Chocho’s

It’s not fancy. They prepared my order slowly even though there was only one other table taken. However, I assume that it’s because they actually cook it before serving. Tastes good and for good price.

It is always a delight to go here. Staff is always friendly, and the owner is one of the sweetest women I have ever met. The food is beyond delicious (they make my favorite grapow in the city). Takeaway and dine-​in options make it very convenient.

Meh. Okdol bibimbap was seriously bland, and there was a cockroach ruining around on the wall near our table.

Grilled chicken was awful, chicken texture was like plastic. The rest of the food ordered looked great

Whoa, surprised by Shirley E’s review. They have an extensive menu so I can’t say 100% that their food is above-​par, but I’ve had nothing but warm miso soup and they make authentic Korean rice from their rice cooker.
Chopsticks are just the usual disposable ones you have to crack apart. I guess those are crappy.
I had delicious bulgogi!
Their galbi is mediocre, though. A million times better than the lard fest that BonChon serves, but you are better off going to HMart and getting their uncooked galbi. Just cook on a skillet at home and enjoy!
This place is underrated for sure. And I’m half Korean whose mother raised her on lots of Korean food!

Hands down the most underrated place in the Porter Square Exchange (and, having lived near Porter for three years, and as an avid Asian food lover, I’ve eaten at every restaurant in there). I first ate here after coming to try Sapporo Ramen directly across from it and finding the line to be too long. So instead I grabbed a seat at Chochos, which almost always has open tables, and ended up feeling like I had discovered a hidden gem. By the end of my meal, I was feeling sorry for the chumps who were waiting in line across the hallway.
I think the reason it’s underrated is that the truth is most of the menu is just average: it’s one of those kind of culturally confused restaurants that tries to be Asian fusion and serve something from everywhere. Don’t come here for pad Thai or phở. Come here for the Korean food, which is what their actual expertise is. Specifically, come here for the Korean tofu soup (soondubu). It’s hot and bubbling and has so much umami and is so satisfying on a cold day. You crack the egg in when it’s still hot, and it thickens the soup beautifully-​perfect to go with the hot steamed white rice. My personal favorite is the Alaska (salmon) soondubu. Pro tip: I like to take the (very generous amount) of salmon out when I first get it so that it doesn’t get overlooked in the hot soup as I eat. I’ve been hooked on Chochos since the very first time, and tend to come here whenever I’m feeling down or sick. Truly comfort food!
P. s. Yes, I’ve also tried Kaju in Harvard Sq. I think the side dishes that arrive before the entrée are better at Kaju, but that their soup is much more bland compared to Chochos.

I have mixed feelings about this place. First time I went there I loved my dish. I ordered some traditional dish in a stone pot. On my second visit I ordered Pad Thai with beef. The beef was awful — too hard to chew; Pad Thai wasn’t so great either. However, their citrus tea with honey was really good. I might try going there again to see if I have a better luck with dishes third time.

I think most sane people can agree that Korean food represents the apex of human culinary achievement. So I was happy when I found out about Chochos, an inexpensive Korean place conveniently located in Porter. The first time I went, a year or so ago, I had kimchi jjigae, and I remember it being ok, though not particularly spicy or substantial. But recently I went back with a few friends. We all ordered bibimbap variations (adventurous, I know) and I was really disappointed. My friend found a long hair in his bowl immediately, and I found what looked like an eyelash in mine a minute later. Two out of the three dishes were not even hot enough to merit the term «lukewarm” – they were closer to just being cold. Basically I think I could have made something just as tasty at home, which is saying something given my lack of cooking ability. Anyway, maybe we just came on a bad night, and to be fair the prices are good, but there’s probably a reason this place is normally half-​empty when all the surrounding restaurants in the building have huge lines.

I love ChoCho’s and especially with Kaya gone this is a go-​to Korean spot. My favorite item is ok dol salmon tartare bibimbap. Udon soup with tempura is also great. Lunch plates are a good bargain. I have eaten here many, many times and always had friendly service and consistently good food.

I really love their red curry and beef bibimbap bowl! Highly recommend.
I’ve ordered a few noodle dishes here and the noodles are always overcooked so they are too squishy/​sticky. I’ve also had the graw pao and it was so SO salty. Not edible.
So it’s hit or miss but they do some stuff perfectly.

I actually worked at I Heart Sushi as a waiter for 9 months and I’ve eaten multiple times at all the restaurants at Lesley Square. I’m going to review all the restaurants eventually.
Admittedly, I have tried mostly the Korean food on the menu but I would say the Korean food is delicious and a good deal. But I will say that Korean food is their forte. I believe they should just change to serving mostly Korean food, with a few exceptions.
Food Specific
Soondubu: The best soondubu I’ve had in this area, if not one of the best I’ve ever had. I’ve been to both Kaju Tofu’s (Cambridge and Allston) and also tried Soondubu at the Cambridge BonChon. I will never get soondubu from those other locations and always come to ChoCho’s.
Kalbi: Tastes very good but even better is the price. For 2 short ribs and rice, most other places charge close to $ 20 but here it’s closer to $ 10. If you want some good Korean BBQ for cheap, this is defeinitely the place to do it.
In conclusion, I would recommend trying the above dishes and other Korean dishes first and then trying other things on the menu. If they narrowed down their menu to where their strengths lie, I would give this place 5 stars.

Food is ok, spicy seafood noodle, seafood pancake. But be aware, a lot of small flies around the corner table! will never come back

Tucked in amongst the tiny ramen and sushi spots in Lesley’s Porter Square building, ChoCho’s is a small oasis of Asian comfort food and friendly service.
As you step in, the entire menu appears before your eyes: the walls are covered with pictures of each dish, conveniently labeled to guide you through the mainly Korean-​Thai cuisine on offer. The usual territory is covered: Pad Thai, Kimchee, dumplings, soups, rice dishes and the like, but it’s hard to stray from Bib Bim Bap served in a hot stone bowl, the rice still sticky and steaming hot at the bottom, underneath beef, root veggies and a egg simmering on top.
Service is quick and friendly; they’ll drop off a bowl of miso soup before your meal arrives.

Nothing fancy, but great food made fresh and fast service. Their bibimbap is filled with great veggies and literally served sizzling hot.

This place is great if you’re looking for something casual and fast. The food is really good — the bim bim bap was some of the best Korean I’ve had and the miso definitely outstripped that of other similar restaurants in the area (including Zoe’s). The service is amazing. We were served quickly and the miso I mentioned above was given to me on the house because my meal came out only a minute or so after my husband’s. The owner and servers are really appreciative of the business and go above and beyond to make diners happy. Will be going back for sure.

Sub-​par food.
Cold miso soup.
Uncle Ben’s rice.
Crappy chop sticks.
Horrible Bulgogi.
Wait staff kept rushing the guy next to us to leave.
Not so bad Ginger shrimp.
Never going back…

I made the trek here from the airport for Sapporo Ramen. While standing in line, I saw the picture if Nang Myun on the wall here and sat down. The owner was playing a video game on her phone. The place was empty. Sapporo Ramen was packed, yet I couldn’t believe all those people across the way were eating salty, fatty, hot noodles in the summer Boston heat when I was enjoying an ice cold, beefy, noodle soup with the fat skimmed completely, leaving a refreshing meal perfect to beat the heat.
You eat it with ample amount of vinegar in the soup and spicy mustard to give it a kick. It’s cold, chewy, sour goodness… Korean style. I sat here alone with a subtle smile on my face, feeling like I was the only one who knew a secret that those sweating across the way didn’t know.
The owner lady told me stories of her kids who live abroad and gave me some extra grub that made me miss my mom.
The water used for the ice could use a new filter, but I didn’t care. It was worth the bus, train, and walk to get here and I will do it again.

Even though this isn’t a fancy Korean restaurant, and doesn’t have as deep of a menu as many Asian restaurants, this place is remarkable for a couple of reasons:
— I’m often dining in Koreatown in LA and NYC, and nobody prepares soondubu (tofu stew) anywhere as well as ChoCho’s. Even my Korean mom who can’t be beat admitted that she couldn’t make soondubu as well as ChoCho’s. There’s nothing better on a cold day, or when you’re simply feeling the need for spice.
— For those who aren’t into soondubu, the ok dol bimbimbap is great (definitely get it in the stone pot to crisp up the rice on the bottom, and it’s good for people like my Irish wife who want to have control over spice levels).
— Even though the chicken teriyaki plate isn’t really Korean, that plate makes my son very happy (and it’s huge).
— They serve up a good selection of free banchan (Korean side dishes).
— The prices are quite friendly. It’s a remarkably affordable splurge.
— They treat repeat customers extremely well. My kids just love going there.
My only advice for those who don’t do Korean food regularly is that if you’re wondering how to eat the stuff on the table (e.g., how do you cook the raw egg?), don’t be afraid to ask.
Even though I no longer live in Boston and can’t go anywhere near as much as I’d like, ChoCho’s remains my family’s favorite restaurant.

Tried this place for the first time last night with my boyfriend and we LOVED it! We shared a bulgogi bento box for only $ 9.95! It came with tender, yummy bulgogi, a salad, rice, pickled carrots and radishes, miso soup, and a potato croquette. I think the potato isn’t usually part of the box. they said they ran out of what’s usually there instead. We also got orders of steamed pork dumplings and steamed shumai. All of it was delicious!
This place is the least busy (nearly empty) out of all the other little Asian restaurants in the mall, but don’t think anything of it! The food is awesome and you get it FAST. The best part? You don’t have to wait a half hour on a Friday night to get seated like at the other restaurants. As you sit and enjoy your meal, you can also laugh at the pathetic people waiting in line and salivating for food. It’s a win/​win!

I like Korean food a lot. I’ve had bulgogi at a number of places across the state and this was pretty much the worst I’ve ever had. Bland, lacking in flavor, and the meat tasted not quite right. The rice was dry and the carrots tasted like they’d spent a few months in the bottom of a wet cooler. The food was not tasty.
Service was weird. An older lady sat in the front to greet and seat people, but the place was empty and she was watching videos on a laptop. The waitress was fine but then I wasn’t a difficult customer, I knew what I wanted and didn’t have questions. My water was warm. My soda was ice cold. Which was the best part of my meal.
The menu was mostly Korean with some Americanized Chinese food for good measure. Why? Just do good Korean food.
Will I go back here? No. I’d rather marinate and cook my own bulgogi.