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    Yakitori Kokko

    4.1 (1.3k reviews)
    PriceyJapanese
    Closed 5:30 pm - 10:30 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Yakitori Kokko Reservations

    Order Yakitori Kokko Takeout or Delivery

    Yakitori Kokko Japanese Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    YAKITORI KOKKO ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Yakitori Kokko

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    Starter
    Frances C.

    This time food and service have improved and it's much spacious with the add on patio seating We had the special set meals with several grilles items, they were grilled with favorable charred and the Wagyu beef's were so tender that Mel's in your mouth. The fried yam was interesting and lightly sweet that ended a good note

    Hurjane V.

    Solid place! You definitely need to make a reservation ahead of time to get a table. During peak times, they will give 1.5 hours dining experience per group. Definitely pick from the Yakitori menu. Everything was so good, I don't even know where to begin. Try new things, ask for recommendations. Get the daikon salad - it's a nice, refreshing dish. Be prepared to spend $$-$$$ per person if you really want to get extra full but solid food.

    Chicken cartilage
    Tiffany L.

    The restaurant has limited seating, so I highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time. My party ordered a bunch of yakitoris, and my absolute favorite was the chicken cartilage. It was soooo good! Service was nice and attentive, and the dim, cozy ambiance made the whole experience even better. I'd definitely recommend checking this spot out.

    Katie Y.

    Very Japanese and a good variety of food items! Reasonably priced as well. It was our first time and we'll happily go back. My favorites were the tako karaage, aburi shime saba, and pork cheek. Definitely make a reservation

    Chicken with plum sauce, liver
    Andrea K.

    Superb yakitori spot in San Mateo! Cute outdoor seating is perfect for the summer weather, and the service was excellent. Prices are as expected for yakitori, and I appreciate the variety of skewers. There are many different cuts of meats to choose from, but the yummiest options are the organ meats! Make sure to come with people who aren't picky lol. Our favorites: chicken heart, liver, pork cheek, beef tongue, fried chicken cartilage Pass: black sesame ramen, raw squid, chicken with plum sauce

    Leila S.

    This was a cite place to stop by for a date. We had been to another restaurant similar so we decided to stop by. Everyone was so sweet. The seating was comfy just close to the table next to us I felt like we were just one big table together. Our waitress was sweet and answered our many questions. The garlic edamame, skewers and ramen were my favorite and my boyfriend loved the edamame skewers and wagyu. Everything was delicious. We did have to check in about the wagyu that was forgotten. They apologized and gave us cucumber on the house which was so kind! It can get loud in the restaurant where there's small space. The fried potatoes and ice cream was really good. Different but it reminded me of plantin bananas. I would definitely come back and try other foods.

    Jose Jorel B.

    An ideal casual spot for catching up with family and friends. There is a wide variety of food and drink options. Food was to my liking; fresh tasting, adequately seasoned and not gamy. Service was attentive and our server took time to explain our orders which we appreciated.

    Warabi mochi for dessert! Came from the fridge so not as soft as I would have liked.
    Elaine Y.

    Boyfriend made a reservation for my birthday and we enjoyed some truly tasty yakitori at Kokko. I think what really sets Kokko apart from other most other yakitori places is their skilled cooking. Almost every skewer had this delectable smokiness that still complimented the natural flavor of the ingredient. My favorite was the pork belly by far, but I also really enjoyed the okra, the scallops, and the gizzards. I also tried a seafood chawanmushi which was so silky and dreamy! I absolutely recommend this! Many of the dishes actually brought me back to Japan which was awesome. I also liked that they used a softer tofu on the agedashi tofu which gives it that sweet, savory, and creamy bite. There were, though, a few that didn't quite dot all the i's. First, some of our bacon asparagus were woody and very fibrous. Secondly while I appreciated seeing hitsumabashi on the menu, respectfully it just didn't invoke memories of Nagoya. There was far too much dashi in the bowl and you didn't get the step by step approach that makes hitsumabashi the famed dish it is. All in all, I enjoyed the experience. I understand why it's always so busy now!

    Enoki with bacon yakitori
    Ai S.

    Came here as a group of 4 on a Saturday around 6pm and was seated right away with no reservation! The restaurant seemed pretty busy, so I do recommend making a reservation if you have time to plan ahead! ~The Food~ - Chicken thigh yakitori: Pretty good! The meat was very tender, and had a nice smokey flavor to it! - Chicken skin yakitori: My favorite from the night! We got this on with salt and the skin had a nice crispy/chewy texture. Highly recommend! - Enoki with bacon yakitori: Loved this one too! Enoki and bacon were cooked nicely and had a nice smokey flavor. - Yaki onigiri: Loved the crunchy exterior and smokiness, but I think the rice was a bit overcooked/mushy. - Beef tongue yakitori: Very tender, perfectly cooked! - Pork Jowl yakitori: Cool texture, perfectly cooked and loved the saltiness of it! Overall, I thought the yakitori was pretty good! Probably my favorite yakitori spot in South Bay. ~Parking~ This location is right in downtown San Mateo, so there's a decent amount of parking lots around the area. ~Overall~ I'd recommend for anyone looking for an authentic place to try yakitori! It is a bit pricey, but I think it's worth it! The prices are per skewer and the skewers are pretty small, so I'd estimate at least 5-8 skewers/person. Service is pretty fast and efficient as well!

