Love this old skool sushi restaurant!!! My go to on oahu for authentic, fresh sushi read more

Going back for my Mom's birthday. A family special occasion favorite for 25 years!!! They treat us just like family. And the food is ALWAYS perfection! read more

Stopped by Akasaka, a hidden gem that's somewhat under the radar. The fish was fresh, and the service commendable. While there wasn't anything memorable, it was still quite good. If you're in the mood for a quieter sushi spot without the typical crowds, this is a place to consider. Solid 4 stars for me! read more

Cozy atmosphere in this small hidden Japanese restaurant nestled between Femme Nu and Jazz Minds. There are about 4 tables or so, a tatami room and a sushi bar. There were stairs but I'm not sure where that went, perhaps more seating or storage. Staff was super friendly and didn't pressure us to leave after we ate, which was nice because we were conversing with fellow Yelpers. The food was excellent, very fresh and beautiful presentation. I'm not super adventurous on the various types of seafood like sea urchin, eel, squid, crab, etc. But my new friends had it and said it was good. I stuck to the ahi and salmon and it literally melted on your mouth. Of note, the tables are pretty small with hard low stools. Also, there are 2 parking lots. We parked behind the restaurant closer to Femme Nu which is one-way & a dead end. When we got out our friends were blocked in. We asked around and the car owner was in an unmarked "game room" but she came out and moved her car. We all had to reverse out back onto Kona Street. Recommend parking in the Ewa parking lot which only enters from Kapiolani. Glad they even had parking though. I didn't take many photos as we were busy talking story. But it was legit. read more

Akasaka - Sashimi that came with our Teishoku - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The food was outstanding, the service was excellent and it was an avoid and beyond experience. This is a must place to eat. read more

Akasaka - Seared Otoro with garlic flavor special - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My wife and I met up with a fellow Yelper and her husband for dinner. Neither of us have been here though we have driven by numerous times and have read many great reviews. We ordered a really great dry sake to share and of course were provided with plenty of ice water. We had reservations and had a good table and seats. The staff was very good and atentative but very busy. They were Korean so it helped my wife however our waitress was clearly speaking bilingual as my wife does. It's out of a respectful courtesy to speak in their native language a little. Haha I still get a kick out of it. We started with edamame and a miso soup. Anyway we ordered the nigiri plater of sushi, with Uni and a spider roll (crispy soft shell crab) which was a fair amount of food. Everything was terrific. I use Uni as a gauge on freshness and quality. It was perrrfect! All the fish was great and spicy tuna roll was excellent. Will definitely return. It's a small hole in the wall place which makes it great. Only downside is their liquor license doesn't include mugi soju or hard alcohol. But no problem only a half a mile away so came home to have a drink!!! read more

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It's small... it's dark... it's rustic... it's tasty... it's expensive. And when I say expensive, I mean really expensive. I've heard the butteryaki scallops are terrific, but they didn't come in a teishoku, so I had unagi kabayaki instead. It was very good. Perhaps the best unagi I've had outside Japan, and a decent portion. Strangely the rice portion was quite small, although it was a premium rice. MY had chirashi sushi, which also looked really good. I know that restaurants charge whatever they charge, but for me personally this was just too expensive. But if someone else is picking up the bill, enjoy! read more

Good food but terrible service for a restaurant charging $$$ for food. My friend and I came for dinner right before 9 pm. There was a short wait, maybe 10 minutes. While I was standing and waiting inside, one of the workers (or maybe the owner, I'm not sure?) rudely asked us to wait outside. I definitely wouldn't have minded but did not appreciate his rude tone. After we went outside, it occurred to me to ask for the menu so we could start looking at it. I went inside and asked the same man who was at the front of the restaurant, and he gave me a weird look, like why on earth would you need a menu? So after this, I'm already put off by this one guy's attitude. But there's more, if you read to the end... I start perusing the menu and notice that the price point is significantly higher than sushi prices that I'm used to in San Francisco. Luckily I wasn't too hungry and went with a simple miso soup ($2) and the California Roll, temaki style ($8.95). Both were pretty good. The crab in the California Roll was mixed with a lot more mayo than I'm used to for a California Roll, but it was good. The meal itself was fine, but we struggled again with the same guy over the check. We noticed they didn't deduct the 10% for happy hour that's advertised throughout their restaurant. According to the flyer, happy hour is 9 pm to closing and includes all food and drink orders, excluding takeout. We arrived at the restaurant at 8:51, got seated right at 9, and ordered a couple minutes afterwards. We call the same guy over, thinking he had forgotten to include the 10% discount, and he actually tried to argue with us. His point was that because we put our name down before 9, it didn't count, even though we were seated and ordered after 9. The flyer doesn't specify this at at all, and it honestly sounded like something he made up on the spot. We both were very unimpressed with the service, especially for a nicer Japanese restaurant which I typically associate with amazing service. As for parking, they do have a small lot behind the restaurant that is shared with the strip club next door. We weren't able to find a spot there and had to pay for metered parking across the street, which cost 25 cents/10 minutes. read more

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Decent raw fish here, not the best value though. Ambience and service: old school Japanese, small and intimate. Servers pretty much talk on top of you which can be uncomfortable in Covid times. The lady (owner?) came over a couple of times to recommend dishes and check on us, overall attentive service. They also gave us tofu on the house. Food: Sashimi platter (3 stars): some pieces were better than others, overall unmemorable taste wise. Aji nigiri (3 stars) this came highly recommended by the restaurant but turned out average. Just a regular piece with overpowering ponzu sauce. Teishoku 2 choice combo: (4 stars): salmon was the freshest of all sashimi, butterfish was very flavorful. Could have skipped sashimi platter and gone straight to this one. Cost was ~$75/pp. Not terrible but I know a few places on the island with better quality fish for a better price. read more

Akasaka - Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food is really delicious. And servers and chefs so nice. I had really good time here. read more

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Service is great here. A hole in the wall but great and fresh food. We shared scallops and omg it was so yummy!!!! My tummy growled as I reminiscent the taste. We also shared a sushi boat.... man was the fish fresh!! They gave me a $5 gift cert to use for next visit. read more

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150$ per person, not worthy as the food is quite normal. The boss is warm hearted but she only recommends the expensive dishes, and ordered without confirmation of the quantity. read more

Old school Japanese restaurant mismatched with the aura and "shops and establishments" (trying to make this a PG review) in the surrounding area. With the very tough business environment in Hawaii, it's a testament to be in business for so long, they must be something right. The menu is moderately priced considering the quality of the food. Expect to pay between $20 - $30 for complete meals (teishoku) which includes miso soup, salad, rice and an entree. A two choice meal will cost about $28. I picked the two choice with the sashimi and butterfish. The sashimi is expertly cut and the quality of fish a very good grade. The butterfish was excellent, with a balance of sweetness (miso), a hint of sake and mirin. Really moist and a good char on the outside. Service is top notch with consistent filling of hot tea and ice water. Recommended. read more

Akasaka - Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Delicious food and great service. What more could you want!? We visited here in February 2020 and had a party of 6. We made a reservation in advance (it is a smaller restaurant) and utilized their free parking spots outside (stalls may be marked). We ordered a variety of dishes - chirashi bowl, scallops, oysters, and more and everything was so good! We had a lot of fun here and enjoyed spending time with friends over a solid meal. read more

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My dad took us here for a family Christmas dinner. Our party was 5 adults and 3 kids. I had made a reservation about 2 days in advance and we were seated immediately upon our arrival. We were seated upstairs with one other group coming up about halfway through us ordering. Service: Super friendly and helpful! Made great recommendations for dishes to try and was super patient as we hemmed and hawed about what to order. Food: SO GOOD! We started with the Akasaka Roll-a beautiful and tasty sushi roll that we all shared. My brother in law ordered some sake, and all the adults had a taste. My sister ordered salmon chazuke, tonkatsu, and garlic scallops (as an appetizer), they ordered salmon and miso butterfish for the kids. Dad had the teriyaki chicken teishoku, we also had unagi teishoku, and tonkatsu/tempura teishoku. All were delicious! My 9 year old nephew was the only one to order dessert-azuki beans with mochi and green tea ice cream. FYI, they told us they will only be at this location for about a year longer, but will be relocating and reopening. read more

Akasaka - Akasaka Roll - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The food here is excellent. Great quality, fresh fish and resonable prices. This little hole int eh wall is located on kona street behind ala moana - i recommend you make resorvations becuase it is small and only holds about 6 parties. If you are having an event give them a call. They do have an upstairs that is nice and can accomidate much more people. Staff is very freindly and they dont pressure you or rush you. I love the rainbow roll here becuase they make the california roll with real crab and not imitation crab. Normally come here just for sushi so cant really speak on the rest of the menu. I have tried the katsu which is good but i wouldnt come just for the katsu. Uni was super fresh but becareful because it is MP so we paid $24 for two pieces. After dinner this table by us ordered the buteryaki scallops and it smelled soo good so we also ordered one. the scallops were cooked perfectly and just melt in your mouth. The butter - the garlic mayo aoili like sauce they put on with a dash of lemon... ugh i want to go back and order that now - it is a must try. Their sushi chefs are professionals and have been working there for years. I think one or two of them trained in Japan. They are quick and you dont wait forever for your food. Although if you dont like wasabi be sure to mention that. I had some "hidden bombs" in my nigiri because it was loaded with wasabi. read more

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We had a party of 8 for 630p reservation. They seated us upstairs which we did not specify and they told us we have to be out by 830p, when we arrived . Ceilings are low and it was hot upstairs when we arrived . Sure enough 830p rolled around and they said "sorry " you have to leave now. This was such an unpleasant, embarrassing, rushed experience, since we were the host to our friends that we invited to dinner. Food was just ok, I've had way better. If they told us we had to be out at a certain time when I made the reservations, I would never have patronized this place at all. Unfortunately I would give this place 1/2 to 1 star. read more

I've always wanted to eat here, I drive by all the time and finally made the stop. I must say, everything was good but the food itself. Very nice and welcoming staff, very cute traditional Japanese interior and decor, and the menu has a variety of choices. First off, Akasaka should be rated as a $$$ restaurant. It's very pricy for the quality of food. There are much better and fresher Japanese restaurants in the area. Fresh oysters: I enjoyed these the most! They were ice cold and tasted very fresh. They were definitely on the smaller side but that's what I like. I wish I had ordered two of these and just ate them as my meal. Sizzling scallops: all the flavor is in the sauce they put on top. The scallops themselves were fresh but didn't have much taste. Chu-toro sashimi: not as fresh as I hoped and the quality was low. They were also not cold and on the warmer side. Tempura: we did not like the batter. It wasn't crispy and the flavor was lacking. Sizzling steak: just ok but not worth the price. We took it home in a doggy bag. We spent about $130 for two and they were not complete meals. read more

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Great experience , sashimi was terrific along with dinner combo had the butter fish & Teri beef. Service was spot on. read more

Akasaka - Oyster shooters, 5 in an order. It's top grade just the oyster on the small side. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We had just finished watching a show at the Blaisdell, around 10pm looking for a late night date night dinner. Targeting sushi and teriyaki, Yelp and Akasaka to the rescue! The space is quaint... not difficult to find; across from the 24hr fitness. Given the late hour, there were only 2 other parties there. My hubs went in to see if they could still seat us; also to see the walking space inside. There was no space for the wheelchair so I crutched it instead. We opted for the sushi bar since I don't always get a chance to sit at one, given the convenience (or INconvenience as the case is). :) I ordered the chirashi regular and hubs got beef teriyaki. Both were excellent! My fish was all very fresh with the textures as perfect as they can be. And being that the rice was layered below all the seafood, it was easy to tailor my late night carb intake! Truly this is an extremely ideal dish for me. I snagged a couple bites of hubs' beef teriyaki. Impressive! So the sauce is the sauce... nothing noticeably significant about it. But the beef itself was tender and fresh. We have unfortunately found that sushi spots don't necessarily have the best beef teriyaki, which is a bummer since hubs is not a fan of non-shrimp seafood. I would say that the only downside to Akasaka is that it isn't closer to home. :D read more

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This place has such great food and service! It's very cozy, and is locally owned. I will always support and recommend to others.

