Recently stopped by Musubi Cafe Iyasume at Ala Moana Center and had a fun experience. We went on a weekday afternoon with no line, so after grabbing our items and paying, we found a seat in the food court and dug in. Double Tempura Musubi (5/5): My favorite. Great protein-to-rice ratio, and the tempura added a satisfying crunch that made each bite more filling. Spicy Spam Musubi (4/5): A solid classic with a nice kick. Simple, flavorful, and easy to enjoy. Classic Spam Musubi (4/5): Can't go wrong here. A reliable staple that hits every time. Spicy Tuna Hand Roll (3/5): A bit underwhelming. Leaned heavily on rice with less tuna than expected. Overall, a great spot for quick, affordable bites whether you're heading to the beach or just need a snack between meals. Next time, I'd focus more on options with a better meat-to-rice ratio. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Best musubi around! They have so many locations now. I stopped by the one inside Ala Moana Center in the morning, and the musubi were fresh and warm. They offer a huge variety of options, and the prices are very reasonable. If the one you want isn't available in the display case, they'll even make more fresh on the spot for you. At this location and all the others I've visited, the staff always seem genuinely appreciative of their customers. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Bacon, egg, and spam Egg and spam - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Located where the old Curry House used to be - right near the entrance and across from Jollibee, this spot is a quick and easy place to grab musubi's and side dishes. I've tried a few of their musubi's and appetizers, and it's very much a "pick your favorites and go" kind of setup. Prices are reasonable, and the food is pretty good for what it is. It's also a great option for kids since everything is simple and fast. The service was friendly and quick, which makes the whole experience even smoother. Overall, it's a convenient stop when you want something easy, kid‑friendly, and satisfying enough without being complicated read more

Getting Musubi while in Hawaii is a must. We've been doing this for years. I would say this time the rice portion seems to be a bit larger than before? Good in that it fills you up. Not good that the proportions to protein meats is a bit off. Anyway it is yummy and very tasty especially if you get the special toppings like bacon, avocado, shrimp tempura, unagi etc. Price is more expensive (as with everything else) with the specialty toppings, Much more reasonable with your standard musubi. We went twice. Once in Ala Moana mall and once to the one outside of Walmart. Note the Ala Moana food court has seating so you can eat there. These musubi are premade. The location at Walmart has no seating but they make the musubi while you wait so much more fresh and not as squished. Very good customer service at both locations. read more

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I stopped by Musubi Cafe Iyasume for a very late lunch, as it was getting close to dinner time when I stopped by. Located at the Ala Moana Shopping Center, inside of The Lanai Food Court, you'll find many food vendors - as well as Musubi Cafe Iyasume. Musubi Cafe Iyasume has an array of musubis, as well as bentos. Upon looking at the various offerings, I decided to get a Tuna Mayo Musubi, and some Karaage Chicken. What can I say about the grub? A little pricey for what I got, but the Tuna Mayo Musubi was good. As for the Karaage Chicken, it was cold, so it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. Perhaps if I had come earlier in the day, I might have gotten a better experience? Overall, just an okay experience.......I liked the fact that the food is set up so you can grab & go, should you be in a rush to eat & run. read more

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I finally made it to Musubi Café Iyasume in Ala Moana--and wow, when I say they have options... I mean OPTIONS. This might be the biggest selection of musubi I've personally ever seen. Like, if you're used to grabbing something quick from 7-Eleven (no shade), this is a whole different experience. For my first visit, I kept it classic and went with the teriyaki spam musubi--and yeah, it did not disappoint. The spam was cooked perfectly with that sweet, glossy teriyaki glaze that just hits right. The rice was slightly on the mild side at first, but they give you a soy sauce packet, and once you add that? Game changer. It brought everything together. Honestly, if you're coming here, you HAVE to try the teriyaki at least once--but don't stop there. They've got a crazy variety, including a bunch of mini musubi if you want to mix and match. Definitely a spot worth checking out if you're in Ala Moana. Come hungry. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Didn't realize curry house is no longer . Now there's Musubi Cafe Iyasume in that same place . I was getting hungry around 9:30am so I decided to get me 2 musubi for breakfast. My haul was 1x konbu musubi and 1x spicy Mayo musubi. At least this particular location doesn't have the Saran wrap so tight around the Musubi. Service was fast and friendly and grab and go! read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - My haul - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Came here for a quick snack, located on outside corner of the food court area. I got a gyudon and 2 spam musubis. The musubi and bentos were not made fresh but that was okay because we were able to heat it up back at our hotel. They have a good amount of options and they weren't too busy like the other location close by. read more

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Hands down a favorite Hawaiian snack spot!! We LOVED stopping at Musubi Cafe Iyasume during our visit -- especially the Ala Moana Center location! This place hits all the right spots if you love Spam musubi, unique musubi flavors, and fun little local treats . We tried the classic Spam musubi (so iconic ), and I loved the *original one the best -- simple, flavorful, and just perfect for snacking while exploring. But they've got so many different kinds of musubi too -- like teriyaki Spam, plum cucumber, avocado bacon egg, and more fun combos that make you want to try them all! Cute bags and merch!! Yes -- they also sell adorable reusable musubi-themed bags and fun souvenirs , which made it a double win of tasting local food and grabbing a cute Hawaii keepsake! And of course, we had to grab some Hawaiian Sun juices -- if you're gonna pair musubi with something refreshing, that's the vibe! Menu & Price Range: Most of the musubi options are very affordable -- generally around $2.28-$5+ each for musubi, kombos, and sets. They also offer bento bowls and rice bowls with protein and toppings that go around $8-$12+, perfect for a quick lunch or snack on the go. Location: You can find this spot at Ala Moana Center's Lanai Food Court (2nd Floor) in Honolulu -- easy to spot and perfect when you're shopping or just want a bite between stops. Hours: They're open daily from about 9:00AM - 7:00PM, which is super convenient whether you're grabbing an early snack or a late lunch while exploring the mall and surrounding area. Why we loved it: * Fun local Hawaiian snack with lots of musubi varieties * Cute merch & bags * Great price for what you get * Easy to find and grab while you're out exploring We definitely will go back every time we're in Honolulu -- 10/10 recommend if you're here and craving a tasty local treat! read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It's super easy to grab a Musubi or onigiri here; they have all the food laid out under heat lamps. I was a bit worried about the freshness of the food, but everything I picked tasted fresh and soft. The Musubi actually have the time they were made printed on them, so you can see that they have been kept fresh. Musubi also have a time of expiry on them so you make sure not to pick one that has been laying out for too long. The spam Musubi was excellent! It's soft and hand shaped; they layer on a lot of extras. The eel and egg one is really good and the flavors meld together well. The onigiri are also really nice; they're relatively small, but filled with a decent amount of fillings. The salmon is not too dry and the ikura is very good. There was also plenty of kombu and it was very moist! Remember not to poke the musubi! ;) read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Musubi selection! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

With a few locations around the island, Musubi Cafe Iyasume has always been pretty consistent. They have a multitude of musubis and other food offerings. We went to the Ala Moana location recently. This is located in the Lanai food court, near one of the entrances/exits. There is sometimes a line of people picking out food items to purchase at the register. There is seating around the food court. The people working were quick and kind. We got the plum spam musubi this time. We have previously tried the spam musubi, plum ume musubi, kombu musubi, fried chicken mayo musubi, tuna mayo musubi, salmon musubi, spicy karaage mayo bowl, and probably others. The prices never felt that crazy and the food is packaged so that it can be taken to go. We'll be back whenever we are looking for a quick musubi option to take with us. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This review is for the location that was previously Curry House, on the ground level, Makai Market foodcourt right next to Jollibee's. We went first thing in the morning to fuel up for some holiday shopping. We ordered a good variety of musubis, our favorite ones that stood out were the unagi avocado & egg musubi and the fried shrimp musubi. The musubi were all warm and freshly made and delicious. They also had a good selection of bentos and other grab & go items. Definitely the spot to stop by for a quick snack or some shopping fuel. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Located just outside the center court foodcourt, previously Curry House - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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You really can't go wrong with Musubi Café. They have bento boxes, and a nice variety of different musubis. I got the one with shrimp tempura and spam and thought it was a good combo. It's a nice quick snack if you're in a hurry/on the go, or you can get a bento or a couple more musubis if you want to fill up. Don't be deterred by the line. It moves relatively quickly. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here for the Spam musubi and it did not disappoint. We tried two kinds and both were . The Spam musubi with egg, avocado, and bacon was rich and satisfying -- perfectly cooked Spam, fluffy egg, creamy avocado, and crispy bacon all balanced really well. Super comforting and filling. The Spam musubi with shrimp tempura and avocado was my other favorite. The shrimp was crispy, not greasy, and the avocado added a nice creaminess that paired perfectly with the rice and sauce. You can really taste the Japanese influence in how everything is seasoned and put together -- simple, clean flavors done right. Nothing felt overdone, just really solid, quality musubi. Definitely a spot I'd come back to when I'm craving good Japanese-style comfort food. read more

Easy spot to pick-up musubis -- I love the convenience of these quick grab-and-go spots. They offer a good variety of musubi flavors, along with pasta options. The musubi with the cucumber slice adds a refreshing element to cut the heavier salty spam. The musubi with gyoza has extra umami flavoring. Can't go wrong with any of them, really. Excellent to eat at the beach, or on the plane... as you're crying that your vacay is over. :') read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Musubi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Absolutely a must stop for my family when departing Oahu. Not too big, so I like to get at least 2 per person to take to the airport. Can enjoy one before the flight, and another one when hungry during the flight. Always hits. Not sure what makes it good, doesn't have much to it, so simple, yet it's just perfect for what it is and for taking in the bag on to the plane. I am thinking it's the rice, since the proteins are quite thin, but then I would not want to mess around with the ratio since I think it would throw off the balance. Wouldn't make this a meal while staying on the island, but it's a must when leaving for the airport. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Had a spicy tuna mayo musubi. Mostly rice. Very disappointing. They have a large premade selection- not sure why they feel the need to skimp on quality. read more

I LOVE spam musubi so when I saw Musubi Cafe, I gasped. I'm giving Musubi Café a strong 4/5 -- only because I believe rice should be the side character, not the lead. Less fluff, more topping, please. My friend swore this place was all over Little Red Book, so naturally we had to investigate like food detectives. The prices are so affordable it felt borderline illegal. No frills, no Instagrammable flower walls -- just straight-up musubi magic in a humble little setup and I'm here for it. Would I go again? Yes. Would I emotionally bond with a spam musubi again? Teehee, also a yes. PS: Their merch is so cute :) read more

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Iyasume is my go-to musubi spot. I love that they have so many locations now so I no longer have to go into Waikiki to get it. It was late when I stopped by, so I grabbed whatever was available, but they still had my favorite spam, bacon, egg, and avocado musubi. My other favorite is the mentaiko, which I'll try to get next time. The experience is always quick and easy with no mistakes. Reliable, delicious, and convenient every time. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - bacon egg avocado musubi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Their concept of bentos are alright tiny bits of side dishes to accomodate the white rice with topping of ume. One cup of miso tagged along for which bento not sure. My teriyaki bowl as shown, chicken tiny bits marinated in shoyu spicy miso so salty not to my liking at all. Nonetheless I shall only buy their delicious musubi. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Ssalmon bento and teriyaki chicken bento - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Many Musubi specialties [Honolulu HI] Musubi Cafe Iyasume is located in the Lanai Food Hall inside the Ala Moana Center. It is the food stand located at the opposite end of Mahaloha Burger. I've been to the one on Kūhiō Avenue at the Aqua Pacific Monarch Hotel and enjoyed the spam Musubis offered there, freshly made. Unfortunately, I didn't have the same experience at this location. I picked up an Avocado Bacon Egg and the Egg Spam. I ate the Egg Spam first and the entire thing was soggy and not appetizing. It would've been nice if it was warm at most but it was displayed on the counter in trays. The musubi had too much rice and the rice was mushy, soggy rice. I didn't even bother with the other one I bought. Maybe that's why everything was on sale at 20% off. Review #3571 read more

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Located inside the food court, Level 2 Available seating is shared with all the restaurants in the food court. There is usually a short line (3-5) people waiting , but it moves fast. You pick up the type of musubi you like from the counter and move along to pay. Take to go. All wrapped up, easy to eat. Some are cold, some are fresh and warm. Very expensive for food court, low quality , cheap item. It's mostly rice, with a tiny bit of spam or egg or whatever topping you choose. $5 each . Or the cheaper ones is $2.30-$3.50 Spam and rice. Taste was not great. Overly salty on one. Rice not seasoned, very bland. You won't miss out if you skip this place and try something else in the Ala Moana center read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Eel egg roll (left) $3.98 Avocado eel egg spam (right) $4.78 - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Located in the lower level of the Ala Moana shopping center inside one of the food courts. I was craving a quick musubi to snack on and I have heard of this place from many people and decided to try it out. There was a line but it moved. while in line there is an array of choices of the musubi's while you are in line and this is a grab and go place - I spotted a 9 section bento with a sample of many items like tamago, fish, chicken. rice with furikake etc. It was a good deal for the price of $12 I think. I also grabbed 2-3 different musubi - 1 had egg with avocado and eel. Other was spam musubi, and I think the last one is with Bacon and Avocado? The musubi here are smaller than what you get from 7-11 or ABC stores. They are plumpy but small portioned. The rice they use is sticky sushi rice and delicious. You can get full with 1 because the filling is pretty laoded and also filling. I really liked the bento box as I took the last one on the counter. It was full of umami samples. And I could not finish all of it and left the rest in the fridge for later eats. The cashier i was kinda frustrated with because he had a hard time comprehending - The other customer had to explain it again lol Other than that each musubi are about $3 each - A little pricey for the portion but they are delicious. read more

