✦ City Guide · Japanese

Best Japanese Restaurants in Chicago

The best Japanese restaurants in Chicago — 6 ranked picks across the city, with ratings, dishes and live availability.

6 picks

The 6 best Japanese restaurants in Chicago, ranked. Umai Japanese Kitchen & Sushi takes the top spot at 4.8 stars, and Kai Zan is the one the most people have weighed in on — 3,807 reviews. If you only order one thing, make it the sushi rolls at Umai Japanese Kitchen & Sushi. They are spread across 5 neighborhoods, so there is probably one near you. Most of this list stays under $40 a head. None of these take online reservations — they are walk-in or phone-only, so go early.

Chicago has 6 Japanese restaurants on our list, spread across 5 neighborhoods.

Umai Japanese Kitchen & Sushi Watch

Umai Japanese Kitchen & Sushi

Japanese  ·  South Loop  ·  $$

★★★★½ 4.8

Japanese in South Loop — 4.8 across 1,197 diner reviews

Must-try: Sushi Rolls, Ramen

📍 730 S Clark St, Chicago, IL 60605

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Kai Zan Watch

Kai Zan

Japanese  ·  Humboldt Park  ·  $$

★★★★½ 4.5

Japanese in Humboldt Park — 4.5 across 3,807 diner reviews

Must-try: Omakase, Scallop Shooters, Sashimi and Nigiri

📍 2557 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

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Midosuji Watch

Midosuji

Japanese  ·  The Loop  ·  $$

★★★★☆ 4.2

Japanese in The Loop — 4.2 across 1,555 diner reviews

Must-try: Seven-Spice Duck, Chawanmushi, Rock Shrimp Tempura Handroll

📍 12 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603

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Sushi-san Watch

Sushi-san

Japanese  ·  River North  ·  $$

★★★★☆ 4.1

Japanese in River North — 4.1 across 3,082 diner reviews

Must-try: Nigiri, Handrolls

📍 63 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

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Gaijin Watch

Gaijin

Japanese  ·  West Loop  ·  $$

★★★★☆ 4.0

Japanese in West Loop — 4 across 3,531 diner reviews

Must-try: Okonomiyaki, Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki

📍 950 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607

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Momotaro Watch

Momotaro

Japanese  ·  West Loop  ·  $$

★★★½☆ 3.9

Japanese in West Loop — 3.9 across 2,076 diner reviews

Must-try: Sushi, Small Plates, Bao Burger

📍 820 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Japanese restaurant in Chicago?

Umai Japanese Kitchen & Sushi — 4.8 stars across 1,197 reviews, the highest on this list. Japanese in South Loop — 4.8 across 1,197 diner reviews.

Do these restaurants take reservations?

None of the 6 on this page take online bookings — they are walk-in or phone-only. Going early, or on a weeknight, is the reliable move.

Which neighborhood has the most Japanese restaurants in Chicago?

West Loop, with 2 on this list, followed by South Loop with 1. In total these 6 picks span 5 neighborhoods.

How were these picked?

Ratings and review volume decide the order, but the list itself is drawn from restaurants people actually post about — 6 of the 6 here have a TikTok attached to their card. Every entry is checked as open before it ships.