LINCOLN PARK — A hole-in-the-wall sushi and Korean restaurant in Lincoln Park remains an unknown to most neighborhood residents, but has been a hit on Yelp.
The perfect five star rating for Kameya, 806 W. Webster Ave., has resulted in customers from as far as Wisconsin making the trek to the seven-table restaurant, according to owner and chef John Lim.
Kameya is Lim's seventh restaurant in Illinois since moving to the Chicago area 23 years ago, but his first in the city.
"That's why I'm very excited," he said. "Here there are a lot of young people who like to try a lot of new dishes. They are brave."
The restaurant, which was formerly Hanabi, opened in November with a completely revamped, sleek and clean, design.
The menu features a variety of sushi rolls — Lim's specialty — but also ramen and udon noodle bowls and a hot stone bibimbap rice bowl.
The menu of the restaurant, which is BYOB, will be changing every four months with the seasons, according to Lim.
Lim runs the 14-seat restaurant along with his wife. The two do nearly everything including cook, wait tables and clean dishes at the end of the night.
The restaurant applied for a sidewalk cafe license, and is hoping to have two tables out front come spring.
So far, the neighborhood has been kind to Lim and his wife, who live in north suburban Libertyville.
"This neighborhood is amazing, very kind, very friendly," Lim said. "People are coming in saying 'Hi, good luck to you.'"
As for the stellar Yelp rating, Lim hopes to keep that up.
"It feels good so far," he said. "I have five stars, so wow!"
