Hiroko’s Place

This place was a bit overpriced, but I cannot believe it’s closed! It was such a great little café. Their pastas are really good and home-​y. Their drinks were also really good and dessert-​like. On top of that the atmosphere was so cute! So sad to see this place go.

It is sad to see this place close. I used to go there for lunch on a weekly basis before my wife started cooking curry more often. The food is pretty much what you would find in old time cafes in Japan and taste home-​cooked, but thats what it is — a café that offers old time curry plates, pastas, etc.
The coffee is not really their strength IMO but I quite liked the sea food spaghetti and omu curry.

why is hiroko’s closed? :(
seafood doria… t_​_​_​_​_​t

Quirky restaurant with home style Japanese cooking. Unfortunately the food was not any better than my cooking when I was a poor college student. Very disappointing.
We ordered the omu rice, beef curry, and meat sauce spaghetti. I was really hoping that at least one of the three dishes were unique enough for me to come back. I am sad to say I will not be returning. Plus the prices were not cheap for the quality and quantity of food.

It’s so strange that Unilocal reports this place as closed because I just visited about two months ago and business seemed fine. Either way, this is a great cute litle café and they serve really homey food. Feel like I’ve been invited into someones house for dinner. The floats are also delicious!

Great food, great atmosphere, so sad to hear Hiroko’s Place closed. Thank you for the curry and will miss you!

Had the curry omu rice here, it was so-​so at best. The curry was not bad, but the egg was too thin and the beef was definitely over cooked. The beef tasted a bit dry even with the curry.

I absolutely adore this place! I’ve been going to Hiroko’s for the past year or 2 and always leave super happy and satisfied. The atmosphere has a very homey comfortable feel, so I love bringing my friend (s) here to just eat and chat. The service is also great, they’re all really nice and polite.
So here is what I’ve tried at Hiroko’s: Napolitan Spaghetti, Pizza Toast, Green Tea Smoothie (Yogurt), Green Tea Parfait, and Seafood Gratin. The spaghetti is honestly not going to blow your mind because it’s just a basic Japanese styled spaghetti dish, but it IS very good hence why I always order it because it is a perfected basic dish. The Pizza Toast is pretty good and it’s unique because you can’t really get this type of dish in other places, but I did get it once cold, which made me a bit upset. As for the smoothie, I always ask for the Yogurt to be made with it, and it’s sooo good!!! I love this drink. The seafood gratin is very good too, nothing too spectacular. Lastly the parfait which I have saved best for last because the Green Tea Parfait is one of the BEST desserts to end a meal. It doesn’t look that big, but it’s pretty brolic! It has so many layers of fresh fruits, cream, corn flakes, ice cream, red bean, and all that good stuff! I highly recommend this dessert, so SAVE ROOM FOR IT! My friends have also tried the curry and omelette rice and told me that they loved it, so don’t be afraid to try those dishes too!
Overall, I do highly recommend trying this place because you won’t be disappointed!

Hiroko’s is a lovely little café in Soho serving Japanese comfort food. If you are craving curry, omurice, hayashi rice, spaghetti, casseroles or anything of the sort, this place would be your best bet. There is a very laid back atmosphere, making it a perfect place to spend some time with friends. During the handful of times I’ve been here, I would say that service is polite, friendly and not pushy at all.
On my most recent visit, I ordered hayashi rice and my boyfriend got the hamburg curry doria. The hayashi rice was delicious, and had plentiful chunks of meat and veggies. The gravy itself was very tasty, a little sweet and salty but very balanced. I would order this again.
However, the Hamburg curry doria was PHENOMENAL! I’m glad my boyfriend got it because it has everything he loves in a dish — rice, curry, meat, and cheese. Aside from that, when I got a taste for myself, I couldn’t believe how creamy it was. All the flavors from the different components came together so nicely. Next time, I will order this for myself and recommend that everyone try it!
Last but not least, we couldn’t leave without dessert, and hiroko’s has some really nice options to choose from. I have tried their green tea parfait, which was really good, and it seems their green tea tiramisu was really popular when we were there. However, we opted to get the fruit custard pudding a la mode. I love fruit, I love custard pudding, and I love ice cream. This dessert never fails! Also they serve it with cute hello kitty utensils!

I’ve been to my fair share of Japanese cafes, and Hiroko’s is alright.
After dinner, my friends wanted to get some coffee, so I found Hiroko’s Place on Unilocal.We were seated right when we walked in and given menus. All three of my friends decided to go for the iced coffee float, and while I was full and didn’t want to order anything, I was told that I had to if we wanted to sit and enjoy our post-​dinner coffee. I get that a restaurant doesn’t want to lose money if someone is taking up a seat, but I’ve never dealt with this before when eating out with friends, so that left sort of a bad taste in my mouth.
The three coffee floats turned into four. It actually took a long time for the drinks to get to us and as I looked over at the women behind the counter, one was handling a lot of phone calls and the patrons in the restaurant while the other looked to only be a barista. It didn’t seem like a very effective way to service, but if it works for them, then who am I to complain?
The coffee floats themselves were decent, but I didn’t think that they were worth the $ 6.50. I liked how we had a side glass of simple syrup to mix in, but is was hard to do with the ice cream on top. The coffee was very good quality, but it was combined with a vanilla ice cream that was actually pretty icy in some areas.
After our drinks, it then took a long time for us to get the check because the woman handling the sit-​down patrons was running around fetching take-​out orders and taking phone calls. It was a bit annoying trying to wave her down, but I get that she seemed to be the one who handled most of the café. Once we eventually paid, I was just happy that the coffee kicked in and my mood turned up.
In the end, I don’t think I’d come back. Considering the price and the service, I figure I can get more elsewhere.

What I enjoy about a restaurant that serves up homemade-​style comfort food of its originating nation is the food, the service and the atmosphere the place attempts to create to wrap the entire experience in. Hiroko’s Place shares the Japanese homey, café, lounge-​y feel with a quiet, relaxing and artistic interior serving up delicious, heartwarming food with some warm and soothing tea/​coffee. I had the pleasure of visiting the place following a pretty crazy day in the city… and, I’ll be honest, I was craving オムライス (OmuRice, or Omelet Rice) for the past month.
What I enjoyed from the moment I entered the restaurant was the nice, warm welcome from the ladies that were to serve me. Upon entering, I found the quiet atmosphere telling me to relax and enjoy what’s to come, not to worry and feel comfortable. I did feel a slight feminine décor that I was walking into, but it was nothing that made me feel out of place in any way — it just added to the invitation to take it easy and leave the long day in the past.
Of course, I was here to dine and chill with a friend, so I ordered what I definitely craved for: オムライス. Served up the way it would be served up in a Japanese home? Like you wouldn’t believe. Beautifully done from the inside out, the ketchup fried rice with chicken bedded inside an omelet and ketchup drizzle, I felt like I’ve been flown several thousands of miles away from NYC for a while and then back when I was done. The ketchup didn’t overpower the feel and taste of the dish, considering one wrong deviation of ketchup taste and usage into the dish could have ruined an entire dish — I’m very glad Hiroko’s Place knows the dish like a perfect work you can’t mess with. I can see why people recommend Hiroko’s for this dish!
In addition to the オムアイス, I also had their House Blend Coffee. Please denote me as the regular coffee drinker because I, honestly, do not drink coffee on a regular basis — very rarely do I ever drink even a small cup of coffee. The House Blend Coffee, however, was a brilliant blend complemented by the siphoning technique. Somehow, I found that regular coffee wasn’t for me and that the House Blend had some sort of difference, mainly in the flavor and how it went down my throat, that made me glad I opted to try it. Although a bit pricier than what you get in other coffee shop, I do not look at price for when the quality surpasses its tag — I say «they serve up a quality product for a great price and they make a profit, they earn much more when they serve — good for them!»
I ended off with their featured dessert — a melon soda ice cream float. I hate to admit it, but their melon soda is better than most bottled melon sodas I’ve tried and adding ice cream to it to make it a float was an interesting combination that I seemed to like. It brings the inner «sweets» person out of me, a person who doesn’t normally go for sweets. I’m impressed, from start to finish!
In the end, I find this to be a place where, when I’m in SoHo and in the mood for some comfort Japanese food away from the noisy and hectic city outside the place, I can find myself going to Hiroko’s Place and finding the peace and comfortable atmosphere while enjoying delicious dishes and calming drinks!

Charming little place I stumbled upon while strolling the area after a flower arrangement class at Miu Flower school. I was mainly interested in the Totoro drawing on the omelet (omu rice), the guy that can draw it wasn’t there when I went, but I was equally happy that they drew me a doraemon. It made my night.
We ordered the beef curry, and we loved it. The curry isn’t spicy, more toward the sweet side. Beef is tender. We end the meal with a huge green tea parfait to share. Fresh fruit, very refreshing.
The ambiance of the restaurant is creative. It has Japanese manga books on the shelf, delicate tea sets, and Japanese arts hanging on the walls, there is also a piano and a lounge chair. It’s small but don’t feel cramped. I have to try their coffee and tea next time.

Came in here for coffee and dessert. Their coffee is siphoned, so the flavor and aroma is quite different from a regular brew. I highly recommend trying it. If you usually take your coffee with milk and sugar, it is best to take a sip of the coffee black, undiluted, first in order to appreciate the difference.
The cake selection was rather small, it is not mentioned on the menu, so you have to ask the waitstaff. I had the Green Tea Tiramisu which tasted much more spongier and softer than what I’m used to. Not exactly bad but at the same time it wasn’t phenomenal.
The waitstaff here are incredibly courteous. You can tell as soon as you hear «Iraisshaimasei!» — you’re going to be well taken care of.
The ambience of the place is quite unique, on one side there’s paintings and bookshelves lined with manga (Japanese comics) and on the other theres a comfortable sofa and upright piano. The music selection of the place was the only aspect that was jarring, it went from a flamboyant Spanish song to a sad Japanese ballad to a Japanese animé theme song. In addition, the positioning of the furniture near the windows were a bit… wrong. They have huge windows but the heavy curtain drapes and vertical positioning of the chairs (as opposed to horizontal) doesn’t take advantage of the natural light coming in from outside. Granted, the place is on a rather quiet street but it’s still noticeable.
But I would definitely come back here again for the coffee and perhaps try one of the cute omurice dishes while I’m at it.

Average food made seemingly better with lovely décor, a homely atmosphere, and an even lovelier bathroom (seriously – if there’s one place you’ll want to take a shit it’s here).
Came with a friend today at a little past noon and was surprised to see that the restaurant was barely filled. The waitresses were friendly and attentive, and we received our food within minutes. I ordered an Anpanman omurice and my friend curry, and we both agreed that they were mediocre (although the presentation of my meal was adorable). However, with the manga lining the shelves that I’ve yet to read and the comfy-​looking couches that I have yet to sit on, I may make another return in the future.

This is such a nice hidden café in the SoHo area. I love it because it’s cute, quaint and a little off the beaten path. Great place to catch up and relax with friends. I most recently came here with two friends to enjoy some flavored teas, coffees and nibble on some tasty Japanese food. It was super busy yet we still got excellent service.
If you’re here and you enjoy manga, there’s a whole bookshelf for you to leaf through. All in all, I really love it here. It’s cute, and has personality and also the perfect spot to catch up with friends that isn’t your local Starbucks.

This is a cute lookin’ spot tucked away in Soho!
I came here for lunch, and it was pretty hoppin’. I had their katsu curry, which was a HUGE portion, btw! I also tried out their aloe peach drink, which was pretty good. My friend got their hamburg rice, which was alright.

Hiroko’s is so cute! I love how it embraces the homey aesthetic throughout, including in the bathroom which is filled with flowery picture frames from top to bottom. It’s also surprisingly spacious for the neighborhood with a good amount of seating. I wouldn’t say business was particularly slow, but a friend and I came for lunch right around 1pm yesterday (Friday) and had no problem finding a table. Service was helpful and prompt; we we in and out within the hour, no problem.
We each got the katsu curry, which was good. Truthfully there isn’t much of a range for Japanese curry quality, it’s a pretty basic dish, so would have been hard to wow me here. But it certainly didn’t disappoint! The katsu was thin and well breaded and everything (katsu, veggies) was cooked well.
Still, 4 stars for Hiroko’s for being a charming home to Japanese comfort food and particularly PARFAITS, which I’ve been seeking since my last stay in Tokyo and will have to come back for. For the uninitiated, Japanese «parfait» is made with ice cream and is 2000% better than yogurt parfait (and I like yogurt parfait). So if you’re here and have room or time for dessert, go for it!

I’ve been wanting to come here for soooooo long, and finally yesterday, I made it! They are closed on Wednesdays (made that mistake once, never again!)!!!
Stemming from childhood memories, I had to get the anpan man omurice. This is just a simple ketchup fried rice with some meat and veggies inside a thin egg omelette. The simplicity of it is probably the best part about it :)
We also got the kino-​tara spaghetti (mushroom and spicy cod roe), which was super delicious!!! Awesome balance of ingredients, and it wasn’t too salty. The mushrooms also had a nice crunch to it still, and had an abundance of flavor.
Both dishes came with a small salad appetizer.
The restaurant itself is a cute shop with lots of knick knacks everywhere, including a whole bookshelf of manga comic books. waitstaff is super nice!!! I hear their coffee is pretty good too (they use syphons), so if you ever wanna feel like you’re in Japan for a few hours, come here!

I was so prepared to write this place off. There was a time in my life when at least a quarter of my diet was ketchup fried rice wrapped in omelette, presented with little paper flags on a colorful plastic kiddie tray split in compartments.
But those days are long past! I’m an adult! I don’t eat food either drenched in or decorated with ketchup anymore! Right?
Wrong, apparently. The omurice was delicious! The fried rice inside was texturally perfect (though the chunks of chicken throughout are unnecessary). The omelette was neither too thick nor overcooked. The plate looks a bit bare with only a tiny orb of cold mashed potato next to the omurice, but you also get a fresh mini salad beforehand. I’d guess they execute other typical Japanese-​Western dishes (curry, spaghetti gratins, anything with hot dogs) just as well.
The ambiance is cute, eclectic, clean, quiet — I can imagine sitting here by myself with some tea and a crossword, but it was perfect for a lunch date with a friend I hadn’t seen in awhile. We also enjoyed the rooibos, served in a clear glass teaset.
I still personally feel that Japanese cooking that doesn’t involve soy somehow/​somewhere should be approached with caution… But eating Hiroko’s omurice, I felt like a kid again.

First thing I noticed when I walked in was the bookshelf full of mangas! You can read it for free while enjoying your food or waiting for it. Customer service was amazing.
For appetizers, we ordered fried calamari and pizza toast. The fired calamari didn’t taste that great and they serve it with ketchup so it didn’t taste right. However the pizza toast was amazingly good, definitely order that when you go!
I ordered the An-​Pan Man Omu Rice because it look really cute and I think they can make other Japanese characters if you request for it. However I didn’t since I couldn’t think of one. My friend ordered the Hamburg Curry. The Hamburg tasted really good, not like the average burger you would get. An-​Pan Omu Rice tasted good too.
We ordered a green tea smoothie and mixed berry smoothie (with soy milk). The green tea smoothie didn’t taste any different from what it should taste. The mixed berry smoothie tasted like bananas, which might have been from the soy milk but not so sure. Might not really be worth that $ 6. For dessert we got the green tea parfait to share. The parfait was good, not too sweet and the fruits didn’t taste sour.
Definitely would love to come back.