Food: simple but absolutely deeelicious!! You choose a base (salad, rice, or noodle), your protein (chicken, pork, tofu, wonton), and sauce. My go-to order is a salad with chicken thigh and saam sauce. (The secret must have is the homemade spicy sauce by the utensils!!!! So so yummy and addicting. I hope the owner bottles it up for sale soon!) Service: Everything is cooked and assembled by the owner, so be patient! Usually there will be a line by 12 so I recommend getting there at 11:30 to skip the line. Owner is very friendly and hard working. Ambience: Downtown food court vibe. There's a seating area adjacent to the store front next to cafe alala where you can grab a drink. Parking: It's located in TOPA tower, there's parking in the building (not sure how much) and street parking. You can also park across the street next to aloha tower. read more

Sabal - AMAZING homemade hot sauce - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I am in the area a lot and never knew there were so many restaurants in this building. There's really no sign from the outside that there are several restaurants inside so I wasn't even sure if I was in the right place. I had heard about this sort of build your bowl concept at Sabal and was intrigued, especially since they have tofu as a protein option. A lot of times vegetarians struggle to find a complete meal. Overall it is was good, the tofu actually had flavor! A lot of places that offer tofu just give plain unflavored tofu which isn't very good. I'm not sure if it was meant to be served hot or cold or was kind of in between? But the mix was really nice and the price is very reasonable. I added the hot sauce they had sitting out and it gave it a nice kick. My order was ready in less than 5 minutes and there's a nice common seating area next to the restaurant. Also several other coffee and drink options nearby that I want to come back and check out. read more

Sabal - Tofu Sabal Noodle Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Found another downtown hidden gem! This is located in the building on the corner of Bishop and Nimitz. We entered through the Bishop St side, and you wouldn't expect there to be any restaurants inside here. But lo and behold, there was Sabal! Their menu is pretty simple, and it's just one guy working. I got the pork with noodles. The pork was super soft and flavorful. The portions of this were unassumingly huge and lasted me more than a meal. Service was quick. There was seating inside next to the restaurant, but it was pretty crowded when I went on a Tuesday during lunch. Overall, good food at a good price. I will definitely be coming back here when I need lunch. read more

Sabal - Pork noodles - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Finally tried this place for the first time. It was good, I got the rice bowl ($12) with chicken thigh and Korean spicy sauce. Also ordered the WonTons ($8). Will go back read more

Sabal - Updated prices as of Aug. 2025 - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Another gem inside Topa building in downtown right next to Komala curry. Sabal offers very limited menu. If I read correctly, you can choose from three items. I chose the noodle bowl and that is dry noodle bowl with fresh made korean style vegetables and you get to choose a protein. Their noodles are from Sun noodle as stated. This is one man operation so there maybe a wait especially during peak lunch hour. If you're conscious about eating healthy lunch, this maybe an option for you for $10. read more

Sabal - Sabal Noodle Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

First time to Sabal did not disappoint! There's always food options in downtown, but Sabal is pretty affordable and fast for you lunch break. Located in Topa tower, it is right next to a nice eating spot with tables in AC! You can choose your carb - noodles, rice, or wontons and choice of meat. I love how easy but customizable the menu is. I opted for the noodles with pork and korean miso sauce. The bowl is topped with kimchi and pickled veggies and a soft onsen egg - the ultimate pairing! The portion size is good for the price and the meat is super tender! If you're looking for an easy lunch, stop by Sabal! read more

Sabal - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Delicious!!! I ordered the Sabal Noodle Bowl with spicy garlic chili oil and braised pork shoulder. The flavors were amazing! I saw this spot and just thought it would be typical Ramen, but it is so much more. It's inside of Topa and opens during lunch 11-2. Go check it out! read more

Sabal - Spicy garlic with pork - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Sabal is a solid downtown lunch spot. Bowls from Sabal are really good and filling. The friendly owner/chef is a one man show cheffin' up protein bowls for lunch during the week on the ground floor of the Topa Financial Building right off Nimitz/Ala Moana Blvd. He has a very simple menu offering noodles, salad, or rice bowls w/ your choice of protein and mild or spicy sauce. He adds kimchee, pickled daikon, cucumbers, tempura flakes, and a poached egg. 1st visit I got my bowl w/ noodles, garlic shoyu, braised chicken thigh, and wontons. 2nd visit I got my bowl w/ noodles, spicy garlic shoyu, and pork shoulder. Now that I've tried all the proteins on the menu (excluding tofu), I highly recommend the wontons. read more

