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    XO Restaurant

    4.6 (2.5k reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:30 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    XO Restaurant Reservations

    XO Restaurant Photos

    XO RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - XO Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos

    Buttermilk Fried Chicken
    Cyndy W.

    I made a reservation at XO for a special birthday dinner. I was not disappointed! The menu is in my pictures. I took pictures of most of the dishes. I missed some because I was so excited by the way the food was plated and feasted with my eyes, not my camera! I can say that all the courses were beautiful and just as delicious! The restaurant is modern and darkly elegant. The service was attentive without being intrusive. I would never have thought the amazing birthday meal I enjoyed would be just $65!! Next time I visit Oahu XO will be on my itinerary!

    Elaria W.

    My husband and I came here to try the 7 Course Set Menu. Hamachi Sashimi Crudo - Probably one of my favorite dishes of the whole experience. The fish tasted fresh, fatty, and perfectly balanced with the onions, sauce, & mandarin orange pieces. Beet Lotus - Beautiful creation, BEETS are so good, and rare for me to see it not in a salad or paired with goat cheese, I thought this was very creative and beautiful. Loaded Potato Au Gratin - While I enjoyed the fried cheese aspect, this dish overall seemed a lot less inspired, and I didn't like the presentation of all the fixings on top. It felt like I had to really work for each bite. Slow Braised Pork Belly Bao - This came with a deliciously flavorful chicharron piece with a little spice. But it definitely could have used some sort of sauce. Very fatty. Buttermilk Fried Chicken - Worst dish of the night, the pieces of meat were tough and chewy. The outside batter was flavorless and not a good texture. Optional Salmon Addition - Enjoyed the creamy sauce, the fish itself was ok. Pan seared Scallops - Messy plating, but I loved the crunch of the paper pieces and the scallops were goof, and the shrimp on top was amazing! Brown Butter Bunny Mochi - This is what first drew me to this restaurant, and it ended up being a perfect finish to the meal. Perfectly chewy, buttery, CUTE! Loved the presentation. Cocktails: Both the Lilikoi Margarita & the Yuzu Old Fashioned were lacking in flavor and intrigue. Also seemed like they were premade...? Okay, unfortunately there was a few things that detracted from the overall experience. To start, the music is abysmal. If this is trying to be an upper-scale restaurant with the price and food, this music shouldn't be playing. It's loud, distracting, and has no sensuality at all. I felt like I was trapped at a middle school dance in 2013. The food was served on beautiful dishes and plated in a way that seemed like they watched dated upscale dining videos. Also, I was confused at the ugly white plate that we had as our plate to put the food on (if that makes sense). Additionally, the way the utensils were presented also felt very amateurish. The meal as a whole also seemed like it had a lack of overall cohesion, especially the potato dish. The bathroom seemed incomplete and strange. There were stacks of Pokemon cards on the bar top for some reason... Where again, the cocktails weren't good at all. Some of these criticisms seem petty, but when the bill is more than $200 for 2 people, I do have higher standards. It was also quite empty when we got there, which is not a great sign. This restaurant has the ability to be a cool, date night location, but they really nerf themselves in a few ways. I don't think a lot of the problems were egregious, and I see a lot of areas for improvement.

    Menu
    Mercedes B.

    Every dish was amazing! Buttermilk fried chicken, crispy fried rice with foie gras, slow braised pork belly! Chef's kiss to all these! Potatoes au gratin was a sight! Wish I would've took pictures but was so hungry we just dug in, so worth it! I wish they'd open one in CA! It would be a Michelin star restaurant in our area! Apparently they change their menu occasionally, but idc because I can't imagine anything being sub par! Enjoy!

    Mochi bunny
    Nam S.

    Located in Kaimuki, free parking stalls available in front of the restaurant. Took my mom here to celebrate her birthday. Wanted something a little nicer but not over the top fancy. This restaurant was very modern, aesthetic, and professional but also felt like somewhere you could eat without being in a dress or suit and tie. I can't remember the names of all the food, but it was all so good. No complaints. We sprung for the seven course prefixed meal (menu changes frequently). There were so many different flavors to indulge in. It's hard to pick a favorite dish because everything was so unique and tasty. By the end of the night we were full and satisfied. Our server was very knowledgeable about each dish and its preparation. He was able to tell us what ingredients were in the dish, the process to cook it, and the inspiration behind it. We were very impressed. For getting 6 courses, I believe the set price was ~$65 pp. I did opt to add an extra dish of salmon. They brought out my mom's dessert with a candle and were very attentive to making our visit a great one! Thank you XO!

    Casey H.

    Aside from gorgeous front doors, it doesn't look like much from outside, but inside is bougie AF. Being impressed doesn't end with the décor, because the food looks just as avant-garde, and tastes even better! Ranges from the tastiest most creative vegetarian dish I have ever had (and I am not a vegan) to the best buttermilk fried chicken in adobo sauce I have ever had. The menu changes every week or 2, so I won't get into the details of the food you may not see there. You can choose between 7-course chef's-choice menu or ala carte. Not cheap, but cheaper than many other restaurants this great. Service is warm and knowledgable. Highly recommend.

    Hannah W.

    XO was our best meal in Honolulu. The food was delicious, fresh, creative, and fun! It was also plenteous, my friends and I were stuffed at the end. Great price, friendly staff. What more can you ask for?! I would definitely come back and recommend XO to anyone looking for a quality meal which is both delicious and fun.

    scallops
    Samantha L.

    I came here for a girls' dinner and we ordered the course menu. We all opted to add the lamb for an extra $10, which was definitely worth it and a great addition to the meal. One thing that caught us off guard was that the dishes were served family-style. We had assumed each course would be individually portioned, so having to divide everything ourselves every time was a bit inconvenient and took away from the experience. The standout dish for me was the hamachi and brown butter bunnies. The fish was very fresh, and the citrus elements made it light and refreshing. The mochi bunnies were perfect texture and sweetness. Presentation here is amazing. Service, unfortunately, was not great. The restaurant wasn't busy, yet our server rarely checked in on us and we were left without water and drinks multiple times. It felt a bit inattentive given how quiet it was. Overall, the ambiance leans more casual than expected. There were some highlights food-wise, but the service and family-style setup made the experience less seamless than we had hoped.

    Cindy L.

    Hamachi Sashimi Crudo 4 Miso Sesame Vin, Aioli, Orange, Shishito, fresh, refreshing, flavorful Beet Lotus 4 Shiso Gel, Emulsified Chimichurri, Crispy Quinoa, crunchy, refreshing Loaded Potato Au Gratin 5 Cheese Crown, hearty, cheesy, flavorful Grilled Kalbi Pork Belly Ssam 5 Gochujang, Pickles, melt in your mouth, juicy, tender, super flavorful Buttermilk Fried Chicken 3 Adobo Butter Sauce, super crunchy, too dry Pan Seared Scallops 4 Bubu Arare Crusted Shrimp, Shellfish Beurre Monte; juicy, flavorful scallops; shrimp crunchy but slightly dry; creamy flavorful sauce Brown Butter-Bunny-Butter Mochi 4 soft, fluffy, not too sweet A-5 Wagyu Fat Caramels 3 piece of candy, too sweet for me Service 5 Ambiance 4

    Brown butter bunny mochi

    Some of the best food I've eaten. The flavors were mind blowing and the presentation was amazing, every dish that came out made my mouth water. My favorite dishes were the brown butter mochi bunnies and the beer-ia tacos. Alex was our server and knew so much about the whole menu and walked us through it all. 100% would recommend coming here if you can!!

    Beer-ia Tacos
    David J.

    What a great little place in the heart of Kaimuki. Food was very good. The dishes were very well presented and there was a lot of attention to detail. The dishes were very flavorful and top notch. My favorite was the Hamachi Crudo. We tried at least 6 different items from the Ala Carte menu and none of them disappointed. The menu is quite small, but with that they can refine the dishes that they do have. They also offer a 7 course set menu. The service was excellent. The waiter was very personable and always checked on us. The food came out promptly. The interior is very nice. It's very modern yet, has a nice flare to it. The set up of the tables and bar is very inviting. The parking is a little small as it's located in Kaimuki. If you come early enough when they open or schedule your dinner early, you should be able to get parking. Overall, if you're in the neighborhood for a quaint little place for some good grinds, give this place a try!

    Kalbi pork belly
    Rebecca L.

    Small classy/casual restaurant in kaimuki with amazing flavors! Went for dinner during restaurant week and my boyfriend and I both really enjoyed it! For restaurant week they had a 7 course menu for $59, usual is $65. It was such a deal! Service was good despite the sever being the host and bartender too- he was still attentive and made sure we had everything/enjoying it. Food wise I think my favorite were the fried chicken and scallop/shrimp dish. Everything we had was good though. The fried chicken was super crispy and the sauce went well with it. Dessert wise the mochi bunny was so good! The A5 caramels were interesting and different but yummy. Parking wise there is a small lot that seems to be able to accommodate the size of the restaurant if not theres street parking on Waianae or in the residential area. Overall really enjoyed the dinner and can't wait to go back!

    Loaded potato Au gratin with cheese crown
    Cailean C.

    Decided to try this place since it was restaurant week, their 7 course meal was a deal and well worth it Time between food was perfect, didn't have to wait too long and every dish was delicious. This is a perfect place to eat and chill for dinner. Only thing I wish they had beer on draft, their bar only had bottles but they have other cocktails to try.

    Pan-seared scallop, arare crusted shrimp, and shellfish Beurre Monte
    Jennifer T.

    I really wanted to like Restaurant XO since it's been on my radar for a while now. But unfortunately, while the $59/pp (Restaurant Week deal) for a 7-course set menu was definitely enticing, it didn't live up to my expectations. Mainly, I felt a disconnect with Restaurant XO's apparent "fine dining" concept. Atmosphere-wise, XO had both upscale decor and homey furniture, making my experience a bit confusing. Hamachi Sashimi Crudo: One of my favorites. Thick pieces of buttery hamachi with a delicious miso vinagrette. Beet Lotus: The salad was slightly too sweet for me, personally. If less sweet, the dish could have been a refreshing palate cleanser. Loaded Potato Au Gratin: Because the cheese crust was floppy--kind of like a thin fruit leather--it felt unnecessary. The potato was great, though. Grilled Kalbi Pork Belly Ssam: Not much flavor at all nor spice on the pork belly. I wish there was a fresh or tangy element, like kimchi or cole slaw. And, just half a lettuce leaf for those large pork belly slices? I want the other half please. Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Adobo Butter Sauce: My least favorite, I couldn't finish it. Fast food fried chicken would have been better; mine was dry, though my partner said his was moist. The chicken itself was not really seasoned. Adobo Butter Sauce was very vinegary, which was fine, but it was missing other key elements of adobo, like pepper and garlic. The sauce ultimately didn't work with the chicken. The dish, in particular, was out of place for this prix fixe menu. Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, Stew Wellington (+$10): The cook and seasoning on the lamb was perfect. Stew wellington was slightly soggy, but otherwise, tasted fine. I didn't care for the red wine gastrique--it was too sweet for me and lacked an acidic component. Pan Seared Scallops and Shrimp, Shellfish Beurre Monte: My other favorite of the night, the scallop and shrimp were cooked very well and the shellfish beurre monte was creamy. Absolutely delicious. Brown Butter-Bunny-Butter Mochi: Aesthetically very cute and the toasted marshmallow was a nice touch. But, nothing special beyond that. Pumpkin Crunch: I liked the flavor a lot, but it was way too sweet. It could have gone without the sugar granules underneath the shortbread crust. A-5 Wagyu Fat Caramels: I liked the caramel, it was smoky and slightly salty from the wagyu renderings. Ultimately, I don't think I'll be coming back to Restaurant XO, even though $59/pp for a 7-course set menu is a really good price. Most of the dishes had room for improvement, and I left pretty disappointed with the overall experience.

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    This is in my top 3 meals of all time! Creative, beautiful, delicious dishes at a reasonable price.

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    Page 1 of 62

    XO Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - XO Restaurant

    Where is the parking for the restaurant?

    In the front of the restaurant and around the side. Driveway is off of Waialae Avenue.

    Do they have an a la carte menu?

    Yes! It's like all tapas/small plates now

    Do you accommodate vegetarians?

    Yes

    What is the cancellation policy--timing, fee, etc.? Perhaps this is noted somewhere, but I did not see it.

    If you have a party of 4, do you get 8 choices for mains and 4 choices for dessert? Or only 2 choices for mains and 1 dessert, with it split 4 ways?

    8 mains 4 desserts

    Is this only a family large group restaurant? Menu is for 4 or more?

    No, any party size. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xo-restaurant-honolulu-3?select=eVgrrUSFLZHF6tC5QzMrKw… 

    Is there a fee for paying with credit card?

    Yes 3%

    Hi, I'm wondering if the set menu can be ordered for take out? Thanks

    I'm not sure if they do takeout. But tbh, the experience dining in made all of the difference. Not just the excellence of the food prepared but the customer service provided by every staff member was above and beyond. Haven't experienced that… 

    Are you able to accommodate gluten free on your 7 course menu? We are a party of 3 or I can take individual also and other 2 in our party will have regular. Pls let me know so we can book now for our trip in 3 weeks…

    Yes

    I have a reservation for tonight(11.21.21) and couldn't find the most current menu anywhere. 2 of my party has dietary restrictions, please advise me to where to find the new tasting menu? Thank you!

    https://qrco.de/bbeJ6T

    What are people wearing? I heard this is a Michelin star restaurant so do we have to wear fancy?

    Michelin doesn’t rate in Hawaii, there are no stars here. You can dress fancy or casual it’s your choice

    Do they have any outdoor seating?

    Indoor only

    I have a reservation for a dinner party on 9/18/21 at 5:45pm for 8 pax and am wondering if you would be able to help me "set" our menu?

    You can text me at +18083843281

    How do I change my reservation, I can't leave a message?

    If you listen to the voice mail it has my phone number on it. There are people at the restaurant though from noon to almost midnight. Perhaps try somewhere with better cell service. If it’s outside of 24 hours before the reservation you should be… 

    Is it only set tasting menu or is ala carte ordering an option? Asking since I have dietary restrictions

    There is a pre-set menu. But for each item, you can select a substitute from a list of two to three options. The substitute may come w a price increase.… 

    Do you have options for parties with some vegetarians?

    We have vegan options

    Are you accepting the Aloha Friday Deal that you have out?

    1 per table dine in only

    Does the restaurant offer a different for kids or set menu for everyone?

    Usually if the kids are small they share with the parents or if there are multiple kids, they share 1 tasting menu. Or, we provide plain fried chicken with white rice.

    Greetings! Was wondering if you could accommodate a party of 15 on 5/25 to celebrate my partners 40th birthday? We will be visiting from California. Also, do you offer prefixed menus? Please advise. Aloha! Thanks!

    Yes, and yes. You can reserve here on Yelp or call the restaurant. If no one answers my cell is on the voicemail and you can call me.

    Is there something on the menu for pescatarians each day?

    Their beet salad, scallops, fried oysters, and if you let the chef know, he can leave out some of the meat toppings.

    View All 44 Questions

    Izakaya Tenkichi - Beef tempura

    Izakaya Tenkichi

    4.6(267 reviews)
    1.6 miMo'ili'ili
    $$

    Traditional Japanese style, imported ingredients with a lively atmosphere. The Negitoro was…read moregenerous and the nori was crisp. Very high quality fish, the hamachi sashimi was really good. The Wagyu beef bowl was a good portion size and had good flavor. Overall a little pricy, but the quality was unmatched. Close quarters seating and a little loud. A great spot for trying new things. Not a very fancy restaurant but it was more of a homey atmosphere. Great service and it was nice sitting at the bar.

    Izakaya Tenkichi Japanese Izakaya Restaurant…read more Overall: 8.6/10 Food: 9.2/10 Service: 8.5/10 Ambiance: 9/10 Value: 7.7/10 Izakaya Tenkichi was a perfect way to spend a late Friday night dinner. You instantly feel like you're teleported to Japan once you step inside. The atmosphere is lively and the staff are all very friendly. We ordered the Seared Mackerel, Garlic Shoyu Cabbage with Crispy Noodle, Pork Belly Tempura, Maitake Mushroom Tempura, Seared Salmon Belly Handroll, Negitoro Avocado Handroll, Seared Scallop Handroll, Negitoro Bowl, and Yuzu Draft Beer. Everything was amazing , but the highlights were the pork belly tempura with yuzu shiokosho, Maitake tempura, Negitoro bowl, and the yuzu draft beer. This is a yuzu lovers dream! They also provide three types of salt to use on the tempura. The servers were very attentive and sweet. The price of the dishes are a little higher but is normal for an late night izakaya. Can't wait to come again!

    Photos
    Izakaya Tenkichi - Steep stairs. Much easier to navigate going up. Going down after some adult beverages? Better use the handrail

    Steep stairs. Much easier to navigate going up. Going down after some adult beverages? Better use the handrail

    Izakaya Tenkichi - Yuzu Cheese Cake ($5.50) - really sweet, especially with the granola. Would recommend getting a different dessert.

    Yuzu Cheese Cake ($5.50) - really sweet, especially with the granola. Would recommend getting a different dessert.

    Izakaya Tenkichi - Dinner Menu (1 of 12) as of 3/5/2026

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    Dinner Menu (1 of 12) as of 3/5/2026

    Izakaya Naru - Miso Butterfish

    Izakaya Naru

    4.1(549 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    One of our favorite finds in Honolulu from eating at a nearby sushi place and found this place…read morepacked with people and a fun/izakaya vibe. Reservation is recommended. We ordered quite a few items as most items were small, tapas style. Ask your wait staff to recommend as some items were not on the menu. You'll find unique and seasonal ingredients prepared in special ways. Some of our favorites are the sukiyaki pizza, grilled beef tongue, chicken gizzards with onions, lotus roots with natto, tamago dashi with ikura, marinated quail eggs and Okinawa donuts with ice cream. It feels like a local joint to enjoy a drink or two over tasty bar food.

    Izakaya Naru is an Okinawan traditional Japanese bar/izakaya known for small pupus to pair with…read moredrinks. I think all of their items were delicious, and although I wished the food options were bigger; again, its a bar first and foremost so that's why I still rated it 5/5. We ordered a lot so I want to highlight the top 3 items we got here. Taco rice (5/5): Imagine salsa, ground beef, cheese, rice in hot stone bowl; amazing combo and apparently a well known Okinawan dish. Shark fin cartilage w/ ume sauce (5/5): Unique, crunchy, refreshing cucumber/cartilage dish. Chicken kaarage (4/5): Awesome fried chicken just wished it was larger portions as I feel like its gotten smaller over the years. Great place, great vibes, their drinks are equally as delicious as their pupus. Highly recommend.

    Photos
    Izakaya Naru - Inside

    Inside

    Izakaya Naru - Chicken karaage

    Chicken karaage

    Izakaya Naru - Mackerel sashimi

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    Mackerel sashimi

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku

    4.5(1.1k reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$$$

    OH MY GOOSHHHH! This place has got to be the most underrated place on this island. Like why aren't…read moremore people talking about this hidden gem??? I know you guys drive by it and see it but have you dined in? If not, this is your sign. My friends and I walked in around 8pm and got seated right away. The place was packed (as it should be) but we were so lucky. The waiter took us to the back room where we sat on those "floor" tables... it was awesome! I felt like I was in Japan. Service was 10/10. Waiter gave us GREAT recommendations as it was our first time. Let's talk about the food. My top 3 dishes of the night -- 1) Uni charwanmushi - to DIE for. So much flavor, so much protein. 2) the beef skewers - incredibly tender. We ended up ordering another order bc it was so good. 3) sushi- Negitoro, torotaku, spider roll and spicy tuna... the rice and fish texture was just so perfect. The fish tasted fresh and the rice to fish ratio was a 10/10. Ambiance: chill, friendly, not too loud and everyone was so respectful. I'm craving it as I type this. So yeah, check it out. You won't regret it.

    An izakaya is a casual Japanese pub-style restaurant designed for socializing over drinks and…read moreshared small plates, acting as a staple of Japanese dining culture. Last meal on Oahu. An excellent offering suggested by my cycle buddy, Randy S. Randy had told us that they were the 2022 James Beard Best Restaurant semi-finalist is deserving recognition. I really can't tell you all we had because Randy took charge. Every bite worked well with the bottle of sake we had. I do know that one of the bites included firefly squid, those cute, small, bioluminescent cephalopods famous for their brilliant blue light. Regardless, it was a fun way to cap off the trip. Loved the food, love the company... what a great place!

    Photos
    Sushi Izakaya Gaku - Interior

    Interior

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku - Salmon skin salad

    Salmon skin salad

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku - Warabi Mochi Matcha Ice Cream

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    Warabi Mochi Matcha Ice Cream

    ABURIYA IBUSHI - Ice cream and mochi

    ABURIYA IBUSHI

    4.5(451 reviews)
    0.8 miKaimuki
    $$

    Whenever I passed by this place on Kapahulu, there's always a line, and line's don't lie, right?!…read moreMade reservations (highly recommended) and found street parking as they do not have a dedicated lot. Once inside, you are warmly greeted. It's a little dim inside during the day. No paper menus; you need to scan a QR code to see what you want to order. Our group ordered the teishoku set which came with the main entree, rice, oxtail broth, and 2 appetizers (we opted for tofu and eggplant). We opted for the Aburi flank steak which was very very tasty and the Aburi chicken. The chicken was a touch on the salty side, but it came with a spicy dipping sauce which was phenomenal! All the meats had the delicious smoky flavor from the grill. The oxtail broth was kinda bland. We also ordered the oxtail ramen which was also a hit. Finished off dinner with ice cream + mochi. The mochi is also grilled but know that it's not sweet mochi.

    So thankful for restaurants that open late. We thankfully found street parking and this was the…read moreonly place open. How lucky for us! Customer service was terrific. Since it was late, we noticed the back of house staff help the front. Everyone was so friendly and food comes out fast. The only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is because the food was a bit too flavorful - we all agreed that everything was slightly salty. I could also say portion of some items may not match price, but I understand inflation is increasing at an alarming rate. So I'll leave money out of this. Crushed cucumbers were interesting. We couldn't decide if eating it with chopsticks or spoon was better. With chopsticks, you might not get enough sauce. But you could taste the layers of flavor. With a spoon, you get too much saltiness. The spice hits at the end. The tako karaage were a little too chewy for us. Beef tongue was so tender. A definite must order. I dont think it needs rice though. We also ordered the late night nikumiso but it didn't come with an egg, which the menu said it should. We tried handful more items but we'll be back to try the oxtail items, as it sounds like that's their specialties, but takes extra time to prepare.

    Photos
    ABURIYA IBUSHI - Storefront... just like we're in Japan!

    Storefront... just like we're in Japan!

    ABURIYA IBUSHI - Their famous potato salad.

    Their famous potato salad.

