Some friends suggested we head here to watch the UH basketball game the other night. I'd never been here before and to be honest, I'm not sure why. This is the kind of place I love for the simple atmosphere, attentive service, convenient location, free parking, and super ono food...and cold drinks. They are known for their fried chicken, kakuni and bitter melon dishes. All were fantastic and to be honest, the yakisoba, fried saimin, fried pork chops and salmon sashimi were excellent too. But guess what we had for "dessert"? Spam and egg sandwiches. You read that right. And they were simple and delicious. I highly recommend it. So if you're in the Kalihi area and hungry for some great food, make this place your next stop. You'll love it. read more

See all

Other night met some co-workers and hang out at Sakana grill. Located next door to Guieb Cafe and Diner's in Kalihi. Actually it's a restaurant and bar with really good food and pupus. There's also TV around the bar so you can watch sports . Very comfortable casual setting along with friendly and efficient staff. I ordered their crinkle friend along with edamame. The fries were hot and crispy with perfect amount of salt . Their Sakana Edamame was very tasty as well it comes with a special sauce . Once my other co workers arrived we ordered their wing dings ,Poke, fried Saimin and loco Moco . The chicken wings were very good crispy and piping hot . Their loco Moco comes with 2 fresh homemade beef patty over a bed of rice with a Demi glaze sauce with 2 eggs . I also loved their fresh Poke and fried Saimin . In the future I'll definitely just go to Sakana Grill just to eat dinner because I love their food . If you're looking for a place just to hang out and have some cocktails along with some delicious pupus this is the place . Support local read more

See all

Food was fantastic. Fresh. Tasty. Good portions. Service was down home. They treated you like family Its a typical bar restaurant setting. Booths and tables set so you had a little separation from the next party/group. read more

See all

This is a great bar/restaurant that has a lot of local comfort foods and Okinawan dishes. The fried chicken is a must! Ahi belly is meaty and fried well. The Okinawan yakisoba noodles have a nice chew and topped with plenty of cabbage and meat of your choosing. Nasubi chanpuru is sweet but not overly empowering and pairs well with the soft but not mushy eggplant and tofu. Recommend that dish with the shoyu pork! For beer, they serve Orion - an Okinawan beer. Get a pitcher if drinking with others! Clean, good service, does have parking out front but does get crowded from the other establishments. read more

See all

The Food, drinks and service were good for my friends and I's pregame warm up to the Augie T comedy show that evening. Thanks Sakana.

Dinner in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii... Sakana Grill is a local bar with good food and service with Aloha Spirit. Thank you for your hospitality! Located at Kapalama Shopping Plaza, the parking is shared with other restaurants such as Diner's Upscale, Guieb Cafe, Viet Chubby Boy, Han Yang, and Kikuya. So... go early because this is a popular place! The interior was on the dim side to improve the visibility of the television screens. Almost every table was filled, even though it was a Thursday evening. I ordered the Wafu Salmon: grilled salmon on a bed of bean sprouts, topped with grated daikon, and served with ponzu sauce. The salmon was quite tender-good with crisp skin! The ponzu sauce was a bit much - almost overwhelming, but I didn't want to order rice. I would go again if I were in the area. I liked the Los Angeles Rams decor! LOL! read more

See all

Ram fans vibe... It's quite obvious the love they have for the team as the decor is filled with a bunch of it everywhere and can just imagine what it's like as soon as the game starts and finding this gem unless you know is in Kalihi yup but besides a few other businesses with Diner's being the prominent view from North King Street there are a few decent amount of free parking shared with other biz makes it easy to find. Delighted to see a bunch of Okinawan dishes which later to find out that the owners are Okinawan...what a discovery! Well I knew that I should've stuck to one of the dishes as I decided on the "Wafu Hamburger Steak" as I do love wafu style as instead of gravy the two hamburger patties was drenched in ponzu as shoyu vinegar sauce sitting on a bead of bean sprouts topped with grated daikon this was a hearty dish though nothing could've saved to well done dry patties it was beyond dry and the ponzu was just overwhelming and wished to have asked for more daikon to offset it all. The service here is just a delight came back often to check on us, I could smell the fried chicken as we entered and had been on my mind and will be back for that and the other Okinawan dishes. Thank you! read more

