Lunch in Kaimuki, Honolulu, Hawai'i…read more.. I had walked past Maguro-Ya many times, on my way to other restaurants on Waialae Avenue. Somehow, I was there at the wrong time, or I didn't have a plan to go to Maguro-Ya. This time, we made a decision to meet for lunch. We didn't have a reservation. I parked in the residential area for free and walked a couple of blocks to the restaurant. Service was very polite and efficient. The interior was cozy and seemed authentic. I didn't feel any air-conditioning, so drinking hot tea was a bit challenging. I let my miso soup cool off before I drank it. I got the Maguro Zukushi Teishoku ($1.50 less during lunch vs. dinner) because it had a variety of Maguro: grilled, deep fried, and raw. I could taste the miso flavor on the grilled fish. I appreciated the crunchy breading on the ahi katsu. The sashimi was fresh! The assortment of sides and beautiful presentation was worth the visit to this established eatery! Thank you for the wonderful experience!

Maguro-Ya has been a restaurant I've passed by a million times but never thought of going in to…read moregive them a try until LB suggested to have lunch there one day. They are located in Kaimuki with parking options of street meter parking, parking in the private lot of the building then paying when you leave and free parking by the school or park then walking over. When you walk in, you'll notice the partial boat, dining room and sushi counter. Simple decor but clean and friendly customer service. We came for lunch and lunch is slightly less than dinner. I read a few reviews talking about their teishoku so that's what I wanted to order. Their menu is simple and I was having the hardest time deciding between their Hamachi Kama Shioyaki Teishoku and Maguro Zukushi Teishoku. I decided on the latter because LB convinced me Maguro is in the name of the restaurant. The kitchen didn't take long to get our order out and it was a good portion of food. The order offered a lot of variety that was tasty and I left full. I'm just surprised how long it took me to dine here. Good value at lunch and great option for teishoku in Kaimuki!

Gyotaku delivers straight-ahead, local Japanese fare, e.g. zaru soba, various bento with different…read moreprotein options, e.g. salmon, butterfish, teri chicken, California roll, sashmi. Simply put, it's a family-friendly restaurant with familiar flavors, ample dedicated parking that wraps around the restaurant's perimeter, easy access to the downstairs area if you have elderly family members, and good value, especially if you can take advantage of the senior menu. (If you are frugal, be aware that on holidays, the usual reduced price menu specials don't apply.) It's also very easy to make reservations for smaller parties, either online or via phone. Meals generally come complete, unless notes: miso soup, tossed salad with a piece of imitation crab surimi, and your entree. I personally like their combination bento option with teri chicken, fresh and crisp shrimp and veg tempura, and California roll. DJ was our waiter for the past few visits, and he's always personable, attentive, and kind. The restaurant layout and ambiance is adequate but could be better: narrow, crowded entranceway near the hostess stand which is not disability-friendly. Incoming/outgoing customers have to jostle for position with the steady stream of takeout customers, tight passageways between tables, especially for seniors with walkers/wheelchairs. The black painted plywood privacy dividers between booths also feel slapdash. Customer service could be MUCH improved, especially given the number of families with elderly parents, since the passageways are crowded, and there's a serious lack of seating for waiting customers: 2 two-person concrete benches outside and a chair by the hostess stand. On our last visit, we were 10-12 minutes early, and the rest of our party had not arrived yet. Our host informed us that even though our table was ready to go (and obviously, there was no way that they'd be serving another customer at said table in the 10 minutes prior to our 11:30 AM reservation), my 91 year old parent could not be seated at our table, otherwise they'd start our 90 minute dining clock. The host brusquely underscored that this is Gyotaku's policy: no exceptions! To speak plainly, in local parlance: NO MAKE SENSE and so NOT Hawai`i-style! This encounter really left an unpleasantly sour note on our dining experience. Given the high population of elderly customers, Gyotaku's management, please seriously consider changing your draconian seating policy and treat customers with kindness, empathy, and aloha. We share a interest in the success of your business, and an adjustment to your seating policy would be a meaningful gesture of good will. Mahalo for considering!

Came with a large group and they were very accommodating. Of course made reservations and good to…read morenote. They have a 90 minute seating as the place is popular and gets busy. The inside is quaint and the service is fast and friendly. They have some good lunch specials. I love that the tempura was crispy, but not oily. An overall positive experience for all of us.

Finally got to try this place and we enjoyed it a lot !…read more There is parking right in front, also a map on the front door. Sometimes it can get busy so you might want to give yourself more time to find parking. We ordered the following Chicken skin gyoza - delicious Tako wasabi - also very good Curry udon - per my friend it was okay, something about it having a bonito taste in it that she didnt like Tendon w/ mini udon - very delicious wish there was more udon. The tempura on the bowl included- 2 shrimp, eggplant, sweet potato, kabocha, egg, and shishito pepper. Negitoro w/ mini udon - the fish was very good. Service was great! Will come back to get a bowl of the udon !

The first time I came here, I was just so impressed and everything was delicious! I was meeting up…read morewith friends for pau hana and I didn't realize most of the city had Friday off because of the 4th of July weekend. We were going to meet somewhere else, but I suggested here. Cheerful greeting when I came in. They have really good AC! Ordered a pitcher of beer, some edamame, and fried udon noodles. This is something I've never had and they are addicting! We had the tofu salad which was really good! I also loved the cream cheese stuffed fish cakes(?) soooooo good! For dinner I had the Nobeyaki udon which was really good and I loved the broth! Again, a really great place to come to! Mahalo Udon Yonpachi!

My bestie and I come to Akira regularly. We usually celebrate our birthdays here or visit whenever…read morewe're craving seasonal Japanese food. We always reserve a BYOB tables. Honestly, almost everything on the menu is delicious! My favorites are the fresh oysters, Beef tataki, tempura, cream croquettes, miso butter fish, Kani-salad and of course, don't forget the lobster! The sushi rice can be a little firm on some days, but aside from that, Akira is without a doubt one of my favorite Japanese restaurants. I even had the chance to meet a famous Japanese chef and take a photo with him. A huge shout-out to Miyuki saaaaaaan! Thank you for your thoughtful and attentive service. You always make our visits extra sugoi special.

I was at the building visiting my dentist for teeth cleaning. I've always wanted to try their…read morechirashi bowl but instead ordered the deluxe chirashi bowl which featured a lot more variety. Not just your average maguro, sake and hamachi. Don't get me wrong cause I love that. I just think that there's more to try out there. In Japan they have lots of variety so coming here to try the deluxe chirashi bowl got my hopes up. I wasn't disappointed. My chirashi bowl came with in no particular order, Tobiko, ikura uni, Saba, sake, tako, maguro, scallop, sawada and Japanese Shiba. It's so good. You just can't swallow it. You need to bite into it and savor it. So good. Enjoy every piece of deliciousness with a hint of wasabi and shoyu. The chirashi bowl changes frequently so what you see what i have ordered might not be there for you. You know what the problem with sushi is or i should say sashimi? It's never enough. You can always eat more cause it's so good. Doesn't really fill you up like a steak would. It's like ice cream. You always have more room for it in your tummy. I try to review restaurants where you can dine In and be served. This is no exception but I did take out. Rest assured I will be back to dine in and try the other authentic Japanese dishes that have to offer. While I did get take out, from what I saw it looks like a very cozy place to eat there. Didn't look very busy but their take out bento was being sold very quickly while I was waiting for my chirashi bowl. The bento are very reasonably priced. Limited selection probably cause of the high demand. Parking entrance is actually on Young street. It's right across Petco where Safeway used to be. You're on Young street but the parking sign will say I think building 1150 for 1150 King Street. It's on the Makai side of Young Street.

I've often wondered about this old skool Japanese restaurant called "Yagura Restaurant"…read more Old skool diners are da BESTEST!!! After seeing my Yelp buddy - Tami C. check into this restaurant numerous times, I figah I go chance 'em!!!! I'm so happy to have tried this old skool Japanese restaurant, as I adore the old skool nostalgia! Walking into this restaurant makes me feel like I was a little kid in the 1970's. My friend & I were greeted right away upon entering the restaurant, and directed to sit into a vinyl seated booth/table. Yagura's menu is simple, offering an array of Teishoku meals. I ended up getting the BBQ Chicken Teishoku meal which included a salad, miso soup, white rice, & tsukemono. My friend - Gary T. ended up getting a combination plate of BBQ Chicken & Shrimp Tempura. What can I say about da grub? Simply O.U.T.S.T.A.N.D.I.N.G!!! My BBQ Chicken came out on a hot sizzling platter, & underneath the BBQ Chicken there was grilled onions. Yum! The chicken skin was crispy, and the sauce was deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious! Nicely executed! My friend also enjoyed his meal & mention to me that he was also glad to try this place, as he's never been here before. Service here was on point, as the waitress was friendly & efficient. Parking here is a bit challenging, as there are only 4 parking stalls infront of the restaurant. If you're unlucky to get one of the premium parking stalls, street parking is your only other option. The decor at this restaurant is definitely old skool. If your dig old skool nostalgia like me, then ya gotta check out Yagura Restaurant!

Another one I was able to cross off my list. I've probably driven by this place hundreds of times…read morebut never tried it. I met a friend who works nearby for lunch. This place is definitely a throwback. You can feel that vibe once you walk through the doors. Quickly got seated and served water and tea (which I really appreciated). Some places don't offer it or don't even have it. The menu is quite extensive. I settled on the Teishoku with Sashimi, salmon and teri beef. They brought out the miso soup (not the kind out of a tube) and the rice before the meal arrived. I was pleasantly surprised at the size of the salmon, most places that I go to it's pretty small. I could only eat half of it. The portions sizes for all the dishes were good. I actually had to take home some of the teri beef too. Kind of bummed that I hadn't been to this place 20 years ago. I guess like they say, better late than never. I will be back.

Yohei Sushi Restaurant opened in 1990 in Kalihi by founder/sushi chef Kazuto Obara and his wife who…read morehad immigrated to Hawaii from Hiroshima in the 1970's. It was his dream to open his own authentic Japanese restaurant using his special omakase experience from Japan and one of the first authentic sushi restaurants in Honolulu. It was a concept of "bringing Japan's finest to Hawaii" with a desire to "build a bridge between the two cultures of Japan and Hawaii." In 2018, operations were taken over by Testsuya Matsuda. A 2nd location was opened in Kahala in Jan 2024 by Hiroshima Mazda, whose specialty is traditional Japanese sushi (or omakase). Yohei Sushi 's menu offerings include: * Teishoku (or set meal). Comes with miso soup, rice, Japanese pickles, cold soba noodles, seasonal side dish. Main entrees are sashimi, tempura, maguro, misoyaki butterfish, ahi steak, saba. Salmon, ahi belly, katsu, and more. * Sushi Bar. With miso soup. Menu offerings are deluxe & standard assorted sushi, maguro don, Chirashi sushi. * Noodles. Choice of udon or soba with various combinations, e.g., nabeyaki, tempura, tororo, tanuki, zaru, kitsune, tori, tukimi, kake, and ojiya udon. Also, combo meals of tendon/noodle, sushi/noodle; and donburi of unaju, oyako don and ten-ju. * Side order & ala carte. Includes sashimi, chawanmushi, ika, shinkomori, murokyu, soft shell crab, miuzuku, Hiyahakko, edamame, tempura. Ahi belly katsu, misoyaki butterfish, saba, seafood tempura, maguro temprta, ahi steak, salmon. We've had the following: * Tendon and Noodle. Deep fried tempura of shrimp and assorted veggies in a rice bowl with sauce & hot udon. Very filling and tasty! * Tempura Teishoku. This teishoku had 3 large pieces of fried tempura shrimp and assorted veggies, e.g., carrot, eggplant, green beans, pumpkin, that were light and non-oily. Our teishoku meals came with pickled veggies, cold soba, rice, and miso soup with lots of wakame and radish sprouts. Very flavorful! They also offered a complimentary birthday scoop of ice cream with a dollop of an as a topping, which was refreshing and paired well! * Maguro Tempura Teishoku. Hubby's choice of fried tempura tuna set, and he noted that there were 8 large tender pieces of maguro that was lightly fried and non-oily. Very delicious and filling! * Unagi nigiri. The unagi was so flaky, tender, and light and had the right amount of sauce. Loved it! The presentation of the meals was beautifully plated with real, authentic Japanese small dish bowls and plates. The food was of good quality and very flavorful! Customer service was excellent! Diners are greeted by staff upon entering and thanked when leaving. The old-time servers were very patient, attentive, welcoming, and gracious! Our food orders came out in a timely manner, and the servers, with smiles, frequently asked if everything was okay and if we needed anything else. Hours of operation are: lunch daily from 11a to 2p, dinner from 5p to 9p, closed Wed. Happy hour is from Thurs to Tues from 1:30p to 5p. Located in Kokea Center that looks like a run-down strip mall at Dillingham Blvd and Kokea St, the restaurant interior has a great ambiance as if you were dining in Japan, as it is comfortable and welcoming. It was amazing to see almost every table was taken by dining customers. Reservations are a must, as people are turned away. Good thing I called for lunch reservations at 12:15p on a weekday, which was tha last table available. And the restaurant was packed the entire time that we were there! Free parking in the private lot shared by other businesses, as well as metered street parking. Yohei Sushi has been successful over the past years in its presentation, flavors, taste, and customer service, and we hope to return to try different menu offerings!

TL;DR A terrific…read moreJapanese restaurant with high-quality set courses. ----- Yohei is a quintessential Japanese restaurant in the heart of Honolulu. The food is delicious, the presentation is on point, and the service is attentive and friendly. There are many great Japanese spots in Honolulu, and Yohei is certainly one of them. During my most recent visit, I ordered the Shrimp and Maguro Tempura Teishoku. I've never had tuna tempura before, so I decided to try it. The teishoku comes with several small side dishes, the tempura, doba, rice, and miso soup. It's a solid amount of food. Everything was oishikatta, and I left the restaurant feeling full. The tempura was airy, crunchy, and cooked to perfection. The soba noodles were chewy and springy, and the side dishes nicely complimented the main courses. I enjoyed it all! There are so many Japanese options in Honolulu, but I will certainly be back to Yohei at some point.

This is the hubs' go-to choice for a simple, tasty, and good-value meal. Prices have gone up in…read morerecent times (like many others) but quality and portion size remain the same. We never stray far from our usual choices either. The tempura platter is fresh and crispy and delicious-- my favorite! The GOZEN, even with the price hike, is a good deal. (It was a steal before, though!) Staff is friendly and efficient as always. It's a fuss-free establishment, without music so folks can have a conversation with their mates. The parking management has improved and is more transparent now. Still tight but at least we know stalls 1-8 are for the restaurants!

The Yelpers have spoken! And they're right... this is a great find in our Moiliili neighborhood…read more No frills. Just delicious Japanese food at affordable prices. One woman runs the entire dining room, so don't take offense if she turns walk-ins away. She's literally server, food runner, busser, and manager in one. Parking is in the driveway prior to entering the restaurant. The stalls reserved for Hana no Sato are the half dozen stalls closest to the entrance. Ample menu selection of curry, ramen, gyoza, tempura, chirashi, and sushi. The broiled salmon was perfectly prepared with a side of miso soup, two-piece gyoza, mac salad, hard boiled egg, and pickled vegetable for $13. Tempura was well battered with a soy drizzle. Chirashi bowl was freshly made with assorted seafood. For dessert, order the Anmitsu- an assortment of all the desserts combined- coffee jelly, matcha shiratama, warabimochi, and whipped cream. Perfectly sweet ending to a perfect meal.

What a great location! Located in Salt Kakaako…read more If you are in a rush, I would call ahead or make an online order. The food is cooked to order so it may take a bit longer. My favorites here are the fish. Any fish they cook has been delicious! Also, I'm a huge fan of their Ebi sandwich. It's quite a lot and very good! Get side fries too! I love how they change their side salad or pasta and it's not always the same. If you want to drink beer, they have some good choices. Dine in or dine outside. All comes in plate lunch style.

Located at Kaka'ako shopping area. They have a parking structure so that's always a plus. Nice…read moreJapanese plate lunch restaurant with so much variety on their menu. I ordered the miso cod. Very good portion size and was sooooo tasty and moist. Salmon was good too. My only complaint is that the inside seating did not have AC so it was definitely too hot to sit inside but there was seating outside in the shade so that saved the day. Food came out quickly and staff was very friendly.