153 Akira
1137 Greenleaf Ave, Wilmette, IL, 60091
153 Akira Menu
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Address :
1137 Greenleaf Ave
Wilmette, IL, 60091 - Phone (847) 256-1133
- Website https://www.153akira.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Erin C.
Best sushi I've found on the North Shore. Let me qualify this: I'm a sushi snob who always prefers city sushi and I've tried nearly every place from Glencoe to Evanston in search of something vaguely reminiscent of said city sushi. This is it.
(4)Ashley H.
Akira has some of the best sushi around. Their signature rolls are original and delicious, and the portions of fish are generous for the price. Be sure to call for reservations, even on a weeknight. The restaurant is small, and it's always better to be safe than sorry. Keep an eye out for their Groupons, which are always a good deal.
(5)Marina S.
Amazing find! Best sushi lunch anywhere. We've been coming to this place for about three years and love every dish we've tried. Friendly and professional staff headed by the owner, Akira and his wife. Come and enjoy good, fresh sushi in a neighborhood setting
(5)Gilbert Z.
153 Akira (the 153 refers to the address on Greenleaf, just a a quarter block from central Wilmette) is set in a small, understated storefront with around a dozen tables. The seven of us gathered to celebrate a birthday and though the place is small, they were very accommodating to our mix of kids and adults. The kids all immediately ordered Ramune soda. The name Ramune is derived from the English word for Lemonade. In addition to the usual fruit flavors, Ramune comes in some unusual tastes such as wasabi, kimchi, bubble gum, and curry.The bottle comes sealed with a marble that acts as a stopper. We started with the complimentary tilapia tempura which was light and flavorful. We followed with 153 Akira's signature appetizer, Tuna Tar Tar. It was, indeed, tuna tartar served with crisp won ton chips. The flavor and texture were delicious. For entrees, the kids had udons and our non-raw fish companion had the garlic shrimp which was very much like an Asian take on shrimp dejonge. The rest of us shared three specialty rolls: Not Scary Spider ..................................................Â............. 15.95 softshell crab, avocado, cucumber wrapped s.w.tuna Menage a Trois ..................................................Â............... 15.95 fried-unagi, cucumber, avocado with Tuna, S.W.Tuna, Salmon on top with a variety of sauces Dynamite Roll ...... .............................. 15.95 Shrimp Tempura , Avocado, Cucumber, Crab Meat & Scallop The sushi rolls were spectacular. The flavors were delightful as were the presentations. The three rolls were more than enough for the three of us. 153 Akira is a very welcome addition to the North Shore dining scene. We will definitely. be back.
(4)Melissa G.
Love this place. Small and unassuming! Great tuna rolls! Service was great. Cannot wait to go back!!!!
(5)Deah S.
The rolls were good but they were too tiny and expensive. I had one of the Ocean rolls and they were almost $15. I had a groupon, but without it, it hurts to pay so much for such tiny pieces of sushi.
(2)Giselle M.
Totes impressed that there is good sushi in the burbs. Definitely check this tiny place out if you live near here. Fresh fish and nice service. Isn't that all you really need? Left one star out because of the live jazz - ouch.
(4)Cheryl S.
The sushi at 153 Akira is soooo good! I'm a huge Toro fan but this place comes dangerously close to being just as delicious. My soon to be in-laws live in Glencoe so we tried this place and now i'm going to be begging them to go there everytime we visit the north shore! We ordered the Menaje Tois (??) roll for an appetizer and it was probably the best roll I've ever had! For my meal I had miso soup and the cruncy tuna roll which was also unbelievable. The fam had Udon noodles and golden shrimp which I tried and were both delicious. If Akira was in my neighborhood you better believe I'd be an annoyingly frequent customer!
(5)Scott S.
ADDENDUM: Had dinner at 153 Akira last night. It only got better! The owner called me by name - which startled me - turns out she had read my Yelp review (*blush* didn't expect that, especially when I referred to her so effusively) and was appreciative. She also brought a bottle of Ramune to the table right then! She comped us a tilapia tempura appetizer to begin with which was light, delicate, and incredibly tasty. Of course, due to sodium issues I could only have one piece with the least sauce, but it was still wonderful! On the way out she stopped me for a hug. How sweet is that?! My dining companions both had just one daily special roll, the avo-kani, for dinner, with asparagus tempura, crab, lots of vegetarian goodies, and a sweet sauce. It was big - 12 pieces? - and quite tasty. I tried the king crab nigiri sushi for a change and it was tasty, though I forgot to remove the seaweed band at first, which sort of balked the flavor for me. Still, after recovering from that, it was nice and light. and I did enjoy it. But let's hit the most important thing, perhaps: they had otoro last night., both sushi/sa and diced raw in a maki. I ordered a piece of otoro sashimi as part of my meal, of course. OH MY GOD. This was even some of the best *otoro* I'd ever had. Butter-smooth, was almost as flaky as salmon, and completely melted in your mouth. HEAVEN! Pure heaven. Let's put it this way: for dessert, I ordered another Ramune and another piece of otoro sashimi. :-) OK, I'm *hooked* 153 Akira is my new drughouse. (N.B.: Didn't know this review would supplant my old one. Please keep reading the original to get my full review of this amazing establishment.)
(5)Mark K.
Tempura Sweet Potato Rolls are as puzzling as they are delicious. And you can stuff your face with them at 153 Akira. We rolled in (get it?) about 10 minutes before the kitchen closes thinking that they were open a bit later. Normally I don't like to be one of THOSE kind of people, but due to a night of heavy drinking ahead of us and a huge taste for cylindrically shaped food, we didn't retreat and instead took a seat. Good thing because they are not only super fast but also super delicious. We were treated to some complimentary tilapia that was like a delicate fishy cloud in my mouth dotted with panko hail. The 3 rolls we ordered (dragon, tempura sweet potato, and soft shell crab) were eagerly consumed with much fervor. I barely even touched the soy because I didn't want to ruin the already spectacular flavor of the rolls. But I love using those neat soy sauce spouts so it was still poured. My mind was thoroughly blown thanks to the expanding pre-meal warm towels. I need to get out (to sushi joints) more often.
(5)Jeff M.
Top Quality Sushi in Wilmette - hands down. So, this is a multiple personality restaurant. It's the Buttry by day and 153 Akira by night. I've no clue if the Buttry is good, but this is by far and away the best Sushi I've had on the North Shore. Ra in The Glen is good with very creative rolls, but the quality and size of servings can't touch 153 Akira. I'm a big fan of the Green Ocean roll (tempura unagi inside with salmon on top), but pretty much everything we've had here is very good. Kelly (co-owner and hostess) is incredibly inviting and friendly - ever since my wife and I went the first time, she has remembered our names and even our kids names! Love, love, love this place.
