting. The white dragon roll was a hair larger than a sharpie, and I'm not joking. The eel that topped our other roll was about as thick as construction paper and waaay overcooked. The tuna appetizer and the soup were tasty, but the soup was served in a cauldron like bowl with a worthless wooden spoon you could barely use. If it wasn't my girlfriend's birthday dinner I would have complained. Instead I had to hold my tongue grrr.......
(1)
Kunal B.

Awesome sushi. Ask the waitress for an order of fresh wasabi. Someone in my party recommended it, and I didn't believe how good it could be; it really trumps the standard wasabi mash. I was in a large party, the wait to get food was long, but the place was packed, which is surprising (at least to me) for a Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. We did have a reservation, but they wouldn't seat us until we were all there. Not bad though, the decor is really nice and the whole restaurant is open and airy. And once again, I was tricked by a mirror that I thought was more restaurant, but it was really a mirror. They are BYOB, and they do a fantastic job taking care of your bottles, 6-packs, etc. Overall, a great experience, in a clean and modern environment.
(4)
Ashley D.

This place is so good. It's my favorite special occasion place. It's BYOB. The Red V, White Dragon and Ceviche are my favorite rolls. The best part, I love to bar crawl after I leave....so many great places that are so close.
(5)
Liz C.

Coast is great if atmosphere is more important to you than food. I order from here because it's the closest sushi restaurant to me. Though I'm usually satisfied with the food, the portions (especially if you do takeout or delivery) are really small. Over the years, the namasake don has gone from like 10 pieces of salmon to five. At $24 a pop, that's almost $5 for each piece of fish. It's like they told the sushi chefs to cut back on the amount of fish they use, but it's a really noticeable difference. You can get a better bang for your buck elsewhere.
(3)
Michael D.

Best Sushi I have had. And BYOB makes the experiance that much more enjoyable. No reservation? Bring a bottle of wine in and sip while you wait!? Can't beat that. Everything is so fresh, and the wait staff is knowledgable with all ingredents.
(5)
Amanda Z.

Wow, 278 reviews before me? Guess I'll keep this one to the basics: -BYOB, which is great. No corkage fee which is even better. There is a limit of one bottle for two people or one six-pack for two people...and just beer/wine/sake, no other liquor. They didn't seem to be enforcing that rule, but it was a slower Monday night with no one waiting to be seated. -They do take reservations. Great for our party of ten. -Seriously awesome miso soup. No spoons, which was strange, but handles for easy sipping. -Edamame was served a little cold and with little to no salt. I like mine piping hot with lotsa salt, so this was a little disappointing. -The sushi was pretty good. Definitely not the best I have had, but I've had worse (then again, I am no sushi expert, so what do I know...). Tried the una avo (good sauce), crunchy spicy tuna (more crumbly tempura crumbs, but alright), spider (my favorite), volcano (spicy, but that's about all it had going for it, and it left me yearning for my delightful Bentonara volcano roll with the secret sauce), and I had a bite of the White Dragon...not bad. -Pricing was pretty reasonable, given that the ambiance is pretty great for a BYOB. No silly explanatory pictures on the wall, just calming zen-like setting with dim lighting and warm colors. I felt like I was in a place where I should have paid much more. And the presentation of our food was lovely. -Service was adequate, but not overly friendly. I do appreciate that they accommodated our large group and worked with us on the check. I will probably be back to try some more rolls, and to enjoy the lovely ambiance.
(4)
Julia Y.

I LOVE this place!!! I'm a big fan of sushi and this is the best sushi i ate by far ,hands down!!! We moved to Bucktown area last summer and this place is 2 min away from my house. Always get great service , excellent food and awesome atmosphere. the dark room with the lighted candles makes the place really romantic & sexy:) Ask for the daily specials - they always have something unique! My favorite is the Moo Roll (Vegetarian ) We introduced that place to some friends and now they are hooked like us!
(5)
a h.

I once gave this place 5 stars. After having now been 4 times, I had to seriously downgrade my review. It's only gone downhill. I went over the weekend and the place seemed dirty, the service was slow and atrocious, and the sushi was just not good. The fish special that the waitress urged us to get was not fresh at all. The only good thing we had was the Gyoza, but, being fried, that's hard to screw up. The rolls were like bricks. Also...the bathroom situation is ridiculous: one toilet for each gender making it necessary for the men and women to line up AMONGST the tables of seated (eating) guests. Just not good. My 4th time here was my last time here. Bummed.
(2)
Shelby V.

My entire life I have been a sushi hater. The thought of raw fish wrapped in sushi was enough to make my stomach uneasy, let alone was at all appetizing. I have tried, throughout the years, to try sushi each time I am able with the hopes that I might like it that time. However, it's never worked. Until i tried Coast, that is. 2 friends of mine asked me if I wanted to get sushi with them, and I immediately came up with why I wasn't able to. They convinced me to at least come and try it out, and knowing I could at least have some sort of noodle soup, I obliged. I decided to try sushi yet again, hoping this would be the time it clicked for me. I told the server I had never been a sushi eater, but I was willing to try a roll. She recommended the spicy sweet tomato roll with tempura flakes. Let it be known, I think my experience at Coast could have turned me into a sushi lover. I was blown away by how delicious my roll was. I also tried the California and avocado/cucumber roll. I am so glad I tried Coast and will be back for more!
(5)
Amber B.

Well, Coast. You've left me saddened by the less than stellar meal I had tonight. A $100 dinner (no cocktails) for three people, then leaving unsatisfied---that left a worst taste in my mouth than a piece of bad tuna! Coast, you had always been my fave fair-priced sushi spot in the city. I had boasted your previously fabulous paced service, and deliciously solid maki selection and execution. Tonight I visited with to my boyfriend and his sister, who was visiting us, and we all left feeling pretty "meh." We ordered tuna tartar, edamame, and spicy miso to start, then ordered six rolls to share. Here's where it went wrong: - The biggest issue: they were all heavy rice to fish ratio. Way to much rice makes sushi taste like paste. No good. - What the heck are you doing? The poppy texture of the roe was lost because the chefs blended the masago into the rice. What? Why?! -The volcano roll had a nice flavor, but an excessive explosion of crunchy tempura crumbs, and it really needed a drizzle of sauce. -Our tuna tartar was warm. Everywhere I have ever been serves this potentially amazing taster chilled. Which is how I imagined it should be. The mild flavor, and kitschy rice/sesame "cracker" it was served with reminded me of grocery store take on poke from Hawaii. Not amazing, not terrible. Left us feeling lukewarm. -We went on a Thursday, hoping for a quieter crowd, and that did not happen. The restaurant was very busy, and very noisy. No music to be heard. no relaxation. I know that busy is usually a sign of a good thing, but it honestly just added to my frustration. Will I go back? Probably not. I'd prefer to remember the good ole' days when I couldn't say enough nice things about Coast. With all of the sushi options in the city, I'd rather take my chances on a new place.
(3)
Bibi L.

I love sushi and japanese food. Despite the 4 star reviews I resisted coming here because I knew it would be mediocre. Most people just don't know what good sushi is. People like their rolls soaked in spicy mayo sauce and call it delicious. Call me a sushi snob.. But I like to taste the fish. For dinner I had: Seaweed salad: good- perhaps the best thing I had. It was simple and clean. Sunny side shiitake: it was not impressive. The yolk sauce would probably taste better on a seafood item such as crab or a mussel. Nama JalapeÃ±o: it was a nice portion of salmon but it was also "okay" Dragon roll: I get this often every where. I had it without the cream cheese and asked for light on the mayo and eel sauce. I think it made all the difference. It was better than expected considering everything else I had. This is a sushi restaurant for those that like sushi drenched in sauces and like to say they like sushi. Note: I couldn't get into Kai Zan or Momotaro thus came here since it was recommended by a friend. The server was nice and the ambience was nothing special.
(3)
Emilio C.

Listen here yelpers, the white dragon roll is about as boss as anything will ever get. Dip that shit in some soy sauce mixed with wasabi and you'll consider leaving your wife for it. I also murdered a coast crab when I was here that was pretty legit. Just don't fuck up and forget to order the white dragon roll capice? For 2 people I'd get 2-3 rolls and try there terayaki steak entree just to have another option. Also there walk in/reservation system is confusing so I'd just call in advance to figure that shit out. It's byob so there's no reason to spend $100 on booze alone to convince you and your alcoholic girlfriend that you still like each other.
(5)
Irma M.

I called at 8:35 and asked how long the wait was, i was told an hour and I put my name on "the list". I was told that in order to be seated I had to be there by 9:35. I show up at 9:30 and they tell me it's an hour wait, unorganized, they couldn't find my name on the list. When I tell them I called and give them my name again, they magically find it and tell me it's going to be another 30 minutes. Ok, that's fine. In the meantime we see people waiting and drinking wine, so my husband goes up to ask for glasses and to get our wine opened while we wait, and gets a very rude "we have other people ahead of you waiting for glasses" ummm you're a restaurant and you don't have glasses two glasses to spare? So we wait without our wine. Everyone in the waiting area gets seated before us and its 10:10. At this point I'm confident that the fact that I called in advance and they put me down and asked me to come in by 9:35 was a joke. Finally once we have our food it is nothing but great sushi, Po'boy and spicy tuna made this girl happy. Would definitely like to go again for the food but the service needs a step up!
(3)
Anne W.

Yum! Coast definitely has very very solid sushi. Between two people, we split the agedashi tofu, spicy scallop roll, salmon avocado, and spider roll. I really did not enjoy the agedashi tofu too much. One of the most important things about agedashi tofu is getting the texture of the tofu right and being sure to use silky/silken tofu! Coast definitely did NOT use silky tofu :( It was extremely disappointing. However! Their rolls are really some of the best rolls that I've had in Chicago. The texture of the rice is perfect and the fish is super fresh! I also love that there is avocado instead of cucumber in the spicy scallop! They were a bit skimpy on the rice though. Overall, 3 stars because as hard as I tried, I cannot get over how terrible the experience of the agedashi tofu was. Fix that please!!!
(3)
tatiana c.

I've been coming to Coast since 2004 (or pretty darn close to that). A friend and I meet here once a month and always grab our favorite table by the window. The sushi is solid and the fact that it's BYO makes it even better. Atmosphere is cozy and service is always pretty good.
(4)
Jamie B.

Pretty average. The rolls are lacking and for the price point I would expect more. The sashimi (tuna, salmon, yellowtail) was all really good. The spider roll at $9 was 4 pieces in total with a measly amount of soft shell crab. The seaweed salad was a complete joke at $5. Our total was over $100 for to-go food and I think Whole Foods is better.
(3)
Donna C.

Picked up Sushi since it was getting late and we felt like going home to enjoy. The two selected rolls were good, just not big enough to say we got the full experience. They do give you great portions of wasabi & ginger which is not the norm with carry out. The miso soup was just ok with 3 tiny pieces of tofu.
(3)
Mouse C.

Coast will forever remain as one of my favorite sushi spots in Chicago. The sushi is delicious and consistent every time. PLUS it's BYOB.... What's not to love? I've been to Coast more times than I can count but the tried and true rolls always remain: the volcano, the white dragon, tuna on top, and the crunchy spicy tuna. Yum yum yummayyyy. Also, they offer a special maki of the night which is always innovative and delicious. With all of this maki talk, don't forget about the apps, which are equally tasty. Some of my favs include the tropical ceviche, edamame, gyoza, and the seaweed salad. Basically it's safe to say any dish you order at Coast is going to be bomb. My girlfriend and I came here last Friday at 7pm and it never fails, always a crowd. Don't make the mistake and think you will be able to just COAST in and grab a table, make a Rez! That way you will secure yourself a seat and buckle up for a delightful ride. Don't forget to bring along your favorite bottle of wine:)
(5)
John C.

I never had sushi until a date brought me here. The idea of raw fish was not appetizing at all. A few rolls later, I was converted. Fast forward 2 years, this is my go to sushi restaurant in Chicago. I've been here numerous times and Coast has yet to do me wrong. I usually make reservations for a Friday or Saturday night. Parking isn't easy so if your driving, plan accordingly. My go to rolls are the white dragoon and po' boy. They are must orders in my book. I've tried many others but keep coming back to these. Don't forget to BYOB: plum wine and sake. Mix them too! P.S. Gentlemen, take your date here and you will find yourself lucky at the end of the night, one way or another. Guaranteed.
(5)
Rose J.

Great place in Bucktown for sushi and drinks. We ordered a bunch of rolls, and though I can't describe all the rolls we had, they where all hits - and we ordered a lot of 'em!. The only downside is that even though they had a special going on, I thought it was a little pricier that it should be. I would recommend this place for group dinners. It has great ambiance and dining area. If you go, be sure to check out the white dragon roll!
(4)
Natalie C.

Came here for dinner with a friend - when we arrived the restaurant was nearly empty but the hostess told us that if we wanted a table, there would be about a 20 minute wait... which was kind of confusing, since there were literally only three tables seated in the whole restaurant. We opted to sit at the sushi bar, and she set down two place mats for us. My friend actually ended up sitting one seat over, and the host came back and corrected us... so overall the seating situation was kind of uncomfortable and a little strange. I get not leaving one seat open at the end of the bar, but the hostess was not particularly friendly during her interactions with us. Oh well. The food! We got an assortment of rolls (sorry I don't remember the names), a couple spicy miso soups, and an order of seaweed salad (a must for me when I go for sushi). Overall the rolls were fresh and tasty - put together well (I remember there were a lotta tempura crumbs which were yummy if not very healthy) although a bit on the smaller side. The spicy miso soups were actually really good (never had a spicy version before) and the seaweed salad paired well with the rolls. Also BYOB which was definitely a plus and helped our wallets out.
(3)
Anchi C.

Arnie and I had dinner here on a Saturday this winter. The waitstaff were quite polite and attentive given the packed night and we were very satisfied with the service. The food was mostly great with the exception of one dish which I think they could have done a better job on. We started off by ordering the uni shooters, which came out way too vinegary (Arnie nearly choked on his shooter and I had difficulty holding mine down). That being said the next two courses were great - the Bluefin sashimi and the omakase were prepped really well and the fish was fresh. The final course we got - the spicy creamy maki - was sublime. Easily the best dish of the night. Lots of fish and filling, not a lot of rice, plus cheaper than most maki you can get elsewhere. My recommendation - skip the shooters and funky appetizers and go for the maki. The sashimi is comparable to other sushi places and worth getting if you're in the mood for it.
(4)
Taylor B.

Great sushi, reasonably price and a fun atmosphere. The seating area does get a bit loud so I would not recommend for the hard to hear, aka my parents' type. Sushi rolls were phenomenal though and I strongly recommend everyone experience. Seemed great for big groups too!
(5)
Jessica P.

Went for dinner with friends. Good sushi. Nothing special. Nice ambience. Liked the BYOB.
(3)
Customer X.

Great affordable sushi place with fair size portion for lunches and dinner in a clean environment with great service! The mochi green tea ice cream is delicious.
(4)
Kendra C.

I thought this place was decent. Went in on a Friday around 7 with reservations- got in no problems. Byob is great for customers but it seems to be an annoyance for the waitstaff. The sushi itself was good; not amazing, but good. I just feel like there was nothing about the menu or venue that set it aside from any other sushi restaurant.
(3)
Lauren P.

Get the sunrise sushi roll! There is a hint of mint which makes for a tasty combo. The service, however, is very slow so expect to wait.
(4)
paige h.

I'm so excited that I finally tried to place! Everyone has Ben raving about it. I'm a huge sushi fan so for me to say this it means a lot. Honestly, the best sushi I've ever had!! So fresh, tasteful, and delicious!!! The miso soup was even great! Only recommendation I have is to get there early or make a reservation. They're very busy. I highly recommend the Volcano Roll or the spicy creamy scallop!
(5)
Mith R.

Decently priced sushi. Average freshness fish. This place is basically sushi for people who love complex rolls as opposed to traditional maki. If that's what you're looking for, this is your place. If you want real sushi, don't bother. Oh, and it's BYOB.
(3)
Jessica C.

Last night was my first time at Coast and I will definitely be back. My cousin is the head chef at the Brixton so I trust his opinions when it comes to food. Therefore, when he told me Coast has the best sushi in the city, I figured I had to try it. I dined with my friend and we had gyoza and spicy tuna maki to start off. The gyoza was simple and delicious, as was the dipping sauce. Neither my friend, nor I had been huge sushi fans prior to this occasion but the spicy tuna changed us. The flavors were balanced perfectly and the texture was perfect. For our main courses, she had the combination tempura dinner and I had the seared tuna. She raved about hers, particularly the corn/fish piece. Mine was absolutely delicious. The soba was in a light, nutty sauce that went perfectly with the sweet, tangy, ginger tuna, and the caramelized sweet potato wedges added a nice touch. For dessert I had the green tea and red bean mochi, both of which were wonderful. Overall, my experience at Coast was a very positive, reasonably priced one, and I hope to be back very soon.
(5)
Melissa M.

Coast is where it's at for sushi in Chicago, people. I love their menu, their ambiance, and their service. We went here on New Year's eve at a peak hour and still weren't feeling cramped or rushed. A great spot for dates, hangouts, or even carry-out. Plus, BYOB is almost a must for sushi in Chicago, so thankfully Coast is on board with that. I loved every bite of our sushi. It's a little pricey, but if you have the money, Coast is definitely worth a trip.
(4)
Jwana P.

Good sushi. Recommend trying the po boy roll. Chicken bento box was a good choice.... $15 gets you teriyaki chicken, rice, salad, gyoza and miso soupm miso was great! Great service. Byob.
(4)
Fernando O.

Let me start by saying I love sushi I could eat it everyday if I could. This place is one of my personal favorites. Great place for a date, romantic evening, out with friends, or just in need of good sushi. The restaurant is very trendy, nice intimate setting, and great ambience. The service is great never had an issue. The sushi itself is great there to many rolls to list because I find them all to be so tasty. My personal favorite and the one I always recommend newcomers is the WHITE DRAGON!!!! It is mouthgasmic. I can never get enough. The restaurant is byob. There is a 7/11 and a liquor store around the corner in case you forget to pick some up on the way. Cons: there are only two. Neither have to do with the food. #1 it's a bit pricey #2 if you go on a weekend parking is awful but they do have valet parking.
(5)
Esteban L.

I like this place. Good atmosphere. Not too much to write about it. Check it out for yourself.
(4)
Mary T.

The first few visits here, years ago, I thought this place was the shit and their sushi was some of the best I've had. I don't know what has changed, me or them, but while I find it good, outstanding it is not. Coast has sort of become a fall back restaurant for us; handy in a pinch, especially for a late Sunday dinner. The menu is decent; plenty of standard rolls and a good selection of sashimi and nigiri. The signature menu is the only one I don't find terribly appealing, we gravitate toward the same few every meal. Where this place loses points in my book is service. Attentive at first, it always drops off a cliff the moment the food arrives. On our last dinner, I don't even think we even saw our server after our food arrived and a different server altogether dropped our check. Predictable and good for a BYOB sushi joint. I'm sure the next time we're in need of a late night Sunday dinner, we'll end up here.
(3)
Daniel M.

Definitely a solid option for sushi! They have a good ratio quality/price. It looks more fancy when you look from outside, but once you are in you can see it's pretty casual.
(4)
David H.

So I waited until I ate there for the third time. Decor wise, it's kinda cool. The sushi is just ok. I'm not sure where they learned to make sushi, but they serve it with cold hard rice that is flavorless. Not good. My preference is a warm rice that's got a special blend of flavor for the spot. Warm rice forces you to eat the sushi immediately after its dropped at the table. This was like something you'd buy at whole foods that's been sitting out in a chiller. Just not my thing. I'm still looking for a great sushi place in Chicago. No worries, I've only been here 6 months and it's now just getting warm. I'll venture out of my neighborhood for great sushi.
(3)
Shane E.

Coast is my favorite Sushi place in Chicago. Why? 1. Fresh/quality tasting seafood, which is hard to come by around here 2. BYOB with no corkage fee (note that there are multiple retail stores nearby to pickup alcohol as well) 3. Lively atmosphere 4. Will not bust your budget They do it right here.
(5)
Michelle S.

Delicious! We came here early enough that it wasn't quite crowded but by the time we left the restaurant was packed. I'm not sure about the expensive aspect that others have mentioned. We ordered 4 rolls, 2 appetizers and 2 orders of sashimi and it was $51, very reasonable. In fact, sushi is more expensive in Denver. Anyhow, the sushi we had was awesome. I loved the creamy roll, we had it without mayo and it was incredible. The rest of our rolls were really good as well. The fish was fresh, the service was good and although we didn't realize it was byob at the time we solved that problem quickly with the liquor store on the corner. I'm looking forward to returning this summer for some more!
(4)
Molly F.

Coast is absolutely amazing. Delicious sushi and sashimi. BYOB and in the heart of a fun neighborhood - good place to start
(5)
Hillary M.

Loved this place! I had take out from them before but had been meaning to go to the actual restaurant. No complaints, all good stuff! My friend and I split the following (each paired with its review counterpart) seaweed salad - with a nice dressing topping thinly sliced cucumber, delish and possibly the best seaweed salad I've had. Sunrise Roll - Best thing of the night and mayyybe my favorite specialty roll ever. I'm a sucker for fruit with sushi, and this was a mango wrapped tuna roll consisting of seared ginger tuna and mint. The entire inside of the sushi was a large chunk of amazing tuna. I was in heaven. So simple, yet so amazing. Also delicious were... The Rainbow Roll - always a good one with a variety of fish on top of a California roll. Salmon nigiri - this is always my favorite standby Shrimp Tempura Roll - large pieces and soooo yum! For dessert, we tried the mochi. I have never seen so many flavors of mochi offered before, and unique ones too like raspberry white chocolate, tiramisu, chocolate coconut, lots of good ones. We split the tiramisu and my friend's favorite - the chocolate mint. No regrets. All in all, I'd go back again and again! Check out my photos of all the deliciousness.
(4)
Jordan L.

If this review was solely based on food, I would give it more stars. However, I have to take into account the service I received this Saturday night. It wasn't atrocious, but I just probably won't go back due to the service my friends and I received --there are so many sushi places in the city that are closer to me, its not worth it to make the trek out to Wicker Park. I went for a friends birthday with about 10 other girls. When you have a large party, they make you place your entire order ahead of time, to speed up/smooth out service, which is fine. However, the entire meal, we all felt like we were annoying our server. I understand that a large party can be a burden, but honestly all he did was drop off our food, inform us of what it was and open some wine bottles. Then, to top it all off, at the end of the meal, we were informed that there was another large party waiting and that we had 8 minutes to leave. I work in the service industry, and I've always been taught that it is a HUGE no-no to kick someone out of a table like that. We felt rushed and unwelcome. Probably won't be back.
(2)
Ryan J.

A must for sushi in Chicago. And a BYOB; I'd recommend a good Sauvignon Blanc and a bottle of sake. Service is on point. Kasey, Raquel and Paige are some of the best servers I have come across in a long while and a true compliment to the experience. This place is equally good for a romantic night out or a get together with friends. My 7 year old daughter and I are there on an almost weekly basis; and I order in from Coast quite regularly. Some of my favorites: Volcano Roll; White Dragon; Sunny Side Shitake; Cucumber Salad; Oyaku soup; Teriyaki Chicken; Sushi Sliders (not always on the menu but they're great trust me). And a little known secret - order the "Ryan Carpaccio." Its the Hamachi Carpaccio with a twist - thinly cut octopus over each piece of hamachi in a citrus and garlic oil marinade. And can't go wrong with mochi for dessert. Ask for a side of chocolate sauce for dipping.
(5)
christina h.

Really good sushi. I've been here a few times and really enjoyed their sashimi. I did knock off one star because I think its a bit pricey compared to other sushi restaurants. But, the quality is good, and the service has always been good.
(4)
Brittany A.

Id like to give this place 10 stars if Yelp would allow it. The atmosphere is cool...a little dark, but meh. The food is soooo good. Staff is cool. I frequent Coast. I fancy Coast. Oh, and its BYOB. Liquor store right up the street has something for everyone.
(5)
Ted S.

Very disappointing; the ingredients are of lower quality than you get at other sushi places in the area. Kinda flavorless overall and not very fresh. Really wanted to like this place because of the types of sushi offered. Oh well.
(2)
Michael C.

Coast is about as good as it gets when it comes to sushi. My girlfriend and I decided to make the trek through the slushy rain Friday night to this restaurant. I had hoped that the rain would act as a deterrent, but when I opened the entrance door, the waiting area was flooded with people. We were told by the host that our wait would be 45 minutes. This was way better than our first time trying coast in the summer when we told our wait would be an hour and 45. Clearly people love their coast. While waiting we noticed that almost every party waiting had a bottle of alcohol. I don't think I've seen BYOB taken advantage of as much as it is here. After our wait, we were seated in the back area which was composed of mostly couples situated side by side. We decided to order the exotic tempura which reconfirmed by belief that if you batter fry anything, it will taste good. Everything on the plate was delicious and HOT. Biting into my first piece of tempura, I burned the roof of my mouth. Next time I'll be more careful. We ordered the ceviche, yellowtail and avocado, and spicy salmon rolls. I think if I could've reordered, I would just get 3 spicy salmons. It was the biggest piece of fresh fish I've had in my rolls and it just melted in my mouth. The spicy sauce complemented the fish without being overpowering. The ceviche and yellowtail were pretty tasty and as good as I've had at other restaurants. Overall, we had a great experience at coast. The dimly lit environment lends itself to a great date night although this place gets LOUD. Service was excellent and if I want great sushi, I know Coast will deliver.
(5)
Enkhnasan B.

Meh.. Could be better. Haven't visit coast sushi in awhile and when I walked in I didn't see a single asian person.. All of the cooks were Hispanic and all the servers where American. Asked for hot tea and you know what the server told me? Um we're out of hot water for right now.. Are you serious? This is a restaurant how hard is it to boil some damn water or even microwave it at that. Whatever, ended up getting miso soup which was like warm.. Great! For my dish I got a couple salmon Sashimi and niku udon noodles. The portion of the udon noodles were on the small side. Salmon was okay.
(2)
Jen K.

I went to dinner with someone (an attractive male) on a week night. The place was busy but we sat immediately. It's dimly lit, good date spot. The place is BYOB (no corkage fee). Since my meal-mate had been before, he ordered for us. We had the angry salmon app and a fried crab cake special which were both delicious. We also got the firecracker and the tuna on top for rolls. They were both great, as well. The con of this place is the menu is a little lengthy which makes it hard to settle on just a few options. The waitress was very nice. She was knowledgeable about the menu and gave good suggestions. This was probably my best sushi experience in Chicago.
(5)
Jay I.

This was one of the places we tried for sushi craving. It was a very hip place at the edge of Wicker park, and there were a lot of young people having food before heading somewhere else I guess. It was a BYOB place, which doesn't matter to me because I don't drink, but would be very helpful for people if you want to cut cost from there. I ordered some sushi combo with dragon roll and my companion ordered a chirashi. We thought they both were well prepared, but the fish were relatively fresh. This place would give you a reasonable bill between 70-100 for two. It is a very loud place, btw. The ambience is very nice and intimate, but it may not be good for you if you wanna have some personal, intimate conversation with your partner.
(4)
Christopher M.

It's always crowded and a little expensive, but Coast is still one of the best sushi places in the city. It's BYOB, which is always a plus, and the sushi is high quality and fresh. I've never had a bad roll here, though my favorite is the White Dragon. 155/365
(5)
Brian K.

We went to Coast a few weeks ago for a nice sushi Dinner. We called ahead for reservations and were promptly seated. The staff was helpful, but having read the menu ahead of time - we pretty much already knew what we wanted. We ordered a White Dragon, a Volcano, and a Maine roll. We would definitely recommend the White dragon roll above the rest, my boo even went so far as to say "this is the best sushi roll I have ever had" I would call that high praise. The Volcano roll was good - both crunchy and spicy. I would not get the Maine roll again but it was still pretty good. This is now one of our favorite sushi spots for take out or dining in.
(5)
Alex R.

Coast Sushi Bar....mmmm. Mmm mm. A BYOB sushi bar in the Bucktown area is not a rare sight, but Coast has time and again proven itself to live up to all the hype. Last night I ventured there with a beautiful Cab Sav on my left arm and a glorious Pinot Noir on my right. Oh, and a girl too. We ordered the Volcano and the White Dragon...and don't you dare accuse me of ordering them simply because of their awesome names. I would never do that. Except when I do. The presentation looked amazing, and both roles tasted excellent. Our server was very professional and knew the menu like the back of his menu. This is a great date location; not necessarily a good FIRST date location, because we all know that you can't set the bar too high on the first date.
(5)
Heather D.

Well I finally had a chance to actually dine-in at Coast and had a great experience! We got there at 6:30 on a Sat and were able to sit down right away. We brought our own bottle of wine which is always nice. (Chicago's BYOB dining is the best!) We ended up sticking to our favorites like the White Dragon Roll and tried a few new rolls, which were all yummy, but for the life of me I can't remember what they were now - and without a menu on their site I can't look it up either. :( Our server was a little too soft spoken for such a loud atmosphere, so we could barely make out what she was saying most of the time, but all and all was attentive - especially with making sure our wine glass were always full! Place became backed extremely quick - which is expected on a Sat night - and I don't think they take reservations (or at least not last minute ones) so plan to get there around 6:30ish if you want to be seated right away. Final Verdict: Fact of the matter is I am a sushi fan but not a sushi snob - so I'm super easy to please in the sushi area! Coast always delivers fresh and tasty sushi so it's a epic win in my book!
(5)
Yanja B.

I have been this coast twice now, both within a week since it's so good! The ambience is trendy with a mix of casual/fancy. The first time I came with a group if girls- all of the sushi was great. A favorite was white dragon, perfection. A must try! Second time it was my boyfriend- he and I over did it, but that's okay it helps me give a better review ;) Appetizers: -edemma: no review needed standard -fried tempura mixer- somehow it was better than any other ones we tried, maybe is in the batter -crab rolls/cakes: okay, nothing too memorable - Seasoned tofu: only the sesame was good Rolls: - spicy sweet potato: yum - firecracker: very good!! - spider: great - white dragon: absolutely amazing!!!! Oh yes get the chocolate cake!! All in all this is the best sushi place we have been to thus far, must check it out!
(5)
Sofiya C.

Cute place, inside is dim and intimate. The noise level is at a medium. The food is ok (I still have to say Nori is my fave, but a friend recommended we try Coast so here we were). The white Dragon was really good, the Volcano was another one that I remember well, and the fresh philly. It's BYOB but they have weird rules with it... like you can only do 1 bottle of wine or 1 6 pack of beer for every 2 people, and also no hard liquor. The service here was ok. I honestly enjoyed the appetizers more then the sushi... but they were very small for the price.
(3)
David E.

Great for quality sushi for delivery. Also dime-in experience above par, especially for chicago sushi standards. Good quality uni, sweet shrimp etc. 3rd time here and will return again. bYPB as I'm sure you've read in the reviews. Not too expensive either considering the overall quality and experience. Go.
(5)
Ashley C.

We have Coast a whirl last weekend in the midst of trying to find the local favorite sushi spot. It is also BYOB! Coast is a solid option but nothing overly memorable. First, even though we had a reservation (it was even early at 6:30), there was a wait. I understand that can happen, but there were empty tables in the dining rooms and yet tons of people waiting. False waits to create lines just makes me insane and I am a bit concerned that is their practice. The hostess was not rude, but was also not very friendly either. However, the experience improved once we were seated. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. We ordered the gyoza, shrimp tempura, and a salmon special to order. My favorite would have been the salmon special. It tasted fresh and had great flavor. We also got in several suhsi rolls, including the salmon, tuna, a spicy tuna/crab special, and white dragon (spicy shrimp) rolls. They were good and filing but nothing spectacular. Some of them seemed like the sauce overpowered the fish. It also took a bit longer to get the rolls. Also note: they came out all at once and not one by one. The tab was about $80 for two and seems to fall in that mid-line sushi range that doesn't break the bank.
(3)
Humyra S.

Loved the sushi! Our waiter was cute and nice. Portions aren't that big and its a bit pricey, but I still crave the sushi so its worth it.
(4)
Michael David C.

I like this place and it's not just the BYOB talking. The fish is rather quite fresh, but it could be a bit more professional. The only cost effective improvement I can suggest is using disposable chopsticks OR to switch to stainless steel, it can't be very sanitary reusing wooden chopsticks.
(2)
Casey F.

I used to love Coast. It was my favorite place in the city. After last evening, I can honestly say I will not return. There was nothing wrong with our food, it was fine. There was nothing special about it, they have fresh seafood but you can find that anywhere. The service my party of 4 experienced was just inexcusable. We had reservations at 7, ordered 6 rolls and 2 appetizers (which served as an entree rather than a separate course), and I had to flag our server down 3 hours later for our bill. He never came by, never asked how we were doing, never cleared our plates. When we finally caught his attention, by me having to touch his arm as he breezed by, we asked if he would open more wine and bring the check. He explained that we had already reached our limit on wine since we had 2 bottles, and their rule is 1 bottle for every 2 people. I completely respect that when they are busy that they don't want people lingering while others are waiting for a table, but when my 1 course meal takes 3 hours due to your inability to effectively manage your tables, I should be able to drink more than 2 glasses of wine. Coast - you are overrated. I can get fresh fish and mediocre service a lot of other places, all while drinking as much wine as I like.
(1)
Scott D.

Coast has a fun and trendy/modern style. I brought a group of friends who were visiting. Are some she was very fresh and tasted very good. The price was exceptionally low compared to the quality of the sushi. Comparing it to other sushi places with a similar quality this place offers and incredible and fresh sushi for a very reasonable price. My only complaint is that the music was way too loud. Don't get me wrong I really enjoy loud music. However, it was just really so loud that it was hard to talk to the people I was eating with. It actually became pretty annoying. With all that said I do like coast and will be returning.
(4)
Cherry D.

I've had really excellent experiences and okay experiences. First off, the service is always great- that is why it is getting 4 full stars. The sushi is decent, probably one of the better places in my area. I will say that some of the more 'popular' dishes (like white dragon for e.g.) caters to pseudo sushi enthusiast, it is coated in thick sauces and has very little focus on the actual fish. If you're into that then go ahead and order it. If you actually enjoy fresh fish textures and taste I would look at the smaller less expensive side of the menu and try some of those. I really enjoyed the Spicy Tako! Either way, in comparison to having to travel all the ways to Boystown and then wait an hour for a seat at Toro, Coast is a much more viable alternative!
(4)
Dave D.

Not my favorite place for sushi in the world....pretty decent fish and some cool creations by the sushi chef, but I knocked it down to two stars because it's way overpriced and kind of a weird uncomfortable atmosphere. I'm a big eater so I can't get out of here without spending at least $35. Kind of a stiff, uppity environment...
(2)
Cheryl B.

As far as sushi goes, this place is the best in Chicago! Be prepared for a wait. However, they have a nice waiting area and will provide you with glasses to drink the wine you brought in. Yes, it's BYOB, which makes this place even better! So bring an extra bottle of wine to drink while you wait. All of their rolls are delicious and creative. I prefer to order my rolls with soy paper and that is available here. I'm also picky and order my rolls with no roe - no masago, no tobiko - and it's never a problem. I've been other sushi places where they add it on anyways and instead of remaking the rolls, just scrape part of it off. Some of the best rolls are the volcano and white dragon, but you really can't go wrong with any of them. And their miso soup is the best I've ever had! People might think they are also busy because it's a "trendy" place to go. This place has been busy as long as I've lived in Chicago - they are busy because they are that good!
(5)
SilvÅ— L.

there are many other sushi places I would rather go to in Chicago area overall, not bad experience
(2)
Melissah L.

I'm gonna start this review by saying I have never had such delicious, fat, juicy spicy salmon rolls in my entire life. There was so much fish stuffed in there- pure heaven. Per usual, I always think that the fancy rolls will be delicious-- and they were very good-- but really the simple rolls is where it's at (I can't even recall which special rolls I got). Huge pieces of fish, nice sushi rice and fresh ingredients- I really couldn't ask for more when it comes to sushi. As far as non-sushi items, my bf and I shared a fancy vegetable tempura dish.... deeeelish. Super fresh and the veggies were great. The ambiance is another great perk to this restaurant-- it's intimate and romantic but also trendy and fun ANNNNNDDD byob! They even provide cups for the waiting area, so you can dig into your bottle of vino while you wait. Coast is a great date night restaurant or an even better dinner with the girls kinda place. I'll be back!
(5)
Kateryna G.

The food: 2.5/5. I went about a year and a half ago for the first time and liked it, but it seems the quality of food has gone downhill since then. As a rule of thumb, I usually get one roll and a variety of sashimi at sushi restaurants, but at Coast I was still hungry after two rolls and sashimi. I have no complaints about sashimi, it was fresh and good quality. Rolls, on the other hand, were disappointing, very small and short on fish. The service: 3.5/5. We called and were told the wait would be 45 minutes to an hour. We showed up 10 minutes later and there was no wait at all. In fact, the restaurant was half-empty on a Friday night. It's a good place for groups, so there were a lot of loud tables, which made it nearly impossible to hold a conversation with someone across the table. It's not a good place for a date night. Our waitress was pretty friendly though. Overall: 2.5/5. Good sashimi ,but average rolls and service. I'm unlikely to go back
(2)
Julia K.

Fresh sushi, good service but long wait times Food: order the following- Spicy scallop roll Volcano roll Dragon Seafood soup Mushroom appetizer Skip: Tuna tartare-very plain and not really a tartare Scallop teriyaki-scallop wasn't cooked well for the dish maine roll-very little amount of lobster Service: Waitress was attentive and answered questions well. However, wait times for sushi were very long (on a Monday). I can't imagine how long it would be on a weekend. Ambiance: dimly lit, good for dates and groups Tips: Byob, difficult street parking
(4)
Lati T.

Great sushi and BYOB...wow! That dragon roll is sooooo good! Some rolls are pricey but totally worth it! They get packed, but you get to drink your wine while you wait so that's cool!
(5)
Jaime B.

Love this place. I appreciate their flexibility when it comes to reservations- we hit crazy traffic because of the t-swift concert, and we were 15 mins late and they still sat us immediately-thank you!!!. I could probably eat the spicy miso soup every single day, for every single meal...it is sooo good. My favorite appetizer (not on the regular menu) is the hamachi yellowtail with scallions and jalapeÃ±o. I would avoid the tropical ceviche, was not great. Would highly recommend getting the Volcano and White Dragon roll. The red bean ice cream is insane. But the green tea ice-cream was a bit bitter and not so great. All in all, however, this place has always been a good choice, definitely looking forward to going again!
(5)
Joe P.

One of the best atmospheres in a sushi bar I've been to. The staff was very friendly and helpful and answered every question imaginable. The rolls were very tasty yet the spicy mayo could be a bit more defined. A few rolls I had tried were a bit on the steeper price side yet you only received about 6 rolls per. For 8-13$ I'd expect at least 8 small sized ones and 6 larger ones. But they were good so who cares. 48$ for two pre tax is a bit much WITHOUT booze. My fav sushi station Kyoto in downers grove has a more exclude menu though...it was fairly limiting to tempura, tuna, and hamachi. I wish there was more of a selection alas with less selection comes the lesser price which comes the fewer rolls. I would come back but would look for somewhere else first I mean it's chicsgo
(4)
Krystle S.

I love the fact that this place is BYOB! While waiting for my friends to arrive, I ordered the fresh gomaae salad, which was delicious but I felt like an idiot when I bit into it, thinking it was going to have the consistency of an egg roll since that's what it resembled. *Note: Unravel the rolls in the peanut sauce to make it look like a wet salad. I believe that's how you eat it. Don't quote me on that though. My friends and I ordered off the lunch menu, which offers different types of rolls that have something in common. I ordered the Spicy Maki, which included a crunchy spicy tuna roll, a spicy salmon roll and a white tuna roll. Perhaps I should have tried different items on the menu, but I thought the food was good and not outstanding. The service was great, although the restaurant was empty except for us. (We went at 2pm on a Sunday, when we knew no one would be there. One of my friends had a big announcement!) I would definitely come back here again to try out more sushi items. A bottle of wine/champagne will be tagging along as well :)
(4)
Francesca B.

The food is very good...however it was a very very looong wait to get food. I can't really excuse the wait, I think it's expected that it will be busy Saturday night especially during the first few warm awakening weekends after the dreadful Chicago winters.
(2)
Neil P.

Went here on a Friday night and we were initially disappointed that the wait for a party of 2 was going to be 45 minutes to an hour so we put our name and phone number down and headed to 7-11 to get some appetizers to tide us over. To our pleasant surprise, I got a phone call just 10 minutes after putting my name down telling me that a table was ready for us. So we put the doritos and grapefruit juice in the trunk and headed over to Coast for some Sushi goodness. We looked over the menu and had a pretty good idea about what we wanted to order before the waiter for there. When he told us about the specials though, everything changed and we ended up getting all the specials he described instead of the original menu items we originally planned to get.
(4)
Ece D.

Service is so slow! We ordered more than 45 min ago n still waiting for our sushi! Plus don't ever sit on sushi bar - it is so uncomfortable.. We had seafood soup as starter and it was too oily and almost there was no seafood inside the soup
(1)
Sabrina L.

It was crowded on a Thursday night the atmosphere was kind of loud but it was fun. I did not know the restaurant was BYOB but there was a liquor store on the block u could run to and buy some. I split the crunchy spicy tuna roll and chicken teriyaki with my friend. The portions could have been bigger, most sushi places I've been to usually come with 8 in a signature maki and this only had 6. I didn't leave super full but it was delicious and the mochi was delicious as well. I had white chocolate raspberry and coffee, both very good.
(4)
Marina F.

My favorite sushi spot! I like the decor of the place, very intimate and romantic. Best white dragon roll in the city !
(5)
josh c.

Great spot. Im a sushi junky and just stopped in for some dinner and went pretty plain with some spicy salmons and tunas of different variety. I have to say that it was the best maybe I've ever had. Good ambiance, fresh fish, grey service, good price. What else is there?
(5)
Julie Y.

Sushi here is on point. It's nice to take someone on a date, byob cute romanic setting. Service isn't the best but maybe it will be better next time. Make reservations it's always slammed!
(4)
Dalia M.

Tonight's meal was excellent. Every single bite was delicious and fresh, and the four of us ordered A LOT. Upgrading to 5 stars!
(5)
Kate W.

Highly recommend this place. Byob score! White dragon -amazing. Spicy tuna - delicious. Scallop appetizer- really good. We also got a white tuna/micro greens roll they had as a special which was by far my favorite roll ever.
(5)
Rick F.

Where do I begin.... 1) One of the best sushi restaurants in Chicago 2) One of the hottest part of town, Wicker Park 3) Progressive design, hot, hip, happening vibe 4) The creative approach to the food, design, the artful combinations are amazing The icing on the cake was we did not have a reservation, but Flo the manager said come in we always reserve a few tables for walk ins, but it could be a 45 minute wait. So we had time to kill, we gave it a shot. The place is BYOB so we came with White Wine and 2 bottles of Sake in hand. I asked for Flo when I arrived and mentioned we called earlier, she said it will be 45 min, I have glasses on the way for your wine and you can sit here in the lobby and enjoy till your table is ready. 15 min later our table was ready, Flo understood how to set expectations properly and exceded them, she also anticipated the glasses question and they were already on the way before I could ask. Excelent job. Very impressed. It's no wonder the place is jammed every day of the week.
(5)
Susie C.

My husband took me here for my birthday. It was a Monday, so they werent THAT busy but it was still pretty busy considering it's a weekday. Thought it was only like that on weekends. Our hostess took us to our table, however, we asked our waiter later to move us because a group of rowdy girls were making so much ruckus that we couldn't stand sitting there any longer, so our waiter was nice enough to move us while he lost us as customers to serve since another waiter was assigned to us. We got seated in the area with cute white booths going all around the restaurant, pretty nifty. The restaurant is dimly lit, setting a romantic atmosphere. Our new waiter was pretty funny. I really enjoyed him. Too bad I didn't catch his name to give him some credits. We started with salmon spring roll and miso soup. The miso soup was very salty...oh boy. The salmon spring roll were different, but it was a good different taste. It is fried salmon wrapped in a wonton wrapper with curry sauce. We ordered 4 rolls - nama avocado (salmon and avocado), spicy scallop, volcano, and their special roll. My favorite was the spicy scallop. The other rolls were okay...just average. We ordered few sashimi pieces - tuna, salmon, and hamachi. They were thinly sliced and small sashimi pieces. We were disappointed to see how small they were. We ordered the dessert plate which is two fruit skewers drizzled with chocolate with a scoop of ice cream of your choice (I ordered vanilla). It was pretty yummy. What was unexpected was that they also gave us a complimentary dessert dish for my birthday. The plate states "Happy Bday"! It was a very nice gesture. The complimentary dessert plate consist of ginger ice cream, one chocolate mochi, and one strawberry mochi. That definitely made my night..well the table next to us sang Happy birthday to me too..they were complete strangers but very nice people. I had a good time here,...just wish the sushi was a bit better but the service is great!
(3)
Robert F.

This place is my go to Sushi place in a city where every new restaurant is of course..a sushi place. First, if you make a reservation, they sit you instantly. It's super easy and quick. Secondly, it's BYOB...do I even need to explain why this rocks? I would say it's probably the best BYOB place in the city, regardless of food type. The food rocks, def get the White Dragon roll...it's the best. This place is 5 STARS!
(5)
Adam W.

Had a fine dinner at Coast - ordered the Tuna Tataki as a starter, then a few rolls (Coast Crab, Nama J, Hamachi Avo, Shiitake) and some Mochi for dessert. Service was very good and we were seated immediately upon arrival (had a reservation). Prices were maybe a little high, but with no corkage fee & BYOB, it still puts you ahead. Overall, a very nice sushi restaurant!
(4)
Alex D.

Came here again to give it another try. Found the service better and sushi acceptable, but than was hit with bad food poisoning the next day (the axe of death for a sushi spot as far as I'm concerned). Have to say I'm surprised as while I was not expecting the best sushi its a busy place so food poisoning was the last thing on my mind (guessing sick from bad food handling not spoiled food). My wife got sick too and the sushi was the only thing we had both eaten.
(1)
Lindsay M.

After revisiting Coast last night, I realized I have never written a review. SERIOUSLY?! How could I forget about my one, true love, Coast?? Anyway, lets get to business here... First of all, I love the dim lighting and laid back vibe. I've gone on gal friend dates here and romantical-type of dates here.. it really works for anything. Next, bring drinks. This is a BYOB place... if you forget, there's a liquor store right down the street. Now to the good stuff, the food... Every single thing that I have had here is good... even as simple as the edamame.. b/c you know what, I have been to tons of sushi places who screw up something as simple as edamame. I've seen some reviews saying they don't take reservations - but they do. Just call ahead. I usually opt for their specialty rolls... Last night I had the Spooky and Tuna on Top. The Spooky roll isn't one I would normally choose (I usually pick anything that's spicy), but it just sounded so interesting. And let me tell you, it's good to get out of your comfort zone sometimes... b/c it was DAMN good... maybe one of my favorites ever. I love that they offer sea bass and sea bream sushi/sashimi. I have been to a ton of places that don't have these delicious white fishes. The vibe is cool, the fish is fresh, the service is wonderful... Definitely a favorite spot in Chicago. Someone take me to get sushi now, k?
(5)
Steve C.

Coast is my favorite sushi place in Chicago, hands down. The fish is always incredibly fresh and the fish-to-rice ratio of the nigiri is great -- you get a really big, meaty piece of fish on a piece of rice that's just big enough for foundation, texture and a touch of sweetness. Not the cheapest, but the best sushi value in the city!
(5)
Andre S.

Came here on a Sunday night because they are open late (11pm). Service was good even that late. The uni shooters were good, we also had the miso soup, crispy salmon skin salad and an assortment of sashimi. The miso soup was ok, but I wouldn't recommend the salad. The sashimi wasn't spectacular but what stood out was the liberal use of lemon as a garnish - a fair bit of the sashimi was just overpowered by the taste of lemon. Since we came for the sashimi, we were a bit disappointed. If we have another late night craving, we might try another place.
(3)
Rachel K.

A truly hidden sushi gem; the ambiance is date or friend appropriate, staff is attentive, and quality is impeccable for the price. However, there is a constant (and loud, similar to a short order cook in the back of a diner) yelling coming from one of the cooks that disrupts conversation, perhaps I will request his schedule to avoid this nonsensical shouting next time.
(4)
Niti B.

Absolutely delicious!! Was here with a girlfriend to catch up and nibble on some sushi and definitely hit the spot! We ordered the jalepeno miso soup to warm us up and it hit the spot. For rolls we ordered the crunchy spicy tuna and the dragon both were delicious and delivered. Service was great, just like their South loop location.
(5)
Kashif A.

Had dinner here last night. We didn't have a reservation but called ahead and it was a 30 minute wait for a table of 3 which isn't bad for a Saturday night around 8. As for the food, If you like spicy, try the volcano! All the rolls we had were good with the exception of the special,"the firecracker", which did not quite live up to its name. We were expecting it to "pop" somehow but it lacked everything that would make it do so. At $19 it was quite disappointing. Wish we had known or been told what it cost before ordering it. As for ambiance, the place looks cool and the dim lighting gives it a very intimate feel. However that intimate feel is lost in about 5 minutes after you sit down due to the noise; the place is LOUD. You literally need to shout to be heard across the table. The bathroom situation also needs a slight improvement. There was only one small bathroom per sex and there is nothing quite as awkward as having to wait in line staring at the walls, the floor etc followed by a piercing look from the people still waiting when you come out. Despite some of the negatives, I would still rate it 4 stars. Our server was very pleasant , attentive and our order came out pretty quick.
(4)
e b.

Went here on a Sunday night. Asked if I had a reservation even though it was half full. Was given a very discouraging look. I should have walked out. Upon being seated I noticed the floors were filthy and paint was coming off the wall. Don't they sweep up? The edamame took forever to come. Our order took a long time as well. The maki rolls were nothing great. A bit bland if not boring. There was no 'wow' factor here.
(2)
Jennie B.

This place is stupidly expensive. The sushi is ok. It's cheaper to order sashimi individually than to get the platter. There are two experiences that have annoyed me. I made a reservation for 6 of us when my inlaws were visiting from Australia, with two weeks notice. They harrassed me for a credit card number to hold my reservation. And despite the two weeks notice of our reservation, they they sat us right next to the bathroom! It smelled like toilets. Then I came in another day just with my husband, and they sat us by the bathroom again. Not sure what we did to them that has relegated us to the toilet seats but there you have it.
(3)
Amie G.

Coast is without a doubt my favorite dine-in sushi restaurant in Chicago. Regardless of the size of your group, you will all enjoy it here. The tables are nicely spaced out from each other so you feel a bit of privacy even when the restaurant is packed (which it always is). That's usually a reason why I stop going to other sushi restaurants. They always have great specials so I suggest ordering a few items from there. All of their rolls are fresh, delicious, and filling. BYOB really saves on cost, which is fantastic. Overall, you absolutely get your moneys worth!
(5)
Joel G.

Coast has moved up on my list with the closure of several other big name sushi places over the past year and a half. Coast delivers solid Nigri, Sashimi, and Maki which at some locations is not the case. The fact that they have fresh fish, big crowds to turn over a lot of fish, and they are BYOB makes this a solid choice for sushi locations. Additionally, their prices are pretty good. Good people watching here as well. Some good app choices come up on the board from time to time and they also get some specialty fish seasonally. I return to this one about 5+ times a year. I tend to hit this place with some buddies that are single as they are big fans of this place due to the amount of women that dine here in large packs. My typical night here consists of meeting my single buddies, bringing a pile of great beer, ribbing the one guy that brings wine (even though we all enjoy wine), and then laughing at these guys either hitting on the ladies or talking about hitting on the ladies in-between complaints about the Sox, Cubs, or whatever Chicago sports team is not doing well at the time. Some chit chat about what fantasy player should be picked up in between rolls. Poorly indicating we should check out some table of ladies while we wolf down $75 each worth of fish. Thankful it's BYOB or we would be talking about a hefty bill if we actually had to pay for our booze. Being the married guy among the singles makes for an entertaining evening for me. Dinner hear and then I suggest hitting the Map Room for a fantastic beer selection as it's right down the street. Parking in the area is a total pain in the ass so be prepared
(4)
Leslie B.

Fantastic sushi option that goes above and beyond the average BYOB spot! The boyfriend and I met Alex H. and Claire K. here for dinner on a Friday night. Luckily they take reservations, this place was incredibly busy! We brought several bottles of wine, love that Coast is BYOB. We ordered a few signature maki rolls which were all fresh and tasted delicious. There wasn't an abundance of rice, so typical of BYO sushi spots all around Chicago. These rolls were very well made, I was very impressed with the quality. My boyfriend didn't want to overload on rolls, so he also ordered the tamarid duck. This disk was incredibly tasty and the duck was cooked perfectly. It came with a spicy orange sauce, spinach, and rice. If you're looking for something besides maki, this is an excellent option. The ambiance in Coast is dark and cozy, it was really nice that the tables weren't super close together. It was pretty loud in there, but that's to be expected on a Friday night! There were a lot of large groups of all women, but also many couples on dates. Overall, I highly recommend Coast in Bucktown for BYOB sushi!
(4)
Monique G.

Service was SO SLOW! We were hardly checked on and had to wait forever to finally get the bill. Sushi was good. The fried tofu appetizer was my favorite. I wouldn't go back though; there are plenty of good sushi places in Chicago. Like Friends Sushi.
(3)
Emily Y.

Fantastic date spot. In my case, I went with a girl friend and spent the night wondering how she could be so gorgeous and single. Because the lighting is divine. And she's gorgeous and single. It's BYOB without a corkage fee, and the waitstaff was attentive without being intrusive. My friend lives around the corner, so we were trying our best to branch out and -- not to toot my own horn -- I think we did a pretty excellent job. Here's a rundown of what we had: Spicy Miso Soup - My friend's suggestion, I haaaaate miso. She got it, told me to try it -- for this miso, I make an exception. It's flavorful, spicy and almost creamy Agendashi Tofu (Salad) - Also delicious. Fried tofu on a bad of baby spinach, sitting on a slightly sweet dressing. There was a surreal moment when I was eating salad with chopsticks, but all the effort was worth it. Beef & Asparagus - Awesome. Small slices of beef wrapped around asparagus spears, chopped into 1-1/2 inch pieces, served with rice and teriyaki sauce. Yes!!! Spicy Scallop Roll - Decent, but forgettable. We foolishly (considering the $8 price tag), thought there would be hunks of scallop in this roll. Looks like the scallop was diced and blended with something mushy. It's fine, this place made us look pretty. Po' Boy - Amazing! Looks to be quite similar to the White Dragon which gets so many raves. A little crispness thanks to the tempura, a little creaminess thanks to the cream cheese. My friend who'd said she doesn't like cream cheese in her sushi was an immediate convert! All this, split down the middle came to $23.25 each. Shockingly great sticker price for high quality sushi!
(5)
Genevieve L.

Coast is the closest sushi bar in walking distance from my apartment so I eat here whenever I'm in the mood for sushi. The sushi rolls we've ordered are good and their spicy miso soup is definitely a kick in the mouth. Ambiance is nice but I'm not blown away by their service. They're slow to seat and slow to serve (even with reservations) but they're always quick when bringing out the check. Don't make plans after dinner because a trip here will take over your whole night. Unless you want to eat dinner at 5pm
(3)
Jason T.

Well I've wanted to come here for some time especially after hearing how great it was from so many people! It's BYOB which is always a plus, and you will wait for a while but they call you so you can go somewhere and have a drink instead of waiting there. We got beef-wrapped asparagus for an app which was a little dry and over done. Then for rolls we got the White Dragon, and our sashimi was blue tuna which our waiter called the Lexus sashimi (?), eel that was very crispy (?) and octopus. Overall I was pretty unimpressed. I think this place is overhyped mostly because of the neighborhood. I liked it but certainly not a 4-5 star place. There is much better sushi in the city.
(3)
Trevor H.

Undoubted the best sushi in the neighborhood! Possibly Chicago. Service is friendly and knows how to talk you into the best they have to offer.
(5)
Linda K.

Very fresh sushi and yummy dessert!! I definitely recommend the, white dragon. Its also byob with no corkage fee which is absolutely awesome. My waitress was super friendly and gave really good recommendations. We had a dessert which consisted of chocolate doughnut type thing and vanilla icecream-i dont remember what it was called, but its the special. The setting is also very cute for a nice date night.
(5)
Henry T.

It's been awhile since I've had fresh sushi, and after one bite here, I remembered what it was all about. Pure goodness. My tongue salivated as I chewed and swallowed. The fish went down easy. Oh the nostalgia of good sushi! We ordered spicy miso, tuna tartare, eel with avocado roll and the dragon roll (shrimp tempura, cream cheese, spicy mayo, unagi, avocado, masago, eel sauce). Spicy Miso - PERFECT. Not too salty, and definitely not bland! They add some jalapenos in there so it may be a tad spicy for some. They don't give you spoons because apparently in Japan, they drink it straight from the bowl (they'll ask if you would like spoons, though). Tuna Tartare - Not my favorite, but not to say it was bad. Tuna was definitely fresh. No comments other than that. Eel with avocado - My favorite. Simple and effective. It's literally what the name says...eel with avocado (in a roll with rice, of course). I love unagi (eel) on my sushi. The eel was fresh (I think you're getting the point now...) and the eel sauce worked well as always. The rice to fish ratio was excellent. There wasn't too much rice to overpower the flavor of the eel and the sweet eel sauce. Dragon roll - It was great, but I'm not too big of a fan of cream cheese or any other type of cheeses on my sushi. It was an order for the table and I had a couple pieces. Spicy mayo worked well with the eel sauce. I like, but again, not my favorite. We called in for a reservation (table of 5) the day before. It wasn't crowded or anything when we got there, but there wasn't a wait with our reservation. All the tables were full by the time we left (Saturday, ~8pm). Overall- excellent quality sushi, but not the best I've had (that honor goes to a place in NY, and a place in CA). TIP: BYOB!!
(4)
Melanie P.

I used to love Coast. We took everyone who visited from out of town and had great food and service every time. The last 2 times I went to Coast I was EXTREMELY disappointed and embarrassed that I had recommended the place. The "specials" haven't changed in a YEAR. Yes the angry salmon app is good, but COME ON. A year? Nothing is that good. A reservation means nothing. I always make them, arrive on time with my entire party, and sit at the front for a solid 20-30 mins. They don't even allow us to open our wine to sip while we wait despite having a reservation. Coast is NOT what it used to be.
(2)
Vic C.

Huge wait on a Friday night at 9pm but well worth it. Definitely put your name in then go to the Red a Door for a drink. The atmosphere is lively but not impossible to have a conversation. Definitely a great date spot. The food was good. Started off with Edamame and sunny side shiitake (save your money and do not order) then shared the following rolls: special roll (scallop with tuna on top), spicy scallop, Nama I, negi white tuna, spicy hama. The service was okay- it was nice to to have someone hawking over you but it was frustrating when you couldn't find your server to place an order. BYOB gives it an extra star. Will return.
(4)
Raghav C.

Coast Sushi is regarded as one of Chicago's top mid-range sushi restaurants often compared to Sushi Toro, Friends Sushi et al, and while I couldn't find anything to complain about this place, something left me feeling not as satisfied as I do after dining with the competition, mostly because I was expecting something different. To start with where Coast Sushi is better than the others is the size of the restaurant (easier to get a table and they take reservation), a refined ambiance ideal for a nice dinner/date and the staff is very well educated in Japanese cuisine. BYOB is a big plus, while other sushi restaurants offer that too. Now moving on to the experience and food, Coast Sushi came across a bit fancier to me, trying to go beyond the norm with their offerings and while there is nothing wrong in that, I was expecting simple, but great sushi, and while Coast Sushi delivered on that, I feel other places do it better. All in all, you can't go wrong with this place. Try the spicy miso soup as an alternative to the usual miso soup - its got an interesting kick. Take your pick of the rolls, sushi/ngiri/sashimi - they were all good. I ordered the platter for variety and enjoyed most of it. I did also try the HAMACHI CARPACIO for the first time and for the price, I wouldn't order it again.
(4)
Alexa M.

I'm giving Coast 3 stars because their signature rolls such as the volcano roll & Sunrise and also the fact that's it's BYOB. The service, however, is not as great. We knew from experience to make a reservation otherwise you'll wait for at least 20 minutes to be seated. Reservation was set for 8 pm. We got there ten minutes early and gave our name just to be told, "We'll seat you when it gets closer to 8." There were a couple free tables so I couldn't understand why we still needed to wait. Long story short, good food but slow service.
(3)
Artur O.

The bast sushi place period ! Try the Arto roll yes my invention not on the menu but if you ask for it they will make it for you! I'm going there since they opened that's at least 10 years very consistent rolls on flavor Fresh sashimi !!! Always Friendly staff and most important BYOB . See you there :)
(5)
Lisa Z.

Love this place! I've been here 3 times now and each time the sushi has been delicious, the staff friendly, and the atmosphere nice and relaxing. I definitely recommend making reservations, as the place starts to fill up pretty quickly after 7pm. I have eaten sushi all over the city and this is one of my new favorite spots for it. I also like that it is BYOB.
(4)
Ashley S.

It had been over a year since I had last visited Coast but I definitely wasn't disappointed. It's still easily my favorite sushi spot in the city. If you're unsure of what to try, I recommend the VOLCANO or the FIRECRACKER. Note: the Firecracker isn't on the regular menu but can be ordered by request. Actually, you could just order the Firecracker roll and then request another one after trying it (because that's what we did). Enjoy and make sure to BYOB!
(5)
N C.

Always the worst waits: consistently takes long than they tell you. "Table will be ready in 30 minutes..." = takes one hour. "Carry out will be ready in 20 minutes..." = takes 40 minutes. I guess my own fault for not learning... Food is fine. You'll find better quality fish at Yuzu.
(1)
Brian S.

BASED ON DELIVERY SERVICE ONLY Ordered through EAT24. They quoted an hour max. After 1.5 hours, Coast Sushi confirmed delivery, however still didn't receive food for over an hour later. The whole process took about 3 hours to receive our food. There was no explanation about the confirmed delivery when I asked about it, they just said they made a mistake and quickly changed the subject. Coast only offered 20% off the next order, which, why would I order from them again then they can't deliver food within a 3 hour time period. The cherry on top was that when the driver finally did show up, HE MADE A POINT TO ASK FOR HIS TIP. I took my food from him and he asked "What about my tip, no tip?" I explained that we waited 3 hours for him to arrive, which is completely unacceptable and how we were treated within those 3 hours. I definitely won't be ordering delivery from them again and this experience has pretty much ruined dining there as well, which is a shame. I can't stand behind a company that isn't upforth and honest with their customer about the service they provide. There are plenty of other sushi bars in the Chicago area that are much more deserving of my business.
(1)
Stephanie W.

We went to Coast for lunch over Valentines weekend, and were excited due to the great rating. The sushi was good. The price was way way high for the portion sizes. Service was slow, even though we were one of two tables seated. Lastly, and maybe this was due to the valentines rush the night before, however there was an overall lack of cleanliness. Menus were stained and over-used, the table was sticky, just an overall feeling of a need for a serious clean in the space. Perhaps the light of day just doesn't favor the darker space. Creative, "designer" type rolls, but need to improve quantity and overall quality for more stars. Has potential.
(2)
Mary D.

This was a sushi experience better than NYC or Aspen. Worth the wait. Bring your BYOB, wait at a local bar til they're ready for you, then order the fatty tuna
(5)
Danielle K.

I was not impressed, but then again, I am a sushi snob. Out of the four rolls that we ordered, I really only cared for one. The fish was fresh; it was just lackluster. They gain points for quality service and their BYOB policy. Long wait, always, so they must be doing something right.
(3)
Rebecca R.

I love sushi. This place is very cute inside. My review this time around however is only on carryout. When they tell you 25 mins before it's ready for pick up they are serious. Even on a Tuesday! Very busy. I got three pieces of nigiri and one specialty roll, and some edamame. Everything was very fresh and delicious. The only reason it's 4 stars instead of 5 is because for me the portion of the specialty roll was a bit small. Sure it's 8 pcs but it only took up half of their small carryout container (about the same size total as my nigiri) I will order again, I'll just be mindful that it's a bit pricey due to having to order more.
(4)
Irini B.

This is my staple go to spot for delicious sushi. They have had a solid reputation since they opened many years ago and it's been consistently good. Wait can be long on weekend nights, but they'll let you open your byob and sip your wine/beer before you get a table which is nice. The simple sushi items are delish because the fish is very fresh all the time! They never disappoint.
(5)
Rosanna L.

Had a girl's night and decided to go somewhere BYOB. Coast Sushi has pretty good reviews and it's a place none of us had been before. One of my gf called to make reservations for 4 (we actually had 5). Upon arriving we were greeted and seated within a few minutes, but when we realize that the host was going to seat us at a 4 top, when we had 5 people, she said oh well you guys made reservation for 4 and we told her it was an honest mistake and it will be 5, so we go back up front while she handles this matter of finding a 5 top for us. A few minutes later she goes and seats us a few tables down from our original table and told us, "Since you guys are a large party now, we will need our table back by 8." *AGHAST* *SHOCK* *SMH* *SERIOUSLY* Can't believe she said that to us, left an extremely sour taste in my mouth. Luckily for us our server was fantastic and everything he recommended we ordered. Starters: Seafood Ceviche: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) - this was bland to me and the cracker thing does nothing for this dish. Maybe I got the top part of the ceviche and it lacked flavor since my gfs said the bottom has more lime to it, but isn't ceviche suppose to be all around well coated? Tataki Special: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) this had a very good flavor, possibly from the oil, but $21? Ehhh Salmon Spring Roll: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) to me spring roll is NOT fried, this should be called salmon eggroll, the portion is skimpy, but the curry sauce is a great pair to this Tuna Tartar: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) more blandness, salt and pepper please Entrees/Makis: yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ Overall, nothing stood out to me or worth raving about. The Po Boy Maki wasn't all that interesting as it sounded every though the portion might be huge it was mainly avocado. Desserts: Mochi (mango, red bean, green tea, and passion fruit): ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ and yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) how can you go wrong with mochi? Yum! Flourless cake: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) although it might look heavy this dessert was a perfect heading to a high carb meal. Extremely light and quite delicious. Our food was decent and our service was great, nothing was amazing though. Oh, and Imagine that we finished and left exactly at 8! Yeah, you can have your table back Coast Sushi, but as for me? I probably won't be returning.
(3)
Leo L.

Nobody likes to interrupt the waiter to ask how much the specials are. That's why special rolls are an outrageous $17 here, while the much superior spicy tuna or hamachi rolls are $8. Do try the Chirashi, an assortment of mostly delicious fish pieces scattered over a bowl of sushi rice.
(4)
Steve H.

A relatively large sushi place that is decorated much nicer than your typical BYOB joint here in Chicago. The creations from their sushi chefs will get the job done but are nothing that stands out compared to the competition. Service is good but what really drags this place down is its clientele. Just way too crowded, loud and douchey. My GF and I were sat right next to these 22 year old girls who were extremely loud and obnoxiously drunk as they were sharing photos of strap on dildos on their phones. Thankfully they left after twenty minutes or so. Unfortunately what replaced them was a table full of metrosexual dildos whose high decibel debate was whether they were going to pick up chicks later on that evening with huge breasts or great behinds. There are much better dining environments in the city not to waste anymore time here.
(2)
Carl J.

It is one of the top three sushi places in Chicago that is for sure. It has done a little bit of changing in the last two years in regards to service but I think it still contends with the best sushi in Chicago. I would highly recommend the place for a date or to impress someone with your knowledge of the best sushi in Chicago. It's byob and that's awesome. Good talk.
(4)
Melissa C.

Everything was delish. Hubby had them make his roll with real crabmeat. They had crabcakes on a stick. Awesome! The noodles (Yakisoba) was excellent. It's BYOB. Yummy!
(5)
Lucy N.

I used to worship this place and after tonight I can say I will be a hard sell to go here again. The maki rolls have too many bells and whistles. I'm not sure if I'm even eating fish or if it's just cream cheese, rice, and panko crumbs. Service was good despite the quality of food. The manager of coast should visit Hatsu Hana, my favorite place, for a few tips on how to add fish to maki rolls. You can only ride on the trendy wave for so long...
(3)
Jessica Y.

2.5 Walked in for a Sunday night dinner and was seated right away. Attentive/polite service, clean restaurant, and the food came out quickly. Mood lighting and dark wood dÃ©cor set a romantic ambiance. The sushi we ordered was just eh. Ingredients were fresh (obvi very important) but overall there was too much rice and it was not slightly warm/vinegared. The rolls reminded me of high quality grocery store sushi. Toro Appetizer was tasty - sashimi on top of a thin sliced cucumber topped with sprouts sitting on a little bit of daikon strings soaked in spicy ponzu sauce. With less spicy ponzu sauce this dish would have been perfection because it overpowered the entire dish which is unfortunate. Hamachi Nigiri ($3 per piece) was fresh/sweet/nicely sliced and had a great rice to fish ratio. SUNRISE (R) $12.00 ginger seared tuna, mint, wrapped with mango - mint was a nice touch and if there was a spear of mango actually inside the roll it would have sealed the deal. MAINE (R) $15.00 cooked lobster in ginger mayo with scallion, salmon roe and cucumber on top - not worth it both in flavor, amount of lobster, and price. CRUNCHY (R) $8.00 spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber, tempura - standard and was good BYOB btw. Maybe we ordered the wrong things. No need to rush over but if you end up here I would skip the rolls and stick with Chirashi, appetizers, hamachi don type dishes.
(2)
Pam B.

Nice place with a good atmosphere and good sushi. It's a BYOB which is a plus! I only come here for one sushi roll which is their White Dragon, all the other sushi is just okay.
(4)
Emily C.

Love Coast sushi. Very cool vibe and it's always packed (make a reservation). The sushi is high quality and very fresh. My favorite roll is the White Dragon, though I've never had a bad roll here. And BYOB! 305/365
(5)
Jennifer B.

This is one of my favorite sushi places. BYO which is awesome. I love the dragon roll, and shrimp tempura roll.
(4)
Torrey R.

First of all, BYOB is the absolute best. It means more money can be spent on the amazing sushi which is exactly what we did. I appreciated that the chefs had menu items outside of the traditional sushi rolls. We had the sunrise and ceviche rolls and both were excellent. The service was good. The tables are pretty close together which is typical but still frustrating when you are next to loud talkers. Overall Cost is excellent and worth the wait.
(5)
Jason P.

I am not certain why people give this place such great reviews. Perhaps, they don't get out much or have a very limited exposure to Sushi and Sashimi. For the money, which isn't all that expensive, I still think there are much better options around. Yes the BYOB without a corking fee is nice, but I could go to Dirks, buy my own fish and do it at home if I didn't want to pay for my drinks. The maki lacks imagination and flavor the best maki I had was the white dragon and even it was only just okay. We had the crunchy spicy tuna, not impressed nor were we with the Rainbow roll and tuna tartar. The best part was the Miso Soup, which was quite tasty and of course the service was terrific, pleasant, courteous never an empty glass on the table. Lastly, the Buckwheat noodles were so sweet they belonged in a candy store. Sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but skip this place and try Sunda or Niu if your on a budget.
(3)
Kyle H.

Hot. Am I talking about the sexy stylings of Coast? The sexy presentation of the delicious food? My White Dragon Lady sushi sensei for the evening, Brett D.? Coast Sushi Bar is one sexy spot for sushi in Bucktown, it's a great date spot, good for Girl's Night "In", or for one of those spouse dates when you can leave the kids at home. Rekindle that fire at Coast! Coast can be crowded, and does not take reservations. Be prepared to wait- but not too long. Service was good, and our server knew the menu and specials, and was pleasant. Spicy was on the docket for the dock up, and we kept to maki rolls on the spicy side: Angry Salmon- spicy salmon, jalapeno w/tempura crumb (good) Volcano- spicy white tuna in volcano sauce (v. good) And the much lauded, and highly touted specialty of Coast: White Dragon- shrimp tempura, fresh scallop, with a complex sauce (Excellent. A Must Order) Coast is BYOB, and your beer or wine will be lovingly cared for and given an ice bath. Looking forward to the next hot meetup at Coast Sushi Bar in lovely Bucktown.
(5)
Monika P.

My favorite sushi place and it's byob! I have tried this and the Evanston location, both really good! I don't remember having any bad rolls, everything I've ever ordered was very tasty!
(4)
Benjamin H.

One of the sushi joints that Chicago has to offer - in my humble opinion. This place gets packed nearly 7 days a week, and I can see why. My only gripe are the chairs that aren't very supportive of my booty, but I can look past that for their super white tuna - unreal. My tip is to order the pumpkin roll, but ask for the pumpkin to be grilled and not deep fried - Boom, perfection.
(5)
Manda Bear B.

*********************** 798 ************************* A busy sushi restaurant in Buck Town, down the street from my best friend's place. We walked here for a quick dinner. She told me they have a good vibe, rolls, and the best thing is bring your own bottle BYOB at no charge. Perfect. Coast Sushi Bar is hip, dark like a lounge rather than a sushi joint, loud music, was packed on a week night. Hostess greeted us right away, sent us to a tiny table in the back of the second dining room, which got no lighting. So we requested to sit at the sushi bar instead. Being spoiled with sushi selection in Northern California, I don't expect much for a neighborhood sushi joint like Coast Sushi Bar. My best friends and I ordered a bit of everything. - MISO soup with tofu and scallion - $2 - SEAWEED SALAD - seaweed and cucumber in sesame vinaigrette - generous portion for $5 - WARM SHRIMP SALAD - shrimp tossed with wasabi garlic dressing on mesclun, sweet corn tempura - only $8.50, my best friend loved it. She said she orders it each time she's here. - Shiitake mushroom, spinach, egg, served with rice - a cool appetizer dish. - Uni shooter - the uni is not fresh at all, I guess that's why they serve in a shooter style! - VOLCANO MAKI roll - albacore in hot volcano sauce with tempura crumb - my best friend likes it. I didn't, the rice was fallen apart, wasn't tighten enough. $13 - SPICY SALMON MAKI - fresh salmon, spicy mayo, scallion, tempura crumb, tobiko - generous for $13 - Hamachi, Hirame, shiso maguro nigiri $2.5-$3 each piece. They were all dried look, much thinner cut than I used to in Nor Cal, and wasn't fresh :-( I tried other other fishes, but they didn't have anything else, limited nigiri selections. The bar was loud because the sushi cooks kept yelling at each others for orders in Thai. The restaurant owned by Thai obviously. Although the cooks were nice to us when I asked questions and etc. I guess for being in the Midwest, Coast Sushi Bar offers good vibe, CHEAP eat, quick service, and if you like rolls, you should come here. However if you are an authentic sushi lover, this is not a place for you. P.S. Our waitress was very nice and attentive to us.
(3)
Puja A.

Its BYOB! The sashimi is so fresh. The toro is very reasonably priced. The hamachi appetizer was very flavorful. I went with a large group and ordered appetizers and many rolls/sashimi pieces and it came out to only $27 a person. The server was very nice and patient.
(4)
Monique O.

Living in CA my whole life I have a good perspective of sushi and whats good. This place is good! It's 2 blocks from my house and I would go there everyday if i could afford it. Good food- good design- and love that it's byob. I only gave it 4 stars because I'm from Ca and have had better :)
(4)
Sandra B.

Very, very good!!! Loooovveee the white dragon roll, definitely my favorite sushi roll ever. Their shrimp tempra is delicious as well. I love that it's BYOB, but the one in the south side isn't.
(5)
Chance T.

The bomb ass sushi! The Vegetarian stuff is the best! Went here for my birthday dinner, and received excellent service from the waitstaff and the hostess! BYOB Go eat here!
(5)
Jenny S.

Am I the only one who doesn't see why this place is considered to be so great? Don't get me wrong. The sushi is good but it's so damn dark inside you can barely read the menu. It's just odd to me that there's usually a 2 hour wait for Coast when Blue Fin is right down the street and you can walk right in (and the food is just as good). I don't think Coast is bad or anything but I'm not quite sure why people just rave and rave about it. Sushi restaurants are a dime a dozen in the city, why wait 2 hours at one?
(3)
Andrew P.

This is an excellent sushi spot, with a very good vegetarian selection. A restaurant always gets props from me if at least one of the specials in vegetarian, and this place did not disappoint. I would recommend the shitake maki and anything tempura. The mango and tuna roll was also excellent. Stay away from the maki with tamago and spinach. The flavors did not mesh well, and the spinach texture was too soggy for a roll. Great deserts, too. You can get a scoop of each of their ice creams for $6. BYOB, so I brought in a sixer of Blatz bought at The Corner (bar) on a cold walk through Bucktown from the Fullerton & Oakley bus stop. Service was helpful and attentive as well.
(5)
Patrick G.

This the the place where I first tried sushi and had to admit to all my friends that I was indeed missing out on something. I will say that I am somewhat spoiled in having such a great place as my first sushi experience because all the other sushi places I have been to have not been as good as Coast! This place is BYOB (like many sushi places in Chicago) so that is pretty awesome by itself. The only appetizer I think I have ever had here is edamame but make sure to eat it quickly since when it gets cold it is how you say "uhhh not-a sooo goood". I really like spicy rolls and Coast delivers. Spicy Tako, Spicy Sweet Potato, Spicy Tuna and VOLCANO all are delicious. Make sure to get fresh wasabi to complete the spicy experience. For dessert, make sure to try the Mochi and get the "Red Bean" flavor (its good, trust me). As for ambiance its a pretty relaxed atmosphere lots of groups, lots of people on dates, lots of chatting. Definitely the best sushi place I have been to in my life so give it a try.
(4)
Miss J P.

I like this place to go with a big group and get their speciality rolls! I personally LOVE sashimi! And not many people do, so they ease into sushi with Rolls and Coast is GREAT for that! Their Speciality Rolls are unsual and unique: The White Dragon is a nice alternative to the traditional Dragon roll! I love the Sunrise Roll b/c of the Mango! The Coast Crab is actually fantastic: I'm the last person in the World that would order Crab at a sushi restaurant. The other thing that Coast does that is trully amazing is their combo of Jalapeno and Hamachi or Tuna... If you do get the Hamachi Jalapeno Roll, ask them to add Cilantro! You won't regret it! Plus keep in mind that you usually get drunk at Coast! I always make the mistake of drinking a bottle wine while I wait for table. But thats what makes dining at Coast an Event!!
(3)
Angela Z.

I'm surprised I haven't reviewed Coast before! Like a lot of people, I really like the food here. Fish is pretty fresh and the rolls are good. Po' Boy and White Dragon are faves. This place is ALWAYS crowded. It's very hustle and bustle-y so it's a good place to go to with a bunch of friends before a night out. Not sure I'd recommend for a quiet date or if you want to have intimate conversation though. It's also BYOB but they will charge for corkage fee. And unless you make a reservation, and sometimes even if you do, EXPECT TO WAIT! That's really the only place they lose a star for me. Other than that, go and enjoy!
(4)
Lainy Y.

Coast is delicious and the BYOB is the best way to go. Friendly and cute host staff. Attentive servers and nice decor. I would reccomend this for parties and special events too :)
(4)
Erin C.

One of my favorite sushi restaurants in Chicago, especially since it's BYOB. I've never had anything bad here, and I totally recommend the white dragon roll. Definitely the best piece of sushi I've ever put in my mouth - it melted and crunched all at once. So good I had dreams about it that night. During the week it isn't too busy and you might not need to make reservations.
(5)
Jessica C.

This is probably one of the better sushi bars in Chicago. Great service. I recommend trying their Dragon Roll. I never did like eel but after I tried the Dragon Roll, it changed my perseption. Here is kind of a weird point: they have nice chop sticks.. not the cheep kind..but actually nice.
(4)
Naomi L.

How can you take away any stars. The sushi Chefs are sushi chefs. The decor ad music is amazing. The menu offers any variety of cuisine in the Sushi world. It is BYOB. The service is impeccable. The atmosphere is fantastic yet not snobby. it may be a little slow to deliver to your door, so go and get it!
(5)
Brenda L.

I LOVE Coast! My husband and I have regular date nights at Coast, and I'm never disappointed. The service is consistently great, the sushi is consistently great, the atmosphere is good (maybe a little loud though, since they thend to stay packed), and we can bring in a bottle of wine. Perfect! My faves on the menu: the hamachi carpaccio, sashimi platters, spicy miso, and spicy creamy. Everything I've had there is really, really good though.
(5)
Caryn F.

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Chicago. I have to admit that I don't eat in quite as much as I used to, as it is so much easier (and faster) to order carry out. I love their White Dragon Roll. Their Yaki Soba is great as well. Rated it a 4 star as for the value, I think they are a little over-priced.
(4)
Andrea N.

This is absolutely my favorite sushi in the city and I have a really hard time going anywhere else. New BYOB policy brings it down to 4 stars I'm afraid though... You really shouldnt make rules for people coming to your restaurant. It's patronizing and just not polite. I hope this isnt a trend among Chicago's BYOB's!
(4)
eden s.

White dragon. Sweet potato, Po Boy. Only rolls you really need to know about.
(5)
Rachel A.

I heart this place! Obviously the BYO is huge, but the sushi itself is delicious. I've been several times in groups ranging from 2 to 8. One of our group of 8 literally brought a case of beer bottles and the waitress kept them in the cooler, bringing out bottles whenever we needed it. They will open wine for you and provide glasses if you're waiting for a table which is great. Definitely make a reservation. Coast gets crazy crowded on the weekends. The sushi is awesome! As others have recommended, the Volcano and White Dragon rolls are soooooo good. Make sure to ask for the fresh wasabi -- extra charge, but so much better than the paste. The exotic tempura is good for a starter, too. Service has always been friendly and attentive -- comfortable atmosphere -- my one complaint is that there's only one bathroom, but I've had some good conversations while waiting in line!
(5)
Jen V.

Besides having to wait a WHILE to get a table, I'm always nothing but satisfied with this place. I always take a nice group of friends here. It's a BYOB place so you either like it or not. I personally like it since it gives me an excuse to bring my own girly drinks. The food is always fresh. My favorite rolls: Dragon, Una Avo, Philly, and the Rainbow~ YummmmYy!
(4)
Luis E.

I have been going to Coast at least 2-3 times a month for at least 2 years. The atmosphere is always great. The BYOB aspect makes your experience more affordable. The long sushi bar is impressive with up to 12 chefs working non-stop. The most important and best feature is how consistent the quality of the sushi is. Don't expect Japonais or Mirai quiality, because you won't pay those prices either. But it's up there. The Coast Crab Roll can be addictive. It is beyond good. I always get two. The sashimi quality and presentation is always top notch. This is a place where if you feel like being adventurous and trying new things, you are safe; it's always good. Also recommend the hokkigai sashimi and the volcano roll. Service is attentive but the wait can be long on Fridays and Saturdays during peak times because they have limited reservations. Nice thing about that is you can drink while you wait. Only drawback is that there are only two single-person restrooms, so you may have to wait to pee!!
(5)
Moe f.

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet. It's one of my sushi staples because of it's consistency and BYO status. We always go before 6:30 to avoid a wait. Great seaweed and Gomaae salads. I love the Coast Crab and Volcano roll. And the sushi is always super fresh. Last night we had Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, SW Tuna(like butter), Hamachi, Fatty Hamachi(awesome), Salmon, and, Fatty Salmon. Cool spot, decent service, and the price is right.
(5)
Kelsey N.

Are people insane? I feel like I am going to vomit both times I have eaten here. It is sick. End of story.
(1)
Megan T.

Favorite sushi place in the city... love the BYOB! Love the rolls, love the atmosphere! Always packed and so much fun! great for a date or a big group of friends. Crunchy Spicy Tuna is insane Love it!
(4)
Jenn C.

I am gonna say it! Make a freakin' reservation and quit your whining!! This place is busy! Its in a popular part of town! And when its busy...dont expect the same fast service you would get at Taco Bell. Jeezy Crezzy! Now that thats done... I am a slave to BYOB. Its just cuz I would rather spend my ducats on good food as opposed to paying triple the wine cost...plus I have a pretty good wine supply at home or there is a liquor store on the corner that has started carrying a pretty nice Riesling/ GewÃ¼rztraminer/ and bubbles selection. Coast is one of those places we go to have a good time when we(fella or girlfriends in tow) are feeling shnazzy. We make a reservation, normally a couple of days (or hours) in advance. Recommend using the days in advance when wanting a spot thurs- sun. And they have never treated us wrong. And sometimes we come to party- nine or ten people deep. The hosts/ servers will keep your spare bottles in the back, and do bring a spare. My fella and I always say we are a 2 bottle couple. And trust me, when this place is rockin'- it may take a full bottle just to get you through appetizers. (And there is nothing wrong with that!!) Hip Hip Hoorah for a restaurant that is successful! I also am a slave to miso soup. Upon hearing that Coast does a spicy miso, all the texan in me came out with a "giddy up game on"! Boy, is it spicy, loaded with jalapenos-a perfect companion to the spritzy fruity vinho verde that we usually bring along. In the past, I have tried everything from their salmon spring rolls (with the most delicious curry sauce that will make you wish you had a bowl of it to dip your fingers), the seared scallops (done almost perfectly- and I am a scallop whore), to the sunny side up egg/ mushroom combo (my motto: when feeling eggs- just go for it!) and nothing has done me wrong---but those are just appetizers. Thank god for that second bottle! I like a taste of everything- which means Coast's $21 large sushi plate is all I typically get. Nine pieces of sushi, a california roll, and a cup of that scrumptious miso soup---is that really that pricey?? Uh, no, I dunno think so. Like most sushi restaurants, the individual sushi is more spendy, But duh! Go with a game plan! And true to form, I always save room for those tasty mochi balls at the end.
(5)
Nicole B.

Went here last weekend with 5 friends, THE BEST sushi I have ever had in my life. No doubt. I'm vegetarian so thats all i can vouch for but i LOVED it and would definitely go back.
(5)
Madelyn H.

i recently moved from sf to chicago and everyone in california seems to think that the sushi can't be as fresh here. i argue because no matter where you are in the US, your sushi is likely flown in from somewhere so i don't know why it would be any different in chicago. i always try the sashimi at sushi restaurants to get a sense of whether or not the fish is fresh, and coast passed the test. really fresh, buttery hamachi. i also tried a couple of rolls, most of which were good, except for the po' boy. i should have known better as this was likely some not quite as fresh fish fried and thrown into the roll... pretty mediocre. the rest of my experience at coast was great though. love that it's byob. good to eat: tempura veggies
(4)
Mary S.

I really love the ambiance, great food and BYOB. It gets crowded, but the hostess will give you glasses so you can drink your beverage while you wait-very nice. Good selection of veggie rolls. Delicious tempura. There's usually a wait, but pretty much all you could ask for in a sushi restaurant.
(5)
Lil C.

This was my first time to dinner in Buck Town and I loved it. What a great area to explore. We went to Coast to celebrate some friends' birthday and everything ran very smoothly. We had reservations at 7 and were seated immediately. The restaurant is divided between two long rooms and the decor is an Asian urban and is very tastefully done. The crowd is hip and more on the younger side. We were celebrating 30 something birthdays and were definitely on the older end. The ambiance is great in this place however at some points it was hard to distinguish between the wasabi and ginger because the lights were so low. The seating was great, comfortable and enough room for 6 of us at a corner booth in the front. The tables are close together but it wasn't a problem. Our waitress was awesome, very attentive and made some very good suggestions in terms of someone in our party having a food allergy. It was hard to hear her at times, like everyone was saying it can get pretty loud, so be prepared to be talking at a yelling level. We order the sesame crusted scallops as an appetizer. To die for, I would highly recommend them. So good it took 3-4 bites to finish. We decided to order Sushimi and maki rolls. My favorites were the wasabi, dragon, and fatty white tuna. Everything was nicely presented however the maki was on the smaller side. Great for woman but they could of gone a little bigger for the price. We brought champagne and wine. Our waitress immediately greeted us with glasses and offered to uncork the champagne. I am really diggin the BYOB. It cuts down on the cost and you can bring what you want. I think the pinot grigio we brought went well with the meal. The staff was very nice however I would tell them they need to relax on clearing the table. It felt like there was an arm in front clearing something every other minute. It was a little distracting and somewhat disruptive to the conversation. They did light a candle and place it on the dessert we ordered while we sang happy birthday. Overall, I thought it was a great place. You're definitely paying for the scene but the food was delisch. We were well taken care of by the staff and our waitress even made recommendations for someone that had a food allergy. Sweet! Pros: SCALLOPS, SCALLOPS, SCALLOPS educated and helpful waitress, hip environment, reservations taken, BYOB no corkage fee is spent more than 15 a person (not hard to do), great presentation and ambiance Cons: The noise level, the one bathroom (??? so always a line)(that really surprised me they definitely skimped), the constant clearing of the table, no parking, no valet, must cab it or walk.
(3)
Nikki T.

I've had my fair share of awesome sushi, mostly in the Seattle, WA area, but Coast is definitely my favorite. I love the volcano rolls, the fact that they have BYOB, the decor and the ambiance. I usually come here with a group of my friends, we order edename and a huge platter of rolls and after about 20 minutes we are ordering another huge platter of rolls. No complaints whatsoever, Coast is freaking fabulous.
(5)
Mike B.

Taste like you're actually on the coast, not far from the ocean! High quality sushi. I'm not a drinker, but BYOB seems to be a big reason so many people flock here, and the fact that it's the best sushi I have had yet. The only issue I have is you'll pay $2.00 to $3.00 more than any other sushi place for common maki. With that said, if you're after quality and not quantity come here you won't be let down. Another cool thing is the atmosphere and utensils very natural, yet modern.
(4)
Christine L.

Mmmmm, yum! I was at Coast last night for the umteenth time and it was absolutely sensational as it is every time I go. Last night my husband and I took his sister there for dinner and as it was a Monday, it was less busy than when we go later in the week although it did fill up a bit after 8. Its BYO and our server informed us that they will now open your wine (yay!) but it is limited to one bottle of wine or six pack of beer or bottle of sake per two people. They always have specials and they had a fatty salmon nigiri that was melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness and huge pieces to boot. The Coast Crab (one of their signature rolls), Fresh Philly and Spicy Salmon are our go-to favorites but we did try a Spicy Tako roll and the Spicy Creamy that were equally pleasant morsels. Edamame is a great start to the meal as it is served warm and salty and I recommend ending the meal with the chocolate chip mochi balls! Coast continues to be my favorite sushi joint in the city and is well worth the expense. *they also deliver - sushi at home!
(5)
Aaron T.

This place clearly does not need another review. However, I'll add my two cents because this is the best sushi I've had in Chicago so far. I eat sushi everywhere I go, and I recognize that sushi is not the highlight of the restaurant scene in Chicago. But Coast is definitely an exception to that rule. I usually lean towards more sashimi than rolls because the fish is so good at Coast. They do, however, have their fair share of more complicated rolls. Both ends of the spectrum are great. After eating great sushi for several years, I'm rarely surprised. Coast surprised me. I always thought red tuna was always superior to white tuna. That was before I had some melt-in-your-mouth white tuna at Coast. Maybe I got lucky that day, but it's a testament to the quality of fish Coast gets, and probably the skill of the sushi chef too. Service = good. BYOB = good. Delivery service = good. All told.
(4)
Trey A.

My wife and I love the sushi here. We have dined in a few times which was good and ordered pick up as well. The sushi is uber fresh, however it took a while...It's also BYOB. Rolls are on the smaller side, however as stated earlier uber delicious/fresh. Would recommend and will keep going back!
(4)
Julie S.

Love the eel here! Never had better. All the sushi is great. It's BYOB and a nice place, but I'm not too happy about the limit in alcohol policy (one bottle of wine per 2 people). Best sushi in the city!
(4)
Joscelyn M.

I've been to just about every sushi place in Chicago, and being a "roll" kinda gal, this place is my fave. All the rolls are fab, the specials are always neat, and I'm OBSESSED with jalepeno miso soup. The desserts are great, atmosphere cool and BYO rocks the house.
(5)
Brian W.

Without a doubt my favorite place to eat Sushi in Chicago. What's not to love? It's BYOB, it's not too big, not too small, and most importantly the sushi is awesome. The Spicy Miso Soup and The White Dragon Roll are highly recommended!
(5)
Jaclyn C.

The sushi is some of the best I have had ever. It is very fresh and the portions and prices are great. Between my husband and I, we split a seaweed salad, Red V, White Dragon, Crunchy Spicy Tuna and Fresh Philly. All were amazing but the highlight was definitely the Red V. Its always on the chalkboard menu by the sushi bar. The seaweed salad was fresh and so flavor full. My husband never really is in the mood for sushi ever cause men love their meat. I finally convinced him to go and he was even raving how great the sushi was. Alas, a sushi place my husband will want to go to. BYOB too!!!
(4)
Eric M.

What makes Coast stand out amongst the many sushi places in Chicago are the clever rolls they offer. From fried, to spicy, to elegant they have everything. If you don't like noise be prepared. The place is packed and loud.
(4)
Lan N.

