totoya was absolutely amazing !! service was phenomenal and everyone was so nice i felt like i was back in japan, but i do think this is the closest i can get to eating almost the same quality of food the resto is v quiet and i think overall it's such a nice din spot and a hole in the wall !will b back before i leave hawaii read more

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Located in Kaimuki, Totoya is a relatively new restaurant from the owners of Tori Ton and Five Star Poke that specializes in negitorodon and kaisendon. It offers high-quality food in a setting that is reminiscent of Japan. My partner and I ordered the Take negitorodon ($25) and the Nishiki kaisendon ($32.90). Both were enjoyable and satisfying for different reasons. The Take negitorodon includes Totoya's original negitoro as well as ikura. Totoya differentiates their version of negitoro by adding extra ingredients, like cucumber and tobiko, to the traditional mix of minced tuna and green onion. These welcome additions give the negitoro more flavor and texture. The Nishiki kaisendon features a mix of negitoro, fish, shrimp, scallops, roe, and snow crab. Although I had hesitations about the price to portion ratio, the ingredients were admittedly better (i.e. fattier and fresher) than your run-of-the-mill sushi joint. The restaurant's menu is fairly limited, so I would only recommend folks who enjoy seafood. As previously noted, the only major downside is price, and after reviewing the current menu alongside an older one, there are noticeable differences in prices and ingredients (i.e. similar price but no more uni on the cheaper kaisendon) for each menu option. So, while Totoya may have been a good value in the past, it feels like more of a splurge right now. And, given the current exchange rate between the dollar and the yen, it feels significantly more expensive than what you might find in Japan, but perhaps that's simply the price of convenience. In the future, I would probably skip the pricier fare and opt for one of the cheaper options. There are only 16 counter seats in the restaurant, so be prepared to wait if you come on the weekend after opening hours and miss the first or second seating. Based on my simple observation, each seating takes about 40-45 minutes to be seated and finish their food. However, the restaurant staff is efficient, taking orders from guests waiting outside. Note that there is a paper waitlist, so don't forget to write your name down even if you're standing in line. Metered parking is available on the street or lot behind the restaurant. read more

Totoya - Nishiki kaisendon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This place is absolutely incredible and I wish they had something like this in LA! The seafood is so fresh and the soy egg marinade that's drizzled on top really soaks into the rice and makes every single bite absolutely delicious and packed with flavor. I will definitely be coming back every single time I visit Hawaii. I like that you can make hand rolls to kind of switch up the meal a little bit. The miso soup is so delicious, piping hot, and has a really nice umami flavor to it. Food comes out extremely fast, if you come before 11:15 AM, I think you will be able to get a spot. read more

Totoya - Matsu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here for lunch on a Friday. Luckily, there was no wait and we got seated immediately as a party of 2. I decided to order the Ume Negitoro Bowl, which cost $18.90. I added an egg yolk, which is normally $1, but if you take their Google Forms survey, which just asks questions about the ambience/service, you can get it for free or you can get a double stamp instead. When ordering, the server was speaking so fast that I didn't realize ordering the soup of the day, which was a salmon soup, was extra cost. I had also ordered a house salad since I felt kinda taken off guard and rushed, but luckily, it didn't get added to the bill and never came out. That being said, the salmon miso soup was quite good and you do get a nice amount of salmon. The negitoro bowl was delicious and they have instructions on different ways to try it, such as by itself, with seaweed like a hand roll, and with rice. The flavor was nice and they do have some simple seasoning on the table like sesame seeds in case you want to add more. Overall, the food here is good if you are looking for negitoro bowls but I think I felt a bit pressured/rushed when ordering. read more

Totoya - Ume Negitoro Bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been meaning to try this place since they opened. I heard the place was small so I wanted to make sure we were going at a decent time. I loved the aesthetic of the place. It was super traditional and cute. It definitely reminded me of Japan. The workers were super nice as well. My only gripe is that they didn't have a highchair so it is not the friendliest for kids. I tried the Matsu because I looove uni and ikura. It definitely didn't disappoint. However, my brother got the fresh shrimp combination bowl and that was my first time trying raw shrimp. I think I prefer it over cooked now! You can taste the quality in their food. I'm glad I was able to finally try this place. I will probably be back again, especially since they said that their second location is opening next week in Alamoana. Congratulations, Totoya! read more

Totoya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Decided to come back and okay here is the trick. Come here for dinner and go right when they open. There is normally no wait and you don't feel rushed. Anyways, I decided to opt. For something not negitoro and this bowl did not disappoint! The scallop, salmon, and ikura tasted really fresh and I personally liked this variety. I also highly recommend you eat this with the shichimi that they have because it gives the fish a little kick of spice! Overall, I'd come back for their other bowls rather than their famous negitoro bowls! Honestly, very good quality fish! read more

Totoya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It was our 1st time at Totoya. We heard it was amazing from friends and from Yelp reviews . I'm very happy that we were able to experience this delicious Japanese cuisine . We felt like we were in Japan read more

Totoya - Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food was amazing! We got the negitoro uni bowl + ikura and it was AMAZING. There was so much flavor. We got the shoya egg as well. For the soup, the shrimp head miso - it was very good with the yuzu miso. The service was also great and efficient. We got there relatively early when it opened so there was no line. It was a great experience that we ended up going there twice on our trip! Great place! read more

Totoya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Get transported to Japan while your in Hawaii with welcoming Japanese owners/employees, fresh and amazing seafood, limited seating and kind service. We got to the line early before they opened and was the second round to get in. The turnaround is very quick and they get your order when you are in line. I got their Nishiki bowl which came with negitoro tuna, scallop, sea urchin, salmon, snow crab, uni salmon roe. I recommend using the nori to eat with your negitoro and this was actually my first time trying negitoro. It was so good and all the seafood tasted so fresh. At first looking at the bowl, you are like ehhh it's kind've small but at the end I was stuffed. If you are picky with seafood, this spot is not for you because it's literally all they have. They also have a bathroom too! read more

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Finally got to try it after having this on my list for since opening! Thanks to Jessica C and her fam that I was able to have company to stand in line with lol. We got there on a weekday around 12ish and we waited in line for 40 mins for a party of 4. I would suppose if you're with a smaller party or even solo the wait would be shorter. The crowd has gotten smaller approaching closing time. The fish was fresh and I thoroughly enjoyed my bowl with the salmon miso soup. I was gonna order the shrimp miso soup but they're out, but the salmon tasted delicious! I got the assorted bowl (sorry forgot the name but it's the one with almost everything) with an addition of 15g of uni for $8.90. Imo it's worth the add-on, otherwise I would only be getting a small piece. The negitoro was more tasty than I expected! Definitely get the shoyu egg to go with it, even more umami with the rice. Service was good. The hostess was courteous and apologized for our wait. She also took our order ahead of time so we wouldn't have to wait long for our food. The counter seats were comfy and it's in a C shape so larger parties can probably take the corners. I would definitely come back! read more

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Been here like 5 times already and always so good. Finally got to use my completed stamp card to get $15 off and a upgraded crab miso soup. I do think their daily salmon miso soup is way better and worth the upgrade. I always get the nishiki and an egg which does make it better, got it without the egg one time and regretted it. I've seen a line on a random tuesday night but I went on a friday night around 7:15pm and there was no wait but did get full by 730pm. The only thing I did want to note is that the prices slightly increased and they also removed the uni and a piece of salmon and ahi sashimi from the nishiki bowl and added a shrimp. I didnt realize that it changed but if you look at the older menus it was more food at a cheaper price compared to now. Kinda sad when places start cutting back after they're open for a while but hopefully they were just correcting their price points since they were pretty new still. Just gotta keep going to your favorite places until they cut too much or make it too expensive to enjoy regularly. read more

Totoya - Nishiki bowl from april 2025. Had more sashimi and uni for $33 :( good times - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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WOW! Totoya is a restaurant that I think about even months after eating! I learned of Totoya through Instagram where people were posting what seemed like mountains of toro or tuna sashimi over rice. After seeing, I knew I immediately knew I had to try. From the reviews, people did mention that the lines can get long and there were limited seating so I made sure to go a little bit early for Monday lunch. There are about 11-13 people who can sit at one time in the restaurant and my group got there at 10:30 AM and there was a group of six people ahead. Fortunately, this secured us our place in the first seating. In terms of the menu, there is the kaisen bowls which has a bit more variety of sashimi. However, I had my eyes set on the negitoro bowls which featured the generous helping of luscious tuna sashimi. If that was not decadent enough, they have more premium add-ons including uni and salmon roe. Honestly, this is the way to go! Everything tasted so fresh with the right mix of textures. The negitoro bowls also give you a free egg yolk in soy sauce to pour over that just adds to the creaminess. Definitely enjoyed! If I come back, I will want to try the kaisen bowls. The service was very quick. So if you are afraid of having to wait too long in the line, depending on how many people deep it may move fairly quickly. In terms of parking, I was able to find street parking several blocks away and walked over. Overall, Totoya is a great place to get your sashimi fix that is not only Instagram worthy, but also taste really tasty! read more

This place is probably the closest you'll get to Japan! I was always to intimidated by the wait since you'll most likely see a crowd of people just standing outside their door during lunch/dinner times. But, don't worry! It goes by fairly quickly and they'll ensure that you receive your food in a timely manner! My friend and I decided to go for dinner, the wait was about 30-40 mins. The inside is very welcoming all the workers are so warm and attentive, and helpful when there's any confusion on the food! As you're seated, there are instructions on how to eat their donburi right in front of you! Often times they'll have a survey that you could do where you could get free nori or an egg yolk! My go to dish is the Matsu! It consists of everything you'll enjoy especially the uni! The fish/rice portion is pretty fair, but I would so the donburi can be pretty pricey. I also wished there was more nori that came with the dishes. At most you're only given three, which wasn't enough for me. Overall, I would most likely come back to treat myself. read more

Totoya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

They sell negitoro bowls and it was so good. We came on a Sunday at 10:30am. They open at 11am, but there was already a line. There were nine people ahead of us. This place only seats about 14 people, so go early. I got the Fukuju bowl (negitoro, red shrimp, salmon, snow crab, scallops, sea urchin, salmon roe, tobiko and nori) $37.90. The hubby got the Salmon bowl with salmon roe $17.90 and a house salad $2.90 with purchase of a bowl. All bowls come with miso soup and pickled ginger. I can't stress enough how good my bowl was. All the seafood was fresh. It paired perfectly with the house made soy sauce. It comes with a raw egg to mix in with the soy sauce. I decided to decline the raw egg. It's not something I like. This place is a gem. I can't wait to go back. read more

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I got the ume negitoro bowl but I need to come back for a kaisen don! Ume negitoro bowl ($19) was so good & it came with a fresh egg yolk shoyu to mix it all together & wrap in the nori!! + the ginger is yuzu-infused pickled ginger which was so unique & refreshing. We came like 20 min before the first seating and there was a line outside the building. People held spots for their friends so unfortunately we just missed the first seating (they can fit about 15 people at a time). But it wasn't too bad waiting for the 2nd one! They're really efficient and people eat quickly. The vibe is one of the closest to eating in Japan in my opinion ! read more

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Highly recommend this Totoya if you want fresh fish and a fun experience! Stepping inside Totoya felt like a little gateway to Japan. The servers called out orders to the cooks in Japanese and you got to see the staff put together your bowls and soups. The fish was sooo fresh and their ikura was awesome. The staff are super friendly and the food came out very quickly! They open at 11:00am and my partner and I were first in line when we arrived at 10:30am (on a Monday). The line began to build at around 10:45. Recommend going early to be the first seated! They also have stamp cards that you can use to eventually get $15 off your next bowl. Will definitely be back! read more

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Loved my visit to Totoya! I came with my husband and six month old infant in a stroller, and the staff was so accommodating despite it being a small space. The negitoro bowls were soo delicious and fresh, I wish I could've ate here again when in Hawaii. It reminded me of being in Japan for sure! Will definitely come back when in Oahu. read more

If there was one place I'd go back for in Oahu, it would have to be Totoya. Totoya is a counter-seating restaurant that seats 16 people max. The interior is that of a traditional Japanese minimalistic design, with a prominent light tan color that fills the room with a bright and welcoming atmosphere. 9.5/10 I ordered the Take (negitoro + ikura) and my girlfriend got the Nagomi Kaisen don. The fish was so fresh, and the portions were amazing for the price ($26 for the Take and $22 for the Nagomi). The homemade negitoro mix melted with each bite. With the addition of the rice, seaweed salad, and wasabi all wrapped in some nori, it created the perfect bite. The scallops, salmon, and ama ebi in the Nagomi were some of the best I have ever had; soft and succulent without any fishy after notes. Fish of this quality in SF would normally go for $35-$40, so it surprised me by how fresh it was for the price. 9.8/10 The standouts for us however was their homemade shoyu with egg yolk and yuzu infused pickled ginger. The shoyu was mellow in saltiness unlike the typical Kikoman with a subtle hint of sweetness and nutty aroma of sesame oil. This with the egg yolk and drizzled over the bowl completely elevated the meal. I would drizzle a dash of shoyu with each spoonful/nori wrap that I had; it was just so addicting. The yuzu infused ginger had that nice freshness that toned down the sharpness of typical ginger and was also addicting. Despite how good the bowls were on their own, I couldn't stop talking about how good their shoyu and ginger was. 10/10 At the end of our meal, the waitress offered to take a polaroid of my girlfriend and I as a new project where they plan to have a collection of pictures on their wall once they have enough. The service was good as our waitress was attentive and checked up on us frequently. 9.4/10 Even after coming back home, I still haven't stopped thinking about this meal. My girlfriend and I agree that if we come back to O'ahu, we will come back to Totoya 100%. 9.8/10 read more

Totoya - Nagomi Kaisen Don - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Been wanting to try for so long. We were gifted a certificate and had free time so perf opportunity. The little ramp to get in is a little steep. A step would be safer. Not sure if it's an ADA thing, but not sure if it makes sense. Maybe took about 5 mini steps to get down it. Hubs got the Fukuju which had a little of everything. Baby liked the crab best. I got the Matsu which was just negitoro with ikura and uni. Baby took half my rice and my nori. We both got the egg/shoyu add on - delish. Baby got udon - shiru super tasty. Udon good. Hubs got the crab miso - YUM. I got the regular miso - gave that to Hubs cuz I was full. I'd go back as long as no more line since no reservations. read more

My friends and I arrived right at opening and were seated immediately--no wait at all. There's plenty of street parking and several nearby lots. WOW! The fish was incredibly fresh, and the quality was outstanding. You take a few bites of the bowl, then mix in the egg yolk--so good! It genuinely brought me back to Japan for a moment. You can even choose the type of miso soup you want. read more

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OVERALL - 10/10 would recommend!! PARKING - It's Kaimuki, so the typical 24-hour meters in the lot behind the restaurant, the hourly parking in the big lot across the street, or metered street parking. WAIT TIME - Depends when you go, but it's not a good place for groups or for kids. Best to go with 2-3 people. You sit around the chefs like an open sushi bar. It's about 20-25 seats all the way around the area. No reservations, it's just like Japan when you wait outside a restaurant, and if 2 go out, 2 come in. FOOD - Simple menu. We got the negitoro and ikura bowl for $25.90 + $1 for the egg/shoyu add-on. You can add more ikura (30g) for $6.90. We also got the miso soup with crab for $5, which was underwhelming. The crab was a softshell crab which was great, but it had little crabmeat for the effort of deshelling it all. AMBIANCE - You feel like you are in Japan! Japanese music, chefs are speaking Japanese, and it was awesome. PAYMENT - Credit card only! TIP - Get a stamp card, so you can work your way to an awesome reward! It seems they forget they have them, so be sure to ask about it when you get your bill. RESTROOM - One gender neutral bathroom in the backroom, with a large step up, so beware if you need to be concerned about accessibility. read more

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The wait on a Friday night was not too bad. Service is minimal. I have the negitoro bowl with ikura, not as wow as the first time I had it. Either street parking or in a lot. read more

