Sushi by Bou - Lincoln Park Chicago @ Lincoln Hotel

I was so excited to bring my husband to try his first omakase experience. The atmosphere and ambiance were setting the mood and we both loved the 80's music that was playing. This was my second time trying Sushi by Bou and what I had noticed from thmy first try was a difference in size of each sushi piece. I was very surprised by this. I would have given 5 stars if they didn't make and serve the sushi pieces smaller. The quality of the fish was on par! Service was excellent!

Food was good. The ingredients are good quality, but the flavors are on the strong end, especially for sushi. The food pairs well with drinks, and not so well with water. Nice atmosphere. I love sitting in front of the sushi chef as they make the food. It is a little cramped and a little loud compared to the usual omakase experience, but I enjoyed it overall.

We’ve eaten at this location and the West Loop location multiple times and both offer some of the best sushi for the price that we’ve had anywhere in Chicago. The setting is intimate and much easier to hold a conversation than the West Loop location because there isn’t loud rap and R&B playing the whole time. The experience of being served in a small group gives you a chance to ask the chef questions directly and learn more about everything you’re eating. The normal omakase felt much more worth it than paying for the Sushi Suite.

This place is fire! The dimmed light and decoration gives it a plus, besides the fact that you actually need to try to find it, as it is hidden in the hotel behind what might look like a regular door. 17 omakase courses that are not only tasty, but a festival of the chef using the torch and his hands to give you a very good dinner. On top of that, cocktails are tasty and the service is great! I’ll be back for sure

Sushi by bou was Incredible. I had the pleasure of doing content for them and try their 12 course meal. It was such a great experience. I love the atmosphere!

I snagged a 2-for-1 twelve course omakase and wowwwww. I see why it's normally $100. EVERYTHING was so fresh. The fish tasted like it was caught three seconds before it was served. Favorites from the tasting were the gindara (miso cod), hotate (scallop), and ebi (spotted prawn), the latter being my favorite of the meal. The wagyuni was also insane. 10 out of 10 experience. I also had a yuzu butterfly pea mocktail that was OOOF wow. I'll be back. Shoutout to Poom for making our night so enjoyable. 🫶🏾

It used to be $50 but now it’s $60. It’s still a good bargain for omakase whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned veteran. It’s located in a hotel, close to that Sushi Suite to be exact. It was a little difficult to find but we found it. Once inside it’s very laid back. They serve you all of the pieces in 60 mins. Although I would have gone for that $100 option just to see what else they have. I noticed not too many people posted pictures of their experiences on here. I’ll post some from my past experience just to give people an idea. Some of the pieces might be the same.

Sushi by Bou exceeded my expectations, delivering an unforgettable sushi experience. Sushi By Bou offers remarkable sushi offerings. From the moment I stepped inside, I knew I was in for a treat. The warm and inviting ambiance, coupled with the attentive staff, set the stage for an extraordinary dining experience. The toro (fatty tuna) and hotate (scallop) sushi were absolute highlights, boasting incredible flavors and textures. The chef's expertise was evident in every perfectly crafted piece, showcasing the freshness of the fish. The attentive service and refined ambiance further enhanced the overall dining experience. I highly recommend Sushi by Bou for an exceptional journey into the world of omakase!

a cute spot for a date night! the ambiance is slightly dim with lights highlighting the sushi bar area. it's quite small and can probably only host 20ish people. the hostess and chef were super nice and accomodating. came in for their bogo omakase promo and it was super tasty! had their 12 course option and our fav highlights were the hotate, miso cod, ikura, wagyu uni, and botane ebi. their pieces are on the smaller end, but good for one mouthful. overall, this option isn't too filling, but it was a great experience and an affordable option for an omakase experience!

Such a great experience! We did a buy one get one free deal for the $65 12 course omakase, and I was blown away by the quality and portions despite I believe most of us redeeming this deal. It was fun sitting directly in front of the chef and he was so nice! Honestly all 12 courses were tasty and tender. The standouts for me were the wagyuni, toro (with truffle salt!), and miso cod. I also enjoyed the hamachi and liked the unagi more than I thought I would! My boyfriend also ordered a Big Mac (toro, scallop, wagyu, and uni) and loved it! I ordered the Holy Tshili hand roll and loved the umami and yuzu-y flavor so much! This location is inside the Lincoln Hotel and was a nice, dark, and intimate-feeling space. There is only sushi bar seating, but there is also a moody lounge area to enjoy a drink before the meal. One last thing I want to mention is it was a very fast-paced omakase (12 courses in 1 hour) which I personally liked. I generally don't love waiting long in between courses. However, if it had been a special occasion I may have felt a bit rushed!

