Great little spot with excellent customer service. Food was good but a little pricey. They are doing an omakase set right now, and they do ask what you don't eat. I've never had gizzard and heart before so I didn't know that the texture of gizzard grosses me out. Heart was fine until I found out what it was, lol. BYOB so that saved some $$$! The side dishes were so good - the potato salad was bomb! read more

The former Wheatgrass Center & Almost Barefoot ran by Wayne and Jean Fukuda and Tracey back in the days is now the new location for Yakitori Ando. Man, I used to love visiting the Wheatgrass Center and I still have my Five-Fingers shoes from them. Did you know Ando-san used to be sumo wrestler? No joke, he was a sumo wrestler from 1980-1987! You thought he was just famous from Kohnotori, didn't ya?! Reservation is a must! It gets booked in here. About $35 a head for omakase. BYOB. Parking is limited but plenty of street parking. Food was good but Yakitori has never been a favorite of mine especially when it's omakase style. That's just my opinion. My better half thought it was a terrific experience and wanted me to make reservation for next week already. read more

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I've read most of the reviews and agree with many. Reservations are difficult to get and they do not answer the phone after 6:00. You really need to get your reservation about 4 to5 months out. I made our first reservation in person and then we made out next when we finished dining. The food is excellently prepared and the service is exceptional. Chef Ando prepares each course so that you eat and enjoy at your speed. Each course is prepared and presented based on the speed that your group is eating. This allows for you to enjoy the meal at your pace not at a pace to maximize table turnover....because there is no table turnover! So byo drink, I recommend a good sake, and enjoy an amazing upscale Japanese street food style meal! read more

Excellent experience hidden in plain site. The meal was satisfying, varied, and the BYOB with the chef was fun. Reservations are far out but worth it. Will return, hoping to have more beef than all chicken, next time. read more

We were excited to experience this restaurant as it was highly praised by friends and had great yelp reviews. A small and intimate venue, there is ample free parking on the upper side across the street and the workers can direct you there if needed. Only omakase is served which is definitely preferable as I appreciate dining on chef selections. We tried the motsu nabe which was robust and flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed each selection which is evidenced through the fact that I eventually forgot to take pictures of my food as the night went on. The staff is very friendly and the chefs especially are there having fun and concerning themselves with the experiences of each of their customers. As we were a group of four, we sat at a table, but observing the fun at the bar that faced the chefs at the grill, we would definitely request to be seated there when we next visit. It is also BYOB, and although many brought their own coolers for their drinks, there is also a large cooler with ice where you can chill your drinks. read more

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It's funny...the only 1 star reviews are from people that were upset they couldn't walk in. Let me fill you folks in...in order to ensure freshness and quality, restaurants that don't have walk in freezers need to have reservations so they only make/buy what they need. It's fresh, it's delicious, and it's reasonably priced. As in life you need to plan for the things you truly want. Don't get upset when you're poor planning leaves you in the mcDonalds drive through. read more

Legitimate Japanese Yakitori. He uses ogatan charcoal that makes his food taste better. Lots of prep work goes into the meals. Service is good. It feels like your eating in your auntys or uncles old kitchen. Nothing fancy you don't have to dress up and it's BYOB. Humble, small, quaint, good food, set menu, booked 5 weeks in advance. read more

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Food is great accept everything! Friendly Small kine gathering can do family Chef and staff are excellent sooo much food be ready to feast read more

Thank you Chef Ando for another delicious meal celebrating my 50th Birthday!!! Every dish you prepared was stars. Can't wait to return back again to receive an epic dining experience. Your staff is truly amazing too!!! They are absolutely the best!!! They take care of each customer and are always so helpful and so accommodating. It's always a pleasure & a privilege to dine at your restaurant. No wonder it's so hard to get reservations here. A 3 months in advance reservation is all worth it & it's always a party at Yakitori Ando!!! read more

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Yakitori Ando is da bomb!! The yakitori is excellent and the motsu nabe at the end is to die for! His dashi soup is sooooo delish and the motsu is soooooo fresh! I have reservations in advance for the next two months and will make more! Absolutely fabulous read more

Yakitori was so delicious! Service is great, small little gem. The Nabe broth was very tasty and the seafood, vegetables fresh. Yaki~nigiri grilled to perfection, with the right amount of flavor and crisp. BYOB. read more

Yakitori Ando is one of the most difficult places to get reservation in the Oahu Island. Along with Sushi Sho, You have to make the reservation months prior to. Is it worth it? Well I asked the same question over and over before I had my first meal here. So the story is that, I've been wanting to eat here for last few years but I never had intention to make the reservations few months ahead. But one day when I was dining at Sushi Sho, Nakazawa-san the main legendary chef had recommended to try this restaurant as this is also one of his favorite in the island. The next day I made reservations for following month weekend. As soon as you walk in, you a smell the nice binchotan (charcoal grill) and the super locality vibe. Its so nice because its less tourist but where real local Japanese and Hawaiian hang out. Its almost like a family Ohana type of vibe, and its completely Omakase. So the chef An-chan, will make you random customized course of yakitori. I have to say many of his yakitori dishes are really one of a kind and I have not tasted this type else where even in Japan. I mean one of my favorite is Mochi Bacon and Bacon Tomato. Its such a simple yakitori, but how can it be so memorably good? I don't understand as I'm not a big fan of bacon, but way An-chan executes, he makes anything taste just awesome. As for finale at Yakitori Ando: It is always the Motsunabe (which is large intestine stew), but you can also ask Chanko Nabe (if you are real regular and vip there, must be ordered before hand). I've had both and because An-chan used to be a professional sumo-wrestler in Japan, he really has the spirit of Shokunin in his performance whether its Sumo wrestling or doing his Yakitori thing. Its just such a pleasurable moment and time you have while dining at this restaurant. For me its like going into a disneyland Yakitori Ando World. Lastly, its BYOB so you can always bring nice wine, champagne, sake and whisky and share with the most awesome chef An-Chan! read more

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I was hesitant to try Yakitori Ando despite hearing such good reviews about this place. I had heard they serve you heart and intestines in your nabe... mmm I think I'll pass.... But then I decided, I'm a foodie. I need to be brave and just try it. I won't know till I try it right? Well I'm so glad I did because everything from beginning to end was amazing. It's omakase style so chef Ando chooses what to serve. You can request things you don't want to be served for instance heart. I decided to just let chef Ando do his thing and whatever I didn't eat I would just give to my brave friends. Well guess what. I bit the bullet and sucked it up and tried the yakitori heart for the first time! Not going to lie it tasted good... nothing like what I thought it would. Actually I didn't even know what heart is supposed to taste like haha. But if you don't think about what you're eating then it really isn't bad. In fact it's quite good but not something I'd go out of my way to order. The other yakitori items that were served were some of my favs that I'd order such as quail eggs wrapped in bacon, bacon wrapped mochi (omg so good), pork belly, chicken thigh and chicken wing. The best part though for me was the motsunabe aka intestines nabe. I was scared to try it at first but the intestines get boiled down and honestly it just tastes like fat. But the broth... wow that was like one of the best nabe broths I've tasted. So much flavor, I couldn't stop sipping on the broth. They also serve you soba or rice with it at the end. Our table got one of each so we could share. The rice was definitely the winner. When mixed with the broth it turns into zosui. We also decided to order yakionigiri (grilled rice ball). I was pretty full but that was delicious! Overall I had a great experience at Yakitori Ando and I'm glad I decided to try something that I normally wouldn't try. The only downfall is that this place gets booked pretty fast so it's hard to get reservations. You must reserve way ahead of time! Also price is reasonable for the amount of food you get. Ranging from $35-45 depending how much you eat. I can't wait to come here again. I'm craving that nabe broth already! read more

