Good morning! This is Poki Don! Today, I went on a night tour by bike, leaving home at 2:00 in the morning! Since there are few stores open late at night, this time I went to Kitchen DIVE, a 24-hour bento shop along Kasuga Street! Although the Kameido branch is well-known, I was heading to Wakasu Seaside Park for my night tour, so I stopped by the Ueno branch! It was my first visit, so I didn't know what to get, but I decided to try their one-coin bento! The bento included demi-hamburg, fried horse mackerel, croquette, spring roll, spaghetti, pickles, and rice. It smelled dangerously good, with fried delights inside! But it's a good deal for the price! They also had other one-coin options, as well as large portion bentos, takoyaki, yakisoba, and more! After buying the bento, I stopped by Wakasu Seaside Park and crossed the Rainbow Bridge on my way back home. When I got home, I tried the bento. The taste was... average. It tasted like commercial frozen food, but for a one-coin bento, the value is good! If you ever find yourself in Ueno, be sure to stop by! That's all from Poki Don! Bye! Goodnight!

I suddenly remembered Kitchen DIVE on June 12th. I realized that I hadn't eaten there in a while, so I decided to visit the Kitchen DIVE Okachimachi branch. I have been to the main branch in Kameido before, but not this one or the one in Suidobashi. Since it was early in the morning, there weren't many options. I chose the conger eel bento. I had it for lunch during my night shift. The conger eel was long but thin. It wasn't bad, but I wish there was more sauce on the rice. Maybe I should have chosen the hamburger bento instead, which seemed to have a larger portion. I'll try visiting the Suidobashi branch next time.

In April 2023, I visited Ueno. I got off at JR Ueno Station, crossed the pedestrian crossing from the north exit, headed towards the intersection of "Taito 4-chome" on "Kasuga Street", and found the shop I was looking for that day, called "Kitchen DIVE". I entered through the curtain seeking challengers for the 1kg bento, and purchased the Mabo bowl for 600 yen including tax. I enjoyed it at home, and it was a very voluminous Mabo bowl. The flavor was rich with plenty of eggplant and minced meat, and although it wasn't very spicy, it had a punchy taste that was delicious. The sauce soaked into the rice, making it enjoyable until the last bite. I would like to try other bento boxes from this shop in the future.

On weekend evenings, I couldn't help but notice the omurice balls on display as I walked by the storefront. Since the half portion was 500 yen, I decided to buy it. I was hoping to find a boiled egg inside, but unfortunately, there was none. The appearance was just like regular chicken rice, but the taste was different in a way. I couldn't quite pinpoint the flavor, but it seemed like something you would find in a retort pack. It was difficult to eat without any other side dishes. The portion was probably about one serving of rice. It was too much for one meal. Perhaps it's more of a display item rather than a practical meal option.

Kitchen DIVE is a place known for its large portions! The original store was in Kameido, right? I didn't realize there was one in Okachimachi too until I passed by. I'll have this in celebration! It's affordable! There's also an inspired store in Sapporo, so let's go there again sometime! Thank you for the meal!

Cheap bento shop "Kitchen DIVE" has come to Okachimachi. I stopped by after having a cheerful lunch drink at a favorite shop. When I entered the store, I was greeted by a "panda rice ball" (2nd photo). This panda looks cute but it is actually a huge 1kg rice ball. Isn't 1kg heavy for a rice ball? Inside the store, there are famous "1kg bento for 1,000 yen," "One coin bento," and individual side dishes lined up. In the kitchen at the back, huge fried foods are being produced one after another. The next day, my phone showed the brown "One coin bento" (3rd/4th photo), and the empty bento box was in the trash. I had already eaten quite a bit after drinking, so I shouldn't have been hungry, but it seems I bought this huge brown devil while drunk and ate it at home (▼∀▼) I regret it (´д｀) It's not good to shop after drinking, right (-_-#) But you know, I want to praise my self-control for not buying the "1kg bento for 1,000 yen" (^ｰ^)ﾉ

