Tanoshii Sushi Mike’s

I came in for lunch since I was around the area at the time and it was very quiet and empty. I was by myself so I sat at the sushi bar and ordered the sushi lunch special which was 6 pieces of chefs choice of nigiri and spicy tuna maki. Overall I enjoyed the sushi. The rice was nicely cooked and rolled perfectly so it didn’t fall apart when it was picked up. There was already a bit of wasabi between the rice and fish when rolled which is how it’s traditionally done and the fish tasted fresh. My plate came with tuna, salmon, white fish, yellowtail, egg and I forgot what the last piece was.
One of the sushi chefs behind the bar was very friendly and nice and my server was polite as well. I’m not from
Chicago but if I were to come back and get sushi, it would definitely be back here.

Just about the best sushi I have ever had. We ordered «Omakase» for the table which is basically «leaving it up to the chef» to provide the various roles and sashimi. Unbelievable variety with amazing sauces on each of the plates. I can’t say enough about this place.

Got the sake (marinated), salmon roe, seaweed salad, 3 chef special roles (truffle, chili oil and soybean paste) and spicy tuna role.
First, the 3 roles, seaweed salad and salmon roe were way too salty! The chef special roles reminds me of orange chicken version of sushi rolls… They were basically bland tasting role drenched in oil and salty (possibly msg infused) sauce. So it was tasty but made me feeling thirsty and oily after.
Everything else were pretty unmemorable.

5 stars for the best, most unique and memorable sushi and Japanese fare in town!
At 39 weeks pregnant last week I developed an insatiable craving for sushi so we headed over to Tanoshii since it’s basically the only sushi place in the hood we haven’t yet tried. Now we ask ourselves WHY? Why did it take this long???
We arrived somewhat early for dinner, 6pm on a Monday, thus the ambiance was calm and welcoming. Our server was very attentive and explained that they offer omakase dining (chef selects dishes for you) which of course we chose because, what’s better than the chef selecting their very best options of the day with you? This is not mandatory but I highly recommend trying it. The server asked us about any food allergies or restrictions — obviously no raw fish for me — and went along to tell the chef.
We started out with the vegetarian fish and chips (regular order comes with tuna and tobiko). Two heaping portions of avocado, pico de gallo, and I want to say sweet potato atop a large, fried wonton were prepared table side and already our taste buds were exploding. So much flavor!
After that came our rolls — shrimp tempura and crab & veggie. These may sound standard, but instead of wrapping in sticky rice, the rolls were fried in rice paper and topped with delicious sauces that tasted so incredibly thought out. These were not your average two-​three ingredient sauces, these were SAUCES. There were so many different flavors in each bite that it felt like we were eating a new kind of sushi! I guess it was new to us… so damn delicious!
And then, the pièce de résistance, the grilled hamachi. %$!&%@()*&&!@^*!&^@*&%@*&!^*! Never have I had such perfection when eating fish. Not only is it awesome that they utilize each and every part of the fish after slicing it for sushi meat (the grilled portion is the neck area) but they cook it to absolute complete perfection. It was flaky on the outside, perfectly tender on the inside. I don’t think my husband and I really partook in conversation at this point. Just a lot of ooo’s and mmmm’s. Highly highly highly recommend this dish. Had no idea hamachi could be just as wonderful cooked as it is raw.
Then of course we had some mochi to end the night, which was also very delicious. As tasty as it was, we had no choice but to leave the place gushing about the dinner. Absolutely one of the best meals we’ve gone out for in a while. And definitely the best sushi we’ve had in the city, not to mention so reasonable for the unique experience and quality of food! Can’t wait to go back in a couple weeks to try a broader selection of the menu.

Very fresh sushi and nice ambience. One negative is the volume of noise. Place needs more insulation to absorb noise levels.

All stars earned. This definitely is the best sushi I have had in Chicago so far, I’m contemplating if it’s the best I’ve had ever in life haha. The sushi was extremely fresh and delicious, they had a good size beer selection and specialty drinks, the service was great, and the atmosphere was clean and relaxing. Yes it’s pricey, but you get what you pay and the prices are worth it.

A bit of a disappointment after glancing through other reviews. The seaweed salad was the bright green dyed version in supermarkets, versus the black organic and purple ones. The chirashi only had a teaspoon of rice, not even a tablespoon. Tempura looked frozen. The mochi dessert was the saving grace.

We went there on Saturday night with a reservation. We were seated promptly and the service was great. We ordered the omakase since everyone seems to say that is the way to go. Considering how expensive it was, we were not impressed by the food. We will not be back.

Tragic really, from the moment we sat down in the front area at 7pm on a Sat night. No ambience, staring at parked n passing cars, go by. Wish we would have known there was a back area. Both of our menus were severely stained with soy sauce rings, green mush and wrinkled. Grossed out is an understatement. Tried the fish n chips, weird. Mushy tuna jammed onto one chip. Soggy, heavy mess. Spider roll was missing the spider but heavy on the rice. Second roll was just a mushy mess. 2 drinks, an app and two rolls and we are $ 80 in for a such a sad experience. We paid our bill still starving and headed to Dokku down the st where things were turned around. A beautiful experience, quality fish, clean menus.

A bit pricey, but well worth it. I ordered special off-​the-​menu rolls and was quite impressed. Sautéed shiitake mushrooms in a roll… interesting & delicious!

Staff: very friendly.
Food: bottom line is sushi was fresh and tasty. Took a very long time to get it. To give some perspective our reservation was at 830p and we were seated by 845p. We ordered right away a because we had time to look at the menu and it is now 945p and we still don’t have our sushi.
Ambiance: it’s a Saturday night, so it’s busy. Even though it’s busy, it is very loud. Not a conversation environment.
Basically, If you have time to sit and aren’t in a rush, the food is pricey but good.

It pains me to rate TSM 2 stars. Previously, as in 1 – 2 years ago (near when they opened), I would have had no problem giving them 4 stars.
We came in, sat at the sushi bar, and ordered the omakase. Unlike previous visits, the chef did not speak to us at all. No conversation about our flavor or fish preferences. That was half the fun of the TSM Omakase experience!
We received two appetizers, one of which was the Fish & Chip (s), which is still delicious and fun dish. Then, we were on to the rolls. Each roll was way too rice-​focused. It was hard not to notice how thin the pieces of fish had become. In fact, discussing the meal later, we decided that each roll was a combination of RICE, too little fish to make a difference, and then a sauce poured over the top to give it flavor. As much as I do love TSM’s truffle oil sauce, I can’t help but feel like this is a boring and cheap approach to sushi rolls.
All of this would have earned TSM 3 stars. I have to drop this review to 2 stars for one reason: THE BILL.
I get it: when you order omakase you’re accepting that you’re going to spend a bit more than your average customer. You’re not even considering the price of each roll, but instead entrusting the chef to provide you with an excellent meal, regardless of the cost. As I’ve established above, the rolls we had were decidedly average. Once we got the bill, I almost couldn’t believe it. Taking out the cost of the sake we drank and what would have been the cost of the apps we were served, they charged us, on average, $ 25 per roll. That is OUTLANDISH.
Sushi Mike, you’ve lost a local customer. For the benefit of your business, please address the quality of your rolls, the quality of the omakase experience, and the value of your restaurant.

Somebody downthread mentioned lackluster, and I think that perfectly sums up my experience at TSM, unfortunately.
I had some decent sashimi, but the rolls were very average. Even the chef’s «surprise roll» was so overloaded with fresh wasabi that it bastardized the fish.
The «fish and chips» was a tasty concept — I liked that.
Their ventilation is non-​existent; even on a Tuesday night with only 5 – 7 tables occupied, I left that place smelling as if I were working in a kitchen, on top of fryer grease.
Service was average albeit friendly — there seemed to be quite a disconnect among staff.
Put another way, there are far better sushi experiences in the city. Hopefully, for TSM’s sake, I happened to visit on an «off» night and they’re capable of much more, otherwise I’m not sure how long the doors can stay open if my experience was reflective of the status quo.

