Grain and Sea — Restaurant in Chicago

Was excited to try this spot when I saw it opened by my office! Sushi + pick your own bits + reasonable prices + quick execution... hitting all the right notes for a loop lunch spot.

Overall I was pretty impressed with the concept and space - staff were lovely, counter and dine in area were super clean, it was easy to move down the line and grab what you wanted, and they were churning out rolls so everything looked pretty fresh. You get a set of tongs to pick your own items, so this is probably not a great spot for anyone with serious allergies re: cross contamination. But that is the price we must pay for variety! 6 roll pieces + 2 nigiri + 1 inari came out to ~$15, which is pretty average for a loop lunch.

Was it the best sushi I've ever had? Okay no, lets not go crazy... BUT they had really interesting combos/rolls, the nigiri tasted fresh, and it was clear that they got all the operational pieces right here. I didn't see any ginger (would have been happy to pay for ginger)... wish the nigiri had a bit of some wasabi on it (I should have grabbed some from the condiment table)... and some of the rolls with crab, tofu or tempura were a little too sweet for my liking. But, when your next best option is amazon go sushi at basically the same price point... I'd say this place is doing an AWESOME job of executing on exactly what they are marketing- a great takeaway addition to the...

Really great new lunch spot in the loop with plenty of seating. The sushi is all mix and match and priced by weight. They have a good selection of rolls, nigiri, inari, and gunkin. I was very impressed with how fresh everything tasted even though it was all pre-prepared! My pet peeve at these spots is that everything is too cold in order to keep it fresh but these were the perfect temperature and the staff seemed to be making everything fresh as they were running low.

Also, major props to the staff for making my experience seamless and not daunting at all! They explained everything the minute I walked through the door and answered all of my questions.

Last but not least, there is plenty of seating if you want to dine in with your colleagues or friends!

Overall, 5/5! Will definitely be returning since this is right...

I came here an hour before close. The sushi was discounted 30% off with whatever remaining rolls were left, but any fresh ones could be made to order without the discount. I’m not sure how long the rolls have been sitting out at room temperature, but the nigiri were drying up. Overall, I like this concept to try different a variety of rolls without the full roll commitment, but it seems like it’s better during the lunch rush hour versus a go-to dinner spot. With the discount, I would say this place is a good price but without it I think it’s overpriced for the quality and taste. The staff here are friendly...