Oba Contemporary Japanese
1285 Elmhurst Rd, Des Plaines, IL, 60018
Oba Contemporary Japanese Menu
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Appetizer From Kitchen
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Appetizer From Sushi Bar
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Entree Boxes From Kitchen
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Entree From Sushi Bar
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Dessert
Healthy Meal suggestions for Oba Contemporary Japanese
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Appetizer From Kitchen
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Appetizer From Sushi Bar
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Entree Boxes From Kitchen
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Entree From Sushi Bar
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Dessert
Visit below restaurant in Des Plaines for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1285 Elmhurst Rd
Des Plaines, IL, 60018 - Phone (847) 228-8810
- Website https://www.obasushi.net/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Lisa H.
I came here once for sushi, it was very good. However, my boyfriend ordered chicken teriyaki and it was extremely bland, like when my mom tried to make Japanese food when I was a kid. If you're coming here for sushi, good. If you want anything else, go somewhere else.
(3)Connie B.
This place is small but cute inside. Parking stinks, very small strip mall. The food is very good, different variety. Lunch menu is great, you get a lot for your money. Been here several times and everything i have tried, i have loved. Very attentive and nice staff. Will be back like always!!!!
(4)Christopher N.
Not as good as reviews. Very dirty place, dirty menus, dirty booth, dirty bathrooms. Food was OK at best. We were the only ones in there so probably should have guessed it wasn't that good.
(2)Evelina L.
Came here with a big group recently and were underwhelmed. The tofu appetizer was the only thing unique to the place, everything else was just blah. Service was ok, had to ask for things multiple times...plus they were standing over us a bit to leave at the end of the night. Drive an extra 20 minutes to get some sushi closer to the city...
(3)James L.
Amazing food, amazing service, great prices.
(5)Adam F.
I'm giving 5 stars because I go here once a week. I work across the street and probably would have never found it otherwise because it really is buried away. First of all I have only gone here for lunch but the lunch specials are unbeatable. I mean for ~$12 before tip you get close to 15 rolls of nice sushi, a delicious piece of fried tofu, salad, miso soup, and ice cream. All of it is phenomenal in my opinion. I work for a Japanese company so I go out to eat at Japanese restaurants a lot so I can attest this place is legit. If you're on the fence just go.
(5)Juliette A.
Great hidden sushi place! I'm usually pretty picky about sushi. This place has a great atmosphere, food, and service. I'll be back for sure.
(5)Anne S.
This is by far my favorite sushi place in the area. The prices are awesome, the food is made perfectly. Their ginger dressing on the salad is spot on. The drinks delicious. I have been here about 10 times and the service is always outstanding. If you're craving a great sushi dinner look no farther.. this is the place for you!!
(5)Matthew S.
Great sushi ... staff very polite and attentive. Sue makes every effort to get you seated quickly and delivers the food with a wonderful smile. Since just dining in for lunch isn't enough, happy hour is a must. The spicy lunch combo is one of the best roll combinations I have had yet. This place is on my regular rotation and should be on yours too. Just don't take my seat, I found it first. :-)
(5)Tomasz C.
This place is amazing , atmosfer is very warm , peaceful , and quiet , quality of food is very good for all sushi lovers ! ;) big menu for choosing , and I recommend this place for all .
(5)Dawid G.
Love this place. Great sushi, fried tofu is delicious! Wisconsin cheese roll is definitely my favorite!
(5)Alena K.
This is a very nice place to have dinner. A lot of great pluses 1. Normal prices for sushi 2. We got 2 regular sushi and 1 speciality sushi rolls and we received - Free salad (the ginger sauce was fresh) - Free miso soup - Free 2 piece of fried tofu (Yum!) 3. Drinks are competitevely priced - I had a Japanese Midori drink which was a full glass for $7 - My husband had a beer $4 for a small and $7 for a large - $1 for hot green tea 4. At the end we both got a small strawberry ice cream each (w/ real strawberry pieces each) 5. Sushi itself was average. Fish seemed fresh but the soy sauce was too overpowering. The flavor was not unique enough. Overall, Service was GREAT. Very friendly and prompt!!! Would come back again.
(5)Jennifer H.
Girl's night out was a success! I was looking for a restaurant in the middle of 3 friends. I found this place on restaurant.com and checked it out here. Not a dissappointment at ALL! Sushi was interesting and really good! We girls sat for a long time and we were never rushed. Stuffed mushroom appetizer was very good. Philly roll was fresh and perfectly stuffed. Shrimp tempura maki was excellent. Green turtle roll was our favorite. There were many other more daring rolls to try, but we stuck with the norm since we were with a non-sushi eater. Definitely will go back! From the outside it looks like a cheap strip mall (almost passed it up), but inside it is beautiful and cozy.
(4)Marie L.
Recently visited Oba in DesPlaines on Elmhurst Road, and was very pleased. Restaurant is tucked away in a tiny strip mall, which has parking thank goodness, otherwise don't know where we'd find parking on Elmhurst Road. Upon entering, we were greetly promptly and was seated in a booth table. Service was friendly and prompt. After bringing us our tea, we were each provided a small complimentary piece of sushi, which was a nice touch. Food was tasty & delish, with beautiful presentation. At the end of our meals, we were pleasantly surprised to be service a complimentary tiny serving of strawberry ice cream. Definitely will visit again.
(4)Danielle S.
Came to Oba the other night to fix my sushi craving. From the outside, this place doesn't look like it will be that nice. But the inside was very cute and nicely decorate. We were seated right away (it was very quiet...hardly anyone in there for a Friday night!). the staff is very friendly and attentive. The booth had some cushions to sit on, so you weren't sitting on hard wood. There is a lot to choose from on the menu. I decided to get the sushi special. It came with miso soup, a salad, an appetizer of some sort of sushi (I still don't know what it is...it kind of tasted and had the consistency of egg?), 1 California roll, and about 6 pieces of sashimi. I thought everything was really good, except the sashimi. It kept falling apart, and it didn't seem very fresh (it was kind of warm....kinda grossed me out). I think overall it was a good value and it tasted pretty decent, but it's not one of my favorite sushi places.
(4)Julia S.
Came here with a group of 10 girlfriends for a book club on a Thursday evening. Atmosphere was quiet, dim lighting, clean, comfy and pleasant. We ordered a few bottles of wine, appetizers and lots of sushi rolls. This was a few months ago and it's hard to remember all the dishes, but from the dishes I remember - salmon sashimi was still a bit frozen and maki didn't taste fresh. Over all, service was good, but food was not.
(2)Anna K.
The quality of fish used is fresh and very good. I've never had a cut of sashimi as big as the ones served here. It was fantastic! I'd come back just for that alone. I almost feel like maybe they gave us a bigger cut because it was later on a Saturday night and we were their last patrons. Only way to find out is to come back for more! Prices are on par for a typical sushi joint in the city, which is kind of high for a strip mall suburb restaurant. Quality or skill of the rolls itself were okay, not your 5 star roll in terms of consistency, shape, or assembly but flavor was always great. They were generous in portions too, which makes up for the price. This is a perfect place for fresh, filling, and flavorful sushi. Probably one of the best suburban sushi joints that I've tried so far!
(4)Allison B.
One of the best sushi places I've been, on par with nice places in the city! What makes this sushi great is 1) fresh fish and 2) THE RICE. Some sushi places have very bland rice that does not complement the fish at all, but Oba's is wonderful. We had salmon nigiri, super white tuna nigiri, salmon maki, yellowtail/scallion maki, the full house roll (sushi, cilantro, wrapped in rice paper... Oh so good!), and the spider roll. All excellent, with very appealing plating presentations (see other reviewers' pictures). This is the first time in a long time that we happily kept spending money just to taste more food. As a bonus, they serve you complementary miso soup and a salad with delicious creamy ginger dressing. After the meal, they serve you a complementary scoop of ice cream. We can't wait to go back! Great food, good ambience, good service.
(5)Nick M.
Sales tax in Des Plaines is 9.25%, but they charge 10%. Food is great though. More to come when I'm not on the app.
(4)Kasia B.
I give this place 5 starts for their food and service and 3 stars for wine selection and bar. I didn't want to give 4 stars because we rate the sushi here :) and I can't say anything bad about it. Food was delicious, full of flavor, fresh and generous portions. Presentation really beautiful. You have to try the Cadillac, dragon and the flaming roll ( I forgot the name), appetizer crab cake was really good too. Service was very nice and fast. My only complain is the wine selection. They have only one brand of wine to offer which is not my favorite. They definitely should extend the selection and also add some bubbly too. They offer few cocktails but very limited. Definitely few martinis should be added. Overall this place is really hidden gem!