    ABURIYA IBUSHI - Potato Salad

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    Potato Salad

    Izakaya Uosan

    Izakaya Uosan

    4.3(309 reviews)
    2.9 miAla Moana
    $$$

    I've been to Izakaya Uosan Honolulu several times, usually to meet and welcome friends visiting…read morefrom the mainland and other countries, and it has never disappointed me! Everyone I've brought here has loved both the food and the atmosphere. The food is incredibly fresh and delicious, and the staff are always so friendly, attentive, and considerate. It's a little on the pricey side, but honestly, it's worth every penny for the quality and overall experience. One tip: definitely make a reservation in advance. For weekdays, I recommend booking 2-3 days ahead, and for weekends, at least a week ahead. It's popular for a reason! Highly recommended if you're looking for great Japanese food with a wonderful vibe in Honolulu.

    Down for some Suzuki? How about some Kinmedai? Nodoguro? Wanna get Kinki? NANI???!…read more Those are some of the type of fresh fishes eat Uosan! Izakaya Uosan is located along Kapiolani Blvd. near Piikoi and Pensacola St. in the same building as Gyukaku, Mikiya, etc. Validated parking is available in its QR code parking structure with entrances on Kapiolani and Hopaka St. Just ask the server for the promo code to input when you clock out of your parking. Inside is smallish with the usual izakaya bar style set up and decor with the dark wood and dark tones, but maybe more toned down than a true izakaya. Comfortable, plain, and simple. Menu is pretty confusing and not the clearest, but it's mainly their fresh fish and seafood that are the main attractions. You just gotta figure out what they are cause it's only listed in Japanese and Romanized Japanese. They do have some interesting choices though after a thorough search. Started with Spicy Tuna Roll was very good. Nicely seasoned and prepared sushi rice, neatly rolled with fresh chunks of tuna. $11.50. Spicy Konnyaku was decent. A little light on the seasoning, but not too bad. $4.50. The Chicken Cartilage Karaage was a surprise! Crispy, crunchy, and nicely seasoned. So good. We ordered it twice! $8.50. OH! Toro (Premium Fatty Tuna), 4 pieces sashimi, $42.00. Fresh, melt in your mouth, and nicely presented. Aburi OH! Toro nigiri had a nice char/smoky flavor - equally as good as the sashimi. $13.50. The A5 Mizayaki Beef Sushi with Foie Gras nigiri was amazing! Fresh, melt in your mouth A5 with rich, unctuous Foie gras that was nicely charred and seasoned. $14.00. Grilled Beef Tongue was excellent. Thick cut, tender, nicely seasoned and prepared. Onions garnish went very well adding a nice punch. $14.50. The Uni Shiso Cucumber wrapped with Hirame was a unique combination. Fresh, firm hirame; rich, oceanic uni; bright, herbaceous Shiso; crunchy cucumber. $35.00 - 4 pieces. The Uni Truffle Butter Egg Yolk Rice was okay. It wasn't as rich or as decadent as I'd imagined, especially with uni, egg yolk, and butter noted. A bit too much rice compared to the amount of uni to be able to fully enjoy the richness. Perhaps less rice? Which might lead to a lower price than the $29.00? Corn Karaage was okay. Flavor was one note. It was just corn with miso paste and coated with starch and deep fried to temp. Some seasoning would go a long way. $6.50 for 5 short pieces. Hamachi Carpaccio was good. Fresh fish, flavorful soy-vinegar sauce with complementing toppings (olive oil, sea grapes, grape tomato, onion slices, and Tobikko). $21.00. New Zealand King Salmon Nigiri was very good! Melt in your mouth with a smooth and buttery texture. The Deep Fried Octopus was okay. Slightly toothsome, nicely battered and fried, but very light on the seasoning. Needed the salt to balance the tart ponzu. Overall, a solid meal with fresh, quality ingredients, and everything was nicely prepared and beautifully presented. Decent sake selection, but only two beer choices. The menu had many fish selections, but if you don't know what they are in romanized Japanese, you'll need to search it, which took a bit of time for the decision-maker. Staff was very friendly and attentive in the beginning, but it got busy and it became less. It's a bit pricey, which was expected and known. Uosan feels more of a sashimi restaurant than an izakaya, but that won't stop me from coming back to try more sashimi!

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    Izakaya Uosan - Inside

    Inside

    Izakaya Uosan - New Zealand King Salmon Nigiri

    New Zealand King Salmon Nigiri

    Izakaya Uosan - Kanimiso with Kano and ponzu gelee

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    Kanimiso with Kano and ponzu gelee

    Nami Kaze - Dining area

    Nami Kaze

    4.5(801 reviews)
    5.4 mi
    $$

    It was so sad this business is closing down by Oct 31st. With rising food costs, inflation and…read morestaffing, it's understandable but I wish best endeavors for Chef Jason Peel and his staff. My fiance won a gift card actually 2 of them (from his coworker whom could not get a reservation secured), we knew we had to make the trip over before they officially close. We had multiple dishes, but staff made Kauai prawns and tomato miso black cod dishes on the house since they ran out the Hokkaido scallops. We ordered the short ribs, lobster appetizer, hamachi crudo and lastly sashimi moriawase to finish food palate. Lukki lemon dessert was great way to end to night. Ordered the Milk tea bouquet cocktail while my better half had water ( either way the food coma knock him out cold the rest of the night lol). To be honest, it was difficult to determine which dish was the best because the staff kept quality there despite it being busy every night since they announce the closure. Sashimi moriawase, fish was so fresh, reminded me of my time spent in Hokkaido and Sapporo. Short ribs was soft and rich in flavor. Both me and my fiance liked the lukki lemon dessert, like lemon meringue pie but broken down version. If you have a chance to dine here before closing and got a reservation, definitely will have a lovely dining experience and your stomach will be full by end of the night.

    Husband and I tried Nami Kaze in our recent trip to Hawaii. This place is huge! I was so glad to be…read moreseated in the side room because I found it to be a lot calmer, less people and no TV. The staff were friendly and very helpful with giving us recommendations. We ordered 3 appetizers and 2 entrees, and honestly it was too much food for us. We had leftovers for breakfast the next day! - For appetizers we got: Ulu Tots, Japanese Eggplant, and Corn Beignets. The Corn Beignets was the best. - For entree we got: Tomato Miso Black Cod and the Short Rib. Both were delicious and worth a try. Sad to see that this restaurant appears to be closing.

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    Nami Kaze - Nami bento

    Nami bento

    Nami Kaze
    Nami Kaze

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    855 Aloha

    855 Aloha

    4.5(143 reviews)
    1.5 miWaikiki
    Happy hour specials
    Full bar

    This restaurant will always hold a special place in our hearts…read more We first visited in 2025 during a trip to Oahu that ended with our engagement. We were staying at the Romer House and didn't have dinner plans, so we wandered into 855-Aloha. While we were looking over the menu, Matteo (the General Manager at the time) came over, welcomed us, and encouraged us to stay despite the wait. He then walked behind the bar, poured us two complimentary glasses of champagne, and invited us to relax while we waited for our table. That simple gesture set the tone for an incredible evening and was our first glimpse of the genuine hospitality this restaurant is known for. After that trip, we started planning our wedding and decided there was no better place than Oahu for a destination wedding. When it came time to plan our rehearsal dinner, 855-Aloha was one of the first places we reached out to. A few months later, while visiting Waikiki with my parents, we stopped in to show them the restaurant where we celebrated our engagement. Tanden, the Events Manager at the time, greeted us and, to our surprise, remembered me by name. He gave my parents a tour of the space and insisted we stay for a drink. Moments like that made us feel like more than just another reservation--they made us feel genuinely valued. Booking our rehearsal dinner here was an easy decision. Throughout the planning process, there was quite a bit of turnover within the events team. Every coordinator we worked with was warm, accommodating, and wonderful, with one exception. When we explored the possibility of extending our evening with a welcome party at Lei Stand after dinner, we found the experience with Samantha Molzer frustrating. The conversations felt unusually rigid, and instead of collaborating on options, we often felt reminded of policies and qualifications. Ultimately, we decided to host our welcome party across the street at Green Lady Cocktail Room, where the process felt more flexible and better suited to what we were looking for. (Ultimately the unreasonably firm quote she had given us did not make any sense. After our rehearsal dinner we still wandered over to the lei stand for a drink before heading over to our welcome party at another location and there were all of 4 guests in the entire bar. They probably would have profited greatly from hosting us!) Thankfully, Lisa stepped in to coordinate our event, and she and the entire team absolutely knocked it out of the park. Our rehearsal dinner was everything we had hoped for and more. The service was attentive, the food was fantastic, and every detail was thoughtfully executed. What stood out most, though, was the team's kindness. I had gotten sick a few days into our trip and still wasn't feeling well enough to eat much on the night of our rehearsal. I asked one of the servers if there happened to be any soup on the menu. They apologized that there wasn't, but then told me they had everything needed to make fresh miso soup from scratch if I didn't mind waiting a few minutes. Within minutes, they brought me a warm bowl of homemade miso soup. It was such a small gesture, but one I'll never forget. That level of care and hospitality is exactly what makes people return to a restaurant time and time again. Thank you to Lisa and the entire team for helping make such an important milestone in our lives even more special. We'll always look back on 855-Aloha with incredibly fond memories.

