Sushi X

I went here on a recommendation of a former Chicago resident. Approaching the building, I wasn’t sure if the place was open… it’s black inside, and sort of sketchy looking, like something illicit might be going on outside.
Inside, however, was a great experience. My server was very friendly, informative, and helpful. She recommended a few rolls, including her favorite — the Spicy Dragon (?) I believe it was called. It was delicious, and hearty, which is not something I usually say about sushi.
I also had the crab rangoon roll which is DELICIOUS. I don’t know if I can ever go back to eating crab rangoons the old way.
If you’re feeling adventurous, give this place a try! I think it’s better to bring friends, because the sushi is served by the ROLL, not by the piece.

closed.

I first stumbled upon Sushi X during West Fest. I was in a stranger’s backyard with a few friends, and as it turned out that very same stranger worked at Sushi X and offered to get us a deal on some sushi. Now, I don’t eat fish, so my first instinct was to say no, but then again, my second instinct was to reach for the breathalyzer we were passing around as a party game – so clearly my instincts were a bit off that day.
Knowing that I did not eat fish, the stranger ordered the Pollo Loco (a glorious mixture of chicken, lettuce, avacado, jalapenos, spicy mayo, and more) and a standard sweet potato tempura roll. From that moment on my eyes were opened, and I was addicted, but the story does not end there.
It just so happens that my office is right down the street from this Sushi-​X location, and it just so happens they have half-​off happy hour. While there are limits on how much you can order at a time (2 rolls), that is not an issue for me as try as I might, I can’t even tackle two in one sitting. This allows me to get my two favorites (see above) for around $ 10 – 12, a complete steal. And of course, how could I forget, the dipping sauces! Now, I have no idea what they are even though different waitresses have told me plenty of times, but dear god they’re delicious. Just as for the orange-​translucent one, and the opaque one and they’ll know what you’re talking about… and if they tell you the name of the sauces, tell me so I don’t look like a fool for the 15^th time!
So this former «Sushi — no way!» guy gives Sushi X 5 stars, and I’m bringing more and more of my non-​sushi eating friends into the fold, and they’re loving it every time!

The sushi is honestly about 4 stars, and the first time I went here I would have probably given the entire experience that, a friend and I went in around 6:30 for happy hour on a Friday ordered many rolls at half price which were all delicious, along with fantastic service.
Now on to the most recent visit, a friend and I arrived at 6:30 knowing that we were there in time for the half price deal. The first this I noticed was that it has been changed to Sunday-Wednesday…not so bad. I was starving and perused the menu getting excited about all the delicious options. When the waitress came to take our order my dining mate ordered two rolls, and i ordered three… but wait, I was asked which one I would like to substitute since apprently there is a limit of 2 per person, per round, whhhaaaa??? I guess that means you can order another 2 after you get the first ones, but they conveniently did not deliver the rolls until after 7 making it impossible to get any more at half price. Frankly their prices are quite high ($ 8 for a spicy tuna roll?) And while they are tasty, they are not worth it. C’mon Sushi X stop being so stingy!

Listen to me. The 5 – 0 roll is what, I imagine, Jesus would eat if he were a fan of sushi. It’s wrapped in bacon. Let your mind work around that little caveat.
…
BACON!
And the kicker. You can get this roll for HALF PRICE four days out of the week. You’re paying six dollars for what is, in essence, a gentle yet assured hand-​job for your taste buds.
Pair it with the Rainbow Roll – a bit more traditional, yet still mad flavorful – and one of their signature martinis and you’ve got a meal fitting for a Last Supper.

Went here for half off rolls (Sun-​Wed) from 5−7PM. Sat outside… its ok little patio, however they have these plants that are like in your face… not a great layout. The waitress was ok… not the best. The rolls… while they werent horrible but even with the half off, I probably wont go back. I cant imagine paying full price for these rolls… they are pretty pricey and just ok. They never re-​filled out water and the waitress brought us the wrong check. Ugh, it just wasnt that great. We had the alaska, spicy tuna, honey (not a fan), and rainbow. Some of the rolls were good and some the fish did not taste good. I would probably pass and go somewhere else

Who does not LOVE sushi happy hour. On Sunday-​Wed from 5 – 7 all rolls are half off (except the ones with insect names… yellow jacket, caterpillar, dragonfly… at least that’s what I think)
Anyways, their rolls are different and delicious. My favorite is the Buddha roll with their ginger dressing… its all vegetables and I know there are haters out there that will say its not real sushi but its delicious, so who cares! As for their other sushi, its all really awesome… I have tried most of the menu and really like honey, caterpillar, dragon, rainbow, vegetable tempura, omega (its huge though!), spider… basically I think you get my drift. Take a chance on a roll that you haven’t tried before… most of the time you will be pleasantly surprised. And if you’re not happy, let’s hope you went during happy hour.

Too pricey for the quality… I was expecting good sushi from the cute little place that’s just down the street from where I live. The staff is nice, but it is a little too dark and trendy for my tastes (loud music as well, which is great for happy hour, not so great for a private meal at 8:30 pm), but that didn’t really affect this review.
Avoid the cream cheese rolls — they are SOOO cheesy, it’s gross.
That being said, the hot sake was really pretty good.
I may go back for the 5 – 7 ½ price happy hour, but other than that, I’ll keep searching for a better sushi place.

This was my 2^nd time here @ the Diversey location. My gfs and I came here for the Happy Hour special on Monday, which is essentially ½ price maki rolls — in theory, that sounds like a steal, but in actualality, the rolls here are over-​priced, so the ½ price actually made the prices digestable and comparable to other sushi joints.
NOTE — my review will be based on my experience on paying ½ price for sushi. If price is a consideration in your reviews, then you can adjust the rating according to your preference while reading my review.
We got a couple neo rolls (red dragon, white tiger), 1 mega roll (buddha), honey roll, and another roll that I can’t remember. Out of those 5, the white tiger and red dragon were my fav. The buddha roll was interesting since it had shiitake mushrooms and lettuce and was more unique, but flavor-​wise I preferred the 1^st two. I don’t know what went wrong with the honey roll — there was def. texture (w. tempura flakes), but the honey sesame mayo and white tuna were tasteless/​bland, and not satisfying.
Overall, the rolls here are unique and not the typical that you see — they have a wide selection, and their happy hour deal is worth checking out. 3 ppl ended up being $ 36 before tip. and we were really full — not bad @ all!
BTW — the Diversey location has a drink menu (although they don’t have a drink menu on the website).

A friend of mine has been on a (pre– «mercury poisoning») Jeremy Piven-​esque sushi binge lately, so we’ve been trying out all the neighborhood places, and Sushi X has been our top choice so far.
I’ve lived down the street from Sushi X for a year now, and I cannot believe I hadn’t tried it until last month! It’s a small restaurant, but they’ve got additional seating at the (full) bar, and they offer outdoor seating in the summertime as well. The atmosphere is a little strange but cool; animé videos are projected on the wall and loudish– trendy music plays overhead. They have a creative (and delicious) menu– my favorites are the Spicy Tako, salmon skin, and tempura vegetable rolls. They also have a fun drink list– the Lemongrass– Coconut Saketini is amazing and the perfect complement to spicy maki.
My sushi-​loving friend and I have made Sushi X happy hour a weekly outing, and dining early (5−7pm) is a compromise I’m willing to make for half-​price maki; how can you go wrong?!

I loved this place!
We came in and sat at the bar which was very cool and futuristic looking.
There were 3 of us, and we all ordered the martini that has coconut/​lemongrass saki in it, and it was delicious. Delicate and smooth, I cold have had 10 of them.
We ordered the spicy tuna roll which was fresh and delicious, but maybe just a little too spicy.
We also had the five-​o roll. It was by far one of the best things I’ve ever had. It comes with BACON in it! Bacon and sushi are my 2 favorite things, so this worked out well for me. I asked them to sub the hamachi with white tuna, and the pinapple mustard mayo with the spicy mayo, and it was just to die for.
I did try the pineapple mustard mayo on the side, and it was amazing. I’ll definitely get it on the roll next time. I thought it might be too sweet, but it isn’t at all.
Our experience was great, the service was impeccable, and the food was creative and fresh. I’ll definitely be back!

