Fantastic Sushi, Sizzling Ribeye, and Hospitality That Keeps Us Coming Back!…read more BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): Outstanding sushi, delicious Japanese cuisine, exceptional service, and a welcoming atmosphere! Ginza Sushi is a terrific alternative to the crowded restaurants of Waikiki, offering a wonderful dining experience just a short distance away. Our first visit was so memorable that returning for another meal was an easy decision! The Details: During a previous visit to Oahu, we discovered Ginza Sushi and enjoyed such a fantastic meal that I made a mental note to return. Well, here we are again! This time, several colleagues and I decided to revisit this little gem for dinner, and I'm happy to report that Ginza continues to impress! Located at 310 Kamakee Street in Honolulu, Ginza Sushi is conveniently situated outside the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, yet close enough to make the trip worthwhile. If you're looking for excellent Japanese cuisine without fighting the Waikiki crowds, this place deserves your attention! Ginza has relocated within the past year, moving from its former location just down the street into a newer, upgraded space. The new restaurant is a definite improvement, with an inviting atmosphere that complements the quality of the food and attentive service. Tonight, our group decided to share several sushi rolls and appetizers, along with a mixed chirashi bowl served over seasoned sushi rice. First to arrive was the sizzling prime ribeye! What a wonderful presentation! Beautifully seared slices of ribeye arrived on a piping-hot cast-iron platter, resting atop a bed of Maui sweet onions and sautéed mushrooms, with a generous pat of herb butter melting over the beef. The aroma alone was enough to get everyone's attention! A delicious combination of savory beef, sweet onions, and earthy mushrooms. Next came a plate of gyoza, another excellent addition to our shared meal. We also enjoyed a beautifully presented Rainbow Roll, featuring a colorful assortment of seafood and avocado layered over a sushi roll, finished with a generous sprinkling of bright orange fish roe. Fresh, colorful, and every bit as appetizing as it looked! The mixed chirashi was another welcome addition to the table, offering an assortment of seafood served over seasoned sushi rice. Unfortunately, I became so engrossed in the food and conversation that I neglected my usual photographic responsibilities! Somehow, I only managed to capture pictures of the sizzling ribeye and Rainbow Roll. Apparently, my appetite was working considerably faster than my camera! One of Ginza's greatest strengths, however, is its service. The staff are absolutely wonderful! Friendly, attentive, accommodating, and genuinely eager to ensure their guests have an enjoyable experience. You can tell these folks take pride in what they do. That commitment to hospitality is reflected in everything from the food presentation to the restaurant's welcoming ambiance. It's always encouraging to return to a restaurant after a memorable first visit and discover that the experience wasn't a fluke. Ginza Sushi has now impressed me twice, and I fully expect there will be a third visit whenever my travels bring me back to Honolulu! Maybe even a third visit this trip...! Great sushi, delicious food, wonderful people, and a location away from the tourist crowds. What's not to love? Mahalo, Ginza Sushi! Keep doing what you're doing, because you're doing it exceptionally well!

Got there on a Sunday about 5:15 pm for dinner for 2 no problem…read more Kim provided service above extraordinary and very pleasant! Appetizer was fried calamari and an order of uni sushi ala carte. Dinner BBB miso butterfish, sashimi and tonkats, plus sides and dessert. Food was good and ALL the fish was fresh, we will be back!

Self note: get the Yamayuki Tuna. (chutoro) It's so good…read more The first time I tried sushi from Ginza Onodera was when they were at the Honolulu Fair last year at the Convention center and I remember their tuna was amazing I wanted more. Which led me to come out to town for their Maguro Fest at their store and let me tell you the quality of their fish, so good it melts in your mouth. Now, originally the prices are pretty pricy which you expect from sushi grade fish. The more fatty the tuna the more pricier it is but you know what treat your self, it's an experience. Since it was a limited time event, I get to try their otoro for half the price and you know what I'd come back for it again at its regular price to treat myself. Orders is through an iPad and you can pick through different categories and the amount of rice for your sushi. Wasabi and ginger is free of charge but if you need lemons for your water or fried item it's a $1. The staff was quick and welcoming which reminds of customer service in Japan. Good quality service and quality food. I'll definitely be back.

The Maguro Event drew a lot of people to this establishment. All Maguro for $3 drew a lot of…read morepeople, but unfortunately I feel like because it was a sale price that the fish also tasted like it was on sale - meant for broke people. I think you'd expect quality food/service but this place failed in both aspects. I did not have the choice of choosing where to eat since my friends wanted to eat here. It just so happens it fell during the weekend of the Maguro Fair. Upon ordering our toro sushi, I noticed from the first bite that the fish was extremely stringy and rubbery tasting... My friend also wanted to celebrate my Birthday here but there was no acknowledgment at all, when she had a whole group of people singing for her when we celebrated her here previously. I have already told everyone around me about my terrible experience and will not want to celebrate any occasion here in the future. I didn't even want to tip but felt bad and left it as a severance pay that I will never be dining here again... Hate to say that this also cancels my experience at their actual premium omakase location in Kapahulu. There are many other sushi places to go to and I will not be returning.

I used to frequent Katsumidori Sushi a lot when my sister used to work at the Prince, and it's…read morestill one of my favorite spots in Honolulu for affordable and delicious sushi sets (feels like it's straight out of Japan!) I'd definitely recommend this spot for more adventurous eaters who enjoy trying different types of seafood and exploring flavors beyond your usual salmon and tuna rolls. It's a great place to step outside your comfort zone and try something new with one of their sets! If you're looking for authentic Japanese-style sushi sets at a reasonable price, Katsumidori is definitely worth checking out.

** -- Great Sushi, but a Few Things Could Be Better**…read more The sushi at Katsumidori was excellent! Everything was fresh, tasty, and nicely presented. The staff was friendly, and the prices were about what you'd expect for higher-end sushi in Hawaii. The atmosphere was a little disappointing, though. I was expecting a more relaxed, intimate setting, but the restaurant felt a bit cramped and overly bright. It had more of a casual, busy sushi restaurant vibe than what I had envisioned. We also had a frustrating experience with valet parking. When we paid our bill, our server took our valet ticket to get it validated but never brought it back. When we asked about it, the initial reaction was almost as if we had misplaced it ourselves. They eventually found it, but the whole situation could've been handled better. And honestly, I'm still not sure what the point of validation was when we had to pay $10 anyway. Overall, the sushi was definitely the highlight, and I enjoyed the meal. I just wish the atmosphere and service details were a little more polished to match the quality of the food.

We walked from the airport (18 minute walk), which felt nice after a very long flight. This place…read moreis really unassuming and honestly looked like a run down spot from the small parking lot. I trusted my friends recommendation and everything I had heard and decided to continue inside. Upon walking in you'll see a pic of Obama with some chefs, so you know it's good. The servers were super friendly and moved us to the izykaya in the back so we had some more space for our luggage. They were getting busy already and it was early afternoon, so the izykaya filled up quickly. Protip- Make sure to have a reservation, even on a week night! I ordered the 6-piece spicy tuna roll. The rice was super sticky and it was so fresh! I then placed another order for a plane tuna roll and it was amazing. The rice was perfectly seasoned and the simple rolls were just SO GOOD.

First time coming here to Mitch Fish Sushi Use to Work Just…read morearound the corner at American Airlines but This place never existed back then lol or I'll be here Every Lunch ‼ Order my Usual Chirashi set Sushi Let's see what happens with this place lol and then I'll be able to see but I've been hearing about this place for a long time now and I'm just now able to find out but by looking over the menu there's a lot of selection and it's dining areas are divided into three 3 area restaurants are able to accommodate large groups for parties staff members are very knowledgeable and cordial great place but the parking might be only problem ‼

It was so sad this business is closing down by Oct 31st. With rising food costs, inflation and…read morestaffing, it's understandable but I wish best endeavors for Chef Jason Peel and his staff. My fiance won a gift card actually 2 of them (from his coworker whom could not get a reservation secured), we knew we had to make the trip over before they officially close. We had multiple dishes, but staff made Kauai prawns and tomato miso black cod dishes on the house since they ran out the Hokkaido scallops. We ordered the short ribs, lobster appetizer, hamachi crudo and lastly sashimi moriawase to finish food palate. Lukki lemon dessert was great way to end to night. Ordered the Milk tea bouquet cocktail while my better half had water ( either way the food coma knock him out cold the rest of the night lol). To be honest, it was difficult to determine which dish was the best because the staff kept quality there despite it being busy every night since they announce the closure. Sashimi moriawase, fish was so fresh, reminded me of my time spent in Hokkaido and Sapporo. Short ribs was soft and rich in flavor. Both me and my fiance liked the lukki lemon dessert, like lemon meringue pie but broken down version. If you have a chance to dine here before closing and got a reservation, definitely will have a lovely dining experience and your stomach will be full by end of the night.

Husband and I tried Nami Kaze in our recent trip to Hawaii. This place is huge! I was so glad to be…read moreseated in the side room because I found it to be a lot calmer, less people and no TV. The staff were friendly and very helpful with giving us recommendations. We ordered 3 appetizers and 2 entrees, and honestly it was too much food for us. We had leftovers for breakfast the next day! - For appetizers we got: Ulu Tots, Japanese Eggplant, and Corn Beignets. The Corn Beignets was the best. - For entree we got: Tomato Miso Black Cod and the Short Rib. Both were delicious and worth a try. Sad to see that this restaurant appears to be closing.

OH MY GOOSHHHH! This place has got to be the most underrated place on this island. Like why aren't…read moremore people talking about this hidden gem??? I know you guys drive by it and see it but have you dined in? If not, this is your sign. My friends and I walked in around 8pm and got seated right away. The place was packed (as it should be) but we were so lucky. The waiter took us to the back room where we sat on those "floor" tables... it was awesome! I felt like I was in Japan. Service was 10/10. Waiter gave us GREAT recommendations as it was our first time. Let's talk about the food. My top 3 dishes of the night -- 1) Uni charwanmushi - to DIE for. So much flavor, so much protein. 2) the beef skewers - incredibly tender. We ended up ordering another order bc it was so good. 3) sushi- Negitoro, torotaku, spider roll and spicy tuna... the rice and fish texture was just so perfect. The fish tasted fresh and the rice to fish ratio was a 10/10. Ambiance: chill, friendly, not too loud and everyone was so respectful. I'm craving it as I type this. So yeah, check it out. You won't regret it.

Haven't been here in years! Mom and dad celebrated their 67th anniversary so we decided to go and…read moreCELEBRATE! It was 4 of us and I made reservations at the beginning of the week. We go the first seating (5 pm) since we need extra space and time to get around. We had a nice spacious table seating. I can only suggest maybe cushions for the chairs for they're hard wooden seats for elderly especially. Our server was friendly and explained a few items. We ordered the top sushi platter but unfortunately she didn't understand and made the mistake of bringing us a different one. It was fine for I ordered a bunch of side dishes. My parents and friend enjoyed almost everything. I think the three items I enjoyed the most were the yuzu pickled vegetables, the yuzu sorbet and the chicken karaage. Those stood out the most for me. For the whole experience it was rather enjoyable still how I remembered it used to be. There is ample parking in the back if you come early or street parking. It was a little difficult with someone with a walker but slowly we moved in and out so just need patience. Pricing was what I was are used to going out to eat sushi nowadays. I think they were supposed to give us a special dessert for I asked ahead of time and it wasn't brought. I didn't want to bother asking but this was a special day for them which I thought should possibly not be overlooked when people make reservations. Luckily I made a cake which they enjoyed at home. However the place is cozy, the food is fresh and the service is good.

Second time being here, the food and service are consistently good. We ordered mostly hand rolls…read moreand the quality is just impeccable. My favorites are : Oyster shooter with Sake Unagi roll, Blue crab roll (no truffles) Spicy tuna roll and of course: The chicken thigh skewers. I can't wait to come back!

My friends and I went in for dinner reservations on a Saturday night to celebrate my fiances…read morebirthday. Open table doesn't take reservations for a party more than 4 so I called and was able to make a reservation over the phone. It was great because they synced it with my open table account and I got my points. It's a small restauranted located right next to Tonkatsu Kuro. You can park at Ward or at Whole Foods. It's all counter seating and you order everything through a QR code that takes you to toast tab. There aren't any servers that check on you on a regular basis. Everything came out pretty fast. We order a variety of food: rolls, chicken skewer, nigiri and side dishes. You can choose to have the rolls served all at once or one at a time for freshness. I was so hungry I requested to have my 6 rolls all at once and finished it in less than 5 minutes. They have preset menus for nigiri and rolls so if there are any rolls you want to try you need to order ala carte. The fish tasted fresh and clean. The one roll I wasn't really impressed with is the scallops. Overall, it was a great experience. It was intimate and quiet.

Doraku has one of my favorite happy hours from 4-6pm everyday. I recently came by with some friends…read moreto catch up and talk story, and Doraku is the perfect spot for that. I love their small shared plates (especially during happy hour)! Craft cocktails are $4 off and my favorite is their lychee martini or the smoky negroni. On the happy hour for food, my favorites are the salmon carpaccio, spicy salmon handroll, agedashi tofu, shishito peppers, and the chicken karaage. Other must-haves are the hamachi garlic roll and misoyaki butterfish. I love the ambiance here and the service is always great too.

Oh man... I'm sorry to say I was not impressed. While we were seated right away service was slow…read moreand though the food was beautiful and fresh it wasn't delicious (we would have rather had delicious sushi at a $ or $$ place instead of mediocre fancy looking sushi at this $$$ place). I also don't understand how Yelp lists this place as a "good for kids". It's not. There wasn't a kids' menu and the dishes were not kid-palate friendly (other than maybe the basic California style hand roll). For example, the fried tofu had shredded ginger on top that permeated the dish and the karaage had a very mild (but present!) note of spice that reminded me a bit of buffalo sauce. Our waiter didn't even give us a heads up or point us in the direction of any dishes to consider for the kids (surely we must not be the only family who has brought kids to this restaurant). Lastly, I understand that the tempura brownie is popular but after tasting the "tempura" on the tofu I'm sure the brownie is just the star that shines through. The "tempura" on the tofu was gummy and not the authentic Japanese tempura we are used to (my husband, who is part Japanese, said to me "What is this?! Cornstarch?"). This is probably a great restaurant for drinks and hanging out with some adult friends but the rolls and appetizers were just not to our tastes. We were also sat outside when the restaurant was near empty inside and out (we went around 4PM) and it was a hot day (though the AC wasn't particularly cool enough for my preference inside either).

Did the lunch omakase with a friend. The service was very nice, very quiet space with subdued…read moreambiance. It was challenging to get through all of the courses, but I succeeded. There were standouts and overall we loved the meal. A local id gets the 10% service fee removed which was nice. I would recommend the $150 lunch omakase - I don't think the $50 abalone dish was worth the upgrade.

Had an amazing omakase experience at Sushi Ginza Onodera. The staff were incredibly friendly and…read moreattentive, which made the whole experience feel welcoming rather than overly formal. Every piece of sushi was beautifully presented not overwhelming. You can really tell the chefs put a lot of thought into the balance of flavors and textures. One of my favorite bites was a sashimi piece topped with something that looked like finely grated cheese (not sure what it actually was), but it melted perfectly with the fish and added a really unique savory flavor. The chefs and staff also had a good sense of humor. At one point they served kinki fish and jokingly explained that the English translation sometimes gets called "idiot fish," which got everyone laughing at the counter. The omakase is definitely on the pricier side, but the quality, presentation, and overall experience made it very satisfying. If you're looking for a refined sushi experience with great service and beautifully crafted bites, this place is worth the splurge.

Their Sushi B5 is simply heavenly. Seriously. Try it and get back to me if you disagree…read more I've had plenty of sushi back home in California, but I've never had anything quite like this. I also tried their yuzu poke, which was different from the usual poke I order. Bright, refreshing, and a nice change of pace. The grilled salmon was another standout. Cooked perfectly, seasoned really well, and the crispy salmon skin was probably my favorite part. Between the sushi, poke, and salmon, Domo Cafe Kahala absolutely delivered. This is one of those places I'll be thinking about when I'm back in California.

You don't come here for ambience or booze, but if you want the freshest and tastiest sushi -- this…read moreis your spot. Like a moran I ordered a combo with California roll BUT the first two bites of 'smoked' salmon (missing from the photo since I inhaled it) were something else. The smokiness of that bite on the fish was insane. The freshness of the fish in the bowl and the uni was incredible (as my wife usually doesn't like uni but she liked it very much). I would go back for every meal left if we didn't have meals lined up already. SO GOOD!