The service was excellent--everyone was so polite and attentive throughout our visit…read more The food was absolutely delicious, and the fish tasted incredibly fresh! While it is a bit on the pricey side, the flavors definitely made it worth it. The egg mixture added so much richness to the bowl, and the salad was just as impressive. Their dressing was amazing! Can't wait to come back again!

Totoya is a Japanese sushi chain and so happy to see it now in Hawaii, with multiple locations in…read moreAiea, Kaimuki, and Piikoi. We went to the Kaimuki location to see what the hype was about. I had their signature negitoro matsu bowl and it was absolutely divine! I was always hesitant to eat negitoro because of the negi or green onions in the name, but it tasted like a finer, soft ahi paste with ikura and uni. Delicious, although can be pricy at $30+ per entree. Highly recommend for authentic, negitoro experience.

This is the best meal I had in Waikiki. The classic pork loin tonkatsu was deeeeelicious! The light…read morecrispy breading was perfection, the meat was tender and the whole sesame grinding with tonkatsu sauce action was just fantastic. We also ordered the A5 Wagyu Filet Mignon Katsu set that we grilled on hot stone. Marbling was exquisite, meat super tender. Rice, cabbage salad & miso soup are unlimited. We enjoyed every bite of our meal. We reserved on Yelp, got seated right away, there were only 2 Japanese aunties taking orders, bussing, serving, checking out, refilling etc and served with a smile. We will definitely make sure to return here on our next visit to the island. It's money well spent. They close around midnight - it's very close to Hard Rock Cafe and Lahaina Shave Ice. It's a small restaurant with a bar and gets packed quickly so be sure to make reservations or it will be a long wait. We went to Tonkatsu Tamafuji 2 nights later but i personally prefer Ginza over Tamafuji.

Ginza Bairin is consistently amazing. I typically get the specialty Kurobuta pork loin katsu set,…read morewhich they only have daily limited quantities of. It's delicious and the fry is perfect but it can be pretty rich/fatty. It does come with a side of Japanese spicy mustard, which goes great and helps cut some of the richness. If you order a set, they give unlimited salad, miso soup, and rice as well. This time, we also got the Hamburg steak set, which was surprisingly so delicious. It was juicy, super moist, and very flavorful. I'm usually not a fan of this dish, but it was delicious here! The servers are efficient and quick to offer refills of the sides and water. The space isn't very big, some tables and some counter seating, so if you're going with more than 2 people, a reservation is highly recommended. Whenever we're in Hawaii, we'll be back.

After recently visiting their new location, I'm happy to say that Tonkatsu Tamafuji is just as good…read moreas I remember. Despite moving to a larger space downstairs, the food and service haven't missed a beat. Still great! The tonkatsu was cooked perfectly. Thick, juicy, and tender and all of the sides were just as delicious as before. I had dinner with a friend, and we both really enjoyed our meals. The staff was friendly and attentive throughout the evening. Consistently checking in to be sure all was good. It's nice to see that after all these years, they're still maintaining the same quality that made them so popular in the first place. The restaurant remains busy, so I'd still recommend arriving early if you don't have a reservation. Even after the brief shutdown, this is still one of my favorite spots for tonkatsu in Honolulu.

Tasty spot and not too crowded when we went on a Wednesday right when they opened. Inside seating…read moreand good for groups and kids. I liked the leaner cuts as opposed to the fatter cuts.

If there's one thing about me, it's that I love an izakaya. Open late and small plates so you can…read moretry a few different things, my favorite! I've been to Mitch's a few times and when I saw that they opened up an Izakaya next door, I knew I had to try it and made a reservation on Yelp. Izakaya Mitch's specializes more in cooked dishes while the other side is more about the fresh / raw fish. But that didn't stop us from ordering the assorted sashimi. All the fish were from Japan and yes you can taste the difference. The fatty tuna was obviously my favorite but even the regular tuna and the hamachi was so buttery, it just melts in your mouth. Plus, it comes with real wasabi. Not horseradish, real wasabi. For the cooked dishes we got the hokkaido crab tempura with a side of matcha salt. One of the best tempuras I've ever had. The kamameshi, a rice dish with their fish of the day. We got the half order and it's kinda like a bibimbap where they mix the rice for you at your table. I saw that people were raving about this on Yelp and put in our order right when we got in because it takes 25-ish minutes to prepare. On special, they had a karei karaage. Karei is a flat fish and I've never had a fish karaage before, it was perfectly fried and dipped in the ponzu sauce it was so good. Ambiance is a no-frills kinda spot but very clean and feels homey and the service is amazing! Attentive and super personable.

So happy there is an izakaya that we don't have to drive to downtown or Waikiki. Izakaya Mitch's is…read moreclose to the airport in the industrial area. I made reservations, so we were seated right away. Luckily, it wasnʻt crowded when we sat, so our waitress was able to answer all our questions about different dishes we were interested in ordering. Our party of 3 got to try different things from the specials and regular menu. The tai karaage was so tender and seasoned really well, the kamameshi is such a comfort dish, and the burrata with chilled tomato was really refreshing. One thing we all liked was that even though there were a lot of people in the restaurant (most came in after we ordered), we still were able to speak to one another without talking loud. The staff mentioned that they will be getting a sushi chef, so I guess we need to try this place again,

Always fresh made Udon for there soups! Visiting the Honolulu location It can be in the 80's and…read morethese dishes hit the spot!

this place is fantastic, great staff, delicious food! fast and efficient getting in and out.read more

Me and pookie absolutely love this spot. The caterpillar roll is by far our favorite and we…read moredefinitely recommend!! ;)

My coworker picked up some dinner here. It's located on royal Hawaiian avenue in Waikiki…read more They have an extensive Japanese menu ranging from izakaya type items to donburis and yakitori. We had a bunch of yakitori type items (skewered bbq). Highly recommend the miso pork belly and the chicken thighs with green onion.

If you're looking for some delicious Japanese pub food and beer, Aburiya is what you want and what…read moreYOU NEED. Service was excellent, food was excellent and the staff was so fun and eager to hangout with tables :) Ambiance did remind me of Japan, just with American sized portions XD

I just want to add that every time I come here the service is great. I took my good friend from…read morethe mainland here for dinner - it was his first time in Hawaii and he was so impressed with the food - but more than that I was so grateful how well they took care of us. This Izakaya is so chill and it definitely feels more like a homey vibe - definitely something you'd see in Japan. My homie enjoyed the beef flank, jellyfish, and the unagi kamameshi. All wins on his end and he also enjoyed the matcha next door. :) definitely a must-visit spot when you're on the island. If my LA friends loved it then your outer-island friends will love it too.

If you're looking for an authentic Japanese izakaya experience, Izakaya Tenkichi is a must-visit…read more From the moment you walk in, the ambiance transports you straight to Japan. The cozy atmosphere, traditional decor, and lively energy make it feel like a neighborhood izakaya you'd stumble upon while exploring Tokyo. The food was outstanding. Everything tasted incredibly fresh, and the tempura was fried to perfection, light, crispy, and never greasy. Some of our favorite dishes included the scallop sashimi, which was sweet and delicate, the assorted vegetable tempura, and the ikura & uni bowl, packed with rich flavors and premium ingredients. We also enjoyed several of their side dishes, each prepared with the same attention to quality and authenticity. Great food, great atmosphere, and a truly authentic dining experience. We can't wait to come back and try more of the menu!

Overall delicious and good quality…read more I felt the tempura a little bit oily. Hamachi was fresh . The dressing for the salad a bit salty. Service was really good though.

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!

Cozy and friendly restaurant in Manoa. Amazing cocktail menu with lots of unique options…read more They use lots of local vendors and ingredients which I love. Great spot for parties and date nights, with modern decor and table styles. Very relaxing atmosphere with an open kitchen concept. Food was amazing, and easy to share. Definitely recommend!

This was my first time visiting this restaurant and I want to start with the customer service , it…read morewas A++. We went there for dinner and it was busy, but the customer service was A1. The decor was simple yet cute, down to the tables Ave chair arrangement. Let's get to the food, the bao buns were every dish was full of flavor and the combinations were crazy. The churros were soooo good. I highly recommend