Service was on point and the food absolutely delivered -- honestly, what more could you ask for?…read more We dined in around 5:30 pm and it was pretty quiet at first, which made for a relaxed start to dinner. Within about 30 minutes, the place started filling up quickly -- always a good sign. Ordering was smooth and efficient, and our food came out shortly after without feeling rushed. My boyfriend ordered the spicy beef shabu shabu with spinach, mushrooms, and udon. The broth had a really nice kick -- flavorful, warming, and not overwhelmingly spicy. The beef was tender and paired perfectly with the fresh vegetables and chewy udon noodles. I went with the shrimp tempura udon, and it hit the spot. The curry was light yet savory, and the tempura shrimp were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside -- no soggy batter here. The portion sizes were just right: satisfying and comforting without leaving us overly stuffed. Great service, delicious food, efficient timing -- this is definitely a spot we'll be coming back to.

I've never been more sad writing a critical review for any place before…read more We love the food here. We're regulars at pretty much every location they have. But this location is disappointing. Not in the food, but in the service. They always short change you on the quantity of food when you take out.

It wasn't a large restaurant, maybe about ten tables. I ordered to go. The rice was delicious and…read morethe curry was the perfect texture. The tonkatsu was cooked perfectly however the panko layer was a little thin and it fell off the meat.

5 stars for the food, service, and ambiance!…read more Fried Oyster Curry ($19) x3 side Chicken Katsu ($10) Fukujinzuke & Rakkyo - free upon request extra Curry - also free Jugem is the true definition of a hole in the wall spot that serves delicious food at a reasonable price! Legit Japanese curry from Kawagoe has a nice depth of flavor! Although their curry is mild only, they offer extra spicy togarashi to kick up the heat! Zoom in on the bottom left dish and you'll see the togarashi. Spicyyy! It elevates the overall experience. Fresh, plump oysters are flown in from Hiroshima! Katsu is freshly fried and crispy, fukujinzuke: also delicious! Just try it... You won't be disappointed! Park on the street or there's also free parking in the lot behind the restaurant (enter from King St).

Amazing!!! My 6 year old eats gyoza everywhere we go and he said this is the best he's ever…read morehad-incredible ratio of meat to veggies to spices he said! We asked and they make them fresh every day. I got veggie GF ramen and it's incredible. often veggie is not and it was incredible! The cabbage was cooked perfectly as well as the bok choy and the bean sprouts all of it! The bowl was gigantic and I ate all of it! My wife said it's the best she's ever had (she got the katsu chicken). It's family owned and the mom makes the garlic chili oil and we bought a container of it to add to all of our meals before we leave the island. So GOOOOOOD!

Rai Rai Ramen in Kailua was busy and parking was limited out front. It was raining that day, so we…read morewere glad my cousin had a truck and could manage one of the tighter stalls. My cousin's two kids love this place and insisted it has the best fried rice. I'm usually not a big fried rice person, but I was curious and tried it. I can see why people like it. I ordered the shrimp katsu ramen with a shoyu egg. The broth and noodles were excellent and really the highlight of the dish. I wasn't a huge fan of the shrimp katsu on its own since it was a bit chewy, but once it soaked in the broth, it was much better. The portion size was just right, filling without being too much. Overall, a solid ramen spot, especially if you're already in Kailua.

I love Daiichi Ramen. All of the locations I have been to pretty much operate the EXACT same (Pearl…read moreCity and Kapolei). It's never been too busy when I've gone since it's always midday, after lunch and before dinner. The service is quick and I've never had to wait long at all to get my food. I usually get the Katsu Curry, in which the portions are big and the chicken katsu always stays crispy.

The cleanliness at this restaurant is very poor. The moment my family and I walked in, we were hit…read morewith a strong urine smell. There were fly traps hanging from the ceiling, which was quite unpleasant to see while trying to eat. Strangely, the staff was mopping the floor right next to occupied tables during a busy late-night rush. The menus also smelled like a dirty bathroom; I couldn't hold mine for more than a minute without gagging. While the staff was quick and the food came out fast, the kitchen was disorganized. They forgot our miso soup and brought out edamame instead of the menma (bamboo shoots) we ordered. We had the gomoku ramen, spicy beef ramen, gyoza, lemon tea, a side of menma, and shrimp tempura udon. The gyoza and lemon tea were delicious, but they couldn't outweigh the negatives. According to my family, two out of the three soups tasted like dish soap. We were too exhausted after work to send them back, but it was honestly gross. To top it off, the single-stall unisex bathroom had that same foul odor. I wouldn't recommend Daiichi Ramen. Serving 'dish soap soup' is unacceptable in food service. You're better off heading to the nearby Burger King or Safeway for late-night eats.

Ayame is our favorite restaurant!! We almost always get the tonkatsu supreme special since it's…read moresuch a great deal, but honestly all of the food here is so delicious. Will is so friendly and the service is excellent. Although we will be moving, we will definitely be coming back to eat here!

The server was friendly the prices were a good deal and they gave us free food. I recommend going…read morehere if you like chill places.

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.

Everything as expected and more. No nonsense great food and…read moreexperience on the island. The new downstairs location is expanded and open for more customers with the same amazing experience.

@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!

My partner and I got the red curry fish and the pork + poke. We really enjoyed both, and this may…read morebe our favorite dinner spot in Kailua so far! We came a bit late, and it seems like our service was a tad delayed with servers helping all the other late birds. Very understandable, and everyone was very kind. Pretty spacious.. we sat inside, but will have to come back for the yummy looking drinks at the bar!

Their garlic chicken is my go-to when I dont feel like cooking. Consistently so so good…read more Love the fact that they actually stay open until their posted closing time, unlike soooo many other Kailua spots. V is my favorite server. I always look forward to her smile.