Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Irifune Restaurant

    4.2 (369 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Irifune Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    IRIFUNE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

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

    You might also consider

    More like Irifune Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Irifune Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Chicken karaage
    Jenny L.

    One of the best Japanese plate lunches in Downtown. It's always made fresh to order so the wait can be over 10 minutes especially during lunch rush hour. Food: highly recommend their chicken karaage and hambagu with ponzu sauce. The chicken karaage is well marinated and moist. It's a bit different from the typical chicken karaage. The batter is light and crispy. I believe they use cornstarch instead of flour. Also, they drizzle sweet and spicy Thai sauce along with a light mayo. They pair so WELL! The toss salad on the side is always fresh, clean, and crisp. I would also recommend their hambagu with ponzu sauce. It comes with an egg, a side of toss salad, and French fries. The ponzu sauce acidic citrusy taste makes the patty less greasy. It's my go-to order. Just a bit sad that it's only available on Thursdays and Fridays. Service: Always friendly service every time I go! Atmosphere: it's only take-out, but there's outdoor seating for you to eat.

    Shrimp stir fry
    Jackie W.

    Located downtown right next to the HGEA building. Limited outdoor seating. I wanted the seared ahi but they sold out, it was around 1:00pm. Food came out of the kitchen fairly quickly. The sauce of the shrimp stir fry was flavorful and savory. Too many onions in the dish for me but I loved the cabbage and shrimp. The salad had a good light dressing. They serve canned juice or tap water. Watch out for the mosquitos. I had one attacking me! After all...you are sitting outside.

    Rebecca T.

    Wow great lunch food with prices around $15. Friendly service, not necessarily quick if you're in a hurry because the food was all made to order which is great! Got to try their chicken karaage ahí combo. Wow the karaage was fried to perfection. Hot crispy and juicy, with a sweet drizzle of sauce on top. The ahi was fresh and it's delicious with the ponzu dressing. A small lettuce salad was included. At least I got a bit of veggies in my meal. Only outdoor seating. The public concrete benches outside always had flies, just glad there were no flies at the tables bothering customers. They also emptied the trash can pretty promptly once it's full. Clean and well maintained grounds.

    Bento. This is such a fantastic deal at $14
    Todd M.

    This is an awesome Japanese lunch spot. Everything here is delicious. There is always a line so if you know what you want and don't want to wait, call it in!

    Entrance
    Angela L.

    Wow!!!! This place is better than I could've imagined! Cute Japanese takeout spot in the downtown area. Food: I got the karaage chicken and sashimi combo. With tax and tip, total was $15. Great deal for what you get- quality and quantity! Chicken was crispy and juicy and fresh. Has a sweet chili flavor. Sashimi was buttery and savory. Perfecto! Service: Ran by a friendly Japanese couple. The chicken is fried to order (I heard the fryer!) but also really quick. I don't think I waited longer than 5 minutes for my food. Free self serve cold water. Ambiance: Great spot with lots of wind coming through. Awesome vibes, super down to earth. They have quiet jazz playing that adds to the ambiance. Can't wait to come back for the daily specials!!

    Alex O.

    Irifune is a great eats that is a small walk off the normal downtown strip. I've been here every so often and they have never disappointed me in terms of price and quantity. Their servings are large to make me full without putting me into a food coma. Their prices have changed a little with time but are still reasonable - especially for what you get. Karaage Chicken & Sashimi Combo: 7/10. Yes, this is one of their standard lunches and as of 8/1/25 is still $14.50. The Sashimi is sitting in a pre-mixed shoyu ginger sauce with diamonds slices. The Karaage has a slightly sweet chili sauce that complements the chicken well. Lastly, they have a standard salad with that slightly tart white dressing. This amount of food for $14.50 is great. While it is a bit further away that most eating establishments and it takes a little bit for them to cook- the food here is worth your time.

    Karaage chicken combo with Ahi Sashimi $14
    Marc T.

    Small local mom and pop store with that hole in the wall taste can't find anywhere else. Best karaage plate lunch I've had so far on island MUST TRY That and the ahi ‍

    Menu
    Amber Y.

    Seared ahi steak = phenomenal Chicken Karaage & Sashimi Combo = amazing Service was pretty quick and very nice. Ambience was quaint and quiet. I can't believe I haven't been here earlier. I can't wait to try more food.... ‍

    Roy H.

    I haven't been here for a year, but every time I've been here, the food is always so delicious. I had the Katsu Curry Yum. Tender chicken and the curry, if you like Japanese curry , is sweet and ono.

    Hamburger steak with ponzu sauce
    Val S.

    When I get a chance, I head over to Irifune for lunch. Get there early because they get busy and run out of some items on the menu. I got the hamburger steak with ponzu sauce and my friend got the ginger pork. My hamburger steak was delicious. The ponzu sauce complimented the hamburger steak. The portion was a good size. It also came with rice, fries, and veggies.

    Irene M.

    Shut up there here! Well they've been tell us to eat since 1974 but had no idea they relocated to downtown and was thrown to see them and just had to give them a hey! Menu filled with all the local Japanese favorites like Mushroom Chicken, Ginger Pork and Chicken Katsu Curry deciding on what to order isn't the easiest when you're hungry though the Hamburger Steak simply had me drooling as it's made with ponzu sauce and at $10.75 you just can't complain. Wow my gosh cute chunk of hamburger. Had an egg on top... an over easy egg to be precise with a daikon oroshi or grated radish with ponzu a classic way to enjoy meat for Japanese came with a few side of fries three pieces of green beans, a scoop of hapa rice, and salad with vinaigrette. I did wish that I knew about the egg because I don't like mines over easy but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. This laid back open patio works amazing with the cool breeze though the decor isn't what you're here for, the patio style seating does just what you're here for to just shut up and eat. Thank you!

    Joyce L.

    This is takeout place with some outdoor sitting near HGEA office in Mililani Street in downtown. It was probably just me but I was pretty confused reading their menu. I wish that they clarify what entree includes like some side salad and big portion of white rice. Initially I was going to order the bento but changed to tofu stir fry. The counter lady wasn't too happy when I did that. Tofu stir fry came tofu, round onions, and seemed like left over stem from Choy Sum for $11 something. It was an affordable lunch but I rather pay little more for better food.

    Shrimp and vegetable tempura dripping with grease and uncooked.

    I just purchased and entirely inedible bento box for $14. I should have opened it before I got back to the office. The batter is laden with grease and still managed to be completely doughy and uncooked. There is also only 1 shrimp. They knew when they put it in the box they were wrong for this.

    Bento $12

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    27 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark Y.
    349
    458
    2734

    28 days ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rebecca T.
    1040
    1635
    8609

    10 months ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    25 days ago

    Food is always tasty here. The ginger chicken was yummy. We got the ahi as well. There are a few tables outside to enjoy your meal.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marc T.
    1
    16
    42

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy C.
    725
    1129
    172

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Roy H.
    294
    34
    165

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 2
    Love this 13
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Joyce L.
    372
    1013
    3214

    3 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kim T.
    0
    12
    15

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Dave K.
    5
    164
    222

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 48
    Thanks 0
    Love this 47
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 1
    Love this 14
    Oh no 0
    Photo of RD G.
    0
    10
    8

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ro F.
    201
    7
    1

    2 years ago

    Yummy, comfort food. Simple ingredients and menu. Staff is so polite. Price is reasonable.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 40
    Thanks 0
    Love this 41
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Limited menu hole in the wall. Online it looks more robust than reality. Tired location

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 10

    Irifune Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Irifune Restaurant

    You might also consider

    Tonkatsu Tamafuji

    Tonkatsu Tamafuji

    4.6
    (2.5k reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$$

    Tamafuji is honestly the king of tonkatsu on Oahu, and probably in Hawaii. I like other tonkatsu…read moreplaces on island but I (personally) don't believe anyone is playing in the same league. From their breading, meat quality, and ambiance, it's all fantastic. Compared to the upstairs restaurant, I felt like I could really enjoy my entire experience because I was less overwhelmed by noise and the small space. Their service is always great and friendly :-) I can't recommend this place enough!

    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.

    Photos
    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    Making the sauce
    Making the sauce
    Mix Katsu Set

    See all

    Mix Katsu Set
    Marugame Udon

    Marugame Udon

    4.5
    (14.1k reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Kake Udon
    Kake Udon
    Inside seating

    See all

    Inside seating
    Kaimuki Shokudo

    Kaimuki Shokudo

    4.2
    (458 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Just an opening 11/15/25. The restaurant was filled within minutes. Featuring Yelp Elite All Star Donna O.
    Just an opening 11/15/25. The restaurant was filled within minutes. Featuring Yelp Elite All Star Donna O.
    Chicken kaarage
    Chicken kaarage
    Their famous " Honey Toast"

    See all

    Their famous " Honey Toast"
    Rinka

    Rinka

    4.1
    (657 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    Grilled unagi (deluxe)
    Grilled unagi (deluxe)
    Beef sukiyaki

    See all

    Beef sukiyaki
    Izakaya Tenkichi

    Izakaya Tenkichi

    4.6
    (253 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Steep stairs. Much easier to navigate going up. Going down after some adult beverages? Better use the handrail
    Steep stairs. Much easier to navigate going up. Going down after some adult beverages? Better use the handrail
    Yuzu Cheese Cake ($5.50) - really sweet, especially with the granola. Would recommend getting a different dessert.
    Yuzu Cheese Cake ($5.50) - really sweet, especially with the granola. Would recommend getting a different dessert.
    Dinner Menu (1 of 12) as of 3/5/2026

    See all

    Dinner Menu (1 of 12) as of 3/5/2026
    Musubi Cafe Iyasume

    Musubi Cafe Iyasume

    4.5
    (5.4k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $

    If you think 5,400 reviews are lying, let this one be the reason you make sure to visit this local…read morebusiness when you're in Honolulu. It was love at first bite for me with musubi and onigiri, so when I saw a spot dedicated to this deliciousness you better believe I made a point to go there! I ran even faster when StaciLei, Yelp Hawaii's amazing Community Manager, told me it's a must and gave me her list of greatest hits and must not miss items as a guide! Now I've had a lot of these in my life, and I must say, Iyasume are easily the best. See musubi and onigiri have humble origins as a quickly made homespun snack or on the go lunch, and when you spot them in the convenience environment they're often a giant ball of rice with a tinge of protein or seasoning for flavor. At Iyasume, these are culinary adventures, stacked with ingredients, all in handheld form, and the variety they offer is IMPRESSIVE! Of course musubi starts with the classic, SPAM. I had to order the kimchi + spam, shiso + spam, and unagi + tamago + spam, all of which were awesome (even the next day!). Onigiri here are actually layered with ingredients, so you get them in every bite, unlike the convenience store versions! They have a HUGE menu, and I went with spicy mentaiko and salmon, spicy mentaiko and ikura, ikura and salmon, and tuna mayo curry, all of which were great. I LOVE that they make these to order. You can see the line in the back hard at work, and they're very fast. You're sure to encounter a line when you arrive, but don't be scared, it moves quickly. I only had to wait about 5 minutes for mine to come up! Well worth it. Reasonably priced. Very filling. A taste of Hawaii and Japan in one place that'll have everyone smiling!

    Friend recommended this spot and I'm grateful she did. There were so many fresh and interesting…read moremusubis to choose from. I bought kimchi spam, eel spam, inari spam, and a furikake rice ball. Didn't really interact with staff as they didn't offer to help while I viewed the items and I selected my items fairly quickly. I found purchasing four musubis very affortable. Finding parking was tough and expensive in the area. Not the restaurant's fault and probably drivers are not the bulk of their business.

    Photos
    Inside the shop
    Inside the shop
    Teriyaki Spam & Rice with Hawaiian drink
    Teriyaki Spam & Rice with Hawaiian drink
    Black pepper spam musubi and inari-egg spam musubi

    See all

    Black pepper spam musubi and inari-egg spam musubi

    Irifune Restaurant - japanese - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...