| Name: | Bistro Wasabi |
| Address: | 4590 Algonquin Road, Lake In the Hills, IL 60102 |
| Phone: | (847) 515-2700 |
| Fax: | (847) 515-2701 |
| Opened: | 5pm - 10pm |
| Reviews: | "Just opened, the owners have a history
in the area, having run my favorite local Sushi
place. The fish was outstanding, the menu shows
a wide range of sushi, sashimi, and maki's. The
preparation and presentation was wonderful.
Prices were reasonable and portions were above
average. We have a winner!
" |
| | - John Strong [August 7th 2000] |
| | "I just came from Bistro Wasabi, I live across the street. I have tried many times to order take out but no matter what time call, I am always told 'at least one hour' Is my order ever ready in 1 hour-NO!!! I called tonight for a table or sushi bar I was told 'one hour' TWO AND A HALF HOURS later I was seated. People with an 8:00 RESERVATION waited 1 1/2 hours for a table-This place has been opened for at least 6 years they should have the staff and the ability for good turnover---TURNOVER IS POOR and so is the HOST(ESS) staff!!!! I will not be back and if you have never heard the phrase ...'If you had a good experience, you will tell at least one person, if you had a bad experience you will tell at least 10!!!!
" |
| | - BISTRO HATER (ihatebistrowasabi@comcast.net) [Feb 1st 2005] |
| | "Freshest Fish, Biggest Portions, Great Maki's, and great cooked food on top of it...FULL extensive bar, martinis, wine, sake...bartender is an encyclopedia of beverage, Reservations Strongly recomended...this is not the suburbs best kept secret anymore, now serving at two locations, (Hoffman Estates)...Turn over is slow because You never want to leave...if you wait your turn you might get to be one of those customers holding up the restaurant too!! its worth it...I heard Kaminari is for sale? maybe bistrohater can buy it and do better...
" |
| | - James Bong (Ilovebistrowasabi@comcast.net) [April 8th 2005] |
| | "I went for my birthday dinner and found the service to be unacceptable. After waiting 45 minutes between the time we placed our order and the time I asked for the manager, we were told that it takes time to prepare good food. They never apologized and it still took another 10 minutes to get served. Our wait staff never even check up to see if we needed anything! When our bill came, I noticed that they charged an extra dollar for ice in my drink! I will not be going back, and I highly suggest that anyone interested in good sushi, look elsewhere.
" |
| | - Paul Levine [May 31st 2005] |
| | "There is much to say of this elegant restaurant. BW brings a new flavor to the suburb of Lake in the Hills. In LITH's fast pace developing, Bistro Wasabi offers a slow paced mood. Sushi is America's delicacy that is not like it's fast food endevours. In order to appreciate Japanease cuisine, patience is a quality one needs to have. Not only is the wait worthwhile, it should be anticipated. As a sushi advocate, if I received my meal at a rate in which I would receive it at TGIF or Olive Garden, I would be somewhat suspicious of the quality. Sushi is an art that people eat. In order to appreciate art, a person has to appreciate all the time put into it. The chef's at BW are perfectionists when it comes to presentation. That is what sushi is all about. Not only should the fish taste good, it should look even better. As for the bar, all one needs to do is walk in, sit down, order any martini off of the winelist, and be in martini heaven. The staff at BW does not have a high turnover rate. This is quite remarkable for modern-day restaurants. People complaining of this amazes me. If you want to see a new face every time you eat at a restaurant go to McDonalds because Bistro Wasabi has loyal employees.
" |
| | - June Price (junemia22@yahoo.com) [Nov 18th 2005] |
| | "We ate at Bistro Wisabi last week and Im telling you - WE WILL NOT BE EATING THERE EVER AGAIN! We waited for ever in line and seated an hour and a half later; after being told the wait was only 20 mins max. To be fair, the waitress service was acceptable, she was polite however non apologetic that the food took another hour to be brought out. Two out of five of our meals were stone cold. When we confronted the manager to voice our opinions, he was possibly the rudest man i have ever had the misfortune of speaking to. He blamed everything on his 'non oriental' waitress and denied anything was wrong. He also picked up the phone half way through conversation and ignored us. All I can say is 'I HOPE THE OWNERS OF THIS POTENTIALLY AWARD WINNING RESTAURANT REALISE WHAT AN INCOMPETENT, RUDE AND OBNOXIOUS MANAGER THEY HAVE EMPLOYED'. " |
| | - An English Visitor to the Area [Jan 12th 2006] |
| | "Outstanding! So what if you have to wait, it's worth it.
" |
| | - (CraigW1966@yahoo.com) [May 28th 2006] |
| | "This restaurant is by far one of the best sushi restaurants in the state of Illinois. I moved here from Florida which as some of the best Sushi restaurants in the country and I can tell you by experience that Bistro Wasabi is comparable to the best...Comparable to Nick San in Cabo San Lucas as well. The reason the wait is so long is because it is that good. Bistro has loyal patrons that come on a weekly basis with family and friends. Everyone in the Chicagoland area has heard of them for a good reason. They are the best.
" |
| | - Martin (spiggs5975@yahoo.com) [Dec 13th 2006] |
| | "We eat at Bistro Wasabi at least twice a month and have been for years. In the early years it was a very small restaurant and tables were hard to get. The owners bought the place next door and added several tables. Getting a table was easier at that point. As Bistro Wasbi's reputation has grown, so has the need to make reservations, especially on the weekend. This restaurant is not for those who want to get in and out quickly. It's a place to relax and enjoy the atmoshere and company. Yes, this is an expensive dinner, but it is worth every penney.
" |
| | - CrazyOver Sushi (annf759@aol.com) [Sep 28th2007] |
| | "I have had the pleasure of dining at Bistro Wasabi a few times this year. I have read the reviews on this site and I do agree that the place is busy. I haven't had a problem with seating as I use my brain and make a reservation or I go early (like 5:00. There isn't a restaurant in this area where you would go and not expect to wait). The food has been nothing short of excellent. I would recommend that you should order an appetizer as soon as your waiter arrives. Yes, dinner does take awhile to prepare. And this is the kind of place that you do not want to rush your meal, you want to savor the flavors, enjoy the wine and enjoy the company of the friends you are with. So if you are going to celebrate a special occasion, call ahead. Also, in the summer months, we had immediate seating outside, which was very nice and relaxing and we had plenty of attention from our waiter. So, don't get hung up on the bad reviews. Go and try it for yourself!
" |
| | - Laurie Siete (Laurie@Costellolaw.com) [Oct 4th 2007] |
| Name: | Kaminari |
| Address: | 2124 W. Algonquin Road, Lake In The Hills, IL 60102 |
| Phone: | (847) 854-4909 |
| Fax: | (847) 854-4513 |
| Reviews: | "They have very good sushi, the atmosphere is very nice. They are never crowded and you ususally can get a table right away. Highy reccomend Kaminari over Bistro Wasabi ANYDAY!!!" |
| | - [Feb 1st 2005] |
| | "Much better service than Bistro Wasabi. I have been there twice and have had bad service. Kaminari was excellent and their prices were better than Bistro's. I would highly recommend this sushi bar. I am definitely going to go back!" |
| | - [March 7th 2005] |
| | "This is the place to be! I love all the dishes they offer here. With so many to choose from, special makis are my favorites. My wife is in love with Kaminari's elegant interior and an excellent service from all the staffs. The prices are much better than Bistro's yet I think Kaminari's sushi is better in both quality and taste.
" |
| | - Marc Cohen [June 5th 2005] |
| | "This is truly the BEST sushi place around! Bistro is more like a night club for singles than a good restaurant. Kaminari has so many choices and the best service around, we go at least once a month. They also have takeout which is great. Prices are much cheaper than Bistro.
" |
| | - Kris [August 26th 2005] |
| | "THE BEST ROLLS, GOLDEN SHRIMP, and sushi food. I LOVE IT!! Everything is amazing, and the servers are very friendly, and helpful.
" |
| | - Edyta (edysia07@yahoo.com) [Dec 8th 2005] |
| | "The best sushi in the area for sure! I have tried pretty much all of the regular maki rolls and most of the specialty rolls all of which were amazing. The hot dinner menu is also great but I am just a maki and nigiri fan so I usually stick to those. Kaminari's fish is amazingly fresh and the interior is beautiful. Looking at the place on the outside one would never think that a restaurant of this quality and elegance is located inside. Truly a hidden treasure. I have been to some of the trendiest sushi spots in downtown and in my opinion this place is just as good, minus the long drive to the loop.
" |
| | - Anna [Dec 6th 2006] |
| | "The food is awesome but the lady who owns the place is very very rude. The only reason I choose bistro over Kaminari is because of her. The waiters are ok they are nothing special kinda shy guys, the cooks are awesome, but the owner has got to get an attitude check, I come there for pick up all the time and she rolls her eyes at customers and demands to know what you want. She doesn't ask you politly if you are picking up or sitting down." |
| | - [March 6th 2007] |
| | "I have only been to a couple of sushi places around the area and Kaminari is by far my fave and from the reviews that I have read here I will never ever go to Bistro Wasabi! The sushi at Kaminari is always fresh and is staff is so nice and pleasant never crowded. you can always get a table or a booth if you would like I would highly recommend this place to anyone who is looking for good sushi and I agree it is truly a hidden treasure! It looks like it was plucked from downtown and put here in LITH! Very very good!!
" |
| | - Amber (hip_anjel@yahoo.com) [June 20th 2007] |
