The sushi Otto Phan serves at Kyoten is unlike what you’ll find anywhere else. His inochi-no-ichi rice is big and plump, and he acid-etches it with sharp red vinegar. He cuts his fish into short, thick pieces, then deeply scores them to reveal hidden texture. “It’s more of an up-and-down than side-to-side sensation,” Phan says of the way you experience his nigiri. The distinct composition grabs your attention, like watching a movie shot in a different aspect ratio. Rarities of the season may include firefly squid or creamy orbs of fried pufferfish milt and will assuredly include the sweetest monkfish liver you will ever try. Kyoten is the best omakase in Chicago by a mile. But a meal here is a major splurge — you will drop five C-notes. So if the price tag scares you off, some good news: At Kyoten Next Door, which is literally next door, you will find the best in its class of more typical high-end omakase for less than half of Kyoten’s cost. Expect fewer rarities but the same heightened sense of craft.

Price: $$$$$; $$$
Address: 2507 and 2513 W. Armitage Ave.
Website: kyotenchicago.com