YUM! I found this place through a Groupon type certificate and went with a girlfriend for dinner. I thought everything we had was so good that I ordered delivery from them three days later. Thumbs up for the Unagi Lovers Roll, Dragon Roll, and the Deep Fried Spicy Tuna Appetizer! Eager to go again to try more!
(5)
Beth M.
I found Jai-Yen on GrubHub.com when I was craving some vegan maki last night. I guess Hachi's Kitchen's 15-minute delivery has spoiled me, cuz I didn't like having to wait an hour yesterday! Is that a normal delivery time for sushi??? Jai-Yen had a number of the standard veggie-only maki options: garden, shiitake, avocado, oshinko, kanpyo, asparagus and kappa. I had the first three in that list, as well as a bowl of miso soup. It was alright, but not the best maki I've had. I'm not sure they used sushi rice; it seemed loose and too long of a grain. At least the rolls didn't fall apart. And of course, no one can beat the freshness of Hachi's avocado maki... I guess I'm biased. Even though it wasn't my favourite, I was glad I got my maki without having to step outside into the snow.
(3)
foodie t.
What a BAD experience at this place. I bought a youswoop for this place and was trying to use it by ordering take out. So after calling them with my take-out order, i drove all the way from downtown to their place. Then when I presented my youswoop, they told me it was used! But I have never been to this place in my whole life, how could i used it?? I tried to talk to the server nicely but they insist that they will not honor it. So i wasted my time driving there and gas for my car to drive there!!!! I would not recommend anyone to come to this place!!
(1)
Brian G.
Never disappointed when I go. And not that expensive either.
(5)
Laura C.
There are definitely better Thai places in the city, but this one happened to be close. The lunch special is a good deal for a bowl of miso soup, a small app (egg rolls, pot stickers or crab rangoon) plus a small portion of noodles or rice. My chicken was overcooked, but the flavors were there. Served in a bento box with long ribbons of carrot, we decided that the orange strands were more of a garnish than anything else - although it had potential to be a good salad with a touch of vinaigrette. The sushi bar looked good, but I wasn't in the mood for raw fish at the time. Service is a bit lacking, you'll get your food, but not much else. Our server actually walked away when my friend was in the middle of ordering a drink, not sure if she didn't understand or didn't hear him. We also had to flag her down anytime we needed something (hot sauce, more water, the check) rather than her approaching us even though the place was relatively empty and she spent a lot of time pacing around by the register.
(3)
Desire' M.
Been here 3 times and I'll be returning. No cork fee byob. Food comes quickly after ordering. "Homemade" ginger ale. Cubby and Spicy Tuna are our favorite rolls. Pad Se Ew is yummy. A little high priced but not too bad for Wrigleyville. 4.5 stars full price but with Swoop deal, 5 stars.
(5)
A A.
Pretty good sushi and a lot of rolls to choose from. However, we did get there and they told us it would be 10-15 minutes and ended up waiting an hour, where they ended up sticking us (a party of 3) at a 2-person table, when they could have done that from the get-go. So, every couple of 2 that walked in before us got seated before us and we ended up getting the same exact table as them. So that was disappointing. They did give us 10% off the bill though.
(3)
Arielle B.
I consider this my go-to sushi place. Red Marine Roll...OMG, I literally dream about this.
(5)
Jack B.
Yummy! I'm so glad I finally tried this place, given that I walk past it all the time. We got some crab rangoon (very good), pad thai (also very good), and two specialty rolls (the giant roll and the botanical garden). Everything was delicious; however, this was a ton of food. For two people, two rolls and an appetizer or maybe three rolls is plenty of food. I'm not sure how much I like this, actually -- I like getting a whole bunch of rolls to try and share when I get sushi. So this is a little different from my regular sushi experience, but I still enjoyed it. Besides the food, the restaurant had a nice vibe inside. It's surprisingly big in there, which is pretty unusual for most of the places I go to in Lakeview/Uptown. The waitstaff was really fantastic -- very quick and attentive and friendly. I mentioned that I liked the music playing, and the waiter wrote down the name of the artist and album for me, which was sweet. Anyway, I definitely plan on going back, but I don't think this will become my go-to sushi place, just because it's really more of a one-roll-will-do-you place than a place where you can order a whole smorgasbord. Also, it's a touch pricey. But those are my only complaints.
(4)
Lindsay V.
I love it. I just do. The sushi is tasty as tasty can be (I recommend the spicy tuna deluxe) and the best part is the staff is always super duper friendly and accomodating. My favorite part comes in the form of the in-house music though... the music is usually some ambiant techno version of the rolling stones or Kiss as sung by some sultry women. It's a delight. So weird and delightful! I am disappointed if I walk in and anything other than this strange ambiant dining music is playing. The Tom Yum soup is the best thing if you're feeling a little yucky and the BYOB-ness is the bomb.
(4)
Elizabeth M.
I eat sushi at least once a week and am always looking for new, great places. I came here because of a restaurant.com offer. I made the horrible mistake of ordering the calamari appetizer. It was just awful. The calamari were dark and hard...not sure if it was due to severe freezer burn or just very, very overcooked, but it was terrible. I complained, and it was removed from my bill. The sushi was ok. The Mango roll was really delicious, and the Christmas roll was good too, but everything else was just ok. Service was pretty good. Overall, it was a below average experience. I would not return.
(2)
Marta M.
Ugh. I love sushi, and even tolerate cheap sushi, but this was just bad. Restaurant was clean and staff was friendly. Food was awful. rice was loose and overcooked. fish ranged from bad to inedible. miso soup was bland with almost nothing in it.
(1)
lisa k.
I went here based on reviews and suggestions from friends. I was not impresed at all. The sushi was okay but more than one waitress did not understand us. I ordered a sushi roll with rice paper and they made it with the rice paper and rice. THey also did not have brown rice as an option. We also wanted to order two sides instead of another roll and they told us that we couldn't due to us not ordering a Thai entree!? Thank god for byob...we drank our dinner. I will not be back!
(2)
Jessie B.
This place was just OK. The rolls were a bit smaller than I was used to. Every thing was pretty good except one of the rolls was a bit juicy. It was freaking me out so much, I couldn't eat it. Juicy sushi? No thanks! I don't think that I would come back here. Especially when there are so many other great yummy sushi places in Chicago.
(3)
Chicago D.
This place is really great! I live down the street and we go here often when we want a no frills, but delicious sushi evening. We've become such regulars that we know the owner, Zee (not sure about spelling of her name), and her son. They even comp us an occasional appetizer of their tasty pot stickers. My favorites here are the Tom Kar soup and Baby Bears Makki. The soup has just the right kick to it, but not so overpowering that you can't taste all of the other delicious spices in it. The BBM is just a wealth of salmon, which is my favorite when it comes to sushi. YUM YUM YUM! The partner tends to order the Tokyo noodles. He actually lived in Japan for awhile, so highly recommends this as a tasty dish. I'm not a big fan of it since I don't like crab.
(5)
natalie g.
The food is always delicious here! I've never been disappointed with the sushi I order here. They are very generous with the amount of fish served in each roll. The cubby bear roll is my favorite!
(5)
Bianca J.
This place is just okay. I don't think I'll be eating here again unless I have no other option or a coupon. I ordered Pad See Eiw and it was less than average. I also had 2 rolls, Philly and Shrimp Tempura. The rolls were average, quite tasty, but average. On the upside, the food is cheaply priced. In all, there's better food to be had elsewhere.
(2)
Kate P.
This is a cute little BYOB. It's walking distance from my apartment, so it receives bonus points there. It is reasonably priced and it's gosh darn good. The staff is relatively attentive, although there have been two occasions my party has had a hard time getting everything we've asked for. Which has always been when my Dad was in town, perhaps that's because he's so big. For the mildly curious, he's 6'7", a big guy. If you're into spicy, be sure to try the volcano roll. It's hands-down my favorite. This fish is pretty fresh and the rolls are quite creative. I also love the fish tanks, the fish aren't exactly exotic, but I love watching them swimming around. Come to think of it, is it wrong to have fish in a sushi restaurant? I suppose as long as you don't share with them, all is well. They have short memories anyway.
(4)
Jon W.
This is the tastiest, cheapest, fastest, bestest shushi that i have ever tasted. The BYOB is the single best thing about any restaurant in Chicago. No Corkage fee, complimentary glasses and openers and ice buckets if required. We showed up at 6pm on a saturday night and were immediately seated as their was no wait. The sushi was very reasonable, $5ish for a maki roll and around $10 for a chef special maki that was twice the size of a the regular maki and oh so delicious (my girlfriend had the sweet potato - so good!) I had the spicy tuna and they philly, wow was the tuna spicy and delicious. I like the fact that I write yelp reviews while drunk/tipsy from visiting the restaurant that i am currently reviewing. it is a good time. drinking that is.
(5)
Kar M.
Three-star food, five-star service. But I only ordered the one thing. And the service really made my day. I was supposed to meet a friend for lunch and arrived with my cell phone safely resting on my kitchen table. I asked the server if she had seen my friend (as I was suddenly living off the grid), and she immediately offered her personal cell phone to track my friend down. WHAT A NICE PERSON. She was super friendly and accommodating during my wait and then during our meal. She kept our water glasses full, even when we were dawdling long after having paid our bill. We went with the thai menu. I ordered the Goy See Mee with tofu. It was good, not great. Certainly not bad--very fresh. My dining companion got the pad thai, which was better. The lovely dining room + the music = a bit disjointed (Zen environment with thumping techno. Okay.)
(4)
Dan A.
There are so many sushi joints in this city, the trick is to find one that is inexpensive AND good. Jai-Yen does it. I loved the atmosphere as well. A lot of sushi places have that ultra-modern feel with servers that are "too hip to be friendly." Not the case here.
(5)
Spencer C.
Okay I'm reviewing this place through my takeout order so bear in mind I have no clue what the service (other than it's fast) or decor of the restaurant is like. I ordered from Grub Hub and the food was delivered promptly and well presented. It was also delicious and quite cheap (spicy tuna rolls were $5 and if your order goes above $20 you get a choice of free california maki, shumai or gyoza). All in all, I was very surprised having ordered from a no-name non-researched place only to have it out-do many of the "best" sushi places in chicago that I have researched and visited. I will definitely order from here again and when I get the opportunity dine there in person.
(5)
Mark B.
LOVE this place. I order from them almost every week. I love when I call in an order ..... "HI, your normal order? We will put that on your credit card and send it over!" 1 Jade Dragon 11.95 2 tropical Maki 9.95 each 2 Sweet potato Maki 7.95 each 1 bottle of wine in the fridge 15.95 Tivo shows from the week free Night at home with sushi from Jaiyen PRICELESS
(5)
Michael L.
Excellent dragon rolls and calamari
(4)
Hallie B.
I've eaten here a couple of times... I've both ordered out and eaten in. Ordering out is definitely the way to go. The restaurant has a weird smell... I don't know how to describe it. Like maybe the bleach is weird or something? I don't know, but it's really unappetizing. The sushi is good, ordering is quick, and it's pretty cheap. Oh, and the best part - online ordering!
(4)
Daniel S.
Jai-Yen is one of my favorite neighborhood Thai restaurants. They are fast, friendly, and the food is great- both the Thai choices and the sushi. It's BYOB (no corkage fee), which is a definite plus. I've been going there for several years, and it seems to be getting more and more popular, because I keep seeing the place get more crowded. That being said, if it's the weekend, you might want to call ahead, because I've had to wait for a table once or twice, however, most other times, we can walk right in and get a table for two with no problem.
(4)
Luis L.
This place is A-OK! I was here on a date with someone and asked him to choose our makis. He's a maki kinda guy. I'm more of a nigiri/sashimi guy. Anyway, the nigiri I ordered -one hamachi and one unagi- (just two because he ordered THREE rolls, and I thought that'd be enough) were great. I think I'll come back here to try more nigiri. Maybe then I'll rate it higher. When the rolls were brought to our table (I probably shouldn't complain about this because all three makis were enough for the two of us) they just looked so petite and tiny. However, they were tasty & delicious. I'm starting to see why people like maki so much. I didn't like their version of tempura. Like I've said in other reviews, I like my tempura delicate, crispy, light, and airy, not crunchy and heavily breaded with panko (or whatever). Yes, this place is BYO, and yes, it's a lovely thing. They put our white wine in a fancy leather and metal ice bucket; very gay (not in the retarded sense, but in the gays-know-how-to-accessorize sense)! They're very down to earth, despite apparent attempts at making the place look contemporary and cool (which usually ends up meaning pretentious and douchy, but not here). The place is small and I think it would benefit from a dimming of the lights. The fish tanks in the walls are a nice touch. Oh, and THANK YOU for having a roll of paper towels (on a roller) in the men's bathroom. I like paper towel rolls. They just seem so much more sanitary. LOL Although I wasn't blown away by anything, I had a pretty darn good time. I'll be back.
(3)
Adam M.
Honestly, it's difficult to distinguish this sushi restaurant from some of the others in this neighborhood. There really isn't anything stellar about the sushi that sets it apart. However, here are some reasons you might choose this place over some of the others in East Lakeview: 1) You can always get a seat. Wakamono will have a wait on a Friday or Saturday night. If you don't feel like the wait (or the big crowd) walk up here. 2) Service is always excellent. They are fast and friendly. 3) BYOB 4) The deep fried spicy tuna roll. YUM. 5) The random dance music playing - as one would only find at a sushi restaurant in Boystown. 6) This place is far from pretentious so come here with a big group and your own drinks; get loud and have fun.
(3)
Jackie P.
I feel kind of bad giving Jai-Yen a so so review especially with all the Jai-Yen love going on. But I must say it wasn't the greatest sushi I've had. It was pretty good but not that great. Here's why... - I got the rainbow roll which was pretty rainbow delicious. However the fish on top was a little warm and the salmon was a little stringy. I was not impressed. - I also got the soft shell crab roll which was pretty good. The crab was fried a little harder and with a different coating that I usually like but over all the roll was really pretty good. - The rolls are quite a bit smaller than what I am use to. My spider roll at four pieces. Other rolls at the same price were around 6 pieces. - That was the other thing the prices of the rolls for the amount that got seemed a little extravagant. - The miso soup was really good but then again I've never eaten at a sushi joint that could mess up miso soup so I guess that's why I gave it three stars. With other places so close I probably won't be venturing back here any time soon. Sorry Jai-Yen and all you Jai-Yen lovers it just won't cut it for me.
(3)
Katie R.
Food was good, nothing spectacular. I had hot and sour (?) soup and a sushi roll. Very quick with the water refills.
(3)
Dayna S.
Dined at Jai-Yen last night..everything I had was GREAT! Chai Spice tea - yummy, seaweed salad - big portion and VERY good, Tuna Tataki (appertizer)-good, but need to get to the bottom for the extra flavor and onions, Dynamite roll - totally didn't mean to order this roll because it is tempura fried, but it was SO good and worth all the extra calories! haha Service was very good and everyone was so friendly. The place filled up very quickly around 7pm and the atmosphere was relaxed. I really enjoyed Jai-yen and will definitely be back!
(5)
Lili V.
Went here for NYE dinner. They forgot about us for a bit, but once they got on track we had a bunch of dishes and dessert. Not too pricey. Our only regret was not taking advantage of the BYOB.
(4)
steve c.
Ate her on a Friday night which I don't recommend without a reservation seeing how many people flooded in. It's a small no charge BYOB "sushi" joint. I tried to venture out to something other and sushi with the calamari but don't recommend. The fried calamari turned out to be calamari rings that tasted like onion rings. I guess I was fortunate to not have any problem with the service like other reviewers. They were quick to fill up my water glass and pleasant to deal with. I had the sweet potato and Giant rolls. I highly recommend the Giant. It was the best sushi roll I have had in a while from Chicago. If you missed the "groupon deals" you can pick up a restaurant.com one
(4)
Laura L.
Just a quick update to my review ... we ordered delivery from Jai-Yen on Sunday, and they did not disappoint. We ordered some sashimi which melted in my mouth, and again, I did not feel like we had to spend a fortune. Jai-Yen is my new favorite north side sushi place.
(5)
Jessica N.
This is my favorite neighborhood restaurant, hands down. 3 words: Basil. Fried. Rice. Also, the sushi (fave: Dynamite roll) is fairly priced, delicious, and comes in a large quantity. Plus, they have coupons on the back of their menu so you can almost always get something for free! For dine-in, I love the laidback, cozy atmosphere with the serene fishtanks.
(5)
J R.
I used to live in Lakeview really close to this place so I tried it for convenience. I quickly fell in love. I was new to sushi when I ate there so I was cautious with what I ordered at first. I live in the West Loop now and my boyfriend and I still take the trip all the way up there to go. I am in love with the Jade Dragon maki. I order it without mayo and tobiko (I don't like those items). It is by far, the best sushi in this entire city. I have tried several places throughout the city and this is still #1 for me. The servers know my boyfriend and I by now and pretty much know exactly what were are going to order. I like that it is a BYOB place as well. The service is stellar . The prices are excellent as well. We usually spend around $30 for dinner for the two of us. We make it a tradition to go at least once per week. Nothing compares as of yet.
(5)
Jeremy A.
Love this place! Favorite sushi in Chicago. Good good. Reasonable prices. Fast delivery. What else could you ask for???
(5)
LJ M.
This is a great little place. I don't know how long it's been around, but the food is excellent for the price. I especially enjoy the BYOB and they're pretty cool about it. They have an area up front on the south side of the restaurant that's almost a separate room. I'm sure they'd accommodate a large party. I'd say upwards of 15-20 people could easily congregate their for someones birthday. They close around 11 on Saturday and we were easily there until almost midnight. The place was near empty and they didn't even get snatchy about us hanging around like most places do. This was my third trip and I'm going back again Saturday.
(5)
Jeannine C.
Delicious and reasonably priced food. Both the Thai and sushi options are wonderful. I like to combine a Thai dish with a couple of rolls for the best value. I usually get delivery which is very fast. The food always tastes fresh.
(5)
Heather F.
I should confess that Jai-Yen is in my neighborhood, which always seems to cause a certain degree of happiness bias based on the short travel to get there. Having said that, I do enjoy it. Good for delivery or casual eating in (BYOB), they've changed the look around from where it was a few years ago. Friendly staff, quick. Good reasonably priced sushi, with good variety. Also have other non-sushi dishes. Try the homemade ginger ale for a change of pace. Sweet potato and baby bear rolls are my favorites. Crab rangoons are very good (thin skin, nice and creamy, could maybe use more crab, but still delish). Favorite thing is that they're open Weekend afternoons (the time when I get my strongest desire for sushi, yet apparently no place in the vicinity is open).
(4)
Dallas F.
This review is based off delivery only. Four stars for delivered sushi? Yes. My food arrived within a half hour and it looked fresh and tasted spectacular. My delivery guy was very chipper despite it being artic outside. What to try eat here? Get the spider maki.
(4)
Betsy P.
I live right around the corner, so the close proximity to me already gives Jai Yen a star, but I do love this place. Sometimes the bf and I eat in, sometimes it's take out, but either way it's fantastic about 99.7% of the time -- and ALWAYS cheap. The ONLY reason that I'm giving it 4 and not 5 stars is that I had one experience (out of about 100, so it's really not that big of a deal) where I had tuna that was not so great. It was pretty tough. But one bad fish isn't enough to keep me away. Other than that one instance, I'm a happy camper. BYOB is fab.
(4)
Bernadette S.
My husband and I have been here several times in the last couple months and have consistently had excellent service along with excellent sushi. I recommend this sushi spot and we think you get a lot of bang for your buck. Another reason this spot is so great is because you can get hot Thai food like Pad Thai and Pot Stickers that are fantastic, along with amazing sushi. That is a tough combination to find. We have also ordered through GrubHub and had a very good experience.
(5)
Lesley S.
ok, first things first, the sushi here was really good, and didn't have that "i could tell the fish was frozen for safety" taste to it. but, we went on a wednesday night, and were there for over an hour and a half. if the service would have been quicker i would have given them more stars. we had ordered an appetizer, the mini shrimp egg rolls, which were really fresh and really tasty, and it came out of the kitchen in a timely manner. if we hadn't ordered an app, i think i would have died from being so hungry. we waited for our rolls and nigiri for another 45 minutes after the app came out. our waitress was really friendly, and told us after waiting about an hour, that they had a really large take out order they had to fill that was backing everything up. it wasn't that busy in the restaurant, and we saw some people get up and leave, and some people that were there before us just started getting their food after we had been there an hour. we had the salmon skin roll, and it was really good and really fresh, and the salmon skin was really crispy. we also had the spicy salmon, which was also fresh and delicious. the 3rd roll we'd ordered was the unagi lovers roll. i love unagi, and this one was so good. so fresh and lots of avocado too. the texture of the unagi was right on as well. we also had a few pieces of salmon and yellow tail, both tasted so fresh, loved it. also, if you like spicy, they have this wasabi tobiko nigiri that is the spicy lovers match. its like just roe and wasabi, and hot as hell, and tasty. if nothing it ever too hot for you, try that one. overall, we'll def go back, hopefully the service will be faster, because the food is fresh, reasonably well priced, delicious, and the service is friendly. they're also byob
(3)
Shanna R.
I loved the size of the rolls and the presentation. It wasn't overly expensive and had fresh fish.
(4)
Tania M.
I just purchased the youswoop coupon for this place and was extremely excited to try it out. I thought I'd give it a try right away so I went to their website and did the online order to pick up later that day. The way the online ordering is set up it automatically gives you a 20% discount for the very first order with a new account. I had to order a bunch of food more than I originally wanted just so I can get to $35 (after the automatic 20% discount). I also set it up to pick up later ... about an hour after the first available time. I thought that was such an awesome feature. You can order any time and just set it up to be ready when you want. Well, I was wrong! Traffic was really great that day and I got there about 15 min early. I thought I'd see if the order is ready and there it was, sitting all packed in a bag. Raw fish just hanging out there for god knows how long. Then I was told that I couldn't use the 20% off and the youswoop coupon at the same time. That is a very fair statement, I get it. A good manager in this situation would either let me use both because nowhere does it say I can't or they'll let me leave one of the items I ordered if I wanted to. But I didn't get either. I just got a "Maybe next time you order less". I was stuck paying for all this food that I didn't even want in the first place. The food was decent. Nothing to write home about. Maybe that was because it was sitting there for an hour before I picked it up. It's hard not to be biased when commenting on the food right after such horrible service.
(2)
Barbara D.
Ok, so maybe the close proximity to my home and the fact that I can look through my binoculars to see if they're open.... makes this place ROCK! I've eaten here multiple times and every single time I've enjoyed it. The sushi is fresh, beautifully presented and above average, the price is inexpensive, the atmosphere is laid-back, modern, never crowded and suave. Did I mention this place is never crowded? Not like so many of the up-and-coming, stuck up, over-priced new sushi places popping up all over the city. This has none of that lincoln park appeal....that's why it's in MY neighborhood and on my top list. The tom yum & kar soups are yummy. I usually go down the list and have something new every time I go there....so far nothing sticks out on the 'do not eat' mental note. So close your eyes, point to something on the menu (or your date) and enjoy. Oh and BYOB or sake.
(5)
Stephanie L.
I have ordered take out from here several times...its pretty good. I recently went here and had dinner. I liked the atmosphere. The staff was fast but not too fast. And the sushi was great and a good price. I will be going back and I definitely recommend to try it. The good thing is that this place is pretty good and there are no sushi restaurants right in the area. I have tried all sushi places north of here and they are all terrible so this one is at least decent. Its not amazing but for a cheap sushi dinner its good
(3)
alex m.
Service is good and the sushi is ok. I love their pad thai with tofu and no egg. I have to say, it's probably the best pad thai in town. Nice place to take a date as well, very quiet and chill.
(3)
Emily M.
Only ordered sushi (using a deal from livingsocial). I know nothing about sushi but I thought everything was delicious. The service was great too. Update: I've been here twice since my review and I will definitely continue to come back. The last time I was there, the service was wonderful and we did not find ourselves waiting too long for our food. The food was delicious of course. Granted we left the restaurant a little late so there weren't many people left there, but as we left, the entire staff thanked us for coming. I don't know, that just made me really happy and solidified how awesome their service is.
(5)
Ian M.
One of the more convenient sushi locations I frequent, Jai-Yen is a good place for a quick sushi fix. There's nothing too spectacular about the maki, but there are a few creative rolls with a nice presentation that are worth trying at least once. One plus is that this place isn't pretentious like other similar restaurants. As another reviewer said, there is an odd smell sometimes which brings the experience down at the beginning because it's so noticeable.
(3)
Eric V.
If i am to use one word to describe this place, it would be meh. I went here using a resaurant.com coupon hoping to get good sushi, however i found this place to be mediocre at best. The sushi was poorly prepared especially my Ikura piece, it looked squished, however the volcano roll was quite delightful. The service was alright, yet constraints had them placing us right by a window on such a cold day, i felt pretty uncomfortable. One big issue was when we got the check, we were splitting it 2:1 and they managed to swipe the wrong amounts on both cards. Luckily, this was a quick fix and they apologize repeatedly for the mishap. Overall, this place is OK some rolls are good other not so much and for the price you pay i was expecting a little bit better. This place is IMO mediocre at best.
(3)
Tara P.
This place has only become better over the years. Their quality and preparation has improved. I don't mind the driving to go. Love the salmon teriyaki (although I order light on the sauce), the mackeral sashimi, and their hot food plates. I think they should have some more options on cooked rice. Their rice is bland. They should offer brown rice, sticky rice, etc. They should add that to the menu and refine the rice choices. I'm really not a sushi person, so I order their cooked entrees also light on the sauce, which I feel brings out the flavor of the food and vegetables that having it drenched in teriyaki sauce which at times they tend to over do. My initial judge of a good Japanese restaurant is how good the miso soup is and the edamane. Miso soup was excellent, hot with the right amount of ingredients and the edamane was super fresh and salted perfectly. Delicious green tea, served hot with attentive refills throughout dinner. I feel the service and quality is really good. It can be very noisy and each time I go there are always familys with young children. Not a place for a quiet romantic date. Try to reserve the window seat, you'll have some privacy forget that the place is filled. By the way even though the restaurant was packed, attention from the staff was not compromised.
(5)
Josh Z.
This place is really great for a lot of reasons. Personally, my major complaint with a lot of sushi places is a lack of consistency. However Jaiyen runs strong like the bull, swift as the eagle, and agile as the dolphin in this category. I always order delivery from here and it is consistently delicious. I grew up in Florida (yes that means I wore shorts and sandals in January and always had sand in indescribable places) and I was spoiled when it came to fresh and delicious seafood as a result. So when I moved up to the frigid north, I was eager to find a good sushi restaurant that could bring me my fix. After about 4-5 attempts from restaurants that will go unnamed, I finally came upon this pearl. It sounds strange but I've never actually been inside the restaurant so I can't really speak on the merits of its dining area. However, I have rode by it many times and it looks pretty nice.. classic Japanese bamboo and earth-tones kinda shtick (conveniently located next to Bears Like Us... the place to find the perfect gift for all of the burly gay men in your life). I have however ordered delivery from this place dozens of times. The person who takes the orders over the phone is polite (no excessive background noise and... a complete understanding of English.. glorious!), patient (I cant pronounce a lot of Japanese words... so I choose to sound them out very slowly.. they usually reserve their laughter), and precise (they always get my order right!). They even accommodate my girlfriend who prefers her food with no sauces of any kind. We always get an appetizer of Coconut Shrimp and this dish is simply amazing, seriously if you eat this and don't like it... you are some type of alien creature that I want nothing to do with.... that's right, this dish is so good, if you do not like it... I will not be your friend. The seafood is always fresh, I really love their Tuna (called Tekka Maki) rolls they are always a healthy purplish and taste hella good (read: smooth and flavorful) My girlfriend always gets the Ebi Tempura Maki with no mayo, which is basically a shrimp tempura roll, it is amazing (read: crunchy and delicious). I always make it a point to try something new whenever I order from here and they haven't really let me down.. I highly recommend the Giant Roll.. its really dynamite and smothered in all types of sauces (which drives my girlfriend crazy but guarantees a little privacy) The prices are resonable and are soemtimes even a little bit less than you would find at a higher end sushi joint. Overall, I highly recommend this place as a serious sushi enthusiast and as a person who visits here often... even though they always visit me.
(5)
Clare W.
Incredibly friendly waitstaff. However, the place smelled like sewer and the sushi (especially the salmon) was low-quality.
(2)
Kristy W.
I've lived in the neighborhood for over a year now and have regularly treated myself to Jai-Yen ever since I discovered the local BYOB. While I don't venture too far from traditional rolls, they are always fresh and satisfying. The crab rangoon appetizer is my favorite - just the right amount of filling and the fried shell is never greasy. Whenever I eat at the restaurant or pick up food I am always greeted kindly and the service is always out of this world. I once made a reservation for 12 and they were happy to accommodate the 14 that arrived keeping our beer and wine on Ice and replenishing our drinks whenever they were low. I've become a regular customer and will continue to be!
(5)
Leang E.
Wow, talk about better than what I expected and from delivery. First of all, I can say this because I'm Asian and most of the time when I call to place an order for delivery with an Asian restaurant they have no idea how to spell my street name (I don't live on a main street) and she totally got it over the phone without my help. I love that I got a free dish which is part of their everyday special for ordering any other maki rolls at any other restaurant for spending a certain amount of money. Plus, it's not just any plain dish, but chicken pad thai! Basically, I got a free meal! She said 45 minutes, and got here in half an hour. This is truly underpromising and over delivering right there. The price is right here as well. What makes this solid is that the sushi rolls were incredibly delicious and flavorful. You definitely taste more than rice and fish and I love that! I appreciate creativity in makis and they got it right here. The only reason that I can't give the place the 5th star is because I haven't sat in and eaten here, but I like that I got this spot in the back of my pocket now! I saw the BYOB and no corkage fee in the other reviews, so I'm so there!
(4)
Isha S.
First time visiting this neighborhood noodle and sushi restaurant and my friend and I really enjoyed it! Great service - great food - great prices. I recommend the tom yum soup (we had tofu version), chive dumplings and the japanese soba noodle stir fry. I also tried one of the sushi rolls which was pretty good. They also offer bubble tea and fruit smoothies. Great place to go for a wallet-friendly lunch or dinner out.
(4)
J F.
Love this place. It is my go to place for sushi. Friendly service. A few tables outside on the sidewalk aren't ideal but nice.
(5)
John E.
very good food...tried the sweet potato sushi after reading the reviews and it was fabulous! Its a great place to go and enjoy sushi at a reasonable price, good place for a nice dinner with friends or a casual date. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars was the length of time that we had to wait to be greeted from a server, however I will definitely be back again.
(4)
adera l.
I stopped by here to pick up lunch since it is so close to my apartment. The sushi is pretty ok but not exciting in any way. I got the lunch special (salmon and avocado maki + tekka maki) which was pretty average. I don't think there was very much fish for the price and the rolls were small. Although I'm not the biggest fan of it, miso soup does often come with sushi so I'll fish out the seaweed and tofu. There was more seaweed and tofu than most restaurants so that was nice. Also, I definitely smelled that wet rag smell another reviewer noticed as I was going to the restroom. It came from the kitchen, which is concerning. The staff was nice though and the atmosphere was intimate. However, I'll probably not be back.
(2)
Bianca S.
Had great service with little wait. Portion sizes were good and sushi was ok. I had a coupon which is why I decided to try this place. Don't think I would go back unless I had a deal again.
(3)
Adam K.
I have to give a 3 because of extreme highs and lows. I ordered it online and it was delivered very quickly. I got some sushi and pad-thai. The sushi was excellent and fairly priced. As good of sushi as you can get in my opinion. The pad-thai on the other hand was frankly the worst I've ever had. It was not only cold, but the noodles weren't the good, linguine-like rice noodles. they were very small, more like angel hair noodles. it was EXTREMELY sticky and would only come up in clumps, breaking the noodles apart and making a mess. Flavor was bland at best. And the worst part was this hard, crusty orange stuff that lined the bottom of the pile of noodles. I have no idea what it even was...like the noodles, it had no flavor. Thankfully I was able to simply peel it off (because I could pick up the noodles in one peice). Final Verdict - Excellent for sushi, but other items are iffy. I can only speak for the pad-thai which was horrible. If you just want sushi and nothing else, then this place is just fine.
(3)
Sophia T.
I am happy to have this restaurant in my neighborhood. It had a great atmosphere, good service, and most important of all, good food! Well, I only had their crazy roll and it met my expectations of good sushi. Though its hard to fail with miso soup, theirs passed the test also. My friend that I went with got the yakisoba, which she thought was delicious. She really isn't used to Japanese food either, so the fact that it made a good impression on her is wonderful. I would definetly return to support the small but charming restaurant that is byob, by the way!
(4)
Erin C.
Great sushi at a very reasonable price. The rolls here are cheaper than at most sushi places, but are of comparable quality. Some unique rolls too - sweet potato is awesome. I love that it's BYOB; that gives the review an extra star. Service, however, was not so good. It was a Saturday night and it seemed like they were a bit understaffed. Took us awhile to get our checks at the end of the dinner and we were in a hurry. Annoying.
(4)
Kathryn M.
Super cute and relaxed interior. BYOB with no corkage fee and a menu with sushi and cooked food for us non-sushi lovers. Jai-Yen is the perfect compromise for my friend and I, one loves and sushi and the other (me) absolutely does not, and who doesn't love BYOB?! The pad thai is great and a big portion, one of my favorites in the city, and from what I'm told, sushi is good too. Our waitress was really nice and kept the water glasses constantly full.
(4)
Sean B.
This place is amazing! You have to try the sweet potatoe sushi roll, it's the best item on the menu! Great price as well!
(5)
Ryan S.
I've gotten sushi here a few times since moving to the area. The people are nice and the service is relatively quick. The prices can be a bit high but it's some high quality, delicious sushi and I will be back.
(4)
Robert T.
7 of us went for lunch. They forgot to put in 4 of our orders. After 30 minutes of asking, we walked out. Not sure about the food, but they fall well short in service.
(1)
Philip K.
Where? Jai-Yen. Who? my partner and two girl-friends. When? a chilly Wednesday night, end of January. Why? because we all live in the city but see one another all too infrequently. What? Sushi and Thai and fusion and such. And How (was it)? The service was amazingly sincere and appropriately helpful (rather than oppressively helpful). I was most impressed overall by our waitress. She helped us cork and chill our cheapo wine without passing judgment and wasn't pushy at all. (yes to BYOB) This place is a nice middle-ground between our quick-Thai-noodle favorite Joy's (which is fast, convenient and cheap) and more expensive/trendy sushi spots that don't really fit into our budget very well (like Wakamono). The menu is hugely diverse and moderately priced. It takes a while to decide when there are so many options, but it's fun to just get a bit of everything. On our Wednesday night dining experience, we were the only party in a little front room area. It was charming to make a little more noise than usual and to fully enjoy our own company. The decor is classy with a bit of quirk. I liked. Jai-Yent once and Jai'll go back! (From now on i might try to end each review with a terrible play on words or pun. Just so you know.)
(4)
Christine W.
I'm not a Japanese cuisine afficionado, but in comparison to my sushi experience, Jai-Yen's maki is fantastic! I had a homemade ginger ale, a shrimp tempura appetizer, and the sweet potato maki roll - all for about $20. Score. The shrimp tempura had more vegetables than shrimp, but it was delicious. The sweet potato roll was outstanding. I guess I was expecting the homemade ginger ale to be more flavorful, naturally spicier, and less conventional, but oh well. The service was pretty nice, not very engaging, but my meal was coursed very well. The restaurant is very clean and quaint - I love the color of the walls. Great, affordable sushi lunch spot.
(4)
Larry F.
Pretty good, not great sushi. Some creative items on the menu. The sunomon could have used more crab and dressing. Salmon teriyaki was hot and moist, quite good. Main issue was that the dining room has a weird odor. Great green tea bubble tea. Good value for the money.
(3)
Christine C.
This is my first review on Yelp and I'm sorry I have to write down something about this restaurant. I've been here twice. The first time I had special salmon roll. It was okay. The sushi chef was nice and polite. However, the second time, which was tonight, I ordered beef teriyaki. It was terrible. The beef was very thin and not fresh. The teriyaki sauce tasted like soy sauce + salt + a lof of water. Miso soup was terrible as well. I could not finish my dish and I asked to take out. I wasn't informed that they put the food in a loose container. So when I found the sauce was split all over inside my suede backpack, it was too late. I won't go back to Jai-Yen anymore.
(1)
Melissa H.
Pro's: Every roll I've had is DEL.IC.IOUS There rice isn't overcooked and mushy - and it has fun things in it like cashews and pineapple Always have coupons - sometimes even sitting out on your table Fast and very, very nice service Honeydew bubble tea BYOB Con's: Once in awhile, it smells like dead fish - but I love the food so much it doesn't matter
(5)
Jordan B.
BYOB: I love Jai-Yen for a few simple reasons. The food is good, the food is cheap, and the food is fast. I'll often order my food by phone and by the time I get there it is ready for me (I don't live far away). My favorite is the fried rice with chicken though I've had some of their sushi and it was all pretty good.
(4)
Janet C.
Love love love it. Fresh and yummy sushi, friendly staff, and byob. The environment is relaxing and condusive to great conversation with friends. Definitely check it out!
(4)
Carla F.
First things first, this is a BYOB. Even if I didn't like the sushi, but everyone else did, I would go and drink. The place is cute, not pretentious, and I've never had to wait for a table. My favorite place to sit (especially with a good size group is the room off to the side. Sometimes your group gets lucky and are the only ones seated in the room...so in my family's case, we can be as loud and obnoxious as we want. I have been here countless times and have never disliked anything that I've ordered. The only downside is that a lot of the times I've been there, the bathrooms stink like sewage. Just don't eat in the bathroom and you'll survive.
(4)
Rachel F.
I love this place. My favorite rolls: cubby bear (salmon, avocado, cream cheese), the sweet potato roll (soooo good but i get it without the wasabi mustard drizzle), and the tuna deluxe roll. Oh my goodness- they are so good. Only mediocre: their miso soup is really good but it has a LOT of not so good tofu in it. I've also had their crab ragoon- its good but its nothing special- TONS of cream cheese in it. All in all I love this place. Friendly, fast, and DELICIOUS sushi rolls.
(4)
Todd P.
Good food, however, nothing too special about their sushi. It had quick service, however, it lacked any follow up after the food and drinks were served...
(3)
Cathi O.
I sometimes forget this hidden gem. I've been here a few times, and I'm always pleasantly surprised. Although it might seem pedestrian, the teriyaki dinners are a crazy good value: seaweed salad, miso soup, Cali roll, 3 nigiri & teriyaki entree for $17.50. Lots of delicious food in a cozy neighborhood environment.
(4)
Matthew T.
The food is OKAY, but not the best. The service was terrible. Food was coming out sporadically and drinks weren't refilled. When we asked for more water they seemed aggravated. We went for the Groupon and that will be the only time.
(2)
Katelyn C.
First of all, thank god they did groupon or I would never have found my favorite sushi place in the city! I am a sushi fanatic and they are amazing! The dining room is more than awesome for a small space; You can sit by a fish tank, the windows, or in a somewhat separate room. My *ONLY* complaint is that the sushi bar is too small to dine at, because I would love to watch them make the rolls. Everywhere I go I always order crab ragoon, and Jai-Yen is BY FAR THE BEST. It is rich and literally melts in your mouth. It is also super cheap at only $5 for 6 pieces of heaven. Another favorite is the basil fried rice. I get it with chicken and no jalapeños. It is a perfect mixture of different tastes and very filling. I also have ordered the philli, cali., and spicy salmon roll. They are exactly what the menu describes and are all made with very fresh ingredients. Also keep in mind the rolls are made right when you order them and can make substitutions, which I love. With all the sushi places I have tried, and not really enjoyed, I have learned to embrace using spicy mayo to woof down the food I don't necessarily care for instead of being the jerk who sends the food back. So, as always, I ordered spicy mayo my first time here (just in case), and, this may sound weird, but they have the best spicy mayo! They make it there and it the the right amount of spice! As everyone already mentioned, it is a byob and they don't do any other charges. Although I would recommend the tea they serve on a cold day! Everything about this place is amazing and my mouth has been watering the whole time I have been writing this anticipating the next time I can go!
(5)
D. S.
The sushi was great, price reasonable, no corkage fee, and no wait on a Friday night. Their mochi presentation was absolutely adorable. A little lacking with the service-- my soup came out the same time as our rolls-- but all in all I will for sure be ordering delivery and returning!
(4)
Kara F.
the chef's specialty rolls are amazing. Personally i'm a big fan of Santa and the Xmas tree which includes strawberry and kiwi on the roll as well as a raspberry sauce, mmmm.... Prices are reasonable and reflect the quality of the sushi and service. Also helps that it's a BYOB so bring some bottles of wine and indulge!
(5)
S 3.
I would have given it four stars, but I was bitter after it took them 1 hour and 15 minutes to deliver my food once. Their Maki is awesome as is the tempura udon. It's really good, but not spectacular.
(3)
Alayna H.
A couple of my friends live very close to Jai-Yen and go there all the time, after hearing them rave about it on numerous occasions I finally made it there. We ordered the veggie tempura as well as some other appetizers/sushi (their names momentarily evade me), and I got the Philedelphia sushi roll. (Cream cheese in sushi? Some find it gross, but you could put cream cheese on anything and I'd love it.) Anyhow, all of the food was delicious, the sushi was fresh and the tempura had a perfect light batter. I also really like the decor of the place, and the staff there was very friendly and helpful. I hear that it is BYOB, and for the quality of the food that is a definite plus. I highly recommend it, if only I lived closer I would go there more often.
(4)
Made N.
hell ya I'd go back HERE again! very cute atmosphere, lights nice and soft, and the food was super-yum! i had a garden maki, miso, and edamame, my partner had panang curry and honeydew bubble tea - all sa-weet! tried to use a restaurant.com certificate, but couldn't get to the $35 minimum - will be happy to try again when I'm more hungry or planning for leftovers. GREAT place! They lose just one little star because there was a TV above my head, which I am never a fan of (if I wanted to eat in front of the TV, I'd have stayed home) :)
(4)
Cathy L.
This place was cute but everything is a bit...greasy. And the pad see ew was definitely questionable - rice noodles were thick and too chewy. Tempura was fried in a very heavy, non-authentic batter. Not a huge fan.
(2)
Dilip J.
Jai Yen is a Sushi Place w/ also some Thai fusion dishes. The service and food are very good, and the decor is pretty nice, making for a very good experience. I really liked this place. There are quite a few maki choices I haven't seen before, so explore. The sushi was great, though unfortunately they didn't have toro that day. They also have a few thai dishes, like tom yum and tom kar soups. Both are delicious. They have a Hawaiian Fried Rice dish worth trying also. Hint: I really like their take on Pad Thai mounted on a crispy egg platform. But, if you want Pad Thai the original way, which you can't find anywhere in Chicago, tell them you want the thai version, emphasising it. Its great and very spicy. These weren't on the menu when I was there, so you might have to request it. The guys running it are the sons of a previous restauranteur, 3 single guys ladies :-) Their parents used to own another Thai restaurant before retiring, and you will see them there pretty much every nite. They are great to talk to. Their dad can talk your ear off on how to properly cook thai food, thai culture, history of other thai restaurants in Chicago, etc. Very nice people. PS The service is fast, so no worries on ordering a lot of different dishes. My only complaint was that it can sometimes be too fast, since dishes can come before your finished. But that isn't that big a deal since the food is really worth it. The food is very reasonably priced. Many maki are around $4. I will also update this when I find out the name of their old restaurant. crossstreet is Waveland Avenue.
(5)
Ashley M.
Very pleased with this restaurant. Ordered the pot-stickers, california roll, spicy tuna, and tropical. Potstickers were good appetizer, the presentation of the rolls was impressive, and the tropical is delicious. Each bite of the meal was enjoyable, and tasted very fresh. Atmosphere was good, and service was attentive. My husband and I will be returning to this restaurants many times.
(5)
Jim M.
At here for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was a great location/setup (outdoor seating available), the food and selection was impressive (want to go back and try more things), and the service met my expectations (friendly staff). Best of all it was affordable!
(4)
Evan D.
The best of the sushi delivery places on the North Side. Always fast and fresh. On New Year's Eve at 9pm, they came through in under 30 minutes. And that's after calling to warn us that they "might be a little late." Lots of places deliver sushi to my Uptown/Andersonville 'hood, but this is the only one that's gotten my repeat business. Ordering online from GrubHub is great as well.
(4)
Lauren D.
We recently discovered Jai-Yen and have been pleasantly surprised. On the weekend, there is most likely a wait for a table, but never too long. And if you don't want to wait - they do take out that is just as good. We have never waited during the week either. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because last time, one of the rolls that included tuna tasted a bit fishy to me. Other than that, I think it's an awesome neighborhood sushi joint - and BYOB makes it even better!
(4)
Marcel M.
Had some take-out. Best part was the Spider Roll. As mentioned, the breading was completely different than other sushi joints. It was more cooked and crispier. All good!
(4)
Nico M.
It's right around the corner from me. The Vegetable Tempura and vegetable fried rice are good. The waitresses are pretty, the atmosphere is very chill and they always have some electronic music playing that I know the name of.
(3)
Nakiea B.
great service, good food, nice atmostphere... if youre into luncheon dance parties. dance party music aside, i will absolutely go back!
(4)
AV G.
great value place--elegantly prepared combo dishes--$18.50 for teriaki salmon with nice sushi/cali-roll added--however, do not get the tempura--it is not a real aisan style deep fry--also, very accomidating BYO
(4)
Mark P.
