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    Kuni Restaurant

    4.2 (563 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Lounges
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Kuni Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Kuni Restaurant Photos

    KUNI RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Karaoke
    Dogs allowed

    More like Kuni Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Kuni Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos

    Back dining area
    Robyn S.

    First time trying Kuni! I've been discovering a lot of places since my mom moved back to this side of the island. I love variety in my meals so teishoku is always a must for me! In our group of three, we ordered a miso butterfish, miso butterfish/shoyu pork, and sizzling steak set respectively. The miso butterfish was nice and crispy with a sweet and salty miso sauce. I was surprised that it was fried because I'm so used to the broiled version. Honestly, I didn't look at the picture too closely so that was my fault. I still enjoyed it nonetheless! Shoyu pork was served in thick fatty cuts and was surprisingly pretty tender. Definitely had a lighter sweeter flavor that didn't over power the flavor of the pork. The sauce was very similar to a teriyaki sauce. The sizzling steak was well-seasoned, served with mushrooms and onions. Although, I will say some mushrooms were a little too salty for me but not much of an issue since I eat a lot of rice with each bite. Service was quick and friendly! We were sat almost immediately and food didn't take too long. I think we beat the dinner rush since we came around 3pm so it was really good timing for us. We definitely had lots of leftovers to take home but no complaints! For the amount of food, I thought that the teishoku was pretty reasonable for the price. I'm so used to paying $30 for a small single piece of butterfish so I left happy. Will return again soon!

    Ohana Style Meal
    Kylee T.

    This is definitely my favorite local Japanese restaurant! Came here to splurge and that we did. The food here is top notch, the workers feel like family, and the place has such a vibe. I absolutely love it! I believe the owner was walking around being so friendly to us and everyone else in this busy restaurant. They even gave us free concert tickets with our receipt. I come here often enough to say that everything you order here will be outstanding. 2 of us got the Ohana Style Meal and somehow finished everything it was so good.

    Gwen C.

    Made a reservation for a party of 8 for tonite 2/13/2026 @730pm. It was easy and actually we were seated about 3 mins after we checked in. I didnt get the guys name (so sorry) but upon seating us he did mention that it will be a little slower tonite as they were short staff (someone didnt come in). I appreciated that because he did tell us ahead of time. The place was crowded, we were seated near the back by the bar, actually liked it back there. The only problem was, it was HOT, like the heater was on or something, but there was no air back there and felt like we were suffocating :(. My toddler was sweating just by being in her high chair. We braved through it. Now let me say, when he told us things were going to be a little slower, I didnt actually think like us having to wait over half an hour before we could even ask for water, as none was brought to us when we sat. It was so slow, that when we checked in we asked for a high chair, he said he would grab it, we waited about 20 mins till the baby was getting restless, so I just grabbed it myself, wasnt an issue. Let me just say tho, it was no fault to the workers for our experience tonite as they were working hard with a full house. I must say tho, towards the end of the evening they was just about done with dealing with people and you could tell, ill get to that towards the end. They arent able to accommodate large parties, so we were split on two different table. 2 of the 8 people got the Birthday deal of $21 off a Teishoku meal (they do verify its your bday, so be prepared to show them your id). The rest of us ordered everything as a side. Sorry I wasnt able to get all the pictures of what everyone ordered, like I mentioned we were sitting apart. The fried butterfish was so soft, it couldve used a little salt, but it was good. The shrimp tempura was nice and thick, not just batter, that was delicious. We ordered (2) 20 piece sashimi, but they only had enough for one so that was fine. We did have to wait about 30 mins for our tempura sauce to come out and had to ask MULITPLE times, with each person saying they are bringing it. The kids meal was nice, it was supposed to come with a juice and dessert. We never got the juice, only when we checked out and said something, as well as the dessert, they were out of pretty much everything and had ube ice cream left (i believe thats what the waiter said. We declined it as we were already leaving. The sad thing was you could tell the two workers were working so hard, I just felt bad asking for things we were waiting for that never came :(. We asked for xtra rice, we already ordered 4 scoops, they came back to let us know that they also ran out of rice. So we basically just ate everything like Pupu, lol... At this point, what were going to do, lol. At least the food came out quick. Mid dinner the waitress came up to us to let us know it was last call for food and drinks. I was surprised because I cant remember the last time I went to a restaurant and they told us they were taking last call for food, mid way. It wasnt even 830 and they close at 9 when they let us know. At the end, we were the last party to leave as we were in the back and honestly was waiting half the time for things to actually finish eating, but we went to the restroom, to come back to the table and literally they were just cleaning off our things, didnt even ask if we wanted a box for the little left over food we had left, nothing. You could tell they just wanted out already and I dont blame them. The sad thing is, these kids now days, no one wants to work and it makes the establishment look bad, because now you got over worked staff that you can clearly tell are trying their best to have a smile but they bussing their butts off. One of the aunties from the back was bringing food to our table was pretty much over it and while still talking to her she was walking away. I literally just had to brush it off and continue to enjoy our dinner. As were were leaving the front of the restaurant was cold and the ac felt great, what I didnt know was one of the staff told my husband that someone was complaining earlier that it was too cold in there, so they turned the ac down. When he told me that I was trippin. Ummmm you have a restaurant full with people and you turn the ac down for 1 person while the rest are pretty much dying like there is no air it was so hot. I mean it was nice of them to accommodate I guess?! We will be back, just hoping next time they are staffed and the ac is on, because honestly if the place feels like that all the time, I wouldnt return back. I am NOT exaggerating when I say it felt like we were in a sauna. When you have a full house like that it is NOT a good thing to turn the air off because it was the most uncomfortable way to eat dinner. With the waiting, the running out of items and the no air on, we just smiled thru it.

    Tempura shrimp and vegetablez
    Andrew N.

    Brah when you find a good deal you have to rave about it. Dropped in to this spot right near opening, there were multiple groups ahead of me which perked my interest even more. Scrolled thru the menu to find 50% off ribeye steak on hot plate on Wednesdays sold! Combo appetizers was a healthy amount. 20 piece sashimi fresh cuts hit the spot. Teriyaki chicken we took to go but covered in yummy sauce. The Tempura shrimp and vegetables were battered heavy which was very tasty. Good drink selection if you want to get your drink drink on. To add to this great meal an older gentleman asked if we wanted to see a surprise and all I can say is we both shouted Wow!!!! Lunch and a show. Check out this place for your next lunch date.

    My Teishoku meal... waiting for the main dish.
    Teri C.

    Big shout out to Kuni Restaurant for my complimentary birthday meal. Not many restaurants do this anymore... so an entire meal for your birthday is a huge treat. Went on the day of my birthday (show proof/ID) and enjoyed a misoyaki butterfish teishoku on the house ($21 credit towards a teishoku of your choice). My family really enjoyed lunch here. Tried going back 2wks later for my son's birthday (his choice) but it was packed on a Thursday night. Reservations highly recommended.

    Gohan
    Marielouise D.

    Kunis Japanese Restaurant and Bar has been part of Waipahu's identity for years, and the new ownership under Ray Jr. has only strengthened its legacy. The menu still delivers the generous portions locals love, and the quality has stayed top‑tier. Whether you're a longtime regular or a first‑timer, this spot is absolutely worth checking out. Reservations are recommended because it fills up fast. I'll definitely be returning. Marie

    Ms LaLa D.

    First time that I have been back to Kuni's since the current owner took over. I like the Modern upgraded look. Came for lunch on a weekday. It wasn't very busy. Food was good. The Sashimi was Fresh Frozen. The Tofu Steak was delicious. My lunch partner enjoyed her Steak. Servers are young, unexperienced, and need to be retrained. Took order, dropped food, never saw them again. Que Sera Sera

    Drinks and appetizers came out minutes after taking our order.  Really... About 1.5 to 2 minutes after our order... So fast!

    Sato-san! Arigatoo for another great dinner! Excellent service by ALL the wait staff ALL the time! Make reservations online bcuz they get busy! We like beating the crowd by going around 5:00 pm. Booth style seating but I believe if you have reservations for a larger party, the bar section seating might be more flexible. Just ask! After being seated right away, the order is taken and within minutes, salad, miso soup, tsukemono, moyashi (bean sprouts), hot rice were brought with our drinks (beer and cold sake). Seriously, within minutes.... Then about 5 minutes later, or main course comes out... My favorite is the miso Butterfish.... Best ever! Hubby ordered the miso pork tofu which was piping hot and sooooo good! They were busy tonight... Many of us had lei on bcuz we were celebrating Mothers Day a week early. Sorry, they are booked already for Mothers Day next weekend .... So go another day but make reservations... Its so easy to do! Consistent - Best miso Butterfish... Fast service, sooooo reasonable for what you get... Oh, Dave's green tea ice cream... Cold sake in the blue bottle. And if it's your birthday, show your ID and you get free entree (up to $19) that day only. No one does that anymore! So generous! Mahalo! We will be back!!!

    Takeout window
    Edge N.

    This is an old time restaurant that has been in waipahu for a long time. Located right in front Carquest (now napa) in a free standing building. The entrance is real old school with a covered entry way protruding from outside building. The insides looks to have been renovated but still maintaining a japanese modern bar feel with a few wall mounted Tvs. There are two sections one is the restaurant the other is the bar part of restaurant. They also have an in house clean bathroom in the bar. The staff is real attentive and cool. The menu is all japanese cuisine. The prices are reasonable and portions are okay (not chinzy but not abundant either) They even have a free one choice teshoku if its your birthday no purchase necessary. A really generious offering. A cool place that has been around a long time with reasonable portions and fair prices.

    Chicken katsu
    Kayton W.

    Came to celebrate my birthday and redeem my free birthday meal, and of course the food was delicious and the service was amazing as always. My friend was shocked at how fast we were seated and helped right away. I made sure to bring my driver's license to prove it was my birthday--don't forget yours if you go--because sure enough, my birthday meal was free. We had shrimp tempura, and Sato even treated us to poke and andagi, which was such a nice surprise. Such a good meal and an even better experience. You can always depend on getting great food and excellent service at Kuni's

    Teishoku menu

    So a few days back, I was a little stress because I didn't have any idea where to bring my wife to celebrate her birthday. But then, I saw an ad for Kuni Restaurant that advertised that birthday person eats free. So kuni it was. When we got there, we were about 1/2 hr early from our reservation time. The restaurant was quite busy but they still was able to seat us. The restaurant itself is pretty cozy, a lot of wooden furniture makes it unique. Our waiter came pretty quick and took our orders. Because it was our first time, we were a little confused regarding our order but our waiter took the time to kinda went through with us the choices of food. Any2ay, our food came along pretty quickly except one of my wife's main dish. I had almost finished my food and her main dish still wasn't served. We alerted a server and he explained they had a little confusion and apologized profusely. I have to say, the food was excellent. I had their Teri beef and the meat was super tender. The chicken katsu was delicious too, crispy yet not oily like some plate lunch places. My wife's miso butterfish and shrimp tempura were excellent. I was really glad because the wife is a picky eater. When it came for us to pay, we actually discovered some discrepancy for our bill. I guess we had misunderstood our waiter and ordered what was considered outside our set dinner. However he was really quick to remove that from our bill right away which surprised me. He told us he wanted our first impression of their restaurant to be a good one. And for that we were very grateful. Again, excellent restaurant. For was delicious, and the price was reasonable (I have paid more at some plate lunch places) for a sit-down restaurant. I think they also run a 10% discount for seniors for lunch. Though they do charge a 3.5% credit card fee. I guess pay in cash and avoid the credit card fee? Let's just say this won't be our last time there.

    Butterfish.
    Richard D.

    First time eating here since the turnover in ownership/management. It use to be a real dive, no offense to all the Kupuna regulars, but it was run down. Not now... it has been completely refurbished and is much improved, although sitting on hardwood benches is not good for my okole. The interior has a new look, although it's really not authentic Japanese, more like a plain L&L. Also, they have a bar in the back and several drunks were very loud, making the initial part of our early dinner unpleasant. Fortunately they left after happy hour concluded. They staggered out of the bar and jumped in their truck and drove away, yikes! Anyhow, the food acceptable, nothing special, but okay. Service was friendly and prompt, although I had to remind our server to bring my beer. I also had to ask for the dipping sauce for my Tempera. Small stuff, but not acceptable.

    Sashimi
    Kevin W.

    Visited one of our favorite Japanese restaurants on the West Side of Oahu. Kuni's located in the heart of Waipahu. We had the "Wednesday " night special, 50% off the Sizzling Steak . Also on the menu were the Teriyaki Chicken, Shrimp Tempura, and Sizzling Tofu Steak. Our favorite is still the Sizzling Tofu Steak. That sauce is totally cravable. It was a very busy night, but the service was great. A lot of folks were also ordering the special as the dining room had that awesome Sizzling Steak aroma . Wonderful food casual dining at its finest.

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    Ask the Community - Kuni Restaurant

    How can I inquire about bento catering options for my daughter's high school Project Graduation in June 2023? Thank you.

    Hello! You may contact the restaurant directly at (808) 671-1100. One of our friendly staff members will be able to assist you. Thank you!

    What are your hours of operation?

    Lunch is from 11am-2pm and dinner is from 5pm-9pm

    View All 3 Questions

    Hangry Mama Bar & Kitchen - Kimchi Fried Rice ($20). Again, above the standard price from a restaurant, but was delicious.

    Hangry Mama Bar & Kitchen

    4.3(138 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    It was noonish and I was getting hungry (not quit Hangry! But getting there!)…read more While looking for something new, I discovered Hangry Mana Bar & Kitchen. Shared with my wife and we came for lunch today. Took a moment to find how to drive in the back of the mall / building (recommend the driveway ramp on the East side of the building). Then when we pulled up, my wife was like "where are you taking me?!" being this is kinda a "hole in the wall bar"! ;0) Sign is inviting, Yelp profile as well... so we went in! Staff were super friendly and the restaurant / bar was very clean! We just wanted a light lunch / pupu style, so we got the sizzling steak, fried noodles and chicken wings. Wings were good. Fried noodles a really good comfort food! And the sizzling steak was awesome!! We'll be back to try other options and for drinks! PLUS, they are open until 2pm! Sometimes it's hard to find decent food later in the day once you head West from Honolulu, NOW we know a place!! "Thank You... Very much!"

    We will definitely be back! About a month ago a friend and…read moreI decided we wanted to drink and karaoke and we chose this place because we heard that they had really good food. We were not disappointed, but that is not why I would definitely be back. Let me give a little background. We are only supposed to be there from 5 to 9 at the latest. Initially, it was quiet people were watching TV and there was literal families. They're having dinner. We quietly drank, ordered our food and flipped through the karaoke book for when we were enough intoxicated to start singing. Keep in mind everyone was still eating. My friend, who is a fantastic singer, finally put in a song and out of the corner of the room all we heard was "Oo. Are we singing now?" or something to that effect. After my friend broke the ice and sang the first song it was all singing from that point forward. The songs arranged from country to old 80s love songs to whatever, and they were being sung by people from all over the room. Couple tables turned over while we were there, despite that if a good song came on, people were singing from their seats and it was not an issue to anybody. By the 10 o'clock hour, my friend was singing duets with a guy. She's never met before, but who could sing and the whole bar was just on such a positive vibe. Food was great. The wait help is fantastic. We ended up staying till midnight. Closing the bar down. It was such an intimate and welcoming vibe that we will definitely be visiting again.

    Photos
    Hangry Mama Bar & Kitchen - Good vibes!

    Good vibes!

    Hangry Mama Bar & Kitchen - Pork belly

    Pork belly

    Hangry Mama Bar & Kitchen - Ribeye

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    Ribeye

    Restaurant Kunio - AB combo

    Restaurant Kunio

    3.7(1.3k reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    If you're at Waikele Premium Outlets and craving something truly satisfying, this spot is a…read moremust‑try. The combination plates are grand -- you get a little bit of everything, and every bite hits the spot. The miso butterfish is unbelievably tender, the shrimp tempura is perfectly crisp, the teriyaki chicken is flavorful, and the salmon is cooked just right. Even the miso soup (yes, hot miso soup, not "miso hot" like I almost said!) is comforting and delicious. It's authentic Japanese comfort food done right, and you can taste the care in every dish. I absolutely love this place and always leave happy and full. A fantastic stop during any shopping trip. Marie

    Pre mom day for our mama..... We were the second ones to be…read moreseated for a party of 6. Everything was going ok....We got our waters and hot tea at a timely matter: But after that everything just went down hill. Waited almost an hour for our food while the people That came after us had already theirs. Then one at a time our food came out. Then it stalled.... Food was coming out like 10-15 minutes apart ... and it doesn't make sense to bring out bowls of rice and dipping sauce first when the main entree isn't ready yet. So the dipping sauce and rice ended up Getting cold. The unacceptable part was we were the ones who had to ask about our foods. No apologies. And this one server blamed it on the vent as to why the food was taking a long time. LMFAO !!!!!!!! If they only knew that a couple people on that table has had almost 35 years of restaurant experience. Like be honest call it what it is... yall couldn't handle. You screwed up. Etc.... The entire experience was disorganized. And some unnecessary attitude from the wait staff. Then one of our soups were wrong ! At that point we immediately asked for take our boxes and our check..... SO OVER IT!!! the whole mom day experience for us were ruined. Never ever again. ...... 0 stars !!

    Photos
    Restaurant Kunio - Inside

    Inside

    Restaurant Kunio - Funamori Party Boat

    Funamori Party Boat

    Restaurant Kunio - Chirashi A and soft shell crab roll! Really delicious and worth it. Never disappoint!

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    Chirashi A and soft shell crab roll! Really delicious and worth it. Never disappoint!

    Kuni Restaurant - japanese - Updated May 2026

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