I ordered the spicy miso ramen, but unfortunately it was very very very disappointing. The broth tasted more like salty water than a flavorful miso base, and the noodles were like cheap instant noodles that seemed undercooked like they had just come out of the package. The pork was ground and lacked flavor, and overall the dish was flavorless and not spicy at all.
The drink I ordered, which was described as mezcal with jalapeño, also fell super short. It tasted mostly like ice with low quality liquor, there was no noticeable mezcal flavor or jalapeño infusion. It felt more like a watered down soda with alcohol.
I am really surprised there are good reviews on the food. I can tell the marketing and the service are the only good things.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
gregorio lopez gonzalez
The food was just pretty bad bad I ordered Kimchi fried rice. I also order a drink and it also had a very poor taste.
The service was good
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
Eugenio Perez
By far my favorite restaurant in Boston. This restaraunt is the redeemer of this overall mid-tier city in comparison to other cities in the USA. This ma in fact be my favorite restaurant ever. I booked my reservation on OpenTable for the tuna rib experience on Valentine’s Day. Unbecoming of a usual valentines date, this turned out maybe 300x better than I expected, before the multiplier even, I was extremely excited as noted by my date. The fixings were spectacular and the service was amazing. The atmosphere was great, we never came to a restaraunt where we genuinely liked the music but this has changed since our experience. Pricing was reasonable for the experience. Me and my date enjoyed our experience so much, they can count we will be back. The tea cup was pretty small though- but minor in the extravagance of the rest of the meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Teddy Manning
I used to go here occasionally in university and it wasn't bad. But it's been a while since then, and I've never ordered delivery from them... Until tonight. That said, know going into this review that this was a GrubHub order. Now, the GrubHub part went smoothly- that's not the problem. The problem was the food tasted crazy. Apparently my partner's chicken curry katsu was good--the flavor was robust and complex. But my okonomiyaki was one of the weirdest things I've ever put in my mouth. I had a craving, but reading the ingredients online I knew this wouldn't be my mom's okonomiyaki. I thought it might scratch the itch, may as well give it a shot. Boy was I wrong. First of all, the cost for a bowl of curry, a small slice of honey cake, and okonomiyaki was $50. Fine, delivery upcharges, sure. Well, at least that's what I thought until I saw the portion of okonomiyaki. This was the smallest disc of BS I'd ever laid my eyes on. Okay, so price not justified, but maybe it would taste good, right? God, I wish. This dish tastes like what happens when you let a toddler play in the kitchen. None of the flavors or textures go together at all. Why is it sour? Why is it crunchy? Is that... cheese? Actually, what IS that? Why is there whole corn in it? Is this chutney? Why does this taste like someone's Texas cornbread? It's sour, it's bready, it's weirdly sweet, it's crunchy yet soggy, it's weirdly distributed, and I guess at this point I'm thankful it was small because it was so gross but I was so hungry and it cost so much that I felt the need to eat the whole dang thing. I thought maybe the honey cake would make me feel better, but it was so dry they tried to cover it up with whipped cream and it was so overwhelmingly sugary that it coated my mouth and left a bad taste after one bite. I bought myself a consolation milkshake for what I just went through. I guess the curry was good. Did I mention all this showed up cold? I can't blame the restaurant for that because it is cold outside, but please for a moment imagine my horror at expecting okonomiyaki and eating weird sour wet crunchy cornbread COLD. You can eat here, I guess. Maybe just avoid the okonomiyaki.
Sara S.
Our group had such a great time here for NYE! 🎉 The vibes were 10/10 with great music and atmosphere. Our server was super attentive, and the food was amazing. Highly recommend the veggie wontons and shiitake mushroom tempura roll. I definitely want to come back to try other options on the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Charis Zhu
It is too expensive and the food is sucks
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 4
Linda
Had a great late lunch with family at Hojoko! We tried a variety of items and all were very well-prepared and quite tasty. Our favorites were the Brussels sprouts and karaage chicken. Don't expect everything to come out at once as it comes out as it's finished which was fine by us when our server mentioned it. Speaking of our server, he was very attentive!
