"Before Tanoshii Sushi Mike’s popped up in the West Loop, it was a cute restaurant in Andersonville. And the West Loop Tanoshii is a little stale as far as atmosphere goes, particularly for this stretch of Randolph in the West Loop. It’s large, and it’s pretty, but it’s sterile at the same time. The space is large but quiet, the menu is long, and the service is exceptional. Try one of the chef’s choice rolls or nigiri, which is completely customized based on your likes and dislikes. It might feel like a roll of the dice, but the same could be said about ordering sushi when you’re roughly 1000 miles away from the nearest ocean. Food Rundown Maguro Sashimi A flower of big eye tuna with avocado and truffle chive sauce. We like the truffle on this appetizer, which is a great way to start a meal. Goma-ae A small spinach salad mixed with peanut sauce. Another strong appetizer. Uni (Sea Urchin) My own personal standard for judging the quality of a sushi restaurant is their uni. This is great uni. Sake (Salmon) The salmon has never let us down, and is consistently one of the better sashimi pieces we’ve experienced in Chicago. Ebi (Shrimp) Shrimp sashimi or nigiri is boring. Skip it and opt for other things. Hamachi (Yellowtail) A light and lessy fishy alternative to some of the other sashimi and nigiri options. Cooked Mushroom and Escolar Makimono This is one of the omakase rolls we’ve been served, which seems to be a common occurrence with others too. Cooked mushrooms with raw fish is an interesting combination, but it’s unique and tasty." - Sam Faye
