Daruma Restaurant

Best real Japanese food in the city. This is the type of Japanese food that you would get if you got off the airplane in Narita; this is what I would love placed in front of me after a long flight. Best local Japanese in Chicago, but don't come here because I don't want to wait in long lines to eat here!

Daruma has been a tried and true family favorite for consistently high-quality Japanese food including teishoku (combo plates / bento boxes consisting of rice, miso soup, and a main dish such as grilled pork ginger, etc.) and my personal favorite, chirashi-sushi. The prices have gone up over the years. The appetizer neapolitan spaghetti is a classic Japanese-Western dish served on a cast iron plate - piping hot. It's priced attractively. I usually trek out to the suburbs so I can enjoy some sushi. I usually get the chirashi sushi here which costs over $35. My mom got their teriyaki chicken plate which was generously portioned with enough for leftovers.

I really wanted to like Daruma since a friend is a regular here and there are so many good reviews. We came here on a weekday evening for dinner and were promptly seated but also came around the time they opened for the evening. The restaurant was pretty busy by the time we were done eating.We shared a kani (crab) croquette (2 pieces) and chicken karaage. We ordered a Japanese spaghetti for our toddler since there is no kids menu. I had the tempura soba while hubby had the black tonkotsu ramen (pork bone based ramen noodle soup with burnt garlic oil, topped with chashu, egg, woodear, bamboo shoots, and green onions). The croquette were decent but they were pretty small and slightly overcooked. The chicken karaage was pretty standard. However, I did not care for the Japanese spaghetti and although the description did mention that it is made with ketchup it just mostly only tasted like ketchup to me. The tempura soba was pretty bland and the tempura had so much batter but was undercooked. Service was good and everyone was kind. One of the waiters even prepared a "kid's chopstick" for my toddler by using a rubber band and the chopstick wrapper. Maybe we ordered the wrong things but had a pretty forgettable experience.

Authentic food, admirable service, and astounding ambiance! Daruma Restaurant has such lovely, homey interior that makes you feel as though you traveled to the heart of Japan. The waiters went above and beyond to make sure that my brother's birthday was special. We made a reservation to sit Horigotatsu style on tatami floors. I highly recommend making a reservation for this private seating since it's wonderful to fully immerse yourself into the culture.For appetizers, we ordered the Beef Tataki and Chicken Karaage. Although a bit on the pricier side, the Beef Tataki is a must-try when you come visit this restaurant. The ponzu sauce complimented the beef very well. The Chicken Karaage was the perfect temperature and crunch. Although I would have much preferred a dipping sauce on the side, the cold mashed potatoes were surprisingly refreshing.Now for the main star of the show-- the entrees. The waitress was incredibly kind, helping provide information on the portion sizes for the sushi menu. We ended up ordering the Daruma Sushi Assortment, half a Crazy Roll, Spicy Scallop Roll, Hon Maguro Taku Maki Roll, and Tempura Udon. With such a wide selection of dishes, each one of them was a showstopper in their own way. The Hon Maguro Taku Maki was one of their specials, recommended by the waitress, and ended up being our favorite dish of the night. The nigiri slices were more than generous and the quality of the fish was excellent.We ended the near-perfect night with a complimentary Matcha Tiramisu to celebrate my brother's birthday. It tasted good, but I think adding more matcha powder to the top would have elevated the flavor a lot more. However, the dessert was very much appreciated.I will leave here with a few notes:1. Jump out of your comfort zone and try some more authentic Japanese dishes here2. Reserve the Horigotatsu seating 3. Thank me later

I tried both spider rolls and rainbow rolls, although they were both exceptionally tasty, I thought the rainbow roll had a superior flavor and texture. They had an amazing tonkatsu meal. Even though the dish was large, I can't believe I finished it all.

Highly recommend! Make sure to call ahead and make a reservation just in case! Sometimes it could get crowded and there could be a long wait. Check their hours ahead of time before calling though bc they have a break between lunch and dinner.The food is great! Huge plate of sizzling spaghetti for such a great price. Fish has always been fresh every time. The takoyaki is always amazing!! Nice presentation, servers are kind. You won't be disappointed!Only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is because the tables and floors are kinda sticky. But they always provide hand wipes and I just use that to wipe down my side of the table :)

I wanted to add 3 additional items that are worth ordering. Beef tataki, soft shell crab, and tonkatsu dinner. Tokatsu dinner you get a nice big piece of pork loin. It's crunchy and moist. 5/5. Soft shell crab is not overly fried it's just right. Tastes great with that ponzu sauce. 5/5. Beef tataki has great quality NY strip meat. Make sure you eat it with the garlic, green onions, and ponzu sauce. Those components will amplify the taste

i lovee Daruma for Japanese. the food is really good and the sushi is fresh. i also love the seating arrangement on the floor and the service is attentive

Okay since this review 7 years ago, my palate has since grown and matured hahaWe ordered the ramen and sashimi. I still love the ramen. It's rich, yet light and full of flavor. When they bring it out, there's a strong garlic scent that draws you in. The char sui is tender and flavorful. The noodles were cooked perfectly. Overall over pleased with how this has not changed.The sashimi was a huge surprise. Since the last review, I've ventured away from makis and cooked rolls. I've had omakase and sashimi at numerous restaurants. None of which serves their sashimi pieces as big as here. It was intimidating actually. I feel like they could have slice it's again and it would be a much more pleasant bite. The fish itself were fresh and delicious. I actually liked the tuna they served, and normally I would prefer something else over regular tuna. I ordered the fatty hamachi just to try because I didn't know hamachi came as fatty? Again, the piece was huge and I had to take like 3 bites. It was okay, didn't felt like it was "fatty" I would prefer regular hamachi. We also ordered the coconut milk Panna cotta and I'm so glad I did because that was AMAZING. The panda cotta itself was creamy and lightly sweetened. The mango purée was an excellent compliment to the richness because it was tangy.

I have changed the rating to 5 stars as this restaurant always hits the spot. Everything melts in my mouth here... :)Tip: I'd recommend making a reservation or calling ahead if you want to do walk in to ensure there isn't a long wait. It can get pretty busy.Parking: parking lot availableFoodTakoyaki: The texture and taste is just perfect. Best to eat when it comes out as it is still warm.Kuro Tonkatsu Ramen ($13.95): A good portion to be shared if eating other items. Otherwise, a good portion for 1 person.Toro Taku Maki ($13.95): the fatty tuna melts in your mouth. They didn't have fatty tuna at the time we went so it was replaced with tuna but I've had their fatty tuna before and it was delish.Spicy Tuna Roll: I love how they have more tuna vs rice ratio and it just melts in your mouth.I'll be back when I'm craving Japanese food!