Best sushi on the island! Hands down. Omakase style with 13 courses. You can choose Western style which is a good starting point for those less adventurous or Eastern style which includes more shell fish and exotic seafood. Both are to die for. Each course and piece of seafood is seasoned to perfection. No need for soy sauce here. They do provide you with wasabi and ginger and advise you which courses go best with the wasabi, however if you aren't a fan of wasabi, let them know! Many of the courses contain wasabi. The employees here know their stuff and give you a detailed description of each course. No cell phone policy so you are forced to actually converse with your dinner date. *gasp* They do however allow you to take photos of the beautifully presented courses. Make a reservation as they do get busy. And be prepared to spend about $130 per person. It's worth it! I warn you, it will be hard to go anywhere else for sushi after trying this place - unless of course you are the type who only likes California rolls or rolls with tons of fried stuff and fatty sauces. If this is you, this is not the place for you. If you have an open mind and love high quality seafood, this place is a must try. My only complaint is the dessert selection, but that's more of a general complaint about Japanese restaurants. You will likely be satisfied enough to skip dessert anyway! read more

Chef Seiji Kumagawa, lord of the sushi dojo, high priest of the raw, naked fish and creatures of the worlds seas...He stands tall and centered, looking out upon his domain with regal bearing...rarely smiling or chatting easily with his lowly customers...he is the SUSHI NAZI!...and be very wary of how you put the most expensive food per ounce in your mouth...sauce or no sauce?...he will let you know, that is, if he is the one serving you....that appears to be left to several minions hustling about as he now pays more attention to keeping his chin haughtily raised and observing all the diners bustling in the swiftly opening automatic door...This is where sushi has evolved into a set of expensive courses named "Trust Me"...ah, how nice...have a seat...here it comes...rarely varied in dishes, this routine if you will, is almost religious in it's nature...and the price could put you in the grave...but never mind, enjoy, it keeps coming until you gasp "uncle"...The expression " If you are being ...... you might as well lay back and enjoy it" fits wonderfully in this establishment.... read more

Sasabune is maybe the best sushi I ever had. Wow! Some people do not like the rules but I think they are fun and helpful. The sushi is like butter. Melts in your mouth. Really this is very possibly the best sushi in the world. read more

I have been here for the Omakase a few times, and it has always been delicious. However, this last time was not as good as I remember. I went with a friend and got the Eastern and Western Omakase. I remember in the past, every course would wow me. Now, it was just okay. Still good, but not everything was amazing. I liked the uni, toro, and special ikura :] However, everything else was meh. And the servers didn't really explain exactly how we "should" eat the food like they did in the past. Some people don't like that and find it stifling. However, being at one of the best sushi places on the island, if their "thing" is having the chef tell you exactly how you should eat his dish..then tell me! I liked that they used to be strict about that, and this time they just dropped off the food and would quickly describe it. For a meal that was upwards of $500 for two people, it was kind of disappointing. I would come back to order normally, but not Omakase ever again. On a side note, the service by management was excellent. read more

Sushi sasabune! having been to both the LA and Honolulu... Honolulu is definitely better. Be prepared be guided and open minded to the master. There is a process to follow and instructions are explicit!... don't drop the rice in the shoyu!... each sushi should be eaten in one bite. Warm rite, fresh wasabi, great service and $$$$ to match. Bring your appetite and enjoy the mea.. read more

What a wonderful experience! The chefs understood my gluten free requirement and made the necessary adjustments. Thank you! Four of us had the shellfish omakase which began with steamed abalone. Heaven. Each piece of fish was utterly delicious and simply presented. Total bill was less than expected, but you get what you pay for. Can't wait to return to Oahu and Sasabune. read more

I love Sushi. I've been to Sasabune 4 times now over the last couple of years. They never disappoint. The dishes melt in your mouth and the omakase is top notch. We recently had our employee quarterly dinner here and my entire staff was blown away. If you love sushi, I'd highly recommend making a reservation and giving them a try. read more

best sushi i have ever had. i will forever compare all sushi to this place. My friends took me there to experience "pure japanese sushi." they told me the only way to do this was to get the chef's special. I didnt know what that meant, but i went along with my friends. basically it is a never ending feast of delicious sushi. The chef gives you a little appetizer, and then starts you on your sushi extravaganza. they bring out two pieces of sushi at a time, very simple, and with instructions on how to eat it (ie eat this one with soy sauce, no soy sauce, wasabe, etc). I recommend trying at least one of the pieces the way the chef wants you to eat it, and then do the way you would prefer it. the dishes keep coming, but not all at once. my friends and i had 13 courses over the span of 2.5 hours. it was amazing. what we didnt realize is that you can stop the meal anytime you feel like you have had enough. my friends and i thought we were just getting what was expected, but our waiter came over to us and asked us if there was anything in particular we would like from the chef, since we were still eating. i was done...i wanted to roll out of the restaurant. my friends, however, were determined to end on their note and requested unagi as the last dish... then the bill came. between the three of us, and no alcohol, we spent $301, including tips. read more

Just to give you my background ... My husband and I eat sushi at least twice a week and we have travelled extensively and visited sushi retaurants all over the world. We were looking forward to dining at Sasabune because of the yelp reviews as well as recommendations from friends. I ordered ala carte and my husband decided upon omakase. The dishes were very enjoyable, a few were incredible, notably the calamari stuffed with crab as well as the oyster trio. The waiters were attentive and told us when to add shoyu or when to eat as is, they were never rude in their suggestions as a few of your reviews state. I was actually looking forward to the natzi treatment for a bit of entertainment! Upon completion of the meal, we were given the bill for $138 which I thought was reasonable, then they came back with a second bill for a total of $248!!! My husband had one beer! Totally ridiculous, I have had far superior sushi here on Maui at Sushi Paradise with larger portions of fish and exquisite presentation. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about with Sasbune but I can only rate it 3 stars. read more

If you want amazing sushi in Hawaii, this is the place to go. The service was really good, and the food was even better. This is how sushi should be - just melts in your mouth. I found the head chef to be nice and was smiling the entire time we were eating. I regret not going back later in our stay. If I am ever back in Hawaii, I will be sure to eat here again. read more

I have had a lot of amazing sushi on both coasts of the US and in Japan. Certainly not disappointing, it was not spectacular either. I felt the meal was more about the experience than the food. May have been an off night. read more

Hubby and I went with friends and sat at the bar and had the O malaise. Hands down the best sushi I've ever had! The different types of fish literally melted in my mouth. I highly reccommend this restaurant! read more

If the head chef wasn't such a tool he'd probably get a broader customer base and add more coin in his piggy bank. Besides that sushi is killer. read more

BEST SUSHI I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. I've never felt convicted enough to write a yelp review, but for Sushi Sasabune I absolutely must. If you are in Honolulu, make a reservation ahead of time and enjoy the omakase (I stuck with the western omakase but might be tempted to go all out next time). Watching the sushi chefs work was absolutely amazing. I'm already dreaming of my next trip back. read more

I really don't understand what all the fuss is about. This place serves below average sushi (no imagination and too much sauce) by a staff with an attitude. Maybe it is because I just came back from Japan where the sushi AND SERVICE is beyond comparison. Also I think that SASABUNE employees have a rule against smiling. I am not even asking for the customary "Irasshai!" but we did not even get a "hi" or "hello" or "thank you for coming". Most of the time they practically threw the plates on the table and reached across the table to save them from walking around. It seemed like they were all p____d off and hated their jobs (and the customers). I did notice, however, that they were laughing in the kitchen. The joke must have been the big scam that they are pulling. After we finished the chef's choice set two of our party placed an additional order. The waiter said that there were so many other choices that we did not yet try but we made the mistake of taking his advice by leaving it up to the chef. We got two maki negi toro, which was a surprise as we had gotten the nigiri negi toro just two courses prior. I guess they just wanted us out of there. The bill for our party of 4 which included only two beers, not including tax was $440. The place was full and even had a waiting line. I can only figure that some people like to pay a lot to be treated like dirt and eat sushi that is close to that also! For those of you who think that you have to follow their rules because "that is the REAL way to eat sushi" that is a lot of bunk and only points out your own insecurities. Well, they obviously don't like customers so that is one thing that I will cooperate with them on as we will never be going back there. read more

very good fresh sushi...however on the expensive side. somewhat rude...telling you how you want to eat your OWN sushi!!

