Katsu

02/26/08

Mind Changer for Japanese Sushi/Sashimi

by nancyandjay at Citysearch

What a rare find! After going to several so-called sushi restaurants, this one was so authentic we felt that we experienced time-travel to Japan. The staff was cordial, the sake warmed to perfection, and the sashimi/sushi was outstanding. The egg custard addition was sweet and pleasant to the taste buds. My companion wasn't too excited about going out for Japanese sushi, but when we finished the meal.... he became an affectionado and will be coming back for more! Loves it!

Being able to park reasonably close to the restaurant and their promptness on reservation time made our evening perfect. Just hope it doesn't get too well known and lose its charm.

• Pros: Easy parking, really fresh food
• Cons: A little costly, but worth it.

02/17/08

Best Sushi / Authentic Japanese

by stellasono at Citysearch

Chicago doesn't have great sushi places in comparison to other cities like ny and la, but Katsu is one of the better ones...definitely very authentic. I love chawan mushi (egg custard), and they do a great job with unagi (sea eel) in it. very friendly owners/staff, and nice ambiance. very accessible parking too.

• Pros: ambience, parking, service, food
• Cons: pricier

09/08/06

the best, period.

by colinmp at Citysearch

TimeOut Chicago got it right. Think Tomoe in NYC, or Katsu-Ya in LA, and you've got the basic idea. I've lived in Chicago for 6 years and, being from the East Coast where the market is FAR too competitive for restaurants to survive very long on attitude, hype and absurdly inflated prices (i.e. anything besides top notch food), I have been largely disappointed. Mirai consistently undercooks their rice. Wabi is inconsistent, I think, and anyway blasts you with club music. Coast is skimpy. Tank is not as fresh as it should be. Kaze is overpriced and has ridiculously over-formal service and atmosphere (I felt underdressed; the waiter asked us if we "wanted to discuss" dessert.) I have no idea why these places score higher than Katsu on this list. And either price, portions, attitude or overinflated hype tarnishes pretty much every other place here, save maybe Matsuya.

THIS place, however, is no damn joke. It's tucked away in an area where they can (presumably) spend less on rent and more on delivering the goods. I haven't even seen wild king salmon sushi anywhere else, and Katsu's is breathtaking. Same goes for the bluefin tuna and hamachi, all of which were glistening, ocean-fresh. $4/5 a pop for nigiri is steep, but you get the kind of over-sized (but still manageable) pieces you see in more seafood-friendly cities, along with chefs (and an owner) who are a delight to talk to. Simply amazing. My East Coast snobbery is officially over.

• Pros: best in Chicago by a wide margin
• Cons: *somewhat* pricey