First time to visit but not my last. Location, ambiance, service, staff, & food were all excellent. Eager to return and try one of their many dishes on their menu. Add Kenko Ya to your list. read more

It was my first time trying. My SO and our friend have been before. It was a Wednesday evening. Got there at 5:30pm and got seated. The setting has a good vibe to it. By 6pm, had people waiting for a table. We had the nabeyaki udon, tenzaru soba and I ordered the yosenabe. The dashi for the yosenabe was a little on the light side, but of course, it comes with ponzu to dip. It was ono. We all enjoyed our food. I wish I asked our server for her name because she was attentive and good fun. Talked and joked with her. She welcomed people as they walked in with a smile. A teen came in and said "Hi Aunty. Just two of us tonight". She replied with "Hi Bebeh, get da two seater table in the middle. Go ahead and take um". When you hear that kine talk, it's such a good feeling. You know what I mean? No doubt when I'm on the Windward side, I going again and again. read more

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Kenkoya is one of our go-to casual dinner places in Kaneohe. It is the perfect place for some butterfish. Their butterfish is soft, flaky, and cooked to perfection. Our favorite is the combination meals with either miso butterfish, mochiko chicken, or chicken katsu. The bento meals are hefty, and we always have leftovers! The Philadelphia tempura maki hits the spot if you're looking for a fried maki roll. Nabeyaki udon was decent, but nothing to rave about. The Hamachi Kama portion is big for the price, very meaty, and delicious. read more

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Kenko Ya is definitely our favorite Japanese food place on the island. We always go there if we are craving Japanese food. Service & food is always a 10/10. (The workers there really do take care of their customers) The sukiyaki & combination bento is super yummy & definitely worth the price too! I always will recommend Kenko Ya for good Japanese food. read more

Kenko Ya - Combination Meal ( Ahi Sashimi & Mochiko Chicken) - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Located across Windward Mall in Kaneohe, sits a hidden gem of delicious Japanese food. First service here at the Kenko Ya Restaurant and it was comfortable, relaxing & overall great! I had the Ahi/ Salmon sashimi with assorted Shrimp/Veggie tempura that came with rice, salad greens & thousand isle dressing, miso soup and other side dishes. Hubby had the Sizzling rib eye steak and that smelled soooo delicious! Waitress very friendly and helpful. We ended with some delicious hot tea and was pleased with the food & quality service. read more

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Best service ever food was hot the waitress was the bomb welcomed us with positive energy. Friendly environment.

Hungry for some Japanese food while in Kaneohe?!? Check out Kenko-Ya. They just moved to their new location closer to Long's in the same mall. This place is a little bigger with the same amount of parking. Matter of fact, because of this new location, the parking situation is better. Family owned business with a friendly staff and really good Japanese food. The place is clean and the employees practice clean hygiene. You'll need to visit this place often to get a taste of their many dishes. I know I'll be back soon!! read more

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Love coming here for their bento box combinations. Service is always great, warm and welcoming. They have a new bigger location, located in the same shopping center, just in the corner by tastys and t-mobile. Like I said I get the bento box combination. You can get 1, 2 or 3 choice. This time I got 3 choice, Which consisted of, Ahi & Salmon Sashimi, vegetable tempura and Unagi. All bento boxes comes with appetizers that consist of, Miso soup, edamame and sprouts. With your bento box comes rice and salad with a thousand island dressing. I also ordered a side order of natto nigiri. The food was delicious as always and never disappointed. I love this new location, more spacious and they have their own bathroom inside the restaurant . Highly recommend. read more

Kenko Ya - Bento box 3 Combination - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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First time eating at KENKO YA after great reviews by other friends. Ordered 2 conbination sashimi and tempura. Combo did not disappoint. The miso soup came out piping hot, which I liked. Service was excellent. Very friendly and attentive. Patrons kept coming in after us around 4:30. By 5:00 restaurant was busy on a Saturday night. Lots of parking in the private lot. read more

Ordered Teishoku( Saba ) on 09-13-25. Very disappointed with the taste (fishy), Saba was not charbroiled on one side. Paid $27.00 My opinion, was not worth it. Ambience good. Cashier/Ordered taker Stephanie was very attentive and apologized for my extended wait time to receive my takeout due to a Larger order prior to mine. Ordered this a few times before and it was Grilled to perfection. Could have gone to another restaurant but chose Kenko Ya. Will reconsider in future. read more

Definitely decent local city teishoku Japanese food. Absolutely passes for reasonable grinds.

