Delicious soba and donburi! Fast and friendly service. Takes reservations. Large and spacious dining area. Lunch and dinner menu are completely different. Will need to come back for dinner. Lunch and teishoku set available. read more

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I really used to enjoy coming here but my most recent trip was disappointing. No one is friendly anymore and my biggest ick is the dirty dishes. Our water cups had some kind of residue on them. And as we were eating the trash that was behind the bar was full and attracted so much fruit flies. We waited 30min for someone to fill our waters and even tried to get their attention. No one checked in on us if we wanted to order anything else or how the food was tasting. The prices for the food don't match with the service that is given. The trash and dirty cups turned me away from enjoying my food. The health department needs to make a visit. The food was okay, nothing amazing. read more

Kaimuki Shokudo - Dirty cups and chipped bowls - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was really hoping to be wowed by this place because I have been eyeing it for some time. But... it was overall mid. We had the saba, which I would say was good. 3/5 Beef curry, which was ok, but the rice was dry. It seemed a tad bit undercooked. Enough to notice and be disappointed by texture and lack of moisture, so I didn't really eat the rice. Curry and beef was quite ordinary. 2/5 Chicken karaage was the only thing I did really like. Best I've had? No. But still great. 4/5 Rump cap was just really disappointing. No flavor and it was not tender. 1/5 Unagi chazuke had good flavor but again the rice was dry. Here is where the service did not impress me. The man who came to pour the broth did it so fast like he was in a rush, maybe he was, that droplets of the broth ricocheted onto my outfit went through and reached my thighs and actually hurt. I didn't react because... well... I didn't want to seem whiny. But that was not ok to be in such a rush that you cause harm or pain to a customer. 1/5 for the service, 3/5 for the dish Overall, wanted to love this place but it sadly disappointed. I didn't even bother to order the honey toast because everything else was overall just ok. read more

5 s all the way. They open at 11:30 am and we arrived just before opening time but one table of 4 ladies were already seated and they were tending to one party ahead of us then us. I really like when restaurants are accommodating like this. We were so lucky to have a very pretty, personable and professional server like Carmen. Orders were placed efficiently and came out perfect. We had hot and cold items plus soft drinks. I really liked their lihing mango drink a lot: so delicious. Interior was comfortable, clean, and perfect temperature. Runners who brought the food to our table were very nice too. read more

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Needed to use my chase sapphire reserve credit before it expired. This is one of the handful of places on island that it's valid. They share parking in the municipal parking area behind the restaurant with multiple other businesses. Made a reservation here. They only take small parties for walkins. Came for lunch. Tried the teishoku, tempura and small uni Ikura don. Portion sizes are quite small for the price but the food is delicious! The tempura has a light airy batter. The Okinawa sweet potato salad was good as well. My friend got the lemon yuzu soba and sukiyaki don. We both enjoyed our food. Service was good as well. read more

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$20 lunch set was amazing!! Great food and great price. Comes with half orders of soba (hot or cold), choice of sashimi (salmon, magura or hamachi), sukiyaki beef or ahi katsu, okinawan sweet potato salad, & rice!! Food tasted amazing and staff is always friendly! Had to order the honey toast as well. read more

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Food was interesting and a bit different from what I'm used to, but in a good way. I'd definitely come back to explore more of the menu. The service stood out the most our party of 11 was taken care of promptly and attentively the whole time. That's not easy to do. The ambiance was also a highlight, with a nice dim, relaxed, and chill vibe that made the experience even better. Overall, a great spot for groups and trying something new. Would recommend this place. read more

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A whole new menu than from when it was on Kapiolani blvd but we went for lunch and it had soba, donburi, tempura, and sushi roll options. I got the pork and Mushroom soba (hot) and my wife got the ume natto soba. They were both okay. We got side of tempura donburi and side of spicy ahi negitoro. Both alright tasting. Service was slow. And they missed our spicy bowl. And I would say my favorite was the honey toast! read more

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Love this place! I was excited to come for dinner because I saw they had new menu items. I usually come for lunch because I love the variety of sobas. Lunch and dinner menus are very different FYI! For drink I ordered the Shiso Crazy. Great drink and love the name! More on the sour side than sweet. For appetizers we got gyoza and the Okinawa sweet potato salad. The gyoza was very flavorful. Now for the potato salad... this was one of the best flavor combinations I have ever tasted. I would come back just to eat this again. The creaminess of the potato with the small pop of saltiness from the ikura... it's the perfect blend of flavors and textures in one bite. For entrees we got the full size spicy ahi Don and the mentaiko pasta (one of the new menu items). Both were good but the mentaiko pasta could've used a bit more salt based on my preferences. The shrimp was cooked perfectly. The restaurant is a decent size but I would make a reservation if you're coming during peak hours. Overall, I've never had a bad experience here and I'm glad I finally got the chance to come to try their dinner menu. read more

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Been wanting to try this one for a while & all I can say is that I wish we tried it sooner! The cool soba noodles on a hot day are light & refreshing. All of the broths are so flavorful. The soba & half don combo allows you to get the best of both worlds. The place is way bigger than i imagined. We were dat quickly & the food came out prompt. read more

Kaimuki Shokudo - Shiso Soba - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great Japanese fusion restaurant with interesting dishes! We ordered the quail eggs, corn, unagi ochazuke, blue cheese shishito peppers, and watercress salad. The peppers might not be everyone's cup of tea but it was certainly unique and interesting. The ochazuke was a favorite! Service was great and ambiance was cozy. Pretty busy on a Friday night. Although I miss their honey toast, I still love their new menu! read more

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one of those places where every dish feels a lil different the menu is full of unique combinations you don't see very often, and honestly everything was very fun to eat. okinawan sweet potato salad was quite addictive. vibrant purple with a sweet and savory flavor. the watercress soba salad felt super refreshing & crunchy our fav pupu was the mentai mochi cheese spring roll. perfectly chewy, putting mochi in spring rolls should be more available. recommend stopping by when you get tired of the tourist spots. make sure to reserve if you prefer to sit at a table. bar seats are available for walkin tho :) okinawan sweet potato salad $14* watercress soba salad $15* mentai mochi cheese spring roll $14* spicy tuna don (half) $10* read more

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I was ready to write off Kaimuki Shokudo after a middling experience at dinner, but I'm so pleased that we gave the restaurant a second chance at lunch. At lunch, Kaimuki Shokudo transforms from an izakaya to an excellent soba restaurant that rivals i-naba. And with the introduction of lunch specials, Kaimuki Shokudo has cemented its place in our rotation of restaurants. The restaurant has chic, minimalist decor, with wooden accents and paper lanterns adding a touch of warmth to an otherwise black box. The ambiance effectively evokes a restaurant tucked away in a Tokyo alleyway. It's all quite effective. The restaurant's menu features a good mix of hot or cold soba, ranging from zaru soba and tempura soba to pork and mushroom soba and duck watercress soba. The noodles have a good texture and slight chew. You can add a mini bowl (sukiyaki, beef curry, maguro, veggie tempura, spicy tuna) for $7 to any of the hot or cold soba dishes. I'm partial to the veggie tempura and spicy tuna. The restaurant also offers a teishoku lunch set for $20, featuring a half-size kake soba, half-size sweet potato salad, two pieces of sashimi, rice, and sukiyaki beef or ahi katsu. (The restaurant formerly offered grilled saba in lieu of ahi katsu but has sadly removed that delicious option.) I'm partial to the teishoku because it feels more like a complete meal, with a good mix of different tastes and textures. I sometimes like to add an a la carte order tempura ($5-17) to the teishoku, as I like that the restaurant's tempura batter is light and airy (compared to local versions). Lunch portions are on the smaller side, but it's hard to complain when you compare the prices of Kaimuki Shokudo (more affordable) to i-naba (more expensive). It's also worth noting that this is one of the few restaurants in Hawaii where you can use your Chase Sapphire Reserve dining credit, so your meal might be cheaper than you think if you use the right card. Reservations are recommended if you'd like to sit at a table, though you can probably snag a seat without one if you come early or are all right with sitting at the large wrap-around bar/counter if you don't have one. Paid parking is available in the municipal lot behind the restaurant, but it can be difficult to secure a spot if you arrive at prime meal times, especially on the weekend. So, budget a few extra minutes to find a space in case the lot is packed. read more

