Zen Bento

Food is always fresh and tastes so good. The place is always clean and smells wonderful. The employees are always fast and friendly. Their drive up window is nice. I can just call and have my food hot and ready. I would eat there for lunch every day if I could fit it in the budget but the prices are a bit too high. It’s a bento with rice, veggies and some meat. Today I got salmon and it’s amazing. Cooked to perfection… And it was over $ 12 with no drink or extras included. Yes I will go back but not often just because of cost.

Decided to try Zen Bento. The food was pretty good. I ordered the beef but they didn’t have any so I ended up with chicken. I got the teriyaki sauce and I thought it was too salty. My two biggest issues are the weird ordering system with two counters but I explanation of how it works. The second was the overall unfriendliness of the two girls working the front. I don’t think I will come back. $ 14 for a rice bowl and rude staff.

Zen Bento is kind of a mixed bag. I did not like the chicken curry bowl, but the tofu with vegetables was fresh and tasty. Probably the biggest drawback was the music, which was hip-​hop/​pop, very loud. Seemed to be geared for the staff, but made me want to take my food out to the car — it was that annoying. Unless you’re into that type of music you won’t want to eat in.

Beef was fresh off the grill and amazing. I was recommended to have the Ginger Soy sauce with my bowl and it was a great choice. A healthier choice than most others off of State Street. A clean sitting area with marble table tops. I will definitely come here again

If you are looking for something quick and healthy, this is a much better option than any fast food in my opinion. The service was fast and great, and the food was fresh. I love the perfectly cooked vegetables over my brown rice. And the sauce (ginger soy, I think) was GREAT! I can’t wait to try other sauce they offer!

Good dishes. Can order ahead for pick up. Didn’t know they have brown rice as an option. Fast and painless. Also, delicious

I came In a few weeks ago with my mom and both of us ordered chicken bento bowls. We sat down at a sticky, rickety high table where some previous diner had stuck a wadded up napkin under one of the four legs in an attempt to level it out… Our food comes out fairly quickly, but it was also a disappointment. A few pieces of chicken, some veggies that were soggy and seemed microwaved, served with steamed white rice. I couldn’t believe I had just paid nearly 10 dollars for it, especially considering I could have made myself a better rendition at home. Big puddle of sauce at the bottom rendering much of the rice inedible. They didn’t have sriracha or any other hot sauce to cut the sweetness of the teriyaki sauce out for you and when I went to the counter to ask, all of the employees had magically vanished. So we ate what we could and headed out, won’t be back. Not high on my list of recommendations for a cheap healthy lunch.

I’m from out of town and I heard this place was great and it turns out it’s awesome! I asked the employee what I should get and he recommended the poke bento, which is a great sushi rice bowel. I’d definitely eat here again. They had great service, good music, and the food was terrific. If you’re in Boise and and haven’t been to this place it’s a must.

Healthy, customizeable, crave-​worthy, flavor-​filled… and did I mention healthy? Zen Bento checks the boxes on so many of the «healthy hacks» that I ask for in a restaurant… why not just go there to get them all met?
Food: Their bentos are AMAZING. I’ve tried their chicken (what I order most), the salmon (my favorite — the salmon filet is huge!), steak (always perfect), and their ahi (seared to a T). Each one, when topped with ANY of their sauces, is so good. I typically order a low carb or ¼ the rice & extra veggies. They don’t back down on the veggies, piling them super high. I recommend the Zen & Ginger Soy sauce combo (with a little Kamikaze on top!), but if you like peanut sauces, their Z-​Nut is amazing (though it’s made with dairy, so caution to those who can’t handle lactose). I have tried their salads before, but the bentos are SO GOOD that it’s not worth getting anything else!
Drinks: Self-​serve soda fountain & refrigerator.
Atmosphere: So tiny & quaint. We typically take our food to go, but if it’s a nice day, you can enjoy your meal on their countertop in the sun or out on the patio.
Service: Always hip & friendly. Like a Dutch Bros of the food world. It’s often younger kids who enjoy making food & making people happy.
Happy Hour Offerings: n/​a & closed on Sundays
Healthy Hack: Ask for a low-​carb bento or ¼ of the rice & extra veggies for the perfect & carb-​balanced combination.
Tips: Ask for sauce on the side, or you may wind up with a pool of sauce at the bottom. Also, they can combo their meats and any of their sauces.

Just moved back to Boise from LA. Love this healthy spot. Affordable and tasty as I’ll get out.

Great new location with a coming soon Drive Thru! Good is always spot on and fresh! The tuna with white rice and ginger dressing is EPIC!

So so so tasty, very cordial staff.
Try the AHI TUNA! Even though everything else is stellar

Lunch in the area just got a whole lot better. They are pretty busy but seem to push through the lunch rush. My favorite menu item here is the beef bento with brown rice, ginger soy, and green onions. Can’t wait for the drive thru to open. Welcome to the neighborhood Zen Bento.