CAFE MOCHIKO · YELP ASSISTANT
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If you're in the area, stop in. Next time we go, we will be going for the dinner cuz my girl loves her some ramen! Service is quick, coffee is superb (get the jelly iced coffee), and grab a load of shokupan!
A bakery by day and a restaurant by night, Cafe Mochiko is a must try! We were lucky to get here early for both the morning pastries and the dinner dishes. The most memorable bites of the day were the karaage (some of the best I've had) and the mochi mochi panic. Every dish was phenomenal. Service was impeccable and the staff were all so kind. Lots of seating in the restaurant, we only had to wait 20 mins on a Friday evening. Highly recommend eating here!
I'm told the rotating ramen offerings means you have to come back a few times to find your favorite. While my visit didn't top my ramen preference, a savory mochi appetizer was a unique and wonderful introduction to this busy little place. Bar service seating can be a bit cramped when the restaurant is full but the friendly service and tasty food makes up for it. Interesting experiments like the Cincinnati Style Ramen, I'll let you decide for yourself if that's worth pursuing more than once.
Stopped in to grab some pastries on a snowy morning. These ruled. Ube croissaint lives up to the hype, the cream is not too sweet. The everything bagel croissant was also fantastic. Strong corn flavor on the corn pastry, bold. Not pictured is the bbq bao which was also great. Wish it had some bit of heat though to counter the sweet. Great service. Super friendly. Street parking but grabbed a spot right out front.
This place was bustling when I arrived with a group of 4 on a Thurs evening about 30min after opening and we had a 45 min wait. The place is cozy and the staff very friendly. Their menu is small but with weekly rotation of 2 ramen. We ordered the spicy udon and chicken karaage to share, and I also got their spicy miso ramen. I love a good chicken karaage and they didn't disappoint! The udon was good, but could use more heat in my opinion. And ordering the spicy miso and the udon was a bit too much of similar flavors. I heard their burger is delish as are their pastries so will have to try them next time!
Came here on a Friday night with a group of friends around 6pm and waited around an hour in the surrounding area. The inside is a small, cozy space and service is always great. Menu is small enough to make you want everything on it - started out with the mochi mochi panic, which we all loved. All of our entrees were worth the wait - super delicious, warm, and hearty. I got the Wagyu Smashburger, which I've had at least 3-4 times now and will continue to get every time I come!
Really good food! Great service. Nice vibes! Came too late for pastries, so I returned right on time for dinner! There was a line so get there about 10 minutes earlier to have a table fosho, or sit at the bar! I like the squish and if you do too, get the mochi mochi panic!! Super yummy. Soft mochi with soy and nice bean sprouts and onions for flavorrrr. The smashburger was recommended and good too! Quite unique! The bun is not light soft and fluffy like milk bread in my opinion. It was more dense, but a good chew. I thought it was good, but maybe needed more green or a tomato slice for juice? Overall great choice for dinner! Would def come back :)
This shop feels taken straight out of a Ghibli film. I cane a bit closer to the bakery closing, so I'd recommend coming early to get their full selection. I tried the pandan cookie and everything bagel bao which were both tasty! Staff was friendly and helpful.
We came in the evening and had the Kioke Shoyu Ramen. So delicious! Perfectly flavored broth, lovely thin noodles. It was the perfect dinner for a cloudy cold night. Our server was helpful and very articulate in describing our dining options. There is street parking, but we parked in a lot behind the building. There was a wait for a table, but we were able to sit at the bar within 20 minutes.
The menu has very limited options. The wasn't as authentic as I expected, which was a little disappointing. The flavors seemed more catered to an American palate rather than traditional Asian flavors. Unfortunately, it just wasn't my preferred style of Asian food, but the experience may be different for those who enjoy this type of food. And the service was ok. It was very crowded.
Pastries are always amazing. Definitely worth the line at 9am. Love the Filipino and Japanese flavors.
We came here at 5:20pm on a Saturday and there was a 1 hour wait. We put our name down and they called us when our table was ready. We ordered crab cucumber salad and karaage as our appetizer. Both were great. I am happy they use real crab meat instead of imitation crab meat like at other Japanese restaurants. I wanted to try the Cincinnati-style ramen as I kept hearing great reviews on it. I thought it was decent and it tasted like watered down Skyline as I expected. We also ordered the ramp miso ramen, which is my favorite ramen at Mochiko so far. The locally foraged ramps give it a strong onion/garlic flavor.
