This is the best ramen I've ever had in my whole entire existence on planet earth . I didn't know ramen could taste this good. And I've never been to Japan FYI. The texture of the noodles, the broth, the quality ingredients - it's really something to appreciate. I'll be back to try their dinner menu. I'm so glad that their Yelp sign in sends you text messages to inform you when a table is almost ready for you! I felt like I was in a trendy upscale restaurant in New York or something - far from Kapolei . We ordered the small plate corn and karaage chicken to start. Then we had the signature ramen and shrimp OKG with a side 3 meat small plate. We were so happy to have finally made it in to this place, especially on a Saturday!! Domo arigato Mensho!! read more

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Unfortunately, our experience was pretty underwhelming. The wait was about 45 minutes, and once we were seated, the food was mediocre; nothing particularly memorable. The service was also disappointing. Our server mentioned that he was new, which was completely understandable. At one point, he even asked his coworkers for help with sake recommendations, and we had no issue with that. Everyone has to learn. What really bothered us was that our server left for his 30-minute break and we were basically left unattended. No one checked on us, refilled our water, or asked if we wanted another round of drinks. We eventually had to flag someone down just to get our water refilled. When our server returned, there wasn't much acknowledgment or follow-up. Overall, between the 45-minute wait, average food, and lack of attentive service, the experience just wasn't worth it. read more

Appetizing. Fast and friendly service. My friend and I visited on a Saturday. Late lunch early dinner date - they changed their hours of operation and now open for lunch service which begins at 1200 and concludes at 1600 when their dinner menu is now available to order from. They do not accept reservations and you walk in to an iPad device that you'll add yourself to the Yelp virtual waitlist. Small waiting area inside but plenty of benches and seats outside as this is located within Ka Makana Ali'i. The interior is nice furnished. Lighting, seating, decor, the atmosphere is louder and energetic. Only problem for me during this visit is the temperature inside the restaurant - it was warmer than I expected. They have window treatments that keep the bright sun from peering in but overall it felt warm and slightly uncomfortable. Service is prompt and friendly. We placed our order and our appetizers were table side within 10 minutes! Our main entree items came approximately 10 or so minutes after our appetizers. We started off with the A5 Wagyu Truffle Sushi ($21) which is two pieces of A5 wagyu atop sushi rice then topped with shaved black truffle, truffle sauce, and pea tendrils and accompanied with pickled ginger, soy sauce, and wasabi. This was amazing and a whole mouth explosion occurred with I shoved it in my mouth! Soft, tender, and full of flavor! We also chose the Karaage Fried Chicken with garlic chili sauce ($15) and the Corn Wings ($12) and the Enoki Chips ($12). Karaage fried chicken was tender and juicy, they top it with a generous portion of garlic chili sauce which I feel that it would have been better to ask for it on the side as some pieces were drenched in it. But, it was spicy and yummy. The corn wings were good but not great. The Enoki chips had a side of shichimi togarashi - these Enoki chips were crunchy, chewy, and when lemon is squeezed over them, they hit the salty/tangy taste buds and leave you wanting more. For the mains we both chose the G.K.O. Ramen ($23) which is their famous fresh mochi noodles with a creamy chicken broth and has toppings of braised pork belly char siu, baby spinach, spicy crispy burdock root, garlic chips, grilled garlic, and black garlic oil!! Let's say, the vampires won't visit me after eating that because helllllur Garlic! Ramen was full of flavor, the noodles were bouncy and chewy and had a great texture. Overall, it's wonderful to have another restaurant in the 'Ewa area and this place offers delicious dishes! read more

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This place has some of the best chicken broth I've had outside of Japan! It honestly reminds me so much of the bowls I had in Japan. The broth is super flavorful, rich, and sooo good. I also really liked the mochi noodles. They have such a nice chewy texture! The signature bowl is definitely the way to go because it comes with A5 wagyu, duck, AND pork, which I loved. The sides were probably the weakest part for me. We tried the corn and enoki chips, but unfortunately neither had much flavor and I probably wouldn't order them again. They do have a Yelp waitlist, but you have to go to the restaurant and check in/sign up in person. The restaurant itself is really nice, modern, and cute, although it does get pretty hot inside. Overall, I'd definitely come back for the ramen. The broth alone is worth it! read more

