So happy we finally came here. All of the staff are clearly well trained and are so kind. I loved the ambience too. They played cute Japanese upbeat jazz piano music and I liked how the lights were dimmed. The Tsukune was really delicious and the prices are decent! They informed us that they close at 10Pm and after 8pm they have happy hour prices. Lots of parking on site. Will definitely come back again.
Christoper Abe
Solid option for japanese restaurant, for non-raw fish dishes. I like that they offer less common japanese dishes like the Tsukunes, the steamed rice thing, and other varieties of dishes. Servers are oddly professional which was nice.It's not high-end japanese but its reasonably priced and the food is very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Christopher A.
Solid option for japanese restaurant, for non-raw fish dishes. I like that they offer less common japanese dishes like the Tsukunes, the steamed rice thing, and other varieties of dishes. Servers are oddly professional which was nice. It's not high-end japanese but its reasonably priced and the food is very good.
Moki S.
Answering the phone is really bad! If I call before 5 pm a lady would always answer but after 5 pm the phone would ring for over 7 minutes then the phone would click off. This occurred several times in a month. So I call another restaurant to make the reservations for dinner. I wonder how much longer they'll stay in business.
Dianna R.
The tsukune were so damn small for the price. Out of all the things I tried, the tsukune were the worst. The service was good, and the ambience was better than I expected. BUT they did not offer water after I finished my alcoholic drink. I had to ask for it. This place is more of a 3.5, but I rounded up.
Alex O.
Our group decided to go to the place on the corner from UH that we always pass but never tried. We made a reservation 2 days in advance via phone - easy to do and go our time slot as desired. We arrived at 5:30 and there were a few open tables on the left side where we were seated. The whole right side was empty. They have a very extensive menu and drinks menu - after much pondering, we decided on the following: Yakisoba - 9/10. We were pleasantly surprised by the Yakisoba. It was served on a hot plate with egg and ginger. It had a nice flavor and was a fun dish to watch the Bonito sway in the heat. Ray Fin- 7/10. It's not too often that restaurants have Ray Fin. The flavor was light, and it wasn't too chewy. The downsides were that the portion size was small, and the flavored mayo didn't complement it too well. Shiitake Tsukune - 7/10. They were pretty good - very juicy and more than a large mouthful. The shiitake had the chinese- restaurant style aftertaste that one of my guests did not enjoy instead of the fresh light flavor. Goma Tsukune - 4/10. Sadly, this dish did not resonate with me and was my least favorite dish of the night. It was their Tsukune with a layer of goma (sesame seeds) on top. Personally, I would have preferred a goma paste or sauce instead. Teriyaki Tsukune - 9/10. Their teriyaki sauce was quite good. I was surprised that this was as good as it was. Highly recommend. Yuzu Daikon Tsukune - 7/10. This had a surprising little spicy kick to it. The yuzu flavor is very light to the point that you may not actually taste it with the daikon and nori toppings. Interesting mix of flavors that could resonate with some, but it wasn't my favorite. Eel Kamameshi- 10/10. This dish was very good. They serve it as a standard kamameeshi but also have a stock, ume, Wasabi, negi, and shoyu to add for a makeshift ochazuke to completely change the flavor profile. Very pleasant and worth the wait. Also, the serving size was pretty good. Yuzu Sake- 8/10. Light, refreshing, and pleasant to sip. Normally, I perfer Chu Hai, but this was a nice change of pace. Azuki Parfait - 9/10. A great finisher to the night. There was a scoop of vanilla and green tea ice cream, two dollops of whipped cream, sliced apples, and a scoop of Azuki. The Azuki was pretty smooth and not too oppressive. It also was not too sweet or pasty. Non-azuki eaters would enjoy this dish. Overall, it was a nice experience. I still remember the days this location was a pizza hut, and the parking lot actually looks like it hasn't been fixed since those days, sadly. But, the servers were quite attentive and gave us good service. We plan to ask for the small rooms next time we come and try their sushi, sashimi, hot plate, or hot pot options. Till next time!
Allison S.
Husband & I are staying in Waikiki on vacation and wanted to find something less tourist-y. A quick Google search for nearby Japanese food led us here. The parking is a little rough and we drove right by on accident the first time so we were a little wary. However, this little hole in the wall was a real gem! We ordered the set menu that came with 3 little dishes, rice, and a large protein; 2 types of sake, yakisoba, a chicken skewer with honey mustard sauce, and the butter mochi with vanilla ice cream. Everything was very very delicious and we were pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive it was. Lots of food, lots of flavor, not lots of cash :) the waitstaff was lovely, too. We really enjoyed this dinner!
J M
It's good to food, and the atmosphere is good as a date place with a
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bruna
We need to wait outside of the restaurant until the table is ready.The quality of food seems to be overrated.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
Belinda Hicks
Best Japanese restaurant on island! Amazing staff & cute aesthetic.
Loved it! A super relaxing atmosphere with a kind and attentive staff. The service was definitely a highlight. Loved having Sapporo on tap,The food was pretty good I had the fried okra and ramen. Both super simple plates, I would describe it as more classic than innovative, but nothing wrong with that!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Karl E.
i go to manoa, and i always see this place across the street, and i never really knew about it until i went to try it on my friend's bday, and it was pretty good. although the prices were relatively expensive for their small portions, it was pretty tastey. i loved their curry. the chicken gizzard was pretty good, brought me back to when i was young eating gizzard in the philippines...it just needs a little more seasoning and some sauce to make it perfect. their coffee jelly ice cream is REALLY good. like really damn good. i devoured that mf so fast. the waiters are nice. the store is a lil small, but spaced out tables although a little warm since the restaurant is a shack and i only counted two ac units but it's a neat place.
Terri O.
Been wanting to check out this place forever. I swear, it's been around since I was going to UH. That's a really long time ago. Anyway, finally made it for dinner with hubby. Wish I came sooner. Loved the food, loved our server, and (I know this sounds nuts, but) love their dishes. Yes, want to get some from Japan. I'm big on presentation when hosting dinners for friends. Only thing I didn't love was the room temperature. Maybe was just that night, but it was warm. When leaving, we saw a small air condition unit. Not sure if it just wasn't working. Even if it was, too small to cool off the restaurant. Thus, the 4 stars instead of 5.On to food...Agedashi Tofu: Different, but good. Their food is Nagoya style, so I'm guessing that accounts for the difference. Sauce was not as light as regular agedashi tofu dishes elsewhere, but both hubby and I liked it.Four Rice Balls: musubi shaped with 4 different toppings: ume, bonito, mushrooms, and I think salmon. Sorry, I can't remember but was all good!Japanese Potato Salad: Can't go wrong. Ordered the small and had plenty. Yum.Nagoya Chicken Miso Kushikatsu:I thought I would really love this cause I love miso and I love katsu. It was good, Just wasn't wow.Deep Fried Shrmp & Onion Kakiage: Think of a vegetable tempura; it was sort of like that, but with shrimp and onion. Was good, but wasn't a "gotta get it next time". To be honest, there are so many other things we'd like to try on our next visit here.Warabi Mochi with Matcha Ice Cream:This was the best out of everything we ordered. The warabi mochi was sooo soft and ono. Keep in mind, I love mochi and matcha. What a way to end a great meal.Coming back and bringing friends.
scott halsted
Experienced staff and delicious food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tyson Webster
Fun place to eat but not as many vegan options as I was hoping for.
So happy we finally came here. All of the staff are clearly well trained and are so kind. I loved the ambience too. They played cute Japanese upbeat jazz piano music and I liked how the lights were dimmed. The Tsukune was really delicious and the prices are decent! They informed us that they close at 10Pm and after 8pm they have happy hour prices. Lots of parking on site. Will definitely come back again.
Solid option for japanese restaurant, for non-raw fish dishes. I like that they offer less common japanese dishes like the Tsukunes, the steamed rice thing, and other varieties of dishes. Servers are oddly professional which was nice.It's not high-end japanese but its reasonably priced and the food is very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Solid option for japanese restaurant, for non-raw fish dishes. I like that they offer less common japanese dishes like the Tsukunes, the steamed rice thing, and other varieties of dishes. Servers are oddly professional which was nice. It's not high-end japanese but its reasonably priced and the food is very good.
Answering the phone is really bad! If I call before 5 pm a lady would always answer but after 5 pm the phone would ring for over 7 minutes then the phone would click off. This occurred several times in a month. So I call another restaurant to make the reservations for dinner. I wonder how much longer they'll stay in business.
The tsukune were so damn small for the price. Out of all the things I tried, the tsukune were the worst. The service was good, and the ambience was better than I expected. BUT they did not offer water after I finished my alcoholic drink. I had to ask for it. This place is more of a 3.5, but I rounded up.
Our group decided to go to the place on the corner from UH that we always pass but never tried. We made a reservation 2 days in advance via phone - easy to do and go our time slot as desired. We arrived at 5:30 and there were a few open tables on the left side where we were seated. The whole right side was empty. They have a very extensive menu and drinks menu - after much pondering, we decided on the following: Yakisoba - 9/10. We were pleasantly surprised by the Yakisoba. It was served on a hot plate with egg and ginger. It had a nice flavor and was a fun dish to watch the Bonito sway in the heat. Ray Fin- 7/10. It's not too often that restaurants have Ray Fin. The flavor was light, and it wasn't too chewy. The downsides were that the portion size was small, and the flavored mayo didn't complement it too well. Shiitake Tsukune - 7/10. They were pretty good - very juicy and more than a large mouthful. The shiitake had the chinese- restaurant style aftertaste that one of my guests did not enjoy instead of the fresh light flavor. Goma Tsukune - 4/10. Sadly, this dish did not resonate with me and was my least favorite dish of the night. It was their Tsukune with a layer of goma (sesame seeds) on top. Personally, I would have preferred a goma paste or sauce instead. Teriyaki Tsukune - 9/10. Their teriyaki sauce was quite good. I was surprised that this was as good as it was. Highly recommend. Yuzu Daikon Tsukune - 7/10. This had a surprising little spicy kick to it. The yuzu flavor is very light to the point that you may not actually taste it with the daikon and nori toppings. Interesting mix of flavors that could resonate with some, but it wasn't my favorite. Eel Kamameshi- 10/10. This dish was very good. They serve it as a standard kamameeshi but also have a stock, ume, Wasabi, negi, and shoyu to add for a makeshift ochazuke to completely change the flavor profile. Very pleasant and worth the wait. Also, the serving size was pretty good. Yuzu Sake- 8/10. Light, refreshing, and pleasant to sip. Normally, I perfer Chu Hai, but this was a nice change of pace. Azuki Parfait - 9/10. A great finisher to the night. There was a scoop of vanilla and green tea ice cream, two dollops of whipped cream, sliced apples, and a scoop of Azuki. The Azuki was pretty smooth and not too oppressive. It also was not too sweet or pasty. Non-azuki eaters would enjoy this dish. Overall, it was a nice experience. I still remember the days this location was a pizza hut, and the parking lot actually looks like it hasn't been fixed since those days, sadly. But, the servers were quite attentive and gave us good service. We plan to ask for the small rooms next time we come and try their sushi, sashimi, hot plate, or hot pot options. Till next time!
Husband & I are staying in Waikiki on vacation and wanted to find something less tourist-y. A quick Google search for nearby Japanese food led us here. The parking is a little rough and we drove right by on accident the first time so we were a little wary. However, this little hole in the wall was a real gem! We ordered the set menu that came with 3 little dishes, rice, and a large protein; 2 types of sake, yakisoba, a chicken skewer with honey mustard sauce, and the butter mochi with vanilla ice cream. Everything was very very delicious and we were pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive it was. Lots of food, lots of flavor, not lots of cash :) the waitstaff was lovely, too. We really enjoyed this dinner!
It's good to food, and the atmosphere is good as a date place with a
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We need to wait outside of the restaurant until the table is ready.The quality of food seems to be overrated.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
Best Japanese restaurant on island! Amazing staff & cute aesthetic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Loved it! A super relaxing atmosphere with a kind and attentive staff. The service was definitely a highlight. Loved having Sapporo on tap,The food was pretty good I had the fried okra and ramen. Both super simple plates, I would describe it as more classic than innovative, but nothing wrong with that!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
i go to manoa, and i always see this place across the street, and i never really knew about it until i went to try it on my friend's bday, and it was pretty good. although the prices were relatively expensive for their small portions, it was pretty tastey. i loved their curry. the chicken gizzard was pretty good, brought me back to when i was young eating gizzard in the philippines...it just needs a little more seasoning and some sauce to make it perfect. their coffee jelly ice cream is REALLY good. like really damn good. i devoured that mf so fast. the waiters are nice. the store is a lil small, but spaced out tables although a little warm since the restaurant is a shack and i only counted two ac units but it's a neat place.
Been wanting to check out this place forever. I swear, it's been around since I was going to UH. That's a really long time ago. Anyway, finally made it for dinner with hubby. Wish I came sooner. Loved the food, loved our server, and (I know this sounds nuts, but) love their dishes. Yes, want to get some from Japan. I'm big on presentation when hosting dinners for friends. Only thing I didn't love was the room temperature. Maybe was just that night, but it was warm. When leaving, we saw a small air condition unit. Not sure if it just wasn't working. Even if it was, too small to cool off the restaurant. Thus, the 4 stars instead of 5.On to food...Agedashi Tofu: Different, but good. Their food is Nagoya style, so I'm guessing that accounts for the difference. Sauce was not as light as regular agedashi tofu dishes elsewhere, but both hubby and I liked it.Four Rice Balls: musubi shaped with 4 different toppings: ume, bonito, mushrooms, and I think salmon. Sorry, I can't remember but was all good!Japanese Potato Salad: Can't go wrong. Ordered the small and had plenty. Yum.Nagoya Chicken Miso Kushikatsu:I thought I would really love this cause I love miso and I love katsu. It was good, Just wasn't wow.Deep Fried Shrmp & Onion Kakiage: Think of a vegetable tempura; it was sort of like that, but with shrimp and onion. Was good, but wasn't a "gotta get it next time". To be honest, there are so many other things we'd like to try on our next visit here.Warabi Mochi with Matcha Ice Cream:This was the best out of everything we ordered. The warabi mochi was sooo soft and ono. Keep in mind, I love mochi and matcha. What a way to end a great meal.Coming back and bringing friends.
Experienced staff and delicious food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fun place to eat but not as many vegan options as I was hoping for.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5