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    Restaurant Kunio

    3.7 (1.3k reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Restaurant Kunio Photos

    Business Info

    RESTAURANT KUNIO ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Miso Butter Fish and vegetable tempura.
    Gabriel P.

    Girl's Day luncheon with family. My meal was a step down from the great food experience I come to expect from Restaurant Kunio. Service was on the slower side. A few minutes after the water was brought out the server came back and said ,you no what you want? With no smile. The tempura was the talk of the table. It came out white with no crunch. One guest mentioned that shrimp was not cooked through. I also had the Ikura maki sushi. The serving board was wet, only under the ikura. The other pieces of maki was ok. will try again. Enjoy

    Combo AB tonKatsu w/ miso butterfish
    Bob S.

    The food is top notch here. The word is out as the lines are long even at 730 pm on a Monday. We decided the lines are wait was too long so we bought 2 gift cards. They sell gift cards in increments of $25 dollars. We asked for 2 with $100 on each. It was quick and painless and will use them in the future when the wait isn't over 30 minutes. I suggest you could spoil a friend or family member with a nice gift that they'll be grateful for. I guarantee it!

    Maxine P.

    Took a friend here for a belated birthday lunch. Comfortable atmosphere , prompt service and Ono food. The three of us all chose the combo with Miso Butterfish and a different second choice. The Butterfish was good although it was different than the last time we had it. Not as moist. One with beef, tempura shrimp and tempura veggies.

    gyudon
    Taylor F.

    Great japanese restaurant in waikele! Waikele doesn't have many food options so Kunio is always a solid option for good japanese food. I haven't been in years because the wait is always pretty long since they don't take reservations, but we went on Sunday around 2pm and didn't have to wait long. We ordered the gyudon and chicken katsudon. The chicken katsudon was great and was super flavorful, especially the rice that soaked up all the sauce. The gyudon was ok, some of the meat was pretty tough and there wasn't really a sauce on it so the rice was pretty plain. The noodles on top were a nice touch though. Service was really fast and very attentive.

    kona coffee ice cream
    Gwen C.

    Went in at 1040AM and was seated immediately. There were about 4 other tables already seated. Our order was taken immediately and food came out very quickly. By the time our food came out, the whole restaurant was already filled :)). Everything tasted YUMMY. My only complaint was the hamchi/tobiko roll I ordered was only 5 pieces, LOL. But it was good.. I felt like I was ripped some pieces, hahaha..

    Beef sukiyaki
    Deborah P.

    Update on 3-3-26. My brother took me husband and our 2 nieces out to lunch to celebrate girls day. Thank you Craig T. I had the beef sukiyaki and everybody else had their teishoku combo. My sukiyaki was good not to sweet and not salty. Had lots of noodles, tofu, beef, and bok choi cabbage, and 1 egg. I enjoyed the sukiyaki. The others enjoyed their combo I guess but my brother and husband said they wish the tempura was cooked a little longer it was white in color and the shrimp looks raw inside. Other than that it was good.

    Kunio boat
    Cheryl A.

    My favorite place to go..I love coming here,they're located at the waikele shopping center however they get really busy & they do not take reservations so i recommend you to come early & put your name on that list!!food is amazing & never dissapoints,my kids love to get the salmon box & udon,if you want a variety of things & there's 4 of yall or more then the kunio boat is the way to go!!it comes with a variety of sashimi,sushi,shrimp/vegetable tempura.Shrimp,chicken katsu,steak,& lobster..it's also serve with salad,miso soup,& 3 different sides.They have so much food options to choose from & the employees are very friendly!

    Wina G.

    Located in Waikele Shopping Center across the parking lot from Lowe's. In the same small lot where Baskin Robbin's, Genki and Subway are. They don't take ressies and the wait can get long. The menu offers hot and cold noodles, sushi, donburi and set lunches and combo's You can choose 2 items from 2 groups AB or just one group A or B. The price depends on the combo you choose. Everything comes with miso soup, appetizer and rice. The portions are big IMO and worth the $24-26 price. I chose the soft shell crab and mixed tempura combo (AB). The tempura was so good! Light and not overly greasy. There was shrimp, fish, sweet potato and other vegetable. I was full 3/4 of the meal so I didn't see what the other tempura was. The 2 small soft shell crab was juicy but maybe a little greasy- it wasn't a tempura battered. My other friends had the katsu ( tender and not dry) and scallop/miso butterfish combo. It was a pretty big piece of butterfish and was done just right- soft and tasty. It was lunch hour and the staff was pretty busy but we didn't have to wait too long. We did have to flag the servers down for refills on tea and water We all agreed that for what we got and the food was more reasonable than other comparable restaurants

    Side salad and appetizers
    Cheryl B.

    Arrived 5 minutes to opening at 10:30 and there was about 4 parties in front of us. Once the doors opened we were seated right away. If you come later or dinner you may have to wait a while. We ordered, food came out quick. My order is always a spider roll and the combo AB with miso butterfish and whatever else I feel like eating, this day was sashimi. Whenever I come with family and friends we order the boat which is a variety of a bunch of everyone's favorites. Anytime I come here it never disappoints. Can't wait to be back!

    Sunset roll
    Jerilyn O.

    Kunios has ALWAYS been a go to for our special occasions for years, we went on Valentine's Day this year and usually we get the party boat but tonight was just 3 of us so we had a chance to eat things we don't usually get. Everytime we go I always see people get the sizzling plates so I tried the ribeye and my mom and fiance got two AB combos which were also amazing. I was SOOOO impressed by the sheer size of my steak and it was amazing. Going out to eat for under 100$ is something hard to come by these days. & for this much food, we were full, happy, and had a whole meal to take home! The wait Time here can get long especially if you go at rush hour but it's definitely worth it. & special shoutout to Edison for always welcoming us with such a kind demeanor. Thanks kunios for making our valentines dinner a special one, and affordable one!

    John T.

    At 4:01 pm today, I placed a take out order for 3 meals. Pick-up time was 4:40 pm. Name and phone number provided. And the preciseness of the phone call is because it is saved in my call log. It was a 59 second call. Show up at exactly 4:40 pm and was told they don't have an order for me. No apologies. No nothing. My wife asked to speak with the manager, and the person working the register said there was no manager in. My wife said so you're working without a manager and the girl said I am the manager... Again, no apologies. No nothing. A+ customer service.

    Arynn I.

    Wow, I haven't come here in a while but from reading some of these reviews looks like we got lucky with the hit or miss experience. Kunio's is one of my family's go-to Japanese restaurants even though there is a couple places closer to our house. My sister's family came here last week for my niece's birthday and they got a boat so over the weekend, we were talking about "The Boat" of food and my cousin's husband got super excited about it. When my mom made plans to meet them for dinner, this was the place we chose to go. We got to the restaurant and put our name down around 5:30pm (on Monday 12/22/25) and was told it would be approximately 45 minutes to wait for a party of 7. No problem. We sat on a bench outside and just hung out and chatted. Small world, we knew the couple who were sitting on the bench, cousin of one of our aunties. So the time went fast and we watched the other families get called. Sure enough, the wait was just about 45 minutes. We also had time to really look at the menu (even though we knew we were gonna get the boat). Once we got seated and watered, we took another look at the menu for anything else we might want. The gal who seated us answered a few questions I had, specifically about the chawanmushi that I couldn't have cause it has shrimp inside. :( Super sad face. But I think I had asked that on a previous visit. I will keep looking for a no-shrimp chawanmushi. In addition to the Funamori Party Boat, we also got Kampyo (calabash gourd) and Kappa (cucumber) maki, keiki meal, and combo plate of fried scallops and vegetable tempura. Now let me tell you what is in the boat. It says "feeds 4" and comes with appetizer, miso soup, salad and rice. There is lobster tail, shrimp, shrimp and veggie tempura, chicken katsu, teriyaki beef, sashimi and sushi. The sushi is nigiri sushi that had ahi, salmon, shrimp and another fish (i forget what it was) while the sashimi was ahi, salmon and the other fish. Because we had a combo meal and kid's meal, we ended up having enough rice for everyone and didn't have to order extra sides! Everything tasted good....and we ate pretty much everything. I ended up taking home 3 pieces of katsu and a few slices of beef so I had a nice bit of leftovers to take to work. I would say if you have a group that will eat everything on the boat, definitely get the party boat! It was a nice deviation from my normal of just vegetable tempura and udon so I enjoyed it. Plus there was a lot of other people to eat the shrimp so I was totally ok with that. The keiki meal came with ice cream (we got vanilla for the baby) but we also got a scoop of melon ice cream which had small bits of mochi in it! Yum!

    Michael N.

