I went to a place I've been to before around the corner, but they were not open yet. I'm glad, because I found this place instead. I walk in, and it looks like a place. I'd expect to find in Japan. The lady was very friendly and I was seated right away. She brought me a big bowl of edamame, which I love. I decided to go with an appetizer, and two "small plates". They were half right. The plates were small, the portions were not. Overall, the food was good. I started out with the softshell crab. She brings it to my table, and it is a good portion. It was absolutely delicious, and I liked the dipping sauce. . The problem was, it was a bit oily. It's like maybe the fryer didn't have the right temperature oil or something like that. I could definitely see it on my fingers, and when I bit into like the second to the last piece, a little bit of oil actually dripped down my chin. By then, it was too late to send back. While , it was very good, this was the least successful item of the meal. My next item was the takoyaki (octopus) balls. These were also very good, and there was no real oiliness there. The octopus and the filling were absolutely delicious, and they came with Bonito flakes on top, which just added to the flavor. My last item, was the salmon shiyoyaki, and this was an absolute home run. A very decent sized portion of salmon, and it was tender, rich, and delicious. The lemon was perfect for squeezing on. And it came with what I thought was onion on the side. It turned out to be grated radish. I don't think I had had it before, and it was great. It offset the richness of the salmon just right. . An absolutely fantastic Dish. To drink, I thought I had a green tea, but it tasted just a little bit different. When I asked my server, she called it a "popcorn tea.". I looked it up, and it's a green tea with brown puffed rice. I love Japanese food, but obviously I don't know everything about it. The price was on the higher end, but that's because the softshell crab by itself was $20. I don't think I would have that again, the next time I come in, I want to try their sushi. It looked awesome. Thank you for a great meal. read more

See all

Don't come here if in a big group. We got there at 9:30 and only started getting our food at 11:20. Almost two hours of waiting, for nothing. The food was good but the wait was unbearable and completely not ok. The waiter was super nice and understanding. But if you're reading this take your craft somewhere else. Your kitchen was holding you back. We also called in an hour in advance to reserve the 8 person table so they should have been prepared not having one chef who was taking his sweet, sweet time. And on top of that, no compensation, no trying to fix their wrong. Not how you run a restaurant take that from someone who's worked in this industry. Our time and experience was robbed, and without any remorse. That's the issue. What's the point in running a restaurant if not to make something impressive out of the business? Are you using it to launder money because clearly there is no effort involved. Be better. This review was for your own improvement, not my dissatisfaction. And the fact we had to pay for that is embarrassing. You left 8 paying customers with empty stomachs. Again be better. For those prices ($200 per person for less than a roll per person. We BARELY ate) For the waiter, go work somewhere they appreciate your effort to please. read more

I had been wanting to try this place for a long time as its between my condo and my gym. Anyway, finally got my chance and had a nice lunch. Service was good but probably could have been a little friendlier, the server seemed rushed even tho the place was not busy. Got some sashimi and tonkatsu. The fish was fresh and the tonkatsu nicely crispy. A little on the pricey side but hope to retun soon to try other menu items. read more

Akasaka - Fresh and tasty - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We came here because we heard the lunch special was good ... and it was not good, it was amazing!!! There's a sushi bar, tables, and a small room with two tables. We were able to sit in the room and I liked it because it was more private than sitting at the tables. The server was very kind and attentive! We ordered a combo sashimi & tonkatsu and tempura sets. Each set came with edamame, salad, miso soup and rice. The portions they gave were more than I was expecting!! Very generous portions! The sashimi was great quality fish! The tempura was perfectly made and not too much tempura batter. The tonkatsu was crispy and not dry! Very happy with Akasaka and read more

See all

Such a great experience at Akasaka. We ( group of 10) were served by Nacho... I believe his given name is Jay. Very attentive and friendly to our group, very patient as we had to navigate a diverse menu and was side tracked by our groups enjoyment with each other's company. We never felt rushed - thank you Nacho. I won't deny that we were rather loud at times and our occupancy on the 2nd floor dining area was well suited for our group. The ambiance is like many older Izakaya sushi bars- Lined with bottles of sake bottles and simple non- flashy memorabilia of Japan. The food was decently priced and the food was tasty and with decent and not stingy in its proportions. We were comp'ed a few dishes which was very generous of them. Everyone left with an enjoyable experience. Would I come back again? Yes I would. read more

