5-star Japanese food!! Since Myles, his dad and I live in town, and my sis-in-law and her fam live in Kailua, we met at Kenko-ya in Kaneohe for dad's bday dinner. Yummy!! Most of us (6 out of the 7 people) had combination plates - I had the ahi and salmon sashimi with vegetable and shrimp tempura - but dad had the Wakame Udon. I loved it, he loved it, we all loved it! The service was great. Friendly servers and constant re-filling of tea and water :) It wasn't packed at 5pm when we got there, but there was a waiting list with people outside when we left. Now if that isn't the sign of a good restaurant.... read more

Kenko Ya - Ahi sashimi and Tempura... mmmmmmm - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Small place, maybe 10 tables. I had the 2-choice set menu, with butterfish and tempura; my friend had the chirashi. Both dishes were really good. The butterfish was so tender it broke apart with the slightest pressure. Tempura was hot and fresh, crispy and not at all greasy. Fish (chirashi) had the the requisite variety and all were fresh and yummy. It wasn't a cheap lunch, but it was really good. Would be happy to eat here again, read more

This restaurant was amazing and so accommodating. I called mid day for a reservation for a party of 12 for later that evening. They couldn't guarantee the tables, so we went a bit earlier than the reserved time in case there was a wait. But making that call made all the difference! They got us seated and served right away. The servers were kind and welcoming. The food was amazing and fresh. The price was definitely reasonable. This restaurant is a gem. It is a bit small, pretty much a mom/pop restaurant. read more

What a great surprise! Not sure when they re-opened for dine in, but our experience post-COVID was evern better than I remember. Tables are spread a little more apart with protective shields or barriers between tables. Each table has their own sanitizer bottle. Staff has clearly been trained on cleaning standard as you can see them thoroughly sanitizing tables, chairs and benches between each customer. Super friendly staff and food came out so quickly. I had the teishoku and their was so much food. There were two full pieces (sliced) of chicken Katsu Teo shrimp tempura, two eggplant, carport and three green bean. All this plus your green salad and miso soup for just $18. My husband ordered the Ribeye steak, which was a good size steak on a bed of grilled onions with melted butter over the top for just $24. Haven't dined out too much, but this is one place I'd definitely go back. Even if you're a little weary of dining out, you can feel confident that this place takes cleanliness and sanitization seriously! Nice to see that they really upgraded the taste, quantity and cleanliness. Go check it out! read more

I don't know why I never wrote a review, but my family and I frequented this restaurant for years (I mean years) even in the midst of COVID lockdown I made it a point to visit. This place is special, we love the servers and they know our family (from going there so much) they will ask how the rest of family is doing (parents, sibling) and I greatly appreciate the kindness and caring spirit of everyone there, not once have we had a run in with a worker. If I am craving miso butterfish, I only have to drive down the street! I love their miso butterfish, shrimp tempura and all ahi sashimi combo and sometimes I will order a salmon skin roll (they have the best on the Windward side). My husband loves their kitsune udon, as he love the simplicity of the both and noodles, my son's go-to is oyakodon, while my daughter eats my food or will order some shio salmon or chicken teriyaki. I appreciate their location, as it's close to the mall, and it has lots of parking. Even if it's not close, you can find a spot and hey, if you need something, the grocery store is right there! read more

Good food and affordable:-). The servers work really hard and the wait is worth it. Congratulations on their new location.

The food and service is excellent! I think the service got better. The food seems to have gotten tastier. Plus the food portions are pretty big too. I got the Wakame Soba, and the Spicy Ahi and Natto Bowl. Both dishes were excellent! My girlfriend got the salmon, sashimi, and Teri beef. She really enjoyed her dish too. This is one of my family's favorite Japanese restaurant to go too. I highly recommend Kenko-Ya! read more

Kenko Ya - Wakame Soba and Spicy Ahi & Natto Bowl. - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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My new favorite Japanese restaurant! Food is very reasonable for the amount served and tasty as well. No reservations unless there are at least 5 in your party. Workers are all very pleasant. Go for an early dinner or you may have to wait - but it's well worth it! read more

Visited a long-time client and friend at Pohai Nani (Windward side) and used Yelp to find this little gem of a place! Only our second time here, but it is becoming a favorite! A small restaurant and take-out establishment that serves traditional Japanese food, (comfort food). The food comes out hot and very tasty! The service is excellent! Hot tea, miso soup and all the pickled vegetables (tsukemono). With all the fancy restaurants popping up, it's nice to visit a restaurant of yesterday, that brings up memories of simple family dining/restaurant. The sashimi is fresh and the cuts are generous! The mochiko chicken and tonkatsu comes out tasty and not oily. The atmosphere is low-key and relaxing. Prices fair, generous portions and taste good! If you like Japanese food and you're on the Windward side, you gotta give this place a try! Kenko-Ya! read more

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Good Japanese teishoku and sushi on the Windward side. Had Saba, salmon, tempura and tonkatsu. Had a long wait list but were seated quicker than I expected Seems like they are setup for tables of 2 or 4 and have to adjust for larger groups. I heard that u can make reservations for groups larger than 5. The waitress said that Fridays are the bussiest. It's a small space and very busy so a little noisy when crowded. read more

Kenko Ya - 2 - 2 choice combos. Saba and tempura and tonkatsu w broiled salmon. - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Kenko-Ya, 10 Stars plus restaurant. We made a reservation for 7 at 6:30pm on Friday, February 24, 2022 to celebrate a very special birthday for a friend. We arrived at 6:25pm and the tables were already reserved for us. We had a very warm welcome from Michelle to Melissa and the other waitress working there. All the food that we ordered was very delicious and the service that we received was top notch 5 star hotel. Everyone in the restaurant was extremely pleasant and always made sure we had enough water and hot tea. We love this place and definitely will be back very soon. Thanks again Michelle and Melissa for the above and beyond service. read more

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Favorite Japanese restaurant right now. Food is always on point, ingredients are always fresh and the service is great. Even take out meals during quarantine were on point. Portions are very generous and orders are always as correct! Love this place. read more

Mmm, my first time here and definitely won't be my last. It was a spur of the moment decision so we called and decided to make res for 6 of us at 8pm. They were very busy cos we pulled in just at 8om and saw a looked of people standing outside and got a call asking if we're coming. We got seated and took a look at their extensive menu. It took awhile to decide what to order cos everything looked really good. I ordered a combo of soft shell crab and unagi - delicious. I also got an order of sashimi combo which was really good (The hamachi was cut a bit thin but was fresh and delicious along with the salmon and ahi). All the food was very tasty and service was fast and friendly. My favorite thing was that it was BYOB so the total bill was very reasonable (under $30pp). Good overall Japanese food menu tho limited on sushi/sashimi selections (but they're not a sushi bar so can't complain). Great selections, great service, great prices. A definite go to place! read more

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Due to COVID-19 their seating is spaced out but we didn't have to wait long for a table and our food came out pretty fast. Service was great and the place was nice and clean. Happy customer:) read more

Kenko Ya - Butterfish lunch combo. So ono and soft, melts in your mouth - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Although the restaurant was clean , the food was just average and not worth the price . The Teri chicken was dry , the rice was not the good quality Japanese rice , the salad seemed like packaged salad & the shrimp tempura was small. The service was pretty good. I did not like how loud it got in there to the point where it was hurting my ears and I just wanted to get out of there, it was unbearable. read more

Great Covid mitigation measures in place. Shrimp tempura was crisp and hot. Vegetable tempura was a different batter (less Panko) and not as good - but still freshly fried. Saba was perfect and a large portion. 2 and 3 Choice Bento read more

My poor fiancé was sick in bed for a few days during our Hawaii vacation, so I had to fend for myself one evening. Since he doesn't eat raw rish, this was the perfect opportunity to order in some sushi. Actually once I perused the menu of Kenko-Ya online, chirashi seemed like a better option. Luckily I called ahead. They said it would take 10-15 minutes to prepare, so I took my time driving over. That's how long my drive was, but seeing the place COMPLETELY packed, I shouldn't have been surprised that my chirashi bowl took 10-15 minutes longer than it should have. The wait, however long, was totally worth it. Freshest fish I had on that Hawaii trip, and it was a plentiful amount for what I paid. There was some leftover for lunch the next day, too. Flavor was good. Service was friendly. Plenty of parking. Can't complain! read more

Although I've only been to Kenko-Ya twice, they are my favorite restaurant in Kaneohe. First of all, I really like Japanese food and they have a teishoku that features soft shell crab and other favorites like spicy poke and butterfish. The most fantastic thing about this restaurant is that it is BYOB with no corkage fee. It always seems like they are not very busy and can accommodate walk in traffic but I have only been there on weekday nights. They don't rush you and are very accommodating with ice for the drinks that you bring in. See my pictures. They are strongly recommended. One small drawback is that the bathrooms are outside of the restaurant and all the way around behind the building. Definitely not convenient but not a deal breaker. read more

Kenko Ya - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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To be honest, I really didn't like Kenko Ya in the past. Everyone I knew loved it and I'd always find myself going with them but I wasn't really into Japanese food. I tried their Ebi tempura maki and I absolutely loved it! It's inspired me to try more of their dishes, and I must say, the food is actually really good. The portions are really big so unless you have a huge appetite, you'll have leftovers for lunch the next day. The only thing I don't like is that the restaurant is really small and feels a bit cramped. I suppose that's just part of the Japanese style. Since it's really popular there usually is a small wait. The waiters/waitresses are always very nice and the service is pretty quick. read more

Kenko Ya - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Yelp Review Challenge 4 of 31 (catching up) Actually, i have been wanting to review this place since I first went in so thank you Emi H for the inspiration to review!. This is a little restaurant in Kaneohe (same parking lot as Safeway). One of my best friends and fellow yelper Iris K. and I wandered in one day together and now my husband and I eat here at least once a week when we are home. It is a great place to get consistently good Japanese food for a decent price. We started by ordering two of their "bowls" (you know, spicy ahi bowl or spicy ahi/unagi bowl) which have good value, but when we are trying to "eat light" we were walking out feeling a littlle full than desired (so much for the will-power to stop eating when satiated). We have started ordering the two or three option teishoku and are totally digging it. One between the two of us and we can be "full" without the busted gut feeling, and still have some padding in the pocketbook. There can sometimes be a line outside, which makes sense as this is a place worth waiting in line for. read more

We usually love this restaurant and their food. However, today we were disappointed. We always order the same thing, so we know what to expect. We get the shrimp tempura combos with either miso butterfish, chicken katsu or Saba. We also get tobiko nigiri and the tiger and hawaiian rolls. The tempura was excellent as usual. Their miso butter fish was burnt and had no sauce whatsoever. The tobiko didnt look right and tasted weird. After a closer look, we noticed there was tiny shredded pieces of carrot mixed into the tabiko!!!! I've never encountered a restaurant mixing carrots into tabiko and we were all shocked. Again, usually their food is excellent and we never had issues so for that I left 3 stars. read more

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Kenko Ya.. What do I even say about this place? Another family favorite. One of my favorites, no lie. It's a small restaurant, for very casually dressed people, near L&L. It's not CHEAP, but not all too expensive, either. I like the food. My all-time favorite is the Mochiko Chicken. You honestly cannot beat their Mochiko Chicken. My favorite place to get Mochiko Chicken. It's crunchy, juicy, cooked well, and doesn't have much fat. It goes well with rice, nothing else needed. I also really like their Spider Roll. It's quite simple, but there's something about it that keeps me ordering. Their Chicken Katsu is something else I order quite often. It's crunchy, simple.. Not much else to say! Their Spicy Ahi Bowl is popular, but IT IS SPICY. Be prepared to down some water with that. If you like really spicy spicy ahi, this place is for you! I really like their combo options, but I wish they had more sushi options. That might just be me, though. I just feel like there aren't as many options as I would like. Overall, though.. This place is great. I'm pretty sure that everyone who comes here will find something they like. I'm definitely returning! Get the Mochiko Chicken! read more

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I ordered a combination plate which included chicken teriyaki, butterfish and shrimp/vegetable tempura as well as a combination sashimi platter. I would say everything was very decent though nothing really stood out as exceptional. There was some "freezer-defrosted" taste with the chicken and butterfish and the tempura batter was a little doughy and could use a little more kick in flavor. The sashimi was pretty good but the tuna was not top-quality (which is understandable since they don't specialize in only fresh fish). Portions were generous and service was friendly and efficient. Overall, I think this is a good place to go if you live in Kaneohe. read more

First timers... so much food. Portions were good size, taste was great. Customer service was awesome! Place is clean. Will be back. read more

Kenko Ya - Spicy Ahi Crunch Maki and Gyoza - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Staff uber friendly, food great, take-out service very slow. Ordered two dishes and told it would be 15 minutes, which turned into 30 minutes. Will not be ordering take out from there again. read more

Shrimp tempura is very good here. Usually order tenzaru or a combo with the shrimp. Service always excellent, even tho busy!

A small little restaurant in a strip, it can be easy to miss. We came here when our first choice was unavailable and this was still a good choice. Their various menu items worked for just about everyone whether you enjoy sushi, bento boxes, or prefer teriyaki chicken bowls. I almost ordered a steak item but decided for the sake of my wallet to go with a bento box. For my box, I chose chicken katsu, salmon & tuna sashimi, and vegetable & shrimp tempura. I'm glad we were able to enjoy a meal here. read more

Kenko Ya - Bento box (chicken katsu, vegetable and shrimp tempura, salmon and tuna sashimi, and rice. - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

California, spider, gyoza steamed rice 35 dollars later... not sure how I feel. My daughter insisted that her California roll was the best California roll she had ever had. My roll was OK. I was not crazy about the fried dumplings a.k.a. Gyoza. However I do you think that may just have been a matter of asking them to steam them rather than fry them. My daughter was very happy with her side of steamed rice that cost a whopping $2.50. I also didn't think the roles were too overpriced as the most expensive one I saw was about $18 which is fair for good sushi I suppose. I don't really mind paying good price for sushi at all really. The service was decent. This place is small so bI ware when you sit down the People sitting next to you may "smack" on their food and you are forced to listen:( Overall not a bad experience and if I am shopping in this area and want a good California roll I will most likely hit them up. read more

This place is probably one of my favorite places to eat a late night dinner. The food is so delicious and the customer service is always welcoming and nice. Even when I accidentally stay past closing hours, they never rush us to leave or tell us their closing. However the prices are a little expensive but I guess that accommodates for the quality of their food. I recommend getting the 2 choice combination because you get choose from the various food they have listed and it always fills me up. I always get the miso butterfish and Teri chicken while my boyfriend gets ahi tempura and chicken Katsu. I always try to change it up but it never happens because the combination I get is just that good! read more

Kenko Ya - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Small but good Japanese restaurant in Kaneohe. Huge fan of the beef sukiyaki as well as the mochiko chicken and butterfish. When the line is long we normally do take out and just eat at home. They serve japanese plates as well as sushi and poke bowls. Service is always great and food is normally fast. A little on the pricey side but worth it. read more

This is a cozy Japanese restaurant a lot of parking and food selection was large delicious and so many selection to choose from as you can see by the menu if you haven't tried this it's a must read more

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Tiny hole in the wall restaurant. With Big taste! As soon as they take your order . the miso soup came. We don't wait long before the food came. Miso Yaki butter fish was delicious. Mochico chicken tastey. And tempura crunchy. This is my mom's new find on the windword side. We all left happy! We'll be back for dinner! read more

Food was awesome, service was great, will be back for more!!! The move to the new location was a good move, bigger, lots of room, restrooms, & they sell beer!! read more

Food is always fresh and delicious! Been eating at Kenko Ya for years. The new place is nice and has more tables and the place is clean and comfortable. The servers are incredible! I had an urgent family situation that caused our dine in visit to be changed to take out shortly after they served our meals. The workers were incredibly accommodating and understanding! They quickly helped me pack up our food and were even willing to help us to the car! Such service is rare these days! I am so appreciative to the ladies that helped and the cook for quickly preparing our take out order! Mahalo and God bless! read more

Food is always excellent and freshly prepared. Service is quick and friendly. Love their new location and configuration. Highly recommended. read more

My daughter and I have been on a hunt for the best sukiyaki. We love Kenko Ya's beef sukiyaki. The bowl is quite large and we always have left overs. We especially like all the glass noodles in the dish. read more

Picked up lunch for the office. Great friendly service on top of very good quality and consistent food. Thank you!

Damn, after all these years this place still stands the test of time. Still really good, lots of options and lots of good food. Sashimi is fresh and the miso butter fish is ono! Everyone ordered something different, the prices are fair and we definitely will come again soon!!!! Wait wasn't long and the parking was plentiful. this is right after new years too! read more

Super friendly and impeccable service, awesome food haven't had anything I didn't like. Sukiyaki and yosenabe is very comforting with its superb broth. Katsu and tempuras are always perfect. Stop by for a wonderful meal to remember! read more

Don't usually leave reviews and when I do, it needs to be known. Sushi at Kenko-ya is sub par in my opinion, but then again I'm visiting here and coming into this restaurant with higher expectations and values. Even when it came to the basic edamame, it was still really cold, like it was still being defrosted. As for the menu and "special" sushi rolls they have, they should probably be a little more descriptive as well as a better detailed picture so you know what you are ordering. To top off the experience at this restaurant, they completely forgot one of the orders until we remainder them about 10-12 mins later. From there it was another 8 mins to get the food with the waitress asking if we wanted "to-go" the entree due to everyone else at the table was already done with the food. One thing I could say on a positive note, the staff here was very attentive when needed. read more