Went for dinner on our last night in Hawaii. We did the 6 course tasting menu. The food itself was pretty good, but one hiccup made the experience less than ideal. The restaurant is open kitchen concept with countertop only seating and the entire staff working in the middle of the countertops, so you can see everything. From the jump, it seemed a bit disorganized as some workers were bumping elbows, some cutlery dropped, etc. No biggie, but then we noticed that one of the workers handled the food improperly, touching something dirty then proceeding to pick up green onions and continue plating the food without washing his hands in between. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm sure there have been many instances when kitchen staff (behind closed doors) have handled my food similarly, but nothing I can do if I don't see it or know about it. Ignorance is bliss. However, if the restaurant uses the open kitchen format where nothing is hidden, then the expectations and standards do go up. Dropped cutlery is one thing, improper food handling is another. My husband quietly mentioned what had happened to one of the other (seemingly more senior) workers, who profusely apologized, but didn't offer to remake it. He just kept apologizing but left our plates there, which left us confused. Finally, when my husband asked what could be done, he took the plates away and stated that the chef would prepare something different for us. He ended up swapping that dish out with the premium beef tenderloin dish that would have been an additional cost, so that was nice of them, but I would have been fine with them just remaking the original dish. Mistakes happen and employees can be training, but it was odd that that wasn't offered right away. Overall, the food was good, but the experience wasn't the best. We both enjoyed the cod dish very much. read more

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Came here with my partner to celebrate my birthday! The street it's on is a bit rough with loose gravel but there's a Whole Foods nearby for parking needs. In the front of the store they have a small gallery of some of the ceramic bowls and plates they'll be using for some of the courses, all very pretty. They have bar seating around the kitchen area, and three table seats in the back. Our server was very attentive, but I wouldn't recommend the back seating as the sound from the other tables is concentrated in the back. They have an option for a 6-course or a 9-course, and you can opt to order items from the 9-course a la carte. The menu changes monthly based on the seasonality of the vegetables and fish. I got full from the 6-course and the meal overall was satisfying. It was a cohesive menu and the flavor profiles for each of the dishes were very similar, but nothing really stood out or was the star of the meal. read more

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We had this on our to try list and had made reservations on Resy a week before our mid-March Hawaii trip for Saturday at 6:30pm. Parking is street parking only and we were able to find a spot about a block away. The dining room has a U-shaped kitchen with 25 bar seats sits with three tables for four on one side. Since we opted for dining room seating, we were sat at one of these tables. The two kaiseki choices is a 6-course or 9-course menu. The 9-course menu includes two additional mains and a dessert. We opted for the 6-course menu since you can add any ar all of the three courses during your dining experience. Our servers were personable and described each dish as they were brought out. Our menu consisted of: Starter - Kauai shrimp Broth - Tai snapper tempura somen noodle Grill - Black cod Small carbo - Blue fin tuna from Japan Main - Duck breast Broth & Rice - Sawara Japanese Spanish mackerel grill Pickles - cabbage, cucumber, ume Each course was served in its own beautiful unique ceramic dish, which enhanced the dining experience. All the courses were delicious with Kauai shrimp, black cod and blue fin tuna as my favorites. Since we were celebrating a birthday, we were appreciative of the complementary dessert for the celebrant. We felt quite satisfied with our courses and did not opt for any of the three courses, Caviar, lobster, tomato bisque, Wagyu tenderloin or Orange cheesecake for an ala carte add-on. The restaurant updates their menu monthly. Hope to be back during our next visit to HI to taste a new menu and will opt for bar seating. read more

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What a gem of an authentic Japanese restaurant! I know it's been around for a while but it was our first time and what a delightful experience. A low key experience with high end flavors. Each dish was flavorful and presented beautifully. Service was friendly and low key and atmosphere relaxed and calm. Such an oasis! You have a choice of the 6 or 9 course meal which changes on the last Thursday of the month. The difference on the 9 course meal were 2 more "premium" entrees plus a dessert. We chose the 6 courses and were very satisfied. Will definitely be back! read more

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Dinner in Honolulu, Hawaii... Thanks to my friend, Marissa, for setting up this fabulous foodie adventure! I had never heard of Nanzan GiroGiro, but have passed by this restaurant for years - without stepping foot inside or even realizing what it was! This was such a unique 6-course kaiseki experience! Each month, the menu changes, so customers may return and have new creations to see and taste! We found free street parking since we had 5:30pm reservations. We were the only ones there for the first hour or so... then, every seat was taken! It was awkward at first because all six staff focused on us. Later, we realized how lucky we were to get everyone's attention and clear explanations of each dish! I liked everything... especially the scallops, black cod, lobster bisque, and mushroom tempura! The beautiful ceramics and modern environment enhanced our meal! Thank you so much for my friend's complimentary dessert for her birthday! She really enjoyed the chocolate mousse! read more

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Always a delight to have dinner here. Matsumoto-San and staff are excellent! We've been dining here for 10 years. Not as often as we'd like. This dinner was one of the best! Check out the menu... amazing flavors and freshness. Probably one of the best places to dine! read more

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The February tasting menu was such a beautiful experience from start to finish. I did the 6-course option and every dish felt intentional, creative, and deeply thoughtful. The chef, originally from Kyoto, brings such a refined perspective to each course. You can feel the discipline and artistry behind the flavors -- but also a quiet boldness. Nothing felt predictable. Every plate had a unique twist that made me pause and really taste. What I especially loved were the explanations before each course. The storytelling added so much depth -- hearing about the ingredients, the inspiration, and the technique made the meal feel immersive rather than just delicious. And the presentation... stunning. The dishes and cups themselves felt like individual works of art. The ceramics were so unique and carefully chosen -- it elevated the entire experience. It wasn't just dinner, it felt curated. Service was exceptional. Attentive, warm, and polished without being stiff. The pacing of the 6 courses was perfect -- never rushed, never slow. This is the kind of place you go when you want to appreciate craft, creativity, and intention. Truly memorable. read more

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Kaiseki 5 six course set menu, very delicately handcrafted by the Chef who has been serving this restaurant for 15 years; each course is unique, artistically presented, with balanced flavors Service 5 friendly, attentive Ambience 5 spacious, clean, minimalistic read more

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I'm only giving the dessert lounge 3 stars, not the restaurant as a whole, since they share the same establishment. The chef was extremely friendly and welcomed us with open arms. We went around 12:30 and there was only 1 other person in the restaurant. We ordered the Dubai chocolate crepe and an apple tart I believe. The crepe had a great flavor, and it was heavy and thick. The crepe is thin, the filling can be a little overwhelming and overpower the dish. The Apple tart had a very different flavor. The apple was cinnamon flavored and the texture was nice. I did love the crust as it was more crispier, and broke easily, which I liked. I feel there could be some potential here, just needs to tweak a few things, but overall it was a good experience! read more

Nanzan GiroGiro - Dubai Crepe - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Here you can have an extraordinary experience and enjoy delicious food. We visited Nanzan Giro Giro in Honolulu to celebrate a friend's birthday, and it was absolutely wonderful. Each dish was beautifully presented -- truly like edible art -- and every course felt thoughtfully and skillfully prepared. Parking is street parking around the restaurant (first come, first served). If you don't find a spot nearby, there are additional street parking options within a short 5-minute walk. We went on Valentine's Eve, so it was busy, but perfect for a special occasion. Highly recommended for birthdays, anniversaries, or anyone wanting to experience elegant, traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine in Honolulu. At Nanzan Giro Giro, the experience goes far beyond the food -- the dishware itself is a work of art. Each piece is thoughtfully selected to complement the food it holds, with textures, colors, and shapes that enhance the presentation and elevate the entire dining experience. The way the ceramics interact with the ingredients feels intentional and elegant -- almost like viewing a curated gallery of edible art. The dishware helps tell the story of each season and course, adding a visual harmony that makes every bite more memorable. Whether simple or intricate, each plate contributes to the beauty of the meal and makes dining here feel truly special. The menu changes every month, with the next month's menu being displayed on the last Thursday of the month. [Note] If you enjoy savoring multiple flavors in one dish, you'll love authentic Japanese cuisine. Authentic Japanese cuisine has a light base of dashi, kelp, and bonito. The sauce, as shown here, is typically mixed with miso or soy sauce and vegetable puree. The combination varies depending on the dish. There are also simple grilled dishes. Foie gras and other Western seasonings are sometimes added. These are considered secret ingredients and are left to the chef's discretion. If you only enjoy butter, lemon, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, ketchup, gravy, animal fat, tomato sauce, olives, and balsamic vinegar, this restaurant will offer a completely different tasting experience. February menu. 6 course menu $88 先付 Start 椀 Broth 向付 Mukoduke 小鉢 Kobachi くずし Main 食事 Broth&rice 香の物 Pickles A la carte 進肴 15 of 9 炙りカンパチ、ポン酢出汁ジュレ、ズッキーニ貝割れ著荷おあげさん、ほうれん草 seared Kona kanpachi, ponzu vinegar jelly zucchini myouga ginger radish sprout, cook fried tofu, spinach ロブスタートマトビスク和え、卵豆腐、西京味噌出汁、ライム Lobster and tomato bisque, Egg tofu, kyoto white miso soup, lime 本鮪、にんじん、蓮根なます、大葉、カリフラワーソース、山葵 Blue fin tuna, carrot lotus root pickles, shiso, cauliflower sauce, wasabi ホタテと炊いた大根ソテー、牛蒡すり流し、マイクログリーン Scallop, cook daikon radish, gobo burdock soup, green 銀鱈幽庵焼き、胡麻豆腐天、ケール豆乳ビシソワーズ、舞茸天、山葵 black cod, sesame tofu, kale sauce, maitake, wasabi 鴨、フォアグラソース、出汁茶漬けご飯、三つ葉 Duck, foie gras sauce, broth and rice, Mitsuba 白菜浅漬け、胡瓜糠漬け、梅肉、わさび hakusai cabbage, cucumber nukaduke, ume puree, wasabi The following is an a la carte menu that can be added: 以下は、アラカルトで、追加可能メニュー 前菜 オナガダイ、あん肝ピュレ、奈良漬け、キャビア、もなか Onaga snapper, ankimo monkfish liver puree, naraduke squash pickles $38 caviar, Monaka sandwich 強肴 和牛、塩昆布ごはん、大葉、山葵、香味醤油 $38 Beef from Japan, konbu seaweed with rice, shiso, wasabi, onion ginger soy sauce 甘味 Desert チョコレートムース、レモンクリーム、苺ソース $12 Chocolate mousse, chocolate soil with lemon whipped ganache and strawberry gel matcha その他は、9品目のメニューあります。 2026 February menu. 9 course menu $168 先付 炙りカンパチ、ポン酢出汁ジュレ、ズッキー 二貝割れ茗荷 Starter おあげさん、ほうれん草 seared Kona kanpachi, ponzu vinegar jelly zucchini myouga ginger radish sprout, cook fried tofu, spinach 椀 ロブスタートマトビスク和え、卵豆腐、西京 味噌出汁、ライム Broth Lobster and tomato bisque, Egg tofu, kyoto white miso soup, lime 向付 本鮪、にんじん、運根なます、大葉、カリフ ラワーソース Mukoduke Blue fin tuna, carrot lotus root pickles, shiso, cauliflower sauce 小鉢 ホタテと炊いた大根ソテー、牛蒡すり流し、 マイクログリーン Kobachi Scallop, cook daikon radish, gobo burdock soup, green くずし、銀鱈幽庵焼き、胡麻豆腐天、ケール豆乳ビシ ソワーズ、舞茸、山葵 Main black cod, sesame tofu, kale sauce, maitake, wasabi 進肴 オナガダイ、あん肝ピュレ、奈良漬け、キャ ビア、もなか Onaga snapper, ankimo monkfish liver puree, naraduke squash pickles caviar, Monaka sandwich 強肴 和牛、塩昆布ごはん、大葉、山葵、香味醤油 Beef from Japan, konbu seaweed with rice, shiso, wasabi, onion ginger soy sauce 食事 鴨、フォアグラソース、出汁茶漬けご飯、 三つ葉 Broth&rice Duck, foie gras sauce, broth and rice, Mitsuba 香の物 白菜浅漬け、胡瓜糠漬け、梅肉、わさび Pickles hakusai cabbage, cucumber nukaduke, ume puree, wasabi 甘味 チョコレートムース、レモンクリーム、苺ソー ス Desert Chocolate mousse, chocolate soil with lemon whipped ganache strawberry gel 抹茶 matcha green tea read more

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Awesome seasonal menus they keep rotating and it's always amazing! Definitely recommend if you want to try what the chef meticulously designs and creates for this amazing experience. Definitely if you're looking for something unique and to have a great time. Good spot for dates or just a nice night out. The entire staff is amazing and would definitely come back! read more

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The Wagyu dish came submerged in a clear, sticky, slimy liquid that had the exact texture of mucus. I honestly wish i have never tried it. It tastes weird just like raw meat wrapped in mucus as if someone sneezed on it. It didn't help that the mucus didn't have any flavor adding to the wagnu other than ruining the texture I was actually excited when I saw the tempura black cod on the menu, because normally tempura is crispy on the outside and tender inside. But instead of leaving it alone, they decided to drizzle a sauce all over it. The sauce wasn't flavorful, didn't add anything, and only succeeded in making the whole thing soggy. It completely ruining the texture and masking whatever natural flavor the fish had. These are just a couple I picked out and the course did not have anything I could remember how it tastes like after five days. These two dishes are just so bad I forgot to take pictures of that's left of the course. Just don't go. I'd rather eat at home. my dad's cooking is way better than this. I used to complain about his cooking. What's even worse is that the dessert showed that whoever designed this menu not only has no taste (just putting random stuff tgh) but also cared nothing about the customer. U can see in the image that the dessert is just cheap industry produced cake that I can buy in Costco or target for one dollar each. Strawberry sauce is okay but what is going on with the cake. I don't even eat this kind of cake when I am broke. Ok maybe it is just those two dishes. If u don't care what u eat and don't expect much from ur food. This place is good for you. I have expectations unfortunately. I only give two stars when I originally put 1 star only bec I give 1 more star for service. I also need to deduct 1 star for the terrible dessert. read more

Nanzan GiroGiro - Dessert very cheap - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

If you don't know , now you know. lol Food was off the wall. It was amazing, course only. Menu changes every month, reservations are highly recommended. All of the dishes plates , bows , and cups. Are all custom made. Super superior restaurant, very clean kitchen, it's actually open kitchen you can see the head chef cooking everything in front of you. Gotta give it a try here on what ever occasions. read more

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Can't believe this is our 6th year in Honolulu and we have yet to try this place which has been around for 15 years! It's such a gem! We were a little worried we might not be full after but we left with a full stomach. It was such a unique meal and everything was great and tasty. We chose the 9 courses and it was amazing. We are definitely coming back soon! read more

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Enjoyed six course meal from 5:30 pm. Their omakase is omakase with puréed sauce: so that you don't waste all the ingredients the chef chose from the seasonal ingredients. I enjoyed all the dishes except the first one (tasty yet): I hope the first dish doesn't come in a Japanese tea cup: it's the first one so I wish we could enjoy the presentation as well as its taste. The waiters and a waitress are attentive and I enjoyed the conversation with them. However the atmosphere at the time I was there was noisy and a bit random: some customers came at 5:45, 6:00 and 6:30 etc So it made the chef busier to follow the course, (especially yakimono: grilling). Yet I would like to visit there again. Gochiso sama deshita! read more

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Checked out this place with my boyfriend as a year end dinner. Parking is mainly street parking as the store is in the corner of Pensacola St. and Kona St. The restaurant has an opened kitchen where guests be sitting on the bar counter around the kitchen. If you come in with a larger party, they have more sittings inside. Atmosphere was great. Very Japanese restaurant vibe, felt like we were back in Japan . Staffs were very caring and attentive, explained the dishes well. We chose the 6-course menu and added on the dessert. Overall, the food was great, but I thought the courses could have had more distinctive flavors. (That's just a small thoughts). Portion was good. This could be a nice date night or even good if you want to check it out by yourself too as the staffs will be checking on you often and you can watch the chefs running the kitchen. read more

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Nanzan GiroGiro serves up a kaiseki flight of seasonally artful dishes using seasonal ingredients. The dishes are small with six or nine course tasting menu. -Starter: duck foie gras which was rich and buttery. -Soup: somen noodles in tempura fish broth. The broth was really good -Pupu: golden eye snapper -Main: Anago eel, crab with white miso bonita Abalone tuna soy sprout Beef yuan with sea urchin Most of the seating is counter with an open kitchen. You can see the chef preparing, cooking, and plating the dishes. Service was nothing short of 5 stars. This is a dinner that requires you to concentrate and appreciate the different flavors. I left satisfied. read more

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Wow! New menu today! Everything was so good. Each meal was harmonious & delicious. Enjoyed conversation with the chef. Servers were attentive. Spacious yet intimate ambiance. I can't wait to come back! read more

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It always impress me with the Chefs concepts and ideas when creating his monthly menus. January menu was exquisite and very tasteful, who knew foe gras egg tofu and caviar goes well in a dish. We just got back from Napa Valley and experienced a couple Michelin Stars restaurants and I would have to say Chef cuisine would consider to be close to comparable. If you are a food lover that knows the complex flavors give this restaurant a try. Limited seating which makes experience great. read more

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Went on a Friday, the first Friday of 2025. We were the only non- Japanese in the dining room. A testimonial that the food is authentic Japanese. It's so good I'm coming back to taste this same menu again before the last Thursday of January. The service is good but I really missed some of the servers that are no longer working here. The open kitchen is a great experience to watch the Chef in action. read more

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1st seating at 6:30pm. This year seated at upper side left middle, again nice seating with great view. Choice of 6 or 9 course meals or ala carte. Wine pairing for $44, 3 glasses of wine and 1 glass of champagne. If you have the 6 course, the wine is served with Starter, Oshinogi, Grill and Main dishes. Most interesting and great tasting was the wine labeled CF Riesling by Chuck Furuya. Asahi $6/bottle. I forgot to take photo of the drink menu which had many selections. Hot tea refilled by attentive servers. As I get older, might be able to cut down to 6 course meal as I think that gives most bang for the buck. 5 stars all around and shout out to all the servers who are 5+ stars. read more

Nanzan GiroGiro - Main dish - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is one of my favorite spots for nine courses of Omakase !!! The menu changes every month. read more

One of the best deals in town. The quality service for the price is unbeatable in my opinion. The team is always very friendly and nice and I love how it's a casual experience. Food is top notch and changes monthly read more

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A truly phenomenal experience from beginning to end. Yelp needs another tier of stars of restaurants like this because 5 stars on a screen really doesn't do it justice. Detailed breakdown below: **Service, 5/5** Suzi and the team took amazing care of us. Super accommodating, engaging, friendly, and all so so so talented! Awesome experience with the open kitchen concept as the centerpiece of the space. **Price & portion, 5/5** There are 2 tiers you can choose from ($88 for 6 courses or $168 for 9 courses). Each dish is made with so much thought, care, and precision. **Presentation of the food, 5/5** Basically every plate, bowl, and cup is handmade (by Japanese artist Nanzan Ito, who is a co-owner of the restaurant) and turns each course into a piece of art you get to interact with. It's super cool because you can spot pieces that have chipped or broken and been repaired with gold (kintsugi)! Most pieces are also available for purchase -- I ended up buying a pair of the gorgeous chopsticks to take home. **Taste of the food, 5/5** A lot of restaurants take a well known dish and cook it perfectly. Nanzan GiroGiro is different where they create new combinations, flavors, and concepts entirely. It's like discovering a new color or hearing a new note for the first time (but with your tastebuds). It's quite unlike anything else I've ever experienced and I was impressed, surprised, and (happily) shocked the whole night. My group opted for the 9 course meal and literally every dish was a hit. I wouldn't have the space here to describe them all the way they deserve, but here are some of the highlights: - a perfectly balanced and savory clam soup with the silkiest noodles - monkfish liver mousse paired with fresh wasabi, pickles, and a luscious otoro - "tofu" made out of sesame! then battered and fried for a crisp exterior and uber silky interior - tempura-battered soft cod roe -- easy the best roe dish I've ever had; creamy, delicate, and a great contrast to the crispy batter soaking up the sweet white miso soup - seared wagyu with a creamy broccoli rice -- must be the most luxurious take on broccoli and beef that has ever existed - a cod, corn, rice, and ikura dish so flavorful yet so light that I cleaned out my bowl even like 8 dishes in - chocolate delice -- better than any chocolate cream, pudding, cake, or truffle - pear sorbet that tasted like a creamy pear with almost the soft grainy texture of apple sauce but was somehow frozen **Other notes** Call or text to make a reservation! Bathroom is camouflaged (LOL) and right by the entrance. A must-visit for anyone in the area! read more

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This was one of my top favorite date nights. Food was absolutely amazing. Staff was great. We will be back!

Gochisosama. Impeccable. One thing I noticed: a helper/server was putting paper-thin lime wedges on tuna with bare hands. The chef and the main preparer -a white guy, wore gloves on hands that touched food, but this guy, short guy clad in black with black rim glasses, might have been overly helpful. Watching the whole orchestration of food/disk preparation in perfection, which everyone is watching, I could not help notice. xx read more

We made a reservation weeks in advance and specifically requested counter (bar) seating -- both by selecting it in the reservation system and clearly noting it in the comments. When we arrived on time, we were told no counter seats were available because they forgot to reserve them for us. We were kept waiting for 20 minutes, then offered a regular table instead, with a promise to move us to the counter after 30 minutes. In reality, we waited over an hour before finally being moved. To make things worse, the table next to us was extremely loud -- people shouting, laughing nonstop -- and no staff member ever stepped in to address it. The entire experience was chaotic and disappointing. Despite the restaurant's clear mistake and the inconvenience we experienced, no apology beyond a simple "we forgot," and no compensation of any kind was offered. I expected much better service and professionalism from a restaurant of this reputation. read more

The portion was enough to make you full even though it's only 6-course. I like every dish they make especially the matcha! read more

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I stumbled across Nanzan GiroGiro as we parked across the street back in August. Was intrigued as almost every seat has an unobstructed view of the kitchen. Knew I'd be coming back to hnl in November, we decided to dine here on a Sunday. We were one of the first patrons to arrive for the first seating and scored parking up front. The waitress briefly explained the menu and that we had 2 options for the kaiseki meal (either a 6 or 9 course dinner). Love how they change their menu each month due to seasonal ingredients being readily available. We elected for the 6 course meal and added the dessert and matcha to finish the meal. I did enjoy most of the courses but there were a few which needed to be improved upon. The one that comes to mind was the black cod and somen noodle. Found it a bit odd that the somen noodles were cold which would've been great during a hot summer day! Wasn't a fan of the main course which tasted sort of like a soupy Chinese black peppercorn beef. Service was excellent and all waiters/waitresses were friendly and happy to engage in conversations. Do appreciate the affordability of the menu and would come back again in the future. read more

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Always innovative seasonal menu and best service. We've been going here for years. We always visit when we're in Honolulu.

Nanzan GiroGiro is one of the best places for kaiseki on Oahu. They have a 6 course and a 9 course to choose from. The 6 course has a good amount of food and you have the option to add on dessert. The 9 course is very filling and it includes dessert. I usually don't finish all the food in the 9 courses but I'll give some away to my friends before I start eating..."Do you want another piece of otoro or do you want the uni?" Their menu changes every month and the proteins consist of fish and beef but sometimes they'll have duck breasts. The sashimi courses have always been my favorite because of the sauces it's marinated in but during the last 2 visits, I started to like the uni rice. Every time I dine here, the food taste amazing and the presentation along with the ceramic ware are photogenic; camera eats first. The service from their staff is also excellent. They make sure your water cup and teacup never go empty during your meal. The kaiseki is pricey so save this place for a special occasion or on pay day when you can splurge on a nice meal for yourself. The 6 course is $88 and the 9 course is $176. The interior of the restaurant is bright and it has an open kitchen. You can watch the staff cook and plate every dish. If you're coming here with 6 or more people, you can reserve the private room which is in the back. You won't be able to see the staff prepare the food but you'll still get excellent service. I recommend making reservations 30 days in advanced. For parking, there are parking spaces in front of the restaurant but if that fills up, you have to circle the block and find street parking. read more

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Leading up to this point, I've had omakase sushi in Ginza, and I've also gotten multi course menus at Japanese izakayas in Tokyo. I've had multi course menus in California. But this was my first time actually trying kaiseki in the traditional sense of the word. I had known about this restaurant for a few months. When I called to make a reservation, I asked if my wife, who was pregnant at the time, could have her food be fully cooked and not raw. The staff were very gracious in accommodating this request. The restaurant itself is a very minimalist concept. The kitchen is in the middle of the room, and we can watch the chef cook everything. The seats are all facing the kitchen, and there is only counter seating. Our starter course was a fried catch of the day. It was amazing, and perfectly seasoned. Our second course, and by far my favorite course of the night, was Nanzan GiroGiro's take on a "lobster bisque." The chef had deep fried lobster, a thick ankake soup, and then tomato bisque as additional flavor. I've had all types of lobster preparations in my life, but this was by far my favorite. The lobster was perfectly cook, lightly fried, and perfectly seasoned. The lobster harmonized well with the broth. It was quite possibly the best lobster dish I have ever had. The next dish was a sashimi style dish containing bluefin tuna, bamboo shoot cake, bottarga (cured fish roe), and shiso. Wasabi and sashimi are a natural match made in heaven, and I was happy that the sashimi also had some soy sauce already added. The bamboo shoot cake was also a wonderful accent. An amazing sashimi course in the middle of the meal. The next course was a deep fried chiayu or sweet fish tempura, with shiso inside the tempura, as well as yuba, rice, and sugar peas. The cooked shiso and fish, deep fried together, were a nice harmony of texture and flavor. After that was beef, cooked to medium rare, taro, and green bean sauce. The beef was tender, and the sauce was a unique complement to the beef. The restaurant's own favorite and final course of the night was kinmedai golden snapper, served raw, in ochazuke and rice. Again wasabi was included with the fish, but this course was also served with a variety of tsukemono. A light and pleasant way to end the meal. Everything was amazing, but I think the standout dish to me was the lobster. Lobster is not typically deep fried, but the way Nanzan prepared the lobster was just perfect and unique. We will definitely come back next time we are in Honolulu. read more

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Nanzan GiroGiro offers a 6- or a 9-course menu, with some a la carte options to add on. We made advance reservations and came for their first round of seating, and, after studying their monthly menu, we were expecting just an overall good experience. Our courses included: +a starter - a Japanese saba mackerel with dashi jelly, greens, fried tofu, and eggplant +a broth - steamed tai snapper with lotus kale tofu, tai broth, and lime +a mukoduke - duck with kabotha pumpkin soup, zucchini dashi jelly, and shiso +a mukoduke, part 2 - with kanpachi amberjack, irizake sauce, wasabi, shiso, and a shimije green seasame sauce +a main - an ikura salmon roe, egg omelet, and black cod with syungiku greens, yuba soymilk paper ankake, and yuzukosho pepper +1st of 9 course - caviar, anago eel, scallop, foie gras sauce, wasabi, and myouga ginger root +2nd of 9 course - lobster, tomato bisque sauce, sesame tofu, and mitsuba ankake soup +rice - salmon miso, broth, and corn rice +pickles - hakusai cabbage, cucumber nukaduke, ume puree, and wasabi +and, dessert - a vanilla-poached pear with ginger infused cake, chocolate whipped ganache, toasted walnuts, and creme de cassis gel; served with Kyoto matcha green tea Honestly, the mixed reviews on this place seem a little skewed, as it should lean more on the negatives - this wasn't a great omakase experience due to the courses being extremely liquid-centric; I'm all about sauces, but it seemed it was a focus on broths and proteins that really shouldn't make repeat in appearance through the tasting. You could hardly appreciate the fish that was being used, as it was just overpowered with all the toppings, sauces, and/or broth; in addition, the fish was just not that fresh to us. Service was fine, but it seems as if there are the usual regulars that they cater more towards to, but this impacts the other parties that are dining in. No dice, Nanzan GiroGiro. +avoid their omakase read more

I really enjoy Nanzan GiroGiro. I'm surprised some people question its authenticity - the cuisine is genuinely Japanese, right down to the dishes it's served on. Don't come here expecting yakitori and tempura. The service is decent, though nothing remarkable. What stands out most is the chef's creativity and use of seasonal ingredients. That said, the restroom is a major letdown. As another reviewer pointed out, it's unpleasant and poorly maintained. They really need to address it. Nanzan GiroGiro は本当に気に入っています。料理の本格性を疑う人がいるのは驚きです。器に至るまで、まさに本物の日本料理です。焼き鳥や天ぷらのような典型的な料理を期待して来る場所ではありません。サービスは悪くないですが、特別印象に残るわけでもありません。一番印象的なのは、シェフの創造性と季節の食材を活かした料理です。 残念なのは化粧室です。他のレビュアーも指摘していましたが、不快で清掃も行き届いていません。そこはぜひ改善してほしい点です。 read more

