Tastes good ?, but the speed is a little slowParking: share
Hannah Wilson
Kailey, Quamey, and chibeze are the absolute BEST SERVERs! My food was delicious, they were such attentive servers and made sure we had the best night! If you want yummy food, and great hospitality please go to M kokko. Chef Daniel is exceptional and knows how to make some great food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ami Patel
Very subpar food. The biang biang and jian noodles were super mediocre and disappointing. The service was EXTREMELY disappointing. As soon as we got our text message, I went to the front, and Kaylee’s colleague (3/29/24) VERY rudely blurted “table to the right” without even acknowledging us and treated us like we were some burden on them. Get your service right or hire people who understand what good service is.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Manisit Das
M Kokmo is a small and cozy restaurant with 20 seats and a limited menu— avoid rush hours as the restaurant gets busy quickly and does not accept reservations. The entrees feature classics from East and Southeast Asian cuisine with some twists. I like what they offer and look forward to trying more entrees from the menu. I liked the pork buns and the desserts (especially the Mango crepe cakes— they brought me a lot of joy), but I was not hugely impressed by the Bang Bang noodles.Dietary restrictions: This is a limited-menu restaurant, but there are some vegan options.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Buns
Calvin I.
Phenomenal food, short wait times, and a cute small place. It's a great entry to the M restaurants and it won't cost you a fortune
Godis Jones
Finally was able to get a table at the popular M Koko. I was excited to have a chance to eat here. We ordered Ramen and an order of pork buns. The pork buns were outstanding, the light char coupled with the Hoisin sauce created the perfect bite. We had high expectations for the Ramen! Sadly, we were disappointed. The ramen was bland and lacked any flavor, and I could not find any pork belly. I will return for the pork buns, but not for the ramen.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Buns
Rob R
Dined in while visiting from Charlotte on a Saturday night. I had previously dined at M Sushi and was hoping to get a table there but there were no reservations available, so I put my name on the waiting list next door at M Kokko and I'm glad I did. It can be a long wait so expect a long wait for a table because M Kokko does not take reservations. After a 45+ minute wait my girlfriend and I were brought to our table (one of just a handful - realistically I think they can shoehorn about 25-ish people inside) and ordered some drinks. The menu is small and it's literally on the wall, so after deliberating for a couple minutes I ordered the ramen (opted for spicy) and she ordered the Biang Biang noodles and pork buns for an appetizer.The drinks came out after we put our food order in and the pork buns followed almost immediately after (quick service). Hands down the best pork bun I have ever crammed in my face. Previously living in Southern California and spending considerable amount of time in San Francisco I thought I knew how good a pork bun could be, but apparently I was wrong. M Kokko's pork buns would win in a battle royale tournament of buns. Get them. Don't pass them up.About ten minutes later the ramen and Biang Biang noodles arrived and again, super impressed. You can get ramen anywhere. Ramen restaurants are everywhere these days and I would go as far to say that most are just middle of the road and good enough for when you're craving a hot bowl, but the ramen here at M Kokko is top tier deliciousness. I used the large metal spoon (ladle?) and slurped down all of the broth once the noodles and other solids were gone. Ramen is not spicy, but you can get it spicy (I think it's chili oil) and if you're unsure, you can ask to have the oil on the side so you don't have to commit.Biang Biand noodles - I had a severe case of entre envy. Spicy, oily, tangy, crunchy little bits of shallots. I spent the entire time stealing noodles from her bowl. I'm ordering this next time I'm in town and I'm ordering extra to take to my hotel room for a late night snack.Overall, food is on point. I'm definitely coming back to try the other items since there is only eight items on the menu. The space is quaint. Looks almost like M Sushi turned and old office or closet into a casual dining spot - it's small inside. Long wait on weekends, but oh well, good things are worth the wait. Use the time to grab a drink around the corner.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kerry C
I went for lunch on a Tuesday, so the wait was only about 20 minutes. It was well worth it for this delicious vegan noodle bowl.
Willow Hernández
Fantastic! My husband said it was the best ramen he'd ever had. Everything was fantastic! Thank you for offering vegan options!
Sophie Mills
Great ramen, worth the wait. There was only one server when we were dining and he comped our desserts because we had to wait a while <3
3.5 stars. This was a small restaurant where the wait time could be one hour long Iike our wait time for a part of four. When you add your name to the wait list on the tablet inside, make sure you add your number and check that they will text you. The inside was cozy and might be enough to hold like 30 or less people. Their menu had food that sounded good. We ordered the Pork Buns, Biang Biang Noodles, Vegan Curry Udon Kokko, Jia Jiang, Ramen, and a Yukikage Shadow Snow bottle. We were going to share the food so it wasn't bad for all four of us. The Pork Buns were good and maybe we were hungry too. The Biang Biang Noodles was tasty, the Jia Jiang was good, and the Ramen was just okay (broth wasn't what I was expecting). I didn't try any of the Vegan Curry Udon Kokko. The portion for everything was just right for us and we were full after we finished everything. This restaurant was okay and might be worth checking out if you're in the area and don't mind the wait time.
Tahia Monjuli
If you are an avid foodie in the area I am sure you know how hyped up all the M restaurants are. Over the years, I have tried some of their restaurants and liked them so it was only natural to give M Kokko a try. I wasn't disappointed but nor was I impressed. I think the food is just okay, the ramen is specially underwhelming. The broth doesn't taste like it was simmered for hours and nor does it give you the intense and complex umami richness. Don't get me wrong, its not bad, its just won't leave a lasting impression. I think the biang biang noodles are good but lacks the cumin flavor. All this factors coupled with a fact that the place is tiny and can make you claustrophobic when its full makes me feel like the place is really over hyped (and also over priced)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Biang Biang Noodle
Kevin Jensen
Everything was excellent. Sign-in process lacked personality, with a self-serve waitlist and numerous signs saying they can’t provide wait times. However, server was great and food was spectacular.Parking: On weekend nights, recommend you park in one of the nearby garages. However, set aside 10-15 minutes for parking. Normal downtown Durham consideration.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hainan Chicken, Ramen Bowl
Dakota Sharp
Tried M Kokko for the first time last night, and it’s now one of our favorite spots in Durham. Our server (can’t remember his name unfortunately but his nails were excellent) literally went above and beyond to make sure we had a fantastic experience— and we did. We can’t wait to come back!! The menu is small but we are committed to trying everything.
I give M Kokko a solid four stars. My wife and I really enjoyed the food, drink, and service here. M Kokko's Korean fried chicken is the best we've had to date in the Triangle. It was exceptional. And it looked much better than the versions we saw pictures of on Yelp that were posted in 2021. So if it was good then, then it's probably even better now (2024). M Restaurants is our favorite restaurant group in the area. They've set a standard of excellence in Durham. The M stands for Michael as in the founder, owner, and chef, Michael Lee. His wife brushed the "M" logo that represents their brand. M Kokko opened on September 27, 2016 as a Korean fried chicken joint. It's next door to M Sushi, the best sushi restaurant in the Triangle (in my opinion). M Kokko and M Sushi are hidden on the back corner of a brick building in downtown Durham. There's a small city-owned-and-operated parking lot next to the restaurants (Lot 32), but it only has 10 spaces and is often full. Alternatively, you can park on the street or in the nearby Durham Centre Parking Garage at 300 W Morgan St. For all of these options, hourly rates are enforced Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm. M Kokko is first come, first served. Unlike the other M Restaurants, M Kokko doesn't take reservations. There's a touchpad at the entrance where you can sign your party up for the waitlist. My wife and I got lucky and were seated right away around 5:30pm on a Saturday. We got the second-to-last two-top. When we arrived, the dining room and uncovered makeshift patio were almost completely full. The restaurant is very small and the space is simple. I counted exactly 22 seats inside. I didn't count the outside seats, but if I had to guess, maybe 8-10. The patio was string-lit. Inside, the tables were small and placed closely together. The vibe was casual and the place was bustling. The restrooms are shared between M Kokko and M Sushi. The main food menu was limited to eight dishes plus four desserts. Beverage-wise, they offered cocktails, sake, beer, and wine. M Kokko and M Sushi share alcohol. One of the cocktails we got here was the same as what we got at M Sushi. Here's what we had: Cocktails * Ginger Peach Mule ($17) - Tito's Handmade Vodka, ginger, peach, lime, Fever-Tree Ginger Beer * Blueberry Ginger Smash ($18) - 1792 Bourbon, rosemary, lime, simple syrup Food * KFC Wings ($17) - Garlic Soy * Ramen ($17) - pork chashu, black garlic oil, bamboo shoots, soft-boiled egg * Hainan Chicken ($17) - poached chicken, cucumber salad, chili, and soy sauce; Singapore's national dish * Biang Biang Noodle ($15) - smoked tofu, yu choy, cilantro, crispy shallots, pickled mustard, black vinegar, and chili oil Dessert * Coconut Sorbet ($11) - served in a coconut shell with "tropical fruit" The Ginger Peach Mule was excellent. That's the cocktail we had before at M Sushi, except it was $14 there about a year-and-a-half ago and $17 here. The price difference wasn't too surprising given recent high inflation. This is one of those sneaky strong drinks. It was cold and refreshing. The Blueberry Ginger Smash immediately reminded me of another cocktail I had at M Sushi and didn't like, the Purple Haze Hot Sake & Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur. While fundamentally different ingredient-wise, both cocktails reminded me of Dimetapp cough medicine. My wife liked the Blueberry Ginger Smash though, so it wasn't all bad. One of the dishes we wanted to try here was the Jia Jiang Mian (zhajiangmian), Chinese noodles with fermented black bean sauce. Unfortunately, they were out. Since we were one of the first seatings of the day, I think they had been out of Jia Jiang Mian for multiple days. That was disappointing. The KFC Wings were outstanding and I have to admit, better than I expected. This was among the best Korean fried chicken I've had anywhere, that I can recall, and this includes a lot of the tried-and-true Korean fried chicken chains. Everything about them was perfect. They got the extra cris
Tastes good ?, but the speed is a little slowParking: share
Kailey, Quamey, and chibeze are the absolute BEST SERVERs! My food was delicious, they were such attentive servers and made sure we had the best night! If you want yummy food, and great hospitality please go to M kokko. Chef Daniel is exceptional and knows how to make some great food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very subpar food. The biang biang and jian noodles were super mediocre and disappointing. The service was EXTREMELY disappointing. As soon as we got our text message, I went to the front, and Kaylee’s colleague (3/29/24) VERY rudely blurted “table to the right” without even acknowledging us and treated us like we were some burden on them. Get your service right or hire people who understand what good service is.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
M Kokmo is a small and cozy restaurant with 20 seats and a limited menu— avoid rush hours as the restaurant gets busy quickly and does not accept reservations. The entrees feature classics from East and Southeast Asian cuisine with some twists. I like what they offer and look forward to trying more entrees from the menu. I liked the pork buns and the desserts (especially the Mango crepe cakes— they brought me a lot of joy), but I was not hugely impressed by the Bang Bang noodles.Dietary restrictions: This is a limited-menu restaurant, but there are some vegan options.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Buns
Phenomenal food, short wait times, and a cute small place. It's a great entry to the M restaurants and it won't cost you a fortune
