Arami - Chicago

Fantastic meal. Spicy tako maguro will change your life. Everything on the menu is just elevated it’s not your typical Sushi place. The sake list rivals any lis... read more Fantastic meal. Spicy tako maguro will change your life. Everything on the menu is just elevated it’s not your typical Sushi place. The sake list rivals any list Iv ever seen, with knowledgeable servers who can help you navigate. Highly recommend. Doyour self a favor and check it out.

Such a wonderful meal!! My husband and I got the chicken karaage to start, enjoyed a bottle of sake, then we did the 10-piece omakase. Loved the creative spin o... read more Such a wonderful meal!! My husband and I got the chicken karaage to start, enjoyed a bottle of sake, then we did the 10-piece omakase. Loved the creative spin on some of the nigiri. Many of the flavors blended so well together, but nothing overpoweredthe fish, which was great. Some of the freshest fish I’ve ever had. Service was amazing as well.

It's an extraordinary sensory voyage that leaves you in awe of the culinary mastery on display. It's an experience worth savoring, cherishing, and returning to... read more It's an extraordinary sensory voyage that leaves you in awe of the culinary mastery on display. It's an experience worth savoring, cherishing, and returning to time and time again.

We haven't been to Arami in quite a long time. It isn't cheap, and the nigiri pieces are small but it is the best quality sushi you can find in Chicago. It riva... read more We haven't been to Arami in quite a long time. It isn't cheap, and the nigiri pieces are small but it is the best quality sushi you can find in Chicago. It rivals the great places in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. Their roles are a better value, but I can't resist the sashmi and nigiri. You also get fish that are uncommon in many other sushi restaurants, such as Shima Aji , New Zealand Salmon, and Kanpachi. My favorite by far is Shima Aji and my second favorite is Kanpachi (which they were out of when I last visited).

We consider Arami to be one of the better Japanese restaurants in Chicago, but their Omakase experience is sadly lacking and deserves no stars. The reviews we r... read more We consider Arami to be one of the better Japanese restaurants in Chicago, but their Omakase experience is sadly lacking and deserves no stars. The reviews we relied upon when making our reservation for Omakase turned out to be misleading. While the food is indeed fresh and the chefs creative, anyone who has enjoyed Omakase elsewhere will likely be disappointed by Arami. Our concerns are straightforward and could easily be addressed if Arami took their offerings seriously. Here are our main complaints: 1. When enjoying Omakase, your view of the preparation should not be obstructed, as it was for us by the sushi fridge at Arami. Instead of witnessing a master chef at work, our dishes were prepared out of sight. 2. We believe it is reasonable to expect that the chef will focus on the guests participating in the Omakase experience. This involves explaining the ingredients and sourcing of each dish presented. Although the food was tasty, it felt hastily assembled. Our impression was that we were more of an inconvenience to the chef than valued guests. The constant noise of the ticket printer further detracted from our experience. This isn't the chef's fault; it's a management issue. There were at least three other chefs working on other orders, and a fully staffed kitchen, so there was no reason for the Omakase chef to handle orders for patrons outside the Omakase experience. Lastly, we had an unfortunate incident midway through our meal when a bowl of soup was presented unexpectedly. As it was being set down, we inadvertently stretched and spilled it on the table. At that point, our frustration reached its peak, and we decided to ask for the bill and leave. We are considering disputing the charge since the experience we were promised was clearly not delivered.