Came here after seeing the amazing reviews and how it made you feel like you're in Japan for a moment. Our party of 7 came on a Friday night without a reservation. Waited maybe 15mins or so for a table to become available. The space is small with a bar area that maybe seats 6. The staff is very welcoming and provided immaculate service. Everything from their miso soup, soft shell crabs, udons, and sushi were excellent. We all left with happy bellies! read more

See all

I was looking to try a new Japanese restaurant and I came across Akasaka. I had actually never heard of this restaurant, but it's been around for quite awhile. Located right by Ala Moana shopping center behind club Femme Nu. Interesting location. Anyway, they had good yelp reviews so I was excited to try it. We made reservations for lunch at 11 AM and was surprised to see that during our lunch service, we were the only group that was in the restaurant. We ordered the sushi and a combo plate. Fish was fresh and well presented. Service was friendly. We all enjoyed our lunches. Not sure why they weren't busy? I thought the prices were very reasonable. read more

See all

Ive been here 2 times now and I highly recommend this place. Good service and very flexible with what customers want to order if they have the ingredient on hand and know how to make it. Its a small place but very welcoming and lax place. Food was very good too! Highly recommend! read more

We were here from out of town and wanted sushi within walking distance. I ordered and they approved quickly. When I got there, it was quite a small restaurant. They apologized for the early approval and offered me a place to sit and water. I sat there for a full half hour waiting for my to go order while I watched their tables being served. There were only two chefs behind the sushi bar. The place smelled of fish, which means it's not exactly the freshest. When we got it, and I walked it 5 min back to my hotel, we ate it even though it was warm and not quite the freshest. I would not say this is a 4, but much like a 3. They tried to accommodate but the service, as may have said, is really slow. read more

Appropriate Japanese setting & food! Authentic & fresh food, delightfully presented! Serivice is excellent! read more

See all

This place is amazing! It was so delicious and the food came out fast. The service was amazing and the atmosphere was great. Everyone was so friendly and they are so hard working! Our waiter was so friendly and she was so kind. Food was delicious and so flavorful. Love this place, definitely recommend! read more

Akasaka - Tiger sushi roll - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

New owner and chef, Jay, did an admirable job on his omakase offering. Each was delicious, but my favorites have to be the trio and the otoro. I hope I spelled his name correctly. read more

See all

I came here for lunch right when they opened and it was a great decision! I dined in with my sister and we ordered O Toro Nigiri, Ebi Nigiri, Uni Nigiri, and a salmon roll to start off. Edamame was provided for free, which was a nice addition. All the nigiri's were fresh and so Ono! The salmon roll was good. Next we ordered the scallops and soft shell crab. Scallops were cooked perfectly and the sauce on the side was a nice add on, this is definitely a must order! The soft shell crab was okay, I felt it was a bit off tasting and I have had ones that tasted fresher. We then ordered Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura, which came out hot and crunchy. Tempura was perfectly cooked. Lastly, I ordered the butterfish teishoku, which included rice, green salad, and miso soup. The butterfish was so soft and very well flavored! Best butterfish I ate in a very long time. To finish off our meal we were offered Green Tea Ice Cream and it was a perfect end to our meal! The restaurant itself is very small, but the staff were very attentive and polite. This is a great spot to try out for some awesome tasting Japanese food. read more

Akasaka - Green Tea Ice Cream - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My first time to eat at Akasaka. I ordered the Misoyaki Butterfish, I think it was $35. Misoyaki Butterfish is my favorite so if the restaurant has it, I'm ordering it. When it came to our table, it just looked like fried fish, there was no misoyaki sauce. I asked the waiter if I could order some miso sauce and he said no cause it was marinated. The fish didn't taste like misoyaki, it was very bland so I put shoyu and the sauce from the scallops. It wasn't the same and I only ate half my meal. An hour later I started to have abdominal cramps and had a restless nights sleep. By morning I continued to have cramps and diarrhea, developed a fever by the end of the day. If you've ever had food poisoning you can relate. I was sick for a whole week! The diarrhea slowed down but the cramping continued, I was so exhausted and weak. So disappointed, my friend ordered sukiyaki which was so watery, he didn't even eat a fourth of his meal. Never again! read more

