Yujin Kawakami-Hess and Lena Kikuchi wanted to create a place where Bostonians could appreciate the Japanese culture - whether it be outstanding food, phenomenal drinks, exceptional hospitality, or refined art. They've used their multicultural Japanese and American background to set the stage for a trendy and modern Japanese restaurant, where customers can enjoy and learn more about Japan and its cuisine.

Itadaki, the name of this restaurant, is the shortened form of “Itadakimasu”, which in Japanese, is the equivalent of bon appétit! Itadaki also means the "peak" as in the summit of a mountain, as well as “to win” as in to win this race. We consider this name to be very lucky!

True to our origins, Itadaki, like Japanese cuisine, emphasizes seasonality of food, quality of ingredients as well as presentation. Our menu has a large selection of modern Japanese food - which is food that you would see currently in Japan as well as Americanized Japanese food (including everyone's favorite sushi rolls!) We're also introducing modern Japanese pastries so that we can all enjoy some tasty sweets to go along with our meal. For our soft open, we will have a limited menu in order to prepare our staff to best serve you in the future!

We have brought together a more traditional Japanese kitchen staff, all of whom have worked in the US for an extended period of time. Our cuisine reflects the harmonious balance of tradition and modernity and mix together to suit both the Japanese and American palate.

One main purpose at Itadaki is to bring the spirit of Japanese hospitality to the restaurant. This means attention to detail, efficiency, as well as genuine and personalized service. We believe that communication is paramount to good service – hence, we have hired and trained American service professionals (who are well versed in Japanese food and liquor!).

We've divided the space into 2 concepts: a chic cafe and bar on the first floor, and then a more upscale dining space on the second floor. There are multiple ways for our guests to wine and dine at Itadaki according to their mood! Currently, for the soft open, we have prepared the patio as well as the downstairs in order for our staff to better serve you, our valued customers. Stay tuned for our “Grand Opening” when we open the upstairs!

We would like our restaurant to be a place to introduce different aspects of Japan's culture - art being one of them. Hence, we have on display and for sale, various works of art by different Japanese artists.