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Name: Sushi Para
Address: 1268 E Dundee Rd, Palatine, IL, 60074
Telephone: (847) 202-9922
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.47

Sushi Para

1268 E Dundee Rd, Palatine, IL, 60074

(847) 202-9922
Store is closed

Sushi Para Menu

Appetizers

Edamame

Soft Shell Crab Tempura

Shrimp Tempura

Shumai

Gyoza
Soup

Miso Soup

Seafood Soup
Salad

Vegetable Salad

Home Salad

Seaweed Salad

Chicken Salad
Sushi Or Sashimi

Tuna

Med. Fatty Tuna

Pepper Tuna

White Tuna

Yellow Tail

Salmon
Vegetable Roll

Sweet Potato Roll

Cucumber Roll

Avocado Roll

Squash Roll

Vegetable Roll
Roll Or Hand Roll

California Roll

Spicy Tuna Roll

Giant Eel Roll

Tuna Roll

Salmon Roll

Healthy Meal suggestions for Sushi Para

Appetizers

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

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

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

Shumai [ 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 ]
Soup

Miso Soup [ 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 ]
Salad

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

Home 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 ]

Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sushi Or Sashimi

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

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

Pepper Tuna [ 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 ]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vegetable Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Roll Or Hand Roll

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

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

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

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

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

Visit below restaurant in Palatine for healthy meals suggestion.

Subway ( 1179 E Dundee Rd )

Palatine Inn Restaurant ( 95 W Northwest Hwy )

Visit below restaurant in Palatine for healthy meals suggestion.

Subway ( 1179 E Dundee Rd )

Write An Anonymous Review

Joshua C.

"All-You-Can-Eat." Four words that move my heart. Add in the word "sushi" at the end, and I'm sold. This is what you get when you go to Sushi Para, great value for good sushi. I love to go with my family whenever I'm back in the Chicago-land area. Within the buffet menu, there are a variety of options, beginning with appetizers like gyoza (dumplings), fried tempura items and miso soup. Most of the time, I'll get the miso soup, but I want to save my appetite for the sushi. I'll give you a sample of what I might get on a visit to Sushi Para. There are rolls and sushi pieces but no sashimi. Regular sushi (just rice and piece of sushi): 2 Yellowtail, 2 Salmon, 2 Tuna, 2 Eel Then on to the rolls. This is the good stuff; don't waste your time with other rolls. 3 Rainbow Rolls (Best value, price-wise. Finish a couple of these rolls, and you've already just about paid off the buffet price.) 2 American-Dream Rolls (Tempura shrimp, Avocado, Eel, cucumbers and som other good stuff.) 1 Spider Roll (Crab) 1 Tempura Shrimp Roll (It's like the American Dream roll without the Eel) Their Palatine Roll is also not bad, if you like cream cheese in your roll. Now, you might be thinking, "Josh, you just ordered eight sushi pieces and seven rolls!" To which I might reply, "Hmm, you're right. You think I should get more?" :-P **There is a word of caution, however. Order only what you know you will be able to finish. If you have leftovers, they will charge you extra (not that I've ever had an issue with not being able to finish, but I know some who have that had to pay extra). The overall atmosphere is nice, but it can get a little loud when it is crowded. The only issue I have had is with the waitresses. Depending on who you get, it can change your whole experience. Some of them seem mean, while others smile and really do their best. The last couple times I went have been better, but it's best to go in with an understanding that the waitress might just be having a bad day. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. The only thing keeping Sushi Para from being 5-stars for me are the negative experiences with service I've had. However, the sushi quality still outweighs the negatives. And with all that being said, for $17.99, you're not going to find better value for an all-you-can-eat sushi place. If you're craving sushi and lots of it, I'd give you the go-ahead to check out Sushi Para.
(4)
Kate S.

Tried this place about a month ago with my aunt and cousin. It is one of those all you can eat sushi places. They have been here a few times and were able to give me the skinny. What you should know going into this experience that while you can order as much as you wish.... there is an extra charge for anything that you don't finish. They do have it on the menu but it is in small writing on the bottom. I could see how you would be upset if you didn't see that and ordered too much. I find that kind of sneaky. I though the sushi was just average... I guess good for an all you can eat place but there certainly is much better sushi out there. Service was just ok as well. I am also not one for gigantic rolls that you basically have to pack your cheeks with in order to eat it in one bite... NO THANKS. It just falls apart if you try to take a few bites. So all in all ok place to go if you know the rules of ordering ahead of time and you just need a sushi fix. Like I said there are better places in the area.
(3)
Triphena W.

I like this place. Sushi Para is not going to deliver food on the level of Katsu, but I've always had positive experiences with fresh, sinew-free fish. The $19 all-you-can-eat option includes a hefty selection of made-to-order appetizers, nigiri, and maki. The nigiri are conventional, but since you're only paying $19, I'm ok with the fact that there is more rice underneath the fish than you might find at more expensive sushi restaurants. The highlight of the all-you-can-eat menu is the rolls, particularly the spicy rolls. I like the spicy tuna roll, Michigan roll (spicy tuna + tempura crunch inside, tobiko outside), Volcano roll (spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and spicy yellowtail inside, tobiko and sriracha-like sauce on the outside), and the Under Control roll (spicy tuna inside with shrimp tempura outside). At other restaurants, the Under Control roll might cost $13. Great value. Unlike the nigiri, the chefs don't pile on the rice. BYO. The service is prompt and attentive: finished sushi plates were quickly removed, and water/tea never went below half full. The space is unremarkable, but it's kept clean. Tables are nicely spaced. The restaurant was full by 7pm on a Friday night. Large parking lot. Easy access to highways. You definitely get more than your money's worth here.
(3)
Liz M.

My ALL TIME favorite sushi restaurant!!!! They have an All-U-Can-Eat Sushi special that you cannot beat!! 19.95 for dinner and 16.95 for lunch. The fish is ALWAYS fresh and the appetizers are yummy! The service is good but do plan to wait a bit if it is busy. If your looking for a romantic or trendy atmosphere...this is NOT your place. But good, fresh sushi and amazing rolls...come on down!! There is another location in the city on Clark St. a couple of blocks south of Fullerton Ave, with no parking lot and much smaller dining room. The specialty rolls are the best! "Mountain, Boston and Pop-Up" are our favorites!
(5)
Vince V.

Sushi Para is almost a pun on itself, the sushi being about "par" for the course given the reasonable prices. Maybe it's an exercise in honesty. But heck, it is a buffet so no whining from me. Don't order too much at one time because you will get charged for leftovers. Fill-up if you have one of those inexplicable cravings and don't expect to go "wow" over anything, food, service or otherwise.
(3)
Frank M.

They had my son arrested! Read on. This was my son's favorite restaurant--decent food, a good deal for a big eater but grim-faced, rude wait staff that's famous in the area for their negative vibe. A full scholarship college student, and a sushi fanatic, he ate there virtually every day until we became worried about mercury poisoning but that's not Sushi Para's fault--only an indicator of how loyal he was. He called me at work and told me they served him a spicy tuna roll with hairs poking out the ends! When he complained, they actually told him to EAT AOUND THE HAIR. I told him to pay the all-you-can-eat bill anyway and leave or the hairy roll untouched. They expected him to pay additional for the uneaten roll. I told him not to and they had him arrested. I had to leave work to get him at the police lockup and was forced to drive back to the restaurant and pay the five bucks. The whole ordeal took half a day. Note the other review where a plastic bag was found in their roll. So ask yourself this: how much plastic, hair and verbal abuse would you like?
(1)
Robert M.

In reading some of the other reviews I have to beg too differ on their poor reception of this place. I have nothing but praise for this reasonably priced sushi restaurant. The place was very busy when we visited Aug. 5 yet the waitress took time to time to explain our questions about the menu, take the drink order and returned promptly with said drinks and took our order without rushing us, she also kept our drinks filled throughout the meal and kept the table cleared of dirty plates. We had the $19 all you can eat deal and what a deal it was, we sent in several order tickets while we dined and each arrived we thought pretty quickly considering how many people were in the place and they were all ordering plenty of sushi as well. The sushi itself was excellent, fresh fish, great ingredient to rice ratio though they could used a little more of their fine sauces on the rolls that required saucing. Some of our favorites were the Shrimp Tempura roll, Volcano roll, Mountain roll, and the Spicy Tuna rolls that they made into hand rolls at our request. We also odered the Chicken Teriyaki dinner which was very generous & delicious, it came with soup & salad. Oops I almost forgot the the appetizer which tasted great, came out hot, and in a timely manner. In fact the pacing was terrific nothing overlapped and as we finished one thing another arrived. Our waitress was also very friendly, polite, and surprised the hell out us of when she brought out a dessert of Mochi with a candle in it for my daughters birthday without any provocation on our part. We will definitely be returning again and often
(5)
Kimberly F.

All you can eat sushi for $17.99. Done. As long as you understand that you're in a hole in the wall in Palatine, you're good to go. The sushi is good and the price is right. There's a lot of variety for a reasonable price. Service is quick, too. We went on a Saturday night at 6:30 and only had to wait maybe 15 minutes for our party of 6 to get sat. The only downside is that it was really hot and packed Saturday night. It seriously felt like a sauna and there were people lining the perimeter of the restaurant watching you eat, waiting for you to finish. I have a feeling we'll start frequenting this place when we aren't in the mood for conveyor belt sushi at Sushi Station.
(4)
Johnny G.

My girlfriend and I have eaten sushi all over the chicagoland area and heard good reviews about this place...... with that said, this was the worst sushi we ever had. There was wayyyyyyyy too much rice with the sashimi and the rolls had way too much cucumber and lettuce. All the rolls tasted like cucumber with rice and the avocado was funky. Terrible place. Never going again. Nothing beats Taste of Tokyo in Buffalo Grove. Best all you can eat sushi you will ever have!!
(1)
Alex K.

I very much enjoy the sushi here. It is delicious and fairly inexpensive. I refrain from giving 5 stars because I'm a vegetarian (with a very minor allergy to fish) and one of the three times I have gone here I've found my order to contain considerable bits of caviar in my sushi. I very much enjoy the food, but I don't know if I'll be able to overlook that.
(4)
Vinny V.

A long time customer - LOST! I'd been going to Sushi Para Palatine for a several years and used to think it was great. To be fair, the sushi is still decent, and the fillets portions are generous - HOWEVER, this restaurant has declined considerably over the past few years as far as service, especially when it comes to children... There is a height gauge on the wall that is supposed to determine what price your child should pay, but instead of using this as the standard, if they see your child, no matter what age, 18-months or 3-years old, eating more than they feel is within their widely varying random parameters, they will actually come to your table mid meal and tell you that the child's cost is now $Y instead of $X. This has happened to me on more than one occasion; the cost for my son's food has fluctuated sporadically over the past year. They literally charged us $3 during one visit after first stating that there would be no charge; then they charged us $8 the next visit, and $5 the visit after that! There is no standard. And what really fries my won-tons is that they feel it's perfectly acceptable to change the price on you literally during the course of your meal. The same has been the case with our daughter who is only 2. Also, my wife is allergic to seafood, but enjoys the other options on the All-U-Can-Eat menu (Salad, Yaki Chicken, Edamame, etc.). Because she does not eat the Sushi - which we all know is laid over a pressed bed of rice - we ask if she can get a side bowl of rice. Depending on who the server is or who's managing that day, it's either FREE (as it should be considering that she is not eating any sushi which - Hello, McFly - INCLUDES rice), or we are charged anywhere between $1 - $2 for the bowl. And there's no debating with them because they either claim not to understand what you're trying to explain, or they stand firm with an arrogant "Too bad for you, Mr. Creamofsumyoungguy!" attitude. Finally, Sushi Para now has an up-charge for small condiments, which used to be free. The Spicy Mayo used to be free; then all of the sudden there was a charge if you got a 2nd helping. Now it's $.50 per order, and a so-called order is pretty much just a few dabs in a dipping dish ...hardly worth the expense. I was in yesterday and it was my last time; I will not go back. I was alone, and the straw that broke the dragon's back is this: I ordered Edamame, which they brought out late. I had to leave for an appointment and asked if I could take the rest of my edamame to go. I had no sushi left, and I did tell the waitress that I was in a bit of a hurry when I sat down to begin with. Nonetheless, I was told that if I took it with me there would be an additional charge, but if I ate it in, it was included in my AUCE pricing. What logical sense does that make? I've paid for it, and I'm going to it - whether I do so in of outside of the establishment is irrelevant. So, that's the long and short-round of it; the food is decent, but the customer service is atrocious! A mediocre product sold with extremely poor and ever-declining customer service is, in my opinion, a good enough reason NOT to keep coming back! .
(1)
Lucian M.

Let's start with a overall: Price 5/5, Service 0/5, Food 4/5*, Ambiance 4/5. Now, I have been eating sushi my entire life, I had very good and expensive and I had very bad an expensive and any other combination that you might think of. Sushi Para PALATINE si different, I ate there since 2002 (if i remember correctly) and it was a delight all the time. This restaurant always had a problem with the service. They act like they are high class but they have no idea what is happening in their restaurant. In 2003 - 2006 they had a waitress there that was so annoying that I started to ask for a table that is not hers. Of course that most of the time I would not get it because of the crowd. It is a place that will make you wait for at least 30 minutes on a weekend evening, but don't be shy to ask for a seat at the bar - they forget to mention that to you 8/10 times, frustrating when you do end up at the bar anyways but you had to wait 45 minutes because the hostes did not mention that to you. I ordered couple of rolls and they were decent proportioned, rice and fish, but at my second order, I got a roll so big I could not eat it in one bite, like 20 min ago, they stack it with rice so much that I called the waiter and asked her about it, she said that there are 3 chefs there and each one of them has it's own way of doing things, convenient, I added. I ended up paying for it to take it with me. The price for leftover sushi was not bad at all. I paid $9.00 for a Salmon Hand Roll, tuna roll, 3 Unagis and some other things. Food, it's always good to be able to eat Unagi without looking at the price, that to me it's worth millions, so for that I go to all you can eat. Salmon it's great, most of the time fresh and tasty and the piece of the met its always bigger than the rice, it touches the plate on both ends. Tuna it's sometimes good but most of the times you get the cheap one, no worry here from me since I don't care that much about it. Everything else that I ate there it's very good and in chart with other places. It is worth your money if no other Sushi Para is around you but if you have the option to go to a Chicago one, PLEASE do. I gave it only 2 stars because the service there almos always ruined my fun time with my friend or family. Now I live in Skokie and don't have to put up with that place anymore. I go to the ones on Milwaukee and sometime on the one on Clark. Those are 100 time better. Thank you for reading my reviews.
(2)
Sarah S.

I love the sushi here! It is well made and presented beautifully! However, the waiters/waitresses aren't very good. I usually am waiting about 20-25 minutes for my order to be taken in, my food to get taken to my, and my check to get brought to me. Although, it does vary within the person (15-20, 20-25) and the time BUT the last few times I've been there I have had to wait. It's worth a visit but be prepared to wait a couple of minutes.
(4)
Nan L.

This sushi Buffet is really great~! I have been there twice.
(5)
Bella G.

Really good sushi. Came for lunch and the sushi was fresh and reasonably priced. Will be coming back!
(4)
Matt R.

Okay, where to begin here. All you can eat sushi. That is where we should end here, as a basis. I'd give em 4.5stars if I could, really. Additionally, its all you can eat sushi for 16.99. Seriously, that should be somewhere in a bucket of awesome. It is not the absolute best quality sushi in the world but for all you can eat (appetizers too, edamame fans rejoice - its nice and warm and a pretty big portion, better to share) is a pretty darn good deal. Lets see...basically they continually bring you another copy of the write-on menu and you can order again, so don't be afraid to not order everything right away. Unlike some sushi places that are nearby even though this is all you can eat, they serve you pretty fast. Note that the mountain rolls I believe, are much bigger than the other types (and kinda loosely packed/fall apart easy). I think there's one or two other types like this. I mean seriously, we're talking 2-3 times bigger than the average roll and not held together well/pretty narrow but tall. It's like trying to eat a piece of sushi as thin as 2 slices of cucumber...and that approximate size basically. About things mentioned from other reviews, indeed the waitresses do have a bit of attitude, I don't think it's personal towards any customer, I think they really don't care (and I suspect people are stingy with tips too). Definitely hit or miss. The chefs are agreeably friendly as Tom C says, and also they are sometimes stingy on refilling water. However, these last parts, are very subjective and aren't consistantly the situation so I can't really hold it against them (or the review). As an emergency its best to go with 2 people just in case someone accidentally over-orders and also to split the appetizers. Few other than perhaps tempura are small appetizer portions. For what it's worth, this is about a weekly or biweekly place to go. I mean 17 bucks for all the sushi you could want if you get a sushi fix. How can you beat that?
(4)
Jeff E.

This is my favorite sushi around. Sure you might find a more fancy place or higher end dishes,but para hits the sweet spot between cost and quality. I can't enjoy my meal at other places knowing it's going to be 100+$ when it's indecernable in taste or quality to para. And you spend less than 20.....its dream deal!
(5)
Brad S.

DO not go over the weekend. All you can eat but dishes took 30min-45min to get out. Go during the week. Do not bring kids they measure them to know how much to charge.
(2)
A R.

Here is my own experience about dining at Sushi Para , Palatine Il. Such an unpleasant and unfriendly people at the front desk, outdated interior, I am a big fan of sushi. I have tried sushi at a lots of restaurants,but never had as upset stomach and diarrea as after eating here. I was lucky not to end up in Emergency room, but had to take a day at work to get back on my feet. I wonder why their sushi such inexpensive Looks like they buying low quality fish...No way I am dining at this place again! There are so many places in the area such as "Tsukasa" in Vernon Hills, " Osaka" in Mundelein will offer you high quality food with a decent customer service! Avoid Sushi Para, folks!
(1)
Nataliya A.

So 3 years ago I wrote a not so lovely review of Sushi Para, and I have not returned since... until one evening my bf and I had a major sushi craving and didn't want to dish out lots of $$ for yummy sushi. We decided to give Sushi Para another try after 3 years. I do agree, sushi para used to be terrible and I refused to go there for many years. BUT when the bf and I went a few weeks ago, boy what a change they've made! No more rice overload, and the sushi was actually good (all you can eat standards obviously) Sushi para is now a great competitor to all you can eat sushi places.
(4)
Seleen T.

Sushi para has awesome sushi and the Unlimited is a good price for lunch/dinner. Service is pretty fast and easy to order. It does get packed for dinner and lunchtime. My favorite sushi place in the area. Fresh food.
(5)
Jennifer P.

This remains my favorite AYCE sushi joint since they have a good selection of appetizers, nigiri, and rolls. My favorites are the Hokkai, Palatine, American Dream, and Rainbow rolls. The nigiri can often be very rice-heavy and isn't the best sushi rice. The fish, to the best of my knowledge, comes pre-packaged (not always cut) and has been frozen. Quality can be hit-or-miss but is usually decent. Service is obviously better at off-peak times. Expect a wait on Friday and Saturday evenings! Dinner price is slightly more than lunch ($16.99 vs. $18.99 I believe).
(3)
Henry T.

After a long day of shopping for a new desk, I was craving sushi. I was decently far from home so I wasn't familiar with the sushi restaurants in the area. I decided to go to Sushi Para because they had an all you can eat option. I went in alone, straight to the counter and told them table for one. I was directed towards the window seats, which gave me the option to sit where I wanted. Immediately I was asked what I would like to drink and was handed the different menus. There are 3 menus: The Standard with everything they sell plus pricing, a Dinner All You Can Eat which is $18.99, and a Lunch All You Can Eat, which is only available before a certain time, so I'm not sure how much that cost. The dinner all you can eat has more selection than the lunch though. If you're not familiar with all you can eat sushi places, I'll explain how they work since most of them are the same. Basically eat what you can order, or you'll be charged for what you don't finish. A menu shows all the selections from maki rolls, nigiri, and specialty rolls. Just write down how much you want of each type of sushi and they'll bring it to you for one price. Anyway so I was given my drink and I was already prepared to order. I started my Yelp review while I was waiting for my sushi to arrive. But I didn't even get finished with the second paragraph, it came so quick. It was probably because I was eating alone. Before my eyes were, the Palatine Roll, the Para Roll, the Philadelphia Roll, and two pieces of eel sushi. All of them tasted different in flavor which is a good thing. The fish was very fresh, and the rice was cooked to perfection. I ordered a second round, but I couldn't tell you what I got because at that point I was just shoving them in my mouth. When I was done, I asked for my check and I was on my way. I'm glad more and more people are trying sushi. It's such a wonderful food and Sushi Para really delivers in service and quality. Next time I'm in the area I'll be sure to hit up this place again. If you like good sushi, good service, and a good aesthetically pleasing environment, please go eat at Sushi Para, you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Mark D.

First time dining here and the last time dining here! You wouldn't expect an $18.99 AYCE Sushi special to be the highest quality, but you shouldn't expect it to be so bad you couldn't wait to leave. The nice thing is you get a large selection of rolls and sashimi to choose from, but that's where it ends. Almost every single roll had cucumber in which I can only imagine is used to fill you up, making the taste difference from one roll to the next barely noticeable unless it had spicy mayo on it. The sashimi was made with such a large amount of rice it was ridiculous. Again, I believe it was purposely made that way to fill you up quickly. They have a very strict "You Pay for What You Don't Eat" policy, so maybe they're trying to make money that way. I got a roll I didn't even order! The only reason I gave them two stars is because the sashimi was very fresh and tasty. I just took half the rice off of it. I didn't have enough of anything good that makes me want to return again. Very disappointed.
(2)
Susan S.

Came with my boys and my oldest really knows the rolls to order. The food was really delicious . Very fresh the servers were a big disappointment , perhaps they're burnt out on all you can eat patrons . But the whole time we were there they were almost robotic. No smiles and no communication . Be aware if you choose to come here you have to clean your plate or you will be charged for not eating your remaining sushi I am a member of the clean plate club or at least take a doggy bag home. ( being brought up by my very frugal Japanese parents , dad was raised in depression) they will allow you to bring home any leftover sushi for a fee. So for twenty dollars it's worth it. I think my eldest son and friends try to bankrupt this place.
(4)
Mykyta C.

Let me tell you helpers, I've lived in palatine for over a decade now and this is the spot to go in the northwest suburbs for any sushi lovers! I always get the 19.99 all you can eat deal and it never disappoints. I've eaten over 40 pieces in a sitting here but be careful because u have o eat what u order! But either way this place is the bees knees. Service is great, they have a liquor license, they cook it right next to you! Been here over 50 times and will keep coming!
(5)
Sakif F.

The AYCE is a terrible deal. It's more like AYCE rice. You're much better off just ordering from the regular menu.
(2)
Brenda G.

Holy crap talk about rice. They use a lot of rice and the rolls tend to fall apart. I ordered two rolls and two individual pieces. Be careful with the amount you order because the rice fills you up quickly and there is a charge for what you don't finish. Besides the rice amount, it is a great spot. I drove over 30 min and it was worth it. They have an all you can eat lunch special and dinner special but check out the times as the prices change. The staff was nice but not as attentive as I would have liked them to be. It's not a very big place so a little music would be nice to not awkwardly over hear people's conversations. The quality of the food is great, I will definitely return.
(4)
Yan H.

Sushi Para the Sushi fantastic
(5)
Randy C.

Nothing but rice and if you dont finish they make you pay for it. Garbage sushi
(1)
Trisha P.

Love love love this place!! Great sushi, made to order. Great staff and service! And you can't beat the price!!
(5)
Natalie C.

Without fail the most inexpensive, high quality sushi there is. I do agree that if you go for the all you can eat buffet they really amp up the amount of rice they use in their rolls. We order take out from here all the time and I've never been disappointed with the quality of their sushi, it's always delicious and fresh.
(5)
Fred M.

I love this place. The Maguro is always excellent.
(5)
Victoria W.

Ok so where do I begin. Honestly coming from the southeast, I am not used to buffets making me pay for leftover food. That is honestly a lot of pressure, I mean people should know not to be wasteful whether if it's buffet or dine in. The worst part about this place is that towards the end I was SICK OF EATING RICE. But I will still be back haha. Basically the wait is treacherous, and I showed up here at 8:45PM. Took forever for me to flag someone down so I could ask a question on how the process works. Finally I got my water. Then I marked up the items I want and handed the slip to my waitress, she disappeared for lord knows how long. Finally she brought out the veggie tempura and shumai I placed an order for. Generous portion, looks like they serve you the full size of an appetizer. Then I waited some more, don't ever come here by yourself, you will die of boredom waiting. Finally my sushi was ready and it was all worth it. Exceptional presentation, in fact best presentation for a sushi buffet place. The fish was very fresh. The rolls were tasty. Once again, the worst part is the heavy rice and you are forced to finish everything. URGH. If it wasn't for the wait and the pressure, this place would be 5 stars in my book. Basically I came here wanting pita pita and for some reason hopped over next door and came out with a food coma.
(4)
Vivek W.

This is an amazing place. Every time I come here I am so happy with the food and the service. This is also a buffet and the price us just right.
(5)
Andrea M.

Even though the waitresses watch you like hawks, the sushi is amazing. I always come back for more. All you can eat sushi is my weakness, and you can't beat the $20 price. Just don't leave any behind, not even the rice! They will charge you!
(4)
Yanja B.

IN LOVE! Enough said! I love Sushi Para- amazing sushi! The only thing I wish is that my stomach would magically expand so I can eat all of the sushi!! *Nom Nom* I often fantasize about myself coming back here to eat sushi. You have to come check it out- absolutely delicious all you can eat sushi! See you soon Sush Para!!
(5)
Ben P.

Great, if you go into it expecting it to be what is it: a budget sushi place. All you can eat sushi for a set price like this is a great deal, and it doesn't take long to get your money's worth. The quality is great for what it is - nothing that's going to blow you out of the water, but good. I was happy to see things other than sushi, like miso soup and gyoza, on the all you can eat menu. Definitely come hungry and ready to eat!
(4)
Brent G.

The mixed reviews are interesting to read, but in a sense they're all correct in a way. There are two opposing forces at work: - The quality of the fish is actually very good. I sat at the sushi bar, and watched impeccable plates come out rapidly, made to order, with good ingredients. You can have all you want too. Sounds good right? - People aren't exaggerating about the quantity of rice. It's massive. Insane, really. You'll fill up twice as fast as you think, because the rice will rapidly expand in your stomach. I started with nigiri, and was dismayed at the bricks of rice under each piece of high quality fish. Then I got "smart" - realizing that rolls had multiple non-rice items (fish, shrimp, avocado, cucumber) and had to be a better option. I couldn't have been more wrong. From my vantage point, I could see the sushi chef grabbing a massive handful of rice to make each roll, then smashing it down onto the wrapper with such force that the rice compressed into a solid mat. As a result, each roll had twice as much rice as it appeared to. I can eat - my stomach is a black hole - but I had to fight hard to finish my second plate, so I wouldn't pay a penalty. And I didn't order very much either time. (in total, a few rolls, and 4 pieces of nigiri) The most important piece of advice is that this is a budget sushi buffet. Your expectations shouldn't be through the roof. The price is totally reasonable, and the quality is actually pretty good. They have to make it work somehow, and the way they do it is by making you eat far more rice than you'd like to, which minimizes how much fish you can eat. If you know that going in, and don't have unrealistic expectations, you'll like Sushi Para.
(4)
Brad N.

I enjoyed my meal, and didn't have any problems but my girlfriend and brother both were in the bathroom for the next hour after we got home. Not sure if the fish they used was not clean but we will not go back to this restaurant after this experience.
(2)
Vit G.

Come here every time I visit Chicago. Sushi was always great and service was held on point most of the time. But last week when we visited I've noticed that they started using 10 times more rice on all of their rolls which fills you up way too fast.... Sushi Coma lol
(4)
V P.

Went there for dinner on Valentines day around 6:00 with no reservation. Seated around 6:45ish, which was the wait time we were told, couple tables were rather close but we ended up talking to and making friends with the couple next to us and the two sisters next to them! c: Good place to meet good people and have excellent sushi. All you can eat and portions are large and tasty. Para Roll, Volcano Roll, Cruchy Roll, Spicy Salmon and Godzilla Roll are must-tries. All delicious. Went to another all you can eat sushi place not long ago and discovered I have been spoiled with the quality from here and now my standards are pretty high. I sincerely love this place.
(5)
Cody F.

Mediocre at best. All you can eat very quickly turned into how are we going to choke all of this down... definitely better options in the area. The good: Pretty good selection for an AYCE menu. Service was decent. Green tea included. All you can eat prices were very modest (although I suppose now I know why). Salmon tasted good. Wasabi had a good amount of heat. The bad: Rice was hard and the rolls fell apart. Our order was not quite right but they fixed it. The eel was slightly undercooked and incredibly fishy. Way too much rice in the rolls and especially in the nigiri, but that's to be expected sushi with AYCE. The ugly: Watched a server eating something in the corner next the sushi bar several times and not washing her hands before handling plates and whatnot. The sweet egg was half brown and looked a week old. Overall: I won't be back. If you stick to the basics and go in with low expectations, you'll probably be fine.
(2)
Sarah J.

Terrible customer service. The waitress was talking to the sushi man the whole time that we had to wave our hands to get her attention. When the sushi man was making our sushi, he was talking over the rolls that I lost my appetite.
(1)
Felice C.

I've been to Sushi Para a handful of times--this location only once. You can never have too high expectations when it comes to AYCE sushi places, but Sushi Para is pretty darn great for $18.99. I came here on a weekday night with a friend and it wasn't too crowded; our waitress was super polite and patient. I ordered edamame, tatsuta age, palatine roll, hokkai roll, pop up roll, and volcano roll. The tatsuta age was pretty rough and not very fresh or crunchy...but my favorites were palatine roll and hokkai roll! I definitely recommend those. Yuuuuum :P I want some sushi now!!!
(4)
Ray L.

This will be a short one... Great Sushi! Great Atmosphere! Perfect for date nights ! I can't visit this place enough!
(5)
Ryan H.

Gotta love that all you can eat sushi for 15.50 at lunch, really can't beat the price or the quality of the sushi. It's not gonna be your highest quality sushi but for 15.50 bucks, you honestly can't beat it. I love the crunch rolls and shrimp tempura. The spicy salmon is also another must get. The service is great and it's always reasonable time. The ingredients are always fresh. I have been seeing in other reviews that they put a lot of rice. That's only somewhat true but only on a roll with one ingredient, for example if You just got a salmon or eel roll, it would just be that fish on top of a chunk of rice, but it's not bad. I would recommend this to any sushi lover and to come check it out.
(5)
Jim D.

Sushi is just ok, the rice is hard and cheap, portions on the all you can eat are thin with a bunch of extra rice. If you do not eat all the food they charge you for it a and no clue where the get the prices for it. Watch your receipt closely for over charges!!
(1)
Andrew G.

Visited with my wife Sunday looking for a place to satiate a craving for sushi and wasn't particularly impressed. Tucked into a strip mall, Sushi Para isn't particularly big, but accommodates patrons well enough for the act of sitting down and ordering a ton of sushi with friendly servers to match. If you have the appetite for it, the all-you-can-eat option for $18.99 is definitely the way to go. Unfortunately, my wife and I weren't particularly fans. The sheer amount of rice packed around each roll or under each bit of sashimi was downright gratuitous to the point of blending out any flavor of the sushi itself. At times, feeling like you were eating rice that just happened to have some sushi in it. The Tamago and Crab sashimi were great along with the Tempura rolls were both good, in addition to the appetizers. Yet, otherwise a majority of the sushi flew well under the radar of comparable offerings from other restaurants in the area. For all-you-can-eat prices, it isn't bad. However, as a caveat, if you leave even so much as a single piece on your plate from a roll, you'll be charge on your bill for doing so should you opt for the all-you-can-eat option. Understandably, it deters people from over-ordering, but such measures seem ultimately draconian. As of now, my wife and I are unsure about a return visit when there's so many better offerings for cheaper a la carte sushi closer to us.
(2)
Mitch H.

Me and my friends have been frequenting Sushi Para for a few years now, and at first it we thought it was a pretty great place. For while now, however, it has been seemingly going downhill. The quality of the fish, especially the salmon, has taken a dive. It is obviously a poorly farm raised, very fatty, artificially dyed variety of salmon. Not that I expect top notch salmon for $19 all you can eat, but it is just wholly unappetizing to see salmon this anemic looking. The rolls themselves also aren't anywhere as neatly constructed as they once were. I frequently find them looking haphazardly put together. This wouldn't be a problem, really, except the pieces almost always start falling apart upon grasping them with my chopsticks. They're also much too heavy on the rice. I can understand that they're trying to keep costs down, but the fish to rice ratio is simply ridiculous even by all you can eat standards. The servers are also now giving us a harder time than usual. Being charged extra for a couple small pieces left on the plate, bringing the wrong items (i.e. serving plum wine when asked for red wine), and being relatively inattentive to tables they've served are problems we're experiencing. I was charged $8 for a couple pieces of sushi my girlfriend left on her plate, even though she only ordered 3 rolls. My friend just the other night was charged for a mere two pieces left on his plate. What?!?! Though this place could feasibly regain another star in my eye if they rectified the fish and roll construction quality issues, it is what it is and that's a budget sushi joint. To the people giving this place 4 or 5 stars: please go to a decent sushi restaurant and try some sushi that isn't made with bottom of the barrel fish, and stop giving budget sushi 5 star reviews.
(2)
Katrina D.

I tried this place for the first time last night with my boyfriend after having driven past it for years. I was pleasantly surprised! I was craving sushi so my boyfriend looked up places in the area. We saw Sushi Para had some cheap rolls so we decided to make the trip. When we got there, we were pleasantly surprised to see an All You Can Eat option for $18.99, which would be the way to go if you wanted even two specialty rolls. I got four rolls, my boyfriend got three, and we eat got a miso soup. THE ROLLS ARE HUGE!!! They are completely stuffed. You will not be disappointed with the size or the taste. Another plus was how quickly all our rolls were prepared. The restaurant was half full and we got our food within 15 minutes. Warning: they say on the menu you will have to pay for any leftover rolls you do not eat. I think it would be okay if you had a few bites left, but not an entire roll. Definitely check it out if you are a sushi lover like me! I'm going to go back for sure.
(4)
Dovy D.

Great value and good quality sushi, not the best but also miles above what you'd expect from an all you can eat sushi place. Loved the mackerel and eel nigiri. As far as rolls there was a very tasty one with shrimp tempura inside. If I was in the area I'd definitely come here everytime to get my fix.
(4)
Cary W.

Sushi para is a great place to go with some friends for lunch. The staff are polite and prompt, with a great atmosphere as well it makes it a great place to have a longer lunch. The prices are great for lunch especially and the quality of the sushi here is on par. There's not much better you can do for a great sushi experience.
(4)
Kyle M.

$15.99 lunch buffet & $18.99 dinner buffet. So if you come here hungry enough, you can order 17 miso soups, 11 edamame dishes, & 168 pieces of sushi (or more) for your meal. All this for the same price of one signature roll at a high-class sushi lounge. No, it's not as good as high-class lounges, but it's hands down the best all-you-can-eat sushi you will find! If you're a first timer, I would stick with the Pop-up roll, American Dream Roll, Palatine roll, and yellowtail sushi. Miso soup is a great starter, too!
(4)
Mr.andMrs. A.

NEVER COMING BACK! I'm sorry you feel you don't need to be nice to customers because you're busy. Keep treating customers like they are garbage and you won't have that problem much longer. I can't say enough about how poor the service was. And the sushi. Barf. Unless you like your sushi 98% rice. Sorry sushi para you aren't the only sushi place in town anymore. Get it together.
(1)
Amy L.

