Skip to content
312 Eats
Lake Forest · Japanese · $$

Sushi Kushi Toyo

4.5497 reviews ·Opentil 9:30 tonight
Sushi kushi remains the best and most authentic sushi and Japanese cuisine in the northern suburbs
Ed BrillEd Brill · 296 Google reviews
Read the reviews on Google →

Sushi Kushi Toyo — reliable japanese in Lake Forest. Old-school in the best sense, with zero pretense. The kind of cooking that doesn't need to explain itself. Cassie H: "The chicken katsu was fried perfectly, crisp on the outside and juicy chicken on the inside" [$$]

🌱Vegan & vegetarian friendly — real options, not one sad pasta.

What 497 diners keep saying

Fast serviceNeighborhood institutionCozyOld schoolFamily friendlyQuick bite
Plan your visit
825 S Waukegan Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Lake Forest
Today11:30AM-2PM, 5-9:30PM
Sun4:30-9PM
MonClosed
Tue–Thu11:30AM-2PM, 5-9:30PM
Fri–Sat11:30AM-2PM, 5-9:45PM
Own Sushi Kushi Toyo? Claim this page · Spot an error? Suggest an edit

What 497 diners keep saying

verbatim, from Google
Review photo by Tera Tuul
May 2026

Sushi Kushi Toyo in Lake Forest always makes me feel like I’m back in Japan. The atmosphere is warm and authentic, the food is always delicious, and the staff are very friendly. One of the best Japanese restaurant experiences I’ve had in the U.S. ❤️ Thank you

Tera Tuul

Tera Tuul

12 reviews on Google

Review photo by Adam
Apr 2026

I’ve never dined here but carry out at least 50 times. For the most part, the food is always ready on time and the staff is responsive and professional. The food is great and a staple if you’re looking for a good carryout sushi spot.

Adam

Adam

162 reviews on Google

Review photo by Ed Brill
Oct 2025

Sushi kushi remains the best and most authentic sushi and Japanese cuisine in the northern suburbs. I have been eating here a long time, but decided to update my review. The menu is very extensive. I still probably haven’t tried half the items. The sushi rolls are creative without being crazy. Sushi kushi is one of the few places that will have fish far beyond the usual tuna and salmon and eel. We also like the skewers though I still have no idea why they call them kushi instead of yakitori. Service is good and patient with explaining all the dishes and specials.

Ed Brill

Ed Brill

358 reviews on Google

Review photo by Andrew Osanka
Sep 2025

Most authentic Japanese cuisine in the Chicagoland area.

Andrew Osanka

Andrew Osanka

211 reviews on Google

Review photo by Tania Roa
May 2025

I love visiting this place once a week have great quality and flavor Indo recomend the vento box it is very complete meal and tasty usually a safe choice of flavor😋 only down side I didn’t like the wasabi this time was too artificial. Thats the only reason I am nor rating 5 star.

Tania Roa

Tania Roa

26 reviews on Google

Review photo by homebrau02
Dec 2024

Food and service was great. Nice little place hidden away. Pic is of the bento box.

homebrau02

homebrau02

24 reviews on Google

Review photo by Ryan Rosenthal
Nov 2024

Our family has been coming here for over a decade; at least a couple of times/month. Every single time the food has been consistently great and the sushi is fresh. The staff know exactly who I am when I am there and always get the “Red Carpet” treatment.

Ryan Rosenthal

Ryan Rosenthal

85 reviews on Google

Review photo by Stephanie Bunnell
Mar 2026

We have been to Sushi Kushi Toyo a number of times. The Avocado Salad is to die for! We keep our bowls for entire meal so we can use that sauce on everything! Great selection of rolls and quality is always very good. Only reason I rated the atmosphere a 4 was that the dining area had a very strong smell of cleaner/disinfectant. While I appreciate things being clean, the strong scent was off-putting, especially to someone like me who is sensitive to some fragrances.

Stephanie Bunnell

Stephanie Bunnell

8 reviews on Google

Review photo by Globalist
Jan 2026

My recent visit to Sushi Kushi Toyo was okay overall, but it didn’t quite live up to the quality I’ve experienced in the past. The sushi, which is usually the highlight, wasn’t as fresh or flavorful this time around. It wasn’t bad, just noticeably below their usual standard. There’s definitely room for improvement, and I’m hoping future visits return to the level of quality I’ve come to expect.

Globalist

Globalist

42 reviews on Google

Review photo by Anusha
Dec 2024

Our server Lucy was PHENOMENAL! She is on point with service and is a great asset to Sushi Kushi. My friends loved their dishes, me personally I ordered the Veggie Udon (pictured) and it severely lacked flavor. It took loads and loads of soy sauce to make it edible. But, can’t complain about the price. Exceptional dining experience, just wish I ordered something different.

Anusha

Anusha

216 reviews on Google

Review photo by JAF JAF
Sep 2025

Ordered 2 of the Uni shooters to start with at $12.50 each. They had about 1/5 of one piece of Uni in each one, barely enough to cover the bottom of the shot glass. What a joke. I sent them back. Then got the sashimi that I ordered. Octopus size was a little bit bigger than my thumb nail. Service was poor only had 1 waiter during lunch hour. Tables were sticky. Used to be the real deal with Japanese sushi chefs. Now you don’t see any chefs. All portions have been heavily downsized. Went from a 10 out of 10 to a 3 out of 10. My guess is maybe new owners…

JAF JAF

JAF JAF

6 reviews on Google

Jul 2026

we are so lucky to have this gem on our neighborhood. Best sushi, friendliest service!

Lisa Fox

Lisa Fox

10 reviews on Google

Sounds like your kind of place?

Star it — your hit list is where dinner decisions get made.

First Bite

One email a month — new openings, hidden gems, and where locals are actually eating.

More Japanese in Chicago

See the ranking →

In the same lane · Japanese, mid-range

Keep exploring