ALWAYS A GREAT DECISION TO COME HERE!!…read more The food and service is always on point. Really cool locally owned restaurant. We usually get the sizzling steak and/or korean chicken salad. Never disappoints. Mahalo kenichi crew

Our high school club chose to eat here to support a local business for our end-of-year celebration,…read morebut the experience was unfortunately very stressful for our students and staff. We spent two and a half months planning this event. My club treasurer and I confirmed the price on seven different occasions--five times over the phone and twice in person. Each time, we were quoted just over $600 with about a $110 in tips, which we paid in full two days before the party. However, the day before the event, we were told there was a miscalculation and we needed to pay another $400. Because our students had only fundraised the amount we were originally quoted, we had to remove two people from our party and downgrade our menu which did not include drinks anymore. We requested to bring our own drinks due to the last-minute budget change, but we were told we could "only bring alcohol and no outside sodas and juices." It was disappointing that this was the only accommodation offered to a group of high school students. During the party, we also encountered several cleanliness issues. We found hair in the food and cockroaches in the rice, as well as on the walls and near the buffet area. I am totally not joking about the food; I was shocked by what we saw. The servers were very polite and apologized when we let them know, but it was a major concern for us. I understand that accidents happen, but this was a very difficult situation for our club after so much careful planning. Personally, I will not be eating here again for a long time.

Daiichi Ramen is a local chain of restaurants serving local style ramen and katsu platters…read more We dined in for dinner on a weekday and was served fairly fast. This isn't a place that serves Japanese style ramen, but more on the Hawaii style closer to sailing where the broth isn't as strong. I would say their tonkotsu ramen is a 3/5 because of their soup base feels watery and lacks substance. However, their beef curry seems to be made with Japanese roux cubes so it tasted authentic (4/5). If you're looking for fast, good portions, and local style ramen or katsu, Daiichi definitely can satisfy your craving.

I'm not the biggest fan of ramen so I ordered the chicken katsu plate (substituted for fried rice)…read more Such a big portion for $17. Service was quick and the katsu was cooked nicely.

That garlic rice! Get the garlic rice. Ahi don with the garlic rice is my go-to. Even the bentos…read morethey make are great if you're in a bit of a hurry.

Came here after I watched it on TV, over-all very disappointed. No greetings. The table was very…read moresticky. I ordered Ahi Katsu, came with 5 pieces only to realized 2 of them were veggie. Steam rice chunky, probably too much water.

Such a delicious spot!…read more Made to order juicy fried chicken karaage! We ordered 8 pieces to share, plus 6 wings and 2 side rice. So much food! Rice was made perfectly. Karaage was perfectly seasoned and crunchy. Enjoyed every bite! We were unable to finish it all, so brought it home. And we re warmed it in the air fryer and it was just as delicious! A must try in Hilo!

Last week we were in Hilo and needed a quick lunch before heading back to the airport. We used…read moreYELP to find a quick bite and were not disappointed. First of all; YELP is a useful tool to find what you need when you need it. Five stars to YELP Secondly; if you need a quick bite; look no further than this restaurant. It's a mom and pop style with great service. Very clean; simple menu; delicious chicken. Can't complain. The owners are from rural areas in Japan and moved to the US and later took a vacation to Hilo and fell in love with this Island and its people. And the next is history; they moved to Hilo and set up shop. Let's hope the economy and people continue to visit this little gem so that they can live here a long time. We will definitely visit them again on our next trip to Hilo

It was a pleasure to discover this exceptional establishment offering a fusion of Asian cuisines…read more Food quality: Everything was fresh, tasty, and good portions for the money. Ambiente: Cozy, clean, and nicely decorated. Price: Priced right, and two people can enjoy a wonderful meal for under $116. Service: Right off the bat, the hospitality felt welcoming, the service was attentive, and our orders came very quickly. Good job!

Very underwhelming experience, this restaurant is Japanese in name only…read more For starters, after being seated we had a 1 hour wait to be served food for a table of 4. And then we the food finally came, it was cold and unappetizing. Miso soup was way too salty and the salad was perfectly average. The beef teriyaki and chicken katsu combo plate came out lukewarm which is unacceptable considering I waited 1 hour and they can't even bring hot food. Shrimp tempura according to my mom was underwhelming and not the best tasting. Beef curry was the worst out of all the dishes. It was so watered down and tasted like water, 0 curry flavor whatsoever. Considering these plates were $25 each, I'd stay clear of this place. Definite tourist trap. If you want authentic Japanese food, go to the ramen place nextdoor instead. They have a better curry rice bowl despite being a ramen place.

What a gem that's flung far from Kona, in the middle of nowhere off the side of Highway 11. It's…read moregot this old Hawaii meets Japanese comfort food charm that evokes a wistful presence from yesteryear. There's something about a flower being pinned to your hair as you're seated to eating a bowl of saimin as Unchained Melody plays in the background that brings a nostalgic smile to your face and makes you feel right at home. Oh - and if you ask the server what's in the Kona Beef Curry Stew... it's beef and curry. Ha. Tellin' them city folk like it is.

We tried out this legendary Japanese Hawaiian diner near the end of our trip. It is literally like…read morea slice out of history! Not to be missed! They have a TV showing historical clips of the Japanese immigrants who moved to Hawaii. We learned so much just dining there! The servers were very nice and friendly. They even offer free, hot green tea. It wasn't crowded when we went there for lunch. The server said we could order from the dinner menu too. The restaurant is decorated with a bunch of old family photos. It's not a fancy food location, but a place that is in the locals' hearts. Also, it's not standard Japanese American food, so don't come in looking for rolls and such! Instead, they serve fresh, perfectly prepared Japanese food with a Hawaiian twist, favorites like saimin and shrimp tempura. The large saimin ($16.17) was delicious and really hit the spot. Toppings were Spam, eggs, and veggies. Simple, but tasty! Shrimp tempura appetizer ($14.85) was a pretty large sized dish. The pieces have a lot of crunchy batter and the kids loved it. It was a bit greasy, but that's to be expected. DH got a Oyako Donburi with sashimi ($21.93). Wow, the sashimi was truly amazing! So tender, it just melts in your mouth. The eggs were cooked with bamboo pieces which kinda threw DH off. I liked them, but DH would've preferred it without. The flavor is sweet/salty and pretty mild. It came with miso soup and some pickles. Parking is right in the front and backs into the main road. It can be spicy getting out if traffic is heavy. They don't have a lot of bathrooms, so there might be a wait. Those are the downsides. Otherwise, a wonderful local place to eat!

We went with a friend for dinner a month ago and the food was excellent. Started with some gyoza,…read moreand tempura, chicken karaage and then sushi which was fresh and beautiful, and black garlic ramen was superb. We had leftovers that were great the next day for lunch as well. This is a popular place so be prepared. We ate inside not having a reservation but I'd suggest calling for a reservation outside. Also keep in mind that rents are high in Kona, it's a challenge to find people that can afford it and work in our restaurants, so be kind to them. Parking is also a challenge but patience and determination will get you there. Currently if you are a Costco member you can purchase gift cards for $80 that will get you $100 at the restaurant, so effectively a 20% discount. Those discount cards seem to rotate in and out at Costco so that will probably change. We've gotten two takeout dinners since then and it's a definite favorite of ours. Mahalo.

We got takeout and had the Vege Tempura, Vege Ramen, Vege Roll and Avocado Cucumber roll…read more This seems like a lot but it's good for 2 adults. Food is very light, tasty and well made. We also had the Matcha Shiratama Zenzai for dessert. It was awesome. Great combination of flavours. Everything is reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend it. Parking is street side and based on availability.

Dinner was excellent. The hamachi crudo was bright and fresh, the fried octopus legs were perfectly…read morecrisp, and the miso butterfish was rich and tender. The yellowtail roll was simple, clean, and well‑made. Service was a standout -- Tati took great care of us and made the whole experience feel effortless. Highly recommend.

Everything was perfect the buterfish, salad, rice and soup where all delicious. The service was…read moreeven better 10/10