We had dinner on a Friday night at Tanoshii Sushi and it was a lackluster experience to say the least.
Décor: Inside and out this is a pretty nice place. It isn’t very large, having only a little more than a handful of tables and a splattering of bar seating, but everything is clean and pretty new. There are also a lot of windows, which I’m always a fan of for places.
Bathroom: unknown
Staff: We were seated right away (we did have a reservation) but then we just sat, and sat, and SAT… it must have taken our waiter 15mins to finally come over and introduce himself and explain the menu. He was a higher-​caliber waiter (speaking to his knowledge of the menu alone) but not very punctual. After we received our food, which took a while (and it was not very crowded), ate it, and finished, we again waited for an extended time for him to return for us to ask for the check. After he took our credit card it, again, took an inordinate amount of time for him to return. I’m not sure what the issue was but it only seemed to be with him. The bus boys were great, always refilling our water (even to the bitter end when we were standing up to leave haha).
Food: We only had water (as per usually with sushi) and edamame to start, in addition to miso soup and a green salad (wow, the salad was AMAZING!) For dinner we each had a few different rolls consisting of a regular spicy tuna and California, and two special rolls which were Dragon and Rainbow. Overall, the food was so-​so. While it tasted fine/​normal the portion size left MUCH to be desired — the rolls just don’t have much girth to them.
Value: Given the service and the small roll sizes I really felt like we overpaid leaving here.
Tanoshii has the possibility to be a decent sushi place but they really need to get their act together in key areas to get there. I don’t see us returning in the future.

I have been dying to eat here since it is so close and has gotten such great reviews.
For starters we had the Shrimp Gyoza and it was phenomenal! The flavors were head on and the dipping sauce was the perfect blend of sweet and tang.
For dinner we went with the Omakase menu which means we have no idea what we ate but it was damn good!
They make all their sauces in house and serve with no soy sauce. At first I was skeptical that I could eat my sushi with out the assistance of some soy sauce but it was not missed at all.
I wish I could remember the names of the rolls but I can’t and I can only say we requested spicy and were willing to eat any kind of fish. The rolls definitely did not disappoint.
I knew going in that this would be a pricey meal but 3 rolls, gyoza and a glass of wine set us back about more than $ 50 per person. I may recommend to just order rolls of the menu rather than letting the chef pick and plate since each roll was over $ 20.
Overall this spot is sexy inside with great service and food.

Forget looking at the menu and just let the great team of sushi chefs create something for you. Tell your server what you like and don’t like and soon the rolls will be coming to your table.
While more expensive than the regular rolls on the menu, the «omasake» part of the menu where the chefs create, was my favorite part of my meal here. The created roll was $ 22 versus the others at $ 8 and $ 13 so definitely a splurge, but we said we liked hot and this roll was great!
Our server, Susan, was also great! Pleasant, personable and definitely helpful she made sure our visit was spot on. Our tea (very hot, she said and she was right!) was never empty and she knew just the right amount of food for us to order.
The place is bigger than I thought as it has an entire back dining room which I didn’t even know was there.
If you find yourself looking to get your sushi fix on in the W. Loop, look no further than Sushi Mikes!

Second and last time here. The food is average at best and can’t justify the prices. Service is slow even for basic dishes. Really there’s nothing here to recommend. Just keep walking west on Randolph, there’s plenty of good food to find. Anyway, to the food…
Chicken Yakatori was very pedestrian. Honestly I could have made better. Some grilled chicken chunks on a stick with peppers and onions covered in a teryaki sauce. At these prices I expect something much more flavorful and unique. This is how Denny’s would cook and serve it.
The sashimi platter featured tuna with a truffle oil sauce on top. One of the issues I have with this place is their misguided effort to dress up sushi in various oils. While this truffle concoction eas better than the «italian» version I had last time I was here it’s just a mistake.
The rest of the sashimi was fresh but there wasn’t much of it and the chef’s selections were uninteresting. I’m not sure how this place is sveraging 4 stars at the moment.

SUPER FUN sushi place.
I’ve eaten tons of sushi, in new york, japan, Toronto Canada. I am def a sushi expert. I was wondering, is this just another crazy roll place… I say not, the fact that they can «create» some rolls based on some preferences is really cool (though I’m sure they have some staple stuff). I definitely experienced some flavors and combinations I have not before.
A must try for sushi lovers!

