Delicious, fresh, great quality. Kind of a funky place for Algonquin - seems like it would be in the city with the hip music, dim lighting, and great drink selections.
I come here every time I come home to visit my family. We are huge fans of the firemountain roll. I also really like the spicy scallop roll and the futo maki. Sashimi and Nigiri is always fresh and light. Also, the side salads have the best dressing.
Kaminari is so delicious!!!! Really fresh, and high quality food :)
The first couple times I've been there was when they first opened, and they were going for the super dark and classy kind of ambiance. But it was too dark!! My party and I were straining so hard to just read the menu, we were all sitting there with our cell phones out trying to light up the menu, or using the little candles on the tables to read by candlelight lol!! It was so silly!! A couple months later when I went back, they added some dim lighting, so I guess they caught on that it was too dark inside haha!!
The dishes themselves are beautifully crafted, I always really pay attention to and appreciate plating styles and aesthetics. The food is also very fresh, and before you complain about the prices, realize that you get what you pay for! It is fresh, delicious, and totally worth every penny :)
This place is terrible! I went there for the 3rd time over the course of a few years and I vow to never go again. Service is terrible. The hostess/waitress acted like I was putting her out by just walking in and wanting to eat lunch. I ordered the Chemistry II roll which is supposed to be spicy tuna over spicy scallop. I had to ask the sushi chef what he put inside to make sure he understood what I ordered. The scallops were unrecognizable and definitely didn't taste like them either. Everything was a bit "fishy" and seemed more like dog food or chum. I had to order from Bistro Wasabi the following evening just to rid this experience from my memory.
Review Source:We were wanting some sushi this past weekend. We had heard about this place from some friends and decided to give it a shot.
So the place is nice. The decor is your typical modern day sushi place decor. Nothing to go ape nuts over.
We ordered the 89 Tartar to start off with. I liked part of it. The other part wasnt bad.. but not the best.
We ordered the Spicy Tuna, the Crazy Roll, and the Fire Mountain roll.
The spicy tuna was ok. Nothing extra ordinary... it was ok. I would have to say the same for the crazy roll and the fire mountain too. Nothing fancy here. Nothing I cant live without. The biggest issue I had with the Fire Mountain roll was that the roll itself seemed pretty small- especially for the price.
Overall, look, its not bad stuff, just not anything special. Chances are, I probably wont be back. I would rather head over to Nozumi in South Barrington, or PL8 in Barrington,or even Bistro Wasabi down the road.
Great place- great style- great mood- imaginative sushi rolls- all combine to make Kaminari one of the best sushi restaurants in the NW suburbs. Â They also have some interesting non-sushi dishes, like the lobster tempura...YUM. Â I had the squid with chili oil...one of the spiciest dishes I've ever eaten, so be warned.
Review Source:Besides a wonderful lounge atmosphere and music, sushi was mediocre.
Small rolls, filled mostly with mush and not easily distinguishable content.
Crab is real, and that is a plus.
2 people, 1 maitai, no dessert, $110 plus tip.
Won't go back again. Woodstock's sushi is superior to this one in quality.
The portions are way too tiny and it just isn't a good bang for your buck.  Everything was very fresh, but it wasn't anything special.  We ordered  three maki rolls for carry out and felt like had eaten $30 worth of ridiculously over-priced appetizers.  Honestly, we were left STARVED and RIPPED OFF!!  Sorry, can't recommend this place.
Review Source:We have eaten at and LOVED Bistro Wasabi for years and have read about Kaminari on here so curiosity got the best of us tonight. Big mistake. Both my appetizer and entree were covered in a popular Thai hot sauce, the "crab" topping on the rolls was fake shredded crab, the interior of the rolls were akin the that fake crab salad you get at the deli. The meal was so sub-par that it didn't even come close to the quality that Bistro consistently has given us for the past many years. Â The other annoying thing here was the price. I don't mind paying for quality and taste, but our bill was more than what we spend on an average night at Bistro for the same courses and cocktails. Obviously many of you here disagree with me and love this place. This is a good thing since Bistro tends to be really crowded sometimes and if you like this place, that means we stand a better chance at a quick table at our fave eatery.
Review Source:I've had this place bookmarked for a long time, so we finally made the short trek.
