Best sushi in the burbs! We arrived at 9:15pm and chose this place becuase of a late closing time. They said they close in 15 mins but would be happy to take us. They didn't rush us or make us feel unwelcome. Edememe comes free of charge as an appetizer, along with warm hand wipes and a personal water pitcher. VERY nice welcome. The sushi is fantastic! The cuts are thick and melt in your mouth! Salmon, eel, and tuna are my main staples and this place was fantastic for all three. We also tried the rainbow roll, which we try everywhere, and it was also stellar! We were very impressed overall, from service to quality, and will definitely be back!
(5)
Jennifer T.
The husband I were craving sushi for our Friday date night last week and we found this place on Yelp and it looks like it has a decent reviews. We were even happier to find out that they had a Groupon deal ($15 for $30) so we purchased that and had our dinner here. Sometimes, when you purchase things on Groupon, you do wonder why they needed to have a promo and sometimes you figure out why. I don't think this place is bad, it's decent, but unfortunately, it's not what I expected in terms of taste and especially price. Even with our Groupon, we had to really budget and spent a bit extra just to feel a bit satiated. My first impression was that this place must be under renovations or something because from a look-standpoint, they were very bare in terms of decor. Even their menu was just a sheet of printer paper inserted into sheet protectors being tied together by a ribbon. There was no sign of 'under constructions" and previous historic reviews for this place went back as far as 4 years ago so I was a bit confused by the look of it. They also didn't have that many tables set up and the layout seemed a little bit not as flowy. The overall ambiance of this place felt like it was a place that just opened and haven't quite settled into their decor or feel established. Service was very nice and friendly though and even their sushi chefs seems to speak Japanese or Korean or some sort of authentic language so that impressed me a bit. However, the overall taste of the food was just okay. The rice in the maki wasn't moist, it was dry and the seaweed wrap was too chewy. The content inside the maki was okay portion and flavor was kind of bland. They gave sauces to dip on the side which is good, but I prefer the sauces inside my rolls to really let the flavor sink in. Each slices of maki was very thin and small. I couldn't tell if this is how sushi really is and I've just been too used to bigger rolls that got super-sized or what, but I felt like it wasn't really worth the money. They had sushi maki rolls range from $5 to the upper teens. But even when we ordered a Caterpillar roll at $9, it was the thinnest and smallest 8-piece roll I've ever seen. I've had other house special rolls that priced around $14 that were much bigger, and I think I almost prefer a big roll that is priced higher than a medium priced one that is so tiny... Psychologically, the price and the portions at this place just didn't jive for me. The food unfortunately, wasn't spectacular enough for me to really rave about it. I think it's decent, but until I have a more interesting experience here, I can't say it really stand out among other sushi places.
(3)
Justin J.
This is literally the very best sushi! I drive from Detroit just to eat here. They have only the best and freshest seafood for sushi. The summer roll is one of my favorites. There is also quite a few items that are not on the menu that you have to ask for.
(5)
Joanna W.
Great little restaurant, good quality food and service. Not a great wine selection, but thats really my only complaint. We have a tendency to order the same rolls all the time, but will always try new specialty rolls and always leave very pleased. Some people get turned off as its in a small shopping strip, but definitely worth it. Even if it looks empty inside that place stay busy with all their take-out business. I have been there where only 1-2 other tables were seated inside and I have been there where almost every table was full.
(4)
DW L.
New ownership. Long story short: servings smaller, service worse. (much worse) Sadly, this could quite possibly be our last trip to this establishment....
(2)
Ralph C.
We had a small dinner party to introduce some friends to Sakuma's tonight. We ordered three rolls to start and all were delicious, especially the rainbow roll. At the chef's recommendation we tried one of the ceviche appetizers and it was excellent. The miso soup is very flavorful and seasoned just right. I had my favorite, una jyu, and was treated to four perfectly prepared slices of eel. Another great dinner at Sakuma's.
(5)
Henry W.
We tried $9.95 lunch special on every weekday.We enjoyed greatly. The foods were of good quality and good quantity like shown on its website. It is a great bargain. The restaurant is very clean.
(5)
Mark D.
High end, top quality sushi and Japanese food. Owner is a highly regarded sushi chef in Japan. If you're going on a Friday or Saturday night, make a reservation!
(4)
Gina M.
Our meal was outstanding! This was the best Japanese cuisine we have had in a while. Everything was fresh and seasoned to perfection.
(5)
Mary M.
We sat at the sushi counter for an early New Year's Eve dinner because we are fascinated by the artistic construction of the meals. We had the special which included delicious duck, shrimp and chicken soup, a green salad and a plate with 15 different selections of sushi. They have built a wall to divide the dining room and another patron explained they are making a Sake bar which was confusing but not in use yet. Unfortunately, the original owner/chef moved to California but we think he still owns it. His wife was usually there to hostess/waitress. Last night was busy and there was only the one gal that has been there for a long time and she was overwhelmed. The decorating is getting a little dusty and ladies bathroom could use updating and a towel holder that works. They could probably improve the ambiance by dimming the lights slightly and playing soft music. My Four stars are for the food
(4)
Daniele B.
The sushi was really tasty. But the downside I didn't feel full and it's so expensive. Other sushi restaurants serve two pieces of sushi for a about the same price. I didn't have anything other to drink besides just water. They also have bigger rolls. My bill just for me was almost $30. So this place is still up in the air for me.
(3)
Keith F.
I'm torn. We live less than 1.5 miles from Sakuma's, yet it's not the first place on my mind when I want to eat sushi. Don't get me wrong... the food is great and it's close to home, but the ultra steep prices and slow service keep Sakuma's from being a 4 or 5 star restaurant. Sorry... but when I spend a good chunk of change on fine dining, I shouldn't be leaving there wondering "So, what's for dinner?" as I'm leaving the establishment. That's all. Quality of their food? Excellent. Price of their food? Not so much.
(3)
Rose D.
Having read the other reviews of some Yelp friends I knew a few things to expect at Sakuma's. I was torn between 2 & 3 stars...given their close proximity to us and the fact that while they were steady the night we came we didn't need a reservation, I know we will be back and I hope to update with a higher star rating in the future. The pros: -Lovely place that is much bigger than I had imagined (a Japanese TARDIS perhaps? If you aren't a fellow Whovian, go ahead and Yahoo TARDIS, I'll wait...that's right, I said "Yahoo" it, because why should Google get all the fun? Who do they think they are? Kleenex? Band-Aid? Chapstick? But anyway, I digress...) -The food was all good, some of the dishes very good. Our favorites were the N.I.C.K. (it was on the Specials menu...mainly salmon with a few other ingredients I could not pronounce nor do I recall, in a delicious sauce - no rice in that dish), the Green Turtle (delicious & cute!), and the Ebi-Shinjo (a type of shrimp dumpling that isn't quite a dumpling...I don't know how those little delicious balls were held together but they were good). We also had the Rainbow Roll & the Crazy Maki. -While they were steady all night on a Wednesday for dinner, they are big enough that it was not packed. I don't like being crammed in like a bunch of sardines when I'm trying to enjoy a leisurely meal, like you may feel at some other popular sushi places. -They provide a small bowl of complimentary edamame -They have a Prix Fixe option! How cool to experience different courses? But...see my bullet point on the menu in the cons section... The cons: -Yes, the service is slow. Especially if you arrive shortly after they open for dinner and are ordering at the same time as everyone else who recently sat down. Our first round of food easily took 20 minutes to come out. The speed at which our additional choices later in the meal came out did improve, though. But we arrived at 6 and didn't leave until just after 8... -If you want something specifically as an appetizer, then order it alone first because if you order it with other stuff, even if you say "we want to start with..." it will not come out first. Not the end of the world to me at a Japanese restaurant, I like to mix things up throughout the meal, but I know this could really irritate some people. -I had green tea with my meal and they don't just leave you a pot to refill for yourself. Perhaps this is because they know service is slow and since you'll be there a while they want to make sure your tea is piping hot each time they refill it for you. -They don't give you wasabi paste & pickled ginger for the table or on each platter of sushi (there was wasabi incorporated in to some of the dishes we ordered, but none on the side except in the case of the Green Turtle as he's got a cute little wasabi paste head). If you want it, ask for it. -Their menu online is only partially helpful. I'm the kind of person who likes to look at the menu ahead of time, otherwise I take too freakin' long to decide at the restaurant (as opposed to the Hubs, who finds that to be a "spoiler" & wants to be surprised). The appetizers & entrees seemed to be accurate compared to their actual menu in the restaurant (though a few items were marked out on that menu as N/A) but they don't post much about their various rolls & sushi on the web menu. If I were a more experienced & refined sushi person, then this perhaps would not matter. But while I've had sushi a lot, I still like to take a peek ahead & prepare. Also, they had various Prix Fixe options listed on their website, but on the actual restaurant menu we only saw the one Prix Fixe option for 2-people (though it was only $70 as opposed to the $100 listed on the web). AND the restaurant menu said they need 3 days advance notice if you want to have that, yet there was no mention of this on their website. That might be something important for people to know ahead of time, right? If we had gone there for that as a special meal and then found out they need 3 days noticed I would have been ticked off. -The people there seemed nice, though none of them had much personality at all and there wasn't much of a greeting or goodbye...in fact we actually were the ones who said thank-you & goodbye to both server & chefs when we left. There were two gentleman making the sushi at the bar and one young lady serving who was so timid (she almost seemed afraid?) and lackluster I wondered why she would ever want to be a server.
(2)
M M.
This is one of those places that doesn't look good from the outside, but it's amazing. Truly a hidden gem in Streamwood. Extremely talented sushi chefs here, everything I have eaten here is fantastic
The service was terrible. It took over 2 hours to get our meals. When the finally started coming out they were incorrect. However it was good food- hence 2 stars. I would not recommend this place to parties over 2 or 4 max.
(2)
Jessica P.
I came here with a friend for dinner on a Friday evening after seeing some positive reviews about the restaurant on Yelp, but was not impressed . It was really empty upon arrival and no one came to greet us immediately, some of the co-workers just stared and then someone came to help us 5 minutes later. We were seated and the whole time I felt like we were rushed to order and eat... ok, I understand that we came at 9PM (late)..and the restaurant closes at 10PM.. but I don't think I've ever been rushed like this at other restaurants when they were closing in an hr..(I eat fast, don't worry!)...they also give you mini warm towels to clean your hands before you eat.. and mine smelled like rags (not so clean after all...i think i just made my hands dirty..)...so I had to go to the washroom and wash my hands from the rag smell w/ the generic smelling soap......ahh..not a good start to the dining experience.. Food: Kake Udon ($8): not impressed at all.. I think I can make udon at home with more flavor and more ingredients! they only had green onions and noodles in the soup...i've had better at other restaurants.... Spicy Tuna Roll ($6): the rolls are really small and i've had better at different restaurants for sure!! Costs: appetizers and salads range from $7-$15, noodles range from $8-$15, specials range from $15-$25, Sakuma's specialities range from $6-$25+ Positive: free edamame (small dish), lots of space Negative: customer service, costs are on the high range (not sure if it's worth it..) I probably won't visit this place again.. :(
(3)
Rich M.
Yet again very good sushi. Fresh and tasty. Haven't seen the owner for awhile but nice presentation and quality
(4)
Debbie C.
