I love this place! It's my go-to Korean restaraunt in Ithaca! I love all their dishes and their Banchans! Their banchans aren't too spicy, which I appreciate. Some of my favorites include their Soon Doobu Jjigae, Rabokki, Bibim Bap, Bul Go Gi. This time I also got their Dduk Mandoo Gook, which I've gotten before, and also enjoy. The service is also prompt and attentive. I also like the interior as well. It's clean and warmly decorated with Korean fixtures. read more

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Very homey restaurant in Ithaca! The service is very fast, and employees are friendly. I came on a Thursday afternoon and was seated immediately. I ordered the soondubu with beef which arrived within the next 5 minutes or so. It came bubbling and steaming hot and with a bowl of semi-warm fluffy white rice. There was a generous amount of soft tofu but the beef was scant. The flavors overall were decent and satisfied my hot-soup cravings on this cold rainy afternoon. I also particularly enjoyed the curry potato banchan that had a hint of sweetness to the savory flavors, but the others (boiled broccoli, bean sprouts, fish cakes) were just ok. read more

I'm from NYC, and something I dearly miss is the Extra Spicy Jjamppong from Noona Noodles (located in Food Gallery 32). When I came to Ithaca, I tried to find good jjamppong and got very disappointed by watery sugary broth with skimpy seafood by the establishments I tried. Koko got unnoticed by me for awhile. But recently I needed to get delivery. Because of word-of-mouth from other people I didn't have high expectations for Koko, but I was pleased at the banchan I was given with my ramen-ricecake dish (as well as unpictured jjangmyeon) so on another order I decided what the hell, it's not like I can get super disappointed, let's get the jjamppong (labeled Cham Pong on their menu). The jjamppong broth was ON POINT and the ratio of vegetables/seafood/noodles was pretty good! I need to eat this dish in the actual restaurant because ordering their noodle dishes through delivery causes the noodles to stick (even though the delivery was fast!). read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Ra Bokki - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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This place reminds me of no fuss restaurant from my trips to Korea. Food was authentic. Ban Chan was great. The order came out quick. Restroom was clean. read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Spicy seafood noodles - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

I've been here twice now and I'd say it's met my expectations both times, but never exceeded them. I got a spicy seafood bibimbop that was actually spicy (thank goodness) but honestly did not have much other flavor aside from the spiciness. I would completely understand if someone who does not like spice end up very disappointed. However, pricing is very fair. Service was average - I was not blown away (it took a while for them to come refill our water). Feels like an average Ithaca asian restaurant - it's okay. read more

Really good tofu soup and I always love the side dishes. Fried chicken is great too. Service is nice, I like the owners. Can get crowded since it's a pretty small space. read more

More like 3.5 stars, but I think I will round down in this case. This is definitely one of the most hyped up restaurants, especially since it's large enough to seat parties of 5 and more. There's a nostalgic homey vibe in the interior, so I guess that's why I keep coming back! However, the food is relatively bland despite the strong colors. After ordering the ramyun, which contains ramen, veggie dumplings, and rice cakes, I expected it to be spicy and flavorful. However, the dumplings were cold somehow despite being on top of a burning bed of ramen that actually looks like it's in lava! The ramen definitely reeks of cup noodles - the kind that you have to keep chewing in order to swallow. The rice cakes were your standard average joe. I might come back if friends request to eat here, but I might look elsewhere for a more enjoyable solo meal :( read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Ramyun - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

This spot is very nostalgic for me because I used to come here as an undergrad, and I'd always treat myself to Koko's when I was stressed out or needed a sense of comfort. The prices have always been reasonable, the quality amazing, and the service wonderful. My go to dishes are always the jap chae, the bibimbap, and the oh jing-ah bokeum (spicy squid). Each of these, a staple of Korean cuisine, is always made with such love and tenderness here at Koko's. It was really great to see it still thriving after all of these years. You will NOT disappoint yourself. The only downside is that there's no dolsot option for the bibimbap (sizzling clay pot). read more

Really enjoyed my first time trying Koko! Got takeout earlier this semester and the food was incredibly tasty and even came with the complimentary kimichi, broccoli, and fish cakes you would get in the restaurant. I think the value for amount and quality of food is really good, my dish was loaded with fresh vegetables and ingredients even though it wasn't very expensive. Looking forward to trying in house some time! read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Bibim Bap - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

This place was a small yet very inviting place to grab dinner with friends! The owner was incredibly nice, and the food came very quickly. Everything tasted very good, and the portions were very adequate! Overall, it is a very great option for eating out! However, the dine in area does feel a little tight! read more

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Always amazing food! The starters they serve are always tasty, and I always either get the omurice or bibimbap, both of which are delicious. Service is also great too! read more

This restaurant is the best place to get Korean food in Ithaca. The food is all very good. I've tried a couple dishes here and they've all been pretty good. The only dish I was not particularly a fan of was the spicy rice cakes. The sauce was good, but the rice cakes tasted like they came out of one of those instant rice cake boxes. Other than that, I recommend! read more

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Very grateful that they remain open on Thanksgiving. Not a big fan of Bibimbap but the Pajun (kind of like pancake with vegetable) is quite good. read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Pajun - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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I got something new this time - the budae jiggae and honestly, this is the best dish I got here! The spice level is a 2.5 out of 5, very flavorful, and filling! Forgot to take a pic, but def recommend this dish if you're looking for something soupy, sorta spicy, and filling! read more

After a snowy hike up the gorge to Collegetown, Koko had just what we needed! We got the Dduk Mandoo Gook and the Jjajangmyeon! The Jjajangmyeon was pretty good, but that soup broth was the star of the meal! Portions were big, and they had individual plates of ban chan for each person. Only four types of ban chan were given, but the marinated potatoes were pretty legit. I would come again to try some other stuff, or for take-out! Service was okay. read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Ja Jang Myun and Dduk Mandoo Gook - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Happily surprised by the service and quality. There's are lots of lunch special options in the $10 range, and they come with miso and banchan. Banchan: The kimchi had a good kick, rare for Ithaca. Bean sprouts and fried tofu skin are standard, good. The only random disappointment was the generic American Midwest pasta salad dish, which was bland and unnecessary. Dulsot Bibimbap with tofu: not bad... but not great. The gochujang was too mild and sweet for my taste, and the vegetables, while fresh and nicely cut, needed a little salt to wake them up. This is a solid option for Collegetown, and I'll definitely be back, though Asia Cuisine remains my favorite Korean restaurant in Ithaca. read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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i came to this place for dinner and it was very busy. when i got a seat and ordered, the food came out very fast. and although the portions are small, the food was pretty good and the menu has a wide variety of korean food. read more

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Koko is a classic Collegetown restaurant that everyone eats at way too often in their freshman year and then gets a little tired of it. I find that Koko's food is not too fresh: for example in the Jajangmyun the noodles would often be in chunks together and the meat would be tough and difficult to chew. I personally really like Koko's soup and hot stone dishes so that is what I would recommend! The food here is pretty consistently average, not amazing but something you can count on to not disappoint you either. read more

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Portion is tiny and food is less than the other restaurants in college town. I would recommend you try Korean food elsewhere.

My friends and I dined in for lunch and we had the bibimbap, dukbokki and the beef cold noodles. For the value, it wasn't so great. The dukbokki was an appetizer and was $6 for like 8 pcs. The beef cold noodles only gave like two pieces of beef. The food was also mediocre. Gave it 3 stars because staff and service was nice. read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Bibimbap - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Ate dinner here on a Saturday night while in town to visit Ithaca. We arrived around 6:00. The place was busy but we were sat at a table right away. The staff was very friendly and efficient. The food came incredibly quickly. We ordered Bibim Bap and Budae Jjigae. Both were terrific and super affordable. We had no problem finding a parking spot on the street about a block from the restaurant which was a benefit. We will definitely eat here again if back in town. read more

Food wasn't that good, lack either seasoning or a little bit too much. Some of the food we got were either super salty or just bland. Wouldn't recommend it. Portion is also super small. read more

They are open at 50% capacity and I had to change my plan to take out. It turned out to a mistake. The wait to get my food took over 30 mins and I might have gotten a table during my wait. They must put the take out low on the priority. You need to plan for the wait when order take out and call ahead read more

