Momotaro

Review summary

1. KC

   KevinC VIP

   Chicago5 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We loved celebrating our birthdays at one of our favorite places and they didn’t disappoint.
   

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2. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Chicago1 review

   3.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 4

   Food was amazing. Just took way too long. We were there for an hour and a half and our entree came just before that. Service was extremely slow, we sat down and waitress took forever to come greet us, once she did, she didn’t come back to get our food order until the drinks were ready and we saw her waiting for them for a while since the bar was immediately packed at 4:30. Throughout service she barely came to ask us if we wanted another drink so we did not try and flag her down to try and order another. It was hard to get her attention, and she barely looked our way. We tried to flag her down for the bill, and ended up just giving her our check, but she didn’t offer any boxes for us to pack our entree that took a while to get here, and just quickly rushed off after dropping off the bill. Food was great otherwise
   

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3. P

   Paul VIP

   Chicago3 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Been to Momotaro many times and came to celebrate my daughter’s 21st birthday with her older siblings. She enjoyed the culinary experience, as this was her first time going. We really enjoyed ourselves and our full bellies.
   

   MomotaroResponded 4 days ago

   Hello Paul, Thank you for choosing Momotaro to celebrate such a special milestone with us! We're honored to have been a part of your daghter's 21st birthday and thrilled to hear that everybody enjoyed the experience. Moments like these are what make hospitality so meaningful, and we hope it was a night to remember. We look forward to welcoming you back for more celebrations in the future! Kyrylo Butenko Assistant General Manager Momotaro & The Izakaya
   

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4. A

   Adia

   Atlanta1 review

   5.0

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Momotaro continues to be my all time favorite restaurant!
   

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5. D

   Devon

   Chicago1 review

   1.0

   Dined on 1 March 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   I’ve been coming to Momotaro for years, this year however something changed. The host was rude, the food quality has degraded dramatically. I’ve spent thousands of dollars here and used to regards Momotaro as the best sushi on earth (and I’ve spent a lot of time in Japan) Very sad to see this establishment change the quality of its ingredients and seemingly hire the wrong people. The Izakaya downstairs - top notch
   

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6. R

   Robert VIP

   New York City11 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 28 February 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   This is my second time there and I didn’t think it could top the last time but it did! The freshest fish, awesome service and the presentation of everything was amazing.
   

   MomotaroResponded on 1 March 2025

   Robert! Wow! This absolutely made our day! 🎉 We’re beyond thrilled to hear that your second visit was even better than the first. Knowing that you enjoyed the freshest fish, awesome service, and beautiful presentation means the world to us. Thank you for your kind words—we can’t wait to welcome you back for round three! 💙🍣 Cheers, Merissa White General Manager Momotaro & The izakaya
   

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7. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New York City1 review

   5.0

   Dined on 28 February 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I made a reservation here for my partner’s birthday and it was an excellent experience, from start to finish. We were promptly welcomed to our table at our reservation time, where they greeted us with menus — one of which had a custom birthday message printed on it for my partner. I’d mentioned my partner’s name and occasion in my reservation notes, but wasn’t expecting the restaurant to include his name on the menu, which was immediately a nice touch to the evening. We tried a little of everything, much at the recommendation of our waiter who was very knowledgeable about the menu options. She was perfectly attentive throughout the dinner, and even brought out not one but two birthday desserts for my partner. One was complimentary and the other was the one I’d mentioned in my reservation notes (Maneki-Neko, five stars) which I said would be nice to have brought out at the end of our meal without saying anything in front of my partner. My partner was pleasantly surprised by all the subtle and welcoming birthday details the restaurant staff provided (I’m pretty sure every staff person we interacted shared well wishes!). The service here went above and beyond in small ways that added up to a much appreciated and thoughtful dining experience. It felt like they truly cared about us having a nice night. Not to mention every dish we tried was excellent.
   

   MomotaroResponded 5 days ago

   Thank you so much for your thoughtful and kind review! We’re truly honored that you chose to celebrate your partner’s birthday with us, and it means the world to hear that every detail—from the personalized menu to the birthday desserts—helped make the evening special. Claire will be so happy to know that her recommendations and service added to your experience! We always strive to create meaningful and memorable moments for our guests, and your words remind us why we love what we do. We can’t wait to welcome you both back again soon! Cheers, Merissa White General Manager Momotaro & The Izakaya
   

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8. A

   Andrew

   Dallas8 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on 28 February 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 1

   Not what it used to be. Food was definitely mediocre. Waitstaff very nice and apologized for food delays. Noise level intolerable. Used to love Momotaro but will never return!
   

   MomotaroResponded on 1 March 2025

   Hi Andrew, I’m truly sorry to hear that your recent experience didn’t live up to your past visits. We never want a guest—especially someone who once loved Momotaro—to leave feeling disappointed. While I’m glad our team showed care and acknowledged the delays, I regret that the food and overall experience fell short for you. Your feedback is deeply important to us, and I’ll be sharing it with our team to reflect on where we can improve. I truly appreciate you giving us a chance, and while I understand your decision, I hope there may be an opportunity in the future to regain your trust. Thank you, Merissa White General Manager Momotaro & The Izakaya
   

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9. NP

   NatashaP

   Chicago5 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on 28 February 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   While the food never disappoints, and the vibe is perfect, this was the first time we have ever needed to wait more than 10 min to even get to the host stand to check in for a table (and we walked in right on time maybe a 1-2 min early for our reservation). The line was long so there was nowhere to stand except in front of door when we walked in, when tried to get out of way the host staff kept having to cut through us some redesign of the host stand area or perhaps staggering of reservations is needed (when we walked out people were having to stand in entry way on stairs). Then the host called forward someone who had walked in almost 5 min after us just to check in - so paying no attention to the crowd. When I was visibly irritated by this the other host called me and my friend up, which was appreciated so as to immediately right the situation. After waiting a bit to get sat, the rest of the evening went smoothly - prompt service, food was great. This time around we tried the chef created nigirizushi options - really liked the aburi saba, we even ordered a second round of it.
   

   MomotaroResponded on 1 March 2025

   Hi Natasha, Thank you for your honest feedback. While I’m glad the food and service met expectations once you were seated, I’m truly sorry for the frustrating check-in experience. That’s not how we want to start your evening, and I understand how that could be frustrating. Your feedback on the host stand congestion and reservation flow is incredibly helpful, and I’ll be addressing it with the team to improve the process. I appreciate your patience and am grateful for your continued support. Looking forward to welcoming you back for another great meal (and more aburi saba!). Cheers, Merissa White General Manager Momotaro & The Izakaya
   

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10. P

    Peyton VIP

    Philadelphia3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 27 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    I always have a great time when going to Momotaro! The food is excellent, the ambiance is sublime. 10/10, I definitely recommend
    

    MomotaroResponded on 27 February 2025

    Peyton! Wow! This absolutely makes our day! We’re beyond thrilled that you always have a great time at Momotaro—our team pours so much heart into creating an unforgettable experience, and it means the world to hear that you love the food and ambiance. Thank you for the glowing 10/10 recommendation! We can’t wait to welcome you back for another amazing visit! Cheers, Merissa White General Manager Momotaro & The Izakaya
    

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