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    Rinka

    4.1 (646 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Rinka Japanese Restaurant Photos

    RINKA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy
    Upscale

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    Recommended Reviews - Rinka

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    Lora C.

    I've dined here a few times and food is always yummy. My fave is the jewelry box and the blue fin tuna bowl. It's so fresh. Both come with side of udon. Lots of food. It's easy to make reservation on open table. Parking at Whole Foods.

    Menu
    Liana N.

    We arrived earlier than our reservation and were quickly led to our table. Dinner and drink menus were already placed on the table which was great. Restaurant ambiance is nice and modern with an open feel to it. There are many options to choose from on the dinner menu and I would say that this is a great place to go on a date or for a fancier sit down restaurant. We ordered the nigiri set, tempura set and cutlet set. I loved how they placed all the little items in separate bowls and placed it all together nicely on the tray. Everything tasted superb and was great quality! Parking is available in the structure.

    People are stuck at the door, in the rain.
    Angela C.

    Coming in on a rainy day, we got stuck at the entrance door as so many food take-out people are blocking the door, that customers can't come in. The hostess is doing a bad job making sure customers are well taking care of. Then, we were sat at a small table in a bad location when the whole restaurant was empty. Additionally, we were being told by the same hostess that we only have an half an hour to eat... What THE HELL!!!! Let me get out of this place.

    List of side dishes for you to choose from-select two from this menu.
    Karen S.

    Thank you to our servers who worked hard serving our group a delightful lunch, as we celebrated a dear sister's birthday. The food was fabulous as usual! First time trying the eggplant side, which was tasty, and again had the candied sweet potato side. I ate everything in sight (and for the first time, almost finished my rice bowl)! I blame the yummy green salt condiment for that;)! Mahalo to the evening crew who let us continue our service project for the American Heart Association's 49th Annual Heart Ball this coming Saturday (on the outside seating tables, while they prepped the restaurant for dinner service). They even kindly kept us hydrated, while we wrote hundreds of thank you cards for AHA. This venue is perfect for lunch and dinner, small to medium groups, and families. We absolutely love coming here!!!

    Miso Butterfish Teishoku
    Eric M.

    Dinner at Rinka using our Amex Resy benefit. We got their Miso Butterfish & Blue Fin Bowl selections. Both meals included a small Shrimp Tempura dish & a choice of hot or cold Udon. The Miso Butterfish meal also included two slices each of Ahi & Salmon Sashimi. The Blue Fin bowl included some pieces of Uni & lots of Roe. They were both very tasty, but I'd lean toward ordering the Miso Butterfish again. Service here is always great and they have lots of free parking at the parking structure right above Whole Foods Market (WFM) on Queen St. The restaurant is on the first floor outside of WFM. You can park on any floor and I recommend you use the other elevators located (Ewa side) opposite of the ones on the WFM side. Extra Note - If you are planning on using your Amex Resy credit for a gift card, the minimum amount you can buy at this restaurant is $50.

    sushi deluxe lunch set
    Kira C.

    rinka is one of my go to's for lunch on the weekends, since i don't have time during the week to go. they offer affordable lunch sets that usually come with chawanmushi (my absolute favorite thing in the whole entire world), udon, and/or mini appetizers. I will usually order a set that comes with all three because they are just that good. I am also obsessed with their strawberry pudding. Service is always great. Servers are always attentive, filling waters and teas, and making sure that we are okay and enjoying everything. Travis and Jon are the best! this is a great spot for casual lunch or even business meetings. can't wait to go back! follow my foodie ig: smolgirlfatass

    Tempura lunch set
    Mia M.

    Slightly pricey but very delicious Japanese staples. My grandparents love coming here for lunch and have tried most of their lunch sets by now, all of which are good. Their tempura is crispy (with huge shrimp!) and the nabeyaki udon is huge - like two meals worth of food huge. I love that you get to pick two sides from their wide selection, though they all sounded excellent and it was a hard choice! The eggplant side was our favorite, though all the ones I've tried are good. While there are lots of good Japanese places in town, many with slightly lower prices, Rinka is a great place for a nicer lunch and delicious food.

    Beef Sukiyaki set
    Garry Y.

    Our first visit to Rinka, very nice restaurant, modern and clean. We were welcomed as we entered and quickly showed to our table. The staff was very helpful in answering questions about items on the menu. The food arrived quickly and boy was out delicious. Everything looked pretty and tasted good. Parking was suggested at Whole Foods Market. I would have parked at Ward Center for a shorter walk to the restaurant.

    Amanda S.

    This spot was recommended based on toddler/kid-friendliness and we happened to stumble upon it one evening and ate here. Super spacious with indoor and outdoor seating, and in an area with a parking lot. They had an Ingenuity booster for my toddler and utensils and plate too. She loved her avocado roll and the yakitori platter. The menu is pretty expansive so many options from sushi to noodles to rice to grilling and hotpot too. I got the grilled wagyu set and my husband got a chirashi bowl set which left us super full and satisfied. Fish was very fresh and grilling my wagyu was delicious, except the popping and splattering of the oil from the tiny grill got all over my arms. Wish there was a way to block it as it did hurt and got in my clothes too, even when kept further away overall left full and satisfied. Recommend for family meals with kids for sure!

    Michaela S.

    This has always been my go-to lunch spot. I would highly recommend a reservation at every time of day, as they have limited staff and will not fill all tables, especially during lunch. Their set lunches are the best deal. They have a variety of items to choose from and you won't go wrong with anything. I loved the Jewelry Box, as it was an assortment of fish over rice, was served with udon, chawan mushi, and two sides. We also ordered the tempura which came with rice, chawan mushi, miso soup, and two sides. Honestly, this is the best spot for traditional Japanese set meals. Service is good and food came out quick. They mixed up our bill with another, but got it sorted in the end. Overall, one of my go-to spots!

    Unagi teishoku
    Bry R.

    Usually order takeout for lunch or dinner. But decided to sit down in the restaurant at the sushi bar for dinner. The restaurant itself was busy for a Tuesday night. Nice ambiance, a little noisy. The menu has a lot of teishoku sets to order that aren't available for takeout. Many choices of ala cart items also. We got the unagi + tempura teishoku for $65 or so a pretty pricy set IMO. The unagi was a good sized portion and of great quality. The tempura came with 2 big shrimps and some veggies. Teishoku also comes with udon and some banchan. Overall a great set and delicious, but pricey. Also ordered the tempura teishoku. Came with 2 shrimps + veggies, 4 piece sashimi, and udon. The batter is thick but not oily. The shrimp are a good sized also. Overall a great set for $38. More reasonable than $65 for unagi Also, THE BLACK SESAME TOFU. BOMB. Need more of that!! Would probably only order takeout because the takeout menu is a bit more reasonably priced. Great quality for food and the service was great. Friendly staff and quick.

    Jade K.

    The service and food were amazing!!! New favorite spot!!! Personally, I do like their lunch menu more than their dinner but the quality of the food has been great!!!

    Soba set
    Rand E.

    Conveniently located in Kakaako with parking in Ward Center, a nice Japanese restaurant. For lunch they had standard sets which included 2 sides of your choice. We were 4 people so had 8 sides to share and enjoy. The soba and eel sets were ok. The crab croquettes were too creamy without much crab taste. The chirashi was the winner of the 4 sets. Good overall flavors.

    Menu (11/2025)

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    Page 1 of 17

    Rinka Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Rinka

    Is the jewelry box available for dinner? I thought it's only for lunch fir some reason...?

    Dinner 👍

    Is there a byob policy? Corkage?

    You may BYOB as far as wine is concerned but there is a corkage. You should check with the restaurant on the current charge and if you wish to bring any other kind of beverage as their policy may be updated.

    Are they open for lunch? I was trying to call them during lunch but no answer.

    Yes, I went for lunch. Made reservations online 👍🏻

    Is this restaurant dog friendly?

    Dogs(all pets) are not allowed all the tables.

    Is there outside seating available?

    Yes! Like sitting outside BUT, you may not get the constant attention from servers. Also, fan noise can get a little loud. But, we like it outside!

    The reservations options include "sofa" seating. I don't recall seeing sofas, where/what is that?

    Our sofa sheets are along the wall on the left as you enter us restaurant. These tables are with a sofa and chairs.

    Not sure how to find this place...drove around WholeFoods but couldn't find it. How do you find this place?

    We are 1st floor of Ae‘o. Next of straub. Back side Theatres and Whole foods.

    Are there vegan options? Yelp says "yes" but the server gave a firm "no" when asked about vegan options.

    We are sorry, we do not have vegan options.

    Hi does anyone know how much corkage is to bring our own sake? TY!

    The last time I went there which was about a month ago. The fees were $5. Not sure what it is now. Hope this helps.

    Where is the parking?

    I'd recommend parking in the Whole Foods Market Parking structure (entrances on Queen Street AND on Halekauwila Street). Japanese Restaurant Rinka is located on the street level on the West side of the building or near the A'eo Condominium garage.

    Are they related to Obento Rinka?

    Yes, Obento Rink started as an offshoot of the original restaurant. Same great food! Limited offerings at their Obento locations.

    Reservations necessary? When's best time to go walk-in?

    They currently only take walk-ins. We went today with a party of 8 at 11:45am and there was no wait.

    What is corkage for byob?

    Free right now till they get there liquor license.

    View All 17 Questions

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    TL;DR This might be…read moremy favorite Japanese restaurant in town. Undisputed soba champion. ----- I'm surprised I haven't written a review for i-naba yet. This place has been a staple for my family ever since we moved back to O'ahu a few years ago. Bottom line? The soba noodles here are utterly fantastic. They are, in my humble opinion, the best on the island, and some of the best soba noodles I've ever had. I don't think anywhere else in Honolulu comes close. You come here to eat soba. Period. In addition to the soba being phenomenal, the other offerings at i-naba are also similarly great. Their tempura in particular is outstanding. I typically order the Jumbo Shrimp Tempura Bowl & Soba or the Dx Tempura Bowl & Soba. Plus an upgrade to a large size soba! The tempura is sooo good. It's crispy, light, and airy. The jumbo shrimp is especially succulent and tender. And the ingredients are always perfectly seasoned with the sweet and savory house sauce. Yummmy! If you're looking for the best soba and awesome tempura, this is your spot!!!

    Everytime I asked my Japanese clients which Japanese restaurant they enjoyed most in Honolulu,…read moreInaba consistently came up. And now I know why. I finally had lunch here a couple weeks ago and damn was my tempura and soba set broke da mout. The soba is housemade with a chewy consistency that I love. I had it cold with the dipping sauce and wow wow wow. So good. My friends suggested I get the shrimp and vegetable tempura as well which amazingly stayed crispy the whole time I savored each bite. Probably 30 minutes. Light crisp batter on perfectly cooked shrimp and veggies. Damn it was good. The service was great as well and I cannot wait to go back. Nice warm atmosphere and there's a free parking lot. It gets busy during lunch and dinner, so get there early or make a reservation. Enjoy!

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    I-NABA - Tempura Zaru soba with edamame rice

    Tempura Zaru soba with edamame rice

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    Kaimuki Shokudo

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    4.2(446 reviews)
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    Sunday April 19, 2026 first time, coming here at the 11th Ave. location…read more We were looking for a place for lunch after Planet Fitness Kahala and walking around the Diamond Head Triangle Park. Metered street parking or they have a paid private parking lot. As it was Sunday, we found a parking on Koko Head Avenue and walked there. We were seated right away at 2:30pm and they close at 3:30pm. Then dinner is at 5:00pm. Service was fast and friendly. We ordered right away. Food came out shortly after. It looked good and it tasted good too. The purple potato salad with the 2 sweet potato chips was different and really good! After lunch, we decided to order 2 Kirin beers and a bottle of Iichiko with green tea. We drank 1/3 of the bottle and decided to save the rest for the next time. We will be back again. Support local businesses.

    Great Japanese fusion restaurant with interesting dishes!…read more We ordered the quail eggs, corn, unagi ochazuke, blue cheese shishito peppers, and watercress salad. The peppers might not be everyone's cup of tea but it was certainly unique and interesting. The ochazuke was a favorite! Service was great and ambiance was cozy. Pretty busy on a Friday night. Although I miss their honey toast, I still love their new menu!

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    Kaimuki Shokudo - Just an opening 11/15/25. The restaurant was filled within minutes. Featuring Yelp Elite All Star Donna O.

    Just an opening 11/15/25. The restaurant was filled within minutes. Featuring Yelp Elite All Star Donna O.

    Kaimuki Shokudo - Chicken kaarage

    Chicken kaarage

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    Their famous " Honey Toast"

    Rinka - japanese - Updated June 2026

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