Macku Sushi, Chicago

Macku Chan clearly knows sushi. His inventive presentations, however, might make his guests question whether or not they do. In the past 15 years, he has presided over essential Chicagoland Japanese restaurants including Mirai Sushi, Heat, and the acclaimed Kaze. At his latest self-titled eateries in Lakeview and Lincoln Park, he filters the classic Japanese dishes he's previously mastered through his imagination, and what comes out the other side runs the gamut from sweet to smokey. Panko-crusted cod, for instance, arrives drizzled with chocolate miso, whereas fried basil and cheese top the freshwater-eel maki to up its flavor ante. At Macku, even commonplace California rolls find new life with crowns of roe atop their cucumber and avocado heads. Such imaginative sushi creations earned the Lincoln Park space a Zagat food rating of 25.

As for the difference between Macku's restaurants, it's largely cosmetic. While the original Lincoln Park spot is cozier, the Lakeview location has enough space to host private parties or fulfill orders for giant pallets of bulk sushi.