Kaze Sushi

I’m sad Kaze is now closed. I never once ordered off the menu, just asked the chef to deliver his amazingly seasonal creations. Very unique for a Midwest sushi joint. Sadness :(. Buffalo tartare? Carrot soup? At a sushi restaurant? But everything was so amazing.
On the plus side, I just saw the reincarnation is opening soon and hope that it is half as good as Kaze used to be. RIP KAZE!

Kaze is one now on of my favorite sushi places. The interior is simplistic, yet classy, and not too expensive. It is a nice size, with extra seating outside in the summer. I typically go after 9:30 on the weekend and have no no wait for a seat.
Their non-​sushi menu makes Kaze Sushi the perfect place to go with someone who does not want sushi. My husband really likes sushi, but is so enamored with Kaze’s filet mignon, which is well portioned and an incredible deal at under $ 20, that he gets this each time. It’s refreshing to go to a sushi restaurant that does such dishes with an Asian flare, instead of just serving Thai or Chinese food as the sushi alternative.
While no particular rolls have yet knocked my socks off, they are all quite worthy, and you get a lot for your money — 2 special rolls are very filling.
So if you want to have a nice sushi meal without the huge price tag of a Japonaise or Marai, I highly suggest Kaze Sushi.

It was closed tonight, a couple standing outside the shuttered site said that the owner and chef were in a p-​ssing match and so the place was closed until they figured out their mess. OMG. What is wrong with people that they take a popular restaurant and kill it over … what? When did restaurant chiefs become ego-​riddled rock stars?

Usually when I see «asian fusion» + «non-​Japanese chef» + «decorated nigiri», that puts me on High Caution. But chef Macku has paid his dues by training in Japan and has helped to open up restaurants such as Mirai. So I was willing to keep an open mind and submit to his creations.
Now you would think that his standard maki rolls would be one of the best in Chicago, but to be honest, it did not really impress me. Or maybe it was just overshadowed by everything else we had. What really caught me by surprise were the appetizers and desserts. The scallop salad with kiwi dressing was AMAZING! The Kobe Beef nigiri marinated in pear and tomato purée, torched with garlic butter and finished with dry shiitake mushrooms, green onions and sesame seeds was another favorite.
As for dessert, we shared a dessert sampler plus the braised asian pear. Growing up, my mom would never serve cakes or pastries for dessert, but rather fruit and an assortment of Japanese jello and puddings. This sampler is what I would conjure up as my ideal type of dessert: not too sweet, use of fresh fruit, and beautifully presented. Asparagus pudding and Asian pear really finished the dinner beautifully.

Finally dined here two nights ago and wish that I had not. The sushi is the only reason I do not give this place one star, for that was constructively creative and well done. The maki is likely the worse in the city, particularly given the setting. Meal pacing was HORRIBLE. A meal that should have taken 1.5 hours took just under three. Something has significantly changed from 2007, and it ain’t good.
Don’t mean to be a hater, but AVOID THIS PLACE.

Cool, cool stuff.
On my last visit to Kaze, it was very cold and I had a great meal. This visit to Kaze surprised me because I was delighted to find out that they have a patio! Sat down in the small patio area and was seated next to a young couple who were dining with five or six kids who were relatively well behaved.
The server came out and went over a detailed explanation of the special of the day and explained their seasonal menu that they are known for. I ordered myself a Stella, Dragon Maki and Spicy Shrimp hand roll. Friends of mine ordered a cornucopia of maki rolls and we waited for our food without any disturbance from traffic (as the patio is on the side street and not on Roscoe!).
Once the food came out, I dug into my Dragon maki and enjoyed the freshness of the eel and gladly wrapped my maki in ginger and then dipping the sushi into soy sauce mixed with wasabi. This roll was exceptional because the eel tasted fresh and left my taste buds wanting for more. The spicy shrimp hand roll was also excellent, and I ended up picking out pieces of it bit by bit and enjoying the different flavors one by one. All in all a standard visit to Kaze, exceptionally great food, expensive meal, but I was not quite full after I left.

I finally came here after having it bookmarked pretty much since I joined Unilocal.Kaze isn’t a standard sushi joint, for instance the unagi nigiri wasn’t just unagi, but it was topped with an assortment of spices that made it a bit special. And for that bit of creativity, you also pay more than your standard sushi joint.
We started out with Lychee Mimosas, and what a great way to start out a meal. We then got a variety of rolls, my favorite being the spicy tuna. Side note, their spicy tuna uses chili oil instead of mayo which I always prefer.
The staff was fantastic as was the food. In my opinion, it was worth the price and the hype — not a place that would be my regular place for sushi but when I want something a bit special or a twist on standard sushi, I will for sure be back.

I was really excited to be in Chicago on a Tuesday night when I found out about the tasting menu at Kaze. Even though this is a bit out of the way since I was staying in the Loop, it was worth the trip. What a cozy little restaurant, modern, warm, clean and enough Japanese people working there to be authentic. would definitely go again! Including tax+tip came to $ 64/​pp:
1^st course: White asparagus soup with king crab meat, foie gras & micro greens
2^nd course (best of the 4) paired with white wine: 5 different kinds of sushi including Kobe Beef marinated in a pear & tomato pureé, torched with garlic butter & finished with dried shiitake mushrooms, green onions & sesame seeds; Kani Avocado tempura & sea urchin laid on Alaskan King Crab with black tobiko on top of uni; Botan Ebi Scallop laid atop raw shrimp with a dab of honey mustard, mayo, tobiko, chives & a garlic-​truffle oil; Katsuo Bonito topped with a purée of garlic-​infused enoki mushrooms and tomatoes, garnished with pickled onions and fried garlic; White Tuna East coast white tuna topped with a banana-​wasabi purée
3^rd course paired with sake wine: Sashimi White Tuna Panko breaded east coast white tuna served with pickled onions & tobiko in a yakiniku sauce; Makimono Zuke Sake Shrimp tempura & arugula wrapped inside out topped with marinated salmon & avocado served with roasted peppers & a teriyaki sauce
4^th course paired with a carmenere wine: Entrée Kurobuta Breaded Berkshire Pork lightly fried topped with melted mozzarella, Japanese curry & served with squid ink rice, steamed asparagus & cherry tomatoes
Dessert (not included in $ 45 prix fixe): Braised asian pear in a warm sake reduction topped with green tea ice cream and garnished with slivered almonds, deep fried bananas, and chocolate syrup

Like everyone else, I «finally» made it to Kaze, but have really mixed feelings about it. From the outside, it looks like a very cute, trendy corner sushi bar. I liked the simple lines and décor of the restaurant and the faux marble countertop (I sat at the sushibar).
Couple suggestions — being a «nice» establishment as is, Kaze needs to put a curtain or something to shield the customers from seeing the inside of the kitchen. Spending the type of money you do here, I don’t need to see red crates sitting on the floor. Also, I know every place carries house sake, and it’s usually Ozeki’s. But don’t let me see the box through the kitchen service window. Also, Kaze-​san needs to smile more and be more friendly. We ordered the chef’s choice and sat in front of him the entire meal without so much as a greeting. When a customer whom I assumed was a regular sat next to us and made conversation, Kaze-​san seemed very cold.
The food. Our server told us about the seasonal nigiri with toppings that they are famous for, but it didn’t seem all that interesting so we opted for the «typical chef’s selection» for roughly $ 60/​person. The menu seemed almost scant and I wasn’t in the mood to read through it, so I opted for other Unilocalers suggestions and did the chef’s choice. Here’s what we were served:
Sweet potato soup, Japanese snapper, bigeye sashimi with chives and other herbs, cooked whitefish lightly tempura-​ed with shrimp, tuna tartare with avacado served with shrimp in a crisp spring roll, bonito with the Katsuo, white tuna and kanpachi nigiri with toppings.
The white tuna nigiri was by far the best item of the night, very fresh. The potato soup was great too, the lobster stock added a lot of flavor and I’m a big fan of the purée. I really liked the spring roll that was served with the tuna tartare. The other fish items, while interesting, I thought were on the heavy side with a bit too much soy or sesame oil which drowned out all flavor of the actual sashimi and at times tasted almost Chinese. Did not like the Kanpachi. Surpringly, at the end of the meal I was quite satisfied and full.
For presentation (both food and décor), Kaze is a 5. I see all the French influences here and I appreciate it. Service was also a 5, as I’d expect it to be when ordering the «Chef’s selection». Our server was knowledgeable, elaborated on the contents and preparation of each dish and kept my water glass full. For taste, I’m more of a sushi purist and don’t really like too much fusion, so I’m reserving judgement here. For the little odds and ends though, Kaze gets a 3. Kaze-​san needs to enjoy owning and running his restaurant more. Overall, Kaze is solid, probably an excellent date venue to impress. To me it’s a marginal 4 but giving it the benefit of the doubt since a) I did leave feeling like I got my money’s worth and b) no other place in Chicago serves up the kind of elaborate sashimi Kaze does.

Wonderful.
It was Wednesday night, and my boyfriend and I were celebrating his very recent great news at work. The energy of the place fit our own exuberance. We did not have a reservation, but the hostess was very glad to seat us in a corner table. The waiter greeted us in a very professional yet laid-​back way and knew the drink menu inside and out. He had heard me make a joke about ordering a bunch of sake and had some suggestions as to why I have not liked it in the past. This guy knew his stuff.
He even knew where the fish came from. «Yes, our fish came in from Canada this week so the chef has been really excited. That’s why our specialty roll is made with this tuna tonight.» My date said «I’m so glad you know where this is coming from!» to which the waiter replied, «Well that’s important!»
I was impressed and hadn’t even done more than sip on my fabulously prepared lychee martini. My date had a Sapphire martini that was also poured wonderfully to his liking.
The special tuna sashimi was the best tuna I have tasted in my entire life. I loved the plating (and the plate!). It honestly was sex in my mouth. Sex. In. My mouth. I recommend anyone to go and request this dish.
Avocado maki, vegetable tempura maki, soft-​shell crab maki were great as well. Wonderful texture and a great wasabi. We had originally requested a spicy tuna maki but the waiter recommended a specialty roll that included sweet potato tempura in the roll with minced spicy tuna and two other things that I can’t remember on top. The blend of tastes was magnificent. I put the first bite into my mouth and started giggling. My date was equally impressed and pleased. So much that we did not say no to the dessert menu.
Asparagus pudding? Interesting enough to not say no to.
Beautiful preparation. A white circle in the middle of an exquisite raspberry reduction. Beautiful. Just beautiful. I wanted to go to the back and give the chef a hug.
Chef Kaze — you rock. Your restaurant rocks. Your staff is wonderful. The interior designer did a fantastic job. I’m in love with Kaze and will be back even when I’m not celebrating a life event.

This place was good, but for $ 40/​person (no drinks) it should be great.
First of all, everything we had there was good. I admit that i’m a fan of raw fish, not seared — and half the fish we got was seared. We had 3 different house nigiri specials, I was not impressed by them, but my girlfriend really liked the one that was some white fish with a banana wasabi on top. Then we had 3 rolls — a special that was soft crab on the inside topped with white tuna, a tiny slice of beet and masago. hamachi shrimp tempura roll off regular menu, and simple sake (salmon) roll. I enjoyed the salmon roll the best. just simple, good fish. We also had miso soup to start, which was above average, full of green onion and tofu.
And service was excellent (he knew menu very well, was attentive, accurate, etc) except that he filled our soy sauce dish to the max. I’ve been to dozens of sushi places and thats never happened — how i am supposed to mix a little wasabi with my soy for the ever satisfying dip?
Atmosphere was nice, but didn’t blend — Part sushi (wood on the wall behind sushi chefs was nice), part titanic (what is up with those chairs?)
Value 2/​5, presentation 4/​5, food 3/​5, service 4/​5, atmosphere ²⁄₅

