Starting to cut corners and it is showing. My girlfriend and I have been regulars since they opened. We were very pleased to have a decent sushi place in he neighborhood. Unfortunately, the things we liked about the sit down have declined. Originally the sashimi pieces were very large and fresh, and the rolls were filled with more fish and rolled nicely. As of the last three orders we have had the opposite. The sashimi is now cut almost half the size as before and the rolls look like they are just rushed through and easily fall apart, and we have noticed that they often forget ingredients in them as well. We keep trying to give them a chance to redeem themselves but we are left disappointed. The convenience of our neighborhood sushi place, is no longer worth it.
Review Source:Those 5 stars are for my waitress. She was knew the menu items inside and out and she was so helpful and kind. She MacGyver'ed together my chop sticks so I could use them and she gave me a fork. She just had this warm disposition.
Today was the first and last time I will ever eat sushi. I had the Futo Maki and the Tamago Nigiri. The Tamago wasn't bad but... it was a thick cold slab of egg.... I mean...is that supposed to be good? The Futo was wrapped in seaweed, I guess I didn't think about it because I never had seaweed but as a vegetarian, trying to choke down something that smells like fish...ugh..... thankfully there were sauces. The food wasn't bad or anything but... I just don't like it.
My date and the waitress told me that the wasabi was very hot, but I eat gardeneira and jalapenos straight out of the jar and I eat chili paste for salsa! So I'm like yeah, whatever....to you guys it's hot... not to me. Sweet baby Yoda! I put that crap in my mouth and my first instinct was to dump my face in the sink. So DO NOT PUT THAT GUCAMOLE LOOKING STUFF IN YOUR MOUTH OR YOU WILL REGRET IT!
Aside from the food *lol* it was a nice experience.
Living in Beverly, the dining options are scarce. Luckily, Hyde Park isn't too far away. I was suspicious about a pizza-sushi place, but I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant's quality sushi, friendly servers, and the casual atmosphere. I especially recommend the spicy tuna roll and the smoky bear roll.
Review Source:I have been here a number of times. Â Usually I get a sandwhich and some kinda sushi. Â I think their sushi is some of the best I have ever tasted in the city. Â it's really good. Â My daughter had a pizza here, and I tasted it and it was pretty good as well. Â but I still think the sushi is the best thing on the menu. Â Only thing I dont like is this place will close for a week at a time for the holidays which is strange for a restaurant, but oh well.
Review Source:Sushi, pizza, martinis... Really, what more could you ask for? The menu seems a bit random at first; how do you have sushi AND Italian food, and gumbo??? But somehow it works. Service is consistent, the drinks are fairly priced (and not at all lacking), and the food is delicious no matter which part of the menu you order from. Definitely a post-work treat!
Review Source:I visited this place with a friend late night while on a short visit to Chicago on 10/25/2012. It was clean and the staff was very friendly. We started with the Cucumber Salad ($3.00) and it was amazingly delicious and very filling. The bowl was small but deep. I could have just ate that and nothing else but at my friend's suggestion, I ordered the Jambalaya Stew ($5.50). It was just OK but I could have passed on it. It was spicy but the content and texture was bland. In addition, in the entire bowl, there was one, possibly two, chopped up bay shrimp and 5 tiny circles of sausage with a few miniscule chicken chunks. (If I had wanted broth and rice, I would have bought a can of Campbell's Chicken and Rice Soup). It was mixed with rice and I should have ordered rice on the side to get the full favor. I would not order this again.
My friend ordered the Crunchy Crab ($6.00) and I enjoyed the flavor. If I ever have the opportunity to eat there again, I would get the Shrimp and Rice and the Seaweed Salad that the patrons next to us ordered (they were clapping their hands together when their food arrived and I felt a fleeting moment of envy).
Overall, I like the diversity of the menu, trendy location, friendly service and the "diner dive" ambiance.
In Hyde Park, there are several restaurants and cafes that fill the main stretches. Most pander to the University of Chicago student budget. Of course, the food matches the limited budget accordingly.
Then you have The  Sit Down Cafe & Sushi Bar that caters to a small budget but provides big taste.
