Coca Mocha Joe’s

Hmm… what to say here. I had high expectations for this place as my wife grew up eating here regularly. When we came to Newport on vacation she insisted that we eat here and so we did. Apparently they went through an ownership change a few years back and the food changed. We had two bento plates, one beef and one chicken, so we can only speak to those, but this business has no business serving bento food. The beef was a roast that looked like it was baked in an oven quite a few days ago, rough chopped and covered in teriyaki, and finally served lukewarm to us as teriyaki beef. I’ve never seen anything like it. The chicken wasn’t much better, no char on it whatsoever and one might think it was cooked sous vide method as it was rubbery and desperately in need of seeing a grill. To top it off, the yakisoba noodles had no flavor (I confirmed they are steamed with no sauce or seasoning before being served) and the salad was most undesirable. My wife literally could not believe how much the food had changed and taken a nosedive since she had last eaten there. We couldn’t believe this is what we had just spent ~$ 24 on (Two large Bento plates, two drinks, and a half-​price muffin).
This place looks to have a large and varied menu and it’s possible that the other dishes are good, but please, avoid the bento plate like it is the plague. It was the worst example of bento that I have ever seen and I have eaten quite a lot of bento in my life. In fact I was temped to tell them their interpretation was so far off that it wasn’t fair to deem this bento food. I wish I would’ve taken pictures to show how unappetizing the food that was served to us was. We left with full plates of food uneaten and we were STARVING when we got there.
We did have the carrot cake muffin/​cupcake and it was tasty, although it could’ve used some more sugar in it. The staff was very nice and accommodating and the place had a good layout but unfortunately this wasn’t nearly enough to redeem the food. We talked to my wife’s family who still live in town and told them about our experience and they confirmed that the food changed a couple years back when the ownership changed. If so that’s a dissapointment and they should change back to the old bento recipes.
This review is getting 2 stars only for the sake of the carrot cake and the friendly staff. Bento buyer beware.

4 ½ stars — excellent lunch café!
I found this place by accident because I was lost and looking for a different shop.
That said, it was a fortunate find.
Unlike the Nye Beach and Bay Front eateries that are packed with tourists loaded with shopping bags, children, and a bit of attitude — this little café is nestled into a buisiness/​shopping park built around a tiny green couryard on the east side of Hwy 101 between the Fred Meyer parking lot and McDonalds. There’s not a lot of signage — you practically have to be in their parking area to see the sign and the neon OPEN in the window. You park outside the complex and walk in between the buildings… If I hadn’t stumbled on it I’d have never know it was there at all!
But lucky us – we were there just after lunch rush. There were only a few tables still occupies, and the staff was beginning to relax.
My Greek Chicken Salad was amazing. A plate of romaine topped with butter-​tender chicken breast slices, crumbled feta, shaved parm, sliced black olives (wish they’d been Kalamatas!) and thin rings of red onion with a side cup of Caesar dressing. It came with a warm roll and butter — and I rounded the meal out with a glass of their tasty iced tea blend (it arrives unsweetened! yeah!) that tastes of peaches and tropical fruit.
Husband’s wrap was full to the brim with chicken, rice, and veggies, and plated with chips.
This is a lovely little café — beautiful colors everywhere, and friendly service. The menu is full of sandwiches, garden burgers, wraps, soup — even bentos to go! They seem to do a brisk carry-​out and lunch delivery business — if I understand right, they’re only open for lunch — and that only 4 days a week!
There are wheelchair accessible ramps leading to their door — and a shady garden area with a few outdoor tables — really pleasant and quiet area!