50 Best Japanese Restaurants in Honolulu

“Food is so delicious and staff extremely helpful and attentive“

“Food is ALWAYS delicious and the staff is so kind and attentive! Katsu-san creates the most beautiful sashimi platters and omakase sushi!“

“Amazing dining experience.“

“Have been coming here for the past 3 years. And have had wonderful meals everytime.
So when it was time for my Grandmother's 93rd birthday. We booked the private room for 21 people.
Service was just the best we have ever had.
Our server was polite and communicated so well to accommodate our large party.
Food was excellent and came out fast.
Ordered multiple set menu items and ala carte dishes. And some party members were vegetarian and they were able to accommodate their dietary needs.
Over all expectations were exceeded.
Thank you for making this day special.“

“Great tasty food. seating of patrons is suspect. be aware if you order a lot, all the dishes come out at once. my only complaint that they should either have the kitchen fix this process or have the server communicate this. we ordered 6 dishes and they came out all at once on a tiny table.“

“I had the unexpected pleasure of enjoying drinks and snacks at Obake. We were early for reservations at Skull and Crown. The hostess recommended Obake, which is their sister bar and restaurant, just around the corner. We were seated at the counter across from chef Christian and watched him craft all the handrolls served during our visit. First, the drinks: we had the Momiji, the Will o' the Whisp, the Fallen Angel, and the Feels like Summer. This isn't your everyday bar. The cocktails took some time to craft, but they did not disappoint . The Momiji was their nod to fall, while the Feels like Summer, well, you get it. While each drink was light and enjoyable, my favorite was the FLS. A nod to the Old Fashioned, but light and bright.

The house pickles and Yukari Fries were perfect sharing plates. We also tried the Hamachi, Summer Toro, Ho Hayn, and Bangsilog rolls. The Summer Toro had strawberries in it that paired beautifully with the spicy Toro. The Ho Hayn was served with a small dish of Hawaiian chili pepper water, either dipped in the water or followed by a chaser sip of the water. The Ho Hayn left me wanting more. The Bangsilog was probably my favorite just because it brought me back to breakfast in my Filipino mother's kitchen. It was all the flavors of my childhood in one roll.

Our server, whose name slips my memory, was a delight. She was attentive and explained the concepts behind the drinks she brought us.

Christian was a joy to watch and a joy to speak with.

Thank you for an enjoyable evening.“

“Great appetizers and drinks!“

“If you're looking for an authentic taste of Japan with exceptional quality, Tempura KiKi is the place to go. From the moment you step inside, the ambiance exudes a traditional Japanese charm, perfectly setting the stage for a delightful dining experience.

The tempura at Tempura KiKi is, without a doubt, some of the best I've ever had. Each piece, whether it was the shrimp, seasonal vegetables, or fish, was lightly battered and fried to golden perfection. The crispiness was spot-on, and you could tell that the ingredients were of the highest quality – fresh, delicate, and absolutely flavorful. What truly sets Tempura KiKi apart is their attention to detail. The tempura wasn’t greasy at all, and every bite melted in my mouth, retaining the pure flavor of each ingredient.

Beyond the food, the service was fantastic. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely kind. They were quick to explain the menu, making sure I had everything I needed without being overbearing. It made me feel welcome and appreciated as a guest.

If you’re a fan of tempura or just want a taste of authentic Japanese cuisine, Tempura KiKi should be at the top of your list. It’s a gem of a restaurant with an unbeatable combination of amazing food and stellar service. I can’t wait to return!“

“to keep it short. I'm not brushing my teeth tonight“

“Great service😊 Friendly staff ❤️“

“We had a lovely experience during our visit. The food is amazing, the sushi was very fresh and the fried rice was also very good. And the service was spectacular! Highly recommended!!

If you are a Korean and are traveling to Waikiki, definitely stop by!! It's really delicious and the owner is very kindㅜㅜ“

“I love Marugame Udon! The location was great, there was no line, and the food was made instantly. I got the BK sauce ontama with an extra egg and it was only $10! So filling, yummy, and decently priced. As a broke college student struggling with the prices of O’ahu, this restaurant is a blessing. Will be back 100%.“

“Nana Musubi serves up fresh, filling, and flavorful onigiri with unique options like Wasabi Pork and Garlic Shrimp. The rice is cooked perfectly, and the portion sizes are satisfying without feeling heavy—even after eating three.

The only downside? The filling-to-rice ratio could be better. A bit more balance, and it’d be a 10/10.

Still, I strongly recommend it and will definitely be going back for more!“

“It has been a while since I ate Japanese BBQ. The kind waitress helped us to choose on the menu. The meat melts in our mouths.
I wish they offered more small side dishes, like pickles, cucumbers... the kimchi was delicious.

I will definitely come back!“

“This is a really good Musubi restaurant.. 👍🏻It shouldn't be known, but I made it known😍 It's so delicious♥️ You have to go early to get the popular Musubi. If you're traveling to Hawaii, be sure to buy some before your tour.

Parking: Street parking“

“High quality sushi you can order by pieces, price point is on the higher end but food quality well justified it. All pieces we ordered didn’t have tendon parts you can’t chew, they were very fresh, decent sized. Their wasabi’s freshly grounded version. Would definitely come back again!

The decor looked a bit cheap tho and the lighting of the restaurant didn’t offer any ambiance, didn’t create a feeling that we’d like to stay for a long time and enjoy our food, but rather, let’s eat then leave. Efficiency seems to run in all aspects of the restaurant. You order food on a iPad and pieces delivered directly from kitchen via a conveyor belt.“

“Our favorite local katsu place. You can't go wrong with either tonkatsu or the shrimp katsu. The tonkatsu is layers and layers of tender pork. The shrimp katsu is chunks of shrimp in a patty, then coated with panko. The shrimp is always tender and never rubbery. The bentos come with rice, a small scoop of potato salad on a bed onf lettuce, hasu, edemame, takuwan, katsu sauce and toasted sesame seeds. The katsu comes on abed of finely shredded cabbage. Shrimp katsu comes with a remoulade type sauce.“

“Came here for the $32 lunch special, what a great deal! High quality meats and unlimited sides, soda, curry and Dave's ice cream!!! Nice atmosphere, comfortable and great music. Alex our server was exceptional as usual. Love everything about this place! Our new go to!“

“There's not enough space to right the good things about this place. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted and acknowledged by everyone, including the sushi chefs. Water and drink order is perfectly timed. Whether you order teishoku complete meals or sushi, the flavor and and portions are spot on. If you choose to sit at the sushi counter, the spread is just amazing. From white fish, tuna, to shellfish and sometimes even a fruit or plant to cleanse the pallet. I would recommend reservations as this place is always busy. Takeout is also very good!“

“Nice atmosphere and tasty food 🍱“

“Fresh made to order Masubi“

“Please support your local businesses! This is a hidden gem and the food is delicious. The lady that waited on me was wonderful and informative. I had the Salmon Donburi (poke bowl) with the Miso soup (about 1/2 cup). For those of you who like the aesthetics of a meal, it was prepared in a delightful and beautiful manner. I felt bad that I had to eat the beautifully prepared dish. The soup was good and the Salmon donburi was salted to a perfection and the rest of the bowl (avocado, cabbage, greens) complemented it well.“

“Take and go musubi !! Second location both close by!!“

“I was ono for some sushi and soki soup combo. So good.. just like baban used to make.?“

“お蕎麦はもちろん今回は雲丹、いくら、帆立の海鮮丼がとても美味しかったです。 ランチセットがリーズナブルです👍“

“Best tsukamem! Large portion of noodles with excellent dipping sauce. Neighbors eating fried chicken and fries which looked delicious. One wait staff took care of the entire place with great efficiency. Would go back again.“

“small but very mighty. delicious food, friendly staff..... awesome“

“So delicious“

“Love the food. Delicious. Fresh and hot“

“**edit 10/20** been here 2 more times now, its my go to lunch place when im in the area for authentic Japanese food? Tried their Tonkotsu ramen with side rice and gyoza, and also the Daily Special which was the Aimori bento (chicken karaage and ginger pork). Friendly service and food that is made to order??**

Legit little authentic Japanese diner/take out place that I stumbled upon looking for another restaurant in Honolulu. Located in the building with restaurants on King Street and Keeaumoku, where Sushi Sasabune is located. This place is at the end to the left.

There was a late lunch crowd when i walked in so took a little while to be seated. Note that this place is run by two people so if youre in a rush, this isnt the place for you as the food is prepared on order so it takes some time.

They were running a promotion the day i went, which was Niku no hi, or Meat Day where if you ordered a specific meal, you would get 150% more. Since it was my first time here, the waitress suggested the popular Karaage Fried Chicken Plate, which I gladly ordered.

Took a while for the meal to arrive since there were two parties seated in front of me, and their meals looked great too... Especially the ramen. When my meal arrived it was piping hot, the way I like it. Squeeze the lemon on and it came with a shoyu dipping sauce that I felt didnt need. The chicken was crisp, not oily and already marinated before fried just like you would eat in Japan.

There was more chicken than I could eat in one sitting so I took half of it home. Would recommend if in the area, Im sure their other dishes are excellent too?5 stars.

Parking: Free parking lot in the back of restaurant and street metered parking in front (free if on Sundays)“

“The food was absolutely delicious! I love everything and how it was in such a good price for hot pot. The service was quick and got seated in minutes. The server was sweet and checked on us to make sure how everything is. I saw how quick our food came out. The food was hot and fresh and the chicken was crispy. The soup was very flavorful. Each plating was so unique and beautiful. And how we didn’t had to wait that long for our service. I will definitely come back and highly recommend others to come.“

“A really respectable Japanese curry at a great price. The server was super attentive even during the lunch rush (I'm pretty sure my drink was never empty). This place is all about the fundamentals and is really no frills, but it does those fundamentals really well and doesn't charge you out the ass which is pretty rare in downtown.“

“10/09/24: My partner suggested we stop by here for Inari and I was very glad we did! We tried 6 different flavors: bulgogi, unagi, kimchi bacon, corn salad, imitation crab salad, spicy ahi. I had trouble figuring out what was my favorite because they were all very tasty. They were all reasonably priced as well. Would definitely stop by here again during our next visit!

Parking: Parking in the garage was fairly easy, but this was on a Wednesday morning/afternoon.“

“お蕎麦はもちろん今回は雲丹、いくら、帆立の海鮮丼がとても美味しかったです。 ランチセットがリーズナブルです👍“

“Finally got back to this place on a lunch run in Kalihi. When you want a hearty local style brekkie plate with the famous garlic chicken that will leave a lasting reminder when you burp all day this is the place yessa?

The place moved a couple years ago to a newer shopping plaza with ample parking across New City Nissan, and now accepts credit card and they also answer the phone to take phone orders so that helps make the lines here shorter... Iykyk.

I always get the Breakfast Combo special deluxe with garlic chicken, 2 bacon, scrambled eggs and fried rice. A classic local brekkie when youre hungry. Prices have gone up so its around $13 bucks plus tax but its comfort food. Support local.... 5 stars??“

“Excellent food. Friendly staff“

“food is great. staff is usually pretty good but there are occasional rude staff, but the managers seem nice.

the restaurant itself is really cramped so it's probably better to eat outside.

Parking: paid parking lot. like almost all the shops in SALT, validation is for 1 hour only. probably be better to park street and take out.“

“They had GOOD WAIT Services , FOOD WAS AUTHENTIC & DELICIOUS!!!I WILL RECOMMEND TO ALL MY FAMILY & FRIENDS TO DINE THERE!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏AWESOME COOKS & RECIPES!!!“

“Catered lunch from this place for an office party today & let me just say that from the start we had AMAZING service. It started from The gentleman on the phone who took our order to the perfectly organized bentos in the box ready for pick up. We thoroughly enjoyed the food & still amazed how on top of it this establishment was! True definition of great food & even better service ❤️“

“ono grindz...a must when go Oahu“

“Everything was great from entering the restaurant till we left stuffed. Ventilation is great knowing how the cooking is table side. Though as entertaining as it was throughout dinner, set up leaves little opportunities for conversations cross table, but that's not you go there for. Larger parties should definitely consider the private dining area available. Overall very nice dining experience.“

“The courses were expertly prepared, and each bite was incredible. Standouts were the eggplant with bonito/ginger, and the nori wrapped Hokkaido uni. The fish and shrimp tempura were expectedly amazing as well.

The staff was warm and sincere from beginning to end, including chef Kiyoshi Chikano, who greeted us as we walked in, and came over to say goodbye to us on our way out.

By no means do I consider myself a food expert, but I've had the pleasure of dining at a modest assortment of one to three star Michelin restaurants. I consider Tempura Ichikawa among the best experiences I've had. Can't wait to come again.“

“Authentic Okinawa food. Friendly attentive servers. Hot delicious food. . Option for complete meal. Daily Specials. Generous servings. Affordable prices. Can make reservations.“

“Modest Japanese spot that doles out some solid Japanese staples. Enjoyed ahi belly, tempura, and the sake. The waitress recommended the sake and it was very smooth. The steak was also good according to my partner. However, we both agreed that the food we ordered tasted underseasoned to us. Maybe that’s how traditional Japanese food is. Service wise, room for improvement, as they didn’t bring us spoons for soup and it took us some time to finally grab ahold of someone to request. All in all, solid spot.“

“Oxtail soup is a gentle soup with the flavor of beef tail meat that has been simmered until tender and tender. It's topped with green onions and coriander, and served with ginger, soy sauce, and white rice on the side.

When I looked at the tables of customers around me, I saw that many of them were eating curry...I tried the cutlet curry. As a result, we got it right! I ordered the regular size, but it was huge and had two freshly fried cutlets!

We went as a couple, and I thought it would have been better to order the tail soup and cutlet curry in mini sizes.

You can pay by card, but you can pay by card. 3% charge will be added.“

“Kokoro-tei used to be my favorite bento place for the Nori Kara, the Nori Kara Deluxe and Nori Salmon Deluxe costing really cheap and containing lots of food for the price. Before and during covid, they closed their waikiki location and became exclusively a take out place. After covid, you can only step inside a few feet, order and wait outside.

My advice, check their website for daily specials and call it in. I've called my order in and also ordered in person. I have to say, the wait outside...is of significant time, roughly 20 to 30 mins for your food (my orders are typical one item). That's because they get lots of orders per day, so the wait can be very long.

In general service is typically slow.

For atmosphere, I wish they allowed space inside their shop to wait. During the day, and waiting outside, it's hot and often smells/stinks. Some hang out in their cars and come back when its ready.

Anyways, good bento place. Best to call in and pick up. There is no sit down place to eat, take out only.

Parking: Parking in front of the restaurant on beretania street. Also available, parking on the ongrade lot. Parking sign, i believe says 1 hr in parking stalls 1 through 20.“

“完璧な This is a favorite restaurant!“

“Delicate and varied flavours. Also, real wasabi and melt in your mouth sashimi!“

“I have never had SPAM before and I’m not a fan of nori. This was a huge leap of faith from me. We got 2 of the teriyaki original musubi, 1 black pepper musubi, and 1 plum musubi. We then had to come back after we finished and grab another of the original teriyaki musubi. It was so good! My nose was bothered by the smell of nori from the place, but the taste wasn’t as heavy. I was really surprised. Definitely made fresh daily. The cost was obviously great and the rice portion was perfect for the spam slice. I’m shocked I enjoyed it as much as I did. Come hungry and leave happy for sure.“