    Stopped in last Tuesday around 7pm--short wait. Tiny spot in the Waikele strip mall, but clean and refreshed. Friendly staff put us on the 10‑minute waitlist anyway--smart move. Fooled around with a combination plate for two. The miso butterfish combo plate packed flavor, and the shrimp tempura had real crunch. Execution overall good but not flawless. Noise level was noticeable when busy, and seating is tight. For $20‑30 per person, though, you get quality sushi, hearty bento combos, and vibe that says "this is Hawai'i Japanese comfort at its best." Would I go back? Yeah, for casual dinners or lunch on a weekday to skip rush." Overall Take Restaurant Kunio in Waipahu delivers decent Japanese food in generous portions with fresh ingredients and friendly service. It leans casual, slightly loud at peak times, and isn't omakase-level sushi--but it's reliable, satisfying, and a smart choice if you want a hearty Japanese meal without breaking the bank. The Funamori boat is worth the spectacle alone. If you're looking for upscale sushi finesse, skip it. If you want everyday authentic Japanese comfort food with a fun vibe in the 'burbs of Honolulu--this is your spot.

    Chawamushi is my favorite !!! This was winnahhazzz !

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    1 month ago

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    12 days ago

    Best Japanese restaurant hands down! We go here a few times a year and get the same thing the furinari boat!

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    9 months ago

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    6 days ago

    Amazing food, ambiance is casual and the wait can be long. However well worth it! The staff our pleasant and friendly.

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    10 months ago

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    Page 1 of 34

    Restaurant Kunio Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Restaurant Kunio

    Are u open for lunch on Jan. 1,2025?

    They are open on New Year's Day.

    Keeps showing as AYCE, but not showing on your menu?

    Sorry it's not AYCE

    Do you need 4 people in your party to order the boat? Or ok for me and my bf to order it?

    Nope! But either way, you still need to pay the full price

    What is the best time to dine in on Sunday?

    Best time to dine in or take out is at opening.

    Anyone know if Kunio is doing fine in during COVId-19? Lunch hours? Serve boat during lunch?

    They are actually temporarily closed. It looks like they are renovating.

    Is the restaurant still closed (As of July 13 2020?

    Yes, closed for renovations.

    Are they open for dining? Tried calling past few days but no answer.

    Closed for renovations.

    Are they open?

    No they are closed. I'm pregnant and have limited foods I can eat. I went two weeks ago and it was temporarily closed. Then today, I saw a girl posted on yelp saying it was open so I drove there today even while nauseated. It is not open. It is… Read more

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    Garden Island Café - Korean Chicken Plate Lunch

    Garden Island Café

    4.3(353 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    I first came to this place about a year ago and have been coming here ever since for lunch. With…read morethe rising cost of food places, this place remains to keep costs low, give generous portions of food, the food is always tasty, and the staff are so friendly. I hope one day they are able to expand because they would bring in more business, I think.

    I heard they have new ownership... and I haven't visited them in a while. I saw they had chicken…read morekatsu and gon lo mein on their weekly specials so I wanted to try it! Their portions and prices are insane... in a good way! Their specials change weekly Monday-Sunday. The lunch specials from 9:30am-2pm are $10.50 and after 2pm is $11.75. All day specials are $11.75. They always post the specials menu on their IG, so you can check there before you go - @garden_island_cafe :) The chicken katsu was crunchy and yummy! They cut their pieces a bit wide though... but the portion was filling! I had leftovers. The gon lo mein was tasty and had lots of flavor. They loaded it with lots of BBQ chicken too! I also had leftovers of that. The lady at the counter was very friendly... she said I came at a good time before the crazy lunch rush. I always like to call in my order so that I don't have to wait and I can just pick up and go. They do have a few tables to eat on if you'd like to dine in.

    Photos
    Garden Island Café - Clean interior/ counter has rice cake/ sign to order chicken chicherones

    Clean interior/ counter has rice cake/ sign to order chicken chicherones

    Garden Island Café - Delicious a la carte crispy fried chicken.

    Delicious a la carte crispy fried chicken.

    Garden Island Café - Gigantic gau gee, generous meat portion inside

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    Gigantic gau gee, generous meat portion inside

    Pho Waipahu - Tofu pho

    Pho Waipahu

    4.4(271 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Live the pho! Hits the spot especially on cooler days. The broth is delicious and hot! I don't like…read morewarm broth... The sandwiches are great too... Bread is delicious and good amount of meat and filling! Service is very good too!!!

