Bento Man

I don’t get what all the fuss is about. We both had the «best ramen in la». Um, no. This stuff was marginally better than a cup-​o-​noodles. California roll was all rice with imitation krab (for the price you’d expect imitation — but it’s rare to see the slabs just popped in whole). The Takoyaki was awwwwfuuuullll. Dense, wet, greasy. I’ve had a lot of takoyaki… and this was not takoyaki. Something else entirely, something terrible.

Needs to get a bigger space but other than that, the food is good the price is good. The workers are really nice. Love the Spanish music. Keep it up. I bought the teriyaki plate and it filled me up.

Cheap… For the price it’s decent. Although, they will fill you up on rice. Beware it’s the bright green shed!

This place met ALL my requirements:
Convenience — There’s private Bento Parking. No valet, no tips, just empty spots.
Service — Friendly and professional staff. The even gave us waters without us asking; a small, unexpected gesture that went a long way
Taste — This place could hold it’s own in Little Tokyo or Little Osaka. I had the Katsudon and a side order of chicken curry, both were great. I’m going to name my next pet after that Katsudon.
Price — Very reasonable. Especially considering the generous portions.
There’s plenty of items on the menu so there’s definitely something for everyone. I’ll be back to this gem-​in-​the-​wall.

Cool spot off Western in the Harvard Heights neighborhood. The menu includes teriyaki, sushi, and other choices. Simple eating area, and quick service make for a good spot to have a lunch during the week. Parking off Western or 15^th in the neighborhood. Cash or credit cards accepted. Good food!

This place is family owned, authentic, affordable and delicious! I would always drive past it not realizing the gem is really is. It’s really small and there is outdoor seating only but it’s ideal for a good bite to eat anytime.

Gave this place another chance although this time I ordered a katsudon bowl per a friend’s recommendation and I have to say it was pretty tasty. Lesson learned: mediocre ramen, great katsudon!

Wow was pleasantly surprised. I’m Japanese so I know real Japanese food. Had the karaage bento. The chicken was juicy, cooked just right and flavorful. The rice is the Japanese sticky rice, which went well with the karaage. The macaroni salad was also surprisingly good. I usually don’t like macaroni salad but I think it was flavored just right. I think they used Japanese mayonnaise. The only thing I guess is that the salad was tiny… and the cashier dude was super unfriendly.
They have a nice little parking and eating space if you want to eat it there.

got the veggie bowl and the veggies were grilled to perfection. The BF got Ramen and chicken teriyaki. The chicken was tender and the teriyaki sauce is a nice consistency. Def coming back here again.

Great food – very flavorful, perfectly cooked ramen. Service slow, not very friendly and utensils in dirty jars for customers to get themselves. Napkins not available or given, unless asked for then distributed 2 pieces of ripped, brown paper towels. Would only get takeout if I came here again. But in this area, there are plenty of great other options. On the plus side, parking is never an issue! Their lot is huge compared to their seating area.

My bf and I came here because we were craving bento boxes. This humble restaurant is basically a stand with outdoor seating under a giant gazebo. I actually really enjoyed eating here because I could bring my dog, the weather was nice and breezy without being too hot because we were under shade. The owner is very nice and authentically Japanese so you’re getting the real stuff!
I ordered the shrimp udon and a side of croquette. It was really good! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It came in a huge bowl and costed maybe $ 8? My bf got a huge plate of chicken katsu curry. It was HUGE and delicious!
This place also has a pretty decent parking lot. I will definitely be coming back when I am in the mood for some ramen, katsu, or udon!

So super yummy. We keep going back!
Super cheap and super great!

Bento Man is good, nothing great. It’s a good alternative to eating «fast food» and probably cheaper and fresher. I’m very particular about ramen, and theirs is decent. I’ve definitely have had better… and far worse. Beef teriyaki is okay, but it could use more flavor. The rolls are average. Nothing I have had here just stands out. It’s a good little place for decent, cheap food. I don’t know how else to put it!

Unilocal failed me with the high ratings for this hole in the wall.
Ramen was extremely salty. There is a huge sign that says «best ramen in LA.» I would say it is the worst!
Spam musubi was below average.
Difficult to communicate with all employees.
California roll my nephew order was below average.

I fell in love with their food! Fresh ingredients and very generous portion size. Udon was very authentic anf flavorful. Yummmm I will definitely visit again for lunch

The food is SO SALTY! This place has potential but it fell way short of expectations.
I was in the area running errands and decided I’d finally give this place a try. I had a taste for donburi but didn’t want to go Downtown in rush hour traffic.
When you first walk in you come upon a very large simple menu. Well priced and large portions. I was later greeted by who I can only assume is the owner of the shop, Mr. Bento. He looked a bit purturbed but I shrugged it off. I ordered the katsudon, miso soup, and macaroni salad. I sat and later saw they had takoyaki. I later order takoyaki and green tea.
I should have canceled my order of takoyaki because before I paid I saw him walk over to the freezer and pull out a bag of PRE-​MADE FROZEN takoyaki. Red flag!!! I didn’t cancel it because he seemed a bit flustered and I think he had already dropped them in the fryer.
Anyway it doesn’t take my food long to come out. It came packed to-​go in a nice container. Very neat. I try the takoyaki first. And of course the octopus is like rubber. Blech! I decide to come to it later. Next I try the macaroni salad. It was sooooo salty. It would have been great, it was creamy and slightly sweet but so salty. Next I dug into the main course, the katsudon, hoping to redeem this meal. I take one bite AND IT TOO was a salt lick. So so salty. Also the batter kept falling off of the meet. Not crispy at all. The one thing expected to have a hint of salt, the miso soup was very bland.

We arrived at 840 and a cut off time for ordering was 830. They were nice enough to let us still order. Regardless of our late arrival the employees were still very nice! I appreciate how friendly they were. The food was tasty and better than I expected. I will go back and try the ramen

Bentoman can best described in this phrase: «cheaper and better.»
That’s really the theme. Their chicken cutlet with curry is cheaper than that of other places AND tastes better. Their chicken teriyaki is cheaper than other places AND they give you more.
Probably dollar for dollar, best quality food you can get.
It’s almost like that Coke Zero commercial. Tastes like Coke AND it’s zero calories.
Mind Blown. Give it a try.

Omg! I think i met the bento man! I always have driven by this place and has caught my eye. I glad i finally tried. Everything is made to order. Staff super friendly. There is parking at the western location. Try the ramen!

Have you MET the Bento Man? He’s pretty damn awesome.
If you work near Little Tokyo, I strongly suggest you venture to Bento Man for some lunch sometime. There’s generally no wait, and the place is calm + peaceful. The man who runs the register is super nice and he’s obviously THE Bento Man.
I’ve had several of the rice bowls here and have enjoyed them all. They’re all very hearty bowls of rice with some flavorful, well cooked beef/​chicken/​pork.
I’ll have to return to try the ramen that everyone suggests!
Also, the price is very reasonable and the portions are generous! What’s not to like?