ITO Japanese Cuisine in Köln

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!”

An absolute dream. The quality of the food is outstanding, the ambience is modern but gives a warm feeling of comfort, and the service is very good. We have already booked the next appointment.

We ended up there by chance and were pleasantly surprised. A young team, great food with fresh products. We would like to eat there more often. Cologne needs more culinary highlights like this ❤️

I wonder why this restaurant does not have a Michelin star. From the gentle service, to the beautiful presentation, to the quality of the food, everything is absolutely top-notch. The sushi here is the best I ever had, especially the house Specialty, the Hamachi-ume, and even then the main course (Halibut) and appetizer (turbot ) topped that. Absolutely delicious.

Really, really good! Very creative, fresh and extremely delicious food! Excellent service. The wine list is also really outstanding!

People have been eating Japanese food for 40 years, sometimes with 1 star, and here at ITO they learn the true art of preparation. High praise, a sensational lunch from the quality to the preparation! Thanks. Keep it up.

The ITO offers a great lunch menu, which is sensationally priced (EUR 69). The atmosphere is very dignified and the service staff is highly professional. In my opinion, the first star won't be long in coming.

We ate at ITO for the first time yesterday and were really impressed! First impression: The restaurant is very clean and pleasant. A small minus point - which is also a plus point - is the smell of fish that you smell when entering the restaurant. This is due to the open kitchen, where you can watch how the sushi rolls are prepared with love. This creates a special experience because you can see exactly what you are eating. The service is good, although it takes a while for the food to be served. The waiters are well-groomed and friendly. Since the restaurant is rather small, it can get a bit noisy when full - but pleasant conversation is still possible. The toilets are also clean. We ordered different sushi rolls: the rice was fresh and juicy, the fish was incredibly tender and meltingly delicious. The creations were simply fantastic! I particularly liked the roll with meat – an extraordinary combination and a real culinary highlight. The store is perfect for a first date, a romantic date night with your loved one or a meeting with friends and family. Absolutely recommended! Thank you for the lovely evening with you!

Sehr freundlicher Service. Das Essen war gut jedoch nicht jeder Gang hat den Erwartungen entsprochen.

Wir hatten für das ITO Restaurant reserviert und extra am Tag zuvor angerufen, um sicherzugehen, dass alles passt. Als wir ankamen, wurden uns höflich die Jacken abgenommen, was zunächst einen guten Eindruck machte. Doch kurz darauf kam eine Mitarbeiterin zu uns und teilte uns mit, dass Hunde nicht erlaubt seien – obwohl wir mit unserem kleinen Toy-Pudel-Welpen dort waren und die Reservierung bereits bestätigt wurde. Wir wurden schließlich rausgeschmissen, was unglaublich respektlos und enttäuschend war. Eine klare Kommunikation vorab wäre das Mindeste gewesen. Für Tierbesitzer absolut nicht zu empfehlen!

Hallo! Wir waren zum Lunch im ITO. Es war so so köstlich, so lecker. Das Essen, Miso Suppe, Tempura, Sushi, hatte eine sehr gute Qualität. Eine Geschmacks Explosion, dass Dessert, das müssen Sie probieren. Wir werden sehr bald wiederkommen.

Ausgezeichnete Speisen, sehr aufmerksamer und freundlicher Service. Jederzeit gerne wieder. Sehr empfehlenswert!!

Wir waren nach 3 Jahren mal wieder im Ito und sind wieder begeistert. Die Qualität der Speisen ist einmalig, geschmacklich ein Feuerwerk, der Service sehr freundlich und zurückhaltend. Wir hatten uns für das Omkase Menü entschieden, was übersetzt wohl „lass dich überraschen“ bedeutet. Das Ito hat uns wunderbar überrascht.

Das ITO ist eine hervorragende Wahl. Das Mittagslunch ist sehr zu empfehlen und der Service sehr aufmerksam und zuvorkommend. Die Qualität überzeugt mich sehr und wir kommen beim nächsten Besuch nach Köln gerne wieder. Dankeschön

Very nice cozy little restaurant. Top food and service very friendly and very attentive. The prices are decent.

Insgesamt hat es uns leider nicht abgeholt .. und dann war Preis/Leistung dazu nicht stimmig Schade

Tolles Essen zu sehr ambitionierten Preisen, der Service wird dem Preisniveau nicht ganz gerecht

Excellent service and outstanding quality of fish

Sushi Qualität einzigartig. Der Sushi Teller im lunch Spezial war schön reichhaltig, nach dem Menü ist man angenehm satt und fühlt sich super. Auch fand ich es für und unseren Zweck perfekt, daß die Gänge zum lunch zügig serviert werden. Ist ja was anderes, als wenn man sich einen gemütlichen Abend machen möchte.

Sehr lecker und schönes Ambiente, netter Service!!

Das war mal wieder ein sehr schöner Restaurantbesuch. Im "Ito" herrscht eine angenehme Atmosphäre. Der Service ist äußerst aufmerksam und das Essen war, wie immer, von bester Qualität. Vielen Dank für diesen schönen Mittag!

Top Essen mit sehr guter Auswahl. Super Service. Tolles Restaurant.

Absolute highlight, in every area. You have to experience it 😍

Fantastisches Omakase - das Wagyu Upgrade lohnt sich!

That was fantastic😋After being 33 times in Japan and I’m a real food lover I wonder why they’re not already in the Michelin Guide

Grossartiges Fine Dining, japanisch foundiert und europäisch inspiriert. Aromen Vielfalt, die weit über das typische salzig oder süßlich hinaus auch für erfahrene Esser etwas bietet. Dennoch leicht zugänglich und eine fantastische Weinkarte, vor allen Dingen deutsche Weißweine in den edelsten Lagen. Sehr überzeugendes Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis.

Hatten das das 5-Gang Menü und waren mit der Auswahl und Qualität der Speisen sehr zufrieden, es hat hervorragend geschmeckt.

Das Essen bei war ein Fest für den Gaumen! Alles hat einfach gestimmt. Auch der Service war toll. Wer ein außergewöhnlich gutes Essen genießen möchte, ist hier an der richtigen Adresse. Wir werden jedenfalls wiederkommen!

Service was incredible, but they are quite aggressive about the water consumption, coming by every 5-10 minutes to refill your glasses, and frankly at 8,00€ a bottle, you would expect more from the water. Every dish was very interesting and made for a good experience, however the main course from the Omakase did not really work for me, in terms of the flavor combination, but that just personal taste. The state of the restaurant itself was quiet and chic, but there were quite noticeably cobwebs in some of the corners, and eye level… All in all I would recommend!

We went to ITO for my birthday lunch on November 8th as the restaurant is known for its fine Japanese cuisine and was recommended to us by several friends. We had ordered two lunch menus - we actually wanted to enjoy a nice day. But unfortunately this occasion was very marred: My husband discovered a piece of glass about 1 cm in size and 2 mm thick in the first sushi roll, which he was able to remove from his mouth just in time. Afterwards, our meal was more concerned with finding more glass than with enjoyment. The food itself tasted good, but if you're constantly thinking about whether you're biting on a shard of glass, it's just no fun anymore. When we raised the issue with staff, they tried to keep the whole thing as quiet as possible. That was okay, but then at the end we were only offered two espressos, as if that was somehow an excuse. Honestly, if someone had been seriously injured, two espressos definitely wouldn't have been enough. We would have expected that they would at least buy us champagne or adjust the bill. It's a shame that we now have to pass this experience on to our friends and family. Such treatment of guests is really disappointing and absolutely unacceptable for a restaurant in this price range.

Sehr gemütliche Atmosphäre, sehr guter Service, top Qualität und sehr lecker! Sehr gute Weinauswahl!

großartiger Genuss mit tollem Service. Immer wieder neue Geschmacksnuancen im Menu. tolle Weinbegleitung Mein persönliches Highlight war das Dessert. Bis bald wieder hier. 😀

Wir waren am 8. November zu meinem Geburtstags-Lunch im ITO, da das Restaurant für seine feine japanische Küche bekannt ist und uns von mehreren Freunden empfohlen wurde. Wir hatten zwei Lunch-Menüs bestellt – eigentlich wollten wir einen schönen Tag genießen. Doch leider wurde dieser Anlass sehr getrübt: Mein Mann entdeckte direkt im ersten Sushi-Roll ein etwa 1 cm großes und 2 mm dickes Stück Glas, das er gerade noch rechtzeitig aus dem Mund entfernen konnte. Danach war unser Essen eher von der Sorge geprägt, noch mehr Glas zu finden, als vom Genuss. Das Essen selbst hat zwar gut geschmeckt, aber wenn man ständig überlegt, ob man vielleicht gerade auf einen Glassplitter beißt, macht das einfach keinen Spaß mehr. Als wir das Problem beim Personal angesprochen haben, wurde versucht, das Ganze möglichst still zu behandeln. Das war ja noch okay, aber dann wurden uns zum Schluss nur zwei Espressos angeboten, als wäre das irgendwie eine Entschuldigung. Ehrlich gesagt, wenn jemand ernsthaft verletzt worden wäre, hätten zwei Espressos sicher nicht ausgereicht. Da hätten wir schon erwartet, dass man uns wenigstens den Champagner spendiert oder die Rechnung anpasst. Schade, dass wir diese Erfahrung nun auch an unsere Freunde und Familie weitergeben müssen. So eine Behandlung der Gäste ist für ein Restaurant in dieser Preisklasse echt enttäuschend und absolut nicht in Ordnung.

Wir haben uns zu viert sehr wohl gefühlt, das Essen war hervorragend, aromatisch und phantasievoll. Ausgesprochene netter und aufmerksamer Service. Gerne wieder.

Ausgezeichnet. Wunderschöner Abend. Kein Gericht das nicht exzellent war.

Großartiges Essen und Service, wie jedes Mal. Ein Genuss. Erstaunlich, dass dafür noch immer kein Stern vergeben wurde…!!!!

Ganz hervorragendes Essen in einer sehr schönen Atmosphäre

It’s a dream and such an incredible treat. Thank you chef and staff for this this experience.

Simply an experience! And worth every cent! There were four of us and we each had the omakase menu, which was simply delicious from start to finish, beautifully prepared and tasted outstanding! Thank you and gladly again!

Spannendes Essen in hervorragender Qualität und ein super Service.

Super good experience. Not cheap, but worth every cent. We had the 5-course menu with Wagyu and wine accompaniment. Every course was at an incredibly high level. The nigiri and wagyu were absolutely exceptional and second to none. The wine pairing was appropriate. But unfortunately there was exactly one glass per course. I know it differently too. This may be due to the quality of the wines, which do not make it economically viable to refill them. And that's not meant to be polemical. The service was on point. But for me a little too professional and not enough personal and warm. If you want to experience Japanese cuisine at Hochreck, this is the right place for you.

Insgesamt ausgesprochen gutes Essen mit außergewöhnlichen GeschmacksErlebnissen. Service Personal sehr aufmerksam und freundlich. Gute Beratung durch den Sommelier zur Weinbegleitung. Kleiner Wermutstropfen ist, dass der vorher via Open table übermittelte und offensichtlich gewünschte Dresscode vor Ort nicht eingehalten wird. Dann lieber nicht kommunizieren.

Service alle Kellner war super zuvorkommend, über das Essen brauchen wir hier garnicht erst sprechen. Kurz und knapp wer Sushi liebt, ist bei ITO an der richtigen Adresse.

Wir hatten wieder einen tollen Abend mit wirklich hervorragendem Essen, wie schon einige Male zuvor. Bedauerlich war, dass uns der Kellner, der uns nicht kannte, den von der Lage her schlechtesten Tisch zuweisen wollte. Auch das war nicht das erste Mal. Letztlich ging es dann doch anders. War ansonsten ein sehr angenehmer Aufenthalt. Sehr zu empfehlen.

Qualitativ hochwertiges Essen, sehr freundliches Personal Wir kommen gerne wieder

Sehr schöner Abend mit fantastischen Essen. Vielen Dank für das kulinarische Erlebnis!

