Authentic tonkatsu! Ambience and food was very good and worth it! Glad to have found this gem. Great service from the host to the servers - very welcoming & friendly. Husband ordered the curry as well on the side that went well with his tenderloin tonkatsu. I ordered the half set with soba and shrimp katsu. Not overcooked and very juicy! Thank you Tonkatsu Kuro for the great first experience :) we will be back! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Some of the best katsu I've had in a while! We got the katsu combo set and the lemon soba. The set was perfect and the soba is big so you can definitely share. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - lemon soba - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The taste and crispness of tonkatsu and shrimp Soba is great The looking drink was refreshing and sweet read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Shrimp katsu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Fast, tasty, efficient. Even family friendly, my 4 year old loves it. Convenient parking at Ward Village, order via IPad and food comes fairly quickly. I love places that do one thing and one thing well. Tonkatsu is their main thing and there really isn't another option in the immediate area so if you're craving that, this is the best fix! We came on a Saturday and there wasn't a wait because it's a pretty efficient turnover of tables. They will ask you to stroller check since it's not a large area but the staff is kind and friendly. Definitely is a neighborhood favorite! read more

Came here on a Friday with a 4:45pm reservation and by 5pm the restaurant was full! Nice spacious interior and a tablet ordering system. The staff were lovely and helpful, attentive and the little robot delivering the meals was fun! I got the perilla soba and half katsu set. I don't usually like cold noodles but it turned out to be my favourite part of the meal. Sesame seed flavored and not too saucy, it was delicious and refreshing. The katsu breading was crispy and light but the pork wasn't as juicy as what I would have liked. My friend got the spicy tsuyu soba a the server said it wasn't too spicy but she said it was, hehe. The lime sparkling ade was good and my eonnies enjoyed their $5 happy hour draft beers. The katsu set comes with rice, miso and cabbage which is refillable throughout your meal. They also have tonkatsu sauce, sesame sauce and a yuzu ponzu sauce on the table to use as you please. All sets came with a 'truffle' sauce which was nice and garlicky. I couldn't really taste the truffle though. For dessert it looked like they only had 5 types of gelato, 4 of which were sold out so we didn't order any. read more

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Fresh and delicious food. Located in Kaka'ako on the lower corner of Robinson, tucked back by Dean and Deluca, below Onkee. This is a nice spot. They have spacious seating and state of the art ordering and delivery, with a robot bringing the food. Of course humans are there to grab the items and hand everything to you, clear your dishes, etc. The service was nice. Tucked inside of the table were all utensils and napkins. The drawer was in the way of my legs, however...as that isn't something typically located within a dining table. Crossing legs and bumping, knocking, scratching knees, ouch. The drink options can be found online before arriving and this is what you will find onsite as well. They had four beer selections, two highball options, sodas and water. I googled what a highball was and since they serve coke, and a highball is made with whiskey, I asked about having this as an option, but unfortunately no. I was told they do not have a full bar. Hmm, it was ok. I ordered a Kirin draft. All of the katsu items were very well prepared! Perfect. The sauce options were great. I crushed my sesame seeds in preparation and had great dipping for the two person combo, which was priced well. I needed to use the restroom which was not very clean so I was careful. read more

New place I tried yesterday while out in the area. Love that the restaurant was clean and organized with a heavy Japanese influence. I actually felt I was in Japan. They utilized a robot operated server that helped with delivering the meals to each table. The service was quick and efficient with everything ordered from the tablet on the table. What looked like a small meal at forst turned out to be 5 huge deep fried shrimps. The best part...it wasn't mostly batter, it was a thick piece of shrimp on every bite!! Definitely enjoyed my first visit, staff were friendly and helpful and I plan on coming back again. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We came for the soba, tried both the soba and katsu and were not disappointed, especially the katsu. It's a bit on the pricey side for katsu but the quality is on a different level so that's worth the price. It's a nice place for dinner. There're robots serving food, so kinda fun to watch. They also have real human servers. Not sure how ethical it is but if you rate them on Yelp they said they would give you a free gelato... Well, I waited till the end of my meal, and I make sure I can give a 5 star otherwise I would honestly not taking the gelato. read more

We ordered the Assorted Katsu Couple Set for $68. It was a full meal with unlimited cabbage, rice and soup. The pork tonkatsu was tender and tasty. The one shrimp per person was a large jumbo shrimp. You can order that Ala carte but I can't imagine eating all five pieces. Very trendy, contemporary decor. Love this restaurant and will be back. read more

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The vibes here are great! I find it easier and convenient to order on a tablet so I am glad they offer it here. The menu isn't as wide as other tonkatsu places but the sets they do offer, they make it gooood. The shrimp katsu was super crispy and the shrimp inside was juicy! The loin katsu was lean and crispy as well! (Maybe a little bit too much panko) I definitely recommend adding curry sauce as an extra dipping sauce. The curry adds a different flavor whenever you get bored of the tonkatsu sauce. The service here is absolutely amazing. I had trouble opening up my miso soup and they helped and even showed me a trick on how to open it next time! read more

