I've heard about Obake from several people but never had the time to go down. Fortunately, a friend was available to meet up one day and suggested to meet there so I could finally visit. We meet up in the evening and the place was busy! It's street parking but thankfully it was free street parking when I found a stall. There are also several lots around the area that you can pay to park in as well. Fortune smiled upon me as I was able to secure us seats. I enjoyed the vibe of the place and the staff were all very friendly. The phone booth was a nice touch in the corner. We were there for drinks so I didn't try any food but the drinks were quite enjoyable. I ordered three different drinks and with my fourth drink, I ordered my favorite of those three. Presentation was nice and the bar tenders didn't take long to get the drinks out considering how busy they were. Nice chill spot for drinks and I look forward to coming back to try some food in the future. read more

Obake - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

I came here for a solo dinner on Friday night and really enjoyed myself. I was scared it would be a long wait as they don't take reservations and I wasn't able to call in and see how long. Thankfully being just me I was able to get a seat within 10 minutes. I got the dry aged handroll set of 5 and then the obake yuzu. They do change their menus every 1-2 weeks. The drink I got was the black cat eats white rabbit and OMG such a good drink! Service was amazing and everyone there was so kind. The ambiance is super chill and the music they played was 90's-2000's which im a 90's baby so I enjoyed myself. Would come back 100%! read more

See all

Review of the cocktail bar/skewer section. Amazing chef doing the skewers, so amazing to hear how he has crafted his own menu and how wonderfully he executes it all. The tako was cooked perfectly and we were so lucky to get the last mushroom!! Hoping to come back when they have a night with live music as well, overall just such an amazing space with a wonderfully friendly staff, creative drinks and an overall positive experience in the whole space. read more

See all

Love it! The bar area is very personal dining and you get to talk with the chef. Everyone was really friendly and the art on the walls is really fun. There's a lot of pride in the art of sushi making here and it shows. The flavors are absolutely amazing! A must try if you're local or visiting. Pro tip - you can also sit outside. read more

AMAZING! They just opened and I can already tell this is gonna be the start of something great. Chef dry ages his fish which gives it a whole new level of flavors. The rolls are simple but the fish really shines through. I recommend getting one of the sets so you can try a bunch of different options. Although the hand rolls are amazing, you can't skip out on the cocktails! Gabe is one of our favorite bartenders. His concoctions are so creative and a treat for your taste buds. They don't take reservations right now and it's all counter seatings. Try to get in early! read more

See all

Love the concept of this bar! Graffiti Art meets Japan! All their drinks are super creative and yummy! Presentation is on point here. Their sushi hand rolls are fun and innovative too! Cheers! read more

See all

This unique and fairly new bar in Chinatown serves matcha by day, and fancy cocktails and sushi hand rolls by night. Luckily, I've had the opportunity to experience both ends of this place. Don't worry, I didn't see any obake (ghost in Japanese), so food and drinks can be peacefully enjoyed! In the morning, you can enjoy matcha drinks to go or by sitting at the counter. Their menu is limited but the quality is amazing. I love good matcha, and the vibrant green color and the rich bitter taste of matcha that they used signified good quality matcha. It can be enjoyed as a latte, in a traditional chawan bowl, or with some alcohol if you're feeling up to it! I paired my ceremonial-style matcha with the daifuku, and it was so good. Definitely bitter but the sweetness of the daifuku balanced it out perfectly. The latte is delicious as well and I loved that it wasn't too sweet or super milky. They offer alternative milk options as well! At night, Obake comes alive in a different way. With dimmed lighting and loud music, it's a nice place to come and hang out for light sushi and next level cocktails. Although the hand rolls run a bit pricey, each one is uniquely designed by the sushi makers. The flavors are unlike any other but the ingredients compliment each other so well in a way you'd never expect! The staff make the hand rolls to order and even explain the medley of flavors that are incorporated into each one. It's truly a unique and modern take on traditional sushi bars! I highly recommend obake yuzu and coco cream for hand rolls and the twelve levels cocktail for a refreshing and citrus-y taste. Parking is of course rough in Chinatown but the municipal parking lot on Beretania is the closest lot to Obake! read more

See all

Cocktails on point. Excellent sake menu. Super friendly service. Suggested cocktails: Black Cat Eats White Rabbit Twelve Levels Letter From Yokosuka Can't go wrong with any of the sake they carry. They are working things out for the kitchen and food but I am sure if they approach their hand rolls like they do their cocktails, they will be just fine. read more

Obake - Twelve Levels Black Cat Eats White Rabbit - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My boyfriend and I come here as often as we can. I really enjoy ordering the ghost bowl; it's the chef's choice, and it's always a different and exciting experience. Apart from that, our favorite is the salmon roll. The dry-aged salmon is incredibly flavorful and fresh. Their drinks are well-crafted and unique; you can't go wrong with any of their cocktails. Don't forget to end your meal with the furtikake sesame ice cream sandwich. YES, you NEED it. Everyone working here is down-to-earth and appears genuinely happy to do their job. I appreciate the bar seating setup, and the service is excellent. read more

Obake - furtikake sesame ice cream sandwich - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Unfortunately they closed the inside portion of the restaurant. They used to do hand rolls and matcha but now they only have a few skewers. Not enough for a meal or even worth making the trip out to. Used to be great but now it's another place to skip. read more

One of my fave spots in Chinatown Oahu. Cocktails never disappoint. Service is top notch. Food menu changes and is always such a great pairing for the drinks. Fresh Hand rolls during the late hours of the night? count me in!!! They also opened up the back patio on weekends with skewers and nighttime saimin :) Also- the art and ambiance inside is great. A must stop everytime we're in the area! read more

From the moment my wife and I arrived, we were greeted graciously. First by the security at the main entrance, then by the bartender and the chef who was responsible for making the hand rolls. My first order was the uni hand roll called the "ya, you." It was fresh and delicious, and I also ordered their craft drink called the "Stiletto," which was boozy and complex... Dare I say a perfect mix. I went on to order 2 of the "King Thing" rolls. They were balanced, flavorful, and delicious. We ate them exactly how the chef made them, with no need for any soy or Wasabi enhancements. Super good!! To our delight, the restaurant also had a yakitori bar on the patio portion of the establishment out back. The manager perfectly/seamlessly transitioned us to the patio staff by whom we were seated immediately and promptly took our order. The patio space was beautifully lit and had dope music playing at the perfect volume. We ordered the chicken thigh, chicken skin, meatballs, and grilled octopus. I wanted the chicken heart and gizzard, but by the time we got there, at nearly midnight, they had sold out ( which told us they must be good!). All of the selections I got were fantastic. We will definitely come earlier next time for the hearts and gizzards. The grilled octopus and chicken skin were my favorites tonight. The chicken thigh was very juicy and flavorful, but to be honest, I was pretty full by then. If eaten on an emptier stomach, I would most likely love them even more, lol. They will be my first selection when I come back next time. Overall, Obake could do no wrong tonight. The bathrooms were clean, well-lit, and properly maintained. I can honestly say I found no flaws in the experience I had tonight other than me waiting too long to show up and missing the hearts and gizzards, lol. I highly recommend this spot. Best Chinatown late-night eats!! A must try!! read more

Obake - Grilling up the goodness. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Obake has a wide assortment of yakitori to choose from as well as some huge prawns. The chef cooks the skewers right in front of you which is awesome. We also got their saimin which was a special for the night which hit the spot. It is a large outdoor area with a lot of tables, and one of the few food places open late at night in Chinatown. The prices are very reasonable, would definitely reccomend coming here! read more

See all

Basically a hipster sushi restaurant. Pretty unique place actually. The food is actually really good. Less effort goes into these hand rolls than at a serious sushi joint but the ingredients and flavors are still there. At about $9 for a smallish hand roll it's not cheap. We got the set of 5 hand rolls for $45. It was decently filling but I think they are about $2 per roll overpriced. You know those crappy 7-11 hand rolls? These are about 10x better in taste but 1/2 the size. The sole seating option is a long bar counter. This does not make it a great choice for large groups. 2-4 people max if you care about conversing with others in your party. read more

Obake - Main restaurant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Amazing service. We went around 5:30pm on a Saturday and did not have to wait in line. We ordered the specialty set of rolls and it was perfect for 2 of us women (4 rolls). We also got the Potato Nanban which was super delicious. They played hip hop music which was our vibe. Highly recommend for a chill sushi night. read more

See all

Really great food, cocktails, and atmosphere...The Obake roll and Lost In Translation cocktail we're both on point! read more

Obake - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Review is for drinks and vibes - stopped here before dinner while strolling Chinatown for the very first time and the interior called out to us. "Obake" in Japanese means ghost/monster, depictions of which aptly adorn the walls and characterize some of their signature cocktails - Shinigami, for example, for all my fellow Death Note fans, entices in a creepy/cool way (I won't be posting a photo - just order it). Bartenders (I think their names were Yun and Gabe) were welcoming and extremely knowledgable; one of them came out from behind the bar to escort us to our seats, and both of them crafted excellent drinks after answering our questions. Sitting at the bar, your eyes won't run out of design elements to examine (nor will your glass ever be wanting); we could have easily spent another hour here and/or dined if it weren't for a dinner resy. I especially appreciate the care and precision that goes into crafting very good drinks - it's an art form - and Obake does it right, in the midst of a shadowy and transfixing atmosphere. read more

New hipster spot, love the graffiti from local pow wow walls artists. The rolls are unique and fish is aged to perfection. Try the cat tiki mug with white rabbit candy. Delish read more

See all

Unique cocktails, all extremely smooth. I normally don't like cocktails. Good customer service, cool artwork, good jams. What more do you want? Only regret is that I ate before visiting here, next time I'll try the food - looks good. read more

Obake - Black Cat Eats White Rabit - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Co workers and I came here for pauhana and a little send off. We definitely enjoyed the ambience, a different setting than what I'm used to but interesting. We loved the drinks, I had Shinigami and had it maybe 3-4 times! Sushi was good, a little of the spicy side if you like it hot. It's located in deep downtown so we walked it from our work but there is parking across the place if you to. read more

Obake - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Matcha and Japanese sweet the best combination! And touch of graffiti art in the restaurant. Modern and change your image of matcha place! Really enjoyed the iced matcha latte and sweets! The guy seems scary but very nice. Highly recommend!! I would love to try the sushi too! read more

Obake - Iced matcha latte and mizu shingen mochi - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place is way more than amazing cocktails and sushi, it is the entire experience! Bartender/servers very friendly and will recommend the set menus, which I highly recommend. It comes in order of the menu and is explained how it is prepared and to enjoy. For the experience ask the bartender to pair it with the sushi and having the flavors all together is a mouthgasm. I highly recommend going early, as I was there at 5:30p and seats filled up fast. You won't be seated unless your entire party is there, so be prompt or you'll be waiting. Very trendy atmosphere and I again didn't expect my time to be an overall experience. Highly recommend checking this place out. I haven't experienced a place like this in O'ahu, so was a great find. read more

Obake - Black Cat eats White Rabbit - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Could get a little pack at times, expect a long wait on a busy day. Service both from front and back are good, nice friendly and very accommodating staffs. Takes time to explain to you the food. Expect a dim setting but still i'd say is not bad. Can get a little crowded as the place is small, sitting at the bar type of thing. Food are really good and made fresh and are also made in front of you and explained to you. Best to taste first before dipping in the sauce. Food is also on a pricier side. read more

See all

So happy to stumble into Obake several times before dinner or for a night cap. The cocktails are affordable for the Chinatown scene and well balanced. Hand rolls are delicious and made to order in front of you. A little bit loud and bar space only so obviously a little difficult to go with a big group, but a good date night spot! read more

Loved the vibes!! I would say, I wish the rolls were more shareable like pieces as opposed to one single roll. The man behind the bar was very fast, knowledgeable, and I loved how he gave us instructions on how to enjoy the roll to the fullest. You can tell he truly cared about our experience. We were here on 5/22/24 I wish I knew his name to give him a shout out!! I am giving this place a 4/5 because of the drinks. Although very tasty and complex, the drinks took a very long time to come out. We (three of us in total) ordered our drinks first before anything - took a while to figure out what we wanted to eat, and The sushi guy made 2 rolls and our French fries came out all before the drinks were dropped off. Other than that, I would return!! read more

Obake - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

With eye-catching cocktails and ambiance, this bar emanates a mysterious aura that seemingly draws you in as you wander the streets of Chinatown in the evening. If seating is full when you arrive, you'll be asked to queue outside until there's availability. Only had around a 15-minute wait, and was immediately captivated by the eclectic interior design (think 1980s grunge meets some modern-day art). We tried the Stiletto, the Letter from Yokosuka, and the Moon Strut--out of all three, my fave was the Letter from Yokosuka, which was smooth and aromatic, combining notes of houjicha, toasted rice, genmaicha, yuzu, and more. Will def be back some other time to check out the hand rolls! read more

Obake - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

The drinks were amazingggg. Absolutely love coming here. Good service and great vibes. Jason was an amazing server and Yun made the drinks on point. read more

Obake - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Loved food! Fresh,different and ono!!! Tried venison for the first time and it was not gamey! Reasonably priced and friendly staff. Will come again for food, I am not a cocktail person. read more

Bravo!! I hope more formerly run down establishments in Chinatown turn into hip fun tasty places like this!! This is the same bartender as Hei Ho (my former favorite restaurant) so I went here to try it. While the look of the drinks is similar (same Instagram pictures as Hei ho) the tastes and ingredients are different. We put our name in and ended up only waiting 5 minutes for a seat at 8pm on a Friday night. This place has better mixology drinks than other nearby places like Podmore or EP bar. The staff is super cool and urban. I really liked the overall vibe of this place. They played 90s / early 2000s rap songs with a good sound system. The hand rolls were great! My boyfriend especially liked the salmon yuzu one. read more

Honestly, who WOULDNT be tempted by hand rolls and craft cocktails?! I mean is there a better combo....we couldn't wait to try Obake. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We started with the shishito peppers which were delicious; especially the sauce with which they are served. The drink descriptions are so involved so take your time reading through them, it's worth it! There are a lot of whiskey based drinks which I loved and I wish I could've tried more. The hand rolls were also amazing. I think most people go for the set but by the time we finished the set we were so full. We ordered one more of the specialty rolls and it was so good I wish I had not gotten the set and had ordered a verity of specialty rolls. My only disappointment was that we really felt rushed and I can understand they don't take reservations so they want to make sure those waiting don't have to wait too long however, I would have rather made a reservation and then not been rushed. Otherwise, thank you for a great night and a delicious dinner! Wanted to add a note about the music-it was awesome. Noticed while waiting for our food that it was one great song after another...upon further whiskey-induced contemplation I realized that these songs were in fact considered throwbacks and my millennial self is indeed getting old. read more

Obake - Drinks - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

We sat outside on the skewers side and ordered the mushroom, the chicken balls and the chicken satay - Greta flavor, just small portions. Drinks were delicious. Panako was a great bartender, she took great care of my cousins and I - friendly, easy to talk to, and great recommendations. Highly recommend :) read more

Sean was the best bartender made our visit to Oahu unforgettable! Great drinks, service and ambience! Will be back again!

Foods are awesome great service we love the drink and the place is the best! See Grace - she will surely take care of you! Price - a bit pricey, but you are paying for quality for sure. read more

I am so happy to see a bar like Obake pop up in Chinatown! It is a fun, hip spot that serves up some creative rolls for sure! I think the flavors were across the board and not all were winners, which I would prefer they stick with a specific flavor profile. I loved the side dishes - especially the shishito peppers. I'd say Obake is a great place for those who may want more dietary options when eating out with friends. read more

See all

Amazing. Service was great, drinks and hand rolls were amazing. This is a great place for around happy hour or if you want a light dinner. They play early to mid 2000s music so I enjoy it a lot. Definitely check it out. read more

Obake - Black cat eats white rabbit - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Wish I could come more often but it's kinda hard to park. The drinks are delicious and I love supporting local businesses! I got the matcha latte with agave and it was better than what I normally get at Starbucks (obviously LOL) read more

This hidden hole in the wall gem in Chinatown is the best kept secret for rolls and bowls!!!! Service is outstanding and on point, the food is prepared from scratch and fresh!!! I've been to Obake several times and it never disappoints! Anytime you're in Chinatown clubbing and feel a need to feed yourself something healthy, light, fresh, and affordable.....PLEASE stop by Obake. You will not regret it and you'll be back. read more

Fun spot for a quick bite. Great cocktails & unique hand rolls as well as the classics done well. read more

Obake - White rabbit black cat ‍ cocktail Delicious! Love the inventive beverage menu & the specialty hand rolls are chef's kiss - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Your China Town Sushi spot. This place doesn't take reservations. They serve specialty sushi hand rolls. They age some of the fish they serve. This place has a cool vibe with artwork and graffiti on the walls. Highly recommended spot for the experience. read more

See all

Drinks are great! Nori softened within seconds so it was impossible to bite through a roll, then everything squishes out the back (why not do conical hand rolls like most places, I have no idea). Went with others who were hoping the share then were told by the staff that they didn't have the right knife (weird canned response but okay, why not have the presence of mind to let a party of four know that they don't recommend sharing). Agree with an earlier reviewer that said the supposed depth of flavor of the fish was lost in the format. If you're only serving hand rolls, why serve shoyu alongside? Music was loud, so not great if you're going with more than a couple. Honestly, I think there's probably something to work with here but after hyping this place up in my head the food did not deliver. Would return for cocktails in the future though. read more