I finally got to try Tenori, and their onigiris are really good! I came on Tuesday around 6pm and there were not many people eating inside. The ordering process is quick, you choose which ones you want, order on the kiosk, and then they will call your name. I got the 3 for $11 deal, which is pretty worth in my opinion (it's cheap and it's enough food for a meal) and I chose spicy salmon, honey shrimp, and the pork belly. 3 onigiris come in a plastic box and each are wrapped with its specific wrapper depending on the type you get while just getting 1 comes in a small bag thing. For the onigiris, I think from my favorite to least, the order would be: spicy salmon, honey shrimp (close second), and the pork belly (which is surprising because this is one of three types recommended). The spicy salmon wasn't spicy at all which is good, and I initially thought it would be sashimi, but it's actually cooked salmon! The honey shrimp was sweet and savory, I didn't find it that sweet and the shrimp itself was good with the sauce. The pork belly was also good, some pieces were crispy while others were soft, it's not bad, I just preferred the other two more. The filling to rice ratio was just right, I was able to taste the filling for the most part. This could have been a 5-star review, the reason I docked a star was because I was given the kbbq onigiri instead of spicy salmon (which I ordered). I was glad that even though I ordered it "to-go" I spent some time eating in person because if I already took it back, I wouldn't have been able to catch the mistake on time. When I noticed I was given the wrong one, I hesitated to tell the staff because I was almost done but in the end I just decided to inform them because I wasn't satisfied with the kbbq. They were initially confused as to how that happened but thankfully I had the receipt to show. They gave me the right one in the end, but maybe they could have just kept the kbbq for me since I already ate a bite. But other than that though, it was a pleasant experience! Overall, it is a good, casual spot to grab a quick bite and eat with friends. I definitely still want to come back to try the remaining flavors I didn't get to try like the mentai and spam. read more

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I had higher expectations for a specialty-onigiri shop, the Spicy Tuna Onigiri lacked flavor--it would've been perfect with more soy sauce, salt, and pepper. However, the cashier was friendly and the place was clean. Points for hygiene, always read more

Tenori - Spicy Tuna Mayo Onigiri - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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I've been here twice since first discovering it from the Yelp elite event. I loooove this place! Honestly the cheapest and yummiest meal you can get. 3 onigiri for 11.50 (comes out to 12.40 with tax). When ordering ahead, know that their ETA time is accurate. It can take up to 40 mins to make. There are only 2 people making these onigiri with love. The space inside is minimal and clean. All the employees are kind and they have a walk up order area to order on a screen as well. The honey shrimp onigiri only has 2 shrimp in it just fyi - the size and shape of the onigiri only allow that much. I recommend the spicy tuna and spicy salmon- neither are truly spicy but the flavor is excellent. These are best enjoyed fresh. If you wait a bit, the nori can get soggy from the steamed rice! read more

Tenori - Spicy tuna- mid meal hehe, so yummy! - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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I came during a weekday night and it wasn't that busy! They have 2 kiosks for ordering and there was a dine in and to go option! I've been here multiple times and they've been pretty fast all the times there. I got the 3 for $11.50 and it was veryyyy filling. I got the spam, honey shrimp, and spicy salmon. My favorite is definitely the spicy salmon and the spam. The spam is most similar to a spam musubi and their house sauce is slightly sweet but also savory. The spicy salmon had a lot of filling and was so good but not that spicy. The honey shrimp was good as well but not as good as the others. The shrimps were fried whole. read more

Tenori - Spam - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Tenori is my favorite place to get onigiri in Irvine. They have wide selection of fillings such as spicy tuna, spicy salmon pork belly, KBBQ, and spam. The employees are friendly. One of the employees was nice enough to give me a chair to sit on sit on since I walk with a cane. The decor inside is nice as well. read more

Tenori - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Got the KBBQ, pork belly, and spicy salmon. They loved how well seasoned the pork belly one was. That was my favorite!! The pork had a nice crisp to it and it just melted in my mouth. The KBBQ and spicy salmon are classics! I wish they were more seasoned though. I wanted to taste the spice in the spicy salmon and bbq in KBBQ. read more

