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

Garlic over here, garlic over there, put your hands in the air like you just don't care. We got a garlic ahi and garlic crab combination dish. The crab was OK, but we should have stuck to what the big sign out front says: "Home of the garlic ahi". The ahi was great. read more

Where do I start? My husband and I found this gem after the hostess at Uncle Bo's next door recommended it and there was no wait for a table. Since that night we have celebrated our birthdays, engagement, holidays- we even had dinner here on our wedding night. In short the food is amazing, service delightful and atmosphere eclectic and welcoming. Service: Super friendly, we love Cindy and Janice! This place is like the "Cheers" of Japanese restaurants. The servers take a genuine interest in their customers and you can tell that they love working here. Atmosphere: Don't be scared off by the "waiting room" with the scary fish tank, if you do have to wait for a table just check out the photo wall and see all the celebrities that have dined here over the years. This is not a swanky joint but it has a charm that can only be cultivated through years of excellent food and service. Food: It is BYOB, if you forgot alcohol check out one of the many gas stations nearby. Come here hungry because you need to try everything! APPETIZERS: the tofu and mushrooms in garlic sauce is amazing and so are the gyoza ( they are usually made with tofu and cheese and something else seasonal, sometimes kombucha or edamame etc.) The breaded tofu with a gingery terriyaki sauce is bomb and so is the Kapahulu roll (it contains BACON). With most of the appetizers ranging from $4.50-$6.50 you've got to try a few. MAIN DISHES: They are known for their garlic ahi so the garlic ahi filet dinner is a must for you heat enthusiasts ask the server for the spicy sauce. All meals comes with miso soup, salad, rice and a small dish created by the chef that changes each time. The servers are extremely knowledgeable about all the dishes so use them to your advantage. The seared ahi with garlic and capers is another must order- great as an appetizer for a larger group too. The fish is always fresh and top quality. The sauces are so good you cannot help but eat the bed of spinach that the seared ahi was resting on. Be sure to check out the specials as they don't disappoint. Anything with their miso sauce is bomb. LUNCH: Garlic Ahi Fried Rice...addicting. The Ahi Loco Moco...we are on a list of people they contact when this is on the menu...it is that good. THE JIST: A casual joint, BYOB with huge flavors, a unique spin on Japanese food and the freshest ingredients all served with aloha. Come here with a sense of humor and adventure, check out the bathroom and definitely ask for the punch card as you will be returning. read more

I really wonder how this restaurant gets 4 stars with 200 reviews. Begs me to wonder either bad reviews are removed or this place is very inconsistent. Here's the shortened version: My friend wanted a California Roll but she suggested an "upgraded california roll" that was a little bit more expensive. We took the suggestion since we thought she was being nice. Dish comes and besides the fact that the dish is in a "roll form" but not really. It looked more like an imperial roll and it did not have crab in it so I'm not sure where how it is a calfornia roll. The price also ended up being double the price. I think we just got cheated. We ordered gyozas and she said that today's gyoza is pumpkin "gyoza". After saying that, she wanted to double check that she still had some. She comes back saying there is "one more left" and that we were "lucky". We wondered what happen to normal gyozas??? Does she not have any. We ordered it anyways but it tasted so bland. My boyfriend described it as... "if there was a taste to the color grey, this would be it". Everyone raved about the garlic ahi. We ordered it and it was the fishiest fish I had. My boyfriend is usually not picky and hates wasting food but even he can't finish it. Later on we speculated the owner just wanted to get rid of the bad fish to us cause it was obvious we were tourists and we weren't going to return. The only decent dish was the Japanese curry but really there's nothing you can fuck up there. Throughout the meal, she also kept interrupting us and making comments that seemed like she just wanted us to think the place was great. The place was empty but she was saying she wasn't sure why it was so empty because usually it is more crowded. It was a Saturday night at 7pm. We went to another Japanese restaurant and it was packed and this place was so empty. Overall, this was one of the worse dining experience. Not because she was rude, but we just felt like the whole time she was just trying to get us to overspend and give us the leftover food or something. She just seemed like she was lying and the food didn't taste good at all. read more

We're never disappointed when we go here. Services little slow but the food is excellent. You can bring your own booze and it's nice when you're in a party we can bring a six pack and enjoy your meal. read more

See all

Decided to take my wife somewhere new and we found this place. At first we were worried about Parking but they have a parking lot across the street. Just make sure you pay before you go in or you will get towed. They had a pretty decent menu, my wife got the tempura and crab and I got the garlic chicken stir fry. Both were very good and plenty to go around. Our server was very polite and made sure we were taken care of. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for good Japanese food. read more

Read all the reviews on Yelp and had to try this place while we were vacationing in Waikiki. We walked there one night and they were closed, but so glad we went back on a night when they were open. The place was packed but luckily they had an open table for 2. You have to have something with garlic - the garlic crab is fantastic! The people working there are very upbeat and cheerful, very happy to answer questions about the food. You can't leave without checking out the bathroom. Just saying. Oh, and the dessert is really good, original, and right-sized to split. We had the banana and ice cream crepe. YUM! They don't serve alcohol but you can bring your own. Beer goes very well with the food - there's a convenience store just down the street. read more

After a week of solid restaurants in Oahu, we were sorely disappointed by Irifune. Overpowering tuna with garlic and oil is not a good way to showcase Japanese cuisine. We were recommended by locals to stick with the lunch specials - I hope you will also. read more

Ok been eating here for what seems like forever. Wait is so worth it! The waitress are super and really take care of you. Yes we are on first name basis. Unsure of what to order??/ the #1 is my all time favorite the Tataki sashimi is to kill for If you are ever there and the Kapahulu roll is on the special board order it as you walk in..WOW what a treat! Byob and tip your servers well the will remember you! :) read more

Garlic ahi is always delish. I like how they always change the little side dish that comes with the meal. Tempura is lightly battered, so you get what you ordered, instead of all batter and cocktail size shrimp. Service is usually good, unless they are super busy. read more

Another hole-in-the-wall gem! I honestly really like the food here. And, it is BYOB. Which is awesome. Two of my girlfriends and I planned date night here a few weeks ago. I THINK they are closed Sun/Mon...and open around 5/5:30 for dinner on the remaining nights. If you plan to stay and drink, like a lot of the tables do, then also plan on either going early to get a table, or waiting because some tables don't turn and people stay here the whole night. Some tables bring in coolers with them. Yes, coolers. We usually prefer to stick to wine though. I've been here multiple times before, and their food is always pretty good. But here's what we got this past time: - Comp "salad" and miso soup....their miso soup is really good though! Don't ask for another bowl though, or you'll ruin your appetite for dinner! - Breaded (fried) tofu: MUST have....oh god. YUMM. - Ahi tartar app: ok this was on one of their "specials" boards and it was AMAZING. The tartar was served on top a small circle of rice....and drizzled with some kind of aioli sauce. It was so good. Seriously hope they have that the next time I go or I'll be a bit bummed. - Their famous garlic ahi for my friend to try (her first time there) teishoku combo with tempura and sashimi...portions on this particular one was a bit lacking. - Seared garlic ahi with capers (also on specials board)....this was good! Pretty good amount compared to the teishoku. - Chicken curry....their curry is good! I love the dark Japanese curry. Plenty veggies in it too! - For dessert: the fried banana with ice dream. Like a banana lumpia, ala mode. Drizzled with caramel, although I would have preferred chocolate. This is a no-fail place for a fun, laid-back dinner/drinks....all the waitresses I've had have been very sweet. Plus their prices are reasonable AND you save a lot if you bring your own alcohol. read more

Irifune Restaurant - Miso soup, ahi tartar & breaded tofu (DeLiSh!)....best of all, BYOB! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

1st time visit today: food was good, but the only thing which bothered me was that the waitress Janice did not suggest the lunch prices and allowed me to order the full priced dinner version of my meal. Having been there for 7 years, she should have alerted me to that. I do not like sneaky service. Even if the portion was a bit smaller, I would have opted for the lunch size. Hence, she took advantage of a new patron who will not return now. How do I email the owner? Oh well, lessons learned. :--( And I still tipped Janice a full 20%. read more

Irifune is a funky little spot on Kapahulu. The decor is strictly dive bar fisherman's flea market, and Japanese curio shop style in appearance. It's strictly BYOB here, and parking can be a bit tough. Make sure to order the garlic crab while you're at Irifune. I like butter as much as the next guy. Butter and garlic is even better. Add crab into that mix and you've got the trifecta. The perfect combination, a veritable holy trinity of the palate. Less spectacular is the garlic ahi. Yeah, I know it's received rave reviews, but I could not get over the dingy gray, Chicken of the Sea color of the ahi. The flavor was okay, but I can't help but feel that it would be better off done in a tataki style rather than cooked well. Save room for dessert and go for the fried banana with ice cream. read more

Nothing too special about this place. It has a lot of crazy and unique interior decorating, but no A/C and the place was pretty hot. The waitress pressured our group to order instead of waiting for our friend. +: HUGE PLUS is that this place is BYOB. Take advtange! -: Parking is pretty tough in this area. Some paid street parking and lots. The food is ok, nothing remarkable or memorable. read more

This place is AMAZING. Total, funky, hole in the wall, local joint. I love the garlic ahi (like everyone else) but I may love the garlic crab even more. Tofu appetizer is awesome as well and it's BYOB. Like most local favorites, get here early or your stomach will be doing summersaults waiting for it's turn to feast. read more

Irifune Restaurant - Now that's ambiance - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been going to Irifune for nearly 20 years, which has its goods and bads. The upside is the food remains excellent (for the most part) but, puleeeze! a gallon or two of paint would spruce up the place a bit. Yes, the decor IS eclectic (not to mention the FAB unisex bathroom) -- BUT, the walls and the ceiling haven't seen a fresh coat of paint since Sherman Williams was merely a twinkle in his father's eyes. The waitstaff is awesome, very friendly and they remember you from your last visit. Downside: you cannot be seated until your entire party is there. Sheesh! Haven't seen that since the 80s. Suggestion: get a liquor license and let us slam down a couple while we wait for our friends to find parking. You'll make more money, honey! But, again, the food is awesome. Went there tonight and was not disappointed. One criticism: my friend ordered the Lychee Sorbet for dessert and it came out in its original "Tropilicious" container straight from Foodland. Too bad. At least they could have spooned it out. My other friend and I had the fried banana with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel. Luscious beyond words. read more

came to Hawaii for my friend's destination wedding. It was also her parents' anniversary so we went to dinner. We decided to go to Zippy's but when we got there, it was verrry casual, like a fast food joint so we decided we should go somewhere not so casual. we walked around and found this restaurant up the street. It looked like a hole in the wall restaurant, with pictures and stickers on the wall, but there was a crowd outside waiting to get in, so we figured it would be good. We wrote our names on the waiting list and while we waited, i checked it out on yelp. It got great reviews and we also found out it was BYOB! so our friend ran to safeway and bought some beers and wine. We drank inside while we waited for our table. It was a pretty long wait but once we got inside, it was pretty worth it. our server was very sweet and gave us glasses for our wine. We ordered a special they had called the WHALE TAIL ( shrimp covered with gyoza wrapper with a filling inside, with a sweet chili sauce and wasabi aoil) it was soooo good! for my entree i got the shrimp and veg tempura with garlic ahi. it was super yummy!! it came with miso soup and it was one of the best miso soups ive had!! It had crunchy tempura bits and bean sprouts. ive never had miso soup with bean sprouts and it worked very well. The prices were reasonable. The atmosphere was very fun and funky, definitely a local spot. The bathroom decor was also interesting. All in all we all had a great experience and we enjoyed the food. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone! read more

With my recent return to the island after a ten year break, i needed a meal. I asked a buddy of mine to go to dinner. He asked if I liked Ahi, response: "YESS". So we grabbed a few beers to take with us. YEP, it's BYOB. We were promptly greeted and seated. My friend has been going here for 3+ years. I looked at the menu to see if something else would spark my interest...NOPE. With based on my friend's recommendation, i went with the Ahi Special. NO DISAPPOINTMENT there. THis special is served with a miso soup, pipping hot, not too salty.Next they bring you a side of rice to eat with your Ahi, and the main course is brought out. On the plate were 3 generous pieces of Ahi, fresh green salad and some other item i was not feeling like i wanted to try....smelled great! If you need a meal, come here...well worth your time and money..... read more

Always come here a couple times each visit to Oahu. Would go every other night if I could! Love the garlic ahi and crab. So delish! Also love the seared ahi and tempura. Highly recommend the food. Decor is quirky funky, I would like more comfortable chairs, but it's always fun to go with a group. Love the byob. Owners are very nice to their regulars. Could drink the salad dressing - I get extra! read more

