Bentonara

Every sushi joint worth it’s salt has that one roll that keeps you coming back for more. The roll you dream about. The roll you crave when you scan the menu at other sushi restos and realize it’s nowhere to be found. For Bentonara, that roll is the Volcano Roll.
The Volcano is a spicy, sweet, savory mess of a roll that bucks the trend of its super-​sized bretheren by being capable of consummation in one bite. There’s nothing worse than having to two-​bite a specialty roll, trying to cram it all in only to have to chew through the seaweed wrapper and having the filling spill out onto your plate/​lap. I much prefer getting all the flavors in one bite and having them mix together in my mouth.
Like all good rolls, I can’t tell you exactly what is in the Volcano. It’s probably a little bit of everything. There’s definitely a good crunchy-​to-​smooth ratio, and I believe they skip the roe altogether — a major plus for me as the thought of fish eggs in mouth makes me want to barf. The best part is of course the Volcano sauce that drenches the roll. I like to dip my other rolls into the sauce prior to soy saucing.
The other rolls and nigiri I’ve tried are just meh. I don’t like it when places serve the fish at room temperature, and Bentonara is guilty of this sin. Also, service is pretty slow and once we sat at a table that only had reduced sodium soy sauce and were not offered the real deal. Oh well. The Volcano Roll heals all wounds. I’ll be back for that delicious bastard soon enough.

This place was decent. The rolls were pretty heavy on the rice, but tasted fine. The salmon teriyaki was a little overdone and pretty oily, practically drowning in sauce, but again, tasted decent. The tempura was also standard.
The portions are hefty and the pricing was reasonable so not a bad choice if you are in the area, but I probably won’t make much of an effort to go back. Service was very nice though.

THIS PLACE HAS SADLY CLOSED
This is place is right around the corner from home. My favorite roll is the Michigan Roll. Jesse is a great sushi chef with lots of personality. I honestly didn’t think I was going to like it as much from the looks of the place, but it truly is good. I love that you get soup and salad with just about everything you order.

I’m generally frightened of restaurants that are nearly empty on a Saturday night at 7pm, but after reading the other Unilocal reviews, I really wanted to give Bentonara a try, so we soldiered on. We walked in, were greeted by really friendly staff, and we quickly busted into our bottle of BYOB wine ($ 5 corkage fee).
Apparently we ordered enough sushi rolls, because we scored the free salad/​miso soup appetizers, and who doesn’t love free stuff? The rolls came out really fast, and the presentation was beautiful. My two friends were oohing and ahhing the minute the boat o’ sushi was placed on the table.
Friend A wouldn’t quit raving about the Volcano roll, Friend B tried it, and said it was the best he had ever had. I stay away from anything spicy, so I can’t vouch for this, but I tend to take whatever these 2 say as gospel.
Overall, we had a great experience, the prices were very reasonable, and I would definitely go back.

Stopped in before the show @ Studio Be for a quick snack. The place was almost empty (not complaining) because they were ready to close in the next 30 minutes. They didn’t give us the funny «were about to close» look… they welcomed us with open arms. Small space but they make the best of it. I noticed they have pics of customers on the wall… I was hoping our pic would be taken, but did not happen.
We went with just two rolls: The Spicy Tuna & Saki Maki (Fresh Salmon). Both were delicious! The staff was very nice and always smiling. Will definitely be back to try more when I am having my usual Friday night sushi craving

Twice I’ve visited this place and twice I’ve been more than happy I did. This is a simple sushi place. No bells and whistles, über modern design or electronic music playing in the background here. What you will find is the friendliest staff, good food and even an ok place to have a drink even when you’re done with your food. I saw a few locals at the sushi bar getting nice and sauced and chatting up the staff.
The second time I was there they even let us stay a little after closing so that we wouldn’t get caught in the storm outside.
I’m glad I found this little neighborhood gem.

Can you find a better piece of sushi? Absolutely. But for being my Friendly Neighborhood Raw Fish Distributors, I think this place fits the bill 90% of the time.
The woman who, as far as I can tell, is the only waitress has never been anything but incredibly friendly. The service is ALWAYS quick. Plus, if you order something like $ 12 worth of food you get free miso soup and a ginger salad thrown in. Sure, the miso is average and the salad is a bit odd, but I think they’re tasty.
My suggestions:
Order the «Volcano» roll. Scratch that — order two. It’s freakin’ fabulous. If you’re not into the spicy like I’m not (I think Buffalo Wing Chips are spicy) you’ll be stoked about this roll — just a TEENY kick. SO GOOD.
Order the «Go Alex» roll if you love the spice. My husband can’t get enough of it (but it does pack a punch).
Try the «Futo Maki» — apparently a fairly traditional roll with sweet egg and mushrooms — go ahead. Broaden those sushi horizons.
Get an «Unagi» roll as well if you love eel — it’s excellent.
I’ve never had a bad experience or a sub-​par piece of sushi here. It’s a consistent, friendly, inviting place.
Still not convinced?
If you order a whole bunch they bring your sushi on a giant wooden boat.
Yeah, I figured that’d do it.