BYOB! Eaten here twice and both times have been great. -Fast Service once ordered, -Everything is perfect once it arrives, -Friendly staff, and -the order is never missing anything. They do play some cheesy 80's and 90's music all the time, but the atmosphere inside isn't horrible, but not the best. The food makes up for it. If you want sushi, this is your place in the Lakeview/LP area.
(4)
David T.
I love me some seaweed salad! Jai-Yen has great food all around... well I presume. I've only had the appetizers and sushi/maki and those are delicious. Today was the second time I ate here and enjoyed it thoroughly. The service is very good and they are incredibly friendly!
(4)
Betsy S.
I ordered udon noodle soup for when my throat was sore. It met the requirement of containing a hot liquid, but didn't do much more. The noodles were good, but it was literally just noodles, broth, and un-seasoned, tough chicken -- no vegetables whatsoever (unless you count the token few slices of scallion). For the price, I expected more.
(2)
Leah B.
SO GOOD! Stuffed myself for a reasonable price. Thai tea was the best I've had and the homemade ginger ale is amazing. Rolls are phenomenal. I would definitely go back!
(5)
k S.
Buyer Beware! I know, that term should be used for a car dealership and not a sushi place. And, had I written this review last week, I would have given it four stars. I've been to JaiYen a many occasions when the sushi need strikes, its BYOB and its a 5 min. walk from home. For take-out delivery has always been fast. So why the Buyer Beware and two stars? Yesterday, when that sushi need struck we walked over to pick up our take out and noticed a discrepancy in the price. I always order Sashimi B platter, so when I noticed that they charged $2 more than the advertised price I mentioned it. "No, no, thats the new price" I was told. Referring to the menu I noticed that it had the price we usually pay and pointed it out to the server. "No, no, that is wrong." Taking out the iPhone and pulling up the online menu, I again showed them they were over charging. Again, I was told "No, no that price is wrong, its $2 more." I asked for a new menu with the new price. "We don't have any." Really, then charge me the advertised price. "No, no, its $2 more." On the verge of screaming "I want my $2.00!" I knew it was pointless seeing as how I was speaking to the owner/manager/server. The point of arguing further was lost. I mentioned to them that what they were doing was wrong, but they did not seem to care. I know its only $2.00 but frankly, this is old fashioned bait and switch, and they should have forked over the $2.00 to save a customer. I'm happy to walk two more blocks to the next sushi place which is just as good, and, stick to their advertised prices.
(2)
Ann D.
Used our Living Social coupon for a late lunch at JaiYen. For the final date of the coupon, we were happily surprised to find it almost empty at about 2pm on Sunday. We started with the homemade ginger soda ( regular and with lime), which was very good and very large. The seaweed salad was good, the shrimp/veggie tempura was excellent, and the maki were beautiful and tasty - the Jai-Yen roll wrapped in cucumber was different and delicious, and the sweet potato roll was tasty and gorgeous. All in all we thought it was great!
(5)
Zac K.
For you fellow North Lakeviewers, this place is pretty quick and good. yes, may not be 5 star sushi/maki, however for the neighborhood, very good. Great atmosphere too- Noodle dishes are good and filling. Presentation is also great here. BYOB is also nice too. Def. a favorite to hit up before an evening out on the town. The cheesecake is awesome. Had a ginger citrus I believe, and it was incredible. Try the dragon roll- you won't be displeased.
(4)
Jan D.
Great place and amazing waitstaff. Sushi was very good and average Chicago prices. Must be family run cause even the little kid said thanks for coming haha. Oh and they are open on Sundays.
(4)
Chris S.
Good sushi, reasonable prices, BYOB. This is what makes this a great place for dinner in the 'hood. Most of the menu is Japanese, predominantly sushi, but there are other Asian influences to be found. I have'nt been blown away by anything spectacular, but I always leave happy.
(3)
Giselle A.
Food was just okay. Portion size was on the smaller side. Superb and friendly wait staff!
(3)
Diana C.
Just ordered the giant maki, the mexican maki and crab rangoons for delivery. While the service was incredibly fast (arrived in about 25 min), the rolls were just so-so. Not bad per se, but I won't be craving them a week from now either. The crab rangoons were tasty though a bit on the small side. Three stars for quick delivery.
(3)
Jen G.
I've been walking by this place for months now and finally stopped in for the first time last night. Hmmm...first, it's a BEAUTIFUL restaurant on the inside. So minimalist and trendy that it seems out of place on this rather quiet stretch of Broadway. You get the impression that if more people knew, it would go from dead to packed in a snap. But because it's currently quiet, you sort of end up with a lackluster vibe. They don't have a patio and they didn't appear to be able to open their windows either. It was a little stuffy inside and because we were one of three tables, I could hear the couple sitting across the room talking. Also, because there wasn't much going on, the service was slow to start. I understand that it's hard to get a rhythm when you don't have any tables, but we sat with our menus closed (and hungry!) for about 5 minutes. Of course, because it was dead, the food arrived 10 minutes after we ordered. (Thank goodness.) The sushi was fresh and tasty, but didn't really top any other sushi I've had as of late. The Shanghai noodles, however, were outstanding and I really liked the portioning and plate presentation of both dishes. There were 5 cool cheesecakes listed (ginger-lime, anyone?) but we were too stuffed. It's BYOB and if you add the bottle of wine we brought, the meal was still under $30. I'll come back here and maybe order delivery because of the convenience, just not sure if I'll be taking any dates or planning any big reunions here. Also: I was in and out so quickly, I couldn't checkout the washroom!
(3)
Colleen S.
I've been here twice and both times have been excellent. Hooray for BYOB. I can't remember if they charge a corkage fee. If they did, it wasn't much. I'm a Crab Rangoon lover and this place has some of the best I've eaten. The servers are polite and attentive no matter how busy they are. I love the green tea, in fact, the second time I went, I drank 2 pots of it.
(5)
Jessica P.
I've ordered from here a few times as i've been on a sushi kick lately. All I'm going to say is they've never messed up my order (including all of the requests I've made), the food is always delicious, delivery driver is always friendly and it either gets to my apartment on time or early (today it was 20 min early!) and the food is always fresh when I receive it. I haven't gone to the restaurant, but delivery wise its great!
(5)
Marie T.
My boyfriend and I love sushi and are always willing to try new places. We saw a few good reviews about this place and wanted to test it out. We were greatly disappointed. When we first walked in, the place was clean but had a fairly odd odor. We then ordered a couple rolls, edamame, chicken terrayki and fried rice. The edameme had a funky taste to it and the rolls were terrible. I could not take another bite after my boyfriend had to cover up a little critter that found its way to our table. The staff was very friendly and attentive, but that would not make me want to come back for the less than mediocre food.
(1)
Pam N.
Love to order takeout sushi here! Delicious, quick, unique & fresh. I adore the Baby Bears maki roll (mmm double salmon mmm thinly-sliced lemon). The great affordable prices and convenient location make me rate yum, 4 stars.
(4)
Dave A.
Overrated based on the reviews there. So so sushi and not that cheap. Place was nicely designed. I want to support local businesses as much as the next guy, but there is nothing here that makes me want to go back for more. I recommend Jitlada Thai restaurant virtually next door.
(2)
Jessica M.
Not impressed with their sushi. We ordered delivery - 2 maki rolls and 4 namasake nigiri for 2 of us. One roll each, and 2 pieces of nigiri usually does the trick. It totaled $32, and they threw in edamame for free from a coupon when I asked. The rolls were very small, and not filling. Definitely overpriced for what you get. The tuna on one roll was gray - not fresh at all- and I ended up picking it out and not eating it. In that same roll, was yellowtail, which was so chewy I spit it out. Needless to say, I was still hungry after I was finished. The Tropical Maki roll was the only good thing, because of the flavor. However, I would not order there again. There are MUCH better sushi places out there.
(1)
Jenna P.
Delicious! I usually have their Hawaiian fried rice and it is out of this world amazingly good. The atmosphere is relaxed and chill, even on weekend nights. The servers are very friendly and helpful, including one time when my friend accidentally knocked over an entire glass of water. That table was cleaned up in the blink of an eye! I've ordered delivery from them too, and they were very quick!
(3)
Jeannie B.
so it turns out that first time was not just a charm. this place really is excellent. since my first review ive been to this place several more times. this service and food is consistently excellent && ive never had a bad roll of sushi here yet!
(5)
Kieran C.
Not my favorite sushi, but a great option when working on a budget. The service was friendly and the dishes were definitely a respectable offering.
(3)
LoLo A.
bottom line... not good sushi. ordered online for delivery... very prompt. but sushi was warm... and not rolled tight. had a distinct fishy smell that wasn't a good one...
(2)
Lo S.
I have only had this delivered, so I can imagine that eating at the restaurant would make the food taste better. The sushi was alright and the teriyaki salmon was pretty tough. Delivery isn't quick either, but overall I would order again.
(3)
Nick A.
Just moved out here to Chicago and found my go to sushi pad! BYOB goes off, great customer service, and the sushi was awesome!
(5)
Kate N.
Entirely mediocre. There's nothing really wrong with the food here, but also nothing to make me come back, given how many options there are around. I had the Sweet Potato Maki and the Cubby Maki which were both fine, though they missed the spicy mayo on my Cubby Maki. My friend had the Pad See Ewe lunch special which was priced well, but nowhere near the best in the city. The steamed gyoza are pretty good, though, so I'll give them that.
(3)
Cesar B.
Great place, awesome signature sushi rolls, a little bit of everything Asian. Staff is really friendly and helpful with great recommendations! In top of all the great food, it's a BYOB place, so you can bring anything and staff will serve it for you.
(5)
Robert G.
Is it the best sushi in the City of Chicago? Probably not and I have had better, but this restaurant is still great. Its a BYOB joint, so buy some sake ahead of time. Before I even got to my outdoor seat, the hostess grabbed my bottle and promptly put it on ice. I would recommend the avocado smoothie with tapioca pearls. We ordered 5 sushi rolls. They food very quick, a dude came outside and turned on the sidewalk cafe heater for us. No complaints. Great service, fast service, happy service and pretty dang good food! This place misses out on the 5th star because I have had better sushi, however, the rest of the operation is top notch. Recommended!
(4)
Amanda B.
Awesome, cheap BYOB sushi spot! They usually have a restaurant.com deal too!
(4)
Andy W.
Usually have an ok experience with them. Tonight, not only did they mess up the order, the delivery person asked about a tip prior to even handing the food. They forgot my edamame and gave the wrong piece of nigiri. Not at all happy.
(1)
Aaron L.
This is easily my favorite sushi restaurant on the North Side. It's BYOB, you don't need reservations, it's never too crowded, the food is great and prices reasonable. You can spend $10 for $25 off on Restaurant.com as long as you hit the $50 minimum. The spicy salmon and tuna pieces are delicious and melt in your mouth. We love the spicy salmon and shrimp rolls too and noodle dishes as well!
(4)
Patrick L.
This place isn't going to top any of the best Japanese food list in this city, but I can definitely say the service is top notch. The wait staff are warm and friendly; always gracious about making suggestions. Its close,convenient and affordable. There are always groupons and the place is BYOB, making it a really great value.
(4)
Lina W.
My DH and I got 2 miso soups, edamame, sashimi platter, and Mexican roll. Edamame was undercooked and understalted. The sashimi was cut a little large and fish seemed fresh, but not the best fish I've had in the city. All of this was about $40 before tax and tip, which isn't terrible. But luckily I had a restaurant.com coupon that I purchased for cheap. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here for sushi though. If it is convenient and you have a coupon to make your meal cheaper, then sure, why not.
(3)
Kim R.
I came here with my bf twice. Both times we enjoyed nice service from our server. We ordered sashimi platter which came out fresh and delish! Beef teriyaki is a bit too sweet and too chewy. The parking isnt hard to find because we were dining in during laye lunch time. The staff was little bit too loud when they were eating. I guess we were the only table there. All over all i would recommend this place for quick sushi meal. Ps. Its BYOB!
(4)
Melissa M.
This was my last stop for sushi before I left the city of Chicago. I wish I could say that it was better than just "alright," but it really wasn't. The service was friendly, the menu was pretty standard, the food was decent, and it wasn't too loud/packed. As far as I'm concerned, I'd say Jai-Yen is pretty "take it or leave it."
(3)
Laura H.
LUNCH SPECIALS!!!! Combine that with 20% off your first online order and there aren't enough exclamation points to describe how much of a value this place is. And I can walk there on my lunch break! The specials are only listed on the actual online order form: Sushi set - 2 rolls + miso Bento set Lunch set - an app, miso, and a noodle entree (has to be the best value, but I went with sushi because yum) I went with standard tuna+avocado and salmon+avocado and they were tasty. The miso was good as well. Another time I got the spicy lunch combo, the salmon was normal with spicy mayo topping, but the tuna was coated in something SPICY, no mayo. As awesome as the spicy mayo is, I like the spicy stuff the tuna was coated in before it was rolled. They aren't messing around with that stuff, it burns.
(4)
Trice T.
Hadn't been here for 6 months but it was like coming home to an old friend...the rolls were great and it's always nice to see it was still a b.y.o.b establishment. Looking forward to returning again for my next sushi fix
(4)
Shayna R.
I just got carry out from Jai Yen and I immediately postponed my Sunday night TV to write a bad review. Game of Throne fans, you KNOW that food must've been pretty darn bad. I ordered pad Thai with chicken and my friend had fried rice with a meat/seafood combo. The pad Thai had barely any noodles and the ones that did exist we're little quarter inch pieces that I think they were trying to pass off as legit food, but I was hungry and I was expecting a lot more. These had to be like the last resort bottom of the bag noodles, because they were clearly in pieces. Not to mention, the flavor was totally off, and soupy on top of it. Throwing chicken in bits of sad noodles does not a happy customer make. Then my friends fried rice was totally bland and that was enough motivation to write this. I waited 24 minutes for this food and felt completely gipped of the $26 bucks I spent. Don't bother for take-out.....
(1)
Dima G.
Byob, good service, good sushi. We go there to celebrate life events often, usually on Sunday. It is good to have a reservation as it gets busy and you may have to wait.
(5)
AB C.
This is our go-to place for take-out sushi. Usually pick-up but delivery is pretty quick too. We took our 6 month old with us to eat out and they were great with her as well around the transition for when eating out with her started getting much harder.
(5)
Eduardo M.
Great sushi in a BYOB setting. This place is a great place to stop into whenever the craving, no, the NEED for sushi hits. The staff is friendly, they have lots of good rolls, and even a few fish tanks to stare mindlessly at, if it's been that kind of day. I'm a quasi regular here, basically, if I'm in the area, I'll suggest this place as the spot to satisfy dinner hunger pangs. No one objects.
(4)
Adriane P.
It's funny how some of your regular spots you aren't even purposely looking for and when you find them they're right in front of your face. We each lived by here for years and randomly checked it out. The atmosphere is pretty inviting and has an open, large dining room with aquariums and modern decor. They have an outside patio which, considering the traffic and people watching on Broadway at that stretch, was something that never appealed to us. It's BYOB with no corkage fee. The service is consistently good. We have ordered over myriad visits: Miso Soup and Spicy Miso Soup (sometimes w chicken) Good Tom Kar with chicken Rich coconut taste and lots of meat and veggies Seaweed Salad He likes it a lot. Cashew Chicken w Rice I found boring. He ate it all but was not wowed. Thai Spicy Basil w Chicken and Rice He quite likes and orders often. One time it was spicier than typically. Red Curry Chicken w Rice Rich and filling. Spicy and Sweet w tons meat and veggies. My fave entree but I love curry. Sushi! All the rolls and nigiri are delicious. We like Dynamite (by far the best), Dragon, Giant, Red Marine, Volcano, and Spider. Mexican Roll was a let down. Nigiri didn't wow me; but I love rolls, especially if they have a bunch of ingredients and sauces. So I'm not a purist. Also, the sushi is served less than room temperature and sometimes the rolls are messy and rolled loose. Ugh, I hate eating even messier than normal in front of a boy. Dropping rice or chunks of fish or avocado all over a damn table. Even though the menu is fusion and have many options I feel they did not sacrifice quality. Many rolls are unique or Americanized versions but just the same half the items possess authenticity. All items are well executed. This is a regular spot my dc and I enjoy. See if you like it too!
(5)
Mameli D.
Simply delicious. Unfortunately I didnt take pictures because the dishes they brought out looked great. Besides the spicy tuna roll we had the Dragon Roll which I can't stop thinking about ever since! Can't wait to try other items on the menue.
(5)
Emily F.
This is the BEST sushi place I have been to in the city! The dynamite roll is unbelievably amazing and you have to try the Santa Claus and Christmas tree as well! So amazing!!!
(5)
Christina B.
You can't go wrong with BYOB! Makes the evening a bit more affordable. The sushi here is also very delicious and reasonably priced. Great spicy tuna--not drenched in mayo like most places. We also loved the Mexican roll, which was very unique!
(4)
Jihane B.
To preface my review: I've lived in the area near Jaiyen for nearly 3 years, and I have tried the restaurant both on location and via take-out several times. I also really like sushi, and have tried several other restaurants in Chicago and other cities. My boyfriend and I decided to go to Jaiyen, as I was recently gifted a Restaurant.com gift certificate. I ordered the crab rangoon, a salmon avocado roll, and the Mexican roll with yellowtail. All the fish I received was clearly going bad - good sushi should NOT taste fishy, but that's all I could taste. I should have stopped eating but I was hungry - halfway through the rolls I couldn't take it anymore. I paid for it later and I stayed up all night with a severely upset stomach. Maybe it was an off day for them, maybe not. I don't know. I do know that I probably won't be visiting any time soon, unfortunately.
(1)
La Tonya G.
Who doesn't like BYOB...That was cool and it was a welcomed surprise since we were celebrating my friends birthday! I only gave this restaurant 3 stars because the sushi we had wasn't bad it just wasn't the best I had and one of the dishes we ordered didn't taste that fresh but the presentation, the staff the restaurant itself was very nice. I would go back if I was in the neighborhood but it wouldn't be my first choice or I wouldn't travel from my side of town just to get to them because it wasn't that good!! I really like restaurant.com because it allows me and my friend to checkout different places without spending or breaking the bank since we both like to eat...lol and visit new places! So, I would still recommend this place and I hope if I go back that I'm able to do my signature happy dance..
(3)
Becky M.
My boyfriend and I went here on a Saturday night around 7. The service was great at first but they quickly got busy and the service was fair the rest of the night. We ordered the giant, volcano, deep sea, and dragon rolls! My personally favorite was the giant. We used the restaurant.com deal :)
(4)
M. Tiffany B.
I absolutely love there sushi here. It's so delicious and the presentation is amazing!
(4)
Sarah M.
We were able to make a reservation which was nice since we had 7 of us on a Saturday night at 8pm. We got the Giant, Baby bear, Jai-en (which I don't recommend), crazy, and the crab Rangoon. Definitely get the crab Rangoon and then the Giant and Baby bear rolls.
(3)
Shilpa B.
The servers are super nice, in a genuinely-nice way, and the food was great. The sushi, sashimi, and seaweed salad were all delicious. No complaints. The decor is pleasant. Good spot for a date!
(5)
Jonathan M.
Was a fantastic meal, BYOB and 15 for 30!! one of the better seaweed salads, great sashimi app , Jai-Yen roll was great and the Green Trutle roll was one of my favorites!
(4)
Brianna E.
I live just down the street from here and have gotten take out several times. I've had the potstickers, the rangoons, veggie (or Buddha?) delight, and basil chicken. The rangoons are very good, but I suspect the potstickers might be frozen fare. Anyhow, the basil chicken is delicious and so is the veggie delight. Rice is absolutely perfect and sticky. It's not spectacular, but it's pretty darn good.
(4)
Monica B.
We used the groupon $15 for $30 worth and really enjoyed our meal, will def be coming back! Very relaxed byob, ingredients are fresh, good presentation and the sushi is unique. We got the: baby turtle, on the beach and the ebi maki tempura. All were very good and fresh. The 'on the beach' was a speciality roll which was very creative with unique sweet flavors. We also got the Tom yum soup and a spicy miso soup. I love Tom yum soup and was not disappointed by their version of it. Great flavor, hot, spicy and a good size for an appetizer.
(4)
Anna K.
I came here with my sister a couple weeks ago for lunch with a restaurant.com gift certificate. We ordered two spider maki's, one volcano roll, and one ebi tempura maki. Everything was very salty, especially the volcano roll. That one was my biggest disappointment, since it sounded so good on paper and just didn't deliver. I also expected it to be much spicier, but it just tasted like someone drizzled sriracha sauce over a tablespoon of mayo (per piece). I guess in terms of consistency, everything had a ridiculous amount of sauce that overwhelmed the flavors of the sushi. I left feeling really disappointed, but I think I would have felt ripped off if I didn't have a gift certificate. There are so many sushi places in the city, and this one was just mediocre. I have still not had my sushi fill. On a positive note, the presentation was good and so was the service. Granted, we were the only ones there, but I've also been to other sushi restaurants where service was bad regardless of how few people were dining in. I think if I had a late night sushi craving, then Jai-Yen might be an option.
(2)
Sam R.
Average sushi. With the yelp deal it made it super worth it! I will come back every time i have a 15 for 30+ deal!
(4)
Courtney W.
Came here with a restaurant.com gift card and I couldn't have been happier. It's a little out of the way for me but totally worth it and accessible by bus for us public transit people! It's BYOB here and they don't charge a fee so it's an even better deal. It was quite busy but the host seated us promptly and the server was on her game. We ordered about six rolls and some shumai and everything came out within 20 minutes! They also didn't bat an eye when I handed over my certificate. Some places make a big deal out of it but not them! We were in and out in under an hour. They have quality sushi at good prices! I'll be back.
(4)
Ally D.
Came here on a date, and we had a great time. BYOB is awesome, and the sushi was great! I'd recommend it to anyone looking for extra sushi places around the city....definitely one of my new ''go-to'' places!
(4)
Kelly D.
Consistently good sushi and service. Not the best I've ever had but can't beat the prices when you have a half off coupon (groupon, restaurant.com , etc.). We ordered the spicy miso soup, crunchy spicy shrimp, crunchy spicy tuna, giant and spider rolls. Also ordered the red bean and green tea mochi for dessert. Good experience overall.
(4)
K M.
Can't believe this place doesn't even have a full 4 stars. Some of the best sushi I've ever had, and the Sweet Potato maki is a fantastic vegetarian option that won't make you feel like you're missing out one bit.
(5)
Lauren F.
We did not find our food to be fresh, the environment to be clean... The people next to us found a giant plastic chunk in their food And we couldn't finish our food when there was a bug in it! I want this place to be good since I live down the street, but they really need to clean up their act before someone gets sick!
(1)
Kristen D.
Came here on a friend's recommendation and it quickly became one of my top favorite sushi spots in Chicago! I expected it to be much less expensive (my friend raved about the inexpensive yet delicious sushi), but then I realized that my friend only orders California rolls. Thus, the regular, run-of-the-mill rolls are decently priced, but if you want specialty rolls (which I recommend), you're going to pay a bit more. **Bonus: no corking fee if you bring multiple bottles of wine. I think it's ridiculous when restaurants charge you a corking fee, so off the bat, this is a huge plus!** MAKE A RESERVATION if you're visiting on the weekend!! It fills up fast and I've heard the wait is long. The group of 4 of us ordered 5 rolls of sushi and for 3 girls and 1 guy and we all were totally satisfied at the end of our meal. Here's what we ordered, in order of preference: 1) Dynamite - the favorite roll of all 4 of us. We each saved our last piece of sushi to be this roll so we could finish each of our meals on a high note. Crispy and served warm, though even after it was cool, it was still delicious! 2) Cubby - has an interesting crunch to it and a great flavor blend. 3) Santa and the Xmas Tree - I would have NEVER thought to put kiwi and/or strawberry on a sushi roll, let alone a raspberry sauce to go with it. I was so surprised by this roll that I'd certainly order it again. I'm glad my friends were the ones that suggested this! Only downside: it's one of the most expensive rolls on the menu. Still - it's worth it! 4) Volcano (maybe it was the dragon roll?) - Not terribly spicy, but not super memorable, either. Very tasty, but the others still surpassed it. 5) Spicy Tuna Deluxe - this roll certainly has a kick to it. Not too much flavor, standard sushi roll, but still good. I'm not great with spicy things, so this is why it is at the bottom of my list. The employees were nice enough to let our group sit and drink wine and chat almost until closing time. It was our fault for bringing 3 bottles of wine for 4 people, but in no way did we feel rushed to leave. By this time, there was no longer a wait...otherwise we would have been courteous enough to leave. Service was polite, fast, and nonintrusive. An all around fantastic experience!
(5)
Josh P.
I was recommended this place by a local. We ordered 2 of their more popular sushi rolls (Philly Maki and Spicy Tuna Maki), an order of potstickers, and an order of crab rangoon.The food was good! It was not the most AMAZING sushi ever, but worth trying if you're in the area. Also, they delivered it right up to our doorstep on the 42nd floor in only a matter of about 35 minutes!
(4)
Jc C.
Eh. Their udon and steamed gyoza SUCK but my buddy got green curry and it was good. Quite sweet, but good and a large portion. With my udon came tempura veggies and shrimp and that was good, mowed right through that. I'll avoid this place in the future, though. Never trust an Asian restaurant that doesn't know a good broth.
(2)
Tiffany N.
Whoa, cheap sushi in Chicago? Count me in! I've only been for sushi once before in Chicago and it was good but waaaaay overpriced (Chicago is known for this sushi, yes?) so that was my fear about coming here. Some friends who live in the neighborhood suggested this place since I'm forever posting pics of sushi porn on Facebook and I couldn't wait to see what it had to offer. We went on Friday night and my first thought was "How do they fit people in here?" The space was tiny but they use it to their advantage with the floor plan and not cramming people on top of each other. I was expecting there to be a long way but we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table and from there it was smooth sailing. Service was on point but they weren't constantly at the table. We ordered a smorgasbord of sushi rolls and they came out quick but not quick enough to make me think something fishy was going on (pun intended of course). The Green Turtle and Baby Bear were out of this world with flavor bombs exploding in my mouth plus cmon, the names of the rolls are cute. We got an order of edamame and about nine rolls and walked out around $100--not too shabby at all! And I think we all know the best part---BYOB with no fee! Even thought it's not made in IL anymore it was nice to enjoy some Goose Island 312 without paying $6 a bottle. I kind of wish I lived near here so I could go again!
(4)
Kerstin S.
Not a single thing went right with our meal. Our server forgot 1 of two meal orders. Had to repeatedly ask (3 times) for a side of rice. The waitress then argued about a dinner item on our bill that we never ordered. Squid had gone bad. Food was edible. Overall big 'Meh'.
(1)
Brian M.
Favorite sushi spot in Chicago. So underrated. Easily beats out the ritzy joints in the loop. My only complaint is that they wont let me buy anymore Yelp coupons.
(5)
Jacob J.
Let's get one thing clear, this is a Thai sushi bar. So, their creations may not be to par for those serious about sushi and its prep, whatever that means. For me on the other hand. It was because of a Groupon that I stopped by. This was back during early summer. We sat outside. The value of the certificate was high so we got to sample many dishes of both cuisines. We'd forgotten it was BYOB, but all the tastes were yummy and we were satisfied. I still remember the first visit because we had a table with a limping leg, it rocked through out dinner. That shit was so bothersome. Also service was great in the beginning as dishes emerged from the kitchen and in the early stages of ordering and completing the order. At the end when we wanted the check and to get change, it took some work to get up and check on the status of the bill. Service is more mindful of getting the orders and filling them then of the finishing part. A constant that I would notice in other future visits over the summer. I've never yet had a bad visit and each time I came away liking a different dish. I should add that many of my visits were over the summer and the last was while the weather was still warm. Each time I was able to procure a table in outside seating. I dug the people watching on the street and while it's warm, why be stuck inside. I can't speak much for the interior except that it was brightly colored. A few reasons for returning would be; decent pricing on good food, good service usually, a tasty menu and often looked forward to their appetizers. Another feature for me a single guy in Chicago, the often occurrence of ladies out for dinner with their friends. Better prospects than scoping whose on okCupid's local list.
(4)
Rump S.
Got a restaurant.com certificate so decided to give this place a try. The certificate was worth $25, and the minimum purchase was $35. This was easy to meet if you order an appetizer and 3-4 rolls, table for 2. Great that it's BYOB especially on a weeknight. The pros: Friendly, nice and attentive staff. I asked for water with no ice and the waitress never made a mistake on refilling my water. Good size portions, the sushi is decent and for the price you pay for sashimi I think it's more than fair. Quick turn around! Our food arrived within 15 minutes all on one giant mouth-watering display and that's good news for people who don't like waiting. The cons: I agree with the last review - the electronic music was too much. And if you sit anywhere close to the screens you might find them a bit too glaring and uncomfortable. The lighting is dark but it's not so bad you need a light to see the menu and food. It can get really loud in here, especially with big groups of people and countless BYOB bottles, so although there is enough space for seating, I wouldn't consider this place romantic or family friendly. Overall good food and service, would come back again. I would give it a 3 and a half.
(3)
Nicole C.
We've been here twice now and I've left very happy each time! We went there this afternoon with our 2 kids (2 and 6) and the staff couldn't have been more wonderful. The atmosphere is inviting and the food was really good. We got 1 sushi dish and 2 noodle dishes and all was very tasty......well, the sushi was EXCELLENT! We mostly only go to Byob's and the fact that they do Groupons etc.....I'll continue to come back again and again! I'm a happy customer tonight! I hope they get continued business from word of mouth because it seems really authentic and like they're trying to leave a lasting impression, which they've done with our household.
(5)
Ericka A.
My friends and I were pleasantly surprised by this Sushi place. I had no problem reserving a Friday evening table for 7 people the night before we wanted to come. They basically gave us a little room to ourselves. It wasn't until later that other people took the remaining tables, but it was still set back enough to feel rather secluded. Service was decent, but a bit slow. The waitress and her supervisor seemed to be confused by the BuyWithMe deals that we brought. We had 2 coupons which could be combined with 4 or more people. They told us we could only use one, but I pointed out the fine print and they accepted them. There are also good deals on Restaurant.com right now. It's still quite affordable without any discounts. All of us came prepared for BYOB with a plethora of wine and a couple packs of beer. They brought out a large ice bucket and opened a few bottles for us. They quickly realized we had stockpiled booze and smartly left the corkscrew at our table. They also had the sense to bring out wine glasses for the entire group. We started with two appetizers: Crab Rangoon (pillowy pockets of heaven) and a fried Spicy Tuna Roll (another mouthgasm). It was just enough to tease our tastebuds for the feeding frenzy that was about to begin. One thing to realize is that the time between ordering food and getting it seems to span as long as the Sahara. We got our appetizers 10 minutes later; however, the rest of the rolls didn't show up for half an hour or more. It was worth the wait as everything we ordered was delicious, but it left me extremely hungry in between orders. I only ordered about 3 rolls myself. We placed individual orders but passed them all around. I can definitely recommend Cubby, Mexican and Volcano. These are the specialty rolls that are more expensive. If you really want to stretch your dollar, order a few specialties and then stock up on the regular ones. We polished off a first, second and third round of sushi. I was expecting the bill to be astronomical, but it was surprisingly cheap. It came out to about $160 before tip. I think it was $82 and some change when our vouchers were added, which made it somewhere around $16 per person including a 20% tip for the original amount. It still would have been under $30 per person if we hadn't had any deals. Considering price, atmosphere, BYOB and the fact that we spent nearly 3 hours here without ever feeling rushed to give up our table, I would call it a successful group dinner.
(4)
James A.
Came to Jai-Yen b/c my partner and I had a Groupon so we said why not. BYOB is awesome and they even gave us an ice bucket to put our wine bottle in which was cool. The service was good but the only bad thing about that was she would check on us every five minutes it seemed. I litte to excessive if you ask me. The place wasn't even packed so I didn't understand why she basically wanted up to eat and go. Anyway, the food was good. We had for some app. were fried tofu (which was really good) and a spinach cold dish which was great. My partner had a curry dish and I had a beef dish with some miso soup and rice. The miso soup was ok and wasn't to hot (for soup standards). The beef dish was good but very small in portion size compared to my partner's curry dish. I would go back if the service wouldn't be so excessive next time. Other than that, the food tasted good and again BYOB.
(3)
Ehow C.
Time: Saturday, 9pm, party of 10 Order: Salmon don with a Thai iced tea I was particularly impressed that the sushi bar was able to handle most of the orders in a timely fashion, minus a Pad Thai order that took abnormally long. My salmon seemed wet for some reason, but was fine once I drenched it in soy sauce. It was a bit pricey, but pretty decent considering. The Thai iced tea came in a huge glass, so you're at least getting your money's worth there.
(3)
Leesah R.
Awesome sushi, decent service. My favorite is the dragon roll. The rainbow roll, Mexican roll, and spicy salmon are runners up. Everything is always fresh, and the presentation is fantastic! It's BYOB, so that's awesome too.
(5)
Brooke O.
I have eaten here multiple times and have food delivered as well. When I have eaten in I always seemed to be able to have a groupon or restaurant.com coupon which makes this restaurant far more affordable. When I order for delivery I usually choose the orange chicken which is delicious. When eating in I have had many of the sushi rolls - my favorite being the dragon roll.
(4)
Shambavi K.
Well I liked it more than I thought. We used a deal to come here and try the place out. My friend was in an unagi mood so we ordered 2 rolls with eel. -Fire dragon was the best (I think it had spicy tuna with eel on top). -Baby bear is more refreshing but it was just ok. -Dragon - it was okay. too much eel sauce? Service was polite. I found it interesting that this sushi place run by Thai...granted they do have a lot of thai dishes here. and they had Thai writing on the chalk boards. I'd still recommend it.
(3)
Sarah S.
Sooooo sometimes I make mistakes. It's rare. Very rare. But I suppose it happens every once in awhile. :P I live within a block of Jai-Yen's other location in Avondale and order from there all the time. I ordered as usual one evening, walked into Jai-Yen by my place and they discovered I accidentally ordered at the much further away location. I (begrudgingly) made the trek out to Lakeview and picked up my sushi. I'm happy to say it was just as tasty and delicious as when I ordered from the other location. One of my personal favorite veggie rolls is their sweet potato roll loaded with fresh potato, gooey mayo and overall goodness that my pale skinned people enjoy. Jai-Yen always has friendly staff, tasty and fresh sushi, plus the prices aren't half bad. A great BYOB sushi option if you're in the area!
(4)
Samantha C.
I have no problem with the food that I order here but this tidbit is worth noting based on the customer service aspect of this restaurant. I decided to take my mom here and she tried their tom yum soup. Apparently she couldn't stomach the soup because there were so many pepper seeds and stalks in it (aka things that should not be ingested). She always orders this particular soup at Thai restaurants and never has a problem. She decided that only the shrimp was edible in this particular soup served here. Later on, a waitress comes to check on us and naturally my mother told her that she did not enjoy the soup because of the seeds and stalks/ pulpiness and she was done with it. I guess they thought we wanted to not be charged for the soup or something?? A few minutes later another waitress comes and says out loud in front of lots of people "BUT YOU ATE THE SHRIMP" and of course my mother gets pissed off because we weren't trying to scam them, she just told them she didn't like the soup. When we go out to eat we don't send stuff back to get it for free, that's disgusting. I guess they will take the time to sift through the food when you send it back after voicing your dislike of said dish to make sure you didn't eat anything out of it?? They ended up discounting the price of the soup, which was appropriate -- but again, not what we were even hoping to achieve. She simply just no longer wanted the soup sitting in front of her. There were absolutely no apologies given either. Not only was this situation embarrassing, but it was totally unnecessary. I think they need to teach their staff a better way of handling situations in which the food is sent back. This could have been handled way more professionally. Also, if a customer does not like their food you should probably just take their word for it. Unfortunately, I will not be coming back after this. This situation had me absolutely disgusted.
Like the three star description says, A-OK. Having moved from Lincoln Park to pretty much Wrigleyville, it sucks not having a sushi place around every corner. Walking down Clark and Fullerton, I feel like every other storefront is a sushi place. Since this one was basically the only one in the area, it's BYOB, and we had a groupon, we decided to give it a try. Walking in on a Friday at 6, we were the only ones in the entire restaurant. Our food wasn't terrible, so it was a little strange that no one else was there. Wait staff sat us immediately, and opened our bottle of wine for us. We ordered and our food came out in about 15 minutes. Again, not terrible, just not amazing. I ordered the spicy tuna and tuna avocado rolls, and my friend ordered the fried rice and crunchy spicy salmon rolls. I have to say that the fried rice was the most odd part of the meal. The portion was literally an entire large plate full of rice, and was huge. On top of it, it didn't really taste like fried rice, it was more so just seasoned steamed rice. The wait staff was nice but I'll probably travel the extra 20 minutes back to Lincoln Park next time for sushi.
(3)
Claudia L.
I was introduced to Jai Yen by a good friend of mine a couple of years ago. I enjoyed my meal the first time I dined here. I had a maki roll and an entree. I've ordered delivery over the last couple of winters and was disappointed- I hoped they had an off night. I called in an order today (Labor Day 2015), I experienced a bit of a hard time communicating with the person taking my order (no biggie). I have to say, once again I was underwhelmed. The basil fried rice had no table appeal and the two maki rolls were ok. I like the location and that this place is byob but I do have expectations to enjoy my food, and unfortunately I did not. Two stars is being generous. I hope they bounce back.
(2)
Vilma S.
Food is good but not great. The service is usually really good. This place is in the neighborhood and it's convenient that's why I keep going back. Spicy tako roll is good here, thai iced tea and green tea bubble tea are worth trying too. BYOB and no corkage fee which is a plus.
(4)
Asenath N.
I been to this place twice already and been disappointed both times. Thai good is one of my favorites and this place just doesn't meet up to my expectations. I don't plan to go back again especially since there are many other Thai restaurants in the neighborhood. I will not waste my money or time going to this place again. I gave it a 2 star because the service was good.
(2)
Ben A.
This is my go to sushi place as I live a few blocks away. Food has always been great and consistent. Service is great and BYOB. I've never tried the entrees but the miso soup is pretty good. I've tried a multitude of rolls and maki's and they have all been outstanding. Not a huge space but decent amount of seating with just enough space from the next table. The ambiance is casual, low-lighting, great place to eat and catch up. I noticed they deliver and have a fairly popular carry-out business. Metered street parking in front.
(4)
Joe L.
Yeah I will be going back. BYOB, love BYOBs. Spicy Tuna and Mussels were very good.
(4)
Mihir P.
Decent food and friendly but rushed service. It is BYOB so that is always a plus. They have tiny kitchen so I was impressed at how fast the food came out. But where things fell apart was when we were paying the check. My friend had a $25 gift certificate so after that our bill was about $49. One friend threw in $20 cash, I put in a card to be charged $20 and my other friend threw in his card for the balance and was planning to pay the tip - which we explained to the waitress. Instead they kept the cash for the tip and split the bill between the two cards - WTH? My friend was furious and eventually we got it fixed but it seemed a bit shady.
(3)
Asper K.
Something about this place doesn't add up. It's a mystery. Like I don't know, like an Adnan Syed level mystery. Like that I mean, if you play your cards right, you know, you could probably eat here for almost free. Cause they always have ridiculous deals on restaurant.com , yelp, and probably every other site out there for all I know. And yo, they're BYOB too. So in the end, you're paying like $20 bucks for boku sushi and all the beers you can bring. So the foods got to suck right. But no man, it doesn't. It's like totally regular sushi. Maybe even a little better than regular. Better than Jewel/Osco I'd say. And they have some stern looking dudes chopping up sushi in the back like every day fresh. So that's some real sushi there. I mean, I don't get it. One the one hand, it's a nice restaurant, they have an aquarium and what not. The food is good, and so is the service. So you know, where are they cutting corners. I just can't figure it out. And then there's the Nisha call...
(4)
Jeremy B.
As I already have a pretty solid list of go-to Asian restaurants it took a recent Groupon to get me to check out Jai-Yen, despite living in the area for awhile. However, I'm glad I did as it was great and I plan to come back...so I guess the Groupon concept does work! And no, I don't work for Groupon. The restaurant is BYOB and for some reason I thought they served alcohol and showed up empty handed. A meal without wine is not a meal, so luckily there is a conveniently located 7-11 in the shopping plaza next door to grab a bottle (or two). We went a little on the early side, by Chicago standards, for dinner on a Friday and the place was busy but not yet packed and seemed to fill up through our meal. Service was top notch and the food as well. Jai-Yen features a long list of sushi/rolls but other options such as Thai (noodles) and Japanese (teriyaki) entrees. We ordered a few different things but highlights were the sweet potato roll, beef teriyaki and spicy udon noodles. Highly recommend Jai-Yen if you're looking to brand out from your list of Asian "regulars," or looking to find a new one.
(5)
Julie T.
Their customer service was superb! They always made sure your water was full and always making sure that everything was fine. I love a place with good customer service. Now onto the food: This is a really decent place for someone to get their sushi fix. The pricing is about average. Everything not only looked great, it also tasted great. All the rolls were on point and dessert as well. The display of the food was major cuteness overload. It looked AH-mazing!! One suggestion however is to work on the calamari. I felt that it was not looking at it's finest and felt that it was a bit over cook because the squid inside was too hard too chew on. But overall, I would recommend it and come back again. Great atmosphere!
(4)
Radha K.
Jai-Yen is very close to my house and with a Groupon ($15 for $30), I finally had some incentive to try this place! The atmosphere is pretty intimate and the restaurant is a little small. I'm not sure if they take reservations but when we got there on Saturday evening, there was only one table open but we were seated right away. Lots of people were going in and out of Jai-Yen, so it must be a popular local spot. Most tables sat 2 - 4 people, but there were a couple larger groups as well. BYOB! The service was very friendly & fast. If you've read my reviews about crab rangoon before, you know I'm a big fan and will get it anywhere and am rarely disappointed; thankfully, that was the case at Jai-Yen! I also liked that they gave you SIX rangoons. I hate it when restaurants give an odd amount of anything so the entire table stares at the appetizer wondering what jerk will take the last piece. In terms of the sushi...not necessarily my most favorite - quite frankly, they were a bit bland. The special on the chalkboard was something along the lines of Crunchy Super White Tuna which was creamy because of all of the avocado stuffed in the roll. The Crunchy Shrimp ("spicy") is more flavorful than the last, with spicy mayo and unagi sauce on it. The Tropical ("spicy") also had some sauce/mayo on it, but didn't have that much flavor as expected either. I put "spicy" in quotes because they really weren't spicy. I wasn't blown away by their sushi, but because this place is so close to me, I am definitely willing to go back and try some different rolls again.
(3)
Natalia K.
Fastest meal of my life. Walked in to use a groupon and half an hour later, I walked out belly bursting and satisfied. Ordered the crab rangoon. It came out in 5 minutes. 3 rangoon in, my beef pad see ew came out, and one more rangoon after that and I also had my Snow Angel roll on the table. Little piggy me. I kinda wished they staggered that out a bit. The crab rangoon was good- nothing amazing, but totally hit the spot for that cream cheesy ooziness inside that crisp fried wonton shell. I tried the roll next, letting my noodles steam beside me, and it was also decent- nothing I went crazy for, but nothing I regretted. The roll looked a bit messy, but it was small enough to place delicately in my mouth, which I appreciated, but still packed enough that you are getting your money's worth. The flavor was nice, but I didn't taste much of the promised spice and cilantro, so I added more wasabi to my soy sauce. The pad see ew is enormous for the price. Lots of large noodles and they don't skimp on the beef or the vegetables. Quite good and I wish I was able to enjoy more of it, but I was already full and not in the mood to take leftovers. I did a lot of damage though and ate all my broccoli so I got my veggies in for the day. Service and restaurant is nice as well. The fish tanks are clean and make for a pretty scene. I didn't have enough for the $30 groupon before tax, so I ordered a diet coke and enjoyed it thoroughly this morning with my breakfast. Oh, and it's BYOB, which is ALWAYS plus, unless you forget the booze and then it's just upsetting.
(3)
Candace M.
A quick, cute neighborhood sushi place. I'm giving only 3 starts because although my spicy salmon roll was good quality for the price, my pad thai was not so great--the noodles were super chewy (couldn't tell if they were either over-cooked or under-cooked), and the tofu was also hard to get down. In any case, I will definitely try it again because it's very close, convenient and reasonably priced, but will probably stick to only sushi next time.
(3)
Art S.
Ordered Dragon, crunchy Shrimp, spicy tuna, and sweet potato. All were really good. Food came quickly. Service was just OK. We had two people who came and kept asking the same questions. Charged $1 extra for some extra ginger. Really? Its BYOB so bring your favorite wine. They are very particular about meeting minimum amount required for restaurant.com , even if it is less than a dollar. There wasn't a wait but they were adamant about no sitting by window. There are two of us and while table sat four, no one ever came to sit there.
(3)
Niki I.
Perfect neighborhood sushi restaurant! No corkage fee/BYOB and always great service. Very quick meal and service, usually out within 30 mins from when we order. They often have groupons which makes it even more well worth it ($15 for $30)! Make sure to bring cash just in case because purchases have to be over $10 if you want to use a credit card. I personally love the giant roll and my bf loves the tropical roll. We also share the pad Thai with chicken which is great.
(4)
Joanne C.
Some of the servers don't speak English too well, but they will try communicate with you as best as they can. They are also attentive and helpful in answering any questions you have. It was our first time here so we had plenty to ask about. We started with the tuna tataki which was delicious! I love ahi tuna, so this hit the spot. We also had the deep fried soft shell crab which was cooked just right with the right amount of crunch. We each had our own order of the 12 piece sashimi & I was completely impressed with their presentation that I didn't want to eat my food! It was pretty good quality sashimi, but not the freshest we've had. We tried the volcano roll and their new Hokkaido roll which were very tasty. For dessert we had the green tea ice cream, mango, green tea, & strawberry mochi. The green tea ice cream tasted better than the green tea mochi, but the mochi was ok overall. We also ordered a honeydew bubble tea to go. I wouldn't recommend this item as it tasted funny & had a weird aftertaste. I had 2 sips & had to trash it.
(4)
Sylvia C.
This place has solid sushi at reasonable prices-rolls, appetizers, sashimi, and sushi. They also do Thai food really well. I'm impressed how the owners turned this place around. Years ago, I remember when it was always empty. They marketed aggressively with menus, coupons, deals, and now I see it full every time I pass by. Good for them!! The only negative, and this is just my taste...Thai iced coffee and tea have too much condensed milk for me. I asked for less condensed milk, but I think it's premade because the amount was the same as always. If you're more of a savory palate, I'd forego. Service is good. BYOB, which I love! They are always nice and accommodating.
(4)
Mallory S.
Seems to be in a hidden area on the east side of halsted. Sushi tasted very fresh and was a pretty fair price. I ordered the spicy scallops and spicy tuna w tempura crumbs and tuna on top which were all yummy. The tuna was succulent and of great quality. My girlfriend ordered basil fried rice. Huge portion and definitely enough to share. Will return if in the area again:)
(4)
Johannah B.
I came here last night for a quick bite of sushi. It is also a BYOB restaurant so we brought a bottle of wine from home. There is no corkage fee, which is a plus. I highly recommend the SUNSHINE roll. It's only 5 pieces, but it was absolutely huge! Stuffed with fish, cilantro, and jalapeño it had a good kick but was not over the top. Our spicy scallop roll was pretty basic and I should have asked to add avacado. I also had a seaweed salad as an appetizer, and it was huge compared to what I get at other sushi places. We had also ordered the fried rice which was light in color and the vegetables were still a little hard. It wasn't he best fried rice I've ever ha but it could have been worse. We had been browsing groupon between dishes and ironically enough found one for the restaurant. Not too shabby of a deal, $16 for $30. By the end we were so full we had to take half our food home. I am glad I found this place since it is close to home. I can't wait to go back for their lunch specials and to try their noodle dishes.
(4)
Stu A.
I've been a few times already and plan on returning. The fish is fresh, the food is good, the service is quick, the staff is nice. And it's BYOB, what's not to like
(4)
Krystle K.
Coming here was my first time to any sushi place, and I absolutely loved it. My friend and I had pot stickers to start, then we ordered a feast between the two of us to share. I had the Summer and Sunshine rolls, while my friend and I split the Volcano rolls. I'm not sure what she ordered, but everything was fabulous! Our waitress was very polite and upbeat. She was extremely knowledgable of the menu, and punctual. I will definitely be back here. Also, BYOB!
(5)
Megan R.
Delicious every time. My favorite sushi place close to home :) Sweet potato roll, dynamite, best crab Rangoon, love the baby bear, Santa Xmas tree we order every time, too. decor is 4 stars, great service each time. And everything looks amazing on the plate!
(5)
Jon C.
Seeing a "BOYB" sign in the window of a restaurant always puts a smile on my face, and when I'm in Chicago, I smile a lot. Coming from Indy, we don't have awesome little things like this. So, when I want to have wine with my meal, I'm forced to pay whatever the restaurant is selling it for... and it's always higher! I went to Jai-Yen because a) they are BOYB and b) I had been told they had wonderful sushi. My informant was accurate on both accounts. Stopping at the liquor store down the road and becoming fully stocked on vino, we headed into Jai-Yen. For a Friday evening, they were busy, but not packed. We got in right away. I'm a fan of hand rolls, which I didn't see on the menu. When I asked about them, they said they could make them. I also heard that the sweet potato roll was tasty, so we ordered a couple of hand rolls, the sweet potato roll and another random roll that was most likely tuna or salmon. With great wine and great conversation came excellent sushi, and we both cleaned our plates, leaving nothing behind as we stumbled out of the place... perhaps a little bit more full (and a bit more buzzed) than when we entered.
(5)
Angelica C.
I really like this restaurant. +1 BYOB and no corkage fee! +1 Groupon/Yelp/LivingSocial deals are always available! +1 Good sushi (difficult to achieve), my favorite is the Dynamite roll paired with a smaller roll like spicy tuna or salmon. My fiance likes their Beef Pepper Steak. Also the crab rangoon isn't too shabby. +1 Staff is friendly and pretty attentive. They also have an outdoor sidewalk area when it's warm out. In the fall, they still have it setup with those tall fire heaters. Never a line to get seated and not a far walk from the Red Line. I usually like to come here about once a month.
(4)
Gretchen P.
This place is great. It's never been super crowded which is nice, although we always make a reservation. They have a great selection of sushi, it's pretty typically priced, and they come fast as well. The atmosphere is pretty and well decorated, and its BYOB. Overall, great spot, sushi quality is good, and the wait staff is good as well. They are not absent but also not over bearing.
(4)
Bridget S.
A cute restaurant with fishtanks for decor and a lot of good options as far as sushi and some Thai dishes as well. We came for dinner and enjoyed it very much. The servers were friendly and I was surprised to find out they delivered too. Nothing better than sushi delivery. I had a Thai iced tea to drink which was very delicious. It's BYOB but there isn't a cork fee as far as I know. If I lived in the area this would probably be my go-to delivery place.
(4)
Bex A.
We were able to make a reservation. It is BYOB and they were very accommodating. Especially for a randy group of women drinking for a bachelorette party. We closed the place down and they did not kick us out. The food was excellent. I love getting a cup of Tom Yum and a sushi hand roll. I would absolutely go back.
(5)
Julie J.
This is my go-to close-to-home sushi place! The food is good.. . Not the best sushi ever, but perfect for your quick sushi fix. I highly recommend the deep sea roll and the miso soup!
(4)
C H.
This place has fresh sushi, which is great. Some rolls are better than others, but all in all decent experience. My fiancee and I love the specialty rolls. More money of course, but oh so much more taste! the Xmas roll is really great. Plus its BYOB with no corkage fee. Another thing I like is the place separates tables, so you aren't on top of another party, like at some sushi shops. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because they charge for miso soup ($2.95). Its nice when sushi places give it complimentary. There unusually is a Groupon for Jai Yen too. So, get a Groupon and check it out.
(4)
John L.
Sunday night Groupon deal. Rolls were really good: Spicy Scallop, Philly and Red Marine. No corkage fee. Service was nice...would recommend.
(4)
Irineo B.
Great sushi and atmosphere! Service was excellent. I recommend the Specialty rolls and the Pad Thai. My friend works next door and I frequent this often. Good vegetatian recommendations from the server on Tuesdays who is also vegetarian.
(5)
Maya C.
The customer service was great, as many have said before. I've lived in the area for a year and a half and have dined here quite a few times. I've always been really impressed with their sushi, although there are times where the sashimi hasnt' been my favorite cut of fish. There was an eel piece I believe that was just okay. I would definitely recommend getting the sushi rolls though. Some of the servers are not as fluent in English so be mindful of the language barrier. I would just clarify and explain clearly what you would like if you are making special requests due to the language barrier. I've tried most of their specialty rolls and were impressed by all of them. The one I found to be mediocre was the crunchy super white tuna roll. I've found that restaurants that serve avocado tend to use under ripe avocados so be mindful when ordering avocado. I've experienced this not just at Jai-Yen, but also at quite a few Mexican restaurants and brunch locations this summer. Here's what I've ordered and LOVED: - seaweed salad - soft shell crab appetizer - deep sea roll - spicy salmon roll - mochi ice cream (green tea and mango are the favorites) - sushi A box (yum yum, ask for something other than eel though) - gyoza appetizer - miso soup (there's has really great flavor in my opinion, not too watery) - chicken teriyaki Skip these: - any of the Udon soups. I was not impressed. find a place that specializes in those.
(4)
Lindsay B.
Good food, service needs a lot of improvement. We waited about 20 minutes for someone to acknowledge our table. When someone finally did, she impatiently asked for our order. We didn't have water, a wine key or glasses. We asked for all of the above. Someone came back with saki glasses, no water, no wine key. She took our wine to go open it. Meanwhile, someone else came to take our order. The comedy of errors continued, though it wasn't very funny after a while. When we got our bill the waitress demanded that we pay with cash and not a card. At that point, I just wanted to get out, so we did. A plus is that the food was really good. The had a couple of unique rolls and everything was fresh. The spicy miso was exceptional. However, there are equally good sushi places in the area with much better service, so I don't see a need to go back again.
(3)
Ingrid R.
I was here last Wednesday nights with two girlfriends. It was freezing outside. The food and service were very good. We had to wait a little bit to order but nothing terrible. It was not packed but more than half full which surprised me because the weather truly was cold. I sat by the window and my left butt-cheek was numb after 20 minutes. Sorry for the image - but don't sit by the window when it's freezing. We had crab rangoon and edamame to start - both great. We had three different Sushi choices from the Chef's Specials: Dragon, Spicy Tuna, and the "I can't remember the other one" one. All were very good. Finished up with 3 deserts. I had the red bean mochi which was really good. My friend had mango mochi - also good. Friend 2 had green tea ice-cream which was allegedly good but she didn't offer me any so I will never know :( It is BYOB and our total bill before tip was $51! I will definitely be back
(4)
Girlatchicago L.
spicy tuna and sunshine maki, tasted unfresh, rice uncooked , sauce is not near to what it is supposed to be, very disappointed
(1)
Darren M.
Went here for the first time yesterday; I've been craving sashimi and since Matsu-ya closed, I was willing to pay $18 to try out the Chirashi here. Although the portions were quite generous, it was all for naught as the sashimi was terrible. The fish did not taste fresh at all, and some of the pieces were actually still frozen in the middle. There was also a piece of shrimp that was somehow impaled on its own tail (I don't know if this is a deliberate presentation decision) which I was too scared to eat. I gave it to my friend who said it was funky. I feel bad for giving this place such a low rating because the staff was quite friendly and attentive. At least the seaweed salad and miso weren't half-bad. One thing is for sure: if I ever come back, I'll stick to noodles and steer clear from the fish here, but that's a big if.
(2)
Marisa T.
It's a quaint little BYOB place with great curry and sushi. It has been my go to place for a time. I still enjoy ordering from them, and they're also just around the corner from my place. The decor is beautiful and can be taken as casual or romantic. I recommend at least trying once, you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Jason W.
Ate here with my wife last week. Our service was good, and the food was rather tasty. It's nice to see a few creative rolls on the menu. will go back for sure.
(4)
Lauren B.
Great sushi. There's a good variety of cheaper, simpler roles (tuna avocado etc.) and more expensive ($13ish) special rolls. The chef's special rolls are BEAUTIFUL. I almost didn't want to eat it, but it tasted so good. They made a dragon out of the dipping sauce and it was just beautifully presented. I feel like this place is sometimes underrated just because there are so many sushi places in the area but it really is good. They also have a variety of thai rice and noodle dishes so it would be a good choice for groups.
(4)
Adam R.
I had the chance to dine here on Friday Night. Fortunately, they had a YouSwoop the week before. I would recommend others hold off on going there again until the staff has had the chance to catch their breathes. The staff looked overworked from the added customer volume. I have heard many great things about the Jai-Yen. But the chicken Skewers were dry by they time they arrived to the table sadly. In addition, they did not remember that my dining partner Geanna preferred to have the Sushi sauces on the side. I understand it is a pet peeve of chefs when someone asks to alter their portion but hey I am trying to push Geanna's challenge her food comfort zone. We both enjoyed their sweet potato roll. I enjoyed the spicy taste on the Volcano Roll. I ordered the Pad Thai Chicken and wanted to lick the plate. THAT GOOD! Also, it seemed that a majority of the tables were taking advantage of the B.Y.O.B opportunity. Jai-Yen was excellent at helping to chill our white wine!
(3)
C A.
This place ok ok! Just ok... dont think i will ever return. The sushi didn't taste fresh and the seaweed was actually chewy like bubble gum. I don't think it's suppose to be like that. The service was poor and the bill sky high! No thanks!
(2)
Stephanie B.
Jai Yen has a really nice, cozy atmosphere with great sushi. I tried it because I saw good reviews and had a coupon from restaurant.com . We got the cubby, dragon, 2 spicy tunas aaaand I forget the last one (I would recommend them all). A little tip: I would have never noticed this place just driving or walking by. It is a little hidden and located between Grace & Waveland. I believe there is only street parking but my friend and I drove separately and had no problem finding a spot at 6pm on a Wednesday.
(5)
Natasha F.
I've been here several times over the years. This is a consistent spot for good sushi and friendly service. My last time here was last Monday. I treated a friend from out of town. I was wary of Monday night fish, but at Jai-Yen it was fresh and tasty!
(5)
Andrew K.
I'm usually weary of places that serve multiple ethnic foods. This place is a Thai/Japanese/Sushi bar. Went there with a few friends. Walked in just in time was seated immediately but shortly after the place was packed with a wait. Reservations would be recommended on a weekend or Friday night. The food was pretty good. All of the sushi was well prepared and very fresh and tasty. The rice was perfectly cooked and seasoned. We ordered a few other dishes from the kitchen (seaweed salad, gyoza, phad kee mao and soup). Everything was good. If it is still on restaurant.com , it makes this place a great value too. The desserts were the down fall. Ordered the cheesecake. Must have been frozen prior to serving. I think they defrosted it in the microwave. Part of it was still frozen and some parts were warm. The mochi ice cream was EXPENSIVE. Buy it at the store.
(4)
Nick H.
Jai Yen you have lost a regular costumer, ordered takeout, lady said 20 mins, was waiting for 40 minutes, order was all wrong so i emailed them and said it in the survey they sent. i rang then and the lady pretended to not understand me.
(1)
Milena M.
This place is ok for sushi. Everything is fresh but there is an odd smell most of the time. They have some pretty good rolls though, the green turtle is full of flavor. I think they just need to call a good maid service.
(3)
Shanna C.
This is my favorite BYOB sushi place in the city. All of the Thai dishes are great too. Don't forget to start with Tom Ka soup. Friendly service, great food at a terrific price.
(5)
Sara S.
Jai yen is a good go to place if you want to go out on a weekend but didn't make a reservation anywhere else. Really, I would give it 3.5 stars. The sushi is good, nothing spectacular- same with the soup and Thai dishes. It's kinda a neat atmosphere, food comes out fast and it's super cheap. We always have some sort of coupon/deal when we go and end up leaving stuffed and paying around $12. Only bad thing is parking around there is hard to find.
(3)
amish s.
Pleasantly surprised. I tried Jai-Yen because of the great reviews on Yelp and the place lives up to its reviews. We had lunch there and ordered the Spicy Mussel appetizer which was filled with flavor. Also an assortment of their maki's: Tropical, Spicy tuna, and Giant Maki. In all - everything was excellent and reasonably priced. Will definitely go back. Not the best place for infants as there is no changing station and the bathrooms are pretty small. Also - they had an interesting music selection - sounded like they had Pandora "90's reggae" channel on as we heard UB40, Shabba, and Hey Macerena. Not quite what you'd expect for a Japanese place - but it was fun over some BYO Beers at lunch time. (Yes, infants, Beers, and sushi at 1:00 pm - why not?) Overall a great place. They have an extensive menu - so I cant wait to try more.
(4)
Sarah A.
I go here often - great sushi place, decently priced for all rolls, BYOB and friendly staff. It fills up fast on Thursdays and the weekends so I recommend reserving a table.
(5)
Emily C.
I have been going to the sushi place for years because of its convenient location. I went during the week, and there was no one in the restaurant except the staff.. This probably should have been my clue to walk away very quickly. Instead, I placed an order to go. The sushi didnt look or taste particularly fresh, but i was very hungry. Not long after I ate the sushi, I became very ill by throwing up and other stuff. It was like I couldn't even digest the seafood. My stomach is still not right, and would caution you from going there. It might have just been the particular fish I ate, but will never eat there again. I'm hoping by writing this review that the staff will make sure the sushi is fresh and not spoiled and that customers really pay close attention to the quality of food that they are eating. Please be careful!!!
(1)
Anna P.
Tasty sushi place with delicious entrees and great ambiance. Take advantage of the BYOB. The place got really busy at around 7pm and although the staff was busy running around, they were still friendly and responsive. Definitely going back.
(5)
Lawrence Y.
I can't comment on the food yet, because we only stopped by for smoothies, but I really liked this place. I'm surprised I haven't been here before prior to the other night. The server we had was really nice. I really like how the place is laid out, and we sat in the smaller room. Their Peach Lychee is THEE BEST I've had in the city, and the tapioca is the SOFTEST you'll ever have. I know I've said that about other places but this one really beats the rest! YUM!
(4)
Colleen C.
I love Byob. I love it even better when it's with sushi. :) This is a nice little hood joint. Very nice interior, friendly, clean. Menu is average, with lots of options...food was fresh and happily served. Service was attentive, albeit lacked extensive knowledge on certain dishes. However, fast and with a smile, I usually can get over it. A great little place if you are in the neighborhood, great for groups...nice ambience, good lighting, storefront great for people watching, and people watching you eat ;) Parking not so good. Busses plentiful.
(3)
Katherine S.
My boyfriend and I love this restaurant because the sushi is amazing- and its close to home. The wait staff is friendly, polite and very attentive. We have eaten in and had delivery- and EVERY time has been a positive experience. Its refreshing from the snobby loop establishments with irritating staff and patrons. This is a very hardworking staff and they deserve big tips! We will continue to dine here when we'd like sushi.
(4)
Rachel B.
I'm happy to finally find a nice and inexpensive (comparatively) sushi restaurant that's within walking distance to my apartment. The staff there is pleasant and the spicy miso soup is great! Service is quick and it's BYOB with no corkage fee. I've been back about 3 times since I've first visited. Definitely a great place to have sushi with friends!
(4)
Jennifer H.
This is my new favorite sushi place! After searching for a very long time, we have finally found our sushi home. When it comes to sushi we have high standard for a place; must be close to home, have great sushi, good variety of sushi, BYOB and good service. Jai Yen has all of these qualities! We often call ahead for reservations and they seem to give the people who call ahead the best tables in the restaurant (which I think is the small separate room). Sushi is always made quickly and is always very good. My favorite roll is the The Giant roll. They have a very large roll menu and has something for everyone. They also have a large non-sushi menu for someone who wants something other than sushi. I highly recommend this place for a great dinner. We make a point to have dinner here once a month.
(4)
Michelle T.
I tried to go here last night for my anniversary dinner and what horrible service my husband and I received!! He made a reservation for 7pm this previous tuesday and when we got there we had to wait and then they tried to put us at a table right by the door. When I asked if we could have a table that had been vacated by a couple(just 2ppl) by the window, we were told that we couldn't sit there because it was a table for 3 ppl(after a guy had stopped in to make a reservation for 3 @ 7:30) and tried to seat us at a small wicker-like table that did not have enough room for anything. Sucks because the first time we went there, we loved it, service was good and everything, but last night, especially because we were trying to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, this left a super sour taste in my mouth. I will be trying to exchange the restaurant.com I have for them and will not be promoting their restaurant esp to any African-American people who like sushi, because you obviously can't be seen in a window seat if you patronize there.
(1)
Brooke L.
Sushi was great at this place and BYOB.. plus they have a pretty cheap delivery fee and delivery minimum..
(4)
Nicholas R.
Great service. Good food. Ocean roll was Amazing. Used the Yelp deal. Will come again.
(4)
Julio V.
Went here the other day with 3 friends and a restaurant.com coupon (spend 100, get 50 off). Ordered 7 rolls, a soup, 3 crab Rangoon and an order of pot stickers. Bill was 71 split 4 was plus tip. Definitely worth the money. Food was delicious, and its BYOB. We brought 2 bottles of wine, a six pack of 312 and a bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale. No Corking Fee. Money well spent!
(4)
Elise K.
I wanted to like them... Who doesn't want to add a new sushi place to the rotation... Especially with the low delivery fees ($2.50 and $15 minimum). However a combination of things earned them a brutal review. First we ordered through Grub Hub. We got a confirmation email that was blank, but a promised time of 8:06 (over a hour later post order time). We called at 8:17. It took them until about 8:30 to figure out our order. At 9:15 we still didn't have food. We called back. They FINALLY delivered around 9:50 PM. We had started the process around 7 PM. They did not refund us the delivery fee or the 10% we had added as a delivery tip to our card. The food was less than spectacular. The sushi (Tuna Avo and Salmon Avo was pretty good, but warm as it had been sitting in a bag with warm food for a long time. The ginger was so skimpy however. They did use whole chunks of fish instead of chopped up - that part was nice. The Tom Yum was terrible. There was just way too much fish sauce - not like any other Tom Yum I've ever had. The crazy noodle dish my boyfriend got was good. He enjoyed the tender beef. The house salad with ginger dressing was not impressive - a little carrot and 1 tomato slice on top of some iceberg in a small to go box. Not really worth the $4.95 they charge. They gave us a free veggie pad thai - this was the worst pad thai that both my boyfriend and I had ever tasted. It was a sad waste of food. They also threw in some shrimp dumplings - pretty good despite being luke warm and soggy from the wait. Meh to bad food. Awful service. NO THANKS!
(1)
Ralph G.
Great atmosphere. BYOB so if u wanna drink stop somewhere first. Foods great and really inexpensive. You can't go wrong.
(4)
Christi D.
I really enjoy coming to Jai-Yen. My favorite appetizer is their Tuna Tataki...it's unlike any I've had and it's very tasty! Jai-Yen offers good flavors at a reasonable price. Also, bonus points for BYOB :) I've been here too many times to count and they are consistently satisfying!
(4)
Yam F.
food was great esp. everything we ate - the whole table! BYOB is a plus just like the extra napkins. smooth 90's pop gets a D-(minus). the leftovers were gone before we left the restaurant. you know you love me xoxo
(4)
LL P.
Quick, reasonably priced, fresh!
(4)
Emily Z.
If your want sushi, cupcakes, or need a dry cleaner AND you live in Chicago your in luck, these Chicago staples are on every corner. That being said I've been to at least 20 sushi joints over the past year and this would be in my top 3 (behind Tank obviously!) The sushi at Jai-Yen was so flavorful that none of us even touched our soy sauce ! + BYOB + not busy (aka no wait, good for groups) + no obnoxiously loud music, so you can actually talk to your friends ! + easy curbside parking + Great sushi ! I went with two lovely ladies, we split an app and 4 rolls, we were full and the bill was a wallet friendly $50. Started with the crab rangoons, sounds like a sushi staple right... not so much, these were some of the best I have ever had, they were in the shape of little pyramids (6) which means no extra crusty dough on the sides just lots of warm gooey cream cheese deliciousness ! mmmm I will do this in order of my favorite to least 1) Dynamite... I mean it is cream cheese, crab, and avocado... yum... but then it is DEEP FRIED... can't go wrong there... soooo creamy and delicious in the middle and crunchy on the outside !! The only thing I would say was there was a definite overload of Unagi sauce, so maybe ask them to go light. 2) Sweet Potato... tempura sweet potato, cream cheese, avocado... again sweet and creamy. yum. 3) Dragon roll... 2 shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, tempura crunch, topped with eel and avocado. This was good... though I personally would have liked it better if they took the tail of the shrimp off instead of sticking it out the end of the roll... I'd prefer not to work at all ha. 4) Green turtle... shrimp tempura, salmon, spicy mayo, topped with shrimp, wasabi tobiko, and unagi sauce. This was everyone's least favorite so SKIP IT !! Over all great experience, Jai-yen is an adorable little sushi joint that serves fresh inventive rolls at a good price and its easy to access with parking and no wait !!
(4)
James E.
Great neighborhood Thai/Sushi place. Very friendly staff. Cute decor. Good prices.
(4)
Mike P.
Work close by and eat lunch here nearly every day. Great lunch special especially #3 spicy tuna and spicy salmon. My favorite specialty rolls are baby bear, deep sea and green turtle. I tell all my friends to eat there and every time I spend 12 dollars at the popular sub place I regret not eating at jaiyen. Good service and fast delivery
(5)
Jeneanne O.
Definitely a solid sushi place. Their thai food is so-so. Their lunch specials are also great, especially when you couple it with 20% off for your first online order. I liked their spicy salmon roll and their nigiri is really good and fresh. I think I also had their Green Turtle Roll and I liked it. Their ebi maki is not bad but not fantastic. I really like the miso soup. I also like that it is BYOB with no corkage fee and it is open for lunch whereas most sushi places are not open for lunch in the area. I still like Kanok better but this place is also very good
(4)
Abby H.
This place is close to home, so it pains me to have to find a new thai spot. The last three times I've ordered takeaway, I've had to return because they have forgotten items or messed up the order. These corrections are never met with an apology and they never offer to fix the error. I have to ask them to fix the order when I go back otherwise they just say "thanks for letting us know". Isn't it common sense that they at least make the order correct once I return with the wrong food? I had to go back to the restaurant after walking home tonight because the crab rangoon was missing the sauce and they shorted the order. Once I got home with the replacement I requested, I realized they gave me tofu tom yum soup instead of chicken, and the sushi we ordered had no ginger, wasabi, or soy sauce. We ordered three items and all three were incorrectly prepared. The food is great when they get things right, but enough is enough.
(1)
Gail M.
We go here (or order takeout) every month or two and have always been really pleased with the food and service. If you're in the neighborhood during the day on weekdays, their lunch specials are great and affordable. Glad to have them nearby!
(5)
Amy H.
The food was ok and service was extremely slow. I really wasn't a fan of this restaurant. My spicy basil thai was good. However, when we requested some of our makimoto be made without cucumber our server said "yes, no problem" but the food arrived with cucumber anyway. I probably won't go back to Jai-Yen.
(3)
Hannah S.
I've been many times and not just because it's right around the corner from me. While the spicy miso soup is a gem on the menu, my favorite thing might be the smoked salmon nigiri sushi. Good rolls and BYOB always wins.
(4)
Sloane H.
AMAZING sushi! I always order online and it comes in an hour. the deep sea roll is so good!! this is my go to spot for sushi! Their chicken teriyaki is very good too!
(5)
Dwayne C.
I love this place. I switched to ordering it for delivery sushi from other stores. They are always on time, have good quality, and are affordable.
(4)
Beast B.
Chicken fried rice is good, not too oily, california rolls were perfect. Best part is they deliver!!!
(4)
Mandi G.
Slightly above-average sushi. Atmosphere is nice and date appropriate. It's BYOB and reasonably priced. The rolls are pretty big and (if you look at all the added pix) presented beautifully. I just have never been overly impressed with anything I have ever ordered here. Definitely too much filling, not enough fish. I say go with a date (it's small and I wouldn't recommend it for groups) and put your expectations above the average AYCE sushi, but below the good places like Toro or even Coast. Not a destination spot, but definitely worthy if you're in the hood.
(3)
Valerie J.
Jai-Yen F'N BROUGHT IT So I needed to update from my last review: My friends and I went here this past Sunday post pride parade - keep in mind the streets were crazy all day, so I am sure Jai-Yen experienced some of that crazy. We showed up at 8 after 10PM - they close at 10:30. Initially the waitress said they were closed, but when I said, "but you close at 10:30" the lady behind the counter told her to seat us. (The one who seemed to hate her life on our previous visit. Score for her!) So we sit in the bigger room at the window, handing over our 2 bottles of wine and one sake for them to heat up. (BC yes, it is BYOB - another reason we were so late, acquiring the 'B'.) Apparently the boys I was with said "thank you" a billion times and our waitress after this was super sweet. We each ordered their excellent and spicy jalapeno miso soup (made with fresh jalapenos, seeds included!) For 2 of us Texans and one smart boy from WV, we were big fans. Next up came my friend's Gyoza. They came deep fried (he says most places he goes they come boiled) with a particularly pungent soy sauce. Everyone agreed they were pretty darn tasty. Next up: Yellow-tail sashimi with jalapenos and a lemon-soy sauce starter. Yum again. Fresh and nicely prepared. Then the rolls arrived: The Snow Angel was even better than last time. It is described: Hot & Spicy Shrimp, and crisp cucumber, wrapped with Ika (squid), Ebi (shrimp), house spicy creamy sauce, then lightly broiled, and sprinkled with cilantro. It just tastes fabulous! So many flavors, and the creamy sauces are amazing. Not too much rice either, great for one biters! Fire Dragon Roll Spicy tuna topped with eel, avocado, and unagi sauce This was also decadent deliciousness in your mouth. Sweet and spicy, and creamy with the avocado - great combinations. Tropical Maki Tuna, yellowtail, scallion, cilantro, jalapeno, cucumber, avocado topped with tempura crunch and spicy mayo We asked for extra jalapenos and they did *not* disappoint. Another exquisite composition. Can't wait to go back! :)
(4)
Mirko A.
The sushi was great. We had 4 different rolls all had good flavor and variety. The only complaints would be not having gluten free soy sauce and the customer service was lacking. The waitresses were friendly but not very attentive. Overall we'd go back!
(4)
Jennie K.
I absolutely LOVE Jai-Yen. I've been coming here for over a year now, and have never been disappointed. The Giant Roll is by far my favorite, and their Crab Rangoon is AMAZING!! Some other favorites of mine are the Philly, Spider, Spicy Crunchy salmon,green turtle,etc... I just love it. OH! and the staff are the sweetest people. They always give me a warm greeting and goodbye :) I HIGHLY recommend this place for SUSHI!
(5)
Kingsley L.
Mandatory 20% tips for Yelp deal user.
(2)
Karen T.
This gem of a sushi restaurant hiding between Boystown and Wrigleyville is a fabulous and boys, I do mean - FABULOUS - secret. Honestly, when was the last time you paid the same price for a special maki roll as a downtown martini ($12-15) and expected to be full off it? But at Jaiyen, that happens. BYOB and there is NO corkage fee. Imagine the Chris Rock "no sex in the champagne room" voice - there is NO corkage fee at Jaiyen, kids. The decor is clean-cut yet funky and cool. A 3-D arrangement of chopsticks on the wall actually became a topic of discussion at our table. Perfect for those first dates where you're stumbling your way through the most awkward dinner of life, but can't have a third drink for fear you'll confirm you're on your way to AA. As for the ambience/patronage/service... Jaiyen played some trippy yet provocative Guns N Roses covers, which were also heavily discussed. The restaurant was fairly busy in the middle of Pridefest, and seemed to be popular with both the straights and gays, always a good sign. Plus, our waitress carefully broke down our tab per person so we didn't have to. And now the most important thing, the food...oh. my. god. I made a rookie mistake of assuming the portions would be teeny tiny and that my garbage disposal of a stomach would require two specialty rolls & a soup. So, so wrong. The tom yum soup kicked my ass with spicyness, but it was so delicious I couldn't stop eating it. With respect to the sushi, I'm very particular about my hamachi (yellowtail) specifically, but i loved it in the Mexican roll I had. Great quality and even better price. The "By the Beach" roll sounded expensive at $13, but the size & number of pieces of it were more than enough. A combination of salmon, avocado, orange, cucumber, uzu and wasabi tobiko with a dash of honey mayo blew my taste buds away. Now if only all the sushi restaurants of Chicago could pay a visit to Jaiyen to see how it's done, our reputation for Japanese food would be almost strong as it is for deep-dish pizza.
(4)
Jackie G.
A pretty standard BYOB sushi place in Chicago. I like that. The waitresses are very attentive. Since this is a busy spot with proximity to Boystown and Wrigleyville nightlife, they keep the flow of orders going. The vibe is trendy with pop/club type music playing. I've had the miso soup, which had lots of miso, and was a nice start. My boyfriend and I have had a number of rolls including spicy tuna, spicy salmon, salmon avocado, crazy, futo (with egg, sweet potato, spinach), philly, unagi and spider. The spicy ones are a bit spicy than other places. Our favorite is the unagi avocado. My big issue is the rice. It doesn't stick together, so oftentimes when you pick up a maki piece, some rice falls off. It's a big frustration of mine when sushi places can't get the rice right, since it's such a big part of their offering. Also, the blenders in the dining room can be a bit disruptive. My boyfriend and I like how everything tastes though. I can't finish my review without mentioning presentation. It's sort of beautiful - I now almost understand what people feel compelled to instagram their food and post it on Facebook. On a recent visit, we went all out and got dessert. We ordered mochi and green tea ice cream, and the mochi presentation was surprised me in a delightful way (self-admittedly, maybe I'm easily delighted after splitting a bottle of wine). Gotta love the BYOB sushi places.
(4)
Patrick W.
My experience last night was bad enough that I'm breaking out of my Yelp silence to report what a disaster this was. Placed GrubHub carryout order at 8:18 on a Sunday night (I have the email, that's how I know the exact time). Walked out of there with my food at 9:20 after waiting at the restaurant for 35 minutes. For the most part, I've always gotten my Thai fill at another joint just to the south on Halsted. But this place is closer to home and I was in a hurry to eat and get back to something I needed to work on. I stopped ordering from here a few years ago because I was tired of waiting an extra 10-15 minutes to pick up my food after arriving. I figured things had probably gotten better since then, but I really didn't know how good I had it back then. Sparing you from the lo-o-o-ng story, the Readers' Digest version includes my texting the fiancee to tell her to never allow me to order from here again. Two other people who had ordered carryout milled about, waiting awkwardly in aggravated silence. I'm a really patient guy. I'm more than understanding when a place is busy, but this was just too much, and while I wasn't taking orders or working in the kitchen, they sure didn't seem busy enough to have been struggling this much. When I went up to check on the food, a delivery guy who was trying to help and seemed to be somewhat in charge took my name, turned to where some bags were sitting, and found my order. Last straw. You mean it was ready and no one bothered to say anything? I honestly believe that if I hadn't broken out of my usually passive, patient shell to get a status update that I would still be sitting there, 17 hours later. Never again. Schblammo, Jai-Yen!
(1)
Sarah R.
Sweet potato tempura...ALL DAY! SOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!! Also, definitely try the Thai iced coffee! Pad see eiw! Avocado rolls! And for God's sake! Get a taro bubble tea and let yourself live for once!!! Lol, no but seriously...this place is good stuff :)
(5)
Tanya M.
Just moved to this neighborhood and find myself craving sushi. Well thank God I found this place. Nothing too exciting that I can rave about it but it was satisfying and delivered very quickly. So for the moment I'm happy to rate them as a 4 star delivery service.
(4)
Dawn H.
A sushi deal on YouSwoop? Without hesitation, I'm in! And then I showed up and wished I hadn't. First off, this place was virtually empty at 6:15 pm (only another couple in there). Throughout the evening, it became very clear that Jai-Yen puts forth more effort in their carry-out service than their dine-in service. The menus they provided were their actual carry-out menus with food and water stains all over them. A little ghetto, yes. Then, it took 35 minutes from the time we ordered until we got our food. That's completely ridiculous, considering there were only 4 of us diners there in total. Meanwhile, they busted out 5 carry-out orders and served the other couple's food first despite the fact they came in 10 minutes after us. Not cool. We were super hungry. We tried: Soft Shell Crab ($6.95) -- Quite delicious. 4-stars. Tuna Sashimi ($3) -- Tasteless. 1-star. Salmon Nigiri ($2) -- Tasteless. 1-star. Green Turtle Maki ($11.95) -- Tasteless. 1-star. Spider Maki ($7.95) -- Less than average. 2-stars. Spicy Scallop Maki ($5.50) -- Average. 3-stars. Panang Curry Chicken ($7.95) -- Mostly vegetables, sparse chicken. 1 star. This place is SLOW SLOW SLOW -- slower than molasses in winter -- that is, if you plan on dining in. The really sad thing is that the food is not even worth the wait.The nigiri and sashimi were the biggest let-downs. It tasted like tofu (nothing). I now fully understand why they have so many deals going on. I'd be surprised if this place lasts with their lower-than-average food and slow service. The only way this place is going to make it is with their carry-out service (which, luckily for them, they emphasize). Funny: They advertise themselves on their chopstick sleeves as "Jai-Yan" and that they do "caterring." Simple spell check, people.
(1)
Erick N.
Just had another very tasty meal at Jaiyen tonight; the sushi has been consistently good every time and a great bargain. Fast, friendly service once again. Also noticed they had some outside seating; not sure if that is new or if I did not see it before. We tried the bubble tea today for the first time and it was so tasty and refreshing (perfect for a hot steamy day). We also continue to be impressed with the quantity (and quality) of rolls to choose from. Two recommendations to make things even better: 1) Another recent review mentioned a bad smell when they walked in. My wife and I noticed this tonight and it was so bad at our first table we had to ask to change tables. The odor was still noticeable at our new table across the room, but fortunately a lot less strong. Jaiyen, please address this issue ASAP - a bad smell should not be the first thing people notice when they enter a restaurant. Hopefully this will be a quick and easy fix. 2) Please partner back up with Open Table. Many people enjoy using Open Table to book reservations and I noticed this time that you are no longer affiliated with Open Table. Aside from these two issues we remain very pleased overall with Jaiyen and will continue to be regulars.
(4)
Jessica N.
Closest sushi to me, so I've been here many times for take out sushi. Tonight was the latest and I've always had a good experience with the sushi (can't speak for the service). Rolls are good, fish never seems questionable. Pricing is ok. Crazy Roll - good Baby Bear Roll - salmon on salmon, hard to go wrong here though they put lemon slices on top of the salmon which started to "cook" the salmon as it would in a ceviche. Thought that was weird... Spicy Tuna - good portion of tuna in the roll but it was almost TOO spicy where it masked the taste of the tuna Spicy Scallop - Scallop was good, a little too much mayo for my taste. Overall very decent place to grab sushi on a weekday or takeout. The restaurant's environment is somewhat lacking...which is probably why I've never actually eaten IN the restaurant!
(3)
Sylvester J.
I used to go to Jaiyen at least once a week before I moved out of the neighborhood. It was my guilty pleasure after Sunday workouts :). There is not a thing, that I did not like and I have tried a lot! My all times no#1 favorite is their 'spicy mussel'. a great appetizer, once you have it you will get addicted! but the list goes on and on..fried rice, curries, rolls.. go check it out, you will not regret! and get the SPICY MUSSEL! ;-)
(5)
Michael S.
Not bad... used a LivingSocial voucher and picked up a Tom Yum soup and two miso soups. Tom yum was unusually sweet and wasn't at the right balance of spice and sour . Miso soups were fine.
(3)
Arpana U.
Living so close, I've been to Jai-yen multiple times for both dine-in and carry out. First started going because restaurant.com had great deals there for dine-in. We have consistently liked their sushi which has been fresh, has a lot of options, including a lot of veggie options already on the menu. We ventured into their entrees and also enjoyed. I personally like the seaweed salad and pepper steak, as well as their pad thai and crazy soba noodles, yum! I've had friends come over and ask that we get take our from here. Dine in service is okay, it can get slow and hard to get someone's attention when it's busy. The place does get a bit packed on weekend evenings. They also put out these small wooden tables when they're busy which are not comfortable, so we don't do dine-in too much. Also, if you happen to carry out, be sure to check the website for free things depending on the amount of your order (free edamame, friend rice, rolls, etc.) They won't mention it, but will give it to you if you mention it and meet the order requirement. In all this is a 3.5-4, but due to proximity for me personally, I gave it 4. Decor is nice inside too, they go for a modern feel, including playing top 40 music sometimes.
(4)
Katy B.
This place is yummy and a great deal. $5-$12 a roll and can get entrees for under $10. I always go with some sort of coupon, so that makes it even better!
(5)
Sara V.
We've been twice now and both times had solid service and pretty good food. The rolls are good, some standing out more than others, as is wont to occur. The Giant Roll has so far been the favorite, with the Snow Angel coming a close second (it has this spicy coriander sauce drizzled over it that just makes the whole thing come together). My only major complaint was that the Snow Angel wasn't rolled as well as is usual. It was a little loose. We also had noodle dishes both times as well and both times have been pleased with the level of spice and flavor. While I've definitely had better noodles, ones that I might be tempted to write home about, these were still quite enjoyable. The service is excellent and the restaurant itself has a relaxed yet somehow hip vibe. Aside from the odd plaster-y smell in one corner, it's a very pleasing set up. The prices are a little beyond my usual preferences, but with a Groupon or other such deal, it's well worth it.
(4)
Jelena Z.
Birthday bubble tea! Move over cupcakes and cookies because bubble tea is my new sweet treat. It's portable, it doesn't leave crumbs on my blouse (hey, I'm accident-prone) and if I pace myself, I can make the smoothie last 30 minutes. I've only tried mango so far, but there will be more.... mark my words! Also-- I'll update after trying their signature maki. Lots of creative rolls to choose from, including a Mexican roll (mmm cilantro) and a sweet potato tempura roll. BYO without a corkage fee... sweet stuff indeed :)
(4)
Prix L.
This place is not Sushi. This place is a MESS of food. If you are looking for a good sushi place. This is not the place for you. The rolls seem that are trying to get decorated in the plate and what it looks like is a mess due to having too much food in it. It looks that the chefs had ideas of putting this and putting that and a little of this and that and t the end is a complete mess of flavors. Live two blocks from this place and will never come back. This is not sushi for me!
(1)
Kourtney L.
We chose Jai-Yen for a bachelorette party dinner and couldn't have made a better selection. The BYOB aspect was perfect for our crew and service was top notch. The smell I mentioned before was much less noticeable when I was in last month so cheers for working that out. I'm certain Jai-Yen's speedy delivery will come in handy over the cold, harsh winter months upon us.
(5)
George S.
This place is so cheap, I went in on 2/13/13 and placed a Togo order, it came out to $19.90 and you get a free appetizer with an order of $20 or more. For 10 cents they lost a local customer :-( what a shame
(1)
Chad V.
This place is A-Ok. In the past, Jai-Yen was my go to sushi place! Then I started noticing some nights were great and some nights were not so great. As I began to meander around the city I found better places. I still come back here every now and then for nostalgic purposes (and the price); it is generally decent.
(3)
Carlo C.
Wow! That was spicy! Hmmmmm =) If your into spicy noodles..this is the place for you! Needless to say...the BYOB led us here for dinner...and the wait staff got us to become repeating customers. They were very attentive and knowledgeable about their menu. So when they tell you its spicy... ITS SPICY. Trust me. You are able to bring your own wine or beer with no corkage fee. That is definitely a plus. Only downside is that you cannot bring hard liquor. Although, we did manage to bring a bottle of Crown (without knowing we couldn't bring liquor) without them giving us a hard time =) Great staff, good food and did I mention it was BYOB. Yes, I'll be coming back here in the near future...
(4)
Luke S.
My first experience here was a solid five star experience! The food is great and the service was outstanding! The rolls were on par with Toro and had very fair pricing. They also had some creative menu options, such as the spicy miso soup. My second visit was on a Thursday night at about 8pm. The place was busy, but they were extremely understaffed. It took 20 minutes for someone to greet us before we were able to order. We had downed our whole bottle of wine prior to being served our soup. The food was outstanding once again, but it was one of the longest meals that I have ever had. I think one of the big problems was that they were placing more emphasis on their carry out orders than their customers. It's a great place as long as they're not busy!
(4)
Caitlyn C.
Love this place! Good deal for good food! Go to sushi place and their pad see meow(spelling?) is so good!
(4)
cindy w.
we just moved 1 block over from this place and we cant stay away! this is one of the best and freshest sushi! the cooked items are great too!
(5)
magic g.
Nice combination of sushi and thai in one place, but: - no wifi (try to redeem that groupon ;) - would not accommodate sea food allergy (they fry everything in one oil) - staff, although helpful was difficult to get attention from at times the good? the food ... it is good, not outstanding, but good (great deal on groupon now)
(3)
Consumer N.
Definitely one of my spots. It's the only place I've found in Chicago that has salmon skin rolls made the right way. On the plus side, they have another location by my house further southwest from this one and it's equally satisfying. Love it!
(4)
Elizabeth A.
Sushi here is SUPERB! It's not the best sushi in Chicago but it's definitely up there. The prices are average for a sushi joint, the ambiance is pretty nice, and the staff (although limited in the English language) is also very nice. I would definitely bring friends here and recommend this place to others. *The melon bubble tea = yum!
(4)
Laura L.
Their menu and website both say first online order is 20% off but the website ordering doesn't work (actually, I can't even find any working links on there for ordering). I talked to them and they acknowledged that they knew that and still wouldn't give me a discount. Wasn't too happy about this but the menu looked great and still affordable so I made the order anyways. SO glad I did. This is the best asian food i've had in the city. I'm no expert and don't eat it super often but I was so impressed. Noodles, sushi and soup were all fantastic! Still had to knock a star for the lack of customer service on the advertised discount, the inability to redeem and their knowledge that its basically false advertisement but the food is awesome!
(4)
Emily H.
The decor? Cute modern Asian fusion. The LCD screens planted here and there spouting weird Asian infomercials were a little obnoxious, but since they were in a language I don't speak I didn't pay much attention to them. I liked the way they make their Crab Rangoon here. Not too oniony, not too greasy, a nice even creamy crab taste all the way through. The lumpia could use more spice. The sushi is passable. They can handle eel well, but I'm a tough customer when it comes to toro. The Volcano roll was alright, if a little bland. I was expecting face-punch spicy, and got Sriracha spattered on it. At least it was actually on fire when they served it, adding the flavor of slightly browned rice to the mix. The Panang curry was some of the best I've tasted in Chicago, and I plan to go back soon specifically for that. I was served an enormous portion of spicy-sweet heaven, and they didn't skimp on the tofu either. The Pad Thai was average, and my mother really liked the shiro miso soup. I appreciated the fact that they didn't automatically foist a fork on me, and let me choose which utensil to use (I'm a chopstick girl). I also appreciated the BYOB option, though we didn't think to tote along a bottle this time. It was a good find through restaurant.com , and I'm planning to go back.
(4)
Bethami M.
