The level of passion, craftsmanship, service and pure quality is something I have never experienced before. Sushi Sasabune is on an entirely different level. Each dish delivers an immense and intricately unique flavor. From the very first dish until the last your taste buds will leave you speechless and you will never be able to eat sushi or sashimi anywhere else. The chefs are amazing, the staff is attentive, friendly and just as amazing as the dining experience. This is not your typical buffet where you try to eat as many pieces of sushi as possible. This is a dining experience catered to bringing out the highest level of quality seafood from all over the world. Their sake selection is hand picked, each and every sauce is made in house. Each piece of fish is meticulously prepared. Even their rice vinegar is made from scratch! The restaurant is calm and refreshing and allows you to truly enjoy a remarkable Omakase experience. read more

I have to say, this place was amazing for omakase! Took my boyfriend for his birthday and the restaurant was fully seated. When you walk in, the door automatically opens, and head to the left to check in. Once you sit down, they will ask if you have any allergies or don't like eating any kinds of fish. All dishes were so good. They do a great explanation of what type of sushi it is. After eating one plate, another comes and the another. There are some that you have to eat right away for the best taste. Honestly, we were really full afterward. If you love sushi, want an omakase experience, and somewhere that isn't too loud, then this is the place for you. Reservations are recommended! read more

See all

One of the best sushi I have ever had. Richly flavored. Very creative combinations. The fish selections are ordinary. Nothing special. But they made every piece unique. Great experience. The restaurant is located in downtown and it's nothing fancy. Matches its price. Def a place I would go again. read more

OVERALL: 6.8/10 (Yelp Converted Score: 3.4/5 == 3/5). My partner and I snagged an 8pm omakase sushi bar reservation on Wednesday, August 17th, 2022. We probably didn't need one - given that the restaurant only had two tables seated - a boisterous party of 5 and a quiet party of 2 (both at tables). We were the only ones at the sushi bar, and we were off to the side in the corner. Verdict: Definitely the worst omakase of my life. What shocked me was this guy sitting front-center of the sushi bar (previous seating), claiming this place should have a michelin star... I've had michelin star sushi, bud; this ain't it. It's not even close. The highlight of the night? The automated door at the front of the restaurant; felt like something out of a futuristic movie / TV show. 1) VARIETY/SELECTION: 7/10. Overall we had 14 courses, if you include the appetizers. Given that this is a Chef's choice "omakase" ("trust me") menu, you're going to get the same things! The only two highlights overall were the appetizers (the 2nd one was nice) and the lobster tail. The rest was too salty (according to my partner, but I didn't notice as much), or were overseasoned (especially with regards to wasabi usage) and over-sauced. It makes sense that they're trying to be creative and take a new spin on omakase, but this is slightly too adventurous. My partner docked a point because the handroll counted as a course at the very end (it was ok, but she was already very close to full). 2) FRESHNESS: 6/10. The ikura almost made my partner throw up (due to how salty it was). Some of the fish pieces were definitely at least 1 day old (or approaching there) - which might make sense, considering our timing (8pm arrival). Besides the lobster tail, I don't really remember a lot of the other fish being fresh. The uni was definitely at least a day old, but given that it was coming from Santa Barbara, California, that makes sense. Additionally, one theme I noticed throughout: The rice was too hot for nigiri sushi - it's supposed to be "body temperature" (Kashiba taught us this, it's basic omakase 101), but here, the heat of the rice usually overpowered the sushi itself (and in the case of one piece, made it completely fall apart due to being unstable). If you see heat coming off the sushi, you f**ked up. The miso soup we had at the very end (after all the food was done) was actually pretty nice, though. So it wasn't all bad. 3) VALUE FOR MONEY: 5.5/10. My partner ordered green tea ($3 USD, unlimited refills), and I ordered the ever-elusive Asahi black ($8 USD). For both of our omakase and drinks, it came out to $369 USD. Not cheap (also more expensive than every other omakase I've had so far, except Kashiba - but that was a stratospherically better quality experience)! After tax and tip, it came out to $442 USD - so $221/person after tax and tip. You decide if that's worth it for you! 4) SERVICE: 9.5/10. Service was actually pretty decent - we never came close to running out of water or green tea, and generally speaking each "course" came quickly. It probably helped that there weren't more than two other parties total in the restaurant, with two wait staff constantly rotating about (clearing plates and refilling glasses). I also appreciated the complete explanation of what we were eating (as we were being served the corresponding course), and with what garnishes it came with. 5) CONSISTENCY / FIRST IMPRESSION: 6.5/10. As a mantra, "trust me" works well if there's a strong, consistently high-quality track record; given this places' more recent neutral reviews, maybe this was an off-day, or the main Chef's in a slump. Given my experience, though, I can't say I'd come back until there were significant improvements. Also, compared directly to another omakase in Seattle (sushi kappo tamura) - this in the same ballpark, but Kappo Tamura wins by a hair. read more

See all

It's omakase only and you can stop anytime if you don't want to continue eating. The food has good portion, and each comes with two at the time for each person. We are impressed by the food up until the oyster dish. The fish is tasty with the sauce. But the raw oyster doesn't taste that fresh and the cooked one is even worse. Then our taste bud is not that surprised with the rest of the dishes anymore. So we stopped at course 9. Overall we think the place is good. But if the sauce can be lighter and the fish taste can standout more, it can be better. read more

See all

Decided to go here on vacation in Honolulu. And oh my God. You can order what would be the American version of sushi. Or you can ask for the chefs special Japanese pics. It was out of this world definitely order the chef's choice. And because it's in the middle of the ocean, the fish it's just absolutely fresh. Can't recommend it highly enough one of the best sushi restaurants around.! read more

Don't really like writing not so great reviews but hubby and I always like to try new omakase sushi places when we travel, our go to is usually hihimanu but we decided to deviate. We kind of wish we didn't to be honest. Sushi sasabune, is perfectly good as a normal sushi restaurant but as a omakase and the price you pay, we didn't feel it was worth it. We've been to many in japan , sf and nyc and this one has to be the worse omakase experience. The fish while it was fresh and mainly local was the star, the rice was a bit off and having it warm was an odd touch. It didn't feel like it was seasoned properly and tasted off cause it was still warm. Most places don't keep their sushi rice in a rice cooker usually in one of those wooden rice containers and it has cooled down. Definitely not on the traditional side at all. The faves were the uni, the toro, amberjack and the stuffed squid. While we loved the freshness of the fish, the rice really killed the experience. For us, it's highly unlikely we will be visiting again. Total $300 read more

See all

We made reservations on a weekday to try their Omakase ($150 PP) and were very pleased with all the courses offered. In total, we were served 14 courses excluding the miso soup and dessert course (ice cream). Each course was generally two pieces of curated fresh sushi that would literally melt in your mouth. My favorite was the smoked tuna and toro - so delicious! One of the courses was also tako (octopus) which I generally am not a fan of, but Sushi Sasabune has made me a convert. The octopus was sous vide for hours making it so tender and amazing. As a note, the chef is a bit heavy handed with the sauces on the sushi, so this may not be the place for you if you prefer otherwise, but personally, I thought each of the sauces were so delicious so I can't complain. I was still able to taste the freshness of the fish and am drooling right now just thinking about it! Service was prompt and each course came out at a speedy but comfortable pace. Around the 13th course, our waiter did let us know we only had one course left, but we were free to keep going if we were still hungry (at an additional cost of course). I will definitely be coming back for more next time I'm in Oahu! read more

See all

Sushi Sasabune never disappoints! I have been here twice now, and both times have been quite memorable. The (quality) food, service, and the experience is always impeccable! Note: I have to be honest, there are some Omakase course where I finish and I am still left hungry. However, after finishing Sushi Sasabune's Omakase course, I am always leaving with a full tummy of happiness. read more

See all

When there was a "sudden" cancellation for a reservation at 8:30pm that very night, I impulsively accepted the opening even though I had originally called about the $50 12 piece omakase for take-out (which apparently is only available for lunch time). I showed up promptly for my experience and was greeted warmly by the host. For $$$, I was able to enjoy a glass of shochu along with the omakase course which included sashimi, an appetizer, 20 pieces of sushi, and an ice cream dessert. In terms of the sushi preparation, it was a little less traditional. In general, very saucy. The yellowtail/ hamachi sashimi was drowning in a yuzu/ ponzu sauce, for instance. The appetizer following that also had a sauce poured over it too but the clam stuffed with Louisiana crab was enjoyable. If it were possible, even the sashimi was saucier than normal, but at least the soy sauce they used wasn't salty and a little more traditionally sweet. My favorites were the smoked (in-house) aku skip jack, the salmon with lomi lomi on top, the toro (of course), and the two types of negi toro. The uni from Santa Barbara was also tasting splendid; buttery, soft, and slightly briny. I was not a fan of the baked oysters with a home-made mayo; it about seared my tongue off. This was during the pandemic where indoor dining was extremely limited in seating. All dinner patrons at the bar were physically distanced and nigiri was brought out in pairs by the server. No interactions with the sushi chef due to these times, so while everything was fresh and prepared expertly, it was still difficult to connect with the flavors without that interaction with and explanation by the chef. 20 pieces of straight nigiri though was very much appreciated! read more

See all

I read the reviews and had to come here to see for myself-- overall compared to anything in SF this is up there, with fresh fish and flavors, but overall experience and flavor didn't live up to what I'd expect in Oahu. They provide a nice juxtaposition of nigiri by serving multiple items in pairs. This provides a good contrast of both flavors and presentation. Portion size and cuts were very standard, and fish all precut in advance. They also use warm rice, which means the rice can sometimes fall apart, and it changes the flavor of the fish. Chefs and waitstaff are pretty friendly, but the overall experience felt a bit cold and lacking that connection to the fish or chef that I would expect in an omakase experience. If you came here first easily a 5 star place, but once you've seen all the amazing sushi Oahu has to offer, this place falls short of what's possible. read more

See all

I try to do an omakase every Hawaii trip and Sushi Sasabune has been on my list for a while. I was a little intimidated by the reviews stating that you can't have soy sauce and that the sushi master will get mad if you eat the sushi the wrong way. I'm a two bite kinda girl, so I was a little nervous at first. There was none of that! No! You don't need soy sauce because each fish is seasoned and prepared how it should be eaten. I think Americans are a little guilty of not knowing the "proper" way to enjoy sushi. I know I was. Everything plate was delicious, interesting and just well done, overall. There was nothing I was on the fence about though my husband had a hard time getting all the salmon roe down (LOL). We were full when we left, which honestly is a bit rare for us at an omakase. It is all sushi. The price was appropriate for what we had. It's a small place but comfortable and the service is inviting. I'm still doing the Omakase Tour of Honolulu, but I definitely would go back to Sushi Sasabune. read more

This is not your walk up, dine in restaurant. This is an authentic Japanese Sushi Heaven! This is for those who appreciate the art of sushi and like surprises. This is not a first date kind of place where you're trying to impress someone with their palate or a picky or finicky eater. The moment you walk in, you can see the sushi chef busy at work. You need to make reservations. This is not your typical sushi place where you order from a menu. As a matter of fact, there is no food menu. They only provide you with a drink menu. You eat what chef serves. There are a total of 14 courses served which is called Omakase. You get charged for what you eat and you can tell your server to stop anytime. We did not stop because although we were full... we wanted to experience more wonder and surprises! This is a place where you'll be taken on a journey and experience the different flavors of Japan! Everything is so fresh and prepared delicately beautiful on individual plates for each guest that looking at it is divine art! The raw fish has a buttery fresh texture delicately placed overlapped on just enough rice so that you are able to taste the burst of flavors at the first bite. Shoyu is not required when eating this sushi because they add just enough sauce as to not take away from the experience of freshness and deliciousness of this piece of art! It is a pricey place which cost us $1,100.00 + gratuity for five of us but you convince yourself that you deserve it! Losing so many family and friends from cancer and the pandemic since 2020 has given me a different outlook on life that I've convinced my husband yes honey... we deserve it! It is so delicious and worth every bite! There is nothing I didn't like! I loved all the surprises the chef sent to our table! DELICIOUS! おいしいと優れた味 Oishī to sugureta aji If you're looking for excellent wine, I'm your 808 Wine Wahine. Follow me on Instagram at @wine_wahine read more

