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    Restaurant Kunio

    3.7 (1.3k reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Restaurant Kunio Photos

    Business Info

    RESTAURANT KUNIO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Dogs allowed

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    Miso Butter Fish and vegetable tempura.
    Gabriel P.

    Girl's Day luncheon with family. My meal was a step down from the great food experience I come to expect from Restaurant Kunio. Service was on the slower side. A few minutes after the water was brought out the server came back and said ,you no what you want? With no smile. The tempura was the talk of the table. It came out white with no crunch. One guest mentioned that shrimp was not cooked through. I also had the Ikura maki sushi. The serving board was wet, only under the ikura. The other pieces of maki was ok. will try again. Enjoy

    Maxine P.

    Took a friend here for a belated birthday lunch. Comfortable atmosphere , prompt service and Ono food. The three of us all chose the combo with Miso Butterfish and a different second choice. The Butterfish was good although it was different than the last time we had it. Not as moist. One with beef, tempura shrimp and tempura veggies.

    Combo AB tonKatsu w/ miso butterfish
    Bob S.

    The food is top notch here. The word is out as the lines are long even at 730 pm on a Monday. We decided the lines are wait was too long so we bought 2 gift cards. They sell gift cards in increments of $25 dollars. We asked for 2 with $100 on each. It was quick and painless and will use them in the future when the wait isn't over 30 minutes. I suggest you could spoil a friend or family member with a nice gift that they'll be grateful for. I guarantee it!

    gyudon
    Taylor F.

    Great japanese restaurant in waikele! Waikele doesn't have many food options so Kunio is always a solid option for good japanese food. I haven't been in years because the wait is always pretty long since they don't take reservations, but we went on Sunday around 2pm and didn't have to wait long. We ordered the gyudon and chicken katsudon. The chicken katsudon was great and was super flavorful, especially the rice that soaked up all the sauce. The gyudon was ok, some of the meat was pretty tough and there wasn't really a sauce on it so the rice was pretty plain. The noodles on top were a nice touch though. Service was really fast and very attentive.

    kona coffee ice cream
    Gwen C.

    Went in at 1040AM and was seated immediately. There were about 4 other tables already seated. Our order was taken immediately and food came out very quickly. By the time our food came out, the whole restaurant was already filled :)). Everything tasted YUMMY. My only complaint was the hamchi/tobiko roll I ordered was only 5 pieces, LOL. But it was good.. I felt like I was ripped some pieces, hahaha..

    Beef sukiyaki
    Deborah P.

    Update on 3-3-26. My brother took me husband and our 2 nieces out to lunch to celebrate girls day. Thank you Craig T. I had the beef sukiyaki and everybody else had their teishoku combo. My sukiyaki was good not to sweet and not salty. Had lots of noodles, tofu, beef, and bok choi cabbage, and 1 egg. I enjoyed the sukiyaki. The others enjoyed their combo I guess but my brother and husband said they wish the tempura was cooked a little longer it was white in color and the shrimp looks raw inside. Other than that it was good.

    Kunio boat
    Cheryl A.

    My favorite place to go..I love coming here,they're located at the waikele shopping center however they get really busy & they do not take reservations so i recommend you to come early & put your name on that list!!food is amazing & never dissapoints,my kids love to get the salmon box & udon,if you want a variety of things & there's 4 of yall or more then the kunio boat is the way to go!!it comes with a variety of sashimi,sushi,shrimp/vegetable tempura.Shrimp,chicken katsu,steak,& lobster..it's also serve with salad,miso soup,& 3 different sides.They have so much food options to choose from & the employees are very friendly!

    Wina G.

    Located in Waikele Shopping Center across the parking lot from Lowe's. In the same small lot where Baskin Robbin's, Genki and Subway are. They don't take ressies and the wait can get long. The menu offers hot and cold noodles, sushi, donburi and set lunches and combo's You can choose 2 items from 2 groups AB or just one group A or B. The price depends on the combo you choose. Everything comes with miso soup, appetizer and rice. The portions are big IMO and worth the $24-26 price. I chose the soft shell crab and mixed tempura combo (AB). The tempura was so good! Light and not overly greasy. There was shrimp, fish, sweet potato and other vegetable. I was full 3/4 of the meal so I didn't see what the other tempura was. The 2 small soft shell crab was juicy but maybe a little greasy- it wasn't a tempura battered. My other friends had the katsu ( tender and not dry) and scallop/miso butterfish combo. It was a pretty big piece of butterfish and was done just right- soft and tasty. It was lunch hour and the staff was pretty busy but we didn't have to wait too long. We did have to flag the servers down for refills on tea and water We all agreed that for what we got and the food was more reasonable than other comparable restaurants

    Side salad and appetizers
    Cheryl B.

    Arrived 5 minutes to opening at 10:30 and there was about 4 parties in front of us. Once the doors opened we were seated right away. If you come later or dinner you may have to wait a while. We ordered, food came out quick. My order is always a spider roll and the combo AB with miso butterfish and whatever else I feel like eating, this day was sashimi. Whenever I come with family and friends we order the boat which is a variety of a bunch of everyone's favorites. Anytime I come here it never disappoints. Can't wait to be back!

    Sunset roll
    Jerilyn O.

    Kunios has ALWAYS been a go to for our special occasions for years, we went on Valentine's Day this year and usually we get the party boat but tonight was just 3 of us so we had a chance to eat things we don't usually get. Everytime we go I always see people get the sizzling plates so I tried the ribeye and my mom and fiance got two AB combos which were also amazing. I was SOOOO impressed by the sheer size of my steak and it was amazing. Going out to eat for under 100$ is something hard to come by these days. & for this much food, we were full, happy, and had a whole meal to take home! The wait Time here can get long especially if you go at rush hour but it's definitely worth it. & special shoutout to Edison for always welcoming us with such a kind demeanor. Thanks kunios for making our valentines dinner a special one, and affordable one!

    John T.

    At 4:01 pm today, I placed a take out order for 3 meals. Pick-up time was 4:40 pm. Name and phone number provided. And the preciseness of the phone call is because it is saved in my call log. It was a 59 second call. Show up at exactly 4:40 pm and was told they don't have an order for me. No apologies. No nothing. My wife asked to speak with the manager, and the person working the register said there was no manager in. My wife said so you're working without a manager and the girl said I am the manager... Again, no apologies. No nothing. A+ customer service.

    Arynn I.

    Wow, I haven't come here in a while but from reading some of these reviews looks like we got lucky with the hit or miss experience. Kunio's is one of my family's go-to Japanese restaurants even though there is a couple places closer to our house. My sister's family came here last week for my niece's birthday and they got a boat so over the weekend, we were talking about "The Boat" of food and my cousin's husband got super excited about it. When my mom made plans to meet them for dinner, this was the place we chose to go. We got to the restaurant and put our name down around 5:30pm (on Monday 12/22/25) and was told it would be approximately 45 minutes to wait for a party of 7. No problem. We sat on a bench outside and just hung out and chatted. Small world, we knew the couple who were sitting on the bench, cousin of one of our aunties. So the time went fast and we watched the other families get called. Sure enough, the wait was just about 45 minutes. We also had time to really look at the menu (even though we knew we were gonna get the boat). Once we got seated and watered, we took another look at the menu for anything else we might want. The gal who seated us answered a few questions I had, specifically about the chawanmushi that I couldn't have cause it has shrimp inside. :( Super sad face. But I think I had asked that on a previous visit. I will keep looking for a no-shrimp chawanmushi. In addition to the Funamori Party Boat, we also got Kampyo (calabash gourd) and Kappa (cucumber) maki, keiki meal, and combo plate of fried scallops and vegetable tempura. Now let me tell you what is in the boat. It says "feeds 4" and comes with appetizer, miso soup, salad and rice. There is lobster tail, shrimp, shrimp and veggie tempura, chicken katsu, teriyaki beef, sashimi and sushi. The sushi is nigiri sushi that had ahi, salmon, shrimp and another fish (i forget what it was) while the sashimi was ahi, salmon and the other fish. Because we had a combo meal and kid's meal, we ended up having enough rice for everyone and didn't have to order extra sides! Everything tasted good....and we ate pretty much everything. I ended up taking home 3 pieces of katsu and a few slices of beef so I had a nice bit of leftovers to take to work. I would say if you have a group that will eat everything on the boat, definitely get the party boat! It was a nice deviation from my normal of just vegetable tempura and udon so I enjoyed it. Plus there was a lot of other people to eat the shrimp so I was totally ok with that. The keiki meal came with ice cream (we got vanilla for the baby) but we also got a scoop of melon ice cream which had small bits of mochi in it! Yum!

    Michael N.

    Stopped in last Tuesday around 7pm--short wait. Tiny spot in the Waikele strip mall, but clean and refreshed. Friendly staff put us on the 10‑minute waitlist anyway--smart move. Fooled around with a combination plate for two. The miso butterfish combo plate packed flavor, and the shrimp tempura had real crunch. Execution overall good but not flawless. Noise level was noticeable when busy, and seating is tight. For $20‑30 per person, though, you get quality sushi, hearty bento combos, and vibe that says "this is Hawai'i Japanese comfort at its best." Would I go back? Yeah, for casual dinners or lunch on a weekday to skip rush." Overall Take Restaurant Kunio in Waipahu delivers decent Japanese food in generous portions with fresh ingredients and friendly service. It leans casual, slightly loud at peak times, and isn't omakase-level sushi--but it's reliable, satisfying, and a smart choice if you want a hearty Japanese meal without breaking the bank. The Funamori boat is worth the spectacle alone. If you're looking for upscale sushi finesse, skip it. If you want everyday authentic Japanese comfort food with a fun vibe in the 'burbs of Honolulu--this is your spot.

    Chawamushi is my favorite !!! This was winnahhazzz !

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    2 months ago

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    20 days ago

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    4 months ago

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    13 hours ago

    Service was rude and slow. Prices were too expensive. Don't go here, place has really gone down hill over the past few years.

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    3 months ago

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    26 days ago

    Best Japanese restaurant hands down! We go here a few times a year and get the same thing the furinari boat!

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    Page 1 of 34

    Restaurant Kunio Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Restaurant Kunio

    Are u open for lunch on Jan. 1,2025?

    They are open on New Year's Day.

    Keeps showing as AYCE, but not showing on your menu?

    Sorry it's not AYCE

    Do you need 4 people in your party to order the boat? Or ok for me and my bf to order it?

    Nope! But either way, you still need to pay the full price

    What is the best time to dine in on Sunday?

    Best time to dine in or take out is at opening.

    Anyone know if Kunio is doing fine in during COVId-19? Lunch hours? Serve boat during lunch?

    They are actually temporarily closed. It looks like they are renovating.

    Is the restaurant still closed (As of July 13 2020?

    Yes, closed for renovations.

    Are they open for dining? Tried calling past few days but no answer.

    Closed for renovations.

    Are they open?

    No they are closed. I'm pregnant and have limited foods I can eat. I went two weeks ago and it was temporarily closed. Then today, I saw a girl posted on yelp saying it was open so I drove there today even while nauseated. It is not open. It is… Read more

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    Hou Fish Market - New location in waipahu

    Hou Fish Market

    4.6(87 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$
    Locally sourced ingredients
    Pet friendly

    Been craving sushi and ramen all day and found Hou Fish Market on Yelp. I was looking for something…read morefast and no-frills that checked all the boxes, and this place certainly did! We stopped by for an early dinner after grocery shopping at Seafood City. Since the weather looked a bit gray, we decided to drive over. Even though the lot was busy, there were plenty of open spots near Hou since it's toward the end of the plaza. It's been a while since I've been to this area--it has cleaned up nicely now that Highway Inn is gone. Inside, the restaurant is clean, well-lit, and the staff is very friendly. We ordered the Shrimp Tempura Udon and the California + Spicy Tuna + Crab Salad roll combo. No regrets! The miso-based broth in the udon was delicious, and I appreciated that the shrimp tempura came on the side to stay crispy. My personal favorite, however, was the spicy tuna on top of the cone sushi--it paired perfectly with the udon. The prices are great, and I was happy to learn they have a second location on Kapiolani. It's a great addition to the West Side and clearly popular with the local crowd. I'll definitely be back!

    We got the Hamachi Bowl and it was so Ono. The service was junk the first time i checked it out. I…read morewas at the front desk for a good while and she didn't even acknowledge me. With getting overly into detail, she also seemed like she didn't want to serve me even though the store was empty. I gave it another try today and the other guys working there were very friendly, fast and offered options. Their food was seasoned well both times and so fresh.

    Photos
    Hou Fish Market - Hou sushi combo

    Hou sushi combo

    Hou Fish Market - Menu

    Menu

    Hou Fish Market - Spicy tuna bowl

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    Spicy tuna bowl

    Sushi Bay - Spicy ahi left and onion salmon right (yummy) *3/9/2025

    Sushi Bay

    4.1(2k reviews)
    6.3 mi
    $$

    When I say I love Sushi Bay, I truly mean it. I've been coming here since they first opened years…read moreago--back when I was still in high school--and it has stayed one of my all-time favorite sushi spots on the west side. To put it into perspective, there was a flash flood warning during a storm this week and I still drove 40 minutes just to pick up takeout from them. That's how worth it this place is to me. The portions here are insanely generous, especially for the price point. You get so much food, and the quality never feels compromised. The fish is consistently fresh, flavorful, and well prepared, which is why I keep coming back year after year. Their service is also incredibly efficient. You can tell this team really knows how to run a tight operation. They stayed open and adapted throughout COVID, and that ability to pivot and keep things running smoothly still shows in how quickly and reliably they handle orders today. If you wanna sit inside, I urge you to come towards open or with the expectation to wait a bit. You sign up on the clipboard outside and wait patiently. The good news is that they turntables extremely quickly. Places like this are rare--great food, great value, and a team that clearly cares about what they're doing. I'll always make the drive for Sushi Bay, and I genuinely hope they stay open forever.

    It's kind of a gem that they're a conveyor belt sushi place (the belt doesn't run, actually) and…read morethey're still reasonably priced. No wonder it is always packed! We had to wait 1.5 hours on a Saturday lunch rush! The service is really good and they do try to make sure you're taken care of, I guess people just constantly order and stay forever. The fish quality is good for this type of restaurant. I probably won't return unless I'm in the area and definitely not during weekend lunch rush!

    Photos
    Sushi Bay - 6x of spicy ahi bento from sushi bay yummy *6/10/24

    6x of spicy ahi bento from sushi bay yummy *6/10/24

    Sushi Bay - Shrimp Tempura and Mini Spicy Don

    Shrimp Tempura and Mini Spicy Don

    Sushi Bay - Mix don so yummy *6/2025

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    Mix don so yummy *6/2025

    Waka Sakura Sushi Restaurant - Spicy Tuna Hand Roll - bigger than it was before

    Waka Sakura Sushi Restaurant

    4.3(254 reviews)
    6.8 mi

    I didn't know what to expect from this Kaiten sushi spot that's inside of a grocery store but I was…read morepleasantly surprised. Food was great and got the price you get 2 pieces for most of the sushi but their sets are the best combo! This 4 piece ahi set was under $17 and you get 3 different cuts plus a maki sushi. Prices range from $3-$10 for sushi but they also have mini and regular poke bowls which are a good deal as they give a generous amount. Service is great too. Not too much staff but the food always came out fast and they were attentive filling up our waters. Lots of parking too since it's inside the Don Don Donki (former Kmart). Inside is also clean and their storage to put your bags which i really appreciate especially after buying groceries. Overall would recommend if you're looking for Japanese style sushi.

    Took a little adventure out to Mega Don Quijote and had to try this spot in the food court! As a…read moretownie, it's always fun exploring what's out on the West Side of the island. We arrived right at opening (11:00 AM), and there were already a few parties waiting, which felt like a good sign. We were seated immediately, and the staff was friendly and attentive from the start. Our server quickly brought over water, wasabi and shoyu dishes, along with kiddie plates and utensils, which we appreciated. Ordering was easy -- you can either use the tablet at the table or scan the QR code with your phone. The food came out fast via conveyor belt, and the kids loved the fun semi-self-service sushi experience. The portions were generous overall. I'm a huge uni lover, so I was a little disappointed that the uni gunkan wasn't as full as I had hoped, but everything else was solid. The standout for me was definitely the chawanmushi -- I was pleasantly surprised to find scallops inside. It was rich, savory, and packed with umami. The poke bowl was also huge -- definitely big enough to share so you can save room to try other dishes. Overall, we had a great experience and would definitely come back if we're in the area again. In my opinion, the quality was noticeably better than Genki Sushi and worth the higher price!

    Photos
    Waka Sakura Sushi Restaurant - This is the order tablet. The delivery is great

    This is the order tablet. The delivery is great

    Waka Sakura Sushi Restaurant - Spicy Tuna Handroll - not so manini this time!

    Spicy Tuna Handroll - not so manini this time!

    Waka Sakura Sushi Restaurant - Otoro w/Uni - AMAZING, they said :)

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    Otoro w/Uni - AMAZING, they said :)

    Ninja Sushi

    Ninja Sushi

    3.6(179 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    Nothing says welcome home like being able grab a quick lunch at Ninja Sushi after shopping at…read moreCostco! It was just what we needed to satisfy a small hunger pang. The service was so friendly and welcoming it was just like coming home to a family dinner! We got a chicken katsu bowl and natto roll so we wouldn't overeat before dinner which was just perfect! Not too big, not too small but just right! And it was all oh so ono too! Perfect katsu sauce flavor and the chicken was perfectly cooked. Parking is a little limited but it is right outside the front door. There are a decent number of tables in the dining room which seemed to be just right for the dine in patrons. There was a constant stream of takeout orders being picked up and or ordered so it is pretty obvious they've got a lot of regulars. I wanted to go back again before we left but just didn't have enough time... But I know we'll be back the next time we're out there! You should go check them out too!

    Cashier needs training to give simple change. Food mediocre and went downhill, went previously…read morecouple weeks ago and had to skip even getting anything because the line never moved. Today Friday 5/23 service was quick thank goodness but the garlic Ahi I ordered... the fish is not fresh and stiff, way too much sauce, and rice is super hard. Super disappointed for 3 pieces for over $8 and I left a small tip so literally three dollars for one piece of sushi, unacceptable, mediocre. No wonder I haven't been back in ages. Have to skip this place from now on. The only saving Grace was the cashier was quick and efficient today. Amazed!

    Photos
    Ninja Sushi - Interior and order counter

    Interior and order counter

    Ninja Sushi - Tsunami maki

    Tsunami maki

    Ninja Sushi

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    Restaurant Kunio - japanese - Updated May 2026

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