Sabal - Sabal rice bowl with pork shoulder! Yummy - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Sabal is one of Downtown Honolulu's hidden gems. It's located in the Topa Tower, next to Komala Curry. It has been open for a few years now owned and managed by chef Jun. He's a one man show, and his food as he explained to me, is a fusion of Japanese and Korean cuisine. The concept is simple (noodle and rice bowls), but the flavor is anything but. You begin by choosing your starch: ramen style rice or noodles, then your protein: braised pork, beef, tofu, chicken, or won tons, then you complete the bowl with your sauce of choice: spicy garlic chili oil (most popular), spicy shoyu oil, or Korean spicy sauce. I've tried all three and all are tasty, but I prefer the spicy garlic chili oil. Each bowl comes with seasoned bean sprouts, kimchi, pickled daikon, green onion, and a perfectly poached egg. My go-to is the noodle bowl with won tons. The won tons are freshly made by Chef Jun himself and they are the perfect addition to the bowl. He has added kimchi to his menu, as well as hot sauce in 10-ounce containers. The lunch line can get long, but the wait is minimal. Unfortunately, when Covid hit, a lot of Downtown food establishments shut down, and with many still working remotely, the lunch crowds aren't what they used to be. However, I'd say that Sabal is here to stay. The bowls pack a flavorful punch, and I will continue to support Chef Jun and locally owned businesses. read more

Sabal - Noodle bowl w/won tons - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Now that their sauces have that oomph, I change my rating to 5 stars. Awesome service, awesome food, and decent price. $12 for a noodle bowl and I'm left full. I tried the spicy garlic oil again as well as the garlic shoyu and both were delicious. read more

Sabal - Sabal Noodle Bowl with pork and spicy garlic oil $9 - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Sabal might be my new favorite lunch spot in downtown. Located in Topa tower right next to the seating area on the first floor. The menu is concise, but allows you to customize your bowl as you like. Choose from noodles or rice as a base, then a protein (braised pork, chicken, tofu, or wontons) and a sauce (spicy garlic, garlic shoyu, Korean spicy, or ssam miso). I decided on a noodle bowl with pork and spicy garlic chili oil. This meal honestly caught me off guard with how delicious it was. The pork is super tender, the sides are plentiful, and the chili oil ties everything together into a bowl of saucy goodness. The kimchi, cucumber, daikon and egg included were all great too. Mix it all together for maximum enjoyment. One of my favorite things about this spot is that it's so affordable. With lunch prices downtown going up, Sabal is definitely one of the cheaper options out there. I would gladly pay more though to support this small business as much as possible. read more

Sabal - Pork noodle bowl with spicy sauce - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Price is great, options are great, portions are great. Really everything his great and really I wanted to keep this place a hidden gem, but that would be a disservice to the owner. I eat here often along with my coworkers. If you're looking for a great decently priced lunch, this is the spot read more

Week 2 of exploring downtown eats and I am glad I stopped at Sabal. The menu may not look like much but the options are definitely plentiful. I didn't know what to order so I listened to what the people ahead of me were ordering. Everyone in front of me ordered a noodle bowl, so guess what I ordered? I ordered the noodle bowl with braised, pork shoulder. OMG! It was so good. The flavors are on point. It came with the pork shoulder daikon, pickled cucumbers, kimchi, soft boiled egg, and tempura flakes, all the noodles were tossed in the garlic shoyu sauce that I wanted. The pickled veggies definitely paired well with the noodles and sauce. I must say that if was really filling as tasty for $9. Will definitely be back to try their other protein choices and sauces. read more

Sabal - Sabal Noodle Bowl with Braised pork belly - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Inner Monologue: You know we go to the same five restaurants over and over and over for lunch downtown, right? Super Inner Monologue: Why you gotta attack us like that? Not cool bro, not cool. Inner Monologue: I'm just saying that we could try something new for once. Rather than a musubi, poke bowl, burrito, hoagie, or Pad Thai ad infinitum. Super Inner Monologue: Fine. We'll try something new, but if we hate it, it's all on you Inner Monologue. Disney Singing Monologue: Stop fighting you two. Anyways (while putting on a skull mask), What's this? The bowls are lined with kimchee and pickled veggies, braised pork shoulder steaming, everything smells so happy, have I possibly gone daffy? What is this? Why, it's Sabal! Located in Topa towers, right past the Subway and Indian takeout place on the first floor, it's a relatively new rice and ramen bowl location selling wildly affordable yet filling lunches. The menu is extremely simple, offering just a few options. Sabal offers just three main choices of a ramen bowl, rice bowl, or a wonton bowl with protein choice of braised pork shoulder, boneless chicken thigh, tofu, or wontons for the bowls. The wonton bowl comes in pork or vegetarian options. Patrons then are offered four sauce choices of spicy garlic chili oil, garlic shoyu oil (soy sauce for you non-locals), Korean spicy sauce, or Ssam sauce which is Korean miso based. The takeout place is simple, clean, well lit, with a very personable and professional staff. Kimchee by the pound is available for sale as are soda and hot sauce. They share a communal dining area with the other vendors. Parking as always is a mess as it is downtown. I went with the braised pork over ramen with garlic shoyu. Presentation was very nice for takeout place, with pickled vegetables aligned in a pleasing manner, with a very soft-boiled egg in the middle along with tempura puffs for texture. The pork was tender, flavorful, with just the right amount of fat. Sabal gives quite a bit of meat, far more than I expected for a mere $9 including tax. The noodles had the right amount of chew and absorbed the garlic shoyu oil. Breaking the egg allowed for the barely cooked yolk to flavor the rest of the meal. The veggies were quite strongly pickled, but they needed to be to stand up to the pork. I'm not Korean, but the kimchee was solid. It did get a bit messy towards the end, but this is a solid contender for cheap eats downtown and I will be back for more. read more

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Recommend by office friend. Tried Sabal Noodle Bowl with Pork Wontons and pork toppings. Overall pretty good but I wish they use Korean spicy cold noodle (black noodle) and spicy sauce goes well with their toppings! Since they boiled noodle, sauce got watery and spicy sauce doesn't stick well on noodle.... Price is great! Only $9!! Eat in space is next to the store, pretty clean!! read more

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Went to Sabal for the first time and it's simple, but for what it is it's a great option! Perfect for a quick lunch during the workday that's affordable and comfortable. Located in Topa Tower with a spacious seating area it's a super convenient walk. I got the braised pork rice bowl which was a great portion for lunch and super tasty. There was one man working and everything is quickly put together as you order, so the line can get long, but he works fast! Overall really enjoyed my experience here and will be back! read more

new place downstairs in my work building, so I had to try! I ended up getting a noodle bowl (they only have 3 options right now: noodle bowl, rice bowl, and wontons), and I opted to pay extra to get beef instead of the pork. The noodles were cooked well, and I enjoyed the egg and toppings, but I felt the dish needed something more to it.. perhaps a sauce of some sort? Also, although the beef was a small portion considering I had to pay extra, it still went well with the dish and all the toppings that came with it were good. Next time I look forward to trying the wontons. I also hope they bring brown rice as an option instead of white rice and noodles. :) read more

Sabal - Noodle bowl - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Stopped by Sabal with a friend who has raved about their noodles and was not disappointed! Tried the Sabal noodle bowl with Japanese poached egg, wontons, and garlic shoyu oil. The bowl was so delicious and really filling for the reasonable price point. Bowls are made to order and everything is fresh, yummy, and perfectly seasoned. Just thinking about these bowls is making me hungry again!! Customer service was also excellent, quick, and friendly. I will definitely be ordering from here again soon. read more

Sabal - Sabal noodle bowl with Japanese poached egg, wontons, and garlic shoyu oil. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Today was my first time here. It was so worth it. He ran out of chicken and salad choices at 1:30, so just beware. It's popular. Everything is fresh, even his own made wontons. I tried the noodle bowl with pork and wonton combo, with spicy garlic oil and spicy korean sauce. It was delicious, spicy but not too hot, medium, perfect for me. I ate the whole thing too. Pork was tender and the wontons were perfect. He had to make it as we ordered (sold out). The veggies were fresh and crisp. Great quick lunch spot. Nice seating right next to it for the multiple eateries in this lobby. Excellent service, kind and friendly. Made a perfect day. Thanks so much read more

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I'm so glad I stumbled upon this place and gave it a try. I've gotten take out 3 times since I discover it . It's a small little spot next to Subway and Komala Curry at the Topa Tower. It's not a dine in type of eatery. It is more of a walk up an order type of place. However, there is a shared seating right next to this place where you can sit down and eat. I ordered the noodle bowl with the pork. The noodles are quick boiled when you order and your order is made in front of you. After choosing your bowl (rice or noodle-I think there was another option as well), you would pick your protein (pork, chicken, tofu- beef was on the menu but the times I went, it was always crossed out) then you would pick a spice. I was told the spicy garlic chili is the most popular but isn't that spicy. The worker/owner suggested I mix the spicy garlic chili with the Korean spicy sauce. It was perfect! Just enough heat ! The noodles are cooked perfectly. Not to mushy and not too hard. The noodles looked like a thicker yakisoba type of noodle. The sauce is then poured over the noodles and mixed in. Then the noodles are topped with kimchee, cucumbers, shredded daikon, tempura flakes a soft boiled egg and the protein. Delicious! read more

Sabal - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

So simple, yet so delicious! When it's your turn to order, you look at the menu on the wall on your left and select a bowl type, a protein and a sauce. This was my first time here, so I went with the Sabal Noodle Bowl with braised pork shoulder and the garlic shoyu sauce. The owner (I assume he's the owner) quickly gets to work making your bowl to order in a large metal bowl. Within a few minutes your bowl is complete, garnished with cucumbers, pickled daikon, kim chee and green onions. After I got my bowl, I looked back and there was a line about 6-7 people deep. This place is popular! It's a good thing that I got there when I did. To the right of this small take- out counter is a dining area. I took my Sabal bowl back to the office, but next time I plan to eat it at the dining area. I took off the cover of the bowl and I mixed the pork, noodles, garnishes and sauce together. The garlic shoyu oil was spot on delicious, and went well with pork and noodles. The noodles had a nice, firm texture, the pork shoulder was tender, and the kim chee was just right (not too spicy). My only complaint is that my Sabal bowl was gone too quickly. Maybe the owner can add different bowl sizes (small, medium, large, X-large). Ha ha! What a great concept ---- simple menu, fresh ingredients, fast and friendly service, reasonable prices. I'm definitely going to go back this week and try something different on the menu. Highly recommend this place! Such a great find in downtown! read more

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Tasty, $10 pricing, and great portion size? YUM! You choose your type of bowl: Noodle, rice, or salad Choose sauce: Spicy garlic chili, garlic shoyu, Korean Spicy, or SSAM Choose protein: pork shoulder, chicken thigh, tofu, or wontons Each bowl comes with an egg and other vegetable toppings. Friendly and quick service even when there is a line. read more

The best place to eat in Fort Street Mall. I've eaten here a handful of times and it's just soo good. The salad with protein: wontons (HOMEMADE) and a spicy garlic shoyu dressing is to die for. It has perfect amount of crunch from the daikon cucumbers and lettuce. Not too to mention the wontons melt in your mouth. Additionally.. it comes with a beautifully marinated hard boiled egg. The owner is the nicest, everything is just AMAZING here. Thanks so much for feeding the community with your delicious food. read more

I was so torn between giving it a 4 or 5... there should be half stars too!!! This is a new place that opened up downtown in topa tower! Great easy place for lunch end it's weird cause it's so simple but so unique in a sense! Service/Environment- there was a line but that's totally understandable since it's a one man show! He was very friendly and we got our food relatively quickly! Food- YUMM! There are basically two options, rice bowl or noodle bowl. We both got the noodle bowl and it was odd because it's like ramen noodles without soup. I would equate it to like a hiyashi chuka (cold ramen). The soft boiled egg on top was AMAZING! And the pickled veggies and pork shoulder were so so yummy!!! I wish they gave me a bit more sauce but other than that v delicious! Worth the $$$- yes definitely! For less than $10 for a meal downtown that is so worth it! I felt so satisfied after eating my bowl! Instagram worthy- yes! I mean the jiggle of that soft boil egg... man I wish I took a video!!! Added to my go to list?- Yes! I'll probably be going there for lunch AGAIN today because it's such an easy and reliable place! Love love love! read more

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The best part about working in downtown is discovering new places to eat and I was glad I decided to check out TOPA building for lunch today. I didn't realize Sabal has been open for about 3 weeks now. Cashier/food prepper (it was a one person show) was courteous and it only took about 5-8 minutes to put the bowl together which felt hefty and warm when I received it (a good sign!) although they don't have a full kitchen the food was kept warm without drying out. But then again I showed up probably when they just opened for the day and before the noon lunch crowd. When I returned to my office, the presentation looked great and pork was tender with good flavor and not super fatty at all. The meat to rice ratio was decent and the combination of toppings went well together too. The spicy garlic chili oil sauce wasn't overpowering at all but together with the Kim Chee they gave the dish some kick. Looking forward to coming back to try their noodle bowl and wontons with other protein options (beef and tofu). read more

