Kikuya is a hidden gem located behind Diners Drive-In on N King in Kalihi. I've been coming here for years with my mom for many lunches and dinners. This is definitely one of our go-to places when we both have a day off together. I'm very biased when I say I LOVE udon and 8 times out of 10 will order their Tanuki Udon... but sometimes I'll switch it up and order a lunch box and an order of Hamachi ala carte. Edamame, tsukemono (pickled cabbage), and another pickled veggie or sometimes fish (varies) normally starts your meal. Hot tea is served throughout your meal. Food is always awesome! The lunch box is always a popular menu choice, you can get two choices for about $13. Ahi katsu, chicken katsu, short ribs, butter fish, sashimi, you name it, it's all delicious. The staff is always friendly and service is quick! Be prepared for a wait if you come for prime time lunch hour or dinner hour. They fill up fast! read more

Kikuya - throwback photo of my chicken katsu & sashimi lunch box ! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Absolute WORST customer service I have ever had from a restaurant in my lifetime. Tried to order through GrubHub... 1) "Special" Tempura & California Roll - this was listed as available on GrubHub, but we were told after our order was delivered that it was a LUNCH ONLY item that was not available for dinner (obviously, we were ordering dinner); GrubHub charged us for the double order we put in, but Kikuya did not fulfill that part of the order, nor did they informed us prior to sending our food to us. Ding on Kikuya for not checking their GrubHub listings, and Ding on GrubHub for trying to rip us off by charging us for a dish that was not available. FAIL. 2) When we tried to call Kikuya directly about this matter, we got the run around. Workers do not have a good grasp of the English langauge, and we ended up talking in circles. After comparing notes with my other half, which we both talked to the "staff," we figured out they were switching the phone to at least 3 different people. When I asked the lady "What langauge do you speak?" She replied, "I speak English." To which I replied, "No, it is not English, as you have a very heavy accent." To which she replied with...nothing, crickets, dead air. After about 15 seconds, she goes "Hello?" FAIL. I don't know how this place gets so high reviews??? How do other customers avoid such incompetence??? We asked another acquaintance on Kikuya, and they said they had very bad experience with this restaurant. Folks, skip this place and just go to Hanyang next door - way better food and way better service! read more

Great , affordable lunch box special. I came here for lunch and really enjoyed the simplicity and value .

My friend took us here for lunch and the food was so delicious and the prices were so affordable I highly recommend this place for anyone who wants yummy affordable Japanese food this place is the place to go to! I ordered the butterfish and chicken katsu bento with shrimp tempura and it was so yummy the fish was so buttery melt in your mouth good, the chicken katsu was so fresh and crisply and so was the tempura it was one of most fluffiness shrimp tempura I have ever had. Definitely will be back! read more

I ordered shrimp tempura but it was actually prawns and I'm allergic to prawns. Didn't know until after I took a bite.

Good value Japanese restaurant in Kalihi. I had the triple combo of shrimp tempura, sashimi and butterfish $20. My son had the double combo of teriyaki chicken and teriyaki beef $17. My daughter had the double combo of nigiri sushi and mochiko chicken. Each combo comes with miso soup, salad, rice and tsukemono/fish. The portions are on the smaller side, but since I like small portions I was okay with it. The two shrimp tempuras was very straight and wasn't overpowered with batter. The tempura sauce sucked, but most places do. Whatever happened to graded daikon??? The sashimi was 4 pieces each of Ahi and salmon. The butterfish was 2 small steaks. My son said his food was flavorful and tender. He said it fulfilled him. My daughter's sushi was 3 pieces of fish and 1 tamago or egg. Kind of light on the plate. She didn't care for the chicken. I tried it and concurred. Parking is tight, but available. They share the lot with other businesses. Service was typical. All in all I'd eat here again if I'm in the vicinity. read more

See all

A friend and I were looking for a place to grab a bite to eat after ordering a few rainbow cakes from Dee lite bakery for a party. We were stumped on where to go. After turning here and there trying to decide where to go, we ended up at kikuya. It's a small little hole in the wall on north king street. Parking kinda sucks but the food here is pretty good so it kinda makes up for it! There are only a small hand full of tables an a small sushi bar!! They have a big menu for a small place! I ordered a two choice combo that came with a salad and miso soup and rice. I picked the assorted tempura and the steak. I had some hot tea to go with my meal. The service was good and food was good! I would definitely come back! read more

See all

Love getting the lunch box which has 2 choices (I always get miso butterfish and sashimi). Come with rice, salad, soy beans, tsukemono, shrimp tempura or 2 gyoza and miso soup! But they charge you extra if you're taking out cause of the boxes... Also like the ahi salad. Which actually has ahi, salmon and some kinda snapper. Maybe should just be called sashimi salad or something. LoL! read more

We ate here for fathers day yesterday, because my husband loves Japanese food and we wanted to try somewhere different from kabuki, gyotaku, etc. The food and service was great. We all ordered the 3 choice dinner. I got the tempura, butterfish, and steak with uni ala carte. Yum! The only downfall was that the tables and chairs were so close to each other, it's a tight squeeze to even walk through the aisles. read more

We enjoy coming to this hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant. The first time we attempted to come here, there was no parking, so we moved on. From the outside, the restaurant location doesn't look great. But once you walk in, the restaurant looks neat and clean. It's not a big place, so my suggestion is to come here for either lunch or catch an early dinner. Plus during these times, there is more parking available. I love ordering their set bento, that comes with your choice of two meats, salad, Japanese pickles (tsukemono), rice, and miso soup. I enjoy the miso butterfish and sashimi combo (ahi, hamachi, and salmon pieces). There is a sushi chef towards the door that prepares the sushi and sashimi items. The staff are also very nice. Servers offer green tea with your meal. Overall the prices here are reasonable. This is definitely one of our favorite Japanese restaurants on the island. read more

Kikuya - Got the miso butterfish and sashimi combo. Sampled mom's shrimp tempura. Meal also comes with miso soup. The food is fresh and delicious. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Second trip, solo. This is the place for delicious sushi and incredible service. Actually, everything I ordered was incredible. You will also be overwhelmed by the attentive service. The restaurant location seemed a little sketchy to me, still, I went inside alone. I was instantly greeted by the servers. I was told to pick any open seat I liked. Hot green tea, my favorite and water were promptly delivered to the table. A drink order was taken for other beverages. I do not drink alcohol but there was a selection of beers in a mini-fridge. The menu is extensive. I think there's something everyone will enjoy. My meal was delicious and portions were more than generous. I ordered a meal and it came with a fresh salad with unforgettable ginger dressing, delicious miso soup, some nice pickled veggies, edamame, steamed white rice, brown rice available by request. The service was phenomenal. I felt like I was visiting friends. These are lovely people with a passion for food and service. I will be going back again and again. read more

Found this place after searching for Japanese food for Girl's Day. Soooo glad we did! Delicious, good-sized portions and good price for all you get! We ordered ahi katsu, grilled salmon, miso butter fish, garlic shrimp, udon, California rolls and ahi steak. The meals came with miso soup, rice and either shrimp tempura or vegetable tempura. Nice people as well! We will definitely be back! read more

Haven't been here in a while. Birthday girl at work chose this place and we all loved what we got. The lunch special is reasonably priced at $12.95 and you get 2 choices plus rice, miso soup, salad and one piece of tempura. I got the ahi steak and butterfish with shrimp tempura. It really is just enough food and lunch is my main meal. Coworkers got the short ribs tuna teriyaki butter fish. You get the idea. There's something for everyone and service is quick!!! We will be back and soon! read more

Food. 5 stars Value 5 stars Service. 5 stars Parking. 4 stars Cleanliness. 4 stars Good food. Good rice. No complaints. read more

I've been here a few times, lunch and dinner. I usually have the chirashi, but have had sashimi and other dishes in the past. The chirashi comes with tsukemono as an appetizer, and miso soup. Depending on what you order, it usually comes with accompanying side plates. I feel that some of the dishes are slightly overpriced for what you get (I think there is better food elsewhere at about the same price). I don't particularly like the spicy ahi (it's heavy on the siracha), but the fish is otherwise good. Usually the cut of fish is also good, though last time I had some stringy cuts. But, the atmosphere is relaxed, and even when it's crowded there is usually at least one or two tables free at any point in time. Parking is tight, but there is also street parking out the back. read more

This is our go to place for Japanese food. I usually alway get the the combo special with shrimp tempura and Teri beef. Price is good and service is excellent. read more

Food was above average. Service was quick. Prices average... not too expensive. .... Go Early !!! They open at 11:00 and Close at 2:30 Then re-open at 5:00 to 9:30 pm. No must, no fuss. .. just good eats ! Solid 4 , maybe 4.5 stars read more

A hidden gem!! Outstanding local style service and fantastic food. High quality Japanese food at an affordable price.

