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    Asahi Grill Ward

    3.4 (563 reviews)
    Closed 7:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Asahi Grill Ward Photos

    Business Info

    ASAHI GRILL WARD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Opakapaka
    Gavin N.

    I took my sister, brother in law, nephew and niece to Asahi as they are visiting from the mainland and wanted a good home cooked style meal. They picked curry and ox tail soup, while I had my opakapaka. As always, the service was great. The ambiance was such that it was easy to have a nice conversation as the kids gobbled everything up. 10/10 recommend again!

    Specials, 9/23/23
    Keola K.

    Popped in for takeout brunch today. On the order: Spaghetti and Adobo Fried Rice. Got home and was instantly irritated, so this review was going in a totally different direction. Instead of my adobo fried rice, I had a regular fried rice. Call and they said they said if I can come back they will replace the wrong one. This is where we get back on rails. The adobo fried rice was ready and the said I could keep the regular fried rice. Haha so went from irritated to happy even if I had to come back. Free food and you have me at hello, haha. The spaghetti is always on point and the adobo fried rice was packed with flavor. And now I have more fried rice for dinner and lunch later.

    Marissa K.

    Ordered the chicken katsu plate and it was exactly what I wanted. The katsu was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with a light, crunchy breading that didn't feel greasy at all. The rice was fluffy and comforting, and the mac salad was creamy, slightly sweet, and classic--the perfect balance to the crispy chicken. Add a drizzle of katsu sauce and every bite just works. Simple, satisfying, and done right. This is solid comfort food you can't go wrong with. Would definitely order again.

    Okinawan Pigs feet soup (Sunday special only)
    Jeremiah U.

    Asahi Grill formerly known as Kapiolani Coffee Shop is serving great comfort food! Well-balanced with flavor and portions, each dish is well-prepared to create the warmth of enjoying a hearty meal. Each day has a specific special and a daily special for everyone to drool over. Price is reasonable and parking is available, but limited. Be careful on parking on other company's parking lot, you may get towed. Service is great. There was only one server, but she handled all the tables with ease. The interior was clean amd well maintained. A must try restaurant!

    Oxtail Soup
    Justin W.

    One of my go tos near ala moana - the oxtail soup is the excellent. 10/10 recommend - Lup cheong fried rice is good and filling - service was very fast when we went, it was only like 5 minutes till all our food arrived - pleasant staff and comfortable ambiance

    Asahi Breakfast comes with choice of Saba or Mahi-mahi or salmon, salad, rice, egg and soup but didn't receive soup.
    Ross T.

    Located on Ward Street is Asahi Grill they have parking which can hold up to 8-10 cars. We went in and waitress asked how many which I mentioned 2 and she sat us on a small table for 2 with 3/4 of the restaurant seating empty with couples seating on tables for 4 while there were only 2 tables in the whole restaurant that can sit 2 customers? Sat there for a while waiting for waitresses to take our order, when we were ready to leave the waitress came and asked if we were ready to order. I ordered the Asahi Grill breakfast which was salmon, eggs, salad, rice and miso soup, but didn't receive the miso soup which most Japanese breakfast always have. After asking the waitress she says if customers don't ask for soup they don't give? I saw 4 other customers eating the Asahi breakfast and all had miso soup? Told her why is it on the menu that say includes rice & soup? If it is optional it should not be included with meal rice & soup? She said they didn't take it off the menu? The salmon was good, green salad was fresh and rice was okay, eggs were like a flat hard pancake. My wife had the luncheon meat, scrambled egg and rice they have 2 eggs for these meals, the only way it can be this small serving is they are using 2 small eggs. Trying to eat and flies flying around and none of the workers do anything about getting rid of them? Hope they are not on the food waiting to be served! Restrooms are outside of building, they have separate men and women.

    Perfectly cooked mahi mahi yum
    Robert S.

    Update: Had a bad experience on a return visit. Ordered the chicken katsu and mahi combo. Portions both small and mahi not fresh. Very unsatisfying meal. Plus, left a nice tip in cash on table but when paying at the register, the filipino lady saw I didn't leave a tip on the credit card slip and questioned why I wasn't leaving a tip like its mandatory or something. A lot of nerve when paying $20+ for skimpy plate of old food and cash tip on table. Not going back here ever again.

    Chicken cutlet
    Brennan H.