    Wagyu potato balls with matcha for dipping. Delicious appetizers
    Jay P.

    Great Yakitori place, staffed w/ Japanese cooks and servers if you want that full Japan immersion. They have a nice interior where you can see the chefs from every seat and an outdoor area heated by lamps. Parking is rough and if you cant find anything in the small lot next to the restaurant you can drive up the street And park in the public structure about 2 blocks away. They have an outdoor patio that unfortunately the staff has to exit and enter the main door to get to. It is heated so don't worry on a cold night. Found some cool menu items here that are worth trying. They have hitsumabushi which is rice with a tea broth and unagi in top. It's a rare find in this area and we ordered it immediately, very good on a cold day. Next level would be Nagoya style Hitsumabushi to try the Unagi 4 different ways. A5 Wagyu Korokke: fried crispy potato ball with small chunks of Wagyu in it, would have liked some carrots inside as well but it was tasty and came with matcha for dipping. Skewers were all excellent, the skin especially was very well cooked aand crispy and soft. We've had it at some other places where it tasted more leathery.

    Monica W.

    Came here for a late Valentine's Day dinner with my husband, sister & her husband. We made reservations last minute and snagged a table luckily! We were seated outside but luckily they have outdoor heater lamps so you won't feel cold. They give you a 90 minute limit so make sure your whole table is here on time bc they will let you know when it's time for last order etc. Yakitori Kokko has variety of meat for you to try from chicken cartilage, beef tongue, chicken skin, meat ball, heart, chicken thigh etc. They also have seafood like scallops, shrimp, quail eggs as well. I wish they had more veggies though like shishito peppers is something I love but they didn't have it unfortunately on the menu. (Bummer!) We also had variety of starters as well. Just FYI - many of the portions are on the smaller side. Takowasa (octopus with wasabi sauce): It comes in a small bowl and was pretty yummy! The wasabi sauce is not too strong and I fairly enjoyed it! Nankotsu karaage: fried cartilage! It's delicious and crispy! Daikon salad: It was very refreshing! The sauce was house made and it was a bit sweet but delicious! Tori soborodon: Ground chicken with egg over rice. I thought it was okay, I don't think it was anything special. Everything was delicious but keep in mind, it's definitely not cheap. With all the yakitori we ordered, bunch of appetizers and few years came out to be $400.

    Special: duck
    Manoh T.

    Always a go-to for late(r) night and scrumptious grub! Not your traditional Japanese fare, you won't find tempura, chicken teriyaki or even sushi! Mostly small plates and skewers, your very traditional Izakaya. The specials are always a must! Pretty busy during "dining hours" but they're open a little later than most places and their outdoor patio is heated.

    Daikon radish salad
    Tomo S.

    I came back to Kokko after a 4-year absence, and I was happy to see they now have an outdoor dining area -- much more spacious compared to how tightly packed it used to feel inside. We ordered a variety of tapas-style dishes, all very typical of what you'd find at an izakaya in Japan: fried squid, fried oysters, ankimo, tamago, shishamo smelt, yakitori skewers, radish salad, and yaki onigiri, just to name a few. The food was solid, the prices were fair, and the service was excellent -- friendly and attentive without being overbearing. It's a great casual spot for classic Japanese small plates and a relaxed evening out.

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    4 days ago

    No vegetarian options when I went for a group dinner. I wish it was inclusive ! But staff are nice

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    15 days ago

    Great food and service. Best yakitori have had had in the area. We will definitely be back!

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    Yakitori Kokko Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Yakitori Kokko

    Are small dogs allowed in the outdoor seating area?

    Yes, They are allowed

    Is there any seat for walk-in? Thanks!

    yes

    Hi does this place have outdoor seating?

    Yep they do!

    Is the full skewers menu available for takeout?

    Yes! We are available all items! Please, call or text us for pick up order.Thank you!

    Is the lamp chop on the takeout menu?

    Not sure. Sorry. I can't shine any light on that. But, they are open for dine outside and it was lovely!

    The page says there's outdoor seating?

    Yes, we have 8tables outsides with heater too.

    Are the owners and chefs Japanese?

    Yes, both of Japanese.

    Are they open for delivery or take out during the shelter in place?

    Is it possible to get the chicken liver skewers without the marinade? Can it just be cooked with salt?

    You can just ask for "shio" salt only and no "tare" sauce.

