Seadog was my first try of legitimate sushi in Chicago, and overall, I was pretty satisfied.
For starters, BYOB is always a plus. The restaurant itself was pretty quiet, comfy, contemporary, and not too small. It was a nicely decorated place, and the staff was friendly and attentive. We started with a few appetizers, one of which was the "Halloween Roll." Wow. Best piece of sushi I think I've ever had. Mxied fried pumpkin and salmon (I think), and just delicious. I could have eaten 8 of those.
The main rolls we ordered, however, were not as spectacular. They were good and the fish seemed very fresh, but it was nothing super special. They weren't too many options, either, and many rolls had cream cheese, which were we trying to avoid. I'm all about lots of rolls with avocado, but that seemed to be the only other option. At the end of the night, I didn't feel the bill was justified.
So to sum up: tasty fish, but there is surely better, and there are surely more options there, too. but Seadog is a quaint little place with a (seasonal?) special that is killer.
Seadog was one of two restaurants that opened within throwing distance in the first month of me living in my new place. Â I was super disappointed to find out that one of them was a sushi joint, since at the time there were already at least 7 sushi restaurants in the Wicker Park/Bucktown area. Â However, Seadog actually turned out to be one of the better sushi restaurants I've been to, so I forgave its transgression on my turf. Â
They offer really fresh fish, BYOB, and interesting "signature rolls" that contain pieces of fresh fruit. Â I underestimated the benefit of having a quality sushi restaurant within spitting distance of my front door. Â I think it's a bit expensive to get the coveted and fictional "Weekday" tag and their edamame is shockingly lackluster, but still probably my favorite sushi restaurant, even if that moniker is heavily affected by its proximity to my apartment.
Most important: Fresh Fish! Hard to believe but that is hard to find melt in your mouth, clean fish sushi restaurants in Chicago. I only get nigiri sushi and sashimi - I have not tried any of their rolls. Friendly staff, always quick to get you water and open your wine. BYOB is awesome!
I love that this place has a cute atmosphere - romantic for 2! The tables are small so when I went with a group of 4 once, it was cramped but larger groups may get more elbow room.
Another perk is if you pay cash you get 10% off your bill so that's great too! Overall, great experience and we've probably been there 10 times since we moved to the area so it's worth going back again and again. Good price for quality product.
My girlfriend and I have been to many restaurants trying to find good sushi and we have finally found it at Seadog. This is the best sushi I've had in Chicago. The restaurant looked really cozy and the tables weren't too close together. Overall it was a great experience and rightly earned it's place in the 2012 and 2013 Michelin guide. This is a must try place for sushi lovers.
Review Source:If I was 22 and didn't know any better I would go here and have a great time but I do know better.
The watery and chewy spider roll was insulting and the uni shooters, which swirled in what is effectively sweet salad dressing, were a disaster I won't repeat.
The wasabi, while flavorful, came in brown sticky lumps which were hard to break up in my soy sauce and was a bit disconcerting.
Poor service, clumsy flavors and aging decor makes this place tip from the "unlikely" into the "never again" category.
And just barely two stars.
Too bad because the fish here seemed of good quality.
They need a hard reset.
Perfect BYOB hole-in-the-wall spot that's a hidden gem! I've passed this place countless amounts of times and finally decided to try it out for my sister's surprise birthday dinner with the girls. As a HUGE uni and oyster shooter fan, this place DELIVERED. Though a bit pricey, very worth it! They were delicious. I was so impressed. Sushi was not too expensive, very fresh, and tasty. I will definitely be back!
Review Source:My new sushi obsession!
This was one of the best finds my husband and I have had in awhile. The name does NOT do it any justice (sounds cheap to me). The sushi here is excellent.
- Great selection of sushi/seafood (OBSESSED with the scallops)
- BYOB
- Very fresh tasting sushi with unique flavors
- Great wait staff
- 10% off if you pay with cash!
- Nice atmosphere - good set up!
- Not expensive! It is very much on par with other sushi joints in Chicago
We were so impressed, we went on a Fri. night, and then made reservations for the following Tuesday!
Can't wait to make my way back!
Tried this place as we were headed to the Chopin Theater right down the street and figured the high Yelp ratings were enough to give it a shot.
Very cool venue, exposed brick with a modern urban vibe. The service was decent and attentive. The food was OK. We ordered one of the rolls on special, the pan fried scallops appetizer, the cucumber salad, and a sashimi plate.
with the down turn in the economy, I was forced to get rid of my live in sushi chef. I don't have the passion or intensity to roll my own. After several rounds of chelation therapy, I've been out on the streets in search of more sushi. this place is a winner - its got what you need. just bring some drinks (chinese liquor if you really want to make things interesting) and be merry!
Review Source:Hate to be a contrarion but I did not enjoy this place. We ordered quite a lot of rolls, from simple ones (sake) to their elaborate ones. Not one of them was flavorful and all required dunking in soy sauce and wasabi. I have no idea what happened or if it was just an off night given the other reviews here!
I think the main issue was that the rice was not good. Good vinegared rice usually makes all the difference. I found it sad we spent the money eating here when there are quite a few other solid places around here we could have gone instead.
Easily one of the top sushi restaurants in the city...and it doesn't hurt that they're BYOB! Â The dining room is dimly lit and the noise level is low...perfect setting for an intimate sushi date! Â We tried their famous Triple S roll, the Sea Monster, the Spicy Super White Tuna, and one of their specials that night. Â The Signature Rolls were all delicious and HUGE...3 would have been more than enough for 2 people. Â We both agreed though that our favorite was the Sea Monster with crab, ebi tempura, avocado, and more...Mmmm my mouth is watering just thinking about it! Â Super fresh, super tasty, just really great quality and equally great service. Â Can't wait to return!
Review Source:Went with my ladyfriend back in October and mainly had specials they were offering. We had a couple sashimi, one which tasted very fresh and the other tasted very fishy, so mixed results there. However, we split a seasonal roll that was really good. We also had the Tango and absolutely loved it. Our waitress told us it wasn't for everybody, but that was the most memorable bite we had all night and, because it was our last night, sent us out extremely pleased. BYOB so we brought a bottle of white wine that they even put on ice for us. Wasn't overly pricy thanks to saving money on drinks.
Recommended, will return, glad to see they earned some notice from the Michelin guide, which speaks volumes about their quality, technical ability, and consistency.
A reasonably priced, byob sushi joint with a cozy, neighborhood feel. Emphasis on cozy.
Went with a group of 4 on a busy Saturday night. Service was nice, and we made a reservation beforehand to avoid the wait. All the sushi we tried was good. Presentation was nice and for the price everything was excellent. I wouldn't say this is sushi worth travelling out of the way for, but I would say if you're looking for a nice byob spot for a date or hanging out with friends keep Seadog on your radar.
A word on the coziness. Seadog is small and bordered on being way too small for a busy Saturday night. We were in the back room and people are practically sitting on top of each other. So if you're like me and like crowds, but don't want to be sat on by a stranger, you may want to avoid coming on a busy night. Frankly I think Seadog would be better served by eliminating a table and just charging a few extra bucks to make up for the lost profit. Our group would have lingered and ordered desert, but by that point in the evening the cramped feeling of the restaurant led us to leave.
Seadog is worth a visit if you're looking for some decent byob sushi. But I'd say go on  an off night or be prepared to deal with a crowd.
I may be biased because I never seem to give less than four stars for BYO, however I rarely give four stars for sushi! Seadog is very deserving. Unlike Coast Sushi, another BYO down the street that is overrated (and staffs mean girls who are reservation nazis).
Seadog's maki rolls are above average and very creative. I loved the spicy miso soup. The jalapeno was an unexpected (but pleasant) surprise. I ordered the Spicy Tuna roll and the Volcano roll. Both were excellent. The Volcano roll was huge and covered in tasty tempura crumbs and "lava sauce." I didn't get my friend's opinions because I didn't share. Oops! On their rolls, there was some slight grumbling at the Tango roll and the Sea Monster, but they loved the Triple S.
The restaurant is a little small making reservations a little hard to come by, but the staff is super nice and the food is worth the wait (especially when sipping on your BYO adult beverages).
Pretty damn great stuff. Drove out here cause it was the only somewhat nearby sushi place open after 11 on a Saturday night. I got the avocado roll, gyoza, and miso soup for pick up. It was pretty pricey but seemed like a 'get what you pay for' place, which was high quality great tasting food. The gyoza was cold but that was 100% my fault, took a bit longer to get there than I should have, but the flavors were amazing, still crunchy and good. The miso soup had great flavor. The avocado roll was impressive, tightly rolled, perfectly cooked rice, light on the rice and heavy on the avocado which was perfectly ripe and fresh. I'd love to go there again and actually eat there instead of not getting pick up.
