We came here for dinner on a Saturday at my hubby's suggestion, and I honestly wasn't expecting the place to be so small! It probably only seats about 10-12 people, and it feels more like a quick, fast-food-style takeout spot than a sit-down restaurant. I ordered the Tenkatori Special, and the karaage was SO good! The chicken was juicy, perfectly battered, and seasoned just right. The wings were just as delicious! The croquette was also really good--crispy, perfectly battered, and flavorful. The California roll was just okay and nothing particularly special. My hubby got the Protein Special with extra protein. Both meals came with really good portions, and I noticed the karaage pieces were bigger than what you usually get at most places. Overall, we really enjoyed our meals and would definitely come back. If you're a karaage lover, this place is a MUST! read more

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Wow, some of the best karaage I've ever had! Relatively small space with 3 small tables of 2 and bar seating. We ordered and dined in, but saw lots of people order takeout. Service is quick and friendly! Several options on the menu, but the combo deal made sense for us to try a bit of everything. Honestly, very big portion of food but really hit the spot. The karaage pieces are HUGE and so good. Would come back! Small parking lot in the front, more parking on the side/back! read more

Cute little spot nestled in a small corner strip mall. I tried the chicken Karaage special which is gigantic. 4 generous pieces of chicken and one potato croquet which were fried to perfection. Superbly crunchy and perfectly lightly seasoned. It comes with a little salad topped with a teeny dollop of potato salad, miso soup which was flavorless, and three large pieces of a California roll which were equally tasteless, but filling. The other day I tried the fried cartilage, which was also delicious. Missing star for the sides but the fried stuffs are worth the stop! Where else can you get fried giblets and cartilage? I'll be back for those! My first server at the counter was this little Japanese lady who let me try some yuzu sauce. Also delish. She was so cute and nice and friendly. read more

Wow. Crispy karage!! The chicken pieces were HUGE and isn't dry at all. The place is a cute little family owned shop and the cashier was nice! 5 pieces for $9 read more

Tenkatori - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I live closer to the Tenkatori in Gardena, but this location is fantastic as well. Japanese fried chicken at its best! Crunchy on the outside, tender and super juicy on the inside. Their fries are so simple and I think that's what makes them so consistently delicious. I also noticed the menu here has a few more options. I may have spotted croquettes somewhere. Perhaps I'll try those the next time I'm in the area. I haven't met much of the staff, but I've seen the same young man with glasses - he was very kind and whipped my past couple of orders up in a jiff! While this shop is smaller than its sister locations, it's quite cozy. Seems ideal for a quick grab and go experience or a quick lunch break. read more

Came here on a Saturday evening before they closed and they weren't busy. The restaurant is really small but nice inside. We ordered two bento boxes one chicken karaage and the other teriyaki chicken. The staff were nice and the food took 10 mins to come out. We really enjoyed the bento box and the portion of food for the price was worth it. Would definitely recommend. read more

Tenkatori - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I left my first review of Tekatori almost 10 years ago, my gosh how the time flies, and back then it was the best deal running, nowadays though it seems as if the restaurant was sold, and the new owners immediately changed what made this a special place, they hiked the price of the Karaage set to double what it used to be, reduced the number of Karaage pieces from 5 to 4, and reduced the number of side dishes included, changing the options. They enstuffified it (you can put the right word in there). This used to be a great little local jewel, now I wouldn't go back. Shame. read more

On my way home from work, I decided I didn't feel like cooking. I've driven past this place a million times and popped in for some fried chicken wings. I skipped the sauce so I could taste the chicken as-is. I'm glad I did. It tasted awesome because they marinated it really well. Very hot, crispy and juicy since it's made to order. An adorable young lady working the counter made ordering easy and I enjoyed the cute little space. No regrets, I will be back. Thank you for the delicious fried chicken!! read more

Decided on a whim to check out this spot. Parking is limited FYI. The service is ok. I asked for a cup of water he said they don't provide cups because they sell water. Stupid. This spot is also overpriced. The food is ok. I ordered a teriyaki beef bowl. This literally was just regular beef. No teriyaki flavor whatsoever, so that was definitely dissapointing. The rest of it was good though. California rolls were good. It came with this amazing potato croquette, soooo divine. Also came with potato salad which I loved. Overall, I would not return because the main thing was the teriyaki beef and it was mid as fk read more