For what it is, it's one of my favorite sushi places in Chicago. Why you ask? It's ridiculously close to home. Granted, there are a plethora of sushi spots in Lakeview within walking distance from my house. Many of those same places are also BYOB with no corkage fee... Location aside, I'd probably give Jai-Yen 4 stars. The sushi is delicious, and I crave Red Marine ever since I've had it. Many of the other rolls are delicious as well, and I've never had anything I didn't like. For a large group, service is a little shaky, but I've gone with one or two friends, and never experienced any issues. Not that there were with a large group, but we waited awhile before we could order. If you're in the neighborhood, and by that I include Lakeview and Lincoln Park, and probably Uptown, it's my favorite hands down. Definitely worth a stop.
(5)
Alex R.
Good delivery sushi. Spicy tuna is extremely good and filling - though smaller portions on the entrees than other places in the same price range. Miso soup is enormous and tastes awesome. A really good choice for the price in the area.
(4)
Rachel L.
I haven't reviewed this one before?! Goodness, i need to rectify that. This place is delicious! They're very nice and the prices aren't exorbitant. The special rolls are around $11-12, and the simpler ones are generally around $8-9. Try the sweet potato roll - very yummy.
(5)
Arlene G.
went back here after spendin sum time at pridefest & it was pretty yummy! i forgot that i didnt like the calamari so we tried it again. same results-didnt like it but i liked everythin else. great maki rolls & seaweed salad!
(4)
David G.
i love rolls. Cinnamon rolls, bed rolls, Rolls Royce. I especially love sushi rolls, of which Jai-Yen, a nice little sushi joint in Lakeview, has a good selection. The first thing I noticed, being the... frugal... person I am, was that the prices for common rolls were pretty reasonable. averaging about $3-5 for six pieces. Not bad! We started with a very well made crab rangoon appetizer. Like most local sushi joints, they had more than a few specialty rolls, which ranged between $7-15. No surprises there. Our order: Asparagus maki - I'm usually not big on vegetable rolls, but it was a nice balance between asparagus and spicy mayo. Spider maki - Can't go wrong with the soft shell crab Green Turtle - This was a roll loaded with stuff, shrimp, salmon, spicy mayo. Dynamite - This one is loaded with unagi, crab and avocado and it's deep fried. This was actually my first experience with deep fried maki. It just doesn't seem right on paper, but it felt right on my tastebuds! Service was decent, though a little relaxed, especially seeing as it was 3:00 PM and we were the only ones there. So if you're ever in Lakeview and need an above average sushi experience, I would recommend Jai-Yen. It's BYOB so don't forget to stop by the liquor store first!
(4)
Isaac C.
I love sushi and have been to over 10 different sushi restaurants in Chicago and this one is the best one! The first thing we experienced was the fast and free (no cork fee) BYOB service. They saw we had drinks and asked if we wanted glasses they brought them straight away! Next we saw the menu, I'm a die hard fan of simple sushi and their menu portrayed a great selection if the basics. They ha a signature menu but I left that for next time. This is what we ordered. Nigiri Hamachi Sake Ikura Makimono Spicy tuna Spicy scallop Spicy tako Spicy salmon Namasake avocado The taste and quality was top notch. And they made it so quick! The restaurant was about 75% full. I loved my experience and can not wait to go back!
(5)
Helen H.
Service- terrible. I don't mind waiting for a table as it's just expected in Chicago, but when people behind me in line get tables first- well that just is unaccepable. They didn't even keep track of people coming in, they just grabbed people that were closest to them and sat them down. Instead of a 10 min wait, we waited for 40 min despite us hopping up and flagging her when she came around to seat a new Table. We got miso soup, shu Mai, fire dragon roll, deep sea, negihamachi, and spicy tuna. The food was all pretty good, but I will say the special rolls weren't as special as other places. Maybe they were rushing but the sushi was not rolled well at all. One fell apart before it reached my Wasabi soy sauce dip!!! Overall this place is fine, and prices are typical Chicago, but I wouldn't come back if it weren't for my groupon.
(3)
Ryan H.
I was impressed when i walk-in in a raining night and they have a good number of people. We were arranged to seat at a table by the wall and the whole atmosphere just cozy and relaxing. THEY DON'T CHARGE FOR BYOB! First we asked them to bring champagne glasses and they did a little more with an ice bucket along the glasses although its already been cooled. NiCE! Seaweed salad, spicy mussel were great! and the house special Jai-Yen maki was impressive too! However i really don't like the Udon Noodle Soup pobly im not a fan of the topped strong peppers... yeah, and Jai-Yen can create a far more better menu than the current paper ones. overall I'll give them 4 stars.
(4)
Derek B.
Every single time I go here I leave happy. I read other people's reviews, first if you are ordering sushi to be delivered, that's your fault. You are doing something very strange and if it arrives cold I really can't feel bad for you. Unless you have no legs get off your tush and walk in. If you have no legs, well. If it's diabete's related I'm not sure you should be eating fried sushi anyway. I half a mile from here, and I live a block from Nano Sushi, and yet I take the extra couple blocks walk and pay the extra dollar or two each and every time. You can taste where that dollar goes. The fish is always fresh, every ingredient is always perfect and the presentation is always worth a picture. At this stage I've tried nearly everything on their menu, if it sounds like something you would like, then more than likely you will like it. The BYOB pertains to beer and wine, and there is a 711 a block down the street if you needed such. No liquor. So you know. I've once waited 8 minutes for a table and that happened on a Friday night, other than that the place is always semi slow. Which is nice as they help you immediately and feed you as quick as possible. I honestly cannot say how fortunate I am to live so close to my favorite sushi restaurant, and that it is affordable and consistently perfect. I could do without the music. Why I am forced to listen to blaring techno at a dimly lit sushi bar is beyond me, I suppose it is the edge of boys town so I let it slide. Also, I dislike the desserts, but that is an across the board thing. Their food blows our mind if you want cheese cake go to the cheese cake factory.
(5)
Megan T.
One of the best sushi places in Chicago AND its BYOB. Highly recommend the specialty rolls. They even deliver and the delivery is pretty fast. I got delivery through Grub Hub and they threw in some free edamame. If you're in Lakeview, i definitely recommend checking this place out
(5)
Josh R.
Great restaurant, BYOB!, Great staff, pretty good sushi and always clean. They're always extremely nice and courteous and the bill is always ridiculously cheap.
(4)
Shea W.
My favorite place in the city for thai and sushi. The nigiri is always flavorful with buttery tasting salmon and tuna. I always combo with a thai dish as well. The place gets busy the weekends I have been there, so it's best to call and reserve from my experience. I'm not sure what it is like on week days. The price is right for a downtown place. It's a little small, so I don't recommend going in groups more than 4.
(5)
Nessara W.
I first went to Jaiyen a very long time ago and hadn't been back for 2 years. We returned last month and now Jaiyen is our favorite sushi place. I ordered the Snow Angel and the Mexican roll as they both had spicy signs and I love spicy food. They were awesome! Great taste, good combinations and very fresh fish! My husband got the Sushi dinner set. He's not a fan of any roll when it comes to sushi, but prefers pure fresh raw fish with rice. He said that's how you can tell which sushi place is good. He really enjoyed his meal and said the nigiri here are super fresh, melt in your mouth and with generous size compare to the price. I'm not sure if he would normally be this enthusiastic, or If it was because it was BYOB (and we shared a nice bottle of white wine), but either way, we had a great experience. The only down side might be the service - the wait was a little long before we could even order our food (this wait was helped, in part, by the BYOB). It was pretty crowded for Wednesday night and we were very hungry by the time we got there. However, once we ordered, the food came rather quickly, and server was very friendly. I didn't think the wait was enough to take a star off my rating.
(5)
Takelya W.
Came here and blew about $90 on some damn good sushi! I guess the beau got a little sushi-happy with the rolls. We got waaaaay more food than necessary for two people but it was definitely worth it. I LOOOOVE that it's BYOB and they don't even charge you a cork fee. We brought in a couple of bottles of wine and had ourselves a lovely night. The inside decor is beautiful. We were actually seated next to three couples on first dates. It was the perfect setting: low lights w/ candles, a gorgeous fish tank and an overall good vibe. I would definitely come back here in the future.
(4)
Lidia L.
This has to be by far the best sushi place i've had in Chicago and I'm from LA. I've tried rollapalooza and yuki hana both were.... bleh. but Jai Yen was actually really good. I've had the Jade Dragon, Rainbow, Fire Dragon, and the Seafood Tempura. Although a little pricey compared to LA prices- good to know this will be a good go to whenever I'm craving sushi.
(4)
Rhonda P.
I'm a big fan of the place, its close to my house, its BYOB, and they have great lunch specials. I've been with a large group and they seemed to be able to manage it and get the checks right. They are a little slow making the maki (pun! 2 points) for some reason the sushi seems to take a lot longer than when I've ordered food. My favorite dish are the drunken noodles.
(4)
grace s.
This has become my go-to sushi place. Jaiyen is one of the only restaurants Ive seen participate in deals such as group-on that offer dine-in and carry-out and had they never offered carry-out with these deals, I wouldnt have become a regular, as I am now. Although, I do enjoy eating in the restaurant too. I like the neighborhood, parking is pretty decent, and the restaurant is cozy. The staff has always been very friendly to me and quick to take care of me and my guests. I highly recommend the Baby Bear and Jade Dragon. However, Im excluding one star b/c lately the usually large (and very fresh) slabs of salmon on the Baby Bear have gotten smaller and the Jade Dragon usually comes with shaved radish,which I love, but they have been leaving it out of my to-go orders the past couple times. Im hoping this is a fluke. otherwise, fresh sushi, fair prices, and very friendly staff!
(4)
Jennie T.
For my first visit, the unpleasant sewerage smell from some broken pipes led my friends and I to request a seat outside even though it was hot/humid as hell that day. They sat us right next to the door, and every time someone walks through that door, they'd bring a waif of the horrible smell with them to the outside. I thought, "Oh, gross! I hope that our food doesn't smell like that." Luckily, it did not. We ordered the hota sake for appetizers. Mmm, delicious! The salmon and scallops just melted in my mouth. Loved it. Rolls we ordered included: - Mexican maki -- yum! - Summer maki -- Possibly my favorite. Again, it just melted. Nice and creamy but not too much. - Namasaki avocado maki - Futo maki - Namasaki maki - Spicy tako maki -- Yum! Total paid split between 3 people = approximately $25, including tip.
(3)
Shaun C.
For me, the best bang for your buck basic Maki roll spot. I say that because the Spicy Tuna, Scallop and Salmon are awesome. If you want more complex rolls, its not the spot, but for the Jiro Dreams of Sushi simplicity fans, I love this spot.
(4)
Laurie V.
We are carry out people and have use Jai-Yen about 6 times. Each time we used either a Groupon or their own discount. Never had a problem using a deal and the service has been great, our food was fresh and ready on time. Love their maki rolls! The Sweet Potato roll is so good that next time my husband and I will have to order two so we don't have to share one! Love the Green Turtle and the Spicy Tuna Deluxe too. Have several other rolls and all were great! Tonight we decided to try one of the Thai items so we got beef Pad See Eiw. It was good, but a little one note on the flavors. Side note-we ordered from them several times while I was pregnant and they were very accommodating and were happy to customize our order to avoid raw fish. Thanks for that! And now as I write this I am wishing I would have got the Thai Iced Coffee because it is really good. Next time!
(5)
Amey K.
Love the red and green curry. Yet to try sushi
(4)
Lauren F.
Jai-Yen has yet to dissappoint. I loveee their coconut shrimp appetizer-big and crispy coconut shrimp with a thick, sweet sauce for dipping-yum! I've never had a bad roll here but some of my favs are: Fire Dragon, Giant, Tropical, Volcano and Sweet Potato. The service is super fast and friendly and they're on restaurant.com , so check there before you come for discounts!
(4)
Mikey B.
I'm never sure what to think about Jai Yen. On the one hand, the rolls are quite large and quite good, and the other food available is reasonably priced. But the sushi is a bit higher priced than other joints around town, and the service is inane. They were playing NBC Nightly News on TV (...?) and when I asked to turn it off (because I don't want to feel like I'm eating sushi in an airport lounge) the woman giggled as if I were joking. "No, really. Can you change the channel." As she walked away, she said over her shoulder, "I can't do that for you, sir." Because..... you don't want to? Or because the owner insists on NBC playing at all times because of Brian Williams' awesome hair? I wouldn't go unless you had some discount, but otherwise, if you don't mind mediocre service and weird TV channels, it's OK.
(3)
Natalie O.
My boyfriend and I were looking for a casual sushi place with good reviews and reasonable prices. Step one: Yelp. Step two: Jai-Yen. Step three: NOM NOM NOM. The decor is cute, and the service was quick and attentive. I got the Namesake Avocado Makimono (fresh salmon and avocado) and the Dragon Roll (shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, tempura crunch with unagi, avocado, and unagi sauce on top). HOLY DELICIOUSNESS. The fish was fresh and delicious, good rice, delicious unagi and unagi sauce. My boyfriend got the Spicy Tuna Makimono (VERY spicy, but delicious!) and the Jade Dragon roll (unagi, hamaki, radish sprout topped with tobiko, wasabi mayo, and unagi sauce). Both the rolls were awesome, and the maki was a great deal. Highly recommended for those looking for good sushi near Broadway, Halsted, or Wrigley Field. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Hasan G.
It's ALWAYS a Pleasure eating here. I pretty much LOVE every thing ESPECIALLY the Green Tea Ice cream Ball, thingy, the Hawaiian Rice, Tempura, most of the maki rolls, and Definitely the Avocado Smoothie w/ "bubbles". Well Priced, GREAT STAFF and SERVICE, Nice and Clean, and Tasty! Ohhh SNAP!!! SOOOO GOOOD! Note... the Miso soup seemed much better this time, but not a significant enough complaint to Knock off a star.
(5)
Rebecca S.
First experience with Jai Yen--ordered delivery. Two stars may be a bit overrated. First, I ordered a chicken pad thai, and recieved a 1/2 chicken, 1/2 tofu mess (I hate tofu). The noodles clumped together and were so overdone, they tasted like mush. Disgusting. They also forgot our spicy miso, which I immediately called the restaurant, was put on hold for 3 minutes, and was told they would not be able to redeliver it but would 'credit' me a miso for next time ordering, but not refund my money today. The crab rangoon and potstickers were decent, which is the only reason I'm giving it two stars. Delivery beware!
(2)
Breanna F.
This is my Sunday afternoon spot! You get what you pay for. I've had better sushi but have paid double to triple the amount for it. So this place is just right for me when I am craving some good sushi but don't want to break the bank! The chicken fried rice is also really good and is huge. By the way, Sundays are the day to go, its super quiet and nice.
(4)
Shannon R.
I'm shocked this place only has 3.5 avg rating. I thought it was incredible. 100% best sushi I've had in Chicago. I lived in San Diego for a year and would put Jai-Yen up against some of my favorites out there. We got the pot-stickers to start which were incredible. The crunchy spicy salmon was one of the best rolls I've ever had. We also got the Ebi Tempura Maki and Tropical which were both delicious as well. The service was wonderful. We had a reservation for 8 on a Friday night. It was packed and we unfortunately got there a little late due to a redline delay. We only had to wait a couple minutes and got a seat. I will definitely be returning!
(5)
Heather B.
Please note, this review is based on delivery experience After my second successful order from here, decided for write a review. EXCELLENT sushi, very freshly made, with lots of distinct specialty rolls on the menu to keep my attention. The basics were great as well, spicy salmon, tuna avocado maki, and of course the miso soup. Tasty shumai as well. Some rolls i would highly recommend: Unagi Lover, Mexican Roll & the Hamachi Roll. Another great feature - you can order online through grubhub.com , and they have lots of coupons for free appetizers/rolls/dishes based on how much you spend on your order. This place has earned its position as my go-to sushi take out place!
(4)
Beth A.
yummy yummy avocado maki liked the inside...wish i had had someone to dine in with :P really wish that when i picked up my order it would have been chillin in a fridge and not just out out on a shelf...no buena petty details...my chopsticks were mucho splintery and i wasnt given quite enough soy sauce for what i had ordered
(4)
Fiona M.
My favorite sushi place in all of Chicago! The food is amazing, service impeccable (they are so polite) AND it's BYOB. Another thing... this place is always spotlessly clean. We regularly end up being the last people in there (probably due to being over-jealous with the BYOB policy!) and they make sure the entire restaurant is gleaming before they leave. Go to Jai-Yen, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Jimmy N.
I came during lunch on a Friday thanks to a restaurant.com coupon. The inside of the restaurant is perfectly adequate, in the since that it had slightly dimmed lighting, some windows so you know you're not in a cellar, and Asian decorations enough for you to remember you're eating sushi but not enough for you to think you're actually in Asia. The service was great- maybe because it was lunch and I wasn't dressed like a bum and cus the place wasn't too filled. I was seated quickly and food came out fast enough for me not to have to wait more than 2 minutes between apps and entree. Crab Rangoon: solid. Not amazingly mind blowing, but solid. Sashimi appetizer: I enjoyed this a lot. Good sized pieces and tasty. $9 for 5 pieces seem like standard prices for Chicago sushi. Dragon roll: I wasn't too impressed with this roll. It was decent in size but flavor was lacking. I guess I would have wanted to taste the shrimp more but all I got was avocado (which isn't the worst thing in the world). Dynamite roll: how can you go wrong with a tempura fried roll? You can't. They didn't. It was good. I'd come here again, but only with my coupon cus I am cheap like that. Oh, they have good sushi rice in the rolls. Like flavored short grain the-way-it-should-be sushi rice.
(3)
Kate M.
Yum! We stopped here last night on the way home and I was starving, *starving*, so getting something tasty was super important. It's a cute little place, fair amount of seating (bigger than I expected inside), nice decor. We shared the spider maki, beef fried rice, and teriyaki beef. It was all very good and presented artfully. I realize the way the food looks doesn't make it taste better but it does mean the kitchen is putting that extra bit of effort into the food. I thought the spider maki was the best I've ever had. Both the fried rice and beef teriyaki were also both very good. Perfect size portions too. The fried rice was only $5! For a normal meal (not when I'm starving and my eyes are bigger than my stomach) it would have been a perfect size. $5 for a dinner entree is pretty good in my book. Service was ok, not amazing, but not bad by any means. I got the feeling the servers were trying to give us space and not rush us. I'd rather have that than a pushy server any day. I will definitely be picking up some sushi from Jai-Yen for lunch next time I'm working from home. I believe they have delivery also and will be on my mind the next couple times I order out.
(4)
Claudia M.
I've never had the sushi here. But I had some pad thai is boy was it bad. Actually something had gone really wrong that day at this restaurant. When I walked in the smell of dirty mop water was so strong but I didn't listen to my gut reaction and sat and ordered and appetizer and the pad thai. Yuck, I picked at it asked for a doggy bag and threw it out at the corner. Dislike,
(1)
Lauren T.
Please not this review is for delivery. So I am a big sushi fan and I have to admit I crave it about 99.9% of the time, even if that means I am too lazy to get my butt off the couch, so I tend to order for delivery a lot. Having said that I feel like there is an art to the delivery of sushi, presentation with sushi emans a lot and it really says wonders about a restaurant when the food is really fresh and presented well even when it is delivered and not served moments after the chef has prepared it. Okay, not that I gave that preface, onto the actual reveiw. I ordered Jaiyen for delivery a few nights ago just having another one of my classic sushi cravings and went for Jaiyen since it was relatively close and in the mid price range for sushi. My friend and I ordered the regular miso soup, spicy miso soup, seaweed salad (which I always order), some Shrimp fried rice and spicy Tuna Maki, we were not too hungry so we did not go crazy. After finishing our food, my friend and I decided overall it was 3.5 starts. It was a little bit above average but nothing amazing. The spicy miso soup was really tasty but I did not get a ton of spice in the soup from the jalapenos which is why I got the spicy miso and not the regular. The Seaweed salad, which I could eat for every meal, was really average, there was very little sauce on it and the flavor was not very good. They put a lime in the container to squeeze on the salad but that did not really help the flavor much. What I did find interesting was they put cucumbers at the bottom of the salad, which I did like like because it added a crispness to the salad. The Shrimp fried rice was actually pretty impressive, there was whole pieced of shrimp and not those little nasty baby shrimp that usually comes in shrimp fried rice, so that was really impressive. The Spicy Tuna Maki was really good, but then again, it is kind of hard to mess up Spicy tuna Maki. Overall, if you want a less expensive sushi experience, I would say give them a try. I was not wow'ed but it did satisfy my sushi craving.
(3)
Marina G.
Went here for a last minute birthday dinner with my friend. She loved the sushi and there were plenty of vegetarian options for me. They even brought us some ice cream when I told them it was her birthday, so that was a nice plus. And it's BYOB. Add in the reasonable prices and you can't really go wrong.
(4)
Arlene A.
What a disappointment. After being very satisfied with our delivery experience, my Honey and I decided to eat in. BAD MOVE. I can't believe the dichotomy between the delivery and the dine-in experience. Both quality and portion size are a better deal via delivery. The size of our shrimp tempura at our dine-in experience was easily one half of what we normally receive for delivery. Okay, so maybe there was a new guy doling out the tempura. What happens next however should strike terror in the heart of all that enjoy good food. My steak teriyaki arrived stone cold. STONE COLD. Even the plate was cold. After finally getting the attention of our server, the plate was whisked away. And then whisked back in under two minutes! Are you serious? Microwave, really? Overly sweet beef teriyaki that is now a chewy mealy mess. Thank goodness my Honey got the chicken with peanut sauce, or I wouldn't have made it to McDonald's without starving.
(2)
Lex E.
I've eaten here once before and remember it as being good - but my most recent experience was ordering take-out. I ordered a salmon & avocado roll, garden roll, and piece of super white tuna (nigiri style). The staff is friendly and picking up my order was no problem. The sushi was very good! Very fresh and the pieces of fish were pretty big. I didn't think I ordered a lot but I was so full and could barely finish. The price isn't too bad either. I will definitely order take-out or delivery again. From what I can remember from eating there - it was a tad bit slow. They have a small outdoor eating area on the sidewalk when it's nice. I don't remember anything else extremely negative so I say try it out!
(4)
Sara P.
I came to Jai Yen on a Saturday night at 8pm to use my Living Social coupon. I enjoyed the food. We got the spicy miso, the edamame, the sweet potato roll, the spicy tuna deluxe, and the baby bears roll. It was all good. However, the service was absolutely god-awful. I don't care that the sushi was good, I am never coming back. We sat for half an hour before the waitress came by to take our order. Then we sat and waited for another hour before the food came out. Then we didn't get our bill for another half hour, so I just got up and got the bill from the other room. They need to hire more staff, it's a joke right now.
(2)
P C.
Wouldn't know what the food tastes like. Ordered an hour and a half ago and it hasn't shown up. Called. Couldn't get someone who spoke recognizable English to explain if it was on the way. Repeated my address four times. Um... yeah. Having an English speaker answer the phone really isn't too much to ask if you're going to take almost 2 hours to deliver some simple pad thai on a Wednesday.
(1)
Jeremy S.
Jai-Yen is my go to spot when I want Sushi for lunch in Lakeview... Using a restaurant.com certificate (which I highly suggest checking out if you are interested in this restaurant, and others in your area), I was able to order the following: Appetizers - Spicy Salmon Sashimi - 5 slices of delectable raw salmon with lemon and jalepeno, a great healthy choice with a kick - Edamame - A bowl of healthy soy pods perfect with a side of soy sauce Entrees: Unagi Lover + 3 pieces of Unagi Sashimi & x2 Chicken Pad Thai with a side of two spring egg rolls and vegetable tom yum.... I'm a huge fan of eel and avocado so the unagi lover was a must. I was not let down in the least. The roll was excellent and pieces of sashimi were just as good. The roll was topped with a sweet unagi sauce that perfectly complimented the roll. The only mistake I made was not ordering more of the sushi, and going with a dish of pad thai instead. The Chicken Pad Thai included slices of tofu and tasted very good. Not the best I've ever had, but a good enough sized portion and it didn't leave me felling like I had just overloaded on carbs. With the restaurant.com gift certificate the final bill came out to $21 (with tip included). Split between two people, that becomes $10 for a high quality sit down lunch. You can't beat that period. Definitely go to Jai Yen for Sushi first. Great restaurant and staff, and it should not disappoint.
(4)
Jennifer D.
I've both eaten in and ordered delivery dozens of times. Good quality/quantity for value. Friendly and professional staff.
(5)
Long Q.
I have been here twice. The firs time was in July of 2010 and I only had their panang curry. From what I could remember it was decent. My review is for my recent visit November 2011. This time i ordered an udon noodle soup with two sushi rolls. Guess what the secret ingredient in one of their specialty roll is??!?!? it's Human HAIR!!! more specifically it's the chef's hair. The specialty roll came with the hair laying neatly along the roll and cut into even pieces...I called the waitress over and pointed the hair to her, she just said "sorry" and went to replace the roll. How many starts should I deduct from that? I was generous I took two. Where is the third star you ask? I took the last star away because the beef in the udon was very chewy, the rice in the sushi was flavorless, and the fish was not fresh. With that being said, the service was fairly fast, but I can't imagine how slow it could have been since I was the only patron there...Yea never coming here again...
(2)
anna s.
I like Jai-Yen This is a great local place and the best sushi option in the area. The service is always pretty good and the food is pretty consistent. My bf and I eat there about once or twice a month, as it is very close and local for us. Their spicy miso soup and seawead salad are always good. i'm also a fan of the dragon roll, rainbow roll, and tropical roll. Everything is always fresh and as good as you can get from a small local place. I recommend :)
(4)
Nikkie H.
I've been to Jai-Yen twice now for birthday parties. The first was for a friend and the second was me (wheee!) Both times we had a large group of 10+. Visit number one took forever, but the second time it was much better. Both visits we tried a smattering of the maki rolls on the menu and I have to say there wasn't one I didn't like. My top three rolls (in no particular order) are the Jade Dragon, Tropical and Lava. The only gripe I have was that the room where they sat us was super hot. After a few glasses of wine it didn't bother me as much though (hooray for BYOB!) All in all it was a great meal that was reasonably priced when you use a restaurant.com gift certificate. I highly recommend.
(5)
Kate S.
Do not eat at Jai-Yen! I was there with my boyfriend last year and thought we had a good experience, but were very much mistaken. We both woke up in the middle of the night with food poisoning and had to be rushed to the ER. Over $500.00 in medical bills later, we almost had to give up our love for sushi because of this horrible experience. The doctor's informed us that food poisoning does not have to be from bad fish, but can result from contaminated rice when the sushi chefs don't wash their hands (yuck!) or a number of other sanitary issues. Please choose another sushi restaurant the next time you get the craving..there are dozens of wonderful places in the city that won't leaving you feeling like death!
(1)
Marcee W.
A classic case of you get what you pay for. Sushi is inexpensive, tasty, but not the best I've had. Crab rangoon and shrimp egg roll appetizers were good, but I didn't care much for the chicken pad thai, which tasted very sweet to me. Thai iced coffee was good and you can't beat a byob restaurant for value.
(3)
Fernando G.
Stopped in here because of a Living Social coupon and was pleasantly surprised except for one thing. First, I didn't notice any odd odor other than the air freshener at the entrance between the doors. This was probably due to the low temperatures, but I can see how that might be an issue in warmer temperatures. Second thing I noticed was the dance/house music being played. Being a DJ myself, this was not a problem because Kaskade is actually one of my favorite producers, but I digress. The music volume was just right, a little bit louder and it would have been annoying. Ordered the Miso Soup, Dragon, Volcano, and Spicy Tuna rolls with Chicken Teriyaki just for good measure. It's pretty hard to get Miso soup wrong, and on a cold day it really hit the spot. The sushi was actually very tasty, with the Dragon roll as my favorite. The chicken teriyaki was very flavorful and soft. Now, the one downside to the whole experience was the water! The water had a very metallic flavor to it, like it came out of my Grandmother's kitchen sink. Nothing that a pitcher with built in filter couldn't fix. The water might just be a moot point since the place is BYOB! We brought a few beers with us, so it really wasn't much of an issue, yet I felt it was enough to subtract a star. $wise - the total would have been around $56 which seems reasonable. The server saved me a couple of bucks by pointing out that the Chicken Teriyaki already included one miso soup.
(4)
Allie B.
I've dined in the restaurant once but what I really really love is the delivery. You know when you come home from a really miserably long day. The kind that actually start off the night before because you couldn't fall asleep so in the morning you're too tired to remember to take any of the necessary items with you when you leave your place (i.e. wallet, lunch, dignity) and progresses so "well" that by noon you've somehow been roped into a conversation with your ex (and all you want to do is sing Taylor Swift to him: We are never ever ever getting back together. This is exhausting), work is just NOT going well, and by the time you get home you really just want to cry and then die. But instead you find that tiny bit of sense left in your brain and order Jai-Yen (accidentally-on-purpose ordering twice as much as you can really eat) and about 20 minutes later the nicest looking man is on your step with a bag full of delicious, delicious deliciousness. And you eat your entire order of crab rangoon and your whole body smiles. To the point: Their food is, well, delicious. Their delivery is quick. And the delivery guy is always super nice and polite. Their prices are spot on and for $20 you can have enough sushi/snacks to rectify even the worst day and to keep you smiling well into the next when you have leftovers for lunch.
(4)
Laura E.
This is the second time I've order from this place. The first time was alright but this time really was disappointing. The guy delivering the food was pretty rude, which was ok because I'm sure being a delivery guy is not the greatest job. My order was wrong. They forgot two sushi rolls, the soup and potstickers were cold. When I called them up they said they would have to call me back in an hour. An hour? And still never called. Definitely will not order there again. An update. So, I called and tried speaking with them again. They told me that I should have called earlier and that they were 'too busy' to deal with the issue. Sigh. The lady said she would get to my issue eventually. Such great customer service... ugh.
(1)
J B.
Best sushi in all of Lakeview. Hands down. I am so happy that we moved to this neighborhood specifically because of our proximity to Jai-Yen sushi. We love that it is a BYOB place because it saves us a lot of money & drinks. I recommend the Santa's X-mas tree roll, Red Marine Roll, the pad-thai, actually... I've been here so many times and have tried so many things on the menu & have honestly never been dissatisfied that I can safely say I recommend absolutely everything on the menu. The service is great, the servers and sushi-chef's are so friendly and polite with the customers, and service is pretty fast too! They brought us a complimentary ice bucket and chilled glasses to enjoy the beers we brought. If you are a sushi fanatic like me, don't hesitate to check this place out. Jai-Yen is a top notch restaurant.
(5)
Elissa M.
I'm so happy I can walk to this place! Here's a quick review because I'm actually on my way to try the Athenian Room. Incorrigible! Ha! I know. We started with the seaweed salad which was good, and not drippy like they can sometimes be at cheaper places. We then had an appetizer consisting of tiny skewers of grilled scallop and lox with some green roe on top. WOW. Did not even care that it was $10, it was that good. Not going to make you full, but will get you redolent for your sexy days spent by the sea. I had drunken noodles as my main dish, substituted the meat for tofu and holy hell, this was amazing. I was expecting long noodles and was a little disappointed to find them square and flat but I wasn't disappointed for long! These are the best noodles of all time and EXTREMELY fairly priced. The sauce was piquant and intelligently put together, no goopy sweet crap here. Only complaint-- they were playing Katy Perry, and when me and my dining companion started comedically lip-synching a la Keegan, they turned it off. Can we blame them? I don't. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Karen C.
Anything that is BYOB sans the corkage fee gets a big fat 2-thumbs-up from me, so Jai Yen is off to a great start in that regard. Having friends that absolutely LOVE Jai Yen and used to live down the block, we've been here quite often. I started going here before I jumped on the sushi train... the pad thai is really good, and i love their crab rangoon... they are like little nuggets of deep-fried happiness. Recently I started to venture out and try more kinds of sushi, and I gotta say... Jai Yen's is pretty freaking delicious. If you're looking for a place that is not-too-fancy, cheap, BYOB (did i mention that there is no corkage fee?), and has friendly service, Jai Yen is the place for you. I have to admit that I also notice the "wet rag" smell every time I'm there, and it kind of freaks me out. However, I've yet to become ill, so I can't really knock them a star for something like that. There are other places in the neighborhood that I prefer, but when I don't feel like waiting in line or spending a lot of money (yes, Wakamono, I'm talking to you), Jai Yen is where it's at.
(4)
Kyle O.
Review in a nutshell: The sushi is fantastic and well priced, its BYOB with no corking fee, but the service leaves something to be desired. My fiancee and I love the the Sushi here. It's definitely our favorite sushi place within walking distance of our apartment. All the rolls are very fairly priced and absolutely delicious. The spicy tuna deluxe roll is amazing, probably my favorite roll ever! Its also great money saver that the place is BYOB with no corkage fees (although this generally leads to buying even more sushi). The environment is well done inside except there are a couple oddly placed small TVs that somewhat ruin the ambiance. The only reason it doesn't get five stars is the service is fairly spotty. There seem to be plenty of employees but their visits to the table are usually few and far between.
(4)
Yeah M.
I have been eating at Jai-Yen almost every week for half a year. It's honestly the best sushi I've had in the city for the price. Week to week, friends and I forgave the bad service (waitstaff takes forever to even get a drink order) and their lack of social graces (like when they write in the amount of tip we "owe" when using a restaurant.com coupon). I respect the service industry and rarely tip under 20% (always tipping based on the full-price when using coupons). All of these were minor annoyances. However, given my most recent experience, I will never go back. After a frustratingly outrageous disagreement over their minimum-purchase policy for running a credit card, I decided not to leave a tip at all (drastic, and something I NEVER do, but it was the appropriate response to the experience). As I was putting my car in "Drive", our server ran out into the street, literally chasing me down for the tip I "still owed". I grabbed a wad of bills, stuffed them in her hand, and vowed never to go back.
(1)
Elizabeth H.
Purchased a restaurant.com voucher to dine here. We presented the voucher to our waitress and she inform my husband and I that we needed order $100 worth of food in our to use our $50 off voucher. That was simply done by us by just ordering a couple of speciality rolls. Food was decent. Time for our check we were stunned! She added a 20 percent tip to our tab automatically! I asked for an explanation and she advised that our restaurant.com certificate notes for the tip to be added. I clearly recalled that ours stated a minimum of $100 without the tip added. The waitress had the nerves to bring an OLD certificate of someone else printed in 2011 to try to prove a point. I continued to argue with her that mine did not disclose that. She wouldn't bring back my certificate for some odd reason. She ended up having to take the tip off as I was correct. My reason for the review is they will nickel and dime you....someone else certificate was 18 percent but somehow she managed to add 20 percent to ours. We usually tip 15 percent no need for the "hidden" add tips! Never again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(1)
Matt M.
BYOB, great sushi at an affordable price. The waitstaff is very pleasant, attentive, yet not intrusive. Try the sweet potato roll for something different, along w/ all the staples.
(5)
Thongsy S.
I thought I'd give this place try since I was able to get a $25 gift certificate on restaurant.com for really cheap. That was the WRONG choice. It was simply one of the worst Thai food I've ever had and trust me, I have been to enough Thai restaurants in the city. I should have figured since 3/4 of the menu is Japanese and the remaining is Thai. I ordered the spicy udon noodles with chicken, chicken panang curry, tom kha with shrimp, spicy tuna hand roll, and spicy squid maki. Everything minus the sushi was sub-par. If it weren't for the decent sushi, I would have given this place 1 star. The worst of those dishes was the spicy udon noodles. It was disgusting. I took 1 bite and could not go for a second one and didn't even bother to take it home (Yes, it was that bad). The service too was sub-par to mediocre. We were seated at a table with no utensils, water was not refilled, and server took a while to bring back our credit card receipt EVEN though my boyfriend went and paid at the counter which usually means people are in a hurry to leave. Upside is it is BYOB and the decor and music are pretty good. I really wanted to like this place but sadly I will not be returning to this place.
(2)
Dennis L.
I ordered delivery from Jai-Yen to take advantage of their 20% discount on first time orders. Our delivery was both on-time and delicious. I was in the mood for a noodle dish, so I this review does not take their sushi offerings into account. As a starter, I enjoyed the spicy Miso soup. It had excellent flavor, wonderful heat, and large chunks of tofu. I had never had a spicy miso soup before, but this experience certainly made me a fan. For my entree, I enjoyed the Drunken Chicken Noodles. It was excellent and very filling. Also, we received an order of edamame for free due to our order being over $15. You have to love freebies! Overall, a very solid delivery experience from Jai-Yen.
(4)
Andrew L.
I ordered here three times thus far, all the time it involved sushi and it was good. One time I ordered this Tokyo soup item using Grub Hub. They called me saying it wasn't on the menu anymore! So I replaced it with the Tempura Udon and she kinda gave me a hard time about the price difference, which consisted of 20 cents! Gah cheap bastards to the extreme. In the end she agreed to the price change because I had already paid for this using the paypal option on Grub Hub. If not I would've gladly paid the 20 cents. Overall this place is good for cheap rolls and sushi and their soups are yum. If you can look past the lack of authenticity then this place is good!
(3)
Amanda T.
A friend and I came here many moons ago. It was the second dinner I had after moving out of the fishbowl aka the suburbs and into the big bad city. I remember it being really good and wanting to go back, but I could never remember the name and kinda forgot the location, and so did my friend. But as fate would have it, I came here randomly one night and lo and behold! This was the place! Okay but enough of this memory lane nonsense, let's get to the dirty. The sushi rolls were as good as I remember. They are able to incorporate different elements into each roll and make some of the simple traditional rolls more unique. I really enjoyed some of the signature rolls: the Green Turtle roll and the Tropical roll; it has tuna and hamachi mmmm. Even the regular run of the mill rolls like the spicy tuna are pretty solid. The miso soup is also very tasty and a perfect way to warm up in this cold weather. Prices are reasonable and the best part is that it's BYOB and there's no corkage fee. Sweeeet. I left happy and full, and this time I remembered the name.
(4)
Maram K.
Went here last Friday night (cue the Katy Perry music...) with sister and her friends. First impression was that this place was chic and modern so I was excited thinking I'd try new sushi rolls. We get seated in a small area, and we had 6 people. In their defense, my sister made reservations for 4 and 4 became 6 at the last minute. Although small, it was a nice size to maintain conversation. Their window sills were actually seats too so I enjoyed their use of space. We get seated and order drinks. One of us has the lime ginger ale and I had the pomegranate ginger ale. Most of their ginger ale is homemade with real ginger so I was excited. The lime ginger ale was delicious. My pomegranate, not so much. It was very syrup-y and tasted like cough medicine. I know some people prefer that taste so whatever. Their service seemed scatter-brained. We were asked for our drink order almost 4 times (not refills, our initial drinks). Also, 3 waitresses asked to take our order. I admire that they were so willing to help but it became confusing as we thought the other just never put in the order. We shared a ton of rolls but I don't remember all their names or what they were. I do remember their Santa/Xmas tree roll and their Snow Angel. Santa roll had fresh strawberries and a raspberry sauce over an Unagi/shrimp tempura roll. The snow angel was "spicy" according to them and was a squid roll with cilantro. Everything was tasty but nothing was too memorable. And their spicy was not very. All in all, this place was okay. Sorry for the lack of creativity of this post. Everything is fun and games until you get a mediocre sushi experience.
(3)
Cindy D.
Great BYOB place that takes restaurant.com certs. What more can you ask for!!! Got sashimi platter (12 piece), 4 rolls, and pad se-ew and fully fed two people. It was $50 after the certificate, probably more than what people usually should spend, but we eat alot more :D Give it a try, it gets packed pretty quickly on fri/sat, please be patient with the service. Everyone really does want the food to get to you, but I don't think they divide the tables the servers wait on.
(4)
Bridget H.
This place is good - service is prompt and sushi is delicious. Volcano roll and sweet potato roll = awesome. Prices are fairly typical of sushi places in Chicago. It's not my n'hood, but I'd probably go back.
(4)
Shannon S.
I've ordered in from Jai-Yen a few times now and have gone in once. The food and service were both really good. Each time I've ordered delivery, it has been to my house before the hour is over. There is a good variety of rolls, my favorite so far is the Cubby. If you order online, they offer a 20% discount on your first order and 15% after that. Plus, if you spend at least $15 (which lets face it, when ordering sushi that isn't hard to do), you get a free item! Besides sushi there are several thai items on the menu. I have only tried their Tom Kar soup, which was very tasty. If you are looking for good sushi in the area, give this place a try. Their food is reasonably priced, very good and great service!
(4)
Kristy N.
YUM!! I have passed by this place a million times but it wasn't until I purchased a You Swoop that got me $35 worth of food for $15 that I actually stopped in. I am so glad that I did and I can't wait to come back. They were surprisingly packed when I came in for an early dinner on Saturday. We were seated promptly and the server quickly opened our wine for us - gotta love BYOB. This place has some of the best tom yum soup that I have ever eaten. A bit more wine and I could have licked the bowl. We ordered the Crazy, Cubby, Volcano and the Futo Maki. All of the rolls were tasty and the presentation was very pretty. The Futo was my favorite, followed by the Crazy. The service was very friendly and prompt. I plan on making this place a staple moving forward.
(4)
Stephani C.
Great little sushi place in East Lakeview. I have been there at least 4 times. The rolls are not pricey, great temperature on the sushi, and servers are a bit overattentive if anything. I have been there during the week and on a saturday night. Of course the weekend was a lot busier, but the chefs seemed to handle it just fine. It's also BYO with no corkage fee. Can't beat it.
(5)
Jaimi T.
Went again for a Sunday night dinner. We started with the soft-shell crab, it was fresh, and really lightly fried. It was excellent. Seaweed salad was really tender, and lightly dressed so that it wasn't sitting in a pool of dressing. We also tried the spicy miso soup which has slices of jalepeno in, which made it spicy, but not overpowering. Had the spicy tako roll, which is my new favorite non-specialty roll. Green turtle and tropical rolls certainly pleased, everything is so fresh, and the servers were super attentive to us. We were a little surprised there were not more people in the restaurant. We did come early on Sunday to be back in time for new fall T.v. shows, but could've spent hours relaxing over our delicious sushi meal with some sake and tea. I love this place, and would go back every day if it were financially plausible.
(5)
Janet X.
This is really a 3.5 star restaurant for me. Turns It was pretty standard sushi, nothing too spectacular or gross. Between me and the bf, we started with the lumpia and got the Summer, Deep Sea and Crazy Rolls. The Deep Sea was definitely my favorite (and the one I ordered), but it didn't have as much fish as I expected. The other two were pretty unmemorable. We also had a smoothie each -- he got the strawberry one and it was definitely better than my mango. The total bill came to $42... not too bad, but more or less on par with Sushi Mon, which I thought was much better.
(3)
Daniel S.
Solid food...another horrible experience though. We've ordered carryout numerous times and the food is NEVER ready at the time indicated (we are typically just talking sushi- this time, we had a hot item too). The food ended up being 30 minutes late this experience with the host saying 5 more minutes numerous times. They also misplaced the order at 25 minutes in and quickly then made when taking the order again. Their service just doesn't justify going here.
(2)
Carla L.
My sisters and I really enjoyed our experience. I had a Restaurant.com certificate, which is why I went. My sister and I had the Drunken Noodles. They were flavorful, but very spicy. Next time, I think I'll get them without the jalapenos. One of my sisters had Pad Thai and the other one had the Pepper Steak. We all enjoyed our food. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. The server was friendly, too.
(4)
E p.
Being Asian, you think i would I know my Asian cruisine. Wrong. But I do coming to this sushi restaurant a lot. I love the variety in the sushi rolls and various Asian entree. Would definitely come back!
(4)
KC M.
Wish I could give 3 1/2 stars. I'll round up and call it the good deed of the afternoon. Pretty tasty food and good service. Had a groupon like discount that brought us in. Prices seemed fair, food came out very quickly and server was kind and attentive. Can't complain about the quality of the rolls but we ordered some standard stuff so not like it was an incredible challenge for anything requested. Overall fish was good but didn't have that crisp freshness that other sushi places edge out with. Again, fair for price, good enough on a random Tuesday. BYOB, no fee. They ushered the two of us into a corner with a few other occupied tables even though other parts of the restaurant were empty. I've worked as a server so I understand that. Unfortunately we were next to a loud girl that enjoyed wildly gesturing with her hands. Her date may have been worried about his ocular safety with her crazy jazz handed flying chopsticks. I would have been. Music wasn't great for the ambiance but since others seem to enjoy dining to Top 40-esque tunes, perhaps that is just my taste. Also there were two men behind us that may or may not have been playing poker with sushi pieces as betting chips. I certainly was not eavesdropping but couldn't help overhear the agreement of maki conversion rates. If so, that seems like a fairly fun idea...wish we would have anted up at my own table!
(4)
Rhona K.
this is the best sushi in town the staff are really friendly and the food is fab went there with some friends on sat night as its sushi is never too filling for the long night of partying !!! we all ordered a few different things so it was like a tapas style sushi !!! everything was great and the place is spotless which is a huge plus!!
(5)
Sarah M.
well, i'm a little sad to say that i live all of a block away, and tonight was my first time venturing into jai-yen. sad because it was awesome! food: fantastic. we had gyoza, miso, red curry, tekka don, and the cubby roll. yes, for only 2 people. and it was all great. my only beef was that the red curry had peas in it...but i just plain hate peas. also we tried the homemade ginger ale. definitely getting that again. atmosphere was pretty great too. it was nicely lively on a saturday night, with dimmed lighting and tasteful decor, including some aquariums. finally, the price was great, and we plan on taking advantage of their numerous take-out discounts as well. new favorite sushi/thai spot!
(5)
Amber S.
I went there for sushi with a friend and the rolls we had were really tasty. We had the summer, the crunchy spicy tuna, the volcano, and the day at the beach. We were both completely stuffed and happy at the end of the meal. The service was very good and our waitress never let our water glasses even get halfway empty. It was also nice because we got a table right by the window with a tv above our heads so I could catch some preseason football while I ate dinner. I will definitely go back again!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Sally O.
