Niu Japanese Fusion Lounge

It’s a strong 3.5 or 4 out of 5 stars but got the extra nudge because of the AMAZING lunch specials! Half off rolls for lunch — a must try if you’re in the area. On the other hand, it could have gone down to 3 stars bc of slow service when we were one of the first tables in for the lunch rush so it wasn’t terrible busy.
We ordered:
— the Rock n’ Roll — deep fried everything
— the Dragon — a sucker for eel
— Sexy Mexican — loved
— rainbow roll — i’ve had better rainbow rolls elsewhere.
But the lunch deal meant our tab was $ 38 without tip so a good deal for 4 rolls!

This sushi is god awful. I’ve been to plenty of sushi places in the city, and this place isn’t even edible for takeout purposes. The rolls are bland and 90% rice. And I’ve never seen a nastier looking rainbow roll.
Do yourself a favor and go anywhere else.

This is a fabulous stop for sushi. It helps that it’s just right across the street from our building, but aside from the convenient location, the food is spectacular! We love the dragon roll, and I recently tried the White Angel (very fresh and delicious). The staff is nice and fast, and the prices are reasonable for Chicago sushi.

I’ve been to Niu a few times because my friends live in the area. After having our engagement pictures taken, we came here for half priced cocktails for happy hour. The drinks are great, but I don’t think I would pay full price for them. I thought the sushi was pretty good. Have I had better rolls in the city? Yes. But nevertheless, I thought they were delicious. I usually order a basic roll to sample the fish. I really enjoyed the tuna avocado roll. Super fresh. I have to say that the rolls are overpriced. I understand the restaurant is located in a nice area of Chicago, but charging 14 for a simple sushi roll is kind of pricey. The interior is really cool. I think it’s a perfect setting to come with a group of friends before heading out for the night. I’m looking forward to coming back for another happy hour!

I made reservations here on a whim as I wasn’t really in the mood to go anywhere to eat (too exhausted) but also didn’t want to eat at my hotel bar. Luckily, it took me less than 5 minutes to walk and they were ready to seat me as soon as I arrived. I was a little disappointed there wasn’t a large outdoor seating area, as it was gorgeous out and I would’ve loved to sit outside, but it turned out alright. My waitress was very nice and helped me to decide which dish would suit my tastes the best.
I ended up ordering the miso soup and Yakisoba. It was a lot of food for someone who hadn’t eaten all day (too busy, no time to eat!) so I felt a little bad that the waitress kept coming back to make sure the food was okay. Luckily it was quiet, and later at night so I didn’t feel like I was holding anyone up. It had dim lighting inside but was relaxing. My dish was very good, wish I could’ve finished it all!
I felt that the pricing was pretty spot on for what you get, so no complaints there. I would probably go back if I was in the area again!

Came here with my best friend before seeing a movie last night. I ordered the Zen roll, with avocado, asparagus, Japanese mountain carrots, and daikon radish. It was the best vegetarian sushi I’ve ever experienced. My friend ordered some real sushi and she enjoyed it too.
The atmosphere can be described as «dance club in a Japanese forest.» Dim lighting, sexy dark furniture, and a life-​size panoramic print of a bamboo forest on the back wall… and music with a pounding techno beat.. I’m too old for this.
I ended up leaving my movie ticket on the table and when I came back to look for it, the employees were very helpful and rescued it from the trash for me. Because of that, I’d give them 6 stars if I could. Well done, Niu. This weird lady appreciates you.

My sister and I were planning on eating out with my grandmother, so we needed an Asian restaurant close to her in River North, and this place was the only one with spots available when I tried making a reservation last minute.
We got tempura udon, dragon, rainbow, and sushi supreme. the udon was delicious; the soup was great and tempura had just the right amount of crispiness.
The dragon roll had unagi pieces that were a little smaller than those of the dragon rolls that I’ve tried elsewhere, but they blended right with the avocado and unagi sauce; overall tasty.
I would not recommend the rainbow roll though, equally small sashimi pieces on top, especially the tuna. And what I believed to be yellowtail was a little too fishy.
Lastly, we had sushi supreme with una rolls (sushi supreme is 9 sushi piece+classic roll of your choice), and the rolls were very delicious. The sushi pieces were really big, and had more rice than I prefer, so I ended up taking out a lot, but the fish itself was tender and fresh, not fishy.
Good ambience with dark lighting and candlelight. Our waitress had a woman following her the entire time, she must have been in training, but they kind of overwhelmed us. Regardless, they were friendly. I give four stars, but I’m not sure I’d go back, I feel like I’m in an eternal search of that perfect sushi place.

