Updating my review to say that I love the white and amaou sweet Japanese strawberries they stock starting the month of February! The amaou (sweet red) strawberries were soo good when I bought a first batch mid February, but then a few weeks later when I bought a second batch they were just good and not "soo good". Lol. However, at the second batch purchase I also spotted their WHITE strawberries and bought those ...the white strawberries are sooo unique, pretty, and best of all SWEET.... in a different and mellow way. You have to try it to understand! I think these sweet strawberries are only sold in February and maybe early March cuz I don't see them any other times..... Also, I want to say that I really enjoy the little side bento area because that wagyu bento is GOOD! Pricier than your average lunch plate but also way tastier cuz it's obviously a much more marbled and tender piece of meat, dat wagyu, mmmm!!! Fatty marbled meat is what I'm about! The other bento compartments were yummy too, down to the very good Japanese rice. Quality bento and berries for a price.. a price that I am absolutely happy to pay. Ps: I think they have some staff who speak some English now! Yay. read more

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The concept of this market restaurant is quite unique and quite nice. It's almost like eating in a chefs kitchen. They also have counter seating. Staff is great from the owner chef as well as the servers. Food was phenomenal and if you like Japanese food then it's the place to go. Go before 6 pm and buy some great fresh fish before your dinner reservations. Market closes at 6 pm and that's when the dining starts. BYOB is a plus as well read more

I came here to check out the sashimi platters. I walked in and it was very empty. There were no customers and hardly any fish. The fish they did have were flown in from Japan and very expensive. It's a small place, very bare, and did not have much inventory. The cashier was acting busy and did not even look up. I thought she was very rude. It was awkward because I was the only customer there, the place is tiny, it was dead quiet, and the cashier was right there not even looking up or saying hi. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not Japanese. I think they cater to the Japanese crowd who are looking for specific items. read more

This review is for bentos only. The new cook/chef who makes bentos is my favorite so far. I have never talked to him but just wanted to say "thank you" for the delicious bentos. I can tell he has solid training and his technique is excellent. All the foods he makes is so authentic and the taste shows that he takes his time to make it right, no cutting corners. I just hope that he stays with J-Shop for a long time so I can enjoy and appreciate his cooking. read more

Super awesome Japanese grocery store. They also have great made to order bentos for lunch.

Japanese Take out lunch is fresh and delicious, even the little vegetable side portions taste home cooked. The store sells really high quality Japanese foods, like Kobe beef and strawberries that are actually sweet. read more

My wife and I eat a lot of Sushi. So heard about this sushi place that's part of grocery store. All the reviews I could find rated this place 5 stars. So I went ahead and booked a reservation. When arrived at first my wife was hesitant because it is part of a grocery store. But she was game since I have steered her wrong yet but this could be the first time. But when she started eating the Omakase sushi platter and hamachi Kama her perception of this restaurant changed dramatically. She Gaines this restaurant two thumbs up. While I am not the biggest fan of uni since the ones I see in typical sushi restaurants are not really fresh, the uni here was phenomenal... you could tell it was fresh. it was like butter. I ate it all since my wife did not want try it due texture issues. All the other sushi was fresh and great tasting. However, there was an additional item the scallop as part of this plate. It was so good and had a different flavor profile but not in a negative sense ... there was sweetness to it much better than the scallops back in California. Found out it was scallops from Hokkaido. This place is a hidden gem. read more

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Jshop is one of those hidden gems that people pass by without second thought. I've passed by here a few times until my friend mentioned their amazing bentos! I believe it was about 16-17 dollars for a bento which is somewhat pricey but it's Wagyu! It was marinated and tasted somewhat like Teri beef but the quality was top of the line. Parking- The parking lot has an ample amount of parking space. Interior- They hold some amazing fresh meats and fish! Honestly, I've never seen such quality in a small shop in Hawaii before. Not only do they carry top of the line otoro, but a5 Wagyu! Now the trick for people who just wants a taste of it like I did can ask one of the workers to cut it for them. Even 1/2 a pound of this delicious steak came out to 100 dollars. But, it was worth every penny for the experience. Because of the fat content you don't want to cook it for too long. It only took about 2 mins on each side. Just a little bit of seasoning as you don't want to over power the quality of the meat. It's quite delicious as it literally melts in your mouth. Each bite was a little taste of rich buttery heaven. read more

J-Shop - A5 Wagyu super delicious - International Grocery Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I stopped by on the way home since I haven't been there for a while. I picked up a tray of Japan sea bream sashimi and a tray of karaage chicken. The sea bream was really fresh. The karaage chicken was probably one of the best I've had in a long time. The seasoning was perfect ... not too salty or bland. Service was fast and friendly. read more

I was strolling down young street while running errands and to my pleasant surprise, the large signs saying "LUNCH" caught my eye! LOL... I noticed it was a Japanese store and couldn't resist taking a look. I wasn't disappointed. First off, they have fresh fish and will cut it up on the spot. They also have everything from Japanese erasers, trinkets, vegetables, meats, sashimi, sashimi bowls, and even wagyu beef! I could only admire the marbled cuts but couldn't afford it. They have a bento section and I picked out three which was DELICIOUS!... I'll definitely come here again. The cleanliness, organization, and food remind me of when I visited Japan. read more

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WoW! This place has been open since June 2014 or so and only now I find this gem? It's incredible! You can find all the hard-to-find items from Japan. They have the selection of Japanese foods you won't at the other Japanese/Asian stores. If you like fish, they have that too! Oh, and beef of course. I'll have to save up so I can buy one of those $70 melon! read more

It's a small place. Not for every shopper. You'll things here not found at DonQ. Their bentos are Japanese taste which I really like.

This is the greatest store on Oahu. I bought A5 Wagyu Ribeye and a sashimi platter of Hamachi, Toro, and King Salmon. The people are so friendly here and the man cutting the fish was super nice. I gave him all the blocks of fish I wanted and he sliced it nice and made it into a nice arrangement on a platter. The fish was so fresh and we all loved it. The A5 Wagyu tasted like it was straight out of Osaka. The marbling was magnificent. The buttery flavor and silkiness of the meat was outstanding. I love this place and will go again soon! read more

J-Shop - A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Ribeye - International Grocery Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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J-Shop is a new Japanese grocer on Young St, just off of Kalakaua Ave (Ewa side). It's a small shop that has a tiny selection of produce, beef, seafood, and pantry items, mostly from Japan. Prices are quite high, but you'll find some unique items that are truly worth the price... for example amazing tomatoes from Shizuoka Prefecture (2 for $6-$7) and Fujisan Wagyu Beef from Shizuoka Prefecture ($74/lb). It's worth checking out if you're in the area, and is definitely a destination for anyone looking for authentic Japanese Wagyu beef. read more

J-Shop - International Grocery Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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J-Market located on young street off Kalakaua behind the Storage building, free parking. Market section has a lot of hard to find items and a variety of fresh and frozen fish ,meat and a few vegetables from Japan. Found Unagi from Japan not the ones usuallly found in stores from China,and the Wagyu beef super marbled. O Bento section where they have a variety of bentos , also have a Wagyu bento melt in the mouth, when you order the bentos you can choose your three sides ( kiri boshi daikon,kabocha, gobo, etc.) There are four tables two seats on each table where you can purchase first them eat there. read more

J-Shop - International Grocery Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Thanks to Yelp, I found this little gem. I picked up lunch here today, 5.9.15. The nirigi & ahi maki roll for $6.75 was very fresh & inexpensive. I also bought Japanese uni for $14.95 for a little tray & the uni was fresh & sweet. They have fish pieces marinating in miso that you can grill at home, which I'll try next time. No cooked items for "grab & go" options that I saw. Hours are Mon to Sat 10 to 7, & closed on Sunday. read more

J-Shop - Assorted nigiri with maguro roll $6.75 - International Grocery Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Cute shop on Young Street. Everything is straight from Japan here. They don't sell much produce but they do sell Japanese goods and food. There's also a section that sells bentos and Okazuya in which you can order by ala carte. read more

J-Shop - Grilled Saba bento - International Grocery Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I love coming here to buy fresh melon and strawberries flown in from Japan. My favorite is the Japanese eggs that they started bringing in recently. There is a take out bento area for sitting and dining in or you can choose what bentos you want, and take it to go. The workers here are a little grouchy but the food quality is great! So it is uncomfortable feeling for us to eat in the dining area, we usually grab the bentos and go to cashier and pay for it. The owner is really really nice and easy going! He introduce anything new he flies in from japan to try! So I support him and his business because I love everything food from japan! There is a refrigerated area for assorted sashimi and that is so good too! When they have chirashi bowls over there I grab one on occasion. Thank you so much for you best Wagyu A-5 marbled beef too! Excellent quality! I love it! I will always shop here to buy the most delicious. Fruits every other week. read more

One of the best kept secrets in Hawaii. They have fresh fish from Japan and A5 Wagyu beef. If you dont know what that is, you havr to go there and buy some. It is life changing. Don't get caught up on the price, you'll never look at steak the same way ever again. I hate to spread the word and potentially have to fight over inventory but its better to support a small shop like this that is bringing treasures in from Japan. read more

J-Shop - White creamy sweet strawberries from Japan. These are life changing - International Grocery Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I have been patronizing J shop for a while now. The young cashier girl in the front is very nice and accommodating. But the two ladies in the bento area are the grouchiest people I have experienced. Usually people from Japan have excellent customer service skills, not these two ladies! Every time I go there, I go out of my way to be nice to them, hoping to at least get a smile from them. But every single time, they are grouchy and rude. It's gotten to the point where it's funny! I truly hope that for their sake they find something else that can make them happy because it's actually sad. read more

-wagyu Chuck roll ~$70/lbs -wagyu rib eye ~$90/lbs -otoro Went to pick up some wagyu and otoro for a birthday and the employees were extremely helpful and welcoming. Some of the best customer service I've experienced. Great selection of imported Japanese goods/food. Lots of parking. read more

If you imagine the inside of the shop to look like Nijiya or Marukai or Mitsuwa you're going to be surprised. You step into the store, and nothing is stocked from floor to ceiling. You're not going to see piles of vegetables like Safeway, no 20 different kinds of meat in the meat section. Why? Because all of the products here are flown in from Japan - which means quality items but not high in quantity. Keep in mind, too, that just because you saw something one week, doesn't mean it's going to be there the next. It really depends on what was flown in and what they're wanting to sell. They're famous for their yummy bentos and side dish corner - where they actually cook their wagyu beef while you wait (take out or eat-in) Again, the sliced beef used for their bentos, or sashimi used for their chirashi - they're never frozen when they are brought into Hawaii - they are flown in - so products are extremely fresh. Some of the bentos are limited in quantity and they do sell out. If you eat-in, they give you a free cup of miso soup that you can enjoy there. So what does this mean to you? You can find seasonal items. If you think you may want to try something - grab it because it may not be available again for quite some time. This means less variety of items, but high quality food, and things are going to be a bit on the expensive side. So this is a Japanese supermarket for people that do not mind paying a little extra to eat something fresh and high in quality. People working here are down to earth and on the quiet side (especially guys working at the fish department, or even the bento/osouzai section) but I don't think they mean anything negative by it. read more

Excellent specialty Japanese grocer. They have an extensive array of high-quality imported Japanese meat, fish, and ingredients (oh and a bento kitchen). My favorite feature is the fish counter where they will make a fresh sashimi platter to a price that you specify. If your Japanese is rusty, they have always have some already prepared in the display, Nijiya-style. Their eggs are very fresh and I've had a few raw in tamago-gohan, but I'm usually only brave enough to eat it raw on the day of purchase. They have some great varieties of yakiniku dipping sauces, bonito-infused shoyu, soba, as well as a seasonal display in the back and nice little corner of Japanese pens. The bentos are remarkably good with my favorite being the wagyu yakiniku made to order. I still haven't had the $99 perfectly-circular melons or the $50-$90 per pound A5 wagyu from Shizuoka, but some day... Next time you're looking for a great sashimi platter, stop in and take a look around while you have it made. read more

Sigh...really want to love this place BUT. Made reservations at 5:30 (1st seating) for 2 people. Got there at 5:20 and was immediately seated. We were 1 of 2 tables there. Servers were friendly. They immediately asked us if we wanted to get anything started. We ordered the Hon Hokke (fried fish) at 5:20pm. Placed the rest of our order at 5:35. We ordered Omakase for 2, salmon sashimi, natto roll, assorted tempura. We got the sashimi around 6:10pm. We asked about our tempura and fried fish and the server assured us that it's coming. Finally at 6:30 our fried fish came out and it was undercooked so we sent it back. Fried fish came back out at 6:45 and we asked again about our tempura. And at that point it was already almost 7pm so we cancelled the tempura. Server said oh it's done now. But we still cancelled because at that time we've already been waiting so long. And mind you there are signs that says we only have 90 minutes to dine in and we've already been there for 90 minutes. The sashimi was really good and came out at a reasonable time. So if you're just looking to eat fresh raw fish then maybe this is the place for you. Anything that needs to be cooked will take a long time. I don't know. Maybe we just came on a wrong night. The place is fairly small and we were the 2nd table that arrived. read more

It's still my go to place for the best bento, salmon fillets, strawberries and more but the staff could be friendlier and welcoming. The bento staff are not welcoming and seem put out when you place an order. I almost feel bad placing an order. One friend has stopped going because he found the workers unfriendly. If the customer service improved it would be great. read more

I am luckily within walking distance from my office and am able to secure a great Saba bento although it's only 10:30am! You're also able to pick and choose your sides if you're picky and don't like their ready made bentos. read more

4 out of 5 for variety and size. Great "Japan" shop...like a smaller Ninjiya Market. I was disappointed in the variety of cooked foods available (bentos) but the Wagyu beef and Sashimi Bentos are worth every penny! Inside I was also hoping to find Japan Beers and spirits but sadly either they were out of stock or I just couldn't find it. Parking gets tough around lunch time so I would recommend going off peak times read more

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When I think of this place I start drooling. When I walk in I need to keep my mouth closed so I don't drip on my shirt. It's a tiny shop so if you blink you might drive past it... so don't blink. This place has some sexy cuts of wagyu beef... it's so marbled and delicious looking that I want to try it, but my credit card is not big enough. They have sashimi and frozen fish from Japan, and other stuff so give it a look. Using my little credit card I got some frozen hokke and some tofu for my dad's birthday dinner. Good stuff. They also have dried soybeans if you have a hankering to try making something yourself. One day I will try making tofu and miso... one day. read more

Been here a couple times now. Sashimi bowl was super good. I had the Wagyu bento today. $16 I think. Worth it to try the beef. Very very tender. I'm waiting for an excuse to buy a steak from here. read more

Had lunch today at jshop for their "made to order" bentos. I had the kurobuta ton katsu but I didn't want the one sitting in the counter because it wasn't hot. When I asked if we could get fresh one, you know, "made to order" like advertised on Tv, the lady behind the counter seemed put off by the request. She already wasn't friendly taking our order, couldn't even crack a smile. She did give us some delicious miso soup though, as we dined in on one of their 3 available tables. After we ate our bentos, I noticed a paper display on their counter advertising a coffee jelly dessert so I asked to order one. With a serious face, she said "we don't have that. It's just a sign". What? That made no sense. No further explanation. My tonkatsu was 12.50 which was pretty good, slightly pricier than I expected. 4 stars for the food but the customer service was not great. read more

The people (owners/clerks) are nice. They have high quality expensive wagyu beef. There are many Japanese products, groceries, and specialty items I've not seen in other local Japanese stores. The issue for me is that there is almost no effort to display the items with English translations. Most products are totally in Japanese. I don't speak Japanese. The store is more suited to Japanese nationals and Japanese speakers. There were many items (instant ramen, oils and spices, and other fascinating products) that I was interested in but all I could do was stare at them and have no idea what they were. Very frustrating given the plethora of intriguing products. Note: after posting this review I looked at the pictures posted on Yelp. It appears the owner is attempting to post English translations for quite a few products from what little I could see in the photos. This is great. I'll make sure to revisit the store. read more

Cool shop for Japanese food products! The items are a bit pricey compared to the other Japanese markets around here and the inventory is quite limited. However, if you're looking for quality products then this is your spot. The place is small for a grocery store but all the groceries looks immaculate. There weren't any unfortunate perishables and the store itself was very organized and well maintained. I would love this place even more if they offered more English signs/labels. I'll definitely be back to try their bentos! read more

I've been here numerous times for their wagyu bento. It's made fresh, so count on waiting 10 mins per order butbits so worth $14... other items from Japan are pricey but well worth the gold spent here read more

Ugh! First and last time here today. Picked up the wagyu yakiniku bento and the sashimi bento. Total $14.50 + $9.75 = $24.25. Got ripped off. One good piece of sashimi, the rest full of suji. The wagyu beef was mostly all fat. Ugh! NEVER going back! read more

Great place to buy some fish for dinner. I usually get their marinated fish filets (choice between garlic soy or miso) and its pretty cheap at $2.50 a small filet. Pan fry 2 of those beauties with rice would break the mouth cuz! Sometimes I would get a frozen aji fish for $4. Its already seasoned so you can just throw it in a toaster oven. The owners are really nice too. read more

This Place is outta this world. If I was a meat lover I would be in HEAVEN as soon as I stepped foot in this Hidden Gem! From $900+ Wagyu steaks straight from Japan to $15 Wagyu Bentos, Whole fish, $2 pens, Japanese candies, fresh fruits, veggies, seafood etc. This Place has it all!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!! The Wagyu meat in their Bento will melt in your mouth! J-SHOP go check them out. GREAT SERVICE, EXCEPTIONAL FOOD! read more

Found my dream grocery store. Best Nihon food industry goods, curated mindfully, selected with quality in mind. High-end Japanese ingredients for cooking, including not only the expensive wagyu and other mouthwatering Nipponese beef cuts mentioned by other Yelpers, but excellent soy sauce (including nama shoyu specially for use on sashimi and sushi, which has alcohol in it)--not available at Marukai, Don Quixote, Shirokiya, Nijiya, or other local stores--condiments, bentos, counter-prepped/cleaned/cut fish, and other goodies. The Japanese-national male owner--clearly a foodie/gourmet type--makes special arrangements to fly top-quality ingredients, such as Japanese soybeans and wheat flour, into Hawai'i across the Pacific, then have them processed and made into fabulous food according to his instructions, by local vendors with reliable manufacturing facilities in O'ahu. These special products are created and produced only for J-Shop and not available elsewhere. Thus, for a bit more than the norm, you can purchase and consume, on a regular basis, fresh and top-quality: * Japanese bread, and not the mediocre stuff you can find at CostCo/Sam's Club put out by Watanabe, or at Brug, the normal St. Germain's line, and at other local outlets, but truly soft, springy/spongy, with slices tasting solidly bready in its mouthfeel (not tissue-like generic), cut thick, that last over a week in that delish condition. Produced once every two days for J-Shop by a special baker the store owner knows at St. G.'s, a half-loaf will set you back $5, but is worth every penny. On a shelf near the door, surrounded by expensive but regional and thus delicious jams and jellies from Japan (we got: sun mikan--Japanese "sun" tangerines--marmalade, small bottle for $13...O...M...Goddess, yumsters). Buy quick: loaves run out fast. * Japanese tofu, lightly and freshly tasting of soy/edamame, and without that weird sourish aftertaste, made specially for J-Shop by Aloha Tofu, the BEST tofu I've tasted outside of Tokyo/Yokohama, in the refrigerated foods section of the store. Will cost you $4 per block, but soooooo worth it. Buy fresh, and you're good to go. [Mine was comped; the owner had really wanted me to have sample, so...a whole block. Yeesh!] I also got the "ayu" brand dashi which is a whole dried fish in a bottle, into which you pour soy sauce (bought $22 bottle top-level soy, mouth wateringly good, but not as yummy as Aloha Tofu's regional-Japan-imported Kawanaka, which is only $8 for about the same sized bottle; sorry, guys) so that it gets flavored by the fish. Let that steep for 1-5 days, as the directions says, and your mouth/tastebuds should be golden. The "ayu" brand (with the cute label "Who Are You?" ah, Nipponese puns, so bad, they make Vaudeville looks sophisticated by comparison) was on sale at 50% off around $8 to $12 a bottle. The girl at the counter had samples in dental cups: I choose the $12 one. Had this with the specially made tofu and a little chopped green onions. JESUS FOOKIN KEERIST: food tenka (heaven). Bought some organic kiri-boshi daikon for some Japanese style salads and fried rice, as well as two fried sanma, large and salty and oily, for the hubby's Okinawan soba and fish/rice dinner. Still the old anniversary. Needless to say: now replaced Nijiya as my go-to for upscale Japanese food ingredients. read more

This store is bland much like the attitude of the cashier. Pretty much everything Pat O. said. As soon as my mom and I walked in, we got a semi enthusiastic welcome. I feel like half way thru their greeting they realized we weren't Japanese. *awkwarrd* The frikin chick didn't even bag up our stuff that we bought! So, I stood there for a few seconds till she finally found it in her heart to do her job. Oh bless her! What a weirdo. Doesn't hurt to go there and check it out yourself. As for me, I will never go back there again. I'd rather go to Nijiya. Actually, at this point, with the way we were treated I'd rather just go to Don Q. If you want to buy fresh fish...don't be ridiculous, we live in Hawaii. There's plenty of choices. read more

This is for the bento that I ate. I'm definitely not an aficionado on wagyu beef, but (OMG) the wagyu bento (about $15) was the best bento that I've eaten so far!! If you have a sumo wrestler type appetite you will totally disagree with me, for there are only 3 to 4 very thinly sliced pieces of beef along with your usual rice, side vegetables, pickles . . . But, the flavor and the richness!!! I've never eaten wagyu before. I've tried kobe burgers that were probably not really kobe or wagyu, so when I took a bite, if you can call it that because it felt like "butter on my tongue", I was either feeling as close to heaven as I could get, or (so decadent) as close to hell as I've ever gotten! You could literally see right through the slices of meat. It was like you couldn't even tell where the meat ended and where the marbly fat began! So delicious!! What a treat!! I am going to save up so that I can come back again! My husband loved his curry katsu, too, but it was no match for the wagyu bento! There are other Japanese specialty items in the store side of this place. Very pricey, but I'm thinking these items are top quality items that are prized in Japan. Not for my budget, but if you can afford it--lucky you!! read more

J-Shop - Wagyu bento - International Grocery Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We're spoiled in Hawaii to have J-Shop spoil us with Wagyu bentos!!! Parking is located right in front of the store. read more