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Small hole in the wall local place but the place was pretty full but we were seated right away . Came here because of the great reviews for oxtail soup and it was going to be my first time having this dish. The server was great because she explained how to eat it. They brought a small jar of ginger and you had to mix sauce into the ginger and add this to your soup or each bite. The broth it self was very tasty and the meat was tender , falling off the bone tender. It was a very flavorful soup and adding the ginger soy sauce took it to an extra level. Of course I have to try it somewhere else to compare but if the locals love this place then that says alot... also thanks to the great smiling servers.
I took my sister, brother in law, nephew and niece to Asahi as they are visiting from the mainland and wanted a good home cooked style meal. They picked curry and ox tail soup, while I had my opakapaka. As always, the service was great. The ambiance was such that it was easy to have a nice conversation as the kids gobbled everything up. 10/10 recommend again!
Popped in for takeout brunch today. On the order: Spaghetti and Adobo Fried Rice. Got home and was instantly irritated, so this review was going in a totally different direction. Instead of my adobo fried rice, I had a regular fried rice. Call and they said they said if I can come back they will replace the wrong one. This is where we get back on rails. The adobo fried rice was ready and the said I could keep the regular fried rice. Haha so went from irritated to happy even if I had to come back. Free food and you have me at hello, haha. The spaghetti is always on point and the adobo fried rice was packed with flavor. And now I have more fried rice for dinner and lunch later.
Ordered the chicken katsu plate and it was exactly what I wanted. The katsu was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with a light, crunchy breading that didn't feel greasy at all. The rice was fluffy and comforting, and the mac salad was creamy, slightly sweet, and classic--the perfect balance to the crispy chicken. Add a drizzle of katsu sauce and every bite just works. Simple, satisfying, and done right. This is solid comfort food you can't go wrong with. Would definitely order again.
Asahi Grill formerly known as Kapiolani Coffee Shop is serving great comfort food! Well-balanced with flavor and portions, each dish is well-prepared to create the warmth of enjoying a hearty meal. Each day has a specific special and a daily special for everyone to drool over. Price is reasonable and parking is available, but limited. Be careful on parking on other company's parking lot, you may get towed. Service is great. There was only one server, but she handled all the tables with ease. The interior was clean amd well maintained. A must try restaurant!
One of my go tos near ala moana - the oxtail soup is the excellent. 10/10 recommend - Lup cheong fried rice is good and filling - service was very fast when we went, it was only like 5 minutes till all our food arrived - pleasant staff and comfortable ambiance
Located on Ward Street is Asahi Grill they have parking which can hold up to 8-10 cars. We went in and waitress asked how many which I mentioned 2 and she sat us on a small table for 2 with 3/4 of the restaurant seating empty with couples seating on tables for 4 while there were only 2 tables in the whole restaurant that can sit 2 customers? Sat there for a while waiting for waitresses to take our order, when we were ready to leave the waitress came and asked if we were ready to order. I ordered the Asahi Grill breakfast which was salmon, eggs, salad, rice and miso soup, but didn't receive the miso soup which most Japanese breakfast always have. After asking the waitress she says if customers don't ask for soup they don't give? I saw 4 other customers eating the Asahi breakfast and all had miso soup? Told her why is it on the menu that say includes rice & soup? If it is optional it should not be included with meal rice & soup? She said they didn't take it off the menu? The salmon was good, green salad was fresh and rice was okay, eggs were like a flat hard pancake. My wife had the luncheon meat, scrambled egg and rice they have 2 eggs for these meals, the only way it can be this small serving is they are using 2 small eggs. Trying to eat and flies flying around and none of the workers do anything about getting rid of them? Hope they are not on the food waiting to be served! Restrooms are outside of building, they have separate men and women.
Update: Had a bad experience on a return visit. Ordered the chicken katsu and mahi combo. Portions both small and mahi not fresh. Very unsatisfying meal. Plus, left a nice tip in cash on table but when paying at the register, the filipino lady saw I didn't leave a tip on the credit card slip and questioned why I wasn't leaving a tip like its mandatory or something. A lot of nerve when paying $20+ for skimpy plate of old food and cash tip on table. Not going back here ever again.
