Kokoro
526 Main St, Lafayette, IN, 47901
Kokoro Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Lafayette for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lafayette for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
526 Main St
Lafayette, IN, 47901 - Phone (765) 742-8180
- Website https://www.tonyskokoro.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Thuy T.
Best sushi in Indiana, the rolls are the size of your fist! It's pretty expensive but keep in mind the portions are like family size. I love the Spicy Jumbo Maui Roll and the Alligator roll, because you get a lot of meat. This is not the typical one bite sushi, more like 2-3 bites depending how much you can stuff in your mouth. There is only one chef and he prepares everything at the time you order so be patience and you will not be sorry.
(5)Ella B.
Kokoro deserves every single one of these stars! The owners here are FABULOUS! They are the sweetest business owners I have ever met. Tony's wife, Kay, is the sweetest lady EVER! She walks around tables to make sure everything is ok and will make the sweetest remarks. Tony is also a character and is always a good laugh with his funny comments. The rolls here are a tad pricey, but that's because they are HUGE. Nothing like your small tiny rolls that you will find at most sushi restaurants. The alligator sushi roll is delicious! Definitely worth trying and always my favorite. They also offer vegetarian rolls which were perfect for my guest who is vegan. It was so hard to find a place that offers appetizing vegan food, but my guest LOVED IT HERE! The only down side is it takes a while to be seated sometimes and the food takes a long time to come out. (this is because they have only one chef) Sushi rolls also come out at totally different times where you may be waiting a while other people in your party are already eating. BUT if you are with good company and are not in a hurry this should not bother you at all. In fact, it gives you a great chance to spend some quality time talking with the people at your table.
(5)Megan C.
The food is pretty good. The sushi isn't my favorite, but the fried rice is great. The service is slow, but if you can go in expecting that you can make it a good time. If you are being annoying Tony is probably going to be rude, but maybe you have it coming.... Lastly, the portions are HUGE and take this as a hint that you should view this as family style serving. Sharing an entree between two people makes the price perfectly affordable and the service much quicker. Tony and his wife are the only ones cooking and that is going to take awhile to do, so go in expecting to spend the evening enjoying a meal, drinks and conversation.
(4)Laura T.
HUGE ROLLS!!! very yummy sushi, and Angry Tony as I like to call him can be cranky, but I think it adds to the atmosphere. after all the wonderful experiences I've had after 4 years at Purdue, I still tend to rank Kokoro as top 5 go there, you will not be dissapointed
(5)k e.
If this restaurant was in a place with any visible competition it might be mediocre. I have been dragged here for dinner and lunch multiple times by people who act like it's the best thing since sliced bread. Every time the food seems to have been slapped together with no attention to flavor. The only thing that this place has going is size. You get huge portions that IME always fall apart before you get them off your plate. Worse yet I've seen multiple people get kicked out for no reason other than the owner is a snob. And no, I haven't been kicked out personally. I just dont see any reason to pay the inflated prices for a meal that is bland given the better alternatives in the area such as Heisei or Asahi.
(2)Carina A.
If I could eat anywhere EVERY day and be okay with it, it would be HERE! The sushi is warm, fresh, and lovingly made by the Master himself, Tony. BIG rolls, too! Have had sushi all over the country, some of it quite fabulous, but have NEVER had rolls this big or this good! And, though the wait can be substantial, I agree with the others: art takes time! And it is WORTH IT. Assume an hour and a half, at least, to have dinner here. I'd say dinner for 2 is, on average, about $40-50 or so. Great place to celebrate something! Or just to celebrate life and the availability of great sushi! Assume, if you are hungry on arrival, that you will add the miso soup and salad to your order...you will be happy you did! Makes the wait seem shorter...lol I cannot remember even leaving this place without a warm, happy feeling inside and a satisfied tummy! Tony is such great entertainment, as well...lol And Kaye is the sweetest and most wonderful person, ever! Only a person of such compassion could "deal with" Tony! As abrasive as he may seem, to the un-initiated, he is a SWEETIE! Have known them for over ten years! They both have hearts of gold! I wish I could tell you about non-sushi dishes, but I can't remember NOT ordering sushi! lol I am sure everything else is just as wonderful, though...it couldn't help but be! sushinazi.com for news and info about this great place! Good for groups, beautiful decor, just GO!
(5)Bing B.
Best rolls that i have ever tasted (i have had better sushi, but its close). Wait can be a bit long for food, a bit expensive for WL, and occasionally you might get "kicked out for life" (he forgets) from the restaurant for pissing off Tony (the owner/chief. just dont be a drunken college jackass and for good measure kiss up to Kay, his wife and u should be ok), but if you can get around that and you happen to be in West Lafayette or at Purdue, its a must go.
(5)Susanto I.
In my opinion, the sushi is not bad, but not outstanding. However, their thai fire chicken and crab fried rice is amazing! The price is a little on the high side and the cook (Tony) could be sensitive, but the food is great. The Korean BBQ beef is great as well. This is the best Japanese restaurant in the Purdue area.
(5)Maurilio M.
Expect a wait, but it is worth it. Bob Marley playing over the speaker and a time to sit and socialize. Relax and enjoy and you will love the experience.
(4)Alyson E.
The sushi portions are quite large yes, but so is the price. This is a good choice if 3 or 4 of you are going share the meal amongst yourselves (and split the beer). But it is something of an institution in West Lafayette, and you should go just to hear Tony yelling :)
(3)Grace L.
My Purdue alumni husband raved about this place FOREVER. Be forewarned..this place is not typical, gentle, or even sensible. Tony, the owner, is yes, loud and obnoxious. When I've heard of this place from other alumni, I hear Tony and sushi nazi in the same breath. The prices are not that kind, but the food is decent. Maxi makis are what he is famous for. If you like fried rice, take a chance on those. Just remind yourself that you are in West Lafayette, IN eating sushi.
(3)Joey C.
By far, the best sushi in town. Super SLOW service, but the food is worth the wait!
(4)Amy J.
I live in San Francisco, and have countless awesome sushi restaurants everywhere I look. A lot of people in Lafayette love this place. If I lived in Lafayette and only had 1 or 2 sushi joints to go to I would perhaps give this 5 stars. I was only there once and at the time it seemed like enough for me. My rolls were very sloppily doused in sauces which was a mess. I was not impressed. There wasn't much of an atmosphere. Our server was a nice kid. Bea One has better sushi and a more hip atmosphere, but I would give Kokoro another shot. Maybe next year.
(3)Stephy W.
Kokoro simply has the best sushi anywhere ever. People from Chicago have said that they have yet to eat sushi anywhere as good as Kokoro's. The restaurant is owned by "Crazy Tony," who is known to be a stickler of quality food. Though the wait can be long for your sushi, it is definitely worth it. I have found that if you come around opening time, the sushi wait is much shorter. The sauces are quite original and delicious, I highly suggest the spicy salmon roll and the roe nigiri is incredible. I dream of this sushi, that's how good it is. The atmosphere is pleasant and original with dim lighting with a large painting of Hokkaido on a wall, a beautiful kimono on another wall and rice/sake shipment boxes in the center of the floor which take up empty space that would otherwise make the room feel not as cozy. There is a full bar with special cocktails and drinks as well as beers on tap. For a guy who seems to be somewhat anal, he's a great fan of Bob Marley, so expect to listen to reggae the entire time you are there. Prices can seem a bit steep initially for sushi in Indiana, but the value is really incredible for the food you get.
(5)Jim K.
I don't know what all the hype is about. The sushi is not good. The prices are outrageous and the chef has an exaggerated sense of himself that gets in the way of simply and humbly serving customers. First, the quality of the sushi is not good. It's garish and overdone. We ordered the Alligator Roll and the Jumbo Hot Maui Roll. Both rolls come ladled with some kind of mayonnaise cream that Tony calls his special sauce. Then he also serves a green chile pepper sauce and a HABANERO sauce with the rolls. I couldn't figure out whether I was in a Mexican restaurant or a sushi place. The Habanero sauce was so hot that it was inedible. Now . . . here's why this makes the sushi bad . . . sushi is supposed to be fresh, subtle and under-stated. Real Sushi Chefs let their fish speak for itself without fake, gimmicky sauces and pepper spreads. It doesn't look like Tony's had much formal sushi training based on these dishes. Then there are the prices . . . $21.95 for ONE sushi roll!!! That's double the price of what real sushi should be. He says the rolls are bigger so the higher price is justified. Nope. It's just another angle to put money in his pocket while giving you quantity instead of quality. Then there's the chef's attitude. You sit down and are handed a menu that says "50 seats, One man, BE PATIENT!" What kind of welcome is that? There are signs all over the restaurant telling you that Tony does every dish himself and that's why YOU should be patient with the long waits. Why is the service slower here? Every restaurant has one chef who cooks every entree. Every Diner has a chef, standing over a flat top grill, making every omelette. Every sushi restaurant should have a real sushi chef who offers fine sushi made quickly and elegantly. But at Kokoro, the customers have to wait longer because Tony does everything himself. It doesn't add up. The chef is poorly trained and that's why he takes too long to serve gimmicky, over-priced dishes. We will not be back.
(2)Sharon R.
I was pretty unimpressed with Kokoro. I can't believe that this is supposed to be the best sushi in town. Ah-z and maru seemed better quality for the price. I had the cucumber salad in light vinegar dressing and it was pretty good though I wish the liquid had been drained. It was basically cucumbers floating in vinegar. The sushi was big which had been warned by other reviewers but I felt bad for my mom who couldn't actually fit them in her mouth so they kept on disintegrating. The rice was also a bit raw. At the end of the day we spent around $50 for two rolls of sushi that were not well prepared with raw rice and the salads and soup. Megh. Not worth it. I doubt I'll come back. On another note though, if you do want to try it you should be going there soon since Chef Tony is retiring. Just look for the extremely melodramatic sign he put up all over the doors.
(3)Tanya S.
Very good food here and the portions are HUGE!!! I had the blue crab fried rice. Delicious!!! I also ordered the teriyaki steak. I wasn't expecting to get a large steak. I thought it would be cut into pieces sort of like what you would get at a hibachi grill.. I was mistaken. But it still was good, it hardly looked like I touched it, but I was so full. I'll come here again if I'm in the area.
(4)Julia P.
This review is for visits I've had here back in 2001 and 2002. Even back then, the hot headed and arrogant Tony threatened to close but wow, this place is still open. It's not a sushi place persay - it's more of a sushi rolls type of place with extensive amounts of creativity. I'd say it's one of the better places I've been even living in California if you like sushi rolls. His attitude still sucks but I think that's part of the charm of this place.
(4)Chuck A.
Tony, your prices are over the top. Step up the portions, lower the prices and improve the customer service. The wait for my meal was simply painful. This looks to the norm here in downtown LAF. This in not ideal when plans follow dinner. Food simply ok. After two hours my opinion is the place and Tony's approach to one man one kitchen sucks and should be avoided. Nothing worthwhile to attempt a return visit.
(2)April S.
I love the fried rice! Sushi is good, fried rice is fabulous! Steak teriyaki is very very good! Tony is a great chef!
(5)Teresa N.
This place was such a joke! - Chef is soooooooo arrogant, opposite of the modest Japanese culture - Terrible service, like a 3-hour dinner? You think you are dinning at Alinea or Joel Robuchon? - EXTREMELY OVERPRICED, you can get better quality for not even half of the price there. You drop like a $100 eating rolls and fried rice there? Seriously? I feel sorry for the foodies that live in Lafayette as the choices of restaurants there are extremely limited. There is no way Kokoro can stay in business in places like San Diego.
(1)Kentaro L.
This cannot be Japanese food. This was so messy, dirty, and I have no idea what it was. But the only thing I can certainly say is that this is NOT JAPANESE FOOD. Instead, we need to call this "Tony's" food.
(1)Carol W.
The most flavorful fried rice ever! Portions of the rice and rolls are larger than I have seen at other restaurants, so order accordingly. This is not a place for a quick meal and I loved how the host made sure we understood that it would take awhile to get our food. Worth the wait.
(5)Phi N.
The starter salad and miso soup were pretty good for what they are. We then got the sashimi deluxe, alligator rolls, and something with shrimp in it... I don't usually do the rolls, but my friend wanted them. Leave it to girls to get sushi that's not raw fish, lol. Anyway, the alligator is kind of cool, but both of hte rolls were pretty dry and boring. Portion sizes for those were at least large. The sashimi pieces were fairly small, and it's not the freshest I've had. Then again, I'm not sure what type of quality fish comes to west lafayette, so this may be the best to offer. I really just care about the salmon to be honest. The pieces weren't large, nor did they melt in your mouth. Crazy Tony is the best part about this place! he's funny and his signs and decorations are fun. Too bad his food is just whatever. Serving us were two white girls. They seemed cool and were good waitresses. Prices were quite expensive, even for sushi (which is already overpriced).
(2)FioNa L.
The chief Tony is yelling at us the whole time! Just because we want to know if we can cancel one entire(we order four entire) if he didn't make it yet. We already kinda full after the salad and soup. He called us assholes! Even when we leaving he was still yelling at us! And said never come again!!! And keep saying the F word!!!!'nnJust because we ask if we can cancel one dish or not if he didn't make it yet?! OMG!! Can't believe the restaurant has open for these years!! Not worth it at all!
(1)Diana M.
I went to Kokoro for my birthday dinner, and the atmosphere was somewhat dead. It is definitely pricier than some of the other sushi restaurants I've been to, and in my opinion, it wasn't worth it. We waited about 40 minutes for our food to arrive because it all gets prepared by one chef - Tony. Also, my sushi would fall apart on the plate because it wasn't rolled tightly enough to stay together. Overall, the food wasn't bad, but for the money, I could've gone to Heisei and got something better.
(2)Peggy C.
I went there because I heard the chef was quite a character. He insisted on his style in every single thing you experienced in his restaurant. I took it as a good sign for a Japanese business owner. When I opened the menu, I was surprised by the price. $15 for gyoza? $40 for sashimi deluxe? $19+ for a sushi row? Was I in Lafayette, IN or New York, NY? Because Kokoro was claimed to be a sushi bar, and because I had been seated, I decided to give it a try. When my order was taken, I asked about the proportion. The waiter said for sushi, the higher price means more food from 4 to 8 pieces of sushi. Still, our mental image of a sushi piece was like a 1-dollar coin. So, My bf and I ordered three rows just in case we were not full after one row each. Oh man, we were wrong. Rows were HUGE. Each piece of a given row was like a rice ball with fish and sauce wrapped inside. I summed up three points for my assessment: 1) Too much rice. Although the quality of the rice was decent and fresh, it was too much. I never had felt so stuffed with carb in a sushi place. 2) Too much sauce. Personally I don't like sauce on fresh raw seafood. It just covers up all the flavor. No matter how special "Tony's special spicy mayo" was, I would prefer it on the side rather than all over the sushi. 3) Good seafood. I have to give points here. The fish and crab meat were really not bad. Finally, the owner was indeed an interesting loud character. He made everything by himself. He talked to frequent customers and laughed hard. He rules there, but.... I have no confidence if he would be the ruler outside this decaying town. For local people, I suggest you drive up to Chicago or down to Indianapolis for reasonably-priced and much better Japanese food.
(2)Stewart B.
