Sushi by Bou- Gold Coast Chicago @ Claridge House — Restaurant in Chicago

If you are looking for a FUN Omikase experience in a relaxed atmosphere, while not sacrificing superior quality, this is your place! We had 10pm reservations last night and were running a bit late. I was nervous that they would be annoyed since it’s a 60min timed meal and their last of the evening… Not only were they not annoyed but we were welcomed warmly and treated like friends the entire evening! Chef Jane was so friendly and knowledgable. I have sought out the best sushi in every city I’ve ever visited and have paid upward of $500/pp at Yuma in Vegas. The quality and experience for the money has to be the best value in the city. The first 10 servings were standard approachable selections that melted in my mouth, followed by 5 chosen by Chef Jane, with 2 additional making it 17 course (well worth the upgrade). Chef Jane takes tremendous pride in his craft, and enjoys watching your reactions and hearing your experience with each selection throughout the experience. It felt like we had a private chef and we were treated like celebrities lol. His knowledge is vast so it was fun for me to get an education while we enjoyed each dish, it elevated the experience and made each dish an intimate experience. I can tell when people are sincere, and I am telling you every single person working last night (it’s the same 5 employees running this location every night so you’ll be sure to have a similar experience as we did) truly enjoyed their jobs, and took pride in the experience of their customers! When you get employees who buy in so hard to the success of ANY biz you are sure to feel it, and we did. I never take time to leave reviews, and was not solicited or encouraged to leave this review by anyone. I simply woke up today thinking maybe we’d go back again tonight for the exact same Omikase experience even though it’s our last night in the city and there’s 1000’s of restaurants to choose from here.

We literally made some new best friends last night as you can see in the attached photo there was no shortage of joy in the room :)

Be sure to upgrade to the 17 course as each serving is small and anyone can complete this meal and feel content but not over-stuffed. Oh, and the rice, ohhh the rice, so perfectly seasoned in traditional vinegary, warm, niceness!

Thank you so much for a truly unforgettable experience!...

I was really disappointed with my recent experience. From the start, the greeting felt rushed and impersonal. The server quickly asked about allergies, and I clarified that I had none. She mentioned they had coconut aminos as a soy sauce alternative, which i said i would prefer- not because of an allergy, but as a personal preference.

Unfortunately, it seems there was a miscommunication with the Sushi Chef, who appeared to assume I had a soy allergy. As a result, I was served modified pieces that lacked sauces, toppings, and ingredients I was most looking forward to...like roe, cod, and eel.

Additionally, I’ve experienced several Omakase meals before, and I’ve never encountered a format where the menu was predesigned and the chef’s true creations were only offered with a costly upgrade. It took away from the magic of what Omakase is supposed to be: a personalized journey crafted by the chef.

All in all, I left feeling excluded from the full experience and disappointed that it didn’t live up to the standard set by other Omakase meals...

I came here for my anniversary and it was also my first omakase. The entire experience was amazing and welcoming from start to finish! The hostess made a point to congratulate my anniversary and the entire staff was incredibly warm and friendly. We were seated on time and had the pleasure of being served by Chef Tarn. I would recommend this location and Chef Tarn every time, he was absolutely amazing, so friendly and conversational without being overly intrusive. The sushi came at a great pace and each piece was simply delicious. I got the standard omakase which at $60 was filling and simply one of if not the best deals in Chicago for omakase. 12 pieces of high quality sushi with the option to get any of your favorites a la carte at the end of the experience. If you book through open table they simply hold your card and do not charge right away which is very nice. If you're looking for a great omakase experience without breaking the bank too much, I can't recommend Sushi by Bou enough, ask...