Boiseans were ‘devastated’ when this restaurant closed. It just opened in a new spot
After closing in May, a popular Korean street food restaurant has reopened at a new location.
Koco Bell is back in action at 2999 N. LakeHarbor Lane. Previously in West Boise, it’s now minutes from downtown in the same building as Crunch Fitness, off State Street.
Koco Bell’s grand opening is slated for Friday. Operating in soft-opening mode until then, it’s already welcoming customers.
Koco Bell began as a food stand at Five Mile and Ustick roads before opening a strip-mall brick-and-mortar in 2021. The restaurant served authentic Korean and fusion food ranging from Korean drinks and kimbap to barbecue boxes and — as I can personally attest (yum!) — rich, tasty Korean corn dogs.
Owners Jaikoo “Steve” Kang and his wife, Mariela, built an exceptionally devoted following. Koco Bell racked up a nearly perfect 4.9 out of 5.0 stars from more than 200 Google reviews. It also earned an exceptional 4.8 out of 5.0 on Yelp.
Koco Bell’s reviews on Google vanished during the temporary closure — at least for now. But Koco Bell already is racking up new reviews that rate it a perfect 5.0 out of 5.0 stars — from 26 submissions.
“I was devastated when I saw their location closed down,” a reviewer writes, “but was absolutely thrilled to see them back in a new location. ... .” He wrote that he tried the ramen, while his companion ordered kimbap bulgog. “Both were absolutely delicious,” the reviewer gushed, adding “the service was wonderful.”
Koco Bell has upped the ante when it comes to Korean culture at the new location. On Instagram, the restaurant promises that “when you walk into our doors, you will feel like you’re walking into Korea. You will have the chance to wear a traditional hanbok and take a photo with a scenic view of Seoul. We will also have karaoke, and much more!”
For updates about the new restaurant, check out Koco Bell on social media: @kocobellboise.
