There are many restaurants in Waikiki that offer katsu dishes, but Ginza Bairin is one of the best…read morekatsu locations. They serve high quality protein and really crispy panko crust, it's a must when you visit. The restaurant is located on a small street that is a bit further away from the main strip, but that's what makes this place a hidden gem. We visited after lunch rush, but the restaurant was still full and had people waiting outside. Inside, the area is packed with tables, so it may be hard to flag down servers when you need something. But you can tell that everyone is working hard and trying to service all the tables. Overall, we enjoyed our meal, had bunch of leftovers to take back, and walked away full and happy. We look forward to coming back here on our next visit!

I came here with a party of nine, and while the food impressed us, the service left a lot to be…read moredesired. The biggest issue was that one person in our group didn't receive their meal until everyone else had already finished eating. We asked multiple times if we could just cancel it since they had already shared food with the rest of the table and weren't hungry anymore, but the staff kept insisting that it was almost ready. By the time it arrived, there wasn't much point. There were also moments where service felt inattentive. We tried flagging down a server for a spoon several times and were repeatedly overlooked. My partner eventually got up to ask in person, only to be waved away before someone finally came over. A few things to know before you visit: they have a strict reservation policy that requires a card on file, and the food can take a while to come out, especially for larger parties. Now for the food- which is why I'm still giving this place a positive review. This was my first time having katsu cooked on a grill, and it was a fun experience. I've been to quite a few katsu restaurants, and the overall quality of the ingredients here stood out. The fresh yuzu juice was refreshing and tasted like it was made to order. The Hawaiian beef jerky was another surprise favorite; packed with flavor and almost reminiscent of dry-aged beef. It's definitely worth ordering. As for the katsu itself, the beef was a little on the dry side. The breading was thicker than I prefer and kept separating from the meat, making each bite a bit inconsistent. On the bright side, they were very generous with the complimentary cabbage refills, which was a nice touch. Overall, the food was excellent and absolutely worth trying, but the service didn't match the quality of the meal. If they can improve the timing and attentiveness, this would easily be a place I'd return to.

I finally got reservations for lunch and got to sit in their new expanded area. The restaurant it…read moreso beautiful and clean. The servers were very nice, fast and very accommodating. We ordered three different items: Jyukusei Pork Loin Katsu Set, Sizzling Plate Miso Sauce Pork Loin Set, and a side of the shrimp tempura. Everything tasted amazing. The tonkatsu was crispy, but juicy on the inside. The shrimp with that delicious home made tater sauce was delicious. And the unlimited salad is always a plus. They gave us tea to finish the meal and it was a nice way to end it. There is limited parking on the street or on the basement level of the building. They offer validation if you dine with them. Love coming here, it's always consistent.

My cousins highly recommended this place, and after seeing so many Instagram posts about it, I knew…read moreI had to give it a try. We attempted to make reservations, but they were completely booked until the following month. Since we didn't want to miss out, we decided to order their most popular tonkatsu meal to go instead. When we arrived, there were already a lot of people waiting outside. I went in to check on our order, and they let me know it would be another 10-15 minutes. Since it was a hot day, we wandered over to the crystal-themed shop next door while we waited. It had lots of interesting items to browse, although we ended up leaving empty handed. About 15 minutes later our order was ready, and we Ubered back to our hotel, which only took a few minutes. When we opened everything up, the portion felt a bit small for the price. The tonkatsu itself was tender, but for us it didn't quite live up to all the hype. I did appreciate that you can choose clam soup instead of the traditional miso soup, and there are different rice options as well, which is a nice touch. Overall, it was a good meal, but not one that completely wowed us given the price. It's possible the experience would have been different dining in, but with the long waitlist and the hot weather, takeout was the better choice for us.

Taste good and quality. Long line but fast served food. I will go back again. My daughter love udon…read morealso she will give. 5

It's a rare treat when I fall in love with a place and rave about it so much that I have to have it…read moreagain. Not only that, but I have to bring my significant other along to share in the deliciousness! I don't know how I'm just now talking about Marugame Udon. When I first came here, my friend and I decided to give it a try because we saw the longest line and wanted to see what all the hype was about. There was a couple in front of us who said they come here every time they visit Hawaiʻi and that it's a must-do stop on every trip. When you walk in, it's a small place. You can watch a team member washing the noodles and portioning them into bowls right in front of you. Then you choose your bowl size, small or large, and select your broth. After that, you get to choose from a variety of fried items and other à la carte options displayed on a warmer. Seating can be limited because of how busy this place gets. You line up to get your food, pay for it, grab your condiments, utensils, and a cup of water, then find a seat and enjoy. I've already been here twice, and after writing about my experience, I need to make a third visit happen very soon! There are not enough days off in a week to enjoy all of the amazing food on this island, but I'm going to do my best to experience as many places as I can. This place is totally worth the 45-minute commute from Wahiawa.

I've become a regular for their weekend breakfast, and it's one of the few places in Honolulu that…read moreI 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.

Flavorful food, and it was presented nicely The calamari was…read moreactually 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

Delicious soba and donburi! Fast and friendly service. Takes reservations. Large and spacious…read moredining area. Lunch and dinner menu are completely different. Will need to come back for dinner. Lunch and teishoku set available.

I was really hoping to be wowed by this place because I have been eyeing it for some time…read more But... it was overall mid. We had the saba, which I would say was good. 3/5 Beef curry, which was ok, but the rice was dry. It seemed a tad bit undercooked. Enough to notice and be disappointed by texture and lack of moisture, so I didn't really eat the rice. Curry and beef was quite ordinary. 2/5 Chicken karaage was the only thing I did really like. Best I've had? No. But still great. 4/5 Rump cap was just really disappointing. No flavor and it was not tender. 1/5 Unagi chazuke had good flavor but again the rice was dry. Here is where the service did not impress me. The man who came to pour the broth did it so fast like he was in a rush, maybe he was, that droplets of the broth ricocheted onto my outfit went through and reached my thighs and actually hurt. I didn't react because... well... I didn't want to seem whiny. But that was not ok to be in such a rush that you cause harm or pain to a customer. 1/5 for the service, 3/5 for the dish Overall, wanted to love this place but it sadly disappointed. I didn't even bother to order the honey toast because everything else was overall just ok.

Highly recommend the sushi sets for lunch at Rinka! Stopped in for a lunchtime double date on a…read moreSunday in early March and was able to get seated without a reservation. I got the Sashimi Set, which came with rice, mini udon, chawanmushi, and 2 small side dishes. The fish was fresh and I liked the variety of foods in the set that all complemented each other. The meal was filling. Service was friendly, and the ambiance was lovely with plenty of seating.

TL;DR Delicious, but…read morepricy, high-quality Japanese offerings. ----- I'm a fan of Rinka, but I feel like the 4.1-star rating as of July 2026 is pretty appropriate. The food is great, but there are so many options for Japanese cuisine in Honolulu that it's hard to stand out, especially if you are on the higher end of the price spectrume. I've visited Rinka twice, and both times were to use a Resy credit. I'm not sure if I would seek out a meal at Rinka if not for those recurring credits. The retaurant is conveniently located in the heart of Kaka'ako behind Whole Foods. I recommend parking in the WF parking lot and taking the stairs or elevators down to the bottom floor. My first visit to Rinka was for dinner with my family and I ordered the Wagyu Sukiyaki set, which was fantastic. The set included the high-quality wagyu sukiyaki along with tempura, sashimi, salad, pickled veggies, rice, miso soup, and couple other small side dishes. Everything was delicious. It's expensive, but I was very full after my meal. So I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off. My second visit was for lunch. I ordered the Tempura lunch set and a la carte Japanese cold soba. Again, the meal was delicious, I was very full, and I enjoyed every bite. All that food plus tax and tip set me back $50. I'll continue to use my Resy credit at Rinka until a better option emerges.

Our very favorite Japanese Restaurant on O'ahu…read more NOT your standard Sushi and Sashimi Joint (although we love those) And NOT your standard Japanese BBQ (which we love too) This is SUPER UNIQUE and SUPER AUTHENTIC and UNREAL ONO Japanese Food HIGHLY. HIGHLY Recommend. Small though, so make reservations or be prepared to wait 30-60min.

This place ended being our favorite restaurant of our entire Hawaii trip. So glad we made a…read morereservation because it can get quite busy during peak dinner hours. Their grilled chicken thigh was unbelievably tender, juicy, and had just the right amount of smokey flavor. It's one of those dishes that's so simple, yet executed perfectly - a must order. We also enjoyed either ox tail porridge, grilled corn and grilled mochi. The beef tongue was also delicious and cooked perfectly tender, though I wish it had been sliced a little larger instead of diced so small. For drinks, don't miss the lemon tower chu-hi topped with lemon sorbet. It's refreshing, bright, and pairs with the grilled dishes perfectly. We were already talking about coming back before we even finished dinner. Can't wait to be back.

What can I say about Izakaya Tenkichi?? Everything is AMAZING. I've been there twice, once for…read morelunch and once for dinner. It hits every single time. It was much busier at dinner. I recommend making a reservation, because the space is small. The service is top tier. The servers encourage a good time. They even have a drink menu of server favorites. Think of them as party hosts. Every single thing I've eaten there is amazing. From the avocado to the tempura to the massive ikura bowl that serves 4. I can't recommend one thing in particular. I do encourage you to try anything seasonal. I promise. They won't disappoint.

Given that I've been here three times in the last month, I think it would be safe to say that…read moreIzakaya Tenkichi is one of my favorite restaurants. The first thing you'll notice when coming here (during a busy dinner time) is that it's really noisy, in a fun way!! The staff is super friendly! There are basically three options for seating.... booths that seat about 4 comfortably, tables on the bottom that can accommodate small or large groups, and bar seating. I've done them all and they are all comfortable. You'll find way more specials at dinner time. The food is really high quality, and super consistent too! My favorites are the yummy cucumber and the garlic cabbage salad, and the tempura and sushi/sashimi/donburi are all great too. Oh, and don't sleep on the hamachi kama. The tempura batter is light and airy and you have the option of tempura sauce, tare, or different kinds of salt. They're all really nice!! Great desserts and alcohol selection too!! Parking is a breeze next door at the old stadium mall, but warning that it may be pretty full at night. You can always find street parking along King Street though. I highly recommend this place for small and big parties alike!! But make reservations for dinnertime because walk-ins are probably not gonna happen.