I spotted this place when I was looking for bakeries in the area. What caught my eye was the Japanese-French fusion items they serve. I got here about 10 minutes after it opened and ended up waiting about 15 minutes in line. It was totally worth the wait! I got the following four items - two savory and two sweet. Everything Bagel Bao (3/5): The bread was a bao like consistency with everything bagel seasoning. It had cream cheese stuffed inside and we were able to pull away about six separate sections. Kimchi and Egg Croissant (4/5): This was my favorite savory one. What would have made it better would have been if the egg was a little more soft-boiled. The kimchi stood out well. Sweet Corn Bibingka (3/5): This was like sweet cornbread with what seemed like shaved butter on top. I wasn't really a fan. Ube Halaya Croissant (5/5): This was hands down my favorite item. The Ube Halaya wasn't incredibly strong and the cream was light and airy. The croissant was flaky and had really good structure. I'd get this in a heartbeat. read more

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I've been wanting to try Cafe Mochiko for a while, and when my daughter asked if I wanted to meet for dinner last week, inspiration struck! Cafe Mochiko is very popular and doesn't take reservations, so we made plans to meet right at five. That worked and we were among those to get a table right when the cafe opened. I am always down for ramen and Cafe Mochiko rotates their ramen dishes regularly. I opted for the delicious Tantanmen Ramen, which featured spicy sesame broth, ground pork, plenty of housemade noodles, sprouts, fresh coriander and more. Gorgeous, even on a hot day. Paired with an Asahi, it satisfied my craving. My daughter and I split the crab cucumber salad - a tangy, cooling dish. She ordered two things that I got to sample: Mochi Mochi Panic, yummy, crispy mochi paired with ground pork and scallions in a soy glaze, and the umami rich Summer Raisu, a rice, corn, jalapeño and Parmesan dish. Since the cafe is also a bakery, I took home two giant peanut butter miso cookies that were so good. Service was kind and friendly. read more

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My absolute favorite Asian restaurant in Cincinnati! You literally can't go wrong with anything on the menu. They have a weekly rotating ramen menu so it's always fun to try new ramen. The ramen noodles are so chewy and bouncy. Every appetizer is worth trying- my top favorites are karaage and mochi mochi panic. Each dish is so unique, packed full of flavor and seasoned to perfection. There is always a line so I'd recommend to go a little before they open so you can get seated immediately. I love the attention to detail even in their dish ware. Service is exceptional! I wished they had dessert during dinner service too but you'll just have to stop by during bakery hours in the morning for that. read more

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Ridiculously great bakery/breakfast place in AM and ramen+ for dinner ... except that breakfast ramen should be a thing! You order at the counter and self-serve. Chill atmosphere The BBQ Pork Bao is ridiculous read more

Great service. It was very busy on a Friday night at seven, which was great to see. We sat at the bar and our server was super helpful in recommending some really flavorful and interesting dishes. We got the CRAB CUCUMBER SALAD, the MOCHI MOCHI PANIC as starters, and the special ramen and the special noodle dish (not on the starter menu). I cannot remember the names but I do have pics of everything! DELICIOUS! read more

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Pretty crispy and fresh pastries. Very yummy ube cream. Unique flavor combinations. Need a bigger coffee selection. The seating is cosy and simple. read more

Cafe Mochiko - Kimchi egg croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I was during my trip when I noticed this dessert and cafe spot in Cincy. I went there the next day to get their signature ube croissant and a chocolate croissant. They tasted amazing! No taste of artificial sweeteners, every flavor was like mixed to a balanced point. Nice ambiance, good service, and sufficient street parking spaces in the morning (not sure whether the same during rushing hours). I was thought about having a dinner here for another day, while there was no extra time left for me to stay in this lovely city. Their noodles and other Asian cuisines also look delicious! read more

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Managed to get here twice for dinner while in Cincy for work. A coworker came in with a bunch of their pastries and we were all blown away. Decided going for a meal was a must. I think I got lucky both times as they don't take reservations, first time we were sat right down and the second only had to wait 20-30 mins. The people working there are lovely and the food is outstanding. Tried three different ramens, the best of which had a shrimp stock base and the chashu was intense and tender. The katsu sandwich is also excellent, not too fatty but very juicy. Also tried their crab cucumber salad and a risotto, both of which were very good. THE dish though? The mochi mochi panic. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, full of wok hey and umami. A dish you can't get over once you've tried and one of the best things I've eaten this year. Also, compared to NYC prices? This is a super affordable, awesome dinner out. High skilled chefs making excellent food. read more