I have had sushi the two times I went and it was just as fresh and taste-worthy as I have had on the West Coast. And don't get me started with the fact that the service is worthy of being presented at a seminar. On the second visit, the waitress remembered me, where I sat, me having done photography on the first visit, and that was a little slimmer the first time. Wow. I thought the sushi was the only thing notable. Add service to the list.
Nothing special in any category. The vegetable chips are flavorless and hard so I don't recommend those. The sushi rolls can be really salty with the mayo and really sweet with the added sugar, but otherwise it's seriously nothing special. The sandwiches are also not great--the bread is hard, the meat is cooked well but not great and it's not very filling.
Also realize that it's pretty pricey (at least $10 for a meal). So it's okay. Nothing great but certainly not poor.
I'm a devoted customer of the Sit Down. I live about three blocks away, so I stop by fairly often for a quick meal or takeout (often enough that most of the waitstaff and owner recognize my face at this point). The food is consistently delicious (I love the chicken club and the pizza), the sushi selection is great, everyone is nice and friendly, and the atmosphere is very low-key and cool. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area!
Review Source:A very interesting place. Â We sat at the sushi bar that oddly also served sandwiches and pizzas. Â Overall, very clean with a nice atmosphere. Â The food was excellent. Â I was just passing through on a roadtrip, but other positive yelp reviews are correct in their assessment that the Sit Down Cafe is special and worth going out of your way for dinner.
Review Source:I can't tell you how many times I've walked by this place!! Im so sorry I didn't decide to stop in sooner...
I went with a friend who is a frequent visitor (he raves about the sushi) & I loved it. Not being one for sushi, I honestly never thought to give this place a try. Im so happy to have been finally introduced to it & I look forward to going back!
The service was attentive, atmosphere was relaxed & the food was great! I had the Jambalaya soup & the parmesan peppercorn Ceasar salad. The soup was absolutely FABULOUS! It was flavorful with a really nice kick to it. (If you're not a fan of spicy food then I'd suggest you pass on it) The salad was pretty good too. It was a decent size, fresh & it was drowned in dressing. It had a decent kick (spicy) to it as well so consider yourself warned.
Definitely give the Sit Down a try if you find yourself in Hyde Park!
A good sushi place in Hyde Park.
We had one of their combo platters and we liked it. The server was friendly and the ambiance was pretty cool (I liked their super cool wall clock). There are plenty of sushi varieties and they were fresh and delicious. It was a bit pricey but I will go there agin.
Thumbs up:
1. Food: fresh and delicious
2. Service: Friendly servers
3. Ambiance: The wall clock was too cool! It is a nice place to meet friends for casual lunch/dinner.
Thumbs down:
1. $$: A tad bit pricey.
2. Drinks: just common soft drinks and coffee. Could add more fun drinks.
If you mention or ask about gluten-free options, you can throw your caution aside and rely on the very attentive management to suggest and ensure that you remain so for the whole meal. Did you know soy-sauce was NOT gluten-free? Well it's not, so opt for Nama Shoyu instead.
The gumbo soup was delish with nice amount of meat variety (shrimp, sausage, chicken). The sea-weed salad was on a smaller side, for that price I've had bigger, but the cucumbers were a nice touch (usually it's just lettuce underneath the sea weed).
The sushi rolls seemed fresh and were very tasty.
Overall a nice option is you're in the neighborhood.
I was so against this place when it opened... Sushi and Pizza? On 53rd street? But, everyone else was such a fan I had to try it.... Wow, everything is great! Lots of different (probably fattening) sushi rolls... Pizza is fresh. You can watch your food being made. Decor is modern and clean. Outdoor seating in the summer. Discounts for UofC students. Delivery. Catering. Serves alcohol. It's not overpriced, but you will spend more than an average HP meal. (young!) Owner is also always around and really, really nice.
My favorites are the seaweed salad, and the shrimp&rice appetizer. It also happens to be a filling, inexpensive meal combination : ) There has to be MSG in the shrimp&rice b/c it's so good+addicting.
This place is adorable. I walked over here on a weekend from the University of Chicago campus.
The gluten free menu is huge! There is so much to order. I cannot wait to go back and try more things. I was in the mood for sushi and it was fresh and excellent. I find it pretty affordable on top of all the wonderful selections for me to eat safely.
I'm not in Hyde Park often but I would make a trip down here just to visit this cafe!
My South Side sushi search is OVER!!! I live in Canaryville & there's not a whole lot of options over here, so going out to Hyde Park for a particular craving isn't horrible at all.
I was going to lunch with a friend who was weary of sushi, so finding a place that had other options was great. The fact that they served other food made me question the quality of their sushi, but I figured it couldn't hurt to try, right?
SO glad I went through with it!
As soon as we walked up, I noticed 2 women in the outside dining with their dogs at foot (+5 brownie points for being pet-friendly). Upon entering, I was pleasantly surprised at how neat & clean the whole place looked (+5 brownie points for classiness)! So far, I'm loving it. We were seated immediately upon entering (Sunday @ lunch time) and there were a few people, nothing crazy. Our waitress was very friendly and gave us some time before taking our drink orders (+5 brownie points, I hate being rushed to choose a drink before seeing their entire selection).
After a looking over the menu, my friend ordered the shrimp & rice appetizer - Delish! Hearty-sized shrimp (+3 brownie points, could have used a couple more shrimp - but maybe I'm just being greedy). For our meals he had the Steak Sandwich & I had the Sake Maki (Salmon roll).
The steak sandwich came in a pita bread looking thing & he said it was really good. Also came with a side - he chose the fruit cup - (+5 brownie points for being freshly cut fruit!) Â My sushi... Was. So. Good. (+5 brownie points for EVERYTHING!) It comes with 6 pieces and they are GOOD size pieces. I've been to 5-6 different sushi places, and none were ever that big or that FRESH tasting. I can't get over how GOOD it was. Usually I'll get 2 rolls because the pieces are so small, but I was good with only one from this place.
In terms of pricing, I think it's really fair (as a college student, my life pretty much depends on eating cheap) for the quality & quantity you get, it's definitely on point.
With a total of 28 out of 30 potential brownie points earned, I can safely suggest that if you're craving sushi & you're on the Southside... Definitely hit this place up. I know I'm going back as often as I can! =]
I LOVE this restaurant. I am a big fan of sushi and this is my favorite place to eat in Hyde Park. Everything on the menu is very delicious. You can't go wrong. Their menu contains japanese food as well as american food. The staff is nice. My favorite sushi to order is the unagi roll and the pickled radish (oshinki) roll. The prices are totally reasonable. It has a nice causal vibe.
This is the one restaurant whose number I have programmed into my phone!
At first, I thought the concept of sushi and Italian on the same menu was weird... and yeah, it is a little weird, but the Sit Down makes it work. Â I haven't had a lot of the Italian dishes, but what I have had (the bleu cheese salad, the pepper and cheese bruschetta, the rigatoni pasta) was delicious. Â Whenever I've gone, I've gotten sushi, and it's also delicious. Â There is a giant variety of maki and I have yet to try one I didn't like.
I'm not surprised by the quality, considering that the owner, Sal, is related to Larry who owns Hyde Park Produce, so the produce is always very fresh and delicious. Â Sal opened this place with the guy that now owns Kai Sushi on Grand, which is my favorite sushi place in my neighborhood.
They also have a lot of great weekly specials (half price wine bottles on Tuesdays!) and a nice outdoor eating space. Â All in all, a place I will definitely patronize on a regular basis. Â I only take off a star because the service often leaves something to be desired, but I only think it's because I've gone when they're quite busy. Â The Sit Down is an excellent addition to Hyde Park that helps with slowly bringing the neighborhood out of it's current status as a culinary wasteland.
This is probably my favorite restaurant in Hyde Park.
I've been in to eat only once, but I order lunch delivery more often than I probably should.
I absolutely love their sushi rolls. The basic avocado roll is definitely my favorite, but I've really enjoyed the Alaskan roll as well, and my co-workers often order the spider or other rolls, and I've heard no complaints.
The pizza is great if you go for one of the unusual toppings - where else can you get prosciutto pizza? Very thin crust, but clearly hand made with care.
My real go to is the blue apple salad - tender arugula, Gorgonzola, granny smith apples, and cranberries. It's delicious, and I get my leafy greens!
Everything is made with good quality ingredients and tastes fresh. I'll continue ordering from here for a good long time.
This is a perfect example of a place that could be fantastic at one thing, but instead it is just okay at too many things. They have pizza. They have soup. They have sandwiches. They have pasta. They have sushi. It's kind of scary when you think about it, and part of me wants to submit them to Gordon Ramsay. But, they seem to do it very well. Unlike Shinju that is down the street, they have a bar...which always makes a place a plus in my book. As most people who know me will tell you, I'm all about the alcohol. Not in a drunky way, but just a 'loving my drank' way.
Anyway, I haven't done anything but get sushi here. And it's been okay as long as you stick to the staples, like a tuna roll or a salmon roll. If you try one of their 'house' rolls, you could be gambling on that it isn't good. I've sent back a fair share of things. But, the place is beautiful and the drinks are good and as long as you know not to get too adventurous with your orders, you'll be okay.
PS- they have these five dollar juice drinks that should just be removed from the menu altogether. My mom brought me one as I was getting my hair done at the salon just two doors down, and it was gross. Even more gross when I found out it was $5.
Gluten Free Heaven would look like the Sit Down
As far as gluten free goes - theres always an upcharge for ordering things sans gluten (+2$ for special crust, +3$ for special pasta, etc etc). The Sit Down is the most affordable gluten free place I've found. They dont charge you for having bad intestines and being unable to digest gluten!
I can get a delicious bowl of soup for 2.50 plus a toasty sandwich and fresh berries (even in the middle of winter!) for another $8. Wowww-wee!
I've literally been here 10+ times since I discovered this place about 6 months ago and haven't ever had an issue.
When I am in Chicago, I reside mainly on the Southside (place of my birth). Sadly, the Southside can be limited on eating (healthy, non-gyros, non-pizza puff, or soul food) options for many of us who are health conscious. Hyde Park, unfortunately, becomes a sanctuary for those of us living in South Shore, Chatham, Marynook, etc. and are tired of always venturing to downtown or further North. Of course this reality is not because Southside dwellers have chosen not to be healthy but a unhealthy combination of gentrification and Southside banks lack of support for such businesses has resulted in a lack of variety (healthy variety).
Apologies on the digressing, but it weighs in to the reality and appreciation of a spot such as the Sit Down Cafe. Food, service, price, and ambiance are working in wonderful balance at this Hyde Park/Southside eatery. The space (once a popular healthy grocery store) is open and minimal. You are greeted as soon as you enter. The brick lined walls continue the appeal of ambiance. You are given a menu with a number of selections of sushi, American, or Asian-fusion foods. If you are able to get to desserts, a rotation of four to five selections also await. The owner, who doesn't come off as the owner may even come in and check with you on your dining experience.
As sit enjoying the food, you cannot believe you are still looking onto 53rd street as opposed to N. Clark. A great relief from the chain and greesy food spots that litter the Southside. An additional great thing about the ambiance, it is a great location for dates, meetings, solo, after-gym, lunch-hour, after-work, etc. Bagger-Vance, the Fresh Prince, Dr. Robert Neville, and John Hancock can all eat here at anytime and at the same time.
Suggestion Points: Come up with a vegetarian page and offer a tad more options for both vegetarians and vegans (I always ask for the Super Chrunchy sushi roll replacing Shrimp with Tofu). Also, the design of menu should match the ambiance. Very minor points but as this place gains further popularity it may go along way. As you see, there are not many who truly appreciate this business. Â
One
I have to give a lot of love to the first decent restaurant in Hyde Park I've yet to try -- and I have tried nearly all of them. Don't get me wrong: I love Hyde Park to pieces. As far as Chicago neighborhoods go, HP is one of the most ethnically and socioeconomically diverse on top of being one of the few intellectual enclaves left in the country -- need I mention the bookstore culture on 57th ST or the unsurpassed U of C "life of the mind" that influences the cerebral vibe of the whole neighborhood.
But let's face it -- when it comes to restaurants, HP is lacking. Most residents spend their weekends finding dining out experiences elsewhere in the city. That's why the Sit Down was such a welcome treat. Usually when a new restaurant or cafe opens in HP, there is always something a little "off" about it. So I was braced to find something not quite right about the Sit Down.
