A small discreet restaurant with a definite buzz , staff are welcoming and professional, the food is without doubt the best Japanese we have tasted outside of Japan! tasty and authentic, will return as a regular, just one tiny gripe ,, is it necessary to charge for what is technically tap water ,just a little moan other than that this place is at the top of our list to eat in town whether lunch or dinner
Extremely welcoming and friendly staff. So lovely to chat through the menu with a knowledgeable and passionate waiter.
Crab steam bun was sublime, oysters scrummy, however the fried chicken, and the beetroot and walnut salad were divine. Fantastic place, I cannot recommend it highly enough. First date night since having baby- definitely what we needed. Thanks.
We had the most incredible Japanese meal here, the staff were friendly and very knowledgable. I can honestly say it's the only restaurant I've been to where I have enjoyed the vegetarian dishes as much as the meat and fish! The cauliflower was out of this world and the kale! Also the crab bun was to die for, thanks so much we can't wait for our next visit! �
Had an amazing meal at Koj last night as a birthday treat organised by my husband. We picked the meal for two where Koj pick your meal for you and it was brilliant. We really enjoyed the surprise of each course and it was a great way to learn what we liked on the menu. Will definitely be visiting again in the future! Thank you for a wonderful evening. The staff are so welcoming and friendly. 100% recommending to all our friends and family.
Came to Koj pop-up restaurant as a surprise to celebrate my boyfriend's 30th, since Japanese food is a big love of ours.
We were not disappointed - the space is quirky and cosy, and their order-and-it-comes-when-ready informal menu approach was fun and very Japanese!
The cocktails were absolutely excellent, they lived up to their theatrical presentation.
Every dish was packed with flavour, right down to the rice and edamame - I can't pick a favourite but I can tell you I could eat this food every day for the rest of my life and never get bored - absolutely wonderful. It was as good (and some dishes better) as anything we ate while in Japan.
Last but not least the staff were so friendly, enthusiastic and on the ball - really very impressive.
Thanks for a memorable landmark birthday meal Koj, please don't leave at Christmas!
The penultimate pop up before it goes permanent wss as delightful as ever. The barman was visiting his girlfriend shoo the awesome smoked cocktails were off the menu but since we were there for lunch that didn't matter. How so much flavour can be crammed into such small bowls is a mystery. Even humble miso soup tastes rich and full. As for the buns... Juicy duck or pork. Both magical. The place closes for a refit today but I anticipate the reopening in early February with impatience. Cool place, hot food!
Everything was perfect! Couldn't decide what we liked the most as everything was so delicious, the aubergines & miso salmon especially so. Defiantly the best meal we have all eaten for a long time.
Helen Parnell-Hopkinson
+5
This is our second visit in a month and it was even better! A different menu too. Delicious japanese food and really helpful, friendly staff makes this one of Cheltenham's best new restaurants. Well done Koj!
Wonderful independent restaurant. The pork ramen was cooked to perfection and tasted lovely. Such a unique place. I look forward to having an evening meal in here. Most people think Japanese food is about raw fish and sushi but there is so much more to it then that ;).
Had a fabulous meal with my family . The flavours were exciting and suited the grownups and kept the 10 and 12 year olds in the group happy too .Andrew was very sweet and came down to have a chat . My daughter was treated like a princess as it was her birthday and the staff were incredibly lovely . Didn’t miss sushi at all 😄 ! Prices were very reasonable and loved the idea of choosing a bit of everything on the tasting menu .Cannot wait to visit again .
Cheltenham has a fabulous array of restaurants and Koj brings something a little different. Japanese food, thankfully, does not have to be raw fish and this kitchen proves that. We had a standout meal - well done Koj!
We spent the whole day with Koj (and Rich) yesterday, he taught us so much, the food was exquisite, such a lovely, friendly, beautiful place and people, 100% you should go and enjoy and experience. Thank you Koj thank you
Fantastic food and service. We had the tasting menu and can thoroughly recommend. We will be back!
Very relaxed atmosphere, unique menu
food delicious and very reasonably priced!
Loved the Grazing menu, we ordered most of the dishes, as there was 4 of us dining. Thank you, we will definitely come back.
Fantastic meal on Saturday, everything was delicious! Will you be featuring the kushiyaki on the main menu at some point? We had these when you were a pop up and they were amazing!
Lovely little Japanese restaurant. Quality of the food was excellent, I especially enjoyed the soft shell crab Bao. Decent beer options available too, can't wait to visit again
Another great night at Koj. The food was absolutely wonderful, from prepartion to presentation, very plasing. Every course was fresh and we had amazing experience. Staff was outstanding. Thank you for great night.
Absolutely incredible food, and impeccable service. Andrew came to our table and offered us some whisky, as there was a tasting event upstairs. More importantly though, he came over and had a chat with us! Absolutely made the night for us. Would highly recommend going to Koj
Very nice and small restaurant but with great, attentive and friendly staff. Chef Koj is such a friendly person to chat with. Menu options are limited but great enough to satisfy your palette with a good flavour and presentation.
Vegetarian options can be more variety but the current selection are enough to try out.
![4]( "Recensione")
A great shared dining experience, albeit a steep price for some smaller dishes. The bill came as a slight surprise as there were no prices indicated on the food menu.
We paid around £35 per person for 4 people, and shared most dishes between us.
Our favourites were the bao buns (mushroom, crab), teriyaki salmon (so tender and flavourful!) and Brussels sprouts (seriously, try them).
Grazing dishes (£12) and bao buns (£6) are the 'main course' here, being the most substantial plates available.
The menu system here was slightly daunting at first but you can ask the waiting staff for their recommendations (they choose for you) at a set price for a number of dishes. Staff are very accommodating and will help with any queries.
Plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, chefs will make alterations as needed. They prepared us a Shiitake okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) rather than the chicken one on the menu. This had great flavour and was especially filling compared to some of the other grazing dishes.
Wasn't a fan of the Padron peppers, they were overly salted. Beef tataki was a very small portion for £12, and personally the wasabi mayo distracted from the beef taste.
Tried one of the cocktails (kojinori gin with lime and nori syrup) and really enjoyed it. Size was fair, however for £10 this was expected.
Be aware that a 15% service charge is added automatically to the bill... Yet another reason to be slightly surprised at the cost!
This place is more of a casual experience but with prices comparable to a higher end restaurant. Would visit again but choose dishes more carefully to keep the cost down!
No sushi!
Japanese cooking in small plates, always quality and interesting dishes on offer, great cocktails, and good friendly service.
Excellent food, excellent service. Highly recommend the crab bao. Staff were very helpful and prompt. Greatly enjoyed our meal here, although pudding felt a touch on the expensive side, even if it was very tasty.
Really fantastic food, and friendly and efficient staff who were very happy to help us figure out our order. The non-alcoholic cocktails were really nice, it's lovely to have interesting drinks options without alcohol! It's a very small restaurant and booking seems to be essential. Accessibility-wise it's worth noting that the toilets are up a flight of stairs and the main restaurant doesn't have much navigation space at all. We were with our 4 month old (in arms rather than a pushchair, fortunately!) and I was able to breastfeed her without the staff blinking an eye, which I really appreciated. I'd definitely visit again, but not with the little one once she's old enough to need a highchair.
Good gosh I LOVE this place. Excellent bar staff, and every single thing on the menu (which changes frequently) is addictively good. Would order everything if possible
Excellent food and a more interesting menu than the usual Japanese restaurant options. Waiter was knowledgeable on ingredients. Interesting bottled beers available. Reasonable prices. The curry udon noodles are recommended!
Great atmosphere and food at this Japanese restaurant. I have only ever tried sushi so this restaurant has broadened my pallet. Funky decor and helpful staff. Worth booking in advance as not to many covers.
The best option in Cheltenham. You need to get over the interior, which is naff and feels a bit like an old tea room that has gone to a fancy dress as a Japanese restaurant. But you can do this because the food is good. The buns are light sweet and fluffy with plenty of filling and we loved all the grazing plates although the fried chicken was a bit underwhelming. Keep room for deserts and try their own beer.
My wife and I have been to Koj a number of times - every meal is well prepared and presented, alongside an excellent selection of beers and cocktails. My particular favourite is the beef tataki - fantastic recipe, expertly executed.
A great find and will definitely return and recommend. Nice, intimate setting, interesting menu and taste sensations ( love the miso soup ). House red more than adequate. Staff friendly, knowledgeable and professional.
I just hope this 'one off' doesn't go down the route of franchising or multiple sites. Good luck.
Fantastic food and friendly, helpful staff. A really nice atmosphere both in the restaurant and the upstairs bar. Definitely be booking a table here again the next time I'm in Cheltenham.
Great experience, warm welcome, a bit of chat from all the staff. Let the staff decide for us on the menu, great selection of an assortment of dishes. Lovely meal and Greta atmosphere.
You’ll probably need to book in advance, short notice has never worked for us as they are normally booked out.
Looking forward to a return visit soon
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes