ITO Japanese Cuisine in Köln

Wir haben das Überraschungsmenü genossen und waren total begeistert. Ein wundervoller Abend. Vielen Dank. Das Essen ist außergewöhnlich, vielseitig und sehr lecker. Sehr guter Service.

Ein exzellentes japanisches Restaurant, in der ich gerne gehe. Einzig der Pellegrino-Sprudel, transportiert aus Italien, macht weder ökologisch Sinn noch passt es zum Branding. Das wäre für mich der fünfte Stern.

Ein rundherum schöner Abend mit außergewöhnlich guter Küche

Wie immer top! Tolles Essen, beste Qualität und freundlicher Service.

Ein unglaubliches Restaurant… best Japanese Food ever… an den Saucen erkennt man den guten Koch… und dieser ist brillant! Ein Must.

Sehr guter Service, erstklassiges Essen. Wir haben uns sehr über den Besuch gefreut

Sehr leckeres Essen und freundliche Bedienung

Wir waren zum zweiten mal im Ito. Um es auf den Punkt zu bringen: ein vollumfänglich gelungener Abend.

Die Zutaten sind wirklich von höchster Qualität und sind jeden Euro wert.

Der zweite Besuch bei Ito, diesmal mit einem Freund zusammen. Und es war wieder ein außergewöhnlicher Abend. Wir hatten uns für das Menu entschieden mit dem 6. Gang. Alles Speisen wurden hervorragend angerichtet von einem sehr exzellenten Personal serviert. Geschmacklich war es eine Gaumenfreunde. Bis zum nächsten Mal.

Es war sehr lecker und vielen Dank für Ihre Gastfreundschaft.

Toll, ein Erlebnis! Wir haben Geschmackserlebnisse gehabt, ungeahnt in der Kombination und super lecker

Hervorragendes Essen und sehr guter Service. Ein tolles Erlebnis.

Es war wieder ein super leckeres kulinarisches Erlebnis

Wie immer einfach nur wunderbar und phänomenal lecker!!!

Wir hatten einen Gutschein für unsere Hochzeit. Dieser war nur drei Jahre gültig. Es ist nichts angerechnet worden. Essen war mittelmäßig.

Essen war sehr gut, aber der Hauptkellner war weder aufmerksam, noch Service-orientiert oder besonders freundlich - leider ein deutlicher Abstrich in der sonst positiven Erfahrung.

Wie immer - sehr gut!!! Wir kommen gerne wieder!!!

Der absolute Genuss. Sushi absolut top, das Steak ebenfalls

Hier stimmt einfach alles: die Qualität der Speisen, der Service, die Aufmerksamkeit und Freundlichkeit der Mitarbeiter.

Ich würde mir wünschen, die angebotenen Sushirollen zusätzlich als Foto zu sehen. Ich muss jedesmal nachfragen was das oder das ist und das nervt.

Ein absolutes kulinarisches Highlight! Im ITO stimmt einfach alles – von der Qualität der Zutaten über die kreative Präsentation bis hin zum außergewöhnlichen Geschmackserlebnis. Jeder Gang war perfekt abgestimmt und wunderschön angerichtet. Besonders beeindruckend waren die frischen, zarten Nigiri und die aromatischen Zwischengänge, die jeden Bissen zu etwas Besonderem gemacht haben. Der Service war ebenso herausragend: aufmerksam, freundlich und genau im richtigen Moment präsent. Man fühlt sich willkommen und merkt, dass hier mit Leidenschaft und echter Wertschätzung für gutes Essen gearbeitet wird. Auch das Dessert war ein Traum – ein kunstvoller Abschluss, der den Abend perfekt abgerundet hat. Für mich gehört das ITO eindeutig zu den besten Adressen in Köln. Wer Genuss auf höchstem Niveau sucht, ist hier genau richtig. Absolute Empfehlung! 🍣✨

Wir waren vorletzte Woche im ITO und haben dort den Geburtstag meines Partners gefeiert. Das Essen war hervorragend, alles war perfekt abgestimmt und jeder Wunsch wurde umgesetzt. Das war das beste Dessert, das ich jemals gegessen habe. Einfach nur traumhaft! Der Service war außerdem sehr freundlich und zuvorkommend und wir haben uns durchgehend wohlgefühlt.

Danke für den großartigen Abend - und ganz besonders dafür, dass Sie so meisterlich auf unseren kulinarischen Sonderwunsch eingegangen sind. Alles war köstlich, der Wein ebenfalls großartig und der Service perfekt.

Qualitativ hervorragendes Essen. Wir werden wieder kommen und das Restaurant weiterempfehlen.

Im Großen und Ganzen war es sehr nett. Leider hat der Tunfisch (als Sashimi und Sushi gegessen) nicht frisch geschmeckt.

Hervorragendes Essen, super freundlicher und aufmerksamer Service.. Wir kommen gerne wieder !!!

Sehr feine Küche, kompetenter und sehr freundlicher Service. Die Preise für die Leistung sind angemessen. Essen war super, wenn auch etwas überschaubar. ;)

Sehr gute Japanischeküche. Gemütlich und sehr ruhig.

Modernes japanisches Restaurant Nähe Friesenplatz in Köln. Stylisch eingerichtet, teils eng gestellt. Traditionelle und moderne Gerichte. Überraschende, sehr gelungene Kompositionen von herausragender Qualität. Hochpreisig aber angesichts der Qualität angemessen. Nur die Weinbegleitung konnte da nicht mithalten. Teils sehr passend, teils belanglos, dafür aber mit großem Selbstbewusstsein präsentiert. Service war sehr freundlich-professionell.

Tolles Omakase Menü, schöne Atmosphäre und sehr netter Service :)

Außergewöhnlich gut in allen Belangen.

Wir hatten das fünf Gänge Menue und es war ein Genuss für alle Sinne! Und das in einer angenehmen und entspannten Atmosphäre. Absolut empfehlenswert.

Pretty good. Enjoyed the freshness of the food.

The evening at ITO will forever remain in my partner's and my memory. From the thoughtful arrangements beforehand and the attentive service to what was probably the best meal we've ever had the pleasure of enjoying, this experience was simply unparalleled. Every course of the omakase menu was prepared with palpable dedication and perfection. The wine pairings were superbly matched and complemented the flavors perfectly. A culinary rollercoaster ride through refined Japanese cuisine, whose taste sensations were out of this world. At least, we had to hold onto the table with every course to avoid falling off our chairs in sheer delight. Oishii! A huge thank you to Kengo and the entire ITO team for an unforgettable evening and a truly exceptional experience. PS: She said yes!! 😊

Not a typical restaurant, but a quiet culinary journey. The omakase at ito is characterized by precision, respect for the ingredients, and impressive clarity of flavors. Every course is perfectly balanced, nothing is overloaded, everything feels thoughtful and serene. The service is attentive yet discreet; you feel invited, not served. An evening that doesn't make a loud impression, but leaves a lasting impression. Highly recommended.

Phenomenal Experience - A Must in Cologne! We had an incredible evening at Ito. We opted for the tasting menu and decided to add the Black Cod and the Wagyu beef—both were absolute standouts and worth every penny. ​The US Angus beef that accompanied the Black Cod course was just as impressive as the Wagyu; the quality of meat here is clearly top-tier across the board. Every dish arrived with beautiful presentation that felt like art, but more importantly, the aesthetics only served to elevate the fantastic, complex flavors in each course. ​If you’re looking for high-end Japanese cuisine in Cologne with impeccable execution, this is the place.

We‘ve been here once in 2023 and came back after two years for a second visit and they were able to keep up with our high expectations that we gathered during first visit. We had the Omakase twice and everything was outstanding each time. The omakase is a perfect mix of small dishes , sashimi, sushi and mains and the different flavours they create on you’re plate are perfectly complementing each other within each dish. They were even able to accommodate some dietary preferences with no drop in quality and taste. It might be on the pricier side but worth every penny.

Es war ein sehr schöner Abend, wir kommen gerne wieder.

We wanted to relive our memories of our vacation in Japan and many restaurant visits by going to Ito. We were more than delighted. The sushi combination for two was incredibly delicious, and we were very satisfied. The creations were incredibly diverse, the ingredients were of high quality, and the technical skill was impressive. We will definitely be back, thank you!

Das Menü war hervorragend, tolle Kombinationen und Aromen.

The food was incredibly delicious and definitely worth the price. Unfortunately, I'm too broke to afford it, so I probably won't be back. If you can't get full after spending €100-150 per person, it's more of an experience than a meal. The service was very friendly and the atmosphere was pleasant.

Wir waren jetzt das dritte Mal bei Ito essen, und ich muss sagen, dass sich die Küche von mal zumal gesteigert hat. Das Menü war sehr abwechslungsreich, zusammengestellt und äußerst schmackhaft. Ito hat langsam einen Michelin Stern verdient.

Ein wunderschöner Abend, preislich sehr fair und das Essen war hervorragend

Wer gutes Japanisches Essen mag und gerne einen guten Wein dazu trinkt ist im Restaurant Ito genau richtig.

