Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Nippon Bento & Catering

    4.1 (111 reviews)
    InexpensiveCaterers, Japanese
    Closed 6:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Services - Nippon Bento & Catering

    Catering

    Vegetarian catering

    Nippon Bento & Catering Photos

    Business Info

    NIPPON BENTO & CATERING ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    More like Nippon Bento & Catering

    Recommended Reviews - Nippon Bento & Catering

    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

    Deluxe Bento: Korean Chicken, Meat Jun, and Stir-Fried Vegetables ($15.75+tax)
    Gerry L.

    A co-worker is always willing to pick up lunch for us ... This time it was from Nippon Bento & Catering on Waiakamilo Road, near Hart Street. Their menu is vast, with 38 bentos, starting at $7.75, and 4 donburi bowls for $8.75. Two ordered #33, the Deluxe Bento with Korean Chicken, Meat Jun, and Stir-fried vegetables. It came with rice, topped with Furikake, two pieces of takuwan, edamame, long rice, and a small container of sauce for the meat jun. All for $15.75, plus tax. Brown rice is an option for $0.50 more. The bento is hearty, and I couldn't finish all of the rice. My issue with my bento was that the Korean chicken was soggy; I expect Korean chicken to be nice and crispy. It could be due to the time it was sitting in the bento with the cover on as we've experienced similar issues with fried food in plastic containers ... The heat of the food creates "steam", which softens anything crispy. To me, my Deluxe Bento for $15.75 is a valid alternative to the Z**P** from you know where that costs between $16.15 and $18.65, depending on protein options. Recommended!

    Mini breakfast bento, 1 egg (your choice of cooking), 1 breakfast meat, your choice of rice
    Shana V.

    Originally I set out to order 10 breakfast bentos from another spot but when I got there, they were closed. Nippon Bento to the rescue! I was able to walk in and quickly order 10 mini breakfast bentos which come with 1 scoop rice, 1 egg (you choose how it's cooked), and 1 breakfast meat. The lady taking my order was fast and helpful, immediately starting to prep the boxes with rice and meat. This is a small spot but they have lots of variety of foods. Always a go to for a quick meal.

    6. Mochiko Chicken and Meat Jun Bento
    Ray B.

    We ordered bentos from this place for a quick gathering. Great selections with affordable pricing. I had a meat jun/ mochiko chicken combo and it was good. Chicken was crispy and flavored well. Meat jun was tender and hit the spot. Bento was presented well and filling. Great place to order for future events or gathering.

    Allen N.

    If you're planning a large gathering and need some bentos, I'm sure you'll find something at Nippon Bento & Catering as they're known for their affordable size bentos. They specialize in Japanese-style bento boxes with a large variety of choices. Their menu typically includes items such as salmon, meat jun, mochiko/teriyaki/Korean chicken, tonkatsu, and a ton of other tasty offerings. They also have sushi and other various dishes. Best to pre-order for your event as this will ensure food quality and allow the caterer enough time to source the ingredients and prepare the dishes properly. Enjoy!

    Outside
    S M.

    Today I got to try their bento special of $9 for 2 regular bentos, which I chose roast pork charsiu for one bento & B.B.Q. Chicken on Sticks for the other bento and they were great. The seasoning was so good that I did not need any other seasoning. Also, the worker was very friendly. This place is a real gem for the cheap price and and also for the great taste.

    inside the meat jun
    Angel H.

    I received a mini bento that consisted of mochiko chicken and meat jun. The mochiko chicken was still a little crispy and was coated in a tasty sauce. The meat jun was terrific. It was thin pieces of beef layered together and coated in egg batter. I really really liked the meat jun. There was also a piece of takuan and rice sprinkled with furikaki. I'm not sure about the prices. It was catered from my job. I've heard that their prices are reasonable.

    38. Kalbi, Mochi Chicken and Butterfish Bento
    Jason Y.

    Stopped by this place for a quick lunch after arriving in Honolulu. They had a vast selection of food and i ended up getting the #38 bento. Even though the sign says to order bentos 2 hours in advance, they were able to make it for me on the spot. This is definitely a mom and pop shop. The service was good and had good vibes. The food was very good. Mochiko chicken, kalbi and butterfly fish. They have a bunch of other snacks and spam musbis and small bentos made ready to go. Definitely worth a visit to grab some food before heading into the city!

