Ani

Name: Ani
Address: 3056 Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL, United States, 60657
Telephone: (872) 206-8553
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.3

4.3

87 Reviews

$30 and under

Japanese

Top Tags:

Located south of Wrigley Field, Ani serves up flavorful Japanese fare. Its inviting setting features wooden tables and chairs, as well as warm lighting. Guests can begin their dining experience at Ani with carpaccio, spicy tofu or miso soup. An entr�e of noodles with rib-eye steak, grilled Amish chicken with seasonal vegetables or black tiger prawns will please the palate. This eatery also serves a variety of sushi rolls, maki, sashimi and nigiri. Ani offers a variety of drinks with meals, including wine, sake flights and cocktails. It features daily specials and outdoor seating for guests to take in the views of the neighborhood as they dine. This restaurant provides delivery services, as well as catering for private events.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi, Vegetarian / Vegan
Hours of operation
Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Phone number
(872) 206-8553
Website
http://www.anichicago.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Shin Matsuda
Catering
Ani is pleased to offer a wide range catering options to suit any type of special event or office meeting. Bento boxes are favorites for business lunches and client meetings. Family style plating is available for larger groups. To leave a lasting impression on your guests, on site chef are available.
Private party facilities
From corporate holiday parties, wedding rehearsal dinners and birthday celebrations to sake tastings, private dining and chef-coursed meals: ANI offers a variety of accommodations for large party dining experiences.
Private party contact
Heather Hughes: (872) 206-8553

Location
3056 Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60657
Neighborhood
Lakeview / East Lakeview
Cross street
Southport
Parking details
Ample street parking is available steps from our entrance.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 87 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.3

4.3 based on all time ratings

4.4Food
4.4Service
4Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

87 Reviews

s
sofiadujour
Chicago
226 reviews
vip
4.0
226 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2016
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience3
Maki, robata, sashimi, donburi, takoyaki, rounded out with sake flights: a full Japanese experience! Good selection of specials, too. Favorites include the maki - clean flavor focusing on the fish, not covered up with sauces. Ebi robata is a must (eel robata sounds exciting but it's pretty much the same bbq eel you get anywhere else. The flounder in the donburi tasted fishy and a bit over-grilled, the uni was duller than usual, and takoyaki could stand to have bigger octopus pieces, but overall a good experience with many choices (and we have yet to try the ramen!).
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p
pleasant2dine
Chicago
17 reviews
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2016
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
My fiancé and I love sushi. So, we decided to try somewhere that we've never been to. When we arrived, we got seated right away. But we waited for the server for quite some time. We said to each other that hopefully the food will make up for making us wait so long for service. And indeed, it did. The food was excellent. Although, it is a little overpriced. But we had a great time and we enjoyed our dinner.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 13, 2016
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience4
The food was outstanding and expansive saki menu.
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GD
GroupDiner
Chicago
34 reviews
vip
3.0
34 reviews
Dined on February 9, 2016
Overall3Food3Service3Ambience4
This is a nice neighborhood spot for good food. There's nothing special about the food, but it's not overpriced. Good value. Very quiet. Nice décor with high ceilings. There are two big tables that can hold groups of at least 8 people, so we will be back.
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A
Alice
Chicago
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on February 3, 2016
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
This was an amazing dining experience - everything we ate (from the Restaurant Week menu) was delicious, the service was spectacular - not overly intrusive but always there and quick, and the ambiance was private and sort of upscale relaxed. We brought our (thankfully quiet!) baby with us and the restaurant was very accommodating. We already made plans to go back!
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C
Carls
Chicago
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 31, 2016
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
I had the $44 restaurant week dinner and I choose the BRUSSELS SPROUTS for the first course with togarashi, garlic chips, house soy, & bonito. The TAKO YAKI octopus beignets for the second course with tonkatsu sauce, bonito, & kizami. For the third course I had the EBI & MANGO maki sushi roll with poached shrimp, avocado, kewpie mayo, mango, ohba leaf. The fourth course I choose the green tea matcha ice cream. Everything was superb! Sooooo delicious! I wanted two of everything. In fact, my only complaint is that everything was so good I wanted more.
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DG
DebG
Chicago
75 reviews
vip
5.0
75 reviews
Dined on January 30, 2016
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
It was our first visit, we ordered off of the Restaurant Week menu and thought everything we had was great! We had a really nice server who was knowledgable and helped us w/ choosing saki as well. Nice place to have in the neighborhood and will be back.
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A
Alyson
Chicago
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on January 15, 2016
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience4
A friend of mine was coming in from out of town, and we wanted to grab dinner that wasn't far from my home in Lincoln Park. I read the Yelp reviews for Ani and was not disappointed! The service was so friendly, and we did not feel rushed at all. The food was fantastic, and even though it was a bit expensive, we felt that the quality of the sushi and sashimi we ordered was well worth the price. I would recommend this for a low key dinner with a friend or significant other and will for sure bring my out of town guests here again!
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s
sweettooth
Chicago
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 7, 2016
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience4
Sushi was delicious and special pork bun was outstanding. Attentive and helpful service.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 31, 2015
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
Went for New Years sushi & wine and we were expecting to spend money for a memorable night between 4people. But for sharing the maki was tad overpriced & we were expecting more for 15$ per roll which wasn't enough food for us. But it was still a really fun place!
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DE
DEL605
Washington DC
60 reviews
vip
4.0
60 reviews
Dined on December 29, 2015
Overall4Food4Service3Ambience4
I've been to Ani twice now and the consistency in the quality of the food and service is excellent. The fish is really fresh and there's a good selection of Nigiri/Sashimi as well as Maki. The Sake list is pretty good as well but the prices are a bit steep compared to other locations. The only issue we had wasn't related to the food but we asked the server 3x for a wet cloth so someone could just wipe her hands and 3x she said "ok" and never brought it. But one of the runners was kind enough to retrieve this on the first request. Restaurant was pretty empty but just something she couldn't seem to remember. Probably just a fluke situation. Anyway, I would totally recommend Ani and do see myself going back again.
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E
E2124
Chicago
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on December 27, 2015
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
Let the sushi chefs choose your sushi. Not your average sushi. Amazing. Get some over poured Saki. Roasted Brussel Spouts never so good!
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CM
CorinM
Chicago
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on December 11, 2015
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience4
High quality sushi prepared in a tastefully-decorated, modern environment, and attentive service Even better if: the rice on the rolls was just a bit soggier than I find to be ideal, and our server was just a bit curt. A little more attention to detail in both areas, and this venue can easily earn a full 5 star rating
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B
Banana
Chicago
40 reviews
vip
2.0
40 reviews
Dined on December 3, 2015
Overall2Food2Service3Ambience5
I thought it was a nice menu with lots of variety. The sashimi tasted a little fishy, and the roll was average. The ramen noodles were pretty tasty. There are just so many better Japanese/sushi restaurants in the city that I wouldn't go back to this one. Also, the waitress didn't split our bill correctly.
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GE
GreatExperienceAtAni
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2015
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
Took my girlfriend out for dinner on a Saturday night and had no trouble making a reservation that day. The service was excellent - our server was knowledgeable, fun, and friendly and the rest of the staff were attentive throughout. The food was amazing - lots of interesting takes on Japanese food and the menu with special dishes was great. Would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone, I want to come back for their special deals during the week on Mondays and Wednesdays!
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S
Sloopgirl
Chicago
30 reviews
4.0
30 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2015
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience4
Looking for a new Japanese restaurant in the area and came across Ani. Was pleasantly surprised. Lovely ambiance and the food was very good. Huge sake selection, they even let you taste before you buy.
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w
waldmka
Key West
190 reviews
vip
3.0
190 reviews
Dined on November 20, 2015
Overall3Food3Service4Ambience3
The sashimi was good and the presentation very nice. Liked the brussel sprouts, but something wasn't right with the seaweed salad. Service was great and water glasses were kept full.
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K
Km32
Los Angeles
85 reviews
vip
3.0
85 reviews
Dined on November 6, 2015
Overall3Food4Service2Ambience4
Food was good; not the service. although the waiter was pleasant. We went here before a performance at the Atheneum and told them that. Despite this, our food was delivered to other tables, and so they had to re-make it and it finally came, with 10 minutes to eat and leave. They also charged us twice for one drink -- one charge was for happy hour. I asked them to correct that, and didn't notice until later that they deleted the half-price happy hour glass, not the full priced glass, despite it being ordered during happy hour. The space is nice, and has a sushi bar and more seating in the back.
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C
Christine
Chicago
68 reviews
vip
4.0
68 reviews
Dined on October 30, 2015
Overall4Food5Service3Ambience3
Pleasant local restaurant - We had a delicious soba and rice bowl. Highly recommend it.
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O
Opfolk
Chicago
41 reviews
vip
4.0
41 reviews
Dined on October 30, 2015
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience4
The restaurant was busy and somewhat under-staffed on a Friday night at about 5:45. We had a 7 PM curtain and had to be out the door by 6:45. Amazingly, we got our 3 appetizers, 2 maki rolls and 1 robata skewer in a matter of minutes, so we had plenty of time to eat. And everything was delicious! We loved it all: octopus fritters, vegetable shumai and--especially--the brussel sprouts (don't miss this). I really enjoyed my ebi and mango maki; my husband loved his double ahi (tuni) maki. Our bill was pretty reasonable, too, for the quality food and service we received, We will definitely be back, perhaps for the special tasting menu on Mondays.
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NS
NorthSideDiner
Chicago
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on October 21, 2015
Overall4Food5Service5Ambience4
Cute little restaurant nestled in the middle of an otherwise somewhat empty area of the block! I had never seen this place before, but am glad to have stumbled upon it. The draft beer was a bit pricey for the amount you got, but otherwise, the food and service were spot on. I definitely suggest the ramen/noodle bowls -- especially as the temperature dips. So much flavor and food! Very filling and good value.
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D
Donna
Chicago
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 3, 2015
Overall3Food4Service2Ambience2
Food was delicious and beautifully presented, however wait staff lacked coordination and follow through. They knew we needed to leave promptly to a show but half of our party needed to leave early than the other half as we spent so long waiting for the check. Overwhelmed by early crowd?
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E
Eattoomuch
Chicago
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on September 27, 2015
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
Highly recommend!! Chef's choice sashimi was out-of-this-world delicious!
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K
Kdmcca
Amarillo
18 reviews
vip
4.0
18 reviews
Dined on September 18, 2015
Overall4Food5Service5Ambience3
Great rolls and ramen. We will for sure be back.
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SL
SirLePlat
Chicago
46 reviews
5.0
46 reviews
Dined on September 4, 2015
Overall5Food4Service5Ambience4
Dishes are expertly prepared, fresh and delicious. Ani also has an outstanding selection of saki.
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EG
EvelynG
Chicago
10 reviews
vip
2.0
10 reviews
Dined on September 2, 2015
Overall2Food2Service2Ambience3
Sat outside and we were basically ignored the whole night. Going to give them a second chance because people have off nights but our waitress didn't seem like she wanted to service us.
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CK
ChefKen
Tucson
38 reviews
vip
4.0
38 reviews
Dined on August 15, 2015
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience4
We went back to see if the food and service was consistent. And guess what? It was! We tried different dishes from our first visit (except we had to repeat the Pickled Fried Madai Steamed Bun!) and every single bite was delicious. Please don't tell your friends!
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AE
ArtEats
Chicago
19 reviews
2.0
19 reviews
Dined on August 12, 2015
Overall2Food2Service4Ambience3
The $12 lunch special was very small and not very tasty. The outdoor seating was decent and the service was very good. I'd go back for an overpriced snack, but not for a meal.
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f
fooed4life
Chicago
28 reviews
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on August 8, 2015
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
We have dined at Ani several times, and each time has been outstanding! Sushi quality is superb and Sake selection is extensive. Ani makes us feel like part of their family and we enjoy our dining experience and look forward to our next visit.
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CK
ChefKen
Tucson
38 reviews
vip
4.0
38 reviews
Dined on August 8, 2015
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience4
I am somewhat reluctant to "tell it like it is" at ANI for fear of long waits to get a table in the future. But "Oh my XXX!" was this place a find! Excellent unique food, knowledgeable and efficient service blend together at a fair price with easy street parking. Wow! In Chicago no less.
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P
Pennyshell
Chicago
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 24, 2015
Overall5Food5Service4Ambience4
