Nobu Chicago

Horrible food $400 for 2 people, unreal. Food: 1 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 1 Price per person: $100+ Parking space: Difficult to find parking Parking options: Park... read more Horrible food $400 for 2 people, unreal. Food: 1 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 1 Price per person: $100+ Parking space: Difficult to find parking Parking options: Parking is unavailable

Nabu Rooftop has some of the best views in Chicago — the skyline backdrop and overall rooftop atmosphere are definitely the highlight. It’s a great spot for sun... read more Nabu Rooftop has some of the best views in Chicago — the skyline backdrop and overall rooftop atmosphere are definitely the highlight. It’s a great spot for sunset drinks or a fun night out, and the vibe feels stylish and lively without being over the top. The food, though, is just okay. The sushi and small plates are fresh and nicely presented, but nothing really stands out or feels memorable, especially for the price. It’s good, just not impressive or worth going out of your way for if you’re expecting an exceptional meal. Portions also feel a bit small for what you’re paying. Drinks are probably the safer bet here — cocktails are creative and pair well with the setting. Overall, I’d come back for the views and drinks, not the food. It’s more of a rooftop bar experience than a destination for great sushi. Food: 3 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 5 Price per person: $100+

I personally recommend Nobu Chicago testing menu. I had a great experience at the Malibu branch in California last time. Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Meal t... read more I personally recommend Nobu Chicago testing menu. I had a great experience at the Malibu branch in California last time. Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $100+

Food: 1 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 1 read more Food: 1 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 1

My wife and I went to Nobu with another couple for a birthday. We'd been trying to get a reservation fo a while and were looking forward to it. The food was fin... read more My wife and I went to Nobu with another couple for a birthday. We'd been trying to get a reservation fo a while and were looking forward to it. The food was fine--not bad, not quite worth the price and hype. The real problem was the service, which was atrocious. In short, it took Nobu's host about half an hour of rudeness before he reluctantly agreed find a table my pregnant wife could eat from at all. From then on, the service was inattentive and slow. I can't tell whether it was because they apparently didn't like us or whether that is their norm, but at a restaurant of this caliber we should not have to wonder about that. And, when I emailed Nobu's customer service before posting a review, they did not care enough to even respond. All we really wanted was an apology; instead, Nobu confirmed through their silence that they were perfectly happy with the way we had been treated. The longer version: My wife was 37 weeks pregnant. We were on the rooftop and originally seated outdoors on patio furniture that was very low, with the chairs and the table the same the same height (maybe 1 foot off the ground). When we sat down, it was immediately apparent that there was no way my wife would be able to sit forward over her belly to eat off that table. The host had already disappeared, so I went back to the front to ask if we could be seated anywhere else. The host said nobody else would be seated for at least half an hour, so it would be a very long wait. I found that unlikely for a space of that size, but reservations are reservations. However, my walk back to our low table took me past a normal 4-top table occupied by a single person with only a drink. Since I was walking by, I stopped and said excuse me, my wife is pregnant and we are seated at a table that is too low for her--would you be willing to trade spots with us? He said it was no problem at all, he was happy to switch. So I led him to the low outdoor table and my party came over to the 4-top. Problem solved. Or so we thought. I told the waitress we had switched with that gentleman, and she said she'd have to check with the host to make sure it was ok but was confident it would be fine. The host walked by and I asked him if it was ok that we had switched tables. He said he'd have to check. After about 5 minutes of just standing around this now empty table, we took a seat and began looking at the menu. After about 5 more minutes of sitting there, the host came back and told us that we'd have to go to our original spot--even though both spots seated 4 people. The only explanation he gave was that someone had already been waiting for this table (contradicting what he'd told me when I asked up front). I asked whether the host could please ask, or allow me to ask, if the party who was to be seated at this table would be willing to switch spots with us, but the host refused and said we could not speak to any other guests, nor would he. Not only did this response make little sense, his demeanor was very rude. He acted as though I had personally insulted him by asking a man to trade tables--which the man was perfectly happy to do--and like it was not worth even attempting to accommodate a pregnant woman. So we went back to the original low table and considered whether my wife would even be able to eat there at all. We noticed there was a small side table next to our cluster of patio furniture, and it looked like it might be at a reasonable height for her if placed on top of part of the patio table we were seated around. We moved it up there to see if it would work and it did. So we decided to stay and order. After a few more minutes, the host reappeared to tell us we had broken another unwritten rule. He was, again, rude and seemed personally angry. I will admit that stacking a side table on the other table is not something I would normally do, but we are talking about simple, wooden outdoor patio furniture that gets rained on; nothing was being damaged or soiled, and this was literally the only way it seemed Nobu would allow my pregnant wife to actually eat there. The host said he would try to find another table, but repeated that, as he had told me up front, he did not think a table would open up anytime soon. At that point, we were left discussing whether we should just leave, because we did not feel at all welcome and it did not seem that your restaurant wanted our business. The service was slow, so another 5-10 minutes later, as our water was finally arriving, the host returned and said he had found a table for us after all. So we moved there and decided to see what all the hype was about. The food was good but nothing special, and the overall experience was very negative. We will not be back and would not recommend Nobu to anyone else. All sizzle and no steak--and terrible service.