Ambiance - super cute intimate spot for omakase, lights are slightly dimmed Service- exceptional, host was super attentive and our chef was friendly Food- super fast speedy omakase, fish was good quality, albacore was fully cooked :/ chef torched it for too long

First omakase experience and it was splendid. It's an intimate dining experience where you get to see the chef preparing sushi in front of you. The menu is preset consisting of raw and cooked sushi. You are able to add on more sushi too at the end. I especially like the unagi and watching it get torched to smoky. The ambience is perfect for dare night.

Came here for omakase as I've seen advertisements about it all over social media. We did the 12 course for $60 deal, and it was absolutely amazing! They are located on the second floor of Lincoln Hotel, with a nice instaworthy stairway. Each piece of sushi is prep in front of you, and your server would also recommend sake that goes well with today's menu. The sushi chef also explains every dish to you and checks on your favorites to see if you want to order an additional serving of it. We got the yuzu honey bee cocktail and sake. I would say I personally prefer plum wine instead of sake. Regardless, it is definitely an amazing experience. The staff are super attentive, and the chef is amazing! Love the whole laid-back vibe. My personal favorites were: Akami, Muguro (that pickles radish on top made it amazing) and Sake!

If you're looking for an affordable but delicious omakase experience, Sushi by Bou is a must-try! Getting a reservation is super easy and convenient through their website where you're also able to choose your omakase course as well. My group and I chose the $60 omakase course which came with 12 pieces. The restaurant itself is on the second floor of the Lincoln Hotel. Once you enter the staff at the front desk will let you know where to go. We arrived around 15 minutes before our reservation and were seated in a lounge area near the hightop counter where the party before us was having their meal. While you wait, you can start off by ordering some drinks. I did feel like the wait staff was a little pushy with the drinks. They do try to be prompt with the reservation times so even the party ahead of us was delaying a bit, they did ask them to move to the lounge area so that they could prep the dining area for our meal. The meal was so delicious! Every piece was made with care and the fish was so tasty and flavorful! There really wasn't a single piece that I didn't care for, I thought they were all good, which isn't usually the case when I try omakase. The stand-outs for me were the Hokkaido Scallop, Ikura, and Wagyu Uni. The scallop was sooo flavorful I was surprised! And the salt that they topped it with really enhanced the flavor. The Ikura also had such a unique flavor to it as well which is why it was one of my favorites. The Wagyu Uni was so delicious - the uni was so creamy and sweet! The experience goes by rather quickly, but I personally didn't feel too rushed. The nigiri pieces are a bit on the smaller side compared to some other places I've been to, so the 12-piece course wasn't too filling. I was satiated, but some of our party needed additional food afterwards X) But the quality was not lacking by any means. I'd definitely be interested in coming back and trying the other courses!

Came here for date night and it was such a lovely experience! We had a 6pm reservation and it's actually kind of nice that they check 10 mins prior to make sure you're on your way. This location was inside Hotel Lincoln so parking can be tough if you're driving. Service was great and welcoming. My husband and I did the $100 omakase for 17 courses. The 12 courses are prefixed so you know what you're getting. But the last 5 courses and the hand roll in my opinion was the best. The pieces were a little small and my husband was not a fan of the sushi rice. I thought it was okay. Our chef was absolutely amazing. This wasn't the best omakase I've ever had but it is up there.

By far the best budget omakase place! For $60 (it used to be $50 rip) it is so so worth it if you have never had sushi omakase before but want to try. Even if it isn't your first time it's still worth it! Comparable and even better than some of the more expensive places in the city. Service is also great and the chefs are lovely! I also love the ambience of this place, it's definitely a lot more vibey than other omakase places and their drinks are also delicious. Can't recommend this place enough!

We came by to the Lincoln Park location for a weekend dinner. Although they were pretty booked there were still a couple of open spaces and we were able to nab a reservation pretty easily. The interior lacks a bit of presence. It feels like you're just walking into a hotel conference room from the outside, although they've done a nice job of getting the interior decorated. It feels a bit like a speakeasy but I'm not sure that's the look they were going for. I wouldn't say this is a great omakase experience but it is a reasonable value for the amount of sushi you get. Most of the options were pretty basic nigiri and fish combos although the deluxe upgrade had some more variety. The pieces are pre-cut although the chefs assemble them in front of you. However the hosts and staff were very lively and it overall came out really fun and laid back. There's a lot of sake and we received two shots of sake as part of the meal. Overall I think this is a great starter omakase experience especially if you're not looking for a ton of adventurous options.

