Aodake Asian Bistro

Very fresh, tasted great and didnt take long for my order. The atmosphere is not what you’d expect feom the outside… its beautiful!

Best sushi I’ve had in the area. Fairly new restaurant so I don’t think people really know about it yet. Sushi was very fresh and tasty. Well priced. Cheap beer! I’ll be coming to eat here when I want sushi.

Large place set up for ordering at the counter, but staff did come out to set the table, bring dishes out, refill waters. Large restaurant with attractive décor. Cozy dining booths in the middle of the restaurant.
Though counter ordering may remind you of fast food, keep in mind you aren’t ordering burgers here. So it may be a little more time for staff making to order (you’d hope) your sushi rolls, dan bing, katsu, and sandwiches.
We got the traditional dan bing (never had this elsewhere, great!), katsu curry, the fried oyster sandwich, and white tuna avocado roll. Soup or salad came with the katsu curry and sandwich, and miso and chicken veggie were the options we went with (both great) and generous bowls.
Large portion of katsu (on top with curry underneath to keep crisp). Oysters were large and the sandwich topped with condiments to give it a little extra zing.
Parking inside their lot on a Sunday on Clark was an extra bonus on a snowy Sunday when all the street parking will be filled with free meters.
They do have a variety of drinks in their cases (including alcohol) and there was a dessert menu we didn’t get to. Discounted «happy hour» menu did apply on Sunday afternoon.
Given a number of their entrees would be close to $ 10 but include soup/salad…I’ll give it a $ rather than a $$.

Delish sushi and a decent price for lunch special. They even delivered to us in the snow storm! Both the lady on the phone and the delivery man were extremely nice and friendly!

The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is because we ate in the back and it was freezing, and they don’t have captions on the tvs. They were playing some seriously smooth jazz and we wouldn’t have minded if they turned that off and turned the tv sound on. I believe if you’re going to have the sound off then the captions need to be on.
Other than that we were thinking if only we lived closer. This is a nice, non fancy sushi place. They have very fresh and creative rolls. A nix mix of cooked and raw, spicy and not spicy. The prices could be a little lower but its not Japonais prices. The people there were super friendly. Since we had a deal we had a hard time spending all $ 50 so we got some of their cake balls. I need to find out where they get those because they were amazing. We had the french toast and spicy Mexican chocolate and they were so delicious. Not too rich or too gluey.
The next time we’re in the area we’ll stop in!

Very open, modern and clean space. The sushi lunch special was a good deal and tasted great. The service was also great. This would be a great place to have a wedding rehearsal dinner, bachelor/​ette dinner, etc. Take advantage of the large space in an otherwise congested part of town.
Recommend: The eel avocado roll and the spicy tuna roll. Excellent.

I was really hoping that this place would be good being right around the corner from my house, however it was not. My mom and I came in and ordered food at the counter for takeout. We were given green tea while we waited for the food, but realized that the family that walked in right after us, ate their food and left before we were given our food. The staff was running around frantic in the back and the manager told us the food would be right out a couple times (it was not busy at all). After an hour past, we were given our food and we asked the kid if it was always this slow?! Not to mention when we got home, the food was terrible.

I was pretty excited when this place finally opened because the restaurant that previously occupied the space had been closed for quite a while. I decided to get takeout using a Groupon deal and ordered a variety of speciality and standard maki rolls. Overall the sushi was decent, but nothing to write home about. My girlfriend and I have actually ordered from Aodake a few more times since then, for dinner and breakfast, and each time we’ve been marginally satisfied.
It’s sad because I really wanted to love this place, especially since I live nearby. I almost feel compelled to go just so it doesn’t close and become a vacant storefront again. Nevertheless I’d still recommend giving Aodake a try. As you can see the reviews are all over the place so you may have a totally different experience. The staff is great and there’s quite a bit on the menu to choose from. Unfortunately I just haven’t had anything from there that didn’t result in a «meh».

We had a groupon and it’s in our neighborhood so thought we’d try. This place was better then we thought it would be. We got the «spicy» edamame which wasn’t at all spicy but it had a little kick.
The service was great, the sushi rolls were delicious and the «Japanese» chocolate cake hit the spot. I would recommend this place.

This place has really surprisingly good sushi. It’s kind of fast food style, where you order at the counter and then they bring the food out to you. There isn’t a «traditional wait service.» The sushi is surprisingly delicious though and tastes fresh. The owner (or at least I assume she’s the owner) Amy was there when a friend and I stopped by today and she was super sweet — that’s always a plus & we should all support business run by cool people! :)

One of my favorite places for sushi now!
Yesterday me and my wife walked in 5 min before closing at 8.55.
We had Unilocal special and didn’t expect much of this place.
But menu, freshness of sushi and taste changed everything.
Plus amazingly friendly staff and specially owner on top of it.
We got complimentary miso soups and garden salad.
Sushi rolls been huge. Creative. Tasty.
Definitelly try Godzilla. It melts in your mouth and delicious!
Spanish Grasshoper very good too! and Hawaii roll –very interested combination of mango with other ingredients. Colorfull and nice looking rolls:)
TOP MARK! GREAT JOB!
I hope they will keep it up!

I had a livingsocial deal and came with my cousin to try it out. We were the first customers of the day (it was like 11amish — I believe they open around 10am). By the time we left, I believe we were actually still the only customers. So the set up is that you first order at the register and then you’ll get a number. Take a seat anywhere and the food will be delivered to you.
Since the livingsocial deal requires us to order at least $ 50 worth of food, we ordered the Chicken Korokke, the Pork Dan Bing, the Caterpillar roll, the Spanish Grasshopper roll, and Spider Tempura Sando that also came with the Asian Chicken Vegetable Soup. It was also Monday and they had a $ 5 deal on some Japanese cocktail bottle so we decided to try the White Peach.
The owner and waiter/​cashier was very nice and friendly. After we ordered and took a seat in the booth area, the owner came over later and chatted with us. She was really friendly and we just talked about the restaurant/​neighborhood while we were waiting for the food. She explained her vision on how she wanted to have a casual café place where people can hang out and enjoy good food and drinks but with an Asian twist. There’s lots of American coffee bakery cafes out there but not really one that has an Asian flair in the neighborhood.
Then when the first part of our order arrived, the owner actually gave us the miso soup and house salad to try for free. We thought that this was a very nice gesture but flavor wise, it was nothing too exciting. It wasn’t terrible, just tasted like regular miso soup, regular asian chicken soup, and the house salad with ginger dressing was a little wet. My cousin liked the Japanese White Peach cocktail. It actually reminded me of the Snapple Peach drink with just a lil kick.
Then our sushi rolls (The Caterpillar &, The Spanish Grasshopper) came and that was so so so good. They’re $ 15 a roll and I don’t know if I would’ve ordered it if I didn’t have the livingsocial deal. But that was definitely the best thing we ordered. My cousin and I probably got full from the soup/​salad/​sushi because when the other stuff came, we couldn’t finish off the rest of the food.
The Chicken Korokke was alright but I didn’t like the tonkatsu sauce that came with it. The waiter said it was a mix of BBQ sauce, coffee and something else (can’t remember) but I didn’t like it. I felt like the actual korokke was a little underseasoned too because if you ate it without the sauce, it tasted kinda bland.
The Pork Dan Bing was basically a flat savory crêpe. It had eggs and the Asian shredded pork (the kind that you usually eat with congee?) with a sweet savory sauce. It was good but I felt like it wasn’t enough. Literally 3 bites and it’s gone.
Finally we actually didn’t get to eat the Spider Tempura Sando there and decided to take it home because we were just so full. Because I took it home, please take my feelings on the sandwich with a grain of salt. I love soft shell crab and I was really interested in trying it with the Asian milk bread but it really disappointed me when I reheated it. I was expecting the bread to taste a little different but It tasted like a regular white bread. I did like the soft shell crab and wish they actually had put more of the red cabbage slaw on it and skipped on the lettuce and other stuff.
Honestly, we had a great time at the restaurant and the owner and the waiter were really friendly — which is really important to me. The food was good and even though some items were just ok, I would definitely come back and try other items on their menu. I don’t remember seeing them have any bubble teas but I think that would be a great addition to their menu if they’re going for the Asian café route.

It’s an Asian Bistro. It’s not really set up for fine dining but the food is really good.
I have eaten in this neighborhood spot since they opened and the sushi is consistently good.
I just discovered today that they have incredible lunch specials. Three sushi rolls and miso soup for only $ 14

First time! The Aodake rice was excellent! We also had the Godzilla roll and Pink Lady, both were very tasty and filling! For dessert we had the chocolate peanut cake ball which was surprisingly very good. Rich and dense! The atmosphere is modern and inviting. Will be back for sure!

I’ve been here 3 times now before writing this review. Unfortunately, Blue Ocean was worlds better.
I’ve had:
— Chix Teriyaki
— Katsu Don
— Gyoza
— House Salad
— Miso Soup
— etc
It’s obvious that all of this food is premade and microwaved. Both the Chix Teriyaki/​Katsu were pounded so thin it was difficult to see the meat. Everything I’ve had here was clearly pre-​cooked, pre-​markered (label on take-​out was clearly not fresh) and pre-​packed for instant reheating. (oh, and $ 15/​pop)
With some things, this isn’t a problem, but if you are going to serve eggs (as in the Katsudan), reheating is simply unacceptable. Gross rubber — WHO DOES THAT?!
The Gyoza tasted like they came from a frozen bag from the discount grocery, and one of mine had bone in it.
House salad was probably the cheapest «asian salad» I’ve had. The «ginger dressing» was heavily mayonnaised, and it was otherwise mostly Iceberg that had been prepacked for more than a day and was limping.
Having given them several chances, including dine-​in and take-​out, I can only assume this is the standard MO for this location. Unfortunate.
The Miso Soup is only slightly below average. There is actual miso in the soup, but it seemed that the wakame had been rehydrated for days in the broth, and the tofu was generic and bland (and pre-​cut and to be honest tasted like it was dehydrated and reconstituted). There are too many Japanese places in the area to bother with this junk.
I really wish a *good* joint would take over this place that would drive real traffic. Such a great location, but Adoke has been a terrible letdown.

My friend and I stopped in on our way to a concert to get some food and use a groupon. The restaurant was empty, but it had a great modern ambiance to it with really great little tucked away moments in seating areas. We chose a solitary curved booth with mood lighting.
We both started with a beer while waiting for our food. When ordering, the lady who was serving us was super friendly and gave us some background about the restaurant. The menu is quite extensive with somewhat random categories, such as crepes, sandwiches, noodles, and sushi.
I tried the pork tenderloin sandwich and my friend went the healthy route with chicken teriyaki and steamed rice and veggies. Though his plate looked super healthy and boring, he said his chicken was tender and well sauced and he enjoyed his meal. Soups came with our meals as well, though I was uninterested. My sandwich was delicious– crispy fried pork with buttery toasted bread. I lamented the general unhealthiness of it, but whatever. We were also given a complimentary salad with our meals, but it was mostly iceberg lettuce, so we didn’t get the point of it.
The lady in front recommended the japanese cheesecake as a refreshing ending to the meal, so I tried it and it was not at all like a traditional new york style cheesecake. It had the consistency and taste of pound cake with a cream cheese aftertaste. Not bad, but I didn’t need the calories.

I orderd a salmon sandwich, miso soup, salad and tuna and avocado roll.
Stopped by while waiting for my teenage daughters’s concert to finish… excellent food wonderful service. Food presentation excellent… taste excellent. Staff friendly happy and love where they work. Travis was my favorite could sit and chat with him for hours.

Very chic, spacious, and cool place!!! The owner and the server went above and beyond to promote their business. I went with groupon to check this new establishment with my hubby. The menu consists of Japanese, Taiwanese, and Asian fusion dishes. All items are well-​priced and they do serve alcohol. What you do is to order at the counter first, pay, and find a place to sit down so that the server brings out the food to your table. Our server, Travis, was a sweetie and was very genuine and friendly. We also received the curry rice on the house! It was very kind of the owner to do so. I hope Unilocal can be the «word of mouth» to bring people into trying out Aodake. They also have free wifi and environment is relaxing and comfortable. Very best wishes to the owner and workers to this place. I hope they will be prosperous!!! Check in with Unilocal to receive a large sake for $ 5 or to purchase the $ 24 for $ 50 deal!!!

Every time I walk into this place I am both confused and happy. I am confused because the food options seem to vary and some of these things I’m not overly familiar with. I am happy because it’s all delicious and the staff is always willing to help you get your bearings. Aodake serves sushi, rice & noodle dishes, and sandwiches. So if you have indecisive friends, it’s a great selection because everyone will be happy… but if you have indecisive friends it might also take you awhile to order.
So far we have tried a few dishes including some sushi rolls and I can say that the maki and specialty rolls are better than most of the sushi places in the city. Since the goal of service at Aodake is «fast-​casual» you won’t see any very complicated rolls, but if you are an experienced sushi eater and like the taste of fish, you will love the maki. The soft shell crab sandwich and my recent foray into a huge pile of fried rice were both very successful, aside from the discomfort one feels after trying to eat more than they should.
Though I must confess my feelings that originally I was hoping for a Habachi location, all in all this is a great place to stop by for a snack on your way home, for lunch, or for dinner. I have yet to try breakfast, but I am sure that once I do my stomach will be a little fuller and my wife a little more upset that am spending too much money on Asian food again.

No one else has chimed in yet, so I figured that I would write a review to give people some idea of what this location of Aodake was like. The concept is interesting («fast casual»), as you enter in on the parking lot side, place an order, and then find a table to wait for food to be brought tableside. The space is really big, almost too big for what they are trying to do, but that is leftover from the old Blue Sushi space that was here several years ago.
On to the food. The focus is on Japanese food, albeit with a Taiwanese twist. Taiwanese egg crepes known as «dan bing» pancakes feature prominently on the menu, which is something I haven’t seen elsewhere in Chicago. We didn’t get one this time, but early reviews from neighbors of ours are promising. I had the Katsu «sando» (sandwich), which was a cutlet (breaded pork) on house-​made white bread with katsu sauce and sandwich vegetables. Having had katsu many times at other places, this version was very sweet and citrus-​y (possibly another sauce on here?) but made for a very good sandwich. My wife had some assorted sushi, which was fresh and quite good, along with miso soup, and my 1 ½ year old had fried rice, which was also very good.
Also important to mention, there is a nice supply of imported Japanese prepared products (drinks, desserts, snacks) at the front counter. I would suspect that many of these are hard to find outside of places like the Mitsuwa market in Arlington Heights, so that alone is a reason to try this place.
It’s a promising concept, but only time will tell whether it succeeds. I wish them the best of luck, as they are very nice people and the food product is very good. The only demerit for me was the space, which is very big and feels very empty in the absence of other patrons. We came mid-​day on a Saturday, and they aren’t even officially «open» yet (the «grand» opening is this Thursday), so take that into account as you read this. With luck, it will be packed before long. And there is a parking lot on the Clark side, so they have the capacity…