Tenkatori Karaage

Ricardo is the man see. I have been going to this location ever since 2016. the food quality and taste has always been phenomenal. I now bring my kids there. Definitely my favorite KARAAGE spot!

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

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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 !

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.

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.