There were consistent intervals between the courses, which allowed ample time to reflect on the superior taste, flavor, and preparation. We appreciate Tony's aggressive kindness and passion for creating truly phenomenal food. The staff, Sadie and another gentleman were true ambassadors for this Kokoro experience. We will return with frequency.
(5)J. K.
Look like Japanese restaurant. But it's kind of Americanized one. Most of dishes are pricy n take too long time to get each dishes after ordering. Approximately half an hour or longer. I love Japanese restaurant. But price is almost same with high-end restaurant but the taste is just so so. I don't understand why all of dishes are expensive.
(2)Joe S.
Tony's a unique chef. I've been going to his place since it was a hole in the wall in the 90s. He prepares 90% of the food, and there's a warning about that right on the menu. If you don't have patience go to McDonalds. One of my favorite places.
(5)Hailee H.
Words cannot express how much I love this place. Every single thing I have ever tried there has been incredible. I have had sushi in many different states and even countries and this is by far the best I have ever had. Who knew you'd find that in Lafayette, Indiana of all places! You have to go in with the expectation that you'll be there for awhile because Tony basically cooks everything himself, but it is so worth it. It is expensive, so it's something to do on a special occasion, but there's a reason it costs that much; it is very high quality food and you get pretty large portions. I cannot recommend this place enough. If you ever get the chance to, go there!
(5)Laura C.
I'll come clean. I'm half-Japanese. My family is from California. I grew up in western Washington. I've lived in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago (the cities, not the suburbs), and Atlanta (both city and suburb). If you're me, or have a similar background, I 100% guarantee you that you will not like this place. 1) Sure, the chef is Japanese. He also is his own gimmick. It made me laugh at first, but then I thought, is this what all these white kids from Lafayette think of all Japanese or Asian people? Is this ultimately a disservice, that you can laugh at him, but you're laughing at his accent and his ESL bluster? Ugh. 2) The rolls are huge. Huge. Big rolls are not sushi. They are not Japanese. They are usually a sign of a white clientele. You know what else is the sign of a white clientele? Being in Lafayette, IN. So I won't count this against the restaurant. 3) Servers are college kids. This is my sense. I know this may sound weird, since I did work food service right out of high school, and I believe that everyone has the right to do what they gotta do to make it, but sometimes I want a professional server. Someone who does this and who is doing this for awhile. Especially when you're charging $20 for shrimp fried rice. 4) Yes, the fried rice is $20 and up. First of all, no one should offer fried rice at a fancy Japanese restaurant. Secondly, since fried rice is technically rice leftovers, no one should charge that much for fried rice. Thirdly, I shouldn't have ordered it. But I did, and split it with my colleague. It was tasty. Not $20 worth of tasty, though. 5) I swear the shumai cost us $12 or $15. Shumai. You know, the dumplings you can get in the freezer section. Even if he made them himself, it shouldn't cost that much. And then, the young man serving us asked us if we'd had shumai before. You mean, DO I LIVE IN AMERICA??? I said, yes, lots. He said this was the best he'd ever had. I said it was fine. Because, seriously, the shumai were fine. Not the best. Because... whatever. You can guess why. 5) This place was within walking distance of our hotel. Thumbs-up. Sigh. *facepalm*
(2)Alex G.
Best Asian food in the area. It is a bit expensive but you get what you pay for. Highly recommended.
(5)Kayla T.
First time trying this place and I have to say I was not disappointed. I've heard many good things and many bad things about this restaurant, but my experience was nothing terrible, yet nothing spectacular. You are warned when you walk in to be seated that it is basically a one man show. We (two of us) went on a Friday night around 730 and were seated right away. I rather enjoyed the wait time between dishes because it gave myself and the person I was with time to catch up with each other and get hungry again. Not like some places where they are trying to flip tables so fast they all but shove the food down your throat. I appreciated the wait time, and I was not in any hurry nor felt hurried. All in all, great food, decent service (even offered us a few suggestions for our next visit), and I left with a full belly. A little pricey, but that's ok. The sauces were excellent as advertised, too!
(4)Greg S.
Slooooooooow. An hour to get 6 rolls. Overpriced as all get-out. Rolls are too big to eat without them falling apart. Might as well just put the ingredients in a big messy pile because that's where they end up. Doesn't even taste all that great either. It all tasted a little...off.
(1)Cindy L.
I really reall dont like Chef Tony. We watched him yell at a little 5 year old kid when the kid was touching his wine barrel decorations. We went back once with like 10 people... we ordered 9 dishes and he came out and yelled at us. Half of us were girls and didnt eat much. Keep in mind his portions are really really huge. He came out mad yelling at us for ordering 9 dishes and having 10 people. So we were like ok fine, we will order another agedashi tofu. He came out after and yelled at us still and threw the food on the table spilling stuff all over and onto other peoples clothes. the waiter there was apologizing for his behavior. Chef tony drinks on the job too, maybe thats why hes so angry. Angry drunk. The fried rice is good tho. Everything else is blah. Just get it to go. Or else youll wait for over an hr to get seated cus Chef tony takes his sweet little time
(1)Linda G.
Tony is fantastic and his good ... Delicious.. Truly an entertaining treat . Best sushi in the area !
(5)Dan W.
My fiancé and I went here once, and I don't see us going back. Although the ingredients were fresh, everything was way over priced and the rolls were ridiculously big. They fell apart immediately. Service was terrible. Heisei in west lafayette is the place to go around here if you're looking for fresh sushi and a great experience.
(2)Casey W.
Simply amazing! I have never had a bad experience here. Between Tonys eccentric personality to his amazingly flavorful and huge portioned dishes, I have always had a great time at Kokoros.
(5)Tianyi Y.
Needs w8ing for very long time usually. But the good there will make you feel it's worth w8ing for the time.
(4)Ayaka H.
Personally I am not a fan of this place. Here are the reasons: 1) Chef is very rude and yells frequently. Not a good place to go on a date. He says "If you want fast food, go to mcdonalds" very often. 2) SLOW. be prepared to spend 3 freaking hours in the restaurant. It's just not worth it. 3) The food is not that great. I'm from Los angeles and if you go to west coast or east coast you will find great food for not even half the price. 4) They don't take reservations, so you have to be prepared to wait for a long, long time. So overall I do not like this place. I am Japanese and I don't even think the food is great. The chef is arrogant which makes me lose my apetite.
(1)Jackie L.
As delicious as everyone says. Sadly, the place is closing because Tony is retiring.
(4)Jay D.
Sushi was below average. Huge sushi pieces without much taste to them that would fall apart as u grab them. The fried rice was good though. Tony was crazy yelling at the poor waitress from his kitchen. It was entertaining but the sushi was not worth the long wait !!
(2)X L.
Not worth the super long time waiting for the food. Maybe it is necessary for them to put the disclaimer outside the restaurant "it's not Japanese food, it's tony's food." The sushi roll is big, hard to bite in. The ingredient is ok, but the combination is bad. Other dishes such as the yaki soba are just too greasy.
(2)Julia P.
This review is for visits I've had here back in 2001 and 2002. Even back then, the hot headed and arrogant Tony threatened to close but wow, this place is still open. It's not a sushi place persay - it's more of a sushi rolls type of place with extensive amounts of creativity. I'd say it's one of the better places I've been even living in California if you like sushi rolls. His attitude still sucks but I think that's part of the charm of this place.
(4)Chuck A.
Tony, your prices are over the top. Step up the portions, lower the prices and improve the customer service. The wait for my meal was simply painful. This looks to the norm here in downtown LAF. This in not ideal when plans follow dinner. Food simply ok. After two hours my opinion is the place and Tony's approach to one man one kitchen sucks and should be avoided. Nothing worthwhile to attempt a return visit.
(2)Chan H.
The food was delicious! Tony is a character - but I already expected it and he ended up being the night's entertainment! My boyfriend and I ordered the Steak Teriyaki to share and it was more than enough for the two of us. We were stuffed! Expect a long wait for your food. Tony and his wife Kay are the only ones who prepare the food and so the wait can be extensive. Go with good company and you'll have an amazingly satisfying experience.
(4)Adrienne K.
This is probably the best food in town. Try the Blue Crab Claw Fried Rice, you won't regret it! Also, the hibachi tofu, and hot and spicy tofu are both really good. I actually can't believe there is a bad thing on the menu. The sesame dressing for the salad is like crack. I have to restrain myself from licking the bowl. The miso soup is also excellent. I can't say enough good things about this place. It would definitely be my last meal on earth. Just remember you're in Tony's house so be respectful. The food is so amazing because of the care that goes into making it and like anything great, it takes time, but your patience will be rewarded. If you want mediocre fast-food go somewhere else. If you want an unforgettable meal, a place to sit down, savor, and enjoy the company you're with then you're in the right place.
(5)Teresa N.
This place was such a joke! - Chef is soooooooo arrogant, opposite of the modest Japanese culture - Terrible service, like a 3-hour dinner? You think you are dinning at Alinea or Joel Robuchon? - EXTREMELY OVERPRICED, you can get better quality for not even half of the price there. You drop like a $100 eating rolls and fried rice there? Seriously? I feel sorry for the foodies that live in Lafayette as the choices of restaurants there are extremely limited. There is no way Kokoro can stay in business in places like San Diego.
(1)Kentaro L.
This cannot be Japanese food. This was so messy, dirty, and I have no idea what it was. But the only thing I can certainly say is that this is NOT JAPANESE FOOD. Instead, we need to call this "Tony's" food.
(1)Carol W.
The most flavorful fried rice ever! Portions of the rice and rolls are larger than I have seen at other restaurants, so order accordingly. This is not a place for a quick meal and I loved how the host made sure we understood that it would take awhile to get our food. Worth the wait.
(5)April S.
I love the fried rice! Sushi is good, fried rice is fabulous! Steak teriyaki is very very good! Tony is a great chef!
(5)Phi N.
The starter salad and miso soup were pretty good for what they are. We then got the sashimi deluxe, alligator rolls, and something with shrimp in it... I don't usually do the rolls, but my friend wanted them. Leave it to girls to get sushi that's not raw fish, lol. Anyway, the alligator is kind of cool, but both of hte rolls were pretty dry and boring. Portion sizes for those were at least large. The sashimi pieces were fairly small, and it's not the freshest I've had. Then again, I'm not sure what type of quality fish comes to west lafayette, so this may be the best to offer. I really just care about the salmon to be honest. The pieces weren't large, nor did they melt in your mouth. Crazy Tony is the best part about this place! he's funny and his signs and decorations are fun. Too bad his food is just whatever. Serving us were two white girls. They seemed cool and were good waitresses. Prices were quite expensive, even for sushi (which is already overpriced).
(2)Peggy C.
I went there because I heard the chef was quite a character. He insisted on his style in every single thing you experienced in his restaurant. I took it as a good sign for a Japanese business owner. When I opened the menu, I was surprised by the price. $15 for gyoza? $40 for sashimi deluxe? $19+ for a sushi row? Was I in Lafayette, IN or New York, NY? Because Kokoro was claimed to be a sushi bar, and because I had been seated, I decided to give it a try. When my order was taken, I asked about the proportion. The waiter said for sushi, the higher price means more food from 4 to 8 pieces of sushi. Still, our mental image of a sushi piece was like a 1-dollar coin. So, My bf and I ordered three rows just in case we were not full after one row each. Oh man, we were wrong. Rows were HUGE. Each piece of a given row was like a rice ball with fish and sauce wrapped inside. I summed up three points for my assessment: 1) Too much rice. Although the quality of the rice was decent and fresh, it was too much. I never had felt so stuffed with carb in a sushi place. 2) Too much sauce. Personally I don't like sauce on fresh raw seafood. It just covers up all the flavor. No matter how special "Tony's special spicy mayo" was, I would prefer it on the side rather than all over the sushi. 3) Good seafood. I have to give points here. The fish and crab meat were really not bad. Finally, the owner was indeed an interesting loud character. He made everything by himself. He talked to frequent customers and laughed hard. He rules there, but.... I have no confidence if he would be the ruler outside this decaying town. For local people, I suggest you drive up to Chicago or down to Indianapolis for reasonably-priced and much better Japanese food.
(2)Stewart B.
There were consistent intervals between the courses, which allowed ample time to reflect on the superior taste, flavor, and preparation. We appreciate Tony's aggressive kindness and passion for creating truly phenomenal food. The staff, Sadie and another gentleman were true ambassadors for this Kokoro experience. We will return with frequency.
(5)J. K.
Look like Japanese restaurant. But it's kind of Americanized one. Most of dishes are pricy n take too long time to get each dishes after ordering. Approximately half an hour or longer. I love Japanese restaurant. But price is almost same with high-end restaurant but the taste is just so so. I don't understand why all of dishes are expensive.
(2)Joe S.
Tony's a unique chef. I've been going to his place since it was a hole in the wall in the 90s. He prepares 90% of the food, and there's a warning about that right on the menu. If you don't have patience go to McDonalds. One of my favorite places.
(5)Hailee H.
Words cannot express how much I love this place. Every single thing I have ever tried there has been incredible. I have had sushi in many different states and even countries and this is by far the best I have ever had. Who knew you'd find that in Lafayette, Indiana of all places! You have to go in with the expectation that you'll be there for awhile because Tony basically cooks everything himself, but it is so worth it. It is expensive, so it's something to do on a special occasion, but there's a reason it costs that much; it is very high quality food and you get pretty large portions. I cannot recommend this place enough. If you ever get the chance to, go there!
(5)Laura C.
I'll come clean. I'm half-Japanese. My family is from California. I grew up in western Washington. I've lived in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago (the cities, not the suburbs), and Atlanta (both city and suburb). If you're me, or have a similar background, I 100% guarantee you that you will not like this place. 1) Sure, the chef is Japanese. He also is his own gimmick. It made me laugh at first, but then I thought, is this what all these white kids from Lafayette think of all Japanese or Asian people? Is this ultimately a disservice, that you can laugh at him, but you're laughing at his accent and his ESL bluster? Ugh. 2) The rolls are huge. Huge. Big rolls are not sushi. They are not Japanese. They are usually a sign of a white clientele. You know what else is the sign of a white clientele? Being in Lafayette, IN. So I won't count this against the restaurant. 3) Servers are college kids. This is my sense. I know this may sound weird, since I did work food service right out of high school, and I believe that everyone has the right to do what they gotta do to make it, but sometimes I want a professional server. Someone who does this and who is doing this for awhile. Especially when you're charging $20 for shrimp fried rice. 4) Yes, the fried rice is $20 and up. First of all, no one should offer fried rice at a fancy Japanese restaurant. Secondly, since fried rice is technically rice leftovers, no one should charge that much for fried rice. Thirdly, I shouldn't have ordered it. But I did, and split it with my colleague. It was tasty. Not $20 worth of tasty, though. 5) I swear the shumai cost us $12 or $15. Shumai. You know, the dumplings you can get in the freezer section. Even if he made them himself, it shouldn't cost that much. And then, the young man serving us asked us if we'd had shumai before. You mean, DO I LIVE IN AMERICA??? I said, yes, lots. He said this was the best he'd ever had. I said it was fine. Because, seriously, the shumai were fine. Not the best. Because... whatever. You can guess why. 5) This place was within walking distance of our hotel. Thumbs-up. Sigh. *facepalm*
(2)Alex G.
Best Asian food in the area. It is a bit expensive but you get what you pay for. Highly recommended.
(5)Fuzz H.
Bar-none, the best sushi that I've ever had. Every time I visit Lafayette, I make sure to save a few hours (and precious stomach space) for this downtown gem. Yes, Tony has a strong personality, and yes, food does take a while to prepare (~hr; I once waited 3 hrs for a 6-person meal), but the food is delicious.The portion sizes are completely worth the price tag as well. Fried rice? 2-3 meals; sushi roll - 1 roll = 1 meal (meal size equiv to a large from noodles and company). I highly recommend the salmon fried rice, spicy tuna roll, and caterpillar roll. Do yourself a favor, go visit Kokoro for dinner before we lose Tony's wonderful cooking. Remember to be humble, don't complain, and wear a jeans/closed-toe shoes (or more formal) attire (No hats!).
(5)Dia D.
When this restaurant first opened they were one of only two places in town to get sushi. The food was high quality so people put up with the very slow service. Now, there are many places in town that serve very good sushi for lower prices and with faster service. I ate here last night as part of a group of 5 and this is the first time that I've been here for many years (the last time I tried to eat here we were seated for an hour and a half with no food so we left). Last night our group of 5 ordered 5 rolls. Three people were finished eating before the last 2 people got their rolls. Yes, the rolls are huge (one cut roll filled a very large dinner plate), but they are expensive and I'm not sure that sushi is something that should be super sized. The rolls felt like the rice had been clumped together and the fish had big chunks hacked off....hardly the pleasing balance of rice and thinly sliced fish. I would much rather have smaller rolls and order a variety than fill up on one of these expensive super sized rolls.
(2)Faye L.
Went to this place to take out some food for my friends but was told take-out is not allowed which made no sense to me. I had to sit down to eat some thing and wrap it to go. Totally ridiculous!!! But later I felt glad that I sat down. I ordered fried rice and a roll. I officially waited for 1 hour. Tony, (the chef and the boss?),was drinking all the time and wandering around even though there were orders waiting. The waiter was drinking too. And I saw Tony poured him self a glass of alcohol while he was making my roll and touched his nose while making others sushi which is kinda gross. And I can see him drunk and yelling all the time. I admit the food is not bad there but 60 bucks for a roll and fried rice? Definitely not going back!!!!!!
(2)Mihaela V.
This is not just a restaurant - it is a local phenomenon. Try it at least once before Tony retires!
(5)Erika K.
Took 3.5 hours to get 3 rolls of sushi. Not worth it, the sushi wasn't even that good. There are much better places for sushi within walking distance.
(1)Alex M.
Came to town to visit a college buddy of mine and he wanted to try this place out. We were running late and had to catch a movie in 40 minutes. Not the best in planning on our part. We were promptly seated by the waiter and then we noticed that the menus say that the food is prepared slowly and the customers must be patient. We should have just left then but we decided to ask the waiter. That's when the owner Tony asked what the problem was and lost his mind. The owner, Tony, is this old toothless Japanese guy who owns the place and makes the food. He wasn't having any of it and he started yelling incoherently in this thick accent: "I don't get rushed by anyone", "get the hell out", and more stuff about how he cooks his at his own pace ( (which is actually written by the bar). I don't think that's anyway to treat customers; it's not a good business practice and it's not polite. We merely asked a simple question. Anyway it went way too quick for me to react and we just left. I regret only one thing... which is not getting video of this! Please don't give this place any business but if you do keep your phones ready for s**t like this to happen and post it to YouTube where it belongs.
(1)Jennifer V.
I'll start off with the positives: the ingredients were VERY fresh, there were several options on the menu that looked very interesting, and the decor was unique and fun now for the negatives: sooooo expensive!!! my fiance and I got two sushi rolls and green tea and our bill came to $46 before tip. We almost got an order of friend rice because, according to the menu, it was "famous" but the after realizing it was $22 we decided against it. $22 for friend rice... seriously?! the sushi had a decent flavor but came out in such large pieces that it fell apart easily and was very difficult to eat. I've never experienced this issue at a sushi restaurant before. The presentation was a bit on the sloppy side. the wait staff was rude and unfriendly. We felt as if we were being hurried out of the restaurant as soon as we showed any sign of slowing down. I think we were the only customers there that weren't personal friends with some member of the staff. There were various signs and messages posted throughout the dining room and menu stating how unique and wonderful the place was which gave an over all condescending feel to the entire experience. There are much better (and cheaper) places in the area for good sushi. The food wasn't worth the price and the arrogant staff were less then a pleasure to deal with. I think I can safely say this will be our last trip to kokoro.
(2)Michael S.
Kokoro is easily one of the top-5 restaurants in Lafayette. It is not a "sushi joint," it is Japanese fine-dining. I have eaten at Kokoro numerous times, and have never had a bad dish. The great thing about this restaurant is one single chef(Tony) prepares every dish, which means it is extremely consistent. I hear horror stories about Tony's attitude, but he has always been respectful and cordial towards me. His wife is wonderful. Try the Mongolian Beef. it is my favorite dish in lafayette. the bad news: kokoro is expensive. expect to pay $20-$30 per person
(5)Kay N.
I just don't get how this place stays open. I have tried it a few times but gave up because the service is awful, the sushi bar is dirty and the sushi is expensive and mediocre. I went again recently at a friend's request. Neither of us finished our food and both of us initially got the wrong food then had to wait over 30 minutes at lunch time for more food. stay away!!
(1)Jenny A.
When looking for a new place to try food I always do my homework and read a lot of the negative and positive reviews. As I am a huge fan of sushi and Maru has been my favorite spot, this place hands down beats it. My boyfriend and I went for date night dinner around 6ish on a Friday night and were seated right away. It being our first time, we like to order their popular items and try something creative and new. Shrimp tempura was delicious, it wasn't greasy or flavorless and it was a big portion too. We chose three rolls and made it into a dinner. Finally I have found a place that makes miso soup correctly, and their sesame dressing for their salad is like crack. After reading reviews on what to try, we chose the reggae maki, alaskan maki, and bahama maki. The alaskan was my favorite because the fish tasted really fresh and it was quite a big sized roll. Reggae roll which is alligator meat was the boyfriends favorite, and we both weren't too excited about the bahama. Met Tony and thought he was really nice, and funny so unsure how some people had a bad experience with him but it was just our first time so never know. All in all we both left with full stomachs and to go boxes. Plan on trying more rolls, and some other items they serve. Really fun place for a date night and I kinda want to know where they get their bowls cause I want them. Some say its a bit over priced but the rolls are filled and quite large, plus he makes them personally so i'll gladly pay for something I know is made fresh.
(4)Timothy W.
MORE Sushi than you can eat- JUMBO ROLLS remember no choices- IT aint Burger King- LOL! But toooooo much special sauce for my taste Overall good and slow - great for relaxing as you eat Tony is a trip and he does wash his hands in the bathroom
(5)Katie C.
After driving cross-country to move to this area, my friend and I were craving some sushi and decided to quickly Yelp a place. Kokoro was toward the top of the list so in we went. After waiting for our rolls, which was perfectly fine, we receive the largest physical mass of... something... on our plates. I don't think I have ever seen sushi that large in my life. However, I still wasn't going to judge based on that. It could be excellent! Secondly, I ordered a rainbow roll, which typically has slices of a variety of fish layered over the top of a basic roll. However, instead, there were little cut up pieces within the roll itself. Which is not part of the point of why people really order a rainbow roll. But I still did not want to judge based on this, either. However the quality of the food after taking my first bite, was just absolutely awful. I ate a piece of my roll and could not muster any more. My best friend had some as well and was completely disappointed. And I felt horrible to waste food. So, we ended up leaving, craving unsatisfied, and just ordered a pizza. Don't think I will be going back.
(1)E A.
The place is the best place to get blue crab fried rice. Everyone I went with absolutely loved the dish. I always had good experience with them even though the service can be slow.
(5)Mia M.
Going to Kokoro and complaining about Tony's attitude is like going to Dick's Last Resort and griping about the waiter making you wear a stupid paper hat. Or, for a more local analogy, it'd be like going to the Neon Cactus and complaining because Bruce called you out for not singing or talking on your cell phone. IT'S PART OF THE EXPERIENCE, KIDS. We went to Kokoro around 8:00 on a Saturday night because the wait at Bistro 501 across the street was still going to be at least 45 minutes. After reading the reviews on Yelp, we were a little apprehensive, but it was cold and parking was limited downtown, so we decided to walk over and try it out. As soon as we walked up to the front door, we knew it was going to be amusing, not scary. There's a sign prominently placed by the hours that clearly states "THIS IS NOT TRADITIONAL JAPANESE FOOD. THIS IS TONY'S FOOD." The website address was also posted: sushinazi.com . Signs all over the restaurant indicated that it was Tony's way or the highway. I'm pretty sure if this guy took himself so seriously, he wouldn't be having as much fun playing up his reputation. The service was fine. Our waiter wasn't friendly, but he was efficient and that's really all that matters. We were in and out of there in a little over an hour, and that was with the place pretty much full. Yes, our food came out in five-minute increments, but with one guy doing all the sushi preparation, that's not too bad. I also don't think it's overpriced - we spent as much as we do at any other sushi restaurant. I got the miso soup and the spicy crab roll. My boyfriend got the Tony Roll (four different kinds of fish that Tony chooses [of course!]) and a Japanese sweet stout (I don't know the brand, but it has a cute little owl on it). We got the sashimi appetizer to split. The soup was a little salty, but good and hot. The sashimi was incredible. Best salmon I've ever had. The portions ARE huge, and no, the rolls didn't come out in the shape of a choo-choo train with a little wasabi panda under a paper umbrella waiting to board at the end of it. If you need that much entertainment in order to enjoy your food, go get a Happy Meal. I will say that the rolls are not "packed" tightly, so it makes them a little hard to hold onto. It became kind of a game between my boyfriend and me, testing which methods would work the best for harnessing the sushi. (I found that using the chopsticks as a sort of shovel worked for me.) Tony seemed to be in a good mood. A girl at another table gave her waiter a dollar to hear Tony sing, and when Tony found out what she wanted, he cheerfully flipped her the bird and went on about his business. Don't avoid this place because you're afraid of the chef harassing you or having to wait for several hours. I think college kids need to get a sense of humor and relax a little. If you're planning on taunting Tony, be prepared to get a reaction, but otherwise, just enjoy the reggae music, the delicious food and the funky decor.
(4)Michelle L.
This place is very expensive and I am not a huge sushi fan so for me not worth it. The chef is also very rude depending on his mood so I definitely suggest going elsewhere
(2)Adrienne K.
This is probably the best food in town. Try the Blue Crab Claw Fried Rice, you won't regret it! Also, the hibachi tofu, and hot and spicy tofu are both really good. I actually can't believe there is a bad thing on the menu. The sesame dressing for the salad is like crack. I have to restrain myself from licking the bowl. The miso soup is also excellent. I can't say enough good things about this place. It would definitely be my last meal on earth. Just remember you're in Tony's house so be respectful. The food is so amazing because of the care that goes into making it and like anything great, it takes time, but your patience will be rewarded. If you want mediocre fast-food go somewhere else. If you want an unforgettable meal, a place to sit down, savor, and enjoy the company you're with then you're in the right place.
(5)Chan H.
The food was delicious! Tony is a character - but I already expected it and he ended up being the night's entertainment! My boyfriend and I ordered the Steak Teriyaki to share and it was more than enough for the two of us. We were stuffed! Expect a long wait for your food. Tony and his wife Kay are the only ones who prepare the food and so the wait can be extensive. Go with good company and you'll have an amazingly satisfying experience.
(4)Janice M.
Food - 4/5 I'd say this place has the best sushi in West/Lafayette area. The rolls are extremely big. One roll can generally fill me up. :) The food here is well prepared by the owner of the restaurant, Tony. You can find him behind the sushi bar along with his wife. I had visited here several times while going to Purdue and hadn't once been disappointed in their food. Service: 2/5 As most people can be intimidated by Tony. Some may have gotten thrown out before. It is a good idea to read the first page of their menu, where it is telling you to be patient, which also implies.. DO NOT COMPLAIN. lol. I find it amusing of those stories I have heard from my fellow co-workers. Some got thrown out by wearing flip flops. Some got thrown out from complaining about the wait for food. Also, be sure to dress properly, no shorts, and for guys, absolutely no hats! Parking: 3/5 Street parking sometime could be unpleasant to find around downtown Lafayette. Go during a weekday will guarantee you a spot around that area. Fridays, and weekends are the busiest time but perhaps the food could make up for it. So make sure you don't get thrown out before taking your first bite ;). Overall: 3/5 Like many people have mentioned, the service could occasionally outweigh the food but if you are looking for the best sushi that does not require at least a 2-hr drive to indy or a 3-hr drive to chicago, Kokoro is definitely the place to go to.
(3)John T.
Stopped by Kokoro for lunch the other day. Nice aesthetics inside. Had the Tony maki roll. As the previous reviews point out, their rolls are quite large. But why so expensive? The fish was very fresh and tasty, but I paid $18.00 (incl. tax and tip) for one of their smaller rolls. I'm used to LA sushi, so maybe I'm a little jaded, but that's a little steep.
(3)Lauren M.
My boyfriend and I went there for a date on a Saturday. When we entered, the waiter told us it would be a long wait for the entrees, but we weren't in a hurry so we stayed anyways. The time they had quoted us was exaggerated (He said 1.5 hours and it only took about 40 min to get our food sushi). Our waiter was very friendly and knowledgable about the menu. It seemed like the kind of place where the waiters had worked there a long time and really cared about the success of the place. He made good recommendations on the sushi front. We ordered a Bahama Maki which was humongous and probably would have been enough for both of us. The other roll we ordered was the Tony maki which was also good, although, as the waiter warned us, does not contain any vegetables, cream cheese or sauces: just fish. If you don't like the taste of fish go for one of the bigger rolls. The size and quality are worth the price. For an appetizer we had the chicken tempura which was great and VERY big. If we go back, we will just get an appetizer and one roll. I drank wine and the Jun Cosmopolitan made with Shochu, a Japanese liquor, and it was excellent. My boyfriend had Asahi and Sapporo beers and like both. The waiter also gave us the Sapporo for free and Tony (the owner and chef) bought a round of shots for the whole place which were delicious! Overall, the service, food and ambience were great. It was comfortable and fun. You can tell Tony cares about the quality of food he puts out. We will definitely be returning soon.
(5)Adam W.
Went soon after they opened on a weekday. Took a long time for anyone to seat us. The salad was ok and the miso was really good. We ordered Tony Maki, which is just random fish in a maki roll, nothing else in it. Not great. Lafayette maki was really good. Also had a Spicy aurora which was monstrous, but pretty good. It took me three bites to eat some pieces and it's very rare I even take two bites at normal sushi places. All rolls are larger than average. The service was fast since we went early, but I think the prices are too high. I have gotten equivalent quality & quantity for $53 out the door around town whereas total bill was $75 for three rolls, 2 miso, 2 salads and tax/tip at Kokoro.
(3)Pat M.
Granted, my time at Purdue, and my usual times at Kokoro was a while ago. But a recent trip to Kokoro left me satisfied that the place hasn't changed, which is amazing because I graduated nearly 7 years ago, and even back then he was thinking of quitting. I have fond memories of going with friends or my girlfriends. The good: -You get a TON of food for the price, -Close enough to campus to work up an appetite to walk there and past the newly constructed (to me) mini mall on the Landing, and is close to a lot of nice cafes if you are early, -The food is an awesome blend of American tastes with Japanese and Chinese flavors, traditional or fusion, -This place is hands down the best sushi place for many miles around The bad: -To "keep prices down" the chef, Tony, does not have a lot of wait staff, and has no assistance in the kitchen besides his wife. This means during peak dinner times you have to wait 3 hours (not kidding) for food, and another hour to eat and get the check. -Attitude ... I don't care if the majority of patrons are immature college brats. You do not yell at them with very large, sharp knives. I've seen both sides of this man. You do NOT want to be on the wrong side.
(4)Duwi P.
The agedashi tofu is to kill for. Certainly one of the few places I would consider having my last meal at in this life.
(5)Matthew C.
I will definitely visit this place again after tony has passed away or retired. The owner of this restaurant, tony, is a racist person and he doesn't know how to cook. Apart from serving prepared food that can be reheated, he won't be able to serve customers anything other than time. If you live in the countryside, kokoro's sushi is probably the best you can ever have in your life. if you live in the city, you won't find the sushi any different from what you can buy off the shelf from japanese supermarkets. The fried rice is good from this restaurant because tony used to work for chinese restaurants, and chinese fried rice is probably the best you can probably find in this world. If you want to spend 4 hours to eat a bowl of fried rice, you should visit this restaurant. Your time will definitely be killed as well as your hard earned money.
(1)Mitch H.
I have been coming to this place for about 8 years now. Off and on since I haven't lived near Lafayette for the past 4, but it is a must stop whenever I'm in the vicinity. Tony is a great chef that creates huge portions of food with amazing nuances of flavor. One giant maki roll is enough as an entree, and the entrees are enough to stretch into at least 2 meals. My favorites include, Cajun Roll, Alligator Roll, Thai Fire Chicken, and Bibimbop. Tony makes the food himself, so don't go at peak times unless you are prepared to wait. I would say this is one of my favorite restaurants on the planet, and I don't say that lightly.
(5)Jennifer N.
I've tried many sushi restaurants, but I have not been able to find a sushi roll as good as the Spicy Jumbo Maui Roll! I wish I knew what Tony puts in there 'cuz I am missing it A LOT ever since I graduated. It's true that Tony is a bit mean to guests at times and he has personally yelled at our table for getting impatient (2+hrs of waiting), but I just can't find that roll anywhere else. So I am willing to take the beating. :D It's hard to believe that my favorite sushi roll is in West Lafayette, IN, but it's true. Try it out if you haven't already!
(5)Tiffany P.
I was hoping Kokoro would offer better sushi considering they had a pretty high rating on Yelp. I was wrong. 1. Everything is RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. $22 for a caterpillar roll?? I'm from California, and caterpillar rolls generally run between $8-9. And yes, they make pretty big rolls, but they're big because they use too much rice. 2. Presentation is TERRIBLE. I am a huge fan of sushi, and if you know sushi, you know presentation is a key element. The rolls we ordered were poorly put together - they were hardly circular. Also, the rice was unevenly placed on the roll. It was as if the chef didn't even try to make it pretty 3. Sushi pieces are supposed to be bite-sized so you can fit a whole one in your mouth. This is impossible with these rolls. Trying to dip the pieces in soy sauce/wasabi was a challenge as each piece basically fell apart in the dipping dish. I was looking forward to trying this place out since the owner is Japanese. I guess the vegetable tempura was decent, and the decorations were great. But, you'll find better sushi at Bea One and Heisei - and it'll be a whole lot cheaper. Oh yeah, and they play reggae music kind of loudly, which I thought was kind of weird.
(1)Pat M.
Granted, my time at Purdue, and my usual times at Kokoro was a while ago. But a recent trip to Kokoro left me satisfied that the place hasn't changed, which is amazing because I graduated nearly 7 years ago, and even back then he was thinking of quitting. I have fond memories of going with friends or my girlfriends. The good: -You get a TON of food for the price, -Close enough to campus to work up an appetite to walk there and past the newly constructed (to me) mini mall on the Landing, and is close to a lot of nice cafes if you are early, -The food is an awesome blend of American tastes with Japanese and Chinese flavors, traditional or fusion, -This place is hands down the best sushi place for many miles around The bad: -To "keep prices down" the chef, Tony, does not have a lot of wait staff, and has no assistance in the kitchen besides his wife. This means during peak dinner times you have to wait 3 hours (not kidding) for food, and another hour to eat and get the check. -Attitude ... I don't care if the majority of patrons are immature college brats. You do not yell at them with very large, sharp knives. I've seen both sides of this man. You do NOT want to be on the wrong side.
(4)Duwi P.
The agedashi tofu is to kill for. Certainly one of the few places I would consider having my last meal at in this life.
(5)Matthew C.
I will definitely visit this place again after tony has passed away or retired. The owner of this restaurant, tony, is a racist person and he doesn't know how to cook. Apart from serving prepared food that can be reheated, he won't be able to serve customers anything other than time. If you live in the countryside, kokoro's sushi is probably the best you can ever have in your life. if you live in the city, you won't find the sushi any different from what you can buy off the shelf from japanese supermarkets. The fried rice is good from this restaurant because tony used to work for chinese restaurants, and chinese fried rice is probably the best you can probably find in this world. If you want to spend 4 hours to eat a bowl of fried rice, you should visit this restaurant. Your time will definitely be killed as well as your hard earned money.
(1)Mitch H.
I have been coming to this place for about 8 years now. Off and on since I haven't lived near Lafayette for the past 4, but it is a must stop whenever I'm in the vicinity. Tony is a great chef that creates huge portions of food with amazing nuances of flavor. One giant maki roll is enough as an entree, and the entrees are enough to stretch into at least 2 meals. My favorites include, Cajun Roll, Alligator Roll, Thai Fire Chicken, and Bibimbop. Tony makes the food himself, so don't go at peak times unless you are prepared to wait. I would say this is one of my favorite restaurants on the planet, and I don't say that lightly.
(5)Jennifer N.
I've tried many sushi restaurants, but I have not been able to find a sushi roll as good as the Spicy Jumbo Maui Roll! I wish I knew what Tony puts in there 'cuz I am missing it A LOT ever since I graduated. It's true that Tony is a bit mean to guests at times and he has personally yelled at our table for getting impatient (2+hrs of waiting), but I just can't find that roll anywhere else. So I am willing to take the beating. :D It's hard to believe that my favorite sushi roll is in West Lafayette, IN, but it's true. Try it out if you haven't already!
(5)FioNa L.
The chief Tony is yelling at us the whole time! Just because we want to know if we can cancel one entire(we order four entire) if he didn't make it yet. We already kinda full after the salad and soup. He called us assholes! Even when we leaving he was still yelling at us! And said never come again!!! And keep saying the F word!!!!'nnJust because we ask if we can cancel one dish or not if he didn't make it yet?! OMG!! Can't believe the restaurant has open for these years!! Not worth it at all!
(1)Kayla T.
First time trying this place and I have to say I was not disappointed. I've heard many good things and many bad things about this restaurant, but my experience was nothing terrible, yet nothing spectacular. You are warned when you walk in to be seated that it is basically a one man show. We (two of us) went on a Friday night around 730 and were seated right away. I rather enjoyed the wait time between dishes because it gave myself and the person I was with time to catch up with each other and get hungry again. Not like some places where they are trying to flip tables so fast they all but shove the food down your throat. I appreciated the wait time, and I was not in any hurry nor felt hurried. All in all, great food, decent service (even offered us a few suggestions for our next visit), and I left with a full belly. A little pricey, but that's ok. The sauces were excellent as advertised, too!
(4)Greg S.
Slooooooooow. An hour to get 6 rolls. Overpriced as all get-out. Rolls are too big to eat without them falling apart. Might as well just put the ingredients in a big messy pile because that's where they end up. Doesn't even taste all that great either. It all tasted a little...off.
(1)Cindy L.
I really reall dont like Chef Tony. We watched him yell at a little 5 year old kid when the kid was touching his wine barrel decorations. We went back once with like 10 people... we ordered 9 dishes and he came out and yelled at us. Half of us were girls and didnt eat much. Keep in mind his portions are really really huge. He came out mad yelling at us for ordering 9 dishes and having 10 people. So we were like ok fine, we will order another agedashi tofu. He came out after and yelled at us still and threw the food on the table spilling stuff all over and onto other peoples clothes. the waiter there was apologizing for his behavior. Chef tony drinks on the job too, maybe thats why hes so angry. Angry drunk. The fried rice is good tho. Everything else is blah. Just get it to go. Or else youll wait for over an hr to get seated cus Chef tony takes his sweet little time
(1)Linda G.
Tony is fantastic and his good ... Delicious.. Truly an entertaining treat . Best sushi in the area !
(5)Dan W.
My fiancé and I went here once, and I don't see us going back. Although the ingredients were fresh, everything was way over priced and the rolls were ridiculously big. They fell apart immediately. Service was terrible. Heisei in west lafayette is the place to go around here if you're looking for fresh sushi and a great experience.
(2)Casey W.
Simply amazing! I have never had a bad experience here. Between Tonys eccentric personality to his amazingly flavorful and huge portioned dishes, I have always had a great time at Kokoros.
(5)Tianyi Y.
Needs w8ing for very long time usually. But the good there will make you feel it's worth w8ing for the time.
(4)Mihaela V.
This is not just a restaurant - it is a local phenomenon. Try it at least once before Tony retires!
(5)Erika K.
Took 3.5 hours to get 3 rolls of sushi. Not worth it, the sushi wasn't even that good. There are much better places for sushi within walking distance.
(1)Jim K.
I don't know what all the hype is about. The sushi is not good. The prices are outrageous and the chef has an exaggerated sense of himself that gets in the way of simply and humbly serving customers. First, the quality of the sushi is not good. It's garish and overdone. We ordered the Alligator Roll and the Jumbo Hot Maui Roll. Both rolls come ladled with some kind of mayonnaise cream that Tony calls his special sauce. Then he also serves a green chile pepper sauce and a HABANERO sauce with the rolls. I couldn't figure out whether I was in a Mexican restaurant or a sushi place. The Habanero sauce was so hot that it was inedible. Now . . . here's why this makes the sushi bad . . . sushi is supposed to be fresh, subtle and under-stated. Real Sushi Chefs let their fish speak for itself without fake, gimmicky sauces and pepper spreads. It doesn't look like Tony's had much formal sushi training based on these dishes. Then there are the prices . . . $21.95 for ONE sushi roll!!! That's double the price of what real sushi should be. He says the rolls are bigger so the higher price is justified. Nope. It's just another angle to put money in his pocket while giving you quantity instead of quality. Then there's the chef's attitude. You sit down and are handed a menu that says "50 seats, One man, BE PATIENT!" What kind of welcome is that? There are signs all over the restaurant telling you that Tony does every dish himself and that's why YOU should be patient with the long waits. Why is the service slower here? Every restaurant has one chef who cooks every entree. Every Diner has a chef, standing over a flat top grill, making every omelette. Every sushi restaurant should have a real sushi chef who offers fine sushi made quickly and elegantly. But at Kokoro, the customers have to wait longer because Tony does everything himself. It doesn't add up. The chef is poorly trained and that's why he takes too long to serve gimmicky, over-priced dishes. We will not be back.
(2)Sharon R.
I was pretty unimpressed with Kokoro. I can't believe that this is supposed to be the best sushi in town. Ah-z and maru seemed better quality for the price. I had the cucumber salad in light vinegar dressing and it was pretty good though I wish the liquid had been drained. It was basically cucumbers floating in vinegar. The sushi was big which had been warned by other reviewers but I felt bad for my mom who couldn't actually fit them in her mouth so they kept on disintegrating. The rice was also a bit raw. At the end of the day we spent around $50 for two rolls of sushi that were not well prepared with raw rice and the salads and soup. Megh. Not worth it. I doubt I'll come back. On another note though, if you do want to try it you should be going there soon since Chef Tony is retiring. Just look for the extremely melodramatic sign he put up all over the doors.
(3)Tanya S.
Very good food here and the portions are HUGE!!! I had the blue crab fried rice. Delicious!!! I also ordered the teriyaki steak. I wasn't expecting to get a large steak. I thought it would be cut into pieces sort of like what you would get at a hibachi grill.. I was mistaken. But it still was good, it hardly looked like I touched it, but I was so full. I'll come here again if I'm in the area.
(4)Fuzz H.
Bar-none, the best sushi that I've ever had. Every time I visit Lafayette, I make sure to save a few hours (and precious stomach space) for this downtown gem. Yes, Tony has a strong personality, and yes, food does take a while to prepare (~hr; I once waited 3 hrs for a 6-person meal), but the food is delicious.The portion sizes are completely worth the price tag as well. Fried rice? 2-3 meals; sushi roll - 1 roll = 1 meal (meal size equiv to a large from noodles and company). I highly recommend the salmon fried rice, spicy tuna roll, and caterpillar roll. Do yourself a favor, go visit Kokoro for dinner before we lose Tony's wonderful cooking. Remember to be humble, don't complain, and wear a jeans/closed-toe shoes (or more formal) attire (No hats!).
(5)Dia D.
When this restaurant first opened they were one of only two places in town to get sushi. The food was high quality so people put up with the very slow service. Now, there are many places in town that serve very good sushi for lower prices and with faster service. I ate here last night as part of a group of 5 and this is the first time that I've been here for many years (the last time I tried to eat here we were seated for an hour and a half with no food so we left). Last night our group of 5 ordered 5 rolls. Three people were finished eating before the last 2 people got their rolls. Yes, the rolls are huge (one cut roll filled a very large dinner plate), but they are expensive and I'm not sure that sushi is something that should be super sized. The rolls felt like the rice had been clumped together and the fish had big chunks hacked off....hardly the pleasing balance of rice and thinly sliced fish. I would much rather have smaller rolls and order a variety than fill up on one of these expensive super sized rolls.
(2)Faye L.
Went to this place to take out some food for my friends but was told take-out is not allowed which made no sense to me. I had to sit down to eat some thing and wrap it to go. Totally ridiculous!!! But later I felt glad that I sat down. I ordered fried rice and a roll. I officially waited for 1 hour. Tony, (the chef and the boss?),was drinking all the time and wandering around even though there were orders waiting. The waiter was drinking too. And I saw Tony poured him self a glass of alcohol while he was making my roll and touched his nose while making others sushi which is kinda gross. And I can see him drunk and yelling all the time. I admit the food is not bad there but 60 bucks for a roll and fried rice? Definitely not going back!!!!!!
(2)Ayaka H.
Personally I am not a fan of this place. Here are the reasons: 1) Chef is very rude and yells frequently. Not a good place to go on a date. He says "If you want fast food, go to mcdonalds" very often. 2) SLOW. be prepared to spend 3 freaking hours in the restaurant. It's just not worth it. 3) The food is not that great. I'm from Los angeles and if you go to west coast or east coast you will find great food for not even half the price. 4) They don't take reservations, so you have to be prepared to wait for a long, long time. So overall I do not like this place. I am Japanese and I don't even think the food is great. The chef is arrogant which makes me lose my apetite.
(1)Jackie L.
As delicious as everyone says. Sadly, the place is closing because Tony is retiring.
(4)Alex M.
Came to town to visit a college buddy of mine and he wanted to try this place out. We were running late and had to catch a movie in 40 minutes. Not the best in planning on our part. We were promptly seated by the waiter and then we noticed that the menus say that the food is prepared slowly and the customers must be patient. We should have just left then but we decided to ask the waiter. That's when the owner Tony asked what the problem was and lost his mind. The owner, Tony, is this old toothless Japanese guy who owns the place and makes the food. He wasn't having any of it and he started yelling incoherently in this thick accent: "I don't get rushed by anyone", "get the hell out", and more stuff about how he cooks his at his own pace ( (which is actually written by the bar). I don't think that's anyway to treat customers; it's not a good business practice and it's not polite. We merely asked a simple question. Anyway it went way too quick for me to react and we just left. I regret only one thing... which is not getting video of this! Please don't give this place any business but if you do keep your phones ready for s**t like this to happen and post it to YouTube where it belongs.
(1)Jennifer V.
I'll start off with the positives: the ingredients were VERY fresh, there were several options on the menu that looked very interesting, and the decor was unique and fun now for the negatives: sooooo expensive!!! my fiance and I got two sushi rolls and green tea and our bill came to $46 before tip. We almost got an order of friend rice because, according to the menu, it was "famous" but the after realizing it was $22 we decided against it. $22 for friend rice... seriously?! the sushi had a decent flavor but came out in such large pieces that it fell apart easily and was very difficult to eat. I've never experienced this issue at a sushi restaurant before. The presentation was a bit on the sloppy side. the wait staff was rude and unfriendly. We felt as if we were being hurried out of the restaurant as soon as we showed any sign of slowing down. I think we were the only customers there that weren't personal friends with some member of the staff. There were various signs and messages posted throughout the dining room and menu stating how unique and wonderful the place was which gave an over all condescending feel to the entire experience. There are much better (and cheaper) places in the area for good sushi. The food wasn't worth the price and the arrogant staff were less then a pleasure to deal with. I think I can safely say this will be our last trip to kokoro.
(2)Michael S.
Kokoro is easily one of the top-5 restaurants in Lafayette. It is not a "sushi joint," it is Japanese fine-dining. I have eaten at Kokoro numerous times, and have never had a bad dish. The great thing about this restaurant is one single chef(Tony) prepares every dish, which means it is extremely consistent. I hear horror stories about Tony's attitude, but he has always been respectful and cordial towards me. His wife is wonderful. Try the Mongolian Beef. it is my favorite dish in lafayette. the bad news: kokoro is expensive. expect to pay $20-$30 per person
(5)Kay N.
I just don't get how this place stays open. I have tried it a few times but gave up because the service is awful, the sushi bar is dirty and the sushi is expensive and mediocre. I went again recently at a friend's request. Neither of us finished our food and both of us initially got the wrong food then had to wait over 30 minutes at lunch time for more food. stay away!!
(1)Jenny A.
When looking for a new place to try food I always do my homework and read a lot of the negative and positive reviews. As I am a huge fan of sushi and Maru has been my favorite spot, this place hands down beats it. My boyfriend and I went for date night dinner around 6ish on a Friday night and were seated right away. It being our first time, we like to order their popular items and try something creative and new. Shrimp tempura was delicious, it wasn't greasy or flavorless and it was a big portion too. We chose three rolls and made it into a dinner. Finally I have found a place that makes miso soup correctly, and their sesame dressing for their salad is like crack. After reading reviews on what to try, we chose the reggae maki, alaskan maki, and bahama maki. The alaskan was my favorite because the fish tasted really fresh and it was quite a big sized roll. Reggae roll which is alligator meat was the boyfriends favorite, and we both weren't too excited about the bahama. Met Tony and thought he was really nice, and funny so unsure how some people had a bad experience with him but it was just our first time so never know. All in all we both left with full stomachs and to go boxes. Plan on trying more rolls, and some other items they serve. Really fun place for a date night and I kinda want to know where they get their bowls cause I want them. Some say its a bit over priced but the rolls are filled and quite large, plus he makes them personally so i'll gladly pay for something I know is made fresh.
(4)Timothy W.
MORE Sushi than you can eat- JUMBO ROLLS remember no choices- IT aint Burger King- LOL! But toooooo much special sauce for my taste Overall good and slow - great for relaxing as you eat Tony is a trip and he does wash his hands in the bathroom
(5)Katie C.
After driving cross-country to move to this area, my friend and I were craving some sushi and decided to quickly Yelp a place. Kokoro was toward the top of the list so in we went. After waiting for our rolls, which was perfectly fine, we receive the largest physical mass of... something... on our plates. I don't think I have ever seen sushi that large in my life. However, I still wasn't going to judge based on that. It could be excellent! Secondly, I ordered a rainbow roll, which typically has slices of a variety of fish layered over the top of a basic roll. However, instead, there were little cut up pieces within the roll itself. Which is not part of the point of why people really order a rainbow roll. But I still did not want to judge based on this, either. However the quality of the food after taking my first bite, was just absolutely awful. I ate a piece of my roll and could not muster any more. My best friend had some as well and was completely disappointed. And I felt horrible to waste food. So, we ended up leaving, craving unsatisfied, and just ordered a pizza. Don't think I will be going back.
(1)Jay D.
Sushi was below average. Huge sushi pieces without much taste to them that would fall apart as u grab them. The fried rice was good though. Tony was crazy yelling at the poor waitress from his kitchen. It was entertaining but the sushi was not worth the long wait !!
(2)X L.
Not worth the super long time waiting for the food. Maybe it is necessary for them to put the disclaimer outside the restaurant "it's not Japanese food, it's tony's food." The sushi roll is big, hard to bite in. The ingredient is ok, but the combination is bad. Other dishes such as the yaki soba are just too greasy.
(2)Joey C.
By far, the best sushi in town. Super SLOW service, but the food is worth the wait!
(4)Mia M.
Going to Kokoro and complaining about Tony's attitude is like going to Dick's Last Resort and griping about the waiter making you wear a stupid paper hat. Or, for a more local analogy, it'd be like going to the Neon Cactus and complaining because Bruce called you out for not singing or talking on your cell phone. IT'S PART OF THE EXPERIENCE, KIDS. We went to Kokoro around 8:00 on a Saturday night because the wait at Bistro 501 across the street was still going to be at least 45 minutes. After reading the reviews on Yelp, we were a little apprehensive, but it was cold and parking was limited downtown, so we decided to walk over and try it out. As soon as we walked up to the front door, we knew it was going to be amusing, not scary. There's a sign prominently placed by the hours that clearly states "THIS IS NOT TRADITIONAL JAPANESE FOOD. THIS IS TONY'S FOOD." The website address was also posted: sushinazi.com . Signs all over the restaurant indicated that it was Tony's way or the highway. I'm pretty sure if this guy took himself so seriously, he wouldn't be having as much fun playing up his reputation. The service was fine. Our waiter wasn't friendly, but he was efficient and that's really all that matters. We were in and out of there in a little over an hour, and that was with the place pretty much full. Yes, our food came out in five-minute increments, but with one guy doing all the sushi preparation, that's not too bad. I also don't think it's overpriced - we spent as much as we do at any other sushi restaurant. I got the miso soup and the spicy crab roll. My boyfriend got the Tony Roll (four different kinds of fish that Tony chooses [of course!]) and a Japanese sweet stout (I don't know the brand, but it has a cute little owl on it). We got the sashimi appetizer to split. The soup was a little salty, but good and hot. The sashimi was incredible. Best salmon I've ever had. The portions ARE huge, and no, the rolls didn't come out in the shape of a choo-choo train with a little wasabi panda under a paper umbrella waiting to board at the end of it. If you need that much entertainment in order to enjoy your food, go get a Happy Meal. I will say that the rolls are not "packed" tightly, so it makes them a little hard to hold onto. It became kind of a game between my boyfriend and me, testing which methods would work the best for harnessing the sushi. (I found that using the chopsticks as a sort of shovel worked for me.) Tony seemed to be in a good mood. A girl at another table gave her waiter a dollar to hear Tony sing, and when Tony found out what she wanted, he cheerfully flipped her the bird and went on about his business. Don't avoid this place because you're afraid of the chef harassing you or having to wait for several hours. I think college kids need to get a sense of humor and relax a little. If you're planning on taunting Tony, be prepared to get a reaction, but otherwise, just enjoy the reggae music, the delicious food and the funky decor.
(4)Michelle L.
This place is very expensive and I am not a huge sushi fan so for me not worth it. The chef is also very rude depending on his mood so I definitely suggest going elsewhere
(2)E A.
The place is the best place to get blue crab fried rice. Everyone I went with absolutely loved the dish. I always had good experience with them even though the service can be slow.
(5)Janice M.
Food - 4/5 I'd say this place has the best sushi in West/Lafayette area. The rolls are extremely big. One roll can generally fill me up. :) The food here is well prepared by the owner of the restaurant, Tony. You can find him behind the sushi bar along with his wife. I had visited here several times while going to Purdue and hadn't once been disappointed in their food. Service: 2/5 As most people can be intimidated by Tony. Some may have gotten thrown out before. It is a good idea to read the first page of their menu, where it is telling you to be patient, which also implies.. DO NOT COMPLAIN. lol. I find it amusing of those stories I have heard from my fellow co-workers. Some got thrown out by wearing flip flops. Some got thrown out from complaining about the wait for food. Also, be sure to dress properly, no shorts, and for guys, absolutely no hats! Parking: 3/5 Street parking sometime could be unpleasant to find around downtown Lafayette. Go during a weekday will guarantee you a spot around that area. Fridays, and weekends are the busiest time but perhaps the food could make up for it. So make sure you don't get thrown out before taking your first bite ;). Overall: 3/5 Like many people have mentioned, the service could occasionally outweigh the food but if you are looking for the best sushi that does not require at least a 2-hr drive to indy or a 3-hr drive to chicago, Kokoro is definitely the place to go to.
(3)Lauren M.
My boyfriend and I went there for a date on a Saturday. When we entered, the waiter told us it would be a long wait for the entrees, but we weren't in a hurry so we stayed anyways. The time they had quoted us was exaggerated (He said 1.5 hours and it only took about 40 min to get our food sushi). Our waiter was very friendly and knowledgable about the menu. It seemed like the kind of place where the waiters had worked there a long time and really cared about the success of the place. He made good recommendations on the sushi front. We ordered a Bahama Maki which was humongous and probably would have been enough for both of us. The other roll we ordered was the Tony maki which was also good, although, as the waiter warned us, does not contain any vegetables, cream cheese or sauces: just fish. If you don't like the taste of fish go for one of the bigger rolls. The size and quality are worth the price. For an appetizer we had the chicken tempura which was great and VERY big. If we go back, we will just get an appetizer and one roll. I drank wine and the Jun Cosmopolitan made with Shochu, a Japanese liquor, and it was excellent. My boyfriend had Asahi and Sapporo beers and like both. The waiter also gave us the Sapporo for free and Tony (the owner and chef) bought a round of shots for the whole place which were delicious! Overall, the service, food and ambience were great. It was comfortable and fun. You can tell Tony cares about the quality of food he puts out. We will definitely be returning soon.
(5)Adam W.
Went soon after they opened on a weekday. Took a long time for anyone to seat us. The salad was ok and the miso was really good. We ordered Tony Maki, which is just random fish in a maki roll, nothing else in it. Not great. Lafayette maki was really good. Also had a Spicy aurora which was monstrous, but pretty good. It took me three bites to eat some pieces and it's very rare I even take two bites at normal sushi places. All rolls are larger than average. The service was fast since we went early, but I think the prices are too high. I have gotten equivalent quality & quantity for $53 out the door around town whereas total bill was $75 for three rolls, 2 miso, 2 salads and tax/tip at Kokoro.
(3)Tiffany P.
I was hoping Kokoro would offer better sushi considering they had a pretty high rating on Yelp. I was wrong. 1. Everything is RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. $22 for a caterpillar roll?? I'm from California, and caterpillar rolls generally run between $8-9. And yes, they make pretty big rolls, but they're big because they use too much rice. 2. Presentation is TERRIBLE. I am a huge fan of sushi, and if you know sushi, you know presentation is a key element. The rolls we ordered were poorly put together - they were hardly circular. Also, the rice was unevenly placed on the roll. It was as if the chef didn't even try to make it pretty 3. Sushi pieces are supposed to be bite-sized so you can fit a whole one in your mouth. This is impossible with these rolls. Trying to dip the pieces in soy sauce/wasabi was a challenge as each piece basically fell apart in the dipping dish. I was looking forward to trying this place out since the owner is Japanese. I guess the vegetable tempura was decent, and the decorations were great. But, you'll find better sushi at Bea One and Heisei - and it'll be a whole lot cheaper. Oh yeah, and they play reggae music kind of loudly, which I thought was kind of weird.
(1)John T.
Stopped by Kokoro for lunch the other day. Nice aesthetics inside. Had the Tony maki roll. As the previous reviews point out, their rolls are quite large. But why so expensive? The fish was very fresh and tasty, but I paid $18.00 (incl. tax and tip) for one of their smaller rolls. I'm used to LA sushi, so maybe I'm a little jaded, but that's a little steep.
(3)Diana M.
I went to Kokoro for my birthday dinner, and the atmosphere was somewhat dead. It is definitely pricier than some of the other sushi restaurants I've been to, and in my opinion, it wasn't worth it. We waited about 40 minutes for our food to arrive because it all gets prepared by one chef - Tony. Also, my sushi would fall apart on the plate because it wasn't rolled tightly enough to stay together. Overall, the food wasn't bad, but for the money, I could've gone to Heisei and got something better.
(2)Thuy T.
Best sushi in Indiana, the rolls are the size of your fist! It's pretty expensive but keep in mind the portions are like family size. I love the Spicy Jumbo Maui Roll and the Alligator roll, because you get a lot of meat. This is not the typical one bite sushi, more like 2-3 bites depending how much you can stuff in your mouth. There is only one chef and he prepares everything at the time you order so be patience and you will not be sorry.
(5)Alyson E.
The sushi portions are quite large yes, but so is the price. This is a good choice if 3 or 4 of you are going share the meal amongst yourselves (and split the beer). But it is something of an institution in West Lafayette, and you should go just to hear Tony yelling :)
(3)Grace L.
My Purdue alumni husband raved about this place FOREVER. Be forewarned..this place is not typical, gentle, or even sensible. Tony, the owner, is yes, loud and obnoxious. When I've heard of this place from other alumni, I hear Tony and sushi nazi in the same breath. The prices are not that kind, but the food is decent. Maxi makis are what he is famous for. If you like fried rice, take a chance on those. Just remind yourself that you are in West Lafayette, IN eating sushi.
(3)Ella B.
Kokoro deserves every single one of these stars! The owners here are FABULOUS! They are the sweetest business owners I have ever met. Tony's wife, Kay, is the sweetest lady EVER! She walks around tables to make sure everything is ok and will make the sweetest remarks. Tony is also a character and is always a good laugh with his funny comments. The rolls here are a tad pricey, but that's because they are HUGE. Nothing like your small tiny rolls that you will find at most sushi restaurants. The alligator sushi roll is delicious! Definitely worth trying and always my favorite. They also offer vegetarian rolls which were perfect for my guest who is vegan. It was so hard to find a place that offers appetizing vegan food, but my guest LOVED IT HERE! The only down side is it takes a while to be seated sometimes and the food takes a long time to come out. (this is because they have only one chef) Sushi rolls also come out at totally different times where you may be waiting a while other people in your party are already eating. BUT if you are with good company and are not in a hurry this should not bother you at all. In fact, it gives you a great chance to spend some quality time talking with the people at your table.
