Wow this place was a life saver on MLK Day since it was sooo cold lol. This spot is located inside Bambolima which is an Italian spot serving pizza which is a win for us since I got ramen and my daughter order cheese pizza. The service was great and our server was amazing. The ambiance was a little bar feeling with lots of wood tables which I liked. Now let's get to the food.. Pork buns: the pork was cooked perfectly and the bun was nice and soft. The sauce went well everything and it's a great starter dish. Spicy Kimchi Ramen- this consists of pork belly, pickled mushrooms, kimchi and fried garlic. The ramen was really good and had a lot of flavor with just the right amount of spice from the kimchi. Perfect for a cold day! Colonel Sanders Ramen- this had a pork broth with fried chicken and was delicious and moist. Also had corn with Vermont butter which you can taste through the bowl. This dish was the highlight for me and I'll definitely be back again. If you're in Salem, MA and are craving ramen then be sure to give this place a try. read more

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This place was SOO good. It was very interesting because it's a combination of Asian and Italian food. I only got the ramen and the fried dumplings, but I absolutely loved it. Had the pleasure of having the owner as one of the waiters and he was so sweet and passionate about his store. I would absolutely love to come back here and eat here again. read more

Kokeshi - Fried dumplings - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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The appetizers were delicious. My ramen, though good, had more sodium than I bargained for. The bacon portions were generous. Portions here are pretty big which justify the prices. However, the food itself wasn't spectacularly special for me to grant the fifth star. There was a good amount of fat on the pork belly, and I wasn't really a fan of the wavy noodles. It's like cheap noodles in what should be a premium dish. The flavored sodas (N/A alternatives) were a great find and a decent value on the menu. Service was friendly and quick, we stopped by with no reservations on a weekday and got seated. All in all, would be back for appetizers. read more

This is a unique establishment in Salem, as it is two restaurants in one: Bambolina for pizzas, pastas, and Italian fare, and Kokeshi for ramen and more Asian options. After seeing the price of the wood-fired pizzas and their actual size as they came out of the oven and were delivered to tables around us, my friend and I decided to stick with the Kokeshi side of things. We ordered an appetizer of Shishito peppers, which were outstanding: I did not know what to expect and whether they would be spicy or not, but these were perfectly roasted with soy, ginger, and scallions. I would 10 out of 10 order these again. For my main dish I ordered the spicy white kimchi ramen, which had Tokyo wavy noodles, roasted pork belly, cilantro, corn, spicy marinated mushrooms, scallions, fried garlic, and cilantro oil. Wow! What a flavor combination! From savory to spicy to sweet to smooth to crunchy and crispy. Overall it was a pretty perfect meal. In terms of the atmosphere, we sat at a high table in the middle of the restaurant, which gave it a more family atmosphere vibe, sitting right next to others. What I particularly loved was the 90s hip-hop soundtrack playing in the background. Notably, it was not blaring loud so that you had to yell to hear the person across from you (always a pet peeve of mine at restaurants). Our server was friendly and checked on us often to make sure we had everything we needed. This was my first trip to Kokeshi but it will not be my last, as it has become my new favorite restaurant in Salem. read more

Kokeshi - Shishito peppers - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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First of all the fact that this concept is a restaurant is a dream come true, pizza napolitana and ramen all in one??? Obsessed. And it did not disappoint! We split a hot pepper and pepperoni pizza, I got the Spicy White Kimchi Ramen and my partner got the Colonel Sanders Ramen. No notes on anything, just perfection. read more

Good food and ambiance. Service is a bit slow during peak hours, will come again when it's less busy. read more

Kokeshi - Back Alley Bacon Ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I ask you... what's even better than Hot Ramen on a cold rainy day? I answer... nothing!! Gotta love Salem & not just for October or Halloween. Salem definitely never falls short for a good time with lots of great local eats. Very intriguingly setup casual eatery offering a menu of wood-fired pizza, ramen noodles and small plates in comfy digs. Certainly did not disappoint & we left feeling very warm & comfortable. read more

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John was our server and service was amazing! This restaurant was def made for my partner and I because we get the best of both worlds. Ramen & pizza! I can't have a say with pizzas bc pizza is my least favorite food. I did wish there was more meat on it. The back alley bacon ramen was soooo delicious! I love my ramen salty and that was just what it was! I'm from Orange County, CA, so I've had some bomb ramen in my lifetime. I love how chewy and soft the ramen noodles were. The pork belly was crispy, fatty, and salty, just how I like it. We asked for extra broth and John was able to accommodate that! The egg was medium cooked and I was pretty surprised that a restaurant in Salem was able to season and cook it to perfection! read more

Kokeshi - Back alley bacon ramen and hot pepper and pepperoni pizza - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I personally have never gone to Kokeshi but my friend was craving ramen (and I was excited to look at both menus)and it's always a hotspot that's recommended by family and friends. Service was great DJ was super friendly. I still don't take flash pics cos I'm so nervous but I took some of my poke bowl which I liked more than I thought I would! Loved the cucumber and edamame starters. My lychee/sake based sangria was delicious I would go back for a pitcher with friends! read more

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Very nice place and people. Only suggestion - the broth for the ramen is way too salty. Pizza is good at resto in same place - Bambolina ... could offer to cold a bit longer for a bit crispier. I liked the spongy but my companion prefers crispy on personal pie read more

Since I haven't hung out with my cousin in a long time, I let him choose where to eat. Kokeshi shares the space with Bambolina's, which is pizza. Then menu for either restaurant is on a double-sided sheet, so you can order from either one. I went with the Colonel Sanders ramen. Took me awhile to realize that after adding more chili to the broth, (it was spicier than my cousin's dishes (different type of ramen)), my broth was already spicy by default. The 3 pieces of chicken in the ramen was nice and crispy. Wished it came with an egg. Tried a spurma for the first time, was expecting the chocolate to be softer, so it took me awhile to finish. read more

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This place is so charming and very chill. I love the atmosphere and the waitstaff was super friendly and quick! I love pizza and ramen so I can't complain in the slightest. Can't wait to come back for more fantastic ramen! read more

Tried this place for lunch takeout last week for an office. It is priced kind of high for lunch so I had higher expectations given the price. The wings had very little meat and were hard to bite off the bone and the flavor wasn't great. The pizza looked tasty and well cooked but I didn't get a chance to try it. I also tried the chicken lettuce wraps and they were really salty and a strange texture on the chicken. Overall maybe I just had two of the wrong items on the menu but thought the wings and lettuce wraps left a lot to be desired. read more

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WARNING: they share a space with Bambolina! Save yourself the hassle of looking for their name from the street. After finally finding them, we got seated at the bar and handed the split menu. My sister and I ordered the Colonel sanders and back alley bacon ramen. I found the ramen to be undercooked and salty which seems to be the case with many ramen shops. Besides that, the pork belly was delicious but the bacon pieces seemed very Americanized. Soft boiled egg had the jelly-like center and was lightly marinated in soy sauce. I added a whole glass of water to off set the saltiness. It did still have well developed flavors which is why I was also able to add so much water. Fried chicken in the colonel sanders was crispy and moist. Overall, I had a moderate experience. Our waiter was friendly but did not come to check on us very often. I would prefer to check out other ramen spots by Malden before coming back here personally. read more

Kokeshi - Colonel sanders and back alley bacon ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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A great spot in Salem to enjoy some Japanese inspired cuisine in a place that also serves Italian inspired brick oven pizza. Right on a heavily trafficked road, this place is great for summer wandering or the stressful Halloween-time visit to Salem. Focusing on Kokeshi - the Japanese Menu - we tried the pickles and ramen. The Tamari Cucumber pickles are a refreshing opener to some hot and umami soup (or a pizza since they have that option. The big bowl of Pork Belly ramen featured some decent broth with some great chewy noodles. The toppings were amazing as well! A fantastic spot despite the dining room being split between two different cuisines! read more

We were there yesterday. Food (ramen) was lacking in depth and flavor but full of oil. Currently one of our party is throwing up. Never again. Ruined a trip and a night. read more

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*Heads Up* due to the pandemic, Kokeshi has relocated & has set up shop in their sister pizza restaurant Bamboljna (just around the corner). At Bambolina you can order from either pizza or Asian menu. Rated Kokeshi 2 stars because it was a poor American take on Asian food. From Best to Least Best: * White Kimchi Ramen - had a very American flavor to it with an overwhelming Togarashi spice profile as little to none kimchi flavors. The 3 slices of pork was over cooked and had huge fatty and meat separation. The noodles were thin egg noodles - decent. * Chicken Lemongrass Dumplings (appetizer) - the MaePloy (sweet chili sauce) overpowered the lemongrass flavor (if there were any at all). The fry on the dumpling itself was decent but the filling was a very plain chicken filling and for some reason was speckled with very out of place corn kernels. More of a filler food than a tasty treat * Farmer's Harvest Soup (Vegetatian) - pretty atrocious. The soup was a jarring miso plus heavy sour lime concoction. The noodles were vermicelli, not ramen. Quite hard to eat with such a sour finish. * Poke - The fish was not fresh as you could tell from it's cloudy non tender depiction. The plate looked big at first until you realize it's majorly rice. Description mentioned sticky rice but it was just cold long grain rice. Service was extremely kind but the Western attempt at executing Asian food was quite tragic. Loved the pizza Bambolina restaurant though. read more

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The hubby and I were craving a delicious meal after driving from Central CT to Salem, MA to move our daughter into her new apartment. After a very long day, we decided to stop into Bambolina for Italian, but quickly realized Kokeshi was another restaurant that occupied the same space. We were in luck, because we were starving and were able to partake in two cuisines we love, Italian and Asian! The restaurant has an industrial yet cozy vibe and felt very welcoming. We were seated immediately, despite the place being busy and bustling. Water and drinks were offered when we sat down, which was especially welcomed by the famished duo. We ordered a little bit of everything off of the menu and every last bite was simply delicious: Chicken and Lemongrass Dumplings (tasty, sweet and savory) Caprese Salad (simply divine heirloom tomatoes, the freshest ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and I loved the addition of the crispy garlic!) Sausage Pizza (perfectly wood fired, thin crust pizza with delicious dough and toppings) Back Alley Ramen (as a ramen snob, the noodles were the perfect texture with just right chewiness, all of the meat was so tasty and the broth was full of depth and flavor) Mushroom Fettucine with Chicken (the flavor profile was simply amazing!) Tiramisu (just order it!) We had excellent service from Barbara W. from start to finish and we left with nice full bellies for our two plus hour ride back to CT. Thank you for a delicious and delightful experience! We will definitely be back again! read more

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This review is for the Kokeshi part of the new Bambolina/Kokeshi combination restaurant. First of all, not easy to find Kokeshi since directions take you to the old location and that is closed up. We happened to walk down the street and decided to eat at Bambolina, only to find out that Kokeshi was inside as well. Besides a pizza, we ordered the potstickers and ramen from Kokeshi. The potstickers were pretty good, just a little on the sweet side. The Back Alley Bacon Ramen was not really very good and we didn't end up eating much of it. I think it might have been the bacon itself, but the broth was strange tasting. read more

Kokeshi - back alley bacon ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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my go to for ramen! staff is extremely friendly and welcoming. can't go wrong with this place at all

Love it while visiting Salem with the family we encountered this fusion of wood fire pizza and Korean Ramen oh lord we all had something different I had the pasta good lord it was great we had a chicken wings and the dumplings To die for. We also ordered a Ramen noodle with pork belly galore. Amazing flavors. Also try the margarita. Pizza Awesome the Service Lakia although she was new was excellent The ambience and surroundings were great. I truly recommend this place by the way, the portions are very large. read more

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Solid ramen spot in Salem. They have good pizza as well. Lively ambiance and cool decor.

We're visiting Salem today for spring break vacation with the kids. We ordered the prosciutto and Gorgonzola pizza and the spicy white kimchi pork ramen. The pizza was amazing and the crust was crispy and flavorful. The ramen broth was surprisingly delicious! Creamy, spicy, and super flavorful. Our server, Nicole, was super friendly. Great spot with great service and food! read more

Comfortable and cute atmosphere, friendly service, and good food. We tried the pizza dough as an appetizer and will definitely be trying the pizza in the future. read more

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We have become regulars at Kokeshi/Bambolina this past year. The waitstaff is always friendly and welcoming. The food is always consistenly good. Our favorite is the Dan Dan Noodles. It's very tasty and consistenly excellent. We always order the dumplings as an appetizer to go with the Dan Dan Noodles. My husband has also tried the pizza (Bambolina) and said it was very good. That's high praise coming from people who have eaten at three of the best pizza places in New York City. read more

The best ramen I've ever had, it felt like a crime not to be able to finish it. Portions were huge. We got the chicken and lemongrass fried dumplings, back alley bacon ramen, the white sake sangria, and ahi tuna poke. Our server Jorge/the service in general was also excellent. Highly recommend! read more

Kokeshi - Ahi tuna poke bowl, chicken and lemongrass dumplings - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Excellent. Cant wait to go back. They have a sister restaurant attached with a brick oven. That's excellent too. You can order from either menu read more

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Tried the bacon ramen, the viet noodles and the Dan Dan noodles. They're mehhhh if you're Asian noodle connoisseurs. It's even weird as a fusion concept. Yall should just flip the menu and go for the pizza instead. Service is also below average. Tourist trap for sure. read more

Kokeshi - Vietnamese noodles (??) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

If I had to reduce ramen to the most essential ingredient, it would be the broth. It is what binds together and adds dimensionality to the noodles, pork, and vegetables. The Back Alley Bacon Ramen had the makings of something great, but the broth was lacking. It seemed to be a simple stock, without much savoriness or notable flavors. A little Sriracha helped wake this sleepy liquid up. Then again, required added spice (read: flavor, not heat) suggests missing spice. Noodles are important too, especially considering their sheer quantity. The ones were were fine. While I've not specific complaint, I am convinced I've had better elsewhere. Where it comes to solid ingredients, in the context of the bowl, they did not work as well as I would have hoped. They cook the pork belly before adding it to the ramen, so you don't end up with boiled meat! Tough the broth still plays a role. Not having something flavorful to seek into the meat did it a disservice. As for the bacon, as much as I love it, in here it felt out of place, and like an afterthought. For veggies/fresh elements, the nori, cilantro, and scallion were forgettable. They did not contribute much by way of flavors or, the very-important texture! Then there was the naruto, which was plain weird! Having a fish-based ingredient in an otherwise meat-based soup was very out of place! This place didn't mess up so bad I ought to relegate them to two-star status. Yet, three-stars is on the generous side. read more

The back alley bacon ramen (18$) was pretty satisfying with a nice flavorful broth. The noodles are somewhat Americanized in their texture, but I find that acceptable. The bacon did get weird and soggy though. Decent place to grab a bite, wouldn't go out of your way for it. read more

Was a different experience. I like trying new places and this was on a whim but was not dissatisfied enjoying my meal. Service was great and people really nice read more

Great Ramen. I have been patiently waiting for a good ramen restaurant north of Boston for 15 years and now I finally have it. Love the Back Alley Bacon ramen. the pork buns used to be awesome but they don't carry them anymore. If you like spicy the Vietnamese noodles are really good and the white Kimchi Ramen won't disappoint either. However, I usually just get the back alley bacon ramen, as it is crave worthy. The vibe is not as good as when it was a dedicated ramen restaurant but the staff is attentive and friendly. I have heard the pizza is good too but I come here for the ramen. This is the go to place north of Boston for great Ramen IMO read more

Lila, our server, was nice and friendly. The food was good enough. Parking can be sucks at time but free parking around town after 6pm. read more

Kokeshi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Finally got the chance to review this place. I was here Tuesday night for dinner with my family. We asked to be seated outside because it was such a beautiful night out. I really liked this place and food was delicious! BUT it took forever for someone to come to us to get our order, and it didn't seem that busy during that time. Our food didn't come out at least 30 mins I'm not even over exaggerating it but it was long... Our waiter was really nice though, but the service just seem like it took forever... My daughter got the chicken sandwich, she loved it! My husband got the " Back Alley Ramen " he said it was good only probably was the noodles weren't quite cooked well. I got the " Kimchi Ramen " it was delicious! Overall everything was good I gave 3 stars because service wasn't so great... read more

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The Vietnamese noodle dish was extremely salty and as a result lacked any flavor. The worst soup I've had actually. Had high hopes but was disappointed. Service was good overall. Good staff. read more

The spicy pork broth is so salty it is inedible. It tastes like it's 50% soy sauce.

Interesting that the one location has two restaurant names. Turns out Kokeshi and Bambolina used to be in different locations but had the same owner. Walking down the street, the Bambolina sign is easier to see than the Kokeshi sign. That made me a bit confused at first, but the address was correct so we went in. The menus for the two were on opposite sides of the menu sheet. After looking over both sides we decided to order from the Bambolina side. The mushroom pizza was fantastic! It was Italian-style thin crust, light and crispy. Also ordered the garden salad. The vinaigrette dressing was not too tangy and the red onion was not too spicy. Perfectly executed! read more

some of the best ramen I've ever had! location is very walkable from Salem tourist sites as well read more

Kokeshi - Back alley bacon ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Ramen was okay. Not a huge fan of it being two different restaurants. Maybe I'll come back and try the Italian menu for a full review.

Stopped in on Sunday afternoon to find a minimal crowd. We really liked the urban-warehouse feel that was unexpected in the spooky small town. We started with the pork buns. They were truly fantastic. The cilantro and matchstick carrots perfectly offset the warm, tender pork. I ordered the Land of Smiles and was extremely pleased with my selection. The broth was lighter than I had expected and had the slightest amount of kick. My spouse ordered the Vietnamese Noodles and they were the best part if our meal. They offered a bit more heat than Land of Smiles and had just the right amount of rice noodles. Our daughter ordered Colonel Sanders after the waiter said it was the most popular item in the menu. This dish was a complete disappointment. The ramen noodles seemed to soak up the broth at an alarming rate. The sea weed and kernels of corn provided little variety to what seemed like Cup-O-Noodles with a chopped, breaded, fried chicken tender tossed on top. read more

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