If you decided to dine at Sushi X, leave your car at home. Normally, I prefer to take the CTA when out on the town, but I had a date from Addison and had to cart drunken friends around.
By the time I found parking (pay lot, first right after you pass the restaurant), I was in a bad mood. The club-​esque door guys and ultramodern décor didn’t help matters.
Miller Lite was on special for $ 2 a bottle. That was cool.
But the sushi, aside from the «traditional menu» was hyperAmericanized madness. Chicken and pineapple don’t belong on pizza, and they don’t belong in my roll.
The fish was quality but a bit overpriced (Lincoln Park, surprise!). My $ 6 spicy tuna was cut into six pieces and would go for $ 4 elsewhere. The California roll had real crab and wasn’t overprocessed, a complaint I’ve had at other sushi bars. My date had a red dragon (very good, $ 16) and a honey roll (also tasty, $ 14).
We rounded out the meal with some unimpressive edamame and a delicious seaweed salad.
In all, the meal totaled $ 60. I’ve taken a group of five out for that much at other sushi bars.

This place has the hugest rolls I have ever seen. I usually need two to fill me up, but one will do it here. They have different type of rolls here, I got one with proscuttio, bacon, and pineapple mayo. I am not in a rush to get it again, but it was different and good. Oh yea, it came with ridiculous sized portion of hamachi. Yea, I might get it again then. Tried the crab rangoon. That was just amazing, I am also addicted to crab.
It’s different in a good way, would go back when I need something new. Oh yeah, going in a car there, parking is a bitch.

This review is for delivery only.
The lovely JZ and I decided we needed some sushi to go along with our champagne punch, so we called Sushi X. She ordered the godzilla roll, I ordered the crab rangoon roll (with cucumber instead of avocado, which they substituted for me no problem), and we shared the honey roll. Yes, the sushi is a little pricey, but the rolls were large and delicious, and made for good cold leftovers today as well. Delivery was fast and friendly.
Good to have another sushi delivery option in my hood (well, good for my tummy, bad for my wallet!)

This place wasn’t crowded on a Friday night… I had a reservation because it’s in Lincoln Park and all, but they were not overly busy.
Dim lights & candles gave this place a sexy vibe. Bring your hottest date here ;) Or in my case, 2 of my bestest girlfriends.
The rolls are pricey, BUT they are huuuuuge! Really big. OMG big. I had the Godzilla & an order of tuna. And that filled me up. I tried my friends crab rangoon roll and it was loaded with real crab – it was a steal for $ 16.
If you’re in Lincoln Park, give it a try, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to go back… there are too many other good sushi places out there.

I fumbled my way through a metal beaded curtain into a darkly lit area. Yeah, it sounds a lot like the beginning of a seedy Saturday late-​night adventure. Instead, it was the end of my dining experience at Sushi X. All I wanted to do was find the restroom.
My dining group was fortunate enough to be seated next to the window. This was a great spot for people watching, as well as being able to get a really good, well-​lit look at the sushi presentation. My sushi not only has to taste great, it needs to hold true to its art form and look fantastic, however it’s plated. Kudos to the sushi chef for the presentation.
Now, the taste test? Nothing blew me away. The menu has many unusual combinations. I’m not a big fan of the cream cheese in sushi craze and there was a lot of that happening here. I tried one of the cream cheese-​less items, the Honey roll. The rice was a little mushier than I prefer, but it was nicely offset by a tempura crunch. The honey and sesame mayo combination nearly overpowered the white tuna, which I should’ve expected. Overall, not a bad one to try off the «Inside Out» list.
One unique feature about Sushi X is their menu. Everything was listed on color-​coded cards that the server explained, and then placed on the table. Easy to read and much simpler to make choices. Our server, by the way, was attentive, though we were only one of just a few other tables in the whole place.
The interior is modern with some simple Japanese-​inspired touches. I had, for example, a tabletop fountain running behind me, which was soothing. After several glasses of water, though, it wasn’t so comforting. When I left the table to check out the rest of the restaurant and hunt down the restroom, I traveled into darkness. Interesting lighting and probably good for a future intimate dinner. Not so good for navigation. And yes, there were metal beaded curtains covering the doorways.
I’ll likely be back again.

One Fish
Two Fish
Red Fish
Blue Fish!
If Dr. Seuss every ate sushi I’m sure he’d be writing about Sushi X!
Gotta love my sushi! Sushi X impressed me and that’s really all that matters now isn’t it? After reading the mixed reviews of this place I wasn’t sure what to expect but I must say I enjoyed the sushi and the company. Our waitress was pretty on it but there was probably only 6 people in the the restaurant at the time. So our wait wasn’t bad at all. I was a little overwhelmed with all the smaller menus but found what I needed right away.
I wouldn’t trust the wait staff with their wine choices I should have went with the sweeter of the two Rieslings on the menu but trusted her choice and really didn’t like it. Oh well you live and you learn!
The fish was super fresh and each roll was packed full of fish and ingredients. These rolls aren’t the rice filled rolls you find at some places. These rolls are also a little smaller in width but they are longer rolls so you definitely get what you paid for!
Sushi X is really close to my house so I will be back! Hooray no more New Tokyo!!!
Want to join me for dinner? I need to try the crab rangoon roll!

I had actually held back on coming to Sushi X because I heard they mainly offered rolls… which now I know is untrue. Umm, I actually also held back on coming here because I thought it was a b.y.o.b. If I had known they served alcohol I would’ve been there opening weekend! Hey… we all have our own priorities.
Okay so we started off with the Panko Crusted Chicken. Oo baby that was good… almost tasted like shake ‘n bake only much, much tastier. Biting into the Hibachi Shrimp we ordered was like having a party in my mouth. I can’t even describe the flavors but if you go to Sushi X and don’t get that app… you’ll be missing out, trust me.
We ordered the Five O roll… if you had told me that bacon tasted good on sushi I would have laughed in your face but… now I know differently. It was Uh Maz Ing! Another roll we ordered was the Double Stack… in my opinion it was very bland and was probably the only disappointment we had that night. We actually ordered a few more items but for the life of me I can’t remember what they were… must have been the glasses of plum wine. I do remember that I said that I will definitely be back… so those last items must have been good right? Yeah… Sushi X hasn’t seen the last of me!

I love the original location in West Town/​River West/​Noble Square, whatevawestpartoftownyouchoosetocallit. Last night I had a craving for some sushi but didn’t feel like crawling out of my Juicy sweats to quell my yearning. Sushi X’s new location in Lincoln Park to the rescue!
Sushi X makes the biggest rolls I’ve ever tried to unsuccessfully fit into my mouth. Like, WOWZA. If you can do this, well… I’d like to see a picture as proof. I put in a call and placed an order for the highly-​acclaimed Crab Rangoon neo roll. Warning: the guy who took my order speaks more quickly than a used car salesman selling a broken convertible right before a storm. That being said… I felt compelled to talk fast, too. That’s okay, though, because Sushi X employees are fast all-​around. I was delivered a perfectly-​packaged roll in just 37 minutes!
As for the roll… it definitely lives up to the hype. Delicious, though a bit rich even for a cream-​cheese lover like myself. I still maintain that their Godzilla roll is the best.
I have a feeling that Sushi X and I will be enjoying a very close and um, prolific relationship. I’ll update my review once I dine in.

Pssst! Sushi X has a brand-​new location opening up in Lincoln Park today (²⁄₂₅). Good news for northsiders who don’t feel like driving downtown to get their sushi fix.
The menu is the same and they will be offering delivery service, but the new space is much larger than the original. The minimalist interior has a long bar in front and a private room in the back, with seating in between. The only thing it lacks is a sushi bar, but that can easily be overlooked, considering their rolls are to die for. Everything is delicious, but the Godzilla is not to be missed under any circumstances.
Its BYOB for the time-​being until their liquor license comes in.