Real, fresh wasabi! YUM!!
(4)
Steve V.

So I have gone to quite a few sushi bars in my day, and now living in Chicago it seems there is one every 10 feet. Coast has now become my local spot to grab some late night sushi. I have been there a half dozen times now and other than busy weekends I have always been seated quickly and politely, also I like the ambiance of the whole place. It's dim-lit, comfortable and even though you are sitting really close to the table next to you, it's still enjoyable. The fish is always tastes really fresh and I think that the prices are pretty affordable, especially since it's BYOB and theres no corking fee. Unfortunately, you can only bring one bottle of wine per 2 people. My favorite part though is that they serve until midnight, so when that late night sushi craving hits, away I go.
(4)
Taylor W.

I've eaten here twice. The service has been great both times, the atmosphere is... good, if you're into that sort of dimly track-lit, black and red theme. Every roll I've had here as been soggy, mushy, gross; absolutely no texture whatsoever. The "Crunchy Spicy" roll was soft and pasty. The rolls aren't cheap either, expect to pay $13 for one "specialty" roll. My girlfriend's entrees have always been tasty, though. This place gets 1 star for sushi, 3.5 for everything else.
(2)
Nate B.

Holy fish belly, I've found my Sushi mecca. Went here with the gal on Friday and aside from the wonderful service and fancy dining room, I was determined to try this wonderful sushi. For me, I'll try it sans wasabi or soy sauce, to see how fresh the fish is and if its the right kind of cut. It was IMPECCABLE, seriously I want to go back and just order the menu, topped it all off with this insane flourless chocolate cake thing, well, it was quite the experience. Great date spot too!
(5)
Megan B.

My favorite thing about Coast Sushi is the decor. It is no surprise that Coast is famous as a romantic spot. While I wouldn't try to go here with a large group (although there is room), it is perfect for a date. Bring along a good bottle of wine, and enjoy.
(4)
Kim J.

Now that I live in the Ukrainian Village, Coast has become my go-to delivery place for sushi. I love that they have online ordering, and the delivery has always been fast and courteous. The fish is always quite fresh, and they have some creative rolls that I really like. I've also had the gyoza and it's quite good. I'll have to update this after I actually visit the restaurant sometime, but here's hoping my experience dining in is as good as all of my delivery experiences have been.
(4)
Lisa M.

After being here my second time, I have to say that the White Dragon Roll takes the cake! It is creamy, crunchy and delicious! My boyfriend prefers the Volcano Roll which definitely has a kick to it and the presentation actually looks like a volcano. They do the best job with BYOB. Both times we have brought Sake and Sapporo. They took the Sake and heated it and put it in a nice serving piece for the table. Also, they kept our beer in their walk-in so it was nice and cold every time. They have a nice waiting area in the front with tables, but we made reservations both times so there wasn't much of a wait. The only negative thing I would say is that the tables are really close together, making it a tad uncomfortable.
(4)
Yini G.

Eh. I'm not overly in love with the place. We had a party of 8. Each couple order their own rolls or entrees. We had the Spicy Tuna, Alaska, and Rainbow rolls with a Ceviche appetizer. We couldn't taste the king crab in the Alaska roll and couldn't verify how much crab was in the roll since it was too dark (there's romantic lighting and then there's dark). The rolls were fine, nothing to rave home about. Plus, was it just me or is it a tad pricey?? The place does get crowded. Glad we got here early.
(2)
Kelly U.

I used to like this place a lot, but I'm growing more and more disenchanted. If you eat in, it's okay. I've had some nice meals in the restaurant, but it's been a while. The last times I ordered takeout, it was really unenjoyable. I would have been better off at the grocery. The fish wasn't cut well, with large, chewy pieces of fat. The flavor wasn't really there. I was disappointed and I've stuck closer to home ever since for my takeout sushi.
(3)
Monica J.

I don't even like sushi that much, but i loved this place for many reasons. 1.) Cool-ass decor -- new, asian-inspired, interesting elements 2.) Yummy Soup -- the spicy miso was amazing 3.) Veggi Roll -- not on the menu but one of the specials. it was a roll with cucumber, avocado, pickle, etc, all tempura'ed and sliced....like little bites of heaven :) 4.) good looking crowd -- yes, i'm usually not one to notice, but daamnnnnn! Go, NOW, FAST, HURRY!
(4)
Law S.

good sushi, nice environment. Can drink while you wait for table and the hand-painted wallpaper is awesome in the lobby!
(4)
K U.

I LOVE coast (Disclaimer: I don't have a seasoned pallet .... I have only dabbled in sushi over the last couple of years)! The ambiance is cute and intimate, the food is delicious, and what is better than a byob?!?! Bottom line ... it can get a little nosiey and often very busy (make a reservation on the weekend)----- but overall, this place is great to go with a group of friends and have a bottle of wine (or 2) and eat some good sushi (apple appetizer and white dragon roll!).
(5)
Natalie G.

Being the sushi addict that I am, it's funny that the other night was my first time at Coast. And sorry, I don't know what all the fuss is about... BYOB was great, A + for that. We got 3 rolls, and a few pieces of sushi and miso soup. First of all, I know you may be supposed to "drink" miso soup, but I thought it was weird that they gave me a bad look when I asked for a spoon. Not that I don't like to evolve myself into the culture of the food, but I rather eat my miso with a spoon. The rolls were fresh but very small, and I overall wasn't blown out of the water for the price that it costed. I wanted to LOVE this place but I think I'll stick to my other sushi haunts when the time comes again...
(3)
Edward H.

I originally tracked this place down for their Volcano - some of the staff from what used to be Sushido went to Coast. The food is good but for the price, there's not much differentiating them from other sushi restaurants. If you're new to this place, their Volcano and toro is highly recommended. This is a nice place to bring a group of friends since it's a BYOB. Make sure you make reservations (high traffic) and also bring a flash light - you'll need it to read the menu and navigate to the washrooms since this place is PITCH BLACK.
(3)
emily b.

agree with all the other reviews - it's big, dark, modern and sleek looking. yes, you'll want a reservation. yes, it's delicious & byob. if you do come without a reservation and plan to wait a bit in the reception space, BYOWK&G too. translation: bring your own wine key & glasses. they had neither while my friend and i were waiting on friday night which made for a tricky "grab a drink" and wait experience.
(4)
johnny b.

Man this place was bad and reminds me I can't always trust yelp and why I keep going back to trying to find newpaper reviews. Yes maybe this place has a "good" scene for bucktown but the sushi was gimmicky and not that high of quality. Not sure where people are coming from but if you want to byob and pose and eat raw fish this is a great place for someone that doesn't go out a lot. Its like a cool trendy sushi place like some people think applebys/chilis is a good restaurant.
(1)
James J.

I have been a loyal fan of Coast for years because the sushi is so delicious but the last two times I have gone there the service especially at the front desk has been awful. They told me i was number 1 on the reservations list and then called me 3 hours after my desired time - three hours! Then they told us we did not need reservations for a 6 pm dining time. We get there at 6 pm and they said its a 90 minute wait. Its as if they want to fail. The sushi is not worth the wait and the person who seats you should realize they are working in a restaurant and they are not the Queen of England. Run, don't walk away from this too trendy for its own good.
(1)
Maurice Y.

what is all the hype?!?! the sushi is nothing special and the service on my one and final experience at this restaurant was the worst i've ever encountered. Po'boi roll and wet dragon rolls were ok but Butterfly Sushi (a way better BYOB sushi alternative) has way bigger rolls for similar prices and in my opinion more delicious. Matt was our horrendous waiter. Our party of four arrived to celebrate a bday at 5:30pm for our reserveration. we were among the first tables seated that night. our table was precariously wobbly and not able to be fixed with the folded napkin trick. after asking the waiter if we could shift over to any of the 10 empty tables surrounding us, he snapped and said "all the tables are rickity and are gonna wobble". as to be expected, this waiter had no internal clock and made our party wait excessively between serving water, popping the cork, taking our appetizer then sushi orders, etc. he proceeded to break one of the corks for the red wine without telling us and placing it back on our table. when we told him parts of the cork were still stuck in the shaft and only a trickle of wine managed to come out, he brought back a sake bottle and told us to siphon the red wine out and distribute with the sake bottle!!!!!!!!!!! we had to make a second order since our sushi rolls were smaller than expected and what we paid for. when he came to collect the paper menus, we asked him if we could keep one in case we wanted to order more. he hesitated and said "well ... i guess ok, but don't spill any soy sauce on it". wtf!?!?! at the end of our miserable meal, we decided to tip about 9.54% since our service was needless to say not up to par (i.e. greater than or equal to 15% gratuity). the waiter came to our table after collecting the check and boldly said "is there something wrong? i've never been tipped so low for a 130 dollar bill! if that's the way you guys are gonna be, then fine. but come on..." infuriated by his audacity and cluelessness, i spoke to the manager about the waiter's poor service. she acknowledged that his behavior was inappropriate and apologized. i told her that we have never had such a poor experience at a restaurant before and would not come back. she proceeded to ask if the food was ok and did not attempt to entice a 2nd try of the restaurant with any sort of incentives. we had such a bad experience that this night inspired me to be come a yelp member. fortunately, my future reviews have no where to go but up.
(1)
Brad C.

This place is great! And the no corkage BYOB if you spend more then $15 is the best. Next time I go, I'm filling up my bag with beers. The waitress recommend the supper white tuna sashimi, and... WOW amazing! Super white tuna is my new favorite. The staff is great and the place is very nice. Good place for a date. The place wasn't busy at all when I went on Sunday. The only thing Blue Fin has over this place is that Blue Fin has half priced drinks on Thursday. But the sushi is just as good and I am just as likely to go back.
(4)
lana v.

This is my favorite sushi restaurant. It is BYOB with no fees! The sushi is always fresh and very well prepared. It gets really crowded so make sure you have a reservation.
(5)
chloe p.

YUCK YUCK YUCK and YUCK. and yuck. where to start? WHYYY do I keep eating here? they always f* up our order, (phone people are all dummies), the sushi is just not good & it's overpriced (& I almost never even notice price on sushi)... I have literally had to spit out the sushi into my napkin on a few occasions - (anything grosser than BAD RAW fish? um. no.) its BYOB (always annoying, I aaaalways forget).. delivery (we live 3 blocks away) is even worse, they give you ONE, yes...ONE tiny thing of soy sauce for an order of 4 rolls and 2 pieces. and they CHARGED us $1.00 for ponzu sauce. so annoying. bottom line, though - it's BAD!!!! $65 order and I'm not full and I'm a little NAUSH. never again this time!!!!
(1)
Chris S.

One of the top sushi restaurants in Chicago (second only to Toro Sushi in my opinion). This place is consistently delicious and they have a wide selection of rolls. They offer BYOB, but I think they limit the amount of booze you can bring in, presumably because this place is always busy and they need the tables to be turned over in a reasonable time frame. We have also ordered take out a few times and it has been as good as when we have dined in. Whether you are having a "date night" or going with a group Coast will surely please.
(4)
Albert L.

This place has excellent sushi for the price (not cheap nor expensive, but great quality). The salmon and yellowtail had excellent flavors. Great trendy atmosphere with candlelit tables. The places gets very, very busy on weekend evenings. So be prepared to wait. They have some couches dispersed in the restaurant and near the entrance so you can enjoy your BYOB wine while you wait your 30-60 minutes. BYOB with no corkage fee the bill is more than 15$ per person. Street parking on Damen can be had if you are persistent and quick. Good date restaurant. Okay with groups of people, but be warned about the wait time to get a table set up to accommodate you all (and the automatic 20% (post-tax) tip/service charge tacked onto your bill if you have five or more people .
(5)
cassie s.

I have been going to Coast for a few years now. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the food and the fact that it was less expensive, you could put your name on the list and they would call you at Danny's and you could bring your own hooch. As of late, it seems that word has gotten out, the prices are more expensive and the quality has gone a bit downhill.
(2)
Eli R.

The best I can say is that Coast is not completely terrible. Let me mention the positives first. Service was fine. The place is BYOB. Location is excellent - about four blocks north of Damen and North. It looks like a place where a good vibe is possible. However, if you are like me and value a sushi bar as a place to get some awesome raw seafood... I won't name names, but you can do a lot better. At Coast, raw fish was rather sub-par.
(3)
Dave L.

This was my first experience with the restaurant; if I could give Coast a 3.5 star rating I would. We seated promptly; however I could not say the same thing for the arrival of our waitress. Actually, when we sat down there was another couple sitting in the same section as us. They kept looking around for their waitress (the same as ours) and finally after about 10 minutes got up and left. To say our waitress was slow is an understatement; she was geriatric slow. Our dining partners did say that they have NEVER had service this bad. When we were finally able put in our first sushi order it took FOREVER to receive. Granted, the place was pretty hopping and I could see the sushi chefs cranking out rolls as fast as they could, but I think that if a couple of the rolls were ready then our waitress could've brought them out to us. Instead, I'm convinced that she waited until the last possible moment to get us our rolls; it took about 30 minutes to receive our first round of sushi. The rolls that were supposed to be warm were not warm at all. I will say that the second round of sushi came out much faster than the first. I think it only took about 15 minutes. We got quite an array of sushi rolls and they all tasted pretty good. At the urging of our dining partners we ordered a couple of the White Dragon rolls and I was not disappointed with the taste. We actually ordered two more in our second round. I was disappointed with the diameter of the sushi or lack thereof. All of the sushi is the same diameter...period. I am plan on paying top dollar for a roll, i expect it to be of decent size; the rolls at Coast are not. Some may say, "Well you get a lot of pieces for your money." Ok that is fine, but I can go to Butterfly and get the Godzilla roll and barely be able to finish it for a couple dollars more. Another small disappointment was the crunch rolls. The rolls are literally covered in a giant pile of tempura crumbs. You actually have to dig out the sushi from under the pile. The taste was good, but not what I expected at all. On the plus side, the spicy miso soup is to die for. It is a very flavorful soup infused with fresh jalapenos...yummy. We also got the fresh oysters that were flown in that day. Holy crap were they excellent; creamy, flavorful, no sand....absolutely amazing. Overall I liked Coast, I was just giving my gripes about the place. I would go back on a different night and give it one more shot.
(3)
erin c.

Good sushi and its BYOB. Enough said. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because I got the eel roll and the texture was a little odd.
(4)
A S.

As a spoiled Californian, I always enter sushi joints in land-locked states with a hefty degree of skepticism. Even in cosmopolitan Chicago, there aren't many places whose raw items have met my exacting standards of freshness. At Coast, however, I eat with abandon. Just delicious. The BYOB element is just icing on the cake. Minus one star for the ridiculous waits on the weekends (popularity is not really their fault, I concede), and the fact that the dining room can be uncomfortably warm in the summertime.
(4)
cyber t.

I would love to say a lot about Coast but I'm going to keep it short and sweet: * Outstanding options for vegetarians (I'd say the best in town) * Very creative and unique specials * Very very good prices (compared to other sushi places in town) * BYOB - with no corkage fee!! * Very nice decor and excellent waitstaff * Excellent ambience (music is not too loud, it's not too bright or dark, and the layout is very comfortable) * Jalapeno Miso - I'd go back just for that! If I absolutely had to complain about something, I'd say it's the fact that they don't have much by way of interesting desserts. But you really want to walk to another place for dessert after a sushi dinner anyway :) I recommend Coast highly to all my friends, and have no problem going there pretty much at any time!
(5)
Mark P.

Food: Excellent. Some of the best, if not the best bites of sushi I've had. Great menu and service. Atmosphere: Quite average. Busy and tight. Definitely not classy or romantic as many have said. Not swanky or classy, but fine. You're over-dressed if you're in anything much more than jeans. Atmosphere is only thing keeping me from 5 stars. Price: Not pricey at all. In fact, bordering on cheap for good sushi. If you want great sushi at great price all while keeping it very casual, this is the place to go.
(4)
monica d.

Coast is the worst sushi restaurant in the city. First of all, the server came to our table twice in 2 hours and we had to ask other waiters several times to get his attention, then he hast the nerve to give us water glasses for our wine. I order the LARGE sashimi platter and I got a slice of Tako the thickness of a penny! The meal was over and my companion decides to give him a shitty tip, which was rightfully deserved. Before we left the waiter CORNERED us and asked if there was a mistake. He started pulling out the receipt to show us. We let him know that the service sucked and he pretty much forced 5 more dollars out of my friend. I called to complain and left my number for the owner because the whole ordeal was completely uncalled for. I could have just walked to Bob San but I wanted to try something new...VERY DISAPPOINTING.
(1)
Ranier B.

Really good sushi. Service was very prompt and courteous, very attentive to refills. We brought in a few bottles of wine and they didn't even bother with a cork fee. For dinner, the lighting is dim which makes for a relaxing atmosphere. The food portions are hearty with taste to match. I tried a variety of sushi rolls, sashimi, nigiri and appetizers which were all delicious!
(4)
Leang E.

This is one of my favorite sushi bars. I smartly remembered to bring a bottle of white wine with me to Coast, and it was perfect with the sushi. We had the Maine, Po' Boy, ceviche, and the coast crab maki. It was delicious. The have a special maki of the day or week or something like that. I love that they mix it up, but I have seen larger menus. I like creative makis, where you don't see a particular combination very often at all the different sushi bars. Coast has a few, but I'd like to see more. I don't typically order sashimi because I like the flavors and sauces that are added in the makis. Sashimis are plain to me so I don't usually order them, but I will eat them regardless. The ambiance is very lounge like, and lots of conversations can be heard all around. It's located pretty close to me now, and I've already ordered take out from there!
(4)
Dawn K.

Best sushi in Chicago! Freshest, best tasting and super high quality fish. Their soups are excellent too. It is BYOB and so avoid this place like the plaque on Friday and Sat nites when you will be standing with pre late nite clubbers in their gear and their six packs waiting to pound their budweisers. For the best experience, go early during the week when you can relax with normal humanity and enjoy this most wonderful sushi.... two words...white dragon! YUM!
(5)
Brad F.

This place was great. I love how its byob. I ordered like 4 rolls, and afterwords i ordered two more cause the place was soooo damn good.
(4)
Lisa D.

I LOVE Coast. It is by far my very favorite place for sushi. And it's BYO --can't ask for much more. My husband and I go there at least once a month. ...And with three kids, time together is pretty precious. Atmosphere is fantastic and Danny's (small bar around the corner) is a great little place to wait if you can't get your table right away.
(5)
Paul S.

I went here last night with my lady friend for her birthday. It was both of our first times at this sushi place. The ambiance was superb coming in from the chill, and a disappointing loud establishment prior to Coast. We were welcomed and seated promptly to a romantic nook. The wait staff were swift, and kind. We started of with the shumai, and miso soup (of course). We did not bring wine to this BYOB place, and were fine. (Yes there is a corking fee, a wine and beer limit, but we didn't needing a drink tonight.) We had a the large sashimi plate, the Maine maki, seaweed salad, and followed it up with a few more makis after. Then as a topper (I did say it was her birthday) we had desert; mango ice cream toped with minced mango with a single candle, chocolate covered strawberries, and a fried banana with dark chocolate. I am sure we'll be back for more.
(4)
El B.

Perhaps I just had a bad experience, but my husband and I both agreed that we had the most mediocre $80 meal of our lives here last night. Here's why: 1) Our server TWICE took away our dipping sauces before we were finished with them (one mango something or other for our appetizer, another honey sauce for another appetizer which, incidentally, was not supposed to be an appetizer). 2) I ordered Salmon Skin Roll and received a Salmon Spring Roll. Easy enough to mixup, but the server was like "is that okay?" I said no, I wanted salmon skin roll. When I got it, the salmon skin was burned to an awful level and it was bland bland bland. 3) I ordered a Negi White roll- it was like tuna mush. It's like they ground up the tuna and rolled it up. It was awful. 4) I ordered a shrimp tempura roll and received a shrimp tempura appetizer. I was in no mood to argue about it and so just ate it. 5) A $17 appetizer? Almost everything on the menu was between $5-$15, but $17 for an appetizer? It was good, but come ON! It was the special and I dumbly assumed it would be of comparable price to everything else on the menu. We will not be returning.
(2)
Dee C.

I was craving sushi after all the Italian beef sandwiches I've been having. Since Coast Sushi is the most reviewed, I figured it must be decent. The sushi was very good indeed. What sucked was the party of three sitting beside me. Bring your ear plugs folks, because otherwise you will have to listen to some pretty superficial people having superficial conversations. Chicago's Valley Girls dine here.
(3)
Osh J.

I would give it 10 stars if I could. This is my favorite restaurant anywhere and here's why: -Hamachi Carpaccio (thin-sliced yellowtail with one sliver of jalepeno, and one sliver of cilantro), cold with a rice vinegar marinade. -White Dragon (i realize how lame, but i had a dream about this roll...twice...) Just trust me, it's amazing. -volcano roll -rainbow roll is perfect. Not one weird bite, perfect size, doesn't fall apart on your plate. -BYO!!! -Delivery -Atmosphere is just classy enough -Never had a bad roll here, and there was a period of time where I ordered delivery from here at least once a week. The only bad thing I can say about Coast is that their delivery is a little slow. If they say an hour, it's an hour and 10. totally worth the wait. Whip out some pretty plates and enjoy at your kitchen table with friends. They don't disappoint.
(5)
Brij V.

The sushi at this place ROCKS!!! Esp the White Dragon Roll...it is a MUST have! Also, I like the fact that they have a good amt of veggie sushi...my wife is veg so we can both enjoy the sushi here! However, I am taking 1 star away b/c the desert we ordered was just pathetic! I think it was called fruit sticks which really was few pieces of fruit on a stick and small bowl of hot fudge...it was nothing new...deserts could be better! oh and btw, this place is BYOB so be sure to bring a bottle of wine or sake if u plan to drink...
(4)
D S.

Coast is close to my house and I've been going for a number of years. Since opening they've expanded and have a very busy following from across the city. The dining room is very comfortable especially for meeting friends. It's a little dark but it's a good darkness meant for ambiance. The sushi is good but not the best in the city. It's the best in the neighborhood which is why it has a good following. Give it a try one time and see what you think.
(4)
Norma C.

By far, best sushi I've had in Chicago. Fresh and creative. I love BYOBs! The sushi can be $$$ but it's well worth it. Soft shell crab appetizer is a must.
(5)
Lauren K.

Nice laid back stylish atmosphere. Sushi is very nice and fresh, and very reasonably priced! My only complaint is that I don't like drinking soup. Its great to be true to culture, but it would be nice if they had spoons. Very helpful wait staff and friendly hosts/hostesses.
(4)
Natalie B.

Spotty service but the food more than makes up for it. I love this place--they have the best white tuna sashimi, and some innovative rolls. Its BYOB and no corkage fee if each person spends a minimal amount of $15. Great for a date or to hang with friends.
(4)
Sasha L.

Yes I am going to go ahead and give Coast 5 stars. This was as they say AS Good As It Gets.... We walked in on a Friday evening and this place was packed,, that's always a good sign.. the cherry blossom trees on the wall and the modern decor very nice....The freshest fish in Chicago with mouth watering rolls. Can you say spicy they got 5 different kinds of spicy and yes we had to order them all each bite felt like a sinfully delicious treat.. and our waiter was so attentive never once had to do the "Ahem, excuse me"... I highly recommend this place it is also BYOB so bring a bottle of your choice preferably a white wine to compliment the fish and enjoy your experience..
(5)
Liz H.

Coast is great sushi in a great atmosphere with great service. If you go to Coast you HAVE to get the White Dragon Roll. It is one of my favorite specialty rolls in the city! Its made of shrimp tempura, wasabi tobiko, cream cheese, avocado, scallion spicy sauce, wasabi dressing, eel sauce and tempura flakes. This roll is so good that some of the others can seem a little bland in comparison (like the sunrise roll). I would recommend a reservation and they also have takeout if you are looking for great food for a night in.
(4)
Kaase K.

One Word: DYNAMITE. Coast is a reasonably priced, hip, sushi restaurant in Bucktown. The wait staff is educated and informed and pretty quick. It is a BYOB restaurant which makes it even better! They have valet parking which is nice because there isn't much parking around there... my absolute favorite is the spicy crunchy tuna, love those little tempura crisps on top. GREAT place to go with a bunch of girlfriends for an evening dinner before a night out! LOVE IT.
(5)
Jonathan C.

Coast is a nice BYOB sushi place. The sushi is very nice (not great but above average) and the non sushi dishes are good too. The BYOB is probably the thing that sticks out the most. This place gets crowded, but the seat at a decent place. The dining area is a bit cramped, but they pack em in and service is good. Parking is kind of hard in this area. A nice nieghborhood sushi BYOB.
(4)
douglas r.

I concur with the other negative reviews. Don't believe the hype. It's just like any other sushi place and it's more expensive...and fucking loud.
(2)
Brian M.

NO other sushi place compares!!! Friends have tried to take me to other places saying that it is better than Coast, and it was equal at best, but at Twice the Price!! Start with the Exotic Tempura, which comes with and amazing dipping sauce "not soy sauce" (I always ask for extra sauce for my rolls) and then get anything on the menu, I have never been disappointed! Its BYOB is which is great. Waiters/Waitresses are always courteous and helpful. the seats are a little too close together for my liking, but if you go not during prime time, you can avoid the crowd. A small price to pay for amazing sushi!
(5)
Victoria D. G.

Tried Coast for the first time last Friday night. It was great sushi with a trendy atmosphere. Although we had to wait an hour before we got a table. The hostess suggested the bar around the corner while we waited since Coast doesn't serve alcohol. She took my cell number and said she would call when the table was ready. I was a little skeptical about her actually calling but she did and it was exactly the hour wait quoted. Our service was good for a busy Friday night. Our order seemed to come out in a timely manner and the server was efficient. I will definitely be back and recommend other sushi lovers try Coast. I would suggest going earlier than 8pm if you don't want to wait an hour.
(4)
Tiff B.

I've only gotten delivery from Coast. Never had the pleasure of having the pretentious dining experience. The sushi is good, but not the best I've had. The prices don't seem high, until you get your food and realize the maki rolls are less than half the size of ones you get at other sushi restaurants. The delivery is very fast though so that counts for something. I think Sushi X has better food and the prices fit the portions so I'll stick to ordering delivery from there.
(3)
Tim V.

This is a great sushi place, and BYOB. On top of the food being fantastic (great maki, for sure get the white dragon roll), the service is truly exceptional. The server took the beer we brought in to the back so it could "stay cold in the fridge." How great is that? I had a great experience here and would go back for sure.
(5)
Brooke W.

I had heard mixed reviews about this place, and just went the other night for the first time. I had a great experience, good atmosphere, great sushi:)
(5)
candace l.

I like the atmosphere better than the sushi. I love the fact that it's BYOB. It's always a hopping place when I've been there, and the wait can be lengthy, especially on the wknds. With that said, I like the place and it is a huge hit here in Bucktown, but it is not one of my fav fives.
(4)
Alena B.

I went to Coast for a friend's birthday dinner. We had a group of 14 people. We went on a busy Saturday night and had reservations. With such a large group, even though we had reservations we had to wait about 5- 10 minutes for our table to open up. They made the wait a bit more comfortable by offering to open a few of our bottles of wine and providing glasses. The service was great. Our server (I wish that I remembered his name) had excellent suggestions of what to try. As a vegetarian, I only eat "veggie sushi" like cucumber rolls, avacado rolls, miso soup, edamame, etc. The food was yummy. My friends tried a ton of the different sushi rolls and raved about each one! (Note: This is a rare occassion when everyone likes the restaurant.) I recommend going to Coast , bring a few bottles of wine, ask the waiter for suggestions and enjoy! Oh, one more thing. I believe that there is a corkage fee if you do not spend above a certain amount like $10 or $15 a person.
(4)
Norman C.

I tried Coast as I was in the neighborhood and had been to their South Loop location (which is much better than the original!). I have to say I was pretty disappointed with Coast. My wife and I sat at the sushi bar which, and I just moved here from LA but doesn't that imply that I want to order from and speak to the sushi chef in front of me versus ordering everything from a waiter or waitress? Anyway, the food was ok, the hamachi sashimi with ponzu and jalapeno (I call it the Nobu knockoff which every restaurant seems to be serving now!) was pretty solid but the fish was just ok, if not a little dry. I don't think I'd go back but would definitely try South Coast again.
(2)
T Mir S.

one of the best spots for sushi in chicago... and BYOB makes it super afordable
(5)
Andrew J.

The sushi at this place is good. Having recently returned to Chicago from California, I don't know if I was just expecting too much or what, but I thought it was pretty alright but not much better. The service was hyper-attentive to the point that I felt unduly pressured. The assistant/busboy was literally asking to clear the plates away from us before I even began chewing my last bite; I don't know about you, but I like to finish the food before table-clearing begins. The server was nice, but also hyper-attentive. She basically tried to order for us when it was apparent that we didn't speak Japanese (which I doubt she did, excepting her knowledge of Coast's menu). I'm quite familiar with sushi and sashimi, but I don't necessarily know the word for "eel sauce" in Japanese! When I'm out for dinner, I don't feel like trying to impress the servers with my culinary knowledge... Within one minute of having our plates cleared (see above) she appeared asking us if we wanted dessert or just the check. I don't know why she felt the need to push us out the door so quickly, as the place was only half-full. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's being pressured and bullied by the servers and I think the good intentions of this crew fall into that category. I thought it was expensive for what you get, especially when you're pushed out the door before you're ready to go.
(2)
Justin S.

Awful, lousy service. The food was good but I will not go back. The hostess was extremely rude and if it were my business and this was to be someones first impression I would have her out of there. Honestly great restaurants have the service and the food at the same level, and its hard for one to make up for the other.
(2)
Leigh K.

Funny enough, I love sushi yet I have never been to Coast. Part of me imagined that they were so shishi that they wouldd have zero options for people like me who don't eat seafood. I came home Monday night craving sushi and a Coast flier was jammed into our door. Hm, I thought, flipping through the menu, they actually do have some good options. I found myself dialing their number and hitting redial three times until the line was not busy. I placed an order. Nearly one hour later I had sushi, really good sushi. Sure, the maki rolls are pretty small compared to other place's veggie maki rolls, BUT the prices were cheaper for veggie rolls here ($4 - $7), so I think it balances out. I got the asparagus, the shitake tempura, and the spicy sweet potato rolls. They all fit into one box and into my stomach. Go Coast!
(4)
Sarah K.

You cannot go wrong at Coast. The service staff is typically entertaning, it is dark with comfy chairs, you never really feel rushed as compared to other BYO settings, the white dragon/spicy white ginger....yum. Undoubtedly my go-to for an dinner before a night out in Bucktown/Wicker Park.
(5)
Cristina E.

Ok....Coast is my favorite Sushi place...we try to go as much as we can ..this are the things that I love: 1 is BYOB, there is nothing better than your own wine 2 White Dragon Roll........we order at least 2 or 3 everytime we go 3 Great ambiance and crowd Because of being so popular there is always a wait of an hour or more.. =( but they do take reservations, which is great, also the service is ok and sushi takes a while..but all the cons go away because of the awesome white dragon...love it
(5)
Danielle F.

This place is yummy! I love that it's BYOB. I like it better than Tank. The service staff is pleasant too.
(4)
Alisa d.

I had heard great things about Coast, and was slightly disappointed. I would say the best reason to go here is for the people watching. It's like getting the best of a fashion magazine without having to buy the magazine. People definitely dress to the nines to go here! Went for the first time last night, and we waited an hour (fair for a Friday night), but once we were sat the service was great. The food was just ok; I have had better sushi for lower costs. I don't know that I would go back, but it was an overall pleasant experience.
(3)
Megan R.

The quality of the sushi was good the price just didn't match up to Toro Sushi - my favorite on Clark Street. The rolls were at least $2 more a piece - which is fine if there is something that makes them worth the extra $2. The service was good and the setting was nice, it was dark but not too dark. I enjoyed the food but have a closer, less expensive place nearby.
(3)
Corinne W.

So I read the reviews about the rude staff - I went here on a Sunday, our waiter was nice (even funny), and the sushi was very good. Not the best I've ever had, but very good. I'll admit it's a little intimidating at first (everyone's in black, and there were about 8 servers in the front when you first walk in) - but coming from a former server, if you are nice to them, they'll be nice back. I would definitely recommend Coast to people looking for good sushi in that area.
(4)
Froi P.

You can't ask for more: delicious sushi and phenomenal vibe. Every visit to Chicago, I make sure I come here. I'm hooked on the Sunrise and White Dragon. The sushi never stays on my plate for more than 5 minutes. This sushi is THAT GOOD! I absolutely love the vibe in this place. Large groups, dates, solo artists, everyone was having a great time. The chefs are very friendly. Sitting at the sushi bar you can engage in good conversation with the chefs or even fellow diners beside you. I wish there was something like this back in CA.
(5)
Shannon K.

Over the past 2 years, I've been a frequent visitor, and all I can say after tonight is this place is Coast-ing downhill fast...walkins on a Friday around 7pm, we didn't mind a 45 min wait (that ended up being 1.5 hrs) and were seated at the sushi bar. On a busy night, it looks like they run out of wine glasses, so we also did not mind the juice glasses for our wine - European, our server said (?). What we did mind was the following: *My dirty wine glass *Forgetting our edamame *Our server disappeared for 20 min mid-meal and for most of that time, what looked to be our sushi was sitting in the window where multiple servers and customers eyeballed it, smelled it, and passed it by. Not knowing if it was ours, we didn't say anything, but sure enough, when Houdini reappeared, we were served. We were the first two chairs at the sushi bar - any server or sushi chef could have handed it over without going out of their way at all. *The case of the missing sushi - the fish inside the rolls has disappeared! The white dragon - always a solid choice - was half the size it normally is, and in the popper, I would have needed a microscope to see the smoked salmon. *The one time my water glass was filled, I also got a bonus - floaties. Yum... *Wrong mochi flavors (which were still good - I'm not too picky about my mochi) *$100 for that (!) Remember, this place is BYOB (with multiple limitations, and you have to open it yourself) Overall, a solid 1.5, but I have to up it to a 2 because I can't get enough of the spicy miso soup! I won't be back for a while, until my spicy miso soup craving conquers my dislike of bad service, the need to actually taste sushi in rolls, and my fondness for clean and appropriate glassware.
(2)
Alisa L.

I went there last Thursday night with 3 other girlfriends for the first time. The place is not that big and the tables are kind of close together but it didn't bother us at all. We started off with seaweed salad, edamame and spicy miso soup....yes they have spicy miso soup which is basically their regular miso soup with slices of jalapeno to give it just the right kick. We ordered a bunch of different rolls to share..my favorite maki roll was the Po Boy..please try it! The volcano and white dragon were really good too. I also had the BEST fatty hamachi nigiri......their fish is so fresh! Aside from the really good sushi, it's BYOB! I recommend you check it out if you haven't already.
(4)
Lesley S.

I liked Coast, although it has been awhile and I cannot remember exactly what I had. I definitely recall everything being fresh and tasty. I am pretty picky when it comes to sushi and Coast gets my seal of approval. The decor was really modern and dimly lit for dinner. I though it was really cozy and a great date spot.
(4)
Katie H.

You'll pay through the nose but you'll feel like a swanky bitch and get damn fine food. I dunno, maybe it's a bit olde-fashioned of me to say this but I kind of want my raw fish to be reassuringly expensive. See it as a treat to come to this place. May want to swap your jeans with the hole in the butt for something a bit classier. Service is super sweet and genuine. Ask questions! They won't make you feel silly. Start with the miso soup. And while their rolls are great...their sashimi is even better. Also they make their own wasabi and it's awesome. This is good bet for a nice date, but that said don't come here with your naturally loud-talking friend because you'll feel like you're interrupting the next table's private moment.
(4)
igor I.

The sushi here is great (usually). Probably the best non-fufu, almost reasonably priced sushi in Chicago. The service sometimes leaves something to be desired, but it's usually because there is a lot going on. Not that it's an excuse for servers to act like they don't care, but often they don't because they know that all tips are pooled and split at the end of the night anyway (dumb rule in my oppinion, but who am I to say?). My suggestion is to call in your order, and take it to go. When they say 20 minutes, they mean 40, but it's sushi, and you don't want to take a chance, so be there anyway. While you wait you can people-watch as the valet keeps an eye on your car (give him a buck wouldja?)
(4)
Andy R.

get spicy miso something with white sauce and skip dessert
(4)
Kara K.

Coast is my new go-to sushi spot. Their rolls are fresh and innovative and the service couldn't be better. Plus, they don't have a corkage fee.
(4)
Betty S.

This is a got to go for a place that is nice and BYOB. Good sushi, great great for groups and nice set up. We have had a group of 20 plus before and it was great and they were very accomodating even with late arrivals etc. Great for a girls night where you can bring your own bottle of wine!
(4)
Katherine E.

The secret to eating at Coast is not to. For real -- I always order carry out. Dining in, the service is incredibly slow and the crowd is so pretentious that it's a rather unpleasant experience. However if you carry out (you can even order online!), you are in and out in 2 minutes and you have decent and affordable sushi to snarf down in the comfort of you home while the hoards of trendsters are still queuing up for their table.
(3)
Teresa S.

This has just became my favorite sushi place! It's very well worth the wait (definitely do call ahead for reservations b/c it will be abt an hr without a proper waiting area). The special rolls are amazing...and overall there are a lot of amazing rolls to choose from. It all tasted so fresh. Definitely a bonus that it's a BYOB! There is a bit of a "scene" vibe...the trendsetters are definitely hanging out here.
(5)
Kelly R.

Screw Coast... I haven't been able to get a reservation the last 4 times I called. Get over yourself Coast, you're not that great. And if you're doing so very well, why don't you spring for your servers to take a crash course in politeness??
(2)
Daniel H.

Most sushi is frozen and thawed - not here - always fresh. Be sure to ask for the "fatty" versions of salmon and hamachi - so good. Also, the oysters are always fantastic.
(5)
Nick C.

I ate at Coast a couple of days ago before the Jay Z Concert, and while I wasn't disappointed, I wasn't wowed. I had heard several claims that, Coast may be the BEST Sushi in Chicago! While it wasn't a bad meal, I would have to disagree with that bold claim. To be fair, I did have very, very high expectations. Even still, the sushi was just average. There were a couple of standout rolls, and nothing was bad, but beside the White Tuna Cream Roll, the sushi was forgettable. The service was very good and parking wasn't a problem since we arrived pretty early. The BYOB was great, but they did impose pretty strict limits (1 bottle of wine per 2 people max). I would completely understand/respect this rule if it were in place for safety reasons, but I am going to go out on a limb, and say, that, if Coast had a liquor license they would not be preventing people for ordering an additional bottle. Anyway, if a group of people wanted to head to Coast for sushi, I wouldn't try and convince them otherwise, and I would go with them without question... its just that, I left Coast thinking of all the other great Chicago Sushi spots, and for the price, couldn't quite figure out how Coast has received such high accolades.
(3)
Christina K.

The sushi at coast is not worth the wait. You are better off going to AKI sushi no wait great sushi! Plus once you get seated at coast you get horrible service.
(1)
J T.

I have a lot of friends that love this place so one night we all made the trip across the expressway. Not bad. The BYOB factor is a huge plus (and yes, you're probably going to spend more than $15 a person so there shouldn't be a fee), but I'm not quite sure if it's worth the cab ride over there. There are a few decent dishes there - the specials are usually the best - but all in all, nothing so out of this world that I'd call it my favorite.
(4)
kristina s.

Great place... make a reservation, because its a busy place. Had dinner on wed night and it was busy, but we were seated right away. The food was great, the dragon roll and my favorite and unique item was the sweet potato roll, YUMM.... but the best part was BYOB, which is a great way to have a great meal and cut down on the cost.... The resturant was cozy, great for a date or night out with friends...enjoy!!! Great find in bucktown....
(4)
marisa s.

probably the best BYOB sushi in the city. the fish is always fresh and the specials they have always rock it! the atmosphere is great for groups or just a date night. let me tell you though...sadly, the first time i came here, i was super hungover and sushi is not the best thing to eat in that case. we sat at the bar and i hardly could drink my O.B., but my sis proclaimed that the fish was so fresh and she loved it. so i came back a few times after that and always had great service and awesome sushi. this is one of my favorites in the city and it's up there with mirai and japonais. i did hear someone at our table whisper, almost ashamed - maybe b/c it's BYOB, that (gasp!) "this is better than Japonais."
(5)
Zack M.

Coast has good fresh sushi and a great decor, but the prices are high considering that portions are rather small. They have a bit of a "this place is too trendy for even our patrons" attitude when you make a reservation. The patrons: mostly snooty yuppies;
(3)
Emily C.

Went here last night and meal was great. Ambiance is intimate yet good for an evening with friends. Started with the edamame, very good. Friends had the spicy misu which they thought was great and just spicy enough. I loved the seafood soup perfect temperature, noodles and sea food were nicely done. One glitch was when the waiter informed us they had no more spoons...in the restaurant. What? Misu is fine with out spoon but the seafood soup for sure required one. The waiter was very sweet about it but still (hence the three stars). Had the sunrise maki which was great. Ginger glazed tuna, mint and mango was a great combination and very enjoyable. Had special maki that our waiter recommended with crab, coconut and julienned apples, very interesting. Will for sure go back but take my own spoons.
(3)
Lorelle L.

There are so many reasons why I love Coast. First and foremost, the sushi is delicious! But I also love how it is BYOB so you can save at least some money on what will be a pretty big tab at the end of the night. Coast is definitely a high end sushi place, so be prepared for an expensive meal. But the ambience, the friendly wait staff and the food is worth it. And it is open late night so its a great option when most other kitchens are closed.
(4)
Claire D.

Sushi at Coast is the best experience! Three words- White Dragon Maki. Just remember to bring your wine, the service will be great, and it's a perfect place for a lovely date or girls night out!
(5)
Caroline S.

I have a love/hate relationship with this place. BEST sushi, worst service/reservation policy. Have not been there in 6 months because you have to make a reservation a week in advance, otherwsie you wait for an hour to eat. With so many other great sushi places in Chicago, I would rather spend my money at other places.
(4)
Marie L.

I really liked this place. My girlfriends and I dined here on a Saturday night at around 7pm. Without a reservation, we were seated within 10 minutes. The sushi was great and staff were friendly. I liked the fact it's BYOB. The ambiance was very relaxed, in my opinion. We had gomaee and edamame (of course!) for starters then a few maki selections like the dragon, salmon, scallops and crab. Everything we ate was yummy!!! The only bad experience we had was the parking. We had trouble finding a parking spot in the area, but it could've just been our luck...but, valet would be a nice option....
(4)
Marian H.

My husband and I had tried to go here when we lived closer to the neighborhood without realizing you'd need a reservation. Well, I should say, HE didn't realize we'd need a reservation. At a "happening" sushi spot in Bucktown. At eight o'clock on a Saturday night. Nice try. But we tried it again on a night when we were meeting people down the street at Lemmings, so I had made early reservations (it was his birthday) for like 6:30. It wasn't too busy when we got there, but oh my god was it packed by the time we left at 8pm. I was so glad to have gotten there early, because it was before our server was caught in the weeds (she was so nice and sweet, but toward the tail end of our meal, she was getting a little frazzled because it got really busy). I think it was Girlz Night Out, too, because by 3/4 thru our meal our table was surrounded by tables of girls who sounded like they hadn't seen each other in sooooo long, Like, OH MY GOD! But I digress. The food was some of the best sushi I've had in a while. (We went to Kaze the following week, so Coast was one-upped in seven days, but that's another review!) They were offering some special appetizers that evening: The crab cake things were tasty but I thought a little dinky. But they had a hamachi sashimi app that was incredible!! Five pieces, and they were drizzled in a subtle garlic sauce and served with sliced jalapeno and cilantro. So good. And the nigiri pieces were super fresh and tasty. Like buttah. The spicy creamy crunchy tuna roll was definitely worth another visit, but I think I'll make sure to head in earlier in the evening than later.
(4)
Karen L.

I have always wanted to try Coast since I drive by it every day! We went there for my friend's birthday and it was a great place to just hang out and enjoy decent sushi. It is BYOB so it really did help on the bill since we had such a large group. The atmosphere was dark and trendy, but it didn't seem as big as I thought it would be. I am not even sure what rolls I had since we ordered so many different things. They were decent... not the best I had but definitely good. I would definitely go back there with a smaller group so I can really try specific rolls.
(3)
Erin J.

Seriously good sushi. While I can't vouch for the in-house dining experience, I can say my delivery experiences have been generally positive. At first, I was really skeptical about ordering sushi for delivery, but even then it was good! Only drawback is the price; they are hands-down the most pricey option for sushi in my area, and their prices went up AGAIN just last month. $80 for sushi for two? C'mon. There are other places out there with comparable sushi at prices that won't give you sushi bill remorse afterwards.
(3)
Sam J.

BYOB! I had to get that out so you'd read that part first. I'm a fan of BYOB's every once in a while, and someone's Yelp review saved me before heading to Coast. I wanted a little drinky with my Teriyaki Chicken and would have been sorely disappointed. Yes, I'm lame and don't eat sushi. But, I went to Coast last Sunday night for a birthday dinner and the other 9 people loved it. So, if fairly priced sushi is for you, try Coast. Oh, the Teriyaki Chicken was pretty good if you're lame like me.
(4)
Dane K.

this place doesn't need another gloating review so i won't give it one... but i will say their sushi is great, and the byob aspect makes it a great place to go out and have fun... reservations? we just walked in... the wait was 20 minutes, or we could be seated immediately if we wanted to sit at the sushi bar. we waited and went and grabbed some wine while we waited (7-11 seems to be the only option w/ decent selection in the nearby area... the liquor store is pretty lame nearby). NO CORKAGE FEE when you spend $15/person is awesome and easy to achieve (unlike it's sister South Coast sushi which has a corkage fee no matter what you spend). Service was good, no complaints there. A note on sitting at the sushi bar...it isn't sitting and talking w/ the chef. It's really just the equivalent of sitting at the bar in a restaurant minus the bartender, a quick way to get seated. You still have a waiter/waitress take your order, but also I believe the sushi bar menu is restricted as well. The jalapeno miso soup is tasty. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. OK I warned you. Pure deliciousness.
(4)
Abby T.

**UPDATE!** Jesse now works at the Coast in the South Loop. pretty good. my good friend is a head in the sushi line. if you ever sit at the sushi bar, sit by Jesse. He is a really good roller. Sushi Wabi alum. I do love the white dragon roll also. they also have quite a nice sashimi plate. Yellowtail was my fave.......they also have super white tuna, but I don't really like fish that 'buttery.' I like my fish a bit meatier. Some people think that it's to die for, so that's why I'm mentioning it. Love that it's BYOB. I heard Oprah was there a few months back too (eating, not filming). beware...there's a font problem on the dessert menu. Some of the items are in BOLD, and some aren't....making some look like they aren't part of the series. It looks as though chocolate chip and black bean are not flavors of mochi ice cream, but they are. I had the coffee....still good, but I love chocolate !!!!!
(4)
Ian S.

BYOB is awesome, but the sushi left a bit to be desired. The service wasn't as good as it should have been either. Unfortunately for Coast, this seems to be a reoccuring theme with their staff. The decor was pretty cool, but you can barely read the menus!
(3)
T. T.

This place has mind-blowing Spider rolls and good overall food selections. The only drawback is that they're definitely overpriced. Ideal place for a first date or any kind of date!
(4)
Kara H.

I got food poisoning from coast once (hence only 4 stars) and I still continue to eat here religiously. I'm pretty sure they put crack in it.
(4)
Alexis H.

So I finally made it to Coast. Why finally, you ask. Well, because the first time I tried to go I was told I couldn't be seated until 10:30. I got there at 7:30. Before I went I read the reviews and was prepared to wait, but not 3 hours! Hence the 4-star rating and not 5. It's been said before, but I'll say it again: if you go there expect to wait... and wait, and wait, and wait. And then you might wait some more. However, once you're done waiting a pleasant dining experience awaits you. (Note: a reservation also helped this experience be a pleasant one.) I'll be quick on the deets: went on a Saturday night, fish was still very fresh and tasted great. Had the spicy miso, gomae, fresh water eel maki, and some tako sashimi. A friend had the special of the night which was some white fish with pared apples and some other veggies. Everything was very good and fairly priced for good sushi in the bucktown area. Recommendations: Make a reservation. Go with a date. Bring a bottle of wine (its BYO). Try the special of the night and the spicy miso. Use the side streets for free parking.
(4)
Ishaq L.

Champions of mediocrity. The entire place is cliche and everything about this place is a tease. After starting you off with a decent appetizer (the crab on a stick appetizer was good but the portion was puny) the meal continues into an unmemorable serving of sushi. I'd say it's average sushi at best and their portions are on the small-ish side for the price. If you're in the mood for sushi and don't have the energy to find a better sushi joint, Coast will suffice.
(3)
A S.

the food here is good, but i have 1 complaint. i ordered delivery last week and got 4 rolls. i asked if it was possible to cut the rolls in smaller pieces. they said no problem. when i got my food and looked at the receipt i noticed they charged $1 extra PER ROLL to cut into smaller pieces. are you kidding me? if they were going to charge for that, they should have mentioned that they charge an extra dollar per roll. however, charging for that request is absolutely ridiculous. coast, you have nice sushi. but, come on!
(3)
M B.

I wanted to try Coast so badly based on all the good reviews and recommendations from people. I made reservations for a Friday night. I was pretty disappointed with the table we were given, which was right in the middle of traffic, but they had nothing else available. The restaurant was very crowded and so loud that we could hardly talk to each other without shouting. We could, however, easily hear the lady one table over with a loud, aggravating voice. It is a really big place for a sushi restaurant, and it doesn't look like much has been done to reduce noise issues and keep an intimate atmosphere. So my much-awaited Coast excursion had a very rocky start. The sushi, however, was extremely good. If it weren't for the amazing sushi, I probably wouldn't bother going back. But I will probably try this place again - perhaps on a non-weekend night or with a different group who has better hearing :-)
(3)
Matt N.

Great spot in Bucktown/Wicker Park with some of the best sushi in Chicago. BYOB is an added bonus to this Bucktown establishment.
(5)
Matt N.

BYOB!! Make a visit to Olivia's market just down the street for a small bottle of sake, or if you are like me, bring a large one to help make the sushi experience that much more enjoyable. This BYOB has pretty standard maki and nigiri but they sure do make it good! You cant go wrong with their signature maki rolls either, the dragon and volcano are my personal favorites! Interior is dimly lit but does tend to get loud so don't plan on having too intimate of a conversion... the table next door will be able to hear you. I like this place over some of the more expensive sushi options closer to North/Damen/Milwaukee.
(4)
Kevin T.

very well-prepared sushi and sashimi with a beautiful crowd. coast is a great date place. they have a good selection of sushi. but be careful. you can easily spend over 100 bux per person if you walk in there starved. you can save some coin if you bring a favorite bottle of wine. i like their super white tuna and volcano roll. they also prepare a pretty fresh uni as well.
(5)
J J.

Went there around 9:30PM on a Thursday evening without a reservation and had to wait about 30-40 min to get a table. We had brought a bottle of champagne and the staff was very kind to chill it for us in the mean time. In the waiting area we chatted with another couple that frequents the place and they gave us recommendations on what's a must to try. Not sure if table reservations are very helpful because people waited a while even though they had one. We got seated at the bar and I felt the hostess had an attitude issue or was rushed too much to bother with my request to move us to one of the open tables. Luckily, our waitress was kind enough to set us up once another table freed up. I can echo the comments from other yelpers that the service is somewhat slow, mainly because there are too many tables per waitress. Other than that I was left with only good impressions from the place. The decor is modern and cozy, the light are dim and the music is subtle, all making for a hip yet romantic ambiance. The sushi was really good, and although Sushi Samba Rio is still the best on my list, this is by far superior for its price. We really enjoyed the crunchy spicy tuna and the white dragon, and the fatty hamachi and fatty salmon simply melted over our taste buds. We are definitely coming back and highly recommending Coast Sushi to anyone looking for a moderately priced indulgence in some excellent sushi. Just don't forget to bring a nice bottle of your favorite Sake/wine to complement the experience.
(4)
Adrienne M.

I went last Friday night with a group of 7 friends. We had to wait about an hour and a half in a crowded waiting area, but hey it was Friday night what do you expect? It is BYOB so we all sat and drank while we waited for our table. The service was quick and friendly. The sushi was good but a little pricey. It was a good time though!
(3)
Andrew S.

Spectacular, and with a little menge a trois wine, it's BYOB and this one fits perfectly with the menu... excellent date place, and great for people watching/discussing, since the seats are close together... not very secluded seating so don't expect privacy. But awesome food. this is the kind of place to make a sushi lover out of someone afraid to try it.
(5)
Korie E.

In our journey to find the best sushi in Chicago, Coast was stop number two for my friend and I. And, thank goodness it was such an early restaurant in our quest, because we learned a very valuable lesson in sushi: Listen. To. Your. Server. To preface, we got a table right away, which was great. The restaurant is pretty large, very conducive to pairs or slightly larger groups. It had a trendy vibe without being obnoxious, and all the staff came off as very friendly. After we were seated, our server came over and suggested his favorite rolls on the menu, and also took the time to point out some specials that were written on a chalk board behind the counter (which we never would have noticed otherwise). Per his suggestions, we ordered the White Dragon (everyone's favorite and for a darn good reason), the Volcano, the Popper (from the secret chalk menu) and the Ebi Tempura. Oh, and some wasabi oysters to start. Phenomenal. The oysters were such a tease, we each had one and wanted more. But it definitely set the tone for what we were about to experience. The White Dragon is to die for, the combination of sauces and goodness within was perfect. The Volcano was presented in, well, as a volcano. Which was cool, and it was just spicy enough so that it lived up to its name without making you lunge for your water. The Ebi tempura was fabulous, however disappointing that it only came with 4 pieces. I would have gladly had more. And, last but not least, the Popper. Oh. My. God. We had to order a second roll because we were so thunderstruck with its awesomeness. It's a sushi chef's take on a jalepeno popper, thats the best way to describe it. Jalepeno and cilantro blended perfectly with fish. I think it's just a special roll that makes it's appearance whenever Coast sees fit, but it should become a regular. It's to die for. All in all, I was very pleased with my Coast experience. I'll definitely be back once I'm done questing around the city for my "perfect sushi" project.
(5)
John M.

I've had better. Went on a tuesday night, place was packed at 7:15. We grabbed a seat at the sushi bar, as opposed to waiting an hour for a table. The rolls were nothing to write home about, though the apple halibut roll was pretty darn good...should have been for $15. Overall, good date place, bring a bottle of wine (or 2), but there are better sushi places out there.
(3)
Eric J.

Possibly the best sushi restaurant i've been to (and definitely my favorite). Very fresh and reasonably priced. I highly recommend the Po' Boy rolls. BYOB is great and can knock $30-40 off of your tab.
(4)
molly c.

i thought this place was an absolute joke. best sushi my ass. first of all, we couldn't make a reservation at all. what the heck! second, it was an hour plus wait. third we NEVER saw our waiter. fourth everyone in the place looked at us like we were carrying typhoid fever (OMG, it that girl WEARING chuck TAYLORS?? they are drinking BEER!!!?!?!(in sorority girl tone)). the portions were small and i thought that it was a rip off. i have had WAY better, cheaper sushi at other places in town. all in all, if you don't wear a button up shirt with tons of AXE body spray (i swear, i can still smell it) or halter tops and stilleto heals, you should probably stay away. would not bother trying again.
(2)
Sam S.

Really, really good! I can't say anything that hasn't been said before, but make sure you try the specials--they're really ingeniously prepared and tasty. Can't beat BYOB and sushi!
(5)
A. M.

I hadn't been to Coast in a few years, and I went there last night w/ a girlfriend. It was way better than I remembered. The hostess and our waitress were both actually pleasant. The edamame was delicious, and the sushi was fresh and plentiful. I appreciate that their maki rolls are not simply rice rolls w/ a hint of fish. Nope - they are full of fresh ingredients, with just the right amount (i.e. small) of rice. I had the salmon and avocado and the sunrise roll. Superb! The only downside is I noticed that the menu states their alcohol policy is one 6-pack of beer or one 750 ml bottle of wine limit per every 2 people. Last night was a Thursday, so my girlfriend and I were fine w/ 1 bottle of wine. But if it had been a weekend, and four of us went together, we could easily down 3 (or 4?) bottles of wine.
(4)
Demian S.

I went their with my cousin and we had a good experience. Yeah the crowd seemed a bit pretentious, a couple chicks wearing ugg boots. But our waiter made up for that, excellent service. We got outta their spending about sixty beans, with a nice tip. And i was not stuffed but full. The place seems more expensive from ther street then it really is. I recommend it, especially if your looking to hook up with some yuppie soon to be breeder types... haha.
(4)
Cat B.

God this place is good! And it is BYOB! You can't beat that. The sushi is high quality and they have a large variety of rolls and sushi as well as other entrees. The prices are quite reasonable and when you factor in being able to bring your own wine it makes it even more reasonable than a lot of other sushi places in the city. They make a great spicy scallop roll and the volcano roll is super tasty as well. Their pieces of sashimi are healthy servings and they melt in your mouth. Highly recommended. It does get quite busy on the weekends and often times if you don't have a reservation you have to wait quite a while. The restaurant is big so it holds quite a few people! Enjoy!
(5)
Jason S.

Best Sushi for the Best Price In Town. This place has never let us down and we have been going back almost every month (at least once) in the past year. If you want to make sure to get a seat, make a reservation early. Walkins are best early and late in the evening. The special rolls are to die for, the seafood soup is sweet and hot and a for sure DO NOT MISS. The fact that you can BYOB only makes this one of the best sushi places in town. There is a liquor store just down the street that is available when in a pinch and forgot your favorite bottle of Two Buck Chuck:)
(5)
Elizabeth K.

I've only ever had delivery from Coast. The ladyfriend and I aren't hip enough to eat there. The sushi is always delicious! But Coast is VERY expensive, and our bill for carryout or delivery always winds up being in the $40-$50 range. Ouch! Plus they seem to have trouble finding the apartment sometimes, even though we always give very specific directions when we place the order.
(3)
Hayley B.

I am so lucky to live around the corner from Coast! I have been going here or getting carry-out at least once a week for over a year and a half and I have converted every friend I have brought here into a Coast loving advocate of great sushi. My favorite menu items are the hamachi carpaccio (to die for!), the volcano roll, and the edamame. You may be thinking "they are just boiled soybeans, how great could they be?" but they are served piping hot and super fresh every single time. I have literally had everything on the menu besides the california roll (what's the point?) and anything with salmon (not a fan, sorry) and it was fresh, tasty, and satisfying. There is a 711 across the street and a liquor store at the corner of Armitage and Damen to satisfy your BYOB needs (no corkage fee!) I recommend making a reservation on the weekends or if you have more than 4, this place is always hoppin'. Groupon can send me all the half-off sushi deals in the city but I refuse to cheat on my Coast. Ok, one exception: Fresh Sushi and Noodles on Wellington, but only for the Picante maki with cilantro. Go to Coast, you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Rebecca S.

Awsome roll creations and super fresh sashimi. Byob option is wonderful. The decor is beautiful and the service is great. Reservations are a MUST! There could be more seating for those who are waiting for tables but they do cork your wine while you wait.
(5)
Nick I.

Coast is my favorite sushi place in Chicago. Great atmosphere, for being a sushi place in the Midwest the sushi is great, and it's very reasonably priced mostly due to the fact it's BYOB. Definitely try the Maine roll if you like lobster. Always get reservations, they say they leave half the restaurant open for walk ins but I don't believe that having been there several times. Anytime I've tried to make reservations for more than 5 people it's been difficult, but it's a perfect place for you and a date for a small group of four. Anyhow I've never been disappointed and am looking forward to going back sometime soon.
(4)
Lady L.

Great atmosphere for a BYOB-- love the people watching. I must admit I end up here about twice a month because it's an easy byob in the 'hood. The food itself is just OK. What really gets me down here though is the service. No one here has ever been even an OK server. They all need huge attitude adjustments. Also, they charge you corkage and don't open the bottles for you. On that note, they charge you $2 per roll to cut them small... $2 for one knife stroke???!!!! I just don't get it.
(3)
Robyn S.

Out of this world sushi! BYOB to boot - even better! If you arrive around 6ish on weekdays you will have no problem getting a seat.
(5)
Zach A.

Coast has been a favorite sushi place of mine for awhile now. I'm a fan of any place that is BYOB and the sushi is really good as well. The service is just ok, but the fresh innovative rolls makes up for the lack of good service.
(4)
Peter W.

One of my favorite sushi places, comfortable and intimate
(5)
shik s.

The Super White Tuna will blow your mind - pure as the driven snow. Oh, and the quail egg on portabello is a killer starter...
(4)
Julie M.

I've heard that this place has major attitude and is overrated, which makes me sad because when I went our waitress was really attentive and the food was FANTASTIC. Way better than Sushi Samba or Kamehachi, and I like the ambience better than Japonais. Perfect date spot. I haven't been able to go back because reservations are out of control, so that sucks...but the last time I went was on a Weds. and it rocked. Plus, BYOB is your best friend if $$ is an issue...there's no corking fee and you can spend a little extra on amazing sushi.
(4)
Amanda G.

Coast is not bad. My husband would probably rate this 4 or 5 stars--he loves it and orders it all the time. I think it's pretty good but not the best I've had. Fun to eat in since they are BYOB. Good for delivery too if you live in the neighborhood.
(3)
Mark A.

One of the best sushi places in chicago!
(5)
Tom C.

Great sushi and byob. The sushi is very inexpensive and the atmosphere is great.
(5)
Jess S.

The first time I ventured into Coast, it was June 2005. A Friday night, right before the rush. My friends and I had a good time. No complaints. However, each visit since has been disappointing. The service - seriously lacking. The food - I've had excellent, creative sushi elsewhere in the city for less, which leads me to believe I'm paying a price the trendy neighborhood requires. (The entire menu saw a price hike in the past year). The atmosphere - A bit snooty. Expect stares if you roll in with a sixer of PBR, jeans and a t-shirt (like I did this summer).
(3)
Liliana S.

I live in the neighborhood-walking distance from Coast and had never been until last week. I can't believe I was missing out on a great sushi spot all these years. I'm so pissed at myself!! I went for dinner with a friend and we had the fried rice green tea which was good, the miso soup, and about 7 different rolls. My favorite was the special that had some apples on top, and the white dragon. YUm. I will definitely be coming back for more. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
(4)
Shay T.

I just read that Coast was just voted the Citysearch Readers' Choice "Best of Chicago" sushi place and was so appalled I had to write something immediately. Yes, it's BYOB (though I just read they've applied for a liquor license now that there is no longer a library across the street and they are eligible), and I love that they deliver (for a charge -- but I get suckered in to home-delivered sushi all the time), but I have had some of the worst cuts of fish from Coast that I've ever had in a sushi place in Chicago. I've actually stopped ordering the sashimi and just stick to the maki rolls now for this reason. If it were cheap, I'd say go for it, but really, save your money and go about a mile south to Mirai (or Bob San for that matter) for truly good, innovative sushi and atmosphere.
(2)
Car M.

By far my favorite sushi restaurant! Great sushi and the fact that is is BYOB clinch it! It is a great date spot and one you can also hang with your friends. There isn't anything on the menu I don't like. Their specialty rolls are top notch... and if you don't see exactly what you like, make up your own! Service is always great! Make a reservation on the weekends because it gets really crowded! The great thing is that if you're waiting for a table you can head to the bar around the corner and tell the bartender that you're waiting for a table and Coast will call when your table is ready!
(5)
Stephen H.

This place is unbelievable! This is one of the best sushi places in the city. Every roll I tried there was amazing but I have to recommend the Volcano Roll. I went on a Saturday night and the place was packed, so call ahead. Besides the great food, and fun atmosphere this place is BYOB, so bring the sake and Sapporo.
(5)
Lil G.

I love Coast. The sushi was fresh and the service was awesome. Our server was very attentive and made sure our wine glasses (BYOB!) were always filled. This will become one of my favorite spots. Good food and good atmosphere. We left the place feeling very happy and content.
(5)
ali a.

After hearing about this place forever, I finally went. I thought it was amazing! The sushi is great and so is the service. It has a trendy atmosphere with a young crowd. I also liked that it was byob. Definitely worth going to if you haven't already been.
(5)
Chris K.

Good not great. If you're just looking for Tuna rolls and some sashimi, it gets the job done.
(3)
Samantha L.

I love everything about this sushi restaurant- the sushi is amazing, the trendy atmosphere is very cool, and byob is the best. It's not the cheapest sushi, but I always feel like it's very reasonable since we bring our own wine!
(4)
MK M.

Coast has awesome sushi! The white dragon is by far the best roll you can have there. It BYOB and its fairly priced
(5)
Nik M.

I've gotten sick after eating there twice now! Thought it may have been a fluke the first time (there were many other things I ate that day) but the second time everyone at the table had issues! I wasn't violently ill but I know not to take the risk now! It's to bad too because i liked the whole atmosphere and service.. just my experience take it as you may..
(1)
Stephanie H.

A great Bucktown sushi option. I've dined in quite a few times, and get take out a couple times a month. On my last trip I had awful service (Saturday night, a group of 6) but the sushi was great, I've also had some great service. The decor is favorable. Love the fact it's BYOB. Usually a wait on the weekends.
(4)
Amy L.

This place was not good. It was so not worth the money nor the long wait. This place gets really busy too. My boyfriend and I sat at the sushi bar. It was very crowded and loud. Not a good date place. I am a sushi fanatic and heard this place was one of the best sushi places but I was very disappointed. I usually expect sushi to be expensive but I expect it to be GOOD! This place was not good. So I don't know what people are talking about... Also there wasn't a lot. We tried Coast Crab, Dragon, and something for appetizer...forgot what it was.
(1)
Lindsay D.

Love this place. Its my favorite sushi place in the city - and I've tried many. I also used to live in Southern California land of awesome sushi. Service can be spotty when they're busy but the rolls are spot on. Order the White Dragon, Volcano and the Pauper (which is not on the menu). Also, try the dessert called Mochi (spelling?). I'm not a huge dessert fan, but this is just a bite of interesting-ness. Great atmosphere and its BYOB!!!! They limited this recently to 1 bottle between 2 people. I'm not sure why they changed this - but I do know they weren't that strict on it last time I was there. Make reservations - or you'll wait forever.
(4)
Carrie B.

I went to Coast for dinner on a Saturday night recently with a friend... it was so yummy! We were seated a little bit earlier than our 9 pm reservation, and the waitress was excellent- she let us know that the orders were running a little slow but we didn't wait long at all. I tried the Mango Sushi with Mint, Yellowtail, and Marinated Shittake mushroom rolls... it was all excellent and so fresh tasting! I'd definately go back, though most people looked to be on dates or in small groups. Worth checking out, for sure... and nice menu selections.
(5)
Joey F.

when you absolutely positively got to have inventive sushi regardless of price-performance, just so you can get you beak wet later on that evening, then I suggest this place - but its crowded, and many other patrons might make you loose your appetite for beak wetting. Dark and moody in an 80s come 90s - which is an ambiance that I usually trust over wood walled sushi dens... I guess it can go both ways, fresher seafood and staler rice at the dark 80s places? if you know what I mean?
(3)
Kari S.

BYOB sushi bar in bucktown that is ok for sushi. The sushi was good, but I have had better taste-wise. I do recommend this place if you want to dine cheaply, but desire the ambiance of a nice restaurant. Definitely DO NOT get the kabob desert thing that my friends and I shared. It was like 4 pieces of fruit and a bowl of hershey's syrup...
(3)
Brittany N.

Solid sushi. BYOB was AWESOME, and we brought a great wine to enjoy with our sushi. Really loved the Sunrise roll: great, surprising combination of mint, salmon and mango perhaps? (It was almost two weeks ago I was there, but I remember it was something different and I liked it a lot as a new combination of flavors I hadn't experienced in a maki roll before.) The place also has a trendy vibe to it which was fun.
(4)
Yost M.

We order from Coast about twice a month. It's reasonably priced and has a lot of tasty items. Get the super white tuna nigiri, always buttery delicious. Not my favorite dine in place but delivery is great.
(4)
Rose E.

I'm a sushi newbie, and this is my new favorite sushi place- it has a huge variety of different kinds of sushi on the menu, including the amazing white dragon role. Definitely not cheap, but not that bad considering it's sushi, which is usually pretty expensive. This is the perfect restaurant for a date or with a big group, and it is BYOB. Try to make a reservation if you want to go on the weekend, because it can be hard to get a table as a walk-in later in the evening.
(5)
Annie W.

One of my favorite sushi places in the city. Love that it's BYOB. Love that you can make reservations. Have always been seated promptly, and Have always enjoyed the food! The special crab cake things on a stick are awesome. Love the white dragon roll and the nigiri pieces are always super fresh.
(5)
cara r.

Coast is definitely my favorite sushi place in Chicago. Somehow I always stumble in with there being a long wait, but grabbing a corkscrew and some glasses from the hostesses and opening the wine we bring makes the wait rather pleasant. The gomaae is great here, and I adore the Coast crab roll - I could eat it almost every day and not get sick of it. There's a huge sushi selection, but on the one occasion I got a steak teriyaki appetizer just to see how it was, I was very impressed. Any restaurant that has a line out the door every night of the week is my kind of place!
(4)
M M.

Coast is good, definitely over-rated though. The fish was high quality, but nothing to write home about. The place is extremely crowded, no matter what night you go. When I have sushi I prefer a smaller place with less than 30 people. I felt rushed. I ordered the sashimi which I get everywhere- it was good, but there could have been more on my plate! I would take New Tokyo over this any day.
(2)
T S.

Way overpriced for what you get. If you want better sushi, go to Bob San. Or, better yet, Mirai.
(2)
Heather H.

After reading the reviews of Coast on Yelp, my boyfriend and I decided to try it out on Thursday evening. I am not impressed. Admittedly, the spicy miso soup was fantastic, but the sushi really fell short. We started with the tuna tartar which was miniscule and very dry. We tried the famous white dragon roll and we couldn't finish it. My bf described it as "McDonald's suishi" which is the perfect description. It was cloyingly sweet and there was so much going on that the taste of the fish was completely lost We also had the Wasabi roll, the Spicy Tuna, and another salmon roll which, while ok, was certainly not worth the price. Our server was very monotone throughout the evening and kept trying to hurry us out the door as soon as we finished our meal. If you want a great byob sushi in the neighborhood, try Hachi's Kitchen. Better decor, better sushi, and better all-around ambiance. Also, this is not a wheelchair accessible restaurant. My bf said the bathrooms were impossible to get into.
(2)
maeve P.

Oh yeah this place is good. I wish I had brought a beer with me cause everyone else around me was smart enough to remember that Coast is BYOB. Do yourself a favor and try the super white tuna sashimi. It was amazing! I actually sang a song about it and told my boyfriend I was dumping him for Super white tuna. It was that good. If you don't order it you are missing out, BIG TIME.
(4)
Nomi M.

I love coast because the sushi is great and nothing beats BYOB. My last experience at Coast wasn't as good as usual. The rolls seemed to be much smaller than usual and although they were good the 3 rolls we ordered didn't leave my friend and I satisfied so we had to order more. I've tried a few different rolls here and my favorite continues to be the volcano...I don't love spicy food so I was worried I wouldn't like it, but it's actually not that spicy at all!
(3)
Lauren K.

this is just a response to angela h. really, i used to work at coast, and i know who your "banned friend" is. you know why she was banned? because she bitched every time she ordered and tried to pull one over on us repeatedly. her final offense was calling and saying we delivered the wrong rolls and and when we said "okay we'll send you the correct rolls just give the driver back the incorrect ones" (which we do to confirm our mistake as opposed to just hand out expensive sushi) she said she'd thrown them in the trash. we told her to just give them back to the driver anyway, we didn't mind. and you know what she said "she threw a used tampon on them." so that is why we banned her because she was gross and a crazy liar. just admit you ate the sushi and you are grubbing for more sushi FOR FREE. glad i don't work there anymore or deal with all the tight-wad yuppie scum bags that treated me like a piece of crap.
(5)
Samir N.

Surprised to read the negative reviews. We have been going there since it was even on anyones mind. Always had good service and love the Sushi. It has become really crowded now and we usually skip all the wait and crowd by going really early. Never been disappointed! Love their spicy miso soup.
(4)
Mary C.

My favorite sushi place in the city. Hands down. The sushi is absolutely delicious, as are the salads and miso soup. The BYOB feature is killer, and there is no corkage if you spend just $15 per person on your meal. I also absolutely love the decor. The dark woods and splashes of orange make it intimate and inviting, with of course an Asian flair. Definitely get a reservation on the weekends, and during the week during peak hours. I think I have had every single server wait on me, and every one was great.
(5)
Mindy S.

This trendy sushi place never seems to let me down. The atmosphere is great and the sushi is always fresh. The fact that it's BYOB always seems to draw me back to this place. I love being able to get their special rolls and drink some wine, without having to worry about it being so expensive. It does tend to get crowded on the weekends though, so make sure to make a reservation!
(4)
erika s.

it was ok. very crowded on a saturday night. byob. nothing spectacular. only two bathrooms in the whole place--which is kind of hell considering the fact that it's huge..not badly priced. softshell crab was very greasy--i'd definitely pass on that. fresh fish. perhaps a better option for carry out.
(3)
Lindsey B.

Since I can't bring myself to give any sushi less than 4 stars, cuz I'm a lover, I'll give Coast 4 stars just for serving sushi. However, I was a little put off by the atmosphere for one thing, VERY loud and close. I realize most sushi "bars" are this way, but I felt like the acoustics were way off. We went on a Wednesday night (I believe) and weren't aware that it was BYOB. They didn't have a table ready for us for our reservation but it worked out because we needed to walk down to the store for some drink. We returned with some beer and had to wait some more for a table. They assured us it wouldn't be more than 10 more minutes. 30 minutes later, we were seated. Our waiter was very nice and funny, and he even gave us a little bit of free sake since we were the last ones there (we waited forever!). The sushi was alright, sometimes it depends on the day of the week that you go, but it seemed a little bland and just not up to par. We got several pieces of Nigiri and also a few rolls (spicy creamy, and something with eel). All of it fine, just not great. The lighting in Coast is a little strange too, around the perimeter are spot lights that point down on you if you're sitting in the bench seat side of the tables for 2. They kept dimming and brightening them all night. That was a little annoying. At one point it was so dark in there that the candle seemed too bright so we blew it out. Then it was so bright 30 seconds later, that i thought i was being interrogated. I might give Coast another chance and maybe update my review at a later date, but for now, I only like Coast because they serve sushi. That and that alone.
(4)
Iris F.

I've dined once here and I guarantee it will be my last. Perhaps we weren't part of the cool crowd and didn't fit in. The menu is has a lot to offer, the tables are pretty close and you are yelling during dinner. Food was ok.
(2)
chris m.

i have been going to coast for years. i like to go early so that i don't have to wait. although when we do go in later and have to wait we usually stop over at danny's or charleston for a beer, and then someone at coast will give us a call when our table is ready. ya gotta love that! i also love that it is byob, it just makes it more affordable to go there more often. i like the atmosphere, and most of the servers throughout the years have been really really nice. i especially like the wasabi maki roll.
(5)
Erin F.

Pretty good sushi, decent service, good atmosphere, but the place can be a little loud and the tables a little close. I felt like the tables next to us could hear every word we were saying (probably because I could hear every word they were saying). If you don't have a reservation and don't want to wait 1+ hour, go before 7pm on the weekends. The BYOB is nice, very few BYOB sushi places that I've found in this neighborhood.
(4)
George S.

The food was excellent. But, it may be because I was sooooo hungry after the, like, 2 hour wait. The sushi was fresh and delicious. The service was good. However, it was very expensive.
(4)
Rich F.

I feel the sushi is a bit overrated and the new BYOB policy (1 bottle of wine per 2 people; 2 bottles per 4 people, etc...) is designed to increase table turnover and revenue. Poor taste Coast.
(2)
Julia C.

Coast is my favorite out of all the sushi restaurants I've been to so far! The sushi is fresh and they have really fun rolls. The atmosphere is super cute and it's a great place to go with a group of people since it's BYOB! I recommend making a reservation at least a week ahead of time if you are going with a big group because it's a very popular place!
(5)
Aurora B.

Coast reminds me of one of those really pretty girls from highschool....Everyone thinks she is pretty and she knows it and in the end her ego just ruins her appearance. Coast has great sushi and a really nice atmosphere, plus the BYOB is awsome. BUT...the staff are horrible. They act as if they are gods gift to sushi and because of that the restaurant has been ruined for me. You will find me at Butterfly instead.
(3)
Alanna O.

OK...I am updating my post for this place. Last time I gave it only 3 stars.....this time I'm giving it 5 baby! Reason being...I have been here MANY more times, and the service seems to get better and better and the Sushi is AWESOME!!!! Seriously...so good that I crave it every damn week!! My first time here I didn't have the best experience, but, it was an off night and service tends to suffer when places are slower as staff is not as motivated. Anywho, I have been here about 5 times in the past 1.5 months and each time was delish. A friend of mine and I went there about 3 weeks ago (on a sat night at 8pm and only had to wait 20 mins) and ate so much damn sushi we almost rolled out of there. When we left, $90 lighter in our wallets(a lot but TOTALLY worth it-4 rolls, 2 apps and desert, i think), we were totally in food coma and went home to pass out! Hah. The only downfall I would say is the new rule about the wine/beer situation. I guess you can only have 1 bottle of wine or 1 6-pack of beer per 2 ppl...and when we went, my friend liked red, so he brought a bottle and I like white, so I brought a bottle, and they couldn't be opened at the same time at the table...so that was the only bummer about that. My servers were great....cute blonde haired guy (Josh maybe?) who was very personable and then another cute blonde girl I had 2x..her name is Deliah or something maybe?? I dunno....but keep up the good work! I will be visiting again soon...HIGHLY recommend Dragon, King Coast Crab and the Spider rolls.....YUMMERS.
(5)
Julie Y.

BYOB! Great sushi!
(5)
Ashley W.

The sushi here is very good and it's CHEAP! My friends and I come here all the time and we are always in shock by how cheap the bill is, but maybe that's because we are bringing our own wine. I think I've tried every roll on the menu and I don't have a bad thing to say about Coast. It does get crowded so make reservatations beforehand or go very early.
(4)
I'm D.

Excellent place for sushi. I took my fiance here for his birthday on a Thursday night. We had reservations and were seated right away. The lighting was dark and intimate. Even though tables were near other eaters, it didn't bother me, like in other sushi places. I wasn't distracted by their conversations. I had vegetarian maki rolls, and there were plenty of options, which I find not the case at other places. My fiance had the crab leg appetizer which was probably his only qualm because there wasn't much meat on it and it was fried. The mango salsa with it was very tasty though. Miso soup was excellent, was too afraid to try the jalapeno miso soup, but wish I did. We were actually full after dinner, which rarely happens when we east sushi. Service was great, waitress was there when time we needed her, didn't have to wait. My only qualm was that there was only one bathroom and the line was long when we left. Since we split a whole bottle of wine throughout dinner that was a pain. That was another nice thing, I saved at least $20-30 on BYOB. Corkage fee if you don't spend enough, but if you're there for dinner you'll have no problem meeting the minimum.
(4)
a w.

This is a great place to get some really good sushi. Their vegetable tempura is one of the best I have ever tried. And this place is BYOB...makes it even more fun!
(5)
Jenifer B.

This is my favorite sushi place and it is BYOB! The white dragon roll is my absolute favorite roll in the world. All of the appetizers are good and the atmosphere is great. it gets really packed on the weekends so try to get there early. This is definetely not a resturant to pass by.
(5)
Michelle W.

I love this little sushi bar! Maybe it's because they have some of the best rolls. Maybe it's the atmosphere. Definitely that I am not slave to someone else's wine list. For any sushi lover it is a must stop!
(4)
Catie W.

Oh, what to say about this amazing place. We originally went there on a whim, and have been back countless times. This is a great place to meet friends, or just a date night out. It is BYOB, and the corkage is waived with a minimum order. The sushi is so great you will not have a problem surpassing the minimum. I highly recommend the popper roll, it is usually a special, and a must have. I would also recommend the crunchy spicy tuna. The chefs here do an amazing job at combining flavors and the presentation is equally as appealing. I have tried several sushi places, and this one still takes the cake. Another bonus is that it is only a few blocks from, Hot Chocolate. I suggest Coast for sushi and Hot Chocolate for amazingly inventive desserts.
(5)
Josh ..

Coast is good. Love the spicy miso. Quality fish, nice atmosphere. They don't take reservations and delivery is a bit slow. All in all though, its popular for a reason. Not much you cannot get elsewhere however.
(4)
Jess L.

Food is awesome - White Dragon roll is amazing!!
(5)
Dru G.

I would eat here at least once a week if it was closer to my apartment. This is some of the best sushi in Chicago, the atmosphere is super cute and trendy, and the prices are great. BYOB is definitely a bonus as well!
(4)
Megan S.

This is my favorite sushi bar in the city. BYOB and fabulous sushi, what more is there to say!
(5)
catharine s.

ceviche maki roll. sunrise maki with mango. spicy salmon and crunchy tuna maki. yum! yum! this place was great. it's rather large but i am sure that it is packed on the weekends. it is large and has a very swanky, posh style, so i thought that it would be quite pricey. it wasn't. the maki rolls were between $6 and $12 (there may be a few more expensive rolls). and you could tast the freshness of the fish and crab. good quality sushi. the appetizers also sounded delicious too. our server was excellent and made some good recommendations too. it's byob and if you spend more than $15 a person there is no corkage fee. every sushi lover should go here. every sushi virgin should definitely go here
(5)
K J.

One of my favorite places in Chicago. Good food, great service. It can prove difficult to get a reservation the weekends and it'd be nice if they had a bar so you could have a few drinks while you wait for your table. As for appetizers, the tuna tartare and pan seared scallops are amazing. Most of the rolls are delicious, but I don't recommend the spider roll here.
(4)
H M.

This is one of the best sushi restauarants in Chicago. It is BYOB and they deliver. The atmosphere is very nice. I love the decor and the seating. The food is absolutely delicious. I think it has the best dragon roll. It can get very crowded all the time, so you should definitely call to make reservations.
(5)
Mark P.

Another trendy sushi place more about the scene and crowd than the actual sushi. Pretty good, inventive maki. But sashimi was not top quality. BYO is a plus; long wait a minus.
(3)
Miss O.

this was my first chicago sushi experience. i like the tuna tartar. the rolls were creative and pretty good. i would have gotten the miso soup but it was far to hot - i was on a date and couldn't be all sweaty during it. i was suprised that the dragon roll had cream cheese - i could have done without that. generally i liked the place, had creative rolls and was above expectations. a little bit too loud for a date. and i'm not really into BYOB - which chicago has a lot of.
(3)
DG V.

This was an interesting experience! We went here on a Saturday night (7pm) and the house was packed; I mean packed. That's a great sign: it means the food is fresh (turnover) and the taste keeps people coming back. The wait was an hour and forty five minutes so we ended up sitting at the bar; which was fine. Sushi was very fresh; I got the chef's special ($15) and my wife got a couple of various rolls ($19). I was impressed with the taste and imaginative use of flavors. My special included a deep fried salmon spring roll which was the best I'd ever tasted. It came with a coconut crme dipping sauce accented with orange peel, perfect for clogging up my arteries. The taste was sensational but the portion size was the smallest I'd ever seen. It literally left me hungry. The BYOB aspect is helpful but I think many BYOB places boost their food prices knowing they are not making anything on the drinks. The atmosphere is very loud; people are clearly having a great time. Overall a great experience in flavor and taste, but the serving portions left me empty.
(4)
Mary L.

great food! the service was pretty bad though. server was hard to find when we wanted to order, get our bottles of wine opened or ask about why our food was taking sooooo long. i would give it another try since the food was really good once we did get it. oh and being BYOB is always a big plus!
(3)
cb b.

a good place to hang with friends and easy to get a seat during the week. They have a wide menu of food choices and good service. The modern setting makes this a fun place to hand after work!
(4)
Sandy D.

sooo, my darling boyfriend finally made a real reservation instead of trying to get us in by his good looks. so we had a really nice romantic dinner on valentines day. it was a nice atmosphere, couples all around...love was in the air. The sushi was was very good, i don't remember what we ordered anymore, but it was a lot. white dragon, dragon this dragon that, same same but different. i did enjoy the sashimi, very fresh but the quantity was not satisfiying for the price. i liked our waiter, he was nice, knowledgable and brought us an ice bucket for our wine right away. overall, it is a nice restaurant. reasonably priced but i think it may be over rated. its not thee best in town, but since i am walking distance i will proably try again...or maybe not, with their 45 minute wait. oh we did have take out several times, somehow, its much tastier in the comfort of your home...keeping an eye on every single piece making sure your dog doesnt sneak a bite. maybe thats why its even sweeter. but good job coast...i'd go there again for another romantic evening. and people watch. chicago has some interesting people! looking that is.
(3)
Fi Fi R.

1ST time at the Coast Sushi Bar. I gotta say... I love BYOB places, especially the ones that do not charge for the corking fee. We brought some wine and the server was very attentive about keeping the bottles open. The rolls were wonderful. Everything we ordered was FANTASTIC!!!! Sushi is one of my favorite foods and I have been to many different places; and consider myself picky when it comes to good sushi. This place has GREAT sushi. Usually, it is very hard to find a sushi restaurant who serves white or extra white tuna and they do!!!! I am SO HAPPY!!!! Coast Sushi Bar, thank you for contributing to a wonderful girls' night out! We will be back soon!!!!
(5)
Becky P.

Good service, pretty good sushi for Chicago. They don't add a ton of extra sauces to the sushi to cover up the fish, so I appreciate that. Love that it's BYOB and that there's a discount for paying with cash.
(4)
Dusie H.

I'm on the fence about Coast. My boyfriend and I went there for his birthday tonight. Pros: -the sushi is delicious, and this might be the most important factor. -we also had a very knowledgable and engaging server. Cons: -on the phone, and on the menu, they say their BYOB policy is 1 bottle of wine allowed per couple. Well, both of the tables next to us went beyond the 1 bottle allotment, while we sat there wishing we could have brought a white for me and a red for him. Not a good policy. -perhaps this is minor, but I also made sure to mention when I made the reservation that we were celebrating a birthday, and they said they would do something. Yet, they did nothing about it. That was disappointing. Getting this kind of thing right makes a big difference customer service-wise. So, overall, I like the restaurant, but I also expect more from Coast than I got.
(3)
Brian W.

Awesome place, best I have had for sushi in Chicago. Great atmosphere although the side room is quite noisy compared to the main dining area. Listen to the specials, had the firecracker was amazing, quite possibly as good or better than the White Dragon which is the best roll I have ever had,
(5)
Sara K.

hamachi carpaccio... hamachi carpaccio.. hamachi carpaccio..!!! I sit down and agressively order it before Our server can greet us. I guess you can say I am a nut for this dish. Aside from this sweet dish from heaven the fish is always fresh and the service is always superb. BYO you say? Okayyy I will try not to complain. Not many places serve Spicy Miso, but they sure do. Never been less than pleased with a roll, large selection but they don't over do it.. (There is nothing worse than spending an hour debating over 12 rolls that are completely alike with the exception of 1 ingredient) Do yourself a favor and order dessert! The hazelnut coated chocolate cake served with ice cream and strawberries is a great way to leave any date of yours wanting more ;)
(5)
Naomi L.

Didn't know i loved sushi until I ate here. The restaurant is beautiful! I love the way its designed and it just gives you that nice intimate feel. Their BYOB is perfect because i had the perfect wine with my sushi. Staff is so so. They could be a little more friendly and our waitress only checked in with us once! The sushi is still amazing
(4)
Gwen D.

I'm still waiting to find a sushi spot that's set apart from all the others. I was excited to try Coast, which came recommended to me by a co-worker, but unfortunately I still haven't found The One. I met a friend for an early dinner on a Friday night; we ordered the Po Boy signature roll (white fish tempura, unagi, cream cheese, masago, spicy sauce, scallion, avocado, tempura crumb, eel sauce) and the Una Avo maki roll (fresh water eel, avocado, eel sauce), as well as a small plate of pot stickers. Although the sushi was good enough to finish, I didn't remember much about either roll, oh, five minutes after we left. (I don't have much to say about the pot stickers, either.) I'd go to Coast again if I had a craving for sushi while in the area, but I wouldn't make a special trip.
(3)
Ashley S.

Just moved into the neighborhood, first time here and had a great time with my boyfriend tried different things that I would normally not get, very reasonable for two... Can't wait to come back!!!!
(4)
Maria L.

Came on a Tuesday night and was surprised the place was packed....must be the BYOB thing. Also no corkage fee, woohoo. We ordered three fun signature rolls and 3 regular rolls. They were all pretty flavorful and fresh. I liked the White Dragon roll the best. Prices are pretty standard Chicago sushi prices. I think what I like best about this place is the ambiance. Its dimly lit but perfect for a date night or night out with the galz. Parking: there is free street parking but might be scarce depending on what time you go
(4)
Keith A.

Needless to say, I'm well overdue for a review on Coast. Now, it helps that Coast is in my area, but Coast is 90% of the time the place that I need to satisfy my sushi cravings. It's hard to get into each and every dish on their menus as I've had much of it. What I will say is that one of my personal favorites is their volcano maki along with their white dragon maki. Everything also looks really delicious even before you eat it. Their nigiri pieces are also perfectly put together and always taste fresh. Coast can get busy on the weekend nights, but that is generally to be expected. They are BYO even though I normally don't take advantage of that. Even though there are a lot of sushi options in the logan sq/wicker park/bucktown area I keep finding myself ordering from Coast because they do a lot of sushi really well.
(4)
Angela L.

Fantastic sushi restaurant. I have not had anything here that wasn't absolutely delicious. I recommend bringing a bottle of wine (BYOB), and ordering whatever is recommended that day by your waiter/waitress. Their specials are always changing, and there are always new, interesting sushi rolls whenever I come to visit. Great ambiance, great for groups or intimate dates. The prices are very reasonable, and food is phenomenal! They do take reservations, so I recommend making reservations when busy on weekends. Bonus perk: You can order for pick up or delivery on their website.
(5)
Ali Z.

When it comes to sushi, most places serve more or less the same thing with a few funky maki rolls here and there. The key difference between the good and not so good places is freshness. To me, high quality, fresh fish is what great sushi is all about and Coast has it spot on. Of all the sushi restaurants I've tried in Chicago, the fish here was the freshest and extremely tasty. I did make the mistake of ordering too many specialty rolls which while interesting, were not as memorable as the nigiri and plain maki where you can taste and appreciate the excellent flavor of the fish. With that said, if you're ordering a signature maki roll the white dragon is a must try. I don't recommend the volcano roll though. It was kinda mushy and covered in too much tempura crumb. California roll, fresh salmon, and the spicy miso soup were the standouts for me. Totally going for the sashimi here next time. Warning, this place is popular so make reservations in advance. Take the train if you can because otherwise you'll end up circling the block looking for parking.
(5)
Kenneth U.

Slightly below what I expected. We were told 45 minutes for a table, but waited for an hour and a half. Oddly enough, the chairs at our table were horrendously uncomfortable. The decor and atmosphere were completely average. Service wasn't prompt, but was courteous enough. The ceviche appetizer our server recommended was fantastic. The maki rolls, on the other hand, were just ok. Seriously lacking in freshness. They seemed...a little past their prime. On the whole, it's Bucktown, it's Coast, it's totally the cool kid place to go, and it'll always be packed. But a $70 sushi dinner for two people... You could go to any number of decent sushi places in the city and do better, faster, and cheaper. Meh.
(2)
Rebecca N.

I brought my mom and sister here to try a new sushi spot and it did not disappoint whatsoever! The miso soup was brought out in big mugs which was really nice on a cold day and there was a spicy miso option which really hit the spot. The pieces of sushi (super white tuna, yellowtail and salmon) were very fresh-- the yellowtail really stood out. The rolls were great too (dragon and crunchy spicy tuna). Finished off with chocolate mint and green tea mochi. I would absolutely come back here. Great area to walk around. Very nice waitress.
(4)
Nick M.

Every time I eat here I thoroughly enjoy myself. Bluefin sashimi is absolutely delicious. Great service and reasonably priced. And byob, can't beat it.
(5)
Alex D.

Visiting from LA so my family brought me here last night to satisfy my sushi craving! It's BYOB so we brought a six pack of Stella to accompany our meal. The atmosphere had a trendy/laid back feel. The restaurant wasn't too busy, but after all it was Monday night. The sushi was fantastic! I was very pleased with the quality and freshness of the fish. I ordered the fresh Philly roll, spicy tuna crunch roll and albacore sushi a la carte. The only reason why I didn't give Coast 5 stars is because of service. Our server was not attentive at all and we kept having to ask the bus boy for things. But he came through so it's all good! Will definitely be coming back to coast next time I'm in the Windy City!
(4)
Tima D.