My husband and I went to the original Shokudo location at Ala Moana Center a lot and were sad that it closed. We finally got to try the new Kaimuki location to celebrate his birthday last weekend. It is a much smaller space, and the menu seems limited, focusing more on soba noodles. I loved all their sushi, so I was happy to see a couple of choices for sushi on the menu as well. We went on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. It was busy, but not crowded, with quite a few tables open. The service was slow, which was surprising, seeing that it wasn't too busy. We had to ask for water to be refilled and for them to clear the dishes, so we could get the table ready for our honey toast dessert. The food came out quite fast, though! The order that came out last was actually the kake soba, which was the simplest dish. Overall, the soba was delicious. All of our family seemed to enjoy their dishes as well. Happy Eating! read more

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Sunday April 19, 2026 first time, coming here at the 11th Ave. location. We were looking for a place for lunch after Planet Fitness Kahala and walking around the Diamond Head Triangle Park. Metered street parking or they have a paid private parking lot. As it was Sunday, we found a parking on Koko Head Avenue and walked there. We were seated right away at 2:30pm and they close at 3:30pm. Then dinner is at 5:00pm. Service was fast and friendly. We ordered right away. Food came out shortly after. It looked good and it tasted good too. The purple potato salad with the 2 sweet potato chips was different and really good! After lunch, we decided to order 2 Kirin beers and a bottle of Iichiko with green tea. We drank 1/3 of the bottle and decided to save the rest for the next time. We will be back again. Support local businesses. read more

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I came here with my wife and friends on a weekend thinking this was a place that had skewers. We quickly found out that it wasn't the case. We were seated at the bar as the restaurant was pretty busy. We ordered some small plates. Everything we had here were good enough for a few small bites that pairs well with beer. The scallops were savory and had a sweetness to it. The fried purple potato from Japan was delicious and had a very nice texture. Chicken karaage was very tender and moist. There is a good ambiance in here with the ceiling lamps and the wooden island that seems to be floating. Service was a little slow considering that it was a decently busy evening. I would consider making a reservation in advance for table seating rather than bar seating. Parking is in the back of the building. read more

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SLAPS IT SLAPS SO HARD Let's talk shokudo because while I do miss the og alas location, dare I say their new menu(s) is a step up? We went when the rain caused the electricity to go out for 24 hours and couldn't cook; thank god kaimuki has power back. The tofu salad (from their limited throwback menu) was insane and I think shokudo might be one of the only places on island that make their own tofu nowadays. It was stupid creamy and the goma dressing didn't overpower the flavor. Incredible. Yukari fries didn't really taste like yukari (maybe add more?) but still tasty and I'd get it again. Soba was perfectly cooked and that dashi came through tenfold. I've had their neba neba soba on the lunch menu and that is some of the best I've ever had. I'm a fan. Calamari was ok, nothing to write home about. Get it if you want, or don't lol. Didn't have room for honey toast but maybe that'll be a review for next time! read more

Kaimuki Shokudo - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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It is such a trip being here in this location. Both me and my husband used to work at Shokudo years ago when it was still on Kapiolani and it's crazy how much has changed since then. We went during late lunch and there was zero wait. There seemed to be a few tables open so it wasn't too packed. I decided to try the lunch teishoku special with sukiyaki beef, salmon sashimi and cold soba. I also got a raw egg to put over my rice for some tamagokake gohan. Everything was tasty and the perfect portion size that I wasn't uncomfortably full. I also got to try the cold duck watercress soba that my husband ordered and it was very flavorful and noodles were the perfect doneness. It also had such a nice charred flavor that added well to the soba. I wondered if you could order extra duck for the next time. For drinks, my husband ordered several cocktails. His notable favorite was the mojito which was lightly sweet and refreshing. I ordered a yuzu iced tea which had a nice citrus flavor but was too sour for my liking. We ended the meal with the classic honey toast which brought back so much nostalgia of cutting honey toast in the early morning. We would definitely return for the duck soba alone! It was nice taking a trip down memory lane! read more