They are located in the Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center, next to Longs, across Windward Mall; with lots of parking. The food was pretty good. I had the three choice combo - Butterfish Misoyaki, Tempura , & Sashimi. The rest of our party of nine seemed to enjoy their food as well. Sorry, forgot to take pics. Service was top notch & extra special as our young waitress went over & beyond. She found a $100 bill under our table after we left & came running out & caught me. How honest is that; pretty rare if you ask me. read more

Food: 4.5 Service:2.5 Came about 7:30 on a Friday night and I was surprised we only had to wait about 15 minutes. Hostesses were great. Our server not so much. We didn't get our appetizers or miso soup. Then i asked if they had hand rolls and he said yes so we ordered two salmon skin hand rolls. Then this lady brings out 2 full size rolls. Before i could say anything my SO just agreed to take it and said we can eat it tomorrow. Food was excellent. The butter fish was soft and flavor full. The tempura was not overly battered and had a nice crunch to it. The salmon skin roll and spider roll had a good portion of filling in it. Even the rice was good. I dont eat alot of rice but i couldnt help myself it was so delicious. Our server never came back until he brought the check so had to ask someone else for more water. Also asked him for a takeout container and he took so long ended up asking someone else. I would definitely go back for the food but after wanting to try this place for so long, our server really ruined the experience for you. read more

Kenko Ya - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Love the new place. More seating! Wait time not to bad. 3 choice is my go to. Shrimp Tempura is always Crispy. Spicy tuna is a always a hit. And fresh sashimi. Bentos come with a side of edamame, bean sprouts, and miso soup. Very full filing. Staff is very friendly and tentive. 5 stars read more

Kenko Ya - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

My wife reminded me to go back to Kenko Ya. I got lost and headed to the wrong side of the mall. She said they moved closer to Longs. OmG. I remember how packed in we use to be at the old location. This side is nice. Food was perfect. The service was attentive and the food came quickly. A definite go for the food, people and ambiance. read more

Food and service were amazing. We ordered sushi, tempura udon, misoyaki butterfish and a few other dishes. I don't think you can go wrong with what you order. Also, we arrived there a little before closing and they didn't turn us away or rush us out after they closed. We will return and eat there again soon. I'll have to update my review with more pictures. read more

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I was craving sushi tonight and came across this place on Yelp that had a nigiri bento that looked spectacular! I called in my order and the friendly lady said it'll be $17 plus tax and it'll be ready in 15 min. Perfect! They're located in the Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center near Safeway (off to the side). It's a little hole in the wall with plenty of parking available. When I arrived, the cashier seemed very busy taking phone orders (and she multi-tasked very well)! No one was seated inside, but there were customers coming in for take out orders. My nigiri bento came with 9 pieces, which comes out to about $2 a piece. Not too bad! It included hamachi, salmon, ahi, ikura, tamago, unagi, ebi, tobiko & ika. It really is a great sampler! The fish slices were generous, but I wish they used sushi rice instead of plain rice, thus the 4 stars instead of 5. I ordered my food to go and took it to the beach, and they put several shoyu packets plus a chopstick and napkins inside my bag. In addition to sushi, they have a variety of other Japanese options such as donburi, noodles, combo plates (tempura, chicken, beef, etc). I would return again if / when I'm craving Japanese food. read more

Kenko Ya - Nigiri bento to go. $17 for 9 pieces. Tasty but they don't use sushi rice (just regular rice). - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Nice spot next to Longs Drugs across from Windward mall. Lots of parking in the in the nearby shopping centers. Lots of food options on the menu, will definitely have something for everyone in your party. Service was great with the servers making sure we were all taken care of. Definitely need to come again to try more options! read more

Kenko Ya - Salmon - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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I am at 2% battery but NEED to write a review. The food was so delicious, we got: - sweet potato tempura - tiger roll - spicy hamachi roll Would order all of them again! Prices are reasonable & the team that works here is all so kind. Not my best photo but trust me, it was good! read more

Kenko Ya - Spicy Hamachi Crunch Maki, tiger roll and 53. Sweet Potato Tempur - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

The best Japanese food in Kaneohe! This has been our families go to spot since they opened! I have not had anything bad on the menu and I've tried everything! But my go to is the tenzaru soba with 6pc of maguro nigiri! Always perfect and extremely satisfying! Service was great for take out and the portions were great! This is a must try in the Kaneohe area! read more

Kenko Ya - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Everything was fresh and delicious. The staff was pleasant and the place is very clean. I got the chicken teriyaki with mixed tempura and I would definitely recommend! I honestly wouldn't come here on an empty stomach (I'm a big eater) but I did thoroughly enjoy my meal. The price matched the quality and quantity of the food. Convenient location next to longs. Plenty parking. read more

Kenko Ya - Mochiko chicken and shrimp and tempera tempura combo plate all salad no rice - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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They have moved to a new location still within the same shopping mall area, however located between Yummy Korean BBQ and Longs Drugstore. Now has a license for alcohol so beer, sake and limited wine selection available. Much larger dinning room area available, same friendly staff and service with the food just as good as the old location. read more

Kenko Ya - New location looking from the front entrance towards the back of the restaurant. - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Our server was great. Very attentive. The complimentary appetizers were great starters and appreciated. Food was great. read more

Kenko Ya - Combo 2 entrees. Teriyaki chicken and sushi. - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

We have been coming here for over 20+ years! Always FRESH sashimi and awesome friendly service!! The original spot, which was a well kept secret for us Kaneohe folks, was near L & L BBQ and Sumo Ramen but they outgrew that space. Now they're next to Long's where Ichiriki Hot Pot was formerly located in Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center. There's always a line, and a sign-up sheet inside ...but they're authentic and O I S H I no ka oe. Their 2 and 3 combination Teishoku are very popular. You can choose from Miso Butterfish, Tempura, Fried Oysters, Grilled Saba, Broiled Salmon, Fresh Ahi & Salmon Sashimi (5), Katsu, Teri beef, Spicy Ahi, and more. Special sushi rolls and nigiri sets including Hamachi are highlights too! The sizzling Butteryaki Rib Eye with onions ...with or without Lobster is always a treat! If you're feeling like a nice hot broth served up in an authentic cast-iron pot ...try the Yosenabe!! So ono on a cold rainy day or when you're feeling under the weather. Udon & Soba served also. They now serve Soju & Sake as well as beer. Yay! Before it was BYOB. I mean who doesn't like a Sashimi combo, side Hamachi Kama, and a cold Asahi? Go try. They won't disappoint! . I promise!! read more

Love the new space! Now next to Longs. Went on a Thursday evening with my sister, we were seated right away around 5:45pm. I've seen the lines on the weekend, they get pretty busy. We ordered three different rolls, calamari, and hot tea. The service was just okay today. We received our food in bursts but then had to flag down our waitress because our tea didn't come. (They also offer alcohol now, they used to be BYOB) Glad they have more room at this new location! Will be back, for sure. read more

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This place is AMAZING . Everything from the moment you walk in the door until you walk out the door is hands down exceptional. The minute you walk in your immediately greeted with a warm welcome. We came for lunch so didn't have to wait at all for a table, it was basically choose where ever we were most comfortable. The food is delicious. I chose the 3 choice bento box and my boyfriend got the broiled salmon. The tempura is prepared wonderfully, sashimi is nice generous size portions and melt in your mouth fresh. The broiled salmon portion is also very generous and delicious . All the staff were very attentive, and welcoming and didn't skip a beat throughout service. If you haven't tried this place yet you are missing out! I highly recommend giving it a try, you won't be disappointed. We will definitely be back soon. read more

My husband and i went for lunch today 9/20/24 we both ordered shrimp tempura plates... Within 30 minutes, we both had the runs, sore stomach & continue to belch up oily shrimp taste! We could hardly make it home to east honolulu! We will NEVER go back there! It's not worth getting sick! It's been ten hours and still belching the oily shrimp taste! Horrible! read more

Good Japanese food, great selections and cocktails. Very friendly staff. Lots of parking and convenient location in Kaneohe

I have loved this place for years now. This is where my family goes if we want to have a nicer dinner or celebrate a birthday. Last night when I dined in, the service was amazing, attentive, and fast as ever. The food is always very high quality and to me always seems ~soft~ lol but in a good way. I got the Nabeyaki udon which was very delicious and extremely filling. I asked for tempura flakes on top and they were very nice and put a bunch on top for me. So many delicious flavors and the udon noodles were so soft but not over cooked. My parents both got combo plates and they always get it with the butterfish. The teriyaki beef is soooo tasty. It's like a thin steak almost. Definitely get that!! The tonkatsu is okay. Overall- always a good experience. I saw a review earlier that said they didn't check vaccine cards, but they did. I liked sitting at the larger tables because it was farther away from other people. read more

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Hidden gem in Kaneohe. Reservations accepted here, recommended if you don't want to wait. Service good, came by many times to check if we needed anything. Ordered hot tea, they forgot to bring it. My salad didn't have any dressing. My unagi and butterfish was excellent. read more

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Excellent customer service and the food was great!!! The ahi tempura was cooked perfect and their bean sprouts was so delicious! Such a great experience!!! Definitely a going back sooner than later!!! read more

Literally I don't know why it's taken me so long to write a review for this place because my family and I eat here ALL THE TIME. When we want to treat ourselves to a family outing, THIS is our go to, all time favorite restaurant. The QUANTITY blows my mind away as I can never finish my meal. But the quantity does NOT sacrifice the QUALITY of this amazing Japanese food!!! The batter for fried things like mochiko chicken and tempura is the perfect amount without feeling over oily. I appreciate the quality that goes into making these delicious meals! Absolutely a great dine-in or takeout dinner idea for a date night or family outing. I'm never disappointed with the food and friendly service I always get! read more

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Everything there is so good, I mean everything! The wait staff are knowledgeable and attentive.

