Sensō — Restaurant in Frankfort

I usually do not leave reviews, but I just had to rave about this new restaurant. I moved to the South Suburbs over 10 yrs ago and have been looking for a unique quality restaurant that is up to par with Chicago restaurants and I have finally found one…Senso! I usually travel to Chicago for special occasions to try out the next hip restaurant and this Valentines dinner we decided to stay in the suburbs due to the cold….I was ready to be disappointed by the same selection of mass produced type of restaurant quality food, but to my surprise I was amazed by each dish we had, the drink was also very unique. To start out with the drink, I had the Forbidden Panda, it was brought out on top of the most adorable panda platter, but the part that was interesting was the smell, it smelled like sesame oil tricking your senses thinking that you were going to taste something savory when in fact the drink is sweet, not over the top syrup flavored like some drinks, it was the right amount of fruit flavors, the cucumber made it refreshing. The food is Korean mixed with Japanese, my two favorite types of food. I choose some foods based on the uniqueness of the names, such as Kpop fries and Machu Picchu. I also had the Spicy Toro. The quantity and quality of each dish is perfect. The presentation was perfect. The taste was perfect. The waitress was the sweetest and gave great recommendations. We also met the owner, he was very down to earth and personable. I would give it 10/10 stars! I can’t wait to go again to try out their other drinks and items...

Edited to add: I believe in leaving honest reviews of restaurants, whether those be positive or negative, and have always been good about updating my review when a second visit improves. I am sadly disappointed that this review was not received well by Senso, per their response.

I wanted to love this new spot, but we just didn’t. Let me start by saying the ambience and service are top-notch! The food just fell short of expectations. To start, the coconut shrimp and gyoza dumplings were both dark brown and clearly burnt. This is an easy fix for the restaurant… turn down your oil temperature. As an experienced cook, I guarantee this is the issue and I would hate for others to have the same experience with a small plate that is over $20.

Next, onto the sushi. It was just ok and not a stand-out performance for the price. The spicy mayo is far too spicy. The spiciness masks the other flavors in the roll because of the level of heat. Don’t get me wrong, myself and my husband are not sissies when it comes to heat. But my lips should not be burning from contact with the sauce.

Also, the Mt. Fuji roll has a very unpleasant charred taste. It almost tasted like fuel. We had to send that roll back and replace it with a second Hawaii roll which, by the way, was our absolute favorite.

Thanks for the great service and...

What a fabulous city vibe in a small-town suburb! We LOVE downtown Frankfort, so this is the perfect addition to the community. We are always greeted with a smile and kindness from the hosts. Every table seating is well planned, even on the busiest of nights. The servers are outstanding and truly knowledgeable about their menu. Each time, we have been given insightful and thoughtful recommendations. The drinks are phenomenal and deserve a standing ovation!! The taste of each one perfectly blends together, making them impeccable and unique combinations. Try my favorites: the Kick of Passion or the Espresso Martini (made with actual fresh-pulled espresso shots!). Now, the food! Oh my!! The freshest, cleanest cuts we've ever experienced. The hand-rolled sushi is the best we've ever tasted. Even the simplest of dishes, with minimal ingredients, were perfection. For example, the Angry Crab seems small and unassuming, however, it's one of my favorites. Each ingredient compliments each other so well, making for a true quality dish. There's also many dishes for the non-raw food diner. It's genuinely accommodating to all food (and drink 😉) lovers. This is our favorite new hot spot! I highly highly recommend Sensŏ and can't wait to go back again. Maybe...