We went with another couple. Â We brought out 1 1/2 yr old and they brought their 5 months. Â My first impression was, "wow, this place is cool & definitely not what I expected."
With the young kids, we requested the very far back booth. I kinda dig the black paint and one light over the table.
We started out with the Shumai appetizer...I think we should have order two of these for our table of 4 adults. Everyone liked them and they went quick! Sapora beer was a must & was very tasty. My wife loved her mango martinis.
I was the only one out of the group that ordered sushi and I loved the Tuna Nigri (like butter), white fish and the Crazy roll was good, but I probably would choose a different roll next time. I just couldn't make up my mind with so many to choose from. Definitely will be going back to sample more. The fruit roll seemed liked a good idea for my daughter, but the stickyness of the rice turned her off.
We will definitely be going back!
Impromptu Thursday date night + sushi cravings + Yelp's help = Kaminari.
Located in an unassuming strip mall this local gem boasts incredible ambiance, a handful of private booths, and a large, innovative menu with everything imaginable--even fruit rolls! Â The service was spot on and all of our orders were delivered quickly and beautifully. Â I was floored when our bill was only $70! Â We had...
-2 Asian pear martinis
-shared Ika salad (smoked squid ceviche on greens with sriracha mayo drizzle)
-spider roll
-negihamachi roll
-spicy salmon roll
-Fire Mountain roll (a monstrous delight featuring white tuna, salmon, snow crab, and wasabi)
Everything was fresh as can be and presented with edible apple slice fans. Â The moment we left my husband was on the phone with a friend announcing our new find. Â This place is fantastic.
Thank you my Yelp Peeps! Our first trip to Kaminari was a hit! Never ever would have seen this place from the road side and the strip mall / gas stop it is located in is *so* uninviting. However, fear not it is well worth stopping in for some good sushi. Excellent value, relaxing atmosphere and service with a smile. The Thomas Roll was "like butta" and the Ground Zero (which our server recommended with a passionate smile) was literally *THE* Bomb! More sushi than rice and just spicy enough for the weak and strong appetites. Unfortunately, I had to deduct a half star for the tough grilled squid and ceviche appetizer we had and another half star for the "sticky" table tents marketing the Saki and cocktails. When I'm eating sushi I expect the entire restaurant to be squeaky clean.
Review Source:Lives up to the hype. Â I traveled almost 20 miles to go to this restaurant based on all the great things I have heard and read. Â It lived up to the hype. Â The interior of the restaurant is beautifully decorated, and the service is fantastic. Â
I found the sushi to be very fresh and delicious. Â The sushi chef also gave me a complimentary "sushi bomb" which was equally delicious. Â I didn't order from the kitchen, but the couple sitting next to me did and was raving during the entire dinner about it. Â
Overall a great dining experience.
Kaminari,
Thank you for being located in the suburbs, you are the ONLY suburban representation of EXCELLENT, QUALITY sushi. Â You're kinda tucked in a run down restaurant strip mall, but that unassuming environment adds to your charm. Â And the fact you share your parking lot w/ a gas station makes me laugh. Â But, the sushi - out of this world. Â Top notch, quick service, custom-orderable sushi, too. Â So happy you're in my town. Â Kiku, Bistro Wasabi, Nozumi (closed!), Minami, Sushi Para, Sushi Station and dare I even go this low...Todai... are all NOTHING in comparison to Y-O-U! Â
:)
Thanks Yelpers - spot on with your reviews! Â No need to write much more than what's already been said . . . . this is my new favorite sushi bar. Â Order the wasabi roe, and blissfully taste the tiny explosions of spicy goodness. Â Heaven. Â My wife had the sake martini that was incredibly refreshing and tasty, dressed up with thinly sliced cucumbers - paired well with all things wasabi. Â Only wish I found this place sooner.
Review Source:Came by for some to-go this past Saturday. The place was busy, but not packed. Ordered a combination platter for me and my b/f to enjoy at home. I had a Sapporo while I waited at the bar. I noticed that the kitchen staff is all Hispanic, so it was pretty cool to see these guys make some really beautiful sushi creations. I was really impressed. While I waited, I was given a complimentary "sushi bomb". I'm still not quite sure what it is, but it consisted of a three-inch-tall piece of maki topped with more fish, jalapenos, wasabi mayo, and chili sauce. It was insane and delicious! My combination consisted of different sashimi, nigri, and a dragon red roll. I was so pleased with my food and the excellent service there, I can't wait to go back.