Sushi is for the rich and glamorous, we get it. So you drive by sushi places and try to quiet your cravings for the sake of your wallet that's more famished than your stomach. But one day you're gonna cave and wantt to eat an entire 5 months worth of sushi-- thus, the reason for Sushi Para's existence. All you can eat is just $20/ person. You not only get maki rolls but also sushi and other appetizers, so this is your chance to finally get the sai salad you've been wanting to try but never getting it out of guilt. But you're not going to want to get too many things other than sushi- every time I've come here I've walked out of the place hunched over, apologizing over and again to my poor stomach whom I've stretched to the limit. The rolls aren't exactly beautiful and are a bit lackluster in their composition, but you're not going there to admire art, you're going there to devour sushi.
(4)
Nelson M.

Restaurant review update: Please read my prior review for all the details. This place is still happening with a long line Sunday night for dinner. Buffet cost 18.99 which is nice. Lots of rice with the maki, but the salmon was so fresh and fatty it was amazing. The only downside was with our main order they would short change the maki order each time. Maybe it is because they ran out of room on the plate. If you like sushi and are okay with rice you should come here for the AYCE experience.
(4)
Asdf A.

Pro Variety Con TOO MUCH RICE Recommended Spicy Tuna roll It looks like sushi and tastes like sushi. Sushi are fine except too much rice, destroying balance of taste. Although quality is poor, being buffet and variety they offer make up for it. A good place to visit if you want to dumpster sushi into your stomach at relatively cheaper price.
(3)
Tina L.

All you can eat sushi? YES PLEASE! The key thing here is to pace yourself! Know how much you can handle, because they will charge you for any extra food left over. I've heard of people hiding their rice in the soy sauce container, so make sure to check it before pouring some into your dish. Keep in mind, for the all you can eat, they don't want to go out of business, so they pack A LOT of rice on the nigiri. The rolls are decent (not as much rice) but keep in mind that fried stuff like tempura in the rolls can add to making you feel a lot more full. Overall, I think for the price and for the fact that I'm in the midwest, the quality and taste of the sushi is pretty good. 3 stars in my book!
(3)
Allison A.

How could you not like this place? 19 bucks for ayce? Order some of the more expensive rolls and you have more than gotten your money's worth. For gf people- I brought my own soy sauce, but I thought I saw a gf soy sauce bottle behind the sushi chefs. Also, they use imitation crab, so stay away from the rolls with crab. The free green tea was fabulous as well. I wish I lived closer!
(4)
Olena Y.

Literally will never go here again. They watch you like a hawk ( which is very awkward). The customer service is horrible. Their rolls are loaded with rice and are warm gross!
(1)
Jade J.

The sushi is pretty good over all, but my 2 stars are for the HORRIBLE service and the fact that if you pay for the "all you can eat" buffet, they charge you for any food you don't finish. Yes, they let you know that prior, but still. It's tacky. But, unlike the charge for uneaten food, they DO NOT give you any notice that the servers will ignore you and make it almost impossible to reorder your "all you can eat" sushi.
(2)
James L.

Haven't tried the all you can eat, but definitely had a couple of rolls to go for lunch. It was pretty solid! I'd come back for sure. Lunch and for all you can eat next time...
(4)
Bogdan B.

first sushi i ever tried was at sushi para. since then i still believe they are the best. they are always busy and because of that fish meat is always fresh. they will always have a special place in my heart :)
(5)
Sumaiya M.

NEVER GOING BACK HERE AGAIN!!! Was a repeat customer for 2 years. Our last visit a couple days ago was the final straw! never have we ever has such horrible customer service! These people charge you for stuff without your knowledge! Pretty sure that's illegal!! Just like any restaurant, you tip based on how the food was is, and also customer service amongst other things. A few visits ago my friend asked for some Siriacha sauce. The waitress flat out said "I'm sorry we can only give you a little bit because it's expensive". EXCUSE ME?! We are paying for our food aren't we?! We then paid for our food and left. We used to leave a good tip each time. Until the service went down the drain. THEY DONT ACCEPT ANY LESS THAN $10 tip!! A couple days ago we went during their all you can eat lunch. When we asked for the check we noticed that we were being charged 15% on top of the sushi. Only 2 people were eating and we were being charged for 5 people. We went up to the register where the manager was standing. We asked why we were being charged for 5 people. She says "you know that our employees need to make money so I added the 16% to your bill" WTF?! She starts raising her voice saying "you should know Americans give tips" what does that mean?! We trusted this place and never thought they would do this. But they've been doing this without our knowledge for several months!! THEY FLAT OUT STEAL FROM YOU!! We asked that should've communicated with us and asked us if there was anything wrong with the service instead of adding 16% to our bill!! She replied "well I just did didn't i?" NEVER GOING BACK HERE!! If I was able to to give no stars I would've!
(1)
Samantha A.

Very good sushi and great price for buffet!
(5)
Vladyslav K.

I'm frequenting to this place. I like their pricing of lunch specials. I always get three rolls for 13 bucks for carry out. Fast prep. 8-10 minutes and you are good to go no matter how crowed the place is. This is obviously not a haute cuisine but the quality is food is ok. Service is ok as well.
(4)
Paul G.

Hm. Not as good at the one in lincoln park or wicker park. They charge you per bottle when you bring in your own beer. It also has to be something that they serve at the restaurant. The food was good though, just not a fan of the different rules.
(3)
Violet M.

This place is walking distance from my house. Nigiri sushi is cheap, $1 a piece. My daughter likes the tamago, eel, crab and shrimp. I like their salmon skin roll and california roll. My son has tried their chicken and steak teriyakis. An okay place to take food out. We have tried the buffet in the past but do not recommend it. Too much rice!
(3)
Skyler J.

Ate lunch it was good this time. A bit surprised! Great service! Go for lunch because its peacefully friendly.
(3)
Geoff F.

The sushi was actually pretty good! Price wasn't terrible either. I had the spivey salmon and the Christmas rolls; the spicy salmon was delicious, while the Christmas roll was a little bland. Their vegetable tempura was great.
(4)
Lorenza D.

The best all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant I've ever been to! Price was very affordable! Everything tasted fresh and the quality was great! I was able to have 3 plates without wanting to throw up! Lol Servers were real nice! Checked up on us every once in a while, always made sure our waters were full. And the plating was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Great experience!
(5)
Aly L.

Our family loves this place. We've been going there for years now. Best combination of the price and quality. The fish always tastes fresh. The overall atmosphere is very casual. This is not an upscale or fancy place by any means. Really simple. I would recommend their Palatine and American Dream rolls and the suno mono.
(5)
Teresa Y.

I've been a regular customer there. There were times I actually been there once a week with my friends. I never liked the amount of sushi rice they put, but they always charged me $2~$5 for left overs which was fine with me. I never thought too much about their customer service because it was never extraordinarily too good or too bad, but today I decided to NEVER GO BACK THERE AGAIN!!!! I ordered hot sake and it was not hot at all so I asked for reheating it which is not a too much to ask and the server frowned right upon it, and I felt not so happy about it. Then again we never received water so we asked for it almost in the half way done with our sushi, and the girl frowned again. When they thought that we could not understand Chinese, actually my friend who does understand Chinese and caught them behind our table talking about us. That was not a pleasant experience and very rude. We tipped the server decent amount regardless of the trash service, and the server snatched the check book right off from my hand as soon as I signed and made an eye contact with the other server and they looked at us once and were actaully laughing at us. I was just so disappointed at their service today. Regardless of their good maki and sushi, no one deserves that kind of service.
(1)
Jennifer F.

SO fresh, pretty fast, and affordable. What more could you ask for at an AYCE sushi place? If you come on a weekend night, be prepared to wait forever. But it's worth it, and in the meantime, you can check out the little asian grocery next door.
(5)
Gina C.

Sushi Para is my favorite sushi place in the area. They are very reasonably priced, great food, great service and fast. I recommend the Alaska roll. It is delicious!
(5)
Erick P.

I always wanted to try this place out and I finally got to yesterday. I went here with my gf, I got the all you can eat and she got some single rolls. The sushi quality is good but the gyzoa and vegetable tempura were a bit sloppy. it seemed like they just wanted to get these out as soon as they can. The service was also okay...I mean for the price you cant go wrong but it didn't live up the hype that i expected.
(3)
Adam M.

Gross... I do not understand how this place has good ratings. Fish is mushy and they serve waaaay too much rice with their rolls. Good thing is, it will still make a turd.
(1)
Jisha J.

I have tried a few places across the country for all-you-can-eat sushi and this place was average. They had all the basic rolls plus a few more interesting ones. They had very good miso soup, but their gyozas were just average. The night we went was very busy and so it took a long time to get our food. For the price, it was a good deal, but the sushi was definitely not as good as some of the other places we have tried before. Might give it another shot since it's close by though!
(3)
Joe M.

Order sushi and water and you will be fine. Sushi is fresh as they have a lot of business. Service and health codes have not been so good in the past. That is why you get sushi and water ONLY
(5)
Melissa B.

I love this place, but you have to go hungry to get your money's worth. The rolls, especially the more expensive one that will make the AYCE worth while, are HUGE and mostly filled with rice. This is how they get you! I couldn't eat more than 3 rolls last time due to the amount of rice. Sushi rolls are delicious, but I wish they had more filling than rice. Also, order in small amounts because they will charge you for what you don't eat.
(3)
Lisha K.

This is one of the best sushi restaurants in the area. Its a small place but the food is good.
(5)
Akira S.

We love sushi and eat lots of it. We decided to stop for the all you can eat. The nigiri and rolls were not fresh and the rice was hard like it was cooked a day before and kept in the fridge. What's worse is that there was way too much rice in the nigiri/ sushi making it not proportional to the amount of fish. So all you could taste was rice. In the past we ordered sushi for take out, and it was never like this.
(1)
Edward M.

Very good all you can eat place! Lunch is like 16 dollars and dinner is 19, I think dinner has a more extensive menu than lunch. Overall the sushi was good, the right amount of filling to rice that authentic places use, some buffets give way more rice. This place also offers some really good specialty rolls like the american, the crunchy, palatine, and boston rolls. All have fillings like shrimp, fried shrimp, tuna, and a bunch of other stuff. I really wanted to try the soft shelled crab but it was extra and I figured I'd try the main stream stuff first. For the price, after tax and tip, we paid 20 bucks a person and was treated to a very nice server that kept refilling our tea and water and asked if we wanted to order more food. A monday at noon and the place was only 1/3 full but I have heard it normally gets really full on Sunday nights. I'd definitely come back again because of the bang for your buck, quality wise I have had better but it costs a lot more then. For the price of 1 really good roll else where (about 12 bucks) add 4 more dollars and you get all you can eat good rolls. Also the sashimi comes 1 piece at a time which is nice so you can try a bunch of things without being full up on one thing. Also they have chicken nuggets for some reason, it's called like taka alga or sumfin. And they have shui mai, dumplings, um yea those were def ordered premade and steamed, they aren't good by dim sum standards.
(4)
Brett E.

For being an all you can eat sushi place, Sushi Para is pretty good. They have interesting rolls that have all tasted great, just don't eat TOO much otherwise you may regret it later. Also, make sure to make a reservation. This tiny restaurants fills up fast. However, I'm giving this place 3 stars because of the staff. The staff can be very rude and unattentive at times. They don't explain their pricing or rules well, and they disappear for long periods of time.
(3)
Kat A.

This is my go-to sushi place. I have always gone here for their buffet deal. $18.99 (it's somewhere around $17.99-$18.99 for dinner and maybe around $14.99 for lunch) for all you can eat sushi and appetizers that you can choose from a list. Appetizers include edamame, salad, shu mai, chicken yakitori, miso soup, potstickers, etc. The only downfall is that if you don't finish the sushi you order, you have to pay about 50 cents per piece (but you can take it home). The fish is pretty fresh. My favorite roll is the volcano roll...I believe it's spicy tuna and salmon inside.
(5)
Yashita M.

this place has best sushi. you can't stop eating it and it is best quality. So good and much better than other places, eat here and you will see for self it is truth.
(5)
Pari P.

Sushi buffet for $18.99 where your food is made to order, can it get any better than this? Although there are several other sushi buffets in the Chicagoland area, Sushi Para holds the crown as being the best in my book. I have been to several other sushi buffets in Chicago where you can only order two rolls at a time or there is a limited selection to choose from or charge up to $30 a person. Sushi Para, on the other hand, has no limitations or stipulations. Take note, if you don't finish your food, they will charge you extra. Beware, their rolls tend to be larger and contain more rice than usual which makes the meal even more filling. I have been charged extra in the past due to my eyes being larger than my stomach. For appetizers, choose from a variety from Japanese fried chicken, yaki tori, fried oysters, and gyoza. From the a la carte items, enjoy unagi, red snapper, tuna, salmon, ebi, and etc. The best part is the number of maki rolls to choose from, there are at least 10 on the menu. All of which are part of the buffet. Did I say that it was only $18.99? Just wanted to make sure that you in case I forgot. I like their Palatine location the best but their locations in the city have BYOB. The trade-off is that there will definitely be a wait unless you can go during their off times. Heads up on the odd new age music in the background.
(4)
Vladimir K.

Food is really good here. Service is probably the worst in the entire Chicago land area. Waitresses are unorganized and leave you waiting for a long long long time.
(2)
Penny L.

Let me start by saying it's disappointing for me to only rate Sushi Para as a 1-Star establishment. I used to love their sushi. The Sapporo roll was my favorite by far. I recently ordered take-out, as I often do from there, and it was vile. I ordered several things, 2 of which were a spicy tuna roll and the Sapporo roll, when I went to get my food I saw the tuna rolls causally sitting on the back counter. I thought nothing of it since the rest of the order wasn't ready so I just figured they had just gotten through making them--I was very wrong. The tuna was hot, as though they hasn't had it on ice or refrigerated the whole day, hot! I always order no tobiko with my sushi because I personally don't care for caviar and the rolls were loaded with them! I called in hopes of them being willing to at least make my dinner over and the manager I spoke to was very rude and argued with me about it. I offered to bring the food back to show her that there was caviar all over the rolls-inside, outside, everywhere-and she could not care less. She even hung up on me! Horrible customer service. I will never be eating here again.
(1)
Angeles A.

Very disappointed! This is the 1st time the waitress is rude! Rolls were filled w exaggerated amounts of rice. I thought I'd take some of the rice off to better enjoy what was In front of me to just be told i was going to be charged add'l for the rice that is on my plate! Really?? Your sushi chef added double the rice and now I have to pay for it? Wow!
(1)
Donna L.

ALL FOR A DOLLAR? Going out for a nice family dinner... Decided to try the this place... Sushi rolls were sub-par... And the worst part about the 'all you can eat' shady deal is that they fill most of the roll with RICE. We finished all the rolls and I left some of the rice. The lady takes it away... And returns a few minutes later with the plate to say, "My manager says we charge you $1 for the extra rice." And I just say, no problem. Not like that dollar matters to me... But to make things even worse, she proceeds to say, "did you want finish it?" After she had already taken it away?!? That was just gross. So we're charged for extra rice, and charged when we don't eat rice. What is this world coming to? I hope this review costs you more than a dollar.
(1)
Denis N.

The food was pretty good... Although, DO NOT get the all you can eat unless you have not eaten all day. The sushi pieces in this restaurant are MASSIVE! In fact massive is an understatement. You'd be just fine ordering individual rolls from the menu. Great place to eat!!! Will visit again!
(4)
Kiera D.

This place was pretty good! It definitely was not the best place ever! But decent!
(3)
Emily R.

We have been there now two times. The first time, the sushi wasn't too bad; but the server took the bill we were preparing and counted the cash right in front of us! Super unprofessional - and we weren't even finished with it. The second time we wanted to give it another shot and the sushi looked and tasted so terrible we refused to eat it. Then they wanted to charge us for the difference. All in all, would not give it a third shot...
(2)
Spencer H.

I come in here & sometimes wonder if the workers here are cyborgs. I come in here at least one a week. I have never got a "Hi, how are you"? I have never got a "Hi, welcome back" or even when I'm leaving a "Thanks for coming". I am a really easy person to deal with & do not expect these things all the time, but if a customer that comes in & supports your business once a week I would think you should be really friendly to them & let them know you are very happy that they support your business. The restaurant has a very simple lay out. They have a sushi bar & bunch of tables. The place is always clean & the staff isn't bad. I usually order the Miso Soup,Shrimp Tempura & the Spicy Tuna roll & they are always delicious here. The food is delicious & the tuna is always fresh here which is what keeps me coming back. I also like the all you can eat option. The all you can eat sushi is 18.95 for dinner & you can get your moneys worth from this. Overall I will be back here because the food is good.
(3)
Jenny V.

All you can eat lunch for 15.50 per person. Since i probably can't eat enough to make it worth it, i shared a lunch special with a friend, 3 rolls for 11.99 and she got the complementary bowl of miso soup. We got spicy tuna, american roll and shrimp tempura roll. It did take a while for our rolls to come, but that's expected, it was almost a full house when we arrived and they do have to make the sushi! The place is kinda small, i don't think they laid the place out very well. We got stuck with a table right by the door. The quality of the sushi is pretty good. I would say its better than okay quality, they do put a lot of rice though. I'll definitely come back if someone wants to try this place again, but i do have a lot of sushi places bookmarked! If you can eat a lot of sushi i would say get the all you can eat, otherwise, their lunch specials are pretty good!
(4)
Brandon W.

I am really not sure where to begin. I have heard a lot of good things about this place and to tell you the truth was still a bit skeptical. I mean, come on - an all you can eat deal that is actually good? You've either got to be a chronic liar, or you've just never had good sushi. So I decided it was time to try it out.. I bit the bullet, and went for out. After the long drive out to Palatine I have to tell you, I was pretty hungry - I would have eaten anything you put in front of me. Well, not anything... But I would have eaten something I tell ya. Anyway, the menu they have was pretty extensive for the buffet. MANY different rolls that at a "normal" sushi place you would consider specialty rolls that would cost you upwards of $15. Not at Sushi Para! They took the best they had to offer and threw it on the buffet menu, and I have to tell you - I did not try one single roll that I didn't like! Sure, some where better then others, but all of them were excellent! I can't even remember the names of the rolls because everyone was just that good. Plus, with the amazing deal of $18 for all you can eat for dinner? That's an incredible deal. I can spend that much per person at a "normal" sushi joint, and still be hungry. (What can I say, I like to eat!) If you live in the area, you're lucky! If you don't get a car, or a friend with a car, or pick up someone at a bar that has a car, and go out there - you will not be disappointed. Oh and one more note - be prepared to wait in line if you come in around prime dinner hours. I don't think I saw any less then 10 people waiting at the door the entire time we were there.
(4)
Hans H.

As always, packed at about 6:45pm on a Saturday evening, but only a 20 minute wait or so for 2. Ordered a good mix of rolls and nigiri and was very satisfied at the cuts. Next time, however, I think I will order mostly rolls because you just get more 'stuff' and less rice per piece. This is not to say that the nigiri pieces are disproportionately more rice than fish, but the rolls are just a better value and you get more variety. It's part of why I appreciate this place so much--they don't try ripping you off by stuffing your rolls with more rice to fill you up. In fact, I frequently think that their rice layer is thinner than most other sushi places that aren't all you can eat. To people who complain about having to pay for food they didn't eat: They aren't treating you unfairly by filling the pieces with more rice to fill you up like some places. You knew the conditions going into it, and it's not like you can't split your order up in case you couldn't finish. As always, fish was good quality and everything came out well presented and well made. I recommend getting there earlier rather than later, however. It seems that the more packed they get, the faster they're churning out their sushi rice. It gets to a point where the sushi rice starts coming out semi-warm, and because they're packing or spreading it on the nigiri pieces or rolls, the rice seems to get ultra sticky and dense. I think this is a direct cause of the rice not being cooled enough before they start making stuff with it. My guess is that if you got there early enough before they get really busy, you wouldn't have this problem.
(4)
DEALS D.

Food ok . Service sucks
(1)
Kristina K.

The disappointment was the fact that they charge you for the sushi that you do not eat.
(3)
Bethany B.

This is one of my favorite Sushi restaurants because of the buffet. I recommend the Spider Roll and Under Control Roll. I also like the yaki chicken sticks.
(4)
N E.

It's hard to rate because the service is so uneven every time that I go there. There also seems to be a new excentricity in the the service each visit. I assume that the noted examples of this in other reviews is no accident but the survival stategy of this restaurant in this genre. That being said, it is the standard that every sushi buffet and all you can eat sushi restaurant has to be measured by in the northern suburbs.
(4)
J T.

I am a huge fan of this place. I go at lunchtime and get the 3 roll special. The Alaska rolls are great, especially with a side of spicy mayonnaise. Great sushi for a small price.
(1)
Jay N.

The physical space is a little small, so there aren't that many tables, but I'm glad you're not completely sitting next to another group. Unfortunately, that can lead to long waits. The sushi buffet is $18.99 but now they have add-ons, which weren't too favorable. The spider roll was a $1 and the King Crab roll was another $2. They give you a lot of rice and a little less fish on the sushi now. The nigiri used to hang off the rice but now it's just on top and the rice is pretty dense and seemed higher. The rolls are still pretty good and you can request hand rolls as well. The selection of sushi and rolls seems a bit limited compared to other places but it seems to be a business decision to keep costs down or rather, decent profit margins. It's a little disappointing to see how it's gone down from the past when it was pretty good.
(3)
Frank A.

This place has decent sushi, yet I do agree with others that it can be a bit rice heavy. Service wasn't as bad as others reviewd. We came on on a Sunday and service was fine. It could be because we arrived before the lunch time rush. Overall, pretty average, meaning nothing completely blew me way, yet nothing was horribly bad either. I did enjoy the smaller appetizer-like dishses such as gyozas, etc...
(3)
Mark R.

Sushi Para is a 3 star sushi joint, but a 5 star value, thus a 4 star ranking. I have been here probably 20 or so times in the last two years and my experiences have ranged from decent to great. For the money the all-u-can-eat lunch and dinner are a great deal at 15 & 19$ respectively. If you are looking for premier quality sushi then this is just not your place, value comes at a price. If you are looking for absolutely stellar service or more quiet, quaint, or hip atmosphere than this is not the place for you. If you are looking to eat a decent amount of sushi without breaking the bank that this is the place!! The interesting thing about this place is how I feel the quality has seemed to change from visit to visit. I usually order a good deal of individual pieces and a few rolls, and often the salmon, tuna, or eel (some of my favorites) are very flavorful and other times they have been a little on the bland side. There rolls are all pretty decent and most of the complaints or negative reviews have dealt with poor customer service or being charged for leftovers etc. This is a place thats specialty is a good price for all-u-can-eat so you get what you pay for. Of course they ding you for left overs otherwise you would break the bank and close the place. This is also a great place to bring people who are interested in sushi but cautious/fearful because you can get a single piece or roll under the all-u-can-eat structure and not feel like you're breaking the bank if you don't like it. I've brought many friends who weren't sushi fans and they left with at least a better appreciation if not an enjoyment of the style of food after having left.
(4)
James L.

Good food as usual and slow service as usua
(3)
Jorge C.

Best sushi ever! The 18.99 all you can eat is great! Totally worth it!
(5)
Franklin D.

Went in for the "all you can eat" sushi lunch. It's hard to shake the strip mallish "hole in the wall" feeling you get in here. Agree with those who pointed out the heavy rice in the rolls, the cream cheese in the Philly roll is a bit much too. The waitstaff leaves something to be desired and the food took a long time to arrive. Ho hum.
(3)
Mark F.

A local little hole in the wall provides all you can eat sushi for a little under $20 - that's a good deal and good sushi. Pros - if you do the AUCE sushi then you'll be pretty happy with yourself as long as you brought your appetite. You have 25+ options for sushi choices along with appetizers. The fish tasted fresh and the rolls were big enough. If they weren't...just order another one! My buddy had something off the menu (beef teriyaki) and said it was really good as well. Cons - It was warm and made it smell even fishier. That part was gross. The place was packed and the sauna effect didn't help the dense smell of fish. And service was really slow and again with a strong language barrier. The restaurant takes reservations but when they want to. I called and asked - they said "yes we do" to which I said "how about tonight at 715" and she laughed at me. Haha. All and all - if you like sushi. If you like to eat a lot of it. This is a good place to frequent with $20 in your pocket.
(4)
Insun M.

All you can eat edible sushi for less then $20. Boom. I like how they have appetizers as a part of the AYCE such as fried oysters and shumai. Word of advice, order these apps because the sushi takes FOREVER to come. I know they're busy and all the seats are occupied but doesn't that mean you should get more sushi chefs? Another plus is that they charge just pennies for the leftover food that you can take home. I think we had at least 10 pieces left and they only charged us $1.50. Come early. Or at a random time because the wait is long and there is nowhere to sit while you wait.
(4)
Jeff S.

I've been going to this place for years and years. The all-you-can-eat sushi deal is the best sushi bargain you will find ANYWHERE. As a 200lb guy, with an appetite, I'd say I put down $40-$50 worth of sushi (had I bought it anywhere else). At Sushi Para? My $40-50 worth is under $20. I love it! And, if you're not big on sushi, the all-you-can-eat also covers many tasty cooked foods, soup, and salad. I'll continue to eat there when I'm in the mood for sushi! Jeff
(5)
Mikey W.

3.5 * stars Came here for the $15 dollar all you can eat lunch special. Decent selection of sushi and rolls, including their "American Dream" which has shrimp tempura and avocado. As expected, they pack on the rice, but the quality wasn't bad. Their gyozas are tiny, so you can pack quite a few in! Good for the price you're paying.
(3)
Yana M.

My family and I have been coming to Sushi Para for at least eight years, and it never ceases to amaze me how such a great sushi place exists in this location. We came here for my high school and college graduations, family birthdays, and anniversaries. I've lived in Chicago, DC, Boston, and in Europe, and whenever I come home to my grandparents in Wheeling, I drag my grandmother to Sushi Para. I have yet to find a better sushi place anywhere on the east coast, and especially in the Midwest, and I have spent way more money with worse results elsewhere. The real trick is to go for lunch - it's $15 for All-You-Can-Eat sushi, which includes an extensive menu of appetizers. My parents and brother never go for anything other than the sushi, which is probably more cost-efficient than my appetizer binging. Their miso soup is fine, but they have great dumplings, good ginger dressing on the salad, and fantastic yaki chicken (I save the sauce for dipping my dumplings in.) Their nigiri is good - it's always been fresh and delectable. But I really come here for one thing - the American Dream roll. It's the perfect roll - Eel, avocado, shrimp tempura, cuke, and tobiko in an eel sauce. Absolutely mouth-watering. The decor is completely unassuming, and their music sucks (I hope you like bad jazzy remakes of "You Are So Beautiful"). But for the price and the quality, Joe Cocker can serenade me until the day I die - probably from explosion by over-binging on Sushi Para's miniature delights.
(5)
Anna B.

I've been here twice so far. The second time was much better than the first. However, the first time we were with a very large party which I think contributed to the chaotic experience. This time, we came on a Sunday. This place was packed! Only one or two free tables. First the service: It was fine, not great, not amazing, but we got regular and frequent enough attention to keep us ordering and eating. Could have used a few more smiles or at least some hint of acknowledgment at time. Now - the food. This is the review for the all you can eat sushi special. This is a limited choice menu option, but you can order additional specialty roles for about a buck per roll. We started with miso and edamame. Miso was good, edamame was okay....sort of bland like it needed more salt. I ended up dipping it in soy, and it turned out tasty. We ordered the crunch roll, chicago roll, spicy tuna, volcano, and other rolls which names now escape me. The rolls were tasty, the fish was good, it was a good sushi experience. Its not the best sushi, but its' much better than Todai for pretty much the same price. Sure, it's not a buffet, but the overall idea to gorge oneself on sushi is there. I didn't find the rolls heavy on the rice. Will go back again.
(4)
Kim C.

All you can eat sushi for $19? Love this place for that reason. Sushi is good quality and lots of variety for all you can eat option. Service can be hit or miss, so expect that. Also, downside is that there are no reservations for groups under 5 people, so wait time can be a bit long on Friday/Saturday nights, but it's worth it.
(4)
Daniel K.

Fantastic Sushi at a fantastic price. Overall, probably my favorite current restaurant. Beware going here on Friday or Saturday night- the line can be long. If it's your first time, try the Godzilla Roll.
(4)
Fabian M.

Packed with good sushi
(4)
Dave Z.

My only advise is to stay away from the one bite sushi and order rolls. Unless you want to fill up on rice.
(5)
Sherry Y.

So good for such a good price...service is a bit skimpy, but who cares? All the sushi you want for about 20 bucks - not bad, not bad at all. Huge portions, if you know how to order. Come here with a bunch of hungry guys, is my best suggestion. Also, a HUGE deterrent is that they make you pay for every piece of sushi you leave behind. Bogus, right? Be careful to never order more than you can stomach. Sushi itself is awesome - fresh, made to order, and absolutely quality. If you can stand the rather standoffish service, I for sure recommend this place for the sushi deal.
(4)
Amelia I.

I went here on saturday with two other friends who have eaten here before. I've never had sushi before but apparently everyone in Palatine was in the restaurant that night! Its probably a good sign when a sushi place is PACKED and they are still cranking out food relatively fast. We got the all you can eat dinner thing for each of us. I sat by as my friends ordered all kinds of things and prepared myself to try at least one of everything. You get a TON of choices on the all you can eat menu; from miso soup, yaki chicken, spring rolls, then of course sushi and rolls. I had never eaten fish before so it was pretty intimidating eating it RAW! But I have to say it was motivating seeing everyone else scarfing it down. SO I started with the california roll, which is baby steps before the real stuff. It was good! So I braved the next roll which was something with tempurad shrimp, avocado and spicey tuna! It was pretty damn good! I'd never had shrimp before so it was a surprise at how yummy it tasted. We had a ton of other stuff that basically left us all stuffed. I did try some spring rolls which were WAY to greasy, as in I bit into it and it BURNED the back of my throat. The yaki chicken was good, a tasty teryaki sauce. All in all I felt pretty brave eating all the strange colored foods. ON a side note, I saw a lot of people posting about the staffs attitude and whatnot. Our waitress was super sweet and very attentive. We constantly had drinks refilled, new rolls brought out, and new orders taken. She was great with all her tables and all the other staff I saw were smiling. I dunno, maybe some other people are looking for a chicago experience in a palatine restaurant.
(4)
Josh M.

I was told about this place maybe about a year ago and I finally made it here for the all you can eat sushi with my gf. We went on a weekday night and kinda early as to not run into the huge crowds that supposedly appear on weekend nights. The waitresses were not the most friendly but that is by no means a downfall in my eyes. As long as my drink never goes empty for too long and there isn't a huge pile of plates on the table I'm good to go. As for the sushi it is just about as good as your going to get for the price range and the menu. The one thing that got me thinking is the rice does not seem to be your traditional short grain sushi rice. Maybe I'm just going crazy but it almost looks and tastes like basmati rice to me. That being said the fish was fresh and nothing really turned me on or off about the experience. Everything kinda tasted the same and that might also be my own fault because I tend to order the rolls with spicy tuna or spicy salmon. Goof miso soup, good pot stickers, good sushi, all at a good price......just good not great..... All in all great value just go on a weekday and with an empty stomach. If there is such a thing as budget sushi this is the place to go.
(3)
Celia K.

Service really bad the people who work there are very rude. Is the food good? Yea it's good, have had better but it's ok. However what makes me really mad is if you don't finish the food you ordered then they charge you for not finishing your food so then if you say you'll take it home then well you will then pay a take out fee. So on top of the price you are paying for the food you'll be paying if you take it home or of you don't finish it so make sire you est up or they will make you pay
(1)
Jessica K.

I cannot believe I haven't written a review for this place yet! I can fondly remember coming in during their grand opening and being greeted by friendly Japanese ladies who promptly sat you down, served you tea and handed you a laundry list of sushi on their "All You Can Eat" list. Yum. I have to admit, the waitresses English skills aren't top notch but I'm here for sushi, not for conversation so bring on the menus and tea! I've never had an issue getting a table during my lunch hour and always double up on spicy tuna rolls. I'm a spicy roll freak so Volcano, Spider, Philly (sometimes) but most definitely Spicy Tuna is on the top of my list. Do not be afraid of the rice people! I'm tired of seeing reviews that criticize the amount of rice in a roll. If you want sashimi, order sashimi but a maki or a hand roll will have tuna. I'd suggest coming here for lunch and stay away from here when it comes to dinner. It somehow becomes the pre-nightclub place to go. Stay away unless you're going to all be going to Excalibur together afterwards.
(4)
Lisa W.

This place has great sushi, pleasant atmosphere and reasonable prices. My husband and I go there whenever we have a taste for sushi.
(4)
Steve H.

Since Yelp* doesn't have a multiple star rating I'll make one up: 5 stars for sushi freshness, taste, variety, and price 2 stars for service 2 stars for layout and decor 1 star for wait times I've been going to Sushi Para for over half a decade now. I think their service is very unfriendly and ok at best. Their waitresses always walk around like someone killed their cat and it almost seems painful to them when you ask for something. However, there have been other times when the wait staff is very attentive and happy to help. It's really hit or miss with this crew. If you go there during the week you should have a decent experience, especially for lunch. But if you go there for dinner on a weekend you are going to get frustrated and I recommended you don't go there on an empty stomach because I have waited for an hour and a half before. Luckily, there's plenty of stores nearby to go kill some time, though. Plus, when I did get a table, there were times when it took anywhere from 20-45 minutes to get my food. ***that wait time for food isn't the usual, but understand that it does happen*** **The wait time on the weekend ranges from 15-45 minutes depending on what time you go, but I have waited in excess of 90 minutes.** While they don't have the fanciest decor or layout and their service can really stink, the sushi is very good and the prices are unbeatable. In the time that I've been going here I've only had two trips, at the most, that I did not enjoy the sushi. If you're going to chance it on the weekend, keep in mind that they will usually do reservations for parties of 4 or more (no reservations for parties less than 4 though). Otherwise go there prepared to kill some time and with something to snack on because you will be waiting for some time. So while service can stink and the layout isn't the best, it is still worth a trip for the sushi and prices. You WILL NOT find a better deal for all you can eat sushi of this quality.
(3)
Matine Y.

I love this place. No other place I would go for sushi, well maybe sushi para's in the city. I'm no sushi expert, I usually just go for your toro or maguro with a ton of maki rolls. Where else can you get all you can eat sushi for 18.99? If you're a big eater like myself this is the place to go for sushi in the burbs. If you're in the city try out their other places in wicker park and near the lake.
(5)
Derrick T.

As an original of Sushi Para II (happened upon it a few weeks after they opened), I had heard rumors from friends that the original in Palatine had better quality rolls at the same price. Let me tell you, it was worth the trip. Same menu, same price, same spotty service, but the quality of the rice and the rolling technique was a definite improvement over the sister restaurant in the city. As one of my staples for medium grade sushi, I was excited to verify the rumors. If you haven't done Sushi Para I yet, I suggest you make a trip. Where else can you get medium quality all you can order sushi for $15 (lunch) or $23(dinner)? And that's AFTER tax and tip, mind you. Those that don't feel you can eat your worth, you can always order a la carte, but honestly, most everyone can take advantage. If you hankering for sushi and needing a fill, the Sushi Para chain is a must for your list of options. Would I go back? I think I've done so at least a dozen times in the past year alone. Staple. Period.
(4)
Bryant K.

I've been here more than 10 times because my friends often don't want to drive to the city for good AYCE sushi. They add rice to the maki rolls to try to make you full faster, and im talking a SUBSTANTIAL amount of rice. The fish is often not fresh and warm. Waitresses are slow and don't come by unless you wave them down. My water was empty most of the time. Price is too high. $18.95 for mostly rice? Sushi is overall mediocre. Try Sushi Para M or Wasabi Cafe.
(2)
Darren W.