See all

Went to RB sushi a couple of night before and this was just a notch below them. We did the omakase and you will not leave hungry as each course is two different preparations plus they offer more at the end if you still somehow have more room. The biggest difference was just the little things, a couple of courses with an unbalanced amount of wasabi or slightly over baked lobster (still an amazing dish). You will not be disappointed coming here. read more

See all

During COVID, they were doing a $30 omakase bento which is a great deal. The pairing of the sushi are unique, some of them have my mouth flavorgasm! All the flavor in a bite bursted. There were some bites that just weren't for my tastebuds. I haven't dined in here before but it they've been around for a while is is well known to many. read more

Sushi Sasabune - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

My husband tried their omakase and really enjoyed the way all their sushi had a unique flavoring or something that embodied the island. They have homemade ponzu and soy sauce they use on their fish which made it very special. read more

See all

Wow, where do I start? I have been wanting to go here for SO long. It is pricey and a unique dining experience, so we decided to splurge for our anniversary. I had never had omakase before, but I read a bunch of the reviews so I knew what to expect. Someone described the outside as "unassuming" and that is the best description. You would not think a very nice sushi restaurant was located next to a strip club, surrounded by bums and drunks. When we got out of the car I was like "it's...here?" I got the "highly recommended wine" which was really smooth, crisp and paired perfectly with the meal. It was also a very heavy pour. The food was honestly the best sushi I've ever had. I don't love sashimi, which was our first dish, but upon the first bite, I was completely sold. It was actually a very nice experience not having to stress about the menu and what to order, and leave it in their hands. Their slogan is "trust us!" and it tracks. Trust them, they know what they are doing. I lived in Japan and I know that it is not customary to request alternations to your meal. It's considered offensive to the chef. I really didn't want to make a faux pas, but I cannot eat wasabi. It's just too strong/spicy for me. I was scraping off the wasabi from my sushi, which in hindsight is probably a faux pas in and of itself. But I felt more comfortable doing that than calling it out to the servers and potentially offend the chef. The servers noticed and politely asked if I want to request the rest of my dishes without wasabi. I was relieved and the rest of the meal was wonderful. There was something in the last handroll--I'm not sure if it was wasabi or something else that had a strong/spicy taste, but I couldn't eat it. They also noticed and apologized and deducted our last dish from the bill. Overall the experience was amazing. That's what it was--an "experience." It's not just about the food, but everything, the food, the ambience, the service. It was a fantastic meal, and I am so happy we decided to splurge for our anniversary dinner. read more

This was an absolutely perfect Omakase experience. Everything was so fresh and made to a quality of such perfection- it truly felt like everything was melting in my mouth. So Ono. The service was excellent and although it was busy at the time we went, the servers were always super attentive, switching out our dishes and refilling water. The restaurant was clean and easy to find as well which is always a plus. read more

My girlfriend and I visited Sushi Sasabune for a night out for her birthday. We had seen the positive reviews and the omakase and decided to try it out. We were blown away by the quality and care of the preparations, and at the time we had been introduced to omakase before but with a different process. Coming back a year and a half later, we weren't sure if our experience was unique to that day, size of our party (we went from 6 to 2 the second time), or what. But chef Sasabune just wowed us again. The food quality and prep was once again spectacular and the service was quick. To top it all off, we were stuffed by the end. Love your fresh sushi, cannot recommend this place enough in Oahu. read more

Great experience, went for a birthday and it is definitely a splurge as it is pricy but worth it. The flavors are great and some of the courses are really inventive. Definitely worth a try if it's in the budget. read more

