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    Minatoku Kitchen

    4.4 (101 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese
    Open 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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    MINATOKU KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Dogs allowed

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    Tuna with wasabi
    June S.

    Visited this restaurant during happy hour (3-5pm) and it did not disappoint! We were the only ones in the restaurant for dine-in so the service was quick. The interior also made us feel like we were in Japan. Off the happy hour menu, we ordered the Tofu Salad, Tuna with avocado and chili oil, and the Tuna with wasabi. We also ordered the Presidential Curry, which was a curry rice dish with chicken karaage and their mille feuille tonkatsu. For the price, the portions of the tuna were very generous. I also really enjoyed the curry dish. I liked the way that the katsu was cut, every bite was crispy. It was a great value meal. We will definitely be back to try some other dishes!

    Dan A.

    President's Day is a federal holiday on Monday.16.March.2026 - and Minatoku Kitchen came up with a delicious ( and economical ) meal in celebration. Customers requested an affordable and hearty bento ( per their IG ) and they served up the Presidential Curry. Thank the heavens they didn't call it the Tump Curry...the roux would have to look orange. Also, you'd have to get a Diet Coke with the meal. It features three pieces of their Mille-Feuille Tonkatsu, two pieces of their Chicken Karaage, and their signature 24-hour simmered curry all over a bed of rice. $22 and bargain for what you get, as I am stuffed...and I can eat a lot. I got an extra side of tartar sauce for $1.15. It was very good, especially their karaage chicken, as good as any that I've ever eaten. Curry is good, if a bit mild, as it is neither sweet ( as one would expect from Japanese curry ) nor spicy like Thai/Viet/Indian curries. You can find Minatoku Kitchen on the corner of South King Street and Hausten Street - across from Long's. Side street parking ( good luck ) or the lot at Long's. Ordered via the Clover app. It was ready as I walked in a couple of minutes before the time I requested.

    Three Flavors Fried Chicken
    Amanda K.

    They have 4 stalls out front, they aren't marked but you can park there. We've come during the day and recently came at night. During the day the menu is different we've tried the karaage bento, gyudon and ton-katsu. The ton-katsu is the layered type and all are delicious! For dinner my husband got the dynamite salmon which was just cut up salmon with mayo and onions he said it was alright he wished there was some kind of spicy or something added. I got the yakisoba and it was really sweet I ended up adding salt from the chicken appetizer to lessen the sweetness. They also allowed our dogs which is why they get a 5 stars.

    Stewed Hamburger Steak Bento
    Raymond K.

    Since we moved, I've passed by there numerous times, but never went in. Looking at the menu, one thing caught my eye: Stewed Hamburger Steak Bento - ground beef | ground pork | onions | salad | mushrooms | handmade mashed potatoes | handmade demi-glace sauce | handmade pickles | 100% Japanese Koshihikari rice I know what local-style hamburger steak means to me, but "stewed hamburger steak" sparked my curiosity. Initially I intended to order to go, but after I paid (it's credit card only - no cash), she asked if this was takeout or eat-in. I changed my mind and said I would eat there. There were no other customers at the time, so I sat at one of the tables. Within what seemed like a couple of minutes, she brought over a glass of water and the food to my table. When I paid, I didn't factor in table service, so, feeling bad, I look through my wallet but only had two dollar bills and the rest were larger. I got a five out and asked the server if I could get change. She replied that she was sorry they didn't have change. My mistake, at that moment, I had forgotten about the no cash policy. Back to the meal, the hamburgers appeared to be two fair-sized meatballs. They had been stewed in their version of demi-glace sauce. There was a small portion of what looked like potato salad, some edamame, and a vegetable salad with a vinegary dressing. I couldn't easily make out the rest of the ingredients in the list. To my taste, the meal was fairly good. Before leaving, I cleared my table of the plastic fork and disposable chopsticks. No one was at the counter, so I placed the empty plate and glass of water near the counter with the small bills - my way of apologizing for my lack of change.

    Meh
    Robert S.

    So the woman working here was extremely nice but limited English. I asked for a curry recommendation and she pointed to a sign on the counter and I said ok. Well, turns out it was a combo of fried shrimp, salmon, pork and chicken karaage style with a big dollop of a mayo based sauce. I'm sure some people think its delicious but it wasn't my cup of tea. Just wasn't in the mood for deep fried food and not a big fan of the white sauce. Plus, no curry that I hoped for. Anyway, I suspect I would have liked a different menu item just got the wrong thing.

    Posted menu 6/27/25
    Jo Y.

    The pandemic made many rethink their priorities in life, including Yoshimi Koizumi from Japan. He opened Minatoku Kitchen in McCully on 8/11/2023, wanting to prepare and serve food with sincerity, kindness and compassion according to Japanese customs and applying these values to the local community. "Minatoku" is a Japanese word that means "everybody can get benefits." The pandemic forced people to stay indoors, with the only thing that provided pleasure was food. It was Koizumi's belief that no matter what the difficulties in life are, when you eat delicious food, you forget about your troubles. Hence, his plans were for his restaurant to bring joy via food. Thus, Minatoku Kitchen was born on this premise. Koizumi brought in a chef from Japan who had 20 years of restaurant experience in Japanese, Chinese, and Italian cuisine. It was important that the preparation and presentation of foods interpret the kindness and attentiveness of Japanese culture, and that the local community would enjoy the taste of Japan. In addition, Koizumi wanted to give back to the community by creating job opportunities lost by the pandemic and to offer his diners value to menu offerings. The restaurant started in offering lunch bento boxes that included pork chops, teri chicken & pork, karaage, curry, taco rice, stewed hamburger steak, chicken nanban, gyudon, ebi chan, tofu steak, miso salmon, pork ginger, tonkatsu. Many of these bentos also had sides of edamame, handmade mashed potatoes & pickles, and high-grade rice from Japan. With its lunch bento boxes being successful, Minatoku Kitchen then started Happy Hour held from Fri to Sun from 3p to 5p, and includes: edamame, fries, tofu, konbu, kimchi, eggplant, salad, fried chicken, tonkatsu, yakisoba. The next phase was offering a dinner menu that includes the Happy Hour menu and entrees of chicken nanban, battered pork belly, grilled chicken, miso sablefish, tuna steak. With my initial visit, I had the following: * Tonkatsu. The tonkatsu was very flavorful and prepared with thin layers of pork belly, with a crunchy panko batter. It came with a green salad, potato salad, garlic edamame, pickles, and rice sprinkled with a few black sesame seeds. The high-grade premium rice is from Japan called Kubota rice, is freshly milled in HI. The rice was amazing - bright white, all whole kernels, and so sweet! * Ten-Musu. Freshly made, so the shrimp tempura was crispy and combined with the premium rice, it was very flavorful! * Konbu musubi. Tasty musubi with lots of konbu just below the nori that is wrapped around the sweet premium rice. * Niku-Maki musubi. Thin pork belly wrapped around premium rice and shaped like a log, which is a unique and tasty musubi not found elsewhere. We enjoyed the tonkatsu bento and the musubis! Everything was delicious, and you can tell a special effort was made in the use of the ingredients and its presentation. It appears Koizumi wanted to progressively introduce different variety of foods via different phases, i.e., lunch, happy hour, dinner phases. But I was a little confused, as menu offerings can be ordered throughout the day. Plus, there are signs of new items being introduced that are already part of the regular menu. And a few mis-spellings in the menu due to English as a 2nd language. But no matter, the intent of Koizumi to introduce foods to the local community that reflect kindness and attentiveness of Japanese culture and for locals to enjoy the tastes of Japan. The front staff employee who took our order pleasantly explained their menu items when we told them that this was the first time for us. She explained that the menu is inspired by Japanese home cook with a focus on quality, and the Honu Koshishikari rice that they use is a high-end brand from Japan which has a pleasant aroma, good sweetness, and perfect texture. She gave us suggestions as to what was popular. Hours of operation are Mon 10a to 3p, Wed/Thurs 10a to 3p and 5p to 12m, Fri/Sat 10a to 12m, and Tues closed. Located across the street from CVS Longs and in the former Hide Chan Restaurant spot, the small eatery has a few tables for dine-in. I would imagine they would be quite busy with the college kids with the University of HI located nearby. Credit card only; no cash used. The restaurant has 4 free assigned parking spaces located in front of the restaurant. There is a large sign on the building showing where these 4 spaces are. I think a couple of these spaces would require that you jump the curb. Other than these spaces, there is metered street parking. We look forward to more delicious tastes of Minatoku Kitchen with its existing menu and ongoing new menu offerings, as I have a growing appreciation of authentic Japanese cuisine! Wishing Koizumi much success with this business venture!

    I love nikumaki bacon wrapped rice!!! Where ever I see it.. I buy it!
    Donna O.

    Minatoku Kitchen took over the former spot of Hide Chan. They have some grab to go musubi and plates you can order. At night they have happy hour and is open for dinner. There's some tables inside for dine in. I tried some plates and musubi and they were all good. Keema curry was something different to try but my favorites now is the pork belly wrapped musubi (NikuMaki)!! I always love those bacon wrapped musubi. Some makes it different. Most time they run out and person who makes it may have gone home since I come out late in the afternoon. The plus side of going late so I won't have a problem with parking. Now you can park in the small drive way. There's a picture posted on the window of how you suppose to park and fit 4 cars. I've been lucky that most time it's just my car! I love is the ton-katsu plate. It's deep fried Mille feuilled pork belly! There was about 5 good size pieces along with their Japanese rice, green salad, potato salad and garlic edamame and pickles. There's not too many Japanese restaurant in the area which serve tonkatsu. Sad to see Sakura Terrace and Minato restaurant closed! I must say if you haven't tried here , you should at least try the NikuMaki . Best to call early to reserve it , not like me. Usually it sold out but on my last visit I was surprised they had four left and I grabbed all four!! Try the ton-katsu if you like layered ton-katsu ! I didn't know it was layered until I saw a photo on Yelp! So crunchy and tender! Love their Japanese tonkatsu sauce. Support small local business so they can stay in business!

    Chicken Nanban bento lunch $14.50
    Maria H.

    Chicken nan ban? From Minatoku? Yes, please! Tasty tender thighs crispy and perfectly fried every time. And the potato salad is the yummiest ever.

    Michelle D.

    Been wanting to try this place for a while -- I always drive by but finally got the chance to stop in. Honestly, the prices are super reasonable and the food is total comfort food. Since it was my first time, I wanted to try everything. My partner and I were starving when we sat down and definitely ordered way too much! It's a solid late-night spot, especially after work. Flavors are definitely there, and the vibe/ambience is nice and chill. Parking is kind of on a grass area, I think? Probably best to give them a quick call if it's busy to figure out where to park.

    Across the street
    Toma C.

    As much as I want to give this pace the 5 stars it was a disappointing yesterday. The chicken karaage was yummy but not like I remembered it yummy yum Yum. The Japanese curry portion was so small and not the kind of curry I like it had very little gravy more like a paste. I am not use to that. Although this place is very authentic. The miso salmon was cooked very well done and not the way I like. That doesn't mean I would come back but not any time soon.

    Lorie C.

    We visited Minatoku Kitchen for their Happy Valentine's Day Happy Hour Special. Despite some challenges with parking and limited table space, the cuisine was exceptional and the happy hour specials were a bargain.

    Irene M.

    Itadakimasu... Taking mom out for dinner to give us some relaxing moments I thought that Minatoku Kitchen would be the place as she craves for something specific and luckily we arrived just in time for their happy hour which is from 3pm to 5pm with lots of fun food items to choose from. Getting here though is rough as we wanted to arrive early enough before the rush though with that parking is the real issue as there basically none especially during rush hours where you're not allowed to use the metered parkings during that time and not knowing that you're able to park right along the restaurant as there was a "no parking" sign versus Minatoku only was quite frustrating as I later saw that you're able to park right in the driveway while the other car took two parking spots. Since it's all food that we both love and enjoy it was difficult to choose but it was the "Yakiniku-nasu" which is grilled eggplant which is then chilled and served with shoyu and garnished with ginger and shaved katsuo and the other "Pork Shabu Salad" a cute and vibrant salad with lots of veggies topped with pork shabu which is thin cuts of pork that's poached served with Japanese vinaigrette with grated radish and ginger was just so light and flavorful. Our entrees was Stewed Hamburger Steak for her and Teriyaki Chicken for me and bento style I love how it came with so many sides...green salad, potato salad, garlic edamame and tsukemono along with a huge scoop of rice which was cooked to perfection was so delicious as a not much of a rice person myself couldn't stop eating it says something. Teriyaki chicken was definitely different as it was coated in flour and fried and tossed in teriyaki sauce which wasn't too sweet not like the local flavors we all know but more a Japanese style which actually was very nice and refreshing. I wouldn't say it's classic but the type of cuisine that I'd find in Japan and how nice to find it right here in McCully at such affordable prices was nice along with lemon water and chopsticks that came with cute covers as my message translate to "relax and take it easy" the zen moment was found here and we left full and happy. Gochisousama deshita!

    Front counter .  Menu board .  No cash accepted.

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    22 days ago

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    Yoshimi K.

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    28 days ago

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    3 months ago

    コストパフォーマンスが良いお店。なのに味はほんとにおいしかったです。カジュアルな雰囲気でありながらおいしい日本食が、リーズナブルに食べれる良いお店を見つけました。ハワイではこういう日本食のお店は少ないので、これからも長く続けて欲しいお店の一見です。

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    9 months ago

    good food, good prices & great service. Adding to our dining rotation! we'll be back for sure!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Minatoku Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Minatoku Kitchen

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro

    4.3
    (4.2k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$$
    Free parking
    19 years in business

    This was a very delicious dining experience on our recent Hawaiian trip!…read more It was a short and very pleasant walk along the beach to reach the restaurant from the Hilton Hawaiian Village hotel. I highly recommend making a reservation as this place is very popular and is not very big inside. When you arrive, they have one side to check-in for reservations and one side to check-in for walkups. As I mentioned above, the inside is rather small and a bit cramped. However, the service is very friendly! I had the deluxe pork loin set which includes rice, salad, soup, and curry sauce. The meat was extremely tender, but the coating was a touch oiler than I am used to. The curry sauce was really tasty and was a nice addition to the katsu! I also love that they had fountain soft drinks with complimentary refills. This was a very tasting tonkatsu dining experience in Honolulu!

    We have been coming here on our every visit to Hawaii but this time we were so disappointed…read more Service was horrible. We ordered the tofu for appetizer and the every time we poured the soy sauce, little flies came out. We opened the bottle and there were so many dead flies. We told the server and he said he would bring a new one. The new bottle they brought also had flies. So we told the server and he said he would bring another and he never did. By that time, we didn't want the tofu anymore. We lost our appetite and no one apologized. We were so disappointed with the service.

    Photos
    Tonkatsu, katsu-don, gyukatsu
    Tonkatsu, katsu-don, gyukatsu
    Special Katsu-don set
    Special Katsu-don set
    Katasu-don

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    Katasu-don
    Tonkatsu Tamafuji

    Tonkatsu Tamafuji

    4.6
    (2.5k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$$

    Oyster and shrimp tonkatsu combo, unlimited cabbage salad, unlimited rice and white clam miso soup…read more Side premium Sapporo beer and a hot sake. YUMMMMMY!!!! Attentive and fast service. The new location is very nice and spacious. Street side meter parking. Make a reservation a month ahead on the first at midnight!!! Will we return? Yes. Oh yes!

    My friend made a reservation here for my birthday and I was unsure how I'd feel considering I never…read morecared for tonkatsu. Parking is available in the garage beneath or if you're lucky you can find street parking along the side. We had a reservation at 5pm and were seated immediately at our scheduled time. There were so many people waiting outside so I already had high expectations for this place. Once seated, we were greeted right away with hot towels and water. We got our sides and our sesame shortly after and I opted for the dish that had 1 of everything of oyster, shrimp tempura, onion, pork loin, and chicken. You also get to choose what kind of rice and soup you want. I went with shiso rice and regular miso tofu soup. I figure I might as well go big! Our food arrived and the first bite had me immediately hooked. The tonkatsu is so airy and didn't feel heavy at all. The rice was nice and fluffy, you can tell they use the good rice. I was never a big fan of tonkatsu but this place changed my mind. I already can't wait for my next time back. Pro tip: MAKE A RESERVATION!!

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    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    Making the sauce
    Making the sauce
    Mix Katsu Set

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    Mix Katsu Set
    Marugame Udon

    Marugame Udon

    4.5
    (14.1k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Absolutely amazing noodle spot! There was a long line when we arrived, but it moved incredibly…read morefast. As soon as we got inside, we knew this place was going to be something special. Being able to watch them make the noodles in the back, combined with the incredible smell throughout the restaurant, made the whole experience even better. I ordered the curry udon, while my wife got the creamy broth, and we also shared the tempura shrimp. Everything was absolutely delicious. Honestly, this was probably our best food stop on the island. I'll be thinking about this restaurant for a long time. Where we're from, there's nothing even close to a place like this. If you're visiting the island, this is definitely a spot you need to try!

    Where do I even begin?!?! This place is an absolute gem!!! Marugame Udon offers some of the…read morefreshest and finest- handmade Sanuki udon on the island! Their noodles are made in-house (following authentic Sanuki traditions from Japan) and cooked daily. Customers order their noodles at the counter, pick their tempura from a self-serve station, and pay at the end. What's even more impressive- patrons can watch the chefs make the food right in front of them (making for a cool dining experience). Highly recommend getting there early- lines are insane! But for the most part, the line moves fast because meals are dished out quickly and guests eat and leave in a timely manner. And prices are relatively low compared to other places. I ordered the #2 Creamy Broth- creamy chicken broth topped with juicy pork chashu and a flavorful seasoned egg 10/10! This was absolute fire!!! My wife ordered the Chicken Katsu- lightly battered, well seasoned and packed with flavor. We also ordered a side of Shrimp Tempura and Potato Croquettes. Both were equally delicious, but the potato croquettes hit the spot with a well seasoned potato mash, encased in a golden deep fried breadcrumb 10/10! It's an absolute must!

    Photos
    You can watch as they make your food!
    You can watch as they make your food!
    Kake Udon
    Kake Udon
    Dining Room!

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    Dining Room!
    ABURIYA IBUSHI

    ABURIYA IBUSHI

    4.5
    (450 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Whenever I passed by this place on Kapahulu, there's always a line, and line's don't lie, right?!…read moreMade reservations (highly recommended) and found street parking as they do not have a dedicated lot. Once inside, you are warmly greeted. It's a little dim inside during the day. No paper menus; you need to scan a QR code to see what you want to order. Our group ordered the teishoku set which came with the main entree, rice, oxtail broth, and 2 appetizers (we opted for tofu and eggplant). We opted for the Aburi flank steak which was very very tasty and the Aburi chicken. The chicken was a touch on the salty side, but it came with a spicy dipping sauce which was phenomenal! All the meats had the delicious smoky flavor from the grill. The oxtail broth was kinda bland. We also ordered the oxtail ramen which was also a hit. Finished off dinner with ice cream + mochi. The mochi is also grilled but know that it's not sweet mochi.

    So thankful for restaurants that open late. We thankfully found street parking and this was the…read moreonly place open. How lucky for us! Customer service was terrific. Since it was late, we noticed the back of house staff help the front. Everyone was so friendly and food comes out fast. The only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is because the food was a bit too flavorful - we all agreed that everything was slightly salty. I could also say portion of some items may not match price, but I understand inflation is increasing at an alarming rate. So I'll leave money out of this. Crushed cucumbers were interesting. We couldn't decide if eating it with chopsticks or spoon was better. With chopsticks, you might not get enough sauce. But you could taste the layers of flavor. With a spoon, you get too much saltiness. The spice hits at the end. The tako karaage were a little too chewy for us. Beef tongue was so tender. A definite must order. I dont think it needs rice though. We also ordered the late night nikumiso but it didn't come with an egg, which the menu said it should. We tried handful more items but we'll be back to try the oxtail items, as it sounds like that's their specialties, but takes extra time to prepare.

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    Storefront... just like we're in Japan!
    Storefront... just like we're in Japan!
    Their famous potato salad.
    Their famous potato salad.
    Potato Salad

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    Potato Salad
    I-NABA

    I-NABA

    4.4
    (807 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Came here for Sunday breakfast with the kiddies, and we arrived a little after 8:00 a.m. There was…read moreplenty of parking and seating available, and we were greeted and seated right away. We were promptly served water and hot tea while we looked over the menu. My boys love salmon, so they chose the Grilled Salted Salmon Set. Knowing they probably wouldn't finish their meals, I ordered the TKG Set and added natto and mentaiko on the side. Each set comes with miso soup, rice, and an assortment of delicious sides. Everything was so good! One of my favorite touches was at the end of the meal when our waitress brought out dashi with seaweed, wasabi, and green onions (comes with the Salmon Sets) for us to pour over the remaining rice. It was the perfect way to finish the meal. We cleaned our plates and enjoyed every bite. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back to try more of their breakfast dishes and to experience their lunch and dinner offerings as well.

    My favorite soba restaurant. I love that they offer so many different preparations/toppings/sides;…read morethey can always satisfy whatever I'm in the mood for (hot or cold). They also have excellent tempura and sashimi. My favorite is the 'Hana' (cold soba w/tororo-unu-ikura-wakkame-nori-negi) but add ume & natto, and a side order vegetable tempura. (They also have incredible unagi tempura and a kakiage over hot soba) - plus they have yuzu ginger sorbet!! Service is always polite and friendly which makes it easy to become a regular here. Prices are well worth it for the quality.

    Photos
    I-NABA
    Tempura Zaru soba with edamame rice
    Tempura Zaru soba with edamame rice
    Hana soba

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    Hana soba
    Little Plum

    Little Plum

    4.5
    (287 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Little Plum is always an enjoyable experience. First of all, the restaurant is quaint and…read morecomfortable. The dining area is one open area, the table setting is cozy with its crochet coaster and wooden chopsticks rest. There's an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs put love into each dish. My server even pointed out who will be making my crispy pork belly. The wait staff is so helpful and welcoming. They made sure our vegan friend was well-taken care of. She suggested the mushroom jook where they would put the chicken on the side. They even added more mushroom to elevate his dining experience! Today we ordered family style, which they happily accommodated for us. They served the rice on the side. Our menu included short rib bao and shiitake bao (vegan), ume tomato, namul, spicy miso eggplant, crispy pork belly, menchi katsu, and mushroom jook. The standouts were the crispy pork belly with its watercress tomato onion salad, the ume tomato on whipped tofu, and spicy miso eggplant. The mushroom jook is so comforting, hearty and full of flavor served with chicken confit and a soy egg. The two desserts offered are both winners. The mochi churro with kinako and anglaise is crispy, light and creamy. The pineapple orange pudding is so cool and refreshing. And, 100% of dessert sales go to the culinary team! What?! Love this place. Plus, with you check are some fun asian candies -white rabbit and haw flakes! I haven't been there for dinner yet. That'll be next.

    Food was great. However one thing to consider is that the portions are on the small side. I'd…read moreconsider this place more of a small plate, heavy appetizer restaurant. Service was really good, and the cocktails were tasty. Pricey but well worth it.

    Photos
    Inside da restaurant......
    Inside da restaurant......
    Catch of the day
    Catch of the day
    Rock Salt Plum $16 - highly recommend

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    Rock Salt Plum $16 - highly recommend

    Minatoku Kitchen - japanese - Updated August 2026

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