Sushi by Scratch Restaurants: Chicago

Featured reviews

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  Lilyadi

  ·2 months ago

  “Sushi by Scratch has been at the top of my list for a long time, and I finally got the chance to experience it. It’s an only 10 person dining experience. First, the positives: the privacy, atmosphere, and overall experience were incredible. This is a 16-course (2 course extra) omakase dining experience where each piece of sushi is hand-crafted right in front of you. Part of the experience is watching the chefs prepare everything while they walk you through the ingredients and techniques. The salmon, wagyu, caviar, and truffles are sourced from highly specialized suppliers, and the quality absolutely shows. The chefs were one of the highlights of the evening. They were witty, personable, welcoming, and easy to talk to throughout the experience. Great customer service matters a lot to me when dining out, and they truly elevated the meal. That said, I do want to give an honest warning about the pricing. The experience is advertised at $185 per person plus a 20% service charge, but there are several optional add-ons that can significantly increase your final bill if you're not paying close attention. When you arrive, you're greeted in a small waiting area before being seated at the chef's counter. Unfortunately, the host explaining the experience spoke extremely quickly, making it difficult to fully understand the additional offerings and associated costs. For example, my understanding was that the caviar add-on was a flat $65 charge. What wasn't immediately clear was that the charge applied to each course where caviar was added. Truffles are also an additional charge. Drinks are not included either. I opted for the cocktail flight, which was about $65 and, in my opinion, completely worth it. The cocktails were thoughtfully crafted and paired beautifully with the courses. If you're not paying attention, it's very easy for this experience to climb to $500+ per person. My final bill was around that amount. During my seating, I also overheard other first-time guests surprised when their bill came out to roughly $1,200 for three people. None of this ruined the experience for me—I genuinely enjoyed myself. I dine out frequently, and I felt the quality, hospitality, and craftsmanship were excellent. However, I do think guests should ask questions, understand the add-ons, and be aware of how quickly costs can accumulate. Also having a host who speaks SLOWLY (him speaking that quickly also might be part of their business plan). Everything is optional, and you can absolutely decline the caviar and truffle upgrades. Overall, it was a beautiful experience and one I'd recommend for birthdays, celebrations, special occasions—or even solo dining, which is how I experienced it. Sometimes it's worth treating yourself to something memorable. My only suggestion for improvement would be the music selection. The soundtrack didn't really complement the Japanese dining experience. Incorporating music that better reflects the culture and atmosphere of the cuisine would make the experience feel even more immersive. Despite the pricing surprises, I left impressed by the food, the chefs, and the overall experience. Just go in informed, ask questions, and enjoy the ride.”

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  Linda Q

  ·2 months ago

  “Loved loved loved the experience. This may have ruined all other sushi for me. Every bite was so delicious. The cuts of fish were so fresh, every bite basically melts in my mouth. Not only was the food delicious, the atmosphere and experience was also really great. This place is reservation only so you will need to plan ahead if you want to try this place. It's located beneath a burger joint. You enter through a hidden door to go down a flight of stairs where a host greets you as you check in just to verify any food allergies and dietary restrictions. I highly recommend participating in the complimentary happy hour, which has very intimate seating. You get a couple teasers and drinks. They do offer non alcoholic versions. They're very punctual so at the time of your reservation everyone is instructed to go down another flight of stairs where the omakase begins. It's assigned seating so make sure you look for your name plate. Don't be like the guy during our reservation who didn't listen to instructions and tried to steal our seats. The staff there were all amazing. They seem to have a great relationship with each other and truly love what they do. I would highly recommend experiencing this at least once. Expect to be paying over 200 per person. If you get the alcohol pairings or any other drinks other than water, it's going to cost you even more.”

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• K

  KeHe

  ·2 months ago

  “Words can’t really describe how much I loved this entire experience. Loved watching the chefs working and having the opportunity to ask questions. Everyone we encountered from the second we walked through the door were extremely welcoming and kind. Even as we were leaving they helped recommend an amazing place for a nightcap. Definitely recommend a special occasion, really want to thank everyone for making my birthday special!”