(5)Megan C.
The food is pretty good. The sushi isn't my favorite, but the fried rice is great. The service is slow, but if you can go in expecting that you can make it a good time. If you are being annoying Tony is probably going to be rude, but maybe you have it coming.... Lastly, the portions are HUGE and take this as a hint that you should view this as family style serving. Sharing an entree between two people makes the price perfectly affordable and the service much quicker. Tony and his wife are the only ones cooking and that is going to take awhile to do, so go in expecting to spend the evening enjoying a meal, drinks and conversation.
(4)Laura T.
HUGE ROLLS!!! very yummy sushi, and Angry Tony as I like to call him can be cranky, but I think it adds to the atmosphere. after all the wonderful experiences I've had after 4 years at Purdue, I still tend to rank Kokoro as top 5 go there, you will not be dissapointed
(5)k e.
If this restaurant was in a place with any visible competition it might be mediocre. I have been dragged here for dinner and lunch multiple times by people who act like it's the best thing since sliced bread. Every time the food seems to have been slapped together with no attention to flavor. The only thing that this place has going is size. You get huge portions that IME always fall apart before you get them off your plate. Worse yet I've seen multiple people get kicked out for no reason other than the owner is a snob. And no, I haven't been kicked out personally. I just dont see any reason to pay the inflated prices for a meal that is bland given the better alternatives in the area such as Heisei or Asahi.
(2)Susanto I.
In my opinion, the sushi is not bad, but not outstanding. However, their thai fire chicken and crab fried rice is amazing! The price is a little on the high side and the cook (Tony) could be sensitive, but the food is great. The Korean BBQ beef is great as well. This is the best Japanese restaurant in the Purdue area.
(5)Maurilio M.
Expect a wait, but it is worth it. Bob Marley playing over the speaker and a time to sit and socialize. Relax and enjoy and you will love the experience.
(4)Amy J.
I live in San Francisco, and have countless awesome sushi restaurants everywhere I look. A lot of people in Lafayette love this place. If I lived in Lafayette and only had 1 or 2 sushi joints to go to I would perhaps give this 5 stars. I was only there once and at the time it seemed like enough for me. My rolls were very sloppily doused in sauces which was a mess. I was not impressed. There wasn't much of an atmosphere. Our server was a nice kid. Bea One has better sushi and a more hip atmosphere, but I would give Kokoro another shot. Maybe next year.
(3)Stephy W.
Kokoro simply has the best sushi anywhere ever. People from Chicago have said that they have yet to eat sushi anywhere as good as Kokoro's. The restaurant is owned by "Crazy Tony," who is known to be a stickler of quality food. Though the wait can be long for your sushi, it is definitely worth it. I have found that if you come around opening time, the sushi wait is much shorter. The sauces are quite original and delicious, I highly suggest the spicy salmon roll and the roe nigiri is incredible. I dream of this sushi, that's how good it is. The atmosphere is pleasant and original with dim lighting with a large painting of Hokkaido on a wall, a beautiful kimono on another wall and rice/sake shipment boxes in the center of the floor which take up empty space that would otherwise make the room feel not as cozy. There is a full bar with special cocktails and drinks as well as beers on tap. For a guy who seems to be somewhat anal, he's a great fan of Bob Marley, so expect to listen to reggae the entire time you are there. Prices can seem a bit steep initially for sushi in Indiana, but the value is really incredible for the food you get.
(5)Carina A.
If I could eat anywhere EVERY day and be okay with it, it would be HERE! The sushi is warm, fresh, and lovingly made by the Master himself, Tony. BIG rolls, too! Have had sushi all over the country, some of it quite fabulous, but have NEVER had rolls this big or this good! And, though the wait can be substantial, I agree with the others: art takes time! And it is WORTH IT. Assume an hour and a half, at least, to have dinner here. I'd say dinner for 2 is, on average, about $40-50 or so. Great place to celebrate something! Or just to celebrate life and the availability of great sushi! Assume, if you are hungry on arrival, that you will add the miso soup and salad to your order...you will be happy you did! Makes the wait seem shorter...lol I cannot remember even leaving this place without a warm, happy feeling inside and a satisfied tummy! Tony is such great entertainment, as well...lol And Kaye is the sweetest and most wonderful person, ever! Only a person of such compassion could "deal with" Tony! As abrasive as he may seem, to the un-initiated, he is a SWEETIE! Have known them for over ten years! They both have hearts of gold! I wish I could tell you about non-sushi dishes, but I can't remember NOT ordering sushi! lol I am sure everything else is just as wonderful, though...it couldn't help but be! sushinazi.com for news and info about this great place! Good for groups, beautiful decor, just GO!
(5)Bing B.
Best rolls that i have ever tasted (i have had better sushi, but its close). Wait can be a bit long for food, a bit expensive for WL, and occasionally you might get "kicked out for life" (he forgets) from the restaurant for pissing off Tony (the owner/chief. just dont be a drunken college jackass and for good measure kiss up to Kay, his wife and u should be ok), but if you can get around that and you happen to be in West Lafayette or at Purdue, its a must go.
(5)FioNa L.
The chief Tony is yelling at us the whole time! Just because we want to know if we can cancel one entire(we order four entire) if he didn't make it yet. We already kinda full after the salad and soup. He called us assholes! Even when we leaving he was still yelling at us! And said never come again!!! And keep saying the F word!!!!'nnJust because we ask if we can cancel one dish or not if he didn't make it yet?! OMG!! Can't believe the restaurant has open for these years!! Not worth it at all!
(1)Cindy L.
I really reall dont like Chef Tony. We watched him yell at a little 5 year old kid when the kid was touching his wine barrel decorations. We went back once with like 10 people... we ordered 9 dishes and he came out and yelled at us. Half of us were girls and didnt eat much. Keep in mind his portions are really really huge. He came out mad yelling at us for ordering 9 dishes and having 10 people. So we were like ok fine, we will order another agedashi tofu. He came out after and yelled at us still and threw the food on the table spilling stuff all over and onto other peoples clothes. the waiter there was apologizing for his behavior. Chef tony drinks on the job too, maybe thats why hes so angry. Angry drunk. The fried rice is good tho. Everything else is blah. Just get it to go. Or else youll wait for over an hr to get seated cus Chef tony takes his sweet little time
(1)Linda G.
Tony is fantastic and his good ... Delicious.. Truly an entertaining treat . Best sushi in the area !
(5)Dan W.
My fiancé and I went here once, and I don't see us going back. Although the ingredients were fresh, everything was way over priced and the rolls were ridiculously big. They fell apart immediately. Service was terrible. Heisei in west lafayette is the place to go around here if you're looking for fresh sushi and a great experience.
(2)Casey W.
Simply amazing! I have never had a bad experience here. Between Tonys eccentric personality to his amazingly flavorful and huge portioned dishes, I have always had a great time at Kokoros.
(5)Julia P.
This review is for visits I've had here back in 2001 and 2002. Even back then, the hot headed and arrogant Tony threatened to close but wow, this place is still open. It's not a sushi place persay - it's more of a sushi rolls type of place with extensive amounts of creativity. I'd say it's one of the better places I've been even living in California if you like sushi rolls. His attitude still sucks but I think that's part of the charm of this place.
(4)Chuck A.
Tony, your prices are over the top. Step up the portions, lower the prices and improve the customer service. The wait for my meal was simply painful. This looks to the norm here in downtown LAF. This in not ideal when plans follow dinner. Food simply ok. After two hours my opinion is the place and Tony's approach to one man one kitchen sucks and should be avoided. Nothing worthwhile to attempt a return visit.
(2)April S.
I love the fried rice! Sushi is good, fried rice is fabulous! Steak teriyaki is very very good! Tony is a great chef!
(5)Teresa N.
This place was such a joke! - Chef is soooooooo arrogant, opposite of the modest Japanese culture - Terrible service, like a 3-hour dinner? You think you are dinning at Alinea or Joel Robuchon? - EXTREMELY OVERPRICED, you can get better quality for not even half of the price there. You drop like a $100 eating rolls and fried rice there? Seriously? I feel sorry for the foodies that live in Lafayette as the choices of restaurants there are extremely limited. There is no way Kokoro can stay in business in places like San Diego.
(1)Kentaro L.
This cannot be Japanese food. This was so messy, dirty, and I have no idea what it was. But the only thing I can certainly say is that this is NOT JAPANESE FOOD. Instead, we need to call this "Tony's" food.
(1)Carol W.
The most flavorful fried rice ever! Portions of the rice and rolls are larger than I have seen at other restaurants, so order accordingly. This is not a place for a quick meal and I loved how the host made sure we understood that it would take awhile to get our food. Worth the wait.
(5)Phi N.
The starter salad and miso soup were pretty good for what they are. We then got the sashimi deluxe, alligator rolls, and something with shrimp in it... I don't usually do the rolls, but my friend wanted them. Leave it to girls to get sushi that's not raw fish, lol. Anyway, the alligator is kind of cool, but both of hte rolls were pretty dry and boring. Portion sizes for those were at least large. The sashimi pieces were fairly small, and it's not the freshest I've had. Then again, I'm not sure what type of quality fish comes to west lafayette, so this may be the best to offer. I really just care about the salmon to be honest. The pieces weren't large, nor did they melt in your mouth. Crazy Tony is the best part about this place! he's funny and his signs and decorations are fun. Too bad his food is just whatever. Serving us were two white girls. They seemed cool and were good waitresses. Prices were quite expensive, even for sushi (which is already overpriced).
(2)Peggy C.
I went there because I heard the chef was quite a character. He insisted on his style in every single thing you experienced in his restaurant. I took it as a good sign for a Japanese business owner. When I opened the menu, I was surprised by the price. $15 for gyoza? $40 for sashimi deluxe? $19+ for a sushi row? Was I in Lafayette, IN or New York, NY? Because Kokoro was claimed to be a sushi bar, and because I had been seated, I decided to give it a try. When my order was taken, I asked about the proportion. The waiter said for sushi, the higher price means more food from 4 to 8 pieces of sushi. Still, our mental image of a sushi piece was like a 1-dollar coin. So, My bf and I ordered three rows just in case we were not full after one row each. Oh man, we were wrong. Rows were HUGE. Each piece of a given row was like a rice ball with fish and sauce wrapped inside. I summed up three points for my assessment: 1) Too much rice. Although the quality of the rice was decent and fresh, it was too much. I never had felt so stuffed with carb in a sushi place. 2) Too much sauce. Personally I don't like sauce on fresh raw seafood. It just covers up all the flavor. No matter how special "Tony's special spicy mayo" was, I would prefer it on the side rather than all over the sushi. 3) Good seafood. I have to give points here. The fish and crab meat were really not bad. Finally, the owner was indeed an interesting loud character. He made everything by himself. He talked to frequent customers and laughed hard. He rules there, but.... I have no confidence if he would be the ruler outside this decaying town. For local people, I suggest you drive up to Chicago or down to Indianapolis for reasonably-priced and much better Japanese food.
(2)Stewart B.
There were consistent intervals between the courses, which allowed ample time to reflect on the superior taste, flavor, and preparation. We appreciate Tony's aggressive kindness and passion for creating truly phenomenal food. The staff, Sadie and another gentleman were true ambassadors for this Kokoro experience. We will return with frequency.
(5)J. K.
Look like Japanese restaurant. But it's kind of Americanized one. Most of dishes are pricy n take too long time to get each dishes after ordering. Approximately half an hour or longer. I love Japanese restaurant. But price is almost same with high-end restaurant but the taste is just so so. I don't understand why all of dishes are expensive.
(2)Joe S.
Tony's a unique chef. I've been going to his place since it was a hole in the wall in the 90s. He prepares 90% of the food, and there's a warning about that right on the menu. If you don't have patience go to McDonalds. One of my favorite places.
(5)Hailee H.
Words cannot express how much I love this place. Every single thing I have ever tried there has been incredible. I have had sushi in many different states and even countries and this is by far the best I have ever had. Who knew you'd find that in Lafayette, Indiana of all places! You have to go in with the expectation that you'll be there for awhile because Tony basically cooks everything himself, but it is so worth it. It is expensive, so it's something to do on a special occasion, but there's a reason it costs that much; it is very high quality food and you get pretty large portions. I cannot recommend this place enough. If you ever get the chance to, go there!
(5)Laura C.
I'll come clean. I'm half-Japanese. My family is from California. I grew up in western Washington. I've lived in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago (the cities, not the suburbs), and Atlanta (both city and suburb). If you're me, or have a similar background, I 100% guarantee you that you will not like this place. 1) Sure, the chef is Japanese. He also is his own gimmick. It made me laugh at first, but then I thought, is this what all these white kids from Lafayette think of all Japanese or Asian people? Is this ultimately a disservice, that you can laugh at him, but you're laughing at his accent and his ESL bluster? Ugh. 2) The rolls are huge. Huge. Big rolls are not sushi. They are not Japanese. They are usually a sign of a white clientele. You know what else is the sign of a white clientele? Being in Lafayette, IN. So I won't count this against the restaurant. 3) Servers are college kids. This is my sense. I know this may sound weird, since I did work food service right out of high school, and I believe that everyone has the right to do what they gotta do to make it, but sometimes I want a professional server. Someone who does this and who is doing this for awhile. Especially when you're charging $20 for shrimp fried rice. 4) Yes, the fried rice is $20 and up. First of all, no one should offer fried rice at a fancy Japanese restaurant. Secondly, since fried rice is technically rice leftovers, no one should charge that much for fried rice. Thirdly, I shouldn't have ordered it. But I did, and split it with my colleague. It was tasty. Not $20 worth of tasty, though. 5) I swear the shumai cost us $12 or $15. Shumai. You know, the dumplings you can get in the freezer section. Even if he made them himself, it shouldn't cost that much. And then, the young man serving us asked us if we'd had shumai before. You mean, DO I LIVE IN AMERICA??? I said, yes, lots. He said this was the best he'd ever had. I said it was fine. Because, seriously, the shumai were fine. Not the best. Because... whatever. You can guess why. 5) This place was within walking distance of our hotel. Thumbs-up. Sigh. *facepalm*
(2)Alex G.
Best Asian food in the area. It is a bit expensive but you get what you pay for. Highly recommended.
(5)Kayla T.
First time trying this place and I have to say I was not disappointed. I've heard many good things and many bad things about this restaurant, but my experience was nothing terrible, yet nothing spectacular. You are warned when you walk in to be seated that it is basically a one man show. We (two of us) went on a Friday night around 730 and were seated right away. I rather enjoyed the wait time between dishes because it gave myself and the person I was with time to catch up with each other and get hungry again. Not like some places where they are trying to flip tables so fast they all but shove the food down your throat. I appreciated the wait time, and I was not in any hurry nor felt hurried. All in all, great food, decent service (even offered us a few suggestions for our next visit), and I left with a full belly. A little pricey, but that's ok. The sauces were excellent as advertised, too!
(4)Greg S.
Slooooooooow. An hour to get 6 rolls. Overpriced as all get-out. Rolls are too big to eat without them falling apart. Might as well just put the ingredients in a big messy pile because that's where they end up. Doesn't even taste all that great either. It all tasted a little...off.
