Review Makoto Bento - Chatswood

I will never return. I specifically asked for food with no egg and was served a potato salad nestled to the chilli garlic chicken with loads of slimy skin and minimal flavour . The katsu curry was very gooey and had a cooked flour like texture. The bowl it was served in was chipped. Waste of time and money I think.

Went to Makoto Bento on a Friday night, it was quite busy. There were some staffs that were quite attentive, but some that were not so polite. The food came pretty fast considering it was busy. I ordered tonkatsu set with udon. And my partner ordered the teriyaki chicken with sashimi set. My tonkatsu (deep fried porkchop) was quite dry, the batter was thick, and I thought it was a little overcooked, the meat was tough. The udon was okay, it was chewy but the soup was a little too salty. And portion was quite tiny. My partner's set was so-so also... I've never seen a teriyaki chicken that has red and green capsicum like a Chinese stir fry. The sashimi was just okay fresh, one of the pieces I had tasted quite fishy... Because we had a toddler with us, they gave us a set of plates and spoons for her, the plastic utensils were a bit old, they were chipped and had many scratches on the plates... This was my second time here, I came here once a couple years ago, and the food wasn't that good. I thought I would give them another chance but I don't think I'll come back...

I was super excited to try this place out but was unfortunately disappointed! The food is presently nicely but compared to other local Japanese options this place doesn’t stack up. They are also closed during popular hours/days which is frustrating!

Decent size and great taste. Ordered katsu don set for myself and eel rice for kids and were all happy. Waiters were friendly but you have to have a 2 feet long arm to get their attention, unless you're willing to really raise your voice

Used to be regular there and noticed your new manager is a real troll never coming back again until you guys fix him up. How on earth you guys hired him. while waiting for my food I was observing how busy your restaurant is and noticed all of your staff except the Manager is busy attending to customers. Not only that, he is also very rude and has 0 product knowledge.

A great variety in the bento boxes. But better to dine in than delivery. Ordered an unagi don and it came with literally rice, and 3 medium but thin fillets of eel for nearly $22. Ordered through ubereats and there was no other seafood or vegetarian option with a limited menu. In restaurant they’re great, big portions and fresh! But DONT do delivery. So disappointing. Small portions that are expensive.

The guy manager is totally useless, he literally did nothing, so slow to even serve my beverage. i reckon the other staff works better than him. And im not the only one think this way too, a friend of mine also complained about him.

Food - 5 stars Service - 3.5 stars We weren’t given a menu after the staff seated us down, also the meals took 20 minutes to arrive. Quality of food was a pleasant surprise especially at the price point. We’ve paid $51 for 2 set dinner and a pot of tea, it’s affordable and the potion is quite big too. Especially enjoyed the fisherman soup - with plenty of seafood inside. Sashimi was quite fresh too. Pork Katsu was crispy and not oily.

This is seriously great place for Japanese, great range of dishes, tasteful and very fair prices. Drink prices for the Saki are best I have seen with a 720ml bottle from about $35 and a great Dassi for $56 (very cheap, normally $80+ in other places). The clam meal is a winner with great soup to finish with, the port and beef meals are fantastic. We went 6 times in the few days we stayed in the area!

One of the best Japanese diner in Sydney, so many different range of food choices, love the Delicious Sushi and Fish I had for dinner, staff very nice, will come back again soon. :)

The food was not hot, the fried chicken karaage was not crispy and fresh. Was very thirsty when I got home, meaning they must have put lots of MSG. Not recommended.

Very friendly and welcoming staff! Also delightfully accommodating! Glad we found it, on our first night in Sydney, after a long and tiring drive from Craigieburn in Victoria.

好吃，服務好，店員好可愛ヾ(*´∀｀*)ﾉ

Extremely happy with everything food, service the lot thank you.

WOW! We stopped in for date night tonight - amazing! Relaxed atmosphere, delicious food and very friendly and attentive service - felt welcomed and homely and the pickles were delicious! Highly recommended Thank you for an amazing experience (",)

I prefer my pork katsudon crunchy, not soggy and lean, not fatty.

Been there twice this week. Love it! Can't fault food, service, décor, value - I even love the music they play I will be going back again (and again)!

Real Japanese food and service. Cheap and cheerful!

The food is fresh and good. The staff is very friendly and constantly pay attention for customer needs.

Good bento place with lots of variety. I like how there’s a make your own bento option and their sashimi is pretty good too.

Average quality, decent flavour, average portions. <br/>The aburi salmon was tasty but very stingy with the portion and slightly overcooked since it should just be slightly grilled. The bento was average tasting but pretty filling. <br/>Didn’t regret trying it but wouldn’t come back again.

Back when I worked in the area, used to get their takeaway bentos for lunch, more for convenience then taste or value. Back again this time, actually stayed for a dine in lunch. Ordered their “very popular” chicken katsu curry. It literally consisted of pieces of chicken katsu, rice & the curry sauce. It would’ve tasted ok, except they also added BBQ sauce onto the katsu chicken & the curry sauce, which then gave the curry a weird tangy taste. Not very satisfying at all.

Maybe I'm just not a huge a fan of Japanese flavours as others but this place seemed to have some very middle of the road food. While nothing tasted atrocious nothing really stood out either and for that price, you're much better off just walking around the corner for some cheaper and more delicious alternatives.

Makoto is a popular Japanese sushi train styled restaurant franchise. They have a great selection of sushi choices as well as side dishes and proper meals. Their nigiri and hand rolls are my favourite.

BBQ sauce is not a suitable sauce to substitute Unagi bento (eel rice bento).<br/>As much as it looks the same in colour and reassured by the cashier lady (Japanese) that the shop use proper Japanese Unagi sauce like any other Japanese restaurant I have been to in the area. The acidity and strong bbq smell shattered the flavour of the eel as oppose to how traditional Unagi sauce which would bring out a light sweetness while tasting the eel. <br/><br/>Side note, wagyu beef bento were over grilled hence making the beef tough to chew. <br/><br/>The side veggie dish are still to go for especially the radish.<br/><br/><br/>Look forward for your improvement to bring out real Japanese bento flavours and experience.<br/><br/>

Nice place to be. Freshly made dishes with lots of variety to choose from and fast takeaway service. Took their daily special w/mackerel and was impressed with the high quality of the food and the balance of flavours.

While a bit overpriced, the proportion was rather big and satisfying. The flavour was delicious. I ordered the Tonkatsu Pork Teishoku and the pork with the sauce was great. The udon was nice to eat on a cold winter night. My only criticism other than the slight overpricing was that the food that came out wasn't exactly like the picture in the menu. The radish wasn't the same and there was no peas on the rice, though I didn't exactly mind not having peas on the rice since I don't like peas anyway.

I order takeaway food in this afternoon.<br/>doro doro beef set, teriyaki salmon, chicken bento and assort sashimi.<br/>all together is $ 59.<br/>Almost is good except dorodoro beef set.<br/>when I try eat doro doro beef set.<br/>food  is  terrible,cause bowl has too much oil .<br/>there is one third is oil.<br/>I take that oil cause it's looks like soup.<br/>vomit after that....[sorry...]

Nice and comfy for friends gathering. Great menu with lots of options. Chicken was favoursome, Sashimi was really fresh and even the bowl of rice was nice! The ice matcha with red bean was a bit watery and bland. Can’t wait to go back again.

the sashimi there always seems fresh and the food in general is really good. deffs recommend coming here (although their “wagyu” beef could be less dry as it’s obviously not wagyu - misleading print).

Very nice bento, price is fair , not exactly cheap. The quality was extremely good, fresh sashimi is well presented and indeed delicious. Enjoyed the thick cut salmon sashimi and the other fish. <br/><br/>The staff was very nice, however they constantly misunderstood what I said. It should get better after time and more interactions with customers.

Pork cutlet is the best here. Beautiful presented bento box and sets, my go to place for good authentic Japanese in Chatswood. A bit pricy but is very good quality.

Decent size of serving at an affordable price. Good to go if you're looking to grab something quick, healthy and cheap. Plenty of choices on their bentos especially during lunch hours.

Absolutely overpriced and not worth the visit. Almost 20 dollars for an unsatisfactory meal. 8.50 for a bottle of asahi beer.. why<br/>Won't be back again.

A place that lets you build your own bento - not bad huh? I'm a sucker for bento boxes, a little bit of everything when you can't decide. The sashimi and the sushi were fresh but the side dish (roast potatoes) and the teriyaki chicken (chewy) were a let down. I might be back again however since it's in a very good location and I can't resist a bento box

Poor training of staff,inconsistent service standards. Appalling for a Japanese restaurant. Food isn't bad but the team is a let down.......

