Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Joto

    4.3 (44 reviews)
    Closed • Closed

    Joto Photos

    JOTO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Joto

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Nolan F.

    From the happy hour menu, I ordered Kurashi Setto and Spicy Scallop & Salmon Avocado Handrolls. Regular menu: Otoro Caviar - platinum osetra caviar, Uni Toro - Hokkaido sea urchin, salmon roe Starting with handrolls, good quality seafood and excellent portions. My only complaint is the salmon would taste cleaner diced. Kurashi set was excellent. Very flavorful and melt in your mouth. Premium items from regular menu did not disappoint - salty, rich, and fatty. Service was friendly. Plenty of seating and cool, modern Japanese vibe inside.

    Back to front, steak and eggs, uni ikura, uni toro
    Bryan W.

    This place has great sushi and they know it. It is very good sushi, but it is pricy. For the best bites in the menu, you are looking at $20 a bite. The service is great, we've never had a bad time here. It's an I interesting Mashup of the omakase place and the owners of malort. The sushi is good. The only thing I didn't like was the steak and eggs nigiri. $20 a bite and it just tasted torched.

    Dessert menu
    Bonnie W.

    I love the infused malort and the binchotan. Atmosphere is great especially in the bar area, very fun. Food is delicious but can be pricey. Great happy hour options. Grilled steak kabobs over marinated, hamachi collar good just lightly cooked. Margarita was sour but the Malort is well treated. I enjoy every visit here but it can be overpriced. The sake pudding dessert- $9, 2oz pudding.

    Cocktail
    Eric R.

    Great service at the bar last night. In town on business and was just looking for something close to the hotel. Whiskey Flight, a couple cocktails and some bangin' Tuna in various forms.

    ube-be baby was fantastic. time after time was decent but watery
    Lucas W.

    We did the omakase experience. The omakase is done in the back of the restaurant and you can also see the dry aging racks for aging the fish. Every piece was prepared with great care and there were some pieces that had some unique twists, I especially liked the king ora salmon and the wagyu with unagi. That said, my favorite was the last piece which married dry aged otoro with egg yolk and caviar. Incredible flavor and creative combination with a beautiful presentation. Cocktails were quite good as well as the restuarant is housed within CH Distillery. I had the Time After Time which was a whiskey based cocktail but drank a bit watery, especially with such a large ice cube. Conversely the ube-be baby was fantastic. Really cool, delicate flavor and great presentation. Would definitely get the ube-be baby again but probably not the time after time. Overall though, it was a very expensive meal. Two cocktails plus the omakase, tax, mandated 20% tip, totaled solidly over $200 / person which felt like a lot for the experience.

    Prism maki Ryuu maki
    Mark L.

    We came here for dinner and ordered a lot to share. The inside had a really interesting vibe, it was modern but super comfortable. The service was really good throughout the night. Pretty much all the sushi was really good. The salmon crudo was delicious and refreshing. I got the ube-be baby drink was super interesting, it was sweet but not overpoweringly so. The chicken karaage was really juicy, though otherwise pretty standard. The crab bites were delicious, and both the dry aged tuna setto and dry aged jack fish setto tasted super fresh and really well done. For rolls, the prism maki and ryuu maki were great. Additionally, both the otoro with caviar and chutoro with truffle was super good and definitely worth ordering. Overall, a great sushi place in the city, would highly recommend.

    Tuna carpaccio and prism roll
    Clara S.

    We came here for an impromptu happy hour and enjoyed our meal at the bar. The sake was refreshing with our setto- this was so delicious and all pieces of fish were very fresh and flavorful. The prism roll was also excellent. I asked if they had any side salads, and I was recommended to order the tuna carpaccio but this was a little salty. I wish they had some sort of salad on the menu but otherwise the happy hour deals and quality of the fish were amazing.

    DRY-AGED KURASHI SETTO and DRY-AGED BLUEFIN SETTO
    Todd K.

    Took my wife here for her birthday and was blown away by the quality and service. Their Dry aged fish focus really elevates the experience and adds new depth to familiar bites. We especially loved the different nigiri sets you can order to try the variety of fish at a better value. Salmon and Otoro were our favorites. We will be coming back for omakase and their malort cocktail special.

    Cease and desist
    Sean Y.

    I've been coming to Joto Sushi since when it was still called Jinsei Motto and it's one of my favorite sushi spots in the city. The fish is fresh. No need to touch the soy sauce provided, the chefs brush on the right amount of tare (sauce) for each nigiri. The small bites are each excellent and I love that they have a Robata grill to round out the experience. The cocktails are unique and exciting, and I'd come just for those. The menu is priced well, competes around the cost of Momotaro around the corner. The vibe here is more energetic and clubby, perhaps caters to a younger crowd. In the summer you can eat outdoors and avoid the loud music if you prefer. Service is excellent and attentive. Overall I'd say if you ever considered Sunda or Roka Akor definitely avoid those and come here.

    Sake
    Crystal Z.

    Ambiance - cute sushi spot behind distillery, casual/upscale depending on your group, they have dining tables and omakase counter seating Service - chef took his time to prepare each piece of our sushi, didn't feel rushed Food - fish was overall fresh, their dry aged fishes definitely stood out

    Estrella B.

    Food: Absolutely divine! Loved coming here. Everything was up to parr and so delicious! The drinks were well made and got the job done. Service: our waitresses were very attentive and friendly. Loved their energy and hospitality. Very knowledgeable as well, and answered any questions we had about anything on the menu. Ambiance: loved the setting and low lighting. Very nice little cozy spot we got, next to a charger I might add lol! $300 we spent was well worth it!!!

    Tuna bites
    Angelina P.

    Definitely never coming back here. Insane prices for okay food and on top of that, they'll scam you. I am not sure why any standard sushi rolls like spicy tuna need to cost $15-20 or even 4 pieces of tuna bites. It all tasted like standard sushi restaurants items to me. The interior gives you more of a bar feeling with high tops instead of a formal dining experience. I am so glad I checked my statement a couple days later because the server apparently changed my tip amount. I caught it and called the restaurant and all she said was she'll refund the incorrect extra amount and "talk to the server." Unbelievable.

    Jamie B.

    Went for omakase for a birthday, had an amazing dinner, the chef and waitress were very nice and the food was delicious! Can't believe this place doesn't have more reviews it's so good! One of my new fav sushi spots for sure, I will be back!

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Clara S.
    610
    1685
    2397

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jamie B.
    2
    95
    178

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John K.
    1
    38
    60

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Vivian L.
    257
    26
    59

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Shay N.
    115
    26
    1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    The sushi was amazing and Adam our server was on top of everything Saturday. 10/10 will definitely be coming back!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Amanda M.
    25
    31
    42

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bobby G.
    162
    13
    5

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mo B.
    488
    52
    25

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    so yummers the hostess isabel was soooo freaking kind and wonderful ik its not normal to tip hostesses but you should tip her!!!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mina S.
    211
    1
    6

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Joto Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Joto

    You might also consider

    Gaijin - Strawberry Donut

    Gaijin

    4.3(800 reviews)
    0.5 mi•Fulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side
    •$$

    now *this* is great okonomiyaki…read more coming from seattle and very recently having a disastrous experience at the only okonomiyaki spot in our area (you can read my past reviews for that), my two friends, my partner, and i were looking forward to having great okonomiyaki. thankfully, gaijin delivered! we came by on a friday night, and it was fairly busy. we wouldn't have been surprised if we were turned away since we didn't have a reservation. they ended up making space for us thankfully and we didn't even have to wait long at all. the inside of the place isn't that big, but it's not so tiny that it's cramped. when you sit down, if you are in a large enough party, you sit down in front of a flat stovetop to keep your okonomiyaki warm when the waiter brings it out to you. we started with some drinks. they were all very good - next time i'm trying that espresso goma-tini! i did get a lychee martini though, and it was a little strong of a pour but i still really enjoyed it. onto the okonomiyaki. we all ordered different ones so we could try them. every single one of them were delicious. i got the tofu osaka-style, my partner got the beef osaka-style, one of my friends got the fried shrimp osaka-style, and my other friend got the traditional hiroshima-style. each okonomiyaki is prepared perfectly, not too thick and not overly saucy (so it doesn't get soggy). the flavours are quite rich but also really nicely umami. sometimes, too rich of a sauce kind of overwhelms me, but the ratios are well-balanced. overall, truly recommend this place. probably some of the best okonomiyaki i've had. next time i'm in chicago, i'd love to go again. there's so many options to choose from and i want to try them all!

    I've been wanting to try Okonomiyaki for a long time, so when I saw that they had it I had to stop…read moreby! It's really cool in here because you can watch them make the Okonomiyaki in front of you! They had like a set meal going on which included soup and okonomiyaki and dessert, which was mochi donuts. The soup was pretty good, standard. The Okonomiyaki was such a big portion. I loved the little tempura bits on top and they were generous with the amount of shrimp. It's like a yummy savory pancake. I will say I didn't really enjoy the mochi donuts but I was so full I couldn't eat them until later so it may have been because they weren't as fresh and got hard. If you've been wanting to try Okonomiyaki you should check this place out!

    Photos
    Gaijin
    Gaijin - Pandan-Coconut Donut

    Pandan-Coconut Donut

    Gaijin - Old fashioned

    See all

    Old fashioned

    Momotaro

    Momotaro

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    0.3 mi•Fulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side
    •$$$

    The service was great, super attentive. Kind gesture with a signed birthday menu…read more Sushi was fresh, with simple but great flavors. Didn't love the wagyu bao buns since it was more of a ground meat, similar to a kabob. But overall the food was good, atmosphere was perfect date night/special occasion, and we will definitely be back.

    Tonight, we were in the West Loop and decided to try an establishment new to us. We chose…read moreMomotaro, since we love Japanese and Japanese influenced cuisine. We had to make a late reservation since nothing was available earlier. We tried walking in earlier and there was a 1 hour and 45 min wait. So we kept our reservation for 9:30. Upon entering, the manager and the host were very friendly and promptly sat us about 15 min early. The ambiance is really nice, but the music... is way to loud. You have to yell across a standard 4-seat tabletop to communicate. Since everyone has to yell, the crowd noise then amplifies this issue. I've never understood restaurants that try to be a nightclub. You can have music at normal levels to keep the energy without causing your patrons to yell. Once we were seated, the waitress came over within 5 minutes. She was friendly, but slow. After she offered us water, she was didn't return to the table for 20 minutes to take drink orders. After we ordered drinks, it was another 15-20 to help with the menus. We asked about portion sizes (shareable vs not shareable). We were told each plate was good for 2-4 people. I'm not sure what portion sizes she classified suitable for sharing... but no way were a majority of our dishes enough to share. We ordered edamame, which we were able to share. We really liked how they salted it, sometimes you get edamame and it's bland. We also ordered spicy tuna sushi (6 pieces), Komodo sushi rolls, pork chops (comes with 2 pieces), 2 orders of wagyu sliders (only 2 per order), hotate batayaki (3 scallops), shishito peppers (8 grilled peppers), and yakatori don (chicken bowl with rice and a soft egg). I have tried many Japanese restaurants and have been to Japan as well. Loved the food. To start with the good, we really liked the pork chops. They were on the rarer cooked side but delicious. The sliders were really good as well. Tons of flavor and each one was a decent size. These 2 items we felt were slightly over priced but felt we got a great food experience for the money. The shishito peppers were barely grilled and bland. They literally were no better than what my teenagers can do on the grill. Absolutely not worth $12 for peppers. Each sushi roll was decent but very small very overpriced for what you get. There is nothing special about either roll. I have gotten better spicy tuna in the city, that comes with 8 rolls for half of momotaro's price. The scallops were very fishy. I love scallops, and I wouldn't order these again... no way! $22 for such. Small serving that was too fishy compared to other establishments. My chicken bowl yakatori don) had a great presentation. That's where the dish ends. The toppings overpowered the chicken. The chicken tasted like plain boiled chicken that was so bland, literally no flavor to it. After we were done, the waitress came over about 15 min later, asking if we were interested in dessert. We told her no, we were full and ready for the check. We sat around for over 20 minutes waiting. I'm watching our server talking in the corner with 4 other servers. Laughing, on their phones, etc. after watching them for over 10 minutes I walked up to the front host and asked for a manager. The girl, was prompt, and very friendly. I discussed my dissatisfaction with the service. It was slow, terrible for the price point of the restaurant. The manager brought the check to me fairly quickly and apologized. She didn't ask what they could do to make it right, nothing. Not until after the bill was paid she conveniently asked what they could do. Little late at that point. Overall, we have been to many low and high end restaurants in Chicago... River North, West Loop,, Manhattan, Munich, etc... and this was about as bad of service as you can get. With all the options in the city, I don't recommend this one.

    Photos
    Momotaro
    Momotaro
    Momotaro

    See all

    High Five Ramen

    High Five Ramen

    4.0(1.1k reviews)
    0.3 mi•West Loop, Near West Side
    •$$

    I never leave negative reviews, but this experience was unacceptable. On 7/18/2026 at approximately…read more9:30pm-9-45pm My friend and I were waiting for our ramen, we watched one of the kitchen staff check the noodles by reaching into the bowl with his bare fingers, pulling out some noodles, and putting them directly into his mouth to taste them. Then wiped his fingers on a dirty rag and proceeded to finish making the bowls. A short time later, we were served that same bowl of ramen. Watching an employee use their bare hands and mouth on food that was then served to a customer was extremely concerning and completely unacceptable from a food safety and hygiene standpoint. It ruined the experience and made us lose confidence in the restaurant's food handling practices. I hope management takes this seriously, retrains their staff on proper food safety procedures, and ensures this doesn't happen to anyone else.

    First time here we were seated immediately! It was Thursday night around 10ish I'll say. The staff…read morewas super friendly and helpful! Very welcoming and attentive, but then again it's a hidden little ramen spot where everyone's huddled up at a bar pretty much lol The food was absolutely delicious! I got their signature ramen and the pork just melted in your mouth. Noodles were 10/10, broth even better.! Will be coming back for sure. Hopefully we have a similar experience with waiting and dining

    Photos
    High Five Ramen - Entrance into the restaurant, located in the basement

    Entrance into the restaurant, located in the basement

    High Five Ramen - Ramen

    Ramen

    High Five Ramen - Orange slush

    See all

    Orange slush

    Tanoshii West Loop - Hamachi, Sake and Hon Maguro Nigiri Spicy Tuna Special Roll Negi Hamachi Makimono  Shishito Peppers

    Tanoshii West Loop

    4.2(378 reviews)
    0.2 mi•West Loop, Near West Side
    •$$$

    I have had nothing but the best of times here. I am surprised it has taken me this long to write…read morethis wonderful review for the wonderful team here. It starts with the service, Michelle and her family do a phenomenal job in making sure they try to accommodate anyone and everyone and their preferences. They offer so much good advice on what to order based on what your likes and dislikes are. The ambience inside is subtle and has a nice dimmed lighting with greenery/plants galore. They have indoor and outdoor seating as well as boots that stretch into the back of the restaurant. It's a very nice date spot or family spot because they do have picnic tables outside as well. Now for the food, the quality of ingredients here is beyond exceptional. They use fresh ingredients and you can tell immediately. The fish is fresh and the combinations for the specialty rolls are out of this world. The rice is nice and soft and doesn't feel old like most places. The quality the fish is very fresh and does not smell. They have come up with great specialty role selections and pairings and even do customer specific rolls. They end each meal with a serving of mango, which is very unique and lovely to end your meal with as a pallet cleanser. This place is a hidden gem tucked away on the busy street of Randolph within West Loop. I need to say this more than once the food and quality of service here is beyond exceptional and everyone needs to make it out here to give them a shot. They also have a happy hour lunch that is worth checking out, which has Bento boxes. Love everything about this place and will definitely be coming back here for years to come

    I popped in for dinner. Was going to try omakase but it was pretty quiet so i decided to grab a…read morecouple snacks instead. The miso was good, a bit salty. The ginger house salad was delicious! Zesty and flavorful! This was the highlight of my visit. The squid nigiri was good. I would have preferred it not be torched but it was still good. I added the ponzu sashimi appetizer because the sauces sounded delectable. It wasnt quite as loaded with flavor and texture as Id hoped but it was still good. I would have loved a stronger essence of the accents of chili oil and sesame oils. My server Kaylie was a sweetheart, very warm and attentive. It was nice that they offer happy hour specials.

    Photos
    Tanoshii West Loop
    Tanoshii West Loop - Salmon & Avacado

    Salmon & Avacado

    Tanoshii West Loop

    See all

    TenGoku Aburiya - Chawanmushi
 OR
 Salmon Carpaccio

    TenGoku Aburiya

    4.1(155 reviews)
    0.2 mi•West Loop, Near West Side

    The staff are nice, the interior is clean but uninteresting, and the food is disappointing. The…read moremenu is also formatted badly, the udon lunch set comes with a standard "plain udon" that isn't even on the menu as far as I can tell. The way it's written implies that you can choose an udon from the udon section, not the case. Minor gripe, but annoying nonetheless. The maki is fine, spicy tuna was bland but decent quality and the shrimp tempura maki was good but also lacking. Personally I prefer a spicy tuna with more tuna texture and this is basically puree, personal preference I guess. The udon is where my meal fell apart. For a lunch menu focusing on udon I expected a more flavorful broth and noodles that weren't overcooked. It's not like the underlying flavor is bad or anything, it's just barely there at all. The dashi is very weak and one dimensional, and the noodles taste like plain flour with a spongy overly soft bite. The toppings are extremely basic, I can't even comment on them because I'm not sure if I hallucinated them having any flavor or not. They might as well not exist. The shredded cabbage side salad is also mediocre. Dressing was weak and the cabbage could've been cut thinner. People I went with told me "maybe you just got the wrong things" but I don't think a chef should have losing items on their menu to begin with. Overall quite disappointed considering the name attached to this place.

    Visiting from out of town someone suggested this restaurant. The restaurant is nicely decorated for…read moreits style. There are plenty of offerings. However to me it's pricey for single skewer items and even the maki. I was not that impressed with the food the best item I ate was the gyoza.

    Photos
    TenGoku Aburiya - Interior

    Interior

    TenGoku Aburiya - Green Tea Sesame Pudding
 OR
 Ice Cream w/ Senbei

    Green Tea Sesame Pudding OR Ice Cream w/ Senbei

    TenGoku Aburiya - Lollipop wings

    See all

    Lollipop wings

    Mako

    Mako

    4.4(197 reviews)
    0.3 mi•West Loop, Near West Side
    •$$$$

    We went for my birthday dinner this year and wow did it ever over impress! The restaurant is TINY…read moreand we were seating at the counter with 3 other couples. The ambiance is reserved but comfortable and people were dressed from casual nice to more formal. The chef in front of us chatted a bit and was very friendly, happy to answer questions while he was prepping our next course. We had the matched wine courses as well and every one of them was a perfect hit for the course served. The service and the food were simple amazing. I would suggest this to anybody looking for the best Omakase experience in Chicago!

    Masterclass in sushi, but the hospitality falls flat…read more I booked Mako for a special occasion, landing a rare 6:00 PM spot. The 23-course Omakase ($890 total for two, including two drinks) was culinary perfection,exquisitely crafted, beautifully presented, and fascinating to watch from the bar seating. The restaurant's interior is clean, moody, and Zen-like with dramatic lighting on the prep area. It starts off pin-drop silent, but as the night progresses, the room warms up into a pleasant communal energy. Unfortunately, the service did not match the quality of the food. The atmosphere among the staff was cold and stiff. Roles were confusing (asking for a oaper napkin resulted in odd glares), and when my guest unrolled their wet towel (oshibori), a staff member scolded them for not "pinching" it correctly. Furthermore, after calling ahead regarding a birthday, I was told they couldn't accommodate a candle or small dessert. Handing out a signed paper menu at the end of the night feels like a cheap substitute for real celebratory effort at a Michelin-level price tag. The chefs are brilliantly trained, but the awkward hospitality and rigid micro-aggressions meant we left without that warm, satisfied feeling you expect from fine dining. Great food, but the overall guest experience needs work.

    Photos
    Mako - Wall behind the chef area

    Wall behind the chef area

    Mako - The very first appetizer, not on the final food list

    The very first appetizer, not on the final food list

    Mako - Sakuramasu (cherry salmon)

    See all

    Sakuramasu (cherry salmon)

    Joto - japanese - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...