In the mid-aughties, a sushi joint in River North called Kizoku was best known for serving sushi upon the flesh of nearly naked women. It tanked. What it should have touted is the Vizconde brothers, twin sushi chefs who quietly worked the line there and at Kamehachi before chasing their dream to the western edge of Ukrainian Village. Last year they opened this tiny jewel box of a sushi restaurant, which serves some of the best sushi in Chicago. Signatures like the Orange Rush—citrusy salmon-wrapped scallops—have legions of loyalists, but to understand the allure, go omakase and put yourself in the hands of the Vizcondes. They’re the show now. 2557 W Chicago Ave (773-278-5776).
Other nominees Arami Go!, Hamachi Sushi Bar, Masaki, Sushi Dokku