Kokonut Grill

The owners and staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. The crispy chicken sweet chili koko rice box is filling and delicious. Nice atmosphere and clean dining area.

Came here for the first time on a Thursday so it wasn’t too busy. I got the mini koko box and my bf got the loco moco. Everything was great! The sauce for the crispy chicken was really good. The coconut rice is really refreshing and the coconut taste is very faint. It is hard to get tropical/​pacific food so this place is great if you have a craving for it. They also have shave ice and halo halo so it’ll be a great place to go in the summer too.
We didn’t have to wait long for our food, and after we were done eating the owner came out to see if we liked the food. Very friendly staff and cute interior! I will definitely be coming back.

Kokonut Grill was great!
I popped in for lunch one day and was very satisfied. I got the half portion of chicken katsu with the macaroni salad and white rice. The owner was so nice that he added a scoop of coconut rice on the side so I could try it to see if I liked it. I’m so glad he did that because now I can say without a doubt that I am not a fan of coconut rice. Now that that’s been established, we can get on to the rest of the meal.
The chicken was excellent, as was the sauce that came with it. As was the macaroni salad. As were the vegetable rolls. Seriously, everything was so tasty. I went in thinking I would have some to take home for dinner the next day. Do you really think that happened? No.
So basically, everything that everyone has been saying about Kokonut Grill is 100% true. Next time you’re in the area, definitely pop in for lunch!

Not bad. Not bad at all. Crispy chicken was pretty good. The spicy chicken is kinda eh. The sauce is too over powering and makes it kinda salty. But everything else was pretty good

This place deserves more than 5 stars!!! My friend found this restaurant and we decided to give it a try. I end up coming here 3 days in a row. Their food is so tasty and unique. And their customer service is extremely good. The couples are very welcoming and friendly. If you’re looking for a homey atmosphere and amazing food on campus. I highly recommend this restaurant!

Liked the food in first visit. For stop and go food, i shall recommended this to friends.
Try the Fried rice and Ask for Egg well done, it a good combo with the pineapple slice.
Oh yaa… The food is fresh made, its not micro waved.

Three cheers for a Hawaiian BBQ/​Malaysian/​fusion restaurant in RVA! I no longer have to drive to VA Beach for my mac salad fix. The owners here are super kind, and have given my friends and I egg rolls on the house while we were waiting for our orders. I’ve tried the shrimp (served shell-​on), crispy chicken katsu, and their Malaysian bubble tea. Boy, my stomach is growling as I’m typing this up. The shrimp shells were a little bit of a nuisance but I don’t mind rolling up my sleeves sometimes. Their milk tea is a little bit thicker, richer, and creamier in comparison to TT Lounge less than half a mile away.
I’m only docking one star for the portion sizes (I’d dock a half-​star if I could). I’m a pretty small girl with a pretty small appetite but I wish the scoops of rice were a little bit bigger. And the next time I visit home and my friends at VCU, I will definitely try the loco moco and report back ASAP.

I really enjoyed this place! I came here for lunch with my bf on a weekend and had a big feast. We had two Koko rice boxes, one with katsu chicken and one with garlic shrimp. They were both super delicious. The garlic shrimp had this tangy taste that I don’t know if I’d be able to replicate at home. it was sweet and salty, with sesame seeds sprinkled on top. It was served shell-​on. I don’t usually eat the shells of shrimp but it was so tasty I ate it all! Chicken katsu was really crispy, and you can dip it in the katsu sauce served on the side. I was impressed!
Also had the chicken satay appetizer. Served with cucumber pieces and a big portion of peanut sauce. Nothing crazy, but it had good flavor.
Alsooo. We both had the malaysian milk bubble tea, which just tasted like the standard milk tea. We enjoyed that, especially since I don’t think I’ve found another good bubble milk tea in the area.
The woman who served us was super friendly and made us feel right at home. She just seemed very happy to have us and came by multiple times to make sure we didn’t need anything else. So you will definitely get awesome service here!