I had to drop a review in here if only to boost the rating on this excellent restaurant. Come on people, are you really going to complain that you had to pay for custom made sushi you didn't eat or slow service on a packed evening? I have been to this place SEVERAL times, and despite the one time the wait staff hawked around my table in shock while dining to a near competitive point with my brother, the service has been most excellent. I feel like I need to defend this place - Sushi Para ROCKS! To the lady I saw hiding her rice in her napkin and making a big scene when getting busted by the staff, come on - eat up or pay the three dollars. These people work hard to provide you a good meal. Where else are you going to get fresh, hand-rolled sushi for less than $20 a person for dinner (even less for lunch) with overall good service, very fresh food, a good beverage menu, and in my opinion, a good wait staff and comfortable atmosphere? I do love this place and it's one of the best values around, and usually with extremely quick service. Yes, there are the occasional slow times, but considering the value, I'm forgiving. Is it the best sushi in Chicago? Probably not, for that I would probably have to vote for Wakamono in Lakeview - but that's for another (and more expensive) review. Sushi Para features excellent nigiri and maki sushi at an insanely reasonable price. And again, this sushi is made to order, not like the sushi buffets with pre-made rolls sitting out for who knows how long. These are great, I especially recommend trying the pop up and spider rolls (both only available at dinnertime), as well as their California and Palatine rolls. Eager for an appetizer? Grab the edamame or a nice bowl of miso soup. Great overall value.
(5)
Ilona C.

Worst sushi ever! I've never considered Sushi Para a good sushi place. However, this place is two minutes away from my house, so usually I ordered a to go( not to mentioned how many times I've eaten there before). Today I found a plastic tag in my spicy tuna roll. I called them immediately. They were not willing to do a refund. Instead, they wanted to give me a credit for the amount of money I spent. Of course, I refused to take it, as I DO NOT ever want to eat their sushi again. It clear to me how much they appreciate their customers! There will be no more to go or having lunch after my Yoga class. Avoid this place!
(1)
MJ E.

I'm not sure if I've changed or this place has changed. After several visits, I think I'm done with this place. Previously, I've felt that I ate some pretty good sushi. Recently, feel like I just ate a LOT of rice. There is too much good sushi in the neighborhood to settle!
(2)
Elle M.

listen, people. this is all you can eat SUSHI. anyone who bitches about the slow service or too much rice in the rolls is expecting way too much from a strip mall sushi joint. i've had a lot of sushi. great sushi. amazing sushi. and mediocre sushi. this lands somewhere in the middle. it was surprisingly good considering the venue and location. overall i was pretty darn happy with my meal. oh and we got 9 rolls and an order of gyoza for under $50. amazing? yes. yes i think so. so quit your complaining, you pre-madonnas. if you want incredible decor and snap-your-fingers service go somewhere else and pay for it. if you want tons of solid sushi for practically nothing, sushi para is it.
(4)
Michael G.

I used to shy away from sushi, mostly because I have always had a strong aversion to fishy smelling/tasting fish (especially seaweed). My wife often tried to make me try it and I always balked at it, again because of the smell and taste. But one day we visited this restaurant and I initially ordered a steak roll thing (which was delicious but expensive). After I finished, my wife asked me to try a salmon sushi.....it was delicious! Smooth texture, no fishy smell or taste. The all-you-can-eat option is very reasonably priced, especially if you eat as much as my tiny little wife - she looooooves sushi - so for what we eat there compared to what the same amount of food would cost elsewhere, it's definitely a bargain. And besides the sushi, the all-you-can-eat includes: edamame, miso soup, shumai, potstickers, chicken skewers, veggie tempura, and egg sushi. I've since tried all kinds of sushi and rolls and other items off the menu and have been pretty impressed thus far. Be careful though, do not order more than you can eat because they will charge you for it and do not try and share an all-you-can-eat item with someone who isn't also doing AYCE....they watch you like hawks. I would give Sushi Para 5 stars but for the service. It seems to be quite slow after the first serving and I'm assuming it's to try and make you fill up before getting more. Regardless, it's still a bargain and, as far as this sushi novice can tell, is excellent sushi.
(4)
Sarah J.

Where do I begin about sushi para! Not only do you get bang for your buck but the food is phenominal. I mean a real mouth watering experience. Our company always orders from here because they are prompt, package it like a mini lunch box with all your utensils and supplies (soy sauce, chop sticks, napkins). I mean you cant go wrong. They have never given us problems for doing seperate checks- just real sweet women there. Yummy you definetly have some competition! :)
(5)
Alyssa M.

LOVE THIS PLACE! Make sure you fast before you come here, because so much food ends up being ordered, at least with the all-you-can-eat special! The sushi is fresh and delicious, the service is extremely nice, and the prices are reasonable and consistent.
(4)
Rachel H.

Good food for the price. The waitresses are rude, I asked for a hot tea refill- I got a dirty look in return! I don't care, I kept asking for tea whenever I needed it. A bit disappointing that they do not have Scallops. I would highly recommend you go try it, what have you to lose, its just $16.99. Also on friday you HAVE to get there early, theres always a loooong line after 7pm....errrr on second thoughts don't go, I want the place to myself!
(5)
Edward S.

A place for every day... if you love Sushi!! This is NOT your "all u can eat" restaurant. This is a FIXED PRICE gets you all MADE BY ORDER, FROM MENU, UNLIMITED TERRIFIC JAPANESE FOOD!!! For about $20!! You get to order from the menu, Soups, Salads, Appetizers, Sushi, NIgiri, and more. Or you can order a la cart depending what you want. Small, clean and quiet place. Nice atmosphere and good service.
(5)
Nico And Joan S.

For sushi buffet, I think this is the best so far. The fish is really fresh. My favorite are salmon, yellow tail, tofu sushi, and the dynamite roll. The sushi rice are a little bit too much I think, but they provide large and fresh fish. The only thing that I complain is the waiting line. They told me it would be only 15 mins waiting, but it is actually one hour. That is because people are pretty much just talking after eating. They should have like 2 hours eating 'policy' to avoid something like this happen. But fortunately the food compensate the waiting time.
(5)
Jason P.

If you are craving sushi and want to eat a lot of it, this is the place for you. The quality of the sushi is not very high and you can definitely get better rolls, fresher fish and better service at other places. But in reality, when you think of ayce sushi, you know you have to give and take. For what you pay for and the size of the menu, it's a pretty good deal. They do remind me I need to eat every bit of rice or else I will get charged which gets kind of annoying considering they pet so much damn rice on each piece. I would order so many more pieces of sushi if it wasn't for the fact that I would get a mountain of rice on my plate. They have some pretty good rolls like their spicy tuna roll and rainbow roll. I only go a few times a year and I usually regret it cause my stomach feels like an aquarium for dead fish, but there's a reason why I go back. AYCE SUSHI.
(3)
Skirmante K.

I have nothing bad to say about this place!! The sushi is fantastic! I've ever had such fresh tasting sushi in my life. The tea is always good and service is quite fast. The price is acceptable if you like ordering lots of sushi :p. They also have the best green tea ice cream!
(5)
O S.

Great value for the price! Much faster service on week nights. There is usually a pretty long wait on the weekends. I think the service has improved, waitresses used to be rude, and I have not experienced that the last two times I was there. The quality of sushi is good, and it is fresh, especially keeping in mind that you are paying 20 dollars for all you can eat!
(4)
Victoria h.

OK, here's the deal. You order sushi just like you would @ any other restaurant, so it's made fresh and not just sitting around like at some buffets. You can order as much as you want at 1 time, or order a little several times, it's up to you. They have soup, appetizers, & salads in addition to their sushi and sashimi. This was my first time, but my friend's "umpteenth". I commented on how unfriendly the servers appeared to be and she said that that is how they are all the time. The service is quick and, if you eat a lot of sushi, the price is fair. About the sushi - it's average. They pretty much have the same rolls everyone else. Don't come here expecting a spectacular meal. It's average sushi that is stuffed with too much rice. Would I come here again? Sure, why not.
(3)
Judy W.

If you like sushi, and you don't like the high prices, check out Sushi Para. It's a huge hit with the high-school to college crowd. Yes, it is always crowded. So plan to wait for a table, or make reservations well in advance. Yes, they measure children to determine the price. I have a 3 year old granddaughter who can eat as much as an adult (she loves "Shushi"). I have never been charged extra because she ate too much. Yes, there is a slight language barrier, so the staff may not carry on conversations with you. However, I was just there about a week ago. I was pleasantly greeted at the door, and the waitress was extremely pleasant. I have never, ever had a rude server. If you sit at the sushi bar, the chefs are always quiet, but if you ask a question about what they are making, they will answer you best as they can.
(4)
Jessica W.

"You get to order as many rolls as you want"-True, I loved this! I went with a group of 8 hungry people and we just couldn't get enough of the spider and California rolls. Just be sure to finish everything that you order because you will get charged for anything you leave on your plate. "The service was excellent"- False, they may have been moderately fast however I had to ask 3 waitresses the same question to get anything done (Several times). Mostly the women were just standing around chit-chatting. The sushi was fantastic considering it was from an all you can eat restaurant; however the waitresses had terrible attitudes. Every-Single-one...It wouldn't attribute their rudeness to cultural differences because constant eye rolling isn't something I believe any culture does respectfully. Besides the less than adequate service we received I would still recommend Sushi Para to anyone. The decorum was clean and airy--and the sushi tasted delightful.
(4)
Sheong K.

Sushi Para is one of those places you vow never to go back to, but you find yourself there again a few weeks later. Walking in, you're almost guaranteed a decent wait period. Your best bet is to beat the crowd by grabbing an early lunch/dinner, then take your time as you eat. Their service tends to be a bit slow. It's rare to find a decent all you can eat sushi restaurant. I have beef with most sushi restaurants for being scant with their portions. Granted, sushi is expensive, but some places like to charge ridiculous amounts for certain rolls and give the same portions as the cheap rolls. That boils my blood. Anyway, Sushi Para, though they'll never run into any portion issues, they tend to pack on the rice as a filler. That really annoys me cause I want to eat the good stuff. The first couple times I went there, I overate and I felt sick. I learned my lesson and I know how to limit myself now. As far as the taste goes, I have to admit, for an all you can eat place the quality of their sushi isn't half bad. Their rolls are pretty darn good, too. Just stay away from the heavy stuff, such as the cream cheese. Trust me when I say they will pack that sucker on. My friend does this funny thing where she spreads out the rice all over the plate so she wouldn't have to eat it. They normally charge you for leaving any leftovers, but she manages to spread it out enough so they can't say anything... I guess all things aside... This place isn't bad if you have a strong craving for Sushi and want massive amounts of it. But if you have a sensitive palate for good sushi, steer clear! I'm not too picky, so I don't mind going back once in a blue moon. One last note: don't expect good service. Their service is mediocre at best, but it's usually pretty bad.
(3)
S O.

Had lunch with my wife on a Monday. Price is $ 15.50 AYCE. You will be charged for anything you don't finish. Gyoza were very good. The fried chicken pieces were crispy, but lacked flavor (they should try some spices). Sushi was quite good. Salmon, eel, mackerel, yellowtail roll, spicy tuna roll were good. My wife and I enjoyed all the sushi we ordered. Service was reasonably attentive, given the restaurant wasn't very busy at 2:00 PM. This place offers reasonable quality food for AYCE. Would go back to try other appetizers and sushi.
(4)
Samra M.

TERRIBLE service, we walked into the restaurant only to be seated when we asked them. The table had no napkins or chopsticks. I went with my 2 friends and the whole time i thought i would rather have house of sushi. When the lady finally came up to take our orders we were excited, ready for their salads and i was excited for my miso...15 minutes later... I got my miso...and well so did they...they didn't mind too much, because in their words "how can you put miso in front of me and not eat it" so i assumed everything was good. That was mistake number one. 10 minutes later the shumai came out...we shoulda ordered more haha. BUT they failed to give us chopsticks, we asked the lady and she said she would be back, another 10 minutes had passed, so i just went up to the front and asked the other lady if i could get three chopsticks and then we finally started eating. Probably about 20 minutes later, we finally got our sushi. The sushi rolls are pretty big and i could barely fit them in my mouth. The roll was falling apart and there was just way too much going on. Maybe they need to fix their rolls a little more. Overall the taste of shrimp tempura and the spider roll and the american roll almost identical. The eel was good. And some of the other rolls my friends had were good, all the rolls were just too big, ESPECIALLY the shrimp tempura and spider. The end piece was the worst at least two by two inches. Also, the soy sauce on our table was barely half a plate for one person so we asked the table behind us because we knew the wait for that would take even longer. They complained how it took almost half an hour for just water. So when we finally ended, we thought about the meal, it was satisfying but definitely low in customer service, one of the longest waits ive ever had for sushi and probably would not go there again. The taste was mediocre, but hit the sushi spot. Not worth the 18 dollar buffet
(2)
Steven L.

I always get the all you can eat option. They have an excellent assortment of rolls but quality is on and off. When they are really busy they do not have time to chill the rice and I've been served warm sushi. Making reservations does not ensure you will have a table ready when you arrive. The place is usually packed on evenings, especially on weekends. It can be a real challenge trying to get a group in here. As a quick tip - you can order from the dinner menu even during lunch if you pay extra.
(4)
Bex A.

It's a great deal and good sushi. The place is always pack so go really or don't make plans closely after. The only thing I could knock them for is the miso and the White Tuna, they are okay, but I have had better.
(5)
Michael G.

My family and I tried to beat the dinner crowd, but even at 4:45 on a Sunday, this place was packed. $19 for all you can eat, cozy interior, and cute Chinese (I asked, I was curious) waitresses scurrying about. My favorites are as follows: Sushi/Sashimi- Eel (easily the best, load up on this one) Tuna Yellowtail Octopus (chewy, but very tasty) Squid (a little less chewy than the octopus, my 2nd favorite next to eel) Red Snapper Rolls- Spider Roll (soft shell crab) Anything else (there a lot of very similar ones, all pretty tasty, though I'm not a fan of the spicy salmon) Other Advice: Don't fall for the novice trap of ordering any of the non-sushi items (miso soup, salad, fried chicken), you came here to get your money's worth of sushi, so stick to the good stuff. Also, try not to fill up on mass amounts of liquid (tea, water, etc.), the rice in your stomach will swell up faster (in other words, you'll feel full earlier). Lastly, notice the disclaimer "Order all you want, but eat all you ordered, must pay for any leftover food." If you want a reasonable gauge of how much is enough, most people hit their wall around 22-26 pieces.
(4)
Gabrael A.

Not the best sushi i'v ever had, but certainly the best sushi buffet. The meat is very fresh, and the service was good. You get to order as many rolls as you want BUT you have to finish them all otherwise, you get charged for the leftover rolls. My friend and I went there around 3pm and we were one of 4 other tables occupied so the waitresses were just sitting around (and staring at us...). The service was excellent, but I dont know if it was because the waitresses were not busy. Overall, good sushi, come hungry, leave happy!
(4)
Bernadette S.

So we went here last night for dinner. At first I was questioning the idea of All-You-Can-Eat Sushi. Thoughts of sushi rolls sitting out for hours waiting for some poor soul decided to choose it. Turns out they give you a piece of paper and you check off which sushi/maki you want and there's an assembly line of chefs putting the orders together. We went here with another couple and they got their sushi, by the time they finished it, ours came. Seemed like they were not rolled tightly enough because all the innards kept falling out. The waitress kept reiterating that there are no free refills on the Iced Green Tea, uhm...ok, point taken. No wonder she was pushing the hot tea... the green iced tea tasted like nothing but water with a little green tint to it. The sushi wasn't too bad. BUT my stomach disagreed. I proceeded to have the worst case of diarrhea in my whole life when I got home. The drive home to Chicago was excruciating.
(1)
tanvi k.

The deal is great for unlimited sushi! But, they put a lot of extra rice on each piece so that you get full faster. I scraped some rice off so I could taste the sushi and I had to pay for the rice that was left over (which I had no problem doing cuz the price was very good). Beware: If you leave anything on your plate at all, you have to pay for it so choose wisely!
(3)
Wayne J.

Let me start by saying that our favorite place for Sushi was Domo77 in Wheaton, but the owner of the Sushi business there decided to call it quits as of last New Years Eve and he is no longer there. From what I hear, someone new has taken over the Sushi section and it is not a good thing. We have been in search of a replacement AYCE Sushi place since and decided to try Sushi Para...... Sushi Para: Went there on a Friday night around 6:30 and had just beat the crowd. The couple ahead of us got the last table, but there were 2 seats together at the Sushi bar so we opted for them. The line of people started forming about 5 minutes after we sat down and there continued to be a line until we left. For the price of $18.99 per person for the All You Can Eat Sushi Special, you can choose from a variety of appetizers, Nigiri and Rolls. We ordered the Miso Soup, but never received it so I can't tell you how it is. As far as the Sushi, it wasn't the high quality grade that we were use to getting, but pretty good regardless. I just wish the pieces of Fish were cold, it seemed like every piece of Nigiri was room temperature. The rolls that we ordered were pretty good as well, but as this has been noted in other reviews, they use so much rice in their rolls that you can't fit the pieces into your mouth. I can only assume as others have, that the over abundance of rice is to fill you up quicker so you can consume less of their profits. They had 4 Chefs there that night so the food came out fairly quick which was great. The next time we go, I think we will probably opt for some of the "Dinner Add-Ons" listed on their Menu for additional costs. Unfortunately, not all of their Appetizers, Nigiri and Rolls are included in their AYCE Special. As far as the service goes, it's not awful, but as other reviews have mentioned, the attitude of the servers needs a little adjustment. We had the little gal with the big eyes and the pony tail. It was like as soon as we were done with our second round we had become a pain for her. She basically refused to make any eye contact with us so I had to stick my arm out into her path to make sure she got our order for our third round. (Well excuse me honey, but this is ALL You Can Eat....right?) If you are an Iced Tea drinker, I highly recommend the unsweetened Iced Tea here. They make it from Green Tea and I couldn't get enough of it! (of course little Ms. Attitude seemed to be put off that we wanted more Tea with our third round of Sushi) too bad honey, that is what you are there for! All in all, this is a good place for Sushi and we will be back. I recommend giving this place a shot, but be prepared that you may have to wait in line a while.
(4)
Eric J.

Ok. I dont toss out 2 stars without thinking about it first. That being said, MARY MOTHER OF SERVICE NIGHTMARES! If it weren't for the price Vs. volume of sushi, I wouldn't even consider coming back to this place. The wait staff acts like they're doing you a favor by waiting on you. There was a line of about 25 people waiting for seating. The lady at the front desk made a "list" of people waiting. Lists must be different from where she's from because this list didnt go by arrival, it went by random insanity causing half of the people in line to speak up. If you are the owner and are reading these reviews, HIRE SOME STAFF MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE WORKING, or at the very least some that can pretend.
(2)
Bert W.

Price and Quality: Price is not bad for all you can eat sushi. I don't think you can find the quality and price anywhere in this area. Service: Sometimes the service is "unfriendly". it's really hit or miss. sometimes they are super nice and sometimes the server doesn't smile or interact with you. i live really close to Sushi Para and I've been there many times so i'm giving you an accurate description of their service. If you get offended easily by unfriendly service then don't go here. if you can deal with it, then rockin roll! Quantity of Rice: This is one big complaint...too much rice! they like to load it up b/c it's all you can eat and they obviously want to stuff you with rice rather than the expensive sushi. sometimes it's not too bad but usually they are not afraid to use the rice. The bad thing is that Sushi Para can put as much rice as they want and give it to you with crappy service and they will NOT go out of business. Like i said before... u can't beat the price and quality of sushi you're getting. Since it's so close and there are few options we end up going here all the time.
(3)
KELLIE K.

Still worth a trip!
(4)
Azam K.

Its a buffet for $18 but then you are required to pay for what you don't finish???. They have a good selection of Sushi rolls and Sashimi but I have definitely eaten better tasting Sushi, namely at, Blue Fish in Irving TX and 'Avocado California Roll and Sushi' in Euless TX. The place looked empty from outside but we were surprised when we stepped in, it was packed. We had to wait 10 minutes for a table and 30+ minutes for our food....on a Wednesday! In conclusion, its a decent place to satisfy Sushi craving as long as you go in with a mind set that it is after all a buffet.
(3)
Rusty S.

This is an interesting place. When you walk through the door you're greeted with the health boards review which doesn't instill too much confidence since their rating is slightly above 80 The place is always full and it's always hours before you're seated. This is to be expected for a place that offers all you can eat sushi. The food is decent most of the time but they use way too much rice and some of the fish doesn't taste just right. They have more customers than seating and it's a huge turn-off. We usually try to get the minimum of 6 people together to go there since that's what it takes to get a reservation. Mind you that this does not guarantee a seating! The worst part of the whole experience is if you order too much sushi. You are charged for whatever is left. This would not be so bad but there seems to be no set prices. Once we were charged $12 for 4 pieces we didn't want to stuff into ourselves. The waiting staff is rude and seems distant/overworked. Overall for the money this is a good place and it's the only reason we keep coming back.
(3)
Justin W.

Good sushi, decently quick, bad service. Unfortunately many people think others, that do not speak much of their language, come off as "ice queens" or stuck-up. The service is a combination of a language barrier, apathy, and wanting to turn tables over as quickly as possible. I enjoyed the food, but my friends and I kept joking around that one of us must have really pissed the waitress off. It turns out that it's a common feeling among Yelpers. Joy Yee (I've only been to the one in Chinatown and Naperville) has a similar level of staff friendliness, but it's expected because they need to turn tables over as quickly as possible. You can have their lunch buffet and pay about $20, including tax and tip. The rolls are pretty huge, so I'd actually suggest that you order their lunch special, which consists of any three rolls ($11 vs $15). Of all, I think their basic spicy tuna roll was the best. The spicy mayo is top notch.
(4)
Brenda K.

Sushi para is a great place for decent and fresh sushi.
(4)
Kim B.

This is one of the worst sushi places that I have been to. The waitress staff is extremely slow and seems to have a hard time understanding the English language. The individual pieces of sushi have enough rice for normally 3 pieces if sushi. If u stick to sushi 101 or are used to grocery store sushi you would probably like it. I did not do the all you can eat deal as i was interested in items not on the list. For the all u can eaters I would highly suggest u take lake cook roed to buffalo grove. Taste of toyko is about the same price for a much higher quality of food and service. I should have gone there tonight and I wouldn't have this adonimal cramping I feel now.
(1)
Mike E.

it's an all you can eat sushi place. heavier on the rice than most places, but again,,,,it's all you can eat. roll selection is decent, rolls are made fresh.
(4)
Yvonne Y.

If you're starving for rice, definitely come here. The rice portion is so ridiculously large I don't know if you can even taste the fish. And the waitresses are so angrily glaring at you to ensure you leave within 45 minutes it's almost entertaining to sit there and annoy them.
(2)
jay w.

Recently visited Sushi Para Palatine on a Saturday around lunch time. The service seemed tons better actually--smiles all around and quick refills on water. Food was served quickly, though obviously my hungry self wanted it about ten minutes faster. I got the lunch AUCE and was able to consume gyoza, shumai, and 3 rolls for $13.50 plus tip. I would call that a successful outing. As always, white rice lovers will be pleased with these rolls.
(4)
Darryl S.

Oh deep fried crab, where have you been all my life? Pretty much all the rolls were good except for the Philly roll since they put too much cream cheese. I don't even know why we ordered that roll since no one was really a fan of the cream cheese and raw fish duo. Highly recommend if you love sushi. This place is great for large parties. Be careful if you stay too long or order too much. They try to pack a load of rice on the later rolls if you stay long.
(4)
Ben W.

When you crave for Sushi, but tight in money, come here, they have lunch all you can eat buffet, the price is only $14.99. You should give yourself more than an hour and half, so you can really enjoy the delicious food and try different things on the menu. You will place your order on the spot so the food is guaranteed fresh. I believe it is Chinese owned Japanese restaurant, so as you can assume, the service is not the greatest, but the food is well worth what you pay. Highly recommend if you love sushi.
(4)
Michelle C.

Seriously...what is UP with the bad reviews of this place? Sushi Para is right near my uncle's house, and every time I'm in town, I force them to make a trip here. Not that I have to force them, as they are fans, as well - and my cousin is a sushi snob of the sort that scoffs at you if you eat your sushi with the rice part facing your tongue rather than the fish. OK, here's the deal. All-you-can-eat sushi for less than $20. At dinner time. Cheaper at lunch. And it's MADE TO ORDER. That's right, your sushi isn't captaining some little boat, nor is it languishing on a buffet for god knows how long. You order your sushi, they make it and bring it out to you. If you want more, just order more. And more. And more. This place is like heaven to me. I wouldn't say it's the MOST amazing sushi in the world, nor the most inventive, but geez, you can have all you want of very good, fresh sushi at about the same price as a couple of lame packages of grocery store sushi. What's not to like?
(5)
W C.

Sushi is fresh and tasty. The only complaint is that it is a all you can eat but they never bring my full order. I have to re order I have been going there for a few years at least twice a month lets get with the program
(5)
Amy T.

For an "all you can eat" sushi place, the quality is decent. 99% of sushi places just serve the same things mixed up in seaweed in a variety of ways, mainly salmon, tuna, eel, shrimp, fake crab, etc. . . and this place is no different. However, the sushi portions are large, but they overdo it on the rice hoping to fill you up so you don't eat more. I don't get the buffet as it's a waste of money for me and I can't finish everything on my plate as a result. However, if you have a good appetite, and you love your average sushi place, and you don't want to go to "Todai in Schaumburg" (sickest sushi buffet on the planet), then this place is good, and a good value.
(3)
Erin H.

I love this place and I have yet to find a place that I like more!
(4)
Liz B.

So I'm in the process of moving and have packed my entire kitchen up leaving me with no way to cook or eat. I'm in a fishy mood so I finally decide to try Sushi Para. I arrive there about 7 on a Monday to possibly partake in the all-you-can-eat sushi experience. I find the place was PACKED full of white folks, which is unusual for any sushi place in the burbs. I decide not to look like a gluttonous pig in front of strangers, so I order food to take home instead. I'm pretty famished from packing and cleaning so everything looked good. I ordered the volcano roll, the mountain roll, the spider roll-my favorite, and edamame. I stopped on the way home and picked up a six pack of Ashai to enjoy as well. I dug in head first once I hit the couch, the rolls were gorgeous! All three were placed in one container well and nothing was smushed. The volcano roll was pretty good, I wasn't too pleased with all the spicy mayo "sauce" on the mountain roll, but the spider roll was fantastic! And there was alot of edamame to boot. Once I was three quarters of the way done, I realized that my eyes were WAY bigger than my stomach, but I trudged on and finished as much as I could. I paid almost $30 for all that and I didn't want to waste it! Everything was very fresh and good, next time I would like to dine in the restaurant and partake in the all-you-can-eat experience.
(4)
Angie C.

Awesome sushi and fast service! The fish is very fresh, and the rolls are delicious. My fave is the Volcano roll - spicy perfection! Definitely not much to say about the atmosphere (basically a hole in the wall) but it's a nice casual place with very reasonable prices. Service is OK, sometimes a little absent / aloof...but the sushi makes up for it. Would definitely go back.
(4)
Analia B.

A family favorite. What can you say about all you can eat sushi for $19? The sushi is pretty good. Lots of options on the all you eat menu from shumai and fried oysters to sushi pieces and rolls. Have been going for a couple of years and the food and service is consistent
(4)
roberto a.

Every time I come here, I remember why I like this place and why I don't. It's so far from me, that I have plenty of time going back and forth to contemplate the thought. City folks, you have no reason coming this far unless you know people in the area or have tapped out all other possibilities. Nevertheless, there are some good points about this place. For starters, the party of six I was in was able to participate in an all you can eat sushi feast for $22 a person, tip included. This is not bad considering that you can order as little or as much sushi at one time. After finishing a modest first round, our next order consisted of over 60 rolls (58...we started eating before I finished counting). This took care of whatever appetite four of us had, and the remaining two people ordered a small third round for themselves. In general the rolls are tasty, not the best, but can't complain for the price. Some selections used minced fish meat than whole cuts. We noticed this in the tuna rolls we ordered last night, but not in the salmon rolls. The veggies and other meats tasted fresh (crab/eel) and I have no complaints there. Despite the six of us being proficient in using chopsticks, either the rice was not "sticky" enough or the rolls were not made tight enough as a few of our selections fell apart before reaching our mouths. A bit of advice for this place- order as much as you think you will be satisfied with, without being wasteful (yes, the menu warns that they reserve the right to charge full rate for uneaten portions) because once you give your order to the server, they have a tendency to disappear. I'll be blunt, don't expect good service from this place- aside from the disappearing servers, you may see another table's order appear at your table. Just take it in stride, eventually your food will get to you. Pros: Cheap, all you can eat sushi, wide variety of selection, can order as little, or as much as you want at once, excessive wastage charge. Cons: Service is lacking, rolls may fall apart, excessive wastage charge, can get better quality elsewhere. To sum it up: Drop by if you're in the area, but no need to make a special trip.
(3)
Stephen C.

Sushi para is mediocre at best, service is not great, but because there is no competition for all you can eat sushi in the area, I give it three stars. Don't expect good sushi but if you want to eat an endless amout for about $23, then this is the place to go.
(3)
Valerie G.

All you can eat Sushi for 20 bucks! That's amazing! The quality is USUALLY fresh. I wasn't ecstatic last night but the all you can eat part always has me coming back. Service is super slow so be sure to order appetizers!
(4)
J A.

If you are in the mood for a ton of delicious sushi you have to go to Sushi Para! The sushi is super fresh and delicious- much better than other all you can eat places.
(5)
Ron S.

Love the idea of all you can eat sushi except when the taste and quality is questionable it makes you wonder. Used to love this place but the past couple times I have been there, I have been disappointed. Its not that I wouldn't come back here its just I think I would rather pay a little more to get not as much sushi then to pay really cheap for iffy sushi.
(3)
Deanna C.

I came here with a group of maybe 15 people who had basically starved themselves for three days in anticipation for this "event" where they basically planned on gorging for several hours on sushi. This was kind of the last supper for us as many had just graduated college and were moving elsewhere for their job, grad school, etc. Unlike some other sushi buffet's (like House of Sushi and Noodles), Sushi Para doesn't limit the amount of sushi you can order each "round". They do it dim sum style where everyone gets a mini menu where you fill in the number of each type you want and they'll bring it to you. Just make sure not to order more than you can eat as you'll be paying for every piece you can't finish here. Some tips I picked up from the sushi buffet pro's I went with: - don't order rolls with cream cheese; they fill you up quicker - don't order any miso soup or edamame, etc. for the same reason - make sure the stream of sushi is constant; order another roll or two before you finish with yours otherwise the lag time between ordering and getting the food gives your stomach too much time to tell your brain that you're full - if you go in a big group, you won't have to worry about not finishing all the sushi because SOMEONE in the group will be able to shove another piece down their throat - make sure to get rolls with the most fresh fish to get your money's worth - going off of the point above, don't get rolls with words including "fried" or "spicy" because that's how they hide the fact the fish isn't the freshest (e.g. spicy tuna, spicy salmon); you can always ask for hot sauce on the side to dip regular rolls in - places like this actually lose money off of big groups like the one I went in Hope those tips were helpful. As always, it's more enjoyable to go to a sushi buffet with a big group of friends! Turn it into an eating contest or something, haha. I quite like the sushi here. For the price you pay, they have a surprisingly vast selection of sushi, and I think it's all pretty good. I haven't been to the Chicago location, but from what I hear, this location is the better of the two.
(4)
David W.

#NAME?
(4)
Sergei S.

Went there for dinner tonight (even after seeing some poor reviews here). For 20 bucks I had four rolls, a couple pieces of sushi, and some mis soup. I say that's a good deal. (I could have had more but... it's a lot of sushi). These weren't boring california or tuna rolls either. I had a Volcano Roll (spicy tuna, spicy salmon, some avacodo, etc.), Spide Roll (tempura crab), Rainbow Roll (fish on the outside as well as inside), and something else that was delicious. So by no means does this compare to some places that charges you 14 per roll. But if you want to have a nice big sushi dinner in the burbs this is high on my list.
(4)
Mike M.

How can you not like this place? Pretty ok sushi all you can eat for less than 20 bucks. I guess it depends on how much you eat, but i can eat over 40 dollars of similar quality sushi at other places so when i am in the area i definatly will go here.
(4)
Jim K.

This place is the ONLY place I go for sushi anymore. I can't afford to go somewhere else with as much sushi as I eat here. Generally I eat about as much as the rest of the table combined. Granted the staff aren't always that attentive or friendly during really busy hours, but when it is slower I find the opposite to be true. Please take my advice and don't go there at 7pm on a Friday night as you will have a much less enjoyable meal. Quite frankly the experience is more of a game than a meal for me. It is all you can eat, but eat all you take or pay for the items on top of the all you can eat price. So, I generally eat light earlier in the day. Then get there and order as much as you possibly can at once (because to do two orders takes too long unless they are slow) and eat it all. I've found that skipping the miso soup, which I do enjoy, allows for a lot more room because you aren't filling up on broth. Best times to go: -Lunch (Saturday count but sundays don't) - not as busy plus cheaper all you can eat prices and also lunch specials if you aren't going to eat as much (and you can take it home!) -Dinner but get there before 6pm. It will still be a little busy getting your food but get some edamame or other appetizers to keep you busy in the meantime. P.S. Be very careful taking kids here as they are crazy about charging them for anything they eat off your plate if you get the all-you-can-eat special. I've seen an argument that ended with the cops being called in before...though it was entertaining.
(5)
Matt W.

I would avoid the appetizers - the salad was watery, the soup bland. Sushi was decent as they dont skip out on any of the ingredients. This is a place to go eat with the boys or the buddies not really a great date place. Service was pretty fast as I got a menu to mark down all the rolls i wanted, she would take it to the counter, and i got my sushi within 5-10 min on a busy lunch rush.
(4)
Meghan C.

This was my first time visiting Sushi Para. We were seated right away, but had to wait a few minutes for the server to come around to our table. We ate all the sushi we could eat for $15.99 lunch. We ordered Vegetable tempura (which was tasty) and pot stickers (which were also very tasty). My sushi came out first, but we had to wait like 7 minutes for my friend's food to come after mine. I didn't want to be rude and start eating before him. So our sushi comes out and our plates are loaded! They definitely don't skimp on any of the portions here. In fact, my sushi rolls were too big to fit in my mouth and were falling apart when I picked them up to eat...it was a little frustrating. And we seemed to be the only table in the restaurant without soy sauce at their table, but we were half way through with our meal before we even caught the waitress to ask her for some. I doubt I will go back, but if I do, I hope it is a better experience.
(3)
Maria C.

Talk about getting "Lost in Translation"... The food at Sushi Para is decent but the challenge is communicating with the waitresses. Some speak very little English and although it can be funny, it's challenging too. They have this all you can eat sushi deal for 15 bucks. But I just can't eat more than 2 sushi rolls. So my friend and I split a combo that came with 3 rolls, 3 pieces of sushi and 2 soups and the waitress almost kicked our butt when we told her we were splitting. My recommendation is that they price the sushis individually, even if the price is high so those people (like me) who just can't eat too much have choices and don't run the risk of being mistreated!
(2)
Tom C.

I've been to some all you can eat sushi places ( you know who you are Ringo) and most of the time you pay for what you get. Not the case with Sushi Para. I used to go to this place for lunch all the time and recently visited when I was out in BG. This place still rocks and for $16 for all you can eat sushi lunch you better wear the sweat pants. The staff is hit or miss. They are always nice but not especially great. The chefs are always friendly especially if you sit at the bar. I've never eaten any fancy rolls here but the sushi and standard rolls (spicy tuna, salmon) are great.
(5)
Patrick W.

Good quality sushi, if maybe rolled somewhat loosely. I've never actually tried the AYCE; each time we've carried out for dinner parties and have never been disappointed. It's always made to order, FAST.
(4)
Neil R.

I always enjoyed eating at this place. The waitresses are friendly and nice but some do not speak great english. The service is average but during busy hours it could take awhile for your sushi to come out but when it does, its made with quality. Unlike Todai it is not prepared until you submit the list. It is not a buffet line. One big problem I have with the place is the amount of rice they give you for the rolls. If they notice you are a big eater, they will pack on the rice and if you do not eat all the rice, you will be charged extra.
(4)
Peter W.