I went to Koko Korean Restaurant with my three friends for lunch on Sunday. The restaurant's ambience was quiet and clean. I really liked the inside: wallpaper full of Korean characters, wooden tables and chairs, nice background Korean pop musics, and delicate Korean silverwares. The owner greeted us with a smile and took us to a table. We each ordered one main dish and together ordered a large Korean pancake to share. The Korean pancake was amazing. Flavorful and delicious. The crispy crust, together with the dipping sauce, was very addicting, not to mention the soft,warm cake flour inside. I would definitely recommend the Korean pancake. Note, however, that it contains no meat, which is fair since it is as described in the menu. And here starts my frustration. I ordered Dduk Gook ($10.00) for my main dish and was shocked to see 5-6 (at most) thin strips of beef (see the picture). The rest were egg, vegetable, and an abundant amount of rice cakes. The dish was nearly vegetarian. The soup was also bland, but I believe that's the way Dduk Gook is supposed to be. To make matters worse, the server forgot to serve us a complimentary kimchi set. Not the best Korean food I have had. I almost gave 2-star but luckily the Korean pancake saved the day. read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Korean pancake - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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I made it very clear that I have celiac and cannot eat gluten which is found in wheat barely oats and rye for serious medical reasons. After checking back and forth with the kitchen several times I decided on 2 dishes. Both turned out to have gluten. I cannot express my anger strongly enough as I sit next to the toiled vomiting for 4 hours. Suffice to say the staff and chefs and owners are all not only uneducated about what they put in their food, they are also irresponsible enough to lie about it. If I had the kind of allergic reaction that put me into anaphylactic shock, I would be dead. read more

If it's one thing I discovered this year, it's how awesome Korean food is. I was afraid that being in this tiny rural cow town of an iceberg would mean eating nothing but pizza, fast food, and crap Asian food. Koko's not bad though. The dol sot bibimbap was well dressed with veggie and beef toppings with more generous portions than Four Seasons Korean restaurant down the hill. Other dishes have also been tasty. Go with friends and insist on family style so you can sample the menu. I've eaten here 5+ times and each time service was with a smile. A+ location in the heart of Collegetown, which made it hella easy to get to when I lived at 312. On the down side, the prices are the same as you'd find in K town in NYC or SF. I guess that's to be expected when there's so little competition for good Korean food in Ithaca. Go during lunch on the weekdays for specials under $10. Also, the ambiance feels like a converted burger joint with all the old school booths. Also not sure about the cotton candy machine. How is that Korean? read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Amazing food and even more amazing service. Everything was delicious and came out so quickly. A shame I didn't take pictures because it all looked amazing too. At the end we were offered free drinks! Absolutely lovely. read more

Dined here and I had a very good Korean meal. Side dishes were plenty and it was satisfying to get a spicy stew on a cold snowy day in Ithaca. read more

Food is pretty good and the service is also good. I love their jajangmyun (brown noodles) & champon (spicy soup noodles). Their chapchae is one of the best I have had at a korean restaurant outside of New York or Los Angeles. The only reason I am mot giving 4 stars is their take out foods. More specifically, they appear to shrink the portions dramatically when you order takeout even though the price is the same. For example, their soybean paste soup fills less than a third of the takeout container. At those portions, the dishes are about 50% MORE EXPENSIVE than Korean takeout in NYC. This is the second best korean restaurant in Ithaca. Just avoid takeouts. read more

KoKo can be a little cramped, but it's a great spot for a bite if you have a smaller group. The service is always friendly and quick, and the food is always tasty. The prices aren't bad in my opinion, and there's a lot to choose from on the menu. If you're not familiar with Korean food (which I'm also not) it can be a little overwhelming, but hey, can't blame them for having a lot to offer! read more

Great food great price. Recommend go for lunch on weekdays more than go for big dinners. You can get a great great treat of food with just 10 dollars. Personally prefer dol sot bibim bap with beef. Go every Friday for lunch! Maybe I'll start trying more other stuff too. Oh also tried Jajang Bap last time. Not super great experience since I really hate raw eggs and the sauce is a little too salty... but the flavor is still great! read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Lunch special Dol Sot Bibim Bap - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Not a huge fan of the dduk bokki. The sauce is not that great. Not red enough or thick enough. Doesn't stick to the rice cakes. Also I don't believe they use fish cakes in the dish. The soon doobu is okaay... not the best. The ingredients aren't incorporated well. Just feels like a regular thin soup base with pieces of tofu. Banchan (side dishes) were good. read more