Cafe Mochiko serves some of the best ramen in Cincinnati, and it's traditional and authentic. By day it's a Japanese-style bakery, and by night it turns into a casual ramen spot run by a married couple who clearly care about the craft. The service is great, and the staff is happy to explain the menu. A few things to know before you go. They don't take reservations. It's a waiting list, and you have to be there in person to put your name down, so plan for a wait at busy times. Prices are a bit steep for a bowl of ramen. Customizing your bowl isn't allowed, and there's no takeout. Dishes also sometimes sell out for the night, so go earlier if there's something you really want to try. Worth it for the quality, but set your expectations on price, wait times, and flexibility. read more
2 months ago
A bakery by day and a restaurant by night, Cafe Mochiko is a must try! We were lucky to get here early for both the morning pastries and the dinner dishes. The most memorable bites of the day were the karaage (some of the best I've had) and the mochi mochi panic. Every dish was phenomenal. Service was impeccable and the staff were all so kind. Lots of seating in the restaurant, we only had to wait 20 mins on a Friday evening. Highly recommend eating here! read more
7 days ago
I'm told the rotating ramen offerings means you have to come back a few times to find your favorite. While my visit didn't top my ramen preference, a savory mochi appetizer was a unique and wonderful introduction to this busy little place. Bar service seating can be a bit cramped when the restaurant is full but the friendly service and tasty food makes up for it. Interesting experiments like the Cincinnati Style Ramen, I'll let you decide for yourself if that's worth pursuing more than once. read more
12 days ago
I got the milk tea and it was super watered down. $5 which isn't bad but because it tasted so bad it was a waste of money. read more
Stopped in to grab some pastries on a snowy morning. These ruled. Ube croissaint lives up to the hype, the cream is not too sweet. The everything bagel croissant was also fantastic. Strong corn flavor on the corn pastry, bold. Not pictured is the bbq bao which was also great. Wish it had some bit of heat though to counter the sweet. Great service. Super friendly. Street parking but grabbed a spot right out front. read more
11 months ago
This place was bustling when I arrived with a group of 4 on a Thurs evening about 30min after opening and we had a 45 min wait. The place is cozy and the staff very friendly. Their menu is small but with weekly rotation of 2 ramen. We ordered the spicy udon and chicken karaage to share, and I also got their spicy miso ramen. I love a good chicken karaage and they didn't disappoint! The udon was good, but could use more heat in my opinion. And ordering the spicy miso and the udon was a bit too much of similar flavors. I heard their burger is delish as are their pastries so will have to try them next time! read more
6 months ago
Came here on a Friday night with a group of friends around 6pm and waited around an hour in the surrounding area. The inside is a small, cozy space and service is always great. Menu is small enough to make you want everything on it - started out with the mochi mochi panic, which we all loved. All of our entrees were worth the wait - super delicious, warm, and hearty. I got the Wagyu Smashburger, which I've had at least 3-4 times now and will continue to get every time I come! read more
1 year ago
Really good food! Great service. Nice vibes! Came too late for pastries, so I returned right on time for dinner! There was a line so get there about 10 minutes earlier to have a table fosho, or sit at the bar! I like the squish and if you do too, get the mochi mochi panic!! Super yummy. Soft mochi with soy and nice bean sprouts and onions for flavorrrr. The smashburger was recommended and good too! Quite unique! The bun is not light soft and fluffy like milk bread in my opinion. It was more dense, but a good chew. I thought it was good, but maybe needed more green or a tomato slice for juice? Overall great choice for dinner! Would def come back :) read more
This shop feels taken straight out of a Ghibli film. I cane a bit closer to the bakery closing, so I'd recommend coming early to get their full selection. I tried the pandan cookie and everything bagel bao which were both tasty! Staff was friendly and helpful. read more
We came in the evening and had the Kioke Shoyu Ramen. So delicious! Perfectly flavored broth, lovely thin noodles. It was the perfect dinner for a cloudy cold night. Our server was helpful and very articulate in describing our dining options. There is street parking, but we parked in a lot behind the building. There was a wait for a table, but we were able to sit at the bar within 20 minutes. read more
3 months ago
The menu has very limited options. The wasn't as authentic as I expected, which was a little disappointing. The flavors seemed more catered to an American palate rather than traditional Asian flavors. Unfortunately, it just wasn't my preferred style of Asian food, but the experience may be different for those who enjoy this type of food. And the service was ok. It was very crowded. read more
2 months ago
Pastries are always amazing. Definitely worth the line at 9am. Love the Filipino and Japanese flavors. read more
We came here at 5:20pm on a Saturday and there was a 1 hour wait. We put our name down and they called us when our table was ready. We ordered crab cucumber salad and karaage as our appetizer. Both were great. I am happy they use real crab meat instead of imitation crab meat like at other Japanese restaurants. I wanted to try the Cincinnati-style ramen as I kept hearing great reviews on it. I thought it was decent and it tasted like watered down Skyline as I expected. We also ordered the ramp miso ramen, which is my favorite ramen at Mochiko so far. The locally foraged ramps give it a strong onion/garlic flavor. read more