We came here towards the closing hours of the mall. Since it was close to closing, all the masubi were 50% off. It was end of the day so there wasn't much selections. I got the suimai masubi since it looked different and it was pretty big. It was ok though since it was mostly rice and the suimai wasn't great. But giving the place an extra star for 50% off. Definitely the cheapest masubi I could find. read more

Conveniently in Ala Moana Center's food court, Musubi Cafe Iyasume. Grab and go, ready to eat food! I love how they are individually wrapped and presented! They make you want to just grab them all up and eat there or to take on your trip to the beach. Overall 3.5 stars. read more

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It's just OK. This place is fine for a quick cheap-ish bite to eat. Everything is still $3 minimum and it's not veery much food. The spam musubis are small, about 2/3rd the size of a regular one. You can tell they have been sitting out for a while too... not the best. There's plenty of seating in the food court area. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Breakfast musubi and regular spam musubi with white rice - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Some of the items might look a little old or like they've been sitting out for a bit, but don't let that fool you, the taste still holds up! Their musubis are flavorful, filling, and perfect for tossing into your bag for a long day trip around Oahu or even a beach picnic. Great variety, especially if you're craving something quick and local. Just be mindful of what you pick up, some pieces are fresher than others, but overall it's a solid spot for grab-and-go eats. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

When coming to Ala Moana, there is one to go spot that we love visiting time and time again. Located on the second level of Ala Moana mall in their foodcourt next to Macys lies Musubi Cafe Iyasume! It's always busy in the food court but the easiest way to spot this location is to look for the longest line. Because it is that good and quite popular between the visiting tourists and the returning locals. There is always a wide array and selection of bentos and musubis upon coming up to their counter. You can buy what's available but we enjoy the salmon mayo musubis and usually order 4-5 at a time to share with our family of which we place our order with the cashier at the front of the line. Service is quick and great and we love the delicious musubis that just keep us coming back again and again! read more

Musubi Cafe a restaurant specializing in Musubi's and Bento's. They use a high quality of rice. You can actually taste the difference in their entrees. The musubi's are perfect for a quick snack. Bento's are a great choice for lunch or dinner. The line may look long but service is quick and friendly. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Front of restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It looks good, but it's not my favorite because it's too salty. Service was friendly, and there were very nice prices. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We came to the MCI Ala Moana location multiple times during my friensds' 5 day stay in Honolulu. I've only ordered pick up from the flagship location, so it's nice to be able to sit in a food court and enjoy our musubi. I constantly think about the unagi egg avocado musubi - it is SO good. What I wouldn't give to have a MCI on the mainland. Staff were always friendly when we picked up from both locations. I really can't wait until the next time I'm in Honolulu so I can make specific plans to get musubi. read more

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It tasted too burnt... and I go to this place often Lanai Food Court . The female employee who works the morning shift (not today) hasn't been friendly at all the last few times I've been there. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Eel rice bowl - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Great place to pop in to grab musubis for plane ride home. There is parking right outside in the structure. This location has a tons of premade musubis ready to grab and go. We got approx 18 musubis for $60ish. My fav was the spicy tuna and girls loved the unagi. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - 18 musubis for lunch and dinner on the plane! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I was craving a musubi after my walk and came here. They had tons of options with musubis and bentos. The service was quick and friendly. The place was clean and well stocked. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Musubi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Picked up musubis for the big game today. Spicy tuna and spicy karaage chicken. Always freshly made and tasty. The rice was still warm. Service is fast and with a smile here. They refill the musubis quickly as you stand in the line to make your purchase. The trays are organized and clean. read more

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I was so tired last night that I fell asleep while reading. I woke up this morning to find my glasses near me and when I put them on, I realized one of the hinges bent. I called Paris Miki in Ala Moana Center, where I purchased my frames, and they gladly took them in and after an assessment, it could be adjusted but there was a risk the hinges will snap and break. They would give it a shot and needed some time to adjust them. To kill time, I went upstairs and headed to the Lanai Food Court to grab lunch. I had some rice at work, so I went to YYK Dim Sum for their delicious chicken feet. After paying, I turned around and saw Musubi Café Iyasume (MCI). I just got back from Japan last month and during my 2 weeks there I once didn't eat a musubi (rice ball). I saw them often when I went to the konbini but I always got myself an egg sando. It's been AGES since I last ate a musubi from MCI, so I made my way over. I glanced at their extensive selection of premade items, including bentos but I didn't see my personal fave: mentaiko mayo. I first had this at MCI's original location inside Pacific Monarch Hotel in Waikiki. I RARELY deviate from the mentaiko mayo combination. I saw plain mentaiko and mentaiko ikura. I then decided to wait in line patiently for my turn to ask the staff. There was this elderly Asian female right behind me who bluntly asked if I was purchasing anything as she wanted the spot where I was standing to have access to the premade Spam musubis. There was only one cashier and we all had wait so I didn't see why she was in such a rush. ***crickets chirping*** I asked the male staff if they had mentaiko mayo and after looking at the register, he advised me they can make them, so I asked for two. I paid $6.24 for 2 musubis and waited patiently on the side. I witnessed the elderly Asian female dart to the cashier to have him ring up her 2 Spam musubis. I also checked out their stall a I also saw some merchandise for sale. I can see why this stall is popular as during my time there I saw quite a few people pick up musubis and bentos to go. The food are lined up nicely and the layout provided a welcoming atmosphere. In a few minutes, I saw one of the kitchen staff place 2 musubis on the counter, where the male staff grabbed them and handed it over to me with some napkins. I took my precious mentaiko mayo musubis back to work and immediately unwrapped them when I got back to my desk. They were still warm, and I could clearly see the mentaiko and mayo strategically placed on the top. I took one bite, and I was in heaven. The brininess of the spicy fermented pollock roe paired well with warm Japanese short grain rice. That mayo gave the rice ball a nice creaminess and fat content that just makes food taste better. Halfway through, I noticed the rice ball was generously stuffed with mentaiko. Super happy camper. I polished the 2 bad boys quickly as they were so delicious that I saw my hands now empty. After eating the 2 musubis, I am very satisfied and full. This will keep me from snacking this afternoon. Overall, a great reunion with MCI that I would love to come back for more. Knowing that musubis can be made to your liking, it doesn't hurt to ask the staff if you don't see what you want. Today's lunch was satisfying and economical where the drive to MCI is worth the time. read more

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Not sure why the reviews are bad, but this is one of the only spots I like to come to for lunch because it's so convenient and affordable and good. We just came here today for a spam musubi and some of their other musubis (the spicy tuna is one of their best ones I think). The bentos are good too and there's plenty of seating. read more

I've eaten here once since the pandemic and on a couple of occasions previously. Located near the mauka entrance of Ala Moana Center's Lanai food court- second level.. They have been situated here since the opening of the Lanai to the best of my recollection. I purchased 2 Kombu Musubis. I am not sure if the rice portion size is smaller or if the nori (laver) wrap is less but it is large enough to provide an excellent snack or complement a lunch. Ratio of Kombu is adequate. They utilize Clover, so one can accumulate loyalty points. I purchased two for under $5 so it is reasonable. Parking...well, it's Ala Moana Center, so there are lots of stalls but during peak hours it may be packed. read more

Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Kombu Musubi - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came around 4:00 on a weekday. I asked for a certain item and I was told by the cashier that they ran out. So I went ahead and substituted it with something else and also picked up a spam musubi. This was for my hubby so he said he was ok with substituting what he really wanted, but of course was disappointed. Anyway, I went to another place to pick up the food I wanted. On the way back, I passed by Iyasume and guess what??? The item I had requested was right there. So this tells me that if the cashier would've checked the cooks instead of telling me they are out, I could've gotten what hubby wanted. By this time, I just wanted to get to where I needed to be. Hubby said the chicken didn't have much flavor and the spam musubi shrunk (shrinkflation). The bento was $5.98 and spam musubi was $2.50 total is $8.48, but I was charged $10.71....With tax of 4.712% would be $8.87, so the math is not mathing. I did not leave a tip so the hidden fees must be because I used my credit card and maybe a kitchen fee?? I have no idea because I never received my emailed receipt and didn't see the breakdown on the ipad. read more

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Our favorite place to get musubis! Another thing we like to purchase here is their shumai and fried chicken. Some times they dont have it available though. Their musubi's is small enough for a snack, or for my 6 year old so that she doesnt waste it. The Staff are really friendly and the service is quick. read more