Good sushi and friendly atmosphere and reasonable prices. Good size menu with plenty to choice from that everyone can enjoy. Friendly and exceptional service. Highly recommend. read more

It was a busy night and I needed food. I simply adore this place. It's dark in there at night just enough for a romantic evening for 2. I had Nigiri and a Salmon Teriyaki Bento Boxes. My husband had the Chicken Teriyaki Bento. He even like the dressing on the salad and he's not a person who likes dressing. read more

Bento Cafe - Nigiri Unagi (eel), Ebi (shrimp) and Sake (salmon) - Japanese Near Me - Hainesville, Illinois

The service was good with nice, and helpful workers workers. The menu had an average range of food for this type of restaurant. The ambiance was ok with average decoration. I had the teriyaki chicken bento which came with teriyaki chicken(tasted good, the chicken itself was not flavorful with the only flavor coming from the sauce), veggie tempura (pretty good but was very oily), miso soup (tasty), 4 California rolls (didn't taste fresh), fried rice (didn't taste right for a fried rice and was too sweet), and last but not least, seaweed salad (which was good). Additionally we got a sparking water and another seaweed salad and the total came out to over 50$ which I'd say is on the pricy-er side. I'm not sure in recommending this restaurant, but I'd say to give it a try if you want! read more

Bento Cafe - Chicken Teriyaki Bento - Japanese Near Me - Hainesville, Illinois

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Small quiet restaurant just off 120. Great tasting food and excellent options for those not into sushi, like myself.

Wonderful gem of a place tucked in a small strip mall. We had a lovely dinner. Service was exceptional. Food was delicious and fresh. Highly recommend. read more

A high four stars! Huge menu. Quick, friendly service. Nice and simple decor. Jazzy music at a good volume. Delicious food! We'll be back!

Great food, super fresh and good quality also the service was great and quick. The ambiance was super relaxing and nice too.

The food here was incredible, went hear earlier today and the service was on point and the ambiance was inviting and relaxing. Definitely recommend and will be coming back! Oh and I suggest the udon noodles or the the special chicken teriyaki bento read more

Bento Cafe - Japanese Near Me - Hainesville, Illinois

Not decent Japanese or Korean food. Bulgogi Bowl beef amount was abysmal. Half a handful of beef for $15 is unreasonable. The Super Crunch roll was below average with regard to both flavor and quality. They are charging premium prices but serving borderline mediocre food. I regret not having called and ordered from Hayashi at least. read more

They're Bitto box with chicken and with salmon was very good. Arrived about 1:30 PM and they close at 2 Pm. The staff was very adamant that you needed to be finished by 2 o'clock. The restaurant is kind of dark, but in general, the people are friendly. The food is usually good. read more

Bento This has been one of our favorite neighborhood places, but so often it happens, that their popularity affects service and quality. The last two times we visited were really disappointing experiences. Tonight, service was non existent. We got there early and were the first table. We ordered some sashimi and chicken bowls. They came out timely. However, only one other table seated and we couldn't get water filled while eating. Eventually other tables were seated and it was half full. We were still waiting for water and a sushi order. I don't mind waiting, but no one stopped by to make sure we were ok. Over 30 minutes later they came with water and we asked for the remaining sushi order to be boxed up and a check. A few minutes later, they brought the food to the table without boxing it. They simply didn't listen. No apology or recognition. The sashimi didn't taste as fresh as the past and this was the second such recent experience. I hope this is temporary. read more

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Love Ramen and Japanese food in general. I have traveled enough to try different restaurants all over the US and this place is not bad for a small town place. The flavor is there, service is good and prompt but the reason for the three stars only is because of the portion size and the price. For the high price tag I expected to have bigger portions. I always end up ordering extra just to make sure I'm satisfied and not hungry afterwards. I always try to stop by when I pickup my prescriptions down the corner from here at Walgreens. read more

Nice small spot that has a pretty extensive menu. The prices were very reasonable and food was fresh and fast. We ordered takeout and it was ready exactly when it said it was. Everything was packaged nicely. The sushi itself was good. The teriyaki udon noodles were our favorite however ! Very delicious flavor, fresh ingredients, and cooked to perfect. A good takeout option for some sushi/Japanese ! read more

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Very cute, small and quiet atmosphere. Excellent customer service. I walked in and ordered carry out. My food was ready in 15 minutes. We had a bento box plus 2 Kobe ramens. Everything so delicious and totally exceeded my expectations for a first time experience. This is now going to be our new "go to" place. read more

Great pricing and cozy, intimate atmosphere. Went here with a small group for my birthday and it was great! read more

Bento Cafe - Japanese Near Me - Hainesville, Illinois

Been going here since it first opened. I remember walking in the first time and thinking they may struggle due to location but after eating and walking out, it became a regular stop for me. I have since moved so it's no longer close for me but the food and service were always solid and the restaurant was always clean. read more

i placed an online order for 3 items: a red dragon roll, a route 120 roll and crab rangoon. i go to pick my order up, see 3 boxes, and head home. when i get home, i realize they only gave me 1 of the sushi rolls and 2 orders of crab rangoon. i called the restaurant, they asked if i wanted to be refunded or come back and pick that order up. since i didn't feel like heading back out, i requested a refund. the man i spoke to said he will process my refund. it took almost a week, but my refund went thru. I really do like the sushi at this place so I'm hoping not to have an experience like this again in the future. read more

Portions are decent, price is a little high. Gyoza: really good $5 Miso: really good $2.50 Ramen (extra noodles) : good but overpriced $12.50 Bulgogi Ramen: good but even more overpriced $13 Cali rolls: good but for $7 expected more. Make sure to check order because we've still never had their fried rice because it was never delivered. read more

Bento Cafe - Bulgogi Ramen and Gyoza - Japanese Near Me - Hainesville, Illinois

Ya'll, this is very much a Koreanized Japanese restaurant. And that's super important to know. It's not an issue, I quite enjoy the Korean versions of a lot of dishes, but definitely something I'd like to know before going. I ordered the bulgogi Kobe ramen, a maki roll (that I can't recall the name of), and jalapeño bombers. My counterpart ordered chicken udon and gyoza. The gyoza (that I stole) were my absolute favorite! Super crispy and delish! The jalapeño bombers were okay... they were deep fried and stuffed with cream cheese and spicy tuna. The spicy tuna had a drier texture almost like canned tuna... not what I'm used to but not necessarily wrong. We both noted that the jalapeño bombers would've been our favorite if the jalapeños were cooked a touch so they were softer, but overall a good dish. The maki roll was fine, the white tuna on top was a good touch. Ordering anything with bulgogi, I was not confused as to whether or not it was Korean, I was all on board. The bulgogi was delicious... just sweet enough, super flavorful, and a great portion size. What I didn't particularly care for was the ramen noodles that were clearly the variety you'd find in large quantity boxes at the Asian grocery store... those are fine and dandy for a quick bite when I'm at home, but not so much when I'm out. It honestly kind of cheapened the texture and taste. I'd definitely order their bulgogi again in another dish though. One other thing... their customer service is stellar! There was one waitress taking care of all the tables and she handled it with ease! read more

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This was our first visit. No wait for seating on a Friday night. We had a Sushi Roll and a Bento Box. The Bento Box included Miso Soup, which was great and everything tasted great. The Sushi roll was fresh and delicious but next time I will order one with more "zing". I'm always surprised when strip mall restaurants are good, and this was a surprise. I'd give it a try, and we will certainly be back. read more

The food was the best thing that I could have they have good the service was amazing. The dumplings were delicious. The sushi was so good. The price was perfect. The inverse I was with my friend who is amazing to service the ambiance was good It was the best thing that ever take read more

Just moved to the area, trying to get sushi this far out from the city can be challenging (at least decent sushi) and in the middle of a pandemic even tougher. I've seen this place over the years driving past and now that we live in the area, why not! Small restaurant in strip mill, limited seats, long sushi bar seating, honestly I like better than the $$$$$ bougy city scene. If you're new to sushi, oR saucy kinda person in general this is your spot. The ratio of sauce to fish was bit overpowering but hey I'm a saucy person. You couldn't really taste the freshness of the fish, which based on location I wasn't expecting Fresh Kill but overall it was pretty good, better than most sushi restaurants. Many options, love that the menu states what's in the roll and out, did not care for cucumber in most rolls (filler) but norm for most sushi spots. Overall I would and will try again. Next Time I'll try the nigiri, selection limited compared to most but will be better indication of the freshness of the fish. Negative it did take us 1.5 hours to get takeout sushi. Originally 45 min, got there was told another 30 mins after they ran our card. I'll give them benefit of the doubt considering it's the new world of "Contagion," but sushi was good, sauces on sushi was great, and typical sushi prices. We will be back for more! read more

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Fresh Sashimi nice size portions. Service is friendly. Nice quiet place for lunch and dinner.

We always find something good to eat here. Nice selection of sushi and the Bento boxes are authentic and delicious. Service is friendly and the place is always full so they are doing something right. Don't take my word for it, try it yourself. read more

One of my favorite dine-in or take outs. Very nice local ambiance for dining in. Ramen is a favorite for take out. Bento box lunches or a full sushi dine in, almost always my first go to for good food read more

We love bento. Ordered takeout because this is close to us. The food was not good. Would not recommend.

The Best Japanese Mom and Pop shop I know. Have loved for years! Was so worried they would suffer in covid. Everything is amazing. Great place to treat yourself to a amazing meal. If you dine in it's super cozy and the staff is very attentive and caring. read more

What a gem this little restaurant is! We have driven past it for years but due to its unassuming location, we never stopped in...until today. The potstickers and tempura lunch was wonderful. The restaurant is clean, well decorated and the owners were on site. Good Japanese food in Hainesville of all places! read more

Excellent food, reasonable prices, and cozy intimate atmosphere. Honest the best sushi place in the area and a hidden gem.

I have enjoyed this cafe for quite some time. Highly recommended if you are looking for good sushi. The bulgogi ramen is great as well. the Spicy Kyle roll is my favorite. We usually order takeout and the service is always spot on. Always exactly what we ordered. read more

This place is a little gem! Delicious sushi, tempura and noodles all served up with great service! I try to support local businesses whenever I can especially in current times and this place never disappoints! read more

Has the jalapeno poppers and the tuna dragon roll and they were both amazing! The jalapenos weren't too spicy, had a fantastic crunch to them, and were fried to perfection. The roll had spicy tuna and cream cheese and I couldn't have asked for a more marvelous combination. read more

Terrible experience all around. It had been about a year since we have last dined here. We should've left as soon as we were seated.... Husband and I came in around 12pm on a Friday. Although many tables were available, we were sat in the back hallway area where it was VERY DARK. So dark that it was uncomfortable for the eyes. I didn't say anything because I was excited for sushi. Waitress was rude as hell. She came and plopped our menus on the table. Literally. Imagine having menus in your hand about 5 inches from a table too and just releasing them. I asked her if they had any lunch specials. She rudely snarked "NOPE" and turned away. Now, I do not mind paying good money for good food. So them not offering lunch specials was okay. Just to be clear Bento is a higher priced sushi joint in the area. When our waitress returned for our drink orders I ordered a coke and husband ordered water. She returned with a canned coke. Which she slammed on the table, along side a cup of ice. NOW I WAS REALLY PISSED. Between my eyes hurting, our waitress being rude, and now I'm paying higher end sushi menu prices for a canned coke that was slammed onto my table. Yet I still stayed. Because I was looking forward to the shushi. We ordered the Giant roll which is $18 and a California roll which was $7. I also ordered a green salad which was $3. The salad was literally I mean LITERALLY only iceberg lettuce. Nothing else. Just straight lettuce. A very small portion of it. And it had a waxy texture. The rolls were absolutely terrible. Rice was over cooked and soggy. The eel was mushy. And the seaweed was so chewy it was hard to swallow. Now, my husband LIVES sushi. And can eat a lot of it on his own. This experience he ate two little rolls. We barely put a dent in what we got. Waitress then returns, looks at our plates and says "everything good" I explained to her that the sushi tasted very off today. And she just said "okay" and grabbed my cc card to charge. Overall we paid $35 for a disgusting lunch. Where we ate in a ally. And was served by a rude woman. We will absolutely not return. read more