Most adorable Japanese man award goes to... Chef Ando! He's so fun and you almost want to come here just so you can watch him cook yakitori and drink wine and sake with customers. He has such a good time you can't help but laugh and have fun. I was lucky enough to enjoy Yakitori Ando with a lovely group of Yelpers who'd been able to secure a reservation for ten guests on a Sunday night. Located right behind the Bank of Hawaii on Waialae there are two pay lots across the street from the restaurant and we just popped in $2 into the metal pay box. You walk in and there's a long counter of seating and a few tables in the back for patrons. If you decide to BYOB there's also a giant cooler where you can ice down all your drinks. Brilliant! I have a love/hate relationship with omakase. On one hand I love not having to make any additional decisions, but on the other hand I don't really eat all the weird things such as liver, heart, intestines, etc. I just give those to my husband and he eats double. Thankfully we didn't have any really weird dishes but the control freak in me still had a hard time not knowing what was coming out. -Sesame chicken wings: Tiny little wings but oh so delicious! I really could have eaten ten plates of this by myself and called it a day. You're perfect. Don't ever change. -Bacon wrapped quail egg: Anything bacon wrapped is automatically labeled genius level but I didn't personally care for the quail egg. -Bacon wrapped asparagus: All the piggy fat wrapped around a veggie which will make your pee smell weird an hour later. Yet somehow it always works. -Motsu Nabe: A pot filled with silken tofu, vegetables, shrimp and a broth made from baby angels. I don't know how many angels had to die to make this broth, but it was worth it. Baby angels are made of 100% fat and you can taste it in the richness of the soup. We all basically had a group orgasm and then did it again when the waitress brought out noodles to put into the leftover broth. I'd go back just to have the noodles which were a fusion of ramen and udon. All that was missing from the overall equation was a big bowl of rice, but thank goodness I didn't eat any during the meal because the noodles left me bloated from gluten for three days. Ha ha ha ha ha... read more

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What yakitori should be. Anyone who managed to secure a reservation at the former Kohnotori and made the regular customer list will appreciate what its chef accomplished in his own eatery. Yes, Ando is back! Not fancy. Not pretentious. No specially sourced ingredients from mythical cloud shrouded hidden valleys raised by 10th generation octogenarians, airflow from Japan. The restaurant doesn't even have a sign. It's like a being in a chef's personal kitchen filed with yakitori loving, shochu / sake sharing new friends all led by the happy, smoke scented, oil splattered maestro of all things good grilled on a stick. The rules are simple: - Omakase only. Allowances made for dietary restrictions and "loves". - Stop when you want. The meal continues until you scream uncle. - BYOY so share with the chef. Expect all the usual suspects from medium grilled chicken breast and thigh to aggressively seasoned crunchy keel bones, to crisp, oily, juicy bumpers, minerally hearts, creamy livers and snappy gizzards to simpler smoky bacon wrapped soft boiled quail eggs, and asparagus. More? Juicy chunks of fatty pork belly, charred bits for added enjoyment. Aggressively seasoned, shell on Kauai shrimp and whole, non Frenched lamb loin chops, fat crisped from the charcoal fire, seasoned by the smoke of its drippings. Lots of great sides to accompany the meal. They change but hope you get the kimpira gobo and Japanese style kim chee. All good as intermezzo bites with your booze between skewers. Two visits, $35 and $50 per person. Located behind the Bank of Hawaii on Waialae. Limited parking behind the building as well. Go. Don't go. Choice is yours. read more

Best Japanese Motsunabe on island. No walk-ins. You need reservations to eat here, so call in advance because it is usually packed. BYOB. Parking can be a hassle, but it's worth it. Ando-san gets ingredients fresh and local. I'm not a fan of seafood, but anything he cooks I try it without hesitation because it's gonna taste good. read more