Wundervoller Abend mit Top Service und einem unglaublich tollen Essen. Jederzeit gerne eine Wiederholung wert.

Großartiges Überraschungsmenu, eines der besten Essen, die ich je gegessen habe!

Mal wieder ein völlig gelungener Abend. Alles passt!Tolles Essen, tolle Weine. Man hat einfach einen ganz besonderen Abend. Jederzeit wieder. Grüße

Japanische Küche hervorragend kombiniert mit fantastischen Weinen. Das Omakase 6 Gänge Menü lässt keine Wünsche offen. Von Thunfisch-Tartar, Krustentier- Chawanmushi über Perfektes Sashimi und Sushi bis zum Wolfsbarsch und Onglet in Vollendung. Begleitet von gezielt kombinierten Sake und Weinen und einem unglaublich aufmerksamen Service war es ein großartiges Erlebnis, ein wirklich unvergesslich schöner Abend. Danke!

Sensationell gute Qualität. Von der hervorragend Misosuppe bis hin zum sehr gutes Sushi!

Es war ein rund herum gelungener Abend und sicherlich nicht mein letzter Besuch

Sushi and aperitif really recommended.

Sehr gute japanische Küche und eine passende Weinauswahl sorgen für eine schöne Zeit

We, a married couple with our 23-year-old daughter, had dinner at ITO. We had the 5-course menu twice and a sushi meal once. Overall, it was OK, but the quality didn't match the price. There were some excellent taste experiences that will definitely remain in our memories. This included, in particular, the initial greeting from the kitchen, which kicked off the evening with an absolute delicacy. Also notable was the fact that the sushi course was prepared with two types of tuna, which offers guests with only a moderate level of familiarity with Japanese cuisine the opportunity to experience the difference between pink belly meat and red back meat. Nevertheless, the menu also included courses that offered only moderately exceptional dishes. Whether or not you'll be delighted by them is a matter of taste; for us, it was more in the category of "you can eat well." We found the ambiance very appealing, and unlike other reviewers, we particularly enjoyed the subdued noise level. The tables were by no means too close together. The service wasn't unfriendly, but the host lacked empathy. In this price range, I expect a bit more personal attention. What was unpleasant was the fact that our daughter, who certainly doesn't look or dress like a toddler, was addressed informally by the service staff. Even if you don't judge a restaurant visit by the condition of the restrooms, the uncleanliness of the men's restroom and the used paper towels in an open basket left an inappropriate impression. In conclusion: it was by no means a disastrous evening, but there won't be a repeat visit.

Das Essen war köstlich und qualitativ hochwertig! Man zahlt zwar viel Geld dafür, aber es ist jeden Euro wert! Ich gehe sehr gerne nochmal ins ITO!

Absolutely delicious; we had 6 fantastic courses with wine pairings that perfectly matched each other. We're not particularly wine connoisseurs, but the pairing was very easy to follow, even for us. The food was magnificent, a wonderful taste experience. The service was very good for two-thirds of the dishes; one colleague was a bit robotic with his repetitive phrases, but he wasn't listening. On the other hand, the two-thirds mentioned were very personal and friendly. The clientele is a bit posh, but the place isn't. The total price isn't regularly affordable for us, but the money was well spent!

My personal favorite Japanese restaurant in Cologne. I've been there for lunch and dinner and was never disappointed. High prices but incredibly good food, great service—I'll gladly return!

I'll tell you about my negative experience visiting: 1) It turns out that if there are four or more of you, you're required to order the tasting menu for €109 per person. You simply can't order à la carte; no one warned us about this when we made our reservation for six people. 2) The main course was fried bread, followed by tuna tartare. Our waiter dropped one sideways on the table and then returned it to the plate with his hand. 3) In the first room, a sushi chef prepares dishes. He has a burner that he uses regularly, but there's no exhaust hood, so you're stuck with the smell. 4) Of all the food, the only good ones were the sushi and sashimi.

Wir sind sehr freundlich empfangen und hervorragend bedient worden, die Suppe und der Salat waren sehr, sehr lecker 😋! Wir kommen wieder!

First-class Japan. Simply a dream from start to finish. We had the set menu for 109 euros, which is absolutely fantastic value for money. I highly recommend the restaurant.

The omakase menu is highly recommended. I would definitely order the Wagyu option again. After two meals, I enjoyed it with joy and attention. Many thanks to the entire team. A small request: Don't leave guests out in the cold if they arrive five minutes early.

Ich würde wieder hingehen. Sehr schmackhaft. Weinbegleitung konnte nicht überzeugen

I recently visited this restaurant in Cologne after a friend’s recommendation, especially since he compared it favorably to Nagaya in Düsseldorf (one of my favorite Japanese fine dining spots within Germany). Given that, I came with high expectations. The experience, however, fell short for me in several ways. Food & Flavor • The first few courses were fine, but from around the third course onward, the seasoning was consistently too heavy. Several dishes were overly salty, while the dessert leaned excessively sweet. Fine dining usually emphasizes balance and letting the ingredients speak for themselves, which I felt was totally missing here. Many ingredients felt like thrown in together, without putting thoughts into what they’re trying to complement. • The quality of the wagyu and fish was not what I’d expect at this price point. Both were at times chewy instead of melting in the mouth, and the wagyu in particular was uncomfortably fatty and paired with an overly salty sauce. • Nigiri was served pre-seasoned (with soy sauce in the rice and wasabi already added), yet surprisingly tasted rather flat. We even found ourselves dipping into the soy sauce provided at the table, which is unusual for fine dining sushi. • The one highlight was the tuna tartare on warm crispy bread with truffle – this dish stood out for its thoughtful balance and layered flavors. Service The service was attentive in terms of speed and refilling water, but explanations of the courses were inconsistent, and interactions felt somewhat mechanical rather than engaging. Overall Impression I wouldn’t say the food is horrible. But if they want to label themselves as fine dining, there’s still a very long way to go because the value simply wasn’t there. At this level of dining, details matter – both in ingredient quality and refinement of flavor. Compared to Michelin-starred Japanese restaurants in Europe, it was clear to me why this restaurant does not yet hold a star. As someone who treats such meals as a special indulgence, I left feeling that the experience wasn’t worth the journey or the calories. While the evening wasn’t “bad” by casual dining standards, I would not recommend it to those looking for true fine dining Japanese cuisine.

Wir hatten einen schönen Abend. Aufmerksames Personal, tolles Essen und guter Wein. Was braucht man mehr!

Gutes Essen, aber zu verspielt um japanisch zu wirken. Zweifelsfrei gut sind alle Zuraten.

Exzellentes Essen zu gehobenem Preis. Wir werden sicher wiederkommen. Service ein Stern abzug, weil wir statt Sashimi kleine Portion die große bekamen... Aber bei der Qualität verzeihlich

We were at ITO yesterday for a good friend's birthday. We received an immediate, warm welcome and had a truly lovely evening. The entire restaurant is very inviting thanks to its wood-effect decor, creating a calming atmosphere. My friends opted for the seven-course omakase menu, including a wine pairing. I chose the North Sea crab as a starter and the duck from the omakase menu as my main course. Everyone was incredibly satisfied with the dishes, the presentation, and the variety of flavors. It was truly a wonderful taste experience that we were treated to here. Thanks to the kitchen's special creations, we were able to try new things that we probably wouldn't have ordered otherwise. The service staff was relatively young and very friendly, yet extremely competent and accommodating. All in all, it was a very successful evening that we won't soon forget and will definitely repeat at our next event.

Ein rundum gelungener Abend mit einem tollen Essen. Der Service war wirklich sehr gut.

Lunch Menü mit sehr fairem Preis-Leistungsverhältnis. Angenehme Tischkultur. Der Wildkräutersalat ist hervorragend.

I spontaneously decided on the omakase menu and didn't regret it. The portions are (unfortunately) not particularly large, but I was truly overwhelmed by the taste. A lovely restaurant with an outdoor seating area. Friendly and attentive service. It's great that something like this exists in Cologne!

The food is really, really good. The sushi for two was absolutely perfect; a definite recommendation for sushi lovers. The ambiance is very nice. The service is also excellent; the staff are really friendly. The only negative star is the wait time. From the starter onwards, the wait for the sushi was at least an hour. But we got a little something on the house, which was really delicious. So, all in all, a very nice restaurant.

Extremely good and special food. Very gourmet with small portions, but really delicious. This is also reflected in the price... So it's more of a place for a special occasion, but the taste is definitely worth it.

Wirklich sehr besonderes und extrem leckeres Essen. Preislich aber auch ziemlich hoch angesetzt.

We had the 5-course menu. It was certainly on the high side, but the quality of the food was truly excellent. I've never eaten such good sushi in my life. The service was very friendly and attentive. We will definitely be back.

Wir waren das erste mal dort und haben das 5-Gang-Menü probiert. Sehr lecker, angenehmer Service und ausreichend. Wir werden definitiv wieder kommen und dann die Sushi-Auawahl probieren.

Sehr gutes Essen. Service erstklassig. Wie man es bei gehobener Küche erwartet. Komme auf jeden Fall wieder. Vielen Dank

I actually wanted to go to one of my usual restaurants, but unfortunately they were on vacation, so I started looking for an alternative. I usually associate Japanese with Düsseldorf, but ITO proved me wrong. You can also enjoy delicious and perfect Japanese fine dining in Cologne. I had the Omakase menu, which I was very happy with, and the wine pairing was perfect. It started with two greetings from the kitchen: a seaweed basket with beef tartar, followed by a brioche with tuna tartar and truffle. Then the actual menu began with sea char with green strawberries and asparagus and a fermented green strawberry broth. This was followed by yellowtail sashimi with ponzu salad. After that came sushi (so delicious), salmon, and much more. The main course of monkfish with asparagus foam was simply dreamy. The dessert of sour cherries and coconut was simply perfect.

Absolutely recommended! Wonderful food, beautifully presented, with very friendly and charming service.

This was our first time here and we were thrilled. The service was very attentive. We'll be back.

Outstanding taste and presentation, warm attentive service.

Das Servicepersonal war freundlich und aufmerksam, die Küche hervorragend und das Ambiente sehr angenehm. Die Qualität der Speisen war erstklassig. Absolut empfehlenswert!

Toller Service, phantdtisches Essen und eine passende Weinbegleitung. Ein rundum gelungener Abend (Omakase-Menue)

Tolles Essen und schöne Atmosphäre. Kann ich nur empfehlen!

A wonderful evening with delicious food. It was simply excellent. I'd be happy to go again.

I ordered Kengoa's large ITO variation. I also added some edamame, which wasn't really necessary. At ITO, quality comes at a price. The variation, including Miao soup, cost €65 and was worth every cent. It's rare to find such attention to detail, such a variety of fish, and such fresh quality. The atmosphere is upscale, and the staff, with a perfect blend of professionalism and relaxed attitude, make the evening a perfect experience. Thank you very much.

Seit Jahren immer wieder ein - wenn auch kostspieliges - kulinarisches Erlebnis

Japanisches Essen auf 1-Sterne Niveau und gute Weinauswahl- eine runde Sache

Outstanding dining experience in relaxed atmosphere. An excellent fusion of known and exotic flavors.

Absolutely delicious food, at a very high price. The platter shown below costs €65. If it hadn't been for the starter (unfortunately not photographed), this platter probably wouldn't have been enough. I have to honestly say that it wasn't quite worth the price for me. The service, however, was excellent, friendly advice, and they negotiated a vegetarian option for us instead of a non-vegetarian platter.

We've always had the set menu with matching wine pairings (+sake), and it's been an experience every time. Refined dishes, beautiful explanations, and a very friendly team. We'd love to come back.

ITO – Japanese Cuisine überzeugt mit exzellentem Sushi, frischen Zutaten und kreativer Präsentation. Der Service ist aufmerksam, das Ambiente stilvoll – ein echtes Highlight in Köln.

For us, despite the price, it was the best sushi we've eaten in a long time! The salmon makis were simply fantastic, although the prices were impressive, but here you pay for the craftsmanship. What we must note, however, is that the atmosphere is very upscale. We, as people who just wanted to eat sushi and have a relaxing evening, were rather “out of place”. You were definitely looked at by visitors if you didn't fit into the picture, but the restaurant itself couldn't do anything about that. Maybe we just had a bad evening. The staff were very friendly and accommodating and despite everything, they managed to make us feel comfortable. All in all, we would definitely recommend the restaurant if it's going to be a special evening or if you're just that type of person. The sushi was great!

An absolute recommendation for the excellently coordinated menu and prepared with great attention to detail. The ambience is stylish, the sushi was by far the best I've eaten in a long time - fresh, fine and perfectly prepared and the extremely friendly service made the evening perfect for us. Everything is just right here!”

Ich war am Mittag mit 3Personen zum Essen das erste Mal im Ito. Wir waren sehr zufrieden. Sashimi und Sushi war hervorragend. Wir können dieses Restaurant besten weiter empfehlen.

Sehr kreativ, sehr lecker, sehr freundlich. Einfach ein schöner Abend!

Sehr angenehmes Ambiente, das Essen war hervorragend

Hervorragende japanische Küche mit grossartigen Geschmackseindrücken - aussergewöhnlich !

Toller Lunch zu einem guten Preis . Vielen Dank , wir kommen gerne wieder

Atmosphäre eher kühl. Service und Essen völlig in Ordnung auch für den höheren Preis.

Wie immer sehr lecker, es war ein schöner Abend! Immer wieder gerne!❤️😋