Tenkatori Costa Mesa — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

Overall: In regards to quality, this place is honestly a hit or miss for me. Quantity and price is always great for a quick bite of Japanese food which is rare in the area. My tip for the best quality chicken and california rolls is to go during peak times when it's usually cooked to order and the food is fresh! I still recommend this restaurant, because when the chicken is freshly cooked it really is one of the best kaarages in the area.

Price: You can not beat the price here! Other than mitsuwa, Tenkatori Karaage seems like the only fast-food restaurant that specializes in chicken Karaage. In most of the other japanese restaurants, they can run pretty pricey for a Chicken Karaage (usually just for an appetizer size too). For the quantity you get here, this place is definitely worth the bang for your buck!

Quality: I noted that they have best quality Chicken Karaage during the peak times (lunch/right after work - usually dinner time) . They are absolutely delicious when its freshly cooked! Warm, crispy and juicy! Although, there have been times when the Karaage was not as fresh. When it's not freshly cooked, its pretty disappointing because it's a bit cold, not as crisp, and a bit tougher to eat. Also depending on the cooks behind, the California rolls can be a bit sad and poorly made. There were a couple times the California rolls just fell apart upon touch and looked a bit old where the avocado was browning and the seaweed was no longer crispy and instead was soggy. Again, there are other times where the california rolls are just perfect. The croquettes, on the other hand, always seem...

My brother suggested one of his fave places for lunch and offered to do a pickup since parking can be a hassle in that strip plaza.

I chose #17 on the Box menu, which is a combination karaage (3 pcs thigh and 3 pcs wings). I’ve never been there before, so I wanted to try all the things! The box menu delivered on a little bit of everything since it came with rice, miso soup, and choice of 3 different side options labeled as A, B & C. Side A offered choice of tempura, croquettes or 2 pcs karaage. Side B offered California roll, veggie roll or edamame. Side C offered green salad or steamed veggies.

For my entree, I selected tempura, veggie rolls and green salad. It was a well rounded meal and pretty filling. The thigh karaage pieces were generously portioned and so juicy! The wings were crispy, but I think I would go all in for the karaage next time.

Definitely would like to come back to try their gizzard, tartar karaage, cartilage and gaburi (deep fried whole thigh). I am tempted to order their Family Pack 1 too, but we’ll see what happens...

Ordered two entrees. Had to get Karage chicken since it's their signature dish and a classic chicken teriyaki because I use that as a benchmark for Japanese eateries. The Karage was quite good, crunchy on outside, moist on inside. It stayed crunchy in a to-do box for 20min as well. As for the teriyaki chicken, it is good, the cut of chicken was good (not all white meat, but I don't care), there was little to no skin, fat, or cartilage present. Chicken was moist as well. Portions are good for the money, a bowl is more than enough for one person. Service was good and attentive. Place was cleanly. Pricing is quite good for what you get. Definitely gonna come back to check out their other items. Some down sides might be sitting space is limited and no restroom available (that I can see anyway). This is a good replacement for Chaya that went away recently from...