KŌMO Chicago
KŌMO Chicago was a West Loop Japanese restaurant (est. 2021) by Chef Macku Chan offering Kaiseki-Omakase tasting menus and à la carte dining, serving affluent Chicago diners and private-event clients through on-premise service, third-party delivery, and sister-concept ESCO and SHOGUN venues. The concept closed in June 2024.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersChicago, Illinois, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What KŌMO Chicago does
KŌMO Chicago was a modern Japanese restaurant operated by Salud Hospitality Group at 738 W Randolph St in Chicago's West Loop, founded in 2021 and led by Executive Chef Macku Chan. The restaurant combined traditional Kaiseki and Omakase coursed dining styles, offering an 8-course tasting menu at $160 per person alongside à la carte items ranging from $12 to $150 (including signature nigiri and sashimi experiences). The venue also housed ESCO, a Latin discoteca and cocktail lounge, and SHOGUN, a whisky den, creating a multi-concept hospitality operation under one roof. Operations ran Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm, with reservations via Exploretock and online ordering through DoorDash and GrubHub.
The business monetized across five revenue streams: dine-in restaurant sales, beverage sales (cocktails, sake, wine, champagne, Japanese whisky, and beer), private event hosting for groups of 10–300 guests, third-party delivery, and gift cards sold through ToastTab. Pricing followed unit-based, pay-as-you-go models across each tier, with programmed promotions including Happy Hour (Tue–Fri 5–7pm, half off featured cocktails), Wine Down Wednesdays (50% off all wine bottles), and Tastemaker Tuesdays (complimentary cocktail hours and curated dinners). A 3% check surcharge was applied to fund employee health insurance and offset cost inflation.
In June 2024, KOMO announced its permanent closure after nearly four years of operation. ESCO continued operating, and Salud Hospitality Group pivoted the same physical footprint toward two new concepts: PUB SUMO (in development with the existing KOMO team and Chef Macku Chan) and TRINO, a Latin steakhouse by Chef Stephen Sandoval of 5 Sueños, opening mid-July 2024. The company is privately held, reports 1–10 employees, has no disclosed external funding or investors, and operates exclusively in the Chicago market.
KŌMO Chicago firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KŌMO Chicago
- Legal name
- KOMO
- Website
- https://komochicago.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- KŌMO Chicago was a West Loop Japanese restaurant (est. 2021) by Chef Macku Chan offering Kaiseki-Omakase tasting menus and à la carte dining, serving affluent Chicago diners and private-event clients through on-premise service, third-party delivery, and sister-concept ESCO and SHOGUN venues. The concept closed in June 2024.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where KŌMO Chicago is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago, Illinois
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
KŌMO Chicago business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Traditional restaurant revenue from serving tasting menus and à la carte dishes to guests dining in the establishment. Features an 8-course tasting menu at $160 per person.
- Beverage Sales: Revenue from cocktails, sake, wine, champagne, Japanese whisky, and Japanese beer. Happy Hour offers half off featured specialty cocktails Tuesday through Friday.
- Private Event Hosting: Revenue from hosting private events including corporate, social, bridal, and holiday functions. Accommodates groups from 10 to 300 guests.
- Third-Party Delivery: Online ordering through DoorDash and GrubHub platforms for food delivery.
- Gift Cards: Sale of KOMO and ESCO gift cards through Toast tab platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 8-Course Tasting Menu |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | À La Carte Items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cocktails |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sake |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wine |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Japanese Whisky |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Nigiri and Sashimi |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
KŌMO Chicago product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KŌMO Chicago is an upscale modern Japanese restaurant in Chicago's West Loop that serves an 8-course Kaiseki/Omakase tasting menu at $160 per person and à la carte Japanese dishes, complemented by a curated sake and rare Japanese whisky program. The venue also housed sister concepts ESCO (Latin discoteca and cocktail lounge) and SHOGUN (whisky den), and offered private event hosting for groups of 10 to 300 guests under the Salud Hospitality Group.
Product overview
KŌMO Chicago operates as a multi-concept hospitality group featuring a main Japanese restaurant (KOMO) offering traditional Kaiseki and Omakase dining, a Latin discoteca (ESCO) cocktail lounge, and private event services. The portfolio includes gift cards, special events programming (Tastemaker Tuesdays, Happy Hour, Wine Down Wednesdays), with an upcoming transition to new concepts including PUB SUMO and TRINO Latin steakhouse.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ESCO: A cocktail lounge above Komo restaurant featuring South American vibes, Latin music, and an extensive high-end rum list. Located on the second floor with a separate private back alley entrance.