Talk about an experience!! This was the first Omakase I have been to and it blew my expectations away. Firstly, you walk into a private dining area, which has a sushi bar that can sit up to 10-15 individuals. Around the sushi bar is a lounge that you may sit at before or after your reservation to chat and grab a few drinks. The whole venue is very warming and feels exclusive. Secondly, the staff was wonderful. The hosts (especially Emilio and Gonna) were very prompt with drink orders and kind with suggestions. The sushi chefs (we were fortunate to have Bank and Poom) were incredible! Shared all of their sushi knowledge while putting on a show. Needless to say, the sushi was incredibly fresh served in a very thoughtful order. I HIGHLY recommend you make a reservation if you are looking for the right mixture of a warming environment, great company, and flavor explosions. A good spot for a special occasion or a date night!

It used to be $50 but now it's $60. It's still a good bargain for omakase whether it's your first time or you're a seasoned veteran. It's located in a hotel, close to that Sushi Suite to be exact. It was a little difficult to find but we found it. Once inside it's very laid back. They serve you all of the pieces in 60 mins. Although I would have gone for that $100 option just to see what else they have. I noticed not too many people posted pictures of their experiences on here. I'll post some from my past experience just to give people an idea. Some of the pieces might be the same.

We have been wanting to try this place for awhile. Reservation was made so we were seated timely. You are given drink menu in advance to place your order. The 12 piece omakase menu was the board. You can also do the 17 which is one handroll and 4 additional pieces. Food was good but the service was fast. We were done in 35 minutes. Each seating I'd alloted 1 hour irrespective of 12 or 17 piece Omakase. So if you were hoping to eat slow and enjoy each.piece, not happening. You can always finish your drink on the couches.behind but not at the sushi bar. Additionally, you can order more pieces but at Ala carte prices. For example, the Toro with truffle salt was $12.

You HAVE to come here and just believe me it's absolutely worth every penny you spend. My husband and I went here yesterday from recommendation from our concierge. This is nestled in the Claridge House, and they gave us 1 free sake drink per person. We had to wait until they were ready for us, but if you're not into intimate seating arrangements, this isn't for you. We started off doing the standard omakase, and ended up going for the bougie. It was SO worth it. The Chef was sufficient, seriously like watching art right in front of you. Not to mention that we ended up meeting the owners who treated us like family. I would come again not even just for the food, but for the welcoming experience and fun I had! It was such a great time I'd love to do it again.

I want to give this a four star, but I feel like it's not quite there yet. We stopped by the west loop location for the basic omakase. I wasn't sure if I could do one boujee and one basic, since my fiancé wanted the regular. I made the rsvp online so I couldn't select both. Some of the piece were delicious, however nothing memorable. I liked the hamachi, akami, sake, unagi, and toro. The wagyuni sounded really nice, however, I was not a fan of the Santa Barbara uni. It was fishy and off putting. I thought oh maybe it was a bad one? So then I ordered another wagyuni after we had finished the omakase, and it was still the same. The guy next to me ordered an entire hand roll of uni and I wasn't sure if he got a different batch that his tasted better? Either way, I was not a fan. The chef was friendly and talkative when engaged. The other chef was more talkative and a bit louder so when my chef was talking, I couldn't really hear him. The wait staff were all friendly and attentive. The overall experience was a little bit different from the ones I've been to. I feel like this was more cut and dry? Fish was prepped and cut before we sat so we just watched him put it on the rice and dressed it. Based on how much traction it was getting on tiktok and IG, I still don't understand the hype. Maybe the other locations are better? But it's thw same menu hahah

I didn't expect an omakase to be $50!!!! Truly too good to be true. At $50 you do get some basic fish. Don't come here expecting some imported fish. Regardless, it was very very good for what it's worth! 1: hamachi/vellowtail - pretty standard, but nonetheless, good! Fresh fish with flavor 2: Akami/lean tuna - not a huge fan of tuna, but again, good quality 3: botan ebi/spotted prawn - not sure what to expect, but when I started chewing, the prawn started to melt and feel like butter! One of my favorites 4: ikura / salmon roe - not a huge fan of salmon roe, but I believe there was some lemon zest in it which helped counter the saltiness which I appreciated 5: bincho / albacore - was blowtorched and had a slightly smokey flavor which I enjoyed 6: maguro / chopped tuna - not a huge fan of this one. It's a combo of lean and fatty tuna. I prefer to enjoy each on its own 7: hotate / scallop - delicious. There was some charcoal sea salt on here that added some crunch to the scallop. The scallop itself was super buttery 8: gindara / miso cod - one of my favorites. It had tofu and furikake seasoning which made it super flavorful and savory 9: otoro / fatty tuna - literally can't go wrong with this one!! 10: sake / salmon - again, a classic and you can't go wrong 11: wagyuni / surf & turf - American wagyu and uni. Not sure I liked this one as much. The uni was so delicious, but I don't think I liked the wagyu that much 12: unagi / bbq eel - can't go wrong with this one either. Basic, but always delicious if served right Overall, I'd come here again If I didn't want to break the bank to eat some quality sushi!!

