I had never been inside Daiichi Ramen at Kailua's Aikahi Shopping Center until August 2026, but my girlfriend and I went here on a Monday evening (she's actually been here a couple times years ago) and the service was pretty good along with the ramen and overall portions. The prices are not too bad either. I tried the vegetable ramen and we shared the 6-piece gyoza side order and the food was great. read more

The absolute worst Ramen I have ever had. The chasu in the Raman was very tough not tender, created indigestion and stomach issues. It was not even edible. There was no one in the restaurant when I went into order should've been a signal to turn away. read more

Wow! Unreal!!!! Ordered Mochiko Chicken Curry plate. This thing is $17.00. Legit 8 pieces of chicken. Rip off!!!! Will stick to Sumo Ramen Kaneohe. Ordered here because my son was eating there and asked him to order me food. At least I tried and now I know. Won't be going back. read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Mochiko Chicken Plate - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

Daiichi Ramen in Kailua really came through for us! If you're looking for a spot that gets your food out fast without sacrificing flavor, this place is it. We barely had time to settle in before our order hit the table -- easily some of the quickest service I've had on the Windward side. I went for the katsu, and wow... it was on point. Crispy, golden, and super juicy inside -- exactly how good katsu should be. Pair that with their comforting ramen broth and it's the kind of meal that hits all the right notes without making you wait forever. Whether you're grabbing a quick bite after the beach or want something satisfying without the usual Kailua wait times, Daiichi Ramen delivers. Fast, friendly, and delicious -- can't ask for much more! The staff really create a welcoming environment. read more

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The ramen here is consistently good. I tried the new Black Garlic ramen today and it was delicious. Restaurant is clean and servers are friendly. Only down fall was the employee on break playing his phone out loud behind us. read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Black Garlic Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

I ordered katsu shrimp curry. The shrimp it's A ROBBERY OF MONEY!! They cut one shrimp in half for TWO "shrimps" then batter with too much katsu. No flavor BECAUSE HARDLY HAS MEAT. No way!!!! The rice was room temp and the curry was med heat. My husband has a ramen with wonton , junk!! The daiichi no flavor!!! My husband eats a lot but he never finished his plate. The servers hardly speak English. The place was smelling like pee. This was a really expensive bad experience for dinner, first time visiting. DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE!! We spend $65 !! read more

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Chicken Katsu over curry rice: big portion, chicken katsu is melted in your mouth, curry sauce blend perfectly with everything else. Spicy beef ramen: 12-hr broth is rich, big portion and tastes similar to satay noodle soup. Food at little shop Surprisingly tasty. Will definitely be back when we visit again read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

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Just ate here and had the most amazing meal and service! We got there right at 7 pm and expected to have a wait. We got sat right away and we ordered before the dinner rush came in. Our go-to is the combination with miso ramen, gyoza, and chicken katsu (we usually get the chicken katsu curry but we decided to change it up today. I also tried out the Gyoza Teishoku which comes with miso soup, 6-piece gyoza, and pork fried rice. I was able to substitute out the pork fried rice for shrimp fried rice (my favorite!!!!). The only complaint is the peas in the fried rice lol (hated peas since I was little) but definitely not a dealbreaker because they make one of the best fried rice! There's lots of seating in the restaurant, and the staff is very friendly! Will definitely be coming back here to eat again! read more

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Service was good, food was good. I would go back and try something different each time.

Ramen, katsu, and gyoza - what else does a lucky belly need? We came here on a Friday night at 6:00pm and the place was just starting to get busy. The menu offers your typical ramen choices from Tan Tan to Black Garlic to Tonkotsu and many other options. It also has a nice variety of choices for the special combo, with ramen or udon as your main dish. I usually get the miso ramen special combo with 4 pieces of gyoza. The ramen is always flavorful, lots of noodles and the gyoza filling is nice and zesty. The slice of pork in the ramen is cut quite thin (a little thicker would make the meat less dry) but it is still plenty of food. My husband got his usual Katsu curry with a 6-piece gyoza on the side. He loves the curry. His cousin got the children's katsu which also was a generous portion. Only happy faces at the end of the meal. Service was very friendly and always on top of things. If you come here before 5 o'clock, you get your gyoza for free. Very good food for good value. Definitely recommend. read more

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The cleanliness at this restaurant is very poor. The moment my family and I walked in, we were hit with a strong urine smell. There were fly traps hanging from the ceiling, which was quite unpleasant to see while trying to eat. Strangely, the staff was mopping the floor right next to occupied tables during a busy late-night rush. The menus also smelled like a dirty bathroom; I couldn't hold mine for more than a minute without gagging. While the staff was quick and the food came out fast, the kitchen was disorganized. They forgot our miso soup and brought out edamame instead of the menma (bamboo shoots) we ordered. We had the gomoku ramen, spicy beef ramen, gyoza, lemon tea, a side of menma, and shrimp tempura udon. The gyoza and lemon tea were delicious, but they couldn't outweigh the negatives. According to my family, two out of the three soups tasted like dish soap. We were too exhausted after work to send them back, but it was honestly gross. To top it off, the single-stall unisex bathroom had that same foul odor. I wouldn't recommend Daiichi Ramen. Serving 'dish soap soup' is unacceptable in food service. You're better off heading to the nearby Burger King or Safeway for late-night eats. read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Gomoku Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

I love Daiichi Ramen. All of the locations I have been to pretty much operate the EXACT same (Pearl City and Kapolei). It's never been too busy when I've gone since it's always midday, after lunch and before dinner. The service is quick and I've never had to wait long at all to get my food. I usually get the Katsu Curry, in which the portions are big and the chicken katsu always stays crispy. read more

oh my goodness can't wait to come back. I got the Combo of a mini ramen and mini curry! It was a great portion and definitely not too small. My boyfriend got the regular size chicken curry So tasty read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Mini ramen - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

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This place is not fancy place basic table & chairs a casual sit & dine cafe. Had a tan tan rawmin. Very spicy hot and was delicious. Service was fast and waitress was kind. Good place for a quick meal. read more

Decent ramen. They package up to go orders very nicely. Pretty quick and allow online orders.

If you like Ramen you'll love this place. A wide variety of menu options both Ramen or Udon style of noodles. The black garlic ramen was very good and I added a bit of hot oil for some additional spice. A nice variety of side dishes too for group share too. This is BYOB so be aware to bring your favorite with you. read more

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Kizuna was not open for new orders at 2:10 PM, so went to the next closest place for Japanese which was here. For the big portions and being ready to order and eat a late lunch, this place gets a 5 star. Ordered mapo tofu over rice, beef curry, zaru soba, and gyoza. All was pretty good and service was excellent as girl came by 4 times to fill our waters and brought us containers for our left overs to have for dinner as I was not expecting it to be that big. read more

We were starving after a long beach day and with a large party of 11 people. Everywhere in Kailua required reservations in advance and this was the 3rd restaurant we called. I was so glad when they were able to accommodate us! When we arrived, we were able to get seated immediately. The restaurant was clean and the servers were really nice. We ordered a variety of dishes and everything was delicious. I especially liked the gyoza udon as the broth was seasoned nicely and the boiled gyozas were lighter than the pan fried version. I was also glad to see a keiki menu since my little ones could never finish a full entree. The portions here were quite large so don't worry about going home hungry! read more

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Good location right outside the back gate of Kbay. Prompt service and fast preparation for take out. Bigger portions when you dine in. The spicy beef ramen was good but missing that authentic flavor. I was full after eating that and some of the yakisoba that my wife couldn't finish. I don't think it's fair for me to compare to Japanese ramen spots but it hit the spot for a decent ramen fix read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Spicy Beef Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

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DELICIOUS RAMEN I've had some really good ramen in SoCal and I was worried I wouldn't find any good spots on Oahu, but this is my new go-to. I got the Tan Tan Ramen and added my own stuff they provide. Absolutely amazing. Not like your traditional ramen, but it has its own bold, unique flavor. My waitress wasn't very sociable/friendly, but she sure did her job. The ramen came out like 4 minutes after I ordered it!! Insanely fast. As for the restaurant itself, it's informal enough that you could get away with wearing sweats and a t-shirt. I ate next to a mess the whole time which was sort of unpleasant, but the food made up for it. I loved how there were pictures of EVERYTHING on the menu, too. Overall, would definitely recommend!! read more

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Such a bummer. Just wanted simple vegetable fried rice. Like the pictures. No celery, no carrot, no cabbage, no broccoli. Rice, peas and Romaine lettuce.....and small kine little bit of egg. $15 YUP.... THEY'RE PUTTING ROMAINE LETTUCE IN FRIED RICE!!!!! read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Romaine Fried Rice WTF - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

A few things to consider, me and my party came maybe two hours before closing so in a sense, that could be the reason why I feel like the service wasn't as good as it should've or could have been. We weren't really greeted or seated, though there's usually a host or someone who would be doing that as soon as you enter the doors. The food was delicious of course but the service. It really was what kind of put a bit of a downer on our dining experience. I order the chicken katsu curry but curry separated (I like to add it on my own) and so did my cousins husband. Mines came out with everyone's order but his didn't come out for almost 15 minutes after we got our food. It sucked because instead of us all eating together as a family, he had to watch us all enjoy our food before himself. The kimchi was good. The pork fried rice was good and the miso saimin along with the chicken katsu curry. Other than that, the service is subpar. Maybe come around when earlier? I don't know because there were barely people in the restaurant when we went to eat and my party consisted of two toddlers, a tween, and four adults (one pregnant). read more

Always good. I get the tonkatsu ramen and it's always hot and perfectly salty but not too salty. A good value, too, the $15 combo comes with a bowl of ramen plus two side dishes. Friendly, quick service. read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Tonkatsu pork ramen, spam katsu, and pork gyoza. - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

Great place for a quic meal and a good price! Love the curry rice with chicken katsu - chicken cooked crispy and stays crispy even after the curry is poured all over it! One ton ramen - a little Chinese with a little Japanese - perfect combo Food comes out quickly and service is great - nothing fancy but perfect for a quick lunch or dinner! Large menu so lots of choices read more

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it is a chain of chinese owned japanese style ramen places , nice enough for a quick lunch when you are pressed for time would not recommend for a dinner out read more

The shoyu ramen from Daiichi Ramen was an absolute delight. The broth was a masterclass in umami, rich and perfectly seasoned with soy sauce that provided a deep, savory flavor without overwhelming the palate. The noodles were cooked to an ideal al dente, maintaining a pleasant bite that paired wonderfully with the broth. The ramen was topped with tender, melt-in-your-mouth slices of chashu pork, a soft-boiled egg with a creamy yolk, fresh scallions, and crisp nori. Each component was fresh and well-prepared, contributing to a balanced and deeply satisfying bowl of ramen. The gyoza were a perfect companion to the ramen. Pan-fried to a golden brown on one side, these dumplings had a delightful crunch while remaining tender and juicy on the inside. The filling was a flavorful mix of pork and vegetables, seasoned to enhance the natural flavors without being overly salty. The accompanying dipping sauce was a well-balanced blend of soy sauce and vinegar, with a hint of sesame oil that added a lovely aromatic touch. The kim chee fried rice, substituted for the standard pork fried rice, was a fantastic addition to the meal. The rice was cooked to perfection, with each grain distinct and not overly greasy. The kim chee provided a bold, tangy heat that was both refreshing and satisfying. The inclusion of vegetables and bits of pork added texture and depth, making each bite interesting. Garnished with fresh green onions and sesame seeds, the fried rice had a wonderful crunch and a subtle nuttiness that complemented the spiciness of the kim chee. The combo meal at Daiichi Ramen, featuring shoyu ramen, gyoza, and kim chee fried rice, was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Each dish was expertly crafted, with flavors and textures that complemented each other beautifully. The substitution of kim chee fried rice was a great choice, adding a spicy kick that enhanced the overall meal. Daiichi Ramen delivered a satisfying and well-rounded dining experience, ambiance that is highly recommended for any ramen lover. I was being treated with great respect and wonderful customer service. The waiters made sure I was being well taken care of, asked if everything was alright. read more

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Overall pleasant experience, with plenty of seating and well-made ramen. Hefty portion so you get your fill! Friendly staff and service. read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Kimchee Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

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They are open late which is great for a late night snack. Food is good. The atmosphere late night is pretty noisy especially if you sit near the kitchen in the back. Some passionate, but distracting conversations happening in that kitchen. read more

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The woman who sits at the front, bangs ands red lip stain; has a horrible attitude every time i come in. if you hate your job maybe find a new one and not give customers attitude as if its our fault you work there. the rest of the staff is also, generally unwelcoming. read more

I love the prices. Service is fast. people are kind and patient. definitely a pleasure

quality of ingredients are sub par - my husband got sick - I feel sorry for the people who spend their hard earned money in the hopes of enjoying a meal there. Better taste and value to have instant ramen with sliced chashu, a sheet of nori, green onions and a soft boiled egg. Wish we drove to a real ramen restaurant. read more

Super good broth!!! Omg - I had spicy (medium spicy) shrimp udon - the noodles were excellently cooked- cabbage was crunchy as well as the broccoli on top. The flavors were yummy as well as the shrimp. Just be careful with the boiling hot dish when it comes to you! It is extremely hot, but then I didn't care to continue eating it- it is so good -I finished the entire bowl!!! "I can't believe I ate the whole thing" Yesss - go and savor many dishes they have. The place is busy but food comes right away- servers are covered and very pleasant. read more

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Tried the Charsiu Ramen and the noodles were larger than I am accustomed to, the pork was just ok, and the there were few vegetables. The Ramen broth was very good. I would try this place again, with a different menu item, because my friends liked their choices. read more

Ok, told myself I wouldn't review until I got home but here it is. This is definitely not Japanese ramen. The taste is Chinese noodle soup not Japanese ramen. Anyway, I was looking for dinner nearby since we haven't eaten all day and the kids were getting hungry. The kids love ramen so with the reviews here I figured, why not! When you walk in it looks good. They have signs everywhere of how they make their broths healthy and how long it's made for. We ordered ramen, tonkatsu and hubs got a combo (ramen+gyoza+fried rice). We were hungry so we got excited. The food came and first thing after drinking my soup was "bamboo shoots!" Usually I eat Japanese bamboo shoots but Chinese bamboo shoots are stronger in taste and it really blends in with the soup so I took it out right way before it overpowered the entire soup. Then after having more of my ramen it did not taste like tan tan ramen. I love tan tan ramen.... This was not tan tan ramen. My son said his ramen was ok... the fish cake tasted different too and didn't look like the ones you see in ramen. Thankfully the staff was super friendly but to go back? Nope. I want ramen and this is not the place to get it. read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

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I'm a huge ramen fan, but this was easily the worst ramen I've ever had. It smelled like a men's urinal. I wish I was kidding, but I'm not. Fortunately, I don't know what a men's urinal tastes like, but I bet it tastes similar to this ramen. I came here with a group of five friends who all really love ramen. We ordered different styles of ramen. After eating a few bites, we each agreed that the food was inedible. We decided to complain, but there was no manager on hand. Our server called the manager on the phone, but when she returned to our table she said the manager was only willing to give us a small discount. Most of us have worked in food service before, so we were frankly shocked that the restaurant asked us to pay for our uneaten food. To be honest, the $2 discount was more insulting than if they had done nothing. A picture of my receipt is attached to show the $2 "urinal ramen" discount. We were tempted to walk out, but ultimately paid. I will never eat here again. read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

This place has a bunch of mixed reviews. Had a few people tell me it wasn't good. I went the other day for lunch and it was great. I beat the lunch rush so I was there by myself for the most part. Staff was very friendly. All the food was great. Ramen was fresh and hot. Gyoza had the oil and sauce. The chicken katsu was good but they served it with ketchup which I though was weird. Great food, great price, great service. read more

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Good, tasty food with good portion. Very satisfied each time we ate here. Definitely a go-to place.

Good food. Great prices/value. Friendly and attentive staff. Clean restaurant. Lots of parking.

This place is a Chinese ramen place. The place didn't look bad, so we went to eat there. The ramen wasn't bad, but the flavor wasn't really there. The service was pretty good though. Not that fast, but not slow. The place was pretty nice too. So, if you want Japanese ramen, not recommended, but if you want Chinese ramen go here. read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Tantan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

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The Ramen here is really good and filling. They are known for their black garlic oil but the broth is what sets the whole menu on the 4star list. It is a thick savory soup. You can spice it up with Japanese red pepper or Chinese chili oil, etc. Service is quick and the variety of Ramen you can order is quite long. It will take a while to eat your way through the menu. Lastly what I like is that if you are craving a Ramen but don't want a food coma I order the child size. read more

Daiichi Ramen - Kailua - Ramen Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

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