ISHI & Kaori’s Oven — Restaurant in Champaign

Summary: 3.5 stars rounded up. Amazing quality fish, but mediocre rice and variety. Service and attentiveness could be better distributed, for the lack of a better term.

We went with the omakase ($72 per person, as of 01 Aug 2025) on a Friday for our very first time at ISHI & Kaori's Oven. I made the reservations by text just a couple of weeks prior, and on the day, we arrived at the establishment at 11:55am sharp. The entrance was a bit confusing to find.

One thing that I was let down by was the variety--or the lack thereof, I should say. You start out with a small platter of sashimi as a little "preview" of what's to come. This was great because it let you get a sense of how fresh everything is, and it really gets you excited for all the wonderful yet familiar tastes you're going to experience soon. However, I didn't know that this would mean we'd be getting some variation of tuna 6 times in total. SIX. (Five if you exclude the plate at the beginning.) Sure, they weren't all exactly the same, but maguro, fattier tuna, negi toro, charred tuna, etc... By the third or fourth iteration, I was definitely wishing for something different. I have no complaints against tuna, but the earlier pieces that utilized yuzu or shiso felt novel and actually helped make the overall experience feel unique and special. Can't say the same about the rounds of tuna, no matter how rich or decadent they were.

The rice was also very average at best. There was quite a lot to start with--it sometimes felt like one giant clump and had no noticeable taste of its own. I know that the fish is the star, yes, but the shari did not complement nor elevate whatever was on top in a noticeable way.

Lastly, the service/attentiveness--I could tell that there were plenty of regulars that had came in this day, as the atmosphere was very lighthearted and chatty throughout. I could overhear Ken sometimes drop little fun facts and stories about the fish he was serving, and as someone that loves to know anything and everything about what they're eating (I believe it's part of any elevated dining experience), I wanted to take part in the discussion as well! But because the table itself is very long horizontally & I was seated in the farthest end, the conversations really only happened on the other side with the same people over and over again--in fact, the only time I really got to interact with Ken/Kaori was when we were getting our food. I think it'd be a more interesting experience overall for every customer if the fun facts were made known to everybody rather than a select few.

My biggest highlights (aside from the unique initial few I mentioned previously) were the miso soup, scallop, and the fatty tuna-scallop-uni triple decker. The inclusion of salmon pieces in the miso soup helped make it feel more hearty and homey, and the broth base itself tasted so deep and comforting. (I later found out Ken uses fish scraps to make the broth!) Out of all of the pieces, the scallop truly shined through with its amazing succulent sweetness and melt-in-your-mouth consistency. I need to know where they get their scallops. And lastly, the triple decker. I didn't think that combining uni, scallop, and fatty tuna would work. After all, it's quite literally 1) butter of the sea on top of 2) the epitome of decadence and indulgence on top of 3) one of the fattiest cuts of fish ever. But you know what? It works. It works out fabulously. And that surprised me.

The maguro, charred tuna, and salmon (both regular and charred) were not very remarkable, and the negi toro rolls had too much rice with still-entangled tuna that wasn't chopped up enough.

Desserts (not included) were honestly another highlight. Get everything.

I do wish they'd make logistics slightly clearer for first-timers. You can get the phone number from Google Maps, but what method is preferred? Calling? Texting? What time slots are available for the omakase? How long does it take? How far ahead should you make the reservation in advance? Let's make the process easier and...

I found Ishi after searching for sushi places in Champaign and was surprised to see a new spot with no reviews just a couple blocks from my house. After tasting the food, I cannot believe that they didn’t have a line wrapping around the block. Chef Ken has created a space that is authentic, personal, and I can tell he is passionate about the food he is sending out. The quality of the food and the overall atmosphere is completely unmatched by any other sushi restaurant in town. How many other places here have a sushi bar that you actually sit at, watch your nigiri be prepared, and get to talk to the chef about the food?

I paid $30 for the dine-in only omakase plus a piece of uni a la carte. Even though it was “only” 10 pieces of sushi, I left completely full and still feeling like it was a steal based on the quality of the fish alone. Since the menu rotates weekly, I am not sure if this dish will be on again anytime soon but the Hokkaido scallop topped with toro was a highlight.

They also offer a selection of baked goods and other entrees, so if you don’t have the time to sit down or you’re not dining in right now you can still experience some of their awesome food.

All of that to say, come here for lunch. You absolutely will not be...

We went again recently. Watch for the owners posting about reservations as this week we were able to reserve a spot through Google business message and they were so pleasant. The sushi was delicious as always and this time there was salmon miso soup with cauliflower. A couple of the sushi pieces were the same as last time, (toro and otoro), but we got some new ones including a bass and scallop onigiri, charred shrimp, and a couple others. I love how you can come and something different will be included in the meal. It's a nice mix up. This week was pricier than last time we came ($30 vs $25) but we honestly expected it if there are different items on the menu and it's still very well priced for the quality and service you get. We also had a chance to finally try something from the bakery. The cheesecake was so moist and fluffy. We can't wait to come back for more sushi and for more...