Tamu

We reserved the hand roll bar. The rolls are very fresh. Good quality fish. Elegant environment. Highly recommend! ‼️the reservation for hand roll bar and omakase are different, and you get two different sections in the restaurant. Make sure you know which one you reserved (we were confused..)

I recently dined at Tamu, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The menu had an impressive variety, all of which were incredibly fresh and flavorful. Each piece was beautifully presented, with attention to detail that showcased the chef’s expertise. Service was impeccable—our server was knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive without being intrusive. They were happy to explain the menu and offered great recommendations. Another highlight was the dessert! Overall, is a must-visit for omakase lovers. If you’re looking for a casual lunch, this place delivers excellent quality and a memorable dining experience. I’ll definitely be coming back soon!

Wow!!! What a great meal - the hand rolls were all different and all delicious. Enjoyed the spice blend on the edamame as well. Drinks were tasty and creative. The choices for hand rolls were plentiful and presentation was well done. Service was very good as well. As our server said "fatty tuna is where it's at" - so we saved those for last. Great ending to a wonderful meal. Will be back.

Myself and a friend went to dinner at this spot to try out the omakase. We did have reservations but arrived early and were still able to be seated. Service started right quickly, too. We also both ordered drinks, which were great. All of the omakase was delicious and we really enjoyed ourselves. The chef that served us was very good and welcoming as it was my friends first omakase experience. We both left feeling full and happy with our meals.

I came with a friend this past weekend and it was a great experience. This was my first out of hopefully many omakase dinners. We came for dinner which was about $125 per person including all the extra charges. We also showed up about 20-30min before our reserved time and were able to be seated early. The serving staff were very welcoming and the chef was very kind in guiding us through the meal. I only got a few pics, got caught up in the meal haha, but I guarantee the pieces were worth it! I especially liked the Kohada, which I believe will be switched out next month, so catch it while you can (October)! Many of the other pieces were delicious and flavorful including the kanpachi and the temaki our chef made for us. Their rice was also notiable. My friend and I could not stop talking about it. 😂 Anyways, I highly recommend their omakase whether you do lunch or dinner.

This weekday 13-course omakase lunch special is a great value at $48! Traditional-style omakase. The taste is rather plain and quality seems mediocre but it makes sense given the price. Chef Wu was also very friendly.

The dinner omakasa is great deal. There are in total of 18 dishes we had there including appetizer, soup and dessert. The chef is very efficient on making sushi rolls and the one made omakase for us was originally from sushi suite which is also another cool omakase restaurant. The omakase table can only serve 8 people max at a time. So each chef serves 4 people. The best from the menu we had are scallop and uni. Would recommend this place for others who want cheaper omakase.

I came in for lunch on a friend's recommendation to start off my semester on a good foot, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience! Chef Jeffrey took care of me for this particular experience and explained to me in depth about each roll he made, and also made good conversation about my thoughts on each type of roll. I'm a slow eater but he accommodated my pace quite well. I was surprised at the quality of ingredients used in the rolls, and each roll made me excited for the next. The "Chef's Choice Set" is a good deal at $32 and 5 rolls, plus soup. I highly recommend the unagi roll for the specialty roll! The other servers and host were very accommodating and friendly, and I will definitely be coming here more regularly!!

This high-end restaurant delivers an extraordinary dining journey through its meticulously crafted omakase menu. The standout dishes--notably the melt-in-your-mouth Otoro and flavor-packed crab hand roll--showcase exceptional culinary artistry. With a modern and elegant atmosphere featuring an open kitchen, the restaurant provides an intimate setting perfect for special occasions and date nights. The staff's extensive knowledge and exceptional attentiveness elevate the dining experience, with servers expertly explaining each course and drink. The beautiful interior design complements the theatrical preparation of dishes right before your eyes, creating a memorable gastronomic performance. Pro tip: Reservations are essential. Consider using SpotHero for parking and prepare for a perfectly paced culinary adventure that will delight all your senses.

