Elk Grove Village, IL · Sushi · Date Night · Under $95 for Two
Vika and I checked out a new sushi place this week. It’s called Tekka Sushi in Elk Grove Village. I’d never been there before, and I have to say, I can’t really say anything negative about this experience. The sushi was fantastic, the cocktails were great, and we walked out already talking about when we were going to come back.
This article is not sponsored. We paid for everything ourselves, and no one at Tekka knew we were coming.
A few things up front before I get into the food. The restaurant is in a strip mall, which I know doesn’t sound exciting, but parking was easy. That’s not always the case in some areas, so I’ll take it. Inside, it’s actually pretty cute. Modern, clean, well lit. Not one of those dated decor sushi places you sometimes find in the suburbs. The staff was friendly, and we never felt rushed.
The Cocktail: Ananda Spritz
We both ordered the Ananda Spritz, which I’d never had before. Bourbon, pineapple juice, lemon juice, Prosecco, bitters, and Amaro Nonino. I’ll be honest. When I read the ingredients, I wasn’t sure how all of that was going to work together. But it was so well balanced. The whisky was there, the citrus was there, and the Prosecco gave it just a little bit of bubbles to lift it up. Pretty tasty, I would say. We liked it so much we both ordered it, and I’d order it again without thinking.
The Rolls
We had four rolls between us. The Cherry Blossom, the Black Dragon, the Yuzu Tuna, and the Paradise.
Now, here’s something Vika and I both agreed on, and I think this is actually important. A lot of times when you go for sushi, the rolls all start to taste the same. You’ll have a tuna roll and a salmon roll and they’re both covered in so much sauce that you can’t really tell them apart. That was not the case here. Every roll had distinct flavors. The sauces were on the rolls (they’re not dry rolls), but the sauces were not overbearing. Neither of us reached for the soy sauce on the table once. We didn’t need to. That’s pretty rare, at least in my experience.
The Yuzu Tuna was probably my favorite. Very fresh, with that bright citrus that actually came through. The Paradise was the one Vika kept going back to. The Black Dragon is very filling, rich and it had a great flavor.
The Cherry Blossom is a five-piece, and the presentation was something else. Each piece is salmon shaped into a flower with crab inside and orange tobiko in the middle. That one was lighter, kind of a nice opener.
A couple other things worth mentioning. The rice-to-fish ratio was right. You weren’t getting a giant ball of rice with a tiny piece of fish on top. None of the rolls fell apart, which sounds basic but doesn’t always happen. And the fish was fresh, the way you can actually taste it.
The Price
I’m going to start including this in every food article I write, because I think it matters and most places don’t tell you.
For the quality of the fish and the cocktails, I think that’s a really fair price. Not cheap. Sushi is never cheap. But very reasonable, especially when you compare it to what some other places in the area charge for less.
What we paid: Our total before tip, with tax, was $93.80. That covered two Ananda Spritz cocktails and four rolls for two people.
Would It Work for the Family?
This was a date night for Vika and me, so the kids weren’t with us. But I always think about whether a place would work with Josh and Emily, because that’s how we usually travel and eat. I think Tekka would handle our family of four pretty well. The space is comfortable, it’s not too loud, and the menu has enough variety. The rolls are approachable for teenagers without being boring, and there’s plenty for someone who’s not feeling sushi that night. I’ll report back once we’ve taken the kids.
The Verdict
Fresh fish, distinct flavors per roll, sauces that don’t overwhelm, a cocktail that surprised me, friendly staff, easy parking, and a fair price at the end of the night ($93.80 for two with tax). I can’t really say anything negative about this experience. Definitely a place we’re going to be repeating.
Want to see the rolls and the cocktail in motion? We posted a few short videos from this visit on Instagram. Head over to @travelandfoodguy and check them out.
Have you been to Tekka Sushi, or do you have a favorite sushi spot in the Chicago suburbs we should check out next? Drop it in the comments. Vika and I are always looking for the next one.