Cute place, clean. Great food that is fresh and flavorful. They have a small beer and wine selection, no bar or mixed drinks. I used to drive to Bistro Wasabi in Hoffman Estates but now I do not have to. This is my new favorite sushi restaurant!
(5)
Jerry M.
After dining at Sakuma's for over a decade, it is nearly impossible to enjoy any Japanese restaurants other than Sakuma's! Fans of this restaurant undoubtedly know what I am referring to, but the real differentiators at Sakuma's are the quality of the food and the technical and artistic skills of the chef. Chef Sakuma is a perfectionist and professional of the highest quality, and once you have tasted his homemade sauces -- including his unforgettable soy sauce and spicy hot sauce -- you will also have a difficult time enjoying any other Japanese restaurants in Illinois (or the rest of the United States). I recommend dining at the sushi bar and ordering one of the Chef's Choice courses (note: Chef's Choice for Two is great if you are dining with a friend) if you want a unique dinner course that changes each time you visit. Or, if you want to build your own tasting course, then I would recommend ordering several of the artistic and delicious sashimi entrees. My personal favorites are the Ethnic Tuna Sashimi, Sunset Carpaccio, and Hamachi Royale, but the Maguro Crunchy and Helmut Hurricane are also staples of a tasty Sakuma's diet. If you are more into sushi, then I would recommend the Spicy Tuna roll and the Summer roll, both of which should immediately demonstrate the unique flavors that can only be found at Sakuma's. If you do not have a taste for sashimi or sushi, there are many other great options: amazing grilled beef (the skewers are served with an exceptional homemade mustard dipping sauce), numerous hot and cold soups that make wonderful meals (note: the dobin mushi is something each diner should try at least once, and the cold soba noodles and the hot nabeyaki udon that is served in a cast iron bowl are both also unbelievably good), and tasty-yet-healthy salads (that also pair great with a small order of sashimi). For dessert, the banana tempura with honey and vanilla ice cream should not be overlooked, but I also enjoy the green tea ice cream after completing a Chef's Choice omakase course. If you are a sashimi enthusiast and are ever in the Schaumburg/Streamwood/Bartlett area, I would highly recommend taking the time to drive out to Sakuma's for an authentic and unique Japanese dining experience.
(5)
Payal S.
The sushi here was really good! We ordered some delivery on a Saturday night (only $3!)... And we got it in an hour. Prices are really reasonable and the ingredients are fresh! Pleasantly surprised and would definitely order from here again. The King Kong and the AAC were amazing and their spicy mayo was a great kick!
(4)
Elisa G.
The place is one of the best in the burbs! Seriously, the food is excellent, and the service is friendly. Creative and delicious items on the menu keep me coming back for more! Fresh, top quality fish! Make this a must visit place!
(5)
Michelle F.
WARNING: SUSHI VIRGIN HERE!! So if you value your sushi, please don't take this to heart. I am just telling you about my experience!! That being said, I will now move on: Let's face it--my dinner here was very "blind leading the blind". Neither one of us had really ever had sushi before and he heard all about this place and really wanted to try it. Meh, whatev, I am game. We really should have taken someone with us who had slightly more "Unagi" (FRIENDS REFERENCE) with us. "Ahhhh, Salmon Skin Roll". OK here is what we ordered: *Shrimp balls (I don't know the exact name) as our appetizer. *Beef Shogayaki - Thinly sliced sirloin sauteed with ginger soy sauce (comes with soup or salad and ice cream for dessert) and I upgraded to fried rice *Some sort of chopped tuna that came in a mountain-like structure. If I could tell you what it was called, I would. But you're SOL for now! OK, so the food was good, and the dressing for the salad was delightful. However our food took a really long time, and it all came out at different times. Really, really odd times. It went like this: My salad My friend's meal Our appetizer (very closely followed by) my meal and fried rice So I would have preferred to have the salad/appetizer before the meal, and my friend kept waiting for me to have something else to eat other than salad, but I told him to go ahead. But my beef was goooood! And the fried rice was amazing, too! That being said, I am still a sushi virgin. I need Candice in my life to show me the way of the sushi. I will bow down to her. I want "Unagi".
(3)
Kelli W.
Love this spot! We come here every other month or so with some friends. Best sushi in the area, hands down. I would have given it five stars except it's a little pricey.
(4)
Ann T.
Food is good but it is expensive for sushi. The menu wad hard to understand. My biggest complain is the extremely slow service. There was only 7 tables occupied and we were getting our meals one at a time. Half the party is done eating and the other half is still waiting. Very disappointed.
(2)
Kimberly G.
Our experience at this restaurant was a disappointment and we actually went home hungry. While the sushi was fresh, most of the rolls were 6 very small pieces. We have eaten at countless sushi restaurants in the area and in large cities across the country, and the size of the rolls here were very small (no more than an inch in diameter with small pieces of fish). This would have been fine if the prices were adjusted accordingly, but unfortunately they were pretty standard prices. In addition, the ambiance was slightly strange and the waitress did not provide plates, wasabi or ginger until the sushi chef had given us our last roll to finish. There were two of us and after having 3 standard roll and two specialty rolls, we were still quite hungry- something that has not happened to us when ordering this much before at any sushi restaurant in the past. Sadly, we will not be returning.
(2)
Jacqueline B.
I am embarrassed to say this but I live less than a mile away from here and it was not until recently I decided to try it. Who knew Streamwood would have one of the best sushi places I have ever been to! Cute atmosphere, super nice staff, and fresh and amazing sushi. Definitely worth trying if you haven't already.
(5)
Brian M.
We've been customers since the doors opened and before that at Hilldale Golf Club where Sakuma was the chef prior to moving to the current location. We keep going back and it's always a treat. Sakuma has such pride for the dishes he prepares and we are willing to try anything that's put in front of us. All good but, the Summer roll are the best. 5 star all the way!
(5)
Daniela S.
Best spicy tuna rolls!!!! A little pricy but well worth it.
(5)
Robert G.
Sakuma's is an absolutely delicious place to go for phoning in lunch. I picked up an Oyako Don, which is chicken with mushrooms and onions, served beneath an egg omelet (!) with some sauce and laid over rice. If I recall correctly, it came served with some really good miso soup. I thought this was a relatively unusual thing to order for lunch, but I was rewarded with a really tasty meal all around. The mushrooms lent an excellent earthiness to the dish, and they gave me enough food for two days of lunch. I'll definitely be coming back for more lunch dishes.
(5)
Helen L.
If you're looking for a nice relaxing restaurant, then this is the place. We go here often, especially when we have plenty of time and want to go someplace where we can actually have a conversation. The pace is slow, yes, but what's wrong with that? Sit down, have a nice, leisurely, non-rushed meal and some good conversation. The restaurant is quiet and subdued - a very nice change of pace from other restaurants that rush you in and out. The food is excellent!! I'm not a seafood eater and they have some delicious meals on the menu that was pleasing to my palette. My husband and I shared the Beef Negimaki (Green onions rolled in sliced beef) and loved it. I ordered the Beef Shogayaki (thinly sliced sirloin sauteed with ginger soy sauce) and left nothing on my plate! I have to count on my husband to tell me about the sushi. He swears it's some of the best he's ever had. So it's 5 stars from us!
(5)
Rex C.
My wife and I have been here 4 times during non-busy times and the service was very slow each time. The sushi was okay, but way too expensive for what you get.
(2)
Jazmin N Antonio D.
The service is extremely slow. 20 minutes for a glass of water and miso soup. Another 30 for tempura and shogayaki. It was not even that busy. The food is ok. Sorry but we won't be back.
(2)
David S.
I have been to this place about 40 times in the last 6 months. I cannot get enought of their sushi. They are truely the best sushi around. Always fresh, and always delicious! Great variety. (Im not sure where the other folks below say it's all too similar.. clearly they have not tried the variety on the menu). There is only one thing they need to improve upon, which is the service.. and it all comes down to one person. She just doesn't know how to be a waitress and the owner needs to let her go. She is the only non japanese waitress and is just awful. Regardless... I will continue to go since I LOVE this place and will not let that one person ruin my experience. The owner is typically at the door and the other owner is always behind the sushi counter. LOVE them!
(5)
Nicole M.
Wanting to try and new sushi place, my boyfriend and I went to Sakuma's based on the fab yelp reviews! Walked in... small, quite place. Seated right away and given hot towels. Free small cup of edamame. Staff was nice. We ordered 4 different rolls. Spicy tuna- Way to spicy for me but I'm a baby about spiciness! Crazy Roll -Good but wished there was a little more to it. Shrimp tempura- Good, can't really mess it up. And I forgot the name (see pic) but one with salmon on top- It was good but I really didn't care for the sauce they put it in. Decently priced. Would this be my go to place for sushi... No, but I would come back here again.
(4)
Jessica p.
Don't listen to anyone that gave this place less then 4 stars. Give it a try and get the chefs special. Beautiful food.
(5)
Maria R.
So, here we are a week later and we're back at Sakuma's for a nice sushi lunch! My husband and I decide to sit at the Sushi Bar today to see our sushi being created by Chef Sakuma himself! I especially liked sitting at the Sushi Bar because there is better lighting to take food pictures, BUT I digress. ;) It was a great experience getting our sushi served to us by Chef Sakuma. There was a mother and her pre-school child and a friend of hers sitting right in front of Chef Sakuma for lunch. The kid would occasionally make shrill sounds, but it was fine. Having kids ourselves, we understood. Chef Sakuma and his son, Akira(?) were apologizing to us profusely because of that, which I thought was very hospitable of them to do so. It isn't their fault, but they still expressed their regrets on it. We had our usual Sushi Set B, but we added two special maki rolls. Perhaps we were overzealous since we ended up spending about $70 on sushi for LUNCH, but we definitely didn't leave hungry! We rolled out like a pair of maki rolls! Hehe We had the Green Turtle Roll and the Fantasy Roll. The Green Turtle Roll was very delicious! I had never had wasabi tobiko (flying fish roe - wasabi flavored) before, so it caught me by surprise. The Fantasy Roll was interesting. It was deep fried in a tempura batter and had a squeeze of lime on it with raw tuna and jalapeno. It was also an interesting take on sushi and a unique experience! Akira had welcomed us again since he remembered us from last week. So, it's cool that they remember their customers! We thoroughly enjoyed our sushi lunch at Sakuma's and will definitely return....next week! :) Try a different roll!
(5)
Jennifer M.
I came here based on yelp reviews. Only one star since 2008. Nothing less than 4 ever since! That definitely says something about this place. As the only Japanese restaurant to offer Sushi Making Classes to the public, we wanted to do a taste test and decide for ourselves if we would come back as students. I think it would make a great date. Sakuma offers a 2-hour class for $40. You learn about the basic art of cooking sushi rice, preparation and use of various ingredients which include raw fish, egg and vegetable in making a sushi roll. You learn the technique of presenting it on a plate with a garnish. The best part is, you eat what you make at the end of the course with some green tea. Cute lounge area tucked away in a corner with a tv, coffee table and couch. The servers wear a kimono. The decor is a bit outdated. We arrived at 5:05pm with much anticipation. We were the ONLY customers during the entire dining experience. It was nice to have privacy while enjoying each other's company and food. The complimentary edamame was undercooked.The wash cloth for our hands was cold. I decided I wanted to order from their dinner menu which included miso soup or house salad and a scoop of vanilla, red bean or green tea ice cream. I chose the Uma Juu. For $35, I thought the house salad was tasty but too small. The broiled eel was served over rice in a large bowl. It was too big for me to finish alone. I had to give some to Jason. Unfortunately, he thought it was too oily and didn't like it. He ordered the Sashimi Moriawase. A Small order is limited to tuna, flounder, salmon and yellowtail. He ordered the $35 Large portion of the Mixed Variety. The presentation was beautiful and fresh. Jason had a lot of seafood filet on his plate. He was disappointed that for the price, he wasn't offered a side of rice, miso soup or house salad or a scoop of ice cream for dessert.
(3)
Carolyn B.
My husband and I ventured out to Sakuma's as a recommendation from a friend, as well as all of the 4- and 5-star reviews here. The maki tasted good, but although we ordered a variety of rolls, they all came out looking almost too similar. The main reason I gave 2 stars and not 4 was due to our service. I could never figure out who our server was (it alternated between two). As it was a Monday night, there were only 4 or 5 other tables being served. After we were finished eating, it took 25 MINUTES to receive our check. We were asked if we wanted dessert, and after politely declining, all servers left us. One of the servers kept walking past us and not even checking in with us, and the other server was drinking wine with a customer at the sushi bar. I finally had to ask for the check, and it took another 10-15 minutes to receive our check. With 2 servers and 6 tables, I expected way better service. We will definitely keep going to our favorite sushi joint (Nikko sushi in Arlington Heights), as the food and service there are outstanding every time.
(2)
Jennifer P.
Great food!! And great service. I think it is priced very well too!
(5)
linda j.
The best freshest sushi in the burbs, and we are sushi fans! This is a hidden secret. You will not be dissappointed. Not cheap, but well worth the price! You really need to try the duck, wow!!
(5)
Lisa W.
This place is amazing. The people are very friendly and remember us when we walk in. I meet a friend here about once a month for sushi and we keep coming back because we love it! We have sampled many different things on the menu from the doctor roll to the California maki (not positive on the names), and everything is so good! I'm not a fan of spicy and there are plenty of options to chose from that are delicious. We always get the salmon sashimi. Yum! Whenever I go anywhere else for sushi (which is not often), I compare to this place and nothing comes close! I highly recommend this place and I like that they make the sushi right in front of you.
(5)
James P.
Great service and rolls. Very affordable and quality seafood for bing in Illinois. I will be coming back!
(5)
Anya C.
outstanding food. service very slow though.
(4)
Cyn B.
I make it a point to visit every sushi bar I can find - at least once, from downtown Chicago to Gurnee. There are so many I'd never go back to but THIS place is phenomenal!!! FIVE stars! I always start with the Ethnic Tuna or the Trio. Long Beach and Green Turtle are my favorite rolls. Fantastic scallops (and that's rare at most places!!) For the aficionado... try the Marilyn. Out-of-this-world soy sauce. My whole family loves it here & Mr. Sakuma even asks about my youngest son whenever I go. Very personable staff. Family-friendly environment (for well behaved kids). I have so much more to say but you just have to see for yourself! Oh, the "slow" service is because it's a relaxed atmosphere... this ain't no feed 'em & street 'em place!
(5)
Tawnya D.
Food here is great. And always super fresh as you would expect. Ambiance is great at the sushi bar. Staff is helpful and fun to talk to. I would highly recommend.
(4)
Pack C.
We ordered most of the dishes from the specialty menu: more like appetizer dishes and sashimi. Although it may not make you full, it was the fascinating meal. Mr.Sakuma uses a lot of unique and different ingredients which I don't really expect to see in the US and definitely not in the suburb. We had "Mr.Sakuma's special" which was in bite size of different appetizers: tempura unagi, seared white tuna in soy sauce, sweet shrimp, tuna and Salmon with Avocado. I highly recommend this one. Another dish was Trio Chilli something. It was raw scallop, squid and octopus with different hot sauces. I love the texture of squid and octopus, not quite sure about the scallop though. Green turtle roll was great. Autumn roll and Scorpion roll was just ok for me. All the food presentations were great that I wish I brought my camera. I plan to go back there for its 'Gourmet evening'. It was the 5-7 course fix prix menu for $70 include all drinks + gratuity + tax. I can't wait to go back. I took the sushi class there with Mr.Sakuma before. The class was fun. He showed us so many techniques that it ran over time by an hour. The service is also great, very friendly including Mr.Sakuma himself. His cooking profile is also pretty amazing such as. cooking for the Japanese royal family...
(5)
Josh D.
Definitely sets the bar for fresh Sushi in the NW suburbs. The amount of food that you get for the money is not great and the setup is a little strange. But when i go out to eat, its all about the food. I will continue to frequent this fine sushi establishment...whenever funds are available.
(4)
Laura C.
The sushi from here is very average! I don't understand all the reviews ranting about how good the sushi is. The service is extremely SLOW! So slow, I almost walked out. And I kinda wished I had since the wait was not worth the food! I say don't waste your time or money and try somewhere else.
(2)
Sonia G.
I'm never happy to write a bad review, but Yelpers, please know there are two sides to the story! I've read these rave reviews and I feel like we ate at a different restaurant! The sushi was simply not good. The usual stuff (salmon rolls, sashimi prices) was mediocre at best: supermarket takeout qualify. But the special plates that everyone raves about were awful! Fish was swimming in tons of sauce, weird flavors, very little actual sushi. The worst part though is the service. On a not busy evening, our food took 90 minutes to arrive in full. We had 30 minute gaps between plates. But here is the kicker: our waitress made a rare appearance with a plate of food and announced, "here is your - " Then she paused, brought it closer to her face , and said , "huh! I don't know what this is!". Then she took it back to the kitchen (!!!!!!) for a diagnosis. Seriously? Who wants sushi mystery meat that's been paraded around a restaurant? I have to give some props to the very nice older woman who realized the disaster in progress and took off from the bill the cost of our drinks . Bt then, when we clearly wanted to leave and told her we weren't having dessert , she looking pleadingly at our children and tried to talk them into ordering some ice cream. Not cool. Usually I would give a place another try but this was so bad that I am posting now.
(1)
Kevin C.
Where art meets your tastebuds. Hands down, this is the best sushi I've ever enjoyed. While I haven't bellied up to every sushi bar in the United States, I have been to many during my business trips to more than 38 states. Without a doubt, this is my favorite. The presentation is amazing. It really is a shame to eat these pieces or art, but your stomach will certainly thank you. I've taken numerous people to this location and not a single complaint yet. For your best experience, sit at the sushi bar. Be prepared that service can be slow as the works are created and the price is not cheap, but if you ever want to try the best sushi in Chicago...the midwest or beyond, you must visit's Sakuma!
(5)
Carrie c.
I LOVE Sakuma's! After our time in Japan, we tried to find restaurants here in the states that compared to what we tasted over there....that was a challenge! Sakuma's sushi is comparable to what we ate in Japan...it is amazing, always fresh and we have never left unhappy. The 1 star review seems odd to me...everyone I have talked to about Sakuma's raves about it. Perhaps it was an off day or so...everyone has those, I've just never ever experiences it at Sakuma's and I've been going there for 4-5 years on a regular basis.
(5)
Vicky R.
Sakuma's is my fiance and I favorite Japenese restuarant. It doesn't get better, ever time we go somewhere else we compare to the quality of this place. It's true, the sushi is uber fresh here. There dishes are trasty, usually have rolls (specials in they work with my palet) Beef wrapped in green onions is just yummy! Joy Lucky is one of my favorite specials which Mr. Sakuma has told me I must drink the liquid afterwards because it's good and healthy for you. I always do. Oh and if you call two weeks ahead of time you can order Sukiaki, which is just so delish!! The whole restuarant fills up with the smells and everyone else including staff wishes they were having the same thing. And for dessert, the best is the fried bannana. There is always room for that! Yum-O! Staff is a little bit slow, but we are Americans people! Can't expect them to be any faster then they are because it's not their custom to runa round the place. They want you to enjoy your food and experience. And yes, Mr.s Sakuma's wife, Lidia is just a sweet heart. The staff gets to know you, very freindly. It's a must try if you haven't gone. Pricey, but worth it!
(5)
Radek J.
Delicious Sushi!!! I get lunch from them all the time and love it every time! The cooks are real Japanese cooks and are the best, they know how to make a good meal! Thanks! Will be back for more soon!
(5)
Kevin A.
MY OFFICIAL SUSHI IN THE 'BURBS HEADQUARTERS I don't get to go often, but Sakuma's is one of my favorite places in the 'burbs for sushi and okayo donburi, one of the classic Japanese comfort foods. Imagine escaping the bitter Chicago winter by sitting down in front of a steaming bowl of rice covered with egg, chicken, thinly sliced onions, and warm dashi broth. Pretty simple, but astonishingly satisfying. The fish is very fresh and they excel at both traditional sushi and some modern rolls. One must have is the hamachi royale. Imagine four velvety slices of hamachi lightly dressed with soy sauce, truffle oil, jalapeno, and garlic. Un-freakin-believable.
(4)
Wenyan D.
It is a good one, real Japanese, we like the green tea ice cream very much^O^
(5)
Dawn B.
Yelp to the rescue once again. We were wandering around Friday night looking for a new fun spot for dinner when we found this place. The other reviews are right. The looks of it are deceiving. Boring strip mall, bizarre decorating inside.. [I counted 5 ceramic cats from my chair. Not to mention Christmas garland & Valentine's Day decorations in October] But the food is crazy good. We love sushi and there aren't many great options in the Chicagoland suburbs but this is definitely a diamond in the rough. I'd skip the $15 Mr. Sakuma's sampler [think that's what it was called] and head straight for the other stuff. The Turtle roll was highly recommended and was fantastic. Everything else was fresh & really good. If you're able to reserve a spot at the sushi bar, that's definitely the place to be. Service was a bit slow but nbd. The owner's wife stopped by afterwards & really seemed to care if we had a good experience, which was nice. Will definitely go back.
(4)
P J.
FRESH Sushi with tasty flavors! Sakuma prepares it beautifully. You would never guess how wonderful this place is cause its in a strip mall but its well worth the trip. It's better than most Sushi I have had in San Francisco!
(5)
Lauren B.
Fantastic! The service was great and they were all so nice (and spoke English better than I expected). The green turtle roll, rainbow and dragon were SO good! Very fresh and well priced. We will be back!
(5)
Sumara K.
Love, love, LOVE this place. Everyone who works here is so friendly, you immediately feel right at home here. The ambiance is nice, not overbearing, and you never feel cramped or rushed. The daily specials are listed on a board when you walk in, and if they have it I suggest you get the S.O.S. I can't even describe how palate pleasing it is. Just trust me. Their spicy tuna roll is the best I have had. Also, the fantasy roll is a delicious mix of spicy and crunchy. I could definitely eat it for a week straight and not tire of it. The service is fairly quick, and for a sushi bar they are VERY kid friendly, which is so nice to see these days. Aside from the fact that it is in a nondescript strip mall, everything about Sakuma's is perfection.
(5)
Tami S.
