KOKOMO — Restaurant in Christchurch

I had a very disappointing experience. While the presentation of the dishes was impressive, the food itself didn't live up to expectations. The flavors were bland and unsatisfying. We ordered both the tuna and salmon dishes, but neither had much flavor, although the Market Ika was quite good - this is the only dish I’d consider ordering again.

That said, I do want to commend the waitstaff for being polite, friendly, and providing excellent service. Our waitress was particularly attentive, frequently refilling our water glasses, which showed she was going above and beyond.

Another issue was with our reservation. We originally booked for four people but had two additional guests. I called earlier that day to inform Kokomo about the change. The staff member who answered assured me that the First Table discount would only apply to the first four diners, and any additional guests would pay full price. I was aware of this and confirmed it with them. However, when it came time to pay the bill, the 50% discount was applied incorrectly as 30%, and they claimed it was due to having six diners. Despite explaining that I had called and had proof of the conversation, they refused to honor the original agreement. They only offered an apology for the misinformation but would not correct the charge. To make matters worse, one staff member made an unnecessary comment about us ordering too much food for four people, which left me feeling uncomfortable, especially since there was no mention of a dish limit in the special conditions. It also felt like we were being criticized for ordering a large amount, which felt especially disrespectful as a Polynesian family.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend dining here. The food wasn’t great, and the failure to honor the agreed upon discount, despite admitting the error, made the experience even more...

I had a mixed experience here today. On a positive note, Izzy provided excellent service and took great care of us from the start. However, things took a disappointing turn when another staff member came to take our order at the table. Despite confirming before our reservation that the dishes and meats met halal requirements, the waiter overlooked my dietary needs.

After a few bites of the potatoes, I asked about the toppings out of curiosity, only to discover they included bacon. This really upset me and my girls, who felt it was their fault, even though the responsibility lay with the waiter for not adhering to the dietary requirements noted in the booking.

Izzy handled the situation with professionalism, taking full responsibility and doing her best to resolve the issue, which I truly appreciated. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much they could do at that point, and it really dampened the mood for the rest of the evening.

That said, everything else was great—compliments to the chef, especially Taijah! Watching her in action was a wonderful experience, and her cooking was exceptional.

To the staff, please pay closer attention to dietary requirements in the future. If meeting halal needs is not possible, kindly let customers know upfront to avoid such situations. Respectfully, transparency is key. Thank you to the waiter who was in fault who apologised and aknowleged it was her...

Shockingly Bad Brunch Experience at Kokomo

My partner and I decided to give Kokomo a try for brunch after admiring its charming exterior on a previous walk. Unfortunately, our experience couldn't have been more disappointing.

Feeling quite hungry, we ordered the "loaded" hash, expecting a hearty meal. After all, "loaded" implies abundance, right? Wrong.

What arrived looked like something your stoner friend playing MasterChef might whip up after raiding the fridge. What looked like three skinny, frozen Pam's hash browns were lined up on the plate, topped with seasoned cheese, a single, lonely slice of chorizo, and a few unidentifiable scraps. To add insult to injury, the whole thing was drizzled with what I can only assume was thousand island dressing.

We should have sent it back immediately!

The flavor was so overwhelming it made me feel ill, and the portion was so meager that I had to go home and make myself something else to eat.

Unlike the Beach Boys song this Kokomo is not a place you want to go.

On the bright side, the staff were lovely—very helpful...