KOKO Japanese Eatery — Attraction in Calgary

“KOKO” is a true haven for lovers of Japanese and Chinese cuisine! I keep coming back for their delicious offerings, and I’m always blown away: • Wide selection of onigiri From classic fillings like salmon, tuna, and pickled plum to seasonal and signature creations, the rice and nori are always fresh and perfectly seasoned—literally melt in your mouth. • Vibrant drinks lineup They offer everything from rich matcha lattes to refreshing cold teas (currant, lychee, Sichuan pepper). Especially recommend their cold pear-matcha—an ideal pairing! • Atmosphere & service The shop’s minimalist East-Asian decor with wooden accents is warm and inviting. Staff are always friendly, ready to explain each product and help you choose something special. • I actually tip here I normally don’t leave tips, but when I visit “KOKO” and the barista greets me with such genuine enthusiasm, I can’t help but leave a little something—just to ensure they always stay this friendly. • Generous portions & fair prices Drinks range from $4 to $10, food from $5 to $20, and the portions are more than generous—plenty to satisfy any appetite without breaking the bank. • Quality & freshness Everything is made fresh daily on-site or delivered each morning—no stale products here. You truly feel the care put into every item. • Variety beyond onigiri & drinks You’ll also find snacks like gyoza and edamame, ready-made lunch sets, and a small selection of Eastern-inspired desserts.

Bottom line: If you love authentic Japanese or Chinese flavors and value warm, cheerful service, “KOKO” will become your go-to spot. I recommend it to all my friends, and I guarantee you’ll be back...

UPDATE: I tried their Chicken Katsu Sando at the Korean Festival and it's delicious! I still would choose the onigiri over it.

I love onigiris, so when I heard KOKO Japanese Eatery had them available, I drove here just to try. I also found out that KOKO shared the same owner as Ryuko but different from the KOKO at West Calgary Farmer's Market.

I chose the Tuna Mayo, Mentaiko Mayo, and Gochujang Beef Onigiris. Of the 3, my favorite was the Mentaiko Mayo. It reminded me of my favorite rice ball at 7-Eleven in Japan. The Gochujang Beef was my next favorite. Both had plenty of flavor and protein spread across the centre.

The Tuna Mayo was decent but had flavors similar to western tuna sandwich rather than the distinct Japanese flavor that I was used to.

I also tried their Spam Mitsubi, which is on par with others in town. They're good and perfectly flavorful.

I have since returned to grab more Mentaiko Mayo and Gochujang Beef Onigiris as I loved them a lot. It's great that they sell them from day to night, so it's easier to grab one than other...

Tried Koko Eatery recently. The large ramen was surprisingly small and missing some ingredients. It didn’t even come with the half egg shown on the menu, which felt misleading. The broth was tasty but overall underwhelming and overpriced for what you get.

The Donburi Karaage was also so small, with very little chicken and a super spicy sauce. Warning: if you can’t handle extreme heat, avoid the Buldak sauce it’s insanely spicy and overpowers everything else.

The onigiri was the best part, delicious and well-priced. I’d return just for that or the ready-to-go items.

The service, however, was the most disappointing part. The staff(a woman) seemed unfriendly and uninterested. Despite leaving a generous tip, no effort was made to bring our food to the table or even offer a tray to carry it, even though we were the only customers there. It felt dismissive and honestly quite rude. I left wondering why I even tipped.

Overall, not my go-to for ramen or Donburi, but worth stopping by for the onigiri and...