Halfway between an izakaya and a sushi bar, Uosan is all about well-executed dishes that straddle the traditional and the modern. We sat at the sushi bar, where the friendly chef recommended a delicious variety of sushi and cooked dishes. It was one of the few places where I can say everything was good, but some of the unexpected hits included: - Tamago: the bellwether of any good sushi restaurant, the tamago was well-seasoned and fluffy - Uni butter rice, where a creamy fresh egg, uni, and butter turned a Japanese traditional TKG into a decadent, risotto-like combo - Simmered foie gras and daikon: a lighter take on a decadent ingredient that's the perfect finisher to a tasty meal read more

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This is one of my favorite spots in Honolulu, and I often bring my closest friends here when they visit. I've spent many great evenings here with friends from Los Angeles, Vancouver, Shanghai, and London. The food is outstanding--from the flavor to the presentation and freshness. The service is always efficient, attentive, and polite. I highly recommend making a reservation: at least one day in advance for weekdays and about three days ahead for weekends, as it tends to stay busy most of the time. read more

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The foie gras daikon...... amazing!!!!! An absolute must order! That dish had the perfect balance of richness from the foie gras, a savory sweetness from the caramelized onions, and a refreshing mild taste from the daikon. Take a bite of all the components together with a sip of the dashi broth..... I was in food heaven! We ordered a bunch of different dishes from a sashimi set to fried chicken cartilage. Everything was good, but a bit on the pricey side for the quality and quantity. However, the foie gras daikon really was the star of the evening. The staff were nice and attentive. The ambiance was clean and cozy. Everything you'd expect from a good Izakaya spot. Will definitely be back! Tips: parking is located in the building and is paid for through your phone. Never had an issue getting parking in the building. They do take reservations. Even for two people. read more

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I've been so excited to try this place out so I chose to go here to celebrate my birthday I scoped out the menu so we started ordering as soon as we were seated since we were so excited lol To start off, we got the baby sardine chips, uni truffle egg bowl, otoro nigiri with caviar, wagyu nigiri with foie gras, salmon nigiri, hotate nigiri, and torotaku BABY SARDINE CHIPS: it was okay.. nothing special UNI TRUFFLE EGG BOWL: the uni was rich and sweet and was luxuriously paired with the truffle oil and egg.. while delicious, it was very pricey for the portion OTORO NIGIRI WITH CAVIAR: melt in your mouth deliciousness as I had hoped :) A5 WAGYU NIGIRI W/ FOIE GRAS: this is the dish I was most excited about, yet unfortunately, it was one of the most disappointing dishes of the night :( as soon as I bit into it, I was expecting a tender, fatty bite. Instead, I was left trying to chew it as it was chewy and not reminiscent of A5 wagyu at all. I was definitely sad I spent the money for this as I regretted it SALMON NIGIRI: this is always a must when we get sushi.. again, I expected the salmon to be buttery. Instead, both my husband and I were chewing it and it was sinew-y and stringy- we were shocked that such a high end sushi restaurant would provide this type of quality of salmon HOTATE NIGIRI: this was also unfortunately a let down. I love raw hotate and the sweet flavor that you experience when eating it. However, it came out seared and with way too much yuzu Kosho on it. Nowhere on the menu did it say it was served seared with yuzu kosho TOROTAKU: one of my fave safe dishes, and this was one of my favorites of the night In addition to the above, we also ordered aburi otoro which was fatty and delicious, and uni nigiri (the uni they served was delicious! Creamy, fresh, and delicious). I also got a natto/yamaimo dish with nori which was okay. We were disappointed in the quality of the sushi so we decided to just call it a night and get dessert: APPLE BRULEE: this was nothing more than a basic creme brulee with a couple pieces of what tasted like canned apple on top. The service here was friendly, and the restaurant was comfortable yet intimate. However, the price unfortunately did not match the quality of what was given. The quality at katsumidori sushi was actually better than here :( Another thing we noticed was I had a lei on for my birthday and not one person asked if we were celebrating an occasion or said happy birthday - minor, but worth noting if you are celebrating an occasion read more

Izakaya Uosan - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We have been going here for the past few years and it never disappoints. Call the restaurant to get a reservation and there's parking for about $3 with validation in the building's parking garage - enter through Kapiolani Blvd. Our go-to order is the Uni TKG rice, oyster shooters, Sashimi Set A, spicy ahi roll, beef tongue, carpaccio, and a couple of sours. With tip, our total is usually around $250 for 2 people. All the fish and seafood tastes so fresh. It's a good size izakaya with moderate noise levels. I usually like to dress a little nicer but I see people wearing casual clothes. read more

09/08/25 Yes, this has become our go to Izakaya... not just for the sushi but everything! We were fortunate to sit at the sushi bar Last night we took a couple of special friends and really enjoyed everything. We tried several new things and they did not disappoint! I didn't take a lot of photos because we had guests but let me tell you it was awesome! The deep fried baby sardines (tatami Iwaishi) is so good, light crispy and a great way to start. The blue fin Kama was awesome! Huge and cocooned to perfection, tasty and so moist...so much meat! Braised soft taco was delicious, so tender in the slightly sweet soy sauce. Each nigiri is carefully prepared an so delicious with each grain of rice so perfect. Now we'll just have to get back there again. 08/23/25 We enjoyed Izakaya Uosan So much that we returned last night. Got a 6:30 reservation. Lots of parking on the street This time we had omakase along with the wagyu tataki, oysters vinegrette and ayu. Great service, nice fresh sashimi and yummy tea. I love the authenticity of the restaurant and the people are so welcoming. The 6:30 reservation was perfect. Nice and quiet...make your reservations now that the summer crowds have died down. let the photos speak for themselves. read more

Izakaya Uosan - Always great! - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Finally got to try Izakaya Uosan and the wait was worth it! A couple of the dishes (the Beef tongue and the Baby Sardine Chips) we ordered twice! Every dish we tried was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. * The karaage (fried chicken) was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy inside - with just the right amount of seasoning. * The Uni chawanmushi was packed with Uni, silky, rich, and melts-in-your-mouth. * The hamachi sashimi was incredibly fresh and buttery. * The corn tempura was surprisingly addictive - sweet, tender kernels with a light crunch. * We also enjoyed a variety of unique small plates like the Daikon salad, natto/okra/yamaimo. The restaurant is cozy, but includes a sushi bar. It has a real izakaya vibe, and service was excellent! It felt like being in Tokyo for the night! Definitely a spot I'd recommend for anyone craving authentic Japanese izakaya dishes with top-notch quality! read more

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We come back every year when we are back to Waikiki and it never disappoints! Everything is still super fresh and service is great! read more

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Izakaya Uosan was a place that came highly recommended to us from family members who very much enjoy Japanese food. And upon first visit, this place ranks high for us, even as a self proclaimed izakaya, not only do their cooked dishes rank high, but their sushi is done exceptionally well. When we had dinner here, we started off with many cooked foods: chawanmushi, fried white fish, stewed fish head, stingray...all of this was cooked in a simple bit extremely flavorful method. In particular, the fried white fish is a particular unique and notable dish as the crispiness pairs well with an alcohol. Service here was impeccable as well. Although it was a busy night. The service was attentive still and had a very welcoming sense to it as well. Looking around the room, you can tell the place is full locals or foodie insiders and it's obvious why. read more

The food here is seriously the best. The service is great The chefs and waiters have great smiles and the fact that they speak Japanese is wonderful! The atmosphere of the restaurant is also very Japanese, very relaxing. When it comes to izakaya, it's Uo-san. read more

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Izakaya Uosan is as good as it gets when it comes to a high end sushi spot. This place made my whole Hawaii trip. Staff is super friendly and very helpful when it comes to recommendations. Get the Omakase. These people know what they're doing. Fish is flown in from Japan every day and it shows. Honorable mention to the Oyster Shooters that deserve their own restaurant. Insane combo of ingredients with an out of this world result. Can't recommend it enough! read more

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We came here for Valentine's dinner and now this is one of my new fave spots!! The menu has so many items I haven't seen anywhere else on Oahu & it's the perfect place for uni-lovers. We had uni amaebi, uni chawanmushi, uni truffle butter egg yolk rice UGH SO GOOD. We got a bunch of nigiri that we chose including kani miso, otoro foie gras, & this kinki fish my dad always raves about from when he lived in Japan. I've never found it in Hawaii before. Baby sardine chips were so good; I definitely recommend it as an appetizer along with the fried cartilage. Also our server was super friendly and gave us lots of helpful recs when we were ordering! The place is on the smaller side, and I definitely recommend making a reservation ahead of time because we saw a lot of walk-ins get turned away but not sure if that's just cuz it was extra busy for valentines day. I can't wait to go back and try more things!! read more

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I LOVED Izakaya Uosan. Also! For the price you pay for a regular sushi omakase experience this is the cheapest one I have seen so far, and yet they do not skimp on the quality of their best selections for the omakase (chef's choice). The omakase wasn't too many sushi dishes so we were able to try the other popular sushi nigiri as well. A5 Miyazaki Wagyu w/ Foie Gras was excellent, and was what I expected after trying wagyu in slider form at a different restaurant. It was very tender and melded with the flavor of the foie gras perfectly. The other most popular dish was the uni truffle butter w/ TKG Egg. Oh my God. I thought I was in heaven. I think when I go back I want to eat two bowls of this... The uni was perfectly ratio'd with the savory taste of the TKG Egg (high quality Japanese egg). I had fun mixing it with half of the sauce that they provide upon their instruction. Overall, an extremely amazing experience. I will be back. I even saw people dining alone at the sushi bar. Deadass that is gonna be me. I am tryna live like that fr. Parking is available in the lot in the back. You need to scan or text a number to make sure you are in the system. Once you check out of Uosan they will put a code in to your parking thing and you get 2 hours free validated parking. read more

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Our first time trying this place and we had a great experience. Staff were so friendly and explained the menu to us. We ended up ordering a combo set and then ala carte items. The uni egg rice is so delicious and worth the hype. Everything was so fresh and yummy. Cost is pricey but worth it for a special occasion. I can't wait to go back. Parking: there is a garage in the back. Reservations: a must! read more

We ordered an 18 course omakase and everything was chefs kiss! We sat at the counter and the chef/owner was so communicative, he asked us what we wanted , what type of fish was our favorite etc. The service was fantastic and everything was so fresh. The Santa Barbara uni was incredibly sweet and the truffle butter uni rice was the highlight of our night! read more

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Fresh as you can get. It was difficult to understand the menu although our waiter had the patience to explain it all to a large group! So happy to have stumbled across this hole in the wall place. Will be back soon! read more

Excellent sushi at Uosan! You know it's good, because even on a Monday, this place was packed! We made a reservation for 5pm and enjoyed a seat at the bar. My mom chose to do omakase style, while I ordered specific items off the menu. They don't have a set menu omakase. They just bring out items til you say stop. I enjoyed starting with the daikon salad, which was very refreshing. The hamachi Kama was juicy and paired well with the creamy crab croquette. All the sushi was very fresh! I actually really loved the uni chawanmushi. We finished with the apple brûlée! Service here is excellent. They are very friendly and make great, fresh sushi! They do cover the cost of parking in the lot as well. read more

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Located on Kapiolani near Ala Moana, this place is a heaven for people who love quality sushi, sashimi, wagyu and more. Service is always great with staff being very accommodating and giving suggestions on what to order. The Wagyu sushi is amazing, uni rice is a must for those who love uni, the oysters were fresh and delectable and we also had the sushi combo (no pics of that one) which is omakase. Finished our meal with their apple brûlée and green tea ice cream. I've been here many times and looking forward to many more. read more

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Hands down my favorite sushi spot!! Whenever my best friend is in town, we always make a reservation here. The quality is insane and the service is always immaculate. Expect to spend a pretty penny but it's sooooo worth it. The A5 with foie gras and Uni Truffle Butter Egg Yolk Rice are must try's. There's ample parking in the building's garage with a new digital parking validation system that's very easy to use. read more

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First of all, I want to say that the service at this restaurant is very good, and the chefs behind the sushi bar are also very friendly. The ambiance is cozy despite the limited space. However, this meal was definitely the least cost-effective one during our trip to Hawaii. Many people recommend their truffle uni rice, but as someone who frequently enjoys similar dishes in Los Angeles and Japan, I can only say it was mediocre. The chawanmushi, with just one piece of uni, costs around $20. The sushi was decent, but the prices were on the high side. A single sazae (turban shell) costs nearly $60, even though this ingredient is not considered expensive in Japan. The beef tongue was also underwhelming--thin, not tender, and far from impressive even with the addition of onions. It pales in comparison to the thick-cut beef tongue you'd find at some izakayas. In the end, the two of us spent $300 (including tips). In Los Angeles, $300 could get you a very satisfying omakase meal with higher-quality ingredients. And in Japan, there's no question--you could eat almost anything for this price. So, my heartfelt suggestion: If you're someone who doesn't regularly eat Japanese food, has a generous budget, and wants to try something different, this place might be worth considering. But if you're already very familiar with Japanese cuisine, you'd be better off spending your money elsewhere--even in a place like Hawaii where great food can be harder to find. read more

Izakaya Uosan - These and a few more sushi are around $300 in total - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Service: not so good, not so bad. Standard. Food: recommend their chutoro with foei gras (so good!) uni rice (was okay but maybe my expectation was high) special sashimi combo that has 7 kinds of fish ($80+) not recommend, i would get sashimi combo B for the chutoro. Plus, when server drop off the sashimi, he didn't mention what kind of white fishes they are, so i am eating them but not knowing them. Store not busy when we left, probably too early. Only two parties came in after us, since they have many bigger tables open, not sure if they willing to move two people to there. Made reservations a day ahead. For this price, I would go eat Omakase. read more

Uosan is my favorite place to come for sushi. The ambiance, service, and the fish is of exceptional good quality. They can get busy so I recommend making reservations ahead of time and sitting at the sushi counter. If you feel like exploring off the menu, ask the chef for recommendations. read more

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I love Izakayas and am hard to please because I've been to so many of them. This place was so good I went there twice in one week. Everything was made perfectly with quality ingredients. I was told 90% of the ingredients come from Japan. Even their actual dishes came from Japan. The best thing about this place is we can take our kids there and not feel weird about it because it's more of a restaurant than a bar. read more

Tucked away in a discreet store front right across the Moana Pacific buildings. As you walk in you are greeted right away. Sat at the sushi bar and ordered my fav nigiris for the bite and added tapas of smelt, uni bowl, natto bowls and a sunset roll! Wow, food was delish, ingredients fresh and ingredients were well proportioned and taste were balanced. Will be back soon! read more

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Three words: uni truffle butter - yes, get this! It's a bowl of rice with egg yolk, uni and truffle butter - you mix it all up with a dash of shoyu and there you have it, heaven in a bowl. I really enjoyed everything we ate at Izakaya Uosan. All of the fish was really fresh. I liked that all of the nigiri we ordered came "dressed" so it had the exact amount of flavor/shoyu that was necessary. It seems like it's really hard to get a reservation here so call ahead. There is street parking right in front of the restaurant or garage parking in the back. Can't wait to go back! read more

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This was the first time trying Uosan. My wife and son met the owner and staff on the golf course. They gave such a great impression of positive energy and awesome personality that we had to stop by and try it out. When we arrived Wayne provided great service throughout his service and was knowledgeable of the menu he were able to try all of the following Seafood salad, Natto sushi, Sashimi sampler (chef choice), Foiegras/ braised daikon, Uni truffle butter egg yolk rice, Grilled unagi, yuzu sorbet, and Asahi We really enjoyed ourselves. The food and atmosphere was amazing. . Thanks to the owner and his fabulous staff who made my B-day even more enjoyable We will definitely be back again read more

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My uncle has been like my parent when my mom was busy. I was the test child before they had their own... So when it's time for serious boyfriend meet the parents situation.. Welp they are meeting him first so he can judge. Also cause my mom doesn't take news very well and is very old school... uncle usually backs me up. I have to fill him in before I get in trouble or any disapprove. LOL! Anyway my aunty and I agreed on this place. I haven't been here. We had reservation on Monday night and they were busy! When we left the place had a long wait. That uni truffle butter rice was a must have!!!! It was Hokkaido uni and it was so creamy! The sashimi was fresh. Small amount of rice. All the other fish was good. Oyster was juicy and plump. The creamy crab croquette was too cheesy not so great. They serve alcohol but you can bring your own for corkage fee of $30 and only one bottle allowed per table. If they have the item you brought you can't open it and have to purchase from them. My aunty had sake from Japan but it was on their menu so we had to order from them. It felt hot to me maybe cause of the alcohol, I was sweating. How embarrassing. It has a very chill atmosphere. read more

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This is a lovely izakaya restaurant quite a bit away from the touristy area. A few locals recommended this place and I got the seal of approval from a Japanese dive team as well, so I had no doubt the food was going to be great. I especially enjoyed the grilled eel, foie gras, natto/yam/okra mix, and the uni truffle rice. The uni truffle rice was the most memorable for me, but I did wish they used a different kind of uni. I don't think it was Hokkaido uni that I received, and it was much smaller than local ones - this might have been a seasonal issue since I've seen different kinds used in other Yelper's reviews. Making a reservation was kind of difficult as you have to call them at Hawaii time, so if you're traveling here make sure you do so at least one week before arrival. They are also closed on Wednesdays. Having an online system would make this so much easier. read more

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I was not impressed with the quality of the fish here. The selections were relatively low and overpriced. I will add that several things were good, but I did leave with a feeling of regret rather than fulfillment. read more

Really unique and wide variety menu. Traditional, refined and everything you'd want out of a higher end Izakaya. You get what you pay for at this place, so if you want a good meal be prepared to spend money read more

Izakaya uosan is my favorite Izakaya on island. I appreciate the stellar service, calm environment, and delicious food. Some of my favorites include the Uni Truffle Butter Rice, Stingray, Wagyu nigiri with foie gras, and Natto bowl with okra, yamaimo, etc. I'm never let down by the quality I receive at Uosan. Thank you to Daniel and Wing for always giving my friends and I the best experience. read more

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Really special omakase tonight. Plus some favorites like Nebaneba bowl and snow crab chawan mushi. Quite pricey but it was a once a year treat. more than $150 per head. read more

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Long story short. After our second visit, we became acquainted with the owner, Nobu. I enjoyed his nigiris so much that we literally tried to book a spot before we head back home to California. Luckily, they have an open spot! For our third visit, we did something that we've never done before. We let the head chef, Nobu, be the decider for our orders. He served us about - 16 (2pcs) nigiris - 1 roll - 8 hot dishes Before heading in the third time, I read some reviews on Yelp. After doing so, we were prepared to pay like $500 and over. When the bill came, I was very surprised. It was affordable for its quality. Everyone was very kind and sweet. Even the 'Caucasian' guy that everyone on Yelp who deemed him as aggressive didn't seem to be the case for us. He seems to be their accountant guy. Mahalo Nobu and Wing~ read more

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We came here for their signature dish - uni truffle rice. It was rich, creamy, and flavorful. We also ordered their sashimi platter, deep-fried octopus, toro sushi roll, uni & oyster shooters, and fried chicken. Overall, the food was good, but the prices were a bit high. read more

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Personally I'm not sure what's the hype of this place. Service was very mediocre and I didn't like my waiter in particular. He came off passive aggressive and little did he know that I actually speak and understand Japanese. Food itself was decent and nothing stood out in particular. Glad I got to try it but I would not return especially for this price point. There are way better Izakaya restaurants.. Ps. The uni truffle butter rice bowl was a let down. Too much going on. read more

ちょっとお高いけど美味しい。好き。 ウニと卵かけご飯(ウニTKG)は素晴らしい。 たまに贅沢したい時に行きます。 Great service! I like Sushi chefs and waiters. They're really friendly with hospitality. Foods are perfect. Just a little feel expensive but here is you can eat great Japanese Sushi in Honolulu. I highly recommend Uosan. read more

Izakaya Uosan - Toro Nigiri with Foie Gras - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Service, ambiance, and food reminds me of being in Japan in an izakaya. The service was very friendly and food came out relatively very quick for the restaurant being full. They have so much to choose from on the menu with some items changing out daily. Some must orders are the uni truffle egg rice, sashimi, and the dried stingray. I totally forgot to take a picture but they even have dessert so take time to check out the menu before going. They usually post a copy of the daily menu on their IG page. read more

I can't believe I found a sushi place that has all my favorites in one place . Uni, waygu , toro , oysters, snails , and foei gras . Everything was so delicious, fresh and buttery. Will be taking my friends & family here next time oh and... service was great btw. read more

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Small little ticked away cozy izakaya with good Japanese food. It will definitely cost a few dolllars but you will get better quality food. We occasionally come here. You can sometimes walk in but best to make reservations. read more

We went on a Thursday night at 8:30 PM. It was on a whim to try out a new restaurant nearby our exercise building. So this is a first time review of this restaurant for us. Parking: we found street parking easily at this time in front of the restaurant but I heard they also have parking in the building in the back. Atmosphere: nice Japanese decor with tatami room that can hold 10 people comfortably they said. Most tables held four people but I'm sure they could combine them to hold a larger party. It is nicely air-conditioned and clean. You can see the kitchen and people cooking. Service: there were several waiters and at least one waitress there and service was excellent. Our tea and ice water was filled all the time. The waiter was able to explain the dishes we asked about. But I have to say the restaurant was not full at this late and hour. There was about eight people at the sushi bar and maybe 14 people in the restaurant. The beginning:This was the best part of the day. I was very happy we went and tried this restaurant. The waiter said they have been open for one year. Ordered 1. Omakasaye sushi plate-it has 10 pieces of nigiri sushi. I think most of the sushi the waiter said came from Japan. They were all delicious and my favorites were the Uni,crab,Ikura and toro. The ikura was mildly salted like the ocean ( really liked it) And the uni from Hokkaido was sweet but very small. 2. Roasted vegetables with and unbelievable sauce. This was one of my favorite dishes can you beat that. It was a little bowl with about two of each type of vegetable which included, broccoli cauliflower,asparagus,Brussel sprouts, two slices of mushroom and two pieces of bell pepper. It wasn't very much but I liked the assortment and I loved the dipping sauce. It was something I've never had before. It had miso and apple and other ingredients. I could eat the sauce all by itself it was not salty. I even took home the sauce. I wish I could make this sauce. I highly recommend this dish for vegetarians or not vegetarians. 3. Uni rice with egg yolk and truffle butter sauce. This was a special on the menu. It was also one of my favorite dishes. It was luxuriously umpciousness (if there is such a word).It was a small bowl of rice Perfectly cooked with Uni and egg yolk on top. It was served with a shoyu base sauce That you pour over the rice then mix it all up and eat it till the last rice grain is cleaned out of the bowl. At least that's what we did. I only wish it was a bigger portion. 4. Grilled chicken with miso macadamia nut topping. This was slices of chicken moist and cooked very well topped with a layer of the miso sauce. It was not salty like some other places. It was perfect and I enjoyed the macadamia nuts inside. Very different and very good. This dish is a keeper. Along with the other ones above. 5. Spicy tuna roll. The roll was a little small for us and not as spicy as I think it should be but it was pretty good. 6. Beef tongue with onions. I think there were eight or 10 thin slices with lots of round onion on top. It also came with a slice of lemon. This was a tasty dish but not my favorite. It would be better with more meat and less onion. 7. Daikon salad. The picture I took is only half a salad as they ran out and could only give us half. But it was enough for us because of all the other food we ordered. It was nice of them to make a half order. You have to like Daikon a lot to eat this salad. The dressing was a light ponzu like dressing. I really liked it not too sour or sweet. The daikon was pretty potent. Next time I will try the bacon salad. 8. Cook spinach with mushroom in a dashi kind of sauce. This was the smallest dish. About the size of an appetizer that you get when you order a Bento at a restaurant. This dish was good because the sauce was just right and not salty. Good appetizer to tickle your pallet for one person. The bill: I would say this place is more like a $$$ sign place because our bill was about $120 for two people and no drinks. The dishes are not to big.But we do like to eat. Extra: at the sushi bar they have hooks for people to hang their handbag under the counter. Nice touch. I do recommend this restaurant and we will be back but maybe only once in a while as we could definitely overspend at this place. FYI, get your own bowl of Uni rice And don't share. It's the bomb read more

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