Sometimes you wish you could add a half star but because of the rounding system, 4 stars instead of 3.5 stars will do. Okata Bento is in a small lil nook on Waialae next to Kaimuki Camera. Their menu isn't too large but sizable enough to pick what you want. The sauces are homemade, and everything is cooked to order. Food is good, and in normal proportions. Normally I order the teri hamburger steak since their homemade teri sauce is ono! It would been a firm 4 star if it wasn't for the long wait. Make sure you call in ahead if you know you want to get food there. Otherwise, expect them to start making it when you order. read more

Do not order a mini bento here because it was way too small in portions. I guess I am used to the mini portions at my favorite drive inns which easily fills me up. My wife had the beef teriyaki mini bento and besides the portion size of the teri meat it was just ok. I had the mini combo bento with beef teriyaki and tonkatsu. I could not believe how small the tonkatsu was. It was the size of a slice of spam. Usually I would return to a spot to give them another chance but there was nothing I ordered that would bring me back. read more

What I like: cheap, quality local food. My last order from Okata was two cheeseburger for $5 flat. Mini bentos for under $5. The mini katsu bento comes with rice, daikon, a fish cake and those Japanese omelet squares. It filled me up but I devoured it within minutes. What I don't like: The loco moco is a bit heavy on the gravy. It feels and tastes fatty and doesn't keep well, so eat it up fast. Also, Okata isn't fast food. Its pretty fast food, but you still gotta wait. If you're in the area, I recommend calling in your order. If you're driving, well...can't help you with parking unless you're on a bike. Peddle power! read more

Today was my first time here, Wont be the Last! Excellent portion of food for just $7. and it was super delicious.!! Awesome. read more

Craving that old fashioned Teri BEEF sandwich and macaroni salad??? You will NOT be disappointed! ONO!!! Hits the spot! They have all the old flavors and items you can't get anymore ! read more

Okata Bento is the best!!! I love there Cheeseburger and there mixed plate and it made right away when you order.

I am a former resident of Kaimuki and I used to go to Okata's all the time. I miss it dearly,so when I'm in town I ALWAYS go there to get the Teriyaki hamburger steak plate with sauce over EVERYTHING! I read a few of the reviews and not one mentioned the teriyaki hamburger steak which I think is the ultimate. Forget Zippy's with the over priced plates and L&L's mediocre food. If I am anywhere near town I will go out of my way to visit Okata Bento! read more

Very small hole in the wall bento place, you will miss it driving by. Lucky for me its walking distance from where I live. Had the hambuger steak plate which was good, a good size homemade hamburger. I couldn't finish it. My wife had the oyakodon which was good and my son had a mini teriyaki chicken bento that he liked. They are a 2 person operation so you have to be paitient. It was a 20 minute wait but we just walked in to Toy's N Joy to kill time which went by fast. Next time I will phone in my order. read more

This is a great deal for the price! I got a mini char siu chicken. It was delicious and cooked fresh in 10 minutes! Definitely a place is go for a quick small lunch on the go. read more

Have not been here in quite awhile! Ordered a double cheese burger with a medium Green River and got both for $4.75! The burger featured two fresh (not frozen) homemade burger patties and two slices of American cheese on a toasted bun with lettuce and a nice mayo/mustard/relish spread. Made as you order so don't be in a rush if you eat at Okata. The kitchen is clean and orderly and its as old school as you can get. Much better than the big "McD's"! As all the other posts have stated this place is the proverbial "hole-in-the-wall". Located at the top of Waialae Ave near Toys-N-Joys and yeah, street parking sucks around lunch time. I highly recommend trying Okata if you are in the neighborhood! read more

Okata Bento - Double cheese burger and one Green River! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My first visit to Okata Bento. Very small hole in the wall place... similar to a lunch wagon without wheels... you enter through a slot and order facing the counter on the side. No chairs or tables and you have to wait on the sidewalk to hear your order being called. I ordered a katsu donburi... not great (compared to other katsu donburis I've had at other restaurants), but o-kay. Place was crowded at 11 AM and the wait was about 10+ minutes. I might try them one more time... maybe I didn't get their specialty? read more

The best bento ever!!!! This is a gem in Kaimuki!!! Looks old and entrance is small but the food is wonderful

I really wanted to love this place for several reasons. It's in my neighborhood; a friend raved about it who's opinion I generally agree with; and it's a local hole-in-the-wall - and I love anywhere that's weird, maybe a lil dirty, and hard to find (as long as the food is ahmazing..) Unfortunately, the food wasn't amazing for me that day. Wanted the mahi bento, but they had catfish instead of mahi that day. So I ordered the teriyaki chicken bento instead. Chicken teri was just ok, not that flavorful or saucy. It came with a lot of cute little tiny sides and also a piece of fried catfish. The breading on the catfish was really soggy, and it tasted really oily. That kinda bummed me out, b/c it made me wonder if the mahi bento was fried the same way, and I would have maybe gone back to try that. read more

(Not so) hidden gem in Kaimuki! I went to this place for the first time after seeing the great reviews. I live in Kahala so Kaimuki is my go-to place for quick bites. I got the Gyuudon Donburi - freshly made beef, mushrooms, onions, bamboo shoots, egg and rice.. Simple but delicious and only $6.75. I also love the signs saying food is prepared to order so "be patient." I'll definitely be back to try some other items! read more

If you love little hole in the wall eateries, then this is a place for you. Don't expect any extravagance, just good simple food. The place is run by a husband and wife team (I think) and they are friendly. The prices are okay and the portions are decent. I like their pork tonkatsu and they donburi bowls. Because it's a small family run place, I would highly recommend calling in your order. If not you'll have to wait a while because it's all freshly made. The good thing is they have a bunch of little cartoon clippings on their windows you can read to bide your time. Give them a shot and try their food. read more

Nothing fancy here at all, just solid, local food, prepared fresh upon ordering. Not too greasy like other local food spots. Definitely BENTO, complete with takuwan and kamaboko and spam. Yummy ! The Mahi bento is a winner, with lemon and shoyu. My kids go for Teri Beef, but my fav is mahi. For less than $10, just give it a try! You'll be back more than once. read more

Love this little restaurant. Everything is made to order so plan to wait for your order. Food is reasonably priced. My favorite...donburi ! read more

The best Teri burger! Better than W&M hands down. Way better priced as well. This little bento place is a hidden gem and is totally old school. Prices are exactly what they should be. I can't wait to eat there the next time I'm home. read more

I've driven by this place all my life. Now I live a few blocks away. Everything is made to order. So from the pictures I chose to go for it - double teri cheeseburger with fried egg. Awesomeness! Bento is 'ono too! Delicious and a great value! Now I want to try their whole menu!!! read more

Awesome flavor and freshness. This place is simple yet worth waiting for the food to be done. We are regulars and recommend it.

This place is the bomb! When I lived in Hawaii 10 years ago my family and I would go here all the time. Now everything I come back to visit every year I make sure to stop by and get a hamburger steak plate lunch. They make all food once you order so sometimes it take a little longer than expected if the lines long but it's totally worth it. Plus you can always call in and order for pick up read more

Been a while since I've been here. I remember enjoying their teri burgers so I ordered 2 today! Also ordered a mix plate with mahi mahi and tonkatsu (they were out of chicken by 12), two large cokes and a cheeseburger. Everything was ok! I was disappointed with the portion size of the mixed plate. For $9, I didn't have much fish or tonkatsu. I felt there was more rice than protein on my plate. The food tasted good, I just expect a little more for $9. Maybe I ordered the wrong combo for the mixed plate. This time the teri burger had a lot more teri sauce than I remember but same great taste! read more

Want a true classic? Okata Bento, one of the few mainstays in Kaimuki is the place for you if you're craving local, Japanese plate lunches and classic take out items. A helpful tip right off the bat is that you should call in your food order since everything is made to order. Or if you have the time to spare then sure you can walk up to the window and order your food, just know that it'll be a bit of a wait. Love their bento plates (mini and mini-mix or regular and regular-mix), choice of beef teriyaki, chicken teriyaki, chicken katsu, tonkatsu, char siu chicken and mahi-mahi. The mix bento allows you to choose two items from the list I just mentioned. Bentos come with rice, a small piece of mahi-mahi, luncheon meat (sorry not Spam), an egg roll (Japanese style) and takuan. Also tried their gyuudon (donburi) which is thin slices of teri beef with onions, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, egg on rice with their donburi sauce (a type of shoyu-sugar sauce). That is yummy comfort food - I know, it's a lot of rice but you don't have to eat it all. As a creature of comfort, I usually order the same items knowing that I come here because of a specific craving for their bento or donburi. But, I hear their burgers are also "ono" - classic, not fussy with a home-made taste (they don't sell french fries). Must try the burger one of these days...and I hope you will try this place, too, the next time you're in Kaimuki and are craving a classic, old-school take out lunch. Call them at (808) 737-6063. Open from Mon-Fri 11am - 4pm and Sat 11am - 3pm (closed on Sundays). Street parking only. read more