Gross :(The menu stated they would have chopped peanuts in my pad thai but instead I got big chunks of peanuts and it literally covered the whole plate. I barely even got to enjoy the noodles or other ingredients. They need to also ease up on the portions of the food. I could have had 3 other people help me finish that dish.
Anyways the server was unapologetic and avoided our table after I complained. But there was no offer to make it better.

Niu doesn’t disappoint! Great & attentive service each visit! Amazing options for roll selections!
Recommending the Pepper Salmon, Mellow Yellow, Cajun Albacore, & Sexy Mexican rolls!
Great spot for friends meeting up, lunch, & dinner!
If ever in Streeterville, make this a destination to dine at!!!

Favorite sushi spot in Chicago! The sushi rolls are delicious and fresh. The atmosphere is chic and enjoyable. The lunch special is an incredible deal (half off rolls M-​F) and its located right next to AMC for a nice date night option.

We are Niu regulars. We sit at the bar 90% of the time. The staff is always kind, accommodating, and knowledgeable. Our standards are the Pepper Salmon, Pacific, and Strawberry Fields (sadly, no longer available); I also love the sesame chicken. The Pepper Salmon NEVER disappoints, always the winner, STRONGLY SUGGESTED!
The go-​to drink is the Cable Car, again, NEVER DISAPPOINTS!
I always bring my out of town friends and family to Niu and they always leave happy.
The food is well crafted, original, and extremely tasty.
We normally sit at the bar and enjoy the company of Neil and/​or Glory. They are honestly good people and fun to talk to, adding positive to every experience.
I can’t wait for summer to roll around so we can sit outside and enjoy!

2 girls popped in here for a bite after watching a movie next door. The décor and ambiance was kind of romantic and classy. The chairs are comfy. Service was super friendly. we ordered sporadically and we didn’t order much but the service was accommodating.
The maki rolls were okay. There was a lot of cooked sushi rolls. The diablo roll was okay… I didn’t pick up any ingredient specifically… it kind of meshed together. the simple salmon cucumber was pretty refreshing but the spicy tuna was not impressive.

Great sushi restaurant! …been here many, many times.
The food is very good! The Tom Yum is super spicy, but delicious. I recommend the Miso for starters and for sure the Salmon Delight. The thinly sliced lemon brings it altogether very well. Their tempura, crunchy rolls are also great! And, of course, everything goes quite well with a nice hot sake.
I personally do NOT recommend the Spicy Mexican. To me, it seriously tasted like sushi with a dollop of Taco Bell sauce on top. …sorry, Niu!!! I disliked it.
All other menu items range from either pretty good to excellent!
Staff is polite and knowledgeable. The ambiance is comfortable; semi-​formal/​business-​casual.
I will be back!

I have been to this place many times, and have ordered online as well. Cannot say it’s my favorite but if you find yourself in the area and want some easy and not overpriced sushi, this might be a good option.
Their sushi is good, and I think it is better to go with a group of people and get some rolls to share, as they have a very large menu with some great options.
Dragon sushi is always a safe choice, and cocktails are well prepared. The venue is fairly big but it has some charm.
And they do home delivery!

I’ll usually walk past Niu on the way to the movies, and I finally decided to try them for lunch. Especially if you haven’t formed an opinion on sushi yet, I would suggest trying to hit them up for lunch. Their lunch maki will fill you up at a fraction of the cost of dinner while keeping the same portions. I was able to get two maki and a pot of green tea for under $ 20, tax included.
Unfortunately, the lunch specials are only available Monday-​Friday for dine in, but that’s pretty typical with most places offering lunch specials. If you don’t feel like dining in, they do offer carry out and delivery through Grub Hub. The sushi was great, and the service was fast. I’d definitely go back if I’m in the area again for lunch. Who knows, I might even try dinner.

Perfect for:
–Happy Hour: Half price cocktails
–Before of After a Movie date: Right next door to AMC! You can use your stub to choose a free appetizer out of 3 choices! (If you don’t have one and are going to a movie– you can let them know and you can still score a free appetizer!)
–If you are a Sushi fan!
–And if you work nearby: — heard lunch specials are a great deal!
I came in on a weeknight around 6pm and the restaurant was just starting to get some customers. I was surprised by it’s emptiness– because its a beautiful restaurant. Our waitress was perky and friendly. My girl friend and I chose the spring rolls for our free appetizer as we were heading to the movies afterwards. It wasn’t the best shrimp spring rolls because it tasted like it was taken out of the freezer and thrown in the fryer– but it was cheap and worth it.
I went for the Firecracker Spring Roll. The taste was okay– not the best sushi I have ever had. The ‘crunch’ part didn’t exist and it wasn’t spicy at all. For 13 dollars– I wouldn’t get it again.
If you aren’t being picky about your sushi– or coming in to just get a roll, or a cocktail or glass of wine, this place may be worth it. I wouldn’t come here with an empty stomach– I would save my stomach for a place that has sushi that is super delicious instead. Definitely wouldn’t go out of my way to come here either. But the service was spectacular– and that makes a huge difference too!

This is a beautiful, large, expensive looking space, so it’s not surprising that prices are pretty high. I loved the way each item was served a bit more nicely than in the other sushi places in town: miso soup was in a large, stylish bowl, and was a generous serving. The salad that came with lunch was an elaborate collection of mixed greens plus a couple of slices of peppers served with a much more delicate dressing than the normal ginger glop.
But when the sushi lunch set arrived, it looked pretty stingy: just four pieces of nigiri, and four coins of California roll. Not much for $ 14.
Fortunately I’d ordered another roll, the Mellow Yellow, and it was huge, with ten large slices for its reasonable $ 7 price.
I loved the tea service, with Genmai tea (the kind with the puffed rice) in a glass pot, served with a tiny glass cup and saucer.
Service was friendly, although if the place had more than a half dozen customers I’m not sure how the relatively slow sushi prep would have kept up.

Great sushi spot in Streeterville! My husband and I either go here or order in at least every other week.
Their speciality rolls are amazing. Among our favorites is the mellow yellow (with mango!!), rock and roll, and the sexy Mexican!
Also try their fried tempura assorted plate, their wok dishes and their fried rice (must try!!)
Can’t go wrong with an order here. There is always ample seating and they take reservations!

Came here with my husband for a date night. The place is very trendy and nice.
The food was amazing and so was the staff. We both enjoyed the food and our drinks. The food was a bit pricy but worth it. I ordered the general Tso’s beef and my husband got the lettuce wrap. Everything was seasoned well. The portions were large.
Is a place I plan to go back because they have a large menu selection and there is so much I still want to try. Check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

After a long day of dodging tourists and blowing the majority of our paychecks on the Mag mile, my friend and I decided to spend whatever was left on sushi. It was the best investment we could have made.
The overall ambiance was just as welcoming as the wait staff. Mercedes was attentive and patient while we poured over the menu. After some thought, we decided on the «Rock n’ Roll» and «Diablo» rolls. Leading up to the sushi, we began with an appetizer of calamari and raw sweet shrimp nigiri. While ordering the shrimp, you have the option to get it with the fried shrimp head. Yes, you read that right. Fried. Shrimp. Head. Antennas, eyeballs and all. Needless to say, it was delicious. The texture and flavor were spot on. I would definitely order it again and make the recommendation to any of my adventurous foodie friends.
Finally, it was the time we’ve both been patiently waiting for. The rolls were here. With chopsticks in hand, we eagerly spent the next 10 minutes swapping piece after piece until we were both full. To elaborate, no soy sauce was needed to fully enjoy our meal. All the ingredients were proportioned to the extent it complimented all of the flavors.
At any rate, I’ll definitely be back and mention this gem to any of my visiting friends who dare venture east of Michigan Avenue.

I felt a bit silly ordering a dish called «Sexy Mexican» but it was well worth that nanosecond of embarrassment. Shrimp, crab, cream cheese, avocado, and a tiny bit of Sriracha sauce… divine. Beautifully made and presented. Tasted fantastic. It’s a 10 PC roll, which was plenty for a main course. A huge side of ginger and wasabi, if you like that.
The service could use some work-​it looked like there was one waitress and three useless water guys, but the manager noticed and jumped in to help. I never got beyond the, first ‘I’m ready to order’ look around. From then on, my waitress somehow managed to take care of me and at least six other tables, without a glitch. Kudos to her!

Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon for a late lunch before a show at the River East AMC next door. The place was dead, which was nice since we had our choice of tables outside.
Only grabbed two rolls and the spicy tuna chips appetizer. Really enjoyed our appetizer, packed a ton of quality tuna flavor with a nice spicy kick at the end. As for rolls, we had the Sexy Mexican per all the recommendations on Unilocal,really enjoyed it! My favorite was the Mellow Yellow. Pretty sweet so a bit of wasabi added a nice touch, but I liked the sweet crunch topped with mango.
Overall, its definitely one of the better sushi places I’ve come to in Chicago. The service was a bit slow but I’ll be back before my next movie!