The best Asian fusion spots in Chicago.

Kai Zan on West Chicago Avenue is a small Japanese restaurant, and diners say it is easy to walk past from the outside. Inside, the room changes character, with attentive service and a sushi bar, small booths and a few window seats. Omakase is the main event, a multi course meal of small plates that diners describe as inventive and well paced.

Nigiri arrives on warm, fluffy rice, the way it is served in Japan. Named favorites include the flaming scallop, the taro scallop hand roll, escolar pearls, spicy toro maki and mussels. The wagyu fried rice is the dish several diners call their favorite of the night. A la carte ordering is available for diners who prefer to pick their own plates.

Practical notes: the room is small, so a reservation made several days ahead is the usual advice, and a full omakase takes a long evening. Some diners found the pace quick or the glassware plain, and a few thought the oyster shooters were busy. Overall the praise for the sushi is steady.

En Hakkore 2.0 sits on North Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park and works as a counter-service shop. Diners order at the counter, and food comes out in minutes. The menu centers on poke bowls, sushi burritos and fusion tacos, with fries on the side and vegetarian options for mixed groups.

The Fire sushi burrito is stuffed full and still holds together when unwrapped, with delicate fish, crunchy vegetables and a decent amount of heat. The Crunch and Fire poke bowl is another favorite, and the kimchi salmon poke bowl earns praise for fresh salmon and a mix of creamy and crunchy textures. Soft shell crab tacos and kimchi fries have fans too. Portions run large.

Practical notes: prices are a little high, but diners say the quality and size justify them. Seating is indoors, and a few diners mention tables that felt sticky, so takeout is a handy option. Many regulars reorder the same dishes, which says something about consistency.

Oiistar on North Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park is a dim, busy ramen house, and its bowls are some of the largest diners have seen. Many call it their favorite ramen in the city. The broth has depth, and the staff are described as prompt and attentive.

The spicy garlic shoyu ramen draws the most praise, with a savory broth and chunks of pork belly so tender they fall apart. The paitan shio is creamy and rich, and the umami ramen has its own fans. Noodle choices include thick and wavy or thin Hakata, and rice noodles are available for gluten-free diners. Bao buns, especially pork belly, tempura shrimp and tonkatsu, start the meal well.

Practical notes: spice can run strong, so ask about the heat before ordering the garlic bowl. Bowls are big enough for two meals. Weekend nights get busy, and a table can take a short wait, though many diners say the wait is shorter than at other ramen shops.

Three Dots and A Dash is a tiki bar that begins with a walk down a narrow service alley off Hubbard Street. Diners look for a wall of skulls, check in with a doorman and descend a staircase into a dark, tropical room with a thatched bar, hanging grass and tiki figures. The music leans toward disco, and the room is loud.

Cocktails are the draw, and diners call them the best tiki drinks around. Every tiki drink can be made as a mocktail. Food is secondary but enjoyable: a pu pu platter, pineapple chicken bao, firecracker popcorn chicken, coconut shrimp, spring rolls, tiki nachos and Spam fried rice show up in orders, and a donut or waffle can close the night. Service gets good marks from diners who got a seat.

Getting in is the practical part. Reservations come up often, and a Tuesday or Monday walk-in found a packed room and a line. Early arrivals can sit at the bar. A few diners reported rough treatment at the door or from the host stand. For anyone who commits to the concept, this is a memorable night out.

Sunda New Asian on West Illinois Street is a large, lively dining room with high vaulted ceilings and a menu meant for sharing. Diners say the mood is upbeat, the dress code is smart casual and the coat check is a nice touch. It draws birthday groups, bachelorette parties and families, and it is very loud.

The pork belly bao is the order named most. Seoul wings, also called Korean fried chicken, the adobo fried rice and a crispy Brussels sprout salad follow, and sushi rolls such as the surf and turf roll, the crab roll and the red dragon roll have their fans. Pad thai, wagyu, tiger shrimp and miso bronzed black cod cover the mains. An espresso martini flight and a happy hour menu with wings and handrolls bring a lot of praise.

Prices run a bit high, and the noise makes long conversation hard. A few diners waited past their reservation time or found service slow on a packed night. For a group that wants to try many dishes, the share-style menu works, and happy hour is the more relaxed way in.

Brightwok Kitchen and Catering is a stir-fry counter on East Adams Street in the Loop. Diners build a bowl assembly-line style, choosing sauce, noodles or rice, a protein and vegetables, and the wok cook finishes it in minutes. The room is bright and clean, and service is fast.

Thai basil is a favorite sauce, and diners also like the creamy cashew and the panang curry. Vegetables come out tender and crisp with a smoky edge from the wok, and the tofu earns real praise for its chewy texture. Pad Thai is made from scratch. Many diners value the gluten-free choices, and vegan and vegetarian options are plentiful.

Practical notes: lunch is the busy time, with a line that can reach the door but moves quickly. Ordering ahead or by delivery skips the line, and opening time is calm. A few diners report slow service at times and some inconsistency in the kitchen, so those with strict dietary needs should ask about current ingredients.

Soulwich is a small sandwich shop on Orrington Avenue in downtown Evanston, which is its own city north of Chicago. The menu uses Southeast Asian and Indian flavors on fresh, warm bread, and staff walk first-timers through the options in a friendly way.

The Indonesian ginger BBQ sandwich is the most-named order. It comes with chicken or pork, can be made spicy or mild, and diners compare it to banh mi. The paneer and fig sandwich is the vegetarian favorite, sweet and savory in good balance. Burmese chips and slaw are made in house, and the chips earn repeat orders. Craft ginger beer is on offer.

Practical notes: the shop keeps short hours, and a few diners found it closed for catering at lunch, so checking ahead saves a trip. Parking out front is paid and limited. Cards are accepted but cash is preferred. Opinions on the ginger BBQ vary a little, mostly about delivery, so eating it in the shop is the safer plan.

AO Hawaiian Hideout is on South Wabash Avenue in the South Loop, and the room is built around a Hawaiian theme. Diners describe friendly servers, tropical drinks and a menu that mixes island plates with Asian dishes such as pad thai, ramen and Penang curry.

The pork belly tacos are a frequent pick, described as spicy and sweet and a little larger than expected. The loco moco is a hearty plate of rice, patties and peppery gravy. The spicy Indonesian seafood noodle soup is filled with seafood and big enough that some diners split one order. Island nachos with raw tuna, huli huli chicken, spam musubi and the pu pu platter are other regular orders.

Practical notes: portions are large, so come hungry or share. The menu marks gluten-free items, and one diner with celiac disease reported that staff were knowledgeable. Busy concert nights can mean a wait. A few diners found some dishes salty or heavy, so ordering a mix of lighter plates helps.

Mott St on North Ashland Avenue in Bucktown serves Asian American dishes in a snug room with a spacious patio for good weather. Service is described as fast and attentive even when the place is slammed, and the menu is made for sharing.

The Mott burger is the best-known order, juicy and cooked well, with a jackfruit version that vegetarians rank among the better ones in the city. Brunch adds pork belly Benedict, coconut pancakes with hibiscus butter, warm lemon poppyseed donuts and kalbi and eggs. At dinner, diners praise oyster mushrooms, misoyaki butterfish, fire chicken, papaya salad and garlic fried rice. Cocktails such as the Gochu-Melon Rita get compliments too.

Practical notes: the room is small and fills quickly, so a reservation is advised for lunch and dinner. The burger has timing rules in the evening, as it is not offered at every table after a certain hour, so asking early helps. Some diners found a few dishes less impressive for the cost, so the burger and brunch plates are the safer choices.

BiXi Beer on North Milwaukee Avenue is a Chinese-inspired brewpub, and diners say it works for beer, cocktails and a long shareable menu alike. The noodles are made in house, and the beers cover lagers, ales, sours and stouts.

The burger gets the loudest praise, with a pork belly version drawing fans. Scallion garlic noodles, drunken noodles, crab rangoon, green beans, fried rice and a spicy fried chicken sandwich also come up often. The brunch menu includes shrimp toast and shumai. Several parties have held events here, and the upstairs atrium and rooftop patio are part of the draw.

Practical notes: brunch and weekend dinners fill up, and a reservation helps for groups. Portions vary, and some diners felt certain entrees ran small for the price, so ordering several plates to share works better than ordering one each. Service gets mixed marks, with strong praise from many tables and slower stretches reported on busy nights. Ask for the patio or upstairs seating when the weather is good.