ISHI & Kaori’s Oven

Sof 6 months ago

My favorite go-to sushi and bakery spot! Stepping into the restaurant instantly transports you to Japan. The space is filled with so many cute decorations that make the whole dining experience feel really personal and cozy. Ken is very skilled at the art of sushi-making. The fish is always incredibly fresh, delicious, and meticulously prepared every time I visit. Their omakase is fantastic: high-quality, fairly priced, and always so satisfying. I also love that they offer complimentary miso soup and tea! Kaori’s baked goods are incredible as well. The hot dogs and cake are so good! Everything is made with such care and tastes amazing. Beyond the food, the owners are some of the kindest people ever. Thank you for always providing such an amazing experience, you guys are the best! Definitely try this gem of a restaurant out.

Aileen Park Edited 8 months ago

This restaurant is truly a hidden jem and feels like a a gift to have a place like this in Champaign. Quality, authentic Japanese food. You can taste the care, time, and attention put into each dish. Owners are so kind. EDIT: a month later and my husband and I still dream about that sushi rice bowl. The photo makes it seem like a simple bowl but man each element was perfection. It’s just hard to find sushi in Champaign like that. Each slice of fish was so fresh and just melts in your mouth. That grilled salmon was incredible. The perfect light char that is also so tender? …literally dissolves in your mouth in the most magical way. Dreaming of the day we can go back for that bowl! It’s a treat but worth every penny 😋

jungeun a year ago

Summary: 3.5 stars rounded up. Amazing quality fish, but mediocre rice and variety. Service and attentiveness could be better distributed, for the lack of a better term. We went with the omakase ($72 per person, as of 01 Aug 2025) on a Friday for our very first time at ISHI & Kaori's Oven. I made the reservations by text just a couple of weeks prior, and on the day, we arrived at the establishment at 11:55am sharp. The entrance was a bit confusing to find. One thing that I was let down by was the variety--or the lack thereof, I should say. You start out with a small platter of sashimi as a little "preview" of what's to come. This was great because it let you get a sense of how fresh everything is, and it really gets you excited for all the wonderful yet familiar tastes you're going to experience soon. However, I didn't know that this would mean we'd be getting some variation of tuna 6 times in total. SIX. (Five if you exclude the plate at the beginning.) Sure, they weren't all exactly the same, but maguro, fattier tuna, negi toro, charred tuna, etc... By the third or fourth iteration, I was definitely wishing for something different. I have no complaints against tuna, but the ear

Jinxin Zhang a year ago

I have eaten here three times now and I just love this place more and more. The omakase is out of this world. Ken is a true sushi master and the level of dedication and expertise can be tasted with every bite. The location is a bit of a hidden hole in the wall. The plaza is pretty nondescript but once you step through, the decor and vibe is full on authentic Japanese sushi bar. I am so tempted to keep this spot a secret so reservations won’t become too hard to get but honestly Ken deserves the shout out.

Bianca Xu (Bianca) 4 years ago

My friend from Japan and I are so glad that we finally have an authentic Sushi place to go during weekend! The quality of the fish is beyond our expectations, and actually proves that you only need very little seasoning to make a good dish if your ingredients are fresh! And Kudos to Kaori and her cream pastries. Love them! Please offer online reservation in future!