What a great location! Located in Salt Kakaako. If you are in a rush, I would call ahead or make an online order. The food is cooked to order so it may take a bit longer. My favorites here are the fish. Any fish they cook has been delicious! Also, I'm a huge fan of their Ebi sandwich. It's quite a lot and very good! Get side fries too! I love how they change their side salad or pasta and it's not always the same. If you want to drink beer, they have some good choices. Dine in or dine outside. All comes in plate lunch style. read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Fried Ebi sandwich with French fries. $7 + $3 - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Customer service was quick and the food came out pretty quick, as well. I went during an off-time, maybe around 6ish on a Saturday? It wasn't busy at all. Usually, this place is pretty busy with no seating available. I'm a little disappointed in the presentation of the food. The katsu plate was $16 and it was underwhelming. The Pioneer Saloon near Diamond Head gives a little more food. read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Chicken Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

There are a lot of good places to eat in Kaka'ako, and The Pioneer Saloon is a solid choice. I've eaten there more times than I can count and never had a bad experience. The atmosphere is informal be really rather charming. There are small tables inside, with larger tables along the sidewalk. The food is mainly Japanese with a bit of Korean and, of course, some local favorites. The staff is friendly, and they speak English and Japanese. You can easily tell they use only the finest ingredients, and I've seen first hand the fish market delivery men bring in the freshest seafood. Like I said, there are many good places to eat in this area, but you can never go wrong at The Pioneer Saloon. read more

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Located at Kaka'ako shopping area. They have a parking structure so that's always a plus. Nice Japanese plate lunch restaurant with so much variety on their menu. I ordered the miso cod. Very good portion size and was sooooo tasty and moist. Salmon was good too. My only complaint is that the inside seating did not have AC so it was definitely too hot to sit inside but there was seating outside in the shade so that saved the day. Food came out quickly and staff was very friendly. read more

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This place is located in the SALT KAKAAKO area. There is parking within the building and it offers discount validation after scanning a QR code. I got the fried chicken curry. The chicken was very crispy and delicious. It came with a side salad, some picked daikon and rice. You had other options as well like brown rice. The curry came on the side which I appreciated, that way my chicken wouldn't get soggy if I took it home to eat for later. Lots of seating inside and outside. read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Fried chicken curry - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Loved coming here but today's meal was disappointing. We ordered the miso butterfish & Chicken teriyaki. The fish was not melt in your mouth this time but was a little tougher. The chicken in the teriyaki was much smaller cuts. Prices have gone up but the quality unfortunately has gone down. Choice of sides was pasta salad or green salad. There was a chunk of green salad in the box but very stingy on the dressing. Service was friendly. They don't issue parking tickets in the lot but have a QR code and the first hour is free. read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Miso butterfish with pasta salad. They ran out of the tofu salad. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here for the miso butterfish but thought it was pretty average compared to others I've had, and the portion isn't too big either. I'd be open to trying their other plates. read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Miso Butterfish - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Pioneer saloon serves great food, however I came to the Kakaako location today on 8/8/2026 and ordered a rib eye bowl and salmon katsu. Waited a while inside and the staff failed to let me know the food was ready as we sat inside waiting. Another customer came in and grabbed the food unbeknownst to me. Luckily he brought it back after realizing but the fact that the staff allowed someone to come in and just grab our food while he watched us sit right there is pretty wild. On top of that, the other worker was so rude when my girlfriend asked to switch out a certain sauce for her dish. I think the customer service for this location should step it up a bit. read more

Lunch in Kaka'ako, Honolulu, Hawaii... I've been to Pioneer Saloon on Monsarrat Avenue, but was curious about this Kaka'ako location. I actually parked at the H Mart structure because the first hour is free. I just had to walk over, grab my food, and walk back... The parking situation at the Monsarrat location is more challenging than this! Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako had indoor seats available and I was starving, so I sat down and ate quickly! It was nicely air-conditioned! It was calmer because I probably arrived after the lunch crowd - if there was any... I ordered Hamburger Steak - it came with a scoop of rice and a green salad. It was just right - the gravy was not too salty and the homemade patty was moist and tender! The green salad was fresh! I'm glad I tried this location! I'll stick with it! Notes: Service was pleasant and efficient! Get the restroom code and find it outside... LOL! read more

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Pioneer Saloon is a great option for plate lunches when you're around the area. This is their second location with the original around the Diamondhead area. I usually get the ahi or furikake katsu. I've also tried the garlic ahi steak. It was ok, but not my favorite. Your plate lunch order comes with a scoop of either white or brown rice and also a tossed salad. Seating is available inside or outside. Note if you order through grub hub, the published prices on there are a couple of dollars more. As an option, you can order through Pioneer's site Pioneer-saloon.net and not pay any additional fees. read more

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So after a super disappointing lunch at Helena's, I was determined to end our day on a positive note. We LOVED Pioneer Saloon's food at their Diamond Head location on Monsarrat, so we figured that the Kakaako location was just as good, right? WRONG... Ordered the Ribeye which was highly recommended by the lady that took our order. Forgot what my wife ordered (some kinda burger that was underwhelming) My Ribeye arrived and at first bite, it tasted as if it was pre-made instead of made to order. Warm instead of piping hot after a good wait, then the buyer's remorse and disappointment kicks in... "What happened? The quality here seems to have slipped not only with Pioneer Saloon, but BIG TIME with the local grinds on Oahu!? Wife didn't finish her order, and I didn't either, and Ribeye is my favorite kind of steak. 3 for 3 on dining disappointments now...WTF??, read more

Grilled Shio Salmon was so delicious! Nice portion and you get to choose what type of salad, I chose pasta. My cousin from Cali had just returned from a trip to Japan and complimented that the yakisoba was very tasty!! Clean sit down inside and there is also outside picnic style tables. First time my cousin but my 10th visit read more

The Neba Neba Bowl is now added to my top 5 favorite takeout meals I've ever had the pleasure of indulging in. The textures and flavors are out of this world. To some, "slimy" may give the ick, but for me it's that very texture of natto and okra with a runny egg and fresh ahi that is perfection...and the cherry on top, the extra crunch of daikon to balance the gooey goodness. Pro tip: get the shiso wakame rice for an extra flavor explosion! Service was so warm and friendly, and I can't wait to order the Neba Neba Bowl again read more

Usually my go-to order is the furikake salmon katsu (which my friend ordered on my rec) but I finally got to try the furikake mahi mahi katsu & it did not disappoint! The French fries were also SO GOOD! read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Furikake Salmon Katsu, Furikake Mahi Mahi Katsu, Garlic Ahi Steak, French Fries - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We stopped by here for lunch. This charming Japanese food business is located in what is considered a glitzy shopping center. I asked for food recommendations, so the friendly staff stated that the garlic ahi steak is popular. I can see why: the garlic ahi steak is fantastic. I got it medium rare, and I love everything medium rare it seems. The ponzu sauce accompanying the ahi was so good, I could drink it. This made for a wonderful first Hawaii meal, and I am still dreaming about the ahi. The free water is served ice cold from pitchers which you can fill yourself. Something about the vog (volcanic fog) weather on that day made me extra thirsty. I must have downed half a dozen cups of water. read more

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Pioneer Saloon is hands down one of my favorite spots on Oahu! I've been coming here for years, and my go-to has always been the Chicken Nanban (the best ever), and salmon salad... But this time, I decided to switch it up and went for the Katsu Mahi Mahi, and i'm so glad i did! The mahi mahi was perfectly crispy on the outside& tender and flaky on the inside. If you're a fan of fish, you have to try it! The vibe at Pioneer is always laid-back, and the staff is super friendly! Whether you're a regular or a first-timer, you're in for a treat. Already planning my next visit!! Highly recommend! read more

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Located in a food center. Relatively small venue but tons of outdoor space to eat. Reminds me of hole in the wall restaurants you would get in Japan, especially with the staff and semi-open kitchen style where you can see them prepping your food. Food was prepared relatively quickly. We ordered the chicken katsu with demi sauce. It was fried just right and the sauce was subtle and not overpowering. However, I wished they provided more greens. I was also super excited they had the matcha IPA. I went all over Kyoto looking for it with no luck but was so glad they had it. Def give this place a try. read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Matcha beer - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Great food, plate lunch style. Usually get the salmon or mochiko chicken which are delicious. This place has super yummy mac salad. Some tables inside to eat, but theres also tables all around salt. Great service. Parking at salt (1st hour free) or street parking. read more

Great. Always great. We eat there once a week. We love it all. Really really good. We do take out. read more

My go to place when I'm in the area. I love the deep fried tako!! Super good and crunchy. Got to try this at least once.. I ordered it online and it was ready when I got there. Friendly service read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Deep Fried Baby Tako - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We had visitors coming from overseas and we were having a pool party/gathering at our condo. Our guests requested Pioneer Saloon plate lunches for our gathering so I had them look at the menu and text me what their group wanted. I waited until they opened at 11:00 AM. The person that answered the phone was so nice and understanding - even when I told her that I'm ordering 10 plate lunches, and we needed it in about an hour. LOL She took our order on the phone, and we went and picked up our order. They were ready, no mistakes on our order and everything was delicious! I was thankful that they trusted us to pay when we were there to pick up. So cool that of all of the plate lunch places in town, our overseas visitors requested your food. Everything was delicious! Thank you We have also been to your other Pioneer Saloon (Monsarrat) and they're just as good too! read more

The ribeye with ponzu and menchi katsu are always our favorites! Their potato salad is the BEST and while they were just sold out by the time we ordered, they were so accommodating to serve us whatever was left since we raved about how much we loved it. I truly hope they never stop serving the potato salad since the original location no longer offers it. We make a point to stop here at least once or twice when visiting. Service is always excellent and very friendly. Thank you Pioneer Saloon for a great experience every time! read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Menchi Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The butterfish was so good, melted in your mouth! The loco moco was just aight, I prefer the liliha bakery loco moco. Would prob skip that Fast service, Great Service read more

A local friend recommended this place, and it didn't disappoint me at all. Their dishes are fresh and yummy, with balanced flavors and well-seasoned. Will definitely come back here when I visit Hawaii again. I highly recommend Pioneer Saloon. read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Ebi burger was the best. Price on this burger was very good , I was very impressed with it. Very fast good service here as well. Very well nicely decorated inside this restaurant. read more

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1st time visiting this location at SALT. Never actually knew where it was but found it! Out of baby tako for at least another month. What are we doing eating the babies anyways...we should let them get all bambucha and then grind um. But man o man are the babies ono. Since no more I got the salmon Kama. THey were pretty small kama, and choke bones. So was good, but really not that huge a dish. For an upcharge, can get shiso wakame rice. Got that...good but could use more shiso and wakame. I got the ginger tofu as my side. I thought would be regular fresh tofu and not fried. So was okay. Overall pretty good. Same same food as the original location, but I didn't like the paper menus plastered on the windows. Just had that little bit messy feel to it. Workers suuuuuuuper nice though. Suuuuper nice. And didnt seem phony baloney (balogna?)... read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Salmon Kama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The fish is top tier for plate lunches, especially the fresh grilled mahi mahi (get the garlic one)! The katsu is so fresh and texture is *chef's kiss*. The sweet chili chicken is also tasty and a little different. I really like that you get a bunch of random veggies with the chicken, like onion, qsparagaus, and I think some green beans. And the serving is so generous! They have a real talent for packing a lot of toss salad with just the right amount of dressing into the small section of the plate lunch container lol. I also like their pasta salad and they usually have a special rice option upgrade for a dollar upcharge, like salmon rice or shio-wakame. I love the options. The only thing I've tried so far that I wouldn't recommend is the shrimp burger. It was not bad and I liked the fries that came with it, but it's just not the best shrimp burger I've had. The menu is extensive so there's lots more I'd still like to try! Service is great and food comes out quickly. Tables inside and outside. They're located in SALT so validate parking there. read more

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Found this place by mistake. Was in Kaka'ako and was getting hungry. It was kinda full with only a few tables and chairs. Luckily, the menu was pasted on the window and had some pictures of their dishes. We got there just before lunch rush, so service was fast. Was with my regular eating partners, and so we ordered. Cold udon, ginger chicken and teri mahi mahi. Yes, cold udon was cold in a cold soup broth with poach egg and cold pork. I had the ginger chicken. Not the regular cold chicken. It was boneless and skinless hot chicken slices covered with graded ginger. Teri mahi mahi was slightly over cooked, and the teri sauce was just right. It came with ponzu sauce on the side, but it didn't need it. Pros: Food is very tasty as an aisan fusion kitchen. Cons: You have to like fusion food. The inside sitting is very small, but they offer outdoor sitting under large umbrellas. Price kinda high, but you have to expect that for the fresh and made to order dishes. Would I go back? Yes. Would like to try the seafood dishes, but I would need a little more cash in my pocket. Seafood dishes run about $20. read more

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I love Pioneer Saloon on Monserrat. The Kaka'ako location is centrally located at SALT. Parking at SALT is free for the first hour! Pioneer saloon is Japanese style bento/comfort food. The menu here is overwhelming for me because so many options look and sound good. I recommend the Menchi katsu, the furikake salmon, or the ebi fry (fried shrimp) burger. Side of rice or shiso rice! The side of fries is extra $4 but a lot. My husband loves the curry katsu here. Portions are filling and pricing is reasonable! Food comes out pretty quickly. The inside is small but you can also eat on the tables outside . read more

I've been to both locations and am a fan of both. I think they also have the same menu if not very similar. I guess you could say it's a plate lunch place with a hint of Japanese. So far I've tried the oyster fry, the mahi mahi and the fried chicken and probably more but can't remember. The food is always good, certain things could use a touch more seasoning but besides that it's pretty good. It's always fresh and clean. It's counter service so you order up front and then they call you when your food is ready. The service is nice and friendly. There are tables inside and outside. It can get busy around lunch time but you can usually snag a table. There is pay street parking out front. Can't wait to be back............ read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Mahi Mahi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Perfect location in SALT. Located on 1st floor right outside elevators to parking garage. Service was fast and friendly. Food was delicious, as always. read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Chicken katsu curry - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Enjoyed the furikake salmon topped with creamy sauce and shiso wakame rice with green salad. The fish was tender and perfectly cooked. They even gave a ponzu sauce on the side. The furikake salmon katsu was good, but the meat was not as moist and overall heavier with the breading. The chicken nanban was a little disappointing as it was cutlet style. The cream sauce on top was overpowering and made the batter soggy. The posted menus are a bit overwhelming, but there is surely something for everyone. Seating throughout SALT is easy and there are many things to check out while you wait for your order. read more

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I love the croquette curry. I used to have to drive to curry house, but don't have to do that anymore. They're really nice. Once my friends and I went to village next door and they brought us our food. read more

Food is good, made with love and attention. Loco Moc patty was the best texture and the side of ginger tofu was a great touch on a hot day. Staff is attentive and friendly, as most on the island are. Inside is small, but cozy chic (or eat outside). This was a more refined plate lunch, and well worth the price. Stop by if in the area! read more

Our family's go-to place for nebaneba and fresh fish. Vibe is a little different from the Monsarrat location but the food and service is great at both locations. Love the garlic salmon, chicken katsu with demi glacé and definitely the nebaneba. Small dining area inside and 5 metal picnic tables if you like dining alfresco. Food is made to order and it comes out nice and hot, or cold if you're into the nebaneba. They validate parking if you choose to park in the SALT parking structure. Great selection, fair prices, tasty preparation and good sized servings all with friendly service. read more

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I got the mochiko chicken here and it was really good, juicy, and had large pieces. It came with a side salad, rice, and spicy mayo. My dad got the ebi burger and he said it was pretty good as well. The fries are an extra $4 but it is worth it as they are very tasty and crisp. If you ask for any additional sauces (soy sauce etc.) it is 50 cents extra. We sat outside which was nice, but know that there are some flies and it can be annoying. Service was good, nothing to complain about and nothing amazing. I would come back again. read more

Tough to decide on what I was going to order.. I wanted half the menu. I ended up going with the ribeye medium rare. The steak and potato salad were great, and I highly recommend the spicy sauce (which wasn't especially spicy). I wish I had gotten something a little more adventurous though. Oh well, next time! read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Ribeye plate with potato salad - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great plate lunches! I tried the garlic butterfish ($20) and garlic Mahi Mahi (on special for $17). I like the garlic butterfish more. The Mahi Mahi would've been better if I picked a different sauce or way of cooking it. Nothing spectacular. The inside is very cute and feels like a little Japanese house. They also had an outside area to eat so that I could eat with my dog with me. Friendly service! read more

Pioneer Saloon Kaka'ako - Garlic Mahi Mahi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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A great deal for good food located in an expensive city area. The fish special was ono

Been here twice, truly excellent both times. Great chicken and great fish. They also prepare it very quickly. Staff is friendly. Prices very reasonable. Give it a try if you're in the area! read more