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    Imanas Tei

    4.3 (830 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    IMANAS TEI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Imanas Tei

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    Sylvia T.

    Imanas Tei delivers an exceptional dining experience from start to finish. The sashimi is outstandingly fresh with melt-in-your-mouth quality, showcasing the top-tier care in their kitchen. Beyond the superb food, the service is truly amazing--attentive, warm, and welcoming--making the overall cozy atmosphere feel like home. We will definitely be back! Highly recommended!

    Lunch special
    Kayla T.

    Imanas Tei lunch edition. I believe they started doing lunch on the weekends last year and I just so happen to try it recently. It is Japanese style teishoku and seafood bowls. Portion sizes are definitely filling as all the sets come with a side of udon as well. I thought the udon lacked flavor but my favorite order was the omakase sushi set or the tempura and sashimi. Both had a good variety and tasty for the price point. Service had one person serving and one or two people cooking so it does take some time for a larger group. But luckily at lunch hour it was very empty so it's great for a last minute spot.

    Cold udon
    AmberAyame T.

    This is my kid's dads favorite spot. The #46 that he loves got discontinued lol. We still found a ton of good stuff and this place remains a favorite. It's a 45 min walk from our resort in Waikiki, so we always uber up and walk back. It's really vegetarian friendly and the quality is so high and our server was a super sweet, young girl who was very friendly, patient and helpful! The prices are reasonable and it's really authentic- reminded me of being at my bachan and jiichans house growing up, esp that potato salad and the tofu dishes.

    karage
    Diana K.

    Really good and such a solid sushi spot I've always seen this place popping off with a line out the door so it peaked my interest. This was my first time and I got the wagyu nigiri which was good, but not the star. But the seafood?! Hello?! Delicious. I tried the 5-piece chef's choice + sake which consisted of amberjack, mackerel, scallop, hamachi, uni nigiri and some of the fish literally melted in my mouth. Also got salmon, roe, and hamachi nigiri and all of them were delicious (imo hamachi was outstanding)! The karaage was hot and juicy on the inside, and crispy on outside. What I liked about this place is that they had great promos, a good sake selection, and super kind staff. Definitely try this place if you get a chance!

    Karaage lunch set and sashimi/tempura lunch set.
    Leander M.

    Went to Imanas Tei for lunch on a weekend. Nice and spacious inside with a large sushi counter. I got the sashimi and tempura set and husband got the karaage set, both were great! Lots of food, freshly made for really reasonable prices. The hamachi sashimi was soooo good. About 4 other tables were filled, everyone looked like they were getting the lunch sets too. Service was quick and friendly, a great place for a filling lunch.

    Ann N.

    This place has been around for many many years. I was always curious as it is tucked away almost intimidatingly so. I have come here at least three times within a couple years. You definitely need to make reservations. I have come each time for dinner on different days usually the weekend. They are always busy. I will agree with the service that it is really slow. There is not a lot of help usually 1-2 staff. If you are going in hungry you will be sorely disappointed. This is the place to sit and relax. We have sat at the counter twice and table once. There is no difference in service. This last time we did not make a reservation but quickly got seated at the bar as requested. We waited approximately 30 minutes for food to arrive. I would say 99% of the people here were Asian and did not appear to be distraught over the slow service. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves. With that being said, the food is exceptional. The staff work extremely hard considering there is very few of them. One is working super hard at the grill and the other making sushi. All the fish is fresh. I had assorted sushi A $26 which comes with salad and soup. I will say my squid tasted slimy and I was worried I would get sick afterwards but I did not. That was my only negative from the platter I received. The Mr had a spicy tuna volcano roll which he said was excellent. They actually gave him an extra beer which he couldn't finish since we waited so long. That was very kind of them. Will we return again? Absolutely. But I know not to go in starving. My only regret is not taking pictures of the food from earlier visits as we have ordered quite a bit and everything is delicious.

    chawanmushi
    Jay Y.

    Hawaii's top class sushi for sure. The freshness is just so amazing. Our server was also amazing giving us chiller to keep the drinks cold. Go and feel the authentic Izakaya vibe.

    Wagyu Beef Bowl Set
    Kenneth M.

    Great food, but parking is kind of difficult. Worth it though. Great way to spend Father's Day Lunch with the family.

    Scallop Nigiri: 4/5
    Huiya Z.

    Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Came here with my friends on a Friday night because we wanted Sukiyaki. They said that this their go to spot for Japanese food on the island. This restaurant was very cozy, love the vibes. Kenzo was a great server! Sukiyaki with American Wagyu: 5/5 Honestly the highlight of the meal. I would 100% order this again. Sukiyaki was perfectly seasoned. Not too sweet and it was perfectly savory. All the toppings that the dish came with were really fresh. LOVE IT. Chicken Karaage: 5/5 The pieces were HUGEEEE. Karaage was lightly battered, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Btw Honey Mustard pairs perfectly with the chicken! Oysters: 4/5 These oysters were PHATTTTTT. I like my oysters skinny doe... Kaibashira Scallop Nigiri: 4/5 Scallop was smaller than I expected but it tasted fresh. Hamachi Crudo: 4/5 Normal. "Ika Mentaiko": 3/5 This dish was just literally Ika (Squid) + Mentaiko. Honestly if I was having more sushi this would have been a great app to order. This dish was a little too simple for me.

    Michelle D.

    Honestly, I'm giving this place 3 stars only because the food was good--otherwise, the service really brought the experience down. I had a reservation, but we weren't seated on time. Once we finally sat down, it took nearly 15 minutes just to get water. The food itself was great--no complaints there--but the service was a letdown from start to finish. I asked for a water refill three times, and no one came, so I ended up walking to the front to get it myself. No one checked on us throughout the meal. When it was time to leave, we asked for the bill and again, no one came. At that point, I was just frustrated and ready to go. As much as I enjoyed the food, the service makes it hard to justify coming back. Maybe for takeout--but sushi really doesn't hit the same that way. So yeah, probably won't be returning.

    Delicious and good value at $28
    Robert S.

    I randomly stopped here for lunch mostly because I saw they had parking lol. Really lucked out because apparently recently started serving lunch soecials on Fri-Sun. I ordered the sashimi/tempura combo and wow so delicious and fresh. Nice portions, also came with miso soup and cold udon plus pickled veggies etc. Service was fine, very few people at the time. Can't wait to go back and try other menu options.

    Verna A.

    I've been coming here with my husband and sometimes friends ever since they started their happy hour from 5-6 and 8 to last call. It's a great deal! They also allow dogs if you're okay eating outside, which is a huge plus. I love ordering their happy hour combo--udon soup with sushi. It's such a great value! I also usually get the sashimi and edamame, and their salmon skin hand roll is really good too. The portions are satisfying, and the prices are reasonable. The only downside is the service. There were times I had to wait up to 30 minutes just to get a server's attention, which was frustrating. That's the main reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5. Still, the food and happy hour deals keep me coming back!

    Chicken kaarage
    Atiyyah S.

    First off I love coming here it's nice for dates, family dinners. The service here is always on point as far as I can tell. I'm keeping it simple with saying the food is YUMMY. And it's great bites to eat if everyone happens to be talking a lot at your table. This is why I forgot to take more pictures because I was digging in lol

    Sashimi

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    1 year ago

    Authentic Japanese izakaya fare with friendly service. Located in a cozy location near UH campus

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    10 months ago

    Great food and service - consistent. The shrimp tempura and fresh sushi is number one!

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    It is always our go to place for fresh fish and Ono Japanese food, we tend to order the same food because it's so good!

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    Page 3 of 21

    Imanas Tei Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Imanas Tei

    Can we bring our own sake? If so, is there a fee?

    yes you can There is a $33 fee for each 720ml bottle.

    Do they sell 720 bottles of sake?

    yes we do have some of the 720 bottles od sake

    Besides their small parking lot, where else can you park?

    You can also park at Puck's alley. You have to pay of course, but the parking attendant leaves at about 9/9:30 pm and the parking arm is up so you can leave free of charge.… 

    Is there a happy hour?

    Not that I know of. But the food is great!

    If I go right when they open at 5:00pm without a reservation will I be okay (2 people)?

    Yes

    View All 6 Questions

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    Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera Hawaii

    Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera Hawaii

    4.1(237 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    Free parking
    Wheelchair accessible

    We came here for a late lunch and after eyeing the spot for a very long time, it did not…read moredisappoint! This is not like any other kaiten sushi place, so don't expect it to be. You will order everything off of a tablet at your table. They have many options including classic delicious Japanese plates like karaage, firefly squid, and other "otsumami" type items. The lunch specials are a good way to get nigiri at a reasonable price. We got the tuna special and the premium plate. It comes with miso soup and chawanmushi which were both delicious. The fish on each nigiri were super fresh and cut very thick. The sake selection was also very nice and we were able to enjoy a couple bottles :). You will spend money here, but it's 100% worth it. The service was very attentive and friendly as well.

    We came here for our first night dinner in Honolulu. We made prior reservations, although it is…read moreprobably not needed, considering we arrived at 8pm. Their ordering system is through tablets in front of the seats, which is just like the places in Japan. The staff were all Japanese and most likely, the sushi chefs were also Japanese. They had many different selections of sushi, as well as some hot dishes. The fish were extremely flavorful. Upon the order being placed, the food arrives within 5- 8 minutes. Prices are acceptable, in the Honolulu area. Overall, we had a very good and enjoyable dinner. What a good way to start our Hawaii vacation. !!!

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    Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera Hawaii
    Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera Hawaii

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    Nami Kaze - Dining area

    Nami Kaze

    4.5(801 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    It was so sad this business is closing down by Oct 31st. With rising food costs, inflation and…read morestaffing, it's understandable but I wish best endeavors for Chef Jason Peel and his staff. My fiance won a gift card actually 2 of them (from his coworker whom could not get a reservation secured), we knew we had to make the trip over before they officially close. We had multiple dishes, but staff made Kauai prawns and tomato miso black cod dishes on the house since they ran out the Hokkaido scallops. We ordered the short ribs, lobster appetizer, hamachi crudo and lastly sashimi moriawase to finish food palate. Lukki lemon dessert was great way to end to night. Ordered the Milk tea bouquet cocktail while my better half had water ( either way the food coma knock him out cold the rest of the night lol). To be honest, it was difficult to determine which dish was the best because the staff kept quality there despite it being busy every night since they announce the closure. Sashimi moriawase, fish was so fresh, reminded me of my time spent in Hokkaido and Sapporo. Short ribs was soft and rich in flavor. Both me and my fiance liked the lukki lemon dessert, like lemon meringue pie but broken down version. If you have a chance to dine here before closing and got a reservation, definitely will have a lovely dining experience and your stomach will be full by end of the night.

    Husband and I tried Nami Kaze in our recent trip to Hawaii. This place is huge! I was so glad to be…read moreseated in the side room because I found it to be a lot calmer, less people and no TV. The staff were friendly and very helpful with giving us recommendations. We ordered 3 appetizers and 2 entrees, and honestly it was too much food for us. We had leftovers for breakfast the next day! - For appetizers we got: Ulu Tots, Japanese Eggplant, and Corn Beignets. The Corn Beignets was the best. - For entree we got: Tomato Miso Black Cod and the Short Rib. Both were delicious and worth a try. Sad to see that this restaurant appears to be closing.

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    Nami Kaze - Nami bento

    Nami bento

    Nami Kaze
    Nami Kaze

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    Sushi Izakaya Gaku

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku

    4.5(1.1k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$$$

    OH MY GOOSHHHH! This place has got to be the most underrated place on this island. Like why aren't…read moremore people talking about this hidden gem??? I know you guys drive by it and see it but have you dined in? If not, this is your sign. My friends and I walked in around 8pm and got seated right away. The place was packed (as it should be) but we were so lucky. The waiter took us to the back room where we sat on those "floor" tables... it was awesome! I felt like I was in Japan. Service was 10/10. Waiter gave us GREAT recommendations as it was our first time. Let's talk about the food. My top 3 dishes of the night -- 1) Uni charwanmushi - to DIE for. So much flavor, so much protein. 2) the beef skewers - incredibly tender. We ended up ordering another order bc it was so good. 3) sushi- Negitoro, torotaku, spider roll and spicy tuna... the rice and fish texture was just so perfect. The fish tasted fresh and the rice to fish ratio was a 10/10. Ambiance: chill, friendly, not too loud and everyone was so respectful. I'm craving it as I type this. So yeah, check it out. You won't regret it.

    An izakaya is a casual Japanese pub-style restaurant designed for socializing over drinks and…read moreshared small plates, acting as a staple of Japanese dining culture. Last meal on Oahu. An excellent offering suggested by my cycle buddy, Randy S. Randy had told us that they were the 2022 James Beard Best Restaurant semi-finalist is deserving recognition. I really can't tell you all we had because Randy took charge. Every bite worked well with the bottle of sake we had. I do know that one of the bites included firefly squid, those cute, small, bioluminescent cephalopods famous for their brilliant blue light. Regardless, it was a fun way to cap off the trip. Loved the food, love the company... what a great place!

    Photos
    Sushi Izakaya Gaku - Interior

    Interior

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku - Salmon skin salad

    Salmon skin salad

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku - Warabi Mochi Matcha Ice Cream

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    Warabi Mochi Matcha Ice Cream

    Nori Bar

    Nori Bar

    4.5(399 reviews)
    2.1 miKaka'ako
    $$
    Casual dining
    Romantic vibe

    One of the best Japanese restaurant we have been to! Everything is fresh and tasty. Reservation was…read moreeasy through OpenTable. The atmosphere was intimate, a great place to celebrate a birthday or just come here for a special lunch. We ordered with our phone, super simple. The food came out fast. The hand rolls are fresh and tasty: the blue crab truffle has intense favor with soft crab meat. The uni hand roll was melting like butter The hamachi Kama was fatty, freshly grilled (took 20 minutes) and has lots of meat. The chicken thigh screwed was soft, grilled to perfection. The Yuzu Kosho Highball was my favorite drink: dry and sweet. The spicy ramen was delicious with a large piece of well grilled fatty pork, so delicious and filled up the stomach. I told my husband that we should come back once a month.

    I love the concept where you can scan your order and pay for your own meal even when you come with…read morea group. This way we dont have to worry about splitting the bill and still enjoy the company with your friends and family. Came in last month with my sister's and everything we ordered was so delicious! From Oyster shooters, to sashimis, to dynamite bowls, yakitoris and hand rolls! Everything was perfect and fresh! It was around 11am when we just arrived and they just opened. We were so hungry! We didn't have a reservation but the server was able to take us in and seated us as long as we were done within the hour. We appreciated that. We also appreciated that some bowls came with sides and miso soup! We left very satisfied, we will definitely be back!

    Photos
    Nori Bar - Counter very clean

    Counter very clean

    Nori Bar - Take out set roll box. Available for 4,5 and 6 roll sets.

    Take out set roll box. Available for 4,5 and 6 roll sets.

    Nori Bar - Try our specialty hand rolls!

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    Try our specialty hand rolls!

    Doraku Sushi Waikiki - Royal Hawaiian Center - Sashimi 8

    Doraku Sushi Waikiki - Royal Hawaiian Center

    3.8(3.6k reviews)
    1.1 miWaikiki
    $$$

    Doraku has one of my favorite happy hours from 4-6pm everyday. I recently came by with some friends…read moreto catch up and talk story, and Doraku is the perfect spot for that. I love their small shared plates (especially during happy hour)! Craft cocktails are $4 off and my favorite is their lychee martini or the smoky negroni. On the happy hour for food, my favorites are the salmon carpaccio, spicy salmon handroll, agedashi tofu, shishito peppers, and the chicken karaage. Other must-haves are the hamachi garlic roll and misoyaki butterfish. I love the ambiance here and the service is always great too.

    Oh man... I'm sorry to say I was not impressed. While we were seated right away service was slow…read moreand though the food was beautiful and fresh it wasn't delicious (we would have rather had delicious sushi at a $ or $$ place instead of mediocre fancy looking sushi at this $$$ place). I also don't understand how Yelp lists this place as a "good for kids". It's not. There wasn't a kids' menu and the dishes were not kid-palate friendly (other than maybe the basic California style hand roll). For example, the fried tofu had shredded ginger on top that permeated the dish and the karaage had a very mild (but present!) note of spice that reminded me a bit of buffalo sauce. Our waiter didn't even give us a heads up or point us in the direction of any dishes to consider for the kids (surely we must not be the only family who has brought kids to this restaurant). Lastly, I understand that the tempura brownie is popular but after tasting the "tempura" on the tofu I'm sure the brownie is just the star that shines through. The "tempura" on the tofu was gummy and not the authentic Japanese tempura we are used to (my husband, who is part Japanese, said to me "What is this?! Cornstarch?"). This is probably a great restaurant for drinks and hanging out with some adult friends but the rolls and appetizers were just not to our tastes. We were also sat outside when the restaurant was near empty inside and out (we went around 4PM) and it was a hot day (though the AC wasn't particularly cool enough for my preference inside either).

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    Doraku Sushi Waikiki - Royal Hawaiian Center - Interior + Edamame

    Interior + Edamame

    Doraku Sushi Waikiki - Royal Hawaiian Center - Green Salad

    Green Salad

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    Sushi Ginza Onodera

    Sushi Ginza Onodera

    4.6(280 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$$$
    Luxury
    Free parking

    Did the lunch omakase with a friend. The service was very nice, very quiet space with subdued…read moreambiance. It was challenging to get through all of the courses, but I succeeded. There were standouts and overall we loved the meal. A local id gets the 10% service fee removed which was nice. I would recommend the $150 lunch omakase - I don't think the $50 abalone dish was worth the upgrade.

    Had an amazing omakase experience at Sushi Ginza Onodera. The staff were incredibly friendly and…read moreattentive, which made the whole experience feel welcoming rather than overly formal. Every piece of sushi was beautifully presented not overwhelming. You can really tell the chefs put a lot of thought into the balance of flavors and textures. One of my favorite bites was a sashimi piece topped with something that looked like finely grated cheese (not sure what it actually was), but it melted perfectly with the fish and added a really unique savory flavor. The chefs and staff also had a good sense of humor. At one point they served kinki fish and jokingly explained that the English translation sometimes gets called "idiot fish," which got everyone laughing at the counter. The omakase is definitely on the pricier side, but the quality, presentation, and overall experience made it very satisfying. If you're looking for a refined sushi experience with great service and beautifully crafted bites, this place is worth the splurge.

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    Sushi Ginza Onodera
    Sushi Ginza Onodera
    Sushi Ginza Onodera

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    Imanas Tei - sushi - Updated September 2026

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