Sushi Mike’s is a 5 star experience for what they present themselves as and what they specialize in: Rolls, rolls, rolls and amazing sauces. If you’re a sushi purist and only like sashimi and nigiri, you will enjoy Sushi Mike’s (their fish is extremely fresh), but they probably won’t stand out above some of the other top sushi places in the city. If you’re into unique Japanese creations and want to experience a true omakase filled with a huge variety of ingenious bites — Kai Zan is a better bet for you. But if you enjoy beautifully crafted sushi rolls filled with amazing flavor combinations and genius sauces, then Sushi Mike’s is the place for you. The sauces do overpower the fish in many cases, but the sauces are so damn good, who cares?
My husband and I had dinner there this past Friday and based on all the Unilocal reviews, we deferred to the «omakase» for our meal. Seriously, don’t even bother with the menu. While Sushi Mike’s offers a true omakase in the sense that you are getting chef creations rather than ordering off their menu, rather than enjoy one or two bites of many different dishes, you’re getting full order sizes to share.
Yes, as many Unilocalers have pointed out, Sushi Mike’s is quite expensive. However, $ 20 – 24 per omakase roll is not that extreme, considering you’re getting a large size roll (10 pieces), top quality ingredients, and experiencing flavors you’ve never before had (um, chili truffle oil sauce anyone?). Plus, considering that average and below average sushi joints in this city charge anywhere from $ 16 – 18 for a «specialty» roll, I don’t mind paying the upcharge for one of Mike’s creations.
Michelle was our server and was very helpful in guiding us in our ordering. We told her which types of fish we liked (which was basically everything), we told her which flavors we enjoy (spicy, sweet, something with a crunch, etc.). Also, if you see something on Unilocal or have heard about a particular item, don’t feel shy to request it. I knew I wanted to try the chili truffle sauce and Michelle had no problem canceling whatever item the chef was preparing and asked him to make that particular one.
Our omakase meal consisted of 5 items for a total of about $ 110, plus our $ 30 bottle of sake. Not too shabby for a complete sushi feast, of which we enjoyed every single bite. We easily could have done one or two less items and still left satisfied, but we were celebrating and when in Rome…
Item #1: Yellowtail roll with a sauce made of fresh grated wasabi and ginger. Flavor-​wise, this was probably the most basic of the items, and least unique. However, the yellowtail was extremely fresh and the roll was overall delicious.
Item #2: Tuna and avocado on top and spicy tuna inside roll with chili truffle oil sauce. Every bite was heaven. Pure heaven. Excellent tuna quality and while I normally dislike the mushiness of spicy tuna, this was very tasty and firm.
Item #3: Salmon roll with tempura flakes and a spicy sauce that was to die for.
Item #4: For our 4^th item, Michelle recommended we switch it up from rolls and suggested this soft shell crab dish. Tempura fried soft shell crab with spicy tuna on top and of course an amazing sauce to go with it. This was also heavenly and plentiful, with 10 full pieces.
We were pretty full after the 4 items, but wanted just one more bite.
Item #5: Michelle guided us to the mango hand rolls that were a hand roll made of a hollowed out half mango, stuffed with a fish medley (tuna, super white tuna, and other deliciousness), with a peach vinaigrette. The perfect item to end our meal on — unique, delicious, and a bit dessert-​like.
To top it off, we got a complimentary plate of chocolate and strawberry mochi wedges when Michelle found out we were celebrating my birthday.
My only complaint, or concern rather, is that everything came out alarmingly fast. Our first item arrived, literally less than 3 minutes after we ordered. And while everything tasted freshly made, it kind of kills the experience a little bit when your rolls come out as fast as if they’d been made ahead of time and just sitting there waiting on you to arrive. To be fair, even once we started making requests for specific items, they were still coming out just as fast so I think it was just the combination of a less crowded night and really fast chefs.
Like I said, if you’re a purist or in the mood for classic sushi, Sushi Mike’s is not the place. If you’re looking for a cheaper sushi experience, go elsewhere. But if you want to experience intense flavors combined and enjoy every bite — Sushi Mike’s will not let you down.

Tanoshii is a cute sushi spot in the West Loop. Stopped by for dinner here, and must say that I enjoyed the bar and bartender at the beginning of our visit. We arrived a few minutes early and were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive. The bar was completely empty on a Friday night, and we decided to get cocktails. The bartender greeted us warmly, had a very pleasant demeanor and he created specialty cocktails for us that weren’t on the menu! Talk about a great experience. The drinks were fabulous, and I would go back just for some chit-​chat at the bar.
We were seated at a booth in the back portion of the restaurant, which had a very cozy feel. We should’ve done omakase, but instead stuck to the menu (will do omakase next time)! The meal started with the gyoza and calamari (both were very good). We then got four rolls off the menu (everything was tasty) and we ordered a few tuna and salmon rolls from the makimono section. For dessert it was four flavors of mochi — I loved the chocolate, coffee, and green tea flavors, but they also had cookies and cream. We also ordered some Japanese whiskey to end the meal, and it was all so good.
The service was great. The sushi was fresh and delicious. The ambiance was nice as well. I will be back to try what they’re known for (omakase) and will try some of the small bites, soups, and Japanese classics.