153 Akira

Doesn't Recommend

anna G.

Joined 6 months ago

AVOID Blaa....I still have bad taste in my mouth from the stale panko bread crumbs they've used for my tempura (for some strange reason they put onions and carrots in it, not your typical tempura ingredients). My row sushi was not the freshest, but thankfully didn't smell yet, so I hope to survive this meal. Bad food and very overpriced - charging $3 for a tea bag with hot water? Not sure what to think about all the good reviews they've got. All in all, if you prefer fresh ingredients - AVOID THIS PLACE.

Just saw one of the reviews below - someone's Japanese friend actually recommended this place to them - WOW, they don't even service Japanese food there, but a poor imitation (excuse me, "fusion")

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frenchy4u

Joined 2 years ago

Don't judge the unneccessary details.. I am so happy that I was able to find this restaurant through groupon. However, when I first arrived, I was not impressed because the ambiance and the decor of the restaurant is very plain, and old. However, the place was packed! We had reservations for 7o'clock but had to wait a little bit to be seated. Thank god our table was near the front of the restaurant because I felt bad for those that were seated next to the entrance with the door that constantly opened and closed with people constantly rummaging in and out. It is a very small restaurant, and it is very busy. Not only was it a full house, the phone constantly rang, and there was a herd of people parked at the door waiting for a table. The menu that was given to us had the smallest print, and was very hard to read which was frustrating. 20 minutes in, and we were NOT impressed. However, I began to see the dishes that were passing by on the way to the other tables, and I became intrigued.

Janey was our server and she was very helpful in the midst of the chaos, and helped us plan our courses. She was able to accommodate all of our requests and explained the menu items we were interested in very thoroughly. Very friendly and sincere, we noticed that she had good relations with the other guests that were dining. She definitely turned our night around because after our interaction with her, our impression of the restaurant changed from the negative aspects toward the anticipation of the positives. She was a true joy.

The food that we had was so beautifully created and delicious too. The rolls that we had looked so amazing that it was hard to go for the first bite to ruin the chef's creation. Not only was the presentation wonderful--it tasted just as delicious as it looked.

I would recommend this restaurant to those who have excitable palettes because at Akira, you wont be disappointed. Service A+, Food A+, atmosphere C+. Though we were only brought there because of a Groupon, I will definitely be back!

Dont judge a restaurant by its cover, its all about the experience that lies beyond the obvious.

Doesn't Recommend

dgdd

Joined 2 years ago

Lousy service, bad food, wife got sick, high prices. First off, you're packed in like rats, and this place is loud (there was some kind of banging in the kitchen for a while on top of the loud environment).

Some people with a kid came in behind us, the kid hit the chinese wall/screen and nearly knocked it down onto the tables.

They said that a table would be a minute - so 10 minutes later we and the people behind us were ready to walk out, and then they seated us - that should have been the first clue.

The service was EXTREMELY slow. We nearly walked out after being seated and before ordering because it took so long (at least 15 minutes).

Once we ordered, the food was again EXTREMELY slow in arriving (maybe 20 minutes).

The appetizers were anything but - being quite bland and greasy.

When the entrée finally did show up, my food (meat) was undercooked I asked for medium well, they gave it to me rare - I got up and handed it back to them. They refired it, but the meat just didn't taste right, it was tough, several pieces were fatty and I spit them out.

My Wife's sushi was bad - she normally finishes all of it, and left quite a bit on the plate.

We asked for the bill, and they processed that extremely quickly (which is how the food should have been dealt with).

Lousy service, and bad food = zero tip.

It took us about 30 minutes to get home, by the time we got back home my wife was vomiting. If she continues to do so, I'll call the credit card company and dispute the charge.

AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE.

There's plenty of other good restaurants that provide great food and service at the same or a lower price, and at those, we've never gotten sick or disliked the food.

We will not ever go back.

Doesn't Recommend

evanston1234

Joined 3 years ago

the older resturant was way better. the owners of this resturant bought out a former place (can't remember the name) that served the best chicken salad sandwiches. people must still come back all the time asking for them since when i walked in yesterday and asked about them the co-owner (female - not sure if she is Akira or Kelly) got really irritated. my family and i ate at 153 a few years ago and at that time they had kept the sandwiches on the menu (probably to maintain a customer base). We have not been back since for obvious reasons. Can't imagine why anyone would eat here with Joy Yees just a 5 minute drive away.

Pros: Within walking distance of my condo

Cons: Food that is very forgetable

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reviewmom

Joined 4 years ago

The best food I've ever had.. I've been looking for good Japanese restaurant. One of my Japanese friend recommended 153 Akira before, but I didn't have chance to visit. I read the reviews and last review made me reluctant, but I decided to give it a try.

As soon as I saw the restaurant, I fell in love. It was very cozy and friendly atmosphere. And the owner, Kelly and Akira was super nice and most of all, the food was excellent quality. I loved the freshness of the sushi and my kids loved the tempura udon. They even gave me complimentary Tilapia tempura. Great service!!! I definitely come back even though it is quite a distance from me. I highly recommended and I can't wait to go back.

Doesn't Recommend

twosense312

Joined 3 years ago

Not a good experience. Eh, I've had better. So we decided to venture to a new restaurant, boy did we have an adventure. The food took super long to be served. Seriously forever (the place wasn't even that busy). Not only that, there were numerous times that we heard screaming coming from the kitchen, which bothered our dinner conversations throughout the evening. It was chaotic, I sensed it as I am sure the other patrons did as well. When we finally received our dinners, we were not thoroughly impressed. Definitely not worth the wait. Our waitress was really apologetic and nice, but we will never go back again.

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birdie334

Joined 3 years ago

just ok.. Initially heard of the restaurant from the coupon that was sent to my home. However, after doing some online research I was curious about their establishment seeing 12 reviews of 5 stars.

Walking in, we were greeted by everyone that worked there which was nice, but too loud and obnoxious for my taste. We were then seated, and given an extensive menu, however, when I asked our server about some details of menu items, she seemed unable to explain what the dishes were apart from the descriptions on the menu, plus I couldn't understand her from her speaking so small (probably to cover up the fact that she didn't know) However, the server at a neighboring table went over specials and wines extensively, and by viewing the food that they had received, I was a little jealous. Though it was a Saturday that we visited, it took a very long time for our food to be served. Food was good though when it arrived. My wife's food was served well before mine, and by the time my food arrived she was almost finished and watched me eat (bad). Another thing that bothered me was that it was so hot in there, I felt as though I was inside a sauna at one point. A lot of stuff they still have to work on since they are a new restaurant like timely food presentation of all parties, training of employees, and temperature control. I did leave content since our bill was discounted 20% so can't complain too much on a good meal at a decent price.

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scatterboxx

Joined 4 years ago

The reviews are on point!. This place is on the money. If you love fresh thick cut sashimi, this is the place to go. They have this amazing sashimi platter that is so vibrant and beautiful you almost dont want to eat it. From beginning to end our server was extremely helpful and made our dining experience wonderful. They gave us a complimentary fish dish that was amazing to start off our night. I ordered a special roll that was not in seaweed. I have never seen a roll without seaweed so i tried it and it was delicious. A bit pricey but definitley worth every penny!

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CBBF

Joined 4 years ago

Delicious Food. I love the udon soups. The one particular soup I ordered was served in a hot crock with a lot of seafood, vegetables and noodles. By far, it is the best Japanese soup I've had in the area. It beats Royin, Evanston, in my book.

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asmask

Joined 4 years ago

wow. I was there for dinner and I was impressed. Impressed by the host, the server, and the food. The server recommended this amazing Pinot Noir that they were featuring that night that . We were also given a free appetizer that was very thoughtful. They have a very different menu than most Japanese restaurants I have been to. Everything was so plentiful and delicious. We left impressed and more than satisfied. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone!