Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    West Coast Bento

    4.0 (71 reviews)
    InexpensiveJapanese
    Closed Closed

    West Coast Bento Japanese Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    You might also consider

    More like West Coast Bento

    Recommended Reviews - West Coast Bento

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    yasai kare (veggie curry)

    Friendly owner, fast service, giant portions. I had the yasai kare (veggie curry) and it tastes identical to golden curry blocks I've made at home. Believe it or not, that's actually the traditional way to make japanese curry - was introduced to the Japanese by the British navy in the 19th century. I'm not kidding about the portions - the other half of this was dinner the next day. A really solid lunch option if you're in the area.

    a group of people painted on a fence
    Elizabeth N.

    This place is a good find. Made to your order, inexpensive, and quick! There are a few menu items to choose from, but all of them taste rather good. I'd say stay away from the Shumai side dish though, it doesn't taste great. So, you go in, get food, and go out and find seats, it's very limited and is more of a pick-up for food.

    Cindy L.

    This is good. It's a lot of food for what you pay and the guy is super nice. The yakitori isn't the most tender or flavorful I've had, but you get so much food that I think of you had a hankering for grilled meat skewers and rice, this would hit the spot 100%. I probably wouldn't swing out of my way to come here, but I know a solid option in the area if I'm around. FYI their spicy is a sweet chili sauce, not really that spicy

    It's a hole in the wall
    Heather H.

    Reviews are funny. Either people post them that had a crappy experience at a place or a person posts them in rebuttal to a crappy post. There is a very small group of yelpers that review because it's what they do. I fall somewhere in the middle of each category. West Coast Bento -NW Thurman location. I originally started coming here back in 1989. Dan Dan The Bento Man fed me all thru college. He opened another location down by the lotus (which later was closed) but the NW was always my favorite. . However it's not owned by Dan anymore., another nice fella owns it. And his name is also Dan. He bought it from Dan 22 years ago. 7 Years ago Dan moved to the current NW location. The food however is exactly as it's always been. A big pile of perfectly cooked rice (white or brown) and a quality kabob of meat- perfectly cooked. Your choice of chicken, beef or if you are lucky Lamb! There are some other foods to order but I then to stick with the basics. Things to remember - this place sometimes runs out of food. It happens. Get over it. Plenty of times I have swung in only to be told they sold out of the lamb or beef or even the chicken. Sucks, but it is what it is. His hours are 10-2:30. So if you roll in at 1:40 you may be shit outta luck. Or call and place your order! There isn't really much seating - benches under cover or 2 picnic tables out front no cover over these. Parking can suck - it's NW duh. He takes cash and credit cards now. It's really a 2 man show, the owner runs the BBQ and the register, his helper cooks, preps and fills the 100s of trays with rice. It's a great system and quick going. Relax, and prepare to take a nap after eating all the food. I try to eat only 1/2 and save the rest til later, but usually fail as its so damn good.

    Best bento place in NW is closed until April 2016.

    See all

    2 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jan C.
    12
    40
    0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dick C.
    19
    250
    8

    2 years ago

    Big Dans serves the best bentos. Open on weekdays only. Do yourself a favor and grab a bento. 5 STARS from me and I'm a bento nut.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chris E.
    35
    439
    159

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Johnny D.
    121
    49
    22

    5 years ago

    West Coast Bento the best Bento in Portland I've been eating this Bento for over 20 years hands-down the best around

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Been eating here forever. Great chix on a stick. Very good baos too. That's about all I ever get. Great stuff.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Shannon P.
    291
    83
    29

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rebecca G.
    104
    99
    202

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    The original bento spot in Portland. Dan has created the best lunch i know of in the Portland metro. i drive here 30 minutes for this stuff!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Robert S.
    69
    40
    46

    9 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Derek M.
    29
    65
    19

    14 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Carolyn W.
    122
    61
    31

    7 years ago

    Excellent food. We enjoyed the owner and the food and ambiance was great. A ton of good food and great appetizers. Definitely will be back!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Susie Q.
    133
    39
    32

    16 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    very friendly and the excellent flavors match the quality of service, def a smash all around

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - West Coast Bento

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Japanese 6,989 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Takibi

    Takibi

    3.9(183 reviews)
    0.7 miAlphabet District, Northwest
    $$
    Locally sourced ingredients
    Vegan friendly