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  Jonathan Yates

  ·3 months ago

  “This was a surprise for my wife for our ten-year anniversary, and honestly, it couldn’t have gone better. Before we even arrived, the team were brilliant—checking allergies, getting everything lined up. I’d been selling her a bit of a white lie about where we were going, and the entrance absolutely sealed it. Proper “got her” moment. The first couple of canapés were spot on, and the host set the tone straight away—great energy, not stiff, just really welcoming. Once we got to the sushi bar, you could tell it was going to be good. Kevin, who handled drinks, was excellent—walked us through everything without overdoing it and steered us in the right direction. The chefs were all approachable as well, chatting, explaining what they were doing, and making it feel like you were part of the experience rather than just watching it. The main chef was the one in the pictures, sorry I don’t remember his name, but has some incredible artwork, that I’ll let tell you what it is! He led the meal and walked us through what was what. We had Noel as our sous chef, and he was class. Chatty without being too much, really knowledgeable, and clearly very, very good at what he does. He made the whole thing feel relaxed and special at the same time. We’ll 100% be back, and I’d go out of my way to sit with him again. The food itself—just incredible. No other word for it. We’ve done a fair few omakase spots around town, and this felt genuinely different. You usually get either very traditional and a bit stuffy, or places trying so hard to be creative it barely feels like sushi anymore. This sits right in the middle—proper omakase, but elevated and modern. The fish quality was outstanding, but the toppings are what really set it apart. Everything just worked—from perfectly crisp garlic to a chimichurri that had no business being that good on sushi, but somehow was. Standouts were the short rib hand roll and the madai with Japanese mint chimichurri. Really, really good. I’m not sure if they do it at all seatings but afterwards we were offered the ability to try something new or go back and do some of our favorites again, that was really special and I’m glad we did! TL;DR Amazing place, you need to go. Sous chef Noel was amazing. Go to the latest seating, it was worth it.”

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  Gene Leyzarovich

  ·3 months ago

  “Absolutely amazing experience in Chicago. This place is next level. Quality of fish is superb, presentation is exquisite and chefs are very very good. We will have to try NYC and Austin locations for sure! I highly recommend this place!”

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  yannis guerra

  ·4 months ago

  “One of the best Omakase that's we've had. Every detail of the experience was well planned. Chef and staff were charming and kept the process quick and informative. The quality of the fish was fantastic. The non alcoholic pairing was excellent, without overwhelming the flights of food. Caution it is expensive but well worth it”

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  Jade Abdul

  ·5 months ago

  “10 out of 10. The food was absolutely delicious! Every bite was better than the last. The chefs were engaging while still serving masterpieces. This is my best omakase experience by far, and I would highly recommend it!”

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  Christina Huynh

  ·8 months ago

  “I wish this experience on everyone I love. It was phenomenal. The food is soooo good, but the whole thing is amazing. It's an intimate setting, only 8 people at the table. You can see them make everything, from the rice to cutting all the …”

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  Hagz

  ·8 months ago

  “Sushi by scratch Is hands down the best Omakase experience I’ve had living in Chicago so far and the most expensive $500 for two people without ordering drinks. The space is beautiful & intimate. The service was extremely professional and descriptive in terms of the pairings and omakase flavors that were experienced. The fish was delicious and super fresh!! (flown in from Japan) and the toppings on the nigiri were incredible unique. Sushi by scratch knows texture, knows taste, it's great smells of each piece, it's the char, it's the vibes, it's the environment of this place, it's the chefs creativity every thing about it is exquisite!! Prior to coming, we were asked to come 30 minutes early to enjoy the canapés complimentary drink tuna roll and oyster, I am more than happy to have made it in 30 minutes before our reservation. That complimentary drink? Wow. Ginger, yuzu, jwhiskey, and sake made me turn my head bc it was phenomenal. One of the many things that I love the most about Sushi by Scratch is that they announce the sushi that they're giving you also describe it to give you key things to look out for. And then all of the sudden, it just makes sense. The symphony of flavors, it's by far the best omakase experience I've had here in Chicago(2nd time I’ve said that) It's a really great and personalized experience. They even have your names on the board which is adorable. It was my niece‘s 21st birthday and her first omakase experience and she loved it! I set the bar high for her going here haha but we had so much fun with the sushi guys Highly recommend this restaurant to everyone, especially since it's such a unique surprise making your way to a sushi speakeasy hidden inside of NADC burger basement!! Oh and don’t forget to give your code!! 100%recommend!!”

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  Brandon Leib

  ·10 months ago

  “A phenomenal first omakase experience for both me and my partner. The food was spectacular, well-refined, and matched beautifully with the personality of our chef hosts. The Korean chef on our side of the table was an absolute blessing, truly elevated the night by a thousand-fold with his craftsmanship and humor. The chefs are all incredibly focused and proud of their work, while also displaying such kindhearted and cheerful attitude throughout the 2.5 hr experience. You can truly feel their passion for their craft and can taste it too, as every mouthful is an incredible journey. The speakeasy nature of getting into the actual dining area and the moody atmosphere make it a true one-of-a-kind experience. Could not recommend this enough… if you’re looking for a nice evening with great company and unique but delicious sushi offerings, you’ve found the right place.”

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