The Best Sushi in Chicago

Kyōten is a tiny omakase counter on Armitage where the Edomae style means fish gets marinated and aged before it reaches you, and the rice is seasoned with red vinegar. Dinner runs north of $400 a head, so dress like someone who has already made peace with the bill. It was Chicago's trailblazing omakase when it opened, and the chef took Chef of the Year at The Banchets. The cheaper Kyōten Next Door offers the same purism.

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The nigiri pieces here are cut large, scored deep, and pressed onto generous mounds of rice, which tells you something about what the chef thinks omakase should feel like. Ten seats, nigiri only, and fish shipped twice weekly from Japan. A tuna handroll with avocado and a scallop the size of the rice beneath it keep things from getting too reverent. The beverage list is kindly priced for a room this serious.

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The Omakase Room is a ten-seat sushi counter tucked inside the louder, more casual Sushi-san, so you walk past the regular dining room to get to the quiet part, except it isn't quiet. Eighteen courses run about $260 a head, and the chefs actively encourage you to talk to them and the strangers on either side of you. The sake list is one of the city's biggest, which pairs well with chatting.

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1. AAA Three Diamonds

The fish arrives already sliced, since the chef handles his prep before guests sit down, which gives this West Loop omakase counter an almost ceremonial stillness. Korean flourishes like kimchi puree and sesame oil show up alongside fish flown in from Japan, and the pacing moves faster than you might expect. The chef rarely looks up, staying locked in, which somehow makes the whole thing feel more serious rather than less.

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Planta Queen is an upscale vegan restaurant on North Clark, part of a chain that dresses its plant-based menu in design-forward rooms. The sushi stands in for fish with eggplant, watermelon, and carrots, which is a lot of faith in a carrot. Monday brings unlimited maki for $35, and lunch has a two-course special. Expect a polished crowd that came for dinner, not a lecture.

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