    I visited Takibi twice during my stay in Portland--once for the Winter Omakase course and once for…read moreà la carte--and left highly satisfied both times. The highlight of the Omakase was an unexpected one: the "ramen." To be honest, I was a bit skeptical when I saw it on the menu, but it turned out to be an incredible dish--more akin to a refined, cold soba experience--that truly impressed both me and my companion (who is not Japanese). It was so good that it convinced us to return for a second meal. The service is nearly flawless. The staff was incredibly accommodating, even preparing a dish from the Omakase course that wasn't on the à la carte menu upon our request. If there is one area for improvement, it would be the beverage pairing for the Omakase. While the food was excellent, I felt the quality and the portion size of the pairings could have been a bit more ambitious to match the standard of the cuisine. I also missed out on their lunch-exclusive ramen due to timing, which is definitely on my list for next time. Takibi offers a level of satisfaction that goes well beyond any star rating; it's a place that genuinely cares about the guest experience. Highly recommended.

    A restaurant connected to Japanese outdoors company Snowpeak? Sure, it's interesting. I like that…read morethey use some of the Snowpeak gear for the service, such as their stainless steel cups for the sake flight. The restaurant itself has a Japanese wood-modern and simple aesthetic. It's cute. They've got the sushi bar and then the back wall with the fire going for the meats. We came in to try the Portland Dining Month menu. It was good - 3 courses, with simple but varied flavors. My only complaint is that the portion of fish was so small, especially compared to the amount of rice they give. I might be annoyed by the smaller portions if I were ordering a la carte. Service was decent, but not particularly amazing to go along with the higher price point here. Happy hour seems like the way to go, considering that the food was good, but now WOW. My cocktail was also good hit on the sweet side. We had a good time for dining month, but I think we will stick to HH if we come back.

    Photos
    Takibi - Join us on our outdoor patio for lunch, happy hour, or dinner.

    Join us on our outdoor patio for lunch, happy hour, or dinner.

    Takibi
    Takibi - We use a live fire grill for many of our dishes during dinner service. Enjoy our Black Cod, Salmon, Ribeye, and more from the hearth.

    See all

    We use a live fire grill for many of our dishes during dinner service. Enjoy our Black Cod, Salmon, Ribeye, and more from the hearth.

    Akizawa Japanese Bistro - 9 piece premium nigiri omakse

    Akizawa Japanese Bistro

    4.8(76 reviews)
    1.4 miDowntown, Southwest Portland

    Cute little restaurant tucked in downtown Portland that reminds me of Japan…read more The menu isn't big but the sushi and appetizers are made with care. Prices are reasonable and they have a good selection of seasonal and specials. My personal favorite is the heather canyon roll and pork katsu! I recommend making a reservation as they have limited seating (around 5 small tables and 4 bar spots) and take a while to make the food. If you're in for an ambient, intimate experience and not in a hurry, I'd definitely recommend this spot!

    Quaint Downtown spot with bar seating and a very small dining room. Seats fill quickly right after…read moreopening. The Plum Sake was one of the best I've had, not sugar-laden, but sweet. A generous pour too. Apologies to the purists, but I ordered the California Roll as it consisted of real crab. Roll slices were small. Taste was par for the course. The shrimp croquettes were my favorite item of the night. And I concur with another Yelper that the Chicken Katsu was excellent, and also good portion to price. The Miso cod on special was tasty, but, small. We also ordered eel nigiri, one of the special hand rolls, and yummy sliced duck. Our experience ended with a somewhat unmemorable flan. Service by the lone server was very friendly and efficient, she's a pro. Usually it's points off for a Downtown spot and no parking, but all the inconveniences actually add to the vibe of this must-do Japanese restaurant.

    Photos
    Akizawa Japanese Bistro - Looking into the sushi bar

    Looking into the sushi bar

    Akizawa Japanese Bistro - Uni hand roll

    Uni hand roll

    Akizawa Japanese Bistro - Chawanmushi

    See all

    Chawanmushi

    Afuri Slabtown - Gyozas

    Afuri Slabtown

    3.9(115 reviews)
    0.3 miNorthwest, Alphabet District
    $$

    My friends liked this restaurant so much, we came here back to back nights. For our group of four,…read morewe didn't have much of an issue getting seats on Friday or Saturday night, but I'd recommend making one if you're able to plan ahead. The food: My recommendations - Yuzu Tsuyu Tsukemen - my first no-soup ramen experience and it didn't disappoint. Got the nontraditional "warm" noodles instead of cold, but with the cold sauce, I thought it was pretty good. Reminds me of other Asian cold noodle dishes (which I typically love) but with the added fun of dipping). Tangy, sweet, savory, saucy. Yuzu Ratan - Their menu highlights a type of ramen that isn't commonly found in the US. The broth has definite citrus flavor from the yuzu, but it also reminded me of beef and tomato. I quite liked the noodles here - thin and very good chew. Quite a unique experience. It's not my favorite style of ramen, but definitely worth trying. Tori Karaage - slight fried texture on the outside and still juicy center. Another dish with yuzu from the sauce. This is a good one! Ota Tofu Yakko - firm tofu, yuzu ponzu sauce, and bonito flakes. The combination is cool and refreshing. The other dishes - Kaisen Don - I thought this dish was fine, but nothing special for the price. 4 pieces of fish with ikura and tobiko. Tonkotsu Shio - flavorful broth, but not very creamy or oily. I tend to like very rich tonkotsu. Crispy Broccolini - oven roasted to the point where the leaves tasted a bit like kale chips. Looking for a different style of ramen? It's worth a stop to Afuri to try their Yuzu Style

    Do not dine in here - nothing about this place warrants the 2 hours and nearly $200 that it can…read morecost. What's more, try to stick to the ramen. Orders were mistaken and/or poorly paced, with yawning gaps between courses, and their appetizers are banal bordering on subpar. One of the two soft shell crabs we were served was not properly cleaned and enduced immediate nausea. Never again.

    Photos
    Afuri Slabtown - Restaurant

    Restaurant

    Afuri Slabtown - Yuzu-Tsuyu dipping sauce on the side

    Yuzu-Tsuyu dipping sauce on the side

    Afuri Slabtown - Inside

    See all

    Inside

    Langbaan - Miang som appetizer, which is shrimp bits with orange and peanut served as a wrap with betel leaf.

    Langbaan

    4.4(314 reviews)
    0.0 miNorthwest, Alphabet District
    $$$$

    Langbaan was the sole reason for my trip to Portland, and I would do it again without hesitation…read more The dining room is beautifully done. Low lighting, calm energy, and just enough ambient sound to feel lively without becoming loud. Service was warm, friendly, and polished throughout, and I was greeted with a happy birthday, which felt sincere and personal. The menu was consistently strong, with several standout moments. The tom kha, presented in a panna cotta form, was remarkable. It melted instantly and delivered a concentrated, layered explosion of flavor, paired with cured salmon that tasted incredibly fresh and precise in one bite. Pad ped pla was deeply satisfying and well-balanced, and the rice cake dessert closed the meal on a high note. The wine program deserves special mention. The sommelier was knowledgeable and approachable. I enjoyed a Jacquère earlier in the meal, and later they brought a glass of Merlot specifically to complement the main course, which paired beautifully. What stood out most was the storytelling behind each dish. Everything felt intentional and cohesive from start to finish. Langbaan is special occasion dining done with care, restraint, and heart.

    . Honestly, probably a high 3 / low 4 for us. The experience and presentation were great, and all…read moreof our servers were awesome. But overall, the food itself was just okay. Some dishes leaned pretty salty, and the gelatinous fish dish was probably our least favorite. A few of the curry/stew-style dishes also felt like they would've been better paired with rice or sticky rice. The mains were decent, but nothing that really wowed us. We also added the lobster and oysters--the oysters were great, but the lobster felt extremely small for the $45 upcharge. Overall, it was a really cool experience, but for all the hype, I'm not sure we felt the value matched the price point for what we ended up paying.

    Photos
    Langbaan - Cooking on a charcoal fire

    Cooking on a charcoal fire

    Langbaan - Panag gam wua, or beef brisket curry.

    Panag gam wua, or beef brisket curry.

    Langbaan - Muck nam dum or geoduck sliced thinly and blended with squid ink and then placed on a kabocha squash sauce.

    See all

    Muck nam dum or geoduck sliced thinly and blended with squid ink and then placed on a kabocha squash sauce.

    Soen

    Soen

    5.0(14 reviews)
    1.3 miDowntown

    So refreshing & light! Unassuming bingsoo offerings inside Courier Coffee. Large serving perfect…read morefor sharing. Parking is typical Downtown parking (street parking or parking structure). Service wasn't memorable but not negative. Would go back to try another flavored bingsoo.

    Soen was on my must-try list while I'm visiting Portland! We visited on July fourth weekend and it…read morewas blazing hot this weekend. It got really crowded for this small shop. I'm assuming it's because of the weather that got this place popping this weekend, but maybe it'll be less crowded on cooler days. They have a large counter with workers making drinks, desserts, and food in the back, and a smaller seating area in the front of the shop, less than five tables. They have a few other seats outside, but not enough for the crowd today. I came to Soen to try their Kakigori dessert, specifically their Hojicha Kokuto Kinako. I'm a sucker for both Hojicha and Kinako so the combination a both was an absolute must for me! We also added mochi to Kakigori. It's like a little treasure hunt as you eat because they hide it in the shaved ice. One thing I would recommend they do is add menus somewhere for people waiting in line to look at. We weren't able to take a look at the menu until we were at the ordering counter, and some people in front of us had the same issue, which caused a long wait just to put our order in. The pressure of not holding up the line made me feel like I had to place my order fast, so being able to look at a menu beforehand would help immensely. That and they have a small number of staffs, and they're just really busy today so the wait for our dessert took a long time. We were eventually able to grab a seat before our order came. We ordered a small size, but I honestly wouldn't have mind a larger size because it was just so good! It made for the perfect dessert that's not too sweet nor too heavy! The Hojicha flavored ice was delicious and really evident, so they probably added a good amount of powder or syrup to the shaved ice. They sprinkled a good amount of Kinako powder on top of the cream so it sorta melted and blended in with the cream. Every bite was plenty flavorful. All-in-all, loved this spot and would definitely recommend. I think they're fairly new, so hopefully they're more efficient the next time I come visit Portland again. I would love to try some of their other flavors, sweets, or even small bites next time.

    Photos
    Soen
    Soen - Kakigori

    Kakigori

    Soen - Matcha strawberry kakigori

    See all

    Matcha strawberry kakigori

    Momoyama - Keeper Roll - special for the day

    Momoyama

    4.3(232 reviews)
    1.0 miPearl District
    $$$

    TL;DR Delicious, Umami filled sushi with special respect to the craft…read more Where to begin with this sushi restaurant? With a combined 115 years of experience this restaurant shines with what feels like authentic sushi. We were there with a group of four and were seated promptly for our reservation at 5:45 PM. Our server Ben was an absolute delight and brought vibrancy and genuineness to his service. So shoutout to Ben. I was a bit disappointed that they were unable to accommodate my Tokyo Tea request for a cocktail (I'm always about efficiency when drinking ) but the cocktails that we did receive were elegant and refreshing. But now to the meat of the review or should I say fish? We were taken on a journey through the Toyosu fish market or so I'm and had several delicious rolls such as the Yama roll, Salmon and Scallop, Jamison and the simple California roll. We also had two of the nigiri the salmon belly and the unagi which were both fall apart tender deliciousness in your mouth. Needless to say I am looking forward to our next visit and would love to experience their version of an omakase since the quality was there.

    We had a very different experience with Momoyama this time, and unfortunately it was disappointing…read more We previously dined at Momoyama and thought the food was excellent -- beautiful presentation, high-quality sushi, and a gorgeous setting in the Pearl District. Service was average, but the food more than made up for it. Because of that first experience, we decided to place a fairly large takeout order for a family dinner last night. Big mistake. We were told the order would be ready in 30 minutes. We arrived on time only to discover they had not even started preparing it yet. The explanation was "a computer issue," but nobody called us to let us know there would be a delay, and no real apology was offered. By the time we finally got the food, we were already late for dinner and had to head straight home. When we opened the bag, the nigiri had been packed so poorly that everything was jumbled together in a heap. We literally spent 10 minutes trying to reassemble the sushi ourselves. What disappointed us most was the way management handled the situation afterward. We called expecting that a restaurant positioning itself as upscale would want to make things right. Instead, the manager argued with us, reviewed security footage, and claimed that because we briefly checked the bag at pickup, the order must have been fine when it left the restaurant. We checked that the boxes were there -- we did not open every container because we trusted the restaurant to package the food properly. The bottom line: the dine-in experience may still be worth it because the food itself is genuinely very good, but based on our experience, order takeout at your own risk.

    Photos
    Momoyama - Clean and comfortable interior.

    Clean and comfortable interior.

    Momoyama - Unagi nigiri

    Unagi nigiri

    Momoyama - Takoyaki

    See all

    Takoyaki

    West Coast Bento - japanese - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...