Ahhh! Not A Fan! *Service: Super Friendly, Attentive, A Bit Slow *Ambience: Casual, Small, Homey Environment *Food: Japanese, Ahi, Sushi *Price: Decent *Parking: Limited, Street off Kapahulu Good For: Casual Dinner Recommendations: -BYOB (yay!) grab a six-pack, a bottle of sake or wine before you head down! -Call in first before you go, the ladies will take a reservation for you if it is busy (and it get busayyyy) -Order a stir-fry - yum! -Beware the 'garlic ahi steak'! Unless you like your fish cooked down to the core, this isn't going to satisfy your ahi cravings. Try the Ahi in Caper Sauce instead, for a delicious seared steak. How saaaaaad was I that night! I have only heard rave reviews about this place and yet my first experience with a plus two, was disappointment across the board. By the end of the night we were giggling about how awesome BYO's are and how terrible the ahi was. *sigh Irifune Restaurant's Dish to Die For? Tofu Cheese Gyoza Papi Says: "Irifune Restaurant"? "Uh ok, for gyoza and beer :( " read more

Alas, now closed.. Irifune on Kapahulu - "Auntie's house" decor with mismatched chairs and tables, adequate service, but good food at a fair price. Garlic whatever is their specialty, so we had garlic ahi steak (fresh) garlic crab legs (previously frozen) and ahi tataki (fresh, large portions and excellent sauce). Parking is difficult (unpaved pay lot across the street). Price range is $10 to $20...the fun is when they darken the dining room lights (you'll need to go there to find out)..good place to take friends and family or off island guests looking for something different (non plate lunch, non over priced "Asian fusion" Food Network style)..Ps: BYOB.. read more

Dining outdoors with tables spread out felt safe. Tofu stir fry is a favorite. Veggies were crisp, not soggy. Green salad was crisp, forgot to ask for no dressing, but still good. read more

Great food. Great prices. Great atmosphere. Great friendly staff. Great BYOB. This is my idea of a great place to eat. Unpretentious, good food. And since it's outside of waikiki, the prices aren't unreasonable. The fish was fresh and the typical Japanese dishes weren't so typical, and very tasty. Being able to have whatever beverage you want to go with your food is always a big plus to me. If you're staying in waikiki, walk right outside of it to go to this place. Definitely worth it. read more

Absolutely love this place, I try to get here every couple months or so and am never disappointed. first off parking is usually pretty easy to find(you can always pay for it across the street), and I personally have never had to wait more than 15 mins to get a table. the place has its own "feel" which i personally think is pretty cool. BYOB is always a plus and the staff has been nothing short of great every time ive gone. Every time a friend or family member comes to the island i take them here and to no disappointment yet. I had a good friend tell me af all the places we ate she said Irifune was her favorite. On to the food, its hard for me not to get the #1 on the special board every time, garlic ahi, sashimi, and temura shrimp and veggies so good. not to mention it comes with the salad and miso soup. The seared ahi with butter caper sauce is something else to not overlook, the fish always seems fresh, seared just right for my taste. I've had some of the sushi which has all been good as well as the appetizers. Always clean my plate and leave happy. read more

I used to love this place! Healthy selections and tofu is delish. But the last time I was here service was horrible. Not once did they refill my water. It was very loud and noisy and there was a bug in my miso soup. All they gave me was a free dessert which they charged me for. So I had to remind the waitress. Never again am I eating at this place. read more

I had a great dinner with my friends on Tuesday, May 12th. We got there at 5:30p (a bit early for dinner nonetheless), and immediately sat down to a 4 seater table. It was just 2 of us but I do like to sit at the bigger table for some space. Larger table = more food to order :-) I ordered the special #2 and my friends ordered #1. His spicy garlic ahi was on my plate of #2 and my garlic ahi was on his plate. We both took a bite of each other's fish and said "I think this is yours!". Okay, the order mis-hops, that is okay. No problems. My plate, Special #2 came with a cup of dessert...I tasted it and couldn't figure out what it was until I asked the waitress. Turned out that it was a bread pudding. Ya, some kind of bread pudding. That was, um, sorry, was terrible. Not the flavor I am complaining about, it was the texture...it was like a wet bread all around and I just didn't enjoy it. All in all, I enjoyed the food, the atmosphere and most of all, the price! it is reasonable. Also, BYOB is such a great idea as alcohol costs a lot lately at ant places you go nowadays. Enjoy the food at Irifune, but you won't get a kiss from you date, that's for sure. read more

Garlic Ahi! If you go to Irifune, that's what you gotta try! Its so tasty! The place is decorated with lots of asian art and things and the service is always great. Parking does suck for this restaurant, so you should keep that in mind. Other than that, all of their food is great! But garlic ahi is what they are known for and it can't be beat! read more

Still hoping for the chance of a reopen. Best garlic ahi I've ever had. And the breaded tofu was amazing! Rooting for you Irifune!