(5)Marissa G.
i'm from the city, and i would drive out to Wilmette again for this place -- friendly, cozy, homestyle place. free tilapia tempura was so good, and the waitress brought us three extra peices because the wait was a little longer from a packed house. excellent breading and the soy sauce on it was yummy. we ordered a bottle of white wine, the menagetrois roll (like others have said, just amazing) and the bento box b. it was too much food! bulgogi and salmon were very nice, and the portions were massive, we could have ordered that alone and been more than okay. it came with tempura and seaweed salad too. The only thing bad i can say is that i've had fresher sashimi -- the white fish cuts were rubbery -- but really, if you want the best sashimi, go to the coasts.
(4)Cris G.
Since when does a restaurant serves your dinner entree first before appetizer?? Ridiculous ... Chicken teriyaki is so dry.. Waiter never asked if we want dessert... Will be my first and last visit ...
(1)Jasmyn K.
This was a bit of a trek as we were coming straight west, so the highway was not an option. We came on a weekday around 7 pm and were seated right away. It was a little odd with the jazz music they were playing but the restaurant is small and cozy. The area we were seated in was a little odd with a bookshelf next to us and there was a slight musty odor in that area. Server was good and quick, brought our sushi out in sections so we weren't overwhelmed with food but could pace through our dinner. Received the free tilapia appetizer which was an unexpected bonus which was tasty as well as the sweet potato rolls. Prices are good yet the portions are not small. Defiantly would come again if in the area.
(4)J M.
Wow - I'm so surprised by the 1 or 2 negative reviews but happy to see the MANY positive ones. This is the wrong restaurant to complain about. Yes it's tiny which does mean waiting sometimes. However, I've never met owners (Kelly & Akira) who do more to please their guests. They seriously go out of their way, and we really appreciate them. The fact that the sushi is fantastic doesn't hurt, either. :-)
(5)Chris K.
Ate dinner at 153 Akira last night. Great food, great portions and really friendly staff. Plan to be a regular.
(5)E L.
I love Akira. I can't say they have the best sushi around, but it's consistent with good service. We love the tilapia appetizer. I usually get a bento box because I love variety. The bento box has a lot of food, I usually end up bringing home the teriyaki for lunch the next day. My daughter loves the dragon roll. Sometimes the spicy rolls can be too spicy. I love spicy food, I'm Korean. I recommend this place over any sit-down sushi restaurant in Wilmette. For take-out, I love Sea Ranch.
(4)Susan D.
This is one of those go to places that if you go with some regularity becomes one of those comfortable places where they know you, they know what you like (even what beer you likely want), and also throw in a special touch here and there. They'll try to accommodate you if you want a "special roll" prepared some way that is not on the menu (and they'll remember that too next time you come!). Very friendly service, and great food. This is one of those places where a Groupon really did create repeat business -- in a big way! I never would have found my way there otherwise, and now I'm a regular.
(4)Corey S.
We just found this place and were pleasantly surprised. The food and service was great. Love the unique rolls. It's the kind of place you can easily become a regular. We'll be back again.
(5)Dave M.
My favorite sushi on the north shore. Specialty rolls are over the top. Service is extremely friendly. Store front restaurant with not a lot of Japanese decor, but comfortable. Awesome for take out too.
(5)Jim L.
City feel. Outstanding sushi. Favorites include: Not-Scary Spider Roll, Tempura Sweet Potato roll. Try it, you'll like it.
(4)Rafal S.
By far the best sushi.
(5)Cathy G.
Hate to be a downer, but this place has slipped. We used to eat here a lot and every bite was fresh, authentic and tasty. Had dinner here last night and it was pretty average. I had some gomae - Japanese style spinach salad- and it tasted like frozen spinach. And the dressing was slathered all over the heap of spinach...hardly the elegant style of presentation one expects in a Japanese restaurant. Next it was some sushi...California roll. It wasn't real crab meat but surimi. And the rice was wet and gummy. Nothing like good sushi rice. I also get annoyed at how they rush you. Last night we were headed for a show so it was ok but lately theyve even thrown all the dishes on the table at the same time when its busy. Ugh. I live in Wilmette so seeing this place go downhill is a real disappointment. Come on Akira. Get it together!
(2)Alan M.
153 Akira has become my ALL TIME favorite sushi restaurant! The owner Kelly makes it her point to know you by name making this eating experience very personable. The menu is quite varied and the fish is the highest quality I have seen in a very long time. I have been eating sushi/sashimi for 35 years and Akira has the BEST eel I have ever eaten. If there is something not on the menu, don't be shy to ask for it. They will make you any kind of roll you can create! They have a $5/glass wine special M-Th. This place gets 2 chopsticks up from me!
(5)Ben B.
if there is one thing I hate about yelp it is how one person (who is clearly obnoxious) can bring down the rating of a restaurant that is very good... yes, i'm talking about you Yanyao N. people who give 1 star and talk about their experience as if they were in a cattle car in '40s germany instead of waiting for a table at a totally decent sushi place are probably just disagreeable. you've never worked in the service industry? then seriously, shut up. 1 star? you didn't even eat the food! what Yanyao forget to mention is that she was a bitch to the hostess and having been a host at one time myself i'll tell you that i was never in a rush to seat anyone with an attitude. do yourself a favor sweetheart and lighten up! anyway, the food was great, service was fine and i'd definitely go back.
(4)Jackie F.
Good sushi, nice presentation and the staff is very friendly and will remember your name.
(4)J B.
First off Akira & Kelly are wonderful and caring people. They totally remember our names when we go in to eat or do takeout/delivery. Kelly knows that I don't like spicy and will always accommodate me with that. She delivers the food to our house. She will call if she is running late. The food is fresh, clean and nice sushi here. It is hard to find really good sushi on the North Shore here. We mainly do delivery and we like to try at least 1 new thing with each order to see if we will get it again. We tend to always get Tuna Tar Tar, Smoky Bear, Holiday Roll, and the Not so Scary Spider. It is all good stuff. Sushi is expensive in general but this tastes really good. I highly recommend it.
(5)Ryan M.
Just discovered Akira a few months ago. Best sushi in the Evanston area by far. Everything is fresh and we haven't had a bad item yet.
(5)R S.
Two years in Wilmette. From the west coast: seattle, Berkeley, and la. This is the only good Japanese restaurant on the north shore. If they moved into a good space with some some restaurant ambience it would be full every night. Or at least it should be. One of the only consistent north shore restaurants. There are 3 or 4 others but except for avli in winnetka, nothing at this price point. The gap between extreme wealth and astoundingly mediocre restaurants, or worse (see bluette), is hard to fathom. Someone will crack this nut...
(4)tim m.
A friend took me for lunch here and it was delicious. The staff was friendly. Recognized my friend right off the bat. I had the lunch special with 8 rolls and some udon. We also shared Tuna Tar Tar to start. Definitely plan to make a return visit
(5)Laurey T.
I've been hanging onto my Living Social deal for quite sometime. I guess the main reason I haven't used yet is because Sea Ranch has been my go to place (weekly) for sushi for years. It never disappoints. Last night, we wanted to dine in for sushi and it seemed like a good time to redeem our coupon. To my surprise, the rolls were very good! We ordered the classic California and spicy tuna rolls. If I had one negative comment, it would be that the pieces were a bit on the large size and the individual pieces were inconsistent. Other than that, the taste was right on. The rolls that really stood out were there caterpillar and dragon rolls. They were excellent. They will also make your rolls with brown rice, for an up charge of course. Not many sushi places that I have been to have this option. My kids enjoyed their shrimp tempura roll and chicken teriyaki. The service was great especially in refilling water glasses and clearing the table. The decor leaves something to be desired. We noticed many regulars chatting with the owner. Nice to see that. The owner approached us on our way out and thanked us for our business. In addition to Depot Nuevo and Gilson's, another owner who is a class act and knows how to treat their customers! We're looking forward to coming back!
(4)Jessy Y.
I went there after viewing the reviews on yelp and also the citysearch. They have a great lunch pricing $7 now. You get some udon soup and also some California and tempura rolls. I have to say the flavor is really mediocre. When eating the rolls, I feel the texture for rice is just too soft for me. I will not go back personally. My husband had their Sushi special for lunch. I know he is not impressed either.
(2)S B.
Atrocious service. Been there twice. Food always good but the service is never good and just this last time - rude. First time we went they wouldn't let us order a second dish that my family liked - simply no, that's not possible, clearly because they wanted the table. Tonight I walked in with a child on crutches. Stood for 10 minutes as staff walked past us without even acknowledging our arrival. Finally had to get someone's attention to ask how long was the wait. Was told 10-15 minutes with a strong hint of why don't you just leave - which of course we did. There's other good sushi in Wilmette - Akai Hana to start, plus plenty of places in Evanston.
(1)M G.
This is me and my fiance's favorite Japanese/Sushi place around Chicago. The food is always delicious, we get great service, small restaurant with a romantic setting (great for dates!). The rolls are just huge and we love them too!.
(5)Blackie L.
This is a really good little storefront sushi joint. The menu is very typical Chicago sushi... maki, rolls with creative names, miso soup, etc. It's in Wilmette-- they know their audience. However, the quality of the fish and the presentation is impressive. It isn't cheap, but not overpriced. I highly, highly recommend the $24 sashimi dinner. It is a great bargain, really fresh, and very beautifully presented. If memories serves, the dinner includes 3-4 generous pieces of salmon, tuna, escolar, mackeral, red snapper, and yellowtail (or whatever may be fresh).
(4)Margaret Z.
When my husband and I moved out of the city and into the suburbs, one of the things I missed the most was our favorite sushi spot in Lakeview. After "meh" experiences at several other sushi restaurants, a Groupon brought us to 153 Akira and it was love at first bite. The sushi is absolutely delicious. Generous portions of fish in well balanced maki rolls are what won us over. The actual restaurant is small and bustling with carry out orders, so not the quietest of dine-in experiences, but the quality of sushi makes that totally worthwhile. I am so glad we have found a new go-to spot and I point my friends here whenever they venture north of the city.
(5)Bill G.
Nice quiet area to sit out on a summer day and enjoy lunch. Good selection of tasty items to choose from ..
(4)Andy S.
Went here with a groupon which was nice. This is a nice little shop in Wilmette just east of the tracks. Everything we had here was really good. If I have one problem it seems like they rely on spicy mayo or some variation thereof quite a lot. But it certainly is delicious! We had a number of different things including shitake maki, soft shell crab, spicy tuna, and a specialty roll that I can't remember but it was delicious! Soft shell crab is always good. Spicy tuna was ok. But the awesome thing we got was the avocado volcano (I think that is what it's called?). We saw someone getting this thing that had two avocado halves filled with crab meat and spicy mayo type stuff, and then ON FIRE! And we were like, WHAT IS THAT? Do yourself a favor if you go here and order that bad boy. Delicious.
(4)Stephen M.
153 Akira! Loved it! I had an advance scout on sushi patrol and she reported that she enjoyed it, that it was worth a trip off our usual path, away from other credible restaurants. Interpretation: partner had a meal there with a friend and enjoyed it, saying we should try it. Since there were three of us when we went, we had a wide variety for our order and to react to. Rolls: Red Ocean--spicy tuna with seared tuna on top (perfecto! 5 stars); Honey Fire--crabmeat and jalapeno with other items (too sweet for me, but top of the line for the right palate); and Menage a Trois--a talented roll of three separate treats (great to share and sample with someone else). The rolls are generous in size and would serve as a full entrée for most. Appetizer: Gyoza--standard Japanese fare, but it met the test--very good. (The first time I find bad gyoza, I am not ordering another item!). Dinner item: Bulgogi, a grilled meat dish with teriyaki. (The scout ordered this. She had it before. She likes it. I'm not a teriyaki fan so I can't offer any true comment). The restaurant is smallish, but not too small, having artwork on the walls (playing recorded jazz played in the background); they seemed capable of handling spontaneous drop-ins without reservation. We were there on a Tuesday and a number of localites popped in for pickup--they were met with a friendly welcome and left quickly with their order ready for them. The host checked on us periodically (I did not mention to him the very loud, very, very loud ménage a trois of women who could not speak any more loudly if they were in a gym shouting at the top of their lungs--inside voices please! I can say these three are not there daily--whew!). So, our host was very affable and relaxed. The whole staff seemed at ease and truly desirous of us having a good dining experience. We did. I say bravo to the advance scout and to Akira!
(5)Tamir G.
Sushi might be good but the place needs ventilation and better service. Have to say that it's my second time coming. Despite the
(3)Lucas W.
I've been wanting to try Akira for a while now based on the yelp reviews. It lived up to the hype on yelp and I feel was pretty good value. I stopped in for lunch today and got Sushi C - 2 pieces of each tuna, salmon, unagi, and a spicy tuna roll. That's quite a bit of sushi for $14. Includes Miso Soup as well. Both the tuna and the salmon were excellent and quite sizable over a small bit of rice. Pretty lean cuts as well, full of flavor and lighter on the fat. The unagi was superb, clearly well prepared with just the right amount of eel sauce and the sauce was delicious throughout the eel not just a dab of sauce on top like so many other places. The spicy tuna roll was very tasty but not the spiciest and was definitely lower quality fish. I've had better spicy rolls elsewhere but it was a good compliment to the other 6 pieces of sushi. The table next to me ordered a handful of rolls which looked incredible - very colorful, sizable, brilliantly presented. Next time I go with other people, I'll definitely get a couple of the rolls. Looking forward to going back.
(5)Tian Y.