Ambiance - super spacious, front of restaurant for hand rolls and back section was dedicated to omakase Service - exceptional, staff was super nice, and our omakase chef was very polite Food - fish quality was decent, I wish they had more flavor pairings with the nigiri's aside from wasabi + dash of oil

We stopped by for the omakase lunch and it was very tasty. It seems the 12:30 seating is the most popular one so if you want that one you need to snag it in advance! We did the 1:30 seating and it was very intimate. I added the fresh uni from Hokkaido and it comes out as a bite size hand roll *drools* I need to go back and check out the hand roll bar! They have 3 seating options so the 3rd one is just a normal table. We also had the best tea! It was the rare tea cellar's Freak of Nature Oolong tea!

Was excited to try this place since we love sushi and adore hand rolls. Two reviews in one as we tried both the lunch omakase and the hand roll bar for dinner. Lunch omakase: Think the best courses were the Sawara, Chuturo, the negi hand roll and the crab in vinegar jelly salad course. But even then not much flavor and the sashimi pieces were cut thinner than I've seen or like. The salmon had no flavor and the saba was too fishy. While they bill as 90 mins, was done after 60 as chef Wu was pacing parties by how fast they were eating. Service could have been more interactive. Glad I tried omakase ag the price point but wouldn't do the dinner option given what I can see of fish quality at that price point Hand roll bar: Overall, really fun vibe but the hand rolls are SMALL and not nearly as much fish or quality. That said, best rolls were: - toro taku - love the flavor - Otoro - nice and buttery - spicy hotate - good kick but wish pieces were bigger - salmon skin - good texture and flavor but a little too much sesame oil

Came in around opening time without a reservation and was seated quickly at the sushi bar. Table seating is also an option. Fair pricing as well-good fish to rice ratio. I got the sake, kani, toro taku, and otoro hand roll, all of which were fresh and delicious. Probably would not get the taiyaki dessert again though. I was expecting the traditional soft pancake like texture with the filling already inside, but this one was more of like a chewy pastry with Bavarian cream served on the side. Definitely a place I would come back to for a quick lunch though!

If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would for Tamu. My friend and I had a lunch reservation and absolutely FEASTED - the omakase was incredible - and they accommodated my shellfish allergy with no issue. This is usually my reason for not frequenting these types of restaurants, despite wanting this experience. I was extremely grateful and loved every single bite. Restaurant itself was a decent space but nothing crazy - but let me tell you, make a reservation! Service was great - we got our drinks, plenty of water refills, and all of the goodies with this experience. I know I said experience in my review already, but that's truly what this is. I can't even tell you what my favorite bite was because they were all so insanely fresh and flavorful. The ice cream finish was *chefs kiss* to a perfect meal.

There was a 40 minute wait on a Wednesday night for dinner but definitely worth the wait. My friends and I shared some spicy garlic edamame, kaiso seaweed salad and tuna tartare. My friends ordered the chef choice set which came with 5 classic hand rolls and a miso soup. I ordered the sake don which included salmon, zuke salmon, spicy salmon and salmon roe. Truly a salmon lovers dream! This meal set also included an assortment of assorted seasonal pickled and miso soup. To finish off we also tried the Monaco sando which is a crispy wafer filled with green tea ice cream, red azuki beans and mochi balls. I'm interested in returning to experience the omakase.

My wife and I have been looking hard for an affordable omakase place for a casual nightout for a while in Chicago. Tamu (while it is not truly a budget dinner omakase compared to the other major metropolitans like NYC) definitely caught us by surprise with its differentiated quality to its peers like Sushi by Bou / Kyoten Next Door. This place offers a 14 course edomae style nigiri with one app and one dessert to wrap the course around. The total course took 45min - 1hr. The ratio of fish to rice was pretty good. The majority of the fish was nicely prepared. While I am not a big fan of madai and sake, I really appreciated kelp curing process and how they transformed the texture. Ingredient was fresh and rice was not overly sweet/"vinigerized." They took risk of putting three blue-backed fish. Aji and Saba were very fishy and could have been prepared better. I also wish they had Shima Aji instead of aji which would fit better for the course. Sawara, however, was really nicely prepared and kept its natural flavor but removing the fishiness. The course formation was a bit different. Most omakase start with lighter flavored fish to more distinct tasting fish but the chef mixed the order that I was not able to taste several nigiri well due to the prior one having too strong of a flavor. Chef was very professional and answered all my questions nicely. Overall, I think Tamu is probably two best affordable omakase that Chicago can currently offer along with 312 Fish Market. For the cost for dinner, with tip and gratuity already included, it will cost $165 per person. Still not an everyday budget dinner BUT we will come back!

