Best sushi spot. Truly a hidden gem. Everything and I mean EVERYTHING we had was absolutely amazing. The restaurant is small so definately try to have a reservation but the were able to fit us in last minute and I'm so glad they did. All the cuts were extremely fresh and tasty. The service was excellent as well! CANNOT wait to come back. read more

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food - the biggest hidden gem ever and my all time fav! amazing fresh quality sushi, everything is so good here. they even have my favorite nodoguro sushi here most of the time which i really appreciate! service - quick and attentive! ambiance - cute little sushi shop perfect for smaller groups/couples! make sure to make a reservation read more

Tanuki Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

We went on a weeknight and it turns out reservations are required no matter the day but the waitress was able to squeeze us in at the counter. Service was friendly from wait staff and the chef. We got lots of water refills and the food came out very quickly. Sushi was delicious and I'd recommend Tanuki to anyone on the windward side wanting a quieter, local place to eat. Despite reservations required it is very casual. Would not recommend for kids though as the place was small. read more

Tanuki Sushi - Nigiri: King salmon, unagi, scallop, sea bream and amber jack - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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A little hole in the wall place for sushi in Kaneohe. I go to a lot of different sushi, restaurants and most of the good ones are someplace on the other side of the mountain in town. This little place is a gem. They are the only sushi restaurant that I've been to here on the island (and I've been to a lot of them) that has a selection of fish that isn't typically found in other restaurants. There is always something new available to try every time I come here. They buy a lot of seasonal fish, which is why I think they always have something new. The place is clean. The service is friendly and efficient. The food is amazing! read more

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Finally made it back to this lil gem in kaneohe! Still serving great quality sushi from Japan. There were some great items on the specials list that I never knew existed. Wife did a bunch of ala carte items and I did the omakase. The quality you get is top notch with a very reasonable tag! If you're unsure of what to get, just talk story with any of the employees. They will give you tailored recommendations based on the type of sushi you typically enjoy. Great food, great service, great price! Pro Tip: Call to make a reservation as this is a cozy spot with delicious food! read more

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I've gone here quite a few times over the last 10 years and it is very consistent. I wish there were more options on the menu but the things they do make are very good. The rolls are probably smaller than most places but the price is reflective of that and get reasonable. Last time I was there I ordered to go, it appeared that to dine in, you need reservations. It is a very small place with very few tables. read more

Always never disappoints!! Reservations made for dinner and ordered a platter with the following this time - Yukimasu (snow trout), Medai (sea bream), Kinmeidai, Shimaaji and king salmon! And we added the spicy tuna and eel roll. Omg , I went to sushi heaven & will be back again soon!! read more

Tanuki Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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I've put off reviewing Tanuki for a while since I don't want Kaneohe getting bum rushed but it is truly a hidden pearl on the windward side. The menu varies according to what's available in fresh and the chef is an expert in all his cuts and preparations. We usually BYOB with a small glass fee if memory serves. The restaurant is small so it's not a place to linger for hours once your meal is done as there is often wait for the limited tables. Still it's a great hometown spot and we're always thrilled together. read more

This might be the best sushi place on the entire island besides mitch's. The place fits less people than a normal living room but then the quality and attention to detail is there. Definitely need reservations but the service and quality is un rivaled. The sushi is extremely fresh and you get what you pay for. They don't skimp on the fish quantities and I can tell this isn't your normal cuts of fish. left satisfied and will come again. Hope it doesn't get inundated with people and force the wait times to go from 2 weeks to 2 months, read more

Tanuki is a nice hidden gem in Kaneohe. I am reluctant to give a review as it's charm and ambience come from It's location and size. Tanuki is a true and genuine local sushi spot that holds true to fresh fish from Japan. It's unique selection of fresh and rare fish from Japan make this experience unlike any other on Oahu. omakase is the best option as it gives the opportunity to try the freshest fish that the chef has selected. A definite must try if you are craving authentic Japan style sushi. Staff are friendly and very personable making your experience a very comfortable and enjoyable experience. Five star experience with a very homey feel. read more

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I have to give a short shout-out to one of my favorite sushi spots, Tanuki Sushi. This was my first Thanksgiving home in five years (instead of in Vegas), I contacted my family to get together. Since we're all not big turkey fans, we decided to have an alternative menu. I've ordered sashimi platters from them before, and since it was less than a week til Thanksgiving, I contacted Tanuki to see if they could accommodate me. Mark and Shawn know what kind of fish I like, so I just asked them to put together a sashimi platter and gave them my budget. Since they were closed on Thanksgiving day, we made arrangements for pickup on Wednesday night. The platter was ready on time, and I wrapped it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. It was still fresh and perfect the next night for all of us to enjoy. Great selections that included Ootoro, Inada (baby Hamachi), and Uni, along with at least half a dozen other raw and seared items. There was more than enough to go around for the 8 of us, along with the other pot luck items (ham, mashed potatoes, rice, salad, and dessert) we had for dinner. A great Thanksgiving dinner, and we'll probably do the same thing for Christmas. read more

Tanuki Sushi - Sashimi platter marked with item names - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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BEST sushi on the island! Really can't recommend it enough. And everybody is so nice. We come a few times a year and it's just the best. Make sure to get some things off the specials board read more

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The fish is amazing and you won't find better variety and quality on the Windward side. The service is also excellent. Very small intimate space but very friendly relaxed atmosphere. read more

Not your typical fancy sushi/omakase place but they got the highest quality fresh fish in Kaneohe. Since this place is super tiny (prob fit 10-15 ppl?), I recommend you make reservations. Probably generally not a crowd fave but I think their ankimo (fish liver) is a must-try! And everything else that we had wasn't a let down at all! Also, I noticed that this place is byob! read more

Definitely a hidden gem!! Food was absolutely delicious. My favorite was the hamachi carpaccio. Service was excellent and fast. The ambiance is relaxing and quiet. It was a perfect stop after walking at the botanical gardens. read more

Tanuki Sushi - Kailua roll and the Spicy dragon Snow trout nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Over six years later since my last review so I thought I'd do an update. But yeah, over 6 years later and this spot still remains to be our number one favorite in terms of quality, variety, and price for Kyushu-mae style sushi (fresh, no preserving or treatment done, just amazing quality fish and seafood). The chef/owners Sean and Mark have come to be like family because we are there A LOT even after we've moved to town and have to make the drive. There is just nowhere on the island that has a better selection than Tanuki. Years later and they still manage to bring in stuff I've never had before which is extremely rare, considering I eat an embarrassing amount of sushi and pretty much eat EVERYTHING. The key here too is that with all the variety, the quality of their produce has remained consistently excellent throughout the years. We literally recommend them to everyone and none have been disappointed, whether local friends or mainland visitors. The amount you get is also extremely generous and so we consider it one of the most reasonably-priced sushi restaurants on island, even perhaps in the state. The key is to order the "board", literally, they have a giant board on the wall that lists all their specials for the day, and we generally order everything in there plus a few regular favorites like the king salmon (belly if they have it, plain or aburi), aburi engawa (if they have it), hamachi belly, Ankimo appetizer (in ponzu), the house-marinated ikura, negitoro handroll (more toro than most other places ever) and the salmon skin handroll (they bake the skin making it so crispy and it's my MIL's all time favorite even compared to Japan). I think this spot may be one of the best gate-kept restaurants on the island because I have never seen them on influencer posts or "best restaurant" lists when they truly should be. They're the very definition of a hole-in-the-wall spot, they're located in a tiny nondescript strip mall in Kaneohe beside a tattoo shop. The ambiance is very laid back and unassuming, relatively small with maybe 4-6 tables and about 10 seats on the bar, no fancy Japanese decorations or mood lighting, just an impressive collection of cute Tanuki figurines lining the shelves. The place is BYOB, always has been, and it's very chill and friendly, even for kids, so much so that my 7- and 2-year old consider "uncle's" their favorite restaurant of all time. It is well worth the drive and you would definitely keep coming back for more once you've had it. Be on the lookout for some of the seasonal fish that are absolute stand-outs like the mehikari (green eyes, ask for the crisped bones and head), the Kawahagi with the liver topping (I know it sounds gross but you have to trust me, it's like butter), and kinki (probably our all-time favorite fish) among others. The guys are also very accommodating if you like to try things a certain way and they also are very creative, for example serving the uni multiple ways (usual with nori, no nori but with shiso leaves) which is always pleasantly surprising. They manage to preserve the integrity of the fish or seafood, allowing it shine always, while just doing small tweaks to enhance the flavors and bring out its best qualities. They are absolute masters at what they do and are just so talented and humble and the best people around. Make the trek and get your mind absolutely blown! (They also have other menu items and rolls if that's what you want but the sushi is where it's at!) read more

A curious place, it's hidden in plain sight! There is no kitchen so the complexity of the menu is not what you might find in town but I had no complaints. The Omakase diners $100 but the fish was not only very fresh but there were a few things I have never seen. I think a reservation is a must as there are not more than 15 places to sit. read more

Tanuki Sushi - Fish liver. Ankimo with think - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Omg! Didn't know this sushi place existed in Kaneohe! I am a sushi enthusiast and give this place two thumbs up. Offering various types of fresh fish to satisfy your sushi needs.. I am very impressed by how many different types of fish they offer and the service they provide was impeccable and friendly. I suggest ordering omakase if you're interested in sampling their various fresh fish. The Hokkaido uni was magnificent and fresh. The menu is priced right and you will not be disappointed when it comes to satisfying your sushi cravings. Thank you for my wonderful sushi experience Tanuki Sushi! See you again soon! read more

A great sushi option in Kaneohe. My bf and I dined here on a Friday night ~6pm by with no reservation and it was private dining the whole time we were there haha. It was nice that nobody else was there but a little quiet! The restaurant is cozy + small and clean--they still require face masks (as of January 2024) even if there were no other diners. My favorites of the evening were the hot tea LOL and the spicy dragon roll. Tanuki sushi only offers...well sushi! So I wouldn't recommend this place if you're hoping for other Japanese dishes. I think the only other non-sushi dish was miso soup. Overall, quality of fish was good and I would come back just for the spicy dragon roll :) Park in the lot in the front and bring your sushi appetite! read more

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Tanuki Sushi is one of the few sushi restaurants in Kaneohe. We came here for a dinner date and it while the food was good, the ambiance was awkward and I'm not in a rush to return. They share a lot with a few other businesses, so if you are coming at dinner time, the other businesses have closed and the parking lot is empty. I wonder what the parking lot is like if I tried to go for lunch. They still have COVID mask signs up and even though we were the only customers, they had like a chain barrier up so that people wouldn't just walk in. Kind of like 2-3 years ago when businesses would have to check your COVID vaccine cards or take your temperature before letting you into the restaurant. They have a few small tables and a sushi bar counter, so there is not much space to begin with. However, we were the only customers in the restaurant for the duration of the meal and so I felt like we were on display for the workers to watch. It was private dining, but not in a good way.... We ordered a few rolls to share and ate and then left. We kind of rushed out because we felt so awkward. The food wasn't even that memorable in hindsight. The service was decent. Nothing to write home about. Maybe I would be back to get take out sometime, but I'm not in a rush to dine in again. I would rather drive to town to get the same quality sushi without the awkward experience. Also, they give a military discount. Military people make way more money than locals, why give them a discount? read more

Fresh and delicious! This is a very small sushi restaurant with just a a few tables and bar, so reservations at a good idea. read more

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This is my new favorite sushi spot in Kāne'ohe! The fish is so fresh and delicious 10/10 would recommend!! read more

Tanuki Sushi - Sushi bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Simply put AMAZING & FRESH!!! Some people have dinged the sushi Chef's for not being that friendly. I can see why as they are FOCUSED on preparing and delivering a HIGH QUALITY sushi, what's wrong with that?! The food is TOP NOTCH & the servers there are VERY ATTENTIVE AND FRIENDLY!!!! I'll DEFINITELY BE BACK AGAIN!!! Mahalo plenty for an INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE!!! read more

Good quality sushi in Kaneohe. It's for the days you want something fancier than Ninja or Genki but won't break the bank.

Friendly staff and they have the best California roll! Can't wait to try their other sushi :) read more

Tanuki Sushi - The best California roll I've had! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Came here recently for an early dinner and the service was great! The waiter and sushi chefs were really attentive and friendly. We ordered a few nigiris and a couple rolls. Everything tasted really fresh and was reasonably priced! The scallop and uni were our favorites. Overall, it's a nice, small local spot with friendly staff :) The plates and tea cups had a nice style too read more

Tanuki Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Not gonna hype too much so you foodies steal my spot. Super Ono, saiko oiishii! Itsumo bikkuri. Gochiso sama deshita.

The most brilliant jewel in the crown of all Kaneohe restaurants! And the premier sashimi establishment on Oahu (in my opinion of course). Mark-San and Sean-San continue to outdo their previous levels of culinary excellence by simply creating new categories of "sublime dining".... how does the phrase go? Just when you think.... you had the best experience from their place, they surprise you with greater heights! Visitors came to town to see what this exceptional yukimasu (snow trout) sashimi is all about.... I've been telling everyone that I know of the flawless quality and presentation of Tanuki sushi... and they finally came to see for themselves. They were as wowed as I was! We ordered a huge tray of assorted sashimi based on recommendations from the staff and our own experience. 2 orders of yukimasu were a must but then we couldn't resist the fresh taking, Saba, Madai, Sayori, and of course, Hokkaido uni! We also ordered the firefly squid in miso sauce as an appetiser since we knew the preparation would take awhile. Well the appetiser and the rest of the sashimi were spectacular! You can view the photos and see for yourself. Mark came over and chatted with us and I cannot express how grateful I am that we in Kaneohe are blessed with such a superb sashimi restaurant right in our "neighbourhood". Domo arrigato gozaimasu once again Team Tanuki, for a truly world class dinner and a most enjoyable evening. Mahalo for reading my review. read more

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Since my last review, I had been coming here every time (almost yearly) I come to Hawaii since I stay at Kailua. Since there aren't many good sushi spots at this side of the island, this place hit the spot for fresh sushi. Everything we ordered was sooooo good and service is great. Will continue to come and support this small business :) read more