Came here on a weekday when work colleagues couldn't decide what to eat for lunch. It looks like a small little hole in the wall on north king street. Parking is a bit difficult since it is located in a small shopping center. I really did not expect to find such a gem of a place with excellent sashimi and fresh fish! It looks like every meal comes with a bowl of miso soup and tsukemono. The poke was delicious with a little kick. The rice was actual sushi rice tasting a little sweet and vinegary and the portion was nicely sized as well. They have a lunch special for a reasonable $12 and you get a lot of food. The place looks like it gets pretty busy so the staff are running around but they still find time to refill waters and tea. Overall I would recommend this place for a nice casual lunch for good Japanese food. read more

Kikuya - Spicy Ahi don - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Nice small place to eat Japanese food. The food is great but the price is a little high so I dropped a star. I highly recommend this place to eat at, they have very good service which is nice to have these days. read more

Ha ha ha. I guess it's Japanese miniaturization at work. Like in Japanese cars, electronics, dogs, gardens and trees. The food at Kikuya is "model". Not as in exemplary. As in ¼ scale. I ordered the "Lunch Box". For $10.95, you get 2 choices from ahi steak, katsu, or teriyaki, beef teriyaki, butterfish misoyaki, chicken teri, katsu, or wing, short ribs, salmon, sashimi, or tonkatsu + vegetable or 1 piece shrimp tempura or 2 pieces gyoza + Rice, miso soup, salad, and tsukemono. Sounds like a good deal right? But my salmon, ahi steak, and shrimp tempura were ¼ the size of what I've gotten at other Japanese restaurants. For the price, fair I guess. I marveled at the cook's knife skills to slice the salmon and ahi so thin and not have them vaporize when thrown on the fire. The taste was fine. What little of it I could make out from such small pieces. Shrimp? What shrimp? Where? The miso soup was hot and had bits of wakame and little cubes of tofu in it. The salad of iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, and carrot was dressed in a thin, watery miso dressing. I appreciate the effort, but both were just a bit above "bland". For lunch, portions sensible...for fashion models trying to make weight. I got the distinct sense that this place would be pretty good if they weren't trying to stretch their dollars, and diners, so THIN. read more

Wow seriously a hidden gem in kalihi. Finding kikuya wasnt very hard at all, just head over to new diners (near farrington highschool) & its literally right in that same area. Interesting to actually see whats behind there, since Ive only ever gone to new diners. Definitely will be back here! the combo plates are worth it. You get 2-3 choices all under $20 They have the usually teishoku style entrees, which were all prepared per usual style. (Comes with rice, salad & miso soup + entree(s) I had the salmon & tempura combo. The tempura was so fresh & crispy. Our bill came out to just a little over $40 and i even ordered scallop sushi. Not bad. :) read more

Whenever I am in Kalihi during lunch time and I am craving Japanese, I always go to Kikuya. It is a tiny restaurant, but their menu has quite a bit of choices. I always get their lunch combos. For $14, I got assorted sashimi, butterfish, and tempura. The assorted sashimi is the highlight. They give 4 slices of ahi, 3 slices of salmon, and 3 slices of white snapper. Very ono! To me, what you get is worth the price. I also got a side order of spicy tuna roll. They are generous with the sushi portions. Their rolls are pretty big, but I am not a fan of too much mayonnaise in my spicy tuna rolls, so that's the only thing that can be improved. Other than that, check Kikuya out on your own! read more

Kikuya - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I LOOOVE this little hidden gem! No one appreciates a good restaurant in the ghettos more than me... Kikuya is located fairly close to my house, in the Kalihi neighborhood. They reside in the same lot as New Diners, and share the same parking lot. The restaurant itself is very clean and cute. They have lots of staff who are attentive and quick despite the high volume of customers that pass through. I ventured here for lunch one day with the boyfriend, and found the place packed with hungry patrons. After mulling over their menu (great diverse selection at extremely reasonable prices), we both opted for their lunch special. For only $10.95, you get a 2 choice bento, complete with miso soup, rice, and tsukemono. They offer a similar dinner special, at a slightly higher price ($14.95- 2 choice, a couple bucks more for 3 choices). -Butterfish: so soft and flaky, melt in your mouth deliciousness. Albeit, the piece of fish is a little on the small side, but it doesn't really matter because you can order an extra side of it for just $4.95...DEAL! -Sashimi: 3 thinly sliced pieces each of ahi, salmon, and hamachi. The fish was fresh and good. No stringy thingys here. -Tonkatsu: Lightly fried to a nice golden brown, they give a very generous portion of tonkatsu. The meat was tender and moist, not dry like some places that over fry it. Overall, I'd say that Kikuya lives up to its reviews, and is definitely worth a visit.. ESPECIALLY if you're in the neighborhood looking for some good ol' Japanese dining. read more

This place is amazing! Great food an portion! I typically go for the lunch box or the 3 choice dinner combo and there's always more than enough food. Besides the food, their customer service is also great! I love eating at kikuyu and always look forward to a meal here! read more

JAPANESE FOOD IN KALIHI? I've never really associated Kalihi with Japanese food, but I decided to give this place a shot after finding out the Yanagi was going to be an hour wait. Kikuya is a bit of a hole in the wall and you would never know it was there driving by on King Street. My first impression was decidedly negative as they tried to seat my party of five on their "patio". The furniture was plastic and there was a dumpster on the other side of the wall that REEKED. 'No f-ing way', I proclaimed...so we moved to the sushi bar instead. I ordered the oyako-don which was a solid choice, but I made a grave error and went with the 'Kalihi roll' which was a California roll topped with eel, tobiko, and a "special sauce". I don't know what I was thinking, because 9/10 times "special sauce" equals a sh*t load of mayonnaise. I'd say the guy used at least 3/4 cup of mayo on top my roll. It was FOUL. I think next time, I'll just wait the hour at Yanagi. read more

Co-worker suggested this place for dinner and I was very impressed. We went about 8p and parking was limited. It was a Friday nite and there are other bars in complex. When you look at it from outside, the inside is not what I was expecting. It was a small and cozy place. Wasn't crowded for a Friday nite so we were served right away. I ordered a 3 choice combination special of sashimi(Ahi/salmon), tonkatsu, & shrimp/veg tempura. All this for $19.95. Pretty good considering other places for a 3 combo special is between 25-30 dollars. There are other choices besides what I chose. I also ordered from the sushi bar a Uni and hamachi nigiri. The uni nigiri was $17 for 2 pcs and was blah ok. But the hamachi was Ono. The combo comes with miso soup & salad. Everything I chose on the combo was VERY good & tasty. Overall, service was good, price for combination was AWESOME & Ono, the sushi was good except uni. Service was very well too, the 2 aunties there were polite and courteous. I will definitely be coming back to try other combo items. read more

See all

Since I wrote this review, I have been back about 7-8 times. They must have done away with the rubbery tako sashimi because it hasn't made an appearance since. The food has been perfect and the service even better. The prices have remained the same and the portions are very generous. I added 3 stars. Ima tellya. Kikuya deserves it. They have improved 110 percent. No kidding. I haven't had an imperfect meal in a year. And the more I go, the happier I am. So adding 3 stars? You bet! This is the veritable, "you can't see it from the street" restaurant. It is tucked away in a grungy, little strip mall in Kalihi but as far as I'm concerned it's worth the effort to find, at least once. I've read so many mixed reviews about Kikuya from, "smelly fish" to "freshest fish ever" and I can only testify to what I experienced the 3 times I've been there. I am a great believer that either a good restaurant strives for consistency or improves along the way. That's why only the 3 stars. The quality declined the more often I went. The first time I went there, I was surprised to find this little gem of a place in and amongst the worst parking ever but my fatso sister limps so we were able to use her handivan parking placard and get a space quickly. Once inside we were pleased to find a real sushi bar and a cool air conditioned room where the waitresses don't believe in letting you wait for anything. There is no carpeting and so the first thing you notice is the loud, scraping, banging chairs that drag and thud mercilessly the wooden floor at an uncomfortable decibel. I mean it's really deafening especially if the diners around you are being seated or leaving. Not exactly Zen. My virgin meal of shrimp tempura was the flakiest and sweetest ever! The sashiimi was thinly sliced to perfection, sweet and fresh, without a hint of odor of any kind. The miso soup was a tad too salty but the salad was tasty and crispy fresh! The broiled salmon was fatty and the skin puffed and crispy. The high quality rice was hot and expertly cooked. Four of us shared and sampled from tonkatsu to sushi and all dishes were tasty and first rate. The price was a comfortable 14.95 for each diner and we were stuffed aburage when we left the place, banging our bellies against the chairs with extra gusto. But the second and third time I went, the tempura was a thin stick of rigored shrimp and the batter was thick and heavy and not tasty at all. The octopus sashimi which had previously been razor thin and sweet was cut with one end so thick I had to chew and chew for a minute and then finally swallow the whole disgusting lump. Spit it out? Not for $14.95. Now the first time we went we were accompanied by a 6' 3", 200 lb. tattooed relative. Every square inch of him is muscle. Then the last time I went it was just my fatso sister and I. And believe it when I say that his presence always makes a difference. When he's with us, no matter the restaurant, we get comped or larger portions, etc. and I mean that in all honesty. I like it when he joins us for dinner and I mean that in all honesty too. Go figure. Anyway, the food has ranged from crispy and hot to soggy and mild. The sashimi from fresh and delectable to rubbery and well, rubbery! My point is, that the consistency at this restaurant isn't there and that's when a restaurant disappoints. If one more dinner there disappoints, I'm back to Hinone Misunone. If you don't have a fat limping sister with a handivan placard, leave the Escalade at home, take the bondo Corolla. Go twice, if you dare. Like Kikuya or not, the chairs will still grate at your ears, as you leave. read more

Went to wash my car and giy recommended to try this Japanese restaurant . I have lunch there ,order rainbow roll . I love it a lot ,everything was very fresh ,definetly will come back when will be in this area .Thank you read more

My friend just came home from Seattle and wanted to eat something cold. Something cold...hmm. She wanted Japanese food on a budget and not Genki's so I suggested Kikuya because it is close to where she lives. Five of us came in for lunch and we were quickly served water and teas. The lunch box special was a great deal. Two entree choices with miso soup, salad, tsukemono, and gyoza/tempura for only $9.95! That was an obvious choice for all of us. A few of us got the sashimi as one of the choices and I got short ribs as well. The portion sizes were good. For sashimi, you get three slices of salmon, ahi, and hamachi. The short ribs were kalbi...I should have known, it was Korean owned joint. One problem I had with the food was that everything lacking flavor. The tea was very weak, the miso soup wasn't that flavorful, the sauce for the gyoza/tempura tasted watered down and the sashimi was old and fishy tasting. My friend wanted something cold and the sashimi disappointed her because I ended up eating her portion. It was kind of disappointing but still edible. I really enjoyed the salad dressing though. The service wasn't that good since after the lady took our order, she did not check up once except to drop off the food and check. Food was okay but I definitely had better. Maybe it was lunch time and they skimp on the quality, who knows. I'll most likely be back since I'm in that area quite often. read more

You know, it wasn't bad for the price. I had a lunch set and it was okay. It included miso soup, rice and tsukemono, so I was happy. My wife, however, had shrimp ramen, and she was disappointed. The shrimp were these tiny little things, and they were of the dried-out variety. The parking was typical inner-city Honolulu: just wide enough to park your Japanese car in...as long as you have no intention of opening the doors! read more

Kikuya - Tsukemono and miso soup - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

A hidden gem of a Japanese restaurant! Good food, fast service and most important, priced right. For the family, should you need comfort food at a great value, stop in and satisfy your Japanese food craving. read more