7 months ago
Stopped by on a Saturday morning. There were so many lovely pastries, we almost bought them all! We had the bbq pork snow bun, kimchi and egg croissant, and the ramp laing danish there. The ramp Laing danish was AMAZING. My only complaint about the other 2 is that I could have been heated a little longer, the middle was still cold, but the taste was a still great! We also got a bunch to take home, the strawberry melon pan was absolutely delightful. The strawberry flavor was so bright and juicy. Can't wait to come back to try their ramen at night! read more
3 months ago
We came to Cafe Mochiko early Sunday morning and wish we got there in time to try the weekend special! We asked for some recommendations on what to get, and the everything bao was definitely my favorite. I would like to come back and try the dinner menu, specifically the ramen! read more
Cafe Mochiko is a force to be reckoned with. Both their morning and evening menu and service were solid. In the morning into late afternoon, you can stop in for a wide selection of interesting Asian pastries and a drink. Each pastry is delicious in its own way without outshining others around it. I couldn't decide on just one, and buckled to try their Sweet Corn Bibingka, Sobacha Chocolate Chunk cookie and matcha yuzu cake. You honestly can't go wrong with any selection! Let's talk about their dinner menu. The crowd favorites are evidently the Hokkaido Smashburger, Karaage and seasonal ramen bowl. The Hokkaido Smashburger is the quitenssence of Japanese American fusion. Firm by pillow white milk buns sandwiching a hefty American burger patty. The potato fries are thick and crispy--light and crunchy. Their chicken karaage is my favorite! Large crispy chicken tenders with a balanced spicy aioli sauce. It's no wonder why every table has an order of their karaage. read more
11 months ago
I finally got to check this place out for dinner. Perfect spot for a cold day if you are looking for a cozy dinner with friends or family. This place does not do carry out orders or take reservations, we went towards the end of their dinner hours and had a 30 minute wait time which was worth it for the food. We started off with their mango soda, chicken karaage, and our entrees were Japanese curry (vegan) and their ramen of the week. I look forward to returning for their chicken karaage, the Japanese curry was flavorful for only being vegetables, and the spicy ramen had a little bit of excess oil/grease due to the meat however overall was good. read more
My first time really getting to explore the Woodburn Ave area and it was a treat! Went into Mochiko a little late in the morning to experience their full offer of fresh selections but tried to capture what was there that really interested me! The cashier was very sweet and patient with answering all our questions. Super chill vibe and I can see myself parking at a table with a journal and people gazing out of the window while I write. read more
A cute Japanese cafe nestled in East Walnut hills. This was actually my second attempt coming here for pastries, fair warning they sell out quickly! We arrived at 8:50 for their 9am opening and there was already a short line. We got the Ube Croissant, Yuzu Marzipan, Kimche and Egg croissant as well as a special they had which was a prosciutto sandwich sort of thing. I think they are most known for the Ube Croissant but our favorite was actually the prosciutto sammy. The kimche and egg croissant has a lot of potential but I think would be better if it were warmed up. We also plan to come back here to try dinner! Overall, worth checking out for some tasty and unique pastries! read more
3 months ago
The sweet corn bibingka has to be one of the best things I have eaten all year! Delicious, decadent, perfection! They really have perfected this small delicious treat. It's like corn bread elevated to its highest standard! The everything cream cheese Bao is also a simplified treasure! Cream cheese in the center waiting to be discovered. They will warm it up for you if you ask. Staff is always kind, attentive and willing to answer questions. 10/10 recommend! read more
3 months ago
I have been wanting to go to Cafe Mochiko ever since I saw a photo of their purple Ube Halaya Croissants and finally got to go this past week. I wanted to try several items, so we order three to share. We got the Ube Croissant, the Egg & Kimchi Croissant, and the Everything Cream Cheese Bao and they were all out of this world! The coffee was very good as well. The space is cute and was buzzing with people coming and going. The only thing that took my rating down to a 4-star is all the tables were dirty. There were probably 8 open tables when we got there and they all were covered with crumbs, so we had to wipe down our own table. read more
Small japanese cafe that serve amazing pastry and dine in only dinner service. It is always busy and you have to get there early. You are able to get pastry too but the menu is not as vast as in the morning. Recommend the ube croissant and snow pork bun and weekend specials! Mochi panic- savory chewy mochi with ground pork and bean sprouts. Wish there's portion was bigger as it's amazing! A mustt order for appetizer. Katsu sando- the pork cutlet is a little dry. Would be better if there's sauce. They serve rotating ramen and it happens to be chilled tsukemen so the dipping broth is cold. Its sort of unique but I would prefer another type of tsukemen served with warm dipping broth. Still give tsukemen a try when they released other flavors as i like their chewy noodles. read more
