Asuka is back!!! They faced some hardship due to building repairs and the Kona lows but they are back in business and we are so grateful. I always get the kalbi set with classic broth. My husband likes the spicy and wafu broths. Mahalo to the wonderful staff for always being attentive and fast service! read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Kalbi set (comes with a carrot but I ate it before the pic) - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

4/18/2026 - Made reservations a month in advance only to arrive at 5pm , right when they open, to find they are closed. No sign on the door. No call from them to say they were going to be closed and the pic I am attaching shows that they are doing some sort of renovation work. So disappointed. We were really looking forward to eating here tonight but nope. read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Looks like renovation work is being done. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

honestly it might be cause i compare this to hotpot but it feels way more clean and balanced which i don't like but only cause im a fatbutt who likes the ambiance that hotpot brings and this personally didn't give me that it was like to calm and the service was honestly amazing i loved that one guy that told us about the flavors of each broth i don't know his name but he deserves a raise the food was good like nothing to rave about but definitely good like i wouldn't go back but i would recommend if you would like a cleaner version of hotpot which is what shabu shabu is read more

Came here on a Monday night with a group of 7. The restaurant is fairly small, so good thing we made reservations. Parking wasn't a problem across the street and was 75 cents an hour. I got the kalbi and pork set with the Osaka sukiyaki soup base. The set came with a generous portion of meat, as well as a tray with vegetables, tofu, udon, and rice. I really liked the broth and how thinly sliced the meat was. This set was about $25, which was a tad bit cheaper than the ribeye. I still felt the meat was good quality. Service was quick and helpful for the most part. There was a point towards the end of our meal where we didn't have much broth left and it was hard to track them down. I would definitely recommend coming here if you're craving hot pot! read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Kalbi and pork set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I came here two times in one week...you could say I'm obsessed! Each time I got the Asuka classic broth with the kalbi and ribeye set. The broth is so delicious that I dream about it, and to top it off they also have an amazing ginger sesame dipping sauce. The staff here is very kind, and the food comes out quick. I came here once during the week around opening and was seated right away, but made a reservation for the weekend just to be safe. read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Asuka classic broth with the Kalbi and ribeye set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been a happy Asuka goer for the past couple of years. Service is fast and friendly, and the ambiance is dim and quiet. There is plenty of parking available on the street or lot across the street. Reservations are easy to make, just call a day or so in advance. The Asuka classic broth is a dreamy buttery broth. Be sure to ask for extra butter and pepper to add in! The kalbi set is very tender, delicious, and reasonably priced at $25. Highly highly recommend this place, and remember to keep it kaimuki! read more

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Generous servings that you can mix and match. Broth selections are excellent. Server was cheerful even though he was the only one that evening. Booths have high-backed benches so you have a lot of privacy. BYOB makes it your check ore reasonable! we got a reservation quite easily the night we went but this restaurant can get very busy. read more

Dinner with close friends starts off with a meat choice kalbi and chicken The a soup base and a rice which is a mix of rices read more

Delicious and very straight forward menu. I ordered the kalbi and pork set. I also ordered a side of fish cake but forgot to take a pic. The meats were a delicious cute and went well with the different sauces provided. There's a list of soup options to choose from. Each set comes with the three sauces, variety of veggies, udon, one dumpling, and a bowl of rice. It was a perfect amount, I was definitely very full after my meal. Simple place, clean and staff were very nice. We were able to bring a cake for my friend's birthday. There's street meter parking all around, so depending on time, check to see if you can park for free. You can make reservations. read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Pork and kalbi set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Called to make a reservation the same night and when I called they said they didn't have any openings until 7:30 but when we walked in there was barely anyone in the restaurant so I'm not sure why they told us we couldn't come at 6:30. There were only 2 parties inside. So that was annoying. But we ordered the portions are pretty small and they were out of fish balls. The pork was also sliced paper thin it was sticking to the plate it was so thin. We were out of there within 30-40 minutes. It was okay not sure if we'll be back. read more

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Rice was dry. Hoped food would be better reflecting the prices. Was disappointed after spending that much on meats and vegetables. read more

Food was excellent. The service was great despite them being short handed, they still managed to deliver excellent service. They were very helpful in explaining all the options and what went best with what meats. Since I had a little one with me they even managed to please her pallet. read more

