Runa Japanese Restaurant, Chicago

The seafood that Runa Japanese Restaurant orders from fish suppliers around the country is so fresh that it's often still alive when it arrives at the restaurant the next day. The eatery's chefs then transform these fresh catches into sushi rolls or simple sashimi plates. They've even been known to get live sea urchins, a somewhat tricky task for restaurants not located by the ocean.

Runa is known for its seafood, but it also serves up such entrees as rib-eye teriyaki and tempura udon. Guests can enjoy their dishes inside the industrial-chic dining room complete with exposed ductwork and graffiti-style murals of kabuki masks. Or they can head outside to the patio, where black wicker sofas and cream-colored cushions await.