The Izakaya at Momotaro

Name: The Izakaya at Momotaro
Address: 820 W. Lake St, Chicago, IL, United States, 60607
Telephone: (312) 733-4818
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

621 Reviews

$31 to $50

Japanese

Top tags:

The Izakaya is located on the subterranean level of Momotaro. The Izakaya and its shared-plates pub-inspired menu echoes the Yokocho street scene of Tokyo. Narrow lounge-inspired ‘alleys’ around a central bar bedecked with hand-painted Japanese menus, moody neon lights, and vintage Tokyo street signs set the scene for the Izakaya’s direct nod to Tokyo’s most famous post-war black markets. Dark, energetic, and ripe with expectation, the Izakaya additionally offers a 30-seat bar featuring crafted cocktails, sakes, and a quality selection of Japanese whiskeys.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 2, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 28 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(312) 733-4818

Other options

Order online

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi, Seafood
Hours of Operation
Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
(312) 733-4818
Website
http://www.momotarochicago.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Gene Kato
Private party facilities
The Izakaya is located on the subterranean level of Momotaro
Private party contact
our Event Sales Manager: (312) 773-4818

Location
820 W. Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607
Neighbourhood
West Loop
Cross Street
Green
Parking Details
Valet is located on the corner of Lake & Green
Public Transit
#8 Halsted Bus at Lake Street. Green & Pink line at Morgan stop.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Popular dishes

EdamameUS$8.00
Japanese sea salt
Baby Green SaladUS$12.00
mizuna, carrot-citrus dressing
Uni Deviled EggUS$12.00
curry spice, chive, shiso
Miso SoupUS$8.00
house tofu, wakame, honshimeji mushroom
Nikkei Scallop CevicheUS$16.00
sashimi scallop, pickled persimmon, pine nuts, shiso oil
Blistered ShishitoUS$12.00
bonito mayonnaise, togarashi
Tuna Tostada*US$16.00
crispy nori, tuna tartare, avocado, pickled red onion, lime
Gyoza
pork & chicken filling, soy dipping sauce
- 6 PiecesUS$14.00
Satsumaimo FriesUS$9.00
Japanese sweet potato fries, miso mayo
Shake'n Kato WingsUS$16.00
kaarage chicken wings (choice of ramen or fire spice blends)
Mishima Skirt Steak*US$18.00
robata yaki, seasoned with Japanese sea salt

Tonkatsu

Berkshire Pork RibsUS$18.00
8oz baby back ribs, curry spice, white kimchi, ponzu, Asian chimichurri
Chicken KatsuUS$24.00
crispy panko-crusted chicken thigh, sweet and savory curry sauce, pickled turnip

Iza Classics

Uni PastaUS$23.00
uni, rock shrimp, shiso
Hamachi Kama (Collar)US$14.00
"kalbi" marinade, red miso crust, garic aioli
A5 Cup Noodle*US$38.00
sliced A5 tenderloin, pickled shishito, umami paste, soft-poached egg, shio tare
The Momo RoyaleUS$20.00
double-patty burger, house-made bao bun, satsumaimo fries

Rice

Yakitori Don*US$16.00
grilled chicken thigh, chicken tare, soft-poached egg
Chahan*US$22.00
stone bowl beef fried rice, wild maitake, soft-poached egg
Tamaki GoldUS$6.00
steamed short grain rice

Sashimi

garnished with myoga salad, pickled ginger, wasabi

Shima AjiUS$7.00
striped jack
AkamiUS$7.00
bluefin tuna loin
ChutoroUS$11.00
medium fat bluefin belly
OtoroUS$13.00
fatty bluefin belly
MadaiUS$7.00
snapper

Temaki

Momo JrUS$22.00
spicy octopus, tuna tartar, pickled daikon, nikiri
ScallopUS$16.00
diver scallop, yuzu kosho, pickled onion, fried garlic
Shio Koji SakeUS$16.00
salmon, avocado mousse, salmon skin, ikura
King CrabUS$26.00
king crab, ginger mayo, tempura shallot, lemon wedge

Donburi

Tuna, Tuna, TunaUS$28.00
akami, chutoro, tartar, nikiri, myoga salad, wasabi
Jewel BakoUS$38.00
Chef's selection of seasonal fish and caviar. Myoga salad, pickled watermelon radish, pickled ginger, nori sheet

