I LOVE BENTOS SOOOOOO MUCH. Sister and I came in on Friday evening after work. We parked in the lot beside Teddy's and just walked over. The entrance is kinda weird when you go in (watch your step!) Because they can't really see you until you walk further inside. The cashier was very nice and even the auntys in the kitchen greeted us. They have a large selection of bentos and an array of photos along the walls so you can see what the bento looks like before ordering. We both enjoyed our bentos, and we got a side of fried oysters. Everything was great. Bentos are made to order so everything was hot and fresh. I would go again :) P.S. if you don't want to wait for your bento, call in an order for pick up. read more

There's something magical in the way its name "Kokoro-Tei" simply sounds so deliciously melodic over the phone each time I call. I just want to chirp back cheerfully, "One nori salmon bento pretty please!!" And just flutter over the Long's parking lot to pick up my bento still warm with rice seasoned perfectly in bonito flakes then blanketed generously with nori and topped with three most scrumptious treasures - perfectly grilled salmon seasoned with salt, tempura fish cake, crispy battered white fish. And of course, balancing out the bento are some seasoned gobo alongside carnation pink toned pickled daikon. All this for $5.24. Yipee, I have money left to buy stuff I don't need at Long's. Hey, but that's another review. read more

Here's a basic, no-frills review for the basic, no-frills bento's of Kokoro Tei. I've had the karaage ($5.70), and buri teriyaki ($6.50). They were delicious. You can taste the Japanese-Japanese sensibility with flavorings, and care with which each bento is prepared by the obasan-type ladies behind the counter. Prepared with "kokoro" (heart). Done up right, and sold for a very reasonable price. The rice was really enjoyable. Yeah. I know. Rice? Hey for me, there's a difference. The rice here was not too soft. Not too hard. "But jus right eh" as Aunty Marialani would say. Or Aunty Mariko in this case. Kokoro Tei uses "nozomi"---a "super premium short-grain rice". I don't know about that, but the buggah was ono. The main ingrediment in the karaage---chicken---is fried up jus right and helped nicely along by a light drizzling of "black pepper sauce." Likewise with the buri/teri. Plenty of parking (stalls 1 - 20) in the lot just on the Ewa side of neighboring Teddy's Bigger Burger. "Go check 'em now, go check 'em now. Go." read more

I hope the owner reads these. I called to place a take out order at 6:40pm on 12/9/13 and the staff said kitchen already closed. The hours are till 7pm. Why does this place close kitchen before posted closing time. This is about the third time that I've called to place a take out order and they said that kitchen is already closed. The bentos and prices are very good, just wish they were consistant following the hours of operation posted. The staff must be in a hurry to close up so they can leave by 7pm. read more

Great bento options. Opted for the ribeye, though they overcooked it a bit, luckily the flavor was still intact and they use a great garlic sauce. Parking is easy to find in the lot behind Teddy's. Service is relatively quick as the food is made to order. Portion to price is fair and the meal is balanced with veggies. read more

I love kokoro-tei! They have such yummy bento and they make it fresh to order. I got the Saba shio bento, hamburger steak with Demi glacé bento, and two orders of potato salad! Came out to only twenty bucks, this place is really quite a steal! Plus, the ladies working there are so sweet. I told her she could just put everything in one bag but she insisted on bagging the bento and potato salad separately since the hot and cold wouldn't make it taste good. read more

great portion, great taste, highly recommend fried shrimp, tonkatsu and steaks, everything just right, buri not juicy enough could be improved? read more

Kokoro-Tei - fried shrimp+ buri bento set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

For a $5 bento I wasn't expecting anything amazing, but that's what I got! A nice variety of little sides with some very original twists I never would have expected. A simple Salmon bento turned into a great eating experience. It's a small place which seems to cater more to takeout, but eating there was nice as well. read more

Want cheap bentos? Heck yes i do! But where to go? Check out Kokoro-Tei, they offer some fantastic bentos that are reasonably sized and very affordable. I had heard about Kokoro Tei from some from friends and after a long day at work, I decided to stop by on my way home to pick up dinner. Boy, was I tempted to go next door to Teddy's, but the Japanese craving I had needed to be taken care of. Now, that I've gone a few times, it is incredibly easy to walk past Teddy's (especially if there is street parking) and make my way in and get some awesome bentos. The bentos are simple and basic with rice, your choice of protein and an assortment of traditional sides which change depending on the day. The hamburger (almost like hamburger steak) bento was well cooked and flavorful with seasoning accenting the natural flavor of the beef. The Karaage Chicken was well done with a nice crisp crust and moist chicken. The ginger pork was also a pleasant surprise and that along with their saba, among my favorites. The portions aren't your insane large portions, but still well suited for a meal. You can always add additional side items if you happen to be on the hungrier side. Service is good and you can always call ahead to place your order and not wait. The staff are incredibly pleasant and very helpful. Parking is usually available in front on the street, or simply find an open stall in the adjacent lot. Prices are good with bentos ranging in price from $5-$9 with most being in the 5-6 range. Add ons are a few more dollars. Definitely check it out, with their great prices and great food, I sure am a fan. read more

I ordered norikata bento to go. They put in a styrofoam container and it the container was melting because of the heat. I was so surprised when I opened the bento. Styrofoam is not good for the body. read more

Kokoro-Tei - Styrofoam container to go? It is easy to melt styrofoam with hot food and not good for the body. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Debated between Kokoro-Tei and Teddy's, yes, I realize that that is a pretty polar opposite choice but a foodie often finds oneself in these pickles. Being adventurous I decided to give Kokoro-Tei a shot and found myself leaving pretty happy. This is the type of place I need to visit more in my search of portion control, I ordered the hamburger steak bento and it was cute. Cute? Yes, my lunch was cute. What is this world coming to? The portions are not large but everything is arranged in its proper place and by the end of the meal I was left satisfied. Not stuffed and not saying to myself "I totally over ate"... I was content. The food was excellent, the hamburger steak tasted homemade and delicious and the sides were perfect. Content after a meal, a new and wonderful sensation and something I need to get in the habit of for 2012 before I need to buy a Rascal. read more

Good value for your money. The food is fresh, made to order, and the portions are pretty decent considering the prices are very reasonable. The workers there are friendly and cute with their Japanese greetings and politeness. Very convenient and quick for bentos that are made to order. read more

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Top cheap eats for bentos!!! I've stuck to their Nori Salmon Bento as for a little over $5 you can get pretty full if you're not a big eater like me. The portion is just right so you don't feel like your walking out of there super stuffed! They don't accept credit cards unless it's a minimum of $10 purchase so make sure to have cash on hand just in case. Perfect place to grab a boxed lunch if your planning for a picnic anywhere. Granted it's not the healthiest bento box as there are fried items but why not indulge every now and then? read more

Pity the poor bento. It's so ubiquitous here in Hawaii, and you can get it anywhere. But once in a while you find a place that takes the simple Japanese lunch box (rice, protein, and side dishes), and takes it to the next step. Kokoro-Tei is one of these places. I found myself here foraging for dinner. The bentos there are quite inexpensive, ranging from around $6 to $9. If you go there, expect to wait a little bit (or call it in ahead). There are only a couple of small tables inside, so definitely plan to take this with you. Fortunately, these are made to order, so it'll still be warm to hot when you get it home. I got the tonkatsu bento, and for about $6.50 plus tax you get a good size portion of rice, and a thick, good size, nicely breaded, meaty piece of pork chop, on a bed of cabbage and Japanese spaghetti. Mmmm... A good price gets you excellent food. For sheer value for the dollar, I don't think you can beat Kokoro-Tei. read more

Yummy and quality food. Service was great and the atmosphere is adorable. Definitely brightened up my Sunday Edit: I have been a lifelong Mac salad hater but this mac salad is no joke amaze balls. Tastes like a hint of curry and not too much mayo omg I have been converted to a Mac salad lover but ONLY AT KOKOROTEI! they make everything with read more

Boyfriend: I want to eat a bento! After opening our trusty Yelp app, this place popped up with positive reviews so we ventured into town to give it a try. This place is located right next to Anna O'Brians aka Anna Bananas for all my OGs out there. This place popped up a few years ago and Teddy's Bigger Burgers and Dominos all share the building with Kokoro-Tei. Parking was easy to find but I can see it being crowded during peak lunch hours. Their menu is pretty big and it took a while for us to make a decision for lunch. They have options for almost everybody. They have small bentos for about five bucks for small eaters, a deluxe bento ($15) with three choices for people with bigger appetites, beef, pork, chicken, fish, shrimp, vegetables...it would be hard to not see anything you would like here. I went with a ebi fry and hamburger steak cooked wafu style and Boyfriend decided to go all out with the deluxe bento with tonkatsu, wafu hamburger steak and pork shumai. I was in a hurry to get to work so we went our separate ways and didn't get the chance to enjoy our lunch together. Their bentos came in a typical plastic bento box with different sections for the food. The rice came separately with a light dusting of furikake and a ume in the middle. My favorite part of the bento was the different sides that came with it. Today I had a scoop of potato salad, string beans, fried tamago, kabocha, pasta, tsukemono, fishcake and konyaku. I love konyaku! My ebi was nothing special just three pieces of panko breaded fried shrimp. It came with a tartar sauce and a tiny sliver of lemon. The wafu hamburger steak wasn't exactly what I had imagined and it had a strong horseradish flavor that I wasn't too fond of. It had a light ponzu taste as well but the horseradish was too overpowering for my taste and couldn't really enjoy it. Maybe I'll try their demi glace option next time. I really enjoyed my bento as a whole even though the hamburger steak didn't suit my taste. I liked having a little bit of everything in my lunch and it's a nice change to have a hot and fresh bento instead of one that's usually been sitting around for hours. I look forward to trying more stuff on their huge menu and I will undoubtedly find a favorite. P.S. The obaachans that work here are so cute in their little bandanas over their hair! read more

It's a small store but they make a good quality Japanese Bento at a reasonable price. read more

Kokoro-Tei - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The best place to grab a cheap, fresh, and delicious bento. During some late night studying, we were pretty hungry so I suggested we go try this place out because it's relatively close to UH Manoa and it's pretty cheap. Upon arriving, we gathered around the little sign by the door without realizing, there was a bigger menu around the corner where you order. Fried Chicken: My friend got a side of fried chicken which I really don't regret getting, It was so juicy and tender and there were distinct flavors of pepper seasoning. It was so good. There wasn't too much skin and a good chunk of meat. I highly recommend this. Steak and Shrimp Fry Special: This was pretty good. The steak was a bit well done for my taste but overall, it was ok. The shrimp fry was really good, a nice crispy batter with a good amount of shrimp inside. The tater sauce it came with made it more enjoyable. They were really long pieces as well, better than the ones at any conveyor belt sushi restaurants. BBQ Beef: I actually wanted the hamburger steak but they were out so I opted for this as my second choice and was pleasantly surprised. The beef was very flavorful with a yakiniku bbq sauce and onions. It wasn't anything special but well worth the price I paid. The reason why I really love these bentos are the sides it comes with. Usually bentos are filled with not really interesting and tasteless sides but the sides these bentos come with can suffice as a meal. They were so tasty. I really like the "shimmered egg" and the spaghetti it comes with. I really recommend this place. They deserve the 5 stars in making bentos so well. My only complaint would be there's so many displays but they're so empty so there's nothing to grab and go. It's nice to have an option sometimes. read more

I ordered take out bento from this restaurant through bitesquad. They included a bug in my bento. I lost my appetite. read more

Kokoro-Tei - Bug on the salmon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This place is really nice and clean The bentos are delicious and very affordable The workers are super friendly Only thing is I wish they were open longer and didn't close in the middle of the day, but it's okay Tried the ribeye bento... The wafu sauce was super good! read more

Kokoro-Tei - Menu - June 2015 - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My favorite place for Japanese style bentos. Everything is made fresh so tasty : )

We tried again yesterday cuz craving Kokoro, and YAAAAY!!! I got a big warm smile from the kitchen! It DOES make a difference! And the Japanese girl on the phone and register was infectiously bubbly. A very positive service experience all around. And the tonkatsu? I mentioned when I ordered that "it'd been overdone before so please be careful". First off, thanks to them for a VERY generous-sized cutlet. Wow. Their pork is good quality and has a nice fresh flavor. For such a reasonable price it's hard to complain - and I almost hate to say it - but while it was cooked better, the meat itself was still a bit dry. In their defense I've had the occasional arid cutlet at much more expensive places, so maybe it's harder than it looks. The Waikiki branch has served up a few that were awesomely juicy (and one or two that were off as well). I don't know the secret to a succulent cutlet, but if Kokoro Beretania can figure it out I'll be thrilled to drop that 5th star. read more

hot bento for extremely cheap prices? Count me in! :3 Tastes are far more subtle than most plate lunch goers like, but if you're the type that never liked salt ridden thick sauced food anyways, this place is awesome stuff! The staff is also extremely friendly and the store setting is extremely clean and cute! :) The parking's extremely easy as they have a big lot next to the store and ample street parkings. read more

"Heart restaurant"...that's what Kokoro-Tei translates as, and I interpret it to mean that they cook and prepare dishes from the heart. I've been here a couple of times and have yet to be disappointed. They are located close to Teddy's Burgers in Mo'ili'ili, a door or so down. The specialty here is Japanese bento and this is one place where you can get it as authentic as it can get. Bentos are something that I grew up eating so they are near and dear to my heart. To me, it's kind of like comfort food that's packed for convenience. This afternoon, we had picked up some poke bowls for my daughter and friends but my wife decided that we should have bentos to take home (yes, that's right...she decided...lol). Fast forward and we're driving through Mo'ili'ili area and she's telling me to head to Kokoro-Tei. I park in the lot adjacent to Teddy's and there's lot of spaces available. We walk down the sidewalk past Teddy's and into Kokoro-Tei. When you walk in the first time, you will notice all of the pictures of the various items on the wall...like seriously all over the place. Take notice as a lot of that stuff is not on the written menu. Some are specials and some are offered all of the time. There were a couple people already waiting for their order but it wasn't really busy. We didn't want anything fancy and we didn't want a really large bento. The sizes the bentos are categorized on the menu are small, medium and mega and some can come as a plate instead. There's bowls too and sides available. There are the standards like karaage chicken, salmon, tonkatsu, teri beef/pork, etc. We decided to go for the Nori Kara Deluxe (fried fish, chikuwa, karaage chicken w/black pepper sauce) and the Nori Shrimp Kara Deluxe (similar to the other one but with the addition of fried shrimp). These two are small bentos (believe me, they are not that small) and are "nori bentos", meaning that they pour some shoyu over the rice, sprinkle with katsuoboshi flakes and cover with squares of nori...and it tastes awesome! Oh, and it also includes two sides. Today it was kinpira and some kind of pickled veggie. The best thing about these bentos are that they are made to order so they are fresh & hot when they are given to you. It does takes a little while as they do have to make it but the wait is worth it. We got our order and took it home. To me, it felt a little hefty for a "small". How was it? As the Japanese say, it was oishii! Sure, most of it was fried and breaded food, but hey, if you wanted healthy, they do have a healthy veggie bento. This was a bento to savor, delicious from top to bottom. So, when you are in Mo'ili'ili and crave a bento, this is a great place to head to. Lots of selection, great taste and reasonable pricing. The bentos come in various sizes that will whet any appetite. Just be aware, they close in between 2:30 - 4:30 on the weekdays & Saturday and they close early at 2 on Sundays. Give them a try, I'm sure you won't be disappointed! read more

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I love Japanese bento places that also serves full plate . And this place is it andddd it has plenty Parking!! Say no more I'm sold! Usually parking is the final determination factor for me since I suck at parking lol they're located next to teddys and dominos pizza. Same parking lot ! I had the special of the day Chicken katsu curry , it was good! And they had multi grain rice !! They also have plentiful selection of bentos to Chose from as well. At the time I went there was no grab n go but I'm not sure if they did those at a certain time maybe in the morning? Anyways I'll def be back due to reasonable pricing and yummy food and most of all ease of PARKING!! :) read more