Second time here and lucked out again since I didn't have to wait in line! I guess Monday is a slow night. Tonight I wasn't that hungry so I went for the simplest dish on the negitoro side of the menu, the "ume". I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it since normally I like all the good stuff like uni and ikura. The ume was simpler with a high mound of very smooth negitoro accompanied by ocean salad atop a bowl of sushi rice. Very tasty with the wasabi and shoyu to add even more oomph. On my previous visit I had the Nagomi kaisen bowl which was tottemo oishii! My friend got the Miyabi for $3 more. Almost the same but Nagomi had only 1 piece of tuna and salmon instead of 2 pieces of tuna. Both of us were impressed with the freshness of the tuna and the quality of the ingredients. Maguro is not usually my favorite but I thought theirs was exceptionally good. The bowls come with miso soup. For an up charge you can get crab miso soup. Love how I was able to feel like I was in Japan by just driving down the street in Kaimuki. Service is friendly and loud calling out orders in stereo. Located in the former Otto Cheesecake location across from Hale Vietnam, it's cute intimate countertop dining around 2 people who assemble the dishes. read more

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Came on a Friday around 1pm, and luckily there was no wait :) my husband and I were seated, ordered, and our food came out very quickly too. Service was very friendly My husband got the salmon ikura bowl, and I opted for the tokujo bowl TOKUJO BOWL: yes, this was at a hefty price of $36... but I waited awhile to try this place, so I might as well splurge right? lol. It came with negitoro, snow crab, ikura, and uni. I also opted for the raw egg yolk. At first bite, all the flavors were an explosion of umami, sweetness, saltiness, and creaminess. The snow crab was plump, the saltiness of the ikura contrasted nicely with the sweetness of the uni... all paired with the refreshing negitoro and the raw egg yolk with the special shoyu. Every few bites, I also added some of their yuzu ginger which added a nice crunch and refreshing aspect as well SALMON IKURA: I had a bite and the salmon and ikura tasted fresh :) SALAD: we opted to try the salad, and the miso dressing was delicious! I also loved the little crunchies on top as well The only down side was the miso soup (the regular one) - in my opinion, it was overly salty Overall, this place was a great experience and I'd definitely come back :) read more

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Wow this negitoro bowl was so delicious! It was a taste of Japan. I got the Tokujo and the uni was so good. The snow crab mixed in really well with the negitoro and rice. Everything tasted super fresh and I enjoyed making a hand roll with the nori. I also got the Nagomi bowl which is a smaller version of the Miyabi. The salmon and scallop was super buttery and amazing. I would highly recommend getting this place! We got here on a Wednesday around 5:30pm and only had to wait about 10 mins or so. read more

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Is it worth the wait? Ultimately yeah! But if you're not willing to spend 1+ hour in line, it's definitely significantly less busy Tues/Wed/Thurs nights. We got there before opening and could have been seated right away but only if your whole party is there so we ended up doing the second seating. The staff is super sweet and made our experience pretty memorable! One of them (maybe the owner?) remembered one of us from the previous week. The food comes out relatively quick for you hangry people (me) and WOW -- that first bite captivates you in wanting more. Lowkey felt like I was transported back to Japan; everything was super fresh and I surprisingly came out pretty full (granted I did eat some leftovers from my friends but I still would of been happily satisfied regardless) 10/10 would recommend (especially with the soy egg yolk) and wouldn't mind coming back again! read more

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The food was so yummy and tasty! I got the Nagomi, and my boyfriend got the Fukuju. Both dishes came with miso soup, so we each got miso soup with udon. We could taste how fresh + clean all the ingredients in my dish were. It's suggested to add the yuzu sauce into the miso soup which I'm so glad I did because it definitely made the dish taste a whole different level. I've never been to Japan, but my boyfriend has, and he said that this is the only thing he's tried after coming back that tastes just like food from Japan. My boyfriend and I went on Black Friday, about an hour before closing, so it wasn't too busy. Staff is super friendly and willing to help. I didn't get the name of one of the staff members but he was so nice! He took our order with enthusiasm and even opened the door as customers were leaving. Another staff member explained what negitoro is and shared their popular dishes, since it was my boyfriend and I's first time eating here and trying negitoro. There are also helpful signs that explains how to eat negitoro, which we really appreciated. They also offer a stamp card which makes me want to come back for more hehe. I can't wait to eat here again! read more

Totoya - Nagomi kaisen bowl on the left and Fukuju kaisen bowl on the right - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Totoya is one of those hidden gems you almost don't want to tell people about because it's that good. From the moment you walk in, the cozy, understated atmosphere makes you feel like you've discovered a local favorite that flies under the radar. The staff is warm and attentive greeting you or anyone who comes in to dine. Wow--just wow! We ordered the tuna, original negitoro, red shrimp, salmon, scallops, salmon roe, snow crab, tobiko, and nori. On top of that, we got a premium bowl loaded with sea urchin, salmon roe, and snow crab... and every bite was incredible. Super fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. They also give you miso soup with your meal, which you can upgrade if you're feeling fancy. Heads up though--if you don't arrive during the right window, you might end up waiting a bit. But honestly, it's worth it. This place is such a hidden gem. I almost don't want to tell people about it so it stays that way, but it's too good not to share! read more

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Can't stop thinking about the Negitoro bowls!! Literally after the first bite I was in heaven. The bowl is filling it you'll definitely need more seaweed to eat with it because you only get a few pieces. I didn't add an egg but I wished that I did. The place is small but honestly I didn't have to wait, got there at like 6/6:30 but afterwards there was a line. There's a parking lot nearby because if you know the area, parking can be scarce. Cannot wait to go back again during my next visit! read more

Totoya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Totoya is a very popular establishment in Japan that opened a spot in Hawaii, so we made sure to check this place out! We were so lucky to be one of the first to be seated within an hour of opening on a Thursday morning. Seating is very limited (12 person capacity), so you're bound to wait in line unless you get lucky or go right as they open. Once inside, you're greeted by all the staff members and as you're seated, our waiter really helped us choose which items off the menu would best enhance our visit. He highly recommended we add on the egg shoyu sauce to our kaisen bowls, stating that is what they are known for and I'm so glad I tried it! It added quite a buttery taste to my bowl. The bowl itself is so fresh, you really can only get this quality of fish from Japan. The house salad has a nice crunch to it and a sweetness that makes it such a refreshing taste especially in the heat outside. One thing I wish I did was to pair my meal with the hot green tea. But unfortunately I was already in my airport clothes and was boiling up from how hot I already was from outside. I would definitely recommend not to miss that small detail in your meal though! This was our very last meal in Hawaii so I am definitely glad we were able to squeeze this in before we left. read more

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We got here at 4:50 on a week day and were #7&8 in line. They sat us & quickly took our order. The food came out within 5-10minutes. The miso soup is so good & upgrading it to the shrimp miso is worth it. I got the matsu negitoro bowl with a shoyu egg and it was PERFECT. A good amount of fish/toppings, fresh, and the shoyu egg is a must! The only thing I would say is- this isn't a place to hang around while eating bc they move very efficiently, and people are waiting in line outside. So once you finish your meal they are already taking the orders & prepping for the people waiting outside so be mindful. read more

Totoya - Negitoro Matsu set - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Favorite restaurant and meal on the trip! You sit right up against the kitchen and get to watch them make this masterpiece. Added uni and a shoyu egg to the dish. Everything was delicious even including the miso, we got one white and one red miso with tofu and salmon. Who knew even miso soup could be so good. The dish itself was delightful, would've loved more nori. I dream about this meal read more

Totoya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Small space so best to come in pairs of two or three. We went with a group of 6 and had about a 45 minute wait time. The food came out timely after seating. Great value, great service, great welcome greeting. Not much to say but great meal at a very reasonable price. Sushi rice had a great balance that didn't overpower the fresh fish and fish eggs. Miho brought an amazing energy to the dining experience and provided great service. read more

