If you are looking for delicious Japanese food and a chill vibe, all at a good price (for the Bay Area)? Look no further! I had a great time having lunch here with my wife and son. We had the Unagi-don, Okonomiyaki and Fried Chicken and they were all delicious and comparable to what we got in Japan. I am surprised that this restaurant has <4 review as I think it should at least be at 4.5. Highly recommend!
V J
Best value for money. The curry donkatsu is amazing. I seem to order it at least twice a week.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Travis Fraser
The curry is just bad. This may seem unfair, but after recently returning from Japan (for 4 months) and eating Coco Ichibanya semi-regularly, I was expecting Kokolo to maybe have a comparable curry, seeing as Coco is a cheap curry chain, but I was thoroughly disappointed.1. Overpriced. Small portion of rice and an even smaller portion of curry that couldn't last the length of the meal. 14 dollars for this is criminal.2. Overcooked. The tonkastsu was way overcooked, far too chewy, dry and just unpleasant to eat. While the portion was big, I was almost wishing it wasn't.3. Bad flavors. The curry was just sub-par, the spice was not good. The fukujinzuke pickled radish side is not fukujinzuke at all, and is something else entirely that isn't very good, and far too little was included.I've also had other dishes as well here in the past and would rate them between 2-3 stars. The curry is hands down just bad, do not order it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Cameron Cage
food is pretty
Food: 2
Kristen Monica Lue Chin
Log tables and TV. Bathroom and Water. Katsu don was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Baked Katsudon Bowl
Daniel A.
On the corner in downtown berkeley, I really enjoyed this little shop. The cashier was super helpful when asking what was good and food came out fast and fresh. The inside was super clean and I feel like that's all you can really ask for! Definitely go give it a try
Aaron Lowe
UPDATED:Second time here. They were out of teriyaki chicken. Had to pick fried. No brown rice option.First time here. Tasty braised pork rice bowl with yam and pickled vegetable. Pork is very tender. Comes with miso soup. At $10.99 that is a cheap lunch in Berkeley. Looks like they have a nice sake and beer selection.
Recommended dishes: Sauce
Agustin Barrera Cruz
Mediocre food, bad customer service, and overpriced. Go to Sumo Roll instead.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Chaz N.
Best empanada ever. Looove this place. Great people too. Would def return to this place.
Celine Tan
Ordered the oyakodon and chicken wings for takeout. Chicken wings were pretty good, but the oyakodon was incredibly disappointing. Eggs were rubbery, and the chicken was incredibly bland and dry while somehow simultaneously having too much pepper and fish sauce (?). Rice had too much water added to it, so it was way too soft for the type of dish it was meant for.
Was craving some and missing good gyudon (after having spent 6 years living in Japan). Saw this restaurant had it on the menu and ordered it on doordash. This is the most tasteless, watered down gyudon I have ever had. More akin to something you would get at a high school cafeteria. Not sure if they know how to make gyudon but this is not it....
Food: 1
Chiemeka K.
It may have been a fluke but the gyudon rice bowl I got was exceptionally soupy and borderline hard to eat. The flavor was otherwise meh Service was fast so this place is overall a C+
Aaron E.
First time at Kokolo. Went there for dinner with my daughter. Yelp reviews were solid so we decided to have a meal. Store was clean and inviting. Staff was friendly and attentive. Ordered oyakodonburi and my daughter ordered nikudonburi. Also had a beer and a soda. Food came quickly and hot. Oyakodonburi was unflavorable and bland. Chicken was dry. Sauce was way diluted and black pepper was part of the seasoning. Black pepper? Yuck. Nikudonburi was better and more seasoned. Total bill was around $50 including tip. Ambiance was typical Berkeley-bench tables, homeless people walking in front of store. Drug smoke waffled thru the open door. Id say this place deserved a 2-star review.
Julian S.
Great spot for Japanese small plates.I've tried the wagyu beef curry, agedashi tofu, wagyu beef sukiyaki, and hamachi kama. All delicious. Would recommend.
Wing C.
Decent but not attractive enough.I had the signature Katsu bowl, it was a solid three star, I think the food was under-seasoned. Katsu was okay, nothing to remember. Rice was good but it was overall a-ok bowl
If you are looking for delicious Japanese food and a chill vibe, all at a good price (for the Bay Area)? Look no further! I had a great time having lunch here with my wife and son. We had the Unagi-don, Okonomiyaki and Fried Chicken and they were all delicious and comparable to what we got in Japan. I am surprised that this restaurant has <4 review as I think it should at least be at 4.5. Highly recommend!
Best value for money. The curry donkatsu is amazing. I seem to order it at least twice a week.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The curry is just bad. This may seem unfair, but after recently returning from Japan (for 4 months) and eating Coco Ichibanya semi-regularly, I was expecting Kokolo to maybe have a comparable curry, seeing as Coco is a cheap curry chain, but I was thoroughly disappointed.1. Overpriced. Small portion of rice and an even smaller portion of curry that couldn't last the length of the meal. 14 dollars for this is criminal.2. Overcooked. The tonkastsu was way overcooked, far too chewy, dry and just unpleasant to eat. While the portion was big, I was almost wishing it wasn't.3. Bad flavors. The curry was just sub-par, the spice was not good. The fukujinzuke pickled radish side is not fukujinzuke at all, and is something else entirely that isn't very good, and far too little was included.I've also had other dishes as well here in the past and would rate them between 2-3 stars. The curry is hands down just bad, do not order it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
food is pretty
Food: 2
Log tables and TV. Bathroom and Water. Katsu don was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Baked Katsudon Bowl
On the corner in downtown berkeley, I really enjoyed this little shop. The cashier was super helpful when asking what was good and food came out fast and fresh. The inside was super clean and I feel like that's all you can really ask for! Definitely go give it a try
UPDATED:Second time here. They were out of teriyaki chicken. Had to pick fried. No brown rice option.First time here. Tasty braised pork rice bowl with yam and pickled vegetable. Pork is very tender. Comes with miso soup. At $10.99 that is a cheap lunch in Berkeley. Looks like they have a nice sake and beer selection.
Recommended dishes: Sauce
Mediocre food, bad customer service, and overpriced. Go to Sumo Roll instead.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Best empanada ever. Looove this place. Great people too. Would def return to this place.
Ordered the oyakodon and chicken wings for takeout. Chicken wings were pretty good, but the oyakodon was incredibly disappointing. Eggs were rubbery, and the chicken was incredibly bland and dry while somehow simultaneously having too much pepper and fish sauce (?). Rice had too much water added to it, so it was way too soft for the type of dish it was meant for.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Restaurantji Recommends
Was craving some and missing good gyudon (after having spent 6 years living in Japan). Saw this restaurant had it on the menu and ordered it on doordash. This is the most tasteless, watered down gyudon I have ever had. More akin to something you would get at a high school cafeteria. Not sure if they know how to make gyudon but this is not it....
Food: 1
It may have been a fluke but the gyudon rice bowl I got was exceptionally soupy and borderline hard to eat. The flavor was otherwise meh Service was fast so this place is overall a C+
First time at Kokolo. Went there for dinner with my daughter. Yelp reviews were solid so we decided to have a meal. Store was clean and inviting. Staff was friendly and attentive. Ordered oyakodonburi and my daughter ordered nikudonburi. Also had a beer and a soda. Food came quickly and hot. Oyakodonburi was unflavorable and bland. Chicken was dry. Sauce was way diluted and black pepper was part of the seasoning. Black pepper? Yuck. Nikudonburi was better and more seasoned. Total bill was around $50 including tip. Ambiance was typical Berkeley-bench tables, homeless people walking in front of store. Drug smoke waffled thru the open door. Id say this place deserved a 2-star review.
Great spot for Japanese small plates.I've tried the wagyu beef curry, agedashi tofu, wagyu beef sukiyaki, and hamachi kama. All delicious. Would recommend.
Decent but not attractive enough.I had the signature Katsu bowl, it was a solid three star, I think the food was under-seasoned. Katsu was okay, nothing to remember. Rice was good but it was overall a-ok bowl