Sushi City, located on 75th street in Downers Grove, is a small yet lively restaurant that serves sushi, teriyaki and other classic Japanese dishes. Although acting as an independent establishment, the restaurant has become very popular with the surrounding area’s residents.

The open kitchen is directly across from the entrance, inviting customers to watch the chefs handcraft sushi rolls. The restaurant’s decorations are heavily influenced by Japanese culture, as toros are hung from the ceiling and a mural of Tokyo is painted on the wall. Although I ordered off the regular menu, the restaurant also has an “all you can eat” option for $29.99 a person.

To start, I ordered the Crab Rangoons ($4.95). They were delivered by one of their “robot waiters,” eerily reminiscent of the restaurant Bots in the Nickelodeon sitcom “Sam & Cat.” The machine rolled over to our table, and after we grabbed our food and pressed the finish button on its screen it returned to the kitchen.

The four-piece rangoons were extremely creamy, and the small slices of crab interwoven through the cream cheese filling added a slight sweetness to the appetizer. They were accompanied by a sweet and sour dipping sauce, which added a tangy burst of flavor with each bite.

For the entree, I ordered three sushi rolls. The Crispy Roll ($11.95) had 8 pieces of sushi, the Rainbow Maki ($10.95) had 8 pieces and the Spider Maki ($9.95) had 5 pieces.

The Crispy Roll was filled with cucumber, tempura crunch, tuna and roe and topped with spicy mayo. I thoroughly enjoyed the picante flavor of the spicy mayo and thought it elevated the otherwise plain-tasting roll. However, the roll did not live up to its “crispy” description, as there was barely any tempura crunch present, causing it to lack the advertised crispiness.

The Rainbow Maki was a traditional California roll with added tuna and strips of salmon on top. This was the most basic of the three rolls; it was fishy, savory and utilized simple ingredients. If you are trying sushi for the first time, this is the perfect introductory roll.

The Spider Maki contained crab, avocado and cucumber and was topped with roe and unagi sauce. This was my favorite of the three rolls; the crab and avocado felt smooth on the tongue and the two piquant sauces added a tart flavor to every bite.

The service was very fast and the waitress who took my order was incredibly friendly. I definitely recommend Sushi City for anyone craving delicious Japanese cuisine. With their extensive menu and relatively cheap prices, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy.