Yes, sushi can be affordable

Here's two places to get cheap raw fish

Davida and I don’t often go out for sushi.

We absolutely love it, but since I’d been a line cook for a long time, it wasn’t something I felt comfortable fitting into my budget. Well, more like I couldn’t fit it in my budget. But one of the cool things about living in a magnificent place like Chicago is that if you know where to look, you can absolutely get sushi and not feel sad about how much it costs.

(Hey, I said we didn’t go out for sushi, not that we don’t eat sushi.)

We rely on two places located on the north side of Chicago, since we live up here. Both are takeout only, which is the big concession you have to make in order to save money on delicious raw fish. I realize that means there’s no sexy dim lighting or trip hop playing in the background, but if you’re eating at your dining room table, you can turn off the lights and put on whatever music you feel like and eat in a pitch black room.

The tray of sushi in the image above is from Lawrence Fish Market.

It’s in the Albany Park neighborhood on a multicultural stretch of Lawrence Avenue. This place is fantastic. Check out this massive fucking menu. Then zoom in on the prices. Yes, they’re real.

The latest version of the menu I’m looking at (updated 10/15/22) has some screaming deals on it. $3.45 for an order of California rolls? Are you kidding me? A piece of salmon nigiri for $1.55? That’s awesome! And yes, yes, there’s all sorts of mayo and sauce-drenched maki options too, if that’s how you prefer to roll (heh).

But what’s extra remarkable are the tray options on the second page of the menu, split into nigiri, maki, or nigiri and maki combo sections. There’s an astounding array of combinations depending on your group size, from two people (like me and Davida) to a full crowd. I don’t know about you, but I think getting 43 pieces of maki for $35 is more than okay, for example. And the bigger ticket party trays even include what I’d consider much more premium seafood selections, including uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe).

So what’s the catch? Of course there’s a catch. Like I mentioned, it’s takeout only, and it’s also cash only. You also have to call ahead with your order, since Lawrence Fish Market is mega-high volume for such a tiny place. But honestly, a little planning ahead never hurt anyone, and shush, a trip to the ATM really isn’t that much effort.

And when you get there, you’ll probably be tempted to buy one of their hats by the register, one of which I’m planning on getting the next time I visit. They look great, and if someone sees you on the street with one, they’ll give you a nod.

Next up: Let’s visit a Korean grocery store.

The sashimi special at Joong Boo Market is still one of the best deals in Chicago.

Joong Boo Market is a Korean grocery store that’s been a part of my life since I was little. My family has been shopping there for as long as I remember (and I’m in my 40’s now!). It used to be a single small grocery store, but now there’s three locations; two of them are enormous.

Every Wednesday and Friday, Joong Boo runs easily one of the best specials in the entire city. Its sashimi platter, which is normally $50, will run you a cool $30. It used to be $25, but you all know, everything’s gotten much more expensive these days.

On paper, $30 still seems like a lot of money. Wait till you see the tray they hand over. This thing has to be like three or four pounds worth of raw fish, all portioned out nicely for you. I’d have to say this thing can feed four to five people in one sitting, if not more. The variety of fish will vary slightly from week to week; there’s always salmon, tuna, and fluke. Then there’s usually escolar (super white tuna), and occasionally I’ve seen mackerel and other fish.

It comes with wasabi, pickled ginger, and ask for the hot sauce (it’s almost always offered to you, plus it’s free), which is a version of chojang. Chojang is a vinegar and gochujang-based sauce that’s sweet, bright, and in my opinion, perfect with raw fish.

I cannot stress how good this deal is. For $30 are you getting fish flown straight to you from Japan? No, of course not. But in this case, the sheer quantity will bowl you over.

Yes, there’s a catch.

Remember, it’s Wednesdays and Fridays only. The other thing is that you must call in ahead of time to place an order for the platter. It only takes a minute, if that, to get it set up. Ideally you’ll want to call no later than the early afternoon, though I’ve squeaked orders in a little late in the past.

If you walk in without calling, you risk losing your chances at dinner. You might see stacks of trays in the display case, but if you haven’t called in to reserve yours, you’re on your own. I watched one of the employees get a little grouchy at a customer who pleaded to get one (though he ultimately obliged).

The other best thing about Joong Boo’s sashimi platter is…

Remember, you’re at a Korean grocery store. So if you want any accompaniments, you can easily pick up packages of seaweed, fresh vegetables, rice (including microwaveable bowls of it), sushi vinegar, Japanese mayo, soy sauce (hell, all the sauces) and prepared banchan, aka Korean side dishes, that you can eat along with the fish, all in one spot. That means shopping for Friday night sushi at home can all be done in one fell swoop. Plus there’s booze.

Enough chatter. Go treat yourselves for cheap.

Lawrence Fish Market (call ahead)
3920 W Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 267-6838
Hours: Open everyday from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Joong Boo Market
Multiple locations (here’s the map)
Hours vary by location, but they’re open 365 days a goddamn year because my people never rest

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