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! Â 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. Â
The response I got back from Groupon was that they did contact the restaurant to inquire about the gratuity being added to the bill. Â 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. Â Firstly, as I mentioned in my original review, the restaurant was pretty much dead the night we came in. Â There were two or three tables total, and far too much staff on for the amount of people there or tables at all. Â 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. Â 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. Â 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. Â
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. Â I have ate at some of the best sushi restaurants in Chicago & many other suburbs. Â
Right away when I walked into the place it stood out to me. Â 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. Â The restaurant was not too dark & while it was lit up the lights were not too bright. Â Sometimes when the lighting in a restaurant is too bright it gets annoying & will bother me the entire meal. Â
I ordered the Shrimp Tempura & a Spicy Tuna roll. Â The food came out & the presentation was excellent. Â The Shrimp Tempura roll had a presentation that I have never seen before & it looked excellent. Â The sushi was honestly the freshest I have ever had. Â I have never had sushi where everything blended in so perfectly & tasted so great. Â This was the sushi place I have been looking for. Â
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. Â The were all rolled excellent. Â When I dipped the rest of them I'm wasabi & soy sauce they stayed intact. Â
I proceeded to order 2 more rolls of the same thing & they looked & tasted just as delicious. Â 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. Â Â
The service here was good as well. Â The lady up front came up to me & was asking me about my car & being very friendly. Â The waitress was nice as well but never asked me if I wanted a refill on my iced tea. Â 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. Â I also placed my second order of food with another waiter because he was the only one around. Â However she was still nice & the hospitality was great. Â
The one thing I can't stand just as much as bad food is a dirty restaurant. Â 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. Â That was not the case here, the place was spotless. Â Every table was clean & shiny. Â 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. Â
This was by far one of the best sushi restaurants I have ever been to. Â The experience was awesome. Â Even though it is pricier than most, you are getting the freshest & best prepared sushi around. Â
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. Â The location of the restaurant in downtown Highland Park is phenomenal.
A co-worker got me sushi from here for carryout and I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. I'm very picky in terms of sushi and normally go downtown to get my sushi fix but this really blew me away. They have a lunch special for like $10 which includes two nice rolls, a miso soup and a salad. The fact that I'm not a fan of soup nor salad at Japanese places, I will only comment on the sushi.
The spicy salmon roll was filled with salmon, and had some roe in the spicy mayo which gave it that extra texture. The eel avocado roll was also delish and both rolls were very fresh. I'm definitely a fan and can't wait to actually eat in w/ my hubby and friends!!
A lot of people compare this place to Sushi Kushi (also in HP) and I think although they are different, one isn't necessarily better than the other. Both worth trying and both are walking distance from work so yay for me :)
Update: Went for lunch today and the quality wasn't as good, it was more a okay, so come on, biggest thing a sushi restaurant can do to succeed is be CONSISTENT!!!!
Stopped in for a quick bite after a doctor's appointment. They didn't have salmon roe because it was frozen...or at least that's what I think the guy was trying to tell me. He was very nice but didn't speak English very well so it was difficult understanding him. I got a dragon and a cali roll which hit the spot but didn't annihilate it like I'd hoped. There's certainly better...but on the other hand there's certainly worse too!
Review Source:Before we moved to Highland Park, we lived in the City (Lincoln Park, Lake View, and Old Town). When living in the City there was dozens upon dozens of Sushi restaurants at our fingertips that of course we frequented. In my humble opinion Sushi Badaya ranks A OK because the food quality is good but not the best. It means you are going to get good sushi with a decent presentation. As far as the menu selection goes it ranks in the middle of the road. In terms of price, I think it is on the slightly high side but not ridiculous. Its an A-OK place to go with friends or family. I would really say perfect for family considering the location. Â As a bonus, Its located in downtown Highland Park and its perfect to walk to the other establishments located near by.
Here's the bottom line: if you are really picky about sushi then you might not be super impressed. Remember, you are on the North Shore AND NOT River North! If you looking for a bargain, then you are are at the wrong place. If you are looking for convenience, a friendly environment, and a nicely decorated restaurant then you might want to consider this place.
I LOVE this place! My boyfriend works at a restaurant nearby so now I'm gonna be here all the time! Their Udon Soba noodles [veggie] were incredible! I haven't had noodles like that since I was in Tennesse!
The servers make their own drinks, they make pretty good mai tai's! And even their sushi isn't bad, and this is coming from someone who will eat only vegetarian sushi, but this time I actually had crab!
I will DEFINITELY recommend this place, over and over again! :]
Thank you for the awesome food!
It's A-Ok. We come here because it's easier to find parking and there's no wait time.
There's always a table available and you can even sit outside.
The rolls are yummy and decent sizes. Sometimes they get slammed at dinner time and your waitress will forget you. Our soysauce jar was empty and I hate waiving my hands to get attention. That's very rude and so is calling out for them. My husband will just go the other empty table to look for soy sauce.
My favorite here is the spider rolls and crunchy dragon.
Last night was our  first time at Sushi Badaya and we will be back. The sushi selection is amazing and we ordered 6 different rolls for 4 people. Not a speck was left on any of the plates.  It was delicious.
The warm towel to clean out hands before the meal was a very nice touch, which I think all up-scale restaurants should offer. For some reason, though, Sushi Badaya is very stingy with their ice and service was slow.
We used a Groupon and were surprised, but not offended, that 18% gratuity was added to the pre-discounted amount of the check. I cannot blame restaurants for this policy, as there are too many people out there who tip on the discounted amount. Tsk, tsk.
We look forward to returning to Sushi Badaya!
Came here with a friend, with a groupon. The decor is very nice, the staff was friendly, service was fast and the sushi was delicious. The prices were a bit high when compared to other sushi restaurants of similar caliber but, if I were in the area and craving sushi, I would most likely return.
Review Source:We ate there the other night and found the sushi was good but not as good as others in the area, and when the check came it was padded with food we did not order. After trying to talk with our sever he could not understand english anymore and we gave up. If you eat watch review your bill and make sure the prices match what you ordered.
Review Source:Not gonna lie.. I've only been here once. For lunch. But it was really good!
I had the crunchy dragon roll, because it is the year of the dragon (Yes, I realize this is Chinese new year and not Japanese, but...whatever). Â The roll was tasty, and it came with soup and salad for ten bucks. Not a terrible deal if you ask me!
Recommended.
I went to Sushi Badaya using a groupon that I bought a few weeks ago. My sister has gone to Sushi Badaya a ton and said that they had the best sushi in town. The place was about half full when we were there, which is apparently swamped for them. The prices are slightly higher than other sushi places around here, but nothing earthshaking, because the sushi is delicious! My only complaint was that we had basically no server. The hostess took our order after we were sitting and waiting for a long time. Then, too different people brought out our food. We had to wave someone down just to get the check. I'm sure the groupon brought them more business, which was great, but they appeared understaffed. Now to the most important part...the food was yummy in my tummy! I got a few different rolls and some sashimi. The Sashimi was delectable. There were so many choices and the fish was so fresh and bright. The rolls were great as well. I stuck with basic ones, but some of the ones that went out to other tables looked like works of art. I will definitely be back again soon!
Review Source:I try to visit Sushi Badaya whenever I make my way to the Highland Park downtown area.
I have been eating here for many years and find that they offer quality and consistency in their food. I snatched up the groupon for a chance to introduce my husband to Sushi Badaya. We had several rolls: tako tuna (my favorite thing on the menu!), ocean and Chicago. All were tasty and fresh. We also ordered a sashimi appetizer and tako su at the end of the meal (yes, we love octopus). While Sushi Badaya is not a bowl me over innovator in the sushi realm, they are a really good place to go for consistently good and fresh sushi.
My only gripe is that they are religious about their hours of operation and do not pick up the phone even 30 seconds after they close between lunch and dinner. It's really hard to make a reservation this way, and frustrating as there is no voice mail. That aside, I will continue to visit Sushi Badaya whenever I am in that neck of the woods.
Well today was a first for me. Â I got a "compliment" from someone that is obviously affiliated with the restaurant.
The comment based on my review was simple:
"Your a fxxxing dxxk get a life".
The reviews are a personal opinion and I am sure Julie G's review of your restaurant left a better taste in your mouth.
I was a patron, paid $ for the food and have every right to comment on it. Â That is the purpose of this site!
If someone slammed your place without shelling out $, then you would have a legitimate gripe. Â Move on and improve your restaurant!
This place had great service and delicious food. I went for a nice girls night with another girl friend of mine. The miso soup was great, warm, not salty. We ordered the caterpillar, firebird, and marjie's roll. The three rolls were perfect to share for the two of us. I do not like very spicy, so the firebird was perfect. Had a tiny hint of spicy but barely any. All of the food was very fresh and creamy. An average roll is $14 .The service was great, and my groupon covered most of the meal :). I will for sure be coming back.
Review Source:My husband and I have been eager to try Sushi Badaya since we moved to Highland Park but two things have stopped us: Â 1) Â HMart in Niles. Â We love making sushi at home! Â 2) Â Kamehachi in Northbrook (1320 Shermer Road)
We made a reservation for Friday at 6pm. Â There were only three or four other couples dining. Â This restaurant also had kids all night going in and out so I believe that either HP kids are super-sophisticated (probably) or there are kid-friendly things on the menu. Â (I didn't see any but there were tons of families bringing kids in towards the 7:00 hour).
The restaurant is very bright- not a totally romantic atmosphere for date night. Â (Although the paintings were very pretty!) Â In addition, the composition and proximity of the tables felt very cafeteria like- Â a la Joy Yee's. Â
I believe that creating less of a cafeteria-like atmosphere would have given Badaya another star, for sure. ( I'm sure the the two seated 'next to us' heard our entire conversation and we literally heard every juicy divorce detail of theirs, despite our eagerly trying to speak very quietly and also trying very hard not to be nosy Nellie's)
For an appetizer my husband had potstickers. Â They looked as mechanically composed as the ones we get out of a frozen section at Super-H so I was curious as to if they actually *were* frozen. Â I didn't care to taste them because they were quite oily but the husband wasn't impressed.