- SHOGUN
Products and services
- KOMO Restaurant (Kaiseki and Omakase Dining) Modern Japanese dining experience combining Kaiseki and Omakase coursed eating styles. Features an 8-course tasting menu at $160 per person and à la carte options including premium wagyu, seasonal omakase, and signature sashimi for individual diners in Chicago's West Loop.
- ESCO (Latin Discoteca and Cocktail Lounge) Sister-venue cocktail lounge located on the second floor of the KOMO building, featuring a rum-barreled speakeasy entrance modeled after Castillo San Felipe in Cartagena, Latin music, an extensive high-end rum list, and a late-night bar menu open Thursday through Saturday.
- Private Event Hosting Private event hosting service accommodating groups from 10 to 300 guests for corporate, social, bridal, and holiday functions, with customizable spaces and menus. Bookings coordinated through Tripleseat event management software.
- Gift Cards (KOMO and ESCO) Gift cards for KOMO and ESCO sold through the ToastTab platform, targeted at culinary enthusiasts and those seeking memorable dining and entertainment experiences in Chicago's West Loop.
Companies that use KŌMO Chicago
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
KŌMO Chicago technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
KŌMO Chicago partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
KŌMO Chicago competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Momotaro: Momotaro is a contemporary upscale Japanese restaurant and izakaya in Chicago's West Loop/Fulton Market, offering premium sushi, sashimi, and Japanese whisky at comparable price points and targeting a similar affluent clientele.
- RPM Restaurants: RPM is a collection of upscale Chicago restaurants (RPM Steak, RPM Italian) operating in the same West Loop/River North trade area and competing with KOMO for the same high-check, private-event-driven customer segment.
- Roka Akor: Roka Akor is an upscale Japanese robatayaki restaurant in Chicago with a similar high-end tasting-menu and premium sake/whisky program, serving the same affluent dining segment as KOMO in the same metro.
- Sunda Chicago: Sunda is an upscale Asian restaurant in Chicago's River North offering premium sushi, sake, and a lively bar/nightlife program that overlaps directly with KOMO's combination of upscale Japanese dining and late-night cocktail appeal.
- Girl & The Goat: Girl & The Goat is a flagship Boka Restaurant Group venue in Chicago's West Loop that competes with KOMO for high-spending diners and private-event bookings in the same neighborhood, even though cuisine is not Japanese.
- Sugarfish: Sugarfish is a multi-unit premium sushi/omakase-style brand (originally LA-based) that competes on a similar 'chef-curated traditional Japanese' value proposition at a comparable mid-premium price tier.
- Sushi-San (Lettuce Entertain You): Sushi-San is a Lettuce Entertain You Japanese restaurant in Chicago serving premium sushi, sake, and cocktails in a lively atmosphere, directly competing with KOMO for the same upscale Chicago diner.
- Arami: Arami is a modern Japanese restaurant in Chicago's West Loop serving omakase, sushi, and sake in a comparable upscale-but-not-luxury price tier to KOMO's tasting-menu positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises: Lettuce Entertain You is a major Chicago-based multi-concept restaurant group; its scale, real-estate footprint, and event-program capabilities make it a comparable operator to the broader Salud Hospitality Group portfolio strategy.
- Nobu Restaurants: Nobu is a global luxury Japanese restaurant brand with a Chicago location that competes for the same high-spending omakase and Japanese whisky customer, but operates at a much larger global scale and broader portfolio than KOMO.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
KŌMO Chicago social profiles
Digital presenceKŌMO Chicago financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KŌMO Chicago leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
KŌMO Chicago subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
KŌMO Chicago funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KŌMO Chicago M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KŌMO Chicago
What does KŌMO Chicago do?
KŌMO Chicago is an upscale modern Japanese restaurant in Chicago's West Loop that serves an 8-course Kaiseki/Omakase tasting menu at $160 per person and à la carte Japanese dishes, complemented by a curated sake and rare Japanese whisky program. The venue also housed sister concepts ESCO (Latin discoteca and cocktail lounge) and SHOGUN (whisky den), and offered private event hosting for groups of 10 to 300 guests under the Salud Hospitality Group.
Is KŌMO Chicago a public or private company?
KŌMO Chicago is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently closed.
When was KŌMO Chicago founded?
KŌMO Chicago was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is KŌMO Chicago based?
KŌMO Chicago is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the North America region.
How does KŌMO Chicago make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are beverage Sales, private Event Hosting, third-Party Delivery and gift Cards.
Who are KŌMO Chicago's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Momotaro, RPM Restaurants, Roka Akor, Sunda Chicago, Girl & The Goat, Sugarfish, Sushi-San (Lettuce Entertain You) and Arami. Broad incumbents are Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises and Nobu Restaurants.
Does KŌMO Chicago have an API?
No public API is recorded for KŌMO Chicago.