Review Source:Hidden gem.
In a small strip mall off of Algonquin Road, east of Randall.
Very good edamame, and huge lunch portion of sukiyaki. Some very inventive maki rolls, a whole section of maki containing fruit.
At first glance of the menu, thought it was a little  expensive, but upon receiving the food, those thoughts were squashed by the huge bowl of glass noodles, beef, tofu and veggies in a wonderful broth!
Great dining room too, big private booths or wide open tables, as well as sushi bar seating available.
If you are a regular at Bistro Wasabi or Kyoto, I highly recommend you checking this place out.
OK, maybe I'm being cruel with this rating, and if I remember how bad this place was after two months since visiting there, my impression ought to be pretty strong.
Since the business trip I made to a Chicago suburb was near my sister lives, we decided to explore a Japanese restaurant nearby. Since that area was a little far away from Schaumburg, I was afraid the quality would not be good, but since the name of this restaurant was in Japanese, I thought it would be owned by a Japanese or at least have a Japanese chef.
Well, I noticed upon talking to a waiter that this place was owned by a Korean. OK, I thought, there are a lot of Korean chefs that make good Japanese food. The menu also had lots of fusion-typed dishes. OK, I thought, there are place like Gochi that would provide quality food that can also appeal to Japanese people. So I tried to keep myself optimistic.
I ordered boiled spinach marinated with sesame paste. Well, the chef did get out boiled spinach, except that the chef did not squeeze out water. Instead of marinating the paste, he/she simply drooled out the paste. The resultant taste was... not only different from what I know, but also not tasty. Watery veggie does not go well with sesame paste. The fact that the sesame paste looked like worms did not increase our appetite.
I ordered a sushi platter. It had some nigiri's, but because the rice was not prepared well, even with decent slices of fish, the overall result was not satisfactory. Spicy tuna rolls had artificial flavoring, and got my tongue numb. Grilled yellow tail collar was pretty good, but did not help me enjoy the overall meal.
My sister ordered spicy fish over rice. The end result was chopped raw fish, mixed green not wiped, cold rice, and hot sauce. The quality of fish must've been good, but because it was chopped carelessly, the texture was pretty rough. Having the hot sauce did not help the taste. If the sashimi was prepared in calpaccio style with some vinegar and some mix of spice, it would have been better. Most of all, the cold rice was hard and brittle, which left grainy taste within my mouth.
My sister is an interior design coordinator, and noticed that the cover of our seat was stapled onto the base. Also, the carpet looked pretty cheap. While the interior above the eyeline was seemingly pretty, the one below was substandard. Â This made the experience worse considering that the dishes were expensive.
So hopefully the store would not consider that my comments are out of place. Â Concepts were good; the execution had a lot to desire.
If I could give 4 1/2 stars, I would. When it comes to sushi I've been to all the greats ...at least in North America and Hawaii as well as a number of places around the world including Tokyo and I have to say food-wise this place is right up at the top in nearly all regards ...flavor, display, variety, creativity, non sushi dishes... Without question, this is the best sushi place within a 20 mile radius. The closest even worthy opponent being Wild Fish in Arlington Heights. Â Personally Kaminari is my Chicago-land favorite.
So why the hedge and only four stars? Kaminari has one of the worst possible locations - behind a gas station next to a convenience store in an area not considered a town destination - and in the suburb how can this not affect patronage? The answer is it likely does and I've seen the affects over the years ... the once awesome dessert menu changed to items that keep longer and still are not often on hand, service can be a bit off -inexperienced, the surprisingly hip and swank decor could now definitely use some maintenance, and food quality for a stint had been a bit inconsistent though not of late,
BOTTOM LINE: this aside, if you like sushi this place should absolutely be on your list of places to check out. It became the favorite of nearly everyone I've brought there.
