Japonais Chicago

Japonais Chicago, Japonais by Morimoto
Restaurant information
Established	September 17, 2003 (2003-09-17)
Food type	Fusion
Street address	600 West Chicago Avenue
City	Chicago
County	Cook County
State	Illinois
Postal/ZIP Code	60610
Country	United States
Coordinates	41°53′48.379″N 87°38′36.548″W

Japonais Chicago, established in 2003 by the Mirai Sushi Restaurant Group, specialized in French-Japanese fusion cuisine and was located at 600 W. Chicago Avenue in the River North neighborhood of Chicago. For the eight years of its operation, the restaurant was led by Chef Gene Kato, who became the face of the establishment. In 2011, Chef Kato left to pursue new ventures, founding Sumi Robata Bar.

Rebrand/Renovations

Following Chef Kato’s departure, renowned Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto took over the lease and rebranded the restaurant as Japonais by Morimoto. The restaurant underwent an extensive seven-week renovation in 2013, preparing for its grand reopening on February 5, 2014.

Morimoto played a prominent role in the rebranding efforts, garnering significant attention with his public appearances, including throwing the first pitch at a Chicago White Sox game in August 2013 to announce his acquisition. He also made several local news appearances and hosted a highly publicized charity event on the day of the reopening.

Closure

Japonais Chicago closed its doors on October 16, 2015, following disagreements with its management company.