We ordered a Sashimi Platter (about $25) and asked for rice on the side My husband likes to have it separate from the fish and I prefer very little rice as it is. Â We were given the smallest little chunk of rise ever- in a ramakin! Â The sashimi plate was overwhelmed with string after string after string of red cabbage and jicama. Â I enjoy these because I enjoy anything that can be dipped in buckets of wasabi and soy, but it seemed to be a cover-up for less-than-fresh fish. Â Our salmon had green spots on it that we've never seen in a sushi restaurant. Â How old was it? Â I ate the octopus and a very small shrimp and didn't risk the rest. Â
Looking desperately for *something* on the menu that would fill his belly (the husband loves sushi... as an appetizer to a big meaty stir-fry with plenty of rice or noodles) but there is nothing on the menu of the sort. Â There was one stirfry- vegetables with etiher beef, shrimp, or chicken- but it didn't indicate anything about rice or noodles. Â He must have sat in front of the menu bewildered for forty minutes before finally deciding on the City Rolls. Â
The City Rolls (we had Boston and New York) were outstanding. Â The fish and avocado were very fresh and they were generous portions. Â If we went back, we would ONLY get City Rolls.
For as 'attentive' as the waitstaff is (they practically stand OVER your table), I waited twenty minutes or more for wine before having to remind the server... and then remind him again that I had ordered a glass. Â He acknowledged the order and swiped up my wine menu... and still forgot. Â So there is perhaps a language barrier. Â
What appeared to be a front-of-house manager/head waitress seemed to 'take over' our table seeing that we were very confused by the waiter. Â Still, it felt like we couldn't guzzle food down fast enough before they wanted to clean the table up for another course.
We sat and drank water for about an hour after the meal chatting with one another comfortably. Â This was very relaxing and it made us happy that the restaurant wasn't DYING to get us out of the table on a Friday night. Â (Once at Shaw's Crab House I believe a server intentionally took my half-full wine glass away and knocked my jacket off my chair just to get me OUT of the table so she could turn it.) Â
Overall, this would be awesome for lunch and City Rolls. Â I would have been devastated to pay the entire $80 for our meal - especially beause we headed straight out on on a hunt for some crackers and caviar as a snack to bring home when we left. Â (The roe on the Boston and NY rolls had me really hankering caviar, which the husband obliged.) Â Thankfully we had $40 off from Groupon. Â Still... lacking.
My husband and I signed up for a Groupon for Sushi Badaya. The service was fast, very friendly and the food was delicious. We had the dragon entrée and the spicy entrée, each had a great variety for what we wanted. Overall, we give Sushi Badaya all 5 stars and look forward to coming back!
Review Source:This is great little low key sushi spot. It is located right across the street from the Highland Park train station.
Sushi Badaya has relaxing decor and music, friendly staff, and most importantly: The sushi is superb! My only complaint is that they did not tell us which roll was which! We didn't know what the hell we were eating, so we asked them when they came back to our table.
It is pretty average in price as far as sushi and a highland park restaurant goes- it does not get super crowded on the weekend nights. It's a pleasure to go out somewhere with no reservation and not have to wait an hour for a table! Though I don't know how this is good for their business..... Anywho, this is by far the best sushi I have had in my Highland Park hood!
We LOVE this restaurant. Â Every time we've been here its just about lunch time and I'm on the way or done at the doc in Highland Park. Everything we've ordered is perfect.There's a bunch of specials daily that are not shown on their website. Â Dont base your choice on the menus they have posted!
We often wonder if what they make for their own lunch(They close from 230-5p) is on the menu or something special.
This most recent visit was the day after a horrible visit to Sushi Wabi on Randolph. Â We went with friends that were in town and wished we chose somewhere else. Â Regretting the dinner the night before - I was able to con my way into SUSHI FOR LUNCH the next day! hee hee hee
The pic I posted is from our most recent visit and you should get this tuna roll with the white and red tuna. Â Its very tasty!
We usually go to yamamoto on Skokie and also tried tatami. I like sushi badaya but there was really nothing exceptional about it, they are slightly more expensive than what I am used to. They do have great presentation but I hated that the waitress cleaned the table while we were still seating and talking (took the plates and came back with her little sponge, cleaning while I am talking with my husband...we had not even paid the bill!) that really did not cut it for me. Average good sushi, higher prices and bad service: I will go eat my sushi somewhere else
Review Source:Sushi Badaya took over the space which used to be Maru (I think) in HP around the corner from Dairy Queen. Â What a huge difference. Â Much better quality and a much better, more fun experience. Â They are happy to have you come through the door and they serve their sushi with remarkable presentation. Â Sitting at the sushi bar, the sushi chef often makes up a cool little sashimi app for you (on the house). Â I highly recommend Badaya. Â Get here before people catch on and start packing the place! Â Also, the yellowtail piece is outstanding. Â There is some secret spice/seaweed mix they put on top and it needs nothing else. Â Yum!
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