I went here yesterday for their Tuesday prix fixe menu. It was slightly confusing finding this restaurant since there was no outdoor signage but I did like how it looked inside. It had a simple clean look to it and I loved all the orchids decorating the place. Our server was also attentive and agreeable… I liked her very much.
First Course (Salad): Although I don’t think I would love it so much to seek it out, the summer salad was quite tasty. I loved the combination of the asparagus, shrimp, crabmeat and especially the black olive dressing. However, I felt that the cauliflower sorbet was somewhat overpowering and too sweet so I just put less on each bite.
Second Course (Nigiri Sushi): My absolute favorite was the katsuo, where the flavor exploded in my mouth… the fried garlic added a lot to the piece. My second favorite was the ika… I’m not too fond of squid nigiri but this one was exquisite and the texture was amazing. One thing that disappointed was the white tuna, which was so hyped up in my head as I’ve seen rave reviews on it. Don’t get me wrong, the white tuna melted in my mouth… but I could not taste the banana-​wasabi purée at all… and it wasn’t just me as my dinner companion could not taste it as well. The other two, the unagi and especially the spicy tuna weren’t anything too special for me as I felt the unagi was too chewy and the spicy tuna was something that I could order at other sushi restaurants. We also ordered a couple of uni nigiris on the side and they were super creamy and delicious.
Third Course (Sashimi and Makimono): I enjoyed the white tuna soft shell crab maki very much. The combination of the crispy crab and crunchy beet went perfectly together. Kaze’s pick of the sashimi was seared blue fin, which I actually disliked and was my least favorite of the meal.
Fourth Course (Entrée): Kaze’s rendition of crab cake gave me the impression of a crab cake pot pie although personally for me, the fruit did not add too much to it. However, I’m not really one of those people who enjoy fruit in my dishes unless it’s for dessert. But I liked the dish as a whole, especially because it was a heartier finish to the meal.
Did not get dessert as we were heading to the movies afterwards and I had to save room for popcorn but will have to try next time I go back as the asparagus pudding sounds very intriguing. Overall, the meal did not blow me away but it was delicious and the presentation was beautiful.

Yummy… but expensive… but still yummy.
I have found my favorite sushi place in this city for FRESH SALMON.
Melts on your lips salmon.
This just adds to my collection of sushi pieces from different sushi joints. Salmon here. Hamachi at Kabuki. White tuna at Leveche & Koko Sushi Bar.

It’s great that they go a little crazy with coloring up the nigiri. Garlic and herbs on salmon… yum. who would have thunk it?
It’s great that they have an outside heated patio.
The martini was good. The champagne with hairy fruit was also good.
Kaze, I will see you again.

Go try it. You won’t regret it.
We had dinner on Tuesday and tried their $ 45 prix fixe menu. Each course was exquisitely presented on the plates, you can tell that the chef put a lot of creativity into this menu using seasonal ingredients. The purees and the sauces that accompany each dish were just right. We were skeptical about some pairings, but then when you put the bite in your mouth, they all worked! Harmonious flavors, yet distinctive.
The most impressive course… dessert. You normally would not expect much from desserts in a Japanese restaurant. But the black sesame custard was so yummy!
I have not tried any sushi a la carte, but will definitely go back to try.

My review is for delivery.
I think the delivery menu posted on the internet site is a bit outdated — from a price and possibly item perspective.
I had 3 maki — all were great.
Rainbow roll — not a huge roll, but the fish pieces on top were awesome — sooo fresh.
Soft shell crab roll — hmmmmm
Sweet potato tempura roll — G*d bless fried food
My rolls were delivered 60 minutes after the order as promised!

Overpriced for maki that lacks creativity (other than their seasonals which are more of a fusion dish than sushi). Their sashimi and nigiri is overpriced for what you get.
You pay for their pretentious attitude. The decorations are nice (all white, very clean look)
The people who work their are sometimes idiots. A month ago I called to make reservations, they said that it was full but they can set up a place for us outside (they have outdoor seating when its warm). Well a month ago puts it right around Thanksgiving, way too cold to eat outdoors in Chicago.
My advice is go to a better spot that costs less.

Kaze is located in Roscoe Village and I don’t remember coming to this part of town when I used to live in Chi-​town 7 yrs ago.
Nevertheless, my friend made reservations and we were seated promptly. It was packed and we had this weird long table in the front of the restaurant with only 4 of us. No complaints since there were ample space for all our dishes.
We shared an appetizer along with 3 main entrees and 3 rolls.
The appetizer of White Tuna East coast — white tuna topped
with a banana-​wasabi pureed was DELICIOUS! It was $ 4 per piece but so worth it! Succulent and yummy!
The main dishes were definitely wow factors! We shared the Unagi Don — Breaded freshwater eel, lightly deep-​fried until golden brown, served with balsamic reduction, Tekka Don, Sliced big eye tuna over rice served with wasabi and soy sauce and Salmon entrée served with mixed green salad, cherry tomatoes and mashed potatoes.
We shared the Dragon roll and the waiter recommended Hamachi Ebi Tempura and another special rolls but they were not so eventful. The rolls were way below mediocre and was really disappointing.
We then shared 3 lovely dessert, a black sesame flan, poached pear with raspberries and another dessert which I had forgotten.
Overall a decent place to dine however, the service is rather spotty. I believed we dined for about 2+ hours and finished dinner close to midnite!

It’s high time I added my nickel to the Kaze discussion. It’s been a few months and I find myself still craving the sensations of that night of tasting — inspired by a view of the Fall Seasonal Tasting Menu on the website, which has my mouth watering. Disclaimers: I’m not asian, I’ve never been to Japan, I haven’t tried every sushi restaurant in the country, but this is one of the most enjoyable and interesting meals I’ve ever had, so it earns top marks. Got all that? Ok…
Artfully presented, served with care and warmth, everything tasted excellent. The fish was melt-​in-​your-​mouth fresh. I tend to shy away from oysters, but I enjoyed the hell out of that meaty sucker. The tofu had great consistency. I would have enjoyed three sake pairings rather than wine (just one sake serving, and maybe 2 oz at that) but that’s about as troublesome as it got. Lisa, the server, was not condescending in the least and ever ready to answer questions. Ask for her — she’s damn good.
It’s a bit dressy and fancy — I don’t need that to enjoy, but I’ll make the gladly make the effort.

Not a pure sushi bar, and I wouldn’t even call it a Japanese restaurant. But it’s one of the very few successful Japanese & Western (I’m assuming French) fusion restaurants I’ve been to, the first in Chicago. They’ve done a superb job merging the two cuisines, and for that, I like this place.
FOOD: One of us ordered the Tuesday tasting menu, while the remaining three ordered random appetizers and entrees. Each plate was not only artfully presented, but also had a solid dashi base. I thought the chef did an outstanding job incorporating the subtle tastes of nori (seaweed), katsuo bushi (dried shredded bonito), and sansai (mountain vegetables — my favorite!) while being quite daring and innovative. In fact, I was surprised to learn that he wasn’t Japanese.
SUSHI: I saw a plate of nigiri on the counter as I walked in and thought, «uh-​oh.» They looked too… creative. So I asked for an order of rice and sashimi only without any delicate frills/​toppings. Eating sashimi plain is the best when the fish is fresh, and their fish is super fresh. You could even skip the soy sauce. I was particularly impressed with the blue fin as it melted in my mouth (and I actually made the «mmmm…» sound), and although I normally don’t eat salmon, I tried it this time and was actually happy with it. I hope that they could add this on their menu…
SAKE: While drinking sake in a wine glass was very odd, they carry an impressive junmai sake selection, including some I hadn’t even heard of! Sake sampler is my next target.
SERVICE: Polite, attentive and flexible in accommodating our needs.
SETTING: Modern, trendy and too pretentious for me… It’s definitely not a typical sushi bar where I’d feel totally comfortable.
Over all, 4.5 stars. Again — this is NOT a traditional Japanese restaurant, so you must go in with the right expectation!

