Kokko

Visited Yakitori Kokko for the second time. Expect classic izakaya vibes, well-executed grilled dishes, and a solid place for late-night dining with friends. Highlights / Must-order items: * Wagyu Steak – nicely seared, tender, and juicy * Beef Tongue – thick cut with great texture * Lamb Chop – well seasoned, no gamey flavor * Steamed Clams – very fresh with a flavorful broth * Grilled Scallop – sweet and tender (often sells out) * Takowasa – smooth texture, great with sake Small portions, great for skewers + sake flights 🍶. Ideal for casual dinners, late-night bites, or a first stop after landing at SFO.

Went for a quick bite after landing in SFO. GF wanted something with broth and veggies. So ordered their Kokko ramen which said on the menu had veggies. What showed up had no veggies. I asked and the waitress said this is how it is. But I asked her to look at the menu to confirm that it was supposed to have veggies. Her reply was, it has green onions and seaweed. Needless to say I'm not going back. Her attitude just sucked.

Decent casual spots with friendly customer service. The highlight was the fried organic chicken. I liked that it is crispy and juicy. We were looking forward to the skewers but they were underwhelming. Since they waited to served multiple skewers at once, the temperature was colder than expected which was not ideal. The flavor was there but there was also just not enough charring. One of the okras were stringy. The cartilage was cold by the time we got to it. It felt like they rushed the cooking a little bit to serve more tables. If I come back it would be for the fried chicken and not for the skewers.

Such a fun cozy spot! Pretty much everything was tasty so enjoy exploring the menu and following whatever your gut is telling you that day. The meats were all good, but my favorite might have been the eggplant. Service was pretty quick. Kind of in a random location but it’s worth a stop.

Quaint Japanese restaurant, tucked away in a quiet corner in the northeast part of downtown San Mateo. Delicious yakitori items, as well as rice bowls, fried appetizers, and ramen. Fast and efficient service, but hard to get a seat unless you have a reservation. Very small parking lot, but there is street parking and a couple of parking lots nearby.

The restaurant is clean with a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere, and the food is excellent. We ordered a variety of dishes, including organic chicken, which was good. The grilled eggplants with soy sauce were incredibly flavorful. I tried ramen with sesame broth for the first time, which was unique. The waitresses were friendly and accommodating. I highly recommend this place to anyone!

Kokko is an absolute gem in San Mateo! I had an amazing dinner here, and everything was cooked to perfection. The chicken karaage was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor. The takoyaki was perfectly soft with just the right amount of chewiness and savory goodness. The rice ball had a delightful smoky char, adding an extra depth of flavor. The ambiance is cozy, and the service was friendly and attentive. If you’re craving authentic Japanese flavors, this place is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be coming back!

Kokko is a decent yakitori spot. It tries to be a comfort food style yakitori and beer with no frills, yet somehow the price point misses the mark. If you want to go for the "shack" and okay-to-be-charred feel, you want to back it up with appropriate pricing. On paper the prices look "cheap" but you get miniscule portions that almost tease you rather than fill you. We were so used to seeing an endless wait for Kokko so when we got reservations, we were super excited. We were seated in the parking lot shack - not a problem - except the table wasn't "flat". And given the decor, we were certainly going for the "street comfort food" style. Again, can play along. Before I comment on the food, I'll mention it the last time. Portions are tiny so don't be fooled by what looks like reasonable prices. You have to order a LOT. The skewers were quite good in many ways. None of them were the best, but they all score above average and were flavorful. We had about 10 different kinds but none of them were memorable. It certainly accompanies beer well. So decent marination. Where the taste was "off" was when there were burnt parts (fully understandable once in a while) where the skewer itself tastes bitter. At a yakitori place, this is just not acceptable. Many were great. Just a couple. Service is super slow and hectic. I appreciate everyone trying to bring out skewers as they come out, but there doesn't seem to be a dedicated server for your table, and thus, there are periods where you just can't get a hold of anyone. I won't be returning unless someone is begging to go for some yakitori and I'm out of options. Heck, Mokutanya a few miles north is much better.

Delicious and authentic (from what I can tell) yakitori! I always order a variety of skewers ranging from chicken thighs and beef tongue, to scallop and duck breast, usually preferring the sauce option and it always comes out tender and flavorful. My friends ordered the ramen, salad, and chicken karaage- all of which they'd recommend as well, especially citing the karaage I think due to kokko's popularity RSVPs are pretty much a must at this point. But food comes out quickly and the servers are friendly. There are a lot of drink options to pair with the food and the atmosphere is nice to chill with friends at.

I LOVEE THIS PLACE! Only if this were closer to home, I'd go here ALL the time and literally spend all my hard-earned money here LOL The ones we got were: Shishito pepper Shitake mushrooms Okra Scallop Shrimp Organic chicken skin Breast tender with shiso leaf Chicken Thigh Pork Belly Pork cheek Beef kalbi Rice balls I just absolutely love the smoked/grilled taste of all of this. We also got some beer, and honestly, the skewers would multiply and can be quite expensive. The service is fast and great! The inside of the restaurant is small, they have a patio area as well, and it is believed to be heated if you ever choose to go on a cold night. Parking is a bitch, but after the amount of skewers you are going to eat, walking sounds good after LOL

Reasonably priced with a decent variety of options, but overall the food was hit or miss. I appreciated that the skewers weren't overly salty like some other skewer spots, though some of the sauced items ended up being a little underwhelming in flavor. Many of the meat skewers we tried were sadly also over cooked and dry. We started off with the Kokko salad because it looked interesting and unique but the dressing wasn't good and some of the toppings like okra felt out of place. The agedashi tofu appetizer, however, was good. The pork butt skewer was also tasty and had good texture. The liver skewer was a bit dry. The duck meat skewer good texture but could've used more seasoning. Okra skewer was just okay. Both chicken skewers we tried (chicken with shiso leaf and chicken thigh) were on the dry side. Pork belly skewer was okay but nothing special. Staff was friendly, but I'm not sure I'd come back for the food. Out of the nine items we tried, only two stood out (agedashi tofu and pork butt skewer), which is surprising considering how popular this place seems to be.

I came back to Kokko after a 4-year absence, and I was happy to see they now have an outdoor dining area -- much more spacious compared to how tightly packed it used to feel inside. We ordered a variety of tapas-style dishes, all very typical of what you'd find at an izakaya in Japan: fried squid, fried oysters, ankimo, tamago, shishamo smelt, yakitori skewers, radish salad, and yaki onigiri, just to name a few. The food was solid, the prices were fair, and the service was excellent -- friendly and attentive without being overbearing. It's a great casual spot for classic Japanese small plates and a relaxed evening out.

Superb yakitori spot in San Mateo! Cute outdoor seating is perfect for the summer weather, and the service was excellent. Prices are as expected for yakitori, and I appreciate the variety of skewers. There are many different cuts of meats to choose from, but the yummiest options are the organ meats! Make sure to come with people who aren't picky lol. Our favorites: chicken heart, liver, pork cheek, beef tongue, fried chicken cartilage Pass: black sesame ramen, raw squid, chicken with plum sauce

Boyfriend made a reservation for my birthday and we enjoyed some truly tasty yakitori at Kokko. I think what really sets Kokko apart from other most other yakitori places is their skilled cooking. Almost every skewer had this delectable smokiness that still complimented the natural flavor of the ingredient. My favorite was the pork belly by far, but I also really enjoyed the okra, the scallops, and the gizzards. I also tried a seafood chawanmushi which was so silky and dreamy! I absolutely recommend this! Many of the dishes actually brought me back to Japan which was awesome. I also liked that they used a softer tofu on the agedashi tofu which gives it that sweet, savory, and creamy bite. There were, though, a few that didn't quite dot all the i's. First, some of our bacon asparagus were woody and very fibrous. Secondly while I appreciated seeing hitsumabashi on the menu, respectfully it just didn't invoke memories of Nagoya. There was far too much dashi in the bowl and you didn't get the step by step approach that makes hitsumabashi the famed dish it is. All in all, I enjoyed the experience. I understand why it's always so busy now!

Came here as a group of 4 on a Saturday around 6pm and was seated right away with no reservation! The restaurant seemed pretty busy, so I do recommend making a reservation if you have time to plan ahead! ~The Food~ - Chicken thigh yakitori: Pretty good! The meat was very tender, and had a nice smokey flavor to it! - Chicken skin yakitori: My favorite from the night! We got this on with salt and the skin had a nice crispy/chewy texture. Highly recommend! - Enoki with bacon yakitori: Loved this one too! Enoki and bacon were cooked nicely and had a nice smokey flavor. - Yaki onigiri: Loved the crunchy exterior and smokiness, but I think the rice was a bit overcooked/mushy. - Beef tongue yakitori: Very tender, perfectly cooked! - Pork Jowl yakitori: Cool texture, perfectly cooked and loved the saltiness of it! Overall, I thought the yakitori was pretty good! Probably my favorite yakitori spot in South Bay. ~Parking~ This location is right in downtown San Mateo, so there's a decent amount of parking lots around the area. ~Overall~ I'd recommend for anyone looking for an authentic place to try yakitori! It is a bit pricey, but I think it's worth it! The prices are per skewer and the skewers are pretty small, so I'd estimate at least 5-8 skewers/person. Service is pretty fast and efficient as well!

Great Yakitori place, staffed w/ Japanese cooks and servers if you want that full Japan immersion. They have a nice interior where you can see the chefs from every seat and an outdoor area heated by lamps. Parking is rough and if you cant find anything in the small lot next to the restaurant you can drive up the street And park in the public structure about 2 blocks away. They have an outdoor patio that unfortunately the staff has to exit and enter the main door to get to. It is heated so don't worry on a cold night. Found some cool menu items here that are worth trying. They have hitsumabushi which is rice with a tea broth and unagi in top. It's a rare find in this area and we ordered it immediately, very good on a cold day. Next level would be Nagoya style Hitsumabushi to try the Unagi 4 different ways. A5 Wagyu Korokke: fried crispy potato ball with small chunks of Wagyu in it, would have liked some carrots inside as well but it was tasty and came with matcha for dipping. Skewers were all excellent, the skin especially was very well cooked aand crispy and soft. We've had it at some other places where it tasted more leathery.

Came here for a late Valentine's Day dinner with my husband, sister & her husband. We made reservations last minute and snagged a table luckily! We were seated outside but luckily they have outdoor heater lamps so you won't feel cold. They give you a 90 minute limit so make sure your whole table is here on time bc they will let you know when it's time for last order etc. Yakitori Kokko has variety of meat for you to try from chicken cartilage, beef tongue, chicken skin, meat ball, heart, chicken thigh etc. They also have seafood like scallops, shrimp, quail eggs as well. I wish they had more veggies though like shishito peppers is something I love but they didn't have it unfortunately on the menu. (Bummer!) We also had variety of starters as well. Just FYI - many of the portions are on the smaller side. Takowasa (octopus with wasabi sauce): It comes in a small bowl and was pretty yummy! The wasabi sauce is not too strong and I fairly enjoyed it! Nankotsu karaage: fried cartilage! It's delicious and crispy! Daikon salad: It was very refreshing! The sauce was house made and it was a bit sweet but delicious! Tori soborodon: Ground chicken with egg over rice. I thought it was okay, I don't think it was anything special. Everything was delicious but keep in mind, it's definitely not cheap. With all the yakitori we ordered, bunch of appetizers and few years came out to be $400.

Love taking visiting family to Kokko for special dinners! We made a reservation and got seated in the outdoor area. Heat lamps and no wind, you will forget you're outside! we got an array of skewers: unagi, shishito peppers, chicken hearts, pork belly, beef kalbi, chicken skin, and wagyu - $17/wagyu was melt in your mouth amazing, savored every bite sides/extras: takowasabi, edamame, chicken karaage, tako karaage, Takoyaki, unagi don highlight: unagi don and tako wasabi stomach filled up and bank account went down, was it worth it? yes! I loved the yakitori experience of eating and drinking with over conversation. Small plates are great to share and try a little bit of everything

More pics of delicious food! Out of this batch, I liked the black sesame dan dan mian and the eggs the most.

Located in Downtown San Mateo, parking is very very difficult to find. I got quite lucky with the one space that was available. Food was pretty good. The food was good but took a while. Service could have been better as well. During my time there, no water refills were given until asked. Overall, Yakitori Kokko isn't bad. The ambiance is nice and food is good.

The first time I visited 12 years ago, my now husband took me here and I can see why! I'm still coming here whenever we're visiting from socal. The food is always consistent, the waiters are kind and friendly and it feels like I'm back in Japan when I step into this little shop. I've tried a lot of things here, but my favorites are the gyutan, tori soboro don, takoyaki and nankotsu karaage. The gyutan is tender and never chewy. I also always do salt seasoning on my skewers. It's not common to to see Tori soboro don so I always grab it. I love the way the raw egg tastes with the ground chicken and rice. Nankotsu karaage is also something I don't see often but Kokko always does it well so I'm happy to order when I visit. I'll be back during my next visit!

My only picture was only a fraction of the meal but wow this yakitori spot is a gem. Food was fantastic. The chicken cartilage is very enjoyable if you prefer some crunch of soft bones. You can ask for kewpie mayo on the side as well if thats up your alley. The daikon salad was refreshing, craveable. Tasted slightly pickled or acidic. We had the intestine soup as well as the tuna cod roe soup, both of which were superb (dashi stock base). Some of my favorite skewers of the night had to be the scallop, crispy chicken skin (either flavor), gizzard. Frankly there is no bad choice... a great restaurant to try new cuts of meat since everything is seasoned and cooked to perfection. Service was quick and very attentive. We sat outside but the heaters kept the outside seating environment toasty!

My favorites from this meal were definitely the pork belly skewers and fried calamari. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the yaki onigiri was. We also got chicken skin skewers, which were a little too salty but still delicious. The wagyu croquette came with matcha powder, which was surprising and actually complimented the flavor and crunch of the potato pretty well. Overall, every single dish was very flavorful! :D Service was fast and servers were very attentive and polite, and the indoor atmosphere was very lively. Would definitely come again!

We tried almost every yakitori on the menu ( you can see we really had high expectations for it based on so many five stars) and here are impressions of $200+ for two people Unwelcome service, unthinkable packed parking lot, overpriced food, and most unbelievable is sweet soy sauce is ubiquitous and excessive. The only good things are shishito pepper and mushrooms, not salty and freshly grilled

Kokko has to be considered a institution in Downtown San Mateo right? I've been coming here for years, and it's still a super solid place. Flavors are great. Some of my favorites that I always order: Skewers: - Pork Cheek - Beef Tongue - Chicken Meatball - Chicken Heart Dishes: - Ankimo (Monkfish Liver) - Tako Karage - Black Sesame Ramen All the salads are great also. I like sitting outside since it can be loud inside if you're trying to have a conversation. Service is always friendly.

My favorite Yakitori spot in the peninsula! Definitely make a reservation to avoid waiting. The food and drinks always hit the spot, and you really can't go wrong ordering anything. My favorites are: * takoawasa * pirikara cucumbers * nankotsu karaage (fried cartilage) * fried calamari * takoyaki * agedashi tofu * yaki onigiri * black sesame tan tan men * torisoborodon * okra * cherry tomato * shishito pepper * chicken liver * beef kalbi Calpico soju and beer is normally me/my partner's choice of drink with the food, pairs great with alcohol!

Yakitori kokko is our fav spot in San mateo. Been there way too many times and never had a reservation yet ways get seated. We always walk up, sign up at the door, order a bottle of whatever to sip on while we wait. Once seated, we immediately place orders, and food comes out fairly quickly. Place is dim and very loud so prepare to shout to each other. Good food good drinks good company always the best time. Parking might be a pain in the a but not impossible

Kokko is a decent yakitori spot. It tries to be a comfort food style yakitori and beer with no frills, yet somehow the price point misses the mark. If you want to go for the "shack" and okay-to-be-charred feel, you want to back it up with appropriate pricing. On paper the prices look "cheap" but you get miniscule portions that almost tease you rather than fill you. We were so used to seeing an endless wait for Kokko so when we got reservations, we were super excited. We were seated in the parking lot shack - not a problem - except the table wasn't "flat". And given the decor, we were certainly going for the "street comfort food" style. Again, can play along. Before I comment on the food, I'll mention it the last time. Portions are tiny so don't be fooled by what looks like reasonable prices. You have to order a LOT. The skewers were quite good in many ways. None of them were the best, but they all score above average and were flavorful. We had about 10 different kinds but none of them were memorable. It certainly accompanies beer well. So decent marination. Where the taste was "off" was when there were burnt parts (fully understandable once in a while) where the skewer itself tastes bitter. At a yakitori place, this is just not acceptable. Many were great. Just a couple. Service is super slow and hectic. I appreciate everyone trying to bring out skewers as they come out, but there doesn't seem to be a dedicated server for your table, and thus, there are periods where you just can't get a hold of anyone. I won't be returning unless someone is begging to go for some yakitori and I'm out of options. Heck, Mokutanya a few miles north is much better.

