CoCo Ichibanya is basically my personality in food form: reliable, slightly addictive, and capable of ruining my self-control every time I walk in. I ordered the chicken with vegetable curry, which sounds like something a responsible adult would say... and then immediately abandoned all responsibility when it arrived. The chicken is tender, the veggies do their little "we're healthy technically" performance, and the curry itself is just dangerously good. Like, "I was going to eat half but somehow the bowl is empty" good. Let's talk about the real MVP though: the pickled daikon. That crunchy, tangy little sidekick is basically the palate reset button I didn't know I needed. Rich curry daikon sudden emotional clarity back to curry repeat until regret or bliss (hard to tell). Also, CoCo Ichibanya has that rare talent of making you think, "I should try something new next time," while you are already planning to order the exact same thing again next time. read more

We ordered a drink, coming with short hair. Didn't care much about it, but as we almost finished meals, found more hair in pork cutlet as well as curry. Store is extremely dirty, shelves are not wiped at all, lots of hairs are found on floor. Store manager didn't care much about dirtiness as I pointed out they are dirty. This place requires health inspection visit immediately, read more

Coco Ichibanya - Hairs in pork cutlet and curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

We finally tried this spot that just opened in Aliso viejo at the commons town center. We ordered chicken katsu with veggie curry, garlic fries and large Thai tea. We enjoyed our meal very much. To me it's comfort food. I shared with my husband and it was enough for us. I would definitely recommend this spot and come again. The staff is very friendly and helpful. It's small spot so there is often a wait. But you can always order Togo and eat outside. There is outdoor seating around the plaza. read more

The space has modern finishes and the service is incredible. I went with the egg and chicken katsu curry, and loved all the customization options - like getting to choose your rice portion and spice level. Honestly, not much else to say. The curry was incredible, the chicken was tender and perfectly crispy, and the portion size was generous and perfect. Highly recommend read more

Coco Ichibanya - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

Delicious food . Was expecting standard Japanese curry with a mild spicy flavor. To our happiness there was a spice scale 1-10! We tried the 6&7 level in our curry. Yum! Nailed it the menu is touch pad and the add-ons' are numerous. Healthy and flavorful. Service is driven from the touchscreen. The restaurant is a tad small but clean well lit and cute inside. Enjoy we will be back. read more

Coco Ichibanya - Wall ad - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

If you're looking for some comfort food, I would highly recommend coming here as they have many selections that is worth trying. Its atmosphere resembles a casual Japanese style similar to Curry House, but they carry all sorts of curry, including Indian style. I do want to warn that their spicy scale of 1-10 is deceiving. Level 2 is already at hot Cheetos level so choose wisely. The waitress did explain it a bit but more elaboration would be nice. You can also add many types of toppings to the curry as you like. The curry French fries appetizer is also very good. Highly recommend if you want a quick grab that makes you very happy afterwards. read more

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We went to the new CoCo Ichibanya in the new Aliso Viejo plaza tonight with some friends (party of 5). There was plenty of parking and the interior was clean and updated. We waited about 15 minutes before we got seated but you can wander around the neighboring shops! I tried the minced beef cutlet for the first time since I've been enjoying beef katsus recently and wanted to try CoCo's version. It was really good! The cutlet was very crispy and the meat was juicy. The curry had a nice consistency and spice level for regular spice. We all thought this location's quality was better than Diamond Jamboree's location! The only con of the meal was when my dish came almost 10-15 minutes after everyone else's. It's just a bit of awkward pacing for a larger party when one person doesn't have their food. Overall, I would definitely come to this location again! read more

Coco Ichibanya - Minced Beef Cutlet - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

Had a great experience dining in during the week. I realize that coming in person, having the meal fresh was perfection vs take out. Service was lovely. The young men were kind, attentive, polite and I love the doorbell at each table to make getting help easy. It was a comfortable dining experience. Not too crowded on a weeknight. I'm a spice girl and the #2 level was perfect for me! Loved every bite of my chicken cutlet with omelet. I also tried the pork cutlet it was super delicious as well! Son and hubby also loved the food. Can't wait to go back and take my friend who haven't tried yet! read more

