Macku Signature

So many sushi restaurants in Chicago, Macku separates itself from them with their food and service.
We started our dinner with the Heavy Time Old Fashioned and the strawberry cocktail (I can’t remember the name). The old fashioned had the body of an old fashioned with hints of walnut that made it sweet and earthy. Strawberry purée drinks are usually very heavy but they were able to keep this drink light and refreshing.
For an appetizer we had the fresh scallop with Japanese hollandaise. Wow, just wow. This is a must. Our server (Jan) recommended this dish and we would come back just to order the scallop. We both agreed we normally wouldn’t have chose this but we were happy we did!
Next, Nigiri.
Shiro Maguro — white tuna with banana wasabi on top. This was our second favorite after the scallop. Amazing. Sweet, a little spicy. I could’ve ate 8 of these alone.
Nama Sake — salmon, enoki mushrooms etc. third favorite of the night. You wouldn’t usually expect mushrooms on top of raw fish but the pairing was outstanding.
Hon Maguro — Blu fin tuna and shiitake mushrooms. Similar but a richer flavor.
Mackimono:
Salmon Spider — salmon with soft shell crab. The flavor here was outstanding. The salmon was rich while the crab kept it lighter. Raw and cooked. Just do it, I promise it’s worth it!
Spicy Spider– similar, no salmon but the heat! If you like spicy this has a very good kick!
Rainbow roll — good assortment of veggies with different types of fish on top.
Overall, our experience was lovely. Jan was well educated, he knew his stuff and was extremely helpful with the menu. This is half of the experience, having someone who enjoys the love of food as much as you do. Then the food, outstanding. Presentation was gorgeous and the flavors were perfectly paired.
We will return. I’ve been searching for a solid sushi spot in Chicago for years and Macku has done it for me. I cannot wait to come back!

I’m a frequent patron here and have ordered the omakase and a la carte. Highly recommend the signature nigiri which is topped with Chef Macku’s signature sauce that compliment each different fish. I havent tried the roll, because it would be a waste since the fish is so fresh. This is one of the japanese restaurant (along with Katsu) if you are looking for topnotch fresh fish
Here is few of my favorite:
Specials:
signature ebi: the head is flash fried and the body flesh is nigiri. The shrimp has a very vibrant sweet and shrimp flavor It’s worth the $ 6.
hamachi signature
Bluefin tuna nigiri and topped with toro tartare: I spoke to chef Macku and he purchased a whole bluefin tuna. We tried to order it a nigiri and hand roll, which was really fresh. Don’t be mistaken, but I’m not a fan of tuna in general.
green tea udon: bonito broth with udon (it’s spicy)
sweet potatoe soup with lobster broth, and black tiger shrimp: It’s a lobster bisque with sweet potatoe purée. It’s a bit heavy for one person, so i usually share the soup with my husband. Nicely flavored.
Our server is usually the Asian female and she is very thorough in explaining the daily specials. Very attentive service.

I finally stopped into Macku at the suggestion of my cousin last month and I’m so glad I did! The modern, chic décor and equally beautiful dishes make Macku a great spot if you’re looking to impress. While I usually go for rolls, Macku is a place where venturing out is a must. I read that their soups were a favorite and I can confirm that the Sweet Potato Soup was REALLY delicious — the hot, velvety broth was the perfect way to warm up on a cold night.
The other area of the menu to check out is the Signature Sashimi — a twist on traditional sashimi as each is served with toppings. We tried the Kanpachi and it was super fresh and flavorful, I would definitely order this again. The rolls we tried were also good, I just really loved some of the other more unique menu items. We were too full for dessert but when I return I’ll definitely try the white asparagus pudding that everyone loves!

A review for Macku Signature is long overdue as it has become our favorite, upscale date-​night spot close to home and is the best creative Japanese restaurant we’ve been to. We’ve done the tasting menu and wine pairings which have always delighted us. The ambiance is intimate and perfect for a date-​night with some great booths in the front for up to 4 people.
The service is fairly good, but there is one waitress who is phenomenal. We’ve seen her a couple times — her passion for the food and the Chef Macku experience makes you excited to try food that you’ve never heard of before and trust that it will taste amazing.
The food is where they really shine — from the freshness of the fish, the exquisite preparation and the delectable combination of flavors. Last night, our favorite dishes were an incredible tuna sashimi and which was followed by a sashimi sampler plate which had some incredible flavors which built up across the plate from tuna to yellowtail to salmon to octopus (and one other I can’t remember).
My husband and I will continue to go back for special occasion date nights since it hits the spot every time.

The first thing you will notice when you enter Macku Signature is that the décor does not look like that of a typical sushi restaurant. It’s modern and chic with clean lines, it’s cosmopolitan and comfortable at the same time. We dined on a Wednesday night and to my surprise they had live music Elaine Dame a jazz singer was preforming. Normally I am not a big fan of live music when eating at a restaurant, but this was fantastic and added a lot to the experience. When we go back to Macku it will be on a Wednesday so we can hear Elaine Dame sing again.
The sushi at Macku is unique, super fresh and balanced using a great variety of ingredients. The menu is large and they offer specials every day some items can be costly and get your bill up fast but they also have surprisingly reasonable priced options that we thought where excellent. One special we wanted to try was the live uni we ordered to late and Macku ran out, at $ 20 expensive but we will try it when they have it again.
Here are the foods we really enjoyed.
Gomae — Spinach topped with fried banana, crispy sweet potatoes on a sesame purée, a great variation on the original. I will get my own order next time to good to share. $ 5
Suzuki — Striped bass with foie gras awesome the foie gives a excellent richness. $ 4.5 Per piece
Tako — Octopus topped with baby octopus great texture and sweet $ 4 per piece
Negi Hamachi — Hamachi with truffle oil and scallions $ 5 small roll 6 pieces
Black Cod — This was a entrée and a big portion of fish perfectly cooked with panko bread crumb crust served with 2 buttery tiger shrimp and a chocolate miso sauce with strawberries and almonds, might sound a bit odd but out of this world and for $ 15 a steal!
For drinks we had a excellent bottle of sake, Mizunoshirabe Ginjo was what the label said and probably the best sake I have ever drank. Bottles of wine start at 35 average is closer to 60 with some well over 100 our bottle of sake cost $ 60 for a 720ml bottle.
Service was excellent, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.
A great overall experience, food, atmosphere and service. Macku can be your regular Wednesday night sushi place at a reasonable price or that special occasion night out where the chef picks a custom menu filled with all the special and high end foods.

A friend and I went back for another meal here and, if it’s even possible, I love it more. The waitress did a great job telling us about their signature items, and convinced me to try their nigiri. The rainbow trout was unreal, and I wish I had ordered more! They even bring out hot towels since it is traditionally eaten with your hands.
Their sweet potato soup was just as amazing as I remember, even though I couldn’t convince myself to bypass it to try one of the others. White asparagus and carrot are next!
We ordered the caterpillar roll, which was delicious but hard to compare to the unique flavors and textures of the signature nigiri. We also tried their special of live sashimied scallop, which was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten.
We topped off the meal with the white asparagus pudding, which was both pretty and delicious. I will be back, hopefully sooner rather than later.