What a pleasant surprise! The Sit Down was just fantastic and, quite fortunately, I couldn't find a thing wrong with it (despite trying!) The decor was interesting and unique, my pizza with fresh basil and mozzarella was superb, wine was top quality, and the service was prompt and friendly.
I will definitely be returning and hope that the Sit Down is an indication of HP's future!
I have to admit that I went to the Sit Down the first week they opened  - over a year ago - and was rather disappointed. I did not go back for quite a while thinking that a place that served sushi and Italian was bound not to work. However, after being persuaded to try it again by a friend, I was very definitely surprised. Who would have guess that you could get great sushi in Hyde Park?
I never order anything from the menu other than sushi, so I cannot speak about the pizza and other options. But when it comes to the maki I have tried nearly everything. I have never been disappointed by the spicy tuna or unagi. But what you really want to try are the house maki. The Hyde Park is one of my favorite - salmon, cream  cheese, asparagus and tempura make for one delicious bite. I also recommend the Chicago Fire, the Super Crunchy, and the Volcano, all of which I get almost every time I go.
Since I started going back I always take a friend who is almost always skeptical that you can have good sushi in Hyde Park. And I even forced a friend of mine to go who went when it first opened and never wanted to go back. Everyone I have taken, even the most die hard skeptics, have been completely surprised at how good it is and have become Sit Down converts upon the very first bite!
Sushi was yummy, pizza was not good at all, salad was great and dessert was so-so, wine was delish.
We ordered the California roll and crunchy crab maki. Both are safe options, and both very good. We ordered the margherita pizza and the crust was soggy!! Yuck. We still ate it, though. ;)
The salad (had cranberries and goat cheese and walnuts, I think) was really great. For dessert, we had a tiramisu type cake. It was very rich. Good but I'd prefer something lighter. But my friend enjoyed it. Â
Liked the quaintness. Our waiter was nice and recommended a sweet white wine for me.
I'd come back. :)
When you hear that a place has sandwiches, salads, pizza and sushi, you kind of assume that it can't all be good. Â Well, amazingly, at The Sit Down - it IS all good!! Â
My favorite thing I've had here so far is the pizza. Â One pizza is definitely enough for 2 people (especially if you also split an appetizer or a sushi roll). Â The crust is super thin and crunchy so it makes for a light meal. Â Lots of fresh toppings to choose from. Â
I will definitely be back to continue exploring the menu!
The SitDown has kind of an odd concept, but pulls it off remarkably well. It's a sushi place, and a sandwich place, and a pizza place, and a coffee place. While I've found it's best to stay within one cuisine type per meal - it's kind of odd to get a caprese salad and a dragon roll - they do everything they do reasonably well.
The sushi is pretty good - nothing to write home about, but interesting flavor combinations and very fresh. The pizza is excellent - cracker-like crust with sweet sauce and cheese.
The atmosphere of this place really makes it - it's never loud, even when it's crowded, and the decor is relaxing. The service is great.
All in all, it's one of the classier Hyde Park restaurants, and seems to have a cohesive concept, unlike many of the other eateries in the area. Great for a lunch out.
I held off on writing a review for the Sit Down Café until I visited a few times.  I generally have a problem with visiting a new place, getting super excited and reviewing prematurely.  Then I must edit reviews, or update reviews and I feel like a schizophrenic.  But, anyway, I waited this time... I visited Sit Down four times and was more then please with each visit.
It's a small space that is sparsely decorated. Â Brick exposed wall, nice sushi bar, overall good layout and vibe. Â The owner/manager has been there all four times and is extremely attention, friendly, and not at all overbearing. Â The service is excellent. Â We have had three different serves and they have all been really laid back but efficient and professional. Â All the staff is very friendly and everyone knowledge of the entire menu. Â (Nothing is worse then asking a waitress a question and having to watch - and listen - to her squirm through a made up answer...)
The food is really great and priced appropriately. Â The only items from the menu we didn't care for were the steak sandwich and the pizza. Â Overall, the bruchetta appetizers and sushi stand out. Â I, personally, think the Hype Park roll is the best thing ever, but they are all really fresh and tasty.