The food was pretty good, but the consensus amongst my family after was "that was a lot of liquid." Out of the 6 course menu for $78, 4/6 had some kind of broth or puree. The other two had a soft rice and a potato salad, so pretty similar in texture with a mushy element. Not a lot of variety in texture July 2022 menu KABOCHA PURÉE + PORK: nice to start with, but twas the start of pureed foods GRILLED TROUT AND GOBO SESAME TOFU: smoky flavor with a smoky broth BLACK COD WITH FOIE GRAS "SAUCE," DAIKON AND KALE RICE: liked this one, definitely on the richer side BLUEFIN TUNA WITH BROCCOLI POTATO SALAD AND AYU: good quality sashimi, although I will say the menu advertised this with "ayu" as the first ingredient, which is the whole reason we wanted to try this tasting menu since my dad loves ayu, however, it was really just a miniscule ingredient mixed with the potato salad KONA ABALONE WITH CORN SOUP: my favorite dish, with the sweet corn soup that mixed well with the vinegar jelly. Wish there was more abalone to make the texture more variable FRIED HAMO EEL AND BROTH: crispy tempura, with yet again *another* broth. lol The ambiance is also interesting like other omakase or kaiseki places where you're mostly seated at the "bar" or around the kitchen so you can watch them work. There's a small area in the back for like 2 tables. I could see the appeal of both but it's definitely not as easy to converse amongst your party while sitting in a row if you have more than 2-3 people. Maybe the other menus have more variety in texture. read more

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Nanzan Giro Giro has monthly prefix menus (2 available). You can preview what is being served by looking at the menu, but in my opinion the description doesn't do the food justice. I really enjoyed each course. The flavors are clean and the dishes are beautifully presented! A few standouts from our menu was the black cod soft roe tempura, gobo burduck roots sesame tofu, wasabi king mushroom ankake soup. I did not want this soup to end! It was so flavorful without being salty. Another standout was the abalone egg custard, unagi eel, cauliflower sauce, salmon roe and hearts of palm. Delish! Between the smaller prefix and larger one, there are 2 additional entree type courses to the larger ones plus dessert. We thought the real winners were the dishes that were on both menus though. There is parking right in front but it's really limited and tight. If no parking there, you have to circle the area for street parking. I believe it is reservations only because we saw some people get turned away. read more

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I go to Nanzan Giro Giro whenever I can because the chef's creativity is remarkable. He is a State Treasure. Imagine developing a novel menu every month--for 14 years! A true master! The vibe of Nanzan is an extension of the chef--the music is a fusion of Jazz, R&B and original arrangements. read more

Good good good everything was good :) Seasonal food based course was very good. I don't like fish but it was very good even in my mouth. All the servers wee fantastic and chef was great too. Service was great too with small talks too. Loved the matcha and hot tea at end. Definitely coming back when I come back to Hawaii Thank you all for great time:) read more

Never never disappoint! Classy, artistically delicious deep flavors. Has been regular for past 9 years yet each visit with surprises. read more

My friend and I made reservations to Nanzan Giro Giro. It's a kaiseki restaurant, and there are two set menu options. The 9 course menu or the 6 course menu. We picked the 6 course menu. If you don't know what a kaiseki is, it is a multiple course Japanese dinner. It goes in order 1. starter dish, 2. broth dish, 3. oshinogi (light/small dish), 4. sunomono (vinegar or combined dish), 5. main dish (entree), and 6. rice & soup dish. You can order extra like a dessert dish or two other main dishes. I ordered one of the main dishes and the dessert dish. The extra main dish was the blue fin tuna with carviar which was $35 and the dessert was a coconut shiramako dango in a red bean soup, orange ice cream, strawberry sorbet with a walnut cookie. Matcha tea came with it too for $15. The 6 course kaiseki was $88 total. I enjoyed all of the dishes. My favorites were the oshinogi dish which was a black cod, foie gras sauce rice, zucchini, sunflower sprout, and wasabi. It was a light fish, the rice was tasty, and I just enjoyed how refreshed it was. Another course was the sunomono dish was a sawara japanese ono, kabocha sauce, eggplant, tosazu vinegar jelly, radish sprout, and heart of palm. The warm kabocha sauce, and cold tosazu vinegar jelly was a nice hot/cold combination. It was nice. The main duck dish lovely with the slices of duck, in the tofu & the scallop underneath. I really enjoyed the dessert too. The orange ice cream, strawberry, walnut cookie, and red bean soup was an odd combination but it worked. I enjoyed it. The service was excellent and I would definitely come back again. They change their menu monthly, and they go by what's in season in Japan. I would recommend to check their website for the monthly menu list. read more

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