Koto

258 W 31St St, Chicago, IL 60616

Japanese / Sushi

Last inspected: Jan 6, 2026

Score

Low Risk

Koto appears in inspection records five times, starting in 2022. Koto was last inspected on Jan 6, 2026. A low risk tier reflects an inspection that turned up minimal issues.

Recent inspections have turned up more issues than earlier ones, averaging around three violations lately compared to roughly one violation before.

The pattern that stands out is “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean”, which has been cited two times.

Koto's latest score of 86 sits above the Chicago average of 81. The full record sits in fairly typical territory for a working restaurant.

Inspections

Critical latest

Major latest

Minor latest

Inspection History

Jan 6, 2026

Routine

3 minor violations.

View 3 violations

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED DUST ON THE VENTILATION FANS ON THE CEILINGS OF THE WASHROOMS; INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN FLOORS IN CORNER AREAS AROUND AND BEHIND EQUIPMENT IN PREP AND COOKING AREA.

Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used

Inspector notes: OBSERVED THE VENTS ABOVE THE COOKING EQUIPMENT IN NEED OF CLEANING; INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.

Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

Inspector notes: OBSERVED THE HANDSINK IN THE WASHROOM CLOSET TO THE KITCHEN DRAINING SLOWLY; INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT SO THAT SINK DRAINS PROPERLY.

Jan 7, 2025

Routine

2 minor violations.

View 2 violations

Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible

Inspector notes: OBSERVED TOILET ROOM CLOSEST TO DINING AREA HANDWASHING SINK NOT ABLE TO RUN WATER WITHOUT LETTING GO OF MIXED WATER KNOB.INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND ENSURE SINK CAN RUN ATLEAST 15 SECONDS WITHOUT REACTIVATING WATER AND BEING ABLE ADEQUATELY WASH BOTH HANDS.

Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned

Inspector notes: OBSERVED EMPLOYEE LOCKER ROOM WITH A TOILET AND HANDWASHING SINK WITH A DOOR THAT IS NOT SELF CLOSING. INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN.

May 9, 2024

Routine

No violations found.

100

Oct 12, 2023

Complaint

1 major violation. 5 minor violations.

View 6 violations

City of chicago food service sanitation certificate

Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO VALID ORIGINAL CITY OF CHICAGO SANITATION CERTIFICATE ON SITE. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT VALID ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE AS WELL AS VERIFIABLE CERTIFIED MANAGER MUST BE ON SITE AT ALL TIMES TCS FOOD(STEAK, CHICKEN, RICE) IS BEING PREPARE AND SERVED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-012. CITATION ISSUED.

Person in charge present, demonstrates knowledge, and performs duties

Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO PERSON IN CHARGE WITH FOOD SAFETY MANAGER TRAINING.

Food properly labeled; original container

Inspector notes: OBSERVED BULK CONTAINERS(RICE, CORNSTARCH) NOT LABELED WITH COMMON NAME. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO LABEL ALL BULK CONTAINERS WITH COMMON NAME.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED BUILD UP OF GRIME ON FLOORS IN KITCHEN PREP AREA (FRONT AND REAR) UNDER SHELVING, IN CORNERS, AND UNDER EQUIPMENT. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.

All food employees have food handler training

Inspector notes: OBSERVED FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATE FOR ONE FOOD EMPLOYEE ON SITE. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT ALL STAFF THAT HANDLES FOOD MUST ACQUIRE FOOD HANDLER TRAINING AND MAINTAIN CERTIFICATES ON SITE.

Allergen training as required

Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO CERTIFICATE ON SITE FOR ALLERGEN TRAINING. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT ALLERGEN TRAINING IS REQUIRED FOR ANY CERTIFIED MANAGER.

Oct 7, 2022

License

No violations found.

100

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Koto last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Koto on file is from Jan 6, 2026. The public record contains five inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Koto?

Across the inspection record, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at Koto.

Has Koto's inspection record improved over time?

No. Recent inspections at Koto have averaged around three violations per visit, up from roughly one earlier in the record.

What does a low risk rating mean?

A low risk rating at Koto means inspectors found minimal or no significant issues at the most recent visit. Most facilities at this tier have a clean recent inspection report.

How often is Koto inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, Koto is inspected around two times per year on average.

Nearby Restaurants

Joy Cafe

258 W 31St St

Score: 100 — Low Risk

Franco's Ristorante

300 W 31St St

Score: 95 — Low Risk

Fat Fish Bar and Grill

234-236 W 31St St

Score: 90 — Low Risk

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→ All locations in Chicago → Japanese / Sushi restaurants in Chicago