Without having been to the NYC Sasabune (where we live) we decided to eat (splurge) at the Honolulu one while on vacation. Unfortunately me and the hubs got sick (colds) at the beginning of our vacation...but, as foodies will prevail, we stuck to our plan. We were given the option of a la carte or omakase. I was close to getting the a la carte but decided that since we were here we should do the omakase, except that we probably woudln't be able to do all 13 or so courses. However, we did have the option to end at any time, so...we did the omakase and completed 7 courses. We did the American omakase which is the more popular one, there is a more traditional Japanese omakase which seemed even more courses...so we stuck to the American. Everything we had was wonderful, from the smooth luscious albacore tuna, to the delicate chu toro. If only we hadn't been so ill, I would have gladly finished the full omakase. I did however, had to add an extra order of uni because I am a huge uni fan. They brought me out 2 pieces of Hokkaido uni...basically the best uni i've ever eaten. Now poor ol' Santa Barbara uni won't cut it...damn it, Hokkaido you have ruined regular uni (and my pocketbook) for me! We will return on our next trip! read more

eh. for strip mall sushi it is fine. in a pinch, you could do worse.

If you are gluten-intolerant, don't even bother calling them. They don't have gluten-free soy sauce, and they don't allow outside sauce in their restaurant. read more

So ridiculously happy that I got to eat here and have the amazing sushi. You would never think in a tiny restaurant in a strip mall on King street that you would be transported back to Japan. We took on the 13 course Omakase. I have to say we were told there is not any noodles, no tempura, it is sushi so if you are looking for a variety, go elsewhere. The chef provides what he believes you would like. You don't believe that sushi would fill you to the brim but it is a LOT of food. It felt like going on a tour of the world with all the different fish. The first bite I knew it was going to be amazing because the plate of sashimi just literally melted onto my tongue. The service was really superb, on point but the guys weren't stuffy and would crack a smile every so often. They moved quickly around and took plates, filled glasses and I liked how they took the job serious it made me appreciate it even more. We sat at the bar and I was mesmerized by how deft Chef's hands were at forming the sushi each one right after another. Yes it is going to be on the pricier side of sushi but like the sign said....Trust me. I did...and happier for it. Felt like we floated out the door. I hope Chef enjoyed his beer. read more

Overblown, I call it. Sasabune is just down the St. from Izakaya Gaku which would certainly provide a slightly cheaper more relevant experience. I can't really believe SO many "the best in the world" comments. I'd have to pithely remark about what "world" that'd be. Yes, the sushi is certainly of premium grade and presentation (as commented elsewhere here) but even in Hawaii the $$$ are ridiculous. The service/quality (let alone the area and space itself) is not exactly anything other than competent. The automatic sliding front door I've always thought 'cheap'/ridiculous. Certainly some interesting combinations but I'd also prefer some stds/classics but that's just not the 'menu' here and along with the supposed Sushi Nazi/Chef reputation - kinda pretentious vs. real - makes it rather a once-in-a--lifetime event. I mean why go back (esp. $$$) unless it's just to impress friends? Amusingly (?) I'm predominantly a sashimi fan, esp. if I have to pay $$$ for some simple sushi rice, and I mentioned this. Just goes to show the inventiveness/same ol', they just seemed to ignore that and started to present the std. evenings plates. I relented and ate the first fish/rice combo's attentively but, since I think the rice masks fish flavors, eventually started to simply eat the fish only!!! It wasn't exactly Seinfield Soup Nazi reaction but I was unceremoniously berated as to why I was "wasting my special sushi rice" (in perfect unaccented english) and only remained for one other plate (sans rice) since he appeared to me to go into "do you want anything else" mode. It's that kinda of feel. I think the bar is not exactly comfortable feel anyway and you can get 2-3 as good sushi meals elsewhere for same tab. I think Sasabune survives on that old Barnum&Bailey technique of "you'll never guess...!" customer base. There is very little to recommend to the sushi purists/experienced. read more

Well, if you got about $200 and you want to spend on nothing else but amazing sushi, then add Sushi Sasabune to your itinerary while traveling at the lovely Oahu island. Close to downtown, Sushi Sasabune offers top notch 13 course sushi that is for sure going to delight your taste palette. Courses are thoughtfully designed to get your appetite going as dinner progresses. Be sure to pace yourself as you do not want to get too full that you can't finish the last few courses. They are the best! Each night's menu differs slightly. As the sign placed on top of the kitchen clearly indicates, you are just going to have to trust the chef and his selections of fishes for you that night. Do not worry, quality of sushi will never be a disappointment. I didn't give 5 stars to this place only because I think $150 + tip is tiny bit overpriced for sushi but I did thoroughly enjoyed my experience there.. read more

The food is awesome, but the sushi chef behind the bar was pretty scary. Kept staring to see if we were eating the sushi properly.

We did the Omakase, as everyone suggested. It was $225 for two people, including alcohol, which is about what I expect to pay at a good sushi restaurant. Almost everything was pretty delicious, compared with their peer group of 5 star Japanese restaurants. What really stood out was the toro -- their toro was exquisite. One of the best 3 toros I've had in the world. I'd return just for that. read more

I understand most people don't like to drop 150 a person at dinner but outside of that I can not fathom why on earth you would give this place anything less than 5 stars. Beautiful presentation, tasty dishes, an experience of a life time! They tell you what to do and if you act respectful they will be friendly. Don't expect the chef to acknowledge you, but the sous chefs are great. My husband and I were clearly tourists but were treated very well and with gratitude. Being from Wisconsin Nigiri will NEVER taste the same. Melt in your mouth is accurate. As everyone said the toro was amazing, halibut and snapper had great flavors. The rice on the nigiri is awesome. If we ever come back I will for sure try the eastern menu which looked a bit more "unusual". I also appreciated the bottled wine was very affordable. I want to say, I consider myself a person who can eat A LOT, I skipped lunch that day and I was still unbelievably full and the husband was very well satisfied. read more

One of the best sushi places I've been to in the world. Sit at the bar, eat omakase. Follow the recommendations about eating each nigiri in one bite, without making any adjustments to seasoning. Do not put ginger on your nigiri. But don't be afraid to tell the chefs if you'd like a different amount of wasabi on your pieces, etc. They are friendly. :) read more

The best variety and quality sushi I've ever had in the US. I appreciate that the chef tells everyone how to eat the sushi but it almost gets annoying after a while but none the less I wouldn't want to ruin such high quality ingredients by dipping or not dipping in the shoyu. I only give it 4 stars because the prices are so high, about 115 per person for the omakase. If you are into sushi and don't plan on going to Japan anytime soon then you need to go to this place at least once in your life to see how sushi is supposed to taste. My favorite dishes were the sashimi served first with the ponzu sauce, their specialty the tuna tartare (the consistency of which was like nothing I had ever had before, and the trio of oysters. If I ever go back I will not get the omakase as I have already done that and now know what my favorite dishes to order are but I definitely recommend the omakase for first time visitors. read more

"... with the freshiest fish from around the world". It really is the best of the best. Must try the toro sushi - it literally melts in your mouth. My #1 recommendation for sushi restaurant. They have a parent restaurant in LA. read more

An old coworker told me that if I ever visit Hawaii, I have to try this place because it was the best sushi he's ever had in his LIFE. So on a recent trip with some girlfriends, I suggested we go here for our one expensive dinner night. We made reservations for the bar and ate "omakase." That means the sushi chef will make whatever he wants for you and will keep serving you dishes until you tell him to stop. This was the most amazing sushi experience I've ever had! It completely blew me away, tastewise and service-wise. With each dish, the chef told us where the fish came from, how he prepared it, and how to eat it (dip it in soy sauce or not). And when he tells you how to eat it, he's SERIOUS. One person's sushi fell apart because she left it in the sauce for too long. She was about to eat the pieces when the sushi chef reached over, reformed the rice ball and put the fish on top. "You HAVE to eat it in ONE bite," he told her sternly. The service was impeccable. Our cups of tea were never empty or cold and the waiters were very friendly. We were served I think a total of 13 different dishes, although some of the other girls had to say "Stop." I was determined to eat each and every one of the dishes even though I was about to burst at the end. The food was to die for! The fish was so so fresh and melted in my mouth. If you come here, you have to be adventurous. One person in our group hates shellfish, and one of our dishes was oyster. She was a good sport and still ate it, but almost gagged. It is Chef's choice, so you might get something you don't like, but will still have to pay for it. Which brings me to the $$$$ part. I've never spent so much on one meal before, but it was so worth it. It's not just about the food, it's about the whole experience. It's something you should try out at least once. I would totally go back again, maybe try out the one in LA.... but only for a very, VERY special occasion. But what's a better special occasion than being in HAWAII? Aloha! read more

it's the best. i love how they place the sushi right in front of you with their hands and instruct you on how to eat it (soy sauce, wasabi, one bite, etc. . . ). this is where you go for special occasions. its not cheap, but the sushi is amazing. save it for a special day. :) read more

I've been coming here every year for the past 5 years whenever I come home. I always do the chef's menu at the sushi bar. We recently came home for a wedding and went here for our dinner. Unfortunately something went terribly wrong with our reservation and we ended up being sat at a table which really pissed me off. One...I make reservations months in advance to ensure we have the sushi bar. I love watching the chefs do their mastery. They put us at a table and explain that this is our only option. At this point I'm hungry and therefore grouchy and a little pissed since this is a tradition with my wife and it's my birthday. Needless to say, the staff, especially Kevin went above and beyond to reconcile the situation and make sure we enjoyed ourselves. Not to mention the Chefs were flawless which made my tummy very very very happy. Mahalo Nui Loa and I will definitely be back as usual. read more

parking: plenty in the back enter on King St or Keeaumoku cost: $200/person for 13 course omakase First the decor, its a quaint place that's not overly pretentious and seems like a good place for a romantic dinner or a casual meal with friends. The sushi bar area seems pretty hip and out of any sushi restaurant. The dining area directly in front is more elegant with nice tables and decorative trees. We started with the Shichida sake which is a room temperature sake to start. You can choose the eastern versus the western style omekase. The waiter explained that the eastern has more shellfish and uni whereas the western is more fish focused. We went with the eastern style and started with the abalone sashimi which was just the right amount of saltiness and a great course to start with. I also learned that abalone has a liver, which tasted like the ocean. Then we had the cooked hamachi in shoyou sauce which was amazing. After that we had 9 courses of sushi from seemingly around the world as well as oysters. Then we had the lobster tail which I found a little dry. The egg with unagi was amazing and I could not get over the preparation of the egg. At this point we were getting pretty full and it became a struggle to finish but felt like we had to! The miso with shrimp was next which was great as it was a light dish. However the last course was a roll, it was very confusing why they finished with such a rice heavy dish. Even though we were full we had to get ice cream and the green tea ice cream is a great way to finish off the meal. Overall it was a good albeit slightly overwhelming experience (as are all 13 course meals). My only gripe with this establishment is that we were originally booked at the sushi bar but they overbooked and we were kicked out. We did not get any recompense for this and it was a very odd way to start our meal. All in all, a nice place for a special occasion. read more

They are pretty strict here -- they'll tell you when it's the right time to use soy sauce, and one bite only per sushi piece. I didn't mind though because when they told you not to use soy sauce, there was already some kind of sauce on the fish, usually ponzu. And I know the "correct" way to eat sushi is one bite per piece (although I usually take two bites). You will also notice a no cell phone sign at every single table, that's right, above every single table. I also didn't mind this because I don't like it when people talk on their cell phone in a restaurant....especially when they are talking loudly. I complied with all the eating directions, and it was good. Very good, but not the best I've ever had. I still think Sushi Nozawa in Studio City, CA is better. Maybe my expectations were too high from reading previous reviews. I would still highly recommend it though. Oh, be prepared to shell out some cash for your meal, it is very expensive. read more

did the omakase with a bottle of sake. bill came up to 165 per person in my group. it was definitely filling and each dish melted in my mouth. i had a positive experience but would try other high end sushi establishments before I return. the serving staff were nice but I didn't feel like they were especially happy or excited to be working that night. read more

Luckily I was sent to Honolulu for a week by my Company and I got to taste some of Honolulu's top rated restaurants for dinner. As a first timer to omakase, I fell in love. Once you're given a dish, you're told how to eat it (with or without soy sauce) and where the fish was caught. Examples are red snapper from Australia, scallop from Boston, tuna from Baja California, etc. One of my favorites had to be a tuna foie gras sort of thing. The chef was nice and I was never scolded for eating anything wrong (it may have been because I'm girl haha). Definitely go for omakase if you have the budget and love sushi. You may not love every single dish but you'll be overwhelmingly satisfied and that's because the texture of every single fish is top notch. I used to think all raw fish have the same texture; however, I now have a new found appreciation for how raw fish should really be enjoyed and it's absolutely amazing. read more

Very delicious sushi and great service. We were asked to eat the sushi in one bite, which we made sure to do, as chef kept a close eye on us. This is sushi that didn't need soy sauce or wasabi -- very flavorful and enjoyable. Each dish on the Omakase got better and better. I would highly recommend! Despite other reviews, we were served ginger with a bit of WASABI on the plate. Apparantly chef has gotten more flexible with his no wasabi policy. but we only used a slight bit on Sashimi and trusted the chef to put it on the pieces he thought should have it. read more

This place BY FAR has the best sashimi/sushi on the island!! But it's pricey as hell!! So we came here for my birthday and had their Chef's Menu and everything was delicious! I also had their azuki bean flan which I thought was weird at first but it turned out to be good. So I'm giving it a 5 star all because of the fresh sashimi from all over the world read more

Sushi perfection... but expensive. Definitely opt for the Japanese Omakase but you have to be very direct that that's what you want. If you're a fan of tuna and salmon, go for the American Omakase, but if you're a food adventurer, you'll strike gold with the Japanese Omakase. And listen to what you're getting. The best part of the meal is the lovely explanation right before the dish is proffered to you. read more

We were on our way to another Japanese restaurant on king only to find it was closed. Our taxi driver had pointed out Sasabune to us and recommended it. Since the one was closed we asked if we could slip in. Fortunately there was a cancellation. Sitting next to two investment advisors who were following the chef special we decided to do the same. They said there would be the best sushi from around the world, and they were spot in. Salmon from new zealand, Albacore tuna from Canada, halibut from north carolina,oysters from Vancouver,tuna from Japan and on it went. Each dish a delightful flavorful taste. Each different from the one before. Fresh beyond belief. Succulent, flavourful, memorable. Simply delicious. The chefs choices were extraordinary. Fabulous sushi. Phenomenal pairings of flavors and tastes. This will be on our list every time we return to Hawaii. It is a very elegant and tidy restaurant. Make a reservation to ensure you get in. read more

Well, I finally broke down to try this place. Let's just start that the ONLY reason this place did not get 5 stars is because of price. The food was extraordinary. We had Eastern omakase. We got to #11 and had to stop. If you like excellent, and I mean some of the best ever, sushi, this is the place for you. The service has got to be one of the best of any type of restaurant on island. It wasn't intrusive but we water glasses were filled and numerous people checked in to make sure we were happy. This is not like a chinese restaurant where all the food comes at once. The sushi staff are attentive and serve the next dish at just the right interval. Timing was perfect. Wow! We didn't have reservations but were seated almost immediately. We sat at the end of the sushi bar next to the fish tank (I don't think it was the best seat in the house but we liked the obscurity since we had never been before.) and it seemed like we had our own sushi server in that corner. Each dish was described so there were no surprises. We had a shrimp allergy in our party and it didn't seem to be a problem at all. Overall, I will go back for a special occasion. I have to save up more money. hehe. Loved this place!! read more