Extraordinarily good! Service "star-like" ... reserved, but always present. Perfect evening for two. Cost 150€/person including drinks. Justified for what is offered.

Ganz tolles Essen! Wir haben das große Menü genommen, kein Upgrade. Die Fischgänge waren allesamt sternewürdig. Fleischgang war gut, hätte mir aber nicht gefehlt. Der offene Wein (Grauburgunder, Baden) als Flasche war mit 45,- preislich und qualitativ top und ein perfekter Begleiter zum Essen. Ein rundum gelungener Abend

Es war ein wunderschönes Erlebnis. Kann ich uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen.

Kind regards, DE Tetris removals kitchen assembly team, Erftstadt and Cologne.

Edles Ambiente, aufmerksamer und freundlicher Service, hervorragendes Essen - so soll es sein!

Overal top, just make sure your page on line is up to date please 🙏

Super nice and tasty. Kengo's Nigiri variation is worth visiting Ito for. Very kind service. 🙌🏻

Update June 5th, 2024 at noon: Only 4 courses, but as expected: Great! Update 4/17/24 evening: And it was another great omakase! 4/19/23 evening: Whow, what an experience! In an almost inconspicuous, unpretentious atmosphere, they serve fantastic Japanese-international cuisine at its finest! We had omakase, five courses recommended by master chef Kengo. The accompanying wine list offered more than enough suitable delights. All of this at relatively reasonable prices considering the extraordinary quality. A highlight in Cologne!

Unbeschreiblich gutes Essen. Ich habe selten so gut gegessen.

Wie jedes Mal bei Ito: perfektes Essen und absolut professionelle Weinbegleitung!

Ausgezeichnetes Essen und hervorragender Service- absolut zu empfehlen

Tolle, kreative Gerichte. Präsentation top. Service sehr gut und diskret. Das ITO ist in jedem Fall eine sehr gute Wahl. Es wird nicht der letzte Besuch im ITO gewesen sein.

Sehr tolle Fischqualität. Geschmacklich hervorragend! Schöne Weinkarte! Der Service ist sehr nett aber nicht auf dem Niveau des Essens.

Zunächst zum Negativen, wir hatten den wohl schlechtesten Tisch im Restaurant, direkt an der Trennwand im hinteren Teil des Restaurants. Alles lief an unserem Tisch vorbei. Ich verstehe, dass Restaurants so viele Tische wie möglich aufstellen aber dieser sollte weg. Das Essen war sehr gut insb auch die Flexibilität Lachs Maki auch um Avocado zu ergänzen. Sushi hier ist eine ganz andere Liga als in den „normalen“ Sushiläden (Bento, Sweet, etc). Letzteres gilt auch für den Preis. Der Unterschied ist allerdings sehr deutlich und somit auch gerechtfertigt.

The sushi was really delicious and the waiter was friendly and attentive. However, the tables were placed so close together that personal space and privacy were not really possible.

Wie immer, sehr gut. Essen Spitzenklasse +++ zu einem sicher nicht günstigen Preis.

Highly recommended The lunch options are various and so tasteful

Best Japanese Restaurant in Cologne - exquisite quality of food , and good Sake collection. Looking forward to come back again - and try the new venues opened up in town.

Das Essen war perfekt und die Aromen waren himmlisch. Der Service von Youssef war ausgesprochen höflich und zuvorkommend. Wir kommen selbstverständlich wieder.

Super Dinner, großartige japanische Küche. Absolute Empfehlung!

Rock solid. No shishi. Authentic and really good Japanese cuisine. Highly recommended.

Fantastische Erfahrung der Speisen. Räumlichkeit eher zurückhaltend, etwas kühl. Service gut und schnell, nur verstand man teils nur schwer seine Erklärungen. Preis-Leistung absolut angemessen!

