Magokoro Japanese Restaurant
| Address: | 5614 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, USA |
| Phone: | +1 505-830-2061 |
| Site: | magokoroabq.com |
| Rating: | 4.7 |
| Working: | Closed 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM Closed |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 8
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Brian Young
Magokoro is a tiny little restaurant in a strip mall on Menaul just down the road from the mall. Despite its tiny hole-in-the-wall appearance, this place has the best Japanese food in Albuquerque. Magokoro is closed Sundays and Mondays, and the rest of the week its open around noontime for lunch and in the evening for dinner, but closed for a couple hours in between. For lunch, they have a variety of everyday Japanese staples like donburi, curry, tempura, and potato croquettes. I always get some gyoza on the side because I lived in an area in Japan famous for its gyoza (near Utsunomiya) during college, so Im partial to it. The gyoza at Magokoro isnt going to blow your mind, but its authentic and what youd expect. They do NOT serve ramen at lunch. Ramen is served at dinner time, only. At dinner time, this place turns into a ramen shop; they serve ONLY ramen, and nothing else (well, except for some side dishes, like gyoza and croquettes). Outside of cities with major Japanese expat communities (NYC, Honolulu, etc), you just cannot find real Japan-tier ramen. The best ramen are made with various concentrated fermented pastes and broths, and theyre usually homemade. Its hard to get that flavor outside Japan. Magokoro gets it. You will not be disappointed with the ramen, here. Of course, it has its own style. Its not Sapporo style, which is my favorite. Its a bit different than the ramen I had while I lived in Japan, too, but there are as many styles of ramen as there are towns and cities in Japan. The ramen, here, is unambiguously Japanese, and it tastes like something you could find at some hole in the wall noodle shop in Japan. It is fantastic. Lastly, this place is really Japanese. There are no Chinese ingredients, here: theyre using JAPANESE soy sauce, JAPANESE vinegar, etc. Not that Chinese soy sauce and vinegar are bad, but theyre not Japanese, and if its used in your food, it wont taste Japanese. A lot of Japanese restaurants operated by non-Japanese use Chinese ingredients because either theyre cheaper or because the owners, themselves, are not Japanese, and maybe they prefer or are more familiar with the Chinese flavor. That is not the case at Magokoro, where the owner is Japanese and the food tastes like food you could get in Japan. And the owner clearly cares about even the subtleties of a Japanese restaurant, as they train their waitstaff to do things in a distinctly Japanese way. For example, the cashier will take your credit card using both hands, and when theyre ready to give you back your cash or your receipt, theyll place it in a tray and put the tray on the counter rather than handing it to you directly. This is something that is wholly unnecessary in America, but it follows Japanese etiquette to a tee. The fact that the American staff are trained to do these sorts of things indicates the level of care the owners put into making this restaurant as Japanese as possible.
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Diane Buckley
We have patronized Kokoro for over 25 years now. We used to make a longer drive when we lived in Greenwood Village, but now we live only three blocks away. The facts: THEY DO NOT USE SUGAR IN THEIR RECIPES like Tokyo Joes unhealthy advertised Americanized bowls. Their authentic Japanese recipes are absolutely traditional. We eat thee at least two times per week. And try this on for size: Order a beef bowl and pour a cup of forest child soup in it. The flavor is INSANELY great! Forget the usual soy sauce or teriyaki sauces. Because of their low prices, great food and great service, we have actually made friends with many other customers who are regulars as well. Its like seeing old friends every single time we eat there. You cannot find a better healthier restaurant anywhere in Denver, that is locally owned and operated this well. Yes there are lots of local restaurants in this city, but everybody who goes there is HOOKED!
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Stephen Yoshimura
Ive been to Japan twice, and this is one of the only places in the States that Ive found where I can get my "fix" for authentic Japanese. Lunch is curry, donburi, and more traditional teishoku, plus daily specials. Dinner is pretty scrumptious ramen. I havent even had a par for the course dish yet, because its all delicious and expertly crafted. Its a small space in a strip mall (the kind that much more easily accommodates parties of 4 or less) and has become pretty busy for lunch, though not so busy I find myself waiting for a place to sit. The staff is down-to-earth, but busy (obviously?); its a tightly run Mom-and-Pop operation. I always leave this establishment more content with life.
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pamela brown
Hey, someone has to be the best. Magokoro gets my vote! This little spot serves great looking and fantastic tasting stuff. The stuff you crave and brag to your friends about eating sits on a small windowsill for a moment just before being set in front of you. Recognition of skill and intention may happen when your senses see, smell, and taste your food. Behind that window lies experience and dedication to quality. In front of the window service is polite and swift. Win Win Favorites Any Ramen-only at night Aji Fry-best lightest Mackerel Ive had. Amazing Shumai-dont need the yellow mustard but these little shrimp jammers are pure comfort food. Close your eyes and point at the menu
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s n
"Real" Japanese homemade dishes! I am a Japanese traveler who happened to find this little place during my road trip. I didnt expect to encounter such an authentic "Teishoku-ya" in New Mexico. I have been to quite a lot Japanese restaurants in many different places in the states but Kokoro was not like any other American style Japanese restaurans. Seafood curry was simply amazing. I am pretty sure they could get popular in Japan as well. (I can easily imagine that many Japanese business men rush into Kokoro during lunch break!) If you are looking for a fancy sushi place with fusion rolls and K-POP music, this is definitely not a place for you.
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Norio Hayakawa
Simply stated, Kokoro is the best family-style Japanese restaurant in Albuquerque. The food is simple but has great taste. The menu is simple and not complicated. The place is casual and very reasonable. Food at Kokoro is comparable to any typical, family-style eatery that you can find in any place in Japan. The best thing about Kokoro is that hot tea, gree tea, coffee and of course water, is all FREE. You cant beat that anywhere else. Lastly, whats great about Kokoro is that it is open continuously from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., including Saturdays.
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Nick Flor
This is really the best authentic Japanese small restaurant in the Southwest. Ask anyone at the University of New Mexico -- students, staff, faculty -- and theyll tell you that Kokoros is the best Japanese restaurant in Albuquerque. I love the Chicken Kara-age and Tanuki udon. The sushi is good too, but its not pop-sushi! So go for the dishes and youll be extremely satisfied. Just keep in mind that its always busy, so you may have to wait or sit on the counters. Still, its worth it.
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David Diaz
Best Japanese food Ive had in CO or NM since moving back from Tokyo three years ago. What a pleasant surprise!! My wife (from Yokohama) and I were so glad to finally find a place that does it the way its supposed to be done! We will definitely be back soon! If youre a fan of authentic Japanese food this is definitely worth stopping by. A bit busy on Friday afternoon (people lining up out the door at one point) so be sure to get there early! Great service! Good prices! Awesome food!
