Good things come in small packages...and the best bentos come from this small shop. I'm especially fond of the fact that their fish bentos are all fish. This very much pleases my pescatarian preferences. I can enjoy every bite of the bento without having to pass a piece of chicken or beef to the hubby. And, I enjoy every bite down to the last kernel of multigrain rice. So far (because we're still working our way through the menu), we've enjoyed the noriben bento and the butterfish bentos (more than once). Both are worthy of a dine-in restaurant. The high-quality rice (trust me, you can tell) is a perfectly-cooked pillow for the assortment of bento toppings. They offer both white and multigrain rice. Hubby likes white. I enjoy the pleasant nutty, sweetness of the multigrain. The noriben bento includes a piece of salmon, ahi katsu, and a tempura-furikake fish cake. A generous portion of shredded nori covers the rice and an assortment of pickled veggies compliments the sweet corn. Not only is this bento pretty, it is amazingly balanced in taste and texture. A feast for the eyes and the palate! But, the butterfish bento is the real showstopper. A very generous serving of carefully sliced, richly marinated butterfish tops your choice of rice. The hubby said it's probably the BEST butterfish he's ever had. And, I totally agree with him! Because of the way they slice the fish, the marinade saturates the filets and then it's grilled so the sauce caramelizes just enough to give a sweet and smoky flavor. SO ONO! Like I mentioned, the shop is small but if you get there early, it's full of bentos (fish, chicken, katsu pork, and hamburger steak), assorted musubis and inari, as well as sushi cups. They even offer desserts by Malu Honolulu. What a great collab! Every nook and cranny of this little shop is full of food prepared with thought and care. Only three people are allowed in the shop at a time, so there is sometimes a line outside. Don't worry! It goes fast, and it's SO WORTH the wait. Not surprisingly, they sell out. But if you don't think you're going to make it there early, you can call to order and schedule a pick up. Service is always very friendly and accommodating. Higoto is located on the first floor of Kaimuki Shopping Center on Waialae Avenue (by Times Supermarket next to Sacred Hearts). Parking is free and ample. Really, there is NO good reason to not give Higoto Japanese Eatery a try. You definitely won't be disappointed. read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Noriben Bento - A feast for the senses. As pretty as it is tasty!! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I always try to stop by to grab food from Higoto when I'm in the area. I picked up a salmon bento and several musubi. The salmon bento was delicious, the musubi were good, too. The workers here are always friendly; the items typically sell out quickly. The parking in this building can be a bit chaotic. read more

Food tasted so yummy and fresh! The salmon ikura bowl was huge and loaded with fish, veggies, and rice! Bentos were also hefty portions. Great service, decent prices for quality and amount of food! Can park in the shopping center. Went 10 mins before open and there was already a small line. Would recommend pre-order if you dont want to worry about things running out. read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - miso butterfish bento // salmon ikura bowl - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is hands down one of the best grab-and-go bento spots, especially if you love miso butterfish. The miso butterfish was absolutely delicious, perfectly cooked, flavorful, and super tender. It also came with rice and veggies on the side, which made it such a satisfying meal. Definitely come early though because the best items sell out fast and you'll want the full selection! read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - miso butterfish - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It's a small place and there will be a line because it's got great bentos. Not only did the fish lovers bento taste great with the wonder variety of fish and seafood, it is attractively presented. Nicely set up over the purple rice, it's one of the best bento I've had outside of Japan. Friendly, small place. They pack a lot of variety in a small shop. Well worth a visit if you are in the area and want something to go. read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Fish Lovers Bento and a sushi roll. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Definitely 5 plus stars for this WONDERFUL bento and musubi shop. Yummy bentos, musubi, sushi cups, inari, salads, & desserts. My favorite is the fish lovers bento (see photo). The last one I had included miso butterfish, salmon, shrimp tempura (yummy and plump), fried white fish, saba, and chikuwa (fishcake) tempura. It includes shelled edamame, hijiki (seaweed salad), corn, tsukemono, cherry tomato, and rice (white or multigrain). Right now the price is $22.80, which is a great price for all the fish included. You have to order ahead (recommend 2 days ahead) -- call at 9:30 a.m. or a bit after. They open at 11 am. - 4 p.m. Wed - Sun but take orders after 9:30 a.m. Their musubi are really great also. My favorites are the mentaiko & egg and kombu & harihari. Try 'um, so ono! read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - fish lovers bento, so ono! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I have heard so much hype about this place ever since they opened 5 years ago. I just never got the chance to try it until now. If I am being honest, it is ok. I went with my family and got three bentos: pork katsu, yakitori chicken, and grilled pork. They were all fine nothing special. The meat was moist. The katsu, however, was soggy which was to be expected as it had been sitting out for a while. Also the chicken had five pieces in it. The store is tucked away near Kaimuki Times and is super small. No where to sit and they only allow 3 people in the store at a time. Their musubi looked tasty but we didn't try them. Perhaps the hype around this place has to do with the musubi and not the bentos. Unfortunately, I will not be coming back as it is on the pricy side for bento and has similar flavor to the bentos you can get from Times right next door. read more

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I've always been curious about this place but keep forgetting to check it out. Well, today, my schedule aligned with their opening time so it was the perfect opportunity! 10 minutes past opening, and there was already a line outside. They only allow 3 people at a time inside, but luckily the line moved pretty quickly :) I ended up getting a miso butterfish bento, spicy ahi avocado hand roll, and a salmon ikura sushi cup. In total, it came out to about $34 SPICY AHI AVOCADO HAND ROLL: really filling and a decent amount of avocado inside. Spicy ahi was not a creamy type of spicy, but it was still spicy SALMON IKURA SUSHI CUP: good portions and beautifully/thoughtfully layered with rice, pickled cabbage, and I think some egg? The fish tasted fresh and there were no chewy pieces! It was enough for me to share with my husband, so it was very filling MISO BUTTERFISH: the amount of butterfish they give for a little under $18 was surprising! The butterfish was tender, flavorful, and I didn't come across any bones. With the multigrain rice and the mini sides that accompanied the bento, it was also very filling! Overall, if you are looking for delicious Japanese food on the go, THIS is the place! I can't wait to come back and try other items as well :) read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - (Top) miso butterfish bento (bottom) salmon/ikura sushi cup - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We have been wanting to check out the bento from Higoto Japanese Eatery for a long time! We were scared away by the visible line from the parking lot twice, but you know, the third time's the charm. But really, we just waited in line. The small shop allows three customers in at a time so be patient because the food is worth the wait. Besides bento, they offer musubi, rolls, cup sushi, salads, inari sushi, and desserts by Malu Honolulu. We had the tonkatsu bento, nori bento, and shoyu garlic salmon bento. They were delicious! The food portions are generous and I enjoyed all the sides they included. I will definitely be back! Located on Waialae in Kaimuki, Higoto is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 4pm. You can also preorder your bento, but for same day order the earliest time for pick up is 11:30am. read more

Great small Japanese bento spot tucked behind the parking lot, to the right of Kaimuki Times Supermarket. Location and Parking: ample parking available outside Kaimuki Times. Location is a bit difficult to find. I would recommend walking toward Times, turn right, take the walkway behind the railing toward Higoto. Food: Ordered the miso butterfish bento and the unagi bento. The fish and unagi were soft and tender, flaky, and covered in a light layer of umami sauce. The unagi even included a side of extra sauce. Bento also included veggies and a choice of white or multigrain rice. We also ordered some desserts made by Malu; chocolate panna cotta which was rich and creamy; matcha panna cotta which was light, airy, and delicate, but didn't have a very strong matcha flavor; and the cookie cream puff. The cream puff was light and sweet, but didn't distinctly resemble or taste like a cookie. Value: the price at $17.50 per bento was very reasonable and the servings were very generous. Each bento included 3 large pieces of fish or unagi. Service: I ordered ahead for a 3:30pm pickup and they were very accommodating. I was also so thankful they waited for me when I got lost and was 15minutes late. Great service. Would recommend to anyone. read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Unagi Bento - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This cute sweet little bento spot is a gem in Kaimuki. Nestled below next to Times Supermarket Kaimuki, they always have the best quality Japanese food & desserts! The employees are so nice! Friendly and helpful staff! I absolutely love the crab & Ikura cup with purple rice! The side containers of Ikura too, I take home to freeze and thaw when I want to eat it on hot rice! The fish bentos, chicken bentos, yummy vegetarian options too like the tofu soybean salad is so delish with sesame dressing! Absolutely love their musubi selection! They have the highest quality ingredients and make all their side dishes from scratch! The sauces are all home made too! Oh the tartar sauce! I am so beyond happy they made a large container of their homemade tartar sauce for sale now too! I love it! It's the best tartar sauce on the island! Thank you Higoto for finding a little cute home here in Kaimuki! read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Best Japanese food ever! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Bentos are really good especially the miso butterfish! Come early cuz lines do get long but move fast just like Hawaii time! Haha

We came here after 2 pm and most of the food were out already. It's buy whatever is left on the shelf. You have to get here early to get your choice of bento. I got the Kama bento and it was delicious. Hubby got the chicken bento and liked it. Service was great. read more

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Good food, great service. A little pricey but worth it. Recommend this eatery, have patronized this business often throughout the years.

I've been wanting to try this place but was disappointed. The bentos look delicious but it was just okay , especially given its price. I had the chicken yakitori which was moist and flavorful but had like cartilage or fat that I had to spit out. My husband had the pork which wasn't bad tho a little dry. My daughter had the tonkatsu which was not crispy. The service was good. Perhaps I didn't order the right thing. I may go back to try the fish and onagiri read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Chicken yakitori bento - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Tip: Pre-order to save time, avoid the line & ensure your favorites. Fresh food. Friendly service. Miso butterfish is my favorite. Tofu salad is light & nice to share. Salmon musubi isn't salty. read more

Really cute small spot by Times, outside on the bottom floor. There is a lot of parking both on top and underneath. They still have a limit of 3 people inside at a time so you might need to wait outside until others finish their purchases. You can preorder food but it isn't necessary. They have a nice refrigerated section as well as a section of their pre-made bentos. We got the pork katsu bento and salmon + Ikura sushi cup. The cups are pretty massive and filling! The bento was really good and the sides are great! Oh I also got a cheese burger musubi which was something different and delicious! Definitely a spot to come by for other dishes! read more

Probably my favorite bento place, and there are a lot to choose from! Higoto ALWAYS has a line for good reason, but it moves very quickly. The inside is small and only fits 3 customers, and they usually sell out of some things by the later hours, so go early if you can. Besides being delicious, all of the food here is incredibly inexpensive for the portion sizes and quality. We always get the sushi bowls which are ~$13 and really large. The salmon ikura one is my personal favorite, but the spicy ahi is also a hit in my family. Their bentos are also very popular, but raw fish always wins imo. I come back here every time that I'm home, and highly recommend checking it out! read more

Is there such a description as "clean quality Japanese food"? Higoto offers musubis, salads, poke bowls, bentos, desserts and more. Everything offered here is fresh and made with quality ingredients. No oily taste. No over seasoned food here. Everything is just right. Hence, the "clean quality" description. I've tried almost everything they offer here. I have been satisfied with each option I have chosen. Prices are reasonable for the quality of food that you are provided here. There is always a line at opening. Go early for the most variety and selection. Located in The Kaimuki Shopping Center. Downstairs below the Cookie Corner and close to Times Supermarket. Free parking. Only three persons are allowed in this small space at a time. You can order ahead of time as well. This is a regular stop for me. I don't know how I haven't written a review for Higoto. No tables inside here. It's take out only. There is a small table for one outside. Overall 5/5 stars. Website: higotojapaneseeatery.com read more