Having tried most of the omakase bars in the city, a $50 omakase was a nice change of pace, especially for the wallet. Fish melted in your mouth but some of the pieces didn't quite have the unique, fresh flavor it should, like the scallop. I didn't like what they did with the miso cod, mashing it up with some tofu in a seaweed wrap. Nigiri were properly packed. I ordered Yuzu Honey Bee (maker's mark bourbon, honey syrup yuzu, pink peppercorn) and that was very good. There was an incident with the drink but service was good and I was properly compensated. The whole dining experience is only 30 min and then they bring in the next group. Too quick. But despite my criticisms, $50 is a good deal!

By far my favorite omakase experience! I haven't been to many, but the energy and vibe of the place from Brandon, Sam, and Chef N (sorry I don't know how to spell your name!!) made it the best. For $50 as well I thought the quality of fish was amazing. The quality of sake Brandon recommended was all great and I never knew how much I could like sake! They were playing a lot of throwback hip hop which I loved! Now I feel like whenever I want sushi I'll think of this place. Can't wait to be back!! My favorite pieces were the yellow tail, scallop, fatty tuna, and the eel!! I enjoyed ALL the pieces still!

Let's set the stage. "Good Life" by Ye is tastefully playing as you walk in the double doors. *chefs kiss* What an absolute vibe. 30 minutes. No nonsense omakase. $50 per person, and the meal does not disappoint. Highlights: akami (lean tuna), hotate (scallop), and the unagi (eel). Could do without the yuzu on the sake, but that's me reaching for a criticism. They spend a lot of time prepping their fish - they essentially "dry age" their fish to ensure all impurities are removed, and the umami flavors are preserved. Aka it tastes amazing. 12 bites in 30 minutes, so roughly 2.5 mins per bite. Not aggressively fast, but you are moving! Service is fantastic - they're really chill (in a good way), and you feel taken care of. After the 30 minutes, you are welcome to hang by the lounge (right behind the seating). Try not to be late ;) we will definitely be back. It was so much fun, and yes we will be back.

Came here after hearing about a new 30 min, $50 express omakase here in Chicago from the same people behind Sushi Suite 202! The restaurant is inside the Lincoln Hotel which gives it an intimate setting. All the seats are around the sushi counter with lounge seating around the center counter which gives you additional time after your omakase to linger and finish your drinks after. For the omakase, it is 12 courses which translates into 12 pieces of sushi (we had 10 pieces of nigiri and 2 hand rolls). Overall everything was great and very fresh with staple pieces of fish including yellowtail, salmon, multiple cuts and serving styles of tuna (akami, otoro, poke) and a wagyu beef and uni hand roll which was the highlight for me. Personally, I felt rushed through the omakase - of course it is only 30 min which is understandable but generally it doesn't give you much time to chat and enjoy the experience. This is a great experience for what you get and I can imagine that it would be great for new-to-omakase diners! We also heard that there are 2 additional locations planned in Chicago (Gold Coast and West Loop). For the midwest, I think these will be much needed to bring more omakase here and introduce more people to the experience.

The vibes here are absolutely perfect. Ambiance is cozy low lighting intimate bar seating and eating. Loved the chill upbeat house music which really fit the laidback and high quality feeling very well. Service was impeccable and always felt taken care of without it being overwhelming (you're a G, Brandon). Watching how the staff interacted with each other was honestly quite fun too - it truly felt like they were having a good time working on their craft with some good friends and customers. Oh and the food? Really good. I'm pretty picky with my sushi coming from a family of sushi chefs and I would say the quality is up there (but can't beat my dad, sorry!). My personal favorite was the eel, cod, and prawn. Watching the chefs at work is a delight too since the clock is ticking so efficiency and quality is the name of the game. Always great to see an artist at work!