(5)Big Todd A.
Introduction was an empty Restaraunt at 8:30 pm. What does this mean, who knows. Each roll is served with miso and a salad which is nice. Some decent signature rolls which are all between $10-$15 per. As for qualify it was good. Not delicious as I had hoped but if your in a pinch and on the road this will do!
(3)Yen V.
I am picky with sushi and there are many places that I've been to that I do not like. However, this is probably one of my favorite sushi places in Des Plaines. This place is small but clean and cozy/cute. Service: Excellent! As soon as we walked in, the waitress and the chefs greet us. Our waitress was sweet and friendly. She also brought us two special rolls on the house (I have no idea what they were but the rolls were stuff with crab meat? etc. I wish I asked her what it was because it was so good!) Food: First, I like that they have a wide selection of sushi rolls. We got the California sunset,(I like the little pineapple kick to it; it was very refreshing) and the Kiss of Fire (not only good but came with real fire and a very nice presentation). We also got the bacon wrapped scallop cake, which was delicious, especially if you like bacon, scallop and crab meat. I also thought I'd try their salmon teriyaki and I was very impressed because not that many places make good salmon teriyaki. The salmon was crispy and the teriyaki sauce was just the right amount of sweetness. I've only been here once for dinner but I love all the dishes we got. I cannot wait to come back to try more.
(5)michael w.
Strip it is located in is pretty vacant but once inside, uber swank cozy. Atmosphere and service rank high at this little surprise. It's the little things, like the comp app of fried tofu when we arrived and the comp ice cream after dinner. Nice touch. Our attention was drawn to this venue by a deal from restaurant.com . We were pleasantly surprised and would probably return. As for the dishes: My daughter's chicken was a hit and the noodle bowl my wife got was well liked. The sushimi I chose was good, but then again, it's sushimi, what more can you say. My wife really enjoyed her cherry blossom drink. I took pictures of them all so check them out for a better idea. As for pricing, no steal deals to be had, but then again it's sushi. In my experience, the best deal to be had in sushi is a lunch buffet. If you are in the area and craving sushi, this is a solid option. One thing that this place has going for it is that it is flexible for date night, yet can handle the family as well. Kind of like Ra but smaller and cozy.
(4)Kyle H.
4-star bump. There are some solid choices on the menu at Oba. Stopped in again and this time enjoyed the Sweet Blossom special rolls. Spicy tuna, asparagus, topped with fresh fluke (flounder), sweet ponzu, and Wasabi Tobiko (flying fish roe), served over a "creamy" wasabi sauce. The green roe that is Wasabi Tobiko was perfectly spicy and amazing! I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate that into my bedroom play, although, it may not be the best idea. Sweet Blossom is an awesome Blossom. Wasabi Tobiko, FTW. Oba is a quiet, modestly cute, sushi restaurant in a strip mall in Des Plaines with some solid specialty roll choices. Good if you're in the area.
(4)Lisa M.
Oba is within walking distance from my house so that's a big plus. I consider it an awesome "hole in the wall" kind of place. When we walked in the place smelled like a garage which was a definite turn-off. The Miso soup was WAY too salty. Great dressing on the salad. Ordered the Jalopeno Bomb appetizer, Godzillar Roll, Fire Himachi Roll, and Volcano Roll. All rolls were absolutely delicious. The wine wasn't bad and my boyfriend enjoyed the Sake...although our waitress was not that knowledgable about the differences with the Sake on the menu. Mini complementary ice cream dessert. All in all I think next time we will order take out. I meant to ask if it was BYOB. I felt like for a smaller, more local place, the prices should have been cheaper.
(4)Elana K.