Totoya - Counter top - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Totoya is another recently opened local eatery with lines that justifiably represent the quality of their dishes and the familiar feeling of being back in Japan. Fortunately, we're not the type to line up for something soon after opening to join the hype train. About a month after opening, we made a visit spontaneously around 1:00 PM where there were two larger parties outside before we arrived, but we got seated first due to availability. There isn't a sign-in sheet as far as I understand it. We just waited outside for a minute before the server came out and check on the size of our party (of two) leading to our immediate seating. If there is a line, however, you may have your order taken while waiting outside which leads to extremely prepared servicing once you are seated. Otherwise, if you're as seated as quickly as we were, you can decide on your order once you're seated. They have a quick instruction sheet in front of each seat about how you might approach eating your negitoro dish - including a hint about using the nori as your opportunity to make your very own handroll. We've learned that you most likely won't need chopsticks for your negitoro bowl, just use the spoon that's given to you to remain eco-friendly. Food came out no more than 3-5 minutes after ordering - very quick turnaround. We watched them make these bowls before and after we got our food and I must say, they have their operation locked down. There's a high turnaround rate, food is delicious, and pricing is fairly reasonable for the quality of food that you get. We left extremely full and hope for the next time we venture to Totoya. read more

Totoya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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There is likely no better cost to value proposition for Kaisen style Japanese food on the island. Big words I know, but it's true. Totoya offers relatively high quality, fresh seafood at a price that is incredibly hard to compete with. You just have to deal with an occasionally epic line. Yes, this isn't the top tier quality seafood, but look at that price and show me something that can even hope to play in this food league with Totoya, the heavy hitter. Anywho, my partner and my friends were first in line at 4:30 PM on a Sunday afternoon. Every time we have tried so far to go, the line has been so long it is stretched nearly to Koa Pancake House and we ain't got time to wait in line for that, especially when hungry. So we committed to grandparent style eating by getting in line early bird style and were rewarded with the first to be seated prize with at least 18 people behind us when the doors opened at 5 pm. Totoya only has around 14 seats, all bar style, so commit to going early if you want to eat without a long wait. We ordered several Nishiki, Nagomi, shrimp head miso soup bowls. The Nishiki comes with negiotoro, two large pieces of tuna, two to three scallops (depending on the size), two large pieces of salmon, three pieces of uni, snow crab, a spoonful of tobiko, and an extra large scoop of ikura. For $33. I'm not sure they are profitable on with this quality and quantity at that price. And everything was delicious. The fish, while not melt in your mouth, was still fresh and delicious. The scallops tasted very fresh and firm. The negitoro was nothing amazing, but a good filler. The snow crab wasn't the sweetest crab, but it had good texture and good taste. I'm not a huge uni fan, but I liked the fresh taste of the sea that good uni is supposed to taste like. And that ikura? So much spread all around the bowl. My friend got the Nagomi, which is similar to the Nishiki, but it has a sweet red shrimp, but fewer pieces of fish for a reduced price of $25. They also go the shrimp head miso soup and devoured all of it, leaving just exoskeleton. The miso soup that the Nishiki came with was perfectly balanced, not so salty, but with the right flavor. We also got the egg shoyu add on, which was different in a rich sort of way, but I'm not sure it made the experience any better. I did enjoy their house made shoyu, which was already on the table when we sat down. I should note that the wasabi that they placed in the bowl seemed to be of better quality than most sushi style places. Staff seem to be replicating the boisterous nature of some Japan eateries where they get all loud to greet and say goodbye to each guest. Quite different from how many Japanese eateries present themselves in Hawaii. Parking in street or in the two paid nearby lots. The restaurant is clean, well light, with professional, polite staff. The place is credit card only, but they do take American Express. We will be back, but hopefully the lines won't be so bad. read more

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Totoya specializes in negitoro bowls, and wow -- their Nishiki Bowl was so good. The fish was fresh, the flavors were clean, and everything came together really well. I'm not even someone who usually likes ikura, but theirs was surprisingly tasty and added a nice pop. I'm giving it 4 stars because there's a bit of room for improvement, but overall it was delicious. Honestly, this place is "nega-toro-bly" good -- couldn't resist the pun. If you're craving a solid donburi spot, Totoya is definitely worth a stop. read more

Totoya - Nishiki with Salmon Miso souo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Totoya, the "new kid" on the block. The word is out...this is the place to go for fresh seafood. Delicious negitoro and kaisen bowls are what is served here. Paired with miso soup. One can upgrade to include shrimp heads or crab. Since I wanted to try all of their seafood I got the Fukuju kaisen bowl. While it was good, I will go without the shrimp next time. I did upgrade my miso soup to include crab. While it was good, think I will forgo the upgrade next time. Friends got the Nishiki and enjoyed it immensely. I might just try that one next time. And hopefully there will be a next time soon! If you hope to get in grab a place in line! We arrived 30 minutes prior to opening and had to wait until second seating. Place accommodates about 15 persons at one time. read more

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Freshest uni I've ever had omg all the ingredients were the best quality. We got the Nagomi and Nishiki bowls, with egg yolk shoyu added (+$1). Scallop & negitoro were my favorites besides the uni. So worth the price. We arrived 15 min before opening and there was already a line; highly recommend arriving early to make it in the first wave of seating (only ~10 people allowed in at a time). There's limited street parking and a metered lot in the back with plenty of spots. read more

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The early bird gets the worm and that saying will prove true here at Totoya. My friends and I decided to eat here to celebrate a birthday and it was our first time dining at Totoya. We heard that it was recommended to get there early to wait before they open because by the time they do open there's usually a line. And with limited seating, you may have to wait until the next set of seating. We arrived half an hour and were the first in line and not too long after we were greeted and welcomed to enter the restaurant and make our way to our seats. "Irasshaimase!" That's what you'll be hearing as you enter as each staff member shouts with all of their might! It felt like I was teleported back to Japan. Once seated, we briefly looked at the menu, but we practically knew what we wanted to order since we had that time in line to decide. I will say the service was very efficient and there wasn't much of a wait time after ordering until our food arrived. My friends and I ordered their Nishiki which had negitoro, tuna, scallop, uni, salmon, snow crab, salmon roe, tobiko, and two pieces of nori. I also ordered their egg yolk soy sauce. With every bowl you'll get miso soup and yuzu pickled ginger. I opted for the standard Aosa Seaweed miso soup whereas my friend had their shrimp head miso soup. Starting the meal with miso soup is always nice. As for the bowls, I loved every bite. It was so good, we plan to come back in April for My birthday. Everything was fresh and tasty! And their soy sauce, which is made in-house had such a refreshingly different taste than other soy sauces I grew up with (Kikoman, Aloha, etc). It was simply-put, an exceptional meal and dining experience. You don't have to travel far to have an authentic Japanese dining experience here at Totoya. With staff welcoming you with booming energy, you'll feel welcomed as you make your way to your seat. They have an efficient system and you won't wait long for your food after ordering. Their seafood is fresh with complimentary flavors and textures that will leave you planning your next visit. So glad to have Totoya be a part of Kaimuki! read more

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Totoya is a fantastic new spot for negitoro and kaisen bowls! They opened in December 2024 and have already gained a reputation for their fresh fish and delicious bowls, as you'll usually see a line out the door (note: currently no takeout or reservations accepted). We tried the Matsu negitoro bowl and the Nagomi kaisen bowl. Both were delicious! I enjoyed the addition of salmon roe, the egg yolk shoyu sauce (which is included for the negitoro bowl, but must be asked for as an add-on for the kaisen bowl), and the freshly ground sesame using the hand grinder. The complimentary miso soup was also fantastic. I wanted to try the shrimp head miso soup upgrade, but they had already run out of that an hour after opening. I'll have to come back! Most of the kaisen bowls include a small scoop of their negitoro, plus a variety of other seafood like salmon and shrimp; meanwhile the negitoro bowls have a larger quantity of negitoro compared to the kaisen bowls. If you don't want any negitoro, there are also a few options with salmon or shrimp only. There are only about 12-15 counter seats inside. The staff were very friendly and efficient with taking and preparing our orders; they took our orders when we were at the front of the line, so we got our food very quickly after we actually sat down. We lined up 5 minutes before they opened at 11am on a Saturday, and waited for an hour before we got seated - a lot of people lined up well before opening time. It was worth the wait! read more

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