Such a delicious spot! Made to order juicy fried chicken karaage! We ordered 8 pieces to share, plus 6 wings and 2 side rice. So much food! Rice was made perfectly. Karaage was perfectly seasoned and crunchy. Enjoyed every bite! We were unable to finish it all, so brought it home. And we re warmed it in the air fryer and it was just as delicious! A must try in Hilo! read more

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Last week we were in Hilo and needed a quick lunch before heading back to the airport. We used YELP to find a quick bite and were not disappointed. First of all; YELP is a useful tool to find what you need when you need it. Five stars to YELP Secondly; if you need a quick bite; look no further than this restaurant. It's a mom and pop style with great service. Very clean; simple menu; delicious chicken. Can't complain. The owners are from rural areas in Japan and moved to the US and later took a vacation to Hilo and fell in love with this Island and its people. And the next is history; they moved to Hilo and set up shop. Let's hope the economy and people continue to visit this little gem so that they can live here a long time. We will definitely visit them again on our next trip to Hilo read more

Tenkatori is a small, but bustling little Japanese fried chicken and bento shop run by a friendly Japanese staff. Seating is countertop style with two tables for larger groups. This place was busy at lunch on a Tuesday and I can certainly see why after eating here! I ordered the karaage chicken bento and my partner chose the unagi don. Both were so delicious that we just dove right in and didn't even take any pictures! The karaage chicken bento contained four large, piping hot, perfectly fried pieces of karaage chicken that were so crispy, crunchy, juicy, and bursting with flavor. Also included were a good portion of rice, ume, potato salad, tamagoyaki, and spaghetti pasta salad. The unagi don was the best we have had here on the island. Large sections of perfectly cooked and glazed unagi on a bed of rice, with a nice mix of pickles. Tenkatori made us feel like we were dining in a fried chicken and bento specialty restaurant in Japan! The food and service were top notch and so amazing. Definitely want to go back and try out their fried chicken wings and other bento options for lunch. read more

I've written a review for this place before, but just wanted to share more photos. Now everytime we visit Hilo, we have to eat here!!! Great staff and service is always excellent. The food is made fresh and hot and tasty. Their dipping sauces are what you need. read more

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My sister found Tenkatori and treated us to dinner. We stopped in around 5p (they close at 5:30) and the employees were so kind! Most places would probably be upset with a full party of people dropping in right before close, but the owner's son was so friendly! We sat at the bar (total of 8 seats available) sins the two small tables only had 4 chairs and we had a party of 5. We ordered the 1KG (about 20 pieces) which came with 4 sauces (we chose Lilikoi Honey, Ginger Green Onion, Yuzu Aioli, and Sweet Spicy) and 3 sides of rice. It was the perfect amount for 5 adults and we even had leftovers. The ginger green onion was my absolute favorite! It was the perfect mixture and fresh. The Lilikoi Honey was very sweet (my husband loved it) and reminded me of the thickness of a standard sweet & sour sauce. My dad likes the sweet spicy - it has just the right amount of kick and was similar to a teriyaki sauce. The Yuzu aioli was similar to a garlic aioli - if you like cream based sauces, this is a great one. The chicken was hot, crispy, and so flavorful! The service was quick - we sat for maybe 5-7 minutes after placing the order. I would highly recommend stopping in. They did say that the weekends can be very busy, so be mindful since there is not a lot of seating in the shop. read more

