Obento Japanese Express food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Belfast City
Obento Japanese Express holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The takeaway met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 5 March 2026, 4 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: 17 Royal Avenue, BT1 1FB
How it compares in Belfast City
In Belfast City, 73% of rated places manage a 5, so Obento Japanese Express sits behind roughly 2,619 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,117 | 73% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 502 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 230 | 8% | ← Obento Japanese Express | |
| 2 out of 5 | 46 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 253 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Obento Japanese Express none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Obento Japanese Express, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| B&M Bargains Retailers - other | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2025 |
| Agra Indian Cuisine & BFC Fried Chicken Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 157 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2024 |
| Bakari Manufacturers/packers | 227 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2026 |
| Auntie Anne's Retailers - other | 284 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2025 |
| Alexander Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 319 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 November 2023 |
| Andhra Bhavan Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 347 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2025 |
| 2 Taps Winebar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 368 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2026 |
| Am:pm Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 409 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2026 |
Questions about Obento Japanese Express
What is Obento Japanese Express's food hygiene rating?
Obento Japanese Express has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Belfast City Council on 5 March 2026.
Is Obento Japanese Express safe to eat at?
A 3 means the takeaway met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Obento Japanese Express last inspected?
Obento Japanese Express was last inspected on 5 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Belfast City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Obento Japanese Express?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Obento Japanese Express compare to other places in Belfast City?
73% of the 2,919 rated food businesses in Belfast City hold the top rating of 5, while Obento Japanese Express holds a 3. 230 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Belfast City Council inspects Obento Japanese Express and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Obento Japanese Express and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Belfast City inspects and rates 3,172 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Belfast City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/buildingcontrol-environment/foodsafety/consumers-foodhygienescheme.aspx
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →