Cocoro

It was much better before, a few months ago, though it is becoming terrible and very frustrating with unserved food taking more than a hour after ordering such simple ready-made food.

First of all, the whole restaurant is not managing their capacity against taking each order. Completely overflowing with lack of staff. Secondly, the food is getting poor with cold food which is expected hot. Last of all, the staff did not express any apologies in any way. They have no right to be having our account inclusive of service charges, which instead should be discounted, as restaurants in Japan usually do.

As a Japanese myself, I am very embarrassed and ashamed.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Thursday, June 26, 2008

Very poor food quality. Sashimi was far from fresh. Mixed salads are made by stale green leaves only. Their service too slow. It took 2 hours for us to get sashimi but no execuse at all. Soba (Japanese noodle) over-done and sauce was very poor. Very disappinted and never come again.
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KAZ - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Sunday, June 22, 2008

This must be the worst Japanese restaurant in London now. We had to wait for more than one and a half hors until we got the first plate. We intended to have a relatively quick dinner but needed to wait for 3 and a half hours till the last dish from our first oder came to our table. Quality really poor. Most things are worse than ready to eat sold at quick food stores. White wine was served at a very warm room temparature in June. Service,??? there were no services at all at this place on this evening but they still demanded 15%, which we clearly rejecgted.

Till about one year ago, they were one of good Japanese restaurants in town. Very disappointed. Management and chef must have been changed since then,
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Very Angry and Hungry
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Sunday, June 22, 2008

I am a great shochu lover, and for shochu lovers the mere lineup of the variations merits a 10 for this place. The shots are a little pricey, but then again a lot of the stuff cannot be had elsewhere in London or the UK.

As for the food, I cannot quite agree with the merits of the sushi and others..... I found the fish quite bland, entrees rather small and overpriced, although I must admit the tempura was very light and crisp. All in all, good but probably a little overpriced.

For food, sushi or other, I'd probably go elsewhere. However, I'll definitely return for a couple of shots of shochu after a good dinner.
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akichi2910 - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 3
Sunday, June 22, 2008

The set lunch takeaways for £4.95 are outstandingly good value -- however the sashimi set I got once really didn't have th best quality fish, and the knife skills used to cut it looked like perhaps they had given a toddler a butterknife and set him to work. The Tendon set (tempura with rice and miso soup) is great though, as are the rolls. Make sure to order in advance for pick up, otherwise you'll be sitting there for 20 minutes.
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KL - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 9
Friday, September 14, 2007

Been going here for a few years now since it opened. The quality is much better now under new management, but one gripe...AT dinner, the sushi/sashimi can be really delicious, fresh, juicy, wonderfully textured. However, I have yet to have lunch here where the qyality is anywhere NEAR as good. I know they have special prices for lunch, but this does not mean we should get their worst selection of sushi. Sometimes, it just doesn't taste fresh, and the cucumber maki rolls are pretty bad.

Please improve quality at lunch, as the dinners can be so good here!
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Saturday, September 08, 2007

I disagree with Mr Geert Bevin.

I have visited Cocoro restaurant and always found all sushi very very fresh.

Perhaps, Mr Bevin needs an experience of tasting very fresh fish meat.

Rather than refering to one of unknown restaurant in San Fransisco, he may refer to Tsukiji in Tokyo before he judges whether the fish is fresh or not.

I will certainely visit Cocoro as often as I can.
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Terry Fujioka
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Monday, September 03, 2007

Not being a Sushi expert, I have been invited to great Sushi places in San-Francisco by friends. Cocoro was a disappointment. The fish wasn't fresh enough and the sushi quite expensive (but that might just be the London prices which I'm not used to). The rolls felt like they were quickly slapped together and the caviar wasn't solid and honestly felt quite gross when eating it. Now, an hour after the meal, unpleasant flavor of not quite fresh fish is still present on my pallet. The service was friendly though and the atmosphere was agreeable. I will not go to Cocoro again, it was the worse sushi I've ever had.
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Geert Bevin
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, August 29, 2007

When booking I was light heartedly promised a better meal than when the restaurant was under the previous ownership (a year ago).

My Parisien friend ordered a Kir, to be greeted with a blank look from the waitress (who had taken the booking) but with some encouragement she happily obliged. This is the tone of the restaurant - cheerful, calm and no affectations.

We ordered from the menu then added two portions of temaki - sushi to be followed by two more. This indicates pleasure with a hint of greed rather suggesting inadequacy of the previous dishes which began with a welcoming marinated tuna and miso soup.

It was an enjoyable experience, I cannot say if it is better than under the previous ownership or not because it was the first time I had stepped into the place.
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Jeremy
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, January 19, 2007

I come here quite often for lunch, and am satisfied every time. Their lunch set is honestly priced and taste quite like home.

Atomosphere is very calm as well. They do the take away for lunch, which seems that more than the half of the clients are coming for.

Service can be improved, which is a shame.

Maki (rolls) are rolled slightly weak to my liking, although it's very freshly made and taste great.
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Chika
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, November 23, 2006