I worked from home on the 25th and stayed overnight at a net cafe in Ueno on the 26th because I had to leave early for Furukawa. I did my work from home at the net cafe. I have been to the Kitchen DIVE store in Kameido before, so I was happy to see one in Ueno. I arrived at Ueno station around 8 am and headed straight to the store. For lunch today, I got the 1-kilo bento from Kitchen DIVE. I noticed a bento with 5 thick sausages on top, so I had to get that one. At 12 pm, I ate the bento right away. It was a simple bento with just furikake under the 5 thick sausages. I love these kinds of hearty bentos. I finished work on time and headed to Ameyoko Street. There are so many more places to eat in Ameyoko now, especially Chinese restaurants. I have a favorite place where the grilled chicken is delicious. Since I will be exploring D-Ranger starting tomorrow, I decided to have another 1-kilo bento from Kitchen DIVE for dinner. This one had char siu and fried chicken. Both were delicious. Itadakimasu! #KitchenDIVE Ueno store #1 kilo bento #large portion bento

I bought a bento box with vegetable stir-fry and minced cutlet for 500 yen, but when I opened it at the office and warmed it up in the microwave, it turned out to be ankake yakisoba instead of the vegetable stir-fry. It was a carb fest with yakisoba and rice, and while there were vegetables in the yakisoba, overall there wasn't enough. The portion was large, especially the minced cutlet, which was satisfying to eat. I finished everything, but it was filling enough that I didn't need dinner afterwards.

I'm glad that they are open late at night, but the downside is that the selection is limited in terms of variety and quantity. This time, there were only 500 yen and 600 yen bento boxes, as well as 500 yen side dishes. The 500 yen side dishes were supposed to be three for 1000 yen, but they looked more like they should be priced at 100 yen or 200 yen each, so I didn't see any value in them (I think it's better to wait for a half-price sale at the supermarket for side dishes). The 500 yen option had one fried item and rice, and while the portion of the fried item was generous, it felt like just a slightly larger version of a convenience store bento, so I can't really recommend it. On the other hand, the 600 yen option had a variety of fried items and didn't include any unfamiliar or questionable fried foods, so I would recommend that one. I'm not saying the 600 yen option is good and the 500 yen option is bad, as the contents of the bento need to be judged visually, so it's more about luck or personal experience! It ultimately depends on each individual. Honestly, there are benefits to buying from this place late at night or early in the morning, but I personally don't see myself buying a bento from this store during lunchtime or dinner time.

Daily Bento (400 yen) One evening, I completely missed the timing to have dinner. With the dining restrictions due to the state of emergency, restaurants close at 8 pm, and getting pre-made food from the supermarket didn't sound appealing. That's when I remembered that a popular bento shop in Kameido, "Kitchen DIVE," had opened a second branch in Ueno. This shop is open 24 hours, so I decided to drive there. I arrived in Ueno around 9 pm on a weekday. The storefront was filled with brown packs of bento. Kitchen DIVE is known for its generous fried food bento, but the prices were not as cheap as I thought. The bento I wanted with plenty of fried chicken was 800 yen, which seemed a bit much for a bento that wasn't freshly made. So, I opted for the daily special, paid at the register, and received my lukewarm bento from the unenthusiastic staff. Upon returning home, I decided to heat it up before eating. The bento included three pieces of fried chicken, a hamburger patty, pickles, and rice. The fried chicken, although a bit cold, had a strong soy sauce flavor with a hint of garlic. The batter was thick and moist, and the chicken seemed to be a cheaper cut like thigh meat. The hamburger patty was a typical pre-made type meant for heating, but the sweet teriyaki sauce drizzled on top was not to my liking. The rice was decently cooked without any off-flavors, but the portion seemed smaller compared to the side dishes. The pickles consisted of a small amount of pickled vegetables. Overall, the bento was okay, but not outstanding. It lacked the value for its price, and the quality was similar to cheap pre-made bentos found in small supermarkets or drugstores. I felt that the shop was trying to make a profit without offering exceptional taste. However, I appreciate the effort to provide handmade food at an affordable price. In comparison, I would rather spend a bit more and buy a bento from a convenience store. It would be great if they could attract a loyal customer base in Ueno.

"Bloomed"!? Is it the most... When will it ever happen;; Choosing a restaurant also requires skill... Kitchen DIVE. It seems to be a Western-style restaurant. A new restaurant has opened, and I was aware of it. Kitchen DIVE, in Ueno. There might be other branches too. Just as I was thinking... "Kitchen DIVE"...!? Why was it featured on TV? Shoplifting: countermeasures = live broadcasting inside the store... It seems like a big bento box. Such information... I can't buy it with a strict diet order in place. It's been a long time, enduring every day. The one who escapes the restrictions; even though it's said that bento is giving up on life... The delay in medical science is serious... Even though I'm enduring it, it seems like I'm eating too much. Well, I know that my calorie consumption is low... There are various conflicts, but let's take a peek. I was aware that a bento shop had opened. Now, when it comes to entering... That's right, if you enter, you have to be prepared to buy something. Well, there are many types, ranging from 300 to over 1000. You won't know until you look closely. To understand the variety, you may need to get used to it. Uh... If there are no other customers, it seems like I might be influenced by the atmosphere if I spend too much time. I'm drawn to the brown bento full of fried foods. The brown bento is called "Daily Special Bento." By the way, this brown bento... Does it change every day as the name suggests? It seems like fried bento is a staple. The rice in the bento is standard... Nori is on top, and underneath is sprinkled with okaka, surprisingly neat. The fried food is the main dish of this bento, right? I decided to buy the mackerel fry. Lately, I've been more interested in mackerel fry. It's quite natural, but there's a big difference. Fried chicken is nothing to praise, but it's normal. Croquettes, chicken cutlets, etc., are decent, at an ordinary level. I had a slightly higher expectation for the after-meal feeling. There's no taste. But for a cheap bento, that's fine. It's so much food that it's too much. Is it for people who sweat and work hard? Why is it so bad? From why is it so bad to okay, I've recently tried and experienced the difference through research. Certainly, I feel sorry for expecting mackerel in this bento... But I'm not discouraged by the one bite cutlet, fried chicken, croquette, because I like fried foods. ...I see, that makes sense... Talking to myself? When I think about it, this large variety of bento... with few staff. There is a need to keep the operations simple. It may also be that they fry pre-made food and manage with few staff. Even for fried foods, they may fry in advance and manage with few staff. It feels like they are working hard. While I don't expect delicious bento, I seek a bento that is cheap and filling... It's difficult to discern who this type of bento is suitable for, based on the variety... Discrimination, distinction, selection... The times are tough...

While wandering around Okachimachi, I came across a sign for "Kitchen DIVE". It seemed to offer hearty bento boxes. I decided to check it out and was warmly welcomed inside. The place was filled with stacked bento boxes, with eel seeming to be a popular choice. I opted for the budget-friendly daily bento box priced at 400 yen. It contained fried chicken and hamburger, along with pickles, crispy plum, sesame, and rice. The flavors were rich and satisfying, with the fried chicken being crunchy and the hamburger flavorful with chili sauce. The portion of rice was surprisingly small, but overall it was a decent meal for the price. It made me realize that not all dishes at the restaurant are as extravagant as I had imagined. I look forward to returning and trying out some of their more indulgent menu items next time.

A new restaurant with good cost performance and large portion bentos has opened in Ueno. I happened to pass by and purchased a daily bento for 600 yen. The bento was filled with a large piece of fried chicken, rolled omelette, shrimp tempura, pickles, pasta, seaweed rice. The quantity was generous, but unfortunately, the taste was not very good. The fried chicken was tough and not juicy, the rolled omelette was salty, and I couldn't taste the shrimp in the tempura. The seaweed was too sweet. The rice was okay. Overall, I wouldn't recommend it to others. The staff seemed busy and didn't greet customers. There were other dishes like shrimp chili donburi that looked delicious, but I felt like I'd rather spend 200 yen more for a tasty bento elsewhere.

Visited Kitchen DIVE in Okachimachi for the first time. They offer a daily bento for 600 yen. I remembered hearing about Kitchen DIVE being somewhere near Ueno, so I looked it up and found out it was actually very close to my current location. When I arrived around lunchtime, I was amazed by the variety of bentos available. The daily bento options were numerous, all in shades of brown which made it hard to distinguish, but they each had slightly different contents. They were all fried foods like chicken karaage, croquettes, etc. Very high in calories! I picked one up and even though it was a smaller size, it was surprisingly heavy - more than a single meal's worth of weight. I couldn't resist buying it! The bento I chose had chicken karaage, sausages, and two types of fried foods. While the pricing was a bit on the higher side for lunch, the quantity was huge so it's recommended for those who love to eat a lot! It wasn't a 1kg bento, but it weighed 822g (including the container). I wonder how many calories that amounts to... The taste was average. The rice was better than expected. The chicken karaage was a bit dry and had a strange sweet taste, which might divide opinions. The sausages had a firm skin and were delicious, the savior among the fried foods. It's quite heavy and rich, so I ended up freezing half of it for later. It might be difficult for most people to finish it in one go, so it's better to buy it with the intention of splitting it up and eating it over multiple meals. Overall, it was nice to finally visit this famous spot. Thank you for the meal.

Got off at Ueno Station. Exit the north exit and head towards the direction opposite to Uniqlo and Matsuya (where there is a purple building). You will find a super cheap bento shop. Located across from a bank, with a bus stop in front of the shop. The bento became a hot topic due to its low price, but there have been various controversies, which have increased its popularity in many areas. The bentos on display are mostly brown, possibly due to the many fried dishes. On a Saturday in June 2021, I went for lunch. I saw a character-shaped onigiri on Kitchen DIVE's official Twitter and went to buy it, but during my visit, only bentos and side dishes were available, and I couldn't find the onigiri I wanted to buy. The item I purchased was a side dish for 550 yen including tax. Although it was labeled as a "side dish," I expected it to be chicken nuggets, and when I counted, there were 22 pieces in total. (The regular price for 5 pieces of McDonald's chicken nuggets is 200 yen). I thought they were nuggets and tried one, but the taste leaned more towards fried chicken, without needing ketchup or other condiments. Eating 22 nuggets alone was quite challenging, and after finishing them, I felt like I didn't need to eat chicken for a while. It might be a good option when you want to eat a lot of fried food or bento.

Since seeing it on Twitter, I had wanted to try the bento boxes from Kitchen DIVE. I heard that they opened a second store in Okachimachi, so I decided to go check it out. The location is right by Okachimachi station, with a small interior filled with bento boxes displayed on tables near the entrance. The prices range from around ¥350, ¥600, to ¥1000. I opted for the ¥350 bento box with easy-to-eat fried squid and minced cutlet. While the portion size was good for the price, the bento itself was just average. It was heavier on fried foods, reminding me of Okinawa's island bento boxes due to the hot weather there. Overall, the bento boxes from Kitchen DIVE didn't quite live up to the hype for me.

A famous bento shop has come to my town. I heard that their kilo bento is cheap, so I went to check it out. As I'm getting older, I can't handle too much fried food. I searched around for something grilled, but couldn't find any. I ended up buying a bento with meatballs and fried squid for 350 yen. While I thought it was cheap considering the price, I couldn't find the sparkle in the 1000 yen bento. Maybe if I were a bit younger, my perspective would be different?

Visited before 8:00 in the morning. I didn't check the time, but it seems that they are not open 24 hours. During the early hours, there are only two options for bento boxes: fried chicken bento and hamburger with fried chicken bento. The "hamburger with fried chicken bento" for 400 yen comes with a lot of rice. The fried chicken is not amazing, but it's not bad. The hamburger is decent as a side dish with rice. It would be nice if it was grilled. It's a filling meal, so it might be suitable for young people.