Great quality and great tasting food! Quick and super friendly service! We were sat in the front so we can see the magic in the kitchen! Music passed the vibe check! It's been awhile since we been here and it did not disappoint! It was also my wife's birthday and they sent us out a beautiful delicious desert with fried sweet potato and ice cream which was phenomenal! Who knew crispy fried sweet potato would pair so well with vanilla icecream? Can't wait to come back! Thank you everyone at yakitori Kokko!!!

Amazing gem tucked away in San Mateo. This spot is a winner for yakitori and many other Japanese dishes. The yakitori was absolutely delicious, tender meats, super flavorful, and grilled to perfection. The chicken karaage was one of the best I've ever had. It was tender, crispy, incredibly well seasoned. Pretty much everything was a winner here. It gets crowded, so make a reservation.

I came by a second time and my experience here was equal or even better than the first! Great vibes and amazing quality food. The interior is similar to a Japanese restaurant, slightly dim and wooden panels with handwritten chalkboard menus. Tables sit smaller groups easily; if you have a bigger group you probably will need to wait a while. I personally like their menu ordering system of writing down the quantity of each item we wanted. Food comes out fairly quickly, at least the small appetizers first. Alllllll the food is delicious. From the shishito peppers to even vegetarian skewers. Bacon wrapped enoki is genius. Honorable mentions: takoyaki, beef tongue skewer, agedashi tofu. Price is slightly steep but I shouldn't complain because of how tasty everything is. My group of 4 ordered around 3-4 appetizers, ~5-6 skewers each, small rice dish, and a pitcher of beer. Total with tip was around $45. If you're looking for a fun casual dinner hangout, this is a good choice!

Quick take: make reservations This place was super busy on a Wednesday night. Not sure if dining in is available without a reservation. Either water I highly recommend a reservation. The food was delicious. We ordered mainly all skewers. Our dishes came out one at a time. We weren't able to order more than pictured because the food was settling and we were full. The ambiance was no frills. Indoor and outdoor dining is available. Definitely will be back to try more dishes. We parked in the nearby downtown parking garage. There's only a few spots available in their own parking lot.

The food was very good, but the service was a trainwrecks. All yakitori was well seasoned, and nicely charred. The standout items were nankotsu, hatsu, and tontoro. The momo (thighs) and liver were a bit dry, but still pretty good. The sake flight was meh, but pretty good value. After the first batch of yakitoki, we ordered a few more items which was a chaos. We were missing a few items which ended up at other tables, and also received and returned other dishes we didn't order. During the check, all the items we ordered, including the ones we haven't received were listed. The waitress was very apologetic about it though, but still, proceed with caution.

Pretty good yakitori joint, they all taste the same to me tbh lol nothing has ever been wow to me. Small little spot servers were nice. Food was good nothing special. Only that was a little weird was beef tongue, can't put it into words but just taste a little different than every other place, maybe it's a hotpot vs grill factor. Overall, just another decent spot. Nothing good but nothing bad.

Came here the other day with my wife and it was amazing! We never had never been to a yakitori style restaurant and our servers yuda and yuki (not sure if I spelled that right) were really helpful and made it a smooth experience. The pork belly and the fried oysters were very good and the minced beef rice bowl was tasty as well. Definitely coming back again!

3.5 stars We made reservations for 9pm on a Friday night and were seated immediately for a party of five. It wasn't super busy because it was near closing time but apparently during dinner time it gets so packed that people are turned away. There is a small parking lot with ~6 spots with some street parking. We ordered a variety of yakitori and my favorites were the beef tongue, unagi, and pork cheek. I didn't care much about the chicken skin one because of its texture but apparently you can request to get it cooked longer which would make it crispier. For dessert we ordered the yuzu sorbet which was refreshing and nice to cut through all the meat during the meal. The service was good and the food was decent. It was a tiny spot which makes sense on why there would be a long wait. It's a nice place to hang out with friends to eat and drink.

