Cocolee — Restaurant in Somerville

I have never ran from a restaurant quicker!!! I will say the food was good, but we were only able to make it through appetizers before asking for the check because of drunk unruly guests, it was only 6 pm. We had the crab ragoon (which weirdly smelled like a cat's litter box but tasted really good lol) and pork and shrimp dumplings. As for our experience inside... Cocolee has a small indoor area that gives off intimate vibes, however you add in 3 drunk girls, it makes the whole experience intolerable. When we arrived they were berating the bartender to take better photos of them before deciding it was just them that looked bad. Next, they started making a TikTok to Justin Beiber's "Baby," the bartender is still filling up their wine glasses, one of the drunk girls, she will now be known as Becky, is getting up and interrupting people's meals to ask them to be in her TikTok. One table politely declined, and drunk Becky decided to yell loudly about how they were rude losers. Next drunk Becky asked us, I kindly said no as my fiancé and I were eating and having our date night, to which she said we were losers, and then continued to yell and harp on how much my boyfriend is a loser for 10 minutes. She is so obnoxious the previous table she asked to be in her TikTok starts gesturing to us that she needs some not so gentle correcting if you catch my drift. This is when I asked for the check and informed the bartender we can't stay any longer with drunk Becky yelling along her drunk friends there, to which a gentleman at the bar agreed with us. Becky continues to yell how people are losers until she realizes she ate pork, and apparently drunk Becky can't eat pork, and goes into the men's bathroom stall with her friend to vomit. All this aside, it's not Cocolee's fault for drunk Becky's behavior, however, my problem with Cocolee is there was 4-5 servers seeing this behavior, including the manager? (I believe it was the manager as he wasn't dressed like the others and in a zip-up) and the back of house as well because it is small, and no one corrects them, no one refuses to serve them, no one asks them to leave, all of them are standing there laughing at the drunk girls while continuing to over-serve them sauvignon blanc (yup I know her drink because she was yelling she wants a refill), all at the expense of every single other...

Trendy, upscale take on pan-asian / SEA food. Great decor fits into the vibe of Assembly square, drinks are pretty good if expensive, and everything is maximally instagrammable. Food is largely not impressive. We came for Dine Out and ordered 8 different dishes: Dan Dan & Singapore noodles and ribs were all tasty, if just a little bit small. All exactly as advertised and worth it. Blue Crab Rangoon (3 per order) were... bad. Crab is sprinkled on top for some reason, not incorporated? It is not seasoned, nor is the filling. Does not come with any dipping sauce which may have helped. Lemongrass dumplings were also lacking seasoning, pretty much just lemongrass, chicken, and whole corn kernels for some reason? Only gave soy sauce as a dip unfortunately. Papaya salad was a travesty; just papaya, some long bean pieces, 3 basil leaves, and fish sauce and soy sauce. No spice! No peanuts! none of the complexity and heat every papaya salad I've ever had has. Our server did warn me when I ordered that it typically comes with shrimp, which they were out of, but I was dying for some papaya salad so got it anyway. It may be better with these... maybe. Chili cucumbers were fine. Again, just cucumbers and chili crisp. At home I would at least hit them with some vinegar and soy or salt. Would say these are definitely not worth the buy. The chicken karaage was the surprise fave - not too heavy at all and nicely seasoned with togarashi or something similar. Basil aioli was an interesting touch and a tasty complement. Our server was super sweet and helpful, and most people who worked there seemed friendly and responsive. The inside is pretty small and awkwardly configured, but they have a great outdoor space. TLDR come for the vibes and the pics, not the good Asian food. First date, drinks and an app sort of place. Perfect for the...

We booked a table at Cocolee on Saturday night and sat out on the patio deck. The ambiance was relaxed and inviting, with music that enhanced the mood without overpowering conversation. Despite the crowd, we were seated within 5 minutes of checking in, which set a positive tone early on.

Our table shared 4 plates: papaya salad, miso steak, lemongrass chicken dumplings, and blue crab rangoons. The variety made for a fun, tapas-style experience, but the presentation felt rushed and visually unrefined. Dishes also came out sporadically, which disrupted the flow of the meal and made it harder to enjoy everything together.

In terms of flavor, everything was fine, but played it safe. Those expecting bold, authentic Southeast Asian profiles may be underwhelmed. A few touches, like a chili dipping sauce for the dumplings, could have added much needed dimension. I found the rangoons were a bit undercooked as the shells were soft.

Service was mixed. While the host staff was efficient and friendly, other aspects felt uneven. Clearly a sign the team is still finding their rhythm. My mocktail (bartender’s choice) tasted like straight lemon juice and arrived with a visible fingerprint on the rim. A small but noticeable lapse in presentation and hygiene.

The total came to about $85 with tax and tip (four plates, one mocktail, and one beer). While the food didn’t quite do it for me, the inviting atmosphere, quick seating, and potential for improvement make it worth considering for a laid back evening out, especially as the service continues...