The best Tonkatsu I ever have in the State. Tender and juicy…read more The portion is big too. I am taking my whole family of 10 to eat there this Friday. J visiting from Boston

Chicken katsu kids meal: macaroni salad (has corn and ham), chicken katsu, rice and apple juice…read more My kids enjoyed this. It was my 3 year old's first time having macaroni salad and she enjoyed it. The chicken was fried perfectly. I dont understand how the panko breading can be so light and airy yet crispy! I really wish they would include miso soup for the kids meal. specialty kurobuta pork loin ($49/set): Decided to go foward with the fanciest pork they have. Again this is perfectly fried with a light and airy breading which is what makes a meal here so special. The set meal comes with unlimited cabbage, and miso soup. All of the flavor comes from the tonkatsu sauce. You get sesame seeds that you crush up in a bowl and add the tonkatsu sauce to it. The pork was good but it didnt blow my mind. Unfortunately my cut had a lot of fat. i dont like chunky chewy fat but others who order this may expect it. My husband had a cut with less fat so i enjoyed his pieces more. I think i could have gone with regular pork loin and prob cant tell the difference if fat is one of the factors. I would love to go back and try the tenderloin cut. Service: we made reservations. the woman helping us was very nice and kind to my kids. She did forget to bring us a high chair but thats not a problem. Environment: very small space as you can see in images. When we came it was 80% families with small children at around 1pm. It makes sense because kids eat fried chicken tenders. thats why we were there haha. Food was cooked perfectly and my kids loved their meal. So overall 5 stars.

@fortunefoodfinds: "You deserve a great PIG HOG! Kicked off Father's Day with only the best by…read moretaking da hubz to TONKATSU TAMAFUJI who recently relocated to a bigger space on the first floor of the same building. Ordered a 300g Jyukusei Pork Loin Katsu Set, Mix Katsu Set (Pork Tender Loin 1pc, Shrimp 1pc, Oyster 1pc, Chicken 1pc, Onion 1pc), Sizzling Plate Miso Sauce Pork Loin Set, n' a Lychee Shochu Cocktail. Everything came with all the works n' presentation was on point. It's been years since our last visit n' it did not disappoint!" SERVICE: friendly n' fully staffed INTERIOR: clean n' spacious, was able to fit our travel stroller, have high chairs available EXTERIOR: have an area to sit or stand under the shade WAIT TIME: I made reservations for 11am, the time that they open. We must've not heard them call out reservations bc we noticed they were bringing in people on the sign-in list first, that was posted on the outside podium. We then learned the list was for walk-ins so I informed the host we had reservations n' we were seated immediately. PARKING: metered street or paid garage OVERALL COMMENTS: they don't have a keiki menu but they do have sides or kids can share a meal. All the katsu had the most amazing crispy exterior, just like our past visits, n' isn't overly greasy. L.O.V.E. everything that comes with a meal, from the choice of rice, miso soup, shredded cabbage (I use the sesame dressing), pickles, sauces, etc. Very nicely n' neatly presented. The pork loin katsu could have been a lil' more juicy on the inside but it was still worth it. The sizzling miso is saucy n' we already knew that would take away from the crispiness, but it is a great value for the amount of pork loin n' has a good savory flavor. I always choose the mix set bc I like a lil' bit of everything. My favorite is the shrimp, so good. The pork tender loin is indeed tender. I like the addition of the onion to give variety. Oyster is great with the provided tartar sauce. The chicken was juicy. Delicious food n' a great dining experience each time!

Got lucky with last minute reservations a few hours before for my party of 4. Restaurant has great…read moreambiance - feels like Japan and has serene vibes from the calming music they play. The 4 of us shared the pork tenderloin katsu sandwich, jyukusei pork loin katsu set, the sizzling plate miso sauce pork loin set, and the chicken cheese katsu set. I liked how you can choose the type of rice and type of miso soup that comes with each set. I liked the standard rice and seaweed rice the most, and also the white miso soup with tofu & seaweed the most. The pork tenderloin katsu sandwich was pretty good, bread was toasted and there was a good amount of sauce with the katsu. Jyukusei pork loin katsu was good too. The sizzling plate miso sauce pork loin katsu set wasn't my favorite because I felt like the miso sauce made the breading soggy fast. We weren't the biggest fans of the chicken cheese katsu set either, the cheese was really intense and overpowering. I think the breading on the katsu could've been flakier overall and the meat could've been a bit juicier. Overall glad I got to visit.

Always a good time here! The kamameshi is a must try (I like the salmon and ikura)…read more Tonight we tried the A5 wagyu teppan, the scallops, salmon and ikura kamameshi, fried oysters, soft shell crab, and karei karaage special. Service is always great, ambiance is a neighborhood spot. Highly recommend.

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!

It's a rare treat when I fall in love with a place and rave about it so much that I have to have it…read moreagain. Not only that, but I have to bring my significant other along to share in the deliciousness! I don't know how I'm just now talking about Marugame Udon. When I first came here, my friend and I decided to give it a try because we saw the longest line and wanted to see what all the hype was about. There was a couple in front of us who said they come here every time they visit Hawaiʻi and that it's a must-do stop on every trip. When you walk in, it's a small place. You can watch a team member washing the noodles and portioning them into bowls right in front of you. Then you choose your bowl size, small or large, and select your broth. After that, you get to choose from a variety of fried items and other à la carte options displayed on a warmer. Seating can be limited because of how busy this place gets. You line up to get your food, pay for it, grab your condiments, utensils, and a cup of water, then find a seat and enjoy. I've already been here twice, and after writing about my experience, I need to make a third visit happen very soon! There are not enough days off in a week to enjoy all of the amazing food on this island, but I'm going to do my best to experience as many places as I can. This place is totally worth the 45-minute commute from Wahiawa.

Had the best girls' night here! We sat outside, enjoyed great food, and spent hours chatting in…read moresuch a comfortable atmosphere. The cocktails were gorgeous and tasted amazing. Definitely one of our favorite spots in Waikiki, and we'll be back for sure!

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.

This place ended being our favorite restaurant of our entire Hawaii trip. So glad we made a…read morereservation because it can get quite busy during peak dinner hours. Their grilled chicken thigh was unbelievably tender, juicy, and had just the right amount of smokey flavor. It's one of those dishes that's so simple, yet executed perfectly - a must order. We also enjoyed either ox tail porridge, grilled corn and grilled mochi. The beef tongue was also delicious and cooked perfectly tender, though I wish it had been sliced a little larger instead of diced so small. For drinks, don't miss the lemon tower chu-hi topped with lemon sorbet. It's refreshing, bright, and pairs with the grilled dishes perfectly. We were already talking about coming back before we even finished dinner. Can't wait to be back.

We went to grab an early dinner at around 5ish, place was already busy. We didn't make any…read morereservation but luckily got a small table. Staffs were nice and helpful. We got a couple items. I enjoyed the beef flank and the stew more than the rice bowl. But still good overall. We also like their seasonal/ special drink, not strong on the alcohol but refreshing. Nice atmosphere.

I went there for lunch. The atmosphere was great and the food even better. I had read some…read morereviews that did not agree with mine, but in general those were for dinners and usually just before closing time. Its no surprise that some of the dishes were not available as they are popular and probably ran out before the Reviewers got there. Small details, like having various salts for your tempura available as condiment on the table makes it an experience close to being in Japan/.

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!

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!