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A very cute little hidden gem on the Windward side. I called and made a reservation, but no one else ended up being at the restaurant with us on this Thursday night at 6:30pm. It made me a little worried at first but ultimately it was nice to have the whole restaurant to ourselves. It is tucked away by car dealerships and other businesses, with parking right in front. Once you go inside, there is bar seating or a couple tables. I ended up ordering the omakase and my husband ordered the Kaisen Deluxe Chirashi. Both were great but the omakase was basically everything off the specials board so I had to try it (since it seemed so worth it). The omakase wasn't served with each item on its own. The appetizer for the omakase came first, which was monk fish liver. Next was a long plate of 5 items, then 5 more, then 6, then miso soup. There was no dessert. Edamame seems to be served at the start with or without the omakase. The items in my omakase were: Yakimasu- snow trout Kampachi-amberjack Samara- Spanish mackerel Hamachi belly Kinki- thorn head Madai- sea bream Kinmedai- golden eye snapper Amaebi- sweet shrimp Negi toro- with ikura A5 wagyu. Hotate- scallop Shimaaji- white trevally King salmon Uni Otoro Tamago Delicious. Service was great. Everyone is super friendly. Will go back. I'll definitely want to order the omakase again. read more

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Nestled in Koo'lau Plaza, this little gem is what Kaneohe needed. I remember when this place opened, the fish was fresh and the servings were generous. They did not have a lot of variety at the time, but we're being realistic about starting up. It's good to see that they have expanded their variety of fish And other seafood selections, as this is The indicator that they are doing very well and will be here for the long-haul with us. During Covid times, they are doing take away, you can call ahead and they will give you a very accurate estimation of time for pick up. The fish is still so fresh, and the service is great and friendly. Wait to go back for the Omakase. BYOB is still a winner and we look forward to a time sit at a sushi bar comfortably. read more

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Best sushi and overall sushi experience on Windward side, hands down. A+++ Small, cozy, perfect. Selection is fresh and varied. A very well run place by two cool dudes who have perfected their craft exceptionally well. Last we were there, it was byob. Parking lot not the best if you have mobility issues but very doable. Go get you some great and fresh grinds. read more

The food and service was amazing. fish was so fresh and yummy. Can't wait till we go again.

This place is such a gem we are lucky to dine here because the food is delicious all the sushi rolls we ordered were so good and the fish is super fresh the staff were amazing and friendly one of the best restaurants we have tried! A must try for sure read more

I came here with my BFF on Friday night. Recommendation: make a reservation. This is a very intimate restaurant with about 8 seats at the bar (max). And a few side tables. But, friends, if you are lucky enough to get a spot, enjoy it! Try some of the specials they have handwritten on the board above the bar, ask the chef for a special dish, or put your trust in the chef and order "omakase"". Follow the Restaurant's Instagram page- the chef Posts the fresh fish of the day. Super fun way to interact with patrons. And gives you a heads up for any new items in season. The sushi itself was excellent. Beautiful presentation, perfect rice to fish ratio, and sooo delicious. My favorite was this light fish with live on top. I cannot remember the name, but ask for it! My second favorite was the bass: lightly seared and melts like butter in your mouth. Chef and Mark were kind and great about answering questions on the different fish. Wonderful. read more

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The sushi and service never disappoint at Tanuki. We normally run the specials board but was informed that the Omakase did the same and included Ankimo (the best rendition I've ever sampled with a balancing citrus) and Miso Soup. Highlights other than the Ankino were the Kawahagi topped with its liver, the rich Kinmedai, Yukimasu which rivals Nodoguro with luscious flame kissed fat and the Hiramasa. As usual. we finished with a second sample of our faves for the evening. And since Tanuki is BYOB, we sampled everything with one of the best nihonshu available, the Watari Bune Daiginjo and the Tanaka Chartier 1789 Blend 001. As usual, we'll be back... read more

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I found this spot a while ago. I'm always traveling so finding this place close to home is awesome. The sushi tastes great. The service was awesome and it a great place to eat sushi and enjoy paradise. The sushi melts in your mouth. I love it. Tastes amazing. I can't wait to go here again. read more

My boyfriend and I love this restaurant. We have gone there numerous times and we always get the same great service and amazing quality of food. The staff is so friendly and attentive. They are truly great company! The food is always amazing. We typically get the same dishes every time and it's the same great quality each time. The prices are reasonable for the great quality. read more

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Great sushi and the waitress we had was sweet. But the two guys working there have major attitude and it seemed like they didn't really want our business. The chain barrier to get in was weird and the whole place had a strange vibe. Felt sorry for the waitress who has to work with these guys. read more

This small Sushi restaurant makes great tasting and elegant looking sushi!! The restaurant is clean and the staff is very friendly. We really enjoyed our meal!!! read more

Tanuki Sushi - Restaurant front - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii