Shinto Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Lounge – Naperville

I don’t know what the people below me are talking about with the sushi. I ordered the spider and dragon roll and they were both delicious.
I came in with my family for my 18^th birthday and I wanted to have some hibachi. The wait time was about 5 – 10 minutes on a Monday so it wasn’t bad at all. We got sat with another birthday party and our waitress showed up a few minutes later. She was very nice and we were assisted greatly! We got soup and salad before our actual entrée from the hibachi grill and they were both very good! When the chef arrived, he was very energetic and played a lot of games with the table. I was fully aware of the ketchup trick from a few years ago and he still managed to scare me with it! The way he made all the food was such a sight to see. When we started eating the food, everything was so yummy and I had such a great feeling consuming the rice and salmon teriyaki.
Overall, I would definitely come back to this restaurant and come in with a few friends!

We had an excellent meal tonight (sushi and sashimi), but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that our server, Branden, was truly amazing. He was friendly and knowledgeable. So much so that we asked him to plan our meal for us. He selected the sushi, and he did an amazing job. A server like Branden can make a good dining experience into a great dining experience.

I loved the sushi, it was great! No complaints there, however I will be reporting this place to the Better Business Bureau based on the fact my waitress added an automatic tip for herself of more than 30%!! That is highly illegal! Everyone BEWARE.

This is probably one of my most favorite sushi places in town. I’d most definitely recommend their sushi rolls — the Miso Surprise, The Little Delicious and the Heat Roll being some of my favorites. They also have great hibachi, and excellent maki and nigiri — if you’re into sushi, this is pretty legit for this part of town, or at least so far in my experience! I only took one star down, because it’s almost always way too hectic, way too crazy and way too noisy…

This 4 star review is strictly for their happy hour. Happy hour is Monday-​Friday 3PM-​6PM and Saturday 2PM to 5PM. It’s half-​price select sushi and appetizers with purchase of one regular priced beverage. I lean towards nigiri and sashimi so I don’t really like their special rolls menu (lots of «tempura» «fried» «cream cheese» in the descriptions).
I usually order sake nigiri ($ 2.50) and unagi nigiri ($ 3); each order is 2 pieces. The quality is a hit or miss but it’s been more hit than miss for me the last few times I was there. I don’t really like how they do their maki rolls— something is off with the rice maybe– or the ratio??? For appetizers, I love the agedashi tofu ($ 2.50), beef mamanaki ($ 4), and vegetable tempura ($ 4). Their agedashi tofu is my favorite so far in the Naperville-​Aurora area. My boyfriend loves the beef mamanaki — grilled beef wrapped around asparagus— so a must for the sushi phobic. Sadly, I can’t recommend any of their desserts. All the ones I’ve tried (ice cream tempura and banana tempura) have been bland and had poor presentation (I pay full price for these so the standards are higher).
The food is a solid 3. I’m going to throw in another star for their service. I’ve never had bad service here. It looks like there is a lot of teamwork. We have a main server who takes our order and checks in on us multiple times throughout the meal. But other servers will come and bring our food, refill our waters etc.

OK round 2 at shinto can they outdo themselves of the first 5 star visit. this time on the sushi side.
Me and my wife came on a fri night and for our first time tried sushi, let me first start out by saying the server we had was top of the line, gentelman with glasses i for get his name but he was PASSIONATE for his job and his knowledge and wisdom was just what the cook ordered.
we started with the drinks i had a bloody mary, my wife also had a drink, i always feel these drinks are a bit pricey, as we
we are ENJOYING our time RELAXING in the techo atmoshphere of the shinto, as a DJ, this music was PERFECT for the setting. a great mix…
the waiter ((brandon)) spent his TIME on really Carring what we wanted to order and made sure we were satisfied and even cared what we thought of EACH PORTION of the dinner. AWESOME…
So we went with the RAINBOW SUSHI me and my wife dont eat shell fish so we had a substitution of that for chicken. WOW what a experience… were comming back MONDAY for ½ off sushi rolls. the waiter explained how to do the sushi and even gave us cheaters for the chopp sticks a very WELCOMED experience.
we each had the château briand on the shushi side this time and i will say i will order my steak medium rare next time as it was a little over cooked on medium, we must understand the shushi tables DO NOT cook it like the Habachi so it will never be as juicy we ordered a side each of the chicken as well, that also was a bit harder. the tarriakyi sauce was supurb!!!
It came with Onion soup and also grilled vegatables, we also opted for the chicken freid rice in that WE DID NOT notice ANY chicken for 3 bucks more apiece. we finished dinner with a bannana tempura mouth watering.
the VERDICT: The food was excellent in taste, quality ONLY because of the steak and chicken being a bit tough was less desireable than last time, and we never got our chicken upgrade for rice HOWEVER in their defense for the cooking side that will be a difference in the pan fry to grill on the habachi.
The prices are a BIT steep, 150.00 w/​tip i also felt the portions as so did my wife were smaller this time… the saving throw for this japaneese experience was the SERVER…((brandon)).
I have no doubt as well be comming back, this lower mark was because we expected to much from the shushi bar, for the steaks, but aside from all this it was a WONDERFULL experience!!!
thank you and again, as we left the restraunt, it felt to me and my wife that the SHinto experince had now left us and in our world, it was now back to reality… kudos to you Brandon

Hankering sushi with co-​workers and loving a good bargain, we went here today (Monday) for lunch. On Mondays, they have their 50% off regular maki rolls priced $ 12+ if you order a beverage, even if it’s only a pop. Wasn’t our first time here & definitely won’t be our last, but more than likely, will only be on Mondays for the special since really good sushi is usually pretty expensive when one has a bottomless pit of a stomach.
The place is laid out alot nicer than some other hibachi/​sushi places. Sushi’s on one side of the restaurant with hibachi on the other. For the most part, it’s a clean place though we have seen some hand smudges on the walls. Service is very good with a polite staff. Between the 3 of us, we ordered 7 different rolls for lunch. The food came out pretty quickly and I don’t remember them all, unfortunately nor what each had on them, but they were all very fresh and tasty. Think some of them were the Spider, Li’l Delicious, Filet, Cap’n Jack, Caterpillar & Rainbow rolls. My pop was always refilled without asking when it was close to being empty too. Big plus. The only negatives I really have on this place are that the plates to eat sushi have a tiny nook/​area to hold the soy sauce but it’s too small for the size of most of the rolls for us soy junkies. Also, I’m a big fountain pop snob. While they only have Pepsi products (booo, I strongly prefer Coke), everytime we’ve come here, the pop has been extremely flat. We’ve mentioned it before but apparently it’s an ongoing problem or they are incapable of fixing it. I have noticed though that unless it’s a fast food restaurant or of that variety (read: no wait staff), ordering fountain pop is usually a bad idea but alas I have to feed the addiction.
All in all, service & food quality are very good! If the walls were just cleaner and the pop wasn’t so flat, I’d probably give this place 4.5 stars… or just don’t order a pop
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I hate rating a restaurant on service. I hate it. But I can’t rate Shinto on the food because we never got to eat.
My wife and I were seated at 7:40 on Friday night. The restaurant was really not terribly busy considering the time and day, evident by the numerous empty hibachi tables. By 7:45, six other people had sat down and completed our table. The table adjacent to us must have sat right before us as we got to watch them order, get drinks, get soup, and get salad. By 8:00, everyone at the table began to wonder aloud why we were being actively ignored. I worked as a server and understand delays in service, but if I took more than five minutes to get to a table, I had a manager breathing down my neck. I tried to get the attention of one of staff but they seemed to be intentionally avoiding eye contact with me. Finally, after sitting for longer than half an hour my visibly pregnant, hungry wife and I had had enough. We thought of saying something to a host or manager but at this point, I refused to give Shinto any money. At 8:15, we gathered our coats and left. On the way out, the hostess said, «Bye, thank you,» completely oblivious to what had happened.
I really do not blame the servers. It seemed that none of them were even aware that we needed to be served. I blame the manager. And, in reading the other reviews, it seems like this is a common problem for Shinto. You may have lost my wife and I as customers but maybe if you get your act together, you can prevent this from continuing.

I don’t like leaving negative reviews and I like to give places the benefit of the doubt. Because I live close to Shinto, I have stopped by for their happy hour prices on sushi multiple times. The service has always been wonderful, however, the sushi is not. Anytime I have gotten any uncooked fish, like salmon or yellowtail, it has not been cut right. It’s either full of ligaments or tendons you cannot chew through, or it has an actual bone in it or some remnants of fish skin still on it. I was thinking of rating this place a 3, but Unilocal describes a 3 as «A-​ok» and a 2 as «Meh, I’ve had better», therefore a two is a better fit.

Went here for lunch and we both had the Chicken Hibachi entrée and ordered Spring rolls as well. Order hot tea with our meal. Food was very good. Priced just right. Great atmosphere. Out Hibachi Chef did a marvelous job with preparing our food right in front of us. Definitely would go back with some more friends.

I have been here several times and have had great service every time. The place is always very clean and the service is always very good. They have televisions near the bar so you can watch sports or you can choose to sit at the tables and not have the distraction of the TVs. The sushi is terrific. The onion soup is especially tasty. They also have a very good banana dessert that will have your taste buds doing the cha-​cha. Nothing but good things to say I love it.

Our waiter was super entertaining. We had two kids with us and He brought them special chosticks and was attentive. He was very nice and funny.
The rolls were great. We had a Biggie, Monster, Volcano… all excellent. Fresh fish, good flavors, different and creative.
We tried the gyoza and tofu for starters and they were both great.
Parking was easy. Bathrooms were clean as was the rest of the restaurant.

The Happy Hour Sushi deal is magnificent. Half price select sushi and appetizers with the purchase of an alcoholic drink. The sushi is of excellent quality, I could eat the Spicy Tuna roll like popcorn and the Philly Roll is the best version I’ve had. The Avocado Tempura w/​Spicy Tuna is in the running for my favorite appetizers of all time, you HAVE to try it! Great ambience too! The service is youthful and polite.
Want sushi? Get over here at Happy Hour and do yourself a favor.

Awesome sushi place in the burbs! The fish is always fresh and they have some really creative specialty rolls! I highly recommend the captain jack roll if you like a little spice. Prices are reasonable. A glass of wine is $ 7 and a martini is $ 8.50. Traditional rolls are $ 6 – 8, while specialty rolls are $ 12 – 18. While the specialty rolls are a bit more expensive, the portion makes up for it. They have a great happy hour from 3pm-​6pm Monday through Friday, where appetizers and sushi are half off. Check out Amazon local, Groupon, and living social for deals here!

Great food, service, and environment! I love coming here with friends and family. On Fridays I believe they have a live dj which is sweet. I always get the rasta roll so delicious. They should offer more groupons especially with the holidays right around the corner.

I had a date here with Mr. Eric S and it was amazing!
Driving by on Route 59, you’d think it’s a bar/​lounge/​possibly dance club due to the lighting and ambiance being able to look through the windows. In the middle of the restaurant is this large concaved blue glowing light fixture in the middle of the restaurant which served as the bar. It was definitely the centerpiece of the whole restaurant.
While I was patiently waiting for Eric to arrive, I noticed there was almost 3 separate sections: the hibachi bar grill, the bar with the awesome light fixture, and the seating area which looked like it may have been a previous dance floor. Being seated at a booth, I had ordered a miso soup to warm myself since I had worn a dress and it was pretty chilly outside. To my liking, it was hot and delicious, just the way I like it!
Once Eric arrived, we contemplated what we were deciding to eat since there was a wide variety to pick from. We started off with an appetizer of gyoza, shrimp pot stickers if I recall, and they were ok, nothing out of the ordinary but I was content. I had made up my mind of the Fire and Ice sushi Roll and Eric has picked out their special for the week: the Biggie Roll. We were in awe once our plate had arrived. They had made the rolls onto one plate, making the entrée bigger than expected. Along with Eric’s Biggie Roll, he had ordered a side of sashimi which did not disappoint us.
Taking a bite of my Fire and Ice roll, I was enamored immediately! Eric S. seemed to agree, but he was more involved with his sashimi to really care. Getting around to the Biggie Roll looked like an explosion of so much happening on a roll that I couldn’t comprehend what exactly was on it. Clearly much larger that the sushi roll I had gotten, the Biggie Roll has so much going on, I couldn’t pick out what ingredients were used. The taste of it didn’t really tickle my fancy because there were some spiciness, cream cheese, teriyaki chicken, and different sauces that everything tasted weird.
Although dinner was an interesting experience, I wasn’t going to allow us to leave without trying Mochi Balls! Eric S had ordered Green Tea (of course), and I ordered cookies and cream along with mango. I was fascinated with the idea of ice cream like texture stuck in a semi-​like liquid medium. I have to admit, I was pretty amused with them before I chowed down! The green tea tasted like bubblegum and Eric agreed, however the cookies and cream and mango were definite favorites.
Overall, this was an amazing experience in ambiance, food, and company! I would recommend Shinto to friends and family.