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Very reasonable and tasty food. We ordered more than what we could chew, but it was delicious nonetheless. Kimchi Pa Jun - Lightly pan-fried wheat batter with kimchi ( very pancake like, with some veggies in it, and lastly kimchi) The soy sauce they gave didn't suffice so I immersed my dish with soy sauce that was served at the table. We then ordered DOOBU KIMCHI BOKEUM- pan fried tofu and kimchi in special spicy sauce (pork) choice( I didn't get to eat this since I'm a vegetarian. But I was told it tasted really yummy!) We also got the RAMYUN with Cheese. Now, if you're Indian or have snacked Indian ever, you would've heard of MAGGI. Well, my friends, this tasted exactly like that, except the Ramyun was made here, and it had cheese in it. So, yay to that! I had a good time, the service was pleasant and we were fed well by the end of it! read more

Koko Korean Restaurant - Rice pancake with kimchi and hot sauce - Korean Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Good taste & good customer service. Come here once a week whenever I crave k foods. read more

We thought it was take out only, but it turns out they have started in dining service. They brought out everyone's banchan on our own individual banchan plates. I thought that was very thoughtful. The lady serving us was super nice and the food came out fast. It was all good! The fried mandoo was really crispy so we ordered more. For the 6 of us, the total came to $78! read more

We ordered three main entrees - bibimbop, kalbi and bulgogi. The kalbi was the best (though a bit pricey), the bulgogi was pretty good, but unfortunately the bibimbop with chicken was terrible! Chicken was literally so dry that it was ineditble, and the dish overall was blend and very forgetful. We also ordered the seafood pancake as an appetizer, and that was above average. The side dishes were decent, although the kimchi was a bit too vinigery for my taste. Service was efficient even though they weren't very eager to bring additional side dishes. We'd probably go back and try it one more time but definitely would not order the bibimbop again. read more

I used to come here a lot as a student to grab a bite during the day, since I liked the food. The portions got small so I stopped coming (like for bibimbap they filled half the bowl). Especially on weekend nights, they pack customers in like a noisy meat factory. I was in tonight with my partner and had to leave since some customers brought their dog and had it sitting on the table. The management didn't care and this made me not want to come back again. read more

Koko is one of the better places in college town for sure. If you go there be sure to give Cham Pong a shot, the spicy soup is thick and just the right amount for enjoyment. Other people here have recommended Yook Gae Jang but I've personally tried it and I prefer their Cham pong, which has awesome seafood too. Would love to give this 5 stars but there are some dishes here that aren't spectacular. But if you just go for the soup meals, they're all pretty great :) read more

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Service is slow and sparse, but kind and lovely when it's there. The kimchi in the banchan set is pretty darn tasty and they have a huge menu. That said, out of 6 meals I sampled (you guys do know about the Sam bite tax thing right? You eat with me, I sample your food. It's a terrible wonderful thing), they were all decent and all pretty bland. Which makes this a great place for Korean food virgins to take their first nibbles. You won't get any of those strong, pungent, spicy, curious flavors here which makes Korean food wonderful. But you will get a large assortment of traditional dishes at reasonable prices. Oh and they have barley tea which makes me a happy camper. read more

So so. This place is disappointing on so many levels. Tl;dr this place is not so bad, but from an authentic point of view, it doesn't measure up. 1) we were a party of 6, and they did not bring us bonchon (small appetizer dishes) until we asked, which meant their service was super slow. We got one set of 4 dishes for 6 people, some of the people at our table couldn't even reach and the portion was just too small. We had to ask for a second set, which had better portions. The bonchon variety was also disappointing. The bean sprouts were bland and the tofu was...meh, nothing I've ever had in Korean food. 2) the food flavor was just ok. I got cold noodles (mul nae myun) and the flavor was a bit off, which is because Korean places usually use pear in the soup whereas this place uses apple. The noodles were not as springy as I normally have them. 3) seafood pancake was alright, I think it was the best out of all the dishes we ordered. 4) soonduboo jigae didn't have an egg cracked into it?? I guess it's ok for Ithaca, but not authentic by any means. read more

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