03/02/09

Great delivery service

by ferrischicago

Delivery service isn't something I would try for sushi, but I ate at Blu Coral a couple of times and loved their selection. I was stressed from work and decided to have some of that food come to me this time. I'm not too far from the place and so delivery was fast and the food was still fresh. The only bad part was all the work I had to do that night. Good stuff.

• Pros: Tasty food, fast delivery

02/24/09

they ruined my boyfriend's birthday - worst service in the city

by 76cj5

If you have come here looking for 'Chicago's Best Sushi' Blu Coral's website will absolutely mislead you. I planned my boyfriend's 27th birthday at Blu Coral and it was the worst mistake of my life.

Being that my present to him was a trip to Japan this spring, I wanted to throw a Japanese-themed bday dinner, which I had explained to the owner first over the phone & again when I went into the restaurant the week before the party to confirm & PAY FOR everything in advance. They happily took my money.

Upon getting to the restaurant the night of the party - they did NOT have our reservation nor the order for the pre-paid for meal I had arranged & did NOT seat us in the dining room at all. When we were seated, it was in the lounge area at 10:40pm (our reservations were at 10 per their request the week before, even though I had made them for 9pm) & the lounge started being set up around us as loud bar music began playing to the point that the champagne toast I had arranged was ruined seeing as noone could hear anything anyway. Then, when I refused to pay MORE money to the lounge promoter when he told me I had to pay for each person in order for my party to stay (even though his assistant had told me we wouldn't have to 3 times... because i asked 3 times just days before the party) he told me something I can't repeat because I don't want this review erased. Let's just say, we left with our drinks still on the tables & without an apology (the promoter was now apparently hiding from me). Me in tears & my boyfriend upset with how they treated me, we went up the street to a local lounge who accepted us off the street, THEY apologized to US for our experience with THEIR neighbor (saying it wasn't the first time they had heard horror stories) & we had a wonderful night there instead, seeing as they seemed to actually care that it was his birthday.

Don't go to Blu Coral. There's better sushi & far better service in Chicago.

• Pros: the sushi wasn't bad, parking
• Cons: service, management, professionalism

01/29/09

Our favorite sushi place in the City!

by garnold0416

We have been going to Blu Coral since the day they opened. The fish has always been fresh and the rolls complex and imaginative! Some times the service could be a little slow but there bus boy has always been quick on the draw with refiling our water glasses which is always nice. Soon after we started going there I got pregnant and couldn't eat the raw stuff any more so I was excited to see that Blu Coral not only had cooked rolls but they were absolutely delicious! Of course once I had the baby it is pretty much impossible to go out with her so we have a standing sushi - take out night every friday. We have been just as please with the take out as we were with the sit down service. If you are looking for a consitently good sushi joint Blu Coral is just the place, easy parking, great selection and some of the best food you will have here in Chicago!

• Pros: great selection and parking
• Cons: not kid friendly

01/12/09

Best Makis in Chicago

by saki4all

I heard about Blu Coral just over a month ago from a friend. She loved it and told me that I should go check it out since I lived so close to it. I decided that I try it out with a date and it turned out to be the best place ever. My date could not get over how delicious the maki rolls were and the drinks were terrific also. She admitted to me that night that she tried sushi once and hated it, but not here, she loved it. So, if you have a date and need a place to go, this would be a nice place to start!

• Pros: Great sushi, good music, good service, great date place, elegant bathroom sinks
• Cons: Chicago is a little cold in January, but the place is worth it

01/12/09

The Perfect Sushi Place

by paperwok

I've been wanting to try this place with my friends for a while now. I've heard rave reviews about it and I'm glad to say it lived up to all the hype. The ambience was urban/industrial that whispers trendy but not enough to scream "I'm too cool." The food was off the wall fantastic. I don't think I ate one thing there this weekend that I didnt' like. The appetizers were amazing (had the shrimp shumai, maui tartar, and crab cakes). The crab cakes were very different and original from any other crab cakes I've ever had. They had some curry flavor to it, which was unusual but in a way that surprisingly good. We ordered a variety of standard and signature rolls which were just amazing. I have to say the signature rolls are the way to go if you're tired of the same old sushi rolls and wanted to try something different. They all had unique flavors that tasted delicious and the presentation was very nice as well.

I've been to a bunch of sushi joints around Chicago and this place is probably one of the best sushi places in town.

• Pros: Incredible food, nice ambiance, good looking crowd

09/22/08

worst sushi experience i've had in Chicago

by jeaney131

i unfortunately went here on my birthday this past year and boy was i disappointed. not very creative, the fish had absolutely no flavor. the saving grace was texture, but that does not a good sushi meal make. i've been to tons of better sushi restaurants in Chicago.

• Pros: probably would be a good date spot
• Cons: disappointing food

09/20/08

GREAT Sushi...need to work on the portion size

by fuzzyyellow

I was a huge fan of the Blu Coral Sushi in my local stomping grounds in the 'burbs (Woodridge) and I was in mouring after they abruptly closed!! I had heard of this location--the 'other' Blu Coral in Chicago (not the same owner) and took a look at their menu and it was virtually the same. In an effort to seek my next great Sushi fix, I HAD to try them out. The taste and quality of the food was indeed superb. However, these were the tiniest rolls I had ever seen or experienced. They did not leave me wanting more and more as I had enjoyed in the past and it left me a bit disappointed. However, the quality and the taste was indeed there. I would have given them a 5 star rating had the rolls been a bit given a more umph in terms of size, substance and appearance. If they do happen to open back up in the burbs or want to continue on the hi-level path... they will indeed have to look into adding a bit more to the rolls/pieces to have people wanting to come back for more. The Aloe-tini washed away my sadness a bit. But, still left with the need to express my plea to step it up a notch in the portion size.

• Pros: So tasty and visually pleasing
• Cons: Potions are sooo tiny. They need to work on the size of the rolls and pieces

09/12/08

Best Sushi in the nation

by maryshan00

The sushi at Blu Coral beats any sushi restaurant I've been to in Chicago, New York, Boston, D.C. or Philadelphia. The atmosphere is great and they offer a discount for sushi orders before 6 p.m. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. The prices are no higher than any other sushi place in the city, which pale in comparison. I highly recommend it.

• Pros: atmosphere, parking behind in the KMart/Jewel lot for free, great sushi and service
• Cons: gets a little cold in there

08/17/08

Better Than The Rest

by makicrave

I've lived in Chicago for years now and have tried out sushi almost everywhere around my area. I liked Sushi Wabi and Tank, but then a friend suggested that I try out Blu Coral. So both of us went one weekend and we were delightfully surprised by the selection they had. I love a good maki roll and I tried a couple of their specialties, which came out so beautiful. The first bite was so delicious and I couldn't stop eating! I've been back several times since and haven't found a better place. The restaurant has a great look and I heard they have delivery although I haven't tried that yet. I feel it's better to experience the sushi rather than to just eat it. Anyway, I recommend it to every sushi lover around.

• Pros: creative food, great taste, good value, delivery, free parking, friendly service, discounts
• Cons: (none)

08/17/08

Triple threat

by sushilove78

Blu Coral is a triple threat in my view: great food, great atmosphere, great service. I took some friends there to try sushi for the first time and the waitress explained to them what the different types of sushi were and helped us decide what would be best for us. The atmosphere was perfect, accompanied by nice music and the food was beautiful and flavorful. My friends also really like the aloe martinis and I loved the chocolate mousse dessert. This is a great place for people who love sushi and want to get others hooked.

• Pros: free parking in the back, great location, bar, music, outside dining option, great value, fresh food