Richard Lucas
Great food. Fun waiter.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michelle
Visited for a Saturday afternoon girls lunch/brunch before walking over to the MFA. Great space with an eclectic, retro vibe. All of us enjoyed the food. We started with the “Kimcheesy” Tots - sooo good. Don't miss these! For entrees we ordered the waygu steak and egg bowl, chopped salad with chicken, and spicy tuna roll. All were delicious. Definitely recommend.
Bethany Russell
My friends and I bought tickets to what was supposed to be a punk rock NYE dance party. These tickets were $25 each. Upon entering, the manager asked how he could help us- we told him we were there for the event and showed our tickets. He checked them and then let us in with no instruction and told us to enjoy. We didn’t see any noticeable dance floor and saw a bunch of people sitting at tables, so we figured they were also there for the event and tried to sit down to order drinks. The manager rushed over to us and asked if we wanted a table. We were a bit confused on where he expected us to go, so we told him yes, and then noticed the event ‘area’, a 6x6 corner surrounded by tables of people eating, and half of this corner being taken up by a photo taking arrangement. I think he was assuming we would stand in this empty corner with photography lighting and wait for the DJ to start. Then, our server seemed annoyed at us, despite us being nothing but polite, and everyone at our table ordering something; our bill was over $100 and we still tipped 20% despite his attitude, long drink waits in a pretty empty restaurant, and overall lack of attentiveness. We still waited around and ordered apps and drinks, hoping that maybe the lights would dim or some tables would be moved out of the way so that there was actual room to dance, but this never happened. I asked the manager when he might expect the party to really get started: he told me usually around 10. We stayed from 7:30-9:50 and it seemed like we were the only naive losers who bought tickets to this ‘event’. We all wanted to ask for a refund, as between the 4 of us and our 3 friends who were on the way before us telling them it was not worth it, we spent almost $200 on tickets hoping to have fun and patronize this business, but we chickened out and coughed up more money for a cover at a venue that was holding a real party. It felt like we were charged 25 a person to eat at a restaurant, use a photo booth, and annoy a guy who had to serve us on a holiday. I know working holidays suck; I work retail and it’s the nature of any service industry. I’m not sure if it’s because we dressed to fit the event’s alleged theme, or because we were in our early 20s, but it felt like both the manager and our server assumed we were not there to spend money and therefore didn’t need to be taken seriously. I wish I asked for a refund, but I’m doubtful I would have gotten one. My advice to this establishment is to not charge admission for something that honestly should be free for patrons. We would’ve been thrilled to have fun hats and listen to an older DJ’s interpretation of “punk rock” if all we had to do was buy drinks and food. The cover and the false advertising coupled with poor service and mediocre food really put a damper on our night.
Food is outstanding. Small plates are fun to share. Love the Kimchi fried rice and the spareribs are a must try.
MarnieFabulous
Jessie was our bartender as we waited for everyone to arrive. Daniel was our server at our table. We had sake, sushi and did the wasabi roulette. Incredible vibe. Everything was delicious. Service was incredible. Great place to pregame for all things Fenway.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maxwell
The staff at Hojoko were phenomenal, I went with my girlfriend for our second anniversary and we were very impressed by our entire experience. The food was delicious, especially the brussel sprouts, and we enjoyed the retro decor inside. We were pleasantly surprised by a hand signed card from all the staff at the end of our dinner. Thank you to the Hojoko team, we're excited to come back soon!
Jake Tantorski
Hojoko hits you before you even sit down. You walk in and the place hums at its own frequency. On the right, the bar is already working overtime, tossing cocktails and kamikaze shots into a crowd that looks like it has been waiting all week for this exact moment. Beyond it, the open kitchen glows with steel and fire, cooks moving with a rhythm that feels almost cinematic. Then you notice the pool next door, separated by glass, a surreal 50s hotel tableau pressed right against the dining room. It should feel strange, but it works. It is Boston trying on a different skin for the night.
Once you sit, the noise settles into something closer to a pulse. It is loud, it is chaotic, and it invites you to stop pretending you wanted a quiet dinner. People are celebrating, laughing, living a little bit outside the lines, and you feel like you should be part of it. This is not a place for restraint. This is a place to lean in.
The service is friendly and stretched thin at the same time, the way any good party gets ahead of its hosts now and then. My Sapporo took longer than it should have, and the food drifted out at its own pace. It was a busy night. I was ready to move faster, keep the fun sailing along at a steady clip, but sometimes the tide is not yours to control.
When the potstickers arrived, they were gone almost instantly. Pork and shrimp packed tight with a dipping sauce that had a little kick but never tried to prove anything. Four of them, which is too few for people who enjoy eating, but just enough to make you want the next thing even more.
Then came the burger, the dish that carries the weight of reputation here. The Wagyu Cheeseburger is not subtle. It is rich, salty in the right ways, and built with the kind of confidence that does not bother asking how you want it cooked. They know what they are doing, and they do it well. The shoelace fries are the right choice. Crispy, light, perfect for scooping up whatever spills out of the bun. It is the kind of burger you could eat twice and still want another bite.
The Sapporo, once it finally landed, was a clean, easy drink. Light enough to go down fast, familiar enough to not distract from the food. It paired well with everything, especially the burger, which demanded something cold and uncomplicated.
Portions were exactly what they needed to be. The potstickers, good but fleeting. The burger, perfectly sized and gone too soon, in the way that all great burgers disappear.
When the night wrapped up, the standout was obvious. The burger alone is worth the trip. The only disappointment was waiting for that first beer, watching the party start around me while my own spark waited for a match.
Hojoko is the kind of place where the noise hits first, the grill smoke follows, and before you know it you are swept into a night that feels louder, faster, and more alive than you expected, all anchored by a burger worth crossing the city for.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Erik/MaryAnn
The chocolate cake was to die for! But the hiramasa was so good, both will be fighting for real estate in my brain. Skip the Brussels, good at first then mushy inside, tbh.
I ordered the spicy miso ramen, but unfortunately it was very very very disappointing. The broth tasted more like salty water than a flavorful miso base, and the noodles were like cheap instant noodles that seemed undercooked like they had just come out of the package. The pork was ground and lacked flavor, and overall the dish was flavorless and not spicy at all.
The drink I ordered, which was described as mezcal with jalapeño, also fell super short. It tasted mostly like ice with low quality liquor, there was no noticeable mezcal flavor or jalapeño infusion. It felt more like a watered down soda with alcohol.
I am really surprised there are good reviews on the food. I can tell the marketing and the service are the only good things.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
The food was just pretty bad bad I ordered Kimchi fried rice. I also order a drink and it also had a very poor taste.
