we ordered the butterfish and steak togo! it was so tasty and tender!! all the flavors worked so well together & defos an underrated spot on waikiki read more

Pioneer Saloon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Was time to check this place out after seeing it a while ago. Lots of options, like how they segregated Beef Pork Chicken etc. I'm a snob when it comes to Ginger anything. So of course option 1 has to be ginger chicken. Couldn't decide for our second choice so Korean style beef it was. Ginger chicken was OK, some parts were really dry. It's not Chinese style cold ginger which I was hoping. It's more grated ginger with a side of a soy type sauce that goes with it. Would pass the next time probably. Korean beef was ok as well. Not a great Korean bulgogi flavor more stronger soy ginger garlic type. Pasta side with the pesto flavor was fantastic for however lol. Overall price wise to portions its not that bad and gets the 4 stars there. Food quality and taste more 3 stars for me. Might need to try other choices like top best sellers perhaps read more

Pioneer Saloon - Korean BBQ beef plate - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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If you're wondering why my photos look all angelically lit, A) my phone's lens steamed up after kayaking and B) the food at this laidback, casual spot is getting the glow-up because it's delightfully tasty. The deep fried baby tako was nice and crunchy and went well with the spicy mayo. I'm glad I split it with my friend because it would've been too heavy after a while. The garlic ahi steak was especially tasty. They cooked the tuna perfectly, with a great sear that still left it pink and juicy in the middle. I loved the intense, garlicky sauce that came with it, although it was a bit too salty after a while. The potato salad, which was the side of the day, went really well with the meats, providing that cool, smooth contrast. And while the shiso rice didn't taste amazingly distinct by any means, I still liked it. read more

Pioneer Saloon - Deep fried baby tako (octopus) with potato salad and brown rice. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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A local friend suggested this place. As soon as we got off the plane, we had to check this place out. It was actually on the way from the airport to our hotel in Waikiki. The food was so good. We ordered the tako plate, ahi tuna, and loco moco. Serving size was huge, each plate included rice(you can add $1 to get seaweed rice, or brown rice), pasta salad and garden salad served with a delicious sesame dressing. Service was prompt and courteous. The place was clean. You need to order at the window, grab and seat inside the restaurant, and food would be brought out to you. read more

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Still one of the best place to get plate lunches or dinner! This place always has a line. Because they are so busy, when you call for your order, they sometime miss the order and you have to reorder again. So make sure you have the person on the phone repeat the order back to you. Lol (Had this happened to me a few times. This is why they get one star off) But their food is the best! I enjoy this location more than their Kakaako location. This one has more variety to choose from and they know how to cook it well. I usually get the Miso Butterfish with Shiso rice. I love how they cook the Butterfish and it comes out really good! I would recommend ordering ahead of time and give them a call. It saves a lot of time! :) read more

Pioneer Saloon - Miso Butterfish with Shiso rice - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Salmon furikake katsu is delicious and portion is large. Price performer at $16. Cute small place, consistently good dishes.

Food: My favorite Plate Lunch spot when I go home. The fish offerings they have I think is what sets them apart as well as the wakame rice you can sub for. The Menu can be a bit overwhelming at first but everytime I gotten anything ive enjoyed it. My go to though has to be the salmon katsu or the garlic ribeye. Price: Reasonable considering its fish. I never got a dry plate once and I go every time I come home. Ambiance: Feels very family owned. Lunch spot perfect place to grab a bite after or before you head to Cromwell's. Service: You order at the counter for either takeout or dine in. Never had a issue with service here or pretty much anywhere back home in Hawaii. read more

Pioneer Saloon - Salmon Katsu and Garlic Ribeye - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

A friend recommended Pioneer Saloon, so we tried it. It did not disappoint. First off, the staff is so friendly. They're busy and on top of everything, but also laid back. The eatery is small, but some tables are big enough for 2 parties to sit at the same table. In the friendly casual atmosphere a number of people did just that. We enjoyed the pork katsu curry and avocado salmon salad. Both were good, but I'll try something else the next time I'm there because many items on the menu sound good. read more

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Wow where have you been all my life?! My friend recommended this place and it's super close to where we stay on the island. We decided to dine there on Christmas Eve. It was drizzling a little. We parked in the side lot, ordered at the little window, they checked our id and vaccination card, we picked a table (no one else was dining inside) and enjoyed the following: Ribeye steak: 4/5 tender, fatty and tasty Garlic ahi steak: 3/5 I didn't think this was anything special. Fish was a little tough. Miso butterfish: 5/5 wow!!! 5 stars for this dish alone. Butterfish melted in my mouth! Great flavor too. I highly recommend this! They decorated the inside with tons of vintage items (some are for sale). What a cute restaurant! Looking forward to coming back. read more

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I tried about 10 times same menu (cream chicken) u can get best cream chicken ever 50 % and really smelly chicken (bad smell) another 50 % so far . I dont know why so different. probably freshness. I order still remember first impression was really good as i remember. But I might never taking risk again. gonna order loco moco next time. I took a bite my boy friend one it was really good. But i couldn't finished mine. read more

We did take out: curry chicken katsu with curry separated so i could do a pour over. Fast service, nice space, only street parking available but able to park close even at 7pm in the evening read more

I thought this place was a restaurant but you order your food at a window and then go inside a find a table to sit. It's a very small place so seating is limited. Went there mainly for the Garlic Chicken. It was good but could be more garlicky. The ginger pork was good but a little fatty. The fried baby tako was good. Also, the place is not air conditioned so it was a little warm. The place also sells vintage things which is very cute. I wanted to buy something but thought it might not be good to pack. Overall it was good. read more

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This place reminds me of homemade Japanese food. The palate may seem simple, but I really appreciated the use of familiar flavors like sesame mayo salad dressing. The salmon avocado salad comes with a very generous portion of salmon - enough to be a light entree or shared side. The garlic ahi was tasty and well seasoned without additional sauce, though it comes with ponzu. The veggie pork miso stir fry doesn't taste like miso or have much identifiable pork, but is a satisfying plate for those looking for a lighter portion. Loved the local art, decor and ambiance, and local business here! read more

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Love the dishes on their menu. They have a nice variety of dishes! Love their NebaNeba bowl and Teriyaki Chicken. The side dishes are yummy too! read more

Furikake Salmon [13] // Oyster Fry [14] // Croquette [10] // Fried Chicken [10] i haven't been back at in over a year and a half since we received very below-average service buuuut alas we finally succumbed and went back for their plate lunches once again, mainly because my dad was picking up food for his customers and asked if we wanted anything. Since I can't speak about the service this time since I wasn't the one picking it up, all I can talk about is the food, which was delicious as always. This time we got the furikake salmon (which i unfortunately couldn't eat bc it was covered in mayo), oyster fry (7 small pieces but decent portion for the price and breaded nicely!), croquette (super flavorful filling), baby fried tako (our go-to, and luckily this time it wasn't nearly as salty as the last time) and fried chicken (outside was super crunchy). read more

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Always love this place.Delicious food and reasonably priced. Their Garlic Ahi Steak is the best I've ever had. Curry loco moco is also great. Warning: finding parking is horrible around there. read more

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We were here on a one week vacation and wanted something away from the touristy area and found this hidden gem!! The prices were good and lived the cute decor... you can shop and eat too!! We'll be back for sure!! read more

Pioneer Saloon - Shop while waiting for your food.. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Love pioneer saloon when I'm in the mood for a Japanese style plate lunch! My favorites consist of the furikake salmon katsu & tonkatsu egg bowl. It can get pretty busy during lunch/dinner time so I recommend calling your order in or placing an order online ahead of time. Ambiance wise, the storefront & inside gives off an old western vibe. It's a cute place for a quick lunch with friends or a great option to take to the beach! read more

Pioneer Saloon - Furikake Salmon Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Great good. Surprisingly large portions for a place that caters to Japanese. I always get the same thing. Creamy Salmon with all salad. But everything on the menu is good. The salmon is a great deal though. It's more protein than the creamy chicken. With a younger staff the food is remarkably consistent over the years both on portion size and taste. The honey sweet potato tempura fries are really yummy. Something unique I've never seen elsewhere. The food here is better than the Kakaako location. read more

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Wifey always wants to come here when we are visiting home. Menu is a little overwhelming-so many different choices of local favorites. Today we ordered the keiki plate, furikake ahi katsu plate, yakisoba, and honey sweet potato tempura. Ahi was fantastic as usual but maybe a little heavy on the mayo. Yakisoba was good but wifey said a little heavy on the bonito. Keiki plate was a fun mix of different items including chicken karaage, a few fries, rice with furikake, pasta salad, and a Capri Sun. The honey sweet potato tempura was different and fun--easily the highlight this visit. The team here is always so nice and welcoming. Love that they added air conditioning. The restaurant always has fun vintage items and crafts to peruse and buy. read more

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Wow. We were fortunate to have our learning lunch catered by this gem of a plate lunch/bento/ Asian fusion eatery and we were not disappointed! Excellent value, creative combinations and well- prepared food that will appeal to all taste buds. Honestly , I was impressed. I highly recommend the Salmon/Avocado Salad& the TeriFried Chicken with Walnuts... the Fried Calamari was also very good with furikake sprinkles and spicy mayo dip. I vow to try more of their menu... and deeply regret not tasting the pasta salad ( next time) Mahalo and Good Job from Times Kahala Pharmacy read more

Our go to plate lunch spot. We always get the garlic ahi. First time trying the fried baby tako and its so good. read more

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Awesome food and outdoor seating! Fast service! My go to fave is the Hamburger steak w Demi glacé and Waksman shiso rice. read more

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I've had this place saved on my collection for a while now. And on Saturday my husband and I were able to do a cheat meal! We came around a little past 6pm and it wasn't too busy. We parked by the houses area but the walk wasn't far at all. We wanted to try the deep fried baby tako but they said they were out! So, I would totally come back for that! I ordered the furikake ahi katsu and my husband got the fried chicken with garlic sauce. It took about 15 minutes to get our order. Husband got his order and I got mine but it was missing the furikake. I just told the lady that took our order and she took it back and added the furikake. She apologized and it was okay. The food was really good! Our food both came with 1 scoop of rice, the entree, and potato salad (or is it mashed potatoes?) Anyway, we really enjoyed the food here! But definitely will be returning for the baby octopus! read more

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So yummy and they give decent servings. Miso fish is superior and never disappoints. A little pricey for plate lunch but when you crave it, the money doesn't matter. read more

TLDR; a rustic looking Mom n Pop restaurant that offers a huuuuge variety of delicious Japanese inspired dishes, but with a "southwestern" take. Pioneer Saloon's menu is Japan meets Hawaii, and the best part of the food is the perfect balance of variety, portion size, deliciousness, and cost. All of this makes each dish a GREAT value! We came here on a Friday night around 6:45pm for takeout. They said that our order would be ready in 15-20 minutes, but it turned out to be more like 10 min. There isn't very much street parking at all in the front, so we had to park around the corner in the residential neighborhood. We ordered: GARLIC SALMON (5/5): This was one of their most popular items!! And I totally understand why!! For merely $13, the portion of salmon given was soooo generous - THREE whole filets! The most I've ever gotten in an entree dish was maybe 2. Usually places will try to fill you up with rice, but boy they did not skimp out on the protein here! Not only so, the salmon was freshly cooked, and gorgeously flaked. It was so creamy, so silky...I wish the garlic was a bit stronger, but the fish was delicious nonetheless. I also loved the pasta that came with the dish! It was firm, perfectly al dente, and lightly seasoned; not too creamy or heavily sauced at all. DEEP FRIED BABY TAKO (5/5): Wow WOW. This dish hit the spot!! Also an incredibly generous portion of tako. The outside was seasoned perfectly, crunchy and fresh - and the tako inside was chewy and bouncy. It had the best mouth feel ever. Topped with some spicy mayo....MMHHMHMM YES. I can't wait to come back and try the other things on their menu! I honestly thought it would be a tourist trap, since it always looks so popular from the outside, but boy this is a local favorite of mine now. read more

Pioneer Saloon - Deep Fried Baby Tako w/ Mixed Grain Rice (+$2 extra) - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Amazing plates in the Honolulu area. Everything we ordered was fantastic, came out quickly and tasted super fresh. The garlic cajun shrimp came with a huge portion and was super savory, not too salty either. Their miso butterfish is also a must try, they have a garlic version but were out for the day. They have options for sides like white rice, brown rice, spring mix, and shiso rice for an extra $1. Their indoor dining is closed, but they have a few tables outisde. Be prepared to find street parking. Also, save your receipt for a free topping at the shaved ice next door! read more

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TL:DR - Super ono and good value for the price. Definitely coming back. Every time I've gone to the beach or Kapiolani park I've passed this restaurant. Countless times I've seen a line out the door and never did I stop. After a surf session, I went for the first time and boy was I impressed. Pioneer Saloon has a wide selection of plate lunches, from salmon, to curry, to loco moco, etc. The portions are really generous and will leave you feeling full. I got the deep fried baby tako and my girlfriend got the garlic salmon. The baby tako was cooked perfectly; not too chewy, not too soft, and didn't have any of that fishy taste. The batter was still crunchy and not too thick. The spicy mayo sauce was a nice compliment to the tako and worked well. I think my only critique would be that the baby tako needs a little bit of salt or some spice, but that's personal preference. Overall it was incredibly delicious and was stuffed by the time I finished. The garlic salmon was also amazing. 3 hefty pieces of salmon and cooked to perfection. Not dry at all, and not raw, just that sweet juicy goodness. The seasoning was also not on the heavy side, and allowed for the fish flavor to come through. Salmon is a really tough dish to cook right, and for them to hit it so well is impressive. After this enjoyable experience we'll definitely be back for more. read more

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I was so disappointed by this place... which sucks because I was really excited to try it. The mixed rice was soggy, the egg tonkotsu dish had no flavor and was just mushy. The octopus was okay and the Mac salad on the side was nice. The sweet potato fries were probably the best thing we got... the sit down area was small and there are no bathrooms. I'd say skip this place. read more

Pioneer Saloon - Octopus plate, tonkotsu egg plate, sweet potato fries - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I remember first coming across Pioneer Saloon on social media when I saw their deep-fried baby tako. Immediately, I knew I wanted to visit them as I'd never seen tako served this way. Although I still haven't tried their tako, I'm glad I finally had the chance to try their food with my friend! My friend and I came here for dinner--which was a winner for us. Pioneer Saloon serves take-out plate lunches of all proteins so it was just what we needed after a busy day at work and working out together! We were overwhelmed by the variety that they offered from chicken, seafood, beef, and rice bowls. But ultimately chose seafood as our meal of choice--both getting Miso Butterfish. He chose the plate lunch while I opted for the Miso Butterfish Ala Carte. Along with your chosen protein, the plate lunches come with rice and pasta salad. We both agreed that our dishes were phenomenal. The fish completely melted in my mouth and each bite was delicate, velvety, buttery goodness. The miso flavor was distinct, slightly mild, and not too overpowering. For an Ala Carte size, the portion was perfectly filling as it came with three pieces. My friend was in butterfish heaven eating every bite, I'd love to come back to try their other plate lunches and hopefully one day get their baby tako! Since we came later in the evening we knew they might be sold out of some items. With that being said, we chose to call ahead to place our order for pick-up which is highly recommended! Parking is street and residential only--which we scored. Once arriving, we approached the window where you order and pay. After my friend bought our dinner we chose to take it inside to eat since it was still warm. The whole process was quick and easy and it seems to be a popular place to take out. All of their items come in compostable take-out containers. The inside of the restaurant has a Western-style saloon vibe to it with creative and abstract decor. They have several wooden tables for large and small parties as well as water and other condiments. Located on Monserratt Avenue, you can find Pioneer Saloon. Parking is limited and so is the food so be sure to come in early or call ahead. This is a great plate for local and Asian-style plate lunches with a wide variety for all! If I'm in the area and have friends or guests I'd love to come by again! read more

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The food is healthy and tasty. HOWEVER they should use biodegradable containers. It's good for the environment. It's good for the islands. Save wild life! read more

A stop at Pioneer Saloon is a must whenever we're in Oahu! We absolutely love the food here and the fact that it's next door to Monsarrat Shave Ice is a big plus! Since we had a bunch of leftovers to finish up from other meals, we only ordered one thing this time... the furikaki ahi. It was cooked to perfection and was still delicious even though we took it to go and had it several hours later. We reheated it lightly in the microwave and that still didn't take anything away from the taste or texture of the fish; it was amazing! If ahi isn't cooked right, it can be dense and dry. This was neither; absolutely delicious! With the pandemic precautions, I'm not sure if they're allowing dine-in yet. I *did* see a couple of people inside the dining room, but the doorway was blocked with a table. Maybe the table was there to block people from entering until vaccination cards and IDs could be checked; we didn't attempt to enter, so I'm not sure. Will have to try to come back in the next few days before we leave Oahu. One dish from Pioneer Saloon isn't enough to satisfy the cravings; got to eat here more than once during our trip! read more

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Delicious meal! When first arrive, have to order first outside with friendly staff then grab seats indoors, very casual chill atmosphere! We ordered the baby octopus, butter fish and loco moco, all full of flavors!! Butter fish was melt in your mouth, and loco moco was a yummy introduction into Hawaiian food! read more

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It was recommended by some friends to check this location out; parking is only on street so good luck with that! Staff was ok and decided to go with the teri fried chicken and creamy chicken plate. I didn't care of the teri fried chicken as it had so much ginger in it, was too overpowering, that's all you could taste! Creamy chicken dish was just ok - Portions are not your typical plate lunch portions; little on the slim side. read more

After our lunch plans fell through because the restaurant was closed, my friend took me here. We were expecting to only get takeout, but they were open for dine in as well so we got to eat it fresh! He was raving about how good the fried tako plate was so I decided to try it. The tako was surprisingly light and not over saturated in oil. The portion of tako was a LOT. Each bite was flavorful and paired well with the sauce, but also on its own with the rice. The potato salad offset the saltiness from the tako. Prices were decent and they offer a variety of foods. I would definitely come back to try more items and their little shave ice shop on the corner! It was closed when we went, but it sounded good for the hot day. Parking is difficult here. There's no parking, so you have to find street parking or park in the neighborhood houses and walk over. read more

Pioneer Saloon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Lunch time on a week day, parking is off the street and can be difficult to find. Got lucky and pulled in as someone was leaving. Menu is split into various types of proteins, chicken, beef, ahi, etc. Ordered the Garlic Ahi and miso butter fish, each comes with scoop of rice and scoop of macaroni salad. Recommend getting the shiso wakame rice. Miso butter fish was delicate and delicious. Ahi was nice and hearty. Both are recommended for a change than your standard katsu or mochiko chicken you can find at other places. This place is higher quality than your other plate lunch places, definitely quality over quantity. Overall good food would recommend. read more

Pioneer Saloon - Garlic Ahi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I e been here on numerous occasions and all have been excellent, from the cleanliness, , service, and quality and price of meal. My favorite would have to be the chicken katsu. The crispness of the batter and the taste of the sauce makes this dish so good. My other favorite is the hamburger steak. They have the best. Ask for gravy on the side if you don't like it all over. Check it you won't be disappointed read more

Outstanding taste of the island! Definitely recommend those visiting to stop by after hiking Diamond head read more

Pioneer Saloon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Order at the front window. The lady who takes your order is so nice. Go early. Certain menu items run out. read more

Pioneer Saloon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This restaurant is really cute in the inside. They offer outdoor seating even though when I called ahead, they said they didn't. Weird. The lady who took our order was really helpful nice. Food was moderately priced. I thought it was priced right for the quantity and quality of the meal. We went w friends and their food all looked delicious. I got to try the teriyaki chicken and it was pretty good. My issue was that the dish I ordered was bland and over cooked. I got the ahi tuna and it tasted like nothing. There was no real seasoning let alone salt in it. It was also over cooked and dry. The salad on the side was nothing special. I felt pretty disappointed w my meal. I wish I had ordered the shrimp that my friend got. It looked pretty good and tasty. read more