    The front desk recommended 855 Aloha while at check in. He gave me a dining card where if I dined…read moreat certain restaurants, I would receive 15% off. As it was my first night in Hawaii and we didn't have dinner yet, sure why not try it? While waiting to be seated, I had asked the staff at 855 Aloha if the 15% discount would apply for guests at the hotel, and quite oddly, she said she didn't know. Upon being seated, I asked our server and strangely, she also didn't know and said she would ask someone. Sort of made me confused and gaslighted that I'm being told two different things. As it's our first time dining at 855 Ahola, we tried a few entrees and I would say that it's flavorful and delicious; much better than I would have expected. $12 for sparkling water, a little pricier but the food was good. I did enjoy my late meal / dinner. My only complaint would be that when the bill arrived, no discount was applied. I had told three servers that I was a guest at the hotel, had my key card and ID as well. The server came back and she applied 10% off. At that point, I just paid for the bill and left a 20% tip for gratuity. Being in Hawaii, especially after a long flight and it being our first meal which happens to be very late and it's dinner, would have liked for the hotel to have just honored the 15% discount without having to ask about it so many times. 15% discount won't break my wallet but it's more about the principle and fairness -- it is actually listed on the website as well. It made me feel like 855 Aloha wasn't very honest. The food itself was good but I would probably just skip this one next time.

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    855 Aloha
    855 Aloha
    855 Aloha

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    Tori Ton - Mediocre skewers

    Tori Ton

    4.1(464 reviews)
    1.6 miMo'ili'ili
    $$

    Tori Ton was an awesome find in Maliki. Nako, Maya and the entire wait staff were amazing, super…read morefriendly, attentive, and made the whole experience great. The beef tataki and albacore tataki were both incredible, and the stir fried Shanghai noodles were another standout. Everything we ordered was seriously good. Great food, great people, cool atmosphere, and easily one of the best local date spots we've found in Waikiki. Definitely feels more like a local gem than a tourist spot. We'll absolutely be back. Boom! 5 stars

    Unfortunately, our experience at Tori Ton was really disappointing…read more The atmosphere was extremely unpleasant. A large party was very loud throughout the entire meal, seemingly with no regard for the other customers in the restaurant. To make matters worse, one of the servers joined in on the yelling and screaming, which added to the chaos and unpleasantness. The employees made no apparent effort to address the situation or maintain a comfortable environment for the other guests. Food was lukewarm when it did arrive (after almost 30 mins) and made the meal even more frustrating. I understand that restaurants can get busy and that large groups can be energetic, but there should still be consideration for everyone dining there. Between the excessive noise, lack of staff response, delayed service, and lukewarm food, the overall experience was not enjoyable. We left feeling that the restaurant prioritized the large party over its other customers.

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    Tori Ton
    Tori Ton - 次はおでんも。

    次はおでんも。

    Tori Ton - Soboro don: small warm up serving.

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    Soboro don: small warm up serving.

    Bozu Japanese Restaurant

    Bozu Japanese Restaurant

    4.5(473 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    If you want a trying their best, sparing no expense, but absolutely worth it omakase sushi…read morerestaurant thats in walking distance from waikiki... i dont think you can do better. Get a reservation a few days in advance

    Bozu is a local Japanese restaurant where all the locals seem to go. It's located in an unassuming…read morestrip mall (reminds me of LA's Koreatown) and we were able to walk there from Waikiki. We ordered a bit too much food and spent a little under $200 for two people after tax and tip. Some dishes we ordered: 1. Spicy tuna and salmon with garlic roll ($26.50) - massive roll and quite heavy...this was the last dish to come out and we were STUFFED by then. It's good, but I would have preferred to start the meal with this roll, not end with it. 2. Atsuage natto ($9.50) - ordered to hit my protein macros. It's literally fried tofu topped with a generous serving of natto. 3. Eggplant in dashi sauce ($6.50) - light appetizer, and seemed fairly healthy. 4. Miso chilean sea bass ($30) - very flaky and fresh. I was already getting full by this point after our apps and nigiri came out. 5. The nigiri and rolls were all fresh and ranged in pricing. We each got 3 pieces of nigiri and split a couple small rolls in addition to the aforementioned spicy tuna and salmon. Service was decent. We sat at the counter and the chefs were all very nice.

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    Bozu Japanese Restaurant - Sushi bar

    Sushi bar

    Bozu Japanese Restaurant - Assorted 5 Kind Sashimi

    Assorted 5 Kind Sashimi

    Bozu Japanese Restaurant - Yamaimo & Sea-Urchin Beef Roll

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    Yamaimo & Sea-Urchin Beef Roll

    XO Restaurant - asianfusion - Updated September 2026

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