The oyakodon and yakitori bowls were delicious, piping hot and generously portioned. Just like in Japan. We loved the pickles on the side.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Immanuel Deo Silalahi
If you are japanese food lover, you definitely need to stop by here. I tried the Karaage Bento, it worth the price. One thing I am a little bit disappointed is that we need to buy sauces separately and it quite expensive(around 2USD per tiny sauce)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rebecca Tsang
Hilo - Holy cow, I mean chicken, this is chicken karaage on another level. They’re only on big island now in Hawaii. Hopefully one will open on O‘ahu soon because I don’t live in Hilo….
If perfect chicken karaage exists, it would be found here. Big, plump, juicy on the inside, perfect crisp on the outside, well seasoned, nothing more they need to do. Their wings were also out of this world. Love how they only serve the flats. The curry powder was so flavorful sprinkled onto the perfectly crisped skin.
The whole bento was just delicious. The rice was well cooked. The sides were yummy.
Ask staff from bathroom. They’ll ask you to walk around as the Bathroom entrance is around and behind their kitchen through a side door. Not the most convenient so try to use the bathroom before coming here.
Plenty of parking in the lot! I imagine it can get busy. We got there on a Saturday a little before 11am right before they opened. People kept coming in nonstop since then.
I’m only sad because I can’t have this more often as it requires me to fly to eat there… I’ll definitely stop there when I’m in Hilo again!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
n vb
Great food! Came fast and honestly the portions look small but were giant Rice was amazing and staff were very friendly and helpful Totally recommend for a mellow lunch/dinner!
Griffith Frost
Co-founder of America's first premium sake brewery, SakeOne, so spent a lot of time visiting Japanese restaurants. Very few of them were actually owned and operated by Japanese. Tenkatori in Hilo is Japanese owned and operated with almost everyone speaking in Japanese. They were very customer oriented, full of smiles and anticipating how to help you BEFORE you ask. We focused on the chicken thigh karaage and it was excellent. I loved the innovation of offering you a variety of dipping sauces which I rarely see in Japan. Well done. Doing. To be done. P.S. They also had a nice display of high quality sake as part of the decor, which to me is a sign of a quality Japanese restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jennifer Morihara
I have celiac disease so fried chicken is always hard to come by. This place has a separate fryer so there’s no cross contamination. The chicken was so delicious! 10/10 would recommend :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wenqing Zhang
Very bad service. No free cup water. Water is charged before ask in advance. We have four people and the waitress keep pushing us using a very small table and save the other table even empty for the upcoming guest. Even though there is no other people besides us. Very very bad experience!!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Joe Mama
Food is so good and staff is so nice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bridgit Motes
What a great celiac-friendly find in Hilo! Cutest little place with super friendly and accommodating staff. We were sorry to learn that the Kona location is not also gluten free… we were already making plans to visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jenn T
Got takeout twice, so nice to have a really good gluten free option! Served was incredibly kind and helpful.
Best karaage (Japanese fried chicken) I've had since I went to Japan. Greeted in Japanese upon entering and served with a smile. Small, charming, friendly place well worth the visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kathleen Richmond
Gluten free delicious fries chicken and chicken karage wings! Service was excellent and the atmosphere was very clean and simple. It was like being back in Japan! Great place! Love having gluten free in Hilo!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kyra Mairead Gorski
The chicken was so moist inside, so full of flavor! And the sauces they have make it taste even better! The Lilikoi Honey and Ginger Green Onion were amazing.
Plus all the side dishes in the Bento were very enjoyable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Karaage Bento
Alysia L
We ordered the fried chicken, hot and fresh, very delicious. The staff were very friendly as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ashley Galloway
For $27 the unagi was a much smaller portion than we were expecting and pretty tough, had high hopes for this place but even the breading on karaage was wet and under fried.
The oyakodon and yakitori bowls were delicious, piping hot and generously portioned. Just like in Japan. We loved the pickles on the side.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you are japanese food lover, you definitely need to stop by here. I tried the Karaage Bento, it worth the price. One thing I am a little bit disappointed is that we need to buy sauces separately and it quite expensive(around 2USD per tiny sauce)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hilo - Holy cow, I mean chicken, this is chicken karaage on another level. They’re only on big island now in Hawaii. Hopefully one will open on O‘ahu soon because I don’t live in Hilo….
If perfect chicken karaage exists, it would be found here. Big, plump, juicy on the inside, perfect crisp on the outside, well seasoned, nothing more they need to do. Their wings were also out of this world. Love how they only serve the flats. The curry powder was so flavorful sprinkled onto the perfectly crisped skin.
The whole bento was just delicious. The rice was well cooked. The sides were yummy.
Ask staff from bathroom. They’ll ask you to walk around as the Bathroom entrance is around and behind their kitchen through a side door. Not the most convenient so try to use the bathroom before coming here.
Plenty of parking in the lot! I imagine it can get busy. We got there on a Saturday a little before 11am right before they opened. People kept coming in nonstop since then.
I’m only sad because I can’t have this more often as it requires me to fly to eat there… I’ll definitely stop there when I’m in Hilo again!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food! Came fast and honestly the portions look small but were giant
Rice was amazing and staff were very friendly and helpful
Totally recommend for a mellow lunch/dinner!
Co-founder of America's first premium sake brewery, SakeOne, so spent a lot of time visiting Japanese restaurants. Very few of them were actually owned and operated by Japanese. Tenkatori in Hilo is Japanese owned and operated with almost everyone speaking in Japanese. They were very customer oriented, full of smiles and anticipating how to help you BEFORE you ask. We focused on the chicken thigh karaage and it was excellent. I loved the innovation of offering you a variety of dipping sauces which I rarely see in Japan. Well done. Doing. To be done. P.S. They also had a nice display of high quality sake as part of the decor, which to me is a sign of a quality Japanese restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I have celiac disease so fried chicken is always hard to come by. This place has a separate fryer so there’s no cross contamination. The chicken was so delicious! 10/10 would recommend :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very bad service. No free cup water. Water is charged before ask in advance. We have four people and the waitress keep pushing us using a very small table and save the other table even empty for the upcoming guest. Even though there is no other people besides us. Very very bad experience!!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Food is so good and staff is so nice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a great celiac-friendly find in Hilo! Cutest little place with super friendly and accommodating staff. We were sorry to learn that the Kona location is not also gluten free… we were already making plans to visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Got takeout twice, so nice to have a really good gluten free option! Served was incredibly kind and helpful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breast Sticks, Yuzu Aioli Sauce, 10 Pieces Chicken Boneless Thigh
Restaurantji Recommends
Best karaage (Japanese fried chicken) I've had since I went to Japan. Greeted in Japanese upon entering and served with a smile. Small, charming, friendly place well worth the visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gluten free delicious fries chicken and chicken karage wings! Service was excellent and the atmosphere was very clean and simple. It was like being back in Japan! Great place! Love having gluten free in Hilo!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The chicken was so moist inside, so full of flavor! And the sauces they have make it taste even better! The Lilikoi Honey and Ginger Green Onion were amazing.
Plus all the side dishes in the Bento were very enjoyable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Karaage Bento
We ordered the fried chicken, hot and fresh, very delicious. The staff were very friendly as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
For $27 the unagi was a much smaller portion than we were expecting and pretty tough, had high hopes for this place but even the breading on karaage was wet and under fried.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Loading...