Review Source:A roommate raves about Seadog Sushi so I decided to give it a try and I came here for a girls dinner before a Friday night out.
Overall 4.5 (I rounded down)
Food 4
Service & Staff 5
Atmosphere 4.5
I called day of and got a reservation for 3 (scor!e) and the table was ready at the time of reservation (I can't say the same about some other sushi joints I've been to), too bad my party wasn't. Â I was given the option of waiting in the reception area of being seated while I waited for my friends to arrive. Â I decided to be seated so I could start enjoying my beverage (yes it is BYOB!). Â The staff was attentive while I waited for my friends and not pushy about the whole party not being there at the time of reservation which I really appreciated. Â
While I waited, I got the opportunity to really take a look around at the decor and atmosphere. Â There was music playing at a soft decibel which was great as it didn't interfere with conversations. Â I really liked the exposed brick walls, wood accents, and granite floor. Â There was also a really cool table location that I was coveting. Â It was right against the window, but up a few stairs so it was almost like a separate room and it was a bit removed from street level...next time I know to ask for it!
On to the food. Â Once my friends arrived we ordered quickly as we were all hungry. Â We all got the spicy miso (yum - i would come back just for that) and edamame to share (needed more salt) to start. Â We then ordered 2 rolls each. Â I got the Triple S which was delicious and I can't wait to go back and order again. Â I also got the Tango which was disappointing. Â The menu did mention that it was tempura (I only like sweet potato tempura) and the pieces kept falling apart when my friends and I tried to pick them up. Â It was okay but I wouldn't order again. Â I don't remember what my friends ordered but I recall them liking their rolls.
I will definitely be back!
This place is one of those places that is so good that you don't want the others to know about it. Â We were already stoked about it when we heard that it's in the Coast family and it definitely didn't disappoint!! Â We got the soft-shelled crab (just as good as Coast, which is saying a lot), a few different rolls, a bunch or nomtastic sashimi, and mochi. Â Excellent, efficient, and friendly service round out the awesomeness. Â No part of the meal was anything less than amazing and we will DEFINITELY be going back... Â but with a bottle of vino next time, because (BONUS) it's BYOB!!
Review Source:After hearing about Seadog for months and months from a friend that lives nearby, I finally made it on a Sunday night.
Judging by the long wait for our food and the # of foil boxes coming out of the sushi bar, they must do HUGE delivery business on Sunday nights.
I really enjoyed the Sea Monster roll... a LOT. Â I enjoy the unhealthy rolls - the more tempura, mayo or cream cheese - the better :) Â They definitely have a lot of options in the dressed up maki category.
Rolls are reasonably priced and were all tasty. Â I would have preferred a shorter wait for my food - but at least I had good company with me to pass the time, so it wasn't a huge deal. Â We were in/out in 90 minutes.
Net net - BYO, tasty rolls, good prices, 10% discount for paying cash. That all adds up to a win for me.
I sat down and was flustered with a wobbly table, I tried to fix it myself and spilled our waters and was getting annoyed.
I went and tried to request a new table, she said she would fix our current one, and she did...crisis averted.
She opened our beers and things calmed down.
Time to check out the menu and get going.
We started with edamame, and picked four diff rolls.
TRIPLE Â S Â 13
sweet potato wrapped with fresh salmon          Â
and topped with toasted spicy dynamite sauce
VOLCANO Â 12
Hot Volcano sauce marinated with white tuna       topped with tempura crumbs, spicy lava sauce and, masago Â
SEADOG TOWER Â 13
Chef specialty of maki with fresh white fish tempura,
smoked salmon, cream cheese, asparagus tempura, spring mixed ,
scallions and served with a side of tasty ginger yogurt dressing
SPICY SCALLOP Â Â 9
scallop, avocado, spicy mayo, masago
BYOS - bring your own sapporo
We enjoyed ourselves, they give you 10% off if you pay cash, saved us about 6 or 7 bucks.
The ginger yogurt dressing w/the seadog tower is amazing.
We made a 5:45 reso on a Sat. but it wasn't necessary, however, it picked up a bit after 6 and all of the tables inside appeared to be set up for reservations.
I would definitely go back and try some new things.
I went with my manfriend and we shared a large sushi platter. we usually fight over our favourites, but there was no point in this place because every piece tasted the same. They were also slightly mushy. The maki rolls that came with the platter was falling apart and the taste was...too separated? I could have easily just grabbed a cucumber from the grocery store and taken a bite out of that and it would have been the same experience.
hamachi special appetizer: this was the one shining gem in our line up. fresh and tasty. gave us false hope for the dishes to come after
yakisoba: I said, "where's the yaki?" and my friend said "where's the soba?" tastes like boiled, saucy noodles. it was also expensive too, if it's gonna be so mediocre at least give us a bigger portion.
green tea creme brulee: i enjoyed this because i'll enjoy any creme brulee, but the green tea flavour didn't come out much. the textures were ok.
The servers are friendly and served the trashy drink I bought lightening fast and didn't even judge me for it. they were also very quick to clear our plates and refill water.
Went here with a group for a birthday dinner.
It's a BYOB, so that's a plus. In addition, Â the rolls were excellent, main dishes, and service as well.
I also love the decor. The place can get a bit loud, and voices carry, so I wouldn't recommend it as an intimate date spot.
One of my favorite sushi spots in town so far.
Is it just me or has sushi become outrageously priced while the quality remains meh?
A friend was raving about this place so we hit up Seadog which was down the street from her apartment. Â I can completely understand how you think something tastes better when a) you can walk there in less than 10 minutes, b) there's free parking and c) you're really hungry. Â
It's BYOB - hooray! In terms of the sushi, it's good not great. Â We ordered a bunch of different roles - volcano, dragon, spider, unakyu, fatty white tuna, etc. Â The soft shell crab roll was the surprising winner for me since I don't like soft shell crab. Â They were all decent and some were elaborately prepared. Â I thought the prices were slightly inflated but the bill was reasonable, $100 for 4 people. Â I initially spied the unagi donburi on the menu, $26 for a bowl. Â Are you kidding me? Â That dish is usually priced high but I've not seen it for higher than $20, ever. Â That really turned me off. Â The dessert was just ok, mochi ice cream. Â I felt like I could have walked to the CVS freezer and gotten a box of them for half of the price.
I admit I have very high standards in sushi taste and it's difficult to get fresh fish in the Midwest. Â I think I need to stop eating sushi in general because it just doesn't do it for me in terms of quality and value in Chicago.
I don't often review, but this was the best sushi I've ever had and I dine out often. We kept it simple with a chefs selection of sushi & sashimi and everything tasted like it was just pulled from the sea. So fresh, so flavorful. Hands down my most enjoyable meal in a long time(outside of Alinea last week).
Grab a bottle of Gruner Vetliner and get your ass over there.
Extravagant selection of fish was a mere $60 for 2.
My friend's place was right around the corner so we decided to get our sushi fix here. BYOB defintely added to the attractive factor of the restaurant. I ordered some type of roll, while my friend got a variety of sashimi. All of the sushi was pretty fresh and had a hint of sweetness to it. It's very rare to find a sushi restaurant where all of the fish is equally fresh and good.
Service was quick and attentive, and the restaurant was not too crowded or noisy. I would come back.
Cot damn, they keep getting better and better. Now they are Michelin rated? They give you a 10% discount if you pay cash. I reccomend:
Lava Roll
Seadog Tower
Fresh Philly
Yakisoba
Green Tea creme brulee.
Best sushi in wicker park, F what you heard. its also BYOB. So grab a bottle of suds and get sauced.
Interesting neighborhood for a BYOB sushi joint, but no complaints on my end.
I was surprised at how big this restaurant is. Has a decent sized front and back dining area, and a great outdoor section adorably decorated in the rear.
Fairly busy on a Saturday night, and loved the ambience. Quite romantic for a night out with the bf.
The servers were cute as a button, and thoroughly knowledgeable about the menu.
We started with uni shooters since I wanted him to try out the eclectic taste of sea urchin.
    *Served in the tall, skinny shot glasses, mixed with several different hot sauces and spices.
    * It was superb! Not overly spicely and artfully masked the "ocean-like taste" of the slimy uni.
Entrees: ordered several different rolls
       * Dragon- can't go wrong with this roll. Good ratio of meat to rice
       * White crunchy tuna - not a big fan of the tempura flakes, bit bland for my taste
      * Little sea monster (per server's recommendation)
             Really enjoyed this roll. White fish, cream cheese, hot sauce, masago, wasabi mayo, scallion, and eel sauce. I could've eaten another roll if the rice wasn't expanding so quickly in my tummy.
The service was fantastic. They didn't try to rush us out of there like some other sushi spots.
Perfectly stuffed, perfectly buzzed with our BYOB.
Sea dog... you aiite.
I came here with my boyfriend and we were severely disappointed. We spent about $90 on a meal that probably should have cost $50-60 instead.
There wasn't anything outstanding. We got the Halloween roll and some other rolls that I can't remember. Shows how much of a good time I had right? The rolls were small and the hostess and servers were MIA.
We should have gone across the street instead and went to Usagi sushi for a better experience.
Came here on a wednesday afternoon, around 6ish... The place was pretty quiet when we got there. To my surprise, this place is pretty big. From the outside, it looks somewhat small. We came in and was greeted by the servers. They were all very nice, one server asked me if I wanted to sit inside or outside. Oh, patio??? Sweet, sure!!! Patio seating is awesome. Gorgeous!!! Plenty of space and was under huge, beautiful trees. I love it. We passed through the dining rooms and I was pretty impressed by the decor. It looks somewhat fancy.
We sat and quickly ordered since we were starving. We had Gyoza and the takoyaki. Both were good. And then we proceed with the triple A, spicy tuna and a piece of super white tuna and hamachi nigiri. Later on, we added the volcano and the fried super white tuna wrapped in mint leaf nigiri. Those two were my favorites. For dessert, we ordered both red bean and green tea ice creams. I wished our server had warned us about the portion of these ice creams. Had I known that, I would have just ordered one instead of two. However, I asked our server to cancel the last ice cream and she wasnt very happy to hear that, judging from her expression. I mean, we are pretty small people and had ordered a lot of food to eat, I feel bad about sending it back but we were definitely maxed out.
Overall, I thought it was good. Our server was nice but she could definitely throw in a smile or two. I realized that by the time we are ready to pay, the whole patio was already packed and so is the dining room. Overall, I thought this place is a pretty good place to try. It's byob too.
Outdoor seating: Â 5 stars
Food: Â 2 stars
This place has a fantastic outdoor seating area, so if you are looking for al fresco dining at a BYOB restaurant, this is the place to go. Â
However, I can't say the same about the sushi. Â Perhaps they had an off night tonight, but the rice that came with the sushi and rolls was just terrible. Â The rice was soggy and it was way too SWEET (literally, tasted like there was too much sugar in the rice). Â I basically took out all of the rice from the sushi pieces and just ate the filling for the rolls.
The fish was decent quality, but the rice completely ruined the sushi. Â Probably would be decent had the sushi rice been of even average quality.
This review is purely for the 15+ times I've ordered the delivery from Seadog; I've never actually been inside the place, or seen it for that matter.
First off, this place is in Noble Square. Â I live in Lincoln Park. Sushi has been completely fresh EVERY time I've ordered it. Â For a clean delivery record, I'm giving these guys major props. Â Good on ya', Seadog. Â Be warned, it will take 45 minutes to an hour on weeknights, and sometimes over an hour on weekends. Â Just plan your stuff in advance.
Sashimi platter is my go-to, and it's always totally fresh. Â I've got to make a few other recommendations, because they are just incredible to put into your face and chomp on:
- The Halloween. Â It's only 2 pieces, but it's got pumpkin, salmon, hot sauce and other goodies. Â This is a must have.
- Â The Triple S -- Sweet potato tempura, salmon y mas goodies. Â Also a must have.
- Â The regular maki are all very well prepared, and this place has my favorite crunchy spicy tuna in Chicago, and perhaps, THE UNIVERSE.
And since you've been a good boy this year, be sure to ax (ask) Santa for the Green Tea Ice Cream. Â It's good.
EDIT: Now I've been to the location, and it's increased my love affair with Seadog. Â Cool, classy interior. Exposed brick. Tin Ceilings. Â A floor that I can't describe. Â 2 rooms for seating, and a patio out back for summer dining. BYOB. Â Go here for a date, or with a small group of friends.
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