Sagano Japanese Restaurant

Got take out from here on 3/7! For appetizers, I ordered the wasabi shumai, shrimp shumai, golden lobster and golden shrimp (most Japanese restaurants don't have any of those appetizers on their menu)! For entrees, I usually order almost every piece of nigiri (I especially love the uni, unagi, ikura, fatty hamachi, salmon toro) along with a salmon skin hand roll and spicy tuna hand roll.The service is quick, friendly and efficient! The restaurant is clean, cozy and colorful--like it has always been these past 2 or 3 decades (which is how long my family and I have been dining here)!

This place has been around for a very long time and has also been on my list for almost just as long. I finally got the opportunity to come here for some sushi after hopping off the metra nearby. Unfortunately, our experience was pretty rushed and stressful because a huge party had also taken over the restaurant which slowed the one sushi chef, few waitresses, and kitchen.Otherwise, the food and sushi was delicious and fresh and at good prices. We had the sashimi platter, which had a nice variety of thick cuts of fish. Miso soup was also complementary for everyone. I also got a fresh side salad. We ordered a couple of rolls too, which were all tasty and good portions - the dragon, dynamite, and Boston. We also got the spicy scallops appetizer from the kitchen (had to order another one after seeing how small this was), which was a favorite with a nice rich sauce. The soft shell crab appetizer was also crispy and delicious but also smaller.

A local gem with better food and more generous portions than its competitor across the street. The mere fact that this place survived Covid and the grand opening of its competitor speaks volumes of their dedication to food quality. If you want no nonsense sushi, this is a solid pick.

I've passed this place hundreds of times over the years and had dinner there on a recent Friday night for the first time. We arrived around 6:20 pm.We were greeted quickly by a very nice woman and were seated right away. Upon entry, you can tell this place is locked in time. I assume this is exactly how it looked when it opened in the 2000s...pink and teal paint, geometric shapes, black ceramic tile, awkward partitions, etc. The restaurant was spotless though...not a speck of dust that I could see. Doorways were divided with decorative curtains that displayed various art scenes. The restaurant has a main area and a bar area that is somewhat separate. It's fairly large inside with approximately 20 tables.Upon seating, we were given worn out laminated menus with price changes taped to them. Looks like inflation hit Sagano as well. The waitress/host/runner/etc. (she was the only one there doing everything front of house) was pleasant and informative but was rushed as she needed to take care of an increasingly busy restaurant. Nothing stood out on the menu, so we opted to just do appetizers for this visit. They have appetizers from "the sushi bar" and "from kitchen". We opted for "from kitchen" because the sushi chef was very unsanitary (I'll share that later). We ordered 4 items:1. Shrimp Shumai: Excellent! Tasted homemade and had a great flavor and consistency2. Combination Tempura (shrimp and vegetables): Boring and flavorless3. Ika Butter: Slightly spicy and a bit rubbery, but overall enjoyable4. Yakitori: Very tender and flavorfulService was slow, but I guess that's to be expected with only one person handling everything. Ambiance was standard and relaxing. Some oldies played on the speakers while we ate. At one point, guitar and drum music started blasting through the wall from The School of Rock next door. Definitely not what you want to hear while eating and something they should talk to their landlord about...unless they like that. It was off-putting in that setting. Price was around $50 before tip. Seemed high for what we ordered.Sushi chef never washed hands and did not wear gloves while preparing food. He took several phone calls with his cell phone and scratched his head and nose while preparing food. Definitely not what you want to see from someone preparing raw ready to eat foods. Needless to say, we stayed away from the sushi bar. Everything that people ordered from the sushi bar looked nice though. I would be fine skipping this place in the future as the food was just average and the hygiene is bad, but I am glad it has survived for so long. Not sure if they'll last much longer based on the extremely limited hours. There is no in-restaurant seating during most of the week and hours are 5-9 pm most days.

Always delicious. Very nice bright ambiance. Beautiful plants throughout. Fast service

The food was amazing as always. The place was very busy, so a slight delay in service was to be expected. The restaurant is clean and quiet. A perfect date night experience as we could comfortably talk to each other. Highly recommend Sagano.

The best sushi in the area. I've been coming here since the 90s, and nothing has changed. The retro ambiance with soo many beautiful potted plants, the high quality food, the great waitstaff. Just my favorite place to eat anytime we have a date night. 10/10!

Ambiance very nice, a bit loud if you want to have a conversation but the customer service and doors make up for that small issue. Had probably the best tasting sushi in a long time!

I went here for the first time with my roommate yesterday. It was absolutely amazing! The decor I actually really enjoyed, I was impressed that all the plants were real and they were gorgeous. My roommate and I got two appetizers, three sushi rolls and two drinks each. The food especially the golden shrimp and the spicy white tuna roll was delicious! The best part was that it is affordable! The costumer service is great! It was just one lady doing it all by herself and she still took really good care of us! I recommend this place 100% please, please go!!

Awesome! Love this place and the owner is a great guy! Gonna order a bunch of stuff tonight!