Great customer; attentive, smiling and welcoming! Atmosphere reminds me of Japanese restaurants I worked at as a you adult! Food delivered in a timely manner and tasty. I would return to try other menu items! read more

Excellent food, garlic salmon and garlic hamachi delightful. Service was most excellent and we decided to visit again two days later! Highly recommend, to everyone!! read more

Food is awesome! Service excellent! Hostess' and wait staff very friendly. Sukiyaki is delicious. Sushi very fresh, Everyone in our party enjoyed their entrees. . read more

Good food but suggest take out not in person dining. Good portion sushi rolls. Kept falling apart. Needs improvement on customer service. Asked for low sodium soy sauce and brought back individual portion size. read more

Kenko Ya - Hawaiian, dragon, and tiger roll. - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

great service, tasty good and clean restaurant. We went 30 minutes before closing time...not ideal but we were seated and served quickly

My gf has been raving about the Spicey Ahi from this place since last year so we decided to try it. I was rather hesitant because I am a "townee" and wasn't sure about establishments in Kaneohe. Upon arrival, we were expeditiously greeted and sat quickly despite the normal Saturday rush. The ambiance is typical of small Japanese restaurants, with an emphasis of CV precautions evident by the use of clear plastic barriers separating some tables. The staff was pleasant and attentive. My gf ordered the Spicey Ahi meal and I ordered the Tonkatsu Teishoku. We were first served a salad, which was part of the Spicey Ahi meal. The greens were old, wilted and brown instead of the lush green you normally see for freshness. I tried to separate the brown old leaves, but the whole bowl was old. My Tonkatsu came next and the presentation was nice, but the salad greens were like of the same stock and also old, wilted and brown. Okay, maybe it's only the salad. I took a bite of the Tonkatsu and liked the crispiness, but the pork itself was super dry, hard, and flavorless. The only thing the made it bearable was the Tonkatsu sauce. I tried to soften the terrible entree with some rice, but the rice too was horrible. The rice was hard and undercooked, like not enough water kind of "hard". My gf complained about her rice, too. I tried it and it was a frugal attempt to turn the hard rice into some sort of sushi rice, sprinkled with a little sweet sushi vinegar. It seems like both orders of rice came from the same hard uncooked rice. I tried her Spicey Ahi, and it was also horrible. Super watery and no flavor. It was like those flash frozen Ahi, defrosted improperly and sprinkled with a little sauce. The one star is actually for the staff. They were very professional and attentive. Would I return again, probably not since for the same cost, I could get a better experience somewhere else. read more

I loved this place, good fresh sushi! The service was also great and the inside was really clean and nice looking read more

Kenko Ya - California Maki with eel sauce - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

My family has been here twice now and it is such a cute restaurant...that real mom and pop feel. Our first visit was amazing--food and service couldn't be better. We recently went back and the four star rating is because of that experience: We were sat right away (which is amazing considering how small the restaurant is). We were asked if we were ready to order right away but we weren't. Then no one came back after that...we had to call someone over after waiting for about 10 minutes. Food came out quickly but when my husband asked for the side teriyaki sauce he ordered with his steak the waitress (who was not the one who took our order) said they make it to order and since he had the butter on his steak he couldn't get the sauce. This makes no sense at all...no place makes teriyaki sauce to order and if that was the case he wouldn't have ordered the steak in the first place. We waited a little bit and flagged the other waitress who took our order, she apologized and brought it right away. Then we waited almost 20 minutes after we were done eating to get some boxes and our check. The two waitress didn't seem to get along and one gave off the vibe that she wouldn't help any table that wasn't "hers". We even had to listen to her talk to another table about all the jobs she has and that she works at another restaurant and those customers should visit her there. As someone who worked in restaurants in the past, I would never do that because you are pretty much taking away business from the place you currently are at. If you do eat here, we think the waitress we like is Melissa. She's there just about every day. read more

Arrived at 5:00 pm and was seated immediately. Four adults shared one table and the service was excellent. I ordered ahi and vegetables tempura. I didn't care for the ahi since it was deep fried. No taste. Tempura was ok. Remaining diner's were okay with their order. By 6:30pm the place was full and people were waiting outside so if you want quick service go early. Nice place for quick dinner but go early. read more

This place was packed on a Saturday night at about 7:10. Plenty of parking. I ordered the three choice combination. On the recommendation of the waitress i got tempura, sashimi, and salmon. The miso soup it came with was not so good. The taste was very thin. It tasted a little of dish water. The rest of the food was good. Large piece of salmon. Shrimp tempura with two pieces of shrimp. Two pieces of salmon sashimi and three pieces of ahi sashimi. I was filled up. Service was great. Our water was kept filled. Would come back again. read more

Kenko Ya - Three piece combo. Salmon, sashimi, and tempura. - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Always seen this little whole in the wall and last night we decided to give it a try. We ordered the combination bento box with 2 chooses of Shrimp & vegetable tempura & butterfish. The butterfish is very tasty and the shrimp was delicious. We also ordered the sizzling Rib eye steak with butter. The steak came out perfect! Will definitely be back! read more

Kenko Ya - Combination Entree with Shrimp & vegetable tempura & Misoyaki Butterfish - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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The Teriyaki chicken I ordered yesterday was still raw. Had so much fat and skin. I didn't I didn't continue eating after the first bite. I had a bad diarrhea on my way to the beach. So disappointed. But the people were friendly. read more

This is our go to Sushi spot. We love their rolls! Cuts of fish are beautiful. Friendly and great service. If you're making a big order on a weekend give them a little extra time to make it all delicious! read more

Kenko Ya - Layout of our delicious take out order! - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Kenko-ya is great! The customer service is great in that they are efficient and check up on you enough to make sure you're okay. The menu is just big enough to find something that you want. I have only been here a handful of times. There could be more seating; however, for the size of the restaurant, they can't fit too many more tables in there. I like the combination teishokus--I have gotten the 2 choice one. I enjoyed the sashimi and ahi teriyaki. My fiancé enjoyed the spicy ahi and chicken katsu. It comes with rice, salad, miso soup, and edamame. Definitely consider coming here since it is convenient with the parking and has a number of oishii options. read more

Kenko Ya - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Had dinner there this past Monday, December 20th. Although the food was good, I noticed that they weren't really following basic Covid-19 protocols. This is the first restaurant where I have experienced this. What's up with that? No one ever bothered to ask for my vaccination card at all, which was very strange. Are they out to just make money without any disregard for anyone's health? Why was this restaurant so lax and not checking for customers vaccination cards? Some of the people eating there could've had Covid and perhaps were spreading it around that night. Very disappointed with this eatery. No wonder the State of Hawaii has an upsurge of infections now. Absolutely no one is following the rules. They should be cited for this obvious violation. Remember, everyone reading this review, you might catch Covid while eating here. Surprisingly, no one else has written about this! A big disappointment!!! If you don't mind getting exposed to Covid, this is a great place to catch it. If you'd rather be safe, go somewhere else. read more

Decent sushi and at a decent price for Kaneohe town. The interior seating is clean and sanitized. Service is polite and efficient. I suggest ordering ahead if you are getting take out as they can get quite busy during peak lunch and dinner hours. Also, note they are closed on Tuesday. read more

Always an enjoyable, good service every time we go. Like variety too. I hope temp close for vacation time. You guys deserve it! read more

First time trying out this place after driving around looking for a restaurant that's open on a Sunday. There was many good choices on the menu but I ordered my favorite teishoku tempura as my bf ordered donburi and sushi. All the food we ate was fantastic and the service was quick and worked really hard with a positive attitude! read more

So... we went to the Byodo-In temple and, afterwards, stopped at this little gem on the way the beach! Lets just say I would've given them a 5 star review based on the sushi that we have received; however, the service received was not 5 stars. It seemed as if maybe the server was not necessarily trying to be rude, but could've been socially awkward. She told us to sit where we would like when we entered the restaurant, then came over and told us that we would have to love to another table because of our high chair for the baby. Completely understandable, I just would have liked her to tell us before we were settling in and maybe in a nicer way. She was very blunt and just simply "awkward" lol. I summed it up to her being socially incompatible with strangers, possibly, because at the end she was better and told us to have a nice day... could've also been for a tip. Other than that, the sushi was delicious!! Everything tasted fresh and it was one of the best I've had since I've been on island. I also thought it was one of the most affordable. The other items on the menu did seem a bit pricey though. I wouldn't have spent the amount they were asking on the other dishes unless it was intended as a dinner or even a special occasion. We were there for lunch so the sushi rolls were perfect All boils down to.. don't expect the friendliest of faces come with an empty stomachs and full pockets read more

Kenko Ya - Taste the crunch! Yummers - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

On Thanksgiving Day we wanted to pick up dinner. Everything online showed they were open. I called from 430pm with no answer, which is typical for them, I called for almost an hour. Finally my nephew went down to put in a physical order. They were closed. Absolutely NOT ACCEPTABLE! Please PLEASE leave a message on your voicemail to let us know. That's common courtesy. Annoyed. Rest assured we'll be going back because we LOVE their food but only for this reason they get a one star today. read more

Always friendly and professional. The food is so yummy! I love this place! Highly recommended.

My in-laws bring me into Kenko-Ya everytime we visit and eah time it's always a memorable experience. Japanese food by Japanese people!! I always order the three combination meal because there are too many good choices to choose from, my favorites are: misoyaki butterfish, mochiko chicken, and the spicy ahi. It's so difficult finding misoyaki butterfish on the mainland, it's a must have everytime we come here. read more

This place has it all. I cant stop eating here lol...Spicy Ahi Crunch... California Crunch... Best service also and food is always on point.

I was craving Japanese food while shopping at Petco in Kaneohe when I noticed a Japanese restaurant tucked into the far corner of the strip mall. I walked over and much to my delight they had an extensive menu of local favorites. The restaurant is small and narrow but the decor is tastefully decorated with a Japanese theme. The menu offers a selection of sushi, Japanese noodle sets, and a tasty selection of Japanese teishoku favorites. Because the seating was limited I opted to order take out which was a reasonable 15 min wait. The food was so good that I came back a second time with my family and dined in. The service was quick. The wait staff courteous and knowledgeable about menu items. The quality and quantity of food was perfect and we even took home our leftovers. I definitely come back again when I'm in the Windward side. **There is no alcohol served here and we didn't see any BYOB sign. So if you're interested in having alcohol with your meal I would recommend calling and ask. read more

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Got the Sashimi/Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura combination for my mom's birthday. She complains a lot if if food is bad, but she loved everything! Everything was perfect! The sashimi was so fresh and thick that it was crunchy! The tempura was fresh and crispy. Even down to the miso soup and namasu; everything was ono! read more

I love their Yosenabe and Combination meals! You can't go wrong with anything from their menu. It can get pretty busy, so you might want to go a little earlier than you plan. It is a small venue, but that's what makes it feel intimate. read more

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This is my go to place when I come home for a visit. I like the new space which is a lot bigger. The butterfish misoyaki is my fav! The owner and staff are so nice! read more

Fast service on a busy Friday night. The food was really good too. We sat at the bar because all the tables were taken so if you want a table on a weekend make a reservation. read more

My favorite Japanese restaurant!! My favorite thing to order is the shrimp tempura with the beef teriyaki, although my kids love the butterfish misoyaki, mochiko chicken and the soft shell crab as well. So happy to have such an ono Japanese place in Kaneohe!! read more

DO NOT BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES FROM HERE!!! State law Hawaii Revised Statues (HRS 481B-13) requires that gift certificates cannot expire any earlier than 2 years from issuance. I even called the State just to make sure as well. This restaurant prints on the certificate that it will expire after a year despite that fact that the law states otherwise. Went to the restaurant to discuss and the owner wouldn't come out to talk and the poor employee was caught in the middle. Not wanting to get the employee in trouble or to sink to the level of the sorry ass owner, I did not make a scene. My advice is to buy gift cards/certificates from somewhere else during the holidays or for other occasions, as you may be wasting your hard earned dollars if they do this again to your friends/family. read more

When craving Japanese food in Kaneohe? This is THEE best choice in Kaneohe! Food is really good, generous portions, service is usually pretty quick, and staff is usually pretty friendly. Although some nights they are very busy as this is your best choice for Japanese food in Kaneohe. For best experience dine here on slower nights. It can get loud in there and service not the same..... read more

Kenko Ya - No brown rice here so I got natto as my 3rd choice and ate that as my carb - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Let's just say the best Japanese food on the east side ! Located in the kamehameha shopping center between CPB and L&L ! The atmosphere is casual , dim lighting , restaurant is small so it's hard if you have a large party ! There was 4 of us and we got sat in the corner didn't think it was so bad until our food started to arrive ! Anyways I ordered steak and lobster ! One word YUM defiantly will order again , I also order the California roll that was good ! My mother had ordered the butterfish and Teri beef combination and she is always satisfied , my niece order just a spicy ahi bowl and she loved it I tried it and it was just too Spicy felt like my lips were going to fall off! My son who is 7 months had some miso soup and rice and he ate 2 bowls goes to show they have pretty awesome miso soup ! Haha So to continue on about the limited space we had on our table I had to place my California roll and salad and rice on the seat next to me because there was absolutely NO room on our table ! It was kind of sad that I had to eat off the chair and non of the workers asked if we wanted to switch to a bigger table ! read more

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Wonderful Dinner tonight! The staff was amazing and the food was fantastic!! Debated to go to other Japanese establishments in Kaneohe and we are happy we decided to eat here! read more

Kenko Ya - Tiger sushi was fabulous! So fresh! Inari Nigiri so good! - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Every time i come to Kaneohe i always eat lunch or dinner in this place! Its so good!! Here the reviews: -Ambience: cute small place but at the same time can host big groups! -Service: staff is friendly! :) -Restrooms: You have to go out the restaurant and go all the way to the back, it wasnt that clean... -Food: Now here comes the good part! I think Kenko-ya has one of the best butterfish in the island so if you decide to come here, this is a must!! I always order the combination meal (2 choices - $17.95) (3 choices - $22.95) I always pick butterfish Misoyaki and something else out of their 17 choices. This time i chose Spicy ahi! It was a little too spicy for me but with rice it was just perfect! Overall, i will still come back to this place and keep getting that Misoyaki butterfish! Its delicious!!! read more

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This quaint, quiet little restaurant is tucked in the corner of Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center. Stopped in for lunch while we waited for our tire to be changed, and was NOT disappointed! The staff was welcoming without being overbearing, and we got a table quickly. They have a pretty extensive menu that ranges from like bowls to steak & lobster that all comes with a complimentary bowl of Miso soup. They also have an awesome sushi menu. Speaking of the food, can we say AWESOME!! I ordered a "Ten Don" bowl. That's a bowl FULL of rice that's topped with shrimp and vegetable tempura. Very simple, yet flavorful and filling. If you're in the Kaneohe area and want GOOD Japanese food, definitely give this place a try. read more

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We had a $50 gift certificate from Christmas 2014 that was never used so we took my parents to Kenko-Ya. It's as small as you'd expect from looking from the outside. I'd say there are about 12 tables ranging from 2-6 in a party. I'd say this is a smaller Gyotaku in regards to their menu. One of the first things that I noticed when sitting down at the table. Most Japanese restaurants have shoyu, togarashi, and maybe pepper on the table. Well at Kenko-Ya, they have a small shelf mounted on the wall to have more table space. If you're right handed, I'd suggest you not sit by the wall as that shelf gets in your way. Better suited for a lefty. Nothing really special on the menu that sets them apart from any other restaurants. The food was good. I had the shrimp tempura and spicy ahi teishoku. I thought the taste was good...2 shrimp, 2 green beans, 2 eggplant, 1 carrot and 1 sweet potato. The spicy ahi was the way I like it...not too much mayonnaise. The wife and boys got the udon. The soup was warm and noodles were a little overcooked but the soup base was like Marukame Udon. Overall an average dining experience. But let me get back to the gift certificate I spoke about at the beginning of this review. On the certificate, it expired one year after it was purchased which was last December. I checked on the Hawaii DCCA website to make sure a new rule about gift certificates and gift cards. Remember that all gift certificates are valid for 2 years and gift cards 5 years. Check out this link to verify. http://cca.hawaii.gov/blog/gift-certificate-law/ The waitress didn't want to accept the gift certificate but I let her know about the 2 year rule. After explaining and her speaking to someone behind the counter, she let me use it. Would I go back again...yes. read more

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First time here & we enjoyed ourself. Customer service was really nice. Loved their Miso soup & everything we ordered in picture (: read more

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Been here several times before but tonight was ehhhhhhh. Food was cold. Walked in at 8pm not busy yet slow service

There are some restaurants that resonate so strongly with our sense of tranquility that it allows us to savor and appreciate momentous scenes of jollity. Allowing an individual to be insouciant in their temperaments, the grandeurs of delectable food aid in de-stressing someone and enveloping them in the warmth of comfort. Located in the beautifully lush Kaneohe, Kenko-ya provides an atmosphere of exceptional peace with excellently crafted Japanese cuisine that has delighted many. In the confines of a congenial atmosphere, Kenko-ya allows visitors a delightful area to have carefully crafted meals that are brilliantly presented in pleasantly adorned, traditional Japanese bento boxes. As soon as you enter the quaint, picturesque restaurant of cultivated Japanese culture, you are greeted with a feeling of familiarity that sets the tone of a homely atmosphere. A petite area houses a tightly set seating area that encapsulates the feeling of snug comfort rather than spacious dissonance. Calming music like the assonance of smooth jazz and the atmospheric, ambient Bossa nova fill the room in fluid, pianissimo ambiance that allows one to relax and relish in the calmness this place exudes. The attention to detail is prominent as the titivated decorum on the walls enhance the ambiance of a fine, exquisite setting which provides the collective introduction to the food that will be partaken of. Virtuosos of Japanese cuisine, Kenko-ya provides affectionately composed, box-lunch stylized meals that reminded us of youthful comfort food. Do not commit to the faux pas in the impropriety of misunderstanding, this is not casually constructed food and the caliber of their work is extraordinaire. Taken to a vast menu, we were hard-pressed to pick a delectable combination from the riveting selection that included traditional favorites such as soft-shell crab, unagi (freshwater eel), chicken katsu, and sashimi (raw fish). Upon ordering from the extensive menu, a balmy green tea with a side of marinated bean sprouts and soybeans were delivered; enough to satisfy our initial food cravings. We were pleasantly surprised at the methodically organized box that contained each item ordered in a sophisticatedly systemized manner. Edgy flavorful saba, complimented by crunchy impactful mochiko chicken, and estranged next to sharp spicy ahi provided gleeful sustenance in the form of breathtaking flavors of varying disposition. To many, the conflicting flavors would seem disharmonious, but the simultaneous savory hints were complimented in a melodious fashion that was congruous to our palate. With such luscious food in front of us we had to constantly battle the desire to devour more food with the fullness of our stomachs. Kenko-ya allows for individuals to enjoy a Japanese meal of exceptional quality with riveting ambiance. A small eatery with huge character, this restaurant is pivotal if you are a true connoisseur of Japanese cuisine and culture. There are few places that provide a sorrowful feeling upon completion of a meal which attests to the level of tranquility this restaurant provides in the atmosphere they exude and the magnificent food they create. read more

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An unpretentious restaurant that is plain in it's decor. Covid complaint and not intimidating in adhering to it. Meaning, they didn't try to point a temperature gun to your head, which i extremely object to. Their food was superb. I am not a big eater so my husband and I ordered the rib-eye steak, lobster with vegetable tempura. We shared the one order of it and appreciated we were allowed to do so. We left the restaurant extremely satisfied, happy and we will return to this restaurant every month. It is unfortunate we did not take pics of our order. We were so hungry and immediately got into devouring our meal. The steak was cooked to our specs: medium well. It was juicy and well seasoned with a butter slab (you can choose a teriyaki sauce). I highly recommend the butter sauce and enjoy it's meat flavor. AND, the lobster tail. OMG! We split in half and it was plentiful enough in enjoying more than 4 moutful intake of it. It came along with shrimp/vegetable tempura. Two shrimp, eggplant and carrot. Along with a side edame/bean sprout side dish, miso soup and ranch dressing salad. For the total cost of 50.21. IT is well worth the splurge. Excellent service. read more