Koko restaurant — Restaurant in Birmingham

THE ONLY REVIEW YOU NEED!

Decor: The restaurant’s decor was very nice, creating an aesthetically pleasing ambiance. However, this positive first impression was quickly overshadowed by several negative aspects of the experience.

Reservation Process: I called at 5 PM to make a reservation for 8 PM for a group of 9 people. Despite confirming the reservation, the restaurant had no record of it upon arrival. Luckily, it wasn’t busy, and they set up a table in the back for us. Families with children should note that the main dining area allows shisha, so groups with kids will be seated in the back section.

Parking: Parking is available outside but limited, and the lot is poorly maintained, with large dips and potholes making it inconvenient.

Arrival & Cleanliness: The table we were seated at was filthy. Staff made a half-hearted attempt to clean it, but I had to take over and use spray and tissue to make it presentable. Shockingly, there were dried residues on the table (which looked like dried bogeys). This lack of hygiene was completely unacceptable.

Service: Service was chaotic and poorly handled. The waiter informed us the restaurant was understaffed and that food would take about an hour. Drinks arrived after 10 minutes but were brought out one by one, an inefficient approach for a group of 9. Drinks, ordered to accompany the food, had to be sent back twice because the food was delayed by nearly two hours, and the drinks would have melted. The waiters spilled drinks multiple times, including on one of the children, and failed to grasp the logic of preparing drinks closer to the time the food was ready. When the food finally arrived, the drinks showed up halfway through the meal.

Food:

Appetisers: • Dynamite Shrimp: Delicious and spicy. • Chicken Lollipop: Well-marinated with plenty of flavour.

Mains: • Philadelphia Roll Sushi: Well-made and enjoyable. • California Roll Sushi: Inconsistent; some pieces tasted fresh, while others seemed off. • Sweet Chilli Thai Burger: Tasty but incorrectly labeled—it’s more of a spicy burger. • Koko Loco Burger: Flavoursome with a generously sized patty. • Grilled Chicken Burger: Packed with flavour and well-cooked.

Sides: • Mac N Cheese: Out of stock. • Halloumi Sticks: Disappointing; tasted rubbery and lacked texture or flavour.

Specialities: • Sirloin Steak: A disaster. Despite ordering medium, the steaks were rare inside, with no flavour. The juices resembled a mix of blood and water. The mushroom sauce looked and tasted spoiled, as though it had been sitting out for a week. The presentation could not salvage this poorly prepared dish.

Drinks: • Mocktails (Ocean Blue, Tropical Twist, Strawberry Sunset): Flavourful and enjoyable. • Virgin Mojito: Avoid—tasted like cheap lemonade and mint. • Milkshakes (Oreo and Kinder Bueno): Mediocre and forgettable.

Payment: After the meal, the waiter (AJ) politely asked about our experience. I shared both compliments and criticisms, especially regarding the steaks. AJ noticed that no one ate more than a few bites of their steak and removed them from the bill. The final bill was discounted, which was appreciated. However, the restaurant’s high prices seem inflated, so the discount only brought the total down to what you’d pay at a better establishment. While the gesture helped, it didn’t fully compensate for the disappointing experience.

Summary/Conclusion: Koko Restaurant offers attractive decor and a few enjoyable dishes, such as the dynamite shrimp and burgers, but these highlights were overshadowed by serious issues. Poor cleanliness, chaotic service, and inconsistent food quality made this visit frustrating. The steak was particularly bad, and the staff’s inability to manage a group of nine efficiently left a sour impression.

Though the discounted bill was a kind gesture, it felt like a calculated move rather than genuine customer care. Significant improvements in cleanliness, service, and food preparation are needed before Koko Restaurant can be recommended. For the price, there are far better dining...

One star, because zero is not possible.

This restaurant is all facade, a shiny, curated interior masking what is, quite frankly, a shambles of a hospitality experience. The place might look the part, but everything behind it, from the food to the service was disgraceful. I’m not sure whether we were being deliberately discriminated against or if this is how they treat all their guests, but either way, the experience was absolutely disgusting. What was meant to be a special birthday meal for my little sister turned into a total disaster.

We arrived on time, deposit paid, and were technically greeted - but only just. A staff member approached us with all the warmth of a brick wall, didn’t smile, didn’t say hello properly, and then just turned around and walked off without saying a word. No “please follow me”, no indication of where to go. We were left awkwardly guessing whether we were supposed to trail behind like lost sheep. It was rude, abrupt, and set the tone for what would become a frustrating and frankly embarrassing experience.

The table wasn’t even set when we sat down, so what exactly was our deposit securing? Certainly not any kind of preparation or effort.

Then there’s the menu, which is misleading and sloppily laid out. Prices are misaligned, dishes are mislabelled, and there’s no mention of spice in some items. My sister ordered the ‘special noodles’ for her birthday meal, only to find them so spicy she couldn’t eat a bite. She went hungry on her birthday, and no one cared.

The rest of the food was borderline inedible The beef in the noodles was tough, dry, and unpleasant to chew. The burger had hard, sharp bits in it - totally unacceptable and potentially dangerous. The shrimp sushi still had the tails on- lazy and unhygienic. And the so-called jerk chicken was dry, flavourless, and completely inauthentic. No spice, no seasoning, just sad overcooked meat pretending to be Caribbean cuisine.

As for the staff, I honestly don’t know if they were just untrained or deliberately instructed to be cold and dismissive, but either way, they were outright mean. They made us feel like we were inconveniencing them by simply being there. No warmth, no effort, no basic manners. You don’t work in hospitality if you clearly despise having to speak to customers.

And just when you think it couldn’t get worse — they charged us for the wrong table. A completely different bill. If we hadn’t gone through the receipt line by line, they would’ve overcharged us and said nothing. No apology, no explanation, just incompetence on top of insult.

This place is a textbook example of style over substance. It might look pretty on the outside, but that’s all it is, a facade. Behind it is poor service, unprofessional staff, inedible food, and absolutely no sense of care for the guest experience. If you’re looking to celebrate something important, or just enjoy a decent meal avoid at all costs - unless you enjoy being treated like dirt while paying for the privilege. They should be ashamed to call themselves a restaurant.

You’ve...

I went to this restaurant on a quiet Thursday evening for the first time with a partner and family after hearing good things. I was enthusiastic to attend as the restaurant looked beautiful and I couldn’t wait to try the food. Firstly, the waitress who initially tried to serve us didn’t seem enthusiastic to be there or helpful though she was trying her best I’m sure. We asked about a burger if we can pick one of the sliders for this specific type, she was unaware how to do this and we were handed over to another gentlemen who was very helpful , and seemed to know what he was doing when taking our order which we had to repeat again as the lady didn’t note them down for him. We had to get someone attention to the our order as well, which was strange because you’d expect for a quiet day there would be attention on us but no. My family members were not surprised as they had attended before and said you need to call for service here they’re not like usual restaurants. I thought nothing of it, and we decided to order the kimchi sushi roll which was nice to share. I ordered the honey glazed salmon and rice , with two measly portion sizes I think it was half a salmon cut up- as a fellow foodie and critic I thought this was hugely embarrassing and disappointing to serve this stingy portion. We are paying good money and to have this provided to me was an insult. The egg fried rice barely had egg in it and didn’t taste of anything, I mean come on? My sister in law ordered rice and curry with hardly any chicken pieces , we had to sift through to find it it was mainly soup and vegetables. My partner ordered the katsu curry which was basically grilled chicken and chip shop curry on top - this was beyond a joke I couldn’t believe it when I tried it - it was vile. I ordered the blue ocean drink which was recommended by the waiter and enjoyed it. I think this restaurant has so much potential, but it’s disappointingly lacking in providing good portion sizes and outstanding service. The hype of restaurants will die down but to keep returning customers you need to up your standards. The place is beautiful so it was a shock that the food did not match the aesthetic. Luckily the waiter kindly decided to take the salmon and rice meal off the bill, after I exasperated my disappointment in being given half a salmon - he did also offer to remake it but I declined. The vibes were just not there and I don’t feel how I do when I go places like farm house, Tamatanga and Akbars even - the standards need to be better. Thank you to the waiter for his kind service as that helped the already dire situation. If feedback is taken on board or having promotional offers to entice customers back - we will definitely...