(1)Michael S.
Kokoro is easily one of the top-5 restaurants in Lafayette. It is not a "sushi joint," it is Japanese fine-dining. I have eaten at Kokoro numerous times, and have never had a bad dish. The great thing about this restaurant is one single chef(Tony) prepares every dish, which means it is extremely consistent. I hear horror stories about Tony's attitude, but he has always been respectful and cordial towards me. His wife is wonderful. Try the Mongolian Beef. it is my favorite dish in lafayette. the bad news: kokoro is expensive. expect to pay $20-$30 per person
(5)Kay N.
I just don't get how this place stays open. I have tried it a few times but gave up because the service is awful, the sushi bar is dirty and the sushi is expensive and mediocre. I went again recently at a friend's request. Neither of us finished our food and both of us initially got the wrong food then had to wait over 30 minutes at lunch time for more food. stay away!!
(1)Tianyi Y.
Needs w8ing for very long time usually. But the good there will make you feel it's worth w8ing for the time.
(4)X L.
Not worth the super long time waiting for the food. Maybe it is necessary for them to put the disclaimer outside the restaurant "it's not Japanese food, it's tony's food." The sushi roll is big, hard to bite in. The ingredient is ok, but the combination is bad. Other dishes such as the yaki soba are just too greasy.
(2)E A.
The place is the best place to get blue crab fried rice. Everyone I went with absolutely loved the dish. I always had good experience with them even though the service can be slow.
(5)Jim K.
I don't know what all the hype is about. The sushi is not good. The prices are outrageous and the chef has an exaggerated sense of himself that gets in the way of simply and humbly serving customers. First, the quality of the sushi is not good. It's garish and overdone. We ordered the Alligator Roll and the Jumbo Hot Maui Roll. Both rolls come ladled with some kind of mayonnaise cream that Tony calls his special sauce. Then he also serves a green chile pepper sauce and a HABANERO sauce with the rolls. I couldn't figure out whether I was in a Mexican restaurant or a sushi place. The Habanero sauce was so hot that it was inedible. Now . . . here's why this makes the sushi bad . . . sushi is supposed to be fresh, subtle and under-stated. Real Sushi Chefs let their fish speak for itself without fake, gimmicky sauces and pepper spreads. It doesn't look like Tony's had much formal sushi training based on these dishes. Then there are the prices . . . $21.95 for ONE sushi roll!!! That's double the price of what real sushi should be. He says the rolls are bigger so the higher price is justified. Nope. It's just another angle to put money in his pocket while giving you quantity instead of quality. Then there's the chef's attitude. You sit down and are handed a menu that says "50 seats, One man, BE PATIENT!" What kind of welcome is that? There are signs all over the restaurant telling you that Tony does every dish himself and that's why YOU should be patient with the long waits. Why is the service slower here? Every restaurant has one chef who cooks every entree. Every Diner has a chef, standing over a flat top grill, making every omelette. Every sushi restaurant should have a real sushi chef who offers fine sushi made quickly and elegantly. But at Kokoro, the customers have to wait longer because Tony does everything himself. It doesn't add up. The chef is poorly trained and that's why he takes too long to serve gimmicky, over-priced dishes. We will not be back.
(2)Sharon R.
I was pretty unimpressed with Kokoro. I can't believe that this is supposed to be the best sushi in town. Ah-z and maru seemed better quality for the price. I had the cucumber salad in light vinegar dressing and it was pretty good though I wish the liquid had been drained. It was basically cucumbers floating in vinegar. The sushi was big which had been warned by other reviewers but I felt bad for my mom who couldn't actually fit them in her mouth so they kept on disintegrating. The rice was also a bit raw. At the end of the day we spent around $50 for two rolls of sushi that were not well prepared with raw rice and the salads and soup. Megh. Not worth it. I doubt I'll come back. On another note though, if you do want to try it you should be going there soon since Chef Tony is retiring. Just look for the extremely melodramatic sign he put up all over the doors.
(3)Tanya S.
Very good food here and the portions are HUGE!!! I had the blue crab fried rice. Delicious!!! I also ordered the teriyaki steak. I wasn't expecting to get a large steak. I thought it would be cut into pieces sort of like what you would get at a hibachi grill.. I was mistaken. But it still was good, it hardly looked like I touched it, but I was so full. I'll come here again if I'm in the area.
(4)Fuzz H.
Bar-none, the best sushi that I've ever had. Every time I visit Lafayette, I make sure to save a few hours (and precious stomach space) for this downtown gem. Yes, Tony has a strong personality, and yes, food does take a while to prepare (~hr; I once waited 3 hrs for a 6-person meal), but the food is delicious.The portion sizes are completely worth the price tag as well. Fried rice? 2-3 meals; sushi roll - 1 roll = 1 meal (meal size equiv to a large from noodles and company). I highly recommend the salmon fried rice, spicy tuna roll, and caterpillar roll. Do yourself a favor, go visit Kokoro for dinner before we lose Tony's wonderful cooking. Remember to be humble, don't complain, and wear a jeans/closed-toe shoes (or more formal) attire (No hats!).
(5)Dia D.
When this restaurant first opened they were one of only two places in town to get sushi. The food was high quality so people put up with the very slow service. Now, there are many places in town that serve very good sushi for lower prices and with faster service. I ate here last night as part of a group of 5 and this is the first time that I've been here for many years (the last time I tried to eat here we were seated for an hour and a half with no food so we left). Last night our group of 5 ordered 5 rolls. Three people were finished eating before the last 2 people got their rolls. Yes, the rolls are huge (one cut roll filled a very large dinner plate), but they are expensive and I'm not sure that sushi is something that should be super sized. The rolls felt like the rice had been clumped together and the fish had big chunks hacked off....hardly the pleasing balance of rice and thinly sliced fish. I would much rather have smaller rolls and order a variety than fill up on one of these expensive super sized rolls.
(2)Faye L.
Went to this place to take out some food for my friends but was told take-out is not allowed which made no sense to me. I had to sit down to eat some thing and wrap it to go. Totally ridiculous!!! But later I felt glad that I sat down. I ordered fried rice and a roll. I officially waited for 1 hour. Tony, (the chef and the boss?),was drinking all the time and wandering around even though there were orders waiting. The waiter was drinking too. And I saw Tony poured him self a glass of alcohol while he was making my roll and touched his nose while making others sushi which is kinda gross. And I can see him drunk and yelling all the time. I admit the food is not bad there but 60 bucks for a roll and fried rice? Definitely not going back!!!!!!
(2)Mihaela V.
This is not just a restaurant - it is a local phenomenon. Try it at least once before Tony retires!
(5)Erika K.
Took 3.5 hours to get 3 rolls of sushi. Not worth it, the sushi wasn't even that good. There are much better places for sushi within walking distance.
(1)Jackie L.
As delicious as everyone says. Sadly, the place is closing because Tony is retiring.
(4)Jay D.
Sushi was below average. Huge sushi pieces without much taste to them that would fall apart as u grab them. The fried rice was good though. Tony was crazy yelling at the poor waitress from his kitchen. It was entertaining but the sushi was not worth the long wait !!
(2)Alex M.
Came to town to visit a college buddy of mine and he wanted to try this place out. We were running late and had to catch a movie in 40 minutes. Not the best in planning on our part. We were promptly seated by the waiter and then we noticed that the menus say that the food is prepared slowly and the customers must be patient. We should have just left then but we decided to ask the waiter. That's when the owner Tony asked what the problem was and lost his mind. The owner, Tony, is this old toothless Japanese guy who owns the place and makes the food. He wasn't having any of it and he started yelling incoherently in this thick accent: "I don't get rushed by anyone", "get the hell out", and more stuff about how he cooks his at his own pace ( (which is actually written by the bar). I don't think that's anyway to treat customers; it's not a good business practice and it's not polite. We merely asked a simple question. Anyway it went way too quick for me to react and we just left. I regret only one thing... which is not getting video of this! Please don't give this place any business but if you do keep your phones ready for s**t like this to happen and post it to YouTube where it belongs.
(1)Jennifer V.
I'll start off with the positives: the ingredients were VERY fresh, there were several options on the menu that looked very interesting, and the decor was unique and fun now for the negatives: sooooo expensive!!! my fiance and I got two sushi rolls and green tea and our bill came to $46 before tip. We almost got an order of friend rice because, according to the menu, it was "famous" but the after realizing it was $22 we decided against it. $22 for friend rice... seriously?! the sushi had a decent flavor but came out in such large pieces that it fell apart easily and was very difficult to eat. I've never experienced this issue at a sushi restaurant before. The presentation was a bit on the sloppy side. the wait staff was rude and unfriendly. We felt as if we were being hurried out of the restaurant as soon as we showed any sign of slowing down. I think we were the only customers there that weren't personal friends with some member of the staff. There were various signs and messages posted throughout the dining room and menu stating how unique and wonderful the place was which gave an over all condescending feel to the entire experience. There are much better (and cheaper) places in the area for good sushi. The food wasn't worth the price and the arrogant staff were less then a pleasure to deal with. I think I can safely say this will be our last trip to kokoro.
(2)Adrienne K.
This is probably the best food in town. Try the Blue Crab Claw Fried Rice, you won't regret it! Also, the hibachi tofu, and hot and spicy tofu are both really good. I actually can't believe there is a bad thing on the menu. The sesame dressing for the salad is like crack. I have to restrain myself from licking the bowl. The miso soup is also excellent. I can't say enough good things about this place. It would definitely be my last meal on earth. Just remember you're in Tony's house so be respectful. The food is so amazing because of the care that goes into making it and like anything great, it takes time, but your patience will be rewarded. If you want mediocre fast-food go somewhere else. If you want an unforgettable meal, a place to sit down, savor, and enjoy the company you're with then you're in the right place.
(5)Chan H.
The food was delicious! Tony is a character - but I already expected it and he ended up being the night's entertainment! My boyfriend and I ordered the Steak Teriyaki to share and it was more than enough for the two of us. We were stuffed! Expect a long wait for your food. Tony and his wife Kay are the only ones who prepare the food and so the wait can be extensive. Go with good company and you'll have an amazingly satisfying experience.
(4)Janice M.
Food - 4/5 I'd say this place has the best sushi in West/Lafayette area. The rolls are extremely big. One roll can generally fill me up. :) The food here is well prepared by the owner of the restaurant, Tony. You can find him behind the sushi bar along with his wife. I had visited here several times while going to Purdue and hadn't once been disappointed in their food. Service: 2/5 As most people can be intimidated by Tony. Some may have gotten thrown out before. It is a good idea to read the first page of their menu, where it is telling you to be patient, which also implies.. DO NOT COMPLAIN. lol. I find it amusing of those stories I have heard from my fellow co-workers. Some got thrown out by wearing flip flops. Some got thrown out from complaining about the wait for food. Also, be sure to dress properly, no shorts, and for guys, absolutely no hats! Parking: 3/5 Street parking sometime could be unpleasant to find around downtown Lafayette. Go during a weekday will guarantee you a spot around that area. Fridays, and weekends are the busiest time but perhaps the food could make up for it. So make sure you don't get thrown out before taking your first bite ;). Overall: 3/5 Like many people have mentioned, the service could occasionally outweigh the food but if you are looking for the best sushi that does not require at least a 2-hr drive to indy or a 3-hr drive to chicago, Kokoro is definitely the place to go to.
(3)John T.
Stopped by Kokoro for lunch the other day. Nice aesthetics inside. Had the Tony maki roll. As the previous reviews point out, their rolls are quite large. But why so expensive? The fish was very fresh and tasty, but I paid $18.00 (incl. tax and tip) for one of their smaller rolls. I'm used to LA sushi, so maybe I'm a little jaded, but that's a little steep.
(3)Jenny A.
When looking for a new place to try food I always do my homework and read a lot of the negative and positive reviews. As I am a huge fan of sushi and Maru has been my favorite spot, this place hands down beats it. My boyfriend and I went for date night dinner around 6ish on a Friday night and were seated right away. It being our first time, we like to order their popular items and try something creative and new. Shrimp tempura was delicious, it wasn't greasy or flavorless and it was a big portion too. We chose three rolls and made it into a dinner. Finally I have found a place that makes miso soup correctly, and their sesame dressing for their salad is like crack. After reading reviews on what to try, we chose the reggae maki, alaskan maki, and bahama maki. The alaskan was my favorite because the fish tasted really fresh and it was quite a big sized roll. Reggae roll which is alligator meat was the boyfriends favorite, and we both weren't too excited about the bahama. Met Tony and thought he was really nice, and funny so unsure how some people had a bad experience with him but it was just our first time so never know. All in all we both left with full stomachs and to go boxes. Plan on trying more rolls, and some other items they serve. Really fun place for a date night and I kinda want to know where they get their bowls cause I want them. Some say its a bit over priced but the rolls are filled and quite large, plus he makes them personally so i'll gladly pay for something I know is made fresh.
(4)Timothy W.
MORE Sushi than you can eat- JUMBO ROLLS remember no choices- IT aint Burger King- LOL! But toooooo much special sauce for my taste Overall good and slow - great for relaxing as you eat Tony is a trip and he does wash his hands in the bathroom
(5)Katie C.
After driving cross-country to move to this area, my friend and I were craving some sushi and decided to quickly Yelp a place. Kokoro was toward the top of the list so in we went. After waiting for our rolls, which was perfectly fine, we receive the largest physical mass of... something... on our plates. I don't think I have ever seen sushi that large in my life. However, I still wasn't going to judge based on that. It could be excellent! Secondly, I ordered a rainbow roll, which typically has slices of a variety of fish layered over the top of a basic roll. However, instead, there were little cut up pieces within the roll itself. Which is not part of the point of why people really order a rainbow roll. But I still did not want to judge based on this, either. However the quality of the food after taking my first bite, was just absolutely awful. I ate a piece of my roll and could not muster any more. My best friend had some as well and was completely disappointed. And I felt horrible to waste food. So, we ended up leaving, craving unsatisfied, and just ordered a pizza. Don't think I will be going back.
(1)Ayaka H.
Personally I am not a fan of this place. Here are the reasons: 1) Chef is very rude and yells frequently. Not a good place to go on a date. He says "If you want fast food, go to mcdonalds" very often. 2) SLOW. be prepared to spend 3 freaking hours in the restaurant. It's just not worth it. 3) The food is not that great. I'm from Los angeles and if you go to west coast or east coast you will find great food for not even half the price. 4) They don't take reservations, so you have to be prepared to wait for a long, long time. So overall I do not like this place. I am Japanese and I don't even think the food is great. The chef is arrogant which makes me lose my apetite.
(1)Mia M.
Going to Kokoro and complaining about Tony's attitude is like going to Dick's Last Resort and griping about the waiter making you wear a stupid paper hat. Or, for a more local analogy, it'd be like going to the Neon Cactus and complaining because Bruce called you out for not singing or talking on your cell phone. IT'S PART OF THE EXPERIENCE, KIDS. We went to Kokoro around 8:00 on a Saturday night because the wait at Bistro 501 across the street was still going to be at least 45 minutes. After reading the reviews on Yelp, we were a little apprehensive, but it was cold and parking was limited downtown, so we decided to walk over and try it out. As soon as we walked up to the front door, we knew it was going to be amusing, not scary. There's a sign prominently placed by the hours that clearly states "THIS IS NOT TRADITIONAL JAPANESE FOOD. THIS IS TONY'S FOOD." The website address was also posted: sushinazi.com . Signs all over the restaurant indicated that it was Tony's way or the highway. I'm pretty sure if this guy took himself so seriously, he wouldn't be having as much fun playing up his reputation. The service was fine. Our waiter wasn't friendly, but he was efficient and that's really all that matters. We were in and out of there in a little over an hour, and that was with the place pretty much full. Yes, our food came out in five-minute increments, but with one guy doing all the sushi preparation, that's not too bad. I also don't think it's overpriced - we spent as much as we do at any other sushi restaurant. I got the miso soup and the spicy crab roll. My boyfriend got the Tony Roll (four different kinds of fish that Tony chooses [of course!]) and a Japanese sweet stout (I don't know the brand, but it has a cute little owl on it). We got the sashimi appetizer to split. The soup was a little salty, but good and hot. The sashimi was incredible. Best salmon I've ever had. The portions ARE huge, and no, the rolls didn't come out in the shape of a choo-choo train with a little wasabi panda under a paper umbrella waiting to board at the end of it. If you need that much entertainment in order to enjoy your food, go get a Happy Meal. I will say that the rolls are not "packed" tightly, so it makes them a little hard to hold onto. It became kind of a game between my boyfriend and me, testing which methods would work the best for harnessing the sushi. (I found that using the chopsticks as a sort of shovel worked for me.) Tony seemed to be in a good mood. A girl at another table gave her waiter a dollar to hear Tony sing, and when Tony found out what she wanted, he cheerfully flipped her the bird and went on about his business. Don't avoid this place because you're afraid of the chef harassing you or having to wait for several hours. I think college kids need to get a sense of humor and relax a little. If you're planning on taunting Tony, be prepared to get a reaction, but otherwise, just enjoy the reggae music, the delicious food and the funky decor.
(4)Michelle L.
This place is very expensive and I am not a huge sushi fan so for me not worth it. The chef is also very rude depending on his mood so I definitely suggest going elsewhere
(2)Lauren M.
My boyfriend and I went there for a date on a Saturday. When we entered, the waiter told us it would be a long wait for the entrees, but we weren't in a hurry so we stayed anyways. The time they had quoted us was exaggerated (He said 1.5 hours and it only took about 40 min to get our food sushi). Our waiter was very friendly and knowledgable about the menu. It seemed like the kind of place where the waiters had worked there a long time and really cared about the success of the place. He made good recommendations on the sushi front. We ordered a Bahama Maki which was humongous and probably would have been enough for both of us. The other roll we ordered was the Tony maki which was also good, although, as the waiter warned us, does not contain any vegetables, cream cheese or sauces: just fish. If you don't like the taste of fish go for one of the bigger rolls. The size and quality are worth the price. For an appetizer we had the chicken tempura which was great and VERY big. If we go back, we will just get an appetizer and one roll. I drank wine and the Jun Cosmopolitan made with Shochu, a Japanese liquor, and it was excellent. My boyfriend had Asahi and Sapporo beers and like both. The waiter also gave us the Sapporo for free and Tony (the owner and chef) bought a round of shots for the whole place which were delicious! Overall, the service, food and ambience were great. It was comfortable and fun. You can tell Tony cares about the quality of food he puts out. We will definitely be returning soon.
(5)Adam W.
Went soon after they opened on a weekday. Took a long time for anyone to seat us. The salad was ok and the miso was really good. We ordered Tony Maki, which is just random fish in a maki roll, nothing else in it. Not great. Lafayette maki was really good. Also had a Spicy aurora which was monstrous, but pretty good. It took me three bites to eat some pieces and it's very rare I even take two bites at normal sushi places. All rolls are larger than average. The service was fast since we went early, but I think the prices are too high. I have gotten equivalent quality & quantity for $53 out the door around town whereas total bill was $75 for three rolls, 2 miso, 2 salads and tax/tip at Kokoro.
(3)Pat M.
Granted, my time at Purdue, and my usual times at Kokoro was a while ago. But a recent trip to Kokoro left me satisfied that the place hasn't changed, which is amazing because I graduated nearly 7 years ago, and even back then he was thinking of quitting. I have fond memories of going with friends or my girlfriends. The good: -You get a TON of food for the price, -Close enough to campus to work up an appetite to walk there and past the newly constructed (to me) mini mall on the Landing, and is close to a lot of nice cafes if you are early, -The food is an awesome blend of American tastes with Japanese and Chinese flavors, traditional or fusion, -This place is hands down the best sushi place for many miles around The bad: -To "keep prices down" the chef, Tony, does not have a lot of wait staff, and has no assistance in the kitchen besides his wife. This means during peak dinner times you have to wait 3 hours (not kidding) for food, and another hour to eat and get the check. -Attitude ... I don't care if the majority of patrons are immature college brats. You do not yell at them with very large, sharp knives. I've seen both sides of this man. You do NOT want to be on the wrong side.
(4)Duwi P.
The agedashi tofu is to kill for. Certainly one of the few places I would consider having my last meal at in this life.
(5)Matthew C.
I will definitely visit this place again after tony has passed away or retired. The owner of this restaurant, tony, is a racist person and he doesn't know how to cook. Apart from serving prepared food that can be reheated, he won't be able to serve customers anything other than time. If you live in the countryside, kokoro's sushi is probably the best you can ever have in your life. if you live in the city, you won't find the sushi any different from what you can buy off the shelf from japanese supermarkets. The fried rice is good from this restaurant because tony used to work for chinese restaurants, and chinese fried rice is probably the best you can probably find in this world. If you want to spend 4 hours to eat a bowl of fried rice, you should visit this restaurant. Your time will definitely be killed as well as your hard earned money.
(1)Mitch H.
I have been coming to this place for about 8 years now. Off and on since I haven't lived near Lafayette for the past 4, but it is a must stop whenever I'm in the vicinity. Tony is a great chef that creates huge portions of food with amazing nuances of flavor. One giant maki roll is enough as an entree, and the entrees are enough to stretch into at least 2 meals. My favorites include, Cajun Roll, Alligator Roll, Thai Fire Chicken, and Bibimbop. Tony makes the food himself, so don't go at peak times unless you are prepared to wait. I would say this is one of my favorite restaurants on the planet, and I don't say that lightly.
(5)Jennifer N.
I've tried many sushi restaurants, but I have not been able to find a sushi roll as good as the Spicy Jumbo Maui Roll! I wish I knew what Tony puts in there 'cuz I am missing it A LOT ever since I graduated. It's true that Tony is a bit mean to guests at times and he has personally yelled at our table for getting impatient (2+hrs of waiting), but I just can't find that roll anywhere else. So I am willing to take the beating. :D It's hard to believe that my favorite sushi roll is in West Lafayette, IN, but it's true. Try it out if you haven't already!
(5)Tiffany P.
I was hoping Kokoro would offer better sushi considering they had a pretty high rating on Yelp. I was wrong. 1. Everything is RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. $22 for a caterpillar roll?? I'm from California, and caterpillar rolls generally run between $8-9. And yes, they make pretty big rolls, but they're big because they use too much rice. 2. Presentation is TERRIBLE. I am a huge fan of sushi, and if you know sushi, you know presentation is a key element. The rolls we ordered were poorly put together - they were hardly circular. Also, the rice was unevenly placed on the roll. It was as if the chef didn't even try to make it pretty 3. Sushi pieces are supposed to be bite-sized so you can fit a whole one in your mouth. This is impossible with these rolls. Trying to dip the pieces in soy sauce/wasabi was a challenge as each piece basically fell apart in the dipping dish. I was looking forward to trying this place out since the owner is Japanese. I guess the vegetable tempura was decent, and the decorations were great. But, you'll find better sushi at Bea One and Heisei - and it'll be a whole lot cheaper. Oh yeah, and they play reggae music kind of loudly, which I thought was kind of weird.
(1)Diana M.
I went to Kokoro for my birthday dinner, and the atmosphere was somewhat dead. It is definitely pricier than some of the other sushi restaurants I've been to, and in my opinion, it wasn't worth it. We waited about 40 minutes for our food to arrive because it all gets prepared by one chef - Tony. Also, my sushi would fall apart on the plate because it wasn't rolled tightly enough to stay together. Overall, the food wasn't bad, but for the money, I could've gone to Heisei and got something better.
(2)Thuy T.
Best sushi in Indiana, the rolls are the size of your fist! It's pretty expensive but keep in mind the portions are like family size. I love the Spicy Jumbo Maui Roll and the Alligator roll, because you get a lot of meat. This is not the typical one bite sushi, more like 2-3 bites depending how much you can stuff in your mouth. There is only one chef and he prepares everything at the time you order so be patience and you will not be sorry.
(5)Ella B.
Kokoro deserves every single one of these stars! The owners here are FABULOUS! They are the sweetest business owners I have ever met. Tony's wife, Kay, is the sweetest lady EVER! She walks around tables to make sure everything is ok and will make the sweetest remarks. Tony is also a character and is always a good laugh with his funny comments. The rolls here are a tad pricey, but that's because they are HUGE. Nothing like your small tiny rolls that you will find at most sushi restaurants. The alligator sushi roll is delicious! Definitely worth trying and always my favorite. They also offer vegetarian rolls which were perfect for my guest who is vegan. It was so hard to find a place that offers appetizing vegan food, but my guest LOVED IT HERE! The only down side is it takes a while to be seated sometimes and the food takes a long time to come out. (this is because they have only one chef) Sushi rolls also come out at totally different times where you may be waiting a while other people in your party are already eating. BUT if you are with good company and are not in a hurry this should not bother you at all. In fact, it gives you a great chance to spend some quality time talking with the people at your table.
(5)Megan C.
The food is pretty good. The sushi isn't my favorite, but the fried rice is great. The service is slow, but if you can go in expecting that you can make it a good time. If you are being annoying Tony is probably going to be rude, but maybe you have it coming.... Lastly, the portions are HUGE and take this as a hint that you should view this as family style serving. Sharing an entree between two people makes the price perfectly affordable and the service much quicker. Tony and his wife are the only ones cooking and that is going to take awhile to do, so go in expecting to spend the evening enjoying a meal, drinks and conversation.
(4)Laura T.
HUGE ROLLS!!! very yummy sushi, and Angry Tony as I like to call him can be cranky, but I think it adds to the atmosphere. after all the wonderful experiences I've had after 4 years at Purdue, I still tend to rank Kokoro as top 5 go there, you will not be dissapointed
(5)k e.
If this restaurant was in a place with any visible competition it might be mediocre. I have been dragged here for dinner and lunch multiple times by people who act like it's the best thing since sliced bread. Every time the food seems to have been slapped together with no attention to flavor. The only thing that this place has going is size. You get huge portions that IME always fall apart before you get them off your plate. Worse yet I've seen multiple people get kicked out for no reason other than the owner is a snob. And no, I haven't been kicked out personally. I just dont see any reason to pay the inflated prices for a meal that is bland given the better alternatives in the area such as Heisei or Asahi.
(2)Susanto I.
In my opinion, the sushi is not bad, but not outstanding. However, their thai fire chicken and crab fried rice is amazing! The price is a little on the high side and the cook (Tony) could be sensitive, but the food is great. The Korean BBQ beef is great as well. This is the best Japanese restaurant in the Purdue area.
(5)Maurilio M.
Expect a wait, but it is worth it. Bob Marley playing over the speaker and a time to sit and socialize. Relax and enjoy and you will love the experience.
(4)Alyson E.
The sushi portions are quite large yes, but so is the price. This is a good choice if 3 or 4 of you are going share the meal amongst yourselves (and split the beer). But it is something of an institution in West Lafayette, and you should go just to hear Tony yelling :)
(3)Grace L.
My Purdue alumni husband raved about this place FOREVER. Be forewarned..this place is not typical, gentle, or even sensible. Tony, the owner, is yes, loud and obnoxious. When I've heard of this place from other alumni, I hear Tony and sushi nazi in the same breath. The prices are not that kind, but the food is decent. Maxi makis are what he is famous for. If you like fried rice, take a chance on those. Just remind yourself that you are in West Lafayette, IN eating sushi.
(3)Joey C.
By far, the best sushi in town. Super SLOW service, but the food is worth the wait!
(4)Amy J.
I live in San Francisco, and have countless awesome sushi restaurants everywhere I look. A lot of people in Lafayette love this place. If I lived in Lafayette and only had 1 or 2 sushi joints to go to I would perhaps give this 5 stars. I was only there once and at the time it seemed like enough for me. My rolls were very sloppily doused in sauces which was a mess. I was not impressed. There wasn't much of an atmosphere. Our server was a nice kid. Bea One has better sushi and a more hip atmosphere, but I would give Kokoro another shot. Maybe next year.
(3)Stephy W.
Kokoro simply has the best sushi anywhere ever. People from Chicago have said that they have yet to eat sushi anywhere as good as Kokoro's. The restaurant is owned by "Crazy Tony," who is known to be a stickler of quality food. Though the wait can be long for your sushi, it is definitely worth it. I have found that if you come around opening time, the sushi wait is much shorter. The sauces are quite original and delicious, I highly suggest the spicy salmon roll and the roe nigiri is incredible. I dream of this sushi, that's how good it is. The atmosphere is pleasant and original with dim lighting with a large painting of Hokkaido on a wall, a beautiful kimono on another wall and rice/sake shipment boxes in the center of the floor which take up empty space that would otherwise make the room feel not as cozy. There is a full bar with special cocktails and drinks as well as beers on tap. For a guy who seems to be somewhat anal, he's a great fan of Bob Marley, so expect to listen to reggae the entire time you are there. Prices can seem a bit steep initially for sushi in Indiana, but the value is really incredible for the food you get.
(5)Carina A.
If I could eat anywhere EVERY day and be okay with it, it would be HERE! The sushi is warm, fresh, and lovingly made by the Master himself, Tony. BIG rolls, too! Have had sushi all over the country, some of it quite fabulous, but have NEVER had rolls this big or this good! And, though the wait can be substantial, I agree with the others: art takes time! And it is WORTH IT. Assume an hour and a half, at least, to have dinner here. I'd say dinner for 2 is, on average, about $40-50 or so. Great place to celebrate something! Or just to celebrate life and the availability of great sushi! Assume, if you are hungry on arrival, that you will add the miso soup and salad to your order...you will be happy you did! Makes the wait seem shorter...lol I cannot remember even leaving this place without a warm, happy feeling inside and a satisfied tummy! Tony is such great entertainment, as well...lol And Kaye is the sweetest and most wonderful person, ever! Only a person of such compassion could "deal with" Tony! As abrasive as he may seem, to the un-initiated, he is a SWEETIE! Have known them for over ten years! They both have hearts of gold! I wish I could tell you about non-sushi dishes, but I can't remember NOT ordering sushi! lol I am sure everything else is just as wonderful, though...it couldn't help but be! sushinazi.com for news and info about this great place! Good for groups, beautiful decor, just GO!
(5)Bing B.
Best rolls that i have ever tasted (i have had better sushi, but its close). Wait can be a bit long for food, a bit expensive for WL, and occasionally you might get "kicked out for life" (he forgets) from the restaurant for pissing off Tony (the owner/chief. just dont be a drunken college jackass and for good measure kiss up to Kay, his wife and u should be ok), but if you can get around that and you happen to be in West Lafayette or at Purdue, its a must go.
(5)