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I've been coming here pretty consistently for two years now, it's my favorite snack place. It always satisfies my spam musubi cravings and their spicy salmon is also a favorite of mine. Their portions are decent sized and they are always pretty speedy! read more

I think this is a great restaurant for college students. It's fast to pick up, easy to eat, and pretty affordable for a quick bite! The tablet ordering system was really easy to operate on as well. All the staff were friendly and are open to answering questions. I got the spicy salmon, KBBQ, and honey shrimp onigiri. I only wanted two but they had a deal where it was 3 for $11 which you save $1 on. I caved in and got the deal. The KBBQ was my favorite. It had really good BBQ flavor. Thd spicy salmon is always a good go to! The honey shrimp was alright. Didn't have much shrimp in the rice. Flavor was okay. Overall, I think it's a great place to get your onigiri fix. There's not a lot of places around the area that sell onigiri so it's nice that they opened one up at UTC! read more

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After the Yelp elite event, I dropped by here to grab a quick bite. I just love food that are handheld and easy to eat while driving. My favorites are the spam, bulgogi, and pork belly rice balls. The service is high quality and efficient. I don't think the seating here is that friendly if you have small kids but, there is outdoor seating and you have them walk around there while you eat your onigiris. read more

The staff working there was very friendly and helpful. I tried the pork belly, tuna with mayo and the honey shrimp. The pork belly is a popular choice and offers rich flavors and meaty texture. The honey shrimp onigiri is sweet yet savory and the tuna with mayo offers a simple onigiri flavor. I really like the bonito furikake and the crunchy nori that surrounded the rice. They complemented the rice and fillings well. I also appreciated the cleanliness of the business. read more

Tenori - Onigiri trio - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is great! Their onigiris are delicious. They have a bunch of fillings to choose from the menu which is awesome. The crispy seaweed and furikake seasoning surrounding the onigiri were a fantastic combo. Service was fast and staff were friendly. Their playlist in the store is also top tier. Will come again!! read more

Tenori - Pork belly and tuna mayo onigiris - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Tenori onigiri uses warm rice, fresh and high quality seaweed coupled with the fillings of your choice. I love the pork belly the best followed by a tie for honey shrimp and KBBQ. The staff were personable and friendly and the food came out in less than ten minutes. Ambiance is casual and cozy with several bar top seatings. Their drinks selection is limited to Smart Water and bottled green and jasmine tea. For the best deal, I highly recommend the 3 for $11 special. Highly recommended! read more

Tenori - Pork Belly KBBQ and Honey Shrimp. - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Yummy! My favorite was the spicy salmon, followed by the kbbq. My kids also really loved these and found them easy to eat. The service was great- friendly & prompt :) read more

Tenori - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Food was good! Filling to rice ratio was perfect and the filling was very flavorful! At first the onigiri looked small but they were a lot more filling than expected. Stuffed after three. Would definitely come again! read more

Service is super fast. Restaurant is smallish but clean. You order your food on the screen and food came out very quickly! Got 3 onigiris for $11:kbbq, mentai, and smoked salmon. All were yummy! I liked the mentai and kbbq read more

Tenori - 3 for $11 - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Perfect for an on the go snack and you're in between meals. The menu is on the wall and you order at the register. It's not a very long menu so even if there's a line, it's quick. Our favorites were the kbbq and the pork belly. I wouldn't order the salmon and mayo again. I really enjoyed tenori but it wasn't filling enough for me. Like I said, great for a quick bite to hold you over until your next meal. read more

Tenori - Kbbq, pork belly, salmon and mayo - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Tenori is really good whenever I do go especially their Hawaiian rice balls and their tuna rice balls also is really good.