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So happy to see Coco Ichibanya has opened a new location in AV! We came for lunch right when they opened at 11:00am. No wait, no lines, and the friendly worker said we were free to sit wherever we'd like. Very clean and spacious inside with ample seating. Their menu is straight forward and the pictures are always visually pleasing. My husband went with his usual Keema Curry with regular spice, which he polished off like a champ! I went for the Chicken Cutlet Salad (dressing on the side). I also got an order of Keema Curry Fries (level 3 heat!). We enjoyed it all wholeheartedly! Get their stamp card to earn points! Note: Card only CHEERS and happy eating till next time... read more

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Staff: The team here was nice. Our server took good care of us but kinda disappeared at the end of our meal. Luckily, the rest of the staff filled in. Quality/Quantity: We ordered garlic fries, steak Katsu, chicken katsu curry, and stewed beef. The curry is incredibly delicious and the food was really good. However, the meat quality of the stew was not great and very chewy. Value: Seems fair for such a filling and tasty meal. Overall: Big fan and would return for sure. It has a nice ambiance with seating for about 25 people inside and maybe 8 outside. read more

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Coco Ichibanya has opened a location in Aliso Viejo! I never thought that I'd see the day that one would open in my neighborhood! But it happened and it's glorious! We had previously tried the location in Irvine at Diamond Jamboree but it's a bit far if you don't feel like driving into Irvine. My husband and I decided to have date night on Friday and we put our names down on the waitlist and walked around the Commons. We live nearby but it's fine to waste a few minutes in the Daiso next door or even the Lucky Strike arcade. Once our table was close to being ready, they texted us to return to the restaurant. We were seated within a few minutes of checking in and handed menus. The menu is straightforward with photos if you're not sure. My husband got the pork cutlet curry with vegetables (spice level 5) while I got the chicken omelet curry (spice level 7). I could have gone higher but I did not want to blow my husband's palette to be considerate. I also ordered the Thai iced tea and had to ask for extra cream as it was not creamy enough. They brought me extra half & half which helped. Service was excellent and the food was delicious. We had amazing Japanese curry in Japan and this is just as good. The curry is comforting on a cold wintry night. I'm so glad they opened a location in this plaza! Welcome to Aliso Viejo, Coco Ichibanya! read more

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The food is super delicious but minus 1 star as now their curry is thin and watery , not thick like before all these years. Service was great. Our gal was super sweet, friendly, patient and kind. Our fried chicken was tender and crispy with good flavor. It would have hit the spot more if the curry wasn't so watered down. I like the interior decor a lot, nice vibes. Not as good as it used to be but I still like it enough to keep coming back for my fried chicken Japanese curry with rice. It's delicious with the side of pickles they offer. read more

Coco Ichibanya - Fried Chicken Curry with large rice - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

Today was sadly a let down. The curry was very goopy as if it was loaded with too much cornstarch and it was diluted and watered down. First time was amazing and we were sure this was our new go to curry spot. Not sure what happened today, but we are very disappointed in the quality we received today. read more

Coco Ichibanya - Spicy Teriyaki Chicken Cutlet Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

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Apparently this place is so popular that it often has a wait, but we came here around 11:30 on a Wednesday with a group of about 8 and we were seated right away. I ordered the pork katsu curry with veggies, and I thought it was great! Similar to other Japanese curry spots that I've tried. I got non-spicy curry but I was able to add just a touch of spice after it came since they have custom spice blends on the table. They also have little jars of pickled radish, which was a nice addition to provide some flavor contrast. Their seating area is not all that big - probably 5 or 6 different tables of various sizes, but you can always order it to-go if you don't want to have to wait. Luckily we didn't have to wait so it was perfect! I really enjoyed this place, and the portion sizes are pretty good too. read more

Coco Ichibanya - Pork cutlet curry with veggies - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

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A welcomed addition to The Commons and one we were highly anticipating to make its debut! So happy to have a location in South County! As with all newly opened restaurants, expect some improvements over time because service can be a bit wonky. We came through during Thanksgiving week for lunch thinking it would be chill, but we stumbled upon a packed house. They have a waitlist system via QR code, but it was unclear whether they checked or serviced walk-ins at the door, so we just stood by the door. Once seated, the wait time for ordering was a little longer than usual as they were quite busy and seemed short staffed. I had the okra tofu curry at level 2 heat and added pork sausage (+$3.50). I love the customization options for toppings and rice as I can cater to any craving or portion sizing I may have. Level 2 was more temperature heat than spice, but it does provide a little baby kick. I did find it odd though that when they brought our food, it was without utensils and water. We had to flag someone to inquire about those, but after receiving, we were happy to dig in. Overall, service could be better, but understood they are trying to find their flow. Food was good as usual and no complaints. read more

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I've eaten here several times and tried multiple items, including both entrees and sides. Now that I've become somewhat of a regular, I feel more comfortable leaving a review. Overall, if you like Japanese curry, this is a good restaurant to eat at. The quality is consistent and taste is good. The restaurant is clean and the servers are friendly. You'll get pretty much what you expect each time. They're also open late. That's a HUGE plus in my book. Now for the not so great part, and this is somewhat subjective. Pricewise, I don't think there is a huge value here. The protein servings are small and without loading up on add-ons, I feel like I would be left feeling hungry after finishing my meal. I think it's somewhat wrong that entrees don't come with sides other than rice. One could argue that it allows a diner to customize his meal, both for selection and price, but I feel it leans more towards getting you to rack up the charges. The prices for the extras seem a bit egregious once you break it all down. Also, I think the stewed beef tends to be a bit tough. You really have to work to tear it up sometimes. They should find a way to make it fork-tender so it shreds more easily. Sometimes there can be a bit of a wait. This place gets A LOT of take out orders so if you're wondering why your food might be taking a little bit longer than expected, just keep an eye on the shelves by the front counter to if they have to-go bags lining up. read more

Coco Ichibanya - Stewed beef omelet (add vegetables) - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

I'm so happy Coco Ichibanya opened a new location in Aliso Viejo/South OC!! I hated going anywhere near the Irvine / Diamond Jamboree location. Parking is way easier at the Aliso location and it's much much more convenient to dine-in or do a takeout. The orders are ready quickly and hardly ever take more than 10 minutes. I have never had an instance where my stuff wasn't ready upon arrival if ordered online ahead of time. The food is always fresh and nothing amiss. The spice levels are perfect as are the freshness of rice, croquettes, cheese naan, you name it. I haven't had an instance where I found the curry itself greasy either. My only gripe is the sad state of pork katsu and chicken katsu. They tend to arrive rather dry and stale. I also wish they offered the tuna cutlets. Either way, I am still pleased with everything this location has to offer and I don't see how there's much to complain about! read more

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Yum!!! This is the kind of place that's PERFECT when you want something warm, filling, and super satisfying!! They're known for Japanese curry bowls (fully customizable by the way - spices, toppings, rice amount) - but the menu has so many other cozy options too, including beef udon, creamy mushroom omelette rice, crispy cutlets, and their BRAND NEW Chicken Cutlet Burger! It was actually my favorite item we ordered! Amazing portions at affordable prices too! I will be back again and again when I'm craving comfort food! read more

This new restaurant & plaza is a great addition to the neighborhood! There is Trader Joes, Philz coffee, Daiso, Marugame, Coco Ichibanya and many more. The plaza is still fairly new and there is plenty of parking. The staff here are friendly and always greeted our table with a smile. Restaurant just opened on 11/8, so they are still working out the kinks - though I didn't experience any, seems like other have during prime time. I love Coco because the options with [japanese/indian] curry are endless - whether it is with deep fried chicken or mushrooms. I love that you can also adjust everything to your liking such as the amount of rice you want on your plate or the spice level (anything above 5 aint no joke!!). I got a pork katsu plate with small rice and level 6 spice. The katsu was fried perfectly and the curry was delicious. The spice was a bit too spicy, but I love the burn LOL. You could catch me chugging my glass of water as the waiter would come by refilling my glass haha. Super glad the location is closer to us now!! Definitely a place to check out if you love curry and rice. read more

