Itoko

Name: Itoko
Address: 3325 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL, United States, 60657-1417
Telephone: (773) 819-7672
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

4.8

488 Reviews

$31 to $50

Japanese

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2 people

20 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 47 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighbourhood gem
Good for special occasions
Great for brunch

Situated in Lakeview's iconic Southport Corridor, Itoko is a neighborhood Japanese and robata restaurant from Gene Kato, Executive Chef of Momotaro. “Itoko” meaning “cousin” in Japanese, refers to the connection with Momotaro, located in the Fulton Market District. The menu features the high level of ingredients and technique that Chicago has come to expect from Chef Kato, alongside a beautiful interior curated for the Southport neighborhood. The menu itself features uniquely interpreted sushi rolls that allow the high-quality fish to be the star of the sushi experience. In addition, an innovative beverage menu with a focus on cocktails & highballs highlights the relationship between the technique of the food created by the kitchen and how this is complimented by the beverage selection.

Private dining

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Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Japanese
Hours of Operation
Daily 16:30–22:00 Sat, Sun 10:30–14:00
Phone number
(773) 819-7672
Website
http://www.itokochicago.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Gene Kato
Private party facilities
We welcome you to explore our Private Dining options, perfect for any occasion.
Private party contact
our Private Dining Coordinator: (773) 819-7672

Location
3325 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657-1417
Area
Lakeview / East Lakeview
Cross Street
N Southport Ave + W Henderson St
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Wine

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Experiences

Let The Good Times Roll
US$50.00 per person
Prepaid
22 Jan 2025 only
18:30
Join us at Itoko on Wednesday, January 22nd at 6:30 PM for Let The Good Times Roll, a lively evening of unlimited food and sake for $50 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Indulge in a bottomless sake tasting station featuring a curated selection of sakes with Dila Lee of Komé Collective, a maki station offering fresh, hand-rolled sushi, plus a karaage and fried rice station. Savor delicious bites, sip on sake, and share good times with friends—tickets are limited, so reserve your spot today!
Chicago Restaurant Week 2025
24 Jan 2025 - 9 Feb 2025
From January 24 to February 9, 2025, join us for a special Restaurant Week celebration. Enjoy a thoughtfully curated prix fixe menu available for dinner nightly plus Saturday & Sunday brunch!

Popular dishes

Cucumber^US$12.00
seaweed, sesame seed, onion, spicy dressing
Crab SaladaUS$18.00
sweet crab, endive, kaiware, tempura onion
Tako KatoUS$18.00
sliced octopus, shiso, red onion, ponzu
Bluefin Tuna*US$18.00
apple, soy, ginger, puffed buckwheat
Scallop*US$16.00
serrano, avocado, nira oil, citrus
Spicy Salmon Dip*^US$14.00
salmon, perilla, fried garlic, spicy mayo, nori rice cracker

Hot

EdamameUS$8.00
MisoUS$8.00
fried tofu, maitake mushroom, scallion, wakame
GyozaUS$16.00
foie gras and pork filling, soy dipping sauce
ShishitoUS$12.00
black garlic mayo, bonito, lemon
Shaken Kato^US$16.00
crispy fried chicken wings, choice of original spice or fire spice
Hamachi KamaUS$26.00
aka miso glaze, daikon-shiso oroshi *subject to availability

Robata

Cooked Over Japanese Charcoal

ShiitakeUS$14.00
shiso, lemon
NegimaUS$14.00
chicken thigh, scallion, shiso
Salmon*US$15.00
teriyaki marinade
Slider*US$16.00
beef tsukune, bao bun, miso mustard
Skirt SteakUS$18.00
citrus ponzu, wasabi

Kazoku

Family Style Dishes

Whole BranzinoUS$32.00
shiso and shichimi crust, pickled bamboo shoot salad
Prime Striploin**US$38.00
8oz prime striploin, watercress salad, sukiyaki sauce
Tantan RamenUS$22.00
chicken broth, spicy pork, bean sprout, gailan, sesame seed
Oshima RamenUS$22.00
ginger miso broth, porkbelly, scallion, soy egg

Rice

Steamed RiceUS$4.00
Beef Chahan*US$22.00
wagyu beef, kaiware, maitake, soft poached egg
Chicken Katsu DonUS$18.00
crispy chicken cutlet, pickled carrot-daikon slaw, ginger mayo, katsu sauce, rice

Temaki Hand Rolls

Momo Jr.*US$9.00
tuna, spicy tako, pickled daikon, sweet soy
Shio Koji Salmon*US$10.00
avocado mousse, crispy salmon skin, trout roe
XO Scallop*US$10.00
diver scallop, xo sauce, scallion, puffed soba
Ebi Tom Yum^US$10.00
tiger shrimp, makrut lime, cilantro, crispy shallot
King Crab
ginger mayo, tempura shallot, lemon
- HalfUS$12.00
- FullUS$24.00
Mecha Kucha*
bluefin tuna, uni, kaluga caviar
- HalfUS$12.00
- FullUS$24.00
Three Piece Set*US$26.00
momo jr, x.o scallop, shio koji salmon

Specialty Maki Rolls

A5 Beef*US$24.00
maguro, asparagus, pickled onion, yuzu kosho
Momomaki*US$22.00
big eye tuna, spicy octopus, pickled daikon
YamaUS$22.00
crispy shrimp, snow crab, cucumber, sweet soy
Harumaki* ^US$22.00
(served riceless, wrapped in rice paper) lettuce, pickled daikon, hamachi, maguro, spicy shiso dressing

Chirashi Don*

Fish Over Rice

"TCD" Tuna ToroUS$35.00
kaluga caviar, pickled onion, sushi rice, nori
Jewel Bako "Chirashi Don Style"US$58.00
chef selection - 12 pieces of seasonal fish and caviar, with myoga salad, pickled watermelon radish, pickled ginger, nori sheet

Nigiri | Sashimi

Hamachi*
yellowtail
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$10.00
Madai*
sea bream
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$10.00
Hirame*
ikejime flounder
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$10.00
Sake*
faroe islands salmon
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$10.00
Akami*
bluefin tuna loin
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$7.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$12.00
Chutoro*
medium fat bluefin belly
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$10.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$18.00
Otoro*
fatty bluefin belly
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$12.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$22.00
Saba*
mackerel
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$10.00
Aji*
horse mackerel
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$10.00
Botan Ebi*
spot prawn
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$10.00
Yari Ika*
Japanese hokkaido squid
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$10.00
Hotate*
scallop
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$8.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$14.00
Uni*
sea urchin
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$10.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$18.00
Ikura*
marinated salmon roe
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$8.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$14.00
Unagi
barbecued freshwater eel
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$10.00
Tamago
sweet omelet
- Nigiri (1 Piece)US$4.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)US$6.00

Nigirizushi

Seared Japanese Mackerel*US$7.00
with daikon shoga ponzu
Seared Fatty Tuna*US$14.00
daikon, yuzu, sudachi ponzu
Hokkaido Hotate*US$11.00
scallop, uni, ikura
Kumamoto Beef To Hotate*US$22.00
garlic sauce, fried shiso

Makimono Classic Rolls

CucumberUS$8.00
AvocadoUS$8.00
KanpyoUS$8.00
Crispy ShrimpUS$10.00
Tuna*US$12.00
Spicy TakoUS$12.00
XO ScallopUS$12.00
Baby Shiitake MakiUS$12.00
Spicy Tuna*US$14.00
Negi Hamachi*US$14.00
Unagi CucumberUS$15.00
Negi Toro*US$16.00
King Crab CaliforniaUS$21.00

What 488 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.8Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Chicago / Illinois
Japanese
Chicago
Japanese

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Itoko offers a delightful dining experience with "delicious food and incredible all-round service." The ambiance is inviting, ideal for both special occasions and casual outings. Highlights include the wagyu fried rice, flavorful hand rolls, and King Crab Temaki. While some find it pricey, the quality and presentation make it worthwhile.

488 Reviews

A
Amy
Chicago
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on 8 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful restaurant. Excellent customer service and delicious food.
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K
Kerri
VIP
Chicago
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on 8 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of my favorite brunches in Chicago. Absolutely delicious!
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J
Jack
VIP
Chicago
28 reviews
4.0
28 reviews
Dined on 7 December 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Nice array of sushi and non-fish items. The sashimi was excellent.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 1 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful dining experience! Food and service was great, everything we tried(which was a ton) was amazing 🤩 Highly recommend!
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J
Jack
Chicago
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on 27 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Itoko is an excellent neighborhood spot. The quality of fish is great every time as is the service. We always enjoy it!
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C
Celina
VIP
New York City
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on 27 November 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
The food was delicious and the crab temaki hand roll was the outstanding. Great decor and ambiance. Great for a date night but tough for a large group if you want a family style meal. Service was mediocre, which was disappointing given prior glowing reviews.
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s
sonja
Chicago
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on 23 November 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
I've went to momotaro years ago and was quite excited to try out Itoko which is closer to where I live. I was hoping the meal would be on par, but the hot dishes fell short. Service was great, and space was good. (special) Crab and kabocha squash something (soup?)-They mentioned it was the first day for this dish so things were still being worked out. The soup was too rich and creamy to have more than a couple of spoonfuls. Could have used some nice crunchy bread. Server did take this feedback to the kitchen. (special) Shitaake Chawanmushi-probably the most disappointing dish of the night. I'm used to chawanmushi being light and silky. This was too firm and the shiitake flavor was one note and salty. Shishito Peppers-shishito peppers themselves were well cooked, but unfortunately smothered under a mountain of bonito flake. Shiitake Robata - surprisingly complex flavor, they got a great savory taste into it.Whole Branzino-Well cooked, nice flakey fish. The shichimi crust was very tasty and something I haven't had before. Very flavorful, nice umami taste. Tantan Ramen-Noodles were well cooked, but very heart-breakingly, there was an odd bitter aftertaste to the broth. Almost like something was burned and not in the good way. Across the board, the sushi was quite consistently good compared to the other hot/cold dishes. Rice was cooked well, fish was fresh tasting. XO Scallop Handroll - wish it could have been a lighter seasoning so the scallop could shine through more, but good texture. Unagi maki - right balance of the sauce to rice. (special) roll with shrimp tempura in the middle, slice of fish ontop -I cant remember exactly this was called, but I usually am not a fan of shrimp tempura rolls. This one had perfectly crisp tempura which just went so well with the rest of the roll. Dessert-a donut with chocolate center with some mouse/cream for dipping. Nice light dessert and finish to the meal. Overall a little pricey for the quality of food and portion sizes.
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T
Tomson
Chicago
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on 18 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had Miso Soup, Salmon Nigiri, Spicy Tuna Maki roll, and King Crab Maki roll. I loved my food but was then disappointed when I saw what the people next to me ordered. Looked phenomenal! Great service and I need to go back! :)
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W
Wendy
London
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on 13 November 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Love Itoko and frequent often. This visit was mixed. A $16 piece of nigiri was just not as good as prior visits. Tried a new roll with beef which was excellent. Our server forgot one of our dishes… even tho I reminded her of it when reviewing order. After food was served, no one checked in on us for solid 20+ minutes at which point we reminded her again (3rd time ordering dish). Server never apologized and it took another 15+ minutes to get item.
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C
Ciel
Philadelphia
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on 13 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food and attentive service! We love the shishitos with black garlic mayo and bonito flakes. The kabocha kakigori was very unique and perfect for fall. Dont miss the A5 specialty maki as well! The beef truly melts in your mouth.
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FAQs

Itoko is rated 4.8 stars by 488 OpenTable diners.

Itoko does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.