Tamu comes from chef BK Park, who previously cooked at Mako in the West Loop and Juno in Lincoln Park, working alongside fellow sushi chef Joon Kim, who also spent time at both of those restaurants. The name — たむ — translates to "multiple dreams," a nod to the restaurant's split identity.
The space runs two concepts side by side. Up front, a 10-seat sushi bar serves classic and signature temaki, while a central table-service area offers a roll-it-yourself temaki selection alongside small plates and kaisendon, Japanese rice-and-fish bowls. In back, an 8-seat nigiri omakase runs in a semi-private room, built as a shorter, less formal take on the format.
Regulars point to the quality and freshness of the fish across all three setups, and the omakase counter in particular draws people back for the chef's presence as much as the food itself. The hand rolls get singled out for how carefully they're assembled to order, and the restaurant has built a steady base of repeat visitors who move between its formats depending on the night.
The space runs two concepts side by side. Up front, a 10-seat sushi bar serves classic and signature temaki, while a central table-service area offers a roll-it-yourself temaki selection alongside small plates and kaisendon, Japanese rice-and-fish bowls. In back, an 8-seat nigiri omakase runs in a semi-private room, built as a shorter, less formal take on the format.
Regulars point to the quality and freshness of the fish across all three setups, and the omakase counter in particular draws people back for the chef's presence as much as the food itself. The hand rolls get singled out for how carefully they're assembled to order, and the restaurant has built a steady base of repeat visitors who move between its formats depending on the night.