    Butterfish and mochiko chicken bento
    Neal I.

    I had the butterfish and mochiko chicken bento. It was very good and I would definitely order it again. There were two pieces of grilled butterfish that were very tasty and nicely cooked. The mochiko chicken was also prepared well. The amount of batter was perfect. Also, I like the batter somewhat crunchy and chewie, which this one was. I feel this distinguishes it from regular fried chicken. It also had a little hint of sugar and garlic, which made it very flavourful. The bento also came with edamame, long rice and takuan. All complemented each other nicely. The bento order was accurate and ready on time. The cost of the bentos are $10-$13 which is very reasonable for what you get. In this post covid era, it seems office get togethers are made up of bento lunches instead of the all you can eat pot lucks. Either one is fine with me.

    Katsu, Teri beef, Long rice bento $11 plus.
    Karen S.

    Enjoyed the variety of bento offerings in various price ranges to fit our budget. Nice meal presentations, and very pleasant and helpful employees working at the counter and in the back. The food was tasty - our group enjoyed the regular sized katsu bento $9.25, and the full $11 and up bento with butterfish and mochiko chicken, Teri beef and other combinations. Included rice, a sprinkle of Furikake, ume, edamame, and daikon. (We didn't order the really big bento $15 and up.) We placed a bulk order for a Monday business luncheon as a result!

    Mochiko Chicken and Meat Jun
    Paul C.

    There's a tradition in my office for new staff to plan the annual Halloween and Christmas party. COVID put a halt to this tradition the last 2 years, so it was nice for our office to celebrate again. I've already paid my dues by planning these parties when I first joined so I had the luxury of just RSVPing. In the invitation, it was mentioned that the food is being catered by Nippon Bento and Catering (NBC). I don't recall ever trying them, so I was intrigued. Established in 1989, NBC has been serving Japanese bentos in the Dillingham area where you can also order from them online (Door Dash, Grub Hub, or Bite Squad). They have a large assortment to choose from and even have vegetarian ones and can also have brown rice for a surcharge. I was impressed with their website for visuals of their assorted bentos. I took no part in the planning nor coordinating but here's what I experienced. NBC's staff came to deliver the food to our office in the Kaimuki area. Party trays were properly labeled and placed in our conference room. Sauces and salad dressings were also labeled and packaged separately. Impressive. It was time to eat and here's a summary of our luncheon menu: Fried Noodles (3/5) Your standard local-style fried noodles using Sun Noodles (?) yakisoba cooked with shredded carrots, bean sprouts, sliced onions, and large chunks of celery. It was okay - - nothing to write home about. Mochiko Chicken (4/5) Boneless and skinless chicken thigh meat cut into chunks that were marinated and deep fried until golden brown. This was delicious but would have been better if the chicken was piping hot. Chinese Roast Pork (2/5) This dish had potential as the pork belly was marinated and seasoned well but it was a tad bit overcooked. The skin was still crispy, but I found the meat to be too hard to my liking. A few enjoyed this dish but many of us found the meat difficult to chew on. Meat Jun (4/5) Another local favorite that was executed well - the meat was marinated nicely and still tender. It had just enough egg batter to keep the dish together. But I found the accompanying sauce heavy on the soy sauce and somewhat monotone. Could have used a bit more vinegar and/or sesame oil. Misoyaki Butterfish (4/5) I was skeptical of this dish as I understand the high cost to make this. The butterfish was sliced thicker than I had anticipated, and it was prepared nicely. I do understand that food is made ahead of time and to be eaten later but it would have tasted better if the food was hot. Corn (3/5) Your typical commercialized canned corn that has been jazzed up with some butter, salt and pepper. I'm not a fan for corn but some of my colleagues enjoyed it. Choi Sum (5/5) Surprisingly, this was one of my favorite things to eat. Compared to what I'm used to eating at Chinese restaurants, the choy sum was cut unconventionally into small pieces but really enjoyed the seasoning. Seemed like they added some shichimi (?) for a little kick. This was delicious eaten at room temperature. Green Salad (3.5/5) I was happy that a premade green salad mix was not used. I appreciate the salad components of fresh and crisp romaine lettuce, sliced cucumbers, carrots, and celery were used. This was served with an Asian dressing on the side. Not sure if my colleagues are small eaters but we did have quite a bit of leftovers. We had lunch for 2 more days for those staff who wanted to eat. One of my colleagues did an excellent job repurposing the roast pork by adding tomatoes, onions and reheated in an oven. Overall, I was impressed with the food quality as it exceeded my expectations. I will consider using NBC should I need bentos or need to cater food for an event.