Kokoro-Tei - Chicken katsu curry special w side potatoe salad - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Japanese Bentos, Good price & huge potion. Mostly fried- wish they have more veggies in it. Fried Fish was great, everything else ok. I'll skip Shirokiya and drive here. read more

I had been craving Omu-rice after falling in love with my first one at the Kuhio location a few months ago. Although I attempted making them a couple of times, the egg never came out like it does at Kokoro-Tei. The egg is fluffy and soft even after reheating it. The rice has a ketchup base and is cooked with onions and generous pieces of chicken. For $6 and enough food for two meals (at least for me), Its a killer deal. I'm not sure how long this location has been open for but its immaculate which is always something nice to see when picking up food from a restaurant. There isn't much seating so I'll stick to take out. YELP 365: 130/365 read more

Ever since Imari on Keeamoku closed a couple of years ago, I've been pining after their hamburger with demi glace bento. It's such a fobby Japanese thing to make that it's nearly impossible to find here but Imari did it well. Having been to Shinn and enjoying my meal there, I was hopeful that Kokoro Tei would have delicious bento too. I was deterred from checking it out because my friend told me that he walked out after seeing their exorbitant prices. However, my curiosity got the best of me so we went down to pick up bento for dinner tonight. I ordered the hamburger demi glace (yay!) and my husband got the daily special teriyaki chicken "hamburger". The total for both was less than $15 and I was pleased with the taste and portion size of mine while the hubby felt his was okay and left him hungry. Not sure which sign my friend was looking at but I was pleasantly surprised to see the reasonable prices. Overall, I would go back again to get the same bento but recommend that larger eaters get a side or two to go with their meal. I also just found out that Imari is in the old 99 Ranch food court and am excited to go see if their hamburger demi glace is just as good as it was before. Maybe I'll have an "in-town" bento place and an "on the way to golf" bento place. Happy tummy! read more

4.5 stars. This is now on my must visit eats HI list. These bento boxes are incredibly reasonably priced and still well proportioned and delicious. I got the healthy bento, and though I can't tell you what all the small portions of delicious veggies were, I liked it a lot! Hubby got the special which was yaki salmon belly and karaage chicken, though the batter had some starchy veggie strips mixed in. He liked his dish a lot, too. I just don't know how they're making money for such quality bentos when charging so little money. My bento was less than $6 and Hub's was less than $7. There was only street parking in front of the store. We had some difficulty finding the store. On their site, they listed a Waikiki location off of Kuhio. Never did find it though we walked around all the stores in the complex. The Beretania location was legit. read more

Delicious bento for a great price!! I love this beretania location for the convenience and parking. I usually order over the phone 10-15 min prior so I don't have to wait. So far everything has been tasty, with the exception of a couple of times when everything was way too salty. I actually called them because it was so out of the norm and disappointing. (Thus the 4 stars instead of 5) I love the Nori Kara, omu-rice, pork ginger, hamburger steak (wafu and Demi glacé), as well as the side dishes they have. I love that their rice is good :) A big plus! I feel that their portions are healthy, so for a big eater, it may not be satisfying. The Mega Bento is a great choice if you want to split with someone. You can save a couple bucks. My son loves the fried fish. Their tartar sauce is bomb! I also appreciate that you can use a credit card for $10 and over. read more

Kokoro-Tei is my go-to lunch spot these days in town as I work and go to school nearby. Priced well and fast, it's a great lunch spot to grab and go with Japanese bento-style lunches that include rice, main dish(es), and a sampling of sides for around $10. There are also options that are as affordable as less than $5, which is a great option for someone like me who is looking for delicious food for a great price! My staple here is the ginger pork bento, the yakiniku bento, and/or the nasu (eggplant) sozai offered in small and large sizes. If you come in during lunch, there are not many seats to sit and eat at in the shop itself, but for someone who is quickly picking up, no problem here! I would suggest to you that if you are coming in during peak lunch rush, to call in your order about 15 minutes before coming in to assure a fast pick-up. Parking for me is usually not an issue as they have a few stalls out front of their shop on South King St. (Next to JCCH), as well as in their shared lot (next to Teddy's Bigger Burgers). If you come in during lunch, I'm sure we'll eventually cross paths! read more

Went here with a friend to pick up bentos for the beach. Clean interior and friendly workers. The menu is huge and fantastic with lots of great options and prices. Something for everyone! My friend got the chicken karaage plate, and I got the Japanese hamburger plate with wafu sauce (you can also choose demi-glace sauce). With a bottle of green tea included both our lunches were under $10 each! Deal! Our bentos were put together quickly. The portion was very good for the price. My bento came with rice and ume, ginger, a yummy light Japanese style potato salad, tamago, curry flavored mac salad (so ono) and a decent sized hamburger patty. The patty was extremely juicy and flavorful. The ponzu oroshi wafu sauce was killer! I want to try other items but the hamburger was so delicious, I want it again and again. I had a piece of my friends chicken karaage and that was also tasty. This is now my new fav to go bento place along with Fukuya. read more

Kokoro-Tei - Yummy Japanese style hamburger bento. The wafu sauce was the best! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We went to this place twice; the first time 15 minutes before closing so they didn't have any food left, and the second 1/2 hour before closing and we also didn't get to order the full menu. Our timing was not good. The food was pretty good but i wish they didn't run out of food so we could get what we really wanted. Maybe it was not meant to be. read more

My best bento place. Taste just like bento shop in Japan. Freshly made by order and taste like "mom's food ". Remind me the all food I ate in Japan. read more

Been going here for awhile. Ordered the ribeye steak bento. Got it cooked medium with the wafu sauce. Comes with curry elbow macaroni, pickled veggies and rice. Sometimes I get the healthy veggie bento for a great meatless alternative. Food is made to order, so call 10-15 mins ahead of time. Always good and filling. Free parking in the same lot as Teddy's. Aloha! read more

Very tiny location. Seating maybe for 6 but not together..... Loved that my order was taken by an obachan who clearly speaks Japanese. It was my first signal my food was going to be good. I ordered the curry rice with salmon, my son had the vegetable patty and my daughter and husband shared the cheese hamburger (love that they call it this as my daughter called cheeseburgers this) with demi glace. We all raved about the food! My daughter who tends to be really picky ate most of the bento by herself. That in itself showed how good the food was. The menu is pretty diverse. Fish, chicken and beef. There is basically something for almost anyone. Not sure if it could provide anything for a vegetarian though... The prices are actually pretty decent. All of our food cost about $23? So I deem that pretty good when plate lunches run almost $10 a plate now. I guess when we arrived there was only a couple ladies waiting on their order and a guy was in front of me, but after that it became packed.... The only reason why I had to take a star off was due to seating. We ended up taking the bento and ate inside of the car due to the lack of seating. Will we return, most likely. I guess getting there before the lunch rushed helped with the wait time... read more

I'm not that much of a bento person, but this bento was out of this world! I LOVE their brown rice.. they add bonito flakes and other deliciousness, making it the best brown rice I've ever had!! A hidden gem for sure! read more

This is the place to go for fresh made authentic Japanese bentos. Their curries are good too - a little on the sweeter side. You may want to call your order in since the bentos are made to order so it takes a few minutes. One thing about this place though, is that you should always check your receipts before you leave. Lately, they've been consistently overcharging me. It seems they have so many different bento/curry combinations that they can't seem to ring you order up correctly. Last month I ordered the curry with shumai ($6.50 on their menu board) and was charged $8.50. Today, they charged me $7.05 before tax. I asked about this and was told they charge the shumai bento price of $6.75 and add $.30 additional for curry. I mentioned the menu board on the counter says $6.50 and was told the menu board is wrong. No biggie to me but they need to fix their menu prices. I've been overcharged 3 out of the last 4 times I've been here. read more

A hidden little gem in Moiliili. I have driven by this place so many times, and finally made an effort to try it out. I ordered the grilled saba bento and had a side of sesame green beans. The saba was perfectly cooked and seasoned with lemon and salt. I only wish the piece of saba was bigger! The green beans were also tasty--crunchy with a light sesame flavor. Other than the odd layout of the place, the food was reasonably priced and delicious. I'll definitely be going back. read more

Great for cheap bentos.... lot to eat on plate. Order ready when stop to pickup. Had Mega plates and katsu curry. Comes with multiple sides