We live on the other side of the island and while we have an excellent Japanese restaurant (Takumi - try the omakase) we decided to drive over to experience Nuka as it has so many fantastic reviews, and we really appreciate and enjoy Japanese cuisine. Nuka was exceptional. Authentically Japanese, the restaurant is beautifully yet serenely decorated, the staff are welcoming and well versed in the menu and flavors, and pricing is competitive for island restaurants. In fact when you know the healthy ingredients are the best available, locally grown/caught/raised and cooked to perfection it takes it up a notch. We arrived just as they opened for lunch at 11.30am and luckily managed to be seated straight away. I've read that dinner is much harder to get a table and there is a long wait so arrive accordingly ;) Parking is available in the car park next door beside the gym, free and self parking. So, what did we order?......... Grapefruit lychee spritzer - we chose the mocktail version but you can make it a cocktail too. Sooo citrusy and thirst quenching. Not sweet, zingy. Very refreshing on a hot Maui day Miso - earthy, salty, brothy, umami, steaming hot in a bowl to start off your extravaganza of a meal Shio koji cabbage - finely shredded with sesame and house milled bran and seasoning, like an elegant Japanese coleslaw, I loved it! Nasu Miso eggplant - slightly sweet because of the miso, I liked the taste but it wasn't a texture I'm used to eating, which I found a lot in Japan, eg mochi. But I can't fault the dish because of that, the miso umami was richly broiled and it was a popular dish House Nuka pickles - crunchy, fresh and sprinkled with sesame (daikon radish, carrot and cucumber), a good palate cleanser and a nice texture to complement the eggplant above. Not vinegary, just fresh Saba Nigiri - two pieces of moreish mackerel sushi, melt in the mouth with so much flavor, decent sized nigiri too Shiso Country sushi roll - on the specials list, and it was amazingly special! Ahi, habanero masago, orange masago, shaved shiso leaf, ponzu, so many flavours and textures combined into a party in the mouth, with a slight heat build as you ate it. A favourite Miso Butterfish - OMG it looked so amazing and was another popular dish, for a good reason, it is delicious. Melt in the mouth, flaky, savory cod, a nice sized serving, and the miso sauce is sooo good with the buttery fish Lilikoi ice cream - hubby only had room for one generous creamy scoop served with chocolate wafers and decorated with fresh mint. Perfect end to a delightful meal We both felt that this is definitely one of the best restaurants on island, culturally and gastronomically, pricewise and food presentation, authenticity and awareness of local produce....it all adds up to an outstanding dining experience. We will most definitely be returning even though we have to drive an hour and half to get there! "Gochisousama deshita" read more

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Performance: 3 45 minute wait for a table, got order wrong once but fixed surprisingly fast, staff generally pleasant humans. Environment: 5 Amazing location, lovely to walk around in while waiting for table, little store down the way, great weather. Meals: 3 Very filling, only had two rolls and didn't need anything else, pretty average sushi though, nothing to write home about. Drinks: 4 Large selection, overall pretty creative, however quantities of ingredients could have been much better thought out, very nice. Ambiance: 3 Average sushi vibes, bar puts you elbow to elbow with the person next to you, very loud inside, better layout needed, good decor. Space: 2 Restaurant is way too small, tables too close and bar too small, bathrooms smell of chemical leaks and are full of trash, cool sink. read more

We had gotten poke so many times so we decided we wanted to try one sushi meal while we were in Hawaii and saw Nuka had amazing reviews. As most reviews state, Nuka had a LONG wait time and a line when we arrived even though we came fairly late that I thought most people wouldn't be out eating at that time anymore. However, once we got seated, our order was taken very quickly and the food also came out very fast! We took our server's recommendations on what to order and tried one of the specials they were offering that night, the sushi platter, and a specialty roll. I felt quantity could've been better for the price, but then again, I don't know what to expect for sushi prices in Hawaii. The quality was good though and fish tasted fresh. We enjoyed all our dishes, and I wish we would've ordered more because I didn't feel we had enough food once everything came out. I definitely can see Nuka being a local favorite though and am glad we tried it! read more

Nuka - Sushi Bars Near Me - Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii

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We love Nuka. The food, service and ambiance are excellent. Everything we've had there has been great. The sushi is fresh and inventive, and so are the cocktails. Try the karaage chicken! They don't take reservations, so get there early and expect to wait. Trust me -- it's worth the wait. read more

