Back after 4 years to our happy place (Hawaii and here!). The hits still hit and I am happy to add a few more! Okonomayki is still delish! Musubi - didn't have spam but pork rolled over the rice with a teriyaki glaze. One of the best variations I've had!! The kids couldn't get enough of it. Kamameshi - slow cooked rice casserole (like Chinese clay pot rice). Infused the rice with an amazing smoky flavor. I had octopus for protein which I enjoyed but my kids weren't able to appreciate it (they like it grilled). Miso butter fish - classic black cod dish. Did not disappoint! Scallop sashimi - very fresh and tasted like butter read more

My mistake suggesting this place to my friends who came in expecting yakitori skewers only to find out they no longer serve it. They also didn't have another item we wanted most likely because it was a couple hours before closing, so it another disappointment but the food we did end up getting was still amazing. The service was great anyways, and I highly recommend the beef sukiyaki!! Peach and grape chu-his were also really yummy and pretty dangerous as they were on the sweeter side so it's easy to drink! We also got the miso butter cod fish and kimchi cucumber which were both great read more

For an authentic Japanese restaurant experience, check out Izakaya Genbe. They are located in the Azeka Shopping Center. Very cool decor and a low key vibe. They weren't too busy at the time and we received fast and friendly service. I stared off with the Pork Gyoza - pan-fried pork dumplings served with gyoza sauce. It went well with the house hot saki. I also had the Shoyu Ramen - chicken and shoyu based broth with HM noodles, pork chashu, bok choy, woodear mushroom, green onions and sesame seeds. read more

See all

Dropped by here at my son's insistence for some fresh sushi. Caught the tail end of happy hour, and was very pleased with the pork gyoza. The spicy tuna roll and softshell crab roll were both very good! I would recommend. read more

Quick and friendly service. Small seating area with carefully crafted dishes. Miso marinated Black Cod is a special taste- definitely try this! Ramen was on POINT! We got the spicy Broth with ramen egg added. White Peach Tea was a great NAB choice. Shrimp crunchy roll was on great and Avocado roll was generous with avocado!! read more

Izakaya Genbe - Miso Butter Fish - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

See all

So... came here after an incredible performance at the ProArtts Playhouse- highly recommend. It was after 9, kitchen was still open, and staff was welcoming and cordial. They were throughout the entire meal which at this point is totally irrelevant-- we ordered 2 glasses of plum wine...would have been a 5 star review, but would give them zero now... Got the bill and I was in shock of the price. Hubby did not want to ask about the OBSCENE CHARGE-$144 for two glasses-- more than the entire meal should have been... he paid and walked out. The staff never mentioned ANYTHING about the drinks, charges l, bill. My first time looking at the receipt and it says bottle-- but also 2 glasses, which is what we had... If a drink, or anything else for that matter, is fairly expensive or not your regular option ( special drink or whatever), inform the customs before the order is placed. Never again here.... read more

See all

Very authentic Japanese restaurant. My Japanese father approved! We got both the spicy and creamy tonkotsu ramen which was very tasty, along with the pork katsudon which was also a very authentic flavor. We also got the tendon which i forgot to photograph. We also got some sushi (slightly overpriced i won't lie) but very tasty and fresh. Food was so good we came back twice on our trip to Maui. Nothing was too salty, everything cooked perfectly. When you first walk in you're greeted with old 80's Japanese city pop music and vintage posters and empty sake bottles displayed on the walls. This is a good sign. The place is relatively empty so there wasn't a wait both times we went and the food also came out very fast. I highly recommend this place if you're craving some good ol real Japanese food. 10/10 would recommend! read more

See all

Felt lucky that this place was open and not terribly busy after flying into Hawaii, jet lagged and hangry. The were 3 of us. I ordered the beef udon. My sister the spicy ramen. And my Mom the miso black cod. Additionally we ordered the takoyaki to share. The takoyaki was literally the best I've ever had. Super crisp/crunchy on the outside but moist and gooey on the inside. My beef udon had a really robust beefy broth and a good amount of sliced beef. The only thing it was missing was a soft boiled egg which I'm used to at other places. My sisters ramen was pretty spicy but also full of flavor and generously portioned. My Mom's black cod was good but for the money ($25?) and portion size wasn't as good as the other dishes. I've had better for cheaper at other places. It was also ala carte (no rice), so I ordered rice to go with it. A bowl of rice was $5!!! Other than the black cod and rice part of the meal, I felt like the quality and pricing was very reasonable. I would definitely come back but with better knowledge of what to order and not order. read more