Dinner in Honolulu, Hawaii... I've been to this old school restaurant, Akasaka, twice before today: The first time, was before Yelp - with my high school classmate. I don't remember what I ate, but I do remember that my car was towed. Do NOT park on Kona Street!!! The second time was with a Yelp friend. We had a nice time! She had made a reservation for us! This time, our group had no reservation. Craig T. walked over to Akasaka because the restaurant we wanted to visit wasn't open yet (even though their sign says "open at 6pm"). Craig said Akasaka can take all 7 of us right now! Yay! There's free parking in their lot. Go early because it gets full later! Inside, it's cozy and warm... literally. I was fanning myself and patting my perspiration with a napkin! Service was quite attentive and bold. We heard about their appetizer scallops and sushi platter several times. LOL! The owner, Yuko, has been in business for 45 years! She gave us complimentary appetizer of agedashi tofu - very delicious! Thank you! We were also served edamame... yummy! I got the 2-choice teishoku dinner, which comes with miso soup, white rice, and green salad... yum! My miso butterfish and shrimp and Veggie (pumpkin, eggplant, sweet potato, and zucchini) tempura were delicious! Itadakimasu!!! read more

See all

Since Red Cafe was close bunch of us friends decided to go next door to Akasaka . Entrance to Akasaka is on Kapiolani Blvd but there's a lane that goes through to Kona St. First of all the air conditioner was not working properly because auntie Nadine and I was sweating while eating our dinner that wasn't comfortable . I ordered their 3 selection Tonkatsu , Ahi teriyaki and shrimp tempura. It comes with miso soup and a side salad and rice . The owner came to our table and introduced herself she replied she giving us complimentary Agadashi tofu which was ok . Service was ok but I felt like the workers kept on upselling the sushi which our party just wanted to eat food instead of sushi . The portion was fairly small I was still hungry when I left the restaurant. Ample parking available and support local read more

See all

Akasaka was not on the radar. Red Cafe next door was. That restaurant wasn't open. Upon entering Akasaka, I noticed that they had tatami mat seating and table seating. The table seating was a bit uncomfortable. The restaurant was warm. The A/C didn't seem to be working. I ordered a three choice Teishoku. It included Sashimi, Teri beef, and tempura. The sashimi had two slices of Maguro and three slices of salmon. This was top quality and delicious. The teriyaki was bland. The meat was overcooked, and yet there was no char on it. Tempura was also a disappointment. It looked like I made it, not what you would expect from a Japanese restaurant. It was a little pricey for what you got. Enjoy read more

See all

Hidden behind alley, found a great late night Happy Hour Spot. Great small izakaya ambiance with friendly service. Mini Sashimi is super fresh, thick sliced. What you need with a ice cold beer. Mayo Shrimp and fried ika is also a must. Creamy Crunchy Shrimp will get you mouth full of happiness. Only thing is, it would be great if they have draft beers too. read more

Akasaka - Mini Sashimi, Mayo Shrimp, Fried Ika - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

This is going to be a different review since I went here for a business meeting so everything was paid for. I will base this just on taste and service since I did not pay the bill! Everything tasted great and service was pretty fast considering how much food was ordered. I did not order the food but I enjoyed it all. I am not giving 5 stars just because I have no idea how much things costed, thus 4 stars. read more

See all

Akasaka is my go to for fresh sushi, sashimi, carpaccio, etc. as its also directly behind the hotel I usually stay at when in Honolulu, the Ala Moana Hotel. The location is hidden so you should be able to just walk in without a reservation. Usually, the locals know this spot and the tourists go somewhere else. They are also open quite late so its perfect for a late Japanese dinner. The staff are quite friendly and the ambiance gives you a taste of a traditional Japanese restaurant, quaint and service-oriented. You'll definitely enjoy the experience and the price is totally worth it!! read more

This place is a cute and cozy restaurant that is a little hidden. We went on a weeknight and it was pretty packed, so I would suggest having a reservation. Food does take a while to serve since the chef makes them one by one. We ordered the sushi set and it was delicious! We also got the chicken karaage and it was pretty good, I hope there was a bit of sauce but the chicken itself is delicious! We were seated by the sushi bar and the chef was really nice and accommodating! Definitely would come back to try out their other dishes! read more

I been there many times!Fresh sashimi,delicious sushi &good service &warm cute place!!Will bring my friends back often.

Excellent Food Wonderful waitress, a little expensive but worth it walking distance from our Hotel I diffidently would go back read more

Akasaka Sushi Restaurant is truly a hidden gem . Located very close to Ala Moana Shopping Center at 1646 Kona street . Ample parking in front I arrived for a light dinner on Friday and was greeted by a friendly host/ server . Alaska has 2 wonderful Sushi chef preparing all the delicious fresh sushi dishes . They are friendly and personable as well as quickly preparing all the sushi dinners for the restaurant. I was lucky to be seated at the sushi bar and watched all the sushi Entrees being prepared . The menu offers a wide variety of dishes from tempura , salad , miso soup , tonkatsu and steaks . Of course the star of the show are the beautifully prepared Sushi platters . A nice lady took my order Asahi dry came with a chilled glass , delicious green salad with ginger dressing , edamame and I ordered the mixed tempura dish . Very delicious and light as well for a late evening meal . Thank you Akasaka for a most surprising wonderful evening . I will highly recommend to colleagues, family and friends to dine at Akasaka Sushi Restaurant. Aloha and mahalo read more

See all

Service is great! Small restraunt and nice place to get sushi. Ordered the sashimi and sushi set for 2 people, with lots of leftovers. read more

See all

As a former member of the U.S. Navy that spent considerable time in Japan, this smallish restaurant reminded me so much of the great sushi restaurants in Japan, I strongly recommend this place. Food was AMAZING, service was GREAT, and everything about this place was authentic! You will be pleased. read more

This place was nice, reminded me of a small local place in Japan. It was definitely authentic I will say the prices are insane. The rolls we got were almost $20 each for 6 small pieces. Was it good? Yes it was. But the price isn't worth it, most likely can find similar quality somewhere close by. read more

See all

This Japanese restaurant is a hidden spot you will want to discover during your time in Honolulu near Ala Moana Shopping Center. I was not very hungry but ended up ordering the special Hamachi Carpaccio which is meant to be an appetizer. It was absolutely divine! The hamachi pieces were lovely with the special topping with a pepper and other seasonings. Loved it!! Japanese meals come with fresh salad, soup, and steamed rice. Popular edamame served prior to receiving dishes. Service was very attentive and pleasant. It's small, comfortable traditional Japanese restaurant with full sushi bar and authentic chefs. Parking could be tight depending on time of day or night. I highly recomend this place if you are wanting authentic, quality Japanese cuisine. read more

Akasaka - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Our go-to sushi bar for great service and even better, fresh fish. If you've never tried toro then this is the place (we devoured the toro before we could snap a picture. This is their salmon presentation). We've never been disappointed. Order a bottle of Otokoyama sake and enjoy the best sushi bar experience from Satoshi-san. read more

Akasaka - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Excellent and fresh fish! Service was great and the sushi chef had a special way to prepare the salmon. read more

See all

One of the best sushi bar & Japanese restaurants on the island! We were lucky (and unlucky cause I am old bones haha) to get the small cross lap sit down room to ourselves (4 of us). As my 3 yr old son was active and could roll around the room between mom, grandpa, and myself. The servers were awesome, polite, and always very attentive. Now for the best part.......the foooooodddddd :-). Everything we ordered came out very quick. Sushi was amazing. Fish is fresh, melts in your mouth, and top quality. The Aji (Spanish mackerel) was a hit and you should try it. They ad a bit of extra flavoring gives it a slight sweet/tang that pairs well with the fish. Toro as always BUTTAH! The scallop butteryaki, was something cool and new. Scallop lightly battered with a nice crunch, yet the scallop inside oh so soft. The aioli yaki sauce was a tad heavy for scallops, but still new and good. The tempura was perfect, crunchy batter with perfectly cooked moist shrimp. There was one pretty bad downside that would have bumped this to a 4.5 for me, maybe should have even taken it down to 4.......for others could have maybe killed the whole dinner and got a lot lower rating. The Mirugai was terrible and tasted spoiled was an understatement. It's a good thing it was cut into pieces, as to only take a tiny bite, which I had to spit out. Despite the one small dish absolute fail, all and all we were happy campers with happy tummies!!!! read more

See all

Got into Oahu late on a Thursday night and was staying at the Ala Moana Hotel. Was craving sushi and found this spot. Super friendly as they were about to close but we got fed and a few drinks at a happy hour price. Sweet location from the hotel as it's only about a two minute walk. The sushi the had was great! Friendly staff I will be going back there for sure. read more

