Restaurant

AJI

Name: AJI
Address: 3809 N Broadway, Chicago, IL, 60613, US
Telephone: (773) 236-1521
Price range: splurge

Japanese•Chicago•splurge

AJI is one of the best japanese restaurants in Chicago for date night, especially if you want a strong option in Chicago.

Editorial review•Dec 9, 2025

AJI operates with a clarity of purpose that most omakase rooms never quite achieve: ten seats, fifteen courses, and a chefs' counter where Kristian Cho and Arnold Lee — between them carrying over three decades of experience in Chicago's most demanding sushi rooms — run the full show. The Lakeview East address on North Broadway situates this in a neighbourhood better known for casual dining than serious omakase, which means AJI isn't trading on proximity to a luxury hotel or a River North expense-account crowd. It earns its room on the strength of the format alone. This is a reservation-required, chef's-choice experience with no safety-net à la carte, and the 2024 Diner's Choice recognition suggests it has found an audience prepared to meet it on those terms. The fifteen-course structure is the menu, and the kitchen's sourcing language is precise: Hokkaido uni, shaved caviar compressed onto sweet shrimp, hirame finished with sea salt and lime zest, itoyori topped with honey pearls. These aren't garnish-heavy novelties — they represent a style that layers luxury ingredients with considered restraint, allowing single proteins to read clearly against complementary accents rather than disappear beneath them. The toro and uni temaki, mentioned consistently in diner accounts, functions as the kind of course that justifies the format: a hand-roll that combines two of the most scrutinised ingredients in Japanese cuisine, where the kitchen's sourcing and technique are fully exposed. Diners don't come here for one standout course; they come because the fifteen-course arc, as the restaurant presents it, is the point. A practical note about the room: with only ten seats, every position faces the chefs directly, and the colorful overhead display tracking each course's ingredients means you're oriented to what's coming before it arrives — an unusual feature that rewards attention rather than passive consumption. Book well in advance; this size room fills on a compressed reservation window. The move is to treat the sitting as fixed-length and commit to the pacing the kitchen sets, not to rush toward the temaki.

James Whitfield, Restaurant Critic

Methodology•Chicago guides•Editorial team

Sushi date night special occasion precise intimate sushi

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Taste ID

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Rating (Google) 9.6

330 reviews

Chicago

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

9.6

Rating

Based on 330 reviews

Best used for

date night and Sushi

Price and pace

splurge

Neighborhood

Chicago · 3809 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613, USA

Price

splurge

Google rating

9.6 from 330 reviews

Phone

(773) 236-1521

Photos of AJI

What to order

Signature dishes at AJI

Sweet shrimp with shaved and compressed caviar and Hokkaido uni

Hirame with sea salt and lime zest

Itoyori with honey pearls

Toro and uni temaki

Why go

What makes AJI worth the move

AJI is an easy yes when you want somewhere that feels considered rather than fussy. Sweet shrimp with shaved and compressed caviar and Hokkaido uni and Hirame with sea salt and lime zest also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 330 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.6 from 330 Google reviews

Best used for

date night and Sushi

Style

Japanese in Chicago

Spend

splurge

Best for

Sushi date night special occasion precise intimate sushi

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.6 from 330 reviews

Price point: splurge

Popular dishes: Sweet shrimp with shaved and compressed caviar and Hokkaido uni, Hirame with sea salt and lime zest, Itoyori with honey pearls

Website linked on this page

TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by James Whitfield for AJI

Google snapshot

9.6 from 330 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by James Whitfield

Boka Group has a knack for making a room feel more expensive than it is, and Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna at 531 N Wells St.

Tavern style pizzacasual nighttakeout

2127 reviews

Read restaurant page

Website Menu Rate

Plan the visit

Quick details

Book on OpenTable Menu Directions

Address: 3809 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613, USA
Phone: (773) 236-1521
Price: splurge
TastyPals score: Coming soon
Google rating: 9.6 (330 reviews)
Cuisine: Japanese
Neighborhood: Chicago

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does AJI serve?

AJI is a Japanese restaurant located in Chicago, Chicago. AJI operates with a clarity of purpose that most omakase rooms never quite achieve: ten seats, fifteen courses, and a chefs' counter where Kristian Cho and Arnold Lee — between them carrying over three decades of experience in Chicago's…

What is AJI best for?

AJI is best for sushi, date night, special occasion, precise, intimate, sushi. AJI is an easy yes when you want somewhere that feels considered rather than fussy. Sweet shrimp with shaved and compressed caviar and Hokkaido uni and Hirame with sea salt and lime zest also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 330 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at AJI?

AJI is in the splurge price range (splurge). Google rating: 9.6 from 330 reviews

What should I order at AJI?

Start with Sweet shrimp with shaved and compressed caviar and Hokkaido uni, Hirame with sea salt and lime zest, Itoyori with honey pearls and Toro and uni temaki. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is AJI worth visiting?

AJI holds a 9.6 Google rating from 330 reviews. AJI is an easy yes when you want somewhere that feels considered rather than fussy. Sweet shrimp with shaved and compressed caviar and Hokkaido uni and Hirame with sea salt and lime zest also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 330 Google reviews.

Where is AJI located?

AJI is located at 3809 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613, USA. Directions are available via Google Maps.

Does AJI take reservations?

Yes, AJI accepts reservations. You can book a table online through their reservations page.

Is AJI good for a date night?

Yes — AJI is tagged for date night dining. AJI is an easy yes when you want somewhere that feels considered rather than fussy. Sweet shrimp with shaved and compressed caviar and Hokkaido uni and Hirame with sea salt and lime zest also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 330 Google reviews.

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