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    Koko i-naba Hawaii Kai

    4.6 (103 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Koko i-naba Hawaii Kai Photos

    KOKO I-NABA HAWAII KAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Dogs allowed

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    Sidewalk sign
    Nadine C.

    Lunch at Koko Marina Center in Hawaii Kai, Honolulu, Hawai'i... My former coworker wanted to get together and let me decide where to go... I chose Koko i-naba Hawaii Kai because I hadn't been there yet. I read reviews on the location. It's on the Kona Brewery side... walk along the path near the water and the entrance will be on the right. The inside is cozy and intimate. There were two women sitting at the bar already and speaking Japanese language with the sushi chef. We sat at a table next to the wall instead of the table next to the window. The polite, friendly chef took our orders and brought our meals to us. Later, a female assistant helped him take the used utensils and dishware away. I enjoyed my Uni Ikura Hotate Bowl with half-sized house-made soba. Everything was tasty, beautiful, and fresh! I would return and get a chirashi bowl or the crab one... By the way... the scenery outside the window (of the marina) is gorgeous!

    Shrimp tempura bowl with half order of soba.  You have choice of soba or udon - cold or hot but they are known for their cold zaru soba.
    Katy A.

    Loved the food but we had to split our group of four onto two small tables; one with fold out chairs from Costco. I guess it can't be helped. The previous group of 9 started at 5 and ended at 8 while our reservations were made for 7. I asked if he wanted us to come later but he thought the group would be done. There are inly 10 seats on the counter and two tables of two on the side. They probably spent a lot more than us so he couldn't ask them to leave. Food was great though. BYOB will keep your bill reasonable. Bathroom upstairs and public so a little iffy. Maybe he should have turned down our reservation.

    Uni, Ikura, Hotate Bowl
    Manning L.

    The seafood was incredibly sweet and fresh. The sushi rice was cooked perfectly -- great texture and flavor. The chef runs the entire restaurant himself, so be prepared for a bit of a wait, but it's absolutely worth it!

    Chef
    Larene U.

    I swear by this restaurant. One of the best meals I have had on-island. I have been to fancy omakase and other soba establishments, but this place covers all the checkmarks. The fish was so fresh and very well made. The chef himself has been trained in Japan by his sushi master, as well as working as a sushi chef at other establishments but Koko i-naba is his own place. It is him and his wife that work together to run the establishment. The sushi was excellent. Chef is extremely skilled and you can tell he had many years of great experience. Him and his wife chatted with us about his experience as a chef trainee in Japan. The soba was also delicious. I feel like this was some of the best soba I have ever eaten on-island. For the price you pay you are getting an amazingly good deal for the quality of fish. I will definitely be back here to support. This is one of my most favorite restaurants.

    Maddie M.

    Koko i-naba is a cute little hole in the wall in Koko Marina, I didn't even realize it was there until my friend told me how much she enjoyed it. The space is small, but not cramped, we sat at the counter and it was fun being able to see them preparing some of our food. The service was very friendly and they were very attentive. We shared the tempura and I got the chirashi soba set. Everything was delicious, the tempura and the fish were both fresh and the soba had a nice chew to it. It was no frills, but it was wonderful. I will definitely be coming back her for my soba fix!

    Toronto sushi and snow crab.
    Craig C.

    We went after a hike at the koko head stairs. The food and service here is very good. The soba noodles were perfectly chewy. The sushi was very fresh.

    Chef Yoshitaka's magic box, the most deliscious fish at the Sushi Bar

    I didnt want to post anything, worried we might not be able to get seated inntge future, but Im going to post this, its the right thing to do. 5 Solid Stars, you MUST book a reservation 1-2 days in advance. Weve been 4 times in 30 days, cant believe we never knew about this awesome Japanese Sushi Bar restaurant at Koko Marina. We walked past it 100s of times. Chef Yoshi works magic with fresh fish from Japan, his wife Tomoko the perfect partner in making your lunch or dinner marvelous! Its a small location, thus I suggest book a week or so in advance if possible. Great neighborhood gem, many friendly people dining there too, making it a fun & deliscious meal! You can see the marina & mountains from Sushi bar, gorgeous!! BYOB :-)

    Live new prep with attention to detail and cleanliness.
    Andrea A.

    This quiet hidden gem still serves up one of the best bowls on island - solid fave is the uni, ikura, hotate bowl - can't find it fresher. Served with a side hot or cold soba or ramen. Yum.

    Kani salmon ikura bowl and half soba
    Serena M.

    We went to Koko Inaba for dinner one night. My husband was away in California visiting his mom so my daughter and I had a "girls night". We always try to get into Koko Inaba but it's always full. I was lucky that night I got in. I just called when they opened 5:00pm and asked if they had any opening for that night. They said they did. I was so surprised because usually it's booked. Koko Inaba is actually pretty small. There's a sushi bar/counter that you can sit at and watch the sushi chef prepare the sushi in front of you and there are two side tables with two seats each. After my daughter's art class we headed down there. I made the reservation for 6:30pm and we were the only ones in there when we arrived. The man showed us to our table and we got one of the side tables with two seats. He brought us water and our menus. We both decided to get the combo: kani salmon ikura bowl with half sized soba. I saw lots of pictures online of this combo and it looked good. My daughter loves ikura. Seems like there's only two people running the restaurant: the waiter and the sushi chef. When the sushi chef was doing making our bowls, he had to wait until the waiter came out with the soba. Then we had both bowls at the same time. Maybe he was in the back preparing the soba. The food was really good. We took our first bites out of the sushi bowl. The crab, fish, and ikura was so fresh and I liked it over the sushi rice. But the soba was really good too. I loved the broth and the noodles. We made sure to take pictures and send it to my husband so he would be jealous that we were eating at Koko Inaba. And when he got home from his trip, we talked more about how good the food was, haha. We hope to definitely come back here again.

    Mari S.

    A hidden gem in Koko Marina Shopping Center! Koko i-naba Hawaii Kai is a very small and intimate restaurant serving Japanese cuisine - specifically sushi, chirashi bowls & soba sets, and an omakase menu! I've been three times for dinner -- twice having the soba set with chirashi bowl; and once for the omakase menu. I've enjoyed each visit. The food is excellent, fish is fresh, and quality you would expect made by a Japanese chef. There is seating at the sushi bar for approximately 7-8 people as well as two small tables seating 2 people each. Best way to experience this restaurant is by sitting at the sushi bar! Prices are competitive especially given the level of quality. The restaurant is also BYOB! Definitely consider giving this restaurant a visit for lunch or dinner. They are deserving of the business and success. You won't be disappointed!

    Crab, salmon and ikura don. Comes with half soba.
    Jenel O.

    I'm not out in the Hawaii Kai area often so it was a treat to be out there and go and eat at Koko i-naba Hawaii Kai. While they have some similarities to the original I-naba King St location, I feel like they have some different options. I opted for the crab, salmon and ikura bowl with half soba. Everything is always fresh and delicious. The rice is seasoned just right. The soba is always on point and so fresh. The only downside about this restaurant is that there are very limited seats. There were about 8 seats at the bar plus one or two tables for two people. Soooo good! Easy parking in the shopping center as well.

    Everything was wonderful and amazing! Definitely recommend. The service was great and everyone was very friendly. We loved the quality and watching the dishes be made.

    Erika K.

    Such an incredible experience. Truly such great cuts of fish and they treat you so well. Will come back

    Kani, salmon and ikura bowl comes with choice of soba or udon

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    6 months ago

    Super small spot but the best Japanese restaurant within 5 miles of Hawaii Kai. Fresh udon (skinny) and soba noodles, and good sushi.

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    1 year ago

    Our first time at this 12-seat-total establishment. Fresh and excellently prepared chirashi bowls + soba. We will definitely return!

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    Ask the Community - Koko i-naba Hawaii Kai

    Can I order take out omakase?

    We can't make omakase for take out

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    Sunday April 19, 2026 first time, coming here at the 11th Ave. location…read more 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.

    Great Japanese fusion restaurant with interesting dishes!…read more 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!

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    Roy's Hawaii Kai

    4.3(1.6k reviews)
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    Mahalo piha, Roy's Hawaii Kai, for the lovely thoughtfulness imbued into our anniversary dinner. We…read moreappreciate the handwritten card, every staff member who came to wish us a happy anniversary, the complimentary pannacotta, and a gift certificate to use for a return visit! I also noticed at the table next to us, a party hat was placed prior to arrival of the little birthday girl! The expansive wraparound windows afforded us sunset ocean views and a game of guess-the-cloud-shape. Food is delicious and beautifully plated. We started with house edamame and HK crab cakes. Husband's 14oz medium rare ribeye was perfectly cooked. I ordered the macadamia crusted fish, which was incredibly meaty. Parking is free. Looks like they have a great happy hour menu and live music. I'm definitely putting that gift certificate to use!

    On our last night of our August-September, 2023 Oahu vacation, DJ and I dined at the original Roy's…read moreRestaurant, Roy's Hawaii Kai, the first location of Chef Roy Yamaguchi's high-end chain serving Hawaiian fusion fare in a casually modern setting. Via OpenTable, we made reservations for Saturday evening, September 9, at 9:00 PM. Easy peasy. Booking reservations via the online restaurant reservation service was super convenient. After easily finding parking in the lot, we walked through a finely landscaped front yard and, upon entry through the front door, were welcomed by a serene koi pond at the bottom of the stairs that led us up to the main dining room. The comfortable open kitchen dining room provided panoramic views of Maunalua Bay and Diamond Head. We were seated at a white linen clothed table nearby the bar at the top of the staircase. Roy's offers a culinary journey in fine dining with a menu focused on fresh seafood and some steakhouse dishes, blending Hawaiian and Asian flavours in contemporary style of cooking. Below is what we had for dinner: In lieu of a complimentary basket of bread and butter to kick off our meal, we were served a nice bowl of spicy edamame, which I found to be a fitting prelude to the eclectic blend of Hawaiian, Japanese, and Classic French cuisine that we were about to enjoy. Tempura Shimeji Mushroom ($17) - For a starter from the Vegetarian Menu, we shared this delicious appetizer of golden crispy fried mushrooms that were drizzled with spicy aioli. YUM! Mongolian Style Vegetable Stir-Fry with Crispy Tofu ($20) - Also from the Vegetarian Menu, for his main dish, DJ had this plate of fried cubes of tofu mixed with a small medley of veggies. The mixed vegetables were mostly onion slivers, a few slices of green bell pepper and zucchini, shoestring carrots and very little bean sprouts, topped with a small handful of micro greens and a nicely uniformed mound of white rice. Misoyaki Butterfish ($56) - I ordered this signature, world renowned dish for my entrée - a tender and rich fish dish, marinated in miso and served over forbidden black rice and a sweet ginger wasabi butter sauce. The silky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth black cod was sophisticated and oh, so ono! Roy's Signature Chocolate Soufflé ($14) - We were served this decadent dessert on the house. This chocolate SWEET TREAT was rich in flavour and airy in texture. Service was exceptional. Right from our arrival, we were greeted with warmth and friendly hospitality. As the night went on, it was becoming apparent that I was not feeling well. Our waiter was so caring that he even brought out a few different bottles of fever reducers to offer medication to me. He was very sweet. An unforgettable dining experience we enjoyed at Roy's Hawaii Kai. The restaurant was a perfect setting for an onolicious meal with stunning views and exceptional service.

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