Cocktails

Monk's JourneyUS$17.00
chicago distilling ceres vodka, aloe liqueur, matcha, lime
Before & AfterUS$16.00
broker's gin, manzanilla sherry, luxardo aperitivo, chamomile, lime
A Land ApartUS$16.00
espolon tequila, fruitful dragonberry, ming river baijiu, manzanilla sherry, coconut milk
Strawberry SwingUS$17.00
el guel mezcal, pineau des charentes, strawberry shiso cordial, thai spice bitters, lime
White LotusUS$17.00
flor de cana rum, jasmine, cardamom, red clover bitters
Kaba Old Fashioned*US$18.00
evan williams bourbon, mars iwai whisky, turbinado, cherry bark and sarsaparilla bitters

Highballs

Roku HighballUS$13.00
shiso & ginger infused roku gin, toki water
Toki HighballUS$13.00
suntory toki whisky, toki water
Haku HighballUS$13.00
hibiscus infused haku vodka, toki water

Sake

Honjozo

Dry MountainUS$14.00

Junmai

Itami OnigoroshiUS$13.00
served hot
- Kettle (500ml)US$52.00
Karakuchi Premium DryUS$16.00
Mirror of TruthUS$16.00

Junmai Ginjo

Black DragonUS$17.00
Nakao's SecretUS$16.00
Bride of the FoxUS$18.00

Junmai Daiginjo

Demon Slayer, OnikoroshiUS$19.00
The One with the ClocksUS$20.00
Pearls of SimplicityUS$21.00
Heaven & EarthUS$18.00

Nigori

Dreamy CloudsUS$17.00
tokubetsu junmai nigori
The Blue OneUS$16.00
junmai nigori

Umeshu

KiuchiUS$16.00

Flights

Japanese Whisky

1 oz Pour

Donyu Suru: An IntroUS$28.00
mars iwai; akashi blended; suntory toki
Nikka: by Japan's Oldest DistilleryUS$50.00
from the barrel coffey grain; taketsuru pure malt

Gin

1 oz Pour

Gin Shotto: SilvershotUS$34.00
ki no bi; nikka coffey; suntory roku

Sake

1.5 oz Pour

Mizu to Mai: Water + Rice = SakeUS$30.00
karakuchi premium dry (junmai); nakao's secret (junmai ginjo); dreamy clouds (nigori)
The Fifty Percent: Junmai DaiginjoUS$34.00
the one with the clocks; pearls of simplicity; demon slayer
U(mai)mi: Earthy & RichUS$31.00
black dragon; bride of the fox; heaven & earth

What 621 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.5Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Sort by

C
Ciro
Chicago
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and quite affordable which is a rarity. The Chahan was our favorite and the chicken sandwich was tasty too. One thing to note is that the roku highball has shiso-infused gin, which to me and my friend tasted like soap. So unless you’re familiar with shiso I wouldn’t recommend it.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
vip
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 21, 2023
overall3food5service1ambience5
After getting seated and ordering, it took over 40 minutes to even receive an appetizer. We understand busy nights and staffing issues, but we were not told that a problem was occurring in the kitchen. We later found out that our order was never put in and we only found that out by speaking out to our server. She failed to say anything to us after 40 minutes of just sitting there. After speaking to the manager and resolving those issues, the food was fantastic as always. One of my favorite spots. They handled the unfortunate circumstance with grace and I’m happy we were taken care of.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Really cool spot. You feel transported to Tokyo. The food was awesome!
K
Kyle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, great ambience, great service. Highly recommend the sweet potato fries and stone bowl beef rice!
SJ
SJTS
Chicago
10 reviews
vip
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall4food4service2ambience5
Overall we enjoyed the food, but the server did not act like she wanted to be there and was not very helpful with helping us decide what to order.
GZ
GraceZ
Chicago
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 16, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
Good place for some sake after dinner. Food is not authentic tho
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 10, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience5
Loved everything except for the inattentive service.
BK
BrinsleyK
Orlando
30 reviews
vip
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Overall really impressed with our experience. Great date night ambience. The menus are packed with heavy hitters from cocktails to food to desserts. We got the burger because we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try it, and it’s worth the hype. In our top 3. We will definitely be back to try more of the menu. Service was also amazing. Love the added explanations on the flights.
ST
STLdiner
St. Louis
81 reviews
vip
4.0
81 reviews
Dined on May 1, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience5
Very cool space! Cocktails were excellent and the food was very good as well. We tried some interesting dishes that we had never tried before and enjoyed them all!!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 29, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience4
Burger was overrated. Service was okay nothing outlandish. Prices were Chicago prices.
JM
JonM
New England
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Service is excellent. Food is some of my favorite in the city
H
Hann
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The ambience was incredible! Felt like a cross between cyberpunk and traditional Japanese. All the food was good, but the sashimi in particular was excellent. You can even hand roll your own, well, hand rolls, which was a lot of fun. Drinks were also good, ever so slighly overpriced tho, and the selection was just okay. Highly recommend Booze Box as a next stop if you'd like to keep up the ambience but want a larger selection of drinks!
B
Bigant205
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I had an amazing time. They were able to seat us earlier than our reservation. We were able to have a drink at the bar. The staff was amazing with answering questions and was very helpful. The food was amazing.
j
jerylq
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great place to eat with some friends! Definitely brings a high-end feel with quality to back it up. My server was super nice!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Stellar experience! Flavors were out of this world! The staff was incredibly attentive and made sure we had a great night. We will be returning!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was fantastic and the drinks were perfect.
n
natec44
Chicago
20 reviews
4.0
20 reviews
Dined on April 16, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
My nephew and I had a great experience celebrating his bday. It's pricey. I did order an espresso for dessert that never came. I was not charged for it but felt it was weird for a high-end restaurant to completely pretend I did not order it. No apology for not bringing it, etc... Otherwise, pleasant experience.
CH
CharisseH
Chicago
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on April 16, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Sexy bar. Fantastic cocktails. Tasty food.Just small portions.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great ambiance, delicious food and amazing service! Highly recommend!
JK
JonK
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 14, 2023
overall3food4service3ambience3
The food was good, but every fish had one little flaw. It was very loud and dark in the restaurant, the couple next to us needed to use her phone flashlight to read the menu. Not a bad experience but we like upstairs better.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 8, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Incredible food and an awesome atmosphere! I loved the vibe of this place and it would make a great date night spot. Will be back!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on April 6, 2023
overall2food3service4ambience3
Good food, but serving size was lacking; prepare to leave hungry. There are so many good restaurants in the area, just take a walk and investigate another place. Between the high prices, small portions, and dim lighting/loud music combo, the experience while novel for some, is not one I would recommend.
TF
TomF
Chicago
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 5, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
Overall good but nothing wowed us. The ambience was cool. Cocktails were very good.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 31, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and staff! Burger is a must try and the place
T
Tjack
Chicago
43 reviews
5.0
43 reviews
Dined on March 31, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We went for a birthday celebration and it was great. Everything on the menu was excellent. We have the lamb chops, the chicken wings, the dumplings and the tuna tostada. All amazing. But the best was the beef fried rice. It is a must have. We are definitely planning to go back.
H
Hugo
Chicago
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on March 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
All good - great time. Service was excellent and the food was outstanding and very tasty
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 22, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience5
The ambiance was awesome - great tasting food. We came for a birthday and while it was cool that the bday person received a menu that said “happy birthday”, they didn’t get to keep anything as it wasn’t personalized and they didn’t even get a dessert bday treat..
OT
OpenTable Diner
Milwaukee
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on March 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We love Momotaro and were excited to checkout The Izakaya. It was so great! We anticipated delicious food, but the ambience was great as well.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2023
overall3food2service2ambience4
Wasn't giving what TikTok told me it would give! :(
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on March 17, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience3
Went for the famous hamburger and it was very average and overpriced… And then got one of the craft cocktails that was horrible and also very overpriced
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is one of my favorite places to go for drinks! The bar is super chic and the menu is great.
CH
CristinaH
Chicago
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was fantastic and fresh. The environment was dark and intimate with very cute decor.
RO
ROBINR
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
food was amazing, staff was amazing, we so enjoyed this experience.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Miami - Dade
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
We were a group of 5 friends who just got put from dinning looking for some drinks and catch up so we reserved at Izakaya. When we arrived it was a bit early so we started at the bar while the table was ready. When we were seated the waiter came to ask for our food order and we told her that we were there just for drinks, she got mad and went to the host, she never came back to take our drinks order so after 45minutes we stood up and left. It was a nasty experience, we’ve heard amazing things from Momotaro but Izakaya for us was an awful experience service wise.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of the best burgers in Chicago
OT
OpenTable Diner
Minneapolis
2 reviews
vip
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 8, 2023
overall2food3service1ambience4
Location ambiance was nice, and dishes ranged from average to pretty good. Service was quite poor with regards to wait time and waiter was largely non present. We were stuck waiting over 75 minutes to get a sashimi order which then came out wrong, when burgers and rice ordered at the same time came out an hour earlier. The man attending to waters and clearing dishes was excellent and attentive, though.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
best meal we ever had!
E
Emily
Chicago
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great atmosphere, our server made fantastic recommendations, and we absolutely enjoyed our time. Will definitely be back!
H
Helen
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
10/10 a regular here, always love it but you will spend a pretty penny, everything on the menu is good
MS
MSYASIA
Chicago
62 reviews
vip
5.0
62 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Loved the Momo Royale burger! Also delicious cocktails & a cool vibe. Highly recommend!

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from The Izakaya at Momotaro using the Order Online button. The Izakaya at Momotaro also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (312) 733-4818.

The Izakaya at Momotaro is rated 4.7 stars by 621 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 2, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 28 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(312) 733-4818

Other options

Order online

820 W. Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607

Additional information

Cross Street
Green
Neighbourhood
West Loop
Hours of Operation
Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi, Seafood
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Parking Details
Valet is located on the corner of Lake & Green
Public Transit
#8 Halsted Bus at Lake Street. Green & Pink line at Morgan stop.
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Executive Chef
Gene Kato
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.momotarochicago.com/
Phone number
(312) 733-4818
Private party facilities
The Izakaya is located on the subterranean level of Momotaro
Private party contact
our Event Sales Manager: (312) 773-4818

The Izakaya at Momotaro

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Other options

Private dining

Additional information

Discover the Best Sushi in Chicago

The Best Places to Eat in Chicago

The Best Ramen in Chicago

Chahan

The Momo Royale

Scallop

Small Plates

EdamameUS$8.00

Baby Green SaladUS$12.00

Uni Deviled EggUS$12.00

Miso SoupUS$8.00

Nikkei Scallop CevicheUS$16.00

Blistered ShishitoUS$12.00

Tuna Tostada*US$16.00

Gyoza

Satsumaimo FriesUS$9.00

Shake'n Kato WingsUS$16.00

Mishima Skirt Steak*US$18.00

Tonkatsu

Berkshire Pork RibsUS$18.00

Chicken KatsuUS$24.00

Iza Classics

Uni PastaUS$23.00

Hamachi Kama (Collar)US$14.00

A5 Cup Noodle*US$38.00

The Momo RoyaleUS$20.00

Rice

Yakitori Don*US$16.00

Chahan*US$22.00

Tamaki GoldUS$6.00

Sashimi

Shima AjiUS$7.00

AkamiUS$7.00

ChutoroUS$11.00

OtoroUS$13.00

MadaiUS$7.00

Temaki

Momo JrUS$22.00

ScallopUS$16.00

Shio Koji SakeUS$16.00

King CrabUS$26.00

Donburi

Tuna, Tuna, TunaUS$28.00

Jewel BakoUS$38.00

Cocktails

Monk's JourneyUS$17.00

Before & AfterUS$16.00

A Land ApartUS$16.00

Strawberry SwingUS$17.00

White LotusUS$17.00

Kaba Old Fashioned*US$18.00

Highballs

Roku HighballUS$13.00

Toki HighballUS$13.00

Haku HighballUS$13.00

Sake

Honjozo

Dry MountainUS$14.00

Junmai

Itami OnigoroshiUS$13.00

Karakuchi Premium DryUS$16.00

Mirror of TruthUS$16.00

Junmai Ginjo

Black DragonUS$17.00

Nakao's SecretUS$16.00

Bride of the FoxUS$18.00

Junmai Daiginjo

Demon Slayer, OnikoroshiUS$19.00

The One with the ClocksUS$20.00

Pearls of SimplicityUS$21.00

Heaven & EarthUS$18.00

Nigori

Dreamy CloudsUS$17.00