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Food: 3.5/5 Service: 3/5 Ambiance: 3.5/5 I have not been to Shokudo since their Ala Moana locations shut down. I came here for their 21st Anniversary Special, which was the throwback menu at the Kaimuki location. We parked in the paid lot behind the building (they do not validate for that lot) or there is street parking. I made reservations via Open Table. This place has table seating and bar seating. My waitress made me feel rushed the whole night, which I already did not like. I ordered 2 drinks and I watched the bartender make them at the bar from my table and watched how it sat at the bar for 3 minutes. The bartender saw me noticing that and ended up delivering the drinks to us instead of our server. My drink was good and I enjoyed it. We ordered the chicken karaage, shrimp izakaya, and the lobster roll, which I will say was very nostalgic for me. I remember these tasting better in the past, but it was still good. The Honey Toast is still the best thing at Shokudo so we ordered it. We waited 10 minutes for the bread and ice cream. Overall, service just seemed slow but at least our waitress checked in with us often. I would recommend trying this place for yourself. I would be interested in seeing how it is during Happy Hour because maybe then I would feel like the food is worth what I am paying. Happy 21st Anniversary Shokudo! read more

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The Kaimuki Shokudo builds upon the legacy of its Kapiolani location with a trendy izakaya theme. The food is slightly upscale in price but amazing on taste. I personally get a soba with every visit and try something new. On my last visit, I enjoyed the buri daikon, which was light, savory, and filled with hamachi. I also enjoyed the hamachi carpaccio, age hitashi, and eggplant tempura. And you can't mention Shokudo without talking about its iconic honey toast. Yes, they still offer it. And yes, you need to get it. All my experiences have had amazing, attentive staff -- who always make time for you even though they're busy. read more

Kaimuki Shokudo - Hamachi carpaccio - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My husband and I were looking for an Izakaya restaurant and Kaimuki Shokudo happen to have an open reservation time slot. The outside building is nondescript and unassuming, however walking in immediately triggers a change in vibes. The space is calm and cozy. The focal point of the room is the large bar and the lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Check in for our reservations was quick and we were immediately seated. Their dinner menu is straight forward and offers a decent amount of options. Their menu has dot on the recommended items which makes deciding easier. We ordered the grilled gyoza, chicken karaage, ichibo steak, and half order of the spicy tuna don. For drinks I ordered the Yukari Lychee-Tini. The food grilled gyoza is perfectly crisp and served with a shoyu, sesame, and rice vinegar dipping sauce. The chicken kaarage was also crispy and fresh out of the fryer. The half order of the spicy tuna don was the perfect serving size and served with negi, gari, wasabi, and nori. Our favorite dish was the ichibo steak which was grilled over charcoal. The Yukari Lychee-Tini was a refreshing mix of vodka, lychee puree, salted simply syrup, and lime juice. Overall, a great dinner spot. We will definitely try their soba noodles next time we're in town. read more

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There wasn't that much people in the restaurant during lunch time but our food took a long time to come out of the kitchen. We only ordered 3 dishes. The waiter did apologized. The beef curry wasn't too good. The Uni Ikura donburi is expensive $20 for such a tiny bowl, but it tasted so good. I savored and ate the entire bowl. I didn't care much for the lunch menu. There just wasn't a whole lot that I'd eat. I prefer the dinner menu. read more

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I was disgusted with the lack of attention. I arrived frazzled and had two suitcases with me. They ignored me, and watched me struggling to get in side with two cases. I then asked if I could sit anywhere. They said give me a sec and then I was ignored again. The restaurant was half full. They told me they were fully booked, and I was like but you have got loads of tables empty. I then asked if I could sit at the bar. They said yes. I then asked a female bar staff if I could charge my phone. This seemed to put her out. She plugged the phone in and did not ask if I wanted to order anything. My intention was to get a meal and drink. Then a male bar tender, said you can't charge your phone here. And gave me it back. I said the female bartender said it was ok and he said, he could not have cables at the back of his counter. I asked if there was another place to charge my phone. He said he did not know. The attitude was very hostile and was all very rude. I sat there and was ignored again, and then he eventually said can I get you a drink and I said no actually you can't and then I struggled back out again with my suitcases. Appalling. read more

This was our first time visiting Kaimuki Shokudo. Since it was a cold day, we ordered hot kake soba with some tempura. We really enjoyed it. To finish, we had pumpkin zenzai, and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you for such a comforting dinner on a chilly day. read more

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Okay izakaya experience overall. The staff at the bar was attentive and decor is beautiful. Maybe we didn't order the right things, but the food was just alright. I tried a few different dishes and the mochi cheese spring rolls were probably the most tasty and fun. I was excited for the Kamameshi, thinking that if it's one of the more expensive items on the menu PLUS if there's a 30-40 min wait time for it, that it must be good. It was unfortunately average at best, and I felt like it tasted like something that I could easily cook at home. I think the vibes in general seem fun and would be better if I came on a date or with friends mainly for drinks. If you aren't able to get a reservation, bar seating is first come first serve. read more

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Solid food. Overall good experience. Great service. Our favorite item was the brick toast dessert! The yellowtail was also delicious! The tempura was ok, not the best. Some dishes also could have better presentation like the scallops. They were just piled on top of each other like my mom bringing out her dish from her kitchen. Love the decor inside but could see signs of aging. The place could be a little cleaner. The menu was sticky and bathroom needed some attention. Also, we could use the chase sapphire reserve dining credit here which was the main reason why we came here. Overall good experience! read more

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Kaimuki Shokudo continues to remind me why Kaimuki is such a special neighborhood for food. From the moment you walk in, there's a calm, welcoming energy that makes it easy to settle in and slow down. It strikes that perfect balance between casual and thoughtful -- comfortable enough to be a regular spot, but with food that feels elevated. We ordered a mix of sushi, tempura, and the chirashi bowl, and every single dish delivered. The uni bowl was the star of the table. The uni was rich and creamy, and the portions were generous without feeling excessive. Every bite felt balanced, and you could tell care went into both the quality and presentation. The sushi was equally impressive -- simple, clean, and well-executed. No unnecessary frills, just fresh fish and properly seasoned rice, which is exactly how it should be. The tempura came out hot and perfectly crisp, light without being greasy. It had that delicate crunch that lets the ingredients shine instead of overpowering them. What made the experience even better was the service. The staff were genuinely friendly, attentive, and created that effortless hospitality that makes you feel like you've been coming here for years. Places like this are why I love dining in Kaimuki. Great food, warm people, and an overall experience that makes you look forward to coming back. This is easily a spot that earns repeat visits. read more

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Haven't ate at Shokudo in years! When they were originally at their primary location in the Ala Moana Pacific Center Building, now this will be my first visit to Kaimuki Shokudo. Menu seems to be similar from way back when, various sushi, udon, katsu don, and the infamous honey toast for dessert. Wide selection of alcoholic beverages both Japanese and domestic liquor to choose from. Better to make a reservation as seating during lunch hours got very busy on a weekday. There is a municipal parking that shares with many other restaurants and other types of businesses in Kaimuki. Very clean with Japanese style decorations. Happy Hour Lunch specials were available. It's good to be back at one of my favorite Japanese restaurants. read more

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Was craving soba and this place really hit the spot. They have a large lunch menu with tons of options, from cold and hot soba, sushi and rice dishes, so there's something for everyone! Our server Kimi was very sweet and gave great recommendations, which made the experience even better. We were way too full to try dessert this time, but the brick toast is already calling my name, so we will definitely be back to try more from the menu! FYI - There is a parking lot area around the building and they do not validate parking read more

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This is for the Yakitori Hachibei Experience Very unorganized way of handling the pop-up with open table. Made reservations but soon thereafterI called to confirm it would be for the pop-up and not for regular dine-in since on the Instagram link I did not find a section for the pop-up (although I put it in the notes section when I made my reservation) After confirming I was told that I had lost my reservation even though I called to confirm it was for the pop-up and not regular dine-in. I was called back that they had an opening for me for the pop-up and told me to call them back. Upon calling back to take the spot I was told it was taken and spots were gone. After being screwed both times I don't think I will ever be back to eat at this establishment because of how things were handled. Periodt. read more

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Restaurant week adventure with friend and Yelp Elite All Star Donna O. Great suggestion Donna O. to try Kaimuki Shokudo. Reasonably priced Restaurant Week Teishoku Specials at $18. Lots of parking in the adjacent paid parking lot. Limited street metered parking. Restrooms are available inside the restaurant as well. Outdoor seating available, however, it's street side so it may be noisy and dusty out there. Service is good. Attentive as best they could with a packed restaurant. Water refilled and there was only a couple of times we needed to get our server's attention. It was very busy. Only glitch was that she forgot to remove one of our drink orders from the bill. I needed to return to the restaurant to have it credited back. Overall 4/5 stars. Food: We both ordered from the Restaurant Week Teishoku Specials. I ordered the Washugyu Sukiyaki Beef, Maguro Sashimi, Okinawan Sweet Potato Salad with hot soba. Overall a good Teishoku meal. I personally found the Sukiyaki sauce too sweet for my taste buds. The meat had chewy texture and did not appear to be of good quality. The Okinawan Sweet Potato salad was delicious. The hot soba was nice and chewy noodles The sashimi tasted fishy and unfortunately not fresh. Overall, a 3.5 star rating. Donna O. Ordered the same Restaurant Week Teishoku, but with the Grilled Saba and Hamachi sashimi. Everything else was the same. Donna also ordered a side of kabocha pumpkin tempura. We shared our main course and sashimi to try each option. I preferred the grilled Saba. It was tasty, moist inside and had a great grilled taste to the fish. 5/5 stars. The kabocha pumpkin tempura was served piping hot with a dipping sauce. This was great as well 4/5 stars. Not oily and flavorful. The Hamachi sashimi fell a bit short of tasting fresh. It was a bit chewy and fishy tasting, (yes, I know it's raw fish, but the taste was off), similar to the maguro. 2/5 stars. Overall, 4/5 stars mostly due to the great tasting grilled Saba! I hope everyone gets to try a Restaurant Week feature! Thanks Donna! read more

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Shokudo has a large bar, my date and I decided to go for Izakaya but every place I called had a two hour plus wait. This was our first time trying Shokudo which is the only place that had an opening without a two hour wait. We sat at the bar, the food was excellent, shared a pitcher of Orion and a sake flight. Great ambience that you would not expect when you come down the stairs from the rear parking lot which offers ample metered parking. I forgot to take a photo of the Ahi Tataki which was my date's absolute favorite. Melt in your mouth ahi, though it did have a LITTLE bit of muscle. Warm, inviting and tasty, Shokudo Kaimuki is on my go to list! read more

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Kaimuki Shokudo is a hidden gem in Honolulu that delivers an authentic Japanese dining experience with a modern twist! The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with wooden accents and a lively izakaya vibe that makes you feel like you've stepped into a cozy Tokyo eatery. It was weekday but we waited about 20minute to get seated. The star of the show? Their soba. I tried tenzaru soba my favorite: chilled, refreshing, and served with a rich dipping sauce that's both savory and satisfying. Whether you're in the mood for something light or hearty, their soba menu has something for everyone! read more

Kaimuki Shokudo - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My friends gave me a gift card to Shokudo because they're always on the lookout for dog-friendly places, and this was one of them. They had called ahead and were able to sit outside with their dog, which is a nice option to have. We were able to get a later dinner reservation, which worked out well. The menu at this location was smaller than the Beretania one, and the portions were also on the smaller side. I'd consider this spot more of a pupu or pau hana place, especially since the bar looked really impressive. It worked out well for us since none of us eat a lot, but it's worth noting that most dishes require ordering a side of rice separately. Overall, a pleasant experience, just good to know what to expect going in. read more

Kaimuki Shokudo - Hamachi Donburi (no green onions) and Chicken Karaage - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Stopped by Kaimuki Shokudo for their Restaurant Week $18 Teishoku special. Added a sushi roll to share and ended up perfectly full: the rare sweet spot between 'satisfied' and 'I need a nap' lol. My teishoku lineup: hamachi sashimi, washugyu sukiyaki beef, mini soba, rice, and the Okinawan sweet potato salad...which deserves its own applause. That potato salad was crazy good, I could eat a whole bowl without shame. Wish they would make this Teishoku set a regular lunch item! Hamachi was clean and buttery, the tender sukiyaki beef had great flavor, and everything felt balanced. We also split the aburi garlic mayo salmon roll, which was creamy, lightly torched, but I do wish there was more of that signature aburi flavor. Service was genuinely friendly and attentive, and the ambiance nails that clean, understated, Japan-inspired calm. Took me way too long to come here, already planning to come back for their dinner menu which leans more izakaya style. Great value, great food, dangerously addictive potato salad. Would 100% return. read more

Kaimuki Shokudo - Aburi garlic mayo salmon roll - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This was a really unsatisfying meal overall. Most of what we ordered was fried, and unfortunately that turned out to be a poor choice. Nearly everything tasted over fried and poorly battered. After we left, I looked at photos of the food from other reviewers, and what we were served looked noticeably worse in comparison. I didn't feel comfortable sending most of the food back, but the fried items, especially the tempura and chicken karaage, were poorly colored and had that unmistakable taste of oil that had been overused. The scallops were also overcooked, very chewy, and arrived barely warm. Service was also disappointing. Our drink didn't come out until the meal was almost finished. The only thing I genuinely enjoyed, and what kept me from fully regretting choosing this restaurant, was the honey toast. I'm not sure if this was just an off night, but the experience didn't match the high Yelp rating or the level of busyness in the restaurant. I hope it truly was just an off night because I would love to see a local restaurant succeed. read more

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This place was a letdown. I was looking forward to dining here, but the experience fell flat. Some of the food items were tasty but the majority of the food was not memorable and average at best. The Chirashi Bowl was disappointing. They minced everything in the bowl. Wished they would've stated that on the menu. I was expecting slices of sashimi but received what looked like diced pieces of fish and other items mixed together. The duck in the soba was presented nicely but extremely chewy and not enjoyable. The service was poor and the food preparation timing needs to be assessed by their chefs. Our food arrived at all different times. Some of the people in my party were done eating while others were not yet served. No apology from the staff. You would expect a Ikura Don to be quick, but it was one of the last items to show up along with two sushi rolls. The restaurant is modern with wood paneling and a nice bar at the center of the restaurant. As others have mentioned, this restaurant seems to be fixated on reservations. Each party that we saw come in was asked if they had a reservation even though there were tables available, which was odd. This was a check on my list of places to try, but will not return. read more

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Ordered the Washugyu beef set with rice, which was one of the dishes featured for Restaurant Week, and it did not disappoint. The beef was incredibly tender and flavorful, with just the right amount of richness without feeling heavy. Each bite was juicy and well-seasoned, letting the quality of the meat really shine. The rice paired perfectly with the beef, soaking up all the savory juices and balancing the richness. The portion size felt just right -- filling without being overwhelming. For a Restaurant Week offering, this felt like great value and still very high quality. I'd absolutely order this again. read more

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Kaimuki Shokudo has become one of those places that just feels good to be at. While the menu is a bit smaller than the original, the food quality is still excellent and honey toast is still on the menu. The restaurant itself has a cozy neighborhood vibe with a great ambiance, whether you're stopping by for lunch, pau hana, or dinner. There's bar seating, comfortable tables inside, limited outdoor seating, and familiar touches like their bamboo window shades and warm lantern lighting. Parking is relatively easy for Kaimuki, with a paid ticketed lot behind the restaurant (not validated) as well as metered street parking. Food-wise, there are some real standouts. The Spicy Ahi Donburi is still a favorite -- just note that the small is more of an appetizer, while the large works as a light meal. The Karaage Chicken was tender and flavorful, and while the fries were just okay, the sides overall are worth exploring. Service can feel a bit stretched when the restaurant is full, but overall the experience, food, and atmosphere make Kaimuki Shokudo a place worth returning to. It's a welcome addition to the neighborhood and a solid choice whether you're a longtime fan or trying it for the first time. read more

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Menu Check . After weathering out bipolar rain, wind and sunshine at the beach, we followed Yelp pics n our noodle cravings to Shokudo. Sadly, majority of their SOBA options are only available during LUNCH ): At dinner, the selection is reduced to 3 - kake, zaru and uni. Kake is the only soba served hot so went with that. It was great...just a little bummed I couldn't get one with more substance. . So...happily ordered sides to supplement! Gyoza, karaage chicken and kabocha tempura completed my meal perfectly. Finished it all up with a classic honey toast for dessert - I was with friends so obvi shared. . Good service n izakaya vibes are mellow until the dinner crowd arrives cranking up the room volume. . At this point, I accept I'm just old and will always miss the original Ala Moana Shokudo. . じゃあ, それはそれで read more

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