THE BEST PLACE FOR SUSHI IN CHICAGO!! Amazing sushi and its BYOB what is not to love??? Try the scallops as an App because they are delicious! There is also a dessert there that is not on the menu but if you go you MUST request it...i believe its called the Chocolate Dome....Not sure why its not on the menu because its soooo good! If you are going on a weekend be prepared to wait for a while because its not a huge place and it is super busy. Oh and the prices are veryyyy reasonable compared to other Sushi places in Chicago.
(5)
Jackson H.

You will probably wait if peak times. The hosts and staff are great!! Just wait your turn and you will be seated, nagging gets you no where! Food amazing, drinks BYOB! Miso soup sooooo good! Great for birthdays and special occasions!!!
(5)
Crystal X.

HOT TIP: BYOB but you cannot bring your own soft drink/juice/water atmosphere: lighting is really dim. two spacey rooms for dining, loud service: quick, knowledgeable, pleasant food: sushi is enjoyable. enjoyed the baked scallops (ordered it twice on two separate occasions). Price: $$ Washroom: only one bathroom for each gender
(3)
Jennifer P.

Coast Sushi Bar is "clean" food. This means that the fish and everything else it's wrapped in is cold; almost leaving a crisp burst of air as your teeth sink into the fresh rolls. I'm not saying it has been sitting in a refrigerator. I'm just saying that you can tell all of the separate items were fresh out of refrigeration, quickly wrapped up; and then sent to your table before reaching room temperature. What most people don't know is that they carry real wasabi; but you have to ask for it. Wow, I have never had a spicy food make my eyes water until now. It was beautiful. I love this kind of pain! Joel G. is right. There are some lovely ladies that hit this place up. However, most of them just dress nicely. It's amazing what men excuse when you show off your lady parts and a fake tan. The classier outfits went towards the women who were closer to their 40's. Some of these women came in with their significant others. These sharply-dressed women were clearly unhappy. Their men looked like they would rather be somewhere else. Not many of the couples were smiling. More emotionally-washed-out thirty to forty somethings, yay!! I saw no men here that were my type. Maybe Joel G. was right. These guys are classic Wrigleyville/Bucktown types who seem to travel in packs; managing conversation that goes no deeper than what woman they would like to sex it up with in the restaurant; or how their fantasy football teams are doing. Yuck. I'm glad I had my friend to talk to. Coast Sushi carries all the classics for rolls. The ambiance here is good. I like how it's dark and every table has a candle that sits inside a rock, casting the perfect golden glow across the table for you and your partner. I was a little miffed because my waitress made no effort to light ours. Every table had their candle going. Good thing I had lighter in my purse! It would be very romantic if it wasn't so loud. People weren't screaming, yet they were definitely projecting their voices across their tables. I was almost making out with my dinner companion all night because I had to lean in so close to hear any conversation. I'd say take a date here, but it will be hard to get to know each other.
(4)
Richard B.

Very good sushi, always off the menu specials that you actually want to try. Byob is definitely a huge benefit. Atmosphere is great, and definitely takes the vibe of the city without feeling big city. Get there early or make sure you have a reservation.
(4)
Queen K.

We stumbled into the Bucktown location on a Sunday afternoon around 4:00pm. I understand that is a little too early for dinner and also kinda late for lunch, but if an establishment is open they should be prepared to offer great service no matter what time you arrive. I mention this because there were only two other parties when we arrived and our food took forever. They literally had more sushi chefs at the counter than customers and it took half an hour between appetizer and entree. A couple of the employees were outside taking a smoke break when we arrived, which wasn't really a good first impression. Appetizer Salmon spring roll- a little greasy but good. the curry dipping sauce was a bit heavy. Wasn't a good pairing for the spring roll. Seafood soup-yummy And now for the rolls... Scallop Alaska Dragon Rainbow Spider All beautifully presented and delicious. The individual pieces were smaller than I've had at other places. Overall, ok experience and if I'm in the neighborhood I'll go back, but nothing special.
(3)
Curtis H.

Coast is a thoroughly enjoyable BYOB sushi bar in Bucktown that is well worth a visit. My first experience there was on a Thursday night after 8:00 pm, but the place was still hopping. Luckily we were seated right away without a reservation. We ordered two appetizers, two specialty and one classic roll, and their dessert special (a flourless chocolate cake that was more like a mousse). Everything was extremely delicious. They use a lot of jalapeno in their sushi wish is a pleasant change and gives the food an extra kick of flavor and spice. This is one of the best sushi places I have eaten at in Chicago, and the BYOB benefit makes the bill even more palatable. Good vibe. Good decor. Great food. Check this place out!
(4)
Wei H.

On a summery Saturday night at 9 o'clock it was packed but we were seated right away. Aside from a table of 5 girls that were clearly drunk (BYOB, can't blame them) evidenced by their constant yelling and talking about some Jeremy dude, I thought the environment was lovely. Dim lighting, candle-lit, smaller tables that allow more intimate interatctions. Good spot for a third date - too loud for first date, too dark for second. Anyways, their menu has a decent amount of selections. Prices are very reasonable. Jalapeno seems to be a stable on their menu, which I definitely have reservations about. * hamachi carpacio - yellow tail sashimi dressed with jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro. Too acidic. Overwhelmed the yellow tail. In fact, I did not know I was eating yellow tail. * coast crab maki - very tasty. A little bit on the dry side. Nothing a white wine cannot alleviate though. * natsu (not on menu) - supposed to be a very clean roll, so said our server. I believed it was yellow tail with jalapeno and mint. Again, fish got miserably overwhelmed and it was too acidic. The rice on this roll was also drenched in vinegar. * salmon sashimi - very good quality. Still not as good as Toro's * tuna sashimi - fishy which I expected. Do not recommend. * mochi - $5.5 for two pieces that looked and tasted like they were store bought. Not sure if I would go for these again. But again, cannot say no to green tea and red bean mochi on a summer night. Overall I liked my experience here. It's incredible that they are still BYOB. Our server was attentive and although his recommendations fell short of expectations, his service did not take points off our experience. I will definitely return to this restaurant to try their other signature rolls. Free parking on Damen is a big plus.
(4)
Katie W.

I used to love Coast, I had been a few times and dined in the restaurant and thought the rolls were great! However, last night a few girlfriends and I decided to order from Coast as it was nearby my friends new apartment. We ordered, received our food in a decent amount of time and then proceeded to open up the rolls and find that the spicy scallop roll was a blueish color. It did NOT look appetizing. My friend was brave enough to try one anyways--took one bite and looked a little sick. At that point, we noticed the spicy tuna looked a little strange too--just a little off, like it was fish possibly gone bad or too old. I tasted one of those and it did not taste good at all. We paid 80 dollars for 4 rolls and an entree--so, I would expect the sushi to be very good. I get that delivery might not be quite as fresh or great of an experience as eating in the restaurant--but we shouldn't be gagging over our sushi. We called the restaurant and asked them to refund our money for the 'bad' rolls only (everything else was fine). The woman that we talked to told us that we would need to bring the rolls back in. Really? We order sushi for a celebratory dinner and it tastes disgusting and we have to bring it back?? We asked if the delivery driver could come back and pick up the rolls and she said no. I get they are trying to cover their bases to make sure people don't just call up and complain and ask for money back even after eating the rolls--but we clearly didn't eat anything and offered to give the rolls back. Because we were so angry over this (and needed to get a new dinner anyways), we drove the rolls BACK to the restaurant. The woman at the desk went away for about 20 minutes, came back and grudgingly gave us our money back for those three rolls all the while acting like we did something wrong. I have a huge problem with this. It is not our fault that the sushi delivered to us was disgusting and inedible. At no point did we receive an apology or anything of the sort. Instead everyone that we encountered or talked to acted like WE had done something wrong. I definitely will not be returning to Coast again. There are too many other good sushi places in the city with much fresher fish, better prices and that do not treat customers in the way we were treated
(1)
Roger J.

Coast is excellent. This review incorporates an overall couples rating. We had a 6 pm reservation on a Saturday before heading to the theater. We were seated on time and the waiter we had was pleasant and very helpful with our selections. Nice ambiance, a little dark and romantic. We started with the Angry Salmon which was 4 pieces but very tasty. We really enjoyed our next two choices of the Firecracker (special) and the White Dragon (a house favorite). Both were fresh and had excellent taste. We finished with a Spicy Salmon which was average but good. The BYOB was nice and many ignored the suggested amounts. I don't like to go to too many places twice in a city with so many choices but this will be one to visit again.
(4)
Brooke A.

Since I am a recent Sushi convert, I am always up for trying new places. That's why I was especially excited for a girls' night starting at Coast. We had reservations for 7pm on a Friday night. We arrived in a few different waves. I was very shocked at how accommodating they were with getting us an add-on table just for more space. I was disappointed with the 1 bottle for every 2 people BYOB policy. In my experience, the more you drink the more you eat. But to each their own. We all ordered appetizers to share for the table, none of which stand out in my mind as wonderful. The asparagus and beef was disastrous when it come to logistics. There was no graceful way to share between more than a few people. The Tropical ceviche was missing something. Nothing was overly impressive. The maki rolls were better. Everyone ordered a roll to themselves and had a few more to share. The White Dragon roll was very good, unique. I also ordered a Philadelphia, but I've had better. The atmosphere was loud and a bit crowded. The decor is along the normal lines for a trendy sushi place. Throughout the night, we had a few communications of when our table needed to "vacate." When the reservation was made, it was 9pm. When they sat us down, they said it was 9:15pm. However, at exactly 9:00pm, we were asked to leave. It isn't like we had food still on the table or that our bill hadn't been paid, but a little please and thank you would have made the transition go more smoothly.. After all that said, I think that I will think twice before venturing here again.
(3)
Nicole B.

I was very pleased with my visit to Coast Sushi. BYOB with plenty of liquor stores on the way. Apps- get the scallops. Rolls- White Dragon and Maine. Can't go wrong here and don't forget to have Mochi!
(5)
Brian M.

I'd heard about Coast on several occasions from friends who raved about the place. I finally got a chance to check it out and while I wasn't 'blown-away' like several of my friends, it is worth dining at. Just be aware that it is BYOB. We ordered several yummy roles which didn't disappoint, but two things stick out about my experience here: seasonal roles (we had a fall themed pumpkin one...which was excellent!) and REAL wasabi. Do yourself a favor and spend the $2 to get the real wasabi experience.
(4)
Andy H.

Although it's possibly the best sushi I've had, the ambience is a bit stuffy and that's just not my style. Only reason it didn't get five stars is because it's not my type of atmosphere.
(4)
Lindsey C.

I LOVE LOVE Coast! I have to say this is my fav Sushi place! Amazing rolls! (rainbow, dragon and Po' Boy) Rolls are my favorite! I recommend you call ahead to make a reservation because it is usually packed (my gf and I had to wait about 40 mins last time we went without a reservation) I love that it is BYOB. Only bummer is that it is ONE bottle of wine per couple :( or one six-pack per couple i think. (we love our red wine) lol Can't wait to go back!
(4)
Justin C.

This place is spectacular! Fresh sashimi, great variety of dishes and great service. You rarely find a Japanese restaurant in Chicago that has both great cuisine and decent environment. This place definitely has both and I would highly recommend the fish and chips because its just different!
(4)
Roxy A.

Went here this weekend bc I was craving sushi and realized it had been a while since I last dined at Coast. I must say my previous experience was much different! First off it was super hot & humid out and was surprised that there was no air conditioning in the restaurant. So blazing hot weather plus me being hungry turned into "hangry" girl status (hangry= hungry+angry). Our server was not particularly friendly and when I wanted to order the uni shooters, they were out of uni and she didn't make any recommendations for anything else since they were out. The "crunchy tempura" roll was not tempura..it was more like long john silver's fried shrimp rolled into a gigantic piece of rice. Also the white tuna and cucumber roll had a mushy consistency to it as if the sushi rice was old. I was pretty disappointed because I was really looking forward to eating here and really enjoyed the last times I had dined here. I appreciate the fact that they do take reservations unlike many other restaurants in the area & that its BYOB, but there are plenty of other sushi restaurants that I'd probably choose to go back to before I decide going back here.
(3)
David R.

Did I say that close conversation was possible? My mistake--it is loud as hell in here. "Not cacophonous"? No sir, it is indeed quite cacophonous. Or I am just getting older and crankier. Either way, do not expect to hear what your tablemates are saying, unless maybe you all smell like flowers and can lean in really close. This establishment is not nearly so mobbed on a Saturday night as it used to be, but the place was still full. Not sixty-minute-wait full, but very bustling well into the 9 o'clock hour. For a place of this size, they really should have multi-guest restrooms. Having just one single for each gender seems inconsiderate if not downright terroristic. But most importantly, I suppose, they still make pretty solid sushi of all kinds. Maybe just come to eat it at 5pm so that you can hear your friends talking, and can then leave in time to take your Metamucil and have your night-shirt on by 9pm.
(4)
Aditi G.

This place was good but the rolls were way too small for the price. My friend got a $13 tempura roll and it was really small. We were pretty surprised. Don't know if I'll go back. Also got the mochi and it was good but $5.50 for 2 tiny round pieces. Overpriced.
(3)
Travis D.

Ambiance was very nice. Food was excellent! Definately would reccomend this spot to any sushi lover!!
(5)
Tiffany N.

This is a fabulous place if you end up there with an ugly date---dim lighting my friends! Checked out Coast the other night with some friends and absolutely love that they are BYOB along with no corkage fee! Service was great and for as trendy as it was, it wasn't too terribly loud. My only gripes was the amount of sushi I got with the White Dragon Roll (which tasted absolutely amazing), it seemed like only a few pieces for 13 bones. But then again, I live in Charlotte where you get alot more bang for your buck. Other gripe-onesie bathrooms. I felt like they need one of this ticket dispensers they have at the deli counter there since the line got ridiculously long. Don't waste time circling around for parking--valet it for only $10!
(4)
Abby Z.

I've never before gone into an establishment with such high expectations and come out with such negative things to say. From the moment we walked in we knew it would be an odd experience, and I wish we'd listened to our gut - we should have turned around and walked out after the hostess tried to seat us at a table where others had not yet vacated ("oops sorry, they haven't left yet") but it only got worse from there. The douche vibe was off the charts. Fine, I can handle a little douche. But being surrounded by nothing but douches in my new neighborhood sushi spot was kind of getting me down. A few minutes after sitting down I needed to use the restroom - all those negronis at the Charleston, you know. So I head to the bathroom and the girl in front of me says the toilet is overflowing. Let me ask you a question, have you ever heard that saying "a restaurant is only as clean and well maintained as its bathroom..." ?!?! So the toilet in the female restroom is clogged, we already ordered our sushi and can't get out of this experience on account of the fact that I don't really trust their hygiene anymore, and whatever..... it is what it is, right? So us females capitalize on the mens bathroom (they were not pleased), since there is no other option, and I start wondering about the freshness of this fish, and that's about when I wish we had gone to our favorite sushi spot instead of this new neighborhood crapshoot. Back at the table, they offer no bottle opener for the beer, have no glasses for the beer (something about them all being dirty and lets wait a while and see if any clean ones come available?!?!), and at this point we realize we are surrounded by first dates. First dates who are all emphatically stating this is the hippest BYOB sushi spot in town and yadayadayada, and what the hell are we doing here in this douchey sushi hell hole?! Sushi arrives, yea its fine, nothing special, nothing too terrible, nothing too fresh tasting, a bit gluey tasting in the rice department. You can tell they fry the shrimp for the rolls hours in advance, thus rendering the roll limp and cold, sad and oily. The raw seafood is fine but fresh isn't the first word that comes to mind. We arrived at the start of this experience intending to linger over our drinks, as we would normally do at our favorite spot, but instead decide to bounce after a beer each and cut our losses. We pay the tab (at this point yet another first date match.com couple has been seated next to us) and we leave, asking ourselves what the hell just happened. The moral of this story is when you find a sushi spot you trust (fresh! friendly! they know us now!) and adore, never stray far off from what you know. The reward never outweighs the risk. At least, it didn't in the case of Coast.
(1)
Steven M.

Get the Po-boy roll! So good. I've been told it's the best thing on the menu and I believe it based on my experience. The place has a nice atmosphere too. Very modern Japanese look, dimly lit, relatively quiet when I went.
(4)
Lauren F.

Yelp came through for me as always and I'm happy to say that Coast Sushi Bar is the best sushi I've had in the city! The dark dining room and swanky decor is the perfect spot for an intimate date or a fun night out with friends. Add in BYO beer, wine, and sake? Can't get much better! We started with the Asparagus Beef....holy delicious teriyaki sauce! Just give me a bowl of rice and that sauce and I'll be happy! Next we ordered a few rolls: Nama jalapeno: A large piece of incredibly fresh salmon with fresh jalapenos-so simple, so good. Spicy Sweet Potato Tempura: Umm....who doesn't love sweet potato tempura?!? Po Boy: White fish tempura, unagi, cream cheese, masago, spicy sauce, scallion, avocado, tempura crumb, eel sauce. Huge! Delcious! White Dragon: The best!!! Shrimp tempura, wasabi tobiko, cream cheese, avocado, scallion, spicy sauce, wasabi dressing, eel sauce, tempura crumb
(5)
Lindsey A.

My girlfriend and I stumbled in here on a Monday evening at 7 p.m. and were immediately seated. Though the space was a little dark (it was, after all, a beautifully sunny Chicago summer day!), the inside felt inviting. Our waitress was super nice and easy to talk to. We ordered three rolls and it was the perfect amount for us - a dragon roll, a cream roll and a fresh philly. Usually we go the veggie maki route and over-order but this time we were smart with the three (dragon was easily the largest). With BYOB as an option, our bill came out to $15/per person - one of the most affordable nights in Chicago I've had in quite some time! This review just made me hungry.
(4)
Wayne H.

I have been going to Coast for years now. It's not only one of my favorite sushi spots, but also one of my favorite BYOB spots. I love the White Dragon roll. Best specialty roll I have had at any sushi place in Chicago. Another favorite of mine is the Fried Tofu appetizer. I especially like the garlic soy dressing it half comes with! I also always get the spicy miso. Such a simple dish, but they do it so well. Another simple item they do so well is their Negi-Hamachi roll. I love their Negi-Hamachi roll better than anyone else's, especially since they roll it with the seaweed on the inside of the rice. I also always get their Spicy Tuna roll as well. You really can't miss at Coast. If you still have room left I also sometimes get a couple of mochi balls for dessert.
(5)
Adam M.

Great place to meet with friends after work or to start you night out on the town. Dim lighting and very friendly/knowledgable staff. Creative and deliciousness menu choices. Highly recommend stating with the White Dragon Maki roll. So much flavor you'll want to order another.
(5)
Amelia V.

Coast, this is my goodbye letter to you. It's a very sad one. I was one of the match.com couples who came here on a (third) date. It was here that my now-boyfriend asked me to be in a relationship with him. It's a wonderful memory, not at all tainted by your better-than average (if cream-cheese and tempura heavy) rolls. But Coast, you lied to me. Your food is awesome. But, the third time we crossed your threshold was the first time we had a waitress actually fluent in English, a waitress who told me that your sushi rice has gluten in it (a fact that other waitress missed or neglected to tell me when I said "I'm Gluten Free"). So, goodbye, Coast. Fare thee well.
(3)
Shruti K.

I came here for dinner with friends on a Sat night. Was seated immediately. At first glance this restaurant is huge and has plenty of tables. The lighting is dim. We started off with some spicy miso soup (soy bean soup with tofu scallions and jalapeÃ±o) and Gyoza (pan fried shrimp and vegetable pot stickers). The soup was extremely delicious. I am glad i tried the spicy version, it added a nice kick to the soup. The jalapeÃ±os were not very spicy. Definitely tolerable. The soup was fresh and a great start to the meal. The Gyoza was good. The combination of shrimp and vegetables was great. They were perfectly pan friend and were not too greasy. We tried a couple of sushi rolls, all of them were tasty and very fresh. I was impressed with the quality of the food. The ones that we tried were: White Dragon: shrimp tempura, wasabi tobiko, cream cheese avicado, scallion spicy sauce, wasabi dressing, eel sauce, tempura crumb Scallops: scallop, avocado, masago, spicy mayo Spicy Tuna: tuna, scallion, spicy mayo One of the vegetarian rolls. The service was great, the food was good. The ambiance was OK, for a saturday evening it might be dull. This was probably not the best sushi I have eaten but definitely flavorful and good. I will visit it again if I am in the neighborhood.
(4)
Kristina N.

I haven't been here for awhile, because my girlfriend moved out of Bucktown. It used to be our favorite sushi place. Four starts because of the sushi chefs, and whoever makes the desserts! The rolls were beyond amazing. Then there comes service... my girlfriend took me for my birthday. We had about a 25 minute wait, but then all of these other guests kept getting seated before us. I am pretty sure they "don't" take reservations, for parties under 4, and then if you have to cancel there is a $15 cancellation fee ( FYI) so I was confused on how these parties of two were getting seated before us. We finally get seated and our waitress gets us new wine glasses ( fancy ones) We already knew we wanted two appetizers. But, she didn't even finish the specials... The appetizers came out about 35 minutes later... Edamame doesn't take that long, and the other app shouldn't have either. Then 2 minutes later all four of our sushi rolls come out... The tables are so small, our waitress just kept putting stuff and reaching in my bubble.. Defintiely not a fan of service that day... BYOB is fantastic... Sushi is super fresh and tastey! Service can be hit or miss!
(4)
Blaine T.

Finally I found my Chicago sushi place! Great romantic atmosphere. It's BYOB by the way. I got the coast crab roll (great) and the best miso soup that I've ever had...that's impressive considering it's just soup!
(4)
J K.

Always crowded, always worth it. Great servers and everyone is so nice. BYOB, perfect!
(5)
Stephen S.

Coast is a solid BYOB sushi bar. I felt it was straddling a line between cost and quality in that it's a little too expensive for being not quite good enough. Most places, this wouldn't bother me as much, as I feel it's nice to be able to have food options at different price points. Sushi, however, is one of those things that either I want it to be fantastic and pay the price that comes with it or for it to be a great value just to hit my craving. As Chicago offers tons of options on both sides of this divide, it doesn't help Coast to fall right on that line. The BYO helps, don't get me wrong, but lots of sushi places go in this direction as well.
(3)
Vivian T.

This is my favorite sushi spot in the city. I haven't found anything remotely close to its consistent quality since I've moved from Chicago... I used to live 3 blocks away, so I used to come here all the time for takeout with the roomies (and for myself) or to dine at the sushi bar with a bottle of wine. I almost always sat at the sushi bar, and I frequented this place so much that the sushi chefs would recognize and greet me every time I sat down. Waits can be long, especially on typical date nights, and takeout takes 20 minutes. There's a liquor store at the corner of Armitage that comes in quite handy. Anyway, it's all good food there - the no-nonsense scallop roll is my favorite and both dragon rolls are delicious. The sushi & sashimi dinners are also awesome - fresh and tasty.
(5)
Erika M.

This place is just ok... I am almost torn to give it 2 stars since "meh" comes to mind when thinking about my experience... but am going for 3 since I found the fish to be pretty fresh. The sushi here is good but it is nothing special.. There are better places in the area to go to that are also byob. I am not sure how this place has such rave reviews when everything was just mediocre, including the service. Our miso soup came out right away and then we waited a very long time for the rolls to arrive. The nigiri we ordered was fresh, however, the rolls were pretty lacking.. Out of the 4 we ordered, only one was somewhat memorable, which was the White Dragon Roll. The other rolls just seemed to be lacking a little in flavor.. Nothing was bad about them, there was just nothing all that special. I liked that this place is BYOB and that the fish they used did seem to be very fresh, but I don't think I will go out of my way to come back. I would recommend this place if you are looking for fresh nigiri or are looking for a more trendy atmosphere than some of the other sushi places nearby.
(3)
Bri A.

I think I've found a new favorite sushi place! Service was excellent and the food was amazing. I came here with a group of 10 for a friend's birthday party on a Saturday. One friend was familiar with the menu and ordered a bunch of appetizers and rolls for the group, so we were able to try a little of everything. The asparagus beef, jalapeno miso soup and scallops were my favorite apps. I think the scallops had a garlic/butter/spinach sauce...whatever it was was so good! I didn't want to share. As for the rolls, I don't remember exactly what we had but they were all delicious. I am already wanting to come back and try more. This place is also BYOB and they will let you drink in the waiting area which is cool. Most places won't let you drink while waiting which is lame!
(4)
Mironda R.

This place was excellent and I'm a fan -- oh wait, that's what 4 stars means, right? I went with a Coast-extraordinaire and she told us what's good and how we can order special rolls not necessarily listed on the menu. Bonus: The waiter actually knew the menu and could tell you anything you wanted to know and offer up some tasty recommendations. I had the jalapeno miso soup, sunny side shitake (which was surprisingly tasty), a few of the posted rolls/non-rolls (including the sliders? I think). It's unfortunate I cannot remember what I had. If I find the receipt, I'll update. Let's just say presentation, freshness, service, price, and BYOB is all pretty fab!
(4)
K L.

I have mixed feelings on Coast - on one hand, it has my favorite maki roll (White Dragon) and is one of the nicer sushi restaurants. On the other hand, the staff isn't always the friendliest and I think that their BYOB policy (one bottle per couple) is a bit silly. I have sort of stopped actually going here to eat and instead order takeout or delivery. They have been pretty great delivery-wise - they haven't missed anything so far, and it has arrived fairly promptly. If it weren't for the White Dragon roll, I'm not sure that I would continue to eat at Coast. There are just so many other sushi options in Chicago and many of them without the somewhat limiting BYOB policy.
(3)
Jon S.

. This place has a nice atmosphere and the service was excellent but the sushi sushi is just mediocre and highly overrated is not a four star
(2)
Kathrin E.

The only sushi place I continue to come back to again and again and again and again. Fish is so fresh, and always consistent. Love!
(5)
Dragos S.

2nd time here. Went there on a Saturday with a party of 8 and we had to wait 30 min past our reservation time :(. We tried a bunch of specialty rolls and all were great. The white dragon was definitely the table favorite. Our server, Devon was very knowledgeable and fun.
(4)
Michelle B.

BYOB. No corkage fee. Relaxed, beautiful ambiance and a very nice staff. We got 4 basic rolls: tune, salmon, eel and shrimp tempura. The eel was really delicious, the salmon was fresh and the shrimp was flavorful and crisp. Basic, nice and clean. The homemade wasabi was incredible! The tuna roll was made with minced tuna (the kind typically used in spicy tuna rolls). It's fresh but too soft and not too flavorful.
(4)
Kathleen M.

Whats the point of having a reservation where you still have to wait for your table!!! The food and service was ok. The place was way too small.
(3)
Basak D.

Good food, timely delivery service, forgot chopsticks and soy sauce but luckily I had my own.
(4)
Mike R.

I am a massive fan of sushi, and by massive I mean sometimes eating it 3 times a week for lunch. Coast is in fact a favorite of mine for sushi in the city. They have a great ambiance and the prices for the sushi aren't so bad. The place features many, many rolls most of which aren't truly traditional Japanese, but still good. Their Dragon Roll was quite good, and their nigiri is great and fresh. They have some "wasabi from Japan" option for a few dollars extra on the menu, but to me it tasted exactly like fake wasabi FYI. Also FWIW, I had balls enough to take a girl from Japan here once and she approved.
(4)
Amanda Z.

Best sushi in Chicago hands down. They are by far and away the best rolls and have very large amounts of fish in them. Every where else gives so much rice and a tiny bit of fish, and COAST completely outdoes themselves. Best place in the city and I cant wait to eat there once a week since I moved to Wicker Park!
(5)
Patrick W.

It's a fun, reasonably priced BYOB sushi restaurant with better than average sushi. Did I mention it's BYOB? They take reservations, but plan about a week in advance for a mid-evening time. Service is sometimes a bit slow when they are busy, but whatever, don't go there if you're in a rush. Overall, it's never let me down. Oh ya, and it's BYOB with no corkage fee.
(4)
Seth F.

It's a sushi joint, what do you want me to say? They have different types of fish wrapped in rice and seaweed. There's a reason nearly every sushi restaurant on yelp has a 4 star rating. I equate the act of eating sushi to going to a steak house and ordering a ribeye, a filet and a strip. Sure those three steaks taste different, but I don't think the difference is pronounced enough to make eating those three steaks, and nothing else, all that enjoyable of a meal. Coast epitomizes this theory I have of sushi. They literally can't do anything any better with the sushi they have and they don't offer innovative choices, so I have no reason to eat here over any other sushi restaurant.
(3)
Nicholas F.

Awesome atmosphere and really good sushi. Rolls were both unique and quite tasty. FYI the place is BYOB (which to me is a huge pain but seems to be a common trend in Chicago).
(5)
Grace M.

Stopped in for a late lunch after soaking up some sun on North Avenue Beach. Walked right in and sat as it was off-hours. I wont lie, I was a little skeptical try to sushi in Chicago. From a girl living in California, its pretty hard to top fresh California fish. I was pleasantly surprised! I ordered the White Dragon Roll per fellow-yelpers advice (thanks yelp-fam!). Really liked this roll, great flavor w/ a nice little crunch. Yuum. I also ordered a seaweed salad and thoroughly enjoyed it. The light dressing on the salad had a perfect taste. If you are in Bucktown, I recommend this spot for a good roll.
(4)
Bianca C.

Introduced by a friend; said it was amazing! The sushi was really good esp. The white dragon! The spicy tuna needs to be more spicy. The volcano seemed more of a spicy tuna minus the tempura crunches. Fish was fresh, seaweed salad was the bomb! Best I've ever had. the tuna tare tare was ok had better. Cute restaurant very romantic and staff was nice. Will recommend and definitely will go back!
(4)
Louise P.

Mediocre sushi and service. Went for lunch with 3 friends on a Saturday. Despite there being not too many people in the restaurant, we were seated at a less-than-ideal table in the farthest corner of the room, right next to a drafty door on a 30-degree day. Not cool, so cold. I was not particularly impressed by their rolls.
(2)
Anitha R.

Just moved from San Francisco and was looking for some good sushi. Coast was amazing and we loved the tuna on top roll. Definitely fresh taste and ambiance inside was nice too! Byob feature was also added bonus.
(5)
Yen D.

Loved it! Fish was fresh, server was frazzled and very busy but nice, and the rest of the food was great. I tried calling at 11 am to make a reservation but they don't open until noon- I called a few hours later for a reservation for four and the two times available were 6:30 and 9:15- this place gets packed early! So keep that in mind. There were lots of couples and a few large parties (single gender... both a large guys' group and a big girls' group were there). It's BYOB with a random limit: 1 6 pack of beer or 1 bottle of wine per 2 people. They bring you glasses and will serve you, and they also have ice buckets if you want to chill your stuff. Food: we started with the soft shell crab, uni shooters, and tuna tartare. I love uni but I wasn't a fan of the shooters: too much stuff going on (too much vinegar) that didn't really make the uni better (quail egg? It's so creamy but that makes the uni seem less so). The soft shell crab was quite tasty; comes with two so it's a little hard to split, and the tuna tartare is fresh and yummy. The wakame (seaweed salad) is also quite tasty and a good way to start your meal. Then we split a ton of rolls. We definitely got the White Dragon Roll because of yelp and it was a fun choice: crunchy, with a tiny bit of spicy with a wasabi mayo-y sauce on top, and that sweet/salty shrimp tempura inside. Also loved the Sunset roll, which was tuna, mint, and wrapped in mango: simple and lovely. Wish we'd gotten more nigiri: the hamachi was succulent and fresh. Then there was the octopus, spicy tuna, ceviche, nightly special (jalapeno, salmon, superwhite tuna), and maybe a few more. Finished off our feast with mochi! They have the most flavors of ice cream mochi I've seen anywhere. One order comes with two, each beautiful little ice cream/rice ball split in half so for easy sharing. We had the passionfruit, sakura, chocolate mint, and tiramisu: loved them except for the chocolate mint. I feel like chocolate and mochi don't go well together. Total was $200 for four people, and they didn't rush us despite how busy and crowded it was. Definitely will come back again.
(5)
Michelle M.

Let me start by saying, I am allergic to fish and shellfish. I have gone to sushi places with friends and ordered other food, usually veggie tempura. Coast has an offering of veggie maki, so I ate my first ever sushi roll at 27 years old! The sweet potato tempura maki was amazing! I dream of eating more! The place was pretty packed for a Thursday night, but we got a seat at the sushi bar. The service was good. I also had the spicy miso soup and the asparagus wrapped in beef appetizer (I often order this at sushi restaurants when my choices are limited). I will definitely be back to eat more veggie maki and other treats. I also love a good BYO!
(5)
Melissa P.

One of my favorite places for sushi in Chicago. BYO + no corkage fee! Sushi is always fresh. Great maki and specialty rolls. Apps are great too! Servers are well versed and can help you order if you need to. Menu is super reasonably priced. Good vibes inside. Free street parking and close to Blue Line. Love it. I've been 4+ times and will be back!
(5)
Beth M.

Love it! best sushi in the city!!!
(5)
Steve O.

Much better this year then last. We were way away from the front door. The food was excellent and service was great. Food took a lil long to come but that was ok as we were enjoying the wine and saki we brought.
(5)
Maryam H.

Dragon roll was superb! The rest of my rolls were not special in taste, but fresh and well made. The only negative point: pieces are small in size!
(4)
laurence h.

After coming to coast weekly since it opened I have decided I will no longer return. Although it has become very popular with the local yuppies and has doubled in size, the quality of the sashimi & the size of the cuts of sashimi have really gone down, especially in the last few months. Hey if you're busy I guess it's hard not to think you can get away with it. The management is now condescending & officious, they are ruining the place. I wish it could go back to the way it used to be, intimate, with the owner behind the counter cutting nice pieces of sashimi and no need for a snooty manageress.
(1)
Andres D.

Thanks to my fellow yelper Jelena Z for suggesting this fabulous place. We were celebrating a pal's birthday and only had a party of 3 around 6pm. Plenty of tables available at that time however by 7pm this place was jumping. I love the BYOB factor since I know my dining bill won't be outrages. Our server was great and loved my craft beer selection of PranQster and Delirium in my bright red cooler. I started off the evening with a bowl of Miso soup, just the right amount of scallions too. It was delicious! Then the fun started with 3 orders of the Po'Boy Maki signature dish, followed by White Dragon, Unagi, White Tuna and Spicy Crunchy Tuna. I know I am missing a few, must be still in a sushi coma. Our tab was fairly reasonable and server was knowledgeable. Whether you are bromancing with the fellas or getting your swag on with a lovely gal, Coast Sushi Bar is a perfect choice.
(4)
J B.

Meh. Boring waiter. Boring sushi. Very very over priced. Nothing worth really going back for. I wish being a server wouldn't guilt me into always tipping well. He didn't do anything wrong..... It's just that a robot would have been more personable. I came here with my 11 year old, and you would think he would have at least talked to her a bit. Nope. She had the Ramen, as well as sushi, and the Ramen noodles tasted like they were not cooked. They tasted like old flour. Oh well...I won't go back, but I am sure they do not care.
(2)
Rachel V.

Alright, I know I review a lot of sushi places, but this one takes the cake. BEST sushi I've had in a long time!! I have to agree with all of the reviews that claim the White Dragon roll is a must order. Pretty sure I'm going to dream about it. The other highlight of our meal was the outstanding crab cake appetizer - not too crabby, not too messy. Service is really great here. Our waiter was knowledgeable and friendly and made great recommendations for us first-timers. I was surprised by how crowded (although it's warranted!) Coast was on a weeknight so I'd recommend making a reservation on any night of the week.
(5)
Kelly C.

No reservations and BYOB. I usually come a little early, check in with the hostess and give them my phone number so I can head across the street to this little french spot. Sorry I can't remember the name. They have a bar with about six seats. I'll have a glass of wine sometimes even the small cheese plate before heading back for dinner. Coast knows food. The Spicy Miso Soup is to die for. My mouth is watering right now thinking about it. The rolls are fun and beautifully prepared but I'm more a Nigiri person. Whatever you order you will enjoy the freshest of ingredients.
(5)
Niki K.

My real first time eating sushi. I was a little standoffish as to what I should try but they def helped me out by helping me choose my starter sushi. The spider rolls are delicious! Appetizers were very pleasing as well as the service. Def a repeat custy here
(4)
Eric F.

The service and atmosphere here were both very good, but the sushi itself left much to be desired unfortunately. None of the fish was particularly fresh and the sushi rice was dry and bland. Even the Uni couldn't compare to others I've had in the past. Too bad.
(3)
Jackie F.

I do love coast and am partial since it is so close to where I live. Love their white dragon roll, po boy, and tuna on top special was also awesome. Beef tip asparagus are always good and spicy miso soup. BYOB and you can bring more than 1 bottle of wine for 2 people if you have 1 red and 1 white
(4)
Noor B.

Believe it or not, this was our first time at Coast. Happy to report it definitely lived up to the hype. Devin was our server and was an absolute gem. Chock full of great recommendations and he didn't act at all like he'd done this a million times. To start we had the Hamachi Carpaccio, the Angry Salmon, seaweed salad and spicy miso soup. The carpaccio was simply fish on a plate with sliced jalapeno, drizzled with lemon juice- it was very fresh and a great starter. The angry salmon was fantastic- one of my favorites. It was light and fluffy with the consistency of a cloud. The seaweed salad was very traditional, but also tasty. The spicy miso soup was also relatively traditional, but served in a mug vs. with a spoon. We followed up our starter order with the White Dragon- a house specialty, the rainbow and the spooky Maki. The White Dragon was very rich- almost like a dessert. The rainbow was pretty classic but very, very fresh. Lastly, the Spooky Maki was absolutely divine. The roasted corn made the dish. Overall, I was super impressed. I cannot wait to go back! Also, I must add, it was BYOB!
(4)
Bella D.

Great date place but I'm not too crazy about the maki creations. Prices are moderate, and decor is nice and hip romantic. Definitely check it out, great for large groups. Byob.
(3)
L H.

I've eaten a lot of sushi in Chicago and have never before been served sashimi with a scale in it before eating at Coast. The scale was in the $8 fatty tuna sashimi, which is one of our favorite cuts of fish. Beyond the fact that the majority of the maki was simply underwhelming, the scale and a lack of concern about it from our server makes me wonder what all the rave reviews are about. In the end, they took the 8 bucks off our tab, but that didn't really do much to ease the dissatisfaction of our dining experience. Coast is not a restaurant that I would recommend or return to.
(1)
Richard H.

Not my favorite sushi in the city. We ordered 3 specialty rolls as recommended by the waiter. One -- the white dragon -- had a great flavor and I'd recommend. The others -- volcano and coast crab -- were not bad, but I would not order again. Also, my water glass was empty for most of the meal. There are some nice things to say: * the ceviche was excellent! * it's byob! * we were seated immediately at the bar on a Friday night * miso soup and salad w/ ginger dressing were good It is possible that I'd enjoy other sushi on the menu. Alas, I doubt that I'll ever return.
(2)
Serena T.

Highlight of the evening was the Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll (CSTR) - OMG! It was so good. We also got the dragon roll and while it was good, it didn't even compare to the CSTR. The volcano sushi was good, not too impressed with the sunrise, but everything was really fresh. And don't get me wrong all the food was great, but when you have a standout dish like the the CSTR then it's hard not to depend on the theory of relativity. We had the spicy miso to start with and then edamame - yum, yum, yum! We ended with the mango and lychee sorbet. The lychee was my favorite. By the end of the night we were comfortably satisfied without being sickly full. Thank you Coast for another wonderful meal!
(5)
Stani S.

I've been there million times . Fun place / nice vibe . Great customer service. Enjoying being there with my friends drinking wine . Amazing quality sushi . thank you
(5)
Patrycja S.

One of the best sushi places Chicago. Their white dragon roll is amazing.
(4)
Lola S.

Seriously? 3 stars people? This is the mother of all sushi places. I've been to Tokyo, and had sushi there almost every day and coast is ten times better! I go there at least 2 a week when I'm in town and it is marvelous. Yea, some of the waiters need to work on their communication skills, but I'll still give it 5 stars due to the fact that their fish is ALWAYS fresh. Amazing food! :)
(5)
Adam G.

Lovely restaurant and great place to go with friends, especially since it's BYOB. Tons of good stuff to get in addition to the sushi... the crab cakes in particular as well as the asparagus (spelling?) beef are delicious appetizers. They also have a spicy Miso soup which I found to be rather original and amazing. Their noodle dishes are the bomb too. Very reasonably priced and Good service. Great restaurant.
(4)
Amanda F.

Delicious dragon roll or not, don't give me attitude Coast because I've got my own. BYOB Sushi spots should understand that large groups of loud, picky-eating, females looking to get crunked on a budget aka Bachelorette parties are their best customers.Coast was a bit unfriendly to our group of seven and we were actually asked to vacate the table at exactly 9pm. Don't bother asking politely for silverware unless you want to be made to feel like an uncultured simpleton. I'm also not a fan of the one bottle per two people policy (there needs to be a policy?) However, the staff did accommodate my friend's request to make her rolls mild, and they seemed to know the menu very well. The rolls were all great, but the appetizers didn't meet my expectations. The appetizers all seemed to lack the pizazz that the menu described. The Gyoza and Shumai were pretty standard. The asparagus beef was rather bland and nearly impossible to manage as a shared plate (maneuvering rice, sauce, and beef wrapped asparagus with chopsticks was tough). The Tropical ceviche needed some zing. The maki rolls were much better than the appetizers. I really enjoyed my Spicy Crunchy Tuna and there wasn't too much spicy mayo. The White dragon roll was very flavorful and my favorite of the night. The Sweet potato tempura roll was also a highlight. The Tuna on Top had a lot going on, but at $15 the roll wasn't that special. I didn't try the Summer special roll, but others seemed to enjoy it. Coast does have a very nice decor and would be good for a date. I still had a great night with the girls, but I think Kyoto Sushi's Sushi boats, $1 cheaper rolls, huge menu, and super-friendly waiters is better for groups.
(3)
Christy L.

Ate here last night with a date. Things I like about Coast: its location, BYOB, and the service. Thinks I dislike about Coast: the fish isn't the freshest and the rolls aren't all that original. If you sit next to a group of 6 screaming drunk girls, you can't hear the waitress or your date.
(2)
Stephanie L.

Coast...you are losing your luster with your cheap electric candles that they turn on when you sit at the table. I think Coast is good....do I think Coast is any better than other cheaper BYOB places...not really. Out of smoked salmon on a Sunday night at 7PM?? HUH? No Toro either??? I thought this place was supposed to be the upscale BYOB to all of the other evil step sister places...guess not.
(3)
Kathleen M.

Coast is very good! I made a reservation the night before for 8:30 and we were seated right away when we arrived (a party of two.) The waiter took about 5-10 minutes to bring over wine glasses and to say hello but I'm sure that's only because it was 8:30 on a Saturday night. We ordered the jalapeÃ±o miso soup and it was the most delicious miso soup I've ever had! I hadn't eaten much that day so I decided to get two speciality rolls, the coast roll and white dragon roll. The white dragon was awesome! Truly fresh sushi. Rolls were on the smaller side and two rolls were just enough food for a hungry person. Bill was $54 for two rolls and an entree plus soup. It was fun but there are other places in town that give you more for your money.
(4)
Jacob G.

Gets packed with the post-post-grad set on Friday nights. Fresh sushi and an army of young sushi chefs that look like pretty cool dudes.
(4)
Jessica G.

My friends and I came here at about 6 30 on a Saturday night and were seated immediately. Yes, we may have just gotten lucky because we came so early but still, it was nice to be seated so quickly. Our waiter was very friendly and was very knowledgeable when it came to the differnt kinds of sushi. We ordered rather quickly but it was difficult waiting because we were seated right by the kitchen, so we kept seeing other people's food coming out! It took a little longer than expected for a few sushi rolls to come out, maybe 40 minutes. That ticked me off a little bit, the place wasn't even that crowded. The sushi was absolutely DELICIOUS. Besides eating something I was allergic to (totally my fault, it was clearly marked on the menu), it was a yummy evening. Besides the rather slow service, Id come back here. Imaginative sushi at a decent price in Chicago, can you beat that?
(4)
Leilo P.

Where to go for Sushi lovers that is also BYOB? There are too many options too count, but if you're in Bucktown/Wicker Park you CANNOT go anywhere else. The sushi is amazing and there are a lot of options for rolls. They're maki rolls are tight and small so you can actually stuff them in your mouth. The rolls are priced from $5 - $15 and I promise they are all made with care and quality no matter the price. Their rolls are standard so if you're new to sushi they will not intimidate you. They have one of the yummiest spicy mayos in any sushi place, random fact, but I love spicy mayo. This is definitely a place that is always packed which is telling of how good the food is! I love coming here with my friends and catching up on events, HOWEVER they do have a two bottle limit...
(4)
Maureen S.

You should not be touting your place as having gluten free sushi when your sushi rice is made in non-distilled vinegar, which contains gluten. If you were to switch to distilled vinegar or non-grain vinegar that does not contain gluten, then your servers won't have to tell customers that they may get sick if they are sensitive to a "little bit of gluten". The littlest bit can hurt those of us with gluten intolerance and/or celiac disease.
(1)
Jonathan E.

I don't agree with the four star review that coast has. It's definitely just A-ok for many reasons. I do enjoy it's close location to me, but for better sushi I'd be willing to go to others places further away. Now don't get me wrong, the sushi was good, but not out of this world. We had the Po' Boy ($15 bucks, 8+ pieces) and the White Dragon ($13 bucks). Being the most expensive rolls on the maki menu I was surprised how meh they were. In fact, the Po' Boy could of been prepared better as it fell completely apart upon snatching it up with my chop sticks and left me fishing for tasty morsels in my soy sauce. We did order 3 other rolls but I can't even begin to remember what they were. We were a party of four that ordered 5 rolls, edamame, and someone got a hot green tea. With the no corkage fee our bill was very reasonable at $65 bucks. I do have to say that this was the first restaurant that I've showed up to at our reserved time and was immediately taken to our table when there were at least 15 people sitting and waiting for a table. I thought that was pretty cool to see the "reservation" was actually treated as such. We appreciated this very much! As for the service, it was mediocre. Our waitress was nice but had more of a "meh" attitude. May be she was has an off night.
(3)
Barbara H.

We went here for my birthday dinner, just a small group of 6, and made a reservation well in advance. Unfortunately that didn't seem to mean much as we still had to wait almost an hour past our reservation time to be seated. Once we were seated and got our food we were ok, it was all very good but expensive for the portions we were given. The fresh toro sashimi appetizer was 4 pieces of paper thin tuna and $25! I don't mind paying if I am getting something substantial but we all left hungry after a couple rolls and an appetizer each. The rolls we had were very good, just smaller than we usually get from other sushi places. So while the food was good, the long wait and small portions will probably keep me from returning. There are plenty of other sushi places in the area that are cheaper and easier to get into that still have high quality fish.
(3)
Jelena Z.

Really? 4+ years in Chicago and just now I make it to Coast. It wasn't difficult snagging a table - then again, most people were still stuck after Snowpacolypse 2011 blew through. It was also 10pm on a Thursday night... but there's something so chic about going for late-night sushi! Reminds me of time I've spent in NYC. As others mention, the rolls are divine and the service is so-so. Our server tried whisking away my sparkling clementine juice with still a quarter remaining in the glass. Not so fast! Gotta haves: - Oysters - White Dragon and Po' Boy maki - Clementine or blood orange sparkling juice - Mango, passionfruit and raspberry white chocolate mochi Don't forget to bring your wine, as Coast is BYO! And for you procrastinators, there's a 7-11 across the street with very bad wine marked up sky high.
(4)
Heather M.

Not bad. Great seaweed salad, pretty good shrimp gyoza, really good rolls (spicy scallop, spicy crunchy tuna) and BYOB. Not sure what else you could ask for. Extra star because they have o-toro, which I absolutely love, and have a hard time finding in Chicago. It was sliced well and it tasted fresh. We ordered plenty of food and got out of there for like $30. Awesome. I will definitely be back.
(4)
Alex D.

Just down the street from me,I have been going here for many years. Very good sushi, strong service, and reasonable prices especially if you BYOB. Sushi itself Not as good as Mirai but the value makes up for it. Definitely be ready to wait on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night. Good date place and they take larger parties with some notice. Delivery takes a while, usually just over an hour but takeout is 25 min even on a busy night!
(4)
Allen B.

Great sushi joint I have to say. An ex of mine introduced me to this place and since then, it's been one of my top places to get some quality sushi. ....And not to mention a great place to take a date, well actually more than a couple dates. =/ My favorites: Volcano, Sunrise, Coast Crab and Maine Maki signature dishes. And also the fact that its BYOB. Off the chain folks. Off. The. Chain.
(4)
Andrew A.

Decent BYOB sushi place. Way better in house than ordering take out.
(3)
Tom D.

Weekends are busy with trendy eaters and I like the atmosphere. Typical rolls are found here.
(3)
Evan Thoreau H.

Really? Reeeeally? I've really never written a review of coast. Yikes. Been coming here for over five years for any special occasion I can dream up. Mostly because Coast takes sushi beyond the level you expect out of any casual-style sushi joint on the block... or the entire city. I'm not going to take any time talking about what makes sushi good. Let's put it this way, if it's not fresh, clean and tasty, we're probably not Yelping about it. So let's get straight to what makes Coast different. First, the quality is superb--that's not really a difference maker, it's just something to know. Second, don't mess around with the menu. Ask about the specials and just say 'yes, please... yes, all of them. Yes, yes, all of them, thanks.' If you want the standard spicy tuna and spider rolls, come on in. If you want innovative specials and cool rolls that will blow your mind and your taste buds, welcome home. Add BYOB and a tight atmosphere (even in far-over-uber-hyped Buck/Wick), and I hope you wash up on this coast.
(4)
Kathryn M.

What happened to my favorite sushi bar? BUMMER. I was Coast's biggest promoter until I had one of the most mediocre culinary experiences since I last had the misfortune of eating in lincoln park. Sashimi (aside from hamachi carpaccio) was garbage. Spicy Miso wasnt spicy. Volcano roll appeared to be the same and upon tasting it seemed like it had been frozen and made several days ago. in fact, it was so disappointing at that moment that we stopped ordering food and decided to go to another restaurant for the remainder of our meal. Genuinely sad that my favorite sushi spot in Chicago is no longer I place I will frequent. Hoping change comes soon and we can go back and feel good about paying the high prices they charge!
(1)
Kevin C.

Busy place on a weeknight so I would recommend making reservations. I mean it was packed on a Wednesday night and that should tell you something about a place. Overall the food was great and the prices matched. Our server was non-obtrusive and very knowledgeable on the cuisine. Although the one thing that peeved me was the specials blurb that seemed to last about 5 minutes and then I didn't really remember anything he had said. I think having them printed out would be nice but then again I don't run a restaurant. We started out with sesame crusted scallops and the wasabi shumai for appetizers. Looking back I would have went with the scallop teriyaki instead because the sesame seeds were kind of a distraction. They were just gritty in the mouth and provided no flavor (and then worry about black seeds stuck in your teeth). So of course we got the White Dragon and Po' Boy maki. That was pretty much decided before we got there. As my lady friend has been here several times. I would certainly recommend ending the meal with mochi. A cheap bottle of wine and a 60 dollar tab made for a nice evening out with some superior sushi.
(4)
Kathleen C.

Coast....you have disappointed me. I literally had been craving Coast for weeks...and weeks! I visited recently and was disappointed. My normal favorites seemed to lack flavor. Actually none of the rolls were as good as usual. The fish still seemed fresh...and the rolls looked as usual, but something was off. All at my table agreed....not as good as usual. I'm not sure what the issue was that night, but it's going to make me re-think my love for Coast...I'm not even sure I should be giving Coast 4 stars.... Disappointed.... p.s. service was marginal this time as well.
(4)
Nic N.

LOVE the fact that... - Coast is BYOB, perfect for sushi because that's where half of the money goes when eating sushi with friends...well that's if you drink like we do. - The lighting is so dim, like 'film noir' dim...careful if you are on your first date...but could be good for a blind date I suppose (ha, that's terrible...but true). - Open til 12a! REALLY like that fact. I can tend to eat late...like a Spaniard, but with out the handsome black hair and sexy accent. We ordered... Hamachi Carpaccio Spicy Scallop Miso soap Spider Roll Sunny side shitaki ...and after that I lost count. All of it was appetizing and the presentation is slick. Coast has consistently offered a good experience and I will definitely find myself on its dark shores again.
(4)
Audre L.

This place has a NY vibe to me, probably because it's always busy. Food is good, maybe a bit pricey but not super expensive.
(4)
Mahsa T.

Love that this place is BYOB. My dining companion and I shared some great edamame and a few rolls. The spicy tuna roll (with avocado, cucumber, and tempura crumb) and the smoked salmon roll (with avocado and cream cheese) were my favorites. Loved the dark romantic atmosphere. Service was just right. Be sure to make reservations.
(4)
Amoli P.

I've been to more than 40 sushi restaurants in Chicago and Coast is the one restaurant that all others get compared to. They offer the convenience and affordability of a BYOB (no corkage fee) while offering the fresh quality of the more upscale and expensive sushi restaurants in town. Aside from Sunda and Roka Akor, I have not found a restaurant in Chicago that has better fish quality than Coast. And unlike Sunda and Roka Akor, Coast is the type of place you can go when you're tired after a long day and don't feel like cooking, but don't feel like getting dressed up or spending a lot of money. The service is always excellent, the food is always impeccable, and the atmosphere is always lively but intimate. They never have an off night. And now that they accept reservations, Coast is officially the total package. Definitely make reservations before going though - this place is popular and always packed. Sometimes I think Sublime Sushi (just 75 feet away) opened their business just so they could capitalize on people who try to go to Coast but are too impatient to wait for a table. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. For those of you who like spice, be sure to ask for a side of their chili sauce. It's similar to the typical Sirracha sauce that you get at most restaurants, but Coast makes their own version of it that adds a nice little change. I've had both rolls and nigiri at Coast, and everything from the tuna to hamachi to hirame has always been fresh and tasty. The rolls are always made tightly with a great ratio of inner ingredients to outer ingredients. Unlike too many sushi restaurants, they focus on the flavors inside, rather than just pile on a too-thick layer of rice to make the roll look bigger. Coast is my go-to for sushi in Chicago. That doesn't mean I'm not always trying new places, but I typically leave them all wondering why I didn't just go to Coast instead. It really is the gem of Bucktown and worth the trip if you don't live near the neighborhood.
(5)
Christina M.

NO! First impressions are lasting impressions, and let's just say that my first impression of Coast was not good. My issue with Coast had to do with the quality of the ingredients in the sushi. I ordered an avocado roll with asparagus and actually noticed that the avocado tasted old. So I took a look at it, and sure enough, there was a lot of brown on the avocado...I don't know about you, but I expect fresh food from a sushi place. I'm only giving it an extra star because my bf liked his non-veg sushi, but he won't have any luck in getting me go back.
(2)
Elina S.

Absolutely amazingggg sushi! Could not have been happier to go here for a chill girls night out. The white dragon roll was phenomenal, in fact I'm still dreaming about it and cannot wait to go back there and just order like 10 white dragons lol it is THATTT good, i can't even describe the crunchy, shrimp, cream cheese, avocado and some other magic ingredients that made it remarkable. The salmon rolls were also really good, fresh ingredients, you can tell that this restaurant is all about quality and I think it is reasonably priced as well. The atmosphere is dark, romantic, good for a date night or girls night out, very chill. The best part is that it is byob with no corkage fee, i mean does it get better than that? They should seriously open up another coast and call it north coast or something in the northshore burbs. I would be a regular. Cannot wait to come back again!!
(5)
Diane G.

Honestly? Overrated. Many many people RAVED about Coast so I'd been DYING to try it. Maybe it was a case of High Expectations Syndrome---you know when everyone and their grandmothers exclaim "OMGAH I found the BEST sushi place, you're just going to LOVE IT!!!!" Then you wait and wait and dream and dream about the lucky day you can pick that piece of heaven up. Time will stand still and it's just you and that maki in the room...you pick up your chopsticks, take a bite, and all of a sudden all seems right in the world. Well, like any normal person that is how I imagined it. And....was pretty underwhelmed. I had the Philly and the Una Q (unagi, cucumber, eel sauce). Both were just ok. I judge my sushi by freshness (of fish, rice, and veggies) and flavor of sauces. Everything was middle ground (nothing was spoiling by any means, but I've definitely had fresher ingredients). The eel sauce was also nothing standout. Somewhat bland and watered down. One huge pro was the AMBIANCE and DECOR. I absolutely LOVE the dark orange walls with cherry blossoms. =D The very dim lighting, candles, and fairly quiet noise level make it a perfect date spot. Very comfortable, classy booth seats as well. So all in all, GOLD STAR for ambiance and service (our waitress was very friendly and gave us several recommendations). Bronze star or 4th place for the sushi itself. I still prefer SEADOG or even Ukai over Coast. As a few stated, I wouldn't go out of my way to go here again. But for $7 for a roll (aside from signature maki which is about 2x as expensive) it IS a very reasonably priced sushi restaurant and worth going to if you're in the area and in the mood for a semi-classy night.
(3)
John H.

I have a love hate relationship with Chicago sushi restaurants... Love sushi, hate the snobbery and expense! Coast delivers high quality, unique sushi choices, at a fair price. Being BYOB (and around the corner from my house) helps too! It has that laid back, but high class vibe that's perfect for date night
(4)
Jason D.

I have been to Coast a few times and I always bring my friends from the suburbs to this sushi restaurant. Very good food and BYOB equals happiness. I started off with a special off the menu appetizer, Hamachi on a cold plate drizzled with olive oil and sea salt, garnished with a jalapeÃ±o and it was fantastic. Spicy but not over whelming and very light which is perfect for a starter. Four Stars. For dinner we ordered Crunchy Spicy Tuna, White Dragon, Scallop, and Sweet Potato Rolls. The White Dragon and Crunchy Spicy Tuna is excellent and a staple I've had every time. Sweet Potato roll is perfect for those who like to mix up the flavors on the pallet. Scallop roll was just OK not a fan of scallop to begin with and will not get this again. Three and Half Stars Overall a very nice meal, nice presentation, the waiter was very good. The waiter was very knowledgable, provided great descriptions and answered all of our questions. By no means the best sushi in the city but for a local spot or for inexpensive nights out it's perfect.
(4)
Nikki K.

Great quality fish, BYOB and delicious rolls! I always love to try their special rolls for that evening and I'm not usually a roll fan but they have some great combinations that really have amazing flavor and tenderness. Great date spot with a good atmosphere!
(4)
Katie R.

Went here last night for my anniversary with my husband - It was delicious! Definitely get the White Dragon Roll - It was the bomb dot com. Service was excellent, food was great, ambiance was romantic, and I would definitely go again!
(4)
Ryan W.

This place was tits from what I remembered. Bring your own alcohol but yet they have a mini liquor store right before you walk in there, awesome. It might be a little pricey to some but the food there was phenomenal I need to go back there again asap
(5)
Katie S.

Probably the best BYOB sushi place I've been to in Chicago. Definitely do not miss the jalapeno miso soup - comes in a coffee mug-like bowl that you sip out of - DELICIOUS. All the rolls we had were awesome. For sushi this good, I'll pay a bit more than usual. Love that they take reservations now, too!
(4)
Kate L.

Good food, horrible service. I like the sushi at Coast. It's good, not better than a lot of other places I've been to, but still good. The service at my last visit was absolutely horrible. We had a reservation. When we arrived, there was a huge group of people waiting to be seated. We figured it wouldn't effect us because we had a res. Over 45 mintues later and every single other group had been seated before us. We questioned the hostess several times about why we were not being seated and repetitively got an attitude, as if it didn't make sense that we expected to be seated relatively soon upon arrival. We didnt end up receiving our food until about 1.5 horus after we were supposed to eat. They cleary over-booked and then made no apologies about it.
(3)
Lynne J.

I love Coast Sushi The White Dragon is the best in the city, the soft shell appetizer is 'to die for'. And, it is BYOB. I have tried other prices, for the same price, and nothing compares.
(4)
Tom C.

Great sushi and byob. The sushi is very inexpensive and the atmosphere is great.
(5)
Marie L.

I really liked this place. My girlfriends and I dined here on a Saturday night at around 7pm. Without a reservation, we were seated within 10 minutes. The sushi was great and staff were friendly. I liked the fact it's BYOB. The ambiance was very relaxed, in my opinion. We had gomaee and edamame (of course!) for starters then a few maki selections like the dragon, salmon, scallops and crab. Everything we ate was yummy!!! The only bad experience we had was the parking. We had trouble finding a parking spot in the area, but it could've just been our luck...but, valet would be a nice option....
(4)
Marian H.

My husband and I had tried to go here when we lived closer to the neighborhood without realizing you'd need a reservation. Well, I should say, HE didn't realize we'd need a reservation. At a "happening" sushi spot in Bucktown. At eight o'clock on a Saturday night. Nice try. But we tried it again on a night when we were meeting people down the street at Lemmings, so I had made early reservations (it was his birthday) for like 6:30. It wasn't too busy when we got there, but oh my god was it packed by the time we left at 8pm. I was so glad to have gotten there early, because it was before our server was caught in the weeds (she was so nice and sweet, but toward the tail end of our meal, she was getting a little frazzled because it got really busy). I think it was Girlz Night Out, too, because by 3/4 thru our meal our table was surrounded by tables of girls who sounded like they hadn't seen each other in sooooo long, Like, OH MY GOD! But I digress. The food was some of the best sushi I've had in a while. (We went to Kaze the following week, so Coast was one-upped in seven days, but that's another review!) They were offering some special appetizers that evening: The crab cake things were tasty but I thought a little dinky. But they had a hamachi sashimi app that was incredible!! Five pieces, and they were drizzled in a subtle garlic sauce and served with sliced jalapeno and cilantro. So good. And the nigiri pieces were super fresh and tasty. Like buttah. The spicy creamy crunchy tuna roll was definitely worth another visit, but I think I'll make sure to head in earlier in the evening than later.
(4)
Karen L.

I have always wanted to try Coast since I drive by it every day! We went there for my friend's birthday and it was a great place to just hang out and enjoy decent sushi. It is BYOB so it really did help on the bill since we had such a large group. The atmosphere was dark and trendy, but it didn't seem as big as I thought it would be. I am not even sure what rolls I had since we ordered so many different things. They were decent... not the best I had but definitely good. I would definitely go back there with a smaller group so I can really try specific rolls.
(3)
Erin J.

Seriously good sushi. While I can't vouch for the in-house dining experience, I can say my delivery experiences have been generally positive. At first, I was really skeptical about ordering sushi for delivery, but even then it was good! Only drawback is the price; they are hands-down the most pricey option for sushi in my area, and their prices went up AGAIN just last month. $80 for sushi for two? C'mon. There are other places out there with comparable sushi at prices that won't give you sushi bill remorse afterwards.
(3)
Sam J.

BYOB! I had to get that out so you'd read that part first. I'm a fan of BYOB's every once in a while, and someone's Yelp review saved me before heading to Coast. I wanted a little drinky with my Teriyaki Chicken and would have been sorely disappointed. Yes, I'm lame and don't eat sushi. But, I went to Coast last Sunday night for a birthday dinner and the other 9 people loved it. So, if fairly priced sushi is for you, try Coast. Oh, the Teriyaki Chicken was pretty good if you're lame like me.
(4)
Dane K.

this place doesn't need another gloating review so i won't give it one... but i will say their sushi is great, and the byob aspect makes it a great place to go out and have fun... reservations? we just walked in... the wait was 20 minutes, or we could be seated immediately if we wanted to sit at the sushi bar. we waited and went and grabbed some wine while we waited (7-11 seems to be the only option w/ decent selection in the nearby area... the liquor store is pretty lame nearby). NO CORKAGE FEE when you spend $15/person is awesome and easy to achieve (unlike it's sister South Coast sushi which has a corkage fee no matter what you spend). Service was good, no complaints there. A note on sitting at the sushi bar...it isn't sitting and talking w/ the chef. It's really just the equivalent of sitting at the bar in a restaurant minus the bartender, a quick way to get seated. You still have a waiter/waitress take your order, but also I believe the sushi bar menu is restricted as well. The jalapeno miso soup is tasty. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. Must try white dragon roll. OK I warned you. Pure deliciousness.
(4)
Matt N.

BYOB!! Make a visit to Olivia's market just down the street for a small bottle of sake, or if you are like me, bring a large one to help make the sushi experience that much more enjoyable. This BYOB has pretty standard maki and nigiri but they sure do make it good! You cant go wrong with their signature maki rolls either, the dragon and volcano are my personal favorites! Interior is dimly lit but does tend to get loud so don't plan on having too intimate of a conversion... the table next door will be able to hear you. I like this place over some of the more expensive sushi options closer to North/Damen/Milwaukee.
(4)
Abby T.

**UPDATE!** Jesse now works at the Coast in the South Loop. pretty good. my good friend is a head in the sushi line. if you ever sit at the sushi bar, sit by Jesse. He is a really good roller. Sushi Wabi alum. I do love the white dragon roll also. they also have quite a nice sashimi plate. Yellowtail was my fave.......they also have super white tuna, but I don't really like fish that 'buttery.' I like my fish a bit meatier. Some people think that it's to die for, so that's why I'm mentioning it. Love that it's BYOB. I heard Oprah was there a few months back too (eating, not filming). beware...there's a font problem on the dessert menu. Some of the items are in BOLD, and some aren't....making some look like they aren't part of the series. It looks as though chocolate chip and black bean are not flavors of mochi ice cream, but they are. I had the coffee....still good, but I love chocolate !!!!!
(4)
A S.

the food here is good, but i have 1 complaint. i ordered delivery last week and got 4 rolls. i asked if it was possible to cut the rolls in smaller pieces. they said no problem. when i got my food and looked at the receipt i noticed they charged $1 extra PER ROLL to cut into smaller pieces. are you kidding me? if they were going to charge for that, they should have mentioned that they charge an extra dollar per roll. however, charging for that request is absolutely ridiculous. coast, you have nice sushi. but, come on!
(3)
M B.

I wanted to try Coast so badly based on all the good reviews and recommendations from people. I made reservations for a Friday night. I was pretty disappointed with the table we were given, which was right in the middle of traffic, but they had nothing else available. The restaurant was very crowded and so loud that we could hardly talk to each other without shouting. We could, however, easily hear the lady one table over with a loud, aggravating voice. It is a really big place for a sushi restaurant, and it doesn't look like much has been done to reduce noise issues and keep an intimate atmosphere. So my much-awaited Coast excursion had a very rocky start. The sushi, however, was extremely good. If it weren't for the amazing sushi, I probably wouldn't bother going back. But I will probably try this place again - perhaps on a non-weekend night or with a different group who has better hearing :-)
(3)
Matt N.

Great spot in Bucktown/Wicker Park with some of the best sushi in Chicago. BYOB is an added bonus to this Bucktown establishment.
(5)
Ian S.

BYOB is awesome, but the sushi left a bit to be desired. The service wasn't as good as it should have been either. Unfortunately for Coast, this seems to be a reoccuring theme with their staff. The decor was pretty cool, but you can barely read the menus!
(3)
T. T.

This place has mind-blowing Spider rolls and good overall food selections. The only drawback is that they're definitely overpriced. Ideal place for a first date or any kind of date!
(4)
Kara H.

I got food poisoning from coast once (hence only 4 stars) and I still continue to eat here religiously. I'm pretty sure they put crack in it.
(4)
Kevin T.

very well-prepared sushi and sashimi with a beautiful crowd. coast is a great date place. they have a good selection of sushi. but be careful. you can easily spend over 100 bux per person if you walk in there starved. you can save some coin if you bring a favorite bottle of wine. i like their super white tuna and volcano roll. they also prepare a pretty fresh uni as well.
(5)
J J.

Went there around 9:30PM on a Thursday evening without a reservation and had to wait about 30-40 min to get a table. We had brought a bottle of champagne and the staff was very kind to chill it for us in the mean time. In the waiting area we chatted with another couple that frequents the place and they gave us recommendations on what's a must to try. Not sure if table reservations are very helpful because people waited a while even though they had one. We got seated at the bar and I felt the hostess had an attitude issue or was rushed too much to bother with my request to move us to one of the open tables. Luckily, our waitress was kind enough to set us up once another table freed up. I can echo the comments from other yelpers that the service is somewhat slow, mainly because there are too many tables per waitress. Other than that I was left with only good impressions from the place. The decor is modern and cozy, the light are dim and the music is subtle, all making for a hip yet romantic ambiance. The sushi was really good, and although Sushi Samba Rio is still the best on my list, this is by far superior for its price. We really enjoyed the crunchy spicy tuna and the white dragon, and the fatty hamachi and fatty salmon simply melted over our taste buds. We are definitely coming back and highly recommending Coast Sushi to anyone looking for a moderately priced indulgence in some excellent sushi. Just don't forget to bring a nice bottle of your favorite Sake/wine to complement the experience.
(4)
Adrienne M.

I went last Friday night with a group of 7 friends. We had to wait about an hour and a half in a crowded waiting area, but hey it was Friday night what do you expect? It is BYOB so we all sat and drank while we waited for our table. The service was quick and friendly. The sushi was good but a little pricey. It was a good time though!
(3)
Andrew S.

Spectacular, and with a little menge a trois wine, it's BYOB and this one fits perfectly with the menu... excellent date place, and great for people watching/discussing, since the seats are close together... not very secluded seating so don't expect privacy. But awesome food. this is the kind of place to make a sushi lover out of someone afraid to try it.
(5)
A. M.

I hadn't been to Coast in a few years, and I went there last night w/ a girlfriend. It was way better than I remembered. The hostess and our waitress were both actually pleasant. The edamame was delicious, and the sushi was fresh and plentiful. I appreciate that their maki rolls are not simply rice rolls w/ a hint of fish. Nope - they are full of fresh ingredients, with just the right amount (i.e. small) of rice. I had the salmon and avocado and the sunrise roll. Superb! The only downside is I noticed that the menu states their alcohol policy is one 6-pack of beer or one 750 ml bottle of wine limit per every 2 people. Last night was a Thursday, so my girlfriend and I were fine w/ 1 bottle of wine. But if it had been a weekend, and four of us went together, we could easily down 3 (or 4?) bottles of wine.
(4)
Korie E.

In our journey to find the best sushi in Chicago, Coast was stop number two for my friend and I. And, thank goodness it was such an early restaurant in our quest, because we learned a very valuable lesson in sushi: Listen. To. Your. Server. To preface, we got a table right away, which was great. The restaurant is pretty large, very conducive to pairs or slightly larger groups. It had a trendy vibe without being obnoxious, and all the staff came off as very friendly. After we were seated, our server came over and suggested his favorite rolls on the menu, and also took the time to point out some specials that were written on a chalk board behind the counter (which we never would have noticed otherwise). Per his suggestions, we ordered the White Dragon (everyone's favorite and for a darn good reason), the Volcano, the Popper (from the secret chalk menu) and the Ebi Tempura. Oh, and some wasabi oysters to start. Phenomenal. The oysters were such a tease, we each had one and wanted more. But it definitely set the tone for what we were about to experience. The White Dragon is to die for, the combination of sauces and goodness within was perfect. The Volcano was presented in, well, as a volcano. Which was cool, and it was just spicy enough so that it lived up to its name without making you lunge for your water. The Ebi tempura was fabulous, however disappointing that it only came with 4 pieces. I would have gladly had more. And, last but not least, the Popper. Oh. My. God. We had to order a second roll because we were so thunderstruck with its awesomeness. It's a sushi chef's take on a jalepeno popper, thats the best way to describe it. Jalepeno and cilantro blended perfectly with fish. I think it's just a special roll that makes it's appearance whenever Coast sees fit, but it should become a regular. It's to die for. All in all, I was very pleased with my Coast experience. I'll definitely be back once I'm done questing around the city for my "perfect sushi" project.
(5)
John M.

I've had better. Went on a tuesday night, place was packed at 7:15. We grabbed a seat at the sushi bar, as opposed to waiting an hour for a table. The rolls were nothing to write home about, though the apple halibut roll was pretty darn good...should have been for $15. Overall, good date place, bring a bottle of wine (or 2), but there are better sushi places out there.
(3)
Eric J.

Possibly the best sushi restaurant i've been to (and definitely my favorite). Very fresh and reasonably priced. I highly recommend the Po' Boy rolls. BYOB is great and can knock $30-40 off of your tab.
(4)
molly c.

i thought this place was an absolute joke. best sushi my ass. first of all, we couldn't make a reservation at all. what the heck! second, it was an hour plus wait. third we NEVER saw our waiter. fourth everyone in the place looked at us like we were carrying typhoid fever (OMG, it that girl WEARING chuck TAYLORS?? they are drinking BEER!!!?!?!(in sorority girl tone)). the portions were small and i thought that it was a rip off. i have had WAY better, cheaper sushi at other places in town. all in all, if you don't wear a button up shirt with tons of AXE body spray (i swear, i can still smell it) or halter tops and stilleto heals, you should probably stay away. would not bother trying again.
(2)
Sam S.

Really, really good! I can't say anything that hasn't been said before, but make sure you try the specials--they're really ingeniously prepared and tasty. Can't beat BYOB and sushi!
(5)
Demian S.

I went their with my cousin and we had a good experience. Yeah the crowd seemed a bit pretentious, a couple chicks wearing ugg boots. But our waiter made up for that, excellent service. We got outta their spending about sixty beans, with a nice tip. And i was not stuffed but full. The place seems more expensive from ther street then it really is. I recommend it, especially if your looking to hook up with some yuppie soon to be breeder types... haha.
(4)
Cat B.

God this place is good! And it is BYOB! You can't beat that. The sushi is high quality and they have a large variety of rolls and sushi as well as other entrees. The prices are quite reasonable and when you factor in being able to bring your own wine it makes it even more reasonable than a lot of other sushi places in the city. They make a great spicy scallop roll and the volcano roll is super tasty as well. Their pieces of sashimi are healthy servings and they melt in your mouth. Highly recommended. It does get quite busy on the weekends and often times if you don't have a reservation you have to wait quite a while. The restaurant is big so it holds quite a few people! Enjoy!
(5)
Jason S.

Best Sushi for the Best Price In Town. This place has never let us down and we have been going back almost every month (at least once) in the past year. If you want to make sure to get a seat, make a reservation early. Walkins are best early and late in the evening. The special rolls are to die for, the seafood soup is sweet and hot and a for sure DO NOT MISS. The fact that you can BYOB only makes this one of the best sushi places in town. There is a liquor store just down the street that is available when in a pinch and forgot your favorite bottle of Two Buck Chuck:)
(5)
Hayley B.

I am so lucky to live around the corner from Coast! I have been going here or getting carry-out at least once a week for over a year and a half and I have converted every friend I have brought here into a Coast loving advocate of great sushi. My favorite menu items are the hamachi carpaccio (to die for!), the volcano roll, and the edamame. You may be thinking "they are just boiled soybeans, how great could they be?" but they are served piping hot and super fresh every single time. I have literally had everything on the menu besides the california roll (what's the point?) and anything with salmon (not a fan, sorry) and it was fresh, tasty, and satisfying. There is a 711 across the street and a liquor store at the corner of Armitage and Damen to satisfy your BYOB needs (no corkage fee!) I recommend making a reservation on the weekends or if you have more than 4, this place is always hoppin'. Groupon can send me all the half-off sushi deals in the city but I refuse to cheat on my Coast. Ok, one exception: Fresh Sushi and Noodles on Wellington, but only for the Picante maki with cilantro. Go to Coast, you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Rebecca S.

Awsome roll creations and super fresh sashimi. Byob option is wonderful. The decor is beautiful and the service is great. Reservations are a MUST! There could be more seating for those who are waiting for tables but they do cork your wine while you wait.
(5)
Nick I.

Coast is my favorite sushi place in Chicago. Great atmosphere, for being a sushi place in the Midwest the sushi is great, and it's very reasonably priced mostly due to the fact it's BYOB. Definitely try the Maine roll if you like lobster. Always get reservations, they say they leave half the restaurant open for walk ins but I don't believe that having been there several times. Anytime I've tried to make reservations for more than 5 people it's been difficult, but it's a perfect place for you and a date for a small group of four. Anyhow I've never been disappointed and am looking forward to going back sometime soon.
(4)
Lady L.

Great atmosphere for a BYOB-- love the people watching. I must admit I end up here about twice a month because it's an easy byob in the 'hood. The food itself is just OK. What really gets me down here though is the service. No one here has ever been even an OK server. They all need huge attitude adjustments. Also, they charge you corkage and don't open the bottles for you. On that note, they charge you $2 per roll to cut them small... $2 for one knife stroke???!!!! I just don't get it.
(3)
Robyn S.

Out of this world sushi! BYOB to boot - even better! If you arrive around 6ish on weekdays you will have no problem getting a seat.
(5)
Zach A.

Coast has been a favorite sushi place of mine for awhile now. I'm a fan of any place that is BYOB and the sushi is really good as well. The service is just ok, but the fresh innovative rolls makes up for the lack of good service.
(4)
Peter W.

One of my favorite sushi places, comfortable and intimate
(5)
shik s.

The Super White Tuna will blow your mind - pure as the driven snow. Oh, and the quail egg on portabello is a killer starter...
(4)
Elizabeth K.

I've only ever had delivery from Coast. The ladyfriend and I aren't hip enough to eat there. The sushi is always delicious! But Coast is VERY expensive, and our bill for carryout or delivery always winds up being in the $40-$50 range. Ouch! Plus they seem to have trouble finding the apartment sometimes, even though we always give very specific directions when we place the order.
(3)
Julie M.

I've heard that this place has major attitude and is overrated, which makes me sad because when I went our waitress was really attentive and the food was FANTASTIC. Way better than Sushi Samba or Kamehachi, and I like the ambience better than Japonais. Perfect date spot. I haven't been able to go back because reservations are out of control, so that sucks...but the last time I went was on a Weds. and it rocked. Plus, BYOB is your best friend if $$ is an issue...there's no corking fee and you can spend a little extra on amazing sushi.
(4)
Amanda G.

Coast is not bad. My husband would probably rate this 4 or 5 stars--he loves it and orders it all the time. I think it's pretty good but not the best I've had. Fun to eat in since they are BYOB. Good for delivery too if you live in the neighborhood.
(3)
Jess S.

The first time I ventured into Coast, it was June 2005. A Friday night, right before the rush. My friends and I had a good time. No complaints. However, each visit since has been disappointing. The service - seriously lacking. The food - I've had excellent, creative sushi elsewhere in the city for less, which leads me to believe I'm paying a price the trendy neighborhood requires. (The entire menu saw a price hike in the past year). The atmosphere - A bit snooty. Expect stares if you roll in with a sixer of PBR, jeans and a t-shirt (like I did this summer).
(3)
Liliana S.

I live in the neighborhood-walking distance from Coast and had never been until last week. I can't believe I was missing out on a great sushi spot all these years. I'm so pissed at myself!! I went for dinner with a friend and we had the fried rice green tea which was good, the miso soup, and about 7 different rolls. My favorite was the special that had some apples on top, and the white dragon. YUm. I will definitely be coming back for more. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
(4)
Shay T.

I just read that Coast was just voted the Citysearch Readers' Choice "Best of Chicago" sushi place and was so appalled I had to write something immediately. Yes, it's BYOB (though I just read they've applied for a liquor license now that there is no longer a library across the street and they are eligible), and I love that they deliver (for a charge -- but I get suckered in to home-delivered sushi all the time), but I have had some of the worst cuts of fish from Coast that I've ever had in a sushi place in Chicago. I've actually stopped ordering the sashimi and just stick to the maki rolls now for this reason. If it were cheap, I'd say go for it, but really, save your money and go about a mile south to Mirai (or Bob San for that matter) for truly good, innovative sushi and atmosphere.
(2)
Car M.

By far my favorite sushi restaurant! Great sushi and the fact that is is BYOB clinch it! It is a great date spot and one you can also hang with your friends. There isn't anything on the menu I don't like. Their specialty rolls are top notch... and if you don't see exactly what you like, make up your own! Service is always great! Make a reservation on the weekends because it gets really crowded! The great thing is that if you're waiting for a table you can head to the bar around the corner and tell the bartender that you're waiting for a table and Coast will call when your table is ready!
(5)
Stephen H.

This place is unbelievable! This is one of the best sushi places in the city. Every roll I tried there was amazing but I have to recommend the Volcano Roll. I went on a Saturday night and the place was packed, so call ahead. Besides the great food, and fun atmosphere this place is BYOB, so bring the sake and Sapporo.
(5)
Lil G.

I love Coast. The sushi was fresh and the service was awesome. Our server was very attentive and made sure our wine glasses (BYOB!) were always filled. This will become one of my favorite spots. Good food and good atmosphere. We left the place feeling very happy and content.
(5)
ali a.

After hearing about this place forever, I finally went. I thought it was amazing! The sushi is great and so is the service. It has a trendy atmosphere with a young crowd. I also liked that it was byob. Definitely worth going to if you haven't already been.
(5)
Chris K.

Good not great. If you're just looking for Tuna rolls and some sashimi, it gets the job done.
(3)
Samantha L.

I love everything about this sushi restaurant- the sushi is amazing, the trendy atmosphere is very cool, and byob is the best. It's not the cheapest sushi, but I always feel like it's very reasonable since we bring our own wine!
(4)
MK M.

Coast has awesome sushi! The white dragon is by far the best roll you can have there. It BYOB and its fairly priced
(5)
Nik M.

I've gotten sick after eating there twice now! Thought it may have been a fluke the first time (there were many other things I ate that day) but the second time everyone at the table had issues! I wasn't violently ill but I know not to take the risk now! It's to bad too because i liked the whole atmosphere and service.. just my experience take it as you may..
(1)
Stephanie H.

A great Bucktown sushi option. I've dined in quite a few times, and get take out a couple times a month. On my last trip I had awful service (Saturday night, a group of 6) but the sushi was great, I've also had some great service. The decor is favorable. Love the fact it's BYOB. Usually a wait on the weekends.
(4)
Amy L.

This place was not good. It was so not worth the money nor the long wait. This place gets really busy too. My boyfriend and I sat at the sushi bar. It was very crowded and loud. Not a good date place. I am a sushi fanatic and heard this place was one of the best sushi places but I was very disappointed. I usually expect sushi to be expensive but I expect it to be GOOD! This place was not good. So I don't know what people are talking about... Also there wasn't a lot. We tried Coast Crab, Dragon, and something for appetizer...forgot what it was.
(1)
Lindsay D.

Love this place. Its my favorite sushi place in the city - and I've tried many. I also used to live in Southern California land of awesome sushi. Service can be spotty when they're busy but the rolls are spot on. Order the White Dragon, Volcano and the Pauper (which is not on the menu). Also, try the dessert called Mochi (spelling?). I'm not a huge dessert fan, but this is just a bite of interesting-ness. Great atmosphere and its BYOB!!!! They limited this recently to 1 bottle between 2 people. I'm not sure why they changed this - but I do know they weren't that strict on it last time I was there. Make reservations - or you'll wait forever.
(4)
Carrie B.

I went to Coast for dinner on a Saturday night recently with a friend... it was so yummy! We were seated a little bit earlier than our 9 pm reservation, and the waitress was excellent- she let us know that the orders were running a little slow but we didn't wait long at all. I tried the Mango Sushi with Mint, Yellowtail, and Marinated Shittake mushroom rolls... it was all excellent and so fresh tasting! I'd definately go back, though most people looked to be on dates or in small groups. Worth checking out, for sure... and nice menu selections.
(5)
Joey F.

when you absolutely positively got to have inventive sushi regardless of price-performance, just so you can get you beak wet later on that evening, then I suggest this place - but its crowded, and many other patrons might make you loose your appetite for beak wetting. Dark and moody in an 80s come 90s - which is an ambiance that I usually trust over wood walled sushi dens... I guess it can go both ways, fresher seafood and staler rice at the dark 80s places? if you know what I mean?
(3)
Kari S.

BYOB sushi bar in bucktown that is ok for sushi. The sushi was good, but I have had better taste-wise. I do recommend this place if you want to dine cheaply, but desire the ambiance of a nice restaurant. Definitely DO NOT get the kabob desert thing that my friends and I shared. It was like 4 pieces of fruit and a bowl of hershey's syrup...
(3)
Alexis H.

So I finally made it to Coast. Why finally, you ask. Well, because the first time I tried to go I was told I couldn't be seated until 10:30. I got there at 7:30. Before I went I read the reviews and was prepared to wait, but not 3 hours! Hence the 4-star rating and not 5. It's been said before, but I'll say it again: if you go there expect to wait... and wait, and wait, and wait. And then you might wait some more. However, once you're done waiting a pleasant dining experience awaits you. (Note: a reservation also helped this experience be a pleasant one.) I'll be quick on the deets: went on a Saturday night, fish was still very fresh and tasted great. Had the spicy miso, gomae, fresh water eel maki, and some tako sashimi. A friend had the special of the night which was some white fish with pared apples and some other veggies. Everything was very good and fairly priced for good sushi in the bucktown area. Recommendations: Make a reservation. Go with a date. Bring a bottle of wine (its BYO). Try the special of the night and the spicy miso. Use the side streets for free parking.
(4)
Ishaq L.

Champions of mediocrity. The entire place is cliche and everything about this place is a tease. After starting you off with a decent appetizer (the crab on a stick appetizer was good but the portion was puny) the meal continues into an unmemorable serving of sushi. I'd say it's average sushi at best and their portions are on the small-ish side for the price. If you're in the mood for sushi and don't have the energy to find a better sushi joint, Coast will suffice.
(3)
Lauren K.

this is just a response to angela h. really, i used to work at coast, and i know who your "banned friend" is. you know why she was banned? because she bitched every time she ordered and tried to pull one over on us repeatedly. her final offense was calling and saying we delivered the wrong rolls and and when we said "okay we'll send you the correct rolls just give the driver back the incorrect ones" (which we do to confirm our mistake as opposed to just hand out expensive sushi) she said she'd thrown them in the trash. we told her to just give them back to the driver anyway, we didn't mind. and you know what she said "she threw a used tampon on them." so that is why we banned her because she was gross and a crazy liar. just admit you ate the sushi and you are grubbing for more sushi FOR FREE. glad i don't work there anymore or deal with all the tight-wad yuppie scum bags that treated me like a piece of crap.
(5)
Samir N.

Surprised to read the negative reviews. We have been going there since it was even on anyones mind. Always had good service and love the Sushi. It has become really crowded now and we usually skip all the wait and crowd by going really early. Never been disappointed! Love their spicy miso soup.
(4)
Mary C.

My favorite sushi place in the city. Hands down. The sushi is absolutely delicious, as are the salads and miso soup. The BYOB feature is killer, and there is no corkage if you spend just $15 per person on your meal. I also absolutely love the decor. The dark woods and splashes of orange make it intimate and inviting, with of course an Asian flair. Definitely get a reservation on the weekends, and during the week during peak hours. I think I have had every single server wait on me, and every one was great.
(5)
Mindy S.

This trendy sushi place never seems to let me down. The atmosphere is great and the sushi is always fresh. The fact that it's BYOB always seems to draw me back to this place. I love being able to get their special rolls and drink some wine, without having to worry about it being so expensive. It does tend to get crowded on the weekends though, so make sure to make a reservation!
(4)
erika s.

it was ok. very crowded on a saturday night. byob. nothing spectacular. only two bathrooms in the whole place--which is kind of hell considering the fact that it's huge..not badly priced. softshell crab was very greasy--i'd definitely pass on that. fresh fish. perhaps a better option for carry out.
(3)
Julia C.

Coast is my favorite out of all the sushi restaurants I've been to so far! The sushi is fresh and they have really fun rolls. The atmosphere is super cute and it's a great place to go with a group of people since it's BYOB! I recommend making a reservation at least a week ahead of time if you are going with a big group because it's a very popular place!
(5)
Aurora B.

Coast reminds me of one of those really pretty girls from highschool....Everyone thinks she is pretty and she knows it and in the end her ego just ruins her appearance. Coast has great sushi and a really nice atmosphere, plus the BYOB is awsome. BUT...the staff are horrible. They act as if they are gods gift to sushi and because of that the restaurant has been ruined for me. You will find me at Butterfly instead.
(3)
Lindsey B.

Since I can't bring myself to give any sushi less than 4 stars, cuz I'm a lover, I'll give Coast 4 stars just for serving sushi. However, I was a little put off by the atmosphere for one thing, VERY loud and close. I realize most sushi "bars" are this way, but I felt like the acoustics were way off. We went on a Wednesday night (I believe) and weren't aware that it was BYOB. They didn't have a table ready for us for our reservation but it worked out because we needed to walk down to the store for some drink. We returned with some beer and had to wait some more for a table. They assured us it wouldn't be more than 10 more minutes. 30 minutes later, we were seated. Our waiter was very nice and funny, and he even gave us a little bit of free sake since we were the last ones there (we waited forever!). The sushi was alright, sometimes it depends on the day of the week that you go, but it seemed a little bland and just not up to par. We got several pieces of Nigiri and also a few rolls (spicy creamy, and something with eel). All of it fine, just not great. The lighting in Coast is a little strange too, around the perimeter are spot lights that point down on you if you're sitting in the bench seat side of the tables for 2. They kept dimming and brightening them all night. That was a little annoying. At one point it was so dark in there that the candle seemed too bright so we blew it out. Then it was so bright 30 seconds later, that i thought i was being interrogated. I might give Coast another chance and maybe update my review at a later date, but for now, I only like Coast because they serve sushi. That and that alone.
(4)
Iris F.

I've dined once here and I guarantee it will be my last. Perhaps we weren't part of the cool crowd and didn't fit in. The menu is has a lot to offer, the tables are pretty close and you are yelling during dinner. Food was ok.
(2)
chris m.

i have been going to coast for years. i like to go early so that i don't have to wait. although when we do go in later and have to wait we usually stop over at danny's or charleston for a beer, and then someone at coast will give us a call when our table is ready. ya gotta love that! i also love that it is byob, it just makes it more affordable to go there more often. i like the atmosphere, and most of the servers throughout the years have been really really nice. i especially like the wasabi maki roll.
(5)
Erin F.

Pretty good sushi, decent service, good atmosphere, but the place can be a little loud and the tables a little close. I felt like the tables next to us could hear every word we were saying (probably because I could hear every word they were saying). If you don't have a reservation and don't want to wait 1+ hour, go before 7pm on the weekends. The BYOB is nice, very few BYOB sushi places that I've found in this neighborhood.
(4)
George S.

The food was excellent. But, it may be because I was sooooo hungry after the, like, 2 hour wait. The sushi was fresh and delicious. The service was good. However, it was very expensive.
(4)
Rich F.

I feel the sushi is a bit overrated and the new BYOB policy (1 bottle of wine per 2 people; 2 bottles per 4 people, etc...) is designed to increase table turnover and revenue. Poor taste Coast.
(2)
Alanna O.

OK...I am updating my post for this place. Last time I gave it only 3 stars.....this time I'm giving it 5 baby! Reason being...I have been here MANY more times, and the service seems to get better and better and the Sushi is AWESOME!!!! Seriously...so good that I crave it every damn week!! My first time here I didn't have the best experience, but, it was an off night and service tends to suffer when places are slower as staff is not as motivated. Anywho, I have been here about 5 times in the past 1.5 months and each time was delish. A friend of mine and I went there about 3 weeks ago (on a sat night at 8pm and only had to wait 20 mins) and ate so much damn sushi we almost rolled out of there. When we left, $90 lighter in our wallets(a lot but TOTALLY worth it-4 rolls, 2 apps and desert, i think), we were totally in food coma and went home to pass out! Hah. The only downfall I would say is the new rule about the wine/beer situation. I guess you can only have 1 bottle of wine or 1 6-pack of beer per 2 ppl...and when we went, my friend liked red, so he brought a bottle and I like white, so I brought a bottle, and they couldn't be opened at the same time at the table...so that was the only bummer about that. My servers were great....cute blonde haired guy (Josh maybe?) who was very personable and then another cute blonde girl I had 2x..her name is Deliah or something maybe?? I dunno....but keep up the good work! I will be visiting again soon...HIGHLY recommend Dragon, King Coast Crab and the Spider rolls.....YUMMERS.
(5)
Julie Y.

BYOB! Great sushi!
(5)
Ashley W.

The sushi here is very good and it's CHEAP! My friends and I come here all the time and we are always in shock by how cheap the bill is, but maybe that's because we are bringing our own wine. I think I've tried every roll on the menu and I don't have a bad thing to say about Coast. It does get crowded so make reservatations beforehand or go very early.
(4)
I'm D.

Excellent place for sushi. I took my fiance here for his birthday on a Thursday night. We had reservations and were seated right away. The lighting was dark and intimate. Even though tables were near other eaters, it didn't bother me, like in other sushi places. I wasn't distracted by their conversations. I had vegetarian maki rolls, and there were plenty of options, which I find not the case at other places. My fiance had the crab leg appetizer which was probably his only qualm because there wasn't much meat on it and it was fried. The mango salsa with it was very tasty though. Miso soup was excellent, was too afraid to try the jalapeno miso soup, but wish I did. We were actually full after dinner, which rarely happens when we east sushi. Service was great, waitress was there when time we needed her, didn't have to wait. My only qualm was that there was only one bathroom and the line was long when we left. Since we split a whole bottle of wine throughout dinner that was a pain. That was another nice thing, I saved at least $20-30 on BYOB. Corkage fee if you don't spend enough, but if you're there for dinner you'll have no problem meeting the minimum.
(4)
a w.

This is a great place to get some really good sushi. Their vegetable tempura is one of the best I have ever tried. And this place is BYOB...makes it even more fun!
(5)
Jenifer B.

This is my favorite sushi place and it is BYOB! The white dragon roll is my absolute favorite roll in the world. All of the appetizers are good and the atmosphere is great. it gets really packed on the weekends so try to get there early. This is definetely not a resturant to pass by.
(5)
Michelle W.

I love this little sushi bar! Maybe it's because they have some of the best rolls. Maybe it's the atmosphere. Definitely that I am not slave to someone else's wine list. For any sushi lover it is a must stop!
(4)
Catie W.

Oh, what to say about this amazing place. We originally went there on a whim, and have been back countless times. This is a great place to meet friends, or just a date night out. It is BYOB, and the corkage is waived with a minimum order. The sushi is so great you will not have a problem surpassing the minimum. I highly recommend the popper roll, it is usually a special, and a must have. I would also recommend the crunchy spicy tuna. The chefs here do an amazing job at combining flavors and the presentation is equally as appealing. I have tried several sushi places, and this one still takes the cake. Another bonus is that it is only a few blocks from, Hot Chocolate. I suggest Coast for sushi and Hot Chocolate for amazingly inventive desserts.
(5)
Josh ..

Coast is good. Love the spicy miso. Quality fish, nice atmosphere. They don't take reservations and delivery is a bit slow. All in all though, its popular for a reason. Not much you cannot get elsewhere however.
(4)
Jess L.

Food is awesome - White Dragon roll is amazing!!
(5)
Dru G.

I would eat here at least once a week if it was closer to my apartment. This is some of the best sushi in Chicago, the atmosphere is super cute and trendy, and the prices are great. BYOB is definitely a bonus as well!
(4)
Megan S.

This is my favorite sushi bar in the city. BYOB and fabulous sushi, what more is there to say!
(5)
catharine s.

ceviche maki roll. sunrise maki with mango. spicy salmon and crunchy tuna maki. yum! yum! this place was great. it's rather large but i am sure that it is packed on the weekends. it is large and has a very swanky, posh style, so i thought that it would be quite pricey. it wasn't. the maki rolls were between $6 and $12 (there may be a few more expensive rolls). and you could tast the freshness of the fish and crab. good quality sushi. the appetizers also sounded delicious too. our server was excellent and made some good recommendations too. it's byob and if you spend more than $15 a person there is no corkage fee. every sushi lover should go here. every sushi virgin should definitely go here
(5)
K J.

One of my favorite places in Chicago. Good food, great service. It can prove difficult to get a reservation the weekends and it'd be nice if they had a bar so you could have a few drinks while you wait for your table. As for appetizers, the tuna tartare and pan seared scallops are amazing. Most of the rolls are delicious, but I don't recommend the spider roll here.
(4)
H M.

This is one of the best sushi restauarants in Chicago. It is BYOB and they deliver. The atmosphere is very nice. I love the decor and the seating. The food is absolutely delicious. I think it has the best dragon roll. It can get very crowded all the time, so you should definitely call to make reservations.
(5)
Mark P.

Another trendy sushi place more about the scene and crowd than the actual sushi. Pretty good, inventive maki. But sashimi was not top quality. BYO is a plus; long wait a minus.
(3)
Miss O.

this was my first chicago sushi experience. i like the tuna tartar. the rolls were creative and pretty good. i would have gotten the miso soup but it was far to hot - i was on a date and couldn't be all sweaty during it. i was suprised that the dragon roll had cream cheese - i could have done without that. generally i liked the place, had creative rolls and was above expectations. a little bit too loud for a date. and i'm not really into BYOB - which chicago has a lot of.
(3)
DG V.

This was an interesting experience! We went here on a Saturday night (7pm) and the house was packed; I mean packed. That's a great sign: it means the food is fresh (turnover) and the taste keeps people coming back. The wait was an hour and forty five minutes so we ended up sitting at the bar; which was fine. Sushi was very fresh; I got the chef's special ($15) and my wife got a couple of various rolls ($19). I was impressed with the taste and imaginative use of flavors. My special included a deep fried salmon spring roll which was the best I'd ever tasted. It came with a coconut crme dipping sauce accented with orange peel, perfect for clogging up my arteries. The taste was sensational but the portion size was the smallest I'd ever seen. It literally left me hungry. The BYOB aspect is helpful but I think many BYOB places boost their food prices knowing they are not making anything on the drinks. The atmosphere is very loud; people are clearly having a great time. Overall a great experience in flavor and taste, but the serving portions left me empty.
(4)
LVgirl H.

oh please... over rated!!!!
(1)
Dave B.

Great spot, easy location. Sushi is great for Chicago and this place is BYOB. Atmosphere here is fun and upbeat. Roll variety offers everything you want and few fun new options to try.
(4)
Mary L.

great food! the service was pretty bad though. server was hard to find when we wanted to order, get our bottles of wine opened or ask about why our food was taking sooooo long. i would give it another try since the food was really good once we did get it. oh and being BYOB is always a big plus!
(3)
cb b.

a good place to hang with friends and easy to get a seat during the week. They have a wide menu of food choices and good service. The modern setting makes this a fun place to hand after work!
(4)
Sandy D.

sooo, my darling boyfriend finally made a real reservation instead of trying to get us in by his good looks. so we had a really nice romantic dinner on valentines day. it was a nice atmosphere, couples all around...love was in the air. The sushi was was very good, i don't remember what we ordered anymore, but it was a lot. white dragon, dragon this dragon that, same same but different. i did enjoy the sashimi, very fresh but the quantity was not satisfiying for the price. i liked our waiter, he was nice, knowledgable and brought us an ice bucket for our wine right away. overall, it is a nice restaurant. reasonably priced but i think it may be over rated. its not thee best in town, but since i am walking distance i will proably try again...or maybe not, with their 45 minute wait. oh we did have take out several times, somehow, its much tastier in the comfort of your home...keeping an eye on every single piece making sure your dog doesnt sneak a bite. maybe thats why its even sweeter. but good job coast...i'd go there again for another romantic evening. and people watch. chicago has some interesting people! looking that is.
(3)
Brittany N.

Solid sushi. BYOB was AWESOME, and we brought a great wine to enjoy with our sushi. Really loved the Sunrise roll: great, surprising combination of mint, salmon and mango perhaps? (It was almost two weeks ago I was there, but I remember it was something different and I liked it a lot as a new combination of flavors I hadn't experienced in a maki roll before.) The place also has a trendy vibe to it which was fun.
(4)
Yost M.

We order from Coast about twice a month. It's reasonably priced and has a lot of tasty items. Get the super white tuna nigiri, always buttery delicious. Not my favorite dine in place but delivery is great.
(4)
Rose E.

I'm a sushi newbie, and this is my new favorite sushi place- it has a huge variety of different kinds of sushi on the menu, including the amazing white dragon role. Definitely not cheap, but not that bad considering it's sushi, which is usually pretty expensive. This is the perfect restaurant for a date or with a big group, and it is BYOB. Try to make a reservation if you want to go on the weekend, because it can be hard to get a table as a walk-in later in the evening.
(5)
Annie W.

One of my favorite sushi places in the city. Love that it's BYOB. Love that you can make reservations. Have always been seated promptly, and Have always enjoyed the food! The special crab cake things on a stick are awesome. Love the white dragon roll and the nigiri pieces are always super fresh.
(5)
cara r.

Coast is definitely my favorite sushi place in Chicago. Somehow I always stumble in with there being a long wait, but grabbing a corkscrew and some glasses from the hostesses and opening the wine we bring makes the wait rather pleasant. The gomaae is great here, and I adore the Coast crab roll - I could eat it almost every day and not get sick of it. There's a huge sushi selection, but on the one occasion I got a steak teriyaki appetizer just to see how it was, I was very impressed. Any restaurant that has a line out the door every night of the week is my kind of place!
(4)
M M.

Coast is good, definitely over-rated though. The fish was high quality, but nothing to write home about. The place is extremely crowded, no matter what night you go. When I have sushi I prefer a smaller place with less than 30 people. I felt rushed. I ordered the sashimi which I get everywhere- it was good, but there could have been more on my plate! I would take New Tokyo over this any day.
(2)
T S.

Way overpriced for what you get. If you want better sushi, go to Bob San. Or, better yet, Mirai.
(2)
Heather H.

After reading the reviews of Coast on Yelp, my boyfriend and I decided to try it out on Thursday evening. I am not impressed. Admittedly, the spicy miso soup was fantastic, but the sushi really fell short. We started with the tuna tartar which was miniscule and very dry. We tried the famous white dragon roll and we couldn't finish it. My bf described it as "McDonald's suishi" which is the perfect description. It was cloyingly sweet and there was so much going on that the taste of the fish was completely lost We also had the Wasabi roll, the Spicy Tuna, and another salmon roll which, while ok, was certainly not worth the price. Our server was very monotone throughout the evening and kept trying to hurry us out the door as soon as we finished our meal. If you want a great byob sushi in the neighborhood, try Hachi's Kitchen. Better decor, better sushi, and better all-around ambiance. Also, this is not a wheelchair accessible restaurant. My bf said the bathrooms were impossible to get into.
(2)
maeve P.

Oh yeah this place is good. I wish I had brought a beer with me cause everyone else around me was smart enough to remember that Coast is BYOB. Do yourself a favor and try the super white tuna sashimi. It was amazing! I actually sang a song about it and told my boyfriend I was dumping him for Super white tuna. It was that good. If you don't order it you are missing out, BIG TIME.
(4)
Nomi M.

I love coast because the sushi is great and nothing beats BYOB. My last experience at Coast wasn't as good as usual. The rolls seemed to be much smaller than usual and although they were good the 3 rolls we ordered didn't leave my friend and I satisfied so we had to order more. I've tried a few different rolls here and my favorite continues to be the volcano...I don't love spicy food so I was worried I wouldn't like it, but it's actually not that spicy at all!
(3)
Lauren S.

I went for dinner last night for a post-birthday celebration and was definitely impressed. We were seated immediately, the staff was super friendly and attentive (shout-out to our waiter, Ryan), and best of all, it's BYOB. My friends and I split 3 rolls--the PoBoy, Spicy Crunchy Tuna, and the Alaska, and all were delicious. We also tried an appetizer that was a special--I forgot the name but it had crab inside a fried dumpling of some sort and was served on a stick, atop a bed of mango and crunchy noodles. All of the rolls were fantastic, though some of the pieces were so huge, they proved a bit difficult to eat with chopsticks, so I did feel a little tacky eating with my hands. I would recommend Coast to anyone who likes sushi, and I'll definitely be going back!
(5)
Nicole A.

Third time here, although this place is good, I am not quite sure it deserves as much attention as it seems to get on yelp. They do have a delicious fish soup for $7, but other then that I think these prices are just silly for the size of the serving. There are plenty of BYOB sushi restaurants that will serve more, charge less, and be great quality. Whats a perk to Coast? The service has been really great every time I come - friendly and attentive.
(3)
Jen K.

I went to dinner with someone (an attractive male) on a week night. The place was busy but we sat immediately. It's dimly lit, good date spot. The place is BYOB (no corkage fee). Since my meal-mate had been before, he ordered for us. We had the angry salmon app and a fried crab cake special which were both delicious. We also got the firecracker and the tuna on top for rolls. They were both great, as well. The con of this place is the menu is a little lengthy which makes it hard to settle on just a few options. The waitress was very nice. She was knowledgeable about the menu and gave good suggestions. This was probably my best sushi experience in Chicago.
(5)
Jay I.

This was one of the places we tried for sushi craving. It was a very hip place at the edge of Wicker park, and there were a lot of young people having food before heading somewhere else I guess. It was a BYOB place, which doesn't matter to me because I don't drink, but would be very helpful for people if you want to cut cost from there. I ordered some sushi combo with dragon roll and my companion ordered a chirashi. We thought they both were well prepared, but the fish were relatively fresh. This place would give you a reasonable bill between 70-100 for two. It is a very loud place, btw. The ambience is very nice and intimate, but it may not be good for you if you wanna have some personal, intimate conversation with your partner.
(4)
Christopher M.

It's always crowded and a little expensive, but Coast is still one of the best sushi places in the city. It's BYOB, which is always a plus, and the sushi is high quality and fresh. I've never had a bad roll here, though my favorite is the White Dragon. 155/365
(5)
Brian K.

We went to Coast a few weeks ago for a nice sushi Dinner. We called ahead for reservations and were promptly seated. The staff was helpful, but having read the menu ahead of time - we pretty much already knew what we wanted. We ordered a White Dragon, a Volcano, and a Maine roll. We would definitely recommend the White dragon roll above the rest, my boo even went so far as to say "this is the best sushi roll I have ever had" I would call that high praise. The Volcano roll was good - both crunchy and spicy. I would not get the Maine roll again but it was still pretty good. This is now one of our favorite sushi spots for take out or dining in.
(5)
Alex R.

Coast Sushi Bar....mmmm. Mmm mm. A BYOB sushi bar in the Bucktown area is not a rare sight, but Coast has time and again proven itself to live up to all the hype. Last night I ventured there with a beautiful Cab Sav on my left arm and a glorious Pinot Noir on my right. Oh, and a girl too. We ordered the Volcano and the White Dragon...and don't you dare accuse me of ordering them simply because of their awesome names. I would never do that. Except when I do. The presentation looked amazing, and both roles tasted excellent. Our server was very professional and knew the menu like the back of his menu. This is a great date location; not necessarily a good FIRST date location, because we all know that you can't set the bar too high on the first date.
(5)
Scott D.

Coast has a fun and trendy/modern style. I brought a group of friends who were visiting. Are some she was very fresh and tasted very good. The price was exceptionally low compared to the quality of the sushi. Comparing it to other sushi places with a similar quality this place offers and incredible and fresh sushi for a very reasonable price. My only complaint is that the music was way too loud. Don't get me wrong I really enjoy loud music. However, it was just really so loud that it was hard to talk to the people I was eating with. It actually became pretty annoying. With all that said I do like coast and will be returning.
(4)
Heather D.

Well I finally had a chance to actually dine-in at Coast and had a great experience! We got there at 6:30 on a Sat and were able to sit down right away. We brought our own bottle of wine which is always nice. (Chicago's BYOB dining is the best!) We ended up sticking to our favorites like the White Dragon Roll and tried a few new rolls, which were all yummy, but for the life of me I can't remember what they were now - and without a menu on their site I can't look it up either. :( Our server was a little too soft spoken for such a loud atmosphere, so we could barely make out what she was saying most of the time, but all and all was attentive - especially with making sure our wine glass were always full! Place became backed extremely quick - which is expected on a Sat night - and I don't think they take reservations (or at least not last minute ones) so plan to get there around 6:30ish if you want to be seated right away. Final Verdict: Fact of the matter is I am a sushi fan but not a sushi snob - so I'm super easy to please in the sushi area! Coast always delivers fresh and tasty sushi so it's a epic win in my book!
(5)
Yanja B.

I have been this coast twice now, both within a week since it's so good! The ambience is trendy with a mix of casual/fancy. The first time I came with a group if girls- all of the sushi was great. A favorite was white dragon, perfection. A must try! Second time it was my boyfriend- he and I over did it, but that's okay it helps me give a better review ;) Appetizers: -edemma: no review needed standard -fried tempura mixer- somehow it was better than any other ones we tried, maybe is in the batter -crab rolls/cakes: okay, nothing too memorable - Seasoned tofu: only the sesame was good Rolls: - spicy sweet potato: yum - firecracker: very good!! - spider: great - white dragon: absolutely amazing!!!! Oh yes get the chocolate cake!! All in all this is the best sushi place we have been to thus far, must check it out!
(5)
Sofiya C.

Cute place, inside is dim and intimate. The noise level is at a medium. The food is ok (I still have to say Nori is my fave, but a friend recommended we try Coast so here we were). The white Dragon was really good, the Volcano was another one that I remember well, and the fresh philly. It's BYOB but they have weird rules with it... like you can only do 1 bottle of wine or 1 6 pack of beer for every 2 people, and also no hard liquor. The service here was ok. I honestly enjoyed the appetizers more then the sushi... but they were very small for the price.
(3)
David E.

Great for quality sushi for delivery. Also dime-in experience above par, especially for chicago sushi standards. Good quality uni, sweet shrimp etc. 3rd time here and will return again. bYPB as I'm sure you've read in the reviews. Not too expensive either considering the overall quality and experience. Go.
(5)
Ashley C.

We have Coast a whirl last weekend in the midst of trying to find the local favorite sushi spot. It is also BYOB! Coast is a solid option but nothing overly memorable. First, even though we had a reservation (it was even early at 6:30), there was a wait. I understand that can happen, but there were empty tables in the dining rooms and yet tons of people waiting. False waits to create lines just makes me insane and I am a bit concerned that is their practice. The hostess was not rude, but was also not very friendly either. However, the experience improved once we were seated. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. We ordered the gyoza, shrimp tempura, and a salmon special to order. My favorite would have been the salmon special. It tasted fresh and had great flavor. We also got in several suhsi rolls, including the salmon, tuna, a spicy tuna/crab special, and white dragon (spicy shrimp) rolls. They were good and filing but nothing spectacular. Some of them seemed like the sauce overpowered the fish. It also took a bit longer to get the rolls. Also note: they came out all at once and not one by one. The tab was about $80 for two and seems to fall in that mid-line sushi range that doesn't break the bank.
(3)
Humyra S.

Loved the sushi! Our waiter was cute and nice. Portions aren't that big and its a bit pricey, but I still crave the sushi so its worth it.
(4)
Michael David C.

I like this place and it's not just the BYOB talking. The fish is rather quite fresh, but it could be a bit more professional. The only cost effective improvement I can suggest is using disposable chopsticks OR to switch to stainless steel, it can't be very sanitary reusing wooden chopsticks.
(2)
Casey F.

I used to love Coast. It was my favorite place in the city. After last evening, I can honestly say I will not return. There was nothing wrong with our food, it was fine. There was nothing special about it, they have fresh seafood but you can find that anywhere. The service my party of 4 experienced was just inexcusable. We had reservations at 7, ordered 6 rolls and 2 appetizers (which served as an entree rather than a separate course), and I had to flag our server down 3 hours later for our bill. He never came by, never asked how we were doing, never cleared our plates. When we finally caught his attention, by me having to touch his arm as he breezed by, we asked if he would open more wine and bring the check. He explained that we had already reached our limit on wine since we had 2 bottles, and their rule is 1 bottle for every 2 people. I completely respect that when they are busy that they don't want people lingering while others are waiting for a table, but when my 1 course meal takes 3 hours due to your inability to effectively manage your tables, I should be able to drink more than 2 glasses of wine. Coast - you are overrated. I can get fresh fish and mediocre service a lot of other places, all while drinking as much wine as I like.
(1)
Cherry D.

I've had really excellent experiences and okay experiences. First off, the service is always great- that is why it is getting 4 full stars. The sushi is decent, probably one of the better places in my area. I will say that some of the more 'popular' dishes (like white dragon for e.g.) caters to pseudo sushi enthusiast, it is coated in thick sauces and has very little focus on the actual fish. If you're into that then go ahead and order it. If you actually enjoy fresh fish textures and taste I would look at the smaller less expensive side of the menu and try some of those. I really enjoyed the Spicy Tako! Either way, in comparison to having to travel all the ways to Boystown and then wait an hour for a seat at Toro, Coast is a much more viable alternative!
(4)
Dave D.

Not my favorite place for sushi in the world....pretty decent fish and some cool creations by the sushi chef, but I knocked it down to two stars because it's way overpriced and kind of a weird uncomfortable atmosphere. I'm a big eater so I can't get out of here without spending at least $35. Kind of a stiff, uppity environment...
(2)
Cheryl B.

As far as sushi goes, this place is the best in Chicago! Be prepared for a wait. However, they have a nice waiting area and will provide you with glasses to drink the wine you brought in. Yes, it's BYOB, which makes this place even better! So bring an extra bottle of wine to drink while you wait. All of their rolls are delicious and creative. I prefer to order my rolls with soy paper and that is available here. I'm also picky and order my rolls with no roe - no masago, no tobiko - and it's never a problem. I've been other sushi places where they add it on anyways and instead of remaking the rolls, just scrape part of it off. Some of the best rolls are the volcano and white dragon, but you really can't go wrong with any of them. And their miso soup is the best I've ever had! People might think they are also busy because it's a "trendy" place to go. This place has been busy as long as I've lived in Chicago - they are busy because they are that good!
(5)
Melissah L.

I'm gonna start this review by saying I have never had such delicious, fat, juicy spicy salmon rolls in my entire life. There was so much fish stuffed in there- pure heaven. Per usual, I always think that the fancy rolls will be delicious-- and they were very good-- but really the simple rolls is where it's at (I can't even recall which special rolls I got). Huge pieces of fish, nice sushi rice and fresh ingredients- I really couldn't ask for more when it comes to sushi. As far as non-sushi items, my bf and I shared a fancy vegetable tempura dish.... deeeelish. Super fresh and the veggies were great. The ambiance is another great perk to this restaurant-- it's intimate and romantic but also trendy and fun ANNNNNDDD byob! They even provide cups for the waiting area, so you can dig into your bottle of vino while you wait. Coast is a great date night restaurant or an even better dinner with the girls kinda place. I'll be back!
(5)
Kateryna G.

The food: 2.5/5. I went about a year and a half ago for the first time and liked it, but it seems the quality of food has gone downhill since then. As a rule of thumb, I usually get one roll and a variety of sashimi at sushi restaurants, but at Coast I was still hungry after two rolls and sashimi. I have no complaints about sashimi, it was fresh and good quality. Rolls, on the other hand, were disappointing, very small and short on fish. The service: 3.5/5. We called and were told the wait would be 45 minutes to an hour. We showed up 10 minutes later and there was no wait at all. In fact, the restaurant was half-empty on a Friday night. It's a good place for groups, so there were a lot of loud tables, which made it nearly impossible to hold a conversation with someone across the table. It's not a good place for a date night. Our waitress was pretty friendly though. Overall: 2.5/5. Good sashimi ,but average rolls and service. I'm unlikely to go back
(2)
Julia K.

Fresh sushi, good service but long wait times Food: order the following- Spicy scallop roll Volcano roll Dragon Seafood soup Mushroom appetizer Skip: Tuna tartare-very plain and not really a tartare Scallop teriyaki-scallop wasn't cooked well for the dish maine roll-very little amount of lobster Service: Waitress was attentive and answered questions well. However, wait times for sushi were very long (on a Monday). I can't imagine how long it would be on a weekend. Ambiance: dimly lit, good for dates and groups Tips: Byob, difficult street parking
(4)
Lati T.

Great sushi and BYOB...wow! That dragon roll is sooooo good! Some rolls are pricey but totally worth it! They get packed, but you get to drink your wine while you wait so that's cool!
(5)
Jaime B.

Love this place. I appreciate their flexibility when it comes to reservations- we hit crazy traffic because of the t-swift concert, and we were 15 mins late and they still sat us immediately-thank you!!!. I could probably eat the spicy miso soup every single day, for every single meal...it is sooo good. My favorite appetizer (not on the regular menu) is the hamachi yellowtail with scallions and jalapeÃ±o. I would avoid the tropical ceviche, was not great. Would highly recommend getting the Volcano and White Dragon roll. The red bean ice cream is insane. But the green tea ice-cream was a bit bitter and not so great. All in all, however, this place has always been a good choice, definitely looking forward to going again!
(5)
SilvÅ— L.

there are many other sushi places I would rather go to in Chicago area overall, not bad experience
(2)
Joe P.

One of the best atmospheres in a sushi bar I've been to. The staff was very friendly and helpful and answered every question imaginable. The rolls were very tasty yet the spicy mayo could be a bit more defined. A few rolls I had tried were a bit on the steeper price side yet you only received about 6 rolls per. For 8-13$ I'd expect at least 8 small sized ones and 6 larger ones. But they were good so who cares. 48$ for two pre tax is a bit much WITHOUT booze. My fav sushi station Kyoto in downers grove has a more exclude menu though...it was fairly limiting to tempura, tuna, and hamachi. I wish there was more of a selection alas with less selection comes the lesser price which comes the fewer rolls. I would come back but would look for somewhere else first I mean it's chicsgo
(4)
Krystle S.

I love the fact that this place is BYOB! While waiting for my friends to arrive, I ordered the fresh gomaae salad, which was delicious but I felt like an idiot when I bit into it, thinking it was going to have the consistency of an egg roll since that's what it resembled. *Note: Unravel the rolls in the peanut sauce to make it look like a wet salad. I believe that's how you eat it. Don't quote me on that though. My friends and I ordered off the lunch menu, which offers different types of rolls that have something in common. I ordered the Spicy Maki, which included a crunchy spicy tuna roll, a spicy salmon roll and a white tuna roll. Perhaps I should have tried different items on the menu, but I thought the food was good and not outstanding. The service was great, although the restaurant was empty except for us. (We went at 2pm on a Sunday, when we knew no one would be there. One of my friends had a big announcement!) I would definitely come back here again to try out more sushi items. A bottle of wine/champagne will be tagging along as well :)
(4)
Francesca B.

The food is very good...however it was a very very looong wait to get food. I can't really excuse the wait, I think it's expected that it will be busy Saturday night especially during the first few warm awakening weekends after the dreadful Chicago winters.
(2)
Neil P.

Went here on a Friday night and we were initially disappointed that the wait for a party of 2 was going to be 45 minutes to an hour so we put our name and phone number down and headed to 7-11 to get some appetizers to tide us over. To our pleasant surprise, I got a phone call just 10 minutes after putting my name down telling me that a table was ready for us. So we put the doritos and grapefruit juice in the trunk and headed over to Coast for some Sushi goodness. We looked over the menu and had a pretty good idea about what we wanted to order before the waiter for there. When he told us about the specials though, everything changed and we ended up getting all the specials he described instead of the original menu items we originally planned to get.
(4)
Ece D.

Service is so slow! We ordered more than 45 min ago n still waiting for our sushi! Plus don't ever sit on sushi bar - it is so uncomfortable.. We had seafood soup as starter and it was too oily and almost there was no seafood inside the soup
(1)
Sabrina L.

It was crowded on a Thursday night the atmosphere was kind of loud but it was fun. I did not know the restaurant was BYOB but there was a liquor store on the block u could run to and buy some. I split the crunchy spicy tuna roll and chicken teriyaki with my friend. The portions could have been bigger, most sushi places I've been to usually come with 8 in a signature maki and this only had 6. I didn't leave super full but it was delicious and the mochi was delicious as well. I had white chocolate raspberry and coffee, both very good.
(4)
Marina F.

My favorite sushi spot! I like the decor of the place, very intimate and romantic. Best white dragon roll in the city !
(5)
Rick F.

Where do I begin.... 1) One of the best sushi restaurants in Chicago 2) One of the hottest part of town, Wicker Park 3) Progressive design, hot, hip, happening vibe 4) The creative approach to the food, design, the artful combinations are amazing The icing on the cake was we did not have a reservation, but Flo the manager said come in we always reserve a few tables for walk ins, but it could be a 45 minute wait. So we had time to kill, we gave it a shot. The place is BYOB so we came with White Wine and 2 bottles of Sake in hand. I asked for Flo when I arrived and mentioned we called earlier, she said it will be 45 min, I have glasses on the way for your wine and you can sit here in the lobby and enjoy till your table is ready. 15 min later our table was ready, Flo understood how to set expectations properly and exceded them, she also anticipated the glasses question and they were already on the way before I could ask. Excelent job. Very impressed. It's no wonder the place is jammed every day of the week.
(5)
Susie C.

My husband took me here for my birthday. It was a Monday, so they werent THAT busy but it was still pretty busy considering it's a weekday. Thought it was only like that on weekends. Our hostess took us to our table, however, we asked our waiter later to move us because a group of rowdy girls were making so much ruckus that we couldn't stand sitting there any longer, so our waiter was nice enough to move us while he lost us as customers to serve since another waiter was assigned to us. We got seated in the area with cute white booths going all around the restaurant, pretty nifty. The restaurant is dimly lit, setting a romantic atmosphere. Our new waiter was pretty funny. I really enjoyed him. Too bad I didn't catch his name to give him some credits. We started with salmon spring roll and miso soup. The miso soup was very salty...oh boy. The salmon spring roll were different, but it was a good different taste. It is fried salmon wrapped in a wonton wrapper with curry sauce. We ordered 4 rolls - nama avocado (salmon and avocado), spicy scallop, volcano, and their special roll. My favorite was the spicy scallop. The other rolls were okay...just average. We ordered few sashimi pieces - tuna, salmon, and hamachi. They were thinly sliced and small sashimi pieces. We were disappointed to see how small they were. We ordered the dessert plate which is two fruit skewers drizzled with chocolate with a scoop of ice cream of your choice (I ordered vanilla). It was pretty yummy. What was unexpected was that they also gave us a complimentary dessert dish for my birthday. The plate states "Happy Bday"! It was a very nice gesture. The complimentary dessert plate consist of ginger ice cream, one chocolate mochi, and one strawberry mochi. That definitely made my night..well the table next to us sang Happy birthday to me too..they were complete strangers but very nice people. I had a good time here,...just wish the sushi was a bit better but the service is great!
(3)
Robert F.

This place is my go to Sushi place in a city where every new restaurant is of course..a sushi place. First, if you make a reservation, they sit you instantly. It's super easy and quick. Secondly, it's BYOB...do I even need to explain why this rocks? I would say it's probably the best BYOB place in the city, regardless of food type. The food rocks, def get the White Dragon roll...it's the best. This place is 5 STARS!
(5)
Lindsay M.

After revisiting Coast last night, I realized I have never written a review. SERIOUSLY?! How could I forget about my one, true love, Coast?? Anyway, lets get to business here... First of all, I love the dim lighting and laid back vibe. I've gone on gal friend dates here and romantical-type of dates here.. it really works for anything. Next, bring drinks. This is a BYOB place... if you forget, there's a liquor store right down the street. Now to the good stuff, the food... Every single thing that I have had here is good... even as simple as the edamame.. b/c you know what, I have been to tons of sushi places who screw up something as simple as edamame. I've seen some reviews saying they don't take reservations - but they do. Just call ahead. I usually opt for their specialty rolls... Last night I had the Spooky and Tuna on Top. The Spooky roll isn't one I would normally choose (I usually pick anything that's spicy), but it just sounded so interesting. And let me tell you, it's good to get out of your comfort zone sometimes... b/c it was DAMN good... maybe one of my favorites ever. I love that they offer sea bass and sea bream sushi/sashimi. I have been to a ton of places that don't have these delicious white fishes. The vibe is cool, the fish is fresh, the service is wonderful... Definitely a favorite spot in Chicago. Someone take me to get sushi now, k?
(5)
Steve C.

Coast is my favorite sushi place in Chicago, hands down. The fish is always incredibly fresh and the fish-to-rice ratio of the nigiri is great -- you get a really big, meaty piece of fish on a piece of rice that's just big enough for foundation, texture and a touch of sweetness. Not the cheapest, but the best sushi value in the city!
(5)
Andre S.

Came here on a Sunday night because they are open late (11pm). Service was good even that late. The uni shooters were good, we also had the miso soup, crispy salmon skin salad and an assortment of sashimi. The miso soup was ok, but I wouldn't recommend the salad. The sashimi wasn't spectacular but what stood out was the liberal use of lemon as a garnish - a fair bit of the sashimi was just overpowered by the taste of lemon. Since we came for the sashimi, we were a bit disappointed. If we have another late night craving, we might try another place.
(3)
Rachel K.

A truly hidden sushi gem; the ambiance is date or friend appropriate, staff is attentive, and quality is impeccable for the price. However, there is a constant (and loud, similar to a short order cook in the back of a diner) yelling coming from one of the cooks that disrupts conversation, perhaps I will request his schedule to avoid this nonsensical shouting next time.
(4)
Niti B.

Absolutely delicious!! Was here with a girlfriend to catch up and nibble on some sushi and definitely hit the spot! We ordered the jalepeno miso soup to warm us up and it hit the spot. For rolls we ordered the crunchy spicy tuna and the dragon both were delicious and delivered. Service was great, just like their South loop location.
(5)
Kashif A.

Had dinner here last night. We didn't have a reservation but called ahead and it was a 30 minute wait for a table of 3 which isn't bad for a Saturday night around 8. As for the food, If you like spicy, try the volcano! All the rolls we had were good with the exception of the special,"the firecracker", which did not quite live up to its name. We were expecting it to "pop" somehow but it lacked everything that would make it do so. At $19 it was quite disappointing. Wish we had known or been told what it cost before ordering it. As for ambiance, the place looks cool and the dim lighting gives it a very intimate feel. However that intimate feel is lost in about 5 minutes after you sit down due to the noise; the place is LOUD. You literally need to shout to be heard across the table. The bathroom situation also needs a slight improvement. There was only one small bathroom per sex and there is nothing quite as awkward as having to wait in line staring at the walls, the floor etc followed by a piercing look from the people still waiting when you come out. Despite some of the negatives, I would still rate it 4 stars. Our server was very pleasant , attentive and our order came out pretty quick.
(4)
e b.

Went here on a Sunday night. Asked if I had a reservation even though it was half full. Was given a very discouraging look. I should have walked out. Upon being seated I noticed the floors were filthy and paint was coming off the wall. Don't they sweep up? The edamame took forever to come. Our order took a long time as well. The maki rolls were nothing great. A bit bland if not boring. There was no 'wow' factor here.
(2)
Jennie B.

This place is stupidly expensive. The sushi is ok. It's cheaper to order sashimi individually than to get the platter. There are two experiences that have annoyed me. I made a reservation for 6 of us when my inlaws were visiting from Australia, with two weeks notice. They harrassed me for a credit card number to hold my reservation. And despite the two weeks notice of our reservation, they they sat us right next to the bathroom! It smelled like toilets. Then I came in another day just with my husband, and they sat us by the bathroom again. Not sure what we did to them that has relegated us to the toilet seats but there you have it.
(3)
Amie G.

Coast is without a doubt my favorite dine-in sushi restaurant in Chicago. Regardless of the size of your group, you will all enjoy it here. The tables are nicely spaced out from each other so you feel a bit of privacy even when the restaurant is packed (which it always is). That's usually a reason why I stop going to other sushi restaurants. They always have great specials so I suggest ordering a few items from there. All of their rolls are fresh, delicious, and filling. BYOB really saves on cost, which is fantastic. Overall, you absolutely get your moneys worth!
(5)
Joel G.

Coast has moved up on my list with the closure of several other big name sushi places over the past year and a half. Coast delivers solid Nigri, Sashimi, and Maki which at some locations is not the case. The fact that they have fresh fish, big crowds to turn over a lot of fish, and they are BYOB makes this a solid choice for sushi locations. Additionally, their prices are pretty good. Good people watching here as well. Some good app choices come up on the board from time to time and they also get some specialty fish seasonally. I return to this one about 5+ times a year. I tend to hit this place with some buddies that are single as they are big fans of this place due to the amount of women that dine here in large packs. My typical night here consists of meeting my single buddies, bringing a pile of great beer, ribbing the one guy that brings wine (even though we all enjoy wine), and then laughing at these guys either hitting on the ladies or talking about hitting on the ladies in-between complaints about the Sox, Cubs, or whatever Chicago sports team is not doing well at the time. Some chit chat about what fantasy player should be picked up in between rolls. Poorly indicating we should check out some table of ladies while we wolf down $75 each worth of fish. Thankful it's BYOB or we would be talking about a hefty bill if we actually had to pay for our booze. Being the married guy among the singles makes for an entertaining evening for me. Dinner hear and then I suggest hitting the Map Room for a fantastic beer selection as it's right down the street. Parking in the area is a total pain in the ass so be prepared
(4)
Leslie B.

Fantastic sushi option that goes above and beyond the average BYOB spot! The boyfriend and I met Alex H. and Claire K. here for dinner on a Friday night. Luckily they take reservations, this place was incredibly busy! We brought several bottles of wine, love that Coast is BYOB. We ordered a few signature maki rolls which were all fresh and tasted delicious. There wasn't an abundance of rice, so typical of BYO sushi spots all around Chicago. These rolls were very well made, I was very impressed with the quality. My boyfriend didn't want to overload on rolls, so he also ordered the tamarid duck. This disk was incredibly tasty and the duck was cooked perfectly. It came with a spicy orange sauce, spinach, and rice. If you're looking for something besides maki, this is an excellent option. The ambiance in Coast is dark and cozy, it was really nice that the tables weren't super close together. It was pretty loud in there, but that's to be expected on a Friday night! There were a lot of large groups of all women, but also many couples on dates. Overall, I highly recommend Coast in Bucktown for BYOB sushi!
(4)
Adam W.

Had a fine dinner at Coast - ordered the Tuna Tataki as a starter, then a few rolls (Coast Crab, Nama J, Hamachi Avo, Shiitake) and some Mochi for dessert. Service was very good and we were seated immediately upon arrival (had a reservation). Prices were maybe a little high, but with no corkage fee & BYOB, it still puts you ahead. Overall, a very nice sushi restaurant!
(4)
Emily Y.

Fantastic date spot. In my case, I went with a girl friend and spent the night wondering how she could be so gorgeous and single. Because the lighting is divine. And she's gorgeous and single. It's BYOB without a corkage fee, and the waitstaff was attentive without being intrusive. My friend lives around the corner, so we were trying our best to branch out and -- not to toot my own horn -- I think we did a pretty excellent job. Here's a rundown of what we had: Spicy Miso Soup - My friend's suggestion, I haaaaate miso. She got it, told me to try it -- for this miso, I make an exception. It's flavorful, spicy and almost creamy Agendashi Tofu (Salad) - Also delicious. Fried tofu on a bad of baby spinach, sitting on a slightly sweet dressing. There was a surreal moment when I was eating salad with chopsticks, but all the effort was worth it. Beef & Asparagus - Awesome. Small slices of beef wrapped around asparagus spears, chopped into 1-1/2 inch pieces, served with rice and teriyaki sauce. Yes!!! Spicy Scallop Roll - Decent, but forgettable. We foolishly (considering the $8 price tag), thought there would be hunks of scallop in this roll. Looks like the scallop was diced and blended with something mushy. It's fine, this place made us look pretty. Po' Boy - Amazing! Looks to be quite similar to the White Dragon which gets so many raves. A little crispness thanks to the tempura, a little creaminess thanks to the cream cheese. My friend who'd said she doesn't like cream cheese in her sushi was an immediate convert! All this, split down the middle came to $23.25 each. Shockingly great sticker price for high quality sushi!
(5)
Genevieve L.

Coast is the closest sushi bar in walking distance from my apartment so I eat here whenever I'm in the mood for sushi. The sushi rolls we've ordered are good and their spicy miso soup is definitely a kick in the mouth. Ambiance is nice but I'm not blown away by their service. They're slow to seat and slow to serve (even with reservations) but they're always quick when bringing out the check. Don't make plans after dinner because a trip here will take over your whole night. Unless you want to eat dinner at 5pm
(3)
Jason T.

Well I've wanted to come here for some time especially after hearing how great it was from so many people! It's BYOB which is always a plus, and you will wait for a while but they call you so you can go somewhere and have a drink instead of waiting there. We got beef-wrapped asparagus for an app which was a little dry and over done. Then for rolls we got the White Dragon, and our sashimi was blue tuna which our waiter called the Lexus sashimi (?), eel that was very crispy (?) and octopus. Overall I was pretty unimpressed. I think this place is overhyped mostly because of the neighborhood. I liked it but certainly not a 4-5 star place. There is much better sushi in the city.
(3)
Trevor H.

Undoubted the best sushi in the neighborhood! Possibly Chicago. Service is friendly and knows how to talk you into the best they have to offer.
(5)
Linda K.

Very fresh sushi and yummy dessert!! I definitely recommend the, white dragon. Its also byob with no corkage fee which is absolutely awesome. My waitress was super friendly and gave really good recommendations. We had a dessert which consisted of chocolate doughnut type thing and vanilla icecream-i dont remember what it was called, but its the special. The setting is also very cute for a nice date night.
(5)
Henry T.

It's been awhile since I've had fresh sushi, and after one bite here, I remembered what it was all about. Pure goodness. My tongue salivated as I chewed and swallowed. The fish went down easy. Oh the nostalgia of good sushi! We ordered spicy miso, tuna tartare, eel with avocado roll and the dragon roll (shrimp tempura, cream cheese, spicy mayo, unagi, avocado, masago, eel sauce). Spicy Miso - PERFECT. Not too salty, and definitely not bland! They add some jalapenos in there so it may be a tad spicy for some. They don't give you spoons because apparently in Japan, they drink it straight from the bowl (they'll ask if you would like spoons, though). Tuna Tartare - Not my favorite, but not to say it was bad. Tuna was definitely fresh. No comments other than that. Eel with avocado - My favorite. Simple and effective. It's literally what the name says...eel with avocado (in a roll with rice, of course). I love unagi (eel) on my sushi. The eel was fresh (I think you're getting the point now...) and the eel sauce worked well as always. The rice to fish ratio was excellent. There wasn't too much rice to overpower the flavor of the eel and the sweet eel sauce. Dragon roll - It was great, but I'm not too big of a fan of cream cheese or any other type of cheeses on my sushi. It was an order for the table and I had a couple pieces. Spicy mayo worked well with the eel sauce. I like, but again, not my favorite. We called in for a reservation (table of 5) the day before. It wasn't crowded or anything when we got there, but there wasn't a wait with our reservation. All the tables were full by the time we left (Saturday, ~8pm). Overall- excellent quality sushi, but not the best I've had (that honor goes to a place in NY, and a place in CA). TIP: BYOB!!
(4)
Melanie P.

I used to love Coast. We took everyone who visited from out of town and had great food and service every time. The last 2 times I went to Coast I was EXTREMELY disappointed and embarrassed that I had recommended the place. The "specials" haven't changed in a YEAR. Yes the angry salmon app is good, but COME ON. A year? Nothing is that good. A reservation means nothing. I always make them, arrive on time with my entire party, and sit at the front for a solid 20-30 mins. They don't even allow us to open our wine to sip while we wait despite having a reservation. Coast is NOT what it used to be.
(2)
Vic C.

Huge wait on a Friday night at 9pm but well worth it. Definitely put your name in then go to the Red a Door for a drink. The atmosphere is lively but not impossible to have a conversation. Definitely a great date spot. The food was good. Started off with Edamame and sunny side shiitake (save your money and do not order) then shared the following rolls: special roll (scallop with tuna on top), spicy scallop, Nama I, negi white tuna, spicy hama. The service was okay- it was nice to to have someone hawking over you but it was frustrating when you couldn't find your server to place an order. BYOB gives it an extra star. Will return.
(4)
Raghav C.

Coast Sushi is regarded as one of Chicago's top mid-range sushi restaurants often compared to Sushi Toro, Friends Sushi et al, and while I couldn't find anything to complain about this place, something left me feeling not as satisfied as I do after dining with the competition, mostly because I was expecting something different. To start with where Coast Sushi is better than the others is the size of the restaurant (easier to get a table and they take reservation), a refined ambiance ideal for a nice dinner/date and the staff is very well educated in Japanese cuisine. BYOB is a big plus, while other sushi restaurants offer that too. Now moving on to the experience and food, Coast Sushi came across a bit fancier to me, trying to go beyond the norm with their offerings and while there is nothing wrong in that, I was expecting simple, but great sushi, and while Coast Sushi delivered on that, I feel other places do it better. All in all, you can't go wrong with this place. Try the spicy miso soup as an alternative to the usual miso soup - its got an interesting kick. Take your pick of the rolls, sushi/ngiri/sashimi - they were all good. I ordered the platter for variety and enjoyed most of it. I did also try the HAMACHI CARPACIO for the first time and for the price, I wouldn't order it again.
(4)
Alexa M.

I'm giving Coast 3 stars because their signature rolls such as the volcano roll & Sunrise and also the fact that's it's BYOB. The service, however, is not as great. We knew from experience to make a reservation otherwise you'll wait for at least 20 minutes to be seated. Reservation was set for 8 pm. We got there ten minutes early and gave our name just to be told, "We'll seat you when it gets closer to 8." There were a couple free tables so I couldn't understand why we still needed to wait. Long story short, good food but slow service.
(3)
Artur O.

The bast sushi place period ! Try the Arto roll yes my invention not on the menu but if you ask for it they will make it for you! I'm going there since they opened that's at least 10 years very consistent rolls on flavor Fresh sashimi !!! Always Friendly staff and most important BYOB . See you there :)
(5)
Lisa Z.

Love this place! I've been here 3 times now and each time the sushi has been delicious, the staff friendly, and the atmosphere nice and relaxing. I definitely recommend making reservations, as the place starts to fill up pretty quickly after 7pm. I have eaten sushi all over the city and this is one of my new favorite spots for it. I also like that it is BYOB.
(4)
Ashley S.

It had been over a year since I had last visited Coast but I definitely wasn't disappointed. It's still easily my favorite sushi spot in the city. If you're unsure of what to try, I recommend the VOLCANO or the FIRECRACKER. Note: the Firecracker isn't on the regular menu but can be ordered by request. Actually, you could just order the Firecracker roll and then request another one after trying it (because that's what we did). Enjoy and make sure to BYOB!
(5)
N C.

Always the worst waits: consistently takes long than they tell you. "Table will be ready in 30 minutes..." = takes one hour. "Carry out will be ready in 20 minutes..." = takes 40 minutes. I guess my own fault for not learning... Food is fine. You'll find better quality fish at Yuzu.
(1)
Brian S.

BASED ON DELIVERY SERVICE ONLY Ordered through EAT24. They quoted an hour max. After 1.5 hours, Coast Sushi confirmed delivery, however still didn't receive food for over an hour later. The whole process took about 3 hours to receive our food. There was no explanation about the confirmed delivery when I asked about it, they just said they made a mistake and quickly changed the subject. Coast only offered 20% off the next order, which, why would I order from them again then they can't deliver food within a 3 hour time period. The cherry on top was that when the driver finally did show up, HE MADE A POINT TO ASK FOR HIS TIP. I took my food from him and he asked "What about my tip, no tip?" I explained that we waited 3 hours for him to arrive, which is completely unacceptable and how we were treated within those 3 hours. I definitely won't be ordering delivery from them again and this experience has pretty much ruined dining there as well, which is a shame. I can't stand behind a company that isn't upforth and honest with their customer about the service they provide. There are plenty of other sushi bars in the Chicago area that are much more deserving of my business.
(1)
Stephanie W.

We went to Coast for lunch over Valentines weekend, and were excited due to the great rating. The sushi was good. The price was way way high for the portion sizes. Service was slow, even though we were one of two tables seated. Lastly, and maybe this was due to the valentines rush the night before, however there was an overall lack of cleanliness. Menus were stained and over-used, the table was sticky, just an overall feeling of a need for a serious clean in the space. Perhaps the light of day just doesn't favor the darker space. Creative, "designer" type rolls, but need to improve quantity and overall quality for more stars. Has potential.
(2)
Mary D.

This was a sushi experience better than NYC or Aspen. Worth the wait. Bring your BYOB, wait at a local bar til they're ready for you, then order the fatty tuna
(5)
Danielle K.

I was not impressed, but then again, I am a sushi snob. Out of the four rolls that we ordered, I really only cared for one. The fish was fresh; it was just lackluster. They gain points for quality service and their BYOB policy. Long wait, always, so they must be doing something right.
(3)
Rebecca R.

I love sushi. This place is very cute inside. My review this time around however is only on carryout. When they tell you 25 mins before it's ready for pick up they are serious. Even on a Tuesday! Very busy. I got three pieces of nigiri and one specialty roll, and some edamame. Everything was very fresh and delicious. The only reason it's 4 stars instead of 5 is because for me the portion of the specialty roll was a bit small. Sure it's 8 pcs but it only took up half of their small carryout container (about the same size total as my nigiri) I will order again, I'll just be mindful that it's a bit pricey due to having to order more.
(4)
Irini B.

This is my staple go to spot for delicious sushi. They have had a solid reputation since they opened many years ago and it's been consistently good. Wait can be long on weekend nights, but they'll let you open your byob and sip your wine/beer before you get a table which is nice. The simple sushi items are delish because the fish is very fresh all the time! They never disappoint.
(5)
Rosanna L.

Had a girl's night and decided to go somewhere BYOB. Coast Sushi has pretty good reviews and it's a place none of us had been before. One of my gf called to make reservations for 4 (we actually had 5). Upon arriving we were greeted and seated within a few minutes, but when we realize that the host was going to seat us at a 4 top, when we had 5 people, she said oh well you guys made reservation for 4 and we told her it was an honest mistake and it will be 5, so we go back up front while she handles this matter of finding a 5 top for us. A few minutes later she goes and seats us a few tables down from our original table and told us, "Since you guys are a large party now, we will need our table back by 8." *AGHAST* *SHOCK* *SMH* *SERIOUSLY* Can't believe she said that to us, left an extremely sour taste in my mouth. Luckily for us our server was fantastic and everything he recommended we ordered. Starters: Seafood Ceviche: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) - this was bland to me and the cracker thing does nothing for this dish. Maybe I got the top part of the ceviche and it lacked flavor since my gfs said the bottom has more lime to it, but isn't ceviche suppose to be all around well coated? Tataki Special: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) this had a very good flavor, possibly from the oil, but $21? Ehhh Salmon Spring Roll: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) to me spring roll is NOT fried, this should be called salmon eggroll, the portion is skimpy, but the curry sauce is a great pair to this Tuna Tartar: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) more blandness, salt and pepper please Entrees/Makis: yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ Overall, nothing stood out to me or worth raving about. The Po Boy Maki wasn't all that interesting as it sounded every though the portion might be huge it was mainly avocado. Desserts: Mochi (mango, red bean, green tea, and passion fruit): ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ and yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) how can you go wrong with mochi? Yum! Flourless cake: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/coasâ€¦ ) although it might look heavy this dessert was a perfect heading to a high carb meal. Extremely light and quite delicious. Our food was decent and our service was great, nothing was amazing though. Oh, and Imagine that we finished and left exactly at 8! Yeah, you can have your table back Coast Sushi, but as for me? I probably won't be returning.
(3)
Leo L.

Nobody likes to interrupt the waiter to ask how much the specials are. That's why special rolls are an outrageous $17 here, while the much superior spicy tuna or hamachi rolls are $8. Do try the Chirashi, an assortment of mostly delicious fish pieces scattered over a bowl of sushi rice.
(4)
Steve H.

A relatively large sushi place that is decorated much nicer than your typical BYOB joint here in Chicago. The creations from their sushi chefs will get the job done but are nothing that stands out compared to the competition. Service is good but what really drags this place down is its clientele. Just way too crowded, loud and douchey. My GF and I were sat right next to these 22 year old girls who were extremely loud and obnoxiously drunk as they were sharing photos of strap on dildos on their phones. Thankfully they left after twenty minutes or so. Unfortunately what replaced them was a table full of metrosexual dildos whose high decibel debate was whether they were going to pick up chicks later on that evening with huge breasts or great behinds. There are much better dining environments in the city not to waste anymore time here.
(2)
Jessica Y.

2.5 Walked in for a Sunday night dinner and was seated right away. Attentive/polite service, clean restaurant, and the food came out quickly. Mood lighting and dark wood dÃ©cor set a romantic ambiance. The sushi we ordered was just eh. Ingredients were fresh (obvi very important) but overall there was too much rice and it was not slightly warm/vinegared. The rolls reminded me of high quality grocery store sushi. Toro Appetizer was tasty - sashimi on top of a thin sliced cucumber topped with sprouts sitting on a little bit of daikon strings soaked in spicy ponzu sauce. With less spicy ponzu sauce this dish would have been perfection because it overpowered the entire dish which is unfortunate. Hamachi Nigiri ($3 per piece) was fresh/sweet/nicely sliced and had a great rice to fish ratio. SUNRISE (R) $12.00 ginger seared tuna, mint, wrapped with mango - mint was a nice touch and if there was a spear of mango actually inside the roll it would have sealed the deal. MAINE (R) $15.00 cooked lobster in ginger mayo with scallion, salmon roe and cucumber on top - not worth it both in flavor, amount of lobster, and price. CRUNCHY (R) $8.00 spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber, tempura - standard and was good BYOB btw. Maybe we ordered the wrong things. No need to rush over but if you end up here I would skip the rolls and stick with Chirashi, appetizers, hamachi don type dishes.
(2)
Pam B.

Nice place with a good atmosphere and good sushi. It's a BYOB which is a plus! I only come here for one sushi roll which is their White Dragon, all the other sushi is just okay.
(4)
Emily C.

Love Coast sushi. Very cool vibe and it's always packed (make a reservation). The sushi is high quality and very fresh. My favorite roll is the White Dragon, though I've never had a bad roll here. And BYOB! 305/365
(5)
Jennifer B.

This is one of my favorite sushi places. BYO which is awesome. I love the dragon roll, and shrimp tempura roll.
(4)
Torrey R.

First of all, BYOB is the absolute best. It means more money can be spent on the amazing sushi which is exactly what we did. I appreciated that the chefs had menu items outside of the traditional sushi rolls. We had the sunrise and ceviche rolls and both were excellent. The service was good. The tables are pretty close together which is typical but still frustrating when you are next to loud talkers. Overall Cost is excellent and worth the wait.
(5)
Jason P.

I am not certain why people give this place such great reviews. Perhaps, they don't get out much or have a very limited exposure to Sushi and Sashimi. For the money, which isn't all that expensive, I still think there are much better options around. Yes the BYOB without a corking fee is nice, but I could go to Dirks, buy my own fish and do it at home if I didn't want to pay for my drinks. The maki lacks imagination and flavor the best maki I had was the white dragon and even it was only just okay. We had the crunchy spicy tuna, not impressed nor were we with the Rainbow roll and tuna tartar. The best part was the Miso Soup, which was quite tasty and of course the service was terrific, pleasant, courteous never an empty glass on the table. Lastly, the Buckwheat noodles were so sweet they belonged in a candy store. Sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but skip this place and try Sunda or Niu if your on a budget.
(3)
Kyle H.

Hot. Am I talking about the sexy stylings of Coast? The sexy presentation of the delicious food? My White Dragon Lady sushi sensei for the evening, Brett D.? Coast Sushi Bar is one sexy spot for sushi in Bucktown, it's a great date spot, good for Girl's Night "In", or for one of those spouse dates when you can leave the kids at home. Rekindle that fire at Coast! Coast can be crowded, and does not take reservations. Be prepared to wait- but not too long. Service was good, and our server knew the menu and specials, and was pleasant. Spicy was on the docket for the dock up, and we kept to maki rolls on the spicy side: Angry Salmon- spicy salmon, jalapeno w/tempura crumb (good) Volcano- spicy white tuna in volcano sauce (v. good) And the much lauded, and highly touted specialty of Coast: White Dragon- shrimp tempura, fresh scallop, with a complex sauce (Excellent. A Must Order) Coast is BYOB, and your beer or wine will be lovingly cared for and given an ice bath. Looking forward to the next hot meetup at Coast Sushi Bar in lovely Bucktown.
(5)
Monika P.

My favorite sushi place and it's byob! I have tried this and the Evanston location, both really good! I don't remember having any bad rolls, everything I've ever ordered was very tasty!
(4)
Manda Bear B.

*********************** 798 ************************* A busy sushi restaurant in Buck Town, down the street from my best friend's place. We walked here for a quick dinner. She told me they have a good vibe, rolls, and the best thing is bring your own bottle BYOB at no charge. Perfect. Coast Sushi Bar is hip, dark like a lounge rather than a sushi joint, loud music, was packed on a week night. Hostess greeted us right away, sent us to a tiny table in the back of the second dining room, which got no lighting. So we requested to sit at the sushi bar instead. Being spoiled with sushi selection in Northern California, I don't expect much for a neighborhood sushi joint like Coast Sushi Bar. My best friends and I ordered a bit of everything. - MISO soup with tofu and scallion - $2 - SEAWEED SALAD - seaweed and cucumber in sesame vinaigrette - generous portion for $5 - WARM SHRIMP SALAD - shrimp tossed with wasabi garlic dressing on mesclun, sweet corn tempura - only $8.50, my best friend loved it. She said she orders it each time she's here. - Shiitake mushroom, spinach, egg, served with rice - a cool appetizer dish. - Uni shooter - the uni is not fresh at all, I guess that's why they serve in a shooter style! - VOLCANO MAKI roll - albacore in hot volcano sauce with tempura crumb - my best friend likes it. I didn't, the rice was fallen apart, wasn't tighten enough. $13 - SPICY SALMON MAKI - fresh salmon, spicy mayo, scallion, tempura crumb, tobiko - generous for $13 - Hamachi, Hirame, shiso maguro nigiri $2.5-$3 each piece. They were all dried look, much thinner cut than I used to in Nor Cal, and wasn't fresh :-( I tried other other fishes, but they didn't have anything else, limited nigiri selections. The bar was loud because the sushi cooks kept yelling at each others for orders in Thai. The restaurant owned by Thai obviously. Although the cooks were nice to us when I asked questions and etc. I guess for being in the Midwest, Coast Sushi Bar offers good vibe, CHEAP eat, quick service, and if you like rolls, you should come here. However if you are an authentic sushi lover, this is not a place for you. P.S. Our waitress was very nice and attentive to us.
(3)
Keith A.

Needless to say, I'm well overdue for a review on Coast. Now, it helps that Coast is in my area, but Coast is 90% of the time the place that I need to satisfy my sushi cravings. It's hard to get into each and every dish on their menus as I've had much of it. What I will say is that one of my personal favorites is their volcano maki along with their white dragon maki. Everything also looks really delicious even before you eat it. Their nigiri pieces are also perfectly put together and always taste fresh. Coast can get busy on the weekend nights, but that is generally to be expected. They are BYO even though I normally don't take advantage of that. Even though there are a lot of sushi options in the logan sq/wicker park/bucktown area I keep finding myself ordering from Coast because they do a lot of sushi really well.
(4)
Angela L.

Fantastic sushi restaurant. I have not had anything here that wasn't absolutely delicious. I recommend bringing a bottle of wine (BYOB), and ordering whatever is recommended that day by your waiter/waitress. Their specials are always changing, and there are always new, interesting sushi rolls whenever I come to visit. Great ambiance, great for groups or intimate dates. The prices are very reasonable, and food is phenomenal! They do take reservations, so I recommend making reservations when busy on weekends. Bonus perk: You can order for pick up or delivery on their website.
(5)
Ali Z.

When it comes to sushi, most places serve more or less the same thing with a few funky maki rolls here and there. The key difference between the good and not so good places is freshness. To me, high quality, fresh fish is what great sushi is all about and Coast has it spot on. Of all the sushi restaurants I've tried in Chicago, the fish here was the freshest and extremely tasty. I did make the mistake of ordering too many specialty rolls which while interesting, were not as memorable as the nigiri and plain maki where you can taste and appreciate the excellent flavor of the fish. With that said, if you're ordering a signature maki roll the white dragon is a must try. I don't recommend the volcano roll though. It was kinda mushy and covered in too much tempura crumb. California roll, fresh salmon, and the spicy miso soup were the standouts for me. Totally going for the sashimi here next time. Warning, this place is popular so make reservations in advance. Take the train if you can because otherwise you'll end up circling the block looking for parking.
(5)
Kenneth U.

Slightly below what I expected. We were told 45 minutes for a table, but waited for an hour and a half. Oddly enough, the chairs at our table were horrendously uncomfortable. The decor and atmosphere were completely average. Service wasn't prompt, but was courteous enough. The ceviche appetizer our server recommended was fantastic. The maki rolls, on the other hand, were just ok. Seriously lacking in freshness. They seemed...a little past their prime. On the whole, it's Bucktown, it's Coast, it's totally the cool kid place to go, and it'll always be packed. But a $70 sushi dinner for two people... You could go to any number of decent sushi places in the city and do better, faster, and cheaper. Meh.
(2)
Rebecca N.

I brought my mom and sister here to try a new sushi spot and it did not disappoint whatsoever! The miso soup was brought out in big mugs which was really nice on a cold day and there was a spicy miso option which really hit the spot. The pieces of sushi (super white tuna, yellowtail and salmon) were very fresh-- the yellowtail really stood out. The rolls were great too (dragon and crunchy spicy tuna). Finished off with chocolate mint and green tea mochi. I would absolutely come back here. Great area to walk around. Very nice waitress.
(4)
Nick M.

Every time I eat here I thoroughly enjoy myself. Bluefin sashimi is absolutely delicious. Great service and reasonably priced. And byob, can't beat it.
(5)
Alex D.

Visiting from LA so my family brought me here last night to satisfy my sushi craving! It's BYOB so we brought a six pack of Stella to accompany our meal. The atmosphere had a trendy/laid back feel. The restaurant wasn't too busy, but after all it was Monday night. The sushi was fantastic! I was very pleased with the quality and freshness of the fish. I ordered the fresh Philly roll, spicy tuna crunch roll and albacore sushi a la carte. The only reason why I didn't give Coast 5 stars is because of service. Our server was not attentive at all and we kept having to ask the bus boy for things. But he came through so it's all good! Will definitely be coming back to coast next time I'm in the Windy City!
(4)
Tima D.

THE BEST PLACE FOR SUSHI IN CHICAGO!! Amazing sushi and its BYOB what is not to love??? Try the scallops as an App because they are delicious! There is also a dessert there that is not on the menu but if you go you MUST request it...i believe its called the Chocolate Dome....Not sure why its not on the menu because its soooo good! If you are going on a weekend be prepared to wait for a while because its not a huge place and it is super busy. Oh and the prices are veryyyy reasonable compared to other Sushi places in Chicago.
(5)
Lindsey C.

I LOVE LOVE Coast! I have to say this is my fav Sushi place! Amazing rolls! (rainbow, dragon and Po' Boy) Rolls are my favorite! I recommend you call ahead to make a reservation because it is usually packed (my gf and I had to wait about 40 mins last time we went without a reservation) I love that it is BYOB. Only bummer is that it is ONE bottle of wine per couple :( or one six-pack per couple i think. (we love our red wine) lol Can't wait to go back!
(4)
Justin C.

This place is spectacular! Fresh sashimi, great variety of dishes and great service. You rarely find a Japanese restaurant in Chicago that has both great cuisine and decent environment. This place definitely has both and I would highly recommend the fish and chips because its just different!
(4)
Jennifer P.

Coast Sushi Bar is "clean" food. This means that the fish and everything else it's wrapped in is cold; almost leaving a crisp burst of air as your teeth sink into the fresh rolls. I'm not saying it has been sitting in a refrigerator. I'm just saying that you can tell all of the separate items were fresh out of refrigeration, quickly wrapped up; and then sent to your table before reaching room temperature. What most people don't know is that they carry real wasabi; but you have to ask for it. Wow, I have never had a spicy food make my eyes water until now. It was beautiful. I love this kind of pain! Joel G. is right. There are some lovely ladies that hit this place up. However, most of them just dress nicely. It's amazing what men excuse when you show off your lady parts and a fake tan. The classier outfits went towards the women who were closer to their 40's. Some of these women came in with their significant others. These sharply-dressed women were clearly unhappy. Their men looked like they would rather be somewhere else. Not many of the couples were smiling. More emotionally-washed-out thirty to forty somethings, yay!! I saw no men here that were my type. Maybe Joel G. was right. These guys are classic Wrigleyville/Bucktown types who seem to travel in packs; managing conversation that goes no deeper than what woman they would like to sex it up with in the restaurant; or how their fantasy football teams are doing. Yuck. I'm glad I had my friend to talk to. Coast Sushi carries all the classics for rolls. The ambiance here is good. I like how it's dark and every table has a candle that sits inside a rock, casting the perfect golden glow across the table for you and your partner. I was a little miffed because my waitress made no effort to light ours. Every table had their candle going. Good thing I had lighter in my purse! It would be very romantic if it wasn't so loud. People weren't screaming, yet they were definitely projecting their voices across their tables. I was almost making out with my dinner companion all night because I had to lean in so close to hear any conversation. I'd say take a date here, but it will be hard to get to know each other.
(4)
Richard B.

Very good sushi, always off the menu specials that you actually want to try. Byob is definitely a huge benefit. Atmosphere is great, and definitely takes the vibe of the city without feeling big city. Get there early or make sure you have a reservation.
(4)
Queen K.

We stumbled into the Bucktown location on a Sunday afternoon around 4:00pm. I understand that is a little too early for dinner and also kinda late for lunch, but if an establishment is open they should be prepared to offer great service no matter what time you arrive. I mention this because there were only two other parties when we arrived and our food took forever. They literally had more sushi chefs at the counter than customers and it took half an hour between appetizer and entree. A couple of the employees were outside taking a smoke break when we arrived, which wasn't really a good first impression. Appetizer Salmon spring roll- a little greasy but good. the curry dipping sauce was a bit heavy. Wasn't a good pairing for the spring roll. Seafood soup-yummy And now for the rolls... Scallop Alaska Dragon Rainbow Spider All beautifully presented and delicious. The individual pieces were smaller than I've had at other places. Overall, ok experience and if I'm in the neighborhood I'll go back, but nothing special.
(3)
Curtis H.

Coast is a thoroughly enjoyable BYOB sushi bar in Bucktown that is well worth a visit. My first experience there was on a Thursday night after 8:00 pm, but the place was still hopping. Luckily we were seated right away without a reservation. We ordered two appetizers, two specialty and one classic roll, and their dessert special (a flourless chocolate cake that was more like a mousse). Everything was extremely delicious. They use a lot of jalapeno in their sushi wish is a pleasant change and gives the food an extra kick of flavor and spice. This is one of the best sushi places I have eaten at in Chicago, and the BYOB benefit makes the bill even more palatable. Good vibe. Good decor. Great food. Check this place out!
(4)
Wei H.

On a summery Saturday night at 9 o'clock it was packed but we were seated right away. Aside from a table of 5 girls that were clearly drunk (BYOB, can't blame them) evidenced by their constant yelling and talking about some Jeremy dude, I thought the environment was lovely. Dim lighting, candle-lit, smaller tables that allow more intimate interatctions. Good spot for a third date - too loud for first date, too dark for second. Anyways, their menu has a decent amount of selections. Prices are very reasonable. Jalapeno seems to be a stable on their menu, which I definitely have reservations about. * hamachi carpacio - yellow tail sashimi dressed with jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro. Too acidic. Overwhelmed the yellow tail. In fact, I did not know I was eating yellow tail. * coast crab maki - very tasty. A little bit on the dry side. Nothing a white wine cannot alleviate though. * natsu (not on menu) - supposed to be a very clean roll, so said our server. I believed it was yellow tail with jalapeno and mint. Again, fish got miserably overwhelmed and it was too acidic. The rice on this roll was also drenched in vinegar. * salmon sashimi - very good quality. Still not as good as Toro's * tuna sashimi - fishy which I expected. Do not recommend. * mochi - $5.5 for two pieces that looked and tasted like they were store bought. Not sure if I would go for these again. But again, cannot say no to green tea and red bean mochi on a summer night. Overall I liked my experience here. It's incredible that they are still BYOB. Our server was attentive and although his recommendations fell short of expectations, his service did not take points off our experience. I will definitely return to this restaurant to try their other signature rolls. Free parking on Damen is a big plus.
(4)
Jackson H.

You will probably wait if peak times. The hosts and staff are great!! Just wait your turn and you will be seated, nagging gets you no where! Food amazing, drinks BYOB! Miso soup sooooo good! Great for birthdays and special occasions!!!
(5)
Crystal X.

HOT TIP: BYOB but you cannot bring your own soft drink/juice/water atmosphere: lighting is really dim. two spacey rooms for dining, loud service: quick, knowledgeable, pleasant food: sushi is enjoyable. enjoyed the baked scallops (ordered it twice on two separate occasions). Price: $$ Washroom: only one bathroom for each gender
(3)
Aditi G.

This place was good but the rolls were way too small for the price. My friend got a $13 tempura roll and it was really small. We were pretty surprised. Don't know if I'll go back. Also got the mochi and it was good but $5.50 for 2 tiny round pieces. Overpriced.
(3)
Katie W.

I used to love Coast, I had been a few times and dined in the restaurant and thought the rolls were great! However, last night a few girlfriends and I decided to order from Coast as it was nearby my friends new apartment. We ordered, received our food in a decent amount of time and then proceeded to open up the rolls and find that the spicy scallop roll was a blueish color. It did NOT look appetizing. My friend was brave enough to try one anyways--took one bite and looked a little sick. At that point, we noticed the spicy tuna looked a little strange too--just a little off, like it was fish possibly gone bad or too old. I tasted one of those and it did not taste good at all. We paid 80 dollars for 4 rolls and an entree--so, I would expect the sushi to be very good. I get that delivery might not be quite as fresh or great of an experience as eating in the restaurant--but we shouldn't be gagging over our sushi. We called the restaurant and asked them to refund our money for the 'bad' rolls only (everything else was fine). The woman that we talked to told us that we would need to bring the rolls back in. Really? We order sushi for a celebratory dinner and it tastes disgusting and we have to bring it back?? We asked if the delivery driver could come back and pick up the rolls and she said no. I get they are trying to cover their bases to make sure people don't just call up and complain and ask for money back even after eating the rolls--but we clearly didn't eat anything and offered to give the rolls back. Because we were so angry over this (and needed to get a new dinner anyways), we drove the rolls BACK to the restaurant. The woman at the desk went away for about 20 minutes, came back and grudgingly gave us our money back for those three rolls all the while acting like we did something wrong. I have a huge problem with this. It is not our fault that the sushi delivered to us was disgusting and inedible. At no point did we receive an apology or anything of the sort. Instead everyone that we encountered or talked to acted like WE had done something wrong. I definitely will not be returning to Coast again. There are too many other good sushi places in the city with much fresher fish, better prices and that do not treat customers in the way we were treated
(1)
Roger J.

Coast is excellent. This review incorporates an overall couples rating. We had a 6 pm reservation on a Saturday before heading to the theater. We were seated on time and the waiter we had was pleasant and very helpful with our selections. Nice ambiance, a little dark and romantic. We started with the Angry Salmon which was 4 pieces but very tasty. We really enjoyed our next two choices of the Firecracker (special) and the White Dragon (a house favorite). Both were fresh and had excellent taste. We finished with a Spicy Salmon which was average but good. The BYOB was nice and many ignored the suggested amounts. I don't like to go to too many places twice in a city with so many choices but this will be one to visit again.
(4)
Brooke A.

Since I am a recent Sushi convert, I am always up for trying new places. That's why I was especially excited for a girls' night starting at Coast. We had reservations for 7pm on a Friday night. We arrived in a few different waves. I was very shocked at how accommodating they were with getting us an add-on table just for more space. I was disappointed with the 1 bottle for every 2 people BYOB policy. In my experience, the more you drink the more you eat. But to each their own. We all ordered appetizers to share for the table, none of which stand out in my mind as wonderful. The asparagus and beef was disastrous when it come to logistics. There was no graceful way to share between more than a few people. The Tropical ceviche was missing something. Nothing was overly impressive. The maki rolls were better. Everyone ordered a roll to themselves and had a few more to share. The White Dragon roll was very good, unique. I also ordered a Philadelphia, but I've had better. The atmosphere was loud and a bit crowded. The decor is along the normal lines for a trendy sushi place. Throughout the night, we had a few communications of when our table needed to "vacate." When the reservation was made, it was 9pm. When they sat us down, they said it was 9:15pm. However, at exactly 9:00pm, we were asked to leave. It isn't like we had food still on the table or that our bill hadn't been paid, but a little please and thank you would have made the transition go more smoothly.. After all that said, I think that I will think twice before venturing here again.
(3)
Nicole B.

I was very pleased with my visit to Coast Sushi. BYOB with plenty of liquor stores on the way. Apps- get the scallops. Rolls- White Dragon and Maine. Can't go wrong here and don't forget to have Mochi!
(5)
Brian M.

I'd heard about Coast on several occasions from friends who raved about the place. I finally got a chance to check it out and while I wasn't 'blown-away' like several of my friends, it is worth dining at. Just be aware that it is BYOB. We ordered several yummy roles which didn't disappoint, but two things stick out about my experience here: seasonal roles (we had a fall themed pumpkin one...which was excellent!) and REAL wasabi. Do yourself a favor and spend the $2 to get the real wasabi experience.
(4)
Andy H.

Although it's possibly the best sushi I've had, the ambience is a bit stuffy and that's just not my style. Only reason it didn't get five stars is because it's not my type of atmosphere.
(4)
Travis D.

Ambiance was very nice. Food was excellent! Definately would reccomend this spot to any sushi lover!!
(5)
Tiffany N.

This is a fabulous place if you end up there with an ugly date---dim lighting my friends! Checked out Coast the other night with some friends and absolutely love that they are BYOB along with no corkage fee! Service was great and for as trendy as it was, it wasn't too terribly loud. My only gripes was the amount of sushi I got with the White Dragon Roll (which tasted absolutely amazing), it seemed like only a few pieces for 13 bones. But then again, I live in Charlotte where you get alot more bang for your buck. Other gripe-onesie bathrooms. I felt like they need one of this ticket dispensers they have at the deli counter there since the line got ridiculously long. Don't waste time circling around for parking--valet it for only $10!
(4)
Roxy A.

Went here this weekend bc I was craving sushi and realized it had been a while since I last dined at Coast. I must say my previous experience was much different! First off it was super hot & humid out and was surprised that there was no air conditioning in the restaurant. So blazing hot weather plus me being hungry turned into "hangry" girl status (hangry= hungry+angry). Our server was not particularly friendly and when I wanted to order the uni shooters, they were out of uni and she didn't make any recommendations for anything else since they were out. The "crunchy tempura" roll was not tempura..it was more like long john silver's fried shrimp rolled into a gigantic piece of rice. Also the white tuna and cucumber roll had a mushy consistency to it as if the sushi rice was old. I was pretty disappointed because I was really looking forward to eating here and really enjoyed the last times I had dined here. I appreciate the fact that they do take reservations unlike many other restaurants in the area & that its BYOB, but there are plenty of other sushi restaurants that I'd probably choose to go back to before I decide going back here.
(3)
David R.

Did I say that close conversation was possible? My mistake--it is loud as hell in here. "Not cacophonous"? No sir, it is indeed quite cacophonous. Or I am just getting older and crankier. Either way, do not expect to hear what your tablemates are saying, unless maybe you all smell like flowers and can lean in really close. This establishment is not nearly so mobbed on a Saturday night as it used to be, but the place was still full. Not sixty-minute-wait full, but very bustling well into the 9 o'clock hour. For a place of this size, they really should have multi-guest restrooms. Having just one single for each gender seems inconsiderate if not downright terroristic. But most importantly, I suppose, they still make pretty solid sushi of all kinds. Maybe just come to eat it at 5pm so that you can hear your friends talking, and can then leave in time to take your Metamucil and have your night-shirt on by 9pm.
(4)
K L.

I have mixed feelings on Coast - on one hand, it has my favorite maki roll (White Dragon) and is one of the nicer sushi restaurants. On the other hand, the staff isn't always the friendliest and I think that their BYOB policy (one bottle per couple) is a bit silly. I have sort of stopped actually going here to eat and instead order takeout or delivery. They have been pretty great delivery-wise - they haven't missed anything so far, and it has arrived fairly promptly. If it weren't for the White Dragon roll, I'm not sure that I would continue to eat at Coast. There are just so many other sushi options in Chicago and many of them without the somewhat limiting BYOB policy.
(3)
Jon S.

. This place has a nice atmosphere and the service was excellent but the sushi sushi is just mediocre and highly overrated is not a four star
(2)
Kathrin E.

The only sushi place I continue to come back to again and again and again and again. Fish is so fresh, and always consistent. Love!
(5)
Dragos S.

2nd time here. Went there on a Saturday with a party of 8 and we had to wait 30 min past our reservation time :(. We tried a bunch of specialty rolls and all were great. The white dragon was definitely the table favorite. Our server, Devon was very knowledgeable and fun.
(4)
Abby Z.

I've never before gone into an establishment with such high expectations and come out with such negative things to say. From the moment we walked in we knew it would be an odd experience, and I wish we'd listened to our gut - we should have turned around and walked out after the hostess tried to seat us at a table where others had not yet vacated ("oops sorry, they haven't left yet") but it only got worse from there. The douche vibe was off the charts. Fine, I can handle a little douche. But being surrounded by nothing but douches in my new neighborhood sushi spot was kind of getting me down. A few minutes after sitting down I needed to use the restroom - all those negronis at the Charleston, you know. So I head to the bathroom and the girl in front of me says the toilet is overflowing. Let me ask you a question, have you ever heard that saying "a restaurant is only as clean and well maintained as its bathroom..." ?!?! So the toilet in the female restroom is clogged, we already ordered our sushi and can't get out of this experience on account of the fact that I don't really trust their hygiene anymore, and whatever..... it is what it is, right? So us females capitalize on the mens bathroom (they were not pleased), since there is no other option, and I start wondering about the freshness of this fish, and that's about when I wish we had gone to our favorite sushi spot instead of this new neighborhood crapshoot. Back at the table, they offer no bottle opener for the beer, have no glasses for the beer (something about them all being dirty and lets wait a while and see if any clean ones come available?!?!), and at this point we realize we are surrounded by first dates. First dates who are all emphatically stating this is the hippest BYOB sushi spot in town and yadayadayada, and what the hell are we doing here in this douchey sushi hell hole?! Sushi arrives, yea its fine, nothing special, nothing too terrible, nothing too fresh tasting, a bit gluey tasting in the rice department. You can tell they fry the shrimp for the rolls hours in advance, thus rendering the roll limp and cold, sad and oily. The raw seafood is fine but fresh isn't the first word that comes to mind. We arrived at the start of this experience intending to linger over our drinks, as we would normally do at our favorite spot, but instead decide to bounce after a beer each and cut our losses. We pay the tab (at this point yet another first date match.com couple has been seated next to us) and we leave, asking ourselves what the hell just happened. The moral of this story is when you find a sushi spot you trust (fresh! friendly! they know us now!) and adore, never stray far off from what you know. The reward never outweighs the risk. At least, it didn't in the case of Coast.
(1)
Steven M.

Get the Po-boy roll! So good. I've been told it's the best thing on the menu and I believe it based on my experience. The place has a nice atmosphere too. Very modern Japanese look, dimly lit, relatively quiet when I went.
(4)
Lauren F.

Yelp came through for me as always and I'm happy to say that Coast Sushi Bar is the best sushi I've had in the city! The dark dining room and swanky decor is the perfect spot for an intimate date or a fun night out with friends. Add in BYO beer, wine, and sake? Can't get much better! We started with the Asparagus Beef....holy delicious teriyaki sauce! Just give me a bowl of rice and that sauce and I'll be happy! Next we ordered a few rolls: Nama jalapeno: A large piece of incredibly fresh salmon with fresh jalapenos-so simple, so good. Spicy Sweet Potato Tempura: Umm....who doesn't love sweet potato tempura?!? Po Boy: White fish tempura, unagi, cream cheese, masago, spicy sauce, scallion, avocado, tempura crumb, eel sauce. Huge! Delcious! White Dragon: The best!!! Shrimp tempura, wasabi tobiko, cream cheese, avocado, scallion, spicy sauce, wasabi dressing, eel sauce, tempura crumb
(5)
Lindsey A.

My girlfriend and I stumbled in here on a Monday evening at 7 p.m. and were immediately seated. Though the space was a little dark (it was, after all, a beautifully sunny Chicago summer day!), the inside felt inviting. Our waitress was super nice and easy to talk to. We ordered three rolls and it was the perfect amount for us - a dragon roll, a cream roll and a fresh philly. Usually we go the veggie maki route and over-order but this time we were smart with the three (dragon was easily the largest). With BYOB as an option, our bill came out to $15/per person - one of the most affordable nights in Chicago I've had in quite some time! This review just made me hungry.
(4)
Wayne H.

I have been going to Coast for years now. It's not only one of my favorite sushi spots, but also one of my favorite BYOB spots. I love the White Dragon roll. Best specialty roll I have had at any sushi place in Chicago. Another favorite of mine is the Fried Tofu appetizer. I especially like the garlic soy dressing it half comes with! I also always get the spicy miso. Such a simple dish, but they do it so well. Another simple item they do so well is their Negi-Hamachi roll. I love their Negi-Hamachi roll better than anyone else's, especially since they roll it with the seaweed on the inside of the rice. I also always get their Spicy Tuna roll as well. You really can't miss at Coast. If you still have room left I also sometimes get a couple of mochi balls for dessert.
(5)
Adam M.

Great place to meet with friends after work or to start you night out on the town. Dim lighting and very friendly/knowledgable staff. Creative and deliciousness menu choices. Highly recommend stating with the White Dragon Maki roll. So much flavor you'll want to order another.
(5)
Amelia V.

Coast, this is my goodbye letter to you. It's a very sad one. I was one of the match.com couples who came here on a (third) date. It was here that my now-boyfriend asked me to be in a relationship with him. It's a wonderful memory, not at all tainted by your better-than average (if cream-cheese and tempura heavy) rolls. But Coast, you lied to me. Your food is awesome. But, the third time we crossed your threshold was the first time we had a waitress actually fluent in English, a waitress who told me that your sushi rice has gluten in it (a fact that other waitress missed or neglected to tell me when I said "I'm Gluten Free"). So, goodbye, Coast. Fare thee well.
(3)
Shruti K.

I came here for dinner with friends on a Sat night. Was seated immediately. At first glance this restaurant is huge and has plenty of tables. The lighting is dim. We started off with some spicy miso soup (soy bean soup with tofu scallions and jalapeÃ±o) and Gyoza (pan fried shrimp and vegetable pot stickers). The soup was extremely delicious. I am glad i tried the spicy version, it added a nice kick to the soup. The jalapeÃ±os were not very spicy. Definitely tolerable. The soup was fresh and a great start to the meal. The Gyoza was good. The combination of shrimp and vegetables was great. They were perfectly pan friend and were not too greasy. We tried a couple of sushi rolls, all of them were tasty and very fresh. I was impressed with the quality of the food. The ones that we tried were: White Dragon: shrimp tempura, wasabi tobiko, cream cheese avicado, scallion spicy sauce, wasabi dressing, eel sauce, tempura crumb Scallops: scallop, avocado, masago, spicy mayo Spicy Tuna: tuna, scallion, spicy mayo One of the vegetarian rolls. The service was great, the food was good. The ambiance was OK, for a saturday evening it might be dull. This was probably not the best sushi I have eaten but definitely flavorful and good. I will visit it again if I am in the neighborhood.
(4)
Kristina N.

I haven't been here for awhile, because my girlfriend moved out of Bucktown. It used to be our favorite sushi place. Four starts because of the sushi chefs, and whoever makes the desserts! The rolls were beyond amazing. Then there comes service... my girlfriend took me for my birthday. We had about a 25 minute wait, but then all of these other guests kept getting seated before us. I am pretty sure they "don't" take reservations, for parties under 4, and then if you have to cancel there is a $15 cancellation fee ( FYI) so I was confused on how these parties of two were getting seated before us. We finally get seated and our waitress gets us new wine glasses ( fancy ones) We already knew we wanted two appetizers. But, she didn't even finish the specials... The appetizers came out about 35 minutes later... Edamame doesn't take that long, and the other app shouldn't have either. Then 2 minutes later all four of our sushi rolls come out... The tables are so small, our waitress just kept putting stuff and reaching in my bubble.. Defintiely not a fan of service that day... BYOB is fantastic... Sushi is super fresh and tastey! Service can be hit or miss!
(4)
Blaine T.

Finally I found my Chicago sushi place! Great romantic atmosphere. It's BYOB by the way. I got the coast crab roll (great) and the best miso soup that I've ever had...that's impressive considering it's just soup!
(4)
J K.

Always crowded, always worth it. Great servers and everyone is so nice. BYOB, perfect!
(5)
Stephen S.

Coast is a solid BYOB sushi bar. I felt it was straddling a line between cost and quality in that it's a little too expensive for being not quite good enough. Most places, this wouldn't bother me as much, as I feel it's nice to be able to have food options at different price points. Sushi, however, is one of those things that either I want it to be fantastic and pay the price that comes with it or for it to be a great value just to hit my craving. As Chicago offers tons of options on both sides of this divide, it doesn't help Coast to fall right on that line. The BYO helps, don't get me wrong, but lots of sushi places go in this direction as well.
(3)
Vivian T.

This is my favorite sushi spot in the city. I haven't found anything remotely close to its consistent quality since I've moved from Chicago... I used to live 3 blocks away, so I used to come here all the time for takeout with the roomies (and for myself) or to dine at the sushi bar with a bottle of wine. I almost always sat at the sushi bar, and I frequented this place so much that the sushi chefs would recognize and greet me every time I sat down. Waits can be long, especially on typical date nights, and takeout takes 20 minutes. There's a liquor store at the corner of Armitage that comes in quite handy. Anyway, it's all good food there - the no-nonsense scallop roll is my favorite and both dragon rolls are delicious. The sushi & sashimi dinners are also awesome - fresh and tasty.
(5)
Erika M.

This place is just ok... I am almost torn to give it 2 stars since "meh" comes to mind when thinking about my experience... but am going for 3 since I found the fish to be pretty fresh. The sushi here is good but it is nothing special.. There are better places in the area to go to that are also byob. I am not sure how this place has such rave reviews when everything was just mediocre, including the service. Our miso soup came out right away and then we waited a very long time for the rolls to arrive. The nigiri we ordered was fresh, however, the rolls were pretty lacking.. Out of the 4 we ordered, only one was somewhat memorable, which was the White Dragon Roll. The other rolls just seemed to be lacking a little in flavor.. Nothing was bad about them, there was just nothing all that special. I liked that this place is BYOB and that the fish they used did seem to be very fresh, but I don't think I will go out of my way to come back. I would recommend this place if you are looking for fresh nigiri or are looking for a more trendy atmosphere than some of the other sushi places nearby.
(3)
Bri A.

I think I've found a new favorite sushi place! Service was excellent and the food was amazing. I came here with a group of 10 for a friend's birthday party on a Saturday. One friend was familiar with the menu and ordered a bunch of appetizers and rolls for the group, so we were able to try a little of everything. The asparagus beef, jalapeno miso soup and scallops were my favorite apps. I think the scallops had a garlic/butter/spinach sauce...whatever it was was so good! I didn't want to share. As for the rolls, I don't remember exactly what we had but they were all delicious. I am already wanting to come back and try more. This place is also BYOB and they will let you drink in the waiting area which is cool. Most places won't let you drink while waiting which is lame!
(4)
Mironda R.

This place was excellent and I'm a fan -- oh wait, that's what 4 stars means, right? I went with a Coast-extraordinaire and she told us what's good and how we can order special rolls not necessarily listed on the menu. Bonus: The waiter actually knew the menu and could tell you anything you wanted to know and offer up some tasty recommendations. I had the jalapeno miso soup, sunny side shitake (which was surprisingly tasty), a few of the posted rolls/non-rolls (including the sliders? I think). It's unfortunate I cannot remember what I had. If I find the receipt, I'll update. Let's just say presentation, freshness, service, price, and BYOB is all pretty fab!
(4)
Michelle B.

BYOB. No corkage fee. Relaxed, beautiful ambiance and a very nice staff. We got 4 basic rolls: tune, salmon, eel and shrimp tempura. The eel was really delicious, the salmon was fresh and the shrimp was flavorful and crisp. Basic, nice and clean. The homemade wasabi was incredible! The tuna roll was made with minced tuna (the kind typically used in spicy tuna rolls). It's fresh but too soft and not too flavorful.
(4)
Kathleen M.

Whats the point of having a reservation where you still have to wait for your table!!! The food and service was ok. The place was way too small.
(3)
Basak D.

Good food, timely delivery service, forgot chopsticks and soy sauce but luckily I had my own.
(4)
Mike R.

I am a massive fan of sushi, and by massive I mean sometimes eating it 3 times a week for lunch. Coast is in fact a favorite of mine for sushi in the city. They have a great ambiance and the prices for the sushi aren't so bad. The place features many, many rolls most of which aren't truly traditional Japanese, but still good. Their Dragon Roll was quite good, and their nigiri is great and fresh. They have some "wasabi from Japan" option for a few dollars extra on the menu, but to me it tasted exactly like fake wasabi FYI. Also FWIW, I had balls enough to take a girl from Japan here once and she approved.
(4)
Amanda Z.

Best sushi in Chicago hands down. They are by far and away the best rolls and have very large amounts of fish in them. Every where else gives so much rice and a tiny bit of fish, and COAST completely outdoes themselves. Best place in the city and I cant wait to eat there once a week since I moved to Wicker Park!
(5)
Patrick W.

It's a fun, reasonably priced BYOB sushi restaurant with better than average sushi. Did I mention it's BYOB? They take reservations, but plan about a week in advance for a mid-evening time. Service is sometimes a bit slow when they are busy, but whatever, don't go there if you're in a rush. Overall, it's never let me down. Oh ya, and it's BYOB with no corkage fee.
(4)
Seth F.

It's a sushi joint, what do you want me to say? They have different types of fish wrapped in rice and seaweed. There's a reason nearly every sushi restaurant on yelp has a 4 star rating. I equate the act of eating sushi to going to a steak house and ordering a ribeye, a filet and a strip. Sure those three steaks taste different, but I don't think the difference is pronounced enough to make eating those three steaks, and nothing else, all that enjoyable of a meal. Coast epitomizes this theory I have of sushi. They literally can't do anything any better with the sushi they have and they don't offer innovative choices, so I have no reason to eat here over any other sushi restaurant.
(3)
Nicholas F.

Awesome atmosphere and really good sushi. Rolls were both unique and quite tasty. FYI the place is BYOB (which to me is a huge pain but seems to be a common trend in Chicago).
(5)
Grace M.

Stopped in for a late lunch after soaking up some sun on North Avenue Beach. Walked right in and sat as it was off-hours. I wont lie, I was a little skeptical try to sushi in Chicago. From a girl living in California, its pretty hard to top fresh California fish. I was pleasantly surprised! I ordered the White Dragon Roll per fellow-yelpers advice (thanks yelp-fam!). Really liked this roll, great flavor w/ a nice little crunch. Yuum. I also ordered a seaweed salad and thoroughly enjoyed it. The light dressing on the salad had a perfect taste. If you are in Bucktown, I recommend this spot for a good roll.
(4)
Bianca C.

Introduced by a friend; said it was amazing! The sushi was really good esp. The white dragon! The spicy tuna needs to be more spicy. The volcano seemed more of a spicy tuna minus the tempura crunches. Fish was fresh, seaweed salad was the bomb! Best I've ever had. the tuna tare tare was ok had better. Cute restaurant very romantic and staff was nice. Will recommend and definitely will go back!
(4)
Louise P.

Mediocre sushi and service. Went for lunch with 3 friends on a Saturday. Despite there being not too many people in the restaurant, we were seated at a less-than-ideal table in the farthest corner of the room, right next to a drafty door on a 30-degree day. Not cool, so cold. I was not particularly impressed by their rolls.
(2)
Anitha R.

Just moved from San Francisco and was looking for some good sushi. Coast was amazing and we loved the tuna on top roll. Definitely fresh taste and ambiance inside was nice too! Byob feature was also added bonus.
(5)
Fi Fi R.

1ST time at the Coast Sushi Bar. I gotta say... I love BYOB places, especially the ones that do not charge for the corking fee. We brought some wine and the server was very attentive about keeping the bottles open. The rolls were wonderful. Everything we ordered was FANTASTIC!!!! Sushi is one of my favorite foods and I have been to many different places; and consider myself picky when it comes to good sushi. This place has GREAT sushi. Usually, it is very hard to find a sushi restaurant who serves white or extra white tuna and they do!!!! I am SO HAPPY!!!! Coast Sushi Bar, thank you for contributing to a wonderful girls' night out! We will be back soon!!!!
(5)
Becky P.

Good service, pretty good sushi for Chicago. They don't add a ton of extra sauces to the sushi to cover up the fish, so I appreciate that. Love that it's BYOB and that there's a discount for paying with cash.
(4)
Benjamin H.

One of the sushi joints that Chicago has to offer - in my humble opinion. This place gets packed nearly 7 days a week, and I can see why. My only gripe are the chairs that aren't very supportive of my booty, but I can look past that for their super white tuna - unreal. My tip is to order the pumpkin roll, but ask for the pumpkin to be grilled and not deep fried - Boom, perfection.
(5)
Yen D.