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Hilo - Holy cow, I mean chicken, this is chicken karaage on another level. They're only on big island now in Hawaii. Hopefully one will open on O'ahu soon because I don't live in Hilo.... If perfect chicken karaage exists, it would be found here. Big, plump, juicy on the inside, perfect crisp on the outside, well seasoned, nothing more they need to do. Their wings were also out of this world. Love how they only serve the flats. The curry powder was so flavorful sprinkled onto the perfectly crisped skin. The whole bento was just delicious. The rice was well cooked. The sides were yummy. Ask staff from bathroom. They'll ask you to walk around as the Bathroom entrance is around and behind their kitchen through a side door. Not the most convenient so try to use the bathroom before coming here. Plenty of parking in the lot! I imagine it can get busy. We got there on a Saturday a little before 11am right before they opened. People kept coming in nonstop since then. It looks like it's a chain from Japan with other only us locations in California. I'm only sad because I can't have this more often as it requires me to fly to eat there... I'll definitely stop there when I'm in Hilo again! read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Karaage bento $17 sooooo goooood and curry wings 6pc $18 - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Tried this for the first time at their Kona location. AMAZING karaage, super juicy with perfectly crispy skin fried to perfection. We got the curry plate and Gyudon in addition to a 5 piece karaage set and we were stuffed. The Gyudon was also moist with great flavor, while the curry was also your typical Japanese curry, rich but with a great savory/sweet flavor profile. Their prices were a little higher in Hilo than their Kona location, but otherwise fast/friendly service. Small seating area inside too. read more

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What a great find! The wings aren't just good for the island... they're good for the mainland. Love the crunch and the dark meat combo. Note that the chicken is dark meat which makes it so juicy. When you place an order you get to add sauces. The yuzu aioli sauce was delicious. So was the miso spicy. The service was super friendly and the place was so clean. Also ordered sides... the cucumber was like a pickled cucumber and the tofu with spinach was a little odd... it was like mashed up tofu mixed with spinach. So far the best meal on the island. read more

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Karaage...Aside from Korean fried chicken or American Fried chicken the Japanese have made one of the most delicious fried chicken techniques ever created. And thats what you'll find in this little jem of a place in Hilo. The Staff are friendly and welcoming as soon and you pop into the door with the traditional welcome in Japanese "Irasshaimase" there attentive and hospitable without being all up in your face. The shop it self although small in size which kind of works with the whole Japanese corner shop you'd find in Japan is brite and well lite with natural light with a counter and a few tables if you want to eat in. Now let's get to the good stuff, the Food...More importantly the chicken! Plump....Juicy....Crispy...the three things you'll want in Karaage. Plump being damn these are some Big pieces of chicken Thighs. Juicy as in Oh My God I'm bout to die with all these flavors in my mouth. Crispy...The Crunch! Omg the crunch makes it all come together. Its an Amazing place with amazing chicken, good vibes and Amazing atmosphere. If fried isn't your thing...Yakitori is also available. What is that you asked? Its Japanese style grilled chicken, Think about lighter version of teriyaki without it being to strong. And though its traditional a street food served on skewers, they make it in Bowls. Now the reason am giving this a 4 stars instead of 5 are for two reasons. Reason 1. The serving of rice in there bowls and bent is kinda small and to add on more rice is going cost you a pretty penny. Reason 2. The price...yeah this place is a bit on the high price area. So if you feel like getting yourself a special treat for a special day or feel like treating yourself cause you deserve it go for it. With all that being said...its an Amazing place to stop by and grab a bite. Its the closest thing to Japan as you'll get here in Hawai'i, especially on the Big island. read more

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The chicken is gluten free and fresh. Although it isn't an entirely GF facility, it is rare to find GF fried chicken. It's tasty and I didn't have any cross contamination issues. I will definitely continue to eat here. read more

Okay everyone...I've probably had the best karaage chicken EVER from Tenkatori Hilo. I will definitely come back whenever I'm in town! This was the best chicken I've had because... 1. the outside was very crispy & flavorful 2. the chicken was super juicy, tender & also flavorful This 4 piece karaage chicken bento also had a small serving of spaghetti and potato salad which was also delicious. This place definitely reminded me of Japan in Hilo. Friendly & quick service. Totally worth the price in my opinion! You won't regret it! Wish they had a location on Oahu :) Parking in the front building lot. read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Chicken Karaage bento - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Super sweet place and the chicken is amazing! I got curry wings! So good! 11/10! Generous sized wings and made fresh to order but the wait was not long. Delicious flavor with a little kick! Thank you! Would def come back! Super sweet a d friendly staff! Nice clean place! read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Curry chicken wings - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Unassuming spot but one of the best eats in all of Big Island! Best meal we had in Hilo. Karaage Bento: The karaage chicken was SUPER JUICY. Rice was fluffy and the "sides" were good too - cherry tomato, sweet spaghetti (like Jollibee), potato salad, tamago. Had to pay an extra $1.50 for sauce but the yuzu aloli is good. Wish they would include one sauce with the bento or make it $0.50 or $1 for a smaller sauce container because we used less than half. Chicken Cartilage: AMAZING! This wasn't on the main menu display, but handwritten next to the checkout. Didn't see it until after we paid but then I couldn't pass on chicken cartilage when I see it, so we placed another order just for that. It comes in a good size cup and it so perfectly crunchy and salted. Sooooo happy we got this! Plenty of parking. Indoor seating is kinda stuffy and hot (nicer outside if they had that option or had better airflow). Service was normal and food took a little time but that makes sense but everything was super hot and fresh! read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Karaage bento - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Chicken, chicken, chicken If you love chicken, this place has it and taste seems to hit the spot right on. We all love fried chicken and how can you not love Japanese Karaage chicken. The pieces are big and chucky, crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. They got fried chicken and flavored chicken, rice bowls and bento, too. However, stick with chicken as others are not that good. The service was great. The staff was overly helpful and nice. Wish the portions can be more accommodating for manly diners. As for the location, seems like there are two locations on the Big Island. This one in Hilo is tucked in a warehouse like area along with few other mom and pop eateries. The inside is small but very clean. read more

Small authentic Japanese restaurant that specializes in chicken dishes but also has other items. We tried their KARAAGE (deep fried) chicken which was fantastic. Small counter that sears just 7 people and 2 small 4 top tables. Cozy place and very much Japanese (not second generation Japanese). Like I stepped into Japan! We'll be back next time we drive over to Hilo. read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Entrance to TENKATORI - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Hands-down some of the best fried chicken I've ever had in my life. The thigh pieces are huge, crunchy, AND juicy, and the marinade tastes authentic. The yuzu aioli is absolutely bursting with creamy / tangy citrus flavor and a perfect compliment to the chicken. The interior is also clean and pristine and the owner / staff are very kind and polite. read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Bento 5 Pieces Chicken Boneless Thigh 6 Pieces Teba-Wings Regular - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The chicken karaage was the most juiciest, crispy and thickest I've ever had. At times it was a bit hard to chew but it was great. They have different sauces for them. I got the sweet and sour which was okay. I wish I tried the other sauces. The inside was clean and spacious but a bit hot inside. The staff were friendly and attentive especially in giving water frequently. I'd definitely come again read more

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Honestly, Tankatori was such a great find. The person who greeted us was incredibly warm and sweet, and she immediately made us feel right at home. We ordered the chicken breast sticks and they were delicious, especially with the sweet lilikoi sauce we chose. But the biggest perk of all was that they have a ton of gluten-free options that are all clearly marked on the menu, which is such a huge relief. It is not every day you find safe fried chicken that actually tastes this good. If you are in Hilo, you should definitely check them out. read more

We stopped here for a snack on our way back from volcanoes park. The establishment is a bit more fast food vibe--order at the counter and you can eat in (bar seating and a few sit down tables) or take out. The space is nice and clean and the service was prompt and kind. The food was delicious! The curry wings had excellent flavor and the both that and the kaarage were perfectly fried with a light crispy coating. The only reason to lose really half to a full star is the price-- the wings were 3/$18, they sold sauces for extra (none came w our orders) and sides were extra as well. Definitely not a cheap fast food but a delicious one! read more

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An absolute gem in Hilo, gluten free friendly with great service and absolutely mouthwatering chicken that is both crispy and juicy. The inside vibe is tiny and clean so if it's full go for a karaage chicken picnic instead! Also my favorite sauce is the spicy miso, would recommend. read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Karaage Chicken Thighs - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I had Tenkatori Kona bookmarked but came across Tenkatori Hilo while doing a restaurant search, we were on a tight schedule and wanted to grab food quick. Hilo Lunch Stop for Okazuya didn't work out so here we are! Glad I finally get to try that chicken that I've read all about. The shop is really clean and welcoming! Dine in is available. Owner was super friendly, spoke to her while we waited for our bento, she mentioned her husband fell in love with Hilo and moved here to open her shop. She had a Japanese language school back in the bay area. I just wanted to try the Karaage chicken for today's visit, got the bento which comes with 4 pieces of Karaage chicken, rice, noodles and potato salad $17. and got the dipping sauce of ginger green onion. The bento is cute ! The prices, my opinion is on pricier side for the portion size & all of menu items, but it was worth it for very tasty, juicy, crispy chicken and not oily. I have to say it was the best Karaage chicken I've had. I also picked up another plate lunch from business next door, so this bento was more than enough. We ate the rest of our leftover bento at the hotel. I loved the ginger onion sauce ($1.50), I would buy extras of this sauce to bring back, it was so good together with the chicken. Great assortments of Japanese drinks and Japanese sides ( Nishime, potato salad, Hijiki seaweed, daikon, Kappa cucumber) are also available. They recently made one year anniversary and owner mentioned a loyal customer gave them the orchid arrangement. I would come back for more Karaage chicken and try the curry bento next time when I visit, great addition to Hilo. Sure hit the spot and we enjoyed our picnic lunch & bento at the Volcano Park. read more

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Thank goodness for a great food option open DAILY. Yes !!! Even on Sundays. Everything is delicious. Service is topnotch. The place is well lit & super clean. read more

Gluten free fried chicken and wings! So delicious. Clean Japanese style cafe. Exceptional service! Authentic Japanese style potato salad. Many sauces to choose like lilkoi and yuzu! Don't miss this Big Island Hilo cafe! read more

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This is the best chicken Karaage I've ever had in US. The bento comes with four large chicken Karaage pieces that is juicy, fresh and tender, and comes with a potato salad and a spool of spaghetti side. The crispy skin is perfect. The cartilage is easy to miss as it's a special that is only noticeable on checkout (and not on the menu), but this is a must get. The store is not big, so I recommend coming during lunchtime and on weekdays. I would come here every time I'm back in Hilo. read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Karaage Bento, Yakitori-don and knee cartilage - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Super fresh and tasty karaage. The prices might seem expensive but it is definitely worth it!

The fried chicken was delicious and the staff was extremely friendly. I tried the Lilikoi Honey sauce which was good but very very sweet. I likely would have tried a different sauce next time, but easily still 5 stars. read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Enjoyed take-out Tenkatori Bento when we visited Hilo over the New Year holiday. The boneless chicken thighs were tender with just the right amount of crispy. We enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch in a nearby park. I read later that the owner used to run a Japanese language school in Castro Valley (close to where I currently live) but fell in love with Hawaii while on vacation and decided to pull up stakes and open a restaurant! Living the dream and now serving delicious food! read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Menu choices - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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The chicken is delicious! It's perfectly fried. Crispy and juicy. Great friendly staff. This place reminds me so much of bento shops in Japan. read more

Tenkatori Hilo - January 2025-Wing bento-$20 - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Did take out, they probably have best fried chicken in Hilo! Price is a bit high. Overall food very good, price you get what you pay for

Gluten free, gluten free. Absolutely delicious chicken and it's all gluten free! I know it's difficult to find a place that even knows what gluten free is, but this place advertises it. read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Gluten free Japanese - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This place is such a gem! The moment you walk in you get such a kind greeting not just verbally but the scent of the food is so enticing! The menu is not big but everything in there looked so good. Since this was a "snack" for Linner not quite lunch, not quite dinner we tried to eat light. We were sadly mistaken these bowls were absolutely worth it! Theyre packed with crispy juicy flavorful karaage chicken! Ive never had so much flavor did not need sauce at all!! Even the green beans had flavor. The unagi was super rich, moist, and fatty. The flavor was exceptional it's a hint for char and sweetness from the sauce. Definitely will go there again and again to try everything. Such a wonderful and inviting place read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Unagi bowl - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Ordered some fried chicken very tasty and a bit on the expensive side. Will go back for special occasions.

What a find! Crispy, tender, tasty! Their chicken karaage was one of the best I've had. Also had their curry and gyu don. Everything was delicious! Also tried some of their sauces and tsukemono. I would definitely come back when I'm in Hilo. They just made one year here...congratulations! read more

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FIRST STOP: Tenkatori! Come for the karaage chicken (boneless thighs) and the wings (various flavors, I liked the curry wings) but don't forget to order the CURRY! Fried chicken in Japan is not as salty as American fried chicken, and it's usually lighter...and tenkatori does it right. Gluten free and NO MSG is what initially caught my attention but you won't even miss them because it's delicious! I didn't even really use the dipping sauces because the chicken was pretty good alone. My only suggestion would be maybe add katsu sauce as a choice, I didn't care for the other sauces, too watery for me. SEATING: There's a small counter that fit 4 of us, and a few other tables to dine in. Most ppl were taking their orders to go. PAY: at the register before you get your food. read more

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Such a cute spot after flying in from the airport The people are so nice, the ambiance was peaceful, and the food was amazing! Hope to stop by again before we leave Mahalo! read more

Tenkatori Hilo - Chicken is amazing! - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Exactly what you would get in Japan. We got take out. Karaage Chicken was super good. Well marinated and moist inside, crispy on the outside. Made with shine less chicken thighs, about the size of a tennis ball. Dipping sauces are homemade. We got yuzu aioli and sweet and Spicey. Yuzu aioli citrusy/creamy, very good. Sweet and Spicey was more sweet with a hint of spice. Chicken bento was very good, comes with rice and sides of Japanese style potato salad, tamago and spaghetti. Would definitely eat there again. read more

I loved that they had gluten feee fried chicken. We ordered curry wings and regular pieces. The curry flavored was my favorite with some lililoi dipping sauce but the price of wings are pretty high. That's the main drawback. read more

Was a little skeptical at first because the chicken looked like your ordinary fried chicken. Boy was I wrong -- the chicken karaage is seasoned well, fried perfectly crispy while still keeping the inside nice and juicy! We've only ever tried the boneless thighs, so not sure how their other items are. I love the variety of dipping sauces to ensure there's something for everyone to enjoy. My favorites are the sweet and spicy and the yuzu aioli. We've only ever gotten take out but it was a nice surprise when everything was still relatively crispy when munching on the chicken even a few hours later. read more

First review for this year, Since my last review, I have yet to come across a place that serves food this delicious. This time, the chicken cartilage and gizzards are newly offered as limited specials. It is crunchy texture and flavor are perfectly. I can't stop eating them. More variety of homemade "sōzai" ( Japanese side dish ), Potato salad is best in town and Japanese desserts. Every time I visit there's something new to experience. I noticed the food price have gone up a little, but that's unavoidable due to the recent abnormal rise in prices. However, it's still worth eating it. I don't mind that at all. Some people complain that it's too expensive, but in Hilo it's still within the acceptable range. For example, a burger meal at Burger King costs $18 more these days, and it's hard to eat fast food casually anymore. If you think about that way, it's actually a blessing to be able to eat something this delicious for this price. There are a lot of expensive place around here that sell BAD food, but Tenkatori is the best place with good customer service and honestly. I hope Tenkatori will continue to provide us with delicious food and make us happy. read more

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Service was amazing and the food was cooked perfectly and never disappoints whenever we go there for food