Mako
Michael Chen · 175 Google reviewsMako — honest japanese in West Loop. Everything about the room says stay awhile. The menu goes beyond what you'd expect. "The ambience was incredible and I really enjoyed watching the chefs prepare each meal with great skill" — Lizzie Schlueter [$$$$]
What 352 diners keep saying
What 352 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“Had a very lovely omakase experience here. All the fishes were very fresh and a lot of thought was put into each presentation. Recommend!”
“One of my best sushi experiences in the USA. Attention to detail, great service and wine pairing. Sushi was amazing.”
“The food was spectacular and we had the benefit of being served by Chef B.K. Park himself. The hosts were accommodating and helped make it a special birthday night for my girlfriend. The dishes were thoughtful and impressive. It felt worthy of the Michelin star that they earned.”
“Dining at Mako was such a wonderful experience. The food simply melts in your mouth and takes you to a journey of happy taste buds. The service was great and our Chef was amazing. As he was serving us, he would describe what the sushi is and would occasionally mention where certain ingredients come from and how certain food was cooked. We appreciated that.”
“I was taken here for a very nice surprised dinner. The place was a little hard to find because there was no big sign or advertisement. But once we got inside, the food, the service and the atmosphere were absolutely amazing. Our chef was so knowledgeable and very skilled. He explained every course beforehand and we were very impressed.”
“Hidden gem nestled in the west loop. About 15 seats at the counter and a few small tables. We sat at the counter. Every bite was delicious and unique. Pricy but worth it for a special occasion.”
“Underwhelming. What a quick, expensive meal. About 1.5 hours in, the server let us know the main courses were over and asked if we wanted to order any additional servings of what we had eaten. I don't eat huge meals, but we were all a little shocked because it felt like we never had a main course. I left hungry and unsatisfied. The food was decent, but nothing worth the price or Michelin rating. Additionally, someone at our table was late by less than five minutes and the server made a bit of a deal of it. We had to rush through our amuse-bouche to catch up with the other tables. They start serving promptly at their seating times. The chefs were super nice and knowledgeable, but overall, I wouldn't recommend and I won't be going again.”
“I want to be clear that this review is based on the quality of the food, service, and overall return on investment because this place isn’t cheap. I say this confidently as someone who knows how to evaluate sushi and sashimi. I’ve dined at numerous world-class Japanese restaurants around the world, including in Japan, multiple times ever since I was a little kid. I have a high standard but I am reasonable. The service here is great. You won’t have any trouble getting the attention and care you deserve. However, the atmosphere felt a bit off. They have three different chefs preparing the omakase, which is unusual. Typically, you visit a renowned omakase to have your meal crafted and served by a single head chef. Here, it feels more like a team trained by the head chefs is stepping in. It takes away from the sense of exclusivity and connection you usually get in a traditional omakase experience. Depending on who you get, you will or won't have close interactions with your chef. Now, the food. It’s good. The presentation is good, too. But, I honestly found it difficult to fully evaluate each piece of nigiri because the cuts were so small and thin. You don’t get enough of the ingredient to fully enjoy or even judge the quality. For the price, they could—and should—serve slightly thicker cuts so guests can appreciate the flavors and textures properly. This tends to be a trend at omakase restaurants, especially at Michelin-starred ones. I'm not sure why and how they end up getting the star. Was it a good experience? Yes. Will I return? No. With the price you’re paying (especially when drinks are involved—a $25 bottle of sake was marked up to $125), I didn’t feel the experience justified the cost.”
“I was hoping to make up for a missed omakase experience during my trip to Japan, where I also didn’t get to see the sakura in bloom (loved the Sakura tea). I was really looking forward to something special—unique flavor combinations, depth of taste, and a presentation that would surprise and delight the palate. While the atmosphere was refined and the service attentive, the flavors themselves didn’t quite meet the mark. I was expecting more complexity—more creativity that would make each bite memorable. Instead, many of the dishes felt safe, lacking the boldness or innovation I had hoped for. For an omakase, where every course is meant to build a story through taste, the experience fell a little flat. Overall, it was a pleasant, but it didn’t deliver the level of culinary artistry I was hoping for.”
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