Teriyaki Grill Monkey Wave

The quality is (sit down) dining; however fast food walk up (why?). If they had a waitress it could become a gem, the food is fantastic!

The food here is soo good. Its a hole in the wall place. Ive had the rocck moco, katsu-​don, and tonkatsu ramen. The cashier/​server and owner are very friendly.

This place have a lot of items in the menu that I want to try.
The roco moco was pretty good. I liked their sauce a lot. The Mac salad should either go back to the lab or not serve at all because it brings down the whole experience.
Easy parking and ok price. Also was presently surprise for the free drink.
Gonna return eventually to try the rest.

I came here a couple times when they first opened, and a few times after that, prior to tonight’s visit, always wanting to include them in my network of quick, take-​out places, but that sadly that is just not going to be — and I really need a good chicken bowl that I don’t have to make myself.
My wife came here from Okinawa as an adult, and I have lived in both Okinawa and mainland Japan, myself. I’ve spent a lot of time in Hawaii, too, as well as having originally grown up in the South Bay, back when you could only find Japanese food in Gardena. I’ve been a fan of Chicken bowls and Japanese and Hawaiian food for 40+ years, and I am always on the look-​out for a good chicken bowl, because frankly, they just don’t make ‘em like they use to. Everything use to be grilled skin-​on, seasoned well, and then chopped and re-​sauced once bowled or plated. I digress a bit, but Monkey Wave is not the place to find the perfect bowl or plate, at least not for me, nor for my wife who has actually never liked this place and even favors Sango over this place, which I do not (sorry Sango).
We stopped by tonight, on our way home, about 20 minutes before closing time. Maybe they were tired.
I ordered the chicken-​beef teri combo plate, which comes with a tiny amount of not Japanese nor Hawaiian-​worthy macaroni salad (I love both), but one that that is more on par with the level of the entrée, which was so-​so, in terms of cooking. The beef was tender-​enough. The chicken a little less so, but no sauce, and barely any seasoning. The green salad is on the Charlie Brown side, and not quite Jr. High cafeteria-​worthy. Really.
We don’t live close the monkey wave, and while I make a great teri sauce, I ddn’t have any chilling in the ‘fridge, and when I got home and saw that I had no sauce, I could only think about things that I cannot post here. Think Lone Wolf and Cub movies, and you’ll get the picture. Yeah, I could have made a sauce, even a cold, quick one, but that is not why I ordered take-​out. I really prefer a good, cooked sauce, so it would have been 20 – 30 minutes, anyway, for a decent sauce to cook and cool a bit, and if I made sauce, I’d rather do the rest, too, which I didn’t want to do. People make mistakes, but this isn’t the first time here.
I’ve ordered yakisoba from this place once, and my wife has picked up it twice for me, back when she was giving them a shot, and each time it was ordered specifically without any seaweed or any seasoning containing seaweed sprinkled on top, which is common for some yakisoba places; others provide a few seasoning blends that can you choose from, if you desire. I can’t have seaweed. I never check anything before leaving, and I am always shocked when things are not right. My bad, too.
Each time, once getting home, the yakisoba was covered with seaweed seasoning, and I could not eat it. I never called to complain; just waited a while before going back. I am done with this place. I’ve had to toss too many meals. The service is always good, and for me it has at least almost — if not always been the same guy at the counter each time, too, as well as the same guy in the kitchen. They are friendly, but careless and sloppy, and have cost me money for food that I cannot eat, aside from tonight, which was just lacking any sauce. At all. I will actively NOT recommend this place to everyone that I can. Sayonara!

I just passed an order for the Chinese chicken salad based on the previous reviews. What I got was nothing like what I saw in the pictures. I just paid $ 7 for lettuce and chicken… No other toppings! I could had done this myself! The only upside… The dressing was good

The service and staff were great. Didn’t care for the food presentation. Tastes good. Portion was ok. Hole in a wall. Felt like I was in Japan visiting again. Nice family owned establishment. Very friendly faces. Very crowded because the place was so small.

Came here for my nephews 10^th birthday cause he wanted to eat here and instantly loved it! Food is delicious, the place itself is so clean and the people are so nice! Would definitely recommend the yakisoba noodles!

tonkatsu ramen and small salad. I ordered the ramen. Taste was spot on, portion was underwhelming.
To a previous reviewer: Perhaps you should keep items that your kid hates off the order (for his/​her sake.) Mickey D’s is but a mile away.

Just ate here. So nice. We dined in. Good food, great service, exceptional restroom. Place was clean. It’s a bit slow because its hard to spot from the street (inside a plaza behind a building) but i do see regulars calling in and picking up.
We had the house special (monkey wave special) it was tasty. Service was nice. Refilled our drinks when they were low. We’ll be back.

I was looking for a good teriyaki place for lunch a couple of days ago and found Teriyaki Grill Monkey Wave on Unilocal with good reviews so decided to give it a try. Teriyaki Grill Monkey Wave is located in a small strip mall on Lincoln just west of Valley View Street with lots of parking so accessibility from my base in Cerritos was straightforward. At the peak lunch hour when I entered the place to be very small just a couple of tables. It was also completely empty which was not a comforting sign to start with (by the end of my meal the place was almost full so it is popular with locals) but I decided to get the combination chicken and beef teriyaki plate ($ 6.95) which comes with macaroni salad, green salad and a small drink. The person behind the register was very sweet and did not rush me or anything so ordering was pretty smooth. I could also pay by card which was another plus. After paying it was a reasonable 10 minute wait for the food.
Taste wise the chicken and beef teriyaki were both cooked well and were extremely juicy. The beef was thinly sliced like what you would get in a bulgogi. I prefer the chunky pieces of beef that you typically get at Rascals but that is a personal preference and Monkey Wave’s version was cooked perfectly. The macaroni salad had a very home made feel to it. It was light and not very creamy and could do with a little more seasoning but I guess that’s what you should expect in Japanese food. The green salad was essentially just lettuce topped with a dressing that was a cross between a ranch and a vinaigrette so it had a nice taste but was not very heavy. This entire plate felt like a very home cooked meal which I don’t mind once in a while. What I didn’t like was the overall quantity of food. It was not tiny like a kids meal but it was surely targeted at the light eater and unfortunately left me wanting a lot more.
Overall I was not overly impressed with what I ate but was just about satisfied. I feel that they need to have a «large» version of this dish on the menu so that voracious eaters like myself can indulge, in the absence of that I’m not too inclined to return.

Cute place with great service!
Picked this place out for dinner mainly because the name of the shop was fun to say out loud.
The food was as good as could be expected but I’ll definitely have to come back to try their curry katsu plate.
I loved the art on the wall too, not the tins specifically, but the crayon-​drawn pictures that somebody’s kids must have drawn.
The service was great, the staff was happy to answer questions about the menu and they even let my friend and I stay while we finished chatting and catching up as they cleaned ans closed up.
If you’re looking for a casual Japanese restaurant, look no further!

While running an errand in Cypress yesterday, I got hungry and trusted Unilocal to find a good restaurant for me to sit and eat at. Came across about 4 decent restaurants near me, and after further review, decided to give TGMW a shot.
The food: I wanted to try the Monkey Wave special since it was a crowd favorite. The chicken, both grilled and katsu style were really good. i asked for extra sauce on the grilled chicken which made it very juicy. The beef, mediocre. Not that great. Kinda dry. The rice had some salmon, or fishy taste to it. I also noticed small bits of fish on the rice. Not very tasty. Macaroni salad was ok. Free drink with your meal, nice!
The restaurant was empty, I was the only one there. From the time I showed up and ordered, til the time i finished, about 45 mins later, nobody walked in. Not once. I was there around 3 PM, lunch time. The place was clean. Given that I was the only one there, the service was A1.
What I didn’t like was that one of the employees came to my table every minute. Every time he asked if the food and everything was ok, my response was always the same, yes. But he insisted on coming every minute. Another thing that bothered me was that he stood there and talked to me for about 10 mins. Come on bro, can I enjoy my meal? I had no interest of hearing what he had to say. ok, I’m lying, maybe the first few things yes, but to ramble for 10 mins? Can i eat?!
Don’t know if the store is always this empty, the food is good overall. Check it out some time

OMG the rock moco is SOOOO good! I love the idea of a loco moco but instead of using gravy, Japanese curry!!! Also had the curry fries and it was so good. We ate so fast!
The people who work there are super nice! Friendly, accommodating, and always checking in. This place has easily become one of my favorite local spots already (I’m so glad I live so close!). DEFINITELY coming back soon. Like, maybe tomorrow.
Ps. Lunch special: free 20oz fountain drink with any combo plate. And if you’re a local, make sure to ask for a stamp card: D

Okay. I gave them a sec. chance and I luv this place!
The portions are a bit small but hey, you don’t need to eat that much people!
Quality is great and the service is always good here. Super friendly and kind. Just my type of joint to grab a quick quality meal.
Try their Tonkatsu Ramen! it was authentic and delish!

After reading a review of a Unilocaler I trust this sounded like a good idea. Cute name Teriyaki Grill Monkey Wave (there goes my MAN CARD again), close to home, 4 star Unilocalarino reviews. It sounded like a great deal for din din with the kids.
First impressions: Ok its 6:45 and this place is a ghost town. We were happily greeted by a super friendly young Japanese dude (YFJD) who was both nice and informative about the menu choices to be had and options not on the menu.
FOOD ORDERED:
Shrimp balls … Takoyiki balls but with shrimp
Tonkotsu Ramen… Chashu, pork broth, tamago (egg), green onions, red ginger, bamboo shoots, kamaboko, sesame seeds.
Beef Teri Bowl … Beef teri with carrots and broccoli over white rice
Roc Moc Plate = Curry Loco Moco … A twist on the HI island favorite with curry over the beef patties, rice and egg with a side of green salad and macaroni salad.

Monkey Wave Combo … Teri beef, Teri Chicken, and Karaage Chicken with a side of green salad and macaroni salad.
FOOD TASTE:
Shrimp balls … The guy at the register asked me if I liked Takoyaki «heck yea» I replied. He said these were like T-​balls but better with shrimp. UGGG These were gross! A nicely battered ball filled with a unknown gravy and a tiny shrimp. No takoyaki sauce no bonito flakes, just yuck! I quit after two 1*Star
Tonkotsu Ramen … Daughter loved it except for the tamago (egg), green onions, red ginger, bamboo shoots, kamaboko, but she never eats that stuff (I do). Other than that she gave it 4****Stars,
I tasted it and the broth was ok the chāshū was meh but I wouldn’t recommend the ramen here. I gave it 2.5**Stars
Beef Teri Bowl … My youngest ordered this and it was a perfect bowl for her. She even ate the broccoli and carrots she gave it a 4****Star
Roc Moc Plate … YFJD recommended this over the normal Moco Loco plate. Ok who am I to argue with the boss. I was however wishing I had gone mainstream beef gravy as the curry on my egg, rice and small burger patties didn’t work well for me. The curry was ok, but I prefer GRAVY! Like my Moc Loc old school. The mac salad was yuk and the green salad was ok 2.5 Stars
Monkey Wave Combo … Son got the taster plate. Teri beef tasty but stringy, Teri Chicken (YUM the best thing I tried here!), and Karaage Chicken was so so. Same sides as above. 3.5***Stars
Service and Ambience:
The YJFD was super he checked on us several times, brought drink refills etc. The place was also very clean. Not one single grain of rice on the floor. Many more patrons came after us and seemed happy. But monkeys are always fun. Ok so I did the Monkey Wave Dance. Now I know if I want a great teri chicken bowl this is the place to go to, but don’t expect anything else to stand out. The kids liked it better than me.
Not likely to come back.

I’m so glad this opened here because the La Palma/​Cypress area lacks good asian food. The food here is DELICIOUS and service is really great. They make you feel like a valued customer and tell you about how long the food will take to cook. Parking is a cinch and you order at the counter. The only critic I have about Money Wave is that they close at 8pm everyday. but you shouldn’t be eating that late anyways!
I’ve tried their Monkey Wave Special and also their ramen. The Monkey Wave Special is the most bang for your buck because you get chicken teriyaki, chicken karage, their tender thinly sliced beef, and a little bit of salmon on a big bed of rice. The special also comes with macaroni salad and a drink. I really like their beef here because it’s so juicy and has more flavor and less fat than Yoshinoya.
I was pleasantly surprised at how good the ramen tasted! I’d rather go to Monkey Wave now than drive all the way to Shinsengumi and wait for a table. My brother ordered extra noodles for a dollar or two but I thought the amount they gave was perfect.
On my next visit, I know I will be very conflicted about what to order because everything I’ve tried tastes so good, but I also want to try more things! I’ve heard that the Ebiyaki and Loco Moco are other dishes worth trying!

A student of mine who NEVER says anything to me that isn’t sarcastic told me about this place, and I decided to try it out immediately.
What I love about this place:
1. Easy to find.
2. Friendly staff: I wanted something the sign said they ran out of, and the chef said he’ll make it for me special. If that’s not customer service, I don’t know what is.
3. Freshness of food: so the thing I wanted? California rolls. I think they were the freshest rolls I’ve ever had.
4. It’s not a chain!
What you may not like about this place:
1. Wow, is it small!!! Don’t bring a party of 10 in here!
2. Very limited menu. The thing is, if you’re ok with what they serve (which I was), it won’t seem limited. But I can see how some people might complain about this place.
This is now my go-​to ramen (yes, they recently started serving — nothing fancy, just the old fashion stuff) and teriyaki place. Did I mention I can walk here in 15 minutes!!! BONUS.

My wife and I ate here for lunch last weekend after finishing up a routine dentist appointment. Teeth were nice and clean and ready to be dirtied up with some food.
This small eatery is where Cambino’s BBQ used to be. I had to try this place for the name alone. Teriyaki Grill Monkey Wave is owned by a super friendly Japanese husband and wife team. Menu has teriyaki, katsu, kaarage, loco moco, ramen, and a few other items. There’s many combos to choose from if you want to taste a few different things.
To start off with my wife and I shared a huge bowl of freshly steamed edamame sprinkled lightly with salt. Came out steaming hot and cooked perfectly. Huge portion enough to share with larger groups.
My wife and I both had the teriyaki beef & chicken combo plate which came with macaroni salad and a small green salad. I was pleasantly surprised to receive my meal on an actual plate and not a Styrofoam container. I nice touch that saves the environment and makes the dining experience better in my opinion. Paper thin beef and grilled chicken thigh laid over a bed of steamed rice. Chicken had a great flavor from the grill marks from an obviously well seasoned grill. Chicken was tender as was the beef. No gristle or chewy pieces. Their homemade teriyaki sauce isn’t too sweet and really compliments the meat perfectly. I just wish it had more. If I wanted more they charge 50 cents. I guess the good thing is I was able to appreciate the flavor of the meat. If they had a squeeze bottle of teriyaki sauce laying around I most likely would have doused my food in it.
The simple looking salad had a delicious sesame dressing that’s obviously homemade. Lots of flavor packed into that dressing. The macaroni salad though was completely flavorless. They really need to work on that since to me it just tasted like boiled pasta with no other flavor.
All in all we both really enjoyed our lunches and will definitely be back for more. The excellent customer service alone will make me come back.

I have to respectfully buck the consensus here. I’m not loving the food here.
I was trying to give my wife a break and take the boy out for a nice picnic. I needed ramen for that and thought I found it when my Unilocal app directed me here. And by the way, who can’t resist coming here with a name like Monkey Wave and a four star rating. It had to be good, right?
I ordered a couple of combos and then the ramen. «Sorry sir, we don’t sell ramen «to go» what the heck is that. I should have left then and there and went next door to a phở place. But the combos were intriguing, so I still got it. The boy just had to eat Karaage instead of ramen. Oh man, disappointments galore!
Here’s the rundown:
Monkey Wave Special– this is the works. Chicken teriyaki, beef teriyaki, karaage (think Japanese chicken nuggets) w/​a side of macaroni salad and a green salad. Sounds good doesn’t it.
Here’s how this dish was constructed.
A bed of rice
A layer of salmon pieces
The three meats on top.
Every time you take a bite, pieces of the fish is in the rice and meat. I like salmon, but this didn’t work for me. I got salmon flavor with every bite, keep reading, you’ll know why. .
For teriyaki chicken & beef, there was a lack of teriyaki sauce. Chicken was dry. Karaage was fried well, but was bland. The macaroni salad was bland. The salad lacked flavor.
Disappointing dish to me. I don’t like bland food. All I could taste was the salmon.
Saba & Karaage Combo — Saba aka mackerel was okay. Wifey ate one piece of the Karaage & threw out the rest away.
You get a free 20oz drink with a purchase of a combo.
Service was okay.
The place was busy during the lunch rush hour. A lot of take out orders. It’s a small place with limited dining area.
Bathroom was unisex and clean.
Sorry folks, Japanese food have subtle flavors, I get it, but not BLAND.
The Karaage was super disappointing. If you want to know what a Karaage should taste like, go to At Home Kitchen or even Bentoss in a Gardena. That’s what it should taste like.
Monkey Wave is a cute name, but I’m not a fan.
I’ll definitely NOT be back

I wavered between 4 and 5 stars but in the end I decided that, because they offer a menu that is cheaper, healthier and more delicious than fast food, they deserve a high rating.
Practically hidden in a strip mall is this tiny place that serves great food with enthusiastic & friendly customer service. There aren’t many tables but when I arrived for lunch there were several open. The place is kept very clean. They have a small menu and you order at the counter then they bring your food to your table.
I ordered the chicken katsu curry plate; the chicken was good quality and was served on a bed of rice and was covered in an authentic Japanese curry. A simple house salad of greens and dressing along with a macaroni salad with peas and carrot pieces came as sides. The lunch came with a free soft drink — I’m not sure if this is always the case or if this was a limited time special.
Everything was simple yet fresh and tasty. The portion was filling but not enough that you feel stuffed. If you have a big appetite you might want to consider an extra side dish. Don’t come expecting the food to be at the same level as a fancy Japanese restaurant; this food is not complex yet still yummy. For the price of less than what you’d pay for fast food, this is a MUCH better option in all respects.