Arlington Heights, IL · Sushi · Family Dinner · Under $125 for Four
The four of us went out for dinner this weekend to Shakou in Arlington Heights, right on Vail Avenue in the middle of downtown. We’ve been coming here for years, so this wasn’t a first impression. It was more of a check-in, and the honest version is this: the service was great, the patio was perfect, and the sushi was just OK. Not bad. Consistent, actually. But nothing on the table wowed us the way some of their rolls have in the past.
This article is not sponsored. We paid for everything ourselves, and no one at Shakou knew we were coming.
Shakou sits on a corner in downtown Arlington Heights, and in the summer that’s a real advantage. The village still runs Arlington Alfresco, where they close down the streets and the whole downtown turns into one big outdoor dining room. We sat on the patio, the weather was perfect, and the kids knew there’s ice cream and froyo next door, which is its own kind of motivation to finish dinner. Inside, the restaurant is very modern and honestly one of the better looking dining rooms in the northwest suburbs. Grays, blacks and golds, a lot of purple, crystal chandeliers, a backlit sushi bar. The one knock on the interior, and we’ve felt this at every hour we’ve eaten there, is that the music is loud. On the patio, that’s not an issue at all.
The Cocktails: Kintaro and Paper Flame
Shakou runs seasonal summer cocktails right now, and we tried two of them. I had the Kintaro, which shows up looking like a drink that knows it’s getting photographed, with a big clear ice cube and gold flakes floating on top. I enjoyed it. Well balanced, citrusy, some sweetness but not too much, and you could still taste the alcohol without it being boozy. I did eat one of the gold flakes to see if it tastes like anything. It does not. I’d order it again without thinking.
Vika went with the Paper Flame, a bourbon cocktail with cranberry, fresh lemon juice and cherry. Her take: light and refreshing, but more fruity than she wanted, with the juices covering up almost all of the bourbon. I tried it and liked it more than she did, but I get it. It drinks like a really good vodka cranberry that happens to have bourbon in it. At $15 it was fine, just not something she’d rush to order again. Both drinks are part of the seasonal menu, so they’ll rotate out after summer.
The Rolls
Between the four of us we ordered the Hikaru, one of their signature maki rolls, plus a spicy scallop roll, a spicy salmon roll, two California rolls for the kids, and an order of french fries for Josh. Thanks to a couple of kitchen mix-ups, we also ended up with a free spicy tuna roll. More on that in a minute.
The Hikaru was the headliner, new on their signature maki menu. Shrimp tempura, spicy crab and cucumber inside, topped with a very generous layer of fresh salmon. It normally comes with a citrus mayo drizzle, but Vika asked them to swap it for their spicy mayo, which is excellent, and we both think that swap made the roll. The salmon on top was the best part, fresh and thick cut.
We split on the details. I thought the shrimp to tempura ratio inside was fine and I’d order it again. Vika felt the filling leaned heavier on the tempura crunch than on actual shrimp, and that the inside didn’t live up to the salmon on top. The one thing we both agreed on is the rice. There’s a lot of it. Looking at the photos it’s about four layers, which to be fair is how all of their specialty maki are built, but you feel it. Her overall read: nothing wrong with the roll, it just didn’t wow her the way their other signature rolls have in the past.
Now the mix-ups. We asked our server whether the spicy scallop roll is raw scallop and were told yes. What showed up, Vika is a hundred percent sure, was cooked octopus, and slightly overcooked at that. It was a little rubbery, the flavors were OK, and when we flagged it the manager very graciously brought out a remake, which was the exact same roll again. So take your pick: either it’s octopus, or it’s scallop cooked to the point where it might as well be. Either way, neither of us would order it again. The same plate also came with a spicy tuna roll instead of the spicy salmon we ordered. The kitchen remade the spicy salmon quickly and let us keep the tuna, which I appreciated, because plenty of restaurants would take the wrong roll away and leave you staring at an empty plate for ten minutes.
Here’s the fun part. The free spicy tuna roll and the spicy salmon roll actually taste completely different here, and I love that. The spicy tuna is chili oil based, while the spicy salmon is built on their spicy mayo, so the salmon comes out richer and more flavorful. Vika found the tuna a little dry and missing heat. I really enjoyed it. We’d both order the spicy salmon again, and it ended up being the best thing we ate all night. The California rolls were the weak spot. It’s imitation crab, which is fine at this price, but the crab tasted drier and less fresh than we remember from past visits. The kids had no complaints. Emily ate every piece except the one she dropped in the soy sauce and drowned. And Josh’s french fries were crispy outside, mushy inside. Fine with ketchup, and that’s about the nicest thing I can say about them.
The Price
I include this in every food article I write, because I think it matters and most places don’t tell you.
Here’s the honest math. If we had paid for the two extra rolls the kitchen comped, this dinner lands closer to $150, and at that number it’s more than the food is worth. At $122 for four people with two cocktails, it’s a fair night out, but you should know what you’re paying for. At Shakou, part of that check is the room, the patio and the downtown corner, not just the fish. One real money tip: their Weekday Market deal runs Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, open to close, with 20% off signature maki, bowls, teriyaki entrées, kids meals and the seasonal cocktails. A Sunday dinner at Shakou is not a different experience than a Saturday one, so if you can shift your visit by a day, that discount basically covers your tip.
What we paid: Our total before tip, with tax, was $122.08. That covered two seasonal cocktails, six rolls and an order of french fries for a family of four, plus two remade rolls the kitchen comped.
Would It Work for the Family?
This one we can answer from experience, because we had Josh and Emily with us. Shakou works for kids, whether or not they eat sushi. There’s a proper kids menu at around $13 with about five options, including chicken tenders and fries, a kids pizza, mac and cheese, and noodles with or without broth. The tenders and fries are probably the best value on it. This was actually the first visit where our two ordered entirely off the regular menu, which tells you something about how kids grow into this place. And in the summer, the ice cream and froyo shops next door seal the deal.
The Verdict
Great service that fixed every mistake quickly and graciously, a beautiful modern room, a perfect summer patio in the middle of Arlington Alfresco, consistent flavors, and sushi that on this visit was average rather than exciting ($122.08 for four with tax, before tip). If Shakou were a 40 minute drive, I don’t think we’d make the trip for the food alone. It’s 10 minutes from us, the ambiance beats the taste, and for a date night or a family dinner on the patio that’s a trade we’ll keep making. We’ll be back, probably on a Sunday.
Questions People Ask About Shakou in Arlington Heights
Does Shakou Arlington Heights have outdoor seating?
Yes, and in the summer it’s the best way to do Shakou. The restaurant sits on a corner of Vail Avenue, and during Arlington Alfresco the village closes the streets downtown, so the patio opens onto one big pedestrian dining area. Bonus for families: there’s ice cream and froyo right next door.
Is Shakou good for kids?
Yes, whether or not they eat sushi. There’s a kids menu at around $13 with about five options, including chicken tenders and fries, a kids pizza, mac and cheese, and noodles with or without broth. The tenders and fries are the best value on it. Our two have graduated to ordering off the regular menu, which tells you kids grow into this place.
What is the Shakou Weekday Market deal?
On Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, open to close, Shakou takes 20% off signature maki rolls, bowls, teriyaki entrées, kids meals and the seasonal cocktails. A Sunday dinner is not a different experience than a Saturday one, so if your schedule is flexible, this is the easiest money you’ll save on this meal.
How much does dinner at Shakou cost?
Our family of four paid $122.08 with tax, before tip. That covered two seasonal cocktails at $15 each, four basic maki rolls at $11 each, the $19 Hikaru signature roll, a spicy scallop roll and a side of fries. Signature maki run roughly $19 to $26, so a sushi-heavy dinner for four lands in the $120 to $150 range on a regular night.
What is the Hikaru roll at Shakou?
It’s one of their newer signature maki rolls at $19: shrimp tempura, spicy crab and cucumber inside, topped with fresh salmon and a citrus mayo drizzle. Our tip is to ask for their spicy mayo instead of the citrus mayo. We think it makes the roll.
Is the California roll at Shakou real crab?
No, it’s imitation crab, which is standard at this price point. On our most recent visit it also ran drier than we remember from past visits. If you want the same comfort-roll lane with more flavor, the spicy salmon roll is the better $11 spent.
Want to see the rolls and the cocktails 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 Shakou, or do you have a favorite sushi spot in the northwest suburbs we should check out next? Drop it in the comments. Vika and I are always looking for the next one.
