Kura Sushi, serving food by conveyor belt, is open in Naperville

Like a mini merry-go-round, the courses come as plates go.

Kura Sushi, an international restaurant chain known for its revolving sushi bar, is officially open in Naperville at 1211 E. Ogden Ave., near Panera Bread and Costco.

Naperville is Kura Sushi’s 54th U.S. location and the chain’s third in the Chicago area. Another is under construction in Stokie, which Kura Sushi hopes to open later this winter.

“We entered the market in 2018 with our restaurant in Schaumburg, and over time that has become a top performing restaurant,” Robert Kluger, chief development officer for Kura Sushi USA, said in a written statement. Finding success in Schaumburg, Kluger said, the Kura Sushi team saw an opportunity to expand further into Chicago’s suburbs.

Kluger said company specifically targeted Naperville as an ideal spot to launch a new location.

“Naperville is thriving with a diverse eatery and family-friendly scene, and we are confident that Kura Revolving Sushi Bar will be an excellent addition to this growing community,” he said.

Self-described as an “eater-tainment” experience, Kura Sushi offers more than 140 dishes — all served via a double-layered conveyor belt. The bottom level is a revolving sushi bar, which snakes and weaves through the entire restaurant. Customers can select dishes as they move by. The top level is an express belt that carries selective orders placed at the table.

Regardless of what customers choose, bills are calculated by plate. The more plates you swipe, the higher your tab.

Kura has been selling sushi pulley-style over the past five decades. The first opened in 1977 in Japan. Since then, the chain has grown to more than 500 locations across Japan, Taiwan and the U.S.

To drive home Kura Sushi’s dinner and a show feel, customers can receive small prizes — magnets or little figurines, for instance — for how much sushi they consume. Robots delivering drinks also circulate the restaurant floor.

At 100% capacity, Naperville’s 3,000-square-foot location can seat 99 people across 20 tables and eight counter spots.

For those who don’t have the time to grab a bite off the conveyor belt, Kura Sushi Naperville is home to the chain’s first pick-up window express lane, which will be available for takeout orders starting Wednesday.

As for what’s actually circling the Kura Sushi carousel, dishes are prepared fresh on a daily basis, Kluger said. Meanwhile, recipes and procedures are developed by Kura Sushi USA’s parent company in Japan.

True to its name, menu items include various types of sushi — nigiri, rolls and gunkan — as well as udon, ramen and a slew of desserts, from mochi to cheesecake.

Kura Sushi Naperville is open seven days a week. Daily hours can be found at kurasushi.com/locations/naperville-il.

tkenny@chicagotribune.com