They serve more of a street food and simple teppanyaki-style food. It is actually a Japanese chain restaurant, and they have more than 90 locations throughout Japan. This is their first location outside of Japan. The inside is small but cozy, people kept coming in and out with the delicious aroma of food seeping out into the street. They have three large grills side by side, each specializing in different item: Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, and Yakisoba. They also have some side dishes like matcha potato chips and Japanese cucumber salad. Each station is maned by one staff, and they cook everything to order. So, it might not be a fast-food place, but you get a piping hot food, straight off the grill. In order to get the best experience out of this visit, we ordered one of each main dish with different toppings. The portion of each are not huge, and with this fact, some might say the price is a bit high. And I do agree with that, but then again, the quality was really good too. So, the value worth would be up to the customer; do you focus more on the quantity, or more on the quality of the food. For us, it was a fun visit to DokoDemo. We enjoyed all the food here, much better quality than expected. The staffs were really nice, and they were all Japanese, which is excellent! They welcomed us with a big smile and enthusiasm. Again, the price point is high, but the quality of the food both in ingredients and flavor are high. read more

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Yummy yummy yummy. Whatever you order will be great. Fast. Only problem is the place isn't comfortable.

I had been wanting to try this place for awhile as I love okonomiyaki and yakisoba. Finally, I ended up coming here recently on a Saturday afternoon. There were a few diners in here aside from me and my friend. The decor is all black, basic and simple. The menu is above your head, and you pay at the counter at the time of ordering. We had the shrimp yakisoba and the pork okonomiyaki. Each dish was about $10 but on the smaller side. The okonomiyaki was pretty soft, softer than okonomiyaki usually is, and was ok but lacked that wow factor. The shrimp yakisoba also tasted fine, but the sauce was overly sweet. All in all, slightly disappointing. Not worth a return visit. read more

DokoDemo - Shrimp yakisoba - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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One of my favorite things out of food in life are takoyaki balls. Shudders and drools Homer Simpson style. Traditionally, in case you don't already know, they're wheat battered balls filled with octopus, cooked in a special pan, and covered with takoyaki sauce, mayo, and bonito fish flakes. It sounds scary but it's truly amazing. Came in with a friend and we split a large order (8 for $8.75 or you can do 4 for $5.75). About average pricing for these puppies, they never come cheap. Quality - honestly some of the best. It's hard to beat Otafuku or Karl's Balls but these are pretty neck and neck. They came out piping hot and we burnt our tongues multiple times over in anticipation. Creamy insides with plenty of octopus that was cooked at the perfect consistency - not too chewy - not too mushy. Oh, sweet jesus. The seating is communal and open benches with stools. Plenty of seating for the smallish size of the place. They also sell noodles - Yakisoba and of course Okonomiyaki umami pancakes (which I also love but will have to settle with trying next time). Menu is simple but if you like those three things and traditional Japanese street food, you're all good. They also have actually over 90 locations scattered throughout Japan and this is their first location in the USA. I just hope it lasts longer than my long but not forgotten Japadog that used to be down the street. read more

DokoDemo - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Cool intimate spot for lunch and dinner. The ramen was 20$ thought that was a little much but it was good. read more

DokoDemo - The inside atmosphere - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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I can see people lining up outside for DokoDemo's takoyaki very soon. I have been to Osaka in April, and I will happily say that the octopus takoyaki I tried tonight was even better than the one I had in Japan. Most of the takoyaki I have tried in other restaurants lack the crunchy exterior texture. Not DokoDemo's. A nice crunch outside, hot gooey inside, and a big octopus piece. And that first bite must empower you with the ginger. Yes, DokoDemo's takoyaki has it all. The sukiyaki omelette was my second favorite. Sukiyaki was not too sweet and tender enough that it melted with the soft omelette. Octopus takoyaki, sukiyaki omelets, octopus okonomiyaki, matcha chips, and two drinks totaled ~$30. An awesome price for food in East Village. You pay directly at the counter and can watch the chef make the food in front. I am so glad this place is close to NYU. I will come back to try their other takoyaki variations. Xuenie's recommendation: Octopus takoyaki and sukiyaki omelette. read more

DokoDemo - Octopus takoyaki (5/5), sukiyaki omelette (5/5), octopus okonomiyaki (4/5), matcha chips (4/5) - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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I wasn't particularly a big fan of the okonomiyaki here since I've had better at Otafuku. But I guess, this place will do if you're ever in the area and craving Japanese street food and/or after a night of drinking and craving something greasy. I had the chicken okonomiyaki and their takoyaki balls during my last visit here. I thought my okonomiyaki was pretty flavorless and ehh. The chicken was also pretty bland. The only upside was for the cabbage which added a nice crunch. The takoyaki balls had a decent flour to octopus ratio and was pretty flavorful. Their wasabi mayo was pretty good and went well with the takoyaki even if I had to pay a quarter extra. I'd wait until the balls are cooled down a bit before devouring because they do have a tendency to be piping hot once they come off the mold. Overall, I had a pretty mediocre first experience here at DokoDemo. The staff were friendly and the venue was kept pretty clean. There was a handful amount of seating at their communal tables. read more

DokoDemo - Okonomoyaki with chicken - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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The service is wonderful and so friendly . We get delivery since our store is nearby. We love both the Ramen/ Fried rice ( 2 carbs always better than 1!) Also the fried chicken rice bowl . They are famous for more authentic Japanese street street food ( also great ) . read more

Delicious! Food: Best yakisoba in the city- they portion the add ins so there isn't too much cabbage. They do everything really well. Interior: there are four tables so there isn't too much seating. read more

DokoDemo - Yakisoba - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Best Takoyaki in NYC. If you're a fan of this dish, then this is the best new spot to come. Also enjoyed the surprisingly sweet sukiyaki omelette and the matcha potato chips, which surprisingly have are uniquely tasty and come out hot. Would skip the okonomiyaki - too similar to the takoyaki and the takoyaki is much better. 5 stars!!!!!! read more

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Came here for lunch and ordered the veggie okonomi-yaki. However, I was given the pork one instead. The okonomi-yaki itself was way soggier than expected. Service is friendly and efficient, but not sure I'd be back again. read more

DokoDemo - Pork - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

It's a warm September Saturday night, and me and my party of six are looking to grab some delicious Japanese food in the East Village area. At first, we checked out Benemon right there on East 4th. It was too small to accommodate us, so we did some Yelping and found another place that does Japanese cuisine, DokoDemo. When we get there, we found that it had the space we needed to get all of us seated. Notably the place doesn't serve alcohol and doesn't do table service. It has more of fast-food vibe. After perusing their very small menu, we decided we'd give this place a try. The kind cashier took each of our orders. Most of us ordered the combination of the octopus pancake dish (Okonomiyaki) and octopus balls dish (Takoyaki). As we waited for our meals to get prepared, we drank some of their authentic Japanese soft drinks. Our orders starting coming out maybe 15 minutes after placing them. They came out about 3 minutes after one another. Each one of our meals tasted and looked amazing. The different sauces and items they used to garnish the food really work. The octopus pieces inside the meals were yummy. As a group, we also noticed that the meals came out unbelievably hot when they came to us. So it took us a while before we could actually start eating the food. For sure, I can see myself coming back to this place again if I'm in the mood for Japanese food in that area. read more

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Okonomiyaki is what I came here for. This is one of two places in NYC that it is available which I know of. They call it Japanese pizza but it is a long ways from pizza really. It is cooked on a hot grill and has egg as a binder and kind of resembles a pancake when served. You can have different toppings such as octopus or meat. Also they have Takoyaki ( octopus balls ) and fried noodles as well as fried rice. The place is very stark and not a fine dining experience, it is more like street food. It does have a liquor license and a restroom. read more

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I've come to DokoDemo twice now and I love this spot! It's a small restaurant, so there's not much seating, which is okay because we've always managed to find a seat. The food is always super fresh because it's served as soon as it comes off the pans. The takoyaki is always great and I love how you can customize the heat level and what you can add for toppings. read more

DokoDemo - Family Takoyaki (24pc) - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Solid and quick lunch spot that put its own spin on Japanese cuisine. Chicken was tender and marinated well, the add ins were solid, but I would recommend getting the spiciest option if you enjoy spice. I got medium expecting a little kick, but it was mostly just more red pepper flakes. Overall a solid spot read more

DokoDemo - Fried Chicken Bowl - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Great stop. Chicken bowl was awesome. Very friendly and helpful. Food was spiced perfectly and very tasty.

Didn't know what to get and the guy was super friendly. I got the fried chicken bowl and it was soooooooo good. The place itself is so cute too you gotta like step down into it it's so cool read more

So oily, but so good. I've been coming here every time I crave Japanese street food, and it never disappoints. There are basically three "classes" of dishes you can choose from. First is the takoyaki, which are octopus balls. Perfectly soft and gooey on the inside and the octopus flavor comes through. I like the dried bonito flakes and the sauce. Recently the started serving the sauce on the sides, which I appreciate, because I don't like the mayo so much. The Yakisoba is fried noodles, which tasted pretty standard. I had to flavor it pretty heavily with sriracha sauce and it tasted okay. The pancake was amazing. Love the textures and the flavors, which really come together. The veggies really seal the deal. It's not as filling as I would have liked though. If I were to come back, I'd get the takoyaki and the pancake. All in all, the food is very greasy and you might not feel so pleasant afterwards. Nevertheless, delicious comfort food and I'd recommend it wholeheartedly. read more

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Crazy fast with chill vibes. I ordered the yakisoba noodles with tofu and added red ginger. The max spice is relatively mild, not disappointing, but I wouldn't order any lower spice level (for reference, Doritos spicy is noticeably hotter). The noodles consistency was perfect and the amount of toppings was solid, though I probably add more extras the next time I go. Staff are cool, and know the food and kitchen well. It's not usually crazy crowded, so seating is plenty, and if not, you could probably hop on to someone's table or sit at the back bar. Relatively fast casual, but the atmosphere could definitely serve for a v casual date. read more

Not my cup of tea. Went in on a Saturday. The place smelled very good. However, even upon seeing my food, I was disappointed. The presentation of the yakisoba was underwhelming. I got the sweet beef yakisoba and chicken Takoyaki and both fell flat for me. I didn't finish either. The over cooked, mushy texture tasted very cheap to me. Won't be coming back. The ratings were so high, which is what brought me in. I was very disappointed in my food. The customer service was good. But that couldn't save my experience here. Wasted about 20 bucks on the these two items. read more

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One of the few Takoyaki spots in NYC that actually do it right. Tender pieces of octopus stuffed into a warm doughy ball covered in Japanese mayo. Also the yakisoba was pretty amazing, could've used a little more beef but it was good. read more

DokoDemo - Takoyaki - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Oh how I wish they had this restaurant in Jersey. I got the fried rice with chicken (medium spice level) and I'm still craving more. Portions were good, staff was nice! My friend had the chicken bowl. Amazing!!!!!! I enjoy spots like this; small and reasonable prices! I'll be back someway, somehow!!!!! This is one I'll never forget! read more

it was our first time and it was actually good. there was no wait during lunch on Saturday. decent portion. we ordered okonomiyaki, takoyaki and yakisoba (soy). okonomiyaki 4/5 - wish they put more veggies takoyaki 4/5 - crispy outside and mushy inside. yummmm. wish they put more flaky stuff on top yakisoba 3/5 - was too salty and greasy perfact place to gran and go. price is reasonable compare to portion. read more

Fair price of okonomiyaki, but still small in size Love the crispy bottom, but not as much vegetables as the originals in Japan I visited because its name on list of Sake Week. Unfortunately, the restaurant does discount per bottle instead of complimentary cup of sake, since they don't have glass. Which was worse that the server didn't explain anything: He gave me the card (photo attached), then told me to choose a sake then charged me. I asked, "I thought it's complimentary." he asked me back "what's the problem", then explained they don't do like what the card says read more

DokoDemo - instead of complimentary cup of sake, they do discount of a bottle - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

It's a small shop but they are great at making Japanese street foods! Best one is the yakisoba with tonkatsu broth!!! Great flavor and chewy noodlesss. If they had a soup ramen version, I would be the first one there to try. We also got the takoyaki, the octopus is a tad bit chewy though. read more

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DokoDemo is one of my favorite places to get authentic Japanese street food in the city. When you walk in, watch your step, as you enter a place that might look a bit like Japan. On your left, you see the staff working hard at the grills, making delectable Japanese dishes, ranging from familiar ones like yakisoba (stir-fried ramen dish) and fried rice to more obscure ones like okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) and takoyaki (octopus balls). On your right, there are tables and stools where you can enjoy your meal. There is definitely plenty of seating, but be warned that if you come in a big party, you'll most likely be huddling around a table together, so get nice and cozy! As for the food, I have had the yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and the takoyaki. As for the yakisoba, I found the noodles quite chewy, just the way I like it, and filled with flavor from the seasonings used. To put it simply, it is Japanese comfort food for me. The big hitters though are definitely the okonomiyaki and the takoyaki. I'm sure both dishes are what captivates people when they see them in photos. First, I'll talk about the okonomiyaki. I believe that the restaurant makes Osaka-style okonomiyaki, which is done by mixing all of the ingredients together, as opposed to Hiroshima-style, where the ingredients are layered on top of each other. In this case, the pancake usually consists of a batter mixed with vegetables and whatever you want in it, including meats like pork, chicken, or beef. The top is then glazed with Japanese mayo. You can even get cheese in it! As for the taste, the pancake is savory and filled with umami. The combination of flavors complement each other greatly and it's not really heavy, so one can easily finish the whole thing. The takoyaki was really good as well and packed with flavor. Takoyaki are these batter-filled balls with pieces of octopus inside and then glazed with some Japanese mayo and Takoyaki sauce (which I believe is similar to Worchestershire sauce) while being topped with bonito (fish) flakes. P.S. that's the stuff that's moving on top of the takoyaki. The different flavors work together in harmony, making the takoyaki rich and savory. Overall, DokoDemo does its best in showcasing the many wonders of Japanese street food, as its okonomiyaki and takoyaki are as appetizing as they look. It's definitely worth a try for those who may have never had these Japanese delicacies. read more

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Great meals! Tho more on the pricey side for one person grub. Portion sizes could be larger. Dumplings for the price of $9 is unbeatable, Beef Bowl for ~$18 was of great quality and taste. Just wished it was larger. read more

DokoDemo - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Came here on a whim on a Friday night and surprised to see every table full around 8-9pm! It looked cute and comfy inside so I decided to try it out. First of all, the staff are so nice and welcoming - they answered all of my questions and were willing to explain lots of things. I tried the soy sauce yakisoba with chicken and was a big fan but wished it was slightly bigger portions (or maybe I was just hungry!) you're able to choose the protein, sauce, and any add ons you want to put in. They also have ramen rice which I want to try next time and takoyaki which they seem to be known for. Definitely a small hole in the wall restaurant but it made my night so I think all Japanese food lovers would enjoy!! read more

DokoDemo - Chicken Soy Sauce Yakisoba - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Ever since my favorite spot to get takoyaki closed down, I've been searching for somewhere else in NYC to get some! Everywhere I've tried has been bad, and a friend recommended here so I had to try it! We ordered the spicy octopus takoyaki, the chicken takoyaki, yakisoba, ramen rice, and okonomiyaki. Everything is made fresh to order and you can definitely taste it! The spicy octopus takoyaki was SO. GOOD.  The dough to octopus ratio was perfect, and the octopus wasn't overcooked which tends to happen a lot. The spice was so perfect on it, definitely worth the extra 50 cents. The chicken takoyaki was not as good, couldn't really taste the chicken. The yakisoba was really good, not as oily as I expected it to be. The ramen rice was really interesting, I liked having the two different textures of the ramen and rice in it. The okonomiyaki was really good too, it had the perfect amount of ginger and had just a slight crunch to it. The workers were super friendly as well, and let us hang out for a while without kicking us out. Overall, this place was great. I definitely recommend the spicy takoyaki and okonomiyaki. read more

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This place does NOT have okonomiyaki!! Nor is it really Japanese food anymore... The yakisoba is not made with the right type of noodles and has weird ingredients like red onion! And it is too greasy and the pork is basically white chunks of lard. Kind of gross. I used to love this place - & it was staffed when actual Japanese chefs. Now it's like a greasy take out pan-Asian restaurant. It's a shame because it used to be soooo good and I want it to go back to a place that doesn't put giant chunks of red onion on pad Thai rice noodles and be charged 1.50 to add red ginger to it! Any pop up food stand in Japan would put red ginger, green nori, and bonito flakes on their yakisoba. You can get better noodles at Panda Express! read more

It was such a disappointment. They stop making Okonomiyaki and the takoyaki portion was such a small. It wasn't round, half moon shape lol The price was also over price. I will never go there. read more

Had the tofu fried rice. Tasted REALLY good and portion size is awesome. Already looking forward to coming back to try other menu options! They're also really accommodating if you've got any dietary restrictions! read more

DokoDemo - Inside - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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I really loved this place - simple fast casual dining with a 100% authentic flavor of Japanese street food. Being Japanese myself I crave for good street food that my parents used to make when I was growing up. It's usually quick to make and extremely satisfying and filling. I had the shrimp okonomiyaki, takoyaki (6 pc) and the ramen + rice dish. I was hesitant to try the last item because I've never heard of the combo but after reading the reviews and the background of the owner, I knew it wasn't going to disappoint. It was all delicious - all items are made to order which makes the food extremely more fresh and appetizing. The store itself seats probably 15-20ish? It looks to be more of a order and go sort of place. As we were the first ones there on Saturday, they were already getting call orders as we were waiting. You can tell this place gets busy especially being in the NYU area. Recommend for anyone who loves good street food, quick bite or Japanese food! read more

DokoDemo - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Dokodemo has plenty of seating and a cute "patio" with benches in the front outside. I had the okonomiyaki and takoyaki. The okonomiyaki was very good but the texture became too much for me. It is slightly crunchy on the outside and mushy on the inside. I like the crunchy topping which gave the pancake a bit more texture. The okonomiyaki is cut in half. Half was enough for me along with the takoyaki. The takoyaki was also good. Better than some of the ones I had in the area, but it is a bit more mushy than other places' takoyaki. The takoyaki and okonomiyaki was too much for one person; mushiness overload. I would suggest sharing them with someone. read more

DokoDemo - Takoyaki - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Some of the best Japanese street food I've ever had. Their sauces are great (I don't even usually like spicier stuff but their spicy options are good), their staff is friendly and efficient! The food may take a little while to cook, but the result is good. read more

DokoDemo - Octopus takoyaki - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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I came here on a whim and got the ramen rice with chicken and okonomiyaki with shrimp. They were both pretty good but quite greasy! I was a little surprised that the okonomiyaki didn't have bonito flakes on them but the guy working there said that they mix it into their batter. Overall, this place was decent but I think I prefer Otafuku's okonomiyaki. read more

DokoDemo - Ramen Rice - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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This was probably the best okonomiyaki I've ever had. Being the only second competitor in the neighborhood I hope they do really well because their food is excellent. I only duck a star because they are severely understaffed, popular, and a little slow as a result. I highly regard this place and recommended to anyone looking for some amazing Japanese Street Food read more

DokoDemo - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

This place sells 3 main things: 1) Takoyaki 2) Okonomiyaki 3) Yakisoba Then there's the ramen rice and fried rice. You can choose your toppings. I liked the takoyaki! I could eat the whole order by myself. Okonomiyaki was ok, but I appreciated the little crunchy things on top. It all kinda fell apart. Will have to come back to try the yakisoba! read more

This is a Japanese restaurant that specializes in street food. At first thought, "I'm like alright. Street food. My arteries are as hollow as a unfilled cannoli. They can handle this." So I look around and I see a few items that are recognizable based on appearance: noodles, kimchi fried rice, etc. But one thing stuck out, it was the okonomiyaki, a Japanese savory pancake (there should be a better word to describe a savory pancake). It piqued my interest so I ordered it with chicken. I prepared my stomach for an internal World War 3. I received it and took a bite, and after a few chews I realized this whole thing is straight up cabbage and meat. I'm like wait, "this ain't the street food I'm used to." This is way too healthy, but surprisingly delicious. Like we Americans just got on this fad of gluten free diets and replacing wheat with cabbage. The Japanese have been doing it for way longer. If this qualifies for "unhealthy" street food in Japan then it is absolutely no surprise as to why they live so long. read more

DokoDemo - Okonomiyaki - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Great customer service & food!! I came here with 7 friends and we loved the interactive games on the board!