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Amazing experience! Easy to order on the iPad, food came out super quickly, friendly staff and delicious food! We got the half katsu/soba meal and it was just the perfect amount of good. Will definitely be returning! read more

Absolutely loved this tonkatsu restaurant! The pork cutlet and shrimp was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. You can tell everything was made fresh, and the quality really stood out. The soba, miso soup, and cabbage paired perfectly with the meal. The staff was friendly, attentive, and the restaurant had a clean, welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Assorted tonkatsu, Spicy Bibim Soba and Lemon Soba were so amazing and delicious! Service was on point! Decor and music was a vibe! Definitely returning again! 10/10! read more

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Make reservations on Open Table-quick and easy. Food is great! Tenderloin looks like a small portion, but the nice cut of meat will fill you up. Soba is nice and chewy, just like Japan! Casual dining with slightly fancy vibes- lucky we live Hawaii, shorts are ok. Lots of parking nearby at ward entertainment center or Whole Foods. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Lemon soba set-so yummy! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

AMAZING FOOD AND SERVICE! all the staff were extremely helpful, i asked for togarashi & i got it right away within 0.5 seconds! the ambiance was amazing as well because of the decor, it felt very high end and nice. took a picture after i started eating because it was so good read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - food - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The food here was great, everything truly tasted fresh and well balanced. A lot more advanced than most restaurants, ordering through tablets and being served by robots. I would love to come here again however I would advise getting a reservation before hand. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Loin Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Tonkatsu Kuro is a modern restaurant conveniently located in the Ward "live, work, play" area. It's adjacent to the back of the Ward Theater building so free parking is a breeze. They specialize in tonkatsu and soba. We ordered a tonkatsu/soba set, a tenderloin katsu, and a loin katsu. All set meals come with unlimited shredded cabbage, rice AND miso soup. This makes the value of the meal a lot better as most other tonkatsu restaurants only offer free cabbage. The loin katsu and shrimp katsu were huge & so bomb! Definitely recommend getting either of those two. A robot brings the food to your table which is very cool & a server simply assists with any refills on cabbage, rice, soup & beverages. All ordering is done thru touch screens at each table. They do offer desserts, but we were so stuffed that we didn't have any room. However we will most definitely be back again soon! Reservations were super easy on OpenTable. read more

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- Location and parking is easy to find. - Staff are pleasant and attentive - Food is consistently cooked well and exceeds expectations - A bit pricey; but that is to be expected in the Ward area. 5 Stars. read more

Excellent!! My favorite tonkatsu place right now. It's a little small so I would suggest making reservations but we have walked in as well and gotten seated. Everyone we have come across here is very nice, including the hostesses and servers. We can order on the pad at the table and then a little robot brings the food when it's ready. The servers bring the food from the robot to the table though. So cute! The food is really excellent. The tonkatsu is soooo crispy and delicious. They give refills on the salad and miso soup as well so it's a great deal to me. I love it and will keep coming back! read more

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After hearing more positive reviews since we tried this place during their soft opening, decided to give it another try. I tried multiple times during our previous visits to the island to make a decent reso that wasn't late at night. Couldn't make a same night reso so I made one for the following night. After a hike at Makapu'u we were starved and made it just in time. Despite the rain, they were packed with customers at 6 pm. Immediately knew what I wanted. Combo set with soba noodles and katsu. I inhaled the soba noodles as I was hungry. Loved the dashi taste to the chilled broth. Still feel like the soba noodles should be more slurpable like in Japan. 4/5 Note: There were these knats flying around our table the entire time we were trying to enjoy our meals. Somehow it was attracted to the drinks almost diving into my soup and eventually doing so when I was finished. That was a bit annoying. When I delved into the hot food, I was pretty satisfied. The texture and crunch of the panko was so light and flaky. Batter was nicely seasoned. I really enjoyed the tartar sauce. It was creamy and delish, and not like the overly relish ones you have at American restaurants. The pork was tender and also nicely buttered and fried. I remember the 1st time I came it was a bit oily but it seems like they figured this out. The refilled our cabbage salad which was nicely shredded and appetizing. The sesame dressing paired well with it. This time we ordered the Lemon Assam Tea and Strawberry Hibiscus. Both were very refreshing and nicely blended. read more

