Eight seats. That is the only hard reservation at Momotaro, the counter facing Gene Kato's chefs, and it is the seat worth the two-week head start. Everything else books in days.
Eight stools. The sushi counter at Momotaro holds eight seats facing the chefs, and that single row is the only part of this three-floor West Loop flagship that puts up a fight. The Boka Restaurant Group opened Momotaro at 820 West Lake Street in 2014, and it has held a place in the Michelin Guide and a decade of acclaim as one of Chicago's most serious Japanese rooms. Executive Chef Gene Kato runs an izakaya, a binchotan robata grill and that counter across three floors. The booking job is simply deciding which floor you want, because the price and the difficulty both turn on it.
What it costs, and where the value sits
Budget $80 to $140 per person before drinks. The izakaya floor sits near the bottom of that band; a full sitting at the counter and the robata reaches the top. For a numerate table the value is clear. The counter sushi flight, paired by the glass from one of the deepest sake lists in the Midwest, puts the best of the kitchen in front of you while keeping the bill close to the menu price. Order broadly off the izakaya menu and you eat very well for the lower figure.
The sake list is the line most diners read wrong. Committing to a bottle pushes the per-head number up fast; flighting four or five pours across the courses costs less and shows more of the list. Ask the team to build the flight around what you are eating. That is the move that earns the sake programme its reputation without tipping the bill toward the ceiling.
How the booking actually works
Momotaro takes reservations on OpenTable across all three floors, with the izakaya and the main dining tables released on a rolling window and the eight-seat sushi counter as a separate, scarcer line. Tables clear at a few days out even on a weekend; the counter wants roughly two weeks for a Friday or Saturday. Book the moment your date is in range, and for a counter seat the system shows as full, call the restaurant directly on (312) 733-4818. The full menu, scores and floor-by-floor detail live on the Momotaro full review.
The easiest seat to get
A weeknight two-top on the izakaya floor, Sunday to Wednesday. Same kitchen, same sake list, a fraction of the counter's pressure, and the easiest version of the room to walk into on short notice. If the counter date you want shows full, the cancellation-refresh tactic works well on OpenTable, where released seats reappear in the days before service. For the wider method, see the impossible-reservation playbook and where Momotaro sits among the hardest reservations in Chicago.
Best for a first date or an anniversary
Book this room for a first date or a low-key anniversary because three things line up: a three-floor scale that absorbs a busy night without exposing the table, an eight-seat counter intimate enough to make the kitchen the conversation, and a sake list that hands you an easy shared project. Take the counter for the engaged version, or a two-top upstairs if you want room to talk. That is why Momotaro sits on our guide to the best first-date restaurants and anniversary dinners. Comparing the field? Weigh it against how to book Brindille and the city's hardest seat, Alinea, then start the wider field from the Chicago dining guide.
Not for
Not for a counter walk-in on a Friday or a guest who wants a hushed, single-room hush. Momotaro is a busy three-floor flagship, the eight counter seats are spoken for two weeks out on weekends, and the izakaya floors run loud at peak. Wrong choice for anyone expecting a quiet omakase temple or a same-night counter seat.
$80 to $140 for the Midwest's deepest sake list and an eight-seat counter. Book OpenTable two weeks out for a first date.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to book Momotaro?
Easier than its reputation, with one exception. Momotaro takes reservations on OpenTable across three floors, so the izakaya and main dining tables clear at a few days out even on weekends. The pressure sits entirely on the eight-seat sushi counter, which wants about two weeks of lead time for a Friday or Saturday. Book the counter early on OpenTable, or call (312) 733-4818 for a counter seat the system shows as full.
How much does Momotaro cost per person?
Plan on $80 to $140 a head before drinks, depending on the floor and the order. The izakaya menu sits at the lower end; a full run at the sushi counter and the robata grill reaches the top. The value play is the counter sushi flight paired by the glass from one of the deepest sake lists in the Midwest, which keeps the bill near the menu price rather than the wine-list ceiling.
What should I order at Momotaro?
The counter sushi flight is the highest-impact way into Gene Kato's kitchen: a clear view of every piece, prepared in front of you. Pair it with the binchotan robata, where the seasonal vegetables and proteins come off the grill, and the seasonal small plates from the izakaya floor. The sake list is the move most diners miss; ask the team to flight it across the courses rather than committing to a bottle.
What is the dress code at Momotaro?
Smart casual. The West Loop room is a polished three-floor space rather than a formal one, and a collared shirt or a considered top reads right across the bar, the izakaya and the counter. Jackets are not required and denim is fine if it is sharp. Leave the gym clothes and ball caps; this is a Boka Restaurant Group flagship and the room carries itself accordingly.
Is Momotaro good for a first date?
Yes, it is one of Chicago's quiet first-date wins. The three-floor scale absorbs a busy night so the room never feels exposed, the eight-seat counter gives an intimate seat with the kitchen as the conversation, and the sake list supplies an easy shared project. Book the counter for the engaged version of the evening, or a two-top on the izakaya floor if you want room to talk. Mention the date when you book.
Keep reading
For the rooms that genuinely fight back, see the 50 hardest reservations in the world, compare the platforms in OpenTable versus Resy, and start the city field from the Chicago dining guide.
Booking methods, menu prices and lead times change without notice; confirm directly on the restaurant's own booking page before you plan an evening around it. Restaurants for Kings is editorial, not sponsored. Some reservation links may earn an affiliate commission, which never affects a ranking or a score.