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Japanese Restaurant Aki

4.0 (287 reviews)
ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
Open • 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Updated over 3 months ago

Japanese Restaurant Aki Photos

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JAPANESE RESTAURANT AKI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Japanese Restaurant Aki

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Yakitori Sticks salt style - chicken, Meatball and Arabiki sausage
Mona C.

Had an appointment nearby and arrived early enough to grab a few bites at this wonderful yakitori and sushi restaurant. The wait staff were friendly, helpful and attentive. They explained the yakitori menu and made sushi recommendation and also informed us it was a good time to order sushi since they weren't super busy. The food came out quickly so I was able to eat a little of almost everything before I had to go on to my appointment but the hubby had no complaints and ordered more to enjoy! The food is soo good!! Like no joke, I wish I had more time to sit and savor each bite! Tuna and Avocado poke appetizer ($15) Yakitori sticks - they have a good selection to choose from, but we ordered things we were already familiar with... chicken thigh ($3), meatball ($3.50), arabiki sausage ($2.50) Sushi Combo A - 11 pc Sushi and Roll (sadly, not pictured) a very nice selection of fish with tobiko, tamago and ebi and ahi maki roll ($32) Deep fried oysters ($10.50) Fried baby octopus in broth ($9.50) It is a smaller restaurant, so unless you go early it's probably best to make a reservation. Can't wait to go back again!

Happy hour!
Jasmine J.

Great happy hour experience here! The happy hour occurs daily in a very short window from 4PM (opening) - 4:30PM. The prices are very very good for the food menu! Ordered 2 sushi combinations (5 pieces each of salmon, ahi, hamachi, ika and ebi), 1 3-kind sashimi plate (3 pieces each of salmon, ahi and hamachi), 2 yakitori 3-kind plate (dark meat chicken, chicken breast and pork belly), the 3-kind oden soup, cucumber tataki, tako wasabi, tamago, and a spicy ahi skinny roll. I would say all the food was fresh and spectacular except for the sashimi plate and the 3-kind oden. Sushi nigiri was a bit more fresh and tasted better than the sashimi platter we had. The 3-kind oden soup had a large chunk of tender braised daikon, a soy braised hard boiled egg and a fishcake (that wasn't fishcake....it tasted home-made but seemed like they put way too much flour instead of fish paste). The oden broth was very nice! The tako wasabi was so so good and paired well with alcohol. Yakitori was good but nothing special. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the spicy ahi skinny roll. Tamago was good. And the cucumber tataki was refreshing! Plum wine was sweeter than I'm used to but very delicious. I would definitely come back again. Total was around $96 but we did order drinks and alot of food.

Alex L.

Great place with excellent service! The omakase may not agree with many westerners' palettes so that's one thing to be careful about. Certain dishes like the fish prepared on the robata and small fish that was fried were certainly subjective pieces. The Kyoto style omakase was a very nice touch to our visit to Oahu sharing the experience with ohana. This made it even more special and certainly a core memory. All the sashimi and nigiri was top notch as the clam soup, tamago, chowanmushi, and the dessert were perfectly timed. Our chef was very down to earth and inviting. Forgot what I said but he thought I spoke Japanese. That's one language I wish I really learned. That's for another story. haha! I would recommend to come here with an open mind and an empty stomach. This place has it all for a classical izakaya style experience. The place only seats seven people so definitely make that reservation! Kampai! (cheers!)

Yakitori set
Kira K.

Came here for lunch for a girls day and wanted to try this place since we've never tried it before. The restaurant is cute and while small, it was nice how it's partially open so the nice breeze comes through. At first I wanted sushi, but the prices of the sushi were too pricey in my opinion. I ended up getting a yakitori lunch set which came with 2 types of chicken, pork, arabiki, and roasted cherry tomato. It also came with a side salad, miso soup,, some tsukemono, and rice. While the yakitori were all good, they were nothing special. As for the sides, I found it odd that chicken salad was one of the sides because it didn't match the rest of the food and just seemed random lol. Salad was okay, but I think the dressing was the sesame dressing from Costco. Service was friendly, but we all thought everything was just "okay". However, if you are in the area, it's worth giving this place a try :)

Andie Hojun L.

Great ambiance, amazing service, filled with regulars! We went in during lunch to celebrate my birthday. Original plan was to go to Sushi Aki next door for their Omakase but we did not get reservations in time. It ended up working out great though because we loved the food!! Their Sushi platters were delicious and also a great deal and their lunch specials looked really good too. My toddler daughter inhaled their udon and their Agedashi Tofu! So delicious. Definitely will be going back to try their Yakitori and other dishes!

Sylvia T.

We used to come here in 2019-2020 before Covid cause I worked in the neighborhood. Today we decided to eat late dinner but alas, the food was not the same. Sushi was small and dry. Yakitori was just ok. Nothing really stood out. Quality and taste went down the hill. Service was ok and ambiance was ok with some loud tourist. Won't be back. The food quality and the price are not worth it.

4/6/25 Fatty (in good way) Negi Toro
Tommie O.

4/6/25 Every dish was tasty... Watched Gyu "Beef" Tongue n Shishito Peppers being grilled by Yakitori chef Fresh Mizu Tako "Octopus" Sashimi so soft Aburi Engawa "Flounder" Nigiri was fatty good Negi Toro "Tuna" Sushi also fatty good There's a trend going on here...Broiled Salmon Belly very fatty good dish w very crispy skin! Order early cause it' takes a while to cook Good service too... made meal even better

peppers, sausage, beef
Kathy C.

This place was an easy 10/10 for me. every item i had was light and hearty yet flavorful. I would come back here in a heartbeat. The service is really good, they're really fast and greet you as you come in and as you go. I sat at the counter and thought it was the best seat because you can watch them grill meats in front of you. The inside was really nice and had a clean aesthetic. Great for indecisive people like me who want to try a bit of everything! Surprised this place isn't talked about more.

11 piece sushi combo and seafood salad
Roya J.

A friend was visiting and wanted fresh and authentic sushi. It was an odd time and most places were closed, except the spot. Though I've been to the shopping area, multiple times, never to this restaurant it is a little hidden, but super cute. Bottom line, service was friendly,, the fish was fresh and prepared dwell. It was a little on the pricey side, but acceptable given the quality.

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1 month ago

Great food. We go for the motsunabe but everything else including the yaki tori was great.

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Japanese Restaurant Aki Reviews in Other Languages

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Totoya

Totoya

4.6(343 reviews)
0.1 mi•Kaimuki
•$$

I'd give this restaurant more than 5 stars if I could. We came here THREE days in a row during our…read moreone week stay in Oahu. I've heard this place gets pretty busy, but thankfully we didn't have to wait all three times (perhaps it was because we went after 7pm and it was storming all week?..). While the food was absolutely amazing, Jesse (especially) and the rest of the guys here, made our meals so special and fun each time. We got the Nishiki and Take each time (last time with the Ikura Shower!) and tried the crab, salmon and regular miso soup, and udon. We're so sad SoCal doesn't have anything like this at this price point. We'd highly recommend giving this a try (and making a reservation if needed!!!).

From start to finish, we had a wonderful time at this pleasant little spot. The staff is kind and…read morewelcoming. We were lucky we got here before the Friday lunch rush. Otherwise, be prepared for a bit of a wait. Our bowls were well balanced, flavorful and delicious. You could tell ingredient was selected and treated with care. The shrimp was incredibly sweet and succulent. We enjoyed the homemade soy sauce, fresh wasabi and yuzu ginger as well. My partner got the egg yolk shoyu dipping sauce, which added a layer of unctuous richnesss to the bowl. They are currently byob and Waialae mini mart is just a few doors down. We had a lovely time and hope to come back soon.

Photos
Totoya
Totoya - Mixed bowl with crab miso soup and extra nori and salad and shoyu egg on da side

Mixed bowl with crab miso soup and extra nori and salad and shoyu egg on da side

Totoya - Nagomi (smaller version of the Miyabi)

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Nagomi (smaller version of the Miyabi)

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Misoyaki butterfish bento

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery

4.6(274 reviews)
0.6 mi
•$$

TL;DR Refined…read morebentos, musubis, and other Japanese dishes to go. ----- HIGOTO Japanese Eatery (HJE) is a solid option for takeaway Japanese food. I had HJE on my radar for a while and was finally able to stop in for lunch in the first week of July 2026. The restaurant is located in the same shopping plaza as the Kaimuki Times. In fact, it's on the ground floor next to Times. It's tucked behind some large concrete walls next to the parking lot, but just keep your eyes open and you should be able to find it. I ordered the Fish Lovers bento and a Cheeseburger musubi, both with the mulitgrain rice. The Fish Lovers bento was PACKED with offerings, including chikuwa, ahi katsu, shrimp tempura, miso butterfish, grilled saba (?), and grilled salmon, plus an assortment of wonderful side dishes. The Cheeseburger musubi included a beef patty topped with cheese, plus multigrain rice all wrapped in nori. I was a big fan of both my choices, and I would definitely order them again!

We went to this place late. Everything was sold out nearing closing time. But there were just a…read morecouple of bentos and musubis. So we bought what was there. I was so upset with myself, because I wanted to go here weeks ago when I found it by accident on Instagram, lol. Next time I will not forget. So the bento that was left was the chicken Kara'age. I wasn't expecting much since it was the last meal available. I decided to try it after organizing my clothing in my closet. Honestly I wasn't hungry, but it was approaching 5pm which was very late for me, lol. I nuked it a little to get it warm removing all the cold items out first then ate the side dishes first I thought mmm, not bad. But then came the chicken and I was mesmerized by the first bite. I thought okay take a few more bites then judge it. So I thought maybe I was starving, so I dipped it into the sauce it came with and my mouth started to have a party inside! The dip reminds me of Japan and the red rice is exactly how my Okinawan mom used to make it. Well, I'm sold and if this is the least wanted plate of the entire day I can't even imagine how spectacular the others must taste. The lady at the register was so kind and apologized several times for being sold out. I totally understand but she definitely meant the apology I can tell. Reminds me of Japan again and she was wearing a mask which is a Japanese custom these days. There is a little table outside for seating of three I think. This place is small but don't be fooled, I heard and seen the massive line this awesome eatery can get. Go early and the wait will definitely be worth it.

Photos
HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Musubis & bentos

Musubis & bentos

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - Fish lovers bento (closeup of miso marinated items)

Fish lovers bento (closeup of miso marinated items)

HIGOTO Japanese Eatery - "Sauce katsu" bento

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"Sauce katsu" bento

Minatoku Kitchen

Minatoku Kitchen

4.4(108 reviews)
1.7 mi•Mo'ili'ili
•$$
Takes reservations
Free parking

Who doesn't like Japanese curry in Hawaii? It is on the sweeter side and often without any spicy…read morekick. But there are five places - ranging from curry specialty restaurants to ramen shops and bento eateries - that have really good Japanese curry. Minatoku Kitchen is one of those five. They are now offering their Oreno Curry Bento at $9.50 ( all day ) down from $16.50. It comes with rice and the curry has hamburger and chicken in the sauce. Excellent...with just a hint of spiciness. I got takeout after walking in - it took about 7-8 minutes. Minatoku Kitchen is a bento place by day; izakaya at night. Closed on Tuesday. Open from 1000a till Midnight; Wednesday thru Sunday. Monday: 1000a till 330p. Parking? There is street metered parking on South King St...as well as side streets. I parked and ahopped at Down to Earth,.

Tried going before but they were closed so finally did an delivery for our office…read more Got the Tartar Brother, but without Tartar sauce. So just Brother? The rice really good. I liked the green salad and dressing. Baby ate the whole ball of pot salad. The edamame was not good by the time it got there. Not sure why. Oversteamed? Chicken was good...soft and not too battery. Shrimp was really good...fatties. Salmon was sweet. Think maybe in the batter? Feel like it came off when I peeled off the batter. Baby ate half the salmon without batter so she liked it. Overall a good experience. Good variety for lunch. Can't wait to dine in later...

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Minatoku Kitchen - New shabu-shabu!!

New shabu-shabu!!

Minatoku Kitchen
Minatoku Kitchen

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ABURIYA IBUSHI - Ice cream and mochi

ABURIYA IBUSHI

4.5(457 reviews)
0.9 mi•Kaimuki
•$$

Our favorite izakaya on Oahu! We first came to Aburiya Ibushi a few years ago and we always come…read morehere to eat on each trip. For me, the must haves are their potato salad that comes with this curry seasoning (although go easy on how much seasoning you get with each bite as it's salty) and the oxtail ramen. The oxtail ramen is honestly one of the best ramens I've had - so flavorful yet not heavy at all. This time, we didn't get any of the chargrilled dishes but in the past we have and they've all been fantastic. The shima hokke kamameshi was really good and filling - we had enough to take with us for leftovers. It's a smaller restaurant so highly recommend making a reservation. There's been time where there's been open tables but they have a sign saying they cannot take guests without reservations. Parking is street parking and depending on what time your dinner is, it can be hard to find parking. We often end up taking an uber to avoid the hassle.

This place is definitely a little hole in the wall! I honestly didn't even know it existed until my…read morefriend mentioned it. Overall, the food was good! I wouldn't say it's necessarily a place I'll keep coming back to regularly, but I did enjoy trying it. Here's what we ordered: 1. White Peach Chu-Hi: This was really good and refreshing! I enjoyed it and would definitely order it again. 2. House Potato Salad: Honestly, this one was a little strange to me. It tasted almost like potato salad mixed with taco seasoning. Not quite what I was expecting, and I don't think I'd order it again. 3. Grilled Mochi: This was good, but nothing particularly special or memorable to me. 4. Grilled Roast Beef Kamameshi: Definitely my favorite dish of the night! The meat was so tender, and I always love that slightly burnt, crispy rice at the bottom. We decided to add the egg, and I'm so glad we did! It went really well with the meat and rice. Such a satisfying dish! 5. Grilled Shio Sanma: This was good too! I'm not sure I know enough about Japanese cuisine to fully appreciate or critique this dish, but I enjoyed the texture. It had a nice combination of slightly crispy and soft textures. Overall, I'm glad my friend introduced me to this little spot! While I'm not sure it'll become part of my regular restaurant rotation, I enjoyed the experience and thought the food was good.

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ABURIYA IBUSHI - Storefront... just like we're in Japan!

Storefront... just like we're in Japan!

ABURIYA IBUSHI - Their famous potato salad.

Their famous potato salad.

ABURIYA IBUSHI - Potato Salad

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Potato Salad

Japanese Restaurant Aki - japanese - Updated November 2026

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