Bento Express

Bento Express is a hidden gem! From the name, I expected a simple menu of rolls and bento boxes, but I was pleasantly surprised by the variety they offer. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted with a warm and welcoming ambiance. One unique feature that caught my eye was the bar seating, where you can watch the sushi being made.The service was excellent--the person who greeted and seated us (who seemed to be the owner) was incredibly kind, attentive, and accommodating. It's always great to dine at a place where you feel genuinely welcomed.Now, onto the food! We ordered the yellowtail sashimi, veggie tempura, chicken plate, rainbow roll, albacore sushi, and tuna sushi. The fish was unbelievably fresh, juicy, and flavorful, making the sushi, rolls, and sashimi stand out. The chicken plate was also delicious, with a perfect balance of rice, sautéed veggies, and tender chicken topped with just the right amount of sauce. The veggie tempura was another highlight--the portion was generous for the price, and unlike other places where you taste old cooking oil, the batter here was light, crispy, and perfectly coated the veggies.Overall, our experience was amazing! Bento Express exceeded our expectations, and we'll definitely be back soon--either to try new menu items or to enjoy the same delicious dishes again. Highly recommend!

AMAZING DEALS lunch and dinner bentos! We went for dinner and it's a small place so it gets filled pretty fast. Our bento came with 8 piece California roll, chicken teriyaki, salad, shrimp tempura & vegetable tempura, one egg roll, 2 mandus, and some soup. It was so much that we had leftovers and enjoyed it the next day. The service was great, and we were helped with anything and everything. Wanna come back

This was the first Japanese restaurant I have been to when I moved here 20 years ago. Someone scheduled a work lunch here so I get to finally put in a review. The inside is quite cozy, with a ma and pa restaurant vibe. The waiter is like a grandpa, very quiet but very efficient. The dumpling appetizer was amazing. The rolls are pretty good. Just like I remembered

This is located at a busy intersection Truxton and Oak. The parking situation is horrible. I have wanted to try this place for a while. It is small inside, so depending on the time you come, you might not get seating. The older man that was the server, let's just say he's not the most friendly. We ordered the bento box with teriyaki beef, and the heart attack appetizer. When we were served the miso soup we didn't receive spoons, seems like the norm. The food was delicious, so we would return for that. 3/11/24

Still loving this family-owned restaurant. Food is always consistently good. Service is great. And the prices can't be beat. Still one of my favorite spots in town.

I have been coming to this sushi spot for years, but it was the first time in a really long time. I had worked downtown for 10yrs and this was my "go to" place since I worked down the street. Not a lot has changed inside and I think the first time we visited was back in 2003-2005ish. The place looks exactly the same. It's crazy to see that this spot used to be our sushi place back in the day and now Bakersfield has tons of sushi places.Our recent service was just okay. The gentleman that was serving us didn't seem too friendly and we felt rushed to eat. It wasn't a busy day, so I know it's not that they needed tables. It just felt like he wanted us out the moment we got in there. The service definitely felt different then a long time ago. It used to be a lady on the floor and she was always pleasant, I wonder if she still works here.I would love to come back again one day, I just don't think it's anytime soon. Parking is small, and lunch rush is horrible. You won't be able to find a parking spot, but dinner time or odd times usually isn't bad. The traffic on both sides of the street doesn't help either. This is a nice sushi place and I think you should check them out, you might have a different experience than me.

Went here for lunch for the first time - service was super friendly and quick, food came in less than 5 minutes, and it was very good! Will definitely be going back. Highly recommend!

The place it's super cute. The owners are adorable. The food is delicious. The food is super fresh made to order and food arrives super quick.

This place is immediately our go to for good food. My husband and I LOVE the staff which makes it all the more better. They are so attentive and friendly. Ambiance is always great too. This is forever our favorite place.

Well, it was ok but not great or too good. The sashimi was good but not real good. One of the baked muscles was full of shell pieces, I have never had that happen before. I was careful not to chip a tooth. I love sushi enough that I enjoyed my experience, let's just say there are better places. The service was good, but there were only 2 tables including us, so I don't know what it would be like if it was busy. One really nice thing was it was a cold winter night, and they actually turned the heater on unlike most restaurants in Bakersfield. Anyway, yeah, it was OK, but I felt like it wasn't quite worth the price.