Incredible food and super friendly service. The sushi was so fresh and beautifully prepared. The tuna belly, salmon, scallop, eel, and hamachi were so delicious we ordered a second round. Yakatori was great! 2 skews per order. Loved it. The miso butter fish melts in your mouth. Highly recommend. Casual and lovely place with honestly the best traditional sushi on the island. Can't wait to go back! read more

One of the best restaurants on the Big Island. Great ambiance and delicious food. Feels like you're stepping into an NYC Michelin starred establishment. Tasty, juicy, while healthy and light. Great meal when stopping through the Islands middle and taking a break while commuting between the sights of Hilo and Kona. read more

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What an awesome Japanese/ Hawaiian restaurant. The Yakitori was spot on. Nice char, not over-sauced. Sushi was really fresh and the ramen soup was incredible, noodles were cooked to perfection, broth superb. The cold saki (a Junumai Dijinjo) was really pleasant. The yamagobo salad dressing 'rocked' and the wait-staff was unbelievable (hats off to Jessica and Dallas). The art was 'goytaku' and was really cool as well... We were staying in Waikaloa, but it was worth the drive to Waiamea... next time on the big island we will be back!!1 read more

I would eat here every day. I was with my vegan family and I was lusting for a meat entree. Out of respect and with the great guidance of our waitperson, Tati, we were delighted with the sushi she suggested in the vegan realm. I had the best chicken salad I have ever tasted, the dressing was perfectly balanced and flavor was a delight, tenderness of chicken, all served in a visually appealing dish with a viola on top of some spouts, which I loved. After everyone had eaten I indulged in the gourmet Yakatori, consisting of melt in your mouth beef, (if I never eat steak again I will be happy with this experience) pork belly and an outrageously good lamp chop. My protein needs and my taste buds were so delighted. Compliments to the chef. Love finding this place, not ostentatious in appearance, the focus in on the kitchen, Great experience. read more

Had the smallest chirashi bowl and it was sooooo tasty and packed. The eggdrop chicken broth soup would cure any illness. Yummy food. Soup was a tad salty. The Hawaiian croquettes were like a fried taro ball. I would probably stick to the original version but glad we tried it. Great service. I definitely recommend it! read more

Servers weren't really very friendly but the service was quick and food came out in good time. It was disappointing that they were out of all yakitori items so we settled for the chicken karaage, katsu curry and chirashi bowl. Food was just OK. Portions were decent but the food didn't have much taste. I wouldn't order any of those dishes again. I would go back to try the yakitori on the menu. read more

The food was really good traditional sushi Service was great family feeling poke bowls Not your typical menu read more

My friends and I had a nice dinner here about two weeks ago on a Friday night. We were in a hurry, and we let the server know. She was great about getting the meal out quickly and helping us get the check settled easily so we could enjoy the dinner with the time we had. Two of us shared the Edomae nigiri sushi (on the omakase menu). The fish was delectably fresh, prepared with brown rice. I'm not even a big uni fan, but I would be if it tasted as refreshingly briny and smooth as Moa's. The third person in our group thoroughly enjoyed her Nouko shio ramen. The noodles were exceptionally tasty and toothsome, with a creamy chicken broth that felt like the best homemade chicken soup. read more

Always good food Never disappointed Great place for a quick lunch or dinner Definitely on my fav list read more

Awful service!!! We had dinner here today and it was 7 of us! Our server never came and asked how is everything tasting, didn't clear any of the dirty dishes and didn't even come at the end to bring the bill! At the end we were told that ther is a policy for the gratuity of 20% for the parties 6 of more. I am always fine with this as all the restaurants have this kind of policy, but not at this restaurant!!! Especially, when our server didn't even care about us at all. So we asked if it says anywhere on the menu about this "policy" and they said " no, it doesn't say it anywhere but we charge 20% for the big parties as they usually don't tip enough" - and I definitely understand why they don't tip enough because the service is awful!!! For the 20% tip you need to do some work besides standing and watching your customers eating from the table full of dirty plates. They didn't void the gratuity for us cause they kept saying it is their policy. So next time if you eat there and you have a party of 6 or more, make sure to ask about the automatic gratuity which gonna be added to your bill either you want it or not! The food is very good, can't say anything. But I hope this review will make them to care about customers more. read more

To the restaurant owner: I would give this store a ZERO star if it's an option, not because of how their food is terrible but how they TREATED me as a customer trying to grab lunch. Google maps says they closes at 2:30PM, and we drove 35min from Kona and heard they have great Japanese food. We arrived at 1:45PM and the front waitresses telling us we cannot sit down but take out ONLY. While we have placed our orders, we clearly saw a lady in her 50s (non-Asian), just sat at the table and got her orders in, with ice water by her side. Is this how you are discriminating/treating customers differently because of races? So we cannot sit down and enjoy lunch while others can? I'm very much frustrated and feeling incredibly sad that this is how this restaurant works especially we're in 2020s, and I will avoid this place for any causes. In this end, There are tons of Japanese restaurants with great services in Hawaii islands, and it's incredibly sad to see this was how it went. Thank you, BYE. read more

I was a bit disappointed in the service. The server forgot to write down one of the things i ordered. I asked if they had alternate milks for my coffee and was told they only had cream. But when it came, it wasn't cream, it was non dairy creamer. I'm not into the chemical stuff, so was very disappointed. read more

I've had almost everything on the menu here now and it is just amazing. Chicken katsu set, Hawaiian roll, miso butterfish plate, ramen (shio chicken). And probably my lunch 10 times this month has been and will continue to be the house salad -- it is SO delicious! Enjoy these pics. And definitely go to Moa Kitchen! Love the bartender! So friendly! read more

MOA Kitchen - Chicken Katsu set - Ramen Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

We almost couldn't get in, but luckily they let us sit at the counter. The food was delicious. We ordered the butterfish and the Hawaiian croquette, and finished our meal with mochi ice cream and lilikoi panna cotta. The wait staff were excellent. Multiple people care of us. Definite on our list to return when we are back in the area. read more

MOA Kitchen - Hawaiian croquette - Ramen Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

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Overall 5 stars: Very Friendly staff and awesome quality food. I definitely recommend this place to anyone in the area. Service 5 stars: As soon as I walked in the door I was greeting with a loud and energetic "irasshai". I was just there to get some takeout food so that I could go back to the Kamuela Inn and finish up some work. The guy working behind the bar was very helpful and let me know what was on special and what was the "things" to order there. Once I looked over the menu and made my order, I sat down and had a drink while I waited for my food. After chatting with the bartender for a bit, he gave me hot sake for free. The workers there are genuinely friendly people. Food 5 stars: I ended up ordering different types of yakitori (gizzards, heart, wings, pork belly, and veggies). All of the yakitori was seasoned and cooked perfectly. There was a nice charcoal fire flavor to the yakitori. I also ordered the yakionigiri and French fries. The yakionigiri and a nice shoyu sauce and was nice and crunchy on the outside but soft and flavorful on the inside. The French fries were good too, nothing special but I was just just craving fries. Next time I will have to try the Ramen and tsukune which the bartender recommended. read more

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By recommendation by Corinna (Paniolo Adventures). The meals did not disappoint. My daughter and I had the miso butterfish. The outer skin was crisp and the main fillet was tender and flaky. It was delicious My son had the Sashimi platter with fresh fish and variety of tasty and delectable morsels. My husband loved the sea urchin, so creamy. My other son had the Takoyaki, and he said it tasted so yummy. Lastly we the Katsu chicken it was great! The service was friendly and the sanitation notice and temperature screening was good if you are in the area, we recommend you try it. read more

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The service was good. The staff were very attentive and kept refilling my water. The edamame was slightly salty for my taste but everything else was delicious. The ramen portion was smaller than expected. We even paid extra for the zenbu which seemed like normal. Nevertheless, it was good. A great place to stop into when craving soup broth. read more

Excellent Ramen, Sushi, and the Skewers are wonderful!!!! We had a wonderful lunch and the service was good. read more

Excellent food and service, the staff are friendly and attentive. We got ramen, various yakitori, a Hawaiian roll and pan fried gyoza, and everything was delicious. Definitely worth the drive up. read more