See all

Eater has featured the head chef, Seiji Kumagawa, in the Omakase series alongside many of the Michelin stared greats of the Japanese culinary world. During his long stay in Hawaii, he has managed to incorporate fish from our waters to Japanese edomae taste and standards. Modern techniques to achieve authentic flavors. Impressive and unique. In the past counter reservations were hard to come by and if you got one, the privilege of omakase set you back $125+ before the first drop of sake. Now, in these COVID times, you can try what makes Sasabune one of Hawaii's top sushi eateries for just $50 (including delivery - minimum $100 order). Very Important: Understand that this sushi is NOT as good as when eaten fresh in the restaurant. The rice has cooled and its texture has become more firm, the fish has lost some of its natural flavor thanks to oxidation and the seasoning toppings have lost their nuanced overtones (ie, fresh grated wasabi has lost its sweetness that fades within five minutes of grating). Keep your expectations in check. The "Omakase Bento Box" changes based on the availability of seafood. But is substantial with at least 15 different creations. Exceptional offerings in my box included: --Local ehu (short tail red snapper) topped with his sweet Maui onion sauce whose sweet sulfurous notes add umami and bring out the subtle sweetness of the tender but not oily flesh. -- Signature cold smoked aku topped with charred green onion and garlic chip. The flavors play together to enhance both the meaty texture and brooding fish flavor. -- Kona kampachi brushed with jalapeno soy, the chili flavor and mild heat blends with the mild fat of the fish that when combined with the salt of the soy leaves a long umami finish. -- Kauai shrimp (raw) topped with an outstanding shrimp shiokara (fermented head fat of shrimp). Like eating the whole shrimp intensified. Uber sweetness paired with umami goodness. -- Signature blue crab mixed with blue crab kanimiso. Like the shrimp, the flavor of the entire crab, salty, umami supercharged, sweet, oceanic goodness in one bite. Notes: -Phone order only. Tues - Sat. 10:00 - 17:00. -Same day order possible but call early. -Future orders taken. -Pickup with free, reserved street parking in front of the restaurant available. -Free delivery for orders $100+. -Delivery zone (as of May 2020) from Aina Haina to Waipahu and Mililani. -Sake by the bottle also available for purchase at reduced prices. -Limited add on items also available (crab stuffed baby squid, ikura bowl, etc) *May 2020 only - Anniversary giveaway. Three people will win a bottle of sake or wine daily. Worth the splurge? 4x the cost of Kozo (yes, this foodie sometimes eats Kozo) but 20x the quality and 100x the uniqueness? YES! read more

See all

"Trust me" however, I have trust issues. With food anyway. Lol! I don't have allergies. I'm just picky. And raw sea creatures have weird textures and makes me want to gag sometimes if it's not cooked all the way. During covid 2020. They offered $50 omakase. It was the same menu for the entire period, with one slight change to tako towards the ending periods. I initially inquired by instagram dm if I could change out some stuff (just the raw shellfish). I got a message to call them and we can talk about it so I did. The receptionist/order taker said no substitution so I was like ok.... I tried two diff times and got the same answer so I decided to send another message saying I've attempted to and was denied. Later I talked about this to a friend and she asked if the person answering the phones an English speaker because the person that is responding to me sounded like English was a second language. That's when I figured out I was talking to two diff people. Most likely the chef handles their ig and the receptionist is just answering calls for orders. Again they said it was fine on dm and to give them a call and was rejected again. Anyway long story short after some back and forth I asked the same receptionist if he had gotten the memo and he didn't. He seemed a little frustrated with me and kinda gave me an attitude. But I got what I wanted in the end even if it meant that some fish were duplicates which was completely fine. I easily pulled up In front of the store since they had designated stalls. It wasn't busy inside but my receptionist friend took awhile to give me my order. Mind you that I did also tip for having a custom order, so I hope it just goes to the chef. I got home and I tried the sushi. Some of it was good but some of the flavors was a little too strong. Lucky for covid. I got to try sasabune. But I can't say that it was my favorite. And most likely I won't be coming back here. I'm sure they did well and will continue to do so since they have loyal customers, but there's much better places out there. read more

See all

The new normal, eating out during COVID19. Let's be real. Times are hard. With being forced to stay home all the time, I really feel like we deserve to treat ourselves a little to make this a little more bearable. Sushi Sasabune is offering a Omakase Bento Box ($50) with add on 2pc uni ($15). They are also offering free delivery for orders $100+ I was very impressed with Sasabune from beginning to end. They are very well organized and called us the day of delivery to reconfirm the order and delivery. They called again 10 minutes before delivery to confirm exact location pickup. Now, for the sushi. Beyond expectation! I've eaten at Sasabune restaurant for many years, and I can honestly say that I have never been disappointed. The presentation of their bento box was beautiful and the fish was so fresh and delicious. I loved every bite. I highly recommend ordering this bento box while supplies last. You deserve to treat yourself to this delicious meal :) A huge MAHALO to Sasabune for operating during this pandemic. read more

Sushi Sasabune - Omakase Bento Box $50 with add on 2pc uni $15. (COVID19 Takeout) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Takeout omakase sushi for $50 and two pieces of uni sushi for $15 in Honolulu, Hawaii... I first heard about Sushi Sasabune from my cousin. She said that this restaurant serves up some delicious sushi... however, be warned about "the rules" when you dine there - like: keep the volume down, no talking on the phone, and eat the way chef presents the food, etc. Somehow, people seem to often want to talk about food with me... for example, my friend, Paul C. He texted me about the current special from Sushi Sasabune - one of the participants in the CPB (Central Pacific Bank) Foundation #keephawaiicooking program. This half off promotion motivated me to give Sushi Sasabune a try. I called at 11am on Saturday for a noon pickup since they need an hour prep time. However, the omakase takeout was sold out already. Since they're closed on Sundays and Mondays, I placed my order for Tuesday for a 12:30pm pickup. The anticipation was torture. For three days, I thought about my pending lunch. I stayed home and ate cereal and milk, toast and butter, and crackers and tuna to prepare for the feast. Finally, Tuesday arrived and I found free street parking right in front of the restaurant - thanks to The City & County of Honolulu for the special reserved parking stalls, designated with a marked bag over the parking meter. I entered the quiet, cozy shop and noticed the takeout bags on the table - ready for pickup! I paid my bill and went on my way. I didn't make it home. I had to stop at a public parking lot to open the package. I laid the contents out on my Hello Kitty tray and took some photos. Then, I devoured the uni first. I was really surprised that I could taste wasabi in it. Next, I chomped on the scallop sushi - it had wasabi also! Down the line, from ebi, to crab, to ahi, and salmon - every piece woke me up with wasabi. Hmmm... That stood out most for me. I did appreciate the freshness of the seafood. It's just the constant wasabi "slap in the mouth" took my attention. I'm glad that I had the chance to experience the famous Sushi Sasabune. I'm not sure I would dine in, especially when chef's motto is, "Trust me"... lol! I'm scared! Haha! read more

See all

This was crazy lol. Decided to have a special dinner for bf's birthday. We love omakase so we were excited for this experience. I love sushi and sashimi so the creative courses were delicious and very filling. I liked how you could kind of keep going with the courses until you decide to stop. Though it was on the pricier side, we still really enjoyed ourselves. The waiters were really sweet and the inside was intimate. Lots of cultural decor and quiet music. One thing I would suggest is to be a bit clearer when describing each course, it was pretty hard to hear / understand the components of the dishes as they came out. read more

See all

Most expensive meal of my life. The experience was unmatched. Service was great. The guy there was extremely customer focused and catered to our needs as a family. I kind of wish they would have given us more of a heads up about the omakase menu. They asked if we liked uni or tobiko. I love it so I said yes to those! Whatever you don't want, they won't charge you for it. So glad I did them both. They were both sooooo good. But then they came out also with lobster and cooked oyster and I really don't care for those. And the lobster was a nice $40 on the tab. . All in all, if you're here to dine, this is the place to dine. Once in a lifetime sort of experience and Emmy husband and I and my toddler both enjoyed it (toddler only had miso soup - toddler approved, and 2 x surprise 99cent toys to keep him busy while my husband and I enjoyed our meal). read more

This all-omakase is a true gem. We love sushi but are often stuck in a rut of ordering things we know we like. Here the chef chooses for you and you are certain to encounter new and different bites, and even those familiar to you will often have a different twist. Hands down, our favorite was the Hamachi and Ahi sashimi which was served with ponzu. Reminder to let them know when you're getting full-otherwise it will keep coming! Pricing is a la carte. read more

I came here about 20 years ago and had a great experience. They really take pride in their craft and teach you how to eat sushi the right way, which is to make sure you put the entire sushi in your mouth and not eat it in bites. The soft-shelled crab nigiri was amazing. It tastes more like dessert than a meal! Can't wait to come back to Oahu and try it again. read more

Used to be our go to spot for anniversary and other big life things. This year when we went it was 500$ for two of us (we naturally finished the course). It used to be about 300$ for the same meal. Don't get me wrong their sushi is quite amazing....I don't think its 500$ amazing. We probably won't be back anytime in the near future. read more