The definitive «mom ‘n pop» sushi joint, and one which I hold very near and dear to my heart.
1. They coddled my early sushi fascination.
2. They encouraged my continued dependence on raw fish.
3. They always smiled. Always. Best service, probably anywhere.
4. 2 years of absence, she STILL remembered me. Touching. Truly.
The rolls: If you go here and DO NOT get a Volcano roll, you are minus a soul and need to get it checked out. It’s rich, sinful and ridiculous. I’ve tried to get Jesse (Pop on the team, main sushi chef) to give me the secret sauce recipe for about 3 – 4 years, he never breaks. It’s worth every penny, and will be gone in a flash. Other favs: The Chicago, The Go Alex, Spicy Crunchy Tuna, Sweet Potato (tempura battered/​fried, mmmm), and the staples: spicy tuna, Philly, Cali, Spider.
Served in a SUSHI BOAT! Yes, a big wooden boat arrives at your table with perfectly placed sushi. It’s just so kitschy I want to die.
Oh the humanity: Polaroid film has been discontinued. No more Bentonara instant photo evidence for the «wall.» Still, some remain. I might be up there. Can you find me?
Now they take digital and put it up on the TV screen scroll. Ah, good times.
Bring a group, bring your date, bring whomever… good vibes up in here.
NO LONGER BYOB, take note. But bottles are about $ 23, so really not a big deal.
Heart and soul. Love it.

This is a decidedly average place.
Nothing is really that amiss here, yet I can’t really recommend it considering the options in the area. Strangely, all the maki i’ve had here was warm… as if the rice wasn’t chilled or something before making it. While that might work for certain combinations of tempura in a roll, it absolutely kills the flavors and textures of fresh fish.
Salmon teriyaki here is alright, not outstanding. Very strong fish smell when it came out, and a distinct lack of crunch — as if it was poached (or god forbid, nuked) instead of broiled or grilled.
Oh, for BYOB fans, there is a $ 10 corkage fee, so reconsider bringing that inexpensive bottle of wine or that 6 pack.

You can go down the street to another sushi place and spend $ 10 – 15 a roll for more ambiance, or you can come here and get great sushi in the Lakeview area.
The service was amazing and extremely attentive. The sushi came out quickly and was delicious. I recommend the Chicago roll! Yum!
You can not go wrong here. The price of the sushi allows you to splurge for the ginger salad, which was great! I think if you spend $ 12 per person, you get free soup and salad. You sorta have to ask about this, but its a sweet deal so take advantage!
A strong rival to my other favorite sushi place, Sushimon.

Going to Bentonara made me realize I am officially a sushi snob. I went here because of all the great reviews… but honestly, I can say it was just okay. I will say that the service was GREAT (hence the three stars). However, the sushi wasn’t that exciting. The sushi rice was kind of sticky, which I hate, and the fish wasn’t «oh my god» awesome.
I’m moving to this area this summer, so I may go check it out a few more times, but as for now I’ll look for other spots in the area.

I was surprised to find out that this little store-​front is serving up the sauce when it comes to sushi. You know sauce = good stuff right? Ok, just making sure.
Yeah Bentonara’s got it going on! My friend walked me there one rainy Saturday night and was in for a surprise: a crowd! Apparently Bentonara isn’t always as hopping as it was that night (two large birthday groups were taking up most of the restaurant’s tables) and the waitresses were showing it. Those two ladies were working their tushies off and still it was hard to get a water refill. Thanks to the good company and food I didn’t really mind.
We sat at the bar and the chefs were super friendly. My pal frequents the place and told me that usually you’re served miso soup and salad, gratis, with your meal. We figured they’d either run out or just didn’t have the time to get to it, again though, we didn’t mind because the seaweed and octopus and cucumber salads were both so yum yummy. I’d never had octopus before then and it was really, really, good with a nicely chewy texture and the the briny, fresh, meaty flavor that can only come From The Sea.
We ordered two more big rolls (Cherry Blossom and Go Alex) to go with out appetizer salads which pleased too. I capped it off with mochi that night, trying 1 each of the red bean, chocolate, and mango. The mango was the best. I also liked how they quartered the little ice cream squares and stuck toothpicks in them for easy eats.
This was a great experience and I’ll definitely be back for more.

