Born and raised on Oahu. Stayed on Kauai for a month and ate at this place 5+ times -- this is the best saimin. The broth is the true star, with the saimin noodles following. I disagree with some reviews that say that Hamura is nothing special. Iykyk, saimin is supposed to be simple. The broth is so clear and pure, I would just get the regular saimin. IMO you can skip the other stuff (e.g. wontons, lilikoi chiffon pie, other saimins). The perfect order would be regular saimin with side order of ebi tempura and/or chicken skewer. Don't forget to grab a manapua if you are lucky. FYI the server aunties may forget your order, so you may need to keep a mental tab and remind them. They are more than happy to get it right for you read more

June 2026 We visited the legendary Hamura Saimin restaurant on our trip to Kauai. Parking: hit or miss. Cash only. Inside: The inside is very charming, small and full of people. Fortunately, we missed the big lunch rush by 10 mins. By the time we were done, the line was out the door. Food: we ordered the regular and the special saimin. Broth was delicious. The noodles were chewy and the won tons packed with meat. Afterwards, we had the Lilikoi Chiffon pie and was it airy, light and delicious. So glad we had a chance to eat here. read more

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Have to agree with the haters on this one. Visited based on various YouTuber recommendations. Unfortunately I found this restaurant to be mid to lower tier. Maybe I'm spoiled by really good food in L.A. Environment is fun. Very local vibe with all counter seating. You have to have visited before to know how to order exactly what you want. Not a lot of service or explanation happening here. The beef was gamey, the chicken was over cooked. Broth was flavorful and noodles were fine, but the wontons with doughy and a bit undercooked/hard. The place was full and people seem To like it. Wish I had a better experience. read more

The seating for this noodle joint is set up like a single bar that snakes through the available space, which gives it a but if a cafeteria vibe. Not in a bad way necessarily, but it encourages people to walk in for a quick meal and move on. Our order got taken quickly and the food was out in no time. We got their Special Saimin and they did not skimp out on any of the toppings. The portion of the meal as a whole was very generous. The dish was focused more on delivering a comforting, consistently clean flavor, but it did leave one a bit wanting. It wasn't the most flavorful bowl of noodles I've ever had, but maybe it wasn't trying to be. The noodles themselves had great texture. All in all, a 3.5/5 experience, rounded down to 3. read more

Hamura Saimin - Special Saimin - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Our last stop before we headed to the airport and it was the best choice! My dad wanted something simple and comforting on the stomach and Hamura Saimin delivers. It felt like going to Aunty or Grandma's house for lunch. Make sure you bring cash because it's a cash only place. (Word to the visitors: That's when you know the food is legit in Hawaii) Walk in and take a seat anywhere. The menu is simple and straightforward because you can't go wrong with really anything. From their Saimin selection with varying sizes to quench any type of hunger to BBQ Beef Sticks (a local uncle was devouring this near us), Fried Noodles, or Deep Fried Oysters! Our family tried the Saimin, my Dad got a Small Regular Saimin and Mom and I shared a Medium Special Saimin. The difference was Egg and Roast Pork on the Special. Make sure to add Black Pepper and the Hot Mustard for that sinus kick (if you like a little spice like me). Not pictured was their Famous Lilikoi Chiffon Pie!! It was so soft and airy with that perfect amount of tart with a little bit of whipped cream dolloped on top. Devoured it at the airport...it was that good! Make sure you make a stop here if you're in Lihue! read more

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The food is still good but service has gone downhill big time! I called to place a phone order and they didn't even ask my name or tell me how long and just hung up, so I called back to ask if they needed my name and how long only to be told they aren't busy so just come in. I did that and it was crowded so had to wait a bit for my food. I felt like I was getting dirty looks from the 2 female wait staff the entire time too. Such a bummer because they do have good food. The special saimen is my personal fav! It has so many toppings - wontons, pork, kamaboko, egg, cabbage - it's just really hits the spot! The lilikoi chiffon cake is also not to be missed. So light and fluffy with a hint of lilikoi flavor. If you're cool dining with a grumpy wait staff, this place is worth a visit. Old school vibe and you take a seat where there's an opening. Also don't forget, it's cash only. read more

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After perusing multiple social media pages this establishment comes highly recommended but to be frank, the food was bad overall. If you live/have lived in a big city like LA or NY, if you've ever traveled to Asia, if you've ever had a legitimate bowl of ramen/wonton noodles, prepare to be disappointed. We ordered the "Special Saimin" since it came with the most toppings. The noodles were overcooked and soggy. The wontons had thick doughy skin and were also overcooked and ruptured with the gritty ground pork filling spilling out. The roast pork tasted old as if it'd been in the fridge for weeks or frozen/defrosted multiple times. Honestly, the only part I enjoyed were the boiled vegetables and I was not able to finish my food. To summarize, I would not recommend this place. Service was lacking but I didn't mind for this kind of joint. If you must try it for your own curiosity, I'd recommend the regular saimin. Definitely a local fave with lots of native Hawaiians but not sure if that's because food options are limited on the island. This may be my worst meal of the entire trip. read more

Hamura Saimin - Special saimin with broken wontons - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Was hoping to get the Oxtail Saimin but they were out. Ended up getting the Sumo - large and very filling. Wonton was a bit too peppery IMO, and broth was pretty salty. Service was friendly. Glad we came to try it. read more

Hamura Saimin - Sumo Saimin - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

It was raining, so we were craving something soupy and comforting. We stumbled upon this place, and it definitely hit the spot. I loved the unique table setup, almost like a long bar, which gave it a cool, casual vibe. Here's what we tried: Sumo Bowl Saimin Special - What a fun dish. It comes with everything. I'm not sure if it's the best value, but it's definitely huge. We shared it and were both completely full, easily enough to serve 2 to 2.5 people. The broth and noodles were tasty and comforting. (4.5/5) Lilikoi Chiffon Pie - Delicious! Light, airy, and perfectly sweet. A great way to end the meal. (4.5/5) One thing to note: this place is still cash only. They don't charge tax, so the price listed on the menu is exactly what you'll pay. Service wasn't very friendly, I couldn't really get a smile or a thank you, but the food made up for it. Overall, come for the food, not the service. The eats were good, even if the hospitality wasn't very mahalo. read more

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Note: cash only My last meal in Kauai was at this no frills local spot. We came by Monday morning around 11 right before heading to the airport and it wasn't too crowded. Was able to park and get seated quickly. As it's in the name, they're known for their saimin, though they offer some other noodle soup and fried noodle options as well. Seating is all on small barstools, which weren't the most comfortable. I don't recommend bringing large bookbags or purses as there's no place to put them except for on the ground. I got the special of the day, oxtail saimin soup ($20), as well a slice of the lilikoi chiffon pie ($6.50) to go. My friend wasn't super hungry and tried an order of their bbq chicken sticks for $3.75. The oxtail soup was very flavorful and came with 4 large pieces of oxtail. They were pretty fatty, but I think that's how most oxtail is and where the flavor comes from, so I just picked out the fatty bits. The soup also came with some egg and vegetables. To be honest, it was a bit hot to be eating noodle soup and I was sweating by the end of the meal (they only have fans, no AC), but I'm still glad I gave this place a try. My friend enjoyed his bbq chicken skewer. I had the lilikoi chiffon pie a couple hours later on the plane and it was okay. Reminded me a lot of a lemon chiffon pie with hints of lilikoi. I personally thought it was too sweet and wouldn't get it again. read more

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We came on a week day during an off time, 3 pm, as we had a few hours to kill before catching our flight back home. I hadn't been here in years. There was only one other group of people inside. No AC and was a warm afternoon. Just wanted to hurry up eat and jump back in our AC car. There is parking right in front and the ladies working were friendly and expeditious. I wanted to try the Oxtail Saimin but it's only available on Mondays and Fridays so I settled for a Won Ton Min and a Beef BBQ stick, hubby just ordered a small saimin. Everything was delicious, that old school saimin stand delicious, BBQ stick was Ono, thinly sliced skewered beef in a delicious sauce and charred just a little bit. I wanted the Liliokoi Pie but was too full. Anytime we're in Kauai have to stop here at least once! read more

Hamura Saimin - Won Ton Min and BBQ Beef Stick after I already started eating it. - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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Hamura Saimin is an institution: I've been eating here since I was a kid. The remodel is nice: the place is much brighter inside than before. It can get really hot inside of its super crowded, but the ceiling fans do a pretty good job. If you like saimin, you'll enjoy this place. The saimin is pretty good, and served with all the accompaniments (chili water, mustard) that you need. The lillikoi chiffon pie is truly extraordinary and famous: it's like eating a deliciously tangy cloud. The meringue is super light, and the flavor is subtle and sweet. I could probably eat a whole pie. read more

Hamura Saimin - Special Saimin xl - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Got seated quickly on a Tuesday. Only thing is it gets busy at 4 pm, so we did have a wait for our food. The waitresses might have forgotten our food, but apologized for that. I don't blame them because there were a lot of to-go orders they were preparing. I did not mind waiting. The diner is loved by the locals. It feels like a mom and pop shop. CASH ONLY read more

Hamura Saimin - Special Saimin - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Always the small meal for me! Service is quick. A good filling meal. Eating here since I was a kid. read more

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Flew in, got the car, and cane straight here. Got two bbq chicken sticks ( delicious), shrimp saimin, and medium saimin ( regular). Everything was good, medium was more than enough. The lilikoi chiffon pie wasn't as sweet as most lilikoi dishes, and it was super light and tasty. Ate it all there...so much for it to go. It was pretty warm inside, even though the ceiling fans were on. Cash only. read more

Hamura Saimin - Lilikoi Chiffon Pie - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Was looking for some good dinner options in the Lihue area, and Hamura Saimin popped up as an interesting option to check out! I haven't tried Saimin in Hawaii before, and this places looked to be highly rated by the local reviewers and, so we stopped by on a Sunday around 7:30PM and had a 5-7 minute wait before getting seated. There is nearby parking just across the street from the restaurant, and we were luckily able to find a spot. I could see this place filling up quickly on a more busy lunch/dinner rush, but on a rainy night like the night we went, it had a couple of vacant spots. Seating within the restaurant is open - there are not really individually defined tables, but groups of tables where you seat with other fellow diners. The restaurant was quite busy and there were about 2 servers handling like 20 - 25 people. Service is relatively fast - we got our food about 10 minutes after ordering. We ordered the Sumo bowl saimin special for $24 - which I think is solid if you are really hungry and are able to eat lot of food, and I even think this bowl is better shared between two people. The broth has a delicious flavor - it is rich and salty, and you can taste the dashi, which gives it a subtle seafood/pleasant fishy flavor. There is a generous amount of noodles and additions in the bowl - true to its name. The egg noodles were nice and chewy and continue cooking when served to a pleasant softness. Everything in the bowl is carried by the broth, which adds a subtle salty depth to each bite. It definitely feels like a comforting homestyle dish. We also got the Lilikoi Chiffon Pie for $6.50, which looked really enticing from other reviewer's pictures. I think this is my favorite thing here! I haven't had a chiffon pie before, and this is definitely the lightest pie that I have ever had. It's super airy, and carries a faint tart sweet lilikoi flavor. It's like eating a super airy whip cream that just melts in the your mouth as soon as it touches your tongue. In the end, I think that Hamura Saimin is a decent option if you are looking for a comforting homestyle meal here in Lihue. I think the medium/large saimin is enough for most people and it's only $8 - $11. I think the star option that is a must try here is definitely the lilikoi chiffon pie, it's pretty unique and is a excellent contrast in flavor/texture to the saimin. As over reviewers have mentioned, this is a cash only establishment, so make sure to bring some! read more

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When in Hawaii, saimin is a must. Hamura Saimin definitely hit the spot. Just keep in mind the place is cash only! Self seating at communal countertops was simple enough. Condiments were readily available. Had to try the Oxtail Saimin especially once we realized it was only available on Mondays and Fridays. Great flavor and generous portions here. The Sumo Bowl Saimin Special was a welcome challenge after the logistical gauntlet of travel and navigation. Food coma status and a much needed rest after finishing. Seeing locals stop in for quick bites was enough to tell us that this was a good pick. While I wish I could give this overall experience a full 5 stars, I have to deduct a bit for the service. Interactions were efficient but a bit abrupt. Food was great, but minus a half star for the vibes. read more

Hamura Saimin - Oxtail Saimin - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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So we had to stop by Hamura samin Haven't been here for ever and we got the following items Special saimin Shrimp saimin Wonton min Chicken stick Deep fried Oyster read more

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I come here every time I come to Kauai! It never disappoints. Most recently went for an early lunch today before our flight and went when it opened at 10am. It had been closed Sept 14-22 so I was relieved it was open! I got the medium saimin and chicken skewers (1 per order). Food is always a 5/5 for me especially considering the price point! Mom loved the lillikoi chiffon pie! Parking can be tricky but no issues today. read more

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We've been to Kauai a couple of times and had been meaning to come here since the rest of my family has loved this place for years! As expected, the service was friendly and prompt. The lilikoi chiffon pie was really good! The saimin was not quite how I remembered it, but maybe my tastes have changed. The broth was a little meatier than I expected with less seafood flavor and the noodles were a little gummier. That being said, I enjoyed my meal. read more

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The saimin is a Hawaiian take on a fusion between Chinese and Vietnamese noodle soups and a Japanese Ramen (which itself actually derives from Chinese noodle soup). Loving all of these individually had me really excited to try the specialty saimin. Unfortunately, what results is all three flavors being a bit more mild, so you end up with a soup that's tastes lighter and none end up being "the star." I very much enjoyed it, but it fell short of expectations in what I would have expected in going for a ramen or noodle soup on its own. It's definitely worth a try for the uniqueness of the dish on its own though. The chiffon cake was surprisingly good being quite a light and fluffy treat at the end of the meal. read more

Hamura Saimin - Specialty saimin - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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Update: 5/22/25 Hamura Saimin is a long standing local eatery that draws customers from away and locally. The prices are reasonable, and your most likely will NOT walk away looking for other places to eat. Their saimin noodles are cooked perfectly, not too soft and not too hard. The broth is tasty, not salty or bland. I've reviewed Hamura Saimin in the past and their quality is consistent. Be aware that Hamura's can get very busy at peak times and the wait can be 1 hr+. I would recommend giving Hamura's a visit for good down to earth local comfort food (saimin). read more

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The service was perfectly fine. The food, however, seemed determined to remain as mid as possible. The lumpia didn't appear homemade and tasted like it had a long and fulfilling journey before arriving on my plate. I also ordered the won ton min. The broth was so subtle I spent most of the meal wondering if it had a flavor and I just missed it. The real highlight was the meat on top. Finding ice-cold, rock-hard meat sitting on a bowl of hot noodles was a plot twist I was not prepared for. It was the culinary equivalent of shaking someone's hand and discovering they're wearing an oven mitt fresh out of the freezer. Nothing was terrible, but nothing was particularly good either. If you go in with low to no expectations, you probably won't be disappointed. read more

Local family owned saimin shop- disappointed that the oxtails saimin already sold out when we showed up at 5:30pm on a Monday.... Everything was tasty! We especially liked the passion fruit pie- so light and refreshing!! My son had 2 slices in one setting!! Small restaurant and cash only! read more

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Great hole in the wall. Locals love it. Kids love it. Has a nice diner feel where it's set up is bar-style. We come to Kauai every year for our wedding anniversary and always come to the place on the first day arriving. The old aunties are quiet and hard working. Understanding of children. We were able to split the sumo saimin size amongst all 4 of the kids. The only thing is parking. The small lot is usually full and you'll have to find street parking which can be a pain. read more

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Here now.. New server with tattoos on her arm will not greet you when you come through the door and she will not be patient while taking your order. I am still placing my order and she is literally walking away. Manang you better crack a smile ! Do better! read more

Hamura Saimin - Lady in black shirt . Still never seen her smile. - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

The Saimin here is great. I hadn't been in 26 years and the place was just as I remembered it. The service is fast and they have amazing liliquoi pie that everyone one I know who has been raves about. read more

A classic kauai saimin spot! CASH ONLY-- make sure you have cash ready & anticipate a line. Very hole in the wall spot, simple menu but saimin was great & felt home cooked! I loved the chewy noodle texture & adding vinegar to the broth. Good prices & a cozy, nostalgic experience. Aunty working seemed very busy. We ordered the saimin & a Lilikoi pie, but I think our pie got forgotten. We weren't able to get anyone to bring us the pie, but it's okay! We were happy with just the saimin. Seat yourself, just wait for an open spot on someone's table. We came late at night so the wait wasn't too bad, but I heard the lines can be pretty long at rush hour. read more

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The best Saimin I have ever had! I knew it was going to be good the minute I saw the restaurant full of locals and nothing but aunties cooking up magic in the kitchen. We were quickly seated in their cozy throwback diner style space which in all honesty made the food taste even better. I ordered their shrimp tempura saimin and it was like a spiritual experience! I will continue to dream about this until the next time I come back to the island. I noticed their lilikoi pie was a big hit with folks dining in and taking out. While I didn't have it on this visit, I'm definitely planning to have it next time! read more

Hamura Saimin - Shrimp Saimin - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Went back a second time and love it just as much. I had the special saimin and the wontons. We took a steamed pork bun to go along with the Lilikoi pie. We ate them later and loved them. read more

Hamura Saimin - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

A super casual cash only restaurant that seems to be frequented by both locals and tourists. Service was quick and efficient. There's no small talk and just business which might be off putting to some. My husband and I both ordered the medium special Saimin. Food was actually pretty good. Broth was clear and light, not overly salty which I love. Portion was just right. Definitely would recommend stopping by if you want comfort food that isn't too heavy! read more

Hamura Saimin - Special Saimin - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Food is good The atmosphere is cozy It's a must try when in Kauai. Sometimes a bit crowded but general the wait isn't long read more

This place is a must when visiting Kauai. Get the saimin and add on a beef and chicken stick. Don't forget the lilikoi chiffon pie. Food is so damn good. Fast and friendly service...but be prepared to order and move on so the next party can enjoy. This place can get busy and expect to wait. No frills here with the look of the place. Old school counter seating. Enjoy. read more

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As authentic as it gets .It definitely is unassuming but I could tell that locals eat here because the place didn't have any shenanigans and just offered 100% delicious food .You enter and they seat you at a communal table with others. There are only a handful of menu items and as a result it doesn't take too long to get your meal out. They cook right in front of you and it felt like a home cooked meal. The food was good ,my husband who was extremely sea sick only a few hours back was not only able to stomach it but also enjoyed it. The restaurant is cash only so keep that in mind . read more

Hamura Saimin - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

I always make it a point to come to Hamura's whenever I'm visiting. It's an old school saimin spot - there's no flair or anything fancy. Just good ol saimin or wonton min. I also always get the lilikoi chiffon pie while I'm here. The pie is super light and fluffy so you don't feel grossly full after and it's the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Service is good. It's cash only, so be prepared for that. It's all counter seating so expect to end up sitting next to strangers unless you're lucky and come when it's not as busy. read more

Small and friendly business. The menu is simple and the food is the same. There are no vegan or vegetarian options. The soup broth is pork/chicken based. Food is prepared quickly. Staff is efficient. The food was good. Decent local spot. read more

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This little hole in the wall Samin stop is a favorite here on Kauai. It's cash only and has counter and 1 table seating that can sit about 30 people. It's usually very busy but on this visit, we came in at a good time. We got seated at the counter and was greeted by Auntie and Uncle who were working hard taking orders. There was another Auntie who was making all of the saimin orders. We ordered: 1. Small Saimin 2. Shrimp Samin 3. Beef Sticks The saimim was delicious and the broth was tasty along with the beef sticks and shrimp tempura. It hit the spot on that rainy weekend that we spent there. If you've been here you know and if you have never been here, it is worth a stop especially if you love traditional saimin, beef and chicken sticks, and shrimp tempura. The menu is not big but big enough for options and sizes. I will definitely return when I am in Kauai again. read more

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I'm not a pie person but my niece said I had to come and get the pie. I picked up an entire pie to share with the staff at the Westin Princeville staff read more

Hamura Saimin - Lilikoi chiffon pie - Japanese Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

This is a casual hole-in-the-wall, no frills type of spot. I'd never heard of saimin before, and I was excited to check this place out since I love noodle soup dishes. We had a decently large group and we initially waited in line for dine-in, but decided to get takeout instead hoping it'd be faster, since the restaurant seating was full and the space was relatively small. I feel like this was a mistake as the we ended up waiting forever and pretty much watched the entire restaurant seating get turned over as we were waiting in the takeout line to place our order. The staff is hard working for sure, but I think they need a better system for tackling the dine-in vs. takeout lines. I'd say don't come if you have a group of more than 2-3 too...the workers were noticeable frazzled trying to attend to everyone. We ended up waiting an hour for our group to get our takeout orders, and I'd say the first half hour of that was just us waiting to place our order. Note that there is an extra charge for takeout so be sure to have enough cash on hand as they are cash only. Don't expect super friendly or amazing service either, staff was pretty much there just to do their job and get your order to you. Sadly we were all pretty disappointed with our saimin. I'm sure it didn't help that we had waited so long, but ignoring that, I don't feel the food really lived up to the price point. I've never had saimin before so I can't really compare it to other places, but to me it just tasted as if I just got a bunch of frozen and prepackaged ingredients from the local Asian supermarket and threw them all together without adding any additional seasoning or flavor. I don't like to waste food so I made myself finish my bowl, but my friends didn't finish theirs. Those that ordered chicken sticks/skewers said those were really good though. If you use the restroom, make sure to close the shutters in the front and back...both were wide open when I went and seeing as it was nighttime, people could have seen me doing my business had I not noticed and closed them. I'd have to guess they're usually left open for better airflow and ventilation. Overall, I don't think I would return, but it could be worth checking out if you're in the area and see that there's no line. I see all the good reviews and can't help but think maybe we just came on a bad day. read more

Disappointed in our experience and very confused at the attention this restaurant has. We saw every seat was taken, so we decided to line up for take out. We should've just left at that point. Understandably, there were only 3 women working the kitchen, cashier, and clean up. Of course it would take a long time. However it was the attitude and lack of customer service and urgency that made me feel like we wasted our time. We stood at the cash register patiently waiting, and 15 minutes later, one of the women finally came over and asked if we wanted take out. She took our order and left for another 20 minutes. It was hot and humid inside, so it wasn't very comfortable standing there. They continued to meander around tables, almost dragging their feet. They did not seem to care that they had people waiting to take orders, and there was a mishap with the dine-in line at one point. Customers were confused and rightfully frustrated at the lack of organization. Once we got our order, which was about 45 minutes later, we took our food back to our hotel since there was nowhere to sit. The food was extremely lackluster. I think the waiting time and customer service already left a sour taste in our mouth, and so finally eating the food, I was left wanting more for how long the process took. The noodles were OK, broth was OK, toppings also OK. The skewers were honestly way better than the Saimin. That's the only reason why I'm giving 2-stars because it had a nice char and flavor. If you still decide to come here... if you see a long line, just save your time and effort and go some place else. read more