My favorite place to go to for Japanese food in Kaneohe. My go to teishoku choices are the misoyaki butterfish, salmon, saba, spicy tuna, sashimi & the mochiko chicken. - The chicken sukiyaki is great on a cold day. Just be careful because it comes out in a cast iron bowl that'll burn you if touched in the first few minutes. - I really enjoy the flavor of their spicy tuna. But beware because it's really spicy. Its the spiciest spicy tuna I've ever eaten. It's great if you need to clear up a stuffy nose. - The steak is flavorful and it comes with onions and mushrooms. But the meat is usually too fatty for my liking. read more

Kenko Ya - I forgot what this was called. I think it was a shrimp tempura roll with spicy tuna. - Japanese Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

The second time around and it was business as usual. The food and taste was there. The service was good but the staff seemed rushed. There was one served that was walking really fast trying to turn the tables but she kept her composure. Some of the flaws I have seen on the second time around. They got our credit card mixed up because they asked us if we would like to change tables due to a party of eight? Which was fine. It didn't matter to us. Another server took my edamame when I wasn't done. When you work in a small environment and you only have so much tables to work with? You can only do so much. The people waiting outside didn't seem like anything more from the last time we were there. With all that being said? As a staff member? Once all the tables are being occupied? The best you can do is to make sure all your customers are taken care of in a timely manner without being rushed. More efficiency and communicating with your team. This place is still good and the food is great. Hope all the minor details can be fixed and customers not being rushed. Some places let you dine for an hour and a half or so? Some even have sighs posted at the tables. Our first time there a five star was giving. This second time around? I thought a four star was fair. read more

I heard somewhere that if a restaurant has more than 3 stars the service is likely better than the food. If it's rated at 3 stars the food is good and the service sucks. As you can see from my rating the service was very good and the experience overall was pleasant. I don't want to bore you too much with my review about the food because I literally read my exact same feelings about the food in other reviews already so I'll keep it to the point. Food was fresh and prepared well. Portions were large and the two of those things combined I suppose that can justify the price. Also inflation, so it makes sense, but I don't have to like it i would've felt better paying around $18 for a 2 combo plate. This is a good spot, if you're cheap or broke though, there are probably better options around. read more

First time here on a Friday afternoon for an early dinner and we were pleased to try a new-to-us restaurant. There were 3 parties when we arrived and were told we could sit anywhere. The staff was quick and attentive, we ordered and the sushi came first and speedy. We were seated closest to the take out window/counter and could hear the conversations with various patrons and being the massive customer service snob I am, they get 5 stars for this. They know their customers by name! "Hi Richard! How's Mary?" and "Hello Mr. Shima! No chicken for your wife today?" to which Mr. Shima replied that she wanted noodles instead. My heart melts for good customer service with old folks, the more stubborn version of children. Anyway, the food! Pricey. But all Japanese food is on the expensive side so I expected that. My daughter and I shared a 3 choice combo meal (tonkatsu, ahi tempura, shrimp & vegetable tempura), the Little got the chicken katsu teishoku (rice miso soup and green salad with thousand island dressing) and the Mister ordered the zaru soba (cold) that comes with tempura. We also shared sushi: Rainbow Roll, Spicy Ahi Crunch Maki and 6pc Ebi Nigiri. Everything was delicious! But I learned the next morning that the Mister had an upset stomach and many trips to the bathroom overnight. Be careful if you're sensitive to raw fish. read more

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First time here. Recommended by my Aunt. She told me my Uncle didn't like to eat Japanese because the portions are so tiny but he loves this place for flavor & portion size... read more

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Their new site is beautiful..! We weee disappointed when they closed and are happy to learn that they moved to a new and better location. Food is as good as we remember and the help staff is excellent, outgoing, and outstanding... Ambiance is very high end including the restroom. Our only suggestion is to change the music. Does not fit the atmosphere... read more

This place has only gotten better since their move. No place on the island will you get a steak, lobster, and sashimi combination for this price. Butter steak is the way to go! Nothing more genuine than our waitress have a Japanese accent. read more