CHIReview
Included In
Juno opened in Lincoln Park in 2013 to a lot of fanfare, and then less than a year later it was gone. Poof. Vanished. Nowhere to be seen. OK, not really. There was an unfortunate fire in the apartment above that put it out of commission for 2/3 of a year. Luckily, nobody was hurt, but the question was could Juno pick back up where it left off after so long? Answer: Yes.
Juno is a fan favorite for artistic sushi displays and slight twists on all things aquatic. There are cooked dishes on the menu but for the most part, you should order sushi, and a lot of it. The reasons for which are twofold - it tastes great but the servings are small.
The sushi itself is fantastic. The simple stuff like basic maki rolls, sashimi, and nigiri are high quality. But there are also great specials, like the Juno King with spicy king crab wrapped in tuna, or a signature maki roll called the crisp saki filled with spicy salmon, unagi egg roll, and jalapeño soy. Of course, don’t miss out on the smoked specialties, which are quite the spectacle - two spoonfuls of fresh fish and other ingredients are briefly smoked, and come out to your table in a smoking glass encasement.
On the flip side, while we like all the sushi, the portions are small and expensive. We’ve found ourselves ordering and consuming substantially more sushi here than we would anywhere else, and it adds up quickly to an expensive meal. It’s our biggest complaint about Juno and what keeps us from making this a regular rotation sushi spot.
At the end of the day, you can’t argue with the quality fish and attention to detail from both the sushi chef and the service. You might burn a hole through your wallet if you eat here on the regular, but don’t blame us, we didn’t start the fire.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Christina Slaton
Confit Chicken Wings
Juno King/Juno Queen Special Nigiri
Juno Queen Special Nigiri
photo credit: Christina Slaton
Special Smoked Hamachi
Crisp Saki
photo credit: Christina Slaton