Quality is pretty good, but it's definitely the best deal in town.
(4)
Judy J.

had their buffet for $18.95. decent price and wide selection. the amount of rice given is decent. the only thing i would have to say is that their white tuna wasn't white...it was like yellow-brownish and sometimes with red stripes, kind of weird. i would have to say their other branch sushi sai is much better though, but that's in the city. definitely make reservations cause it was PACKED when we went. but overall, great service and delicious sushi :)
(4)
Ian Y.

I dined at this restaurant tonight, and it's not hard to see why other Yelpers gave it 4 stars. What's hard for me to understand, is why the services is so poor but still deserve 4 or 5 stars. The restaurant's decor is pretty ok actually, although the floor is far from clean. Unlike other reviewers which had to wait for a long time, my family of 4 went in and only took couple minutes to be seated. There're two things that this restaurant aren't lack off: (1) Heat + humidity. I have no clue why the heat and humidifier is cranked all the way up to the top making you're having a sauna while having a meal. (2) Rice. Like other reviewers have suggested, the rice is disproportionally gigantic and compressed. Why I can understand others give this restaurant a 4+ star? FIrst of all, they don't know the variety of sushi, and second, they don't know what's considered good sushi. Now, head over to Mitsuwa, and take a look at what Daikichi Sushi has to offer. Better yet, spend 17 bucks + tax (no tips required, since you're buying to-go) and taste what true sushi (and nigirizushi) are supposed to be. Daikichi doesn't serve top-notch sushi, but it's pretty darn good for the price and quality in Chicago. You'll still be full, but not like your tummy's going to explode. Back to Sushi Para's... the rice is compact and gigantic, with a thin slice of fish on top. I didn't taste any rice vinegar in the rice at all, and I've never eaten nigiri that's so warm before. Makizushi served are, again, huge, with no shortage of rice. The rice is so thick and sticky that it literally formed a half-triangle base that's half-inch thick. (Yes, all rice there). Variety is ok but it lacks fruits and dessert. I'm not looking for Todai's varitey, but please give people a couple of items so to make it a complete meal. It's like you walk into McDonald's and they only serve burgers and nothing else. Last but not least, the waitress. The one who served my table was rude and unwilling to help. While waiting for the table, that very same lady complained not getting enough tips. She spoke to the cashier in mandarin and I decided to only speak English to her after knowing my family was unfortunate enough to be "served" (if she actually did) by her. Having sushi buffet is quite a mix feeling for me. I like sushi alot, but when served in large amount, I become tired of it very easily. It doesn't help when a resturant that's steamy hot, with waitress that treat you with no respect, and serve you tons of rice just to fill you up, then charge you outrageous amount of money for stuff you can't finish (I think $.5 a piece is mroe reasonable, compared to some folks who experienced $12 for 4 pieces). They even charged my 2-yr old $2 for sipping some miso soup and 4 pieces of sushi. It's so apparent that they try to maximize profit by adding undocumented surcharges here and there. Again, I won't be surprised we'll see more 4+ reviews stacking up here, but if you bother to read my review, you'll know those are the ones who only know how to spell sushi, and probably thinking chop-suey is an authenic Chinese dish.
(2)
O J.

The best spicy tuna roll I have ever had! Yummy!
(4)
Bennie R.

Not authentically Japanese but for the price, quality and unlimited portions, I forgive them.
(4)
Younga C.

My friends and I were anxious to go to Sushi Para and enjoy the all you can eat sushi and celebrate 2 birthdays. Unfortunately, we will never ever ever return to this place again and I strongly encourage the many people who commented on my fb post last night about this place to please Yelp this place as well. The night started off well, the appetizers (the shumai and friend oysters are great) and rolls (the Michigan was my favorite) were very tasty. However, the first 5 minutes was the ONLY good part of this evening. It took a very long time get spoons, forks, napkins, water, and plates. I work at a restaurant as well, and I would never speak to my customers the way these servers did. Whenever we asked for something we didnt have, the server just stared at us blankly and walked away and kept disappearing. Towards the end of the meal, I found something hard in my mouth and thought it might be the shell of a shrimp. No ... it was a piece of saran wrap 1/2 inch long. When we asked to speak to a manager, there was no manager there. Instead another server came to tell me that the saran wrap is from the sushi and they have to cut the fish with the saran wrap on it so that's why it was in my food. There was no apology from her, all she said was "Don't worry, it's nothing." How can you serve saran wrap and say it's ok?!!?? So we didnt finish the rest of the pieces (about 5) on the plate because we were disgusted. All she could say was "we will not charge you the extra fee for leaving sushi on your plate". Unbelievable! I'm not looking for a free meal or anything, if the food and service is good then I will be happy to pay for it. But this restaurant is ridiculous, and the funny part was that all the employees there were loudly commenting on how rude we were. After trying for a few minutes to get the server to understand why we were upset, we realized no one in there was willing to take responsibility so we took paid and left. While standing outside, customers leaving the restaurant came up to us and said we were right to be upset and said "we've always had bad service here."
(1)
Derek K.

A nice restaurant. The sushi is good. It is fresh and tasty and you can't beat the price / all you can eat. Service can be a bit slow, and there is a significant communication barrier. Don't be surprised if what you receive is not quite what you ordered (not a big deal sushi is still sushi). The menu selection is significant and the portions tend to be large (8 or 9 rolls for some of the choices) so if you want to sample lots of items from the menu it's best to coordinate your order with your friends and share.
(4)
Kris B.

This may not be the #1 sushi place on the planet, but it ranks right up there with quality and price. We have been going to Sushi Para for at least 5 years or more now and we are never disappointed. We go here when we are looking to binge on sushi since it is an all you can eat place. The only gripe we have had has been getting a table because they are popular and sometimes how long it takes to get the food. We typically don't mind waiting because we are there to socialize not eat and run.
(4)
Antoknight B.

I love sushi para. Im there once a week. Mountian roll is my favorite roll. The Spicy mayo is the best around.
(5)
Jeanne L.

There aren't that many notable sushi buffets in the Illinois area. With that in mind, this place is alright. Service is bad, but if you go in there expecting it to be bad, then it's ok and you don't notice it as much :p. Depending on the chefs that day, you may get rolls that are all rice and little fish/filling. If it's an obscene amount of rice, make sure to complain. Their tactic is to fill you up on all that rice so that you can't order as much, and if you don't order as much you're not getting your money's worth (they charge you extra for leftover rice). But if you have your own eating tactics down (spread the rice around a little, put it in your miso soup for a different feel, etc) then you'll enjoy this place. It's not the best, but it's good enough that my friends and I constantly come back here when we want alot of sushi at a set price. The volcano roll is good (just don't get the dusting of spicy stuff on top; your mouth will fall off!) and sometimes their nigiri looks great. All their appetizers are really good too; we love their edamame!
(4)
D D.

Great bang for your buck. All you can eat sushi for $18 a person? Almost unheard of, theres a few places in the city with deals this good but not in the burbs. You get a lot for your money but make sure you eat everything you order or else rumor has it that you get charged. (haven't really seen it happen yet but who knows, there's probably some truth to it). The place is almost always packed, so expect to wait at least ten to fifteen minutes almost anytime, but on the weekends especially. The sushi is good, including maki and nigiri. They over do it with the rice a bit, but really not so bad, I've become a pro at picking off just enough rice that they don't care that it's on my plate at the end :). Do try it if you are a sushi fan with a big appetite and not the thickest billfold!
(4)
Angela P.

NOT RECOMMENDED! decent food, but terrible service! i walked out very unhappy vowing to never eat at sushi para in palatine again. for $16.99/person sushi buffet, you get ripped-off because the sushi rolls had WAY too much rice in them which get you full fast on cheap carbs! i removed the rice from the sushi so i could finish the rolls i ordered because i knew they charge for leftover food. i tried throwing out the rice in a napkin but they caught me and charged me $10 for that!! for $10, they lost the eternal goodwill of one sushi lover. (i hope their $10 profit was worth that.) if they didn't load their sushis with so much rice in the first place, none of this would have happened and i would have finished my sushi with no problem! the sushi was actually pretty good, after i removed all the excess rice. they messed up 4 orders at our table (including mine)! from not giving all the ordered rolls to mixing up sushi plates to waiting too long for the food to come out, this was a bad experience from beginning to end! a restaurant experience is not just about the food, but the entire experience including ambiance, service, and whether or not you walked out happier than when you came in. this restaurant definitely did not do it for me.
(1)
Patty Y.

My Sushi Para experience was almost over before it started. Major warning signs: 1. After three futile attempts to ask how long the wait would be, we realized the hostess was not deaf, but simply ignoring us. 2. The staff speak not Japanese or English, but Mandarin Chinese. Is this the Panda Express of sushi? Oh wait, no, Panda speaks English. 3. The dining area is tiny. When would we ever get to eat?? Luckily, on our fourth attempt, the waitress muttered that it would be 20 minutes, and then got us seated in 10. And I was glad. Because although the service stank and the waitresses don't seem to speak more than a few words of English, the sushi was definitely passable and the $17.99 all you can eat is a steal! Everything that came with salmon was delicious. To note, the sushi comes with a generous pat of rice, and it is slightly chunkier and loosely packed. The rolls are large in diameter (about 1.5") and thin, and tend to fall apart--all the more reason to inhale them quickly. They are very generous with cucumber and avocado fillers. You can keep ordering, but there is a significant wait for each order so next time I would probably gauge how hungry I am and try to order everything in one round. To give you an idea, the two of us ordered two rounds (5 rolls and 10 pieces of sushi total) and waited 45 minutes for food that took us 15 minutes to actually eat. Our water and--horrors--lukewarm tea were never refilled until we were ready to leave. However, the tea is free. And our waitress did a double take at our 20% tip, so I can only assume others have tipped in accordance with actual service rendered rather than force of habit. Here is a list of my favorites in order of deliciousness: - American Dream Roll : shrimp tempura, tobiko, cucumber, eel, avocado - Spider Roll: standard soft shell crab, cucumber, tobiko - Palatine Roll: salmon, eel, cucumber, tobiko, avocado - Shrimp Tempura Roll: shrimp tempura, avocado, tobiko, cucumber See a cucumber, tobiko, avocado theme? Rolls that I would love to try if they weren't spicy: - Volcano Roll: spicy yellowtail, spicy tuna and spicy salmon - Pop Up Roll: spicy salmon, crab, shrimp plus theme above - Boston Roll: shrimp, crab, spicy mayo plus theme above
(3)
Y M.

I love sushi! This place is pretty good for around $20 all you can eat. I noticed some comments on that there was too much rice but I thought it was decent. There's bound to be some rice otherwise it'll be sashime. love the volcano. Spicy! but not overwhelming. Also like the palatine, american dream, philly, . The staff was ok. services came quickly but they don't really come back to check on us after we got our food. Also I am not a fan of chopped up fish mix thing - mashed fished? .(not sure how how call it) as in spicy salmon and they have quite a few of those. But overall it was enjoyable. would go again, now i know what i like.
(4)
T C.

I've been spoiled by the sushi buffet of SGC/Shogun in Corona, CA, so everytime I try to find a sushi bar (all you can eat), it is always disappointing. Sushi Para is a alright. I give it 3/5 stars because of the pricing of $16.99 for AYCE dinner! Rolls were a bit lose, and the seaweed wrap were damp when they were served. This is probably due to the fact that every time we turned in an order, it took 20+ minutes for it to come back out. Sashimi was decent, but heh..that's a lot of rice to eat if you want your money's worth of AYCE!
(3)
Jackie L.

in my last visit, i found they changed their menu of what you can check. i used to love the fried oysters - but alas, no more. try to order what you like in the first round, cuz they get slower and slower with following orders and they seem to cake on more and more rice. the rolls are decent. i love anything with the spicy sauce. and skip any cream cheese rolls. cream cheese on rolls is a SIN! bleh~~~! the staff definitely could use reminders on customer service but alas, this place is fine for suburbia to satisfy the cravings.
(3)
Stephen T.

My favorite sushi place. You cant beat the deal. Great gyoza and love the Palatine roll.
(5)
Betty H.

Sorry, this rating only applies to their veggie tempura and spicy mayo crunch roll, as I don't do raw sushi. Just can't deal w the texture
(4)
Daniel W.

Excellent place for all you can eat sushi. The Volcano and Michigan rolls are my go tos. Not a huge fan of the Unagi here though. They tend to load the rolls with avocado and rice so be careful. My secret is to spread some of the rice out over the plate... But I think the place is great for all you can eat and have had good experiences there so far. 52 pieces is my PR...going for 60 next time. Watch out Sushi P!
(4)
Sarah S.

Where else can you get all you can eat sushi for $19.95 on a Friday or Saturday night? Nowhere. That's where. Todaii is more expensive at the sushi + service at Sushi Para is wayyy better! I've been here about 3 times now and have always had a pleasant experience. Very nice service but always expect to wait! You can't make reservations and it's not a huge restaurant. I can never seem to eat enough sushi to justify getting the all you can eat so everytime I've gone, I've opted to just order off the menu. Give me a Philly and Tuna (Spicy is okay, too) and I'm a happy girl! One day I promise I will get the all you can here and shovel as much as I possibly can into my tiny mouth! Either way, sushi is decent here but not amazing. Rolls are a bit sloppy but they get the job done. Have more cream cheese then fish most times in my philly roll but that's okay! Still good for the price. No doubt I will be back and am looking forward to conquering the all you can eat option and put a massive amount of sushi put into my belly!
(3)
Annie V.

Worst service of my entire life. My friend and I were ignored upon entering and then once we were seated the waiter didn't bring us water or utensils until we asked. Once we ordered our meal and it came to us the sushi was sub par and had the connective tissue in most of the rolls. Our waiter didn't check on us once the whole meal and then after we spent 5 minutes flagging him down he brought us our check. To top it off the prices on our bill were significantly more expensive than the ones on the menu we were given, and once we pointed this out to our waiter he said we had ordered from looking at a take out menu (which we were given by him), but refused to change the price of our bill. Needless to say we will never be returning. If it were possible to give this place 0 stars I would.
(1)
Christine L.

Great place to go, but only on an empty stomach! I'd only been the the Sushi Para on Clark, and recently ventured to the one here in Palatine. Pretty similar menus & pricing, and just about as busy. Parking is definitely better at the Palatine location. When I'm craving sushi, Sushi Para is always the first place I think about, and the sushi here definitely never disappoints. Love the appetizers and the choice of sushi & rolls. Tried a newer one, the "Under Control" and I think that was my favorite out of all the one's I've eaten. Service was not bad, they were quick to take our orders and fill the water glasses when needed. The only thing was that a few of the buffet orders came out wrong (I think they missed a few of the hand rolls and gave us something that we didn't order). A warning, though! Beware overeating! I always go through the same cycle: Crave Sushi - Eat at Sushi Para - Leave overstuffed having eaten more than I'm comfortable with.
(4)
Steve S.

The soda came in cans. They charged my wife for a refill that she didn't ask for. The nigiri had a funny texture to it (three different kinds) and as I continued to eat it I started to feel nauseous and nearly threw up, I had to spit out the piece I was eating to prevent it. All in all not a pleasant experience.
(1)
Brendan G.

I was looking forward to all you can eat sushi but was very disappointed. The quality of the sushi was low. The sushi mostly consisted vegetables and rice. I didn't feel I got my money's worth
(1)
Joe M.

I've been going here for years and have finally gotten around to writing a review. Great value here with a lot of different options to choose from. I always go for the Spicy Tuna and Spicy Salmon rolls as well as the Crunchy Roll and Shrimp Tempura roll. The service is great and the sushi is ALWAYS fresh. Some say they add to much rice but I have seen other places with comparable rice to roll ratios. Check this place out!
(5)
Mitch L.

Typically love this place for sushi, but today I had a very interesting experience. Was really looking for a two or three rolls special but for dinner there was only the all-you-can-eat. I ordered three rolls and four pieces of sushi, but was full and left three pieces, one of each roll. Because I did not finish, they charged me an extra dollar. Again, typically good, but very interesting to pay for leftovers when I really wasn't trying to abuse it.
(3)
Amy A.

Wow, I've been coming here a few times a year for the past 6 years, and the quality has definitely gone waaaaay down since my first experience. I remember the fish being fresh, average amount of rice, average amount of fish, and no vinegar or very little vinegar in the rice itself. It was basically good sushi for a good value. Now, don't get me wrong...the sushi was never mindblowing or amazing, but it was definitely good. This time I went, it was probably the worst sushi I've ever had. The fish was definitely thawed from frozen, the nigiri had riceballs the size of my fist, with thin slivers of fish on top, and the rice was excessively vinegar tasting (i.e. to mask the non-fresh fish). I wish I took photos. The rice to fish ratio was absurd. I couldn't taste anything except the vinegar and rice. I guess if you really like rice, then this is the place to go. I, on the other hand, will not be returning.
(2)
Cassie R.

I love the seaweed salad, an d the sushi is well prepared! Staff can at times be a little inattentive BUT, are still polite when they do come around. Ultimately I love this place and will happily come back.
(4)
Jay R.

We got our money's worth with the all-you-can-eat sushi. There was 20min wait, which is fair for a saturday evening. The space was clean, the service was friendly and prompt, and most importantly the food was delicious.
(4)
Liz S.

I guess I do understand the "meh" reviews of this place. Really, there's nothing all that special, but there's nothing wrong with it. For $18 a person, it's all you can eat. That's not my style, but it's my best friend's, so we opted to come here one night. She likes how great of a deal it is. I would rather just have one superb roll and a bowl of miso. I didn't get that superb roll. Like I said, this place isn't bad by any means. My volcano roll was pretty good. For $12, I feel like I couldn't have gotten better quality sushi for my money, so this is a great place to go for a cheap fix. I'd come back, but only for the all you can eat.
(3)
Tina A.

I went here based on other people's recommendation (because of the all you can eat sushi). I'm an avid sushi fan and I'm constantly on the look out for "hidden gems". This sushi place is at a pretty busy intersection and is kind of difficult to get into. Either way back to the sushi. I walked in and the place was packed and it took a good 4-5 minutes to be acknowledged, meanwhile a few other groups had walked in behind us making the front area over crowded to the point where a few people had to stand in the doorway. When we got seated we had already decided that we would do the all you can eat sushi (ordered a handful of different rolls) and miso soup. The miso was just OK, Sushi came out relatively quickly, and right away I noticed that they were shoved together in record time. After taking my first bite I was very unimpressed, bland, bland,bland...and slightly warmer than room temp...very unappealing for fresh fish. All the rolls tasted EXACTLY the same and were 70% rice. I left disappointed. Not worth the money for the all you can eat price. I would say give this place a pass if you're a true sushi fanatic
(1)
Samantha R.

The best sushi I've had in the suburbs, and I've been to a lot of places. It's $18.99 all you can eat, but you must pay for anything you don't finish, so go easy on the appetizers, which also fall under the $18.99 rule. Their spicy rolls are DELICIOUS, especially the volcano and the pop-up roll. Mountain roll is great, and they have some delicious "off the menu" rolls as well. These rolls do not go with the $18.99 deal, but are so delicious, the best is the Green Dragon roll, which is an eel and avocado roll. DELICIOUS! The service is kind of bad, but you can't go wrong with the great food and the great price. If you go and don't love it, I feel bad for you. It is the only place I go in the suburbs for sushi, and it's only 15 minutes from my house. You must go there!
(5)
Connie L.

There are much better places for sushi. If you're looking for AYCE sushi, I recommend House of Sushi and Noodles if you're in the city or Sakura in Naperville. I've come here a couple of times before and they always pack way too much rice into all their rolls so that you get full faster. There's also Sushi Ya in the area. Save your money and go elsewhere!
(2)
Amanda M.

I was excited to come here as it is the original one, compared to Sushi Para II in the city. Great service. However, too much rice and not much fish in the rolls, which is expected for a buffet. But the rolls were poorly and quickly made, as they fell apart the moment they were touched. Also, what was mind-blowing was that some of the "specialty" rolls and other dishes like suno mono were additional charge, where as at Para II, those items were included in the selection of the buffet.
(2)
Michael K.

Went here after hearing about the "All-You-Can-Eat" sushi deal. It's ~$16 during lunch hour and ~$19 for dinner. I'll echo the majority by saying the sushi is good but the service is slow. There was a hair in my chunk of wasabi but the place seems pretty clean in general. Worth checking out if you're a sushi lover and in the area.
(4)
Taylor M.

I met up with a group of friends here for a late lunch/ early dinner. One of my friends hear good things about the restaurant so we decided to try it out. When I arrived, I was a bit concerned by the low rating (70) they received at their last inspection. I told my friends about it but they still wanted to dine here. When I walked in the restaurant it smelled a little funny. Like someone had just washed the place in chlorine. I was starving, so I decided to take a risk and order something. I had miso soup with was a bit disappointing, it was lacking in flavor. I also had the shumai appetizer which was pretty good. I ordered one roll, Sapporo Roll and it was pretty terrible. It tasted fishy and chewy. Poor quality sushi. My tummy felt a little off after. Considering the quality of food and lack of ambiance and service, Sushi Para is a bit pricey. For the same price you can get much better! I will not be returning to Sushi Para. *Side Note: They do not accept Discover Card.
(1)
Peter K.

I met up with a group of friends for an early dinner around 5:15pm. Initially, the place had about 40% occupancy and the service was good. Upon our initial order, we received our food in about 5 minutes. While sushi isn't in my top 5 things to eat, I thought the food quality was decent. The sushi size is fairly large and it is all you can eat for dinner. We ordered the following: Crunch Roll (Crab meat, cucumber, tempura chips, masago, spicy mayo on top) - 4 out of 5 stars - it is definitely crunchy and has good texture. Michigan Roll (Spicy tuna and tempura chip inside, tobiko [little orange eggs] on top) - 4 out of 5 stars - the flavors complemented each other well between the spicy tuna and the crunchy chips and the rice. Shrimp Tempura Roll (Shrimp tempura, avocado, tobiko, cucumber) - 3 out of 5 stars - The shrimp tempura is made well but the mixture of flavors brings out a bit of dryness within the whole roll. Sapporo Roll (Crab meat, avocado, cucumber inside topped with spicy tuna) - 2 out of 5 stars - This felt like the Michigan Roll flipped inside out. With large spicy tuna chunks on the outside, it overwhelms the flavor of the rest of the roll, though if you like spicy tuna, this is the way to go. After my party of 4 finished our first plate, we ordered another round which took 20-25 minutes to bring out. That's quite a bit of time considering our stomachs are filling up during that time. The waitresses were good about refilling our drinks until the restaurant got filled to about 90% capacity, at which point they almost never came around. Right before asking for the checks, I asked for my drink to be refilled and it was never done. We also asked for the check to be split which they never did. They seemed annoyed that we wanted that to happen (which I understand can be annoying) but at the same time, if we want to pay separate, then at least try and accommodate for it. Overall, the service started out as a 4 out of 5 and then quickly dipped to 2 out of 5 because of their lack of service.
(2)
Jenni E.

I was doing some errands out this was and because of having to drive out here I thought I would treat myself to sushi. If you are looking for a good sushi lunch special, this is the place to be. They have some great lunch specials and for dinner they have an all you can eat option as well. The rolls I got were good and with the lunch special they offered a number of unique rolls instead of the standard that most other places offer for lunch. If I found myself back in the area I would stop in for a roll or two.
(3)
Nektaria R.

If you are looking for a classy sushi joint, with awesome service this is not it. If you're looking for lots of fresh, yummy sushi and don't want to spend much, this is it. Expect to wait and have someone fun in the group to keep you going. This is my quarterly sushi binge joint with a bunch of coworkers. We meet here, talk about work and slowly eat till someones eyes roll to the back of their head and then we stop and comment about how did we eat that much. I'm sure there's other people that are eating much more than us but we still make those comments. There is a great deal of rice in the huge rolls and if you choose to pick the fish off and leave the rice, they will charge you extra cause they don't like you to throw anything away. So, if you're ready to bring on the feed bag, go to sushi para.
(4)
Rob W.

First visit there today for lunch. It was a random visit - no clue what to expect. I ended up ordering several sushi roll, tuna, yellowtail, Philadelphia and Futomaki. Toss in an egg nigiri. Miso soup - almost an order of gyoza, but decided against it. Futomaki had avocado and lacked a certain pickle that I love. The roe wasn't as flavorful as I am used to either. Other offerings were good. Service was fine, though when one eats at the sushi bar, it should be! So here's the scoop. It's basically a pretty average sushi place, BUT... @$15.50 for all you can eat sushi at lunch, it's a FANTASTIC deal. One warning though - if you're a soda drinker, they do charge by the glass ($1.35 each - not too horrible).. Three stars for food PLUS one star for a great value.
(4)
Michele A.

I have been going to Sushi Para for about 10 years and it had always been the same - good sushi for the price (I avoid the spicy tuna roll even though it is one of my favor ties it is just not that good here). Sometimes the rolls are not "rolled" tight enough. But all in all the sushi is good. The service sucks... they have a few new girls who do pay a bit more attention but, this is a place that you need to go into with no questions about the menu and don't expect premium service. The service isn't bad enough to keep me from going here (and that is not a compliment)!
(3)
Jon F.

I've been to Sushi Para original (here, regularly) and Para M (downtown, twice) and both are top notch. I was definitely worried about the quality of ingredients the first time I came in, but as a sushi lover I have never been disappointed. I actually experienced some of the best salmon nigiri at para M, and the quality of ingredients at both locations is great. There are only 2 things to be aware of: 1) This place isn't a secret... go at dinner and expect to wait a while. There isn't much room for waiting, but there is a big parking lot. 2) If you don't eat it, you are paying for it. Big eyes hurt the wallet here.... but eat up and you'll have no problems. Order as many times as you like. Caveat on that last item, sometimes when you go with large groups, especially if you order alot... it seems like they will slow you down on purpose. Last group of heavy eaters I went with joked that this only allowed for more room... so their plan may have backfired. If you are just looking for a few great rolls head just south to Sushi Asahi, but if you want to stuff your face full of creatures for next to nothing Para is a great option!
(4)
Becca T.

Went here for the first time to have lunch with a friend. When I walked one employee basically stared at me but then another woman greeted me. I told them I was waiting for a friend and they seated me. The server asked me about 5 times in the 10 minutes I was waiting for my friend. We opted for the 2 rolls for $10 lunch special. The sushi was just okay, not great but not horrible. I am debating if I will return.
(3)
Ashley S.

So I usually order take out from here, but tonight my friend and I decided to stop in and eat. They have a great all you can eat deal for $18.99, which I wish I would've taken advantage of. I ordered a la carte and had the Michigan Roll (fabulous) and the reason I didn't order all you can eat is because the Crazy Tuna Roll isn't an option and that roll is my favorite, the reason I eat here actually. So after everything was all said and done I paid more for my sushi than Sarah did, but that damn Crazy Tuna Roll is Craaaaaazzzyyyyyy delicious! The service was good and the atmosphere typical for a small sushi joint. See you soon Sushi Para :)
(5)
Barb D.

My boyfriend and I eat sushi at least once every two weeks, if not more - it is both of our favorite foods. We have tried sushi places all over Chicago and the suburbs and every time walk out saying, "We should have just gone to Sushi Para". The all-you-can-eat special is by far the best option ($18.99/ person). My favorites are the American Dream roll and the Pop-Up roll. Plenty of variety and each one is so very tasty. I also love the gyoza and the veggie tempura. The green tea is always hot and included in the price. The only thing that is frustrating is the wait, even on slow days - once a secret, many have learned of the great quality sushi and cheap deals so call ahead if you can!
(5)
Justin L.

Came here with the guy who wrote the previous review, same gripes, but didn't bother me that bad. I agree with Peter on all his food assessments, but when it comes to service, well... it's all you can eat sushi. I lower my expectations for a lot of these all you can eat places. It's all about turning tables and moving people along. HOWEVER, yeah service was pretty bad this time around. The one thing that got to me was how the waitress reviewed each sign receipt before moving on. It just seemed like she was checking if anyone was cheaping out right in front of us... kind of tactless. Oh well, I'd still eat here again, I'm there more for the sushi anyways.
(3)
Shawn F.

The boyfriend and I love sushi so when we found out about an $18.95 all you can eat (and your pick of rolls!) sushi buffet, we were quite excited. We decided to go for my lover's birthday. I must admit, I think he was frightened by the outside. However, it was super busy inside (and on a monday night) so I think that put his mind at ease. We were seated right away and given these pink cards and menus. We didn't really know how things worked so we just started marking up the card. There was a huge selection of rolls to choose from! We picked the "under control", "michigan", "volcano" and "sapparo". You also can order salad, miso soup and appetizers. We got the spring rolls. Here is the kicker- You have to finish EVERYTHING otherwise you get charged for it in addition to the 18.95. We both thought that would be an easy feat. Yet, when the rolls came out I wasn't so sure. If we go back we will definitely start out slower- order 1-2 rolls at a time and then request more if needed (we didn't know we could do it this way when ordering). The rolls are much more rice-heavy than normal. I had a few rolls with hardly any sushi-- just rice. Overall, they were ehh, okay. Not the best , not the worst. Our favorites were the "Under Control" and the "volcano". My boyfriend said if he came back he probably would order all "under control" rolls. I was not a fan of the spring rolls. So 3 stars- The place is great if you are STARVING and if you know you like there sushi. If you don't know if you like something, its dicey because you will be charged for not eating it. So, thats my complaint... even if you don't like the roll you still have to eat it or pay for it. Refills on drinks are also not free. However, they are very reasonable (2.70 for 2 cokes). Overall its a good value. But- there is much better sushi out there.
(3)
Mallory S.

extremely good quality. absolutely excellent rice! the only thing I would recommend is they put more tempura in the Volcano Roll. However, very satisfied. I ordered carry out.
(4)
Sherwin C.

Really the best place to go if you want to eat a lot of sushi and want the quality to be good as well. While this isn't the best sushi available, it is better than any other all-you-can eat around (well maybe Crazy Buffet in Elk Grove has some comparable items). The satisfaction / price ratio is great, especially on their American Dream and Shrimp Tempura rolls. Be prepared to wait and probably have slow service at night since this place gets very busy pretty early, even on weekdays.
(5)
Chloe T.

Great quality at a amazing price. The server was super friendly and attentive. Everything tasted fresh and the portions were huge. I read some reviews about too much rice, but I think it is reasonable given the amount of fish. Nothing to really complain about. For those that gripe about service or how slow it is, what do you expect when they are crazy busy. Try going in on a weekday or don't complain. And maybe if you didn't have attitude, they'd be nicer.
(5)
David H.

Well, I think this can be summed up by I Love Sushi. I have to say that Sushi Para is much better if you don't order the all you can eat Sushi. When you order the all you can eat, you tend to eat more rice than fish. However, if you get a good old hand role or the two role special, you tend to get a better quality meal and more care seems to be given to the preparation of your food. I like to judge a Sushi joint based on there Uni with a Quail egg. I guess I have found that this is a sign of a great sushi joint. Needless to say they don't serve Uni. However, this is a great value for sushi and if you are hungry you can get a whole lot for your money, just make sure you don't over order or you will pay by the piece for the leftovers (never an issue with me). I would recommend there crunch, christmas and Alaska roles if you are going for the all you can eat. Oh and for judgment number 2 for any Sushi restaurant, Do they abuse there rice and is it pasty? This is perhaps the most important question and I would say that Sushi Para has GOOD rice, so there chefs know how to handle it and it remains light and fluffy just as you would expect it to be. Dear Sushi Para Managers, I would give you only one recommendation to up your score to a 4 and that is to ease up on the rice a little with the all you can eat menu, it really detracts from the quality of your roles. I have enjoyed your roles when I pay for them separate. I tend to eat here once to twice a week as it is by my client and I would love nothing more to up the rating to a 4.
(3)
Fancy N.

I must have lucked out on my visit to Sushi Para, because I didn't have any of the service issues or attitude of a waitress. I too had nearly no wait time. We arrived on Friday night around 7pm, and were prepared for a 45 min wait. We got there and there was a table for 2 empty, so we had to just wait for a larger table to be cleared for our larger party. Now onto the menu. Compared to other AYCE sushi places, I was surprised... at first. The menu seems lengthy, even appetizers are included. But then I thought, appetizers are fillers, and I came here to stock up on Omega 3s, not chicken strips. So we ordered an appetizer to split, it came out in an incredibly tiny portion, ok maybe not that filling. Onto the sushiiiiiii! At first the list of rolls seems long, but once you look into what each roll includes, you notice they are mostly the same. Few have salmon which is my favorite. Most are imitation crab, fried shrip, salmon "skin", a little yellow tail. It was about a 15-20 min wait to get our food. The rolls came looking pretty, but HUGE size. I mean so huge you couldn't fit it in your mouth on one try. As others have mentioned, there is an incredibly large amount of rice on these rolls. I'd say 75% rice, %15 cucumber/avocado, 10% fish. At one point I figured I can't even taste which roll it is, cause you just taste the sticky rice. So I peeled some of it off. The waitress that came back to see if we wanted more rolls gave me a slight dirty look for the left over rice, but didn't mention it. Is this some fancy high class place? Umm, no. But when I'm in the mood to stuff my face with sushi, this place is great for $18.99.
(4)
Howie C.

Try getting into this place during a busy time of the day is tough. Many patrons sit and order seconds so the table turn time is a little slow. You have to also remember that they make everything to order. Best to go off peak. The service here has improved greatly and they have reduced the rice in the sushi.. YEAAAA. More fish. I never tire of this place. I don't come here that often because I end up gaining 5lbs every time. I've figured out a way to get around this problem. I lose 5 or 10lbs 1st and then treat myself to a "Sushi Para" experience instead of gain now and then have to lose later. Since I've changed my mindset to lose weight 1st and treat myself to A LOT of something, I've dropped from 195 to 175. YEA BABAY!!
(4)
Rena P.

Suburban sushi at its finest. No joke. Out of the ?? number of rolls I tried (notice the double digits), not one received bad marks from my taste buds. The interior is on the small side, causing somewhat of a wait during peak hours, and the decor is a bit blah. That all is quickly forgotten when you're served the maki yummies. The fish was fresh and the rolls were tight. Plus, their all-you-can-eat menu includes non-sushi items, making it an IDEAL place for those who happening to be dating someone who doesn't understand the deliciousness of the rice, seaweed, fish combo. Lot's of roll options are on the menu as well, so you won't soon run out of new items to try. Now I wonder if the city locations meet these standards as well. C-H-A-L-L-E-N-G-E
(5)
Sarah W.

I had heard a lot about this place before trying it out. Always positive feedback but when I tied it I was very disappointed. Will not be going back. There are other sushi restaurants within the area that are far better.
(1)
Natalie F.

Great place to get carry out! Always fresh always good!
(5)
Jessica P.

I came here a couple times for sushi and it was ok... The first time I came here with a couple of people, it was a week night and it wasn't as busy..the food was ok...and service was just ok....as the night progressed.. I didn't like how the waiters/waitresses were kind of staring us down to leave..and it wasn't even busy...I'm sure they wanted to clean up early and leave..but still...it wasn't like they were closing anytime soon and it's not like we were finished eating either...they actually allowed us to pack our food to go (excluding the dumplings and appetizers that we ordered).. which i found odd... usually buffets don't allow us to pack food to go.. maybe they really wanted us to leave...hah.. The second time I came here with 5 other people and it was on a Sunday evening so it was little more packed..we had about a 20 minute wait which wasn't too bad, but not any ideal waiting area/place....the food was ok.. I don't like how they charge us for leftovers; although, we didn't get charged.. the idea is just bleh...makes people just stuff their faces even when they're full... not a fan of that...oo and the price increased the 2nd time I went compared to the first time I came here... i guess if you're really craving sushi with lots of rice and you've starved yourself all day to stuff yourself with sushi with lots of rice.. then you should come here.....stuffing sushi with lots of rice..obviously they would do that at a sushi buffet... pros: sushi buffet - all you can eat sushi..yay for people who can eat a lot! cons: customer service wasn't that great, you must pay if you don't finish your food as if paying for the sushi buffet wasn't enough, atmosphere needs a little touch-up... parking: there's a parking lot so you won't have any issues finding parking..
(3)
Max K.

Overall a pretty good place. Sushi is made to order and you cannot beat this for the price, about $20 per person. When there are a lot of people, sometimes the orders get backed up and switched but that hasn't happened a lot with us. Out of all the times we came here, maybe just once. Sushi goes great with a bottle of Asahi or Sapporo. Get there early in the evenings, may be lines.
(4)
Mike N.

Been here about 4 times for the AYCE sushi, and every time we return thinking it will be better it isn't. Every roll we ordered had absolutely no flavor!
(1)
Randy C.

Nothing but rice and if you dont finish they make you pay for it. Garbage sushi
(1)
Nataliya A.

So 3 years ago I wrote a not so lovely review of Sushi Para, and I have not returned since... until one evening my bf and I had a major sushi craving and didn't want to dish out lots of $$ for yummy sushi. We decided to give Sushi Para another try after 3 years. I do agree, sushi para used to be terrible and I refused to go there for many years. BUT when the bf and I went a few weeks ago, boy what a change they've made! No more rice overload, and the sushi was actually good (all you can eat standards obviously) Sushi para is now a great competitor to all you can eat sushi places.
(4)
Seleen T.

Sushi para has awesome sushi and the Unlimited is a good price for lunch/dinner. Service is pretty fast and easy to order. It does get packed for dinner and lunchtime. My favorite sushi place in the area. Fresh food.
(5)
Ben P.

Great, if you go into it expecting it to be what is it: a budget sushi place. All you can eat sushi for a set price like this is a great deal, and it doesn't take long to get your money's worth. The quality is great for what it is - nothing that's going to blow you out of the water, but good. I was happy to see things other than sushi, like miso soup and gyoza, on the all you can eat menu. Definitely come hungry and ready to eat!
(4)
Henry T.

After a long day of shopping for a new desk, I was craving sushi. I was decently far from home so I wasn't familiar with the sushi restaurants in the area. I decided to go to Sushi Para because they had an all you can eat option. I went in alone, straight to the counter and told them table for one. I was directed towards the window seats, which gave me the option to sit where I wanted. Immediately I was asked what I would like to drink and was handed the different menus. There are 3 menus: The Standard with everything they sell plus pricing, a Dinner All You Can Eat which is $18.99, and a Lunch All You Can Eat, which is only available before a certain time, so I'm not sure how much that cost. The dinner all you can eat has more selection than the lunch though. If you're not familiar with all you can eat sushi places, I'll explain how they work since most of them are the same. Basically eat what you can order, or you'll be charged for what you don't finish. A menu shows all the selections from maki rolls, nigiri, and specialty rolls. Just write down how much you want of each type of sushi and they'll bring it to you for one price. Anyway so I was given my drink and I was already prepared to order. I started my Yelp review while I was waiting for my sushi to arrive. But I didn't even get finished with the second paragraph, it came so quick. It was probably because I was eating alone. Before my eyes were, the Palatine Roll, the Para Roll, the Philadelphia Roll, and two pieces of eel sushi. All of them tasted different in flavor which is a good thing. The fish was very fresh, and the rice was cooked to perfection. I ordered a second round, but I couldn't tell you what I got because at that point I was just shoving them in my mouth. When I was done, I asked for my check and I was on my way. I'm glad more and more people are trying sushi. It's such a wonderful food and Sushi Para really delivers in service and quality. Next time I'm in the area I'll be sure to hit up this place again. If you like good sushi, good service, and a good aesthetically pleasing environment, please go eat at Sushi Para, you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Natalie C.

Without fail the most inexpensive, high quality sushi there is. I do agree that if you go for the all you can eat buffet they really amp up the amount of rice they use in their rolls. We order take out from here all the time and I've never been disappointed with the quality of their sushi, it's always delicious and fresh.
(5)
Fred M.

I love this place. The Maguro is always excellent.
(5)
Mark D.

First time dining here and the last time dining here! You wouldn't expect an $18.99 AYCE Sushi special to be the highest quality, but you shouldn't expect it to be so bad you couldn't wait to leave. The nice thing is you get a large selection of rolls and sashimi to choose from, but that's where it ends. Almost every single roll had cucumber in which I can only imagine is used to fill you up, making the taste difference from one roll to the next barely noticeable unless it had spicy mayo on it. The sashimi was made with such a large amount of rice it was ridiculous. Again, I believe it was purposely made that way to fill you up quickly. They have a very strict "You Pay for What You Don't Eat" policy, so maybe they're trying to make money that way. I got a roll I didn't even order! The only reason I gave them two stars is because the sashimi was very fresh and tasty. I just took half the rice off of it. I didn't have enough of anything good that makes me want to return again. Very disappointed.
(2)
Susan S.

Came with my boys and my oldest really knows the rolls to order. The food was really delicious . Very fresh the servers were a big disappointment , perhaps they're burnt out on all you can eat patrons . But the whole time we were there they were almost robotic. No smiles and no communication . Be aware if you choose to come here you have to clean your plate or you will be charged for not eating your remaining sushi I am a member of the clean plate club or at least take a doggy bag home. ( being brought up by my very frugal Japanese parents , dad was raised in depression) they will allow you to bring home any leftover sushi for a fee. So for twenty dollars it's worth it. I think my eldest son and friends try to bankrupt this place.
(4)
Mykyta C.

Let me tell you helpers, I've lived in palatine for over a decade now and this is the spot to go in the northwest suburbs for any sushi lovers! I always get the 19.99 all you can eat deal and it never disappoints. I've eaten over 40 pieces in a sitting here but be careful because u have o eat what u order! But either way this place is the bees knees. Service is great, they have a liquor license, they cook it right next to you! Been here over 50 times and will keep coming!
(5)
Sakif F.

The AYCE is a terrible deal. It's more like AYCE rice. You're much better off just ordering from the regular menu.
(2)
Brenda G.

Holy crap talk about rice. They use a lot of rice and the rolls tend to fall apart. I ordered two rolls and two individual pieces. Be careful with the amount you order because the rice fills you up quickly and there is a charge for what you don't finish. Besides the rice amount, it is a great spot. I drove over 30 min and it was worth it. They have an all you can eat lunch special and dinner special but check out the times as the prices change. The staff was nice but not as attentive as I would have liked them to be. It's not a very big place so a little music would be nice to not awkwardly over hear people's conversations. The quality of the food is great, I will definitely return.
(4)
Yan H.

Sushi Para the Sushi fantastic
(5)
Victoria W.

Ok so where do I begin. Honestly coming from the southeast, I am not used to buffets making me pay for leftover food. That is honestly a lot of pressure, I mean people should know not to be wasteful whether if it's buffet or dine in. The worst part about this place is that towards the end I was SICK OF EATING RICE. But I will still be back haha. Basically the wait is treacherous, and I showed up here at 8:45PM. Took forever for me to flag someone down so I could ask a question on how the process works. Finally I got my water. Then I marked up the items I want and handed the slip to my waitress, she disappeared for lord knows how long. Finally she brought out the veggie tempura and shumai I placed an order for. Generous portion, looks like they serve you the full size of an appetizer. Then I waited some more, don't ever come here by yourself, you will die of boredom waiting. Finally my sushi was ready and it was all worth it. Exceptional presentation, in fact best presentation for a sushi buffet place. The fish was very fresh. The rolls were tasty. Once again, the worst part is the heavy rice and you are forced to finish everything. URGH. If it wasn't for the wait and the pressure, this place would be 5 stars in my book. Basically I came here wanting pita pita and for some reason hopped over next door and came out with a food coma.
(4)
Vivek W.

This is an amazing place. Every time I come here I am so happy with the food and the service. This is also a buffet and the price us just right.
(5)
Andrea M.

Even though the waitresses watch you like hawks, the sushi is amazing. I always come back for more. All you can eat sushi is my weakness, and you can't beat the $20 price. Just don't leave any behind, not even the rice! They will charge you!
(4)
Yanja B.

IN LOVE! Enough said! I love Sushi Para- amazing sushi! The only thing I wish is that my stomach would magically expand so I can eat all of the sushi!! *Nom Nom* I often fantasize about myself coming back here to eat sushi. You have to come check it out- absolutely delicious all you can eat sushi! See you soon Sush Para!!
(5)
Jennifer P.

This remains my favorite AYCE sushi joint since they have a good selection of appetizers, nigiri, and rolls. My favorites are the Hokkai, Palatine, American Dream, and Rainbow rolls. The nigiri can often be very rice-heavy and isn't the best sushi rice. The fish, to the best of my knowledge, comes pre-packaged (not always cut) and has been frozen. Quality can be hit-or-miss but is usually decent. Service is obviously better at off-peak times. Expect a wait on Friday and Saturday evenings! Dinner price is slightly more than lunch ($16.99 vs. $18.99 I believe).
(3)
Trisha P.

Love love love this place!! Great sushi, made to order. Great staff and service! And you can't beat the price!!
(5)
Brent G.

The mixed reviews are interesting to read, but in a sense they're all correct in a way. There are two opposing forces at work: - The quality of the fish is actually very good. I sat at the sushi bar, and watched impeccable plates come out rapidly, made to order, with good ingredients. You can have all you want too. Sounds good right? - People aren't exaggerating about the quantity of rice. It's massive. Insane, really. You'll fill up twice as fast as you think, because the rice will rapidly expand in your stomach. I started with nigiri, and was dismayed at the bricks of rice under each piece of high quality fish. Then I got "smart" - realizing that rolls had multiple non-rice items (fish, shrimp, avocado, cucumber) and had to be a better option. I couldn't have been more wrong. From my vantage point, I could see the sushi chef grabbing a massive handful of rice to make each roll, then smashing it down onto the wrapper with such force that the rice compressed into a solid mat. As a result, each roll had twice as much rice as it appeared to. I can eat - my stomach is a black hole - but I had to fight hard to finish my second plate, so I wouldn't pay a penalty. And I didn't order very much either time. (in total, a few rolls, and 4 pieces of nigiri) The most important piece of advice is that this is a budget sushi buffet. Your expectations shouldn't be through the roof. The price is totally reasonable, and the quality is actually pretty good. They have to make it work somehow, and the way they do it is by making you eat far more rice than you'd like to, which minimizes how much fish you can eat. If you know that going in, and don't have unrealistic expectations, you'll like Sushi Para.
(4)
Brad N.

I enjoyed my meal, and didn't have any problems but my girlfriend and brother both were in the bathroom for the next hour after we got home. Not sure if the fish they used was not clean but we will not go back to this restaurant after this experience.
(2)
Vit G.

Come here every time I visit Chicago. Sushi was always great and service was held on point most of the time. But last week when we visited I've noticed that they started using 10 times more rice on all of their rolls which fills you up way too fast.... Sushi Coma lol
(4)
V P.

Went there for dinner on Valentines day around 6:00 with no reservation. Seated around 6:45ish, which was the wait time we were told, couple tables were rather close but we ended up talking to and making friends with the couple next to us and the two sisters next to them! c: Good place to meet good people and have excellent sushi. All you can eat and portions are large and tasty. Para Roll, Volcano Roll, Cruchy Roll, Spicy Salmon and Godzilla Roll are must-tries. All delicious. Went to another all you can eat sushi place not long ago and discovered I have been spoiled with the quality from here and now my standards are pretty high. I sincerely love this place.
(5)
Cody F.

Mediocre at best. All you can eat very quickly turned into how are we going to choke all of this down... definitely better options in the area. The good: Pretty good selection for an AYCE menu. Service was decent. Green tea included. All you can eat prices were very modest (although I suppose now I know why). Salmon tasted good. Wasabi had a good amount of heat. The bad: Rice was hard and the rolls fell apart. Our order was not quite right but they fixed it. The eel was slightly undercooked and incredibly fishy. Way too much rice in the rolls and especially in the nigiri, but that's to be expected sushi with AYCE. The ugly: Watched a server eating something in the corner next the sushi bar several times and not washing her hands before handling plates and whatnot. The sweet egg was half brown and looked a week old. Overall: I won't be back. If you stick to the basics and go in with low expectations, you'll probably be fine.
(2)
Sarah J.

Terrible customer service. The waitress was talking to the sushi man the whole time that we had to wave our hands to get her attention. When the sushi man was making our sushi, he was talking over the rolls that I lost my appetite.
(1)
Felice C.

I've been to Sushi Para a handful of times--this location only once. You can never have too high expectations when it comes to AYCE sushi places, but Sushi Para is pretty darn great for $18.99. I came here on a weekday night with a friend and it wasn't too crowded; our waitress was super polite and patient. I ordered edamame, tatsuta age, palatine roll, hokkai roll, pop up roll, and volcano roll. The tatsuta age was pretty rough and not very fresh or crunchy...but my favorites were palatine roll and hokkai roll! I definitely recommend those. Yuuuuum :P I want some sushi now!!!
(4)
Ray L.

This will be a short one... Great Sushi! Great Atmosphere! Perfect for date nights ! I can't visit this place enough!
(5)
Ryan H.

Gotta love that all you can eat sushi for 15.50 at lunch, really can't beat the price or the quality of the sushi. It's not gonna be your highest quality sushi but for 15.50 bucks, you honestly can't beat it. I love the crunch rolls and shrimp tempura. The spicy salmon is also another must get. The service is great and it's always reasonable time. The ingredients are always fresh. I have been seeing in other reviews that they put a lot of rice. That's only somewhat true but only on a roll with one ingredient, for example if You just got a salmon or eel roll, it would just be that fish on top of a chunk of rice, but it's not bad. I would recommend this to any sushi lover and to come check it out.
(5)
Jim D.

Sushi is just ok, the rice is hard and cheap, portions on the all you can eat are thin with a bunch of extra rice. If you do not eat all the food they charge you for it a and no clue where the get the prices for it. Watch your receipt closely for over charges!!
(1)
Andrew G.

Visited with my wife Sunday looking for a place to satiate a craving for sushi and wasn't particularly impressed. Tucked into a strip mall, Sushi Para isn't particularly big, but accommodates patrons well enough for the act of sitting down and ordering a ton of sushi with friendly servers to match. If you have the appetite for it, the all-you-can-eat option for $18.99 is definitely the way to go. Unfortunately, my wife and I weren't particularly fans. The sheer amount of rice packed around each roll or under each bit of sashimi was downright gratuitous to the point of blending out any flavor of the sushi itself. At times, feeling like you were eating rice that just happened to have some sushi in it. The Tamago and Crab sashimi were great along with the Tempura rolls were both good, in addition to the appetizers. Yet, otherwise a majority of the sushi flew well under the radar of comparable offerings from other restaurants in the area. For all-you-can-eat prices, it isn't bad. However, as a caveat, if you leave even so much as a single piece on your plate from a roll, you'll be charge on your bill for doing so should you opt for the all-you-can-eat option. Understandably, it deters people from over-ordering, but such measures seem ultimately draconian. As of now, my wife and I are unsure about a return visit when there's so many better offerings for cheaper a la carte sushi closer to us.
(2)
Mitch H.

Me and my friends have been frequenting Sushi Para for a few years now, and at first it we thought it was a pretty great place. For while now, however, it has been seemingly going downhill. The quality of the fish, especially the salmon, has taken a dive. It is obviously a poorly farm raised, very fatty, artificially dyed variety of salmon. Not that I expect top notch salmon for $19 all you can eat, but it is just wholly unappetizing to see salmon this anemic looking. The rolls themselves also aren't anywhere as neatly constructed as they once were. I frequently find them looking haphazardly put together. This wouldn't be a problem, really, except the pieces almost always start falling apart upon grasping them with my chopsticks. They're also much too heavy on the rice. I can understand that they're trying to keep costs down, but the fish to rice ratio is simply ridiculous even by all you can eat standards. The servers are also now giving us a harder time than usual. Being charged extra for a couple small pieces left on the plate, bringing the wrong items (i.e. serving plum wine when asked for red wine), and being relatively inattentive to tables they've served are problems we're experiencing. I was charged $8 for a couple pieces of sushi my girlfriend left on her plate, even though she only ordered 3 rolls. My friend just the other night was charged for a mere two pieces left on his plate. What?!?! Though this place could feasibly regain another star in my eye if they rectified the fish and roll construction quality issues, it is what it is and that's a budget sushi joint. To the people giving this place 4 or 5 stars: please go to a decent sushi restaurant and try some sushi that isn't made with bottom of the barrel fish, and stop giving budget sushi 5 star reviews.
(2)
Katrina D.

I tried this place for the first time last night with my boyfriend after having driven past it for years. I was pleasantly surprised! I was craving sushi so my boyfriend looked up places in the area. We saw Sushi Para had some cheap rolls so we decided to make the trip. When we got there, we were pleasantly surprised to see an All You Can Eat option for $18.99, which would be the way to go if you wanted even two specialty rolls. I got four rolls, my boyfriend got three, and we eat got a miso soup. THE ROLLS ARE HUGE!!! They are completely stuffed. You will not be disappointed with the size or the taste. Another plus was how quickly all our rolls were prepared. The restaurant was half full and we got our food within 15 minutes. Warning: they say on the menu you will have to pay for any leftover rolls you do not eat. I think it would be okay if you had a few bites left, but not an entire roll. Definitely check it out if you are a sushi lover like me! I'm going to go back for sure.
(4)
Dovy D.

Great value and good quality sushi, not the best but also miles above what you'd expect from an all you can eat sushi place. Loved the mackerel and eel nigiri. As far as rolls there was a very tasty one with shrimp tempura inside. If I was in the area I'd definitely come here everytime to get my fix.
(4)
Cary W.

Sushi para is a great place to go with some friends for lunch. The staff are polite and prompt, with a great atmosphere as well it makes it a great place to have a longer lunch. The prices are great for lunch especially and the quality of the sushi here is on par. There's not much better you can do for a great sushi experience.
(4)
Kyle M.

$15.99 lunch buffet & $18.99 dinner buffet. So if you come here hungry enough, you can order 17 miso soups, 11 edamame dishes, & 168 pieces of sushi (or more) for your meal. All this for the same price of one signature roll at a high-class sushi lounge. No, it's not as good as high-class lounges, but it's hands down the best all-you-can-eat sushi you will find! If you're a first timer, I would stick with the Pop-up roll, American Dream Roll, Palatine roll, and yellowtail sushi. Miso soup is a great starter, too!
(4)
Mr.andMrs. A.

NEVER COMING BACK! I'm sorry you feel you don't need to be nice to customers because you're busy. Keep treating customers like they are garbage and you won't have that problem much longer. I can't say enough about how poor the service was. And the sushi. Barf. Unless you like your sushi 98% rice. Sorry sushi para you aren't the only sushi place in town anymore. Get it together.
(1)
Amy L.

Sushi is for the rich and glamorous, we get it. So you drive by sushi places and try to quiet your cravings for the sake of your wallet that's more famished than your stomach. But one day you're gonna cave and wantt to eat an entire 5 months worth of sushi-- thus, the reason for Sushi Para's existence. All you can eat is just $20/ person. You not only get maki rolls but also sushi and other appetizers, so this is your chance to finally get the sai salad you've been wanting to try but never getting it out of guilt. But you're not going to want to get too many things other than sushi- every time I've come here I've walked out of the place hunched over, apologizing over and again to my poor stomach whom I've stretched to the limit. The rolls aren't exactly beautiful and are a bit lackluster in their composition, but you're not going there to admire art, you're going there to devour sushi.
(4)
Nelson M.

Restaurant review update: Please read my prior review for all the details. This place is still happening with a long line Sunday night for dinner. Buffet cost 18.99 which is nice. Lots of rice with the maki, but the salmon was so fresh and fatty it was amazing. The only downside was with our main order they would short change the maki order each time. Maybe it is because they ran out of room on the plate. If you like sushi and are okay with rice you should come here for the AYCE experience.
(4)
Asdf A.

Pro Variety Con TOO MUCH RICE Recommended Spicy Tuna roll It looks like sushi and tastes like sushi. Sushi are fine except too much rice, destroying balance of taste. Although quality is poor, being buffet and variety they offer make up for it. A good place to visit if you want to dumpster sushi into your stomach at relatively cheaper price.
(3)
Tina L.

All you can eat sushi? YES PLEASE! The key thing here is to pace yourself! Know how much you can handle, because they will charge you for any extra food left over. I've heard of people hiding their rice in the soy sauce container, so make sure to check it before pouring some into your dish. Keep in mind, for the all you can eat, they don't want to go out of business, so they pack A LOT of rice on the nigiri. The rolls are decent (not as much rice) but keep in mind that fried stuff like tempura in the rolls can add to making you feel a lot more full. Overall, I think for the price and for the fact that I'm in the midwest, the quality and taste of the sushi is pretty good. 3 stars in my book!
(3)
Samantha A.

Very good sushi and great price for buffet!
(5)
Darren W.

I had to drop a review in here if only to boost the rating on this excellent restaurant. Come on people, are you really going to complain that you had to pay for custom made sushi you didn't eat or slow service on a packed evening? I have been to this place SEVERAL times, and despite the one time the wait staff hawked around my table in shock while dining to a near competitive point with my brother, the service has been most excellent. I feel like I need to defend this place - Sushi Para ROCKS! To the lady I saw hiding her rice in her napkin and making a big scene when getting busted by the staff, come on - eat up or pay the three dollars. These people work hard to provide you a good meal. Where else are you going to get fresh, hand-rolled sushi for less than $20 a person for dinner (even less for lunch) with overall good service, very fresh food, a good beverage menu, and in my opinion, a good wait staff and comfortable atmosphere? I do love this place and it's one of the best values around, and usually with extremely quick service. Yes, there are the occasional slow times, but considering the value, I'm forgiving. Is it the best sushi in Chicago? Probably not, for that I would probably have to vote for Wakamono in Lakeview - but that's for another (and more expensive) review. Sushi Para features excellent nigiri and maki sushi at an insanely reasonable price. And again, this sushi is made to order, not like the sushi buffets with pre-made rolls sitting out for who knows how long. These are great, I especially recommend trying the pop up and spider rolls (both only available at dinnertime), as well as their California and Palatine rolls. Eager for an appetizer? Grab the edamame or a nice bowl of miso soup. Great overall value.
(5)
Ilona C.

Worst sushi ever! I've never considered Sushi Para a good sushi place. However, this place is two minutes away from my house, so usually I ordered a to go( not to mentioned how many times I've eaten there before). Today I found a plastic tag in my spicy tuna roll. I called them immediately. They were not willing to do a refund. Instead, they wanted to give me a credit for the amount of money I spent. Of course, I refused to take it, as I DO NOT ever want to eat their sushi again. It clear to me how much they appreciate their customers! There will be no more to go or having lunch after my Yoga class. Avoid this place!
(1)
MJ E.

I'm not sure if I've changed or this place has changed. After several visits, I think I'm done with this place. Previously, I've felt that I ate some pretty good sushi. Recently, feel like I just ate a LOT of rice. There is too much good sushi in the neighborhood to settle!
(2)
Elle M.

listen, people. this is all you can eat SUSHI. anyone who bitches about the slow service or too much rice in the rolls is expecting way too much from a strip mall sushi joint. i've had a lot of sushi. great sushi. amazing sushi. and mediocre sushi. this lands somewhere in the middle. it was surprisingly good considering the venue and location. overall i was pretty darn happy with my meal. oh and we got 9 rolls and an order of gyoza for under $50. amazing? yes. yes i think so. so quit your complaining, you pre-madonnas. if you want incredible decor and snap-your-fingers service go somewhere else and pay for it. if you want tons of solid sushi for practically nothing, sushi para is it.
(4)
Michael G.

I used to shy away from sushi, mostly because I have always had a strong aversion to fishy smelling/tasting fish (especially seaweed). My wife often tried to make me try it and I always balked at it, again because of the smell and taste. But one day we visited this restaurant and I initially ordered a steak roll thing (which was delicious but expensive). After I finished, my wife asked me to try a salmon sushi.....it was delicious! Smooth texture, no fishy smell or taste. The all-you-can-eat option is very reasonably priced, especially if you eat as much as my tiny little wife - she looooooves sushi - so for what we eat there compared to what the same amount of food would cost elsewhere, it's definitely a bargain. And besides the sushi, the all-you-can-eat includes: edamame, miso soup, shumai, potstickers, chicken skewers, veggie tempura, and egg sushi. I've since tried all kinds of sushi and rolls and other items off the menu and have been pretty impressed thus far. Be careful though, do not order more than you can eat because they will charge you for it and do not try and share an all-you-can-eat item with someone who isn't also doing AYCE....they watch you like hawks. I would give Sushi Para 5 stars but for the service. It seems to be quite slow after the first serving and I'm assuming it's to try and make you fill up before getting more. Regardless, it's still a bargain and, as far as this sushi novice can tell, is excellent sushi.
(4)
Sarah J.

Where do I begin about sushi para! Not only do you get bang for your buck but the food is phenominal. I mean a real mouth watering experience. Our company always orders from here because they are prompt, package it like a mini lunch box with all your utensils and supplies (soy sauce, chop sticks, napkins). I mean you cant go wrong. They have never given us problems for doing seperate checks- just real sweet women there. Yummy you definetly have some competition! :)
(5)
Alyssa M.

LOVE THIS PLACE! Make sure you fast before you come here, because so much food ends up being ordered, at least with the all-you-can-eat special! The sushi is fresh and delicious, the service is extremely nice, and the prices are reasonable and consistent.
(4)
Rachel H.

Good food for the price. The waitresses are rude, I asked for a hot tea refill- I got a dirty look in return! I don't care, I kept asking for tea whenever I needed it. A bit disappointing that they do not have Scallops. I would highly recommend you go try it, what have you to lose, its just $16.99. Also on friday you HAVE to get there early, theres always a loooong line after 7pm....errrr on second thoughts don't go, I want the place to myself!
(5)
Joshua C.

"All-You-Can-Eat." Four words that move my heart. Add in the word "sushi" at the end, and I'm sold. This is what you get when you go to Sushi Para, great value for good sushi. I love to go with my family whenever I'm back in the Chicago-land area. Within the buffet menu, there are a variety of options, beginning with appetizers like gyoza (dumplings), fried tempura items and miso soup. Most of the time, I'll get the miso soup, but I want to save my appetite for the sushi. I'll give you a sample of what I might get on a visit to Sushi Para. There are rolls and sushi pieces but no sashimi. Regular sushi (just rice and piece of sushi): 2 Yellowtail, 2 Salmon, 2 Tuna, 2 Eel Then on to the rolls. This is the good stuff; don't waste your time with other rolls. 3 Rainbow Rolls (Best value, price-wise. Finish a couple of these rolls, and you've already just about paid off the buffet price.) 2 American-Dream Rolls (Tempura shrimp, Avocado, Eel, cucumbers and som other good stuff.) 1 Spider Roll (Crab) 1 Tempura Shrimp Roll (It's like the American Dream roll without the Eel) Their Palatine Roll is also not bad, if you like cream cheese in your roll. Now, you might be thinking, "Josh, you just ordered eight sushi pieces and seven rolls!" To which I might reply, "Hmm, you're right. You think I should get more?" :-P **There is a word of caution, however. Order only what you know you will be able to finish. If you have leftovers, they will charge you extra (not that I've ever had an issue with not being able to finish, but I know some who have that had to pay extra). The overall atmosphere is nice, but it can get a little loud when it is crowded. The only issue I have had is with the waitresses. Depending on who you get, it can change your whole experience. Some of them seem mean, while others smile and really do their best. The last couple times I went have been better, but it's best to go in with an understanding that the waitress might just be having a bad day. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. The only thing keeping Sushi Para from being 5-stars for me are the negative experiences with service I've had. However, the sushi quality still outweighs the negatives. And with all that being said, for $17.99, you're not going to find better value for an all-you-can-eat sushi place. If you're craving sushi and lots of it, I'd give you the go-ahead to check out Sushi Para.
(4)
Kate S.

Tried this place about a month ago with my aunt and cousin. It is one of those all you can eat sushi places. They have been here a few times and were able to give me the skinny. What you should know going into this experience that while you can order as much as you wish.... there is an extra charge for anything that you don't finish. They do have it on the menu but it is in small writing on the bottom. I could see how you would be upset if you didn't see that and ordered too much. I find that kind of sneaky. I though the sushi was just average... I guess good for an all you can eat place but there certainly is much better sushi out there. Service was just ok as well. I am also not one for gigantic rolls that you basically have to pack your cheeks with in order to eat it in one bite... NO THANKS. It just falls apart if you try to take a few bites. So all in all ok place to go if you know the rules of ordering ahead of time and you just need a sushi fix. Like I said there are better places in the area.
(3)
Triphena W.

I like this place. Sushi Para is not going to deliver food on the level of Katsu, but I've always had positive experiences with fresh, sinew-free fish. The $19 all-you-can-eat option includes a hefty selection of made-to-order appetizers, nigiri, and maki. The nigiri are conventional, but since you're only paying $19, I'm ok with the fact that there is more rice underneath the fish than you might find at more expensive sushi restaurants. The highlight of the all-you-can-eat menu is the rolls, particularly the spicy rolls. I like the spicy tuna roll, Michigan roll (spicy tuna + tempura crunch inside, tobiko outside), Volcano roll (spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and spicy yellowtail inside, tobiko and sriracha-like sauce on the outside), and the Under Control roll (spicy tuna inside with shrimp tempura outside). At other restaurants, the Under Control roll might cost $13. Great value. Unlike the nigiri, the chefs don't pile on the rice. BYO. The service is prompt and attentive: finished sushi plates were quickly removed, and water/tea never went below half full. The space is unremarkable, but it's kept clean. Tables are nicely spaced. The restaurant was full by 7pm on a Friday night. Large parking lot. Easy access to highways. You definitely get more than your money's worth here.
(3)
Liz M.

My ALL TIME favorite sushi restaurant!!!! They have an All-U-Can-Eat Sushi special that you cannot beat!! 19.95 for dinner and 16.95 for lunch. The fish is ALWAYS fresh and the appetizers are yummy! The service is good but do plan to wait a bit if it is busy. If your looking for a romantic or trendy atmosphere...this is NOT your place. But good, fresh sushi and amazing rolls...come on down!! There is another location in the city on Clark St. a couple of blocks south of Fullerton Ave, with no parking lot and much smaller dining room. The specialty rolls are the best! "Mountain, Boston and Pop-Up" are our favorites!
(5)
Vince V.

Sushi Para is almost a pun on itself, the sushi being about "par" for the course given the reasonable prices. Maybe it's an exercise in honesty. But heck, it is a buffet so no whining from me. Don't order too much at one time because you will get charged for leftovers. Fill-up if you have one of those inexplicable cravings and don't expect to go "wow" over anything, food, service or otherwise.
(3)
Frank M.

They had my son arrested! Read on. This was my son's favorite restaurant--decent food, a good deal for a big eater but grim-faced, rude wait staff that's famous in the area for their negative vibe. A full scholarship college student, and a sushi fanatic, he ate there virtually every day until we became worried about mercury poisoning but that's not Sushi Para's fault--only an indicator of how loyal he was. He called me at work and told me they served him a spicy tuna roll with hairs poking out the ends! When he complained, they actually told him to EAT AOUND THE HAIR. I told him to pay the all-you-can-eat bill anyway and leave or the hairy roll untouched. They expected him to pay additional for the uneaten roll. I told him not to and they had him arrested. I had to leave work to get him at the police lockup and was forced to drive back to the restaurant and pay the five bucks. The whole ordeal took half a day. Note the other review where a plastic bag was found in their roll. So ask yourself this: how much plastic, hair and verbal abuse would you like?
(1)
Robert M.

In reading some of the other reviews I have to beg too differ on their poor reception of this place. I have nothing but praise for this reasonably priced sushi restaurant. The place was very busy when we visited Aug. 5 yet the waitress took time to time to explain our questions about the menu, take the drink order and returned promptly with said drinks and took our order without rushing us, she also kept our drinks filled throughout the meal and kept the table cleared of dirty plates. We had the $19 all you can eat deal and what a deal it was, we sent in several order tickets while we dined and each arrived we thought pretty quickly considering how many people were in the place and they were all ordering plenty of sushi as well. The sushi itself was excellent, fresh fish, great ingredient to rice ratio though they could used a little more of their fine sauces on the rolls that required saucing. Some of our favorites were the Shrimp Tempura roll, Volcano roll, Mountain roll, and the Spicy Tuna rolls that they made into hand rolls at our request. We also odered the Chicken Teriyaki dinner which was very generous & delicious, it came with soup & salad. Oops I almost forgot the the appetizer which tasted great, came out hot, and in a timely manner. In fact the pacing was terrific nothing overlapped and as we finished one thing another arrived. Our waitress was also very friendly, polite, and surprised the hell out us of when she brought out a dessert of Mochi with a candle in it for my daughters birthday without any provocation on our part. We will definitely be returning again and often
(5)
Vinny V.

A long time customer - LOST! I'd been going to Sushi Para Palatine for a several years and used to think it was great. To be fair, the sushi is still decent, and the fillets portions are generous - HOWEVER, this restaurant has declined considerably over the past few years as far as service, especially when it comes to children... There is a height gauge on the wall that is supposed to determine what price your child should pay, but instead of using this as the standard, if they see your child, no matter what age, 18-months or 3-years old, eating more than they feel is within their widely varying random parameters, they will actually come to your table mid meal and tell you that the child's cost is now $Y instead of $X. This has happened to me on more than one occasion; the cost for my son's food has fluctuated sporadically over the past year. They literally charged us $3 during one visit after first stating that there would be no charge; then they charged us $8 the next visit, and $5 the visit after that! There is no standard. And what really fries my won-tons is that they feel it's perfectly acceptable to change the price on you literally during the course of your meal. The same has been the case with our daughter who is only 2. Also, my wife is allergic to seafood, but enjoys the other options on the All-U-Can-Eat menu (Salad, Yaki Chicken, Edamame, etc.). Because she does not eat the Sushi - which we all know is laid over a pressed bed of rice - we ask if she can get a side bowl of rice. Depending on who the server is or who's managing that day, it's either FREE (as it should be considering that she is not eating any sushi which - Hello, McFly - INCLUDES rice), or we are charged anywhere between $1 - $2 for the bowl. And there's no debating with them because they either claim not to understand what you're trying to explain, or they stand firm with an arrogant "Too bad for you, Mr. Creamofsumyoungguy!" attitude. Finally, Sushi Para now has an up-charge for small condiments, which used to be free. The Spicy Mayo used to be free; then all of the sudden there was a charge if you got a 2nd helping. Now it's $.50 per order, and a so-called order is pretty much just a few dabs in a dipping dish ...hardly worth the expense. I was in yesterday and it was my last time; I will not go back. I was alone, and the straw that broke the dragon's back is this: I ordered Edamame, which they brought out late. I had to leave for an appointment and asked if I could take the rest of my edamame to go. I had no sushi left, and I did tell the waitress that I was in a bit of a hurry when I sat down to begin with. Nonetheless, I was told that if I took it with me there would be an additional charge, but if I ate it in, it was included in my AUCE pricing. What logical sense does that make? I've paid for it, and I'm going to it - whether I do so in of outside of the establishment is irrelevant. So, that's the long and short-round of it; the food is decent, but the customer service is atrocious! A mediocre product sold with extremely poor and ever-declining customer service is, in my opinion, a good enough reason NOT to keep coming back! .
(1)
Lucian M.

Let's start with a overall: Price 5/5, Service 0/5, Food 4/5*, Ambiance 4/5. Now, I have been eating sushi my entire life, I had very good and expensive and I had very bad an expensive and any other combination that you might think of. Sushi Para PALATINE si different, I ate there since 2002 (if i remember correctly) and it was a delight all the time. This restaurant always had a problem with the service. They act like they are high class but they have no idea what is happening in their restaurant. In 2003 - 2006 they had a waitress there that was so annoying that I started to ask for a table that is not hers. Of course that most of the time I would not get it because of the crowd. It is a place that will make you wait for at least 30 minutes on a weekend evening, but don't be shy to ask for a seat at the bar - they forget to mention that to you 8/10 times, frustrating when you do end up at the bar anyways but you had to wait 45 minutes because the hostes did not mention that to you. I ordered couple of rolls and they were decent proportioned, rice and fish, but at my second order, I got a roll so big I could not eat it in one bite, like 20 min ago, they stack it with rice so much that I called the waiter and asked her about it, she said that there are 3 chefs there and each one of them has it's own way of doing things, convenient, I added. I ended up paying for it to take it with me. The price for leftover sushi was not bad at all. I paid $9.00 for a Salmon Hand Roll, tuna roll, 3 Unagis and some other things. Food, it's always good to be able to eat Unagi without looking at the price, that to me it's worth millions, so for that I go to all you can eat. Salmon it's great, most of the time fresh and tasty and the piece of the met its always bigger than the rice, it touches the plate on both ends. Tuna it's sometimes good but most of the times you get the cheap one, no worry here from me since I don't care that much about it. Everything else that I ate there it's very good and in chart with other places. It is worth your money if no other Sushi Para is around you but if you have the option to go to a Chicago one, PLEASE do. I gave it only 2 stars because the service there almos always ruined my fun time with my friend or family. Now I live in Skokie and don't have to put up with that place anymore. I go to the ones on Milwaukee and sometime on the one on Clark. Those are 100 time better. Thank you for reading my reviews.
(2)
Sarah S.

I love the sushi here! It is well made and presented beautifully! However, the waiters/waitresses aren't very good. I usually am waiting about 20-25 minutes for my order to be taken in, my food to get taken to my, and my check to get brought to me. Although, it does vary within the person (15-20, 20-25) and the time BUT the last few times I've been there I have had to wait. It's worth a visit but be prepared to wait a couple of minutes.
(4)
Nan L.

This sushi Buffet is really great~! I have been there twice.
(5)
Bella G.

Really good sushi. Came for lunch and the sushi was fresh and reasonably priced. Will be coming back!
(4)
Kimberly F.

All you can eat sushi for $17.99. Done. As long as you understand that you're in a hole in the wall in Palatine, you're good to go. The sushi is good and the price is right. There's a lot of variety for a reasonable price. Service is quick, too. We went on a Saturday night at 6:30 and only had to wait maybe 15 minutes for our party of 6 to get sat. The only downside is that it was really hot and packed Saturday night. It seriously felt like a sauna and there were people lining the perimeter of the restaurant watching you eat, waiting for you to finish. I have a feeling we'll start frequenting this place when we aren't in the mood for conveyor belt sushi at Sushi Station.
(4)
Matt R.

Okay, where to begin here. All you can eat sushi. That is where we should end here, as a basis. I'd give em 4.5stars if I could, really. Additionally, its all you can eat sushi for 16.99. Seriously, that should be somewhere in a bucket of awesome. It is not the absolute best quality sushi in the world but for all you can eat (appetizers too, edamame fans rejoice - its nice and warm and a pretty big portion, better to share) is a pretty darn good deal. Lets see...basically they continually bring you another copy of the write-on menu and you can order again, so don't be afraid to not order everything right away. Unlike some sushi places that are nearby even though this is all you can eat, they serve you pretty fast. Note that the mountain rolls I believe, are much bigger than the other types (and kinda loosely packed/fall apart easy). I think there's one or two other types like this. I mean seriously, we're talking 2-3 times bigger than the average roll and not held together well/pretty narrow but tall. It's like trying to eat a piece of sushi as thin as 2 slices of cucumber...and that approximate size basically. About things mentioned from other reviews, indeed the waitresses do have a bit of attitude, I don't think it's personal towards any customer, I think they really don't care (and I suspect people are stingy with tips too). Definitely hit or miss. The chefs are agreeably friendly as Tom C says, and also they are sometimes stingy on refilling water. However, these last parts, are very subjective and aren't consistantly the situation so I can't really hold it against them (or the review). As an emergency its best to go with 2 people just in case someone accidentally over-orders and also to split the appetizers. Few other than perhaps tempura are small appetizer portions. For what it's worth, this is about a weekly or biweekly place to go. I mean 17 bucks for all the sushi you could want if you get a sushi fix. How can you beat that?
(4)
Jeff E.

This is my favorite sushi around. Sure you might find a more fancy place or higher end dishes,but para hits the sweet spot between cost and quality. I can't enjoy my meal at other places knowing it's going to be 100+$ when it's indecernable in taste or quality to para. And you spend less than 20.....its dream deal!
(5)
Brad S.

DO not go over the weekend. All you can eat but dishes took 30min-45min to get out. Go during the week. Do not bring kids they measure them to know how much to charge.
(2)
A R.

Here is my own experience about dining at Sushi Para , Palatine Il. Such an unpleasant and unfriendly people at the front desk, outdated interior, I am a big fan of sushi. I have tried sushi at a lots of restaurants,but never had as upset stomach and diarrea as after eating here. I was lucky not to end up in Emergency room, but had to take a day at work to get back on my feet. I wonder why their sushi such inexpensive Looks like they buying low quality fish...No way I am dining at this place again! There are so many places in the area such as "Tsukasa" in Vernon Hills, " Osaka" in Mundelein will offer you high quality food with a decent customer service! Avoid Sushi Para, folks!
(1)
Johnny G.

My girlfriend and I have eaten sushi all over the chicagoland area and heard good reviews about this place...... with that said, this was the worst sushi we ever had. There was wayyyyyyyy too much rice with the sashimi and the rolls had way too much cucumber and lettuce. All the rolls tasted like cucumber with rice and the avocado was funky. Terrible place. Never going again. Nothing beats Taste of Tokyo in Buffalo Grove. Best all you can eat sushi you will ever have!!
(1)
Alex K.

I very much enjoy the sushi here. It is delicious and fairly inexpensive. I refrain from giving 5 stars because I'm a vegetarian (with a very minor allergy to fish) and one of the three times I have gone here I've found my order to contain considerable bits of caviar in my sushi. I very much enjoy the food, but I don't know if I'll be able to overlook that.
(4)
Edward S.

A place for every day... if you love Sushi!! This is NOT your "all u can eat" restaurant. This is a FIXED PRICE gets you all MADE BY ORDER, FROM MENU, UNLIMITED TERRIFIC JAPANESE FOOD!!! For about $20!! You get to order from the menu, Soups, Salads, Appetizers, Sushi, NIgiri, and more. Or you can order a la cart depending what you want. Small, clean and quiet place. Nice atmosphere and good service.
(5)
Nico And Joan S.

For sushi buffet, I think this is the best so far. The fish is really fresh. My favorite are salmon, yellow tail, tofu sushi, and the dynamite roll. The sushi rice are a little bit too much I think, but they provide large and fresh fish. The only thing that I complain is the waiting line. They told me it would be only 15 mins waiting, but it is actually one hour. That is because people are pretty much just talking after eating. They should have like 2 hours eating 'policy' to avoid something like this happen. But fortunately the food compensate the waiting time.
(5)
Jason P.

If you are craving sushi and want to eat a lot of it, this is the place for you. The quality of the sushi is not very high and you can definitely get better rolls, fresher fish and better service at other places. But in reality, when you think of ayce sushi, you know you have to give and take. For what you pay for and the size of the menu, it's a pretty good deal. They do remind me I need to eat every bit of rice or else I will get charged which gets kind of annoying considering they pet so much damn rice on each piece. I would order so many more pieces of sushi if it wasn't for the fact that I would get a mountain of rice on my plate. They have some pretty good rolls like their spicy tuna roll and rainbow roll. I only go a few times a year and I usually regret it cause my stomach feels like an aquarium for dead fish, but there's a reason why I go back. AYCE SUSHI.
(3)
Skirmante K.

I have nothing bad to say about this place!! The sushi is fantastic! I've ever had such fresh tasting sushi in my life. The tea is always good and service is quite fast. The price is acceptable if you like ordering lots of sushi :p. They also have the best green tea ice cream!
(5)
O S.

Great value for the price! Much faster service on week nights. There is usually a pretty long wait on the weekends. I think the service has improved, waitresses used to be rude, and I have not experienced that the last two times I was there. The quality of sushi is good, and it is fresh, especially keeping in mind that you are paying 20 dollars for all you can eat!
(4)
Victoria h.

OK, here's the deal. You order sushi just like you would @ any other restaurant, so it's made fresh and not just sitting around like at some buffets. You can order as much as you want at 1 time, or order a little several times, it's up to you. They have soup, appetizers, & salads in addition to their sushi and sashimi. This was my first time, but my friend's "umpteenth". I commented on how unfriendly the servers appeared to be and she said that that is how they are all the time. The service is quick and, if you eat a lot of sushi, the price is fair. About the sushi - it's average. They pretty much have the same rolls everyone else. Don't come here expecting a spectacular meal. It's average sushi that is stuffed with too much rice. Would I come here again? Sure, why not.
(3)
Judy W.

If you like sushi, and you don't like the high prices, check out Sushi Para. It's a huge hit with the high-school to college crowd. Yes, it is always crowded. So plan to wait for a table, or make reservations well in advance. Yes, they measure children to determine the price. I have a 3 year old granddaughter who can eat as much as an adult (she loves "Shushi"). I have never been charged extra because she ate too much. Yes, there is a slight language barrier, so the staff may not carry on conversations with you. However, I was just there about a week ago. I was pleasantly greeted at the door, and the waitress was extremely pleasant. I have never, ever had a rude server. If you sit at the sushi bar, the chefs are always quiet, but if you ask a question about what they are making, they will answer you best as they can.
(4)
Jessica W.

"You get to order as many rolls as you want"-True, I loved this! I went with a group of 8 hungry people and we just couldn't get enough of the spider and California rolls. Just be sure to finish everything that you order because you will get charged for anything you leave on your plate. "The service was excellent"- False, they may have been moderately fast however I had to ask 3 waitresses the same question to get anything done (Several times). Mostly the women were just standing around chit-chatting. The sushi was fantastic considering it was from an all you can eat restaurant; however the waitresses had terrible attitudes. Every-Single-one...It wouldn't attribute their rudeness to cultural differences because constant eye rolling isn't something I believe any culture does respectfully. Besides the less than adequate service we received I would still recommend Sushi Para to anyone. The decorum was clean and airy--and the sushi tasted delightful.
(4)
Sheong K.

Sushi Para is one of those places you vow never to go back to, but you find yourself there again a few weeks later. Walking in, you're almost guaranteed a decent wait period. Your best bet is to beat the crowd by grabbing an early lunch/dinner, then take your time as you eat. Their service tends to be a bit slow. It's rare to find a decent all you can eat sushi restaurant. I have beef with most sushi restaurants for being scant with their portions. Granted, sushi is expensive, but some places like to charge ridiculous amounts for certain rolls and give the same portions as the cheap rolls. That boils my blood. Anyway, Sushi Para, though they'll never run into any portion issues, they tend to pack on the rice as a filler. That really annoys me cause I want to eat the good stuff. The first couple times I went there, I overate and I felt sick. I learned my lesson and I know how to limit myself now. As far as the taste goes, I have to admit, for an all you can eat place the quality of their sushi isn't half bad. Their rolls are pretty darn good, too. Just stay away from the heavy stuff, such as the cream cheese. Trust me when I say they will pack that sucker on. My friend does this funny thing where she spreads out the rice all over the plate so she wouldn't have to eat it. They normally charge you for leaving any leftovers, but she manages to spread it out enough so they can't say anything... I guess all things aside... This place isn't bad if you have a strong craving for Sushi and want massive amounts of it. But if you have a sensitive palate for good sushi, steer clear! I'm not too picky, so I don't mind going back once in a blue moon. One last note: don't expect good service. Their service is mediocre at best, but it's usually pretty bad.
(3)
S O.

Had lunch with my wife on a Monday. Price is $ 15.50 AYCE. You will be charged for anything you don't finish. Gyoza were very good. The fried chicken pieces were crispy, but lacked flavor (they should try some spices). Sushi was quite good. Salmon, eel, mackerel, yellowtail roll, spicy tuna roll were good. My wife and I enjoyed all the sushi we ordered. Service was reasonably attentive, given the restaurant wasn't very busy at 2:00 PM. This place offers reasonable quality food for AYCE. Would go back to try other appetizers and sushi.
(4)
Samra M.

TERRIBLE service, we walked into the restaurant only to be seated when we asked them. The table had no napkins or chopsticks. I went with my 2 friends and the whole time i thought i would rather have house of sushi. When the lady finally came up to take our orders we were excited, ready for their salads and i was excited for my miso...15 minutes later... I got my miso...and well so did they...they didn't mind too much, because in their words "how can you put miso in front of me and not eat it" so i assumed everything was good. That was mistake number one. 10 minutes later the shumai came out...we shoulda ordered more haha. BUT they failed to give us chopsticks, we asked the lady and she said she would be back, another 10 minutes had passed, so i just went up to the front and asked the other lady if i could get three chopsticks and then we finally started eating. Probably about 20 minutes later, we finally got our sushi. The sushi rolls are pretty big and i could barely fit them in my mouth. The roll was falling apart and there was just way too much going on. Maybe they need to fix their rolls a little more. Overall the taste of shrimp tempura and the spider roll and the american roll almost identical. The eel was good. And some of the other rolls my friends had were good, all the rolls were just too big, ESPECIALLY the shrimp tempura and spider. The end piece was the worst at least two by two inches. Also, the soy sauce on our table was barely half a plate for one person so we asked the table behind us because we knew the wait for that would take even longer. They complained how it took almost half an hour for just water. So when we finally ended, we thought about the meal, it was satisfying but definitely low in customer service, one of the longest waits ive ever had for sushi and probably would not go there again. The taste was mediocre, but hit the sushi spot. Not worth the 18 dollar buffet
(2)
Steven L.

I always get the all you can eat option. They have an excellent assortment of rolls but quality is on and off. When they are really busy they do not have time to chill the rice and I've been served warm sushi. Making reservations does not ensure you will have a table ready when you arrive. The place is usually packed on evenings, especially on weekends. It can be a real challenge trying to get a group in here. As a quick tip - you can order from the dinner menu even during lunch if you pay extra.
(4)
Bex A.

It's a great deal and good sushi. The place is always pack so go really or don't make plans closely after. The only thing I could knock them for is the miso and the White Tuna, they are okay, but I have had better.
(5)
Angie C.

Awesome sushi and fast service! The fish is very fresh, and the rolls are delicious. My fave is the Volcano roll - spicy perfection! Definitely not much to say about the atmosphere (basically a hole in the wall) but it's a nice casual place with very reasonable prices. Service is OK, sometimes a little absent / aloof...but the sushi makes up for it. Would definitely go back.
(4)
Michael G.

My family and I tried to beat the dinner crowd, but even at 4:45 on a Sunday, this place was packed. $19 for all you can eat, cozy interior, and cute Chinese (I asked, I was curious) waitresses scurrying about. My favorites are as follows: Sushi/Sashimi- Eel (easily the best, load up on this one) Tuna Yellowtail Octopus (chewy, but very tasty) Squid (a little less chewy than the octopus, my 2nd favorite next to eel) Red Snapper Rolls- Spider Roll (soft shell crab) Anything else (there a lot of very similar ones, all pretty tasty, though I'm not a fan of the spicy salmon) Other Advice: Don't fall for the novice trap of ordering any of the non-sushi items (miso soup, salad, fried chicken), you came here to get your money's worth of sushi, so stick to the good stuff. Also, try not to fill up on mass amounts of liquid (tea, water, etc.), the rice in your stomach will swell up faster (in other words, you'll feel full earlier). Lastly, notice the disclaimer "Order all you want, but eat all you ordered, must pay for any leftover food." If you want a reasonable gauge of how much is enough, most people hit their wall around 22-26 pieces.
(4)
Gabrael A.

Not the best sushi i'v ever had, but certainly the best sushi buffet. The meat is very fresh, and the service was good. You get to order as many rolls as you want BUT you have to finish them all otherwise, you get charged for the leftover rolls. My friend and I went there around 3pm and we were one of 4 other tables occupied so the waitresses were just sitting around (and staring at us...). The service was excellent, but I dont know if it was because the waitresses were not busy. Overall, good sushi, come hungry, leave happy!
(4)
Bernadette S.

So we went here last night for dinner. At first I was questioning the idea of All-You-Can-Eat Sushi. Thoughts of sushi rolls sitting out for hours waiting for some poor soul decided to choose it. Turns out they give you a piece of paper and you check off which sushi/maki you want and there's an assembly line of chefs putting the orders together. We went here with another couple and they got their sushi, by the time they finished it, ours came. Seemed like they were not rolled tightly enough because all the innards kept falling out. The waitress kept reiterating that there are no free refills on the Iced Green Tea, uhm...ok, point taken. No wonder she was pushing the hot tea... the green iced tea tasted like nothing but water with a little green tint to it. The sushi wasn't too bad. BUT my stomach disagreed. I proceeded to have the worst case of diarrhea in my whole life when I got home. The drive home to Chicago was excruciating.
(1)
tanvi k.

The deal is great for unlimited sushi! But, they put a lot of extra rice on each piece so that you get full faster. I scraped some rice off so I could taste the sushi and I had to pay for the rice that was left over (which I had no problem doing cuz the price was very good). Beware: If you leave anything on your plate at all, you have to pay for it so choose wisely!
(3)
Wayne J.

Let me start by saying that our favorite place for Sushi was Domo77 in Wheaton, but the owner of the Sushi business there decided to call it quits as of last New Years Eve and he is no longer there. From what I hear, someone new has taken over the Sushi section and it is not a good thing. We have been in search of a replacement AYCE Sushi place since and decided to try Sushi Para...... Sushi Para: Went there on a Friday night around 6:30 and had just beat the crowd. The couple ahead of us got the last table, but there were 2 seats together at the Sushi bar so we opted for them. The line of people started forming about 5 minutes after we sat down and there continued to be a line until we left. For the price of $18.99 per person for the All You Can Eat Sushi Special, you can choose from a variety of appetizers, Nigiri and Rolls. We ordered the Miso Soup, but never received it so I can't tell you how it is. As far as the Sushi, it wasn't the high quality grade that we were use to getting, but pretty good regardless. I just wish the pieces of Fish were cold, it seemed like every piece of Nigiri was room temperature. The rolls that we ordered were pretty good as well, but as this has been noted in other reviews, they use so much rice in their rolls that you can't fit the pieces into your mouth. I can only assume as others have, that the over abundance of rice is to fill you up quicker so you can consume less of their profits. They had 4 Chefs there that night so the food came out fairly quick which was great. The next time we go, I think we will probably opt for some of the "Dinner Add-Ons" listed on their Menu for additional costs. Unfortunately, not all of their Appetizers, Nigiri and Rolls are included in their AYCE Special. As far as the service goes, it's not awful, but as other reviews have mentioned, the attitude of the servers needs a little adjustment. We had the little gal with the big eyes and the pony tail. It was like as soon as we were done with our second round we had become a pain for her. She basically refused to make any eye contact with us so I had to stick my arm out into her path to make sure she got our order for our third round. (Well excuse me honey, but this is ALL You Can Eat....right?) If you are an Iced Tea drinker, I highly recommend the unsweetened Iced Tea here. They make it from Green Tea and I couldn't get enough of it! (of course little Ms. Attitude seemed to be put off that we wanted more Tea with our third round of Sushi) too bad honey, that is what you are there for! All in all, this is a good place for Sushi and we will be back. I recommend giving this place a shot, but be prepared that you may have to wait in line a while.
(4)
Eric J.

Ok. I dont toss out 2 stars without thinking about it first. That being said, MARY MOTHER OF SERVICE NIGHTMARES! If it weren't for the price Vs. volume of sushi, I wouldn't even consider coming back to this place. The wait staff acts like they're doing you a favor by waiting on you. There was a line of about 25 people waiting for seating. The lady at the front desk made a "list" of people waiting. Lists must be different from where she's from because this list didnt go by arrival, it went by random insanity causing half of the people in line to speak up. If you are the owner and are reading these reviews, HIRE SOME STAFF MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE WORKING, or at the very least some that can pretend.
(2)
Bert W.

Price and Quality: Price is not bad for all you can eat sushi. I don't think you can find the quality and price anywhere in this area. Service: Sometimes the service is "unfriendly". it's really hit or miss. sometimes they are super nice and sometimes the server doesn't smile or interact with you. i live really close to Sushi Para and I've been there many times so i'm giving you an accurate description of their service. If you get offended easily by unfriendly service then don't go here. if you can deal with it, then rockin roll! Quantity of Rice: This is one big complaint...too much rice! they like to load it up b/c it's all you can eat and they obviously want to stuff you with rice rather than the expensive sushi. sometimes it's not too bad but usually they are not afraid to use the rice. The bad thing is that Sushi Para can put as much rice as they want and give it to you with crappy service and they will NOT go out of business. Like i said before... u can't beat the price and quality of sushi you're getting. Since it's so close and there are few options we end up going here all the time.
(3)
KELLIE K.

Still worth a trip!
(4)
Azam K.

Its a buffet for $18 but then you are required to pay for what you don't finish???. They have a good selection of Sushi rolls and Sashimi but I have definitely eaten better tasting Sushi, namely at, Blue Fish in Irving TX and 'Avocado California Roll and Sushi' in Euless TX. The place looked empty from outside but we were surprised when we stepped in, it was packed. We had to wait 10 minutes for a table and 30+ minutes for our food....on a Wednesday! In conclusion, its a decent place to satisfy Sushi craving as long as you go in with a mind set that it is after all a buffet.
(3)
Rusty S.

This is an interesting place. When you walk through the door you're greeted with the health boards review which doesn't instill too much confidence since their rating is slightly above 80 The place is always full and it's always hours before you're seated. This is to be expected for a place that offers all you can eat sushi. The food is decent most of the time but they use way too much rice and some of the fish doesn't taste just right. They have more customers than seating and it's a huge turn-off. We usually try to get the minimum of 6 people together to go there since that's what it takes to get a reservation. Mind you that this does not guarantee a seating! The worst part of the whole experience is if you order too much sushi. You are charged for whatever is left. This would not be so bad but there seems to be no set prices. Once we were charged $12 for 4 pieces we didn't want to stuff into ourselves. The waiting staff is rude and seems distant/overworked. Overall for the money this is a good place and it's the only reason we keep coming back.
(3)
Justin W.

Good sushi, decently quick, bad service. Unfortunately many people think others, that do not speak much of their language, come off as "ice queens" or stuck-up. The service is a combination of a language barrier, apathy, and wanting to turn tables over as quickly as possible. I enjoyed the food, but my friends and I kept joking around that one of us must have really pissed the waitress off. It turns out that it's a common feeling among Yelpers. Joy Yee (I've only been to the one in Chinatown and Naperville) has a similar level of staff friendliness, but it's expected because they need to turn tables over as quickly as possible. You can have their lunch buffet and pay about $20, including tax and tip. The rolls are pretty huge, so I'd actually suggest that you order their lunch special, which consists of any three rolls ($11 vs $15). Of all, I think their basic spicy tuna roll was the best. The spicy mayo is top notch.
(4)
Brenda K.

Sushi para is a great place for decent and fresh sushi.
(4)
Kim B.

This is one of the worst sushi places that I have been to. The waitress staff is extremely slow and seems to have a hard time understanding the English language. The individual pieces of sushi have enough rice for normally 3 pieces if sushi. If u stick to sushi 101 or are used to grocery store sushi you would probably like it. I did not do the all you can eat deal as i was interested in items not on the list. For the all u can eaters I would highly suggest u take lake cook roed to buffalo grove. Taste of toyko is about the same price for a much higher quality of food and service. I should have gone there tonight and I wouldn't have this adonimal cramping I feel now.
(1)
Mike E.

it's an all you can eat sushi place. heavier on the rice than most places, but again,,,,it's all you can eat. roll selection is decent, rolls are made fresh.
(4)
Ben W.

When you crave for Sushi, but tight in money, come here, they have lunch all you can eat buffet, the price is only $14.99. You should give yourself more than an hour and half, so you can really enjoy the delicious food and try different things on the menu. You will place your order on the spot so the food is guaranteed fresh. I believe it is Chinese owned Japanese restaurant, so as you can assume, the service is not the greatest, but the food is well worth what you pay. Highly recommend if you love sushi.
(4)
Ron S.

Love the idea of all you can eat sushi except when the taste and quality is questionable it makes you wonder. Used to love this place but the past couple times I have been there, I have been disappointed. Its not that I wouldn't come back here its just I think I would rather pay a little more to get not as much sushi then to pay really cheap for iffy sushi.
(3)
Brandon W.

I am really not sure where to begin. I have heard a lot of good things about this place and to tell you the truth was still a bit skeptical. I mean, come on - an all you can eat deal that is actually good? You've either got to be a chronic liar, or you've just never had good sushi. So I decided it was time to try it out.. I bit the bullet, and went for out. After the long drive out to Palatine I have to tell you, I was pretty hungry - I would have eaten anything you put in front of me. Well, not anything... But I would have eaten something I tell ya. Anyway, the menu they have was pretty extensive for the buffet. MANY different rolls that at a "normal" sushi place you would consider specialty rolls that would cost you upwards of $15. Not at Sushi Para! They took the best they had to offer and threw it on the buffet menu, and I have to tell you - I did not try one single roll that I didn't like! Sure, some where better then others, but all of them were excellent! I can't even remember the names of the rolls because everyone was just that good. Plus, with the amazing deal of $18 for all you can eat for dinner? That's an incredible deal. I can spend that much per person at a "normal" sushi joint, and still be hungry. (What can I say, I like to eat!) If you live in the area, you're lucky! If you don't get a car, or a friend with a car, or pick up someone at a bar that has a car, and go out there - you will not be disappointed. Oh and one more note - be prepared to wait in line if you come in around prime dinner hours. I don't think I saw any less then 10 people waiting at the door the entire time we were there.
(4)
Kiera D.

This place was pretty good! It definitely was not the best place ever! But decent!
(3)
Emily R.

We have been there now two times. The first time, the sushi wasn't too bad; but the server took the bill we were preparing and counted the cash right in front of us! Super unprofessional - and we weren't even finished with it. The second time we wanted to give it another shot and the sushi looked and tasted so terrible we refused to eat it. Then they wanted to charge us for the difference. All in all, would not give it a third shot...
(2)
jay w.

Recently visited Sushi Para Palatine on a Saturday around lunch time. The service seemed tons better actually--smiles all around and quick refills on water. Food was served quickly, though obviously my hungry self wanted it about ten minutes faster. I got the lunch AUCE and was able to consume gyoza, shumai, and 3 rolls for $13.50 plus tip. I would call that a successful outing. As always, white rice lovers will be pleased with these rolls.
(4)
Darryl S.

Oh deep fried crab, where have you been all my life? Pretty much all the rolls were good except for the Philly roll since they put too much cream cheese. I don't even know why we ordered that roll since no one was really a fan of the cream cheese and raw fish duo. Highly recommend if you love sushi. This place is great for large parties. Be careful if you stay too long or order too much. They try to pack a load of rice on the later rolls if you stay long.
(4)
Hans H.

As always, packed at about 6:45pm on a Saturday evening, but only a 20 minute wait or so for 2. Ordered a good mix of rolls and nigiri and was very satisfied at the cuts. Next time, however, I think I will order mostly rolls because you just get more 'stuff' and less rice per piece. This is not to say that the nigiri pieces are disproportionately more rice than fish, but the rolls are just a better value and you get more variety. It's part of why I appreciate this place so much--they don't try ripping you off by stuffing your rolls with more rice to fill you up. In fact, I frequently think that their rice layer is thinner than most other sushi places that aren't all you can eat. To people who complain about having to pay for food they didn't eat: They aren't treating you unfairly by filling the pieces with more rice to fill you up like some places. You knew the conditions going into it, and it's not like you can't split your order up in case you couldn't finish. As always, fish was good quality and everything came out well presented and well made. I recommend getting there earlier rather than later, however. It seems that the more packed they get, the faster they're churning out their sushi rice. It gets to a point where the sushi rice starts coming out semi-warm, and because they're packing or spreading it on the nigiri pieces or rolls, the rice seems to get ultra sticky and dense. I think this is a direct cause of the rice not being cooled enough before they start making stuff with it. My guess is that if you got there early enough before they get really busy, you wouldn't have this problem.
(4)
DEALS D.

Food ok . Service sucks
(1)
Kristina K.

The disappointment was the fact that they charge you for the sushi that you do not eat.
(3)
Bethany B.

This is one of my favorite Sushi restaurants because of the buffet. I recommend the Spider Roll and Under Control Roll. I also like the yaki chicken sticks.
(4)
N E.

It's hard to rate because the service is so uneven every time that I go there. There also seems to be a new excentricity in the the service each visit. I assume that the noted examples of this in other reviews is no accident but the survival stategy of this restaurant in this genre. That being said, it is the standard that every sushi buffet and all you can eat sushi restaurant has to be measured by in the northern suburbs.
(4)
J T.

I am a huge fan of this place. I go at lunchtime and get the 3 roll special. The Alaska rolls are great, especially with a side of spicy mayonnaise. Great sushi for a small price.
(1)
Yvonne Y.

If you're starving for rice, definitely come here. The rice portion is so ridiculously large I don't know if you can even taste the fish. And the waitresses are so angrily glaring at you to ensure you leave within 45 minutes it's almost entertaining to sit there and annoy them.
(2)
Michelle C.

Seriously...what is UP with the bad reviews of this place? Sushi Para is right near my uncle's house, and every time I'm in town, I force them to make a trip here. Not that I have to force them, as they are fans, as well - and my cousin is a sushi snob of the sort that scoffs at you if you eat your sushi with the rice part facing your tongue rather than the fish. OK, here's the deal. All-you-can-eat sushi for less than $20. At dinner time. Cheaper at lunch. And it's MADE TO ORDER. That's right, your sushi isn't captaining some little boat, nor is it languishing on a buffet for god knows how long. You order your sushi, they make it and bring it out to you. If you want more, just order more. And more. And more. This place is like heaven to me. I wouldn't say it's the MOST amazing sushi in the world, nor the most inventive, but geez, you can have all you want of very good, fresh sushi at about the same price as a couple of lame packages of grocery store sushi. What's not to like?
(5)
W C.

Sushi is fresh and tasty. The only complaint is that it is a all you can eat but they never bring my full order. I have to re order I have been going there for a few years at least twice a month lets get with the program
(5)
Amy T.

For an "all you can eat" sushi place, the quality is decent. 99% of sushi places just serve the same things mixed up in seaweed in a variety of ways, mainly salmon, tuna, eel, shrimp, fake crab, etc. . . and this place is no different. However, the sushi portions are large, but they overdo it on the rice hoping to fill you up so you don't eat more. I don't get the buffet as it's a waste of money for me and I can't finish everything on my plate as a result. However, if you have a good appetite, and you love your average sushi place, and you don't want to go to "Todai in Schaumburg" (sickest sushi buffet on the planet), then this place is good, and a good value.
(3)
Erin H.

I love this place and I have yet to find a place that I like more!
(4)
Stephen C.

Sushi para is mediocre at best, service is not great, but because there is no competition for all you can eat sushi in the area, I give it three stars. Don't expect good sushi but if you want to eat an endless amout for about $23, then this is the place to go.
(3)
Valerie G.

All you can eat Sushi for 20 bucks! That's amazing! The quality is USUALLY fresh. I wasn't ecstatic last night but the all you can eat part always has me coming back. Service is super slow so be sure to order appetizers!
(4)
J A.

If you are in the mood for a ton of delicious sushi you have to go to Sushi Para! The sushi is super fresh and delicious- much better than other all you can eat places.
(5)
Liz B.

So I'm in the process of moving and have packed my entire kitchen up leaving me with no way to cook or eat. I'm in a fishy mood so I finally decide to try Sushi Para. I arrive there about 7 on a Monday to possibly partake in the all-you-can-eat sushi experience. I find the place was PACKED full of white folks, which is unusual for any sushi place in the burbs. I decide not to look like a gluttonous pig in front of strangers, so I order food to take home instead. I'm pretty famished from packing and cleaning so everything looked good. I ordered the volcano roll, the mountain roll, the spider roll-my favorite, and edamame. I stopped on the way home and picked up a six pack of Ashai to enjoy as well. I dug in head first once I hit the couch, the rolls were gorgeous! All three were placed in one container well and nothing was smushed. The volcano roll was pretty good, I wasn't too pleased with all the spicy mayo "sauce" on the mountain roll, but the spider roll was fantastic! And there was alot of edamame to boot. Once I was three quarters of the way done, I realized that my eyes were WAY bigger than my stomach, but I trudged on and finished as much as I could. I paid almost $30 for all that and I didn't want to waste it! Everything was very fresh and good, next time I would like to dine in the restaurant and partake in the all-you-can-eat experience.
(4)
roberto a.

Every time I come here, I remember why I like this place and why I don't. It's so far from me, that I have plenty of time going back and forth to contemplate the thought. City folks, you have no reason coming this far unless you know people in the area or have tapped out all other possibilities. Nevertheless, there are some good points about this place. For starters, the party of six I was in was able to participate in an all you can eat sushi feast for $22 a person, tip included. This is not bad considering that you can order as little or as much sushi at one time. After finishing a modest first round, our next order consisted of over 60 rolls (58...we started eating before I finished counting). This took care of whatever appetite four of us had, and the remaining two people ordered a small third round for themselves. In general the rolls are tasty, not the best, but can't complain for the price. Some selections used minced fish meat than whole cuts. We noticed this in the tuna rolls we ordered last night, but not in the salmon rolls. The veggies and other meats tasted fresh (crab/eel) and I have no complaints there. Despite the six of us being proficient in using chopsticks, either the rice was not "sticky" enough or the rolls were not made tight enough as a few of our selections fell apart before reaching our mouths. A bit of advice for this place- order as much as you think you will be satisfied with, without being wasteful (yes, the menu warns that they reserve the right to charge full rate for uneaten portions) because once you give your order to the server, they have a tendency to disappear. I'll be blunt, don't expect good service from this place- aside from the disappearing servers, you may see another table's order appear at your table. Just take it in stride, eventually your food will get to you. Pros: Cheap, all you can eat sushi, wide variety of selection, can order as little, or as much as you want at once, excessive wastage charge. Cons: Service is lacking, rolls may fall apart, excessive wastage charge, can get better quality elsewhere. To sum it up: Drop by if you're in the area, but no need to make a special trip.
(3)
Deanna C.

I came here with a group of maybe 15 people who had basically starved themselves for three days in anticipation for this "event" where they basically planned on gorging for several hours on sushi. This was kind of the last supper for us as many had just graduated college and were moving elsewhere for their job, grad school, etc. Unlike some other sushi buffet's (like House of Sushi and Noodles), Sushi Para doesn't limit the amount of sushi you can order each "round". They do it dim sum style where everyone gets a mini menu where you fill in the number of each type you want and they'll bring it to you. Just make sure not to order more than you can eat as you'll be paying for every piece you can't finish here. Some tips I picked up from the sushi buffet pro's I went with: - don't order rolls with cream cheese; they fill you up quicker - don't order any miso soup or edamame, etc. for the same reason - make sure the stream of sushi is constant; order another roll or two before you finish with yours otherwise the lag time between ordering and getting the food gives your stomach too much time to tell your brain that you're full - if you go in a big group, you won't have to worry about not finishing all the sushi because SOMEONE in the group will be able to shove another piece down their throat - make sure to get rolls with the most fresh fish to get your money's worth - going off of the point above, don't get rolls with words including "fried" or "spicy" because that's how they hide the fact the fish isn't the freshest (e.g. spicy tuna, spicy salmon); you can always ask for hot sauce on the side to dip regular rolls in - places like this actually lose money off of big groups like the one I went in Hope those tips were helpful. As always, it's more enjoyable to go to a sushi buffet with a big group of friends! Turn it into an eating contest or something, haha. I quite like the sushi here. For the price you pay, they have a surprisingly vast selection of sushi, and I think it's all pretty good. I haven't been to the Chicago location, but from what I hear, this location is the better of the two.
(4)
David W.

#NAME?
(4)
Sergei S.

Went there for dinner tonight (even after seeing some poor reviews here). For 20 bucks I had four rolls, a couple pieces of sushi, and some mis soup. I say that's a good deal. (I could have had more but... it's a lot of sushi). These weren't boring california or tuna rolls either. I had a Volcano Roll (spicy tuna, spicy salmon, some avacodo, etc.), Spide Roll (tempura crab), Rainbow Roll (fish on the outside as well as inside), and something else that was delicious. So by no means does this compare to some places that charges you 14 per roll. But if you want to have a nice big sushi dinner in the burbs this is high on my list.
(4)
Mike M.

How can you not like this place? Pretty ok sushi all you can eat for less than 20 bucks. I guess it depends on how much you eat, but i can eat over 40 dollars of similar quality sushi at other places so when i am in the area i definatly will go here.
(4)
Jim K.

This place is the ONLY place I go for sushi anymore. I can't afford to go somewhere else with as much sushi as I eat here. Generally I eat about as much as the rest of the table combined. Granted the staff aren't always that attentive or friendly during really busy hours, but when it is slower I find the opposite to be true. Please take my advice and don't go there at 7pm on a Friday night as you will have a much less enjoyable meal. Quite frankly the experience is more of a game than a meal for me. It is all you can eat, but eat all you take or pay for the items on top of the all you can eat price. So, I generally eat light earlier in the day. Then get there and order as much as you possibly can at once (because to do two orders takes too long unless they are slow) and eat it all. I've found that skipping the miso soup, which I do enjoy, allows for a lot more room because you aren't filling up on broth. Best times to go: -Lunch (Saturday count but sundays don't) - not as busy plus cheaper all you can eat prices and also lunch specials if you aren't going to eat as much (and you can take it home!) -Dinner but get there before 6pm. It will still be a little busy getting your food but get some edamame or other appetizers to keep you busy in the meantime. P.S. Be very careful taking kids here as they are crazy about charging them for anything they eat off your plate if you get the all-you-can-eat special. I've seen an argument that ended with the cops being called in before...though it was entertaining.
(5)
Matt W.

I would avoid the appetizers - the salad was watery, the soup bland. Sushi was decent as they dont skip out on any of the ingredients. This is a place to go eat with the boys or the buddies not really a great date place. Service was pretty fast as I got a menu to mark down all the rolls i wanted, she would take it to the counter, and i got my sushi within 5-10 min on a busy lunch rush.
(4)
Meghan C.

This was my first time visiting Sushi Para. We were seated right away, but had to wait a few minutes for the server to come around to our table. We ate all the sushi we could eat for $15.99 lunch. We ordered Vegetable tempura (which was tasty) and pot stickers (which were also very tasty). My sushi came out first, but we had to wait like 7 minutes for my friend's food to come after mine. I didn't want to be rude and start eating before him. So our sushi comes out and our plates are loaded! They definitely don't skimp on any of the portions here. In fact, my sushi rolls were too big to fit in my mouth and were falling apart when I picked them up to eat...it was a little frustrating. And we seemed to be the only table in the restaurant without soy sauce at their table, but we were half way through with our meal before we even caught the waitress to ask her for some. I doubt I will go back, but if I do, I hope it is a better experience.
(3)
Maria C.

Talk about getting "Lost in Translation"... The food at Sushi Para is decent but the challenge is communicating with the waitresses. Some speak very little English and although it can be funny, it's challenging too. They have this all you can eat sushi deal for 15 bucks. But I just can't eat more than 2 sushi rolls. So my friend and I split a combo that came with 3 rolls, 3 pieces of sushi and 2 soups and the waitress almost kicked our butt when we told her we were splitting. My recommendation is that they price the sushis individually, even if the price is high so those people (like me) who just can't eat too much have choices and don't run the risk of being mistreated!
(2)
Analia B.

A family favorite. What can you say about all you can eat sushi for $19? The sushi is pretty good. Lots of options on the all you eat menu from shumai and fried oysters to sushi pieces and rolls. Have been going for a couple of years and the food and service is consistent
(4)
Tom C.

I've been to some all you can eat sushi places ( you know who you are Ringo) and most of the time you pay for what you get. Not the case with Sushi Para. I used to go to this place for lunch all the time and recently visited when I was out in BG. This place still rocks and for $16 for all you can eat sushi lunch you better wear the sweat pants. The staff is hit or miss. They are always nice but not especially great. The chefs are always friendly especially if you sit at the bar. I've never eaten any fancy rolls here but the sushi and standard rolls (spicy tuna, salmon) are great.
(5)
Patrick W.

Good quality sushi, if maybe rolled somewhat loosely. I've never actually tried the AYCE; each time we've carried out for dinner parties and have never been disappointed. It's always made to order, FAST.
(4)
Neil R.

I always enjoyed eating at this place. The waitresses are friendly and nice but some do not speak great english. The service is average but during busy hours it could take awhile for your sushi to come out but when it does, its made with quality. Unlike Todai it is not prepared until you submit the list. It is not a buffet line. One big problem I have with the place is the amount of rice they give you for the rolls. If they notice you are a big eater, they will pack on the rice and if you do not eat all the rice, you will be charged extra.
(4)
Peter W.

Quality is pretty good, but it's definitely the best deal in town.
(4)
Judy J.

had their buffet for $18.95. decent price and wide selection. the amount of rice given is decent. the only thing i would have to say is that their white tuna wasn't white...it was like yellow-brownish and sometimes with red stripes, kind of weird. i would have to say their other branch sushi sai is much better though, but that's in the city. definitely make reservations cause it was PACKED when we went. but overall, great service and delicious sushi :)
(4)
Ian Y.

I dined at this restaurant tonight, and it's not hard to see why other Yelpers gave it 4 stars. What's hard for me to understand, is why the services is so poor but still deserve 4 or 5 stars. The restaurant's decor is pretty ok actually, although the floor is far from clean. Unlike other reviewers which had to wait for a long time, my family of 4 went in and only took couple minutes to be seated. There're two things that this restaurant aren't lack off: (1) Heat + humidity. I have no clue why the heat and humidifier is cranked all the way up to the top making you're having a sauna while having a meal. (2) Rice. Like other reviewers have suggested, the rice is disproportionally gigantic and compressed. Why I can understand others give this restaurant a 4+ star? FIrst of all, they don't know the variety of sushi, and second, they don't know what's considered good sushi. Now, head over to Mitsuwa, and take a look at what Daikichi Sushi has to offer. Better yet, spend 17 bucks + tax (no tips required, since you're buying to-go) and taste what true sushi (and nigirizushi) are supposed to be. Daikichi doesn't serve top-notch sushi, but it's pretty darn good for the price and quality in Chicago. You'll still be full, but not like your tummy's going to explode. Back to Sushi Para's... the rice is compact and gigantic, with a thin slice of fish on top. I didn't taste any rice vinegar in the rice at all, and I've never eaten nigiri that's so warm before. Makizushi served are, again, huge, with no shortage of rice. The rice is so thick and sticky that it literally formed a half-triangle base that's half-inch thick. (Yes, all rice there). Variety is ok but it lacks fruits and dessert. I'm not looking for Todai's varitey, but please give people a couple of items so to make it a complete meal. It's like you walk into McDonald's and they only serve burgers and nothing else. Last but not least, the waitress. The one who served my table was rude and unwilling to help. While waiting for the table, that very same lady complained not getting enough tips. She spoke to the cashier in mandarin and I decided to only speak English to her after knowing my family was unfortunate enough to be "served" (if she actually did) by her. Having sushi buffet is quite a mix feeling for me. I like sushi alot, but when served in large amount, I become tired of it very easily. It doesn't help when a resturant that's steamy hot, with waitress that treat you with no respect, and serve you tons of rice just to fill you up, then charge you outrageous amount of money for stuff you can't finish (I think $.5 a piece is mroe reasonable, compared to some folks who experienced $12 for 4 pieces). They even charged my 2-yr old $2 for sipping some miso soup and 4 pieces of sushi. It's so apparent that they try to maximize profit by adding undocumented surcharges here and there. Again, I won't be surprised we'll see more 4+ reviews stacking up here, but if you bother to read my review, you'll know those are the ones who only know how to spell sushi, and probably thinking chop-suey is an authenic Chinese dish.
(2)
O J.

The best spicy tuna roll I have ever had! Yummy!
(4)
Bennie R.

Not authentically Japanese but for the price, quality and unlimited portions, I forgive them.
(4)
Younga C.

My friends and I were anxious to go to Sushi Para and enjoy the all you can eat sushi and celebrate 2 birthdays. Unfortunately, we will never ever ever return to this place again and I strongly encourage the many people who commented on my fb post last night about this place to please Yelp this place as well. The night started off well, the appetizers (the shumai and friend oysters are great) and rolls (the Michigan was my favorite) were very tasty. However, the first 5 minutes was the ONLY good part of this evening. It took a very long time get spoons, forks, napkins, water, and plates. I work at a restaurant as well, and I would never speak to my customers the way these servers did. Whenever we asked for something we didnt have, the server just stared at us blankly and walked away and kept disappearing. Towards the end of the meal, I found something hard in my mouth and thought it might be the shell of a shrimp. No ... it was a piece of saran wrap 1/2 inch long. When we asked to speak to a manager, there was no manager there. Instead another server came to tell me that the saran wrap is from the sushi and they have to cut the fish with the saran wrap on it so that's why it was in my food. There was no apology from her, all she said was "Don't worry, it's nothing." How can you serve saran wrap and say it's ok?!!?? So we didnt finish the rest of the pieces (about 5) on the plate because we were disgusted. All she could say was "we will not charge you the extra fee for leaving sushi on your plate". Unbelievable! I'm not looking for a free meal or anything, if the food and service is good then I will be happy to pay for it. But this restaurant is ridiculous, and the funny part was that all the employees there were loudly commenting on how rude we were. After trying for a few minutes to get the server to understand why we were upset, we realized no one in there was willing to take responsibility so we took paid and left. While standing outside, customers leaving the restaurant came up to us and said we were right to be upset and said "we've always had bad service here."
(1)
Derek K.

A nice restaurant. The sushi is good. It is fresh and tasty and you can't beat the price / all you can eat. Service can be a bit slow, and there is a significant communication barrier. Don't be surprised if what you receive is not quite what you ordered (not a big deal sushi is still sushi). The menu selection is significant and the portions tend to be large (8 or 9 rolls for some of the choices) so if you want to sample lots of items from the menu it's best to coordinate your order with your friends and share.
(4)
Kris B.

This may not be the #1 sushi place on the planet, but it ranks right up there with quality and price. We have been going to Sushi Para for at least 5 years or more now and we are never disappointed. We go here when we are looking to binge on sushi since it is an all you can eat place. The only gripe we have had has been getting a table because they are popular and sometimes how long it takes to get the food. We typically don't mind waiting because we are there to socialize not eat and run.
(4)
Antoknight B.

I love sushi para. Im there once a week. Mountian roll is my favorite roll. The Spicy mayo is the best around.
(5)
Jeanne L.

There aren't that many notable sushi buffets in the Illinois area. With that in mind, this place is alright. Service is bad, but if you go in there expecting it to be bad, then it's ok and you don't notice it as much :p. Depending on the chefs that day, you may get rolls that are all rice and little fish/filling. If it's an obscene amount of rice, make sure to complain. Their tactic is to fill you up on all that rice so that you can't order as much, and if you don't order as much you're not getting your money's worth (they charge you extra for leftover rice). But if you have your own eating tactics down (spread the rice around a little, put it in your miso soup for a different feel, etc) then you'll enjoy this place. It's not the best, but it's good enough that my friends and I constantly come back here when we want alot of sushi at a set price. The volcano roll is good (just don't get the dusting of spicy stuff on top; your mouth will fall off!) and sometimes their nigiri looks great. All their appetizers are really good too; we love their edamame!
(4)
D D.

Great bang for your buck. All you can eat sushi for $18 a person? Almost unheard of, theres a few places in the city with deals this good but not in the burbs. You get a lot for your money but make sure you eat everything you order or else rumor has it that you get charged. (haven't really seen it happen yet but who knows, there's probably some truth to it). The place is almost always packed, so expect to wait at least ten to fifteen minutes almost anytime, but on the weekends especially. The sushi is good, including maki and nigiri. They over do it with the rice a bit, but really not so bad, I've become a pro at picking off just enough rice that they don't care that it's on my plate at the end :). Do try it if you are a sushi fan with a big appetite and not the thickest billfold!
(4)
Angela P.

NOT RECOMMENDED! decent food, but terrible service! i walked out very unhappy vowing to never eat at sushi para in palatine again. for $16.99/person sushi buffet, you get ripped-off because the sushi rolls had WAY too much rice in them which get you full fast on cheap carbs! i removed the rice from the sushi so i could finish the rolls i ordered because i knew they charge for leftover food. i tried throwing out the rice in a napkin but they caught me and charged me $10 for that!! for $10, they lost the eternal goodwill of one sushi lover. (i hope their $10 profit was worth that.) if they didn't load their sushis with so much rice in the first place, none of this would have happened and i would have finished my sushi with no problem! the sushi was actually pretty good, after i removed all the excess rice. they messed up 4 orders at our table (including mine)! from not giving all the ordered rolls to mixing up sushi plates to waiting too long for the food to come out, this was a bad experience from beginning to end! a restaurant experience is not just about the food, but the entire experience including ambiance, service, and whether or not you walked out happier than when you came in. this restaurant definitely did not do it for me.
(1)
Patty Y.

My Sushi Para experience was almost over before it started. Major warning signs: 1. After three futile attempts to ask how long the wait would be, we realized the hostess was not deaf, but simply ignoring us. 2. The staff speak not Japanese or English, but Mandarin Chinese. Is this the Panda Express of sushi? Oh wait, no, Panda speaks English. 3. The dining area is tiny. When would we ever get to eat?? Luckily, on our fourth attempt, the waitress muttered that it would be 20 minutes, and then got us seated in 10. And I was glad. Because although the service stank and the waitresses don't seem to speak more than a few words of English, the sushi was definitely passable and the $17.99 all you can eat is a steal! Everything that came with salmon was delicious. To note, the sushi comes with a generous pat of rice, and it is slightly chunkier and loosely packed. The rolls are large in diameter (about 1.5") and thin, and tend to fall apart--all the more reason to inhale them quickly. They are very generous with cucumber and avocado fillers. You can keep ordering, but there is a significant wait for each order so next time I would probably gauge how hungry I am and try to order everything in one round. To give you an idea, the two of us ordered two rounds (5 rolls and 10 pieces of sushi total) and waited 45 minutes for food that took us 15 minutes to actually eat. Our water and--horrors--lukewarm tea were never refilled until we were ready to leave. However, the tea is free. And our waitress did a double take at our 20% tip, so I can only assume others have tipped in accordance with actual service rendered rather than force of habit. Here is a list of my favorites in order of deliciousness: - American Dream Roll : shrimp tempura, tobiko, cucumber, eel, avocado - Spider Roll: standard soft shell crab, cucumber, tobiko - Palatine Roll: salmon, eel, cucumber, tobiko, avocado - Shrimp Tempura Roll: shrimp tempura, avocado, tobiko, cucumber See a cucumber, tobiko, avocado theme? Rolls that I would love to try if they weren't spicy: - Volcano Roll: spicy yellowtail, spicy tuna and spicy salmon - Pop Up Roll: spicy salmon, crab, shrimp plus theme above - Boston Roll: shrimp, crab, spicy mayo plus theme above
(3)
Y M.

I love sushi! This place is pretty good for around $20 all you can eat. I noticed some comments on that there was too much rice but I thought it was decent. There's bound to be some rice otherwise it'll be sashime. love the volcano. Spicy! but not overwhelming. Also like the palatine, american dream, philly, . The staff was ok. services came quickly but they don't really come back to check on us after we got our food. Also I am not a fan of chopped up fish mix thing - mashed fished? .(not sure how how call it) as in spicy salmon and they have quite a few of those. But overall it was enjoyable. would go again, now i know what i like.
(4)
T C.

I've been spoiled by the sushi buffet of SGC/Shogun in Corona, CA, so everytime I try to find a sushi bar (all you can eat), it is always disappointing. Sushi Para is a alright. I give it 3/5 stars because of the pricing of $16.99 for AYCE dinner! Rolls were a bit lose, and the seaweed wrap were damp when they were served. This is probably due to the fact that every time we turned in an order, it took 20+ minutes for it to come back out. Sashimi was decent, but heh..that's a lot of rice to eat if you want your money's worth of AYCE!
(3)
Vladyslav K.

I'm frequenting to this place. I like their pricing of lunch specials. I always get three rolls for 13 bucks for carry out. Fast prep. 8-10 minutes and you are good to go no matter how crowed the place is. This is obviously not a haute cuisine but the quality is food is ok. Service is ok as well.
(4)
Paul G.

Hm. Not as good at the one in lincoln park or wicker park. They charge you per bottle when you bring in your own beer. It also has to be something that they serve at the restaurant. The food was good though, just not a fan of the different rules.
(3)
Allison A.

How could you not like this place? 19 bucks for ayce? Order some of the more expensive rolls and you have more than gotten your money's worth. For gf people- I brought my own soy sauce, but I thought I saw a gf soy sauce bottle behind the sushi chefs. Also, they use imitation crab, so stay away from the rolls with crab. The free green tea was fabulous as well. I wish I lived closer!
(4)
Olena Y.

Literally will never go here again. They watch you like a hawk ( which is very awkward). The customer service is horrible. Their rolls are loaded with rice and are warm gross!
(1)
Sumaiya M.

NEVER GOING BACK HERE AGAIN!!! Was a repeat customer for 2 years. Our last visit a couple days ago was the final straw! never have we ever has such horrible customer service! These people charge you for stuff without your knowledge! Pretty sure that's illegal!! Just like any restaurant, you tip based on how the food was is, and also customer service amongst other things. A few visits ago my friend asked for some Siriacha sauce. The waitress flat out said "I'm sorry we can only give you a little bit because it's expensive". EXCUSE ME?! We are paying for our food aren't we?! We then paid for our food and left. We used to leave a good tip each time. Until the service went down the drain. THEY DONT ACCEPT ANY LESS THAN $10 tip!! A couple days ago we went during their all you can eat lunch. When we asked for the check we noticed that we were being charged 15% on top of the sushi. Only 2 people were eating and we were being charged for 5 people. We went up to the register where the manager was standing. We asked why we were being charged for 5 people. She says "you know that our employees need to make money so I added the 16% to your bill" WTF?! She starts raising her voice saying "you should know Americans give tips" what does that mean?! We trusted this place and never thought they would do this. But they've been doing this without our knowledge for several months!! THEY FLAT OUT STEAL FROM YOU!! We asked that should've communicated with us and asked us if there was anything wrong with the service instead of adding 16% to our bill!! She replied "well I just did didn't i?" NEVER GOING BACK HERE!! If I was able to to give no stars I would've!
(1)
Violet M.

This place is walking distance from my house. Nigiri sushi is cheap, $1 a piece. My daughter likes the tamago, eel, crab and shrimp. I like their salmon skin roll and california roll. My son has tried their chicken and steak teriyakis. An okay place to take food out. We have tried the buffet in the past but do not recommend it. Too much rice!
(3)
Skyler J.

Ate lunch it was good this time. A bit surprised! Great service! Go for lunch because its peacefully friendly.
(3)
Geoff F.

The sushi was actually pretty good! Price wasn't terrible either. I had the spivey salmon and the Christmas rolls; the spicy salmon was delicious, while the Christmas roll was a little bland. Their vegetable tempura was great.
(4)
Jade J.

The sushi is pretty good over all, but my 2 stars are for the HORRIBLE service and the fact that if you pay for the "all you can eat" buffet, they charge you for any food you don't finish. Yes, they let you know that prior, but still. It's tacky. But, unlike the charge for uneaten food, they DO NOT give you any notice that the servers will ignore you and make it almost impossible to reorder your "all you can eat" sushi.
(2)
James L.

Haven't tried the all you can eat, but definitely had a couple of rolls to go for lunch. It was pretty solid! I'd come back for sure. Lunch and for all you can eat next time...
(4)
Bogdan B.

first sushi i ever tried was at sushi para. since then i still believe they are the best. they are always busy and because of that fish meat is always fresh. they will always have a special place in my heart :)
(5)
Lorenza D.

The best all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant I've ever been to! Price was very affordable! Everything tasted fresh and the quality was great! I was able to have 3 plates without wanting to throw up! Lol Servers were real nice! Checked up on us every once in a while, always made sure our waters were full. And the plating was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Great experience!
(5)
Aly L.

Our family loves this place. We've been going there for years now. Best combination of the price and quality. The fish always tastes fresh. The overall atmosphere is very casual. This is not an upscale or fancy place by any means. Really simple. I would recommend their Palatine and American Dream rolls and the suno mono.
(5)
Teresa Y.

I've been a regular customer there. There were times I actually been there once a week with my friends. I never liked the amount of sushi rice they put, but they always charged me $2~$5 for left overs which was fine with me. I never thought too much about their customer service because it was never extraordinarily too good or too bad, but today I decided to NEVER GO BACK THERE AGAIN!!!! I ordered hot sake and it was not hot at all so I asked for reheating it which is not a too much to ask and the server frowned right upon it, and I felt not so happy about it. Then again we never received water so we asked for it almost in the half way done with our sushi, and the girl frowned again. When they thought that we could not understand Chinese, actually my friend who does understand Chinese and caught them behind our table talking about us. That was not a pleasant experience and very rude. We tipped the server decent amount regardless of the trash service, and the server snatched the check book right off from my hand as soon as I signed and made an eye contact with the other server and they looked at us once and were actaully laughing at us. I was just so disappointed at their service today. Regardless of their good maki and sushi, no one deserves that kind of service.
(1)
Jennifer F.

SO fresh, pretty fast, and affordable. What more could you ask for at an AYCE sushi place? If you come on a weekend night, be prepared to wait forever. But it's worth it, and in the meantime, you can check out the little asian grocery next door.
(5)
Gina C.

Sushi Para is my favorite sushi place in the area. They are very reasonably priced, great food, great service and fast. I recommend the Alaska roll. It is delicious!
(5)
Erick P.

I always wanted to try this place out and I finally got to yesterday. I went here with my gf, I got the all you can eat and she got some single rolls. The sushi quality is good but the gyzoa and vegetable tempura were a bit sloppy. it seemed like they just wanted to get these out as soon as they can. The service was also okay...I mean for the price you cant go wrong but it didn't live up the hype that i expected.
(3)
Adam M.

Gross... I do not understand how this place has good ratings. Fish is mushy and they serve waaaay too much rice with their rolls. Good thing is, it will still make a turd.
(1)
Jisha J.

I have tried a few places across the country for all-you-can-eat sushi and this place was average. They had all the basic rolls plus a few more interesting ones. They had very good miso soup, but their gyozas were just average. The night we went was very busy and so it took a long time to get our food. For the price, it was a good deal, but the sushi was definitely not as good as some of the other places we have tried before. Might give it another shot since it's close by though!
(3)
Joe M.

Order sushi and water and you will be fine. Sushi is fresh as they have a lot of business. Service and health codes have not been so good in the past. That is why you get sushi and water ONLY
(5)
Melissa B.

I love this place, but you have to go hungry to get your money's worth. The rolls, especially the more expensive one that will make the AYCE worth while, are HUGE and mostly filled with rice. This is how they get you! I couldn't eat more than 3 rolls last time due to the amount of rice. Sushi rolls are delicious, but I wish they had more filling than rice. Also, order in small amounts because they will charge you for what you don't eat.
(3)
Lisha K.

This is one of the best sushi restaurants in the area. Its a small place but the food is good.
(5)
Akira S.

We love sushi and eat lots of it. We decided to stop for the all you can eat. The nigiri and rolls were not fresh and the rice was hard like it was cooked a day before and kept in the fridge. What's worse is that there was way too much rice in the nigiri/ sushi making it not proportional to the amount of fish. So all you could taste was rice. In the past we ordered sushi for take out, and it was never like this.
(1)
Edward M.

Very good all you can eat place! Lunch is like 16 dollars and dinner is 19, I think dinner has a more extensive menu than lunch. Overall the sushi was good, the right amount of filling to rice that authentic places use, some buffets give way more rice. This place also offers some really good specialty rolls like the american, the crunchy, palatine, and boston rolls. All have fillings like shrimp, fried shrimp, tuna, and a bunch of other stuff. I really wanted to try the soft shelled crab but it was extra and I figured I'd try the main stream stuff first. For the price, after tax and tip, we paid 20 bucks a person and was treated to a very nice server that kept refilling our tea and water and asked if we wanted to order more food. A monday at noon and the place was only 1/3 full but I have heard it normally gets really full on Sunday nights. I'd definitely come back again because of the bang for your buck, quality wise I have had better but it costs a lot more then. For the price of 1 really good roll else where (about 12 bucks) add 4 more dollars and you get all you can eat good rolls. Also the sashimi comes 1 piece at a time which is nice so you can try a bunch of things without being full up on one thing. Also they have chicken nuggets for some reason, it's called like taka alga or sumfin. And they have shui mai, dumplings, um yea those were def ordered premade and steamed, they aren't good by dim sum standards.
(4)
Brett E.

For being an all you can eat sushi place, Sushi Para is pretty good. They have interesting rolls that have all tasted great, just don't eat TOO much otherwise you may regret it later. Also, make sure to make a reservation. This tiny restaurants fills up fast. However, I'm giving this place 3 stars because of the staff. The staff can be very rude and unattentive at times. They don't explain their pricing or rules well, and they disappear for long periods of time.
(3)
Kat A.

This is my go-to sushi place. I have always gone here for their buffet deal. $18.99 (it's somewhere around $17.99-$18.99 for dinner and maybe around $14.99 for lunch) for all you can eat sushi and appetizers that you can choose from a list. Appetizers include edamame, salad, shu mai, chicken yakitori, miso soup, potstickers, etc. The only downfall is that if you don't finish the sushi you order, you have to pay about 50 cents per piece (but you can take it home). The fish is pretty fresh. My favorite roll is the volcano roll...I believe it's spicy tuna and salmon inside.
(5)
Yashita M.

this place has best sushi. you can't stop eating it and it is best quality. So good and much better than other places, eat here and you will see for self it is truth.
(5)
Pari P.

Sushi buffet for $18.99 where your food is made to order, can it get any better than this? Although there are several other sushi buffets in the Chicagoland area, Sushi Para holds the crown as being the best in my book. I have been to several other sushi buffets in Chicago where you can only order two rolls at a time or there is a limited selection to choose from or charge up to $30 a person. Sushi Para, on the other hand, has no limitations or stipulations. Take note, if you don't finish your food, they will charge you extra. Beware, their rolls tend to be larger and contain more rice than usual which makes the meal even more filling. I have been charged extra in the past due to my eyes being larger than my stomach. For appetizers, choose from a variety from Japanese fried chicken, yaki tori, fried oysters, and gyoza. From the a la carte items, enjoy unagi, red snapper, tuna, salmon, ebi, and etc. The best part is the number of maki rolls to choose from, there are at least 10 on the menu. All of which are part of the buffet. Did I say that it was only $18.99? Just wanted to make sure that you in case I forgot. I like their Palatine location the best but their locations in the city have BYOB. The trade-off is that there will definitely be a wait unless you can go during their off times. Heads up on the odd new age music in the background.
(4)
Vladimir K.

Food is really good here. Service is probably the worst in the entire Chicago land area. Waitresses are unorganized and leave you waiting for a long long long time.
(2)
Penny L.

Let me start by saying it's disappointing for me to only rate Sushi Para as a 1-Star establishment. I used to love their sushi. The Sapporo roll was my favorite by far. I recently ordered take-out, as I often do from there, and it was vile. I ordered several things, 2 of which were a spicy tuna roll and the Sapporo roll, when I went to get my food I saw the tuna rolls causally sitting on the back counter. I thought nothing of it since the rest of the order wasn't ready so I just figured they had just gotten through making them--I was very wrong. The tuna was hot, as though they hasn't had it on ice or refrigerated the whole day, hot! I always order no tobiko with my sushi because I personally don't care for caviar and the rolls were loaded with them! I called in hopes of them being willing to at least make my dinner over and the manager I spoke to was very rude and argued with me about it. I offered to bring the food back to show her that there was caviar all over the rolls-inside, outside, everywhere-and she could not care less. She even hung up on me! Horrible customer service. I will never be eating here again.
(1)
Angeles A.

Very disappointed! This is the 1st time the waitress is rude! Rolls were filled w exaggerated amounts of rice. I thought I'd take some of the rice off to better enjoy what was In front of me to just be told i was going to be charged add'l for the rice that is on my plate! Really?? Your sushi chef added double the rice and now I have to pay for it? Wow!
(1)
Donna L.

ALL FOR A DOLLAR? Going out for a nice family dinner... Decided to try the this place... Sushi rolls were sub-par... And the worst part about the 'all you can eat' shady deal is that they fill most of the roll with RICE. We finished all the rolls and I left some of the rice. The lady takes it away... And returns a few minutes later with the plate to say, "My manager says we charge you $1 for the extra rice." And I just say, no problem. Not like that dollar matters to me... But to make things even worse, she proceeds to say, "did you want finish it?" After she had already taken it away?!? That was just gross. So we're charged for extra rice, and charged when we don't eat rice. What is this world coming to? I hope this review costs you more than a dollar.
(1)
Denis N.

The food was pretty good... Although, DO NOT get the all you can eat unless you have not eaten all day. The sushi pieces in this restaurant are MASSIVE! In fact massive is an understatement. You'd be just fine ordering individual rolls from the menu. Great place to eat!!! Will visit again!
(4)
Spencer H.

I come in here & sometimes wonder if the workers here are cyborgs. I come in here at least one a week. I have never got a "Hi, how are you"? I have never got a "Hi, welcome back" or even when I'm leaving a "Thanks for coming". I am a really easy person to deal with & do not expect these things all the time, but if a customer that comes in & supports your business once a week I would think you should be really friendly to them & let them know you are very happy that they support your business. The restaurant has a very simple lay out. They have a sushi bar & bunch of tables. The place is always clean & the staff isn't bad. I usually order the Miso Soup,Shrimp Tempura & the Spicy Tuna roll & they are always delicious here. The food is delicious & the tuna is always fresh here which is what keeps me coming back. I also like the all you can eat option. The all you can eat sushi is 18.95 for dinner & you can get your moneys worth from this. Overall I will be back here because the food is good.
(3)
Jenny V.

All you can eat lunch for 15.50 per person. Since i probably can't eat enough to make it worth it, i shared a lunch special with a friend, 3 rolls for 11.99 and she got the complementary bowl of miso soup. We got spicy tuna, american roll and shrimp tempura roll. It did take a while for our rolls to come, but that's expected, it was almost a full house when we arrived and they do have to make the sushi! The place is kinda small, i don't think they laid the place out very well. We got stuck with a table right by the door. The quality of the sushi is pretty good. I would say its better than okay quality, they do put a lot of rice though. I'll definitely come back if someone wants to try this place again, but i do have a lot of sushi places bookmarked! If you can eat a lot of sushi i would say get the all you can eat, otherwise, their lunch specials are pretty good!
(4)
Rena P.

Suburban sushi at its finest. No joke. Out of the ?? number of rolls I tried (notice the double digits), not one received bad marks from my taste buds. The interior is on the small side, causing somewhat of a wait during peak hours, and the decor is a bit blah. That all is quickly forgotten when you're served the maki yummies. The fish was fresh and the rolls were tight. Plus, their all-you-can-eat menu includes non-sushi items, making it an IDEAL place for those who happening to be dating someone who doesn't understand the deliciousness of the rice, seaweed, fish combo. Lot's of roll options are on the menu as well, so you won't soon run out of new items to try. Now I wonder if the city locations meet these standards as well. C-H-A-L-L-E-N-G-E
(5)
Sarah W.

I had heard a lot about this place before trying it out. Always positive feedback but when I tied it I was very disappointed. Will not be going back. There are other sushi restaurants within the area that are far better.
(1)
Natalie F.

Great place to get carry out! Always fresh always good!
(5)
Jessica P.

I came here a couple times for sushi and it was ok... The first time I came here with a couple of people, it was a week night and it wasn't as busy..the food was ok...and service was just ok....as the night progressed.. I didn't like how the waiters/waitresses were kind of staring us down to leave..and it wasn't even busy...I'm sure they wanted to clean up early and leave..but still...it wasn't like they were closing anytime soon and it's not like we were finished eating either...they actually allowed us to pack our food to go (excluding the dumplings and appetizers that we ordered).. which i found odd... usually buffets don't allow us to pack food to go.. maybe they really wanted us to leave...hah.. The second time I came here with 5 other people and it was on a Sunday evening so it was little more packed..we had about a 20 minute wait which wasn't too bad, but not any ideal waiting area/place....the food was ok.. I don't like how they charge us for leftovers; although, we didn't get charged.. the idea is just bleh...makes people just stuff their faces even when they're full... not a fan of that...oo and the price increased the 2nd time I went compared to the first time I came here... i guess if you're really craving sushi with lots of rice and you've starved yourself all day to stuff yourself with sushi with lots of rice.. then you should come here.....stuffing sushi with lots of rice..obviously they would do that at a sushi buffet... pros: sushi buffet - all you can eat sushi..yay for people who can eat a lot! cons: customer service wasn't that great, you must pay if you don't finish your food as if paying for the sushi buffet wasn't enough, atmosphere needs a little touch-up... parking: there's a parking lot so you won't have any issues finding parking..
(3)
Sarah S.

Where else can you get all you can eat sushi for $19.95 on a Friday or Saturday night? Nowhere. That's where. Todaii is more expensive at the sushi + service at Sushi Para is wayyy better! I've been here about 3 times now and have always had a pleasant experience. Very nice service but always expect to wait! You can't make reservations and it's not a huge restaurant. I can never seem to eat enough sushi to justify getting the all you can eat so everytime I've gone, I've opted to just order off the menu. Give me a Philly and Tuna (Spicy is okay, too) and I'm a happy girl! One day I promise I will get the all you can here and shovel as much as I possibly can into my tiny mouth! Either way, sushi is decent here but not amazing. Rolls are a bit sloppy but they get the job done. Have more cream cheese then fish most times in my philly roll but that's okay! Still good for the price. No doubt I will be back and am looking forward to conquering the all you can eat option and put a massive amount of sushi put into my belly!
(3)
Annie V.

Worst service of my entire life. My friend and I were ignored upon entering and then once we were seated the waiter didn't bring us water or utensils until we asked. Once we ordered our meal and it came to us the sushi was sub par and had the connective tissue in most of the rolls. Our waiter didn't check on us once the whole meal and then after we spent 5 minutes flagging him down he brought us our check. To top it off the prices on our bill were significantly more expensive than the ones on the menu we were given, and once we pointed this out to our waiter he said we had ordered from looking at a take out menu (which we were given by him), but refused to change the price of our bill. Needless to say we will never be returning. If it were possible to give this place 0 stars I would.
(1)
Christine L.

Great place to go, but only on an empty stomach! I'd only been the the Sushi Para on Clark, and recently ventured to the one here in Palatine. Pretty similar menus & pricing, and just about as busy. Parking is definitely better at the Palatine location. When I'm craving sushi, Sushi Para is always the first place I think about, and the sushi here definitely never disappoints. Love the appetizers and the choice of sushi & rolls. Tried a newer one, the "Under Control" and I think that was my favorite out of all the one's I've eaten. Service was not bad, they were quick to take our orders and fill the water glasses when needed. The only thing was that a few of the buffet orders came out wrong (I think they missed a few of the hand rolls and gave us something that we didn't order). A warning, though! Beware overeating! I always go through the same cycle: Crave Sushi - Eat at Sushi Para - Leave overstuffed having eaten more than I'm comfortable with.
(4)
Steve S.

The soda came in cans. They charged my wife for a refill that she didn't ask for. The nigiri had a funny texture to it (three different kinds) and as I continued to eat it I started to feel nauseous and nearly threw up, I had to spit out the piece I was eating to prevent it. All in all not a pleasant experience.
(1)
Brendan G.