Amazing. I understand the line. Most weekends there is a line, early. I arrived about 9:30. There were single folks and groups in line but it moved at a good pace. The hold up being the patrons not the hard workers. I got the miso peanut butter cookie, the chocolate chunk cookie, apricot and cardamom scone and loaf of milk bread. The peanut butter cookie is absolutely divine! The chocolate chunk was good too. The crispy outside of the scone, slightly glazed is a work of art. I did not eat the bread yet but I could not wait to review this deliciousness! read more
1 year ago
My first time here and I will have to say what made my experience the best was the customer service I received. We got to try a variety of pastries and some good Thai tea. I tried a rhubarb pastry which was surprising amazing. If I could describe it it would be sweet and sour but in the most balanced way. The space is so welcoming and bright. They have street parking. I've never had any pastries like this before, but now that I have I will be back! read more
1 year ago
I wish I could have this made for me everyday. i'm not even someone who would pick a ramen restaurant but my boyfriend loves it so I started to come here and would always get the Hokkaido smashburger (also an amazing option if you're not into ramen). The appetizers are also very good, the Karaage is very very good and something to snack on before your main dish. It's the type of restaurant you need to be there for open or you will need to plan accordingly to hang out next door. if you're luck they will have some pastries for sale and you can get one of them for a sweet treat ! 10/10 place read more
A bit above 4.5, but not completely 5.0 yet. Overall I enjoyed pretty much everything! Sure there are some items that were better than others, but a couple of items really stood out, and it was clear that guests would come for those items. I had both pastries here during the day and dinner here afterwards, both on the same day. I missed the ube halaya croissant, and I saw people coming in after me, realizing that the croissants were out for the day, promising to come back the next day for them. That made me feel like I missed out. However, the kimchi & egg croissant was pretty good, especially after heated up. Of course, one cannot expect the egg to be runny, which of course would've been even better, but what they had was already pretty good I would say. My favorite was the mochi mochi panic, with bean sprouts that tasted so much like home, and the housemade mochi having very soft chewable texture yet not sticking to teeth. The dish was flavorful! Another flavorful dish was the tantanmen. I could tell the broth, which was a bit spicy and very rich in flavor, had quite a bit of spice, and the fresh coriander on top, albeit not common in East Asian food, worked out very well. The dish is nowhere near traditional, but it worked out very well and I loved the way they made it. I enjoyed the kioke shoyu ramen as well. While I actually normally don't eat pork, I do consume chashu pork that's typically found in ramen. Here in Cafe Mochiko, they use the broth to cook the pork, similar to Vietnamese pho in which the broth would cook the beef. The chashu pork was thinner and resembled sliced pork you can find in hot pot a bit more, which was interesting. The broth I could tell had a lot of meat flavor because I could taste the pork in it (the kind that I don't eat which my palate is very sensitive to), and I have attributed it to authenticity. The katsu sando has a huge piece of pork cutlet in it, and was really great in both texture and flavor, as the sandwiches contained contrast for both, offering a comprehensive tasting experience. The potato salad was also very flavorful, having a sweet yet vinegary type of taste. This place is located in East Walnut Hill, and there are quite a few food spots around it. While this place doesn't have desserts, Hello Honey is pretty much right next door for those interested in some ice cream afterwards! Oh, and I arrived at 5pm for dinner. By 5:05pm, they were entirely packed. read more
1 year ago
So I knew it would be delicious, I just didn't know it would be THIS delicious. Wow. Yum. Had the Broccoli Gomae which was awesomely bright with sesame flavor, the Ramp Raisu which has both pickled and fresh ramp - almost like a risotto texture. And the Mochi Mochi Panic was the star of the show - almost served like a gnocchi but with mochi texture instead and a total umami bomb. So great. Sat at the bar and had a few Asahi. I came for the smashburger but got distracted by other items on the menu so I guess another trip is in order. read more
11 months ago
This review is based on their dinner menu alone. 45 minute wait when we went. Solid spot. Would come back for the Karaage and Katsu Sando. Was it life changing? No, but it was good. I felt like the curry rice was a rip off at $15. There's no meat, maybe a few mushrooms and a few pieces of carrot. The rice itself was good and the curry was good but nothing special. Wouldn't recommend. The only thing that saved the curry was we saved some of the karaage to eat with it. The ramens are $17 and compared to the curry, way more value for your money. Ramens both had very rich broths. They were good but I think I may just like a tonkotsu better. read more
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Ask the Community - Cafe Mochiko
As of today (1/14/2022), can you actually go inside or is the only service available through an outside window? If it is outside only, are the dinners available for carryout?
They've had dine-in for months now, both for their dinner service as well as bakery (though for bakery hours, you need to order outside before taking it in if you want to sit). Get there early though - lines often go out the door!
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