Ryota — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

I was excited to try the much-hyped $65 Otoro, Uni, and Ikura bowl over flavored sushi rice after seeing it online. I had read it sells out quickly due to limited weekly shipments, and learned their delivery typically comes in on Sunday evening. So, we made plans for an early dinner on Monday to ensure we didn’t miss out.

Unfortunately, when we arrived, we were told it had already sold out the day before. That was frustrating—especially since it’s heavily featured in promotions. If an item is so limited, it should be communicated more clearly.

We ended up ordering a different chirashi bowl. The fish quality was very good, but the rest of the experience was underwhelming. The rice was just average, and some other elements felt cheap or inauthentic—such as fake wasabi, disposable chopsticks, and lackluster soy sauce.

The ambiance also didn’t match the premium pricing. Tables were tightly packed, clearly prioritizing volume over comfort. The wait staff were friendly, but constantly reaching over us to grab menus or condiments like soy sauce was disruptive.

Our total bill came to about $100, and we left still feeling hungry. While the fish itself was great, the overall experience left us questioning the restaurant’s identity. Is it trying to be high-end or simply banking on premium fish to mask the rest?

If you're going just for the fish, you may enjoy it. But if you're looking for a complete, well-rounded sushi dining experience, there’s still a lot this place...

(2.5 stars) Came with a group of friends tonight. I really wanted to like this place, but overall the experience left a lot to be desired. The restaurant has potential, but a few things took away from our night.

First, one of the tables that were combined for our party to sit at was wobbly and oddly sticky…one even left a stain on a friend’s shirt. The soy sauce bowl was filled to the brim, and with the shaky table, it felt like a spill waiting to happen. The soy sauce itself was surprisingly bland.

When the sushi came out (at different times, so we couldn’t all eat together), one plate had a visible strand of hair on the nigiri. Aside from this, the presentation was decent, but the flavor just wasn’t there. To be honest, the sushi lacked that depth of umami that makes good sushi memorable.

For the price point (including them tacking on 20% on top of our bill because of our larger party), we expected more both in food quality and overall experience. Hopefully they address some of these details, because with some adjustments, it could be a much more...

The fish quality was really good. The fatty tuna was amazing! But the way the fish was “dressed” was non-existent / bland. What’s missing is a good nikiri and maybe some fresh wasabi. The most flavorful roll that we ordered was the Kashi Shrimp. Very tasty. We got the Chirashi set and the fish was great - but the rice was overcooked and it lacked any flavor. The rice in general was overcooked. The edamame was also overcooked. I think if they changed these few things it would be Ana amazing restaurant and great addition to the neighborhood!

For service, everyone was very nice but we had to ask for soy sauce and ask for small plates. For $75 pp - they need to up the game in the flavor department. We got the chirashi, maguro set and three additional nigiri pieces, three rolls, edamame, and the scallops. I hope they change this because I would...