Kikuya - Tenzaru soba - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great place for lunch, Lunch box w. choice of 2 entries comes with a shrimp tempura, rice & tea, if you are pressed for time, be there by 11:30, sashimi was good, butter fish awesome, The katsu is always good as well as the teri chicken. Always a steady crowd there, I would rate this a light to med lunch, portions are good but not plentiful. read more

What an amazing place! We called for a party of 20 &a they were so accommodating. She asked how many children &a high chairs we needed, so when we came in everything was already set up. The service was great! Our food came out pretty quickly especially with all the other customers there too. The combination plate is only $18.95! They give 10 pieces of fish for the sashimi..LOVE! Everyone loved the food! Plus they let us bring our own desserts & even stored it in their fridge!( just need to bring your own plates for it) We will definitely be back!!! read more

I am from Vegas and travel to Hawaii once a year on business or family trip. Vegas has a lot of good ayce sushi and yet this place is unbeatable in its freshness and size! Every time I go to Honolulu, this place is a must go to place for about 6 years already ever since my husband's local friend introduced us. Every year I noticed their growing business. This time I went soon after they opened around 11:20am and the restaurant was already packed! By the time I was done and left around 12:30pm, people were waiting. No surprise as the food has consistently been good, friendly staff, good service and portions are always generous!! I love their sushi and sashimi as they are always super fresh and the size is big. Ever since I tasted their tuna, I don't order tuna in Vegas anymore cuz I know it is not as good as here. Seriously it is the best and freshest tuna ever. One time I told the owner about this and she told me they own tuna boats and catch fresh tuna. No wonder it is that good!! I crave their tuna when i am back home. Their lunch or dinner combo is also my favorite. So many good options I cannot decide cuz they're all good. I love the ahi katsu, butter fish (melts in mouth), grilled new York steak and short rib. Their nabeyaki udon and zaru soba is very good and authentic. Their tempura is very crispy and nice color - seems like their oil is clean. Usually have to order all different menu between the family members so we can eat little bit of everything! I am always fast to dig in, I often forget to take pictures. This time I only managed to take pictures of nabeyaki udon and sushi. I really enjoyed them!! read more

Kikuya - Very fresh and generous portion sushi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

You would think that this place would be an authentic Japanese eatery but it's far from it. The inside restaurant consisted bamboo strewn walls, and a two middle layer on the roof that looks as if it's hiding something (duck taped ceiling). Food is extremely overpriced (especially for their sushi). A two set combo for dinner yielded $16.71 tax included, portions were really small and not worth the $16.71. I also ordered a spicy salmon roll (6 pieces--very small pieces) I'm not too sure if my roll was supposed to be cut that way but they were uneven (really obvious that it was uneven). Waiter did not do a good job in remembering our orders. We all got our foods but my friend whose order was sent to another table. The waiter did not to seem to notice the mishap in our orders until another waiter came by after flagging read more

Been coming here for years now and have never been disappointed. Consistent food that tastes great. Large portion for the price. Even during covid pandemic they served each dinner in 3-4 different containers each and never raised their prices. Gem of a neighborhood restaurant! read more

Excellent chirashi! The portion looked like it was small but it was filling! My parents took us here and I would definitely come back for the chirashi, it was really tasty and I thought very reasonable too. Easy parking as well which is a plus! read more

Kikuya - Yummy chirashi!!! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Going to Kikuya tonight. It is located behind Diner's in Kalihi- lots of parking, cute little place. It is near home, and pretty consistent. Lilke Kanoelani said, it is a Korean run joint that serves some decently priced Japanese cuisine. We always get the teishoku assortment at dinnertime- your choice of a number of dishes for under $20. They also have a full sushi bar, which is why my other half likes to go there. Good deals, and yummy food. I would recommend the miso butterfish and the karaage chicken. I am looking foward to it! read more

Never knew about this spot in Kalihi! Located behind the old Diners on King Street, this is another gem that Kalihi keeps surprising me with. Great prices for what you get!!!!! Excellent quality of did and service. It's like those places where our parents used to take us. Highly recommend! read more

Kikuya - Butterfish of course! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all