I took my husband here for his 30th. It was our first time trying Omakase and this offers a nice "entry level" version to the high end sushi Omakase experience. We really liked trying new things that we probably wouldn't have ordered. We did the "boujee Omakase" which comes with 17 rolls, each one is different from the next. The akami, toro and sake were our favorites! The chef was nice and it was fun watching him make each roll right in front of us. The quality was great and it was fun to hear some details about the rolls. The restaurant is in a hotel suite that has been turned into a makeshift bar/restaurant. It was kind of cool, but also felt a little bit thrown together for such an expensive meal. It felt like they could do more to the ambience to match the Omakase experience/higher end dining. Overall though I would recommend trying it! The food was really good.

This is an extremely belated review. I've also actually been here twice now, and have some thoughts about each experience! First visit - Jan 2022. First few weeks of Sushi by Bou opening, we got a reservation! The experience was a blistering quick 30 minutes. After inhaling each piece of sushi, we were immediately ushered to the 'lounge' area to decompress and pay our bill. Needless to say, it was definitely a *unique* experience. We were impressed overall with the quality of the fish and enjoyed our visit! (Pics from the first experience). Second visit - November 2022. Came with a friend, and was surprised to find that the service was extended to 60 min! Phew. The pacing of the experience was so much better. Service was excellent and we really appreciated the ability to add more pieces of our favorite sushi at the end of the experience. One of the most memorable bites of the night was the miso cod! It was a sleeper hit. Overall, I've liked both experiences. I'm really glad they elected to extend the experience to 60 min. The 30 min felt gimmicky and, while the sushi was good, it wasn't truly enjoyable. I will keep recommending this place for a solid all around omakase experience in Chicago for a fair price!

Food was good - 12 traditional nigiris Service was attentive - if you arrive early/want to stay longer than an hour there are lounge chairs to order drinks from/chat/etc Ambiance - music choice is interesting but it's a classic omakase. It's dark and intimate with 6 customers to 1 chef ratio

The amazing sushi place is on the second floor in a boutique hotel. It is a 12-piece omakase style in 30 minutes and you can order additional pieces and pay extra at the end. We love their relaxing vibe and services. Their sushi was an excellent combination of texture, and flavor. Sushi rice was well cooked and there was more fish than rice which we always prefer but hard to find in most sushi places. Highly recommend! Make sure you have made an online reservation! I do not think they are taking walk-ins.

affordable omakase!!!!!! they do import from Japan directly as well as Santa Monica. They only use the freshest sushi and you can truly tell. Every bite melts in your mouth. The menu is same all year round. It's $50 for 12 courses! I highly recommend making reservations at least a month in advance. They're only open on weekends. I had a cocktail there and they were delicious! Everything about this whole experience went beyond my expectations. I can't wait to come back. It's amazing and I recommend it.

Sneak inside the Lincoln hotel for a sushi speakeasy experience! This omakase restaurant is at a bar that seats about 10 total people with 2 chefs who serve up the freshest sushi imaginable. Each selection is fresh, brought in that day (whatever's left over at the end of the day goes to staff meals) and when we ate there, they substituted the United because the batch they ordered wasn't fresh enough. Each sushi is hand made and prepared right before your eyes. The chefs are knowledgeable and talk with you about the fish, their experiences making sushi, Chicago, and all things philosophical. And they have a great sale and whiskey selection, too. If you're looking for good sushi in a fun space, this is it!

Delicious omakase at a reasonable price. Chef Chris was a master at making delicious bites.

Ambiance- dark, sultry, sexy, music is a little bit loud, and difficulty reading menu w low lighting but that's why I have a flashlight on my phone... 4.5 stars Service- top notch, stellar, amazing Pat in front was gracious, kind, patient, attentive and very clued in to a great date night experience. 5 stars Food- simply 5 stars. Poom was our chef and he was spectacular. Quiet but engaging, thoroughly explaining all menu items and was intuitive and very receptive. Absolutely delightful as our host chef. Cannot express how lovely he was. Cocktails- 5 stars. Joe is a master at the craft cocktails. EVERYTHING, and I mean everything we drank on the menu was delicious. Just hands down GOOD. In essence, this is a hidden gem. A diamond in the rough. A lovely delicious and treasure hidden inside the Hotel Lincoln that is truly worth investigating. Have Pat set you up and take care of you. Ask for Chef Poom, he will rock your taste buds. And allow Joe to dazzle you with his cocktail creations.