Everything about Tamu is amazing!!! Ask for Max!!! The ambiance was incredible, our Chef Max was one of the most friendly people I've ever met! Bathrooms were clean, food was incredible, would recommend Tamu to anyone looking for an amazing meal!

Came here to celebrate the new year with friends. It was an amazing experience and I'd definitely want to do it again or try something new here at Tamu. I had the omakase experience. The ambiance of the restaurant was very nice, comfortable seating. Service was great! I did not feel rushed out of service. The quality of each fish was impressive. Definitely going back to try their handroll bar

Back here again for the quick and casual dinner. Loved the ambiance and the workers are amazing as usual. We got to the dessert this time and it did not disappoint, the matcha ice cream was rich with the red bean and mochi toppings

Was very excited to try Tamu as a lover of hand rolls. The restaurant has three different areas for three different menus, 1. The Hand Roll Counter 2. A sit down area which has more bowl style menu items and 3. The omakase counter in the back. We opted to try the hand roll counter although I would love to try the omakase menu as it seems like a very great value. The decor was really nice and it never felt too loud or crazy inside. We were the second people in of the day and the place filled up quickly for lunch after 12pm. You make your selections on a piece of paper that a server takes from you and the chefs prepare behind the counter. It took us a while to be served any food and found out later it was because we added on a tuna tartare that was meant to be served first. We just were unaware that the hand rolls would not come out until after the tartare, which the chef could have communicated a little better. The server did check on us though and was extremely nice. I honestly loved everything I ate. I expected the rolls to be small but they were even a little larger than I expected. They recommend 4-6 hand rolls a person but even after 6 myself I wasn't completely "full". I think next time I'll have to order even more. I would personally like the option to order from any menu (with the exception of omakase) and not have to sit in a particular section. Overall, I really did find everything to be delicious and would love to eat here again.

Had the most AMAZING experience here while visiting Chicago. We did the $48/person lunch omakase and were blown away. The quality of fish at this restaurant is phenomenal, especially given the price, and the curated menu was so tasty. Our chef was so friendly and definitely made our experience; he explained each course, enthusiastically answered our questions, and was just an overall pleasure talking to during our lunch. The drinks here are also amazing, specifically the Delicate Deiji! Everyone in my group ended up ordering it after having a sip. Such a fun place and definitely the best meal I had during my short trip to Chicago. Would definitely recommend coming here and I'd love to visit again to try more of the menu!

1. Chili Ebi - spicy prawn, sweet gochujang, slaw 2. Toro Taku - fatty tuna, oshinko, inari, chive 3. Salmon Skin - house smoked salmon skin, masago, cucumber, kaiware 4. Spicy Hotate - spicy scallop, yuzu kewpie, masago They started us off with the regular rolls then premium rolls. The fish portion is smaller in the regular rolls and better in premium. Fish skin flavor was distinct but in the other rolls, the sauces were too much in amount and distracting flavor. I didn't like that they completely mashed up the scallops and drowned it in mayo. Although I was curious to try chili ebi, the gochujang and slaw were also overwhelming and too wild a combination. Very American style similar to ayce & rotary sushi spots which is (not my cup of tea but) good if that's what you like. No issues with service. The waitress was friendly and I like the interior design. I did a la carte which was pretty pricey per roll but there is a good chefs set deal. I'm not grading lower than 3 stars because they also do a chirashi bowl and omakase nigiri that look cleaner which I may try if I decide to come back.