Tenkatori - Teriyaki Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I was craving some authentic chicken karaage and by my roommate's recommendation came in. I ordered the 12 piece karaage. The chicken had authentic Japanese style thick breading using chicken thighs that was juicy and fatty. I ate it as it came out and it was very hot. Definitely good and crispy, but the natural fat and excess fat from the frying oil can be overpowering and give flavor fatigue, needing a sauce to cut through and change the flavor (which you had to pay for). I had to wait a bit since it was made fresh but didn't mind. It's a small restaurant to keep in mind. I would come back the next time I'm craving karaage. read more

Tenkatori - Karaage A la Carte - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great food. The Karaage was nice, freshly cooked, and very crispy. Always friendly service.

***Ugh...such a bummer that this place has closed. Not necessarily because it was fantastic or anything, but because I literally just finished writing this! So, apologies for posting something so unnecessary at this point, but I'm selfishly doing it anyways so that I didn't waste my time...ha! After seeing so many Yelp friends review this place over the years, I honestly thought this place was a match made in heaven for me. Between my love for chicken karaage and the fact that this place specializes in it, it felt like a forgone conclusion that I would love this place! The only issue was figuring out an opportunity to come out here just for this. However, where there's a will, there's a way...especially for something that looked so good! Having read that this was a bit more of a to-go spot than an actual restaurant, I knew that this place was going to be small. However, I have to admit that I didn't think this place was going to be this small. So, in that vine, I'm glad we came here when we did, as nearly every other seat filled up not long after we walked in. Despite their small stature, the menu here is surprisingly lengthy, featuring a fairly surprisingly number of goodies to choose from (mostly fried, obviously). Since we didn't want to get too much for our relatively late lunch, we decided to split one of their box lunches where you choose a main item, along with your picks from three additional categories). For our combo meal, we opted to go with their COMBINATION KARAAGE MEAL, which came with 3 Pcs of Karaage and 3pc Teba Wings over White Rice, along with Tempura, a California Roll, and Green Salad ($15). Now, I don't know if it's just because I'm jaded by Bay Area prices, but this felt like a ton of food for the money. As for how it tasted, it ranged from average to good. Unsurprisingly, the highlight was the chicken karaage. Not only were the pieces big and meaty, but the batter was super crispy and well seasoned. The chicken wings were equally large and flavorful, but, for whatever reason, the batter was thinner and a bit soggy. As for the rest, the salad was refreshing, but both the tempura and the California roll were just okay (the latter makes sense, since it's not their thing). While the food itself wasn't bad (I would definitely come back just for the karaage), I have to admit that our interactions with the workers left a bad taste in our mouths. The woman working the register went from borderline annoyed with us to nice to mildly dismissive, but the bigger issue was the guy who mostly manned the kitchen. When I asked him for another tempura sauce after accidentally spilling the first one we got, he started questioning me as if he thought I was lying to get an extra sauce out of them. Kind of weird, but mostly uncomfortable, especially when he eyeballed our table as he walked by to go outside. All in all, while the chicken karaage was as good as I hoped it would be, the rest of the food, comparatively, fell short. Between that and the awkward service, THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down feels about right, even despite how they're a great option for a cheap and filling lunch. Still, I'd come back to Tenkatori just for the karaage. What can I say, love is love. read more

Tenkatori - Combination Karaage Box Meal - Chicken Karaage & Teba Wings over Rice with Tempura, California Roll, and Mixed Green Salad - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Chicken was delicious and service was amazing. I have celiac and I was able to eat here safely! The gluten free options were clear and the staff was knowledgeable of the needs having a dedicated fryer. Will be coming back often! read more

Its been a long time since I've been able to find a really crispy gluten free popcorn chicken. So good. The sauces are gluten free as well. Tasty. My kids really like this spot too. The service is great The people are very nice and helpful. The ambiance of the place is very calm. Small but very chill. read more

the fried chicken was pretty juice. it doesn't have much space to dine in to prepare for takeout.

Nice serving size the fried chicken is great tasting. The best thing is there's no bone.

Forever on the hunt for good karaage chicken since visiting Japan, and this did the job for me.

They just reopened with new management team. Chicken actually taste lighter and better than before. Taste more like the old recipe from 5yrs before. New phone # 714-760- 4168. Also new menu and price..see attached photo. read more

Tenkatori - New menu and prices - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

First time I returned to Tenkatori since it changed owners and the food and service is much better! I have celiac so the GF food is a big draw! Overall the Tenkatori special was delicious and fresh, the sauces were good too. Very tasty California roll. My only observation is the salad needed some dressing. read more

Little fast food type spot. A quick grab and go or have a short sit and grub. We visited on a Saturday around 12 pm and it looked slow, but suddenly business picked up. Several orders were carry out and appeared to have been placed before we arrived. While we waited for our food, the restaurant tables all became full. Parking could get a little tight as this is a shared complex. However, you could park across the street. We didn't have trouble parking on Saturday afternoon. Once inside we were greeted by a lady who was ready to answer any questions we had about the menu. She was sweet, offered us water with our meal. Inside there are four very small square tables with two seats each and a small bar type table facing outward to the street that seats 3. This is not a big place or a true sit down restaurant. We had the number 8 bowl, sweet and sour with the five pieces of chicken. The bowl cakes with steamed carrots, baby corn, and broccoli on a bed of rice. The chicken meat was poor quality dark meat with lots of fat. I didn't eat any of it. I ended up going to a business close by to eat. We also ordered Nankotsu Curry which is cartilage on a bed of rice with steamed carrots, baby corn, and broccoli. This dish also has a half of a boiled egg on top with curry gravy on the side with a mild taste. We rated that about 2 out of 5. There are no public restrooms in this business. In summary, we would not recommend spending $30 on food that is far less than mediocre. read more

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I got the karaage, croquette, and California roll. The karaage was crispy and juicy--definitely the highlight. The California roll was fresh and made the bento feel complete. The croquette was just okay, kind of bland and not super memorable. Overall, still a solid lunch spot and I'd come back for the karaage alone. read more

Tenkatori - Chicken karaage, croquette, and California Roll - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

It's all gluten free!! Tenkatori Special is a great deal!! I got this for my lunch but it had a of food that I could save some for dinner. Everything was very yummy. People who work here were very friendly kind. There are some tables n chair plus counter table to eat in, it's very clean. I'm definitely going back again. Great location to stop by to get to-go foods on the way to beaches m, parks or friends get together. read more

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First time dining at this restaurant which is conveniently close to South Coast Plaza if you're shopping nearby. The service was very slow and they were definitely understaffed, only the owners were working. I also noticed that they are quite stingy when it comes to providing sauce packets...you'll have to ask for multiple if that is what you desire. Overall the food was delicious! Great pieces of chicken with amazing flavor. A bento box is perfect for one or possibly even 2 people. Seating inside is quite limited and close to other guests. I would return! read more

Tenkatori - Bento Box + 2 extra pieces of karaage, edamame, potato salad - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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If you are a fried chicken fan, & haven't tried Japanese fried chicken, give it a try. It is not like your usual fried chicken. I can't explain it but the batter has such a unique texture than your everyday american fried chicken. I wish I knew what the batter is made of, because it is so unique & tasty !!!! This is a tiny cafe like restaurant tucked away in a strip mall by the lab. There isn't much seating inside, I think most of the orders were takeaway. When we arrived it was a weeknight & almost all of the tables were full. I was disappointed to see there are no kids high chairs. My husband did notice they had one high chair tucked away in the back which looked like it was being used for storage which was strange. I have a 9 month old & he can't walk quite yet so while we waited for what seemed like hours for the food, we had to carry him. So I would say this is not a kid friendly place due to the limited seating. The food itself was very tasty !!! We got the 12 piece karaage with spicy mayo & sweet+spicy sauce, & a side of $4.15 expensive rice (note, i wouldn't order rice for takeout, as that was quite the greedy charge for something so cheap !) At first it seemed outrageous to charge $1.50 for sauce. However they are VERY generous in the portion so I can understand why the charge. I like spicy but I wouldn't get the spicy mayo again - just my opinion but didn't want the karaage to taste like mayo. The sweet+spicy sauce was so good ! It had the umami spice asian flavor I was going for. Definitely try that one if you're unsure of what sauce to get. The karaage pieces are also very large, so if you order 5 pieces it's still a lot of food. Each piece was so perfectly cooked & juicy. I could tell it's made fresh & not sitting under a heat lamp all day like it would at a deli. It was worth the wait ! I would eat here again, but probably would get take out. Very delicious ! read more