Great sushi, great price and great service! That should be the tagline here. This place serves a 12 piece nigiri sushi (mound of rice topped with raw fish) omakase in 30 minutes for $50. What a steal! For those who are not familiar with omakase, it's a dining situation in which you allow the chef to select and serve you what they want to make / seasonal specialties. Usually, this form of dining is quite expensive (think 100-300 dollars) but this place makes it more affordable and approachable. I came with two friends and we were all blown away by how awesome this place is. Note that you should make reservations online (OpenTable) since this location is small with 12 seats max for each seating. Once seated, we were greeted by our chef for the night, Roman, who explained how things worked and the menu. After speaking, he immediately started preparing while also conversing with us. Roman is awesome and if you have the chance to dine here, ask for him! We were curious how he became a sushi chef and he told us his story as well as how he arrived at Sushi By Bou (by the way, he only had amazing things to say about working here). Roman went on to surprise, delight and amaze us piece by piece. Every piece had its unique flavor and was so delicious. My favorites included the following. - Shrimp: How do I even describe this amazing, translucent, light and sweet piece? - Wagyuni: I've never had a combo sushi like this before. It had torched wagyu and uni on top. The different textures happening in this piece is amazing. - Scallop: I've never had raw scallop before but after this experience, I feel like I should have it more! It was buttery and had some truffle on it if I recall correctly. Besides the food being great, I have to give a shout out to the chefs and staff. We went during a weekday and it wasn't too busy so the restaurant was happy to let us order a few more pieces a la carte. Throughout the dining experience, we learned more about the restaurant and its sister concepts (Sushi Suite 202 which is a sushi omakase speakeasy right next to this restaurant and Sushi Boutique which is in Gold Coast). Spoiler alert: Sushi By Bou opened another location in Gold Coast and will hopefully open another location in West Loop. I cannot wait to try the other locations!

This is one of the very few places that I will give five stars to. I booked the Bougie omakase package for my boyfriends birthday and we both LOVED it. Every single piece of sushi was sooo delicious and so worth the price. It was all so fresh, we didn't want it to end. The space is super small and intimate, you get to see the chef make every piece in front of you and eat it right away. The service was great. The mochi flight was also so delicious!

Located inside Hotel Lincoln, Sushi By Bou offers a 12 course omakase for $50! It's a 30 minute experience and every minute was enjoyable. The host welcomed us and provided excellent service and was very knowledgeable. A few highlights were the miso cod, ebi, and ikura. These 3 were my favorite pieces. The ikura was surprisingly sweet and wasn't too salty. Had a great texture and the salmon roe bursted in my mouth. The miso cod was melt in your mouth had a great amount of flavor. This was a warm hand roll, that was handed directly to me. Lastly the ebi was one of the best prices of prawn I've ever had. Was slightly translucent and tasted very fresh. But the overall highlight was interacting with the the chef. Chef Roman was very knowledgeable and skillful. Had great conversations and it was a great experience. I'll definitely be back!

Had my first omakase experience here and it was a good place to try it out without a full investment. We had about 12(?) pieces in 30 mins and they did a really good job of keeping under that time limit.

Arrived at 8:47 for our reservation for a party of 3 at 9 on a Friday night. Checked in and was told our spots were not quite available yet so we waited outside in the small waiting area with a couple other groups doing the same. They provided drink menus to look over while we waited but you cannot actually order drinks, as the waiting area is a part of the hotel and not the restaurant. At 9:17 a host came out for our party and we were seated at the table (which I and my party agree was oddly tall! Lol, anyone under 5 foot will feel like they're reaching over, also makes it hard to see the chef preparing the rolls which is one of the best parts!) Our party ordered our first round of drinks and the omakase course began! Course 1: hamachi/yellowtail Course 2: Akami/lean tuna Course 3: botan ebi/spotted prawn Course 4: ikura / salmon roe Course 5: bincho / albacore Course 6: maguro / chopped tuna Course 7: hotate / scallop Course 8: gindara / miso cod Course 9: otoro / fatty tuna Course 10: sake / salmon Course 11: wagyuni / surf & turf Course 12: unagi / bbq eel The food was fantastic! While we were enjoying our meal the head host Brandon interacted with us and made sure we were having a good time. He was a great host at sushi suite 202 and a great host here! We thought the albacore was okay, but we really enjoyed the miso cod, fatty tuna, surf and turf, and bbq eel. We finished the omakase course at 10:02 and moved to one of the seating areas for guests to relax or get more drinks. The atmosphere is great for small groups, or as a dinner date with dim lighting and music at reasonable volumes. Overall, highly recommend for a quick, affordable omakase experience! Serves as a great introduction omakase for their other restaurant as well! There are some aspects that detracted from the experience: arriving early and not being able to order drinks beforehand, starting over 15 min late, slightly awkward bar height, and sometimes feeling a little rushed through the the courses. However, you get what you pay for and this is still great value for this experience! Do try!