Reasons the restaurant was great: - Extensive sake list (>20 types to choose from) - Delicious sushi roll options, some with unique combinations - Entirely separate gluten-free menu (made a note in open table reservation that we needed GF options for a friend and they accommodated us) - Varied menu (besides the sushi they had many other delicious hot and cold dishes to choose from) - Back dining area available for large private events - Outdoor seating available (con: mostly tables for two) - Service was very good - attentive, knowledgeable and friendly staff Only negative is that it can get a bit pricey depending upon what you order, but not much different from other Japanese places. We were celebrating a special occasion so we ordered more stuff. I think you could eat here for $20-25 (not incl. tip) if you ordered say ramen and an appetizer. We wanted to try multiple appetizers, sushi rolls for the table, and a 500ml bottle of sake, so we spent about $45 per person (party of 5) and had a great time. :)
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C
Chicanoechick
Dallas
67 reviews
vip
4.0
67 reviews
Dined on July 24, 2015
Overall4Food3Service4Ambience3
My husband and I came in Friday night as a "date night" seeking fresh sushi and sashimi. We didn't order any of the hot entrees focused only on the fish. - ahi tuna poke: too much sauce to mask the not so fresh tuna - sashimi was decent but some of the cuts weren't great - steamed bun apps were delicious - rolls were good. With some creative add ons. - impressive sake list. Tho we didn't try them. Overall, for the quality of the food I felt it was over-priced. Compared to Macku who is comparable in price but has higher quality. I would come back to try the hot entrees. But for sushi and sashimi I'll probably go elsewhere.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
23 reviews
vip
5.0
23 reviews
Dined on July 21, 2015
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience4
Only complaint here is the wine list. Only 2 reds and 2 whites by the glass. The sushi was very fresh and we loved the Brussels sprouts and octopus biengets.
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w
wendyk
Greater Boston
39 reviews
vip
5.0
39 reviews
Dined on July 11, 2015
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
Excellent lunch at Ani. Great food. Sushi rolls were exceptional, interesting and delicious. Soba was light, fresh, tasty. Good beer and saki selection. Easy to park for lunch. We look forward to eating here again soon!
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n
nomcat
Chicago
19 reviews
vip
3.0
19 reviews
Dined on July 3, 2015
Overall3Food2Service5Ambience2
Things I ordered: Ahi Tuna Poke, Shoyu Ramen, Sake Rolls, Tuna Rolls, and a spicy tuna roll. Things I wasn't satisfied with: -Poke was made with a vinaigrette sauce, not poke sauce; It's make more sense to call it Tuna Tatare instead of poke -Shoyu ramen broth tasted like ponzu and soba sauce. The noodles were too thin, white in color, and had no bounce. To be honest, this tastes like the dried soba with soba sauce that I used to eat in college that could be prepared in 5 minutes. The grilled pork was delicious, but everything else was just.... weird. -Rolls were small and mediocre. Wouldn't pay that much for rolls every again -Spicy tuna roll wrapped in a cone was good. Spicy mayo is a great/distracting way to hide the natural, fresh flavor of fish. I find it ironic that the cone came with wasabi and ginger, but the soy sauce was taken off the table until the rolls came. I wonder why they bother moving the soy sauce off the table in the first place.
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SS
SandySam
Chicago
109 reviews
vip
4.0
109 reviews
Dined on July 3, 2015
Overall4Food4Service5Ambience4
The waiter , Nick, was very knowledgable about the menu. He was also very pleasant and friendly. The food was wonderful. We will definitely go back!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on June 19, 2015
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
The dishes were very well plated and taste fantastic. Great authentic food and always hot on service. Great service and outstanding chef.
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MK
MichaelK
Chicago
4 reviews
vip
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on June 19, 2015
Overall4Food4Service3Ambience4
Place was not crowded at 7 on a Friday night. The sushi was delicious and we had a great time. The service was...interesting. Our waitress was kinda weird, and the staff was almost militant about taking things off our table. We had to ask twice for new dishes for soy sauce. Overall a good experience though.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 25, 2015
Overall5Food5Service4Ambience4
All ingredients fresh. Many different Japanese items to choose from on the menu. Great seaweed salad, and especially loved the cold tofu salad. Had a separate vegetarian menu. Sat in the dining room in the back which was more formal than the front area of restaurant. Enjoyed it very much.
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b
bprett
Chicago
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 22, 2015
Overall4Food5Service4Ambience4
Delicious food: octopus beignets, "spicy tako" maki, hamachi/maguro/cilantro maki, tantanmen ramen and chocolate dessert ALL DELICIOUS. The tantanmen ramen is insanely good. The pork meatballs are so tender and flavorful, the broth is spicy, savory and awesome. With 7 of us, I suppose our group was a relatively big for this smaller scale spot. Very friendly, attentive service and prompt water refills. My only complaint would be the timing of the food coming out for each member of our party. There were a few minutes between each of our ramen bowls/main courses coming out. Just a little awkwardly staggered. If they could get this timing down for large groups, all would be flawless!
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FAQs

Ani offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (872) 206-8553.

Ani is rated 4.3 stars by 87 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

Order delivery or takeout

3056 Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60657

Additional information

Cross street
Southport
Neighborhood
Lakeview / East Lakeview
Hours of operation
Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi, Vegetarian / Vegan
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Ample street parking is available steps from our entrance.
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Shin Matsuda
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.anichicago.com/
Phone number
(872) 206-8553
Catering
Ani is pleased to offer a wide range catering options to suit any type of special event or office meeting. Bento boxes are favorites for business lunches and client meetings. Family style plating is available for larger groups. To leave a lasting impression on your guests, on site chef are available.
Private party facilities
From corporate holiday parties, wedding rehearsal dinners and birthday celebrations to sake tastings, private dining and chef-coursed meals: ANI offers a variety of accommodations for large party dining experiences.
Private party contact
Heather Hughes: (872) 206-8553

Ani

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Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Menu

What 87 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

Does Ani offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Ani restaurant rated?

Not available on OpenTable

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