A few years ago I was strongly against the idea of the bento box. In many places, I (cynically, it must be said) saw it as a way that a mediocre establishment might attempt to pad out the size of a meal.<br/><br/>Makoto Bento's boxes have changed my perception for good. The bento here is reasonably sized and each element has earned the right to be there. A few times I have felt challenged in eating everything, because its too good to waste!<br/><br/>My favourites are the raw fish based ones (especially chirashi). Makoto Bento really stands out well in Chatswood, where there is a high number of sushi and ramen establishments.<br/><br/>Local tip - in peak periods, there can be a bit of a wait for the bento to come out. A small entree will help stave off the hangry...

The sushimi was off, tasted aweful and very old. Manager disagreed. Hope I don't develop food poisoning.... Setting and staff were pleasant though. Wouldn't recommend this place due to poor quality ingredients.

Horrible service forget your order and don't even tell you. Make you wait like an idiot for 40 minutes. Left the restaurant with an empty stomach.

Only just tried Makoto Bento for the first time a couple of weeks ago! I enjoyed it so much so I've come back a few more times since then. <br/><br/>I initially thought the bento price was pretty expensive, but the bentos here are actually pretty decent. The serving size is pretty large so you won't be hungry afterwards. The chicken dishes were quite tasty and the sashimi was quite fresh tasting too. It did take a little bit of time waiting for the bentos each time I went, so I'm hoping next time it may come a little faster than previous visits. Still enjoyed the food and would recommend if you're in the area! Also, love the matcha frappe, it's really yum!!

Tried their daily bento special ($18.80) with deep fried salmon fin in spicy sauce, which I thought was decent value given what they had to offer.<br/><br/>The salmon fins were freshly cooked so they were hot and crispy, and coated in a thick, sweet & spicy sauce. The bento box came with thick cut salmon sashimi, salmon&avo rolls, salmon nigiri, vege croquette, chicken nanban, gyoza, vege salad, orange wedge, and a hot bowl of miso soup. The salmon elements were fresh but sadly the cooked sides were all precooked and cold.<br/><br/>Update: I have been back a few times afterwards to check out their sashimi and/or pork tonkatsu sets. The sashimi was fresh and the tonkatsu was well-cooked (crunchy, golden exterior with tender pork).

Came here for convenience more than anything. They have a separate menu for takeaway and food comes out in 15 mins which I thought was pretty easy since bento boxes are easy to take home and have a bit more variety.<br/><br/>However to be honest as a whole it was quite underwhelming. For the close to $20 price tag it will not get you full at all. At allll! 😔<br/><br/>Teriyaki salmon box was alright because it was still tasty despite salmon being a tad overcooked. The chili prawns were below average and tasted more like chinese food than Japanese. Would probably stay away from this one. <br/><br/>I think sides change so maybe we were unlucky because there was nothing good about them. Rather dry and bland.<br/><br/>Although taste can improve, the quantity is definitely a bigger problem. For the price I'd expect a little more.

Makoto Bento offers a full menu of bento sets for both lunch and dinner which is quite rare in Sydney. The bentos are good value. For $20, my bento came with 3 generous fillets of saba covered in a miso sauce (I would've preferred a stronger miso flavour but at least it wasn't overly salty) on a bed of salad. Side dishes change daily but mine included taro dumplings, gyoza, chicken nanban, half a croquette and some veggies that might have been bamboo shoots or not. It also came with a salmon nigiri, 3 large avocado and salmon sushi, 3 slices of salmon sashimi and a miso soup. The sashimi was surprisingly fresh. For those that need their rice fix, the menu allows you to swap the sushi for plain rice. The food isn't the best quality and some of the fried side dishes lacked crispness as they were precooked. But if you're looking for a reasonably priced bento at dinner, Makoto Bento would be a solid choice.

Not a bad bento place<br/><br/>Find the dinner to be much better than lunch time, lunch menu feels a bit more rushed and fast food type whereas dinner is more chill and the portions are bigger <br/><br/>So so place, lunch was quite average blbut dinner was ok imo

