Itoko

Q: Does Itoko offer gift cards?

Itoko does offer gift cards which you can purchase here .

4.8

577 Reviews

$31 to $50

Japanese

3325 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657-1417

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2 people

Apr 18, 2025

April 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 71 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Neighborhood gem
Good for groups

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.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Japanese
Hours of operation
Daily 4:30 pm–10:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:00 pm
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
Neighborhood
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

Gift card

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Experiences

Mother's Day Brunch
$0.00 - $65.00 per person
May 11, 2025 only
Celebrate Mom with a delicious 3-course prix fixe brunch, featuring all your favorite brunch beverages, in a vibrant and festive setting—because she deserves nothing but the best! A kids' menu will also be available, making it the perfect celebration for the whole family. $65 per guest for the prix fixe menu Prix Fixe Menu (with options in each course): o Complimentary Amuse – Ube Muffins o Course 1 (Family Style) – Deviled Egg, Cucumber, Spicy Tuna Dip, Steamed Buns & Lox o Course 2 (Choose One) – Yama Maki, Momomaki, Harumaki, or 3pc Nigiri o Course 3 (Choose One) – Chicken Katsu, Steak & Eggs, Egg Soufflé, Chirashi Don, Kabocha Pancake, or Honey Toast o Credit card required to hold the reservation ($20 per person cancellation fee)
Easter Egg Decorating Brunch
$30.00 - $45.00 per person
Prepaid
Apr 19, 2025 only
10:30 AM
Join us for a hoppy and colorful Easter brunch in the Kinjo Room, where you can let your creativity shine with egg decorating while enjoying a delicious meal! We'll have bento boxes for both kids and adults, so everyone can sip, snack, and celebrate while bringing their egg designs to life. Adult tickets are $45, and kids' tickets are $30. Adults will have a choice of Shiitake (savory grilled mushrooms), Negima (juicy grilled chicken and scallion skewers), or Skirt Steak (tender, flavorful cuts grilled to perfection) for their bento. Each bento also comes with a 6-piece Salmon Avocado Roll, crispy pan-fried Gyoza, comforting Miso Soup, and a refreshing Side Salad to round out the meal. For the little ones, we’re serving up kid-approved favorites! They can choose between a Sushi Set (fresh cucumber and tuna rolls), Yakitori (grilled-to-perfection chicken skewers), crispy Chicken Katsu (Japanese-style fried chicken), or golden-fried Shrimp Katsu—all served in a fun and delicious bento box. It’s the perfect way to celebrate Easter with great food, festive fun, and a little extra creativity!
Let The Good Times Roll
$65.00 per person
Prepaid
Apr 23, 2025 only
6:30 PM
Join us at Itoko on Wednesday, April 23rd at 6:30 PM for Let The Good Times Roll, a lively evening of unlimited food and sake for $65 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Indulge in a bottomless sake tasting station featuring a curated selection of sakes, 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!

Private dining

Popular dishes

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

Hot

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

Robata

Cooked Over Japanese Charcoal

Shiitake$14.00
shiso, lemon
Negima$14.00
chicken thigh, scallion, shiso
Salmon*$15.00
teriyaki marinade
Slider*$16.00
beef tsukune, bao bun, miso mustard
Skirt Steak$18.00
citrus ponzu, wasabi

Kazoku

Family Style Dishes

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

Rice

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

Temaki Hand Rolls

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

Specialty Maki Rolls

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

Chirashi Don*

Fish Over Rice

"TCD" Tuna Toro$35.00
kaluga caviar, pickled onion, sushi rice, nori
Jewel Bako "Chirashi Don Style"$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)$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$10.00
Madai*
sea bream
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$10.00
Hirame*
ikejime flounder
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$10.00
Sake*
faroe islands salmon
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$10.00
Akami*
bluefin tuna loin
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$7.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$12.00
Chutoro*
medium fat bluefin belly
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$10.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$18.00
Otoro*
fatty bluefin belly
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$12.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$22.00
Saba*
mackerel
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$10.00
Aji*
horse mackerel
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$10.00
Botan Ebi*
spot prawn
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$10.00
Yari Ika*
Japanese hokkaido squid
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$10.00
Hotate*
scallop
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$8.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$14.00
Uni*
sea urchin
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$10.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$18.00
Ikura*
marinated salmon roe
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$8.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$14.00
Unagi
barbecued freshwater eel
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$6.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$10.00
Tamago
sweet omelet
- Nigiri (1 Piece)$4.00
- Sashimi (2 Pieces)$6.00

Nigirizushi

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

Makimono Classic Rolls

Cucumber$8.00
Avocado$8.00
Kanpyo$8.00
Crispy Shrimp$10.00
Tuna*$12.00
Spicy Tako$12.00
XO Scallop$12.00
Baby Shiitake Maki$12.00
Spicy Tuna*$14.00
Negi Hamachi*$14.00
Unagi Cucumber$15.00
Negi Toro*$16.00
King Crab California$21.00

What 577 people are saying

Itoko reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Chicago
Japanese

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Itoko offers a delightful dining experience with "incredible food" and "phenomenal service." Guests rave about its "creative menu" and "fresh ingredients," making it a top choice for those seeking "quality sushi" and Japanese dishes. The "cozy yet elevated ambiance" and attentive staff enhance the experience, perfect for special occasions.

577 Reviews

L
Luis
Chicago2 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We celebrated my wife’s birthday and it was incredible, our server was super nice and explained the dishes and drinks to us, everything was delicious. Beautiful place, will be back
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S
Sophie
Chicago6 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I love Itoko and will always go back! I do wish we were allowed to order as we went and didn't have to put in everything at once though I realize that's probably tougher for the kitchen! Everything on the menu is good 10/10
ItokoResponded 5 days ago
Hello Sophie, I'm thrilled to hear that you love Itoko and plan to return! It's wonderful to know that you enjoyed the menu and found everything to be good. Although we prefer to take the order all at once, we're more than happy to accommodate any way you would like to enjoy your experience. We're always looking for ways to improve, so your feedback is valuable to us. We're looking forward to serving you again soon. Thanks for choosing Itoko! Best, Rachel Evaristo
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S
Shanna VIP
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined on April 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Food was all really fresh and delicious. The special cuts of nigiri and maki were incredible. Highly recommend!
ItokoResponded 6 days ago
Hi Shanna, Thank you for your wonderful review! Your recommendation means a lot to me. I appreciate your feedback and will continue to work on making each dining experience better. We look forward to welcoming you back to Itoko soon! Rachel Evaristo General Manager
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S
S
Portland3 reviews
2.0
Dined on April 6, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Atrociously over priced— mediocre food and cocktails. Great vibes, service was good. Will not return due to value.
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A
Ama VIP
Chicago22 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Loved every bite I️ ate. The food was fresh and flavorful.
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S
Sophia VIP
Chicago4 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Loved the high-end but comfortable feel of this place, staff were so nice but tbh portions were so small. Nonetheless, delicious food and would be a perfect HH or date night spot 🥂 The manager Adam was super nice and gave our table a special birthday treat which was so nice and fun. Will def be back
ItokoResponded 6 days ago
Hey Sophia, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I'm thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your experience at Itoko! I understand that our portion sizes didn't quite meet your expectations. Your feedback is invaluable, and I'll certainly take it into consideration. I'm also delighted that you had a special birthday treat for your table, and hope to see you again soon, perhaps for another date night spot or even a dinner at Itoko! Rachel Evaristo General Manager
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H
Hillary VIP
Chicago1 review
5.0
Dined on April 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful birthday celebration! Itoko made everything so special
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OT
OpenTable Diner VIP
Chicago1 review
5.0
Dined on April 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Staff were fantastic, and the food was as amazing as always. Our waitress and the kitchen were able to rustle up my favorite hand roll off the dinner menu even though it isn’t on the brunch menu. They went above and beyond!
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A
Andrea
Chicago2 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our servers were wonderful and helped recommend dishes we might like based on our initial order; their suggestions were spot on.
ItokoResponded 5 days ago
Thanks for visiting, Andrea! I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed your dining experience at Itoko. It's great to know that our servers were able to help you choose dishes that you would have otherwise not tried. Your positive feedback on our food, service, and value is greatly appreciated. We strive to provide a memorable experience for all our guests. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Best, Rachel Evaristo General Manager
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I
Isabella
Greater Boston3 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I LOVE this place. First the hostesses totally saved our night by getting us a table after we lost our initial reservation somewhere else due to traffic. Then our server was phenomenal—steered me to a much better cocktail than the one I was distractedly ordering. And for being such a cool, incredible adult restaurant, they have the kids’ menu/experience down. Our server asked about putting our two-year-old’s order in immediately, it was out so fast, they had crayons and paper, and the food came in a Totoro bento box. I left this experience GLAD we’d sat in traffic for an hour and missed our other reservation. Thank you Itoko!
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FAQs

Itoko is rated 4.8 stars by 577 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.