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    Cocoro Japanese

    3.9 (403 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Cocoro Japanese Reservations

    Cocoro Japanese Photos

    Business Info

    COCORO JAPANESE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Cocoro Japanese

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    Nabeyaki Udon
    Jeff M.

    A little pricy but expected in this area. Authentic Japanese spot. I got the nabeyaki udon. A little sweet but again to be expected in this area. Portions were large so almost makes up for the price. Service is ok. Design of the place is interesting. You can clearly hear conversations from across the restaurant due to the weird ceiling design so don't talk about your pending divorce Steve we can hear you and totally judging.

    Special Combination For Two
    Katie L.

    Cozy atmosphere, authentic Japanese food, and a great neighborhood spot. It's a tad expensive, but the sushi quality is delicious so it's worth it! It does fill up so you may need to wait if you're coming in past 7! We walked in around 6 and were fine on a Friday night.

    Elellta T.

    This place is such a gem! The sushi and sashimi are always incredibly fresh and flavorful. My go-to is the Citrus Breeze roll, it's light, and perfectly balanced. The salmon sashimi never disappoints. The restaurant is spotless, and the staff and servers are consistently attentive and friendly. Every visit feels like a treat!

    Shoyu Ramen Edamame
    Johanna V.

    Service was amazing here. Our server was really caring and would always be on top of our service. Food wasn't completely authentic but was yummy regardless. My boyfriend ordered a rice meat and egg dish soaked in broth (sorry forgot the name) and he really enjoyed it. He stated that it tasted "warm and cozy" and was perfect to eat on a snowy day. My ramen was good as well, I have had better but it was delish. The spicy chili they offer is amazing! And indeed very spicy haha. This time we ate they offered us pieces of fudge to end the course and omg it was decadent in the best way ever!! I would've ate a whole plate of them if they offered. Vibes are great overall :) thank you for having us

    Siew Y.

    Amazing delicious delicate plates! From sushi, fried oysters, beef udon soup, mini salad, steamed egg soup too. Yumm. Everything was delicious! Service was impeccable and timely. Metered street parking was easy on a Saturday dinner hour. You must try!

    Chris W.

    Came here on a Tuesday evening with a party of three. We were seated promptly by the friendly wait staff. Their fryer was broken so we didn't get a chance to try anything that required it. The seaweed salad, cold tofu with bonito flake sauce, and the various rolls were excellent! I finished off the meal with some fantastic red bean ice cream with the anko topping. Definitely recommend trying this place out!

    Shabu - Shabu
    hannah y.

    Tried the shabu-shabu here and honestly, it wasn't worth it. The set came with just a few thin slices of meat and a small pot that's supposedly for sharing, but really only enough for two people. The broth was basic, nothing special, and the overall flavor was just okay , something you could easily make at home. Service was mid, not rude but not particularly friendly or attentive.

    Nabeyaki Udon
    Ashley H.

    Cocoro goes far beyond sushi and ramen with an extensive list of Japanese dishes not as commonly found in Chicago. They advertise their products as authentic cuisine, so I was really looking forward to visiting. Unfortunately, this experience really missed the mark for me. The restaurant was pretty quiet at 6pm on a Saturday night, and after perusing the menu I opted for the Nabeyaki Udon which was advertised as a house special. The dish arrived with the broth still boiling. Although it was presented beautifully, my heart sank a bit as I saw the tempura batter on the shrimp and seaweed immediately fall off and turn to mush. I heftily blew on a small spoonful and burnt my lip after an unfortunate underestimation of the temperature. Most of the meal was spent icing it and waiting for the udon to cool down. By the time the dish had cooled enough to eat, the noodles were limp and chicken quite tough. I found the broth to be very bland, as if the dashi stock was hurriedly steeped. $33 and a blistered lip later, I left hungry and disappointed. I'd really hoped to find a new favorite in this restaurant and its interesting menu. Hopefully, some of these points will be addressed as I would love to see this local spot succeed.

    Melonpico and yuzu highball
    Michelle G.

    My friends and I went here for dinner and loved this place. One of my friends called it possibly his new favorite restaurant in Chicago. We already want to go back because their menu is so big and there are so many interesting things we want to try. It's also such a beautiful space - I can say it looks not like many of the other Chicago restaurants I've been in and something about being here felt like a portal transporting you to another space. For drinks, the table got the melonpico (beautiful green color) and the yuzu highball. For food, we got the smelt tempura, agedashi tofu, tuna tataki, 2 pieces of sashimi (mackerel and I'm blanking on the other one), nabeyaki udon, and the tonkatsu. My personal faves of what we got were the agedashi tofu, smelt tempura, black sesame pudding, and the sashimi. My friends really liked the tuna tataki and the staff also recommended it. The entrees we got were just okay, but I would def try more of their raw fish because what we got was fresh. I also want to get their shrimp tempura next time (one of the apps the staff recommended). I also think it's impressive that this place has been around for a while and seems to serve members of the Japanese community (other customers spoke Japanese with the staff which at least in my experience is a bit of a rarity in Chicago Japanese restaurants I've been in). TLDR: great place, we will definitely be back.

    Salmon Bento
    Jennifer D.

    Always wonderful service. Their bento box choices are great for people wanting soup and salad. I would recommend adding another bento box with sashimi option instead of just Cali roll. Their tempura is very light and crispy. Chicken teriyaki could use thicker sauce and their salad dressing can be a little watered down than what I am used to in bento boxes. Their fish is always fresh. Overall this is a great authentic place in the city that is not a chain. I am all for supporting local small businesses.

    Lydia Y.

    Super cozy spot in River North! Feels and tastes more authentic than the other Japanese restaurants in the area. The energy is homey and comforting too Dine in to share a pot of sukiyaki, cooked right at the table. It's big with fresh veggies but probs better if they used fattier cuts of beef. Sushi & makis are yummy too! Sukiyaki (for two) $78 Crunchy spicy tuna roll $15 시카고 일식은 2프로씩 부족한듯. 그나마 여긴 퓨전이 아니라 재대로된 느낌의 요리들이 많아서 좋다 분위기도 따듯하면서 아늑해서 밥먹으러 혼밥하러 오기 편하다. 2인용으로 준비되는 스키야키가 양도 많고 야채도 다양해서 추천!

    Katsudon
    Peachie M.

    Entrees were yummy! Except Ramen was a little bland, shrimp tempura was so-so, tatsu-age was not I was expecting. Agedashi tofu and takoyaki were the best! Excellent service. Place was nice.

    Salmon Sashimi
    Chris P.

    Great place. Quiet. Very fresh food no matter what we ate. Great service. Loved the cut of the fresh sashimi

    Nabeyaki Udon

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    6 months ago

    Sushi is always so fresh. The workers are very friendly. Lunch special is great. Must try!

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    9 months ago

    Good home style Japanese food in Chicago. Affordable price. Chicago is not known for Japanese food but this a good price for value

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    1 year ago

    Food is always consistent and excellent especially the traditional Japanese appetizers. Service is also friendly.

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    Cocoro Japanese Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Cocoro Japanese

    Do they have gluten free items on the menu?

    Cocoro has a limited gluten-free menu including both appetizers and entrees. Your server will point these out to you upon request. Also, we have gluten-free sushi and soy sauce, but keep in mind that gluten-free sushi rice requires a little extra… Read more

    Do they serve raw egg with the sukiyaki?

    Yes they offer that option. But sometimes they forgot to ask you so if you want the egg make sure you ask for it.

    View All 3 Questions

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