Written on: 1/23/2025
Name: Coco Ichibanya Ueno
Ratings and Comments
Exterior – 3.5/5
Nothing special here.
Interior – 3.5/5
The interior isn’t anything extraordinary, but I do appreciate the decent spacing in the restaurant. The booths are comfortable, although the counter stools are positioned fairly close together.
Menu/Price – 4/5
One thing I love about Coco Ichibanya is the extensive menu. Not only are there many dishes to choose from, but you can also customize any base dish with a variety of toppings. Scrambled eggs, an extra pork cutlet, vegetables—you name it. You can make the dish exactly how you like it. The price is slightly higher than I’d prefer, but the quality is consistently excellent.
Drinks – N/A
I don’t believe they offer anything other than water. I could be mistaken, but I didn’t see any drinks on the menu. Regardless, I wouldn’t go to Coco Ichibanya for the drinks; the curry is the unquestioned star here.
Food – 4/5
It’s easy to dismiss chain restaurants as too basic, but I would strongly disagree in this case. Here’s why: I ordered a curry dish with a pork cutlet on top and added spinach and scrambled eggs. I also adjusted the spice level to a 4 (which costs an additional 100 yen), and the price continues to rise as you increase the spice level. The curry was well-balanced, and the spice level was perfect—just enough to make my nose run slightly, which is ideal for me. The pork cutlet was tender, and the breading was crispy. The spinach blended nicely into the curry, and the scrambled eggs were slightly runny, just the way I like them. Everything was steaming hot. I loved every aspect of this meal, as per usual.
Staff – 3.5/5
Since you order through a tablet, you don’t interact much with the staff, and that’s not their fault. They were also quite busy; the girls tending to the front of the house were running around like crazy during the lunch rush. Props to them for that.
Restroom – 3.5/5
The restroom gets the job done. It’s nothing special, but there’s a tiny sink inside the single bathroom stall. There’s also another sink outside the bathroom if you just need to wash your hands. Paper towels are provided in both cases.
Conclusion – 4/5
I love the food at Coco Ichibanya and have visited several locations over the years. Every single time, they deliver a delicious meal that keeps me coming back. While I’ve never had a dining experience where the service or interior stood out, it doesn’t affect my opinion at all. When I can walk into any location and know I’ll get a top-tier curry meal, that counts for a lot. Honestly, it’s so good that I rarely bother going to more expensive or highly rated restaurants. I just stick with Coco Ichibanya because I know I won’t be disappointed.
