Centerstage.com &bull; January, 2008<br />
<b>BY JEAN KWON</b><br /><br />
Call it the gas station phenomenon, where one establishment opens on the same block as another. The counterintuitive rationale is that you go where the action is, heightening visibility and capitalizing on residual business from the existing establishments. And so it goes with Izumi Sushi. <br/><br/>
It doesn't try to be flashy or attention-seeking; it quietly (and brilliantly) offers sake flights of four premium varietals each, in addition to saketinis. On weekdays between 5 and 9 p.m., most wine selections, martinis (of mostly fruity varieties, like lychee, pineapple and mango) and the house sake are half-priced; we got a respectable glass pinot noir, fragrant with sweet cherries, for four bucks. <br/><br/>
Specialty maki rolls include inspired combinations like the Drunken, with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, real crabmeat, lettuce and masago drizzled with Thai spicy sauce; the Tiger, an unagi and tempura crumb roll wrapped with marinated shrimp, avocado, tobikko and wasabi mayo; and the Rainbow, a California roll wrapped with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, white fish, unagi, saba and ebi. 
A sleek open sushi bar accomodates cozy neighborhood couples and hipster loners who nibble by the light up front, while two airy dining rooms lined with white banquettes are illuminated by chandeliers crafted from Japanese lanterns and lulled by ambient club beats. A flowing wall of water (Izumi is Japanese for "spring water") and antique kimonos adorning the walls soften the industrial-chic space. 
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Time Out Chicago &bull; January, 2008<br /><br />
Sometimes you just want no-frills, good-value sushi without a side of slick decor, snooty servers and doont-doont-doont beats. This overlooked spot on Randolph Row meets that tall order (save for the beats, which are apparently required of raw fish houses). Still, the volume is tolerable enough that we can focus on our friends and our food. The best of the latter includes thick squares of sashimi (fresh salmon, superwhite tuna and yellowtail are all fresh and flavorful) and the punch-packing Lion maki roll (yellowtail, tuna, avocado, cilantro and jalapeño rolled tight and drizzled with chile sauce). Wash it all down with the value-priced sake; two people can sip for around $12. 
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Metromix.com &bull; January, 2008<br /><br />
Izumi -- "spring water" in English -- features raw and cooked seafood, with a focus on items prepared in the open sushi bar. The narrow space is subdued, with a custom-made fountain showcasing the Izumi logo, sleek white banquettes, a funky paper-lantern chandelier and an antique kimono as wall art. <br/><br/>
Specialties include the Drunken, a maki roll of tuna, salmon, yellowtail and crab drizzled with Thai spicy sauce and the Rainbow, a California roll wrapped with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, whitefish, unagi, saba and ebi. The signature tempura dinner, a combination of fried shrimp and vegetables and the grilled New York strip teriyaki are a few of the entree selections. <br/><br/>
Premium sakes are the beverage of choice, whether solo, in a flight, or mixed up in a martini. Club beats provide background music at conversation-friendly levels.
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