Casual strip-mall spot serving traditional Japanese fare & classic sushi rolls since 1991.
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Absolutely Delicious & Great Service – A Must for (Monday’s) All Day Bento!
We came on Monday night (Bento Night), and it was absolutely superb! If you visit, Monday is the day to come—they serve Bento Boxes all day, and they do not disappoint.
Food: 5/5 ⭐️
Everything we ordered was delicious, well-portioned, and beautifully presented.
⭐ Tempura (Appetizer or Entrée) – A Must-Order! Perfectly crispy, light, and not greasy at all. Hands down, some of the best tempura I’ve had. No complaints!
⭐ Dinner Combination – Beef & Chicken Teriyaki (5/5 ⭐️) Even though it was on the pricier side ($36), the portion was huge—my boyfriend and I easily shared it. The teriyaki sauce was light and flavorful, and the tempura stole the show.
⭐ (Vegetarian) Tempura Bento (5/5 ⭐️) The staff was super accommodating in swapping out meat dishes for vegetarian options, and they even had vegetarian tempura sauce—a fantastic surprise! The side of potato/macaroni salad was creamy, eggy, and absolutely delicious. Portions were generous.
⭐ Sashimi Bento Box (5/5 ⭐️) The fish was incredibly fresh, and while it came with six pieces of sashimi, the overall bento box portion was filling. The miso soup and salad complemented the meal perfectly.
Service: 5/5 ⭐️
The staff was courteous, pleasant, and very accommodating, especially with our vegetarian requests. They made sure everything was to our liking.
Ambiance: 5/5 ⭐️
Monday night was quiet, making for a peaceful dining experience. The restaurant was clean and cozy, perfect for a family dinner or date night. The fresh flowers on each table were such a thoughtful touch, and the tableware was adorable and high-quality.
Final Thoughts
While prices are on the higher side, the quality, portion sizes, and service absolutely make it worth it. We’ll definitely be coming back—especially on a Monday for...
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As a past loyal customer, I felt the need to revise my review from 5 years ago from 5 stars to 3. The new ownership greatly reduced the menu selection. We had been reading about the changes online but wanted to see it for ourselves. We were happy to see that they retained most of the old staff. However, to our great disappointment, our past traditional favorites (and what used to set this restaurant apart from others) are gone (e.g., soba noodles, sukiyaki, dinner sets, bento boxes, hamachi kama, coffee jelly, etc.). While we were encouraged that they now put katsu curry on the regular menu (it was only available on Fridays and sometimes sold out by dinner time), the curry sauce itself does not have the same beef and veggie ingredients as before; the tempura dipping sauce is a bit too salty; the spicy tuna roll was noticeably smaller than before (but cost the same). I wish the new owner did more research about why this restaurant stayed open for decades and had so many loyal customers. Now it just feels like any other Japanese restaurant around the Chicago area. Good thing we still have Kuni’s in Evanston (for sushi) and Akai Hana in Wilmette (traditional home style dishes), which is where we will frequent now instead of Renga Tei, unless they bring back some of our...
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2024 update: Since changing hands, this place is not what it used to be. Such a disappointment given its former reputation. If you want mediocre Japanese food at a premium price, then this is the place for you. I’ll give this place one more try in 6 months and see what happens. I really want things to work out for them, and for my palate!
Been coming here for many years. Always great. Always authentic Japanese. My parents who are from Japan and now live in Chicago consider this their go-to place when they want a special treat. You can’t go wrong with anything on their menu. I recommend the ‘sets’. Sushi is also outstanding. There’s a reviewer that only gave it 2 stars. If you read his review he’s basically saying nothing about the quality of the sashimi but everything about the QUANTITY. If you you want all-you-can-eat sushi really cheap, then this is NOT the place for you. Go to Royal Sushi. I reviewed that place too. But, if you want great quality Japanese food at decent prices, then please consider Renga Tei. You won’t be disappointed. If you enjoyed this review, please click on the “like”...
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