Loved it! Fish was fresh, server was frazzled and very busy but nice, and the rest of the food was great. I tried calling at 11 am to make a reservation but they don't open until noon- I called a few hours later for a reservation for four and the two times available were 6:30 and 9:15- this place gets packed early! So keep that in mind. There were lots of couples and a few large parties (single gender... both a large guys' group and a big girls' group were there). It's BYOB with a random limit: 1 6 pack of beer or 1 bottle of wine per 2 people. They bring you glasses and will serve you, and they also have ice buckets if you want to chill your stuff. Food: we started with the soft shell crab, uni shooters, and tuna tartare. I love uni but I wasn't a fan of the shooters: too much stuff going on (too much vinegar) that didn't really make the uni better (quail egg? It's so creamy but that makes the uni seem less so). The soft shell crab was quite tasty; comes with two so it's a little hard to split, and the tuna tartare is fresh and yummy. The wakame (seaweed salad) is also quite tasty and a good way to start your meal. Then we split a ton of rolls. We definitely got the White Dragon Roll because of yelp and it was a fun choice: crunchy, with a tiny bit of spicy with a wasabi mayo-y sauce on top, and that sweet/salty shrimp tempura inside. Also loved the Sunset roll, which was tuna, mint, and wrapped in mango: simple and lovely. Wish we'd gotten more nigiri: the hamachi was succulent and fresh. Then there was the octopus, spicy tuna, ceviche, nightly special (jalapeno, salmon, superwhite tuna), and maybe a few more. Finished off our feast with mochi! They have the most flavors of ice cream mochi I've seen anywhere. One order comes with two, each beautiful little ice cream/rice ball split in half so for easy sharing. We had the passionfruit, sakura, chocolate mint, and tiramisu: loved them except for the chocolate mint. I feel like chocolate and mochi don't go well together. Total was $200 for four people, and they didn't rush us despite how busy and crowded it was. Definitely will come back again.
(5)
Michelle M.

Let me start by saying, I am allergic to fish and shellfish. I have gone to sushi places with friends and ordered other food, usually veggie tempura. Coast has an offering of veggie maki, so I ate my first ever sushi roll at 27 years old! The sweet potato tempura maki was amazing! I dream of eating more! The place was pretty packed for a Thursday night, but we got a seat at the sushi bar. The service was good. I also had the spicy miso soup and the asparagus wrapped in beef appetizer (I often order this at sushi restaurants when my choices are limited). I will definitely be back to eat more veggie maki and other treats. I also love a good BYO!
(5)
Melissa P.

One of my favorite places for sushi in Chicago. BYO + no corkage fee! Sushi is always fresh. Great maki and specialty rolls. Apps are great too! Servers are well versed and can help you order if you need to. Menu is super reasonably priced. Good vibes inside. Free street parking and close to Blue Line. Love it. I've been 4+ times and will be back!
(5)
Beth M.

Love it! best sushi in the city!!!
(5)
Dusie H.

I'm on the fence about Coast. My boyfriend and I went there for his birthday tonight. Pros: -the sushi is delicious, and this might be the most important factor. -we also had a very knowledgable and engaging server. Cons: -on the phone, and on the menu, they say their BYOB policy is 1 bottle of wine allowed per couple. Well, both of the tables next to us went beyond the 1 bottle allotment, while we sat there wishing we could have brought a white for me and a red for him. Not a good policy. -perhaps this is minor, but I also made sure to mention when I made the reservation that we were celebrating a birthday, and they said they would do something. Yet, they did nothing about it. That was disappointing. Getting this kind of thing right makes a big difference customer service-wise. So, overall, I like the restaurant, but I also expect more from Coast than I got.
(3)
Brian W.

Awesome place, best I have had for sushi in Chicago. Great atmosphere although the side room is quite noisy compared to the main dining area. Listen to the specials, had the firecracker was amazing, quite possibly as good or better than the White Dragon which is the best roll I have ever had,
(5)
Sara K.

hamachi carpaccio... hamachi carpaccio.. hamachi carpaccio..!!! I sit down and agressively order it before Our server can greet us. I guess you can say I am a nut for this dish. Aside from this sweet dish from heaven the fish is always fresh and the service is always superb. BYO you say? Okayyy I will try not to complain. Not many places serve Spicy Miso, but they sure do. Never been less than pleased with a roll, large selection but they don't over do it.. (There is nothing worse than spending an hour debating over 12 rolls that are completely alike with the exception of 1 ingredient) Do yourself a favor and order dessert! The hazelnut coated chocolate cake served with ice cream and strawberries is a great way to leave any date of yours wanting more ;)
(5)
Naomi L.

Didn't know i loved sushi until I ate here. The restaurant is beautiful! I love the way its designed and it just gives you that nice intimate feel. Their BYOB is perfect because i had the perfect wine with my sushi. Staff is so so. They could be a little more friendly and our waitress only checked in with us once! The sushi is still amazing
(4)
Gwen D.

I'm still waiting to find a sushi spot that's set apart from all the others. I was excited to try Coast, which came recommended to me by a co-worker, but unfortunately I still haven't found The One. I met a friend for an early dinner on a Friday night; we ordered the Po Boy signature roll (white fish tempura, unagi, cream cheese, masago, spicy sauce, scallion, avocado, tempura crumb, eel sauce) and the Una Avo maki roll (fresh water eel, avocado, eel sauce), as well as a small plate of pot stickers. Although the sushi was good enough to finish, I didn't remember much about either roll, oh, five minutes after we left. (I don't have much to say about the pot stickers, either.) I'd go to Coast again if I had a craving for sushi while in the area, but I wouldn't make a special trip.
(3)
Ashley S.

Just moved into the neighborhood, first time here and had a great time with my boyfriend tried different things that I would normally not get, very reasonable for two... Can't wait to come back!!!!
(4)
Maria L.

Came on a Tuesday night and was surprised the place was packed....must be the BYOB thing. Also no corkage fee, woohoo. We ordered three fun signature rolls and 3 regular rolls. They were all pretty flavorful and fresh. I liked the White Dragon roll the best. Prices are pretty standard Chicago sushi prices. I think what I like best about this place is the ambiance. Its dimly lit but perfect for a date night or night out with the galz. Parking: there is free street parking but might be scarce depending on what time you go
(4)
Steve O.

Much better this year then last. We were way away from the front door. The food was excellent and service was great. Food took a lil long to come but that was ok as we were enjoying the wine and saki we brought.
(5)
Maryam H.

Dragon roll was superb! The rest of my rolls were not special in taste, but fresh and well made. The only negative point: pieces are small in size!
(4)
laurence h.

After coming to coast weekly since it opened I have decided I will no longer return. Although it has become very popular with the local yuppies and has doubled in size, the quality of the sashimi & the size of the cuts of sashimi have really gone down, especially in the last few months. Hey if you're busy I guess it's hard not to think you can get away with it. The management is now condescending & officious, they are ruining the place. I wish it could go back to the way it used to be, intimate, with the owner behind the counter cutting nice pieces of sashimi and no need for a snooty manageress.
(1)
Andres D.

Thanks to my fellow yelper Jelena Z for suggesting this fabulous place. We were celebrating a pal's birthday and only had a party of 3 around 6pm. Plenty of tables available at that time however by 7pm this place was jumping. I love the BYOB factor since I know my dining bill won't be outrages. Our server was great and loved my craft beer selection of PranQster and Delirium in my bright red cooler. I started off the evening with a bowl of Miso soup, just the right amount of scallions too. It was delicious! Then the fun started with 3 orders of the Po'Boy Maki signature dish, followed by White Dragon, Unagi, White Tuna and Spicy Crunchy Tuna. I know I am missing a few, must be still in a sushi coma. Our tab was fairly reasonable and server was knowledgeable. Whether you are bromancing with the fellas or getting your swag on with a lovely gal, Coast Sushi Bar is a perfect choice.
(4)
J B.

Meh. Boring waiter. Boring sushi. Very very over priced. Nothing worth really going back for. I wish being a server wouldn't guilt me into always tipping well. He didn't do anything wrong..... It's just that a robot would have been more personable. I came here with my 11 year old, and you would think he would have at least talked to her a bit. Nope. She had the Ramen, as well as sushi, and the Ramen noodles tasted like they were not cooked. They tasted like old flour. Oh well...I won't go back, but I am sure they do not care.
(2)
Rachel V.

Alright, I know I review a lot of sushi places, but this one takes the cake. BEST sushi I've had in a long time!! I have to agree with all of the reviews that claim the White Dragon roll is a must order. Pretty sure I'm going to dream about it. The other highlight of our meal was the outstanding crab cake appetizer - not too crabby, not too messy. Service is really great here. Our waiter was knowledgeable and friendly and made great recommendations for us first-timers. I was surprised by how crowded (although it's warranted!) Coast was on a weeknight so I'd recommend making a reservation on any night of the week.
(5)
Kelly C.

No reservations and BYOB. I usually come a little early, check in with the hostess and give them my phone number so I can head across the street to this little french spot. Sorry I can't remember the name. They have a bar with about six seats. I'll have a glass of wine sometimes even the small cheese plate before heading back for dinner. Coast knows food. The Spicy Miso Soup is to die for. My mouth is watering right now thinking about it. The rolls are fun and beautifully prepared but I'm more a Nigiri person. Whatever you order you will enjoy the freshest of ingredients.
(5)
Niki K.

My real first time eating sushi. I was a little standoffish as to what I should try but they def helped me out by helping me choose my starter sushi. The spider rolls are delicious! Appetizers were very pleasing as well as the service. Def a repeat custy here
(4)
Eric F.

The service and atmosphere here were both very good, but the sushi itself left much to be desired unfortunately. None of the fish was particularly fresh and the sushi rice was dry and bland. Even the Uni couldn't compare to others I've had in the past. Too bad.
(3)
Jackie F.

I do love coast and am partial since it is so close to where I live. Love their white dragon roll, po boy, and tuna on top special was also awesome. Beef tip asparagus are always good and spicy miso soup. BYOB and you can bring more than 1 bottle of wine for 2 people if you have 1 red and 1 white
(4)
Noor B.

Believe it or not, this was our first time at Coast. Happy to report it definitely lived up to the hype. Devin was our server and was an absolute gem. Chock full of great recommendations and he didn't act at all like he'd done this a million times. To start we had the Hamachi Carpaccio, the Angry Salmon, seaweed salad and spicy miso soup. The carpaccio was simply fish on a plate with sliced jalapeno, drizzled with lemon juice- it was very fresh and a great starter. The angry salmon was fantastic- one of my favorites. It was light and fluffy with the consistency of a cloud. The seaweed salad was very traditional, but also tasty. The spicy miso soup was also relatively traditional, but served in a mug vs. with a spoon. We followed up our starter order with the White Dragon- a house specialty, the rainbow and the spooky Maki. The White Dragon was very rich- almost like a dessert. The rainbow was pretty classic but very, very fresh. Lastly, the Spooky Maki was absolutely divine. The roasted corn made the dish. Overall, I was super impressed. I cannot wait to go back! Also, I must add, it was BYOB!
(4)
Bella D.

Great date place but I'm not too crazy about the maki creations. Prices are moderate, and decor is nice and hip romantic. Definitely check it out, great for large groups. Byob.
(3)
L H.

I've eaten a lot of sushi in Chicago and have never before been served sashimi with a scale in it before eating at Coast. The scale was in the $8 fatty tuna sashimi, which is one of our favorite cuts of fish. Beyond the fact that the majority of the maki was simply underwhelming, the scale and a lack of concern about it from our server makes me wonder what all the rave reviews are about. In the end, they took the 8 bucks off our tab, but that didn't really do much to ease the dissatisfaction of our dining experience. Coast is not a restaurant that I would recommend or return to.
(1)
Richard H.

Not my favorite sushi in the city. We ordered 3 specialty rolls as recommended by the waiter. One -- the white dragon -- had a great flavor and I'd recommend. The others -- volcano and coast crab -- were not bad, but I would not order again. Also, my water glass was empty for most of the meal. There are some nice things to say: * the ceviche was excellent! * it's byob! * we were seated immediately at the bar on a Friday night * miso soup and salad w/ ginger dressing were good It is possible that I'd enjoy other sushi on the menu. Alas, I doubt that I'll ever return.
(2)
Serena T.

Highlight of the evening was the Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll (CSTR) - OMG! It was so good. We also got the dragon roll and while it was good, it didn't even compare to the CSTR. The volcano sushi was good, not too impressed with the sunrise, but everything was really fresh. And don't get me wrong all the food was great, but when you have a standout dish like the the CSTR then it's hard not to depend on the theory of relativity. We had the spicy miso to start with and then edamame - yum, yum, yum! We ended with the mango and lychee sorbet. The lychee was my favorite. By the end of the night we were comfortably satisfied without being sickly full. Thank you Coast for another wonderful meal!
(5)
Stani S.

I've been there million times . Fun place / nice vibe . Great customer service. Enjoying being there with my friends drinking wine . Amazing quality sushi . thank you
(5)
Patrycja S.

One of the best sushi places Chicago. Their white dragon roll is amazing.
(4)
Lola S.

Seriously? 3 stars people? This is the mother of all sushi places. I've been to Tokyo, and had sushi there almost every day and coast is ten times better! I go there at least 2 a week when I'm in town and it is marvelous. Yea, some of the waiters need to work on their communication skills, but I'll still give it 5 stars due to the fact that their fish is ALWAYS fresh. Amazing food! :)
(5)
Adam G.

Lovely restaurant and great place to go with friends, especially since it's BYOB. Tons of good stuff to get in addition to the sushi... the crab cakes in particular as well as the asparagus (spelling?) beef are delicious appetizers. They also have a spicy Miso soup which I found to be rather original and amazing. Their noodle dishes are the bomb too. Very reasonably priced and Good service. Great restaurant.
(4)
Amanda F.

Delicious dragon roll or not, don't give me attitude Coast because I've got my own. BYOB Sushi spots should understand that large groups of loud, picky-eating, females looking to get crunked on a budget aka Bachelorette parties are their best customers.Coast was a bit unfriendly to our group of seven and we were actually asked to vacate the table at exactly 9pm. Don't bother asking politely for silverware unless you want to be made to feel like an uncultured simpleton. I'm also not a fan of the one bottle per two people policy (there needs to be a policy?) However, the staff did accommodate my friend's request to make her rolls mild, and they seemed to know the menu very well. The rolls were all great, but the appetizers didn't meet my expectations. The appetizers all seemed to lack the pizazz that the menu described. The Gyoza and Shumai were pretty standard. The asparagus beef was rather bland and nearly impossible to manage as a shared plate (maneuvering rice, sauce, and beef wrapped asparagus with chopsticks was tough). The Tropical ceviche needed some zing. The maki rolls were much better than the appetizers. I really enjoyed my Spicy Crunchy Tuna and there wasn't too much spicy mayo. The White dragon roll was very flavorful and my favorite of the night. The Sweet potato tempura roll was also a highlight. The Tuna on Top had a lot going on, but at $15 the roll wasn't that special. I didn't try the Summer special roll, but others seemed to enjoy it. Coast does have a very nice decor and would be good for a date. I still had a great night with the girls, but I think Kyoto Sushi's Sushi boats, $1 cheaper rolls, huge menu, and super-friendly waiters is better for groups.
(3)
Christy L.

Ate here last night with a date. Things I like about Coast: its location, BYOB, and the service. Thinks I dislike about Coast: the fish isn't the freshest and the rolls aren't all that original. If you sit next to a group of 6 screaming drunk girls, you can't hear the waitress or your date.
(2)
Stephanie L.

Coast...you are losing your luster with your cheap electric candles that they turn on when you sit at the table. I think Coast is good....do I think Coast is any better than other cheaper BYOB places...not really. Out of smoked salmon on a Sunday night at 7PM?? HUH? No Toro either??? I thought this place was supposed to be the upscale BYOB to all of the other evil step sister places...guess not.
(3)
Kathleen M.

Coast is very good! I made a reservation the night before for 8:30 and we were seated right away when we arrived (a party of two.) The waiter took about 5-10 minutes to bring over wine glasses and to say hello but I'm sure that's only because it was 8:30 on a Saturday night. We ordered the jalapeÃ±o miso soup and it was the most delicious miso soup I've ever had! I hadn't eaten much that day so I decided to get two speciality rolls, the coast roll and white dragon roll. The white dragon was awesome! Truly fresh sushi. Rolls were on the smaller side and two rolls were just enough food for a hungry person. Bill was $54 for two rolls and an entree plus soup. It was fun but there are other places in town that give you more for your money.
(4)
Jacob G.

Gets packed with the post-post-grad set on Friday nights. Fresh sushi and an army of young sushi chefs that look like pretty cool dudes.
(4)
Jessica G.

My friends and I came here at about 6 30 on a Saturday night and were seated immediately. Yes, we may have just gotten lucky because we came so early but still, it was nice to be seated so quickly. Our waiter was very friendly and was very knowledgeable when it came to the differnt kinds of sushi. We ordered rather quickly but it was difficult waiting because we were seated right by the kitchen, so we kept seeing other people's food coming out! It took a little longer than expected for a few sushi rolls to come out, maybe 40 minutes. That ticked me off a little bit, the place wasn't even that crowded. The sushi was absolutely DELICIOUS. Besides eating something I was allergic to (totally my fault, it was clearly marked on the menu), it was a yummy evening. Besides the rather slow service, Id come back here. Imaginative sushi at a decent price in Chicago, can you beat that?
(4)
Leilo P.

Where to go for Sushi lovers that is also BYOB? There are too many options too count, but if you're in Bucktown/Wicker Park you CANNOT go anywhere else. The sushi is amazing and there are a lot of options for rolls. They're maki rolls are tight and small so you can actually stuff them in your mouth. The rolls are priced from $5 - $15 and I promise they are all made with care and quality no matter the price. Their rolls are standard so if you're new to sushi they will not intimidate you. They have one of the yummiest spicy mayos in any sushi place, random fact, but I love spicy mayo. This is definitely a place that is always packed which is telling of how good the food is! I love coming here with my friends and catching up on events, HOWEVER they do have a two bottle limit...
(4)
Maureen S.

You should not be touting your place as having gluten free sushi when your sushi rice is made in non-distilled vinegar, which contains gluten. If you were to switch to distilled vinegar or non-grain vinegar that does not contain gluten, then your servers won't have to tell customers that they may get sick if they are sensitive to a "little bit of gluten". The littlest bit can hurt those of us with gluten intolerance and/or celiac disease.
(1)
Jonathan E.

I don't agree with the four star review that coast has. It's definitely just A-ok for many reasons. I do enjoy it's close location to me, but for better sushi I'd be willing to go to others places further away. Now don't get me wrong, the sushi was good, but not out of this world. We had the Po' Boy ($15 bucks, 8+ pieces) and the White Dragon ($13 bucks). Being the most expensive rolls on the maki menu I was surprised how meh they were. In fact, the Po' Boy could of been prepared better as it fell completely apart upon snatching it up with my chop sticks and left me fishing for tasty morsels in my soy sauce. We did order 3 other rolls but I can't even begin to remember what they were. We were a party of four that ordered 5 rolls, edamame, and someone got a hot green tea. With the no corkage fee our bill was very reasonable at $65 bucks. I do have to say that this was the first restaurant that I've showed up to at our reserved time and was immediately taken to our table when there were at least 15 people sitting and waiting for a table. I thought that was pretty cool to see the "reservation" was actually treated as such. We appreciated this very much! As for the service, it was mediocre. Our waitress was nice but had more of a "meh" attitude. May be she was has an off night.
(3)
Barbara H.

We went here for my birthday dinner, just a small group of 6, and made a reservation well in advance. Unfortunately that didn't seem to mean much as we still had to wait almost an hour past our reservation time to be seated. Once we were seated and got our food we were ok, it was all very good but expensive for the portions we were given. The fresh toro sashimi appetizer was 4 pieces of paper thin tuna and $25! I don't mind paying if I am getting something substantial but we all left hungry after a couple rolls and an appetizer each. The rolls we had were very good, just smaller than we usually get from other sushi places. So while the food was good, the long wait and small portions will probably keep me from returning. There are plenty of other sushi places in the area that are cheaper and easier to get into that still have high quality fish.
(3)
Jelena Z.

Really? 4+ years in Chicago and just now I make it to Coast. It wasn't difficult snagging a table - then again, most people were still stuck after Snowpacolypse 2011 blew through. It was also 10pm on a Thursday night... but there's something so chic about going for late-night sushi! Reminds me of time I've spent in NYC. As others mention, the rolls are divine and the service is so-so. Our server tried whisking away my sparkling clementine juice with still a quarter remaining in the glass. Not so fast! Gotta haves: - Oysters - White Dragon and Po' Boy maki - Clementine or blood orange sparkling juice - Mango, passionfruit and raspberry white chocolate mochi Don't forget to bring your wine, as Coast is BYO! And for you procrastinators, there's a 7-11 across the street with very bad wine marked up sky high.
(4)
Heather M.

Not bad. Great seaweed salad, pretty good shrimp gyoza, really good rolls (spicy scallop, spicy crunchy tuna) and BYOB. Not sure what else you could ask for. Extra star because they have o-toro, which I absolutely love, and have a hard time finding in Chicago. It was sliced well and it tasted fresh. We ordered plenty of food and got out of there for like $30. Awesome. I will definitely be back.
(4)
Alex D.

Just down the street from me,I have been going here for many years. Very good sushi, strong service, and reasonable prices especially if you BYOB. Sushi itself Not as good as Mirai but the value makes up for it. Definitely be ready to wait on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night. Good date place and they take larger parties with some notice. Delivery takes a while, usually just over an hour but takeout is 25 min even on a busy night!
(4)
Allen B.

Great sushi joint I have to say. An ex of mine introduced me to this place and since then, it's been one of my top places to get some quality sushi. ....And not to mention a great place to take a date, well actually more than a couple dates. =/ My favorites: Volcano, Sunrise, Coast Crab and Maine Maki signature dishes. And also the fact that its BYOB. Off the chain folks. Off. The. Chain.
(4)
Evan Thoreau H.

Really? Reeeeally? I've really never written a review of coast. Yikes. Been coming here for over five years for any special occasion I can dream up. Mostly because Coast takes sushi beyond the level you expect out of any casual-style sushi joint on the block... or the entire city. I'm not going to take any time talking about what makes sushi good. Let's put it this way, if it's not fresh, clean and tasty, we're probably not Yelping about it. So let's get straight to what makes Coast different. First, the quality is superb--that's not really a difference maker, it's just something to know. Second, don't mess around with the menu. Ask about the specials and just say 'yes, please... yes, all of them. Yes, yes, all of them, thanks.' If you want the standard spicy tuna and spider rolls, come on in. If you want innovative specials and cool rolls that will blow your mind and your taste buds, welcome home. Add BYOB and a tight atmosphere (even in far-over-uber-hyped Buck/Wick), and I hope you wash up on this coast.
(4)
Kathryn M.

What happened to my favorite sushi bar? BUMMER. I was Coast's biggest promoter until I had one of the most mediocre culinary experiences since I last had the misfortune of eating in lincoln park. Sashimi (aside from hamachi carpaccio) was garbage. Spicy Miso wasnt spicy. Volcano roll appeared to be the same and upon tasting it seemed like it had been frozen and made several days ago. in fact, it was so disappointing at that moment that we stopped ordering food and decided to go to another restaurant for the remainder of our meal. Genuinely sad that my favorite sushi spot in Chicago is no longer I place I will frequent. Hoping change comes soon and we can go back and feel good about paying the high prices they charge!
(1)
Kevin C.

Busy place on a weeknight so I would recommend making reservations. I mean it was packed on a Wednesday night and that should tell you something about a place. Overall the food was great and the prices matched. Our server was non-obtrusive and very knowledgeable on the cuisine. Although the one thing that peeved me was the specials blurb that seemed to last about 5 minutes and then I didn't really remember anything he had said. I think having them printed out would be nice but then again I don't run a restaurant. We started out with sesame crusted scallops and the wasabi shumai for appetizers. Looking back I would have went with the scallop teriyaki instead because the sesame seeds were kind of a distraction. They were just gritty in the mouth and provided no flavor (and then worry about black seeds stuck in your teeth). So of course we got the White Dragon and Po' Boy maki. That was pretty much decided before we got there. As my lady friend has been here several times. I would certainly recommend ending the meal with mochi. A cheap bottle of wine and a 60 dollar tab made for a nice evening out with some superior sushi.
(4)
Kathleen C.

Coast....you have disappointed me. I literally had been craving Coast for weeks...and weeks! I visited recently and was disappointed. My normal favorites seemed to lack flavor. Actually none of the rolls were as good as usual. The fish still seemed fresh...and the rolls looked as usual, but something was off. All at my table agreed....not as good as usual. I'm not sure what the issue was that night, but it's going to make me re-think my love for Coast...I'm not even sure I should be giving Coast 4 stars.... Disappointed.... p.s. service was marginal this time as well.
(4)
Nic N.

LOVE the fact that... - Coast is BYOB, perfect for sushi because that's where half of the money goes when eating sushi with friends...well that's if you drink like we do. - The lighting is so dim, like 'film noir' dim...careful if you are on your first date...but could be good for a blind date I suppose (ha, that's terrible...but true). - Open til 12a! REALLY like that fact. I can tend to eat late...like a Spaniard, but with out the handsome black hair and sexy accent. We ordered... Hamachi Carpaccio Spicy Scallop Miso soap Spider Roll Sunny side shitaki ...and after that I lost count. All of it was appetizing and the presentation is slick. Coast has consistently offered a good experience and I will definitely find myself on its dark shores again.
(4)
Audre L.

This place has a NY vibe to me, probably because it's always busy. Food is good, maybe a bit pricey but not super expensive.
(4)
Mahsa T.

Love that this place is BYOB. My dining companion and I shared some great edamame and a few rolls. The spicy tuna roll (with avocado, cucumber, and tempura crumb) and the smoked salmon roll (with avocado and cream cheese) were my favorites. Loved the dark romantic atmosphere. Service was just right. Be sure to make reservations.
(4)
Elina S.

Absolutely amazingggg sushi! Could not have been happier to go here for a chill girls night out. The white dragon roll was phenomenal, in fact I'm still dreaming about it and cannot wait to go back there and just order like 10 white dragons lol it is THATTT good, i can't even describe the crunchy, shrimp, cream cheese, avocado and some other magic ingredients that made it remarkable. The salmon rolls were also really good, fresh ingredients, you can tell that this restaurant is all about quality and I think it is reasonably priced as well. The atmosphere is dark, romantic, good for a date night or girls night out, very chill. The best part is that it is byob with no corkage fee, i mean does it get better than that? They should seriously open up another coast and call it north coast or something in the northshore burbs. I would be a regular. Cannot wait to come back again!!
(5)
Katie R.

Went here last night for my anniversary with my husband - It was delicious! Definitely get the White Dragon Roll - It was the bomb dot com. Service was excellent, food was great, ambiance was romantic, and I would definitely go again!
(4)
Ryan W.

This place was tits from what I remembered. Bring your own alcohol but yet they have a mini liquor store right before you walk in there, awesome. It might be a little pricey to some but the food there was phenomenal I need to go back there again asap
(5)
Katie S.

Probably the best BYOB sushi place I've been to in Chicago. Definitely do not miss the jalapeno miso soup - comes in a coffee mug-like bowl that you sip out of - DELICIOUS. All the rolls we had were awesome. For sushi this good, I'll pay a bit more than usual. Love that they take reservations now, too!
(4)
Diane G.

Honestly? Overrated. Many many people RAVED about Coast so I'd been DYING to try it. Maybe it was a case of High Expectations Syndrome---you know when everyone and their grandmothers exclaim "OMGAH I found the BEST sushi place, you're just going to LOVE IT!!!!" Then you wait and wait and dream and dream about the lucky day you can pick that piece of heaven up. Time will stand still and it's just you and that maki in the room...you pick up your chopsticks, take a bite, and all of a sudden all seems right in the world. Well, like any normal person that is how I imagined it. And....was pretty underwhelmed. I had the Philly and the Una Q (unagi, cucumber, eel sauce). Both were just ok. I judge my sushi by freshness (of fish, rice, and veggies) and flavor of sauces. Everything was middle ground (nothing was spoiling by any means, but I've definitely had fresher ingredients). The eel sauce was also nothing standout. Somewhat bland and watered down. One huge pro was the AMBIANCE and DECOR. I absolutely LOVE the dark orange walls with cherry blossoms. =D The very dim lighting, candles, and fairly quiet noise level make it a perfect date spot. Very comfortable, classy booth seats as well. So all in all, GOLD STAR for ambiance and service (our waitress was very friendly and gave us several recommendations). Bronze star or 4th place for the sushi itself. I still prefer SEADOG or even Ukai over Coast. As a few stated, I wouldn't go out of my way to go here again. But for $7 for a roll (aside from signature maki which is about 2x as expensive) it IS a very reasonably priced sushi restaurant and worth going to if you're in the area and in the mood for a semi-classy night.
(3)
John H.

I have a love hate relationship with Chicago sushi restaurants... Love sushi, hate the snobbery and expense! Coast delivers high quality, unique sushi choices, at a fair price. Being BYOB (and around the corner from my house) helps too! It has that laid back, but high class vibe that's perfect for date night
(4)
Jason D.

I have been to Coast a few times and I always bring my friends from the suburbs to this sushi restaurant. Very good food and BYOB equals happiness. I started off with a special off the menu appetizer, Hamachi on a cold plate drizzled with olive oil and sea salt, garnished with a jalapeÃ±o and it was fantastic. Spicy but not over whelming and very light which is perfect for a starter. Four Stars. For dinner we ordered Crunchy Spicy Tuna, White Dragon, Scallop, and Sweet Potato Rolls. The White Dragon and Crunchy Spicy Tuna is excellent and a staple I've had every time. Sweet Potato roll is perfect for those who like to mix up the flavors on the pallet. Scallop roll was just OK not a fan of scallop to begin with and will not get this again. Three and Half Stars Overall a very nice meal, nice presentation, the waiter was very good. The waiter was very knowledgable, provided great descriptions and answered all of our questions. By no means the best sushi in the city but for a local spot or for inexpensive nights out it's perfect.
(4)
Nikki K.

Great quality fish, BYOB and delicious rolls! I always love to try their special rolls for that evening and I'm not usually a roll fan but they have some great combinations that really have amazing flavor and tenderness. Great date spot with a good atmosphere!
(4)
Kate L.

Good food, horrible service. I like the sushi at Coast. It's good, not better than a lot of other places I've been to, but still good. The service at my last visit was absolutely horrible. We had a reservation. When we arrived, there was a huge group of people waiting to be seated. We figured it wouldn't effect us because we had a res. Over 45 mintues later and every single other group had been seated before us. We questioned the hostess several times about why we were not being seated and repetitively got an attitude, as if it didn't make sense that we expected to be seated relatively soon upon arrival. We didnt end up receiving our food until about 1.5 horus after we were supposed to eat. They cleary over-booked and then made no apologies about it.
(3)
Lynne J.

I love Coast Sushi The White Dragon is the best in the city, the soft shell appetizer is 'to die for'. And, it is BYOB. I have tried other prices, for the same price, and nothing compares.
(4)
Tara C.

A tad bit over priced. But we had a group of eight which they accommodated pretty well. Although the only reservations they could give was early dinner or later night before closing. And they had a specific amount of time you could have the table for which I thought was strange (we had the table from 7-9:15pm). That was the first time I experienced a restaurant giving a specific amount of time you could stay at a table. They even had a limit of amount of alcohol we could bring as a group. For instance, one bottle of wine, one six pack of beer, or one bottle of sake per every two people at the table. With no hard liquor. So many rules for just a dinner.
(4)
Thomas B.

Affordable sushi, not super creative or out of this world fresh, but it's a hip place, byob, and as I said cheap. Super rude service. I order sashimi and they tried to tell me that my salmon was tuna. First of all I'm not stupid, and seeing that I already ordered toro, why would I order more tuna? When I asked them to correct it for me, they told me just to order more, which I did not want to, I am not a fat kid. So they had me use my used chop sticks to return the tuna to them. I mean really? That's kinda gross. There's better, but nonetheless, this is an option.
(3)
Amanda Z.

Ah - I love this place. Hands down, BEST sushi in Chicago. I don't care what anyone else tells you - Coast is where it's at! (and it's BYOB & it's super clean - triple wham bam!) The only thing that has ever made me cringe at Coast is the service you receive as a walk-in, obviously you're going to have to wait, but being rushed is a no-no. I live in the neighborhood so I have popped in a couple of times without any reservations - which is cool - I know I'm going to have to wait so I bring an extra bottle of wine to sip on. They have a section designated for walk-ins and I swear I get the same server every. freaking. time. and every freaking time, she rushes the dinner. So annoying. Just stop. No I have not looked at the menu yet. No I do not know what I'm going to order yet. No I am not done eating. Anyway, aside from that, Coast is great! Just make reservations and you're bound to have an awesome experience and eat the best sushi of your life. Favorite item & it's not on the menu: Yellowtail Carpaccio. Just ask for it :)
(4)
Diane H.

Underwhelmed by the experience and the food; it way okay, not great. Came here with a group of girls on a Friday night for a 7pm reservation. The decor was nice; typical for sushi spots around town that'd I've been to. We ordered a bunch of apps to share, but I'd probably skip them next time. We got ceviche, that I wish had more flavor, beef wrapped asparagus which was ill designed as a sharing plate, and some dumplings which were good. The miso soup was good, and I though it was cute how it was served in a cup meant for sipping. After the apps we ordered a bunch of rolls. We each ordered our own but shared as well. i got the special a summer roll. It was pretty disappointing that my roll came out a 5 minutes after someone else's summer roll and a good 15 minutes after the first round of rolls were ordered...not good timing for the delivery of our food. The rolls I sampled were good. Promptly at 9 we were asked to leave as the next party was waiting for the table. We were told this ahead of time when we made the reservation so it wasn't a surprise, but it was a new experience for me. Overall, there are other BYOB sushi spots that I'd probably pick before Coast next time.
(3)
Andrew D.

Brought girlfriend here for her birthday. Note that I told the staff we were coming here for her birthday. Yet, despite the request, we were initially seated at a table by the bus station. If it's one pet peeve I possess, it's being seated next to a bus station, especially when I requested a nice, intimate table. However, after this small hiccup, the experience was wonderful and just as everyone had described from fellow Yelpers to Metromix and Chicago Magazine. Armed with 2 bottles of Otto's Dream Sauvignon Blanc (one of the finest wines I've ever tasted and a great option with sushi), we got a nice intimate table in the back after waiting an extra 15 minutes. Because of the prior inconvenience, we were given complimentary Miso. The rolls here are unlike those of generic sushi place. The ingenuity and originality that the chefs here put in is truly untouchable minus a few of the other sushi elites in the city. We tried a spider roll, which exceeded expectations, really packed a punch. Then we had the unique "ceviche" roll which was better than we expected. Finally, we finished with the oyster roll - also great, I had never had oysters in sushi. At the conclusion of the meal, the waitress brought a trio of complimentary ice cream scoops. Coffee, green tea, and cinnamon (I think...) - all delicious and a cap to a nice evening. This could possibly be the best BYOB in Chicago.
(4)
Megan K.

Best. Dragon roll. Ever. BYOB - they say they have a limit of one bottle of wine or one six pack per two people, but I just carry a really big purse and, WOAH, where did that 2nd bottle of wine come from?! You can gorge yourself here without spending very much - with a group of four we usually spend $20 per person or less. This is my go-to sushi place in the city.
(5)
M P.

Who would have thought that you can get sushi this good in the Midwest where there's no coast. It was not as good as Hama (which is authentic and pretty hard to beat) but I'd say pretty good in my book.
(4)
Deb S.

After reading a lot of the recent negative reviews out there I felt compelled to write a positive one because our experience was above and beyond. Keep in mind we went on a Sunday afternoon, but the service was excellent. The waiter was informed about the menu/ specials and completely attentive. He came over with the ice bucket for our wine and uncorked it almost immediately. Add in that he had a good sense of humor and I thought the service was great. On to the food, which was delicious! We ordered 3 different rolls and an appetizer, but the true highlight was the chocolate dome cake with ginger ice cream. I shared this with my friend, but I wanted to knock her off the chair and eat it all myself. If you had a bad experience here, I would strongly recommend giving Coast another chance. This is a very popular Chicago spot so maybe try it during a traditionally less busy time for the optimal experience.
(4)
Holly O.

After YEARS of people telling me to go here, I finally did on Saturday, with some old college friends - and it was, indeed, AWESOME. Problem, though - they were just featured on "Check Please" - so now they're even busier. Good for them, bad for patrons. We came at 6:30 on a Saturday with no reso, expecting to have to wait - which we did, but an hour & 15 minutes is not so bad when they let you drink your wine in the waiting area. Nice! Literally, though, starting at 6:45 the waiting area became standing room only, so if you're gonna try to go on a Sat without a reso, go early or else. Thank you fellow Yelpers, because you were RIGHT ON with the "White Dragon" recommendation, and the "Red V". In fact, we liked the White Dragon so much, we ordered another round of it. Yummmmmmm... Successful night was had by all.
(5)
Kate J.

My boyfriend and I came here on Sunday evening for a nice sushi dinner. I had made 7pm reservations, we were seated immediately. I had never been but had heard great things about it. Our waiter came, took our drink order and we ordered a appetizer- tempura shrimp. It was average, fried shrimp, nothing special. We then ordered our entrees. We each got 2 rolls- while everyone else was being seated , served (rather quickly mind you) nearly 40 minutes had gone by, no sign of our waiter nor our sushi. I saw a platter sitting at the end of the sushi bar, and every waiter looked at the tag, the tray and walked right past. It was nearly 50 minutes by the time our server realized it was ours and brought it to us. Neither my boyfriend or I are ones to complain, he was a OK server, only came to our table roughly 3-4 times. The sushi was delicious, and definitely would give that 5 stars. But, the service, SUCKED. It was terrible.. he never came to refill our drinks, we both had unsweetened tea, and practically forgot about us. I'm not sure of who our server was; but, he was terrible.
(3)
Anna P.

I love Coast Sushi. GO now if you have not been yet.
(5)
Jo N.

Best sushi ever! Great atmosphere as well. It's a byob kind of place so that's a huge money saver :)
(5)
Jodi K.

The sushi is ok but very expensive for what it is. Every chance that they get they add extra charges. $1.00 for cucumber in a roll... $2.00 for spicy sauce. The service was subpar and the overall experience was less than impressive. While the sushi was ok/good I would never return.
(2)
Annette Q.

I don't usually write reviews but in this case, I need to share our horrid experience. I've also waited a couple of days before writing this so I could write a less scathing review. We went in on 1/1/13 for a friend's birthday celebration. We were a party of 10. First off, we were seated by the windows & door. It was wicked cold as are Chicago winters. The birthday girl came in half frozen & asked for hot tea. They'd run out of tea....really? The area in which we were seated was only a couple of degrees warmer than it was outside. The bday girl AND her husband, on separate occasions asked if we could move to the other room but were told no. I didn't want to appear wimpy & was pulling my coat onto my leg but when my boyfriend actually put on his coat & gloves, I too, put on my coat. The gentleman next to me apologetically put on his sweater & mumbled something about layers as his wife had her scarf wrapped around her neck. I later found out that the bday girl also had her coat over her legs. I've read up on the reviews of this establishment & have noticed that service is not always the best quality. Well, par for the course. Once our entire party was seated, our server asked if anyone was there for the first time. I raised my hand & said, 'Me!' She looked me in the eye & went onto a different subject. I'm still wondering if she was just taking a poll without an end result. Our server took our order & I ordered 2 rolls. I guess it's the fashion to haphazardly place whatever rolls & pieces on which ever plate. One of my rolls ended up by me with someone else's roll on the same plate & my other roll ended up on the other end of the table. I had to pass my plate down to I could get my other roll. I knew that wasabi was available since I had some with appetizers. Of course there wasn't any on my end of the table so once again, my plate took a journey to the other end of the table for a chunk of the green stuff. I then thought it strange that pickled ginger wasn't being served (the plate with my ebi & the other roll looked quite desolate without wasabi & ginger). I noticed ginger on someone's plate & when I asked, they said, 'Yeah! We've got some! Pass your plate down!!' so for the third time, my plate was hiked over to the other end of the table. When my bf went to the restroom, he noticed that there was definitely room for our party in the other room so why my friends were told that we couldn't move is a mystery to me. I ended up texting the bday girl apologizing that were going to eat & run It was truly that cold. I let her know that we'd be going for sushi & a much warmer & longer experience in the near future. She apologized to me which of course I let her know wasn't her fault. I give this establishment one star because the sushi was decent. I can't see any reason to return to this place. There are many other sushi restaurants that have good sushi & good service without all the ridiculousness.
(1)
Marisa P.

I've tried to love this place since it always gets so much hype, but I always leave here with a lackluster experience. The Hamachi carpacio is delicious, but hardly worth $13. I can't even remember the other maki we had, it was that unmemorable. We ordered a few rolls that were supposed to be spicy, but they lacked flavor and depth. I've given up on Coast and have become an Enso groupie.
(3)
A.J. M.

Went here for one of my many birthday dinners. Was stunned at how crowded it was for a Wednesday night. Thankfully, we had reservations, but the place was packed and booming. The server was very good at getting us familiar with the menu, and recommended an appetizer while we waited for the rolls. We had the sake shu mai (I believe). It was fantastic and was a nice starter while waiting. Our four rolls came, and they were presented beautifully and just looked great. While we enjoyed each one, the crab was our least favorite, while the night's special roll, Firecracker, was a beauty of both appearance and taste. It was one of the best rolls I've ever eaten, and the other two rolls (Po Boy and a simple spicy hamachi) were also succulent and just executed perfectly. Sure, the Po Boy is quite big, but it's still not as obnoxious as some JUMBO rolls can be. Overall, Coast was fresh, tasty, and definitely worth going back. And hell, it's BYOB, so that keeps things at a reasonable price point!
(5)
Sunil D.

A really fun spot to go to with a group of friends. Great sushi, great service ( a roll of the dice apparently, as the waiter told us how most of his counterparts "suck"....in a half joking tongue in cheek manner). The rolls were all very creative and fresh, a step up from your standard Chicago BYOB Sushi spot. Some of our favorites besides the rolls were the Tropical Ceviche and some new pork belly appetizer that wasn't on the menu yet, but was one of the best things I've eaten in a long time. I'm usually not a fan of BYOBs, I seem to never bring enough (or rarely too much) wine. Fortunately there is a well stocked 7-11 that carries a decent win selection (for a 7-11) across the street, which is convenient.
(4)
Kristie C.

so i only go this to-go, but seriously amazingly fresh sushi. it's hard for me to eat a ton of nirgiri/sashimi, but this place really hits the spot. try their (+) sunrise roll, mango w/tuna, SUPER good (+) even their california roll is superb- from the thinly sliced cucumbers, to the way it's sliced, etc. just try it! (-) appetizer - chicken udon soup, a little too sweet. tastes like there's msg :( definitely will have to come back and try more stuff here!! make reservations in advance
(5)
Joe H.

Coast is a great place to go with friends or with a date. My wife and have done this place as "date-night" a few times and have a great time. Last time there was with my brothers and their wives. This is a BYOB place and they're real good about that. They'll show up at the table with glasses ready to go right out of the gate. Also, they have a bottle policy, it's like one bottle per couple, at a time but I've never seen them say anything about it. The sushi is great. The Tuna-On-Top is one of my all-time favorites. I love this and get this every time I go. Really, you could order anything from this menu and not be disappointed. My wife doesn't eat seafood (Yeah, that's weird that she loves sushi) so she always orders some form of veggie roll. I've tried the roll, and it's very good as well. Service is always solid. If you ask them a question, such as what they'd choose, you'll always get honesty. It's nice to get on when asked. Very solid service. I've never had bad service. I'll continue to go this place.
(4)
Philip J.

Amazing sushi! Try the angry salmon. It's not on the menu. You will not be disappointed. I have been coming here for years. Best sushi in Chicago.
(5)
Alison M.

I don't understand the mediocre reviews. I thought this was a sushi restaurant at its best. BYOB with a great little waiting area where you can drink your wine. Great sushi. Reasonably sized rolls - not so big that you have to choke them down. The hamaci carpacio appetizer was probably the highlight, but my table really enjoyed the white dragon, coast crab, and ceviche rolls as well. Nice ambiance. Good service. No complaints from me; this was a 5 star experience all around.
(5)
Raquel D.

I don't really get the hype that surrounds this place. Yes, it is tasty and fresh. Yes, it comes out pretty. Yes, it's BYOB - with a corkage fee. But the service is slow and you always have to wait so be sure to make a reservation. Normally a wait on any given day would strike me as a good thing, but I honestly think it's just b/c they are slow. I dunno... Don't get me wrong, it's def good, but if I remember correctly, it's on the pricier side. I have been here multiple times, especially for bday celebrations so I guess that would make it a sorta "special occasion spot"? Well, whatever the case, it's good stuff - it just doesn't necessarily pop into mind when I'm needin my sushi fix. With that said, I'd prob be back for another occasion should someone decide to have it there.
(3)
Sara B.

I'm moving far away this summer to a place halfway across the world. My time in Chicago is coming to an end and, frankly, there's a lot I won't miss. Coast, among a handful of other places, will definitely receive a weepy goodbye from me. I love Coast. I always have. Truly, it is one of the top 3 best sushi places I have ever been to...anywhere. The fish melts in your mouth and the maki mono never looks or tastes like it was just baptized in rice. Sure, it's a wee bit on the pricey side but if entrance into Heaven required a bottle of wine and $100 (which is usually what I spend on average when it's my boyfriend and I) then I'd say most people would gladly pay up. I know I would, and do. This, my friends, is sushi divinity. Hell yeah.
(4)
Tim S.

I know I am the last person in the world to try Sushi, but in the spirit of expanding my horizons... why not. Full disclosure... I don't eat fish, always found fish to taste "fishy" and if Fish wasn't "Poison" why is the French translation Poisson... So, Reservations for 6:30, immediately seated, water glasses filled and the our server (Greg I believe) stopped by to open our bottle and tell us the specials. As a Sushi Virgin I have no idea what I am looking at on the menu so I deferred the ordering to my guide through this ordeal... Start Asparagus wrapped with Beef in a delicious sauce (hey baby steps I'm in a Sushi Restaurant). Now the adventure begins... White Dragon Roll, Crunchy Tuna Roll and an item not on the menu a Jalapeno roll. I know, I know, not to adventurous for all you cool kids that are versed in Sushi. To my surprise I survived and actually liked it... a lot. Asked our server for a recommendation for a final roll. He came back with another item not on the menu that had Caviar dabbed on the top with a Japanese leaf that was similar to Basil. Me Caviar? Delicious. For my first foray into Sushi I have to say I will be back to be a little more adventurous. My lovely guide took it easy on me and for that I appreciate it. Thank you Coast, now I can't bail the next time someone mentions Sushi.
(4)
Kori E.

Yummy! My boyfriend and I live about a 10 minute walk away from this place and this is the first time it struck us to walk down here for dinner! Silly us! Anyways, we have been to the Coast in the South Loop and I had been to this location once before and it was as good as I remembered. We started off with the halibut carpaccio and it was to die for! It was so fresh and the flavor was like an explosion in your mouth! We then had the specialty volcano roll, which was spicy and delicious and a few other rolls. The only downside I would say to Coast is there BYOB rule, of only one bottle per 2 people. And $1 per person for BOYB dessert. It just seems a little nit picky to start setting limits on what people can bring in. Its just seems a bit silly!
(4)
Mary H.

Unlike most BYOB restaurants in Chicago (which tend to be small, hole-in-the-wall type places), Coast has a funky, modern and hip atmosphere. The food is really good, reasonably priced and the service is exceptional. A great place to come with a larger group - especially if you're looking to impress out of towners! Try the sweet potato roll - it was to die for!
(5)
Lynn R.

BYOB places hold a special place in my heart. But it's not enough to win me over with this only; my wine needs to be paired with a fine meal. Coast, you deliver. A note to all interested in trying this place out: Make a Reservation. Came in at 630pm with a reservation and most of the tables were already filled. By the time I left around 8, it was even more packed. The good news has traveled fast apparently. The rolls are phenom. They have their specialty maki and a few others on their regular menu that I've never even seen at other places. Ordered the Ceviche, Spicy Scallop, Rainbow, and Spicy Sweet Potato. My favorite out of all of them? The sweet potato. It's their vegetarian best seller and I'm not even a vegetarian! It had a hint of spiciness balanced by the sweetness of the potato and I really liked the crunchy texture. The other rolls were just as delish and were well rolled so I didn't have to worry about my amateur chopstick skills butchering the presentation. Our waitress was very friendly and good about making recommendations and asking any questions. I liked it because she was there when we needed her, but not overbearing and hovering.
(4)
Jessica T.

Great sushi every time I've ordered. Some of their rolls are a little expensive, but they never disappoint. I've dinned in at Coast and ordered to go.
(5)
Ebs B.

Fresh and excellent tasting sushi would give this place 5 stars. However, the noise level is atrocious. I couldn't hear the person sitting right next because of the noise level. Plus, the server did not refill our drinks until we finally had to ask the busboy. Although the rolls were not really creative, they were solid and what sushi should be. They were rolled tightly and tasted great. The prices were middle of the road as far as sushi restaurants go. I will definitely be frequenting this place again.
(4)
Jeff R.

For whatever reason it took me a long time to dine at Coast in Bucktown even though it's been around with many high marks. I've waited about a month to write about our meal so I can't recall each maki roll we ordered but it doesn't matter. The food is very good and the atmosphere is lively and fun due in no small part to the BYOB policy. It's classier and trendier than your neighborhood BYO which means it's slightly harder to get into but the food is clearly better. I really think it's one of the better all around BYO sushi places I've been to in a while - especially in the area. It may not "wow" you with everything on the table and you know the servers are desperately trying to turn tables - but a few rolls stood out for excellent flavors. And finally, the value is better than average for good service and a fun experience in a good setting. We started with my favorite - an order of gomae - and it came in a funny presentation of three small separate pieces instead of a large one. that didn't matter because it was tasty with a nice sesame sauce. We also tried two of the specials: one sashimi and another salmon type roll with something in the middle. I really liked the sashimi with a hot pepper and a little kick. Refreshing and simple. As the first picture demonstrates,we ordered a lot of food for the four of us. We ate it all fast enough to order a couple extra too. Everything was great and I don't quite remember which rolls were my favorite. We used spicy rolls when possible and enjoyed the liberal use of tempura flakes or crunchy this and that. The menu is plenty large to keep you satisfied and interested for many visits. There's a good reason Coast remains one of the more popular sushi restaurants in town, especially one that combines high quality and a BYO policy. Maybe I'm late to the game but I'm glad I made it eventually - coast is a solid choice for a fun night (just remember to make reservations and avoid the my previous mistake).
(4)
Sylvie S.

Coast makes sushi taste like no other sushi in my opinion. Most people do find sushi pretty gross and disgusting because it is raw fish. In my opinion I absolutely love it and am a huge fan. I have been to many sushi restaurants in not just Chicago but many other states and so far i have found that Coast as my favorite. Everyone does have there own opinion about Coast but in my opinion I absolutely loved it. Everyone knows that if a sushi restaurant is warm and gross looking it most likely will get you sick. Not in Coasts case, yes the restaurant is freezing but that is the best thing for the sushi which means its fresh. As many times as i have been there the sushi has not yet disappointed me yet and they do always present the sushi very elegant and nice. Another thing I noticed about going to Coast is that it is really a good idea to get there around 7 or 8 because by then it does get very crowded, so if you are planning on having a nice dinner or even a nice romantic date you will not be disturbed by many people the con about Coast is it is very Crowded and kind of tight spaced but that doesn't mean you always need to go with a big Group. One of my favorite rolls would have to be the Rainbow Roll because I absolutely love all the fish on top and the roll all together. I would recommend this restaurant for a nice get together with friends or even a date. Coast is Check plus for me ! :)
(4)
Jonathan C.

The best thing by far is the BYOB. The place is decorated like a lounge, and not like a sushi place. It looks nice, its trendy looking inside which is pretty cool. For an app we got the Hamachi Carpacio. The Hamachi was really really thin and was covered in lime and other sauces. So it was more like ceviche strips. While ceviche is good, I wanted something raw. The Maki was not that amazing in my opinion. It was covered in so many tempura crumbs you couldn't even taste other textures. Lots of their signature rolls had avocado AND cream cheese together. Thats too much creamy and not enough fishy. The best thing by far was their sunshine roll. It had the perfect amount of mango to complement the rest of the roll. All in all, not the place I expected from all the raving about
(2)
Andre W.

The Sunrise Roll (wow!) Spicy Tuna Spicy Salmon Creamy Spicy Tuna Crunchy Spicy Tuna The ginger was the best I ever had Not too crowded at 10:30 on a Friday evening Coast, could you possibly posses the best sushi I have had outside of my rendezvous in Miami....Hmmmmm
(5)
Emily N.

Yay for date night! Finally got back to Coast after a few years and it was better than I remembered. Although, I did get take out last time... Strolled in on a busy Thursday night and were greeted with a 30 minute wait. Gave the hostess my cell and chilled out in the car with just enough time for each of us to finish a beer. BYOB six packs come in handy while waiting to be seated. We grabbed a (surprisingly comfy) seat at the sushi bar. It was pretty neat to watch the precision and artistry of the chefs. With our beers on ice, we were ready to start ordering ,what turned into, a gluttonous feast. Spicy miso soup and seaweed salad to start. Both totally hit the spot. The softshell crab appetizer was to die for for, as were the scallops. We ended up getting like 3 or 4 rolls, all equally delicious. But the crowning glory was the toro topped with a quail egg. Total mouthgasm! I'll go back just for that. We finished with a mix of the ice creams, my favorite was the ginger. Perfect way to end the meal. The atmosphere here is exactly what you'd expect for Bucktown. The service was stellar, amazing sushi and BYOB. How can you go wrong?
(5)
Robert B.

Right now our favorite, love that i can order delivery on line and don't need to talk to anyone. I can be a bit antisocial. Wish (or hope) you can get alchohol there now. I haven't physically been to the place in a while. Sushi Wabi, I think closed, which was my comparable
(5)
Timothy L.

The best sushi in Chicago, period. The specialty rolls are creative, yet not over the top - which is easy enough to do and ruin the genius of it. But it is the simple rolls that you can genuinely experience the care and quality that goes into every ingredient prepared at this restaurant. The spicy shrimp roll, while very simple, is far from generic with its juicy shrimp pieces, perfectly spiced, and glittered with roe. This is my favorite sushi roll ever. That's saying a lot considering I eat sushi weekly and at at least a dozen different places across Chicago. And the BYOB part....just inspires me to splurge more every time!
(5)
Colleen C.

Let's go over the happy moments: BYOB (bubbly for all!) Chic, stylish setting Very above average sushi Four of the best females I know in Chicago. Take reservations (Monday night, still pretty packed) Now, the not-so-happy moments: A "dessert fee" for bringing our own birthday treat (I get it, but still. Blah...if their desserts were any good, it would be one thing, but they are pretty standard fare.) -Waitress coming up at the end of the meal: Her: You guys know about the dessert fee, right? Us: Oh yes, we were made aware when we made a reservation. Her: Oh, ok. Well, I wasn't going to charge you, but now that I know you know, and that "they" know (who's they!?), then I'll just add it to the bill. Us: Um, ok. ::::she leaves::: Me: Moral of the story, NEVER admit you know anything. Friends: right. The real kicker: We brought 4 cupcakes (I was abstaining), and were charged $5. ($1 per person). I realize this is trivial, but coupled with the above statement...ULTRA tack-o-rama. Other items of interest: I tried the Seared Tuna with carmelized sweet potato slices. The tuna was fresh, lovely, well presented, but the sweet taters were badly undercooked...never should they "crunch." Eh, kind of ruined it for me, and at a $20 entree....this shouldn't be an issue. Still a stellar spot for BYO sushi. Def make a reservation (even during the week), and if you are bringing cupcakes, prepare thyselves for the fee....or just pretend you don't know anything, and then maybe you won't get charged? Weird. :) PS. work on the bathrooms. If I am paying a good $50 for my meal, the soap dispenser shouldn't be all busted, and it should be CLEAN.
(3)
Giji F.

Safe & Boring sushi...too dark you can't see the plate presentation. Soggy spider roll, white dragon is not bad. The mood is good. Sorry but the quality is not great, tastes like a $2.00 sushi place.
(2)
Mike K.

This place has great sushi!! and the fact is is BYOB is awesome! BUT they throw gratuity are parities greater then 5 or more.. So we had six people and our server wasnt that attentive. We asked for cups for sake bombs which never arrived after 20 minutes so i had to go up to the busser and ask him again. Then he gave us dirty glasses.. Anything extra that we ordered took forever.. if i do come back it will be with 3 or 4 people just so our server can earn his/her tip!!
(3)
Patty M.

Fantastic place! Food was amazing, and BYOB! I thought the prices were pretty reasonable too - we ordered a lot of food, and it came to about $35/person. Best sushi I've had in a long time!
(5)
Libby T.

byob delicious sushi in bucktown - i miss it so! often a wait. give your # to the waitress then go around the corner for a cocktail at danny's around the corner.
(5)
Jeff A.

Coast always pleases me, we were hungry and it was late, coast was open! We forgot to bring our own drinks, don't forget this is a BYOB... The sushi was on point, really fresh and really good, we ate very light and left very satisfied, our server was so nice, I mean really cool! My only complaint was chipped china and glasses, actually had two pieces of chipped china and a chipped glass... I have a ceramics technology background and chipped china is a food-born illness hazard and chipped glasses can cause injury, so I strongly suggest that you kidz at Coast go through and throw out the old dishes maybe start over completely...
(3)
Angie M.

Angie's List of Reasons Why I Love Coast: 1. Variety - There's no shortage of maki rolls on the menu at Coast. Some personal faves are the Coast Crab, Ceviche, Sunrise, White Dragon, Wasabi and Sweet Potato (Don't judge. It's awesome). 2. Bite sized pieces - Sounds like an odd selling point, right? But I love the fact that the rolls are small enough to be bite sized. This means I'm not battling with having to take down a roll slice in 2 or 3 bites, which is messy. And you don't get every flavor into your mouth at the same time. And let's be honest, it's pretty unladylike. So the one bite roll slices at Coast are tops. 3. BYOB - Although there is an annoying new rule that you can only have 1 bottle of vino per 2 people. Pffft.... 4. Relatively inexpensive - We're not talking dirt cheap sushi (actually, really cheap sushi kind of scares me), but it's affordable. I love Coast. It's one of the best around. Although I always TRY other sushi joints, I always come back to Coast. Kind of like a good for nothing ex-boyfriend that you just can't let go...
(5)
Amoli P.

I've been to more than 40 sushi restaurants in Chicago and Coast is the one restaurant that all others get compared to. They offer the convenience and affordability of a BYOB (no corkage fee) while offering the fresh quality of the more upscale and expensive sushi restaurants in town. Aside from Sunda and Roka Akor, I have not found a restaurant in Chicago that has better fish quality than Coast. And unlike Sunda and Roka Akor, Coast is the type of place you can go when you're tired after a long day and don't feel like cooking, but don't feel like getting dressed up or spending a lot of money. The service is always excellent, the food is always impeccable, and the atmosphere is always lively but intimate. They never have an off night. And now that they accept reservations, Coast is officially the total package. Definitely make reservations before going though - this place is popular and always packed. Sometimes I think Sublime Sushi (just 75 feet away) opened their business just so they could capitalize on people who try to go to Coast but are too impatient to wait for a table. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. For those of you who like spice, be sure to ask for a side of their chili sauce. It's similar to the typical Sirracha sauce that you get at most restaurants, but Coast makes their own version of it that adds a nice little change. I've had both rolls and nigiri at Coast, and everything from the tuna to hamachi to hirame has always been fresh and tasty. The rolls are always made tightly with a great ratio of inner ingredients to outer ingredients. Unlike too many sushi restaurants, they focus on the flavors inside, rather than just pile on a too-thick layer of rice to make the roll look bigger. Coast is my go-to for sushi in Chicago. That doesn't mean I'm not always trying new places, but I typically leave them all wondering why I didn't just go to Coast instead. It really is the gem of Bucktown and worth the trip if you don't live near the neighborhood.
(5)
Christina M.

NO! First impressions are lasting impressions, and let's just say that my first impression of Coast was not good. My issue with Coast had to do with the quality of the ingredients in the sushi. I ordered an avocado roll with asparagus and actually noticed that the avocado tasted old. So I took a look at it, and sure enough, there was a lot of brown on the avocado...I don't know about you, but I expect fresh food from a sushi place. I'm only giving it an extra star because my bf liked his non-veg sushi, but he won't have any luck in getting me go back.
(2)
Samuel M.

Came here with a group of 5 for a sloshy Saturday night dinner. We called on Thursday for a res and they were already booked, so we had to go the Patrick Bateman-unapproved route with no reservation. The wait wound up being epic (over 1.5 hours), but that is to be expected for a swanky establishment at peak dining hours on a Saturday. Plus Map Room is 2 blocks away, so we didn't have much of a problem with this at all. Service was prompt and attentive. All of the rolls were fresh and interestingly presented - the crunchy spicy tuna with avocado was my personal favorite, served with all the pieces stacked into a pyramid doused in panko. Very unique. The regular spicy tuna was also good, and even the kappa (cucumber and avocado), ordinarily mediocre, was delicious. Unfortunately for this review but fortunately for my life, last night was a sorry for partying moment for me, so I don't remember much more than that. I was almost certainly belligerent and was by no means the only one in the joint, so that's more points for Coast. The bill didn't hurt by any means (under $20 per person for a large amount of sushi). I'm definitely going to be back - this is definitely my new go-to for BYOB sushi. I'd advise making reservations ~1 week in advance to mitigate the wait. Highly recommend!
(4)
Marizza R.

I stopped into Coast about a month ago. My brother was in town and is a BIG fan of sushi so my boyfriend and I decided that we'd splurge on dinner that night. All the rolls that came out were fantabulous! Not one complaint. Everything was fresh and the wine we brought paired very well with our meal. The only dilemma was the service, as it was a Saturday night, and our waitress forgot to attend to our table on several requested occasions. Aside from the poor service the food was great.
(4)
Michael S.

Tried this place after a recommendation from a friend who said the sushi is good and the place is the best. Well this place is good and the sushi is quite good too...What I did not expect was the really long wait late on a late Thursday night. Came here and we were seated right away. Decor was the usual dark and trendy looking atmosphere.. Nothing really original there.. As far the sushi goes, I thought the quality was pretty good. I liked the coast crab maki and the volcano roll. The Po' boy maki had lots of fish in it, but it kind of felt like House of Sushi in taste.. So the food was good. I wouldn't say it' is as good as some of my favorite places, but it's definitely better than most. What sucked was the wait to be served. It was excessive and since we were dining so late we were absolutely starving by the time the food came. The waitress was nice and did refill our drinks promptly and apologized for the wait so that was a saving grace.. Didn't bring anything to drink as we didn't expect to dine here, but I think this is the essence on why this place is so popular. It's in a trendy neighborhood and it offers BYOB sushi. Coast still dinged my wallet and for the price you can get a better value elsewhere, but it's not too bad.. Will have to try this place again in the future and bring some booze.. For now it's a 3.5 star place to me.. Better than just okay, but not a fan of this place.. At least until I take advantage of their BYOB...
(3)
Meridith E.

If you're wanting great sushi, at a decent price, with some great service and nice atmosphere, this is the place to go. Coast has a great space, with two joining dining spaces and limited seating at the sushi bar itself. They take reservations, and I recommend that you make one if you want to have an "adult dinner time" at/after 7pm. If you don't, you could wait for a bit. Also, it's BYOB....with a 7-11 across the street and boozy shop up on the corner in case you forget to bring your beverages. The sushi always tastes fresh, and the servers will help you figure out which rolls your table would like if there are picky sushi eaters. They do specials depending on the season, and I have never had a bad experience when I've tried them. Their dragon roll is the best I've had in the city, and their shitake roll is delicious (there's something in the marinade they use). Other recommendations would be the spicy tuna and ceviche rolls! P.S. Their take-out is pretty good, too, and is quick!
(4)
Amy K.

It's okay, a bit pricey for sushi especially when Chicago has so many other places to pick from, I prefer Bob San's rolls whether dine in or take out and it's about the same price. Just depends on what you're craving in sushi and we all have our favorite spots, this just wasn't the one for me.
(3)
Erik B.

We have been here 3 times and it keeps getting worse. The sushi is very mediocre and the service the last time was horrible. This is the most overrated sushi place we have eaten at in the city. We will not be coming back.
(1)
Lauren B.

I have heard great things about this BYOB sushi place so I figured I would give it a try. I went to dinner on Labor Day with a few girlfriends, and thankfully it was no were near as packed and loud as others have stated it would be. Unfortunately your service when dining at a restaurant can really make or break your opinion......in this case we received what I consider to be a poor service. Our waitress was quite neglectful and slow when she was paying us attention. In terms of the cuisine, the fish was fresh and tasty but a bit expensive for a byob place. My girlfriends had the beef and asparagus appetizer and informed me they have had better, Suffice it to say, I wont be coming back......I think there are better sushi establishments in our great city. Thats just my opinion
(2)
Courtney C.

I really want to like Coast, and at one point 2 years ago, I did. But it's time to break up. And it's you, not me. I love BYO places. And I love sushi. Which is why I used to be in love with Coast. But now the maki rolls are mediocre, the noise is deafening, and the diners are obnoxious. They do not enforce their "one bottle per two people" rule which results in gaggles of sad, drunk, single girls having a girls-night-out, during which everyone yells and cackles in ear-drum cracking decibels at a table five inches away from yours. In addition to the overly-loud atmosphere, it is too dark to read the menu and to see what you are eating, which might be a good thing, since their food has gone down-hill. Since I have had to end my relationship with Coast, my new fave BYO sushi place is Wasabi on Milwaukee. Their maki rolls are much better, their prices are similar, its not that far away, and I don't leave wishing I had punched the drunk girl sitting at the next table.
(2)
Doug v.

Wow. Bucktown. How you've changed. Wish Coast was there when I lived at McLean & Damen back in the '90's & early Aughts. Not that there was ANYTHING wrong with Nick's Chicken Pit (as we used to affectionately call it)! Awesome place, Coast. All food was fantastic and the sushi extremely fresh. The rolls have a rather playful quality to them...working with contrasts: crunchy-chewy, crisp-slippery, cool-warm, spicy-sweet. Flavors are bright, balanced & perfectly controlled. The service was spot on. The ambiance is appropriate for a Bucktown sushi house (read sushi house decor with tragically hip, tragically monied clientelle). We wound up there when a friend requested we take her for her birthday as she was craving the white dragon roll. Now I understand why. It's a must. Also be sure to request the now-off-the-menu popper roll. And if you're Family, pair it with the rainbow roll along side. (No snickers from those of Rainbow Nation. Oh, ok, go ahead. Snicker. The husband and I did. Our straight female company were clueless.) Not only are they visually stunning together, but they taste amazing. Wow...did that sound gay. Oh well, you get my meaning. The standbys such as spicy crunchy tuna hold up as well. Suffice to say, we made pigs of ourselves. Move over Rise!
(4)
Ashley K.

One of my all time favorite sushi spots. If it wasn't so out of my way, I'd eat here a whole lot more. I love that they have spicy miso. Every sushi place has miso soup - how hard is it to throw a couple jalapenos in there and make it spicy miso?? Apparently hard because not enough places do it. I've never had anything from here that I didn't like but some of my favorites are the coast crab and the white dragon. I don't find that the prices are too expensive for the quality of the food and the freshness of the fish. I also love that this place is BYOB and that there is a liquor store conveniently located down the block. Coast - please do me a favor and relocate right outside my front door.
(4)
Chelsea F.

Coast, I wanted to give you four stars, I really did but let me tell you why I didn't. The people that work there, including the managers, are rude. They have no problem asking you to leave when they need your table, they have no problem not honoring your reservation and making you wait 30 minutes even when you have one. They have no problem charging you for the other 3 pieces of rolls you didn't eat even when everybody else at the table didn't like it. Guess what? Everybody tried it, nobody liked it. Their BYOB "policy" is dumb - seriously, you're a restaurant, people sometimes sit and squat - that's just part of the biz, okay? Other than that, you do, for the most part, make pretty good sushi. My recos are the White Dragon of course, Crunchy Spicy Tuna, and pretty much everything else - except the Po Boy. The Po Boy just has too many things going on in it and it's not pleasant to eat. Don't eat it if you're out on a date! Apps - try the Hamachi Carparcio, so good! Desserts - mochi all the way! Don't get the fruit sticks. They are literally piceces of fruit with Hersey's dipping sauce. I mean, seriously, I can do that at home. Overall - you go there for the food, not the service.
(3)
Kay M.

Yum! When I moved to Bucktown I was looking for my new favorite sushi spot (used to be Sushi House in Oak Park before their chef Yoshi left - WHERE DID HE GO?!) Rolls are great, not too much rice so Im not stuffed full of it and can enjoy all the flavors in my sushi. Ceviche and White Dragon (sans cream cheese) are my personal favorites and the Angry Salmon appetizer is THE BEST. BYOB is always appreciated.
(5)
Josephine L.

I heart this place so much. It has everything you could want in a restaurant: beautiful decor, pleasant atmosphere, attentive service, even a fantastic location (hello Bucktown!) but most of all, the food is exquisite. I was initially worried that Coast Sushi wouldn't live up to all the hype, but it surely does. You must, must try their signature makis. That is what they're famous for. My picks are the Wasabi, Coast Crab, Ceviche and Volcano. I don't even like wasabi, but I definitely liked the Wasabi roll. And did I mention that it's in Bucktown? On a strip of N. Damen Ave. filled with gorgeous, unique clothing boutiques. If you're a sushi-loving fashionista (i.e. any woman over 18 living in a big city), this place will seem like the brainchild (and love child) of Vogue and Gourmet. Bring money. You WILL spend it.
(5)
Julie A.

Maybe I'm missing something? I don't understand why so many people think this place is so mind blowing. Its nothing special sushi at ridiculous prices. We had a larger party, and they told us that we couldn't do a 7:00 reservation, on a Tuesday, and that we had to do the 6:30. Why? There was no one in there until 8:30. So what was the big deal? Regardless, its just ok, and there's better sushi in this city.
(3)
Abeer A.

This place has amazing sushi, probably the best I've had! Their specialty rolls particularly won my heart over! Ambiance is nice, dimmed lighting-but a little too loud for my taste! Do not think you can stroll in here without reservations, you will have to wait, a really long time! Definitely will go again!
(4)
Katie D.

A great sushi place in town for the perfect price. A fabulous place for a date or even to hang out with a bunch of friends. The dim lights makes gives a different look and best part is its BYOB.
(4)
Kimberly T.

The sushi here is good! The spicy yellowtail roll was AMAZING! The first yellowtail roll I've ever had was at Nobu in Miami and the two compare in taste. The dim lights very sexy. The service was excellent and the parking wasn't to bad. See you soon Coast.
(5)
Adele n.

The goods: - Pretty nice environment (if you want to see/be seen or feel like you're out on the town). - BYO. - good service. - yummy Japanese ice cream for dessert. - fish was not the best ever, but decent for the price point. The ehs: - the sunrise maki (tuna, mango, mint) was flavorless. - it's very loud. - the AC was cranked way high. - maki options mostly involve mayo, tempura, or other things that make healthy sushi unhealthy.
(3)
Chris C.

Man you have that this place is byob. Man time to pop bottles! White Dragon role is to die for!
(4)
Steven N.

Wow - I hardly give out 1-star ratings, but I'll gladly frame this up and hand deliver this to the owner. This is where you would go to eat garbage-grade fish in a dark loungy setting. About the only thing good about this place is the fact that I was dining with my beloved wife. For starter, the place is so dark that you can't even see what you are putting in your mouth. But that's not a capital offense. The food is the real culinary crime being committed against humanity here. The server has the audacity to tell us the fish is imported from Japan when we asked about where they buy their fish. If you have any standards in sushi at all, you wouldn't put the frozen, low-grade fish in your mouth. I should point out that this is not an authentic Japanese place. One of the simplest tests you can use is to taste a Japanese restaurant's tempura. If the breading is not the light, authentic Japanese tempura breading, like this place, this should be a good sign that this place has no idea what real Japanese cooking is like. This places uses "fried jalapeno" type of breading...too thick and over-powering on the taste buds. I checked out their website and saw that they received the Best of Chicago from Chicago Magazine and the Zagat award for excellence in 2004. That may be the case, but those days are long gone. The website also claims that they use the freshest ingredients and top quality fish from around the world - I find this claim hard to believe. You don't have to take my word for this. Try this place out yourself and be prepared to be disappointed...that is unless you like eating in a lounge / club atmosphere, then I guess you could accept the low quality of the food.
(1)
Caroline M.

I've been to Coast a few times and have really enjoyed each experience. I thought it was a little weird when the server informed us that, "We don't do bottle service anymore" and she handed me a wine opener & walked away. Kind of weird that they won't even open the wine for you anymore, but I can get over that. The fish was excellent, as always. Fresh fish, BYOB at no charge, attentive service, reasonable prices. Note: Be sure to make a reservation, or you will have a looooong wait.
(4)
Brian P.

I love this place! Watch out for the girls using the mens bathroom who wont let you pee because they are probably doing cocaine (which they were). Delicious rolls--fresh and never too unbalanced.
(4)
James L.

This place is solid for sushi. BYOB of course makes it better. Had a few good times at this place and i'm never against going here when it's mentioned by friends!
(4)
John H.

The rolls were very good. I had the sushi dinner and the cuts of fish were clean and fresh. Unfortunately their rice was off. It had a sweet taste to it as if it had sugar or syrup added to the batch. Tasted very untraditional. Would try this place again to see if it was just a bad batch.
(3)
Jason M.

Some of the best sushi in the city. Great prices and high quality. Try the volcano, spicy creamy, and spicy scallop. Plus BYOB! You won't be disappointed
(4)
Kim A.

Why why why does this place still have an average 4 stars? Do people in Bucktown like average sushi, long waits, and rude staff? The first time I went here, I LOVED it. The second time, LOVED it. And then it all went downhill from there. From rude people taking reservations, to rude servers, I've seen it all. Honestly, I think it's only proximity that keeps us coming back. Our last stint at Coast involved a chilly 45 minute wait (we were given an estimate of 15 mins) in the front by the desk. Upon being seated between two aisles (really? really?! It was like a scene from a bad rom com), we order. FIrst, Mr. Server, please don't act like I've never eaten sushi before. When you ask me "have you been here before?" and I say "Yes" that means... I HAVE EATEN SUSHI BEFORE AND I KNOW HOW YOUR MENU WORKS. Tried the salmon tartare, pretty tasteless and not worth the money. I will say, the quality of the sushi is about the same, good not great. So that was ok. This is the kicker. We were on the fence about dessert, and were going to ask to see the menu again. This is not unusual, right? Instead of asking if we were "ok" if we needed anything else... Mr. Server brings the CHECK. We politely ask for the dessert menu, and this dude looks like he's going to murder us. Awesome impression. And, Coast, your dessert menu leaves much to be desired. We opt to NOT have dessert, and Mr. Server brings the check again, exasperated. Mea culpa. We still have a few sips of wine left, so instead of laying down a card right away, we chat some more. I want to note, we were NOT lingering, I think this bro can wait for two people to finish ONE half glass of wine a piece. But no. He comes back 3 minutes later asking us to "maybe wrap things up because we're really busy tonight". Um... WHAT! Really, I wanted to lose it on this guy, but I didn't. I was annoyed because the table behind is (a table of 6 women, looked like a birthday) had been in the middle of their entree when we sat down, and had just popped open a new bottle of wine. How come THEY are allowed to linger, but you rush to turn over the worse table in the joint? Was there a demand to have your coat stepped on? Did people want to feel the draft from the constantly opening door? Do people LIKE having to SCREAM across the generic house XM station to enjoy conversation? Screw you, Coast. If I have my way, I VOW never to return again.
(1)
PJ S.

Put on fat pants. Tofu soup Po boy Volcano White dragon Sweet potato Sashimi plate Waddle to Hot Chocolate for dessert. Food coma.
(5)
Heidi S.

Service was amazing. Excellent lunch on a lazy Thursday: volcano, white dragon, and asparagus beef were superb!
(4)
Jennifer H.

I was told about Coast several years ago and finally went. I wish I would have went sooner. This was some of the best sushi I have ever had. The Firecracker roll (not on regular menu but ask for it) was amazing. It was a little pricey at $19 but worth every penny. We also had the white dragon, spicy tuna, and coast crab. The service was great, presentation was impressive, and you can't go wrong with BYOB
(5)
Elle B.

I remember going here about 2 1/2 year ago. Although I can't remember what all I ordered aside from Tuna Roll and the Tuna Tartare: tuna cubes in ginger wasabi sauce with sesame chip. I feel that it speaks volumes that I still remember vividly the name of the restaurant and my favorite item that I ordered off the menu. But I must say both of them ..especially the Tuna Tartare were not only uber fresh but extremely good. I know I had a few more roll, especially because I remember dropping about $40 bucks on my to-go order. SN: There is a long story intertwined with this, but the reason it gets 4/5 starts is because on a Sunday is when I went, and I called to find out what time they closed thinking that I would be able to enjoy the ambience and drink some warm sake since the receptionist said they were open until midnight. And when I got there and 9:40p.m. I was told that the person was mistaken because they closed at 10p.m. and stopped seating people at 9:30p.m. So I wasn't too happy about carrying all that food back to Midland. Bottom Line: I know for a fact if I ever find myself back in the Chi, I will not be leaving until I get to experience Coast Sushi Bar in it's entirety! Believe that!
(4)
Joe E.

Hearing from a lot of friends that Coast is some of the best sushi in Chicago, I had to try it out. Coast does have excellent sushi and is delicious, but I couldn't label it as my favorite. Overall, the rolls were incredible... they have a huge variety, tons of specials, and are reasonably priced. What the restaurant lacks are great appetizers. The atmosphere is fun, and it always seems busy. It is a great BYOB restaurant that you can eat and drink at for hours... so keep that in mind! With all that said, I do recommend coming here for the sushi; I just don't suggest filling yourself up on their appetizers.
(4)
Andrea R.

Tasty sushi, but HORRIBLE service! Nine of my girlfriends took me here last night to celebrate my bday- thanks friends! I walked in celebrating my 28th bday and feared I'd be 43 by the time our sushi FINALLY made it out to our table. Yes, a table of 10 young women (notice i'm still trying to milk the "young" for as long as I can) is no easy task for any waitress to handle, but waiting 1 1/2 hours for sushi to come out is unacceptable. I wasn't exactly shy about sharing my thoughts with the manager who was very unapologetic and didn't do anything to rush the process along. Fortunately I still had a good bday celebration (with no thanks to Coast) due to good friends, lots of wine, and a delicious cookie cake...
(2)
Jessica S.

This place has been on my radar forever, and when my girlfriend sugested it last night, I was in! Great atmosphere, BYOB, unique sushi rolls, I'm loving Coast right now. I heard it is always packed so be prepared to wait, but at 7:00 on a Wednesday night we were seated right away. The White Dragon Roll was fantastic. Decent prices and BYOB, I will be going back to Coast!
(5)
J. J.

The sushi here was really, really fresh. Very good, but some room for improvement. I'm a huge fan of salmon and eel, and none of the rolls I got were that out-of-the-park. I'm not a huge fan of places that are fully BYOB, personally. I'd like the option to get a glass of wine or order of saki when I'm out. The fake candles at each table were really cheesy and stupid. Overall, good and affordable. But there are better places out there.
(4)
Kristi T.

Oh Coast, how I have a love hate relationship with you. LOVE: Ambiance. BYOB. Date nights - you can actually hear each other and have a conversation! Girls Nights - some wine, some sushi. Some more wine, some more sushi.. totally acceptable! Funky, friendly wait staff. Delicious, consistent, quality, fresh sushi!!! White Dragon Roll - crunchy tempura shrimp, soft filling, creamy drizzle Spicy Sweet Potato Roll - tastes like thanksgiving sweet potato casserole with brown sugar... yum Classic California - you can't ever go wrong here JalapeÃ±o Popper - little kick to go with your meal! HATE: I am seriously obsessed and have to have it at least every 5 days. So good that my girls and I legitimately have email chains about it. While it isn't ridiculously expensive once in a while, its the most expensive delivery/take out meal I've had. If only I loved Potbelly as much as Coast I could buy a new pair of heels every month! Hands down my first go-to restaurant for out of towners. Or girls nights. Or date nights. :)
(5)
Ben D.

Returned to Coast this past weekend on Saturday night. Just as good as my first experience. Only difference was I had a reservation for 930, which I was thankful for (place was packed). Literally sat us 8 min late. I did not complain to a soul that we were seated a couple minutes late. Honestly, it wasn't a big deal to me whatsoever. At the table we were visited by a manager unexpectedly and offered a discount on our current meal or I could save it for another time. Just confirms with me that they care about their customers and reputation.
(5)
Meg P.

My favorite place to get sushi in the city. The White Dragon roll is my all-time favorite and they always have great specials to fit the season. The best part about Coast is that it is BYOB. Great spot for a date night!
(4)
Jamie B.

I just had dinner with my friends here a couple hours ago and all I have to say is this place was absolutely delicious! Definitely get the White Dragon Roll....Amazing!!!! Everything was fresh and service was so quick! The staff was friendly too! Our server helped us make awesome decisions! I'll definitely be a regular from now on ;)!
(5)
Ariel B.

There's a poem on the wall behind the sushi bar at coast, that was written by a little girl. "I love Coast. Coast is the best. Coast is the best. Better than all the rest." I have to agree with the little girl, Coast is quite good. But you are probably wondering why I only gave it 4 stars. Well, when I sit at the sushi BAR, I expect to order and talk to the sushi chef. That's where the real magic happens. However, not at Coast. You order from a server. The guys behind the counter get really taken aback when you try to order for them. Don't make the same mistake we did, just sit and wait until someone comes to you. I'm a big fan of trying the "designer sushi" or "specialty rolls". I like to see how creative the sushi chef's can get. Coast did not disappoint. We ordered 6 rolls. The most interesting roll was the Sunshine roll with ginger soaked tuna wrapped with mango. The tastiest roll was the Po'Boy, with the White Dragon Roll coming in a close second. We went around 6:45 on a Wednesday and there was already a wait for a table without a reservation, so we decided to sit at the sushi bar. We got served right away (well, after I tried to order from the Sushi chef who seemed slightly confused). The place was a bit loud, but it wasn't too terrible. The rolls we had were very good and a little on the pricey side. Again, we had the designer suhi, not the regular maki or negri rolls. Those looked quite reasonable, even their dragon roll. And if you BYOB, if you order at least $15 per person they waive their $5 per person corkage fee. So easy to do with sushi. :) We will definitely be back. There are two more specialty rolls we want to try in addition to see how they do their regular rolls. Service was good. Overall very happy, except for the fact that I can't order from or talk to the sushi chef.
(4)
Sarah C.

Awesome restaurant. I agree, make reservations! BYOB offsets the expensive food and makes it all the better. Our waiter forgot only one maki out of several and it was immediately brought to us. I definitely reccomend the white dragon maki
(4)
Sonia L.

I am convinced this is my favorite sushi place in Chicago. Although pricey for a BYOB place, the rolls are unique and I really think there is a special freshness that goes into each roll made at Coast. The atmosphere is awesome. It is a modern, but too contemporary feel. The waitstaff is nice and knowledgeable. I wish I could tell you what rolls were good, but I can't remember! Anyway, it's a good spot for a date or a small group of friends. It's a loud and busy place, so get ready to yell.
(5)
angela D.

We went to a restaurant in Vancouver by the same name so we thought we would try this one to see how it compares. We so enjoyed our meal and our server was so helpful in making our choices. Would not change a thing we ate. Everything so fresh, so unusual and cannot wait to go back. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys sushi and to anyone who wants to try it.
(5)
Chris S.

Great sushi, and right around the corner from Danny's. Combine the two for one great date night. My only complaint is that it gets kinda noisy.
(3)
tina m.

The atmosphere is fantastic. Low lighting and lots of candles, which is essential for any good sushi place. It's BYOB so you have to bring your own wine, but let's face it--it makes the bill that much cheaper. BUT it's PACKED on the weekends. If you have a spur of the moment sushi craving on a Friday or Saturday night, forget going to Coast as you'll have to wait forever in their teensie lounge. You might as well head over to Blue Fin (which has better sushi anyways if you ask me). Good food, good service, great atmosphere. A
(4)
Martha D.

Ok so I'm writing another review on a sushi restaurant...I really do eat at other kinds of places. My friends and I just went to Coast and I forgot how much I liked their sushi. Andrea N. picked it (after the awful experience she had at Hey Sushi she didn't trust me.) The Volcano rolls are the best I've ever had - so spicy! I also loved the Coast Crab and the Spicy Salmon. BYOB is always a good thing, and it was nice to see that the place was still packed late on a Tuesday night. I'd go more often if it wasn't so far away. Taxi fare to Bucktown is a killer.
(4)
Dana H.

What a great sushi spot! And, that it is BYOB makes it that much better;) The menu is original...yes, all the sushi staples are there, but the specials are not cookie-cutter...and they have tons of specials not listed on the menu...so many so that our waitress listed a few, then told us if there was something we were craving she would let us know if there were any specials... The service was great, the fish was fresh and the place was packed on a Monday night. FYI...we had the wasabi apple special roll, white dragon sans cream chz, creamy spicy (that sounds horrible, but it is delish) and hamachi avocado...plus a few pieces. All were great, but my fav was the white dragon.
(4)
Kelly M.

Delcious.... I am not a huge sushi person, I mean I like the basic rolls, but I get scared to try other "different" rolls. My friend had her birthday dinner here, and it was amazing, I tried so many different things and loved them all. Also, the fact that it is a byob is amazing, we had a bottle of wine for each of us. The service was great, and the price of the food was the cheapest I have had a in long time. Reservations def a must for a Friday or Saturday, gets super crowded.
(5)
Dan M.

Okay, I really enjoy the sushi....however the waiting and the seating are ridiculous. We have been to Coast several times and always have to wait for greater than 45 min (even with a call-ahead). Oh yeah, and if you go during winter bring extra clothes....it is freezing. Unless you have hours to kill, there are many more places to eat sushi.
(2)
Jeanine H.

Whenever I want to have a special night with friends or that special someone, I always come here. So grateful to the girl who suggested it to me 3 years ago. This place is THE spot to dine on a wonderful assortment of beautiful sushi creations and enjoy a sexy atmosphere. Great variety for vegetarians (the exotic tempura should be called erotic tempura), perfect music selections to set the tone and you can have it your way with this BYOB treasure. Sexy, trendy yet casual, it's a hot spot for starting your night out & even better for finishing the evening.
(5)
Clarissa D.

There are so many byob sushi places all over Chicago, and Coast is one of my favorites. Some places are full of what I think of as cheap imitation sushi: gigantic rolls stuffed with things like cheese and fake crab, covered in sweet sauce and suffocating in tempura flakes. Blech. Coast is not like those places! They have a great selection of rolls with fresh ingredients, that are not overdone. There is also authentically prepared, delicious nigiri. I had both uni and ama ebi at Coast, and they were amazing. This is definitely a keeper in the Bucktown neighborhood.
(4)
Nicholaus H.

Outstanding food!!!! great sushi!!! we tried the oyster shooter that the server suggested, absolutely delicious! Make reservations as they are always packed.yakisoba beef noodles seemed pricey for what we got but were tasty as well. The hosts were nice but the server was lackluster.
(4)
Aletta J.

We liked Coast a lot! The restaurant is small, and the tables were small for four people but the food was good. We made our reservaions for 5:30 on a Sat. night and walked right in and were pretty much the only ones there for 15 mins. It was clean bright even with the dark walls and ceiling. Variety of offerings -- not the typical rolls so we went that way. We are from the 'burbs so there's not a TON of fantastic sushi places for a decent price. The white dragon roll was delicious as were a few other pieces. The fried firecracker shrimp were tasty on the outside, but really done a little to long... BYO is a great idea! It was good and we'll be back. We ended up walking to Hot Chocolate for after dinner treats.
(3)
Jeff M.

Sushi was pretty good - not the best I've had in chicago, but pretty good. The variety of rolls was good. Service was average. Ambiance is nice - a little dark and if you don't like too much noise, it might not be your place, but it was great for a Saturday evening in my opinion. I like the BYOB. If you're a big drinker, be prepared for the limit (1 bottle per couple or 1 6-pack). One suggestion would be if you are going and know you will have a 20-30 min wait for a table, you can pop open your poison while waiting. I would definitely recommend giving this place a shot.
(4)
Parisa S.

The fish here is extremely fresh - the super white tuna is amazing. BYOB is great, and the atmosphere is pleasant (except on weekend nights when the noise factor gets a little too high and you find yourself shouting to talk to the person across the table from you). My two complaints are these: 1) rolls here are not that exciting. Mind you, I'm not a fan of mayo-laden, tempura heavy amatuer rolls, but I do like some creativity and Coast's maki - be them signature or not - fall short. The one exception to this comment is the fact that their crunchy spicy tuna roll, despite being topped with fried tempura dough, is amazing. 2) the dessert selection is pathetic. Don't bother saving room...instead, load up on the pieces. PS people here are generally stylish - how refreshing for chicago - so don't roll in with levi's circa 1999, please.
(4)
Jessi L.

Welcome to my favorite Chicago restaurant. I'm lobbying to get on Check, Please! with them. I'm in at least once a month which is saying something considering I try to only eat out once a week and given the amount of new restaurants in Chicago. I love the atmosphere here- they did really well on the dcor (walls look like a Snow &Graham card). I usually make a weekend reservation around Tuesday and have found it to be both a great spot for a date and just a girl's night out. Also, because it's BYOB, it's easy to split edamame, salads, two rounds of Maki and mochi and still come out having had an awesome dinner for $30-40 a person. My favorite rolls have to be the White Dragon, Ikura and occasionally they do a great Angry Salmon special. Coast crab is great as well and don't miss the classics or sashimi- everything is very fresh.
(5)
Shawn C.

I wanted to give this place 4 stars but their new BYOB policy kind of ticked me off. Actually, the new policy isn't what actually did it, it was the 'two' people dining with a bottle of wine and a bottle of champagne which they clearly drank. I was told on the phone of their new policy, but apparently it's not heeded by all staff. I think the new policy should be such that if it's busy we'll ask you to either finish fast or move to the bar area. That being said, as usual our sushi is pretty good. The apps were good, some hamachi special was DELISH. Our maki were good as always, white dragoon, volcano and spicy crunchy tuna and a couple of others. We got a few of the specials but only one proved to be as good as our usual standard maki. This is no Mirai sushi, but it's damn good and w/o the liquor bill you come out definitely ahead. I've always had good service here. Nothing to complain about in that area. Our poor waitress was SO nice. I wish I could remember her name. However, one of our diners screwed up the bill and our waitress had to do a lot of voiding and recharging and she was as nice as pie about it. THANK YOU, whoever you are.
(3)
Emily M.

I loved coast!! went there with a few good friends and a few bottles of wine the other night and had a great time!! The atmosphere here is inviting and perfect for conversation. We tried a bunch of different rolls but I highly recommend the Coast crab roll and the White dragon roll. All in all a great experience I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Mike M.

Coast is easily one of my favorite sushi destinations in all of Chicago. The ambiance is sheik and modern, and the sushi is top notch. If you like deep-fried sushi, this is the place for you. The White Dragon and Coast Crab Roll have never disappointed me or my dates. Wasabi lovers shouldn't think twice about getting the Wasabi Shumai for an appetizer. Dislikes: Service can be a bit flighty at times due to high volume, but you'll forget about that once the food hits the table. I strongly recommend making a reservation if you can as this place is usually packed to the brim Thursday through Saturday. I know that they keep 50% of their tables open to walk-ins, so as long as you are patient, you'll eventually get a table. Enjoy!
(5)
Jennifer H.

If I could I would give this another .5 of a star. Pros: BYOB and while we were waiting for a table, people in the waiting area were all sharing...cool Cons: A long wait for a table. Pros: Really cool place. Great vibe. Everyone is having a good time. Everyone is dressed to impress. Cons: Food was ok but not great. I ordered the Sashimi plate and the quality was ok. The rolls were very good. All in all - the atmosphere outshines the food, but I'll definitely go back.
(3)
Jennifer L.

This review is for the delivery service only. Coast is pricey, but tasty. Our nigiri were fresh and delicious, and the white dragon roll was fabulous. So far, it's the best delivered sushi that I've experienced. I'd definitely like to try Coast for sit-down service. Updated 4/25: The Volcano roll is SPICY! I like spicy food, but this was a little much.
(4)
Tara P.

I have no complaints, only praise. I went with two friends. We had reservations and were apparently seated promptly (I was a bit late). Service was excellent throughout. The server didn't rush us even though there was a sizable crowd at the door, and he kept both the bottle of white and sparkling we brought on ice. He even brought new glasses when we switched to a bottle of red. We started with edamame and seaweed salad - both standard appetizers, prepared as expected. We tried several kinds of maki, and all were delicious. We also each had pieces of fatty tuna, and they were excellent. Everything we ate was fresh, delicious and delivered promptly to our table. While this isn't quite Mirai, it's an excellent alternative when you want to byob.
(4)
ninja p.

DE-MOTHERF'IN-LICIOUS!! oooh.. sooo good. i luv luv luv the coast crab - my favorite! chicken dumplings r goood so are the wasabi shu mai & seaweed salad (MOST of the time. the deserts r just okay - could use more selection... but who luvs BYOB?? ME! :) avoid the weekend - you'll wait forever! boooo
(4)
Katie M.

It's pricey or whatever, but the white dragon roll is amazing. I know it's been said before, but it just can't be said enough. Try it. Best maki I've ever had.
(4)
Greg S.

Quality is much much higher than most other places i've been to around chicago. The wait was long but they have a nice sitting area and they'll take your number and give you a call if you want to go down the street or whatever. My only complaint is that it was extremely loud in here on a friday night. Could barely hear the people sitting next to me. They should get some acoustical panels or something.
(4)
Brittany H.

This was my first time coming to Coast and I was really excited to try it! I am not a big sushi fanatic but I definitely enjoy the specialty rolls. My friend and I didn't bring any wine but we definitely would for our next trip to Coast. We both started off with the Spicy Miso soup- it was delicious! Served in heavy mug and topped off with slices of jalapenos! For sushi we order the King Crab and White Dragon.I really like the White Dragon as it was extremely flavorful. I would go with the White Dragon again and maybe try something else next time instead of the King Crab-another it was very good as well. For dessert my friend got the lychee sorbet and I got two little mochis- the white chocolate raspberry one was awesome!! Over all Coast is very intimate and a great date place an very well priced. In light of the recent blizzard we took advantage of the $10 valet.
(4)
amai r.

Cute atmosphere BYOB helps when going as a big group. HOWEVER - if you are a TRUE sushi lover who understands authentic sushi/sashimi - you will be very disappointed by their sashimi. The sashimi pieces were paper thin and the portion size for a $23 large sashimi plate was just pitiful. When I say paper thin, I mean paper thin, when I pick the pieces up with my chopstick, it just sags over. Most other sushi places have at least 3-4 times the thickness of the sashimi at Coast. They don't even know how to cut the sashimi pieces correctly. There is a reason why REAL Japanese sushi chefs go through years of apprenticeship to learn how to properly slice sashimi pieces to ensure maximum flavor and texture. I didn't hear one word of Japanese among the restaurant staff. If you are going for the americanized rolls and don't know the difference between authentic sushi vs rolls with creamcheese and tempura crunch (cheap fillers) then by all means go ahead and enjoy. In terms of the other items - the teriyaki dishes had very small portions and hardly filling for $15-20. Gyoza was deepfried which is a no-no. The tempura tasted stale and the oil they used was probably old.
(1)
Julia T.

This is a nice cozy spot to dine with your sweetie on a Friday night. It is candle lit through out the place. It is a bit loud since it packed on the weekend. I would recommend calling a few days ahead to set up your reservations because this place fills up fast. I called on Wednesday afternoon for a Friday reservation and there was only one slot left and that was because someone had just cancelled! Their oysters are amazing there! We asked for 1 order and we ended up ordering another because they were so good! They have a great appetizer list and I would also recommend the pot stickers. I am a huge fan of sushi and I would say that their sushi is sub par. The service is great and I would definitely come back.
(4)
John L.

Great sushi place, definitely my favorite in the west town area. I love the robust green tea, and the sushi is consistently top notch. Surprisingly, one of my favorites is the shiitake mushroom sushi. Delicious! I can't seem to find any other sushi place that can replicate it. Excellent Unagi and dragon rolls too. Decent size portions, and prices aren't too bad. The place has excellent decor and friendly staff too.
(4)
Ben P.

I'd heard good thing, so when my gf wanted to celebrate getting a raise we thought we'd hit up some fancy sushi. We were seated right away and our nice bottle of New Zealand sauvignon blanc was quickly poured and set in a chiller. As our server poured the wine (which came with a Stelvin [aka. screwcap] enclosure) he told us that not everything in a screwcap is crap! What an ass! We ordered some appetizers and a couple rolls and everything came out well prepared and nicely displayed. After eating thru that we wanted to order some nigiri, so we told our waiter we wanted to order more. He said ok, then walked away and didn't return until I managed to make eye contact with him. Once he brought the nigiri he mis-identified every piece. How lame can you get?? The fish had terrible texture, looked less than super fresh and came on a hockey-puck's worth of rice. After finding the bottom of our bottle we left and will most likely never return.
(2)
Cindy D.

I went here years ago when it was only one storefront and badly decorated with a fake palm tree in the front. Back then, the quanitites were plentiful at reasonable prices. Now, as it is beautifully decorated, the prices hasn't changed so much, but the quanities have. I still have to admit, it is one of my favorite places to get sushi, but it is a bit more pricey than what we have paid for in the past. To be full my bf and I ordered 5 rolls and 6 pieces of sashimi. If you like sashimi, order it here. It's $3 a pop, but the slices are the biggest I've seen around chicago.
(3)
Glynnis S.

A romantic dinner....for 4 Love love love Coast....and so do a lot of people. By 8 pm on a Tuesday night, the place was poppin' and there were at least 20 others waiting to be seated. Why I love it: BYOB! Easy street parking (rare in Bucktown)! The Tuna Carpaccio special! Why it's not getting 5 stars: Wonk-wonk on the Ceviche Roll and the $16 price for their Yakisoba dish (basically a handful of noodles with a couple pieces of asparagus thrown in). What we ate: Tuna Carpaccio - Tangy, spicy, buttery. Negihamachi, Spider Roll, Spicy Tuna, Spicy Tako, salmon with avo - ALL solid and delicious. Spicy Tuna Crunch - Very flavorful but I felt I lost the buttery tuna texture in all that tempura crunch. Ceviche Roll - Meh. It was weird. A chunk of jalapeno, a chunk of mango, a chunk of scallop. It was listed under their signature dishes, so we decided to try it. It was ok, I would never order it again. Dessert was chocolate mousse with ice cream - perfect end to the meal. We were "Those People" and had our kids with us. In our defense, it was our anniversary, we ate early (7 pm) and even requested a table away from the crowds so as to not disturb our fellow sushi-eaters. My kids (ages 3 and 2) are foodies-in-training so they were awesome. Anyway, they ate some of the soft shell crab, a bite of the salmon roll, miso soup and the yakisoba noodles. If I'm at a sushi place, the last thing I'm going to order is noodles and that's probably what Coast figured...why else would they charge $16 for this? That's the cost of 2 makis! Either way, the kids gobbled it up so it was all good. We've dined there numerous times without the kids and the host/wait staff was always good. But with the kids, there was no judgment, no weird looks. In fact, they were extra accommodating and sweet. They are the reason why I'm taking the time to write this review.
(4)
Jonathan F.

Coast, you rock. Who cares if you have to wait an hour to get food -- YOU CAN DRINK WHILE YOU DO IT! The staff is always friendly - the food is always fresh...and it's just down the street. I've eaten there three times in a week and a half. Enough said :)
(5)
Katie V.

For someone who has never liked sushi, coast has completely changed my mind. I have ventured out and tried almost anything on the menu the white dragon roll is by far my favorite so is the spicey Tako. I also love that it's byob and the prices are very affordable
(5)
Yumiko F.

I grew up eating fresh sashimi so i am very picky about eating sushi. But this place was great. I was not expected.. Price was good and not over priced as I see often at other sushi place.. I was super hungry so i felt like they served a little bit slow comparing to the amount of sushi chef were there.. but i guess that was just me. BYOB style is also cool.
(4)
Melanie K.

I adore this place, to me it is the best sushi in Chicago. super fresh, and what can be better than BYOB!!!!! their super white tuna is absolutely delicious and their rolls are creative if you don't make a reservation, be prepared to wait! It gets crazy!
(5)
kim w.

1st time- Walked in, bland lobby area with BYOB bottles already opened up all over the place, whatever, and a waitlist early on a Thursday evening- fine. I stood by the sushi bar before seating to scope the product and was overwhelmingly surprised then overly excited to just sit and eat it all. The dining rooms are nice, cozy but airy/open, active with a pleasant buzz. The server was cute, quick to greet but rattled off the specials while staring out the window. Guest and I got into our wine: grenache/shiraz, the mushroom appetizer came out in good time, but we waited a good length for Round 2... I could have cared less until my guest seemed bothered by it. Over 25 minutes. After which, we were presented with three rolls of a decent size -meaning at least I could fit a piece in my mouth without awkward ugliness. Lastly, hit our big plate of sashimi. DELICIOUS. Bright, young flavors. Delicate, moist. Until I bit down, found a hard spot in my Unagi, eel, ??? swallowed and ended up with something (a fish bone) lodged in my throat. True story, and I never thought it would happen to me. Oh, the dangers of sushi-consumption! Oh well. Three trips to the bathroom with my hand in my mouth, trying to find a plastic-y needle-like thing poking me from inside the neck. The manager was attentive of course- bringing hot water to soothe, rice balls to shift the sharp thing, more ice water to rinse down, and finally -fourth try in the ladies room, gagging all the while - gross - I got it, the prize, like the Golden Ticket, a baby Bone! All that drama, and I really just wanted to eat more and more and more! I've been dreaming about The White Dragon roll and toro, himachi, hirame. BYOB: Bring plenty to drink or just walk 3 minutes to the Armitage/Damen corner store for an alright-okay Bev. selection.
(4)
Amanda T.

Scrump-Diddly-Umptious. I honestly don't exactly remember what we ordered, but I do remember that we ordered a lot of sushi. And it was all great! And it's BYOB, which is a plus. The place is chic and sophisticated, yet at the same time very relaxing. However, the tables are a little too close together. I overheard a little too much info on what the couple at the table over were gonna do afterwards... But all in all...Coast...go there.
(4)
rachel c.

There are too many great sushi restaurants in Chicago to deal with the pretension of Coast. Instead of looking down their nose at their guests, they should focus on service... We all but got kicked out one night when we opened our last bottle of wine AFTER we had finished our dinner. We asked our server to open it, and she flat our refused, "no. you're done eating." Now I can understand the logic if it was 8 p.m. and they had a wait, but it was about 10:30 and the restuarant was only half full, with no one waiting. So... naturally we had our strong male friend open it by pushing the cork into the bottle with a Chapstick. She was horrified, needless to say. The food is good, but that doesn't make Coast worth it.
(3)
Lauren R.

Excellent restaurant. Great prices for amazing sushi. Awesome BYOB policy. Super friendly staff. Recommend making reservations especially on the weekend.
(5)
Jessica H.

Ok im gonna let you in on a lil Jess interior desgin tip. I have this thing about rest's....it cant be the best of the best unless the food is off the hook and the decor makes me want to go home and re do my living room. HELLLLO coast (and the bongo room for that matter but thats another review another day) Yah i guess its slightly pricey but i dont mind paying a pretty penny for sushi, its when i dont i get a lil nervous...but this is some of the best sushi ive ever had...WAY better than japonais and japonais is up there on my list of sushi favs too!! The dragon roll is beyond amazing, they dont skip on the eel sauce and they have some AWESOME special rolls....the wait has always been suuuupppper nice and weve never had a problem with resos or getting a seat. I like in edgewater and im sure there are 1000 awesome sushi places to try between my place and coast yet somehow coast ALWAYS wins with me!!
(5)
Elizabeth J.

I love this place. The atmosphere is great and the service has always been great. They can get really busy so sometimes you will have a wait. But they will open your wine for you and you can drink it while you wait. The white dragon is by far the best. I highly recommend trying Coast!
(4)
lisa k.

Great sushi place for the price. The atmosphere is very cozy. The great thing about it is that it is byob and you can sit in front or near the bar and drink your beverage while you wait. The staff is very knowledgeable about the sushi and they also make fresh wasabi! Yum! A great date place!
(3)
Jon S.

AMAZING! Devin was our waiter and OMG he knows everything there is to know about sushi. Even if the food was horrible, which it was not, he would have made it terrific with his knowledge and ability to suggest the perfect sashimi or roll or anything really. Then I asked one I the chefs to make something completely off the wall. He asked what I liked, I told him, and then came a wonderful on the spot creation that had amazing architecture and balance with all of the things one could ask for. This place is by far the most creative and best sushi location in the city and maybe even the Midwest! I'd go back daily if I could!
(5)
Tara M.

I went to Coast for a friend's birthday recently and LOVED it! And it's nice to go to a more upscale restaurant that is BYOB. They get five stars for the Dragon roll alone. Not super traditional, but it is fantastic! My mouth waters just thinking about it. I also enjoyed the Sunrise roll. I wish they delivered to my neighborhood... Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Kathryn G.

Enjoyed the great (and large) menu selection and the wonderful rolls. Appreciate it being byob to cut down on the cost. A bit loud and very busy when we were there on a friday night. 4 of us had a great time and will be back.
(4)
Matt S.

Definitely in my top 3 of sushi places in Chicago. I absolutely love this place. I was lucky enough to have the girlfriend take me out here, and I was very impressed. We ended up waiting a long time for a table around 8 on a Friday night, but that's expected here. When we finally sat down our waitress was very attentive, and I thought we had very good service. The rolls were impeccable and very tasty.. My favorite part...its BYOB!! The prices can be higher than most other sushi joints, but why not splurge once every couple months for some amazing sushi?!
(5)
Danielle R.

Falling within walking distance of my place I fall into the trap of convenience more than anything when it comes to Coast. I do like the atmosphere (once seated) and the sushi is decent (albeit, perhaps a little over-priced) but each time I go I get the feeling this place is being overrun by LP visitors as everyone is dressed "to impress" and is trying way too hard. But, I've always enjoyed the food so I seem to keep coming back! Be prepared for a long wait if you go on a weekend night. Luckily, though, it is BYOB and there is a liquor store just down the street to help pass the time.
(4)
Camden D.

White dragon roll is amazing! Byob which is a plus! Always love everything I've ordered! Service has been very snobby several times with one particular male server but last time I went had a wonderful server. Best sushi in Chicago by far! Great value!
(4)
Chris G.

This place is good. No Boose.. That sucks! Is it me or is this place super dark? I feel like I need a miners hard hat to eat my sushi... The spicy tuna crunch is the one that stuck out. Friendly staff and easy to get a table.. Cheap ****Worth a trip***
(3)
Tara F.

The sushi is absolute perfection. I have been a few times, always consistent, always fresh, and always delicious. The service is not great; slow, unenthusiastic and cold. This is my absolute favorite spot for Sushi in Chicago, therefore I would give 5 stars if it weren't for the bad service; therefore I will minus a star for that. Coast is BYOB which is convenient and fun for a date or group. Reservations highly recommended!
(4)
Katherine R.

I really don't understand how this restaurant does it. I have never had a bad experience here and never had a bad piece of fish. The girls and I hit up Coast the night before Thanksgiving (sorry I've been slacking Johnny T!) and it was fabulous. We ordered the White Dragon....four times. My friend is obsessed with this roll, and she has every right. The roll is frickin amazing! The creamy and crunchy textures are perfectly balanced by the spicy mayo. Our server thought we were insane; we were there for quite some time and put away an impressive amount of sushi. The place was, as always, packed and the sushi was excellent. It's safe to say I've tried every roll on the menu with a few exceptions...everything is magnificent. Really though. I recommend Coast to any person that enjoys sushi and have converted a couple along the way. I always recommend reservations...this place is normally bumping. BYOB, limit to a bottle of wine per two people....their somewhat new policy. Kind of annoying considering all that says to me is, " Eat and get out." I get it...but when you have that much business, take care of the patrons! I'll be back....on Friday!
(5)
Robbie J.

Best sushi in the city!!!! seriously!!!!! I go to Japonais and Samba but this place is the best. It is truly amazing what they do with all their menu items not just the sushi, which is remarkable! Even the Apps, entrees and deserts are amazing! I go at least once a week cause i need my fix and eating bad sushi is just unacceptable but i take a lot of newbies here and it will convert even the most close minded sushi hater! Plus BYOB!!!!
(5)
kevin b.

sweet restaurant, awesome atmosphere, great sushi, byob, real wasabi, white dragon roll is ridiculous. also tend to have (and run out of) specialties e.g. hamachi/toro/etc kinda pricey for kinda small portions, but overall a sick place. MAKE RESERVATIONS ON THE WEEKENDS
(4)
Rishi K.

Awesome sushi for the price. Spicy scallop is delicious. Eel here is the best I've ever had. go here and see what good quality fish can do the ordinary hand roll.
(5)
Catherine H.

AMAZING sushi! Not that I'm a contisseaur or anything but everything was good! The server was great at making suggestions. As said multiple times the white dragon roll is not to be missed, probably the best sushi roll i've ever had. We also tried the Po'boy which is similiar and very good. The rolls are large and we left with our stomachs full. Yay good sushi!
(4)
Katie C.

I'd never been here before, but my friend was dying to go back...he made advance reservations, but somehow Coast had no record of that...it was a Thursday and the place was pretty crowded, but they still seated us right away (!) which was quite nice of them. We found the waiter to be incredibly knowledgeable and helpful (comped us for a mistake in the order)....and the liberal BYOB policy is certainly a HUGE plus (no corkage fee with minimum $15/pp). We ordered two of the appetizer specials...one (salmon dish) was so-so, but the other (white tuna) was amazing...unfortunately, not on the menu. Pretty much everything we ordered was great, and quite fresh...unfortunately, as both of us are sushi fiends we were barely able to stay under $100. Loved the spicy salmon maki....the Volcano was good, but had a bit much going on (crumbled tempura everywhere)...spider maki was excellent....Maguro was delicious. Overall, quite satisfied!
(5)
Kevin B.

As a snobbish Lincoln Parker I must say, I have finally found a reason to venture west. Best sushi in the City. Hands down. Get the dragon roll, you will not be disappointed.
(5)
John P.

Geat Sushi Great Style..Great waiter.. It's hard to find a combo like this I can't wait to go back.I think this will be my new fave place to go for my cravings ....If you like a drink with your Sushi then you will love this BYOB spot ...hey more fish for your dollar. they have a web site and you can droll before you go.. The waiter that we had was great and this is a large place for a sushi joint....try there special's if you like to try something new...
(4)
Sarah H.

Delicious sushi.. delightful atmosphere.. and a staff that gracefully put up with our group of eight giggly, semi-intoxicated, slightly hyper ladies. Excellent! Oh and it's BYOB (*no corkage fee if you spend $15 which is no problem with all the amazing fish!)
(4)
Alice K.

I have high expectations when it comes to sushi. The fish has to be extra fresh, the rice on maki has to be perfected packed and the appetizers and miso soup need to complement to main entree. Coast is by far the best sushi place I've been to in Chicago because of its affordable prices, BYOB standing and a cool decor. I highly recommend trying the daily specials!
(4)
Olivia L.

My favorite sushi restaurant EVER! My girlfriends and I come here often and always have a blast! The food is amazing and service is great! Love that we can bring our own wine... We always get a variety of appetizers to split between us and have SO much fun! Must-haves: angry salmon, sesame crusted scallops, tropical ceviche, hamachi carpacio!!!! We usually car pool and then do valet, which is great for the price and convenience. I'm pregant now and am craving sushi from COAST every day!
(5)
Jonathan A.

This is probably my favorite sushi place in Chicago. Usually I just get carryout, but the times I have eaten here have made for a nice night out. It's usually always busy on the weekend, so beware, but when we used to live close by we would put our name down then go next door to Danny's for a drink and have them call us when our table was ready, which is really cool. The rolls are excellent. The signature makis are great if you want to splurge. The atmosphere is buzzing and since they expanded the dining room they seem to do twice the business. I've never taken advantage of the BYOB, but that is a nice option. There is the Polonia liquor store just down the block to pick stuff up. The sushi is a couple bucks more than other places, but I think it is worth it.
(4)
Michael D.

Best Sushi I have had. And BYOB makes the experiance that much more enjoyable. No reservation? Bring a bottle of wine in and sip while you wait!? Can't beat that. Everything is so fresh, and the wait staff is knowledgable with all ingredents.
(5)
Puja A.

Its BYOB! The sashimi is so fresh. The toro is very reasonably priced. The hamachi appetizer was very flavorful. I went with a large group and ordered appetizers and many rolls/sashimi pieces and it came out to only $27 a person. The server was very nice and patient.
(4)
Monique O.

Living in CA my whole life I have a good perspective of sushi and whats good. This place is good! It's 2 blocks from my house and I would go there everyday if i could afford it. Good food- good design- and love that it's byob. I only gave it 4 stars because I'm from Ca and have had better :)
(4)
Sandra B.

Very, very good!!! Loooovveee the white dragon roll, definitely my favorite sushi roll ever. Their shrimp tempra is delicious as well. I love that it's BYOB, but the one in the south side isn't.
(5)
Chance T.

The bomb ass sushi! The Vegetarian stuff is the best! Went here for my birthday dinner, and received excellent service from the waitstaff and the hostess! BYOB Go eat here!
(5)
Jenny S.

Am I the only one who doesn't see why this place is considered to be so great? Don't get me wrong. The sushi is good but it's so damn dark inside you can barely read the menu. It's just odd to me that there's usually a 2 hour wait for Coast when Blue Fin is right down the street and you can walk right in (and the food is just as good). I don't think Coast is bad or anything but I'm not quite sure why people just rave and rave about it. Sushi restaurants are a dime a dozen in the city, why wait 2 hours at one?
(3)
Andrew P.

This is an excellent sushi spot, with a very good vegetarian selection. A restaurant always gets props from me if at least one of the specials in vegetarian, and this place did not disappoint. I would recommend the shitake maki and anything tempura. The mango and tuna roll was also excellent. Stay away from the maki with tamago and spinach. The flavors did not mesh well, and the spinach texture was too soggy for a roll. Great deserts, too. You can get a scoop of each of their ice creams for $6. BYOB, so I brought in a sixer of Blatz bought at The Corner (bar) on a cold walk through Bucktown from the Fullerton & Oakley bus stop. Service was helpful and attentive as well.
(5)
Patrick G.

This the the place where I first tried sushi and had to admit to all my friends that I was indeed missing out on something. I will say that I am somewhat spoiled in having such a great place as my first sushi experience because all the other sushi places I have been to have not been as good as Coast! This place is BYOB (like many sushi places in Chicago) so that is pretty awesome by itself. The only appetizer I think I have ever had here is edamame but make sure to eat it quickly since when it gets cold it is how you say "uhhh not-a sooo goood". I really like spicy rolls and Coast delivers. Spicy Tako, Spicy Sweet Potato, Spicy Tuna and VOLCANO all are delicious. Make sure to get fresh wasabi to complete the spicy experience. For dessert, make sure to try the Mochi and get the "Red Bean" flavor (its good, trust me). As for ambiance its a pretty relaxed atmosphere lots of groups, lots of people on dates, lots of chatting. Definitely the best sushi place I have been to in my life so give it a try.
(4)
Miss J P.

I like this place to go with a big group and get their speciality rolls! I personally LOVE sashimi! And not many people do, so they ease into sushi with Rolls and Coast is GREAT for that! Their Speciality Rolls are unsual and unique: The White Dragon is a nice alternative to the traditional Dragon roll! I love the Sunrise Roll b/c of the Mango! The Coast Crab is actually fantastic: I'm the last person in the World that would order Crab at a sushi restaurant. The other thing that Coast does that is trully amazing is their combo of Jalapeno and Hamachi or Tuna... If you do get the Hamachi Jalapeno Roll, ask them to add Cilantro! You won't regret it! Plus keep in mind that you usually get drunk at Coast! I always make the mistake of drinking a bottle wine while I wait for table. But thats what makes dining at Coast an Event!!
(3)
Angela Z.

I'm surprised I haven't reviewed Coast before! Like a lot of people, I really like the food here. Fish is pretty fresh and the rolls are good. Po' Boy and White Dragon are faves. This place is ALWAYS crowded. It's very hustle and bustle-y so it's a good place to go to with a bunch of friends before a night out. Not sure I'd recommend for a quiet date or if you want to have intimate conversation though. It's also BYOB but they will charge for corkage fee. And unless you make a reservation, and sometimes even if you do, EXPECT TO WAIT! That's really the only place they lose a star for me. Other than that, go and enjoy!
(4)
Lainy Y.

Coast is delicious and the BYOB is the best way to go. Friendly and cute host staff. Attentive servers and nice decor. I would reccomend this for parties and special events too :)
(4)
Erin C.

One of my favorite sushi restaurants in Chicago, especially since it's BYOB. I've never had anything bad here, and I totally recommend the white dragon roll. Definitely the best piece of sushi I've ever put in my mouth - it melted and crunched all at once. So good I had dreams about it that night. During the week it isn't too busy and you might not need to make reservations.
(5)
Jessica C.

This is probably one of the better sushi bars in Chicago. Great service. I recommend trying their Dragon Roll. I never did like eel but after I tried the Dragon Roll, it changed my perseption. Here is kind of a weird point: they have nice chop sticks.. not the cheep kind..but actually nice.
(4)
Naomi L.

How can you take away any stars. The sushi Chefs are sushi chefs. The decor ad music is amazing. The menu offers any variety of cuisine in the Sushi world. It is BYOB. The service is impeccable. The atmosphere is fantastic yet not snobby. it may be a little slow to deliver to your door, so go and get it!
(5)
Brenda L.

I LOVE Coast! My husband and I have regular date nights at Coast, and I'm never disappointed. The service is consistently great, the sushi is consistently great, the atmosphere is good (maybe a little loud though, since they thend to stay packed), and we can bring in a bottle of wine. Perfect! My faves on the menu: the hamachi carpaccio, sashimi platters, spicy miso, and spicy creamy. Everything I've had there is really, really good though.
(5)
Caryn F.

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Chicago. I have to admit that I don't eat in quite as much as I used to, as it is so much easier (and faster) to order carry out. I love their White Dragon Roll. Their Yaki Soba is great as well. Rated it a 4 star as for the value, I think they are a little over-priced.
(4)
Andrea N.

This is absolutely my favorite sushi in the city and I have a really hard time going anywhere else. New BYOB policy brings it down to 4 stars I'm afraid though... You really shouldnt make rules for people coming to your restaurant. It's patronizing and just not polite. I hope this isnt a trend among Chicago's BYOB's!
(4)
eden s.

White dragon. Sweet potato, Po Boy. Only rolls you really need to know about.
(5)
Carrie G.

Yummiest sushi in Chicago!
(5)
Jaclyn C.

The sushi is some of the best I have had ever. It is very fresh and the portions and prices are great. Between my husband and I, we split a seaweed salad, Red V, White Dragon, Crunchy Spicy Tuna and Fresh Philly. All were amazing but the highlight was definitely the Red V. Its always on the chalkboard menu by the sushi bar. The seaweed salad was fresh and so flavor full. My husband never really is in the mood for sushi ever cause men love their meat. I finally convinced him to go and he was even raving how great the sushi was. Alas, a sushi place my husband will want to go to. BYOB too!!!
(4)
Rachel A.

I heart this place! Obviously the BYO is huge, but the sushi itself is delicious. I've been several times in groups ranging from 2 to 8. One of our group of 8 literally brought a case of beer bottles and the waitress kept them in the cooler, bringing out bottles whenever we needed it. They will open wine for you and provide glasses if you're waiting for a table which is great. Definitely make a reservation. Coast gets crazy crowded on the weekends. The sushi is awesome! As others have recommended, the Volcano and White Dragon rolls are soooooo good. Make sure to ask for the fresh wasabi -- extra charge, but so much better than the paste. The exotic tempura is good for a starter, too. Service has always been friendly and attentive -- comfortable atmosphere -- my one complaint is that there's only one bathroom, but I've had some good conversations while waiting in line!
(5)
Jen V.

Besides having to wait a WHILE to get a table, I'm always nothing but satisfied with this place. I always take a nice group of friends here. It's a BYOB place so you either like it or not. I personally like it since it gives me an excuse to bring my own girly drinks. The food is always fresh. My favorite rolls: Dragon, Una Avo, Philly, and the Rainbow~ YummmmYy!
(4)
Luis E.

I have been going to Coast at least 2-3 times a month for at least 2 years. The atmosphere is always great. The BYOB aspect makes your experience more affordable. The long sushi bar is impressive with up to 12 chefs working non-stop. The most important and best feature is how consistent the quality of the sushi is. Don't expect Japonais or Mirai quiality, because you won't pay those prices either. But it's up there. The Coast Crab Roll can be addictive. It is beyond good. I always get two. The sashimi quality and presentation is always top notch. This is a place where if you feel like being adventurous and trying new things, you are safe; it's always good. Also recommend the hokkigai sashimi and the volcano roll. Service is attentive but the wait can be long on Fridays and Saturdays during peak times because they have limited reservations. Nice thing about that is you can drink while you wait. Only drawback is that there are only two single-person restrooms, so you may have to wait to pee!!
(5)
Moe f.

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet. It's one of my sushi staples because of it's consistency and BYO status. We always go before 6:30 to avoid a wait. Great seaweed and Gomaae salads. I love the Coast Crab and Volcano roll. And the sushi is always super fresh. Last night we had Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, SW Tuna(like butter), Hamachi, Fatty Hamachi(awesome), Salmon, and, Fatty Salmon. Cool spot, decent service, and the price is right.
(5)
Kelsey N.

Are people insane? I feel like I am going to vomit both times I have eaten here. It is sick. End of story.
(1)
Megan T.

Favorite sushi place in the city... love the BYOB! Love the rolls, love the atmosphere! Always packed and so much fun! great for a date or a big group of friends. Crunchy Spicy Tuna is insane Love it!
(4)
Jenn C.

I am gonna say it! Make a freakin' reservation and quit your whining!! This place is busy! Its in a popular part of town! And when its busy...dont expect the same fast service you would get at Taco Bell. Jeezy Crezzy! Now that thats done... I am a slave to BYOB. Its just cuz I would rather spend my ducats on good food as opposed to paying triple the wine cost...plus I have a pretty good wine supply at home or there is a liquor store on the corner that has started carrying a pretty nice Riesling/ GewÃ¼rztraminer/ and bubbles selection. Coast is one of those places we go to have a good time when we(fella or girlfriends in tow) are feeling shnazzy. We make a reservation, normally a couple of days (or hours) in advance. Recommend using the days in advance when wanting a spot thurs- sun. And they have never treated us wrong. And sometimes we come to party- nine or ten people deep. The hosts/ servers will keep your spare bottles in the back, and do bring a spare. My fella and I always say we are a 2 bottle couple. And trust me, when this place is rockin'- it may take a full bottle just to get you through appetizers. (And there is nothing wrong with that!!) Hip Hip Hoorah for a restaurant that is successful! I also am a slave to miso soup. Upon hearing that Coast does a spicy miso, all the texan in me came out with a "giddy up game on"! Boy, is it spicy, loaded with jalapenos-a perfect companion to the spritzy fruity vinho verde that we usually bring along. In the past, I have tried everything from their salmon spring rolls (with the most delicious curry sauce that will make you wish you had a bowl of it to dip your fingers), the seared scallops (done almost perfectly- and I am a scallop whore), to the sunny side up egg/ mushroom combo (my motto: when feeling eggs- just go for it!) and nothing has done me wrong---but those are just appetizers. Thank god for that second bottle! I like a taste of everything- which means Coast's $21 large sushi plate is all I typically get. Nine pieces of sushi, a california roll, and a cup of that scrumptious miso soup---is that really that pricey?? Uh, no, I dunno think so. Like most sushi restaurants, the individual sushi is more spendy, But duh! Go with a game plan! And true to form, I always save room for those tasty mochi balls at the end.
(5)
Nicole B.

Went here last weekend with 5 friends, THE BEST sushi I have ever had in my life. No doubt. I'm vegetarian so thats all i can vouch for but i LOVED it and would definitely go back.
(5)
Madelyn H.

i recently moved from sf to chicago and everyone in california seems to think that the sushi can't be as fresh here. i argue because no matter where you are in the US, your sushi is likely flown in from somewhere so i don't know why it would be any different in chicago. i always try the sashimi at sushi restaurants to get a sense of whether or not the fish is fresh, and coast passed the test. really fresh, buttery hamachi. i also tried a couple of rolls, most of which were good, except for the po' boy. i should have known better as this was likely some not quite as fresh fish fried and thrown into the roll... pretty mediocre. the rest of my experience at coast was great though. love that it's byob. good to eat: tempura veggies
(4)
Mary S.

I really love the ambiance, great food and BYOB. It gets crowded, but the hostess will give you glasses so you can drink your beverage while you wait-very nice. Good selection of veggie rolls. Delicious tempura. There's usually a wait, but pretty much all you could ask for in a sushi restaurant.
(5)
Lil C.

This was my first time to dinner in Buck Town and I loved it. What a great area to explore. We went to Coast to celebrate some friends' birthday and everything ran very smoothly. We had reservations at 7 and were seated immediately. The restaurant is divided between two long rooms and the decor is an Asian urban and is very tastefully done. The crowd is hip and more on the younger side. We were celebrating 30 something birthdays and were definitely on the older end. The ambiance is great in this place however at some points it was hard to distinguish between the wasabi and ginger because the lights were so low. The seating was great, comfortable and enough room for 6 of us at a corner booth in the front. The tables are close together but it wasn't a problem. Our waitress was awesome, very attentive and made some very good suggestions in terms of someone in our party having a food allergy. It was hard to hear her at times, like everyone was saying it can get pretty loud, so be prepared to be talking at a yelling level. We order the sesame crusted scallops as an appetizer. To die for, I would highly recommend them. So good it took 3-4 bites to finish. We decided to order Sushimi and maki rolls. My favorites were the wasabi, dragon, and fatty white tuna. Everything was nicely presented however the maki was on the smaller side. Great for woman but they could of gone a little bigger for the price. We brought champagne and wine. Our waitress immediately greeted us with glasses and offered to uncork the champagne. I am really diggin the BYOB. It cuts down on the cost and you can bring what you want. I think the pinot grigio we brought went well with the meal. The staff was very nice however I would tell them they need to relax on clearing the table. It felt like there was an arm in front clearing something every other minute. It was a little distracting and somewhat disruptive to the conversation. They did light a candle and place it on the dessert we ordered while we sang happy birthday. Overall, I thought it was a great place. You're definitely paying for the scene but the food was delisch. We were well taken care of by the staff and our waitress even made recommendations for someone that had a food allergy. Sweet! Pros: SCALLOPS, SCALLOPS, SCALLOPS educated and helpful waitress, hip environment, reservations taken, BYOB no corkage fee is spent more than 15 a person (not hard to do), great presentation and ambiance Cons: The noise level, the one bathroom (??? so always a line)(that really surprised me they definitely skimped), the constant clearing of the table, no parking, no valet, must cab it or walk.
(3)
Nikki T.

I've had my fair share of awesome sushi, mostly in the Seattle, WA area, but Coast is definitely my favorite. I love the volcano rolls, the fact that they have BYOB, the decor and the ambiance. I usually come here with a group of my friends, we order edename and a huge platter of rolls and after about 20 minutes we are ordering another huge platter of rolls. No complaints whatsoever, Coast is freaking fabulous.
(5)
Mike B.

Taste like you're actually on the coast, not far from the ocean! High quality sushi. I'm not a drinker, but BYOB seems to be a big reason so many people flock here, and the fact that it's the best sushi I have had yet. The only issue I have is you'll pay $2.00 to $3.00 more than any other sushi place for common maki. With that said, if you're after quality and not quantity come here you won't be let down. Another cool thing is the atmosphere and utensils very natural, yet modern.
(4)
Christine L.

Mmmmm, yum! I was at Coast last night for the umteenth time and it was absolutely sensational as it is every time I go. Last night my husband and I took his sister there for dinner and as it was a Monday, it was less busy than when we go later in the week although it did fill up a bit after 8. Its BYO and our server informed us that they will now open your wine (yay!) but it is limited to one bottle of wine or six pack of beer or bottle of sake per two people. They always have specials and they had a fatty salmon nigiri that was melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness and huge pieces to boot. The Coast Crab (one of their signature rolls), Fresh Philly and Spicy Salmon are our go-to favorites but we did try a Spicy Tako roll and the Spicy Creamy that were equally pleasant morsels. Edamame is a great start to the meal as it is served warm and salty and I recommend ending the meal with the chocolate chip mochi balls! Coast continues to be my favorite sushi joint in the city and is well worth the expense. *they also deliver - sushi at home!
(5)
Aaron T.

This place clearly does not need another review. However, I'll add my two cents because this is the best sushi I've had in Chicago so far. I eat sushi everywhere I go, and I recognize that sushi is not the highlight of the restaurant scene in Chicago. But Coast is definitely an exception to that rule. I usually lean towards more sashimi than rolls because the fish is so good at Coast. They do, however, have their fair share of more complicated rolls. Both ends of the spectrum are great. After eating great sushi for several years, I'm rarely surprised. Coast surprised me. I always thought red tuna was always superior to white tuna. That was before I had some melt-in-your-mouth white tuna at Coast. Maybe I got lucky that day, but it's a testament to the quality of fish Coast gets, and probably the skill of the sushi chef too. Service = good. BYOB = good. Delivery service = good. All told.
(4)
Trey A.

My wife and I love the sushi here. We have dined in a few times which was good and ordered pick up as well. The sushi is uber fresh, however it took a while...It's also BYOB. Rolls are on the smaller side, however as stated earlier uber delicious/fresh. Would recommend and will keep going back!
(4)
Julie S.

Love the eel here! Never had better. All the sushi is great. It's BYOB and a nice place, but I'm not too happy about the limit in alcohol policy (one bottle of wine per 2 people). Best sushi in the city!
(4)
Joscelyn M.

I've been to just about every sushi place in Chicago, and being a "roll" kinda gal, this place is my fave. All the rolls are fab, the specials are always neat, and I'm OBSESSED with jalepeno miso soup. The desserts are great, atmosphere cool and BYO rocks the house.
(5)
Brian W.

Without a doubt my favorite place to eat Sushi in Chicago. What's not to love? It's BYOB, it's not too big, not too small, and most importantly the sushi is awesome. The Spicy Miso Soup and The White Dragon Roll are highly recommended!
(5)
Eric M.

What makes Coast stand out amongst the many sushi places in Chicago are the clever rolls they offer. From fried, to spicy, to elegant they have everything. If you don't like noise be prepared. The place is packed and loud.
(4)
Lan N.

Real, fresh wasabi! YUM!!
(4)
Steve V.

So I have gone to quite a few sushi bars in my day, and now living in Chicago it seems there is one every 10 feet. Coast has now become my local spot to grab some late night sushi. I have been there a half dozen times now and other than busy weekends I have always been seated quickly and politely, also I like the ambiance of the whole place. It's dim-lit, comfortable and even though you are sitting really close to the table next to you, it's still enjoyable. The fish is always tastes really fresh and I think that the prices are pretty affordable, especially since it's BYOB and theres no corking fee. Unfortunately, you can only bring one bottle of wine per 2 people. My favorite part though is that they serve until midnight, so when that late night sushi craving hits, away I go.
(4)
Taylor W.

I've eaten here twice. The service has been great both times, the atmosphere is... good, if you're into that sort of dimly track-lit, black and red theme. Every roll I've had here as been soggy, mushy, gross; absolutely no texture whatsoever. The "Crunchy Spicy" roll was soft and pasty. The rolls aren't cheap either, expect to pay $13 for one "specialty" roll. My girlfriend's entrees have always been tasty, though. This place gets 1 star for sushi, 3.5 for everything else.
(2)
Nate B.

Holy fish belly, I've found my Sushi mecca. Went here with the gal on Friday and aside from the wonderful service and fancy dining room, I was determined to try this wonderful sushi. For me, I'll try it sans wasabi or soy sauce, to see how fresh the fish is and if its the right kind of cut. It was IMPECCABLE, seriously I want to go back and just order the menu, topped it all off with this insane flourless chocolate cake thing, well, it was quite the experience. Great date spot too!
(5)
Megan B.

My favorite thing about Coast Sushi is the decor. It is no surprise that Coast is famous as a romantic spot. While I wouldn't try to go here with a large group (although there is room), it is perfect for a date. Bring along a good bottle of wine, and enjoy.
(4)
Kim J.

Now that I live in the Ukrainian Village, Coast has become my go-to delivery place for sushi. I love that they have online ordering, and the delivery has always been fast and courteous. The fish is always quite fresh, and they have some creative rolls that I really like. I've also had the gyoza and it's quite good. I'll have to update this after I actually visit the restaurant sometime, but here's hoping my experience dining in is as good as all of my delivery experiences have been.
(4)
Lisa M.

After being here my second time, I have to say that the White Dragon Roll takes the cake! It is creamy, crunchy and delicious! My boyfriend prefers the Volcano Roll which definitely has a kick to it and the presentation actually looks like a volcano. They do the best job with BYOB. Both times we have brought Sake and Sapporo. They took the Sake and heated it and put it in a nice serving piece for the table. Also, they kept our beer in their walk-in so it was nice and cold every time. They have a nice waiting area in the front with tables, but we made reservations both times so there wasn't much of a wait. The only negative thing I would say is that the tables are really close together, making it a tad uncomfortable.
(4)
Yini G.

Eh. I'm not overly in love with the place. We had a party of 8. Each couple order their own rolls or entrees. We had the Spicy Tuna, Alaska, and Rainbow rolls with a Ceviche appetizer. We couldn't taste the king crab in the Alaska roll and couldn't verify how much crab was in the roll since it was too dark (there's romantic lighting and then there's dark). The rolls were fine, nothing to rave home about. Plus, was it just me or is it a tad pricey?? The place does get crowded. Glad we got here early.
(2)
Kelly U.

I used to like this place a lot, but I'm growing more and more disenchanted. If you eat in, it's okay. I've had some nice meals in the restaurant, but it's been a while. The last times I ordered takeout, it was really unenjoyable. I would have been better off at the grocery. The fish wasn't cut well, with large, chewy pieces of fat. The flavor wasn't really there. I was disappointed and I've stuck closer to home ever since for my takeout sushi.
(3)
Monica J.

I don't even like sushi that much, but i loved this place for many reasons. 1.) Cool-ass decor -- new, asian-inspired, interesting elements 2.) Yummy Soup -- the spicy miso was amazing 3.) Veggi Roll -- not on the menu but one of the specials. it was a roll with cucumber, avocado, pickle, etc, all tempura'ed and sliced....like little bites of heaven :) 4.) good looking crowd -- yes, i'm usually not one to notice, but daamnnnnn! Go, NOW, FAST, HURRY!
(4)
Alycia N.

I went to Coast recently for a friends birthday and had a great time! Everyone like the food and it was not too expensive. The sushi was fresh and the dessert was amazing!! We all ordered several plates of Mochi, which is by far one of the best desserts I have ever had! The ambiance of this place is casual and fun for any occasion. I chose it also because it is BYOB!! The only draw back of this place was that when we went it was very busy on a Saturday and somewhat felt rushed to leave by our waitress. So when you go make sure you are on time. Overall though, I will definitely be going back soon!
(4)
Erin J.

I first ordered from Coast because they delivered to my hood. (Ukrainian village) When I got my order I was impressed with the deliciousness of the food and how big the rolls were. The rice was perfect and the fish was so pretty and yummy. Now for the bad part. It cost me a better part of a paycheck and I had to wait an hour. I know that is sort of standard, but it still sucks for something that isn't cooked. I had been ordering in for months until I actually went in and I had a very similar experience to Ms. McButter. My friend and I went in during off hours. I should tell you that my friend collects comic books and looks very much like a 40 year old comic book collector. (No offense to the adult comic book collecting community, but there is a certain look that some of you have and I find it endearing) Needless to say that this is not the "look" that most people at Coast have. It is very much a yuppie refuge, and my friend was stared at. I wasn't immune to such treatment by others either having bright red hair at the time. We got a feeling that we were thought of as amusing by others. The waitress was very nice to us, but I would never go here on a Saturday night. This place leaves me conflicted. I love the sushi, but I dislike the yuppie crowd that ostracizes others who don't conform to them. There is a reason that I don't hang out in Lincoln Park. Coast should move there.
(3)
Jessica L.

Every roll I've ever gotten here I absolutely love! They have creative rolls and each ingredient goes so well together. The fish is the freshest and even the seaweed salad edamame and spicy miso are to die for. Best sushi in Chicago!
(5)
Julie H.

Not as newsy as some other reviewers, but my experiences with Coast have been decent: delivery is fast (especially for a Friday night) and the sushi is good. But seriously, why is this place so damn expensive? UPDATE: After getting Coast delivered a few times, I finally tried eating at the restaurant. I definitely think its better than most places and they do have some good specials, but that is some seriously pricey sushi!
(4)
Ron S.

This place had awesome sushi and appetizers with a very creative and delicious touch.
(4)
Daniel W.

I've been here a number of times and would say its my vote for the best sushi in Chicago. Not that I've tried them all. Great service, great choices, always hoppin' and BYOB.
(4)
Jason W.

REVISED 1/26/07 This USED to be one of my favourite sushi places. I have eaten there a total of 8 times. It seems that the food is getting progressively WORSE. For two people inc tip the bill was $94. For $94 and none of it going to booze the meal should be awesome, but it was not even close. They sat us in the front next to the valet box shoved into the window area and froze the entire meal. Don't even try to ask for a new table...no way. Our rolls were so meager in portions it was disgusting. The white dragon roll was a hair larger than a sharpie, and I'm not joking. The eel that topped our other roll was about as thick as construction paper and waaay overcooked. The tuna appetizer and the soup were tasty, but the soup was served in a cauldron like bowl with a worthless wooden spoon you could barely use. If it wasn't my girlfriend's birthday dinner I would have complained. Instead I had to hold my tongue grrr.......
(1)
Kunal B.

Awesome sushi. Ask the waitress for an order of fresh wasabi. Someone in my party recommended it, and I didn't believe how good it could be; it really trumps the standard wasabi mash. I was in a large party, the wait to get food was long, but the place was packed, which is surprising (at least to me) for a Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. We did have a reservation, but they wouldn't seat us until we were all there. Not bad though, the decor is really nice and the whole restaurant is open and airy. And once again, I was tricked by a mirror that I thought was more restaurant, but it was really a mirror. They are BYOB, and they do a fantastic job taking care of your bottles, 6-packs, etc. Overall, a great experience, in a clean and modern environment.
(4)
Ashley D.

This place is so good. It's my favorite special occasion place. It's BYOB. The Red V, White Dragon and Ceviche are my favorite rolls. The best part, I love to bar crawl after I leave....so many great places that are so close.
(5)
Liz C.

Coast is great if atmosphere is more important to you than food. I order from here because it's the closest sushi restaurant to me. Though I'm usually satisfied with the food, the portions (especially if you do takeout or delivery) are really small. Over the years, the namasake don has gone from like 10 pieces of salmon to five. At $24 a pop, that's almost $5 for each piece of fish. It's like they told the sushi chefs to cut back on the amount of fish they use, but it's a really noticeable difference. You can get a better bang for your buck elsewhere.
(3)
lana v.

This is my favorite sushi restaurant. It is BYOB with no fees! The sushi is always fresh and very well prepared. It gets really crowded so make sure you have a reservation.
(5)
chloe p.

YUCK YUCK YUCK and YUCK. and yuck. where to start? WHYYY do I keep eating here? they always f* up our order, (phone people are all dummies), the sushi is just not good & it's overpriced (& I almost never even notice price on sushi)... I have literally had to spit out the sushi into my napkin on a few occasions - (anything grosser than BAD RAW fish? um. no.) its BYOB (always annoying, I aaaalways forget).. delivery (we live 3 blocks away) is even worse, they give you ONE, yes...ONE tiny thing of soy sauce for an order of 4 rolls and 2 pieces. and they CHARGED us $1.00 for ponzu sauce. so annoying. bottom line, though - it's BAD!!!! $65 order and I'm not full and I'm a little NAUSH. never again this time!!!!
(1)
Chris S.

One of the top sushi restaurants in Chicago (second only to Toro Sushi in my opinion). This place is consistently delicious and they have a wide selection of rolls. They offer BYOB, but I think they limit the amount of booze you can bring in, presumably because this place is always busy and they need the tables to be turned over in a reasonable time frame. We have also ordered take out a few times and it has been as good as when we have dined in. Whether you are having a "date night" or going with a group Coast will surely please.
(4)
Albert L.

This place has excellent sushi for the price (not cheap nor expensive, but great quality). The salmon and yellowtail had excellent flavors. Great trendy atmosphere with candlelit tables. The places gets very, very busy on weekend evenings. So be prepared to wait. They have some couches dispersed in the restaurant and near the entrance so you can enjoy your BYOB wine while you wait your 30-60 minutes. BYOB with no corkage fee the bill is more than 15$ per person. Street parking on Damen can be had if you are persistent and quick. Good date restaurant. Okay with groups of people, but be warned about the wait time to get a table set up to accommodate you all (and the automatic 20% (post-tax) tip/service charge tacked onto your bill if you have five or more people .
(5)
Dave L.

This was my first experience with the restaurant; if I could give Coast a 3.5 star rating I would. We seated promptly; however I could not say the same thing for the arrival of our waitress. Actually, when we sat down there was another couple sitting in the same section as us. They kept looking around for their waitress (the same as ours) and finally after about 10 minutes got up and left. To say our waitress was slow is an understatement; she was geriatric slow. Our dining partners did say that they have NEVER had service this bad. When we were finally able put in our first sushi order it took FOREVER to receive. Granted, the place was pretty hopping and I could see the sushi chefs cranking out rolls as fast as they could, but I think that if a couple of the rolls were ready then our waitress could've brought them out to us. Instead, I'm convinced that she waited until the last possible moment to get us our rolls; it took about 30 minutes to receive our first round of sushi. The rolls that were supposed to be warm were not warm at all. I will say that the second round of sushi came out much faster than the first. I think it only took about 15 minutes. We got quite an array of sushi rolls and they all tasted pretty good. At the urging of our dining partners we ordered a couple of the White Dragon rolls and I was not disappointed with the taste. We actually ordered two more in our second round. I was disappointed with the diameter of the sushi or lack thereof. All of the sushi is the same diameter...period. I am plan on paying top dollar for a roll, i expect it to be of decent size; the rolls at Coast are not. Some may say, "Well you get a lot of pieces for your money." Ok that is fine, but I can go to Butterfly and get the Godzilla roll and barely be able to finish it for a couple dollars more. Another small disappointment was the crunch rolls. The rolls are literally covered in a giant pile of tempura crumbs. You actually have to dig out the sushi from under the pile. The taste was good, but not what I expected at all. On the plus side, the spicy miso soup is to die for. It is a very flavorful soup infused with fresh jalapenos...yummy. We also got the fresh oysters that were flown in that day. Holy crap were they excellent; creamy, flavorful, no sand....absolutely amazing. Overall I liked Coast, I was just giving my gripes about the place. I would go back on a different night and give it one more shot.
(3)
erin c.

Good sushi and its BYOB. Enough said. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because I got the eel roll and the texture was a little odd.
(4)
A S.

As a spoiled Californian, I always enter sushi joints in land-locked states with a hefty degree of skepticism. Even in cosmopolitan Chicago, there aren't many places whose raw items have met my exacting standards of freshness. At Coast, however, I eat with abandon. Just delicious. The BYOB element is just icing on the cake. Minus one star for the ridiculous waits on the weekends (popularity is not really their fault, I concede), and the fact that the dining room can be uncomfortably warm in the summertime.
(4)
cyber t.

I would love to say a lot about Coast but I'm going to keep it short and sweet: * Outstanding options for vegetarians (I'd say the best in town) * Very creative and unique specials * Very very good prices (compared to other sushi places in town) * BYOB - with no corkage fee!! * Very nice decor and excellent waitstaff * Excellent ambience (music is not too loud, it's not too bright or dark, and the layout is very comfortable) * Jalapeno Miso - I'd go back just for that! If I absolutely had to complain about something, I'd say it's the fact that they don't have much by way of interesting desserts. But you really want to walk to another place for dessert after a sushi dinner anyway :) I recommend Coast highly to all my friends, and have no problem going there pretty much at any time!
(5)
Mark P.

Food: Excellent. Some of the best, if not the best bites of sushi I've had. Great menu and service. Atmosphere: Quite average. Busy and tight. Definitely not classy or romantic as many have said. Not swanky or classy, but fine. You're over-dressed if you're in anything much more than jeans. Atmosphere is only thing keeping me from 5 stars. Price: Not pricey at all. In fact, bordering on cheap for good sushi. If you want great sushi at great price all while keeping it very casual, this is the place to go.
(4)
monica d.

Coast is the worst sushi restaurant in the city. First of all, the server came to our table twice in 2 hours and we had to ask other waiters several times to get his attention, then he hast the nerve to give us water glasses for our wine. I order the LARGE sashimi platter and I got a slice of Tako the thickness of a penny! The meal was over and my companion decides to give him a shitty tip, which was rightfully deserved. Before we left the waiter CORNERED us and asked if there was a mistake. He started pulling out the receipt to show us. We let him know that the service sucked and he pretty much forced 5 more dollars out of my friend. I called to complain and left my number for the owner because the whole ordeal was completely uncalled for. I could have just walked to Bob San but I wanted to try something new...VERY DISAPPOINTING.
(1)
Ranier B.

Really good sushi. Service was very prompt and courteous, very attentive to refills. We brought in a few bottles of wine and they didn't even bother with a cork fee. For dinner, the lighting is dim which makes for a relaxing atmosphere. The food portions are hearty with taste to match. I tried a variety of sushi rolls, sashimi, nigiri and appetizers which were all delicious!
(4)
Leang E.

This is one of my favorite sushi bars. I smartly remembered to bring a bottle of white wine with me to Coast, and it was perfect with the sushi. We had the Maine, Po' Boy, ceviche, and the coast crab maki. It was delicious. The have a special maki of the day or week or something like that. I love that they mix it up, but I have seen larger menus. I like creative makis, where you don't see a particular combination very often at all the different sushi bars. Coast has a few, but I'd like to see more. I don't typically order sashimi because I like the flavors and sauces that are added in the makis. Sashimis are plain to me so I don't usually order them, but I will eat them regardless. The ambiance is very lounge like, and lots of conversations can be heard all around. It's located pretty close to me now, and I've already ordered take out from there!
(4)
cassie s.

I have been going to Coast for a few years now. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the food and the fact that it was less expensive, you could put your name on the list and they would call you at Danny's and you could bring your own hooch. As of late, it seems that word has gotten out, the prices are more expensive and the quality has gone a bit downhill.
(2)
Eli R.

The best I can say is that Coast is not completely terrible. Let me mention the positives first. Service was fine. The place is BYOB. Location is excellent - about four blocks north of Damen and North. It looks like a place where a good vibe is possible. However, if you are like me and value a sushi bar as a place to get some awesome raw seafood... I won't name names, but you can do a lot better. At Coast, raw fish was rather sub-par.
(3)
James J.

I have been a loyal fan of Coast for years because the sushi is so delicious but the last two times I have gone there the service especially at the front desk has been awful. They told me i was number 1 on the reservations list and then called me 3 hours after my desired time - three hours! Then they told us we did not need reservations for a 6 pm dining time. We get there at 6 pm and they said its a 90 minute wait. Its as if they want to fail. The sushi is not worth the wait and the person who seats you should realize they are working in a restaurant and they are not the Queen of England. Run, don't walk away from this too trendy for its own good.
(1)
Dawn K.

Best sushi in Chicago! Freshest, best tasting and super high quality fish. Their soups are excellent too. It is BYOB and so avoid this place like the plaque on Friday and Sat nites when you will be standing with pre late nite clubbers in their gear and their six packs waiting to pound their budweisers. For the best experience, go early during the week when you can relax with normal humanity and enjoy this most wonderful sushi.... two words...white dragon! YUM!
(5)
Brad F.

This place was great. I love how its byob. I ordered like 4 rolls, and afterwords i ordered two more cause the place was soooo damn good.
(4)
Lisa D.

I LOVE Coast. It is by far my very favorite place for sushi. And it's BYO --can't ask for much more. My husband and I go there at least once a month. ...And with three kids, time together is pretty precious. Atmosphere is fantastic and Danny's (small bar around the corner) is a great little place to wait if you can't get your table right away.
(5)
Paul S.

I went here last night with my lady friend for her birthday. It was both of our first times at this sushi place. The ambiance was superb coming in from the chill, and a disappointing loud establishment prior to Coast. We were welcomed and seated promptly to a romantic nook. The wait staff were swift, and kind. We started of with the shumai, and miso soup (of course). We did not bring wine to this BYOB place, and were fine. (Yes there is a corking fee, a wine and beer limit, but we didn't needing a drink tonight.) We had a the large sashimi plate, the Maine maki, seaweed salad, and followed it up with a few more makis after. Then as a topper (I did say it was her birthday) we had desert; mango ice cream toped with minced mango with a single candle, chocolate covered strawberries, and a fried banana with dark chocolate. I am sure we'll be back for more.
(4)
El B.

Perhaps I just had a bad experience, but my husband and I both agreed that we had the most mediocre $80 meal of our lives here last night. Here's why: 1) Our server TWICE took away our dipping sauces before we were finished with them (one mango something or other for our appetizer, another honey sauce for another appetizer which, incidentally, was not supposed to be an appetizer). 2) I ordered Salmon Skin Roll and received a Salmon Spring Roll. Easy enough to mixup, but the server was like "is that okay?" I said no, I wanted salmon skin roll. When I got it, the salmon skin was burned to an awful level and it was bland bland bland. 3) I ordered a Negi White roll- it was like tuna mush. It's like they ground up the tuna and rolled it up. It was awful. 4) I ordered a shrimp tempura roll and received a shrimp tempura appetizer. I was in no mood to argue about it and so just ate it. 5) A $17 appetizer? Almost everything on the menu was between $5-$15, but $17 for an appetizer? It was good, but come ON! It was the special and I dumbly assumed it would be of comparable price to everything else on the menu. We will not be returning.
(2)
Dee C.

I was craving sushi after all the Italian beef sandwiches I've been having. Since Coast Sushi is the most reviewed, I figured it must be decent. The sushi was very good indeed. What sucked was the party of three sitting beside me. Bring your ear plugs folks, because otherwise you will have to listen to some pretty superficial people having superficial conversations. Chicago's Valley Girls dine here.
(3)
Sasha L.

Yes I am going to go ahead and give Coast 5 stars. This was as they say AS Good As It Gets.... We walked in on a Friday evening and this place was packed,, that's always a good sign.. the cherry blossom trees on the wall and the modern decor very nice....The freshest fish in Chicago with mouth watering rolls. Can you say spicy they got 5 different kinds of spicy and yes we had to order them all each bite felt like a sinfully delicious treat.. and our waiter was so attentive never once had to do the "Ahem, excuse me"... I highly recommend this place it is also BYOB so bring a bottle of your choice preferably a white wine to compliment the fish and enjoy your experience..
(5)
Osh J.

I would give it 10 stars if I could. This is my favorite restaurant anywhere and here's why: -Hamachi Carpaccio (thin-sliced yellowtail with one sliver of jalepeno, and one sliver of cilantro), cold with a rice vinegar marinade. -White Dragon (i realize how lame, but i had a dream about this roll...twice...) Just trust me, it's amazing. -volcano roll -rainbow roll is perfect. Not one weird bite, perfect size, doesn't fall apart on your plate. -BYO!!! -Delivery -Atmosphere is just classy enough -Never had a bad roll here, and there was a period of time where I ordered delivery from here at least once a week. The only bad thing I can say about Coast is that their delivery is a little slow. If they say an hour, it's an hour and 10. totally worth the wait. Whip out some pretty plates and enjoy at your kitchen table with friends. They don't disappoint.
(5)
Brij V.

The sushi at this place ROCKS!!! Esp the White Dragon Roll...it is a MUST have! Also, I like the fact that they have a good amt of veggie sushi...my wife is veg so we can both enjoy the sushi here! However, I am taking 1 star away b/c the desert we ordered was just pathetic! I think it was called fruit sticks which really was few pieces of fruit on a stick and small bowl of hot fudge...it was nothing new...deserts could be better! oh and btw, this place is BYOB so be sure to bring a bottle of wine or sake if u plan to drink...
(4)
D S.

Coast is close to my house and I've been going for a number of years. Since opening they've expanded and have a very busy following from across the city. The dining room is very comfortable especially for meeting friends. It's a little dark but it's a good darkness meant for ambiance. The sushi is good but not the best in the city. It's the best in the neighborhood which is why it has a good following. Give it a try one time and see what you think.
(4)
Norma C.

By far, best sushi I've had in Chicago. Fresh and creative. I love BYOBs! The sushi can be $$$ but it's well worth it. Soft shell crab appetizer is a must.
(5)
Lauren K.

Nice laid back stylish atmosphere. Sushi is very nice and fresh, and very reasonably priced! My only complaint is that I don't like drinking soup. Its great to be true to culture, but it would be nice if they had spoons. Very helpful wait staff and friendly hosts/hostesses.
(4)
Natalie B.

Spotty service but the food more than makes up for it. I love this place--they have the best white tuna sashimi, and some innovative rolls. Its BYOB and no corkage fee if each person spends a minimal amount of $15. Great for a date or to hang with friends.
(4)
Liz H.

Coast is great sushi in a great atmosphere with great service. If you go to Coast you HAVE to get the White Dragon Roll. It is one of my favorite specialty rolls in the city! Its made of shrimp tempura, wasabi tobiko, cream cheese, avocado, scallion spicy sauce, wasabi dressing, eel sauce and tempura flakes. This roll is so good that some of the others can seem a little bland in comparison (like the sunrise roll). I would recommend a reservation and they also have takeout if you are looking for great food for a night in.
(4)
Kaase K.

One Word: DYNAMITE. Coast is a reasonably priced, hip, sushi restaurant in Bucktown. The wait staff is educated and informed and pretty quick. It is a BYOB restaurant which makes it even better! They have valet parking which is nice because there isn't much parking around there... my absolute favorite is the spicy crunchy tuna, love those little tempura crisps on top. GREAT place to go with a bunch of girlfriends for an evening dinner before a night out! LOVE IT.
(5)
Jonathan C.

Coast is a nice BYOB sushi place. The sushi is very nice (not great but above average) and the non sushi dishes are good too. The BYOB is probably the thing that sticks out the most. This place gets crowded, but the seat at a decent place. The dining area is a bit cramped, but they pack em in and service is good. Parking is kind of hard in this area. A nice nieghborhood sushi BYOB.
(4)
douglas r.

I concur with the other negative reviews. Don't believe the hype. It's just like any other sushi place and it's more expensive...and fucking loud.
(2)
Brian M.

NO other sushi place compares!!! Friends have tried to take me to other places saying that it is better than Coast, and it was equal at best, but at Twice the Price!! Start with the Exotic Tempura, which comes with and amazing dipping sauce "not soy sauce" (I always ask for extra sauce for my rolls) and then get anything on the menu, I have never been disappointed! Its BYOB is which is great. Waiters/Waitresses are always courteous and helpful. the seats are a little too close together for my liking, but if you go not during prime time, you can avoid the crowd. A small price to pay for amazing sushi!
(5)
Victoria D. G.

Tried Coast for the first time last Friday night. It was great sushi with a trendy atmosphere. Although we had to wait an hour before we got a table. The hostess suggested the bar around the corner while we waited since Coast doesn't serve alcohol. She took my cell number and said she would call when the table was ready. I was a little skeptical about her actually calling but she did and it was exactly the hour wait quoted. Our service was good for a busy Friday night. Our order seemed to come out in a timely manner and the server was efficient. I will definitely be back and recommend other sushi lovers try Coast. I would suggest going earlier than 8pm if you don't want to wait an hour.
(4)
Tiff B.

I've only gotten delivery from Coast. Never had the pleasure of having the pretentious dining experience. The sushi is good, but not the best I've had. The prices don't seem high, until you get your food and realize the maki rolls are less than half the size of ones you get at other sushi restaurants. The delivery is very fast though so that counts for something. I think Sushi X has better food and the prices fit the portions so I'll stick to ordering delivery from there.
(3)
Tim V.

This is a great sushi place, and BYOB. On top of the food being fantastic (great maki, for sure get the white dragon roll), the service is truly exceptional. The server took the beer we brought in to the back so it could "stay cold in the fridge." How great is that? I had a great experience here and would go back for sure.
(5)
Brooke W.

I had heard mixed reviews about this place, and just went the other night for the first time. I had a great experience, good atmosphere, great sushi:)
(5)
candace l.

I like the atmosphere better than the sushi. I love the fact that it's BYOB. It's always a hopping place when I've been there, and the wait can be lengthy, especially on the wknds. With that said, I like the place and it is a huge hit here in Bucktown, but it is not one of my fav fives.
(4)
Alena B.

I went to Coast for a friend's birthday dinner. We had a group of 14 people. We went on a busy Saturday night and had reservations. With such a large group, even though we had reservations we had to wait about 5- 10 minutes for our table to open up. They made the wait a bit more comfortable by offering to open a few of our bottles of wine and providing glasses. The service was great. Our server (I wish that I remembered his name) had excellent suggestions of what to try. As a vegetarian, I only eat "veggie sushi" like cucumber rolls, avacado rolls, miso soup, edamame, etc. The food was yummy. My friends tried a ton of the different sushi rolls and raved about each one! (Note: This is a rare occassion when everyone likes the restaurant.) I recommend going to Coast , bring a few bottles of wine, ask the waiter for suggestions and enjoy! Oh, one more thing. I believe that there is a corkage fee if you do not spend above a certain amount like $10 or $15 a person.
(4)
Norman C.

I tried Coast as I was in the neighborhood and had been to their South Loop location (which is much better than the original!). I have to say I was pretty disappointed with Coast. My wife and I sat at the sushi bar which, and I just moved here from LA but doesn't that imply that I want to order from and speak to the sushi chef in front of me versus ordering everything from a waiter or waitress? Anyway, the food was ok, the hamachi sashimi with ponzu and jalapeno (I call it the Nobu knockoff which every restaurant seems to be serving now!) was pretty solid but the fish was just ok, if not a little dry. I don't think I'd go back but would definitely try South Coast again.
(2)
Law S.

good sushi, nice environment. Can drink while you wait for table and the hand-painted wallpaper is awesome in the lobby!
(4)
K U.

I LOVE coast (Disclaimer: I don't have a seasoned pallet .... I have only dabbled in sushi over the last couple of years)! The ambiance is cute and intimate, the food is delicious, and what is better than a byob?!?! Bottom line ... it can get a little nosiey and often very busy (make a reservation on the weekend)----- but overall, this place is great to go with a group of friends and have a bottle of wine (or 2) and eat some good sushi (apple appetizer and white dragon roll!).
(5)
Natalie G.

Being the sushi addict that I am, it's funny that the other night was my first time at Coast. And sorry, I don't know what all the fuss is about... BYOB was great, A + for that. We got 3 rolls, and a few pieces of sushi and miso soup. First of all, I know you may be supposed to "drink" miso soup, but I thought it was weird that they gave me a bad look when I asked for a spoon. Not that I don't like to evolve myself into the culture of the food, but I rather eat my miso with a spoon. The rolls were fresh but very small, and I overall wasn't blown out of the water for the price that it costed. I wanted to LOVE this place but I think I'll stick to my other sushi haunts when the time comes again...
(3)
Edward H.

I originally tracked this place down for their Volcano - some of the staff from what used to be Sushido went to Coast. The food is good but for the price, there's not much differentiating them from other sushi restaurants. If you're new to this place, their Volcano and toro is highly recommended. This is a nice place to bring a group of friends since it's a BYOB. Make sure you make reservations (high traffic) and also bring a flash light - you'll need it to read the menu and navigate to the washrooms since this place is PITCH BLACK.
(3)
emily b.

agree with all the other reviews - it's big, dark, modern and sleek looking. yes, you'll want a reservation. yes, it's delicious & byob. if you do come without a reservation and plan to wait a bit in the reception space, BYOWK&G too. translation: bring your own wine key & glasses. they had neither while my friend and i were waiting on friday night which made for a tricky "grab a drink" and wait experience.
(4)
johnny b.

Man this place was bad and reminds me I can't always trust yelp and why I keep going back to trying to find newpaper reviews. Yes maybe this place has a "good" scene for bucktown but the sushi was gimmicky and not that high of quality. Not sure where people are coming from but if you want to byob and pose and eat raw fish this is a great place for someone that doesn't go out a lot. Its like a cool trendy sushi place like some people think applebys/chilis is a good restaurant.
(1)
Danielle F.

This place is yummy! I love that it's BYOB. I like it better than Tank. The service staff is pleasant too.
(4)
Maurice Y.

what is all the hype?!?! the sushi is nothing special and the service on my one and final experience at this restaurant was the worst i've ever encountered. Po'boi roll and wet dragon rolls were ok but Butterfly Sushi (a way better BYOB sushi alternative) has way bigger rolls for similar prices and in my opinion more delicious. Matt was our horrendous waiter. Our party of four arrived to celebrate a bday at 5:30pm for our reserveration. we were among the first tables seated that night. our table was precariously wobbly and not able to be fixed with the folded napkin trick. after asking the waiter if we could shift over to any of the 10 empty tables surrounding us, he snapped and said "all the tables are rickity and are gonna wobble". as to be expected, this waiter had no internal clock and made our party wait excessively between serving water, popping the cork, taking our appetizer then sushi orders, etc. he proceeded to break one of the corks for the red wine without telling us and placing it back on our table. when we told him parts of the cork were still stuck in the shaft and only a trickle of wine managed to come out, he brought back a sake bottle and told us to siphon the red wine out and distribute with the sake bottle!!!!!!!!!!! we had to make a second order since our sushi rolls were smaller than expected and what we paid for. when he came to collect the paper menus, we asked him if we could keep one in case we wanted to order more. he hesitated and said "well ... i guess ok, but don't spill any soy sauce on it". wtf!?!?! at the end of our miserable meal, we decided to tip about 9.54% since our service was needless to say not up to par (i.e. greater than or equal to 15% gratuity). the waiter came to our table after collecting the check and boldly said "is there something wrong? i've never been tipped so low for a 130 dollar bill! if that's the way you guys are gonna be, then fine. but come on..." infuriated by his audacity and cluelessness, i spoke to the manager about the waiter's poor service. she acknowledged that his behavior was inappropriate and apologized. i told her that we have never had such a poor experience at a restaurant before and would not come back. she proceeded to ask if the food was ok and did not attempt to entice a 2nd try of the restaurant with any sort of incentives. we had such a bad experience that this night inspired me to be come a yelp member. fortunately, my future reviews have no where to go but up.
(1)
Brad C.

This place is great! And the no corkage BYOB if you spend more then $15 is the best. Next time I go, I'm filling up my bag with beers. The waitress recommend the supper white tuna sashimi, and... WOW amazing! Super white tuna is my new favorite. The staff is great and the place is very nice. Good place for a date. The place wasn't busy at all when I went on Sunday. The only thing Blue Fin has over this place is that Blue Fin has half priced drinks on Thursday. But the sushi is just as good and I am just as likely to go back.
(4)
T Mir S.

one of the best spots for sushi in chicago... and BYOB makes it super afordable
(5)
Andrew J.

The sushi at this place is good. Having recently returned to Chicago from California, I don't know if I was just expecting too much or what, but I thought it was pretty alright but not much better. The service was hyper-attentive to the point that I felt unduly pressured. The assistant/busboy was literally asking to clear the plates away from us before I even began chewing my last bite; I don't know about you, but I like to finish the food before table-clearing begins. The server was nice, but also hyper-attentive. She basically tried to order for us when it was apparent that we didn't speak Japanese (which I doubt she did, excepting her knowledge of Coast's menu). I'm quite familiar with sushi and sashimi, but I don't necessarily know the word for "eel sauce" in Japanese! When I'm out for dinner, I don't feel like trying to impress the servers with my culinary knowledge... Within one minute of having our plates cleared (see above) she appeared asking us if we wanted dessert or just the check. I don't know why she felt the need to push us out the door so quickly, as the place was only half-full. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's being pressured and bullied by the servers and I think the good intentions of this crew fall into that category. I thought it was expensive for what you get, especially when you're pushed out the door before you're ready to go.
(2)
Justin S.

Awful, lousy service. The food was good but I will not go back. The hostess was extremely rude and if it were my business and this was to be someones first impression I would have her out of there. Honestly great restaurants have the service and the food at the same level, and its hard for one to make up for the other.
(2)
Leigh K.

Funny enough, I love sushi yet I have never been to Coast. Part of me imagined that they were so shishi that they wouldd have zero options for people like me who don't eat seafood. I came home Monday night craving sushi and a Coast flier was jammed into our door. Hm, I thought, flipping through the menu, they actually do have some good options. I found myself dialing their number and hitting redial three times until the line was not busy. I placed an order. Nearly one hour later I had sushi, really good sushi. Sure, the maki rolls are pretty small compared to other place's veggie maki rolls, BUT the prices were cheaper for veggie rolls here ($4 - $7), so I think it balances out. I got the asparagus, the shitake tempura, and the spicy sweet potato rolls. They all fit into one box and into my stomach. Go Coast!
(4)
Sarah K.

You cannot go wrong at Coast. The service staff is typically entertaning, it is dark with comfy chairs, you never really feel rushed as compared to other BYO settings, the white dragon/spicy white ginger....yum. Undoubtedly my go-to for an dinner before a night out in Bucktown/Wicker Park.
(5)
Cristina E.

Ok....Coast is my favorite Sushi place...we try to go as much as we can ..this are the things that I love: 1 is BYOB, there is nothing better than your own wine 2 White Dragon Roll........we order at least 2 or 3 everytime we go 3 Great ambiance and crowd Because of being so popular there is always a wait of an hour or more.. =( but they do take reservations, which is great, also the service is ok and sushi takes a while..but all the cons go away because of the awesome white dragon...love it
(5)
Alisa d.

I had heard great things about Coast, and was slightly disappointed. I would say the best reason to go here is for the people watching. It's like getting the best of a fashion magazine without having to buy the magazine. People definitely dress to the nines to go here! Went for the first time last night, and we waited an hour (fair for a Friday night), but once we were sat the service was great. The food was just ok; I have had better sushi for lower costs. I don't know that I would go back, but it was an overall pleasant experience.
(3)
Megan R.

The quality of the sushi was good the price just didn't match up to Toro Sushi - my favorite on Clark Street. The rolls were at least $2 more a piece - which is fine if there is something that makes them worth the extra $2. The service was good and the setting was nice, it was dark but not too dark. I enjoyed the food but have a closer, less expensive place nearby.
(3)
Corinne W.

So I read the reviews about the rude staff - I went here on a Sunday, our waiter was nice (even funny), and the sushi was very good. Not the best I've ever had, but very good. I'll admit it's a little intimidating at first (everyone's in black, and there were about 8 servers in the front when you first walk in) - but coming from a former server, if you are nice to them, they'll be nice back. I would definitely recommend Coast to people looking for good sushi in that area.
(4)
Shannon K.

Over the past 2 years, I've been a frequent visitor, and all I can say after tonight is this place is Coast-ing downhill fast...walkins on a Friday around 7pm, we didn't mind a 45 min wait (that ended up being 1.5 hrs) and were seated at the sushi bar. On a busy night, it looks like they run out of wine glasses, so we also did not mind the juice glasses for our wine - European, our server said (?). What we did mind was the following: *My dirty wine glass *Forgetting our edamame *Our server disappeared for 20 min mid-meal and for most of that time, what looked to be our sushi was sitting in the window where multiple servers and customers eyeballed it, smelled it, and passed it by. Not knowing if it was ours, we didn't say anything, but sure enough, when Houdini reappeared, we were served. We were the first two chairs at the sushi bar - any server or sushi chef could have handed it over without going out of their way at all. *The case of the missing sushi - the fish inside the rolls has disappeared! The white dragon - always a solid choice - was half the size it normally is, and in the popper, I would have needed a microscope to see the smoked salmon. *The one time my water glass was filled, I also got a bonus - floaties. Yum... *Wrong mochi flavors (which were still good - I'm not too picky about my mochi) *$100 for that (!) Remember, this place is BYOB (with multiple limitations, and you have to open it yourself) Overall, a solid 1.5, but I have to up it to a 2 because I can't get enough of the spicy miso soup! I won't be back for a while, until my spicy miso soup craving conquers my dislike of bad service, the need to actually taste sushi in rolls, and my fondness for clean and appropriate glassware.
(2)
Alisa L.

I went there last Thursday night with 3 other girlfriends for the first time. The place is not that big and the tables are kind of close together but it didn't bother us at all. We started off with seaweed salad, edamame and spicy miso soup....yes they have spicy miso soup which is basically their regular miso soup with slices of jalapeno to give it just the right kick. We ordered a bunch of different rolls to share..my favorite maki roll was the Po Boy..please try it! The volcano and white dragon were really good too. I also had the BEST fatty hamachi nigiri......their fish is so fresh! Aside from the really good sushi, it's BYOB! I recommend you check it out if you haven't already.
(4)
Lesley S.

I liked Coast, although it has been awhile and I cannot remember exactly what I had. I definitely recall everything being fresh and tasty. I am pretty picky when it comes to sushi and Coast gets my seal of approval. The decor was really modern and dimly lit for dinner. I though it was really cozy and a great date spot.
(4)
Katie H.

You'll pay through the nose but you'll feel like a swanky bitch and get damn fine food. I dunno, maybe it's a bit olde-fashioned of me to say this but I kind of want my raw fish to be reassuringly expensive. See it as a treat to come to this place. May want to swap your jeans with the hole in the butt for something a bit classier. Service is super sweet and genuine. Ask questions! They won't make you feel silly. Start with the miso soup. And while their rolls are great...their sashimi is even better. Also they make their own wasabi and it's awesome. This is good bet for a nice date, but that said don't come here with your naturally loud-talking friend because you'll feel like you're interrupting the next table's private moment.
(4)
Froi P.

You can't ask for more: delicious sushi and phenomenal vibe. Every visit to Chicago, I make sure I come here. I'm hooked on the Sunrise and White Dragon. The sushi never stays on my plate for more than 5 minutes. This sushi is THAT GOOD! I absolutely love the vibe in this place. Large groups, dates, solo artists, everyone was having a great time. The chefs are very friendly. Sitting at the sushi bar you can engage in good conversation with the chefs or even fellow diners beside you. I wish there was something like this back in CA.
(5)
igor I.

The sushi here is great (usually). Probably the best non-fufu, almost reasonably priced sushi in Chicago. The service sometimes leaves something to be desired, but it's usually because there is a lot going on. Not that it's an excuse for servers to act like they don't care, but often they don't because they know that all tips are pooled and split at the end of the night anyway (dumb rule in my oppinion, but who am I to say?). My suggestion is to call in your order, and take it to go. When they say 20 minutes, they mean 40, but it's sushi, and you don't want to take a chance, so be there anyway. While you wait you can people-watch as the valet keeps an eye on your car (give him a buck wouldja?)
(4)
Andy R.

get spicy miso something with white sauce and skip dessert
(4)
Kara K.

Coast is my new go-to sushi spot. Their rolls are fresh and innovative and the service couldn't be better. Plus, they don't have a corkage fee.
(4)
Betty S.

This is a got to go for a place that is nice and BYOB. Good sushi, great great for groups and nice set up. We have had a group of 20 plus before and it was great and they were very accomodating even with late arrivals etc. Great for a girls night where you can bring your own bottle of wine!
(4)
Katherine E.

The secret to eating at Coast is not to. For real -- I always order carry out. Dining in, the service is incredibly slow and the crowd is so pretentious that it's a rather unpleasant experience. However if you carry out (you can even order online!), you are in and out in 2 minutes and you have decent and affordable sushi to snarf down in the comfort of you home while the hoards of trendsters are still queuing up for their table.
(3)
Teresa S.

This has just became my favorite sushi place! It's very well worth the wait (definitely do call ahead for reservations b/c it will be abt an hr without a proper waiting area). The special rolls are amazing...and overall there are a lot of amazing rolls to choose from. It all tasted so fresh. Definitely a bonus that it's a BYOB! There is a bit of a "scene" vibe...the trendsetters are definitely hanging out here.
(5)
Kelly R.

Screw Coast... I haven't been able to get a reservation the last 4 times I called. Get over yourself Coast, you're not that great. And if you're doing so very well, why don't you spring for your servers to take a crash course in politeness??
(2)
Daniel H.

Most sushi is frozen and thawed - not here - always fresh. Be sure to ask for the "fatty" versions of salmon and hamachi - so good. Also, the oysters are always fantastic.
(5)
Nick C.

I ate at Coast a couple of days ago before the Jay Z Concert, and while I wasn't disappointed, I wasn't wowed. I had heard several claims that, Coast may be the BEST Sushi in Chicago! While it wasn't a bad meal, I would have to disagree with that bold claim. To be fair, I did have very, very high expectations. Even still, the sushi was just average. There were a couple of standout rolls, and nothing was bad, but beside the White Tuna Cream Roll, the sushi was forgettable. The service was very good and parking wasn't a problem since we arrived pretty early. The BYOB was great, but they did impose pretty strict limits (1 bottle of wine per 2 people max). I would completely understand/respect this rule if it were in place for safety reasons, but I am going to go out on a limb, and say, that, if Coast had a liquor license they would not be preventing people for ordering an additional bottle. Anyway, if a group of people wanted to head to Coast for sushi, I wouldn't try and convince them otherwise, and I would go with them without question... its just that, I left Coast thinking of all the other great Chicago Sushi spots, and for the price, couldn't quite figure out how Coast has received such high accolades.
(3)
Christina K.

The sushi at coast is not worth the wait. You are better off going to AKI sushi no wait great sushi! Plus once you get seated at coast you get horrible service.
(1)
Mark A.

One of the best sushi places in chicago!
(5)
J T.

I have a lot of friends that love this place so one night we all made the trip across the expressway. Not bad. The BYOB factor is a huge plus (and yes, you're probably going to spend more than $15 a person so there shouldn't be a fee), but I'm not quite sure if it's worth the cab ride over there. There are a few decent dishes there - the specials are usually the best - but all in all, nothing so out of this world that I'd call it my favorite.
(4)
kristina s.

Great place... make a reservation, because its a busy place. Had dinner on wed night and it was busy, but we were seated right away. The food was great, the dragon roll and my favorite and unique item was the sweet potato roll, YUMM.... but the best part was BYOB, which is a great way to have a great meal and cut down on the cost.... The resturant was cozy, great for a date or night out with friends...enjoy!!! Great find in bucktown....
(4)
marisa s.

probably the best BYOB sushi in the city. the fish is always fresh and the specials they have always rock it! the atmosphere is great for groups or just a date night. let me tell you though...sadly, the first time i came here, i was super hungover and sushi is not the best thing to eat in that case. we sat at the bar and i hardly could drink my O.B., but my sis proclaimed that the fish was so fresh and she loved it. so i came back a few times after that and always had great service and awesome sushi. this is one of my favorites in the city and it's up there with mirai and japonais. i did hear someone at our table whisper, almost ashamed - maybe b/c it's BYOB, that (gasp!) "this is better than Japonais."
(5)
Zack M.

Coast has good fresh sushi and a great decor, but the prices are high considering that portions are rather small. They have a bit of a "this place is too trendy for even our patrons" attitude when you make a reservation. The patrons: mostly snooty yuppies;
(3)
Emily C.

Went here last night and meal was great. Ambiance is intimate yet good for an evening with friends. Started with the edamame, very good. Friends had the spicy misu which they thought was great and just spicy enough. I loved the seafood soup perfect temperature, noodles and sea food were nicely done. One glitch was when the waiter informed us they had no more spoons...in the restaurant. What? Misu is fine with out spoon but the seafood soup for sure required one. The waiter was very sweet about it but still (hence the three stars). Had the sunrise maki which was great. Ginger glazed tuna, mint and mango was a great combination and very enjoyable. Had special maki that our waiter recommended with crab, coconut and julienned apples, very interesting. Will for sure go back but take my own spoons.
(3)
Lorelle L.

There are so many reasons why I love Coast. First and foremost, the sushi is delicious! But I also love how it is BYOB so you can save at least some money on what will be a pretty big tab at the end of the night. Coast is definitely a high end sushi place, so be prepared for an expensive meal. But the ambience, the friendly wait staff and the food is worth it. And it is open late night so its a great option when most other kitchens are closed.
(4)
Claire D.

Sushi at Coast is the best experience! Three words- White Dragon Maki. Just remember to bring your wine, the service will be great, and it's a perfect place for a lovely date or girls night out!
(5)
Caroline S.

I have a love/hate relationship with this place. BEST sushi, worst service/reservation policy. Have not been there in 6 months because you have to make a reservation a week in advance, otherwsie you wait for an hour to eat. With so many other great sushi places in Chicago, I would rather spend my money at other places.
(4)
Kate W.

Highly recommend this place. Byob score! White dragon -amazing. Spicy tuna - delicious. Scallop appetizer- really good. We also got a white tuna/micro greens roll they had as a special which was by far my favorite roll ever.
(5)
Alex D.

Came here again to give it another try. Found the service better and sushi acceptable, but than was hit with bad food poisoning the next day (the axe of death for a sushi spot as far as I'm concerned). Have to say I'm surprised as while I was not expecting the best sushi its a busy place so food poisoning was the last thing on my mind (guessing sick from bad food handling not spoiled food). My wife got sick too and the sushi was the only thing we had both eaten.
(1)
Monique G.

Service was SO SLOW! We were hardly checked on and had to wait forever to finally get the bill. Sushi was good. The fried tofu appetizer was my favorite. I wouldn't go back though; there are plenty of good sushi places in Chicago. Like Friends Sushi.
(3)
Carl J.

It is one of the top three sushi places in Chicago that is for sure. It has done a little bit of changing in the last two years in regards to service but I think it still contends with the best sushi in Chicago. I would highly recommend the place for a date or to impress someone with your knowledge of the best sushi in Chicago. It's byob and that's awesome. Good talk.
(4)
Melissa C.

Everything was delish. Hubby had them make his roll with real crabmeat. They had crabcakes on a stick. Awesome! The noodles (Yakisoba) was excellent. It's BYOB. Yummy!
(5)
Emilio C.

Listen here yelpers, the white dragon roll is about as boss as anything will ever get. Dip that shit in some soy sauce mixed with wasabi and you'll consider leaving your wife for it. I also murdered a coast crab when I was here that was pretty legit. Just don't fuck up and forget to order the white dragon roll capice? For 2 people I'd get 2-3 rolls and try there terayaki steak entree just to have another option. Also there walk in/reservation system is confusing so I'd just call in advance to figure that shit out. It's byob so there's no reason to spend $100 on booze alone to convince you and your alcoholic girlfriend that you still like each other.
(5)
christina h.

Really good sushi. I've been here a few times and really enjoyed their sashimi. I did knock off one star because I think its a bit pricey compared to other sushi restaurants. But, the quality is good, and the service has always been good.
(4)
Brittany A.

Id like to give this place 10 stars if Yelp would allow it. The atmosphere is cool...a little dark, but meh. The food is soooo good. Staff is cool. I frequent Coast. I fancy Coast. Oh, and its BYOB. Liquor store right up the street has something for everyone.
(5)
Ted S.

Very disappointing; the ingredients are of lower quality than you get at other sushi places in the area. Kinda flavorless overall and not very fresh. Really wanted to like this place because of the types of sushi offered. Oh well.
(2)
josh c.

Great spot. Im a sushi junky and just stopped in for some dinner and went pretty plain with some spicy salmons and tunas of different variety. I have to say that it was the best maybe I've ever had. Good ambiance, fresh fish, grey service, good price. What else is there?
(5)
Julie Y.

Sushi here is on point. It's nice to take someone on a date, byob cute romanic setting. Service isn't the best but maybe it will be better next time. Make reservations it's always slammed!
(4)
Dalia M.

Tonight's meal was excellent. Every single bite was delicious and fresh, and the four of us ordered A LOT. Upgrading to 5 stars!
(5)
Shelby V.

My entire life I have been a sushi hater. The thought of raw fish wrapped in sushi was enough to make my stomach uneasy, let alone was at all appetizing. I have tried, throughout the years, to try sushi each time I am able with the hopes that I might like it that time. However, it's never worked. Until i tried Coast, that is. 2 friends of mine asked me if I wanted to get sushi with them, and I immediately came up with why I wasn't able to. They convinced me to at least come and try it out, and knowing I could at least have some sort of noodle soup, I obliged. I decided to try sushi yet again, hoping this would be the time it clicked for me. I told the server I had never been a sushi eater, but I was willing to try a roll. She recommended the spicy sweet tomato roll with tempura flakes. Let it be known, I think my experience at Coast could have turned me into a sushi lover. I was blown away by how delicious my roll was. I also tried the California and avocado/cucumber roll. I am so glad I tried Coast and will be back for more!
(5)
Amber B.

Well, Coast. You've left me saddened by the less than stellar meal I had tonight. A $100 dinner (no cocktails) for three people, then leaving unsatisfied---that left a worst taste in my mouth than a piece of bad tuna! Coast, you had always been my fave fair-priced sushi spot in the city. I had boasted your previously fabulous paced service, and deliciously solid maki selection and execution. Tonight I visited with to my boyfriend and his sister, who was visiting us, and we all left feeling pretty "meh." We ordered tuna tartar, edamame, and spicy miso to start, then ordered six rolls to share. Here's where it went wrong: - The biggest issue: they were all heavy rice to fish ratio. Way to much rice makes sushi taste like paste. No good. - What the heck are you doing? The poppy texture of the roe was lost because the chefs blended the masago into the rice. What? Why?! -The volcano roll had a nice flavor, but an excessive explosion of crunchy tempura crumbs, and it really needed a drizzle of sauce. -Our tuna tartar was warm. Everywhere I have ever been serves this potentially amazing taster chilled. Which is how I imagined it should be. The mild flavor, and kitschy rice/sesame "cracker" it was served with reminded me of grocery store take on poke from Hawaii. Not amazing, not terrible. Left us feeling lukewarm. -We went on a Thursday, hoping for a quieter crowd, and that did not happen. The restaurant was very busy, and very noisy. No music to be heard. no relaxation. I know that busy is usually a sign of a good thing, but it honestly just added to my frustration. Will I go back? Probably not. I'd prefer to remember the good ole' days when I couldn't say enough nice things about Coast. With all of the sushi options in the city, I'd rather take my chances on a new place.
(3)
Bibi L.

I love sushi and japanese food. Despite the 4 star reviews I resisted coming here because I knew it would be mediocre. Most people just don't know what good sushi is. People like their rolls soaked in spicy mayo sauce and call it delicious. Call me a sushi snob.. But I like to taste the fish. For dinner I had: Seaweed salad: good- perhaps the best thing I had. It was simple and clean. Sunny side shiitake: it was not impressive. The yolk sauce would probably taste better on a seafood item such as crab or a mussel. Nama JalapeÃ±o: it was a nice portion of salmon but it was also "okay" Dragon roll: I get this often every where. I had it without the cream cheese and asked for light on the mayo and eel sauce. I think it made all the difference. It was better than expected considering everything else I had. This is a sushi restaurant for those that like sushi drenched in sauces and like to say they like sushi. Note: I couldn't get into Kai Zan or Momotaro thus came here since it was recommended by a friend. The server was nice and the ambience was nothing special.
(3)
Lucy N.

I used to worship this place and after tonight I can say I will be a hard sell to go here again. The maki rolls have too many bells and whistles. I'm not sure if I'm even eating fish or if it's just cream cheese, rice, and panko crumbs. Service was good despite the quality of food. The manager of coast should visit Hatsu Hana, my favorite place, for a few tips on how to add fish to maki rolls. You can only ride on the trendy wave for so long...
(3)
Irma M.

I called at 8:35 and asked how long the wait was, i was told an hour and I put my name on "the list". I was told that in order to be seated I had to be there by 9:35. I show up at 9:30 and they tell me it's an hour wait, unorganized, they couldn't find my name on the list. When I tell them I called and give them my name again, they magically find it and tell me it's going to be another 30 minutes. Ok, that's fine. In the meantime we see people waiting and drinking wine, so my husband goes up to ask for glasses and to get our wine opened while we wait, and gets a very rude "we have other people ahead of you waiting for glasses" ummm you're a restaurant and you don't have glasses two glasses to spare? So we wait without our wine. Everyone in the waiting area gets seated before us and its 10:10. At this point I'm confident that the fact that I called in advance and they put me down and asked me to come in by 9:35 was a joke. Finally once we have our food it is nothing but great sushi, Po'boy and spicy tuna made this girl happy. Would definitely like to go again for the food but the service needs a step up!
(3)
Anne W.

Yum! Coast definitely has very very solid sushi. Between two people, we split the agedashi tofu, spicy scallop roll, salmon avocado, and spider roll. I really did not enjoy the agedashi tofu too much. One of the most important things about agedashi tofu is getting the texture of the tofu right and being sure to use silky/silken tofu! Coast definitely did NOT use silky tofu :( It was extremely disappointing. However! Their rolls are really some of the best rolls that I've had in Chicago. The texture of the rice is perfect and the fish is super fresh! I also love that there is avocado instead of cucumber in the spicy scallop! They were a bit skimpy on the rice though. Overall, 3 stars because as hard as I tried, I cannot get over how terrible the experience of the agedashi tofu was. Fix that please!!!
(3)
tatiana c.

I've been coming to Coast since 2004 (or pretty darn close to that). A friend and I meet here once a month and always grab our favorite table by the window. The sushi is solid and the fact that it's BYO makes it even better. Atmosphere is cozy and service is always pretty good.
(4)
Jamie B.

Pretty average. The rolls are lacking and for the price point I would expect more. The sashimi (tuna, salmon, yellowtail) was all really good. The spider roll at $9 was 4 pieces in total with a measly amount of soft shell crab. The seaweed salad was a complete joke at $5. Our total was over $100 for to-go food and I think Whole Foods is better.
(3)
Donna C.

Picked up Sushi since it was getting late and we felt like going home to enjoy. The two selected rolls were good, just not big enough to say we got the full experience. They do give you great portions of wasabi & ginger which is not the norm with carry out. The miso soup was just ok with 3 tiny pieces of tofu.
(3)
Mouse C.

Coast will forever remain as one of my favorite sushi spots in Chicago. The sushi is delicious and consistent every time. PLUS it's BYOB.... What's not to love? I've been to Coast more times than I can count but the tried and true rolls always remain: the volcano, the white dragon, tuna on top, and the crunchy spicy tuna. Yum yum yummayyyy. Also, they offer a special maki of the night which is always innovative and delicious. With all of this maki talk, don't forget about the apps, which are equally tasty. Some of my favs include the tropical ceviche, edamame, gyoza, and the seaweed salad. Basically it's safe to say any dish you order at Coast is going to be bomb. My girlfriend and I came here last Friday at 7pm and it never fails, always a crowd. Don't make the mistake and think you will be able to just COAST in and grab a table, make a Rez! That way you will secure yourself a seat and buckle up for a delightful ride. Don't forget to bring along your favorite bottle of wine:)
(5)
John C.

I never had sushi until a date brought me here. The idea of raw fish was not appetizing at all. A few rolls later, I was converted. Fast forward 2 years, this is my go to sushi restaurant in Chicago. I've been here numerous times and Coast has yet to do me wrong. I usually make reservations for a Friday or Saturday night. Parking isn't easy so if your driving, plan accordingly. My go to rolls are the white dragoon and po' boy. They are must orders in my book. I've tried many others but keep coming back to these. Don't forget to BYOB: plum wine and sake. Mix them too! P.S. Gentlemen, take your date here and you will find yourself lucky at the end of the night, one way or another. Guaranteed.
(5)
Rose J.

Great place in Bucktown for sushi and drinks. We ordered a bunch of rolls, and though I can't describe all the rolls we had, they where all hits - and we ordered a lot of 'em!. The only downside is that even though they had a special going on, I thought it was a little pricier that it should be. I would recommend this place for group dinners. It has great ambiance and dining area. If you go, be sure to check out the white dragon roll!
(4)
Natalie C.

Came here for dinner with a friend - when we arrived the restaurant was nearly empty but the hostess told us that if we wanted a table, there would be about a 20 minute wait... which was kind of confusing, since there were literally only three tables seated in the whole restaurant. We opted to sit at the sushi bar, and she set down two place mats for us. My friend actually ended up sitting one seat over, and the host came back and corrected us... so overall the seating situation was kind of uncomfortable and a little strange. I get not leaving one seat open at the end of the bar, but the hostess was not particularly friendly during her interactions with us. Oh well. The food! We got an assortment of rolls (sorry I don't remember the names), a couple spicy miso soups, and an order of seaweed salad (a must for me when I go for sushi). Overall the rolls were fresh and tasty - put together well (I remember there were a lotta tempura crumbs which were yummy if not very healthy) although a bit on the smaller side. The spicy miso soups were actually really good (never had a spicy version before) and the seaweed salad paired well with the rolls. Also BYOB which was definitely a plus and helped our wallets out.
(3)
Anchi C.

Arnie and I had dinner here on a Saturday this winter. The waitstaff were quite polite and attentive given the packed night and we were very satisfied with the service. The food was mostly great with the exception of one dish which I think they could have done a better job on. We started off by ordering the uni shooters, which came out way too vinegary (Arnie nearly choked on his shooter and I had difficulty holding mine down). That being said the next two courses were great - the Bluefin sashimi and the omakase were prepped really well and the fish was fresh. The final course we got - the spicy creamy maki - was sublime. Easily the best dish of the night. Lots of fish and filling, not a lot of rice, plus cheaper than most maki you can get elsewhere. My recommendation - skip the shooters and funky appetizers and go for the maki. The sashimi is comparable to other sushi places and worth getting if you're in the mood for it.
(4)
Taylor B.

Great sushi, reasonably price and a fun atmosphere. The seating area does get a bit loud so I would not recommend for the hard to hear, aka my parents' type. Sushi rolls were phenomenal though and I strongly recommend everyone experience. Seemed great for big groups too!
(5)
Jessica P.

Went for dinner with friends. Good sushi. Nothing special. Nice ambience. Liked the BYOB.
(3)
Customer X.

Great affordable sushi place with fair size portion for lunches and dinner in a clean environment with great service! The mochi green tea ice cream is delicious.
(4)
Kendra C.

I thought this place was decent. Went in on a Friday around 7 with reservations- got in no problems. Byob is great for customers but it seems to be an annoyance for the waitstaff. The sushi itself was good; not amazing, but good. I just feel like there was nothing about the menu or venue that set it aside from any other sushi restaurant.
(3)
Lauren P.

Get the sunrise sushi roll! There is a hint of mint which makes for a tasty combo. The service, however, is very slow so expect to wait.
(4)
paige h.

I'm so excited that I finally tried to place! Everyone has Ben raving about it. I'm a huge sushi fan so for me to say this it means a lot. Honestly, the best sushi I've ever had!! So fresh, tasteful, and delicious!!! The miso soup was even great! Only recommendation I have is to get there early or make a reservation. They're very busy. I highly recommend the Volcano Roll or the spicy creamy scallop!
(5)
Mith R.

Decently priced sushi. Average freshness fish. This place is basically sushi for people who love complex rolls as opposed to traditional maki. If that's what you're looking for, this is your place. If you want real sushi, don't bother. Oh, and it's BYOB.
(3)
Jessica C.

Last night was my first time at Coast and I will definitely be back. My cousin is the head chef at the Brixton so I trust his opinions when it comes to food. Therefore, when he told me Coast has the best sushi in the city, I figured I had to try it. I dined with my friend and we had gyoza and spicy tuna maki to start off. The gyoza was simple and delicious, as was the dipping sauce. Neither my friend, nor I had been huge sushi fans prior to this occasion but the spicy tuna changed us. The flavors were balanced perfectly and the texture was perfect. For our main courses, she had the combination tempura dinner and I had the seared tuna. She raved about hers, particularly the corn/fish piece. Mine was absolutely delicious. The soba was in a light, nutty sauce that went perfectly with the sweet, tangy, ginger tuna, and the caramelized sweet potato wedges added a nice touch. For dessert I had the green tea and red bean mochi, both of which were wonderful. Overall, my experience at Coast was a very positive, reasonably priced one, and I hope to be back very soon.
(5)
Melissa M.

Coast is where it's at for sushi in Chicago, people. I love their menu, their ambiance, and their service. We went here on New Year's eve at a peak hour and still weren't feeling cramped or rushed. A great spot for dates, hangouts, or even carry-out. Plus, BYOB is almost a must for sushi in Chicago, so thankfully Coast is on board with that. I loved every bite of our sushi. It's a little pricey, but if you have the money, Coast is definitely worth a trip.
(4)
Jwana P.

Good sushi. Recommend trying the po boy roll. Chicken bento box was a good choice.... $15 gets you teriyaki chicken, rice, salad, gyoza and miso soupm miso was great! Great service. Byob.
(4)
Fernando O.

Let me start by saying I love sushi I could eat it everyday if I could. This place is one of my personal favorites. Great place for a date, romantic evening, out with friends, or just in need of good sushi. The restaurant is very trendy, nice intimate setting, and great ambience. The service is great never had an issue. The sushi itself is great there to many rolls to list because I find them all to be so tasty. My personal favorite and the one I always recommend newcomers is the WHITE DRAGON!!!! It is mouthgasmic. I can never get enough. The restaurant is byob. There is a 7/11 and a liquor store around the corner in case you forget to pick some up on the way. Cons: there are only two. Neither have to do with the food. #1 it's a bit pricey #2 if you go on a weekend parking is awful but they do have valet parking.
(5)
Esteban L.

I like this place. Good atmosphere. Not too much to write about it. Check it out for yourself.
(4)
Mary T.

The first few visits here, years ago, I thought this place was the shit and their sushi was some of the best I've had. I don't know what has changed, me or them, but while I find it good, outstanding it is not. Coast has sort of become a fall back restaurant for us; handy in a pinch, especially for a late Sunday dinner. The menu is decent; plenty of standard rolls and a good selection of sashimi and nigiri. The signature menu is the only one I don't find terribly appealing, we gravitate toward the same few every meal. Where this place loses points in my book is service. Attentive at first, it always drops off a cliff the moment the food arrives. On our last dinner, I don't even think we even saw our server after our food arrived and a different server altogether dropped our check. Predictable and good for a BYOB sushi joint. I'm sure the next time we're in need of a late night Sunday dinner, we'll end up here.
(3)
Daniel M.

Definitely a solid option for sushi! They have a good ratio quality/price. It looks more fancy when you look from outside, but once you are in you can see it's pretty casual.
(4)
David H.

So I waited until I ate there for the third time. Decor wise, it's kinda cool. The sushi is just ok. I'm not sure where they learned to make sushi, but they serve it with cold hard rice that is flavorless. Not good. My preference is a warm rice that's got a special blend of flavor for the spot. Warm rice forces you to eat the sushi immediately after its dropped at the table. This was like something you'd buy at whole foods that's been sitting out in a chiller. Just not my thing. I'm still looking for a great sushi place in Chicago. No worries, I've only been here 6 months and it's now just getting warm. I'll venture out of my neighborhood for great sushi.
(3)
Shane E.

Coast is my favorite Sushi place in Chicago. Why? 1. Fresh/quality tasting seafood, which is hard to come by around here 2. BYOB with no corkage fee (note that there are multiple retail stores nearby to pickup alcohol as well) 3. Lively atmosphere 4. Will not bust your budget They do it right here.
(5)
Michelle S.

Delicious! We came here early enough that it wasn't quite crowded but by the time we left the restaurant was packed. I'm not sure about the expensive aspect that others have mentioned. We ordered 4 rolls, 2 appetizers and 2 orders of sashimi and it was $51, very reasonable. In fact, sushi is more expensive in Denver. Anyhow, the sushi we had was awesome. I loved the creamy roll, we had it without mayo and it was incredible. The rest of our rolls were really good as well. The fish was fresh, the service was good and although we didn't realize it was byob at the time we solved that problem quickly with the liquor store on the corner. I'm looking forward to returning this summer for some more!
(4)
Molly F.

Coast is absolutely amazing. Delicious sushi and sashimi. BYOB and in the heart of a fun neighborhood - good place to start
(5)
Hillary M.

Loved this place! I had take out from them before but had been meaning to go to the actual restaurant. No complaints, all good stuff! My friend and I split the following (each paired with its review counterpart) seaweed salad - with a nice dressing topping thinly sliced cucumber, delish and possibly the best seaweed salad I've had. Sunrise Roll - Best thing of the night and mayyybe my favorite specialty roll ever. I'm a sucker for fruit with sushi, and this was a mango wrapped tuna roll consisting of seared ginger tuna and mint. The entire inside of the sushi was a large chunk of amazing tuna. I was in heaven. So simple, yet so amazing. Also delicious were... The Rainbow Roll - always a good one with a variety of fish on top of a California roll. Salmon nigiri - this is always my favorite standby Shrimp Tempura Roll - large pieces and soooo yum! For dessert, we tried the mochi. I have never seen so many flavors of mochi offered before, and unique ones too like raspberry white chocolate, tiramisu, chocolate coconut, lots of good ones. We split the tiramisu and my friend's favorite - the chocolate mint. No regrets. All in all, I'd go back again and again! Check out my photos of all the deliciousness.
(4)
Jordan L.

If this review was solely based on food, I would give it more stars. However, I have to take into account the service I received this Saturday night. It wasn't atrocious, but I just probably won't go back due to the service my friends and I received --there are so many sushi places in the city that are closer to me, its not worth it to make the trek out to Wicker Park. I went for a friends birthday with about 10 other girls. When you have a large party, they make you place your entire order ahead of time, to speed up/smooth out service, which is fine. However, the entire meal, we all felt like we were annoying our server. I understand that a large party can be a burden, but honestly all he did was drop off our food, inform us of what it was and open some wine bottles. Then, to top it all off, at the end of the meal, we were informed that there was another large party waiting and that we had 8 minutes to leave. I work in the service industry, and I've always been taught that it is a HUGE no-no to kick someone out of a table like that. We felt rushed and unwelcome. Probably won't be back.
(2)
Ryan J.

A must for sushi in Chicago. And a BYOB; I'd recommend a good Sauvignon Blanc and a bottle of sake. Service is on point. Kasey, Raquel and Paige are some of the best servers I have come across in a long while and a true compliment to the experience. This place is equally good for a romantic night out or a get together with friends. My 7 year old daughter and I are there on an almost weekly basis; and I order in from Coast quite regularly. Some of my favorites: Volcano Roll; White Dragon; Sunny Side Shitake; Cucumber Salad; Oyaku soup; Teriyaki Chicken; Sushi Sliders (not always on the menu but they're great trust me). And a little known secret - order the "Ryan Carpaccio." Its the Hamachi Carpaccio with a twist - thinly cut octopus over each piece of hamachi in a citrus and garlic oil marinade. And can't go wrong with mochi for dessert. Ask for a side of chocolate sauce for dipping.
(5)
Michael C.

Coast is about as good as it gets when it comes to sushi. My girlfriend and I decided to make the trek through the slushy rain Friday night to this restaurant. I had hoped that the rain would act as a deterrent, but when I opened the entrance door, the waiting area was flooded with people. We were told by the host that our wait would be 45 minutes. This was way better than our first time trying coast in the summer when we told our wait would be an hour and 45. Clearly people love their coast. While waiting we noticed that almost every party waiting had a bottle of alcohol. I don't think I've seen BYOB taken advantage of as much as it is here. After our wait, we were seated in the back area which was composed of mostly couples situated side by side. We decided to order the exotic tempura which reconfirmed by belief that if you batter fry anything, it will taste good. Everything on the plate was delicious and HOT. Biting into my first piece of tempura, I burned the roof of my mouth. Next time I'll be more careful. We ordered the ceviche, yellowtail and avocado, and spicy salmon rolls. I think if I could've reordered, I would just get 3 spicy salmons. It was the biggest piece of fresh fish I've had in my rolls and it just melted in my mouth. The spicy sauce complemented the fish without being overpowering. The ceviche and yellowtail were pretty tasty and as good as I've had at other restaurants. Overall, we had a great experience at coast. The dimly lit environment lends itself to a great date night although this place gets LOUD. Service was excellent and if I want great sushi, I know Coast will deliver.
(5)
Enkhnasan B.

Meh.. Could be better. Haven't visit coast sushi in awhile and when I walked in I didn't see a single asian person.. All of the cooks were Hispanic and all the servers where American. Asked for hot tea and you know what the server told me? Um we're out of hot water for right now.. Are you serious? This is a restaurant how hard is it to boil some damn water or even microwave it at that. Whatever, ended up getting miso soup which was like warm.. Great! For my dish I got a couple salmon Sashimi and niku udon noodles. The portion of the udon noodles were on the small side. Salmon was okay.
(2)
Kelly G.

Coast sushi was delicious!!!! I was quite impressed by the flavors and quality for something so far from an ocean. BYOB without a corking fee made the restaurant 5 star to me.
(5)
Danielle D.

I had heard this place was great. Went on a date here, everything was great except I think I got sick from the tuna roll. Can't be positive but the day after my stomach was off ALL day. I was also irritated that they didn't have valet on Monday. Ambiance is good, romantic. Server wasn't that attentive. Overall, meh.
(3)
Abe Z.

I'm a huge Sushi Lover, I've had Sushi In Seattle,New York,Las Vegas,California you name it I've tried it. I'm not saying this place is the best because I'm from chicago but Coast Sushi has never failed to Impress me. Every Time i go there it feels like my first time. The Sushi is soooo fresh and just melts in your mouthh aahhhh lol cant talk about it now. I always get the same rolls the White Dragon is by far my fav. The Spicy Scallop,Spicy Ebi and the Najma Jalapeno. It's also byob which is pretty cool. You Must try this place !!
(5)
Andrew A.

Decent BYOB sushi place. Way better in house than ordering take out.
(3)
Tom D.

Weekends are busy with trendy eaters and I like the atmosphere. Typical rolls are found here.
(3)
blake d.

El Bueno: sleek, dimly-lit interior conducive to scoring on a first date. some good specialty rolls. byo policy. El Malo: very long waits without a reservation. more than a few boring specialty rolls. El Feo: service suffers from West Town Apathy. The best possible way to experience this place would be as a date, with a reservation, a bottle of chilled white wine, while limiting your order to the tried-and-true specialty rolls. We had reservations, so no problem there. Three of our four were seated at the table when our server arrived. He began telling us about their special of the night, after which we asked that he come back and repeat it when our fourth was seated. He then picked up our wine and began to open it. My party was split on whether or not this was a faux pax. The two who had previously been servers said that it was, but neither I nor my friend thought it was too big of a deal. But, when our sever dumped our edamame waste into our bowl of unfinished edamame without asking, we all were kind of shocked. He said nothing, then asked if we were done with our tuna tartare of which nothing remained. He seemed stoned, and proved to be a jackass. There were other slip-ups as well, highlighted by his cleanup. There was some spilled soy sauce-wasabi which he managed to wipe fromt he middle of the table onto my pants. He didn't notice until he overheard me complaining to my friend, to which he responded with typical West Town Apathy. Anyway, on to the food... We had the tuna tartare, which was bland and boring. For specialty rolls we had: White Dragon- always good here and by far the highlight of our meal 9/10. Volcano- probably a 7/10. Ceviche- overpowered by cilantro and plain bad (where was the jalepeno and mango?!) 3/10 Sunrise- OK, the mint came through, but otherwise a boring 5/10. For sashimi we had Toro, Hamachi, Sake and Maguro, in order of taste and texture. The first three were quite good, but the Maguro was lacking. It's possible that we got slices from a less-than-ideal section of the cut. Not rushing back here. ps. Why are there like 8 American Apparel kids working behind the front counter?
(2)
Loran S.

Excellent sushi. Fabulous prices. Service was top-notch. Honestly, I only have good things to say! Ambiance was nice, and would be a great date-night. We had the Sunshine roll and it was out-of-this-world good! Oh--and its BYOB--who doesn't love that? I would absolutely recommend this place!
(5)
Jen D.

This was my first visit to the original Coast in way too long, I'm not sure what kept me away because the food is delicious. Maybe it is the extended wait if you don't have a reservation? Rolls were really great. The best maki I've had in a some time. Rainbow roll - Great fish AND the pieces are appropriately bite sized rather than mongo pieces you struggle to eat politely. Ceviche roll - Lime marinated shrimp, jalapeno, cilantro. Unexpected and awesome. Eel - Very standard. Solid. Pumpkin roll - Really great. I thought it had pumpkin inside, but apparently not according to someone else. It does have salmon on top. It was really yummy. Bottle limit is weird and annoying, but probably helps avoid people camping out on a Fri or Sat night which I can appreciate. Also, you have to open your own bottle. Evidently this is a city law that is not really enforced, except they were busted for it recently which means they are enforcing it now. They have the really un-user friendly type of opener, so you may wnat to bring your own bottle opener. And the service was great. Our server was friendly and attentive.
(4)
Justin G.

Been going here for over a year and not sure why I have not posted a review. If you eat in, be sure to call ahead, earlier is better than later. If you are waiting, you can always open your bottle of wine (or beer) early in the waiting area. BYOB. The servers are always nice, and can explain anything you want to know about the menu/specials etc. Usually they end up convincing me to try something new. I have brought Non-sushi fans to this place, and they always leave satisfied with something unexpected. The price is higher than your normal sushi place, but its well worth every penny. One particular menu item makes every trip worth it: The White Dragon. By far one of the best tasting things to ever put in your mouth. I could continue with this review, but just order the white dragon; thats it. This is why I love this place! Carry out is always an option if its too crowded as well.
(4)
Jeremiah Z.

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Chicago! Its lively, affordable, BYOB, and offers some of the tastiest sushi in the city without having to pay Randolph Street prices. The environment is great for all types of occassions and parking is decent around the restaurant. I've had just about every maki roll on the menu and I think they're all good depending on your tastes. The quality of the fish is excellent, but I won't say its the best I've had in Chicago. I personally love sashimi and I will attest that theirs is fresh...just not top of the line. The only major downfall is that its a victim of its own success and the lack of a diner-friendly reservation system can make it difficult to get a table at times. However, I firmly believe that the overall value, BYOB policy, and hip decor make this place a slam dunk and a great experience for sushi lovers. Again, if you go on Fri or Sat night, expect to wait as you would any other popular restaurant. I almost exclusively go there during the week now to avoid crowds and get more personalized service.
(5)
Emily W.

Definitely some of the worst service I've ever experienced. Arrived with my boyfriend on a Sunday night (night before Memorial Day, no less) to find the restaurant more or less half empty, with plenty of tables open. We request a table for two, but are asked to wait a few minutes because we don't have a reservation. Mild eye roll.... It was downhill from there. We finished an entire bottle of wine before our dinner even arrived....waiting nearly 45 minutes for our sushi!! The table of six next to us ordered, finished their dinner AND dessert before our food even arrived. Food was blah. Rolls were all bland and tasted the same. Surely our waitress was apologetic?! NOPE. MIA the entire evening. We were still hungry, but after a TWO HOUR dinner that was supposed to be a quick bite, we weren't about to waste our time. Absolutely ridiculous. So so so many better sushi restaurants in the city. Looks like we'll be leaving Coast to the young BYOB crowd and moving on to greener pastures.
(1)
Kyle B.

I've been to Coast on numerous occasions and have always been satisfied with my meal. I've decided to break it down in to pros and cons because that is how I am feeling today: Pros 1. The Maki is extremely delicious, tastes fresh and has wonderful presentation. 2. It is BYOB and there is a liquor store down the street with a decent craft brew and wine selection. 3. Very cool decor and great for dates (assuming you have a date.) Cons 1. Always crazy crowded. You should call for a reservation or you will most likely be waiting for a looong time. You can drink in the waiting room though so, you know, score. You could probably get a table if you get there right when they open but let's be honest, who does that?? 2. The wait staff has never been particularly friendly, but they are certainly professional. Sort of like a coworker you get along with, but would never have a beer with. 3. It is priced just enough where it wouldn't be an everyday sushi place. It's sort of like the difference between Olive Garden and Maggiano's. It's the Maggiano's of Sushi. 4. Expect to feel out of place if you aren't on a date or part of a girls night out. Personal experience I know, but it still hurts all the same. Overall I totally dig this place. The White Dragon Maki is insane good. I think there is Nicotine in it. Not really. But really.
(4)
Tom T.

I'd been starving for sushi for a while now so a group of my friends met up at Coast about a month ago. We BYOB. The atmosphere at Coast is very hip and modern. The clientÃ¨le were good-looking. The noise level is pretty high, so you will have to shout if you're at the other end of the table. The tables are very close together so expect some chair banging as you dine. We ordered a lot of rolls and nigiri pieces. I can't remember all the rolls we ordered. Everything was pretty delicious. We ordered a Gomae appetiizer and it came out in a small piece looking like a piece from a roll. I've had better gomae at other places and much more for the money. The salmon nigiri pieces were fresh and delicious. I wanted an oyster shooter, but they don't serve that at Coast. Bummer! There were 6 of us and we got out of there for $35 per person. Not bad considering the quality of sushi and the amount that we ordered. I like Coast. I think their sushi is good, deserving of 3.5 stars, but since I can't do 3.5, I'll give it 4 stars.
(4)
Deanna B.

Picked up some sushi to-go. Absolutely delicious. Very fresh and I loved all of the spicey rolls they had to offer! Next time I'd like to eat at the restaurant but either way I'll be getting sushi from there again!
(5)
Haley D.

Coast was delicious. Period. Ordered the White Dragon roll, which we liked so much we ordered two!! Probably the best roll I have ever eaten. Also ordered the special of the day which was a Tuna on Top. It was very good, had a piece of jalepino for a good kick. Also got the Po' Boy, which was good, but too big to eat in one bite (which I dislike, what am I supposed to do with that?)!! 4 stars because the prices are a bit high for my sushi liking. Most of thier special rolls are around $15. If they were closer to $10 this would become a once a week thing. BYOB and no cork fee. major plus.
(4)
Nicole B.

Total deliciousness. Ordered the white dragon roll, one of the specials, and the soft shell crab appetizer. We split it between two of us, and it was more than enough food. Also, we went on a Saturday night without a reservation, and I had figured there would be a wait, but it wasn't too bad. They told us 45 minutes, but it really only took about 20-25 minutes until we were seated. The lighting is very dim, but it works. My only gripe is that the line for the bathroom is ridiculously long, as there's only one bathroom for women, and one for men. And the fact that some girls take 10 minutes in the bathroom (really? what are you bitches doing in there??) is a little too crazypants for me.
(4)
Jonathan J.

Good spot in a good location that is easy to get to. The sushi is very fresh and prepared beautifully, and I prefer a BYOB spot. The service was good, and all-in-all it was a great experience. I know I'll be coming back again son.
(5)
S.Y. D.

As avid sushi eater, I'm pretty tough when it comes to completely impressing me on great maki rolls. For the value, atmosphere and quality of seafood, you can't go wrong with Coast. The fact that is is BYOB is also an added bonus. I would recommend making reservations in advance but if you didn't, the wait is worth it! I come there at least once a month and I'm always drawn to to the White Dragon Maki roll. My other favorite rolls is the Volcano for a kick of good spice and their spicy tuna. I think I've had all their rolls to date and there isn't one that I would classify as bad. The appertizers are also great. I'm particularly a big fan of the aparagus beef and tuna tartare.
(5)
Julia J.

So, I'm guilty of buying into the hype of this place. It does have its issues, but I still really enjoy it and have had great experiences each time I've gone. I love that it's BYOB because it cuts down on the cost. Their specialty maki can be pretty pricey, so I like the option of bringing my own wine or sake. Like a lot of others, I love the white dragon roll, and I can't say there is anything on the menu that I didn't enjoy. I had the oysters one night and a few of the other menu items, which have all been fresh. The service has always been fine...not amazing, but nothing to get your panties in a bunch about. Besides, it's always packed in there, so you have cut your service people a little bit of slack. I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Amy H.

I am not an expert on sushi. In fact, this was only my second time ever eating it. So I'm not sure if Coast is "as good as it gets" 5 STARS, because I don't have any experience to base it on. I will say that Coast was pretty damned good! We started with some yellow fin with lime, cilantro, and jalapeno. So good! Our server mentioned having some fresh oysters that had just been flown in so we tried those too. OMG! Praise Jesus! Phenomenal. I could have eaten plates and plates of the oysters and yellow fin appetizers, but we moved on to some rolls. The spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls were ok. The white dragon roll was probably the best thing that I've ever had in my mouth. It was so good that we ordered another one along with a shrimp tempura atop a roll with asparagus inside. I really loved Coast. The food was really good. It's BYOB. The atmosphere was nice. The staff was friendly. If my date hadn't gotten wasted off of the sake the night would have been perfect.
(4)
Kristie H.

This place is amazing. I'm still a little bit of a sushi amatuer, but I do know what I like and what I don't, and what it's supposed to taste like. Luckily, I went with someone who lives in Chi-town and knew that this place is a BYOA - bring your own alcohol. So we made sure to stop at the local market and pick up 2 bottles of wine. When I walked in I was immediately impressed, the ambiance is very modern and relaxed and the staff was extremely friendly, and spoke English very well. We were seated and brought over a wine chiller; however, when we pulled out our bottles, we were advised that only 1 bottle is allowed at a time. Since we didn't know that rule, they were very forgiving and said that we could have both bottles, but only 1 on the table at a time. They also aren't allowed to pour it for you, since they do not carry a liquor license. So be ready to pour as much as you want in your glass! We ordered a huge array of sushi and it came out in decent time, as most sushi place should, as it's RAW! The food was amazing, and I can't wait until I'm in Chicago again to go back to Coast.
(5)
Gina M.

Absolute BEST sushi in Chicago. I've tried falling in love with other places but have failed miserably. Do yourself a favor and get on these signature makis! Service is always excellent and the liquor store on the corner has the best selection of beer to pair with your meal!
(5)
Judith N.

Quickly becoming a favorite spot. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable - or at least our girl was :) Started with some miso and a special crab cake appetizer, which was pretty good, but not the best ever. The sushi on the other hand was phenom. And... it's BYOB (yay), -without any hassle (yay). Everything was very chill and easy going and lent to a great night, and dinner with friends. For 3 of us it was $120 and we were all full of sush and some kind of delish chocolate dessert.
(4)
Nick S.

Right now, Coast is holding the belt for my favorite place to get sushi. I love the fish, ambiance, BYOB and the location. Although it's BYOB, we went in there and spent $250 for 4 of us. It was definitely worth it.
(5)
Nick C.

Coast is it! BYOB and great sushi
(5)
emily h.

have been back a few times since my previous review and experiences were much better, 4 stars!
(4)
Kara C.

It's going to be packed....and loud....and totally worth it. Great sushi and BYOB?! Doesn't get better than that. As for rolls, I would definitely recommend the Maine Roll and the Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll. I've also heard great things about the Angry Salmon Roll, but unfortunately it wasn't on the menu. Regardless, I think everything here is fresh, high quality sushi...you probably can't go wrong at Coast.
(4)
Jasmine C.

We had a great time at Coast. Nothing better than BYOB sushi! We got the tuna tartare appetizer and weren't too impressed with it, but the rolls were amazing. We got the white dragon roll (my favorite, soo good), the po boy roll, and the philly. They were all really fresh and definitely delicious. We went on a Friday night without a reservation and only waited about 15 minutes. Our server was great, the food came out quickly, and our water glasses were always full. We'll definitely be back!
(4)
Jeff W.

This place is excellent... I had heard multiple good reviews for this Wicker Park/Buck Town hot spot and finally got to try it for myself. It lived up to all expectations. Great date spot... BYOB certainly helps too. Wish I could offer more suggestions, but we went with pretty much what everyone else suggested... Edamame and Seaweed Salad to start. Can't go wrong with these... We also got the King Crab Roll, Po' Boy Roll, and White Dragon Roll. All were very good and I would recommend. Next time I hope to step outside the box a little. Atmosphere is great though, and we went on a Sunday night at 6:30 and there was no wait. Saturday however might be a different story as I have heard but worth it.
(4)
Lynn L.

I've been going to Coast for a bit now, and I tend to go in for a walk-in and usually get seated within.. 10-15 mins. Although the last visit I had, I made reservations which Coast changes times on me 3 times.. and when we arrived, a table was still not ready. Afterwards, My 2 friends left for the washroom, the hostess asked us if we'd like to wait for our friends to come back or to be seated now. I asked to wait for our friends to come back as they would only be a 1 min longer. Little did I know, even if I had reservations.. my table was given to another group that walk-in... I waited about 30-45 mins for my table. Pretty much, a reservation is useless at Coast or the blonde curly hair young girl clearly doesn't understand what a reservation means. I was pretty upset at this point, esp cause I had friends visiting from NYC. This hostess is a rookie who clearly doesn't understand how to flip tables quick enough and time everything correctly with reservations and walk-ins. Besides the terrible long wait I anticipated, The sushi came out fast and the server was great. Although, I wish they were trained a little more in depth on how to serve wine and perhaps keeping my cork on the table. I had to walk out the restaurant with an open bottle of wine sipping that down the street as quickly as possible. Found it interesting that all the sushi chefs are actually all Thai. As well as the owners of the place. I'd keep that hush hush. I would suggest trying the white dragon, spider and pol boy rolls. And of course the spicy miso soup is a given. But honestly, the spider roll is my favorite by far.. every visit I've had at Coast.
(4)
Lisa M.

Coast is my go to sushi place. Delicious, fresh sushi well made. The portions are perfect and consistent. The fact that it is BYOB helps keep the tab at a reasonable price. The white dragon is like no other and I highly recommend it. They have lunch hours as well as dinner. I would recommend making reservations for dinner in advance to avoid a long wait. The only thing that turned me off was the fact that when our party brought too much beer for BYOB, our waiter declined to put our extra 12 pack in their fridge. :( Not that they had to, but it would have helped us out. lol
(4)
Sara L.

I think I would recommend this place more for the atmosphere than the sushi. The quality of the fish was decent, and they have a decent sized selection. However, it just didn't blow me away. I had the White Dragon, the Japanese Relief Sushi (w/ shiitake tempura..white tuna,avacado etc etc), Spicy Crunchy Tuna, & the Rainbow Roll. I can understand why people may say that isn't filling, and that's because they use a lot less rice than most restaurants, which isn't a bad thing. I think the problem for me though was the flavor of the sushi rice. .it was too bland. Sushi rice plays a hugggee role in the taste of the rolls, and when a restaurant has the recipe down.. then even the simple tuna maki roll can be amazing. Everyone says the White Dragon is the best, etc etc..but I think there was too much eel sauce to actually enjoy the roll. Out of all the rolls I had..i would recommend getting the roll on Specials ..specifically for the Japanese Relief. I never had shiitake in my roll before, and it was actually pretty good~ The Spicy Crunchy TUna & Rainbow roll...were just alright. Once again..these rolls would be great compared to other good sushi restaurants if they just had the sushi rice down. If you smother your sushi in soy sauce, then I don't think it would be a problem. Our bill came out to be a little over 60 bucks with tip, and we left still hungry. I wouldn't mind coming back if I happened to be in the area, but it definitely did not make my favorites list.
(3)
Terrence C.

I'll start by saying I think Coast is a bit overrated. The sushi was fresh, and above par, but nothing out of the ordinary. I was particularly impressed with the freshness of the sashimi. The portions of fish were generous. I had namasake and super white tuna. I also had the tuna tartar which was a bit bland. My specialty rolls were more so along the lines of common rolls both in size and taste. Simply adding some color or garnishments doesn't demand the term "specialty". I only had two rolls, and maybe those were lesser flavorful. I'm playing devils advocate. The highlights of Coast is the decor. It is very much date worthy. It is dimly lit with a modern japanese feel. The location is great, and off the busy streets where so many other sushi spots are situated. Our server was very nice, and I have nothing negative to say about the staff. I'd try it again if i was in the area, but SO many more sushi spots in chicago with much better food at a much more reasonable price.
(3)
Eunkyung K.

Seriously, you all had it better. Maybe I had a high expectation after reading all the reviews here. But seriously. The consistency of rice is the most critical aspect of good shushi. I had their shushi combo and the rice was so dry and hard that I could almost feel individual rice in my mouth. YUCK! And plus, given the awful taste of the food and the price, this is not the place to go. The decoration is really dark; the whole atmosphere is just not welcoming or friendly. I agree with some of the reviewers here. If you are BYOB, be BYOB.
(2)
Liz M.

We had a blast at Coast and I'm not sure if it was the company or the food! It just so happened that in the same week I found myself at two of Chicago's sushi joints and I have to say, Coast was the better. Everything was fresh and well made. I tried the White Dragon (thanks to a review on here) and the Philly rolls as well as sharing edamame and a potsticker like appetizer that I wasn't paying attention to when it was ordered! Everything was very good. One of the best things about Coast is it's not just sushi. My fiancee, who does not like, and won't eat sushi, was about to order a teriakyi New York strip and was very pleased! I love that it's BYOB because I knew I was getting a wine I enjoyed! I guess they say one bottle per two people but we had a bottle of champage and a bottle of wine for three of us and no one said anything! The only negative I can say is the atmosphere. It is very hard and thus very loud. Even with three of us at a smallish table I often found myself having to repeat or ask my friends to repeat what they were saying.
(4)
Tera D.

Meh, uninspired. After reading the list of specialty rolls, I actually had a hard time finding more than one or two that I even wanted to order. And it's not that I'm a picky sushi eater, these just didn't sound very "specialty." Ultimately, nothing we ate was bad, but I was hard pressed to pick a favorite roll because none stood out to me. Even the spicy miso soup, which I thought would be a unique twist, was just miso soup with a few jalapeno slices floating in it. I wouldn't go back.
(3)
Hoang L.

It's a nice place for BYOB and a date. Dark inside. Bathrooms could be cleaner. Specialty rolls could be larger and cut into small pieces. Edamame sucked. Unsalted, so plain. Miso soup was pretty good though. A bit on the salty side. Service could be more attentive. We didn't get our soy sauce when the food was brought out, nor did he check up on us.
(3)
CN D.

First and most important, Sushi to me was good, not excellent or "OMG" but good. I should note that typically I'm not a fan of sushi so it may take better than average to win me over. Second, make a reservation. I was one of the first to arrive for our party so we did wait until everyone came before checking in for our 8:30p reservation. That said, I was able to watch several groups walk in/out and get the response from the hostess that the wait will be hour or two. Of course, all seemed annoyed which I deduced from the eye rolls, arm movements, and language. Moral of this story is make a reservation! They also are more than happy to allow you to open your BYOB (awesome) beverage in the waiting section (only room for 10 or so). They do offer the ability to take your number and call you when a table is ready. Third, the bathroom is single use. Given the number of tables in the restaurant and already established high volume of patrons. This really was annoying. Also, our table was close so there would be 3/4 ladies waiting (felt like lurking) at any given time. Overall it was an enjoyable experience but felt a bit crowded in regards to table space, walking room, bathrooms and waiting area.
(3)
natalie v.

This is my favorite sushi joint. And it's BYOB, which always wins points in my book. I have never had anything from here that was sub-par. Often they have fatty toro, fatty hamachi or fatty salmon. All of these things are incredible. Their oysters are delicious. I always want more of their ginger salad. Their specials are always interesting. I'm never afraid of trying something new here. And you can eat and eat and eat and eat and you won't spend a ton of money. Now, keep in mind, that any good sushi is somewhat pricey; however, the quality is supurb. And it's worth the amount on your check. I even got my husband liking sushi by taking him here. I call that a win for me. I recommend a reservation because they get pretty busy.
(5)
Connie C.

From Seattle to LA to NY to Chicago, this is hands down one of the Top 10 best Sushi spots ever. Period. The decor is fabulous, the seating is good for two to ten (though a 4 top would probably be best for an overall superior experience). The Dragon rule will ruin you and the service is consistently good.
(5)
Carter G.

Overall great date place, just make sure you make a reservation at least 5 days out otherwise your not getting in without a long wait. Had dinner at Coast last night. Being the guy I am I always like to make the woman feel comfortable so I stuck with the basics to keep her happy as she has only been eating sushi for a few years. APP: Shrimp/Veggie Tempura for an app was good. SUSHI: Rainbow Roll I thought was fantastic. Then tried the Spicy Salmon Roll which was nice. (Side Note: All the fish was fresh and the portions were appropriate for the price.) Next came the soft shell crab roll which was average. Lastly, my date wanted to try the Philly Roll (which I didn't taste as being Jewish... if I want Lox and Cream Cheese I would just go pick up Lox and Bagels on Sunday), but my date enjoyed it so I'm sure it was good. DESERT: We had Fruit with Chocolate. The Kiwi, Papaya, Strawberry were all fresh, but the chocolate sauce just tasted like heated up Hershey's. I was a big fan of the fruit. OVERALL: Good Date place and would return.
(4)
Irene H.

Had a late Monday night dinner here with a friend. We had the ceviche appetizer, soup for the each of us, and 3 rolls. The ceviche was very flavorful although the sesame "chip" was confusing. I had the niku beef soup with bits of udon. It was good. We tried the volcano, rainbow, and salmon-avocado rolls. The rainbow was the best of the three. The volcano was a little too mushy. The bill was about $60, including tax + tip, for the two of us. The decor is really nice and trendy. The meal was good but not extraordinary.
(3)
Jenna Q.

One of the best sushi spots in the city! This was my third visit to Coast and I went for my birthday dinner with three other friends. It was Monday night so it wasn't too crowded and it was such a phenomenal experience, like it always is. John was our server and he was so nice, attentive, knowledgeable, etc... This truly is one of the best BYOB spots around and their sushi is absolutely delicious! Highly recommended, but make sure you make a reso!
(5)
Jeanie P.

The nigiri/sashimi here was fantastically fresh and perfectly cut! (5 stars for sure!) The specialty rolls here were just okay... really nothing special (3 stars) The hamachi carpaccio appetizer was wonderful. It had hamachi with a small jalapeno slice and lime juice served with a side of mixed greens with balsamic. Recommend it! You get five slices of hamachi. We tried the spicy tuna (pretty good), volcano, some sort of crab roll, and yellowtail avo. None of these were really memorable or remarkable, but they weren't bad. Next time I'll order more sashimi/nigiri and less of the rolls. Horrible parking situation here, but 10 dollar valet available at door.
(4)
Sarah D.

The White Dragon, as many people have noted, is outstanding. Other rolls range from pretty good to totally bland. Service on a Saturday night was exceedingly slow, and the BYOB policy is one bottle for every two people at the table. I'm a little unclear as to why this place is so highly rated.
(2)
Christa R.

Really amazing place. It's probably my favorite place in town. There is valet. It is BYOB. The prices are extremely reasonable for the quality of food that you're getting. The service is outstanding and we didn't have one roll that we didn't love. The White Dragon is out of this world. You really must order it. Great place for a date or a girls night out. We use it as our go to Moms night joint. The lights are dim. Very sexy/trendy without feeling stuffy or pretentious. That only drawback was that the bathroom was only a onesie. Couldn't have dealt without that but I won't knock 'em for it as everything else possible was perf.
(5)
Keith D.

Love coast. So accommodating and the food is great. The waitress even warned us that she had a huge party in addition to us and offered to reseat us. We told her we were not in a rush, and to take her time. She was still amazing. Love the BYOB and there are two stores right nearby to purchase. Great atmosphere.
(4)
FelineFluff F.

BYOB? Check. Amazingly fresh sushi? Of course. Good Value? Bet the farm. Been loving Coast for nearly 10 years. Friendly staff that knows their stuff and aren't afraid of sharing their knowledge in a unpretentious way. Food shows up seemingly tight when you want it and I've never felt rushed to vacate the table. Love me some Coast.
(5)
Jason C.

Coast may be my favorite BYOB sushi spot in Chicago. I love Toro Sushi just as much BUT I didn't have to wait an hour to be seated at Coast since they allowed reservations. The inside was spacious which was a welcome change compared to the common "touching elbows" situation at Toro. It might seem like a minuscule thing but having more space enhances a proper dining experience. The food? Yum-o. The most important ingredient, the fish, was fresh and practically melted in my mouth. The other ingredients were not to be overlooked either and complimented the sushi well. The mochi cakes for dessert rounded out an awesome meal. When the bill came, we could hardly believe the inexpensive amount we paid for such an delightful meal.
(5)
Jessica W.

Coast is my neighborhood sushi spot, so I'm there often (2 nights in a row this week)! Obviously they must be doing something right to keep me coming back. Food: The sashimi at Coast is excellent, always serving up the freshest fish. The hamachi (yellowtail) carpaccio appetizer is out of this world delicious, along with the fatty salmon sashimi and the lobster sashimi. The maki rolls are very inventive, however I have found that when the roll contains tempura fried pieces, it often times comes out cold. This is a bit of a turn off, as the temperature of these rolls makes a huge difference in the flavor. Nonetheless, the white dragon roll is still my favorite. Atmos: Extremely dark, the atmosphere inside of the restaurant has a swanky, romantic feel. Guaranteed wait on the weekends and often times during the late week. Bring a bottle of your favorite wine and they will open it for you to drink as you wait. There is a liquor store less than a block away at Armitage and Damen that has a decent wine selection. Service: The service is average to good here. No huge complaints or praises. Price: The fact that the restaurant is BYOB helps a lot, but the prices are still rather high. But that usually holds true for sushi in general.
(3)
Jaclyn N.

I've heard good things about Coast and it was extremely busy when I went which should be a good sign... I'm not one to complain too much about restaurants but I was extremely disappointed. Soft shell crab app was oil logged so much so that there was a puddle of oil on the plate. The ceviche was fine but everything in it was pre cooked and the sesame cracker was noticeably stale. Sushi was mediocre, extremely thin sashimi for the price.... Service was good at least. I understand hot food being mediocre at sushi restaurants but the sushi should make up for it. If the food was not so pedestrian the lack of execution maybe wouldn't have been so bad. I just don't understand how busy it is. Just for scenesters who don't like food I guess.
(2)
Lori Taylor R.

We visited Coast on Monday at 7:30 and the restaurant was fairly busy. Luckily, my husband had made a reservation for my birthday. We were seated at a table and began reviewing the menu. We made our selections and then waited and waited and waited. Finally the server came over, 20 minutes had passed since we were seated. Devin discussed several items they were featuring that were not on the menu. We decided to go with his suggestion of spicy crab cake stick and the seaweed salad, which I love. The spicy crab cake stick appetizer was tasty, but $17 for an appetizer, really? We also ordered the volcano, tuna on top, coast crab and two pieces of unagi. The unagi was delicious the other three rolls all tasted very similar and I wasn't incredibly overwhelmed by any of the three. There was a large table of ladies sitting next to us that were thoroughly enjoying themselves, so much so that they broke two wine glasses during their meal. This did not help improve our experience, lack of service and overall disappointment.
(2)
Elyse D.

Tried Coast last night for the first time and was IN LOVE with it! I went with a group of 7 and the low bill at the end of dinner was such a pleasant surprise. Our waiter was wonderful and we took many of his suggestions for things to try. I tried the Angry Salmon appetizer as well as the sesame crusted scallop and both were fantastic. ESPECIALLY the scallop. For sushi we ordered about 10 rolls and had a taste of everything. My favorites were the Philly roll, the White Dragon roll, and the Alaska roll. My least favorite was the salmon skin roll. I love good BYOB places because you get so much bang for your buck. I will definitely be going back to Coast!
(4)
Nicki W.

Went here with a group of 20 people to celebrate my birthday and I'm so glad we chose Coast. Pretty much every single one of my friends had been except for me. I'm a huge Sushi fan but don't live in the neighborhood so I had yet to venture out. Big props to our waitress for handling our demands as we ordered 4 of pretty much everything on the menu. I think we had more bottles of champagne and wine on the table than food, so everyone was enjoying themselves. I also want to give a big shout out to whoever was taking reservations. As my party grew, I kept them updated throughout the week. It went from 12 people to 20 people which pretty much maxed them out in that back room. They were always very friendly and willing to make sure we were comfortable. This was on a Monday night, so it was easier for them to deal with such a large group, but still...mad props! The sushi was really tasty and everyone was enjoying themselves. I loved the atmosphere. I think the waitress said at one point that we had the highest tab she's ever seen in there. Either way, it was a BLAST. I'll come back with a couple of my friends next time!
(4)
Melissa Q.

I love me some Coast. I've been here twice and both were great experiences. The second time was with a party of 6. We ordered a variety of appetizers, sushi & desert. Coast did an amazing job bringing the food out seperately. As soon as we were done with one plate another would come out a minute later. It let the table really enjoy each different appetizer & roll. The food is amazing, but the fact that Coast is BYOB really seals the deal. I will be back again soon!
(4)
Aurora P.

I love this place! The food is GREAT! Will come over and over and over again!
(5)
Kathleen K.

Went to Coast for the first time with my BFF. We had a reservation and got seated right away on a Wednesday night after finding street parking (free) not far down the street from the restaurant. Our server immediately brought us a wine bucket with ice for BYOB bottle of wine and opened the bottled for us. There is no corkage fee. The BYOB is great but limited to one bottle of wine/booze/six pack per two people. Generally not a problem, but just an FYI. We ordered edamame which came very quickly after we ordered it. We then had the white dragon roll (delicious!) and the volcano (also tasty). The food seemed very fresh. My only issue was the size of the rolls...kind of lacking. I have been to a lot of other sushi places that have rolls priced the same as Coast but have rolls that are much "fuller." Overall the quality of good was great so I'll be back again, but just be prepared to order another roll if you're hungry.
(4)
Kryste N.

I've tried alot of sushi places around this town, and I keep coming back to Coast as my favorite. I think I'm going to stop going elsewhere, and just make the drive to Wicker Park and enjoy all the remaining sushi meals I will have while on this planet. This place is by far the most reasonably priced for the quality, variety, and friendly attentive waitstaff. I LOVE the white dragon roll, the white tuna carpaccio with jalapeno and cilantro, and their soft shell crab. You stand out Coast, in a sea of sushi places, you are the shark!!
(5)
Chee K.

Actually - I want to give this restaurant 3 1/2 stars but Yelp doesn't have halfs yet. Don't get me wrong, I really do like the sushi here. Their rolls are inventive and fresh. The waitress was so-so. I asked for tomago, unagi and salmon, plus some rolls. I got two tomago and no salmon. That's ok though. I also had their spinach appetizer, it was good but not the best. I felt their peanut sauce was a little bit too murky. And this is what really deterred me, the noise level. OK - yeah, I know I'm in a hip Bucktown joint, boy do they not let you forget it. Really, you can't do anything about the noise level, everyone is enjoying themselves. I just had a hard time listening to the conversation or even what the waitress was telling me. And that was on a Wed. night, can't imagine what it's like on the weekends. I guess I am old fashion wanting my sushi restaurants nice and calming. It's good and I would go back, maybe for takeout?
(3)
Lauren G.

I don't know how I lived in Bucktown for the past three years and never ventured into Coast, but I am so glad I finally made it! Yummy sushi, not too expensive (for sushi) and a great atmosphere. Me and a girlfriend split the fancier rainbow roll, a crunchy tuna, and a spider roll. All were well made and fresh tasting. I especially liked the seaweed salad. Only downsides were that we got seated at a bad table and a waiter completely doused us in champagne when a popped bottle went array. To his credit, he apologized and offered free dessert. Recommended.
(4)
Anish T.

I strongly recommend Coast if and only if you are planning to drink there. Bringing a bunch of beers and/or wine (no corking fee!) definitely brings out the true value of this restaurant. The sashimi selection as well as creativity of the rolls are quite impressive, though admittedly quite a pricey! Cons: -really into their tempura flakes. -not extremely attentive towards heavy byob'ers -costs extra to substitute anything Pros: BYOB! -very lounge-y ambiance -very fresh sushi -lots and lots of fresh jalapeno options! All in all definitely a good find in Wicker Park, though it's a bit more upscale than its surroundings / what I'm used to.
(4)
Christine U.

Worst service EVER! It was disappointing becuase I used to LOVE going to Coast...I went there for my Birthday & was disaapointed becuase our server was a total scarastic jerk. I will go back for the food, but I will make sure to sit at the sushi bar.
(2)
Kelly A.

I've been to coast twice and both times I had to scratch my head because I'd heard many people rave about Coast, but couldn't quite get what the hype was about. Yes, it's BYOB. Yes, the atmosphere is trendy and a bit elegant. But the sushi for me just isn't as inventive or flavorful as other sushi places I have been to like Tank. To me, signature maki is always what I prefer and their signature maki list is really short (9 rolls compared to my Beloved Tank's 25). I think the redeeming part is that the 9 rolls they do make are really good and the ingredients were fresh and high quality both times I went. If less variety in speciality rolls doesn't bother you or if you are more of a classic maki or sashimi kind of sushi eater, this place is good. The bottom line is I think the BYOB nature of this & the atmosphere are good but to me they eclipse the sushi itself. It's good for a 1st or 2nd date when atmosphere generally outweighs culinary exploration, but if it's more about the sushi eating experience and less about atmosphere, I'd probably go elsewhere.
(3)
Grace G.

I dream of Coast rolls Po boy, Sweet Potato, Crunch Make reservations That's my Coast haiku, and it tells it like it is. Coast is my favorite sushi bar in Chicago (sorry Japonais, you have your fans too) because it is delicious, BYOB, and has a really cool atmosphere. It can be hard to get a table though so always call for a reservation (see haiku).
(4)
Maria C.

Our waiter was helpful and friendly. I felt bad that we were taking a bit of time deciding what to get since it was our first time trying sushi. I forgot what the waiters name is but he was super patient and helped us pick out things to try.The sushi was also good as far as I could tell. Cant really help much though since i dont have anything else to compare it to, sorry!
(5)
Heather M.

This is one of my favorite sushi bars in Chicago. Everything is super fresh and tasty. Sushi comes out quickly and in a timely fashion. My only dislike is the atmosphere...its very dim and the tables are very close to each other...so you never have much privacy.(The last time I went, my friend and I overheard a couple breaking up LOL...) They have an appetizer called "Fried salmon wonton's" that are to die for... be prepared to wait if its a warm friday or saturday night...definitely suggest having reservations if you can... and again whats not to love about BYOB and NO corkage fee!
(4)
Donisha L.

I love love LOVE Coast. They are super reasonably priced, they are fairly convenient in terms of parking and trendy neighborhood atmosphere, and they are BYOB. 1 bottle per 2 people, however we managed to smuggle in 6 for a group of 6 and the waitress didn't even filp out. Yes I said it, one bottle per person. Awesome! Unfortunately I am allergic to avocado. Most sushi places look at me like i'm insane when I say skip the avocado..."WHAA You don't want avocado?!?! We can't do that?" Ummmm excuse me, if you don't skip the avocado I will die, end of discussion just DO IT! Here at Coast, they wrote it in big bold letters ALLERGY, sure no problem! Now that's what I like to hear. Some reviewers will remark "This place is not real sushi." Whatever, it's always packed in here so they must be doing something right. I was a little irritated when we tried to drop in one Friday night and they said it would be up to a 2 hour wait....ha....no thanks. But I guess that is a lesson learned in planning ahead!
(4)
Bryan Y.

I walk by this restaurant everyday on my home and it always looks closed because it is so dark from the outside. Once you get in the inside its just as dark. Apps 1. Sear Sesame Scallops: they were okay when you ate them with the salad 2. Spicy Miso Soup: wasn't spicy Maki's: didn't taste fresh and the presentation was sub par. They sprinkled tempura flakes over all the rolls so it was difficult to determine which roll was what. All the rolls below except for the Coast Crab roll tasted very similar. 1. Volcano Roll 2. Spicy Tuna Crunch 3. Spicy Salmon 4. Coast Roll I can't say I enjoyed anything. It was strange to see 10 sushi chefs on staff when there were only 2 tables being served. Also, it was awkward when my wife and I were attempting to flag someone down for our check and everyone who wasn't are waitress ignores us. Everyone continued to clean and didn't even bother to grab our waitress.
(2)
Jenna S.

My favorite sushi restaurant in the city! Great selection, fresh fresh fish! We sat at the sushi bar the night that we went (there was no wait) and it was very fun! The chefs were very professional and creative. The atmosphere of the restaurant is great; a bit dark, romantic, chocolate brown tones. Very very nice. The BYOB makes the place even better; we brought beer and they kept it chilling in the back in the fridge. Our waiter was very attentive while taking our order and coming back to refresh our beverages. All in all, best sushi in Chicago. They also deliver! Fast, quick, and still fresh when you receive it. They even try to plate it well instead of just shoving it all in a to-go container.
(5)
Brett F.

No review yet from me for COAST?? WHAT?!?! I don't even see how that's possible considering I go to Coast almost once a week... I see a lot of negativity from my fellow un-coast-friendly Yelpers, but I'm one to go against the grain and I think Coast is the MOST!! Yes, it is difficult to get a reservation on a weekend night at Coast but that is because they dont reserve the whole restaurant. They save half for walk-ins so that people who live in the neighborhood can actually swing by on a Friday or Saturday night with a bottle of their favorite booze (mine: Sapporo....Mmmmmmm) and have a chance at getting seated without having calculated a reso months in advance. Amen!! How nice to not just be turned away.... Maybe I'm the sole sushi maven to appreciate that and take advantage of the walk-in aspect frequently... yes, sometimes there is a wait but alas!! The place is BYOB... so uncork your Pinot Grigio, relax and enjoy the company of whomever you're with... or, come back on a Wednesday. Either way it's all about the food... I love the sushi. The sashimi and special maki alike.... A few highlights: *The spicy miso soup.... made with jalapenos. A total sinus remedy... Hayfever BE GONE!! *Coast Crab *White Dragon *Volcano *Crunchy Spicy Tuna *Hamachi Carpaccio *Toro Sashimi Yum Yum Yum. It's decorated cute... cherry blossom wall paper, candles, dark wood and nice low-lighting... cute for date nights and girls' night out... the byob is key and keeps the bill cheap... And if you really want to be a complainer about reso's and waiting... they DELIVER!! Wooooo!!!
(5)
Chris T.

I would definitely go back to Coast for sushiii! I went to Coast for the first time with my girlfriend who was anxious to take me there after she had gone a couple of times in the past and had great experiences. This was my first true sushi experience and it couldn't have gone better as far as the freshness and flavor! The Po Boy maki was huge and delicious. I could really taste all the individual flavors from the cream cheese to the eel sauce. Among others, we also tried the Spicy Sweet Potato tempura, which was definitely the "guilty pleasure" pick of the night. Who would order a sweet potato sushi? Well, we did and it was great! Prices were reasonable. Plus, it's BYOB. However, our waiter told us it was a 1 bottle limit on parties less than 3. Not sure if this was a special Valentine's day rule since there tons of reservations that day or what. But they wouldn't uncork our second bottle:( One other minor complaint was that the tables were super close together. Once again, maybe it was only this way because of all of the Valentine's day reservations. Either way, I felt a lack of privacy. However, this could be meant to make the sushi experience more social... so I can see how this could be a positive too. It seemed like almost everyone dining there that night was a twenty-something like ourselves. It's definitely a hot spot in town and with food like theirs, it deserves to be.
(4)
Ben K.

Sushi: very strong. It's nice to find sushi the quality of other upper tier restaurants at a BYOB sushi place where you don't have to drop $100 for dinner for two if you want to share a bottle of wine. Of particular note was the Sunrise roll, which featured a nice combination of tuna, mint (?!) and mango exterior, but went together extremely well. The White Dragon and Crunchy Spice Tuna roll were also delicious. Unfortunately the Ceviche roll was fairly disappointing; I was unable to taste any of the lime marinade advertised for the scallop in the roll. By far the highlight of the meal for me was the special appetizer, the hamachi carpaccio. Paper thin tuna, dressed in an acidic vinaigrette with cilantro and a thin slice of jalapeno. This appetizer literally blew me away with its intense concentration of fantastic flavor. I would get two of them next time.
(4)
Kris R.

my bff and i went on a romantic date (she is a girl. she is pretty.) girls' night!!! they say that coast is the place where you bring 253 of your closest gf's, meaning 334 bottles of wine (since it's byob) and talk about only the best gossip. probably a great place to pick up chicks (gentlemen, write this down). the rolls were great. we split the coast crab, spicy scallop, and the ebi tempura. edamame was different in an awesome way - smokey. yum. oh the lava cake! it wasn't really a lava cake, but maybe more like a mousse or a ganache. either way, it was totes yummy. so a LOT of their rolls have either cream cheese or mayo (which i love) but my date wasn't too crazy about it. we got the ebi without the mayo to compromise, but it wasn't that good, in my opinion. i will definitely come back though. there were about 5 more rolls i wanted to try, but i wanted to get drunk so my date would be impressed with me. im classy. WAIT WAIT WAIT. i totes forgot. our waiter looked like ryan gossling!!!! my date loves him. so she couldn't help but stare a LOT. a LOT. like, hello?? i'm your date!!!! it's okay, though, she brought me a gift which involved justin timberlake dancing and singing. i guess we're even.
(4)
Eric P.

I don't ness see myself as a sushi expert. I just enjoy eating sushi because different restaurants seem to do something different with it. I tried Coast Sushi off the recommendation of a friend a little over 3 weeks ago. I wanted to take someone out for dinner on their birthday and since we both love food, we were like "sushi!" in a girlish high pitched shrill. Walking in, you notice the extremely friendly staff that greets you at the door (even the sushi chefs said hello as we walked into the foyer). We were able to find a seat right away on a Sunday night when it was moderately busy. The atmosphere was dark but still welcoming. Our waitress (who's name i forget, I wish i remembered but she was tall with maybe dark blondish/light brownish hair) was helpful and very friendly. She gave us detailed explanations on what hamachi and tobiko was and recommendations if we liked a certain thing. The food was so good that we ordered roll upon roll until I felt my wallet scream for mercy. I wish I knew this place was BYOB, then we would have bought a bottle and maybe stayed longer. Overall a great experience. I've actually been fiending for Coast Sushi lately. I enjoyed myself. To the waitress: You probably don't remember but I was the black guy that came in with the white girl and we couldn't decide what we wanted for like 15 minutes. You're awesome. If I can remember your name, I'll ask for you.
(5)
Lisa K.

Hands down the best sushi in Chicago. Make reservations!
(5)
Christina G.

How have I not written a review for Coast yet? I love this place. Cool atmosphere. Usually can find street parking. I have been coming here for five years, every couple of months or so. Never had a bad experience. The sushi has ALWAYS been awesome, the prices are fair, and it's BYOB. Without a reservation there is usually a wait but I can't remember it ever being crazy long. Most of the specialty rolls are really good, and so are a lot of the appetizers. For bigger tables, they can't chill more than two bottles of wine, and don't have refrigerator space to hold the extras. Just FYI.
(5)
jon m.

Absolutely amazing!! What a great BYOB sushi place!
(5)
Tuyet H.

I went here last week for the first time on my birthday. I love the atmosphere, service were good. Our waiter was sweet and very friendly and hopefully. The place is really big, one down side about it is there only 1 bathroom stool. I have to wait 10min just to use the bathroom. But beside that the food is great! Out of the things we ate (picture posted) my fave have to be the Tofu and the Tamarind Duck. LOVE THE TAMARIND DUCK! Least fave is the seafood soup, it was too sweet for my taste.
(4)
Steve M.

Coast killed it last night! We walked right in and grabbed seats in the bustling dining area (busy for an early dinner - 630). Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and even went out of her way to fix our wobbly table! We had oysters in an orange citrus sauce (mmmmm), white dragon roll, spider roll and something with delicious tempura flakes and red roe. This is not your average sushi joint! Highly recommend. Go there!
(4)
Kimberly L.

In a word, YUM. In many more words: pretty setting, friendly service, delicious food, and it's a BYOB baby! I live closer to South Coast, which I still adore, but I was looking to mix it up a little. Grabbed a bottle of bubbly and my friend and we high-tailed it on over for a 7:00 dinner. The hostess and server were very helpful and very kind. We were enjoying a beverage and some hamachi carpaccio (yellowtail in ponzu sauce--delish!) in the blink of an eye. It was crazy busy within moments of our arrival but service never faltered. The hamachi, goma-ae, gyoza, and maki were fresh and delicious. And I think we spent less than $50 for both of us. A bargain, indeed for such a lovely evening.
(4)
Marie B.

Seated 45 mins after our reservation - horrible service.
(1)
Mel W.

OMG. This place is amazing. Super fresh and not with overly fishy tastes. I've been to a tonne of sushi places in Chicago and have been generally disappointed. Almost gave up on sushi til a friend suggested Coast. Sushi redeemed!! Coast has awesome ambiance and awesome food. Loved every minute!
(5)
Ashley P.

Currently rivaling Sushi Wabi for my all-time favorite sushi place in the city. This place is BYOB, so stock up on the white wine before you head over. I can honestly say everything I've ever had at this place has been excellent - tuna nigiri, salmon nigiri, and the ever-popular Rainbow and Dragon Maki. Love the essence of this place. Very trendy, but in a way that it can get away with. The service is great but it's usually packed on the weekends, so keep that in mind.
(4)
Faye S.

The fish was AWESOME. Seriously. The rice ball was perfect (after our weird experience with giant, dense rice balls at Sushi Wabi). The rolls were on the smaller side, not only in circumference, but in number of pieces as well. We got the ceviche roll and I wasn't that impressed. It was just a bunch of stuff rolled together. I was expecting a little more...substance and creativity. The super white tuna is really good too!
(4)
Justin G.

My absolute favorite sushi place in the city, this place is BYOB (though I believe they limit it to 2? and charge bottle service). The sushi is top quality and reasonably priced. I love the White Dragon roll here as well as their appetizers. Never disappoints!
(5)
Hen H.

I absolutely love this place and recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for a great variety of sushi. If and when you do go the White Dragon is a must try, it is amazing. The prices are reasonable and the waiters are very friendly and helpful with suggestions.
(5)
Kurt U.

I order delivery from Coast a good bit, but I have yet to make it into the restaurant...will have to get to that at some point. From a delivery standpoint, the sushi and chirashi are generally good, and their prices are reasonable. Every once in a while, they have an off night, but on a whole, they are always on my short list for delivery.
(4)
An P.

How in the world have I never ever eaten here??? On a rainy day where I was supposed to go to the grand opening of a restaurant in Hotel Felix, the rain combined with interminable traffic led to a disastrous ride through traffic, watching cars cut us off and plenty of staring at red lights that refused to turn green. As the hours ticked away, it was apparent a change in plan was necessary and we rolled out to Coast Sushi. before the obligatory trip, we stopped at the nearby 7-Eleven and rocked ourselves a six-pack. Good thing we did not get a twelver as I read on the menu after we sat down that a six pack was the maximum allowed for two people! Service was prompt and the server brought a bucket of ice for the sixer and stood ready to take orders. Not being ready, we let her know we needed more time. As I perused the menu, there were plenty of specialty house makis featuring many an eel ingredient including eel sauce, but I switched over to the maki and the kitchen entrees. Sushi plates ranged from $21-$27 featuring a variety of sushi and sashimi specials. Other entrees included, NY strip steak, chicken teriyaki and tempura dishes for $16-$20. On the maki side I decided to delve into crunchy spicy tuna maki, spicy white tuna maki and spicy salmon maki and a bowl of miso soup. The miso went down quickly and the sushi came quickly after. My eyes lit up as the crunchy maki tuna maki was topped off with a generous pile of panko bread crumbs so I could take other maki rolls and roll them around the pile to render them all crunchy!!!! Ginger was plentiful and the soy was great. Unlike Kaze Sushi, Coast Sushi portions are large and will fill you up even after housing your plate faster than hyenas after the kill. With sushi gone, the busboys rolled in faster than thunder after lightning and whisked our plates away. The music in Coast was chill ambient lounge music while the lighting was dim and ambient. The black wooden tables showed some signs of wear and tear, reflecting the raw popularity of Coast. We got there and had a seat with empty tables to our right and left, but eventually another two couples sat to our right and left, but between the music and the conversation, we were able to tune out other conversations. All in all a terrific atmosphere with exemplary food leaving me full and satisfied!
(5)
Pheebe L.

Mushy tasteless sushi rice, unimaginative makis. They dim the lights down too much so you can't see the lousy food you're eating. Nice ambiance if you like the lounge setting. But for real delicious sushi go to Hatsu Hana
(1)
Kelsey K.

Wow, best sushi in the city and a BYOB?? Have I died and gone to heaven?? I can't even begin to tell you my favorite thing on the menu, because everything rocks. Definitely get the Wasabi Tobiko though, especially if you have a cold or allergies. It clears up your head better than any cold medicine I've ever used. If you like fresh sushi, you'll love every single thing on the menu.
(5)
Emily C.

Coast, I dig you. Judging by my list and other reveiws, I am obviously a big fan of sushi. So when I saw the write up on this month's Chicago magazine on Coast with the gorgeous food-porn pictures of the sushi, I literally dropped my plans to grill out and caught the bus to Coast. Neato thing #1: Our waiter was just plain awesome. He knew all the specials front and back, made solid recommendations, knew the somewhat obscure wine we brought (and gave it the thumbs up), joked around with everyone, and pretty much was a total pro. Neato thing #2: Coast has a really interesting menu. A lot of the sushi places I go to (as a notorious cheapskate) are, well, totally basic. Even the basic makis at Coast had a twist on them. My absolute, total favorite was the spicy creamy. I have never had sushi literally melt in my mouth like that. The texture, the flavors, all of it were just perfect. And for 8 bucks. Score! Neato thing #3: BIG ASS MAKIS. 'Nuff said. Not so neato thing: Meh on the tempura. Shrimp tempura rolls have been the barometer by which I measure sushi places in the past. Coast just threw this formula out the window because their shrimp tempura had a flavor remniscent of Long John Silver's, but everything else was freaking fabulous. Onto more neato things. Neato thing #4: Huge selection of sashimi & nigiri. I tried clam, bonito (some sort of awesome tuna cousin), and black tobiko. Apparently they have sea bass also. Way more selection than I'm used to seeing on sashimi menus. Neato thing #5: Their desserts here are really awesome looking. I'm used to green tea ice cream, weird looking puddings, or nothin' at sushi places. They had something chocolatey and really pretty here and the girls at the table next to me got it and I couldn't stop ogling it. If I hadn't been stuffed to the gills (BAD PUN ALERT!), I would have gotten one too. Overall, mostly quite neato and definitely worth a go.
(4)
Barbara D.

3.5 stars It was good but it wasn't THAT memorable since I hardly remembered going here. The BYOB is cool, especially since while you're waiting for your table you can have a seat up front and start sipping your suds. The place is just a bit too crowded for my liking...but the sushi was slightly above average.
(3)
Amy H.

I went to Coast last Sunday after wandering Bucktown for a few hours with some dude. Turns out, it's pretty awesome. I have a terrible memory, but we ordered the special hibachi carpaccio with jalepeno and lime, a spicy salmon roll, something with scallops and a volcano roll. Everything was ridiculously fresh and delicious; you can really taste how excellent the fish is. Another bonus was the fresh wasabi we got on the side. How have I not had it before? Who knows. But it's the bomb dot com. Overall, the atmosphere is casual but sophisticated. Our waitress was friendly, and very willing to offer suggestions when we realized that we didn't order quite enough food. I'd definitely come back with a large group and more wine.
(4)
Clover S.

I write this review as a celiac and a celiac only. NEVER eat here if you have celiac disease. The food is not safe. They claim to provide gluten-free food. They even have a cute little menu that says "Gluten Allergy" on the front marked up so you know what you can supposedly order and eat safely. I repeat - THE FOOD IS NOT SAFE. We had a lovely waiter, named James, who was clearly well educated on gluten and who helped me navigate the menu and the specials. He even brought wheat- free tamari out of the back for me. After I had ingested a few maki rolls, my partner who had heard me voice concerns earlier about sushi rice having gluten in it, asked James if there was gluten in the vinegar they used to make the rice. He was quick to admit he wasn't sure and went to go double check. Shortly thereafter, James returned and said "Actually, I was mistaken. The rice is a problem. There is gluten in the vinegar. Nothing here is apparently safe for you." So, we cancelled the rest of the meal and told him we were finished. He apologized profusely. And even returned a few times to tell us that he felt terrible and that he wouldn't have ever done anything to hurt me, he thought he could trust the "Gluten Allergy" menu and advice from the managers. James' service was excellent. The manager came over and I explained to her the detriment of handing people a menu with "Gluten Allergy" written on it with claims that they actually have safe dishes that we can eat when they don't. I also explained that I will get really sick from the food. She said that if I wanted to go to the doctor they would cover it. A nice gesture, I guess? She didn't understand, as most people don't... its not as if I can go to the hospital and get a shot... or some drugs... I just get sick. And eventually, the more that this happens, the more chance I have of developing ... you know... fun stuff like stomach cancer. Anyway, I tried to explain this to her. I told her that wasn't how it worked. She left. Then the bill arrived. Yeah, that's right, they asked us to pay for our meal (which was only $40). We explained that since they had basically poisoned me, we didn't feel it fair to pay for the check. She stalled us, tried to call the other managers, she said she needed me to fill out some form, and that ...yes, we should pay for our bill. My husband, best friend and I got a bit heated... asked if she was sure she felt like we should pay... if she was really certain that this was what she wanted. She said yes - and so I agreed to pay - and then, THEN she wouldn't take my credit card. She used it as bait to get me to wait while she called the other managers...presumably to bring me some "form"...said she needed us to wait a bit longer, as if the 20 minutes of waiting and the 10 minutes of arguing wasn't enough. I told her we had to leave and to quit calling the other managers... just to let me pay and leave... and she. wouldn't. do. it. She kept telling us to wait. No f-ing joke. So, we just left. Really super extraordinarily sucky dining experience.
(1)
Karin S.

One of the best sushi spots in Chicago. The prices aren't outrageous yet the ambiance and scene would make you think otherwise. On the weekends it is very crowded but the BYOB feature is key. The hostess will open your bottle while you wait for your table. The quality of the food is awesome and without an outrageous drink tab, the prices are pretty reasonable. One of my Chicago fav's. There is also another location in the South Loop on Michigan Ave. (not BYOB and doesn't have the "Po-Boy Roll"...but still trendy and delicious!)
(4)
julie t.

As any reader can tell from the other reviews, Coast Sushi is great. There was an hour wait on Saturday night, but we brought wine and set up shop at the tables in the front and the time passed quickly. Needless to say, byob at a sushi restaurant is a great way to save $$. The food, once we sat down, was perfect-- best thing ever was that they had gluten free soy sauce. For anyone needing that, this is the place to go...maybe call ahead to make sure they have some in stock (they were running low last night, and I think I finished it up :), but what really got me was how knowledgeable and accommodating they were with finding the right sauce and warning me about other rolls on the table that I shouldn't eat...everyone I talked to there was great, and I had full confidence in anything they suggested (and felt good afterwards :) I ordered the Chirashi, which was amazingly fresh and good. I didn't try anything else, but the rolls on the table looked just as great. The only reason it got a star knocked off the rating was because it was pretty dark in the restaurant, and so noisy that it was hard to hear across the table. Might have been okay for a romantic date, but I found it hard to hear (and see!) friends farther down the table from me. All in all, this is a sushi place that, despite not living in the neighborhood, I will come back to often.
(4)
Mari D.

I have a hard time even giving this place a one star. To start, I ordered a salmon skin roll to go a few weeks ago and got a purina jerky treat instead. I could not even call to complain because I was afraid of what I might say. However, we did give it another try last night, hoping for a better "dine in" experience, but again were left disappointed. The spicy tuna was very fishy, and we couldn't bare to eat it. When we complained about the taste, the manager said that "everyone else is eating it and not complaining." This is an unacceptable reply from a manager, and they have definitely lost an avid sushi goer along with some friends.
(1)
Christine M.

I've heard the name of this place numerous times but never quite knew where it was, what it was like -- only through hearsay. Definitely love any sushi place that is BYOB and is also nicely decorated. The seating area in the back is definitely the spot to get, a lot more intimate (albeit a little dark) and cozy. Started with some Edamame and continued onto the Volcano Roll (warning, this puppy is HOT!) and I'm drawing a blank at the other ones we got . But, you could definitely tell that it was super high-quality fish and they put a lotta love into those rolls. Really enjoyed my dinner here and would go back any time.
(4)
Stacy F.

BYOB. Amazing Sushi. Friendly Staff. Good Ambiance. I'm in!
(4)
Melanie R.

This is one of my favorite sushi restaurants. The sushi rolls are great, and I love that it is BYOB.
(5)
Sagar N.

Really one of the best sushi experiences I have ever had (even in comparison to way more expensive places). Service and ambience really differentiate this place from others, but the menu was very creative and fresh. Don't exactly recall what we got but I remember the yellowtail being good and the desserts being excellent. Presentation is everything in Japanese cuisine and coast did a very good job of that. BYOB is a big plus, but, again, the service is what sells it for me.
(5)
Megan G.

I had an incredibly bad experience here. Heard this place was great, so I took my brother and sister-inlaw (who love sushi) to "show off" what Chicago had to offer. The two appetizers we had were satisfactory, but then it took 45 minutes to get a total of only 4 rolls, which was VERY UNSATISFACTORY! When we asked our server if our order was coming, she replied "Yes, it's just finishing it's last touches", as if we were stupid for asking. Are you kidding me? If a customer's order is taking more than an acceptable amount of time, the reply of a server should always be "I'm SO sorry, let me see what the issue is!" Not only did they not care, but it ruined our night out, and was embarrassing for me as a host. I have never experienced such bad service in Chicago. The rolls that we finally got were loaded with panko crumbs, and lacking of any creative presentation. Paid a butt load to be very disappointed.
(1)
Erin N.

White Dragon and Hamachi Carpaccio--every time. Love that it's BYOB because it justifies my extensive fish spending habits. Oh, and the shredded sweet potato appetizer is to die for.
(4)
Helena B.

I'd been trying to decide if I should save this local gem for a date or a visit from my sister. Little Sis introduced me to sushi, so I think of her with every wasabi-tinged bite, but I must say I'm very glad my first visit to Coast was on date-night. The dark, sleek, candle-lit interior makes you feel a bit sexier before your Miso soup even hits the table. Speaking of the Miso soup, it was delicious. And don't worry, they do have spoons if you are hopelessly Western like me and want to scoop out every last bit of tofu goodness. Next was the toro sashimi. Heavenly. As promised, it practically melted on your tongue. We followed with three different rolls (Spider - a personal favorite, Alaska, and Hamachi Jalapeno). My date picked the Hamachi Jalapeno, and to be honest, I wanted nothing to do with it (Jalapenos? Gross. No thanks. All yours, buddy). However, when they arrived, I had to try one (all in the name of Yelp, yo) and they were shockingly good! The jalapeno was very subtle - a very pleasant surprise. Throughout the meal, our server was great - very attentive and willing to help or explain if we had questions. I'll definitely be back - next time with Little Sis.
(4)
Jenn S.

I went here with a small group of friends and had a great night. We were literally there until closing. That being said, BYOB is without a doubt the best thing in the world. It certainly made for a more affordable experience. Our waitress was super nice and didn't say anything about the fact that we had more bottles then allowed (yes-there are rules posted about how much alcohol you can have at the table). The sushi itself was great. Very few restaurants in the city have albacore (which is not pan seared) so I was in heaven when I saw it on the menu. My only complaint is this: We all clearly ordered our rolls separately due to allergies and food restrictions. When the food came, it was all on one plate. It would have been nice just to check first to make sure that the food could be put on a single plate. Plus it wasn't grouped together correctly. I had one roll on the left and one way over on the other side. That's it...that's the only problem that I had. Nothing to deter me from going back.
(4)
Kodey F.

Best sushi in Bucktown no contest. They have a great menu, and I prefer BYOB, as it's so much cheaper to buy a bottle at Binny's than to buy by the glass at a restaurant. I definitely recommend the potstickers as an app, but make sure you always ask fir the specials. I have had pretty great crab cake app before, but you have to catch it at the right time. Many of the sushi rolls come with roe, so if you're not a fan of fish eggs make sure you order without, no problem. No dirty looks like you might get elsewhere. If you're not in the mood for sushi, they have some great fish entrees, and once again keep an eye out for their specials. When it's time for dessert, try the mochi. It might sound weird, and it might even look weird, but it's delicious. I have tried all the varieties, and while I'm partial to tiramisu, they are all delicious. They keep half the restaurant open for walkins and take reservations for the other half. I live close, so i swing by and put my name in and give them my number, and they call when your table is ready. Much better than waiting in their waiting area, which is a little cramped. Pus then you get to walk in past all the people waiting and feel like a celebrity getting seated right away. But don't consider driving, unless you want to do valet or drive around Bucktown looking for a space.
(5)
L. B.

My #1 favorite sushi in the city. So fresh, and so creatively delicious. I always order my staple fresh salmon sashimi, and the unbelievable White Dragon rolls...ohhhhhh those knock my socks off. I heard they are worse for you than a big mac, but I don't care one bit. Love the BYOB factor, not only does it save me a couple bones, but it makes waiting the 45 plus minutes for a table not too crappy. Plenty of people to socialize with, too! Getting a rez is a biotch, so plan ahead, or wait 2 hours. You will still probably wait a half an hour with a rez, btw. Well, well worth it though!
(5)
Nicolas H.

Don't get me wrong, the sushi here is definitely good. I just don't think its worth the hype or waiting for more than 10 minutes for a table. The sushi is defintely overpriced for what you get, and nothing really stood out as exceptional. If I ever go back I'll attempt to sit at the sushi bar and maybe things will improve...
(3)
Emily G.

Best sushi place in Chicago hands down! The white dragon roll is my all-time favorite sushi roll. The servers here are very friendly and know a lot about sushi, our server was able to make perfect recommendations when we gave our preferences. BYOB was an added bonus!
(5)
Lindsey P.

Really good sushi in Chicago. Service, atmosphere, and most importantly, the food was great. Must try the angry salmon roll!
(5)
Vas S.

I recently ordered take out here after a long hiatus (due to moving from the area and trying to save money) and forgot how good the sushi is. I have not been to a ton of places in Chicago, but so far this has been the best place I have found in the area. The dragon roll is by far my favorite. I also enjoy the eating in the restaurant every once in a while as it has a pretty cool decorum inside (helped out by the numerous attractive girls that frequent this place). The only drawback for here is that I think it can be a bit expensive for not the largest quantity of food, but its well worth the price if you enjoy good sushi.
(5)
Michelle L.

I love that this place is BYOB. We brought a bottle of wine to split. The table next to us had a six-pack of beer and wine. The large party behind us? A bottle of vodka. For an appetizer my friend and I split yellowtail carpaccio, which was amazing. It came with five pieces, so I was secretly delighted when my friend told me to take the last piece. I highly recommend starting with this. The flavor and freshness was right on. Per our servers recommendation, we ordered the White Dragon Maki-- a shrimp tempura, wasabi tobiko, cream cheese avacado roll topped with scallion spicy sauce, wasabi dressing, eel sauce, and tempura crumb. (Wowza,) I was a little worried that the roll with be huge with all the ingredients, but it was perfectly proportioned. Bite-sized and delicious. With it we ordered the Coast Crab, spicy white tuna and yellowtail scalion maki. All were great, and we left full. I would definitely come back here and give it 4 stars.
(4)
Kamilah S.

Coast has to be one of my favorite sushi bars, its BYOB, YEAH. Its not over priced, the fish is very fresh and I always get something new when I go and its always good. I have been like 5 times and I love it.
(5)
Eman S.

I should start off by saying that I am allergic to seafood. Okay, I got that out of the way, now I can review. I am a fan of sushi places that take risks for non-seafood eaters when creating new sushi. Coast unfortunately does not have anything outside of a vegetable roll. So we started off with the edemame and that was as expected. So for dinner I got the vegetable roll tempura and it was pretty good, but nothing I would go around a brag about. The food alone is about three stars, but the fourth star comes from the GREAT service. Our waiter was so good and helpful. He was on top of everything and never missed anything.
(4)
Laura C.

Great place. Cool vibe. My fav is the Philly Roll. My boyfriend loves the White Dragon. There is always a wait. BYOB is great :) Go there!!
(4)
Katiria G.

Good/ bad: pretty friendly staff. However, at one point in time the waiter came over to our table, and the table next to ours, apparently in search of something? She never gave us a proper explanation....she just kind of bent over and looked under our tables. Awkward? Yeah, just a tad. The sushi is pretty good, but I've had better. It's a bit crowded and loud. The chairs are unbelievably comfortable!
(2)
Amanda R.

I went here on a Wednesday night, at 9:30pm- it was slow at first yet picked up around 10pm, the atmosphere was laid back and relaxed. Low lighting and great friendly faces. The server was knowledgeable and friendly, we had an appetizer as well as the sunrise, service (these two were bad!!! no sauce or flavoring) and the dragon and the volcano roll, those two were amazing!!! Dessert was fruit- ice cream with chocolate sauce very delicious- this sushi restaurant uses a lot of mango which is unique and great!! Overall a great choice! I would go back!!
(4)
Gina M.

After rave reviews from both Yelp and my best friends, I had to get my tail to Coast to see what all the hype was about. Let me say, I was not that impressed. First, the staff. I called in the cab on the way there to get the address and the conversation went a little like this.... Me: Hi. Where are you located. Host: Damen Me: Damen and what... Host: Uhh..closest cross street is Ashland. Me: Great! Do you take reservations Host: Ummm..if you would have called a week ago maybe. But not now. Me: Ok, whats the wait right now. Host: A half hour at the least. Me: Ok, well we are about 5 minutes away in our cab, would it be ok for me to put our name it now? Host: No Me: Ok well we'll be there soon. Thanks (Click) When we got there, a different host (female, the one on the phone was male) didn't even take our names. We were seated right away. Um ok? I thought the atmosphere was nice...but it was so loud! I dont mind a loud resturant but my date and I were practically yelling at eachother. We ordered some miso soup and instead were brought edamame. When they brought our soup, the waitress realized our mistake and took the edamame away. It was a little confusing because some sushi places give free edamame...why were they taking it away? I only had one! haha All our rolls were brought out at the same time which i liked. But I didn't like how the waitress tried to upsell us on almost everything we ordered (Namasake? The fatty salmon is much better you want that instead? No! Its three dollars more) As far as taste goes, it was very similair to most other sushi places ive been in the city. Pretty good but nothing blew me away. I do not reccomend the Sunrise roll ( i think thats what it was called.) It has mango and mint. I thought I'd love it but it tasted like a mojito in not a good way. We even let the table next to us try our leftover rolls because they were comtemplating ordering it too...after their taste they decided 'No" I would give Coast another shot but I am not buying into all the hype.
(2)
Caroline A.

My girlfriends and I checked out Coast on a Saturday night. I was excited to eat here, because I heard so many great things. Everything is great at Coast, except for the ridiculously long wait to get a table. My friends and I finished a bottle and half of wine before being seated (took TWO hours). If I wasn't with such great company, I would have walked out. Food was impressive. The tuna tartare is FANTASTIC.... delicate, flavorful and melts in your mouth yummy. The rolls were decent, but not as good as Mirai in my opinion. We had the spider, wasabi, volcano and toro. All were great. We also had the large sushi plate as well as the large sashimi plate (there were four of us, ok?) The sashimi is excellent... very fresh, and pieces are pretty big. Once we were seated, the service was excellent. Our server really knew the menu inside out, and the food came out quickly. I always ask for extra ginger and wasabi... and he definitely delivered! The decor was decent, not spectacular though. I'll be back... with reservations of course!
(4)
Annie G.

This is pretty much my favorite sushi place going on five years. Here's why: - affordable. It's BYOB so I can enjoy a yummy white wine and perhaps some Sapporos as I dine on my food. Signature rolls are in the $10-$15 range, all others are under $10 - tasty. Everything I've had, I liked. The things I MUST order each time: spicy miso, una avo roll, and per my husband, a seaweed salad. had their signature ceviche roll for the first time recently and drooled madly over it. oh baby. fish is always fresh. - service. consistently consistent. good service. - dessert. i'm not a desserty, but 3 times out of 5 i oder it here. it's perfectly proportioned, priced and pretty. Pitfalls of coast - it's usually PACKED on the weekends beginning 7-9. when they say 2 hour wait, they're not just saying it. expect it to be at least 2 hours - said packed crowd is often really douche-y - sometimes it gets a little steamy in there. they need a dehumidifier or something.
(4)
Erica R.

Great sushi! My bf loves the duck here too. Sunday afternoons are the best time to go. They are not too busy at this time. Our waitress wasn't very good though. She never came back to our table one time to even ask if we wanted refills. We had to stop her ourselves twice to get her attention.. :/
(4)
jenise r.

Me and my girlfriends came here this past Saturday for a late dinner and to exchange our grab bag gifts. We had a 930 reservation, the hostess was nice, but the waitress....I think she was having a bad day. We were seated and the rest of our group arrived, we had a few bottles of wine and some beer with us. When the waitress came and asked if we wanted anything right away a few of us ordered miso soup. She then proceeded to tell us about their new BYOB policy and how they can't open the bottles or something and a bunch of other stuff I wasn't able to catch because she was talking so fast. Everyone ordered their rolls, I wasn't very hungry so I just ordered the Wasabi Shumai and wow! When you eat one give yourself 5 seconds and the wasabi hits you and you feel like a fire breathing dragon for a few seconds. I also had the Agedashi tofu salad (fried tofu, scallion, bonito flakes on fresh baby spinach with warm dashi dressing) I really liked this salad and see myself walking over from work here to pick one up for lunch. Dashi is seaweed and soysauce etc soaked so it has that seaweed taste some don't like We finished up dinner with green tea mochi and opened up our gifts our waitress brought the bill while we were opening. As soon as the last person opens up their gift our waitress comes over super fast and and says "Can you please take care of this now?" and walks away. We all looked at each other and were kinda shocked at how rude that was and we all noted her crabby attitude earlier in the night and we were trying to be extra nice but ehhh. Tsk Tsk lady. Hope she went home and got some.
(3)
Ryan G.

This has to be my favorite sushi bar in chicago (lawrence fish market is the best sushi, but it's just pickup), and is the only one (of the 15-20 so I've been to in the city) that I've come back to. The quality of the fish has been top notch every time that I've been back, and it's BYOB so you can save on the drink costs. This makes it the perfect place to come when you're looking to take the next step up from the all you can eat or bargain sushi to the true sushi experience! I've had a bunch of the maki rolls, and from the simple tekka to the gigantic po' boy, every one has been amazing. I'm a huge fan of unagi, and Coast served up the best unagi nigiri that I've had in Chicago.
(5)
Kristine L.

I just now noticed how many sushi restaurant reviews I have. I clearly have a problem. Well, now that that's out there... I tried Coast for the first time on the suggestion of my friend who probably found it here on Yelp. I've tried many a contemporary-designed-kinda-upscalish-looking sushi joint from Shine to Japonais (Japonais is overrated, btw) to SushiSamba so cute decor doesn't really impress me anymore, but admittedly, Coast was really pretty. A little more intimate also. And dark, but I'll get to that later. I got there way earlier than the rest of my party, so I walked a half-block down to fetch a bottle of wine (i dig BYOB places!) and waited up front. The waiting area is big and doesn't make you feel awkward, which I appreciate. So only a couple cons here: We had a party of 8 and our table was ready immediately, which was great, but set up in such a way that no one could get into their seats without having to literally climb over and maneuver chairs and people from our table AND the table behind us. Very unsexy. Also it was RIDICULOUSLY dark in there. I had to either hold my menu face-level to catch light from the table behind me or practically set the thing on fire with the tiny candle. More unsexy behavior. Ambiance is great, dudes, but a tiny bit more light would have made it more comfortable. On the upside, I totally could've gone out to dinner with no makeup and no one would be the wiser. I admittedly get unreasonably annoyed by little things, so the dark and the squished table setup could have formed a venomous opinion right there, but the food and service was great! I got a sashimi plate and each piece of sashimi was soooo good. I don't think I really knew what ppl were talking about with "melt in your mouth" descriptions until then. Totally perfect. Plus, I felt totally satiated with the small sashimi plate, which incl miso soup (welcome on a chilly night!) and some rice. Most everyone else in my party got rolls and really seemed to like them. Also, one of my friends was rly late to dinner, but they brought her order out pretty quickly so it wasn't awkward for her to sit and wait. Really nice experience in the end, and I would probably go again if I was in the neighborhood... AND IF THEY'D GET SOME DAMN LAMPS. :-p
(4)
Andrea B.

The masses pretty much have this one right. I give it a 4. Good, solid quality sushi that isn't too expensive (and it's BYOB). And I'm basing this on the nigiri, because throwing mayo or cream cheese on your 'creative' rolls just hides bad fish. My best sushi experience in Chicago so far. Better than Toro in Lincoln Park, and much much much better than Sushi Ra or Sushi X (now sushi para x?). Give it a go, people. Get the sushi plate, yum.
(4)
Danny B.

This is coming from having worked at Coast Sushi more than it is from knowing what good sushi is. The restaurant is hip. It looks slick. Expect to wait for your table and expect to wait for your food during peak dinner hours. Prepare for a drunken frenzy in the waiting room on Friday nights, yuppies are shoulder to shoulder, and you can hardly hear. The servers are young and cool. The sushi is flavorful, colorful, and presented nicely. My favorite roll I've tried is the Coast Crab. BYOB!
(3)
steve k.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at this Bucktown sushi hub known for trendy everything. I usually order for carry out because the clientele that i see in there is usually a bit overwhelming for me. Loud drunks due to its BYOB policy and people who use sites like this to find something "different" and "hip" or the best "something off the beaten path." The quality of food for the take out portion without all of the ambiance was impressive. The spicy Miso soup is the s&^* and is a surprising accompaniment to the sushi that they have. I personally think its a bit pricey for what it is but Sushi has this amazing price stigma attached to it these days that its hard to find any kind of normal pricing for something simple like salmon or tuna make. Otherwise food is solid to my taste. Dining in the restaurant itself is a bit daunting because its so freaking dark and full of "trendies" that love to eat sushi anywhere and everywhere and try every single sushi restaurant because it sounds cool to people who may be too squeamish to even try something like raw fish. They sound daring-good for you. Regardless of the dark settings, crowd, loud bar like atmosphere and moron server, the food did hold its ground and was still delicious. Which in the end is always the most important thing-especially when it comes to something like sushi and delicate flavors. Hence the four stars.
(4)
I've heard the name of this place numerous times but never quite knew where it was, what it was like -- only through hearsay. Definitely love any sushi place that is BYOB and is also nicely decorated. The seating area in the back is definitely the spot to get, a lot more intimate (albeit a little dark) and cozy. Started with some Edamame and continued onto the Volcano Roll (warning, this puppy is HOT!) and I'm drawing a blank at the other ones we got . But, you could definitely tell that it was super high-quality fish and they put a lotta love into those rolls. Really enjoyed my dinner here and would go back any time.
(4)
Tyler D.

