I've been eating here for years and always enjoyed whatever I chose. My favorites are their cone sushi, maki sushi, chow fun, shoyu chicken and kinpira gobo. Their prices have remained very competitive, if not cheaper than other similar okazuya places. read more

Updated: Delicatessen area Bento A. Haven't gone here since they moved the food inside. I prefer the old procedure where you can see the food before ordering. Had the Bento A - no kamaboko was included. Food was okay, nothing in my bento I would crave for. The spam tasted the best actually. Chicken was hard and dry. Teri beef was okay with a subtle teri flavor. We had a side order of gobo. The gobo was one of the worst I've eaten. It seemed like the gobo came straight from the plant - hard, stiff and dry. The slices were long and no flavor at all. It wasn't edible being so tough. Don't think we'll be ordering okazu here again soon. read more

Kabuki Restaurant - Bento A - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

Good place for Japanese Bento. There's always long lines which indicates that the food is good.

Kabuki Waimalu has been an establishment with a history of generations passing the Koi pond on the left!!! Incredible staff giving the ambience of authentic days passed. Just found out that the Maitre d (Malcom) passed away Jan. 2024. I got to know Malcom back in the disco era. I was a bartender and he was the sushi chief @ Atlantis Disco ( pre 1980's). He will be truly missed as well as this incredible establishment!!! read more

This is for their okazuya! Everything we got from the okazuya was very tasty, my favorite had to be their hamburger patty and their chowfun. Definitely worth giving it a try especially because they are open 7 days a week! read more

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With a relatively new owner, they seem to have cleaned up the place much better than previous what people have told me. Prices are fair, wish they still had the private room for small - to medium-sized groups. Food was great, lunch teishoku meals are your best deal. read more

2022 Okazuya Review #1 I've decided to revisit some of Oahu's okazuya restaurants as it has been a few years. Growing up here how can one resist that glorious line up of dishes calling to use from behind the glass case. For review #1 I'm going back to one of my original favorites Kabuki in Aiea. Food: I have been getting same items for decades in my bento box. Nori Musubi, Cone Sushi, Teriyaki Chicken, Veg Tempura, Tamago, Gobo, and Namasu. On this trip I added in their Saturday special Konbu Maki. The best is the large cone sushi, I remember years ago when they discontinued it and it cause such an uproar they had to bring it back..now that's social pressure! Everything else is good, nostalgic, having it again and being more thoughtful, the teri chicken is solid. Veg Tempura is breaded heavily and not crisp. Everything besides the cone sushi is not best in class but when you grow up eating this and it's stayed consistent over the decades it then it tastes like childhood. Service: They modified the take out counter over covid moving it inside now making ordering slightly more efficient. It can take a while though as they only service two customers at a time and if you have people putting in large orders then the line can back up. If you know what you want you may call ahead at least 30 minutes in advance then skip the line to pick up your plate. Atmosphere: This is for the okazuya line only and does not include the sit down restaurant. The space is revamped, clean, bright, open versus what they used to serve out of pre covid. I like the new layout, there is a paper order form outside that you can check off while you wait to speed your order. Value: Like everything else it's getting pricey and Okazuya plates have tended to be high for confort food. For this day, my plate was $16.40 which is more than a plate lunch but I had enough to save for another day. Overall: We've moved out of the area, the food is okay, the line and wait can be long, but it's what I had in younger days, it's what my children took on field trips, and you can't beat the memories. Probably won't visit as often but I'm happy to say that the food remains solid here and it's what I will use to benchmark others by. I had to give it three stars which a decent rating but I balanced my nostalgia vs actual taste/quality/value. read more

Kabuki Restaurant - My go to order here - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

Food has gone downhill. I had good which was just hard, dry and no flavor. The shrimp batter was dry and the smallest shrimp ever. The butterfish had a weird taste as did the hot dog. The chorizo was burnt and dry. The spam was like cardboard. Order a roll of sushi and looked like they used a musubi maker and that was just barely ok. They also need to work on their customer service as the people have no personality what so ever. I really used to like Kabuki okazuya but I would definitely not recommend now. Spend your money on something better. read more

I love Kabuki Okazuya. Too bad the take out section closes early. I wish they had delivery. They only take cash outside, from what I've experienced. I dream of what I would order! But, I'm not a morning person. I rarely make it there before they run out of food or before they close. Once I was there early and they ran out of the good stuff. They had a couple hours or so before closing time, but they don't refill what's sold! ‍‍‍ But, I still love eating there. ‍ See you in my dreams...Shrimp tempura and shoyu chicken! read more

Went to kabuki again same as every Monday always great, need to get my maki sushi fix. Plus all the fixings never fails always great including the great and friendly service. read more

Good shoyu chicken. Fast and easy service. Cash only. One negative-I wanted to try the nishime and it was foul smelling when we opened it. Had to toss the whole thing. read more

Came for some food from the Okazuya. It's been a while since my last visit. They opened at 5:30am. Upon arrival, there was already a line of four people. Instead of the old roll up counter, they now have an area inside where they can serve two sides vs one. Its a great expansion ans they also have sheets of paper with pencils available for ordering. It makes it easier for the employee to make your order. They also post their weekly specials on the sheet which is great. The service was also great. The ladies behind the counter were friendly and worked quickly. There was so many different things to choose from. This time around, I ordered chow fun, shoyu chicken, cone sushi, potato hash, namasu, and fried halibut. Everything was fresh and tasted very good. The noodles had a great taste and was tossed well and not soggy. Love that it is not overrwhelmed with vegetables. The shoyu chicken is one of my favorites here. Great flavor and soft. The cone sushi is also very delish and had a great flavor. The potato hash had a crisp on its outside and was just right in taste. If you like namasu, this too is very good and well pickled. The fried halibut was a first for me, but very good. It was very crispy and soft on the inside. They have different sizes for plates in case you decide to order more or less but be sure to let the worker know ahead of time and it helps to know what you want when you get to the counter. Great place to get food for breakfast or lunch, for kids field trip, or just to get a great bite to eat. I totally recommend Kabuki Okazuya! read more

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Killa okazuya..everything mayjah..only wish it opened earlier to buy bento for lunch on the way to work

We've been here several times in the past but this is our first visit since the pandemic. On the plus side the service was very friendly and attentive, and the portion sizes were generous. I had the tempura teishoku and the pieces are piled high and had a nice balance of crunch without being greasy. The menu has just about anything you'd want from a Japanese restaurant. On the negative side the sushi and sashimi were not as fresh or tasty as I'd remembered. Some pieces were not tender and kinda chewy. My daughter's miso butterfish was okay, but we've had much better. Maybe it was just an off night for them, but I hope it improves. read more

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I came here for some goood Okazuya. I got here a little before 530am and there was a line already formed. They are smart to put a check list of menu items located on the wall with pencils to check off or write the amount of what you want while you wait in line. When completed, just hand it to the worker and they can put your order together. I think it's a great idea instead of trying to talk loud over the shields and pointing at what you want. My go-to items are cone sushi, shoyu chicken, shrimp, vegetable tempura musubi, egg omelet and chow fun. I havent been here in a while but they built a new section and a bigger area to put all the food items. It looks reallllly good. Lots of free parking in the front. They are a CASH ONLY place. There is a ASB atm right outside if you need cash. read more

The previous review I wrote was for the delicatessen side. This review is for the restaurant side... Didn't dine in a restaurant for 2 years due to COVID. Since the numbers are declining, my husband and I decided not to order takeout today. Here, they do check your vaccination card and each booth has plexiglass separating you from other booths so we felt pretty safe. The people here are nice and the service was awesome! From arriving at the restaurant through paying our tab, we were out the door in one hour! We ordered the Combination Teishoku. It comes with assorted tempura, soup, tsukemono and rice, one choice of protein AND Sashimi or Oden. The Butterfish and Teri Chicken was pretty good. The shrimp, vegetable and kabocha tempura batter was a little on the soggy side...it should be crunchy. Overall, the food was tasty but I think it was pre-cooked and not made to order because all of it was between warm to room temperature. I enjoy my food better when it's hot. Due to the people and service, we will try here again! read more

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My wife ordered me fried noodles fried chicken and corn beef patty. While eating the food I find a dirty quarter buried in my noodles. I call to complain and they say sorry someone paid with lots of coins and it must have fell into your food. They apologized and said we will refund you for your noodles. Really Kabuki you sold me contaminated food and want to make it better by refunding me my noodles. Im never eating there again. read more

Kabuki Restaurant - Dirty quarter in my noodles - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

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It's been a while since I've gone to the Okazuya at Kabuki. I was delighted to see that they renovated! The okazuya is now inside with the line out the door to the outside. I like the new set up, you can see all of the food a lot better than when it was just a counter on the outside. There is a paper checklist outside on the wall that lists the okazuya items so you can organize your order and figure out what you want once you get on the inside. They have a special buzzer for phone orders so you don't have to stand in the long line. I did an in person order so I stood in line from the outside. I ordered Ume musubi, hash patty, vegetable tempura, hamburger patty, hot dog, egg omelette and nishime. Everything tasted wonderful as how I remembered from when I came here w couple of years ago. Perfect bento box you can assemble for a picnic or the beach. read more

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I went to Kabuki Delicatessen(side entrance) for some bento to go. Service was very fast since a line pretty much forms once they open. There is also a pencil along with a menu list while you wait in line so by the time it's your turn, you know what to order. The best dish I loved was the sweet potato and veggie tempura. It was not that greasy. We ordered the bento A I believe the one with Teri beef. Service was fast and the ladies up front work really proficiently. Service: awesome Price: cash only and every reasonable Visit again? Definitely Taste: good bentos read more

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I haven't been here in years!! We decided to dine in for lunch on a Friday. Made reservations for 12pm. Okazuya is on the right side of entrance. Walked down the hall to the left and did a temperature check and filled out a contact tracing form. Our table had plexiglass above the seat backings of our booth. Not many people dining in so it was spaced out well. We had a nice lady server. We ordered water w/lemon and hot tea. Looked over the Specials and I decided to try the Hamachi Kama + Tempura Special. Reuben got the Kabuki Teishoku (B) Misoyaki Butterfish, Sashimi, Nimono, Tempura, Chawanmushi, Soup, Rice, and Tsukemono. The fish bone broth w/soba was a nice starter. It was light, flavorful and soothing. My Hamachi Kama was nicely prepared. I wasn't interested in the side cabbage salad tho... I'm a Hamachi Kama lover, and this one was really good w/the ponzu. The shrimp tempura w/veggies was also pretty good. Reuben's Butterfish & Chawanmushi was very tasty! I'm a big fan of Butterfish! Anytime, anywhere. lol We enjoyed our lunch and met the manager, Lance. It was fun talking story since he knew my Dad and his construction workers who frequent here and said the Unagi was really good. Next time I'll definitely try it! Mahalo! read more

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Delicious Okazuya in waimalu area! I came late at 12:00 but there were a few items left still. I got hash, fried chicken, chow fun x2, and nishime. All tasty!! The workers were polite and fast. There's only 4 people allowed in at a time. I would definitely come back for the noodles and hash! read more

Kabuki Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

No more large cone sushi. No more kinpila And no more pork rolls with konbu hrs are different than posted. Are they closing down?

My husband and I walked-in to this restaurant and was advised the we needed to have a reservation. I see a lot of empty tables; the greeter, who's a big guy wasn't so nice. He was rude, and didn't look like they need our business. Not so friendly!!! We'll be gladly give our support to other local businesses. read more

Right now, it's take-out okazuya, cash only! It's very small inside, but very organized and service was efficient! I love that you can just point to what you want and say how many... I almost like, just point and grunt, since I don't know what most of it is even called. They are super friendly and will tell you what something is if you ask. The food we got was generous in portion and delicious. The chorizo sausage was super flavorful and I would get it again. The cone sushi were ginormous and filling. The veggie tempura had great flavor but lost its crisp--it's takeout, so that's to be expected. The shrimp tempura was interesting. The batter on the outside was thick and bready, sort of like a corndog- good but wanted bigger shrimp in proportion to the breading. The corn beef hash patties were solid. I actually should've gotten two of those in hindsight. Egg- good. Would I return? Definitely. They have such a wide array of choices I would have to go back a few times just to try everything I wanted. Kabuki is perfect for your grab 'n go needs, especially when you're in a rush and don't want to skimp out on quality. read more

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Okazuya lunch plate from Kabuki Restaurant in Waimalu yesterday. I wish I had gone earlier as they didn't have too much choices. But they do have really good Cone Sushi; rivals Taniokas'. Also got a piece of Shoyu Chicken; Corned Beef Hash; Shrimp Tempura; & a very overcooked Chorizo. (Note to self - get the hotdog next time). If you haven't been here in a while; they did renovate the Okazuya by making it indoors; a better way to view your food choices. But it's not too COVID distance compatible as the public space is designed for one row, but sometimes there is another row of people as they come in & look over your shoulder. The staff doesn't reinforce their four people rule very well. Parking - lots of parking available in this mini shopping center. read more

Kabuki Restaurant - Cone Sushi, Shoyu Chicken, Corned Beef Hash, Shrimp Tempura, & Chorizo - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

I don't know why the previous customers complaining. If they don't like it , go somewhere else !! Sure you got to stand in line and wait your turn but that's no big deal. The food is worth the wait otherwise there wouldn't be a long line. I come her every day while on vacation. Been coming here since high school. I'm 62 now. And it's still My favorite place to get okazuya. read more

Kabuki Restaurant - My typical order when I eat on the run. - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

I'm pretty sure the restaurant section was closed down but operating in front as an Okazuya takeout business only now. Call ahead for faster service and CASH ONLY! The ATM nearby was stolen so plan accordingly and bring $$$. Write down your order in advance and know what you want to order. Bumbye you take longtime thinking and people behind you gotta wait more long. Ok read more

Okazuya open 7 days 5:30am to 1:00pm. Call ahead to preorder to make it simple. Okazuya is all cash only. Personally love the cone sushi. Childhood fave! The hash is more potato than cornbeef which I like to eat with the egg. Great for the long ride to the North Shore! read more

Kabuki Restaurant - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

***CASH ONLY*** One of my go to spots for okazuya... also one of the few places on the west side. They are open early so it's nice to be able to stop here before work, beach, or even for a flight off island. The okazuya recently moved inside and it's gotten a very nice facelift. While waiting outside they have list with pencils that you can start to plan out your order. You still read it off to the cashier though. I got here around 6am on a Saturday morning and had either just missed or just got there before the rush because I was luckily second in line, but when I left there was a line about 8 people deep. Service has always been friendly with the 2 aunties working at the counter. Food was to my liking! Fried chicken was nice and crunchy, the potato tempura was warm and still had s nice crunch to it, with nice warm sweet potato(yellow not purple) inside. The hamburger patty was thick and juicy, still a little pink on the inside so it wasn't dry. Hash patty also was a very nice thick size. I got 2 bento A which honestly has all the goodies inside, potato tempura, fried chicken, egg, hotdog, and Teri meat all on a bead of rice. Topped it off with 2 full roles of the maki sushi. Grand total of $44.76. read more

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Came in here, because our trusty Yelp led us here as my husband searched for Soba noodles for dinner. This is such an unassuming place considering the looks from the outside! The place is older and a bit outdated, but hey, many hole in the wall places look worse and at least this place is clean and well maintained. The hostess even mentioned having worked at Kabuki for 30 years!!! So, this place has been around for a long time! The serving staff were all ladies and two out of the three were mature local Japanese ladies and another younger local lady. All were so friendly. I mean just passing our table the ladies would greet us. Very Aloha spirit. Food was definitely delicious. My husband was happy with his Soba and the soft shell crab handroll has me craving for more! They're open for dinner, but if you want their food during the day, the okazuya part is open and thats delicious too! read more

Kabuki Restaurant - Store Front - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

Remember Sagaras in Waialua? This okazuya reminds me of it. When grandma san would bring in the food to refill the windows you know that you were getting authentic, old school grinds using ingredients that were prepared, fermented, pickled, or marinated in her backyard. Prepared with patience and love, I'm guessing grandma san would cut the veggies and meats so that every bite would be memorable. When the chow fun wasn't as greasy or flavorful anymore, Sagaras closed - for whatever reason. But, they knew that the food was never the same and some recipes just couldn't be replicated. Loved Kabuki pre-pandemic. However, like Sagaras, know that you'll always be in my heart and not in my stomach. Not the same- chow fun, long rice, nishime, gobo, Teri beef Still the same- shoyu chicken, adobo (but could be because aunty Manang with the pretty lashes is still there and it's her recipe) veggie and shrimp tempura (to those who complain -expect greasy if things are fried, use a napkin) , Maki and cone sushi, egg read more

Kabuki Restaurant - $15 Veggie tempura, shoyu chicken, gobo, nishime, and maki roll (not shown) - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

I used to come here as a child with my family to eat in the restaurant. I remember the koi fish inside. Now I mostly come in the mornings for okazuya! Good selection, my favorite is the tempura sweet potato, and I like nishime and gobo and the chow fun. But it's all good. And makes for good bento beach food. Cash only! read more

Kabuki Restaurant - a tray of food on the beach - Japanese Near Me - Aiea, Hawaii

Today Mom and I decided to come here for Lunch. We usually just get the okazuya, but today we decided to eat in the Restaurant. This both our first time eating in this Restaurant. As we entered and walked pass the okazuya there is a koi pond. I was admiring the kioi in the pond.. Mom ordered Pork tofu and Shrimp tempura and I I ordered Teishoku B with Butterfish. The food is very tasty here and Great service. The hot tea here taste like kakimo hi. Will definately return and highly recommend this Restaurant. Located in Waimalu where the Restaurants are in a row. Supporting local asian businesses. read more

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I come here once a week for my patient. Workers are friendly and quick. Only down side is, they're cash only.

Since back in the day Kabuki has been the favorite for box lunch bentos. Wish they were always open though as they don't have the Okazuya everyday. Food of choice Shrimp tempura Chow fun Sushi All the different chicken Egg If you really missing Filipino food -Adobo read more

The food here is very fresh and made to order. We got the Kabuki Teishoku that came with sashimi, chuwamushi, rice, miso soup, salad, tempura, and misoyaki butterfish. All of it was excellent. Our food came out within 10 minutes of ordering. The chuwamushi was absolutely silky and divine and was completely heartwarming. It was a warm hug in a bowl. The sashimi was some of the freshest sashimi that I had and the freshly cut daikon was yummy too. The miso soup is always a great go to and the rice was the best from Japan and pillowy soft and yummy. The tempura was fresh and crispy and not oily. The misoyaki butterfish became the supporting actor because all of the other items made such as great impression on my palate. We were so full that we could not have dessert and I had leftovers. I cannot wait for the next adventure. There is great parking and no cost to that parking. Charging stations are available as well. Lots of ATM machines if you need it. And they have their own bathrooms. read more

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Tried to support local during COVID and give this establishment some business by making a good sized phone order for some Bentos. The guy who answered the phone was pretty rude, rushed, and crass on how he spoke to me, basically telling me that they are very busy and making me feel like I was doing something wrong by calling it in. He hung up without a goodbye and I will look elseware to make our lunch order. I guess since he doesn't seem to need the money, we didn't feel the need to patronize him today and two of my friends are now not going to purchase their large catering orders for upcoming events from here either. We were hoping to establish a large recurring order for Bentos for our organization due to their close proximity to us, but they lost our business..... read more

This past Sunday, my daughter, grandson and I were trying to decide where to go for an early Family dinner. We were in the Aiea area and decided to try Kabuki. I was in line at 5pm when they opened without a reservation and was fortunate to get a nice table. The restaurant is a real throwback to a 60's family style Japanese restaurant, not fancy, but a bit dated and worn, but totally charming. They have a lovely Koi pond as you enter the restaurant. The staff is all young and attentive. The restaurant quickly filled, which is a indication of it's popularity. Lot's of families and friends dining. The menu is extensive and the food, very good. There are many Japanese restaurants with exceptional food. The food here may not be gourmet quality, but it is very delicious, portions are generous and service 5 stars. Upon being seated, they bring ice water and a pot of tea. You get a container of rice for the table to share. No need to ask for an extra bowl of rice. I like that . There is so much to choose from. They have a Sushi menu, which we ordered from, as well as many complete dinners. They have beer, wine and sake. We totally enjoyed everything we had. We definitely ordered way too much food for 3 people. Totally worth it, no problem taking the leftovers home. Highly recommend. Support family businesses! read more

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I don't think they deserve a star. Too bad I couldn't post this without one. I had the most disappointing experience at Kabuki Restaurant. There were multiple instances of poor customer service, from the rude host to the unfriendly waitress. It's important for a host to be welcoming and accommodating, and for a waitress to treat customers with kindness and respect. It's also unfortunate that the waitress automatically added a tip without any prior indication. Transparency is crucial in such situations. I hope the management & owners understand the the frustration and how dissatisfied with the overall service was. Customer service plays a significant role in the restaurant industry, and it's essential for staff to prioritize treating customers well. Our family will not return to Kabuki Restaurant due to this negative experience we had. I believe between the of 8 the bill was close to $184.00 and to be treated with disrepect and unfriendliness is horrible Not sure if I'll support the deli area. Sometime their help there is "grumpy, grouchy & impatient" help. read more

Still going for the chirashi, still recommend making a reservation, and if you're not sitting at the sushi bar, the sushi may take a while to get to your table. read more

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