I was first introduced to Asuka Nabe by coworkers a couple years ago and I've returned consistently since then. My favorite broth is the Asuka classic, which is creamy with a delightful miso base. The sets also offer a variety of vegetables with udon noodles and a gyoza. I usually get the Kalbi and Ribeye set but have enjoyed the Premium Pork belly and Kobe American Wagyu sets. The dipping sauces are the my favorite parts of the whole meal! A delicious ponzu and sesame sauce, but the house-made ginger sauce is out of this world! The restaurant is pretty intimate with a few booths, and I usually make reservations for bigger parties, but haven't waited too long for two-party walk-ins right at opening. The servers are attentive and the wait time for the food is short which is great when you're hungry! read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Kalbi and Ribeye set with Asuka Classic broth. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Seven years ago Asuka was the best! Amazing broths, quality meats, fresh vegetables, excellent variety, delicious sauces, generous portions, and solid customer service. Now? Sad to say, Asuka is not the same. Not even close. Prices are higher, portions are much, much smaller, less variety, broth is bland, sauces have barely any flavor, even a bowl of rice is a lot less. Not even one scoop. The meats are so thinly sliced that one order is just two bites. Perhaps even one for some. That was the case in the Kalbi-Ribeye set. The kalbi had six and ribeye had four ultra thin slices. Having one slice, the meat shrivels up quickly as it cooks and the fat melts away. In the end, you don't end up with much of anything. I should've taken a photo of it after cooking. Besides that, the meat is good. Tender. But nothing special or worth any additional words. The set includes Chinese cabbage, two leaves Of Choy Sum, two slices of zucchini, two pieces of tofu, one slice of carrot, one Gyoza, and a few strands of udon. OH-KAY! We ordered the Asuka Curry broth, which is Asuka Classic plus curry powder as it was clearly on top before coming to a boil. I tried a spoonful after boiling. The taste was very light. Curry flavor was minimal. It was only until the end, after cooking through the meats and vegetables, and reducing and reducing did the broth finally have any taste! Wish I started with that! The pork belly was very good. The cut was slightly thicker than usual, and quite fatty. The chicken Tsukune was one of the best things on the menu....seven years ago. Now it's dry and bland. All breast meat? I'm a big fan of mushrooms. I enjoyed the Mushroom Medley, but why didn't the shiitake mushroom juicy and soak up the broth? I had it in there for a long time! I guess it wasn't fully reconstituted yet. Even the sesame oil is JUST sesame oil. Just the Kadoya Sesame oil. No seasoning what so ever. Now it's $2. It was free before and had salt and pepper in it! Overall, our meal was quite average. Nothing of note or any needed descriptions. Everything was minimal, bland, and boring. Service was okay. One was nice and friendly, one was snippy, and the other was oblivious. It's definitely disappointing because it was so good before. Even when their AC broke and we were just sweaty and sticky. The food was still good. Different times now. read more

Whenever I order CowCow's Tea and wait outside for my order, I've always told myself that I should check it out one day as it's interior and menu was very attractive. Finally got the chance to with a friend who also have never been here before! It's located next to, as I mentioned, CowCow's Tea on Waialae Ave. Parking is relatively bad as there aren't many "free". There's limited street parking but there are two paid parking lots across the street with ample parking. My friend and I shared a Kalbi/Ribeye set and added an order of the Premium Pork Belly and udon noodles. It came with vegetables and rice. We chose the Wafu soup base, and I instantly fell in love with the broth. Soooo so good! I couldn't stop drinking the soup base. The portions were a bit small as one shabu shabu set was meant for one person. Good thing we added the pork belly ala carte! The meats were super tender and fresh. Delicious! The three sauces provided really complimented the meats. Such delicious dipping sauces! The restaurant had a really nice atmosphere and the food was delicious! I feel like the only con was the price. The price can definitely add up, but you'll be paying for the quality. read more

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Menus directions are helpful in choosing your meal but servers will help Very relax atmosphere Quick serve Ala cart meats about 3.5 oz Set meats 7 oz Good variety of vegetables but can have more options Servers are well informed and helpful in selecting food preferences and sauces Multiple options for sauces allows you to try multiple types since the hot pot can be split Overall excellent!! 4.5 /5 read more

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Asuka charged me twice, once before tip and again after tip. They said they would fix this problem but did nothing, requiring me to dispute the charge. They seemed nice but are a scammy restaurant! read more

My favorite restaurant! You can't go wrong with eating here. Everything is high quality and fresh. It is BYOB.

Came here last minute without a reservation and they were able to seat us within 10 minutes. There are tons of soup options that you can pick from in the regular and premium menu. You pick your soup and meat and all meats come with veggies and noodles. The meat quality is good and the dipping sauce is soo good! I wish they sell their sauces. read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - a variety of ingredients on a table - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Decent place for hot pot and plenty of tables! FOOD: I got the kalbi and pork set with the kombu soup. I liked that everything was portioned out just enough for one person. The food items were good but nothing spectacular in my opinion. Just the usual meats, veggies, tofu. I also liked that it was an an individual hot pot set so each person had their own pot. SERVICE: It was quick after we ordered! Food came fast. AMBIANCE: We went during a week day for dinner and it was surprisingly sort of empty so it was pretty quiet. It's got a modern look to it and most if not all the tables are booth tables. read more

Workers were nice but felt a little rushed . Food was awesome . I wouldnt recommend getting the prime cut , it looked the same as the standard steak. read more

Still very good, but did notice that the portions of meat, veggies and noodles is smaller, probably to hold the price. We would still go back. read more

Excellent service and wide variety of selections, especially for vegans. It's also BYOB. Make a reservation via calling in advance!