    Came here to try the breakfast. It was super crowded at 10am on a Sunday. All of the tables were taken and luckily we got the last table as we walked in. I got the "big breakfast" since I thought it was the best deal, but was disappointed when the server said it only comes with portuguese sausage or bacon, not both. I thought it came with both based on how the menu was written (maybe they can add the word "or" to the menu". It was a good sized breakfast since it had pancakes and was filling. However I was a disappointed further because the pancake on the top was big, but the one under was considerably smaller. In addition, the egg was quite oily. The service was a bit slow, but at least water was refilled fairly often. Overall, I will probably go elsewhere in the future as I don't think it's worth the price sadly. Parking: Several stalls in the parking lot in front of the restaurant

    Clubhouse sandwich
    Suzie A.

    This is not a "five-star restaurant" - but it's five stars old-school because free parking in front, all comfort food especially oxtail soup, fast service and decent prices for today. Oh and no loud music so can have a conversation. Located on Ward Avenue, on Diamond Head side, makai of Kapiolani Blvd. Look for their green roof. Parking lot has 10-12 stalls. Inside there's a pick-up window and about 12 tables. Three in the middle can accommodate larger parties. No booths. Servers are nice, quick, efficient, reminds me of Kings Bakery, Tiki Tops, Smittys, Like Like Drive In. Hubby and I went on a Sunday at 11:00 am after the Book Fair in Kakaako. Both ordered club sandwich with fries and a fruit punch. Fries were excellent, sandwich perfectly constructed with right amount of everything on a lightly toasted Japanese-kine bread. Fruit punch was how I always remembered it as a kid. One thing missing was a dill pickle but that's okay, we still enjoyed. Price was fair and comparable to other similar places. Be careful exiting lot as cars come pulling in fast from side street.

    Menu
    CJ K.

    Best oxtail soup I've ever had for a decent price too!! As a kid growing up, I'd always get their fried rice with over easy eggs. To this day it's still one of the top 5 fried rices I've ever had. Staff was always friendly, helpful, and respectful. And after your meal you can treat yourself to a complementary peppermint candy as well The only issue here is the limited parking spots. But other than that, great service and amazing tasting food for affordable prices! 5 stars

    Ann N.

    It's been a year and still a good, basic, way better than Zippys homestyle kinda place. I had the spicy ahi don and wish it was a bigger bowl. A side of mac salad hit the spot. We came around 1:30pm and it was pretty empty. Service was good and parking was available given it was past the rush time.

    Oxtail Ramen.  Wow...that looked so good to enjoy there.
    Matt O.

    Well...where do I start? I surely didn't anticipate coming to Asahi Grill on a Wednesday, and didn't know if it was gonna rain that day. The place screams old-school with the way the decor looked. It felt like I was actually in a local sit-down restaurant. I ended up eating their Oxtail Ramen, which...was not that bad at all. The depth of flavor in the broth really held up well to the ramen noodles. Super rich and flavorful, especially when I had a bite of the Oxtail with some of the noodles and the herbs. It was a great bite. I think I added a little too much ginger in the broth, which might have changed this review a little bit differently. Overall though, the ramen was very hearty and delicious to enjoy. I highly would recommend this place for sure. Maybe next time I'll try something else if given the opportunity. For me, Asahi gets a 9.5 out of 10. It was a good experience for what it's worth.

    Oxtail soup w/rice

    Sadly, this place isn't what it used to be anymore...I used to be a regular here, but it's been a while since my last visit. I went in today feeling hungry and decided to order the regular-sized oxtail soup--which used to be huge! When my order arrived, I was honestly surprised by how small it was. The price is now $26, and unfortunately, the taste just isn't the same either. It's a bummer because this used to be my go-to spot. I'm hoping they can get back to their former quality and portion sizes soon....

    Small oxtail soup with two scoop rice

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    11 months ago

    Best oxtail soup in town. The original from kapiolani kitchen and Kamen bowl. Good with two scoops of rice and some ginger.

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    11 months ago

    Lupchong fried rice, hamburger steak and gravy. Ox tail soup good but very expensive. Nice place to go with your family.

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    2 years ago

    We enjoyed the oxtail soup. They also have other items we enjoy like the chopped steak and the miso butterfish.

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    Helena's Hawaiian Food

    Helena's Hawaiian Food

    4.4(4.5k reviews)
    2.4 miKalihi
    $$

    Store has a small parking lot of 10 cars, so you may have to find street parking like we did. Came…read morehere for lunch, first thing was needing to sign in through waitlist on yelp from kiosk outside. They'll call you along with announcing your name, so make sure the entire party is there. There's water outside while you're waiting. You'll need to scan the QR code to take a look at the menu. Service was quick as they brought out the food within a few minutes after ordering. It's really busy inside with limited seating. However, servers and busboys are ready to clear and clean the tables for the next guests within a few minutes of any tables leaving. First time having poi (fermented crushed taro) and laulau (slow cooked fatty pork), which were solid picks. They go well together. Really liked the haupia at the end. Atmosphere was good. No rush to finish our food. I did wish they had the butterfish as that was out for the day when we arrived.