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The food is so delicious. I enjoy the quick service. You order with an iPad and it's super easy. You can even get free refills on the cabbage, rice, and miso soup. The ambiance is very modern and contemporary. It's very cute. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Generous Tonkatsu and Robot Service? Count Me In. If you want tonkatsu with complimentary miso soup, salad, and rice refills, and you do not want to wait five months for a reservation, Tonkatsu Kuro is the place to go. You can order on the tablet at your table or through a server. A robot brings the food out, and the server drops it off. It is kinda fun to watch. I got the shrimp katsu, which came with five pieces of the largest shrimp I have ever seen in my life. They were delicious. The tartar sauce that came with it made each bite even better. Reservations are highly recommended. We got lucky and walked in around 8 PM on a Friday night and were seated right away. Crispy katsu, endless refills, and a robot bringing your food? Tonkatsu Kuro delivers on flavor and fun without the months-long wait. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Shrimp katsu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

December 2025 Tonkatsu Kuro is located at the Ward Village. Parking is plentiful in the parking garages without having to pay. The area is quite clean and not overcrowded which is a plus! The food is delicious with a beautiful interior. The restaurant is spacious with high ceilings. You order your food from the tablet at your table. The staff were very friendly and provided help as needed. Would def come back! read more

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The food ordering process was easy with the table top smart pad and the food was delivered promptly. There are sauces for the shrimp and tonkatsu on the table so you can mix, experiment and choose how to season your food. The cold soba was definitely different and worth trying. We'll be back again! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Soba and tenderloin combo + Tonkatsu shrimp! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Fast efficient service, bomb food, lively atmosphere. Will definitely be back. Thank you Tonkatsu Kuro read more

Was able to reserve dinner with friends for a Saturday night. Was seated right away, you order your food on the iPad and food comes out in a timely manner. The food came out and tasted delicious, my husband and I shared the couples meal and was able to try the different pork and shrimp, it's similar to ginza and tonkatsu tamafuji, definitely light battered. We enjoyed it, there is more tables inside, one whole table that people share which I thought was weird. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We had reservations for a large party (12+) and were split up along 3 booths. I shared the assorted Couple Katsu Set with a friend. It was a ton of food. I loved that I was able to try all three types of katsu with the set. The food was delicious and definitely some of the best katsu I've had. I also enjoyed TJ experience of hand grinding my own sesame seeds for dipping sauce. The downside to our experience was that we felt rushed the entire time. The wait staff kept telling us they had another reservation coming in for the table we were at. I think we were there for less than an hour. Considering that we had the reservation and the rest of the restaurant was practically empty, it was very frustrating to be rushed. read more

Staff are nice and attentive. If it's your first time they can give you the rundown, so you know what to do. Everything is pretty much done electronically for ordering and refills. The place smells clean not oily like some tonkatsu places you go to. That means your clothes don't need to be double washed. Limited alcohol drinks bear and a couple highball options. No fufu drinks, they have sparkling teas cold. The food is tasty and not overly oily. The refills on salad, miso, and rice 2x per person. They offer a yuzu or sesame dressing and the katsu sauce Japan style not L&L. Would recommend, you will be surprised...parking is little bit small walk but good cause after the refills and meal it will be nice. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The food is awesome very tender and flavorful! Service was very quick and friendly. Casual dining perfect for Hawaii and a quick meal! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Couple meal! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This is the best Tonkatsu place I have been too! The staff were so friendly, especially Dar! She was so helpful when we called to make reservations. The restaurant is a smaller establishment, but with great distancing from other parties. The quality of food is fresh and great! The pork and shrimp katsu came out crispy and cooked to perfection! I love the sets as they come with rice, miso soup, a small side vegetable, and cabbage. We also tried the cold soba dish and that was such a refreshing dish to add to our meal! I will definitely be back to try more items in the menu! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Shrimp Tonkatsu - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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the interior is much more modern and elevated than i expected! i think it's a very cute restaurant, simple enough to bring any type of guest (friends, family, coworkers, maybe even a date). service was very attentive, helpful, and friendly! i got the combo set with kuro soba-- the prices seem a bit high, but you actually get a generous portion which makes it worth your money (imo). the soba was fantastic! i'm not exactly sure what they do, but it's a little more rich and flavorful than your standard soba. definitely try it with the wasabi! so delicious. the tonkatsu was also very well done; i like mine with mustard and some salt (the combo doesnt come with mustard but you can easily ask for some). my shrimp katsu was GIANT and super fresh & juicy! i was pleasantly surprised. would recommend!! the only thing to note is they will kick you out at 1.5hrs (we were asked to leave before then), especially if they have another reservation. we were done eating but i can imagine that would be a bit irritating if i was trying to catch up with someone / talk more. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - combo half soba half tonkatsu set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Another fantastic spot for tonkatsu! The restaurant is conveniently located in Ward, so parking is stress-free--you can park at Whole Foods and walk over. The space is on the smaller side, so if you're coming with a larger group, I'd recommend making a reservation in advance. Ordering is done through an iPad, which is quick and efficient, and the servers bring everything straight to your table. I ordered the bibim soba with the pork set, and it was excellent. I was worried the noodles might be too spicy, but they were perfectly balanced. The pork was not overly greasy, with a crispy crust and a juicy inside. I also appreciated that they offered two different salad dressings for the cabbage. Overall, I'd definitely come back! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - bibim noodles + pork set - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Nice servers and good food. Really liked the sauces. ............................................................. read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place never misses!!! The pork tenderloin katsu was so tender and crispy, the shrimp katsu was big and juicy, and the lemon soba was so refreshing. The couple entre was a perfect size for 6 people, and we ordered some extra shrimp on the size. Service was very quick too! read more

Tonkatsu Kuro - Couple entree - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Not only is the harmony of flavors excellent, but the service, interior, and prices are great--plus, parking is easy. I highly recommend it! read more

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If you're in the Ward area and need to feed, think about eating at Tonkatsu Kuro. Located across the street from Rinka or next door to Nori Bar. Parking is available at Whole Foods or in the Ward Theaters structure. This isn't just another tonkatsu joint, this is a new dining experience. On my first try to eating here, I tried to do take out and was told they do not do take out and why I took off a star. On the night I ate here though, my Yelp buddy had reservations for a late slot and we dined in. Very asian vibes... Kpop in the background, with dark interior designs weaved with plants up high on their walls. Place seems to seat roughly 50 people comfortably and is very open with a high ceiling. Upon entering, we were greeted by the host and we gave our name for the reservation. We were promptly shown to our seats and found the little kiosk at the end of the table. This is where you oder but will pay with a server when you're done. Like in Asian countries, you usually order and pay at a kiosk and just wait for your order to come out. What's super unique is not the food here, but the help. You will have a server to bring you water and drinks, but when the food is ready, a robot server is followed by your server and the server takes the food off the robot's tray and presents your food. Felt like we were on Jabba the Hut's ship with this a robot delivering our food. Now, the food... for their style of cooking, they did a great job at cooking and presenting, but I'm a huge Tamafuji fan and even claim Tamafuji's is better than what I eat in Japan, so Kuro will only get a great job from me. I ordered the Loin that came with shredded cabbage, miso soup, side hot mustard and a lemon wedge. Mopped All! My buddy ate the tender loins and she couldn't finish hers for was too much food, but she did claim as leftovers was still Ono out of the air fryer. I also did notice their batter reminded me of a donut! Go figure, but I will be back to try their Tender Loin for myself and some other offerings. Til my next visit, Grind On, Pau! read more

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Tonkatsu kuro is the best tonkatsu restaurant I have tried in Honolulu! The shrimp is huge and delicious and the pork is always perfectly cooked and crispy! Service is unique because you are served by robots. I had a reservation for 8:45 and wasn't seated until almost 9 because is it always busy! The drinks were good but not very cold and a little watered down. Overall great experience and highly recommend! read more

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It was very easy to make a reservation. The food was delicious. The staff was very friendly. Good atmosphere and nice ambiance. read more

I've heard so many great things from different individuals, thus, I had to give it a try. Though there are a few misses to my experience here. When you arrive to the establishment, there's a waitlist list right up front. Big communal table in the middle, with various bench and chair seating in the perimeter of the room. The digital ordering system is easy to use. The food and drink orders also come to you via a robot to which a server off-loads the items to your table. Some of the servers had weird vibes in that they're so eager to clear the tables and get you out of there, and at the same time, there's little to no personalized service. For example, we had ordered an additional bowl of rice via the digital ordering system. Our sets came, our drinks came and the server asked if there was anything else we needed. We mentioned the additional bowl of rice. Minutes went by, I saw the server drop off items to other tables around us. We're halfway through the meal, no additional bowl of rice came. When the same server passed once again, we mentioned the bowl of rice one more time and we never saw him again. Someone else came by when our meal was almost complete, to which then the rice showed up, no apologies, and we didn't quite need that anymore... As for the sets, they're filling. It doesn't look like a lot of food, but it gets the job done. The lemon soba is a total winner. The chewiness of the soba and the broth that it's sitting in is perfection. The tonkatsu on the other hand was a little too oily with mushy breading. My friends have sworn by this katsu, but it was not it for me. Meanwhile, as I'm observing the room, a worker in a black hat, picked up a napkin off the ground and started wiping a table with it, and then continued to use the same napkin to wipe the chair. By this point, I can't unsee that. I personally will wait a little bit, to dine here again. Though, I would definitely go back, just for that lemon soba. read more

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Anticipation was high, reviews looked great, presentation was nice, but I got an oily tonkatsu, like the deep frying oil wasn't hot enough, but also an oil that need to be changed already. Drinks were nice, draft beer and Toki highballs were tasty, I ordered the tenderloin, and to me it was too mushy and soft. We sobered 3 different soba, they were all delicious and tasty! Staff was fantastic and very attentive and accommodating. Hope to get back soon and get a better experience. read more

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