This is a BYOB establishment like many of the places in Hyde Park which wins points for me. Â (They are also conveniently located next to the strip mall with a better then average liquor store - score!) Â Once of the nicest things about the Sit Down is that they have small seating areas where you can wait for a table... and while you sit and wait, they bring you glasses and a corkscrew. Â
Overall, I really like this place quite a bit and recommend it to everyone I know who lives south and likes laid back places, sushi, and eclectic menus! A great place for everyone to find something they like
Oh. My. God. Â I LOVE this place! Â It's such a pleasantly unusual combination of dining styles...every aspect I adore. Â This restaurant has the vibe that is cafe and sushi bar. Â Just in case that's not enough variety, they also serve Italian food.
I know, right?
This is the sort of restaurant model that more often than not suffers from trying to be too many things and doing none of them well. Â That is not the case here. Â
Yes, it's a sushi bar. Â It's not trying to be an upscale Japanese restaurant. Â It's a sushi bar with delicious maki roll combinations, staple sides like miso, seaweed salad and edamame, and high quality sashimi/nigiri fish. Â The lunch special I had - Sashimi combo with salad - was an exceptional value: $11 for a sizable salad and 3 LARGE pieces each of Salmon, Tuna and Yellowtail. Â That's 9, really big, pieces of fish. Â Every other sushi bar I've been to charges $1.50-2.50 per small piece of fish a la carte.
Yes it's a cafe. Â They serve coffee, smoothies, sandwiches and salads and they have free Wi-fi. Â All menu items are reasonably priced and made with the freshest, high-quality ingredients. Â They didn't have much for kids but were more than happy to make my 3 y.o. one of the most delicious grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever tasted (real cheddar on garlic sourdough grilled panini-style).
Yes, it's an Italian restaurant. Â It's not upscale Italian fare, but casual, cafe-style Italian dishes that are fresh and delicious. Â The pasta Fagiole soup was hearty and had a little kick...perfect for a snowy or rainy day. Â I could see how someone might be disappointed by the tuna bruschetta, especially in a place that serves sushi: I might've expected it to be more like Hawaiian poke with raw tuna, avocado and basil (which would, in fact, be delicious and an interesting fusion of Asian/Italian). Â Instead it was more like a tuna salad. Â That said, it really was delicious. Â The flatbread pizzas and appetizers looked amazing.
The Sit Down is a casual joint that serves an unusual variety of good food, all of which is homemade with fresh ingredients. Â They even offer gluten-free selections for those of you who are on that kick. Â I can't wait to go back to try more things.
I'm giving Sit Down a conditional 4 stars and let me please explain why. The sushi, while fresh and flavorful, is not exactly the best I've had in Chicago but it's on par with some of the better places in the city. If the restaurant were in Lakeview--where establishments like this are plentiful--it might get 3 stars. However, Sit Down IS in Hyde Park, where we're still experiencing a dearth of quality dining choices.
Furthermore, again, I love me a BYOB. I'm newly in grad school and cash poor from a hefty income tax payment so unfortunately I have to think about expenditures more than ever before. (Don't we all?) While (ironically) I haven't done the "sit down" at Sit Down ( I get it to take out) the BYO aspect makes me consider dining here when I feel like getting out of the house for a casual night out. (I should mention here about the ambiance...it's bright and sparsely decorated. Not exactly a "scene" as it were.)
I also wanted to mention how friendly the owner and staff are. I'm hardly a regular but I always feel welcome and that my business is appreciated...really a rarity these days.
The sashimi and sushi are fresh. The rolls (especially the Chicago Fire) are amazing and are reasonably priced. Â The tuna tataki is very enjoyable. I do wish they'd get gomae on the menu but that's not a deal breaker. Skip the miso if you are picky about that sort of thing. It's just average, nothing exceptional. (My friend sitting next to me right now completely disagrees with me on this point and I'm adding her comment to provide balance.)
So...wrapping things up a la Check Please...if you live in the area (or if you are just in the hood for graduation), stop by or get your sushi to go. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
A delicious place for a lunch or light dinner.
I moved from Hyde park to little Italy last summer, and until now was confident in the superiority of the restaurants in my new neighborhood. But if new places like the sitdown pop up in hp, I may want to return. Â A neat, sparse contemporary urban decor. My bf and I split two maki rolls, he ordered a caprese sandwich and I got a prusciotto and tomato pizza. The sushi was great, a dragon roll where the warm shrimp tempura complimented the cool avocado and rice. The caprese came panini style with a fresh, ripe berry salad. The pizza had an excellent sauce, well seasoned with a bit of spice and a cracker thin crust. Â Service was a bit slow, sushi a bit pricey but overall it comes recommended from this end.
I went to visit my friend in hyde park and had the pleasure of going to sit down for lunch with her super cute baby girl.
15month-old future-yelper Abby gave a 5 star review for the water, fruit bowl, and waitress, so I must take that into consideration.
I got the chicago fire sushi roll and the alaska roll. Â My friend got the 53rd street roll and the super crunchy roll. Â I liked all the rolls. Â No complaints but definitely not on par with the better sushi places in chicago. Â Still, quite tasty. Â I want to give them extra props for the 53rd street roll, it was definitely not really sushi (i.e.-- spring roll wrapper, mango, cooked shrimp inside, etc)...but it was GOOD and creative. Â
Abby had a grilled chicken sandwich which looked quite yummy! Â I want to come back and try their more american/italian options. Â
Overall the place was quite pleasant, and totally shattered my snooty "UM, you can't have an italian/sushi place, seriously people"- attitude. Â
If you're in the area, I recommend it... but I wouldn't say it's worth much of a trek to try it out.
It's hard to find a good salad in January in Chicago, and yet for some reason as the days get shorter and local produce gets scarcer, I find myself craving fresh greens more than ever. Â I don't know where The Sit Down gets their arugula this time of year, but I had the freshest and most delicious arugula salad there this past Wednesday. Â The greens were impeccably fresh, scattered with craisins, tiny cubes of apple, and generous crumbles of gorgonzola cheese, all dressed with a delicious creamy dressing and very reasonably priced. Yum.
My friends and I were immediately welcomed and greeted by a very friendly man who made us feel right at home, and who even phoned his father to find out the answer to a question I had about making red wine vinegar at home. The space is very warm and comfortable-- a complete transformation from the old Hyde Park Produce space into a cozy, modern and beautiful restaurant.
My friend who ordered sushi really enjoyed it. Â The rest of us ordered from the Italian side of the menu. Â The pizza was tasty but not exactly what I was expecting-- the pizza crust is very very thin, almost like a pizza made on a tortilla. Â I probably won't order that again. Â We got the cheesecake to split for desert, and it was also a little disappointing. It tasted okay but we didn't even finish it with three of us trading off bites. My friend who ordered the chicken pesto sandwich scarfed it right down.
Overall, I'm really glad The Sit Down has opened in Hyde Park.  It's nice to  have a classy, tasty BYOB place to go close to home.  I'll definitely be back to try the other salads on the menu!
With the 6 day work weeks, I've barely had time to do the essentials at home, let alone eat out. Imagine my dismay when for the first time in weeks, I hit up a new spot with friends, only to be sorely disappointed.
To be fair, I wasn't expecting the Sit Down to have mind-blowing sushi. I'm always dubious about places that serve another type of food with sushi, and this place was boasting wraps, bruschettas, salads, etc....in addition to a full maki / nigiri menu. Not that full though - spider rolls aren't on the menu and were available as a "special" the night we went. Which we wouldn't have known unless we asked, since specials weren't listed anywhere.
Ordering edamame is like ordering cereal at breakfast - it's pretty hard to screw up. Heat, salt, what else do you need? So no complaints, but no points there either. When I saw tuna bruschetta ("tuna, avocado, basil") for $5.50, my interest was piqued, but was immediately squelched when I saw the dish:
"is that Starkist out of a can?"
"oh God, I think so."
"I'd know - I've had it all too often these last few weeks"
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.starkist.com%2Ftemplate.asp%3Fsection%3Dproducts%2Flunchtogo.asp&s=7ad426f22632d5e71e580a8ba73c6b80da3355a3cfea0002d50f78013c124376" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.starkist.com/…</a>
Really, if I wanted one of those, I would have bought it for $2 at Target. Thanks, though.
The Chicago Fire Roll was a bit redeeming, probably because jalapeno/chili oil hid the crappiness of the fish. Now I started to feel a little guilty. I mean, was I being a little severe?
Well, we split all the dishes and the Salmon Trio - "tempura fried salmon, cucumber topped with marinated salmon and salmon roe" was really "canned salmon with mayo, topped with smoked salmon or otherwise discolored, slightly unfresh salmon, and roe". Again, I felt a little harsh in my annoyance, but with my second piece, all guilt evaporated. I inadvertently made the "nomnomnom" face, and not in a good way. Alex had to stop eating, he was laughing so hard.
Finally I spit out the offender I'd almost choked on - a bone. Not a little scale, or a thin silver of fish bone - a chunky bone. And that was pretty much it for me. Luckily the restaurant was BYOB and we'd picked up some liquor to enjoy with the meal, so I was buzzed enough to be amused and not completely pissed off.
Cute décor, but seriously lacking in the quality of food, even for Hyde Park. And really, isn't that what you go to a restaurant for in the first place? I might go back to give another part of their menu a chance one day, but I'm staying far away from the sushi - and they really ought to as well. In summary, the new Sit Down is a big let down. And you know I've  been living off Starkist and vending machines, so I'm not being a pretentious asshole either.
**edit: sketchiness alert: 8 of the 14 reviews on here are from QMH's with less than 5 reviews...
I first came here once with two friends and we all had massive hangovers. We all ordered an italian appetizer, sushi rolls, soda, and carrot cake. I didn't deserve such a good meal after a night that lasted until 5, and a day that began at 7 with letting a friend who was supposed to be staying on my couch in from a walk of shame.
Probably the only place where I have tried everything on the menu--and I can say that everything is good. Some suggestions:
-Chicago Fire roll
-Prosciutto Roll
-Carrot Cake--even better than the Med's!
Decent prices for what it is--these are clearly the best ingredients.
Great, fresh sushi--creative and delicious original rolls. Fantastic, attentive service. VARIETY. There is a sushi menu and a cafe menu and both are great--especially if one of you wants sushi and another doesn't.
The only negative thing I can say about them is that they don't deliver yet.
This place has the craziest menu. One side is all sushi, then the other is soups, salads, sandwiches and pizza. They sure could have done better with the naming. "Sitdown" just seems to conjure up the idea of asses. And they have something called the "Kool Kiwi Konkoktion" -- evidently they haven't learned the problem with the triple-K alliteration from Krusty's Komedy Klassic.
I've been here twice. The first time we just got maki, and it was actually quite good. It tasted fresh, and the presentation was really nice -- lots of leafy greens coming out of either side of the vegetable roll. Their triple-salmon roll was topped with pieces of fish that had been quickly seared on the narrow sides; tasty and really cool looking.
A couple of the rolls were shorter than what you'd get at many other places. That's cool, generally I think restaurants serve portions that are just too large. But this place sure isn't any cheaper for it; expect to pay $10 or more for their fancier maki.
I ordered a pizza the second time I went, and that's where my problems began. They describe an "authentic flat Italian-style" pizza, but it's more like an authentic Taco Bell-style pizza. They actually made it with a flour tortilla. When I pointed this out (they asked how it was), they sent out the host to offer me some tutelage in the way of Italian pizza.
Now, I've never been to Italy, but I'm no rube when it comes to pizza. I've had the super-thin-crust, cooked-in-a-million-BTU-oven pizza from Apart and Spacca Napoli. This wasn't even close. I know a tortilla when I see it. The diameter of this pizza was a perfectly-even 12", same as a burrito-sized flour tortilla. Coincidence...? Of course, it tasted terrible -- completely bland.
Aside from the food, this place looks pretty nice, and the waitstaff was polite and very good with coffee refills. But I can't truck with this dude trying to explain away their tortilla-tomato sauce monstrosity by saying that they're "trying to do something a little different, and show people a real Italian pizza." I'd rather go to Olive Garden, where at least they have some hospitaliano.
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