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I first heard of Chef Ando in an online article six months ago describing how this longtime yakitori master had opened up his own little restaurant in Kaimuki, and since then I'd been dying to try it! I'd heard it was difficult to get a reservation, and was thrilled to get an invite to dine with Yelper friends organized by Terry K - mahalo nui! Set in an L-shaped combination of buildings off Center Street, the restaurant is located on the building perpendicular to the street. We lucked out and got parking on Waialae, but you can also park in the Bank of Hawaii lot directly across the street from the restaurant or if that's full, the post office parking lot across Waialae. As you enter, you immediately face the grill and will be greeted by Chef Ando and his helpers. Counter seating faces the grill, but our group took up one of the tables at the back, settling in with various bottles of wine since it's BYOB (one of the groups that came that night took it seriously - we're talking Costco-sized liquor bottles!). With the liquor flowing freely throughout the room, Chef Ando fired up the grill and the omakase (chef's choice) dishes began arriving in regular, flavor-filled intervals. I loved the bacon-wrapped quail eggs and traditional chicken skewer; upon hearing one of our group was pescatarian, Chef Ando graciously grilled a quick Kauai shrimp for her, even though it wasn't on his menu for the evening. My absolute favorite dish, however, was the motsu nabe - a hot pot of enoki mushrooms, cabbage, tofu, and a beef fat that melts in your mouth. I could not stop slurping that rich broth, filling my bowl over and over even though I was already full! But I still didn't stop when they brought a final offering - a special, fresh ramen by Chef Ando that I felt compelled to try despite the protests of my tummy. And yes, so so worth it ... Another memorable Yelp dinner for the books! read more

Yakitori Ando - Bacon+Asparagus - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Hmm....do I really wanna share this place with you? Okay, fine I will. But you gotta find it first. Hehe. If not for the stellar description of the location that Sherrie K. wrote in her review, and the uber helpful pic that Brandon S. posted, I probably would not have been able to find this place. There are no signs or indicators to know where it is. Just know that it's in Kaimuki and just around the corner from Bank of Hawaii on Center Street on the right. Look for the bamboo panels on the windows. At night you won't really be able to see this so just look for that pay-in-advance parking lot. It's across from that. Had the pleasure of dining here recently and was impressed with not just the service, freshness, and quality of the food, but the prices are easy on your pocket too. Everything I had was delicious! However, in my opinion, the motsunabe was the best. You know, pork intestines! Sounds off-putting to you? Well don't knock it until you try it. When prepared properly, this stuff is the shizz! Tasty broth, fresh veggies, and what tastes like the best and most fattiest pork you've ever eaten. Then finished off with some Okinawan soba. Mmm...bring me dat hotpot! It's BYOB here but I overlooked it and forgot to bring anything with me. Fortunately, my yakitori grinding roll dawgs was nice enough to share their bottle(s) with me. I'll remember for sure next time. Parking can be a challenge. I ended up parking about a block away, but after being stuffed to the gills from dinner, I didn't mind rolling back to my car. It was a much needed roll! :) Check this place out! But be sure to call for reservations first though. It's highly recommended. read more

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Never knew this existed until my friends took me here when I came back home for vacation. Amazing food and experience! Hope you can get in!! ;) read more

My friend told me about this place where they are hosting a party. Since I was in the city, i might as well try it. So I gave them a ring, try to reserve a spot for Saturday but it was all sold out. So Sunday 9pm was made. . So I knew I had to get a bottle of wine or alcohol bottle because this place offers byob- which is bring your own bottle. . So i went in and sat down, ando master just started serving me all these yakitori sticks. I basically had mome of each. He served my favorite which is the Japan beef which melts in your mouth and 2 servings of that please. He also served chicken hearts, chicken gizzards, chicken thigh, and etc. . So then after enjoying, this drunk guy left and brought back some via gelato from across the street for everybody including the workers some gelato. Then the 2 ladies across from me offered me some intestines soup which was so good, and known here. Basically it's an intestine hot pot which is a must get here. Then I met this Japanese guy with his family which also fed me, like yakitori roasted rice ball with butter which I was mind blown when ando master grilled it. And of course with me not asking here comes another chicken hearts for my taste Lol. . Overall this place has no signs, tucked in an alley corner, and blocked out with bamboo shades was a challenge but luckily I found it. This is a secret place i dont wanna share and keep to myself because I love unique places like this. Basically I had omakase which is 35 well depending how much your eat, but with the love ando put into his yakitori sticks. As well getting yo mingle with fun locals and sharing my travel stories with them. I appreciate ando masters work and fair price of charge and reminds me of being in Japan for yakitori sticks. A great experience to treasure while I'm in Honolulu for the first time. Thanks for reading and have a yelptastic day! read more

Yakitori Ando - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Omakase, the variety of tasty yakitori, a cozy place with a feeling of comfort. Everything keeps coming as Ando san knows how to grill and keep keep the timing right. Ando san, sugoi!! read more

Yakitori Ando - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

So I was told that the Yakitori Chef, Ando, of the former Yakitori Kohnotori opened up his own place here. Friends decided to try out this place. Unfortunately, it looks as though the menu is either Nabe or Omakase style Yakitori only. Omakase style Yakitori is when the chef decides on what to cook for you. There is no menu to order from. At the beginning of our meal, our waitress asked if we had any allergies in our party. Also, if there were anything that we didn't eat, chef Ando would not cook it. Common things that are cooked for Yakitori that may not interest everyone are: chicken cartlidge, chicken heart, chicken liver, gizzard, chicken skin. Currently, it's also BYOB. Overall, our meal was really good. We stopped when we were full. The chef will only charge you for what you eat (or when you are too and no longer want anymore to eat). This place is a decent size, with a few tables for 4 people and a bar that holds about 15. However, parking is hard. Street parking is not abundant. There is a paid parking lot across the street. There is no sign to find this place. But Google maps does a pretty good job of pinning the location. read more

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Still good, always busy. Yakitori is tasty and variety's. Motsunabe is so oishii last rice with soup or noodle with soup are excellent

We made the reservation 3 weeks ahead of time and were only able to get the 9pm slot on the Friday, so make sure to book ahead of time! The restaurant is small and welcoming. As soon as we came in to the restaurant, we were greeted by the staffs as well as the chef, everyone here is very friendly. The venue is omakase style, the waiter will ask for your dietary restrictions and the food is served with series of appertizers as well as multiple yakitori skewers. We we're definitely very full towards the end. Overall, we had a great experience here, the food was very delicious, authentic and filling. This place is also BYOB, so that's another plus. Saving your buck for the food. I highly recommend this place, you don't want to miss it while visiting Hawaii if you love Yakitori! read more

Yakitori Ando - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I can have a crazy busy schedule but for trying new restaurants i will always find a way to squeeze my schedule and somehow make it work! All for the love of food! :) Anyways, enough said about me... here the reviews for here! *Ambience: As soon as you parked you will right away think that the place is close since there is no sign and getting to the front door is kinda tricky but once you are inside place is nice and clean inside. Only 3 tables and a big counter. *Service: i was kinda confused at the beginning since i didnt know it was Omakase so i was waiting for my menu but then the food items started to arrive. I love Omakase because i dont have to decided what to get so it was perfect! *Parking: Limited parking in the lot but you can do public parking or street close by. *Food: The good thing is that with Omakase you get to try everything! But that is also the bad side of it! Menu included beef, chicken, gizzards , shrimp, chicken heart, bacon with quail egg, etc etc etc which it was ok with me since i can eat everything but the hardest thing was to eat vegetables!!! Ugh... i feel that i had to since i had the chef in front of me but OMG! That was painful! The good thing was that they only served salad 1 time and it was at the beggining. read more

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Love this restaurant. The experience was amazing. Chef serves amazing and creative yakatori items one by one and one. Food was fresh and unique. We were able to try things that was so unique to him. The mochi wrapped in bacon was so good. read more

Yum, if you were ever a fan of Ando san from the old Kohnotori days then you'll be happy to know he's back with his own place in Kaimuki. Located behind the Bank of Hawaii, you'll find parking either in the adjacent lot or in the paid parking lot across the street. We didn't get a formal menu as it was pretty much omakase, but you can make requests. Although i need to go back and check if there actually is a menu since i did see one part actually have motsu nabe. The best part was that it was BYOB and everything was reasonable, for 3 of us our omakase menu only set us back $75. That's $75 total, not per person! Make sure you make a reservation as this place fills up. If you're a fan of Yakitori you won't have any complaints here. Everything was cooked to perfection. Good for intimate dining or for a group say up to 10. read more

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Since last time, it's been over one year. Because COVID-19. But they are so busy with the regulars and good social distance with other table. Tsukune is so moist and fluffy. Love bacon wrap with mochi! Beef tataki was so delicious! Motsu nabe was really good this time! Love leftover soup next day with ramen noodle or rice. read more

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11/2/18 Dinner 1st time visit. Located behind Bank of Hawaii on Waialae on Center street. Limited parking in front, but lots of paid parking across the street. It is byob for now. Omakase for tonight was a selection of yakitori which included: chicken butt, chicken cartilage, chicken wings, gizzards, heart, pork belly, bacon wrapped mochi, shortrib, and motsunabe (intestine so ono, no smell, still chewy and taste like butter). When the bill finally came, I was in shock because I had ordered the nabe and thought it to be separate, only to find out it was in the omakase for tonight. Feeling like I had just stolen candy, generously gave 30% on a tab of $85 for 2, and gave him $70 cash to him directly. It's worth that, $100/person. But pay what you feel is appropriate for you. I was impressed by service, food quality and conversation with someone so nice and loves people like Ando san. He is also a former sumo wrestler, just look at his picture next to the entrance! Definitely coming back soon! read more

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Followers of Kohnotori and An-Chan rejoice!! He's back in action at his own place in Kaimuki. Located just behin the Bank of Hawaii, it's a cozy space with 20 seats. He's still in soft opening mode and only doing Omakase, but it's as good as ever if not better. My favorites from the old Kohnotori menu are still there, along with the classic Yakitori bites. My favorite from my first visit was the chicken hearts. Those who are not into eating innards will still love it as the heart doesn't have an offputting taste or texture. Mochi bacon made its appearance and the yakionigiri came on request. What intrigued me but we didn't get, was the motsunabe. Everyone was saying it's amazing. Be sure to make a reservation ahead as seating is limited and folks tend to linger. read more

Special experience, particularly Ando-san's motsunabe!

The two of us went there for dinner on Saturday for the first time and were not disappointed. The place is small, and the bar front facing the chef was full, so we sat at a table. Sitting at the bar is probably more entertaining as you can watch the chef prepare and grill food and interact with him as well. Either way, the service was great. We chose the Omakase which included the motsu nabe. We tired many old Kohontori favorites and everything was delicious. The food was very fresh and we both left full and happy. The bill was only $85 (BYOB) for everything and we were happy with the chef's choices and we will definitely return. We loved the waitress and chef and they were so friendly and attentive to our every need. Its the little things and attention to detail that matter, and they totally nailed it. Good job! read more

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The spot was really good had grill right in front of us where we got to yakitori and at the end they had Nabe read more

Yakitori Ando - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It is pretty expensive, very cheap food for this amount of money. Plus when I came in, the customer service was not friendly, I had a feeling that I was discriminating since I am white and not Asian. read more

Always so good, excellent and friendly. Owner n workers treats customers as family. Creative salad, bacon mochi, Soy sauce chicken wings etc, Crispy n tasty. They have lots of regular customers, . read more

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They don't answer phone, don't have any reservations online. so ‍‍‍. I can't give them five stars

Finally was able to make reservations here and everything was very tasty as usually. The Yakitori was cooked to perfection and the Motsu Nabe was great!!! read more

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Great spot for authentic Japanese yakitori. They even had items not on the menu that I was craving since I left Japan. The eggplant appetizer as well as tofu appetizer was amazing it blew our minds. We will definitely be back again sometime in the future! read more

Oh, the motsu hot pot that they serve at Yakitori Ando! It's possible that it's for the IYKYK crowd, as motsu is beef intestines or other offal that, unlike tripe, deliver a funk-free richness. Other offals include liver and kidney. After being simmered in a mild dashi broth, motsu bestows a lip-smacking unctuousness on the accompanying tofu and ali'i mushrooms. Chives and dried chiles add sharp accents to the dish. Ando's motsu nabe, which was highly coveted by connoisseurs during the restaurant's previous incarnation at Kohnotori, is exceptionally generous with its portions of motsu. read more

First time eating at Yakitori Ando with the Chef's Omakase and it was delicious! Have been trying to open up to new experiences and flavors, so this is definitely a must try and would recommend returning. The BYOB is also a big plus! read more