See all

Really unfriendly.....did not seem to want customers to eat there. My friend and I were dressed well .....well if u dont want us to spend our money there.....there are better places than this dingy bar ......dark, plain ambiance of a dirty mechanic garage read more

I've been meaning to dine at Sakana Grill for some time now. Fortunately, a friend messaged me about meeting there for a quick dinner and I was available the day I got back into Hawai'i. It works out perfectly because I had no food in my fridge. We met there around 6:45pm and both of us scored parking right in front of the entrance. They share a private lot with all the other businesses on property. Stalls are tight so be mindful of that and don't be surprised if the Ding Fairy shows up. We sat at the bar and enjoyed a bottle of wine with our meal. Customer service was amazing and consistent all night. The interior was modern and a lot nicer than I expected. The Okinawa cuisine was quite good and more flavorful than my previous experiences with the cuisine. We shared Poke, Steak and Okinawan Yakisoba with Shoyu Pork. The noodles had more flavor than other Okinawan noodles I've had in the past as I recall them being quite bland. Their poke was legit. It was super fresh! The steak was prepared exactly as ordered. I'm glad that I finally got to check out Sakana Grill. It's a legit restaurant with bar in the Farrington/Kalihi area. read more

See all

Met up with some friends for cocktails and pupus, all things considered it was a pretty good experience. Parking is a 2 star experience but since it wasn't my car squeezed in between those two gigantic trucks I'm not knocking my stars down for this review. We were a party of seven so a couple of tables were pushed together, perfect because we ordered enough food to share for a party of twelve. Seriously we weren't expecting the portions to be so generous. We ordered ahi belly, fried chicken, shoyu chicken, tempura, fried tofu and noodles. Drinks and beers ordered around and let the party begin! First let me say the drinks are cheap! Seems like everywhere lately the prices are the same as Waikiki...these were neighborhood bar reasonable.... Of all the food I liked the fried chicken best and the ahi belly least, not that I didn't like it, it was good just a little drier than I like. Noodles were good too as the blouse I was wearing can attest....i had noodles everywhere Would I return, yes I would. Fun evening filled with much laughter, good food and good friends. read more

Local family run spot with great fried chicken and pupus. Would come back for the food, but the cocktails were overpriced. They used quality ingredients, but it didn't have the complexity of a $21 cocktail. Come for the food and vibes. read more

Sakana Grill - Cocktail menu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

The service was excellent and attentive even though they were quite busy. The food was really quite delicious. The salmon with daikon and ponzu was a big piece of salmon, and not at all dry. The refute was outstanding. The champuru was also tasty as was the fried chicken. Portions are generous as well. For such a small place, they have an extensive menu of spirits (including a Knob Creek 9 barrel pick). The only complaint I have is that it was noisy. Not just typical bar noisy, but you can't hear the person sitting across from you (or I suspect even next to you) at the table noisy. Then again, I'm old and grumpy, so take that into consideration. read more

Sakana Grill - Salmon with daikon tsuri and ponzu. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We had a class reunion there a few weeks ago. I've been meaning to try this place for so long! Old fashioned home cooking. Just not my cooking cause it was all really good! Service was great too. Can't wait to take my family. read more

Sakana Grill - Fried noodles, bitter melon, shout pork, fish fries and tempura. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Awesome food, drinks, and service! Sakana Sour, Orion on tap, fried chicken, poke, pork chops, salads, yakisoba, tempura!!! read more

Having dinner with friends in. A place where there is great food and atmosphere. Prices are reasonable along with their portions. Will come back again. read more

See all

Okinawan style Japanese with great food, liquor selection and local ambiance. I've never had anything that wasn't great. I would bring a narrow short car or Uber because the lot has short narrow stalls. Not mobster truck friendly. Reservations recommended for all party sizes read more

I met friends here after work for pupus and drinks, and the food was so delicious! I especially loved the crispy fried chicken and poke! The place can become loud but everyone was definitely happy to be there! The service was excellent and the staff was friendly. I would definitely come again. It is located in the Kapalama Shopping Center in Kalihi, where there are other good eateries. We got there at 6:00 and all found parking, but the parking lot was filled and busy by the time we left at 7:30. I recommend going early for parking or catching a ride share. read more

See all

Tired of eating out ...mediocre restaurants?.....worth checking out Sakana Grill. Their fried chicken ...just like your favorite relative's! I practically ate the whole serving myself AND without beer....we ordered other entrees...delicious! Scott and staff friendly! Restaurant clean..family atmosphere. Look for this restaurant near Kalamazoo Post Office! Across the street from yummy Palace Saimin. read more

Best food. The service is really friendly and great local atmosphere. It's a gem for sure.

Great food, great service. Best fried chicken in town. Super friendly local atmosphere. Lots of regular customers.

Amazing staff, owner, food. Best hole in the wall spot you could find for the days you want to just hangout with friends or just a casual drink and amazing food!! Staff always ready for what ever you need. read more

If you want a place with local "soul" instead of some generic mainland franchise, then Sakana Grill is for you! This is a great place to hang out with friends and nibble on their delicious fried chicken or Okinawan specialties like goya chanpuru (stir fried bitter melon, egg and spam) or rafute (braised shoyu pork belly). It can be noisy, but I think this adds to the ambiance of a local place where friends gather. The service is attentive and friendly, and the waitstaff kept checking to see if I needed water. As a bonus, they have a great whiskey and bourbon selection. I often take out-of-state visitors here and they always like the non-touristy atmosphere of this place. Let's support local small businesses, especially if they serve tasty food with huge portions like Sakana Grill. read more

It's been awhile since we were last here and oh my what we were missing. Ordered the fried chicken and rafute (Okinawa shoyu pork). The rafute was soft and tasty. I had to hold back while eating so as to leave some for my wife. If not, I could've eaten it all. Loved it!!! Love the fried chicken for it's crunchy skin and just the right amount of salt on it. Burnt the palate of my mouth since it was just made! I'd say it's the price you pay for freshly made food. Loved the food, no question about it. What made our eating experience even better was the service. I want to say there was just this one guy waiting the tables but he was "on it"! He came around at the right time(s) to check on how we were doing. Also saw him checking with the other customers, as well. You don't see that kind of service now days at eating establishments. He's the best we've seen in a long time. Good food, good service... why we go back... Five-Star rating well deserved. read more

They open at 2:00 pm and we got there at 3ish pm on a Friday. The parking lot is shared with Guieb Cafe, the old Diner's drive in, and Kikuya restaurant. At this hour, there were tons of parking. We had the fried chicken, tofu Champuru, and pork tonkatsu. The fried chicken is extra crunchy but is coated with a light batter. Tasty, light, but not greasy! The crispy chicken skin reminds me of chicharrones! The generous tofu Champuru includes good sized tofu, shoyu pork, and a hearty serving of sautéed vegetables. Fresh, hot, and satisfying. The pork tonkatsu has a light batter. With each bite, you will savor more pork than batter! Be sure to "squirt" the tonkatsu sauce, bottle provided, on each piece before chomping. Alongside your tonkatsu serving is a green salad. The creamy vinaigrette dressing is a great accompaniment to the crunchy, moist, and savory pork tonkatsu. The service is great as the host is attentive and friendly. Our cocktails flowed consistently. Take out boxes are provided without questions or additional charge. The ambiance, at the time we were there, was very relaxed and casual. Being here before "prime time" will make for a great experience. read more

I have a friend who likes the finer things in life. Fancy cars, fancy watches, high-end food. And I went to Sakana Grill with him because this is his all-time favorite restaurant. It did NOT disappoint. If someone just wanted to feed me the rafute (roast pork) for the rest of my life, I'd die a happy person. My daughter downed an entire bowl of edamame by herself. They were airing high school football on the tv (a big win for my group) and really accommodating as our group grew from 4 people to 12 as the night went on. Also, as I mentioned my kid was there. I bring this up because I searched yelp and couldn't find reviews about people that had kids with them. However, I didn't have a babysitter on the night my friends were going to Sakana Grill so I figured I would bring my 5-year-old with me and see if it would be okay, as the worst they could do was tell me no. However, my daughter was welcomed in and had a lot of fun with that bowl of edamame. Lastly, a word on parking: if you wait until the USPS post office closes next door you can park there. read more

See all

Located in Kalihi, by the old Diner's. They take you information down for Covid, take your temperature and check for vaccination or negative tests, which is great. Safety first! Food is awesome, I need to come back and try more things. I had the fries, edamame, fried chicken, pork chops, shoyu pork, tofu, nasubi chanpuru, tonkatsu so far! All were very yummy, all different flavors too. I don't know why I didn't know of this place, but I do now. I did have a bunch favorites that I especially liked, the fries (of course) and the tonkatsu. Chicken was super delish, crispy, it's no wonder they are famous for it. All in all, everything was very good! This is a great place to hang out with friends, drink some great dirty martinis (they have a full bar) and just talk story over some great food. They do have TV's available and they did have Monday Night Football on at the one time I went. They are a Rams family it seems like, but this 49er fan don't care, I'm here for the food. read more

See all

A good amount of parking shares with a bunch of eateries. Sakana has a variety of appetizers, from poke to fries, steak to tempura, and chanpuru. Such a great place to meet friends. Just make sure you call in for a reservation to dine in and have some pupus. read more

This place is on the way to the airport off H1 near Farrington HS. Reliable Japanese bar food with some Hawaiian flavor like hamburger steak and loco moco, saimin, and chicken katsu. Overall the servings are good sized which makes it more worthwhile. Ahi belly and Poke is pretty good as well. Important point: They have Orion! On Draft. Not always easy to find read more

The food is fresh and so delicious! And the staff is incredibly warm and friendly! Do yourself a favor and check them out!

GRILLED. Now that I have visited SG twice in the past three weeks, I felt a short review was in order. PARKING: Very challenging (I'm trying to be nice here). Available in the lot fronting the restaurant, though if one chooses to go during busier/peak hours parking might be a bit scarce as the lot is shared amongst other businesses. Ahh, who am I kidding, its just downright tough. A great alternative is next door at the post office (after hours of course). INTERIOR / SETTING: Cozy and basic with a slight splashes of color. Large flat screen tvs are mounted on the walls throughout the space so patrons may watch the latest sporting events, OR karaoke and sing your favorite song. Seating available at tables and the bar (of course). And let's be clear about one thing: Sakana Grill is absolutely your local and friendly neighborhood bar. FOOD: Like many other reviews, one must order the shoyu pork. You'll thank me later I promise. Other dishes ordered were the crinkle cut fries (of course!), fried chicken, steak, vegetable tempura, fried noodles, and musubi. Dishes served family style. The fried chicken and shoyu pork were the standouts. The fries too! SERVICE: Friendly and accommodating. My first visit was to celebrate the birthday of a good friend. The restaurant was kind enough to store the cake we brought in their fridge. They also offered to provide a knife to cut the cake. The staff checked on us periodically throughout the course of the evening, and we all appreciated their attentiveness. BOTTOM LINE: Good food and good service. Relaxed atmosphere. The challenged parking situation may pose a deterrent to some. read more

See all

Came here for early dinner with the fam (adults & 2 teens). Didn't realize it was more like a bar, and another group in there was pretty loud (although they were enjoying). Server was nice... welcomed us & made suggestions to us first-timers. We ordered a pitcher of Orion, fries and few of their Okinawan dishes... eggplant stir fry and yakisoba - both with their famous shoyu pork. It was comfort food... familiar, yummy & tasty. Was so looking forward to their famous fried chicken too... it was good, but it's very similar to the TripleRTs we frequent. It was a good family dinner (busy bar was a different atmosphere for us)... we left full and ready for an early evening nap. Now we know where adults go for casual bar food/drinks in Kalihi. read more

What a great find. When we arrived in the evening it did not look like it was open as the entrance was completely dark and we could not see any lighting from inside windows. My husband waited in the car and walked up to the door. It had a sign saying "Reservations only" and I could not look in any windows. I decided to try the door anyway and it was open and had customers. I asked the lady behind the bar if we could be served even although we did not have reservations. I told her it was just my husband and I and she welcomed us in. It is a very casual restaurant with old arborite tables and the TV's were showing a football game. The clientele seemed to be all locals and regular customers. The service was very good and we felt acknowledged and very well taken care of. My husband was trying to decide between the pork chop and fried chicken and our server recommended the chicken. She asked if he wanted the full order or half order. The full order is 12 pieces of chicken and half order is 6 pieces of chicken. My husband ordered the 1/2 order. All meals are a' la carte so he also ordered a 1/2 order of French fries. His chicken was delicious. The skin is so crisp and tasty but not greasy. The chicken itself was nice and moist. My husband said that it's the only time he's had fried chicken that he thinks is as I make. The 1/2 order of French fries were also delicious. They were crispy and nice and hot. Again they were not greasy. I ordered the shrimp tempura with vegetables and a side of rice. I received 4 good sized shrimp cooked in a lovely light tempura batter and a good assortment of vegetables - green beans, carrots eggplant etc. We had lunch at a food truck earlier in the day and Sakana's shrimp was such a wonderful surprise after my experience earlier in the day. We had a lovely evening at Sakana's. The staff were all so nice and took wonderful care of us. The food is absolutely amazing and very good value for the money. read more

Yum! This is an old-ish review but still relatable during times of COVID. My boyfriend and I ate here to support Okinawan businesses and restaurants during Okinawan Festival weekend. Nothing makes me happier than a good ol' spread of comfort food and great entertainment. Judge me all you want but I think goya (bitter melon) is God's gift to the world. If I was dying, champuru (butter melon, eggs scrambled, and most times spam) would be the food that I ask for. On our most recent visit to Sakana Grill, we ordered Okinawan soba with shoyu pork, and champuru to go with our Okinawan Festival entertainment. Sakana Grill did not disappoint. Everything tasted amazing and the portions were very generous. If we weren't in a pandemic, we would have loved to have stayed to dine-in and hang out. Other Yelpers have written that this place is pretty poppin' and the place to be when sports are happening. I also read that they have or used to have karaoke (you know how much I love karaoke). Parking here is easy, as they share the lot with the other businesses in the area. That being said, I can't wait to come back to try everything, hang out, and even sing some. read more

Sakana Grill - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Fried chicken: so crispy and piping hot. Okinawan Yakisoba with shoyu pork: subtle and genius. Wafu salmon: I could eat everyday. Ponzuuuuuu. Nasube chanpuru with shoyu pork: silky sweet and salty. Orion on draft in chilled mugs. YES. Service is top notch, so friendly and real. The customers, living their best lives. The loudest laughs amplified by delicious food, friends, and comfortable no frills. So glad I was introduced to this place. A gem. read more

[FOOD] The OXTAIL SOUP here is really good, perfect right now on nights when it's cold or raining. The oxtail meat is very tender, here you can actually see the meat on the bone instead of needing to fish for it like some places. Another favorite is the PORK CHOPS, this is one of the few places where I will actually pick up the bone to eat the meat on it. The meat is tender while still being juicy and full of flavor. No dry pork chops here. Other favorites are the NASUBI CHANPURU with SHOYU PORK, FRIED CHICKEN, and MUSUBI (FURIKAKE & SHISO). [PARKING] While it can be a PITA (Pain in the Ass) sometimes it is definitely worth the wait. [SUGGESTIONS] + Even though not always needed, I recommend making RESERVATIONS just in case it is packed. read more

Sakana Grill - Nasubi Chanpuru - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

It's one of the best fried chicken I've ever had. Fried to a golden brown, moist and tender, we are left wondering what their secret is? The Okinawan noodles were ok, a bit salty, perhaps choosing spam as the protein was not the best choice. The veggies was cooked well and crunchy. The eggplant and tofu was ok too. The broth was a bit on sweet side and the eggplant skin needed to be shaved a bit more, it was quite hard. But the fried chicken made up for any minor flaws of the previous dishes. Service is really good with consistent check ins for more drinks and picking up empty dishes. An example of great service is that we had a vegetarian on our table they made sure that the dishes didn't have any meat or even chicken broth or fish sauce included. read more

Sakana Grill - Okinawan noodles - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Sakana Grill, a combined full-fledged bar with regular patrons and a delicious Okinawan food restaurant! A great combination that serves two different clienteles! As non-drinkers, we had an early dinner there and enjoyed the tasty Okinawan dishes that they are known for many years. Owned by Scott and Cindy Fujita, Sakana Grill was formerly Hanagasa Inn that was on seedy River St. at the edge of Chinatown when it closed on June 30, 2017 because of redevelopment of the area. Back then, they didn't need to advertise, as there were the regulars who drank and ate the same delicious Okinawan food. No, I had not been there back then just because it was a seedy area. They relocated to the Kapalama area in 2017 in the complex where the Old Saimin House and Diner's are, changed its name to Sakana Grill, and continue to offer the same venue as before. Our friends from Maui recently were in town and had gone there to meet up with some high school friends and raved about it; knowing their love of food, we bookmarked this restaurant/bar. We loved our experience there. Yes, it's a full-fledged bar with regular patrons on the older side. I understand they serve hard-to-find whiskeys and the Okinawan beer brand Orion. There were lots of flat-screen televisions against the walls, which draw the regulars to watch exciting sports, and it does get packed and is quite loud during those championship games. They also have karaoke at nights. They have a great Okinawan dish line-up, which is open to families for dinner. Portions are generous, so the more people there are, the better. We had enough leftovers for dinner. We had the following: * Goya chanpuru with shoyu pork. This delicious dish was made to perfection: slightly crunchy, large slices of bittermelon with shoyu pork (rafute) and scrambled eggs. It was a great combination! The bittermelon was not as bitter as some places, and I loved its crunchiness and nice green color. They shoyu pork was very tender and just melted in your mouth with its delicious sauce that was not overpowering or too sweet. The eggs complemented the dish well. You have a choice of meat - pork, shoyu pork, chicken, or spam. We wanted to try the shoyu pork, as this is one of their specialties here. A winner dish! * Fried chicken. Hot from the fryer, this was delicious and flavorful! The chicken skin was crunchy and the chicken itself was very moist and tasty. Their fried chicken is a favorite of many patrons and is known as one of their specialties. As one order would be way too much for the two of us, we were able to get a half order, which was five pretty good-sized pieces but still too much combined with the other dishes. A winner dish! * Pork chops. Two huge grilled pieces with bone intact with a side of fresh spinach and veggies with dressing. The pork chops were very flavorful and juicy! A winner dish! We had a hard time deciding what to order, as everything looked so good. So, the other dishes will have to wait until the next time. Their other dishes include: shoyu pork (rafute), eggplant (nasubi) chanpuru, Okinawan yakisoba and soba, ribeye with mushrooms and onions, tonkatsu, hamburger steak, veggie & shrimp tempura, loco moco, ahi belly, salmon, oxtail soup, shiso and furikake musubi. Sakana Grill just started their Fri. only lunch specials at $10 each for take-out only from 10:30a to 12:30p. Depending on the day, their bentos include rafute, salmon, fried chicken, poke bowl, and others. Haven't tried it, but not a bad deal, I think. As we were there before the pau hana crowd came in, service was excellent. Dishes came promptly after we ordered, and they were temperature hot. Our water glasses were refilled often. There were some bar patrons that were having a good time, and I can see how loud it can be with a packed house. We felt very comfortable there having dinner despite the bar atmosphere. Open Mon. to Thurs. from 2p to 11p, Fri. and Sat. from 2p to 1a, and Sun. closed. Note that although they open at 2p, restaurant dishes are cooked and served from 3:30p. Reservations are a must in the evenings, as they do get full to capacity. No need for them to advertise, as word of mouth by friends brings the crowds. There are two entrance doors, one near the bar, and the other near the dining area with tables. Parking is shared with other businesses in the complex. There were lots of parking in the late afternoon; however, business gets heavy in this complex (several bars and restaurants) in the evenings which would result in a lack of available parking. Can't wait to go back to try their other Okinawan dishes! Sakana Grill has been doing it for years and based on how much we liked what we had, we know that the rest will be just as delicious! Great hidden gem for good Okinawan eats! read more

See all

Sakana Grill is a little hole in the wall gem located in Kalihi. We needed to grab a quick bite before seeing our evening movie at Dole Cannery. Although parking is limited, we were able to find one as someone was leaving. Upon entering, we discovered it's actually a bar/lounge where the mostly local crowd were watching sports while enjoying their favorite beer/wine and plates of pupus. It was quite crowded and the staff was busy with take out orders as well as the dine in meals. We decided to try the crunchy fried chicken and fried noodles. Although it took a while for the dishes to be prepared, both were delicious and well seasoned. We hope to return soon and try more of their onolicious local dishes! read more

My high school classmate Myles called and we decided to check out Sakana Grill last night. We got there around 7:00 PM, and these are my impressions. PARKING Parking is bad in the complex, as you are competing with all the other eateries and more. Kikuya is still very popular, as is Dong Yang and Diner's. There are also three bars in the back as well, so it will be hard to find a space. ATMOSPHERE Sakana Grill's bar itself is long, with around 16 stools, with 3 or 4 tables seating maybe 8 to 10, adjacent to the bar. From feeble memory, so approximate. There is another area a step or two up (it may have been a ramp), separated by a half-wall from the bar area tables. Although we didn't actually go into that area, it appears to seat another 20 to 30 people. We didn't go up there because it was loud, with the raucous conversation of a party of 8 - 10 people. It was so loud when we sat down, that I think Myles would have preferred to leave if I had given him the choice. The decor is sterile - the walls are semi-gloss white-painted drywall with very little else, so the sound is amplified as it bounces off the walls of this fully enclosed space. It is hard to hear your own conversation, especially when the karaoke is on. FOOD We placed our order, and the waiter returned to tell us that the ahi tempura was not available. Hmm, not a good sign that fish is not available at a place where fish is prominent in its name. For those of you who don't know, "sakana" means "fish" in Japanese. Fried tofu was pretty good. Deep fried after being lightly covered in potato starch, then cut into cubes and topped with sliced green onions and a sparse amount of shaved bonito. Served with a dipping sauce of shoyu and grated ginger on the side in a separate small dish. Myles liked it. I thought it was good, but not the best I have had. I had it once where the tofu was coated with a little savory spice mix before being coated with potato starch and deep fried. And topped with more than just a sparse amount of the katsuoboshi. And the sauce was more of a ponzu-based ginger sauce drizzled over the fried tofu and then served. That was great!! Now if I can only remember where that was ... We each ordered a shiso musubi. The purple shiso furikake is mixed into the rice and formed into the typical musubi shape by pressing into a mold. In our current sodium-averse culture, I find that most foods are undersalted or non-salted. I love salty things. I add salt where needed. I add rock salt to laulau. I even add rock salt to rock salt plum. The musubi had no salt at all so I needed to add it. But us Japs need our rice, and the salt shaker is on the table, so never mind. I would order this again. Fried chicken was excellent. It was more golden than golden brown, and could have been fried for a minute or two longer for color presentation. But it tasted great. I like how they cut the chicken thighs into pieces before frying. Around 10 medium-sized pieces in the order. Smart. Cooks faster, and makes your serving appear larger. Plus promotes sampling more menu items, so probably adds 7-9% more revenue to checks, if I can spuriously state. Goya champuru was very good. Bitter melon, stir fried with scrambled egg and choice of protein - in our case shoyu pork. Myles remarked that it tasted better than Utage's because the bitter melon was sliced thicker. I still like Utage's better. Utage's serving is larger, contains tofu, and larger slices of shoyu pork, and is simmered in shoyu and sugar, so reminds me of the home-cooked meals my grandmother never made. Still, Sakana Grill's goya champuru, albeit dryer, plainer, and smaller in portion size, is very good. I would order it again. SERVICE There was only 1 male server on duty, and one bartender. We never saw the cook, but I assume there was one who never left the kitchen. The waiter offered water, brought our food, cleared dishes. He worked non stop to handle all the tables. There were probably 5 tables of maybe 18 to 20 people. No real complaints. A little inefficient. For example, when telling us the ahi tempura was not available, he should have brought the menu to us then to avoid making another trip back to drop off the menu. But not a big deal. Service was very good. PRICE For our food and drinks, the bill was around $40. Pretty reasonable. OVERALL A newer, clean bar in a divey section of town with very good food and reasonable prices. The worst attribute is the noise. Maybe they can tone that down with sound-absorbing decorations or something, but most places are probably as noisy, so small point when most people are having fun. Myles said he would recommend that our own group of around 8 guys from high school come here, since the last time we went to the New Hanagasa Inn, everyone enjoyed the food. I agree, and would go back soon, even without them, but of course the benefit of going with a larger party is the ability to sample more dishes. read more

First I gotta say...WOW! We were lucky to eat the Fried Chicken which was Great! We had order Crinkle French Fries which were cooked perfect - Crispy and Well Done! We also had the Shoyu Pork which was Tasty and Soft. The pork just melted in our mouths. The Menu also has Rib Eye Steaks, Noodles and Shrimp Tempura!!! The service was fabulous. A little gem of a grill that is located in Kalihi. read more