Makoto is a name easily recognisable amongst sushi lovers in Chatswood so when Makato Bento was announced within the District precinct of Chatswood it was with bated breath. I think bento boxes are not a far stretch for anyone who loves Japanese food as it showcases in Zen like harmony a balance of natural, fresh and cooked delicacies portrayed in artistic form.<br/><br/>However, the reason that kept me from trying out the Bento cousin of Makato was the price. Being a regular at Makato, my lunch usually costs about $18 and this is with all my favourite sushi dishes and a Karage udon which fills up the gaps. With most bento boxes at the upper end of $10, it was not appealing enough to sacrifice a sure thing.<br/><br/>Today I took the plunge. I ordered a Chicken Katsu bento $17.20 as admittedly the sushi box was large than your standard size found in Japanese restaurants. The salmon sashimi was fresh as was the green seaweed salad. The miso soup was good and contained some dried tofu. There were various fried appetizers that were quite good quality in their own right not skimping on filling but what a shame that the temperature fluctuated from cold and luke warm for everything that was meant to be hot in the box. They were pre-cooked and pretty much served that way without being pre-heated. The Chicken Katsu itself was slightly warmer and very moist inside and the serving was generous.<br/><br/>Had the items been hot, the experience would have been entirely different but temperature alone can bring down the grade of the food a few notches especially when you can see it’s all picked from the bain marie like a shopping centre fast food place.<br/><br/>The service was warm and friendly and the chef (the big guy) served the food sometimes, cracked a joke and always had a smile on his face. The waitress brought me a water although there was a self-serve station. Serve the food hot and I am sure this branch will be as busy and popular as their sushi restaurant down the road.

We arrived and was quickly seated, menu straight on the table and 5 minute window to order! Very quick and efficient.<br/>Overall<br/>Good portion size, simple flavors, but I don't really expect too much.......careful with the $$$

Loving the look of this place! Great chill music and great authentic Japanese service. Bento box set is great value. Ordered Wagu bento and mix sashimi platter. Wagu was devine & Sashimi was super fresh. Loving thick cuts. Highly recommend this place for Qualify Sashimi experience.

Location is convenient and the restaurant itself is spacious with lots of natural lighting. Had the Sukiyaki Beef Don. Food is nothing special. Everything is pre-cooked and kept warm (with the exception of the egg, which is pre-cooked and left cold). For the price range, you could do better (but also worse). I'd recommend grabbing lunch at another place that cooks food fresh, unless you want something quick and average.

I have been to their sister restaurant Makoto Sushi in City many times, love the sushi there, so I came here to try their bento and wasn't disappointed. They have many different combinations and all look good. I tried the teriyaki salmon one, it was as good as I expected.

The Bento Box had plenty of variety and was very fresh. The main issue was the price. For the same price it's cheaper to have a traditional Japanese meal that will fill you up more.

I'm a huge fan of their Sushi Train on Victoria Ave, so I knew this place had to be good. The Bento Boxes are fab. They're reasonably priced and contain a wide variety of delicious dishes. Will definitely be returning.

Excellent Food & Service. I have come here many times for lunch. Love the food, the service is excellent, it is clean, the kitchen is open. All the staff are very inviting and friendly. This place really feels like you're in Japan. All the Bento's are delicious! I would recommend anybody to come here for a meal.

K and I dropped into the newly opened Makoto Bento  (sister restaurant of Makoto – read my review ) one evening after work before we started doing some Christmas shopping for his family. Located upstairs in the new Chatswood Interchange, it suffers a bit from a sub-optimal location as it’s on the other side of the station from the Westfield shopping centre and doesn’t have the same amount of foot traffic. Torotoro Pork Bento, $18.80 Lured in by the reasonable prices, we took a seat, perused a menu, and quickly placed our order at the counter. K’s torotoro pork bento came out in the first five minutes, huge chunks of soft and tender slow-cooked marinated pork belly resting on a bed of rice. We were very impressed with the quality and quantity of the side dishes provided as well – fresh salmon sashimi, house-made pickles, tempura prawn, gyoza and karaage chicken made for a delicious and relatively well-rounded meal. Sukiyaki Beef Bento, $17.80 My experience was more disappointing. My order of the sukiyaki beef bento was lost and after a half hour wait, I had to go back to the counter and remind the waitress of my order. Fifteen minutes after that, after I had watched K eat his whole bento box, I finally received my meal with fervent apologies from the wait staff for the delay. Luckily, the stewed sukiyaki beef was delicious – mixed in with onion, shallots and

Japan in Chatswood. Stop by here with my 4 year old daughter for lunch. I was mesmerized by the decor and the excellent service. The service you would only expect in Japan. I've travelled to Japan many times and this restaurant made me feel a little de ja vu but the main attraction is the food. It was delicious, portion was outstanding and the variety are endless. The team looks amazing and the smiles on their face will make your day.