This was one of our favorite sushi experiences on the island definitely high-quality fish. The Toro special was out of this world some of the best toro we had outside of Japan. overall daily specials are what you should look out for they even have really cool special rolls that they change from time to time. The service was absolutely amazing and you can tell a lot of locals come here too. Definitely recommend for lunch or dinner. They have other great menu items too. If you like baked mussels it's delicious here. read more

It's been awhile since I went to Nuka. It's a modern sushi place in Haiku town that is dear to my cousin and I since we supported them for lunch when they first opened years ago. Now the secret is out and it is filled with eager tourists and locals alike for dine in and also carry out. Because it's in Haiku and wait time can be long, it's not a place I frequent a lot but when I do, it is a special treat. When you arrive, you wait to put your name on the list by the hostess. We arrived around 5:45 pm on a weekday and were told it was a 40 minute wait for either table or Sushi Bar. To our surprise, we probably waited 15-20 minutes tops. They ask for your number so they text you when your table is ready and you get a 20 minute grace period or they'll move on to the next. Seating is limited to 50 so wait times can be long (especially for a larger party) so be prepared. We ordered a good mix of some regular favorites with Specials. I ordered Tutu's Tea which was Assam Tea, Fresh Orange and Lemon Juice, Mint and Honey. For appetizers we had Kinpira Gobo (burdock root, carrot and sake) and a miso soup. At first sips, the Miso Soup lacked Wakame which was brought to their attention and fixed. It was a tad on the warm side and hot water would've kept me sipping more. The stars of the night was definitely my favorite Special, the King Kong Roll which has shrimp tempura, avocado, spicy hamachi, masago and unagi glaze and aioli. So delicious! My cousin got the Negi Bluefin Toro Roll, as he said "fatty goodness!" I do love Salmon and opt for the Peahi Roll with salmon, pea sprouts and masago. The cool adventurous dish has to be the Mahi Bombs which was soaked in Coconut Milk so it was moist and delicate inside and then crunchy on the outside because it was covered with Panko, Mac nut, and Peanut. It accompanied this pickled onion and cabbage and green onion below. When you dip the Mahi Bomb into the Lilikoi Sweet Chili Sauce, it literally was an umami bomb in your mouth! For dessert, you can't leave without a Mochi or a scoop of ice cream. We always crave the Black Sesame Ice Cream! It's gritty like cookies and cream. There was even a cool Miso flavor if you feel fancy. Overall, a delicious sushi fix in the heart of Haiku, served with aloha! read more

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The service is very good, the fish was really not very fresh. The rolls were a bit bland but freshness is key. The sushi rice lacked the right texture. Nunca read more

This is the spot to go to and be at! I couldn't recommend this place enough as many locals and tourist come here to have great quality food in a inviting atmosphere. This was a happening joint and we were very lucky to have a seat. They don't do reservations and I saw there was a wait list ready to be filled, but we probably just came at the right time. We basically trusted our server and placed most of our orders on what she recommended to us. It appeared the staff really enjoyed being and working there as everyone was super nice and smiled throughout their entire shift. Like even walking between tables and such, not only at the tables. Each dish was plated very nice looking, so much so that we ate everything right away and totally forgot to take pictures of our foods lol. The kids tried and ate everything that was served, so you know that's a plus! read more

Excellent fish quality, good and friendly service. It can get super busy so plan ahead for that. Rolls are on the pricier side. A good spot for date night or a special occasion. read more

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A friend who comes here often said we had to try this restaurant and he was spot on! Delicious good and fabulous service! Very clean and enjoyable! read more

This restaurant has a little bit of a larger than life reputation in my mind. I'm aware it's a hang out for surfers and the beautiful people of Maui or the people who can truly afford it or tourists who want to see something off the beaten past. My partner wanted to come here. The place is less than a four minute drive from my house and I drive by and go to the yoga studio down the block, I've always avoided it. I know it's a good place and if I went there, I'd wanna go there again and again and again and it's a little bit out of my regular budget, but we went tonight and we enjoyed it. We had the specialty rolls the Haiku roll and the nuka roll. . We had some fresh potato salad, which was very, very good. A burdock appetizer, which was also good. There was Saba. There was ikura I've had better, ikura . We ended our meal with some tempura, which was kind of all different. It was fine. It reminded me of eating an Osaka. The place is Well managed has an accessible field to it.. i'm not sure if my server was new but she was hanging in there and the food came out super fast. I wanted the dishes to settle a little different n the than the food runner thought they should,be place . Who knows no one's really sure house sushi should be set on the table. It's an issue of dispute. I enjoy that dispute and I enjoy this restaurant. It is kind of pricey, but for a special occasion. Maybe for a birthday or celebration or just a day when one wants to feel special I would go back. read more

Nuka - Tempura very good - Sushi Bars Near Me - Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii

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*A truly Best Of Maui candidate! *Independent *Local *Fresh fish *Sushi Chef Masters *Friendly staff *Many items are locally sourced * Japanese made beers and sake. *Parking out front *Clean restrooms *Clean and relaxing environment *Daily featured items *Offers take out *Great staff synergy *Say hi to Lisa! read more

Nuka - Hamachi! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii

Food good; service good; vegan options. However, ambiance (at lunch) crowded and noisy. Pricey.

We always enjoy coming here to Nuka. We checked in around 5:15 p.m. for an early dinner and we had to wait about 30 minutes for dinner.. They put your name on a waiting list and text you when your ready to be seated. This place was packed when we checked in. So 30 minutes came and my name was called. We sat down and were greeted with water and our server came over.. She was kind and sweet. We got out drink orders in and I started on a bunch of small plates. We chose the Moscow mule and a Lilikoi Margarita. But we're they both delicious. We both had 2 each. The food came out shortly after that. The tenderloin, the chicken skewers, agadashi tofu, and shrimp and veggie tempura oh and a shrimp tempura roll plus an ocean salad were all amazingly delicious. The Ambiance is it was pretty loud and busy. Tables were filled and the waitstaff was on it. They had the place going with drinks and food. Which is great. We'll be back with others for then to enjoy this pace as much as we do. read more

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Sushi was soooo fresh here. we really ordered a LOT and everything was absolutely delicious. The miso eggplant appetizer was honestly our favorite. The sashimi was super fresh and the tuna (of course) was my favorite. We got 3 special rolls, the rainbow roll was our favorite. Get everything here! read more

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This place was recommended by a friend. I never heard of this place before. I am so glad to have discovered it. It's in Haiku, a place I don't frequent. Finally had a chance to try. My hubby and I had the miso fish and eggplant, and some sushi. Wow, it was lovely. The service was also very friendly and efficient! We had the home made green tea ice cream for dessert. Perfect ending. The entrance is not very obvious coming here, so your really need to look. Yes, I would recommend this place if your like Japanese food, and you're in Haiku, you gotta come here! read more

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Early dinner for us, it was quick and of course delicious. Service was excellent. Ambiance was great especially when it started raining. read more

Dined here multiple times. Mostly at the sushi bar. Food is amazing. Service is okay. Feels like we're just a number.

Waited for 1/2 an hour before we got in but it was well worth it. The food was delicious and the service was great. Will definitely go back to try more items on the menu read more

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Absolutely delicious! So fresh... we had yellowfin/ahi along with their special tempura with spicy tuna roll & decides to finish it with the most delicious seared ahi edged toasted black sesame seeds then lightly charred I have not had anything like it That was yesterday & I am still savoring the taste of that meal! We had just arrived in Maui staying in Haiku & just got lost for dinner worth the adventure read more

Love this place! Food is always delicious. Excellent sushi! Great service and nice ambiance. We come here on special occasions and never disappointed. No reservations so come early when they open. Be prepared to wait if you come later. Save room for their home made ice cream! Green tea is my favorite. read more

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Good delish food , nice ambiance. Busy though I wish out server would have checked in with us more often. read more

Nuka - Lilikoi Ice cream and mango mochi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii

Service was ok. They don't take reservations so a waitlist of anything longer than 30 min is def not worth going. To be honest - the Chinese bbq next door looked more appetizing! One bathroom stall for each gender - and its usually taken. (the restaurant itself is small though) We ordered (for 4 people): - miso soup: its $6, and it's tiny. Reminded me of a convenience store miso brand. - miso eggplant: not good. Honestly regret ordering this. - miso butterfish: last and least... Wasn't sweet enough. - Haleakala roll: I mean it was well presented, but I don't remember what it tasted like. And I finished eating it 15 minutes ago. - Haiku roll: literally the roll fell apart as I was trying to pick it up. How do you suck this badly at making a roll? - baked mussels: shrug emoji. - 8pc iku sashimi: it was kinda small? Probably won't order again. We wanted amaebi sashimi but they ran out. Probably for the best. - chicken katsu Don It was enough food, but I'mma be honest - Sansei was a much better experience than this. Miso soup $6? It wasn't even memorable! Portion size of the katsu Don was decent, but the problem was that the breading is made separately from the chicken - so it falls off immediately when you try to dip it into the ponzu. This further reinforces the stereotype: Maui Japanese food... Just doesn't hit the same. Try Honolulu, or Japan itself.... But this is more like "Japanese inspired" or Japanese influenced cuisine. None of the rolls were worth getting. Not sure why I was possessed to believe it'd be good. Came out to $200 for the four of us before tip, but after tax. Would we come back? Doubtful. read more

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Nuka was a super cute small sushi restaurant. 1. They do not take reservations, it's first come first serve however they do have a list you can put your name and number down 2. The servers and hostess were very nice and welcoming 3.I got the Peahi and the nuka roll. Both were great, i would highly suggest Peahi roll. Everything tasted fresh and of great quality. It is on the pricier side but it's a nice place for date night or a special occasion. read more

Nuka - Sushi Bars Near Me - Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii

After several days of poke and hawaiian bbq, mac salad and lots of heavy foods, I was so happy to be eating this Salmon Nuka Bowl! The Salmon option was definitely the move. This restaurant was one of the few open late not too far from Paia. I was so so happy to see LOTS of fresh vegetables, on a small bed of rice. It was the most refreshing dinner. The lime sesame dressing in this bowl was perfection, and the salmon was moist and delicious. Service was quick and the restaurant was welcoming. read more

Nuka - Salmon Nuka Bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii

Food was good 4/5 but service was 1/5 stars. We sat at 6:30pm on a Monday and didn't leave until almost 8:15. We saw one table have dinner seating turns in the time we were there. A few issues to mention: -server took about 10 minutes to even approach our table to gather a drink order -we ordered an app and drinks, and then again a long pause to take our dinner order -ordered another bottle of Sake and then our waitress forgot. I should have let it go but then asked another server bring the bottle. -it took about 25 mins for us to get the check. This is after I saw our waitress take orders and other tables get their food. -ha the funny part was when we finally get our check back with the credit card, our server walked around confused said she forgot where who the bill was for. I get that this is Maui but that was some of the worst service I've had in any recent memory (PS I'm not a boomer). I didn't even want to leave a tip but left 10%. The kitchen food was good (especially the butter fish), sushi was ok. I wouldn't be rushing to go back. read more

This spot is nice, but definitely skippable. My family and I arrived 30 minutes after the place opened and already a line was formed. We waited 30 minutes before being seated (not a problem as the hostess was very transparent with us about the wait). Once sat, we were greeted by an incredibly friendly waitress. She was very kind and offered many menu suggestions. She brought the food out quickly and made the experience enjoyable. The food itself was lacking. It was not bad by any means, but simply not special. No meal blew my family out of the water. And despite the large menu selections, the food was just alright. Nothing was inedible, but nothing was incredible. Also, I must mention that this place has an incredible atmosphere. The interior is beautifully designed and everything feels new and well-kept. I don't necessarily recommend driving here especially, but, if in the area give it a try. read more

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What a fantastic lunch! My wife and I took a drive to Haiku on Memorial Day in hopes of eating here. Great smaller restaurant, nicely decorated and very attentive and friendly staff. We ate the hamachi carpaccio, tuna and hamachi nigiri as well as the Haiku roll which may have been our favorite. All the dishes were fresh with an ample cut of fish. We will definitely be returning! read more

Food is good all the time. The atmosphere is cozy and cute. The chefs at the counter are friendly.

Came here craving fresh fish and it did not disappoint! I got the sushi platter that came with 9 pieces of nigiri including hamachi, salmon, tuna, snapper and shrimp. It also came with 6 pieces of maki which I got spicy tuna. Each piece came with a really decent portion of fish and the rice ratio was pretty good too. What stood out was how fresh and melt in your mouth the fish was! Also got the spicy edamame which was super flavorful and garlicy and the hibiscus drink which was super refreshing. Overall a great meal! read more

This has been our go-to place for special occasions - bdays, anniversary, this is always my pick. Food is delicious and service is great, or at least it used to be. We never got a refill on water (our table carafe and our glasses were empty) and the waitress who took our order def looked annoyed. No one ever checked on us or asked if we wanted to order anything else. It took forever to get our bill from her and while we were waiting to cash out, we noticed the 3 tables who came in AFTER us had already left. The guy next to us even had ice cream. We didn't order ice cream bc everything was taking forever! The food is pricy (altho nowadays, isn't everything?) which is why we would only come here on special occasions and I always looked forward to it but this last time, it just wasn't it. I don't know if it was because of the mediocre service from the start and the obvious irritation from our waitress but this birthday dinner was just a huge let down. The food was also just ok this time and we just left feeling disappointed. Hopefully it was just a really off night service wise but we prob won't be returning to find out. read more

Delicious food. Super fresh local fish! The service is absolutely amazing from everyone. They treated my baby so sweetly. Incredible Black sesame and matcha homemade ice cream read more

This place is yummy, but definitely not the best sushi on island. My rolls were loosely wrapped and more rice than filling. The environment is also very small and loud, but the service is impeccable and the food tastes good! The drinks were all enjoyable as well. It's one of those experiences where I'm not sure I had such a good time because the place is wonderful or because the people I was with are wonderful, but why not both? I don't love their no reservation policy because we did wait to be seated for 2 hours as a party of 5. But definitely a fun place to celebrate an occasion! read more

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Whatever you do, don't go here the last thing I need is more people getting in the way of me and my Nuka experience. Just kidding, Nuka is very popular for a reason it is the best sushi around. Small local eatery with huge following means a little wait here and there or sometimes a long wait but I will almost always wait because the food is incredible. Fresh, local ingredients and fish. From small plates to sushi, appetizers and drinks, delicious declicious delicious. read more

Order miso cream pasta with ahi and thought it was soup because it is under the soup plus noodle. It was so dry. Dry pasta with parm cheese. Pid 26$ for a dish we couldn't even enjoy. So disappointed. read more

Nuka - Undercooked pasta and over cooked ahi. Do better for take out! Flavor was not even all that. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii

Ordered Godzilla Pokémon Spicy Edamame Hurricane Fries Baked Mussels Sushi Platter and Spicy Tuna and all tasted great. Mixed drinks were good definitely on the stronger side. Ambiance was great the only con I have is that since it's a smaller place it feels a little cramped. Service was my biggest disappointment the lady was nice but she never came to ask for more water or napkins or even to check up on us we only received 1 ginger and wasabi when we ordered 6 different rolls and than gave us the wrong check thought it would be better service since it's a smaller place but I was wrong. Also bring cash otherwise there is a 3% card processing fee which is so absurd this is the age of electronic payments but we get penalized. read more

I would give this place a higher rating if I could!! I don't know where to begin on what to critic first because between the food quality, friendly workers, the chefs, and them being so sanitary-- NUKA IS TOP TIER 10000/10. I always get the Nuka bowl with salmon, and they never fail to disappoint. Thank you team for always being so kind and accommodating to me. I always feel like the crew is part of my family, so sweet and friendly. Actually if I could change anything it would to be to come to Kihei!! But at the same time, I'll still make that commute any day :) read more

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Food was delicious. We had garlic and chili edamame, a whole steamed fish head, spider roll, Hamachi crudo, Nuka roll, and fried gobo (burdock root) chips. I'd order all of it again. Normally I don't order appetizers but the gobo chips and edamame are unique and wonderful starts to a meal. No reservations taken. Come early as this small restaurant fills up fast. The service is spot on. read more

Nuka - Chili garlic edamame - Sushi Bars Near Me - Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii

If you're craving sushi, Nuka is the place to go in the North Shore. The space is intimate yet still feels open and welcoming; they do not take reservations so be sure to get there early. We went for lunch after an early morning in Haleakala and decided to share 2 small plates, a roll, the nigiri special, and a 9 piece sashimi plate which was the right amount for the 2 of us. I also had the lilikoi orange spritzer which was so refreshing after a morning of hiking. My favorite dish was the Haleakala roll which is a baked roll wrapped in salmon and topped with a delicious sauce. My husband's favorite was the miso butterfish which was so light and buttery and had a nice sweetness of the broiled skin. The nigiri special was a torched salmon belly which was so good with a nice smoky flavor. The Asian fries were nice for sharing to give a little crunch to the meal and came with a tasty wasabi aioli dipping sauce. The sashimi plate included 3 pieces each of yellowtail, tuna, and salmon. Overall, the food was well made and delicious - highly recommend! read more

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love love love, nom nom nom Can't really go wrong here but I'd start with a Nuka Roll, Piahi Roll, oddly the California Rolls are adictive and the Nuka Bowl with chicken. We eat here all the time. read more