Akasaka is a super cute Japanese restaurant tucked away in the back of an unassuming parking lot. However, from the cute front door to the small wooden interior and tatami room, it feels like stepping back into Japan! The staff are very friendly and we really enjoyed our food (mom and I ordered the sushi combo and the chirashi, and we shared agedashi tofu and edamame). When we told them it was my birthday, they actually gave me a little side dish to celebrate. I won't say that the sushi was "mind-blowing" or super fancy, but it was good and that's really all that matters. It's quite expensive though, so it might feel like you're paying more for the experience. Overall, I really enjoyed the vibe of a tiny Japanese restaurant and it felt like I'd gone back to my old stomping grounds in Japan. read more

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Ambiance - I thought I walked into my Grandma's basement. Panel walls and old tables with plastic chairs, no windows or fresh air. Service- We went in for lunch about 11:20am. We were seated right away, given enough time to browse the menu. Food came on a reasonable amount of time. Only 1 service staff working, she seemed to handle the small dining room well. We would have appreciated a check back after food, but it appeared she was too busy to do so. Food- After reading many of the reviews I was expecting some delicious Japanese food. Many reviews mentioned quality fresh food. We are locals and dine out regularly to the local Japanese restaurants. This was the first time in many years I was very disappointed. In Waikiki we expect to pay a higher price and receive high quality food. I felt the price compared to the quality was very unbalanced. We(2) ordered 6 items and bill came to $112, no drinks. Walked out hungry and felt we over paid. Food presentation- Freshness and Taste - Price Value - Many of the local walk up poke places offer the same quality for 1/4 of the price. read more

We used to like coming to this restaurant not only for the delicious fresh seafood but also because of the service. Used to. Well this last time and it will be our last time, we got hustled by a barmaid upon entering and she became our waitress. She was also the one that gave my friends a hard time about parking in "her" spot. The spot wasn't marked. She also questioned where they were going. Probably cause they were not Asian. We didn't appreciate her pushing whole sake bottles and the specials of the day. What a turn off. read more

When I'm on the hunt for sushi in Honolulu, Akasaka is usually on the top of my list of go-to places. Their service is quick, efficient, and friendly; their food is always consistent, and delicious; and overall in my opinion, the best bang for your buck sushi place in Honolulu. If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for a good omakase and Akasaka is just that and more. On my most recent trip to this hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant, we called ahead to see if they had any last minute reservations cancel. The stars must have been aligned because just our luck, they had an opening! We quickly rushed over and got seated. The space here is small--its main room can host at most maybe 25-30 people. They also have a private room upstairs? or in the back? I've never been but I know it exists. 200% would recommend calling to make a reservation to guarantee you a spot. Per usual, the boyfriend and I opted for omakase. Fairly priced, it was about $90 ish per person. In my opinion, not bad considering how many pieces of freshly cut sushi you get, plus miso soup, and a scoop of ice cream for dessert. Our assortment of fish consisted of the usual tamago, ahi, unagi, ebi, ohtoro, chutoro, salmon, and hamachi. To our surprise, also included was an uni nigiri (my fave)! Service here is always attentive, efficient, and prompt. All of the kind staff working here, are always busting their butts to keep their customers happy! Was it the quick service or was it our hunger kicking in, but I swear we were out of there in just over an hour. Nothing but great things to say about one of my favorite spots for reliable service, and delicious eats. read more

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The Omakase came all at once, it was about $100 for 12-13 sushi pieces. There was a few apps and dessert, but all the sushi came at one time. Very fresh, delicious sushi. The uni was so good, and so was the eel. They carry good green tea ice cream too. read more

Everything I ordered was so delicious, and everyone needs to try their Tempura Cheesecake with berries. The best I've ever had.

We enjoyed our meal this Evening. Our favorite was the sizzling scallops. It was delicious with the sauce. It was so tender and perfectly cooked. I really liked the sauce too. There was 4 scallops to an order. I wished there were 6 to 8 scallops. We also had the chirashi which was beautifully presented. I really enjoyed the rice underneath it. I thought the food was a bit pricey. Every entree was around $30. read more

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Like a hidden gem. By far the best sushi I've ever had. Only downside is that it's small and few servers. We kind of got lost in the shuffle. Otherwise, it was good service and great food. read more

The food and service are amazing at this hidden Ala Moana gem. Like all good places, this is next to a massage parlor with blacked-out windows and neon signs. When you see this - you know it is going to be good. Sure, you question whether the car is going to be there when you come out, but if it is a problem - go park at Ala Moana and walk over. The place has been in business 50 years and the aunty at the door and the guys behind the counter do it the same way - the right way - every time. We had sashimi, the famous scallops (friend and served sizzling on a cast iron tray with some secret sauce), abalone, hamachi collar, multiple sushi rolls, and lots of drinks. We had a baby in our party who was happily eating hamachi as quickly as the rest of us. That collar was the biggest one I have ever seen served and fed all five of us easily. The abalone yaki was tender, the rolls were well-made and delicious. The menu is expansive and whether you are coming to drink and nibble for a few hours or for a dinner out with family, you will feel right at home. Check the sign for specials and ask questions to get the best options for the table. Make reservations in advance to avoid a wait and enjoy! read more

My friend treated me to lunch for my belated birthday and of course...it had to be somewhere where they have yummy sushi. We walked in and were able to get seated. I ordered the Tokujo sushi combination and he got the Chirashi. Of course they had otoro so we ordered some toro sashimi. We got our food and it was delicious. The otoro just melted in my mouth and I was in heaven. LoL. The sushi that came with the Tokujo was made to perfection and very delicious. The food and service was excellent. They also gave us a $10 gift certificate that we could use on our next best visit. A place to grab lunch and dinner if you want great sushi and Japanese food. read more

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Wow 9 years since my last update- time to update again!!!! Not sure when new ownership took over- def Korean. Older man was certainly surly. Not the sweet guy who used to love my Mini Cooper. Chef was not the cordial older guy (who was ailing loved him dearly and tipped him well). Server was nice he assured me Mimi is still there! Covid precautions are in place -great! Maguro super fresh - oh yes to be back in Hawaii at long last "sigh". Toro was good, ama ebi was fresh but where were my heads? Never came???? California roll. I specifically asked for goma and for good measure again specifically said sesame seeds in case I was not understood. Then he asked if I wanted roe so I once again said no sesame seeds. Alas nothing on my roll. Bummer. That's why only 4 not 5 stars. But yet I'll be back. It's my go to read more

If I could give this place zero stars I would. We arrived at 10:45am knowing they were not open but willing to wait until 11:00am. Male person comes out and say they were not open. It was raining, but we heeded the instructions and stepped to the side. Still raining. A couple minutes later, he comes out and violently flicks the welcome mat without any warning. We had two kids and one has severe asthma. A warning would be nice. And a modicum of manners would suffice, but this dude was extremely rude, Will not ever ever gone back to a place that treats people like this!!!!! read more

What a great find! Walking distance, just behind the Ala Moana hotel. The hostess/staff made us feel very welcome. The quality reminded of Japan! Uni was delicious as was everything else that we ate. We will definitely return! read more

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Birthday celebrations are a big deal in our family. Birthday person's choice, dinner out or I will cook the dinner of your choice at home. Believe it or not, I cook more than we eat out ;). My Daughter-in-law has been eying this little place for a couple of years and decided this was what/where she wanted her birthday dinner. Worked for me, I called to check if they could seat our party of fourteen, yes, only issue might be parking. Advised only three car spaces...oops! Not a problem, I texted everyone to scout out alternative parking as might be needed. I called back several days before to confirm the reservation and to ask if I could bring in a cake...another family tradition, cake of choice. Robs choice...Dobash from Zippys. Can do. So we all arrived at the appointed time and a lovely gentleman directed all five of our cars into tight but adequate spaces. I didn't bother asking about the previous conversation as I was just happy with no issues. Walking into the tiny, overflowing restaurant I was surprised to find it jammed to the gills with people, furniture, a sushi bar albeit minuscule, and a pleasant hostess who looked relieved we were the party of 14 and not walk-ins! We were led up a narrow staircase to an upper dining area and our table set up for our family celebration. As everyone was seated we were given Green tea, water and menus and the servers said they would be back shortly for orders. True to their word, the servers returned in five minutes and we all ordered. I will only speak for my food in this review. Ordered the scallop appetizer which was exceptionally tender, nearly rare and seared perfectly. I found myself scraping off the sauce so I could better taste the scallops. If I were to return I would order the scallops sauceless. I also ordered the NY steak, yep there are days when I want red meat! The steak was served with a side of sauce but said I didn't want the sauce....I really like to taste my food...big mistake, steak was totally unseasoned, not a bad thing if you're serving a good piece of meat. I know, why go for the steak at a sushi house? They usually have great steak! I did order the nigiri Hamachi, Ikura and Uni...over priced imho. I get bigger, thicker and better at my Aiea Pearl Kai Spot. Dinner done and all the dishes removed they brought up the birthday cake with plates and forks. At this point the servers offered to refresh the water and teas then left us to enjoy at our leasure. We had a marvelous party! Great service is reason I am raising this place to four stars. read more

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Yellowtail was amazing. Traditional old school sushi place. I enjoyed there sushi platter & yellowtail sashimi read more

Akasaka - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place is a little hidden behind Ala Moana hotel. We parked in the front. Although I know there is some parking in the back. If it's full, just park at the mall and walk. We came here for our girls birthday dinner. The waiters were so attentive and sociable. We got the private room in the back. The restaurant is small but the food does not disappoint. A bit on the pricy side but you get what you pay for.. quality. read more

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This was our last stop before our flight. The food was exceptional. Definitely call ahead to make reservations because they were busy. - The sushi and sashimi was so fresh. Yes, the prices may be pricier than other places on the island but the quality speaks for itself. We got several platters and a boat. I also got the uni - if you're an uni lover try the uni here cause it's one of the best I've ever had. Just smooth and melts in your mouth like butter. - definitely try the akasaka scallop - cooked perfectly and the sauce it comes with pairs perfectly with the dish so why the 4 stars - to no fault of the server (who was also the host) the food took a very long time to be prepared. Yes, we were a party of 7 and we had ordered several larger items but the wait for food was longgg. We also had to ask for water and other items to be refilled constantly. Our reservation was at 7:30 and we didn't get our last roll till about 9:45 pm. I could tell that the server was very busy and had a hard time keeping up with all the customers but I think additional staffing would help on the customer service side of things for this business. However, I'd definitely return for the food. Everything was delicious! read more

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Haven't been here for at least 15+ years. Was surprised that they are still in the same place now. Me met our great friends for dinner. This was the receipt from our night. This was 2 couples enjoying great food & great company. Service was excellent as always. Food was very fresh and broke da mout tasting. You get what you pay for and this dinner was excellent like I remembered. We only ate the "good stuff". read more

Akasaka - Dinner for 4. Only ate the "good stuff". - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I have been wanting to try this place for awhile. So, decided to make a last minute decision to try this place out. It's a bit hidden near ala Moana in the back. Super small. They have an upstairs usually for parties but they're not really seating upstairs right now due to the pandemic. They have only about 6 - 7 tables for seating. And I'm not sure if theye allowing bar seating. Anyway everything super good. Music is a nice background. Super nice server as well. The food was fresh tasting. Tip: there may not be some things on the menu, so just ask. Like the oyster shooter and uni with egg. Ofcourse it costs a bit more but so worth it. read more

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