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    Bento39

    4.7 (133 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Seafood
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

    Bento39 Photos

    BENTO39 ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Bento39

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    Beef Teriyaki bento, my 3 year old's fave menu item:)
    Rin G.

    I love the bentos here. A lil pricey imho but the flavor is really good so I personally don't mind it. I saw that the chefs in the back were Japanese women and they smiled whenever they popped their head out from back so from then I had the impression that the food would be made with care & love lol. All jokes aside, it was very authentic tasting. Lived in Asia for a few years and visited Japan often while overseas and this place serves food that tastes like it is made in Japan! We usually change up our orders whenever we visit but my toddler loves the teriyaki beef bento & my husband loves their katsu don. I really like the teriyaki beef taste & I am trying to replicate it at home to little avail haha. But yeah, great place, no complaints, the workers all seem friendly and the food comes out timely & pretty:)

    Lunch special: $12
    Doug R.

    Authentic Japanese bento! It is a small operation with a few tables and plenty of counter space. Yukari is the best owner/chef. She knows her craft! Will I return? Yes!

    Pork bowl
    Joy W.

    I love this place so much. They are so nice and kind and the food is amazing! This is my go to place for amazing Japanese food. The place is small but it feels so big and warm. The prices are so affordable for the amount of food.

    Chicken Karage Bento

    The cashier was very friendly and helpful when we had questions about menu items. Overall good experience when ordering and the food itself was really good and tasted very fresh. The only thing I would say is that I just wish the portions were just a smidge bigger but it was still a great deal for the amount of food ! I would definitely come and try other menu items given the chance.

    Menu Specials (Friday)
    Albert T.

    Bento39 is an amazing bento restaurant. It's legitimately better than many bento shops in Japan - they actually cook all meals to order instead of having them pre-boxed in the morning and sitting on the counter or in the fridge for hours. You can expect all the fried items to be crisp, the rice to be moist, and the sides to be fresh. They also have rotating specials each day. I always make sure to stop by when I'm in town, which means I went two days in a row this week. Most of the meals come with a variety of sides that are probably changed out on occasion. This time they had: 1. Hijiki - a salad with seaweed, sesame, carrot, pea, white bean, lotus root, shiitake mushroom. 2. A mixed seaweed and sesame salad. 3. Lightly dressed cabbage and cucumber 4. Shredded pickled daikon 5. Mandarin orange jelly - this is extremely soft jelly, falls apart very easily 6. Japanese-style potato salad (more like mashed potato) with a grape tomato and apple chunk. 7. Perfectly cooked koshihikari rice Katsu Curry ($11) - Slight crisp on the katsu, curry is slightly sweet with chunks of carrot and potato. There are small pieces of beef in the curry. Taste is definitely a lot sweeter than, say, S&B Golden Curry. A little spicy too. Traditional fukujinzuke on the side to refresh the palate. Saba-Shio ($11) - The mackerel is fatty with a scorched salty skin, tender meat inside. Just beware of bones while eating this! It came with a a small amount of sweet stewed white beans. Quite sweet and the beans are pretty al dente. Chicken Nanban ($11) - This dish is quite rare to find in the US and Bento39 has a fantastic rendition. Egg battered chicken thigh, almost feels like a fatty skin on the chicken. Comes doused in a sweet and tangy sauce with creamy tartar sauce. Highly recommended. Friday/Saturday special. Spicy Pork Karaage ($11) - Totally different from chicken karaage. Seems to be juicy pork loin, fried without much breading, if any, and dusted with dried seaweed. Not spicy, despite the name. Thursday/Friday Special. Menchi Katsu ($11) - Very interesting, pretty different from the menchi katsu I've had in the past. The meat here isn't as finely grounded, instead is quite coarse and mixed with pickled napa cabbage perhaps. Comes with tonkatsu sauce and a small bit of mustard to dip in. Thursday/Friday Special. Curry Croquettes ($6) - It's a normal mashed potato croquette with curry powder mixed in. Slight crisp, well seasoned, with a side of tonkatsu sauce, and cabbage. They also have complimentary sencha, hojicha, and candies to have with and after your meal. I see some other reviews complaining about portion size - these bentos are Japanese portion sized, not American! If you just want to stuff your face and eat until you are bursting, Bento39 is not the place to go. But if you want delicious authentic Japanese cuisine, look no further. If I lived nearby, I would go to Bento39 all the time...

    Christal P.

    A small and casual bento restaurant with friendly staff. A large variety of main dishes, soups, appetizers, and desserts. Complimentary Japanese tea and candy are an added plus. The taste is mediocre. Fine for a quick takeout meal, but I prefer One World Market for larger bentos, better taste, and lower price than Bento 39. That being said, Bento 39 is closer to downtown Northville and is an acceptable option when one is not near the One World Market neighborhood. I eat here around 1-2 times a year, but it isn't good enough for me to crave it often.

    Katsu curry and dashi marinated eggplant- delicious!
    Lani B.

    I stumbled across this gem after getting a massage in the same plaza, and I'm so glad I did! They offer several types of bento, different proteins, different veg, different sauces, as well as onigiri and other Japansse specialties. On my first visit, I had Katsu curry and dashi marinated eggplant and both were excellent! Flavorful and exactly what you'd imagine it would be. I really appreciated that they had large pictures and descriptions of each dish, so rookie eaters cam know exactly what they are ordering! The gentleman working the register was great, and gave me several other restaurant recommendations as I'm new to the area. 10/10 will be back!

    Aliya S.

    A nice new little bento place in Novi. It's a very chill place to just eat by yourself or with some friends. The chicken bento I got was good, but if you aren't used to a softer chicken skin texture , then I don't recommend it (my friend didn't like it). There are many bento options and I definitely want to try some more! The owner was kind and you can buy some snacks there as well.

    Sides and dessert menu
    Tiffany T.

    My friend and I were trying to find a new restaurant to try and they suggested this takeout spot. My friend called to make sure we could dine in and was told that they did offer a few tables that we could eat at. When we arrived we were immediately greeted and I was happy to see pictures of every menu item with English descriptions as well as Japanese. Before we got our food I notice the steady flow of customers so I already knew it would be good. And it was! The soup was perfect. I tried the fried shrimp and fried oysters. It all tasted very fresh and was very filling. Will definitely try it again.

    Hannah C.

    My friends and I went to Bento39 in Novi and was pleasantly surprised. The people were very friendly. Credit cards accepted. I got the Katsu Curry, Teriyaki Salmon and Spicy Pork bentos and they were delicious. The curry was thick and savory and the katsu was juicy. My friends liked their bentos as well. My friend said the sweet and spicy pork was very sweet, not so spicy, and very tender. Prices were reasonable for Japanese cuisine. There is a small place to eat, but would not recommend coming here with a large party. Will definitely go back!

    From bottom up: Chicken Karaage Bento, Dango, Curry Croquette, and Fried Shrimp Bento
    Anna B.

    Delicious authentic Japanese food! The rotating specials add even more diversity to an already great menu. The service and food was excellent. We dined in and enjoyed looking at all the cute Japanese decor. We will be back!

    Oden
    Jacqui T.

    This is one of my favorite places to get lunch in Novi! They are currently doing a special on oden for the winter, which I was very excited about since I haven't seen oden available at a lot of places. Walking in the place is fairly simple with some tables set up for people who want to dine in. The customer service is amazing, and I always feel like I'm eating a home cooked meal when I come here. The oden was light and very tasty, with daikon, chicken, potato, and fish cakes. I also highly recommend the curry rice (some of the best in Novi).

    Katsudon

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

    You can rely on them to provide great quality Japanese bentos every time you visit. Highly recommended.

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    2 years ago

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    6 months ago

    Awesome, authentic, and great owners. Sometimes slow on pickup, but that's due to the huge demand!

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    1 year ago

    This is a gem of a place with a great wide and husband team serving up authentic Japanese bento.

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    2 years ago

    Wonderful food which was not expected at this small nondescript place in a strip mall. Love the curry rice and quick and friendly service.

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    Bento39 Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Bento39

    Do they offer substitutions for people with allergies to shellfish? (I love Japanese food, but often have to eat Vegetarian because of the shellfish/crustacean allergy I…

    In my experience, yes! I catered from here for my wedding reception and asked us if there were any food sensitivities that needed any accommodating. Though we did not have any needs to be accommodated at that time, the fact that they asked says to… Read more

    View All 3 Questions

    Shiro Restaurant - Cucumber roll and one tamago: can order individually

    Shiro Restaurant

    3.7(451 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    If you're into delicious sushi, dining in old school mansions, or haunted experiences, you need to…read morego to Shiro in Novi! The aesthetic here is beautiful and truly takes you back in time. It's rumored that it's haunted to this day by its original builder & owner, Charles Rogers, and many have reported experiences of paranormal activity! The service is professional and they'll ensure you enjoy a delicious meal while spending time at Shiro. I really like how they have so many different unique rolls; I've never seen anything like the Fatty roll, and you get a perfect bite of everything with the Angry Mikey roll! This is by far my favorite Surf & Turf roll I've had anywhere! The quality of the filet is top notch; and the Pinot Noir Horseradish Sauce is unbelievably good! You also HAVE to start with the Spicy Garlic Shishito Peppers; they're the best!

    I came here last night for dinner and I'm gonna be so honest.... I was underwhelmed…read more The host was very kind. He did change our reservation time twice for us but that was the extent of my good experience here. Because of traffic, the friend meeting me was a little late so I sat alone for a little bit. I told our waitress that... she came back a little bit later saying "are you ready to order" .... My friend still hadn't come and I already told her that. The thing is, I understand forgetting so that's what I thought happened. But it became clear that her attitude was intentional. While I was sitting alone, I noticed an ant crawling on my table that I had to kill & I was seated next to some windows and there was subsequently a FLY that I also had to kill ("but you didn't have to kill it"... shut up yes I did) I also had a sushi menu that was already written on. I dont know weird. I understand the appeal of the old house converted into a nice restaurant but it still just smelled like old house and lowkey like rotting wood. The windows also were clean. I dont know it was just bad ambience until it got dark. NOW THE FOOD... The miso soup was my favorite thing on the menu. So that is saying something. My two rolls were underwhelming at best. The fish was chewy.. but a bad chewy. There was barely any fish. The cucumber kimchi was bad. The cucumbers were not good quality. It felt like they were old actually. At the end, our waitress was lowkey rushing us. I swear it was the most I had seen her all night. She set the bill down, would split it for us... she said she'd split it after we put our cards down... what does that mean??? So whatever, me and my friend just paid 50/50 on the bill. (Even tho the menu expressly said that they can't split bills for parties of more than 8). We were only two people. Whatever. Dont come here unless you're just interested in cute vibes.

    Photos
    Shiro Restaurant - Staircase

    Staircase

    Shiro Restaurant - Shrimp Ebi Shumai: fried

    Shrimp Ebi Shumai: fried

    Shiro Restaurant - Winter vibes

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    Winter vibes

    Ajishin - Salmon Roll ($5)

    Ajishin

    4.3(834 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Most sushi places in the metro Detroit area, and especially in the affluent suburbs, are built to…read moretarget those sushi explorers who order extravagant rolls drenched in multicolored sauces and are called things like dynamite and dragon rolls. Ajishin is not for you. They serve uncomplicated but delicious fares like Kitayama, Kyomizu, Chirashi, curry rice and grilled fish. They are open till 2 for lunch and mostly takeout. And are open 5-8:30 for dinner. The lunch special is amazing. Especially on a cold day. A generous serving of delicious Hot Udon accompanied by a daily roll. All for 9 bucks. Unheard of in this day and age. Rating: Food: 9/10 Value: 10/10 Atmosphere: 6/19

    If you read my first review you will get an idea of how awesome this place once was…read more Unfortunately, they are not changing with the times. Ever since COVID19 they began takeout only service and allow no dine-in option any longer. This place was full of mostly Japanese locals here for lunches and there was a line out the door everyday. Now, not so. They realized with covid and the change in model that they could survive but have been much too lazy to revert back to a traditional restaurant. Why? I have not idea but as you can tell from my writing, I am not pleased. The prices, quality and service were all top notch at one time. Now? Not so much. I really dont want "traditional" or "authentic" food served to me in a styrofoam container that I need to eat in my car or other location. Very, very disappointed with the ownership and their decision to run their restaurant this way. I will not return.

    Photos
    Ajishin - Interior and waiting area

    Interior and waiting area

    Ajishin - Ajishin Udon ($9.50) - udon with shrimp and vegetable tempura, fried tofu, boiled egg

    Ajishin Udon ($9.50) - udon with shrimp and vegetable tempura, fried tofu, boiled egg

    Ajishin - Fushimi udon $8 + 6pcs Nigiri plate $15

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    Fushimi udon $8 + 6pcs Nigiri plate $15

    One World Market - Salmon Rolls

    One World Market

    4.5(491 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $

    Another great trip to One world market! I am noticing so many little and big changes within this…read morestore. Greater varieties and diversity and expansion. The premade food choices are growing by the day. They are always adding to their offerings with new flavors and tastes. I started coming to One world market in 1997 when it was first home by a husband and wife team. It was very special at that time to have a Japanese focused grocery store and I was so happy to have one in the Novi area. This has been my go-to for decades now. When it was transitioning from private ownership to the Noble Village group, owned by True World group, there was a transitional decline, thankfully, that didn't last long and things are developing very nicely. I hear even more growth is on the horizon as they establish an even greater presence in the building next door. I am also thankful that the integrity and the high-quality is very much present and everything they do. The service is always top notch and they try to open up a lot of lanes so people get through quickly because it is busier than ever. The word is definitely out. I've seen a lot of posts on social media and it's bringing in an even greater crowds, which is fantastic! Note: the on-line ordering is also so convenient and their sushi platters are high-level!

    Such a cute Japanese Market Place. We strolled around to check out the place, it's cute clean and…read moresmall but with good variety of Asian produce, condiments, snacks, fish, etc! We dined at the Marketplace for lunch. The service was pretty decent! Ordered using the QR code and dined there. There's no table service. We got the sides: rice with miso soup, Pork Katsu, Some type of grilled Salmon and Udon Noodle Soup. The food was great with reasonable pricing! The portion felt more Asian size. Not too huge which we loved. Definitely going to be back to try their Sushi Nigiri and Shasimi. Do stop by, you won't be disappointed!

    Photos
    One World Market - Cash register and where all the condiments are

    Cash register and where all the condiments are

    One World Market - California Rolls, Cucumber Rolls, shrimp tempura, kampyo rolls

    California Rolls, Cucumber Rolls, shrimp tempura, kampyo rolls

    One World Market - Just a small part of all the choices

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    Just a small part of all the choices

    Bento39 - japanese - Updated May 2026

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