Love this restaurant. I try to get my Japanese food fix here whenever I am in town. Ordered the lunch $25 bento box. It is beautifully prepared. Not sloppy at all. The portion is perhaps a bit less than other "cheaper" Japanese restaurants but the taste and presentation is better. This restaurant suits the taste of Japanese people!!
(4)
Colby G.
I think this is a sushi restaurant meant for people who don't like the taste of raw fish. The unadorned sushi was serviceable, if a bit bland. The restaurant's "specials" (which we tried more than a few of, unfortunately) were over-sauced, over-decorated concoctions that did everything imaginable to mask the taste of the underlying fish. I've eaten a lot of sushi. Some good, some incredibly good, and some bad. This was easily my worst sushi experience ever. As if the sushi itself hadn't been bad enough, the service was almost comically awful. We came to the restaurant shortly before 7PM on a Saturday evening. We were seated immediately, since the place was mostly empty (a bad sign, right?) and ordered promptly. We ordered mainly sushi, except my one son who doesn't care for raw fish ordered chicken teriyaki. The teriyaki came first, by more than half an hour. That plate was empty by the time the first bit of raw fish landed on our table. That first bit of raw fish arrived at 7:45, and it was not anything we had ordered. Instead of salmon rolls, we got spicy tuna. I kind of understand the "spicy" part -- various spicy rolls are on the menu, while just plain-old salmon or tuna rolls are not. Why they decided to change the fish, I'll never know. After some discussion with the waitstaff, we finally got our salmon rolls. They were uneventful, as was the mackerel that followed. Little did I know this would be the high point of our dinging experience. The next dishes were a couple of the house specialties; tuna wrapped around slices of avocado, and tuna wrapped around alfalfa sprouts. Both were hideously oversauced, to the point of being nearly inedible. The final dish, though, was truly beyond belief. This was a mound of tuna tartare, topped with "crunchy", swimming in a pool of liquid that, for all the world, tasted like reconstituted beef bullion. It looked like haggis, and tasted worse. If you like lots of sauces with unpleasantly fishy overtones, you should try this place. If you like sushi, go anywhere else. Literally anywhere. McDonald's. A bait shop. Anywhere.
(1)
David P.
This is probably the singular best meal I've ever had in my life. I was taken by Japanese business associates who told me to expect something special. They were correct. This is rather indistinct looking restaurant makes the most amazing sushi I've ever eaten. We had the chef's tasting and never even self selected a single item. Every item that Chef Sakuma prepared was 5 star. I didn't pay the bill, so I don't know how pricey the restaurant is, but whatever they charged, it was worth it. Truly an amazing dinner.
(5)
Chris R.
This place has the best sushi around. I travel all around the country and this place is so good that I will fly my personally caught fish from south florida to have it prepared here. The food is artistically prepared and each dish is better than the last. I would recommend allowing the chef to guide you in your selections. You will be impressed.
(5)
Kat T.
I was excited to try this place after reading all the reviews. This place serves THE freshest sushis in this part of the chicago suburbs! Better than those classy sushi restaurants in the area! Not alot of variety though but the quality is superb! What makes it even better too is that its only about 10-15 min away from home! So glad i finally have a place to go to for the best sushi in my area. Thank you Yelp!
(4)
Scott F.
Very good, equal to Bistro wasabi, fresh as can be. Kind of an odd set up inside, but clean and friendly fast service help explain all the stars this place gets. Nicely done for a mini mall spot.
(3)
Tony C.
The only sushi joint I eat at besides Itto in the City. Japanese owned, Japanese operated, Japanese sushi chef with 30 years in the industry. Sakuma-san knows Nobu Matsuhisa, he's seen Jun-san (Mirai/Japonais) try to surreptitiously steal his "menu", he's worked at the most prestigious hotels in Singapore, Hong Kong, etc, he's served George Bush Sr, and now he serves the FAR NW burbies. What do you order here? You can dine alone, get a bowl of chirashi, call it a day in 30 minutes, or you can sit down for a full blown 7 course kaiseki. don't know what kaiseki is? doesn't really matter. If you get lucky, you'll get a few slices of fugu - when in season - during the kaiseki meal. if not, there'll still be o-toro and chu-toro, just perfectly sliced, perhaps in nigiri form, perhaps in sashimi form. does it really matter? especially when Iguchi calls this place "Sushi Power"? there will be mountain yam soup, made for the previously mentioned Royal Family, there will be intricately balanced amuse bouche laid on hand-signed sushi paper. finally, there will be house-made desserts such as mochi-balls, banana tempura, etc. there are a few "levels" of kaiseki differentiated by volume and quality. the best way to see what this is all about, is by looking at the pictures... after that, it's a transcendental experience good for 2.5 hours.
(5)
Gary H.
One of the gems in this area. Excellent chef delivers great consistent quality. We've been here many times and not a single dish has disappointed. Service has always been ditsy and inattentive much of the time depending on who is covering the floor, but we usually didn't care because of the food. For some months now though, this has improved and has been fine which has been good to see. 2015 Edit: Oh oh, new chef has taken over - look for recent reviews.
(5)
Andrea L.
I love this place. It's quite pricey by my standards, but I swing by whenever I have an occasion to celebrate. As a previous reviewer noted, their special appetizer plate is delicious. I also very much enjoy their green turtle maki. Melt in the mouth isn't quite the right words for it, but their tempura is deeelicious. They're probably not so much the place to go for standard Japanese staples, such as say, teriyaki, but the more unique items on their menu (such as the varied special maki's, the appetizer plate noted above) are to die for.
(5)
Rosa D.
My boyfriend and absolutely love this place. The sushi is amazing. Super fresh and very tasty. The green turtle and special spicy tuna are our favorites. The employees are very friendly. Absolutely the best place for sushi in the burbs.
(5)
Vicki K.
After promising sashimi appetizers it all went to hell. The service was horrible and they weren't the slightest bit busy. The rolls were the equivalent of what you can get at a supermarket. Don't bother. High cost for bad product. Will never return nor recommend.
(1)
Lori O.
I grew up on Japanese food & I've been to many Japanese restaurants in my life & I have to say Sakuma's is the best! The Spicy ToSz Roll is not only the best roll I've ever had, it's the best of any thing I've ever tasted. Everything I've tried there has been good, the staff is nice & polite, & the restaurant is always clean & spotless. Sakuma's is always a special treat for me. I love it!
(5)
Sarah C.
In one word: amazing. Its a bit pricey but boy is it worth it. The sushi is to die for and the house salad is spectacular. Dont pass this place up.
(5)
Katy D.
I say that this restaurant is a little pricey, but the service is generally good and the seafood FRESH. The chef is very creative and a master at his art. Now, they have a full bar and karaoke. It is a family run business, the place is decorated very smartly and I have been back many times. The rolls are very delicious. My husband likes the hot entrees and miso. I always go for flying fish roe with quail egg - only place around that caries that. If you have the chance, it is definitely worth the dollars!
(3)
Paul O.
This place is not that great. I've been doing the sushi rounds ever since Lent started and by far this is one of the worst places for sushi. I've eaten at most of the sushi places in Chicago from the high end Japonais to the typical joints like House of Sushi. We ordered a couple of rolls and was very disappointed. The rice was dry and the fish looked like it had been sitting out for awhile. I think the other reviewers must work for the place or something. I questioned his credentials. For a sushi chef who's supposedly worked in some prestigious hotels -- the sushi doesn't match up! I hate fake postings and from the previous two postings it looks like something you would see in a brochure. Hopefully the place will improve on its food but for now it's not good.
(1)
Mickey H.
Their sushi is unique. They add a twist to the traditional sushi by adding an angle, whether it be a sauce or presentation. Teriyaki Salmon os great! I think its a nice place to bring a date. the service is good, its a nice ambience and its easy to order. The price is a little higher so its not the Sushi joint you hit every other day, but its a nice close get away for me.
(4)
Willy N.
Went there last night with my wife and had a good time. Great food. The appetizer (sliced onions with beef) and spicy tuna were delicious. Staff a little less attentive than what we're used to at american restaurants, but I guess it's normal?? we saw tables with dishes getting served at different times. People watching other people eat at their table while they waited. The place is quiet, they have tv's where you can watch the games at the bar. Kids (of age) friendly place. Definitely will be back !!!
(4)
Nick M.
Amazing sushi at reasonable prices. A group of five of us got take out sushi from here on a weekday. We ordered almost one of every roll on the menu and everything was delicious (I wish I could remember specific rolls to recommend). One drawback was that anything that included tempura was soggy by the time we got home to eat it (our mistake for ordering it in the first place). Their house sauce is amazing as well as the wasabi mayo dipping sauce. I would order anything from their menu and would sit down for dinner in the restaurant next time as the staff is extremely friendly and inviting.
(5)
Dan N.
I've eaten at Sakuma several times and it's awalys been good. The food is very fresh and the service is good. You would never know it from the outside (it's in a weird strip mall near nothing) but it's among the best sushi I've had in Chicago. My wife and I are quickly becoming regulars.
(4)
Philip S.
Far NW suburban residents, bowdown to your sushi master Chef Sakuma. In a very non-descript strip mall on a very non-descript corner in Streamwood resides one of Chicago's finest Japanese restaurants. This place is sure to satisfy a wide range of expectations. If you only enjoy sushi rolls, the creativity and technique are amazing. I would suggest the Turtle Roll and the Summer Roll. Every item in the elaborate rolls are carefully sliced, balanced in size and tightly rolled. You can taste the distinct flavors working in harmony. It's hard to explain how expertly the rolls are prepared. Chef Sakuma also has some amazing sashimi dishes Flounder in seared in hot red wine and Hamachi Royale (which I believe is Yellowtail with a Truffle Oil sauce). If you want traditional Japanese hot dishes, Sakuma's also excels on this front. We really enjoy Chawanmushi which is a small dish of steamed custard with bits of shiitake, shrimp and other morsels. Of course, the sushi and sashimi fish is exceptionally fresh. I was very surprised to find this place where it is located. It appears from the clientele that many Japanese in the area have also found it.
(5)
Mike U.
Very dissapointing. Am from LA and have been to many Sushi restaurants all over...this place has slow service, poor quality fish and very little creativity. Extemely low value for money spent. I agree with the reviewer who said that Mr. Sakuma is not a very talented Sushi Chef. I have had better dishes created by 20 year old chefs that make anything on his menu look pale in comparison. 30 years don't make up for lack of creativity and cheap fish. It is obvious to this palate that the fish is not of the highest quality grade that can be had and the skill of preparation is lacking. Don't waste your time or money going to this place.
(1)
S to the izzo F.
If you want a truly great Sushi Experience Sakuma's is as authentic as you can get. Chef Sakuma is meticulous and the food is superb. Sakuma's is about taking your time and enjoying every bite. If you want to eat great sushi, have good conversation, and time to relax this is the best place. If you want to get in and out.. don't go. It's in a strip mall in the far west suburb of Streamwood but it can't be beat for quality of food. it's not your Downtown Chicago atmosphere and the decor is simple. But the Menu selection is outstanding and I personally like to much on the menu to pick just one Item. However, My favorite cooked dish is the the Black Sable Cod which melts in your mouth.... Chef Sakuma has cooked for the Royal Family Of Japan, Is a very Distinguished man in the Japanese Community, and The White Sox Tadahito Iguchi has been quoted in the news as saying this is one of his favorite restaurants!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Kate B.
Best sushi in the burbs! We arrived at 9:15pm and chose this place becuase of a late closing time. They said they close in 15 mins but would be happy to take us. They didn't rush us or make us feel unwelcome. Edememe comes free of charge as an appetizer, along with warm hand wipes and a personal water pitcher. VERY nice welcome. The sushi is fantastic! The cuts are thick and melt in your mouth! Salmon, eel, and tuna are my main staples and this place was fantastic for all three. We also tried the rainbow roll, which we try everywhere, and it was also stellar! We were very impressed overall, from service to quality, and will definitely be back!
(5)Jennifer T.
The husband I were craving sushi for our Friday date night last week and we found this place on Yelp and it looks like it has a decent reviews. We were even happier to find out that they had a Groupon deal ($15 for $30) so we purchased that and had our dinner here. Sometimes, when you purchase things on Groupon, you do wonder why they needed to have a promo and sometimes you figure out why. I don't think this place is bad, it's decent, but unfortunately, it's not what I expected in terms of taste and especially price. Even with our Groupon, we had to really budget and spent a bit extra just to feel a bit satiated. My first impression was that this place must be under renovations or something because from a look-standpoint, they were very bare in terms of decor. Even their menu was just a sheet of printer paper inserted into sheet protectors being tied together by a ribbon. There was no sign of 'under constructions" and previous historic reviews for this place went back as far as 4 years ago so I was a bit confused by the look of it. They also didn't have that many tables set up and the layout seemed a little bit not as flowy. The overall ambiance of this place felt like it was a place that just opened and haven't quite settled into their decor or feel established. Service was very nice and friendly though and even their sushi chefs seems to speak Japanese or Korean or some sort of authentic language so that impressed me a bit. However, the overall taste of the food was just okay. The rice in the maki wasn't moist, it was dry and the seaweed wrap was too chewy. The content inside the maki was okay portion and flavor was kind of bland. They gave sauces to dip on the side which is good, but I prefer the sauces inside my rolls to really let the flavor sink in. Each slices of maki was very thin and small. I couldn't tell if this is how sushi really is and I've just been too used to bigger rolls that got super-sized or what, but I felt like it wasn't really worth the money. They had sushi maki rolls range from $5 to the upper teens. But even when we ordered a Caterpillar roll at $9, it was the thinnest and smallest 8-piece roll I've ever seen. I've had other house special rolls that priced around $14 that were much bigger, and I think I almost prefer a big roll that is priced higher than a medium priced one that is so tiny... Psychologically, the price and the portions at this place just didn't jive for me. The food unfortunately, wasn't spectacular enough for me to really rave about it. I think it's decent, but until I have a more interesting experience here, I can't say it really stand out among other sushi places.
(3)Justin J.
This is literally the very best sushi! I drive from Detroit just to eat here. They have only the best and freshest seafood for sushi. The summer roll is one of my favorites. There is also quite a few items that are not on the menu that you have to ask for.
(5)Joanna W.
Great little restaurant, good quality food and service. Not a great wine selection, but thats really my only complaint. We have a tendency to order the same rolls all the time, but will always try new specialty rolls and always leave very pleased. Some people get turned off as its in a small shopping strip, but definitely worth it. Even if it looks empty inside that place stay busy with all their take-out business. I have been there where only 1-2 other tables were seated inside and I have been there where almost every table was full.
(4)DW L.
New ownership. Long story short: servings smaller, service worse. (much worse) Sadly, this could quite possibly be our last trip to this establishment....
(2)Ralph C.
We had a small dinner party to introduce some friends to Sakuma's tonight. We ordered three rolls to start and all were delicious, especially the rainbow roll. At the chef's recommendation we tried one of the ceviche appetizers and it was excellent. The miso soup is very flavorful and seasoned just right. I had my favorite, una jyu, and was treated to four perfectly prepared slices of eel. Another great dinner at Sakuma's.
(5)Henry W.
We tried $9.95 lunch special on every weekday.We enjoyed greatly. The foods were of good quality and good quantity like shown on its website. It is a great bargain. The restaurant is very clean.
(5)Mark D.
High end, top quality sushi and Japanese food. Owner is a highly regarded sushi chef in Japan. If you're going on a Friday or Saturday night, make a reservation!
(4)Gina M.
Our meal was outstanding! This was the best Japanese cuisine we have had in a while. Everything was fresh and seasoned to perfection.
(5)Mary M.
We sat at the sushi counter for an early New Year's Eve dinner because we are fascinated by the artistic construction of the meals. We had the special which included delicious duck, shrimp and chicken soup, a green salad and a plate with 15 different selections of sushi. They have built a wall to divide the dining room and another patron explained they are making a Sake bar which was confusing but not in use yet. Unfortunately, the original owner/chef moved to California but we think he still owns it. His wife was usually there to hostess/waitress. Last night was busy and there was only the one gal that has been there for a long time and she was overwhelmed. The decorating is getting a little dusty and ladies bathroom could use updating and a towel holder that works. They could probably improve the ambiance by dimming the lights slightly and playing soft music. My Four stars are for the food
(4)Daniele B.
The sushi was really tasty. But the downside I didn't feel full and it's so expensive. Other sushi restaurants serve two pieces of sushi for a about the same price. I didn't have anything other to drink besides just water. They also have bigger rolls. My bill just for me was almost $30. So this place is still up in the air for me.
(3)Keith F.
I'm torn. We live less than 1.5 miles from Sakuma's, yet it's not the first place on my mind when I want to eat sushi. Don't get me wrong... the food is great and it's close to home, but the ultra steep prices and slow service keep Sakuma's from being a 4 or 5 star restaurant. Sorry... but when I spend a good chunk of change on fine dining, I shouldn't be leaving there wondering "So, what's for dinner?" as I'm leaving the establishment. That's all. Quality of their food? Excellent. Price of their food? Not so much.
(3)Rose D.
Having read the other reviews of some Yelp friends I knew a few things to expect at Sakuma's. I was torn between 2 & 3 stars...given their close proximity to us and the fact that while they were steady the night we came we didn't need a reservation, I know we will be back and I hope to update with a higher star rating in the future. The pros: -Lovely place that is much bigger than I had imagined (a Japanese TARDIS perhaps? If you aren't a fellow Whovian, go ahead and Yahoo TARDIS, I'll wait...that's right, I said "Yahoo" it, because why should Google get all the fun? Who do they think they are? Kleenex? Band-Aid? Chapstick? But anyway, I digress...) -The food was all good, some of the dishes very good. Our favorites were the N.I.C.K. (it was on the Specials menu...mainly salmon with a few other ingredients I could not pronounce nor do I recall, in a delicious sauce - no rice in that dish), the Green Turtle (delicious & cute!), and the Ebi-Shinjo (a type of shrimp dumpling that isn't quite a dumpling...I don't know how those little delicious balls were held together but they were good). We also had the Rainbow Roll & the Crazy Maki. -While they were steady all night on a Wednesday for dinner, they are big enough that it was not packed. I don't like being crammed in like a bunch of sardines when I'm trying to enjoy a leisurely meal, like you may feel at some other popular sushi places. -They provide a small bowl of complimentary edamame -They have a Prix Fixe option! How cool to experience different courses? But...see my bullet point on the menu in the cons section... The cons: -Yes, the service is slow. Especially if you arrive shortly after they open for dinner and are ordering at the same time as everyone else who recently sat down. Our first round of food easily took 20 minutes to come out. The speed at which our additional choices later in the meal came out did improve, though. But we arrived at 6 and didn't leave until just after 8... -If you want something specifically as an appetizer, then order it alone first because if you order it with other stuff, even if you say "we want to start with..." it will not come out first. Not the end of the world to me at a Japanese restaurant, I like to mix things up throughout the meal, but I know this could really irritate some people. -I had green tea with my meal and they don't just leave you a pot to refill for yourself. Perhaps this is because they know service is slow and since you'll be there a while they want to make sure your tea is piping hot each time they refill it for you. -They don't give you wasabi paste & pickled ginger for the table or on each platter of sushi (there was wasabi incorporated in to some of the dishes we ordered, but none on the side except in the case of the Green Turtle as he's got a cute little wasabi paste head). If you want it, ask for it. -Their menu online is only partially helpful. I'm the kind of person who likes to look at the menu ahead of time, otherwise I take too freakin' long to decide at the restaurant (as opposed to the Hubs, who finds that to be a "spoiler" & wants to be surprised). The appetizers & entrees seemed to be accurate compared to their actual menu in the restaurant (though a few items were marked out on that menu as N/A) but they don't post much about their various rolls & sushi on the web menu. If I were a more experienced & refined sushi person, then this perhaps would not matter. But while I've had sushi a lot, I still like to take a peek ahead & prepare. Also, they had various Prix Fixe options listed on their website, but on the actual restaurant menu we only saw the one Prix Fixe option for 2-people (though it was only $70 as opposed to the $100 listed on the web). AND the restaurant menu said they need 3 days advance notice if you want to have that, yet there was no mention of this on their website. That might be something important for people to know ahead of time, right? If we had gone there for that as a special meal and then found out they need 3 days noticed I would have been ticked off. -The people there seemed nice, though none of them had much personality at all and there wasn't much of a greeting or goodbye...in fact we actually were the ones who said thank-you & goodbye to both server & chefs when we left. There were two gentleman making the sushi at the bar and one young lady serving who was so timid (she almost seemed afraid?) and lackluster I wondered why she would ever want to be a server.
(2)M M.
This is one of those places that doesn't look good from the outside, but it's amazing. Truly a hidden gem in Streamwood. Extremely talented sushi chefs here, everything I have eaten here is fantastic
(5)Catherine O.
Way over priced for the amount of food you get in an entrée. The portions are TINY and expensive. The food was mediocre - poor. Waste of money.
(2)Jen R.
The service was terrible. It took over 2 hours to get our meals. When the finally started coming out they were incorrect. However it was good food- hence 2 stars. I would not recommend this place to parties over 2 or 4 max.
(2)Jessica P.
I came here with a friend for dinner on a Friday evening after seeing some positive reviews about the restaurant on Yelp, but was not impressed . It was really empty upon arrival and no one came to greet us immediately, some of the co-workers just stared and then someone came to help us 5 minutes later. We were seated and the whole time I felt like we were rushed to order and eat... ok, I understand that we came at 9PM (late)..and the restaurant closes at 10PM.. but I don't think I've ever been rushed like this at other restaurants when they were closing in an hr..(I eat fast, don't worry!)...they also give you mini warm towels to clean your hands before you eat.. and mine smelled like rags (not so clean after all...i think i just made my hands dirty..)...so I had to go to the washroom and wash my hands from the rag smell w/ the generic smelling soap......ahh..not a good start to the dining experience.. Food: Kake Udon ($8): not impressed at all.. I think I can make udon at home with more flavor and more ingredients! they only had green onions and noodles in the soup...i've had better at other restaurants.... Spicy Tuna Roll ($6): the rolls are really small and i've had better at different restaurants for sure!! Costs: appetizers and salads range from $7-$15, noodles range from $8-$15, specials range from $15-$25, Sakuma's specialities range from $6-$25+ Positive: free edamame (small dish), lots of space Negative: customer service, costs are on the high range (not sure if it's worth it..) I probably won't visit this place again.. :(
(3)Rich M.