    View All 13 Questions

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    4.4(1.4k reviews)
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    Kajiken hits the spot between comfort and pure gluttony! I typically do not love noodle places, but…read morethis is on another level. I have been to Kajiken twice now, and it has been absolutely delicious each time. It is located in downtown San Mateo, so it does not have its own dedicated parking lot. If you come on the weekend, it can be harder to find parking, and the likelihood of a wait is high. When it gets busy, there is a section outside for you to line up. The servers typically come out to the folks closest to the front of the line and hand them menus so they can decide what they want before being seated. When it is not as busy, you can walk in directly and request a table. The shop itself actually has a lot of seating, but there is always an influx of people, so it fills up quickly. The interior gives off a nice modern Japanese chic vibe. :) They also offer outdoor patio seating, which is great if you are trying to enjoy a nice day outside. I have tried both their Wagyu Roast Beef Aburasoba and their Soboro Aburasoba. The roast beef is tender and adds a nice chew against the silky noodles, while the soboro chicken is juicy and coats your mouth with a savory soy flavor. Additionally, I've had their karaage on both occasions I visited, and it was succulent! I love how the juice from the chicken balances with the generous amount of grated ginger and green onion. This place is definitely worth a try! If you can go on a weekday before the dinner rush from people getting off their 9-5 jobs, that would probably be the optimal time frame. I came here on a Wednesday around 6:15 PM, and it was not too bad until around 7 PM when it started getting busy.

    I was in San Mateo, and I was hungry. I checked Yelp and Google, and there were so many places to…read morechoose from, I didn't know what to pick. I checked Michelin, and it help me narrow it down to Kajiken. As I walked to Kajiken, I knew I was getting close because it was the only place that had a line-up outside. There were probably 12-14 people waiting, and I wondering if I should find another place because I didn't want to wait. Fortunately, as a single diner, they sat me right away. I ended up ordering the Original Aburasoba and it came in about 5 minutes. It was good. Great texture, good flavours, and a reasonable serving size. Service was fine but minimal. Dining area is typical of modern ramen places. Overall, a nice quick meal. Maybe closer to a 3.5 or 3.75 as it was good, but I was also very hungry. I would consider returning.

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    The Backhouse

    The Backhouse

    4.3(66 reviews)
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    The Backhouse was first on my radar two years ago on Valentine's Day when my husband surprised me…read morewith one of their beautifully curated omakase boxes for a cozy night in with sake. Everything was really good and thoughtfully prepared, and it made for such a fun and elevated at-home date night. This past week for my mom's 60th birthday, I decided their party platter would be perfect for celebrating. They were very responsive and easy to coordinate with, which made planning simple. You do have to pick up from a ghost kitchen in San Mateo, but the process was efficient and smooth. The platter itself was beautiful and the quality was just as good as we remembered. Fresh, flavorful, and nicely presented. Definitely a great option for special occasions or when you want something a little elevated at home.

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    Noma Sushi - Best Seasonal Daily Specials

    Noma Sushi

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    We visited Noma Sushi on a Thursday evening and got seated right away with no reservation. This…read morespot was tricky to find, since it was tucked away and quite small. The vibe was very casual with no frills. I started with a Miso Soup, which was expectedly good. We also got the Spicy Tuna Tartare Tacos to share between the 3 of us, which was perfect because it came in 3 pieces. My friend and I then ordered the Bluefin Lover's roll and Double Hamachi roll to share. Both of these were awesome! The fish was so tasty and fresh and the flavors went together really well. It was hard to pick a favorite between the two! I also tried a bit of my other friend's Geisha roll, which was nice but less memorable. Service was friendly and quick, and pricing was pretty standard.

    No wait for my party of 4 on a Sunday lunch. Pretty small restaurant but cozy. Service is good,…read morefood came out fairly quickly. We shared the salmon sampler appetizer and 4 rolls: spicy crunch, mango spider, noma roll, and bluefin lovers. Salmon sampler was pretty good. I wasn't a huge fan of the smoked salmon but I loved the regular salmon and salmon belly sashimi. My favorite roll was hands down the mango spider. I usually love rolls with mango, and this one was so fresh with a LOT of crab on top. I also liked the spicy crunch roll and noma roll as well. The bluefin lovers roll was surprisingly my least favorite - I had the highest expectations for this roll due to the seared bluefin tuna and the black truffle, but we felt like it ended up being too heavy and too much. I think it would've been better if it were just the bluefin tuna with truffle on top as sashimi, without the rice/roll part, but just my opinion. Portions were very generous with thick cuts of fish and prices were reasonable. Overall I'd recommend this restaurant for solid sushi!

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    Prime BBQ - Yakitori

    Prime BBQ

    4.7(917 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Kitchen open late

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    3.9(778 reviews)
    0.4 mi
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    Tokie's Japanese Cuisine has been one of my go-to spots for years, even back when they were in…read moreFoster City. No matter what you order, you really can't go wrong--everything on the menu is consistently amazing. The atmosphere is always warm and welcoming, which makes every visit feel like you're coming back home. Diane and Victor are incredible hosts and truly make the experience special. I've known them for a long time, and Victor never fails to greet me with a shot of sake--something I always look forward to every time I walk in. Their rolls are absolutely to die for, but as someone who appreciates traditional Japanese flavors, I always find myself going back to the sashimi. It's fresh, clean, and really lets the natural flavors shine. If you're looking for great food, great vibes, and even better people, this place is it.

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    Yakitori Kokko - japanese - Updated May 2026

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