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Wow! Great sashimi dinner for me and grilled Burikama dinner for her! And, reasonably priced! In Honolulu? Yes! We loved our dinners at Rinka! First timers. Parking is easy in the Whole Foods parking garage. Then just a short walk to the restaurant. Service was good. Yet they brought out my sashimi dinner before her Burikama was grilled. It would have been better if they held my sashimi dinner until her Burikama was ready. Ambiance is modern. No linens. Paper napkins. This keeps their cost down and they pass those savings to their customers in reasonable prices. Well done Rinka! Highly recommended!
First time dining here so didn't know what to expect. Staff was very friendly from the moment we walked in. The restaurant had a more modern feel than what I would consider a traditional Japanese restaurant to be. Nice tho. Everything on the menu looks and sounds amazing. Uni & ikura really stood out. I mean just look at that photo! Sake flight was good. I feel the pricing is a bit on the high side. Also (just my opinion), the whiskey selection could use an upgrade.
Rinka is a Japanese restaurant located down in the Ward area. You can park for free at the Ward theater parking lot, and then just walk across the street. We came by for lunch to celebrate a friend from the mainland. They have a nice election of lunch specials including sushi, sashimi, Unagi which run in the $35-$40 range for the regular, deluxe options are in the $60+ range, but they also have more wallet friendly options, including the tempura and chicken karage, pork cutlet which run in the $20 range. All the lunch specials include rice, a small udon, and some side vegetables. We ordered the sashimi lunch special. Fish was very fresh and Service was excellent. Would definitely like to come back to try some other options.
Wowow what a great Japanese spot. Perfect for celebrating any event and in the heart of Ward. Large sized sets to choose from and my friends and I tried the udon set, the hamachi Kama set, and the Wagyu sukiyaki set. The sets come with your entree and also some side dishes, udon, sashimi, tempura, salad, and rice! So good and filling! Albeit a little pricey at $40-50 a set, it will fill you up. They have a cold or hot udon option for your sets. Tempura is nice and light and the shrimp is delicious. And sashimi tasted fresh. Service was on point as well and will satisfy your Japanese cuisine craving! Come check them out!
TL;DR Delicious, but pricy, high-quality Japanese offerings. ----- I'm a fan of Rinka, but I feel like the 4.1-star rating as of July 2026 is pretty appropriate. The food is great, but there are so many options for Japanese cuisine in Honolulu that it's hard to stand out, especially if you are on the higher end of the price spectrume. I've visited Rinka twice, and both times were to use a Resy credit. I'm not sure if I would seek out a meal at Rinka if not for those recurring credits. The retaurant is conveniently located in the heart of Kaka'ako behind Whole Foods. I recommend parking in the WF parking lot and taking the stairs or elevators down to the bottom floor. My first visit to Rinka was for dinner with my family and I ordered the Wagyu Sukiyaki set, which was fantastic. The set included the high-quality wagyu sukiyaki along with tempura, sashimi, salad, pickled veggies, rice, miso soup, and couple other small side dishes. Everything was delicious. It's expensive, but I was very full after my meal. So I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off. My second visit was for lunch. I ordered the Tempura lunch set and a la carte Japanese cold soba. Again, the meal was delicious, I was very full, and I enjoyed every bite. All that food plus tax and tip set me back $50. I'll continue to use my Resy credit at Rinka until a better option emerges.
Highly recommend the sushi sets for lunch at Rinka! Stopped in for a lunchtime double date on a Sunday in early March and was able to get seated without a reservation. I got the Sashimi Set, which came with rice, mini udon, chawanmushi, and 2 small side dishes. The fish was fresh and I liked the variety of foods in the set that all complemented each other. The meal was filling. Service was friendly, and the ambiance was lovely with plenty of seating.
Just ate here for dinner, had to use a Resy credit. Had reservations for two at 5:30 pm. Service was good, wife and I were seated promptly, given waters, and didn't have to wait too long for orders. Vibes were nice but I agree with prior reviews that tables feel a tad low and close together. I can see this place getting crowded during dinner hours, or if they get a lot of takeout orders. I ordered the blue fin bowl, wife ordered the homemade soba with tempura, and we ordered two sake flights, the "traditional" and the "light." The food was decent--I appreciated that my order included udon, a small salad, and tempura. Sake flights were pretty good. All-in with a 20% tip, it came out to ~$175, not including the Resy credit ($50 with Amex gold). With the Resy credit, I can dig it. Without it, I'm not sure. The food is tasty and portions are good, but it just feels like I've had more impressive sashimi/sushi for comparable prices elsewhere.
My friend and I had dinner at Rinka bc I had a $100 Resy benefit on my credit card. In addition, I have had good experiences with Resy restaurants. Positives: Our waitress Hailey was super nice; The food came out quickly; Clientele was all locals, including a fair number of J clients Negatives: The tables are tiny and the seats are low. The table was as wide as my body. We had a hard time squeezing the food on the table. One of the ladies that sat on the inside had to hang out quite a bit outside the width of the table bc she was too close to her friend; Secondarily, even a woman a foot shorter than me said the chairs were low (I'm 6'2"); None of the food had a wow factor and it seemed expensive. Our tab was $157 for four items inc 2 beers b4 tip; 3.5 Stars overall bc of the good service. I will likely not return bc of the small seats and just ok food.
This review is overdue, but I absolutely had to share it because I was so impressed with Rinka's dinner menu! I used to think the dinner menu was a bit too expensive compared to the lunch menu, but after tonight..., I believe it was worth it. The variety of Dinner Sets were all sooo amazing! The portion sizes were awesome, and the flavors/freshness of the food were all outstanding. Did I mention how the portion sizes were amazing? Yup Everything tasted great..., and I really mean everything! It's hard to find a casual/semi-upscale Japanese restaurant like Rinka. Our server was very kind and helpful because it was our first time dining with Rinka during their Dinner service hours. I got to try a piece of the Bluefin Tuna Toro sashimi and it was WOW! WOW! WOW! Appetizers were fantastic as well! Great for sharing and tasting different items. This is a place I'd want to introduce to my friends and family for a great dining experience and a higher quality food selections. Very satisfied with our dinner service on this night!
Coming in on a rainy day, we got stuck at the entrance door as so many food take-out people are blocking the door, that customers can't come in. The hostess is doing a bad job making sure customers are well taking care of. Then, we were sat at a small table in a bad location when the whole restaurant was empty. Additionally, we were being told by the same hostess that we only have an half an hour to eat... What THE HELL!!!! Let me get out of this place.
I've dined here a few times and food is always yummy. My fave is the jewelry box and the blue fin tuna bowl. It's so fresh. Both come with side of udon. Lots of food. It's easy to make reservation on open table. Parking at Whole Foods.
Thank you to our servers who worked hard serving our group a delightful lunch, as we celebrated a dear sister's birthday. The food was fabulous as usual! First time trying the eggplant side, which was tasty, and again had the candied sweet potato side. I ate everything in sight (and for the first time, almost finished my rice bowl)! I blame the yummy green salt condiment for that;)! Mahalo to the evening crew who let us continue our service project for the American Heart Association's 49th Annual Heart Ball this coming Saturday (on the outside seating tables, while they prepped the restaurant for dinner service). They even kindly kept us hydrated, while we wrote hundreds of thank you cards for AHA. This venue is perfect for lunch and dinner, small to medium groups, and families. We absolutely love coming here!!!
We arrived earlier than our reservation and were quickly led to our table. Dinner and drink menus were already placed on the table which was great. Restaurant ambiance is nice and modern with an open feel to it. There are many options to choose from on the dinner menu and I would say that this is a great place to go on a date or for a fancier sit down restaurant. We ordered the nigiri set, tempura set and cutlet set. I loved how they placed all the little items in separate bowls and placed it all together nicely on the tray. Everything tasted superb and was great quality! Parking is available in the structure.
4 months ago
My ohana and I had a fantastic lunch at Rinka. I highly recommend making reservations since this place is always bustling. Rinka offers a delightful blend of modern ambiance and authentic Japanese cuisine. Severs are hospitable and helpful with suggestions from the menu. We ordered and enjoyed - Sushi combination- deluxe- fish is from Japan and probably the best sushi I've had in a while Chicken karaage lunch set - tasty! But I'd rather have the sushi Crab cream croquette- creamy and delicious croquettes! All sets come with rice, chawanmushi, miso soup and two side options. Great food, atmosphere and service.. I'm a fan! I can't wait to dine here again to try their other dishes on the menu. read more
2 years ago
Love this place! Great lunch spot with delicious and reasonably-priced teishoku in a comfortable environment with friendly service! Husband and I came here for a weekday lunch. We made a reservation just in the morning just in case it gets busy. The menu has a lot to choose from for our lunch meal sets. I got their sashimi set and he got the pork tonkatsu set. I loved that we could choose our 2 sides! I highly recommend their tempura fish cake - it's so addicting! I also enjoyed their agedashi tofu, stir fry veggies and eggplant. I just wish the tempura fish cake was served hot instead of cool / room temperature... The sashimi was fresh and the selection was great with everything I wanted on my plate! I loved how they served clam and chutoro in the selection! I also loved how chawanmushi was included in the set. It's one of my favorite dishes in Japanese cuisine. At the end, we got complimentary hot tea but not dessert so we decided to order it on top of our meal set. The yuzu cheesecake was pretty good, but I'm not sure if I'll get that again when there are other desserts on the menu that I wanna try! We'll definitely be back to try other dishes! read more
1 year ago
Been here a couple times before and was usually a great experience. We decided to come here for my birthday lunch and this time, my friend and I ordered the sashimi set. Expecting the slices mentioned (chutoro, tuna, salmon, etc.). Once we got our food we noticed they swapped out a couple slices, specifically the most expensive item--the chutoro. It was replaced by a slice of flounder and squid, nothing in comparison to chutoro. The squid was also extra fishy and slimy. We asked the server and he said it was the "chefs choice" and what they had for the day--Which was not what the menu listed, it said specifically which items it came with. He went back to check and updated us saying that they were out of chutoro for the day. Mind you, this was during lunch. At the very least, we should've been informed that they were out of chutoro when we ordered and offered us alternatives. Rather than let us discover the change and inquire about it. Completely unprofessional on the waiter and chef honestly. Did not even receive any sorry or offer to fix the issue. TLDR: $32 dollars for a lunch set that didn't even include their most expensive cut. Couldn't even get an apology at that price lol. Even McDonald's would let you know if they were out of something before you ordered. Would not come back again. read more
This restaurant is a hidden gem as it is not located on main street. First time I have been to this restaurant and didn't know they existed. My bf took me dor birthday dinner and we both had wagyu grilled beef teishoku special. The beef melted in my mouth and boy it brought up so many memories of our time in Japan last October. Meat was soft. The amount of food was plentiful for both of us. I'm glad we were able to enjoy this. I couldn't possibly order dessert as dinner was filling enough plus I had ice cream at home. Parking is easy just at the whole foods parking shared with ward entertainment center. Just use the elevators to go down to ground floor. read more
Came for my birthday dinner today at Can't miss Rinka coming here for birthday since they were located at Kapiolani Blvd We all had each our own separate sets of complete dinner I'll let the picture tells it all they were all put together well done and onolious Thank you Rinka we'll be back again soon read more
5 months ago
10 months ago
Amazing food and amazing service. The ambiance is nice and the portions were great. I lived in Japan for several years and this is the closest I've had to authentic even in Hawaii which has lots of Japanese places to choose from. Rinka is right next to the Whole Foods in kakaako and it's easy to park at the ward theatre parking lot and walk over. Always a very pleasant experience and the lunch sets are an incredible value! You can get an amazing teshoku style lunch for under $30 per person which in Honolulu is very hard to beat. With the quality they consistently serve at Rinka this is a no brainer read more
10 months ago
Very clean atmosphere, great for mid size groups. Had mothers birthday here and food was great and service was great. read more
An authentic Japanese meal. My family came here for lunch one day. It's a great spot for a nice lunch that won't break the bank. It's hard to find good Japanese food around these days. I love how their lunch sets come with your choice of rice, a bunch of other little dishes, and even your choice of 2 daily sides. I chose the agedashi tofu and renkon kinpira (simmered lotus root). The multigrain rice was really delicious and I scored an extra chawanmushi from my mom. I ordered the crab cream croquette set, which came with a mini salad, pickles, chawanmushi, rice, miso soup and the 2 sides. There were quite a few croquettes and they have a delicate crunch to them. The flavor was a bit mild, but that's also Japanese style. All of the sides were good. I love the variety of textures and flavors you get with your one lunch set. The restaurant is pretty sizable, very bright and clean, and the service is pleasant and efficient. read more
5 months ago
Food was delicious for every bite from main dish to side dishes. Service was fast, sweet, and friendly. The place was beautiful. read more
The BTS trio enjoyed lunch at Rinka before seeing the Blackpink Born Pink World Tour movie at Ward Theater. We chose the Nabeyaki Udon, Cold Soba with Nigiri and Inari and the Seafood Jewelry Box. Our tablemate that ordered the udon asked our server to omit the clams while another asked for a replacement for the shrimp / ika nigiri as she has a shellfish / seafood allergy. I didn't want the udon that came with the jewelry box so our server substituted a green salad. The lunches come with a choice of sides ... We chose Agedashi tofu, Hijiki, Renkon Kinpira and something else. Alas, my memory is fading ... fast. Each dish was attractive in appearance. The seafood jewelry box is like chirashi sushi except the ahi, Hamachi, salmon and tamago are cut into small cubes and topped with ikura and uni. There was a large heaping of soba, but the noodles were thin and stuck together ... Perhaps it needed more rinsing in cold water. I sampled the soba; IMO it was lacking in taste due to the thinness of the noodles. I enjoyed my sides (hijiki and renkon kinpira), they were visual and taste treats. Two of the lunches came with chawanmushi ... I'm not a fan of this dish but it was fine. The bar didn't have any gin, so I opted for a couple of bottles of Sapporo beer. The last time we came, we enjoyed two bottles of Kenzo Estate wines. I was glad to see they still offer all of Kenzo's wines. All in all, the meal and service were fine; nothing exceptional and the only disappointment was the soba. The restaurant was busy; nice to see. read more
5 months ago
Love this place! Nice casual atmosphere. Service is timely and helpful. Free parking at the Ward Village parking structure (Rinka's in the same building). Food is outstanding! Our group ordered the unagi set, tempura set, jewelry box and salmon/ikura chazuke. Everything tasted great and the total meal size was very filling. Notice that hot or cold udon and shrimp tempura are both included with each set. Can't wait to dine here again! read more
10 months ago
Came here for dinner and it was excellent. I ordered the grilled wagyu set and everything was on point--beautiful presentation, great portion, and tons of variety with the sides. The wagyu was rich and tender on the tabletop grill, and the tempura was light and crispy. Service was attentive and the ambience was calm and cozy. Definitely coming back for dinner again. read more
Rinka is tucked away in the inner streets of the new Kakaako. It's surrounded by free parking options - I recommend the Ward Theatres parking structure. Like most everything in this area, the restaurant is stylish and trendy. Windows are large, ceilings are high, and tables are pretty far apart. It's a comfortable space for dining. I'm not sure if they're known for any dishes in particular but the two of us ordered two sushi rolls and two small dishes to share. It was about right for two hungry people. Spicy Tuna roll, Dragon roll, and chicken karaage were solid. Mozuku with grated imo was really tasty but somewhat hard to eat due to the dashi. Not first date food, for sure. Sake samplers (several to choose from) are fun and come with descriptive table cards so that you can follow along. A good dining experience and reliable option when you're in the area. read more