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I usually get the signature ramen but during my last visit I decided to try their GKO ramen and I am so glad I did. The GKO ramen is def my new favorite. It is super flavorful and garlicky!!!! It is sooo yummy and filling. I love the texture of their ramen noodles here. I also enjoy their enoki chips and putting some into my ramen for a nice little crunch. If you like a little more spice I recommend getting the chili oil! Service is pretty attentive in the beginning but once you get your food they don't check up on you often or for water refills. Still worth coming for their yummy food! read more

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We went right before 5:00 pm on a Thursday and was seated right away. The server was great at recommending popular dishes on the menu. Everything we tried was pretty good; just know that the photos make the bowls/portions look bigger than they really are. The staff greets everyone entering and exiting the restaurant. It's also not as big of a dining area as we were expecting. It's slightly dim in there and the tables fairly close together, you feel like you're dining with the groups next to you. All in all a good experience. The only downside was the wait for the dessert and the bill. read more

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Omg so this is my second mensho location I've eaten at. The first was in houston Texas and it was okay. This location was so good!!! The fried enoki mushroom was ok. I didn't think it was amazing at neither location. But at this location in Kapolei at Ka Makana ali'i, I got the spicy shrimp bowl. And it did not disappoint at all!!! They were very generous with the shrimps and the flavor was great. Even though the bowl looked small, it sure did fill me up. The noodles were amazing. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it. It is a pretty busy place so be prepared to wait a little for a table. Worth the wait. read more

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10/10, no notes *finger claps*, would drive to Kapolei for this again, and would wait an hour on the waitlist for this again. $28 for their signature ramen. It is the creamiest, umamiest, butteriest, most decadent chicken broth ramen I have ever had!! With a hint of smokiness AND it comes with slices of DUCK, and super good PORK, and an ONSEN EGG, and a slice of WAGYU?? That's the ultimate sampler right there. Their noodles are thick and CHEWY, almost like udon. Wow, they nailed this ramen. You kind of feel cruddy afterward cuz it's so rich, but man do those first few bites really hit haha The matcha pudding dessert is also a standout, highly recommend. I was worried it would be bland but it has a strong matcha flavor! It was a great way to "balance" out the meal: something cold and sweet! The enoki mushroom chips were also addicting, super good with a splash of lemon and some red chili pepper flakes, which were actually pretty spicy. Chicken karaage was not bad either, but definitely save your appetite for the ramen--you'll need it! Place is super trendy, kinda dimly lit inside. Service was excellent. Parking is ample and free at Kamakana Alii. Enter your name on the Yelp guest list when you arrive. For a Sunday night at around 7:30, the Yelp list said 66-80 minute wait, but it ended up being around 60 minutes. Luckily lots of space to walk around and window shop to kill the time! Will definitely be back! read more

Mensho - Signature ramen - Ramen Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

3.5/5. We came here with the ʻohana on a Thursday evening around 5:00 PM. Since they don't take reservations, we were a bit worried we'd be stuck in a long line based on previous reviews. We actually called ahead to see if we could get put on a waitlist, but they don't offer that. Luckily, the person on the phone let us know there was no line at the moment, and to our surprise, we walked right in and were seated immediately! What We Ordered: - Signature Ramen: I got this and absolutely LOVED it. The broth is so rich, deep, and incredibly flavorful. Plus, the wavy chashu (pork) was unique, melt-in-your-mouth, and fantastic. - Yuzu Shio Ramen: My husband went with this option - a really refreshing, bright twist if you like a citrusy note in your broth! - Wagyu Truffle Ramen & Classic Ramen: Our cousins ordered these, and both were a huge hit. - Appetizers: We shared the Takoyaki (which was delicious!) and the Calamari. The calamari was decent, though it was mostly tentacles rather than the rings, so just something to keep in mind if you have a preference. Overall incredible ramen, but the service felt way too fast-paced and hurried for a Michelin-recognized spot at this price point. They rushed through the beginning, only for our server to disappear when we were ready for the check. I know Michelin sticks to the food, but for my personal Yelp reviews, service definitely factors into the overall rating. ‍ read more

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I went to Mensho for a dinner and overall the experience was decent. I'm gonna split my review in 2 sections Things I loved - The wait was much shorter than expected, the check in kiosk said it was going to take about an hour and we were sat in 30 min. -The wagyu ramen was really good! It's something I would recommend and eat again. I really liked the garlic truffle paste they have In there. The wagyu was very tasty too. -the place was clean and the ambiance is nice in such a small place. Things I wasn't the most impressed with -We tried one of the rice bowls, scallops and edamame and they were all kind of underwhelming. The edamame especially, it was plain with garlic chips on it, the server even commented on it when I asked for some kind of sauce for it. None of them felt worth returning for or recommending to others. I was also underwhelmed by the service, we went around dinner time so it was a full house. I didn't expect things to be so fast paced. They were quick to get our order, food and check. With all the hype surrounding the restaurant being Michelin recognized I thought it would be a little more of an experience. I would've appreciated menu recommendations and maybe other small things like that. I did enjoy the ramen but everything else fell short for me. read more

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Wow. Very very very delicious. Parking: Easy, free, right in front of the establishment. It's located at Na Makana Mall. Reservations: No. You have to sign in at the restaurant to get on the waitlist. Our wait time was over 2 hours but because we lingered around, we got in within the hour. Service: They take awhile to get your order but once it's in, the food comes out in a reasonable time. Ambience: date night vibes, nice and clean. We got the clam butter shio and the VGKO. The clam butter shio was so so so so good. I appreciate that because they left my ramen sitting out for a bit and the soup wasn't good anymore, that they replaced before it was even ever given to me. The ajitama egg is DELICIOUS. The broth is very savory. The VGKO is also very savory. It's been hard to find a vegan ramen since Jinya closed. This is a good option. The enoki chips were also very fire. It wasn't oily and tasted great. My only complaints are the wait times and the slower service. They seemed to have an issue with their staff when it came to taking orders, getting the food out in a timely manner, they broke some glass too. They're brand new but I had a bit higher standard for a Michelin-recognized ramen shop. I didn't dock any points though because it was really yummy read more

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This is the first time we stopped by Mensho Heard great things so we had to stop by Joshua provided great service and recommendations. The food was great and will be back. We got the following Signature Wagyu truffle shoyu A5 Wagu don Teppan grilled hotate butter shoyu read more

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THIS IS JAPAN!!! Most ramen places in Hawaii are run by not Japanese and have ramens feeling a little thin on the broth! Sorry, i hate to be truthful. But, most ramen joints on Hawaii are lack-luster at best.., BUT, OH NO, NOT MENSHO!!! The broth has that love... There were about 8 of us. So, we ordered a plethora of items off the menu...The fried Enoki was a stand-out with the appetizer section... i loved the duck matcha ramen i ordered. it didn't give out a strong matcha flavor. but, a subtle note of matcha which paired really well with the duck. the joint felt cozy and roomie at the same time. When you have great company, the food is that much better. read more

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We came to Mensho to celebrate Derrick's birthday since he's such a big ramen fan, and it was a great choice for the occasion! We ordered the Signature Ramen, Vegan Ramen, Hotate on a Sizzling Plate, and the Fried Enoki Mushrooms. Everything was beautifully presented and full of flavor. The ramen broths were rich and satisfying, the hotate was tender with a delicious sear from the sizzling plate, and the fried enoki mushrooms were light, crispy, and the perfect appetizer to share. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. It was nice seeing so many families enjoying dinner together, which gave the restaurant a warm and comfortable vibe. Even though the restaurant was busy, it never felt rushed, making it a great place to sit back and enjoy a meal. Overall, Mensho delivered a memorable birthday dinner with delicious food and a chill atmosphere. Whether you're a ramen lover or just looking for a cozy spot to enjoy a quality meal, it's definitely worth a visit! read more

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Yes yes yes yes! Wagyu truffle shoyu is a must get! Buttery and flavorful! And the grilled hotate is mouth watering! With a lot of people our server was still attentive and met our needs. My boyfriend and I sat at the counter space it gave me Japan vibes so fun! read more