Bad service, I understand u are full house and not able to take a full party at a moment. But you not supposed to said we are not take a big party more than 8 ppl. You can do separate table or I can wait for availability. read more

My brother & his gf took me out to Asuka for the first time, for my birthday dinner and we had a really nice experience! Tip ~ It's BYOB! ***My Order*** *Osaka Sukiyaki ~ (8/10) This broth was really good! It had the perfect sweetness and added a nice touch to all the vegetables and meat! However I noticed I was drinking a lot of water... *Ribeye Set ~ (6/10) The ribeye set was a little disappointing.. I thought we would get a lot more noodles & vegetables. However they did give us a lot of meat, which was nice! Overall, The reason why I gave this place a three star (I actually wanted to give them a 3.5 star) was because of the portion of the food and the taste. However service was excellent and staff was really friendly. I would not mind coming back here again every once in awhile! I would like to try the other broths they provide. read more

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Food was mid. Portion smol. Rice was hard, it was too dry. The dude with the head band had the worst service. How do I give zero stars? read more

TL;DR: Tasty food, great portion, and BYOB!! My girlfriend and I booked a last-minute reservation while we were in the neighborhood. (Trying out truffle fries across the street). We were lucky that they were able to schedule and seat us. The place is relatively small. We ordered a single hot pot with the waygu set for both of us to share. I also ordered some extra plate of meat on the side. It was enough for both of us. The beef is fresh and delicious. You can tell just by looking at the texture of it when it first came out. Soup is a little bit on the sweet end. We got the spicy Osaka sukiyaki. I wish it has more spice to it. The one thing that makes this place more unique is the BYOB! I also recommend checking out the drink place right next door. It is called Cow Cow. The place serves rice drinks, and they are amazing. We stopped by that place twice on our four-day trip to Honolulu. It is also the reason we found Asuka! read more

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My favorite meal during my last trip home to Oahu! The person waiting on us was extremely helpful with the ordering and I have to say everything we ordered was perfectly harmonious. We balled out, but it was all insanely delicious - bring your own sake - meats: premium pork belly & wager - soup base: Asuka classic & garlic butter pepper - rice: musubi, was sooo good - a la carte: kimchi & mixed mushrooms For all the food we got, the final bill was a steal. Will be coming back here everytime I come home now. As recommended by another yelper, try to save a little room to get a bubble drink next store at Cowcow for dessert. read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Asuka is one of my favorite restaurants! Their broth and meats are very high quality, which is why I love coming here. My favorite broth to get is the sukiyaki or spicy sukiyaki, however their paitan is also delicious. Since they renovated, the restaurant is even cuter and cleaner than before. Definitely make a reservation before coming here though because they fill up pretty quick. Lastly, the service here is pretty good for the most part. Check out Asuka if you're in the mood for some awesome nabe! read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Spicy Sukiyaki Shabu Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Made reservations weeks in advance cause this place is always packed!! Asuka is definitely for the meat lovers out there who love shabu shabu. Went for my birthday and ordered the Kalbi + Pork Combo. Came with the typical cabbages, carrot, zucchini. Not much veggies and a huge platter of meat per person. Most of us ordered the multigrain rice and it was a nice option to have. They also have white rice. Everything was very delicious and the meats were sliced very thinly, which was perfect for dipping into the flavorful broths. Our unanimous favorite was the Spicy Umakara. It was not a lingering spice and was the most refilled at our table. The Kombu was also a great option. It had a clean taste and benefitted from the ingredients simmering away. At the end it was a meaty and savory broth. Although our eyes saw a mountain of food, our stomachs were able to take on everything. We were all very full at the end of the night and ate every last bite dipped in their goma sauce. read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Pork & kalbi set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We're sad. The last time we went was late night and couldn't be seated before they closed. We went this evening and found they're closed until 7/31/2023. We'll need to try again. I wish their telephone had a message to say they were closed read more

My first time eating shabu shabu and it was delicious! I can't stop talking about this place to my friends. We live on the island, so we plan to be back soon! read more