I figured it was time for an update. As you can see, this place still gets a 5 star review and I would give them 5 more if I could. Oba has set the standard by which I measure all other sushi places, and even restaurants in general, in terms of value. I cannot believe all the good food you can get for the price, and the inclusion of the fried tofu starter, soup, salad, and little dessert at the end adds so much to the meal. The staff is always friendly and very accommodating. For instance, my sister and I only wanted teriyaki vegetables (no meat) which is not necessarily on the menu, but they made it work and because we are regulars they have even memorized the fact that my sister will need a fork by the end because the chopsticks don't cut it once she's slathered the rice in teriyaki sauce. Another thing I enjoy about this place is their eclectic taste in music. Especially the cheesy stuff like 90's music and j/k-pop. The interior is very nice, contrary to the strip mall exterior. There is sushi bar seating, booths, and a couple tables that can be put together for a larger group. If you live in the area and have not been here yet you are tragically missing out.
(5)D P.
Oba is definitely one of my favorite sushi places. I have been countless times and have yet to be disappointed. I usually order one of 2 veggie maki rolls. The specialty rolls include miso soup, salad, a piece of fried tofu (so delicious! Worth ordering as an appetizer if you are with a few people), your maki roll and a tiny scoop of ice cream. A great value for the amount of food. Service is fast and staff is very friendly. Also love their music selection.
(5)Dorotka K.
We had a very pleasant time at Oba. I was a little hesitant to try it, because it is in a weird location (strip mall right off Elmhurst Rd). Once you step inside, the restaurant welcomes you with contemporary yet cozy decor. We were a bit concerned, because there weren't too many people there, but I guess we picked a weird hour to dine (early evening). More people came in as we were having our meal. I think quite a few people order takeout. Our server was great - attentive, but not annoyingly so. We got a free appetizer and I wish I asked what it was - it was neither an appetizer or a dessert, but it tasted marvelous. I'm a sushi novice and have had it maybe a couple of times in the past. Everything I had here was great- from the soup to the main entree (the way they prepare the grilled salmon is absolutely amazing). The food had a nice presentation, too. I like the fact that you can have a seat at the "bar" area and watch the chef prepare your food. The best part is that the prices are very reasonable.
(4)Natalie S.
This is definitely my all time FAVORITE sushi place. My husband and I love it and frequent this place. We've never had to wait for a table and it is generally very quiet. It's also very nice inside even though it doesn't look very spectacular from the outside. They have a good menu and a give you a lot of food with your order. the service we've received has always been good as well.
(5)Kelley S.
Awww man! All I can say is this is two restaurants in a row that fellow Yelper's have led me astray. Bummer... I'll start with the good... the service was impeccable. Very attentive, quick and friendly. The salad was very good... excellent dressing. The miso soup could have been hotter but was quite flavorful. The iced green tea was quite refreshing for only $1 and free refills. They also brought 2 free pieces of the fried tofu which was qite tasty. The location has off-street parking, competing with the seemingly popular Korean joint next door, but available. The ambiance was quite nice. They do a lot with the small space and it is very tastefully decorated. All ingredients seemed fresh and everything was served in a aesthetically pleasing way. Prices were also quite reasonable with happy hour and other specials advertised. Alright... now the things left to be desired.... we ordered 3 expensive rolls ($10-13) and 2 regular rolls. We got the Ninji, white sox, Chicago crazy, California and spicy scallop. The 2 regular rolls came out quite promptly followed by the other 3 in a timely manner. All rolls with crab were filled with a minced crab salad type thing that really lent nothing to the roll except a mushy texture. The spicy scallop was probably my favorite, it had a nice spice to it, but still not an excellent roll. The other 3 more expensive rolls were about as impressive as the others. I'm certainly not a sushi snob, but something about everything we were served was just "ok", nothing spectacular and something about all of it that was just a bit off. The tuna and salmon inside the rolls didn't seem to be pieces, but more like shredded fresh fish, even the cucumber inside the rolls was shredded causing it not to have the crunch or texture I hoped for. All 5 rolls were consistently "meh" so I can't even think it was what we ordered or hope that it would be better if we went back. Sadly I have another $25 gift certificate to use here but now am torn as to what to do with it.... :(
(3)T M.
Great price and good tasting sushi. The good service is also a plus. Went for lunch during the week and service was fast. I plan to come back here.
(4)Kristine N.
Free tofu appetizer, rolls are decently priced since it comes with soup and salad. Great service.
(4)Hubert P.
Really nice place. Wish it was bigger or i would put 6 stars, other than that sushi and service was excellent. Very romantic for valentines day! Lots of extras
(5)Brit N.
Ordered take out from here and thought the sushi was delicious! Definitely will be back!
(4)Stewart S.
Great lunch specials. Get there by 11:30 as they normally fill up for lunch. Lots of interesting rolls and we like to go for an easy, casual dinner. One of our favorite places.
(5)Anna B.
This place is amazing. AMAZING! We found this on our way into the city because Sushi Station had already changed their hours to "winter" and had not updated their website informing us of the change. Sushi Station FAIL. Why do this? We drive by Oba, step in, and we're the only customers in the place. Granted, it's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving :) The ambiance is modern, and sleek. The restaurant looks like it belongs in Wicker Park, instead of boring Elk Grove. Sushi Chef and Server are sooooo nice and hospitable. A restaurant that actually lets you know they appreciate your business??? What a novel idea! We order a few of the large specialty rolls that come with miso and salad. The Miso is good, the salad is even better. It was a mixed green salad dressed in a mustard ginger dressing. YUM. We also got a little surprise in the form of fried tofu. Delish. Our rolls were the best we've had. We had the Pink Cadillac, Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon, and the Mango Tuna. Everything was so good and fresh and tasty. Seriously, could not get enough. At the end we received some vanilla ice cream. Oh Oba...you are amazing! I am coming back, soon!
(5)Justin N.
I really like this place! It's tucked away, so it's easy to miss, but worth searching for. I've been here twice and both times I've had really good food. The rolls are pretty tasty. There are some interesting creations. Presentation is always great. The wait staff is very friendly and attentive. Fish always tastes fresh. And the prices are totally reasonable. I think we will be making this place a regular stop.
(4)Stacey D.
My dad was flying through Chicago and had a two hour layover, so I wanted to find a decent restaurant not too far from O'Hare. I did a little research and decided on Oba. I'm so glad I did!! What a find. It doesn't look like much from the outside, just a tiny storefront in a tiny strip mall. But the interior is sleek and contemporary with black and lacquer red decor. It's quite small with only about six tables and four booths, in addition to the sushi bar. When we arrived at 12:05 pm, all the tables were already taken, so we sat at the sushi bar. The menu is quite extensive, especially the list of signature rolls, and the prices are very reasonable. But the value for the dollar is even more impressive. First she brought us an amuse bouche of deep fried tofu which was delicious. Then, she brought complimentary edamame. Our meals all came with miso soup and a salad. By the time our entrees came, we were practically full! Luckily, we saved enough room because the sushi was outstanding. I ordered a jalapeno hamachi roll, which was not only delicious but also beautiful, and the sashimi lunch special with 12 pieces of sashimi for only $14...you do the math. My husband ordered the spicy roll lunch special (I didn't care for the Urban Heat roll personally). My dad had the sushi/sashimi combination and thoroughly enjoyed it. My only complaint was the speed of the service, or lack thereof, but I have to give them credit because the staff consists of only three people: the sushi chef, who worked tirelessly and endlessly; the kitchen chef; and the young woman who did everything else -- seated diners, took the orders, served all the food and drinks, wrote up the checks and cleared the tables -- all with a smile for the customers. If we weren't in a bit of a hurry, the slow service would have been easily overlooked. So, my recommendation is to GO to Oba...but go when you have plenty of time to sit and relax and enjoy the delicious cuisine!
(4)Chette I.
Finally!!! A closer japanese resto in the suburbs and for the right price. The atmosphere is so nice that its so good for night outs with friends...loved the fried tofu appetizer in addition to all the sashimi and tempura I had.
(4)Nate K.
On my latest trip to Chicago, I stopped by this small sushi night for a late night fix. Seeing that it was close to closing time on a Monday and the restaurant was empty, I kept my expectations modest - I just wanted a few good rolls and get out of their way so they could close. But what I got was one of the better sushi meals as of late and they should get extra points given their proximity to closing time. The rice was perfectly cooked, the sushi was well prepared and they sold limonata san Pellegrino, which was the perfect drink to clean the pallet between each bite. All in all, it was a surprisingly great meal on a late Monday night.
(5)Lary G.
Don't blink while you're trying to find this place...you will miss it. Oba is tucked away in a small strip mall. If you didn't know what you were looking for, you would never know it is there. I was a little fearful about trying something in a strip mall, but I'm glad I did. The place is small, but extremely cozy. My son and I eat sushi all the time, so I would like to think we are sushi snobs. Oba did not disappoint. The soup and salad are what you would expect, simple and to the point. The sushi itself (we prefer nigiri) was flavorful and not fishy, and the rice was cooked and seasoned well. The portions were about average from the others places that we have frequented. The thing my son and I did enjoy was the discount if you ordered your roll as a hand roll. The first few times we dined we finished 15 between the two of us. Unfortunately, on our third visit, the discount was not longer. Even though we were bummed, we still finished off a good portion of rolls, both regular and hand. If you're looking for a good sushi meal with variety, this is the place to go.
(4)Nesina K.
This hole in the wall sushi restaurant has definitely become one of my favorites! I believe most people choose to carryout because it is usually fairly empty. However, I prefer to eat there as the decor is charming, I can always get seated immediately and the service is efficient. I'm not sure if this holds true for carryout orders, but while dining there all dishes come with a fried tofu appetizer, miso soup, salad and a small dessert (usually a small cup of ice cream or a skewer of fruit in the summer). I'm also particular about the quality of sushi and I can assure you that their dishes are very fresh. I would recommend that customers come on weekdays to take advantage of their lunch specials.
(5)Sean C.
Great little sushi place with solid lunch combos and great specialty rolls. Personal favorite is Volcano, Urban Heat, and the Hawaiian roll. Great service from the one waitress who really works hard when it's busy. I feel bad for her sometimes, because she is running all around by herself, but she works hard and is super friendly. The recently got a new chef who's not as good as the previous one, because he doesn't have as much flair as the first chef, but it's still good. This is the best sushi in the area and if you're in the area for lunch or dinner, I recommend you give it shot over the overpriced and stale Kampai sushi bar down the block. This could be a 5 star place, but my only beef is the insanely long wait times when they are busy and the $2 for a can of soda - other then that, it's an overall great place. one annoying thing they need to fix is the music that they play there , not a big deal - but some days it's like wild west saloon old time piano music and somedays it's random 90's music like Vanilla Ice followed by Whitney Houston..
(4)Jin Joo L.
I love this place. The place is not very big and is kind of a whole in the wall. But the interior is amazing and atmosphere is very lovely. I've never been disappointed with any of it's fusion dishes or traditional dishes... Everything always looks picture perfect when it comes out and fresh. They used to have the best lunch specials.. not sure if they still have them. I used to love their filet or steak terriyaki lunches. They also have carryout and delivery on occasion. I've always been raving about this place and am planning to head over sometime soon with my friends.
(5)John F.
Excellent food, great atmosphere, great service --- really nice date night location. Highly recommended.
(5)Pi W.
Good food and service! Try the fried tofu. I'm a fan of the simpler sushi there. However, you gotta try the gimmicky one where they set the roll on fire -- it's cool and still tastes good!
(4)Barbara O.
Had a very nice dinner here. My husband loves sushi but I am allergic to fish so it's hard to find a good sushi restaurant that also offers something for me other than steak teriyake. We both had a wonderful meal. My steak was delicious. The atmosphere is much nicer inside than you would think from the outside. And they had a Polish speaking waitress! A bonus for us! Very nice time and we will be back.
(4)Brittany Q.
Oba is great. I met a friend here for dinner. The establishment is decorated very contemporary and very clean. The place is modest and has a fair amount of seating. They have booths,tables and seating at the sushi bar. My friend and I only dined on sushi, so this review is based on that only. The restaurant also offers a full menu of Japanese cuisine but was not tried on this visit. The waiter was attentive and offered us drinks right away. They do not have a full bar. The offer water,wine,beer and soft drinks. We were also given each a small salad and cup of miso soup and a fried tofu complimentary. All was very fresh and flavorful. We ordered a few of their special rolls with names like pink Cadillac and Hawaii roll. We also orders the tried and true California roll and spicy tuna roll. All rolls were brought to us quickly and arranged in a beautiful arrangement. All rolls used a decent quality of ingredients. The raw fish was not slimy or fishy tasting. We were then given an Orange as a complimentary desert. I would return to Oba again.
(4)Tim R.
This place is great! We actually found it thanks to Yelp as we were searching for a Japanese restaurant near O'Hare airport. The place is nothing to look at from the outside and the parking lot stinks, but once you enter you are greeted by an inviting dark wood interior and comforting ambience. The hostess and server were both very pleasant. I was actually a big fan of the server because she kept bringing out little delicacies as we were waiting for drinks and food - fried tofu w/eel sauce, baked shrimp w/sauce, edamame, soup, and salad, all included because we ordered a few rolls! Normally, you have to order some special dinner to even get a choice of soup or salad, so this perk was impressive indeed. I let the wife do the choosing on the maki selections so all I can tell you is they were fresh, nicely sized, and tasted great. The tuna was a very deep red and was outstanding and they used a very generous amount of tobiko on the one roll, which was also very tasty. Then, once we were completely stuffed and exceedingly happy, my favorite server brought out complimentary strawberry ice cream! Honestly, if this place was closer to home it would be my go-to spot. I highly recommend you try this place.
(4)Jeanne L.
Service was better this time we returned for an office lunch. Food was alright and service was better. I wouldn't go here on my own but my boss likes it, so we go sometimes.
(3)C M.
A gem in the suburbs! Fabulous fresh sushi, excellent presentation, great service! We were first time customers and they gave us an extra special free sample salmon appetizer that was delicious. Its in a small strip mall but when you open the door, the ambience and decoration is very Asian chic - almost as if you were downtown. Great selection of cold sake. Would definitely go again!
(5)Monica K.
Don't be scared away by the outside of this place - it's in a little plaza next to some tire place and another Korean restaurant. The windows are covered typical Korean-restaurant style and so it looks a little shady, but it's actually pretty nice on the inside. This place is pretty small, we had a group of 7 and were jammed into a table meant for probably 4 because there was another large party at their one big table. Call ahead if you've got a large party. Food wise, our table opted to go with a 7-course meal (sorry, don't know how much it cost since I wasn't paying - sweet!) along with miso soup and salad. 1st course: uni - it's very very slimy and I think this is an acquired taste. Apparently it's expensive? 2nd course: black mussels 3rd course: jalapeno bomb - basically fried jalapenos w/ cream cheese and some spicy tuna? couldn't really taste the tuna 4th course: chicken teriyaki and green onion skewers. Pass! These were dry. 5th course: nigiri - yellowtail, eel, salmon, spicy tuna, and one more that i can't remember. The pieces are pretty huge and don't come with a lot of rice. Some people might like this - we would have actually preferred a little bit more of the rice. The rice is also a little bit more flavorful than other sushi places. 6th course: a Pink Cadillac (Shrimp tempura, avocado & spicy mayo with salmon on top and what appears to be chopped up fruit cocktail on top). Not a huge fan of the tempura (keep reading for my tempura review). There was another roll that seemed to be like a california roll wrapped in cabbage. 7th course: Sweet and sour broiled snapper. I think normally this course is usually a katsu, but I believe we paid more for the snapper - the sauce was very much chinese-style sweet and sour and it came with a bunch of vegetables on the side. At the end we also got black mussel soup - smells and tastes like fish tank water, it's basically just mussels boiled in water with some salt. A lot of the mussels had not opened up so you maybe got 2-3 mussels in your soup that you could eat. IF you wanted to eat it. One note - the timing of the courses is a little ragged. The first few come out almost one after another, then there's a little bit of a gap and then the rest come out. Then there's a pretty large gap until the black mussel soup and the dessert (mochi ice cream - don't get it here. It was melted and the mochi was a little leathery. Ew) I personally ordered the tempura udon. I love all things tempura because let's face it - who doesn't love anything fried, but this tempura came out and it was not even slightly crispy. In fact it was a soggy mess. However, the noodles were perfectly cooked and the soup was very tasty. Eh, all in all maybe this restaurant needs a little time to get started (it's still pretty new). They've got some good items and some that need a little help. There aren't a lot of sushi places in this area so it's worth checking out.
(3)Roy P.
Boa was a good sushi joint. The selection was different then I am used to. I ink they were breaking in a new sushi chef because the rolls weren't very tight and tended to fall apart. Overall the service was great, food was good and the place was nice.
(4)Angela S.
Fresh, creative, and reasonably priced. Friendly service. Will return again!
(5)