Amazing staff and service. Food was good. Ambiance was light and fun. Katsu was nice and crispy. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Couple set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great place to go for katsu,the ambience is nice too and the service is amazing and friendly. We brought the kids and they loved it! The robot was so cool read more

Quick and convenient service. Party of 3 walked in on a Sunday night at 7:30 and we were immediately seated at a table. Menu options are simple which makes it easy to decide. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Lemon soba and katsu combo - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

So delicious, light, crunchy breading on shrimp & pork that is tender definitely not overcooked! Cabbage shaved so thin with dressings that complements the meal! Friendly & efficient service with the help of a robot trolley to your table. So modern! Lively fun atmosphere especially when meeting up with friends & family! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Shrimp & Pork Loin Tonkatsu shared at the table. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

the food at tonkatsu kuro was absolutely exquisite, and the service was great as well! everything we ordered was delicious, and we really appreciated how generous they were with the cabbage refills. it was also really cool that they had robots as servers, such a fun and unique experience! however, there were a couple of things that could be improved. at one point, a piece of cabbage was accidentally dropped into my cousin's water. unfortunately, the cabbage refills were served in a way where some of it ended up getting into my cousin's water again. it would be much better if the refills were served on a plate or separate dish. also, our water was empty for about an hour, and my throat was completely dried up. i was so thirsty and kept waiting for our water to be refilled, which was pretty frustrating, especially since the restaurant was already extremely hot. the thermostat was around 83°, so it was very uncomfortable trying to eat while feeling so thirsty. overall, the food was delicious, the service was mostly great, and the robot servers were such a cool touch! just a few things with the cabbage situation, water refills, and the temperature could definitely be improved. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - thermostat! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Perfect lunch spot to escape the heat and cool down. The place had plenty of seating, I came on a Saturday and got seated immediately. You order via tablet and an expo robot brings you the food along with a server. The aesthetics are really nice, the middle section is the type of seating where you sit next to someone, there are limited tables though that are 4-tops. When you get seated, you get sesame seeds that you can crush and create your own sauce. Their sauce selection are all home made: tonkatsu, sesame and yuzu ponzu dressing I ordered the Perilla Soba & Half Katsu Set with the Sparkling Ade Lilikoi & Jeju Mandarin Orange and the lilikoi gaupia gelato. The drink was really good and refreshing, warning the Orange may have a small bitter aftertaste if you're sensitive to bitter. But the carbonation and fruitiness was perfect for the summer weather. The Katsu was amazing, really crispy and juicy inside. I really liked the shrimp, they were huge pieces and was really filling. I added the tonkatsu on top and then dipped it into my yuzu ponzu sesame. I used the sesame dressing for my salad and it was perfect. The soba was dressed so nicely, great temperature and really flavorful. The dessert was a great way to end the meal, really refreshing still and they give a huge scoop (definitely shareable). Overall a great summer lunch or dinner spot! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Got this set and I really liked it! The tenderloin was soo soft and the panko is so crispy!! Tbh soba was really good, love how the sauce is not too salty and lemon was very refreshing. Didn't eat the shrimp but it looked very good and plump, took a bite of the loin and loved how it wasn't dry! Lowkey had low expectations because of the robot but it was very good! Also would be disappointed if you messed up on tonkatsu... glad it was great quality. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Lemon Soba & Half Katsu Set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Tasty tonkatsu in a casual, modern spot. Made an rsvp for a Friday night. Parking was pretty tough in the cinema garage, def plan ahead for it. Once we got to the restaurant, we were seated immediately. Ordering was through a tablet. Please be aware that any soba dish will have shrimp in it unfortunately (if you're allergic). Opted for the straight loin tonkatsu. Came out maybe 10 minutes later - was cooked to perfection. Sauces were pretty good as well. Prices were on par with most quality tonkatsu places I've been to (both in Japan and mainland). Would come back! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Loin Katsu (200g) - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food: Lemon soba was interesting in a good way, adds a great amount of citrus to the taste. Katsu was great with tender and juicy proteins (shrimp and pork). Able to refill rice and salad 2x with good portions. A little pricey Service: Attentive staff and self order with QR code Ambiance: Nice decor with minimalistic vibe. Chill causal dining. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Meal for 2 set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My eldest sister's birthday is close to mine, so instead of celebrating together, we invited my sister and her former college roommate from Japan to dine at Tonkatsu Kuro. Since Tonkatsu Kuro opened a year ago, I've kept it on my bookmark list and chose it because none of us had ever eaten there, despite the rave reviews from fellow Yelp Friends. I scored a lunch reservation through the OpenTable app and arranged with my sister to meet at our place so we could drive over in one car, since she isn't familiar with the Kaka'ako neighborhood. We parked in the Ward Village Shops' Parking Garage on Auahi Street and easily found Tonkatsu Kuro on the street level of the Kō'ula shops kitty-corner from RINKA Japanese restaurant. Since we had booked our lunch reservation for 11:15 a.m. and didn't want to seem overly anxious or scratch at their doors, we ended up entering at their 11:00 a.m. opening because it was so windy. As soon as we entered, the hostess greeted us, checked us in, and escorted us to our reserved table for our foursome with printed menus. As we followed her into the restaurant, many of the servers heartily greeted us in Japanese, "Irrashaimase!" As we were seated, she said we should use the digital POS unit at our table to place our orders, but just then, a male server approached to explain the menu. My sister, the "birthday girl," and her former roomie chose the 5-pc Shrimp Katsu for $34. Within 15 minutes of placing our orders, the male server returned with a tray carrying a robot server. Both 5-piece Jumbo Tiger Prawn Katsu meals were plated with a mound of shredded cabbage salad (kyabetsu no sengiri). They were served on a tray with piping-hot bowls of white miso soup, bowls of freshly steamed Japanese white rice, and a condiment dish of tartar sauce and Japanese pickles. The server also provided each of us a Japanese mortar and pestle (suribachi and surikogi) to grind sesame seeds and mix tonkatsu sauce. The jumbo tiger prawns were coated in panko flakes, deep-fried to a crisp golden brown, and drained of excess frying oil. My sister and her friend said the panko crust was evenly coated and didn't slip off the tender yet bouncy prawn when they bit into it. The generous portions were too much for them to finish, and each asked for takeout containers for three shrimp katsu. My husband and I were attracted to and shared the Assorted Katsu Couple Set for $68. Each plate consisted of a mound of shredded cabbage salad (kyabetsu no sengiri) paired with premium Berkshire (Kurobuta) 200 g pork loin, 130 g pork tenderloin, and one jumbo tiger prawn. All the proteins were exquisitely hand-coated in housemade panko flakes and deep-fried until crispy and golden brown. The slightly sweet, rich-tasting pork loin and tenderloin had a buttery mouthfeel, and the cutlets' tenderness showcased the Berkshire premium grade. The jumbo tiger prawn was also expertly deep-fried, with a balance of crispiness from its golden crust and tender, juicy yet snappy prawn meat. Each katsu meal tray was served with piping-hot white miso soup, steamed Japanese rice, and Japanese pickles. Although we ground sesame seeds in the suribachi set and mixed them with the tonkatsu sauce, we hardly used the sauce, as we enjoyed the "pureness" of the flavor, texture, and aroma of the premium-grade katsu. We were impressed with the friendly, welcoming, and efficient staff. Also, it was fun to see the evolution of contactless food ordering, from POS tablets to human servers assisted by tray-carrying robots. The clean and modern ambiance was also comfortable. We wouldn't hesitate to return; this restaurant delivered generous portions and expertly prepared food with premium-grade tenderness and flavor at a great value. read more

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If there's one thing you should take away from my review, it's to try the Perilla leaf Soba!!! It is soo good and coming from someone who 'used to' dislike anything perilla. Their soba's are so refreshing and their tonkatsu is perfectly tender yet crispy on the outside. Their sparkling ade's are also a must try! My favorite is the lime & jeju green citrus:) The store's interior is amazing. They use an ipad system to take orders and call over your server. They accept cash and card payments though! Though I am a bit bitter about the price increase on the sets from $25 to $32 but it's understandable:) read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Perilla Leaf Soba and Tonkatsu Set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Ok so my girls and I met up for a nice outing and this place wasn't our first choice but it looked neat enough to check out. So I will say this behind my rating: the ambience is nice and chill and very modern looking with some natural rock formations as decorative accents around the inside. I love the table designs with the hidden utensil drawer. My favorite thing about this place lol. For those who don't know you can mix your sesame seeds to the crushed consistency you like for your katsu sauce. This is a nice authentic feel for a katsu restaurant so nice job with that. Food is delicious but not enough to make us want to go back willingly (we'd probably give it another chance if we happen to be in the area or something but we wouldn't make an effort to plan to go back here). And here is why: SERVICE. The robots serving the food had more customer service than the humans assisting the robots. Let's start with one of the servers taking my menu away from me when I wasn't done with it. I was obviously reading it since I arrived a little after my friends but he took it away without a thought. Didn't even think to ask "May I take the menu?" Nope. Just swiped it like he was bussing a table. Buddy we just got here and you want us to leave already? Lol. And not sure what owners or management thinks of this but if I wish I snapped a photo of how your servers just stand around in the front for all us customers to see just chillin and drinking their fancy iced coffee looking drinks and talking story and on their cellphones not even looking busy or observing or paying attention to customers until summoned. But maybe this is how the next gen of customer service looks like in restaurants? Due to robots doing the serving lol. Who knows. ‍ So maybe for that part just have the crew hide in the back or something where it's not openly in view of the customers. Maybe it was just that crew and maybe they're new to customer service or serving in restaurants. But the ambience here seems casual yet classy and fancy enough to have better service than what was provided that day. They can have nice uniforms but they need to uphold the standard of service that you want this place to be remembered for, known for, and respected for. This review is only one experience for one day it doesn't mean this represents your establishment as an overall whole. Perhaps it just wasn't their best day. Who knows, I may be back and experience a completely different experience. I just feel that I need to be honest about what was observed that day. read more

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The world food tour duo reconvened at Tonkatsu Kuro in Kaka'ako. Our last meeting was in Las Vegas (BTS & Carlos Santana). I read about Tonkatsu Kuro and heard good things from friends. Alas, they now have a liquor license (no more BYOB) and offer a limited selection of beers and mixed drinks. The space is decorated in shades of grey and black. We were seated at the far right of the counter in the middle of the room. There are tables for four lining the Mauka (left) side and Diamond Head) end of the room and more tables, placed parallel to the counter on the Makai side of the room. I had two quibbles about the room. From our seats, we viewed diners seated across from us. It would have been nicer to have a privacy panel 12 to 18 inches high, perhaps made of translucent glass, to split the counter. The space is all hard surfaces, sans any acoustic treatment so it was vibrant (AKA noisy). We started with the Kuro Highball ($9, made with Jameson) and the Toki Highball ($11, made with Toki whiskey). The latter was almost colorless, while the Kuro had the lemony yellow color in a highball. Both tasted almost the same to our untrained (for whiskey) palates. They came in large, glass beer steins. All of the beers came in large and tall glasses. The drink prices are very reasonable. We were presented with a printed menu, but you ordered via a pad in front of your seat. In addition to the highballs, we ordered Loin Katsu ($32), Tender Loin Katsu ($32), Lemon Soba ($21) and Bibim Soba ($21). The food arrived quickly ... The Katsu dishes came on a tray containing a plate holding the katsu, shredded cabbage, a lemon slice and a dollop of mustard, a bowl of rice, and two small dishes holding Asazuke (pickled vegetables). A suribachi (grinding bowl) filled with sesame seeds and a wooden pestle was set to one side. We were told to grind the seeds to flavor the tonkatsu sauce. The Tender Loin Katsu came in three pieces, two cut in half. The Loin Katsu was a large, thick piece of Kurobuta pork, sliced into six pieces. Both were breaded to perfection and came tender, succulent and juicy. We both put the Yuzu Ponzu dressing atop our shredded cabbage and treated it like a salad. The Lemon Soba came in a ceramic bowl with a piquant lemon shiru with four slices of lemon, chopped green onion and seaweed. The soba was topped with grated daikon and sesame seeds. The Bibim Soba came in a metal bowl ... The soba was topped with gochujang sauce, julienned daikon and cucumbers with sesame seeds. Mounds of chopped green onion and seaweed were at the bottom of the bowl. I finished the Bibim Soba ... It reminded me of cold soba in a broth of kimchi sauce. I really liked the dish, the noodles were firm as soba should be, and the flavorings spicy, but not overbearing. The shiru for the Lemon Soba was delicious ... I'd want to try that dish on a future visit. With tax and tip, the bill came to $158.33. We walked out with a container holding half of the tonkatsus, a bowl holding the noodles from the Lemon Soba, and a container to hold the lemon shiru. We needed dessert so we stopped at Holey Grail on the way back to our car (parked in Whole Foods). A story for a separate review. read more

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Delicious meal! Their shrimp is always my favorite - crispy flakes, crunchy and juicy meat inside. I might like that better than their pork actually. Soba is solid with a good chewy texture. The soup was also flavorful. If you like a more citrus refreshing flavor then it would be the lemon soba, otherwise the Kuro soba is my go-to for a savory and sweet broth. Order on the screen and the robot and a human will serve your food. Utensils and napkins in the drawer at the end of the dining table. You can reserve on OpenTable too, super convenient. One of my favorite tonkatsu places! read more

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When Tonkatsu Kuro first opened, they were great. Maybe a half tier below Tonkatsu Tamafuji and Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin, but way more convenient in terms of parking and location, and way more accessible in terms of reservation availability. After our fourth visit here, the restaurant has clearly declined and I no longer consider Tonkatsu Kuro to be great. First, our order took over 35 minutes to arrive despite the restaurant being only at about 75% of capacity. There were no check-ins or communication about the extended delay during that time. Second, the tonkatsu itself was just okay. The batter was great but the meat itself was just not as juicy and/or flavorful as it had been the past few times we've been here. One could say that maybe it was an off night, but what separates a great restaurant from a good restaurant is consistency. Third and worst of all, when it came time to select my tip via the mobile payment terminal (Clover) with the worker/manager hovering over me, I consciously and intentionally selected the lowest default preset tip option of 18%. However, when I later checked my digital receipt, the tip applied was clearly greater than 18% (even if you include the tax in the tip calculation). We also did not have any comped or discounted items that might have thrown off the tip calculation. Another Yelp reviewer reported a similar instance of their tip amount being modified. Just something to look out for. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Digital Receipt Showing Modified Tip - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place seems to always have room for us as long as we plan at least a couple hours ahead. It's a cute little modern japanese restaurant with about 12 tables and some counter seats. 4/6 of our party ordered the Loin plate which all came out perfectly. Everyone grinds their own sesame seeds to make a sesame tonkatsu sauce, overall a really cool experience! But here's what's keeping me from a full 5-star review: There are robots bringing out your food which is ordered on the screen at your table, so I'm unsure if the 19% service charge is necessary. The real service was good, but it was minimal. He gave us waters, took our food off the robot, and all our requests were fulfilled. I would happily pay a kitchen charge since our food was amazing. However, when we ordered cabbage refills, a server brought out a bucket of cabbage and tongs and put more cabbage on each plate. The only reason I'd have preferred it be brought out on separate plates is because she was dropping cabbage all over the table and other people's plates, and even in my water cup. Which reminds me, our water pitcher sat empty for about an hour. You can't tell though since the pitchers are metal. Either way, that's the one thing that should never have to be requested. All in all, my family and I come here a lot and always enjoy it. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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There's a TON of new restaurants in the Ward area. Thank you to Yelp for assisting my friends and I in finding a dinner restaurant. NOTES 1. Ample parking available in the various parking garages in the Ward area. We all chose to park in the garage associated with Whole Foods (this is my preferred garage since the number of parking stall availability is displayed by the entrance). 2. Reservation made via Open Table. Surprisingly, I received a text 15 minutes before our 5:30pm res that our table was ready (which, for me, doesn't really happen). I was grateful, but we all walked in closer to our res time since some of the group were still on their way. 3. The restaurant is not large, IMHO. There are tables against the walls for large parties/groups, and there is an "island" in the middle for single diners and couples. We dined on a recent Saturday, and the seating was nearly full, with the largest group being a family of eight. 4. There was a tablet stationed at the table where diners can place their orders for meals, drinks, and sides. Also, we couldn't find an option/function to pay via the tablet, so we just asked our server to check out. 5. Out visit was in the 2nd half of May 2026. I was with a group of 4, and upon check-in with the hostess we were seated immediately. It took us nearly a minute to come to that "ah-hah!" moment about the tablet....and to access/navigate its ordering functions. Well, as you can probably guess, we all ordered some variation of tonkatsu. I ordered a tonkatsu set/meal, and a pair chose to share a tonkatsu set and the lemon soba, while the 1 in our group chose a half soba half tonkatsu set. Sauces are on the side also. We all enjoyed the food immensely! I finished my entire portion, while others finished what they could and took home their leftovers. The tonkatsu was prepared well and the portions were decent, while one of the girls commented that the soba was "so much". SERVICE We thought the servers were friendly and attentive. Special commendation to the older gentlemen that assisted us mostly throughout our meal with water refills, cleaning plates, and providing take-home containers. side Note My only critique is that none of that staff directed us to place orders via the tablet. We eventually figured things out, but since this was a first visit to the restaurant for all in our group, an "fyi" about ordering would have been appreciated. It is my personal experience when dining out (in general), that most servers ask diners if this is their "first time dining with us", which didn't happen during this dining adventure. BOTTOM LINE Good food. Good service. We may be back sooner than later. Recommended. read more

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Ordered the Bibim soba and half katsu combo: if you like Tonkatsu, then you should just get the Tonkatsu set cause for the same price you are paying for the soba, may be better value just have more Tonkatsu. Interesting discussion. I have the tenderloin, and couple had loin. Supposedly, they think the loin was better than tenderloin. I didn't try the loin but the tenderloin was quite tender. Rice, cabbage and soup free refill up to 2 times. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place has been on my radar for a little while now. We had tried to grab a bite here a month ago and made the mistake of trying to walk in without a reservation. With movie tickets in hand, we had to pass on the 1.5 hour standby wait, but used it as a learning experience. This time, my friend made reservations in advance for an early seating. Parking was easy above Whole Foods, and a short walk away. We were seated immediately and given a short instruction on how ordering worked and what was offered. Using the tablet to order was easy and intuitive, and the robots were interesting to watch. Everything looked really tempting but I settled on the Loin Katsu, and so did my friends. My girlfriend ordered the Lemon Soba and Half Katsu. We also ordered Shrimp Katsu because it looked too good to pass on. The food came out quickly. My tonkatsu was crazy crispy on the outside, tender, and flavorful. I, and my friends really enjoyed it. My girlfriend really enjoyed her lemon soba and katsu as well. The shrimp katsu was also amazing, and a surprisingly dense and filling bite. I wasn't expecting that and had to roll out of there because I was so full. Service was really quick when we added anything. We will definitely be back, and we will make sure we make reservations from now on! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Reservations recommended! It gets really busy during peak hours. Located at Ward, across from Whole Foods. Seems like a spacious restaurant, though not a lot of seating if it gets busy. We ordered the items with the IPad and the robot machine brings the food out along with the server. I wanted to try the combo: yuzu cold noodles and the shrimp and tonkatsu. The noodles was refreshing with a sweet and tangy taste. Tonkatsu was good. The cabbage, miso soup, and rice is unlimited refill. Definitely would order just the tonkatsu dish next time! read more

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Was ok but I like Tamafuji and Ginza better. Located next to Roll Sushi Bar. Was good to try since it was easy to get a reservation (thru open table). It was a bit more expensive than I was expecting and the tonkatsu made my mouth dry/on the oilier side. Service is sometimes lacking bc they think they can rely on their robots. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Tender Loin Katsu (180g) - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I went to the website to make reservations but clicking on the link never went anywhere so I searched and found an open table link where I could see availability. Every 15 minutes was available so no problem getting the time we wanted. That being said when we got there, the place was almost full so it seems like most people do not make reservations. The staff was initially very welcoming to let us know to order on the wall mounted tablet and utensils are in a drawer so under the table. We tried the loin and tenderloin katsu to see the difference. The sets came with miso soup, a small portion of pickled vegetables, bowl of rice, and shredded cabbage. The loin had a little more flavor but despite it being more fatty, it was a little tougher than the tenderloin. We preferred the tenderloin which was softer though a little lighter in flavor. The panko breading stayed on the meat which was good, but I wish it had a little more body to the crust. I would like a little more crunch for the outside. The side dishes were ok, nothing special about them. I forgot to mention the kitchen loads the food on robotic carts that come to your table, but a server then puts it on your table. The restaurant is not that big but I guess that is more efficient so the servers do not have to keep going back to the kitchen for food. We flagged down a server to get more cabbage during our meal and learned that you can use the tablet for refills so keep that in mind as a tip. This may not be the very best tonkatsu in town but it is a very good choice and easier to get reservations than other places. Parking is available nearby at the Whole Foods or entertainment complex garages. read more

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Food - Food was good as usual. We got our regular loin katsu and soba half katsu set. The katsus and shrimp were crisp, and the noodles were chewy. The flavors were as good as we remember. Service - Service was as we expected. They were friendly and helpful with our requests, without hovering and being over bearing. Vibe - It was quieter today. The buzz was still there, but not too loud. Modern vibe, but family friendly. My wife said this is her favorite tonkatsu and soba place. I can't blame her, it's really good. We would come back again read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Delicious tonkatsu! The service and atmosphere are superior! This is our fourth visit with more to come. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This was my fifth visit to your restaurant. I had a reservation today and came in by myself. When I arrived, I noticed there were plenty of empty seats at the bar. However, I was once again escorted to the far corner seat. I politely asked if I could sit somewhere else, but I was told that the other seats were only for parties of two. That explanation didn't make sense to me, especially since the bar seats were empty. This isn't the first time this has happened. Every time I visit alone, They seated me in the same corner. On previous visits, there was even a cleaning rag left on the counter near that seat, which made me feel like I was being seated in an undesirable area. As a paying customer, I don't expect special treatment, but I do expect to be treated with the same level of respect as everyone else. Because of this experience, I decided to leave instead of dining there. I hope you will review how solo diners are being seated, because this experience was very disappointing. + After that, I posted about my experience on my Instagram Story and tagged the restaurant. They reposted my Story without even reading it. A few hours later, they apparently realized it was a negative review, sent me an angry emoji and blocked me. What great customer service. read more

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New place I tried yesterday while out in the area. Love that the restaurant was clean and organized with a heavy Japanese influence. I actually felt I was in Japan. They utilized a robot operated server that helped with delivering the meals to each table. The service was quick and efficient with everything ordered from the tablet on the table. What looked like a small meal at forst turned out to be 5 huge deep fried shrimps. The best part...it wasn't mostly batter, it was a thick piece of shrimp on every bite!! Definitely enjoyed my first visit, staff were friendly and helpful and I plan on coming back again. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We ordered the Assorted Katsu Couple Set for $68. It was a full meal with unlimited cabbage, rice and soup. The pork tonkatsu was tender and tasty. The one shrimp per person was a large jumbo shrimp. You can order that Ala carte but I can't imagine eating all five pieces. Very trendy, contemporary decor. Love this restaurant and will be back. read more

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Came here on a Friday with a 4:45pm reservation and by 5pm the restaurant was full! Nice spacious interior and a tablet ordering system. The staff were lovely and helpful, attentive and the little robot delivering the meals was fun! I got the perilla soba and half katsu set. I don't usually like cold noodles but it turned out to be my favourite part of the meal. Sesame seed flavored and not too saucy, it was delicious and refreshing. The katsu breading was crispy and light but the pork wasn't as juicy as what I would have liked. My friend got the spicy tsuyu soba a the server said it wasn't too spicy but she said it was, hehe. The lime sparkling ade was good and my eonnies enjoyed their $5 happy hour draft beers. The katsu set comes with rice, miso and cabbage which is refillable throughout your meal. They also have tonkatsu sauce, sesame sauce and a yuzu ponzu sauce on the table to use as you please. All sets came with a 'truffle' sauce which was nice and garlicky. I couldn't really taste the truffle though. For dessert it looked like they only had 5 types of gelato, 4 of which were sold out so we didn't order any. read more

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The vibes here are great! I find it easier and convenient to order on a tablet so I am glad they offer it here. The menu isn't as wide as other tonkatsu places but the sets they do offer, they make it gooood. The shrimp katsu was super crispy and the shrimp inside was juicy! The loin katsu was lean and crispy as well! (Maybe a little bit too much panko) I definitely recommend adding curry sauce as an extra dipping sauce. The curry adds a different flavor whenever you get bored of the tonkatsu sauce. The service here is absolutely amazing. I had trouble opening up my miso soup and they helped and even showed me a trick on how to open it next time! read more

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200g Loin with a sides of shrimp katsu and curry was ordered. Katsu was exceptionally prepared, crunchy, flaky and surely looked the part. The cut of pork was substantial, very tender and delicious with katsu sauce or curry. The shrimp was also scrumptious with the tartar sauce or curry. A refreshing toki highball was the perfect pairing for this fried feast. Service was good as you use a table side tablet to order or to request staff if you need anything. The decor and vibe is modern and casual. On the Friday nite that we dined I saw robo-servers bringing food to tables, staff hustling and diners having a good time. Give this place a try, parking at the nearby ward theatre structure is free and you can make a reservation on OpenTable, way too easy. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I forgot to take pictures since I was there with family. The food was alright. I didn't feel their tonkatsu or soba really stood out compared to other places for the approximately $30 price point of the combos. The combos had one tenpura, a slice of thicker katsu, and the soba. However the shrimp tenpura and house made tatar sauce were very good, and I'd recommend the tenpura set there as the shrimp was flavorful, the breading crunchy, and the sauce very good. The robots are there to look fancy, and are only meant to be touched by the servers, unlike in japan where the robots take the place of serving staff. It is a small location, and can be on the louder side, and the placement of the order touchscreen means one person in your group needs to be the one punching everything in. The software can be loud after the order is completed too. It is good to try and you may like the combo more than me, but I find there are better deals at that price point for noodles, and some slightly more expensive katsu places that feel much more filling. read more

Great spot! Made a reservation for a party of 6 and check in was easy. It was my first time trying this spot so I was curious to see what the hype was about. I believe this is a korean or korean japanese fusion restaurant as noodles are korean style. They bring you the sesame seeds to grind at your table while you place your order on the tablet. Once you order, a "robot" comes with the food and servers help to place on your table - seems pretty efficient and it was a unique experience. I ordered the perilla noodles and half katsu set which comes with 1 pc tenderloin and 1 pc shrimp. Some others on the table ordered katsu sets like the tenderloin or all shrimp. The portions were decent and although a bit pricey ($31 for a set), the portion sizes are generous and cabbage, miso soup and rice have refills. I really enjoyed the perilla soba - the noodles were bouncy and the right amount of chewiness with a light and refreshing sauce. I've never tried perilla noodles before so I liked that it was something different. The katsu was also cooked well and paired nicely with the soba. The vibe of the restaurant is slightly casual so we felt like we could relax and eat leisurely. Although during busy times it seems like they have a strict time limit for tables. Very convenient if you're in the ward area! read more

Tried all 3 of the katsu's and the lemon soba--everything was fantastic! We also ordered the curry on the side and that paired perfectly with the katsu. We were able to grind our own sesame seeds and add sauce to them which also paired great with the meats. We will be back! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Reservation recommended, offers walk-in if needed Smaller menu Foh small, kitchen visible from dining area Staff is very nice and accommodating Nice atmosphere, noir color tone. View of ward streets from windows sunset may not be visible depending on time and seating. Lemon Soba & Half Katsu set: Tenderloin Katsu with shrimp Katsu Chilled buckwheat noodles, wasabi on the side Cabbage included Optional side of truffle Good portion size Tenderloin Katsu Super tender, very soft texture biting into, very good breading Balanced flavor Very small piece of fat at the end, almost unnoticeable, not too bad of a problem Neutral taste, but if I had to say, it's a hint towards the sweeter side. Cut into two pieces 9.8/10 Shrimp Katsu: Breading is slightly different to tenderloin Katsu, may just need to be altered for shrimp Katsu, still pretty good breading. Good taste, well cooked 9.5/10 Lemon Soba (cold): Sesame sprinkled on top I don't know much about soba, texture was not too hard or not too soft. Slight hint of sweeter lemon, not overpowering Nori sprinkled in the base Wasabi blends well with soba Sweeter soba overall 8.5-9/10 Order from a tablet, robotic waiter delivers food with the assistance of staff Self serve water Overall rating: 9.5/10 read more

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The food was DELICIOUS! I had the half order soba and Tonkatsu and the soba was firm and tasty and the Tonkatsu was crispy and fresh. read more

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Was so good I didn't even have time to take a picture before I had to dive right in! I ordered the pork loin katsu and I definitely think it is the best thing on the menu! The meat is so juicy and tender. They give you a pretty good portion too which I was happy about. My friend ordered the Bibim soba (which is cold just as a heads up) and she said she preferred the katsu overall but that the Bibim soba was pretty good too. Would definitely come back :) read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Pork loin katsu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

All the staff are so friendly! We did the split soba and tonkatsu set. My gf got the lemon soba and I got the spicy tsuyu and both were amazing! I wish there was the option to add more soba since there was a lot of sauce leftover in the bowl. Definitely coming back! read more

I came to Tonkatsu Kuro expecting a simple fried pork situation and instead got a religious experience. First off--the tonkatsu? Crispy. Like crunch-you-can-hear-from-the-next-table crispy. Somehow not oily either, which feels illegal. I don't know what kind of sorcery they're doing back there, but I support it. Now let's talk ambiance. Cozy... which is a nice way of saying you'll get to know your neighboring diners on a spiritual level. It's a little loud, a little cramped, but honestly it just adds to the chaos of everyone collectively losing their minds over how good the food is. There is a wait, so don't just show up thinking you're the main character. You're not. Make a reservation unless you enjoy standing around watching other people eat your future meal. Service was super quick and the staff were all really nice--like, suspiciously nice. I kept waiting for them to reveal the catch, but nope. Just good vibes and faster-than-expected food delivery. Final verdict: 5 stars. Would absolutely fight for a reservation again. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Tonkatsu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Tonkatsu Kuro is a modern restaurant conveniently located in the Ward "live, work, play" area. It's adjacent to the back of the Ward Theater building so free parking is a breeze. They specialize in tonkatsu and soba. We ordered a tonkatsu/soba set, a tenderloin katsu, and a loin katsu. All set meals come with unlimited shredded cabbage, rice AND miso soup. This makes the value of the meal a lot better as most other tonkatsu restaurants only offer free cabbage. The loin katsu and shrimp katsu were huge & so bomb! Definitely recommend getting either of those two. A robot brings the food to your table which is very cool & a server simply assists with any refills on cabbage, rice, soup & beverages. All ordering is done thru touch screens at each table. They do offer desserts, but we were so stuffed that we didn't have any room. However we will most definitely be back again soon! Reservations were super easy on OpenTable. read more

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Excellent!! My favorite tonkatsu place right now. It's a little small so I would suggest making reservations but we have walked in as well and gotten seated. Everyone we have come across here is very nice, including the hostesses and servers. We can order on the pad at the table and then a little robot brings the food when it's ready. The servers bring the food from the robot to the table though. So cute! The food is really excellent. The tonkatsu is soooo crispy and delicious. They give refills on the salad and miso soup as well so it's a great deal to me. I love it and will keep coming back! read more

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