This is a little delicious Japanese restaurant in a strip mall. The food is very good. The service is lovely and friendly. They have a variety of rolls, and I've never had a bad one. Don't let the outside for you, you were getting great sushi in the middle of the burbs. read more

Exceptional food and service. Sushi was delicious beyond expectation with beautiful presentation. Spicy chicken rice bowl was perfectly cooked with all the right flavors and textures I was looking for. Their beef bulgogi ramen is a one of a kind specialty that you will only find here. Not as many vegetables as most Ramen bowls, but it is the sweet broth, tender beef and fresh vegetables that make this unique. Most importantly, the rice and noodles were cooked and served to perfection. I don't know what's going on with some of these poor reviews but I did not experience anything less than 5 stars. read more

Tried ordering sushi yesterday, told the lady on the phone I needed 2 rolls, ordered an appetizer, than said I needed more rolls, in a separate container. And the lady over the phone said I needed to let y'all know that first? Like umm it's not like im asking for something crazy. Same order, 2 separate containers for 2 people. Nothing crazy and y'all couldn't understand that. I won't ever give my business to a place that acts like 2 separate containers is the end of the world. Do better read more

I've been going here for years. The staff is GREAT, but after exploring different sushi joints, I found that this place was just alright. Last week was my first time in a while returning, so I'm not hurt that they didn't remember me - they usually remember their regulars. The staff was still very friendly. We were greeted and seated right away! Small and quiet place; dimly lit. There's a sizable television located toward the back. Looking at the menu, the food is a little over-priced. I've had the Godzilla roll before, and now comparing it to good sushi I have had, it was simply just okay. During this visit, I had the salmon roll and a bulgogi bento box. The salmon roll was very small. I wasn't expecting much because it was a salmon roll, but I literally paid a dollar for each roll with a very small amount of salmon inside. The bulgogi bento box came with a flavorful miso soup which I enjoyed very much. It wasn't too salty and had yummy bits of tofu. The bento box itself was rather small as well for the price I paid ($16). Other places I've been to give you very generous portions of the same meal for around $11. The bulgogi was too soupy for my liking, but it was still good. It also came with two very small, fried potstickers, salad, and rice. I really enjoyed the salad; it had a sort of peanutty taste to it. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here but if you want some good food, this isn't a bad place to stop. I would go here just for the friendliness of the staff. Other than that, it is a little over-priced for okay food. read more

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The options are plentiful. The atmosphere is relaxing and always inviting. The food is amazing. It's simple and well crafted. Something for everyone to enjoy. The staff are extremely friendly and will always help you if you are undecided or looking for something new. Enjoy. read more

Love it and local! They are raved about with all the neighbors. Some nights are busier so once you learn the wait times with sushi orders it makes it easier. But that's with all places. They have fantastic bulgogi! We order a few rolls and either ramen or bulgogi bowl each time. read more

Have ordered carry out before, food was ok. The second time I went I was turned away at the door at 8:50pm and told they close at 9pm but the kitchen was closed. There should be a sign posted that the kitchen closes at 8:45pm instead of saying they close at 9 because they close at 8:45. read more