Izakaya Genbe continues to be an amazing spot to get fantastic Japanese food. They also serve a happy hour menu from 2-5 pm daily with great options for drinks and appetizers. We got the 2 orders of the Genbe Taco which are bao buns with your choice of filling - chachu pork/vege kimpira, garlic beef/shrimp tempura, or chili chicken. We got 1 chili chicken and 1 garlic beef and both were filled with flavor. We also split a bowl of Black Tonkotsu Ramen. It had a tonkotsu pork broth, burnt galic oil, wheat noodle, chashu, green onion, bok choy, and bean sprouts. It was so hearty, flavorful, and delicious. We really enjoyed it! Parking is very easy at this location and service was friendly. Go check them out! read more

Izakaya Genbe - Bao Bun appetizers - Chili Chicken (front), Garlic Beef (back) - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

See all

I got a unagidon and felt like the food was not very substantial. the unagi was cooked very well though and melted in your mouth. My wife got a chicken salad and the chicken was very good actually had like a teriyaki type sauce on it and it was very juicy and tender. read more

Izakaya Genbe - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

We got seated quickly and ordered soon after. We got the sukiyaki, gyoza, vegetable tempura, and beef curry udon. It was delightful and filling. read more

Izakaya Genbe - Beef Curry Udon - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Great food and great service Happy hour is the best time for us the price was right and the time worked for us as well read more

Went here with a buddy of mine that introduced me to this place back when it was called Izakaya Matsu. About 15 years ago. He tried their recommended slow cooked rice dish with chicken. I decided to go with a known commodity and try their creamy tonkatsu ramen. We also had cucumber kim chee and gyoza. For drinks we had Sapporo and one of their sakes. The Kim chee cucumber is awesome. They're cut almost like celery stalk, not flat disks. Not overpowering, very crunchy and very refreshing. Highly recommend. They go fast! The gyoza were interesting. Kinda half fried, a little crispy but not submerged deep fried. Good flavor. Orders come in 6 piece and have 2 dipping sauce. My buddy ordered the slow cooked rice dish with chicken. It was recommended by the waiter. It was definitely a production with the big cooking pot they bring it out in, but he felt like he probably wouldn't order it again. For me, the tonkatsu was maybe the best I've had on island and it starts with the pork. Very delicious pork pieces in the soup. So many places go with cheap pork slices but the pork in this tonkatsu is amazing. Also the broth is very good. Not overpowering, very rich and you'll need a napkin to wipe your lips. Maybe not if you're eating it with chapped lips. The sake was super smooth. They pour it from a large bottle into a small decanter at your table and let you choose your glass. Fun touch. Sapporo beer came in the large 40 ounce bottle and they ask how many small glasses you want if you'd like to share the bottle. Service was very responsive and helpful. Wait times were short but the slow cooked rice dish is a 25-30 minute wait, just FYI I will definitely be back. read more

The shrimp calefornia roll was amazing, tastes pure love and dopamine and the staff was so nice and welcoming

Hidden gem for all you Japanese food lovers. I've posted about this place before so I just wanted to add more photos. This place is awesome! read more

See all

Really nice spot to get some yummy Japanese food. The pork katsu don I ordered is very authentic and delicious. The service is really good, and I like the old fashioned Japanese vibe. read more

Izakaya Genbe - (PORK)KATSU DON - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

See all

Food is always fresh and tasty whether it's for lunch or dinner. Service is very good and a smaller more intimate dining area. read more

Izakaya Genbe - A little bit of everything! - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Flew in on our first night and needed a meal ASAP! This was right down the way from our Airbnb and luckily still open around 8pm when most of the shops nearby started closing. We were seated right away and ordered the baos, potstickers and the black garlic ramen. Staff was quick to put that in for us. The baos were pretty good. I have no complaints here. Potstickers were fine but not amazing. The ramen on the other hand was no really my favorite. I like garlic but it had a burnt garlic taste. I also paid extra for the red bomb thinking it would be spicy but it wasn't. I threw the whole thing in there and it was just a bit sour. I may have been better off with the regular tonkotsu ramen but that's fine. If I was on Maui I still think I'd come back to give the sushi a try but the ramen didn't impress me. read more

Izakaya Genbe - Baos Back: Chasu Front: Beef - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

See all

Decent spot for warm and hearty Japanese comfort meals! The tonkatsu ramen had a wonderfully rich broth but I wished the vegan ramen was much less salty. Service was great as they were attentive and always made sure to check in on us. Consider stopping by if you're in the area and crave a warm meal read more

Went to Izakaya Gembe with my family around 8PM--group of four. The food was mediocre at best, but the service was absolutely terrible and borderline insulting. Our family were the only ones waiting outside. Despite that, the server insisted we had to sign up on the yelp waiting list to be added to the list. Which is totally fine. However, when we were dining, we noticed other guests who spoke Japanese were immediately seated without issue. Pretty clear preferential treatment going on. I wanted to order sukiyaki, which the menu says takes 20-25 minutes. I specifically asked the server if I could place the order in advance while waiting. She *confirmed* I could. But once we were finally seated, she completely backtracked and said she couldn't take the order earlier due for manager said no. Plus she only informed me when I asked her. The food? Nothing to write home about--bland, average, not worth the wait or the price. The whole experience felt dismissive and disorganized. Definitely won't be coming back. read more

Izakaya Genbe - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

For our first night in Maui, I wanted something comforting to eat. Decided to come here as a local friend recommended it and ramen sounds so good. The restaurant isn't super big. It's kind of tucked away in a little plaza. We came in and fortunately, no one else was dining in, so we got a lot of attention. The servers were nice and welcoming. They took our order promptly and served us our ramen. Unfortunately, that's kind of where it ends. The ramen noodles were undercooked, its was chewy and just not good. I thought it was just me but my husband said the same thing. The broth was good, so were the toppings but the main element -- the noodles were just so not good. Really dampened the night, especially since it was our first dinner on the island. I'm hoping it was a one-off. But unfortunately, for us. If we're ever in the area, I don't think we'd be giving it a second chance. read more

Izakaya Genbe - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

See all

Itadakimasu! (いただきます) We met a guy named from Mise Kimono yesterday, Jonah, and he recommended Izakaya Genbe! So, Izakaya Genbe it is for dinner! Midori took our order -- for buns we got garlic beef , shrimp tempura and chicken kaarage ; We also ordered black tonkotsu ramen, vegan ramen, mentaiko [cod roe] udon , spicy cheese takoyaki and kaki [oyster] fry . I was talking to both staffs, Midori and Olivia, telling them how I heard of the place. They were both friendly and someone that could carry a conversation. I shared with them that we've been going to places that has been recommended as we were not from Maui. The food was definitely delicious! Another place for the book! The broth was perfectly seasoned well. The black tonkotsu would be my favorite! Should you decide to try this place, make sure to order this and share with your other half or friend or whoever! ありがとう ございます。Arigato gozaimasu! read more

See all

In a busy plaza; we went for lunch and there was no line. Got the poke appetizer (there's also an entree version), an udon and the okonomiyaki. The poke was our favorite - super flavorful and has seaweed salad! Overall a solid spot, but wasn't too impressed by our other dishes read more

Finally got a table! We tried to come here on our last 2 Maui trips and was never successful. We got a table (Monday night) and tried their Tonkatsu Ramen with egg and beef sukiyaki. The Ramen soup base was very good and the egg was perfect (costs extra though). The sukiyaki was moderarely sweet and flavorful. However, it's $32 (which is pricey). Erna was our waitress, who was delightful. I would come back but it would have to be for special occasions. read more

Izakaya Genbe - Beef Sukiyaki is very good! - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

It was hard to find a place open beyond 8pm in the neighborhood. Izakaya Genbe was not only open until 9:30 but it was packed for a Monday night. We weee seated promptly. The menu is pretty straightforward. We got the creamy vegan ramen and the sukiyaki. Both were so delicious and well seasoned. The ramen especially was my favorite. Creamy yet light with just the most divine broth! read more

See all

Tucked away in a strip mall is a great Izakaya with a great variety of food and drinks! We went around 3 on a Saturday and we were the only ones in so service was great and fast. All the food was delicious. The Takoyaki was some of the best I've ever had and the gyoza was perfect with a bit of crisp on the outside and two yummy dipping sauces. I also had the bao bun tacos and my favorite was the garlic beef one. My husband got some sake and they let him choose his glass for it which I thought was cute. I also love how much variety their menu has. My husband was able to get his favorite dish, Oyako don and I definitely want to go back to try their okonomiyaki and ramen. read more

See all

Cute little hole in the wall restaurant Felt really authentic when you walk in and see the waitresses in their Japanese uniform. The menu says no modifications which to me means they are serious about the quality of their dishes. One review we read said they had the best takoyaki here so we had to order it. It did not disappoint. Our party shared every dish. The 2 favorites were the takoyaki and the beef curry udon. If we visit Maui again, we would definitely come back here for those 2 items. read more

See all

The food was amazing, the service was the best and the ambiance was something i will cherish forever.Unfortuantly we do not have street food in Hawaii. read more

Service was decent and it is a quiet little restaurant with plenty of parking. I ordered the gyoza and those were good, although I don't know that I have ever had a bad gyoza anywhere before. I also got the kamameshi and it was not my cup of tea at all. It seemed just pretty bland. My mom and her friend seemed to enjoy the chicken teriyaki and they were impressed by the creme brulee dessert. I might consider coming back here and ordering other things. The bags of rice they sell are really good too. read more

Love this restaurant. Lots of great choices from cooked dishes like sukiyaki to sushi . Service is consistently attentive

I enjoyed everything I have there but I mostly enjoyed the beer and sake but the staff is great and I enjoy the ambiance!!

This was one of my favorite meals and showcased high quality Japanese food at its finest. We got a beef udon, a sukiyaki hot plate, and a chicken oyako-don. Everything was excellent but the udon and suriyaki were my favorite. The sukiyaki takes 20-30 minutes to make according to the menu, but ours was out in probably 15 minutes which was a pleasant surprise. I loved, loved the broth in the beef udon and slurped it down in greedy gulps before surrendering the bowl to my kids, who demolished it. The sukiyaki uses beef brisket but it wasn't fatty, and I liked how the mushrooms, noodles, and cabbage in the dish all soaked up the sweet-savory sauce. We came during off hours and ate at 4PM because our family was on California time so luckily there wasn't a wait and it wasn't too busy. Would 10/10 come again! read more

We ordered delivery and the quality of the sushi was very bad. The sashimi looked terrible and tasted bad. Miso soup wasn't good, potstickers were okay and the sushi California roll was also bad. We didn't get chopsticks or wasabi. Terrible experience overall. Some of the worst sushi I've ever had. Edit - threw away half the food and everyone was sick from their food. Do not eat here. read more

Omg so delicious!! Unreal and authentic. Gotta try this place out. We had the tempura shrimp- light and fluffy. Perfection. The star of the show was beef Sukiyaki. Broth was on POINT. read more

I love this place, I always end up here when I'm in Maui. Love the food, service, and atmosphere.

Well air-conditioned, Izakaya Genbe is pleasant and comfortable for dine-in. An assortment of popular anime figures adorn the counter, and design-wise, the interior checks off all the boxes for typical Japanese-American izakaya. On the other hand, the food is decidedly average. The monthly special (Gyokai Tonkotsu Maze Ramen) tasted like a normal tonkotsu ramen without the broth, as it's served dry. And as someone who loves dry pho, I think this ramen tastes far better with the separately provided broth, though I also think it's overpriced anyway. The baos were a bit better (chili and cha siew), but I still think they're a little pricey, even for Hawaii. The 2 for $10 is only value if you order two of the $6 baos. I like the chicken curry rice, but yet again, it's too expensive to justify paying that much ($20+). The to-go order also took about 40min, so I'd recommend dining-in here. Wasn't the best experience ordering out, so I'd like to try eating here next time. read more

Izakaya Genbe - Cha siew and chili fried chicken baos - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

See all

If you like Japanese food this is as close to being authentic as you can get. The lady that took our order was Japanese and so were the chefs. They have Bento boxes and good portions. No sushi rolls when we went there. Liited seating so we arrived early. We will stop by again. read more

Izakaya Genbe - Inside - Japanese Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Closest to Japan ramen best spot to get your fix staff is always friendly and happy to serve. Small space but great food

I've heard that the menu had changed here! But the service was great- they went over the changes in the new menu had made great suggestions in its place. My friend got the curry udon and said it was delicious. I got the sukiyaki and was so pleasantly surprised with how much the big platter was able to hold! I love the yam noodles and there was so much beef. It does takes 20ish minutes for the kitchen to prepare the sukiyaki, but they had the disclaimer on the menu so I was prepared for the wait. The takoyaki was perfectly fluffy and crispy and was a hit for us bc it came out piping hot and freshly fried. The interior was super cute and welcoming- with plenty of plaza parking and seating inside. read more

See all

The food was good but the background music was too loud. This was the 2nd time we were there for lunch. The music was not like that the first time we went. It was rather annoying. Asked the server if they could turn it down and she said NO. Will not go back. ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE Manager and she said he wasn't around and he wouldn't turn it down anyway. I just want to add I appreciated the Japanese music it was just to loud. Needed to be more subdued. read more