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Delicious bowls at a reasonable price. Keto-friendly. Great for a quick lunch. Lines move fast but best to get there before noon to avoid them. read more

If you come here, come early. He is a one man show. There is a seating area next to the location. It is the Gen Zs hangout for sure. I tried the braised pork shoulder with spicy garlic as a noodle bowl. Absolutely EXCELLENT! It was succulent dvd tasty and that sauce was delicious. They have fire sauce types and four protein types. So the flavor combinations are customizable. But if you're looking for soup with your ramen that is not happening here. Some proteins work better with rice than in the salad. But whatever makes you happy. They have a sizable dining area that accommodates small groups and solo lunches. The gentleman running this kiosk is a one man show and he keeps up with all of the orders and maintains keeping that line down. He has a line for the entire hour that I was there. Amazing! Fast and great service! This is a walk to place for the downtown crew unless you have a partner to run in. So plan off you're coming in from outside of downtown Honolulu. I'm excited for my next bowl of happiness. read more

Food fit the spot! Serving portion, quality and was very filling! Taste and quantity was on point! Owner/Chef was very friendly and helpful. Ambiance was nice, quiet and cool. Me and my friends were there during our lunch break and we got the BANG FOR OUR BUCK at this place! Highly recommend it! read more

So good! Full of flavor, lots of food, and not too heavy. It's perfect for lunch~ White and brown rice available. Noodles are perfectly chewy and flavorful. Dumplings are dope. read more

Where can you get a healthy bowl made to your liking delicious and affordable. HERE! It did not disappoint. There's a wait time during lunch hour and worth it. read more

so ono & very friendly employee! he was seriously grinding & doing the job of three ppl. got the rice bowl with tofu + garlic shoyu sauce, 100% would recommend! read more

Sabal - sabal rice bowl with garlic shoyu sauce and tofu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Just finished a pork noodle bowl from here. It was delicious! Only $9 for lots of pork shoulder, noodles, and veggies. Loved it. The spicy garlic chili oil is not that spicy and the hot sauce was good too! I used the whole serving of hot sauce and the bowl wasn't that spicy to me, but the hot sauce still added more flavor. When I went there around 12:30, there wasn't a wait, but I expect that to change once more people hear about this place. The only suggestion I have is maybe they should use different bowls because the lid kept popping off when I was carrying it back to my office. Definitely adding Sabal to my downtown lunch rotation! read more

This place is located on the first floor of the Tapa Tower. It's a one- man show takeout place. But there is a seating area right next to it. It's a popular place for those who work in the area. It's downtown so you need to be super lucky to find street parking. (Most of the customers work in the building or nearby so I guess parking is not an issue for most. ) I had the noodles with pork and garlic shoyu. My friend had the same but with garlic chili sauce. We both liked what we ordered and am planning to come back. The guy who mans this place is nice. Yes, you may need to wait in line during lunch hours but it's worth it. For the price point, this is one of the best lunch place in downtown. read more

I ordered the Noodle Bowl with pork shoulder and spicy garlic chili oil sauce. My order had a good amount of meat and toppings. It was delicious and very filling for only $9. It's a great deal for lunch in the downtown area and I will definitely be back. read more

Good food. I got half rice half salad. Good food for $12 in downtown. Better than a sandwich. The dumplings were food too.

New place that opened on the first floor of the Topa Financial Center on 4/26/21. As of now they only have a noodle bowl, rice bowl, and wontons. You can pick a protein and sauce for the noodle/rice bowls. I ordered the noodle bowl with pork and the spicy oil. The oil wasn't super spicy and the toppings were good. Service was a little slow because there is only one person working on the food, but it's understandable since they are new. read more

Sabal - Sabal Noodle Bowl with Braised Pork Shoulder and Spicy Garlic Chili Oil - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Best tasting noodle bowl I've had. Perfect for lunch. I come here at least 2-3x per week.

I'm a fan! Good bang for your buck place! Great hearty lunch spot kind of place with some delicious food. Pork shoulder is always tender and tasty and the egg with the bowls always impress me for some reason. Give it a try! read more

New spot right across the street from my office. Perfect portion size for lunch. The food is tasty and the prices are pretty good too. The food is made to order which is great, but expect a little bit of a wait. read more

Sabal - Sabal Noodle Bowl with Spicy Garlic Chili Oil - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I eat at Sabal whenever I'm downtown. Start with either noodles or rice and Jun adds a generous portion of pork, chicken or tofu with a poached egg and a good selection of banchan. It makes a great presentation and is delicious. It's the best meal you can get downtown for the price. read more