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We stopped by Higoto before shopping at Times next door located in kaimuki. We bought a few onigiri. They had all of the normal choices like salmon, spam, and tuna. They also had bento choices that I see many people have raved about. The onigiri were really good, but my only comment would be that the nori was really mushy. I get it, they put it on hot rice. However, I think they wrapped it up too quickly, which lead to moisture. We all know that leads to mushy nori. Prices were on par to other onigiri shops. There is ample parking since it shares a parking lot with Times. The store itself is very small and can only accommodate a couple people at a time. Good grab and go option. I would definitely check it out if you are in the area. read more

Came by around 12;30/1 to grab some late lunch and swung by this small place. From the street it's hard to see, but it's in the back next to the Times supermarket, where there is also a parking structure. When we got there the line was maybe like 10 people which moved pretty quick. Only 3 people are allowed inside at a time because of how small it is, but it moves pretty quick and the prices were pretty reasonable for the quality of what you're getting. They have a variety of musubi, plates, poke bowls, and other snacks if you'd like. It's more of a grab and go place but I loved it because the food was so tasty and cute. Can't wait to come back and give this place a try again since there were so many other things I didn't get to try this time. read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Butter Miso Fish Plate - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Wow, the musubis are so good here! They offer 2 kinds of rice. I asked for 1/2 rice and each bite was perfect. Unfortunately, they were only able to make the cheeseburger with half rice, otherwise I would have tried the other flavors. My husband got the crab and ikura rice bowl and really enjoyed it at $14 a bowl read more

3 words: Fish. Lovers. Bento. That's it. That's all you need to know lol. Nestled in the kaimuki shopping plaza (Center) is a kawaii bento place called HiGoto. This location has seen its share of eateries, but this little bento shop has stood the test of time--and I know why! Their bentos are so filling and delicious! Love the variety from Saba, to my favorite the fish lovers (if you already couldn't tell). I'm not a big fan of their yakitori chicken, but it was moist and plentiful. In addition to the hot bentos, they have onigiri, and raw fish bowls and desserts in the little cold fridge area as well. Please heed the sign, as there is a limit of 3 in the store at a time due to space. The nice workers won't scold you, but I will. Hahaha! read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Veggie inari ($3) - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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In the area and decided to see if Higoto had any bentos left. Got there around 3pm and they close @ 4:00pm and normally all there good bentos are sold out early . I had 1 bento left and it consist of Miso salmon, mahi mahi katsu , Chikuwa tempura and other sides . I stopped by my friends house and I gave it to him . Support local read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We visited Higoto for the first time today....pleasantly surprised. We waited in line...the place is very small only three people allowed at one time. We ordered four bentos..two for lunch and two for dinner. The line moved fast. One mixed, one miso butterfish, one chicken karaage, one tonkatsu...we also ordered a bunny shaped dessert. The mixed bento and the butterfish was so good and the rice was excellent...not hard or dry like most bentos. Loved the sides as well, edamame, corn, pickles, hasu and gobo. The staff was friendly and helpful. Loved it, will definitely go again. Finally, found a bento place we actually loved. read more

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Variety is very nice. Rice too "wet" for my liking. Haven't found my favorite musubi but next time I'd like to try the bento. Only 3 people Allowed in the shop due to the size of its shop. read more

This place is a hidden gem in Kaimuki! Love their musubis and bentos! They put a lot of TLC in their creations here. I ordered their cheeseburger, spam and egg, and tuna mayo with apple cucumber musubis. Very creative musubis here! Great stop over to grab bentos or musubis on the go! read more

I pre-ordered some things that I wanted and then added more onto the order once I got to the place. All of the items we ordered were outstanding! My whole family have become fans! read more

This little takeout place has been here for years. It survived the pandemic when the cute little Japanese sandwich shop next door closed. And it's surprising. There is a sign outside that says because of the small space only three (3) people are allowed at a time. Because of this there is often times there is a line. Luckily this morning there was only one person in front of me waiting for someone to leave in the store. The menu remains the same only the prices have increased. But isn't that everywhere?I really like the rice used in their food. It's cooked just right,almost pillowy. But because of Hawaii's humidity the nori was not fresh and crisp. The miso fish and the fish lovers bento along with a single salmon musubi and lunch was set. But a word of warning, parking can be difficult. read more

Higoto is one of my favorites when I'm going out to the park for lunch. They have a lot of good options between bentos, musubis and cup sushi. My go to is the salmon and ikura cup sushi. Fish is always fresh. This place does sometime have a line so be prepared to wait a little. The shop is really small. read more

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Cute little store that sells bentos, musubis, and sushi cups! Dropped by to pick up lunch during work and there was a smidge of a line but it moves quickly even though they only let 3 people in the store at once. I picked up an ume shiso musubi, mentaiko and egg musubi, and a salmon ikura sushi cup. I love how they have both white rice and purple rice for musubis! The ume shiso one is packed with ume which I loved and the mentaiko egg musubi was solid as well. The salmon ikura sushi cup was definitely on the hefty side and put me into a food coma but it was completely worth it as the quality is super good. I didn't pick up any bentos this time but they looked really good so I'll definitely try that next time! Next time i'll probably call to order in advance so I can skip the wait. read more

Opened in May 2020, Higoto is a small Japanese takeout bento eatery in the Kaimuki Shopping Center that offers healthy meals of bentos, sushi, musubi, salads, and small desserts. Owners are husband-and-wife team, Mayumi and Nobu Kurokawa, with Nobu having worked in the food industry for some 40 years that included their own restaurant in Japan and the former Kona Kai Sushi in Kaimuki. The name "Higoto" was chosen, as it means "step by step every day," with the owners applying this motto to their customers, hoping that they will grow to like them little by little. And apparently most of their customers have! Higoto is known for their beautifully colored layered cup sushi bowls topped with fresh ahi or salmon and ikura. Their popular bentos include: shoyu garlic salmon; miso butterfish; unagi; fish lovers; tofu steak/veggie; chicken (yakitori, karaage, and katsu); 1/2 lb beef hamburger steak. There are sushi rolls; inari cone; and musubi with various fillings (ume, kombu, tuna mayo, salmon, spam/egg, mentaiko, tempura, etc.). You have a choice of white rice or multigrain rice for your bentos, sushi, and musubi. Japanese cheesecake made by Aloha Bake Shop is also available. My favorites include: * Miso butterfish. The butterfish is so tasty, soft and tender, and lightly blowtorched with a grilled look. The miso is subtle and not overpowering. The sides of sliced carrots, corn, lotus roots, gobo, pickled ginger, and konyaku add to its taste. * Unagi. The unagi is very soft, tender and melts in your mouth. Nice sauce to it, with additional sauce in a small container if you wish more. The sides as noted in the miso butterfish are also included. * Musubi. Lightly packed rice that is very flavorful that enhance its main ingredients, whether they be tempura, kombu, mentaiko, etc. * Cup sushi. So beautifully arranged and appealing to the eye, it's very flavorful and fresh. Staff is super friendly, always smiling, and strives to accommodate their customers' needs. For example, they make it efficient if you wish to pre-order, as you need not wait in a long line to purchase their offerings. Call them the day before or the same day with your order, and you can also prepay using a credit card. When you arrive, just call them on the phone that you're outside, and staff will bring out your order right away. And, if you don't see what you want on the display tables, just ask, and they will make one for you, if available. The little wood-toned shop is bright and clean, with interior décor very pleasant to the eye. Hours of operation are from Wed to Sun 11a to 4p, Mon/Tues closed. Higoto is located next to Times Supermarket with ample free parking shared with other businesses in the shopping complex. This small eatery, which opened during the pandemic, has surely survived and is well established in the local community. I always look forward to including Higoto in our regular rotation of good, casual restaurants in town! read more