YUM! I found this place through a Groupon type certificate and went with a girlfriend for dinner. I thought everything we had was so good that I ordered delivery from them three days later. Thumbs up for the Unagi Lovers Roll, Dragon Roll, and the Deep Fried Spicy Tuna Appetizer! Eager to go again to try more!
(5)Beth M.
I found Jai-Yen on GrubHub.com when I was craving some vegan maki last night. I guess Hachi's Kitchen's 15-minute delivery has spoiled me, cuz I didn't like having to wait an hour yesterday! Is that a normal delivery time for sushi??? Jai-Yen had a number of the standard veggie-only maki options: garden, shiitake, avocado, oshinko, kanpyo, asparagus and kappa. I had the first three in that list, as well as a bowl of miso soup. It was alright, but not the best maki I've had. I'm not sure they used sushi rice; it seemed loose and too long of a grain. At least the rolls didn't fall apart. And of course, no one can beat the freshness of Hachi's avocado maki... I guess I'm biased. Even though it wasn't my favourite, I was glad I got my maki without having to step outside into the snow.
(3)foodie t.
What a BAD experience at this place. I bought a youswoop for this place and was trying to use it by ordering take out. So after calling them with my take-out order, i drove all the way from downtown to their place. Then when I presented my youswoop, they told me it was used! But I have never been to this place in my whole life, how could i used it?? I tried to talk to the server nicely but they insist that they will not honor it. So i wasted my time driving there and gas for my car to drive there!!!! I would not recommend anyone to come to this place!!
(1)Brian G.
Never disappointed when I go. And not that expensive either.
(5)Laura C.
There are definitely better Thai places in the city, but this one happened to be close. The lunch special is a good deal for a bowl of miso soup, a small app (egg rolls, pot stickers or crab rangoon) plus a small portion of noodles or rice. My chicken was overcooked, but the flavors were there. Served in a bento box with long ribbons of carrot, we decided that the orange strands were more of a garnish than anything else - although it had potential to be a good salad with a touch of vinaigrette. The sushi bar looked good, but I wasn't in the mood for raw fish at the time. Service is a bit lacking, you'll get your food, but not much else. Our server actually walked away when my friend was in the middle of ordering a drink, not sure if she didn't understand or didn't hear him. We also had to flag her down anytime we needed something (hot sauce, more water, the check) rather than her approaching us even though the place was relatively empty and she spent a lot of time pacing around by the register.
(3)Desire' M.
Been here 3 times and I'll be returning. No cork fee byob. Food comes quickly after ordering. "Homemade" ginger ale. Cubby and Spicy Tuna are our favorite rolls. Pad Se Ew is yummy. A little high priced but not too bad for Wrigleyville. 4.5 stars full price but with Swoop deal, 5 stars.
(5)A A.
Pretty good sushi and a lot of rolls to choose from. However, we did get there and they told us it would be 10-15 minutes and ended up waiting an hour, where they ended up sticking us (a party of 3) at a 2-person table, when they could have done that from the get-go. So, every couple of 2 that walked in before us got seated before us and we ended up getting the same exact table as them. So that was disappointing. They did give us 10% off the bill though.
(3)Arielle B.
I consider this my go-to sushi place. Red Marine Roll...OMG, I literally dream about this.
(5)Jack B.
Yummy! I'm so glad I finally tried this place, given that I walk past it all the time. We got some crab rangoon (very good), pad thai (also very good), and two specialty rolls (the giant roll and the botanical garden). Everything was delicious; however, this was a ton of food. For two people, two rolls and an appetizer or maybe three rolls is plenty of food. I'm not sure how much I like this, actually -- I like getting a whole bunch of rolls to try and share when I get sushi. So this is a little different from my regular sushi experience, but I still enjoyed it. Besides the food, the restaurant had a nice vibe inside. It's surprisingly big in there, which is pretty unusual for most of the places I go to in Lakeview/Uptown. The waitstaff was really fantastic -- very quick and attentive and friendly. I mentioned that I liked the music playing, and the waiter wrote down the name of the artist and album for me, which was sweet. Anyway, I definitely plan on going back, but I don't think this will become my go-to sushi place, just because it's really more of a one-roll-will-do-you place than a place where you can order a whole smorgasbord. Also, it's a touch pricey. But those are my only complaints.
(4)Lindsay V.
I love it. I just do. The sushi is tasty as tasty can be (I recommend the spicy tuna deluxe) and the best part is the staff is always super duper friendly and accomodating. My favorite part comes in the form of the in-house music though... the music is usually some ambiant techno version of the rolling stones or Kiss as sung by some sultry women. It's a delight. So weird and delightful! I am disappointed if I walk in and anything other than this strange ambiant dining music is playing. The Tom Yum soup is the best thing if you're feeling a little yucky and the BYOB-ness is the bomb.
(4)Elizabeth M.
I eat sushi at least once a week and am always looking for new, great places. I came here because of a restaurant.com offer. I made the horrible mistake of ordering the calamari appetizer. It was just awful. The calamari were dark and hard...not sure if it was due to severe freezer burn or just very, very overcooked, but it was terrible. I complained, and it was removed from my bill. The sushi was ok. The Mango roll was really delicious, and the Christmas roll was good too, but everything else was just ok. Service was pretty good. Overall, it was a below average experience. I would not return.
(2)Marta M.
Ugh. I love sushi, and even tolerate cheap sushi, but this was just bad. Restaurant was clean and staff was friendly. Food was awful. rice was loose and overcooked. fish ranged from bad to inedible. miso soup was bland with almost nothing in it.
(1)lisa k.
I went here based on reviews and suggestions from friends. I was not impresed at all. The sushi was okay but more than one waitress did not understand us. I ordered a sushi roll with rice paper and they made it with the rice paper and rice. THey also did not have brown rice as an option. We also wanted to order two sides instead of another roll and they told us that we couldn't due to us not ordering a Thai entree!? Thank god for byob...we drank our dinner. I will not be back!
(2)Jessie B.
This place was just OK. The rolls were a bit smaller than I was used to. Every thing was pretty good except one of the rolls was a bit juicy. It was freaking me out so much, I couldn't eat it. Juicy sushi? No thanks! I don't think that I would come back here. Especially when there are so many other great yummy sushi places in Chicago.
(3)Chicago D.
This place is really great! I live down the street and we go here often when we want a no frills, but delicious sushi evening. We've become such regulars that we know the owner, Zee (not sure about spelling of her name), and her son. They even comp us an occasional appetizer of their tasty pot stickers. My favorites here are the Tom Kar soup and Baby Bears Makki. The soup has just the right kick to it, but not so overpowering that you can't taste all of the other delicious spices in it. The BBM is just a wealth of salmon, which is my favorite when it comes to sushi. YUM YUM YUM! The partner tends to order the Tokyo noodles. He actually lived in Japan for awhile, so highly recommends this as a tasty dish. I'm not a big fan of it since I don't like crab.
(5)natalie g.
The food is always delicious here! I've never been disappointed with the sushi I order here. They are very generous with the amount of fish served in each roll. The cubby bear roll is my favorite!
(5)Bianca J.
This place is just okay. I don't think I'll be eating here again unless I have no other option or a coupon. I ordered Pad See Eiw and it was less than average. I also had 2 rolls, Philly and Shrimp Tempura. The rolls were average, quite tasty, but average. On the upside, the food is cheaply priced. In all, there's better food to be had elsewhere.
(2)Kate P.
This is a cute little BYOB. It's walking distance from my apartment, so it receives bonus points there. It is reasonably priced and it's gosh darn good. The staff is relatively attentive, although there have been two occasions my party has had a hard time getting everything we've asked for. Which has always been when my Dad was in town, perhaps that's because he's so big. For the mildly curious, he's 6'7", a big guy. If you're into spicy, be sure to try the volcano roll. It's hands-down my favorite. This fish is pretty fresh and the rolls are quite creative. I also love the fish tanks, the fish aren't exactly exotic, but I love watching them swimming around. Come to think of it, is it wrong to have fish in a sushi restaurant? I suppose as long as you don't share with them, all is well. They have short memories anyway.
(4)Jon W.
This is the tastiest, cheapest, fastest, bestest shushi that i have ever tasted. The BYOB is the single best thing about any restaurant in Chicago. No Corkage fee, complimentary glasses and openers and ice buckets if required. We showed up at 6pm on a saturday night and were immediately seated as their was no wait. The sushi was very reasonable, $5ish for a maki roll and around $10 for a chef special maki that was twice the size of a the regular maki and oh so delicious (my girlfriend had the sweet potato - so good!) I had the spicy tuna and they philly, wow was the tuna spicy and delicious. I like the fact that I write yelp reviews while drunk/tipsy from visiting the restaurant that i am currently reviewing. it is a good time. drinking that is.
(5)Kar M.
Three-star food, five-star service. But I only ordered the one thing. And the service really made my day. I was supposed to meet a friend for lunch and arrived with my cell phone safely resting on my kitchen table. I asked the server if she had seen my friend (as I was suddenly living off the grid), and she immediately offered her personal cell phone to track my friend down. WHAT A NICE PERSON. She was super friendly and accommodating during my wait and then during our meal. She kept our water glasses full, even when we were dawdling long after having paid our bill. We went with the thai menu. I ordered the Goy See Mee with tofu. It was good, not great. Certainly not bad--very fresh. My dining companion got the pad thai, which was better. The lovely dining room + the music = a bit disjointed (Zen environment with thumping techno. Okay.)
(4)Dan A.
There are so many sushi joints in this city, the trick is to find one that is inexpensive AND good. Jai-Yen does it. I loved the atmosphere as well. A lot of sushi places have that ultra-modern feel with servers that are "too hip to be friendly." Not the case here.
(5)Spencer C.
Okay I'm reviewing this place through my takeout order so bear in mind I have no clue what the service (other than it's fast) or decor of the restaurant is like. I ordered from Grub Hub and the food was delivered promptly and well presented. It was also delicious and quite cheap (spicy tuna rolls were $5 and if your order goes above $20 you get a choice of free california maki, shumai or gyoza). All in all, I was very surprised having ordered from a no-name non-researched place only to have it out-do many of the "best" sushi places in chicago that I have researched and visited. I will definitely order from here again and when I get the opportunity dine there in person.
(5)Mark B.
LOVE this place. I order from them almost every week. I love when I call in an order ..... "HI, your normal order? We will put that on your credit card and send it over!" 1 Jade Dragon 11.95 2 tropical Maki 9.95 each 2 Sweet potato Maki 7.95 each 1 bottle of wine in the fridge 15.95 Tivo shows from the week free Night at home with sushi from Jaiyen PRICELESS
(5)Michael L.
Excellent dragon rolls and calamari
(4)Hallie B.
I've eaten here a couple of times... I've both ordered out and eaten in. Ordering out is definitely the way to go. The restaurant has a weird smell... I don't know how to describe it. Like maybe the bleach is weird or something? I don't know, but it's really unappetizing. The sushi is good, ordering is quick, and it's pretty cheap. Oh, and the best part - online ordering!
(4)Daniel S.
Jai-Yen is one of my favorite neighborhood Thai restaurants. They are fast, friendly, and the food is great- both the Thai choices and the sushi. It's BYOB (no corkage fee), which is a definite plus. I've been going there for several years, and it seems to be getting more and more popular, because I keep seeing the place get more crowded. That being said, if it's the weekend, you might want to call ahead, because I've had to wait for a table once or twice, however, most other times, we can walk right in and get a table for two with no problem.
(4)Luis L.
This place is A-OK! I was here on a date with someone and asked him to choose our makis. He's a maki kinda guy. I'm more of a nigiri/sashimi guy. Anyway, the nigiri I ordered -one hamachi and one unagi- (just two because he ordered THREE rolls, and I thought that'd be enough) were great. I think I'll come back here to try more nigiri. Maybe then I'll rate it higher. When the rolls were brought to our table (I probably shouldn't complain about this because all three makis were enough for the two of us) they just looked so petite and tiny. However, they were tasty & delicious. I'm starting to see why people like maki so much. I didn't like their version of tempura. Like I've said in other reviews, I like my tempura delicate, crispy, light, and airy, not crunchy and heavily breaded with panko (or whatever). Yes, this place is BYO, and yes, it's a lovely thing. They put our white wine in a fancy leather and metal ice bucket; very gay (not in the retarded sense, but in the gays-know-how-to-accessorize sense)! They're very down to earth, despite apparent attempts at making the place look contemporary and cool (which usually ends up meaning pretentious and douchy, but not here). The place is small and I think it would benefit from a dimming of the lights. The fish tanks in the walls are a nice touch. Oh, and THANK YOU for having a roll of paper towels (on a roller) in the men's bathroom. I like paper towel rolls. They just seem so much more sanitary. LOL Although I wasn't blown away by anything, I had a pretty darn good time. I'll be back.
(3)Adam M.
Honestly, it's difficult to distinguish this sushi restaurant from some of the others in this neighborhood. There really isn't anything stellar about the sushi that sets it apart. However, here are some reasons you might choose this place over some of the others in East Lakeview: 1) You can always get a seat. Wakamono will have a wait on a Friday or Saturday night. If you don't feel like the wait (or the big crowd) walk up here. 2) Service is always excellent. They are fast and friendly. 3) BYOB 4) The deep fried spicy tuna roll. YUM. 5) The random dance music playing - as one would only find at a sushi restaurant in Boystown. 6) This place is far from pretentious so come here with a big group and your own drinks; get loud and have fun.
(3)Jackie P.
I feel kind of bad giving Jai-Yen a so so review especially with all the Jai-Yen love going on. But I must say it wasn't the greatest sushi I've had. It was pretty good but not that great. Here's why... - I got the rainbow roll which was pretty rainbow delicious. However the fish on top was a little warm and the salmon was a little stringy. I was not impressed. - I also got the soft shell crab roll which was pretty good. The crab was fried a little harder and with a different coating that I usually like but over all the roll was really pretty good. - The rolls are quite a bit smaller than what I am use to. My spider roll at four pieces. Other rolls at the same price were around 6 pieces. - That was the other thing the prices of the rolls for the amount that got seemed a little extravagant. - The miso soup was really good but then again I've never eaten at a sushi joint that could mess up miso soup so I guess that's why I gave it three stars. With other places so close I probably won't be venturing back here any time soon. Sorry Jai-Yen and all you Jai-Yen lovers it just won't cut it for me.
(3)Katie R.
Food was good, nothing spectacular. I had hot and sour (?) soup and a sushi roll. Very quick with the water refills.
(3)Dayna S.
Dined at Jai-Yen last night..everything I had was GREAT! Chai Spice tea - yummy, seaweed salad - big portion and VERY good, Tuna Tataki (appertizer)-good, but need to get to the bottom for the extra flavor and onions, Dynamite roll - totally didn't mean to order this roll because it is tempura fried, but it was SO good and worth all the extra calories! haha Service was very good and everyone was so friendly. The place filled up very quickly around 7pm and the atmosphere was relaxed. I really enjoyed Jai-yen and will definitely be back!
(5)Lili V.
Went here for NYE dinner. They forgot about us for a bit, but once they got on track we had a bunch of dishes and dessert. Not too pricey. Our only regret was not taking advantage of the BYOB.
(4)steve c.
Ate her on a Friday night which I don't recommend without a reservation seeing how many people flooded in. It's a small no charge BYOB "sushi" joint. I tried to venture out to something other and sushi with the calamari but don't recommend. The fried calamari turned out to be calamari rings that tasted like onion rings. I guess I was fortunate to not have any problem with the service like other reviewers. They were quick to fill up my water glass and pleasant to deal with. I had the sweet potato and Giant rolls. I highly recommend the Giant. It was the best sushi roll I have had in a while from Chicago. If you missed the "groupon deals" you can pick up a restaurant.com one
(4)Laura L.
Just a quick update to my review ... we ordered delivery from Jai-Yen on Sunday, and they did not disappoint. We ordered some sashimi which melted in my mouth, and again, I did not feel like we had to spend a fortune. Jai-Yen is my new favorite north side sushi place.
(5)Jessica N.
This is my favorite neighborhood restaurant, hands down. 3 words: Basil. Fried. Rice. Also, the sushi (fave: Dynamite roll) is fairly priced, delicious, and comes in a large quantity. Plus, they have coupons on the back of their menu so you can almost always get something for free! For dine-in, I love the laidback, cozy atmosphere with the serene fishtanks.
(5)J R.
I used to live in Lakeview really close to this place so I tried it for convenience. I quickly fell in love. I was new to sushi when I ate there so I was cautious with what I ordered at first. I live in the West Loop now and my boyfriend and I still take the trip all the way up there to go. I am in love with the Jade Dragon maki. I order it without mayo and tobiko (I don't like those items). It is by far, the best sushi in this entire city. I have tried several places throughout the city and this is still #1 for me. The servers know my boyfriend and I by now and pretty much know exactly what were are going to order. I like that it is a BYOB place as well. The service is stellar . The prices are excellent as well. We usually spend around $30 for dinner for the two of us. We make it a tradition to go at least once per week. Nothing compares as of yet.
(5)Jeremy A.
Love this place! Favorite sushi in Chicago. Good good. Reasonable prices. Fast delivery. What else could you ask for???
(5)LJ M.
This is a great little place. I don't know how long it's been around, but the food is excellent for the price. I especially enjoy the BYOB and they're pretty cool about it. They have an area up front on the south side of the restaurant that's almost a separate room. I'm sure they'd accommodate a large party. I'd say upwards of 15-20 people could easily congregate their for someones birthday. They close around 11 on Saturday and we were easily there until almost midnight. The place was near empty and they didn't even get snatchy about us hanging around like most places do. This was my third trip and I'm going back again Saturday.
(5)Jeannine C.
Delicious and reasonably priced food. Both the Thai and sushi options are wonderful. I like to combine a Thai dish with a couple of rolls for the best value. I usually get delivery which is very fast. The food always tastes fresh.
(5)Heather F.
I should confess that Jai-Yen is in my neighborhood, which always seems to cause a certain degree of happiness bias based on the short travel to get there. Having said that, I do enjoy it. Good for delivery or casual eating in (BYOB), they've changed the look around from where it was a few years ago. Friendly staff, quick. Good reasonably priced sushi, with good variety. Also have other non-sushi dishes. Try the homemade ginger ale for a change of pace. Sweet potato and baby bear rolls are my favorites. Crab rangoons are very good (thin skin, nice and creamy, could maybe use more crab, but still delish). Favorite thing is that they're open Weekend afternoons (the time when I get my strongest desire for sushi, yet apparently no place in the vicinity is open).
(4)Dallas F.
This review is based off delivery only. Four stars for delivered sushi? Yes. My food arrived within a half hour and it looked fresh and tasted spectacular. My delivery guy was very chipper despite it being artic outside. What to try eat here? Get the spider maki.
(4)Betsy P.
I live right around the corner, so the close proximity to me already gives Jai Yen a star, but I do love this place. Sometimes the bf and I eat in, sometimes it's take out, but either way it's fantastic about 99.7% of the time -- and ALWAYS cheap. The ONLY reason that I'm giving it 4 and not 5 stars is that I had one experience (out of about 100, so it's really not that big of a deal) where I had tuna that was not so great. It was pretty tough. But one bad fish isn't enough to keep me away. Other than that one instance, I'm a happy camper. BYOB is fab.
(4)Bernadette S.
My husband and I have been here several times in the last couple months and have consistently had excellent service along with excellent sushi. I recommend this sushi spot and we think you get a lot of bang for your buck. Another reason this spot is so great is because you can get hot Thai food like Pad Thai and Pot Stickers that are fantastic, along with amazing sushi. That is a tough combination to find. We have also ordered through GrubHub and had a very good experience.
(5)Lesley S.
ok, first things first, the sushi here was really good, and didn't have that "i could tell the fish was frozen for safety" taste to it. but, we went on a wednesday night, and were there for over an hour and a half. if the service would have been quicker i would have given them more stars. we had ordered an appetizer, the mini shrimp egg rolls, which were really fresh and really tasty, and it came out of the kitchen in a timely manner. if we hadn't ordered an app, i think i would have died from being so hungry. we waited for our rolls and nigiri for another 45 minutes after the app came out. our waitress was really friendly, and told us after waiting about an hour, that they had a really large take out order they had to fill that was backing everything up. it wasn't that busy in the restaurant, and we saw some people get up and leave, and some people that were there before us just started getting their food after we had been there an hour. we had the salmon skin roll, and it was really good and really fresh, and the salmon skin was really crispy. we also had the spicy salmon, which was also fresh and delicious. the 3rd roll we'd ordered was the unagi lovers roll. i love unagi, and this one was so good. so fresh and lots of avocado too. the texture of the unagi was right on as well. we also had a few pieces of salmon and yellow tail, both tasted so fresh, loved it. also, if you like spicy, they have this wasabi tobiko nigiri that is the spicy lovers match. its like just roe and wasabi, and hot as hell, and tasty. if nothing it ever too hot for you, try that one. overall, we'll def go back, hopefully the service will be faster, because the food is fresh, reasonably well priced, delicious, and the service is friendly. they're also byob
(3)Shanna R.
I loved the size of the rolls and the presentation. It wasn't overly expensive and had fresh fish.
(4)Tania M.
I just purchased the youswoop coupon for this place and was extremely excited to try it out. I thought I'd give it a try right away so I went to their website and did the online order to pick up later that day. The way the online ordering is set up it automatically gives you a 20% discount for the very first order with a new account. I had to order a bunch of food more than I originally wanted just so I can get to $35 (after the automatic 20% discount). I also set it up to pick up later ... about an hour after the first available time. I thought that was such an awesome feature. You can order any time and just set it up to be ready when you want. Well, I was wrong! Traffic was really great that day and I got there about 15 min early. I thought I'd see if the order is ready and there it was, sitting all packed in a bag. Raw fish just hanging out there for god knows how long. Then I was told that I couldn't use the 20% off and the youswoop coupon at the same time. That is a very fair statement, I get it. A good manager in this situation would either let me use both because nowhere does it say I can't or they'll let me leave one of the items I ordered if I wanted to. But I didn't get either. I just got a "Maybe next time you order less". I was stuck paying for all this food that I didn't even want in the first place. The food was decent. Nothing to write home about. Maybe that was because it was sitting there for an hour before I picked it up. It's hard not to be biased when commenting on the food right after such horrible service.
(2)Barbara D.
Ok, so maybe the close proximity to my home and the fact that I can look through my binoculars to see if they're open.... makes this place ROCK! I've eaten here multiple times and every single time I've enjoyed it. The sushi is fresh, beautifully presented and above average, the price is inexpensive, the atmosphere is laid-back, modern, never crowded and suave. Did I mention this place is never crowded? Not like so many of the up-and-coming, stuck up, over-priced new sushi places popping up all over the city. This has none of that lincoln park appeal....that's why it's in MY neighborhood and on my top list. The tom yum & kar soups are yummy. I usually go down the list and have something new every time I go there....so far nothing sticks out on the 'do not eat' mental note. So close your eyes, point to something on the menu (or your date) and enjoy. Oh and BYOB or sake.
(5)Stephanie L.
I have ordered take out from here several times...its pretty good. I recently went here and had dinner. I liked the atmosphere. The staff was fast but not too fast. And the sushi was great and a good price. I will be going back and I definitely recommend to try it. The good thing is that this place is pretty good and there are no sushi restaurants right in the area. I have tried all sushi places north of here and they are all terrible so this one is at least decent. Its not amazing but for a cheap sushi dinner its good
(3)alex m.
Service is good and the sushi is ok. I love their pad thai with tofu and no egg. I have to say, it's probably the best pad thai in town. Nice place to take a date as well, very quiet and chill.
(3)Emily M.
Only ordered sushi (using a deal from livingsocial). I know nothing about sushi but I thought everything was delicious. The service was great too. Update: I've been here twice since my review and I will definitely continue to come back. The last time I was there, the service was wonderful and we did not find ourselves waiting too long for our food. The food was delicious of course. Granted we left the restaurant a little late so there weren't many people left there, but as we left, the entire staff thanked us for coming. I don't know, that just made me really happy and solidified how awesome their service is.
(5)Ian M.
One of the more convenient sushi locations I frequent, Jai-Yen is a good place for a quick sushi fix. There's nothing too spectacular about the maki, but there are a few creative rolls with a nice presentation that are worth trying at least once. One plus is that this place isn't pretentious like other similar restaurants. As another reviewer said, there is an odd smell sometimes which brings the experience down at the beginning because it's so noticeable.
(3)Eric V.
If i am to use one word to describe this place, it would be meh. I went here using a resaurant.com coupon hoping to get good sushi, however i found this place to be mediocre at best. The sushi was poorly prepared especially my Ikura piece, it looked squished, however the volcano roll was quite delightful. The service was alright, yet constraints had them placing us right by a window on such a cold day, i felt pretty uncomfortable. One big issue was when we got the check, we were splitting it 2:1 and they managed to swipe the wrong amounts on both cards. Luckily, this was a quick fix and they apologize repeatedly for the mishap. Overall, this place is OK some rolls are good other not so much and for the price you pay i was expecting a little bit better. This place is IMO mediocre at best.
(3)Tara P.
This place has only become better over the years. Their quality and preparation has improved. I don't mind the driving to go. Love the salmon teriyaki (although I order light on the sauce), the mackeral sashimi, and their hot food plates. I think they should have some more options on cooked rice. Their rice is bland. They should offer brown rice, sticky rice, etc. They should add that to the menu and refine the rice choices. I'm really not a sushi person, so I order their cooked entrees also light on the sauce, which I feel brings out the flavor of the food and vegetables that having it drenched in teriyaki sauce which at times they tend to over do. My initial judge of a good Japanese restaurant is how good the miso soup is and the edamane. Miso soup was excellent, hot with the right amount of ingredients and the edamane was super fresh and salted perfectly. Delicious green tea, served hot with attentive refills throughout dinner. I feel the service and quality is really good. It can be very noisy and each time I go there are always familys with young children. Not a place for a quiet romantic date. Try to reserve the window seat, you'll have some privacy forget that the place is filled. By the way even though the restaurant was packed, attention from the staff was not compromised.
(5)Josh Z.
This place is really great for a lot of reasons. Personally, my major complaint with a lot of sushi places is a lack of consistency. However Jaiyen runs strong like the bull, swift as the eagle, and agile as the dolphin in this category. I always order delivery from here and it is consistently delicious. I grew up in Florida (yes that means I wore shorts and sandals in January and always had sand in indescribable places) and I was spoiled when it came to fresh and delicious seafood as a result. So when I moved up to the frigid north, I was eager to find a good sushi restaurant that could bring me my fix. After about 4-5 attempts from restaurants that will go unnamed, I finally came upon this pearl. It sounds strange but I've never actually been inside the restaurant so I can't really speak on the merits of its dining area. However, I have rode by it many times and it looks pretty nice.. classic Japanese bamboo and earth-tones kinda shtick (conveniently located next to Bears Like Us... the place to find the perfect gift for all of the burly gay men in your life). I have however ordered delivery from this place dozens of times. The person who takes the orders over the phone is polite (no excessive background noise and... a complete understanding of English.. glorious!), patient (I cant pronounce a lot of Japanese words... so I choose to sound them out very slowly.. they usually reserve their laughter), and precise (they always get my order right!). They even accommodate my girlfriend who prefers her food with no sauces of any kind. We always get an appetizer of Coconut Shrimp and this dish is simply amazing, seriously if you eat this and don't like it... you are some type of alien creature that I want nothing to do with.... that's right, this dish is so good, if you do not like it... I will not be your friend. The seafood is always fresh, I really love their Tuna (called Tekka Maki) rolls they are always a healthy purplish and taste hella good (read: smooth and flavorful) My girlfriend always gets the Ebi Tempura Maki with no mayo, which is basically a shrimp tempura roll, it is amazing (read: crunchy and delicious). I always make it a point to try something new whenever I order from here and they haven't really let me down.. I highly recommend the Giant Roll.. its really dynamite and smothered in all types of sauces (which drives my girlfriend crazy but guarantees a little privacy) The prices are resonable and are soemtimes even a little bit less than you would find at a higher end sushi joint. Overall, I highly recommend this place as a serious sushi enthusiast and as a person who visits here often... even though they always visit me.
(5)Clare W.
Incredibly friendly waitstaff. However, the place smelled like sewer and the sushi (especially the salmon) was low-quality.
(2)Kristy W.
I've lived in the neighborhood for over a year now and have regularly treated myself to Jai-Yen ever since I discovered the local BYOB. While I don't venture too far from traditional rolls, they are always fresh and satisfying. The crab rangoon appetizer is my favorite - just the right amount of filling and the fried shell is never greasy. Whenever I eat at the restaurant or pick up food I am always greeted kindly and the service is always out of this world. I once made a reservation for 12 and they were happy to accommodate the 14 that arrived keeping our beer and wine on Ice and replenishing our drinks whenever they were low. I've become a regular customer and will continue to be!
(5)Leang E.
Wow, talk about better than what I expected and from delivery. First of all, I can say this because I'm Asian and most of the time when I call to place an order for delivery with an Asian restaurant they have no idea how to spell my street name (I don't live on a main street) and she totally got it over the phone without my help. I love that I got a free dish which is part of their everyday special for ordering any other maki rolls at any other restaurant for spending a certain amount of money. Plus, it's not just any plain dish, but chicken pad thai! Basically, I got a free meal! She said 45 minutes, and got here in half an hour. This is truly underpromising and over delivering right there. The price is right here as well. What makes this solid is that the sushi rolls were incredibly delicious and flavorful. You definitely taste more than rice and fish and I love that! I appreciate creativity in makis and they got it right here. The only reason that I can't give the place the 5th star is because I haven't sat in and eaten here, but I like that I got this spot in the back of my pocket now! I saw the BYOB and no corkage fee in the other reviews, so I'm so there!
(4)Isha S.
First time visiting this neighborhood noodle and sushi restaurant and my friend and I really enjoyed it! Great service - great food - great prices. I recommend the tom yum soup (we had tofu version), chive dumplings and the japanese soba noodle stir fry. I also tried one of the sushi rolls which was pretty good. They also offer bubble tea and fruit smoothies. Great place to go for a wallet-friendly lunch or dinner out.
(4)J F.
Love this place. It is my go to place for sushi. Friendly service. A few tables outside on the sidewalk aren't ideal but nice.
(5)John E.
very good food...tried the sweet potato sushi after reading the reviews and it was fabulous! Its a great place to go and enjoy sushi at a reasonable price, good place for a nice dinner with friends or a casual date. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars was the length of time that we had to wait to be greeted from a server, however I will definitely be back again.
(4)adera l.
I stopped by here to pick up lunch since it is so close to my apartment. The sushi is pretty ok but not exciting in any way. I got the lunch special (salmon and avocado maki + tekka maki) which was pretty average. I don't think there was very much fish for the price and the rolls were small. Although I'm not the biggest fan of it, miso soup does often come with sushi so I'll fish out the seaweed and tofu. There was more seaweed and tofu than most restaurants so that was nice. Also, I definitely smelled that wet rag smell another reviewer noticed as I was going to the restroom. It came from the kitchen, which is concerning. The staff was nice though and the atmosphere was intimate. However, I'll probably not be back.
(2)Bianca S.
Had great service with little wait. Portion sizes were good and sushi was ok. I had a coupon which is why I decided to try this place. Don't think I would go back unless I had a deal again.
(3)Adam K.
I have to give a 3 because of extreme highs and lows. I ordered it online and it was delivered very quickly. I got some sushi and pad-thai. The sushi was excellent and fairly priced. As good of sushi as you can get in my opinion. The pad-thai on the other hand was frankly the worst I've ever had. It was not only cold, but the noodles weren't the good, linguine-like rice noodles. they were very small, more like angel hair noodles. it was EXTREMELY sticky and would only come up in clumps, breaking the noodles apart and making a mess. Flavor was bland at best. And the worst part was this hard, crusty orange stuff that lined the bottom of the pile of noodles. I have no idea what it even was...like the noodles, it had no flavor. Thankfully I was able to simply peel it off (because I could pick up the noodles in one peice). Final Verdict - Excellent for sushi, but other items are iffy. I can only speak for the pad-thai which was horrible. If you just want sushi and nothing else, then this place is just fine.
(3)Sophia T.
I am happy to have this restaurant in my neighborhood. It had a great atmosphere, good service, and most important of all, good food! Well, I only had their crazy roll and it met my expectations of good sushi. Though its hard to fail with miso soup, theirs passed the test also. My friend that I went with got the yakisoba, which she thought was delicious. She really isn't used to Japanese food either, so the fact that it made a good impression on her is wonderful. I would definetly return to support the small but charming restaurant that is byob, by the way!
(4)Erin C.
Great sushi at a very reasonable price. The rolls here are cheaper than at most sushi places, but are of comparable quality. Some unique rolls too - sweet potato is awesome. I love that it's BYOB; that gives the review an extra star. Service, however, was not so good. It was a Saturday night and it seemed like they were a bit understaffed. Took us awhile to get our checks at the end of the dinner and we were in a hurry. Annoying.
(4)Kathryn M.
Super cute and relaxed interior. BYOB with no corkage fee and a menu with sushi and cooked food for us non-sushi lovers. Jai-Yen is the perfect compromise for my friend and I, one loves and sushi and the other (me) absolutely does not, and who doesn't love BYOB?! The pad thai is great and a big portion, one of my favorites in the city, and from what I'm told, sushi is good too. Our waitress was really nice and kept the water glasses constantly full.
(4)Sean B.
This place is amazing! You have to try the sweet potatoe sushi roll, it's the best item on the menu! Great price as well!
(5)Ryan S.
I've gotten sushi here a few times since moving to the area. The people are nice and the service is relatively quick. The prices can be a bit high but it's some high quality, delicious sushi and I will be back.
(4)Robert T.
7 of us went for lunch. They forgot to put in 4 of our orders. After 30 minutes of asking, we walked out. Not sure about the food, but they fall well short in service.
(1)Philip K.
Where? Jai-Yen. Who? my partner and two girl-friends. When? a chilly Wednesday night, end of January. Why? because we all live in the city but see one another all too infrequently. What? Sushi and Thai and fusion and such. And How (was it)? The service was amazingly sincere and appropriately helpful (rather than oppressively helpful). I was most impressed overall by our waitress. She helped us cork and chill our cheapo wine without passing judgment and wasn't pushy at all. (yes to BYOB) This place is a nice middle-ground between our quick-Thai-noodle favorite Joy's (which is fast, convenient and cheap) and more expensive/trendy sushi spots that don't really fit into our budget very well (like Wakamono). The menu is hugely diverse and moderately priced. It takes a while to decide when there are so many options, but it's fun to just get a bit of everything. On our Wednesday night dining experience, we were the only party in a little front room area. It was charming to make a little more noise than usual and to fully enjoy our own company. The decor is classy with a bit of quirk. I liked. Jai-Yent once and Jai'll go back! (From now on i might try to end each review with a terrible play on words or pun. Just so you know.)
(4)Christine W.
I'm not a Japanese cuisine afficionado, but in comparison to my sushi experience, Jai-Yen's maki is fantastic! I had a homemade ginger ale, a shrimp tempura appetizer, and the sweet potato maki roll - all for about $20. Score. The shrimp tempura had more vegetables than shrimp, but it was delicious. The sweet potato roll was outstanding. I guess I was expecting the homemade ginger ale to be more flavorful, naturally spicier, and less conventional, but oh well. The service was pretty nice, not very engaging, but my meal was coursed very well. The restaurant is very clean and quaint - I love the color of the walls. Great, affordable sushi lunch spot.
(4)Larry F.
Pretty good, not great sushi. Some creative items on the menu. The sunomon could have used more crab and dressing. Salmon teriyaki was hot and moist, quite good. Main issue was that the dining room has a weird odor. Great green tea bubble tea. Good value for the money.
(3)Christine C.
This is my first review on Yelp and I'm sorry I have to write down something about this restaurant. I've been here twice. The first time I had special salmon roll. It was okay. The sushi chef was nice and polite. However, the second time, which was tonight, I ordered beef teriyaki. It was terrible. The beef was very thin and not fresh. The teriyaki sauce tasted like soy sauce + salt + a lof of water. Miso soup was terrible as well. I could not finish my dish and I asked to take out. I wasn't informed that they put the food in a loose container. So when I found the sauce was split all over inside my suede backpack, it was too late. I won't go back to Jai-Yen anymore.
(1)Melissa H.
Pro's: Every roll I've had is DEL.IC.IOUS There rice isn't overcooked and mushy - and it has fun things in it like cashews and pineapple Always have coupons - sometimes even sitting out on your table Fast and very, very nice service Honeydew bubble tea BYOB Con's: Once in awhile, it smells like dead fish - but I love the food so much it doesn't matter
(5)Jordan B.
BYOB: I love Jai-Yen for a few simple reasons. The food is good, the food is cheap, and the food is fast. I'll often order my food by phone and by the time I get there it is ready for me (I don't live far away). My favorite is the fried rice with chicken though I've had some of their sushi and it was all pretty good.
(4)Janet C.
Love love love it. Fresh and yummy sushi, friendly staff, and byob. The environment is relaxing and condusive to great conversation with friends. Definitely check it out!
(4)Carla F.
First things first, this is a BYOB. Even if I didn't like the sushi, but everyone else did, I would go and drink. The place is cute, not pretentious, and I've never had to wait for a table. My favorite place to sit (especially with a good size group is the room off to the side. Sometimes your group gets lucky and are the only ones seated in the room...so in my family's case, we can be as loud and obnoxious as we want. I have been here countless times and have never disliked anything that I've ordered. The only downside is that a lot of the times I've been there, the bathrooms stink like sewage. Just don't eat in the bathroom and you'll survive.
(4)Rachel F.
I love this place. My favorite rolls: cubby bear (salmon, avocado, cream cheese), the sweet potato roll (soooo good but i get it without the wasabi mustard drizzle), and the tuna deluxe roll. Oh my goodness- they are so good. Only mediocre: their miso soup is really good but it has a LOT of not so good tofu in it. I've also had their crab ragoon- its good but its nothing special- TONS of cream cheese in it. All in all I love this place. Friendly, fast, and DELICIOUS sushi rolls.
(4)Todd P.
Good food, however, nothing too special about their sushi. It had quick service, however, it lacked any follow up after the food and drinks were served...
(3)Cathi O.
I sometimes forget this hidden gem. I've been here a few times, and I'm always pleasantly surprised. Although it might seem pedestrian, the teriyaki dinners are a crazy good value: seaweed salad, miso soup, Cali roll, 3 nigiri & teriyaki entree for $17.50. Lots of delicious food in a cozy neighborhood environment.
(4)Matthew T.
The food is OKAY, but not the best. The service was terrible. Food was coming out sporadically and drinks weren't refilled. When we asked for more water they seemed aggravated. We went for the Groupon and that will be the only time.
(2)Katelyn C.
First of all, thank god they did groupon or I would never have found my favorite sushi place in the city! I am a sushi fanatic and they are amazing! The dining room is more than awesome for a small space; You can sit by a fish tank, the windows, or in a somewhat separate room. My *ONLY* complaint is that the sushi bar is too small to dine at, because I would love to watch them make the rolls. Everywhere I go I always order crab ragoon, and Jai-Yen is BY FAR THE BEST. It is rich and literally melts in your mouth. It is also super cheap at only $5 for 6 pieces of heaven. Another favorite is the basil fried rice. I get it with chicken and no jalapeños. It is a perfect mixture of different tastes and very filling. I also have ordered the philli, cali., and spicy salmon roll. They are exactly what the menu describes and are all made with very fresh ingredients. Also keep in mind the rolls are made right when you order them and can make substitutions, which I love. With all the sushi places I have tried, and not really enjoyed, I have learned to embrace using spicy mayo to woof down the food I don't necessarily care for instead of being the jerk who sends the food back. So, as always, I ordered spicy mayo my first time here (just in case), and, this may sound weird, but they have the best spicy mayo! They make it there and it the the right amount of spice! As everyone already mentioned, it is a byob and they don't do any other charges. Although I would recommend the tea they serve on a cold day! Everything about this place is amazing and my mouth has been watering the whole time I have been writing this anticipating the next time I can go!
(5)D. S.
The sushi was great, price reasonable, no corkage fee, and no wait on a Friday night. Their mochi presentation was absolutely adorable. A little lacking with the service-- my soup came out the same time as our rolls-- but all in all I will for sure be ordering delivery and returning!
(4)Kara F.
the chef's specialty rolls are amazing. Personally i'm a big fan of Santa and the Xmas tree which includes strawberry and kiwi on the roll as well as a raspberry sauce, mmmm.... Prices are reasonable and reflect the quality of the sushi and service. Also helps that it's a BYOB so bring some bottles of wine and indulge!
(5)S 3.
I would have given it four stars, but I was bitter after it took them 1 hour and 15 minutes to deliver my food once. Their Maki is awesome as is the tempura udon. It's really good, but not spectacular.
(3)Alayna H.
A couple of my friends live very close to Jai-Yen and go there all the time, after hearing them rave about it on numerous occasions I finally made it there. We ordered the veggie tempura as well as some other appetizers/sushi (their names momentarily evade me), and I got the Philedelphia sushi roll. (Cream cheese in sushi? Some find it gross, but you could put cream cheese on anything and I'd love it.) Anyhow, all of the food was delicious, the sushi was fresh and the tempura had a perfect light batter. I also really like the decor of the place, and the staff there was very friendly and helpful. I hear that it is BYOB, and for the quality of the food that is a definite plus. I highly recommend it, if only I lived closer I would go there more often.
(4)Made N.
hell ya I'd go back HERE again! very cute atmosphere, lights nice and soft, and the food was super-yum! i had a garden maki, miso, and edamame, my partner had panang curry and honeydew bubble tea - all sa-weet! tried to use a restaurant.com certificate, but couldn't get to the $35 minimum - will be happy to try again when I'm more hungry or planning for leftovers. GREAT place! They lose just one little star because there was a TV above my head, which I am never a fan of (if I wanted to eat in front of the TV, I'd have stayed home) :)
(4)Cathy L.
This place was cute but everything is a bit...greasy. And the pad see ew was definitely questionable - rice noodles were thick and too chewy. Tempura was fried in a very heavy, non-authentic batter. Not a huge fan.
(2)Dilip J.
Jai Yen is a Sushi Place w/ also some Thai fusion dishes. The service and food are very good, and the decor is pretty nice, making for a very good experience. I really liked this place. There are quite a few maki choices I haven't seen before, so explore. The sushi was great, though unfortunately they didn't have toro that day. They also have a few thai dishes, like tom yum and tom kar soups. Both are delicious. They have a Hawaiian Fried Rice dish worth trying also. Hint: I really like their take on Pad Thai mounted on a crispy egg platform. But, if you want Pad Thai the original way, which you can't find anywhere in Chicago, tell them you want the thai version, emphasising it. Its great and very spicy. These weren't on the menu when I was there, so you might have to request it. The guys running it are the sons of a previous restauranteur, 3 single guys ladies :-) Their parents used to own another Thai restaurant before retiring, and you will see them there pretty much every nite. They are great to talk to. Their dad can talk your ear off on how to properly cook thai food, thai culture, history of other thai restaurants in Chicago, etc. Very nice people. PS The service is fast, so no worries on ordering a lot of different dishes. My only complaint was that it can sometimes be too fast, since dishes can come before your finished. But that isn't that big a deal since the food is really worth it. The food is very reasonably priced. Many maki are around $4. I will also update this when I find out the name of their old restaurant. crossstreet is Waveland Avenue.
(5)Ashley M.
Very pleased with this restaurant. Ordered the pot-stickers, california roll, spicy tuna, and tropical. Potstickers were good appetizer, the presentation of the rolls was impressive, and the tropical is delicious. Each bite of the meal was enjoyable, and tasted very fresh. Atmosphere was good, and service was attentive. My husband and I will be returning to this restaurants many times.
(5)Jim M.
At here for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was a great location/setup (outdoor seating available), the food and selection was impressive (want to go back and try more things), and the service met my expectations (friendly staff). Best of all it was affordable!
(4)Evan D.
The best of the sushi delivery places on the North Side. Always fast and fresh. On New Year's Eve at 9pm, they came through in under 30 minutes. And that's after calling to warn us that they "might be a little late." Lots of places deliver sushi to my Uptown/Andersonville 'hood, but this is the only one that's gotten my repeat business. Ordering online from GrubHub is great as well.
(4)Lauren D.
We recently discovered Jai-Yen and have been pleasantly surprised. On the weekend, there is most likely a wait for a table, but never too long. And if you don't want to wait - they do take out that is just as good. We have never waited during the week either. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because last time, one of the rolls that included tuna tasted a bit fishy to me. Other than that, I think it's an awesome neighborhood sushi joint - and BYOB makes it even better!
(4)Marcel M.
Had some take-out. Best part was the Spider Roll. As mentioned, the breading was completely different than other sushi joints. It was more cooked and crispier. All good!
(4)Nico M.
It's right around the corner from me. The Vegetable Tempura and vegetable fried rice are good. The waitresses are pretty, the atmosphere is very chill and they always have some electronic music playing that I know the name of.
(3)Nakiea B.
great service, good food, nice atmostphere... if youre into luncheon dance parties. dance party music aside, i will absolutely go back!
(4)AV G.
great value place--elegantly prepared combo dishes--$18.50 for teriaki salmon with nice sushi/cali-roll added--however, do not get the tempura--it is not a real aisan style deep fry--also, very accomidating BYO
(4)Mark P.
BYOB! Eaten here twice and both times have been great. -Fast Service once ordered, -Everything is perfect once it arrives, -Friendly staff, and -the order is never missing anything. They do play some cheesy 80's and 90's music all the time, but the atmosphere inside isn't horrible, but not the best. The food makes up for it. If you want sushi, this is your place in the Lakeview/LP area.
(4)David T.
I love me some seaweed salad! Jai-Yen has great food all around... well I presume. I've only had the appetizers and sushi/maki and those are delicious. Today was the second time I ate here and enjoyed it thoroughly. The service is very good and they are incredibly friendly!
(4)Betsy S.
I ordered udon noodle soup for when my throat was sore. It met the requirement of containing a hot liquid, but didn't do much more. The noodles were good, but it was literally just noodles, broth, and un-seasoned, tough chicken -- no vegetables whatsoever (unless you count the token few slices of scallion). For the price, I expected more.
(2)Leah B.
SO GOOD! Stuffed myself for a reasonable price. Thai tea was the best I've had and the homemade ginger ale is amazing. Rolls are phenomenal. I would definitely go back!
(5)k S.
Buyer Beware! I know, that term should be used for a car dealership and not a sushi place. And, had I written this review last week, I would have given it four stars. I've been to JaiYen a many occasions when the sushi need strikes, its BYOB and its a 5 min. walk from home. For take-out delivery has always been fast. So why the Buyer Beware and two stars? Yesterday, when that sushi need struck we walked over to pick up our take out and noticed a discrepancy in the price. I always order Sashimi B platter, so when I noticed that they charged $2 more than the advertised price I mentioned it. "No, no, thats the new price" I was told. Referring to the menu I noticed that it had the price we usually pay and pointed it out to the server. "No, no, that is wrong." Taking out the iPhone and pulling up the online menu, I again showed them they were over charging. Again, I was told "No, no that price is wrong, its $2 more." I asked for a new menu with the new price. "We don't have any." Really, then charge me the advertised price. "No, no, its $2 more." On the verge of screaming "I want my $2.00!" I knew it was pointless seeing as how I was speaking to the owner/manager/server. The point of arguing further was lost. I mentioned to them that what they were doing was wrong, but they did not seem to care. I know its only $2.00 but frankly, this is old fashioned bait and switch, and they should have forked over the $2.00 to save a customer. I'm happy to walk two more blocks to the next sushi place which is just as good, and, stick to their advertised prices.
(2)Ann D.
Used our Living Social coupon for a late lunch at JaiYen. For the final date of the coupon, we were happily surprised to find it almost empty at about 2pm on Sunday. We started with the homemade ginger soda ( regular and with lime), which was very good and very large. The seaweed salad was good, the shrimp/veggie tempura was excellent, and the maki were beautiful and tasty - the Jai-Yen roll wrapped in cucumber was different and delicious, and the sweet potato roll was tasty and gorgeous. All in all we thought it was great!
(5)Zac K.
For you fellow North Lakeviewers, this place is pretty quick and good. yes, may not be 5 star sushi/maki, however for the neighborhood, very good. Great atmosphere too- Noodle dishes are good and filling. Presentation is also great here. BYOB is also nice too. Def. a favorite to hit up before an evening out on the town. The cheesecake is awesome. Had a ginger citrus I believe, and it was incredible. Try the dragon roll- you won't be displeased.
(4)Jan D.
Great place and amazing waitstaff. Sushi was very good and average Chicago prices. Must be family run cause even the little kid said thanks for coming haha. Oh and they are open on Sundays.
(4)Chris S.
Good sushi, reasonable prices, BYOB. This is what makes this a great place for dinner in the 'hood. Most of the menu is Japanese, predominantly sushi, but there are other Asian influences to be found. I have'nt been blown away by anything spectacular, but I always leave happy.
(3)Giselle A.
Food was just okay. Portion size was on the smaller side. Superb and friendly wait staff!
(3)Diana C.
Just ordered the giant maki, the mexican maki and crab rangoons for delivery. While the service was incredibly fast (arrived in about 25 min), the rolls were just so-so. Not bad per se, but I won't be craving them a week from now either. The crab rangoons were tasty though a bit on the small side. Three stars for quick delivery.
(3)Jen G.
I've been walking by this place for months now and finally stopped in for the first time last night. Hmmm...first, it's a BEAUTIFUL restaurant on the inside. So minimalist and trendy that it seems out of place on this rather quiet stretch of Broadway. You get the impression that if more people knew, it would go from dead to packed in a snap. But because it's currently quiet, you sort of end up with a lackluster vibe. They don't have a patio and they didn't appear to be able to open their windows either. It was a little stuffy inside and because we were one of three tables, I could hear the couple sitting across the room talking. Also, because there wasn't much going on, the service was slow to start. I understand that it's hard to get a rhythm when you don't have any tables, but we sat with our menus closed (and hungry!) for about 5 minutes. Of course, because it was dead, the food arrived 10 minutes after we ordered. (Thank goodness.) The sushi was fresh and tasty, but didn't really top any other sushi I've had as of late. The Shanghai noodles, however, were outstanding and I really liked the portioning and plate presentation of both dishes. There were 5 cool cheesecakes listed (ginger-lime, anyone?) but we were too stuffed. It's BYOB and if you add the bottle of wine we brought, the meal was still under $30. I'll come back here and maybe order delivery because of the convenience, just not sure if I'll be taking any dates or planning any big reunions here. Also: I was in and out so quickly, I couldn't checkout the washroom!
(3)Colleen S.
I've been here twice and both times have been excellent. Hooray for BYOB. I can't remember if they charge a corkage fee. If they did, it wasn't much. I'm a Crab Rangoon lover and this place has some of the best I've eaten. The servers are polite and attentive no matter how busy they are. I love the green tea, in fact, the second time I went, I drank 2 pots of it.
(5)Jessica P.
I've ordered from here a few times as i've been on a sushi kick lately. All I'm going to say is they've never messed up my order (including all of the requests I've made), the food is always delicious, delivery driver is always friendly and it either gets to my apartment on time or early (today it was 20 min early!) and the food is always fresh when I receive it. I haven't gone to the restaurant, but delivery wise its great!
(5)Marie T.
My boyfriend and I love sushi and are always willing to try new places. We saw a few good reviews about this place and wanted to test it out. We were greatly disappointed. When we first walked in, the place was clean but had a fairly odd odor. We then ordered a couple rolls, edamame, chicken terrayki and fried rice. The edameme had a funky taste to it and the rolls were terrible. I could not take another bite after my boyfriend had to cover up a little critter that found its way to our table. The staff was very friendly and attentive, but that would not make me want to come back for the less than mediocre food.
(1)Pam N.
Love to order takeout sushi here! Delicious, quick, unique & fresh. I adore the Baby Bears maki roll (mmm double salmon mmm thinly-sliced lemon). The great affordable prices and convenient location make me rate yum, 4 stars.
(4)Dave A.
Overrated based on the reviews there. So so sushi and not that cheap. Place was nicely designed. I want to support local businesses as much as the next guy, but there is nothing here that makes me want to go back for more. I recommend Jitlada Thai restaurant virtually next door.
(2)Jessica M.
Not impressed with their sushi. We ordered delivery - 2 maki rolls and 4 namasake nigiri for 2 of us. One roll each, and 2 pieces of nigiri usually does the trick. It totaled $32, and they threw in edamame for free from a coupon when I asked. The rolls were very small, and not filling. Definitely overpriced for what you get. The tuna on one roll was gray - not fresh at all- and I ended up picking it out and not eating it. In that same roll, was yellowtail, which was so chewy I spit it out. Needless to say, I was still hungry after I was finished. The Tropical Maki roll was the only good thing, because of the flavor. However, I would not order there again. There are MUCH better sushi places out there.
(1)Jenna P.
Delicious! I usually have their Hawaiian fried rice and it is out of this world amazingly good. The atmosphere is relaxed and chill, even on weekend nights. The servers are very friendly and helpful, including one time when my friend accidentally knocked over an entire glass of water. That table was cleaned up in the blink of an eye! I've ordered delivery from them too, and they were very quick!
(3)Jeannie B.
so it turns out that first time was not just a charm. this place really is excellent. since my first review ive been to this place several more times. this service and food is consistently excellent && ive never had a bad roll of sushi here yet!
(5)Kieran C.
Not my favorite sushi, but a great option when working on a budget. The service was friendly and the dishes were definitely a respectable offering.
(3)LoLo A.
bottom line... not good sushi. ordered online for delivery... very prompt. but sushi was warm... and not rolled tight. had a distinct fishy smell that wasn't a good one...
(2)Lo S.
I have only had this delivered, so I can imagine that eating at the restaurant would make the food taste better. The sushi was alright and the teriyaki salmon was pretty tough. Delivery isn't quick either, but overall I would order again.
(3)Nick A.
Just moved out here to Chicago and found my go to sushi pad! BYOB goes off, great customer service, and the sushi was awesome!
(5)Kate N.
Entirely mediocre. There's nothing really wrong with the food here, but also nothing to make me come back, given how many options there are around. I had the Sweet Potato Maki and the Cubby Maki which were both fine, though they missed the spicy mayo on my Cubby Maki. My friend had the Pad See Ewe lunch special which was priced well, but nowhere near the best in the city. The steamed gyoza are pretty good, though, so I'll give them that.
(3)Cesar B.
Great place, awesome signature sushi rolls, a little bit of everything Asian. Staff is really friendly and helpful with great recommendations! In top of all the great food, it's a BYOB place, so you can bring anything and staff will serve it for you.
(5)Robert G.
Is it the best sushi in the City of Chicago? Probably not and I have had better, but this restaurant is still great. Its a BYOB joint, so buy some sake ahead of time. Before I even got to my outdoor seat, the hostess grabbed my bottle and promptly put it on ice. I would recommend the avocado smoothie with tapioca pearls. We ordered 5 sushi rolls. They food very quick, a dude came outside and turned on the sidewalk cafe heater for us. No complaints. Great service, fast service, happy service and pretty dang good food! This place misses out on the 5th star because I have had better sushi, however, the rest of the operation is top notch. Recommended!
(4)Amanda B.
Awesome, cheap BYOB sushi spot! They usually have a restaurant.com deal too!
(4)Andy W.
Usually have an ok experience with them. Tonight, not only did they mess up the order, the delivery person asked about a tip prior to even handing the food. They forgot my edamame and gave the wrong piece of nigiri. Not at all happy.
(1)Aaron L.
This is easily my favorite sushi restaurant on the North Side. It's BYOB, you don't need reservations, it's never too crowded, the food is great and prices reasonable. You can spend $10 for $25 off on Restaurant.com as long as you hit the $50 minimum. The spicy salmon and tuna pieces are delicious and melt in your mouth. We love the spicy salmon and shrimp rolls too and noodle dishes as well!
(4)Patrick L.
This place isn't going to top any of the best Japanese food list in this city, but I can definitely say the service is top notch. The wait staff are warm and friendly; always gracious about making suggestions. Its close,convenient and affordable. There are always groupons and the place is BYOB, making it a really great value.
(4)Lina W.
My DH and I got 2 miso soups, edamame, sashimi platter, and Mexican roll. Edamame was undercooked and understalted. The sashimi was cut a little large and fish seemed fresh, but not the best fish I've had in the city. All of this was about $40 before tax and tip, which isn't terrible. But luckily I had a restaurant.com coupon that I purchased for cheap. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here for sushi though. If it is convenient and you have a coupon to make your meal cheaper, then sure, why not.
(3)Kim R.
I came here with my bf twice. Both times we enjoyed nice service from our server. We ordered sashimi platter which came out fresh and delish! Beef teriyaki is a bit too sweet and too chewy. The parking isnt hard to find because we were dining in during laye lunch time. The staff was little bit too loud when they were eating. I guess we were the only table there. All over all i would recommend this place for quick sushi meal. Ps. Its BYOB!
(4)Melissa M.
This was my last stop for sushi before I left the city of Chicago. I wish I could say that it was better than just "alright," but it really wasn't. The service was friendly, the menu was pretty standard, the food was decent, and it wasn't too loud/packed. As far as I'm concerned, I'd say Jai-Yen is pretty "take it or leave it."
(3)Laura H.
LUNCH SPECIALS!!!! Combine that with 20% off your first online order and there aren't enough exclamation points to describe how much of a value this place is. And I can walk there on my lunch break! The specials are only listed on the actual online order form: Sushi set - 2 rolls + miso Bento set Lunch set - an app, miso, and a noodle entree (has to be the best value, but I went with sushi because yum) I went with standard tuna+avocado and salmon+avocado and they were tasty. The miso was good as well. Another time I got the spicy lunch combo, the salmon was normal with spicy mayo topping, but the tuna was coated in something SPICY, no mayo. As awesome as the spicy mayo is, I like the spicy stuff the tuna was coated in before it was rolled. They aren't messing around with that stuff, it burns.
(4)Trice T.
Hadn't been here for 6 months but it was like coming home to an old friend...the rolls were great and it's always nice to see it was still a b.y.o.b establishment. Looking forward to returning again for my next sushi fix
(4)Shayna R.
I just got carry out from Jai Yen and I immediately postponed my Sunday night TV to write a bad review. Game of Throne fans, you KNOW that food must've been pretty darn bad. I ordered pad Thai with chicken and my friend had fried rice with a meat/seafood combo. The pad Thai had barely any noodles and the ones that did exist we're little quarter inch pieces that I think they were trying to pass off as legit food, but I was hungry and I was expecting a lot more. These had to be like the last resort bottom of the bag noodles, because they were clearly in pieces. Not to mention, the flavor was totally off, and soupy on top of it. Throwing chicken in bits of sad noodles does not a happy customer make. Then my friends fried rice was totally bland and that was enough motivation to write this. I waited 24 minutes for this food and felt completely gipped of the $26 bucks I spent. Don't bother for take-out.....
(1)Dima G.
Byob, good service, good sushi. We go there to celebrate life events often, usually on Sunday. It is good to have a reservation as it gets busy and you may have to wait.
(5)AB C.
This is our go-to place for take-out sushi. Usually pick-up but delivery is pretty quick too. We took our 6 month old with us to eat out and they were great with her as well around the transition for when eating out with her started getting much harder.
(5)Eduardo M.
Great sushi in a BYOB setting. This place is a great place to stop into whenever the craving, no, the NEED for sushi hits. The staff is friendly, they have lots of good rolls, and even a few fish tanks to stare mindlessly at, if it's been that kind of day. I'm a quasi regular here, basically, if I'm in the area, I'll suggest this place as the spot to satisfy dinner hunger pangs. No one objects.
(4)Adriane P.
It's funny how some of your regular spots you aren't even purposely looking for and when you find them they're right in front of your face. We each lived by here for years and randomly checked it out. The atmosphere is pretty inviting and has an open, large dining room with aquariums and modern decor. They have an outside patio which, considering the traffic and people watching on Broadway at that stretch, was something that never appealed to us. It's BYOB with no corkage fee. The service is consistently good. We have ordered over myriad visits: Miso Soup and Spicy Miso Soup (sometimes w chicken) Good Tom Kar with chicken Rich coconut taste and lots of meat and veggies Seaweed Salad He likes it a lot. Cashew Chicken w Rice I found boring. He ate it all but was not wowed. Thai Spicy Basil w Chicken and Rice He quite likes and orders often. One time it was spicier than typically. Red Curry Chicken w Rice Rich and filling. Spicy and Sweet w tons meat and veggies. My fave entree but I love curry. Sushi! All the rolls and nigiri are delicious. We like Dynamite (by far the best), Dragon, Giant, Red Marine, Volcano, and Spider. Mexican Roll was a let down. Nigiri didn't wow me; but I love rolls, especially if they have a bunch of ingredients and sauces. So I'm not a purist. Also, the sushi is served less than room temperature and sometimes the rolls are messy and rolled loose. Ugh, I hate eating even messier than normal in front of a boy. Dropping rice or chunks of fish or avocado all over a damn table. Even though the menu is fusion and have many options I feel they did not sacrifice quality. Many rolls are unique or Americanized versions but just the same half the items possess authenticity. All items are well executed. This is a regular spot my dc and I enjoy. See if you like it too!
(5)Mameli D.
Simply delicious. Unfortunately I didnt take pictures because the dishes they brought out looked great. Besides the spicy tuna roll we had the Dragon Roll which I can't stop thinking about ever since! Can't wait to try other items on the menue.
(5)Emily F.
This is the BEST sushi place I have been to in the city! The dynamite roll is unbelievably amazing and you have to try the Santa Claus and Christmas tree as well! So amazing!!!
(5)Christina B.
You can't go wrong with BYOB! Makes the evening a bit more affordable. The sushi here is also very delicious and reasonably priced. Great spicy tuna--not drenched in mayo like most places. We also loved the Mexican roll, which was very unique!
(4)Jihane B.
To preface my review: I've lived in the area near Jaiyen for nearly 3 years, and I have tried the restaurant both on location and via take-out several times. I also really like sushi, and have tried several other restaurants in Chicago and other cities. My boyfriend and I decided to go to Jaiyen, as I was recently gifted a Restaurant.com gift certificate. I ordered the crab rangoon, a salmon avocado roll, and the Mexican roll with yellowtail. All the fish I received was clearly going bad - good sushi should NOT taste fishy, but that's all I could taste. I should have stopped eating but I was hungry - halfway through the rolls I couldn't take it anymore. I paid for it later and I stayed up all night with a severely upset stomach. Maybe it was an off day for them, maybe not. I don't know. I do know that I probably won't be visiting any time soon, unfortunately.
(1)La Tonya G.
Who doesn't like BYOB...That was cool and it was a welcomed surprise since we were celebrating my friends birthday! I only gave this restaurant 3 stars because the sushi we had wasn't bad it just wasn't the best I had and one of the dishes we ordered didn't taste that fresh but the presentation, the staff the restaurant itself was very nice. I would go back if I was in the neighborhood but it wouldn't be my first choice or I wouldn't travel from my side of town just to get to them because it wasn't that good!! I really like restaurant.com because it allows me and my friend to checkout different places without spending or breaking the bank since we both like to eat...lol and visit new places! So, I would still recommend this place and I hope if I go back that I'm able to do my signature happy dance..
(3)Becky M.
My boyfriend and I went here on a Saturday night around 7. The service was great at first but they quickly got busy and the service was fair the rest of the night. We ordered the giant, volcano, deep sea, and dragon rolls! My personally favorite was the giant. We used the restaurant.com deal :)
(4)M. Tiffany B.
I absolutely love there sushi here. It's so delicious and the presentation is amazing!
(4)Sarah M.
We were able to make a reservation which was nice since we had 7 of us on a Saturday night at 8pm. We got the Giant, Baby bear, Jai-en (which I don't recommend), crazy, and the crab Rangoon. Definitely get the crab Rangoon and then the Giant and Baby bear rolls.
(3)Shilpa B.
The servers are super nice, in a genuinely-nice way, and the food was great. The sushi, sashimi, and seaweed salad were all delicious. No complaints. The decor is pleasant. Good spot for a date!
(5)Jonathan M.
Was a fantastic meal, BYOB and 15 for 30!! one of the better seaweed salads, great sashimi app , Jai-Yen roll was great and the Green Trutle roll was one of my favorites!
(4)Brianna E.
I live just down the street from here and have gotten take out several times. I've had the potstickers, the rangoons, veggie (or Buddha?) delight, and basil chicken. The rangoons are very good, but I suspect the potstickers might be frozen fare. Anyhow, the basil chicken is delicious and so is the veggie delight. Rice is absolutely perfect and sticky. It's not spectacular, but it's pretty darn good.
(4)Monica B.
We used the groupon $15 for $30 worth and really enjoyed our meal, will def be coming back! Very relaxed byob, ingredients are fresh, good presentation and the sushi is unique. We got the: baby turtle, on the beach and the ebi maki tempura. All were very good and fresh. The 'on the beach' was a speciality roll which was very creative with unique sweet flavors. We also got the Tom yum soup and a spicy miso soup. I love Tom yum soup and was not disappointed by their version of it. Great flavor, hot, spicy and a good size for an appetizer.
(4)Anna K.
I came here with my sister a couple weeks ago for lunch with a restaurant.com gift certificate. We ordered two spider maki's, one volcano roll, and one ebi tempura maki. Everything was very salty, especially the volcano roll. That one was my biggest disappointment, since it sounded so good on paper and just didn't deliver. I also expected it to be much spicier, but it just tasted like someone drizzled sriracha sauce over a tablespoon of mayo (per piece). I guess in terms of consistency, everything had a ridiculous amount of sauce that overwhelmed the flavors of the sushi. I left feeling really disappointed, but I think I would have felt ripped off if I didn't have a gift certificate. There are so many sushi places in the city, and this one was just mediocre. I have still not had my sushi fill. On a positive note, the presentation was good and so was the service. Granted, we were the only ones there, but I've also been to other sushi restaurants where service was bad regardless of how few people were dining in. I think if I had a late night sushi craving, then Jai-Yen might be an option.
(2)Sam R.
Average sushi. With the yelp deal it made it super worth it! I will come back every time i have a 15 for 30+ deal!
(4)Courtney W.
Came here with a restaurant.com gift card and I couldn't have been happier. It's a little out of the way for me but totally worth it and accessible by bus for us public transit people! It's BYOB here and they don't charge a fee so it's an even better deal. It was quite busy but the host seated us promptly and the server was on her game. We ordered about six rolls and some shumai and everything came out within 20 minutes! They also didn't bat an eye when I handed over my certificate. Some places make a big deal out of it but not them! We were in and out in under an hour. They have quality sushi at good prices! I'll be back.
(4)Ally D.
Came here on a date, and we had a great time. BYOB is awesome, and the sushi was great! I'd recommend it to anyone looking for extra sushi places around the city....definitely one of my new ''go-to'' places!
(4)Kelly D.
Consistently good sushi and service. Not the best I've ever had but can't beat the prices when you have a half off coupon (groupon, restaurant.com , etc.). We ordered the spicy miso soup, crunchy spicy shrimp, crunchy spicy tuna, giant and spider rolls. Also ordered the red bean and green tea mochi for dessert. Good experience overall.
(4)K M.
Can't believe this place doesn't even have a full 4 stars. Some of the best sushi I've ever had, and the Sweet Potato maki is a fantastic vegetarian option that won't make you feel like you're missing out one bit.
(5)Lauren F.
We did not find our food to be fresh, the environment to be clean... The people next to us found a giant plastic chunk in their food And we couldn't finish our food when there was a bug in it! I want this place to be good since I live down the street, but they really need to clean up their act before someone gets sick!
(1)Kristen D.
Came here on a friend's recommendation and it quickly became one of my top favorite sushi spots in Chicago! I expected it to be much less expensive (my friend raved about the inexpensive yet delicious sushi), but then I realized that my friend only orders California rolls. Thus, the regular, run-of-the-mill rolls are decently priced, but if you want specialty rolls (which I recommend), you're going to pay a bit more. **Bonus: no corking fee if you bring multiple bottles of wine. I think it's ridiculous when restaurants charge you a corking fee, so off the bat, this is a huge plus!** MAKE A RESERVATION if you're visiting on the weekend!! It fills up fast and I've heard the wait is long. The group of 4 of us ordered 5 rolls of sushi and for 3 girls and 1 guy and we all were totally satisfied at the end of our meal. Here's what we ordered, in order of preference: 1) Dynamite - the favorite roll of all 4 of us. We each saved our last piece of sushi to be this roll so we could finish each of our meals on a high note. Crispy and served warm, though even after it was cool, it was still delicious! 2) Cubby - has an interesting crunch to it and a great flavor blend. 3) Santa and the Xmas Tree - I would have NEVER thought to put kiwi and/or strawberry on a sushi roll, let alone a raspberry sauce to go with it. I was so surprised by this roll that I'd certainly order it again. I'm glad my friends were the ones that suggested this! Only downside: it's one of the most expensive rolls on the menu. Still - it's worth it! 4) Volcano (maybe it was the dragon roll?) - Not terribly spicy, but not super memorable, either. Very tasty, but the others still surpassed it. 5) Spicy Tuna Deluxe - this roll certainly has a kick to it. Not too much flavor, standard sushi roll, but still good. I'm not great with spicy things, so this is why it is at the bottom of my list. The employees were nice enough to let our group sit and drink wine and chat almost until closing time. It was our fault for bringing 3 bottles of wine for 4 people, but in no way did we feel rushed to leave. By this time, there was no longer a wait...otherwise we would have been courteous enough to leave. Service was polite, fast, and nonintrusive. An all around fantastic experience!
(5)Josh P.
I was recommended this place by a local. We ordered 2 of their more popular sushi rolls (Philly Maki and Spicy Tuna Maki), an order of potstickers, and an order of crab rangoon.The food was good! It was not the most AMAZING sushi ever, but worth trying if you're in the area. Also, they delivered it right up to our doorstep on the 42nd floor in only a matter of about 35 minutes!
(4)Jc C.
Eh. Their udon and steamed gyoza SUCK but my buddy got green curry and it was good. Quite sweet, but good and a large portion. With my udon came tempura veggies and shrimp and that was good, mowed right through that. I'll avoid this place in the future, though. Never trust an Asian restaurant that doesn't know a good broth.
(2)Tiffany N.
Whoa, cheap sushi in Chicago? Count me in! I've only been for sushi once before in Chicago and it was good but waaaaay overpriced (Chicago is known for this sushi, yes?) so that was my fear about coming here. Some friends who live in the neighborhood suggested this place since I'm forever posting pics of sushi porn on Facebook and I couldn't wait to see what it had to offer. We went on Friday night and my first thought was "How do they fit people in here?" The space was tiny but they use it to their advantage with the floor plan and not cramming people on top of each other. I was expecting there to be a long way but we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table and from there it was smooth sailing. Service was on point but they weren't constantly at the table. We ordered a smorgasbord of sushi rolls and they came out quick but not quick enough to make me think something fishy was going on (pun intended of course). The Green Turtle and Baby Bear were out of this world with flavor bombs exploding in my mouth plus cmon, the names of the rolls are cute. We got an order of edamame and about nine rolls and walked out around $100--not too shabby at all! And I think we all know the best part---BYOB with no fee! Even thought it's not made in IL anymore it was nice to enjoy some Goose Island 312 without paying $6 a bottle. I kind of wish I lived near here so I could go again!
(4)Kerstin S.
Not a single thing went right with our meal. Our server forgot 1 of two meal orders. Had to repeatedly ask (3 times) for a side of rice. The waitress then argued about a dinner item on our bill that we never ordered. Squid had gone bad. Food was edible. Overall big 'Meh'.
(1)Brian M.
Favorite sushi spot in Chicago. So underrated. Easily beats out the ritzy joints in the loop. My only complaint is that they wont let me buy anymore Yelp coupons.
(5)Jacob J.
Let's get one thing clear, this is a Thai sushi bar. So, their creations may not be to par for those serious about sushi and its prep, whatever that means. For me on the other hand. It was because of a Groupon that I stopped by. This was back during early summer. We sat outside. The value of the certificate was high so we got to sample many dishes of both cuisines. We'd forgotten it was BYOB, but all the tastes were yummy and we were satisfied. I still remember the first visit because we had a table with a limping leg, it rocked through out dinner. That shit was so bothersome. Also service was great in the beginning as dishes emerged from the kitchen and in the early stages of ordering and completing the order. At the end when we wanted the check and to get change, it took some work to get up and check on the status of the bill. Service is more mindful of getting the orders and filling them then of the finishing part. A constant that I would notice in other future visits over the summer. I've never yet had a bad visit and each time I came away liking a different dish. I should add that many of my visits were over the summer and the last was while the weather was still warm. Each time I was able to procure a table in outside seating. I dug the people watching on the street and while it's warm, why be stuck inside. I can't speak much for the interior except that it was brightly colored. A few reasons for returning would be; decent pricing on good food, good service usually, a tasty menu and often looked forward to their appetizers. Another feature for me a single guy in Chicago, the often occurrence of ladies out for dinner with their friends. Better prospects than scoping whose on okCupid's local list.
(4)Rump S.
Got a restaurant.com certificate so decided to give this place a try. The certificate was worth $25, and the minimum purchase was $35. This was easy to meet if you order an appetizer and 3-4 rolls, table for 2. Great that it's BYOB especially on a weeknight. The pros: Friendly, nice and attentive staff. I asked for water with no ice and the waitress never made a mistake on refilling my water. Good size portions, the sushi is decent and for the price you pay for sashimi I think it's more than fair. Quick turn around! Our food arrived within 15 minutes all on one giant mouth-watering display and that's good news for people who don't like waiting. The cons: I agree with the last review - the electronic music was too much. And if you sit anywhere close to the screens you might find them a bit too glaring and uncomfortable. The lighting is dark but it's not so bad you need a light to see the menu and food. It can get really loud in here, especially with big groups of people and countless BYOB bottles, so although there is enough space for seating, I wouldn't consider this place romantic or family friendly. Overall good food and service, would come back again. I would give it a 3 and a half.
(3)Nicole C.
We've been here twice now and I've left very happy each time! We went there this afternoon with our 2 kids (2 and 6) and the staff couldn't have been more wonderful. The atmosphere is inviting and the food was really good. We got 1 sushi dish and 2 noodle dishes and all was very tasty......well, the sushi was EXCELLENT! We mostly only go to Byob's and the fact that they do Groupons etc.....I'll continue to come back again and again! I'm a happy customer tonight! I hope they get continued business from word of mouth because it seems really authentic and like they're trying to leave a lasting impression, which they've done with our household.
(5)Ericka A.
My friends and I were pleasantly surprised by this Sushi place. I had no problem reserving a Friday evening table for 7 people the night before we wanted to come. They basically gave us a little room to ourselves. It wasn't until later that other people took the remaining tables, but it was still set back enough to feel rather secluded. Service was decent, but a bit slow. The waitress and her supervisor seemed to be confused by the BuyWithMe deals that we brought. We had 2 coupons which could be combined with 4 or more people. They told us we could only use one, but I pointed out the fine print and they accepted them. There are also good deals on Restaurant.com right now. It's still quite affordable without any discounts. All of us came prepared for BYOB with a plethora of wine and a couple packs of beer. They brought out a large ice bucket and opened a few bottles for us. They quickly realized we had stockpiled booze and smartly left the corkscrew at our table. They also had the sense to bring out wine glasses for the entire group. We started with two appetizers: Crab Rangoon (pillowy pockets of heaven) and a fried Spicy Tuna Roll (another mouthgasm). It was just enough to tease our tastebuds for the feeding frenzy that was about to begin. One thing to realize is that the time between ordering food and getting it seems to span as long as the Sahara. We got our appetizers 10 minutes later; however, the rest of the rolls didn't show up for half an hour or more. It was worth the wait as everything we ordered was delicious, but it left me extremely hungry in between orders. I only ordered about 3 rolls myself. We placed individual orders but passed them all around. I can definitely recommend Cubby, Mexican and Volcano. These are the specialty rolls that are more expensive. If you really want to stretch your dollar, order a few specialties and then stock up on the regular ones. We polished off a first, second and third round of sushi. I was expecting the bill to be astronomical, but it was surprisingly cheap. It came out to about $160 before tip. I think it was $82 and some change when our vouchers were added, which made it somewhere around $16 per person including a 20% tip for the original amount. It still would have been under $30 per person if we hadn't had any deals. Considering price, atmosphere, BYOB and the fact that we spent nearly 3 hours here without ever feeling rushed to give up our table, I would call it a successful group dinner.
(4)James A.
Came to Jai-Yen b/c my partner and I had a Groupon so we said why not. BYOB is awesome and they even gave us an ice bucket to put our wine bottle in which was cool. The service was good but the only bad thing about that was she would check on us every five minutes it seemed. I litte to excessive if you ask me. The place wasn't even packed so I didn't understand why she basically wanted up to eat and go. Anyway, the food was good. We had for some app. were fried tofu (which was really good) and a spinach cold dish which was great. My partner had a curry dish and I had a beef dish with some miso soup and rice. The miso soup was ok and wasn't to hot (for soup standards). The beef dish was good but very small in portion size compared to my partner's curry dish. I would go back if the service wouldn't be so excessive next time. Other than that, the food tasted good and again BYOB.
(3)Ehow C.
Time: Saturday, 9pm, party of 10 Order: Salmon don with a Thai iced tea I was particularly impressed that the sushi bar was able to handle most of the orders in a timely fashion, minus a Pad Thai order that took abnormally long. My salmon seemed wet for some reason, but was fine once I drenched it in soy sauce. It was a bit pricey, but pretty decent considering. The Thai iced tea came in a huge glass, so you're at least getting your money's worth there.
(3)Leesah R.
Awesome sushi, decent service. My favorite is the dragon roll. The rainbow roll, Mexican roll, and spicy salmon are runners up. Everything is always fresh, and the presentation is fantastic! It's BYOB, so that's awesome too.
(5)Brooke O.
I have eaten here multiple times and have food delivered as well. When I have eaten in I always seemed to be able to have a groupon or restaurant.com coupon which makes this restaurant far more affordable. When I order for delivery I usually choose the orange chicken which is delicious. When eating in I have had many of the sushi rolls - my favorite being the dragon roll.
(4)Shambavi K.
Well I liked it more than I thought. We used a deal to come here and try the place out. My friend was in an unagi mood so we ordered 2 rolls with eel. -Fire dragon was the best (I think it had spicy tuna with eel on top). -Baby bear is more refreshing but it was just ok. -Dragon - it was okay. too much eel sauce? Service was polite. I found it interesting that this sushi place run by Thai...granted they do have a lot of thai dishes here. and they had Thai writing on the chalk boards. I'd still recommend it.
(3)Sarah S.
Sooooo sometimes I make mistakes. It's rare. Very rare. But I suppose it happens every once in awhile. :P I live within a block of Jai-Yen's other location in Avondale and order from there all the time. I ordered as usual one evening, walked into Jai-Yen by my place and they discovered I accidentally ordered at the much further away location. I (begrudgingly) made the trek out to Lakeview and picked up my sushi. I'm happy to say it was just as tasty and delicious as when I ordered from the other location. One of my personal favorite veggie rolls is their sweet potato roll loaded with fresh potato, gooey mayo and overall goodness that my pale skinned people enjoy. Jai-Yen always has friendly staff, tasty and fresh sushi, plus the prices aren't half bad. A great BYOB sushi option if you're in the area!
(4)Samantha C.
I have no problem with the food that I order here but this tidbit is worth noting based on the customer service aspect of this restaurant. I decided to take my mom here and she tried their tom yum soup. Apparently she couldn't stomach the soup because there were so many pepper seeds and stalks in it (aka things that should not be ingested). She always orders this particular soup at Thai restaurants and never has a problem. She decided that only the shrimp was edible in this particular soup served here. Later on, a waitress comes to check on us and naturally my mother told her that she did not enjoy the soup because of the seeds and stalks/ pulpiness and she was done with it. I guess they thought we wanted to not be charged for the soup or something?? A few minutes later another waitress comes and says out loud in front of lots of people "BUT YOU ATE THE SHRIMP" and of course my mother gets pissed off because we weren't trying to scam them, she just told them she didn't like the soup. When we go out to eat we don't send stuff back to get it for free, that's disgusting. I guess they will take the time to sift through the food when you send it back after voicing your dislike of said dish to make sure you didn't eat anything out of it?? They ended up discounting the price of the soup, which was appropriate -- but again, not what we were even hoping to achieve. She simply just no longer wanted the soup sitting in front of her. There were absolutely no apologies given either. Not only was this situation embarrassing, but it was totally unnecessary. I think they need to teach their staff a better way of handling situations in which the food is sent back. This could have been handled way more professionally. Also, if a customer does not like their food you should probably just take their word for it. Unfortunately, I will not be coming back after this. This situation had me absolutely disgusted.
(2)Brittney W.
If I could no stars I would. Honestly the food was the worst I've ever had in my entire life. When I think back about it I feel sick. My fiancé ordered the mussels appetizer. When they brought it out and set it down on our table we were both disgusted it smelled so bad I almost gaged! We ordered two standard sushi rolls also gross. As someone took away our food they asked if we liked it seeing as barely anything was eaten. We honestly said no and the manager or whoever she was stood there and argued lectured us for 5 mins about why we didn't tell before. Will never ever go here again.
(1)Lesia C.
Like the three star description says, A-OK. Having moved from Lincoln Park to pretty much Wrigleyville, it sucks not having a sushi place around every corner. Walking down Clark and Fullerton, I feel like every other storefront is a sushi place. Since this one was basically the only one in the area, it's BYOB, and we had a groupon, we decided to give it a try. Walking in on a Friday at 6, we were the only ones in the entire restaurant. Our food wasn't terrible, so it was a little strange that no one else was there. Wait staff sat us immediately, and opened our bottle of wine for us. We ordered and our food came out in about 15 minutes. Again, not terrible, just not amazing. I ordered the spicy tuna and tuna avocado rolls, and my friend ordered the fried rice and crunchy spicy salmon rolls. I have to say that the fried rice was the most odd part of the meal. The portion was literally an entire large plate full of rice, and was huge. On top of it, it didn't really taste like fried rice, it was more so just seasoned steamed rice. The wait staff was nice but I'll probably travel the extra 20 minutes back to Lincoln Park next time for sushi.
(3)Claudia L.
I was introduced to Jai Yen by a good friend of mine a couple of years ago. I enjoyed my meal the first time I dined here. I had a maki roll and an entree. I've ordered delivery over the last couple of winters and was disappointed- I hoped they had an off night. I called in an order today (Labor Day 2015), I experienced a bit of a hard time communicating with the person taking my order (no biggie). I have to say, once again I was underwhelmed. The basil fried rice had no table appeal and the two maki rolls were ok. I like the location and that this place is byob but I do have expectations to enjoy my food, and unfortunately I did not. Two stars is being generous. I hope they bounce back.
(2)Vilma S.
Food is good but not great. The service is usually really good. This place is in the neighborhood and it's convenient that's why I keep going back. Spicy tako roll is good here, thai iced tea and green tea bubble tea are worth trying too. BYOB and no corkage fee which is a plus.
(4)Asenath N.
I been to this place twice already and been disappointed both times. Thai good is one of my favorites and this place just doesn't meet up to my expectations. I don't plan to go back again especially since there are many other Thai restaurants in the neighborhood. I will not waste my money or time going to this place again. I gave it a 2 star because the service was good.
(2)Ben A.
This is my go to sushi place as I live a few blocks away. Food has always been great and consistent. Service is great and BYOB. I've never tried the entrees but the miso soup is pretty good. I've tried a multitude of rolls and maki's and they have all been outstanding. Not a huge space but decent amount of seating with just enough space from the next table. The ambiance is casual, low-lighting, great place to eat and catch up. I noticed they deliver and have a fairly popular carry-out business. Metered street parking in front.
(4)Joe L.
Yeah I will be going back. BYOB, love BYOBs. Spicy Tuna and Mussels were very good.
(4)Mihir P.
Decent food and friendly but rushed service. It is BYOB so that is always a plus. They have tiny kitchen so I was impressed at how fast the food came out. But where things fell apart was when we were paying the check. My friend had a $25 gift certificate so after that our bill was about $49. One friend threw in $20 cash, I put in a card to be charged $20 and my other friend threw in his card for the balance and was planning to pay the tip - which we explained to the waitress. Instead they kept the cash for the tip and split the bill between the two cards - WTH? My friend was furious and eventually we got it fixed but it seemed a bit shady.
(3)Asper K.
Something about this place doesn't add up. It's a mystery. Like I don't know, like an Adnan Syed level mystery. Like that I mean, if you play your cards right, you know, you could probably eat here for almost free. Cause they always have ridiculous deals on restaurant.com , yelp, and probably every other site out there for all I know. And yo, they're BYOB too. So in the end, you're paying like $20 bucks for boku sushi and all the beers you can bring. So the foods got to suck right. But no man, it doesn't. It's like totally regular sushi. Maybe even a little better than regular. Better than Jewel/Osco I'd say. And they have some stern looking dudes chopping up sushi in the back like every day fresh. So that's some real sushi there. I mean, I don't get it. One the one hand, it's a nice restaurant, they have an aquarium and what not. The food is good, and so is the service. So you know, where are they cutting corners. I just can't figure it out. And then there's the Nisha call...
(4)Jeremy B.
As I already have a pretty solid list of go-to Asian restaurants it took a recent Groupon to get me to check out Jai-Yen, despite living in the area for awhile. However, I'm glad I did as it was great and I plan to come back...so I guess the Groupon concept does work! And no, I don't work for Groupon. The restaurant is BYOB and for some reason I thought they served alcohol and showed up empty handed. A meal without wine is not a meal, so luckily there is a conveniently located 7-11 in the shopping plaza next door to grab a bottle (or two). We went a little on the early side, by Chicago standards, for dinner on a Friday and the place was busy but not yet packed and seemed to fill up through our meal. Service was top notch and the food as well. Jai-Yen features a long list of sushi/rolls but other options such as Thai (noodles) and Japanese (teriyaki) entrees. We ordered a few different things but highlights were the sweet potato roll, beef teriyaki and spicy udon noodles. Highly recommend Jai-Yen if you're looking to brand out from your list of Asian "regulars," or looking to find a new one.
(5)Julie T.
Their customer service was superb! They always made sure your water was full and always making sure that everything was fine. I love a place with good customer service. Now onto the food: This is a really decent place for someone to get their sushi fix. The pricing is about average. Everything not only looked great, it also tasted great. All the rolls were on point and dessert as well. The display of the food was major cuteness overload. It looked AH-mazing!! One suggestion however is to work on the calamari. I felt that it was not looking at it's finest and felt that it was a bit over cook because the squid inside was too hard too chew on. But overall, I would recommend it and come back again. Great atmosphere!
(4)Radha K.
Jai-Yen is very close to my house and with a Groupon ($15 for $30), I finally had some incentive to try this place! The atmosphere is pretty intimate and the restaurant is a little small. I'm not sure if they take reservations but when we got there on Saturday evening, there was only one table open but we were seated right away. Lots of people were going in and out of Jai-Yen, so it must be a popular local spot. Most tables sat 2 - 4 people, but there were a couple larger groups as well. BYOB! The service was very friendly & fast. If you've read my reviews about crab rangoon before, you know I'm a big fan and will get it anywhere and am rarely disappointed; thankfully, that was the case at Jai-Yen! I also liked that they gave you SIX rangoons. I hate it when restaurants give an odd amount of anything so the entire table stares at the appetizer wondering what jerk will take the last piece. In terms of the sushi...not necessarily my most favorite - quite frankly, they were a bit bland. The special on the chalkboard was something along the lines of Crunchy Super White Tuna which was creamy because of all of the avocado stuffed in the roll. The Crunchy Shrimp ("spicy") is more flavorful than the last, with spicy mayo and unagi sauce on it. The Tropical ("spicy") also had some sauce/mayo on it, but didn't have that much flavor as expected either. I put "spicy" in quotes because they really weren't spicy. I wasn't blown away by their sushi, but because this place is so close to me, I am definitely willing to go back and try some different rolls again.
(3)Natalia K.
Fastest meal of my life. Walked in to use a groupon and half an hour later, I walked out belly bursting and satisfied. Ordered the crab rangoon. It came out in 5 minutes. 3 rangoon in, my beef pad see ew came out, and one more rangoon after that and I also had my Snow Angel roll on the table. Little piggy me. I kinda wished they staggered that out a bit. The crab rangoon was good- nothing amazing, but totally hit the spot for that cream cheesy ooziness inside that crisp fried wonton shell. I tried the roll next, letting my noodles steam beside me, and it was also decent- nothing I went crazy for, but nothing I regretted. The roll looked a bit messy, but it was small enough to place delicately in my mouth, which I appreciated, but still packed enough that you are getting your money's worth. The flavor was nice, but I didn't taste much of the promised spice and cilantro, so I added more wasabi to my soy sauce. The pad see ew is enormous for the price. Lots of large noodles and they don't skimp on the beef or the vegetables. Quite good and I wish I was able to enjoy more of it, but I was already full and not in the mood to take leftovers. I did a lot of damage though and ate all my broccoli so I got my veggies in for the day. Service and restaurant is nice as well. The fish tanks are clean and make for a pretty scene. I didn't have enough for the $30 groupon before tax, so I ordered a diet coke and enjoyed it thoroughly this morning with my breakfast. Oh, and it's BYOB, which is ALWAYS plus, unless you forget the booze and then it's just upsetting.
(3)Candace M.
A quick, cute neighborhood sushi place. I'm giving only 3 starts because although my spicy salmon roll was good quality for the price, my pad thai was not so great--the noodles were super chewy (couldn't tell if they were either over-cooked or under-cooked), and the tofu was also hard to get down. In any case, I will definitely try it again because it's very close, convenient and reasonably priced, but will probably stick to only sushi next time.
(3)Art S.
Ordered Dragon, crunchy Shrimp, spicy tuna, and sweet potato. All were really good. Food came quickly. Service was just OK. We had two people who came and kept asking the same questions. Charged $1 extra for some extra ginger. Really? Its BYOB so bring your favorite wine. They are very particular about meeting minimum amount required for restaurant.com , even if it is less than a dollar. There wasn't a wait but they were adamant about no sitting by window. There are two of us and while table sat four, no one ever came to sit there.
(3)Niki I.
Perfect neighborhood sushi restaurant! No corkage fee/BYOB and always great service. Very quick meal and service, usually out within 30 mins from when we order. They often have groupons which makes it even more well worth it ($15 for $30)! Make sure to bring cash just in case because purchases have to be over $10 if you want to use a credit card. I personally love the giant roll and my bf loves the tropical roll. We also share the pad Thai with chicken which is great.
(4)Joanne C.