Went there again last night since we had visitors in town (it's our go-to place for taking visitors)...and always, the food was soo good! I would have liked to see something besides tofu cheese gyoza, but nonetheless, still very good (bring back the pumpkin or the sweet potato please!!!!!!!). Our table had the ahi avacado tar tar (a new pupu!), gyoza, and summer roll to start....all aimed to please! Entrees included garlic ahi filet, bbq chicken teriyaki, and seared ahi in garlic caper sauce. All good, but the caper sauce was a little oily for our taste. BEST THING: BYOB and a frequent punch card (which we filled, so the next time we go, free entree!) :) read more

Favorite restaurant on this side of diamond head. The miso soup is amazing the only kine I eat anywhere. The kapahula role is the best sushi roll I have eaten on Oahu. The servers are great and the price is a great deal for the amount of food you get. Another plus it's Byob. read more

Family style Japanese restaurant. This restaurant has been around for many years. They are consistently good and you and your family or friends can have a good meal at a reasonable price. Today sampled the bento box (tempura, Teri pork, garlic chicken and sashimi, and teri chicken plate. Both items were spot on. The test was good and the garlic chicken very tasty. Overall restaurant rating 3.5 Food quality 3.5 Food selection 4 Value for the price 4 Friendly staff 4 One of the more affordable Japanese restaurants in town. Don't be turned off by its old charm appearance. It is showing its age (over 45 years old) but the food and charm of this old restaurant is different from the many high end and extremely expensive Japanese sushi houses in town. Check them out. read more

FINALLY! I found you IRIFUNE SAN'.....Ohhhhhh how ive missed you.. My boy Mikey asked: "eh brah.... you like ahi sashimi and killer fried tofu?"..... Sure why not.... Im game. Dude....so effing GREAT. GARLIC AHI. You will smell like crap, but your stomach will thank you immensely. Some of the freshest ahi tuna i have ever tasted.....yeah...even better than some of those foofy sushi joints here in so cal. The deep fried tofu was unreal. So soft, so delicate, and so delish. Looks simple to make, but lets see you try to fry steam soy beans in a cake form that can hold its shape, yet, retain perfect crispiness despite all that moisture from the tofu? Seriously....if you can do it as pefect as IRIFUNE, I will buy you a tix to oahu, and you will understand why its soooo perfectly good. read more

Irifune is one of our favorite restaurants in Oahu. EVERYTHING we have tried has been spectacular, the service is great, the atmosphere very authentic. And the price is pretty good too (if low on bufget you can always try their lunch time, but you most arrive prior to 1 pm, not even one minute over) From my husband all the way to our 3 1/2 years old boy, everybody loves to go to Irifune and appreciate great, tasty food! Give it a try! PS: They don;t serve alcohol but you are welcome to bring your own botle of wine or bear. read more

Garlic Ahi, Garlic Ahi, Garlic Ahi ... YUM. :) my tummy is officially happy :) read more

Small hole in the wall. Parking is kinda hard on Kapahulu unless you wanna pay $5 at the lot across the street. Everyone loves the garlic ahi and I can see why! read more

The wait is ridiculously long. Yes we had a huge group of 6, but really a 40+ min wait was a bit much, which is why this review is a 2 star instead of 3. The waitress tried to make it up by being more attentive to us. Thankfully no birthday dinners, even though we had a birthday girl in our party. Also, one unisex bathroom for the whole place. I have to say though, I only just discovered the specials menu last night and was impressed. I had a special with the garlic crab & tataki. Get ready to get greasy and oily hands while breaking out the crab meat from the shell. Highly recommend the tataki! Great sear on the ahi and great sauce (citrus soy mix). So overall the food is great, but the wait is terrible. If you have a large party be prepared to wait a llloooooong time. read more

If you love poke, you must get the NEW WAVE POKE. It has everything delicious and the perfect degree of spiciness to leave your mouth wanting for more. read more

I have been craving their fried tofu so much lately, it keeps creeping up in my mind.. someone needs to go enjoy this for me!