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I almost didn't wanna post a review because I'd like to gatekeeper this place... haha! I have been many times and I love them. There is often a long time in the morning because items sell out fast. The butterfish with the multigrain is my absolute favorite. It is arrange as a grab and go and parking is easy. read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Unagi and Butterfish - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Would give 0 stars if I could! Ordered & paid for spicy salmon bentos. Counter person said it would be ready in 10-15 minutes & someone would bring it to me outside. 30+ minutes went by, still no bentos. Finally went in after standing in the warm, humid weather since no one came out & only 3 customers are allowed in the store at a time. I asked the counter person about my order. He told me "they ran out of salmon". I asked why no one came out to let the customers who paid & were waiting outside know about their orders (other customers were also waiting outside for the same salmon bento) but NO one would answer. He knew I was not happy and apologized. I got a refund. Terrible customer service!!! Be aware they are busy and run out of food even though it was lunch time and they close at 4:00pm. I even asked them when I put in the order if they could fill it and they told me they could! Not planning to return anytime soon. read more

Delicious and reasonably priced. Go early as it is a small shop and selection won't be great in the late afternoon. Take out only. No seating inside. Bottom level of the strip mall. Longs and Times market on top. Check days they are closed. Will definitely go back to get a better selection. read more

My aunty bought us food for lunch a few weeks ago and I forgot to write my review. The food here is so fresh and I especially liked the rice. Deserts were very light and not too sweet which is my preference. I will go check it out the next time I'm in the area. read more

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This little hole-in-the-wall grab n' go spot is truly a hidden gem. Folks will line up before they open to get first pick of their bentos, musubis, and poke bowls. It's very small and they only let in a few people at a time (3-4 people). We came around 10 minutes before opening and were like 7th in line and there was a decent line behind us once they did open. Pro tip: definitely come before opening for the best selection! The whole time we were in line and were just praying that they would still have miso butterfish by the time we got in! Lucky for us there were still a few miso butterfish bentos- and we even got the choice between white rice and their mixed grain rice. My friend picked up a unagi bowl too for her boyfriend and I got a poke bowl as well. Usually I'm a purist when it comes to poke bowls, but this is the exception! I loved the different layers of rice and veggie and I can't lie- the addition of edamame and cabbage really hit for me. If I'm ever in Kaimuki around the time they open, I'll gladly be in line at HIGOTO! read more

It's actually insane how good this place is! Everything is made fresh daily. They only allow max 3 people at a time so there may be a bit of a wait but the line moves quick. I got the mixed fish platter and it only cost $17 for such a generous portion of food! Everything tasted soo good. My faves were the mackerel, butterfish and tempura with homemade tartar sauce. The side of uni is only $12 and the quality is 10/10 read more

Where Hibiscus used to be is now a cute homely Japanese bento shop! Definitely on the pricey side, but very delicious! ***What I got **Miso Butterfish Bento (10/10) ~ Normally I'm not the type of person to love the sides that are provided in a bento, but WOW. It was delicious. Whatever they marinaded the sides in was a perfect balance of texture and flavor. It also complimented the Butterfish really well! ALSO, the butterfish had the consistency of butter. It was super soft and melts in your mouth. ** Multigrain Rice Spam Musubi (10/10) ~ You may not think it looks filling, but trust me. It is. At first I thought it was just spam and the multigrain rice, but there was daikon in towards the middle of the musubi, giving it a nice crunch. Also their multigrain rice, is not your ordinary multigrain rice. Just try it. It's honestly, really good (better than the white rice)! Overall, I would come here once in awhile since it is pretty pricey, but HIGOTO reminds me of Japan. All the flavors that were in the Miso Butterfish bento was amazing. If you haven't come here yet for a bento, what are you doing?? You're honestly missing out HAHA. read more

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First time dropping by here to grab my lunch. Got two onigiris (rice balls) and both of them tasted good. One problem was this store is so small that they only allow three guests in the store at once, therefore I had to wait at the outside for 5-10 minutes, just to grab two onigiris. read more

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Menaiko(spicy) and egg onigiri Tenmusu (shrimp tempura onigiri) - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii