TokaBocca Restaurant — Restaurant in Town of Herkimer

Toca Boca – Herkimer, NY

Whenever I write a review, I always begin with the positives—and fortunately, Toca Boca offered several highlights worth mentioning. From the moment we pulled into the parking lot, we were welcomed by a kind and courteous gentleman, setting a warm tone for our visit. Inside, our waitress was attentive, professional, and well-versed in the menu. My husband and I often travel to explore new dining spots, and while I’ve recently taken a break from writing reviews, the quality of service here was enough to inspire me to return to the page. Without a doubt, the service was the star of the evening. The staff made a genuine effort to ensure we felt cared for, and we left in noticeably better spirits than when we arrived. For that alone, they deserve commendation. The restaurant itself was also immaculately clean. Every area—from the entry to the dining floor and restrooms—was spotless and clearly well-maintained, which speaks highly of the staff’s attention to detail and professionalism. In terms of ambiance, Toca Boca embraces a quirky and playful aesthetic, complete with bold colors and a number of marijuana-themed art pieces. While I don’t personally partake, I appreciate the boldness and individuality behind the decor. It adds a sense of identity and sets the restaurant apart from more conventional establishments. As for the food, unfortunately, this is where the experience lost momentum—particularly given the higher-than-expected price point, which suggested a mid-range family dining experience on par with chains like Applebee’s or TGI Friday’s. My husband ordered the chicken parmesan, a go-to favorite he often uses to assess new restaurants. The chicken itself was cooked well and served with a very generous portion of pasta. That said, the dish suffered from under seasoned breading and an extremely light hand on the sauce—so much so that it barely registered on the palate. While restraint with sauce can be a positive, in this case, it left the dish feeling incomplete. I ordered the chef’s "Toca Tacos," which I had hoped would be a standout. Sadly, they missed the mark. The tacos came on what was listed as a house-made tortilla layered with a hard shell, and were topped with lettuce, red onion, and tomato. Unfortunately, the chicken inside resembled dry, flavorless nuggets, and lacked the seasoning or depth one would typically expect in a taco. If served on a plate without the shell, nothing about the ingredients would have identified it as a taco. A missed opportunity for sure. While the portion sizes were impressively large, in this case, less food with more flavor and quality would serve the kitchen and customers better. The extensive menu may also be placing a burden on the kitchen staff. With so many dishes to manage, it may be more difficult to maintain consistency and flavor across the board. A more focused menu could help elevate the overall food quality. In summary, Toca Boca delivers outstanding service, a clean and inviting space, and a bold, creative atmosphere that makes it stand out. The staff’s genuine hospitality is its strongest asset. However, to reach its full potential, the kitchen would benefit from scaling back the menu, refining its flavor profiles, and focusing on quality over quantity. With a few adjustments, this could become a real hidden gem in...

1H: Food from unapproved source, spoiled, adulterated on premises. 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage). 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140°F during hot holding. 8F: Improper thawing procedures used 11A: Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions 13B: Garbage storage areas not properly constructed or maintained, creating a nuisance 13A: Adequate, leakproof, non-absorbent, vermin-proof, covered containers not provided where needed 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean 14A: Insects, rodents present 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)

LOOK BELOW FOR INSPECTION COMMENT

Inspection as a result of recent complaint regarding inadequate trash removal at the facility - complaint verified during inspection. |Excessive trash lacking appropriate protection is present in the back alley. Old trash bags are present inside the facility. Per discussion with staff several trash bins had been removed recently but details of additional pick ups are unknown. Overall facility maintenance poor - excessive exterior refuse is attractive nuisance and interior refuse provides harborage areas for rodents/insects. |A reinspection...

This place has really good food, its freshly prepared and packed with tons of flavor. They have old school values, and very friendly excellent service. Although, i feel that if you were to be rude or disrespectful to their waitstaff, they would have no problems telling you to gto - which i can appreciate. Otherwise they treat you like part of the family. I cant ever decide what i want so i ordered four different things, and my brother ordered two different items. Altogether we tried the godzilla roll, and spicy tuna roll - the godzilla roll was a favorite but they were both good. “Bong bong” shrimp appetizer - amazing. Medium sized fried shrimp tasted so fresh, covered in bong bong sauce served over slaw (this slaw was the best, i want a side of it next time) And the i want the shrimp as an entree haha. We also had the “I’m fried” chicken sandwich - moist chicken with a very delicate flavorful breading with a tiny bit of kick. And the “In the end” pork belly sandwich with the pickled vegetables on top. The only con i have with that is that there wasn’t more pickled vegetables on top of the pork belly. But I’d definitely get that sandwich again. We got another sandwich, but we were so full from trying each other’s sandwiches and the sushi that we had to take it home with us.

What a great experience though loved the decor of the restaurant, and everyone was just so dang friendly. We will definitely be back and I heard they’re opening up another spot in new Hartford and we also wanna head out to old Forge and do a dinner and movie night so we’ll definitely be hitting that up. Thank you for the good food and the good atmosphere and sharing your cake and celebrating your birthday with us! cold weather january babies gotta stick...