Tamu Sushi
Sushi restaurant · West Town ·
Hand rolls, omakase, cocktails, and sake in a modern setting
Hand rolls, omakase, cocktails, and sake in a modern setting
"For an intimate meal in West Loop, Tamu provides a unique dining room with a feel different from B.K. Park’s (Juno, Mako) other restaurants. The main dining room is outfitted with a 10-seat counter where chefs serve tamaki (hand rolls). The eight-seat backroom is reserved for omakase during lunch and dinner, and abbreviated meals are available for customers in a rush. It’s not as fancy is Michelin-starred Mako, or as splashy as Juno was when it first opened in Lincoln Park. But Tamu complements those two restaurants in the sense it feels more approachable in an elegant space for diners who don’t want any fuss. — Ashok Selvam" - Naomi Waxman
"We recently checked out Tamu. Read our review here. The chef behind Mako and Juno, two of Chicago’s best sushi spots, opened Tamu. This new West Loop sushi venture specializes in hand-rolled temaki, which includes a roll-it-yourself program. For those visiting Tamu during the day, they also have a lunch omakase that starts at $48." - john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen
"They say you can’t be everything to everyone. But Tamu, a sushi spot from the chefs behind Mako and Juno, tries really hard to cover the casual neighborhood dinner, special occasion omakase, and work lunch markets—and mostly succeeds. This West Loop restaurant specializes in hand-rolled temaki, including a roll-it-yourself program in case you’d like to manhandle some warm nori sheets and tasty fillings like spicy akami or blue crab mixed with yuzu kewpie. Pay close attention to what they say they’re giving you because there’s a non-zero chance you’ll accidentally get the wrong roll. Seats at the temaki bar are walk-in-only, helping the place feel like a neighborhood spot, but at the other end of the spectrum, there’s also a $95 nigiri omakase dinner (reservations strongly recommended) in the quiet back room. And for the busy West Loop professional, there’s a speedy (usually 45 minutes or less) $48 lunchtime option. No matter what you opt for, the fish is generally fine, if overwhelmed by all the “extras.” But the overall experience is good enough to appeal to the guy inevitably sitting next to you who exclaims, “That piece of fatty tuna was insane, bro!” Food Rundown Temaki The flavor combinations of these two-bite hand rolls are interesting in theory, but everything kind of tastes the same and has the same texture. The extras—like gochujang, kewpie mayo, or sesame—do more to cover up than enhance the seafood. photo credit: Brad Danner Small Plates There are a few snacks on the menu, like edamame tossed in a spicy garlic sauce or a rich, heavy-on-the-sesame-oil tuna tartare topped with a soy-cured quail egg. Get one of these, or the surprisingly delicate ninniku crudo to share. photo credit: Veda Kilaru Lunch Omakase Each beautifully sliced piece is small and simply dressed with a touch of wasabi and a brush of soy. Some courses—like uni, chutoro, and kani temaki—are winners. But some of the other fish is borderline flavorless, and it can be hard to discern what you’re eating (especially when coupled with bland rice that’s occasionally a bit hard). photo credit: Veda Kilaru" - Veda Kilaru
"BK Park’s latest sushi restaurant can be enjoyed in a few ways. There’s a hand roll bar in the main dining room, and in the back, there’s space for one of the better lunch deals in town — though ordering the supplementary pieces will destroy much of the value of the standard menu. Park, who also runs Juno in Lincoln Park, and Mako, a Michelin-starred restaurant in West Loop, has created a more casual option with first-rate fish in a comfy and modern setting." - Ashok Selvam
"Tamu, the new spot from chef BK Park (Mako), offers reasonably priced omakase and walk-in seating for hand rolls and kaisendon." - Samantha Nelson