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We waited to try Mensho hoping the wait times would calm down, but it doesn't seem like that's happening any time soon, and now we know why. Almost exactly 2 hours on the waiting list. Signed in at 5:47 and seated at 7:45. We were seated at the bar, all the way at the end closest to the kitchen entrance, which wasn't ideal, but we weren't going to be picky by then. It would have been nice if the bus tray full of dirty linens wasn't right on the other side of the potted plant. That kind of took away from the atmosphere. However, whatever those dirty rags and the long wait took away, the food more than made up for. We shared the teppan hotate small dish, which was incredible. The scallops were perfectly cooked and sizzling when they got to us. Both of us had the signature ramen. The broth was creamy and rich, the noodles were fresh and chewy, and all of the proteins were perfection. I ended up taking home half of mine, and I can't wait to eat it tomorrow! Prices are more Waikiki than Kapolei, but for the quality, it was worth every penny. read more

Saw an article about this Michelin mentioned ramen spot and was looking forward to trying it. Very, clean, modern interior. You put your name on a waitlist when you enter. Initially it said our wait time was 20-40 min but it ended up being 5 min! Started with enoki chips and spicy karaage. The chips are like a mound of fried enoki which were super crispy. The karaage was served with eggplant which i enjoyed. Had a little kick and it was perfectly crispy. Ramen had a creamy broth. My friend got the signature which unfortunately only has one very thin slice of Wagyu. It had pork belly which was so tender and ajitama egg. I got the GKO which was a spicy garlic ramen and had a kick. I added the egg. The noodles were thick and chewy, made from mochi. They were a good texture with the broth. Also wanted the uni Ikura wagyu nigiri but they unfortunately did not have uni. Service was so so. They forgot to bring the beer my friend ordered and we had to ask for water refills multiple times. Food is delish though! read more

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I came in on a Sunday night right before they opened because I heard about the crazy line. I was the third person in line and it was crazy hot waiting out there. They gave us umbrellas, but it wasn't enough to keep us cool. We were seated right away and the restaurant is nice, very modern and clean. Our serve was also very nice, but not that attentive and throughout the service he barely checked on us or filled our waters. For appetizers we ordered based on the servers recommendation: Mentaiko takoyaki - very delicious, but we only got 5 pieces. Enoki chips - tasted just like burnt chips. There was no taste and the the seasoning they gave was a chili powder that added no flavor. If they gave a actual sauce or mayo, then maybe it would make it enjoyable. Karaage fried chicken - basic karaage, a little dry. I would rather go to Sushi Bay and get their Karaage. It's cheaper and you get more. For the entrees we got: Shrimp GKO - super flavorful, but very heavy. Signature - flavorful also, but the crispy noodle that they top it with is so unnecessary. It has no taste and does not soak any of the broth. Premium kaisen don - they actually forgot that we put this in so it came at the end of the meal. The bowl was so small it's comparable to the miso soup bowls you'd get at another Japanese restaurant. I thought it was overpriced for the size... it was around $20. Overall, the food was decent but overpriced. There are other ramen restaurants in town of the same quality that give you more at a fair price. Its more of a drive, but to me it's worth it. read more

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We planned a day in Kapiolei to try Mensho. We arrived at Ka Makana Aliʻi at around 3:00pm and a line started to form at 3:30pm. It was super hot during that time and waiting another 30 minutes in the hot sun was pretty brutal. Too bad they got rid of their check in system. Opening the check in system at 3:00pm would be nice especially when the weather is getting pretty hot. Anyways, the interior was spacious. A lot of table seatings as well as a large community table and counter seatings. Their broth was mainly creamy chicken broth which I do prefer creamy broth for their richer flavor. Karaage Fried Chicken with Garlic Chili Sauce: The fried chicken was good. Crispy and fresh. The chili sauce does have a kick to it. It was interesting that this dish has eggplants included. The eggplant was good with the chili sauce as well. Teppan Grilled Hotate Butter Shoyu: The butter shoyu was good. The scallops were on the chewier side. Signature: Very good ramen. Broth has rich deep flavors. Ramen egg was excellent and cooked perfectly. Noodles were bouncy and chewy. I preferred these types of noodles for ramen. The different chashu meats were good quality. Good meat portion as well. The burdock roots however, were not crispy enough, so it was kinda hard to chew. Wagyu Truffle Shoyu: The shoyu broth was lighter than the creamy chicken broth but still packed with flavor. Very good amount of truffle flavor. The A5 Wagyu melt in your mouth. This was the most expensive ramen bowl we tried. Matcha Pudding: The matcha pudding consistency was dense, almost like a firm tofu texture. It was good. It has a good amount of matcha flavor. Ours was missing the azuki bean. Wished there were more cream and strawberry for topping. Overall, a good ramen place. It's so difficult to find a good ramen place in Hawaii especially when you compared them to ones in Japan. Service was very quick. The staffs were efficient and great. This was worth a drive to Kapiolei. Definitely would want to return to try their other ramen. Wished they open a branch in town. read more

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I've been wanting to try this place ever since a friend recommended it and mentioned it was Michelin-recognized. We saw they opened at 4:00 PM, so my partner and I arrived right at opening--and there was already a line! The service was great. Even though we were put on the waitlist, we were seated pretty quickly. We started with the mentaiko takoyaki, calamari, and enoki chips. My favorite was definitely the enoki chips--they were crispy, flavorful, and reminded me of healthier French fries. For our mains, I ordered the Signature Ramen while my partner got the G.K.O. Both were delicious. The noodles reminded me of the thicker, chewier noodles typically served with tsukemen, which I really enjoyed. It's definitely on the pricier side for ramen, but I think it's worth trying, especially if you're a noodle lover! read more

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Visited tonight for the first time. Ambiance was just like a Japan train station Ramen shop. Aliana was spot on with our order and such a bright spirit. The food, the food. We started with the butter scallops, the uni and ikura negi and the truffle negi. I had the signature with Nori added and it was on point. The wife went with the Wagyu was rich with the Wagyu Umami and 2 large perfectly slices of the Wagyu. Overall great date night experience. There was a little wait. Dont walk around if she is a shopper. Easily add a couple Benjamins to the date night. read more

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Came here on a Friday afternoon at 4pm, opening time. There was already a line of about 20 people but the restaurant is quite spacious inside and tables are close together so we got seated right away. Plenty of friendly staff on the floor, we got menus and water quickly. We ordered starters and mains and everything came out together which isn't a problem for us but just wanted to note it. I really enjoyed the enoki chips and the shichimi on the side was the perfect level of spicy. Husband is a big karaage fan and he loved the dish with garlic chili sauce. Sometimes sauced chicken is soggy but this dish was crunchy and delicious. For ramen, he got the GKO and I got the truffle Wagyu. It's hard to describe the broth, thick but not too overpowering. It wasn't too salty which I find ramen broths often are. Even my truffle broth with the truffle paste wasn't too strong. I liked it but other people may be underwhelmed by the flavors. My wagyu slice was delicious but I don't think the truffle/wagyu is worth $15 more than the other ramens. The noodles are amazing though. Thicker and really chewy. I was hoping it wouldn't live up to the hype because it's a bit of a drive for us but I don't know anywhere else on island that has similar noodles so I'll be back for sure!! read more

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Mensho is located at the Ka Makana Ali'i mall in Kapolei. They specialize in ramen but also serve sushi and bowls too. The vibe is modern Japanese. It's a very nice restaurant that's great for a dinner with your family or a date night spot. We tried some appetizers and two different ramen. The mentaiko takoyaki was fantastic if you like that kinda stuff! We also ordered the Signature ramen & Classic ramen. Both broths were rich and flavorful. Noodles were our favorite part though! Thick and chewy. Ramen was on the pricey side, but we still enjoyed it & would come back! The restaurant can get busy, so be sure to get there early and/or put your name on the waitlist. For our family of 3 our food came within 20 mins of ordering which was nice. Free parking in the mall parking lot. read more

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We try this ramen at San Francisco and it was our favorite spot! So happy they open at Oahu!! Definitely the best ramen! read more

Mensho - G.K.O - Ramen Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

If you're looking for some quality, upscale and delicious ramen I highly recommend trying Mensho. It's like having a part of Japan hospitality and food here in Hawaii. Located in the Kamakana Mall next to Gen, you can sign in on the Yelp waitlist inside the restaurant (you cannot join the waitlist on the app directly). Once inside we were seated by the counter and could see the cooks working in the kitchen. We ordered the Signature Ramen, Classic Ramen, enoki chips and matcha pudding. The Signature Ramen: is rich and creamy for a chicken based broth with a mix of textures from the protein and fried gobo. You get to try a little bit of each protein like the A5 Wagyu char siu, pork char siu, and duck. This was definitely a good first ramen to try. I recommend getting a side of their spicy sauce for an added kick. The Classic Ramen: is perfect for those wanting a simple, rich good bowl of ramen. Enoki Chips: I loved the idea of deep fried enoki, but I thought the enoki was shredded too finely and tasted more of the batter and oil rather than the mushroom. Matcha Pudding: I liked the pudding because it wasn't too sweet, but I wish it had more matcha. I can't wait to come back and try more of their food! read more

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Tastes very similar to the one I had in LA! What we got: - signature (9.5/10): honestly most bang for your buck because it includes duck, Wagyu, and tonkatsu - black garlic (8.5/10): they really do add lots of different variety of garlic in this bowl (fresh, chips, oil). I thought it was good but even with everything it wasn't screaming super garlicky to me and I would've gone w signature instead - corn wings 10/10: I LOVEE THESE! They're soy saucey and sweet and a great shareable Food came out quickly and waitress was super sweet. They don't seat you unless your whole table is there so just a heads up. read more

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All the food was prepared really well. The one thing that stands out is the enoki fries. However, the ramen didn't really stand out to me. The noodles is mochi flour mixed with local wheat and made fresh daily according to the menu, however it was kinda thick. I think it would've been great if it's a tsukamen. Didn't really match with the soup ramen IMO. The service was good, nothing to really highlight except the food came out pretty fast. The renovation was nice which brought us a new experience in this darker ambient environment. It's Kapolei, so the light was hella bright in the west side when we walked out of the restaurant after the meal. read more

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I'm sure the Ramen tastes good but I will never know because you don't offer chopsticks that don't have teeth marks and peeling ends. I don't want that in my mouth. I left after ordering my small plates since I'm not using my hands to eat. Disposable chopsticks are needed for people who don't want reusable machine washed chopsticks that are peeling and looked like it was used as a tool to unclog a sink. read more

Food was good, but definitely a bit overpriced. Service was disappointing. We waited about 25 minutes just to get water, despite the restaurant not being very busy. I had questions about the menu, but our server said they were new and didn't know the dishes. Is there any menu training for new staff, or someone they can ask? As a first-time customer, I was also new to the menu. We also received dirty water glasses, and the reusable chopsticks were worn - the coating was peeling and one pair was splitting. Good food, but the service and attention to detail need improvement. read more

Mensho - Ramen Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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I tried the yuzu shio ramen, and it was great. Very light. I just wish it had more meat and came with an egg. It only had one slice of pork, and I thought it would have chicken too since chicken was mentioned in the item description. I guess they only meant that the broth was chicken-based. Next time, I'll ask for no garlic chips and no shallots. It's also too bad that adding an egg costs an extra $3. Note to self: Don't eat too much. The mochi noodles expand in the stomach. read more

FINALLY GOT TO TRY THIS HOT NEW PLACE AT KAMAKANA! Dined in with 6 people and sat along a counter top seating. This was reasonable as the tables mostly accommodated tables of 2, 4 and one table seating 5. It is very small inside but has a nice ambience with nice lighting and an open kitchen concept. Getting our table was a small kine wait. We put our name on a virtual wait list that had to be done in person. Wait time quoted was about 2 hours but we sat in an hour and a half. Service was excellent. Nice, informative and tentative. Cleared dishes in a timely manner and kept our water filled. Food came out at reasonable times and the presentation was impressive. As for the food it was surprisingly some of the best ramen I ever had. The mochi noodles were different and you could tell it wasn't your average noodle. The matcha duck breast ramen was my favorite but I particularly enjoyed the signature which had an amazing silky rich texture. Broth was phenomenal! All the apps were equally impressive! Need to come back and try the sushi portion of the menu!! Will definitely be back! read more

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Came to Mensho in Kapolei right when they opened, so there was no line and we got seated immediately. The ambiance was really cute, and the servers were all very nice and sweet. The biggest downside was the service speed. We waited about 40 minutes for our food after ordering. My friend's pork bowl came out pretty quickly, but my other friend and I ordered ramen, and those dishes took much longer to arrive. That said, the food itself was pretty good. We tried the matcha duck ramen out of curiosity, it sounded really weird, but it was surprisingly tasty and definitely a unique experience. The signature ramen was absolutely delicious and was the highlight of the meal. The pork bowl was fine, but nothing particularly memorable or special. Overall, good food and a nice atmosphere. read more

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This was some of the best ramen I've ever had. I had the Signature and the enoki chips. I could have done without the duck but that's just a preference. The broth was so rich in all the right ways. Other places tend to have too much oil in their broth while this broth was flavorful and had such a deep flavor profile. The egg and chashu were definitely the most memorable bites. We got in line at 3:50 and they opened doors promptly at 4PM. Since we were a party of three we sat at the communal sitting area. Service was fast and efficient and by the time we left at 5:10 there was no longer a line. read more

Mensho - Enoki Chips - Ramen Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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Mensho is a newer ramen spot in Kapolei, and the quality of their ramen is seriously INSANE! They open at 4 PM every day, and although the wait can typically be anywhere from 1-1.5 hours whenever we've gone, the food is always worth it. Their mochi noodles are SO delicious! I was honestly skeptical that the texture would be too chewy for me, but I ended up really enjoying them. The noodles, flavorful broth, toppings, and seasoning all come together to make such a delicious bowl of ramen. If you haven't tried Mensho yet, definitely add it to your list! The wait may be long, but in my opinion, it's worth the try! read more

Mensho - Ramen Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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New ramen in Hawaii, with locations in Japan and San Francisco, brought here by Genki Sushi. I was excited to try it, but I have mixed feelings. I'll start with what I didn't love. All add-ons has an extra cost. My daughter wanted a side of lemon and we got 2 slices for $1 The garlic chili oil, soy sauce that are usually complimentary at most noodle shops, here it's $1-$3 extra. What makes this place unique is the mochi noodles which is much chewier and heavier than traditional ramen noodles. I ordered the signature bowl, which came with a rich, almost creamy broth, one slice of Wagyu, one slice of pork chashu, two thin slices of duck, an egg, and crispy burdock root. The broth was delicious, but for the price, I expected more protein. The G.K.O labeled spicy was not spicy we end up adding their chill oil. The place reminds me of other ramen shops which is dark with black decor. There are seats at the bar where you can watch them make the noodles and then various table sizes to accommodate party sizes. Service is great once you get in. There is a 1.5 to 2 hour wait. Overall, I'm happy to see new dining concepts coming to Hawaii and it was fun to try something different. Worth trying once for the experience and the novelty of the mochi noodles, but whether it's worth a repeat visit will depend on what you're looking for. read more

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I've been waiting for quite some time to dine at Mensho. Due to the long wait times for the restaurant, I'd recommend coming when they open to get a table. FYI:The restaurant does not take reservations, you can only join the waitlist in person and they won't seat you until your entire party is present. Mensho is a Michelin recognized restaurant well known for their "farm to bowl" philosophy and fresh mochi rice-blend noodles. What to order? Now that was our dilemma as we wanted to try everything on the menu.. We settled on the following dishes and they did not disappoint us at all: Signature ramen Wagyu truffle ramen Karaage Fried Chicken w/ Black Vinegar Glaze Teppan grilled hotate butter shoyu scallops The ramen was very flavorful and I loved the fresh mochi rice-blend noodles. The scallops and karage were the perfect sides for our ramen! For those ramen lovers out there, I'd highly recommend a visit to Mensho to enjoy the lovely ambiance, good service and phenomenal disje read more

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Great broth. Great noodles. Toppings were ok to me. Not the best I had though. Theres plenty of great ramen on Oahu. But what stand out to me is the noodle. I really enjoy chewy and thick noodles and no aftertaste. That's what keeps me going back. If that's your thing you'll love Mensho. Chicken Kaarrage is great too read more

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Mensho is more of a trendy Japanese fusion restaurant. The ramen is pricey, but was solid and satisfying, with a few standout details that made the visit worthwhile. The broth had good depth and warmth, and the noodles were cooked to a nice, springy texture that held up well to the soup. I appreciated the toppings: especially the tender chashu pork and the soft-boiled egg with a creamy yolk that added richness to each bite. The portion size felt fair for the price, and the staff were friendly and efficient, checking in just enough. I have a few negative details. Staff were touching multiple food surfaces and personal items e.g. without changing gloves in between. One of the waitress was adjusting her hair clip multiple times and I observed her placing her finger in the inside of the bowl while carrying it. Otherwise, our wait was quick because we were sat at the bar area. read more

Mensho - Signature Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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Mensho is a slick package that is somewhat like a mixture of Goma Tea and Ippudo mixed together. The Ippudo part is the design of the place and the overall look. I just came back a little while ago from Ippudo in Culver City and Mensho really reminded me of this place. Remember that this place only opened up a couple of months ago and is enjoying the 6 month "everyone going there" Hawaii rush. After 6 months, the real test of any restaurant or store will begin. Having eaten many times in Japan at all sorts of Ramen places from small to slick, Mensho is definitely in the slick category. I like that they use an iPad to text you when the waitlist is ready and the wait was 45 mins on a Saturday night. This is about half of what most of the reviews said (2 hours). I did appreciate being able to see where you are in line. There are community tables and regular tables and a bar stool area. It was fun to sit with others and there are some friendly people eating there. There was a nice mixture of people eating their ramen. Now to the ramen. It's good. I got the signature ramen and let me tell you, it is not cheap. At $26 it is one of the most expensive in Hawaii. What you get is Duck, Pork, Wagyu, fried Gobo, 1 split ajitama egg, chicken based broth and their mochi noodles and more that I probably cannot remember. The broth really reminded me of a chicken-based texture of Goma Tei's tan tan broth. It's a little gritty and although it was rich in feeling, I couldn't help thinking that it was missing something. The "something" wasn't salt because I could taste the salt in my mouth after leaving. I usually like salty broths but in this case that wasn't the missing ingredient. It seemed like there were a lot of things involved in making this broth, but overall it was ok. The noodles were closer to saimin noodles - with the thicker curly style noodles. I did like the noodles but I wish there were more in the bowl. There are no extra condiments on the tables like a lot of ramen places. Finally we get to the toppings. The duck was amazingly good - just smooth and tasty. Excellent. The chasu - melting and falling apart. Again, very nice. The ajitama egg - while cooked perfectly lacked any taste but maybe the broth overwhelmed the delicate flavor? The wagyu beef was ok - it seemed more for show. It was ok. The gobo IMO didn't add anything except making you want to eat it first to get rid of it so you can get to the real stuff. It's rather large sitting on top the bowl. It looks good. Maybe for show? The more I write about this, I realize this ramen was kind of the opposite of ramen that you find in Japan. In most of Japan, ramen is low cost/affordable, mostly simple, and can have sneaky depth of flavor. Mensho is fancy like Ippudo, and is showy and has some standout toppings, but to me was missing the sneaky depth of flavor that you find in the top Japanese ramen places. But to be honest, most places suffer from the same fate. Reading Ivan's book on Ramen tells you a lot of what can happen when making ramen in the US. And unlike Japan, we have the slick payment that defaults to 22% first. This is a very expensive ramen. Beer is expensive too with draft being $9. It is absolutely worth a try in Kapolei and ramen places (like in Japan) are needed in Hawaii in general. To me, the real test is after 6 months to a year. I look forward to coming back and trying it again. read more

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BRING AN UMBRELLA! Got to Mensho right before opening and there was a long line already. Fortunately didn't have to wait long but the sun was crazy hot and there's no shade at all. I liked that they were able to seat basically everyone all at once. Our server took our order relatively fast but as we were waiting for our dishes, the same dishes that we ordered went to other tables instead of ours. I know we ordered before them because our tables were up against a wall and the server literally went down the line to put in each tables orders. We ordered the enoki chips, sautéed scallops and the signature ramen. The two tables after us got the exact same dishes before us. Now the food. The idea of enoki chips sounds good but at the end you really can't taste any mushroom since enoki is already so thin. Scallops were definitely a pass because you could smell the fishiness of them. Never had this fishy scallops that were also overcooked since it's on a skillet it's hard to get it right. The signature ramen was decent, but not the best. Meats were definitely tender so that was nice. Overall Mensho was just a very regular ramen place, nothing outstanding and the other side dishes below average. read more

Mensho - enoki chips and scallops - Ramen Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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