Wow! I LOVED this place & I am now going to be a weekly religious follower. Since the closing of Odori-Ko, I have not been able to find the Hamachi Carpaccio dish that I so loved--until now!! The Kampachi Carpaccio is worth the trip to Akasaka!! Fresh from Kona! We also had Kampachi Ngiri & they topped w/ pickled wasabi. Chef's Kiss!It's a small, clean, intimate space, so make a rezzie if you're a big group. Staff was super cool. We also had a few other dishes. The Alaska roll was my fave! See you guys next week!! read more

See all

I visited Akasaka based on the recommendation of a Japanese Uber driver who mentioned that this place would have the most authentic sushi in Honolulu. For those who are driving, there's some free parking spots out front, and at the back of the restaurant. I walked in on a weekday evening without reservations, and was told to wait outside given the small size of the restaurant. I waited about 10 minutes before being seated. The ambiance here is great, with an authentic Japanese feel. It's a cozy spot with very little space between the tables. One of the servers touched my back a few times when she had to squeeze behind me to serve the people sitting by the sushi counter to my left. The food, however, did not meet my expectations, and I left a bit disappointed. The fish didn't taste the freshest here (it was okay at best), and the presentation didn't match the price point. The maki rolls looked a bit broken or squished, and a bit like they ran out of fish. Similarly, the nigiris had inconsistent amounts of wasabi. Some pieces actually had too much in my opinion, and I'm someone who enjoys wasabi (maybe to try to mask the "staleness" of the fish?). The size, shape, and amount of rice with the nigiri pieces were inconsistent too. I didn't take a photo, but one piece, rather than having a cylindrical shaped rice ball, had rice that was flat, and triangular shaped. The service here was average, but the woman who seemed to be in charge that day was super friendly, and spoke to us with a big smile upon every interaction. read more

See all

The food was great. Fresh fish, it didn't smell fishy. We got there early so parking wasn't a problem Slight problem with one of the sushi chefs, but not a biggie. I would recommend this place, if you're in the Ala Moana area. Alooooooooha and happy eating. read more

Met a friend for dinner on a Friday night. I recommend reservations because the dining area is small. I was craving sushi, though there were other items I wanted to try. The fish was fresh and the pieces were not skimpy. I need to go back again to try other things! And take pictures. I was so hungry, I forgot. read more

I hadn't been to Akasaka's in about a year so I decided to go back to my old roots with a friend. Walking into this place brings back great memories for me, I have always loved the interior of this place. On this night we ordered the tempura teishoku and some nigiri, the food was great!!! The teishoku came with a tossed green salad with their house dressing, a mix of shrimp and vegetable tempura, miso soup and a bowl of rice, after dinner we were also served some matcha ice cream. Our sushi was fresh and very tasty, the Uni nigiri hit the spot, I also ordered two orders of tekka maki that I forgot to take a picture of. The service was great, they checked in on us constantly to make sure we were okay. read more

See all

This small Japanese Sushi Bar has been here for a very long time and there's a reason! The quality is top notch and the customer service is excellent. I've been coming here for years and the delicious flavors and quality haven't skipped a beat and went down even with "inflation and higher food costs". The sushi is excellent and I think they have the best scallops in town! There's clean women and men's restrooms inside and free parking out front. This is my top 3 sushi bars in Hawaii and I definitely recommend them! read more

See all

Found this little gem when we did a staycation at the Ala Moana.Hotel. It is literally a two minute walk from there. Went at 10:00p and they were offering items on happy hour which is between 9p-11p. I love the ambiance, and the tempura udon was fabulous. I have never been to Japan yet but think this udon could be similar. We also ordered the Las Vegas roll which was also on the happy hour menu and worth every cent. Total for two people was under $50. This restaurant is an old school restaurant that has been there since the late 70's. Will definitely be back to support this local business! read more

Customer service was the best I had, they are very attentive and friendly. Made my first time Japanese style dining much more enjoyable. My BF took me here and reserved the sitting on floor section. It was cute and intimate ambience for just the two of us. The food... I never ate so much sashimi I was full. My favorite was the ahi nigiri and sizzling scallops with that special sauce. It was a great treat from my bf. read more

See all