Cafe Mochiko - Crab and Shrimp Shio Ramen - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I'm back for dinner again!!! The last them they had tsukeman I arrived too late and wasn't able to get it as they sold out. That's was the yuzu tsukeman. So this time, I made sure I got there when they opened and managed to get their shrimp tsukeman! Mochi mochi panic was a must for me. And that is the one dish that I loved. Ordered their karaage, too! This time round, we got fewer chicken pieces, but they were bigger. So I guess it's the same? For the highlight, shrimp tsukeman, I actually like the texture of those noodles more than the noodles in their ramen. So that's still my favorite. There's a lemon slice in the soup, too! Soup was rich and flavorful, but lowkey sad there's no shrimp in it. Other than that, it's a nice treat! read more

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Get there when it opens because there are no reservations. First come first serve! But do not be daunted by your wait time - they will take your phone number, and you can just duck next door to Growler House and enjoy sampling their wide variety of craft beers, ciders, sours, and spirits. A very pleasant way to wait! We've eaten at Mochiko several times. Great every time. It's a nice experience, dining at small tables with neighbors all around and everyone is happy and chill. If you're very lucky, there will be Japanese pastries or milk bread still available from the morning bakery rush (yes, it's an NYT-top-rated bakery too). PS: I had the Tantanmen ramen. Photo with my review --- I've eaten some of it because I couldn't wait to tuck in, so forgive me! This is just spectacular. And also the Shoyu ramen, AND the "Skyline" ramen (sounds weird but is super delicious and not at all what you might think it is). read more

Cafe Mochiko - Tantanmen ramen. Delicious! - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

What better way to wait out rain to run than to pick up pastries from Mochiko?! I've enjoyed their dinner service a few years ago but never had a chance to try their pastries. I arrived at 9:03am on a Saturday am. Doors open at 9:00am and was shocked at the line. There's a reason why they're so popular. The good news is the line moves quickly, but you need to know what you want. I made a list while waiting in line and when I got up to the counter, I rattled off my order: chocolate croissants, ube croissants, chocolate chunk cookie, BBQ pork bun, kimchi & egg croissant, sweet corn bibingkas. Everything is fresh and exceptional. I really love how they represent various Asian cultures in beautifully-baked masterpieces that are equally delicious! Plus side: Each pastry is reasonably priced! read more

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Found this place after going viral on tiktok. It's such a fun spot to try out some new things! The hours are tricky so pay attention to that when planning your visit but I'd say it's worth it! They are always selling out so get there early. read more

Came here for dinner on a Friday night, and stopped by a few weeks later for breakfast - happy that I have now experienced 2 different but wonderfully flavorful meals here! Totally worth the awards and hype :) For dinner, we got the mochi mochi panic, kabocha raisu, shiitake don, and tantanmen ramen. It was a spread but we wanted to try a variety, and safe to say no plate was left unfinished. The kabocha raisu was absolutely delicious, it reminded me of risotto. I could have eaten a full dish of this!! The mochi was unique, the combination with the ground beef and veg toppings was a good savory pairing alongside the raisu. We enjoyed both entrees, the tantanmen would have been little too spicy for me but perfect for my fiancé. For breakfast, we got the ube halaya croissant, everything cream cheese bao, sweet corn bibingka, and a basil/pineapple/coconut cake. Again, another spread.. but no leftovers ;) the cake was SO GOOD. Not a common combination but the flavors complimented each other so well, and although I think this would also be perfect in the summer, it was a nice light cake for winter. The bibingka reminded me of corn bread (naturally) but had a great moist texture that held together really well (unlike a lot of corn bread). Like the addition of shredded cheese on top and I think ricotta in the middle. The croissant and bao were good, can't go wrong with an everything bagel seasoning and slightly fruity croissant! read more