The service was good
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
By far my favorite restaurant in Boston. This restaraunt is the redeemer of this overall mid-tier city in comparison to other cities in the USA. This ma in fact be my favorite restaurant ever. I booked my reservation on OpenTable for the tuna rib experience on Valentine’s Day. Unbecoming of a usual valentines date, this turned out maybe 300x better than I expected, before the multiplier even, I was extremely excited as noted by my date. The fixings were spectacular and the service was amazing. The atmosphere was great, we never came to a restaraunt where we genuinely liked the music but this has changed since our experience. Pricing was reasonable for the experience. Me and my date enjoyed our experience so much, they can count we will be back. The tea cup was pretty small though- but minor in the extravagance of the rest of the meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I used to go here occasionally in university and it wasn't bad. But it's been a while since then, and I've never ordered delivery from them... Until tonight. That said, know going into this review that this was a GrubHub order. Now, the GrubHub part went smoothly- that's not the problem. The problem was the food tasted crazy. Apparently my partner's chicken curry katsu was good--the flavor was robust and complex. But my okonomiyaki was one of the weirdest things I've ever put in my mouth. I had a craving, but reading the ingredients online I knew this wouldn't be my mom's okonomiyaki. I thought it might scratch the itch, may as well give it a shot. Boy was I wrong. First of all, the cost for a bowl of curry, a small slice of honey cake, and okonomiyaki was $50. Fine, delivery upcharges, sure. Well, at least that's what I thought until I saw the portion of okonomiyaki. This was the smallest disc of BS I'd ever laid my eyes on. Okay, so price not justified, but maybe it would taste good, right? God, I wish. This dish tastes like what happens when you let a toddler play in the kitchen. None of the flavors or textures go together at all. Why is it sour? Why is it crunchy? Is that... cheese? Actually, what IS that? Why is there whole corn in it? Is this chutney? Why does this taste like someone's Texas cornbread? It's sour, it's bready, it's weirdly sweet, it's crunchy yet soggy, it's weirdly distributed, and I guess at this point I'm thankful it was small because it was so gross but I was so hungry and it cost so much that I felt the need to eat the whole dang thing. I thought maybe the honey cake would make me feel better, but it was so dry they tried to cover it up with whipped cream and it was so overwhelmingly sugary that it coated my mouth and left a bad taste after one bite. I bought myself a consolation milkshake for what I just went through. I guess the curry was good. Did I mention all this showed up cold? I can't blame the restaurant for that because it is cold outside, but please for a moment imagine my horror at expecting okonomiyaki and eating weird sour wet crunchy cornbread COLD. You can eat here, I guess. Maybe just avoid the okonomiyaki.
Our group had such a great time here for NYE! 🎉 The vibes were 10/10 with great music and atmosphere. Our server was super attentive, and the food was amazing. Highly recommend the veggie wontons and shiitake mushroom tempura roll. I definitely want to come back to try other options on the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It is too expensive and the food is sucks
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 4
Had a great late lunch with family at Hojoko! We tried a variety of items and all were very well-prepared and quite tasty. Our favorites were the Brussels sprouts and karaage chicken. Don't expect everything to come out at once as it comes out as it's finished which was fine by us when our server mentioned it. Speaking of our server, he was very attentive!
Great food. Fun waiter.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Visited for a Saturday afternoon girls lunch/brunch before walking over to the MFA. Great space with an eclectic, retro vibe. All of us enjoyed the food. We started with the “Kimcheesy” Tots - sooo good. Don't miss these! For entrees we ordered the waygu steak and egg bowl, chopped salad with chicken, and spicy tuna roll. All were delicious. Definitely recommend.
My friends and I bought tickets to what was supposed to be a punk rock NYE dance party. These tickets were $25 each. Upon entering, the manager asked how he could help us- we told him we were there for the event and showed our tickets. He checked them and then let us in with no instruction and told us to enjoy. We didn’t see any noticeable dance floor and saw a bunch of people sitting at tables, so we figured they were also there for the event and tried to sit down to order drinks. The manager rushed over to us and asked if we wanted a table. We were a bit confused on where he expected us to go, so we told him yes, and then noticed the event ‘area’, a 6x6 corner surrounded by tables of people eating, and half of this corner being taken up by a photo taking arrangement. I think he was assuming we would stand in this empty corner with photography lighting and wait for the DJ to start. Then, our server seemed annoyed at us, despite us being nothing but polite, and everyone at our table ordering something; our bill was over $100 and we still tipped 20% despite his attitude, long drink waits in a pretty empty restaurant, and overall lack of attentiveness. We still waited around and ordered apps and drinks, hoping that maybe the lights would dim or some tables would be moved out of the way so that there was actual room to dance, but this never happened. I asked the manager when he might expect the party to really get started: he told me usually around 10. We stayed from 7:30-9:50 and it seemed like we were the only naive losers who bought tickets to this ‘event’. We all wanted to ask for a refund, as between the 4 of us and our 3 friends who were on the way before us telling them it was not worth it, we spent almost $200 on tickets hoping to have fun and patronize this business, but we chickened out and coughed up more money for a cover at a venue that was holding a real party. It felt like we were charged 25 a person to eat at a restaurant, use a photo booth, and annoy a guy who had to serve us on a holiday. I know working holidays suck; I work retail and it’s the nature of any service industry. I’m not sure if it’s because we dressed to fit the event’s alleged theme, or because we were in our early 20s, but it felt like both the manager and our server assumed we were not there to spend money and therefore didn’t need to be taken seriously. I wish I asked for a refund, but I’m doubtful I would have gotten one. My advice to this establishment is to not charge admission for something that honestly should be free for patrons. We would’ve been thrilled to have fun hats and listen to an older DJ’s interpretation of “punk rock” if all we had to do was buy drinks and food. The cover and the false advertising coupled with poor service and mediocre food really put a damper on our night.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Food is outstanding. Small plates are fun to share. Love the Kimchi fried rice and the spareribs are a must try.
Jessie was our bartender as we waited for everyone to arrive. Daniel was our server at our table. We had sake, sushi and did the wasabi roulette. Incredible vibe. Everything was delicious. Service was incredible. Great place to pregame for all things Fenway.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The staff at Hojoko were phenomenal, I went with my girlfriend for our second anniversary and we were very impressed by our entire experience. The food was delicious, especially the brussel sprouts, and we enjoyed the retro decor inside. We were pleasantly surprised by a hand signed card from all the staff at the end of our dinner. Thank you to the Hojoko team, we're excited to come back soon!
Hojoko hits you before you even sit down. You walk in and the place hums at its own frequency. On the right, the bar is already working overtime, tossing cocktails and kamikaze shots into a crowd that looks like it has been waiting all week for this exact moment. Beyond it, the open kitchen glows with steel and fire, cooks moving with a rhythm that feels almost cinematic. Then you notice the pool next door, separated by glass, a surreal 50s hotel tableau pressed right against the dining room. It should feel strange, but it works. It is Boston trying on a different skin for the night.
Once you sit, the noise settles into something closer to a pulse. It is loud, it is chaotic, and it invites you to stop pretending you wanted a quiet dinner. People are celebrating, laughing, living a little bit outside the lines, and you feel like you should be part of it. This is not a place for restraint. This is a place to lean in.
The service is friendly and stretched thin at the same time, the way any good party gets ahead of its hosts now and then. My Sapporo took longer than it should have, and the food drifted out at its own pace. It was a busy night. I was ready to move faster, keep the fun sailing along at a steady clip, but sometimes the tide is not yours to control.
When the potstickers arrived, they were gone almost instantly. Pork and shrimp packed tight with a dipping sauce that had a little kick but never tried to prove anything. Four of them, which is too few for people who enjoy eating, but just enough to make you want the next thing even more.
Then came the burger, the dish that carries the weight of reputation here. The Wagyu Cheeseburger is not subtle. It is rich, salty in the right ways, and built with the kind of confidence that does not bother asking how you want it cooked. They know what they are doing, and they do it well. The shoelace fries are the right choice. Crispy, light, perfect for scooping up whatever spills out of the bun. It is the kind of burger you could eat twice and still want another bite.
The Sapporo, once it finally landed, was a clean, easy drink. Light enough to go down fast, familiar enough to not distract from the food. It paired well with everything, especially the burger, which demanded something cold and uncomplicated.
Portions were exactly what they needed to be. The potstickers, good but fleeting. The burger, perfectly sized and gone too soon, in the way that all great burgers disappear.
When the night wrapped up, the standout was obvious. The burger alone is worth the trip. The only disappointment was waiting for that first beer, watching the party start around me while my own spark waited for a match.
Hojoko is the kind of place where the noise hits first, the grill smoke follows, and before you know it you are swept into a night that feels louder, faster, and more alive than you expected, all anchored by a burger worth crossing the city for.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
The chocolate cake was to die for! But the hiramasa was so good, both will be fighting for real estate in my brain. Skip the Brussels, good at first then mushy inside, tbh.
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