joybento

Excellent little family-run lunch spot near enough to ferry terminal to grab a quick, fresh bite before your boat. Is this place the finest bento/teriyaki Seattle has to offer? Likely not. But that's not its purpose as far as I can reckon. Its purpose is to provide the busy downtown public and visitors with an efficient, authentic, affordable, and tasty meal. And they do. Over and over again, I would guess. Order the teriyaki or katsu bento box, wait a minute or two in their honest, unadorned space, watch a few K-pop videos with the owner's polite little kid, and hit the road. Prices seemed exactly right to me. We had a sizeable (and mobile) lunch for two for 30 bucks. They threw in two complementary miso soups--a promotion they are running for the rest of "this winter."

I am still trying out all of the restaurants around my job and this place caught my eye. I love the small kitchen aesthetic, it reminds me of living in Asia. I ordered a nigiri roll and beef teriyaki. The roll was fine but the beef was a bit dry and not my favorite meal. I would revisit and try something else but it was just ok.

Joybento is a charming little corner spot in Seattle, but unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to expectations. I ordered the spicy teriyaki chicken—looked great, but the chicken was overcooked and dry, almost like chewing on hard carbon. The sauce was just okay, nothing special. Love the concept, but execution matters, and this one missed the mark. Wouldn’t recommend.

I tried the teriyaki chicken and beef teriyaki combo, and honestly, it was disappointing. The chicken was dry and had an awful, almost burnt taste that the overly sweet sauce couldn’t cover up. The beef wasn’t much better it was tough and chewy, with very little flavor. Neither tasted fresh, and the textures were off. For what they charge, I expected a lot better. The portions were small, especially considering the price, and it didn’t feel like good value at all. I left still hungry and wishing I’d gone somewhere else. Overall, it’s overpriced for what you get and just plain bad. If you want Seattle style teriyaki avoid this place its awful. it's the last time I go here.

My favorite lunch spot in Seattle! It’s a hidden gem. They use fresh ingredients and the serving portions are very generous. The team works seamlessly to get the food out fast. This is a huge bonus for anyone that has short lunch breaks. My favorites are the spicy pork, chicken teriyaki, and the chirashi bowl. Grab a roll if you are feeling extra hungry.

Amazing food, great portions, very kind etiquette from the staff

Very good and filling bento lunch from a cute yet modern hole-in-the-wall type place. Not to mention the price is very reasonable for downtown Seattle so you get your money’s worth! I’d recommend ordering ahead as it gets busy during lunch. Also they’re not messing around when it comes to their spicy katsu.