I've become a regular for their weekend breakfast, and it's one of the few places in Honolulu that I genuinely look forward to every week. My usual order is the misoyaki gindara (sablefish) breakfast set. The fish is buttery, perfectly caramelized from the miso marinade, and somehow never overcooked. The rice is always cooked exactly right, the miso soup tastes like it was made that morning, and the assortment of small side dishes and sashimi makes the meal feel balanced instead of heavy. Every component on the tray has a purpose. I've also tried the mackerel Saba and hokke sets, but I keep coming back to the gindara. It's worth the small upgrade. The service is consistently warm, efficient, and quietly professional. You never feel rushed, even when every table is full. If you've spent time in Japan and miss a traditional breakfast, this is about as close as you'll find in Honolulu. Just get there early, because the Friday through Sunday breakfast service is popular for good reason. read more

Flavorful food, and it was presented nicely The calamari was actually pretty big and the sauce for it goes really well with the white rice The mushroom rice is also flavorful :) Nice staff and service was quick The place was very clean read more

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TL;DR This might be my favorite Japanese restaurant in town. Undisputed soba champion. ----- I'm surprised I haven't written a review for i-naba yet. This place has been a staple for my family ever since we moved back to O'ahu a few years ago. Bottom line? The soba noodles here are utterly fantastic. They are, in my humble opinion, the best on the island, and some of the best soba noodles I've ever had. I don't think anywhere else in Honolulu comes close. You come here to eat soba. Period. In addition to the soba being phenomenal, the other offerings at i-naba are also similarly great. Their tempura in particular is outstanding. I typically order the Jumbo Shrimp Tempura Bowl & Soba or the Dx Tempura Bowl & Soba. Plus an upgrade to a large size soba! The tempura is sooo good. It's crispy, light, and airy. The jumbo shrimp is especially succulent and tender. And the ingredients are always perfectly seasoned with the sweet and savory house sauce. Yummmy! If you're looking for the best soba and awesome tempura, this is your spot!!! read more

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The other day had Ten Zaru Soba, and was delicious as always, the soba cooked perfectly, the tempura sweet and delicate. No forget the soba yu! read more

I-NABA - Soba yu! Got to have as an ending broth to drink. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Everytime I asked my Japanese clients which Japanese restaurant they enjoyed most in Honolulu, Inaba consistently came up. And now I know why. I finally had lunch here a couple weeks ago and damn was my tempura and soba set broke da mout. The soba is housemade with a chewy consistency that I love. I had it cold with the dipping sauce and wow wow wow. So good. My friends suggested I get the shrimp and vegetable tempura as well which amazingly stayed crispy the whole time I savored each bite. Probably 30 minutes. Light crisp batter on perfectly cooked shrimp and veggies. Damn it was good. The service was great as well and I cannot wait to go back. Nice warm atmosphere and there's a free parking lot. It gets busy during lunch and dinner, so get there early or make a reservation. Enjoy! read more

I-NABA - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is a casual sit-down Japanese restaurant located in a strip mall on South King Street in Honolulu. There is free parking available, although the lot is relatively small -- it seemed to have around 12-16 spaces -- so parking can sometimes be a bit tight during busy hours. Still, the location makes it convenient to stop by for both lunch and dinner. The restaurant has a strong reputation among Japanese customers, which always gives me confidence. The clientele is quite diverse -- Americans, Japanese-Americans, locals, and repeat visitors to Hawaii -- which shows how widely loved it is. They offer great value lunch sets, often combining soba with tempura or sushi, making it easy to enjoy a balanced Japanese meal. I visited for lunch with a female friend, and we were both very satisfied. The soba noodles here are thin and well-prepared, and the broth follows traditional Japanese standards. The flavor is clean, refined, and truly suited to Japanese palates -- not overly sweet or heavy, just beautifully balanced. It tastes authentic. The tempura is also excellent and very popular among tempura lovers. It is lightly battered and perfectly crisp. One thing I really appreciate is that they offer half-size and large-size options for the soba noodles, which is perfect if you want to try multiple dishes or adjust your portion size. Here's what we ordered: * Vegetable tempura with regular-sized soba noodles * Half-sized curry soba with duck * White fish nigiri sushi (flounder and grunt) * Half-sized mushroom soba with grated daikon radish and whitebait Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. In the evening, the restaurant shifts to an izakaya-style menu that pairs well with a wide selection of alcoholic beverages. Whether you visit for lunch or dinner, the food is consistently delicious, satisfying, and high quality. This has become one of my favorite Japanese restaurants. I will definitely be back. I would be happy if this post was helpful to someone. It would be encouraging if you could express your feelings by clicking the reaction button. ホノルルのサウスキングストリートにあるストリップモール内にある、カジュアルな日本食レストランです。無料駐車場はありますが、12～16台ほどと比較的小さいので、混雑時には駐車スペースが少し狭くなることがあります。それでも、ランチにもディナーにも立ち寄りやすい立地です。 このレストランは日本人のお客様から高い評価を得ており、いつも安心しています。アメリカ人、日系アメリカ人、地元の人、ハワイリピーターなど、客層も実に様々で、このレストランが広く愛されていることがわかります。 お得なランチセットも提供しており、そばに天ぷらや寿司がセットになっているものも多いので、バランスの良い日本食を気軽に楽しめます。私は女性の友人とランチで訪れましたが、二人とも大満足でした。 この店のそばは細く丁寧に打たれており、つゆは伝統的な日本の基準を踏襲しています。味はすっきりと洗練されており、日本人の口に合うように作られています。甘すぎず、重すぎず、絶妙なバランスが取れています。まさに本場の味です。 天ぷらも絶品で、天ぷら好きに大人気です。衣は軽く、サクサクと揚がっています。 特に嬉しいのは、そばがハーフサイズとラージサイズから選べることです。色々な料理を試したり、ボリュームを調整したりしたい時に最適です。 私たちが注文したのは以下の通りです。 * 野菜の天ぷらと普通サイズのそば * 鴨肉入りハーフサイズのカレーそば * 白身魚の握り寿司（ヒラメとイサキ） * きのこそばハーフサイズ（大根おろしとシラス添え） どれも新鮮で風味豊かで、美しく盛り付けられていました。 夜は居酒屋風のメニューに変わり、豊富な種類のお酒とよく合います。ランチでもディナーでも、料理はどれも美味しく、満足感があり、質の高いものです。 ここは私のお気に入りの日本食レストランの一つになりました。また必ず来ます。 もし、これが、役に立ったなら、何リアクションボタンを教えてくださると、励みになります。 read more

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The best soba on the island! The noodles are perfectly cooked, the broth is rich and flavorful, and everything tastes incredibly fresh. The tempura is also delicious--light, crispy, and a great complement to the meal. Definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to every time I am craving soba! read more

I-NABA - Deluxe Tempura Box - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The soba noodles here were fantastic. I came for lunch (walked in) and ordered the hot kake soba to pair with my chirashi bowl. I thought the sashimi was good, but the soba noodles was the star. It tasted fresh and the broth complemented them beautifully. I'd definitely come back just for the soba. They offer a great variety of options, including soba, sushi, tempura, and combinations of the three. The experience really felt like dining in Japan. Bonus: they're BYOB (glasses are $1.50 each if you need one). read more

I-NABA - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Casual sit-down Japanese eats in a strip mall. Went here for a weekend dinner. Parking was potentially tough - their parking lot was a bit small, but was able to find a spot. Glad we made an RSVP as there was a wait. Ended up ordering soba (of course), some uni, and some tempura. Everything was delicious and wasn't too crazy price-wise. Would def recommend! read more

I-NABA - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is a truly authentic Japanese restaurant. The service was great and the hot green tea tasted like how it is in Japan. The food also tasted JUST like how soba tastes like in Japan. I loved eating here it reminded me of being overseas. The parking lot is a little small but there is ample street parking. I got the dipping soba both times I went and the noodles were perfect. Also ordered a bunch of other items with the people I brought and everything was delicious! read more

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Driving back towards Waikiki, this was a quick stop for dinner. It was early, so we got seats at the sushi bar. Service was good, and the food came out quickly. Lots of locals and a few patrons from Japan. I tried practicing my Japanese with the waitress, but she answered in English...I need more practice. When we left, there were a lot of people waiting outside. It was a Friday, so a crowd was expected. We just timed it right. It is BYOB, which is fine. Just go, enjoy the soba and uni/maguro bowls. The cheesecake dessert was pretty good too. read more

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Decided to try I-Naba for the very first time! I can't believe I've never eaten here before. I think I just always forget, but I'm glad I didn't this time! Parking is a little rough. It's a small lot, but there are some street parking on King street. Just make sure to go early and be ready to look for parking if needed. Once we got in on the weekend, we walked in and the two of us got seated right away! Very much like in Japan, tables are a bit close together or there are bar seats. It was so tough to decide what to eat as the menu has a lot of good items! I chose the Hana set which was cold soba noodles that had uni and ikura inside. It also came with rice and tempura! So much good and so good!!! I did not regret my choice! Wow ! We had to get dessert and got the fried mochi and azuki bean. Yummmmm! Came out fresh!!! New favorite place to eat. Great service. They give hot tea when you are done eating your food. Yum! read more

I-NABA - Fried mochi and azuki - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Hard days can be commonplace here in the islands Some people and their families may work two to three jobs just to make ends meet Some people...may not even have family or may be without work! Life is hard! So when you have had enough and you need a 'me time' break...I recommend Inaba. This location has served us well for high quality, comforting Japanese food. From the service to the convenient location...this is a great spot. The parking can be a little difficult, but if all else fails, there is street parking. The win is next store. Baskin Robbins is conveniently located 15 steps away...so plan your meal accordingly.... This wont be the least expensive meal you have had all week, and it sometimes gets crowded...but this place really delivers. They have recently had unagi specials, so I usually order ot in tempura form...but there are many options, including sushi...and a sushi bar. There are many reviews on soba, and they are correct. The soba is delicious. But soba eating here....comes with a few instructions...please try not to laugh too hard... After one of my earlier soba meals here, I was served one small rectangular teapot....with no teacup and no instructions. I touch it...its piping hot. Maybe..maybe.. Is it to wash my hands with? I pour a little and burn my fingers...HOT!! Maybe...? My wife finally asks the nice server... She said its soba cooking water...very nutritious. Pour some into your leftover soba dipping sauce and drink it! Omg...we never laughed so hard Also my wife took away my Japanese card....that was sad. See you there! read more

I-NABA - Tempura eel! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Inaba Curry soba, unaju, and tamagomaki are totally my style here. Every dish tastes clean, comforting, and well-balanced--one of those places where you actually feel better after eating. The curry soba is rich but not heavy, the unaju is perfectly cooked and flavorful, and the tamagomaki is soft, slightly sweet, and just right. Food comes out quickly, which I really appreciate. I've been here twice at night without a reservation and got in both times with no problem. Service is friendly and efficient, and the overall vibe is calm and welcoming. Great spot if you're looking for delicious Japanese food that feels wholesome and satisfying. Definitely a repeat place for me read more

