During the Obon holiday, Sunshine City was packed wherever you went. I was originally planning to visit a noisy shop, but with around 3,000 stores, it was overwhelming. After wandering around and struggling to decide where to eat, I finally settled on Tenya. Every place had long lines, and I couldn't bear my hunger. Tenya was also very crowded, and it took about 30 minutes to get seated. I ordered a simple tempura bowl. It had been a while since I last had it, but it was delicious. The cost performance is also amazing, isn't it?

Visit date and time: Holiday 11:20-12:00 Weather: Sunny Sunshine has been open since New Year's Day, which is much appreciated. Compared to normal times, the seating was a bit scattered. The New Year's Day Red Snapper Tempura Rice Bowl with Small Soba Set for 1,280 yen, plus the domestic Shiitake Mushroom Tempura for 180 yen. It seems that this menu is already discontinued, but there seems to be a similar rice bowl with a different name. It includes domestic red snapper, wild jumbo shrimp, and live eel tempura. I added shiitake mushrooms as a topping. For this content, if it's 1,000 yen, it's somewhat acceptable.

I rushed into "Tenya" during the remaining few days when the simple happiness of being allowed to drink alcohol in a store was still permitted. I love this chain along with "Nakau" as my favorite fast casual restaurants. Well, in terms of compatibility with alcohol, this one is better. Freshly fried tempura and chilled beer are the best. As a loyal customer, I have been shifting towards tonkatsu restaurants like "Oribe" instead of dealing with tempura variations that may have inconsistencies in quality, but let's leave that to places like Matsunoya or Katsuya. Please preserve this Japanese-style fast casual restaurant, including its rarity.

Tenya seems to be making a comeback in the media, and as a longtime fan of Royal Host, I am delighted. The kitchen staff, including experienced veterans, sets them apart from others, which is great. Despite the increasing number of foreign customers, they are holding their ground admirably. The warm tea served promptly is a nice touch, and their tempura is delicious with a light and crispy texture. I also tried the recommended spring dish with fuki buds added. It was incredibly bitter, unfortunately. While the concept was good, the execution fell short.

When I asked for "soba-yu" at "Tendon Tenya," I was shot down. It seems like I visit this place once every two years. I have records of visiting the "Oyama branch" in December 2015 and the "Minami Ikebukuro branch" in October 2017. Before that, it had been three years since my last visit, so it seems to be the pattern. This restaurant is located on the basement floor of Sunshine City, next to Cocoichi, Tenya, and Aoba. In front of them is "Ikioian." For some reason, I chose Tenya. I usually go for the set menu, but this time I chose the cold soba. The tempura bowl had small shrimp, squid, scallops, and trefoil tempura. The tempura at Tenya has not changed much over the years, but it seemed healthier with less batter. I started with the soba, which was a nice touch to the tempura bowl, reflecting the Edo culture. The soba did not have a strong flavor, but the broth was well-balanced. As usual, I finished the soba first and then used the soba-yu to finish the bowl. I looked around the restaurant and did not see a pot for soba-yu, so I asked the friendly waitress if they had it. Unfortunately, she said they did not have it, which was a bit disappointing. I should have asked if they had hot water instead. Next time, I will remember to ask. Thank you for the meal.

[Access] It's about an 8-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station, located in the basement of Sunshine City. [Taste] I had a regular tempura bowl and it was delicious. In fact, I think it's even better than some of the smaller tempura shops. The oil is clean, and the ingredients are fresh - the shrimp, squid, and vegetables all taste fresh. The miso soup doesn't have that artificial taste typical of chain restaurants; it tastes like it was made with real dashi. There's barley tea on the table, and this kind of consistent service is one of the good things about chain restaurants. [Cost-Performance] The tempura bowl was in the 500 yen range, which is a great value for what you get. This is thanks to the advantages of a large chain restaurant. [Overall] The great taste and value for money make this place stand out.

Tendon Small Set for 790 yen. The tempura bowl is consistently delicious. However, the soba noodles and broth are not good. The noodles seem to be frozen and the broth could be richer. It feels like they are using the same broth for udon as well. It's strange that miso soup is included. Wouldn't it be better to have warm soba instead? They even offer the option to change the miso soup to clam soup for an additional 150 yen, which doesn't make sense.

The location is about a 20-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station to Sunshine City. The quality of the food is rated at 75 points, service at 75 points, and cleanliness at 75 points. Overall rating is 75 points. This restaurant is a major chain of tempura rice bowl. I was seated at the counter and my order arrived in about 15 minutes. I ordered the tempura rice bowl. The presentation was beautiful, the taste was consistent and the sauce was just right. Great value for money, perfect for a quick and satisfying meal. I would definitely visit again if I have the chance. Thank you for the meal.

Visited in June 2018 with a rating of 3.04 on Tabelog. I had lunch at "Tendon Tenya" in Sunshine City, Ikebukuro. The restaurant was quite busy during lunchtime. I ordered the simple "Tendon" at the counter. The tempura consisted of shrimp, squid, white fish, pumpkin, and green beans, but unfortunately, the batter was not crispy at all and the oil was a bit heavy. It didn't taste as good as I remembered from before. The pickled radish served at the end was the most delicious part.

I visited during a break from work. Had a meal with my son after a long time. I love shrimp, so I was very satisfied. With miso soup, it was just over 1,000 yen. The cost performance is good. Tenya is a good choice. They also offer takeout, which is convenient. I have been avoiding eating out due to the pandemic, but I want to actively use safe restaurants.

On Christmas Eve, I had lunch at Tenya. I treated myself a little and had the special tempura bowl.

I don't like natto, so I asked them to leave it out. The tempura was delicious! Very satisfied. ✨

The restaurant has been renovated, with fewer table seats and more single seats. Sometimes it gets crowded with foreign customers. The staff on the floor seem to be too busy and not attentive compared to other Tenya branches. The tempura coating is sometimes not crispy enough. It's good for a quick and cheap rice meal, but overall it feels like the quality has declined recently. Tenya itself is always affordable and tasty. You can also get a small rice portion for 50 yen off, which is still a sufficient amount.