Kurumaya Japanese Kitchen
1201 E Higgins Rd, Elk Grove Village, IL, 60007
Kurumaya Japanese Kitchen Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Elk Grove Village for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1201 E Higgins Rd
Elk Grove Village, IL, 60007 - Phone (847) 437-2222
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
- Mon : 11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Joe Y.
Pretty disappointed to say the least. Ordered the sushi appetizer and the mackerel had a huge black hair on the rice. Ordered the grilled chicken wings with sesame seeds, they came out fried, seasoned with salt and pepper. Also, ordered the pot stickers and they were burnt. I think the kitchen was trying to leave so they fried everything. The server was very very nice, the chicken teriyaki kabob was great as well as the miso mackerel. Front of the house were all Asians, the cooks were all Mexicans. Will not be back.
(1)Derrick T.
After coming here four times to take my grandfather out for lunch, I finally feel like I have the basis for an accurate review. This place is awesome. Make no mistake about it, the food, service, environment are all exactly what I"m looking for when I'm craving a traditional Japanese meal. Decor: Modest, simple. The table cloths could be mistaken for an Italian joint, minus the fact that it's all darkwood and there's a sushi bar where people are enjoying the phenomenal food. And the loads of Japanese folks eating here for lunch definitely says something. Service: Service is fast (as they need to be, considering how many people are typically here for lunch) but friendly at the same time. There's no small talk here, and if you call in advance, they set aside your table while preparing your house salad and two cucumber rolls on the table before you arrive. Impeccably on point and always aware of our needs (refills on tea/water, helping find the best place for the baby, etc.), it's a very efficient, friendly environment. Food: And here we go... if you're coming here to order rolls covered in sauce... go away. What they have here are high quality home style dishes of Japan, along with some amazing quality fish to be enjoyed in nigiri fashion. Some key stand out dishes that I've enjoyed thus far are: Curry Tonkatsu - Practically guaranteed to fill you up. Chirashi - High quality fish, perfectly made sushi rice, and a good mix of varieties.. (I don't think I've been in many places in the US that give you Ama-ebi as part of the chirashi!) Various nigiri sushi - Really, all the sushi is quite good. And definitely worth you time chowing down on. In fact, I wouldn't mind coming back at some point and just sitting at the counter for a nice omasake (though I don't know if the chef's do that here). Verdict: Make it a point to come here for true Japanese food. Nothing wrong with pretty colored fusion rolls with interesting sauces/ingredients, but this isn't the place for it. This is for perfectly made homestyle Japanese cuisine.
(5)Misty S.
The restaurant was not busy on the weekday night I came for dinner. It's a medium sized place with casual décor. Overall, the food and service was good. In addition to the regular menu, there was a small photo album menu that's filled with hand drawn pages. Saba Shioyaki / Mackerel filet grilled with salt $14 - This dish was good and came with miso soup, salad and rice. I'm a fan of salted mackerel and the fish was cooked well. However, I feel like I could make this at home since there wasn't anything special about the fish. Pink Panther Roll / Salmon, tomato, cucumber, masago $14 - Pricey for the amount of food. The roll was ok, nothing memorable. Salmon Nigiri $3/piece Large Asahi $7
(3)Jennie C.
I give this place 4 stars for the appetizers, 3 for the entrees. Being a Japanese food fan, I've tried quite a few in the city. I liked the wide selection of appetizers and they were all pretty good. Highlights were the agedashi tofu and stewed eggplant. The entrees, however, paled in comparison to other places. (Not bad, just not as good.) Love the hand-drawn menus!
(3)R J.
Excellent sushi rolls, appetizers, soup and service. Reasonably priced compared to lesser restaurants I've been to. Pink panther and rainbow rolls were our favs. Plenty of options for the less adventurous (cooked and non fish items) Service was very friendly and prompt. Without being rushed or invasive. Definitely come back.
(5)Jon F.
Nice little place with its own lot and reasonably easy access, but just A-OK for me considering the other talent in the area. From the not-as-helpful-as-it-could-be hand drawn picture menu for sushi rolls to the just-OK selection and flavor Kurumaya didn't have me over the moon. We started with miso and a ginger salad - standard fare, nothing to write home about. We had 2 pieces of sashimi salmon that were good, but not good enough to cost $3 - 3.50/ea. I'd expect something closer to $4.50 for 2. After we figured out the hand-drawn menu we ordered 2 rolls - I *think* a Mexican roll and an Elk Grove roll - both were A-OK but pretty forgettable, and the rest of the selection didn't seem all that creative. We finished off with a salted mackerel that had *most* of the bones removed, but was only as good / slightly worse than one I can make at home with $4, 6 minutes, and a broiler. Service was friendly and pretty prompt. I have to wonder if the noodle dishes are better or if we came on an off night, but I simply wasn't impressed at all and felt the prices were just a little high. With all of the great sushi places in the area I can't see myself coming back unless I was otherwise motivated by friends.
(3)Daniel B.
I used Yelp to find a new place close to work and ended up here. Ask yourself a question. How many Japanese business men work in the Elk Grove area to eat lunch in less than an hour and make it back to work? 5? 10? 20? However many it is, they are all here! Food here is incredible and the clientele confirms the authenticity. If I you were visiting from another country imagine how hard it would be to find cuisine that reminds you of home in the west suburbs. Bento boxes are great, curry chicken katsu- amazing. Food is pristine here.
(5)Jason P.
Food was great had a chicken bento box. Lovely food, great ambiance. One thing that really bothers me is their ceiling fan. It is extremely dirty and if you sit underneath it I'm sure you'll get dust on your food.
(2)Jackie M.
I manage to transport to Japan the moment I walked into Kurumaya. As soon I enter, I am greeted by everyone in the restaurant, if you are Asian, you'll be blasted with Japanese, if not, then English from the host all the way to the chef. This is always a fun thing to experience as I walk in suddenly nodding and bowing to everyone not knowing what to say. Japanese service is always first class. I sat at the bar and got a bowl of udon tempura. Before I even know it, it's already at the table. If I had to redo, I should have tried more appetizers - lots of interesting options which are hard to find in Chicago. A black book with drawings sort of helps you. Great to look and admire as art, but rather have pictures to order from.
(4)Cindy L.
I flew into Chicago O'Hare pretty late and decided to visit this spot. It wasn't far from the airport. The restaurant is not very big and the area was dark at the time I went and appeared secluded. When I walked in, I noticed how small and tranquil the environment was. Their mini picture book was probably the cutest thing I've ever seen for a menu. All the dishes were hand drawn, they were cute mini plates and bowls of all the food. This place is very, very authentic. Their sashimi pieces were so incredibly fresh. The takoyaki balls were very good. The grilled hamachi collar was really big and very delicious, it was probably the best I've had in the Chicago area. I really liked the egg omelette as well, it was very filling! There was a seared beef dish that came in a very big portion, the meat was a little tough but the sauce was good. Also, the sauce on the grilled chicken skewers was very tasty. I would definitely come back again. I'm waiting for the next time I will be closer to the area and make sure I make it back to this restaurant.
(5)Erick P.
Great food!!!! I wish it was more up to date but everything here is delicious. Only down side is that it gets a bit packed during lunch time .
(5)Stella W.
OMG...what a find! Love the authenticity, and everything was really good, fresh and homey! The eel omelet is by far my favourite, the mackerel simmered in miso sauce was different and i love the miso sauce...i could just eat a bowl of white rice with just that sauce!! I wish we didn't have to travel that far for authentic japanese food!
(5)Sipher S.
I came along trying to have a relax meal. The server Refuse to let me sit at a table when the restaurant is half empty. They said they need to reserve for other people. I did request for table again and she refuses again. Very disappointed. Last time I came here the food is so so anyway. So I told them I would not stay to eat if there is no table and the lady does not seem to care. Well I guess I will take my business somewhere else if they have issue against customer coming alone
(1)Alice G.
I've been to this authentic Japanese restaurant, 車屋(Kurumaya) many many times. I love it! I wish this restaurant was closer to the city.
(5)Rooney C.
One of the most authentic Japanese foods in Chicago suburbs area. Their daily specials are written in Japanese, displayed on a whiteboard. If you can read and understand them, then most likely you will be able to taste something very close to authentic Japanese foods. The only downside for this place is, on weekend (especially Saturday), they get so busy and full house, in which makes your food orders to show up longer than expected. Be prepared for longer wait, and may not be a good idea when you come hungry.
(4)Edward M.
A nice little place with some pretty decent food. I had their sushi and it was pretty good sushi, fresh and flavorful. I like that the meal was opened with a salad and 2 pieces of maki (cucumber). It was a very nice salad, not overtly gingery. The service is excellent. The sushi took longer to make that any of the non-sushi dishes. I saw many come in for bentos of various types and they all seemed to get it quick then head out haha. I must say that the coloring book drawn menu is pretty unique, it's cute.
(4)John Q.
My sister and I were driving and wanted to grab some sushi. We saw that Tensuke Market was about to close and decided to go to Kurumaya instead. When we walked in, we were greeted and were seated at the sushi bar. We were ordering to go, and ordered the Potato Takoyaki, Tekka Roll, Maguro Roll, and a Rainbow Roll. The restaurant decor was nice and the place was pretty packed. The Potato Takoyaki was extremely delicious, they were piping hot and had thick pieces of octopus in it. We probably burned our tongues trying to eat these. The rolls were all delicious, this place does not skimp on the fish. They give you thick cuts and the rolls were big. The fish was fresh and avocado on the rainbow roll was fresh as well. Although some people may think that this place is pricey, this is pretty average for sushi. If your a hearty sushi eater and looking a cure to you're sushi fix with AYCE, this isn't your place. However the quality/ambiance/taste alone will make most people come back.
(5)Starrlite D.
Their Nabeyaki Udon is SOOOO GOOOD. We went on a Friday night, and they only had one server working the entire restaurant! And the place was packed to the gills- the poor lady was running around like crazy, but she really couldn't be friendlier. The entire place was pretty much filled with japanese businessmen partying it up on a Friday night, so it was a bit loud but definitely had a great vibe going. Teriyaki beef was meh. Izakaya sankyu does it so much better. However, they have better sushi than sankyu (my husband had the kozen(sp?) bento set and this was his comment. Takoyaki was yum, but a bit on the salty side. Their Butakakuni was amazing, but it seems like they run out of it pretty fast. But if they have it, try it! It really melts in your mouth. All in all, definitely try this place out if you waiting doesn't bother you much!
(4)Rossel E.
A nice sit down place and dine in with local Japanese expats from manufacturing firms and closeby businesses. I love the Ambiance and food but the service not so much. The menu is hand illustrated and they even have traditional japanese floor sitting if you want but the checkered table cloth though, makes it look like a little diner. I had Kitsune Udon which is really good to start then the Chirashi is sashimi heaven :-) Freshest cuts of tuna, salmon, unagi and fried shrimp big head. A must try.
(4)Phil S.
I've been meaning to check this place out for a long time and I finally made it out to this secluded Japanese haunt. The stereotype is tiresome: if there are (insert nationality) people that eat here then it must be good. Well, there's a reason why the stereotype exists. Just like Sankyu, the majority of the patrons are Japanese and they have a whiteboard with special items written in Japanese. No, those items are not readily accessible unless you can read and understand Japanese. Fret not, there are plenty of regular items in the thick little illustrated books on each table. Yup, it's a book. Complete with grammatically (and hilariously) incorrect English and cute (at the risk of losing my man card by using that word) illustrations for each item. Everything we tried was fantastic from the pedestrian tonkatsu to the perfectly cooked smelt complete with roe in their bellies. Served in the classic izakaya fashion. We washed everything down with a couple of large bottles of crispy dry Asahi. Our favorite (and most expensive) was the tai carpaccio. There was no price listed on neither the menu or the book so when the dish came out piled with beautiful slices of ginger dressing drizzled tai, we knew it was going to take a dent out of our weekly food budget. Sure enough, at $20 that dish made me involuntarily gasp. But, it was worth it. The fish was very fresh and the dressing was obviously homemade and cheek tingling tart. A must try if you're looking for something cool and fresh. We saw a gaijin couple munching on nothing but rolls and I wanted to go up to them and say, "when in rome..." because everyone else wasn't even bothering with the sushi, even though they had a full sushi bar. This place is known for the Japanese tapas style appetizers that accompany Japanese libations. Save your roll money for some Korean/Chinese owned joint famous for drowning their food in sauces. While I don't doubt their sushi/rolls might taste just fine or even good, I highly recommend you order strictly from the appetizer menu. But be forewarned, it isn't cheap. 4 appetizers and 2 large beers set us back $85 including tip. I cried a little but I smiled because everything tasted so good. And the service? Fantastic. Just attentive enough and the perfect lack of personality. Exactly how service should be, especially at a Japanese restaurant. I'm not here to socialize with the help so I appreciate when the staff serve efficiently and without the fake banter that begs for a bigger tip. Sure there was a language barrier but nothing that couldn't be worked out. I'll be back but only after I've starved my cats enough to save up to foot that tremendous bill again.
(4)Yan W.
Randomly found this place and it is very near where I live! This place is very authentic in terms of food and the interior design of the place. The sushi are very fresh and you can see the chef making them at the bar. I love their takoyaki. The food quality is great and the price isn't expensive either .
(5)Rawlins R.
This is one of more authentic Japanese restaurants in the northwest suburbs. This is confirmed by the majority Japanese staff and the mostly Japanese patrons. Almost everything about this place displays Japanese culture and cuisine. From the traditional Japanese greeting when you arrive to the open communication from waitresses to chefs. If you are keen enough you can even watch the NHK Japanese television programs that they have running by the sushi bar. Aside from atmosphere the food is very good. The bento box options are plentiful and there are a decent amount of lunch/dinner selections. Most meals are served with traditional miso soup and Japanese ginger salad. My only complaint is that the salmon and chicken tend to be not of the best quality. I can definitely tell the choice of these two cuts are not of the highest grade. Overall, Kurumaya is a top Japanese restaurant and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a taste/experience of Japan in the Chicago suburbs.
(4)Jessica P.
Rating: 4.5 I read reviews on yelp and decided to make my way here with a friend..the place is sort of hidden in a small small strip mall so I would have never known to eat here... Food: Sushi Appetizer (~$10): consists of 6 cucumber, green onion and rice pieces and 3 nigiri sushi pieces - the nigiri fish tasted fresh and delicious.. just wish they had more options in ordering rolls for nigiri or sushi rolls (during dinner time) Beef Teriyaki (~$15-$20): comes with a rice, salad, soup and a couple sides...the beef was cooked to perfection and they put the right amount of delicious teriyaki sauce on it!! YUM!!! Tempura Udon: tasted good..comes with tempura pieces on the side...I liked the fact that the tempura pieces consisted of veggies different from any other places I've been to and it was delicious.. perfect for dipping into the soy sauce or into the udon soup.. Costs: the dinner prices are pretty high..spent about $50-60 on 2 entrees and an appetizer.. Customer Service: the waitress was friendly and reminded me of Ms. Swan (from Mad TV)...she did not quite understand english well and had an accent...she was very attentive, maybe too attentive?...she came to get our orders 4 times before I actually ordered... I need more than 2 min, 5 min, 10 min when ordering food from a restaurant that i've never been to.... Parking: you can park in the parking lot.. I would probably go here again with my friends... would like them to check it out too! :)
(4)Jay S.
Went back to this restaurant for the second time for its Miso Katsu. The sauce is to die for and has a lot of flavor. We ordered the gyoza, kara-age and tori ninniko (which is skewered grilled chicken) and the were just simply amazing. It was worth coming back to again.
(5)Jonathan N.
Service: Had to flag down the waitress for every single thing. They were a little slow for it being so busy but they were nice. Ordered the: Unagi maki - Delicious and served hot. Gyoza - just okay, I'd like the rest of it to be crispy and not just 1 side. Edamame - kinda plain with very little salt. Spicy scallop roll - not worth it, sucks. Chicago roll - it's just a ton of fish but was good. Sashimi platter(9) - would like more variety but its fresh (last time it was not fresh at all and the tuna was an eerie red. I'd recommend this place if it is convenient but I've definitely had better if you're willing to drive a little further.
(3)Howard L.
A Japanese restaurant run by Japanese, and that was our draw here. It's a relative rarity, and we enjoyed the variety and quality here as part of a family dinner. It was quiet on the weekend, and I'm told it's like that, but it's busy for weekday lunches with the Japanese business folks in area. We had: Tomago egg omelets - nice starter, and delicate Potato takoyaki - heavy, greasy, and filling, but worth trying Grilled beef tongue - more delicate than expected, and light like eggplant Chirashi and sashimi dinners - nice, as expected Chicken and salmon teriyaki dinners Kurumaya gozen - from the picture menu book, and their bento box like offering Wafu steak - surprisingly buttery flavor They are distinctive for having the wide variety of selection offered in their hand illustrated picture menu book. There were maybe 40 offerings, but I did not really like that they were all unpriced, and you're guessing at the prices. From what we ended up with though, it ended up being reasonably priced for what you get. Overall, great place for Japanese food - it's just that you will get a quiet, plain dining environment, so don't expect any more than that on the weekends. The beer was also quite reasonable with 22 oz. bombers of either Asahi or Sapporo for $7. Server told us they have been there more than 10 years, but less than 20.
(4)Grace S.
After seeing all of the great reviews, I was thoroughly disappointed when the food here turned out to be only mediocre. I ordered the pork belly and was really excited for my friend to try it because I love, love, love pork belly. So I was pretty bummed when I tried it because I have definitely had better pork belly elsewhere. My friend ordered sushi and pointed out that the salmon was cut into a small, thin piece, which made us feel like the restaurant cheaped out on the good stuff. I would also like to comment that a book of drawings is really cute but not very helpful. Other than that, the place is kind of cute-ish, and the prices were just okay. Everything else was unmemorable.
(2)Pam D.
We stopped here for lunch a few weeks ago. We both really enjoyed it. If I had to live on one cuisine alone for the rest of my life, it would be Japanese. I had the bento box which was perfect. Small amounts of various goodness. Christopher had the tenkatsu with curry sauce, which was also really good. The place itself is cute and cheerful and the service was very nice. We will absolutely be back to try more items on the menu. Like I said, I LOVE Japanese food. Someday I shall live a bento lifestyle.
(4)Joe I.
Several years ago I had a Japanese boss who said that the name of this store literally translated means "Tire store." However, if you expect to get a fresh set of Yokohamas for your Mitsubishi, you will be disappointed because you will only find authentic Japanese cuisine sold in this little shop!!! Tip: If you don't speak Japanese, please speak (in English) slowly and clearly.
(4)Candice G.
I know no one's coming here for the green tea ice cream, but humor me, folks. It really is that good. I'll get to the sushi stuffs in just a moment, but first I'm gonna plead my green tea case for that $3.50 sent scoop of the lightest, least chalky, not-at-all-freezer-burnt ice cream I've ever had. It was like eating a great tea cloud and put me an absolute euphoric state, post Nippon nibbles. We got lucky and were sat in the back room, where they've got two tables with the super fun elevated seating where you sit on pillows and fight your internal urge to hide under the table and entirely in the pit where only your legs should go. They've go slippers laid out at the edge of the steps so should you need to take off in a hurry, you're not entirely barefoot. We were sat a small two-top across from there with a little button you press to buzz your server when you need anything. They have a menu in English and flipped over is Japanese side, but you're also brought an additional sushi menu and small but very thick book of what seemed like hundreds of incredibly accurate illustrations of even more menu items, with main ingredients listed out in both English and Japanese characters as well as the cutest notes about the dishes. Things like, "attractive!" or "looks like elk antler", etc, etc. My miso was pretty standard, a ocean-ier than other places but still good and we sucked down the large bowl of udon in about as record time as one can with such a noodle-y dish. My tuna roll was clean and tightly rolled, but the tuna didn't have a ton of flavor and Mexican roll was outstanding. Absolutely loaded with cilantro, just the way I like all my foods. Our service, especially considering how many times our server woman refilled our hot tea, was outstanding and while I've never been to Japan, my boyfriend has spent a notable amount of time there and felt it was pretty close to accurate, while I could only note that all the other tables in this packed-on-a-Tuesday evening place seemed to be native Japanese, or at least fluent in the language as we were the only ones ordering Americana. I can't wait to go back, and am especially excited that they're open till 10:30 during the week, which pretty much isn't a thing in suburbs.
(4)Kristine N.
- Expensive sushi & sake. - Menu is handwritten in a little black book, damn near impossible to read. No one showed us the menu, so we were there twiddling our thumbs for a bit. - Service sucks. - Put in our sushi order and then they inform us they're out
(1)Heidi H.
Hands down best Japanese food I have had since I left Japan in 97. Completely authentic. I am so happy I looked up what was close to work and would make a good stop on our quest for great ethnic food for lunch. Will for sure be back.
(5)Andrew N.
Don't judge a book by its cover. This cliche saying goes well with this establishment. The restaurant has a simple ma and pa, yet traditional feel. The servers are very polite, and just about every dish that I've had so far is great. I recommend the "chawan mushi." The prices are pretty reasonable as well. For those unfamiliar to Japanese cuisine, this is a great start.
(4)Allan H.
This place is probably the best Japanese restaurant that I have been to in the suburbs because of the authenticity. First of all, when you walk in you are greeted in Japanese and you know it's good when most of the customers that are there were Japanese. We ordered a variety of appetizers to start off. We got the egg rolls with eel, takoyaki, beef tongue, clam soup, and the rice balls. My favorite were the takoyaki and the egg rolls with eel. I have wanted to try really good takoyaki for the longest time but it is so hard to find. The takoyaki amazed me! So delicious and savory. I was blown away. I highly recommend getting that as an appetizer. The rice balls weren't that great. There was way too much rice and not of the filling, so I don't really recommend that one. The clam soup was pretty good. It was too concentrated for my liking so I added a bit of water to it. But the clams were delicious! For the entree, I got the sashimi salad because I wanted something light. First, the presentation of the sashimi salad was great and beautiful. It was love at first bite. The sashimi (salmon, tuna, octopus) tasted so fresh and didn't taste like what you get at grocery stores. The salad tasted like the side salads you get at any Japanese restaurant, but I personally love that taste. Overall, I had a great experience here. The waitresses were really nice and patient. I plan on coming here again!
(5)Rosanna L.
I'm always on the search for fresh and delicious sushi/Japanese cuisine. Upon reading these reviews I insisted to my bf that we must take a visit. We were greeted upon entering and immediately seated. We were then given WARM towels ( yelp.com/biz_photos/oQP2… ) to wash our hands with (absolutely love when they do that!)! The waitresses/servers were extremely friendly and tentative. Gyozas ( yelp.com/biz_photos/oQP2… ) - hmmMmmm definitely one of my favorites. They are not your skimpy little ones, but big ones filled with pork. Miso soup ( yelp.com/biz_photos/oQP2… ) - great flavor, warm and tasty. Dragon and rainbow maki ( yelp.com/biz_photos/oQP2… ) - fresh and delicious. I really enjoyed the eel sauce on the dragon. Pink panther ( yelp.com/biz_photos/oQP2… ) - was different, not something to rave about. Kurumaya Gozen ( yelp.com/biz_photos/oQP2… ) - my favorite! It's essentialy a bento box times two. You get to pick either chicken, beef, or salmon teryaki and it comes with shrimp tempura, sashimi, croquette, small cucumber salad, and rice. Everything was fresh and I thought the beef and teryaki sauce was quite tasty! Overall a pretty delicious meal and great service!
(4)Brian M.
It was a very fun experience. The waitress even taught me some words in Japanese, including "tsugoye" (awesome?) which I think is generally fitting. The teriyaki was outstanding. If you are into Japanese food BESIDES sushi, I think this is some of the best in the Chicago area. If you're mainly into sushi, I'd strongly recommend Hakuya or Kai Zan instead. ... The staff was very friendly. There were some minor communication issues due to me not speaking Japanese and them not speaking very much English. Minor. However, if you have a large group or kids or anyone with unusual dietary needs or anything else that might make the ordering more complicated, this wouldn't be my first pick unless you can speak Japanese (or are with someone that can).
(4)Mark S.
Kurumaya makes some wonderful food and leaves you feeling content with a side of delightful. I went to dinner at Kurumaya with my gf a few weeks ago on a rainy weekday night and the staff was super friendly. It is tucked in a usual looking strip mall but was very easy to find. As we walked through the door curtains to the side room I was pleasantly surprised to see that they have a tatami section. We did not ask to sit at it (I plan on it next time). Even though the rest of the restaurant is mildly typical the tatami section bought a Japanese feel to the place. The service was excellent on top of having a buzzer system for even quicker service if you need it. We both got hot tea which was very good, but what was even better was the bottomless refills that we took full advantage of. I almost felt bad drinking a pot of tea each but it was great tea for a cold rainy day. There are three menus, one normal menu, a sushi menu, and a combo menu with pictures. These are not photos but drawn pictures that are extremely accurate, it is worth looking at even if you know what you want already. We I got a tofu udon noodle soup which was packed with flavor while the gf for some rolls. Our meals were very satisfying and with prepared well. We then finished the meal off with the classic green tea ice cream which was nice to have with the green tea at the end of a meal. Everything was great about this place though it is a little on the expensive side, it is not too crazy for quality Japanese food. True Rating: 4.5
(4)Jessica G.
Sometimes you don't know where you're going and you have this dim idea of where something might be and when you pull up, you're not sure if the name is quite right but you go in anyway, have low expectations and turn out to have a tasty meal. That was our experience at Kurumaya Japanese Kitchen. The menu is in a tiny photo album with wee illustrations - there are tons and tons of items to choose from. This is one of those rare occasions where I don't remember the items we had but I will say the takoyaki was tasty, as was the potato croquette. And some kind of collar of fish that was outstanding. We didn't try the rolls but nobody else in the dining room was eating there so we didn't either. Service was relatively friendly and quick enough. If we can find it again, heh, I think we would give it another try.
(3)Tonya C.
Great little place. My hubby and I are from Florida here on business. After a long day of travel we were ready to eat and found this place on yelp and decided to try. Wonderful surprise, very authentic food and service was perfect. Will be back when in the area!
(5)R N.
Great authentic Japanese food. Had the Salmon Teriyaki which was excellent. Service was great. Almost made me feel like I was back in Japan.
(5)Eileen Z.
The takoyaki alone is worth the trip from the city! Make sure to brush up on your Japanese, the best menu item options are situated within the little black book of drawings and can be difficult to understand. The lunch offerings are also drastically different from the dinner offerings, something to keep in mind.
(5)PJ J.
Maybe I was wrong the first time I reviewed. They still do defrost everything in the microwave...but, who doesn't? ...and, I like MSG....And....One of the waitresses is pretty nice. Shame on me.:-) Ok dammit. Fine. I have to up stars on this place. The last review with the indifferent service, I guess I'll chalk it up to language barrier and probably unintentional frustration. You don't go here for sushi as much as you should order from the menu or album like tapas, and have many a stiff drink or pint. The yakitori is done right, perhaps the best prepared yakitori around all things considered. I don't think anyone could call this place inauthentic...and you'll be pleasantly surprised if you can consider that the American equivalent of this place would be a dive bar that served frozen pizza. Kurumaya, y'all are ok.
(3)Nancy H.
Awesome authentic Japanese restaurant that's cozy, inviting, and delicious! Our elderly waitress was also such a sweetheart, like an incredibly nice grandma. We had at least 10 people in our group, and she accommodated all of our needs the entire meal. We brought in an outside birthday cake, and she even offered to serve it up for us for free. There are two rooms to this restaurant, and the room on the left side can definitely fit 40-50 people, if you're looking for a large party space. Things to note: 1) Take a look at the mini menu book - each picture is hand drawn! 2) There is a wireless electronic service buzzer on most (if not all) tables. You can press it to get your waitress's attention.
(4)Bonnie L.
As I'm writing this, mom is in the bathroom with the runs from tonight's dinner at this place. TMI? Yes. But you don't have to hear what I have to hear -- the echoes of a dinner gone bad. Even before this happened, this place would've gotten 2 stars. Mediocre, unmemorable and overpriced. I don't get the rave reviews and Yelp usually doesn't steer me wrong. The dinner entrees were generic. Teriyaki, tempura, udon/soba noodles. Their appetizers seem more interesting but at $6-$8/pop, it's way overpriced. Piece together 2-3 for dinner and it gets expensive fast. Service was extremely slow and the place wasn't even that busy. We sat down at 5:20 and couldn't leave until 7:30. How many times do you have to flag down the server for the check? It took us three reminders. And now mom's the bathroom. Thanks Kuruyama. Thanks.
(1)Paul K.
Went here while staying at one of the Ohare airport hotels- it's a little bit of a hike ($25 cab), but the sushi was very good. It's definitely authentic, all of the staff is Japanese. Would recommend if you're looking for some fresh fish, especially if you have wheels to get around...
(5)maggie r.
Authentic Japanese food close to my place! My favorite is the Kurumaya bento box. And the employees are very friendly.
(5)Patrick A.
Lunchtime visit. Service was very kind and attentive. I ordered an Elk Grove roll and a Rock-n Roll. The EGR was extremely good, the Rock-n Roll was fair at best. It wasn't exactly what I expected, so I may have just mis-ordered. Cool menu books, though a few more choices for rolls would have been nice.
(3)Kris L.
Wow what a tale of two restaurants. Kurumaya is the best Japanese restaurant in Chicago for their food and the biggest disappointment for its like-ability in terms of wanting to spend time there. The quality of the sushi is unmatched, the small plate appetizers like chicken livers, fried smelt, the amazingly delicate pot stickers and phenomenal potato takoyaki were things you can't get as good anywhere else in Chicago. The menu is in Japanese, the whiteboards of specials are in Japanese the clientele is Japanese and the staff is Japanese. They have a small menu book on each table that is hand written with hand drawings of the food plates with ingredients and general descriptions of each dish, fantastic. So what's the downside? It's a dump. The dining room is brightly lit to its own detriment as it has tables from a Perkins, black plastic plaid tablecloths, black vinyl metal frame chairs, black carpet that has tuned gray with age, bathrooms with black vinyl wallpaper that pulls away from its seams, terrible stained drop ceiling tiles and an overall shockingly dreary feel. I dont care, I went for the food and I'm going back for the food. Wow it's good.
(4)Kaman T.
Tried this place cause I saw the GREAT reviews on Yelp..... Ordered the Unagi dashimaki.....SO GOOD!!!! Besides the fact that the waitress put in the wrong thing and just gave us the PLAIN dashimaki. I think she just took it back and they stuck the lil pieces of eel inside. lol but it was still really fresh and super delicious. After eating the Unagi dashimaki, I was all hyped despite the bad service. I ordered the Miso Katsu dinner and bf ordered the Wafu steak dinner. Both were really disappointing. My katsu was DRY and THICK and not even battered with panko! It was like a fried chicken batter.....with pepper and soggy. The miso sauce was ok. The katsu was tasteless. The Wafu Steak was basically cooked in butter. It was so buttery that it kinda left a sour taste in the mouth. Besides the mediocre food, the service wasn't that great either. The waitress messed up our appetizer even though I pointed to the picture AND said the name of the dish. Then she didn't let us look at the Special of the Day. It was written on a sign that she ONLY showed the Japanese people. Then when we asked for the check, it took her FOREVER. It's not that hard to put a check on our table. Instead, she went to take someone else's order FIRST even though we asked her for the check a while ago. Also when I was ordering and asked her for recommendations, she basically didn't answer my question. Our bill came out to be about $50. Not worth it AT ALL. I only gave this place a 3-star cause the appetizer was so good.
(3)Hans H.
Still awesome, and still the best Japanese restaurant even after my travels from west to east coast in 2010. Yellowtail with green onion roll is still one of my classic favorites here--Kino-san knows the right fish temperature and texture.
(5)Eric Y.
We have been this place a few times. Lunch is OK. Dinner is costly, and food is marginal at best. My wife and I went there for lunch yesterday. Her food came about 10 minutes. My food never came. I ordered Jirashi (raw fish over rice) it is NOT a complicated meal to prepare. In about 5 minutes, my wife got her food. She was about to finish her lunch, and I was still waiting. During this time, no one came to check on us. I asked the waitress for my Jirashe. Her answer was THE CHEF WAS BUSY. I waited for more than 30 minutes. People who came after us already got their lunch and left, and I was still waiting for my raw fish over rice. I told the waitress I wanted to cancel my lunch and asked for my check. She give us a very standard Japanese "We are so sorry" apology" then walked away. I called her back and told her she should have warned me when I placed my order, if the chef was busy. She did not reply just walked away. At this moment I was really hungry, but she did not make any effort to try make it up, or bring something to ease my hunger. I asked for the check, she just waived her hand, said "Lunch is free" and walked away. That was when I was really offended. I CAME FOR LUNCH. I DID NOT CAME FOR FREE FOOD. We asked for the check again. This time she brought the check. (If she really wanted to offer free lunch as an apology, why bring the check the second time? Fake apology!) We paid and asked to see the manager. She said there was no manager. Again, brief answer and walked away. I have worked in Japanese restaurant before. My guessing is she forgot to my order all together. Instead trying to make a customer happy, she just wanted to make this problem go away. That was why she immediately offered the free lunch to us, but she was not sincere. My assumption was I should shut up if I got the food for free. That was insulting to me. This is a busy place for lunch. THEY DON'T CARE. Food is all right. For some that don't have much knowledge about Japanese food. For those that think anything rice with soy sauce is good. This kind of Japanese food can satisfy their taste. The truth is their food is not the worst. but marginal. It can be an option when you are tired of McD. But their attitude is really fake and arrogant and service is simply lousy. Take your own risk. You can order what you want, but you may or may not get your food.
(1)Aeris W.
OH MY GOD! Okay, where should I start... So after moving from a food paradise city, San Francisco, to a yummy-food-nowhere-to-be-found country town, Milwaukee, I was really depressed for a while because I could not find a good Japanese restaurant anywhere. Luckily, I found out that there was a Mitsuwa in the suburb of Chicago. So, make the connection: Misuwa = Japanese = CHIRASHI! There must be somewhere close to Mitsuwa that sells chirashi, right? And YESSSSSS, I've found it: Kurumaya Japanese Kitchen. Their chirashi = authentic + good value (only $11.95!) + fresh + nicely presented. Wow! It actually comes with a piece of amaebi with the fried shrimp head. NICE! BUT that's not it - They have another thing on their menu that's TDF! TAKOYAKI!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG they are sooooo good! I haven't had the chance to visit Japan so the best takoyaki that I've ever had was in Hawaii and this one came really close! They were so flavorful, chewy, and they didn't cheat off the tako - Every piece came with a big piece of tako. All I have to say is, you HAVE to try this place! You won't be disappointed.
(5)Giuseppe D.
Finally got the chance to try this place out tonight and it was everything I'd hope it'd be. It's pretty hard to find unless you already know about the place or are using some navigation of some sort; it's located in a small parking lot on an otherwise empty strip on Higgins. But should you get here, it's well worth it. The place itself is very small. They have a long bar along the back where you can sit on stools to eat, and a small dining area with maybe 8-10 tables or so. The service was great from start to finish. True Japanese service. The menu is in Japanese! I thought that was really cool. It scared me at first because I thought I wouldn't be able to order, but there's a small book that's placed on the tables that give English translations and descriptions of the dishes. Cool nonetheless. If you've read my other reviews, you know I love to eat, and I can typically eat what's enough to feed 3 normal humans. I came here alone and ordered an appetizer and 4 rolls, yes, 4. I ate every piece and was extremely satisfied. Here's what I ordered: For the appetizer I ordered the unagi dashimaki, which is eel, egg, and green onion. They're large rolls made with egg and green pepper, with the eel cooked into the middle of the roll. It came out very hot and was really good. The egg kind of overwhelmed the eel and pepper but it was still good. I have to say its now my favorite appetizer. For the rolls I ordered the Salmon Skin Roll, Kurumaya Roll, Pink Panther Roll, and the Caterpillar Roll. I don't have full descriptions of each roll, as Kurumaya is a small place and still fairly new, so they don't post a menu online; and I forgot to keep track of what's in each, but I'll do my best to help describe them. The Salmon Skin Roll, though I was most excited for this one, was my least favorite of the four. It was really dry because there were no sauces or cream cheese. It has salmon shavings, carrot, cucumber. Not much flavor, I had to use some soy and wasabi which I typically don't like to do, but it was okay. The Kurumaya Roll was my third favorite. I can't remember much of what was in it except I remember there was avocado; terrible description, I know, but it was a very good roll. Pink Panther roll had salmon, avocado, cucumber, and was topped with a white sauce (don't remember what it was) and a spicy (chili) sauce. This was interesting to me as I haven't had many rolls that had a spicy chili in it, and it was great. The avocado helped offset the spice so it wasn't overwhelmingly spicy, it just gave it a spicy taste which was great for the overall flavor. And my favorite was the Caterpillar Roll. Typical for any caterpillar roll ingredients, avocado, cucumber, eel. Very good. All of the pieces were very large in size, you can see them in the photos. And for all I ordered, the bill was under $50. Very very good place, and I hear they have great lunch specials.
(5)Stacey P.
Peer pressure! Everyone gives this place 5 stars so I must too right?! Well, it deserves it... everything I had at Kurumaya was delicious! Their takoyaki is the best you can find in Chicago area... that's for sure. Also the tai karupachiyo was super fresh and delicious. I *love* chawan mushi, and theirs was good but not the best. I am not really in a review mood today, so I probably should wait to write this until later... but I'm afraid I"ll forget. :( ANYHOW- go, eat good food, try new things! yum.
(5)Audrey L.
Kurumaya always comes to mind whenever it's lunch time at work :) As soon as you walk in, the waitresses greet you warmly with a welcoming smile no matter how busy they may be (which they were every time I went). They seat you and are quick to serve you with green tea and either an appetizer salad (chopped lettuce with other vegetables and a tangy ginger salad dressing) or rolls (daikon radish or avocado). Both very delicious and a perfect way to start off a meal as you look through the menu and wait for your main dish. They serve a variety of Japanese dishes you can choose from. There are different daily specials which is displayed on the front table as soon as you walk in. They have two menus and their cute illustrated menu is helpful to see what some of the more popular dishes actually look like. For anyone's first time at Kurumaya, any dish on the the illustrated menu is a great way to get started. Unfortunately, I have not yet tried all of the foods but I hope to do so soon so that I can edit this review to make it more specific to each dish. As I have mentioned, everything on the illustrated menu is delicious and will not disappoint. My personal favorite is the Sushi Deluxe. You just can't go wrong with this one! It includes six pieces of sushi, four pieces of California Rolls, and a bowl of miso soup. It's all so fresh and the fish literally melts in your mouth. The rice is just perfectly seasoned as well :) Another thing I look forward to when I go to Kurumaya (especially if it's by myself or with one other person) is sitting at the bar and watching the sushi master doing his thang! :) I've never had a bad experience at Kurumaya and would recommend it to anyone who values great customer service, loves Japanese food, and affordable prices for it (lunch hours).
(4)Russ B.
Excellent food! Service was great also.
(5)Jason C.
Oh my oh my do I miss the sushi at Kurumaya after moving to DC. It's sad that you realize the great things you had only after you lose them. Kurumaya is a standout in every single way. The sushi is absolutely phenomenal and beats out almost every sushi joint that I have had most of my life. This hole in the wall joint is a true 5 star in my books. For those who are not well acquainted with the relative proportions/sizes of how a nigiri sushi should really look like...go and eat at Kurumaya. This is how good sushi is presented at top places in Japan. The size and shape of the fish slice is perfect. The amount of rice placed underneath the fish is perfect. The ratio of the size of the fish to the size of the rice is perfect. The seasoning of the rice is perfect. (as you can tell I'm a sushi snob ^o^). And lastly...the quality of the sushi is just top notch. The restaurant is not the hip-modern type of Japanese restaurant like Japonais, Mirai, and all the other restaurants (which I think are garbage and are at least 2X more expensive and not a 1/4 as good). Most of the clients here are Japanese businessmen who come with their coworkers after work. Although it doesn't affect me b/c I can read and speak Japanese, the one qualm I have about this place is that there are lots and lots of specialty foods and appetizers that are not found in 99% of Japanese restaurants...but they are only written in Japanese (and the server will not be able to explain what they are clearly). Guess u non-Japanese speaking folks have to start using Rosetta Stone :D Aside from that...I can't say anything bad about this place and I highly, highly recommend that you check this place out.
