Sankyu Sushi & Izakaya - Bar Lounge — Restaurant in Elk Grove Township

I recently went to Sankyu and tried a variety of items. It's been a while since I've been there, and it seems like their interior changed. The interior kind of makes you feel like you're in Japan (although I've never actually been to Japan).

My party ordered a few large Sapporos to start. For food, we got the tonkatsu ramen, one of each skewer (minus the fried tofu since they didn't have it), chicken karaage, mixed tempura, takowasa, and grilled squid. For nigiri, we got yellowtail, bluefin tuna, salmon, sweet shrimp, scallop, surf clam, homemade mackerel, salmon roe, Hokkaido uni, and fatty tuna. For dessert, we had their green tea mochi ice cream since they were out of the regular green tea scoops. I really love the vibe of the restaurant and I'd definitely go back for the skewers, grilled squid, and takowasa. The portions were on the smaller side, but everything was simple and tasty. I didn't try the chicken heart, but my bf and friends enjoyed it. Everything else I had was good minus the chicken plum shiso skewer. That flavor was just way too strong for all of us.

We ordered the skewers and tonkatsu ramen first, but I'm positive there was a mix-up. Our ramen didn't come out until almost an hour later. We were told a it was coming soon, but it never showed. I'm pretty sure it went to another table, because a guy who sat down after us got his ramen before we did right after we were told it was coming out. One of the server ended up giving us our four pieces of mochi ice cream on the house at the end to make up for the wait.

When we finally got the ramen, I was so ready for something warm and brothy because I was so hungover, but it ended up being the saltiest ramen I've ever had. We all took a bite and were so disappointed, especially since it looked so good.

The chicken karaage was okay. Some pieces were juicy and tender, but others were over-fried. The mixed tempura was solid. It came with four shrimp tempuras which was kind of amazing. Maybe they gave us extras so everyone could have one? Not sure, but the batter was light and delicious.

The nigiri was mostly fresh and good, but the wasabi was super inconsistent. Some pieces had so much wasabi it was hard to even taste the fish, especially the sweet shrimp. My friends saved the uni for their last bite because it looked so promising, but oh man... one friend said it tasted fishy, another smelled it and said it was like the inside of a wet dog's ear. It was really bad. The texture was also really off. I told them to say something to the server, but it was hard to get anyone's attention and we had places to be. The servers were sweet, but overall the service was really slow. Still, I'd go back for some of the apps and skewers.

The total came out to $300.14, which we split. It ended up being $180.07 per couple, which felt pretty expensive. We weren't full and ended up eating a little more at...

The food here is AWESOME! Out of this world ramen. I love the takoyaki and the saikoro steak. I haven't tried much of the sushi but I had the dragon roll last time I was there and it was excellent. At some tables you can sit on the floor, which makes for a unique dining experience. The service is always on point. They have a decent variety of sake, beer, and whiskey available. The Japanese beer they offer has always been really tasty. I'm really looking forward to the next time I dine here. It has been a consistently phenomenal experience.

EDIT: Updating my review to one star from five stars after visiting tonight - 7/30/2025. The decor/interior design has been 'updated', but it's honestly a major downgrade. What used to be a cozy and traditional atmosphere has become uncomfortable and sterile. The seating on the floor has been changed to this awkward bench and table setup that is not big enough to accommodate two people sitting across from each other without one person feeling like the table is too far away. I ended up moving to the other side to sit next to my partner so I could actually use the table properly. And I am not short. So that was the first issue. Secondly, the greeting/service when we entered was just bad. Terrible. We asked for a spot at what we thought was the floor seating, before we knew it had changed, and the hostess was just rude and unwelcome. Looked and spoke to us like how dare we even ask, like we were scum on the bottom of her shoe. I'm sorry we had a seating preference, I guess? Someone needs a lesson in explaining things with kindness. Lastly, most importantly, the food/drinks. I asked for the non-alcoholic beer--not available, even though it's listed on the menu. The karage chicken was chewy and gross. The 'wagyu cutlets' were bland. We brought the wagyu home and our dog wouldn't touch it. The takoyaki was mediocre. The tonkatsu ramen was weak, and I've had better sushi at Woodman's. To top it off, there was a gnat flying around our table. What happened to this place? Felt like a funeral leaving because I know I won't be returning ever again. ...

Every time I dine in at Izakaya Sankyu, I walk out full and happy! For the longest time, Kitakata was my favorite places for Japanese appetizers and drinks, as well as the occasional "comfort food" entrée, and I was sad when they closed. There still a number of places that filled in the gap, but I feel like Izakaya Sankyu is the one that checks the most boxes. They have lots of great small bites to share with friends like kushiyaki, takoyaki, tempura fried croquettes, fresh & pickled veggies, sautéed butter mushrooms, dumplings (their gyoza was shumai had a fantastic crisp to them), seared / roasted meats (the unagi and beef were great), crispy chicken wings, maki, and they had my personal favorites - chazuke bowls, zosui bowls, and Osaka-style okonomiyaki!

Pair these with soju cocktails (the sparkling hard yuzu-ade was awesome), $5 Asahi cans, Sapporo samplers, a huge selection of sake, and several varieties of Japanese and western whisky for a fun time. If it's not time to get crunk, they have teas, sodas, and virgin cocktails. If you're particularly hungry, you can fill up on excellent udon, ramen, soba, and a good variety of dinner entrées. I particularly enjoyed their grilled seafood, their Japanese spin on Korean buchimgae (chijimi?), and their generous chirashi. I've had a few bites of their teriyaki dinners, and they seemed on point as well.

I wish I lived closer to Izakaya Sankyu, as their food and service was top notch. If you go by their recommendations or take advantage of their daily specials, you can enjoy a lot of food and drinks for reasonable prices while spending quality time with friends and family. I felt a little bad we took up our table for so long, but the staff seemed to enjoy serving us (and it probably didn't hurt leaving a generous tip afterward). On the flip-side, I suppose if they were TOO close by, I could kiss my diet goodbye; their izakaya fare is almost too inviting and tasty, I'd have trouble eating too much! No joke, I could probably eat three plates of okonomiyaki in a...