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    Yanagi Sushi

    4.0 (1.6k reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:30 PM - 1:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Yanagi Sushi Photos

    Business Info

    YANAGI SUSHI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Yanagi Sushi

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    Mikey H.

    We had just gotten out of a UH men's volleyball game and hungry. We were driving around when I suggested Yanagi. It's been a while so why not. Not the most welcoming greeting, and we were put on the waiting list even though we were the only ones. Only about 10 minutes, but lots of people started showing up. Perhaps it's their late night happy hour menu. Our server was pleasant, but not overly friendly like I remembered those in the past. He just took the order, other people brought out the food, he checked in, and then we checked out. I get it. They probably get their fair share of obnoxious people this late. But I love coming here! Mahalo Yanagi!

    Deluxe sashimi platter
    Jacob M.

    You know this place is legit when they speaking Japanese in the back. Server was nice. The place looks like it's been around for a while. Sashimi melts in your mouth. We got the deluxe platter with a volcano and rainbow roll. Their fried tako is a good starter too. As with most places in town, parking is hard to find. However, if you go behind the restaurant they actually have designated spots for the restaurant. They also have valet.

    JessicaLynn R.

    Late night sushi spot with fresh fish and ingredients. Loved everything we ordered. Service was good just the host was a little unwelcoming. No acknowledgement even when we were the only ones at the entrance, we had to say hi and ask if there was a waitlist. Other than that everything was great. It felt like I was eating at a restaurant In Japan, loved how cute and authentic the place was. Parking is a little tight but there is more parking behind the restaurant.

    Wasabi ika
    Leona T.

    A long time locals favorite for authentic Japanese food. Sushi and seafood is always fresh. A lot is locally sourced. Open late night as well! My top favorites is the oyster shooters, amaebi (raw sweet shrimp), uni and natto ika.

    Butter fish!
    Tim H.

    Great food and service. Great sake and beer selections. Very personable staff! Can't wait to return.

    Butterfish and teriyaki steak
    Sherene H.

    I'd love to give a positive review based purely on taste and service, but unfortunately, two cases of food poisoning makes that impossible. We had a really unfortunate experience dining here ordering their sushi and food combination. My boyfriend became ill almost instantly leading us to believe it was a bad case of his lactose intolerance symptoms. However, when I woke up the next morning with the same stomach pain. We had different dishes but both ended up with textbook food poisoning symptoms. We ended up having to throw away all the leftovers out of caution.... I think it might have been the sushi since we didn't share any main dishes. My boyfriend ate the spicy tuna first and he didn't eat any pickled starters other than the edamame. I hope the management will look into their food handling and preparation.

    Lance S.

    Had the omakase at Yanagi and it was really good and reasonably priced. The experience is much better at the bar, but you could also have it at your table. Service was great..very friendly. Seems like a lot of people were regulars and the waitresses knew them by name. Almost makes me want to come here once a week, so they knew our drink and food orders LOL. We will definitely coming back soon. Nice ambiance...great quality food...and fabulous service.

    Julie N.

    The last time I had Yanagi Sushi was in 2014 for my surprise bridal shower. I don't know why we waited so long to come back. It was 11:30pm and we were in Waikiki leaving from an event. I was looking on yelp for a late night restaurant with comfort food outside of Waikiki and saw that Yanagi was open till 1am. Got there around 11:45pm on a Tuesday and it was pretty busy. As I walked in, staff greeted us. The ambience felt like I was walking down memory lane with all the photos on the wall, 80s wall paper, and old school table booths. Service was fast & the late night specials were a plus. They gave us sides which was good. Food was good & filling, the fish was fresh. My husband got the combo but didn't eat the rice so we took it home. Found out afterwards that you can sub it out for something else if you don't want rice. We will definitely be back soon & found our late night spot.

    Unagi Donburi, combo #7
    Tyman H.

    Like having Japan in Hawaii! Yanagi sushi is a staple in my family and friend group. Authentic Japanese food/sushi. Great quality for a great price. The go to is the late night special. They have a happy hour from 9pm til close with a special menu. Most of their main menu products at almost half the price. Great for late night bites or pregame / endgame night haha. All the servers always take care and are fast. With the many hands constantly in and out making sure you're getting your food fast and drinks are filled. Recommendations: -Blackened Ahi Sashimi -Salmon w/ Round Onion -Salmon or Hamachi Kama -Baby Tako (A MUST HAVE) -Steak P.s. try the baby tako with their tartar sauce. So good

    E.J. A.

    Always a fine visit! Great sushi, great hours, fine staff, excellent service, parking out front, very now atmosphere. Good food Good drink Good friends Good times!

    Agedashi tofu
    Marc T.

    I get the salmon with sweet onion every time MUST try Perfect late night spot for drinks and sushi

    Fried baby octopus
    Anissa L.

    Never disappointed with the food here. A little on the pricey end, but definitely worth it! Especially for a late night stop before heading home- delicious! All the staff is friendly and takes care of you, ensuring your drinks and bellies are to their full content! They have private rooms for larger parties.

    Yanagi Sushi - Hawaii

    Nice ambiance...great quality food...and fabulous service. One of the best sushi spots in Hawaii! Omakase was pristine, tempura transcendent, service quietly perfect. A long-time local's favorite for authentic Japanese food. Sushi and seafood are always fresh. A lot is locally sourced. I had the omakase at Yanagi, and it was really good and reasonably priced. The experience is much better at the bar. Service was great, very friendly. Seems like a lot of people were regulars, and the waitresses knew them by name. Overall, this place delivers exactly what you want from a sushi spot--fresh fish, clean flavors, and consistent execution. It's a place you'd come back to regularly, not just once. I will definitely be coming back.

    Spicy hamachi roll

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    11 months ago

    Great fresh food. Service terrific ambiance authentic. Must go for epic Japanese food

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    Business owner information

    Photo of David H.

    David H.

    Glad you enjoyed your time with us!

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    1 year ago

    I've been going to Yanagi restaurant on n off for years and always satisfied with whatever I order there.

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    2 years ago

    The sushi and sashimi were delicious. I hadn't been here for many years. I forgot how good it was. Both dinner and lunch were wonderful.

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    Business owner information

    Photo of David H.

    David H.

    Wonderful photos!! Mahalo for joining us!

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    Page 4 of 40

    Yanagi Sushi Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Yanagi Sushi

    Where can you park? There is street parking but do they have their own lot?

    They do have their own lot. The lot is small so it fits 5-10 cars max but there is also another lot behind the restaurant if you go into the lot and keep driving in

    Are they still doing the night special from 9 pm? Do they take reservations for that?

    Late night special after 9 PM available, but no reservations. Show up, put your name on the wait list inside, and wait outside until they call you.

    Is their a seating time limit?

    Not aware of any seating time limit. Would suggest you make a reservation.

    When is happy hour?

    Not sure. I think the happy hour times have changed. Their late night menu states they will clear all alcoholic beverages no later than 9:45pm.

    Can I buy gift card?

    Yes!

    In my memory, they used to have reasonable lunch set menu around $10-12. I don't see the sign these days. They don't have the menu anymore?

    They still have a sign with the lunch specials inside.

    What is the largest party you can host?

    We had 12-14 people there once

    How many people can the private rooms hold?

    The private room I was in held approximately a dozen people.

    What is parking like during lunch?

    Aloha, Yanagi Sushi offers free valet everyday for lunch, except on Sunday.

    What's the difference between pink ginger and white ginger?

    The color in white sushi ginger comes from the pickling process and the red/pink color in ink sushi gingercomes from an artificial dye.

    View All 17 Questions

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    Totoya

    Totoya

    4.6
    (316 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    $$

    While the seating is limited and there is usually a line outside, it's definitely worth it…read more We ordered 2 bowls: one salmon (which came with miso soup so we upgraded to crab miso soup..... YES CRAB MISO SOUP! ) and one with a mix of everything. They were all delicious. They even have recommendations on how to enjoy them best especially if you get the egg yolk shoyu to add to it. I highly suggest you do - absolute game changer! Our little one enjoyed a small bowl of udon as well. The ambiance is chill considering the seating is very limited (15 seats approximately). It's all bar seating arrangement where you can see the staff cook the food. Oh, by the way, we saw Amy Hill here! You know the auntie with the butcher knife who works at the restaurant in 50 First Dates!

    I understand the hype. The best comparison I can make is this: what Ichiran did for ramen, Totoya…read morehas done for seafood bowls. It takes something familiar, strips away the unnecessary decisions and turns it into a process that's incredibly easy to enjoy. The restaurant is tiny, but everything feels deliberate. The staff keeps things moving without making you feel rushed, our waitress was genuinely wonderful with our kids and even the people waiting around us couldn't have been friendlier. It felt like everyone was in on the same little secret. The first surprise wasn't even the fish. It was the cabbage salad. Shredded cabbage, crispy noodles, miso yuzu dressing. That's it. Somehow it's one of the best salads I've had in a long time. It's the kind of dish that makes you wonder why nobody else bothers to do something so simple this well. Then came the negitoro bowl. The ikura shower is absolutely worth the extra ten bucks. Yes, it's a little theatrical with the bell ringing, but if you're going to pour an avalanche of salmon roe over my bowl, you might as well make a show of it. The crab miso soup upgrade is another easy yes. The crab almost feels like they're apologizing in advance for ruining every ordinary bowl of miso soup you'll have afterward. It isn't perfect but nothing is. The rice was a little clumpy and needed to be broken apart. After a while, the flavors begin to blend together more than I expected and those beautiful sheets of nori lose the battle against Hawaii's humidity pretty quickly. They look incredible, but they become soft before you can really enjoy them. I also wish I could order another bowl of that cabbage salad by itself. Our kids demolished the udon. Perfect texture, comforting broth and probably the easiest win of the entire meal. Will we come back? Absolutely. Totoya isn't trying to reinvent Japanese food. It's taking a handful of excellent ingredients, removing the friction and executing the experience with remarkable consistency. Sometimes that's what great restaurants do.

    Photos
    Totoya
    Mixed bowl with crab miso soup and extra nori and salad and shoyu egg on da side
    Mixed bowl with crab miso soup and extra nori and salad and shoyu egg on da side
    Nagomi (smaller version of the Miyabi)

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    Nagomi (smaller version of the Miyabi)
    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro

    4.3
    (4.2k reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$$
    Free parking
    19 years in business

    The best Tonkatsu I ever have in the State. Tender and juicy…read more The portion is big too. I am taking my whole family of 10 to eat there this Friday. J visiting from Boston

    Ginza Bairin in Honolulu gave us such a fun little taste of Japan. Before we even walked in, my son…read moresaid the sidewalk leading up to the restaurant felt like Japan, with the trees and the curtain hanging down at the entrance. That detail set the mood right away. Inside, it is definitely larger and roomier than many places we've eaten at in Japan, but it still had that warm, simple, Japanese restaurant feel. We sat at a two-person table and still had plenty of room for all of our food, which is always appreciated because nobody wants to play plate Tetris during dinner. We ordered the Wagyu and the chicken tonkatsu, and both were so good. The Wagyu was especially fun because we got to grill it ourselves at the table, making the meal feel more like an experience than just dinner. The chicken tonkatsu was crispy, juicy, and exactly what we were hoping for. I also loved that they offer refills on the cabbage and vegetables, just like in Japan. It's one of those small touches that makes the whole meal feel more authentic. The highest praise came from my preteen, who said it was the best tonkatsu he's had outside of Japan. Honestly, that is a serious review from a kid who knows his tonkatsu. Great food, fun experience, nice ambiance, and a little Japan-in-Honolulu moment. We'll definitely be back.

    Photos
    Tonkatsu, katsu-don, gyukatsu
    Tonkatsu, katsu-don, gyukatsu
    Special Katsu-don set
    Special Katsu-don set
    Katasu-don

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    Katasu-don
    Tonkatsu Tamafuji

    Tonkatsu Tamafuji

    4.6
    (2.5k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$$

    Tamafuji is honestly the king of tonkatsu on Oahu, and probably in Hawaii. I like other tonkatsu…read moreplaces on island but I (personally) don't believe anyone is playing in the same league. From their breading, meat quality, and ambiance, it's all fantastic. Compared to the upstairs restaurant, I felt like I could really enjoy my entire experience because I was less overwhelmed by noise and the small space. Their service is always great and friendly :-) I can't recommend this place enough!

    My cousins highly recommended this place, and after seeing so many Instagram posts about it, I knew…read moreI had to give it a try. We attempted to make reservations, but they were completely booked until the following month. Since we didn't want to miss out, we decided to order their most popular tonkatsu meal to go instead. When we arrived, there were already a lot of people waiting outside. I went in to check on our order, and they let me know it would be another 10-15 minutes. Since it was a hot day, we wandered over to the crystal-themed shop next door while we waited. It had lots of interesting items to browse, although we ended up leaving empty handed. About 15 minutes later our order was ready, and we Ubered back to our hotel, which only took a few minutes. When we opened everything up, the portion felt a bit small for the price. The tonkatsu itself was tender, but for us it didn't quite live up to all the hype. I did appreciate that you can choose clam soup instead of the traditional miso soup, and there are different rice options as well, which is a nice touch. Overall, it was a good meal, but not one that completely wowed us given the price. It's possible the experience would have been different dining in, but with the long waitlist and the hot weather, takeout was the better choice for us.

    Photos
    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    Making the sauce
    Making the sauce
    Mix Katsu Set

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    Mix Katsu Set
    Marugame Udon

    Marugame Udon

    4.5
    (14.1k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    Taste good and quality. Long line but fast served food. I will go back again. My daughter love udon…read morealso she will give. 5

    It's a rare treat when I fall in love with a place and rave about it so much that I have to have it…read moreagain. Not only that, but I have to bring my significant other along to share in the deliciousness! I don't know how I'm just now talking about Marugame Udon. When I first came here, my friend and I decided to give it a try because we saw the longest line and wanted to see what all the hype was about. There was a couple in front of us who said they come here every time they visit Hawaiʻi and that it's a must-do stop on every trip. When you walk in, it's a small place. You can watch a team member washing the noodles and portioning them into bowls right in front of you. Then you choose your bowl size, small or large, and select your broth. After that, you get to choose from a variety of fried items and other à la carte options displayed on a warmer. Seating can be limited because of how busy this place gets. You line up to get your food, pay for it, grab your condiments, utensils, and a cup of water, then find a seat and enjoy. I've already been here twice, and after writing about my experience, I need to make a third visit happen very soon! There are not enough days off in a week to enjoy all of the amazing food on this island, but I'm going to do my best to experience as many places as I can. This place is totally worth the 45-minute commute from Wahiawa.

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Kake Udon
    Kake Udon
    Inside seating

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    Inside seating
    I-NABA

    I-NABA

    4.4
    (800 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    TL;DR This might be…read moremy favorite Japanese restaurant in town. Undisputed soba champion. ----- I'm surprised I haven't written a review for i-naba yet. This place has been a staple for my family ever since we moved back to O'ahu a few years ago. Bottom line? The soba noodles here are utterly fantastic. They are, in my humble opinion, the best on the island, and some of the best soba noodles I've ever had. I don't think anywhere else in Honolulu comes close. You come here to eat soba. Period. In addition to the soba being phenomenal, the other offerings at i-naba are also similarly great. Their tempura in particular is outstanding. I typically order the Jumbo Shrimp Tempura Bowl & Soba or the Dx Tempura Bowl & Soba. Plus an upgrade to a large size soba! The tempura is sooo good. It's crispy, light, and airy. The jumbo shrimp is especially succulent and tender. And the ingredients are always perfectly seasoned with the sweet and savory house sauce. Yummmy! If you're looking for the best soba and awesome tempura, this is your spot!!!

    Everytime I asked my Japanese clients which Japanese restaurant they enjoyed most in Honolulu,…read moreInaba consistently came up. And now I know why. I finally had lunch here a couple weeks ago and damn was my tempura and soba set broke da mout. The soba is housemade with a chewy consistency that I love. I had it cold with the dipping sauce and wow wow wow. So good. My friends suggested I get the shrimp and vegetable tempura as well which amazingly stayed crispy the whole time I savored each bite. Probably 30 minutes. Light crisp batter on perfectly cooked shrimp and veggies. Damn it was good. The service was great as well and I cannot wait to go back. Nice warm atmosphere and there's a free parking lot. It gets busy during lunch and dinner, so get there early or make a reservation. Enjoy!

    Photos
    I-NABA
    Tempura Zaru soba with edamame rice
    Tempura Zaru soba with edamame rice
    Hana soba

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    Hana soba
    Kaimuki Shokudo

    Kaimuki Shokudo

    4.2
    (458 reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $$

    Delicious soba and donburi! Fast and friendly service. Takes reservations. Large and spacious…read moredining area. Lunch and dinner menu are completely different. Will need to come back for dinner. Lunch and teishoku set available.

    I was really hoping to be wowed by this place because I have been eyeing it for some time…read more But... it was overall mid. We had the saba, which I would say was good. 3/5 Beef curry, which was ok, but the rice was dry. It seemed a tad bit undercooked. Enough to notice and be disappointed by texture and lack of moisture, so I didn't really eat the rice. Curry and beef was quite ordinary. 2/5 Chicken karaage was the only thing I did really like. Best I've had? No. But still great. 4/5 Rump cap was just really disappointing. No flavor and it was not tender. 1/5 Unagi chazuke had good flavor but again the rice was dry. Here is where the service did not impress me. The man who came to pour the broth did it so fast like he was in a rush, maybe he was, that droplets of the broth ricocheted onto my outfit went through and reached my thighs and actually hurt. I didn't react because... well... I didn't want to seem whiny. But that was not ok to be in such a rush that you cause harm or pain to a customer. 1/5 for the service, 3/5 for the dish Overall, wanted to love this place but it sadly disappointed. I didn't even bother to order the honey toast because everything else was overall just ok.

    Photos
    Just an opening 11/15/25. The restaurant was filled within minutes. Featuring Yelp Elite All Star Donna O.
    Just an opening 11/15/25. The restaurant was filled within minutes. Featuring Yelp Elite All Star Donna O.
    Chicken kaarage
    Chicken kaarage
    Their famous " Honey Toast"

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    Their famous " Honey Toast"
    Rinka

    Rinka

    4.1
    (655 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    Highly recommend the sushi sets for lunch at Rinka! Stopped in for a lunchtime double date on a…read moreSunday in early March and was able to get seated without a reservation. I got the Sashimi Set, which came with rice, mini udon, chawanmushi, and 2 small side dishes. The fish was fresh and I liked the variety of foods in the set that all complemented each other. The meal was filling. Service was friendly, and the ambiance was lovely with plenty of seating.

    Just ate here for dinner, had to use a Resy credit. Had reservations for two at 5:30 pm…read more Service was good, wife and I were seated promptly, given waters, and didn't have to wait too long for orders. Vibes were nice but I agree with prior reviews that tables feel a tad low and close together. I can see this place getting crowded during dinner hours, or if they get a lot of takeout orders. I ordered the blue fin bowl, wife ordered the homemade soba with tempura, and we ordered two sake flights, the "traditional" and the "light." The food was decent--I appreciated that my order included udon, a small salad, and tempura. Sake flights were pretty good. All-in with a 20% tip, it came out to ~$175, not including the Resy credit ($50 with Amex gold). With the Resy credit, I can dig it. Without it, I'm not sure. The food is tasty and portions are good, but it just feels like I've had more impressive sashimi/sushi for comparable prices elsewhere.

    Photos
    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    Grilled unagi (deluxe)
    Grilled unagi (deluxe)
    Beef sukiyaki

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    Beef sukiyaki
    Izakaya Tenkichi

    Izakaya Tenkichi

    4.6
    (250 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    Came here on a Thursday night around 6:30 for dinner. I had to circle around the parking lot to…read morefind a stall, and I believe they recently added a QR code to pay for parking. I'm not really sure how the validation works for it though. We didn't have reservations but were seated right away. To start off, I got the shikuwasa calpico drink. I feel like a lot of places don't have shikuwasa, so I'm really glad I can get it here. They also had a lot of other fun drinks on their menu that I would love to come back and try. For three of us, we ordered a bunch of small things to share. We got the brie, cold chicken dynamite, sweet potato, and hamachi roll. It also came with different types of salt to dip it in. All the food was delicious, but my favorite was the brie. This restaurant is fun and high energy. Service was excellent and super helpful. I would definitely recommend coming here!

    My brother has been recommending this place so I am glad I finally got to go for dinner! We got a…read moremix of regular and seasonal menu items. The hamachi with sesame sauce was ok, I prefer hamachi cooked though. The negitoro avocado rolls were tiny but decent and fresh tasting. The 5 types of tempura had a light crispy batter and were good. My favorites were the seasonal specials of hamachi kama (huge, meaty piece!), spicy chicken, and sukiyaki tofu. The spicy chicken was not very spicy at all, maybe a 1 or 2 out of 5 stars. It was refreshing and reminded me of Chinese chicken salad with the Chinese parsley and peanuts. The sukiyaki tofu was simple but good and not too sweet. The ambiance made me feel like I was in Japan and the staff were very attentive. Great service! The people preparing the food are right in the center and they are a well oiled machine cranking out dishes without breaking a sweat or raising their voices. The noise level can get a bit loud from diners having a good time.

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

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

    Musubi Cafe Iyasume

    4.5
    (5.4k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $

    If you think 5,400 reviews are lying, let this one be the reason you make sure to visit this local…read morebusiness when you're in Honolulu. It was love at first bite for me with musubi and onigiri, so when I saw a spot dedicated to this deliciousness you better believe I made a point to go there! I ran even faster when StaciLei, Yelp Hawaii's amazing Community Manager, told me it's a must and gave me her list of greatest hits and must not miss items as a guide! Now I've had a lot of these in my life, and I must say, Iyasume are easily the best. See musubi and onigiri have humble origins as a quickly made homespun snack or on the go lunch, and when you spot them in the convenience environment they're often a giant ball of rice with a tinge of protein or seasoning for flavor. At Iyasume, these are culinary adventures, stacked with ingredients, all in handheld form, and the variety they offer is IMPRESSIVE! Of course musubi starts with the classic, SPAM. I had to order the kimchi + spam, shiso + spam, and unagi + tamago + spam, all of which were awesome (even the next day!). Onigiri here are actually layered with ingredients, so you get them in every bite, unlike the convenience store versions! They have a HUGE menu, and I went with spicy mentaiko and salmon, spicy mentaiko and ikura, ikura and salmon, and tuna mayo curry, all of which were great. I LOVE that they make these to order. You can see the line in the back hard at work, and they're very fast. You're sure to encounter a line when you arrive, but don't be scared, it moves quickly. I only had to wait about 5 minutes for mine to come up! Well worth it. Reasonably priced. Very filling. A taste of Hawaii and Japan in one place that'll have everyone smiling!

    Friend recommended this spot and I'm grateful she did. There were so many fresh and interesting…read moremusubis to choose from. I bought kimchi spam, eel spam, inari spam, and a furikake rice ball. Didn't really interact with staff as they didn't offer to help while I viewed the items and I selected my items fairly quickly. I found purchasing four musubis very affortable. Finding parking was tough and expensive in the area. Not the restaurant's fault and probably drivers are not the bulk of their business.

    Photos
    Inside the shop
    Inside the shop
    Teriyaki Spam & Rice with Hawaiian drink
    Teriyaki Spam & Rice with Hawaiian drink
    Black pepper spam musubi and inari-egg spam musubi

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    Black pepper spam musubi and inari-egg spam musubi

    Yanagi Sushi - japanese - Updated July 2026

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