(5)Ron H.
seems like a Really authentic Japanese food, they have lunch specials that are suppose to be amazing. You can look through the cartoon drawn pictures which unfortunately doesn't resemble what you order. I ordered a salmon roll with fish eggs, cream cheese and all sorts, however all I got was very thin slices of salmon wrapped a thick layer of rice imitation crab. Charging $12.99 made me feel I got robed. Not to mention after everyone in my party was done eating was the dish delivered to our table along with the check. Terrible service and experience, are you saying we should eat fast and not notice this salmon roll was anything But. This is the last time I'm ever coming here, I guess old restaurant tend to decline in quality and service.
(1)Danny Y.
It's really quite refreshing to eat at a sushi restaurant that's actually Japanese owned. The food's above average, but not quite extraordinary. For the reasonable price of $12 for 9 pieces of sashimi, I'm a fan - making the 4-star rating well deserved. Verdict: Cheap but good food, and plenty of choices.
(4)N. H.
I'm really pleased with this place! There is an abundance of Japanese restaurants in Chicagoland area but not too many that are authentic and actually owned by Japanese people, and actually frequented by Japanese people. I was pleasantly surprised they had takoyaki, as it is a street food in Japan but not served in restaurants in America typically. Street food at a high price... But it was really good and since it is hard to find in America, it was worth it! Served sizzling, crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside as it should be! I also had the sushi platter. Everything was fresh. I had the bigger platter which also included a raw shrimp sashimi. Which again, I was impressed with because this is a sign of authenticity! The waitresses were nice but didn't seem to get one of my orders right. We tried to order the Tamago yaki (rolled omelet) with eel in the middle as I seen on this yelp page. I tried to ask her at least twice, "Is it going to have eel in it?" and I've emphasized I definitely wanted eel in mine. But alas, it didn't, and I was disappointed. It was a really good tamago yaki but there was really nothing in it for me if it was a plain rolled omelet. My friend has the grilled salted mackerel. Salty (in a good way) and moist as far as I can tell from the little I had! Nice~ I also tried one of the traditional desserts. I had the pounded rice cake with soybean powder. It was homemade and delicious. Hot, chewy, glutinous. But it is a very small portion with about 4 very small pieces. The downsides are that it is still really expensive. When I heard from other people before I went that this place is a hole in the wall, I expected cheaper food. But first of, it isn't a "dump" like others may have suggested. It is very clean, but just has simple decor. The place also shows Japanese TV which was hilarious to me and my friend. We were watching some weirddddd game show where girls were having a competition to see who can scream the longest.... lol! I'm definitely coming back for more! Definitely for more takoyaki and sashimi!
(5)Keiko S.
Today, my last Japanese meal in Chicago took place at Kurumaya. With no regrets, of course. Years ago, I spent a good portion of my childhood in the west suburb, and while I remember my parents taking us to Sakura and other J-restaurants, I don't recall going to Kurumaya. I guess that's because many of these restaurants used to be much better back then (or so I heard) so we didn't have to explore other options. Anyway, after xx years, Kurumaya has become my most favorite izakaya/sushi bar in the entire Chicagoland. Go here for the real, home-cooked stuff with a bit of twist here and there. And you get the miso soup WITH your food and WITHOUT a spoon. Enough said? MENU: 5 stars FOOD: 5 stars SERVICE: 5 stars PRICE: 5 stars LOCATION: ...no comment Note: Today we focused on sushi and noodle because we were there for lunch. Dinner here is a lot more enjoyable. While the menu is mostly written in Japanese, DO NOT be scared. There's a little book on every table with drawings of the food and ingredients in English!
(5)JC Y.
I don't know authentic Japanese, but I think of this place when someone says authentic Japanese. I must have come here 15 different times, mostly for lunch, and it's never disappointed. While it's nicely decorated, people come here for the food. They always offer you tea, a side salad and two rolls when you come in. They have a daily special displayed as soon as you walk in the door, so you can see. I usually get Katsu Curry or different sushi combos. They're all very consistently tasty and sushi always tasted fresh (as fresh as it'll get in Elk Grove Village, IL.) I get a kick out of short Japanese ladies that sneak up on you. It used to spook me, and I don't know why. Haha. Price is decent for a Japanese place. I think the katsu curry is around $9, and sushi combos are $11 and up. Anyway, if you want somewhat authentic Japanese food, try this place.
(4)Pinaki S.
Ultra authentic, ultra fresh.
(5)Luan N.
Hands down this is the most authentic Japanese restaurant I've been to including major cities like D.C. and ATL. Most U.S. restaurants serve sushi, tonkatsu, and teriyaki. At a push you may be able to get takoyaki and sukiyaki. But this place takes it to a whole new level of country cookin'! A lot of dishes on the menu I haven't had in YEARS since leaving my mom's cooking in Guam. There are a few dishes I haven't even heard of. Amish A. and I ordered the unagi dashi maki ($9.95), saba miso (7.95), maguro yukke (7.95), tai carapaccio (16.95), salmon skin maki (6.95), and hamachi kama (8.95). [I added photos w/ descriptions]. Everything was well made, and it was finally refreshing to eat some items I haven't had in ages! The tai carpaccio and hamachi kama were the winners of tonight's round. The salmon skin maki, I don't really recommend from here. They circulate a white board of the specials in Japanese. But, not to worry. Like Keiko S. said, most items are in the black book with pictures in English on the table. I can't wait to go back. I think next time I'll try out the gyutan shioyaki, maguro ankake gohan, and poki bowl.
(5)Ben H.
This place is the go to place for authentic Japanese cuisine in Chicago... (right next to Daruma). Their home style dishes are delicious and the usually packed with Japanese and Asian customers. Useful are the menu with hand drawn pictures with the descriptions of every dish so you know what you are getting. This is not a fancy restaurant downtown like sunda, Oysy Sushi where those hipsters go to for martini's, edamame and the unusual assortment of sushi. Although Kurumaya has that there (minus the martinis), the setting is way less formal... think checkered outdoor picnic table cloths, but dont be fooled, the food tastes better than those places you find at Lincoln Park or River North. Things to try - Gyuutan (shio) Yakitori, Tori-niniku Tai Obaa Ochazuke Bitter Melon Tofu Nankotsu Shishamo Chicken wings were ok - just fried (not grilled)
(5)Amy L.
Awesome food. I don't think there was anything I didn't enjoy. Potato takoyaki, pork belly (*this was not as good as others but still ok), tai carpaccio, CHAWANMUSHI (my fav), croquette, and I think also got a soba noodle dish. I liked the little menu book they had drawings of each izakaya item. Quite pricey when you count everything together though especially since I eat a lot when it's good food. But it's like going to a Cafe Iberico or something (have to order a lot of plates to get full).
(4)Jasmine S.
Ordered the Chirashi Don - everything they fit in the bowl is fantastic and high quality. Grill 3 small fish with roe in the fish (forgot the japanese name) is grill to the crispiness that the fish can be consume from head to tail. Grill chicken liver skewer - acquire taste - but the liver is definitely super fresh - no bloody taste left yet very tender. Yakitori style suauce is great - not over sweetened.
(5)Tim H.
I saw this place mentioned in a time out magazine article as one of Chicago's best Japanese restaurants and had to try it out. It definitely deserved to be mentioned. This place is authentic Japanese. They have a flip book menu which was helpful if you aren't familiar with authentic dishes and/or don't speak Japanese. Service was fast and attentive. The wait staff seemed to be all Japanese and the clientele was heavily Japanese. All the sushi I had was very fresh. Food was expertly prepared and presented. If you like fresh, high quality, authentic Japanese food, you need to try this place out!
(4)Rich W.
This is an authentic neighborhood Japanese restaurant. Lunch time attracts a local business crowd (think Japanese salaryman). The daily lunch special is a good deal! At dinner this place turns into an izakaya with your usual izakaya small dishes. Nothing to write home about; but considering that we're in the Midwest, it's extraordinary. Just reliable and authentic. Their takoyaki (called potato-takoyaki there) is probably the best in Chicagoland. Service is adequate. Typical Japanese courtesy and hospitality, though in a Kansai kind of way, if you know what I mean.
(4)Christina R.
To think I've worked in this area for almost 4 years and didn't discover this hidden gem until last week! When I walked in with my group I felt like I was back in Japan. They greet you in the traditional Japanese way as if you were walking into a restaurant in Tokyo. They offered us green tea right away... perfect! The entire staff is Japanese, the sushi chef is Japanese and from what I hear was classically trained in Japan. As an obvious result, the sushi was delicious. Overall the food was good... and then there is the service. It was a working lunch, so we were making our way through all the sushi we ordered and discussing business when our server told us that they close at 2:00 to prepare for dinner service. We paid our bill, finished our food and was gradually wrapping up the discussion when we were approached again. It was 2:15 and we were pretty much being asked to leave. I've worked in restaurants before, I get it if they close after the lunch hour the workers usually get their meal and then prep for dinner. However, what about my group being at our table still (after the bill had been paid) is stopping them from that? What doesn't make sense to me is kicking out patrons when it isn't necessary. We weren't in the way or even in plain sight of their employees having their meal. Had it not been for being kicked out, they would have gotten 5 stars from me. They're lucky though, since the food is so authentic and delicious... I'll definitely return.
(4)Irene B.
I really wanted to give this place five stars, considering all of the awesome ratings by other yelpers. However, after having dinner there with the boyfriend on a Tuesday night, I just couldn't see what all the fuss was about. So trust me when I say that I'm being nice by giving the place two stars... We decided to try Kurumaya after a friend suggested it. He raved about their authentic Japanese dishes, and of course we were very excited. We were greeted immediately by an older Japanese lady who seemed very sweet, and seated us right away. Surprisingly enough, the place was still half full at 830pm on a Tuesday night. Good sign. All of the restaurant patrons were made up of older Japanese people. Even better sign. This just solidified the place's authenticity for me. I ordered what I thought would be a safe dish, beef teriyaki. My boyfriend ordered the spicy tuna roll and the Kurumaya roll. My dish arrived first. It came with a generous amount of beef, a small salad, rice, miso soup, two handfuls of cabbage and some bean sprout-looking side dish. I was hungry so I dove right into the beef, and it was like biting into a car tire. So I tried a different slice, thinking that first slice I bit into must've been a fluke. But slice number two had the consistency of a pencil eraser. Now onto slice #3, then #4, but all the same. I guess I started making a face by then because my boyfriend was giving me the "are you okay because you're starting to look crazy" look. I told him about my chewy beef. He told me to get the chicken, so I did. In the mean time his rolls arrived. He loved the spicy tuna and I thought it was just okay. The Kurumaya roll was bland and did not taste at all fresh. I felt like I was eating those plastic displays of food they put up in front of some Asian restaurant windows. I was so disappointed... Finally, my chicken teriyaki arrived. I prayed before taking a bite. It tasted like scrambled eggs. At this point I gave up. I just wanted to pay our bill and run out of there. Sixty two dollars?! Fine. I just want to go home. In the up side, the servers were nice. Thus the 2 stars. But we won't be coming back.
(2)Frank A.
Really authentic and fantastic Japanese cuisine! I've must have passed by this place hundreds of times and didn't even know about it. It's sort of "hidden" on one of those speedy streets you take on the way to work. Now it's made the list of one of my "go to" places on the way home if I'm in a dinner mood. Great sushi. Fresh. Menu filled with appetizers with tons to try. If you're in the mood for sushi, just ask for the sushi menu and they'll be happy to provide as that menu is more expansive. One of my favorites is the pork belly. Yeah, I've had it a million times at Korean BBQ joints, but for some reason, I can never cook it this perfectly. It's sooo good. Trust me. I'm not an onion person and even that was grilled perfectly and it was great. Definitely look for this place. It's so worth it.
(5)Kwoky L.
I am so surprise to have found this place via Yelp because it is one of the best Japanese restaurant in the area, yet it didn't get a whole lot of publicity. If people are crazy about izakaya style place in Chicago, they need to come to Kurumaya because their variety of small plates are to die for. Kurumaya looks like a hole-in-the-wall; you can easily drive past it on Higgins Rd without knowing. We came here on a cold day, hungry for some Japanese food. The menu is quite extensive but you'll notice that the appetizer section is way longer than the rest. So I asked the waitress and she explains that customers usually order appetizers/small plates while drinking sake and have a good conversation. Don't expect your regular teriyaki such and such here because they are very limited. Instead, try their crispy grilled pork belly that melts in your mouth, asari saka mushi (asari clams in sake-spiked clam broth), and takoyaki (chewy grilled octopus meatballs with sweet sauce, nori, and bonito). My gozen dinner box comes with sashimi, tempura, salmon shio, rice, soup, salad etc, more than enough to keep my tummy happy. If you need more choices, consult the ever so friendly picture book on your table. They illustrated their menu in pictures and even included the chef's specials that are usually reserved for people who knows Japanese. Let me tell you, the pictures didn't make choosing any easier because they look delicious! If you have tried all that, they will be more than happy to make you something that's not in either menus. We, of course got carried away because our entire order could hardly fit in the table. Then, I realized, it's OK to order some small plates, finish them and then order more because that's how they do it at Kurumaya. Ah, silly us. =) Now tell me, can you even find that in the izakayas in Chicago? I bet not.
(5)Nori S.
The word is..... Authentic, Authentic, Authentic Japanese Food!!! The Head Chefs and the Wait Staff are all Japanese which is pretty rare for any Japanese restaurant outside of the west coast. The Sushi Chef was born and raised in the Iwate Prefecture where the recent Earthquake/Tsunami effected his family. He also trained to become a sushi chef in Sendai City so he KNOWS fresh fish. The Kitchen has a Head Chef that's Japanese so the quality of the kitchen dishes are also perfect. The waitress staff is attentive but may be a bit slow on the refills of tea or water. However, they are able to cater all the dishes to single person or 3 person portions if necessary. They also have a big "Daily Specials" menu on top of the regular menu. Dessert was simply wonderful. The quality just as what I would expect from a place in Japan. Chicago definitly has more to offer than just great Italian or Greek Food now. Thank you Kurumaya!! I will be back the next time I'm in town.
(5)Ray W.
Kurumaya was wonderful! It was the most Japan-like place I've ever been to (outside Japan). I even (honestly) had an urge to stop and play pachinko on the way home (a thought that never crosses my mind anymore). We ordered so many things, but we never did try the tonkatsu (a main reason for wanting to go there in the fist place, and a good excuse to go back again soon). We started with sushi, chirashi, and these HUGE oysters (one each was enough for both of us). In addition to their bilingual menu, they brought over a board written in Japanese only that had some Japanese regional specials (I'm fortunate to have a Japanese wife). I FINALLY got to try "Black Pig," a rare (as in hard-to-find-rare; it was well-cooked) item I've only read about in the past. The few Japanese restaurants that did have it on their menus in Japan were "sold out" (or at least that is what they politely claimed, while in the back room they may have been whispering "This stuff too good for Gaijin")... :) And actually, it was awesome!! Served flat on wooden skewers (about the size of two strips of bacon side-by-side and twice as thick, and cut into 2-inch squares), it had a texture and flavor more like lamb chops than pork. Another Japanese regional dish was "Yamakake" (cool diced raw tuna topped with a slippery grated mountain yam). Not for everyone, even many Japanese are turned off by the slipperiness (like raw egg), but it tasted great so I didn't mind that at all (just had difficulty grabbing the quarter-inch slippery diced tuna pieces with my chopsticks). A few other delights (I let my wife take over ordering everything, as she did great the first few rounds) and we were stuffed. Not to let that stop us though!! We ordered some more to take home, including Rafute, a meltingly tender and succulent braised pork belly flavored with ginger and Awamori (an Okinawan sake) and cooked so such that the fat is melted out of the pork (and becomes part of the flavor in the barbecue-like sauce). Surprisingly, the prices were great!! Not an everyday place, but certainly worthy of consideration again, again, and again in the future.
(5)Hannah K.
Loved the chicken TERIYAKI!! It was amazing! and the prices are decent for lunch! I def will come back if I am in the area.. I have yet to try from the sushi menu! Service was also good! Thanks!
(5)Kin L.
I liked this place so much that I went there twice during the week! Very rarely will I go back to a good restaurant so quickly after the initial visit, but I liked the tonkatsu so much that I was craving it again by the end of the week. During my first visit, I noticed the place was packed for lunch, and most of the patrons were Japanese. Seeing a bunch of Japanese people at a Japanese restaurant? Jackpot! I was greeted by one of the petite waitresses in Japanese. Not able to decipher what she was saying, I just held up one finger and smiled. I think I need to watch more anime so I can learn some simple Japanese phrases. Like a previous reviewer said, the checkered table clothes are a bit tacky, but honestly, who the F cares? I liked the food so much that if it was served on the floor next to the bathroom, I would still eat it! Another plus is that you're served a small appetizer of salad and two small avocado or cucumber rolls almost immediately after being seated. It's a small detail, but it's a good gesture on their part. I brought my coworkers with me on my second visit and they liked it as well. It wasn't as packed as the first time because it was during the week of Thanksgiving. I ordered the tonkatsu just like the first time. The consistency was definitely there and the portion is just right. The tonkatsu was just as good, if not better as those served at Katsu-hana at the Mitsuwa in NJ. Breaded just right, and fried to perfection, the thickness of the porkchop was right on as well. I also like Sunshine Cafe's tonkatsu, but that place uses a thinner cut of pork so this Kurumaya has a one up over Sunshine. One down side is that they don't serve gyozas during lunch! Clearly a disappoint for this dumpling whore, but I guess I'll have to come back during dinner hours. Oh yeah, I love it how the staff all say goodbye in Japanese pretty much in unison when you leave. Haha, way to go making the customers feel special!
(4)Aloysius T.
Okay, so I just got back from Tokyo not too long ago. Still jet lagged. A mate of mine who came back a week earlier from Japan than I had; had wanted to eat some Japanese food. Surprisingly, despite eating nothing but Japanese food for two weeks straight; I still had a strong desire to eat Japanese food. Though I'll admit the first thing I ate when I came back was a huge gut-busting Chipotle burrito...I know I'm terrible. So this is...the second time I've been here; and fresh from Japan I felt I would have an interesting new perspective on the food here. So here we go: Sashimi platter: It included red snapper, salmon, tuna, and I believe one piece of odoro (or as the greenhorns call it Toro) Dissapointing...utterly sad and dissapointing. Last time I came, my eyes lit up from the fish. Now it's very much possible the quality had remained the same. Or perhaps I just had a subpar batch...though Saturday is a decent fish day. But the last thing I ate was Toro sashimi in Japan at Tsukiji market. Tsukiji, the largest fish market in the world, naturally has some of the freshest fish. The pieces of sushi I ate, normally retail somewherea round ten dollars a piece. I was purchasing them for 2 dollars a piece. Even the crappier parts of the tuna, which were priced at about 50 cents a piece, were divine. That being said...I think I ruined sushi for myself. Quite possibly I ate some of the richest, freshest fish I may ever have the pleasure of eating. And after eating any other sashimi soon thereafter, well everything else may just pale in comparison. Have my taste buds spoiled? Have I ruined sushi for myself, especially being here in the midwest? I'll have to go to Lawrence Fish Market, and find out if there is hope for me. In the meantime, I'm very scared I will never enjoy sushi again. Potato Takoyaki - the first time I came, I felt these were absolutely tasty. Second time around, still amazing. I was in Osaka for 3 days during my travels. They are famous for their takoyaki and gross interpretation of Okonomiyaki (Hiroshima's is better ;p) The takoyaki here, I would put on the same level as those in Osaka. I went to some of the more popular takoyaki places, and this potato takoyaki is up there man. Very impressed. A lot of that, though, I feel is due to the takoyaki being potato and not just your 'normal' takoyaki. MUST TRY. Gyu Tatake - Tatake is basically a lightly seared carpaccio lightly marinated in vinegar. For you fellow Anthony Bourdain fanboys and girls, I went to the yakitori restaurant he went to in Tokyo. F#*$ing amazing. Best chicken I feel I'll ever have in my life. But there I tried chicken tatake; rare chicken sounds crazy...but the taste was transcendant. The tatake made the corners of my eyes squint in gastro-ecstacy. If you are ever in Tokyo, you really must try it. But I digress, so the reason I ordered the gyu tatake is because I had such a great experience with tori-tatake. Simply put, very very good. Granted not an out of body experience, but still very very good. Especially if you rub some of the minced chili paste and scallions on top....another very solid choice here. Gosh another long review...telling the story of my life. Sorry. For my third time back, I'm going to bring my Jappo friend who can read their Japanese only menu. I'm terrible with the chinese characters... ~Bon appetit PS - Gyoza = forgettable. Hence, I forgot to mention it :)
(5)Cecilia T.
I've heard when Kosuke Fukodome misses Japan, he comes here to eat - THAT should tell ya something about the authenticity of this restaurant! This restaurant has the most authentic Japanese food I've ever experienced in the Chicagoland area. There's no place like it, whether downtown or in the burbs! It's not just your typical udon or sushi -more like Japanese tapas that you cannot get anywhere else in Chitown! I've come here with friends that are Japanese or lived in Japan and they all agree you cannot get anything more authentic in the chicagoland area than at this sweet spot. Yeah it's located in a scary plaza in some random industrial area, but trust me you will have an AMAZING experience here! MY FAVORITE DISHES: (Keep in mind, i don't eat raw fish) -POTATO TOKOYAKI known as "octopus donut" - i know that might sound funny, but it's delicious! I don't even normally like octopus - there's just small bits in each piece. Topped with mayo, green onions, fish flakes, and tonkatsu sauce...THIS IS SO GOOD!!! - UNAGI DASHI MAKI -it's a steamed egg dish but way more special. We always order mutliple portions of this dish! -GYU TATAKI - tender cold rare beef dish....sooo good! - KURUMAYA ROLL - yummy roll for non-raw fish lovers!) -KOROKKE - potato meat patties with onion - i make these at home as taught by my japanese roommates and this place makes them delish! -KARAGI - japanese nuggets OTHER DISHES MY FRIENDS LIKE: - beef tongue and gizzards, which are delicious (esp the gizzards), but those are limited daily. If you understand Japanese, ask for their "secret menu" that offers selections in Japanese that you can't order off the regular menu. -Lastly don't bother with the Spider Roll - that was just ordinary.
(5)Nora A.
Stopped in here for lunch today. I have been here only once before for take-out near the end of lunch, so it was empty the last time I was here. Today, it was bustling and I can honestly say I was in the minority as an non-Asian. This place does not have a monster selection of rolls or fish, but what they do have is well-executed. After reading some of the reviews here, I inquired whether they could get me an order of takoyaki, since it was not on the lunch menu. She checked with the kitchen and said yes, they could. I also ordered the sashimi lunch. This was honestly, a bit too much for one person for lunch, but I discovered this a bit too late... When you come in, they offer green tea and then brought out two small cucumber maki pieces and a salad with ginger dressing to start. The sashimi lunch came with nine pieces of sashimi total, with three of each: tuna, yellowtail, and salmon. I'm not sure if that is the standard or if you can request other types, but what I had was excellent, very fresh. They also serve a side of white (non-sushi) rice and miso soup. I had pretty much finished my lunch when the takoyaki came out on a sizzling plate -- there were five big pieces, drizzled with just the right amount of mayo, katsuobushi and aonori. They were very hot when they came out, so I had to wait a few minutes before digging in. I ruined myself feeling like I had to finish the entire order (it's kind of hard to take that to-go.) The service was very polite and friendly but a bit slow at times -- they only had 2 servers working the floor. Still, must say that I agree with the reviews -- this is a very authentic Japanese restaurant. Do not go in expecting a huge assortment of Americanized maki rolls. Do go in expecting excellent, well-prepared Japanese food. I will be back, I'm sure...
(5)