Simple menu. Order on the screen. The seaweed somehow stays crispy. My favorite was the salmon. Seating all around. High chairs next to high tables. Quick service. They have a deal 3 for $11 It's quite filling when you feel like eating a snack. read more

Tenori - Mentai and spicy salmon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

TLDR; well seasoned rice and spicy tuna filling was good. This restaurant serves exclusively onigiri, which consists of seasoned rice loosely packed as triangles filled with pickled vegetables, fish or meat. I had the spicy tuna, spicy salmon and pork belly onigiris, and found that the spicy tuna was quite good. The rice was well seasoned, packed well but not too tight (a lot of places pack it too tight such that it feels more like a rice bullet), and the filling was a spicy tuna-salad that was creamy (maybe a bit too much mayo) with a touch of spice. The spicy salmon was not my favorite as the salmon flavor was lost, and the pork belly was decent. Overall, good quantity of filling and the rice was good! As for location, this place is at the heart of UTC, making it very convenient for students at UCI. Food comes out fast (as expected for onigiri) and the staff are nice. Because of the speed, the area doesn't get crowded, so it's easy to find a seat. The seats are a small and don't have a bar to rest your foot on, but other than that it's a nice place to chill for a bit :) read more

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We tried the 3 for $11 trio at Tenori, and I thought it was a great deal considering the portion size and quality. We ordered through the kiosk, and I let one of the staff members know about my allergy to fish and shrimp. They were super helpful and assured me that all seafood is prepared at a separate station to avoid any cross-contamination. They also made sure not to add the furikake, which contains fish products. I really appreciated that extra attention to detail. Everything was made to order and came out quickly. My favorite was definitely the pork belly. It had great flavor and texture. I got it alongside the spam musubi, which was solid, though I personally prefer my spam cooked a bit more. Overall, a great first visit. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

Tenori - Spam musubi and pork belly - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Solid place for a quick bite of onigiri! Tried the 3 for $11 special and got the kbbq, spicy salmon, and pork belly~ spicy salmon came out on top! Would come here again if I wanted a quick bite of something to eat! read more

Tenori - 3 for $11 (pork belly, spicy salmon, and kbbq) - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Good for light lunches. I tried the pork belly, mentai,and spicy salmon. The salmon wasn't spicy to me but the mentai had a bit of spice. Service was fast as there were only a few people when I went. read more

Tenori - Pork belly, mentai, spicy salmon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Best place for omusubi around! Fast and delicious! The Korean BBQ is my fav! Don't skip this place!!! read more

Tenori - kBBQ - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Tenori is located in University Town Center across from UC Irvine - lots of parking and easily accessible. It is close to Sharetea. I tried their 3 onigiri combo so that I could get a taste of different flavors (bulgogi, salmon, pork). Unfortunately the flavors were pretty lackluster especially considering the price. But service was great and there is a decent amount of seating if you're looking to eat your onigiri and go. read more

Clean, good service and quick (no line). I got spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and the kbbq. Kbbq was my favorite as I did not expect hot cooked fish in the others (most likely my mistake for not reading ahead). The spicy tuna I wish I could return, could only stomach part and gave the rest to the kiddo - it was hot tuna salad with minimal spice. The spicy salmon was also okay - kid friendly spice level. KBBQ was the most friendly for a somewhat picky eater like myself. Price point is acceptable for the demographic but they are smallish. I wouldn't come back but I had to at least try them once! The girl working was great as well and even held the door for me while with a stroller. read more

i really liked the onigiris here, i feel like most places don't have enough filling and it's mostly rice but it wasn't the case here. the korean bbq one wasn't my favorite of the three. i'd recommend trying the spicy salmon and tuna mayo instead! read more

Tenori - korean bbq, spicy salmon and tuna mayo - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I was so excited to see Tenori had opened up at UTC because I have developed a bit of an onigiri fixation. Finally tried it out and definitely was a little disappointed. I tried Spam musubi for the first time and it was ok, the eel sauce' sweetness m clashed with the salty Spam in my opinion. The spicy salmon onigiri was good, but I wish the fish was raw. I ordered extra sides of spicy mayo and soy sauce (and paid for them too), but unfortunately none came out with my food... I do feel like it would have enhanced the experience. I would say to take it at face value. It's a good pick-me up if you're running around and need a quick meal/snack, but nothing about it was mind blowing. read more

Ambiance is super low key and it's perfect. My 8 year old said- too messy to eat. Taste of the honey shrimp is good. Rice to sauce and protein/filling ratio is weak. Might not come back but cute idea! Not for us! read more

Tenori - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I got the 3 for $11 (otherwise $4 each) of the spicy salmon, kbbq and honey shrimp onigiri. The filling was plentiful as I never got a big bite of just rice. I loved the furikake on the sides of the rice and how crispy the seaweed was. Spicy salmon was my favorite although it really wasn't that spicy. The meat in the kbbq one was good however the flavor was definitely not as strong as I thought it would be. Otherwise, I appreciated how each onigiri was labeled with the filling name on their wrappers. This was a quick and easy place to grab a bite and I would come again! read more

Tenori - Combo - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

It's ok. It's a bit spendy for what it is. We got spam, kbbq, pork belly, mentaiko, & spicy salmon. I don't like how it falls apart so it's hard to eat. The service was good, and the place was clean but we also went towards the end of the evening. read more

Tenori is always perfect for a quick bite! The interior has a good amount of seating, and as it's located in UTC, there's also plenty of seats outside. I've never had an issue with seating, but I treat it more as a grab-and-go spot. Ordering on the tablet is very quick, easy, and straightforward, and the staff is always friendly when answering questions. Their menu is straightforward and printed in large letters on the wall. I've tried the tuna with mayo, kbbq, spicy tuna, and spicy salmon. The rice of the onigiri comes with furikake (could be optionally removed), which works well with the flavor of the filling. Their filling vs. rice ratio is also pretty good every time I go (in other words, not 80% rice)! My one critique is that their "spicy" flavors aren't spicy at all, so it just tastes like fish + mayo. The flavors are simple, but usually just what I'm craving. At $4 each, I think that this is a nice affordable spot to get a quick bite in between classes, or if you're in the mood for a light lunch. In the past, they offered a 3 pc onigiri set for $11 (saving you $1), but I didn't see that as an option when I went on 01/18/25. Overall, Tenori is my go-to spot when I want to eat something small, simple, and don't feel like driving anywhere after class. I wish they opened earlier in my time at UCI! read more

Tenori - Inside the spicy salmon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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I've been to the one in Stanton inside Rodeo 39 a few times, so I was excited to hear that this one opened not too long ago. This is located in the UTC across from UCI. Not sure which parking lot would be closer, but it's really not a long walk from any lot. My fam and I parked near Mendocino Farms, in one of the 2-hour parking spots on a Sunday before noon. There were a fair amount of people out and about, but still kind of quiet (started to get crowded around 1:30pm-ish though). The menu here is simple - spam musubi and onigiri (pork belly, spicy tuna, tuna w/mayo, mentai, spicy salmon, KBBQ and honey shrimp). All $4.00 each. They have a 3pc combo for $11.00, which was what we each got. There were 2 kiosks to place an order. They don't have the flavored lemonades like they do in Stanton, just bottled drinks for now. Not sure if that's how the setup will be here or if they'll change it. I got the KBBQ, spicy salmon, and honey shrimp. They came out nice and hot. The KBBQ wasn't saucy, but the beef and onion had just enough garlic soy flavors, the spicy salmon was shredded and mixed with spicy mayo, and the shrimp was tempura fried and coated in honey lemon mayo. They were all good, and the size was nice that 3 was pretty filling. I liked that each one had a paper wrap, too, since they are a bit crumbly, especially the KBBQ. If anything, I would've liked a smidge of sauce in the KBBQ. The 3pc combo is a great meal for lunch, but even just one onigiri is a convenient option for when you're hungry, but just need something small to tie you over. read more

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$4 for a small portion that is mostly rice. Could even use more furikake. Also kbbq... the meat is not kbbq. Gtfo with the misleading name.

Been here twice in the past three days because my daughter love onigiris. I make them for her for school lunch once in a while so it was nice seeing a place that sells them fresh close by. UCI kids have so many more great options these days compared to my days. $11 for 3 quick delicious bite on the go. What's not to like? When I say fresh, I mean the rice is still very warm which is kind a problem as well. Onigiri is usually better when slightly chilled in order for it to hold its shape. These things were falling apart way too easily. With that said, it was a simple and very delicious snack. My favorite is the spicy salmon, the KBBQ was good but odd in an onigiri since it has long chewy meat. The honey shrimp one was also very good. The one I would NOT get again is the Mentai one. It was just way too salty and hard to swallow, I did however like the spicy level of the Mentai. You can't go wrong with a classic Tuna or Salmon Mayo one if you're one the fence. I would love to see them have a small fridge of ready made onigiris that have the plastic wrap barrier with the nori inside like the ones you can find at Mitsuwa (and in EVERYWHERE in Japan). I get those nori with plastic wrap on Amazon, 100 for $25, they allow you to have a crispy nori on an onigiri when ever you are ready to eat it. Lastly, TO THE OWNER AND OPERATOR of this place. This week/weekend was over 100°F! The air conditioning doesn't seem to be working or working well here both times I visited, the staff were sweating. Please get that fixed. If not for them then for the food, pretty sure no one wants onigiris with drops of sweat in them. read more

Eating my Honey Shrimp Onigiri as I type this review - 5/5, love it!!! My friend loves her KBBQ Onigiri as well :) Our visit wasn't even planned but my friend and I saw a sign and walked in here spontaneously, but we are so glad we did! Their menu offers a variety of different onigiris and I love how you can just get one onigiri and be relatively full if you don't want to spend too much on a meal. We will def be back!!! read more

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I tried the spicy salmon, honey shrimp, and pork belly onigiri for the 3/$11 set. I enjoyed all of them and thought the flavors and ingredients were good. I do think the honey shrimp could have used a little more filling as it felt like it was more packed with rice, but the part I had did taste good. My friend also did not enjoy her pork belly onigiri as much as she seemed to have a more lean part - so if you have a preference, it may change the taste experience on that one. Overall, I thought it was pretty filling and quick to be prepared. read more

Tenori - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Tenori was everything I look for in a casual order-at-the-kiosk type of restaurant. Their menu was simple and easy to understand. The food was very reasonably priced ($4 per, or 3 for $11) and three onigiri was a really good amount of food for a complete meal. The girl behind the counter was incredibly sweet, even directing us to the next door restaurant for water, since Tenori does not have cups to provide tap water. We really liked the variety in the fillings too. My favorite was the Pork Belly, with the KBBQ a close second. My partner's favorites were the salmon and the spam misubi, but we both would like to try the Honey Shrimp, which was out when we visited. The options are simple, but I appreciate places that focus on their specialties, without trying to branch out too far. It means they can really perfect the onigiri that they do make, and we can't wait to stop by again! read more

Tenori - Three for $11 - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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This place focuses on onigiris, and they are definitely several steps above the ones you get at your local Mitsuwa. The onigiris are generously sized, with really crispy seaweed on the outside and warm rice on the inside filled with generous amounts of filling. We tried one of almost everything and loved the tuna and KBBQ ones the most. Surprisingly, the mentai one was my least favorite even though that was the one I most wanted to try - it was just too salty and spicy for my tastes. Wish we tried the pork belly one instead! read more

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I like stopping by here to grab some onigiri when I want a quick lunch/dinner. Takes only a couple minutes to make them and even less for me to munch them! I usually do the 3 for $11 and I get spicy salmon, kbbq and pork belly. Ordering system is easy. You order at the at kiosk so you don't even have to talk to anyone which is a common system for restaurants in Japan. If you have any questions or trouble ordering, the staff is always very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend trying this spot especially if you like sushi but have never tried onigiri! read more

i'm a big fan of sushi so I thought i'd enjoy this but honestly it's nothing crazy. you're getting exactly what you'd expect for the price and it's not bad but it's definitely just okay for a quick pick me up. read more

Tenori - spicy tenori - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California