After a fun yet exhausting day of horseback riding, this is definitely the place to hit up. Comfortable AC, spaced out seating, masked friendly wait-staff, and an amazingly people oriented owner. Normally when I go to eat ramen, the soup is salty-er than I would prefer to drink, but it adds good flavor to the noodles. Not this restaurant, this restaurant found the fine line balance between hearty flavorful mouthfuls of perfectly cooked noodles, and drink-it-all-up savory, but not too salty soup.... oh wait!! Did I mention their gyoza? I had 2 orders to start. But then ended up having to order 3 more, they went so fast! By far the best chicken ramen I've ever had! Good for my body and soul after an exhausting day~ read more

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A quaint, modest restaurant that has a homey atmosphere. An eclectic menu of locally grown products. Ordered the Miso Butterfish, which was exceptional! Butterfish was prepared with a delicate mixture of miso, grilled to perfection. It tasted so silky and flavorful. My family ordered the Yaki-Onigiri; N.Y Club Beef; Chicken Karaage; Yuzushio Ramen; Maguro Lover Bowl and Nigiri Anago all were excellently prepared. The Kikusui Niigata 300 Sake superb! The entire staff at MOA were gracious with such a heartfelt Aloha spirit throughout our dining experience. A special shout-out to our server, Ke'Alii he was very charismatic, attentive and full of warm hospitality. The Aloha Spirit thrives at MOA KITCHEN read more

This will have been our fourth visit. We keep coming hoping that things will change. Great food unfortunately the service was really poor. We didn't have a reservations this time and the hostess made us feel like second class citizens. The service is really slow. read more

This is awesome place to eat good food Food was excellent and so was the fast and friendly service. Can't say enough good things about this place. IM COMING BACK!! read more

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Overall- Very small portion and quite disappointing food quality but the waitstaff is excellent. Make sure to have a reservation before you come as it is very popular. We were actually quite surprised by our take on dinner as many others love this place. Maybe it was a bad day. Will try it again next time. The service is worth another visit. read more

Unfortunately, I must echo what the others have said. The food is ok, not great. The service, is ok or below that. The attitude of the people here is horrible. I won't go into details other than to say, they act like they are doing you a favor to be in their establishment. We dined here one time last year and tonight was their second chance. A $120 mistake. We will never go back. read more

This amazing Edomae-style Japanese restaurant where you can get fishes ranging from ramen to sushi and traditional Japanese yaitori bar food. A great spot for lunch with long lines for dinner! read more

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Yummy ramen soup. Perfect for those cold Waimea nights! The sushi is good also. Washed it down with a local brew from Big Island.

I was referred to this place by a local buddy of mine who likes Ramen almost as much as I do... This place does not disappoint... Please note: Ramen only review... be warned There are two kinds of broth, chicken and vegetable. There is clear and milky chicken, with options of miso, sea salt, and soy sauce. It is kind of unusual as the accompaniments are chicken meatball, chicken Chashu, white and green onion. I am not a big fan of the white onion, as it is a bit strong raw. Unfortunately they do not have pork (Chashu or broth). It is all good though, and the chicken broth is delicious in the milky form and the clear, tasty and unctuous. We also added the soft boiled egg, which was definitely the right call. The noodles are thick and truly delicious. They have a wonderful flavor and texture; they really complement the broth well. I think they could add more broth to even out the proportions; every time I finished my meal, I always wanted just a little more broth... I cannot speak to the vegetarian versions, but I can only assume it is delicious. We also did not try any of the other food, sorry... Ramen only review.;) The art on the walls is really different and really compliment the setting. Parking is available around the building. Service is great and friendly. Mahalo read more

MOA Kitchen - Spicy Miso with sport boiled egg... - Ramen Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

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Amazing and delicious! Best Ramen and gyoza ever! Was a vacation and came here twice for dinner! Oh and it's spotless!