    I was looking forward to eating at Helena's Hawaiian Food, but unfortunately my experience with the…read moreservice was incredibly disappointing. When ordering, I mentioned that I probably wouldn't be able to finish all of my food and would take the rest to go. Because I said that, I was told I would NOT be allowed to eat inside the restaurant and that my entire order had to be takeout. I was honestly shocked. I was a paying customer ordering a full meal and simply said I would take whatever I couldn't finish with me--which is something people do at restaurants every day. I even added a 20% tip to my order. I tried to explain the misunderstanding at the front counter. I explained that I absolutely wanted to eat my meal there; I was only saying that because I knew I wouldn't be able to finish everything, I wanted to take my leftovers with me afterward. The employee at the front counter with tattoos refused to hear my explanation. Her answer was completely black-and-white: either my order was "to go" OR I could eat it there. There was no willingness to listen to what I was actually saying or resolve what should have been a very simple misunderstanding. Their customer service model simply doesn't make any sense to me. Why should a paying customer be forced to choose between eating their entire meal inside or ordering everything to go simply because they know in advance that they'll need a container for their leftovers? Taking home food you don't finish is an ordinary part of dining at a restaurant. I wasn't asking for anything unusual or special. I simply wanted to sit down, eat the food I had purchased, and take whatever I couldn't finish with me afterward. The interaction felt unnecessarily rude and incredibly unwelcoming. I had specifically come here because I wanted to experience a well-known local Hawaiian restaurant, and instead I was made to feel like I wasn't welcome to sit down and eat the food I had just purchased--even after leaving a 20% tip. Unfortunately, I never even got the opportunity to enjoy the restaurant because of how I was treated. Very disappointing experience and definitely not the kind of hospitality I expected.

    Photos
    Helena's Hawaiian Food - New larger inside dining area

    New larger inside dining area

    Helena's Hawaiian Food - Menu B: Kalua Pig And Pipikaula Short Ribs

    Menu B: Kalua Pig And Pipikaula Short Ribs

    Helena's Hawaiian Food - Inside

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    Inside

    Highway Inn Kaka'ako - Mochiko Chicken

    Highway Inn Kaka'ako

    4.1(2k reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Highway Inn is highly recommended for their classic Hawaiian dishes. We made our way over at…read moreopening last Thursday for an early lunch. Our server was very helpful and even brought out a pamphlet explaining each dish. After reading it over, the three of us decided to each try one of the signature Hawaiian combo plates. LAU LAU COMBO (PORK) - 22.99 + poi + lomi salmon The set came out in cafeteria-style trays, almost like a grade school lunch. Our server recommended eating the main entree and lomi salmon with poi, a fermented taro paste. Judging by how it looked, I thoroughly expected the poi to be sweet, but it was actually much more sour, almost like yogurt. I didn't enjoy it too much on its own, but it worked incredibly well with the pork lau lau. The pork was mostly tender and juicy, with a fragrant, leafy steamed flavor that reminded me of the Chinese zong zi my mom makes. The leaner parts of the pork were a bit dry, but the steamed taro leaves helped. The lomi salmon (salted salmon mixed with onions and tomatoes) was refreshing, although the pungent raw onions were a bit much for me. The 'uala (steamed sweet potatoes) had a natural, earthy sweetness that we all enjoyed. Lastly, the haupia (coconut pudding) was incredibly tasty, with a strong coconut flavor that made me sad when I took my last bite. One of my friends got the chicken lau lau, which we actually enjoyed even more. The chicken was delicious, and there was so much of it. Overall, we enjoyed getting to try some authentic Hawaiian dishes at Highway Inn, especially our server and the pamphlet gave us a better understanding of what we were eating.

    When the tattoo artist tells you where to eat Hawaiian food... you listen!…read more While we were in Hawaii, we told my husband's tattoo artist that we really wanted to try some Hawaiian food. Not the touristy version. We wanted to actually experience some of the local food, and she recommended Highway Inn Restaurant & Catering. So of course, we had to give it a try! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt very laid-back and comfortable. Nothing overly fancy or trying too hard. It had that relaxed, home-style feeling where you could just sit down, eat, and enjoy yourself. Now let's talk about the food! I had the BBQ chicken with rice and salad, and that chicken was so tender! The barbecue sauce was absolutely delicious, and surprisingly, that salad was GOOD too. I loved the dressing they served with it. The hubby went more traditional and ordered the Lau Lau with pork, which gave us exactly what we came for, a chance to experience Hawaiian food while we were here. But y'all... I have to mention something completely random. THE COKE! I don't know what was going on with that Coke, but it tasted like Coke used to taste back in the day! I kept saying, "Now THIS tastes like a Coke!" Sometimes it really is the little things. The service was great. Our server was friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience easy and enjoyable. No complaints at all. As far as value, absolutely worth what we paid. Good food, good portions, friendly service, and a relaxed atmosphere. 4.5/5 Would we go back? Definitely. Especially if we wanted another casual spot for Hawaiian comfort food. And shout-out to the tattoo artist because she definitely didn't steer us wrong on this one!

    Photos
    Highway Inn Kaka'ako
    Highway Inn Kaka'ako - KALUA PIG NACHOS,FRIED RICE & SOUR CREAM

    KALUA PIG NACHOS,FRIED RICE & SOUR CREAM

    Highway Inn Kaka'ako - Fried Rice

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    Fried Rice

    Rainbow Drive-In - Solid little place for some local food

    Rainbow Drive-In

    3.8(6.1k reviews)
    2.9 miKaimuki
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    62 years in business

    There was something very right about this drive in!! I stopped by for a quick dinner with the fam…read moreand ended up enjoying this place a lot more than I thought I would. I didn't expect much from this small corner diner, but everything turned out real solid! The exterior is especially entrancing, with its bright, rainbow neon sign that glows out the darkness of the night! The hooded interior was clean and followed well with the rainbow theme, especially with its rainbow pastel, title wallpaper. I would also like to compliment the workers, who were very nice and approachable! We ordered the loco moco plate, mixed plate, and saimin. Both plates were very filling and came in huge portions! The plates are for sure a top choice if you want a nice, hearty dinner! I especially enjoyed my loco moco! The saimin was less filling and came in an instant noodle cup. Still yet, it wasn't half bad--and it actually seems like a fairly good piece if you are on a diet or budget; it wasn't as expensive as the other dishes and only came out as 220 calories! I also want to note that they have a variety of tasty dessert pastries and icee treats if you are looking for a treat after your dinner. Overall, I would say this is a great diner to try if you've got a big appetite and are looking for something to share with a friend or family! Great vibes and great Hawaiian plate meals!

    My family, across multiple generations, has been going here for decades, close to back when they…read morefirst opened. We have homes in the neighborhood. And we just can't go here anymore unless changes are made! We used to prefer them over Zippy's, but now they are less than 7-Eleven quality, while charging higher-end prices for the neighborhood. We have given them many chances, hoping it was just a fluke, but we have repeatedly been disappointed. Their chicken has become chewy and fatty, their rice is mediocre, and condiments such as mayonnaise are stripped down to the bare minimum quantity. Chile is poured so lightly that it is practically a minuscule amount. And their prices have continued to rise. I don't know if greedy people took over the restaurant who just don't care anymore, or what is going on. I remember when I used to take people here, and they would be impressed with the quality and quantity--plates just heaping with good cuts of meat, noodles, and rice. Those days are no more. As they say in Japan, the price performance is poor. Furthermore, their staff is rude. I can only imagine it was an owner working this day because it was a face I haven't seen that often. An older gentleman who appeared to be of Okinawan descent, working the cashier register, accosted us because I was privately discussing with my family about splitting different items with them. We were all ordering something, so he wasn't losing any money, but he told us about how prices are double in Waikīkī. First of all, it is rude to interrupt your customers that way. Secondly, we don't go to Waikīkī or care about Waikīkī. What happened to serving the locals? Third, Waikīkī has an assortment of restaurants, prices, and qualities, and they shouldn't be how you base your services. Lastly, I guarantee I could find a better deal in Waikīkī if I wanted to. Next time you're in the area, just go get a $6 bento or a $5 burrito from 7-Eleven next door. I assure you, the price performance and experience will be better. If Rainbow Drive-In is in the business of comparing themselves to other things, let's compare them to 7-Eleven and at least try to be better than them, right? I can get mochiko chicken from 7-Eleven for $6.99 that is similar in portion size and better quality. Meanwhile, they are serving their fatty, dry chicken for $16.75. Highway robbery! And they are not fancy, with their dirty picnic tables and plastic cutlery. They are just a step above a food truck, if that. Save yourself from the hype. They have gone downhill like a landslide. Go elsewhere.

    Photos
    Rainbow Drive-In - Rainbows mixed plate

    Rainbows mixed plate

    Rainbow Drive-In - Loco Moco Plate

    Loco Moco Plate

    Rainbow Drive-In - Turns out I was wearing my GRAVY ALL OVER shirt so I had to get a pic with my loco moco!

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    Turns out I was wearing my GRAVY ALL OVER shirt so I had to get a pic with my loco moco!

    Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Teriyaki spam musubi, egg + eel + avocado musubi, spam + egg + bacon + avocado musubi

    Musubi Cafe Iyasume

    4.5(5.5k reviews)
    2.4 miWaikiki
    $

    I don't like repeating spots on vacation, but we came back multiple times and waited in a semi-long…read moreline for our musubis and onigiris. I loved them so much that I even bought merch. In total, I enjoyed six musubis and two onigiris over the span of four days. These ended up being my favorite breakfast options during the trip, and everything is made to order. AVOCADO EEL EGG SPAM MUSUBI - 4.88 This was the perfect musubi combo, with four toppings that all worked incredibly well together. The different savory flavors complemented each other, while the rice was warm and fluffy. I ate this six times and would've eaten more if my vacation didn't end. It's simple, homey, and genuinely delivers what I'd imagine the ideal musubi should be. SALMON & SPICY COD ROE ONIGIRI - 3.28 Great combination, but a bit too salty for me. I typically don't like eating this much rice in one go, but I had to finish it because I wanted to eat all of the filling and not waste anything. The rice helped balance out the saltiness. DOUBLE TUNA MAYO ONIGIRI - 3.28 My friend ordered these on multiple days and loved them. I tried one during our second visit and enjoyed it as well. I'm not sure if it was really double tuna since the layer of filling was still pretty thin, but the creamy tuna was tasty and wasn't overly salty. Overall, definitely one of my top spots from our trip to Hawaii. I'd happily wait in a 20-30 minute line for the musubis again. Yum!

    We were waiting for our hotel room to be ready and wanted to grab some food since we were starving…read moreafter the flight. I was so happy to found that the Musubi Cafe was located nearby. We ended grabbing the unagi musubi, shrimp egg musubi, and their poke. It is a super quick grab and go experience. Our total was 22.14, which I don't think is too bad. The flavors of the musubis are soooo good! Everything was made so deliciously and fresh. It could get a bit messy eating it though because of the sauce, so make sure to grab napkins! Overall, I was really happy to have stopped by here for some quick lunch!

    Photos
    Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Inside the shop

    Inside the shop

    Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Teriyaki Spam & Rice with Hawaiian drink

    Teriyaki Spam & Rice with Hawaiian drink

    Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Black pepper spam musubi and inari-egg spam musubi

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    Black pepper spam musubi and inari-egg spam musubi

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods

    3.9(297 reviews)
    2.8 miKaimuki
    $$

    3.5 stars We wanted…read moreto try authentic Hawaiian food and came across this spot. The owner was very friendly and took the time to recommend dishes for us, including the laulau and lechon kawali. We also ordered the BBQ short ribs. Overall, it was a good experience trying Hawaiian food, but it's just not really our type of cuisine. The laulau was quite dry, and the preparation felt more like meat that had been boiled or cooked in liquid, which isn't something I usually enjoy. The lechon kawali had a crispy pork belly texture, topped with something similar to a salsa, but it didn't suit our taste either. Unfortunately, the cabbage served with it also had some black spots, which was off-putting. The BBQ short ribs were the highlight of the meal and the dish we enjoyed the most. We appreciate the experience and the hospitality, but the flavors just didn't quite match our personal preferences.

    Good local Hawaiian food restaurant. Street parking only. Small restaurant I believe it was Ono…read moreHawaii on Kapahulu before. Now it is named the Da Ono Hawaiian Foods. Either the owner or the manager seemed like a one man show. He was the server, bus boy, and chef. Husband got the pipikalua short ribs/he enjoyed. Sisters got the pork lau lau which came with sweet potato, rice or poi, lomi lomi salmon (more onion and tomato than salmon). i got the chicken lau lau, again stuffed with chicken, not enough taro leaves. The Haupia was smoky, so either burnt or something- inedible! Only six tables in the entire restaurant. The gentleman that was serving us I believe was also the bus boy, cook, server and cashier! Place is a hole in the wall with missing ceiling tiles and exposed panels above our table (gross!!). Sis loves this dive so we keep coming back!

    Photos
    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods - Menu

    Menu

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods - Short Ribs Plate

    Short Ribs Plate

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods - Menu

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    Menu

    Asahi Grill Ward - hawaiian - Updated September 2026

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