Finally got to try this place. The curry is delicious. I ordered the chicken katsu, spice level 5, and added mushrooms and corn. I like how you could also choose the amount of rice. I ordered my plate with small rice so it was $0.50 less. They have various toppings you could add as well. The spice level goes up to 10. I got a 5 and it was just perfect. Service was good and friendly. read more

Coco Ichibanya - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

WELCOME TO SOUTH OC! Im so excited they opened a location closer to me. There is plenty of parking here. The service is quick and they have plenty of seating. I opt for pork katsu omelette with spice level 3! The pork is juicier than the chicken, but both are really good. We'll be back! read more

Coco Ichibanya - popular dishes and toppings menu - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

We were so glad to see Coco Ichibanya opening in Aliso Viejo. Came here for dinner last night. The restaurant was full but we were lucky to secure a small table for two right away. Curry was just as delicious as the Irvine location; however, the piece of chicken katsu was much smaller, and prices are just a tad higher. We just ate at the Irvine location the weekend before so everything was still fresh in our mind. :) I had the fried chicken curry with a side of tofu and okra, level 4 spicy, and it was piping hot and good. Keep in mind that there's an extra charge for each higher level of spiciness. Hubby had the plain chicken curry with vegetables and it was good. Service was good. There was a bit of a wait for the foods but that was fine. read more

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Was so excited for this location to open up so I wouldn't have to go to the Irvine location. The restaurant itself is clean and new and the servers are nice. But that's about it. Trying to get the attention of a server is so difficult even with the press button feature on the table. It's like they are understaffed but they have 3 servers working and the restaurant isn't nearly as large as the Irvine location. Then only one entree of two arrived and we asked about the second one even though it's exactly the same entree. The second finally arrived and we didn't even get utensils so we had to flag someone down for that. Then we asked for a box to take the leftovers home and the check. The check came and it was not even our check. It wasn't even our neighbors check? Then we were scooping our leftovers into the box and they brought out ANOTHER entree ? We had to tell them we obviously didn't order this ? As we already paid and finished our meal. A month later , today we came for dinner, waited almost an hour to be seated, another 20 mins for one of the two entrees to come out. Again, ordered two of the exact same entree. We had to inquire if a second one was coming out and the server asked "oh another one?" Well, two adults weren't going to share one entree for dinner? Then we waited till the second entree arrived only to discover the chicken is almost paper thin. Considering this is not a cheap curry dinner option and is $19 only to receive pieces of the chicken to be this thin? The breading is literally thicker than the actual chicken meat... at some point there isn't even chicken in it. Didn't want to bother complaining there as we waited for this to arrive and my husbands entree was getting cold. Like another review said, the table next to us ordered a spicy teriyaki appetizer which they also didn't receive. They had to ask their server after they almost finished their entire entrees. The server also then asks "oh the appetizer?" Well yeah there's a reason why some things are appetizers? I wouldn't expect an appetizer to come way after I finish a meal. I wouldn't come back any time soon. There's way too many mistakes and these experiences make us rather drive to the Irvine location despite how crowded it might be. At least they are consistent with service and quality of their food. Incredibly disappointing. read more

Coco Ichibanya - Paper thin chicken katsu - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

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This was AMAZING!! Super warm, very flavorful food, such a comforting meal! Great atmosphere and very lively service! Will for sure be coming back on a cloudy fall day for some nice warm curry. Shoutout guy with glasses read more

Coco Ichibanya - Pork Cutlet Omelet - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

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Go to Japanese curry for years finally in South OC. Great as takeout as well. Solid flavor, pricing, and quality.

I've always wanted to try it but the Irvine location is so crazy busy. Hate looking for parking at Diamond Jamboree plaza. So happy there is one now in south Orange country. Parking is easy. Lot of choices. Tried the classic chicken katsu curry. Spice level 2 was perfect. Just a bit spicy. I could probably go less rice. You save $0.50. I love the unlimited pickled radish. Wanna try the omelet curry next time. read more

My order of curry with shredded beef tasted good, but it cooled off more quickly than expected. I went at a busy time (weekend night) and cold air kept entering the restaurant when people entered. Going to the Irvine location seemed better because of the more expansive menu. Over there the popular chicken katsu was ordered and it stayed warm, adding to the overall feeling of satisfaction. The taste of the shredded beef, which has the texture of sukiyaki beef but not its sweet flavor, was very good with the curry sauce. I'm a fan of the sauce and the varying options for spice (or no spice) levels. The iced green tea is better than ones served at a lot of restaurants because there is less sugar and more of the matcha taste. The same opinion I had in my review of the Irvine franchise holds true: the rice used is not the best. Service here was efficient and nice. read more

Coco Ichibanya in Aliso Viejo was, unfortunately, a letdown. We came at a pretty normal dinner time, around 6pm on a Monday, and it really felt like they were understaffed. There were only about three servers working the floor, and the whole experience had that "we're trying to keep up" vibe from the start. We ordered the spicy chicken teriyaki appetizer alongside our katsu curry entrees, and somehow the appetizer was the last thing to hit the table. Even worse, it wasn't just lukewarm, it was actually cold. When I mentioned it to our waiter, his response was basically, "Oh haha sorry, I'll just microwave it for you." Maybe I'm being picky, but that's not the kind of fix you want to hear when you're paying restaurant prices. At that point it honestly should've been remade without hesitation. The katsu curry itself was fine, but not great, especially compared to the Irvine location. The one bright spot was the curry sauce, which was genuinely good. I'm glad at least that part was on point. To be fair, the restaurant was clean and looked nice inside. But overall, this visit didn't earn a return trip. Next time I'm craving Coco, I'll just make the drive to the Irvine location instead. read more

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Happy to finally have a Coco Ichibanya in my area, but room for some improvement at this new location. Been frequenting coco for over a decade and have dined many times at the Torrance, Irvine, and LA locations. This was my second time at this location since they opened, both visits take out. First visit service was very slow, I waited a couple minutes in the restaurant before anyone even appeared at the front stand and once she did she didn't have the friendly energy I'm used to being greeted with when dining at Coco Ichibanya. Seemed very uninterested and straight faced during our interaction which didn't enhance my experience. Second visit here was last night. My friends and I ordered all our meals with cheese added on for an extra $1.50 each. Unfortunately we were disappointed to find that there was barely a sprinkle of cheese added to each of our meals. The keema CHEESE fries was the most egregious part, there was a small sprinkle of cheese in the top left corner of the fries and then literally nowhere else. We've gotten this order so many times from other locations and it's never been served this way before. Unfortunately this was a delivery order and there wasn't much we could do to rectify the situation. Definitely impacted the overall quality of the meal, especially the Keema cheese fries as the name would suggest it's supposed to come with cheese all over it not just on a few of the fries in one corner. As far as our curry, it didn't feel fair that we spent an additional $1.50 each for the cheese add on when we got the small amount we received. If this was my first time dining at Coco I would've just assumed they skimp on the cheese at this restaurant, but having dined at Coco so many times I know that this was absolutely a mistake or an oversight by this new location. Overall the food is good but it's absolutely not on par with the other locations yet. For $155 we weren't satisfied with what we received. I'll be back since this is the closest location to my house and I love this spot, just hope that I have a better experience the next time. read more

This location has a decent amount of seating and open spacious feel. The parking is plenty. The curry was good - but heads up for every number spice level you go up they charge 20 cents. For that I could have done without any spice lol. But, the curry is really good and the veggie croquette was crispy. Service was good even though she was super busy! read more

Coco Ichibanya - Vegetable croquette curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

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The level 5 was PERFECT, it was similar spice level to carbonara buldak. The garlic naan is a MUST have to go along with your meal. It's a small and quaint location but the servers were great--constantly refilling waters and checking up. Overall 5/5! read more

Coco Ichibanya - Chicken curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

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5 Stars because it's close to my office! AND actually has parking unlike the other one closer to my house. Food and service rating would be a 4, nothing too spectacular as someone who consumes a lot of curry (Thai and Malaysian version are my favorite. Japanese version is on the sweeter side so this place will always be lower ranking). I found out about this location in the morning and my co-worker and I went there for lunch that very afternoon. The flavor is pretty much the same as the one at Diamond Jamboree in Irvine. But it taste better because there was plenty of parking and the area isn't filled with the UCI college students =). I got the chicken cutlet omelet at a level 5 spiciness and it was perfect. The egg was a tiny bit too cooked and lost the creamy/velvety texture that I really enjoy from omurice. But once mixed with every, it was still really good. Service was attentive and the server did mention that the spicier levels has tiered pricing...the most you'll pay is $1. If you haven't had this place but like spicy food, start at a 3. read more

i tried to be different and got their tomato based curry but when i tried the original pork katsu curry i immediately regretted my decision. so i will be rating this review based on the pork katsu curry. we came on a rainy day and it was still packed. the irvinians rlly love this place, me included! service was friendly and nice, next time i come back i will learn my lesson and stick to the original pork katsu curry ! read more

Coco Ichibanya - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

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Everything. Great ambience, great service and delicious food! Good food...good meat...their Curry will be hard to beat!! read more

Food was hot and freshly made. Rice was done & good as was my salad. Service was very god and checked on us multiple times during our meal. Restaurant was clean as were the restrooms. Over all it was a great experience. read more

Coco Ichibanya - This is the entrance area the counter. - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

I ordered to go-pork and omelette with mild spice. Curry was tasty and pork was crispy. Egg was scrambled and "flat " - I was expecting it to be fluffy or some volume to it. Quite dissapointing. But it didn't deter me not to like the dish. Next time I will have it dine-in. They were full but no waiting in line. Service was good. They were helpful. The ambiance was nice . Bright light . Clean and inviting. read more

Coco Ichibanya - Pork with omelette. - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

Another fantastic experience at Coco. Today I had a female server with brown hair who was really super friendly and helpful. I was dining alone and she made me feel comfortable. I opted for the standard curry with vegetables and I added a side item. I also ordered a Coke. The Coke taste a little off maybe not correctly sweetened or carbonated. It wasn't my favorite. When the food arrived. It was hot and flavorful. That crispy cutlet was perfection. I'm gonna have to try some new things cause I'm such a creature of habit. Starts to get busy after 12:30 especially on a Sunday. Lots of parking. Cool vibes very clean location. I think reasonably priced overall. I went to beginner level today and got the mild spice level. Normally, I do like a one or two. And I also get a little bit less rice but honestly at the basic entry-level portion and you could probably share that and maybe a side item. read more

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Have the cooks here ever eaten Japanese curry? Do they know what it is supposed to look and taste like? I've never been so infuriatingly disappointed with food. I ordered the pork cutlet curry. The pork cutlet was fine, the curry was an abomination. It had the consistency of water and tasted like diluted curry soup. For how expensive this meal is, please adjust the water to roux ratio. read more

The service was wonderful -- all the staff were very attentive and friendly. 100%! The food portions were generous; I couldn't even finish my rice. However, the katsu curry udon tasted a bit off. My son usually loves curry udon, but he couldn't finish it -- not because of the portion size, but because it just didn't taste good. Maybe the curry udon next door at Marugame is better. We were quite disappointed with the food quality. The keema curry was okay, but I wouldn't order it again. The other curry we ordered was fine, but if it has seafood in it, the curry sauce tastes too much like seafood -- not just the topping, but the whole curry ends up tasting fishy. read more

Coco Ichibanya - Keema curry with tomato and asparagus - Japanese Curry Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

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It's sooo yummy that there is usually a wait! So please make sure you get your reservation in. It's worth it if you're a fan of Japanese curry (in case you aren't familiar, it's less like Thai curry because there is no coconut milk and more like Indian curry but definitely its own category)! There aren't too many restaurants in Orange County who specialize in this dish. Staff is friendly and helpful! read more