Some of the servers don't speak English too well, but they will try communicate with you as best as they can. They are also attentive and helpful in answering any questions you have. It was our first time here so we had plenty to ask about. We started with the tuna tataki which was delicious! I love ahi tuna, so this hit the spot. We also had the deep fried soft shell crab which was cooked just right with the right amount of crunch. We each had our own order of the 12 piece sashimi & I was completely impressed with their presentation that I didn't want to eat my food! It was pretty good quality sashimi, but not the freshest we've had. We tried the volcano roll and their new Hokkaido roll which were very tasty. For dessert we had the green tea ice cream, mango, green tea, & strawberry mochi. The green tea ice cream tasted better than the green tea mochi, but the mochi was ok overall. We also ordered a honeydew bubble tea to go. I wouldn't recommend this item as it tasted funny & had a weird aftertaste. I had 2 sips & had to trash it.
(4)Sylvia C.
This place has solid sushi at reasonable prices-rolls, appetizers, sashimi, and sushi. They also do Thai food really well. I'm impressed how the owners turned this place around. Years ago, I remember when it was always empty. They marketed aggressively with menus, coupons, deals, and now I see it full every time I pass by. Good for them!! The only negative, and this is just my taste...Thai iced coffee and tea have too much condensed milk for me. I asked for less condensed milk, but I think it's premade because the amount was the same as always. If you're more of a savory palate, I'd forego. Service is good. BYOB, which I love! They are always nice and accommodating.
(4)Mallory S.
Seems to be in a hidden area on the east side of halsted. Sushi tasted very fresh and was a pretty fair price. I ordered the spicy scallops and spicy tuna w tempura crumbs and tuna on top which were all yummy. The tuna was succulent and of great quality. My girlfriend ordered basil fried rice. Huge portion and definitely enough to share. Will return if in the area again:)
(4)Johannah B.
I came here last night for a quick bite of sushi. It is also a BYOB restaurant so we brought a bottle of wine from home. There is no corkage fee, which is a plus. I highly recommend the SUNSHINE roll. It's only 5 pieces, but it was absolutely huge! Stuffed with fish, cilantro, and jalapeño it had a good kick but was not over the top. Our spicy scallop roll was pretty basic and I should have asked to add avacado. I also had a seaweed salad as an appetizer, and it was huge compared to what I get at other sushi places. We had also ordered the fried rice which was light in color and the vegetables were still a little hard. It wasn't he best fried rice I've ever ha but it could have been worse. We had been browsing groupon between dishes and ironically enough found one for the restaurant. Not too shabby of a deal, $16 for $30. By the end we were so full we had to take half our food home. I am glad I found this place since it is close to home. I can't wait to go back for their lunch specials and to try their noodle dishes.
(4)Stu A.
I've been a few times already and plan on returning. The fish is fresh, the food is good, the service is quick, the staff is nice. And it's BYOB, what's not to like
(4)Krystle K.
Coming here was my first time to any sushi place, and I absolutely loved it. My friend and I had pot stickers to start, then we ordered a feast between the two of us to share. I had the Summer and Sunshine rolls, while my friend and I split the Volcano rolls. I'm not sure what she ordered, but everything was fabulous! Our waitress was very polite and upbeat. She was extremely knowledgable of the menu, and punctual. I will definitely be back here. Also, BYOB!
(5)Megan R.
Delicious every time. My favorite sushi place close to home :) Sweet potato roll, dynamite, best crab Rangoon, love the baby bear, Santa Xmas tree we order every time, too. decor is 4 stars, great service each time. And everything looks amazing on the plate!
(5)Jon C.
Seeing a "BOYB" sign in the window of a restaurant always puts a smile on my face, and when I'm in Chicago, I smile a lot. Coming from Indy, we don't have awesome little things like this. So, when I want to have wine with my meal, I'm forced to pay whatever the restaurant is selling it for... and it's always higher! I went to Jai-Yen because a) they are BOYB and b) I had been told they had wonderful sushi. My informant was accurate on both accounts. Stopping at the liquor store down the road and becoming fully stocked on vino, we headed into Jai-Yen. For a Friday evening, they were busy, but not packed. We got in right away. I'm a fan of hand rolls, which I didn't see on the menu. When I asked about them, they said they could make them. I also heard that the sweet potato roll was tasty, so we ordered a couple of hand rolls, the sweet potato roll and another random roll that was most likely tuna or salmon. With great wine and great conversation came excellent sushi, and we both cleaned our plates, leaving nothing behind as we stumbled out of the place... perhaps a little bit more full (and a bit more buzzed) than when we entered.
(5)Angelica C.
I really like this restaurant. +1 BYOB and no corkage fee! +1 Groupon/Yelp/LivingSocial deals are always available! +1 Good sushi (difficult to achieve), my favorite is the Dynamite roll paired with a smaller roll like spicy tuna or salmon. My fiance likes their Beef Pepper Steak. Also the crab rangoon isn't too shabby. +1 Staff is friendly and pretty attentive. They also have an outdoor sidewalk area when it's warm out. In the fall, they still have it setup with those tall fire heaters. Never a line to get seated and not a far walk from the Red Line. I usually like to come here about once a month.
(4)Gretchen P.
This place is great. It's never been super crowded which is nice, although we always make a reservation. They have a great selection of sushi, it's pretty typically priced, and they come fast as well. The atmosphere is pretty and well decorated, and its BYOB. Overall, great spot, sushi quality is good, and the wait staff is good as well. They are not absent but also not over bearing.
(4)Bridget S.
A cute restaurant with fishtanks for decor and a lot of good options as far as sushi and some Thai dishes as well. We came for dinner and enjoyed it very much. The servers were friendly and I was surprised to find out they delivered too. Nothing better than sushi delivery. I had a Thai iced tea to drink which was very delicious. It's BYOB but there isn't a cork fee as far as I know. If I lived in the area this would probably be my go-to delivery place.
(4)Bex A.
We were able to make a reservation. It is BYOB and they were very accommodating. Especially for a randy group of women drinking for a bachelorette party. We closed the place down and they did not kick us out. The food was excellent. I love getting a cup of Tom Yum and a sushi hand roll. I would absolutely go back.
(5)Julie J.
This is my go-to close-to-home sushi place! The food is good.. . Not the best sushi ever, but perfect for your quick sushi fix. I highly recommend the deep sea roll and the miso soup!
(4)C H.
This place has fresh sushi, which is great. Some rolls are better than others, but all in all decent experience. My fiancee and I love the specialty rolls. More money of course, but oh so much more taste! the Xmas roll is really great. Plus its BYOB with no corkage fee. Another thing I like is the place separates tables, so you aren't on top of another party, like at some sushi shops. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because they charge for miso soup ($2.95). Its nice when sushi places give it complimentary. There unusually is a Groupon for Jai Yen too. So, get a Groupon and check it out.
(4)John L.
Sunday night Groupon deal. Rolls were really good: Spicy Scallop, Philly and Red Marine. No corkage fee. Service was nice...would recommend.
(4)Irineo B.
Great sushi and atmosphere! Service was excellent. I recommend the Specialty rolls and the Pad Thai. My friend works next door and I frequent this often. Good vegetatian recommendations from the server on Tuesdays who is also vegetarian.
(5)Maya C.
The customer service was great, as many have said before. I've lived in the area for a year and a half and have dined here quite a few times. I've always been really impressed with their sushi, although there are times where the sashimi hasnt' been my favorite cut of fish. There was an eel piece I believe that was just okay. I would definitely recommend getting the sushi rolls though. Some of the servers are not as fluent in English so be mindful of the language barrier. I would just clarify and explain clearly what you would like if you are making special requests due to the language barrier. I've tried most of their specialty rolls and were impressed by all of them. The one I found to be mediocre was the crunchy super white tuna roll. I've found that restaurants that serve avocado tend to use under ripe avocados so be mindful when ordering avocado. I've experienced this not just at Jai-Yen, but also at quite a few Mexican restaurants and brunch locations this summer. Here's what I've ordered and LOVED: - seaweed salad - soft shell crab appetizer - deep sea roll - spicy salmon roll - mochi ice cream (green tea and mango are the favorites) - sushi A box (yum yum, ask for something other than eel though) - gyoza appetizer - miso soup (there's has really great flavor in my opinion, not too watery) - chicken teriyaki Skip these: - any of the Udon soups. I was not impressed. find a place that specializes in those.
(4)Lindsay B.
Good food, service needs a lot of improvement. We waited about 20 minutes for someone to acknowledge our table. When someone finally did, she impatiently asked for our order. We didn't have water, a wine key or glasses. We asked for all of the above. Someone came back with saki glasses, no water, no wine key. She took our wine to go open it. Meanwhile, someone else came to take our order. The comedy of errors continued, though it wasn't very funny after a while. When we got our bill the waitress demanded that we pay with cash and not a card. At that point, I just wanted to get out, so we did. A plus is that the food was really good. The had a couple of unique rolls and everything was fresh. The spicy miso was exceptional. However, there are equally good sushi places in the area with much better service, so I don't see a need to go back again.
(3)Ingrid R.
I was here last Wednesday nights with two girlfriends. It was freezing outside. The food and service were very good. We had to wait a little bit to order but nothing terrible. It was not packed but more than half full which surprised me because the weather truly was cold. I sat by the window and my left butt-cheek was numb after 20 minutes. Sorry for the image - but don't sit by the window when it's freezing. We had crab rangoon and edamame to start - both great. We had three different Sushi choices from the Chef's Specials: Dragon, Spicy Tuna, and the "I can't remember the other one" one. All were very good. Finished up with 3 deserts. I had the red bean mochi which was really good. My friend had mango mochi - also good. Friend 2 had green tea ice-cream which was allegedly good but she didn't offer me any so I will never know :( It is BYOB and our total bill before tip was $51! I will definitely be back
(4)Girlatchicago L.
spicy tuna and sunshine maki, tasted unfresh, rice uncooked , sauce is not near to what it is supposed to be, very disappointed
(1)Darren M.
Went here for the first time yesterday; I've been craving sashimi and since Matsu-ya closed, I was willing to pay $18 to try out the Chirashi here. Although the portions were quite generous, it was all for naught as the sashimi was terrible. The fish did not taste fresh at all, and some of the pieces were actually still frozen in the middle. There was also a piece of shrimp that was somehow impaled on its own tail (I don't know if this is a deliberate presentation decision) which I was too scared to eat. I gave it to my friend who said it was funky. I feel bad for giving this place such a low rating because the staff was quite friendly and attentive. At least the seaweed salad and miso weren't half-bad. One thing is for sure: if I ever come back, I'll stick to noodles and steer clear from the fish here, but that's a big if.
(2)Marisa T.
It's a quaint little BYOB place with great curry and sushi. It has been my go to place for a time. I still enjoy ordering from them, and they're also just around the corner from my place. The decor is beautiful and can be taken as casual or romantic. I recommend at least trying once, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Jason W.
Ate here with my wife last week. Our service was good, and the food was rather tasty. It's nice to see a few creative rolls on the menu. will go back for sure.
(4)Lauren B.
Great sushi. There's a good variety of cheaper, simpler roles (tuna avocado etc.) and more expensive ($13ish) special rolls. The chef's special rolls are BEAUTIFUL. I almost didn't want to eat it, but it tasted so good. They made a dragon out of the dipping sauce and it was just beautifully presented. I feel like this place is sometimes underrated just because there are so many sushi places in the area but it really is good. They also have a variety of thai rice and noodle dishes so it would be a good choice for groups.
(4)Adam R.
I had the chance to dine here on Friday Night. Fortunately, they had a YouSwoop the week before. I would recommend others hold off on going there again until the staff has had the chance to catch their breathes. The staff looked overworked from the added customer volume. I have heard many great things about the Jai-Yen. But the chicken Skewers were dry by they time they arrived to the table sadly. In addition, they did not remember that my dining partner Geanna preferred to have the Sushi sauces on the side. I understand it is a pet peeve of chefs when someone asks to alter their portion but hey I am trying to push Geanna's challenge her food comfort zone. We both enjoyed their sweet potato roll. I enjoyed the spicy taste on the Volcano Roll. I ordered the Pad Thai Chicken and wanted to lick the plate. THAT GOOD! Also, it seemed that a majority of the tables were taking advantage of the B.Y.O.B opportunity. Jai-Yen was excellent at helping to chill our white wine!
(3)C A.
This place ok ok! Just ok... dont think i will ever return. The sushi didn't taste fresh and the seaweed was actually chewy like bubble gum. I don't think it's suppose to be like that. The service was poor and the bill sky high! No thanks!
(2)Stephanie B.
Jai Yen has a really nice, cozy atmosphere with great sushi. I tried it because I saw good reviews and had a coupon from restaurant.com . We got the cubby, dragon, 2 spicy tunas aaaand I forget the last one (I would recommend them all). A little tip: I would have never noticed this place just driving or walking by. It is a little hidden and located between Grace & Waveland. I believe there is only street parking but my friend and I drove separately and had no problem finding a spot at 6pm on a Wednesday.
(5)Natasha F.
I've been here several times over the years. This is a consistent spot for good sushi and friendly service. My last time here was last Monday. I treated a friend from out of town. I was wary of Monday night fish, but at Jai-Yen it was fresh and tasty!
(5)Andrew K.
I'm usually weary of places that serve multiple ethnic foods. This place is a Thai/Japanese/Sushi bar. Went there with a few friends. Walked in just in time was seated immediately but shortly after the place was packed with a wait. Reservations would be recommended on a weekend or Friday night. The food was pretty good. All of the sushi was well prepared and very fresh and tasty. The rice was perfectly cooked and seasoned. We ordered a few other dishes from the kitchen (seaweed salad, gyoza, phad kee mao and soup). Everything was good. If it is still on restaurant.com , it makes this place a great value too. The desserts were the down fall. Ordered the cheesecake. Must have been frozen prior to serving. I think they defrosted it in the microwave. Part of it was still frozen and some parts were warm. The mochi ice cream was EXPENSIVE. Buy it at the store.
(4)Nick H.
Jai Yen you have lost a regular costumer, ordered takeout, lady said 20 mins, was waiting for 40 minutes, order was all wrong so i emailed them and said it in the survey they sent. i rang then and the lady pretended to not understand me.
(1)Milena M.
This place is ok for sushi. Everything is fresh but there is an odd smell most of the time. They have some pretty good rolls though, the green turtle is full of flavor. I think they just need to call a good maid service.
(3)Shanna C.
This is my favorite BYOB sushi place in the city. All of the Thai dishes are great too. Don't forget to start with Tom Ka soup. Friendly service, great food at a terrific price.
(5)Sara S.
Jai yen is a good go to place if you want to go out on a weekend but didn't make a reservation anywhere else. Really, I would give it 3.5 stars. The sushi is good, nothing spectacular- same with the soup and Thai dishes. It's kinda a neat atmosphere, food comes out fast and it's super cheap. We always have some sort of coupon/deal when we go and end up leaving stuffed and paying around $12. Only bad thing is parking around there is hard to find.
(3)amish s.
Pleasantly surprised. I tried Jai-Yen because of the great reviews on Yelp and the place lives up to its reviews. We had lunch there and ordered the Spicy Mussel appetizer which was filled with flavor. Also an assortment of their maki's: Tropical, Spicy tuna, and Giant Maki. In all - everything was excellent and reasonably priced. Will definitely go back. Not the best place for infants as there is no changing station and the bathrooms are pretty small. Also - they had an interesting music selection - sounded like they had Pandora "90's reggae" channel on as we heard UB40, Shabba, and Hey Macerena. Not quite what you'd expect for a Japanese place - but it was fun over some BYO Beers at lunch time. (Yes, infants, Beers, and sushi at 1:00 pm - why not?) Overall a great place. They have an extensive menu - so I cant wait to try more.
(4)Sarah A.
I go here often - great sushi place, decently priced for all rolls, BYOB and friendly staff. It fills up fast on Thursdays and the weekends so I recommend reserving a table.
(5)Emily C.
I have been going to the sushi place for years because of its convenient location. I went during the week, and there was no one in the restaurant except the staff.. This probably should have been my clue to walk away very quickly. Instead, I placed an order to go. The sushi didnt look or taste particularly fresh, but i was very hungry. Not long after I ate the sushi, I became very ill by throwing up and other stuff. It was like I couldn't even digest the seafood. My stomach is still not right, and would caution you from going there. It might have just been the particular fish I ate, but will never eat there again. I'm hoping by writing this review that the staff will make sure the sushi is fresh and not spoiled and that customers really pay close attention to the quality of food that they are eating. Please be careful!!!
(1)Anna P.
Tasty sushi place with delicious entrees and great ambiance. Take advantage of the BYOB. The place got really busy at around 7pm and although the staff was busy running around, they were still friendly and responsive. Definitely going back.
(5)Lawrence Y.
I can't comment on the food yet, because we only stopped by for smoothies, but I really liked this place. I'm surprised I haven't been here before prior to the other night. The server we had was really nice. I really like how the place is laid out, and we sat in the smaller room. Their Peach Lychee is THEE BEST I've had in the city, and the tapioca is the SOFTEST you'll ever have. I know I've said that about other places but this one really beats the rest! YUM!
(4)Colleen C.
I love Byob. I love it even better when it's with sushi. :) This is a nice little hood joint. Very nice interior, friendly, clean. Menu is average, with lots of options...food was fresh and happily served. Service was attentive, albeit lacked extensive knowledge on certain dishes. However, fast and with a smile, I usually can get over it. A great little place if you are in the neighborhood, great for groups...nice ambience, good lighting, storefront great for people watching, and people watching you eat ;) Parking not so good. Busses plentiful.
(3)Katherine S.
My boyfriend and I love this restaurant because the sushi is amazing- and its close to home. The wait staff is friendly, polite and very attentive. We have eaten in and had delivery- and EVERY time has been a positive experience. Its refreshing from the snobby loop establishments with irritating staff and patrons. This is a very hardworking staff and they deserve big tips! We will continue to dine here when we'd like sushi.
(4)Rachel B.
I'm happy to finally find a nice and inexpensive (comparatively) sushi restaurant that's within walking distance to my apartment. The staff there is pleasant and the spicy miso soup is great! Service is quick and it's BYOB with no corkage fee. I've been back about 3 times since I've first visited. Definitely a great place to have sushi with friends!
(4)Jennifer H.
This is my new favorite sushi place! After searching for a very long time, we have finally found our sushi home. When it comes to sushi we have high standard for a place; must be close to home, have great sushi, good variety of sushi, BYOB and good service. Jai Yen has all of these qualities! We often call ahead for reservations and they seem to give the people who call ahead the best tables in the restaurant (which I think is the small separate room). Sushi is always made quickly and is always very good. My favorite roll is the The Giant roll. They have a very large roll menu and has something for everyone. They also have a large non-sushi menu for someone who wants something other than sushi. I highly recommend this place for a great dinner. We make a point to have dinner here once a month.
(4)Michelle T.
I tried to go here last night for my anniversary dinner and what horrible service my husband and I received!! He made a reservation for 7pm this previous tuesday and when we got there we had to wait and then they tried to put us at a table right by the door. When I asked if we could have a table that had been vacated by a couple(just 2ppl) by the window, we were told that we couldn't sit there because it was a table for 3 ppl(after a guy had stopped in to make a reservation for 3 @ 7:30) and tried to seat us at a small wicker-like table that did not have enough room for anything. Sucks because the first time we went there, we loved it, service was good and everything, but last night, especially because we were trying to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, this left a super sour taste in my mouth. I will be trying to exchange the restaurant.com I have for them and will not be promoting their restaurant esp to any African-American people who like sushi, because you obviously can't be seen in a window seat if you patronize there.
(1)Brooke L.
Sushi was great at this place and BYOB.. plus they have a pretty cheap delivery fee and delivery minimum..
(4)Nicholas R.
Great service. Good food. Ocean roll was Amazing. Used the Yelp deal. Will come again.
(4)Julio V.
Went here the other day with 3 friends and a restaurant.com coupon (spend 100, get 50 off). Ordered 7 rolls, a soup, 3 crab Rangoon and an order of pot stickers. Bill was 71 split 4 was plus tip. Definitely worth the money. Food was delicious, and its BYOB. We brought 2 bottles of wine, a six pack of 312 and a bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale. No Corking Fee. Money well spent!
(4)Elise K.
I wanted to like them... Who doesn't want to add a new sushi place to the rotation... Especially with the low delivery fees ($2.50 and $15 minimum). However a combination of things earned them a brutal review. First we ordered through Grub Hub. We got a confirmation email that was blank, but a promised time of 8:06 (over a hour later post order time). We called at 8:17. It took them until about 8:30 to figure out our order. At 9:15 we still didn't have food. We called back. They FINALLY delivered around 9:50 PM. We had started the process around 7 PM. They did not refund us the delivery fee or the 10% we had added as a delivery tip to our card. The food was less than spectacular. The sushi (Tuna Avo and Salmon Avo was pretty good, but warm as it had been sitting in a bag with warm food for a long time. The ginger was so skimpy however. They did use whole chunks of fish instead of chopped up - that part was nice. The Tom Yum was terrible. There was just way too much fish sauce - not like any other Tom Yum I've ever had. The crazy noodle dish my boyfriend got was good. He enjoyed the tender beef. The house salad with ginger dressing was not impressive - a little carrot and 1 tomato slice on top of some iceberg in a small to go box. Not really worth the $4.95 they charge. They gave us a free veggie pad thai - this was the worst pad thai that both my boyfriend and I had ever tasted. It was a sad waste of food. They also threw in some shrimp dumplings - pretty good despite being luke warm and soggy from the wait. Meh to bad food. Awful service. NO THANKS!
(1)Ralph G.
Great atmosphere. BYOB so if u wanna drink stop somewhere first. Foods great and really inexpensive. You can't go wrong.
(4)Christi D.
I really enjoy coming to Jai-Yen. My favorite appetizer is their Tuna Tataki...it's unlike any I've had and it's very tasty! Jai-Yen offers good flavors at a reasonable price. Also, bonus points for BYOB :) I've been here too many times to count and they are consistently satisfying!
(4)Yam F.
food was great esp. everything we ate - the whole table! BYOB is a plus just like the extra napkins. smooth 90's pop gets a D-(minus). the leftovers were gone before we left the restaurant. you know you love me xoxo
(4)LL P.
Quick, reasonably priced, fresh!
(4)Emily Z.
If your want sushi, cupcakes, or need a dry cleaner AND you live in Chicago your in luck, these Chicago staples are on every corner. That being said I've been to at least 20 sushi joints over the past year and this would be in my top 3 (behind Tank obviously!) The sushi at Jai-Yen was so flavorful that none of us even touched our soy sauce ! + BYOB + not busy (aka no wait, good for groups) + no obnoxiously loud music, so you can actually talk to your friends ! + easy curbside parking + Great sushi ! I went with two lovely ladies, we split an app and 4 rolls, we were full and the bill was a wallet friendly $50. Started with the crab rangoons, sounds like a sushi staple right... not so much, these were some of the best I have ever had, they were in the shape of little pyramids (6) which means no extra crusty dough on the sides just lots of warm gooey cream cheese deliciousness ! mmmm I will do this in order of my favorite to least 1) Dynamite... I mean it is cream cheese, crab, and avocado... yum... but then it is DEEP FRIED... can't go wrong there... soooo creamy and delicious in the middle and crunchy on the outside !! The only thing I would say was there was a definite overload of Unagi sauce, so maybe ask them to go light. 2) Sweet Potato... tempura sweet potato, cream cheese, avocado... again sweet and creamy. yum. 3) Dragon roll... 2 shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, tempura crunch, topped with eel and avocado. This was good... though I personally would have liked it better if they took the tail of the shrimp off instead of sticking it out the end of the roll... I'd prefer not to work at all ha. 4) Green turtle... shrimp tempura, salmon, spicy mayo, topped with shrimp, wasabi tobiko, and unagi sauce. This was everyone's least favorite so SKIP IT !! Over all great experience, Jai-yen is an adorable little sushi joint that serves fresh inventive rolls at a good price and its easy to access with parking and no wait !!
(4)James E.
Great neighborhood Thai/Sushi place. Very friendly staff. Cute decor. Good prices.
(4)Mike P.
Work close by and eat lunch here nearly every day. Great lunch special especially #3 spicy tuna and spicy salmon. My favorite specialty rolls are baby bear, deep sea and green turtle. I tell all my friends to eat there and every time I spend 12 dollars at the popular sub place I regret not eating at jaiyen. Good service and fast delivery
(5)Jeneanne O.
Definitely a solid sushi place. Their thai food is so-so. Their lunch specials are also great, especially when you couple it with 20% off for your first online order. I liked their spicy salmon roll and their nigiri is really good and fresh. I think I also had their Green Turtle Roll and I liked it. Their ebi maki is not bad but not fantastic. I really like the miso soup. I also like that it is BYOB with no corkage fee and it is open for lunch whereas most sushi places are not open for lunch in the area. I still like Kanok better but this place is also very good
(4)Abby H.
This place is close to home, so it pains me to have to find a new thai spot. The last three times I've ordered takeaway, I've had to return because they have forgotten items or messed up the order. These corrections are never met with an apology and they never offer to fix the error. I have to ask them to fix the order when I go back otherwise they just say "thanks for letting us know". Isn't it common sense that they at least make the order correct once I return with the wrong food? I had to go back to the restaurant after walking home tonight because the crab rangoon was missing the sauce and they shorted the order. Once I got home with the replacement I requested, I realized they gave me tofu tom yum soup instead of chicken, and the sushi we ordered had no ginger, wasabi, or soy sauce. We ordered three items and all three were incorrectly prepared. The food is great when they get things right, but enough is enough.
(1)Gail M.
We go here (or order takeout) every month or two and have always been really pleased with the food and service. If you're in the neighborhood during the day on weekdays, their lunch specials are great and affordable. Glad to have them nearby!
(5)Amy H.
The food was ok and service was extremely slow. I really wasn't a fan of this restaurant. My spicy basil thai was good. However, when we requested some of our makimoto be made without cucumber our server said "yes, no problem" but the food arrived with cucumber anyway. I probably won't go back to Jai-Yen.
(3)Hannah S.
I've been many times and not just because it's right around the corner from me. While the spicy miso soup is a gem on the menu, my favorite thing might be the smoked salmon nigiri sushi. Good rolls and BYOB always wins.
(4)Sloane H.
AMAZING sushi! I always order online and it comes in an hour. the deep sea roll is so good!! this is my go to spot for sushi! Their chicken teriyaki is very good too!
(5)Dwayne C.
I love this place. I switched to ordering it for delivery sushi from other stores. They are always on time, have good quality, and are affordable.
(4)Beast B.
Chicken fried rice is good, not too oily, california rolls were perfect. Best part is they deliver!!!
(4)Mandi G.
Slightly above-average sushi. Atmosphere is nice and date appropriate. It's BYOB and reasonably priced. The rolls are pretty big and (if you look at all the added pix) presented beautifully. I just have never been overly impressed with anything I have ever ordered here. Definitely too much filling, not enough fish. I say go with a date (it's small and I wouldn't recommend it for groups) and put your expectations above the average AYCE sushi, but below the good places like Toro or even Coast. Not a destination spot, but definitely worthy if you're in the hood.
(3)Valerie J.
Jai-Yen F'N BROUGHT IT So I needed to update from my last review: My friends and I went here this past Sunday post pride parade - keep in mind the streets were crazy all day, so I am sure Jai-Yen experienced some of that crazy. We showed up at 8 after 10PM - they close at 10:30. Initially the waitress said they were closed, but when I said, "but you close at 10:30" the lady behind the counter told her to seat us. (The one who seemed to hate her life on our previous visit. Score for her!) So we sit in the bigger room at the window, handing over our 2 bottles of wine and one sake for them to heat up. (BC yes, it is BYOB - another reason we were so late, acquiring the 'B'.) Apparently the boys I was with said "thank you" a billion times and our waitress after this was super sweet. We each ordered their excellent and spicy jalapeno miso soup (made with fresh jalapenos, seeds included!) For 2 of us Texans and one smart boy from WV, we were big fans. Next up came my friend's Gyoza. They came deep fried (he says most places he goes they come boiled) with a particularly pungent soy sauce. Everyone agreed they were pretty darn tasty. Next up: Yellow-tail sashimi with jalapenos and a lemon-soy sauce starter. Yum again. Fresh and nicely prepared. Then the rolls arrived: The Snow Angel was even better than last time. It is described: Hot & Spicy Shrimp, and crisp cucumber, wrapped with Ika (squid), Ebi (shrimp), house spicy creamy sauce, then lightly broiled, and sprinkled with cilantro. It just tastes fabulous! So many flavors, and the creamy sauces are amazing. Not too much rice either, great for one biters! Fire Dragon Roll Spicy tuna topped with eel, avocado, and unagi sauce This was also decadent deliciousness in your mouth. Sweet and spicy, and creamy with the avocado - great combinations. Tropical Maki Tuna, yellowtail, scallion, cilantro, jalapeno, cucumber, avocado topped with tempura crunch and spicy mayo We asked for extra jalapenos and they did *not* disappoint. Another exquisite composition. Can't wait to go back! :)
(4)Mirko A.
The sushi was great. We had 4 different rolls all had good flavor and variety. The only complaints would be not having gluten free soy sauce and the customer service was lacking. The waitresses were friendly but not very attentive. Overall we'd go back!
(4)Jennie K.
I absolutely LOVE Jai-Yen. I've been coming here for over a year now, and have never been disappointed. The Giant Roll is by far my favorite, and their Crab Rangoon is AMAZING!! Some other favorites of mine are the Philly, Spider, Spicy Crunchy salmon,green turtle,etc... I just love it. OH! and the staff are the sweetest people. They always give me a warm greeting and goodbye :) I HIGHLY recommend this place for SUSHI!
(5)Kingsley L.
Mandatory 20% tips for Yelp deal user.
(2)Karen T.
This gem of a sushi restaurant hiding between Boystown and Wrigleyville is a fabulous and boys, I do mean - FABULOUS - secret. Honestly, when was the last time you paid the same price for a special maki roll as a downtown martini ($12-15) and expected to be full off it? But at Jaiyen, that happens. BYOB and there is NO corkage fee. Imagine the Chris Rock "no sex in the champagne room" voice - there is NO corkage fee at Jaiyen, kids. The decor is clean-cut yet funky and cool. A 3-D arrangement of chopsticks on the wall actually became a topic of discussion at our table. Perfect for those first dates where you're stumbling your way through the most awkward dinner of life, but can't have a third drink for fear you'll confirm you're on your way to AA. As for the ambience/patronage/service... Jaiyen played some trippy yet provocative Guns N Roses covers, which were also heavily discussed. The restaurant was fairly busy in the middle of Pridefest, and seemed to be popular with both the straights and gays, always a good sign. Plus, our waitress carefully broke down our tab per person so we didn't have to. And now the most important thing, the food...oh. my. god. I made a rookie mistake of assuming the portions would be teeny tiny and that my garbage disposal of a stomach would require two specialty rolls & a soup. So, so wrong. The tom yum soup kicked my ass with spicyness, but it was so delicious I couldn't stop eating it. With respect to the sushi, I'm very particular about my hamachi (yellowtail) specifically, but i loved it in the Mexican roll I had. Great quality and even better price. The "By the Beach" roll sounded expensive at $13, but the size & number of pieces of it were more than enough. A combination of salmon, avocado, orange, cucumber, uzu and wasabi tobiko with a dash of honey mayo blew my taste buds away. Now if only all the sushi restaurants of Chicago could pay a visit to Jaiyen to see how it's done, our reputation for Japanese food would be almost strong as it is for deep-dish pizza.
(4)Jackie G.
A pretty standard BYOB sushi place in Chicago. I like that. The waitresses are very attentive. Since this is a busy spot with proximity to Boystown and Wrigleyville nightlife, they keep the flow of orders going. The vibe is trendy with pop/club type music playing. I've had the miso soup, which had lots of miso, and was a nice start. My boyfriend and I have had a number of rolls including spicy tuna, spicy salmon, salmon avocado, crazy, futo (with egg, sweet potato, spinach), philly, unagi and spider. The spicy ones are a bit spicy than other places. Our favorite is the unagi avocado. My big issue is the rice. It doesn't stick together, so oftentimes when you pick up a maki piece, some rice falls off. It's a big frustration of mine when sushi places can't get the rice right, since it's such a big part of their offering. Also, the blenders in the dining room can be a bit disruptive. My boyfriend and I like how everything tastes though. I can't finish my review without mentioning presentation. It's sort of beautiful - I now almost understand what people feel compelled to instagram their food and post it on Facebook. On a recent visit, we went all out and got dessert. We ordered mochi and green tea ice cream, and the mochi presentation was surprised me in a delightful way (self-admittedly, maybe I'm easily delighted after splitting a bottle of wine). Gotta love the BYOB sushi places.
(4)Patrick W.
My experience last night was bad enough that I'm breaking out of my Yelp silence to report what a disaster this was. Placed GrubHub carryout order at 8:18 on a Sunday night (I have the email, that's how I know the exact time). Walked out of there with my food at 9:20 after waiting at the restaurant for 35 minutes. For the most part, I've always gotten my Thai fill at another joint just to the south on Halsted. But this place is closer to home and I was in a hurry to eat and get back to something I needed to work on. I stopped ordering from here a few years ago because I was tired of waiting an extra 10-15 minutes to pick up my food after arriving. I figured things had probably gotten better since then, but I really didn't know how good I had it back then. Sparing you from the lo-o-o-ng story, the Readers' Digest version includes my texting the fiancee to tell her to never allow me to order from here again. Two other people who had ordered carryout milled about, waiting awkwardly in aggravated silence. I'm a really patient guy. I'm more than understanding when a place is busy, but this was just too much, and while I wasn't taking orders or working in the kitchen, they sure didn't seem busy enough to have been struggling this much. When I went up to check on the food, a delivery guy who was trying to help and seemed to be somewhat in charge took my name, turned to where some bags were sitting, and found my order. Last straw. You mean it was ready and no one bothered to say anything? I honestly believe that if I hadn't broken out of my usually passive, patient shell to get a status update that I would still be sitting there, 17 hours later. Never again. Schblammo, Jai-Yen!
(1)Sarah R.
Sweet potato tempura...ALL DAY! SOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!! Also, definitely try the Thai iced coffee! Pad see eiw! Avocado rolls! And for God's sake! Get a taro bubble tea and let yourself live for once!!! Lol, no but seriously...this place is good stuff :)
(5)Tanya M.
Just moved to this neighborhood and find myself craving sushi. Well thank God I found this place. Nothing too exciting that I can rave about it but it was satisfying and delivered very quickly. So for the moment I'm happy to rate them as a 4 star delivery service.
(4)Dawn H.
A sushi deal on YouSwoop? Without hesitation, I'm in! And then I showed up and wished I hadn't. First off, this place was virtually empty at 6:15 pm (only another couple in there). Throughout the evening, it became very clear that Jai-Yen puts forth more effort in their carry-out service than their dine-in service. The menus they provided were their actual carry-out menus with food and water stains all over them. A little ghetto, yes. Then, it took 35 minutes from the time we ordered until we got our food. That's completely ridiculous, considering there were only 4 of us diners there in total. Meanwhile, they busted out 5 carry-out orders and served the other couple's food first despite the fact they came in 10 minutes after us. Not cool. We were super hungry. We tried: Soft Shell Crab ($6.95) -- Quite delicious. 4-stars. Tuna Sashimi ($3) -- Tasteless. 1-star. Salmon Nigiri ($2) -- Tasteless. 1-star. Green Turtle Maki ($11.95) -- Tasteless. 1-star. Spider Maki ($7.95) -- Less than average. 2-stars. Spicy Scallop Maki ($5.50) -- Average. 3-stars. Panang Curry Chicken ($7.95) -- Mostly vegetables, sparse chicken. 1 star. This place is SLOW SLOW SLOW -- slower than molasses in winter -- that is, if you plan on dining in. The really sad thing is that the food is not even worth the wait.The nigiri and sashimi were the biggest let-downs. It tasted like tofu (nothing). I now fully understand why they have so many deals going on. I'd be surprised if this place lasts with their lower-than-average food and slow service. The only way this place is going to make it is with their carry-out service (which, luckily for them, they emphasize). Funny: They advertise themselves on their chopstick sleeves as "Jai-Yan" and that they do "caterring." Simple spell check, people.
(1)Erick N.
Just had another very tasty meal at Jaiyen tonight; the sushi has been consistently good every time and a great bargain. Fast, friendly service once again. Also noticed they had some outside seating; not sure if that is new or if I did not see it before. We tried the bubble tea today for the first time and it was so tasty and refreshing (perfect for a hot steamy day). We also continue to be impressed with the quantity (and quality) of rolls to choose from. Two recommendations to make things even better: 1) Another recent review mentioned a bad smell when they walked in. My wife and I noticed this tonight and it was so bad at our first table we had to ask to change tables. The odor was still noticeable at our new table across the room, but fortunately a lot less strong. Jaiyen, please address this issue ASAP - a bad smell should not be the first thing people notice when they enter a restaurant. Hopefully this will be a quick and easy fix. 2) Please partner back up with Open Table. Many people enjoy using Open Table to book reservations and I noticed this time that you are no longer affiliated with Open Table. Aside from these two issues we remain very pleased overall with Jaiyen and will continue to be regulars.
(4)Jessica N.
Closest sushi to me, so I've been here many times for take out sushi. Tonight was the latest and I've always had a good experience with the sushi (can't speak for the service). Rolls are good, fish never seems questionable. Pricing is ok. Crazy Roll - good Baby Bear Roll - salmon on salmon, hard to go wrong here though they put lemon slices on top of the salmon which started to "cook" the salmon as it would in a ceviche. Thought that was weird... Spicy Tuna - good portion of tuna in the roll but it was almost TOO spicy where it masked the taste of the tuna Spicy Scallop - Scallop was good, a little too much mayo for my taste. Overall very decent place to grab sushi on a weekday or takeout. The restaurant's environment is somewhat lacking...which is probably why I've never actually eaten IN the restaurant!
(3)Sylvester J.
I used to go to Jaiyen at least once a week before I moved out of the neighborhood. It was my guilty pleasure after Sunday workouts :). There is not a thing, that I did not like and I have tried a lot! My all times no#1 favorite is their 'spicy mussel'. a great appetizer, once you have it you will get addicted! but the list goes on and on..fried rice, curries, rolls.. go check it out, you will not regret! and get the SPICY MUSSEL! ;-)
(5)Michael S.
Not bad... used a LivingSocial voucher and picked up a Tom Yum soup and two miso soups. Tom yum was unusually sweet and wasn't at the right balance of spice and sour . Miso soups were fine.
(3)Arpana U.
Living so close, I've been to Jai-yen multiple times for both dine-in and carry out. First started going because restaurant.com had great deals there for dine-in. We have consistently liked their sushi which has been fresh, has a lot of options, including a lot of veggie options already on the menu. We ventured into their entrees and also enjoyed. I personally like the seaweed salad and pepper steak, as well as their pad thai and crazy soba noodles, yum! I've had friends come over and ask that we get take our from here. Dine in service is okay, it can get slow and hard to get someone's attention when it's busy. The place does get a bit packed on weekend evenings. They also put out these small wooden tables when they're busy which are not comfortable, so we don't do dine-in too much. Also, if you happen to carry out, be sure to check the website for free things depending on the amount of your order (free edamame, friend rice, rolls, etc.) They won't mention it, but will give it to you if you mention it and meet the order requirement. In all this is a 3.5-4, but due to proximity for me personally, I gave it 4. Decor is nice inside too, they go for a modern feel, including playing top 40 music sometimes.
(4)Katy B.
This place is yummy and a great deal. $5-$12 a roll and can get entrees for under $10. I always go with some sort of coupon, so that makes it even better!
(5)Sara V.
We've been twice now and both times had solid service and pretty good food. The rolls are good, some standing out more than others, as is wont to occur. The Giant Roll has so far been the favorite, with the Snow Angel coming a close second (it has this spicy coriander sauce drizzled over it that just makes the whole thing come together). My only major complaint was that the Snow Angel wasn't rolled as well as is usual. It was a little loose. We also had noodle dishes both times as well and both times have been pleased with the level of spice and flavor. While I've definitely had better noodles, ones that I might be tempted to write home about, these were still quite enjoyable. The service is excellent and the restaurant itself has a relaxed yet somehow hip vibe. Aside from the odd plaster-y smell in one corner, it's a very pleasing set up. The prices are a little beyond my usual preferences, but with a Groupon or other such deal, it's well worth it.
(4)Jelena Z.
Birthday bubble tea! Move over cupcakes and cookies because bubble tea is my new sweet treat. It's portable, it doesn't leave crumbs on my blouse (hey, I'm accident-prone) and if I pace myself, I can make the smoothie last 30 minutes. I've only tried mango so far, but there will be more.... mark my words! Also-- I'll update after trying their signature maki. Lots of creative rolls to choose from, including a Mexican roll (mmm cilantro) and a sweet potato tempura roll. BYO without a corkage fee... sweet stuff indeed :)
(4)Prix L.
This place is not Sushi. This place is a MESS of food. If you are looking for a good sushi place. This is not the place for you. The rolls seem that are trying to get decorated in the plate and what it looks like is a mess due to having too much food in it. It looks that the chefs had ideas of putting this and putting that and a little of this and that and t the end is a complete mess of flavors. Live two blocks from this place and will never come back. This is not sushi for me!
(1)Kourtney L.
We chose Jai-Yen for a bachelorette party dinner and couldn't have made a better selection. The BYOB aspect was perfect for our crew and service was top notch. The smell I mentioned before was much less noticeable when I was in last month so cheers for working that out. I'm certain Jai-Yen's speedy delivery will come in handy over the cold, harsh winter months upon us.
(5)George S.
This place is so cheap, I went in on 2/13/13 and placed a Togo order, it came out to $19.90 and you get a free appetizer with an order of $20 or more. For 10 cents they lost a local customer :-( what a shame
(1)Chad V.
This place is A-Ok. In the past, Jai-Yen was my go to sushi place! Then I started noticing some nights were great and some nights were not so great. As I began to meander around the city I found better places. I still come back here every now and then for nostalgic purposes (and the price); it is generally decent.
(3)Carlo C.
Wow! That was spicy! Hmmmmm =) If your into spicy noodles..this is the place for you! Needless to say...the BYOB led us here for dinner...and the wait staff got us to become repeating customers. They were very attentive and knowledgeable about their menu. So when they tell you its spicy... ITS SPICY. Trust me. You are able to bring your own wine or beer with no corkage fee. That is definitely a plus. Only downside is that you cannot bring hard liquor. Although, we did manage to bring a bottle of Crown (without knowing we couldn't bring liquor) without them giving us a hard time =) Great staff, good food and did I mention it was BYOB. Yes, I'll be coming back here in the near future...
(4)Luke S.
My first experience here was a solid five star experience! The food is great and the service was outstanding! The rolls were on par with Toro and had very fair pricing. They also had some creative menu options, such as the spicy miso soup. My second visit was on a Thursday night at about 8pm. The place was busy, but they were extremely understaffed. It took 20 minutes for someone to greet us before we were able to order. We had downed our whole bottle of wine prior to being served our soup. The food was outstanding once again, but it was one of the longest meals that I have ever had. I think one of the big problems was that they were placing more emphasis on their carry out orders than their customers. It's a great place as long as they're not busy!
(4)Caitlyn C.
Love this place! Good deal for good food! Go to sushi place and their pad see meow(spelling?) is so good!
(4)cindy w.
we just moved 1 block over from this place and we cant stay away! this is one of the best and freshest sushi! the cooked items are great too!
(5)magic g.
Nice combination of sushi and thai in one place, but: - no wifi (try to redeem that groupon ;) - would not accommodate sea food allergy (they fry everything in one oil) - staff, although helpful was difficult to get attention from at times the good? the food ... it is good, not outstanding, but good (great deal on groupon now)
(3)Consumer N.
Definitely one of my spots. It's the only place I've found in Chicago that has salmon skin rolls made the right way. On the plus side, they have another location by my house further southwest from this one and it's equally satisfying. Love it!
(4)Elizabeth A.
Sushi here is SUPERB! It's not the best sushi in Chicago but it's definitely up there. The prices are average for a sushi joint, the ambiance is pretty nice, and the staff (although limited in the English language) is also very nice. I would definitely bring friends here and recommend this place to others. *The melon bubble tea = yum!
(4)Laura L.
Their menu and website both say first online order is 20% off but the website ordering doesn't work (actually, I can't even find any working links on there for ordering). I talked to them and they acknowledged that they knew that and still wouldn't give me a discount. Wasn't too happy about this but the menu looked great and still affordable so I made the order anyways. SO glad I did. This is the best asian food i've had in the city. I'm no expert and don't eat it super often but I was so impressed. Noodles, sushi and soup were all fantastic! Still had to knock a star for the lack of customer service on the advertised discount, the inability to redeem and their knowledge that its basically false advertisement but the food is awesome!
(4)Emily H.
The decor? Cute modern Asian fusion. The LCD screens planted here and there spouting weird Asian infomercials were a little obnoxious, but since they were in a language I don't speak I didn't pay much attention to them. I liked the way they make their Crab Rangoon here. Not too oniony, not too greasy, a nice even creamy crab taste all the way through. The lumpia could use more spice. The sushi is passable. They can handle eel well, but I'm a tough customer when it comes to toro. The Volcano roll was alright, if a little bland. I was expecting face-punch spicy, and got Sriracha spattered on it. At least it was actually on fire when they served it, adding the flavor of slightly browned rice to the mix. The Panang curry was some of the best I've tasted in Chicago, and I plan to go back soon specifically for that. I was served an enormous portion of spicy-sweet heaven, and they didn't skimp on the tofu either. The Pad Thai was average, and my mother really liked the shiro miso soup. I appreciated the fact that they didn't automatically foist a fork on me, and let me choose which utensil to use (I'm a chopstick girl). I also appreciated the BYOB option, though we didn't think to tote along a bottle this time. It was a good find through restaurant.com , and I'm planning to go back.
(4)Bethami M.