Yet again very good sushi. Fresh and tasty. Haven't seen the owner for awhile but nice presentation and quality
(4)Debbie C.
Cute place, clean. Great food that is fresh and flavorful. They have a small beer and wine selection, no bar or mixed drinks. I used to drive to Bistro Wasabi in Hoffman Estates but now I do not have to. This is my new favorite sushi restaurant!
(5)Jerry M.
After dining at Sakuma's for over a decade, it is nearly impossible to enjoy any Japanese restaurants other than Sakuma's! Fans of this restaurant undoubtedly know what I am referring to, but the real differentiators at Sakuma's are the quality of the food and the technical and artistic skills of the chef. Chef Sakuma is a perfectionist and professional of the highest quality, and once you have tasted his homemade sauces -- including his unforgettable soy sauce and spicy hot sauce -- you will also have a difficult time enjoying any other Japanese restaurants in Illinois (or the rest of the United States). I recommend dining at the sushi bar and ordering one of the Chef's Choice courses (note: Chef's Choice for Two is great if you are dining with a friend) if you want a unique dinner course that changes each time you visit. Or, if you want to build your own tasting course, then I would recommend ordering several of the artistic and delicious sashimi entrees. My personal favorites are the Ethnic Tuna Sashimi, Sunset Carpaccio, and Hamachi Royale, but the Maguro Crunchy and Helmut Hurricane are also staples of a tasty Sakuma's diet. If you are more into sushi, then I would recommend the Spicy Tuna roll and the Summer roll, both of which should immediately demonstrate the unique flavors that can only be found at Sakuma's. If you do not have a taste for sashimi or sushi, there are many other great options: amazing grilled beef (the skewers are served with an exceptional homemade mustard dipping sauce), numerous hot and cold soups that make wonderful meals (note: the dobin mushi is something each diner should try at least once, and the cold soba noodles and the hot nabeyaki udon that is served in a cast iron bowl are both also unbelievably good), and tasty-yet-healthy salads (that also pair great with a small order of sashimi). For dessert, the banana tempura with honey and vanilla ice cream should not be overlooked, but I also enjoy the green tea ice cream after completing a Chef's Choice omakase course. If you are a sashimi enthusiast and are ever in the Schaumburg/Streamwood/Bartlett area, I would highly recommend taking the time to drive out to Sakuma's for an authentic and unique Japanese dining experience.
(5)Payal S.
The sushi here was really good! We ordered some delivery on a Saturday night (only $3!)... And we got it in an hour. Prices are really reasonable and the ingredients are fresh! Pleasantly surprised and would definitely order from here again. The King Kong and the AAC were amazing and their spicy mayo was a great kick!
(4)Elisa G.
The place is one of the best in the burbs! Seriously, the food is excellent, and the service is friendly. Creative and delicious items on the menu keep me coming back for more! Fresh, top quality fish! Make this a must visit place!
(5)Michelle F.
WARNING: SUSHI VIRGIN HERE!! So if you value your sushi, please don't take this to heart. I am just telling you about my experience!! That being said, I will now move on: Let's face it--my dinner here was very "blind leading the blind". Neither one of us had really ever had sushi before and he heard all about this place and really wanted to try it. Meh, whatev, I am game. We really should have taken someone with us who had slightly more "Unagi" (FRIENDS REFERENCE) with us. "Ahhhh, Salmon Skin Roll". OK here is what we ordered: *Shrimp balls (I don't know the exact name) as our appetizer. *Beef Shogayaki - Thinly sliced sirloin sauteed with ginger soy sauce (comes with soup or salad and ice cream for dessert) and I upgraded to fried rice *Some sort of chopped tuna that came in a mountain-like structure. If I could tell you what it was called, I would. But you're SOL for now! OK, so the food was good, and the dressing for the salad was delightful. However our food took a really long time, and it all came out at different times. Really, really odd times. It went like this: My salad My friend's meal Our appetizer (very closely followed by) my meal and fried rice So I would have preferred to have the salad/appetizer before the meal, and my friend kept waiting for me to have something else to eat other than salad, but I told him to go ahead. But my beef was goooood! And the fried rice was amazing, too! That being said, I am still a sushi virgin. I need Candice in my life to show me the way of the sushi. I will bow down to her. I want "Unagi".
(3)Kelli W.
Love this spot! We come here every other month or so with some friends. Best sushi in the area, hands down. I would have given it five stars except it's a little pricey.
(4)Ann T.
Food is good but it is expensive for sushi. The menu wad hard to understand. My biggest complain is the extremely slow service. There was only 7 tables occupied and we were getting our meals one at a time. Half the party is done eating and the other half is still waiting. Very disappointed.
(2)Kimberly G.
Our experience at this restaurant was a disappointment and we actually went home hungry. While the sushi was fresh, most of the rolls were 6 very small pieces. We have eaten at countless sushi restaurants in the area and in large cities across the country, and the size of the rolls here were very small (no more than an inch in diameter with small pieces of fish). This would have been fine if the prices were adjusted accordingly, but unfortunately they were pretty standard prices. In addition, the ambiance was slightly strange and the waitress did not provide plates, wasabi or ginger until the sushi chef had given us our last roll to finish. There were two of us and after having 3 standard roll and two specialty rolls, we were still quite hungry- something that has not happened to us when ordering this much before at any sushi restaurant in the past. Sadly, we will not be returning.
(2)Jacqueline B.
I am embarrassed to say this but I live less than a mile away from here and it was not until recently I decided to try it. Who knew Streamwood would have one of the best sushi places I have ever been to! Cute atmosphere, super nice staff, and fresh and amazing sushi. Definitely worth trying if you haven't already.
(5)Brian M.
We've been customers since the doors opened and before that at Hilldale Golf Club where Sakuma was the chef prior to moving to the current location. We keep going back and it's always a treat. Sakuma has such pride for the dishes he prepares and we are willing to try anything that's put in front of us. All good but, the Summer roll are the best. 5 star all the way!
(5)Daniela S.
Best spicy tuna rolls!!!! A little pricy but well worth it.
(5)Robert G.
Sakuma's is an absolutely delicious place to go for phoning in lunch. I picked up an Oyako Don, which is chicken with mushrooms and onions, served beneath an egg omelet (!) with some sauce and laid over rice. If I recall correctly, it came served with some really good miso soup. I thought this was a relatively unusual thing to order for lunch, but I was rewarded with a really tasty meal all around. The mushrooms lent an excellent earthiness to the dish, and they gave me enough food for two days of lunch. I'll definitely be coming back for more lunch dishes.
(5)Helen L.
If you're looking for a nice relaxing restaurant, then this is the place. We go here often, especially when we have plenty of time and want to go someplace where we can actually have a conversation. The pace is slow, yes, but what's wrong with that? Sit down, have a nice, leisurely, non-rushed meal and some good conversation. The restaurant is quiet and subdued - a very nice change of pace from other restaurants that rush you in and out. The food is excellent!! I'm not a seafood eater and they have some delicious meals on the menu that was pleasing to my palette. My husband and I shared the Beef Negimaki (Green onions rolled in sliced beef) and loved it. I ordered the Beef Shogayaki (thinly sliced sirloin sauteed with ginger soy sauce) and left nothing on my plate! I have to count on my husband to tell me about the sushi. He swears it's some of the best he's ever had. So it's 5 stars from us!
(5)Rex C.
My wife and I have been here 4 times during non-busy times and the service was very slow each time. The sushi was okay, but way too expensive for what you get.
(2)Jazmin N Antonio D.
The service is extremely slow. 20 minutes for a glass of water and miso soup. Another 30 for tempura and shogayaki. It was not even that busy. The food is ok. Sorry but we won't be back.
(2)David S.
I have been to this place about 40 times in the last 6 months. I cannot get enought of their sushi. They are truely the best sushi around. Always fresh, and always delicious! Great variety. (Im not sure where the other folks below say it's all too similar.. clearly they have not tried the variety on the menu). There is only one thing they need to improve upon, which is the service.. and it all comes down to one person. She just doesn't know how to be a waitress and the owner needs to let her go. She is the only non japanese waitress and is just awful. Regardless... I will continue to go since I LOVE this place and will not let that one person ruin my experience. The owner is typically at the door and the other owner is always behind the sushi counter. LOVE them!
(5)Nicole M.
Wanting to try and new sushi place, my boyfriend and I went to Sakuma's based on the fab yelp reviews! Walked in... small, quite place. Seated right away and given hot towels. Free small cup of edamame. Staff was nice. We ordered 4 different rolls. Spicy tuna- Way to spicy for me but I'm a baby about spiciness! Crazy Roll -Good but wished there was a little more to it. Shrimp tempura- Good, can't really mess it up. And I forgot the name (see pic) but one with salmon on top- It was good but I really didn't care for the sauce they put it in. Decently priced. Would this be my go to place for sushi... No, but I would come back here again.
(4)Jessica p.
Don't listen to anyone that gave this place less then 4 stars. Give it a try and get the chefs special. Beautiful food.
(5)Maria R.
So, here we are a week later and we're back at Sakuma's for a nice sushi lunch! My husband and I decide to sit at the Sushi Bar today to see our sushi being created by Chef Sakuma himself! I especially liked sitting at the Sushi Bar because there is better lighting to take food pictures, BUT I digress. ;) It was a great experience getting our sushi served to us by Chef Sakuma. There was a mother and her pre-school child and a friend of hers sitting right in front of Chef Sakuma for lunch. The kid would occasionally make shrill sounds, but it was fine. Having kids ourselves, we understood. Chef Sakuma and his son, Akira(?) were apologizing to us profusely because of that, which I thought was very hospitable of them to do so. It isn't their fault, but they still expressed their regrets on it. We had our usual Sushi Set B, but we added two special maki rolls. Perhaps we were overzealous since we ended up spending about $70 on sushi for LUNCH, but we definitely didn't leave hungry! We rolled out like a pair of maki rolls! Hehe We had the Green Turtle Roll and the Fantasy Roll. The Green Turtle Roll was very delicious! I had never had wasabi tobiko (flying fish roe - wasabi flavored) before, so it caught me by surprise. The Fantasy Roll was interesting. It was deep fried in a tempura batter and had a squeeze of lime on it with raw tuna and jalapeno. It was also an interesting take on sushi and a unique experience! Akira had welcomed us again since he remembered us from last week. So, it's cool that they remember their customers! We thoroughly enjoyed our sushi lunch at Sakuma's and will definitely return....next week! :) Try a different roll!
(5)Jennifer M.
I came here based on yelp reviews. Only one star since 2008. Nothing less than 4 ever since! That definitely says something about this place. As the only Japanese restaurant to offer Sushi Making Classes to the public, we wanted to do a taste test and decide for ourselves if we would come back as students. I think it would make a great date. Sakuma offers a 2-hour class for $40. You learn about the basic art of cooking sushi rice, preparation and use of various ingredients which include raw fish, egg and vegetable in making a sushi roll. You learn the technique of presenting it on a plate with a garnish. The best part is, you eat what you make at the end of the course with some green tea. Cute lounge area tucked away in a corner with a tv, coffee table and couch. The servers wear a kimono. The decor is a bit outdated. We arrived at 5:05pm with much anticipation. We were the ONLY customers during the entire dining experience. It was nice to have privacy while enjoying each other's company and food. The complimentary edamame was undercooked.The wash cloth for our hands was cold. I decided I wanted to order from their dinner menu which included miso soup or house salad and a scoop of vanilla, red bean or green tea ice cream. I chose the Uma Juu. For $35, I thought the house salad was tasty but too small. The broiled eel was served over rice in a large bowl. It was too big for me to finish alone. I had to give some to Jason. Unfortunately, he thought it was too oily and didn't like it. He ordered the Sashimi Moriawase. A Small order is limited to tuna, flounder, salmon and yellowtail. He ordered the $35 Large portion of the Mixed Variety. The presentation was beautiful and fresh. Jason had a lot of seafood filet on his plate. He was disappointed that for the price, he wasn't offered a side of rice, miso soup or house salad or a scoop of ice cream for dessert.
(3)Carolyn B.
My husband and I ventured out to Sakuma's as a recommendation from a friend, as well as all of the 4- and 5-star reviews here. The maki tasted good, but although we ordered a variety of rolls, they all came out looking almost too similar. The main reason I gave 2 stars and not 4 was due to our service. I could never figure out who our server was (it alternated between two). As it was a Monday night, there were only 4 or 5 other tables being served. After we were finished eating, it took 25 MINUTES to receive our check. We were asked if we wanted dessert, and after politely declining, all servers left us. One of the servers kept walking past us and not even checking in with us, and the other server was drinking wine with a customer at the sushi bar. I finally had to ask for the check, and it took another 10-15 minutes to receive our check. With 2 servers and 6 tables, I expected way better service. We will definitely keep going to our favorite sushi joint (Nikko sushi in Arlington Heights), as the food and service there are outstanding every time.
(2)Jennifer P.
Great food!! And great service. I think it is priced very well too!
(5)linda j.
The best freshest sushi in the burbs, and we are sushi fans! This is a hidden secret. You will not be dissappointed. Not cheap, but well worth the price! You really need to try the duck, wow!!
(5)Lisa W.
This place is amazing. The people are very friendly and remember us when we walk in. I meet a friend here about once a month for sushi and we keep coming back because we love it! We have sampled many different things on the menu from the doctor roll to the California maki (not positive on the names), and everything is so good! I'm not a fan of spicy and there are plenty of options to chose from that are delicious. We always get the salmon sashimi. Yum! Whenever I go anywhere else for sushi (which is not often), I compare to this place and nothing comes close! I highly recommend this place and I like that they make the sushi right in front of you.
(5)James P.
Great service and rolls. Very affordable and quality seafood for bing in Illinois. I will be coming back!
(5)Anya C.
outstanding food. service very slow though.
(4)Cyn B.
I make it a point to visit every sushi bar I can find - at least once, from downtown Chicago to Gurnee. There are so many I'd never go back to but THIS place is phenomenal!!! FIVE stars! I always start with the Ethnic Tuna or the Trio. Long Beach and Green Turtle are my favorite rolls. Fantastic scallops (and that's rare at most places!!) For the aficionado... try the Marilyn. Out-of-this-world soy sauce. My whole family loves it here & Mr. Sakuma even asks about my youngest son whenever I go. Very personable staff. Family-friendly environment (for well behaved kids). I have so much more to say but you just have to see for yourself! Oh, the "slow" service is because it's a relaxed atmosphere... this ain't no feed 'em & street 'em place!
(5)Tawnya D.
Food here is great. And always super fresh as you would expect. Ambiance is great at the sushi bar. Staff is helpful and fun to talk to. I would highly recommend.
(4)Pack C.
We ordered most of the dishes from the specialty menu: more like appetizer dishes and sashimi. Although it may not make you full, it was the fascinating meal. Mr.Sakuma uses a lot of unique and different ingredients which I don't really expect to see in the US and definitely not in the suburb. We had "Mr.Sakuma's special" which was in bite size of different appetizers: tempura unagi, seared white tuna in soy sauce, sweet shrimp, tuna and Salmon with Avocado. I highly recommend this one. Another dish was Trio Chilli something. It was raw scallop, squid and octopus with different hot sauces. I love the texture of squid and octopus, not quite sure about the scallop though. Green turtle roll was great. Autumn roll and Scorpion roll was just ok for me. All the food presentations were great that I wish I brought my camera. I plan to go back there for its 'Gourmet evening'. It was the 5-7 course fix prix menu for $70 include all drinks + gratuity + tax. I can't wait to go back. I took the sushi class there with Mr.Sakuma before. The class was fun. He showed us so many techniques that it ran over time by an hour. The service is also great, very friendly including Mr.Sakuma himself. His cooking profile is also pretty amazing such as. cooking for the Japanese royal family...
(5)Josh D.
Definitely sets the bar for fresh Sushi in the NW suburbs. The amount of food that you get for the money is not great and the setup is a little strange. But when i go out to eat, its all about the food. I will continue to frequent this fine sushi establishment...whenever funds are available.
(4)Laura C.
The sushi from here is very average! I don't understand all the reviews ranting about how good the sushi is. The service is extremely SLOW! So slow, I almost walked out. And I kinda wished I had since the wait was not worth the food! I say don't waste your time or money and try somewhere else.
(2)Sonia G.
I'm never happy to write a bad review, but Yelpers, please know there are two sides to the story! I've read these rave reviews and I feel like we ate at a different restaurant! The sushi was simply not good. The usual stuff (salmon rolls, sashimi prices) was mediocre at best: supermarket takeout qualify. But the special plates that everyone raves about were awful! Fish was swimming in tons of sauce, weird flavors, very little actual sushi. The worst part though is the service. On a not busy evening, our food took 90 minutes to arrive in full. We had 30 minute gaps between plates. But here is the kicker: our waitress made a rare appearance with a plate of food and announced, "here is your - " Then she paused, brought it closer to her face , and said , "huh! I don't know what this is!". Then she took it back to the kitchen (!!!!!!) for a diagnosis. Seriously? Who wants sushi mystery meat that's been paraded around a restaurant? I have to give some props to the very nice older woman who realized the disaster in progress and took off from the bill the cost of our drinks . Bt then, when we clearly wanted to leave and told her we weren't having dessert , she looking pleadingly at our children and tried to talk them into ordering some ice cream. Not cool. Usually I would give a place another try but this was so bad that I am posting now.
(1)Kevin C.
Where art meets your tastebuds. Hands down, this is the best sushi I've ever enjoyed. While I haven't bellied up to every sushi bar in the United States, I have been to many during my business trips to more than 38 states. Without a doubt, this is my favorite. The presentation is amazing. It really is a shame to eat these pieces or art, but your stomach will certainly thank you. I've taken numerous people to this location and not a single complaint yet. For your best experience, sit at the sushi bar. Be prepared that service can be slow as the works are created and the price is not cheap, but if you ever want to try the best sushi in Chicago...the midwest or beyond, you must visit's Sakuma!
(5)Carrie c.
I LOVE Sakuma's! After our time in Japan, we tried to find restaurants here in the states that compared to what we tasted over there....that was a challenge! Sakuma's sushi is comparable to what we ate in Japan...it is amazing, always fresh and we have never left unhappy. The 1 star review seems odd to me...everyone I have talked to about Sakuma's raves about it. Perhaps it was an off day or so...everyone has those, I've just never ever experiences it at Sakuma's and I've been going there for 4-5 years on a regular basis.
(5)Vicky R.
Sakuma's is my fiance and I favorite Japenese restuarant. It doesn't get better, ever time we go somewhere else we compare to the quality of this place. It's true, the sushi is uber fresh here. There dishes are trasty, usually have rolls (specials in they work with my palet) Beef wrapped in green onions is just yummy! Joy Lucky is one of my favorite specials which Mr. Sakuma has told me I must drink the liquid afterwards because it's good and healthy for you. I always do. Oh and if you call two weeks ahead of time you can order Sukiaki, which is just so delish!! The whole restuarant fills up with the smells and everyone else including staff wishes they were having the same thing. And for dessert, the best is the fried bannana. There is always room for that! Yum-O! Staff is a little bit slow, but we are Americans people! Can't expect them to be any faster then they are because it's not their custom to runa round the place. They want you to enjoy your food and experience. And yes, Mr.s Sakuma's wife, Lidia is just a sweet heart. The staff gets to know you, very freindly. It's a must try if you haven't gone. Pricey, but worth it!
(5)Radek J.
Delicious Sushi!!! I get lunch from them all the time and love it every time! The cooks are real Japanese cooks and are the best, they know how to make a good meal! Thanks! Will be back for more soon!
(5)Kevin A.
MY OFFICIAL SUSHI IN THE 'BURBS HEADQUARTERS I don't get to go often, but Sakuma's is one of my favorite places in the 'burbs for sushi and okayo donburi, one of the classic Japanese comfort foods. Imagine escaping the bitter Chicago winter by sitting down in front of a steaming bowl of rice covered with egg, chicken, thinly sliced onions, and warm dashi broth. Pretty simple, but astonishingly satisfying. The fish is very fresh and they excel at both traditional sushi and some modern rolls. One must have is the hamachi royale. Imagine four velvety slices of hamachi lightly dressed with soy sauce, truffle oil, jalapeno, and garlic. Un-freakin-believable.
(4)Wenyan D.
It is a good one, real Japanese, we like the green tea ice cream very much^O^
(5)Dawn B.
Yelp to the rescue once again. We were wandering around Friday night looking for a new fun spot for dinner when we found this place. The other reviews are right. The looks of it are deceiving. Boring strip mall, bizarre decorating inside.. [I counted 5 ceramic cats from my chair. Not to mention Christmas garland & Valentine's Day decorations in October] But the food is crazy good. We love sushi and there aren't many great options in the Chicagoland suburbs but this is definitely a diamond in the rough. I'd skip the $15 Mr. Sakuma's sampler [think that's what it was called] and head straight for the other stuff. The Turtle roll was highly recommended and was fantastic. Everything else was fresh & really good. If you're able to reserve a spot at the sushi bar, that's definitely the place to be. Service was a bit slow but nbd. The owner's wife stopped by afterwards & really seemed to care if we had a good experience, which was nice. Will definitely go back.
(4)P J.
FRESH Sushi with tasty flavors! Sakuma prepares it beautifully. You would never guess how wonderful this place is cause its in a strip mall but its well worth the trip. It's better than most Sushi I have had in San Francisco!
(5)Lauren B.
Fantastic! The service was great and they were all so nice (and spoke English better than I expected). The green turtle roll, rainbow and dragon were SO good! Very fresh and well priced. We will be back!
(5)Sumara K.
Love, love, LOVE this place. Everyone who works here is so friendly, you immediately feel right at home here. The ambiance is nice, not overbearing, and you never feel cramped or rushed. The daily specials are listed on a board when you walk in, and if they have it I suggest you get the S.O.S. I can't even describe how palate pleasing it is. Just trust me. Their spicy tuna roll is the best I have had. Also, the fantasy roll is a delicious mix of spicy and crunchy. I could definitely eat it for a week straight and not tire of it. The service is fairly quick, and for a sushi bar they are VERY kid friendly, which is so nice to see these days. Aside from the fact that it is in a nondescript strip mall, everything about Sakuma's is perfection.
(5)Tami S.
Love this restaurant. I try to get my Japanese food fix here whenever I am in town. Ordered the lunch $25 bento box. It is beautifully prepared. Not sloppy at all. The portion is perhaps a bit less than other "cheaper" Japanese restaurants but the taste and presentation is better. This restaurant suits the taste of Japanese people!!
(4)Colby G.
I think this is a sushi restaurant meant for people who don't like the taste of raw fish. The unadorned sushi was serviceable, if a bit bland. The restaurant's "specials" (which we tried more than a few of, unfortunately) were over-sauced, over-decorated concoctions that did everything imaginable to mask the taste of the underlying fish. I've eaten a lot of sushi. Some good, some incredibly good, and some bad. This was easily my worst sushi experience ever. As if the sushi itself hadn't been bad enough, the service was almost comically awful. We came to the restaurant shortly before 7PM on a Saturday evening. We were seated immediately, since the place was mostly empty (a bad sign, right?) and ordered promptly. We ordered mainly sushi, except my one son who doesn't care for raw fish ordered chicken teriyaki. The teriyaki came first, by more than half an hour. That plate was empty by the time the first bit of raw fish landed on our table. That first bit of raw fish arrived at 7:45, and it was not anything we had ordered. Instead of salmon rolls, we got spicy tuna. I kind of understand the "spicy" part -- various spicy rolls are on the menu, while just plain-old salmon or tuna rolls are not. Why they decided to change the fish, I'll never know. After some discussion with the waitstaff, we finally got our salmon rolls. They were uneventful, as was the mackerel that followed. Little did I know this would be the high point of our dinging experience. The next dishes were a couple of the house specialties; tuna wrapped around slices of avocado, and tuna wrapped around alfalfa sprouts. Both were hideously oversauced, to the point of being nearly inedible. The final dish, though, was truly beyond belief. This was a mound of tuna tartare, topped with "crunchy", swimming in a pool of liquid that, for all the world, tasted like reconstituted beef bullion. It looked like haggis, and tasted worse. If you like lots of sauces with unpleasantly fishy overtones, you should try this place. If you like sushi, go anywhere else. Literally anywhere. McDonald's. A bait shop. Anywhere.
(1)David P.
This is probably the singular best meal I've ever had in my life. I was taken by Japanese business associates who told me to expect something special. They were correct. This is rather indistinct looking restaurant makes the most amazing sushi I've ever eaten. We had the chef's tasting and never even self selected a single item. Every item that Chef Sakuma prepared was 5 star. I didn't pay the bill, so I don't know how pricey the restaurant is, but whatever they charged, it was worth it. Truly an amazing dinner.
(5)Chris R.
This place has the best sushi around. I travel all around the country and this place is so good that I will fly my personally caught fish from south florida to have it prepared here. The food is artistically prepared and each dish is better than the last. I would recommend allowing the chef to guide you in your selections. You will be impressed.
(5)Kat T.
I was excited to try this place after reading all the reviews. This place serves THE freshest sushis in this part of the chicago suburbs! Better than those classy sushi restaurants in the area! Not alot of variety though but the quality is superb! What makes it even better too is that its only about 10-15 min away from home! So glad i finally have a place to go to for the best sushi in my area. Thank you Yelp!
(4)Scott F.
Very good, equal to Bistro wasabi, fresh as can be. Kind of an odd set up inside, but clean and friendly fast service help explain all the stars this place gets. Nicely done for a mini mall spot.
(3)Tony C.
The only sushi joint I eat at besides Itto in the City. Japanese owned, Japanese operated, Japanese sushi chef with 30 years in the industry. Sakuma-san knows Nobu Matsuhisa, he's seen Jun-san (Mirai/Japonais) try to surreptitiously steal his "menu", he's worked at the most prestigious hotels in Singapore, Hong Kong, etc, he's served George Bush Sr, and now he serves the FAR NW burbies. What do you order here? You can dine alone, get a bowl of chirashi, call it a day in 30 minutes, or you can sit down for a full blown 7 course kaiseki. don't know what kaiseki is? doesn't really matter. If you get lucky, you'll get a few slices of fugu - when in season - during the kaiseki meal. if not, there'll still be o-toro and chu-toro, just perfectly sliced, perhaps in nigiri form, perhaps in sashimi form. does it really matter? especially when Iguchi calls this place "Sushi Power"? there will be mountain yam soup, made for the previously mentioned Royal Family, there will be intricately balanced amuse bouche laid on hand-signed sushi paper. finally, there will be house-made desserts such as mochi-balls, banana tempura, etc. there are a few "levels" of kaiseki differentiated by volume and quality. the best way to see what this is all about, is by looking at the pictures... after that, it's a transcendental experience good for 2.5 hours.
(5)Gary H.
One of the gems in this area. Excellent chef delivers great consistent quality. We've been here many times and not a single dish has disappointed. Service has always been ditsy and inattentive much of the time depending on who is covering the floor, but we usually didn't care because of the food. For some months now though, this has improved and has been fine which has been good to see. 2015 Edit: Oh oh, new chef has taken over - look for recent reviews.
(5)Andrea L.
I love this place. It's quite pricey by my standards, but I swing by whenever I have an occasion to celebrate. As a previous reviewer noted, their special appetizer plate is delicious. I also very much enjoy their green turtle maki. Melt in the mouth isn't quite the right words for it, but their tempura is deeelicious. They're probably not so much the place to go for standard Japanese staples, such as say, teriyaki, but the more unique items on their menu (such as the varied special maki's, the appetizer plate noted above) are to die for.
(5)Rosa D.
My boyfriend and absolutely love this place. The sushi is amazing. Super fresh and very tasty. The green turtle and special spicy tuna are our favorites. The employees are very friendly. Absolutely the best place for sushi in the burbs.
(5)Vicki K.
After promising sashimi appetizers it all went to hell. The service was horrible and they weren't the slightest bit busy. The rolls were the equivalent of what you can get at a supermarket. Don't bother. High cost for bad product. Will never return nor recommend.
(1)Lori O.
I grew up on Japanese food & I've been to many Japanese restaurants in my life & I have to say Sakuma's is the best! The Spicy ToSz Roll is not only the best roll I've ever had, it's the best of any thing I've ever tasted. Everything I've tried there has been good, the staff is nice & polite, & the restaurant is always clean & spotless. Sakuma's is always a special treat for me. I love it!
(5)Sarah C.
In one word: amazing. Its a bit pricey but boy is it worth it. The sushi is to die for and the house salad is spectacular. Dont pass this place up.
(5)Katy D.
I say that this restaurant is a little pricey, but the service is generally good and the seafood FRESH. The chef is very creative and a master at his art. Now, they have a full bar and karaoke. It is a family run business, the place is decorated very smartly and I have been back many times. The rolls are very delicious. My husband likes the hot entrees and miso. I always go for flying fish roe with quail egg - only place around that caries that. If you have the chance, it is definitely worth the dollars!
(3)Paul O.
This place is not that great. I've been doing the sushi rounds ever since Lent started and by far this is one of the worst places for sushi. I've eaten at most of the sushi places in Chicago from the high end Japonais to the typical joints like House of Sushi. We ordered a couple of rolls and was very disappointed. The rice was dry and the fish looked like it had been sitting out for awhile. I think the other reviewers must work for the place or something. I questioned his credentials. For a sushi chef who's supposedly worked in some prestigious hotels -- the sushi doesn't match up! I hate fake postings and from the previous two postings it looks like something you would see in a brochure. Hopefully the place will improve on its food but for now it's not good.
(1)Mickey H.
Their sushi is unique. They add a twist to the traditional sushi by adding an angle, whether it be a sauce or presentation. Teriyaki Salmon os great! I think its a nice place to bring a date. the service is good, its a nice ambience and its easy to order. The price is a little higher so its not the Sushi joint you hit every other day, but its a nice close get away for me.
(4)Willy N.
Went there last night with my wife and had a good time. Great food. The appetizer (sliced onions with beef) and spicy tuna were delicious. Staff a little less attentive than what we're used to at american restaurants, but I guess it's normal?? we saw tables with dishes getting served at different times. People watching other people eat at their table while they waited. The place is quiet, they have tv's where you can watch the games at the bar. Kids (of age) friendly place. Definitely will be back !!!
(4)Nick M.
Amazing sushi at reasonable prices. A group of five of us got take out sushi from here on a weekday. We ordered almost one of every roll on the menu and everything was delicious (I wish I could remember specific rolls to recommend). One drawback was that anything that included tempura was soggy by the time we got home to eat it (our mistake for ordering it in the first place). Their house sauce is amazing as well as the wasabi mayo dipping sauce. I would order anything from their menu and would sit down for dinner in the restaurant next time as the staff is extremely friendly and inviting.
(5)Dan N.
I've eaten at Sakuma several times and it's awalys been good. The food is very fresh and the service is good. You would never know it from the outside (it's in a weird strip mall near nothing) but it's among the best sushi I've had in Chicago. My wife and I are quickly becoming regulars.
(4)Philip S.
Far NW suburban residents, bowdown to your sushi master Chef Sakuma. In a very non-descript strip mall on a very non-descript corner in Streamwood resides one of Chicago's finest Japanese restaurants. This place is sure to satisfy a wide range of expectations. If you only enjoy sushi rolls, the creativity and technique are amazing. I would suggest the Turtle Roll and the Summer Roll. Every item in the elaborate rolls are carefully sliced, balanced in size and tightly rolled. You can taste the distinct flavors working in harmony. It's hard to explain how expertly the rolls are prepared. Chef Sakuma also has some amazing sashimi dishes Flounder in seared in hot red wine and Hamachi Royale (which I believe is Yellowtail with a Truffle Oil sauce). If you want traditional Japanese hot dishes, Sakuma's also excels on this front. We really enjoy Chawanmushi which is a small dish of steamed custard with bits of shiitake, shrimp and other morsels. Of course, the sushi and sashimi fish is exceptionally fresh. I was very surprised to find this place where it is located. It appears from the clientele that many Japanese in the area have also found it.
(5)Mike U.
Very dissapointing. Am from LA and have been to many Sushi restaurants all over...this place has slow service, poor quality fish and very little creativity. Extemely low value for money spent. I agree with the reviewer who said that Mr. Sakuma is not a very talented Sushi Chef. I have had better dishes created by 20 year old chefs that make anything on his menu look pale in comparison. 30 years don't make up for lack of creativity and cheap fish. It is obvious to this palate that the fish is not of the highest quality grade that can be had and the skill of preparation is lacking. Don't waste your time or money going to this place.
(1)S to the izzo F.
If you want a truly great Sushi Experience Sakuma's is as authentic as you can get. Chef Sakuma is meticulous and the food is superb. Sakuma's is about taking your time and enjoying every bite. If you want to eat great sushi, have good conversation, and time to relax this is the best place. If you want to get in and out.. don't go. It's in a strip mall in the far west suburb of Streamwood but it can't be beat for quality of food. it's not your Downtown Chicago atmosphere and the decor is simple. But the Menu selection is outstanding and I personally like to much on the menu to pick just one Item. However, My favorite cooked dish is the the Black Sable Cod which melts in your mouth.... Chef Sakuma has cooked for the Royal Family Of Japan, Is a very Distinguished man in the Japanese Community, and The White Sox Tadahito Iguchi has been quoted in the news as saying this is one of his favorite restaurants!
(5)