Welcome to Club Sashimi!
Would you like a glowstick with your dragon roll?
Apparently the previous owners of this location operated a trendy bar, as there exists a hardwood dancefloor where there are now tables. Interestingly enough, a color wheel/​disco ball, black lights, and strobos are still present… and connected in the ceiling rafters! Makes me wonder if they ever still make use of them after all the customers go home. #SushiRave
Upon walking in, I immediately felt like I had entered a lounge (big surprise). The lighting was sensual and the music distinctly clubby, which I totally dug. The large freshwater fishtank was LOADED with colorful aquatic creatures and grabs your attention right away. Once seated, Caty D and I glanced over the extensive sushi menu and made some decisions, a few of which were regrettable.
The gyoza (pot stickers) were cold and clammy, which I took exception to, but she didn’t mind. Caty D’s miso soup was fine, and when it came time for nigiri rolls our reactions were mixed. First off, the «biggie» roll was on special ($ 10 instead of the normal $ 15), so we got one of those, in addition to a «fire & ice» roll ($ 12) and sashimi add-​on ($ 5 extra).
Presentation-​wise, the biggie roll looked amazing. Taste-​wise, it left something to be desired. It was shrimp tempura with avocado and cream cheese, wrapped in soy paper and topped with a whole bunch of sh*t. This ‘whole bunch of sh*t’ included tempura crumbs, spicy mayo, eel sauce, and chicken motiyaki, which is basically teriyaki chicken. There was ~far~ too much going on with this one, and quite honestly, it wasn’t good. Are you sushi, or teriyaki chicken? Pick a lane, dudes! Neither Caty D nor I found it appealing, and we’re far from choosy eaters.
The fire & ice roll (made with crab, scallions, and topped with thinly sliced red/​white tuna) was much better, but it still lacked substance. The sashimi add-​on was essentially just cuts of raw salmon, fatty tuna, and albacore without the bed of rice. Nothing too exciting.
For dessert, we got mochi balls – green tea, cookies & cream, and mango. Quirky Japanese steakhouse staple that closed out the meal nicely. We used a
gift cert which our waitress had no problem accepting, even though she disappeared for quite some time before the check arrived. Apart from that, she was friendly and did her job.
Bread = 3, pretty lackluster
Circuses = 4.5, terrific ambiance (5) and decent service (4)
I feel it’s important to mention that the hot green tea I ordered was not a homebrew, but rather a very unimaginative green tea bag in a cup of hot water with lemon. Yeah really. To make matters worse, when I requested a refill, what I got was just more hot water added to my mostly-​used teabag. Uhhhh… what!!! Are you guys for serial? Y’all operate a pretty legit sushi restaurant yet the best you can do is throw a tea packet in some boiling water and slap a lemon on top? Just for that, management deserves to be (green)teabagged as punishment. The sentencing 100% fits the crime.
Despite being displeased with half of our food items [and that hot tea biznaz is frankly unacceptable], thanks to the hip décor and variety of sushi rolls I’d still give Shinto another shot.

I am writing this on my phone as I sit here waiting for my food. We were seated at 6:45 and we weren’t even given our soup and salad until 7:45. It is 8pm and after an hour, the chef is finally here setting up the grill.
I worked in a restaurant and I understand restaurant delays. But I don’t understand how until 7:55, we didn’t hear a single word of apology from the staff; even then, it was only after we asked. Our server came by our table several times, but only ever asked the other party seated with us if they wanted anything to drink or if they wanted to order anything off the sushi menu. We weren’t even provided refills for our waters, much less a chance to order anything else.
The food must be amazing for this place to stay in business, but from the taste of the soup, it isn’t.
Edit 8:21: the veggies have been served. They are decent, but not outstanding.
Edit 8:30: the steak has been served. i ordered rare and it is actually rare! Very pleasantly surprised. The food is good, but I don’t think it was worth the wait.
Edit 8:45: the manager has comped our desserts to apologize.

The positives:
I’ve been coming here for years whenever I feel like grabbing sushi. I like the contemporary décor, and their Americanized fried rolls. You should ask for off-​the-​menu rolls. Their nigiri’s are OK, but obviously this place is more known for rolls.
I also like their pear martini.
The negatives:
I would rate their wait staff 2 stars. I also had one of their former hibachi chefs making inappropriate comments while I was on a date. Considering it’s located in Naperville, you do get a whiff of snobby young kids’ judgmental stares.
Verdict: if you can deal with the crowd and you are looking for sushi rolls, you should try this place.

I’m not going to read bad reviews– why do people complain when you are eating delicious Sushi! Well– I would only come on Monday’s for the half price deal they have and try to come before 2 to avoid the 3 pm rush! I came in with my brotehr and sister and the service was a little show– so maybe that wasn’t cooll but it was nice to get large, delicious, and wonderful presentations of sushi with a side of vegetable fried rice for 4 dollars.
We passed up on the drink special but if you love Sushi — come here! Perfect, filling, sushi lunch in the middle of the afternoon! Great signature sushi’s to choose from as well. Can’t go wrong!