Those in the know go to Mike Ham, affectionately known as Sushi Mike, for his masterful ability to manipulate maki. In addition to the regular menu, diners can order chef’s choice rolls that are customized to their tastes. These creations are packed with tuna, tempura shrimp, soft shell crab, truffle oil, and more. Tanoshii is also located in Andersonville. The restaurant is open for carryout, delivery, and dine-in, and patio seating is available. A West Loop location along Randolph Street also offers delivery.

The dollar goes a long way at this popular carryout operation in Albany Park. Favored for its budget-friendly prices, Lawrence Fish Market churns 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. Cash only.

Oversized maki rolls take a backseat to minimalist nigiri at Raisu, where chef Simon Liew uses some of the highest-quality fish in the city. The Irving Park restaurant’s modest dining room boasts a five-seat sushi counter dressed with hanging lanterns, and the menu features an omakase option that starts at $75. Products, such as seasonal Hokkaido uni and botan ebi, are sourced weekly from Japan. Raisu is open for carryout, delivery, and dine-in.

Locals pack into this tiny Lincoln Park spot for affordable and quality sushi. Owner and chef Mitch Kim whips up a creative selection of signature maki rolls, such as the “Oh My God” (tempura shrimp, unagi, kani salad, cream cheese, mango, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo, unagi sauce, sriracha). The BYOB policy is also a crowd-pleaser, and waiting for a table should be expected as reservations are not accepted. However, Toro is currently only open for delivery and carryout.

Chef Macku Chan breaks out the big knife at his Lincoln Park restaurant to slice fresh seafood into nigiri, sashimi, and maki for $75 a head. The regular menu is also rich with pleasures, from striped bass with seasonal berries and cucumber to sea bream with toasted pine nuts and fried shallots. Macku is open for carryout and delivery.

An intimate experience unlike any other, Sushi Suite offers pristine fish inside a 500-square-foot hotel room. The omakase restaurant — located on the second floor of Hotel Lincoln — receives products fresh from Japan and treats guests to 17 courses over the span of an hour for $125 per head. The bites include luxurious ingredients like A5 wagyu, Hokkaido uni, and otoro tuna. On the beverage side, bartenders create bespoke cocktails while sake is dispensed via a self-serve vending machine. As a safety precaution, capacity is currently limited to four diners per seating.

One of the gold standards for sushi in Chicago has long been this West Town staple (also a Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient) that treats slicing fish like a science. Grab a seat and watch chef Joseph Fontelera prepare bigeye tuna topped with avocado, tobiko, and shiso leaf; and trio maki rolls filled with yellowtail, tuna, and salmon. Couples can also opt for a $125 dinner for two, which includes nine courses. The restaurant is open for carryout, delivery, and dine-in service. There is also an Arami outpost in Time Out Market Chicago. Delivery and takeout is available.

Sushi becomes edible art at this neighborhood favorite in West Town. Massive maki rolls stuffed full of ingredients are the specialty here, presented on boards that have been beautifully decorated with sauces. The colorful drawings feature everything from dragons to the Chicago skyline, and they add a fun element to each dish. Yuzu is currently open for carryout and delivery.

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 follow-up to Ramen-san. While chef Kaze Chan is serving a full slate of izakaya-inspired plates, from tempura to grilled pork belly, the restaurant’s sweet spot is its “San-sets,” inclusive of both maki rolls and traditional nigiri. A 14-course tableside omakase experience led by Chan is available on Friday and Saturday nights for $98 per person. Sushi-san offers carryout, delivery, and dine-in service.

The folks behind Ramen Takeya added a seven-seat sushi restaurant to the space in 2018. Located in the basement of the noodle shop, Omakase Takeya specializes in Edomae-style sushi and kaiseki small plates by chef Hiromichi Sasaki. During the pandemic, the experience has shifted to sushi boxes and a la carte maki and nigari, available for carryout or delivery.

The Boka Restaurant Group made a big splash with its foray into Japanese dining. Esteemed chef Gene Kato not only carves into prime seafood, such as fatty bluefin tuna and Hokkaido uni, he also uses a robata to produce succulent bites of lamb, chicken thigh, and more. Downstairs, a Tokyo-inspired izakaya bar offers comforting dishes like uni pasta and tantanmen ramen. Momotaro is open for carryout, delivery, and sit-down service.

Korean chef Sangtae Park helms Michelin-starred Omakase Yume, the uncluttered, blonde wood-designed omakase den in the West Loop. Expect a series of 17 seasonally-changing bites focused on Edomae-style sushi. This type of sushi originated in Edo, the old name for Tokyo, and hinges on various curing and preservation techniques. The cost is $150 per person and reservations are currently being booked for sit-down service.