Niu Japanese Fusion Lounge

My favorite Asian fusion restaurant before a movie or after running errands, and a fun happy hour menu. The coconut lobster soup and taro root fries are my go too and the specialty rolls are superb. One of the best lychee martinis around town 👌🏿

My boyfriend loves this place. Their fried rice is superb! I recently just got into sushi because I don't like the thought of eating raw fish. However, I ordered the pan-seared salmon sushi…great choice! I also ordered a lemon drip martini and I was not disappointed. I will be visiting again!

Amazing sushi place. Big portions. Intense flavors. Not stingy with the fish. Not too expensive. Well-versed crew. A luscious experience made affordable. However, those who love drinks will enjoy the flavor but don't expect too much alcohol in the cocktails. Go for a glass of wine instead.

I love the atmosphere of this place. The food was great as well asthe service. I didn't have to wait long for my food. The price was decent. And it's close to the Navy Pier.

We came for lunch and we’re very surprised with the quality and speed of service. The interior was relatively spacious and comfortable, with a lot of unique touches. Everything from the salads to the sushi and desserts were very good! While it wasn’t incredibly busy during lunch, I could definitely see a reservation being helpful for dinner here.

Absolutely loved my experience at NIU Japanese Lounge! As a vegetarian, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of options on the menu. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented—I even ended up taking a dish to go because I couldn’t get enough! Big shoutout to the server who was incredibly courteous and took the time to walk me through the best vegetarian picks with great patience. The ambience is elegant yet relaxed, with high ceilings that give it a spacious, upscale feel. All in all, a top-notch experience. NIU is an excellent establishment—I’ll definitely be back! 🌸🍣🌿

Servers were friendly, seemed genuinely happy to be there Food was fresh and quick to arrive.

The servers were friendly and the food was good. The price of food was high for the price. The lights were too dim, so I asked for a light or put out another candle, but was refused. Compared to the other seats, our seats were particularly dark, so we couldn't see the food very well. Of course, the photos look good thanks to the iPhone night mode.

We had a pleasant experience at this place. The sushi quality was good. The green tea ice cream and cake were delicious as well! Highly recommended! The King kong maki roll was our favorite special roll!

I had an incredible dining experience at Niu Japanese Fusion Lounge for my birthday. The warm, inviting ambiance made for a truly memorable celebration with my friends. As always, this restaurant exceeded my expectations and reaffirmed why it’s my absolute favorite. The menu is a delightful fusion of traditional Japanese cuisine and modern, creative twists. Each dish was beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. The Sashimi Supreme was an absolute standout. The Cherry Blossom and Sushi Supreme were equally impressive, showcasing freshness and innovation. To top it off, the Spicy Miso Ramen was cooked to perfection, delivering comfort and flavor in every bite. The service was impeccable—attentive, knowledgeable, and welcoming. Every detail of the meal was thoughtfully handled, making the evening feel extra special. Niu is a must-visit for anyone who loves Japanese cuisine or is looking to try something exciting and memorable. I can’t recommend it enough!

Yum! Multiple kinds of ramen was perfect on a chilly night! Great location and easy to access! I really enjoyed the NA beverages, specifically the Lychee Sling.

Randomly found this Japanese fusion restaurant and it surprised us a lot. First of all, the servers were all friendly, and the food was amazing. Highly recommended the maki and ramen. Very authentic 👍🏻

Our waiter Tim is SUPER COOL 😎 and nice, and very accommodating ✨🍀❤️🙏🏼 and provided a great service 🥰👍😎 very tasty food, large peace’s of fish in sushi and rolls, very fresh rolls. great atmosphere with perfect lighting for date 🫣💡 good background music. Very interesting water with cucumber 🥒 tastes fresh. We order truffles edamame, rainbow roll, sushi 🍣 salmon torch and eel (huge peace of fish) and Mongolian beef 🥩 beer on Tap Sapporo 🍻❤️✨ in love with this place ❤️ I will definitely come back, and recommend for friends ✨👍 p.s. one thing was weird I never saw it before, at the and of the bill it’s extra 2% charges for rising cost 💲 just make sure that you will cancelled it. (You have option) and give more Tip for cool services for Tim or any different people 🍀✨

The place is a tad bit dark but the food was so good!! The service took a while but I think it's because they were very busy that night. Their sushi rolls are very very tasty. I'd love to return again in the near future.

Phenomenal. Very well priced and amazing flavor. The only weird thing is that they dimmed the lights halfway through our meal, but to be honest, it affected me very little, as i was shoveling the DELICIOUS food into my mouth. The pricing was amazing. The food was scrumptious. The server was attentive. 10:10. Will be back.

really great spot to sit down with friends! the server was really quick and attentive. the food was delicious. nice portions, and the rest of my party was also very pleased with their dishes. and their green tea ice cream was my favorite part. the consistency was good quality. i would recommend trying the restaurant out if you are in the area!

Great service and food! The lighting makes the mood feel very relaxed and I love the entire feel of it. Our family ordered four different ramens and each of them had their own flair and was bursting with flavor. The Sushi Supreme was the best part of our meal by far and exceeded our expectations. Will definitely come back!

Second time at Niu Lounge and I am impressed! Centrally located in River north it’s a great place to come for dinner and movie with the AMC right next door. The food is great — I enjoyed two sushi rolls with a noodle dish that was unlike anything I’ve had before. Packed with so much flavor and perfect combination of savory/sweet. We sat at the bar and was serviced by Michael who gave great recommendations that added to our experience. Great food, good drinks, and great customer service. The restaurant is consistently busy so make a reservation if you can and if you are trying to social distance here you won’t be able to.

Great atmosphere and service!! Delicious food: we had the tom yum soup as an appetizer!! Great seasonal sushi rolls at great prices!! Pure Pear Cocktail also delicious as well as their japanese beer, Sapporo was great too!!! Will also be returning. Plus it is right next door to AMC 21!!

After living in the building down the street for a year, I have no idea how I went so long without trying this place! We sat outside on the patio on a Friday night and had some cocktails and sushi. The ambience is a little noisy but to be expected on such a busy street, but it’s worth it for tasty sushi! We ordered the spice girl, mellow yellow, and pepper salmon roll and all three were super good! Service was attentive and pleasant as well. I think I may have found my new neighborhood sushi spot!

I ordered the mellow yellow specialty roll. It was quite good, and I also appreciated that each roll has 10 pieces. The service was pretty quick, though that may be because I dropped by for a quick bite in the middle of the afternoon/not during peak hours. It's a bit on the pricier side, but the restaurant looks like a great place for a dinner date, to pair your meal with wine, or just for a more upscale experience.

I came in not expecting much of anything, just trying to shake off the cold, but was blown away by the food. I got a tenderloin dish that was absolutely amazing. Together with the rice, it not only warmed up my body but my soul as well. I got a chocolate cake dessert that was not too sweet, fluffy and delicious on top of all that! Literally the most pleasant surprises I got all Christmas. Highly highly recommend to all. Customer service was amazing also.

Great food and service! We asked our waitress May to select some things for us. 3 items were all really good and filling w large pours of wine. Cool atmosphere. Our best meal in Chicago.

We had a late dinner, sat at the bar. Bartender was attentive but not intrusive; apps were delicious and just the right size for 2. We had a mix of sushi, sashimi, maki and specialty rolls and all were very fresh and tasty. Awesome way to spend an impromptu late, mid-week dinner together that was relaxed but still special.

I sat at the bar and met the kindest waiter/bartender, Tim. Shoutout Tim for the great conversation! Food here is great as usual, I find myself craving their uramaki rolls when out of town. The restaurant is a little dark in mood lighting but nice ambiance otherwise. P.S. Bring back the Mello Yellow roll!

Excellent Japanese cuisine. We sat at the bar and chatted a lot with the sushi man, who was very kind and friendly. The waiter was also very kind but perhaps a little too talkative, in any case he always had great respect We also tried a rice and duck dish that was delicious. We arrived without a reservation, but we were seated within 20 minutes.Parking available and with plenty of spaces. Very intimate and nice place, also suitable for a couple's date.

The food we had was very fresh and tasty, even though we only tried a couple of items and the lunch pricing was a good deal. The vibe in the bar area was especially cool. Service was decent, but not spectacular.

The atmosphere and service was excellent! The ramen portions are smaller than most places and lacked flavor. But the sushi cuts were pretty good, not omakase level but better than most restaurants. The cocktail was average (passionfruit mojito) Service was very attentive and polite.

Nice atmosphère and as always very nice service. We have dinner with a very good ramen. Good service and right price. If you are close to them it is absolutely suggested.

Decided to stop by since the reviews were great, and we were disappointed. The sushi was lovely, it was very fresh and delicious. Appetizer wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn’t the worst. As for the drink, our waitress forgot about it until our food was halfway done and it honestly wasn’t the best. Overall, lovely little place to visit.

