Katie F.
Yelp
Let's just say Cherry Hills Sushi Co is for those who want to indulge and not for those on a budget.
After being stuck at home with our husbands for the past 6 months, the girls and I were in need of a girl's happy hour out! Just at the mention of sushi, I jumped at the opportunity to meet them in Englewood at Cherry Hills Sushi Company. My sister, having eaten there before, suggested the quaint spot (and made reservations online - a MUST with COVID) so off we went!
SPACE: Located off Downing and Hampden (roughly) in a little strip mall, Cherry Hills Sushi Co is easy to spot, and parking is aplenty, despite the amount of other businesses that surround the area. For a Monday at 5PM, we easily found places to park and headed inside. We were first greeted by a large square bar top, which wraps around the entire space. Although small, the interior is quaint, features Japanese artwork, plays authentic music and creates the vibe that you're in a kitchen in the middle of a Japanese market. While the surrounding small tables were off limits (thanks COVID) we found our way to a corner of the bar top - which was perfect for our party of 3. In the center of said bar, is where the magic happens - aka - where all the hand rolls are made, served and drinks are poured. We happily soaked the place in before taking a peek at the menu.
SERVICE: Service here is beyond welcoming, friendly and nice. We were greeted promptly by a young woman who poured us a variety of cocktails, replenished our water, consistently kept us well fed and checked back with us frequently, without being overbearing. It's an "all hands on deck" type of place, as we encountered a few different servers who all seem to work together to get the job done and seem quite happy in doing so! Everyone also adhered to COVID standards, which made us feel safe!
SIPS: Although happy hour isn't offered here, there are plenty of delicious sips to sample to accompany any meal. We opted for a sake flight - which allows for trying 3 different sakes. I arrived a few minutes later than the girls, so I'm unsure of what the girls ordered, but all 3 were smooth and delicious. We ultimately decided on glasses of wine, which totally hit the spot.
SUSTENANCE: Okay - the menu here is a bit different. This spot specializes in traditional hand rolls, which is the only type of rolls offered, including sashimi. So if you go in with the expectation of a sushi roll, you'll be sadly mistaken. Having known this tidbit, I was excited to try their variations, as their online menu had me drooling. We opted to try just about one of everything, and split them between us - which actually worked out perfect. The menu offers single hand rolls (or a 3, 4 or 5 roll special with the ability to mix and match) with different fish and sashimi, in addition to a few appetizers and specialty items. We started with the seaweed salad, which was gorgeous in color and delicious in flavor despite the small portion. We quickly realized we needed another one to feed the 3 of us, which came out promptly. We then ordered 8 hand rolls - Salmon, Tuna, Spicy Tuna, Spicy Shrimp, Blue Crab, Spicy Scallop, Lobster and Unagi - because WHY NOT!? Because everything is made by hand, each roll comes out at a different time, so be prepared to wait. However, the master sushi rollers made everything in record time, bringing over almost 3 at once! The rolls are thick, filled with quality ingredients and stay together well, which made things easier for passing amongst us. All three of us loved the Spicy Tuna, Spicy Scallop and Unagi out of the bunch and ordered a second round to fill our bellies! We also tried the Waygu Beef and Chili Crisp Tuna, which I found to be a little underwhelming, but delicious nonetheless.
SPECIALS: So this is where I just have to knock off a few stars. Despite high quality ingredients, I just can't get behind the massive price tag. The 3 roll special starts at $13.49, 4 roll special is $17.49 and 5 roll special rings in at $21.49. With the seaweed salad at $4.25 and the Waygu and Chili Crisp tuna both $8.49, my ONE THIRD of the bill was a whopping $57 BEFORE tip. Now I realize the time put into each roll and quality ingredients can create a more unique experience, but man - for the portion sizes, I left still hungry and my pocket book took quite the hit.
Although I enjoyed sampling the menu, I don't think I'll rush back to indulge anytime soon.