Top 5 Japanese Restaurant in Hawaii

3-3343 Kuhio Hwy #7, Lihue, HI 96766, United States

“Came here with my family during our trip! Good: - Fast in and out! We placed our order and could self serve the toppings a la carte - The flavor of the poke was great! Not the best I’ve ever had but it was really fresh and tasty and filling - Good bang for buck Bad: - No seating indoors - It’s a little chaotic and busy while ordering, the service is a bit rushed Overall I understand why this is so popular!”

73-5617 Maiau St Bay 10, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, United States

“This place is a little ways away from Kona town but very close to Costco. We went mid-week and found no lines. We were able to walk right up and order and take our poke around the corner to eat outside on some picnic tables. Super friendly and fast service. The poke was good but the sides were a little lacking for my taste. I would have liked to have had a mac salad or something a little different the offerings. Worth a visit if nearby.”

3871 Hanapepe Rd, Hanapepe, HI 96716, United States

“Very solid Japanese place to go! Good: - This place had amazing sushi! I liked the grandma roll the best, it was very unique - The ambiance is really nice! It’s covered and outdoors - The Tamago was so so good! Nice and sweet - Staff were really nice, and the vibes were good Bad: - There was a decently long wait time Overall I liked this place! I was sad it didn’t have poke but the sushi made up for it”

98-020 Kamehameha Hwy #109, Aiea, HI 96701, United States

“Work well for local kine grinds. #46 charsu is the fav. with the club sandwich on the side. Bingo bango. Moi moi time. Staff is on top of it.”

1279 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96814, United States

“Excellent hidden gem! A bit out of the way for most tourists but that was good for us because if this place was in central Waikiki, we’d never get in! Menu is fairly extensive. We had the spicy red miso dragon ramen, fried chicken and one pork bun between two of us. It was so good! We got there at 5:30 on a Saturday and were seated immediately (2 people). It was much busier by the time we left 1 hour later, but still had seats available. Service was excellent - friendly, knowledgeable and fast. Prices were also excellent - this must be the last affordable restaurant in Honolulu. Overall, this place is awesome and we can’t wait to come back!!”

Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, 68-1400 Mauna Lani Dr, Waimea, HI 96743, United States

“It was very hectic, challenging and anxiety provoking to find something “safe” to eat for those with food sensitivities. The food is pretty pricey and the portions and much smaller than any other restaurant on the island. I did get a tummy ache after my meal, I go the mushrooms(for the table), miso soup & heart of palms pasta. My mom got the crab,(which she didn’t particularly like.. saying it was under flavored and over cooked).”

563 Farrington Hwy, Kapolei, HI 96707, United States

“Great “family owned” atmosphere. The front of house “wait staff” were very friendly and attentive. Could hear the cook(s) singing to the radio, very good atmosphere. The iced coffee was great. The food (flight pancakes, lox bagel, and …”

51 Kalakaua St, Hilo, HI 96720, United States

“Been coming here annually. Really great food and friendly. Must make reservations. It's elevated food in Hilo but not pretentious. Highly recommended. The smoked sashimi is absolutely amazing.”

200 Kanoelehua Ave, Hilo, HI 96720, United States

“Decent prices. Good food presentation. I don't eat raw fish but I loved the sweet potato tempura rolls and Teri chicken. I would skip the fried rice next time and go with Jasmine as I wasn't impressed”

206 Kapuni St, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States

“The poke here is definitely above average. I also really like their mixes. Honest to the primary ingredients and the sauces and garnishes all contribute to the overall taste. But advertising what they are selling as a "bowl" is a blatant lie. The portions are definitely half-a-bowl at best. So essentially they're charging $29.90 for a bowl of poke. This is taking advantage of tourists at its best. I live in the Bay Area which has the highest cost of living (roughly equivalent to Hawaii) and even to those standards, this is pure swindling. Oh did I mention the default "tip" selection for a food truck upon checkout?”

611 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States

“Due to being winter time in our beautiful Hawaii nei, a great way to warm up is having a bowl of ramen. Onoya Ramen has variety of selections from meat to vegan ramen. I tried the Vegan Black - it had the right amount of savory flavors and the noodles were just right. Not too soggy and not too firm. Don't forget to chew because it's very easy to ingest it with all the goodness. Also tried the popcorn chicke and pairs very well with the ramen. Ambience: If you don't mind close spaces and a bit of loud sounds. ONOYA RAMEN will be moving to a bigger space in 2024. I'll be standing by.”

3045 Monsarrat Ave Ste 1, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States

“We ordered takeout. 1 ahi/avocado bowl, 1 specialty roll (rainbow), 1 hosomaki (hamachi) and grabbed a seaweed salad side from the cold fridge. The prices here are very reasonable, a great value. The smell of the sushi when I opened the bag was inviting and authentic (toasted nori and sushi rice) The bowl was a 4, specialty roll a 3.5 because the short odd-cut sashimi pieces draping the California roll, hosomaki was a 5, seaweed salad a 3.”

2586 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States

“The food and service is excellent. Traditional Japanese cuisine. Traditional Japanese service. Excellence. The vibe and feel brought me back to my Grandma’s Saimin in Los Angeles from when I was a child. I could sit here all day and listen to the delicate rumble of the various Japanese dialects spoken during my amazing dinner.”

2552 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States

“Best sashimi and seafood ever in this restaurant! We love the divine taste, melting in your mouth bites, multiple senses with the best combination of flavours you can ever imagine! Above all it was the extraordinary service that Jazdee Vance provided us! She is the best on the whole beautiful Hawaii islands. She is such an amazingly talented waitress, she suggested the best dishes and gave my daughter and I attention despite the she had so many other customers! We simply adore her! Please recognize her exceptionally customer service and dedication to your restaurant!!! Sansei seafood restaurant is magnificent!!!”

5095 Napilihau St suite 115, Lahaina, HI 96761, United States

“Chef Vasquez closes the restaurant Sunday evening for a 10-12 person chef's counter meal during which he takes guests on a journey through the why (and how) of seasonal, skillfully prepared dishes. At $140/person as of March 2023 (with $40 optional wine pairing), it was reasonable for the experience and a 3-hour meal we really enjoyed. Describing the dishes almost doesn't seem fair since each menu is only around for two months. That said, the coconut tamarind scallops were AMAZING in case you happen to read this in March or April. I've already bookmarked a return for next year.”

1935 Makanani Dr, Honolulu, HI 96817, United States

“Great place to have a party, the location is Central to the island, parking is done by valet because the lot is tiny. A few rooms that can be configured for small and large parties. There service is good and when we needed time for our program they left us alone. Food is typical local Hawaii food and makes it unique for you to be formal or as informal as you need. I can't wait until we have another event there.”

1111 McCully St, Honolulu, HI 96826, United States

“Our local friend brought us to this sushi restaurant, which happens to be her favorite, and it absolutely lived up to our expectations. Every dish we ordered was exceptional, from start to finish. The fish was incredibly fresh, practically melting in our mouths. The attentive service and swift delivery of our food further enhanced the experience. I highly recommend this place. I would suggest calling them for reservation as the restaurant is small and has limited seating.”

72-100 Kaupulehu Dr, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, United States

“Been here 10+ Times now. Excellent ambiance and service. The drinks are excellent. The food is good although I find myself disappointed by some of the pasta dishes. The burrata salad is excellent. The warm bread appetizer that gets brought to all tables is nice. Ask for extra balsamic and olive oil. The truffle and fungi (mushroom) pasta is excellent. This last time we tried this dessert that had coffee and caramel flavors and textures. It was a feast for the eyes and the senses.”

1670 HI-30, Wailuku, HI 96793, United States

“Came in for dinner for 2 and got seated right away. Lovely atmosphere that I'm sure is even better during the day. Great variety of food options, and everything we ordered was good or great. Unfortunately, our experience was marred by an inattentive server who spent more time chatting with the bartender than checking in on us (other tables seemed to have better service by other servers), forgetting to tell us that certain sides were not available, or just generally not being helpful (needing silverware, drinks refilled, needing to pay the bill, etc.). Overall would love to go back and enjoy the food, hopefully with a different server.”

275 W Kaahumanu Ave, Kahului, HI 96732, United States

“I was on vacation and decided to hike on foot mostly. I stumbled upon Ramen Ya and decided to give it a try. I absolutely loved it. I got the Chicken with veggies and noodles and it was delicious. 10 out of 10. I ate the whole thing in one sitting. I’d recommend anyone to stop by.”