Came here to try the breakfast. It was super crowded at 10am on a Sunday. All of the tables were taken and luckily we got the last table as we walked in. I got the "big breakfast" since I thought it was the best deal, but was disappointed when the server said it only comes with portuguese sausage or bacon, not both. I thought it came with both based on how the menu was written (maybe they can add the word "or" to the menu". It was a good sized breakfast since it had pancakes and was filling. However I was a disappointed further because the pancake on the top was big, but the one under was considerably smaller. In addition, the egg was quite oily. The service was a bit slow, but at least water was refilled fairly often. Overall, I will probably go elsewhere in the future as I don't think it's worth the price sadly. Parking: Several stalls in the parking lot in front of the restaurant
This is not a "five-star restaurant" - but it's five stars old-school because free parking in front, all comfort food especially oxtail soup, fast service and decent prices for today. Oh and no loud music so can have a conversation. Located on Ward Avenue, on Diamond Head side, makai of Kapiolani Blvd. Look for their green roof. Parking lot has 10-12 stalls. Inside there's a pick-up window and about 12 tables. Three in the middle can accommodate larger parties. No booths. Servers are nice, quick, efficient, reminds me of Kings Bakery, Tiki Tops, Smittys, Like Like Drive In. Hubby and I went on a Sunday at 11:00 am after the Book Fair in Kakaako. Both ordered club sandwich with fries and a fruit punch. Fries were excellent, sandwich perfectly constructed with right amount of everything on a lightly toasted Japanese-kine bread. Fruit punch was how I always remembered it as a kid. One thing missing was a dill pickle but that's okay, we still enjoyed. Price was fair and comparable to other similar places. Be careful exiting lot as cars come pulling in fast from side street.
Best oxtail soup I've ever had for a decent price too!! As a kid growing up, I'd always get their fried rice with over easy eggs. To this day it's still one of the top 5 fried rices I've ever had. Staff was always friendly, helpful, and respectful. And after your meal you can treat yourself to a complementary peppermint candy as well The only issue here is the limited parking spots. But other than that, great service and amazing tasting food for affordable prices! 5 stars
It's been a year and still a good, basic, way better than Zippys homestyle kinda place. I had the spicy ahi don and wish it was a bigger bowl. A side of mac salad hit the spot. We came around 1:30pm and it was pretty empty. Service was good and parking was available given it was past the rush time.
Well...where do I start? I surely didn't anticipate coming to Asahi Grill on a Wednesday, and didn't know if it was gonna rain that day. The place screams old-school with the way the decor looked. It felt like I was actually in a local sit-down restaurant. I ended up eating their Oxtail Ramen, which...was not that bad at all. The depth of flavor in the broth really held up well to the ramen noodles. Super rich and flavorful, especially when I had a bite of the Oxtail with some of the noodles and the herbs. It was a great bite. I think I added a little too much ginger in the broth, which might have changed this review a little bit differently. Overall though, the ramen was very hearty and delicious to enjoy. I highly would recommend this place for sure. Maybe next time I'll try something else if given the opportunity. For me, Asahi gets a 9.5 out of 10. It was a good experience for what it's worth.
This review is for the oxtail soup and the oxtail soup only. It hits so hard I don't know what kind of magic they put in there. Ever since I had it for the first time this year I haven't stopped coming back for more. Honestly, I don't know why I waited so long to try it, especially when Asahi Grill is the home of the original oxtail soup. The combination of the salty, savory richness with that bright citrusy kick is unlike anything I've had before. I've tried to figure out what makes it so good, but it's a flavor I can't replicate and haven't found anywhere. Asahi Grill is the definition of a hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop shop that I love and adore. No frills, just fast service and incredible food that keeps you thinking about your next bowl before you've even finished the first one. I'll definitely be back again and again for that oxtail soup! read more
Small hole in the wall local place but the place was pretty full but we were seated right away . Came here because of the great reviews for oxtail soup and it was going to be my first time having this dish. The server was great because she explained how to eat it. They brought a small jar of ginger and you had to mix sauce into the ginger and add this to your soup or each bite. The broth it self was very tasty and the meat was tender , falling off the bone tender. It was a very flavorful soup and adding the ginger soy sauce took it to an extra level. Of course I have to try it somewhere else to compare but if the locals love this place then that says alot... also thanks to the great smiling servers. read more
I took my sister, brother in law, nephew and niece to Asahi as they are visiting from the mainland and wanted a good home cooked style meal. They picked curry and ox tail soup, while I had my opakapaka. As always, the service was great. The ambiance was such that it was easy to have a nice conversation as the kids gobbled everything up. 10/10 recommend again! read more
Popped in for takeout brunch today. On the order: Spaghetti and Adobo Fried Rice. Got home and was instantly irritated, so this review was going in a totally different direction. Instead of my adobo fried rice, I had a regular fried rice. Call and they said they said if I can come back they will replace the wrong one. This is where we get back on rails. The adobo fried rice was ready and the said I could keep the regular fried rice. Haha so went from irritated to happy even if I had to come back. Free food and you have me at hello, haha. The spaghetti is always on point and the adobo fried rice was packed with flavor. And now I have more fried rice for dinner and lunch later. read more
8 months ago
Ordered the chicken katsu plate and it was exactly what I wanted. The katsu was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with a light, crunchy breading that didn't feel greasy at all. The rice was fluffy and comforting, and the mac salad was creamy, slightly sweet, and classic--the perfect balance to the crispy chicken. Add a drizzle of katsu sauce and every bite just works. Simple, satisfying, and done right. This is solid comfort food you can't go wrong with. Would definitely order again. read more
1 year ago
Asahi Grill formerly known as Kapiolani Coffee Shop is serving great comfort food! Well-balanced with flavor and portions, each dish is well-prepared to create the warmth of enjoying a hearty meal. Each day has a specific special and a daily special for everyone to drool over. Price is reasonable and parking is available, but limited. Be careful on parking on other company's parking lot, you may get towed. Service is great. There was only one server, but she handled all the tables with ease. The interior was clean amd well maintained. A must try restaurant! read more
One of my go tos near ala moana - the oxtail soup is the excellent. 10/10 recommend - Lup cheong fried rice is good and filling - service was very fast when we went, it was only like 5 minutes till all our food arrived - pleasant staff and comfortable ambiance read more
Located on Ward Street is Asahi Grill they have parking which can hold up to 8-10 cars. We went in and waitress asked how many which I mentioned 2 and she sat us on a small table for 2 with 3/4 of the restaurant seating empty with couples seating on tables for 4 while there were only 2 tables in the whole restaurant that can sit 2 customers? Sat there for a while waiting for waitresses to take our order, when we were ready to leave the waitress came and asked if we were ready to order. I ordered the Asahi Grill breakfast which was salmon, eggs, salad, rice and miso soup, but didn't receive the miso soup which most Japanese breakfast always have. After asking the waitress she says if customers don't ask for soup they don't give? I saw 4 other customers eating the Asahi breakfast and all had miso soup? Told her why is it on the menu that say includes rice & soup? If it is optional it should not be included with meal rice & soup? She said they didn't take it off the menu? The salmon was good, green salad was fresh and rice was okay, eggs were like a flat hard pancake. My wife had the luncheon meat, scrambled egg and rice they have 2 eggs for these meals, the only way it can be this small serving is they are using 2 small eggs. Trying to eat and flies flying around and none of the workers do anything about getting rid of them? Hope they are not on the food waiting to be served! Restrooms are outside of building, they have separate men and women. read more
Update: Had a bad experience on a return visit. Ordered the chicken katsu and mahi combo. Portions both small and mahi not fresh. Very unsatisfying meal. Plus, left a nice tip in cash on table but when paying at the register, the filipino lady saw I didn't leave a tip on the credit card slip and questioned why I wasn't leaving a tip like its mandatory or something. A lot of nerve when paying $20+ for skimpy plate of old food and cash tip on table. Not going back here ever again. read more
1 year ago
Came here to try the breakfast. It was super crowded at 10am on a Sunday. All of the tables were taken and luckily we got the last table as we walked in. I got the "big breakfast" since I thought it was the best deal, but was disappointed when the server said it only comes with portuguese sausage or bacon, not both. I thought it came with both based on how the menu was written (maybe they can add the word "or" to the menu". It was a good sized breakfast since it had pancakes and was filling. However I was a disappointed further because the pancake on the top was big, but the one under was considerably smaller. In addition, the egg was quite oily. The service was a bit slow, but at least water was refilled fairly often. Overall, I will probably go elsewhere in the future as I don't think it's worth the price sadly. Parking: Several stalls in the parking lot in front of the restaurant read more
This is not a "five-star restaurant" - but it's five stars old-school because free parking in front, all comfort food especially oxtail soup, fast service and decent prices for today. Oh and no loud music so can have a conversation. Located on Ward Avenue, on Diamond Head side, makai of Kapiolani Blvd. Look for their green roof. Parking lot has 10-12 stalls. Inside there's a pick-up window and about 12 tables. Three in the middle can accommodate larger parties. No booths. Servers are nice, quick, efficient, reminds me of Kings Bakery, Tiki Tops, Smittys, Like Like Drive In. Hubby and I went on a Sunday at 11:00 am after the Book Fair in Kakaako. Both ordered club sandwich with fries and a fruit punch. Fries were excellent, sandwich perfectly constructed with right amount of everything on a lightly toasted Japanese-kine bread. Fruit punch was how I always remembered it as a kid. One thing missing was a dill pickle but that's okay, we still enjoyed. Price was fair and comparable to other similar places. Be careful exiting lot as cars come pulling in fast from side street. read more
Best oxtail soup I've ever had for a decent price too!! As a kid growing up, I'd always get their fried rice with over easy eggs. To this day it's still one of the top 5 fried rices I've ever had. Staff was always friendly, helpful, and respectful. And after your meal you can treat yourself to a complementary peppermint candy as well The only issue here is the limited parking spots. But other than that, great service and amazing tasting food for affordable prices! 5 stars read more
It's been a year and still a good, basic, way better than Zippys homestyle kinda place. I had the spicy ahi don and wish it was a bigger bowl. A side of mac salad hit the spot. We came around 1:30pm and it was pretty empty. Service was good and parking was available given it was past the rush time. read more
2 months ago
Well...where do I start? I surely didn't anticipate coming to Asahi Grill on a Wednesday, and didn't know if it was gonna rain that day. The place screams old-school with the way the decor looked. It felt like I was actually in a local sit-down restaurant. I ended up eating their Oxtail Ramen, which...was not that bad at all. The depth of flavor in the broth really held up well to the ramen noodles. Super rich and flavorful, especially when I had a bite of the Oxtail with some of the noodles and the herbs. It was a great bite. I think I added a little too much ginger in the broth, which might have changed this review a little bit differently. Overall though, the ramen was very hearty and delicious to enjoy. I highly would recommend this place for sure. Maybe next time I'll try something else if given the opportunity. For me, Asahi gets a 9.5 out of 10. It was a good experience for what it's worth. read more
1 year ago
Had a nice lunch at Asahi Grill today . Wasn't planning to come here but after attending the Young at Heart event at the Blaisdell ... my friend was hungry for anything that was close by . This is a good go-to restaurant whenever in the area . It wasn't crowded since was after 100pm so we found parking easy. The server was very friendly and polite and ready to take our order . Ordered a clubhouse sandwich and a small oxtail soup . My friend totally enjoyed her sandwich and claims one of the best she has eaten and she loves her clubhouse sandwiches . My oxtail soup came with two big scoops of rice and maybe 4 or 5 big pieces of oxtail which was delicious and very tasty. And I ate all of it and drank the very last drop of the soup! The small portion was perfect size since I didn't want to eat a huge meal that late . The inside of the restaurant was very clean and felt very comfortable eating there. Can't find too many of these old type neighborhood restaurants anymore . We always come back here for comfort food! read more
Decent homemade dishes, prices reasonable, adequate service. Parking can be hard but there is side street stalls if you get lucky, best time to go is 1pm to avoid the lunch rush. Inside decor could use some renovations but I'm not here to look around, I'm here to eat and chat it up with friends. I like that they don't rush people out and we stayed pretty long. 3 of us actually ordered to go plates to take home! Again...not fancy but just good home cooked dishes and relax vibe. read more