A great lovely environment inside, really gives the chicago sushi lounge vibe. All the food was good, the only problem was, how long it took for the food to come out and how long it took for our order to be taken. But the sushi, was super tasty and we brought home left overs after. Would come again!

We sat near the front and really enjoyed the décor and ambiance. The chandelier above our table had an unusual quirk where the light intensity would shift every 10-20 minutes - not quite flickering, but noticeably dimming or brightening. Unexpected, but it added a bit of intrigue to the experience. We ordered ramen and nigiri; the nigiri was high quality, though my friend felt there was room to elevate the flavors with more creative sauces or specialty touches to give the dishes extra pizzazz.

Environment This space is gorgeous. Earthy, airy, layered with warm woods and textures that feel intentional without being try-hard. It’s the kind of room where you could whisper a dramatic secret and no one at the next table would ever know. The sushi bar is understated in a confident way—she doesn’t need to shout. Service Booking was easy and I was seated early, which I always appreciate. Drinks were solid (a smooth raspberry-forward cocktail (a mule) that finished tart and clean), and the cucumber water was a nice, refreshing touch. Service started attentive but noticeably faded as the night went on. I get that it was a slow Monday, but hospitality should still go the distance. The back lights coming on at 9:37pm definitely sent a “wrap it up, folks” signal. Food Calamari was light and citrusy with a pleasant heat from jalapeño, though some pieces leaned a bit chewy. The wonton soup had beautifully made wontons—soft wrappers, tender filling—but the broth itself was surprisingly flat, especially since it came recommended. And then there was the miso black cod. Absolute star behavior. Perfectly cooked, incredibly tender, rich without being heavy, and easily the best dish of the night. I ignored the rice completely and had zero regrets. Overall, a restaurant with a lovely atmosphere and one truly standout dish, but some inconsistency in both food and service. Serving: 3/5 — Serving Competently (Carried confidently by that black cod.)

Overall disappointing experience. Slow and inattentive service despite being almost empty on our visit. My honey sesame wok dish featured dried out chicken pieces with a burnt taste, and almost cold broccoli. The atmosphere is nice though, with very low lighting. Large portions.

We ordered drinks but it literally didnt come out until after we got our appetizer and we had to ask our server if our drinks were coming. So not sure if it got forgotten about or what. The sushi was ok. I had asked to make sure they didnt put any soy as I have an allergy to it but shortly after eating, I felt my stomach go tight. The taste of the rolls were either bland or are the saltier side. So this place isnt for me. They did have ghulwein which I was excited about as it took me back to Europe during Christmas time.

Food looks much better than it tastes. Not very flavorful. Service was not great, unfortunately either.

The service staff are nice but they seem understaffed. Arrived for our reservation, but waited in line to talk to the host for 10 minutes before being seated. Order was not taken for another 15-20 minutes and food and drinks (we ordered an appetizer and cocktail along with sushi) didn't start to arrive until over an hour after our reservation time. They also substituted lettuce into our spider roll (see pics) instead of radish without asking which had a very strange texture for sushi. The staff were apologetic and nice but we're not able to do anything about it. The food was good otherwise but seemed like they overbooked and did not have the staff or time to take care of us.

Bad experience with their appetizers and deep fried sushi this last Saturday evening. Waitress didn’t know which sushi roll is which. Didn’t taste fresh as if the oil has been reused 100 times. Nice location but still wouldn’t recommend the place.

I’d like to make it clear this is not a review on the food. I ordered a DoorDash for pickup from this restaurant walked over when it was ready and found that it was closed. From what I understand it’s on the Resturant to update DoorDash on whether or not it’s closed. To make a long story short door dash is refusing to refund my money because “the Resturant already prepared my order” I don’t know how since the Resturant was closed. Please be diligent about updating all parties when your restaurant is closed so customers don’t have to go through things like this. Wish me luck on getting my money back.

Food is great but service is terrible. Passive aggressive wait staff, management that is taking their stress from a busy night out on customers. Understandable it’s Valentine’s Day weekend and busy but I don’t feel we as customers should have to face and deal with a snarky attitude, short and rude comments, wait staff deciding half way through serving you that they’re no longer coming to your table and sending someone else just because you asked for a modification to your meal. I did not feel a sense of good customer service or care to my dining experience. I truly wish I had stayed home and ordered in. My waiter was very rude and did not even introduce himself so I wouldn’t be able to tell you all who he was. I’m honestly just shocked by the negative energy in this place.