My buddy and I came here because his wife had a book club gathering at their place so she kicked him out for a few hours. First of all, if you crave sushi on a Monday night, this is your only option. But if you crave sushi on any night, make this one of the options as well. I highly recommend the delicious house special maki, which is a crab and something roll with spicy scallops on top.
The restaurant had a very laid-​back atmosphere, perfect for our mandate. Our rolls were served to us in a boat. There were two other tables of two girls and neither table had the boat which certainly made me feel special. The music was 80s and romantic. A lot of Peter Cetera but they branched out occasionally with some Savage Garden as well.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
A friend and I stopped by for some sushi tonight. It was delicious! If I lived in the area, it would surely be a go-​to take out spot.
We split 5 rolls — a california roll (huge, and made with real crab!), spicy tuna roll (very good), Bulls roll (also very good), Caterpillar roll (fantatstic!), and a house special (just ok). It all came out on a pretty boat. When you order a boatload of sushi (literally!), they throw in some miso and salad. Good deal!

Bentonara, owned by a couple whose expertise is sushi, lives up to the «bento» part of its name: they do pick-​up and take-​out, it’s homey, and the service is quick.
The interesting bit about this couple is that the sushi chef (Jesse) is Hispanic and his wife is Korean, and it definitely played into the décor and traditional Japanese dishes in an unconventional way. Yes, the polaroids with customers were on the wall, and so were the Bible verses. But then some yummy Korean side dishes appeared, ones I wouldn’t expect to find south of Evanston /​Korean barbeques. And our ever-​jovial Jesse finely diced some jalapeño to add in case we needed a bit of a «kick».
When I ordered chirashi, I had the option between traditional Japanese and «Korean-​style», which involved dicing up the sashimi, addition of lettuce and spicy sauce. I savored some of the best hamachi, salmon and unagi in the city at the sushi bar here… conversely, the snapper and tuna didn’t taste as fresh or high-​quality.
Last for the liquor lushes: Beer, Wine, Sake, or BYOB with a corkage fee of $ 10. Booze makes the bento all that much better, right?

Why isn’t this place packed on a Saturday night? After reading so many good reviews, I expected Bentonara to be bursting at the seams, so I made an 8p reservation. I was initially surprised that they were able to accommodate a last minute reservation, but after showing up, I understood why. The restaurant was practically deserted, even though it was peak weekend dinner time. Now I know that reservations are completely unnecessary.
The food was amazing, both in quality and in price. I loved that they bring you free salad and Miso soup as long as you spend $ 12 on your food. Amazingly enough, I actually had difficulty hitting the $ 12 mark, the food was that inexpensive! I would highly recommend the Chicago roll and the Volcano roll, especially if you are very hungry because they are quite filling. The only downside it that the pieces in both of these rolls were too big to eat in one bite. Still, it is totally worth the effort of biting them in half.
Between the four of us, we ordered enough maki that they brought it out on a huge wooden boat that barely fit on the table — too funny. We couldn’t even finish everything. In the end, 3 special rolls + 3 standard rolls + 4 soups + 4 salads + 2 beverages = $ 56 (without tip). I don’t know the last time I’ve spent this little on sushi for two people, let alone four.
The only reason I can imagine that Bentonara is not more crowded is the lack of trendy décor, but I’ll gladly give up atmosphere to spend half as much as other sushi places. Bentonara will easily be one of my new go-​to sushi spots when I’m really hungry or when I don’t want to wait for a table. In my book, only Butterfly Sushi gives Bentonara a run for its money.

BEST SUSHI PLACE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. i’m obsessed with this place. I randomly went there one night and have not been to another sushi restaurant since. i sit at the sushi bar every time & have become good friends with the owners Jesse & Lee, they’re awesome. You can tell Jesse what type of fish you like and he’ll create a roll for you. Order the Bentonara maki & the Bulls roll — AMAZING. and the super white tuna melts in your mouth. i can’t stop telling people about this place!!! it really is that good, GO THERE !!! oh yeah, you also get lots of free food when you sit down — salad, soup, this little veggie plate with secret sauce and other stuff. YUM.

I went with the fiancé last night for her birthday. I thought it was okay, but not much more than that. The sushi is good, but I have had much better at lower prices at other places. They have a small selection of beer and wine. If you want to bring in your own, it’ll cost you a $ 10 corkage fee. It sort of makes me wonder why you would want to bring your own with such a high fee, but with their selection of wine starting at $ 28 a bottle (they only have one kind of each of a few different varietals) you might still spend less to bring it in (depending of course on what you bring in).
The woman that owns this place is obviously very Christian as well. There’s nothing really wrong with that, but going to her restaurant you might be hit over the head with it. There are quotes from the bible on the walls in the restrooms and a drawing of Jesus on the wall you face as you exit the restrooms. I guess it just isn’t my thing.

Still by far my favorite sushi joint in my neighborhood and probably all of Chicago.
I went last night and was delighted to be back. It’s been awhile and really way to long. The cuts of fish were huge and thick (just like I like them!) and the rolls were huge and filled with all kinds of goodness!
I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to go back but now that I have I fear I will be there every week! Just say my table for me!

Good sushi at a decent price.
Friendly staff.
Didn’t stand out in my mind however.
I like the fact that the place was not crowded around lunchtime.
Decent street parking.