For what it is, it's one of my favorite sushi places in Chicago. Why you ask? It's ridiculously close to home. Granted, there are a plethora of sushi spots in Lakeview within walking distance from my house. Many of those same places are also BYOB with no corkage fee... Location aside, I'd probably give Jai-Yen 4 stars. The sushi is delicious, and I crave Red Marine ever since I've had it. Many of the other rolls are delicious as well, and I've never had anything I didn't like. For a large group, service is a little shaky, but I've gone with one or two friends, and never experienced any issues. Not that there were with a large group, but we waited awhile before we could order. If you're in the neighborhood, and by that I include Lakeview and Lincoln Park, and probably Uptown, it's my favorite hands down. Definitely worth a stop.
(5)Alex R.
Good delivery sushi. Spicy tuna is extremely good and filling - though smaller portions on the entrees than other places in the same price range. Miso soup is enormous and tastes awesome. A really good choice for the price in the area.
(4)Rachel L.
I haven't reviewed this one before?! Goodness, i need to rectify that. This place is delicious! They're very nice and the prices aren't exorbitant. The special rolls are around $11-12, and the simpler ones are generally around $8-9. Try the sweet potato roll - very yummy.
(5)Arlene G.
went back here after spendin sum time at pridefest & it was pretty yummy! i forgot that i didnt like the calamari so we tried it again. same results-didnt like it but i liked everythin else. great maki rolls & seaweed salad!
(4)David G.
i love rolls. Cinnamon rolls, bed rolls, Rolls Royce. I especially love sushi rolls, of which Jai-Yen, a nice little sushi joint in Lakeview, has a good selection. The first thing I noticed, being the... frugal... person I am, was that the prices for common rolls were pretty reasonable. averaging about $3-5 for six pieces. Not bad! We started with a very well made crab rangoon appetizer. Like most local sushi joints, they had more than a few specialty rolls, which ranged between $7-15. No surprises there. Our order: Asparagus maki - I'm usually not big on vegetable rolls, but it was a nice balance between asparagus and spicy mayo. Spider maki - Can't go wrong with the soft shell crab Green Turtle - This was a roll loaded with stuff, shrimp, salmon, spicy mayo. Dynamite - This one is loaded with unagi, crab and avocado and it's deep fried. This was actually my first experience with deep fried maki. It just doesn't seem right on paper, but it felt right on my tastebuds! Service was decent, though a little relaxed, especially seeing as it was 3:00 PM and we were the only ones there. So if you're ever in Lakeview and need an above average sushi experience, I would recommend Jai-Yen. It's BYOB so don't forget to stop by the liquor store first!
(4)Isaac C.
I love sushi and have been to over 10 different sushi restaurants in Chicago and this one is the best one! The first thing we experienced was the fast and free (no cork fee) BYOB service. They saw we had drinks and asked if we wanted glasses they brought them straight away! Next we saw the menu, I'm a die hard fan of simple sushi and their menu portrayed a great selection if the basics. They ha a signature menu but I left that for next time. This is what we ordered. Nigiri Hamachi Sake Ikura Makimono Spicy tuna Spicy scallop Spicy tako Spicy salmon Namasake avocado The taste and quality was top notch. And they made it so quick! The restaurant was about 75% full. I loved my experience and can not wait to go back!
(5)Helen H.
Service- terrible. I don't mind waiting for a table as it's just expected in Chicago, but when people behind me in line get tables first- well that just is unaccepable. They didn't even keep track of people coming in, they just grabbed people that were closest to them and sat them down. Instead of a 10 min wait, we waited for 40 min despite us hopping up and flagging her when she came around to seat a new Table. We got miso soup, shu Mai, fire dragon roll, deep sea, negihamachi, and spicy tuna. The food was all pretty good, but I will say the special rolls weren't as special as other places. Maybe they were rushing but the sushi was not rolled well at all. One fell apart before it reached my Wasabi soy sauce dip!!! Overall this place is fine, and prices are typical Chicago, but I wouldn't come back if it weren't for my groupon.
(3)Ryan H.
I was impressed when i walk-in in a raining night and they have a good number of people. We were arranged to seat at a table by the wall and the whole atmosphere just cozy and relaxing. THEY DON'T CHARGE FOR BYOB! First we asked them to bring champagne glasses and they did a little more with an ice bucket along the glasses although its already been cooled. NiCE! Seaweed salad, spicy mussel were great! and the house special Jai-Yen maki was impressive too! However i really don't like the Udon Noodle Soup pobly im not a fan of the topped strong peppers... yeah, and Jai-Yen can create a far more better menu than the current paper ones. overall I'll give them 4 stars.
(4)Derek B.
Every single time I go here I leave happy. I read other people's reviews, first if you are ordering sushi to be delivered, that's your fault. You are doing something very strange and if it arrives cold I really can't feel bad for you. Unless you have no legs get off your tush and walk in. If you have no legs, well. If it's diabete's related I'm not sure you should be eating fried sushi anyway. I half a mile from here, and I live a block from Nano Sushi, and yet I take the extra couple blocks walk and pay the extra dollar or two each and every time. You can taste where that dollar goes. The fish is always fresh, every ingredient is always perfect and the presentation is always worth a picture. At this stage I've tried nearly everything on their menu, if it sounds like something you would like, then more than likely you will like it. The BYOB pertains to beer and wine, and there is a 711 a block down the street if you needed such. No liquor. So you know. I've once waited 8 minutes for a table and that happened on a Friday night, other than that the place is always semi slow. Which is nice as they help you immediately and feed you as quick as possible. I honestly cannot say how fortunate I am to live so close to my favorite sushi restaurant, and that it is affordable and consistently perfect. I could do without the music. Why I am forced to listen to blaring techno at a dimly lit sushi bar is beyond me, I suppose it is the edge of boys town so I let it slide. Also, I dislike the desserts, but that is an across the board thing. Their food blows our mind if you want cheese cake go to the cheese cake factory.
(5)Megan T.
One of the best sushi places in Chicago AND its BYOB. Highly recommend the specialty rolls. They even deliver and the delivery is pretty fast. I got delivery through Grub Hub and they threw in some free edamame. If you're in Lakeview, i definitely recommend checking this place out
(5)Josh R.
Great restaurant, BYOB!, Great staff, pretty good sushi and always clean. They're always extremely nice and courteous and the bill is always ridiculously cheap.
(4)Shea W.
My favorite place in the city for thai and sushi. The nigiri is always flavorful with buttery tasting salmon and tuna. I always combo with a thai dish as well. The place gets busy the weekends I have been there, so it's best to call and reserve from my experience. I'm not sure what it is like on week days. The price is right for a downtown place. It's a little small, so I don't recommend going in groups more than 4.
(5)Nessara W.
I first went to Jaiyen a very long time ago and hadn't been back for 2 years. We returned last month and now Jaiyen is our favorite sushi place. I ordered the Snow Angel and the Mexican roll as they both had spicy signs and I love spicy food. They were awesome! Great taste, good combinations and very fresh fish! My husband got the Sushi dinner set. He's not a fan of any roll when it comes to sushi, but prefers pure fresh raw fish with rice. He said that's how you can tell which sushi place is good. He really enjoyed his meal and said the nigiri here are super fresh, melt in your mouth and with generous size compare to the price. I'm not sure if he would normally be this enthusiastic, or If it was because it was BYOB (and we shared a nice bottle of white wine), but either way, we had a great experience. The only down side might be the service - the wait was a little long before we could even order our food (this wait was helped, in part, by the BYOB). It was pretty crowded for Wednesday night and we were very hungry by the time we got there. However, once we ordered, the food came rather quickly, and server was very friendly. I didn't think the wait was enough to take a star off my rating.
(5)Takelya W.
Came here and blew about $90 on some damn good sushi! I guess the beau got a little sushi-happy with the rolls. We got waaaaay more food than necessary for two people but it was definitely worth it. I LOOOOVE that it's BYOB and they don't even charge you a cork fee. We brought in a couple of bottles of wine and had ourselves a lovely night. The inside decor is beautiful. We were actually seated next to three couples on first dates. It was the perfect setting: low lights w/ candles, a gorgeous fish tank and an overall good vibe. I would definitely come back here in the future.
(4)Lidia L.
This has to be by far the best sushi place i've had in Chicago and I'm from LA. I've tried rollapalooza and yuki hana both were.... bleh. but Jai Yen was actually really good. I've had the Jade Dragon, Rainbow, Fire Dragon, and the Seafood Tempura. Although a little pricey compared to LA prices- good to know this will be a good go to whenever I'm craving sushi.
(4)Rhonda P.
I'm a big fan of the place, its close to my house, its BYOB, and they have great lunch specials. I've been with a large group and they seemed to be able to manage it and get the checks right. They are a little slow making the maki (pun! 2 points) for some reason the sushi seems to take a lot longer than when I've ordered food. My favorite dish are the drunken noodles.
(4)grace s.
This has become my go-to sushi place. Jaiyen is one of the only restaurants Ive seen participate in deals such as group-on that offer dine-in and carry-out and had they never offered carry-out with these deals, I wouldnt have become a regular, as I am now. Although, I do enjoy eating in the restaurant too. I like the neighborhood, parking is pretty decent, and the restaurant is cozy. The staff has always been very friendly to me and quick to take care of me and my guests. I highly recommend the Baby Bear and Jade Dragon. However, Im excluding one star b/c lately the usually large (and very fresh) slabs of salmon on the Baby Bear have gotten smaller and the Jade Dragon usually comes with shaved radish,which I love, but they have been leaving it out of my to-go orders the past couple times. Im hoping this is a fluke. otherwise, fresh sushi, fair prices, and very friendly staff!
(4)Jennie T.
For my first visit, the unpleasant sewerage smell from some broken pipes led my friends and I to request a seat outside even though it was hot/humid as hell that day. They sat us right next to the door, and every time someone walks through that door, they'd bring a waif of the horrible smell with them to the outside. I thought, "Oh, gross! I hope that our food doesn't smell like that." Luckily, it did not. We ordered the hota sake for appetizers. Mmm, delicious! The salmon and scallops just melted in my mouth. Loved it. Rolls we ordered included: - Mexican maki -- yum! - Summer maki -- Possibly my favorite. Again, it just melted. Nice and creamy but not too much. - Namasaki avocado maki - Futo maki - Namasaki maki - Spicy tako maki -- Yum! Total paid split between 3 people = approximately $25, including tip.
(3)Shaun C.
For me, the best bang for your buck basic Maki roll spot. I say that because the Spicy Tuna, Scallop and Salmon are awesome. If you want more complex rolls, its not the spot, but for the Jiro Dreams of Sushi simplicity fans, I love this spot.
(4)Laurie V.
We are carry out people and have use Jai-Yen about 6 times. Each time we used either a Groupon or their own discount. Never had a problem using a deal and the service has been great, our food was fresh and ready on time. Love their maki rolls! The Sweet Potato roll is so good that next time my husband and I will have to order two so we don't have to share one! Love the Green Turtle and the Spicy Tuna Deluxe too. Have several other rolls and all were great! Tonight we decided to try one of the Thai items so we got beef Pad See Eiw. It was good, but a little one note on the flavors. Side note-we ordered from them several times while I was pregnant and they were very accommodating and were happy to customize our order to avoid raw fish. Thanks for that! And now as I write this I am wishing I would have got the Thai Iced Coffee because it is really good. Next time!
(5)Amey K.
Love the red and green curry. Yet to try sushi
(4)Lauren F.
Jai-Yen has yet to dissappoint. I loveee their coconut shrimp appetizer-big and crispy coconut shrimp with a thick, sweet sauce for dipping-yum! I've never had a bad roll here but some of my favs are: Fire Dragon, Giant, Tropical, Volcano and Sweet Potato. The service is super fast and friendly and they're on restaurant.com , so check there before you come for discounts!
(4)Mikey B.
I'm never sure what to think about Jai Yen. On the one hand, the rolls are quite large and quite good, and the other food available is reasonably priced. But the sushi is a bit higher priced than other joints around town, and the service is inane. They were playing NBC Nightly News on TV (...?) and when I asked to turn it off (because I don't want to feel like I'm eating sushi in an airport lounge) the woman giggled as if I were joking. "No, really. Can you change the channel." As she walked away, she said over her shoulder, "I can't do that for you, sir." Because..... you don't want to? Or because the owner insists on NBC playing at all times because of Brian Williams' awesome hair? I wouldn't go unless you had some discount, but otherwise, if you don't mind mediocre service and weird TV channels, it's OK.
(3)Natalie O.
My boyfriend and I were looking for a casual sushi place with good reviews and reasonable prices. Step one: Yelp. Step two: Jai-Yen. Step three: NOM NOM NOM. The decor is cute, and the service was quick and attentive. I got the Namesake Avocado Makimono (fresh salmon and avocado) and the Dragon Roll (shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, tempura crunch with unagi, avocado, and unagi sauce on top). HOLY DELICIOUSNESS. The fish was fresh and delicious, good rice, delicious unagi and unagi sauce. My boyfriend got the Spicy Tuna Makimono (VERY spicy, but delicious!) and the Jade Dragon roll (unagi, hamaki, radish sprout topped with tobiko, wasabi mayo, and unagi sauce). Both the rolls were awesome, and the maki was a great deal. Highly recommended for those looking for good sushi near Broadway, Halsted, or Wrigley Field. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Hasan G.
It's ALWAYS a Pleasure eating here. I pretty much LOVE every thing ESPECIALLY the Green Tea Ice cream Ball, thingy, the Hawaiian Rice, Tempura, most of the maki rolls, and Definitely the Avocado Smoothie w/ "bubbles". Well Priced, GREAT STAFF and SERVICE, Nice and Clean, and Tasty! Ohhh SNAP!!! SOOOO GOOOD! Note... the Miso soup seemed much better this time, but not a significant enough complaint to Knock off a star.
(5)Rebecca S.
First experience with Jai Yen--ordered delivery. Two stars may be a bit overrated. First, I ordered a chicken pad thai, and recieved a 1/2 chicken, 1/2 tofu mess (I hate tofu). The noodles clumped together and were so overdone, they tasted like mush. Disgusting. They also forgot our spicy miso, which I immediately called the restaurant, was put on hold for 3 minutes, and was told they would not be able to redeliver it but would 'credit' me a miso for next time ordering, but not refund my money today. The crab rangoon and potstickers were decent, which is the only reason I'm giving it two stars. Delivery beware!
(2)Breanna F.
This is my Sunday afternoon spot! You get what you pay for. I've had better sushi but have paid double to triple the amount for it. So this place is just right for me when I am craving some good sushi but don't want to break the bank! The chicken fried rice is also really good and is huge. By the way, Sundays are the day to go, its super quiet and nice.
(4)Shannon R.
I'm shocked this place only has 3.5 avg rating. I thought it was incredible. 100% best sushi I've had in Chicago. I lived in San Diego for a year and would put Jai-Yen up against some of my favorites out there. We got the pot-stickers to start which were incredible. The crunchy spicy salmon was one of the best rolls I've ever had. We also got the Ebi Tempura Maki and Tropical which were both delicious as well. The service was wonderful. We had a reservation for 8 on a Friday night. It was packed and we unfortunately got there a little late due to a redline delay. We only had to wait a couple minutes and got a seat. I will definitely be returning!
(5)Heather B.
Please note, this review is based on delivery experience After my second successful order from here, decided for write a review. EXCELLENT sushi, very freshly made, with lots of distinct specialty rolls on the menu to keep my attention. The basics were great as well, spicy salmon, tuna avocado maki, and of course the miso soup. Tasty shumai as well. Some rolls i would highly recommend: Unagi Lover, Mexican Roll & the Hamachi Roll. Another great feature - you can order online through grubhub.com , and they have lots of coupons for free appetizers/rolls/dishes based on how much you spend on your order. This place has earned its position as my go-to sushi take out place!
(4)Beth A.
yummy yummy avocado maki liked the inside...wish i had had someone to dine in with :P really wish that when i picked up my order it would have been chillin in a fridge and not just out out on a shelf...no buena petty details...my chopsticks were mucho splintery and i wasnt given quite enough soy sauce for what i had ordered
(4)Fiona M.
My favorite sushi place in all of Chicago! The food is amazing, service impeccable (they are so polite) AND it's BYOB. Another thing... this place is always spotlessly clean. We regularly end up being the last people in there (probably due to being over-jealous with the BYOB policy!) and they make sure the entire restaurant is gleaming before they leave. Go to Jai-Yen, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!
(5)Jimmy N.
I came during lunch on a Friday thanks to a restaurant.com coupon. The inside of the restaurant is perfectly adequate, in the since that it had slightly dimmed lighting, some windows so you know you're not in a cellar, and Asian decorations enough for you to remember you're eating sushi but not enough for you to think you're actually in Asia. The service was great- maybe because it was lunch and I wasn't dressed like a bum and cus the place wasn't too filled. I was seated quickly and food came out fast enough for me not to have to wait more than 2 minutes between apps and entree. Crab Rangoon: solid. Not amazingly mind blowing, but solid. Sashimi appetizer: I enjoyed this a lot. Good sized pieces and tasty. $9 for 5 pieces seem like standard prices for Chicago sushi. Dragon roll: I wasn't too impressed with this roll. It was decent in size but flavor was lacking. I guess I would have wanted to taste the shrimp more but all I got was avocado (which isn't the worst thing in the world). Dynamite roll: how can you go wrong with a tempura fried roll? You can't. They didn't. It was good. I'd come here again, but only with my coupon cus I am cheap like that. Oh, they have good sushi rice in the rolls. Like flavored short grain the-way-it-should-be sushi rice.
(3)Kate M.
Yum! We stopped here last night on the way home and I was starving, *starving*, so getting something tasty was super important. It's a cute little place, fair amount of seating (bigger than I expected inside), nice decor. We shared the spider maki, beef fried rice, and teriyaki beef. It was all very good and presented artfully. I realize the way the food looks doesn't make it taste better but it does mean the kitchen is putting that extra bit of effort into the food. I thought the spider maki was the best I've ever had. Both the fried rice and beef teriyaki were also both very good. Perfect size portions too. The fried rice was only $5! For a normal meal (not when I'm starving and my eyes are bigger than my stomach) it would have been a perfect size. $5 for a dinner entree is pretty good in my book. Service was ok, not amazing, but not bad by any means. I got the feeling the servers were trying to give us space and not rush us. I'd rather have that than a pushy server any day. I will definitely be picking up some sushi from Jai-Yen for lunch next time I'm working from home. I believe they have delivery also and will be on my mind the next couple times I order out.
(4)Claudia M.
I've never had the sushi here. But I had some pad thai is boy was it bad. Actually something had gone really wrong that day at this restaurant. When I walked in the smell of dirty mop water was so strong but I didn't listen to my gut reaction and sat and ordered and appetizer and the pad thai. Yuck, I picked at it asked for a doggy bag and threw it out at the corner. Dislike,
(1)Lauren T.
Please not this review is for delivery. So I am a big sushi fan and I have to admit I crave it about 99.9% of the time, even if that means I am too lazy to get my butt off the couch, so I tend to order for delivery a lot. Having said that I feel like there is an art to the delivery of sushi, presentation with sushi emans a lot and it really says wonders about a restaurant when the food is really fresh and presented well even when it is delivered and not served moments after the chef has prepared it. Okay, not that I gave that preface, onto the actual reveiw. I ordered Jaiyen for delivery a few nights ago just having another one of my classic sushi cravings and went for Jaiyen since it was relatively close and in the mid price range for sushi. My friend and I ordered the regular miso soup, spicy miso soup, seaweed salad (which I always order), some Shrimp fried rice and spicy Tuna Maki, we were not too hungry so we did not go crazy. After finishing our food, my friend and I decided overall it was 3.5 starts. It was a little bit above average but nothing amazing. The spicy miso soup was really tasty but I did not get a ton of spice in the soup from the jalapenos which is why I got the spicy miso and not the regular. The Seaweed salad, which I could eat for every meal, was really average, there was very little sauce on it and the flavor was not very good. They put a lime in the container to squeeze on the salad but that did not really help the flavor much. What I did find interesting was they put cucumbers at the bottom of the salad, which I did like like because it added a crispness to the salad. The Shrimp fried rice was actually pretty impressive, there was whole pieced of shrimp and not those little nasty baby shrimp that usually comes in shrimp fried rice, so that was really impressive. The Spicy Tuna Maki was really good, but then again, it is kind of hard to mess up Spicy tuna Maki. Overall, if you want a less expensive sushi experience, I would say give them a try. I was not wow'ed but it did satisfy my sushi craving.
(3)Marina G.
Went here for a last minute birthday dinner with my friend. She loved the sushi and there were plenty of vegetarian options for me. They even brought us some ice cream when I told them it was her birthday, so that was a nice plus. And it's BYOB. Add in the reasonable prices and you can't really go wrong.
(4)Arlene A.
What a disappointment. After being very satisfied with our delivery experience, my Honey and I decided to eat in. BAD MOVE. I can't believe the dichotomy between the delivery and the dine-in experience. Both quality and portion size are a better deal via delivery. The size of our shrimp tempura at our dine-in experience was easily one half of what we normally receive for delivery. Okay, so maybe there was a new guy doling out the tempura. What happens next however should strike terror in the heart of all that enjoy good food. My steak teriyaki arrived stone cold. STONE COLD. Even the plate was cold. After finally getting the attention of our server, the plate was whisked away. And then whisked back in under two minutes! Are you serious? Microwave, really? Overly sweet beef teriyaki that is now a chewy mealy mess. Thank goodness my Honey got the chicken with peanut sauce, or I wouldn't have made it to McDonald's without starving.
(2)Lex E.
I've eaten here once before and remember it as being good - but my most recent experience was ordering take-out. I ordered a salmon & avocado roll, garden roll, and piece of super white tuna (nigiri style). The staff is friendly and picking up my order was no problem. The sushi was very good! Very fresh and the pieces of fish were pretty big. I didn't think I ordered a lot but I was so full and could barely finish. The price isn't too bad either. I will definitely order take-out or delivery again. From what I can remember from eating there - it was a tad bit slow. They have a small outdoor eating area on the sidewalk when it's nice. I don't remember anything else extremely negative so I say try it out!
(4)Sara P.
I came to Jai Yen on a Saturday night at 8pm to use my Living Social coupon. I enjoyed the food. We got the spicy miso, the edamame, the sweet potato roll, the spicy tuna deluxe, and the baby bears roll. It was all good. However, the service was absolutely god-awful. I don't care that the sushi was good, I am never coming back. We sat for half an hour before the waitress came by to take our order. Then we sat and waited for another hour before the food came out. Then we didn't get our bill for another half hour, so I just got up and got the bill from the other room. They need to hire more staff, it's a joke right now.
(2)P C.
Wouldn't know what the food tastes like. Ordered an hour and a half ago and it hasn't shown up. Called. Couldn't get someone who spoke recognizable English to explain if it was on the way. Repeated my address four times. Um... yeah. Having an English speaker answer the phone really isn't too much to ask if you're going to take almost 2 hours to deliver some simple pad thai on a Wednesday.
(1)Jeremy S.
Jai-Yen is my go to spot when I want Sushi for lunch in Lakeview... Using a restaurant.com certificate (which I highly suggest checking out if you are interested in this restaurant, and others in your area), I was able to order the following: Appetizers - Spicy Salmon Sashimi - 5 slices of delectable raw salmon with lemon and jalepeno, a great healthy choice with a kick - Edamame - A bowl of healthy soy pods perfect with a side of soy sauce Entrees: Unagi Lover + 3 pieces of Unagi Sashimi & x2 Chicken Pad Thai with a side of two spring egg rolls and vegetable tom yum.... I'm a huge fan of eel and avocado so the unagi lover was a must. I was not let down in the least. The roll was excellent and pieces of sashimi were just as good. The roll was topped with a sweet unagi sauce that perfectly complimented the roll. The only mistake I made was not ordering more of the sushi, and going with a dish of pad thai instead. The Chicken Pad Thai included slices of tofu and tasted very good. Not the best I've ever had, but a good enough sized portion and it didn't leave me felling like I had just overloaded on carbs. With the restaurant.com gift certificate the final bill came out to $21 (with tip included). Split between two people, that becomes $10 for a high quality sit down lunch. You can't beat that period. Definitely go to Jai Yen for Sushi first. Great restaurant and staff, and it should not disappoint.
(4)Jennifer D.
I've both eaten in and ordered delivery dozens of times. Good quality/quantity for value. Friendly and professional staff.
(5)Long Q.
I have been here twice. The firs time was in July of 2010 and I only had their panang curry. From what I could remember it was decent. My review is for my recent visit November 2011. This time i ordered an udon noodle soup with two sushi rolls. Guess what the secret ingredient in one of their specialty roll is??!?!? it's Human HAIR!!! more specifically it's the chef's hair. The specialty roll came with the hair laying neatly along the roll and cut into even pieces...I called the waitress over and pointed the hair to her, she just said "sorry" and went to replace the roll. How many starts should I deduct from that? I was generous I took two. Where is the third star you ask? I took the last star away because the beef in the udon was very chewy, the rice in the sushi was flavorless, and the fish was not fresh. With that being said, the service was fairly fast, but I can't imagine how slow it could have been since I was the only patron there...Yea never coming here again...
(2)anna s.
I like Jai-Yen This is a great local place and the best sushi option in the area. The service is always pretty good and the food is pretty consistent. My bf and I eat there about once or twice a month, as it is very close and local for us. Their spicy miso soup and seawead salad are always good. i'm also a fan of the dragon roll, rainbow roll, and tropical roll. Everything is always fresh and as good as you can get from a small local place. I recommend :)
(4)Nikkie H.
I've been to Jai-Yen twice now for birthday parties. The first was for a friend and the second was me (wheee!) Both times we had a large group of 10+. Visit number one took forever, but the second time it was much better. Both visits we tried a smattering of the maki rolls on the menu and I have to say there wasn't one I didn't like. My top three rolls (in no particular order) are the Jade Dragon, Tropical and Lava. The only gripe I have was that the room where they sat us was super hot. After a few glasses of wine it didn't bother me as much though (hooray for BYOB!) All in all it was a great meal that was reasonably priced when you use a restaurant.com gift certificate. I highly recommend.
(5)Kate S.
Do not eat at Jai-Yen! I was there with my boyfriend last year and thought we had a good experience, but were very much mistaken. We both woke up in the middle of the night with food poisoning and had to be rushed to the ER. Over $500.00 in medical bills later, we almost had to give up our love for sushi because of this horrible experience. The doctor's informed us that food poisoning does not have to be from bad fish, but can result from contaminated rice when the sushi chefs don't wash their hands (yuck!) or a number of other sanitary issues. Please choose another sushi restaurant the next time you get the craving..there are dozens of wonderful places in the city that won't leaving you feeling like death!
(1)Marcee W.
A classic case of you get what you pay for. Sushi is inexpensive, tasty, but not the best I've had. Crab rangoon and shrimp egg roll appetizers were good, but I didn't care much for the chicken pad thai, which tasted very sweet to me. Thai iced coffee was good and you can't beat a byob restaurant for value.
(3)Fernando G.
Stopped in here because of a Living Social coupon and was pleasantly surprised except for one thing. First, I didn't notice any odd odor other than the air freshener at the entrance between the doors. This was probably due to the low temperatures, but I can see how that might be an issue in warmer temperatures. Second thing I noticed was the dance/house music being played. Being a DJ myself, this was not a problem because Kaskade is actually one of my favorite producers, but I digress. The music volume was just right, a little bit louder and it would have been annoying. Ordered the Miso Soup, Dragon, Volcano, and Spicy Tuna rolls with Chicken Teriyaki just for good measure. It's pretty hard to get Miso soup wrong, and on a cold day it really hit the spot. The sushi was actually very tasty, with the Dragon roll as my favorite. The chicken teriyaki was very flavorful and soft. Now, the one downside to the whole experience was the water! The water had a very metallic flavor to it, like it came out of my Grandmother's kitchen sink. Nothing that a pitcher with built in filter couldn't fix. The water might just be a moot point since the place is BYOB! We brought a few beers with us, so it really wasn't much of an issue, yet I felt it was enough to subtract a star. $wise - the total would have been around $56 which seems reasonable. The server saved me a couple of bucks by pointing out that the Chicken Teriyaki already included one miso soup.
(4)Allie B.
I've dined in the restaurant once but what I really really love is the delivery. You know when you come home from a really miserably long day. The kind that actually start off the night before because you couldn't fall asleep so in the morning you're too tired to remember to take any of the necessary items with you when you leave your place (i.e. wallet, lunch, dignity) and progresses so "well" that by noon you've somehow been roped into a conversation with your ex (and all you want to do is sing Taylor Swift to him: We are never ever ever getting back together. This is exhausting), work is just NOT going well, and by the time you get home you really just want to cry and then die. But instead you find that tiny bit of sense left in your brain and order Jai-Yen (accidentally-on-purpose ordering twice as much as you can really eat) and about 20 minutes later the nicest looking man is on your step with a bag full of delicious, delicious deliciousness. And you eat your entire order of crab rangoon and your whole body smiles. To the point: Their food is, well, delicious. Their delivery is quick. And the delivery guy is always super nice and polite. Their prices are spot on and for $20 you can have enough sushi/snacks to rectify even the worst day and to keep you smiling well into the next when you have leftovers for lunch.
(4)Laura E.
This is the second time I've order from this place. The first time was alright but this time really was disappointing. The guy delivering the food was pretty rude, which was ok because I'm sure being a delivery guy is not the greatest job. My order was wrong. They forgot two sushi rolls, the soup and potstickers were cold. When I called them up they said they would have to call me back in an hour. An hour? And still never called. Definitely will not order there again. An update. So, I called and tried speaking with them again. They told me that I should have called earlier and that they were 'too busy' to deal with the issue. Sigh. The lady said she would get to my issue eventually. Such great customer service... ugh.
(1)J B.
Best sushi in all of Lakeview. Hands down. I am so happy that we moved to this neighborhood specifically because of our proximity to Jai-Yen sushi. We love that it is a BYOB place because it saves us a lot of money & drinks. I recommend the Santa's X-mas tree roll, Red Marine Roll, the pad-thai, actually... I've been here so many times and have tried so many things on the menu & have honestly never been dissatisfied that I can safely say I recommend absolutely everything on the menu. The service is great, the servers and sushi-chef's are so friendly and polite with the customers, and service is pretty fast too! They brought us a complimentary ice bucket and chilled glasses to enjoy the beers we brought. If you are a sushi fanatic like me, don't hesitate to check this place out. Jai-Yen is a top notch restaurant.
(5)Elissa M.
I'm so happy I can walk to this place! Here's a quick review because I'm actually on my way to try the Athenian Room. Incorrigible! Ha! I know. We started with the seaweed salad which was good, and not drippy like they can sometimes be at cheaper places. We then had an appetizer consisting of tiny skewers of grilled scallop and lox with some green roe on top. WOW. Did not even care that it was $10, it was that good. Not going to make you full, but will get you redolent for your sexy days spent by the sea. I had drunken noodles as my main dish, substituted the meat for tofu and holy hell, this was amazing. I was expecting long noodles and was a little disappointed to find them square and flat but I wasn't disappointed for long! These are the best noodles of all time and EXTREMELY fairly priced. The sauce was piquant and intelligently put together, no goopy sweet crap here. Only complaint-- they were playing Katy Perry, and when me and my dining companion started comedically lip-synching a la Keegan, they turned it off. Can we blame them? I don't. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Karen C.
Anything that is BYOB sans the corkage fee gets a big fat 2-thumbs-up from me, so Jai Yen is off to a great start in that regard. Having friends that absolutely LOVE Jai Yen and used to live down the block, we've been here quite often. I started going here before I jumped on the sushi train... the pad thai is really good, and i love their crab rangoon... they are like little nuggets of deep-fried happiness. Recently I started to venture out and try more kinds of sushi, and I gotta say... Jai Yen's is pretty freaking delicious. If you're looking for a place that is not-too-fancy, cheap, BYOB (did i mention that there is no corkage fee?), and has friendly service, Jai Yen is the place for you. I have to admit that I also notice the "wet rag" smell every time I'm there, and it kind of freaks me out. However, I've yet to become ill, so I can't really knock them a star for something like that. There are other places in the neighborhood that I prefer, but when I don't feel like waiting in line or spending a lot of money (yes, Wakamono, I'm talking to you), Jai Yen is where it's at.
(4)Kyle O.
Review in a nutshell: The sushi is fantastic and well priced, its BYOB with no corking fee, but the service leaves something to be desired. My fiancee and I love the the Sushi here. It's definitely our favorite sushi place within walking distance of our apartment. All the rolls are very fairly priced and absolutely delicious. The spicy tuna deluxe roll is amazing, probably my favorite roll ever! Its also great money saver that the place is BYOB with no corkage fees (although this generally leads to buying even more sushi). The environment is well done inside except there are a couple oddly placed small TVs that somewhat ruin the ambiance. The only reason it doesn't get five stars is the service is fairly spotty. There seem to be plenty of employees but their visits to the table are usually few and far between.
(4)Yeah M.
I have been eating at Jai-Yen almost every week for half a year. It's honestly the best sushi I've had in the city for the price. Week to week, friends and I forgave the bad service (waitstaff takes forever to even get a drink order) and their lack of social graces (like when they write in the amount of tip we "owe" when using a restaurant.com coupon). I respect the service industry and rarely tip under 20% (always tipping based on the full-price when using coupons). All of these were minor annoyances. However, given my most recent experience, I will never go back. After a frustratingly outrageous disagreement over their minimum-purchase policy for running a credit card, I decided not to leave a tip at all (drastic, and something I NEVER do, but it was the appropriate response to the experience). As I was putting my car in "Drive", our server ran out into the street, literally chasing me down for the tip I "still owed". I grabbed a wad of bills, stuffed them in her hand, and vowed never to go back.
(1)Elizabeth H.
Purchased a restaurant.com voucher to dine here. We presented the voucher to our waitress and she inform my husband and I that we needed order $100 worth of food in our to use our $50 off voucher. That was simply done by us by just ordering a couple of speciality rolls. Food was decent. Time for our check we were stunned! She added a 20 percent tip to our tab automatically! I asked for an explanation and she advised that our restaurant.com certificate notes for the tip to be added. I clearly recalled that ours stated a minimum of $100 without the tip added. The waitress had the nerves to bring an OLD certificate of someone else printed in 2011 to try to prove a point. I continued to argue with her that mine did not disclose that. She wouldn't bring back my certificate for some odd reason. She ended up having to take the tip off as I was correct. My reason for the review is they will nickel and dime you....someone else certificate was 18 percent but somehow she managed to add 20 percent to ours. We usually tip 15 percent no need for the "hidden" add tips! Never again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(1)Matt M.
BYOB, great sushi at an affordable price. The waitstaff is very pleasant, attentive, yet not intrusive. Try the sweet potato roll for something different, along w/ all the staples.
(5)Thongsy S.
I thought I'd give this place try since I was able to get a $25 gift certificate on restaurant.com for really cheap. That was the WRONG choice. It was simply one of the worst Thai food I've ever had and trust me, I have been to enough Thai restaurants in the city. I should have figured since 3/4 of the menu is Japanese and the remaining is Thai. I ordered the spicy udon noodles with chicken, chicken panang curry, tom kha with shrimp, spicy tuna hand roll, and spicy squid maki. Everything minus the sushi was sub-par. If it weren't for the decent sushi, I would have given this place 1 star. The worst of those dishes was the spicy udon noodles. It was disgusting. I took 1 bite and could not go for a second one and didn't even bother to take it home (Yes, it was that bad). The service too was sub-par to mediocre. We were seated at a table with no utensils, water was not refilled, and server took a while to bring back our credit card receipt EVEN though my boyfriend went and paid at the counter which usually means people are in a hurry to leave. Upside is it is BYOB and the decor and music are pretty good. I really wanted to like this place but sadly I will not be returning to this place.
(2)Dennis L.
I ordered delivery from Jai-Yen to take advantage of their 20% discount on first time orders. Our delivery was both on-time and delicious. I was in the mood for a noodle dish, so I this review does not take their sushi offerings into account. As a starter, I enjoyed the spicy Miso soup. It had excellent flavor, wonderful heat, and large chunks of tofu. I had never had a spicy miso soup before, but this experience certainly made me a fan. For my entree, I enjoyed the Drunken Chicken Noodles. It was excellent and very filling. Also, we received an order of edamame for free due to our order being over $15. You have to love freebies! Overall, a very solid delivery experience from Jai-Yen.
(4)Andrew L.
I ordered here three times thus far, all the time it involved sushi and it was good. One time I ordered this Tokyo soup item using Grub Hub. They called me saying it wasn't on the menu anymore! So I replaced it with the Tempura Udon and she kinda gave me a hard time about the price difference, which consisted of 20 cents! Gah cheap bastards to the extreme. In the end she agreed to the price change because I had already paid for this using the paypal option on Grub Hub. If not I would've gladly paid the 20 cents. Overall this place is good for cheap rolls and sushi and their soups are yum. If you can look past the lack of authenticity then this place is good!
(3)Amanda T.
A friend and I came here many moons ago. It was the second dinner I had after moving out of the fishbowl aka the suburbs and into the big bad city. I remember it being really good and wanting to go back, but I could never remember the name and kinda forgot the location, and so did my friend. But as fate would have it, I came here randomly one night and lo and behold! This was the place! Okay but enough of this memory lane nonsense, let's get to the dirty. The sushi rolls were as good as I remember. They are able to incorporate different elements into each roll and make some of the simple traditional rolls more unique. I really enjoyed some of the signature rolls: the Green Turtle roll and the Tropical roll; it has tuna and hamachi mmmm. Even the regular run of the mill rolls like the spicy tuna are pretty solid. The miso soup is also very tasty and a perfect way to warm up in this cold weather. Prices are reasonable and the best part is that it's BYOB and there's no corkage fee. Sweeeet. I left happy and full, and this time I remembered the name.
(4)Maram K.
Went here last Friday night (cue the Katy Perry music...) with sister and her friends. First impression was that this place was chic and modern so I was excited thinking I'd try new sushi rolls. We get seated in a small area, and we had 6 people. In their defense, my sister made reservations for 4 and 4 became 6 at the last minute. Although small, it was a nice size to maintain conversation. Their window sills were actually seats too so I enjoyed their use of space. We get seated and order drinks. One of us has the lime ginger ale and I had the pomegranate ginger ale. Most of their ginger ale is homemade with real ginger so I was excited. The lime ginger ale was delicious. My pomegranate, not so much. It was very syrup-y and tasted like cough medicine. I know some people prefer that taste so whatever. Their service seemed scatter-brained. We were asked for our drink order almost 4 times (not refills, our initial drinks). Also, 3 waitresses asked to take our order. I admire that they were so willing to help but it became confusing as we thought the other just never put in the order. We shared a ton of rolls but I don't remember all their names or what they were. I do remember their Santa/Xmas tree roll and their Snow Angel. Santa roll had fresh strawberries and a raspberry sauce over an Unagi/shrimp tempura roll. The snow angel was "spicy" according to them and was a squid roll with cilantro. Everything was tasty but nothing was too memorable. And their spicy was not very. All in all, this place was okay. Sorry for the lack of creativity of this post. Everything is fun and games until you get a mediocre sushi experience.
(3)Cindy D.
Great BYOB place that takes restaurant.com certs. What more can you ask for!!! Got sashimi platter (12 piece), 4 rolls, and pad se-ew and fully fed two people. It was $50 after the certificate, probably more than what people usually should spend, but we eat alot more :D Give it a try, it gets packed pretty quickly on fri/sat, please be patient with the service. Everyone really does want the food to get to you, but I don't think they divide the tables the servers wait on.
(4)Bridget H.
This place is good - service is prompt and sushi is delicious. Volcano roll and sweet potato roll = awesome. Prices are fairly typical of sushi places in Chicago. It's not my n'hood, but I'd probably go back.
(4)Shannon S.
I've ordered in from Jai-Yen a few times now and have gone in once. The food and service were both really good. Each time I've ordered delivery, it has been to my house before the hour is over. There is a good variety of rolls, my favorite so far is the Cubby. If you order online, they offer a 20% discount on your first order and 15% after that. Plus, if you spend at least $15 (which lets face it, when ordering sushi that isn't hard to do), you get a free item! Besides sushi there are several thai items on the menu. I have only tried their Tom Kar soup, which was very tasty. If you are looking for good sushi in the area, give this place a try. Their food is reasonably priced, very good and great service!
(4)Kristy N.
YUM!! I have passed by this place a million times but it wasn't until I purchased a You Swoop that got me $35 worth of food for $15 that I actually stopped in. I am so glad that I did and I can't wait to come back. They were surprisingly packed when I came in for an early dinner on Saturday. We were seated promptly and the server quickly opened our wine for us - gotta love BYOB. This place has some of the best tom yum soup that I have ever eaten. A bit more wine and I could have licked the bowl. We ordered the Crazy, Cubby, Volcano and the Futo Maki. All of the rolls were tasty and the presentation was very pretty. The Futo was my favorite, followed by the Crazy. The service was very friendly and prompt. I plan on making this place a staple moving forward.
(4)Stephani C.
Great little sushi place in East Lakeview. I have been there at least 4 times. The rolls are not pricey, great temperature on the sushi, and servers are a bit overattentive if anything. I have been there during the week and on a saturday night. Of course the weekend was a lot busier, but the chefs seemed to handle it just fine. It's also BYO with no corkage fee. Can't beat it.
(5)Jaimi T.
Went again for a Sunday night dinner. We started with the soft-shell crab, it was fresh, and really lightly fried. It was excellent. Seaweed salad was really tender, and lightly dressed so that it wasn't sitting in a pool of dressing. We also tried the spicy miso soup which has slices of jalepeno in, which made it spicy, but not overpowering. Had the spicy tako roll, which is my new favorite non-specialty roll. Green turtle and tropical rolls certainly pleased, everything is so fresh, and the servers were super attentive to us. We were a little surprised there were not more people in the restaurant. We did come early on Sunday to be back in time for new fall T.v. shows, but could've spent hours relaxing over our delicious sushi meal with some sake and tea. I love this place, and would go back every day if it were financially plausible.
(5)Janet X.
This is really a 3.5 star restaurant for me. Turns It was pretty standard sushi, nothing too spectacular or gross. Between me and the bf, we started with the lumpia and got the Summer, Deep Sea and Crazy Rolls. The Deep Sea was definitely my favorite (and the one I ordered), but it didn't have as much fish as I expected. The other two were pretty unmemorable. We also had a smoothie each -- he got the strawberry one and it was definitely better than my mango. The total bill came to $42... not too bad, but more or less on par with Sushi Mon, which I thought was much better.
(3)Daniel S.
Solid food...another horrible experience though. We've ordered carryout numerous times and the food is NEVER ready at the time indicated (we are typically just talking sushi- this time, we had a hot item too). The food ended up being 30 minutes late this experience with the host saying 5 more minutes numerous times. They also misplaced the order at 25 minutes in and quickly then made when taking the order again. Their service just doesn't justify going here.
(2)Carla L.
My sisters and I really enjoyed our experience. I had a Restaurant.com certificate, which is why I went. My sister and I had the Drunken Noodles. They were flavorful, but very spicy. Next time, I think I'll get them without the jalapenos. One of my sisters had Pad Thai and the other one had the Pepper Steak. We all enjoyed our food. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. The server was friendly, too.
(4)E p.
Being Asian, you think i would I know my Asian cruisine. Wrong. But I do coming to this sushi restaurant a lot. I love the variety in the sushi rolls and various Asian entree. Would definitely come back!
(4)KC M.
Wish I could give 3 1/2 stars. I'll round up and call it the good deed of the afternoon. Pretty tasty food and good service. Had a groupon like discount that brought us in. Prices seemed fair, food came out very quickly and server was kind and attentive. Can't complain about the quality of the rolls but we ordered some standard stuff so not like it was an incredible challenge for anything requested. Overall fish was good but didn't have that crisp freshness that other sushi places edge out with. Again, fair for price, good enough on a random Tuesday. BYOB, no fee. They ushered the two of us into a corner with a few other occupied tables even though other parts of the restaurant were empty. I've worked as a server so I understand that. Unfortunately we were next to a loud girl that enjoyed wildly gesturing with her hands. Her date may have been worried about his ocular safety with her crazy jazz handed flying chopsticks. I would have been. Music wasn't great for the ambiance but since others seem to enjoy dining to Top 40-esque tunes, perhaps that is just my taste. Also there were two men behind us that may or may not have been playing poker with sushi pieces as betting chips. I certainly was not eavesdropping but couldn't help overhear the agreement of maki conversion rates. If so, that seems like a fairly fun idea...wish we would have anted up at my own table!
(4)Rhona K.
this is the best sushi in town the staff are really friendly and the food is fab went there with some friends on sat night as its sushi is never too filling for the long night of partying !!! we all ordered a few different things so it was like a tapas style sushi !!! everything was great and the place is spotless which is a huge plus!!
(5)Sarah M.
well, i'm a little sad to say that i live all of a block away, and tonight was my first time venturing into jai-yen. sad because it was awesome! food: fantastic. we had gyoza, miso, red curry, tekka don, and the cubby roll. yes, for only 2 people. and it was all great. my only beef was that the red curry had peas in it...but i just plain hate peas. also we tried the homemade ginger ale. definitely getting that again. atmosphere was pretty great too. it was nicely lively on a saturday night, with dimmed lighting and tasteful decor, including some aquariums. finally, the price was great, and we plan on taking advantage of their numerous take-out discounts as well. new favorite sushi/thai spot!
(5)Amber S.
I went there for sushi with a friend and the rolls we had were really tasty. We had the summer, the crunchy spicy tuna, the volcano, and the day at the beach. We were both completely stuffed and happy at the end of the meal. The service was very good and our waitress never let our water glasses even get halfway empty. It was also nice because we got a table right by the window with a tv above our heads so I could catch some preseason football while I ate dinner. I will definitely go back again!
(4)