I was looking forward to all you can eat sushi but was very disappointed. The quality of the sushi was low. The sushi mostly consisted vegetables and rice. I didn't feel I got my money's worth
(1)
Joe M.

I've been going here for years and have finally gotten around to writing a review. Great value here with a lot of different options to choose from. I always go for the Spicy Tuna and Spicy Salmon rolls as well as the Crunchy Roll and Shrimp Tempura roll. The service is great and the sushi is ALWAYS fresh. Some say they add to much rice but I have seen other places with comparable rice to roll ratios. Check this place out!
(5)
Mitch L.

Typically love this place for sushi, but today I had a very interesting experience. Was really looking for a two or three rolls special but for dinner there was only the all-you-can-eat. I ordered three rolls and four pieces of sushi, but was full and left three pieces, one of each roll. Because I did not finish, they charged me an extra dollar. Again, typically good, but very interesting to pay for leftovers when I really wasn't trying to abuse it.
(3)
Max K.

Overall a pretty good place. Sushi is made to order and you cannot beat this for the price, about $20 per person. When there are a lot of people, sometimes the orders get backed up and switched but that hasn't happened a lot with us. Out of all the times we came here, maybe just once. Sushi goes great with a bottle of Asahi or Sapporo. Get there early in the evenings, may be lines.
(4)
Mike N.

Been here about 4 times for the AYCE sushi, and every time we return thinking it will be better it isn't. Every roll we ordered had absolutely no flavor!
(1)
Amy A.

Wow, I've been coming here a few times a year for the past 6 years, and the quality has definitely gone waaaaay down since my first experience. I remember the fish being fresh, average amount of rice, average amount of fish, and no vinegar or very little vinegar in the rice itself. It was basically good sushi for a good value. Now, don't get me wrong...the sushi was never mindblowing or amazing, but it was definitely good. This time I went, it was probably the worst sushi I've ever had. The fish was definitely thawed from frozen, the nigiri had riceballs the size of my fist, with thin slivers of fish on top, and the rice was excessively vinegar tasting (i.e. to mask the non-fresh fish). I wish I took photos. The rice to fish ratio was absurd. I couldn't taste anything except the vinegar and rice. I guess if you really like rice, then this is the place to go. I, on the other hand, will not be returning.
(2)
Cassie R.

I love the seaweed salad, an d the sushi is well prepared! Staff can at times be a little inattentive BUT, are still polite when they do come around. Ultimately I love this place and will happily come back.
(4)
Jay R.

We got our money's worth with the all-you-can-eat sushi. There was 20min wait, which is fair for a saturday evening. The space was clean, the service was friendly and prompt, and most importantly the food was delicious.
(4)
Liz S.

I guess I do understand the "meh" reviews of this place. Really, there's nothing all that special, but there's nothing wrong with it. For $18 a person, it's all you can eat. That's not my style, but it's my best friend's, so we opted to come here one night. She likes how great of a deal it is. I would rather just have one superb roll and a bowl of miso. I didn't get that superb roll. Like I said, this place isn't bad by any means. My volcano roll was pretty good. For $12, I feel like I couldn't have gotten better quality sushi for my money, so this is a great place to go for a cheap fix. I'd come back, but only for the all you can eat.
(3)
Tina A.

I went here based on other people's recommendation (because of the all you can eat sushi). I'm an avid sushi fan and I'm constantly on the look out for "hidden gems". This sushi place is at a pretty busy intersection and is kind of difficult to get into. Either way back to the sushi. I walked in and the place was packed and it took a good 4-5 minutes to be acknowledged, meanwhile a few other groups had walked in behind us making the front area over crowded to the point where a few people had to stand in the doorway. When we got seated we had already decided that we would do the all you can eat sushi (ordered a handful of different rolls) and miso soup. The miso was just OK, Sushi came out relatively quickly, and right away I noticed that they were shoved together in record time. After taking my first bite I was very unimpressed, bland, bland,bland...and slightly warmer than room temp...very unappealing for fresh fish. All the rolls tasted EXACTLY the same and were 70% rice. I left disappointed. Not worth the money for the all you can eat price. I would say give this place a pass if you're a true sushi fanatic
(1)
Daniel W.

Excellent place for all you can eat sushi. The Volcano and Michigan rolls are my go tos. Not a huge fan of the Unagi here though. They tend to load the rolls with avocado and rice so be careful. My secret is to spread some of the rice out over the plate... But I think the place is great for all you can eat and have had good experiences there so far. 52 pieces is my PR...going for 60 next time. Watch out Sushi P!
(4)
Jackie L.

in my last visit, i found they changed their menu of what you can check. i used to love the fried oysters - but alas, no more. try to order what you like in the first round, cuz they get slower and slower with following orders and they seem to cake on more and more rice. the rolls are decent. i love anything with the spicy sauce. and skip any cream cheese rolls. cream cheese on rolls is a SIN! bleh~~~! the staff definitely could use reminders on customer service but alas, this place is fine for suburbia to satisfy the cravings.
(3)
Stephen T.

My favorite sushi place. You cant beat the deal. Great gyoza and love the Palatine roll.
(5)
Betty H.

Sorry, this rating only applies to their veggie tempura and spicy mayo crunch roll, as I don't do raw sushi. Just can't deal w the texture
(4)
Samantha R.

The best sushi I've had in the suburbs, and I've been to a lot of places. It's $18.99 all you can eat, but you must pay for anything you don't finish, so go easy on the appetizers, which also fall under the $18.99 rule. Their spicy rolls are DELICIOUS, especially the volcano and the pop-up roll. Mountain roll is great, and they have some delicious "off the menu" rolls as well. These rolls do not go with the $18.99 deal, but are so delicious, the best is the Green Dragon roll, which is an eel and avocado roll. DELICIOUS! The service is kind of bad, but you can't go wrong with the great food and the great price. If you go and don't love it, I feel bad for you. It is the only place I go in the suburbs for sushi, and it's only 15 minutes from my house. You must go there!
(5)
Connie L.

There are much better places for sushi. If you're looking for AYCE sushi, I recommend House of Sushi and Noodles if you're in the city or Sakura in Naperville. I've come here a couple of times before and they always pack way too much rice into all their rolls so that you get full faster. There's also Sushi Ya in the area. Save your money and go elsewhere!
(2)
Amanda M.

I was excited to come here as it is the original one, compared to Sushi Para II in the city. Great service. However, too much rice and not much fish in the rolls, which is expected for a buffet. But the rolls were poorly and quickly made, as they fell apart the moment they were touched. Also, what was mind-blowing was that some of the "specialty" rolls and other dishes like suno mono were additional charge, where as at Para II, those items were included in the selection of the buffet.
(2)
Michael K.

Went here after hearing about the "All-You-Can-Eat" sushi deal. It's ~$16 during lunch hour and ~$19 for dinner. I'll echo the majority by saying the sushi is good but the service is slow. There was a hair in my chunk of wasabi but the place seems pretty clean in general. Worth checking out if you're a sushi lover and in the area.
(4)
Taylor M.

I met up with a group of friends here for a late lunch/ early dinner. One of my friends hear good things about the restaurant so we decided to try it out. When I arrived, I was a bit concerned by the low rating (70) they received at their last inspection. I told my friends about it but they still wanted to dine here. When I walked in the restaurant it smelled a little funny. Like someone had just washed the place in chlorine. I was starving, so I decided to take a risk and order something. I had miso soup with was a bit disappointing, it was lacking in flavor. I also had the shumai appetizer which was pretty good. I ordered one roll, Sapporo Roll and it was pretty terrible. It tasted fishy and chewy. Poor quality sushi. My tummy felt a little off after. Considering the quality of food and lack of ambiance and service, Sushi Para is a bit pricey. For the same price you can get much better! I will not be returning to Sushi Para. *Side Note: They do not accept Discover Card.
(1)
Ashley S.

So I usually order take out from here, but tonight my friend and I decided to stop in and eat. They have a great all you can eat deal for $18.99, which I wish I would've taken advantage of. I ordered a la carte and had the Michigan Roll (fabulous) and the reason I didn't order all you can eat is because the Crazy Tuna Roll isn't an option and that roll is my favorite, the reason I eat here actually. So after everything was all said and done I paid more for my sushi than Sarah did, but that damn Crazy Tuna Roll is Craaaaaazzzyyyyyy delicious! The service was good and the atmosphere typical for a small sushi joint. See you soon Sushi Para :)
(5)
Peter K.

I met up with a group of friends for an early dinner around 5:15pm. Initially, the place had about 40% occupancy and the service was good. Upon our initial order, we received our food in about 5 minutes. While sushi isn't in my top 5 things to eat, I thought the food quality was decent. The sushi size is fairly large and it is all you can eat for dinner. We ordered the following: Crunch Roll (Crab meat, cucumber, tempura chips, masago, spicy mayo on top) - 4 out of 5 stars - it is definitely crunchy and has good texture. Michigan Roll (Spicy tuna and tempura chip inside, tobiko [little orange eggs] on top) - 4 out of 5 stars - the flavors complemented each other well between the spicy tuna and the crunchy chips and the rice. Shrimp Tempura Roll (Shrimp tempura, avocado, tobiko, cucumber) - 3 out of 5 stars - The shrimp tempura is made well but the mixture of flavors brings out a bit of dryness within the whole roll. Sapporo Roll (Crab meat, avocado, cucumber inside topped with spicy tuna) - 2 out of 5 stars - This felt like the Michigan Roll flipped inside out. With large spicy tuna chunks on the outside, it overwhelms the flavor of the rest of the roll, though if you like spicy tuna, this is the way to go. After my party of 4 finished our first plate, we ordered another round which took 20-25 minutes to bring out. That's quite a bit of time considering our stomachs are filling up during that time. The waitresses were good about refilling our drinks until the restaurant got filled to about 90% capacity, at which point they almost never came around. Right before asking for the checks, I asked for my drink to be refilled and it was never done. We also asked for the check to be split which they never did. They seemed annoyed that we wanted that to happen (which I understand can be annoying) but at the same time, if we want to pay separate, then at least try and accommodate for it. Overall, the service started out as a 4 out of 5 and then quickly dipped to 2 out of 5 because of their lack of service.
(2)
Jenni E.

I was doing some errands out this was and because of having to drive out here I thought I would treat myself to sushi. If you are looking for a good sushi lunch special, this is the place to be. They have some great lunch specials and for dinner they have an all you can eat option as well. The rolls I got were good and with the lunch special they offered a number of unique rolls instead of the standard that most other places offer for lunch. If I found myself back in the area I would stop in for a roll or two.
(3)
Nektaria R.

If you are looking for a classy sushi joint, with awesome service this is not it. If you're looking for lots of fresh, yummy sushi and don't want to spend much, this is it. Expect to wait and have someone fun in the group to keep you going. This is my quarterly sushi binge joint with a bunch of coworkers. We meet here, talk about work and slowly eat till someones eyes roll to the back of their head and then we stop and comment about how did we eat that much. I'm sure there's other people that are eating much more than us but we still make those comments. There is a great deal of rice in the huge rolls and if you choose to pick the fish off and leave the rice, they will charge you extra cause they don't like you to throw anything away. So, if you're ready to bring on the feed bag, go to sushi para.
(4)
Rob W.

First visit there today for lunch. It was a random visit - no clue what to expect. I ended up ordering several sushi roll, tuna, yellowtail, Philadelphia and Futomaki. Toss in an egg nigiri. Miso soup - almost an order of gyoza, but decided against it. Futomaki had avocado and lacked a certain pickle that I love. The roe wasn't as flavorful as I am used to either. Other offerings were good. Service was fine, though when one eats at the sushi bar, it should be! So here's the scoop. It's basically a pretty average sushi place, BUT... @$15.50 for all you can eat sushi at lunch, it's a FANTASTIC deal. One warning though - if you're a soda drinker, they do charge by the glass ($1.35 each - not too horrible).. Three stars for food PLUS one star for a great value.
(4)
Michele A.

I have been going to Sushi Para for about 10 years and it had always been the same - good sushi for the price (I avoid the spicy tuna roll even though it is one of my favor ties it is just not that good here). Sometimes the rolls are not "rolled" tight enough. But all in all the sushi is good. The service sucks... they have a few new girls who do pay a bit more attention but, this is a place that you need to go into with no questions about the menu and don't expect premium service. The service isn't bad enough to keep me from going here (and that is not a compliment)!
(3)
Jon F.

I've been to Sushi Para original (here, regularly) and Para M (downtown, twice) and both are top notch. I was definitely worried about the quality of ingredients the first time I came in, but as a sushi lover I have never been disappointed. I actually experienced some of the best salmon nigiri at para M, and the quality of ingredients at both locations is great. There are only 2 things to be aware of: 1) This place isn't a secret... go at dinner and expect to wait a while. There isn't much room for waiting, but there is a big parking lot. 2) If you don't eat it, you are paying for it. Big eyes hurt the wallet here.... but eat up and you'll have no problems. Order as many times as you like. Caveat on that last item, sometimes when you go with large groups, especially if you order alot... it seems like they will slow you down on purpose. Last group of heavy eaters I went with joked that this only allowed for more room... so their plan may have backfired. If you are just looking for a few great rolls head just south to Sushi Asahi, but if you want to stuff your face full of creatures for next to nothing Para is a great option!
(4)
Becca T.

Went here for the first time to have lunch with a friend. When I walked one employee basically stared at me but then another woman greeted me. I told them I was waiting for a friend and they seated me. The server asked me about 5 times in the 10 minutes I was waiting for my friend. We opted for the 2 rolls for $10 lunch special. The sushi was just okay, not great but not horrible. I am debating if I will return.
(3)
Barb D.

My boyfriend and I eat sushi at least once every two weeks, if not more - it is both of our favorite foods. We have tried sushi places all over Chicago and the suburbs and every time walk out saying, "We should have just gone to Sushi Para". The all-you-can-eat special is by far the best option ($18.99/ person). My favorites are the American Dream roll and the Pop-Up roll. Plenty of variety and each one is so very tasty. I also love the gyoza and the veggie tempura. The green tea is always hot and included in the price. The only thing that is frustrating is the wait, even on slow days - once a secret, many have learned of the great quality sushi and cheap deals so call ahead if you can!
(5)
Justin L.

Came here with the guy who wrote the previous review, same gripes, but didn't bother me that bad. I agree with Peter on all his food assessments, but when it comes to service, well... it's all you can eat sushi. I lower my expectations for a lot of these all you can eat places. It's all about turning tables and moving people along. HOWEVER, yeah service was pretty bad this time around. The one thing that got to me was how the waitress reviewed each sign receipt before moving on. It just seemed like she was checking if anyone was cheaping out right in front of us... kind of tactless. Oh well, I'd still eat here again, I'm there more for the sushi anyways.
(3)
Shawn F.

The boyfriend and I love sushi so when we found out about an $18.95 all you can eat (and your pick of rolls!) sushi buffet, we were quite excited. We decided to go for my lover's birthday. I must admit, I think he was frightened by the outside. However, it was super busy inside (and on a monday night) so I think that put his mind at ease. We were seated right away and given these pink cards and menus. We didn't really know how things worked so we just started marking up the card. There was a huge selection of rolls to choose from! We picked the "under control", "michigan", "volcano" and "sapparo". You also can order salad, miso soup and appetizers. We got the spring rolls. Here is the kicker- You have to finish EVERYTHING otherwise you get charged for it in addition to the 18.95. We both thought that would be an easy feat. Yet, when the rolls came out I wasn't so sure. If we go back we will definitely start out slower- order 1-2 rolls at a time and then request more if needed (we didn't know we could do it this way when ordering). The rolls are much more rice-heavy than normal. I had a few rolls with hardly any sushi-- just rice. Overall, they were ehh, okay. Not the best , not the worst. Our favorites were the "Under Control" and the "volcano". My boyfriend said if he came back he probably would order all "under control" rolls. I was not a fan of the spring rolls. So 3 stars- The place is great if you are STARVING and if you know you like there sushi. If you don't know if you like something, its dicey because you will be charged for not eating it. So, thats my complaint... even if you don't like the roll you still have to eat it or pay for it. Refills on drinks are also not free. However, they are very reasonable (2.70 for 2 cokes). Overall its a good value. But- there is much better sushi out there.
(3)
Mallory S.

extremely good quality. absolutely excellent rice! the only thing I would recommend is they put more tempura in the Volcano Roll. However, very satisfied. I ordered carry out.
(4)
Sherwin C.

Really the best place to go if you want to eat a lot of sushi and want the quality to be good as well. While this isn't the best sushi available, it is better than any other all-you-can eat around (well maybe Crazy Buffet in Elk Grove has some comparable items). The satisfaction / price ratio is great, especially on their American Dream and Shrimp Tempura rolls. Be prepared to wait and probably have slow service at night since this place gets very busy pretty early, even on weekdays.
(5)
David H.

Well, I think this can be summed up by I Love Sushi. I have to say that Sushi Para is much better if you don't order the all you can eat Sushi. When you order the all you can eat, you tend to eat more rice than fish. However, if you get a good old hand role or the two role special, you tend to get a better quality meal and more care seems to be given to the preparation of your food. I like to judge a Sushi joint based on there Uni with a Quail egg. I guess I have found that this is a sign of a great sushi joint. Needless to say they don't serve Uni. However, this is a great value for sushi and if you are hungry you can get a whole lot for your money, just make sure you don't over order or you will pay by the piece for the leftovers (never an issue with me). I would recommend there crunch, christmas and Alaska roles if you are going for the all you can eat. Oh and for judgment number 2 for any Sushi restaurant, Do they abuse there rice and is it pasty? This is perhaps the most important question and I would say that Sushi Para has GOOD rice, so there chefs know how to handle it and it remains light and fluffy just as you would expect it to be. Dear Sushi Para Managers, I would give you only one recommendation to up your score to a 4 and that is to ease up on the rice a little with the all you can eat menu, it really detracts from the quality of your roles. I have enjoyed your roles when I pay for them separate. I tend to eat here once to twice a week as it is by my client and I would love nothing more to up the rating to a 4.
(3)
Fancy N.

I must have lucked out on my visit to Sushi Para, because I didn't have any of the service issues or attitude of a waitress. I too had nearly no wait time. We arrived on Friday night around 7pm, and were prepared for a 45 min wait. We got there and there was a table for 2 empty, so we had to just wait for a larger table to be cleared for our larger party. Now onto the menu. Compared to other AYCE sushi places, I was surprised... at first. The menu seems lengthy, even appetizers are included. But then I thought, appetizers are fillers, and I came here to stock up on Omega 3s, not chicken strips. So we ordered an appetizer to split, it came out in an incredibly tiny portion, ok maybe not that filling. Onto the sushiiiiiii! At first the list of rolls seems long, but once you look into what each roll includes, you notice they are mostly the same. Few have salmon which is my favorite. Most are imitation crab, fried shrip, salmon "skin", a little yellow tail. It was about a 15-20 min wait to get our food. The rolls came looking pretty, but HUGE size. I mean so huge you couldn't fit it in your mouth on one try. As others have mentioned, there is an incredibly large amount of rice on these rolls. I'd say 75% rice, %15 cucumber/avocado, 10% fish. At one point I figured I can't even taste which roll it is, cause you just taste the sticky rice. So I peeled some of it off. The waitress that came back to see if we wanted more rolls gave me a slight dirty look for the left over rice, but didn't mention it. Is this some fancy high class place? Umm, no. But when I'm in the mood to stuff my face with sushi, this place is great for $18.99.
(4)
Chloe T.

Great quality at a amazing price. The server was super friendly and attentive. Everything tasted fresh and the portions were huge. I read some reviews about too much rice, but I think it is reasonable given the amount of fish. Nothing to really complain about. For those that gripe about service or how slow it is, what do you expect when they are crazy busy. Try going in on a weekday or don't complain. And maybe if you didn't have attitude, they'd be nicer.
(5)
Howie C.

Try getting into this place during a busy time of the day is tough. Many patrons sit and order seconds so the table turn time is a little slow. You have to also remember that they make everything to order. Best to go off peak. The service here has improved greatly and they have reduced the rice in the sushi.. YEAAAA. More fish. I never tire of this place. I don't come here that often because I end up gaining 5lbs every time. I've figured out a way to get around this problem. I lose 5 or 10lbs 1st and then treat myself to a "Sushi Para" experience instead of gain now and then have to lose later. Since I've changed my mindset to lose weight 1st and treat myself to A LOT of something, I've dropped from 195 to 175. YEA BABAY!!
(4)
Jay N.

The physical space is a little small, so there aren't that many tables, but I'm glad you're not completely sitting next to another group. Unfortunately, that can lead to long waits. The sushi buffet is $18.99 but now they have add-ons, which weren't too favorable. The spider roll was a $1 and the King Crab roll was another $2. They give you a lot of rice and a little less fish on the sushi now. The nigiri used to hang off the rice but now it's just on top and the rice is pretty dense and seemed higher. The rolls are still pretty good and you can request hand rolls as well. The selection of sushi and rolls seems a bit limited compared to other places but it seems to be a business decision to keep costs down or rather, decent profit margins. It's a little disappointing to see how it's gone down from the past when it was pretty good.
(3)
Frank A.

This place has decent sushi, yet I do agree with others that it can be a bit rice heavy. Service wasn't as bad as others reviewd. We came on on a Sunday and service was fine. It could be because we arrived before the lunch time rush. Overall, pretty average, meaning nothing completely blew me way, yet nothing was horribly bad either. I did enjoy the smaller appetizer-like dishses such as gyozas, etc...
(3)
Mark R.

Sushi Para is a 3 star sushi joint, but a 5 star value, thus a 4 star ranking. I have been here probably 20 or so times in the last two years and my experiences have ranged from decent to great. For the money the all-u-can-eat lunch and dinner are a great deal at 15 & 19$ respectively. If you are looking for premier quality sushi then this is just not your place, value comes at a price. If you are looking for absolutely stellar service or more quiet, quaint, or hip atmosphere than this is not the place for you. If you are looking to eat a decent amount of sushi without breaking the bank that this is the place!! The interesting thing about this place is how I feel the quality has seemed to change from visit to visit. I usually order a good deal of individual pieces and a few rolls, and often the salmon, tuna, or eel (some of my favorites) are very flavorful and other times they have been a little on the bland side. There rolls are all pretty decent and most of the complaints or negative reviews have dealt with poor customer service or being charged for leftovers etc. This is a place thats specialty is a good price for all-u-can-eat so you get what you pay for. Of course they ding you for left overs otherwise you would break the bank and close the place. This is also a great place to bring people who are interested in sushi but cautious/fearful because you can get a single piece or roll under the all-u-can-eat structure and not feel like you're breaking the bank if you don't like it. I've brought many friends who weren't sushi fans and they left with at least a better appreciation if not an enjoyment of the style of food after having left.
(4)
James L.

Good food as usual and slow service as usua
(3)
Jorge C.

Best sushi ever! The 18.99 all you can eat is great! Totally worth it!
(5)
Franklin D.

Went in for the "all you can eat" sushi lunch. It's hard to shake the strip mallish "hole in the wall" feeling you get in here. Agree with those who pointed out the heavy rice in the rolls, the cream cheese in the Philly roll is a bit much too. The waitstaff leaves something to be desired and the food took a long time to arrive. Ho hum.
(3)
Mark F.

A local little hole in the wall provides all you can eat sushi for a little under $20 - that's a good deal and good sushi. Pros - if you do the AUCE sushi then you'll be pretty happy with yourself as long as you brought your appetite. You have 25+ options for sushi choices along with appetizers. The fish tasted fresh and the rolls were big enough. If they weren't...just order another one! My buddy had something off the menu (beef teriyaki) and said it was really good as well. Cons - It was warm and made it smell even fishier. That part was gross. The place was packed and the sauna effect didn't help the dense smell of fish. And service was really slow and again with a strong language barrier. The restaurant takes reservations but when they want to. I called and asked - they said "yes we do" to which I said "how about tonight at 715" and she laughed at me. Haha. All and all - if you like sushi. If you like to eat a lot of it. This is a good place to frequent with $20 in your pocket.
(4)
Insun M.

All you can eat edible sushi for less then $20. Boom. I like how they have appetizers as a part of the AYCE such as fried oysters and shumai. Word of advice, order these apps because the sushi takes FOREVER to come. I know they're busy and all the seats are occupied but doesn't that mean you should get more sushi chefs? Another plus is that they charge just pennies for the leftover food that you can take home. I think we had at least 10 pieces left and they only charged us $1.50. Come early. Or at a random time because the wait is long and there is nowhere to sit while you wait.
(4)
Jeff S.

I've been going to this place for years and years. The all-you-can-eat sushi deal is the best sushi bargain you will find ANYWHERE. As a 200lb guy, with an appetite, I'd say I put down $40-$50 worth of sushi (had I bought it anywhere else). At Sushi Para? My $40-50 worth is under $20. I love it! And, if you're not big on sushi, the all-you-can-eat also covers many tasty cooked foods, soup, and salad. I'll continue to eat there when I'm in the mood for sushi! Jeff
(5)
Mikey W.

3.5 * stars Came here for the $15 dollar all you can eat lunch special. Decent selection of sushi and rolls, including their "American Dream" which has shrimp tempura and avocado. As expected, they pack on the rice, but the quality wasn't bad. Their gyozas are tiny, so you can pack quite a few in! Good for the price you're paying.
(3)
Yana M.

My family and I have been coming to Sushi Para for at least eight years, and it never ceases to amaze me how such a great sushi place exists in this location. We came here for my high school and college graduations, family birthdays, and anniversaries. I've lived in Chicago, DC, Boston, and in Europe, and whenever I come home to my grandparents in Wheeling, I drag my grandmother to Sushi Para. I have yet to find a better sushi place anywhere on the east coast, and especially in the Midwest, and I have spent way more money with worse results elsewhere. The real trick is to go for lunch - it's $15 for All-You-Can-Eat sushi, which includes an extensive menu of appetizers. My parents and brother never go for anything other than the sushi, which is probably more cost-efficient than my appetizer binging. Their miso soup is fine, but they have great dumplings, good ginger dressing on the salad, and fantastic yaki chicken (I save the sauce for dipping my dumplings in.) Their nigiri is good - it's always been fresh and delectable. But I really come here for one thing - the American Dream roll. It's the perfect roll - Eel, avocado, shrimp tempura, cuke, and tobiko in an eel sauce. Absolutely mouth-watering. The decor is completely unassuming, and their music sucks (I hope you like bad jazzy remakes of "You Are So Beautiful"). But for the price and the quality, Joe Cocker can serenade me until the day I die - probably from explosion by over-binging on Sushi Para's miniature delights.
(5)
Anna B.

I've been here twice so far. The second time was much better than the first. However, the first time we were with a very large party which I think contributed to the chaotic experience. This time, we came on a Sunday. This place was packed! Only one or two free tables. First the service: It was fine, not great, not amazing, but we got regular and frequent enough attention to keep us ordering and eating. Could have used a few more smiles or at least some hint of acknowledgment at time. Now - the food. This is the review for the all you can eat sushi special. This is a limited choice menu option, but you can order additional specialty roles for about a buck per roll. We started with miso and edamame. Miso was good, edamame was okay....sort of bland like it needed more salt. I ended up dipping it in soy, and it turned out tasty. We ordered the crunch roll, chicago roll, spicy tuna, volcano, and other rolls which names now escape me. The rolls were tasty, the fish was good, it was a good sushi experience. Its not the best sushi, but its' much better than Todai for pretty much the same price. Sure, it's not a buffet, but the overall idea to gorge oneself on sushi is there. I didn't find the rolls heavy on the rice. Will go back again.
(4)
Kim C.

All you can eat sushi for $19? Love this place for that reason. Sushi is good quality and lots of variety for all you can eat option. Service can be hit or miss, so expect that. Also, downside is that there are no reservations for groups under 5 people, so wait time can be a bit long on Friday/Saturday nights, but it's worth it.
(4)
Daniel K.

Fantastic Sushi at a fantastic price. Overall, probably my favorite current restaurant. Beware going here on Friday or Saturday night- the line can be long. If it's your first time, try the Godzilla Roll.
(4)
Fabian M.

Packed with good sushi
(4)
Dave Z.

My only advise is to stay away from the one bite sushi and order rolls. Unless you want to fill up on rice.
(5)
Amelia I.

I went here on saturday with two other friends who have eaten here before. I've never had sushi before but apparently everyone in Palatine was in the restaurant that night! Its probably a good sign when a sushi place is PACKED and they are still cranking out food relatively fast. We got the all you can eat dinner thing for each of us. I sat by as my friends ordered all kinds of things and prepared myself to try at least one of everything. You get a TON of choices on the all you can eat menu; from miso soup, yaki chicken, spring rolls, then of course sushi and rolls. I had never eaten fish before so it was pretty intimidating eating it RAW! But I have to say it was motivating seeing everyone else scarfing it down. SO I started with the california roll, which is baby steps before the real stuff. It was good! So I braved the next roll which was something with tempurad shrimp, avocado and spicey tuna! It was pretty damn good! I'd never had shrimp before so it was a surprise at how yummy it tasted. We had a ton of other stuff that basically left us all stuffed. I did try some spring rolls which were WAY to greasy, as in I bit into it and it BURNED the back of my throat. The yaki chicken was good, a tasty teryaki sauce. All in all I felt pretty brave eating all the strange colored foods. ON a side note, I saw a lot of people posting about the staffs attitude and whatnot. Our waitress was super sweet and very attentive. We constantly had drinks refilled, new rolls brought out, and new orders taken. She was great with all her tables and all the other staff I saw were smiling. I dunno, maybe some other people are looking for a chicago experience in a palatine restaurant.
(4)
Josh M.

I was told about this place maybe about a year ago and I finally made it here for the all you can eat sushi with my gf. We went on a weekday night and kinda early as to not run into the huge crowds that supposedly appear on weekend nights. The waitresses were not the most friendly but that is by no means a downfall in my eyes. As long as my drink never goes empty for too long and there isn't a huge pile of plates on the table I'm good to go. As for the sushi it is just about as good as your going to get for the price range and the menu. The one thing that got me thinking is the rice does not seem to be your traditional short grain sushi rice. Maybe I'm just going crazy but it almost looks and tastes like basmati rice to me. That being said the fish was fresh and nothing really turned me on or off about the experience. Everything kinda tasted the same and that might also be my own fault because I tend to order the rolls with spicy tuna or spicy salmon. Goof miso soup, good pot stickers, good sushi, all at a good price......just good not great..... All in all great value just go on a weekday and with an empty stomach. If there is such a thing as budget sushi this is the place to go.
(3)
Celia K.

Service really bad the people who work there are very rude. Is the food good? Yea it's good, have had better but it's ok. However what makes me really mad is if you don't finish the food you ordered then they charge you for not finishing your food so then if you say you'll take it home then well you will then pay a take out fee. So on top of the price you are paying for the food you'll be paying if you take it home or of you don't finish it so make sire you est up or they will make you pay
(1)
Sherry Y.

So good for such a good price...service is a bit skimpy, but who cares? All the sushi you want for about 20 bucks - not bad, not bad at all. Huge portions, if you know how to order. Come here with a bunch of hungry guys, is my best suggestion. Also, a HUGE deterrent is that they make you pay for every piece of sushi you leave behind. Bogus, right? Be careful to never order more than you can stomach. Sushi itself is awesome - fresh, made to order, and absolutely quality. If you can stand the rather standoffish service, I for sure recommend this place for the sushi deal.
(4)
Jessica K.

I cannot believe I haven't written a review for this place yet! I can fondly remember coming in during their grand opening and being greeted by friendly Japanese ladies who promptly sat you down, served you tea and handed you a laundry list of sushi on their "All You Can Eat" list. Yum. I have to admit, the waitresses English skills aren't top notch but I'm here for sushi, not for conversation so bring on the menus and tea! I've never had an issue getting a table during my lunch hour and always double up on spicy tuna rolls. I'm a spicy roll freak so Volcano, Spider, Philly (sometimes) but most definitely Spicy Tuna is on the top of my list. Do not be afraid of the rice people! I'm tired of seeing reviews that criticize the amount of rice in a roll. If you want sashimi, order sashimi but a maki or a hand roll will have tuna. I'd suggest coming here for lunch and stay away from here when it comes to dinner. It somehow becomes the pre-nightclub place to go. Stay away unless you're going to all be going to Excalibur together afterwards.
(4)
Lisa W.

This place has great sushi, pleasant atmosphere and reasonable prices. My husband and I go there whenever we have a taste for sushi.
(4)
Bryant K.

I've been here more than 10 times because my friends often don't want to drive to the city for good AYCE sushi. They add rice to the maki rolls to try to make you full faster, and im talking a SUBSTANTIAL amount of rice. The fish is often not fresh and warm. Waitresses are slow and don't come by unless you wave them down. My water was empty most of the time. Price is too high. $18.95 for mostly rice? Sushi is overall mediocre. Try Sushi Para M or Wasabi Cafe.
(2)
Steve H.

Since Yelp* doesn't have a multiple star rating I'll make one up: 5 stars for sushi freshness, taste, variety, and price 2 stars for service 2 stars for layout and decor 1 star for wait times I've been going to Sushi Para for over half a decade now. I think their service is very unfriendly and ok at best. Their waitresses always walk around like someone killed their cat and it almost seems painful to them when you ask for something. However, there have been other times when the wait staff is very attentive and happy to help. It's really hit or miss with this crew. If you go there during the week you should have a decent experience, especially for lunch. But if you go there for dinner on a weekend you are going to get frustrated and I recommended you don't go there on an empty stomach because I have waited for an hour and a half before. Luckily, there's plenty of stores nearby to go kill some time, though. Plus, when I did get a table, there were times when it took anywhere from 20-45 minutes to get my food. ***that wait time for food isn't the usual, but understand that it does happen*** **The wait time on the weekend ranges from 15-45 minutes depending on what time you go, but I have waited in excess of 90 minutes.** While they don't have the fanciest decor or layout and their service can really stink, the sushi is very good and the prices are unbeatable. In the time that I've been going here I've only had two trips, at the most, that I did not enjoy the sushi. If you're going to chance it on the weekend, keep in mind that they will usually do reservations for parties of 4 or more (no reservations for parties less than 4 though). Otherwise go there prepared to kill some time and with something to snack on because you will be waiting for some time. So while service can stink and the layout isn't the best, it is still worth a trip for the sushi and prices. You WILL NOT find a better deal for all you can eat sushi of this quality.
(3)
Matine Y.

I love this place. No other place I would go for sushi, well maybe sushi para's in the city. I'm no sushi expert, I usually just go for your toro or maguro with a ton of maki rolls. Where else can you get all you can eat sushi for 18.99? If you're a big eater like myself this is the place to go for sushi in the burbs. If you're in the city try out their other places in wicker park and near the lake.
(5)
Derrick T.

As an original of Sushi Para II (happened upon it a few weeks after they opened), I had heard rumors from friends that the original in Palatine had better quality rolls at the same price. Let me tell you, it was worth the trip. Same menu, same price, same spotty service, but the quality of the rice and the rolling technique was a definite improvement over the sister restaurant in the city. As one of my staples for medium grade sushi, I was excited to verify the rumors. If you haven't done Sushi Para I yet, I suggest you make a trip. Where else can you get medium quality all you can order sushi for $15 (lunch) or $23(dinner)? And that's AFTER tax and tip, mind you. Those that don't feel you can eat your worth, you can always order a la carte, but honestly, most everyone can take advantage. If you hankering for sushi and needing a fill, the Sushi Para chain is a must for your list of options. Would I go back? I think I've done so at least a dozen times in the past year alone. Staple. Period.
(4)

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Address : 1268 E Dundee Rd
Palatine, IL, 60074
Phone (847) 202-9922
Website https://sushiparausa.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:30 am - 10

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 : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Sushi Para

1268 E Dundee Rd, Palatine, IL, 60074

Sushi Para Menu

Appetizers

Soup

Salad

Sushi Or Sashimi

Vegetable Roll

Roll Or Hand Roll

Healthy Meal suggestions for Sushi Para

Appetizers

Soup

Salad

Sushi Or Sashimi

Vegetable Roll

Roll Or Hand Roll

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