Jellyfish - Great Sushi in Chicago's Gold Coast Neighborhood

I eat sushi.. a lot. It’s the food I crave most over anything else. If I go a week without eating sushi, I immediately start asking around my friend group to see who wants to get some sushi. To put it lightly, I’m a big sushi fan.

Funny thing is, I didn’t even care for it before I moved to Chicago 4.5 years ago. My college town didn’t have any sushi restaurants, and Cincinnati didn’t have too many to choose from either. As soon as I moved to Chicago, I was surrounded by multiple BYOB sushi joints. It became a ritual on a Saturday night to head to sushi with friends and a bottle of wine before hitting the town.

I started off just enjoying the most basic rolls, aka the philly, california, etc., but I’ve definitely branched out. I’m a little more brave when it comes to sushi now, and my taste buds are thanking me.

It’s been a bit since I wrote about a sushi restaurant in Chicago, but I am here to tell residents and tourists of Chicago that Jellyfish has some amazing sushi that should go on your radar.

Jellyfish is nestled in the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood (my current hood)! It’s located on the second floor, right above Ted Baker London – fancy. As soon as you walk up the steps to Jellyfish, you’re welcomed with an upbeat vibe and modern decorations. I truly felt like I was under the sea with the mood lighting and coral reef hangings. It’s unlike any other sushi restaurant I’ve visited. Jellyfish really sets the mood for a great night of amazing sushi and other pan-Asian cuisine.

I’ve been to Jellyfish twice since moving to the Gold Coast neighborhood, and both times I was extremely pleased with the service and the food. The wait staff is quick and accommodating, and the food doesn’t take forever to get to your table.

Let’s start with the starters. I highly recommend all three of these shared plates, but if I were to pick one to not miss out on, it’s definitely the mini tacos!

Honey Walnut Popcorn Shrimp

tempura rock shrimp, candied spiced walnuts, honey sauce - $16 — tempura rock shrimp, candied spiced walnuts, honey sauce – $16

Spicy Crab Mini Tacos

jumbo lump crab, cilantro, lime, tomato, shallots, chives,candied lemon, jalapeno – $18

Soy Braised Beef Bao

Steamed bao buns, kimchee, fresh scallions -$17

Now for the goof stuff. The sushi. The mouth-watering sushi. In my two dining experiences at Jellyfish, I got the Torched Salmon roll each time!

Torched Salmon

Mexican Roll

yellowtail, cilantro, jalapeno, avocado, lime - $10 (behind the Torched Salmon) — yellowtail, cilantro, jalapeno, avocado, lime – $10 (behind the Torched Salmon)

Classic California Roll

crab, cucumber, avocado - $9 — crab, cucumber, avocado – $9

Rainbow Roll

tuna, salmon, shrimp, white fish, crab, avocado, cucumber - $14 — tuna, salmon, shrimp, white fish, crab, avocado,cucumber – $14 (in back)

Jellyfish has a good mix of signature rolls (for the brave) and classic rolls (for the not so adventurists). Their sushi is super fresh and very filling. Some comments on Yelp complain that Jellyfish is overpriced for the quality of food, but I think it’s in line with other sushi restaurants I’ve visited.

If you’re looking for a swanky, fun night out in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood, be sure to make a reservation at Jellyfish! You won’t be disappointed 🙂