I thought the dipping soba was unique and fantastic. I got the mera mera dipping soba, which was just the right amount of spice (for someone who doesn't tolerate spice well) and had an explosion of sesame savoriness. They definitely could provide more soba noodles because I could've eaten twice the amount of noodles. At the end, they give you some additional bone broth to dilute the dipping soup to finish. The service was fantastic and they were so accommodating for our party of five even though this place is very small. More importantly, they are cash only but they do have atm in the back!! read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Mera mera dip soba - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I used to study and work near Cocoron so it has a very nostalgic place in my heart. That being said, it's been a decade since I last dined here and a lot seems to have changed within that time (although the fact that they are walk in and cash only has not changed). Their previous location closer to Chinatown/SoHo had a railroad-style layout making it narrow and cramped with people waiting in line. This location is spacious in comparison with plenty of table seating and we did not have to wait to be seated during lunch time on a weekday. Their menu has expanded a lot to include appetizers and seasonal specials outside of their Japanese soba roots - not sure I'm a fan of that to be honest but I think it's their attempt to accommodate a wider demographic. I ordered the vegan version of their signature mera mera noodles, extra spicy. The broth was rich and noodles plenty, but the amount of toppings was sparse - a few sprigs of bok choy, beansprouts, and crumbled tofu....super disappointing. Next time, I would try something else. And for those with a high spice tolerance - no, their extra spicy was not spicy. I'm still attached to this place because of the memories I have with it, but the quality of food has gone down compared to how they were 10 years ago. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Mera Mera Soba (Vegan) - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Vibe/ambiance: small soba shop Service: standard; cash only Reservation: not available Items ordered: mera mera dip soba: 7.6/10 - i would probably just get the non-dipping next time read more

Cold soba noodles tasted so much better esp when it is 90+ degree outside. Flavorful and noodles were al dente. Wish I lived closer Note - this is a CASH ONLY place read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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I tried this spot for the first time and was blown away by how flavorful the Mera Mera Soba was. The sesame based broth was hearty and the dipping version was a unique experience. I'd love to try the hot version next time. The Karaage was very crispy on the outside and juicy in the inside. This shop is medium sized and feels very cozy. Their diverse menu will have something for everyone. read more

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TL;DR Is this is a no frills casual dining spot to get some noodles (soup and soupless). I opted for the warm mera mera soba and thought it was a nice hearty dish. Soba comes out very al dente but gets softer as you eat so nice textures throughout. Cash only spot (they have an ATM in the back), the servers work quick and are friendly. Gave us tea at the end which was nice. Wouldn't necessarily go far out of your way, but definitely a solid option if you're in the area and have only 30-45min to eat. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Warm mera mera soba - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Great affordable Japanese cold noodle dishes. Their cold dipping soba was perfect for a hot summer meal. About 4-6 tables inside, plenty for a large group when they're not too busy. Casual interior. Employees were super friendly! read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Cold Soba with Fried Tofu & Mushroom - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Service was lovely, everyone was super nice and attentive! We were seated pretty quickly at the high top around 6:30 on a Thursday. Not sure if it's much bigger in the back but the front of the restaurant is a tiny cozy space. Yami Q Cucumbers - very fresh cucumbers, light and refreshing, the sauce is like a sweet chili is vibe? Nice overall but could have a little more flavor. Grilled Veggie Gyoza - there weren't any ingredients on the menu and unfortunately they used purple cabbage which I personally don't love. The crisp was nice though! Double Fried Fries - wish they were a little crispier for "double fried" and the seaweed seasoning didn't add too much, wish it had a bit more flavor like som furikake Curry Soba - nice, warm, cozy, wasn't anything crazy though, a little salty Warm Mera Mera Soba - wanted to like it so badly since it's the special but felt a little salty. the flavor was nice and rich but also felt overpowered by the salt. I've been here a few years ago and really liked the cold soba, I think hype in NY is hard to keep up with sometimes!! Miss when it was a littleee more lowkey. read more

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Came on a Wednesday evening with a party of 4 and there was a bit of a wait for a table (around 20 minutes), but it was definitely worth it. I ordered the nameko oroshi dip soba and it's probably the best, most flavorful soba I've ever had. I've never really been all that impressed by previous soba dishes (I don't think I'm a huge fan of buckwheat noodles), but this pleasantly surprised me and I'm still thinking about it 9 hours later. The broth was light yet flavorful and the addition of the watercress gave it a slight peppery freshness I really liked. The yuzu pepper was also unique and provided a spicy kick and citrus flavor I kind of enjoyed. I loved the texture of the mushrooms itself but it did give the broth a slimy quality reminiscent of natto that worried me a little (natto is a sensory nightmare for me), but it was fine. The broth is a bit salty, but paired with the soba noodles it really balanced each other out. Can't wait to come back. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - nameko oroshi dip soba - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Soba noodles weren't my favorite texture and they didn't have full pieces of kitsune (only chopped up) The soba broth in the vegetable warm soba was a little salty but my friends enjoyed some of their other dishes. They have good vegan and veg options and the ability to make certain dishes vegan. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Good experience here! Prices are fair, food is flavorful and good. Staff were nice and provided a welcoming atmosphere. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Really good soba and broth! Cozy shop - food took a bit long to come out though. I would come back, especially on cold days read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Soba - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

The star rating is based on the food - the mochi mentaiko spring rolls were crispy and chewy, and the soba (mera mera soba and chicken meatball soba) were both very flavorful and stayed boiling hot throughout the whole meal. Unfortunately, my friends and I visited when it was freezing outside and they had no space to wait. They also didn't take our phone numbers or any other form of contact so we had to wait outside the door for our table. We were seated right by the door, so we didn't take our jackets off the entire meal. Worth a visit, just a shame that we ate it in such cold conditions. read more

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I went to this well-known and popular soba and curry shop a good while ago for dinner as per many of my recent reviews. The place inside is a bit dingy and the staff was friendly. To drink I had a Premium Gyokuro Green Tea which is either a $3.5 for cold or $3 for hot. It was good quality tea and it went well with my meal. I didn't bother with an appetizer and went with something that I haven't had in a while which is a Kamo Soba. It is either available as dipping soba/zaru style or warm and I went with the warm version and it's only a dollar more oddly for a large regardless of which style you get which I presume refers to the amount of noodles you get or something similar. Said Warm Kamo Soba for $24 is listed as having a very rich yet clear soy sauce broth, slow-roasted duck, chicken meatball, mitsuba leaf, chopped yuzu citrus, and scallion. As said, the large is only a buck more and I went with that over the small size. The broth was pretty well flavored though I think it is a bit better balanced and more flavored at the other popular soba spot, Soba-Ya. The noodles had a pretty good texture though they weren't my favorite I've had. The duck on the side had a slight chew to it being designed to be cooked more in the broth and it was tasty. The chicken meatball in there had a slight bounciness to it and it was fine though it was less flavored than some other spots. The bit of yuzu added a nice extra citrus flavor when needed and was a welcome accompaniment. This place is pretty solid. The food is definitely worse than Kokage but that place hasn't been open in ages so I shouldn't really compare it to that one. In terms of open places, I found the soba overall a bit worse than Soba-Ya in terms of both the broth as well as the noodle quality but it's a lot better than the closest soba shop, Tsuru Ton Tan. Perhaps I got the wrong order and I would definitely go back here and get either the stamina soba or the popular Mera Mera or alternatively try their Curry/kare as I haven't had a good Japanese curry in a while. Mid/upper 3. read more

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Delicious and hit the spot Got the large portions with chicken meatballs on the side Was a heavenly experience Will come here again read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Mera mera dipping with extra chicken meatballs - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Very cute and cozy restaurant, servers and chefs are very friendly. I ordered the vegetarian mera mera soba. The portion was pretty large, the broth was very rich, had a bit of a peanut aftertaste. The dish itself was filling, noodles were cooked well also. It was described as spicy on the menu but personally I didn't find it spicy at all, which I think would have significantly elevated the taste. They also served complimentary tea at the end was a great way to finish the meal. FYI this place is cash only and the wait can get pretty long if you don't get there right after opening. Overall my meal was good, but not mind blowing $20 good. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Vegetarian mera mera soba - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

CASH ONLY spot This place is a cute little udon, ramen place. The food was very tasty. Each item of the menu had a great description and photographs. The menu could definitely be physically refreshed/updated so it didn't give "school project," but it got the job done. The food came quickly. At the end of the me, we got tea. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Love this place! It's always busy and only con is its cash only, but the food is delicious and the service is good. The inside is pleasant too. I love their mera mera soba noodles. I just wish there was a bit more meat in it! So delicious and comforting. read more

We stopped on a rainy Saturday--perfect weather for warm soba--and it did not disappoint. Our party of four was seated quickly, and the food came out within minutes. We ordered 4 hot soba dishes: (3) signature Mera Mera soba and (1) warm Pork Kimchi soba. The Mera Mera was creamy with a mild but satisfying spicy kick--rich and comforting without being heavy. The Pork Kimchi soba was served with a lighter, more broth-forward soup, and the staff lit the mini burner at the table to keep it hot. It reached the perfect temperature quickly, and the flame gradually faded on its own as we ate. They also offered additional broth and tea at the end, which was a thoughtful touch for finishing off the meal and cleansing the palate. I came with my cousin, who used to dine in frequently when it first became popular years ago--happy to report it's still just as good. Flavorful, efficient, and ideal for a cold or rainy day. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a cozy, satisfying soba spot in the city. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Warm mera mera soba noodle - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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food is pretty bad. very weak and strange flavor to the broth. noodles are bunched up and dry too. service isnt great either. my friend had hair in his food. the atmosphere inside too isnt great either. duck was extremely dry. the spacing of the tables is too close and when i was there people were mostly instagram farming because someone made a viral instagram post about the place or something. would avoid at all costs read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - tsukemen - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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The A/C was not working, making the stay very uncomfortable. Service was extremely slow, and the staff did not seem attentive. The food was also disappointing--it lacked flavor and was not good at all. Overall, this was a poor experience, and I would not recommend this place. read more

No frills, creative, delicious. The menu is expansive and everything everyone ordered looked worth getting. Great noodles and service-- the server came by and offered us house tea read more

I'd love to give this a 5 because this place is sooo underrated. Get the dipping soba or the mera mera cold soba which has many layers of texture complexity. Only down 1 star because it's not the most sanitary establishment out here... but you know most times the slightly dirty restaurants pack the best flavors. Focus more on the food than the cleanliness! Service is alright I mean you order, you eat, you get out. Don't expect them to jump over hoops for ya. Not the best first date spot but if maybe if you know each other a bit and want to go to an underrated spot for a casual outing this is your place read more

I finally crossed Cocoron off my list as I've been craving for warm noodles. As a soba-ya, their soba really stood out, especially their dip soba as it is served in a hot stone pot. I was blown away by how extensive their menu was, as they served a variety of soba, curry and appetizers. The vibes of the restaurant reminded us of some Japanese hole-in-the-wall ramen spots. Friendly service, cozy space, clean bathroom. Seats are limited but they have another location 3 minutes away. ****CASH ONLY. There is also an ATM at the back of the restaurant. ＊Mera Mera Dip Soba $18.5 (L) Their most popular soba. Served in a hot stone pot, they lit the pot with fire to keep your dipping sauce steaming hot. The mera mera broth was similar to dan dan broth--it was a spicy sesame broth with minced chicken, bok choy and scallion. It was rich, thick and flavorful. You enjoy the dip soba as if you're having tsukemen. Every strand of soba fully absorbed the sauce when I dipped into it, while the soba remained bouncy. After I finished my noodles, they gave me some soup to add into the sauce. ＊Warm Mera Mera Soba $19 (L) Another signature mera mera soba but a soupy version. We found the soba soggier and overcooked as it was soaked in the broth. My friend also found the broth a little bit bland compared to the dipping sauce. FYI small = 130g, large = 180g of soba. The price difference is $1. read more

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This place is quite small but cozy on the inside. I had the warm Japanese style curry soba with chicken. The soba noodles were nicely chewy while the broth was silky smooth and creamy. It was so comforting to eat this on a cold day. Please note that this place is cash only. I will definitely come back to try their dipping dishes too! read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Came here for the popular mera mera dip soba and was a bit disappointed in the serving portion. While the food was tasty the broth itself contained so little chicken and bok choy it felt more like I had just ordered some soba noodles and broth to dip it into. Considering the price I'd expect some more ingredients to be included in the broth. Additionally, we found it really difficult to flag someone to order our food despite the restaurant being quite empty the day that we visited. While the staff was standing there and noticed us flagging him down, he didn't acknowledge us which was quite awkward. Overall an okay experience but not sure I'd be back! read more

I've been wanting to try this spot for years. It got busy really fast. I got the vegan ramen and a salad which has sliced ginger (loved it). Food came out pretty quickly. Didn't love that we were hurried out a bit after we got the bill. Regardless a good spot. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Vegan ramen - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Anytime I know I'm going to be in the LES, I always stay hungry so that I can eat the mera mera here. I'm not the biggest fan of peanuts / peanuts flavoring, but this one had a faint peanut, so I liked it. It also had the perfect amount of spiciness. My friend got the stamina and I tried a bit of it, light, porky broth. I liked the mera mera better. We got a cold soba to share and it was refreshing and tasty. You can taste the soba more. We also tried the curry (not pictured), I enjoyed it, but wouldn't get it again since it was pretty standard. I think this place was pretty pricy for being cash only. Adding green onions to the mera mera was an extra $1.50. I got the large mera mera which was $19.50, but I felt like I could've eaten more. But because I can't find anything like it, I will keep revisiting. read more

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[Cash Only] Had lunch here on a weekday in a group of 4. Our group ordered a mix of cold/warm dipping soba, and an order spicy summer noodles. We all enjoyed the various dipping soba, with the warm mera mera being my favorite. It was a very rich, nutty, and salty broth, with prominent umami flavors. The soba itself was also fantastic, and flavorful on its own. Any leftover sauce is diluted with broth, and consumed with gusto. The portion didn't seem too big, but I was satiated by the end of the meal. I am not a huge fan of cold dipping soba, but my friend enjoyed it. The summer noodles were packed with veggies, a refreshing balance to the meal. You can personalize your curry/noodle bowls with various toppings, which would definitely bring more variety to your meal. We did not add any toppings, so it was plain noodles + dipping sauce, but felt the summer noodles helped by mixing it up with some veggies. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Summer noodles, warm mera mera soba - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I had a great experience here, they have a ton of vegan options and their curries are great. We both got a vegan curry, I recall regretting this and wishing I had ordered soba instead. The ambiance was great- lively and bustling and the service was fast and efficient. read more

The dipping soba is so good but both times I've been here the experience is dampened by something relatively preventable. The first time, I was seated right near the door and the door remained open any time any one came in or out. It was snowing and it cooled down my dipping broth so much faster. Luckily they brought some additional hot soba water to add to the existing. The wait was about 30 mins on a Thursday at 7PM. The second time yesterday was a Friday at about 6PM, there was no wait but you still have to write your name down. Overall it was fine but the heat gel pack burned out super fast and I asked to relight it - they said it would be $1 charge. It's just odd to charge for that when it's literally served in the heated bowl. They also did not bring the additional hot soba water. We were in and out well within a hour - maybe they felt some type of way and didn't bring because my party of 2 was seated at a 4top? But they chose to seat us there and we definitely didn't draw out our visit. The food is really good - mera mera, vegan mera mera, classic curry, all under $20 and all very shareable as well. The only thing I didn't like was the veggie dumplings - not sure what I'm tasting there. read more

The broth warmed me right up on this cold December day! The flavors were so balanced without being overly salty. The space is a little small but the servers were all so friendly and I enjoyed talking to them. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Stamina soba - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE spot when visiting New York it's the one thing I feel like I've never seen anywhere else. This tiny shop feels like home when you walk in and it's CASH ONLY in case you need a reminder and to prep ahead There is usually a wait and no reservations but it moves quickly. There are 3 things you have to get 1- Hawaiian edamame 2 - chicken karage 3 - the Mera Mera soba Wear black because it's messy and it will stain but I promise you won't have a better meal Enjoy!! read more

I love hole in the wall places which have banging food and Cocoron is just that. This place is small with cramped tables, but the great food and fast service make up for the ambiance. We quickly got a table and proceeded to order the vegetarian potstickers and the soba. The potstickers were unique, I have never seen potstickers with a thin crunchy layer around them. They were flavorful nevertheless. The main highlight was the soba. It comes with a broth on a burner to keep it warm and some noodles on the side. The noodles are kept in a sieve on top of a bowl of water to keep them moist. Love this little attention to detail. We ordered the vegan broth and it came with crushed tofu and some veggies. It was sooo flavorful! I loved the broth! I am going to keep dreaming about it until I try it again the next time. A must visit! Oh, and this place is cash only but there is an atm at the back of the restaurant . read more

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Great hot meal on a chilly spring day! After a chilly day walking around the city, my partner and I were craving some nice hot soup and noodles. Cocoron was rated well for their soba noodles so we decided to check it out. We waited in line for around an hour and were finally seated. We ordered the Warm Buta Hakusai Soba and Warm Mera Mera Soba. The Small portion comes in a large bowl and is quite a generous portion - lots of noodles and broth. Be careful ordering the Large, it's enormous, bowl is maybe 12 inches wide and is probably enough to feed 2-3 people. My Buta Hakusai Soba came with lots of vegetables and nice tender cuts of pork in a thin broth while the Mera Mera was a spicy thicker creamier base with ground chicken. The soba noodles were cooked perfectly with a nice Q or al dente. Great filling meal! A few things to be aware of: 1. Cash only! There's an ATM inside and next door if you don't have enough cash. 2. The wait process isn't great. Put your name on the list inside the restaurant! If you don't and someone behind you gets their name on the list first, they'll be called before you. They go by the list, not the order in which you are standing in line, which seems silly. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Warm Buta Hakusai Soba - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Walked in on a Friday afternoon for lunch. There were plenty of seats available. Got the Mera Mera dip soba. It was a little spicy, bearable for me. The broth was nutty and umami, kept hot with a small flame underneath. It's insane to have this as a summer meal, but the flavor was good enough and the restaurant was kept cool enough that I didn't mind it. The small portion was quite sizable, and I felt full afterwards. Surprised that this location is cash only considering their sister store accepts cards. However, there are plenty of nearby banks if you need to get cash. I believe they also have an ATM inside. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Mera Mera Dip Soba - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Cocoron is a cash-only Japanese restaurant that feels cozy and largely focuses on soba, though there are other options as well. Service is fairly casual, but food gets to you pretty quickly. The menu has a few appetizers, a plethora of soba options, and some curry to round it all out. I decided to go for the Mera Mera dipping soba and, overall, it was good! It's not something you typically find around here but the meal was pretty comforting. Strongly recommend you check this place out if you're in the neighborhood, just make sure to bring cash. read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I want to share with you a most amazing restaurant I found last night. It's called Cocoran located at 16 Delancey St., New York, NY 10002. I was having a very weird Mercury must be in retrograde day. Amazon Web Services was down so I couldn't upload an audition. And then I somehow got lost on my way to a friend's show on Chrystie St. I finally got to the theater and decided to look around the corner for a bite to eat. I stumbled into this fairly small soba noodle shop. I asked the waiter what he would recommend and he told me to get the soup in the picture. This is no lie; one of the best soups I have EVER had! It was reasonably priced but know that they only take cash. If you're in the area you have to treat yourself to this hidden gem! read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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(Overall: B) - Overall, Cocoron seems to be a decent Japanese place to grab a quick lunch with a large menu and a diverse array of soba, ramen, and other Japanese classics. The ambience and service is about what is expected given the feel of a cash only restaurant, but is definitely worth a return visit to try some other items. (Kamo Soba: A) - Love this elegant cold dipping soda to pair with that warm umami broth. Usually I'm not fan of meatballs, but they did a fantastic job infusing flavor and cooking this chicken meatball to be incredibly tender. Likewise, the duck is beautifully pink and tender to make for an elegant and tasty dish. (Mochi Spring Roll: C) - This is a self-sufficient appetizer without a need for a sauce given the nice seasoning. However, it felt a bit like eating empty calories as there was not much substance or development beyond saline and carbohydrates. -- Food: E Presentation: +1 Price: E Atmosphere: E Service: E Menu: +1 Overall: +2 B Insta/Beli: @amei_eats read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Kamo Soba. 5 stars. Insta/Beli: @amei_eats - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Went here with some friends and we really enjoyed their food. I had their mera mera soba broth with noodles and I would highly recommend getting this item. Great flavor with a wide variety of additional toppings to pick from. Very cozy atmosphere with quick service. Great place to check out if you enjoy authentic tasting Asian food! read more

Cocoron & Goemon Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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