    One of my kids weren't feeling good so I figured go get him some pho for lunch, Pho Waipahu looked…read morelike they had some good reviews so I called ahead to order his combination pho and papaya shrimp salad for me. When I got there I remembered I got papaya salad from this place years ago but it sucked and that's why I never went back. Anyways, I walk in and don't get a greeting from anyone. Whatever. I pay for my order and then that's it. No "Thank you", "Have a nice day!" Just silence. So already the customer service is pretty shitty. I get home and open up my container and then I'm like wtf, the shrimp were all cut in half. Why would they even do that. That shit is so weird. You basically put like 4 shrimp in my plate and cut it in half. The salad came with 2 sauces, a sweet chili and a watery one I thought was fish sauce. I put the watery one on and it was so sweet. I was like wtf is this!? Plus the papaya was so tough. That salad was so junk so now they are 2 for 2 for bad papaya salad. I'll remind myself to NEVER go there again. I would give them one star but my son said their pho was alright so they get two. However if you're looking for good papaya salad and good customer service, this place ain't it.

    Photos
    Pho Waipahu - Dining room

    Dining room

    Pho Waipahu - BBQ Chicken Banh Mi with side small Pho Broth

    BBQ Chicken Banh Mi with side small Pho Broth

    Pho Waipahu - Tofu pho

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    Tofu pho

    Sw8 Dada's Sizzling Sisig - Pork Sisig - so pretty 8) hahaha

    Sw8 Dada's Sizzling Sisig

    4.8(152 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    Man, it's been a while since I had some of Sw8 Dada's (I believe it was May of last year). Last…read moretime I went was when they were still a food truck by Waipahu festival marketplace. It was sure good to be back, and I am happy for their business to have its own place where customers can sit, not just takeout. They are now located near West Loch station by Mickey D's and Seafood City [the shops West Loch station). I live in Honolulu but it was sure worth it to take the rail to satisfy my sisig craving. I ordered their pork sisig with rice, and it sure was still delish! Pro tip for the business is using calamansi instead of lemon (but still good!). My order seems like it is for just one person but honestly, if you share it with another person, you'd still be satisfied because it is stomach-heavy! If you didn't have much to eat throughout the day, you could easily demolish the sisig dish I ordered. For drinks, they have canned sodas inside for $2.00 but I decided to get some smoothies at Hang's just doors down the place. As the parking spot may fill up, you can always drop a buddy off to pick up some to-go order. I have yet to try some of their other dishes such as their beef pares noodles. So--if you are craving ramen--try switching it up and get some of their noodles! I also recommend getting bulk orders for parties! Mahalo and I hope this business continues to reap success!

    Seen this place showcased on a couples YouTube channel and decided to come in and try for myself…read more They made it look and sound so good! I ordered their pork sisig with egg which cost me about $23 including tip. I'd say it was worth the cost given the portion size and the deliciousness of the pork sisig. The one thing I did not like was the Rice my plate came with. It was very wet and mushy which sucked because it killed the enjoyment of the pork sisig for me. Also, service from the cashier was not very friendly when I asked her a question, maybe she was not having a good morning. Idk. Anyways aside from that, everything else was good. Location is easy to get too, lots of convenient parking outside and dining area was very clean and up to date trendy. I do have plans to return to try their beef pares! That looks Ono too. Hope I get a better experience next time. It wasn't that bad of an experience, so I'd still recommend this place to friends and family because their pork sisig was delicious! Make sure to squeeze the lemon on top gives it extra flavor.

    Photos
    Sw8 Dada's Sizzling Sisig - This used to be Pampanga's Kitchen before Sw8 Dada's took over the lease. Pampanga's Kitchen is now at the other Waipahu shopping center

    This used to be Pampanga's Kitchen before Sw8 Dada's took over the lease. Pampanga's Kitchen is now at the other Waipahu shopping center

    Sw8 Dada's Sizzling Sisig - Fried goodies in the warmer... new stuff!

    Fried goodies in the warmer... new stuff!

    Sw8 Dada's Sizzling Sisig - Found in parking lot of former Arakawa's in Waipahu, across the street of Waipahu Festival Marketplace.

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    Found in parking lot of former Arakawa's in Waipahu, across the street of Waipahu Festival Marketplace.

    Restaurant Kunio - japanese - Updated May 2026

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