I wasn't impressed with this place after this experience. The first time i came i was so impressed , service was good quality was awesome and that's why i wanted to come back again and have my other half try it out . So the start to a rough night was the fact that we indeed had a reservation for 7:30, we came a bit early and was told that one party was checking out and we would be seated once they leave. We arrived at about 7:05 pm so it's on us that we came early in hopes that we'd be seated earlier but what was mind boggling is that we were waiting on the street till 7:25 lol. And the party who we were waiting on to leave left literally at 7:10 . The table was cleared for awhile . I shrugged it off because again we were the ones that came early . We're huge hot pot fans and although we liked the broth and the quality of the meat $5.00 for a small portion of enoki mushrooms was just mind blowing lol. But this time for me, my complaint is the fact that there was MOLD at the bottom of the water cups, how disgusting . Check your cups people , because not only do they not clean them they won't get filled up either while you're eating :) . Not once did someone come and ask us or check on our waters . Also found hair sticking out of their sauce bottles I also had some questions regarding the order i made and knew exactly what i ordered but wanted clarification on it and the server/host that I spoke to was just a complete a hole. Very aggressive and impatient . He kind of made me feel uncomfortable almost cocky personality . I won't be back. read more

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I went here for my birthday dinner cause I wanted to try something new. The restaurant had a great aesthetic, dim lighting, perfect noise level (I don't like places that are super loud). We each got the Kalbi set. If you are looking for quality and not quantity make sure to come to this place. The meat was much higher grade then other meat places such a Shabuya. The only downside was that the set said it comes with veggies but you may be given a singular carrot piece. All in all- for both of us it was around $80. Really tasteful and will fill you up! read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Kalbi Set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Asuka never fails to disappoint me. My go to order is usually the pork set with the Asuka classic broth. I find the portion to be just the right amount, having a good balance between vegetables and meat. The broth is deep in flavor with a unique creaminess that makes me order it every time. The staff were polite and accommodated well to our requests. The only bummer was that the A/C wasn't working while we were there which made the hot pot feel a little too "hot", but other than that it was a satisfying meal read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - pork set with the asuka classic broth - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It really pains me to write this review, but I had the worst experience today... I go to Asuka's multiple times a month/get takeout as well and the food is always amazing! We usually get this sweet shorter lady and a super nice shorter guy with the headband... but today the service was absolutely horrible... I brought 3 new friends because I always rave about Asuka's food, but they will not come back after this due to the service... The service was horrible today... I understand bad and busy days but this girl was so rude... literally the worst service I've ever had this girl (younger, skinny, slightly taller like 5'4"-5'6" with brown hair). She dropped the trays of meat on the side of our table, didn't explain which meat was which. The order that came out was also wrong. When we said that the order was wrong she gave attitude. Along with that, the girl brought an extra dish and when I said we only ordered one she also gave me an irritated look, so I agreed to take the extra dish she brought out. Not once did the waiter come to the table to check on us or refill waters. The younger girl with lighter hair (highlights?) that took our order initially vanished and then the rude younger girl (with darker hair) took over. Amazing food as always but very disappointed with the service and I think the girl needs a little more customer service training... Even though my friends won't be coming back, I will be but I'll be making sure to request the 2 servers that I like... read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Service was exceptional and food always of great quality! This is now my favorite shabu shabu restaurant in Honolulu! read more

Honestly, this place was a mess from start to finish. First time I went, I brought my emotional support service dog, and the owner literally came out and said, "He doesn't look like a service dog, he can't come in." I didn't realize service dogs needed to fit a specific look--ridiculous. I gave it a second shot, and it was just as bad. The rice was hard, there was barely any soup to start with, and they brought out my meat before the soup was even hot. Then, the vegetable platter took a solid 20 minutes to arrive. When I asked about it, the server said, "Oh, the udon is defrosting." Okay, but why not just bring the vegetables first? It's not that complicated. The whole dinner was a disaster--I'm definitely not coming back. read more

I had SO MUCH fun at this restaurant!! We wanted shabu but we didn't wanna go to an all you can eat place so we found this place! The value choice on the menu was the perfect amount of food. We both ate all our food and was very satisfied. The sauces were all homemade and the goma one (sesame) reminded me of Japan with fresh sesame seeds. We had a super friendly server and the ambiance was so cute inside. We always pass this place whenever we get boba next door but was definitely the best choice to come here! Definitely coming back on date night read more

Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great hotpot food. Vegetables were so fresh and plated so nicely (presentation was great!). Cuts of meat were excellent. Selection of soup broths were great and not overwhelming with too many options as with some other hotpot restaurants. Waiters were very helpful, friendly, and patient providing us with very good service. Restaurant is clean and orderly with roomy booths and individual open dining tables available also. We were lucky to be there on an evening when it wasn't too busy. read more