Good sushi good ramen friendly service overall a good experience. We have been going back several times

Lovely service and good food but avoid Mondays if you want sushi or sukiyaki - happy to have this option in Waimea (Kamuela); popular with locals read more

Good quality food, but not crazy original. The yuzu ramen was the most interesting. Cute decor, great music and kind service. read more

MOA Kitchen - Katsu curry - Ramen Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

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Quite impressed. I think the takeaway here is you'll get the same high quality sushi bar here as in Honolulu without struggling for parking, without needing to make a reservation months in advance, without the somewhat exclusive air you get at high end sushi bars, and with ingredients unique to this restaurant if you so choose. I can't recall papio sashimi ever being served in a sushi place I've went to. The hatten-mori platter we ordered was truly delicious. The ramen had great broth. The ajitamago was undoubtedly a local farm fresh egg and was the best I ever had. I like that you can enjoy a top end meal in slippahs and shorts. Plenty parking all around the restaurant. read more

MOA Kitchen - Hatten-mori so delicious - Ramen Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

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Food is great comfort food with a good selection of drinks. Their lilikoi cheese cake is the bomb! Yaki tori was great too. read more

MOA Kitchen - Lilikoi cheese cake. - Ramen Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

My family and I wanted to get away from the high priced resort dining options and heard great things about MOA kitchen. Sadly, we did not experience the same quality dining as our local counter parts. While even having a reservation, it appeared that our server had prioritized families and parties from the surrounding area before tourists. A larger party came in after us and were given their food before we could even get our order in! We even had to get the attention of another server just to get napkins and chopsticks. While I am sure this is a great dive spot for the local community, I'm not sure they prioritize the feelings and appetite of tourists and their families. read more

We came across this place last Thursday night on our way to another restaurant. It looked packed so we changed our plans, made a U-Turn and walked inside. I wasn't able to find it on Yelp. Come to find out it opened last Thursday. The place is immaculate and nicely decorated. Old Hawaiian style. It has an open kitchen. The menu is such that you can eat light or a little more. The food comes out immediately after plating. So the service might be staggered at your table. The staff is extremely friendly. All in all it was a great experience. We were so happy we happened upon it and we will definitely be back. read more

Gluten free options include: White rice and spicy veggie ramen without noodles and french fries or sushi (without soy sauce). French fries are fried in same fryer as gluten stuff. NOT gluten free friendly!!!! read more

Delicious, authentic Japanese food! The owner is so sweet and hard working. Fun place to celebrate a birthday. Trust us :). Casual vibe. They have natto sushi and warabi mochi. If you know, you know :). Authentic Japanese dishes. Moa means chicken in Hawaiian, apparently. Casual, local vibe. We didn't have reservations, but went a few minutes before they opened and didn't have trouble getting a table. The kids loved the kara age chicken (crunchy morsels of boneless chicken-- Japanese chicken nuggets, but tastier and crunchier). Pops enjoyed his miso butterfish-- melts in your mouth! DD2 enjoyed her steak. DD3 ate 2 orders of natto maki. I enjoyed the grilled veggie sampler with shishito peppers, the most delectable grilled fresh shiitake mushrooms, and fresh grilled zucchini. For dessert we had the warabi mochi (delicious Japanese water mochi, coated in kinako-- roasted soybean powder). It wasn't quite as soft as we had in Japan, but a rare treat. Also has the lilikoi (passion fruit) cheesecake and panna cotta. The lilikoi panna cotta was our fav-- super smooth and not too sweet. Delicious food, low key atmosphere, moderate prices, friendly service. Loved it!! read more

Moa kitchen is on the main road, in front of business buildings. It's very small and can easily be missed. Definitely a mom and pop like feel place. Place is small with not to much table and chairs. You can look into the kitchen and see chefs making food. I had ordered the Hawaiian spicy ramen and make it Zembu (contains all the toppings). I was not satisfied. It was just normal. Flavor was ok, toppings were ok. Nothing special. My husband got the curry rice which wasn't great either. It only contained about 4 pieces of small chicken and potatoes. The curry is more like gravy curry; it was on the thicker side. The only thing good was the chicken karaage, nice flavor. read more

MOA Kitchen - Hawaiian spicy ramen zembu - Ramen Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

Best Japanese food on Big Island. Fresh and great selection of omakase and sashimi, also great value vs. what you can get in NYC. Ramen was decent but relative light in flavor probably because of chicken broth. We went two days in a row for dinner. Remember to make a reservation! They are pretty popular around dinner time. read more

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