Kuma San Japanese Restaurant

Just felt like updating the original review. Nearly two years later of consistent ordering for take out/dining in, this place never disappoints. It absolutely became a non-negotiable staple sushi spot in the area. Their menu has fantastic diversity to choose from - excellent, super fresh sushi, ramen, donburi, tons of vegetarian options and lovely desert options to top it off. Also, BYOB, which is a huge plus. Would like to specifically highlight a newly added omakase option. Just heads up, reservation is required. My personal tip, prepare yourself and come very hungry, as you can expect a large selection. Your palate and the belly will be satisfied for sure. Also, wanted to note, that this service will also make you feel very special - they would temporary close the place, as chef will be treating you with fantastic cuts for the entire hour. It definitely felt very exclusive and special, worth the try. Looking forward to doing it again!!! Great job, Kuma San!!

Really cute decor. Lovely staff. I love the set up. The tables are ground level which I’m assuming it’s to give a traditional Japanese feel. I am giving the food a 4 star only because I didn’t order food, I got the matcha cheese cake. I’m not a fan of the cheese cake but the food might be good. I can barely taste the matcha. It hardly has flavor throughout the entire cake. It tastes almost like regular cheesecake. $6 seems too high for some plain cheese cake.

Ordered Kuma San for takeout last night. Picked up the sushi and when I got home I was very disappointed with the nigiri. The tuna nigiri looked extremely suspicious and old, I did not take my chance eating it. Super unfortunate. The sushi rolls were ok.

Hello, this place is really awesome! I went here with my parents for about 5 times and it haven't disappointed me. I really like the Sake Maki salmon sushi, because there's no cheese in them. In the cafeteria there were lots of beautiful Japanese style decorations, which made the restaurant atmospheric! The staff were really nice and patient. In one word: Perfect! P.S. Sorry if I have any mistakes in this review, I'm from Russia and I speak english a little bad.

Absolutely delicious! Fantastic quality sushi at a really reasonable price. This is my new go-to Japanese restaurant in Lincoln Park!

I would avoid ordering any sushi with raw fish here. The fish seemed poor quality and I am concerned I will be sick later tonight. Most of the food seemed very poor quality. The miso soup was lukewarm. I stopped eating after a few bites. I sat down on a poorly constructed unfinished plywood bench and saw large pieces of decorative structures standing crooked like they could fall over any second. I figured as long as the food was good the decor wouldn't matter, but the food was not good. The waitress was very nice and I did appreciate the picture of Goku on the wall.

My fiancé and I had amazing food here! The avocado rolls and the asparagus rolls were really good! My fiancé had the bento box (eel) and takoyaki, they were so delicious ! We finished it off with beautiful green cheesecake! Definitely recommend if you’re trying Japanese!

Loved everything about this restaurant. It was my first time having sushi but the food was great and put a smile on my face. Couldn't recommend any higher.

Came to another place for good sushi and Japanese food. It's one of the many such places in Lincoln Park. Kuma San isn't just sushi but also has bento boxes and ramen. Hours can be pretty screwy because they can be closed whenever they feel like. The prices are pretty good on the maki rolls and the bigger ones are still aren't crazy mostly. A lot of rolls to choose from. It seems the maki rolls are the ones good for those on a budget, so we got a couple at lunch. There's a section on the menu of these for vegetarians. It's about $6 for a roll. The Avocado and the Sweet Potato Rolls are what we got, and these came out in good time. Also they have Bento Boxes. It's about $16 at lunch. These come with fried tofu, miso soup, nigiri, veggie roll, and veggie tempura. Sounds good for the next time here. There's also ramen. Has a nice atmosphere and they brought out the food fast with it still being fresh. It's a good place for sampling Japanese food and not just sushi. There's plenty of rolls to choose from including for vegans and vegetarians.

Kuma San is our neighborhood Japanese cafe, and it's a lovely little family restaurant. They serve the freshest, most delicious food. Their vegan avocado rolls are so ridiculously plentiful and fresh, you have to wonder where they get those perfect avocados. The crispy sweet potato rolls are also delicious, also vegan. I love the Bento boxes, which are plentiful, no fillers. The chef's choice is always top notch.

So glad this place opened up close by! It was perfect for a casual week night out. Our server was very nice and all the food was well served, fresh, and beautifully presented. The sashimi platter came with a side of sushi rice, miso soup, lots of pickled ginger (love), and a delicious ponzu sauce. Will definitely come back to try more!

Every time I try to order take out there is an issue. I try to call, they don't answer. I try to walk in, the door is locked during posted business hours. I try to order online, I'm told they are not taking orders. Does anyone else have this issue? Are they closing down? It would be nice to be able to try this place as it's so close to me, but the restaurant makes doing so very difficult.

The food is terrible. The fish on the sushi was not fresh. Its appearance was not appetizing. The tempura was like heavily breaded shrimp.

Walked in without a reservation on Mother's Day. It's a cute Japanese cafe. Could have done with a little attention to detail on the furniture. One of the couches was turned sideways and was being used as a blue stand and a hanging shelf. Nevertheless it was clean which was the most important. We had a few appetizers - the tuna crudo was very good which a sharp hit of wasabi as you bit in. I like spicy food so it was great for me. The shrimp tempura was very nice as well. Crispy, not soggy. For mains I had the spicy tonkotsu ramen. Whilst the ramen noodles were cooked beautifully in a tasty broth, I was disappointed in the toppings. Authentic ramen does not have broccoli in it. Bean sprouts would have been much better. The tempura udon was good and served with the shrimp tempura on the side. We also had the regular tonkotsu ramen (same point about the broccoli) and the chicken katsu came with a sweet glaze on top ( ask for it on the side if you're not a sweet fan). Service was pretty fast and attentive. It's a family run business

Food was great overall and they have a wide variety of sushi. The crunchy salmon roll in particular was phenomenal. I wasn't a fan of the ambiance as it felt a little cheap but I would go back.

This is a hidden gem in the neighborhood!! Very nice and quiet ambiance, perfect for a date or quiet chats. Very attentive and delicate service. But most importantly, the food!!! The food is heavenly. Perfectly balanced, very fresh ingredients and such generous amounts of fish for what you pay. They are also BYOB. Have been consistently ordering since this place opened in November - never disappoints!!

I applaud this place for being pretty much the only restaurant open on 4th of July and the food was definitely the right choice. The gyoza was so crispy and the roll was massive. There was only one server that was definitely overwhelmed with the rush. There was an ant infestation and the bathroom was stinky but clean. I would highly recommend this place for takeout!

I live around the corner from Kuma San and we just had their food for the first time this week. I think they opened last month (Nov 2022). I am happy to report that the rolls were outstanding! This will now be our goto sushi place. The rolls are very clean and have a certain elevated quality that is hard to put my finger on. I think part of it is the perfect ratio of rice to fish (not skimpy on the fish). The rolls actually reminds me a lot of the rolls from Sushi Mon, the restaurant that had been run by "Bat" in this same location for 14 years until he had to close in May 2022 on account of immigration / visa issues and a partner who acted in bad faith. Alternatives nearby: Toro is great for their specialty rolls. Sushi Para D is great for throwing a sushi party on a budget. We intend to mix things up once in a while, but for a quiet night in, or a date night out, this place really hits the spot. Kuma San's Salmon Avocado rolls were tip top. We also had a spicy tuna roll and a salmon skin roll. We will be ordering all 3 types of rolls again. When I made the pickup, I asked why they did not have deep fried sweet potato rolls on the menu, and I was pleased to hear that they will soon be offering that as an option. I hope they will also offer crunchy spicy tuna rolls in the near future. Since they are new, I am sure their menu will undergo some evolution as they learn what people in the neighborhood like. We feel very lucky to have Kuma San in the neighborhood. It's a real gem for Lincoln Park locals, but it's also one of the better sushi places within a several mile radius.

So happy Kuma San moved to our neighborhood. There are a few Japanese restaurants around but I must say this is the hidden gem of them all. They give you a lot more food than other places for the same price and it's more expertly prepared. The Takoyaki was amazing, the sashimi platter was so good with super fresh fish, and the Thai Iced tea was perfect.

First time at Kuma San japanese Restaurant and it was great! Food is really fresh and well prepared. Both the fried gyoza and sushi is flavorful and delicious. Fish is fresh. Vibes is very relaxing great spot to catch up a great bite to eat. Friendly staff great service. I recommend if you want sushi or japanese food.

Second time back last night. Everything was DELICIOUS!!!! Seaweed salad Three Kings Donburi Vega Punk Roll Unagi Nigiri Tamago Nigiri. Really yummy. And so fresh. This was our second visit. Our first was good - but I was underwhelmed (my husband liked it more than I did). Tried going back a second time but the server was nice enough to tell us they were busier than expected and it would take a while to get food. Went back last night. I'm so glad we did. Just delicious! This will likely be our "go-to" for sushi.

Very good food and nice service. They had some of the best miso soup I've ever had. It was light but extremely satisfying. The whole meal was satisfying and refreshing. The restaurant itself was simple and cozy. I loved the Polaroids on the wall.

YUM!!!! i just tried this place for the first time even though i've lived up the street for 3 years and i'm kicking myself for not coming here sooner. best sushi in park west !!!

As a woman of color who has been involved with Japanese food, culture, and religion for over 60 years, I was appalled at the stereotypical racist treatment I received at this restaurant in Lakeview. The food was ok. color,Service went bad after our server left to be replaced by a surly individual who yelled at me when I asked him for my check, so that I could pay. I was so distracted by my need to be aggressive, simply in order to get my bill, that I forgot to say that my plate had a chip in it. I have to think that this was a purposeful slight. People of color,food is stay away! Should have taken photos. Just not used to documenting racism at this level. Will do in future.

very high quality sushi, absolutely delicious neighborhood spot, service is great as well as the price point! Highly recommend!

A small local restaurant with great service, food, and overall experience! Definitely a go-to place for dinner when you are in Lincoln Park neighborhood! Huge variety of sushi and Japanese to choose from. Recommend!

My friend and I accidentally stumbled upon this place and omg it's some of the best sushi we've had in Chicago! We actually went during the soft opening without realising and we highly recommend you try it out as-well! Great price and we would recommend the crunchy salmon rolls! The bento box is really good value for money also. The staff were attentive and welcoming so we wish them every bit of success!

Along time ago, my husband and I had a favorite sushi place. After 30 years we have discovered Kuma San, a neighborhood gem. We highly recommend the Tonkatsu ramen, Unagi nirgiri, and spicy tuna handrolls. The service is warm and friendly and the food is amazing.

I love this place. It's a hidden gem for sure. The veggie bento box is . It's HUGE too so you'll be full. Their miso soup is *chefs kiss* everything is Fresh and the tempura is CrIsPy. Try it out!!

Awesome food. I had sashimi bento box. Everything tasted fresh. I will be back for more.

Very good food and great service! There's a lot of rolls to choose from and for a good price. Definitely recommend.

Great sushi and extensive menu. I ordered for delivery so I did not dine in. The rolls were huge and did not disappoint on flavor. Will be my new go to sushi place! Highly recommend.

I ordered on Uber eats and I got the bento box. Food was still warming thankfully I am close to

Food was good. Had the bento box udon noodle soup and sushi rolls. Would get again.

amazing sushi, the wait was a little long so they gave us free shrimp shumai! very sweet place.