House of Sushi + Noodles

Located on the corner of Belmont and Damen in Chicago, House of Sushi and Noodle is a great little secret. From the looks of the outside, you may not expect much, and the inside is pretty ordinary as well. Don't let this fool you however, because this is a favorite amongst many locals and outsiders from all around Chicago.

The greatest part of this restaurant is their buffet. For just $13.95 (per person), you can order as many rolls as you can eat. Your server will come to the table with a list of their selections, then you pick two rolls at a time. Careful though - if you don't finish your food, you'll be charged a fine of $5.

If you're not expecting to eat much, don't go for the buffet. Their rolls are amazingly huge. If you're going to go for lunch (Mon - Sat 12pm - 2:30), check out their specials. You won't be paying more than $10 for a satisfying meal.

The service was great, the food was filling, and the experience was amazing. My friend and I drove a little less than one hour, but it was completely worth it. I only wish it were closer so I could visit more frequently!

For more information, check out their website for more information.

Or call them at 773)935.9110

RA Sushi

RA Sushi, located on the corner of State and Elm, is pretty much a chill, yet hip sushi restaurant / bar.

My friend and I arrived promptly at 4pm, just in time for the Happy Hour specials. Everything on the menu was under $5. Although they only had about 4 different rolls available for the deal, a few appetizers completed the list to satisfy that craving I had hoped to fulfill.

We tried the spinach gyoza (pictured above), as well as all 4 rolls on the menu: 1 California roll, 1 Spicy Tuna roll, 1 Shrimp Tempura roll, 1 Tootsy Maki*. We also ordered a Crazy Monkey Roll* (pictured below) as well.

For the price we paid, we didn't expect to eat so well. The food was satisfying, and the prices were amazing. One dilemma we ran into, however, was the service. Our server was pretty attentive and perky towards the beginning of our visit, but once business started to pick up, she hardly stopped by our table. After handing us our check, we waited about 15 minutes for her to return to pick it up.

Nevertheless, I believe RA Sushi was overly rewarding. I would definitely recommend anyone to try it out. For those who aren't crazy over the "raw food" business, there are plenty of options for you as well. Although the rolls are pretty "americanized" and not so much "authentic sushi", visiting RA was an experience that left me confident enough to plan another trip again sometime soon.

You can check them out for yourself - website or call them at 312)274.0011


*Tootsy Maki - "Crab mix, shrimp and cucumber rolled and topped with crunchy tempura bits and drizzled with a sweet eel sauce."

*Crazy Monkey Roll - "Smoked salmon, mango and cream cheese, topped with avocado, red tempura bits, cashew nuts, and drizzled with mango sauce."

quick introductions

So, I've always loved sushi, but I never really ventured off to find good sushi. I pretty much just went wherever my family decided to have lunch / dinner and just eat.

This year, I've started to drive all around Chicago to check out some good deals and good eats.

I've lived in the Chicago suburbs for about 13 years.. I love that I'm far enough away from the city to sleep in silence at night and go star gazing anytime it's clear out.. but I'm also close enough from the city to just hop on a train and go public trans or even walk to wherever I need to go in Chicago.

Because there are only a few places that I've been going to lately, this page won't have too many reviews / pictures yet.. but trust me - that'll change. Summer around here allows me to actually get out and find the fun places.. Especially in the Chicago area.

Please note that I am in no way affiliated with any of the sushi places I review in this blog.

[* however, I DO wish I knew someone who could make me sushi for dinner on a regular basis! :) *]

If anyone has any suggestions on good sushi bars / restaurants in the area, let me know! I'm always open for some good leads =)