Guy behind the counter was great, nice personality, patient when explaining the dishes and concept and appeared to be a genuinely nice guy. Food is cooked to order so there is a slight delay in receiving your food but nothing too extreme.
I wanted the grilled beef but unfortunately they were out of it, the guy behind the counter recommended the Loco Moco, apparently the island special, a bun-​less burger topped with fried egg and teriyaki sauce with two sides of rice and one of macaroni salad. This item was good but not great, at first when trying the burger I was a bit disappointed as alone it doesn’t contain a great deal of flavor but once I got a hit of the sauce in my next bite I was more into, the sauce is flavorful and is the real highlight of the dish. Not too much too say about the rice, it was well cooked and a nice add on but as with most plates of white rice, just a nice extra and nothing special. Mac salad also decent but nothing out of this world.
I would be interested in trying some of their other options but my first trip didn’t blow my mind or make me wish I lived closer to make part of a regular rotation.

After I heard that Chow House was gone and was replaced by Kokonut Grill, I was distraught and outraged. I mean, where am I ever going to get my Smores Pie and puffy tacos?! However, after finding out that the owners were friends with Chow House and reading all the great reviews, I decided to try Kokonut Grill.
3 stars for the food, 5 stars for service — the owners were super friendly and kind, they looked so happy and eager to help as soon as you walk in and go up to the counter to order. I felt really welcomed and especially before I was leaving, the owner asked if we (my friend and I) would like a lollipop and kindly said «See you again».
As for the food, I ordered the Crispy Chicken with Chili Sauce along with their Milk Tea. Food was tasty, but not exactly what I had in mind. Granted, I was a bit confused as to whether they were serving Malaysian (since their board recently added Mee Goreng) or Hawaiian food. Crispy Chicken was basically a tasty chicken-​katsu, but I wouldn’t say anything special — sort of tasted like a better Taka Grille (a Japanese joint in Tysons Corner mall). I had the coconut rice which was not bad, I liked the fact that it was sticky rice and you could definitely taste the coconut but again, nothing overly special. Macaroni salad was okay, just tasted like a generic macaroni salad from a grocery store. The bubble milk tea was weak and the boba was tough, so I probably will not order the drink again.
I really wanted to try their curry puffs but alas, they were out of stock — I will definitely have to try them the next time I visit again!
Overall, it’s a nice place to get lunch for an affordable price and I will be back to try out their other dishes.

Sad that Chow House is gone, but I’m so happy such a wonderful business took its place!
Upon hearing that a Hawaiian BBQ/​Asian fusion place was coming to VCU’s campus, I was so happy and excited to try it out! Although this place has been open for a few months now, their quality is getting better. From the food to the owners, this place is worth a try. If you’re thinking ribs slathered in sauce BBQ, this isn’t the place. Rather, it’s a lot lighter and all of the food has a really tangy taste to it.
I’ve tried the grilled chicken, shrimp, and katsu fried chicken koko boxes and they’re all pretty great. The portion size is good. Every box comes with your protein, 2 scoops of rice, a cabbage salad, and a pasta salad. And a pineapple slice to top it off (always ripe and perfectly sweet!). I haven’t tried the appetizers and desserts, but I definitely want to.
The owners are WONDERFUL! I met the lady, and she is so nice. When I came in during a pretty calm lunch and while I was waiting for my order, she sat down next to me and started to ask me if I’ve been here before, what did I enjoy, and just how I was doing. She also told me that she and her business partner came all the way from Cali and opened this restaurant.
I’ve only had great experiences here and definitely recommend it!

Incredibly friendly service, lots of street parking in the area, some seating inside. Order at the counter before sitting. Due to a recent local event, they were completely out of curry puffs as well as beef for grilled entrees. The wait for food is reasonable, as everything’s cooked to order.
Veggie rolls were just okay, macaroni salad was fine. Their dried coconut isn’t overly dehydrated, but the peanut butter makes the peanut pancake super rich and ideal for sharing. Loco moco didn’t make me nostalgic for my Hawaii trips, but it didn’t help that of the two fried eggs among our dishes, that one had been cooked through until no longer runny.
Fried noodles were super filling, had a fair amount of chicken mixed in, and a hint of tangy flavor. Bubble tea is fine: reasonably iced milk tea and properly chewy tapioca pearls. Don’t miss out on their satay or the coconut rice, those totally hit the spot– I actually enjoyed the chicken satay far more than the grilled spicy chicken entrée. Garnish was all fresh: pineapple wedges were nicely ripe, shredded cabbage still crisp. I’d stop by again to check out their grilled shrimp, beef satay, and sweet yam balls.

Delicious!
I came here with a friend on a weekday and we were the only people in the restaurant! That gave me plenty of time to look at all the items on the menu and see what Kokonut Grill has to offer. After staring at the menu for quite some time, the man behind the counter provided me with plenty of recommendations, which made my decision that much easier.
I decided on getting the chicken katsu plate. It came with 2 scoops of coconut rice, which, believe me, was so good and macaroni on the side. This is not mac n cheese though, it’s much better. I definitely recommend getting this dish. For first timers, they give you some spring rolls and dipping sauce. How generous and inviting…:)
P. S. Try the Hawaiian Sun brand juices. They are a little pricey but different than your regular drinks.

I had two personal references that this place was delicious and add that in with all the positive Unilocal reviews, I didn’t need any more convincing to check this place out. It’s a prime location; only one block away from the VCU Monroe Park campus so there’s bound to be a ton of foot traffic. The restaurant before this (RIP Chow house) had some seriously solid food and this new place kept all of their furnishings.
The three of us came on a Saturday evening for a late dinner, around 8 pm and this place was completely empty. We were greeted by a very friendly Front of house employee. The food here I would label as Asian fusion with Filipino and Hawaiian influences. You can either get a full meal, or the half meal. I got the half entrée with Shrimp and Coconut Rice, and a side of Macaroni Salad. I love it when places leave the shell on! I think it adds extra flavor to the dish and it seems more authentic to me. I got about 4 – 5 nicely sized shrimp for my dish and it tasted pretty good; it was sweet and salty but I did wish it had a little more heat to it. The coconut rice didn’t really taste too unique for me and the Macaroni Salad was ok (I am not a fan of it in general and it came with the entrée).
Before all of our food came out, the head chef (I am assuming) came out and gave us three complimentary vegetable egg rolls on the house! What a very nice gesture.
There have been at least four different restaurant businesses in this exact same spot when I first started attending VCU back in 2007 so I hope this place stays. The food is good and I am hoping they expand their menu a little bit to entice me to come back.
They also serve shaved ice and milk tea here too but I am not sure how good it is

I must confess– I was very upset Chow House closed before I got to try it, and when I heard the couple who owned it were handing their location off to chef friends of theirs, I knew what was going to take their place was going to be good. I was starving after work and realized this place was still open and I was finally in the area to try it out: it’s simple, expertly crafted and ultimately just unique, damn good flavors.
I walked in and was instantly warmly greeted, and the entire time my food was being made up (everything’s made to order, so be patient,) the owner chatted with me and her life from Malaysia was incredibly interesting and she was insanely nice, as were the cooks and the other staff. This place has a few chairs but is mainly a takeout restaurant, and while it doesn’t look like much on the inside, the food speaks for itself. I ordered the Chile Shrimp Koko Bowl with two scoops of perfectly-​cooked coconut rice, one of the most delicious slices of pineapple I’ve ever had (which actually ultimately ended up giving a little fruity edge to the rice, as well,) a surprisingly delicious, not-​too-​rich, well-​seasoned cold macaroni salad scoop and a sweet and spicy-​sauced, juicy, melt-​in-​your-​mouth pile of shell-​on shrimp. This was not what I was expecting; I was expecting it to be alright, not really good! I found myself spooning up the remaining sauce after I had finished the shrimp, which comes on a bed of sprouts and sauced cabbage and is tossed with scallions. The portions are also perfect: not too much, not too little– it’s a great spot for lunch, especially, and very reasonably priced for what tastes like Malaysian home-​cooking. I can’t wait to come back and try the chicken that everyone’s been raving about! Definitely one of the better options in the area, if you’re looking for East Asian flavors.

I’ve been eyeing this new food spot after reading all these great reviews and decided to grab a quick bite here before catching a show at The Altria. The reviews are all true — the owner is SO nice and enthusiastically greeted me upon arrival. The menu is simple in all the best ways and everything is fresh and made-​to-​order.
For a full meal under $ 9, I definitely recommend getting a Koko Rice Box (your choice of protein, 2 scoops of coconut rice, and macaroni salad).
I got the Crispy Chicken and katsu sauce which is pounded-​out chicken breast that’s lightly breaded and fried — the chicken is super crispy, flavorful and it’s a very generous portion.
My friend got the Koko Rice Box with Garlic Shrimp with coconut and garlic and said it was tasty but admitted it would be easier if there weren’t shrimp shells; she didn’t mind «working» for her food though :)
Sides were also delish! Macaroni Salad had just the right amount of dressing and is mild in flavor but the real star was the Coconut Rice = delicate, coconut-​y (or should I say «kokonut-​y»?) and not «sticky» at all; it really pairs well with your protein choice! Also, it comes with a slice of pineapple which was nice and sweet!
Half-​way through our meal, the owner gave us some veggie spring rolls on-​the-​house = yum-​o!
Thanks, Unilocalers, for singing your praises about Kokonut Grill — I will most definitely return!

FELLOW UnilocalERS get the chicken katsu box with the coconut rice !!! Will not disappoint !!!
Ive been wanting to see what new spot that took over chow house and I am gald I did. Everything was right on the dot from the staff, food, and price. Jacqueline took my order and was even nice enough to let me sample some of the cocnut rice. Its a simple menu but everything is made to order and is fresh.
For the box meal you pick the size of the meal you want (they offer a whole portion or half) than what protein and as a side you get macaroni salad and your choice between coconut rice or regular steamed rice. We got the chicken katsu with cocnut rice and one spicy chicken bowl with a spring role and Malaysian bubble tes and nothing disappointed. They also have wraps and sandwich options but I say stick with the box meal. Portions are great and we got plenty of suace with our spring roles and chicken katus.
Your food gets brought to you in a take out style and you order at the counter. Space can get tight if crowded but when we went it was slowed down from the lunch rush. They are quick with the food and exetemly nice ladies. They also had a grest slection of exotic juices and teas to sip on while you wait.

Phenomenal experience.
This place is newly opened, and the owner is ecstatic about the place and very accommodating.
I typically expect Asian restaurants to be dirty and smelly, but upon walking in I noticed a very clean interior and a flashy menu displaying their items. I ordered the crispy chicken with coconut rice, and it came out quickly and neatly.
The food was great. Hot, solid portion, perfectly cooked chicken with a fantastic dipping sauce, and coconut rice that was sweet but not too sugary and very pleasant. Go for the coconut rice over the normal rice.
However, the best aspect of the place was the service. The owner came out from the kitchen to make sure that everything was OK. He was very very friendly and seemed excited to have me in his restaurant. I complimented him on the dipping sauce, and he brought out a few more sauces with some eggrolls free of charge for me to try. He wanted my opinion on the sauces and if they could be made better. I love that! Not only did I get some free food, but I felt like the restaurant was focused on me and my experience.
I promised him that I would deliver a stellar review on Unilocal when I left, and here it is. Come by here sometime for some delicious food and great service.

first time being here. igot the koko rice box with crispy chicken sweet chili sauce. Very tasy! Coconut rice is rly good. I like the Hawaiian theme. The people that works here are very nice.

The food was great and was true to Hawaiian dishes. I got the garlic shrimp while my boyfriend got their take on a chicken katsu, but their chicken was 10x better than any Japanese katsu I’ve eaten.
Try their coconut rice! It’s truly delicious. The service was really amazing and the lady was so sweet. She really made the experience memorable and even gave us complimentary egg rolls. I’d definitely come back again– plus if you’re a VCU student it’s a 5 minute walk from Mcalc & Harris Hall