Finally was able to get a table at the popular M Koko. I was excited to have a chance to eat here. We ordered Ramen and an order of pork buns. The pork buns were outstanding, the light char coupled with the Hoisin sauce created the perfect bite. We had high expectations for the Ramen! Sadly, we were disappointed. The ramen was bland and lacked any flavor, and I could not find any pork belly. I will return for the pork buns, but not for the ramen.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Buns
Dined in while visiting from Charlotte on a Saturday night. I had previously dined at M Sushi and was hoping to get a table there but there were no reservations available, so I put my name on the waiting list next door at M Kokko and I'm glad I did. It can be a long wait so expect a long wait for a table because M Kokko does not take reservations. After a 45+ minute wait my girlfriend and I were brought to our table (one of just a handful - realistically I think they can shoehorn about 25-ish people inside) and ordered some drinks. The menu is small and it's literally on the wall, so after deliberating for a couple minutes I ordered the ramen (opted for spicy) and she ordered the Biang Biang noodles and pork buns for an appetizer.The drinks came out after we put our food order in and the pork buns followed almost immediately after (quick service). Hands down the best pork bun I have ever crammed in my face. Previously living in Southern California and spending considerable amount of time in San Francisco I thought I knew how good a pork bun could be, but apparently I was wrong. M Kokko's pork buns would win in a battle royale tournament of buns. Get them. Don't pass them up.About ten minutes later the ramen and Biang Biang noodles arrived and again, super impressed. You can get ramen anywhere. Ramen restaurants are everywhere these days and I would go as far to say that most are just middle of the road and good enough for when you're craving a hot bowl, but the ramen here at M Kokko is top tier deliciousness. I used the large metal spoon (ladle?) and slurped down all of the broth once the noodles and other solids were gone. Ramen is not spicy, but you can get it spicy (I think it's chili oil) and if you're unsure, you can ask to have the oil on the side so you don't have to commit.Biang Biand noodles - I had a severe case of entre envy. Spicy, oily, tangy, crunchy little bits of shallots. I spent the entire time stealing noodles from her bowl. I'm ordering this next time I'm in town and I'm ordering extra to take to my hotel room for a late night snack.Overall, food is on point. I'm definitely coming back to try the other items since there is only eight items on the menu. The space is quaint. Looks almost like M Sushi turned and old office or closet into a casual dining spot - it's small inside. Long wait on weekends, but oh well, good things are worth the wait. Use the time to grab a drink around the corner.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
I went for lunch on a Tuesday, so the wait was only about 20 minutes. It was well worth it for this delicious vegan noodle bowl.
Fantastic! My husband said it was the best ramen he'd ever had. Everything was fantastic! Thank you for offering vegan options!
Great ramen, worth the wait. There was only one server when we were dining and he comped our desserts because we had to wait a while <3
Restaurantji Recommends
3.5 stars. This was a small restaurant where the wait time could be one hour long Iike our wait time for a part of four. When you add your name to the wait list on the tablet inside, make sure you add your number and check that they will text you. The inside was cozy and might be enough to hold like 30 or less people. Their menu had food that sounded good. We ordered the Pork Buns, Biang Biang Noodles, Vegan Curry Udon Kokko, Jia Jiang, Ramen, and a Yukikage Shadow Snow bottle. We were going to share the food so it wasn't bad for all four of us. The Pork Buns were good and maybe we were hungry too. The Biang Biang Noodles was tasty, the Jia Jiang was good, and the Ramen was just okay (broth wasn't what I was expecting). I didn't try any of the Vegan Curry Udon Kokko. The portion for everything was just right for us and we were full after we finished everything. This restaurant was okay and might be worth checking out if you're in the area and don't mind the wait time.
If you are an avid foodie in the area I am sure you know how hyped up all the M restaurants are. Over the years, I have tried some of their restaurants and liked them so it was only natural to give M Kokko a try. I wasn't disappointed but nor was I impressed. I think the food is just okay, the ramen is specially underwhelming. The broth doesn't taste like it was simmered for hours and nor does it give you the intense and complex umami richness. Don't get me wrong, its not bad, its just won't leave a lasting impression. I think the biang biang noodles are good but lacks the cumin flavor. All this factors coupled with a fact that the place is tiny and can make you claustrophobic when its full makes me feel like the place is really over hyped (and also over priced)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Biang Biang Noodle
Everything was excellent. Sign-in process lacked personality, with a self-serve waitlist and numerous signs saying they can’t provide wait times. However, server was great and food was spectacular.Parking: On weekend nights, recommend you park in one of the nearby garages. However, set aside 10-15 minutes for parking. Normal downtown Durham consideration.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hainan Chicken, Ramen Bowl
Tried M Kokko for the first time last night, and it’s now one of our favorite spots in Durham. Our server (can’t remember his name unfortunately but his nails were excellent) literally went above and beyond to make sure we had a fantastic experience— and we did. We can’t wait to come back!! The menu is small but we are committed to trying everything.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Buns, Ramen Bowl, Chicken Sandwich
I give M Kokko a solid four stars. My wife and I really enjoyed the food, drink, and service here. M Kokko's Korean fried chicken is the best we've had to date in the Triangle. It was exceptional. And it looked much better than the versions we saw pictures of on Yelp that were posted in 2021. So if it was good then, then it's probably even better now (2024). M Restaurants is our favorite restaurant group in the area. They've set a standard of excellence in Durham. The M stands for Michael as in the founder, owner, and chef, Michael Lee. His wife brushed the "M" logo that represents their brand. M Kokko opened on September 27, 2016 as a Korean fried chicken joint. It's next door to M Sushi, the best sushi restaurant in the Triangle (in my opinion). M Kokko and M Sushi are hidden on the back corner of a brick building in downtown Durham. There's a small city-owned-and-operated parking lot next to the restaurants (Lot 32), but it only has 10 spaces and is often full. Alternatively, you can park on the street or in the nearby Durham Centre Parking Garage at 300 W Morgan St. For all of these options, hourly rates are enforced Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm. M Kokko is first come, first served. Unlike the other M Restaurants, M Kokko doesn't take reservations. There's a touchpad at the entrance where you can sign your party up for the waitlist. My wife and I got lucky and were seated right away around 5:30pm on a Saturday. We got the second-to-last two-top. When we arrived, the dining room and uncovered makeshift patio were almost completely full. The restaurant is very small and the space is simple. I counted exactly 22 seats inside. I didn't count the outside seats, but if I had to guess, maybe 8-10. The patio was string-lit. Inside, the tables were small and placed closely together. The vibe was casual and the place was bustling. The restrooms are shared between M Kokko and M Sushi. The main food menu was limited to eight dishes plus four desserts. Beverage-wise, they offered cocktails, sake, beer, and wine. M Kokko and M Sushi share alcohol. One of the cocktails we got here was the same as what we got at M Sushi. Here's what we had: Cocktails * Ginger Peach Mule ($17) - Tito's Handmade Vodka, ginger, peach, lime, Fever-Tree Ginger Beer * Blueberry Ginger Smash ($18) - 1792 Bourbon, rosemary, lime, simple syrup Food * KFC Wings ($17) - Garlic Soy * Ramen ($17) - pork chashu, black garlic oil, bamboo shoots, soft-boiled egg * Hainan Chicken ($17) - poached chicken, cucumber salad, chili, and soy sauce; Singapore's national dish * Biang Biang Noodle ($15) - smoked tofu, yu choy, cilantro, crispy shallots, pickled mustard, black vinegar, and chili oil Dessert * Coconut Sorbet ($11) - served in a coconut shell with "tropical fruit" The Ginger Peach Mule was excellent. That's the cocktail we had before at M Sushi, except it was $14 there about a year-and-a-half ago and $17 here. The price difference wasn't too surprising given recent high inflation. This is one of those sneaky strong drinks. It was cold and refreshing. The Blueberry Ginger Smash immediately reminded me of another cocktail I had at M Sushi and didn't like, the Purple Haze Hot Sake & Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur. While fundamentally different ingredient-wise, both cocktails reminded me of Dimetapp cough medicine. My wife liked the Blueberry Ginger Smash though, so it wasn't all bad. One of the dishes we wanted to try here was the Jia Jiang Mian (zhajiangmian), Chinese noodles with fermented black bean sauce. Unfortunately, they were out. Since we were one of the first seatings of the day, I think they had been out of Jia Jiang Mian for multiple days. That was disappointing. The KFC Wings were outstanding and I have to admit, better than I expected. This was among the best Korean fried chicken I've had anywhere, that I can recall, and this includes a lot of the tried-and-true Korean fried chicken chains. Everything about them was perfect. They got the extra cris