The best yakitori in Bay Area! Thank you Yuki! The chicken skin is my favorite and the black sesame Ramen is so special and tasty

We did a walk in for 2 people on a Saturday around 5:40PM when the restaurant just open. It's already half filled and we were seated quickly. I enjoyed a lot of the tomato, oyster mushroom skewers because you can taste the fresh vegetable flavor with the juice from the grill. The beef galbi, pork belly, pork cheek skewers are my top meat skewers. Def also recommend the daikon salad that's refreshing to eat and works like a palette cleanser.

Ankimo 5 monkfish liver, ponzu, nice soft texture Torikawa Ponzu 3 deep fried chicken skin, slightly soggy Ebi Karaage 3 deep fried tiger shrimp, slightly dry Crab Cream Croquette 4 creamy, rich, filling Eggplant Dengaku 3 large, medium firm, 甜面酱 flavor Chicken Thigh 3 normal Chicken Gizzard 4 chewy Chicken Meat Ball 4 minced, soft, flavorful Chicken Cartilage 3 not flavorful, just bone, no meat Duck Breast 3 wine sauce Beef Tongue 4 very chewy, medium flavorful Beef Kalbi 3 medium flavorful Pork Cheek 5 chewy, juicy, rich, flavorful Grilled Okra 3 not flavorful, non-soggy texture Fried Tofu 2 firm, no flavor Grilled Rice Ball 3 golden crunchy outside Miso Soup 3 flavorful, salty Fried Manju w/ Vanilla Gelato 3 sweet red bean paste, crispy deep fried ball

We need more restaurants like this. I love the idea of something small bite size and shareable. There is just something fun to be able to eat like this. The other great thing is to have a restaurant master their craft. There was so many great tasty plates that I can't pick my favorites. What makes this even harder is when the place is so much fun with the company you have that all I can remember right now is having a great time while munching on great food. Service is very polite, everybody was there to take care of us and I can't wait to go back again to have some nonkatsu.

Came here to have a causal dinner with my husband and toddler. We arrived around 5:30pm and was able to get seated right away without rsvp. We sat in a private space between the outside of the restaurant and wall. We tried many things but our favorite were the wagyu and beef skewers. It definitely adds up but we left super full because we over-ordered service was okay, but felt forgotten about a few times since we weren't inside or in the tent space. But appreciated the privacy with the toddler.

Kokko is consistently legit. They offer a variety of roasted skewers, and they do an excellent job both seasoning and cooking everything. I appreciate that they use charcoal to roast, and that everything is timed such that it is cooked to perfection (not too rare and not overdone) and delivered still hot to your table. They judiciously use salt and soy sauce, and the end result is an enhanced flavor of the meat/vegetable. I also think their onigiri are really tasty: toasty and with the perfect amount of soy sauce to provide a caramel/umami flavor. The karaage is also superb.

Came for dinner on a Wed night. Definitely recommend reservations. They're pretty easy to get if you plan a day or 2 ahead. Much harder on day of. Parking can be busy. They have a small lot but it was full the entire time we were there so street parking is the way to go. We ordered a variety of things and everything we had was really good! The skewers especially were so smokey and tender! All the skewers we had were delicious, you can't really go wrong. A bit on the pricier side but that's usually how yakitori is. Great for a once in a while meal!

I haven't been here for years. Thank goodness the food quality hasn't changed. Everything we ordered was taste. The service and nice but nothing special. We were seated outside so not much ambiance. Definitely will return if I'm back in the area.

A great place to go with friends! The space fills up quickly, so reservations are highly recommended. I was able to grab a reservation for Friday night and was seated outside, there are heaters though so you don't get too chilly. Parking can be a bit difficult, it's easiest to park in the parking structures in downtown San Mateo. You order your skewers and other items by marking the paper, they also have buttons you can press on the table to call a server over. Their skewers are all delicious, some favorites are the chicken skin and the beef tongue. Also check out their daily specials menu, we got an order of hotate tempura which was great!

We had called ahead to see how long the wait would be for a party of 2 with no reservation-- they told us that there was only outdoor seating available but maybe in an hour for indoor. We arrived around 7PM and were seated immediately to our surprise. It's a pretty small restaurant (I believe a sign said capacity 46), although they do have a number of booths outdoor. We ordered a handful of skewers (beef tongue, pork jowl, chicken gizzard, chicken cartilage, duck breast) and they were all pretty good! My favorites were the beef tongue and pork jowl-- they both had a decent bite, chew, and meatiness to them. We also ordered a side of chicken kaarage which is pretty standard and filling. It wouldn't be yakitori without drinks so we also got a glass of Sapporo and calpico soju cocktail. Overall, it's a pretty good yakitori place and I would definitely come back. Being mindful, yakitori does eventually add up depending on how hungry you are.

My friend and I arrived around 6pm with no reservation on a Thursday night. The waiter told us we may have to wait around 30 mins to an hour with no reservation, but to our pleasant surprise we were seated around 30 mins later. My friend and I definitely over ordered as we were browsing the menu with our stomachs lol. Highlights of the night were the chicken thighs and wagyu skewers. We would skip out on the unagi and any bacon wrapped items as those were definitely too heavy. We definitely recommended sharing each kind of skewer as the richness of the meats definitely fill you up quick!

I've been here several times already, and here are my current thoughts: - Price has gone up due to inflation, but it still serves good food. - I was a bit disappointed with the nankotsu karaage, I wish it was more crunchy. - love the service here. Servers are always attentive and friendly. - if you come around closing time on Friday or Saturday, expect a slight wait, I waited about 15-20 minutes for a party of 3. - I wish they served chuhai's and more selection of highball. - I wish they had opened later on Fridays and Saturdays. Izakayas usually opens late, so I wish they would open later.

pretty solid! i was a big fan of the beef tongue and wagyu steak. service was just okay, it took a bit to get our food, but the servers still checked up on us and came by with frequent water refills. the restaurant is super tiny so prepare for a wait, it probably took us abt 20 minutes to get seated for 2 ppl on a saturday evening.

Tasty, good selection and reasonable prices. The line can get long so make a reservation or come early. Street parking can also be a bit tricky. The beef here was top notch, including the Wagyu Croquette and Wagyu Steak skewers. Im always on the search for the best chicken skin (kawa) skewers. Kokkos skewers were a respectable 4/5. Chicken meatball (tsukune) was solid, but no egg yolk for dipping. Overall wasnt blown away, but still recommend if you are in the area. Service is great. They didn't have a ton of non-alcoholic drinks, so ended up getting water. Ended up being about $80 pp, so its a little more on the pricey side.

Date of Visit: 9/15/2023 Yakitori Kokko located in San Mateo is one of the most popular Japanese restaurants in Bay Area. With a wide variety of skewers and appetizer options on menu, there is also a great selection of beer and soju, sake too. We didn't make a reservation ahead of time, so we got there 5 min before the restaurant open on a Friday evening, and seated right away. Sapporo Pitcher $24 We got a pitcher of cold Sapporo to share. Miso Soup $3.95 Steamed Baby Clam $10.95 One of my favorite on the menu. Baby clams steamed in sake and dashi broth were great! Buri Sashimi (Toro Mix) $23 We got the buri toro sashimi on the special menu. Torikawa Ponzu $7.5 Chicken skin in ponzu sauce with crunchy taste and sweet and sour sauce was a great start. Nankotu Karaage $8.5 Deep fried chicken cartilage was crunchy and juicy too. We got the following skewers on the menu: Asparagus with bacon $3.9 Ebi $3.5 Heart $3 Skin $3.7 Momo $3.5 Shiitake Mushroom $3.2 Eringi Mushroom $3.2 Zuri $3 My favorites are the shiitake mushroom, chicken skin, heart and gizzard. Grilled shrimp was pretty good too!

This used to be my favorite yakitori spot in San Mateo. I have a lot of memories associated with this restaurant being one of my first Japanese yakitori place and the spot my husband brought me the night before my board exam to help me relax. I remember it tasting very good the first time I tried it especially the crispy chicken skin (with beer) and beef. Fast forward years later and after the pandemic, my husband and I decided to come here since we were craving yakitori. The restaurant was packed before 6pm and most tables already had a reservation. They allowed us to use one of the reserved tables as long as we finish within 40minutes. We sat outdoors and they decorated it with yellow fairy lights and had patio heaters. The server took our order immediately given the time limit we had and then told us the customers who reserved the table ended up cancelling so we did not have to rush. Guess the workers did not communicate because another female worker came up to us 15mins after to let us know it was our last call to order food since the table was reserved. It was ok since we ordered enough for the two of us. The skewers and ramen came out super quick. However, we were quite disappointed at the taste of the food since a lot of them either lacked flavor or the chicken skin, which used to be our favorite, was not even crispy. Hopefully, it was just a one-time let down where the food was off but everything was much more pricer than we remembered. We tried a few more other yakitori restaurants in the Bay Area that we enjoyed more and was less expensive. Gave them four Yelp stars since they were very quick with everything and the workers checked in on us quite often.

3.5 *** rounded up to 4 **** Disclaimer: did not try the Yakitori! I know...I know... Yakitori Kokko is located at the edge of downtown San Mateo, it's almost straddles the area where downtown turns in to a neighborhood. Parking is challenging, I had better luck parking on nearby streets. After the pandemic or maybe even during...they expanded a fair bit. A good amount of outdoor seating was added, they put up a makeshift outdoor sitting expansion in the parking lot. From the looks of it, doubled the capacity. The inside is still tiny, plenty of hustle and bustle from the staff. They seem to be moving at a faster pace that usual. This place gets packed, I definitely recommend calling ahead and making reservations. Kokko eats: ~ Black sesame tantan men - 3.5/5 Very thick consistency. The broth is actually black! Great flavor, I do wish they would put more pork in it though. Seems like they skimped on the pork, looked just a spoonful on the top. When mixed in, the flavor pops out a lot more, there was a bit more pork on the bottom as well. The pork had most of the flavor... ~ KOKKO ramen - 3/5 I found this fairly underwhelming. Very bland compared to other ramen spots. It was definitely edible, but I felt Ramen was clearly not their specialty. Skip this one. ~ SHIRO-KORO HORMONE - 3/5 (TODAY'S SPECIAL - Feb. 18 2023) Very chewy consistency...I wasn't expecting it to be this chewy. Good flavor though, IMHO this would be much better if it was fried...the consistancy would be like tripas. No issues with service, the staff worked as a team. Efficient fast and friendly. Now I gotta actually try the Yakitori here...

While our wait wasn't too long (~25 mins), I do recommend trying to get a reservation because it looks like it gets pretty packed in here. If you do have a wait, I suggest walking around the downtown San Mateo area - it's super cute! The restaurant itself has indoor seating and covered outdoor seating. There's only one bathroom, but line was never too long. FOOD: For two people, we ordered ~12 skewers and some other dishes and felt our portions were sufficient. For most skewers, you can order it with just salt or with sauce. To be honest, I recommend just the salt as it really lets the meat flavor shine. I recommend chicken thigh, chicken breast with spicy cod roe, and galbi. You can't go wrong with these three as defaults. For other dishes, we also got asparagus with bacon and fish cake with cheese, which were both flavorful. I also recommend the butter corn as well! SERVICE: Our servers were extremely attentive. They told us the kitchen was super busy that night, so food might be slower, which helped set our expectations. I wasn't blown away with the meat here and my boyfriend remembers them being better in the past. Nevertheless, the food is still flavorful and cooked to perfection.

With over 1k reviews, this place definitely deserves closer to 5 stars - one of the best yakitori places in the bay area (since there aren't that many). I come here at least once a quarter and it's great every single time! Just look at the thousands of photos that have been posted to see how delicious everything looks! With so many yakitori options, there are bound to be some food items that people like more than others. However, to me, that is the beauty of a yakitori place; being able try various things due to the small portions and reordering the things I love! For those new to yakitori, I recommend ordering a multitude of yakitoris first. Do not waste your stomach space on rice and noodles that will get you full quick. Once you've had your share of yakitori and appetizers, finish the meal off with a nice carb. The tori soboro don is a nice small portion if you are fairly full and is definitely worth the price! Caveat - the only downside is the parking. With a parking lot that only services 4-5 cars, you typically have to find street parking which can be pain on a Friday/Saturday night.

The best restaurant in the Bay. Yup that's the review y'all thank you! Shout outs to Yuki San and the girls!

What a gem! Really loved this spot. Came with my friend and her mom for a bite to eat on a weekday evening, and I was blown away by how delicious everything was! Also love the outdoor tented seating area -- such a vibe with the lights and warm enough with the heaters. We honestly just got an assortment of appetizers and skewers, but everything tasted absolutely delicious. I particularly loved the Kokko Chazuke and the Eggplant Dengaku. As for the skewers, my favorites were the Chicken Skin and the Pork Cheek. It wasn't too busy when we went, and the service was great throughout our meal. Overall, I feel like the prices here are pretty affordable especially for the quality of food. Definitely want to be back to try more of their skewers.