Sushi Badaya

We came here for a birthday, fully equipped with a Groupon.

I made reservations for the two of us and we were excited because we typically frequent the nearby Sushi Station so this was a new experience (we live in AH). The Groupon was good for money off the bill which is always a plus, and in this case necessary. As it turned out we didn't quite need the reservations but I'm glad we had them just in case.

Starting with the positive: The atmosphere was nice, they served Kirin Ichiban, and had a wide variety of sushi to select from. We enjoyed what we ate very much and deemed the entire meal a success, however there were some negatives..
Negatives/Critiques/Comments: I wouldn't call it a language barrier, but there was somewhat of a social cue difference that was ever-present; this can easily be overcome by being straight forward and specific, for example, when asked if wanted anything else, we said 'we're ok' and our server didn't quite know how to respond, we should have just said 'no thanks' (just a heads up). Unfortunately some of our rolls were sloppy and falling apart on the plate, they were still delicious, but minus a point for presentation.
Overall the Groupon proved to be crucial because when the bill came I couldn't have imagined paying full price for the meal. Maybe I'm used to pricing in Arlington Heights, and I certainly don't recall the prices in Chicago (byob with no corkage fee will do that) but I felt the food was over priced.

Ultimately I'm happy we tried Sushi Badaya. I don't imagine we would be back due to our location, but it was nice to venture away from the norm and try new things...the two main reasons I use Yelp and Groupon. Teamwork, baby.

PS word to the wise, go in with an idea of what you want to eat rather than deciding everything there & the edamame on the table isn't complimentary so if you munch you'll get charged for them

I can't believe I forgot to write an update!  I contacted Groupon after the added gratuity situation, to inform them that it should be in the fine print of the groupon that gratuity will be added.  

The response I got back from Groupon was that they did contact the restaurant to inquire about the gratuity being added to the bill.  The restaurant's response was that because they had so many customers coming in, they promised their staff 18% gratuity on each table.

That' s not how it works, Sushi Badaya.  Firstly, as I mentioned in my original review, the restaurant was pretty much dead the night we came in.  There were two or three tables total, and far too much staff on for the amount of people there or tables at all.  If you're promising your wait staff something and the service provided doesn't warrant an 18% tip, it is your responsibility to make up the difference in tip, since you are the ones who promised this to your wait staff.

After hearing that, my desire to return to Sushi Badaya turned from not existent to when-hell-freezes-over.

I originally drove to another sushi place down the road.  I pulled up, parked my car on the street, got out & walked up to the door but when I reached the door there was a sign that looked like it was made with finger paint.  The sign said "Please Use Side Entrance" after I saw that, the Christmas lights in the window & the paint chipping away that looked like it was made out of led I took a step back & said back to downtown Highland Park I go.  

I have ate at so many restaurants in Highland Park & I said to myself it's time to try this one, especially because I am a sushi connoisseur.  I have ate at some of the best sushi restaurants in Chicago & many other suburbs.  

Right away when I walked into the place it stood out to me.  Most sushi places look like someone took a paintball gun & shot paint all over the wall but the decor of the restaurant was phenomenal & when I was sitting down I realized even the lighting was excellent.  The restaurant was not too dark & while it was lit up the lights were not too bright.  Sometimes when the lighting in a restaurant is too bright it gets annoying & will bother me the entire meal.  

I ordered the Shrimp Tempura & a Spicy Tuna roll.  The food came out & the presentation was excellent.  The Shrimp Tempura roll had a presentation that I have never seen before & it looked excellent.  The sushi was honestly the freshest I have ever had.  I have never had sushi where everything blended in so perfectly & tasted so great.  This was the sushi place I have been looking for.  

The first 2 pieces of each roll I tried fell apart so I was worried that every piece on the roll would be like that but that was not the case.  The were all rolled excellent.  When I dipped the rest of them I'm wasabi & soy sauce they stayed intact.  

I proceeded to order 2 more rolls of the same thing & they looked & tasted just as delicious.  This made me happy because with the second order as good as the first I know that their entire selection is just as fresh & well prepared.    

The service here was good as well.  The lady up front came up to me & was asking me about my car & being very friendly.  The waitress was nice as well but never asked me if I wanted a refill on my iced tea.  I'm not a demanding person but it wasn't that busy so I would have liked the waitress to check on my table a few more times & see if I needed anything.  I also placed my second order of food with another waiter because he was the only one around.  However she was still nice & the hospitality was great.  

The one thing I can't stand just as much as bad food is a dirty restaurant.  Some restaurants you walk into have tables cover with crumbs with crumbs from the slob who sat there before & spilled sauce all over their shirt.  That was not the case here, the place was spotless.  Every table was clean & shiny.  I like how they take the extra time to present the table nice than most sushi places with the way they place the napkins & other table items.  

This was by far one of the best sushi restaurants I have ever been to.  The experience was awesome.  Even though it is pricier than most, you are getting the freshest & best prepared sushi around.  

I not only look forward to eating here again but I look forward to coming here in the summer because they have a really nice outdoor patio area.  The location of the restaurant in downtown Highland Park is phenomenal.