    Mac salad, fried noodles and mochiko chicken. $12. Expensive and very average on taste.

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    28 days ago

    Love this cute tiny place. The food is impeccable. Service is fast. Not anywhere to sit so just keep in mind and get it to go

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    28 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 14
    Thanks 4
    Love this 14
    Oh no 0
    Photo of S M.
    5
    302
    3203

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 24
    Thanks 5
    Love this 23
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of R R.
    98
    187
    130

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 2
    Love this 15
    Oh no 2

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Benny N.

    Benny N.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ruby S.
    416
    240
    1101

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 5

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mel L.
    991
    33
    16

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 38
    Thanks 0
    Love this 38
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J H.
    1
    28
    65

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Keith F.
    12
    197
    208

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Leann B.
    487
    17
    51

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 19
    Thanks 0
    Love this 19
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Steve R.
    201
    7
    12

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jamal C.
    265
    987
    8038

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Nippon Bento & Catering

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Caterers 14,016 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Kikuya - Salmon skin roll *11/2025

    Kikuya

    4.1(381 reviews)
    0.6 miKalihi
    $$

    I went with my bowling buddies to Kikuya. It's one of the few Japanese restaurants in Kalihi. It's…read morelocated right behind Diners Upscale Hawaii. Lots of parking but there's also a lot of good food places to eat here. We got there about 1 and it was half full. I got the lunch box which comes with 2 choices and a piece of shrimp tempura, tossed salad and rice. I opted for their butterfish which is really good and ahi katsu. There are several choices to choose from. I should have taken a picture of the menu. Oh well. Next time. The lunch box also includes edamame, cabbage and pickled cabbage. Miso soup which is really good. You might say the portion size isn't huge but for me, it was good. For the price and the quality of food it's well worth it. I normally forget to ask what our server's name was but she was so nice that I did this time around. Her name is Cris. She's very nice and always smiling. She kept our water glasses filled as well as our hot Japanese tea. Really nice person. As for the ambiance it's like any other restaurant where everyone is talking story and us just having a good time. If you're in the mood for Japanese food or sushi/ sashimi this is a nice place to go to. My friend Karl had their chirashi bowl and it looks really good. I will get that the next time I'm there.

    My last review of Kikuya was 3 years ago. I've been coming here now for years. This restaurant has…read morealways stayed consistent with its food. Yes, prices have gone up like every other place, but the food quality and consistency has never wavered. It's still the same good food. The waitresses here are also friendly and kind. Too many restaurants opens and start off with a bang, but slowly regresses and lowers its quality and service. They can learn from Kikuya who hasn't changed! Kudos to Kikuya! A must try for sure!

    Photos
    Kikuya - Inside

    Inside

    Kikuya - Another pov of my Chirashi bowl *11/2025

    Another pov of my Chirashi bowl *11/2025

    Kikuya - Soft shell crab roll *11/2025

    See all

    Soft shell crab roll *11/2025

    Teishoku - 2 choice combo with spicy ahi and miso salmon

    Teishoku

    4.2(697 reviews)
    1.2 miKalihi
    $$

    Good food here and friendly service provided here. It's a smaller place but even on a Sunday night…read moreit can be busy. I've had a few things off the sushi menu and the Tempura Vegetable Udon and am satisfied with the quality and serving size. Plenty of parking but the shopping center can be busy depending on the time of day, luckily there's lots of parking and a 2-story parking structure. The traffic movement requires drivers to respect the arrows and it takes some learning, but this is one of many good places to get food as well as grocery shopping and other things done!

    We were lucky to get seating for 8 of us on a Saturday a little after lunch. We just got done with…read morea community event and were famished. I ordered the veggie croquette and the veggie tempura set. The veggie croquette was good but could have used more veggies in it. The outside could have been more light and crispy. The vegetable tempura had a good mix of veggies, but I had hoped for some shave radish for my dipping sauce. The keiki meal was such a deal for ramen, edamame, and the teriyaki chicken with rice. Such a good amount of food for both my kids which they couldn't finish. Service was good and quick. The waitress was attentive to refills of drinks. I got a Diet Coke and was so glad they have Coke products and the fountain drinks there. Parking was packed at lunch time but was opening up as we were looking for parking. The stalls and ways of the parking lot can be confusing if you don't go there often.

    Photos
    Teishoku - Inside the restaurant

    Inside the restaurant

    Teishoku - Miso Butter Fish

    Miso Butter Fish

    Teishoku - Baby octopus and limu poke

    See all

    Baby octopus and limu poke

    Yohei Sushi Restaurant

    Yohei Sushi Restaurant

    4.2(514 reviews)
    0.3 miKalihi
    $$

    Yohei Sushi Restaurant opened in 1990 in Kalihi by founder/sushi chef Kazuto Obara and his wife who…read morehad immigrated to Hawaii from Hiroshima in the 1970's. It was his dream to open his own authentic Japanese restaurant using his special omakase experience from Japan and one of the first authentic sushi restaurants in Honolulu. It was a concept of "bringing Japan's finest to Hawaii" with a desire to "build a bridge between the two cultures of Japan and Hawaii." In 2018, operations were taken over by Testsuya Matsuda. A 2nd location was opened in Kahala in Jan 2024 by Hiroshima Mazda, whose specialty is traditional Japanese sushi (or omakase). Yohei Sushi 's menu offerings include: * Teishoku (or set meal). Comes with miso soup, rice, Japanese pickles, cold soba noodles, seasonal side dish. Main entrees are sashimi, tempura, maguro, misoyaki butterfish, ahi steak, saba. Salmon, ahi belly, katsu, and more. * Sushi Bar. With miso soup. Menu offerings are deluxe & standard assorted sushi, maguro don, Chirashi sushi. * Noodles. Choice of udon or soba with various combinations, e.g., nabeyaki, tempura, tororo, tanuki, zaru, kitsune, tori, tukimi, kake, and ojiya udon. Also, combo meals of tendon/noodle, sushi/noodle; and donburi of unaju, oyako don and ten-ju. * Side order & ala carte. Includes sashimi, chawanmushi, ika, shinkomori, murokyu, soft shell crab, miuzuku, Hiyahakko, edamame, tempura. Ahi belly katsu, misoyaki butterfish, saba, seafood tempura, maguro temprta, ahi steak, salmon. We've had the following: * Tendon and Noodle. Deep fried tempura of shrimp and assorted veggies in a rice bowl with sauce & hot udon. Very filling and tasty! * Tempura Teishoku. This teishoku had 3 large pieces of fried tempura shrimp and assorted veggies, e.g., carrot, eggplant, green beans, pumpkin, that were light and non-oily. Our teishoku meals came with pickled veggies, cold soba, rice, and miso soup with lots of wakame and radish sprouts. Very flavorful! They also offered a complimentary birthday scoop of ice cream with a dollop of an as a topping, which was refreshing and paired well! * Maguro Tempura Teishoku. Hubby's choice of fried tempura tuna set, and he noted that there were 8 large tender pieces of maguro that was lightly fried and non-oily. Very delicious and filling! * Unagi nigiri. The unagi was so flaky, tender, and light and had the right amount of sauce. Loved it! The presentation of the meals was beautifully plated with real, authentic Japanese small dish bowls and plates. The food was of good quality and very flavorful! Customer service was excellent! Diners are greeted by staff upon entering and thanked when leaving. The old-time servers were very patient, attentive, welcoming, and gracious! Our food orders came out in a timely manner, and the servers, with smiles, frequently asked if everything was okay and if we needed anything else. Hours of operation are: lunch daily from 11a to 2p, dinner from 5p to 9p, closed Wed. Happy hour is from Thurs to Tues from 1:30p to 5p. Located in Kokea Center that looks like a run-down strip mall at Dillingham Blvd and Kokea St, the restaurant interior has a great ambiance as if you were dining in Japan, as it is comfortable and welcoming. It was amazing to see almost every table was taken by dining customers. Reservations are a must, as people are turned away. Good thing I called for lunch reservations at 12:15p on a weekday, which was tha last table available. And the restaurant was packed the entire time that we were there! Free parking in the private lot shared by other businesses, as well as metered street parking. Yohei Sushi has been successful over the past years in its presentation, flavors, taste, and customer service, and we hope to return to try different menu offerings!

    TL;DR A terrific…read moreJapanese restaurant with high-quality set courses. ----- Yohei is a quintessential Japanese restaurant in the heart of Honolulu. The food is delicious, the presentation is on point, and the service is attentive and friendly. There are many great Japanese spots in Honolulu, and Yohei is certainly one of them. During my most recent visit, I ordered the Shrimp and Maguro Tempura Teishoku. I've never had tuna tempura before, so I decided to try it. The teishoku comes with several small side dishes, the tempura, doba, rice, and miso soup. It's a solid amount of food. Everything was oishikatta, and I left the restaurant feeling full. The tempura was airy, crunchy, and cooked to perfection. The soba noodles were chewy and springy, and the side dishes nicely complimented the main courses. I enjoyed it all! There are so many Japanese options in Honolulu, but I will certainly be back to Yohei at some point.

    Photos
    Yohei Sushi Restaurant - Indoor area

    Indoor area

    Yohei Sushi Restaurant - Chirashi

    Chirashi

    Yohei Sushi Restaurant - Interior

    See all

    Interior

    Natsunoya Tea House - Sashimi Omakase

    Natsunoya Tea House

    4.3(363 reviews)
    1.4 miKalihi
    $$$

    Great food and service. Nice location on top of the…read moremountain. Friendly staff and old time atmosphere. The parking was convenient. Looking forward to going again.

    Used to be my favorite place for sushi. Felt so at home here and we went all the time. Loved the…read moreBYOB aspect and the sushi chef Sho always served the best fish. They tried to make improvements by renovating the counter which was okay but honestly I liked the other classic look where we could see what kind of fish was available. They also stopped the BYOB because they started to sell alcohol. Actually you can still BYOB but the corkage fee is ridiculously high so not worth paying it. Despite these changes I was still willing to make this our go to place for sushi. My low rating is because they ruined the place by making it MANDATORY to order the omakase. I don't want to be forced to get the omakase when I know what I like to eat and that's what I want to order. I've been going here for so many years and I am truly disappointed that loyal patronage means nothing to this family owned business. Sho is still awesome and I'm sorry that he has to be subjected to these changes too. He seemed so much happier before they made these so called "improvements ". If they change their policy back to allow people to order Ala carte without mandating the omakase I would return. Not sure if that will ever happen. If customer loyalty means anything to them, perhaps they will. We shall see....

    Photos
    Natsunoya Tea House - More seating may

    More seating may

    Natsunoya Tea House - Tempura- a must order

    Tempura- a must order

    Natsunoya Tea House - Chicken Karaage

    See all

    Chicken Karaage

    Izakaya Mitch's - Uzaku (unagi, cucumber, vinegar)

    Izakaya Mitch's

    4.8(43 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    If there's one thing about me, it's that I love an izakaya. Open late and small plates so you can…read moretry a few different things, my favorite! I've been to Mitch's a few times and when I saw that they opened up an Izakaya next door, I knew I had to try it and made a reservation on Yelp. Izakaya Mitch's specializes more in cooked dishes while the other side is more about the fresh / raw fish. But that didn't stop us from ordering the assorted sashimi. All the fish were from Japan and yes you can taste the difference. The fatty tuna was obviously my favorite but even the regular tuna and the hamachi was so buttery, it just melts in your mouth. Plus, it comes with real wasabi. Not horseradish, real wasabi. For the cooked dishes we got the hokkaido crab tempura with a side of matcha salt. One of the best tempuras I've ever had. The kamameshi, a rice dish with their fish of the day. We got the half order and it's kinda like a bibimbap where they mix the rice for you at your table. I saw that people were raving about this on Yelp and put in our order right when we got in because it takes 25-ish minutes to prepare. On special, they had a karei karaage. Karei is a flat fish and I've never had a fish karaage before, it was perfectly fried and dipped in the ponzu sauce it was so good. Ambiance is a no-frills kinda spot but very clean and feels homey and the service is amazing! Attentive and super personable.

    So happy there is an izakaya that we don't have to drive to downtown or Waikiki. Izakaya Mitch's is…read moreclose to the airport in the industrial area. I made reservations, so we were seated right away. Luckily, it wasnʻt crowded when we sat, so our waitress was able to answer all our questions about different dishes we were interested in ordering. Our party of 3 got to try different things from the specials and regular menu. The tai karaage was so tender and seasoned really well, the kamameshi is such a comfort dish, and the burrata with chilled tomato was really refreshing. One thing we all liked was that even though there were a lot of people in the restaurant (most came in after we ordered), we still were able to speak to one another without talking loud. The staff mentioned that they will be getting a sushi chef, so I guess we need to try this place again,

    Photos
    Izakaya Mitch's - Hours of operation

    Hours of operation

    Izakaya Mitch's
    Izakaya Mitch's

    See all

    Yagura Restaurant - Misoyaki butterfish / mixed tempura teishoku - side salad

    Yagura Restaurant

    4.3(256 reviews)
    1.3 miKalihi
    $$

    I've often wondered about this old skool Japanese restaurant called "Yagura Restaurant"…read more Old skool diners are da BESTEST!!! After seeing my Yelp buddy - Tami C. check into this restaurant numerous times, I figah I go chance 'em!!!! I'm so happy to have tried this old skool Japanese restaurant, as I adore the old skool nostalgia! Walking into this restaurant makes me feel like I was a little kid in the 1970's. My friend & I were greeted right away upon entering the restaurant, and directed to sit into a vinyl seated booth/table. Yagura's menu is simple, offering an array of Teishoku meals. I ended up getting the BBQ Chicken Teishoku meal which included a salad, miso soup, white rice, & tsukemono. My friend - Gary T. ended up getting a combination plate of BBQ Chicken & Shrimp Tempura. What can I say about da grub? Simply O.U.T.S.T.A.N.D.I.N.G!!! My BBQ Chicken came out on a hot sizzling platter, & underneath the BBQ Chicken there was grilled onions. Yum! The chicken skin was crispy, and the sauce was deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious! Nicely executed! My friend also enjoyed his meal & mention to me that he was also glad to try this place, as he's never been here before. Service here was on point, as the waitress was friendly & efficient. Parking here is a bit challenging, as there are only 4 parking stalls infront of the restaurant. If you're unlucky to get one of the premium parking stalls, street parking is your only other option. The decor at this restaurant is definitely old skool. If your dig old skool nostalgia like me, then ya gotta check out Yagura Restaurant!

    Another one I was able to cross off my list. I've probably driven by this place hundreds of times…read morebut never tried it. I met a friend who works nearby for lunch. This place is definitely a throwback. You can feel that vibe once you walk through the doors. Quickly got seated and served water and tea (which I really appreciated). Some places don't offer it or don't even have it. The menu is quite extensive. I settled on the Teishoku with Sashimi, salmon and teri beef. They brought out the miso soup (not the kind out of a tube) and the rice before the meal arrived. I was pleasantly surprised at the size of the salmon, most places that I go to it's pretty small. I could only eat half of it. The portions sizes for all the dishes were good. I actually had to take home some of the teri beef too. Kind of bummed that I hadn't been to this place 20 years ago. I guess like they say, better late than never. I will be back.

    Photos
    Yagura Restaurant - Inside the restaurant.  Love the old school feel.....

    Inside the restaurant. Love the old school feel.....

    Yagura Restaurant - BBQ Chicken Teishoku ($23.95) comes with rice, salad, miso soup, & tsukemono.

    BBQ Chicken Teishoku ($23.95) comes with rice, salad, miso soup, & tsukemono.

    Yagura Restaurant - Entrance area of Yagura Restaurant.

    See all

    Entrance area of Yagura Restaurant.

    Hiro No Uchi

    Hiro No Uchi

    4.7(40 reviews)
    1.3 miDowntown

    Located in the heart of downtown, this place is a hidden gem and gives off underground speakeasy…read morevibes! There is no dedicated parking garage so it's either street parking or any of the open lots nearby. First of all, let's talk about the decor. The entrance and lobby area has concrete walls covered in vintage Japanese movie posters, Japanese decor and artifacts lining the shelves, and illuminated LED blue and hot pink lights hanging from the ceiling. The abstract art and interior decor feels like an underground anime bar and gives off relaxing and chill vibes. You can definitely tell that the owner put a LOT of thought into creating the ambiance he wanted to portray. Walking further into the restaurant is the bar seating area. The menu is izakaya-style, focusing on small flavorful plates. Each dish was explained to us in depth on where the fish came from (flown in), how it was prepared, and what made it so special. Every dish was tasty and filling, though my favorite dish was the toro! It was soft, buttery, and melted in my mouth. This place is pricey ($150 per person) but definitely worth it for the food and the experience. The service is excellent - the owner and the other employees were attentive, personable, and treated us like valued guests.

    Cool, funky set-up and delicious omakase…read more INTERIOR/AMBIANCE: Need to buzz in for access, which is nice and feels safer/more exclusive. Sushi counter has 8 seats and there are some additional tables. Hiro is planning to do some pretty cool things with the space-- so fun! FOOD: Amazing. The first course included saba, which Hiro prepared exceptionally well. The other components of the first dish were tasty too. For the nigiri, our favorites were the chutoro and otoro (unsurprisingly). There was also salmon nigiri with pesto which was unique, but not our favorite. We noticed that Hiro adds additional flavoring components to good quality fish/seafood.. the flavors all complemented each other well, without overpowering the fish. SERVICE: Good. Hiro was chef, waiter, dishwasher, everything (he said he does this on certain nights when it's slower). He juggled all the duties well. The courses were presented at a nice pace and our waters were filled regularly. OVERALL: Wonderful experience. We appreciated Hiro's personalization and flair. It was also fun talking story with him! Plus, BYOB! He said he plans to keep the omakase area BYOB too. We definitely plan to return.

    Photos
    Hiro No Uchi - BYOB, for now. Guests choose their own ochoko cup and a tokkuri if they want one. There are also glasses for whiskey or wine.

    BYOB, for now. Guests choose their own ochoko cup and a tokkuri if they want one. There are also glasses for whiskey or wine.

    Hiro No Uchi - Ikura Uni Don. Dashi marinated ikura and bafun uni. A little dab of green kizami wasabi and uzura egg yolk.

    Ikura Uni Don. Dashi marinated ikura and bafun uni. A little dab of green kizami wasabi and uzura egg yolk.

    Hiro No Uchi - A significant part of Hiro No Uchi's shop is set w a lounge atmosphere in anticipation of their liquor license.

    See all

    A significant part of Hiro No Uchi's shop is set w a lounge atmosphere in anticipation of their liquor license.

    Utage Restaurant & Lounge - Shoyu pork

    Utage Restaurant & Lounge

    4.3(597 reviews)
    0.2 miKalihi
    $$

    I met an high school friend there and was excited to sit and visit. She had never been to this…read morerestaurant and enjoyed the food, service and ambiance. When we arrived it wasn't busy but the dynamics quickly changed as the lunch crowd arrived. Our choices for lunch made the experience positive. Service is quick, food is fresh and ambiance is comfortable. I've been here a number of times and enjoyed it every time. My friend said she's coming back. Thank you Utage for the great service, fresh food and ambiance of comfort wanting to return again.

    It's been a while since I've been here but went recently with my sister and brother-in-law. Despite…read moreHawaii's poor economy, the place is usually busy even on a weekday. Glad we had a reservation (even though we went for an early lunch). The place hasn't changed, the decor is the same What was nice was that there were a lot of wait help so service, even when it was busy,was attentive. Food was plentiful. Previously I had ordered the teishoku tempura but next time I'll order the tempura and side of rice. My sister did this and she had such a large serving of various tempura. I think there was four shrimp tempura (the teishoku didn't have as much. Most of the time I've been here the parking was available. But because there are so many other restaurants and stores the parking lot was usually pretty full but perhaps because we were lucky or early there were many spaces. I keep telling myself I need to order bitter melon. But I never do. Maybe next time

    Photos
    Utage Restaurant & Lounge - Dinner@Utage Restaurant; 10/11/2024.We're the last one's 2 leave the Restaurant last evening! LOL.Inside of this Utage Restaurant.

    Dinner@Utage Restaurant; 10/11/2024.We're the last one's 2 leave the Restaurant last evening! LOL.Inside of this Utage Restaurant.

    Utage Restaurant & Lounge - Egg drop soup

    Egg drop soup

    Utage Restaurant & Lounge - Goya (Bittermelon) with Tofu & Eggs ($22.95) - good tho a bit salty

    See all

    Goya (Bittermelon) with Tofu & Eggs ($22.95) - good tho a bit salty

    Nippon Bento & Catering - catering - Updated May 2026

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