Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Minatoku Kitchen

    4.4 (105 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese
    Open • 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 1 month ago

    Minatoku Kitchen Reservations

    Order Minatoku Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

    Minatoku Kitchen Photos

    Business Info

    MINATOKU KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

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

    More like Minatoku Kitchen

    Recommended Reviews - Minatoku Kitchen

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Lyla D.

    After an unusually challenging physical therapy session, my husband decided to take me out to lunch instead of heading straight back home. Although he didn't have any restaurants in mind, I quickly looked at my Yelp Bookmark for a nearby eatery. I suggested Minatoku Kitchen, whose Osaka, Japan-experienced chef featured affordable and authentic bentos, mille feuille tonkatsu, chicken karaage, and more in the Mō'ili'ili neighborhood. We fortunately found metered street parking near the entrance of Minatoku Kitchen and strolled in. As soon as we opened the door, two female workers welcomed us in a friendly and exuberant tone, "Irrashaimase!" Seeing there were empty seats available, we informed them that we planned to dine in, as one of the workers gestured toward seating near the doorway. She quickly brought us menus and glasses of iced water as we took our seats. While we were deciding on our menu selections, several other customers entered, ordered, and picked up takeout meals at the counter. Since this was our first visit, we both ordered the VICTORY COMBO ($18), which featured a hefty plate of 3 pieces each of mille-feuille tonkatsu and karaage chicken, a large scoop of fluffy and tender steamed Japanese rice, a small scoop of Japanese potato salad, fresh tossed greens with Asian dressing, and a small ramekin of tonkatsu sauce. We were impressed with the shatteringly crisp and golden-fried panko coating and tender layers of the mille-feuille tonkatsu. The panko crust hugged the tender meat slices and did not slide off when cut into. Also, the karaage chicken (thigh meat) was flavorful and juicy from its marinade, which contrasted beautifully with its crispy battered crust. We wolfed down our fresh, hot, and not-greasy fried lunches, although I did give my husband one piece of chicken karaage and tonkatsu. We were impressed by the friendly and attentive service, and the food's flavors, textures, and aromas matched the rave reviews from fellow Elites. Minatoku Kitchen was affordable and its ambiance is comfortable and cozy in this neighborhood.

    Miso salmon plate ~$19.00 + tax
    Madisyn S.

    Minatoku Kitchen is a great little neighborhood spot in Moʻiliʻili, especially if you're looking for a late-night bite or a casual place to enjoy Japanese bar food with friends. I stopped by and ordered the Miso Salmon Plate to go, and it was delicious. The salmon was flavorful, cooked well, and made for a satisfying meal. I'll definitely be back to try more of their izakaya-style menu. One of the biggest perks is that they're open until midnight, making it a great option when many other places have already closed. The restaurant has a cozy, intimate atmosphere. It's not a large space, but it's perfect for a small group of about 5-6 people who want to relax, chat, and enjoy drinks together. The only downside is the parking. There isn't much available, and while it may be tempting to park at Longs across the street, be mindful of where you leave your car and follow any posted parking restrictions. Overall, Minatoku Kitchen is a hidden gem for late-night Japanese comfort food, drinks, and a laid-back atmosphere. If you're in the Moʻiliʻili area, it's definitely worth checking out!

    Menu
    Ashley F.

    Minatoku Kitchen is a late night, almost izakaya style Japanese restaurant because their portions are smaller, meant to be paired with alcohol. For what it is, it's not bad and I think we ordered 6 items which came out to $25/person. The reason why I chose 3/5 though was because the menu items were a hit-or-miss for me, and the mediocre ones made me feel like it was something I could have made at home, but better. I'll talk about the worth-it items below, won't bother with the rest. Chicken Nanban (4.5/5): Crispy chicken meets kewpie mayo tartar-esq sauce. Yakisoba (4/5): I just like noodles, and their yakisoba was a good portion size for $12. Overall, it was okay and I feel like they do well because they are open later than most places; definitely not my first choice for Japanese food on the island.

    Victory combo - pork tonkotsu and chicken karage
    Janice U.

    This place is quaint but parking is difficult as it's mainly street parking which is hard to find. We did take out because we didn't have reservations. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was very tasty and priced well. I enjoyed the many layered tonkatsu and moist karage chicken The portions were perfect. I would like to come back again pending parking

    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

    See all

    23 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    27 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 3
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jo Y.
    448
    637
    32998

    1 year ago

    Helpful 28
    Thanks 15
    Love this 26
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Donna O.
    148
    408
    35670

    1 year ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 6
    Love this 12
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Maria H.
    65
    77
    40

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 3
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Toma C.
    0
    1851
    11153

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Lorie C.
    2
    35
    243

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 2
    Love this 8
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of De Z.
    0
    45
    0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Edward M.
    11
    422
    234

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of C H.
    0
    2
    0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 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。

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of D T.
    2
    40
    47

    10 months ago

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

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yoshimi K.

    Yoshimi K.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Minatoku Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Minatoku Kitchen

    Totoya

    Totoya

    4.6(333 reviews)
    1.8 mi•Kaimuki
    •$$

    Food and service is great! But their new AI-generated graphics made it seem like the restaurant…read moreserves lower-quality food, which is misleading. I know they have better graphics than that! Hope their marketing reflects how good their food and service actually is.

    Wife and I truly enjoyed this cozy little place in Hawaii. The atmosphere was quaint and cozy with…read morebar seating only and a reservation list you need to get on to ensure a spot. There is walk-ins but I wouldn't risk it The food was incredibly fresh. As it goes without saying, when you're in Hawaii you're as close to eating the freshest seafood as you can without being in Japan. We both ended up getting their Signature Negitoro Bowl but the Tokujo version which has Salmon Roe + Snow Crab + Uni and added a fresh Yolk Soy Sauce. Because why not have the Lamborghini of Negitoro bowls while you're visiting here. Along with that I ended up with a half sized udon miso soup and my wife a crab miso soup. As you can see in the pictures the food came out looking just like it did on the menu, no false advertising there. The egg soy sauce was a perfect creaminess that complimented the saltiness of the Uni and Salmon Roe. Once you mix everything together there's even added house made soy sauce on the side of your want more saltiness back but add some yuzu ginger with each bite and you get that perfect blend of flavor. There's fish was insanely fresh and had zero fishy smell or taste. The rice underneath was cooked well and the side squares of nori was perfect to make our own hand rolls. There's no alcohol served but they allow you walk 15 steps outside to the nearby convenience store where they have the cutest little dog and bring in your own beer or sake. There's miso soup was good and warms you up, but will say the corner we sat on had the AC blasting (which we're not complaining) but it did cool down our soups a little faster than we could enjoy so in the end my wife's crab miso did get a little salty. But overall the food was amazing, service was friendly and vibes were warm. Absolutely will come back the next time we're in Oahu.

    Photos
    Totoya
    Totoya - Mixed bowl with crab miso soup and extra nori and salad and shoyu egg on da side

    Mixed bowl with crab miso soup and extra nori and salad and shoyu egg on da side

    Totoya - Nagomi (smaller version of the Miyabi)

    See all

    Nagomi (smaller version of the Miyabi)

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro - kurobuta tonkatsu

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro

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

    You have never really tasted Tonkatsu until you've Ginza Bairin. The pork is juicy. The crust is…read morelight and coupled with the sesame /Katsu sauce-absolutely phenomenal.

    This is my favorite tonkatsu place by far, and we love this place for it's Kurobota katsu, but you…read morehave to get here early to try it. They only have about 20 orders available daily, so we always make sure to make early reservations for dinner. It's a small place, so seating can be limited, and although they do take walk ins, you really should make a reservation. Free validated parking is available next door in the parking garage beneath the Bank of Hawaii building. I really like how light and crispy their tonkatsu is here. And the Kurobota katsu just melts in your mouth! If they don't have that available their Bairin Pork Tenderloin Katsu is always excellent too! My girlfriend also likes their Katsu-Dons. Sets come with free refills of rice, miso soup, cabbage, and pickles. Last night they also had several new wagyu additions to the menu that we haven't seen before, along with a wagyu beef nigiri that we had to try and thoroughly enjoyed. Service here is fast and very friendly! We have always enjoyed coming here and the staff take great care of their customers. They also offer a Kamaaina discount for locals with a Hawaii ID, which is really fantastic for people like us who live here and enjoy this place!

    Photos
    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro - Tonkatsu, katsu-don, gyukatsu

    Tonkatsu, katsu-don, gyukatsu

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro - Special Katsu-don set

    Special Katsu-don set

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro - Katasu-don

    See all

    Katasu-don

    ABURIYA IBUSHI - Ice cream and mochi

    ABURIYA IBUSHI

    4.5(454 reviews)
    1.0 mi•Kaimuki
    •$$

    Thankyou Doc for treating us to Aburiya Ibushi for Grandparents Day 2026. Excited...first time…read morehere and we arrived more than 30 minutes prior to our 5:30 pm reservation. Exterior just calls out to you. I'll write more once we are seated and taste their food. I already looked at their menu on Yelp, read some reviews and know what I want to try. All 3 employees welcomed us with smiles and a happy greeting. It smells SO good when you enter of good food. Catchy Japanese pop music adds to the festive vibe. Their menu is extensive. Everything sounds, looks and tastes amazing. Erin was the best and such a pretty hostess, table server and made the evening enjoyable. Yuzu was all smiles, cute and prepared some of the food. She also helped Doc make our dinner reservations. Chef was so busy preparing the dishes I didn't get to ask him his name but I flashed a thumbs up to him as we were leaving and he gave a big smile. There was so much delicious food we asked for take out containers for the oxtail ramen and tender grilled beef. We had to pass on dessert. Actually my melon float was like a pretty dessert. Hubs drank a lychee soda. Highly recommend this restaurant. Come for the food, atmosphere and friendliest staff. We even caught a glimpse of their very young boss who also greeted us when he arrived.

    Always been wanting to try this place out, but could never find the time. Finally made it out here…read moreon a Friday around 5p (with no reservations) there were a handful of people in the establishment. We were welcomed in, though told that we had to depart by a certain time because there was another reservation coming in. Not a problem for us, appreciated the head's up. We were at a countertop seating, towards the restrooms. We could still see the cooks grilling in our peripheral view. We noticed that when it got busy, the place got super duper smokey really fast, to the point where they opened the front door to air some of that out. I wished they had a better ventilation system because we definitely left there smelling of smoke. As for the food, definitely shareable with different dishes from grilled meats to sides and starches. The server was also kind in helping us navigate through the menu when we had first arrived. There's a lot going on, in terms of specials of the day. Though I noticed, that when it got busy, we saw less and less of our server, and had to flag him down for more water several times. Save some room for dessert, for their sister company (Cha to Gelato Zen) is located right next door. Overall, if you're looking for a lively (loud) spot to drink and/or eat pupus, this place has an interesting vibe to it.

    Photos
    ABURIYA IBUSHI - Storefront... just like we're in Japan!

    Storefront... just like we're in Japan!

    ABURIYA IBUSHI - Their famous potato salad.

    Their famous potato salad.

    ABURIYA IBUSHI - Potato Salad

    See all

    Potato Salad

    Minatoku Kitchen - japanese - Updated October 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...