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I-NABA is a family-owned Japanese restaurant founded by Yoshizo Inaba with more than 200 years of history. It has various locations nationwide, with its 1st location opened in Torrance, CA in 1999. It now has 5 locations in CA and 3 locations in HI. Its 1st location in Honolulu opened in 2005 in McCully. It also opened two limited menu restaurants: I-NABA Sushi Hanalei in McCully in 2020 which is a casual restaurant for sushi and other traditional Japanese fare and teppanyaki; and Koko I-NABA HI Kai in 2021, which is an intimate sushi bar offering chirashi bowls, soba, and seafood flown directly in from Japan. This review is for I-NABA Honolulu in McCully. Restaurant I-NABA Honolulu in McCully is a traditional Japanese restaurant that offers its signature authentic handmade soba, tempura, and sushi in a cozy setting. Food is beautifully plated, and the ambiance is comfortable and casual. I-NABA Honolulu imports quality buckwheat flour, bonito, unagi, and other ingredients direct from Japan. Its soba and udon are all handmade fresh daily. It offers an extensive menu of appetizers, hot and cold soba with numerous toppings, tempura, fresh and grilled seafood, sushi, lunch specials, sashimi, and desserts. There are also monthly specials and celebratory items offered during the New Year and with reservations only. Japanese breakfasts are served on weekends and may include grilled fish, rice, miso soup and daily dishes. We are usually there for lunch and order the following: * Kake (hot) soba with green onion, shaved bonito, and dried seaweed and with various toppings, e.g., nametake mushrooms, mentai, wakame seaweed, and tempura batter. * Hot soba & tempura bowl set. This is a half-size kake soba and a bowl of 2 shrimps and veggie tempura served over rice with original sauce. The soba is delicious, as it is firm, chewy, and spongy. We love that the broth is flavorful, served piping hot, with a number of different toppings. We also love the option of having both kake udon and tempura donburi, which has a delicious sauce that is drizzled onto the tempura and mixed in with the hot rice. The tempura is excellent, as it is crunchy, lightly battered, and non-greasy. In the future, I will be cutting down on the starch, and instead of a rice bowl, will order tempura on the side that includes shrimp, fish, kabocha, sweet potato, carrots, green beans. Instead of ordering hot soba by habit, I hope to order cold (zaru) soba. We love the diverse menu options, and that it's BYOB. The friendly and welcoming staff appear to be long-time employees who are knowledgeable about the menu offerings. Staff is efficient even when it's busy, as they ensure that your water glasses and tea are refilled promptly and that your requests are met. We've even seen the chefs assisting in serving menu items to diners. There is a sign-in sheet for first-come, first-served diners. Hours of operation are: Thurs to Tues lunch from 11a to 2p and dinner 5p to 8p, Wed closed. Breakfast is available Fri to Sun, 8a to 10a. As this is a popular restaurant, reservations are recommended if you wish to have a table, as there may be a long wait; otherwise, you would probably be eating at the counter. The restaurant interior is small and clean, with the ambiance reminiscent of Japan. Located across Washington Middle School, limited free parking spaces are available fronting the restaurant and are shared among businesses in the small complex; however, they are quickly taken. There is also metered street parking available. We always look forward to eating at I-NABA Honolulu, as we know that the food is fresh, delicious, and tasty, and that customer service will be excellent as well! read more

It's been a while since I've been to Inaba. Today we had a nice lunch with the jumbo shrimp and soba combo. The table that we sat at has a bad draft from the sliding door. They know thus so our server kindly placed a screen next to me to deflect the warm draft. Food was very good, actually too much for me. Tempura was nice and big. Portion of kake soba was very large. I'd order less food next time. read more

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I called to make a lunch reservation a week ahead. Our table was ready, even though we arrived early. Their menu was extensive and plenty of soba combinations to make. They also had a specials menu with salmon collar and niku soba. Our party of four each ordered an entree and the portions were generous. All of our soba combination plates included a side of rice. I think my niku soba submerged in the broth was too salty for my preference. But the dipping soba broth was more balanced, probably easier to control broth/salt flavor. Regarding the soba noodles, it had the perfect texture and consistency. At the end of our meal, our waitress brought over additional starch water to drink. There is also directions on how to consume it and its benefits. For anyone visiting, I think this is a good stop to try something different, but they also have plenty of locations in California. read more

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I-Naba always hits the spot when in Hawaii! I've made it a point to visit on my past two trips to Oahu. It definitely reminds me of being in Japan. I like the tempura DX with soba, the hana soba, or the chirashi bowl with soba! You can't go wrong with any soba dish here. The unagi is also really good and not smothered in too much sauce. Service is really friendly. The last time I went, my husband and I brought our six month old baby in his stroller, and staff was super accommodating! read more