Präzise umgesetzte umamivolle absolut rund ausbalancierte Geschmacksexplosionen vom Gruß aus der Küche bis zu den Petit Fours 🫶 Angenehm unaufgeregte Weinempfehlungen mit krassen aber passenden Naturweinen. Einfach himmlisch ✌️

Hervorragendes Mittags Menü, mit exzellenten Service und angenehmen ruhigem Ambiente

Die Qualität der Speisen war sehr gut. Die Preise für Getränke waren überzogen. Eine Empfehlung würden wir aussprechen, jedoch auch auf die überzogenen Getränkepreise hinweisen!

es war einfach wunderbar. eine geschmacksexplosion nach der anderen what a treat. we are grateful

A high-end Japanese restaurant just outside the city centre of Cologne. It offers mainly sushi. Great quality of fish. Excellent presentation and great service. Enough variation of wine and tea. Highly recommend for special occasions.

The food (tasting menu) tastes very good, but the portions are far too small, even for fine dining. Given the price, you can expect to go home full, which unfortunately wasn't the case.

Perfect place for dinner with friends! You can't offer better service! Thank you for the great wine pairing and the excellent food!

The quality of the ingredients is very good, but you go home hungry after 6 courses. I have often been to upscale restaurants that offer 5/6 course meals, but I have never experienced such small portions. The two main courses consisted of around 30 - 40 grams of fish and 20 - 30 grams of steak (we chose Wagyu and paid a considerable surcharge for the already overpriced menu) We lost almost 700 EUR (4 people) and were extremely disappointed. The restaurant is definitely overrated and overpriced.

It doesn't get any better! The best authentic Japanese food since my last visit to Japan!

Das essen ist top und auch die Bedienung. Ich finde es einen Tick zu Teuer, da wir nur Tee Getrunken haben. Aber im Großen und ganzen Top.

Fish very fresh, appetizers light and refreshing, sushi was my favorite. Unfortunately dessert was not good and unpleasant.

Essen mit Top Qualität! Leider war der Service weniger gut. Ich hätte mir mehr Flexibilität, Aufmerksamkeit und Zuhören gewünscht. Zusätzlich ist mir aufgefallen, dass Unterschiede in der Bewirtung gemacht werden. Am Nachbartisch gab es mehr Bestelloptionen. Zu guter letzt war dann auch noch die Rechnung fehlerhaft….

We went to ITO for lunch yesterday. Had a lunch menu and it was really tasty! Of course, the price is decent even at lunchtime, but the quality and taste of the sushi are excellent! We were even allowed to swap a role from the menu, flexibility and service are also great. It's definitely a good idea to make a reservation, even for lunch, because the restaurant was full. The quantity was also very good, both my wife and I were completely full.

As a Düsseldorfer, you have to be completely stupid to take a trip to Cologne to eat Japanese food there - after all, we have the only Japantown in Germany and a large variety of excellent Nippon cuisine. Nevertheless, it is worth heading to the Belgian Quarter in Cologne, because here, the ITO, there is a really outstanding Japanese restaurant that impresses across the board, both on the plate and in terms of ambience and service. There is also an extremely good selection of wines. All in all, a combination that you can only find in the state capital at Yoshi Nagaya, if at all. Speaking of Nagaya: The creators of the ITO, Kengo Nishimi and Torben Schuster (Gut Lärchenhof), have already worked together there, learned a lot and are now consistently continuing the approach of modernly interpreted traditional Japanese cuisine in their own way.

Wow! I have dined at several renowned restaurants, including some with star awards. Although the ITO does not yet have a star, our menu was comparable to a star restaurant. The combinations were incredibly tasty and prepared with great finesse. The taste was simply sensational! The sashimi and freshly grated wasabi were particularly delicious. The modern ambience convinced us. Unfortunately the service seemed a bit overwhelmed as we still didn't have any drinks before our first course. Nevertheless, this did not spoil our overall impression. We will come back in any case!

Herausragende Küche mit tollem Service! Die wahnsinnig tollen Gänge des Menüs rechtfertigen hier definitiv den Preis. Ich wunderbarer Abend den wir sicher wiederholen werden.

Großartiges Essen und super Service. Wir hatten das 5-Gang-Menu und jeder Gang war ein Gedicht. Haben direkt wieder reserviert!