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I have been to this restaurant at least five times and should have reviewed it sooner. This is a staple for anyone looking for Japanese dishes in the Cincinnati area. They offer authentic dishes during their dinner service some of which rotate in and out. Their breakfast service consist of amazing pastries that have been nominated for the James bread award. Their best dishes consist of the karrage and the mochi mochi panic. They make an amazing Hokkaido burger for those less adventurous palates. Their ramen broth is light and flavorful. They even have the heavy hitting sunline chilli inspired ramen that is a hit with the locals. The service can be a bit slow sometimes since it's a small kitchen, but this place is a gem and will be frequented by me for as long as I live in the area. read more

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Went here with some friends. Only got some desserts but will go back for ramen or a sandwich next time. The thing I loved and had not had before was the ube croissant. Beautiful in color, filling was so creamy and tasted delicious. Ube is a purple yam so it lends this fantastic color to the filling. It ends up being a feast for your eyes as well as your tummy. The owner was a James Beard finalist so that should tell the story. read more

Cafe Mochiko - Sweet corn bibingka - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I had a great dinner here with friends, and when I warmed up a cookie at home, it was just as impressive. The service, vibes, and folks who work there are fantastic too. read more

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Very well run bakery service in the morning, always a line out the door when it opens on weekends. Well worth it and hard to choose just a couple things. Kimchi egg croissant is a savory favorite. If you're there early enough, good hojicha as well read more

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This review is for the dinner service only! We love Mochiko bakery in the daytime, so we were excited to try their dinner offerings. The place is bustling; we waited around 15 minutes on a Sunday evening but can get up to an hour. The service is lovely and timely. Many drinks to choose from, but the sake juice box was charming and on the cheaper end. For food we recommend the Mochi Mochi Panic; soft and pillowy homemade Mochi rolls in a ground pork-riddled soy glaze. It was our favorite! The Hokkaido smashburger was alright; we weren't asked how we liked the Patty done so it comes out well done (but still soft); the fries were more of a hit. The ramen of the night had pork chashu and a wonton. The soft boiled egg was overdone but otherwise it was a solid bowl. I would definitely come here again and try different things on their rotating menu! read more

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The best casual Asian food. We enjoyed everything we got, from fried chicken, to mochi, to fried rice with eggs. The prices are reasonable as well. read more

Cafe Mochiko - Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

After being recommended Cafe Mochiko countless times, I was able to stop in for some pastries. The Woodburn area is very nice and the interior is simple, but welcoming. The service was good and quite prompt. The Ube croissant and the kimchi egg croissant were both great with the latter stealing the show. The scone was ok and not something I would get again. I'm excited to come back and try the dinner options! read more

Cafe Mochiko - Ube Croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Both in Cafe and Bakery Mochiko impresses on qualify, flavor, price, and staff. Rating 10/10 | Cost w/ Tip $19 Pros: Great flavors and fair prices. Cons: Limited parking options. For the bakery I have little to say as my GF bought the desserts for a friend but both of them loved everything (especially the ube treats) and everything looked fresh and well made. For the Cafe even on a Thursday it was packed but there queue was fair, and their staff move quick to clear tables. The interior is simple in a good way with movable tables and chairs and I believe on a non busy day it might work well for a group. The food was perfect. I am not a big burger person but I get theirs every time. At $16 for a double patty and fries it beats out every other burger place on cost alone. On top of that the bun is unique with a starchier soft build to avoid becoming soggy, the "mayo" is improved on the american standard, and the other flavors and cook of the meat is perfect without asking for alterations. I would invite anyone here day or evening for a cosy, casual, quality meal! read more

Cafe Mochiko - Menu June 2023 - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Congratulations to the owners and baker who has a James Beard Award nomination for best bakery. ....justly so! Check them out. They don't do carry out, and the wait is about 39 minutes during the weeknights and probably much longer on Saturdays. read more