If you're on the hunt for an omakase experience that won't break the bank, look no further than Tamu in Chicago. At just $48 for a 13-course meal, this place is a bang for your buck! Walking into the cozy omakase room, you're greeted by an intimate setting perfect for a personal dining experience. The room is smaller and the chef is very friendly. The highlight of my meal was the chutoro, which melted in my mouth. I also treated myself to an add-on of uni and do think it was worth it! The briny sweetness of the uni was delicious. Overall, the fish was good - fresh and satisfying, though not particularly extraordinary. I felt like something was missing from the fish. But for the price, I didn't really have any complaints. If you're looking to enjoy a more affordable omakase meal, Tamu is definitely worth a visit!

Stopped by Tamu after they recently opened. The interior is nicely decorated with good lighting. There are about 8 seats at the hand roll bar. The chefs were incredibly kind. We had the tuna on crispy rice, tuna hand roll, unagi hand roll, and beef hand roll. The fish was good and fresh. Although we did not opt for this, I think the chef's set (5 hand rolls + soup) is a pretty good deal! I would come back to try their lunch omakase. Excited to have this new addition in West Loop!

*Lunch omakase review* Food came out right away during service and everything was delicious. Good value for lunch omakase since total came out to be $60+ if you're looking for a 30-45 minute lunch then come here.

Came for the hand roll bar experience and quite liked it! I ordered the chef's choice set and I liked the hand rolls the chef picked for me! I got spicy salmon, soy salmon, octopus, scallop, mackerel. This place felt like a mix of nami nori in nyc and katsunori in LA! I would want to try the lunch omakase set next time but recommend the hand roll bar as well!

What an incredible omakase experience! This beautiful new sushi spot opened only 3 months ago but is already making a big name for itself with its incredible delicious and traditional omakase experience. No need for over the top garnishes, this is quality fish at its finest. The staff is fun, knowledgeable, and incredible helpful. Special shout out to our anime loving chef Max who did an amazing job breaking down each piece and teaching us all about sushi while we enjoyed his edible artwork. The rest of the staff was incredible and helped us find the perfect sake to bring the entire night together. Even if you aren't doing the omakase, the hand rolls are beautiful and no doubt delicious. You'll truly enjoy yourself in this super cute new spot. Enjoy the anime themes playing overhead and throw back some sake. Kanpai!

I love the concept of this place. There is the handroll bar, the a la carte middle seating section, and the omakase in the back room. The service and staff were great but the food was unfortunately underwhelming. The hand rolls are so tiny, they're not fully wrapped like typical hand rolls, and they aren't "melt in your mouth" quality. The drinks were okay but not memorable.

Still does what it does well, and that's provide fast casual omakase at a reasonable price and speed.

Artful and elegant. Beautiful lunch omakase. I've been twice and would go again! Great pricing for lunch omakase.

Solid & relatively affordable omakase place in the city. Service was good and fish was also good for the price. Only mention is that the dessert was not great. They also do solid hand rolls if you're more into that!

The food here is absolutely amazing!!! I come here at least twice a month and love brining my friends and family. Cute vibes and quality service seal the deal!

Tamu is genuinely an under the radar omakase spot. I will say the ambiance is amazing. The service and the quality of the food is the best I have had. I will say that the omakase really is worth every penny. And the interaction with the sushi chef made it even better! The quality of the sushi will keep making you want more!

A great bang for your buck sushi handroll spot! Easily walked in a sat at the chef's counter / bar. I do think the classic temaki could use a little more fish in each roll but overall quality was good. My favorites were the toro taku and crispy spicy akami.

Have been wanting to try this spot out since it opened as I love hand rolls. Stopped in for a quick bite and was greeted by lovely hostess. However was extremely disappointed in the hand rolls. For $6-8 a piece I was expecting a little bit more fish to rice ratio. Spending $30 for 4 small hand rolls was a bit much for especially how tiny they are. The salmon hand roll did not have much taste but the scallop one was a little better. The lunch omakase option did look good but was already booked up.

the fancy handrolls are really good quality. the regular ones are quite mid, my scallop one was fishy and i greatly disliked the tofu in the toro taku. service is welcoming, ambiance is nice but imo it's a bit much to have 3 separate sections of the restaurant, would've been nice if they let us order a bit from everything instead of deciding on the section when we make the res.

Great lunch omakase experience! I really enjoyed all of the courses and probably my favorite omakase I have tried in Chicago. The chef explained each of the dishes and I enjoyed each of the parings.

Tamu is a new sushi spot in West loop. The service was great and everyone was nice/accommodating. The prices are what you would expect in West loop with smaller portions in my opinion. The flavors were very good and I did enjoy my meal although I didn't feel totally full at the end. The restaurant has 3 areas: the hand roll bar, the restaurant area, and the omakase (which needs reservations). We came in for the hand rolls but with the limited seats the wait would be too long. The sake was served in wine glasses which was odd compared to what I'm used to but otherwise the vibe was very nice!

Finally, a great hand roll spot in downtown Chicago! I came here once during their soft opening and again some time later. For those who sit at a table instead of counter, they've improved the experience even more by separating the nori from the rice and fish. This prevents the hand rolls from getting soggy. Plus, the details are second to none: the radish in the miso soup are cut in flower shapes, and the hand rolls come with wooden tongs. Fish is high quality, but it can be chopped a bit too finely/overmixed in several of the hand rolls. I prefer less sauce, but that's just me. Portions have become even bigger since they opened, so I feel satisfied after 3 rolls. Service is consistently outstanding. One of the owners personally explained each hand roll to us the first time I went, and he continuously checked on us the second time. My companion dropped her chopstick on the floor, and he brought her a new set before she had the chance to say anything. Go to Tamu for a beautiful, well-designed, modern aesthetic with a natural and bright feel. When you enter, you see the counter with chefs preparing hand rolls. It also features stunning artwork of abstract koinburi made of vintage Japanese fabrics. A bit further in are the tables, and at the back is a stunning space reserved for omakase. Food: 4.5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5

I came in Friday afternoon for the $48 lunchtime omakase as a party of two without a reservation. We were seated right away. The omakase section of the restaurant has everyone sitting right in front of the chefs. This has to be the BEST value omakase in Chicago :) 13 courses total - soup, salad, mostly nigiri, handroll and a dessert. Every piece was delicious! You have the option to eat the nigiri with your chopsticks or fingers. The servers will have a wet towel in a bowl for you to wipe your fingers after each bite. No soy sauce or wasabi unless you request it but I prefer to eat the nigiri how the chef prepared it. Overall, super clean and calm environment! The chef and servers were very friendly. Parking is always hard in the West Loop so prepare to circle around a bit. I'll definitely be coming back to try the handroll menu and their dinner omakase once it starts!

My first omakase experience in Chicago, the fish is great and fresh. Among the 13 courses, my favorites are kanpachi, madai, tamago, hand roll and the uni and anago from add-on list. Chef is nice and explains fish when he serves. Also ordered mocktail, refreshing!

Heard about the recent opening of Tamu, a new hand roll bar and omakase restaurant located in West Loop and had to check it out, especially because the restaurant had just rolled out reservations for their $48 lunch omakase, which is a great deal for high-quality nigiri! As soon as you walk in, you immediately see the hand roll bar (which I will for sure try next time), but for the omakase, you walk to the back of the dining room to a separate area. The restaurant has a cool and modern atmosphere, and every dish tasted great. Loved the progression of the different textures of fish throughout the meal, and it was also nice to get a freshly prepared crab hand roll (temaki), heightening my expectations for trying out the hand roll bar the next time I visit. They're also starting up their dinner omakase soon, so that will be great to try once it's up and running. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a cool and delicious sushi experience in Chicago!

Came in on a weekday evening with a party of 4. Bar seating was full, so we ended up sitting at a table. Staff explained that the full hand roll menu was only available at the bar because they don't transfer well to the table. However, the chef selection hand roll set was still available to order at the table. I thought the quality of the hand rolls from chef selection were worth and pricing was fair. Miso soup was served lukewarm. Two of my group's cocktails came with an ice cube that took up 80% of the glass which made it feel like a ripoff. Staff was friendly and restaurant was nicely decorated. Would definitely go back for the hand rolls. Be prepared to wait during busy hours as they don't take reservations.