Had a wonderful, unforgettable experience here. Our chef was amazing & very entertaining! Staff was very attentive & knowledgeable with all the drinks, played some old school hip hop vibes & along with an intimate, yet hip atmosphere. Plus, you can't beat the price for this experience! I don't remember all the sushi rolls that we had, but they do have a menu of what the chef will prepare for you so you're aware. Also, make sure to follow them on IG & you can get an idea of what they have cooking up, or any upcoming events/items. We came here for just a week night out with friend's which happened to be my birthday week & the chef even hooked it up with a free drink for all of us & sang happy birthday to me! Very unexpected and thoughtful. Located in the Lincoln hotel. After our dinner, we went upstairs to the rooftop & got a drink to sit in their lounge area. Definitely would come back again & again!

First and only omakase experience so I have nothing to compare it to. Only $100 per person for like 17 courses or something. Was kinda still hungry after but the sushi was pretty fire if I'm honest.

An amazing and fairly affordable omakase experience! We opted for the bougie experience ($100 per person), which is 17 courses. Every single thing was amazing here - love the cozy, intimate ambiance of being inside Hotel Lincoln, loved the ability to interact with the chefs, and loved each bite of sushi. Highlights were the hotate (scallop), wagyuni, and the toro.

I always love sitting at the sushi bar doing omakase - so fun to see the chefs in action + be surprised by the flavor bombs they serve you! Our seating was delayed due to a hotel event but our server was so delightful, offered us complementary sake and the food was so good that it was worth the wait!

Sushi was so delicious! Servers and chef was very friendly and knowledgeable! Will definitely go back.

Recommend if you have never been to omakase in your life. This is a good choice as a starter, first experience. For me this was not my first time having omakase but for the price value, that was what pulled me in to try it out. When they said express, they meant express! They had back to back seatings and unlike other omakases I've been to, I didn't have an option to have any add- ons which was unfortunate. There were pieces I wanted to try again but due to the time constraint I was unable to. The vibe though is immaculate. As soon as you step into the room you see the table seating with chef and seatings for lounging. It's a good place for date night or even to go with your friends.

The food is A+, fresh, melt-in-your-mouth sushi. The atmosphere is fun with the chef drinking with you and the attentive host making sure you're enjoying everything and keeping your glass full. I know the 30 min thing sounds weird but it never felt rushed. My only complaint is the pre-seating experience. We arrived 10 mins early and the door host let us know we had 10 mins and we could visit the rooftop bar if we wanted to grab a drink first. It was a little challenging to find and then had pretty slow service. We got our drinks with 1 minute to spare so we headed back down to the sushi bar. Only then were we told we couldn't take our drinks into dinner. Obviously we were irritated to have full drinks that we had to leave or chug... the hostess apologize for not telling us but that didn't really change the situation. Given the food and price tag I'd still recommend 10000% but beware of the pre-dinner drink (and sushi by bou if you're reading this please do something the door host's whose poor communication!)

My girlfriends and I went here last night and was quite pleased! It has a speakeasy vibe and is pretty intimate as there is only 10 people per seating experience. My favorite food is definitely sushi and I've always loved nigiri more than maki, so this was the right place to come! Food was fresh, atmosphere was swanky, and price was extremely reasonable! I already made another reservation to bring my husband. Loved!

This was my first time trying omakase and it did not disappoint! The price was reasonable for the 12 pieces we received. My drink was great and the service was phenomenal! One of the highlights was the music! It was on point! The one critique I have is that it is a 30min experience so I would have liked if the experience was more intimate, with just us and the chef. There were maybe 10 people and I felt the chef had to rush and couldn't relax and interact with us as much. Besides that, I'd go back again!

This was the best sushi omakase I have had in a long time! Chef Navakun was not only entertaining but an artist presenting the food! The best! 12 courses plus an option to add if you'd like an extra piece at extra cost but definitely worth it. Brendon was the server and also very attentive. Really liked that it was all done in 45 mins and portion sizes were perfect! I hope I have the honor of returning to Sushi by Bou in the future and highly recommend this hideaway! Don't miss this place if visiting Chicago!

Really quality sushi and really great customer service. Chef was really fun to talk to and the ambiance of the restaurant was very luxurious. My friends and I enjoyed our first meal in Chicago and definitely would return to the locations in other cities.

This place is a really good time. I want to commend the host, in particular, for the really warm / enthusiastic hospitality which made the experience extra special. I have to rave about the value of the omakase experience - $50 each for 12 pieces and the quality is really good! Cocktails were also very yummy, I recommend the ginger highball. To the Sushi by Bou team - if you're reading this - can you please share your playlist because it was AMAZING and made me want to dance all night! I will definitely revisit.

Overly priced omakase!! Great setting, loved the scene, but the sushi was subpar. Omakase are rarely repeated, meaning the same meal is never repeated. Everyone gets the same omakase, every seating, everyday, every week! I found the experience to lack imagination. Additionally, the sushi chef was poor in explaining what we were eating. Pass.

I came here on a Wednesday night with a few friends for dinner. I had already been to the one in NY and was excited to take my friends here. This was by far the my favorite experience we had in Chicago during the week. My friend made a reservation on OpenTable for 6PM which ended up being pushed to 645. The restaurant was nice enough to let us know in advance and offered us a round of drinks. When we got there, we were seated at the bar and our chef Roman explained the process to us. The omakase was 30 minutes and 12 peices. Our favorites were the Wagyuni, scallops and fatty tuna. Roman was amazing and super informative about the sushi. Throughout the dinner, he explained where the sushi was from and also shared his journey to becoming a sushi chef. It was enjoyable being able to interact with him as we were eating. For drinks, we ordered the Honey Bee and the Summer Campfire. The drinks were delicious as well. This is quickly becoming my favorite sushi chain. I love that the food is good and relatively affordable compared to other omakases. The vibe felt like a jazz club and it was easy to converse with the chef. Would definitely come again! Feedback for mgmt: we would love if sushi by bou could offer additional a la carte orders!

Oh man if youre looking for a great sushi spot that has an amazing omakase menu and it won't hurt your pocket this is it. I don't even know where to begin. The whole entire staff was just amazing, the chefs were super chill and very friendly. The 12 course omakase was exceptionally delightful and tasty! Such a wonderful and intimate ambiance. We ordered an off menu item called "the big mac" which consist of wagyu otoro scallop topped with uni and it was beyond mouth watering. I think this spot might be my new favorite omakase spot! Check this place out!

Overall I would recommend this place and would return. However, if you have a food allergy or intolerance, I wouldn't recommend, due to an awkward and embarrassing experience with the chef. The food: Everything was absolutely delicious, prepared right in front of us, and the pieces were described upon serving. They came out fast, but I didn't feel rushed. It was a 40 minute dining experience and they don't rush you out the door after; instead they guide you to a seating area. It was some of the most unique flavor combinations I've experienced and everything was truly delicious. It wasn't a huge meal, but I didn't leave feeling hungry. The service: The host was very polite and offered some suggestions on sake. He also gave us some recs for fun bars nearby, since we were trying to plan our next move! (We landed on J Parker rooftop bar which I highly recommend as your next stop!) The chef was knowledgeable about the food, but as I stated earlier made me feel uncomfortable regarding a gluten / wheat intolerance. He asked "any allergies" and I mentioned "gluten free if possible". He just gave me a weird look and said "no gluten?" I said "yes, is that possible? I don't have celiac, so don't worry about cross contamination, but just nothing breaded please." And he gave me another weird look, kind of rolled his eyes, and asked again "so you don't want any gluten? It won't taste as good." At this point I was pretty embarrassed to be going back and forth as it is a small intimate setting and the people next to us (whom I didn't know) were starting to turn and stare at me. It made me uncomfortable because I felt that he was drawing attention to my needs instead of being understanding and accommodating. I do think there was a language barrier and that his English was poor, which lead to poor understanding. Thus, I'd suggest that the host or someone else with better communication skills be the one to ask guests about allergies, since I'm still not even sure that he understood me, and I have no clue whether my meal was gluten free or not. Other guests likely have actual allergies that will have greater consequences if not communicated properly to the chef. Nothing was breaded and I felt fine after, but I started off the meal on edge and embarrassed after the awkward conversation. I eat out all the time and communicate to servers that I will not die if I have gluten but prefer gf - they are always extremely accommodating and understanding, so this experience stood out and left a bad taste in my mouth. As I stated, the food was great and I'd probably go back, but don't recommend if you have a severe intolerance or allergy, since you may be met with a similar experience as mine. It was $50/person for the sushi experience - reservation on open table.