RECOMMENDATIONS: ***definitely*** try the Spicy Tuna Sushi Bombs. Better yet ask for them to be lightly pan fried in soy oil and butter; a tribute to a well-known dish at the even better known Katsuya in LA. Other highly recommended unique favorites: Hugo Roll, Shrek Roll, California Roll (not so unique but made with real crab -"the perfect" California Roll) , and the Ika Sansai salad,.
This hidden gem has the BEST SUSHI in the burbs, in my opinion. Unbelieveable. Fresh, creative, and the cocktails are OUT OF THIS WORLD. Be warned- sometimes if you come in for lunch, the staff doesn't fall all over you service-wise, but I think it's more that they are "shy" rather than rude. The overall experience and food is 5-stars!! ;-) Wish they delivered, but then again I would be broke.
Review Source:Food was EXCELLENT. Very good. Service was a bit slow and when I ordered a bottle of wine, it was presented to me opened. Luckily the wine was just fine, but come on. Desserts were delicious as well. Dang good experience
Despite the crappy location in a strip mall, the decor and ambiance was lovely.
What a hidden little gem -- it feels like you're downtown but it's tucked away in a little old strip mall. Perfect. The decor is gorgeous, with private-feeling booths in back. Â Excellent sushi. Excellent service. Their drinks could use a little more attention. Several times I've ordered a Grey Goose martini and it's arrived a little on the warm side with puny olives. One time they gave wasabi stuffed olives -- which should have been optional as they aren't what you would expect. Â Now I stick with the hot sake. Â We've been here at least a dozen times -- including eating in and takeout. Overall, it is excellent.
Review Source:I've been here about two times, and have always enjoyed everything about it. Â The first time I was here, there weren't many other people there eating. Â The second time it was PACKED. Â I must say I liked it better when the ambiance was a bit quieter. Â The decor is lovely, probably the best I've been exposed to at a sushi place. Â The sushi itself is delicious and fresh. Â I think we've gotten both the Sushi and Sashimi Platter as well as the Love Boat for Two. Â I will probably be back someday to try a few more of their Maki.
Overall, Kaminari ranks second best in my list of favorite sushi I've had, with my absolute all-time favorite being Sushi Nest in Elmhurst, IL. Â The prices there are a little better, the quality is just as good if not better, and they add a lot of little extras that make it stand out over Kaminari.
This place by far has the best sushi for the money around. Other places like B.W. are overpriced for the quality and amount of sushi given. Granted sushi is meant to be a shared experience of ordering multiple plates, but the value is incredible.
Their bento-box lunch specials are to die for and I often find myself craving the spicy tuna rolls and fried Japanese Rice (only at lunch!) Dinner entrees are a bit more pricy, but worh the trip.
When this place opened a few years ago it wasn't well known and was easy to get into on weekend nights, luckily I'm recognized as a regular and never have a problem getting a table, but sometimes a reservation is a good idea! Â Treat yourself to their outstanding lemongrass martini if you are waiting)
The ambiance is wonderful given it has always been non-smoking and mostly child free. It is eclectic/modern and the sophisticagtin brings a great mix or people.
If you want the best in suburban shushi, this is the place.
The outside does not indicate the level of quality furnishings that are inside. Â Lets say the design is contemporary meets electronic. Â The booths are in the back, dark except for one light that highlights the food.
So for the food, I would rate it acceptable but no different than acceptable sushi places in the burbs. The nigri are light on size, the rice well cooked , and the rolls typical. Â For example, the spicy tuna is the typical chopped up tuna (why do they do this unless they are covering up poor quality/) and the spicy was globbed on. Â Why did I rate it a 4? Â Because comparatively it is a 4 star vs Koyoto and below the level of the Wasabi Bistro. Â
We will go back, but not drawn to addiction like some other sushi places in my past life.... where you just have to go once a week or you will wither..
I've yet to eat better sushi than this place. Â Somewhat expensive, but then again it's sushi we're talking here. Â Very nice atmosphere (calm dance techno music, orange/black walls, hardwood floor). Â The staff is very friendly, and you'll appreciate the chefs thanking you as you walk out. Â This place is worth driving very far to eat, though I'm spoiled living just a few miles away. Â I've eaten at probably 6 other sushi restaurants in the chicagoland area, and this place can't be beat!
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