Edit 6÷11÷08
Kaze, its been since the Spring menu. We miss you. We’re coming back. Promise. Soon. Promise.
I’ll have every new thing on the menu and my favorites:
Seared Tuna Appetizer
and the Bass Entrée.
And I’ll order Omakase on top of those.
Edit 7/25/07.I think Unilocal should have an update stream for when ur friends update their reviews… like a ticker. ha. anyway — i cannot count the number of times we’ve been here, i have come with parties of 2 and with 4 several times. All the times are comfortable, except when they give that discount to my man but not when I’m without him. curious. Anyway… get the Tuna Steak appetizer. so yum. omg. and special spicy roll something. yea get that. Go for your first time on a Tuesday and try it all then come back. I dream of the Ika. It satisfies me.
Kaze is fabulous times infinity. This was the best sushi experience I’ve ever participated in. It took me all day of reading everyone’s reviews so that I didn’t duplicate others words, but it is five starred by everyone already so lets move on! I chose the window seat in our party, this afforded me clear shot view of the chef and his glistening weapon. I couldn’t believe how it floated thru the fillets. It amazed me. I need a new knife. I believe the next time I go sushi — I’ll sit at the bar and get the chef’s choice style.(whats that phrase?) I got to meet a few other Unilocalers last nite and what a great time. Though I’m thinking that it should be a standing order of musical chairs between courses so everyone gets a chance for a hello!
The tofu & flounder entrée on the spring tasting menu really completed the dinner. I joked about having too little soy but didn’t even touch it on the course it was served with. Though I didn’t care for the oyster or the sake, which I’m told were both very very high quality — every thing here was absolutely perfect and beautifully prepared, served by a very attentive staff. The Soup — Lobster soy with mushroom and shrimp was very tasty though the mushroom could have been cut into bite-​size pieces. Everything in the nigiri sushi course was close to divine intervention for me.
Key to servers: When you have to reach to serve someone every course, do NOT apologize. I do not want to hear «I’m sorry» as you’re serving me one of the most beautiful dinner I’ve had. The first apology should go to the person you’re reaching over and then no more apologies, unless the food sucks, which, in this case — it clearly ruled as honorably as I, Queen Jean, Muah hah ha ha!
Edit ⁴⁄₂₁: We’ve been back twice since and Let Me Tell you! Ask for Lisa if you go on a Friday (She was our Unilocal dinner server.) The staff pools the tips so be cautious if you have a little off service like we did last nite. They have a huge to-​go business! There are people of all walks that come to this place, so don’t feel the need to wear a tie. Both times I’ve been back, I sat right in front of the sushi god. Love the Chefs Choice. Each time was just splendid!

My search is over!!! Those of you who read my reviews know that I“m a serious sushi addict and for the past 9 years I’ve been trying to find the best sushi restaurant in Chicago. Yes, Toro is amazing and I’ll join anyone for a meal at Bob San any night of the week, but tonight I’ve found the best sushi restaurant in Chicago. Kaze wins!
This review is for the Tuesday night $ 45 chefs tasting menu, which I think may just be the best deal in town…4 courses and it includes alcohol. Yes, this includes alcohol! They change up this menu every 3 months– the current menu just started a few weeks ago and I plan on going back to have it again, again, and again! Every bit of this 4 course meal was just incredible: the spicy tuna melted in my mouth, the enormous oyster they placed before my eyes just slipped down my throat, and don’t even get me started on how delicious that squid was.
Thanks to the 9 other Unilocalers who made this delicious meal a blast and our Southern belle waitress, Lisa, who provided phenomenal service. To all the California Unilocalers out there– Kaze presents some serious competition for your delicious sushi restaurants. Now if only I could find a deli in Chicago that is as good as the ones in NY?