3 months ago
Sadly, this place isn't what it used to be anymore...I used to be a regular here, but it's been a while since my last visit. I went in today feeling hungry and decided to order the regular-sized oxtail soup--which used to be huge! When my order arrived, I was honestly surprised by how small it was. The price is now $26, and unfortunately, the taste just isn't the same either. It's a bummer because this used to be my go-to spot. I'm hoping they can get back to their former quality and portion sizes soon.... read more
3 months ago
3 months ago
I wanted to try this Honolulu institution on a recent layover and ordered the small oxtail soup with two scoop rice (21.95). The restaurant is a little on the older side which gives it a certain charm and the service was decent. The oxtail soup was richly flavored and accented with peanuts, cilantro, green onion and the fresh ginger on the side. Absolutely delicious. The rice was a bit mushy in parts and harder in other parts. Overall, I really enjoyed my meal and would return for oxtail and try some of their other dishes. read more
This place was small but the service was great they always made sure we had water so that definitely is a plus for me. It wasn't that crowded even though we went during lunch time but it was a weekday so it could've been that. I had a loco moco because wherever I go and they have a loco moco I definitely got to try it and I must say it was one of my favorite loco moco. Gonna come back here again to try other foods and definitely recommend this place. read more
1 month ago
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9 months ago
I needed to eat and driving around, I saw Asahi. I had heard about it but never thought of going in, and I've driven by it many times. They have a specials board but I was in the mood for chicken so I ordered chicken katsu and teriyaki chicken. I substituted fried rice for steamed and it came with mac salad. Both chickens were very good! Nice crispy outside of that katsu and the fried rice was decent. I think in my mind, it was going to be the lupchong friend rice. I'll have to come back for that and eggs! This really hit the spot! I did take it to go. This is a little hole in the wall hidden gem. The guy helping me was pretty chill. There were a number of people inside, so definitely worth checking out! read more
2 months ago
1 year ago
I thimk price is little high and gravy has some Chinese spice in it. so I think some people like it and some don't. read more
2 years ago
A trip to the hiking store, Uloha, brought us to Asahi grill at Ward, for an afternoon of nostalgic food and massive portions. Wandering into these old school, hole in the wall restaurants always makes me wish I was retired so I could cruise with my friends for hours everyday over a plate lunch. The clientele of this restaurant varies from families, to friends, to trade workers and everything in between. We sat easily at 11:30am, but the spot filled up quickly with good local vibes and local people (always a good sign). We ordered the chicken katsu curry and garlic chicken, which were both delicious and under $15 each. They are best known for their oxtail soup, and also offer donburri, sandwich, salad, breakfast and plate lunch options like a classic local diner. Parking is limited and the spaces are small. But well worth the wait, and not a far walk from street parking! read more
3 years ago
Mister and I brought my car to BMW for maintenance services. We decided while waiting for our car, that we should walk and find a kick-back spot and eat. And so we found this place, probably would never had thought of coming here otherwise. But certainly glad we did! We were seated right away. Waitress was friendly and service was fast. I ordered the grilled pork chop, tasted like what I make at home. It was cooked and seasoned perfectly. Mister enjoyed his chicken katsu too. Very satisfying meal, like homemade. The lunch crowd started coming in, didn't want to be rude and take up space so we left. Great service. read more
Last time I came here many years ago it was just okay, but was happy to come back here for lunch recently on a weekday with some coworkers and the food was really good! Prices are very reasonable compared to other places, and my dish was tasty. I got a chopped steak dish. read more
2 years ago
CODY stopped by the Ward location for breakfast CODY ordered the combo island - eggs, bacon, Portuguese sausage, rice CODY food was tasty CODY servers were friendly and speedy CODY dining area was homey CODY will return to order more food read more
If you want old school food from Kam Bowl days, Asahi Grill is your place. My husband was craving Oxtail Soup... and it was the "famous" one. That modest bowl filled his cravings perfectly... and prices were pretty good too. Entire menu was reasonably priced for the classic local and Japanese favorites, including breakfast. Restaurant is simple, service was good and food came out timely... pork cutlet and chicken katsu were crispy w/ steaming hot gravy on top. Nothing fancy but we like their prices and would go back to try their other plates. read more
4 months ago
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More info about Asahi Grill Ward
515 Ward Ave
Honolulu, HI 96814
Kaka'ako
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(808) 593-2800
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https://www.asahigrillhawaii.com
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