Good surburb sushi! I was definitely impressed. This will definitely be on my mind when I want sushi (though I don't think they deliver or use grubhub unfortunately)... Here's why: 1. Fresh fish... what a concept. Not sure why so many places skimp on this. Lack of competition? A clientele that can't tell the difference? Eh. 2. Parking! Not so much a suburb issue, but seriously... having to settle for crappy sushi vs dealing with city traffic... I like a place that avoids both. 3. Fast service - I placed an order after I walked in because I had questions, and the sushi was ready in minutes. With a hot kitchen app, the whole order took around 5 minutes! 4. Generous portions - The prices on the menu might look steep, but having put up with Chicago prices, you will be very happy with the amount of fish. $15 for a specialty roll might seem high, but it's like twice the diameter of an 8-pc roll from a city joint... plus fish wrapped all the way around the large circumference. You do the math. The menage a trois was very good. Interesting flavor and textures without hiding the fish entirely. You'll also find the same generous portions of fish in the spicy tuna salad! I'd skip the Golden Scallop - way too heavy and greasy after 2 bites and you can't even taste the scallop.
(4)Courtney K.
This place is amazing! All of their specialty rolls are super creative- I especially love the french kiss roll and the strawberry roll. Now that I have moved away from Chicago, I definitely will make it a priority to come back next time I visit my parents. They love this place too- service is very quick and the fish is unbelievably fresh. They also have a golden shrimp appetizer which is to die for.
(5)Kathy L.
Love this place! The owner is very friendly and the food is fantastic! I have come with groups and just two. Every time I have come it is always fresh and delicious! Make sure you have a reservation even on a weeknight! It is a small place and they do their best to get everyone seated. If you have a reservation be sure to get there on time and have everyone there. Will definitely go again!
(5)Emily M.
This restaurant is fantastic! Great service, but most importantly great food. The spicy tuna salad is to die for, getting the salad in as well as a spicy start. They serve a FREE shrimp tempura appetizer as well. The New York Steak is grilled to perfection with a fantastic Teriyaki flavor. The space is small, but cozy with nice music. The price is moderate but you get more than enough and more than what you pay for. The food is enough to keep you full for days. The sashimi pieces are huge & thin, incredibly tasty & easy to chew. Everything tasted amazing! Definitely worth trying.
(5)Tracy H.
Excellent and creative sushi rolls. Very fresh. Although the specialty rolls are pricey, they are well worth it! I have only eaten the rolls as carry out but the service was fast and friendly.
(4)Lok K.
I take out or eat in here often. My office is a block away but that's not the reason. This is simply one of the top Japanese restaurant in the whole Chicago and north shore area. Now Akira is small compared to the others and for me that adds to its comfort and charm. Delicious, artistic creations everyday! Love it!
(5)Connor B.
153 Akira, wow this was a surprise! For the last year I have been purchasing Groupons and going to different places to eat or drink that I would have never gone to with out a Groupon. With a love for sushi 153 Akira caught my eye and after seeing many other positive reviews I thought why not try it out! Location & Ambiance: 153 Akira is definitely not the largest place, its actually quite small, but that only adds to the feel of the restaurant. It is located near Northwesters so for me it was nearly a half hour drive, but it was definitely worth it! Ambiance & Location are great! Drinks: Both of us got hot tea, and we stuck to the basic green tea. Their green tea has a brown rice esque flavor to it which was great! Since getting dinner there I have been looking on Amazon to see if I can find their tea. I would definitely recommend you get some hot tea especially while its still so cold outside! Food: WOW! We ordered three dishes (We took pictures of all of them and posted them to Yelp so if you curious check out those pictures): First we had an appetizer of Tuna Tartar. The Tuna Tartar was amazing! Wow, probably the best tuna tartar I have ever had. It was the perfect mix of spicy and flavor. We then ordered two rolls: Blossom Roll and Menage A Trios Roll. Both I would recommend highly! Service & Staff: The service was average, and the staff was nice. One big thing for me is always: Can they keep my glass full or water, tea, or any other beverage. They were on top of it the entire time! They kept filling up our cups with hot water for tea. Also the service was relatively quick which was nice! Overall, 153 Akira was a fantastic experience! If you are looking for a nice place to go on a date or even hang out with a friend for a nice dinner this would be a good spot to settle for! Before you go definitely check Groupon and see if their deal is live! The prices are a little high, but its definitely worth the price you pay!
(5)Jim K.
Excellent food. Their sauces are excellent and made every dish we had very tasty - but a bit sweeter than what you would get in Japan. Have traveled to Japan a lot. Atmosphere good. Got a table at 7:30 on a Sat night no reservation.
(5)Billy O.
There has been a lot of chatter about all the new restaurants in downtown Wilmette, but the best restaurant is around the corner on Greenleaf Ave. 153 Akira. We've been going here for years and it's always a fantastic experience. The owners are always there and they treat us like family. The sushi rolls are works-of-art prepared by real sushi chefs who obviously take pride in their creations. They are also delicious! We have tried all of the specialty rolls and they are packed with an array of delicacies layered with generous portions of fish. We have never been disappointed with the sushi. It's always fresh and well prepared! The owners are so kind and even offer menu suggestions to change up our routine. You can't go wrong sharing 2 specialty rolls between two people. (We're partial to the rolls ending in "ocean".) The wine list is good and the beer is cold. It's a small place but the lighting is nice and intimate. In the summer, we sit outside and watch the sunset. The prices are great for the quality and portions you get. It's also great for carry-out. The rolls hold up well. I always like to reward restaurants that work hard to maintain standards of excellence. 153 Akira is as good as any Chicago sushi joint, and we are lucky to have it in our town!
(5)Chris H.
Food was OK at best. Dinner was very dirty, the blinds haven't been cleaned in over 2 years if I had a guess.
(3)Randall K.
Took my girls here on Friday night. Wife plus 2 teenagers and 1 princess. The place was pretty packed. We didn't wait, but they were busy. The handled it pretty well. The place does get noisy and tables are close together. The princess loves the shrimp dumplings. They also split a chicken terriocki dish that was very good. I had a "dynomite" roll that was super tasty and my wife had a shrimp tempora roll and the California roll. Both so-so. Thanks for the "yelper" who mentioned the no refills on the pop. Definitely saved me a few bucks. All in all, not bad. I dropped 1 star because the meal was pricey and another because the California roll was so-so. I would go back for the dynomite!!!
(3)Allen C.
I found this particular Japanese restaurant through Amazonlocal with $30 spend on food/drink $15 coupon. This restaurant resides on a quiet street and it's very easy to miss. If the weather permits, you can dine outside the restaurant, they've got tables/ chairs setup for you. The times I have been here are always in the evenings, and it's a pretty good place to bring a date here since the lighting inside is pretty warm, relax, and dim. Every time I go to a Japanese restaurant I will make sure they have chirashi, assorted fillets of fish served on top of sushi rice, on the menu because I love sashimi and to me I think chirashi has the biggest bang for the buck. When the chirashi arrived, I was amazed how generous portions of sashimi they served. Each sashimi was not cut too thin and the size of it was moderately generous. Sashimi was fresh, and everything else was succulent. Also I almost forgot to mention that the dish looks appealing that you would want to take a picture of it how well it's decorated, It's quite colorful. Ever since I have been to this restaurant, I have always ordered chirashi so I haven't had the chance to try out other dishes, but until then. I would definitely recommend anyone that loves Japanese food to come here. By the way, last time I was there the waiter offered us sample dish free of charge. It was very nice of them to try out chef's latest work.
(5)Marla L.
Akira sushi is the best! I have been eating there for a while and have never, never had a bad meal. The sushi is always fresh . I have ordered carry out and have eaten in and it's always great. I love the speciality rolls. The sushi rolls and pieces of fish are a nice size. We have ordered their dinners and they are great too. The owners are always on hand at the restaurant. Akira and Kelly are the best. I have to make a special mention to Kelly. She has a special gift to be so professional , caring, smart with the best personality all at the same time. I love be able to see them as well as eating their delicious food. I highly recommend 153Akiira.
(5)Rachel N.
Rolled up at 6p on a Friday night (aka, balling) and we were the only people in there for a solid 45m - naturally this gave me pause, but I did note that they seem to do a brisk pick up business, calming the impending feeling of doom w/in me that they had recently poisoned someone with fugu or something scandoloso like that and this news had not yet made it to Yelp. Having grown up expecting sushi on the North Shore to be a little sad/flavorless, I was pleasantly surprised by 153 Akira - did it blow my mind? No. But, the fish was all fresh and appropriately flavorful - in fact, on those two metrics alone, it was already leaps and bounds ahead of most of the other sush in the area. Started w/ a miso soup and a gomae salad - we were off to a good start as I was thrilled w/ the mound of spinach that was smothered in a delicious sesame dressing - we then rolled into a chirashi (for the amnt of fish + rice + pickled veg they give you, it's a bargain at $21.5) and a few rolls. The negihama was lovely, as were the salmon/avo and veggie rolls. The fish to rice proportions were on target and everything was rolled up into perfect little bite sized packaged of love. The basic rolls (like what I listed above) range in price from $5-$7 and as expected, the more diluted your roll gets, the pricier it becomes. For example, if you're looking for a "menage a trois" - a roll w that manages to include fried unagi, cucumber, avocado, tuna, white tuna, and salmon (also with the terrifying addendum of "a variety of sauces on top") - you'll pony up $16 - but really, as you have 1/2 the stock of the Pacific Ocean on your plate, that price seems more than fair. There are abt 25 specialty rolls in this upper echelon of bastard sushi on the menu while the rest is devoted to more classic, simpler rolls. In short, prices are reasonable - you can get plenty to eat for $25-30/pp (w/o wine, dessert) - and although the ambiance is nonexistent and I left smelling as though I had been stuck in a tempura fryer, I have to say, the food here is pretty good. Super creative Japanese? No. Decent sush for a place next to Lake Michigan? Yes. If you're from Wilmette, Winnetka, K-town, Akira is the best option out there.
(4)Nic Z.
Went for dinner last night. Not what I had hoped for. Service was merely adequate, food alright, and the facility itself kind of run down. Suggest Sushi Kushi in Lake Forest for a much better experience.
(3)Joan A.
This place is a cute little romantic restaurant. If you're into sake, definitely check it out here, they have a beautiful presentation for it (see picture, hard to explain). Had an appetizer of scallops with "egg sauce" - it was delicious. To explain the egg sauce, it was similar to the egg sauce you'd find at hibachi, except it seems they put both the egg yolk and egg white in there, making it more like a fancy, delicate omelette. Their sushi is great - went for the dynamite, salmon avocado, AAC (asparagus, avocado, cucumber) rolls, and the super white tuna and squid nigiris. Everything was super fresh. This is kind of weird, but their sushi rice is probably the best I've ever had; there was something different about it that I couldn't exactly pin down. Even when they're busy, this place busts out rolls at lightning speed! I'm impressed and will definitely be back :)
(5)Tim H.
Good neighborhood sushi option. I was surprised by the high quality of the sushi here. Service was quick and friendly for lunch. If you are in the area, I definitely recommending trying it out for sushi or other food.
(4)Julie H.
This is by far the best sushi I've ever had. it was so incredibly fresh and delicious. I've been here twice only because I don't live in the area and only visit when I am in Chicago. I've never had a better rainbow roll in my life - and I've tried to look for places that can top that rainbow roll and none have come close. The place is very cute and the staff is great, I think the owner or managers name is Kelly, what a sweetheart!! The two times that I've been to Akira, I have always left happy and had the best sushi my palette has tasted. The best word to describe the sushi that I had is: fresh.
(5)Bill S.
Food was very good albeit too salty. Service was disappointing however; they brought the wrong entree and then implied that it was my mistake. If I go back I will go for lunch where the prices are more reasonable. Service was generally friendly and fast. Miso soup was excellent.
(3)Lisa A.
I've frequented Akira on more than 1 occasion and it's always been fresh and flavorful. This evening I started with the Gomae and found their homemade sesame sauce delightfully different than traditional Gomae. The Agedashi Tofu was very tasty but the tofu texture was not smooth like I am used to and I prefer a different crust than what was presented. The rolls were a hit: Holiday Roll with real king crab, tuna & shrimp wrapped in soypaper had a slight hint of sesame seed oil and perfect sushi rice to accompany the roll followed by the Turtle Roll with fresh water eel, shrimp in a creamy wasabi sauce topped with wasabi masago! Yummilicious.
(4)Karen I.
Love love love. Owned and managed by a lovely young couple. Spectacular fresh artistic creative sushi. Green ocean, turtle, chirashi are my favorites. Love the udon soup -enough for a group to share. Great service and easy takeout.
(5)Ehow C.
Best Groupon purchase, ever. My friend and I gorged on a five-course meal, which was totally worth the price. The edamame was fine (kind of weaksauce for a five-course meal), and the tuna tartar was very tasty. The stars of the evening were the sashimi and the specialty rolls. The sashimi was extremely fresh and came in generous portions, generous meaning at least double the size of sashimi at other restaurants. I was in salmon heaven, really. The specialty rolls were also very impressive. Our regular maki of salmon and avocado were good, but these specialty rolls made me close my eyes and shiver in delight. The "Menage a Trois" roll was deliciously layered with flavor, and the Dragon roll had an excellent crunch compared to ones I've had before. I don't know if I would come here if I didn't have a Groupon given the price range, but I will say that if you live in the area, you love sushi, and you have some money to spend, you should give yourself a treat and come here for a night of sashimi bliss.
(5)Cristina V.
This sushi place is a gem in downtown Wilmette. Most restaurants around this area close quickly, are expensive, or simply aren't that great. It doesn't look like much from the outside or inside, but what matters most to me is the freshness of the sushi and overall flavor. Being that I'm allergic to shellfish I'm regulated to fish, unagi, and veggie rolls; all of the rolls I've ever had at this restaurant taste fresh and delicious. The Smokey-Bear is by far one of the most interesting sushi rolls I've ever eaten (it has melted mozarella on top of it people!), but if you're not up for it there are quite a few others I would recommend: the Menage-a-Trois, Green Ocean, Alaskan (all are signature rolls). I typically go during lunch, so service is fast and the environment fairly calm. It's truly great, and you should definitely try it if you're ever craving sushi.
(4)Rob F.
As good as it gets for the area. For a Korean run Japanese restaurant, in Wilmette, and designed for Wilmette (piano classical music, white paper table cloths, dark wood furniture), they really surprised me. My chirashi was presented well, big, fresh, and had good variety of fish (snapper, super white tuna, yellowtail, tuna, salmon).
(4)Luke S.
I went here with my family and only hear of this place from the Groupon that we had purchased. I can't tell you how pleasantly surprised we were. We got one sushi dish to split between the two of us, which came in addition to the free tempura talapia that they brought. The server recommended that we get the menage trios roll and it was one of the best rolls that I've ever had. The roll melted in my mouth and had the perfect combination of flavors and crunch. My main course was one of my Japanese stables, Nabayaki Udon. I can confidently say that it was the best that I have had. It was piping hot to where the broth was feverishly bubbling when they brought it out. My only complaint was that the service was not as attentive as I would have liked. We were in somewhat of a hurry and waited a few minutes to be seated. Then once we were seated we tried to get our waitresses attention and she didn't hear us even though she walked right by us a couple times. Clearly it wasn't that big of a deal since I'm still giving this gem 5 stars. I'll be back soon to pig out on their sushi!
(5)Nicolette A.
My husband and I are regulars at Dowize Bistro. This past weekend we decided to try this place.When I walked in to pick up my order. The women behind the host stand was very rude. The California Roll and Spicy Tuna Roll had a very odd flavor. I don't know why this place has such good reviews. When we are craving sushi we'll defiantly just go to Dowize.
(1)Gaby R.
This is a great place! The food is delicious and have not been disappointed in the least! I frequent this place so much they know me and remember my usual! I highly recommend it. Staff is friendly, food comes out fast and as I said, the food is delish!
(5)Jenny F.
Sadly, I have to knock this down a few pegs. I've been here twice since the original review, and while yes, the quantity and variety are pretty good, the actual quality is subpar. Today, I had a tempura battered spicy tuna roll. Delicious concept, yes? Well, they put sauce on the sushi and it's an inside out roll so the rice is on the outside, so by the time it gets to you the crunch of the tempura is gone and you're left with a slight pancake batter feeling after you eat a piece, leaving not so great eats. The flavor is still good though. but it's hard to mess up spicy tuna. I also got the teri chicken and salmon entree. Maybe it's because it was packed to the gills today (ha ha, gills...sushi), but the salmon and the chicken were both overcooked and a little dry. And it's really just cooked meat, with teriyaki sauce poured all over it. So all in all, when you first go, it's a very flashy restaurant that gets you with its complementary fish appetizer, the 'wow' of the portions and variety in one bento box, the coziness of feeling like you're in someone's home, the great service, but when it comes down to it...the food doesn't live up to the rest of the restaurant's great qualities, unfortunately. Nevertheless, I'll probably be back to check out their other sushi and soup, but I'll leave the bentos behind.
(3)Adam Z.
I've eaten here several times and it's been a good experience. Akira is a small Japanese restaurant on the outskirts of downtown Wilmette. The interior is mostly undecorated, nothing fancy about it, just good sushi. The sushi rolls are kind of small, but that's ok because I would only come here for lunch. The place is too small to expect to hang out for a long dinner. And the menu is all "Lunch" and "Lunch Specials" you'd be hard pressed to find the dinner menu in small print at the bottom. Akira is a good place to pop in for a light lunch. For dinner, I would go around the corner to the other sushi restaurant in town (Kama Kura) which is a more upscale place with table service, larger portions and a finer grade of seafood. I would go to Akira without expecting a huge discount (Groupon) and enjoy the meal for what it is, instead of how much of a deal was given. "Cheap" and "fish" don't always go together (or you wouldn't want them to, trust me). I'm glad to hear the owner at Akira stuck to providing quality over quantity.
(4)Sandy S.
AMAZING SUSHI! Went here for the first time with two of my friends because most sushi places that we knew of were closed Mondays and we three were CRAVING sushi. After yelping a place close to Old Orchard we found 153 Akira to be less than 3 miles away. It's a small but quaint and intimate place with the absolute nicest waiters and servers! They have such a clean restaurant too. We ordered the edamame as an appetizer and they gave us a complimentary White fish tempura. We ordered the Spicy Salmon roll, California Crunch roll, Caterpillar roll and Crunchy Tuna roll. The last two were specialty rolls and they were just SO DELICIOUS! Everything was good down to the water with a lemon wedge :) I totally recommend this place! Please give it a chance if you're looking for something new to try out!
(5)Carlos L.
Not a bad place, the sushi is nothing special but it definitely isn't bad. About my only criticism is that while the hostess had plenty of room to seat people in different areas of the dining rooms she started putting everyone in the corner we were in. It turned a nice quiet time in to a loud dining room. Otherwise, it's probably worth it for the quality.
(2)Karen M.
Had groupon & decided to try 153 Akira the day before Valentine's day. Got there a little after 5 pm, service was very good. My husband ordered the sashimi dinner - there were 5 different types of fish 3 pieces each & very good size pieces. The fish was very fresh & good. I ordered the tempura sashimi dinner & the tempura was nice & lightly battered & crispy with plenty of vegetables. Again the sashimi 5 different types of fish - 2 pieces each. We also ordered the Not So Spicy Spider & Yellow Ocean - great presentation - the spider comes with a flame on the plate. My son also tried the gyoza & chicken teriyaki. Both were very good. Thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We will be back.
(4)Carmen A.
Ménage a trios? I think yes!!! Incredible roll such an explosion of flavors. The restaurant itself was pretty tiny with exactly two tables to sit in front. My wife enjoyed the fried cream cheese balls but I took a pass. I would of given them five stars but the alcohol selection was quite limited and I love my martins. Really enjoyed this restaurant.
(4)S S.
I really truly love this place. It's my go to for sushi. When I think of sushi I dream of this place. As far as sashimi goes, this place delivers. It's always super fresh and the largest portions you might be able to find. I also love the tuna and salmon avocado salads as well as the spicy sashimi salad. If you are looking for variety get a bento box. There is enough sashimi or roll to satisfy that craving with the tempura and teriaki to fill you up. If you like avocado, get the flaming avocado with seafood. The slight warmth, texture, and flavor is amazing. I wish it was okay to lick out the avocado shell at the end... but always find a way to hold back! Finally, when we first started coming here my fiance's main complaint was the size of the rolls. Being new to chop sticks, the rolls were just too hard for him to get to his mouth. Now that he's got the hang of chop sticks he's come to love the huge rolls as much as I do! After going for the past few years there are a few things that have changed. When we first started going we would get warm towels for our hands. We were also given free desert on a few occasions along with the tilapia. More recently there are no towels, sometimes we don't get the free tilapia and certainly no free desert, our water glasses have gone empty for a while, and my white wine has been warm They also seemed a little unhappy when we came in with a groupon. I'm not sure if having the groupons and getting busier has contributed to the changes or something else. It's still one of my fav. places, I just know that it's been even better in the past!
(5)Meagan F.
What a gem! This place was great. My husband and I went on a Thursday night- around 7:30. We were seated immediately. The service was fantastic! We started with some Sake, and didn't know which to get. Our server was very informative, and answered all our questions. Ultimately, she let us try some overflowing glasses of her favorites, and we got a bottle. The chef even sent over a little fish amuse bouche! The rolls were amazing. Fresh fish, beautiful presentation. Get the Menage a Trois roll- it was the best by far! Overall, a great little restaurant! I recommend stopping here if you're in the area and looking to grab some great sushi! We'll be back.
(4)Yanyao N.
This place infuriated me. What part of the reservation system is difficult to understand? Could someone explain this to me please? I mean, sure, I've never worked in the industry but it really doesn't seem to difficult. Saturday evening scenario: 6pm: We had 6pm reservations and showed up on time. This place is so small and there were a few people waiting by the door that we almost didn't get inside. I go and wait behind a couple to check in with the host. Many minutes go by as she also has the duties of pick up call order taker and spends a lot of time running around the restaurant. 6:10pm: Finally, the couple waiting in front of me get addressed by the hostess. She asks if they have reservations. They say "No, do we need them?" Hostess replies "Yes. Just a moment" and disappears. (I'm still waiting). 6:15pm: The no reservations couple in front of us gets sat at a 2-top. I finally get noticed, say we had reservations for 6pm and am asked to wait "a couple of minutes". At this point, there were only two 4-tops open in the restaurant. So, after standing around for 30 minutes, and being constantly bumped into by servers, the door, pick up customers, we decide to leave. 6:30pm: We walk out the door. The hostess comes chasing after us, saying that our table is ready. A little too late for that. I explain to her that she shouldn't have sat the 2-top and she said "but they were here first". (Didn't she tell them earlier that they needed them?) So, I ask her what the point of making reservations are, if anyone can just waltz in and get a table. Gee, let's think of the possible ways this could have gone: 1) Tell couple without reservation that they will have to wait for a table because they have a 6pm seating. I'm sure they wouldn't have been as angry as I am, and then we would have been sat and I could have eaten some sashimi. Yay! Everyone wins. 2) Realized mistake and sat us at a 4-top? (Dude, one time at Hugo's Frog Bar, I had to wait 40 minutes after our reservation for the table. When our dreamboat waiter found out about it, he brought rounds of beers on the house and a huge strawberry shortcake at the end of the meal to make up for it. Good customer service is very effective. I love that place). 3) Have someone else dealing with pick up order calls, so this girl could have been solely responsible for seating people instead of ignoring waiting people for 10 minutes at a time. How does this NOT make sense? I have been to plenty of restaurants were people have been turned away for not having reservations when it is busy, or asked to wait a few hours. I am also well aware that restaurants can get busy and have no problem waiting for a table to open up. That is why I never eat anywhere on Friday/Saturday without booking a table first. I have not encountered this level of incompetence in the service industry for years. Clearly, they are not capable of handling a busy night. It made me sad, but only for a little while, before I found somewhere else to take my money.
(1)Lenny G.
The food was pretty good. I've tried their sushis as well as other entrees and they're all better than your average Japanese restaurant. I like that they have a large drink menu (including multiple types of teas). The restaurant is a little small with a strange layout. The two sides are almost completely separate from each other. It was also a little strange to have the severe of the wait people, including one of their children, just standing there next to you in the small restaurant while you're eating.
(3)Anne M.
This evening we redeemed our Living Social coupon at Akira. After this evening's meal, we'll definitely be back! While the dining room is plain, the service and friendliness of the staff is fabulous. The complimentary whitefish tempura that was brought to our table just melted in our mouths! Their cucumber salad was most attractively served in a lovely glass bowl and was a light compliment to the tuna tar tar, a specialty of the house. With just the right amount of "heat", the tar tar was delicious on the crispy wontons. Our entree was steak teriyaki- cooked perfectly, very tender with just the right amount of teriyaki. As we waited for our check, our heads turned in awe at the beautiful shrimp/vegetable tempura looking light as a feather at another table and a gorgeous selection of sushi rolls. Can't wait to come back and start working our way through the menu. The food is incredibly fresh and beautifully presented. Service was perfect.
(4)Leaht F.
Adorable restaurant with delicious sushi. A bit expensive, but definitely filling for a sushi restaurant and the food was beautifully arranged. My boyfriend is not usually a fan of Japanese food, but he was pleasantly surprised and loved 153 Akira. I felt a bit rushed towards the end of the night, but that's totally understandable since they were fairly empty and it was getting late. The owner chatted with us for a while; he was really nice and brought out his bible to explain the meaning of the name 153 Akira (the verse pertains to fishing a many fish). Was glad to go there and would definitely go back! Also, bonus points for easy parking and a a tasty homemade ice cream store around the corner!
(4)Tom M.
Went to Akira for a late dinner. Food was delicious and ambiance was perfect. It helped that it was a beautiful summer evening and there were few people at the restaurant. I'm happy to have Akira in Wilmette.
(5)Dave J.
The food is very good. Service was exceptionally quick (we were in and out in less than 20 minutes!), and the prices are reasonable. We went in on a Monday night and were the only ones in the restaurant. Had two appetizers (edamame and tuna tartare which was excellent) a classic roll, and two specialty rolls. For a place in Wilmette, it could use some sprucing up, decor wise. But since we were there for less than 20 minutes, we weren't hanging around for the atmosphere anyway. I recommend this place if you're in the area.
(4)Jaeson K.
great little sushi placein the north shore. each roll is more beautiful then the last. flavors are good of both the sushi and the dinners... kids got cooked salmon, and the place was quite kid friendly. highly suggest going.
(4)Hannah P.
This is a cute small place to chill. Wish there was a half star because I would rate it 3.5. Went with my sisters for sister's night and our server was awesome. We had a groupon and it was no issue at all, we were treated like a regular customer. Dynamite roll, white ocean roll, tuna tar tar, salmon carpacchio were my faves. If I'm in the area would come back again.
(4)ann s.
I'm just not feeling mean enough to just give two stars, but that's sort of how I feel about my experience. Four stars for the sushi, one star for the way they handled our Groupon--and the way they handled us. The Groupon noted that it could not be used for "lunch specials." Knowing that, I looked at Akira's menu fairly carefully before I committed to the Groupon. The Akira menu was a bit confusing. On the left lunch area, there was a heading called "lunch specials." Then on the right was a column in which a top banner advertised a super-cheap customer-appreciation lunch special, and then below it, in regular type, were a bunch more lunch items under no particular heading beyond "salad," "bento box" and "sushi entrees." Some of them were $13-$18 sushi or sashimi platters, which my dining companion and I both thought were regular lunch items as opposed to the "lunch specials" on the left. The upshot is, there is no such thing as regular lunch. Everything that's not dinner is a "lunch special." Upon our weekday lunchtime arrival in the mostly empty restaurant, we were informed we could only use the Groupon on the dinner menu--which, by the way, is pretty expensive, especially for lunch. We had a rather long discussion with them about this, first with the woman who served us and then with the male owner or manager, who basically pointed out that if one could use the Groupon for lunch, it would be too good a deal for us and bad for him. We were polite; they were polite but inflexible and seemed unconcerned about our understandable confusion over the deal wording and menu layout. We weren't trying to change their mind so much as get them to see how we felt. If they offer this Groupon again, they should simply state, "Dinner menu only." That would be much clearer. In the end, my Groupon mostly bought the two of us a single 7-pc. "sushi special" dinner, for lunch, that we split, plus a piece of saba that we also split. At $19, the platter was one of the least expensive things on the dinner menu. Many of the fancier rolls clock in at about $16. All but one or two of the sushi pieces were above average, all were generously sized, and we agreed that the California roll was one of the best we've had. But I would have probably been happier with the place had I actually walked in off the street and paid the full $13 lunch price for the comparable 6-pc. sushi lunch platter. While it wouldn't have been cheap, it wouldn't have left a (figurative) bad taste in my mouth. We left, thinking, "Well, sometimes with Groupon, you lose one." Also, this place used to be called "The Butt'ry," which is still risibly visible on the awning. With so many good sushi places around, our butts likely won't be back.
(3)Teresa M.
Came in because of a groupon which had expired. They were super accommodating by giving us a credit for the amount we had spent on the groupon. The manager was extremely attentive asking us if it was our first time there and suggesting the delicious ménage-a-trois roll. Our server was sweet and quick and the ambience was lovely. Everything was fresh and delicious and our family of 5 will definitely be back!
(5)Alecia S.
This was our first time here and only because we had a LivingSocial. After being seated with a reservation, we waited about 10-15 minutes for a server (owner) to acknowledge us for drink orders. The tables are very close together and the food was nothing to write home about; even with our LivingSocial the bill was high. The owner kept touching our baby and ended up asking us if she could take him and hold/walk around with him for a while (it's okay because she has a child too?)- that was an awkward no.
(3)Keith H.
You cannot beat this place. We started with he edamame and Tuna Tar Tar. I appreciated the tuna's table side presentation and I was blown away by the flavor. It comes served with crispy home made wontons that perfectly complement the sweet and tangy flavor. The edamame was pretty standard, but a pretty healthy serving. The soft shell grab roll is listed under their classics. I've usually ordered this as a speciality roll, but this was pretty much up to par. The crab itself was smaller than I usually have, but still really good. We ordered some sashimi pieces and I was delighted at the long ribbon cut as opposed to the stout brick shape that I usually get. All our fish pieces has a very clean smell and were phenomenal tasting. The Black Ocean roll is to die foe. I'm pretty sure I could eat this forever and still be happy. But the best of the night goes to the Menage a Trois roll - a roll topped with two or three bites each of salmon, tuna, and super white tuna. The presentation is gorgeous with tri colored tobico and a variety of sweet and creamy sauces and a big paper loop on the edge of the plate that creates a house for the ginger and wasabi. I went here on a Groupon, but I would gladly go back when the mood for sushi strikes me.
(5)Natalie B.
The sushi here is fine. Its standard fare--not bad but not great. However the service is what would keep me from going back. Cold waiters who try to rush you in and out and are obnoxious when they realize you have a groupon. I live close by and have eaten here a few times before, and given the lack of good restaurants near my house probably would continue to dine here. But not after the rude service this past Sat night. I'll only patronize the sushi joint Kamakura near the movie theater instead.
(2)Char Y.
we came on the weekend night right before they closed. They were closing at 9:30 and we arrived at 8:30. We were the only customer there. We checked in through yelp, and received the tilapia appetizer for free. We ordered tilapia - good, deep fried so it's crisp on the outside bento box b - the bulgogi was soggy with too much sauce. the sashimi was still frozen. i was not impressed. katsu - too thin and not crispy. I was quite disappointed with this place since it was voted "best sushi of 2010". The service was ok, but the food was not up to standard.
(2)Cheryl C.
Maybe we hit Akira on a bad day, the service was very poor and the sushi was less than marginal. In fact, it was downright fishy. It was expensive too. Much better sushi options in Evanston, I'll pass on Akira.
(1)Pam H.
The food and service here are amazing!! We hadn't been here in about 6 months but were greeted BY NAME when we walked in. They remembered our favorite bottle of wine and could not have been friendlier! And above all, the food is incredible- we will never go to another sushi place. Absolutely the best!!
(5)Ruth M.
This is the best sushi on the North Shore. The fish is good quality and everything tastes awesome. They have unique rolls and specials that you won't find at other restaurants. Everyone there is so nice! Kelly gets to know all her customers, and regulars sometimes get a free appetizer. It's always really cozy and friendly inside. Definitely recommend going here!
(5)Yvonne Y.
I'm guessing it was an off night for them? 2 star review because we ordered the chirashi and most of my fish were soggy and tasted a bit unfresh. My husband left 5 pieces of sashimi untouched and I left two as well. I don't know if I've ever left sashimi on my plate. It's too bad as I wanted to like this place and it's not far from my neighborhood.
(2)Dana M.
I'm always in the mood for sushi and my guest and I decided to try this place out since we always see their coupons in this suburban coupon book that comes in the mail once a month. I forget what the discount was, I think it was 20% off the bill... It was a Saturday night, the night before Mother's Day actually and we got seated right away. The place is very small and loud, some guests were seated next to the unisex washroom door. I was glad we got seated at a table for 2 by the window. Small place equals you are a foot or two next to your neighbors. There was definitely a communication barrier between our server and us. We had difficulty understanding each other but it was fine at the end; we got what we ordered. The staff seems friendly and I did hear some of them calling customers by name. I remember thinking... "wow- those must be regular customers!" I didn't thoroughly read other reviews before dining here and noticed that we didn't get warm towels to clean our hands. That would've been nice... My guest and I had some Saporro, I think they were out of Asahi. We shared a tempura combination and three rolls which included the dragon roll, spider roll, and turtle roll. They were pretty good! I liked the dragon roll the best-- have to try that everywhere I go and I think they have one of the best. The food came with soup or salad and since I always love homemade ginger dressing with fresh greens, I opted for that. It was good but the salad was drowning in the dressing. At the end, I had to fish out pieces of lettuce and red pepper. Overall, it was a good experience. Although, I have to say that I was quite embarrassed when at the end of the night, our waitress gave me a small gift and said "Happy Mother's Day". I didn't know what to say... "thank you.... I guess?" Hey- I guess I should be appreciative I got a free gift; chopsticks for my hair since I sure couldn't re-gift to my mom.
(4)Mindy S.
Unsure about the rave reviews. I'd say maybe we went on an off night? but it was a Friday night. Food and fish was just not good. We didnt have to wait for a table, but quickly filled up with no room to move in there. prices were not cheap. We went in the city the next night and our meal at another place was 100 times better and cheaper. Dont think we will be back.
(2)