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Went to I-Naba for lunch they are in a small complex on king street in the Mccully area. I ordered the Kake soba set which comes with hot soba noodles and a choice of rice, which I ordered rice with mushroom and it came with a small dish with Takuwan pickle daikon. On the table we also were served a small dish with edamame about 5 pieces. The menu list is pretty large and the customers were constantly coming in. They have a few table seating about 5 for 2 or 4 and counter seating, they seem pretty busy, so it would be better to make reservations ahead of time. Out of the 4 couples came in only 1 couple didn't have reservations the rest did. Parking is limited in a small parking lot they share with other business like Basket & Robins and a Korea take out restaurant. Service was fast and service was good. read more

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Great sitdown place to get soba! This restaurant is located along S King street in a small plaza, and you have to take an immediate left after Punahou Street to find it. It shares a parking lot with several other businesses in the plaza, such as Boba House and Baskin Robbins, so there may be several parking spots available depending on the time of day, but otherwise you can find metered parking along the street. When you walk in the restaurant, it's nice, cool, and clean, and there is plenty of table seating and open spots along the bar. I was able to get promptly seated on the weekend when I came in around 1PM. Staff is super friendly and attentive, which I appreciated. I ordered the chirashi bowl with zaru soba, and it came out pretty quickly! The soba was fresh, chewy, and pleasant, and I loved having cold soba on a hot day. The chirashi was fresh and was a great pairing to the soba. The price is a bit steep, but I think it's worth it given the quality and freshness of the ingredients. As I-Naba has a wide variety of selections on the menu, I would definitely come back to try some of their other dishes. read more

I-NABA - chirashi bowl with zaru soba - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We had some business to take care of today near Beretania and Keeaumoku, so I asked my wife if she wanted to try a new Chinese restaurant nearby for lunch. At first she said okay, but after a while suggested I-NABA instead. I later learned she was planning to ask me to take her there in the near future. Their Friday schedule is breakfast 8 - 10 am, break, then lunch beginning at 11. We finished our errands and arrived before lunchtime. Others arrived after we did, and when the doors opened, we were the first ones in, taking the table at the far end, next to the wall. My wife has been there a number of times with friends, and knew exactly what she wanted, the Chirashi Bowl & Soba. Since I normally have a light lunch, I chose the hot Tsukimi Soba. The wait didn't seem long before my wife's chirashi set arrived. She appeared to feast on it with her eyes first, before starting to eat. My wife thoroughly enjoyed herself, starting with her favorite, the thin slices of raw ika. A short while later, my bowl of soba arrived. I've never had it before, and so was eager to taste it. I began by mixing the raw egg into the hot broth, and eating the hot, tasty noodles by using my chopsticks to place them into my mouth - I try not to slurp. My wife praised how good their gohan (cooked rice) was. For us, quality rice when eating out is a rarity, a special treat. (We always buy koshihikari rice at the grocers.) To be honest, I enjoyed watching my wife eat more than I did my own meal, but that's usually how it is. read more

I-NABA - Tsukimi Soba - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I-naba is one of my favorite restaurants on the island. This is my go-to spot for lunch or dinner, and continues to be one of the best spots for chirashi bowls and soba. They even upheld their quality and service during the pandemic. Not only is the food delicious in the restaurant, but also good for takeout. I usually order the chirashi bowl and cold soba and the ikura oroshi. And I can't rave about their chirashi bowls and soba enough. I haven't found anywhere else like it. The ikura oroshi is so refreshing. The service is spectacular, and they go above and beyond to make sure your needs are met. The restaurant is small, and I discovered that it's become busier over the years. However, you can always make a reservation or drop in right when they open if you're concerned about seating. There is a small parking lot in front and on the other side near Baskin Robbins. read more

I-NABA - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We came at a pretty busy night, but we were lucky enough to be seated quickly without a reservation. ***What I ordered ~ **Tempura & Hot Udon Set (9/10) ~ This was SOOO much food. The udon was cooked al dente which gave it a bouncy texture to it. The broth is a little bland so I would recommend adding shichimi to it, to give it a little kick. The tempura was fried perfectly and the sweet sauce that was poured on top of it paired well with the tempura. **Mango Cheesecake (8/10) ~ I thought it was going to have an overwhelming mango flavor, but it wasn't anything crazy. The mango chunks add a nice texture to it. One thing that was weird was that it was served half warm and half cold... when I took I bite the tip of the cheesecake was warm, but then eating more towards the end it was really cold... So that was an interesting experience! Overall, Food was delicious, but service was okay. It was hard to wave down some of the staff and there was a long wait for the food (which is understandable). But I would come back again! read more

I-NABA - Tempura & Hot Udon Set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Another cute authentic tasting/looking Japanese restaurant in Honolulu - not that that's surprising, but we enjoyed the experience and the food. I got the tuna and uni with soba while hubs got the chirashi with soba. I quite like mine particularly when hubs shared his ikura and salmon with me. When I mixed it all in it tasted like negitoro don without the negi, and I really liked it. The soba was fine though it seemed ordinary and maybe there just to help make the meal more filling. The price tag seems slightly steep (with the set coming up to nearly $40 each) but it's ok. Hubs thought the chirashi was fairly standard but liked it anyway. We got slightly lucky with the timing as the place got filled pretty quickly. It has a small parking lot out front. read more

I-NABA - Chirashi with soba - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Inaba on S. King Street is airways a hit with my family. We love Soba and theirs is pretty unique among all other Soba types. It's a lighter flavor and color, but still the same chewiness and elasticity as many other Soba noodles. We highly recommend a reservation via calling if you intend to dine in as it gets quite busy with no good spot outside to wait. Food critiques as below! Anago Tempura Box: 10/10. This is my favorite item here as I love anago-don and I love zaru Soba. This combination having both is chef's kiss. The price tag is a bit higher than other entrée - but I feel it is worth it compared to making all of these individual items yourself. Assorted Tempura Soba: 7/10. My family older member who got it rated it as a 7/10; They mentioned that the noodles were good and the Tempura was fine. I asked what could make their rating higher and they said, 'maybe stronger dipping sauce? Also, lighter batter on the tempura maybe.' Dashimaki Tamago: 6/10. Not my favorite order from here. It definitely is a dashimaki tamago in preparation - but I personally prefer a stronger dashi flavor in the egg. My family member stated, 'lighter color from cooking.' It isn't bad as taste is very YMMV and personalized, you may like it for what it is. Overall, I enjoy dining here to experience the amazing Soba. Remember to make a reservation and support local businesses! read more

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The sushi omakase is so fresh and delicious! Chef is an expert. Truly brilliant! Highly recommend!

Got back from Japan and was craving Japanese food and this place delivered! Everyone spoke Japanese and it felt like I was back in Tokyo! Food was delicious and the dessert too! Depending on when you go the wait times will vary. They don't do reservations and the parking lot is small but I didn't have an issue finding a spot. read more

I-NABA - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Great food and adequate service. We ordered the Chirashi because it was familiar and it's my husband's favorite sushi dish. We ended up here by accident after our original sushi destination turned up closed when we arrived. The restaurant feels like an authentic Japanese eatery which made out experience much more memorable. read more

I-NABA - Salad - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This inside is a little limited & quite popular. We came on a weekday for lunch and the place was packed by 11:30am. We got sat at the bar, and they took our order quite quickly. It took 45 minutes for the food to come out, not sure if they were behind or something but that was longer than I expected. Overall the food was really good. I got the Zaru soba with tempura. The dashi was light, and noodles were so good & chewy. The tempura was cooked fresh & not too oily. The waitress also gave hot water to add to the dashi after your meal which was a nice touch. I would definitelycome back but just gotta prepare to wait a while for your food. read more

I-NABA - Zaru soba with tempura - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The food options are really good. It's hard to leave this place still feeling hungry. It's BYOB which also helps to keep the cost of your total bill down. If you don't wanna get charged to use their glass ($1.50) for your alcohol though, just drink out of the bottle or can that it comes in or bring your own cups. The place gets crowded quickly, especially in the parking lot as well. read more

I-NABA - Ikura, uni, hotate combo with soba - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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You'll be pleased with this place if you stick to the soba sets, but we ordered sashimi too and those were disappointing because the slices were so thin and around $22/order (for thinly sliced 5 pc sashimi). Really enjoyed the I-naba set that comes with a little of everything - seasoned veggies, soba, sashimi, and tempura. Their tempura here was really good with a light crispy batter, but the true stand out was the soba. Probably some of the best soba any of us have ever had! At the end, they give you hot water that the soba was cooked in and you pour that into your leftover soba dipping sauce to make a delicate soup. read more

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This place is hard to get a reservation at, but when you do get one it is a great place for Japanese food. Small place and it seems like there is never enough servers, but the food is good and pricing is great for what you are getting. read more

This makes me think of what it would be like to be sat at an obaa-chan's place and have food served to you at her home. The quality was all there. Definitely very reminiscent of Japanese home-style cooking. The tempura zaru soba was excellent. Tempura cooked to perfection - not too oily, and the soba noodles were perfectly cooked. Sushi assortment was well presented and was of great quality as well. This place always tends to be packed so I suggest going early or making a reservation. Parking can be extremely hard. I'm not sure where people can park if the inner stalls near the place are all taken - but street parking seems to be it. read more

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I used to work in Torrance, CA, and I ate at I-naba and Ichimi Ann as often as possible. I knew they were sister restaurants, but had no idea that they came from a Hawaiian mother, the fantastic I-naba in Honolulu. I went with four friends/colleagues, including a couple based in Hawaii who've been coming to I-naba for decades. They said they ate here all the time when their kids were growing up, and I can only imagine how often I'd go with my family if this place were in our neighborhood. The restaurant was casual and instantly likeable in a low-key noodle joint way. The vibe was pleasantly bustling on a Friday night, and service was prompt and friendly. I-naba doesn't have a liquor license, but there was a sign on the wall indicating we could bring our own booze. One of our party went and got bottles of Kirin and Orion at a nearby convenience store, and we had refreshing Japanese beers to go with our dinner. The food was superb. We got a few appetizers and some nigiri for the table (which I brattily ordered knowing my friend/boss was picking up the bill), then individual orders of tempura and soba. Great edamame and tamagoyaki--soft, sweet slices of Japanese omelet, served with daikon oroshi. Aburi shimesaba was a hearty plate of seared, marinated mackerel sashimi. Oily, dense, and flavorful, excellent with a bit of grated ginger and soy sauce. I-naba isn't a sushi bar, but I did very much enjoy the nigiri we ordered. Fresh hotate and beautiful chutoro, and both mantis shrimp and amaebi, with the sweet shrimp heads served deep-fried as a bonus snack. The must-order here, though, is the glorious combo of tempura and soba. I was going to get the basic tempura soba set when one of the regulars suggested I might miss the rice. I ended up ordering the tempura box gozen set, and this was absolutely the correct choice. The tempura box came with two shrimp and an assortment of vegetable tempura--asparagus, sweet potato, kabocha, eggplant--every single piece delicious. There was an addictive sweet and salty soy tare kind of sauce that seeped into the white rice, which was indeed essential. I went with the zaru soba for my noodles, and it was exactly what I wanted, cold and chewy. All it needed was a dunk in the bowl of tsuyu, finished with wasabi and sliced green onion. Little dishes of hijiki and Japanese daikon pickles rounded out the gozen set. Dinner ended with a pour of soba-yu, the starchy water used to cook the noodles, combined with the remaining dipping sauce. A warming, mild, savory last taste of I-naba goodness. This was a deeply satisfying meal, one I'd love to have again at the earliest opportunity. I'm heartened that I have an I-naba closer to home, but that won't stop me from going back whenever I'm in Honolulu. read more

Hosoi Family you have done it again; have created a memorably quality meal for myself and friend, one that I will look forward to returning for again soon. Japanese breakfast now served on the weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) and worth the wait til the end of the week. On this visit, not knowing what time breakfast service started, we arrived at 7:45. Not open until 8am? No problem as we visited the also popular musubi shop next door. In no time we were in the door and quickly followed by enough persons to fill the front room. Set breakfasts starting at $25 include your choice of fish, rice, miso soup, three daily side dishes, and tea (upon request). Without fish, one can still get a satisfying tamago kake gohan meal for only $10. Additional sides available with cost. I was so happy I added a seasoned mentai for only $2.00. Service, as expected from an excellent Japanese restaurant was meticulous without being intrusive. And the visit by one of the owners was so very interesting and informative. Thank you Sho for letting us know about the other two restaurants your family owns... "Inaba Hanalei" just down the street and "Smoke Door" in Lake Tahoe; both overseen by Chef Tyler Burges. Chef Burges, a San Diego native has extensive background in San Francisco and Japan including a season as the Executive Sous Chef of a three Michelin starred restaurant. Looking forward to another memorable meal at I-naba or one of their sister restaurants soon! read more

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Soba so good! I will never look at cold noodles the same after going to I-naba during our vacation to Honolulu. I came here with my girlfriend for our anniversary, and we thought trying soba for the first time would be a great way to celebrate. I can confidently say we made the right choice. Especially on a hot, humid Hawaii day, the sweet and cold taste of soba noodles was incredibly refreshing. I got the gomadare soba, a sesame-based broth, while my partner for a kakiage soba. We both savored every single bite we had from our noodle and finished it with no leftovers; that's how good it is. Oh yes, and I have to mention the interior of the restaurant was minimalistic yet gorgeous. The service was excellent and professional, and the ambiance was great as I saw plenty of families and couples there as well. Okay, I'm done. If you're reading this, you for sure have to try this place out if you're in the Honolulu area. read more

I-NABA - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I have been coming to I-Naba for their soba which is one of the best in town. You can customize your own soba or order one of the many on their menu. I love their uni soba, which is served in a cold broth. If you like uni try the uni with shiso leaf tempura. Order from a long list of tempura items to any of your meals. The service staff here is always welcoming, friendly, and attentive. They are family owed with 3 locations on island. I prefer coming to this location. Parking out front that is shared with other surrounding businesses. read more

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Delicious homemade soba! Al dente, firm and flavorful. I ordered the cold one with a homemade sesame broth. It was delicious! Kind, efficient Japanese waitresses. Tempura wasn't as crispy, but nice you could select the individual pieces you want. At the end, they bring a warm water pot, which another yelper commented on -- thanks! You pour the soba water into the broth and it's supposed to be healthy. It was super tasty and the perfect temperature. Really enjoyed our meal and loved that it's a local spot. Pretty casual, prompt service. Arigato!! read more

I-NABA - Soba set with shiso and maite mushroom tempura al a carte. Sesame cold soba broth. Delicious! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The best soba ever! If you're looking for phenomenal soba, I-NABA is the place to go! I've never had soba at a restaurant before, so I decided to try it when I went to Hawaii for my anniversary. I-NABA seemed like the right choice, and I was satisfied coming here. We arrived around noon, and there wasn't much of a wait. Even though I-NABA was constantly busy, we were seated right away. My partner got the gomadare soba while I got the Kakiage soba. The soba was so refreshing to have for a hot and humid day. I got a kakiage soba cold and loved the contrast of the kakiage made out of shrimp, burdock, and soybean that was like a tempura fritter. The two textures of cold and hot items blended so well, and the portions were great, too. My partner loved his gomadare soba. We both finished up our meals with no leftovers! I-NABA is also the perfect environment to bring your family and friends. It is such a low-key spot that delivers high-quality food. When I visit again, I'm going to savor the soba for a second time! read more

I-NABA - Kakiage Soba - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Fresh tasting and traditional bento style meals! I got a box with soba, tempura, and some sashimi. Overall it felt well balanced and clean. Cool to find such an authentic place. read more