2 years ago
Came here for lunch on a weekday. There were a few parties ahead of us waiting for the restaurant to open for lunch. We were promptly seated and since we had a large party the had a nice private room. I ordered the lunch chirashi bowl set. I was very surprised at the size of the udon it came with. My meal set also included 2 side dishes which was a nice touch. I ordered the agedashi tofu and yuzu stir fried vegetables. The portions for the sides were quite small but it was a nice compliment to the meal. The chirashi bowl was a good lunch sized portion. I will try the premium set next time. The service was fast and the server was attentive with check ins and drink refills. I would definitely come back and try other menu items. read more
6 months ago
11 months ago
Wow, this place is legitimately a true Japanese restaurant. The meal sets resembles the food that I had in Japan. The taste, presentation and service was excellent! I really enjoyed the Unagi set and really reminded me of my experience in Japan. Check this place out in Oahu. read more
A super huge and fancy looking dinner spot, Rinka offers plenty of Japanese food that ranges from hot to cold, and they also have amazing desserts like Matcha Ice Cream! I got the Japanese Style Omelette and I loved all the sauces and toppings used on it, very much like Takoyaki. Great recommendation for a night out with friends and family for a dinner for all tastes - Miguel Morales Photography read more
1 year ago
We got to try this restaurant out for lunch. I always love a good Japanese Teishoku, and everything checked out in terms of quality--fresh ingredients, well-balanced flavors, and cute presented dishes... but something was missing. It wasn't that anything was bad--just that it lacked that extra touch of warmth or soul that makes a meal memorable. An okay spot overall, but not one I'd go out of my way for. Our server, however, was very accommodating and took the time to explain the menu to us in detail, which we appreciated. While there were open seats in the dining room, we were told they were reserved, so we ended up at the counter--which gave us a clear view of the kitchen and let us watch the whole operation in action. To test the quality, we ordered a few extras on the side--amaebi, otoro, and uni. The quality was there, but still felt underwhelming. Maybe it was the high ceilings and the cafeteria-style dining room, maybe it was the view into the kitchen from our counter seats, or maybe we're just spoiled by so many other amazing Japanese spots on Oahu. Whatever the reason, the food didn't feel hearty--it was giving mall Teishoku. Perfectly fine--just lacking soul. Line production vibes, if you will. Actually, the restaurant matches the high-rise, corporate energy of Kaka'ako alongside Amazon's Whole Foods--so in that sense, it's very on trend with the neighborhood. All in all, the location is convenient, Japanese set meals are fun, and it's probably a good option for people with children. read more
6 months ago
5 months ago
The rice container was covered in mold. The sushi rice was also being made from the rice stored in this container. read more
2 years ago
Decided to come here for my birthday because I wanted to accommodate my pregnant friend who does not really eat seafood. Overall: 5/5!! Only con about this place is that it's a little expensive. Food: Very delicious, and well presented. The teishoku actually has a fair amount of food despite how expensive it is. I had the Eel and tempura set and I honestly almost couldn't finish it. Service: servers were very attentive and came by to fill waters multiple times, and made sure to check in on us. I accidentally dropped my cardigan without realizing it and the server picked it up so carefully. read more
1 year ago
7 months ago
We had the pleasure to re-visit one of our old favorites recently. Rinka has been a Kakaako area staple for 5 or 6 years now, and we love coming here, as well as their take-out only Bento Rinka location on Beretania street. The restaurant is open and brightly lit, and service is prompt and polite. They have a variety of beer, sake and a selection of cocktail and hard liquor as well. Coffee, tea and soft drinks are also available. We particularly like their lunch specials, which consist of a choice of entree with miso soup and chawanmushi (a savory Japanese custard) plus a choice of two small sides. Prices for the lunch specials range from $18-20 for croquette or tonkatsu with most in the $30 up to $40-plus for more extravagant choices like sushi and sashimi entrees. Alternately, if you really feel like going over the top, the chef's selection sushi set meal can reach $60 or more for the deluxe assortment. The dinner menu includes most (if not all) of the lunch entrees as well as an expansive selection of other items for both teishoku sets and a la carte items. Additional selections like hamburger steak, yakiniku, various hot pots, sukiyaki or assorted teishoku sets. For dinner, the more modest sets start in the $35-$45 range, topping out in the $65-$75 area for the top tier sushi and sashimi selections. They also have an extensive a la carte menu of sushi, sashimi and more; I'd say that almost every entree choice from the dinner set menu is available as an a la carte selection as well. The food quality is always top notch, and I would say they're amongst the best Japanese restaurants on Oahu in terms of bang for the buck. You could easily pay more for this qualify of food, but there are few places in this place range that are as good. read more
1 year ago
Considering I just came back from two weeks in Japan, I was pleasantly surprised by Rinka's tempura lunch set! I've come here for dinner time and felt it was a bit pricy, the amount of food and the quality provided for this set at a price of $27 was definitely worth it. I was a bit shocked they had no indoor tables at the time we arrived at opening (11 am), but I'll know to book a reservation ahead of time next time - their patio is unfortunately way too hot for the middle of the day. read more
1 year ago
4 months ago
7 months ago
I specifically came here at dinner time because the server at lunch told me you're not able to cook your own hot pot at lunch - only at dinner. So here I am, at dinner, and they cooked it in the back WITHOUT TELLING ME! The pork is completely overcooked & rubbery. There are ingredients in the pot that are not listed on the menu & I have no clue what they are. Lying to your customers is a good way to get 1-star on Yelp. read more
8 months ago
2 years ago
We came for lunch time, the sujiyaki set was the perfect portion, flavor, and variety. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Chawanmushi, so having this as part of the set was the best part! The service was quick and the servers were really nice. It was a really nice experience and I am excited to bring other friends with me. I love how convenient the location is, with Ward parking right there, this is perfect location. The ambiance is clean, neat, and homely. It makes eating there feel comfortable, like you're at home. Can't wait to come again! read more
7 months ago
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Ask the Community - Rinka
Is the jewelry box available for dinner? I thought it's only for lunch fir some reason...?
Dinner 👍
Is there a byob policy? Corkage?
You may BYOB as far as wine is concerned but there is a corkage. You should check with the restaurant on the current charge and if you wish to bring any other kind of beverage as their policy may be updated.
Are they open for lunch? I was trying to call them during lunch but no answer.
Yes, I went for lunch. Made reservations online 👍🏻
Is there outside seating available?
Yes! Like sitting outside BUT, you may not get the constant attention from servers. Also, fan noise can get a little loud. But, we like it outside!
The reservations options include "sofa" seating. I don't recall seeing sofas, where/what is that?
Our sofa sheets are along the wall on the left as you enter us restaurant. These tables are with a sofa and chairs.
Not sure how to find this place...drove around WholeFoods but couldn't find it. How do you find this place?
We are 1st floor of Ae‘o. Next of straub. Back side Theatres and Whole foods.
Are there vegan options? Yelp says "yes" but the server gave a firm "no" when asked about vegan options.
We are sorry, we do not have vegan options.
Hi does anyone know how much corkage is to bring our own sake? TY!
The last time I went there which was about a month ago. The fees were $5. Not sure what it is now. Hope this helps.
Where is the parking?
I'd recommend parking in the Whole Foods Market Parking structure (entrances on Queen Street AND on Halekauwila Street). Japanese Restaurant Rinka is located on the street level on the West side of the building or near the A'eo Condominium garage.
Are they related to Obento Rinka?
Yes, Obento Rink started as an offshoot of the original restaurant. Same great food! Limited offerings at their Obento locations.
Reservations necessary? When's best time to go walk-in?
They currently only take walk-ins. We went today with a party of 8 at 11:45am and there was no wait.
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