Jinsei Motto — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

Truly amazing experience. A fabulous modern omakase that creates a fun interactive experience that gives the impression it blends the old and the new together for a contemporary audience. The dinner omakase was 19 courses of artistry and perfection. Every detail was considered and I think that this would be perfect for a special occasions or treating yourself to a nice night out. They also have a lunch omakase that is more budget friendly. On top of that, wonderful sake options that pair well with the courses and a creative and fun space that creates a special ambiance.

Chef Patrick Buaban has such a beautiful palate and vision using traditional techniques as well as a fantastic team that together created a powerhouse menu that will just blow your mind. Something truly unique about Jinsei Motto is the heavy use of dry aged fish in the courses. They have the dry ager proudly displayed when you enter the space and for good reason, the way it elevated the flavors was out of this world. We had Jemel, putting our courses together and he was incredibly knowledgeable. His passion for what he was doing truly exuded from every single course and explanation.

Lastly, a fantastic touch, the lighting is especially designed to display each course after it is assembled in front of you. It makes for amazing photos. I think the saying goes you eat with your eyes first and it really does just elevate the entire experience.

In summary, I would highly recommend Jinsei Motto and would 100% recommend it. I think also if you have never done an omikase it is an amazing first experience. I got to enjoy incredible well crafted and thoughtful food as well as have a really fun time. The team there was very much part of that. Do yourself a favor and...

Probably the one and only Dry Aged Sushi in #Chicago. Everything tastes buttery soft (or thawed very well 😉).

Simple MISO SOUP has a lot of depth. 😋

HANDROLL here is generous than Others as it takes 3+ bites. Elongated (equal distribution of ingredients per bite) instead of a cone. When you bite into it, ingredients do not fall or ooze out.

NIGIRI is pre-brushed that is great for salt sensitive humans as it's just enough soy sauce taste but not too much (when you dip it). Additional soy sauce is available upon request.

Fantabulous BARTENDERS (hello, MIA) as they can create Off-Menu drinks. Most restaurants don't have bartenders anymore as drinks (especially cocktail menu is a consultant creation).

Interesting DESSERTS. TAMAGO CAKE is a souffle texture with eggy aftertaste that is prolly enhanced by honey drizzle and flakey sea salt (no worries, aftertaste doesn't stay in your mouth. It's like a burst of egg flavor). YUZU CHEESECAKE with Black Sesame base with the interesting beehive cracker. 🤔

Best HAPPY HOUR in the City that is crazy available during lunch and before dinner. 😮 👏

I will gladly do a tasting of the a la carte menu as omakase needs a reservation. I hope omakase menu is entirely different from a la carte. 🙏

Note: Most people here are on a date so, it's not so friendly like, a guy's huge back would be on your immediate right as he concentrates on impressing the gal next to him. Yes, you can hear all the lame commentaries. Bar seating in a diner is much more...

We love sushi. But clearly not as much as Patrick and Saul, our two sushi chefs. Their omakase was probably the most memorable sushi experience we’ve had. Every one of the 18 courses (not a typo) was made with precision and love. You could tell that they tried each fish over and over again to tailor the preparation just right. Every dish was balanced. They deftly avoided the trap of over opulence (too much caviar, too much truffle, too much anything) Each dish was a unique experience, many left us smiling involuntarily. I especially liked the Turbot and the Kame Toro (a cut I’ve never had as nigiri) and their take on scallop. But really every dish was awesome.

The service was also above and beyond. My wife has a sensitive stomach, so she tries to stick with a FODMAP diet and avoid garlic and onions. Not a true allergy or anything. She mentioned this in passing when asked while making the reservation and Andrew (host?) made sure that every single one of the courses was altered to accommodate, even after she insisted that it was not a big deal (where we come from, asking for modifications is a sin).

We also thoroughly enjoyed our engaging back and forth conversation with Saul (sp?) and Patrick. It really add another layer to the experience that we appreciated. You could tell they enjoyed our enjoyment.

We WILL be back next time we are in Chicago. Anyone going to Chicago who loves sushi MUST...