This place has been here for a loooong time! Kinda nice, esp. when you realize how much Kaimuki has changed over the years. The only other place I can think of that's still in its original spot is the crack seed store. I like the teri burgers. They use relish mixed in with the mayo...I think that's the old school way. Love the fact that food is cooked to order. You can phone in for faster service. Oh & no fries here...gotta get those elsewhere. read more

katsu, katsu, katsu. must have katsu! so i'm always in the mood for okazu style bento, but the day we came here was the ONE day i just wanted some fruits. not available here. went in and ordered. adam got the katsu (delicious) and i got a burger. waited awkwardly outside the door/ ordering pen for 10-15 minutes for our food. took it home because there' s nowhere to eat and tucked in. had a bite of adam's katsu. very good! i'm not a big fan of chicken and i don't usually eat it unless i hear tales of its tastiness (like kj's or okata's), but i fully appreciated this katsu. my burger was good. can't complain. had it with a nice side of fruit. all in all, wait can be a bit long, don't expect any fruits or veggies, but if you're here for okazu style bento- you've come to the right place. read more

Delicious! Super small hole in the wall joint, strange hours, but AMAZING. I had the teriburger with cheese, and mac salad. So delicious!

3 words: Dee - Li - Shus I've been eating at dis "hole-in-da-wall" for 18 years already. Never, ever once disappointed. Everything is good: Sandwiches, plate lunches, bentos, donburis. Da "Aji" is great for all the sauces (Teri, Char Siu, Dashi). All da okazu are trimmed of all fat and gristle, cut to bite size already, ready to eat. No need knives at all. Da Mahi is winnahs with lemon and shoyu only, no need tartar sauce. Da Katsu (Ton or Chicken) gotta be one of da cleanest tasting on dis island. Ho, you gotta try da Teri Chicken sandwich.....even da Mahi sandwich. Da owner, Lyndon Okata is da only one cooking everything which keeps it consistent. So what if no more parking, just park at da municipal lot and pay, or park at da upper municipal lot and pay da meters. Place your order and go gallavant somewhere for 15-20 min. I usually call in my order because I'm on da go. Hours: M-F 11-4, Sat 10-3 on Mauka side of Waialae Ave. Check it out peoples! We gotta patronize da locals to keep 'em going! read more

Great place to buy a teri burger! A good change up from the burger joint just down the street from this place. They don't sell fries though. So, I went down the street to get some. If you are in the area don't hesitate to pick up a couple of burgers. They are made to order so you might be in for a wait if you don't order ahead. read more

This place was good the first time I ate there. When I stand there, order my food, and go, it seems okay. Then we had an event and we ordered around 40 plate lunches from them. We got what we paid for, but I must say that they were as rude as could be. Nobody warned us that they accept cash only. We showed up to pick up the food and were told by the woman that they would not accept credit card or check. There's a nice way to say things, but when someone we're spending over $300 with like this gives short, snippy, rude responses to our questions, I've gotta lower my four stars to 2 stars. It's treating us like she's doing us a big favor by even doing business with us. I was always taught to be courteous, polite, and pleasant to my customers. She really needs to be given a lesson in customer service. Maybe it's her restaurant or something and feels like she can be however the hell she wants... and that's fine. If it's her restaurant, she can do what she wants, but then she only deserves two stars from me. Seriously, there were like 4 interactions with this woman, and all 4 were very rude. Regarding the food, their teri chicken tastes oddly sweet. The teri beef was okay. I didn't really like the mac salad that much, although I've definitely had worse. We were also a little surprised and disappointed by the quantity of food we got for our over $8.00 plate lunch - not like the pictures. We had a lot of meals left over from our event, so I got to try a lot. I should say that the gentleman that cooks the food was very nice taking our order. But I'm not goin' there again. read more

