Visited in thanksgiving weekend. Took a while to find it cause didn't know they combined two restaurants together (pizza and ramen) what a fun combination. My friend ordered pizza while I ordered Ramen. The waiter was nice brought water right away and took our order but my ramen took 20 minutes to be served after I asked. Apparently my ramen had been ready but no one brought it. The wait wasn't fun but the ramen was reallllyyyyyy delicious! I will visit again! read more

See all

This restaurant just might be too hip for Salem. The funky atmosphere with gorgeous murals, great beats, and a creative menu would be at home in any major city, and it rivals my favorite D.C. ramen shop. That said, I think it is a great addition to Salem. I liked Kokeshi so much that I went for lunch two days in a row. The first day, I had the slow roasted pork belly ramen and my sister had the Kokeshi fresh-y salad. We shared the steam-fried bok choy, and I also had the Midnight Starlet (Privateer Amber, Fernet, Thai basil agave, lime) to drink. The Midnight Starlet was tasty, and I'd order it again. The bok choy was OK, but nothing special. We really just wanted more vegetables. The salad was fantastic, and huge. Super fresh, but an option for protein addition would be nice. I loved my ramen. It is Hakata style and the broth was rich, but not overly so. The pork was tender and delicious, and the bowl was huge. Noodles were perfectly cooked. I couldn't finish it, but I did not see a kaedama option (I didn't ask though either), so I left it (mostly broth anyway). The next day, I ordered the soy-marinated cucumber, steamed pork buns, udon-don noodles, and my favorite local cider (Patch, the strawberry basil one by Far From the Tree). Cucumber was good, and I highly recommend the tasty pork buns. I liked my noodles, as they were fresh, but the broth was a bit bland. I probably should have added some chili oil. The noodles were outstanding though. I sat at the bar both times and had fantastic service. I appreciate the showcasing of local brews and spirits. Whenever I'm home, this will definitely be one my stops. read more

See all

Ordered the Farmers Harvest soup and was disappointed-too gingery. My companion ordered the Dan Dan noodles and he liked it. So it's a mixed bag. Waitress was friendly and the place is within walking distance from the Peabody Essex Museum. Restaurant is co-located with Bambolina which serves pizzas and other Italian fare. Because of the co-location, they could serve Italian desserts. The tiramisu was pretty good. read more

Very cute restaurant in Salem, I love the artwork on the inside and even outside. The server was very polite, she was very helpful when she got to our table. They have 4 bathrooms, 2 for girls and 2 for boys. We ordered 2 appetizers, and 4 noodles dishes. The appetizers came out at a decent time, we finished the tuna tartare, and then the chicken wings. The chicken wings were so plump and JUICY! But nothing spectacular, its flavorless without the fish sauce it comes with and the tuna tartare came with fried wonton chips you can dip the tuna tartare pieces in, it was very light and tasty. The noodle dishes, however, took forever it seemed like. We finished our appetizers, talked for awhile, drank our beers, and still were looking around to see where the noodles were. It wasn't like we were starving and waiting for it, but we all noticed it took so long. I ordered the salmon udon, the udon absorbed all the liquid, the salmon was a bit too salty but it was a nice slice of salmon, pretty big. The rest ordered ramen, and I didn't try theirs so I can't speak for theirs. But the presentation was nice! Oh, try their local beers, they have a decent selection. Enjoy! read more

See all

The poke was seriously amazing. My friend, a ramen snob who has eaten ramen everywhere in NY, NJ, and New England, though, so keep that in mind, said the ramen is "good." So to a non-ramen snob it's probably fabulous! Service is friendly and fun and it's a chill vibe. I'll go there again for sure! read more

The food was great and the outdoor seating was even better. Definitely would come back when I'm back in Salem!

Stopped by here around 4pm on a Sunday after walking around Salem and the food was so tasty! You should try the Korean style donburri off of the specials menu if you get the chance- that salmon is insanely good. read more

See all

Great atmosphere and wonderful flavorful ramen! Service was terrific and very helpful with alternative menu selection. Plenty of choices on the menu! read more

Ordered ramen takeout and was quoted 25mins. IMO that is a really long time to cook some noodles and put broth in a container. Thank god it was really only about 10mins for the food to be ready. Was really disappointed when I opened the bag at home to find the noodle in the container with the broth. The noodle soaked up the broth and expanded, having the consistency of cheap instant ramen. . They should pack like takeout pho places, packing the noodles and broth in separate containers. Broth was decent. What saved this dish was the pork pieces, which were tender and flavorful. I'll give this place another shot with a dine experience as there aren't many ramen options in the north shore. read more

Kokeshi - Disappointing ramen takeout. Noodles and broth together = soggy noodles - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Personally, I'm a fan of their ramen--although it is not suitable for people who do not enjoy salt. I really like their take on Asian food, but I wish for the menu to expand. The service was good, but I would warn you Kokeshi is combined with Bambolina--another restaurant so do not be confused when you are ordering off of two menus. The decor is cute and I enjoy going there! read more

Good was excellent! Thoroughly enjoyed the Vietnamese soup, spicy white miso ramen, and the smoky bacon ramen. So good that we returned a few days later! read more

The service was so kind and professional. The Ramen was Great! A nice twist on Ramen types. I was apprehensive till I tried the Ramen. I hope to come back soon with some good friends! read more

Kokeshi - Colonel Saunders Ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

See all

We landed here on the weekend before Halloween for a quick brunch as we headed out to explore the Essex street and its spooky sights. Right away, we knew we wanted to have the Steamed Pork Buns as they are always the safest *and the coolest* way to start off a pan-Asian meal. The buns had nicely steamed, slightly crunchy Pork laid in with Carrot, Cilantro, Pickled Cucumber, Chili Mayo and Radish. In all, they felt like mighty flavorful shots packed in small delicious buns! I wanted to have something super-filling as the day ahead was filled with long walks around Salem. So, I went for the Colonel Sanders noodle + soup bowl mostly because of its fancy name. Beyond that, I loved the combination of having crispy fried chicken with smooth silky noodles. The bowl had Fried Chicken with Tokyo Wavy Noodle, Spicy Pork Broth, Wakame, Thai Basil and Vermont Butter. In fact, I loved their entire menu. Hats off to Kokeshi for trying out and perfecting such awesome twists to Japanese street food. read more

See all

Tim and his family have always created magical culinary experiences in Salem but the wild game dinner night blew us away. Thank you again for having us. I had to come back for the Norcino! read more

10/10 would come here again. The food is heckin fantastic. We got the pork buns which have an excellent harmony of flavors for my mouth. Then we got some pork belly ramen and green curry. I could die right now and be happy but I'd rather die tomorrow so I can at least finish my take home portion. The service is impeccable. Collins, our bartender, was a gentleman and a bro at the same time. Also the Bs are winning so that's a plus. read more

I've actually wanted to go to Kokeshi for awhile and it just never worked out. Last night, my dining partner and I were walking back from dinner and saw the window open and the advertisement for Vietnamese tacos. We were intrigued and stopped. For $10 (exact cash only), you got two tacos and a bag of chips handmade in front of you. We decided to get four as they looked small and $20 seemed reasonable for four tacos. You can get tofu or pork. We got one of each. The chef made them right in front of us and the wait wasn't long at all. I have to say the tacos were delicious. I preferred the pork as the tofu seemed a tad bit spicier but both were very tasty. Packed with veggies like carrots, lettuce and sprouts with unique sauces and plenty of pork and tofu. Warning - they will fall apart. There's no pretty eating of these babies! Well worth the money and a fun treat. The chips were sweet potato and very good too. Makes me determined to go back when they're open for dining and finally try some of their noodles. read more

I'm going to throw this out there. Yes this is an Americanized noodle place. Just because you don't have Japanese chefs in the back doesn't mean you can't make good Japanese-style food. That's my response to one of the Yelpers. I was out for a walk and had heard of Kokeshi, and wanted to check it out. Arriving in the early afternoon, staff were mainly doing prep and cleaning. The atmosphere has a modern feel to it, with some interesting fung shui in place. I liked it. I opted for the Farmer's Harvest soup. A light and savory noodle soup, very filling! Vegetarian option that added a little pep to the step. With a beer, it was a very filling meal. My server was very sweet and attentive, service was very quick. A definite stop while in Salem. read more

Kokeshi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

See all

We ate in their outdoor seating area On Sunday Labor day weekend, not too busy and they had plenty of tables. We ordered the Kimchi, dumplings, fried rice, fried chicken sandwich the pork belly ramen, and the chicken lettuce wraps and a couple of cocktails. Dumplings were really the only stand out that we got, they were amazing. The ramen broth was pretty flavorless by ramen standards, the toppings were cooked well and tasted pretty good but not good enough to make up for the broth. Chicken sandwich was not bad but not great either. Chicken was cooked well but there was no flavor. Fried rice was also pretty flavorless. Their cocktails were good but nothing special. Everything was served paper plates and plastic cups due to "the current covid situation" I'll probably be back for some dumplings again after some drinking since they are open late but other than that I will probably pass. read more

The dan dan noodles did not taste good, nor were they authentic. If this was an attempt at a fusion dish, it completely missed the assignment. Dan dan noodles are not supposed to be a soup. Also, the texture of the noodles are not supposed to be so soggy it tastes like paste. Maybe there's a better chance with the pizza. I only ate my dish because I was starving all day. If I wasn't, I would not have even touched the dish. read more

This place always makes me so happy every time I eat there. The food is amazing. The ambience is creative and original. The staff and service is always friendly and efficient. The pork buns are so good, I've taken to ordering them for my main instead of just a starter. Mostly so I don't have to share. And the noodles are all so good, I cant pick a favorite. Great local place! read more

Kokeshi is a Asian fusion restaurant with an extensive food + drink menu and a sprawling, spunky interior with lots of natural sunlight. They offer a range of appetizers, noodle soups, rice bowls, cocktails, and beers. We came here for brunch around 12:45 PM on a Saturday and it was pretty bustling! I ordered the Farmer's Harvest Noodle Soup ($13) and a Lychee Sangria ($10). The Farmer's Harvest consisted of a vegetable miso broth base with chewy udon noodles, corn, bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots, daikon (which I requested to leave off), scallions, and a lime wedge. They give you a cool wooden ladle to slurp the broth up too. The abundant udon noodles had a perfect texture! I loved the fresh and crunchy vegetables- especially the sweet corn!!! The broth was nice and warm but definitely lacked flavor. I had to add in a bunch of chili powder and Sriracha to spice things up. It just wasn't very memorable at all. The highlight of the meal was definitely the Lychee Sangria!!! The presentation of the drink was adorable- a lil' yellow umbrella and a fun twirly straw- what more could you want?! The cocktail wasn't very strong but totally a-ok with me since we were going to explore Salem all day anyway. It definitely had stronger floral notes but enough juicy + fruity notes to balance everything out amazingly. The service was quite attentive and prompt. Our server checked in when necessary but didn't hover. If I'm ever in the area again, I'd definitely come back for their yummy cocktails (plus extensive drink menu) but maybe not the food! read more

Kokeshi - Farmer's Harvest Udon - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

See all

Nice place for lunch, especially on cold winter days when all you want is a bowl of ramen. The ramen isn't the best I've ever had but probably the best in Salem. Big portion, always really fresh with lots of meat and noodles - definitely enough to keep you full throughout the rest of the afternoon. I love their pork buns. They're a little expensive I think but definitely tasty! The slow cook pork belly ramen is a classic - if you're not sure which one to get, get this one. I've never tried any drinks here but half of the menu is drinks so I guess they've got something good. The atmosphere is great. The place is spacious with high ceiling and tons of seatings. The industrial style is interesting and I enjoy the setting overall! The only downside is that the service is eerily slow. There were only 2 servers while we were there for lunch and it took a while for them to take our orders or serve the food. If you're in a hurry, I would recommend to go somewhere else. People are nice though! read more

This Place WAS great..... but sadly I will never go back. The wait staff is horrible and the food Keeps getting worse. I seem to always give this place another chance and go back and hope that it is what it used to be but sadly it's not and I will not be returning. If you're looking for something in Salem go anywhere else read more

Back open and sooooo delicious ! Cocktail is Crown of thorns , Apps are dumplings and edamame, and ramen is Colonel Sanders. So, so good !! read more

See all

LOVED this place. SLOOOOWWWW very sloooowwww. But once you get your food, you forget the wait. I had a poke bowl. Enough to feed 2 people! Ramen's were everywhere. Service? SLOOOOWWWW but really nice. Place is noisy, so be prepared to YELL. I can see myself coming back when I'm in the area. Pricy. GOOD. The end read more

Kokeshi is located inside A restaurant called Bambolina so it was a little difficult to find. All the noodle soups they offer are heavily Americanized and feel wrong. We ordered the Vietnamese soups (Pho) and personally I felt that the soup was really flavorless and needed more seasoning. My partner ordered the Colonel Sanders ramen and wasn't super stoked about it either. Definitely better options in Salem. read more

The dumplings are absolutely delicious. Beef and blue pizza was awesome as well. This place is the perfect combination for two people that want absolutely different things. read more

We love to get ramen from Kokeshi! Our favorite is the spicy Vietnamese noodles. It's a bonus that you can eat Kokeshi and Bambolina at the same location. read more

**BRING BACK PORK BELLY RAMEN PLEASE!!** I went Kokeshi a few weeks ago searching for Ramen. On the northshore there aren't many places for actual Ramen (not Pho). I had the Pork Belly Ramen and it was SO GOOD - I mean amazingly good!!!! Unfortunately, I went back a couple days ago with a massive craving and they have taken the Pork Belly Ramen off the menu. It's replaced by "Swine Line" - which has bacon and pork rinds in it. Not for me at ALL!!! The bacon wasn't cooked at all, I prefer my bacon crispy and the pork rinds, after sitting in the broth, got smushy and chewy! Please please please bring back the Pork Belly Ramen!!!!!!!! Staff is amazing!!! Both the bartenders I had were very attentive and super nice. read more

Food was really good. We had ramen and it was very flavorful. Service was good and attentive. They left the restaurant doors open so it was freezing. Also bugs were flying around our food due to coming in from outside. read more

Excellent place to get Asian street food and ramen bowls. Pork buns were outstanding and we could have eaten a few more rounds of those easily. Spicy Pole beans were very tasty and also went fast. Then came the ramen! All had outstanding broths with great depth of flavor. From crispy pork belly to flavorful chicken and veggies, they were all winners. Their cocktail menu is creative and the sake selections are interesting as well. I had a sparkling peach sake that had a gel like consistency. Weird, but very good. We will definitely be back. read more

Kokeshi - Pork Belly Ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Really solid ramen spot in Salem. The vibe is very hip, with some cool art and unique layout featuring shipping containers. We ordered the Tuna Tartare to share and I had the bacon and eggs ramen. We also had two cocktails but I can't remember the names :( Tuna tartare was delish, perfectly seasoned. Did have a lot of cilantro as a garnish but it was easy to pick out if you're a cilantro hater like me. Both cocktails were also very tasty. The kokeshi broth was delicious and flavorful, and I appreciated the spicy oil on the table so I could add my own kick - a lot of places charge to make the ramen spicy. Bacon was also really good, perfect level of crispy, and the pork was melt-in-your-mouth. I could have done with my soft egg a little softer and I wish it was seasoned but overall pretty tasty toppings. But... and this is where they lose a star... my noodles were pretty overcooked. I asked, they use Sun Noodles. I make them all the time in my house and they have that awesome springy texture. These were pretty mushy. If you've had the sun noodles at Pikaichi in Boston I think they do an awesome job - this just wasn't up to that standard. So overall very solid. Fix the noodle sitch and you'd have 5 stars easily. read more

Kokeshi - Bacon and Eggs ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

See all

Say at the bar on a Wednesday night, had green curry chicken. Bar tender was sorta nice and sorta attentive. The chicken was really pretty good. Had a drink which was pretty okay. I'll go back and eat more food. read more

I've been very excited about Kokeshi ever since I found out the Bambolina owners were also heading up this venture. I finally made it over a couple weeks after opening, and there were a few hiccups, but overall it was a good experience! A group of 4 of us were quoted a wait time of 30 minutes at 5:35pm, and got some drinks at the bar while we waited. The bartender happily made us cocktails by request and let us know they were working on finalizing their cocktail menu. She definitely knew how to mix a drink, and I'm excited to see what ends up on the cocktail list!! We FINALLY got seated around 7, so almost an hour longer than the estimated wait time. We had to ask a couple times about the table and it seems there was a miscommunication somehow. Luckily we were enjoying time with our friends, so we were still in good spirits when seated. We ordered the octopus hot dog, wings, tuna tartare, pork belly ramen, colonel sanders ramen, and bacon and eggs ramen. Overall the food was good. The octopus hot dog was tasty and I love the bun and accoutrements. The tuna tartare was on par with what you'd find in Boston, though we could've used 1-2 more wontons if I'm going to nitpick. The wings were "okay" (according to our dinner mates, I didn't have any). The namesake of the restaurant is ramen and it was definitely tasty, though not quite as developed in flavor as ramen I've had elsewhere (specifically in CA and NYC). The bacon in the bacon and egg ramen was a very strange texture, I'm not sure it works here. The fried chicken in broth worked surprisingly well, somehow! Compared to other ramen spots in the Boston area though it was definitely just as good, if not better. For all the negative reviewers saying "the positive reviewers have probably never had real ramen"...first, let me roll my eyes. Second, Kokeshi is not trying to be the most authentic ramen / Asian experience. The owners are simply trying to bring new flavors to Salem and have fun doing it... and for that, I will definitely be back to try some of the other inspired dishes! read more

Kokeshi - Octopus hot dog and tuna tartare!! Yummy - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

See all

Best ramen I have ever had. I got the swine line and it was delicious. Very rich flavor. Although the portions are large I alwaysssss eat everything! read more

See all

We have ate at the primary location street side before and always had very good meals, today we ate at the combination venue with the Italian restaurant and were very disappointed with our soup. We had lettuce wraps that were very good for appetizers and both of us Had Back Alley Ramen which was less than desirable. The broth was heavy and not very flavorful except for the salt the pork belly was not treated well the bacon appeared to be microwave bacon from Oscar Meyer and the noodles were not very good. The waitress was very nice I have no complaints about her,but we won't be returning to either location unfortunately read more

Got my very first ramen bowl here last night, and it was amazing ! Probably the best food I had while in Salem. Our waitress was also sooo sweet and hostess was kind as well. read more

Tried this place last night. SO good. The spicy beans were crisp and tasty. The meat of the chicken wings fell of the bone. I got the pork belly ramen and the soft boiled egg was perfect!! Would love to come back here to try the rest of the food! Everyone I was with enjoyed all their food as well. Definitely recommend!! read more

See all

Arrived here around 5:00 on a Saturday, instantly greeted by a friendly hostess, and enticing art work on the walls. The entrance is dark and mysterious, which leads you into a wonderful bright, open experience. Very impressed with use and quality of space, as this used to be an ambulance base and laundry mat! The video projected on the wall in main dining really pulls it all together. I love the way these guys lay it all on the line, and share their story with you on the website. Their openness and willingness to continue to learn the art form of Asian cuisine is reflected in service presentation and dish quality. And so far, so great! Kokeshi offers a new experience definitely not matched in Salem. The Pork Belly Ramen's backbone is in its broth. Porky and succulent. A heart warming dish. Three variations of Kimchi! Three! All with quality's and tastes representative of origin. Tuna Tartare. Perfectly matched with crispy, light, flaky wontons. Tuna is second to none in freshness and quality. Come with an open mind, and ask questions if you are unsure about what you will choose! Quality service starts with an observant manager, and attentive staff. Kokeshi has both. Enjoy!! read more

See all

I had the swine line ramen. It was SO good. Reasonably priced. Good service. The decor and ambience was really cool. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Kokeshi and will be back. read more

Kokeshi - Swine Line Ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts