Okay, so 4 stars for the food, and an additional star for the care of the wait staff. We tried the New Wave Poke. It was good, but not the more outstanding of the poke that we tried on this trip. My wife had the garlic ahi and crab combo. We really liked it. I ordered the garlic ahi, and tempura combo, which was also excellent. Toward the end of our leisurely meal, my wife sent me out to the car to take care of adding to the parking fee. I got there just as the tow truck was pulling our car away--early. There was a whole hassle about that, but it is not Irifune's fault. They warn you, clearly. The waitstaff was very supportive of my wife, and that's where the other star comes from. So, DON'T PARK IN THE PAVED LOT ACROSS KAPAHULU AVE. THEY ARE RUNNING A PARKING SCAM, AND WILL TOW YOU EARLY. read more

Horrible. Had a garlic ahi salad. First of all, because of the expensive market price of ahi, they had to use a different type of fish to substitute. Fine. I am fine with that. When the food came, it looked very nice. but first bite was... SALTY, SALTY, SALTY. How can anyone serve a dish like this??? It tastes like a chunk of kosher salt. Nothing more. I just can't believe they served it to their customer. It was the worst thing I have eaten at a restaurant. Period. read more

Yay for lunch specials! Irifune has an array of lunch specials and for a great price and good sized portions. I got the bento which came with miso soup, salad, rice, sashimi, tempura, and garlic ahi. $7.95. Boy got the tonkatsu, same price. I really enjoyed my lunch but enjoyed the ambiance even more. Irifune reminded me of East meets tiki bar gone wrong. It's definitely different. You enter through two doors to get to the main dining room and same situation to get to the toilet. It's a bit dirty inside but I try my best to tune it out because dirty little places tend to be the best! Only in Hawaii, I guess. read more

I don't know how this is possible but I have NEVER been here until the other week. I used to frequent Side Street and Uncle Bo's but did not even know this hidden gem was here! The 6 of us were looking for a place to eat on a Friday night at around 7. We knew that most places are busy on a Friday night and couldn't think of anywhere close to our house in Kaimuki. After driving around for a while, my brother in law brought up Irifune. I had no idea where it was but he and his dad both raved about the garlic ahi. We decided to chance it and go there. We parked in the church parking next to Uncle Bo's (I think it was $6) and the others parked in the paid parking across the street next to Side Street. When you walk in you think you're in someone's house. The waitress quickly seated us because there was a large table available. YAY! I had the combo plate which consisted of Garlic Ahi, Tempura and Sashimi. I wanted to try the tataki sashimi which was a seared sashimi with ponzu so I asked the waitress if I could substitute it with the regular sashimi. She said they could definitely do that and I was a happy camper. I was in love with the food and bugged my husband to go again. Since then, we've gone there another time and the service was just as good! Tried the ahi with capers and although it was really good too, still prefer the Garlic Ahi. Maybe because you get the tempura and sashimi. Another favorite item is their tofu. Not the plain tofu but what looked like Tofu Cutlet. It was unbelievably good that I wish I could make it myself and eat it every day. Oh, on a side note, it's byob which is awesome and the bathroom is well.. unusual. You need to check it out to understand. :) read more

This place is a BLAST. One of the more fun restaurants I have visited. You NEED to visit if you have not. The decor is pretty eclectic and there is a huge fishing net on the ceiling. Why a fishing net you may ask, because firefighters need money. So what you do is make a dollar bill (or a $20) into a plane and throw it up so it gets caught. Every so often, Irifune will take all the money down and donate it to firefighters. The plastic folding chairs and folding table really bring the whole thing together. It makes for the perfect aloha mood. Irifune is also a great birthday place. When your cake comes out (or dessert with a candle) all the lights go off and the restaurant sings to you! OK, so it's a great place, but how is the food? The food is fantastic. The garlic ahi, which I had, was perfect. I have also had sushi and garlic tofu and let me tell you it is not disappointing. I am a man of habit so I have yet to try the pretty large menu, but I bet it's good. The restaurant is also BYOB which is nice. The service is good, waitresses are super nice and always available. I highly recommend Irifune, if you can find it. It's on Kapahulu and very easy to miss, be on the look out and try it! read more

Tom Cruise, Robert Patterson and Keifer Sutherland BEWARE!! If you haven't figured out my leading statement, these are all actors in vampire movies. If you ever have vampires chasing after you then head for Irifune for dinner. Vampires hate garlic but the way Irifune prepares their food you will not. For those of you who are not aware of this place, just look for the sign GARLIC AHI on Kapahulu. I've passed by this place many times and seen their truck but surprising I have never been here. Wow I have been missing out. Thanks to my new work location it was my chance to try. You are not going to be blown away of the decor, but I think we can classify this as a hole in the wall. With any case for hole in the wall, don't worry about the decor just enjoy the food Enjoy the food we did. We started off with Tofu Cheese Wontons. Yes it sounds weird and trust me it takes couple bites to realize this is pretty good. Deciding what to eat was a difficult task, with a huge menu on the wall and all these different specials. Okay after seeing the sign for many years I had to try the garlic ahi and thanks to all you yelpers I decided to combo it with garlic crab. For those of you who know I do not like to use my hands. (yeah I know I'm Filipino) However it looked so good I was more than willing to use my hands. Yes you have to use your hands to enjoy good stuff. Our waitress Cindy suggested I do all the work first (crack the crab and get the meat) then enjoy the food after washing my hands. Throw all the garlic goodness on my rice and YUMMMMMMMMMMMMY. The garlic Ahi was moist and filled with so much flavored. Perfect with a beer. I am disappointed of myself because I didn't bring my own beverage (BYOB). All this garlic food would have been perfect. We also ordered the banana fritter dessert. It comes with a banana fritter, ice cream and haupia topping. IT was absolutely delicious perfect after such a flavorful meal. Yes the food is good but I want to emphasize how great the service was. Cindy our waitress is probably one of the best servers I every had. Her experience of over 10 years was evident but you can't beat her inviting personality. The best compliment I can give her is she is the perfect example of service that makes a difference. Thank you Cindy for reminding me dining is an experience. Bottom line this is a place I will go back again and again. They have great lunch specials. I no longer think of this place as the restaurant with the garlic sign, now its the restaurant with the amazing food. Try it TODAY, at IRIFUNE. read more

I haven't been back in awhile but went here with some friends on a Saturday night. As usual the food and service was great! Had the breaded tofu and garlic mushrooms & tofu for starters. had a combo with spicy garlic ahi (would like to try it spicier) & asst tempura. For dessert I had the fried bananas with vanilla ice cream and haupia sauce. For those that love haupia you know you cannot miss this one. So ono! Also it's BYOB so bring in your favorite drinks to enhance your meal. Be aware of parking in the pre-pay lot across the street - they will tow quickly. With poor lighting, rain and a machine that was not functioning properly (would not take customer's dollars) people were lined up trying to figure out this machine. I wish that the restaurants in the area would give their patrons a heads up like Leonard's bakery does to warn about the parking situation. read more

I can't believe I haven't been here before! Finally tried this restaurant the other day with some friends from LA. We went at around 6:30 and there was a wait to get in so we just bought some beers from the nearby store and the men had a few while we waited in the "waiting room" in the front. (it's byob!) We got seated and were so happy there was AC in the dining area because it was getting pretty stuffy in the waiting room, and it didn't help that it's especially hot this summer. The staff are all so friendly and helpful in regards to the menu. We ended up getting: - garlic edamame *not too garlicky, but yet super tasty! - fresh sashimi *nice, red slab of ahi. - gyoza *yummy! Just order it, promise you'll love it. - garlic seared ahi *so flavorful! And a perfect match with rice. - chicken katsu curry *great taste and with lots of vegetables in the curry. Everything was just the perfect taste.... The garlic did not overpower the other favors and they were not shy on the portions. I'll definitely be back :) read more

I was dragged here again by my eating buddies, who assured me that the food was now good. Being open minded, I took a chance. This place got even dirtier since the last time. We finally were seated after a long wait, but then were ignored by our server for over 15 minutes. No greet, no water. She saw us sitting there, too, because she looked right at us every time she passed by. Once she actually came over to take our order, though, she was nice. But I can't stand servers with tunnel vision. I thought the food was still terrible and the miso soup is just disgusting. It actually had bean sprouts in it. Ewww. I just don't like local-style Japanese food. The agedashi tofu was too firm and tough. This time, I got to experience the lights getting turned off so we could gaze at the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. It was weird. The server commanded us all to oooh and ahhh together like we were in some strange cult that worshipped glowing stickers. read more

Friendly waitresses (they remember your name), BYOB with 40s readily available down the street at the service station ("classy"...), great food, and a restaurant with character. You can tell a lot of handcrafting goes into the food and its very, very consistent. If you're looking for ultra traditional Japanese food, this place isn't quite it...but if you're looking for super delicious local-style Japanese food with a few eurasian twists thrown in, this place is it! Case in point: The garlic-pepper seared ahi comes with capers. Mmmm, capers. It kind of looks like a crazy Japanese cat lady's house in there, but not in a bad way. Seriously. Great place to bring a group of friends and fun for birthdays (it's cute). Super killer to end the day there over dinner with a few friends and your favorite bottle (or four) of wine. Sometimes it gets a little pricey at dinner, although appetizers are very reasonable...also, depending on how many people are abusing their BYOB privileges, it can get a little too loud. Also its usually packed and can get kind of hot in there. But still...one of my favorite places. read more

I know... now living in Japan, why would I come to Hawaii to go and get Japanese food? The exception--Japanese fusion. Irifune has excellent Garlic Crab (think garlic and butter goodness), and their ahi wasn't bad either (though perhaps a bit overrated from what I read on yelp). I got the special of 2 items for $15 (+$1 for crab), which is an incredible deal since it came with rice, miso soup, and salad. The food could have been harder, but from what I could tell, there was only one hardworking waitress, so I can understand. Tip: I wish I had known it was BYOB before I went... should've checked yelp before I left. read more

We came here with a few local friends who swore it was their favorite restaurant in all of Hawaii. The appetizers were intriguing, but our entrees were enormous -- I had asked our server if we'd be able to share, and she insisted we would need our own. The garlic ahi had great flavor but was terribly dry. The shrimp tempura wasn't very crispy, and the sashimi was so thickly sliced I had a hard time eating it easily. And when we were finished I was nearly admonished by our server for leaving food on my plate. I'm glad it wasn't *very* expensive, but I definitely won't be back on our next visit -- not that it was godawful, but I was looking forward to more classic Japanese or more true Hawaiian. I wasn't really digging their take on the middle ground in between the two cuisines. read more

Toshi is the man. Place is great - garlic crab, garlic ahi, shoots, garlic anything. BYOB Place. wanna go for it - ask your server to recommend the dinner... Cheers! read more

Found a dead baby COCKROACH in my food. This restaurant is really dirty, seriously avoid this place its a health hazard. Dont let the cheap prices attract you because you get what you pay for..... Our 2nd time here, 1st time was so-so. We thought we'd give it another try. But this time it was absolutely horrible. After we were sat it took about 15 minutes for us to even be greeted. We ordered our food and we were almost finished and I realized they forgot the miso soup that goes along with the meal. I told our waitress and she gave a really insincere "oh no oops haha" and I told her its not a big deal but we would still like it when she has time. When it finally arrived I found a baby COCKROACH IN MY SOUP. Grossest thing ever, pretty big one too maybe about the size of a dime. I let our waitress know that the kitchen should check the pot since I found a bug in mine, she saw the cockroach and did a little laugh and said "oh no I'm sorry", like I guess this happens often. She said oh I'll get you guys dessert. I said it wasn't necessary (I honestly didnt want anything else out of that kitchen, but she brought it anyway). Vanilla ice cream with some chocolate sauce?? Seriously, thats the service recovery. She gave us our check about 2 minutes later with everything still on the bill inlcluding the dish with the miso soup. I thought it was just common sense that you never charge someone for something they find a dead cockroach in. Overall, avoid this place. If you are forced to go here by friends or family dont order any raw fish and CHECK YOUR FOOD FOR MOLD/BUGS. Try not to look into their kitchen because you'll want to leave ASAP! read more

I am head over heels with Irifune. What won me over was the Disco Bathroom. Seriously. Go to Irifune, and DO NOT MISS the bathroom. You can read old newspaper clips about the restaurant while you wait. Totally worth it. Now that you've seen the Disco Bathroom, you can luxuriate in the folding chairs surrounding hearty wooden tables and take a minute to play a guessing game about how much money is in the net overhead. Decor observed, tuck into some delicious homey-food! Breaded tofu (about $5) is crunchy on the outside, and a little gooey on the inside and bathed in a fairly addictive teriyaki-typke sauce. Garlic tofu & mushrooms (about $6) is a little light on the mushrooms, but makes up for it in more firm but melty tofu and broccoli drenched in a garlic sauce. The sauce is not subtle, but it manages to avoid being overpowering. New wave poke (MRKT) is spicy and full of limu and unexpected veggies. Bring your own nori to place the poke on for a special salty treat. Entrees keep up the garlicky/spicy vibe. The seared ahi with caper sauce ($17) is a winner, and the garlic ahi combo involves nicely cooked ahi that doesn't make you wonder why someone ruined perfectly good fish by cooking it (with tempura- which was okay but not stupendous $15). Desserts are fine if you're in the mood, but I'd save any room you might have for some Leonard's up the street. Service is friendly and attentive, the staff does an excellent job of making you feel as though if you're not a regular you soon will be! read more

Smell garlic nearby? It is Irifune. Known for their garlic ahi (tuna), and garlic crab, this place rocks. I like the vegetable tempura too. It is lightly fried, and the dipping sauce is very tasty. I also enjoy the Japanese curry dishes...choose tofu, chicken, or pork. It is a bit spicy, but the white rice helps balance out the curry. Most plates come with salad (which is drowning in dressing), and miso soup. No spoon for the soup, b/c you are supposed to drink what you can't get out with the chopsticks. Come on, it's part of the experience. :) Come early because this place gets busy. Closed on Sunday and Monday. read more

This is a haven for weirdos seeking a weird place to eat semi-weird food. That's me! Read everyone's reviews about the decor - my favorite things are the fishnets hanging from the ceiling and the nude or scantilly clad pictures/cartoons in the bathroom. Because I don't eat seafood, my choices are limited when I eat here. I like the teriyaki chicken. My mom loves the garlic crab. The most interesting thing to order: cream cheese gyoza. Share them with a friend, because a whole order (4 pieces?) is a little much. They are delightfully strange. Sometimes the wait to get in and the wait for table service can be long. BYOB some Kirin, Asahi, or other and have a fun time! -- Update: I was really disappointed with the mushroom/tofu/broccoli appetizer. read more

This 45 year old restaurant is eclectic to the max! When you walk in, you feel like you walked into your eccentric Uncle's living room... lot's of Hawaiian charm. It is a "BYOB restaurant" so buy a 6 pack at Safeway a block away on Kapahulu or bring that bottle of sake or wine that you have been waiting to open. I had just had my hair cut next door (Aloha Barbershop is the best "one barber" shop in Honolulu) and I wasn't that hungry but it was time for dinner. I asked my barber; Mr. Son from Korea, if "the Japanese restaurant next door is good". His English is very poor but he said "Very good" and gave a thumbs up. That's all I needed as a reference. I wasn't that hungry so I went in, opened the sliding door that separates their waiting room from the dining area, sat down and ordered the Garlic Ahi Filet dinner. The server was very cordial and he brought me ice water, hot ocha and their great miso soup. The Ahi filet was HUGE and the plate of rice (steamed to perfection) was large! The salad was fresh as heck... I was so pleased. Remember that I was not hungry as I had a late lunch but I ate the whole Ahi, salad and almost all of the rice... I was stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey when I walked down Kapahulu to my car . I recommend the following when you eat at Irifune Japanese Restaurant: 1) Go there on an empty stomach because their servings are large. 2) Check out their rather interesting bathroom with the pulley system for the door. 3) Order the Garlic Ahi for either lunch or dinner. read more

I had always passed Irifune on my way to Uncle Bo's and was always curious about the place. I jumped at the chance to eat there with two girlfriends and I was really happy with everything. The eclectic decor is charming, our server was so nice, everything is reasonably priced, and I believe you can BYOB. I had the bento; garlic ahi, sashimi, shrimp and vegetable tempura. REALLY good. And the kabocha gyoza that we shared was unreal! Don't pass this place up. And they have the coolest fish tank in the waiting room. read more

Wow...just came from lunch at Irifune and boy am I happy. Chef and Owner Toshi was kind enough to send me a complimentary dessert...guess I am getting to be quite a regular lately. This thing was simply delicious! OK...so the tempura fried banana would have been good by itself, same with the homemade Haupia, same with the ice cream. Mix them all together and top it off with a wonderful drizzle and WHAM!...culinary genius! Thanks Toshi! read more

Irifune has a special place in my heart, I've been going here with my family for 20+ years since before the first fire. The net in the dining room used to be be filled with dollars folded into airplanes or stars. They would turn off the lights and the stars on the ceiling would glow. There was a little waterfall/fountain and display in the corner. That was before, now they've been reduced into the past's waiting room to be the dining room. I haven't ate there since but I will be going back soon. The food was always good! No matter what changes Irifune goes through, the garlic ahi is always ONO Always get a combo it's worth the price. Good food, quick friendly service and an ambience that will stick with you. read more

The place is not much to look at but we came for the food at a local friend's suggestion. We had 9 people and they were able to cram us in at one of the tables meant for 6. The food did not disappoint. We ordered almost all the specials off the board. Garlic on everything! Garlic crab and ahi were fantastic! The kitschy look is what gives the place it's homey atmosphere and is not artificial looking like at some chain restaurants that put up junk on the walls. A tradition at Irifune is to toss dollar bill origami into the fishing net hung from the ceiling if you liked the service. We launched a couple of planes up there and the crowd roared! read more

Dined for dinner at Irifune Restaurant the other night with friends as we were in the Kapahulu area. As we entered through the main door, we were a bit puzzled as we were standing in a room with only a sofa and chairs. We then chuckled as we soon realized we were standing in the waiting area. In order to enter the main dining room, we had to open the wooden sliding door to the right. Even though it was a Friday evening, we were fortunate that there was no line and no wait. We were immediately seated to our table and given our menus. Once we were seated, we could not help but notice the strange and mixed matched decor. Glued to the ceiling are plastic leaves and branches and on the walls were hung Japanese masks. There was a Buddhist shrine and hung from the ceiling was a fishing net. Although the interior is a bit outdated it is a cozy little place. Turns out Irifune is famous for their seared garlic ahi. They also offer curry, tempura, tonkatsu and different combos and other garlic stir fry dishes. I opted for the vegetable tempura while my husband ordered the seared ahi with the garlic caper sauce. Our meals included a tasty miso soup, a bowl of hot rice and a fresh toss salad. We started the evening by ordering the garlic mushrooms with tofu and broccoli. It was soooo good. It was prepared with just the right amount of garlic and all the ingredients blended well together which ended up being a very tasty dish. My vegetable tempura was lightly battered and fried till crispy and consisted of an assortment of vegetables including carrots, zucchini, potato and onions. Eating it with the dipping sauce was fantastic. Tasted a piece of the garlic ahi and it was simply delicious. The ahi was so fresh and tender soft, it melted in my mouth. This is one awesome dish! As I ate everything on my plate, I realized there was absolutely no room for dessert. How could I pass up their specialty dessert, fried banana served with a scoop of ice cream. Unfortunately I had to pass on this heavenly dessert this time around. There is always the next time as we will be looking forward to our next visit. read more

This place is SO GOOD! It was my fav restaurant growing up and was so sad when they closed. Glad this opened to continue on the amazing food! read more

I'm so glad I discovered this place!! I came here for lunch and got their garlic chicken with rice, which came with salad and miso soup, for really cheap, around $8 I think. Beyond delicious!! The people who work here are super friendly, and the food comes fast. The random pictures of traditional Japanese tattoos in the bathroom is a nice touch. read more

My roommates and I arrived around 8 pm. Only one of the 6 tables was occupied but all the others were dirty. One was quickly cleaned off for us. As the other comments mention, the decor is unique and reflects their long history as a restaurant. The service was perfect and very quick. We started with the kabocha gyoza which was a special. The gyoza were crispy instead of moist and smooth on the outside which was an unpleasant surprise for me, but the filling of squash and cream cheese was still delicious. I ordered the garlic ahi stir fry. The flavor was mild, and I could've done with more broccoli florets and less broccoli stalk and bean sprouts for $16. My friends liked their food but weren't wowed. The gyoza was their favorite followed by the garlic ahi. As I love supporting local businesses, I will return. I'd like to try their lunch specials next for more reasonable prices! read more

Irifune Restaurant - Kabocha squash and cream cheese crispy gyoza. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We walked by Irifune while searching for another restaurant. The first thing that caught my eye was the faded "Home of the Garlic Ahi" sign, so I figured that this wasn't straight-up Japanese food. Seriously, I don't primarily equate garlic with Japanese food. We made our way back a few days later and weren't disappointed. The vibe is funny: it's like eating at an eccentric friend's backyard with 3 different themes. There is a bunch of Japanese lanterns, a kimono, some masks. Then there is the nautical theme with fish nets and such (can't remember since this was 2 weeks ago- did I spy starfish and lighthouses?). In the corner that we sat in, there were surfing posters and hula girls. While the menu is largely Japanese influenced, I think Irifune's food isn't exactly Hawaiian fusion or standard Japanese but something in between. read more

Irifune is located next to Uncle Bo's on Kapahulu. Paid parking is across the street $6 for 3 hrs. NO RESERVATIONS; 1st come 1st serve basis! Their decor is outdated and is more of a dive BYOB Japanese restaurant. The food is amazing and prices range from $4 appetizers to $17 entree. Before ordering make sure you take a look at their specials, which is located on the upper wall. Things to try: Famous garlic ahi w/ caper (make sure you order this and not the filet. Also, tell them how you want your fish cook) Garlic tofu & mushrooms Breaded tofu w/ Irifune sauce Spicy ahi sushi I definitely love this place and will be going back! I hope this helps when you decided to check this place out. read more

This place is BYOB !!! So buy lots of alcohol at Safeway couple block North. Everything we ordered ware so good, but especially I recommend following dishes that we ended up ordering them multiple times: Breaded Tofu (it's basically tonkatsu but use Tofu instead) Garlic chicken (chiken and veggie comes in seared hot pan) Spicy ahi sushi Ahi tartar Tonkatsu And not to forget, fried banana w/ ice cream Because of BYOB, the bill came far cheaper than I expected. read more

Good walk from Waikiki to Irifune. Picked up some beer from the 7-11 and headed over. BYOB! Ordered the Garlic Ahi Filet and the Garlic Ahi + Veggie/Shrimp Tempura for less than $26. Food was overly garlicy/salty. Waitress was very friendly and nice. She even flirted with my boyfriend (which was okay with me) because she was cute. Overall, service was good and the food was decent. Recommended for birthdays! They sing to you and turn on/off the lights to trick you! read more

Haven't been back since we were on Oahu a decade ago. Glad to see there are somethings you can rely on. We love this place. It's a good local spot with tasty food and fair prices. The breaded tofu was yummy, as was the garlic edamame. Sad it is small now, so the ambience isn't quite what it once was. Still, our kids were happy, too. Yay Irifune! read more

Irifune Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Garlic ahi, oh how I love thee. It's been more than a year since we last saw each other and we rekindled our love last night. A variation of an old favorite appetizer - garlic mushrooms with shrimp instead of our usual tofu. Give me a bowl of rice with this and I would be in heaven. But, but, the star of the evening would have to be the garlic ahi. I always always always get the garlic crab and ahi combo with a side of extra garlic sauce, while the hubby gets the garlic crab dinner with an extra side of garlic sauce. Their garlic sauce is just amazing. The garlic is minced and brown til it's almost burnt, but there isn't even a hint of a burnt taste. It's just the right amount of sweet garlic and salt. The ahi is oh so tender and MOIST, dipped in the garlic sauce, I could easily finish my bowl of rice with just the ahi alone, But, I must pace myself. I peel all my crab legs first, making a nice pile of sweet crabby goodness on my plate. I'm a little OCD when it comes to this. After I'm done peeling all the legs, then I clean my hands and now I can enjoy my crab, ahi, and rice all at once! In the meantime, hubby is 3/4ths through his crab, but his little bowl of garlic sauce is wiped clean and he's eyeing mine. I make him wait until I'm done then he goes to town with the rest of the sauce. read more

Loved this place! Friends took us here. Little bit away from Waikiki beach. The food was so good and fresh. Everything was well-prepared with care.Funky little hole-in-the-wall. I wouldn't have known it was a restaurant - typical tourist. Waitresses were really nice. read more

Yum! This place is just right. It's definitely a local's haunt and it's perfect for lunch or dinner. The prices are just right and the no-frills ambiance is perfect. I would come back for the Miso Butterfish on special any day! read more

This is a place you bring your hippie friends. They put garlic on everything! The food was decent. I enjoyed my garlic crab with salad. The miso soup had some extra stuff in it that sort of reminded me of those little dried chinese noodles you put in egg drop soup. The haupia was crumbly (not good) and the fried gyoza wasn't familiar to me (I prefer steamed gyoza not stuffed with ricotta), but tasted okay. I enjoyed bananas & ice cream dessert. Atmosphere is a mixed bag. I thought it was cute how people had thrown dollar bills up into a net hung over the dining area. There is also a tree and a few sculptures around the room graffitied with dollar bills. The bathroom had no hot water and was wallpapered with tattoo porn. The dining area seemed dark. I'm not sure if I'll make it back here again. read more

Great local place that's no frills and serves up great flavorful food. In addition to the regular menu, they have specials to choose from. I had a garlic crab & sashimi special that came with sides of salad, glass noodles & rice. There was salty, savory, tangy, and sweet flavors all in one dish and each item carried its own flavor. The New Wave poke was also great with the chunks of ahi tuna mixed in with crunchy cucumber, sesame oil and spice. If you like eating with your hands and are in love with garlic, the garlic crab is the way to go. They also have a VIP card for frequent diners and I'd definitely fill up a card if I lived there. read more

Always a treat to come here. Sad to see that the old waiting room now is the only seating area, but still serving high quality Hawaiian Japanese fusion. Garlic ahi, and the poke are to die for. And the byob is a definetly a plus in the Waikiki area. Waitresses are always super bubbly and happy to be working and make sure you are really taken care of. Dinner is a bit pricey but food is worth it. Try to come for lunch and everything bis almost half priced. read more

1) I hear the Gyoza with cheese appetizer is great but we ordered the Breaded Tofu which was pretty tasty. 2) Garlic Ahi is a must (unless you are meeting up with a vampire that night I would stay away from the Ahi) 3) Order the dinner combinations. The combos have 2 choices and come with miso soup, salad and rice. 4) Portions are great, you will leave the restaurant very full. 5) Save room for dessert- we ordered this vanilla crepe with ice cream and bananas in chocolate sauce which was nice to share. 5) Service with a smile, our waitress was super friendly 6) Prices were reasonable Irifune has been consistently great for me and I will go back again. read more

If you're looking for a place that isn't your normal Japanese restaurant, try Irifune. FOOD - The theme is garlic, garlic, and more garlic. Boyfriend really enjoyed his garlic ahi. The sauce was pretty bomb. The garlic mushrooms, tofu, and broccoli was my favorite. ATMOSPHERE - Weird decorations. There are dollar bills folded and scattered all over the restaurant making me wonder how many have been taken. The bathroom is a hoot as well. What sets this restaurant apart from any other restaurant I've been to is the service. When it was someone's birthday, oh you KNOW it's their birthday. I'm surprised not many reviews include the lights going out, but be sure you're there when they do :) THE NEXT DAY - After eating so much garlic, try to stay out of social settings for a while. You will smell bad, but it will be worth it. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the whole wide world and I am a well-traveled being! The ahi tataki is amazing. The ahi is so fresh and the sauce is so delicious. The garlic ahi is a winner, too - as are the huge crab legs. The wait staff is always super kind and the bathrooms are crazy! When they are busy you might have to wait a bit for a table, but this place is bring your own booze, so crack a beer and relax. This place is SO worth the wait. I think they are closed on Mondays. If you live in Honolulu, be sure to pick up a frequent diners card so that you can earn a free meal or awesome t-shirt. I just love this place with my whole heart. read more