A lovely spot ambiance and decor wise! The food was good quality, but the normal menu was quite expensive for the quantity (1 handroll $10??), but we opted for the 3 course $35 option called the southport set. Getting two of these and splitting with my friend was perfect! I liked the tako kato and chirashi a lot! The fish is really fresh and is buttery/delicious. Service was a bit slow but nice regardless. read more

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We were excited to try Itoko because of its close relation to Momotoro, and with the Restaurant Week prix fixe at $45 per person, we were looking forward to indulging and trying a few other items from the sushi menu. Service and ambiance: The service is very good. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. We really loved the interior decorations, and we were seated against the back wall, which was nice and cozy. About halfway through our dinner, however, the party seated next to us at a boisterous table for six broke a glass and attracted a lot of attention. Towards the end, waitstaff came and talked to them for about 15 minutes during our main course, which meant that I was eating with the waiter's backside next to my plate. This was less than good. Obviously, it was not intentionally rude, but it was still not a very pleasant experience. We didn't want to disturb them so we did not ask them to move, but it definitely detracted from our meal, given that we were jammed between the waiter and the wall with no exit lane. Sushi: The momotaki contained octopus that was gummy and overcooked, which made it tough to eat. The seared fatty tuna was probably the best sushi on the menu, supple with melt-in-your-mouth texture, but not much in the way of taste. I ordered an unagi nigiri and we each had a nigiri tamago. The tamago was sweet and tasty and unagi was flavorful and nicely charred. We'd recommend both. 2025 Restaurant Week Menu: I started with the Shishito peppers, and my husband ordered the miso soup. The miso soup was good and tasted like most miso soup does. The shishito pepper was charred and had a robust meaty flavor, and was covered with a finely grated substance that reminded us of pork. Soy sauce was served on the side, and this was much needed because some of the courses lacked salt. For seconds, I ordered the spicy salmon dip (which was not spicy) and my husband ordered the chicken. The chicken was dark meat and fatty but again lacked salt. I enjoyed the presentation of the spicy salmon dip, but was grateful for the soy sauce (again, not much salt). For our third course, we both ordered the tantan ramen, which we enjoyed. The miso base was prominent and spicy. The ramen did not contain very much meat. Overall, we would recommend this entree despite some shortcomings. For dessert we each ordered the Panna cotta, which was delicious, and paired well with sparkling dry white wine. The drink selection was very good overall (my husband ordered the old fashioned and enjoyed it quite a bit, and I enjoyed a glass of dry rose). Key takeaways: Though we really liked the atmosphere and our server, the food lacked imagination and salt. We enjoyed the quality of the tuna, but were disappointed by the gummy octopus. The sushi seems to be very hit or miss here. The ramen was good, but good ramen is easy to find in Chicago. We are glad that we tried this place and if it were local to us, we might come back, but it's not worth a special trip out of the way. Perhaps they were overwhelmed during a busy restaurant week. 4/5 read more

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Despite other reviews, we actually had a nice time at Itoko tonight! We came at 5:45, were seated promptly, and everything else went pretty smoothly until we left. My drink as well as our food order came out quickly (our server let us know ahead of time that certain dishes would arrive at different times because they come from separate kitchens), but there wasn't much wait between items. We ordered the hand roll trio, A5 maki, beef chahan, sake nigiri, and the donatsu for dessert. All the food was actually really good, and my husband and I agreed that we both would want to come back here. I feel like I base my price points around the salmon sashimi at every restaurant we go to. Faroe island salmon is going to be an extremely common offering throughout the city, but I loved the glaze/light sauce that they put on it here and appreciated the lack of surprise wasabi underneath the fish between the rice (this is one of those things that personally ruins the entire nigiri for me). I do wish that we were checked in with at any point during the meal to see if everything was okay or if we wanted another drink/to order anything else. Our server had left a menu at the table in case we wanted to order more, and we had planned to order two more nigiris but the next time we saw her, she brought out the dessert menu and quickly left, so we just ended up not ordering the nigiri or another drink. Also, there were a lot of ants crawling on the wall next to us and eventually found some on the table. Nature happens, but I'm SUPER scared of bugs, so it was pretty unpleasant when I noticed haha. Overall pretty decent, it's a very busy area around the restaurant, so I'd recommend arriving early to look for parking especially with so many other shops/train station/permit parking only side streets/etc. read more

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Being a Boka restaurant, I was expecting a great meal but Itoko fell short. When we arrived I was excited because the bar & dining room had a great look and vibe. We were then taken upstairs which can only be described as "your aunt Frida's dining room". I tried to convince myself that as long as the food was good it wouldn't matter where we sat. It didn't work. Miso soup and edamame were okay. We then got a few nigiri & sashimi which were also okay but we've had better. Rolls were not good. The spicy tuna was mushy and warm. We opted for some robata items which were great. The skirt steak and salmon robata saved the meal. Service was good but there was an obvious issue towards the end of the meal which affected everyone in seated upstairs. Maybe Itoko is better for cooked items. They are mediocre for sushi but they do a good job with robata. read more

To celebrate my daughter's acceptance into a prestigious tech program in Tokyo and send her off in style, I figured what better place than Itoko? This exquisite restaurant, located in Lakeview, is bathed in calming neutral tones, minimalist wall art, soft lighting, groovy music, excellent service and amazing food. Our party of four arrived on a Thursday evening and were seated promptly. We already discussed what we wanted so when our beautiful and friendly server, Brenna, arrived, we were ready. The two adults (my daughter's BFFs mom and I) ordered the Dragon's Milk...an aggressively yet refreshing blend of prairie organic cucumber vodka, nigiri sake, mint, white pepper and lime) designed to get you where you wanna go, FAST. Our daughters ordered two mocktails (I don't remember the ingredients cuz I was more concerned with my own beverage) which they enjoyed immensely and made them feel "grown up." So, now onto the food. We ordered the yama and momomaki rolls, the Oshima ramen and the prime striploin to share and the "house" graciously sent us the bluefin tuna. We devoured every delicious bite and still had room for more. Since we couldn't decide on just one dessert options, we ordered two. The blueberry kakigori, a scrumptious shaved ice dessert topped with ginger crumb, blueberry jellies, freeze-dried blueberries and yuzu whipped cream. That and the donatsu, a deep-fried donut filled with chocolate ganache and topped with powdered sugar and maple flakes were UH-MA-ZING!! Itoko is the sister (or "cousin", since Itoko means cousin in Japanese) to Chef Gene Kato's legendary Momotaro restaurant in Fulton Market. It 100 percent delivers as a place where families, groups and couples can come and have a great meal in a sophisticated yet, down-to-earth setting. I'll be back! read more

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Snagged reservations for nye. We love Momotaro so much so we were real stoked to finally try Itoko. The interior design is very clean and sophisticated. I remember this building when it was Southport Lanes, but I def don't remember it having 2 floors. I was surprised when the hostess had us follow her upstairs. Our server was lovely, she was very helpful and friendly, really enjoyed having her as our server. It seemed like all the servers there were great. We ordered the blue fin tuna (this was prob our least favorite dish, the sauce had a strong flavor, but the fish was good), spicy salmon dip (i really enjoyed this one, husband thought it was just okay), TCD Toro (this was chef's kiss, SO good), the three piece set of temakis (loved these as well), gyoza (tasty), A5beef maki (never had something like this, the beef had a lovely char/smoky flavor, really good), pork tenderloin robata (the pork was soooo tender and yummy), robata sliders (this was just okay), and a couple pieces of nigiri each. I loved the nigiri, really fresh fish, so good. The highlight of this meal for both of us was the kakigori dessert. This dessert changes based on season. I was worried I wouldn't love the current flavor, which was pumpkin, togarashi, cinnamon, and maple, but man that dessert is somethin special. So many different textures and flavors that are amazing together, so unique and delicious! I'd get the kakigori every single time, regardless of what season it is! I enjoyed my meal here and would return, however, not sure I'd say it's better or even equal to Momotaro. But I do think that it's a great addition to the restaurants in the Southport Corridor. Parking on Southport is a hit or miss, we got lucky and found a spot across the street. Plan ahead for parking! read more

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Great lunch sets, aesthetic interior, dog friendly has some outdoor seating in front. Visited on a Friday during lunch times so there was no wait. read more

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Went here for the happy hour on a Monday (people were waiting in line for the Happy Hour) the restaurant inside is lovely it has a nice vibe!! The food for the Happy Hour was good! We got the salmon dip and the cucumbers as an appetizer both very good! We ordered several rolls and they were all good and a good price. But I have to say the drinks are overpriced to say the least. The popular Lychee Martini was basically juice no alcohol at all. Very disappointing and it's expensive at $14 crazy. No alcohol in it at all! The wine at $10 a glass was a very small Pour and I fee like $10 is not cheap. So food good for the Happy Hour Drinks Not good for the Happy Hour! Service great! Ambiance nice! read more

One of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had!! We had an amazing server who made our dinner extra special! The food was actually astounding, the fish melted in my mouth it was so fresh. The happy hour menu was extensive with a full separate GF menu! One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago now!! read more

Itoko - Momo Jr.* - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent But Way too expensive for the value received I would come back, but only for business meal read more

We had been meaning to go here for awhile now because it looks so cute and we've heard good things! We got seats at the sushi counter so we could watch them cook, but you really couldn't see anything because there was a little half wall in the way. We had three people so it would've been better to just get a table. We did get an extra snack, the shrimp ceviche, because we sat at the counter though and it was really good. Cocktails were yummy, too! Starting with the seafood, the otoro was decent, but a little boring. I think we should've done the nigiri instead. The Ebi Tom Yum was really good, but felt a little over priced. The price is just for a single one so it was $33 for the three. The spicy tuna roll was really good, but again, nothing too different from your common spicy tuna roll. The Yama roll was by far the favorite dish for everyone at the table. The shrimp and crab were really good and the cucumber balanced everything nicely. The negima was my next favorite dish. Even though it wasn't quite as pretty to look at as some of the other dishes, it was soooo tender and juicy. We wanted to split it between three and it was so soft that we were able to cut through it with a chopstick. I did also enjoy the beef chahan and it was cool how it sizzled, but we probably left it in there a little too long and started getting some bits that were a little crispier than I would've liked. read more

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Nice ambiance and atmosphere, but the food just seems overpriced for what you get. I know prices are increasing everywhere, but it just seemed like you don't get the high end taste/quality you would expect from Boka's group. The handrolls were average at best. The nori was chewy and felt like they are using cheaper ingredients. The shishito peppers lacked flavor. The makis are meh. And the tables are so close together you can hear your neighbors conversation as if they are a part of yours. Overall not worth the money as you can find better taste and quality all over Chicago. read more

Wow this place is great! Came here during happy hour on my anniversary and they were so so kind. Really made our anniversary feel important and even gave us a Polaroid of us! Such a unique touch. We got a couple sushi rolls and sushimi. Their fish was so fresh and cut to perfection. Best fresh fish I've ever had. Home made soy sauce was delish. I would come here again and again read more

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Brunch Review----- Brunch at Itoko is top notch! Lots of the menu items caught my eye, but I decided to focus on some of their more popular items that people raved about online. Mimosa (10/10) Most mimosa's taste the same, but this cannot be said about the one here. The addition of tea to this cocktail adds a special touch. Kabocha Pancake (10/10) You have to try these pancakes! They are definitely on the sweeter side, but they are perfect for sharing with 1 or 2 other people if you just want a few bites. Everything from the texture of the pancakes, to the sauce were perfect. The sauce was addicting. Egg Souffle (9/10) I've had very few egg souffles at restaurants, but the one at Itoko is really good. I look forward to coming back for brunch in the future and also checking out their dinner menu as well. read more

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A fascinating place and experience that is great for any celebration. We made reservations with a note that we were celebrating our anniversary, and they made special "Happy Anniversary" menus for us that we got to keep. It was an awesome gesture that started our experience off on the right foot. We got a few hand rolls and a shared 3 course meal along with a few drinks. The hand rolls were delicious and were presented in a cute way. Each hand roll is filled with top tier fish that makes you wonder what kind of fish they have in Lake Michigan (just kidding). One of the hand rolls has crispy garlic chips in them which was a nice touch. The Shishito Peppers was a popular dish on yelp. It was an okay dish. I was hoping to taste more of the black garlic mayo, but I didn't get much of it at all. The Chirashi Don was incredible and should be considered for ordering by everyone. The tuna was the star of the dish as the texture was silky and buttery. The Apple Pie was awesome as well. Can't go wrong with this 3 Course set. The drinks fell a bit flat for us. The Dragons Milk wasn't what I expected and tasted kinda funny. The hibiscus cocktail tasted watered down. I did grab some wine afterwards which they had a wide selection of. Thank you Itoko for a great experience. read more

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Trendy style, warm lighting and kind earnest service. The fish was really tasty and beautifully presented. The handrolls are more like tacos (vs the cone shapes I'm used to). They also make their own soy sauce. We heard about two fish specials and selected one, but I was disappointed they didn't mention the price when pushing us to order them. We had to ask. I think this is something that should be shared every time so as not to surprise diners. There was a special 3 course menu $35 as I think it's Lakeview restaurant week, but we mostly ordered ala carte. When the restaurant filled up it got really loud and we had to shout at one another which I didn't love. We did wait awhile to flag someone down for the check only to be told we pay by QR code that had been pushed to the side of our tabletop. Street meter parking was easy to find within a block or so. This isn't nearby home and I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back. read more

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Loved the decor and food! The katsu don interestingly had a little spice to the sauce, which I don't usually taste with Japanese food, but the spice was more than welcomed! Magnolia tea was also very fragrant, highly recommended! Service was speedy and attentive read more

Itoko - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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An upscale Japanese restaurant with a sophisticated ambiance. The miso soup and shishito peppers were the perfect way to start the meal, but the real standout was the hand rolls--absolutely delicious! We loved the Shio Koji Salmon, with its crispy skin inside, and the Ebi Tom Yum, which had a nice lime flavor. The maki rolls were simple, fresh, and well-prepared. The service was attentive and they have great options for sake! read more

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Went with a party of six. Two birthdays being celebrated. The restaurant texted the afternoon of our reservation and asked the name of the celebrants. Both had customized take home copies of the menu. Nice touch. Server was everything you could want. Friendly, efficient and not intrusive. Shared a wide variety of dishes, everything was good to excellent. read more

Gyoza: Skip I got this because it said foie gras but tbh the texture and the flavor is almost like any other frozen one off the shelf. Do not recommend Tantanmen Ramen: Skip This is NOT family style. I don't think it means what they think that means. Its a normal bowl sized bowl of ramen thats incredibly messy to try and divide. The ramen itself was good but the flavor was a little too sweet and oily for my liking. Not worth 22 dollars Hand roll sampler: Get It's not cone shaped but rather taco shaped so the toppings would sometimes fall apart. That was a little disappointing but the flavors itself of each roll was exceptional. Loved all three as salmon and scallops are my favorite Service was exceptional and they were so fun and friendly. Food: 7/10 Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Value: 5/10 read more

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Excellent food, fresh sushi, and outstanding service. Everything was delicious, the atmosphere was great, and the staff was very friendly. We will definitely be back. Highly recommend! read more

We came here for a friend's surprise birthday party, and this place is a must-visit. The Cucumber, which had a spicy dressing, was good. I am a sucker for Shishito, and these did not disappoint. Our waitress was terrific and very patient with us as we tried to navigate the menu. The place wasn't loud by any means, and it was enjoyable and easy to carry on a conversation. They had a Veggie Chahan, which was incredibly flavorful, and some of my friends preferred it over the beef Chahan. Some of the items are more difficult to share and are of a smaller size. Ask your waitress for recommendations based on your hunger level, and they will steer you in the right direction. read more

Great neighborhood spot for sushi. Very creative and high quality! Looking forward to going back with friends! Hopefully we will be lucky enough to be seated in Yui's section again. Her recommendations were spot on! read more

Itoko - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We went for restaurant week. Great deal for $45. Very cute ambiance inside with a generous amount of seating. Took a bit of time to get drinks placed, but we weren't in a hurry and they seemed busy! All the staff were SO friendly. Food came out quick and tasted so fresh read more

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Wow! This place is amazing. Great vibes, very cutely decorated! Service was super quick! We ordered a bunch of things for the table and split and they were bringing them out in waves which was perfect! Deviled eggs were good, nothing crazy. The Lox bagel was amazing, the miso cream cheese it comes with is soooo good and really makes it. The tuna dip was great, wish there was a bit more tuna for the amount of chips they gave! But the chips it was served with were light and the seaweed was a nice touch! The Yama roll was incredible, loved seeing snow crab in a a roll. The chicken katsu really surprised me by how good this was. The spicy mayo on this was amazing, and this chicken was perfectly done. Lastly the pumpkin pancakes were delicious. It was serviced with a pumpkin butter that melts in your mouth. I can't wait to come back here and try the dinner menu, this was fantastic! read more

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Really enjoyed coming here with my friends! It is always lovely walking into the airy ambiance of their restaurant. We were seated towards the back, closer to the second bar. Our server was super attentive and energetic. She was helpful answering questions and ensuring we had our waters filled. We ordered the steak and eggs, the Southport Set, ebi Tom yum handrolls, and the honey butter toast. I love that many dishes were meant to be shared. We loved tbe ebi tom yum handrolls, the flavors were tasty! The honey butter toast had a unique twist with its crunchy texture. We also enjoyed our steak and eggs, the steak was cooked perfectly and the kimchi fried rice layered on the bottom was the perfect combination. Prices were reasonable overall. The biggest issue was finding parking in their location as it's always busy and popular! Highly recommend checking this spot out! read more

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Very cozy vibe with modern decor. Overall good food and service. Decent sushi rolls, but the dandan noodles are very salty and that's why 4 stars. Street/meter parking available but hard to find. The restaurant also added 4% extra surcharge on top on taxes and tips. read more

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Such a cute place! I loved the aesthetic and lighting inside! It gave of cozy ambiance. The food is delicious, can't wait to come back to try more. The salmon was so crispy but the miso soup was a bit on the saltier side. The spicy cucumber also had a great flavor too. The salmon and avocado roll was ok, I was expecting more flavor and freshness given all the rave about Itoko. The pancakes were also delicious, the pumpkin flavors were mild and a good combo with the pumpkin butter. Really enjoyed the more traditional Japanese food expeirence! read more

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Food is top tier and ambience is great. The king crab hand roll is heavenly (must try!) and the A5 beef roll is now my favorite roll of all time. It was my 1st time trying the 10 day dry aged bluefin tuna and it did not disappoint. Definitely adding this to one of my favorite sushi spots in Chicago! read more

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I was so excited to try Itoko after everything I had seen on social media, but this place did not live up to the hype. In fact, I will not be rushing back anytime soon. The ambiance is modern and chic, and the bar is a beautiful sight! The menu is extensive with many options for hand rolls, classic rolls, warm dishes, and appetizers. The food is delicious, but a bit overpriced. Our service was disappointing, and one of the main reasons I'm not excited to return. Our server seemed rushed, and recommended that hand rolls were a great option to share with three people if we cut them. She provided a knife, and most of the hand roll sadly ended up on the table as they were extremely difficult to cut. We also had our edamame, which usually comes out to the table first, brought out as our second to last dish. It seems like it was forgotten, and then rushed out at the end. This place is new, and hopefully the service improves with time! read more

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Drove past one day while in the neighborhood, and decided to make a reservation. We got a table during restaurant week last year, and got to try a few staple items on the menu. The ambiance felt lively and intimate - there is seating area at the bar as well as the main dining area where we were seated. The food was spurious, but one may say that the portions are small. Check them out! read more

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highly recommend happy hour for the hand rolls. one of my go to sushi restaurants in lakeview. my favorite dishes are the TCD, chicken katsu bowl, and the grilled chicken thigh (negima) restaurants has a great vibe to talk and catch up with friends. waiters have been attentive and really pleasant read more

Itoko - salmon, tuna, & scallop handrolls + salmon & tamago nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Itoko was absolutely delicious! Started dinner with the green snapper cocktail. We ordered a few of the specials of the day my favorite was the perch nigiri. In addition I ordered the MECHA Kucha which was divinely delicious!!! The robata salmon and mushrooms are also very tasty. The service was very good and I appreciated the ambiance. I look forward to going back! read more

Great quality fish combined with a non-traditional and unique culinary touch had potential to make a fan out of me but the fact that cannot be ignored is the jaw dropping price tag on virtually every item on the menu. I wanted to like Itoko and my meal and friendly server was giving me a lot of reasons to but the wow factor at the end of the meal was not from the dining experience or food but from the price tag. I can't imagine a world where a piece of hamachi fish collar (burnt might I add) for $26 or 5 pieces of maki for $22 is justified. I get it, fresh high quality sashimi grade fish is hard to come by in Chicago but this takes it to another level of outrageousness! read more

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Great food, great drinks, and great service. Celebrated a birthday here and glad we did. Food and beverage wise this is on-par with Momotaro downtown. read more

We had a resy for 7PM on a Friday - I highly recommend a reservation for peak meal times! We showed up and were seated right away. The space is fairly large, so a good spot for groups. We were seated on the second floor by a window that overlooked Southport corridor. Service was good! Our server was always close, our waters were frequently refilled, and our plates were promptly cleared after each course. We ordered everything up front and it was coursed out for us. The food was very good!! The fish quality was delicious - my favorites were the "TCD" Tuna Toro, the A5 Beef, and the Three Piece Set. The Three piece set was larger than I expected, while the Tuna Toro was smaller than what I thought from looking at pictures. The textures were well thought out and the nori was very good quality, which I particularly enjoyed. My only complaint is for the Shio Koji Salmon, the crispy salmon skin was a little gritty. Other than that, I loved everything else! Overall I was impressed with Itoko and am excited to have another great sushi option down the street. We'll definitely be back! read more

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A little disappointed. The space is open and modern. Music was a good volume so you can still hear each other talk and our server was friendly. But the food was average, and at this price point I expect more. We started with gyoza and the seared fatty tuna- which we really enjoyed. Yama didn't taste super fresh. The seaweed in the fresh hand rolls was so hard to get through. The king crab was drowning in so much sauce that it totally over powered the crab. The ebi yum had good flavor but again the seaweed was a problem for me. The salmon robata had good flavor but was overcooked. Overall, not a bad experience but I wouldn't go out of my way to return. read more

Toko is a fantastic addition to the area's sushi scene. It's a "cousin" to Momotaro, but I actually think it is better. Everything we tried was a home run, so it's hard to pick favorites. Certainly the shitaki robata is the best mushroom you will ever eat. The way the Jewel Bako was served was remarkable: like a chirashi on rice, but as a kit with nori so you could assemble your own hand rolls. The three-piece hand roll set was a good way to experience the variety of what they can do, and the horizontal handrolls are so much more complex, yet easier to eat, than the conventional cones. I'm not normally a big fan of gyoza, but the presentation and flavors here were amazing. Service was great. A particular shout out to the bus staff, who were very knowledgeable, and extraordinarily attentive. The only downside is the noise level. Even at half full, this is a boisterous space, so don't plan a romantic night out here. But for great sushi, it's hard to beat. read more

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Really good sushi, lychee martini was excellent. Definitely make a reservation, on a Thursday night this place was only seating outside due to how busy they were read more

Itoko - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We have followed Chef Gene to 4 different locations over the years (from a short stint at a place on Damen Ave 20 years ago, to Japonais, the Robata Bar on Wells ((our favorite)) and now Itoko), his kitchens always produce excellent food. We tried brunch here a couple of months ago and this time we tried dinner. Both were very good, my favorite was the brunch. Dinner stand outs for me were the slider, the chicken katsu and the chirashi don. For brunch I really enjoyed the spicy tuna dip, the steamed bun and lox, harumaki and the yama. A nice selection of wine and cocktails. Recommended. read more