My family went there this past Sunday for our second visit. The place is beautiful and stylish, as are the way all things are presented. The attention to the detail is evident in the choice of the water bottles, the soy sauce dispensers and all the glamourous black plates and chopsticks, as well as, the absolutely stunning way the dining room has been designed. The staff is friendly and caring and the service is perfect. All of that is great, but what ultimately makes a restaurant special is the food, and our family found the sushi at Sakanaya to be unbelievably fresh, varied and beautifully prepared & presented, and most importantly delicious. This is just an amazing sushi bar. We intend to try the Ramen on our next visit. It looked beautiful when it wafted by.
Because Sakanaya has been so wholeheartedly embraced by the U of I student population, be patient and be prepared for a wait, but the food and the environment make it all totally worthwhile(you can go hang out at a nearby bar or shop and they will call you when your table is ready). We had a fantastic meal and great time. If you love great food, then you owe it to yourself to check out Sakanaya.
One last note, I concur with Seth's comment re: the early and ignorant review. That was useless and not helpful at all. Sakanaya is a great restaurant serving great food. sometimes waiting for a table is worth it and if you consider the quality of the experience and the excellent food, then the value is high and huge. Great place. Go now.