Store-bought sushi varies widely in quality and doesn’t tend to excite. But this Asian market in suburban Elk Grove Village punches above its weight by using fresh ingredients imported daily from overseas. The cafe in the back of the space produces made-to-order maki rolls, sashimi and nigiri sets, poke, chirashi, and more. It’s all affordably priced and manages to hold its own against pieces coming out of restaurants. Customers can also purchase sushi-grade tuna and salmon to slice at home.

Those in the know visit Mike Ham, affectionately referred to as Sushi Mike, for his masterful ability to manipulate maki. The signature chef’s choice rolls are popular and can be customized to diners’ tastes. They’re packed with tuna, shrimp tempura, soft-shell crab, truffle honey, and other exciting flavors. Ham has also created original dishes like “fish and chips” (spicy tuna, pico de gallo, avocado, tortilla chip) and a “tuna truffle flower” (seared tuna sashimi, chive sauce, truffle honey). Equally thrilling: The restaurant is BYOB.

The dollar goes a long way at this popular carryout joint in Albany Park. Favored for its budget-friendly prices, Lawrence Fish Market turns out commendable maki rolls, nigiri, and sashimi. Customers can order pieces a la carte or enjoy a sushi feast with one of the party trays. It’s cash only, so bring some bills.

This Lincoln Park’s sushi haunt features the talents of Mitch Kim, the veteran chef who has served Japanese cuisine for more than two decades in the neighborhood. The restaurant pairs modern design (think exposed brick walls, leather barstools, and a fish skeleton mural inspired by a tattoo on Kim’s forearm) with ever-changing menus that include vegetarian options and nods to izakaya-style dishes.

For chef B.K. Park, fresh fish is his palette and a sharp knife is his paint brush. With them, he composes plates of seared scallops and toro tartare, as well as an array of nigiri bites. Don’t miss the aromatic smoked sashimi either — it’s Park’s magnum opus.

Intimate and unusual, Sushi Suite offers pristine fish inside a 500-square-foot hotel room. The omakase restaurant — located on the second floor of Hotel Lincoln — treats guests to 17 courses over the span of 75 minutes for $155 per head. The luxurious ingredients include A5 wagyu, Hokkaido uni, and otoro tuna. On the beverage side, bartenders craft bespoke cocktails while sake is dispensed via a self-serve vending machine. There’s sibling Sushi by Bou restaurants in Gold Coast and West Loop.

For the best bang-for-the-buck, it doesn’t get much better than Sushi Taku. The all-you-can-eat option — priced at $22.99 for lunch and $31.99 for dinner — includes unlimited appetizers, nigiri pieces, and maki. Come hungry and go all out on salmon, spicy tuna rolls, and much more. Dine-in service is limited to 75 minutes. A second location is in Logan Square.

One of the gold standards for sushi in Chicago has long been West Town’s Arami. Grab a seat at the bar and watch the team prepare traditional pieces of nigiri and maki in addition to items like toro don and tuna and salmon tostadas. There are also several omakase options, including a 10-piece tasting menu for $110. Recently, sushi chef Nelson Vinansaca returned to the restaurant.

At this respected sushi destination, it’s best to sit back and let chefs Melvin and Carlo Vizconde do all the work by choosing the omakase menu, which starts at $90. The twin brothers meticulously assemble inventive creations, such as Angry Crab (spicy crab wrapped in tuna and topped with tempura crunch) and Orange Rush (seared scallop wrapped in salmon with a citrus glaze).

The Chicago outpost of Asian-inspired restaurant and club Tao is perhaps most notable for its nightlife action, but the food certainly shouldn’t be overlooked. The sprawling 275-seat dining room has stunning features, such as a 16-foot statue of Buddhist deity Quan Yin, and also houses a sushi bar. Patrons can savor a la carte pieces of fatty tuna, shrimp, scallop, Alaskan king crab, freshwater eel, uni, and more. Or they can leave it in the hands of the experts by going the omakase route.

Sushi-san’s motto is “hip hop and hand rolls,” which should give some indication of the casual vibe at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’ ocean-oriented sibling of Ramen-san. While chef Kaze Chan is serving a full slate of izakaya-inspired bites, from crispy tempura to grilled miso salmon, the restaurant’s sweet spot is its “San-sets” that include maki rolls and traditional nigiri and sashimi. Online ordering is available here. For a more intimate and upscale meal, patrons can snag a spot at the Omakase Room, a 10-seat restaurant-within-a-restaurant offering an 18-course menu for $250 per person. There’s also a location inside Willis Tower.

Boka Restaurant Group made a big splash with its foray into Japanese dining. Decorated chef Gene Kato not only carves into prime seafood, such as fatty bluefin tuna belly and striped beakfish, but also uses a robata to produce succulent pieces of lamb, chicken thighs, and more. Downstairs, a Tokyo-inspired izakaya serves more casual dishes like uni pasta and chicken katsu. Thee’s also an impressive sake and Japanese whisky collection. In early 2023, Kato and Boka introduced Itoko, an intimate new Japanese restaurant in Lakeview that shares the former Southport Lanes building with Little Goat Diner and GG’s Chicken Shop.

Juno chef B.K. Park opened this sophisticated, minimalist dining space devoted to omakase in 2019. Housing just 22 seats, divided between tables and a 12-seat bar, Michelin-starred Mako serves up to 23 courses of nigiri and plated Japanese dishes for $185 per person. Park is also working on a more casual sushi restaurant slated to open late in 2023.

After several delays and much anticipation, Chicago’s first Nobu Hotel finally arrived in 2020 — and the company’s glitzy Japanese restaurant, founded by celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Diners can indulge in luxuries such as toro tartare with caviar, uni shooters, lobster and king crab tacos, and much more. There’s also an extensive selection of nigiri, sashimi, and maki rolls plus noteworthy hot dishes like the signature miso black cod. Can’t decide what to order? Try the omakase menu to sample a variety of cuts. 

This pop-up-turned-permanent restaurant inside CH Distillery (the maker of Jeppson’s Malört) is one of the city’s most unusual spots, offering a 14-course omakase in a modern, industrially-influenced space. Diners can also order nigiri, sashimi, and maki a la carte.

Korean chef Sangtae Park helms Michelin-starred Omakase Yume, the uncluttered, blonde wood-designed omakase den in the West Loop. Expect a series of 16 seasonally-changing courses focused on Edomae-style sushi. This type of sushi originated in Edo, the old name for Tokyo, and is based on various curing and preservation techniques. Reservations are $185 per person.