Great sushi. One of my top sushi places in Chicago for sure. And no cork fee!
(5)
Jessica S.

What can I say? I love sushi and I love a byob that lets me bring a bottle of wine to enjoy said sushi. Food was delicious, service was great, I was able to enjoy my meal without feeling rushed. Fantastic place.
(4)
Cassandra R.

Coast is a small neighborhood place, but the food is big on flavor and the service is friendly and personal. After walking a mile in high heeled boots my dinner companion and I stepped into this place out of desperation. The restaurant was full but we were seated rather quickly. Started off with a pot of delicious jasmine green tea to warm us up and proceeded to have some very fresh, very creative and very tasty sushi. The White Dragon Roll was my favorite, but everything we tried was delicious. The bill came out pretty reasonable also.
(4)
Mande B.

Love, Love, Love this place! Have been going here for years and it's still my favorite. Remember it's BYOB and they'll heat your sake up for you. You must try the Red V (it's not on the menu, but they continue to serve it if you request.) If you don't feel like the wait, just go a little early as it usually doesn't get packed pre-7pm.
(5)
J F.

This spot is about 2 blocks from my new place so me and the b/f checked it out on a Saturday night around 8. There was a 35 minute wait for a table, but we got right in at the sushi bar. Nice atmosphere and lots of happening people. We had an awesome crab cake with yummy ginger sauce for an appetizer and 3 orders of maki, (the maine, the ceviche and the spicy tuna). The rolls were good, nice flavor combos, but not really highlighting the fish as good as they could. Someone else said that most of the maki have mayo - which is true, but I'm okay with that. We also had fruit and chocolate for dessert, which was pretty straightforward. We received great service from our waitress, who was very fast, friendly and accommodating. I felt like I didn't get much for my money though. The maki are the same size as a store bought rolls, even the "special" maki came out with less than 5 rolls to the order. When we got the bill the appetizer was $17 for 4 crab cakes (what?!). Kind of pricey (and this is coming from someone who eats sushi at least once a week, so I am familiar with pricey sushi). I gave this place a 4 because the food we did have was good, but it still doesn't beat out wakamono in lakeview (the place by which I rate all other sushi bars. We will likely go back in the next few months due to the location and good service.
(4)
Kelsey O.

Coast rocks. Best sushi in Chicago, I'd say. Very fresh, killer creative and innovative rolls, delicious soups, salads and apps. The staff is surprisingly very nice and not at all pushy, unlike staff at other sushi places like Wakomono. The only downside is it's soooo busy, so make your reso far in advance. No way you are doing a walk-in here, at least on the weekend. They jam you in pretty good but this doesn't bother me at all. Also, remember it's BYOB. And, don't bring your kids here. That would be annoying for all parties involved.
(4)
Chelsea M.

Loud and crowded and wonderful! Food is great and it's BYOB with NO corking fee! Highly recommend, but definitely make a reservation unless you like two hour waits!
(5)
Pooja S.

Crowded on a Monday night? Unheard of! We went to Coast impromptu as a kind of commiserative dinner... with the expectation we would get a table, it being a Monday night.. wishful thinking. We sat at the bar and ordered. Coast King crab roll, white dragon roll awesome!! also their crab cakes which was a special starter were yum too. be warned although this is a BYOB it is NOT cheap. For 2 starters and 3 rolls we paid $80 all in. Their special rolls are great but they are $13 a pop. It is still my most fave place for sushi in Chi town and I eat sushi all the time!
(5)
noel c.

YOU MUST MAKE A RESERVATION... even on the weekdays. coast is very delicious. why do i love the ginger salad so much? it's only spring mix with a very yummy, fresh, light ginger dressing -- but, i still can't help but order it every time i go. BYOW. none of the following will disappoint: *spicy crunchy tuna *seaweed salad *sweet potato tempura roll *unagi (eel) *mochi ice cream *oshinko
(4)
Kristin S.

Went here last night for an early Valentine's Day dinner. I'd say it's closer to 4.5 stars than 4. First impressions: This place is BIG, and DARK. I don't know why, but I thought the place would be much smaller than this. It's not actually so big, but it has two rooms and seem crowded because they really know how to pack the tables in. As far as atmosphere, I really liked the dim lighting and the decor, but it's a little too romantic for how loud and crazy this place can get. If you seat 60 people in a small room, it's gonna get loud. Because of the loudness, I wouldn't recommend this place for a first date. I couldn't hear the server when she was telling us about the specials (she was also a bit of a mumbler, so that didn't help), and it was hard to hear my boyfriend at times. We didn't mind shouting, but this is definitely not a cozy, quiet place. The food: We started off with the awesome spicy miso but decided against more appetizers so we'd have more room for fishies. We had the white dragon roll (AMAZING! Get it and thank me later), the Sunrise roll with mango, tuna and mint (very good as well), the spicy scallop roll (lots of stuffing, not much rice = perfect) along with some super white tuna (buttery and delicious) and some toro (expensive fatty tuna, but yummy for a special occasion). I had dessert waiting at home, so I can't comment on that. Just looking around other tables made me want to order more rolls though I was completely stuffed. The service: Meh. That pretty much sums it up. Our server was okay. She seemed bored and was really soft-spoken. I don't really care much about service, but she did get annoying at the end of the meal with clearing our table 4 or 5 times to send us the message that it was time to leave. At one point, we joked that she'd come back and blow out our candle. She also took the check after we'd paid and before we were ready to leave to get her tip which I always think is just a tad rude. Overall, I will definitely come here again for a special occasion type night when I want to bring only one bottle of alcohol for 2 people. (Our food came to over $20 per person so no fee, but I heard they charge a corkage fee if you don't meet this requirement. That's just tacky.) The sushi was good and it came out very fast for us, though I've read other people had to wait quite some time. Service could be better but no major disasters, so I'd give service an adequate 3 star rating.
(4)
John H.

Price range as expected, trendy, dimly lit, and very loud, average sushi. If it weren't so close, I probably wouldn't go back a second time. It's definitely a fusion place rather than authentic/traditional, but the wait was a little long, lots of loud people (it's BYOB and they all brought too much), and they were out of super fat tuna.
(2)
Elyse G.

Best Sushi Ever!!! Its very Intimate for a date night and also a great place to hang out with friends. Its the best of both worlds. The best part about it....... BYOB! :) Must try the Dragon Roll. Yum!
(5)
Amanda Z.

Wow, 278 reviews before me? Guess I'll keep this one to the basics: -BYOB, which is great. No corkage fee which is even better. There is a limit of one bottle for two people or one six-pack for two people...and just beer/wine/sake, no other liquor. They didn't seem to be enforcing that rule, but it was a slower Monday night with no one waiting to be seated. -They do take reservations. Great for our party of ten. -Seriously awesome miso soup. No spoons, which was strange, but handles for easy sipping. -Edamame was served a little cold and with little to no salt. I like mine piping hot with lotsa salt, so this was a little disappointing. -The sushi was pretty good. Definitely not the best I have had, but I've had worse (then again, I am no sushi expert, so what do I know...). Tried the una avo (good sauce), crunchy spicy tuna (more crumbly tempura crumbs, but alright), spider (my favorite), volcano (spicy, but that's about all it had going for it, and it left me yearning for my delightful Bentonara volcano roll with the secret sauce), and I had a bite of the White Dragon...not bad. -Pricing was pretty reasonable, given that the ambiance is pretty great for a BYOB. No silly explanatory pictures on the wall, just calming zen-like setting with dim lighting and warm colors. I felt like I was in a place where I should have paid much more. And the presentation of our food was lovely. -Service was adequate, but not overly friendly. I do appreciate that they accommodated our large group and worked with us on the check. I will probably be back to try some more rolls, and to enjoy the lovely ambiance.
(4)
Julia Y.

I LOVE this place!!! I'm a big fan of sushi and this is the best sushi i ate by far ,hands down!!! We moved to Bucktown area last summer and this place is 2 min away from my house. Always get great service , excellent food and awesome atmosphere. the dark room with the lighted candles makes the place really romantic & sexy:) Ask for the daily specials - they always have something unique! My favorite is the Moo Roll (Vegetarian ) We introduced that place to some friends and now they are hooked like us!
(5)
a h.

I once gave this place 5 stars. After having now been 4 times, I had to seriously downgrade my review. It's only gone downhill. I went over the weekend and the place seemed dirty, the service was slow and atrocious, and the sushi was just not good. The fish special that the waitress urged us to get was not fresh at all. The only good thing we had was the Gyoza, but, being fried, that's hard to screw up. The rolls were like bricks. Also...the bathroom situation is ridiculous: one toilet for each gender making it necessary for the men and women to line up AMONGST the tables of seated (eating) guests. Just not good. My 4th time here was my last time here. Bummed.
(2)
Marissa b.

Hands down my favorite sushi bar in Chicago, or anywhere for that matter. First and foremost, I have to mention that I don't eat anything completely raw, so I wouldn't consider myself a sushi connoisseur, but I love Coast. They have awesome rolls... some of my faves are Po'Boy, White Dragon Roll, and the Popper (not on the menu). Also, obviously being BYOB makes it even better. The atmosphere is sleek and modern, kind of romantic, but also great for a dinner with friends.
(5)
Drew S.

Sushi on a silver platter, what a world. A couple things that stick out from my trip to Coast. This would be better served if Yelp.com learned how to use bullet points: - They have a bizarre kind of teetotaling BYO policy restricting you to 1 bottle of wine or a sixer per 2 people. They will heat up the sake for you if you pour it into the container. 1 bottle isn't quite enough for a medium length meal unless you're a total lightweight as far as I'm concerned. I assume we can thank the christian right for this. That's bad. - The maki and nigiri were delicious. That's good. - The $22-25 sushi and sashimi plates come with 6 different types of fish but aren't quite enough food, order another maki or something. They do come with a choice of soup. That's good. -You have the option of ordering real fresh wasabi root for $2 extra. -The toppings contain potassium bonzoate. (that's bad) Ok some I'm watching Treehouse of Horror 3.
(4)
betsy b.

This place rocks. The sushi is always so good and I love BYOB. I don't like that they dictate how much you can drink but whatever, I can get over that. We had an 8:30 res and there were a ton of people waiting when we got there...I was expecting a wait but we were seated instantly....I was amazed!!! We had a bunch of different rolls that were all outstading. One was called Sunrise I believe and it had mango on it with tuna and mint...it was devine. We also tried a Volcano roll which was really good but drenched in tempura crumbs...thankfully they were easy to scrape off. I love coast and it's my top BYOB sushi pick.
(4)
Anabella J.

best sushi place i tried so far in Chicago!their specials are awsome!they are a little pricy but only specials.white dragon roll is good,autum roll(season only) are a must!!!oh dont forget to make reservations because their waiting lines are extremely long!good thing i did and as soon as we walked in we got the table and service.5 star for sure!!!
(5)
Andrea C.

went here for the first time for a friends birthday party...and i have a few thoughts...(i guess i always do). pros: -byob...and no corking fee, but no liquor, beware -really really fresh fish...the tuna was melt in my mouth...best sushi ive had in chicago so far... -really nice staff, super helpful..my bf isnt much of a sushi person (hes trying but it may be an acquired taste for him) and our server was really great about helping him pick a roll he'd like -there was some roll w/eel in it...and it was delicious. im not normally an eel person (too sweetish) but this roll was really great! cons: -pretty pricy...most of the rolls were pretty large, but they charge you a pretty penny...coast is a special occasion type of place for me! -not enough spicy sauce on the spicy tuna...sadness. -1 stall for the ladies restroom. i went twice (it was a long dinner ok?!) and there was a line of at least 5 ladies ahead of me...
(4)
Lauren D.

I love sushi, but I can't muster up that much excitement for Coast Sushi. My main gripe is that their basic sushi just isn't that good. Sometimes all I want is a piece of fish on a little rice! At Coast I have been disappointed in both the quality of the fish and the portions. I do have to give them credit, all of the fancy, super expensive rolls that I have tried have been pretty tasty. But, $15 for a fried veggie roll!? That seems a bit excessive to me.
(3)
Candice R.

Coast began what was to be a very tasty night. We had a great server, although we did have to open our own bottle of wine. I find it odd that Coast will limit the amount of wine to one bottle per two people, tell you that legally they're not allowed to open it, and then throw you a corkage fee on top of all that. I guess it's the ambience and reputation. Still, the both the food and the service were perfect . I wouldn't say it's the best sushi ever, but the server was honest and steered us in the right direction, and we enjoyed every bite. We had the scallops and the soft shell crab appetizer to start, both very tasty. We ate our way through four rolls and a piece of nigri: white dragonroll, coast crab roll, po boy roll, white dragon roll. Suzuki nigri because I love me some sea bass. They were all very good, my favorites being the white dragon roll and the coast crab roll. Full though we were, I had spied a strawberry chocolate dessert on the way in that I felt needed to be ordered. I'm glad I did. It doesn't seem like something that would be in a sushi restaurant, but oh was it yummy. Coast, I like you, but I don't like your BYOB rules. They're weird!
(4)
chris c.

Went here a while back w/a couple friends. Recap: We wait a while for a table. Got seated and brought a couple of bottles of wine w/us. We ordered and asked to get a bottle open. They ran out of wine glasses so we got regular glasses. We poured some wine and then after a bit, out regular glasses of wine were filled with WATER. So all that went to waste and we got new wine glasses and opened the other bottle. Later our waiter spilled another another glasses on the table after knocking it over. Thru out the nite, I had to constantly look for him because he was no where to be found. To order more, I had to go get him at another table. Let's just say the service was HORRIBLE at best. Then when we paid out bill, the hostess and waiter thought it would be appropriate to ask why he was not tipped more. (note: TIP = To Insure Promptness.) She said that it's typical to tip at least 20+% for their service. Have ordered carryout a few times since. Got 3 stars because of the food. It seems that everyone agrees service is poor but food is good.
(3)
Allison S.

Coast - Newsflash - you are not the only BYOB sushi restaurant in Chicago. Was your sushi above average? Yes. Quite good, actually. Unfortunately, your customer service was so poor, it negated your sushi skills. I realize patrons should not excessively hold up a table on a busy weekend night with drinking and talking, but when dessert is verbally offered (we had to ask for a menu), followed by "and just so you guys know, we have another reservation for 6 that needs your table in 20 or 30 minutes." ARE you kidding me? Have that discussion with an appropriate table who may be done with their meal (including dessert and coffee) but are opening another bottle of wine, NOT a group who progressed through their meal in a timely fashion and haven't even seen a dessert menu yet. I see I am not the only person with this complaint, so maybe consider extending your reservation time slots. At the very least, educate your wait staff on proper customer service. Unlike what our waitress told us, we were NOT informed of this *timed dinner slot* when the call was made for the reservation. No big rush to return any time soon.
(2)
Tiff H.

Thanks to the Japanese for inventing sushi. Again, the best sushi I've ever had is in the upstate of South Carolina. Chicago has some great sushi places and some are a lot better than others, but I only know of one decent BYOB one in my area...Coast. My first time here was for my 23rd bday in 2007. Loved it then...was still in awe of the great city invention of BYOB. I've been coming ever since. Ebs B is right. The noise level is horrible, and it's hard to have an intimate dinner there; however, I've managed here and there. The sushi is fresh. Salmon sashimi is ordered every time I come as is the shumai. Spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls are good. The angry salmon is fantastically spicy, and I always devour those little chip things. Po Boy, White Dragon, Tuna Avo, Volcano, Spider, Dragon, those are favorites I always stand by. Rolls are kind of small but they're standard size for Chicago...(I come from SC, land of the oversized, and that includes sushi rolls). Pretty decent for the price you pay--I've averaged about $25-45 a person, but I can outeat a guy who is 5x my size when it comes to sushi. Staff is always friendly as well, maybe a bit slow due to the fact they're contantly slammed. I keep my trips to a Mon-Wed night now in order to beat the crowd. BYOB...can't go wrong. They're pretty strict with their bottle policy bc they get slammed so make sure you make reservations.
(4)
Leigh R.

Went here for a girls night out! It is always hard to order sushi with a large group and for the waiter to organize everything. Coast did a great job taking our order, splitting our checks, and helping us have a fun night. They also recommended so great rolls for us to try and made sure all food allergies were addressed. Sushi - delicious, unique rolls but the only complaint is they are a bit small. I thought the price was a bit high considering how much we got for our money Atmosphere - Great decor, nice waiting area in front! BYOB - makes this an affordable night on the town! I understand they only let you have so many bottles on the table though so we hid them in our purses. haha.
(4)
molly w.

Solid 4 stars. I've dined in twice and ordered carryout/delivery a few times as well. Solid food, I just wish that they had a larger selection of specialty maki. Glad it's relatively close to my house, it beats driving to Toro in Lincoln Park to get decent sushi.
(4)
Kristie H.

I have had multiple friends recommend Coast to me and my only regret is that I waited to go. We ordered 4 different rolls, all fantastic. They serve real wasabi (you must request and pay extra), which now that I have had it, it will be hard to eat the horseradish fake wasabi that usually comes with sushi. The atmosphere and music is relaxing. Our waiter was knowledgeable. It's also BYOB, we brought Saki, they chilled it for us at our table. It was perfect. Verdict, my boyfriend and I will be moving next door so that we will never be without quality, delicious sushi, again.
(5)
Milo F.

Cozy, friendly, delicious sushi
(5)
Nicole R.

Went to coast on the first snowy night of the winter. Outside the weather was no good, you forgot about all of that when stepping inside. Coast is a romantic, dimly lit restaurant with lots of candles. Our server Mark was AWESOME. He was honest with his recommendations and they were all delicious! Yes the white dragon was awesome, and so was his recommendation for a roll that was created years ago for Valentine's Day that they will still make. I forget the name but it has asparagus inside and a tempura scallop on top that you eat with your hand (it looks like a sushi cupcake). He even asked if we wanted a bucket of ice for our 6 pack we brought! I recommend going! Having a full bar would have made me give it a 5 star rating.
(4)
Erick R.

great place for a first date sushi was awesome plus you gotta love Thai food ! BYOB is an exceptionally lovely thing in this world the staff could be friendlier, my date an i sat at the sushi bar and we got bumped into quit a bit because of the size of the restaurant and location of the restroom, it looks more comfier to sit by the windows but i do enjoy watching the chefs roll up, they were quit friendly too. the price for 2 people to get filled up was great plus if you don't know what to get ask the chef what he recommends my hat goes off to you Coast Sushi Bar
(4)
Jennifer K.

Went to dinner here on Friday and as always it was just brilliant! I have to say the service was supreme and it adds even more to an incredible evening out when you service is above and beyond your average "pleasantries". Thanks for the great dinner/service Mark!
(5)
Ryan S.

My wife ate here Saturday night with some friends and ended up spending most of the night throwing up -- and all she had was the vegetarian sushi, not even the raw fish. She was too sick to work on Sunday and only went to work today because she had a meeting. I have called the health department. Needless to say, we will never go back and you shouldn't either.
(1)
Robyn T.

Is it shocking that I had never been to Coast during the work week? Yes, I'm one of those people who always tends to be in a big group that waits for hours (yes I waited nearly 2 hours once for my friend's b-day celebration) so it was a nice treat on a Wednesday night to walk in and be seated. Immediately. I'm a fan of the dark, modern wood tones and chic atmosphere with a complete lack of attitude (ok, usually). Service is pretty good too though sometimes listening to the ingredients in all the daily specials can be a little much -- can I get that in writing? Even if its 80+ degrees outside I find myself ordering the spicy miso soup. This stuff is addictive...I love when they have the hamachi carpaccio appetizer too - 5 tender slices of fish with a little jalapeno. Spicy and oh so good. I guess I really like jalapenos and sushi as I'm writing this because one of my favorite signature rolls at Coast is the Popper roll. The dragon is divine and isn't as large and awkward as the dragon roll at other sushi haunts.
(4)
Cynthia A.

Wait, why haven't I written a review yet about my favorite sushi place?! Well, I'm going back tonight, so why not now. So, I'm not a sushi snob. I admit, I like the rolls with all the sauces, mayo, and extras on them. I also appreciate just the pieces. Here, you get a good mix of both. As everyone else said, the white dragon is my absolute favorite roll ever. Try the coast crab, also. Even if you are skittish about pieces, you HAVE TO order a piece of super white tuna. I promise you'll love it. It never disappoints. The thing I love most about Coast (aside from BYOB) is that it is ALWAYS consistent in every aspect. Tip: Although South Coast is very good, it doesn't compare to the Bucktown location.
(5)
Becca S.

I will start off by saying that the sushi and other food is delicious. But this is Chicago, good sushi is not hard to find. Turns out good service is. I went August 5 for a good friend's birthday. We chose the location because we all love sushi and who doesn't love a good BYO? We had made a reservation for a party of 11. The restaurant was not very crowded at all this Thursday, which might be why they kindly seated us before the whole party had arrived (or perhaps that's their policy - a good one!). We sat down and our waitress came to introduce herself. It was Kim by the way. Not one smile. There were only four of us so far, but she kept trying to get us to order an appetizer. I appreciate the initial offer, but we said no a couple of times. Let it go. Or not, it did eventually work and we ordered some edamame, but talk about pushy. We had several bottles of white wine but we were informed she could only give 2 chillers per table. Despite the fact that in reality we were 3 tables pushed together. Finally 9 of us had shown up, and we'd gotten texts from the other 2 that they probably were not going to make it. Kim did not like this one bit. She said "so how many will you be? The reservation was for 11. I need to figure out the numbers." Birthday girls said "looks like we'll just be 9, the other two are maybes at this point so we'll order without them." As if birthday girl hadn't spoken Kim says "So your whole party isn't coming? How many will be here? Not 11?" What the heck? What "numbers" is she figuring out? There were going to be 11, now there are 9. Done. Figured. Get over it. Parties of 5 or more include gratuity if that was her concern, she's still covered there because her attitude would have certainly cost her a few percent if I could have chosen myself. The difference between 9 and 11 isn't much and honestly, we would have needed the same table size for 9 people anyway. Fast forward to dessert. The birthday girl hushes the table and announces she has something to tell us all. She gets about 3 words out and Kim comes back and asks if we want to order dessert. Now, I think it was obvious 8 of us were hanging on birthday girl's every word, but Kim didn't notice. That's fine. Birthday girls says "could you please give us a moment?" Kim says "sure" but first lists off all the desserts while we all stare in wonderment. When she's done she stands there, and asks if we know what we want. Birthday girl says "could you please just give us a minute?" Exasperated sigh by Kim and she stalks off. We did order dessert, and she did put a candle in birthday girl's, which was very sweet. But I don't think I saw more than one smile over 2.5 hours. We had to flag her down to ask her to open wine for us, and we never did get more than 2 chillers. If you're going to be BYO, be BYO. Don't half ass it and act put off that you have to do some extra work. Despite the good food, I'll never go back to Coast because of Kim. I can't speak for my whole party, but I know a good portion of us feel the same way.
(2)
Jenny T.

Mmm, mm, mmm! I have heard so many good things about Coast & let me tell you, they weren't lying. The sushi is fresh, the appetizers are just enough food to get a taste, and the desserts are to die for. The waitstaff is so, so helpful & is happy to help you make decisions based on what you like & are in the mood for. Coast was great from the food to the accommodating hosts & waitstaff. I was on time for the reservation, but the rest of the party was about 15 minutes late. After experiencing so many "you're entire party isn't here, so we'll have to give up your reservation", I was really nervous. I asked the host if this was going to be an issue & he told me not at all. Phew! Once the rest of my party arrived, we had many appetizers, such as the spicy crab cakes, the fresh salmon spring rolls, and the scallops. The salmon spring rolls were not at all what I was thinking (think Thai-style with tofu), but they were absolutely amazing. It was more like a piece of salmon wrapped inside a wonton wrapper. The salmon was so tasty that I was not disappointed whatsoever. I had the spider roll, which was fabulous. Very tasty & very filling. I tried to fresh Philly roll, which was yummy as well. Anything with avocado in it is a-ok with me. Speaking of avocado, these were the first rolls that I could actually taste the avocado & it was absolutely divine. The salmon teriyaki is out of this world as well. Geez, I don't think you can go wrong here. Honestly. Plus it's BYOB (kinda pricey, $5.00 per person who is drinking if you don't spend a total of $20.00 per person)! The desserts were unbelievable. I tried a chocolate mousse cake with chocolate covered strawberries. I don't even like chocolate that much, but damn I couldn't get enough. We then also had a dessert sampler with three different desserts. They were good, but the banana's wrapped in a wonton wrapper were..I don't even know an appropriate word for them. Heavenly? Scrumptious? Undeniable? Who knows, but you gotta try it. Coast was delicious, romantic, and somewhere where I'll definitely be seen again!
(5)
Jim K.

The BYOB aspect actually makes this place pretty affordable. I recommend the steak teriyaki. The only thing to stay away from is the kani pieces; they're way too small for the price.
(4)
Alison M.

I know, I know, there's over 200 reviews for Coast, why bother reviewing it? But, I have to, since I'm not sure why there's so much hating going on. I mean, it's reasonably priced delicious sushi AND BYOB. Who can argue with that? Personally, I've always enjoyed Coast. Last time I was there, I tried two regular makis-- dragon and spider and two signature ones--po' boy and coast crab. The soft shell crab in the spider was really meaty and although it was a bit larger than what I normally like in a roll, I think that I enjoyed the po'boy the best--maybe because it contained cream cheese, avocado, and tempura crumbs. Spicy, sweet, and super tasty.
(4)
Janna V.

Meh Coast- Its not on my top 5 sushi spots in the city. But it will do. I like byob but I think coast would be better as an establishment that serves their own stuff. The decor, service, and sushi tend to be really inconsistent and frankly just not worth the hype (i'm allergic to hype anyways). The noise level and the lighting only add to the in-cohesiveness. I will give them some props for the spicy miso soup...not that i cant boil water, toss in some fermented soy and a couple of slices of jalapenos and have the same thing at home...but i wouldnt have thought of that myself and my stomach thanks you Coast.
(3)
KM M.

After my second trip to Coast, I decided I had enough informatoin to write my review. Coast is pretty darn good. In fairness, it's near impossible (in my opinion) to find "great" sushi in Chicago, so to me, pretty darn good is, well, just that. Their Wasabi Shumai is some of the best I've had in the city, I could probably eat about 10 of those, but I try to remember to save room for sushi! They have a lot of rolls to choose from, including a good number of daily specials. You have to ask what's in the specials though b/c it's only the name of the piece on the board. Both servers I've encountered have been nice and timely. The place is always busy, definitely a good sign. Only 1 bathroom stall each for men and women, so don't wait until you're about to burst to go, b/c will probably be a line. They have a wide variety of Mochi flavors, some of which I've never seen on other menus, like Tiramisu. Loved the mint chip Mochi, that was my favorite out of the 5 I've tried. Obviously BYOB is great, keeping the bill extremely reasonable. Make a reservation and go check it out!
(4)
DJ S.

We came here the other night and I will never come back. The hostess was so rude as was the waitress. Couldn't be bothered and complete lack of service. Never got served it was ridiculous. Coast, you just lost two customers. There is a cute sushi bar a few doors down. Go there.
(1)
Chris M.

White Dragon Roll is the best thing ever!!! I seriously order two of these for the table whenever I go here. They are to die for. Another one that surprisingly good are the sweet potato rolls. Trust me, they seem weird but they are yummy. It's BYOB which is really nice, but the decor is a little bit too upscale looking for me. I wear jeans and a nice shirt here everytime, and yet I feel underdressed everytime I go. Oh well. The waitstaff could be a bit faster here too. It's not a very big place, and yet I always feel like when I need something, no one is around.
(4)
Stephanie F.

I was treated to dinner at Coast this past Tuesday night, and while we both had a great time... The server described an amazing special sushi roll that we both agreed would be great. It had a lot of fun things included in it and the main fish was yellowtail, I believe. So when the waiter returned, we agreed to order the special as well as a white tuna roll. A few minutes later the waiter returned to inform us that they had run out of a few key ingredients of the special roll, but the sushi chef could make another special roll consisting of "white tuna and ginger" for us if we'd like. So my complaint is mostly with the waiter because we'd already ordered a tuna roll and he offered to serve us another one instead of the exciting variety that had previously excited our minds and tastebuds. The food arrived promptly and on pretty platters, so no complaints there. The pseudo-special roll was great with a surprise crunch and a perfectly finely graded tuna. It send the "sushi happiness high" chemicals straight to the brain and down my arms. If only the waiter had been a bit more educated. Ambiance is pretty good here, but a little crowded and a little loud. The lighting is quite nice as the candlelight danced right out of my date's eyes. I think Coast should invest in a liquor license and create a cocktail menu to compliment a sophisticated sushi experience.
(3)
Melissa W.

BYOB is where it's at - especially with sushi, right? cause let's face it - the good stuff's not cheap. so HUGE plus... and allowed me to feel free to spend the "saved" cash on more rolls. And the sushi at Coast is great! I'm a huge fan of the White Dragon and the Jalapeno Hamachi... yummmmm - my stomach's growling as I reflect... The server was chill, plenty of personality, and wasn't pushy which was much appreciated given the confusion which appropriately characterizes our group's ordering technique. Potential bad things..... 1) Place is super crowded. Went on a Tuesday night and was absolutely packed. However, they do reservations - which I highly recommend! 2) Place is LOUD - generally. Specifically, the two drunk guys that were sitting behind us added a whole another level to the preexisting cacophony. But I like this place and will definitely be back.
(4)
George K.

Solid place to eat sushi in the city, went with my brother and his wife for a belated birthday dinner. Was a little disappointed by the white dragon roll, didn't seem worth the money for 4 pieces of mediocre sushi. However, the fresh philly, california, crunchy spicy tuna, and salmon/jalapeno rolls were all delicious. The highlight is the lack of fee for BYOB, which isn't always the case. Who doesn't like to get drunk and eat sushi while wondering why I only saw a single Asian employee? She must have been ronery and sadry arone! Recommend for a try.
(4)
Dee W.

I have been coming here for years, and just realized I NEED to review it. I eat a lot of sushi, and this is top of the list. There are two things about Coast that annoy me (and I'm listing them off the bat so I can move on to praise), and even they are not enough to knock off any stars. #1 No matter when I call, I can never seem to secure a reservation between the hours of 7-9pm on the weekends (I'm almost convinced it's a big secretive ploy). #2 This new "1 bottle per couple rule" really puts a damper on things, as I almost love my wine as much as my sushi. On to the things I like...there are lots. Spicy miso, asparagus beef app, seaweed salad, spicy tuna roll, "special" popper roll (I've yet to go when it's not on special), white dragon roll (I literally daydream about this), the freshness of all the fish, and of course, the prices. Very reasonable for the quality of sushi. Oh, and if you don't like rolls that you can't take down in one bite, make sure you ask about some of their specialty rolls because some of them are definitely more than a mouthful...and not recommended on a first date. ;)
(5)
David A.

Great BYOB place for Sushi in the city, highly recommend reservations. The Sushi is always good, for some reason they always have a rare tuna special, believe its Blue fin, if its so rare, why do you have it every time I have been in? As for the BYOB, its still quite expensive. I have never gotten out of there on a date night for under $80 after tip. Good looking crowd, good for large parties.
(4)
Tim C.

Chicago for sushi. It's a cause for concern for someone who comes from LA, where sushi joints and "fusion" restaurants outnumber liquor stores. I don't pretend to be a sushi snob, but I can tell the difference between the places that sell you fish and the places that sell you the restaurant. This was the latter. Went for a friend's birthday. Tried a roll or two, which were alright (though everyone from Illinois was impressed), my teriyaki salmon ( I prefer shioyaki) was almost fast food bowl fare dressed up as fine dining. And I realize now that the hamachi carpaccio, which was oversalted and overseasoned, seems sort of antithetical to the concept of sushi. Okay, so maybe I am a bit of a sushi snob, but I actually like the taste of the fish. The GOOD thing about this place is the BYOB policy, which is limited to wine, beer, and sake, but really all you need when you eat sushi. This is the nicest BYOB place I have ever been to. You can get TOASTED here and the wait staff was very accommodating for it. And honestly, when you're going to get that drunk (like many of us were trying to) good sushi is sort of a waste, and 'good enough' sushi will do just fine. Except that you pay a premium dollar for it. We all still had a good time. The verdict: LA's "fusion" punches Chicago in the mouth in the sushi contest, but Chicago is too drunk to care.
(3)
Robin W.

This place is really really good! They have all your favorite traditional rolls and then some really creative additions! It's really fresh sushi. The restaurant has a great atmosphere. Perfect spot for a date or dinner out with the girls. By the decor, I was super surprised that it is BYOB (as most BYOBs are a little dumpier). I am excited to go back to this place with more wine and an empty belly! PS The Coast in South Loop is equally as good - same menu - but not BYOB :(
(5)
Kathy S.

Got to finally try Coast (only been to South Coast as that location is much closer to me) and it was a great experience. Can't recall too many of what we had because everything was good but not memorable except for the angry salmon. First of all, how could you not love something called angry salmon?? I get a mental image of a salmon looking fiercely at me and going "Grr!!" Plus, it was absolutely scrumptious. You know it's good if you're debating on ordering another one even though you already ordered way too much food. Service was also excellent so I was a happy camper.
(4)
Jen M.

I definitely have to be in the mood for sushi. That being said, when I have been in the mood and subsequently eaten here, I have been pleased. They have a big menu, they're not too pricey, and they serve fresh and delicious sushi. However, it is very busy and you almost always need a reservation. Parking is also a pain. I think this place is hyped up and overrated. I think you can find good, reasonably priced sushi almost anywhere, but I'm no expert!
(3)
Ben P.

This is everything I don't like in a restaurant. Trendy. Pretentious. Over priced. Small portions. The one thing I will say is that the fish was fresh. But the rolls are TINY. And it was nothing special at all. I really don't get the hype. Toro remains best sushi in the city!
(2)
Kathryn M.

Coast is one of my favorite go-to sushi restaraunts, and here's why. It's nicer (and pricier) than your mom and pop joint, but not a place that will break the bank either. You can come with a small group of friends, or make it an intimate date destination. Either way you play it, the great ambience + awesome fish + good service + BYOB = a truly stellar evening. What I don't like is the typical hour long wait to get a table. So imagine my absolute surpise and delight when I recently showed up on a weekend night, to a nearly empty waiting area (good for me, not so much for them, I realize). Either way we were sat within 10 minutes, and our server, a friendly redheaded guy took great care of us. Well-versed in the menu and the specials, he made great recommendations and let us continue to order as the rolls came out so we could judge our hunger on a roll-by-roll basis. Very nice. Some of my favorites are the spicy scallop maki, volcano roll, and the toro, kani, and hamachi nigiri. I also really enjoy the gyoza, and the hamachi carpaccio appetizer with the jalepeno and sweet sauce is pure yum. To be honest, I don't think I've ever had a roll or piece of fish here that I didn't enjoy. The real test? I recently brought my dearest sushi-lovin' companion, and Coast made him a believer as well. Sold!
(5)
Regine J.

Nothing stupendous here, folks. Don't buy into the atmosphere. Just because they have glowing wood table tops doesn't mean they have glowingly delicious food. The Sushi is not good enough to make me come back, simply because the environment is awful enough to make the Sushi pale in comparison to---well, almost anything. The place is always super cold (as in brrr) and cold (as in vibes). I don't ever want to dress up to eat Sushi, because frankly, Sushi cravings are probably the most desperate food cravings there are, and that means pajamas.
(3)
Brady H.

My wife and I tried Coast a few months ago, but with some out of town guests hankering for sushi on a Sunday night, we figured too much trouble to get into Toro, so we should try Coast again. I was a bit apprehensive after reading the reviews - though our first visit was just fine. I'm not much of a maki guy, but I figured our friends were pro-maki and didn't need piles of toro. I called about an hour or so prior to getting there and secured a reservation. We were also promptly seated as soon as we showed up. Our table was in the hinterlands all the way in the back past the bathrooms, but service turned out to be flawless. Our waitress was attentive, got all the orders correct, and the pacing was great. Actually, after each round we ordered the next round of dishes. We started with a hamachi jalapeno special - tasty! We also tried the edamae, the warm shrimp salad (sweet corn tempura was interesting in a good way), agadashi tofu, and ceviche. I'd pass on the ceviche as a family style sharing dish. We tried about 9 maki, including three vegetarian ones at the end. The sweet potato tempura, oshinko, and shitake ones were all delicious. We tried the standard rolls - white dragon, ceviche, spicy scallop, a special with smoked salmon and cream cheese, super white tuna, etc. Nothing was all that memorable and it was at times like eating candy, but it was a fun dinner and everyone left happy. Dinner with 20% tip (there were 5 of us) was about $32 a person + 2 bottles of byob white wine. Very good deal! my only complaint is that the place is so dark!!!
(4)
Jamie K.

Coast is a great sushi restaurant. With the emergence of sushi place after sushi place, Coast stands near the top. I enjoy lots of things from a sushi menu and I tried lots of them my first time at Coast. I had fresh salmon, yellowtail and spicy creamy scallop sushi. All were excellent. Almost the best I have ever had. I also had bites of various rolls our table ordered. I had at least one piece of 4 different rolls. They were all excellent as well. I tried the spicy miso soup and the normal miso soup. The spicy is spicy. Make no mistake about it. The pieces of jalapeno floating on top of the soup were a bit much for me - and I like spicy food. It was girlfriend's birthday and they brought her dessert but then added it to the bill??!! HA. Now that is lame. That won't happen at Sai Cafe. All in all, Coast comes highly recommended. I look forward to my next visit.
(4)
Anne A.

Great Sushi - Bad Service Love the sushi - it's delicious. BUT delivery is BAD. They've messed up my order a number of times and most recently refused to bring out the food they left out (1/2 my order) saying they were too busy. The person on the phone could not have cared less that we were one person's dinner short. Overall, frustrating experience and I will avoid ordering from there again for awhile.
(3)
Sarah P.

Yummers! love sushi. Get the white dragon roll!
(5)
Rose N.

I have been here a number of times and it offers a great selection of food but I cannot stomach the wait to be seated or the prices when I compare to Kin or Butterfly. It is okay once in a while; please remember to try other places as well.
(3)
Ryan H.

Awesome sushi, BYOB, affordable prices. Nuff said.
(5)
Teenie K.

Coast's sushi is actually pretty good. of the 7-8 rolls we ordered, all were yummie. my favorite was the shitake mushroom tempura roll. i never had sushi with only mushrooms before but the combination of textures and flavors worked really well together. also interesting about Coast: BYOB, imported wasabi from japan, and they don't serve tea unless you order it. i kinda wished for the green tea that's usually freely served like agua, but oh well.
(4)
Foodie S.

BYOB! Always a wait so call ahead and make a reservation...loud atmosphere BUT Everything is tasty!
(4)
Q D.

Coast is an amazing place. It can get very busy here on a weekend night so make a reservation or get there earlier. I think the longest I've waited was 2 hours, but it is well worth it. Coast is BYOB so feel free to bring some good wine and champagne. It has a very intimate setting, so it's good for a date or to just socialize with a group of friends. The staff will give their best recommendations if you need them as well. I visit this place frequently and I've never had a bad experience.
(5)
Michele H.

Yummy is all I can say. If you like sushi you will love coast the WHite Dragon is awesome. We went with another and ordered a bunch of stuff all of it was just delicious the desserts are mouth watering all great. Another wonderful BYOB!
(5)
Michelle L.

I used to love Coast, and it's been a long time since my husband and I have been there so we decided to try it out again on a random weeknight. We were told the wait would be 30-45 minutes, which is a long time but hey, good for them for being so packed! We waited in the waiting area and asked the host if he could chill our champaign - he curtly told us we would get a chiller when we sat at our table....ok fine. So with the long wait, and since we couldn't have our bottle chilled, we decided to open it and have a drink while we waited (we all know what happens when a cold bottle of bubbly warms up and then you open it - wanted to avoid that!). My husband asked the same tall, curly haired host if we could get 2 wine or champaign glasses, he gave us 2 warm water glasses. Not a big deal, but we were drinking some pretty good bubbly and I wanted something with a stem. So I asked him for 2 wine glasses, his response: you'll get them when you sit down. Yes, I know - but we're drinking it now, and will bring it with us when we sit down. He rolled his eyes, huffed and said to hold on while he gets them. Excuse me?? I am not being demanding here. He was a pretentious jerk who didn't seem to like his job in the least. On the bright side, we only had to wait about 15 minutes before we were sat. Out waitress was very friendly and helpful, and we ordered a bunch of rolls that we remembered we loved. Now I said before that I haven't been to Coast in a long time, and when we started eating our food I remembered why. Coast maki is the kind of maki that beginners like, or people that don't really like fish like. It's the kind of maki that's drenched in fried tempura and mayo sauces that while it is quite tasty, you cannot taste the fish (except for the Creamy roll - yum). In addition, the portions are so small that we were left hungry (after ordering a lot). For example, the White Dragon that was always my favorite roll - it's basically a roll covered in tempura with eel and mayo sauce on it - well that's all I tasted, if I didn't see the ingredients on the menu I would have no idea what was actually inside of it - and for $14 (I think) it was the exact same size as the regular rolls. Perhaps my tastes matured? Maybe I've had truly good sushi too many times to think that Coast food is actually good (compare Coasts White Dragon to Oysy's White Dragon and you'll see what I mean)? I don't know, but while I liked it (heck, I like fast food sometimes too) it was not what I consider to be maki. So, while the dÃ©cor is absolutely lovely and the byob aspect is great, I will probably not return to Coast as I know what good sushi is and it's not at Coast.
(1)
William K.

Jeez, there are million reviews for this place. It's a solid 4 stars... great sushi, excellent service, nice ambiance. My tulip Holly and I ripped the place up with 3-4 courses. Holly had the special white tuna tartar, I had the flaming salmon (with the sparklers), and my wasabi dish stood out as well. Remember it's BYOB. We forgot but recovered that fumble with a nice Chianti Classico at the Quickie Mart down the street. He he!
(4)
Christian P.

Still some of the tastiest sushi ever, but not as great as its sister restaurant. So being in the south loop I am a religious eater at South Coast sushi. Friends north of the river brag that their Coast is better than the south coast because north is BYOB, south is standard full bar, wine, sake. Finally made it to the Coast and sampled their sushi. The selection did not seem as broad as South and many of my favorite friend rolls, were prepared differently than what i'm used to at south coast. That said the service, freshness of fish and layering of tastes still makes coast some of the best sushi ever. No matter if you're looking for fancy rolls that combine a bunch of fishes, flavors and textures, or super simple rice and fish....coast does NOT disappoint. My sashimi was so fresh and tasty, even ordered another round. the byob factor of here was very very nice i must say, and the crowd was pretty cool too.
(4)
Lauren S.

Great tasting fresh fish. I recommend the Volcano roll if you're eating in. If you're getting take out, I wouldn't get it - it tends to fall apart and get a little soggy for some reason. Pretty much any of their signature rolls get a big thumbs up. As for the alcohol policy that many have written about... I've been there several times with 2 bottles of wine an haven't heard a thing about it. I think if you just keep it under control you should be fine. My only complaint is with walk ins... many times i've been told that the table I was sitting at would be needed in an hour and a half. We finished well within that time, but it doesn't put you at ease to know your experience has an expiration date. Save yourself the trouble and call for reservations.
(4)
Ellie B.

Can you please tell me what 20% of $125 would be? $25 you say? Right. So can you explain why our waiter, John, got up in our grills for leaving a $24 tip? Apparently he considers that to be only 12%. I'm not sure where he took math. Everything leading up to this was wonderful. Some of the best sushi I've ever had - fresh, flavorful, wonderful indgredient combinations... Excellent service... almost. So we camped at our table, this much is true. But we also order $125 worth of food. When the waiter thought we had left the 12% tip, he came up to the table and said "Um, I'm sorry, was there something wrong here? Because it's my job to ask. You only left me 12%." We explained - we split the tab between 3 cards. $8 tip on each. That's $24. Which equals 19%. Okay, so maybe it was 1% less, but are you seriously insulting us like this? I tried to explain the situation and he got very huffy. "Well, the standard is at least 15%, but if that's what you guys are USED to leaving, that's fine, but I'm just saying..." Uh, didn't I just explain this to you stoopie pants? I dropped another $10 in cash, even though I knew we were in the right. Why? Because I had a buzz and had no desire to argue with him anymore. This seriously put a damper on what would have been a 5 star experience. And further more, I really liked our server up until this point. And having been a server, I completely understand his frustration HAD we actually left a mere 12%. I'm just upset that he chose not to listen. So he ultimately received a 24% tip. And we received a major insult. Fair trade? I think not.
(2)
Liz L.

Hi Everyone, For Sushi this place is pretty good. Nice people and good sushi. It is always dependable. :) One thing that I will say is kind of weird is some of their severs are off sometimes. I mean like they have not been socially groomed to work with other people. You can BYOB, which is kind of great (but there are like 50 million rules in the good old days there weren't as many as there are now, you may want to call ahead)! What I really liked about this place is all the different people who come here...weird I know but it is such a great mix of people and somehow makes the experience more enjoyable. :) The food is great and they have a vast variety of different types of sushi. It is usually pretty busy but I have always had really great luck. I have waited 10 mins or less to get in without RSVPing :) So grab a fish eating friend by the hand and swim on down to COAST.
(3)
Jane T.

I read somewhere that this place was named the best sushi in Chicago so decided to give it a shot. I read several reviews and noticed there were many complaints regarding service. I actually went on a Sunday so we were seated promptly and our server was attentive. I'm a huge fan of ordering makis because you can really get a sense of a restaurant's ingenuity and creativity through their makis. I ordered some signature makis and thought that they were phenomenal. Although I raved about them all night, my boyfriend had their nigiri and thought they were average. He also felt the consistency of the rice was too mushy. If I do venture back, it'll definitely be for the maki rolls. Side note: Don't be put off by the decor. We were in tshirt and jeans! It's actually extremely romantic inside. [edit]: This is Jane's bf. I'm the one who had the nigiri and I didn't like it at all. It tasted alright, but the consistency was pretty bad - the fish didn't feel fresh, and the rice was like a mushy ball of shame and regret.
(4)
Josh F.

This is our favorite sushi joint in the city. When out of town friends come into town we pick up a couple bottles of Riesling and head over to Coast. We love the atmosphere and the cost is always very reasonable. There can be quite a wait on the weekends so I suggest getting there a little early or just be prepared to wait. Also, there is no corkage fee on the BYO if each person spends over $15.
(5)
kevin c.

Have been to this place many times and it remains one of my favorite sushi places in the city. The signature rolls are very good and very original. The BYOB aspect works in its favor as well. Sushi is fresh and well handled. A wonderful place overall!
(4)
Stephen G.

After hearing great things from quite a few friends, I took my girlfriend a couple of nights ago. I was very impressed. Excellent sushi, and excellent service. Apparently you can only bring one bottle of wine per two people, but that was fine with us as we focused more on the sushi than our drinks (plus we had just had a couple of fairly filling brews over at Map Room). I would definitely go to Coast again, but not too often...those rolls do add up.
(4)
Ben B.

To trendy for their own good. Portions are small and pricey. It was very busy, but as I see with Chicago the people seem to prefer the name/look rather than quality. There are better places for sushi.
(2)
Janette L.

YAY! I FINALLY got to go to Coast this weekend after trying to for months. I can never seem to convince people to wait the 1 hour waits or 9:45pm seatings. What can I say? I roll with a hungry group. Food was good. You can tell the fish is fresh. This is the place if you like Maki. There did not seem like there were many other options. We also got the Hamachi Carpaccio (not on the regular menu but is on the specials menu - the blackboard hanging over the sushi chefs) and it was very good. You can read the other 195+ reviews on the good and the bad. What I found useful to know is: No corkage fee if you spend more than $15 a person (should be easy to do), they will take reservations but you need to provide a credit card, and as I learned from some regulars of this place - a twist off wine bottle and solo cups will get you through the 1hour wait (thanks to that group that shared a glass of your wine with me!)
(4)
Christina L.

All I have to say is Hamachi Carpaccio. I am always with a bunch of people when I come here and we end up sharing this dish (which I always insist on getting). The problem is then I have to share it. Don't get me wrong - I love sharing types of restaurants - more to try. However I must admit that I just want to eat the whole plate of thinly sliced hamachi served with a thin slice of jalepeno, a cilantro leaf and some spicy chili oil all by myself. Now that I got that off my chest... everything else is good as well. The atmosphere is a little too hip for their own good in my opinion but I'm kind of averse to places that think they are very trendy. I love the crunchy spicy tuna and white dragon and they often have interesting special rolls as well. Prices can get a little steep if you order the more interesting rolls but the byob factor saves cash so I guess it all evens out.
(4)
mary b.

Order the following and you will not be disappointed. I love the fact that it is BYOB also. Sea scallops with sesame for app. Whatever the freshest fish of the day is for (toro happened to be that day and it melted in our mouths. We ordered a second round for the table because it was so darn good) White dragon roll (large and in charge) Spicy tuna roll (better than your average spicy tuna, had tempura crunch and was pretty big) Volcano roll (nice and spicy with tuna) Bring your own white wine vodka and beer as we did and the waiter graciously and qucikly chilled all of the above. We skipped dessert because we were so full. (Mind you it was me and 2 dudes so the rolls were pretty filling) I cant wait to go back to check out mor fresh fish and the other rolls there. I prefer this place over Bob San for sure. The BYOB element makes it even more attractive! We had a reservation which allowed speedy seating.
(5)
Hillary D.

I was pretty disappointed with the sushi here. Although, I have to admit, I live on the west coast and realize that sushi in the midwest isn't going to be the same. My biggest complaint with this place is that is was hard to find a roll on their menu that didn't have some sort of mayo on it! It's hard to enjoy the real taste of sushi when it's covered in a mayo based sauce. Things I liked: BYOB was cool and both the rainbow roll and the crunchy spicy tuna rolls were pretty good! I won't be back to Coast.
(2)
William R.

This was my first time dining at Coast on 8/14/13. It's been around for so long and most people I know have been so I thought I would give it a shot. They aren't on OpenTable, which is a little annoying for the consumer but saves them money so no big deal. I called to make the reservation, no problems there though I wish they would have mentioned it is BYOB. But, I could have asked so not a problem. We were seated right away and our server immediately came to take an appetizer order. Unfortunately that was the last we saw of her for a good 15 minutes. Finally I asked another waiter to send her over so we could place our order. We got about 2/3 of our food about 20 minutes later, then the final role about 15 minutes after that. So the food was definitely slow to come out. When the food finally did arrive it was just not very flavorful. We had 2 of their standard Maki rolls which didn't have much flavor, then one of their special rolls which did have some flavor but wasn't that impressive. I also noticed that most of the rolls included mayo. I really wish sushi restaurants in Chicago would get off this mayo kick, putting mayo in every roll just masks the flavor of the fish. So anyway, food was ok but nothing special. But the worst part was that the womens restroom was out of order so there was a single mens room available for the entire restaurant. On top of that the door didn't lock or even close all the way, awesome. I waited about 10 minutes in line to use the restroom which I guess wasn't horrible given that I had a long time to kill before the food arrived. I'm kind of surprised they would be open with on single bathroom for the whole place. I really hope it broke that same night and there was nothing they could possibly have done to fix it right away, that's about the only way that would be understandable. So with all of the sushi options in Chicago I will be staying away from Coast.
(2)
Tad S.

BYOB, which is always good. Odd however - they told us 3 times on the phone about the policy of only 1 bottle of wine, sake, or 6 pack of beer per couple. Several other couples had wine and beer... a clear violation of policy that was so important it had to be said three times, and repeated on arrival. Not sure how you get in the special exception club, but whatever! Place was very crowded. We had a 9 PM reservation, and arrived 15 minutes early. They stated, we can seat you in 10 minutes. Wonderful!!! Finally, 25 minutes later - at 10 after we get seated... No where to sit and wait. Had to stand, and there were tons of people. Obviously very popular restaurant. The food was very average. Pricing average. Two of us ate for about $65. Sushi portions small. Nothing very special about this place. Just a regular good sushi joint.
(3)
george k.

City Search calls this the best Sushi place in Chicago. I think they are full of it, but I am yet to find one that is really better. The food is overpriced and the place is always jam packed. I think they shrunk the portions down since they first opened as well. If you make an order for carryout be ready to weave through a swarm of a-holes as you try and make your way to the counter. I will still go there, but it is because there is not much else to choose from. Someone open up a better place in the same hood!
(4)
Amy K.

Well I've been here a number of times and eating in isn't too bad. The atmosphere warm and the wait staff has been nice (although they did charge for a dessert even though it was my friends birthday. Kind of cheesy). The best part is the BYOB. However I feel like they get away with hiking up the price for mediocre fish because of it. Also the wait is OUTRAGEOUSLY long even if you have a reservation. It is walking distance though so I can't say i won't be back. I ordered take out and found that the fish was actually worse than I remembered. It was actually kind of mushy...eeeewwww... Hopefully just a bad day for fish in general. So next time I will probably order Sushi Wabi and have my own BYOB in my living room.
(2)
Krystin I.

Eh. Not the place to go if you like real, honest sushi. I was really excited to try Coast after seeing "Check Please." My husband and I were a little disappointed, I hate to say, since I really wanted to love this place. It just felt very average. We yearned for fresh sashimi and innovative roles, but it seemed every maki roll contained either fried fish and/or way too much panko ("crunchies"). The food was decent, and the atmosphere tries to be club-ish. Didn't hate it, but didn't love it either. BYOB was a plus in my book though.
(3)
Kori M.

The sushi was good. Service was horrible. No such thing as personal space. The tables are literally like 5 inches away each other. Had to yell across the table to my date. Way too loud. NO SOY PAPER!!! That majorly sucked because I'm not a big fan of seaweed. Won't be returning which sucks because I truly enjoyed the sushi but the ambience was severly lacking and I'd actually like to hear what the person I am with is saying...
(2)
Scott H.

Awesome sushi. Great recommendations. BYOB. Affordable prices. Large portions. Stay away from the Shrimp head, even if you are like me and like to try things. Yuck! S&JApr08
(4)
Bryan D.

As far as sushi goes, Coast is definitely above average, but it's certainly not extraordinary. I tried raw oysters for the first time last night and was pleasantly surprised. It can get pretty busy and they do take reservations, but only for half the restaurant, so you can still walk in and get a table. It's a bit more expensive than I'd like it to be, but it has the atmosphere to qualify as a 'fancy' dinner for date night.
(4)
Michael H.

If you're looking for a scene, this is your place. If you're looking for excellent sushi, look elsewhere.
(2)
Isabella W.

I don't understand the hype surrounding Coast. I understand it's BYO and there' s a lot of variety, but honestly, do you really think those rolls are top-notch, inventive, and tasty? This was my 2nd time back, and among a party of 4, we had a good 7-8 rolls, from signature to simple makis: volcano, sunrise, spicy scallop, negi hamachi, spicy tuna, spicy ebi. NOne of them had distinct flavor, and I couldn't taste the fish in any of them. Even worse, the spicy sauces weren't even spicy. Maybe it was an off night (it was a Sat night), but everything was just barely at standard for me. There are too many BYO sushi places in the city for me to return to Coast.
(2)
Andrew A.

I chose Coast for Valentine's Day dinner with my wife based on Yelp reviews. She's beautiful and amazing and deserves the best. Coast is not the best. Service was extremely slow, the dining room so dark and loud we could barely see or hear each other. This was not helped by the fact that the tables were REALLY crammed together. I seriously think there wasn't much more than 8-10" between us the next diners on both sides. Their conversations, their complaints about the service, were practically on top of ours. The valet was also slow, and very haphazardly organized. As for the sushi, it should be said that one of the stars I'm awarding is for the White Dragon roll alone. I'd order it for carryout again if I had any inclination to give this place any more of my money. Which I don't at this point. Outside of that, the other three maki we had were inoffensive, and passable, but certainly not exceptional. Maki done well should have a variety of textures and flavors, and most of ours were one note, sometimes even a little mushy. We also sampled a special appetizer (the name of which escapes me now: it was a piece of fish wrapped in fish with a little fritter) which was outright unpleasant, with a strong briny bite and that fish "stink" you associate with old or cheap cuts of fish. Considering we paid, $11 for two bites, it was the biggest disappointment of the night. I had hoped Coast would give us an "upscale" sushi experience. I was looking forward to really treating the both of us and sharing our love of the cuisine, even prepared to spend triple digits. As it was, we couldn't wait to get out of there and move the evening someplace else.
(2)
Keith O.

Overall Coast offers everything a quality sushi bar should...except for alcohol. It's an BYOB restaurant, which I didn't know until I sat down and looked at the surrounding tables. Luckily the convenient store one block south on Damen sells wine. Anyway, a friend and I had the Soft Shell Crab appetizer, 3 large rolls for dinner (which we couldn't finish) and the bill was only $38. It was terrific tasting sushi at a great value. If driving, expect to pay for valet. Parking options in that area are slim.
(4)
Scott D.

Amazing sushi! Of the places I've been to in Chicago, Coast offers the tastiest sushi. The ambiance is comfortable and elegant, but can feel overcrowded at peak hours. Expect a large forum (seating for 70) at this Wicker park spot, which is a sharp contrast to the smaller sports commonly found in the north-side. Recommended for a couples and small groups willing to pay a little extra for a chic dining.
(5)
Adam L.

Service is good, sushi quality is great, environment is greater, BYOB is greatest. The only negative I have with this place is many times, it is hard to get a table. I have gotten take-out from here many times and only negative there is missing the presentation and freshness of food when brought to your table individually.
(5)
L N.

I have been going to Coast for a few years. I had a one or two sushi places i really liked, but since first trying Coast, I have been unable to eat sushi anywhere else in Chicago. Try the yellow tail carpaccio. Wow.
(4)
erica m.

I love this place, the food is soo good. I highly recommend the white dragon. Its BYOB, go early, if you might be waiting a while for a table but its totally worth it. I've been there a few times and each time I've had a great experience. I order take out from there all the time and its so yummy and easy because while everyone is waiting an hour for a table I just walk up to the counter and get my food, pay and im on my way. :D
(5)
Tom A.

The sushi here is incredible. I love that it is BYO. While it seems to be trendy at first glance, you'll notice regulars if you, yourself, become a regular. Try anything with spicy mayo. Highly recommended!
(4)
Lucas P.

Sushi is meant to be eaten , this sushi is meant to be fully enjoyed. The selection they offer here far surpasses the usual that you will find in most places. They have a lot of people coming through this place and that shows that the product is fresh. With great byob, this place ends up being a deal for dinner or lunch
(4)
Helen A.

The best sushi in the city!
(5)
Christina S.

Went here the other night with a couple of friends for an early dinner (6:45). We made a reservation, but when we got there the restaurant was almost empty, so I doubt we would have had to wait, even if we hadn't made one. Our waiter was incredibly friendly and attentive, and gave us some great suggestions on what to order. The sushi was fantastic, some of the best I've had (in Chicago, at least). The hashimi carpaccio was absolutely FANTASTIC, as were all of the maki rolls we ordered. Because it's BYOB (and pretty reasonably priced), we all left very satisfied for under 25 bucks. Works for me. However, I would definitely recommend making this an early dinner destination, because by the time we left, it was getting super busy, and I was starting to see where some of the other yelpers were coming from with their complaints about this place. The tables are so close together that when I got up to leave, the guy next to us was treated to my ass in his face. On the house, buddy. Also, the noise factor got to be overwhelming towards the end. And I couldn't help but notice all the people standing around waiting for tables as we were walking out the door. Bottom line: I would definitely come back here, but probably would want to save it for weeknights when I want to eat early... and in relative peace!
(4)
Ben W.

I've been here a few times and it has not yet failed to be a very good experience, from the food to the ambience. And so adaptable, it's proven great as a date place and I've taken friends here who are visiting Chicago for the first time. What I find interesting is the service, usually pretty good but I've had a couple of very quirky servers with strange mannerisms, which I'm fine with, it just gave us something else to talk and laugh about. Their new rule sounds like a complete downer which is an unfortunate black mark against this bright dining spot
(4)
Leah E.

AWFUL!!! This was hands down one of the WORST sushi experiences I have ever had.. So disappointing because the place came highly reccommended. I wouldn't go there again if someone paid me. I'd like to preface this with this: I've been a server for 10 yrs and it takes a LOT for me to complain. I'm very understanding and very forgiving, but I was so disappointed with this experience. We arrived for a late dinner on Monday around 10-1030, so they were not busy at all. Yet, my friend and I waited over ten minutes for someone to greet us. Our server seemed distracted and unconcerned with our table. I understand byob, but never once refilled our glasses. We ordered a Sunrise & Wasabi roll as well as several pieces of sashimi. Our server brought us a plate with a piece of shrimp and a small roll. Took him quite a bit of time to notice and seemed very unapologetic. When we did get the Sunrise roll, the tuna was disgusting. I've tasted better out of the can. Too bad our server never came to check on us and inquire as to why we weren't eating it. The salmon was great (the best part of the evening). The rest of the sushi was ok, not very impressed. At last call for food, we ordered another 2 rolls, the crunchy spicy tuna and a spicy tako...and he brought us the wrong one...again. Did not once apologize or seem at all worried that he messed up...again. By this time it was around 11:15. I had read that they are open until midnight. Yes, we were the last table, but we had spent a lot of money on subpar food. Two minutes after dropping off the correct roll, our server became super attentive...he came by to ask if we were finished with the roll that we had eaten one piece of. We never did finish that roll because it too was lacking freshness. The octopus was sliced so thickly it was like eating rubber. Overall, the food would have been easier to swallow had the service been decent. But both were lacking and it was incredibly embarrassing because we were celebrating my friend's 30th birthday and our friend had flown in from Austin, TX to be here. I will never return to this restaurant and hope this particular server gets reprimanded. I've worked in several restaurants that these Yelp! reviews are taken very seriously and I hope this one is. I do NOT like writing this snarky review, I,d rather of had a nice evening with my friends.
(1)
Jessica H.

Some of the best sushi in the city and it's BYOB! The wait staff isn't all that friendly but it seemed like it wasn't his night so might not be typical of this place. Can't wait to go back again!
(4)
Johanna C.

Coast is a good place. Not great but good. They don't have much selection under their signature makis but they have a decent maki selection in general. I had the Dragon and Una Avo and they were both very delicious. It is worth the $2 to try the authentic wasabi. Prices are typical. This place is BYOB. Service is okay but could be better. I sat at the sushi bar so I cannot speak for the acoustics if you were to sit at a table. It is loud in general.
(3)
Laura P.

I had a great experience here. First of all, I wasn't super hungry but was craving some good sushi. My friend and I had the spicy scallop roll, seaweed salad, and split a mushroom/egg appetizer - all were served to us fairly quickly, even though it was super packed! So, all in all, the service was really good. I really liked the dark, sexy atmosphere of the restaurant. Plus, you'll always win at a BYOB establishment.
(4)
mildred v.

My friends and I ate here to do our annual christmas gift exchange. Although we had a reservation, we had to wait a bit which was understandable since we were a larger party (8) and all of us were not there anyway. The rolls were pretty good but I'm honestly used to buffet style sushi places so i can get my belly filled to the max. Just to give you a taste of my sushi capacity I ordered the spicy salmon, dragon, ceviche, and spicy sweet potato. the dragon was no different or any better than any other place i've been to. the spicy sweet potato was exactly what the name implies. I was impressed with the spicy salmon which included SCALLION - mmmmmmm. This spicy salmon comes second to my favorite spicy salmon at Japonica (Taylor street) which has cilantro. I also enjoyed the ceviche roll (I've never seen it offered anywhere else) it is a lime marinated scallop with ebi, tako with mango, jalapeno and cilantro. I thought it was creative and delicious. They are BYOB which is great, they provide wine chillers, glasses and a n opener. Our waitress wasn't feeling us from the beginning. She seemed annoyed by us for no particular reason. Bad day maybe or that time of the month? Whatever the case I would've shorted her on the tip if it wasn't included in the gratuity. I mean come on. at the end of dinner we were opening our gifts and right after the last person pulled her gift out of the box - she comes over and says - "can you take care of this (the check) now. . . ." We were all looking at each other after she left with the same look on our faces ("damn, what a bitch!!!"). it's not like they were closing yet and the restaurant was still half full (there were still people there and also a lot of space to seat any incoming diners). So I don't know what her problem was. I think I'll call in for a few spicy salmons and a ceviche when I'm in the neighborhood but I wouldn't make plans to dine in again because of the service and how busy it is.
(3)
Jeanus T.

Nice and romantic place! Sushi and maki are not bad at all. And it's a BYOB place.
(4)
Clare K.

Coast has good sushi, but honestly, it's all about the ambiance for me. Unless it's BAD sushi, all sushi sort of tastes the same to me. I really like sushi, but I guess I am just equal opportunity & not one to rave about individual places. I like that it's BYOB, though. Really cuts down on price...however, if I am not mistaken, they charge the corkage fee per person, not bottle. That kind of annoyed me. So if (almost) all sushi is good sushi & it's all about the ambiance, why not Japonais? Coast is closer to my house.
(4)
Joy M.

I'm a sushi fanatic and have tried a lot of different places that Chicago has the offer. Coast is of one the few places that I keep going back. The freshness of the sushi combined with the creativity of the chef is what keeps me coming back. A must try there is the Angry Salmon! There might be a wait for a table, especially on a weekend, but thats okay! Because this place is BYOB, and they allow you to open your bottle while waiting for your table.
(4)
Jill C.

Freshness and flavors - excellent (had Hamachi Carpachio, Sunrise Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, and Sashimi 12 Piece Platter). But the servings were teeny-tiny at the price. Wait time - Great, which is to say none, at 7 pm on a Thursday (last night). Atmosphere - Awful. Way too loud, way too dark. There were only two of us, but I felt like I was shouting to converse. And as the place started to fill up, I couldn't wait to get back outside for a little peace! I had to tilt the menu toward the window to read it, as we were sitting near the back and it is very dark. Service - Cheerful and knowledgeable, but so slow we nearly left before our drink orders were even taken. Once we placed our order, the appetizer took a lifetime to come out, and we had plenty of time to cool our heels once that was cleared before our main dishes came out. Don't come here hungry, you'll be miserable waiting on the food and ultimately disappointed by the emaciated roles.
(2)
Vanna T.

Now that I think about it, I think I've been here more than any other restaurant in this city- a combination of ALWAYS having great sushi, good service, never a wait TOO long, and the fact that it's BYOB and parking is do-able make this place 5 stars in my opinion. Decor inside is nice, candles on the tables and dimmed lighting make it a great date spot, and prices are very reasonable for quality sushi. There's always it seems some spicy jalepeno roll on special that is sooo good and i always get it, though I can't remember the name. I've loved Coast from my first mouthful of sushi and I'mma continue loving it for years to come.
(5)
Dan M.

If I could only eat at one last sushi spot in Chicago, this would be it. Coast Crab is the most delicious maki roll I've ever had. Spicy miso is great as well.
(5)
Jen B.

Update: Back for a second visit on a Thursday night, and I love this place more than ever. I branched out and tried a specialty roll that included Japanese squash. Sounds gross, right? False. It was wonderous. I can't remember what it was called, so I'm dubbing it the "Slutty Pumpkin." I also tried the crab cake appetizer, which was more like fried crab inside a fried wonton. Again, sounds a bit revolting, no? Somehow Coast makes it great. The Po' Boy is still delicious, and so huge that it's hard to eat without looking like a glutton. I would caution you that this is not a spot for a quick bite. Things move rather leisurely so be prepared for that. Also, I tried the fresh wasabi this time around, at the request of some self-described foodies, and as I predicted, I could not tell the difference. But hey at least I seemed more worldly.
(5)
C. B.

The atmosphere here is super hip and modern...perhaps that's what you pay for? I was rather disappointed in their sushi rolls. I had heard good things and was sorely disappointed at how much I paid for rolls that really weren't all too good.... I'm not up on my Wicker Park restaurants, so maybe this is the go-to sushi place in WP...but it rates pretty darn low in my book.
(2)
anna k.

Everything was really good. Had their featured Sushi and rolls. Portion size was spot on and the knife skills were Dooley noted. Asparagus side was a hidden gem. Service was professional with being snobby. Food was fast, awesome 'cause I was a starvin'. Place was packed but the noise level was minimal, thumbs up. byob and they deliver!
(4)
Joshua Y.

Overall, the food we had was quite good. Everything else about the restaurant SUCKED! Our appetizers took a long 45 minutes to get served and only about half of them made it to our table. Apparantly, another server grabbed our "apps" and gave them to another table. Finally, when our other apps did come out, the server said, "Here are your crab cakes, watch out, they're hot and shit!" I'm quoting him verbatim on that one. We asked for wine glass 5x before they brought them out. There was this drunk gal that was yelling, "Amurica!!!" throughout the course of our dinner, then she felt inclined to light up in the middle of the restaurant not abiding by the 15 ft law or whatever. Did the management do anything? NOPE! After we finished our apps, we anxiously waited for our sushi as well. In what seemed to be an hour after ordering it, our sushi arrived. Finally, when we complained to the manager, she pulled out her "time card" to argue about when we arrived, when we ordered, etc. During our discussions, she would giggle as if to say, "I've got these suckers by the balls!!!" Never at any point did she admit fault whatsoever nor did she try to fix anything! In the end she took off 20% from our bill which we felt was ridiculous! I could go on and on about Coast. In the end, talk about horrible restaurant management! I think management should attend McD's Hamburger University to learn a thing or two on service. I've never had such a horrible dining experience in my life and will NEVER goto COAST SUSHI again!
(1)
Jennifer A.

Fantastic quality sushi and I'm a picky purist. I usually take it out and service is super speedy. Worth the price.
(4)
Shweta N.

I first came here shortly after moving to Chicago as it was highly recommended by a lot of fellow foodies. We started with one of the specials of the night:hamachi carpacchio with jalapeno, which was absolutely delicious. This was followed by their sunrise, white dragon, and volcano maki rolls, which were equally enjoyable. Another bonus is that its BYO :) Coast has a very cool ambience and can be quite intimate, but it's also great to enjoy with a group of girlfriends (they do have seating for larger groups). Remember to make reservations; even with reservations, we ended up waiting about 20 minutes for our table.
(4)
Elliott R.

Yeah it's good sushi and I like coast - the reason I'm giving it one star is that they serve bluefin tuna. I'm not a huge treehugger type but the truth is that this fish will only be around a few more years until it's extinct. I'm using my rating as sending a message to Coast to not serve this fish anymore.
(1)
Rich K.

Celebrated my birthday here last night. I love this place. Servers are always excellent. Every sushi roll was fantastic. Definitely my favorite sushi joint in the city. The homemade wasabi was fantastic.
(4)
Jessica A.

One word: unimpressive. I had high hopes, which is perhaps unfair going into any restaurant with good reviews - you hope your experience will be fantastic, too. I didn't know I would need to make reservations on a Monday night, and so we ended up sitting at the sushi bar rather than waiting an hour or so for a table. I usually like sitting at the sushi bar because you get to see what's getting made - but that's not the case here. The sushi chefs are separated from the customers at the bar by design, and when the rolls are finished they're set behind a wall , hidden away from curious observers like myself, and then quickly whisked away to tables by food runners and servers. Oh, sushi sushi, you romance me so. Sadly, that is not the case here. We barely spoke to one another, my sushi rolls and I. It was like eating with an awkward stranger. While the sashimi cuts are fresh and mildly conversational, the rolls were disappointing and silent. My friend and I ordered the white dragon and wasabi rolls - the wasabi roll was to both of our liking, but the white dragon roll was literally the size of my forearm because the rice was an inch and a half thick around a dime-sized mixture of shrimp tempura (which I couldn't see or taste), cream cheese, tobiko, and avocado. Service was unmemorable, prices are moderate - BYOB helps that though - the restaurant itself is loud and busy, the decor is comfortable, and the lighting is somewhat low to set the mood, whatever it may be. All in all, I will go back again and give it another shot, but I'm in no rush for masochism.
(2)
Jenna C.

Ok so Coast is good, but not great. I have never felt really happy after eating here, especially when I remember how much my ehh meal just cost me. The lychee sorbet is fantastic but other than that you can get most things better at Hachi's.
(3)
erika g.

I live in the area and ordered Coast for take-out recently. It took twice as long as it would have if we would have eaten in the restaurant. (90 minutes for sushi?) The sushi is overpriced for what you get. I will not be returning / ordering again.
(2)
Lori S.

The White Dragon is hands down the best maki roll in the city. Restaurant is BYOB and it is great that they take reservations (highly recommended - the place is always packed). Great for a date or with a group.
(5)
Terris A.

Love this place. I have been here three times and two of those times were with very large groups. The service has always been great. This is by far the best sushi in Chicago that I have had. I have always recommended friends to try them out and get hooked like I am. The sushi quality is high and the presentation is always amazing.
(5)
Brian M.

White Dragon Rolls are out of this world. I've been to the majority of the sushi bars in Chicago and this roll out does them all. Make sure you try at least a piece of the Toro too, it's as good as it gets. Prices are a little high but the quality and tastes are really top notch.
(5)
Val G.

TOTALLY GOTTA LOVE THIS PLACE! It is the Best Sushi and the Po Boy is My Fav! The Service is always good and The BYOB is a plus! Their Appetizers and Desserts are always Yummy, it is pretty much the same thing repeated with Specials But the Asparagus Beef and Spicy Crab Appetizers are a must!
(5)
Steve T.

The sushi was decent, we ordered Tomago nigiri, however the rice was INSIDE. Last time I checked, that's no longer nigiri if you make it somewhat like a roll. We've had better Tomago at Sushi Mura. The volcano and white dragon were good, as well as the crunchy spicy tuna. Sushi gets 3-3.5 stars. Coast should work on the politeness level of its staff to the patrons. I was not impressed. Their new alcohol policy also is less than to be desired. They cannot touch your bottle, and you can only have 1 for every 2 people. Interestingly enough, you can have wine and a 6 pack of beer for 2 people... which seems to be counter intuitive to said policy. Service Level 1 star. Alcohol Policy -10. If you don't live in the area, I wouldn't recommend trekking out for this place.
(2)
Becky R.

Finally! I've been wanting to try Coast for years now, but never made it, mostly because I kept hearing how crowded it is. Well, not on Super Bowl Sunday, my friends! I started with spicy miso, which was quite tasty and the mug helped warm my chilly hands. My friends and I shared four rolls: the volcano, the coast crab, the sunrise, and a special roll called the Pauper (I think). All four were excellent rolls, but the volcano and the coast crab knocked my socks off! The volcano was just the right amount of spicy, piled high with the delicious tempura crunch. Yum! The Coast Crab surprised me. It was probably my favorite roll. What can I say? I love me some roe. And they were generous with it. I'll be back.
(5)
Courtney M.

One of the best sushi places I've visited (thanks, Christine L!). I love the atmosphere, and it never hurts that it's BYOB. We tried some specialty rolls, like the pumpkin roll, as well as their crab roll, and I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty everything was. Edamame was served promptly and the service was also very good. I really enjoyed eating here and wish there was a sushi place as cool as this in south OC!
(5)
Nhu N.

9 times out of 10 the sushi is amazingly fresh. The po'boy roll is one of my faves. Although, I honestly come here for their kick@ss tempura. Something of the breading leaves a sweet aftertaste. 4 stars for BYOB!
(4)
Michelle O.

Loved byob. Fresh tasting. Haven't had uni in a long time and just HAD to order it. It was as rich tasting as I remember although it doesn't compare to the uni fresh from the ocean in Japan. Either way.. Great sushi/sashimi. We had wasabi roll, rainbow roll, volcano roll, hamachi carpaccio special, large sashimi, fresh wasabi (extra fee) -- all for $100! Great food, great ambience, great price, great service... Priceless
(4)
Brian G.

I dined in a few years ago, and was really impressed with the atmosphere. I remember not being blown away by the sushi. I recently ordered delivery from this place one night to try it as an alternative to SushiX for delivered sushi. The worst! All our sushi was freezing cold. The spicy tuna had next to no meat in it, and was obviously siting in a fridge prepared god knows how long ago. If I want cold, old sushi I'll go to Dominicks.
(2)
Tina T.

I did not read any of the yelper reviews about Coast prior to eating here; we were in the neighborhood shopping and stopped in to eat. I thought it was good sushi and decent service. A couple of standouts: the hamachi tuna carpaccio appetizer special was really good; the tuna was thinly sliced as a carpaccio should be, drizzled with a garlic oil and topped with jalapenos - mmm! I thought their tuna in general was really good; their maguro was buttery and tender and melted in my mouth. Other rolls were slightly above average than some of the other places in Chicago. BYOB - did not know that ahead of time, but luckily there is a liquor store around the corner. The server was really nice, but she did forget to uncork our bottle. And what's up with only 1 bathroom? I mean, seriously, the place is about 3 storefronts wide, and one bathroom to share between women? Overall, a good experience; if I was in the hood, I'd go back. I don't know that I'd make a special trip though!
(4)
Adam K.

Meh I've had better. The spicy tuna was not great, neither was their spider. The fish seemed fresh for the most part. The rice was too sweet and kinda mushy.
(2)
Sarah Q.

This was my first real experience with sushi (I was too scared to try it before, but wow, I was missing out!) and it was amazing--now I'm hooked! We tried to get reservations but they were booked, so we just came around 10 pm instead and waited about 20 minutes for a table...after 10:30 the restaurant starts to empty out a little. We had the White Dragon Roll since everyone raves about it on Yelp, and they're right--it's so delicious! About $13 for eight pieces. We tried two other veggie rolls (spicy sweet potato tempura and asparagus tempura) that are reasonable at $4-$5 and come with 5-6 pieces. The spicy sweet potato is really tasty, but the asparagus could have been more tender. We finished it off with the dessert special--flourless chocolate dome filled with white and milk chocolate mousse, accompanied by strawberries, vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce. I liked it because it wasn't too sweet and was nice and light, so even though we were stuffed with sushi, the dessert didn't take us over the edge. I was apprehensive about the service since it's gotten mixed reviews on Yelp, but our server was super nice and helpful!
(4)
Nana H.

I cant believe I've been here the amount of times I've been without writing a review for this place. It's the bomb for hot dates because you get to bring a bottle or two of wine/beer/whatever and enjoy the evening with some pretty decent sashimi and maki. The prices are pretty good for the rolls and their specials are good, but you may want to ask the waiter how much they cost and if they are sharable, sometimes they can be small and expensive.
(4)
Michael J.

My 1-star rating is based entirely on Coast's new, overbearing byob policy. I recently learned the hard way that alcohol will be limited to 1 bottle of wine per 2 people, and you can no longer bring in hard alcohol at all. I understand that they were having people stay too long and get too drunk, but how about a policy of we reserve the right to ask you to leave at any time? Is the sushi still good? Yep. Will Coast still be at the top of my list of sushi joints: Probably not.
(1)
David W.

Okay, I have returned, with a group a friends on a Tuesday night thinking it might be an off night. It was packed. Glad we had an reservation. The quality of food has improved or maybe it's the new year and I've decided to be less snobby with sushi. Thus the rating has improved. We ordered rolls only. They introduced a pumpkin roll..... pumpkin is reference to the color of roll, actually filling is squash. It's really good, perfect blend of sweet salty savoriness. I still recommend the place for a group of friends and not a date place. I mean, the decor and lighting is great for a date, but the tables are real close, no intimacy and everyone is loud due to the BYOB drinking factor. Also, make it a 5 top..... with the new 1 bottle per 2 people, bring 5 people and you get to bring 3 bottles. Though the waitress said the new policy is overlooked if the place isn't busy, but really, have you ever been when it wasn't busy? Make one of the bottle sake and you are golden.
(4)
Tanya M.

The reason for the 3 stars... the music is so loud that it has caused me to not return. The food is delicious and the staff is friendly but one of the times that I went there was on a date with my boyfriend and even though we were seated at the tiniest table and the place was dead, we still could barely hear each other. My voice actually hurt by the end of the night from having to yell everything I said. In my opinion thats too much effort for some sushi.
(3)
Aiga J.

my favorite sushi place!!!!!!!!! exceptionally amazing!!!!! dont forget byob!
(5)
Kara G.

It was Toro Tuesday, but since we had our usual foursome, and it was pretty late, there was no way we were getting a table. So of course the Todds et al opted for plan B- Coast Sushi. I had been there before for a book club meeting, and really liked the food, so although I was sad to have to forgo Toro, I was excited for Coast. We had called in a last-minute reservation (I recommend making a reservation, because it does fill up) and basically walked in and were seated almost immediately. We uncorked the wine, ordered some edamame, then ordered our requisite 7-8 rolls. We fed our faces, me until I was about to enter into a food coma, which obviously attests to the fact that the sushi is pretty damn good. Not too much in terms of selection (the menu is a bit limited but their offerings are good ones), but as I said, we weren't disappointed. The ambiance is nice- a little too dark (I almost tripped over a table of people on my way to the bathroom because I couldn't see that well in the dark !) but nice- so if you want to get cozy but be discreet, this would be a good place- just ask for a table in the corner.
(4)
Hilary P.

Good decor and lighting, friendly servers, yummy sushi! My friend and I joke about the "Oast" tour of Toast Too for breakfast and Coast Sushi for dinner, right across the street but that's not to say we're ever disappointed if that is indeed the plan! All my friends in LA mock me for eating sushi "in the middle of the country" but I have to say that the rolls at Coast are pretty damn good! I do remember really enjoying the white dragon and coast crab maki both quite a bit. I can't speak to their sashimi, but the quality of the fish also seemed to be quite good. Dark and kind of trendy so probably a good date place too!
(5)
Amy M.

It's a decent place, but overrated and the quality is extremely inconsistent. Is everyone rating it on a single visit or something? I've eaten in the restaurant a number of times and get takeout quite a bit due to its proximity to my home. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's really. not. good. Don't get me wrong, I'll still eat there or get takeout on occasion, but is it really worth the attention and glowing reviews it gets? Meh. If going out with friends I prefer less crowded, less expensive maki fare. ...Or maybe I'm just drinking a different kind of Kool-Aid than everyone else?... P.S. I almost forgot to specify why I keep coming back. I can order takeout (or delivery) direct from them online and then walk there to pick up my order. Never had a problem with that service.
(3)
Jenny z.

LOVE the sushi, hate the tude. When this place first opened, the service still sucked but at least you could get a table and not be surrounded by former Wrigleyvillers/Lincoln Parkers loudly discussing clubs/cars/real estate. Now, the sushi is still great (white dragon roll, fatty tuna, yum), but the place is packed with Striped Shirt Guys and the desperate to get engaged chicks who love them. Ick. Even with a reservation you are going to wait, and wait, and wait...... I second what another poster said below - I walk in wearing chucks and jeans and people look at me like I'm a leper. I eat at Le Bouchon all the time and never get any attitude there for jeans and sneakers. So, sorry, I'm not getting dressed up to impress some assholes who are going to get married and move to the burbs in 2 years as soon as she gets pregnant and/or the insanely rude waitstaff. I'm a nice girl, I bathe, I'm not wearing bags on my feet or swathed in 17 layers of discarded clothing. I just don't feel like dressing up like I'm going to the prom for dinner, okay? Suck it up, d-bags and quit staring. Blergh. So why do I keep going back? A) I DO like to make the Chads & Trixies uncomfortable, and B) the really great sushi.
(3)
Eugene V.

Absolutely love this place! The white dragon roll and the po' boy roll - while a little on the expensive side - are absolute musts! If you're brave, go for the uzura (quail egg) with masago or tobiko nigiri. Something quite different from most other places. It is BYOB, which is great, especially since there is no corkage fee. Try to get in within the hour after they open, maybe hour and a half, and stay a while. They get busy after. Slightly dark, not loud.
(5)
Laura H.

Who doesn't love Coast? I feel like this place is a well-known staple in Chicago....with it being BYOB this place would be my equivalent to Tango Sur but for sushi not steak.
(4)
Dan N.

Before moving to Chicago I spent 4 years in San Diego, and you could say that really set the bar all future sushi restaurants. It took over a year to find a joint that has really, really good quality sushi, but when we did it happened to be right in our new neighborhood. My fiance (who is a vegetarian) and I love Coast, not only for the quality of their food but for the BYOB aspect and it's proximity. It can be REALLY busy on Fri & Sat nights, so we tend to go during the week nights but in the end this is the best all-around sushi experience I've found in Chicago so far.
(5)
Abbe M.

Coast Sushi opened in 2003, and the food is a direct representation of its longevity. Consistency, consistency, consistency. Every time I go, I order the volcano and the white dragon maki and every time, I'm reminded of why Coast is my go-to sushi spot. I'm sad to say, however, that the service has been slipping. Without asking, our server ran through the specials and opened our bottle of wine before our entire party had been seated. It was clear that he was simply just going through the motions. The lack of initial couth was one of many offenses throughout our meal. The problem, Mr. Spikey-Haired Server, is that there are a million flash-in-the-pan sushi joints just waiting to show you up. And in this case, they could achieve that with mere eye contact and a smile. A functioning brain would be a perk, of course. My instinct is to continue going to Coast, but next time to offer on-the-spot critiques. The risk? Any proactive behavior carries the weighty concern of behind-the-scenes revenge. Therefore, the new plan is to air my grievances with management on the way out. With so many unemployed people in Chicago, there's no dearth of available servers out there. Perhaps enough complaints will result in a few deserved pink slips. If anything, it will put a little power back into the diners hands.
(3)
Lauren L.

If you are in the mood for decadent, creative sushi rolls, Coast is the place to be. Just bring some wine and you have a perfect evening. p.s. try the white dragon. Delish!
(4)
Eileen O.

I am not a big sushi fan, but last night I met up with a bunch of friends at Coast and loved it. Firstly, it's byob, which is fantastic. They were able to accommodate a party of 7 plus a baby under the age of 1. The staff was fantastic and friendly. The food was outstanding. We got everything from carpacio and sushi to sukiyaki. Everything was delicious. It's a bit pricey, but was absolutely enjoyable and worth it.
(5)
Shelby C.

Coast is delicious! I visited there for the second time Friday night and couldn't help but fall in love even more with the decor and fun atmosphere. Pros: Perfect for a big group, we came with 6 and once we were seated our very knowelagable and sweet waiter was super quick. He told us this was his third waiting job at a sushi place and recommended the right stuff for us. The ginger salad is also huge and well worth the $5. I would also recommend the Sunrise Roll (Mango, Tuna and Mint)! It is so refreshing and not to filling. One con: Our reservation was already late at 9:30 and we got seated at 10:15 but being a BYOB and allowing us to have a few of our drinks made that seem less annoying. I am also not a fan that a lot of there rolls have tempura crumb on top....something I am not in to. Overall, this place is pretty delicious and a perfect place to take out of town guests and show them sushi in Chicago. I would definitely recommend a reservation and bringing your own bottle!
(4)
Liz S.

Coast has really fresh sushi and they are amazing at their plating. Downfall is that reservations are difficult to make, it's a tad loud, and parking is sometimes difficult. But, if you want to get sushi that's fresh and artistic plating this is the place. Also, as most other sushi places, they have their own speciality rolls, which I have never been disappointed by.
(4)
Caitlin S.

Okay, I'll admit it. I've never been inside coast so I can't really judge ambiance or service or anything like that. Since they deliver to my door, I have no reason to leave my apartment when I want to eat some decent sushi. Everything we've ever ordered has been delicious and fresh tasting. The delivery service takes generally somewhere between 45-60 minutes, so keep that in mind when ordering. Also, they always magically give us the right amount of chopsticks for the people eating... I don't know how the do it!
(4)
Sohni S.

Delicious sushi, but a tad overpriced as the rolls are small compared to other places that charge less or the same for much more. Be prepared to wait forever for a table! Highly reccomend the Po Boy and White Dragon if you like very decadent rolls full of tempura, sauce, cream cheese, etc. Heavenly! Sexy atmosphere, dark, good music and BYOB
(4)
JP D.

I give 4 stars because, - Sushi is really good, not the best I've ever had, but pretty close - I love the neighborhood - BYOB! - Not too pricey - Great place to bring large groups
(4)
Robin H.

I have only been to a handful of Sushi restaurants in Chicago, but Coast is the only one that I have returned to again and again. I do, I love Coast! I have never been less than impressed with the quality of the sushi, the presentation, the waitstaff, and the vibe of the restaurant itself. Great date spot. I am partial to the rolls, and they have always been delicious. The man normally gets the sushi or sashimi plate, which always works for him. They often have really yummy sounding specials as well. Sushi! Yum!
(5)
Jane W.

Great spot. Went late on Thursday night with reservation and although when we got there the place was jumping and extremely loud it mellowed out around 9:30. Sushi rolls were good but the tuna and yellowtail were out of this world. Not the most romantic environment but for what we got it was very reasonably priced. It was boyfriends birthday and they did beautiful desert with candle deal. Very complimentary BYOB. Wait staff was first rate. Will definitely go back.
(5)
Milena M.

This place is an awesomely good time. They have some very inspired rolls and everything is super fresh. We had fatty yellowtail and my chirashi was amazing. The pieces of fish were a good size. They have a large selection of dessert including specials. If they have the chocolate cake on special, I would definitely recommend that. The tofu appetizer was also very yummy.
(4)
Rachelle G.

I don't even know if another review for Coast is necessary seeing as how there are well over a hundred. Came on Sunday a little after six, and I was beyond happy that there was no wait. I was a bit afraid as this was a fairly regular complaint amongst everyone. Great ambiance, although I think the tables are a bit too close for comfort. Food was delish! We had a few specialty rolls and each was interesting and a great combination. Corkage fee of $5 or if you ave. $15/person in your group, they waive the corkage fee. I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Vanessa P.

So I read the reviews for Coast before I went to the restaurant and I went there expecting attitude and douchebaggery. I have to say, I didn't find that to be the case at all. When we arrived, the place was packed and the hostess said that it would be a 25 minute wait for the table, but that the sushi bar was open. We immediately sat at the sushi bar. Our server was very nice, funny and was around when we needed him to be. (And his birthday is 2 days before mine, which makes him even cooler.) We had the california roll, crunchy spicy tuna, unakyu (mmm, eel) and the dragon roll. Everything came out very quickly and tasted very fresh. Maybe I went on a good off-day. I don't know, but I will be back.
(4)
Kat F.

I live in SF and this BYOB + sushi is completely foreign to me. I expected the sushi to be low in quality but it wasn't. LOVE this place and such a deal. Please open in the west coast!
(5)
Annie T.

All I wanted for my birfffday was some delicious sooosh. And delicious soosh I got! Our party of 6 had a reservation and were promptly seated. The restaurant is perfectly decorated-- trendy slash comfy slash awesome! Throw in BYOB and you get a table of drunks fumbling with their chopsticks. Love it. We started with salads, edamame and miso. I tried the regular and the spicy miso soups. The spicy miso deserves a star of it's own. Oh muh gah. Jalapenos galore! So zesty and flavorful. The soup was perfect with a side of kick. The rolls did not disappoint. My favorites maki rolls were the Ebi Tempura and Spicy Tuna Crunch. Perfectly assembled with just the right ingreds. I loved the cucumber in the Spicy Tuna Crunch. Now on to the fresh pieces. Coast has some of the freshest salmon/Nama Sake in Chicago that rivals Sai Cafe's. Their yellowtail-- not so much. The service was great. Our blonde Asian waitress (possibly my blonde bombshell friend Amber and I's love child) was super attentive and answered all our questions. The bus boys kept our table spic and span throughout the meal and didn't snicker/act awkward when they overheard my inappropriately risque stories that shouldn't be told in public. My only gripe? WE GOT CHARGED FOR MY BIRTHDAY DESSERT! Who does that? I thought it was a universal rule that you get complimentary birthday desserts! Apparently not. God bless my friends for treatin me to a sweet and satisying happy ending. :)
(5)
Whitaker J.

Always good. Very busy usually but I've never had an extremely long wait or felt inconvenienced by the crowd - it's truly a testament to how quality the sushi is. The BYOB is such a plus considering the sushi is reasonably priced so overall you end up with a satisfying meal that doesn't end up being ridiculously expensive. They have a great version of a 'Mexican' Roll - which is my favorite but every time i go I can't shy away from "THE WHITE DRAGON" roll. Just do it.
(4)
Miss A.

I wish I could give it 4.5 stars! The sushi is great and reasonably priced. Same goes for the appetizers. The menu is more extensive than a lot of other sushi places, too, so I can always experiment and try new things. I really like that it's BYOB, too. The only complaint that I have is about the acoustics - it gets really loud in there, to the point where you have to shout across your table to have a conversation. Still, it's a regular date spot for me and my boyfriend!
(4)

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Address : 2045 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL, 60647
Phone (773) 235-5775
Website https://www.coastsushibar.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :4:00 pm - 11:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Coast Sushi Bar

2045 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL, 60647

Coast Sushi Bar Menu

Appetizer

Soup

Salad

Sushi Entree

Nigiri

Sashimi

Kitchen

Signature Maki

Vegetable Maki

Maki

Desserts

Healthy Meal suggestions for Coast Sushi Bar

Appetizer

Soup

Salad

Sushi Entree

Nigiri

Sashimi

Kitchen

Signature Maki

Vegetable Maki

Maki

Desserts

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