I walked past this place many times and wanted to try and finally did today. It's great! They made food after you order so you have to wait a few minutes but the food you get for a short wait is worth it. The price is cheap with Mini + 2 choice of meat option is plenty of food for me and that's only $5.75. Who would go eat at Mc D anymore... read more

I've had A LOT of plate lunches. I prefer Okata Bento. Try their light and crispy chicken katsu, or their just-right locomoco. Yelp says 5 stars = "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" and Okata Bento is just that! They do a truly well-made plate lunch. Street parking is hard to find, but across the street from Okata's, behind Sure Shot Cafe and Gecko Books, veering left, is the janky but for-that-very-reason cheap parking lot. Currently $.25/20mins. Enjoy! read more

Best teri burger with cheese on the island, in fact, ever; hands down. Love the mac salad too. Aloha!

Spotted several people waiting in line in front of this place last Saturday after finishing a sandwich across the street at Sprout. I asked one of the people what they were waiting for and they raved about this "hole-in-the-wall" lunch counter. As intrigued as I was about this new find sadly I had just finished lunch and couldn't rationalize eating again. So I went back today. The friendly counter woman nicely warned that burgers will take about 10-12 minutes. I was all set with 18 minutes in the meter so I got comfortable. Well, right on time, 12 minutes later, she handed me my order and said she hoped it would be worth the wait. It was!! If you like In & Out Burger on the west coast, as I do, you will really enjoy an Okata Bento burger. I ordered a Teri Cheese Burger and a Cheese Burger. The regular cheese burger was a handmade patty, cooked just right, on a beautifully fluffy bun with a little lettuce and the usual condiments. The only thing missing (if you are an In & Out fan) is a toasted bun and some special sauce. It was very good nonetheless. The Teri Cheese Burger was just as good but a little salty due to the teriyaki sauce. It was good but just a little over-seasoned. I will definitely go back for a post-surf burger fill up or maybe to try one of their plate lunches, which were popular choices among customers waiting with me. By the way, burgers are only a few dollars each! And the plate lunches seem like a bargain at $7 and $9 for regular or mix plate. Bottom line: a very good burger at a great price. Just bring enough change to get your meter filled for the wait. It is worth the wait! read more

Mom and pop joint. Friendly service, no seating, wait for your food but wow soooo sooooo good!!! I got the mix bento of he tonkatsu and chicken katsu and it came with so many goodies. (please refer to the picture of the menu for the list of goodies) we just camped out on the sidewalk curb and grubbed out on our bentos. Just do it!! read more

We have tried many 4/5 star bento places but Okata Bento really stands out! The quality of their bentos are impressive! They cut the fat off their chicken and all bentos are made to order! If you're trying this place for the first time, be aware that it does take a little while for your order to come out (since they make everything on the spot). Yum yum yum, we will definitely be coming back! This little hole in the wall is a great find! read more

I discovered this place when I was craving for a teri burger during college. To be honest I've passed this place a dozen times before but never gave it a chance until then. This bento place is a hole in the wall. Near cosmo prof. Just the burger it was so good! They are made to order. So you'll have to wait a bit. But that's fine with me. I rather have it fresh and hot. Their prices are very reasonable. Don't let the look of the place fool you. This place is a must try! You won't regret it. read more

4 Stars?! What? This place is literally a crappy hole in the wall. I felt that my lunch was overpriced for just average quality food. The portions were also small and pretty disappointing. They even tried to charge me $1 for a cup of water. Lame. read more

The Regular Mix Bento (Mahimahi and Teriyaki Beef) was ono. I'll have to try their regular plate lunch and sandwiches next time.

Been going here for 15 years. I live in CA now so every time I come home I make sure to get Okata Bento. I order the teri chicken and chicken cutlet with rice and mac is to die for. Fat is trimmed from meat and the flavor is amazing! Only open for few hours in the day. Best plate lunch and great prices!!! read more

This is my favorite place to go when I am craving a plate lunch! Their sauces such as the teriyaki and the char sui are home made and so delicious! What I like the best of all is how precisely they cut their meat. Every piece is a perfect bite and the cabbage is very finely chopped. read more