I wish I had a time machine (ala terminator) so that I could go back to the first restraunteur who thought Sushi + House Music = Great Ambiance. There is nothing more annoying than a pretentious, overly dark, overly loud sushi bar that reeks of cool, and of bad fish. Sushi restaurants, much like people themselves, are not great by their exterior, but by their interior. It shouldn’t be about whether the dj is spinning the latest Guetta mix, it should be about how fresh the fish is. With this, and only this, is taken into consideration: Kuni-san runs the premier sushi establishment in Evanston.
Let me preface this, I eat at Kuni’s an average of once a week. When I eat there, Kuni recognizes me, and I usually get 2 mini apps for free, and there have been times where I get multiple pieces of fish (including fucking TORO!) for free. These hook ups are not exclusive to regulars however; when a person sits at the sushi bar, they are sometimes (at Kuni’s discretion) entitled to free edamame, and the fried green tea noodle appetizer (freaking excellent). These acts of anti-capitalism make this one of those homey spots where a relationship with owner/operator Kuni becomes essential to your own happiness.
Ambiance is not the priority here. It looks as if Mr. Miyagi designed the interior himself, and with the traditional Japanese (sometimes contemporary) soundtrack, you feel like you are a character in The Karate Kid series. The ambiance is much more function than fashion. It looks like one of those places that have remained unchanged for untold years. Its cute, but no ones going to be calling architectural digest or anything.
Service is a definite focus here, your glass will always be full, and your sake always warm, and your food delivered within 15 minutes of ordering. If you sit at the sushi bar (recommended), Kuni will give you your sushi as it is made, not all on one plate, making this one of the freshest rolls you can possibly have. Some servers English is bad, but there are enough of them so that you will remain pretty happy. Service takes center stage relative to the ambiance, but by the time you get your freshly cut fish, you won’t give a damn.
Sushi itself is the main focus on the menu, yet the kitchen can also provide some surprises (especially on the appetizer front. The classics Japanese entrees make appearances, with the Naba Yaki Udon, and the Unagidon being some of my personal favorites. Yet even with all the kitchen and entrees, you would be crazy not to order the extremely large cuts of fresh fish that Kuni brings in every day. If you arrive right at the opening of lunch, you can ask Kuni to cut your pieces of fish directly off the fillet, some of the freshest if not the freshest fish you will ever taste. This is only place in Evanston that will continually have fresh Blue Fin tuna (Kuni calls it Boston Tuna). The rolls are all good, but I generally stick with Nigiri. All the fish is fresh, and the special rolls are simplistic (something refreshing in the new Mozzarella baked Sushi world of ours), and most of the rolls are designed to keep the flavors simple and refined. So if you don’t like fresh, raw fish, I understand if you don’t like this restaurant. Let me close about the food by saying this: there is almost always several older Japanese couples every time I eat at Kuni’s (every fucking time). If that doesn’t convince you that this is the place to go, you must like house music much more than you like sushi.
Booze is non-existent, with several Asian beer selections (Kirin, etc). Watch out for the house wine (the house is fucking Carlo Rossi lol). Sake is the must have there, with about 10 varietals available at any given time. With a large sake going for about 7.50, his is one of the cheapest places to drink in the city. With the fish and the perks for multiple visits, this is one of the best sushi places to eat in the city both economically and for the fish itself. A new trendy sushi restaurant opens (and closes) every day, but the quality and quantity of fish that Kuni provides his customers ensures that this place will be around long after those other posers are gone. I’ve eaten at Heat, Sushi Wabi, Agami, and countless other restaurants of the kind, but when people ask me what my favorite sushi spot is, I always say Kuni’s (not just because he gives me the free Toro either…..well….maybe)
Recommendations:
Spicy Tuna Hand Roll
Salmon Nigiri
Aji (Horse Mackeral)
Green Tea Noodle Appetizer
Fox-O-Meter
Food 9 free toro pieces outta 10
Ambiance 5 wax on wax offs outta 10
Service 8 domo arigatos outta10
Booze 7 if you sake bomb at this place I’ll have a shit fit outta 10
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