Came here the other night. Overall I really like the idea and Chicago doesn't have a hand roll spot. The inside was very chic and fitting. I did the chefs special which had for original hand rollls and one signature. Overall they tasted good but feel like the overall quantity of food was not very substantial at the price point. Left the place still hungry. 4/5 stars as cool concept and I like what they are going for.

My husband and I went to Tamu for the Omakase dinner experience. We were very disappointed. The meal cost us $372, for two omakase dinners, two cocktails, and restaurant added tip. Each piece of Nigiri that was provided was paired only with soy sauce and wasabi. Some of the fish did not taste fresh. The chef that we sat with was not interactive at all, and only explained the piece of nigiri when asked. I would not recommend this place for the Omakase experience.

Awesome new handroll spot in west loop. I always love the sushi bar, it's so fun having the chefs hand you each piece directly, but will definitely have to come back to sit at a table to try the full menu. The hotate scallop and the toro handrolls are a MUST!

The food was amazing- my first time trying handrolls. The service from the chefs and staff was pretty subpar for the price.

Another hit from Bk. The only thing keeping this from a 5 is the value, but its more like a 4.5 overall. All the rolls were great, but its just really expensive. 7 rolls and I left hungry but didn't want to spend more.

Beautiful ambience, staff are wonderful and very friendly! Tamu has some very unconventional style of hand rolls but it adds so much personality to this cuisine! You'll have a great time, great food, and beverage choices! Happy hour on Sundays for those who love sushi and a nice drink during brunch time! Overall a wonderful hidden gem in the west loop!

Just hit up tamu and wow, what a spot! The sushi here is on another level. The fish was super fresh, and you can really tell they know what they're doing.

I love sushi. I was excited to try this place and was very disappointed. The food has no flavor. They serve hand rolls, which are extremely small fur the price, that have no flavor. It's literally rice and fish. There's no sauces, seasoning or anything else on these rolls that would make it delicious. And for the price, it's just not worth it. We've each had six hand rolls, one specialty roll, one small plate and soup and we left hungry. I don't mind spending money on good food, but the food here was not good. The drink, Kool Kyuri what tasteless. Won't be going back.

Really wanted to love the restaurant as I'm a sushi/hand roll enthusiast but the service was awful, server couldn't get our order right, we told the chef the order was wrong then he walked away and looked like he was going to fix it but just disappeared. After waiting for a while, we tracked down someone else to correct our order. Ultimately they told us they ran out of that fish and couldn't fulfill our order and comped the one item we didn't even order. The quality of the fish especially for the more basic salmon and spicy scallop hand rolls were underwhelming. Of course the uni and fatty tuna were phenomenal but you were definitely paying a hefty price for it. The kaisendons for both the tuna and salmon felt so basic and underwhelming especially for the price point that was paid. Overall, for the price we expected a lot more. The food wasn't terrible but portion size was quite lacking especially compared to hand roll shops in LA/Houston that I've been to. I was so excited to find out a hand roll shop opened near my home and thought this would be my regular spot but overall with the service, lackluster food, small portions, I unfortunately will never be back and would not recommend to anyone. After spending over $200 for two, we went to Chinatown to have a 2nd dinner. Really quite disappointing.

I've been there twice. Once for omakase and once for the hand food at the bar. I definitely liked the hand rolls more. Omakase was fine but there are better ones in town. Hand rolls were delicious. I plan to return and sit in the middle section and taste their platters, too.

Everything was fresh. The ambiance was nice and design is sleek. Love the little holder the hand roll comes in. The service was exceptional and our server, Madison, was extremely sweet and attentive. Our rolls came with good proportions, loved the crispy seaweed and slaw. Vell, our chef, was knowledgeable when we had questions about the rolls and made the experience very pleasant.

Amazing handrolls with simple fresh fish and crispy nori. ordered a chef choice handrolls which comes with 5 handrolls and a soup. It was a great deal!

Best handrolls ever. Each handrolls were made fresh to eat. Reasonably priced. Very happy to have this place in the neighborhood.

My new go to spot for lunch. The fish and seaweed are top quality. Service is quick and efficient. Great spot if you're looking for something quick with good quality.