This is one of the very best sushi restaurants in the US. The food and presentation are exemplary. The flavors are supremely satisfying. The omakase full series of courses may be beyond the stomach capacity of some diners--you can stop when you have had enough. Be prepared for a sizable bill. read more

They call it omakase and I have had omakase 10 x in NYC, Faena in miami, and Chicago because I live there in all 3 places and I came here and it was a charge per piece not a set amount. Without explaining it was $650+ for 3 people(subtracting our wine) totally $780+. It should be explained even when you have been before with friends. I didn't know that from all my experience with "omakase" and me and my friend was caught off guard for a $450 bill per person for himself and me.crazy' read more

Argh! Really, really wanted to love this place considering it was a good friend's recommendation; however, we didn't feel that it was really worth the price we paid. If this were a normal, regular restaurant out in Hawaii, sure, the fish isn't bad. However, omakase? We've definitely had better for the price. Left this restaurant thinking "ouch" for our bank account considering how "meh" it was for the food. I guess one good thing about this place though is that you can stop whenever you want to, so they only really charge you for what you eat. However, note that all the good dishes (like uni, ikura, etc.) come out at the end. Also, one of the sushi chefs had his mask down the entire time he was serving us, and there was a moment where he coughed onto his arms and just went on making the remaining sushi, I guess it's a good thing that we are vaccinated, but it still made us a bit uncomfortable. We most likely won't be coming back here, although it was a good experience. read more

See all

This place has been the best omakase I've ever had. The omakase in San Francisco just doesn't compare. Everything was fresh and handled really well. Their rice is warm and well seasoned. The miso soup was definitely one of the best I've had. It was not boring and they definitely added their own spin with the turnips. They do not have a set number of pieces. You eat until you tell them to stop. I would definitely come back to Hawaii just to go to Sasabune. read more

See all

Honestly do not remember what each pieces of the sushi were called but it was absolutely one of the best experience I've ever had. Some VERY unique and memorable dishes were blue crab wrapped in squid, the two tuna toro pieces in the beginning (literally melt your mouth), lightly seared octopus piece and juicy scallop. With alcohol came out to ~$260 pp but you will be EXTREMELY full and amazed at what you just ate. Highly recommend if anyones looking for quality food and experience in Honolulu. read more

See all

Sasabune doesn't disappoint. Came back here again with family and I'm so happy we did. We had another wonderful experience again. Service was excellent and food came out in a timely manner. The omakase course was absolutely scrumptious and filling. I can't wait to come back here again with my boyfriend. He absolutely loves this place as well! read more

See all

Omakase at Sushi Sasabune is aawwweessoommee!!!! If you've been thinking about it and unsure about whether or not you should bite the bullet, I am here to say, "JUST DO IT!" Seriously. I can't recall to you exactly what we ate on this night so I've attached a pic of our receipt (LOL). All I can say was everything was melt-in-your-mouth delicious and that I left extremely full and satisfied. We had the honor of being seated right in front of the sushi chefs and watched the magic happen. Being able to watch them flawlessly assemble each and every nigiri/dish we ate was a good part of the fun! I especially feel that having watched some behind-the-scenes footage on YouTube as to how Chef cultivates and preps his ingredients helped me to better appreciate what I was being served. (It's on the "Eater" YouTube channel -- highly recommend checking it out.) I look forward to the day I can treat myself to omakase here again! 10000/10. read more

This was our first time on the omakase tour for Oahu, which also included Maru Sushi, Sushi Sho, and Ginza Onodera. As stated in my other view, all 4 establishments are deserving of 5 stars. I will say that Sushi Sasabune is by far the best value out of the 4, and if you are on a budget, this is the place to go. However, don't expect ultra traditional edomae omakase; however, I don't think the chef intended for the omakase to be a traditional omakase either according to the Eater video on Youtube. Our omakase included big eye tuna and yellowtail sashimi, baby squid stuffed with blue crab appetizer, Nagasaki otoro (two types), hirame, pink snapper, katsuo, hamachi, Tasmanian salmon, Hokkaido scallop, oysters (two ways, broiled and raw), saba, blue shrimp, tako, chutoro, negitoro (two ways), Santa Barbara uni, ikura, gindara fish plate, and a hamachi temaki roll. Every dish noted was a nigiri with the noted exceptions. The Santa Barbara uni was by far the sweetest I have ever tasted, it was actually quite remarkable how good it was. Trust me, I have had uni many times before from different regions and seasons. The nigiri had very interesting neta toppings to give them some Hawaiian flair, which was different and somewhat unexpected (not in a bad way). Out of the four omakase establishments, Sasabune used more of the local Hawaiian fish; the other 3 establishments used primarily Japanese products. I won't dock points for this, but I found the two nigiri at a time pace to be a tiny bit confusing but from the looks of it, they do this because their volume of customers seem much higher than the other more exclusive omakase establishments. In terms of value and taste, Sushi Sasabune can't be beat. Just don't expect the perfectionist ethereal superiority of Sushi Sho or the traditional edomae combinations or tastes here. read more

See all

Holy mouthwatering wow! I've been to a few omakases on the mainland and nothing has compared to my experience here at Sasabune. We went per "MUST-HAVE" recommendation. You have to make a reservation for the omakase experience. From beginning to end, each course blew our minds! Each bite was so unique, flavorful, and tender! Our favorite was the baby squid with blue crab. Never had anything like it. Each bite is made to eat without soy sauce. The staff are friendly and each course comes out timely. You only pay as much as you want to eat so let them know 1 dish in advance when you want to stop. We had around 11-12? courses and paid about 120 per person. I wish I had a bigger stomach because I wanted to try more pieces. I will definitely be back whenever I'm in Honolulu. read more

Sushi Sasabune - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

I haven't been here for awhille but during COVID-19 they have an omakase bento. Of course it's not as good as if you were eating it at the restaurant but it this is way more affordable. I didn't really know what I was eating though. Service: You need to call in your order and they will tell you when you can pick it up. I don't recommend going in there and try to order. They might tell you come back or nothing might be available. I had to pick up my bento 2 hours after I ordered and still had to wait another 10 minutes once I got there. read more

Sushi Sasabune - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This establishment has the reputation as being "The Soup Nazi of Sushi in Honolulu" for a reason. I do not like to write elaborate reviews when there are countless reviews already posted for a place, so I will highlight the basics. 1) Establishment sits around 35-40, with small tables and a sushi bar. 2) Make a reservation, you are most likely not getting in here without one. 3) Ambiance is casual. 4) Dinner is Omakase (thus the humor of the "soup nazi" mentality and other than accommodating food allergies, preferences, etc, you leave it up to the expertise of the sushi chef all together). 5) If we have eaten Omakase 30 times in our life at various places from Vegas to Vietnam, this was the first establishment in which although served Omakase, it was priced out per piece when we got the bill. Also, when we were absolutely stuffed, we said "stop/no more" and the Omakase stopped and thus the remaining courses to our Omakase experience were not on our bill (because it is priced per piece). We stopped I think four plates short of being served the entire Omakase experience. 6) Sushi arrives two pieces per course and those two pieces are not the same on the plate. So if there are 10+ plates that come your way, you are having 20 different pieces of really exceptionally great fish. 7) Many local fishes and also being served two exceptional pieces or toro as one of the first courses to come out, this was by our standards some of the freshest quality, superior tasting, melt in your mouth sushi we have ever had. From sushi rice to the fish on top to the preparation of the pieces by the chef with perfectly paired flavors, spices, sauces enhancing the fish....OISHII!!!! 8) Dishes are brought out quickly. Once the second piece on your plate goes into your mouth, there is a friendly staff person immediately there wisking away your empty plate for the next coursed plate in the Omakase experience. We don't like long drawn out dinner experiences, so we liked this a lot. If you like long drawn out dinner experiences, just be aware and pace yourself before putting that second piece in your mouth. 9) We had at least 9 and maybe ten plates to the Omakase and a $40 bottle of sake and the bill came to around $235, prior to tip. Considering the quality of the fish, we actually considered this a bargain per person. Worth every penny. EXCELLENT! I would recommend to anyone looking for quantity or quality and who can appreciate the Omakase experience. read more