Cafe Mochiko - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Came here with some friends for the second time. I love this bakery/cafe. I don't think I've had a single bakery item I didn't like. My favorite bakery item is the ube croissant and the cardamom scone so far. There is so much flavor in every bite. The combination of flavors work so well together. I have gotten the Katsu sandwich which is so crispy and flavorful. Last night I got the Cincinnati chili ramen. I have to say it does taste just like Cincinnati chili but wish there was still an authentic ramen flavor or twist to it. I was expecting something special since it's been raved about and come back as a special so many times but I didn't feel like I was eating ramen at all. I will have to try the traditional ramen next time. I've heard so many great things about the food and can't wait to make my way through more menu items. They open at 5pm for dinner and there is always a line and wait. This time the wait was 1 hour so just plan accordingly that you'll have to wait for a bit but it's worth it. If you want bakery items you have to come early. They are nice enough to let you do a phone order which I like, because I can't make it in early and so I can still try some delicious treats. I do wish they'd get more severs to help them. We had to keep asking for everything 2-3 times before it was done. From bringing more water, to an extra glass (we were given only 4 for a table of 5), to missing parts of the order, to take out containers, etc...it was just hard to get the attention of a server and then a lot of effort to keep looking out for them. The staff is all friendly and nice but I do hope they get some extra hands to help out. I'm looking forward to my next visit to Mochiko for pastries and their dinner items. read more

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Small place so arrive early for no wait. The service is always decent for the small staff they have. I always get the Cincinnati style ramen but I am going to have to try the burger as it looks and sounds amazing! read more

Cafe Mochiko - Cincinnati style ramen - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This is a gem! I loved the small menu. Wonderful plates all around. The servers are very kind.

The pastries here are amazing! They are so detailed and delicious. However, you need to come early to get them. They will sell out much before the morning hours of the shop. The indoor seating is large and the light shines in beautifully. read more

The Skyline Style Ramen was the reason we came here. It's super cute and right next to a pub so you can grab a drink while you wait, if you'd like. The chili ramen- if you're along for the food fusion ride, then you'll enjoy this. It tastes like skyline, but more broth-y. As a note: it is just skyline ingredients with an egg. There aren't any other ramen bells and whistles. The chicken karrage- perfectly crispy and portioned really well. Worth a try if you're extra hungry Note: read more

Cafe Mochiko - Menu - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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On our single day in Cincinnati, we were planning to get the Cincinnati Chili Ramen from Cafe Mochiko since we heard so much about it. Unfortunately two problems would stymie our quest: that morning, the store had a electrical power issue that closed all dine-in. Ramen is one of those dishes you should never get takeout for! But more importantly, they mentioned that the dish had been rotated out of the menu at the time so we couldn't have gotten it anyways. Luckily, they also have a bakery section we were looking forward to as well. We opted to get two of the pastries: Ube Halaya Croissant - This is a crisp and well laminated croissant filled with ube cream and jam. The ube flavor really shines through in the cream. There were some coconut shreds in the jam which was a little unexpected but not unpleasant. Be sure to eat this one fast - we waited a bit too long and the cream soaked into the bottom layer of the croissant. Earl Grey Chocolate Chunk Scone - This is a really good scone. A very nice baked crisp finish accented by an additional layer of crunchy sugar crystals glazed on top. The Earl Grey flavor really comes out in this scone and it pairs very well with the layers of chocolate melted within. I regret we did not get anything else. We will definitely be back if we ever visit Cincinnati again. read more

Cafe Mochiko - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Amazing food! Definitely try all of their pastries. Can't wait to go back for dinner. Great location and chill vibe

I love the baked goods that come from this bakery!! Consistent and delicious every single time, they never fail to amaze me when they change up the menu with a new sweet treat that has such distinct flavors! Sometimes when they get busy they refuse to heat up bagels and such which ends up decreasing the quality of that particular product. Workers are always pretty kind and when they're not busy they chat with you which is a plus. Price wise, it's not so bad for being such a unique product and experience. Prices range depending on the product. Anywhere from like $4-$9 per item. I've always loved every single sweet treat! read more

Cafe Mochiko - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great spot for double-date-nights! Food is always good and the service is always friendly. I'll never forget falling in love with the Cincinnati Ramen and the Peach Kimchi from here! read more

We tried so many things there and everything was great. The crab cucumber salad, chili miso udon, mochi mochi panic, Katie sando and the smashbuger. The fries were soooo good. Service was excellent. We will definitely go again. read more

This is one of my friends and I's go to spots for dinner, especially since it's close to home. We grabbed a quick meal here and it was amazing as always! I got the smashburger which was full of flavor with this delicious bao bun that made it unique. A friend of mine got the shoyu ramen which looked delicious!!! Service was fast and we were seated right away. We go here all the time for dinner and that tradition will probably never change! read more

Cafe Mochiko - Smashburger - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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such delicious desserts and unique flavors! ube crossiant was iconic and others like the sweet corn bibingka and mt fuji were so decadent! read more

Cafe Mochiko - yum - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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It look nice and welcoming. The employee was sweet and helpful. I would say they look too pretty to eat. But once I got a bite of it, they are not really up to the hype. They are great for sure, I just meant I'm not going out of my way to get it. Or want it all the time. To be fair this is just my opinion, also I was only there for the pastry. Prob will come back for dinner to complete the review. read more

What a cute little shop, with such delicious offerings. There's some paid street parking and a lot across the street. There's a small amount of seating and a beautifully decorated cafe. The ambiance was calm, cozy, and bright. There was an ordering window, but it was closed today. They were pretty busy, but the line moved fairly quickly. I got the Ube Croissant, Sweet Corn Bibingka, Guava Brie, and a BBQ Snow Bun. The Ube Croissant was absolutely delicious, soft, flakey, and sweet. It was my favorite pastry that I got and I believe their most popular flavor. I thought the Guava Brie was yummy, sweet, and creamy but the bun itself was a bit dry. The BBQ Pork Bun was sweeter than expected, but deliciously worked well and flavorful. The Sweet Corn was decent, I also felt that it was a bit dry and hard, but the taste was good. Overall, I thought the buns were delicious, but a bit pricey. I would definitely come here once in awhile for a nice treat. Staff was nice and they were working hard to crank out those orders. I was in line for about 20 minutes, but it was pretty fast and once I ordered, it took a couple minutes. I would recommend for a treat, casual date, breakfast, some coffee, or for a cozy space to enjoy a snack. read more

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Super tasty food and I loved the space. They had a TV playing old movies on VHS (when we went it was Shrek). The waitress even offered to change the movie once it was over! read more

Cafe Mochiko - Kioke Shoyu - Bakeries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This place operates in two modes: a daytime cafe and bakery with a small selection of beverages and distinctive pastries, and as a restaurant at night, with fairly limited days and hours for both operations. The restaurant menu had a couple of modest vegetarian things but didn't really win me over. I went for the cafe and found an enticing display. Of the several intriguing flavor fusions I considered, I ended up eating a taro mochi donut there and taking a sobacha chocolate chip cookie to go. The donut was somewhat softer and stickier than mochi donuts I've had elsewhere, and the flavor was mild as one might expect for taro. The cookie delivered more sweetness, but on a background of an earthy buckwheat flavor. My hojicha milk tea was, as with the food items, a fairly subtle and nuanced flavor. I would go if inventive Asian flavors excite you. read more

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So I came here strictly for the pastries lol. Before we had moved to Cincinnati, I did a bunch of research on restaurants and bakeries that I wanted to hit on my list. Cafe Mochiko was definitely one of them because it sounded very unique and very quaint. Also the photos of the pastries look super divine. I'm a pretty practical person and I don't like to spend a lot of money, but when it comes to really good pastries, I'm here to drop some dough lol. It took me 30 minutes to get here so you damn know well that I bought a ton of pastries lol. The croissant ube was really good. I'm typically not a ube fan but this was really good because the flavor was very light and the cream filling was also light. The quality of the croissant itself was really good and I really love me a legit croissant. I also ordered the snow bao and it was good. It's not like your traditional char siu bao because the meat inside were bigger chunks, but the flavor was definitely there. Lastly I ordered a bunch of cookies and I'm not a huge cookie fan, but I bought those for my husband and he really loved those. He said the black sesame was very different for a type of snickerdoodle cookie. Overall, I'm a fan. I will definitely come back here and next time I'll try their dinner menu. read more

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Experience was over all good but not very good - as a party of 2 arriving for dinner around 6:15 PM we had a wait of a little over 1hr for a table. I was really looking forward to trying the mochi mochi panic dish but unfortunately they were all out at that point in the night... we decided on the chicken karaage (10/10 - really nice portion), with one shoyu ramen bowl and one smashburger. We devoured the karaage and split the shoyu... the burger never came and we were handed with the bill? To our confusion we asked about the burger. The waiter was confused and then said it would be out shortly but at that point we were full and had no more appetite so asked for it to not be brought out. They did take it off the bill. Dispute the mishaps we did think the food was outstanding and the value was great- we will be coming back to try more later! read more