Tenkatori - One piece of karaage. Very large ! - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Parking: it's in a TINY plaza and shares the lot with the other stores. I can see situations in which you'd have to wait for a spot. I ordered via phone in advance (was my reward for dinner for working out hehehe) and the chicken came out piping hot. It was still hot when I got back home 15 mins later and beasted (feasted). Sooo juicy, crispy, and I had leftovers afterwards. Definitely beats Tokyo Central's pre-packed karaage! read more

Tenkatori - Large, juicy, and crispy! Jan 2024. - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Fun little karaage store just west of John Wayne airport. The lunch special was quite large and came with many options so I opted for steamed veggies and cucumber rolls to complement the large hunks of karaage chicken. This is a small chain store that's run by locals, but the service was good and the food tasted fresh. The cashier very kindly gave me a free drink because she noticed I was a newcomer. So if you want a reasonably priced Japanese fast food restaurant, check this place out. read more

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Super California roll 5/5: They took a simple California roll to the next level with adding the karaage pieces on top with the drizzle of spicy mayo. Not a lot done to it, but heighten it to new levels. Karaage 5/5: Crunchy, Juicy, Thick. The karaage is absolutely cooked to perfection. The crunch it still has even after taking it home (about a 8-10 minute drive) is insane. The only downside about this dish was the potato salad, it was a little on the runnier side. Not the firmness that I was looking for. I'm thinking it was just because it was in a box that had so much steam, willing to give another try in person! Service 5/5: super friendly and easy to talk to read more

Tenkatori - Super California Roll, 5 pc Karaage meal (potato salad, California roll, 2 extra karaage) - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

To be fair I did just come back from a trip to Japan and was looking to see if there was any comparable chicken karaage places out here in SoCal. This wasn't it, but it's an okay spot. This is a little shop in Costa Mesa, fast casual with some Japanese food. It's a pretty affordable spot for the amount of food you get. I did the bento box for the chicken karaage which comes with rice, miso soup, and you choose 3 sides from 9 options split into 3 groups. The service was a bit pushy, although she was friendly. I was underwhelmed by the karaage, kinda under seasoned, not as crispy/crunchy, portion of meat wasn't as big. The miso was also really not it. The potato salad was fine, she really pushed that "this isn't what you find in other places" but honestly you can. It's unremarkable, but I'm making a remark because she did. Overall, this place is okay but definitely not what I was looking for. Didn't hit the spot really. read more

Tenkatori - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The food is amazing.The service is good too It's probably my favorite karrage place in the area. I'm very impressed by the quality considering the price read more

Tenkatori - Family combo - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Saturday lunch , a few seats inside but was able to sit down and eat. Menu offers various types of fried chicken as well rice bowls and combos. We ordered the #15 which came with fried chicken and you get your choice of sides plus miso soup. Ordered California roll, potato salad and tempura as sides. The fried chicken is juicy and comes with 5 big pieces, maybe golf ball sized. Food is filling and great value. I thinking the family that runs the place are not the original owners but they maintain quality and deliver the food hot and fresh. Would recommend. read more

Tenkatori - Chicken - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Parking: Tenaktori Karaage is located in a tiny plaza and every easy to miss. I am usually able to find parking but the spots a bit cramp. Interior: The restaurant is very small. It has about 5 or 6 tables and a bar at the window. I usually stop by after work and it is not very busy. Service: The service was okay. I saw some comments saying that the owner was a bit aggressive and I can see why. I think the way she talks makes it seem like she is rushing you but I thought she was relatively nice. Food: I got the karaage chicken and the sweet and sour/spicy kaarage chicken bento. I prefer the karaage chicken. It was lightly seasoned and very crispy. The veggies that came in the bento were a bit bland. Overall, it was pretty filling. read more

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Is this place open again? It says closed but someone commented that they've reopened but I can't find their phone number to call and confirm read more

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They've reopened on May 1st!! I've been craving their Karaage so much. They have a new Kids' menu now.

A lot of times, you just want some simple Japanese takeout to round out your day. At times like these, we go to Tenkatori Karaage in Costa Mesa. It's tucked away right next to the Camp, and often overlooked, but it's definitely worth a stop! Like the name says, it's karaage, or japanese fried chicken! They serve them a la carte, or, you can get em how we got em: in a bento box! There's so many options, and you can really customize the box to come how you like! I got plain karaage with a california roll and potato croquettes. I got some tartar sauce karaage with a california roll...and MORE karaage! Now THAT'S a lotta food! You won't leave hungry after coming here! The first thing you'll notice is that the karaage is GOOD for how affordable it is. They give you a big portion of crispy, juicy, hot chunks of chicken, along with a bed of rice! Of course, the sides are super straightforward as well! The California roll is standard, but it's good! And the croquettes...mmm. I'll never say no to those! To top it off, they give you some miso soup! The tartar sauce is a little different, but delicious either way! It's a good change of pace that offers that sort of relishy tart and sweet zing that you might have been missing in your karaage before! This is a lovely little place to come get a quick and big meal. If you're not absolutely starving, it's probably closer to two meals, rather than one! Come drop by before or after a spa day, so you can get your Tenkatori Karaage! read more

Great service with a smile: friendly and makes you feel at home. Good food: served hot and fresh. Ambiance was perfect: calm atmosphere with light music on the background and AC on to eat the summer heat. We ordered a 5 piece karaage a la carte which comes with 5 pieces of chicken with rice and a green salad. Additionally, we ordered a 5 piece karaage by itself. Prices are $2 more than what is listed on website but probably increased due to inflation. Juicy, crispy chicken for a quick meal. read more

Tenkatori - Photo of the area behind the counter and current food prices - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Best Karaage I've had in Orange County! Grab a Bowl and a miso soup before it's all gone. Thank you for being around for so long and looking forward to my next visit very soon (and bringing more people with me). Customer service - Excellent. Nothing bad to say about this place. Plus, only 20-25 min from the beach in Costa Mesa read more

Tenkatori - KARAAGE bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Was craving karaage and this place popped up on Yelp so I decided to try it out. The combo set is a pretty good deal and I enjoyed the salad, California roll, and croquettes, however the karaage was disappointing as it was pretty flavorless. I had to add soy sauce which I've never had to do with any other karaage I've had. Overall it was just ok for me. read more

Tenkatori - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I try to come here everytime we visit town! Best karaage hands down! I ordered online and it was prepared at the estimated time. The person helping me was to the point but not rude. Indoors has limited seating so we usually take it to go. I always get a side of spicy mayo to dip it in! read more

Obsessed with this place! I have been coming here for years and the owners are truly the best and take the safest precautions to provide gluten free fried chicken and sauces! So delicious and perfectly fried every time. My favorite spot for delicious food! Thank you for providing the perfect gluten free spot! Some favorites are their karaage bento box, their sushi burrito and their spam musubi which I never get to have anywhere else! Their spicy mayo is so so good too. Must have every single time I co read more

Tenkatori - Karaage sushi burrito - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Fantastic food and value! I ordered the sweet and spicy bento box which came with miso soup, croquettes, pieces of a California roll, and potato salad. I ordered my sweet and spicy sauce on the side because summers around the corner. I do wish the sauce was slightly spicier but it was great with the chicken. This was the first time I had potato salad that was this puréed but it worked well. It's small little spot and the staff was friendly. All of the food was delicious and boy was I full! I will absolutely be back. read more

Tenkatori - Sweet and Spicy KARAAGE set - Gluten-Free Near Me - Costa Mesa, California