Omg I've never had Burmese food but this way so good!!! Definitely a hidden gem!!! Small local…read morebusiness, support local! Food - 5/5 We got the Laphet Thoke (tea leaf salad) and Nan Gyi Thoke (noodle salad). Both were so good, so packed with flavor!!! Good portion for the price and didn't feel heavy. Service - 5/5 Great service! I think the uncle that helped us is the owner, he was friendly and asked us how the food was after! Ambiance - 5/5 Inside Liliha Food Court so lots of seating and parking. The food court itself is a bit dead though so I hope they don't have to close!

PROS Food is delicious and freshly made! The menu is simple…read moreand the menu items are affordably priced. Sushi and Burmese is kind of a strange combination, but the Mohinga and Creamy Chicken Coconut Soup were delicious and well worth the price. If you like seafood flavors, Mohinga is for you. But the two of us liked the Creamy Chicken Coconut Soup more. We came on a Sunday afternoon and the place was super empty. Parking was easy since Liliha Food Court only shares the parking lot with McDonald's and the place was super empty. We could leisurely check out all the different vendors in the area and order our food right away. There was plenty of seating and our food was prepared quickly and freshly. CONS Liliha Food Court was really empty when we went (we were probably two of ten people). I hope this place doesn't go out of business, so please support them if you're in the area! The owner works the place by himself and he is a little soft spoken. Please be patient because I'm sure the wait might get long if there's a crowd.

Second visit and glad returned so quickly…read more Got their Teriyaki (?) Chicken Donburi and it was packed...the employee could not close it...she needed a rubberband. They used karaage chicken and it was excellent. Sauce was not too salty...fantastic. This donburi was filling and for $14 ; you won't get many better deals in town, not just Midtown.

Ordered a crunchy and tempura roll, along with a side of fried squid. The squid was better then…read moreaverage good. The squid was very fresh. The guy that was taking the order was very unfriendly. He was on his phone and finally looked up to take my order. He didn't give an order number or take a name. I had to go up to see if the food was ready. Anyways this place is meh. Sorry for interrupting the order guys social media time.

I had been fasting all day and just came from a harrowing procedure ( to me anyway!) and follow up…read moretests. Mark Y. and I were starving. We walked the block to go get lunch at Nicky's food truck. As luck would have it there was no food truck to be found. So Mark suggested Irifune. Irifune is a plate lunch take out window in downtown. There is seating in front. And , btw, who doesn't love a sign saying "shut up and eat"?! We placed our order and waited. They informed diners via a small oddly placed sign that there is 1 cook and 1 helper so the wait could be 15 minutes. Plenty of folks ahead of us and all were waiting patiently. When our number was called ( which we could barely hear) we grabbed our boxes and walked back around the block. I ordered the ginger pork. It was served with a little dollop of spinach/garlic/ginger paste on top. The paste was super concentrated so a little went a long way...good thing because there was a hefty portion of sliced pork. Also included in the plate lunch was rice (of course) , green salad, and little dessert of mango and papaya in a light cream sauce. Mark had the katsu curry with rice and greens. Very tasty . He was a bit bummed to not get dessert. And to be honest we both would have liked Mac salad as a substitution for the greens. Overall everything was very good, price was reasonable, and the location is super close.

Stopped here today for the first time with Joe K. We were planning on grabbing a plate lunch from…read moreNicky's Lunch Wagon but they weren't there, they must've ran an out of food early. My memory of Irifune is eating at the restaurant when they were in Kapahulu and always had a love for their Garlic Ahi, that dish was AMAZING! I was sad when they closed. Today's meal was pretty great too. I had the Chicken Katsu Curry and Joe had the Ginger Pork. Both plates had a hefty amount of food so it hit the spot since we were both starving. A couple of nits I have is the lettuce in the tossed salad was still very wet, which drastically watered down the dressing and made it very bland. The greens itself was fresh though. I really wish they gave the option of having a mac salad instead of the toss. They might but there was no mention of it on any of the menus? All in all a good lunch spot in downtown and it's only about a 1 minute or so walk from where I live, I have no excuse for not coming back!

We came across Ilea's Kitchen (at the KailuaTown Farmer's Market across Adventist Health Castle)…read moreenticed by their delicious looking display of Japanese hand rolls. Today's offerings were: torched salmon/spicy mayo/unagi sauce seared ahi/black sesame seed shoyu ahi poke salmon cream cheese spicy ahi torched big island kampachi There were also the Mommy and Daddy sushi combos. Our teenagers happily inhaled the torched salmon, shoyu ahi and spicy ahi in seconds - which equates to their seal of approval. Generous fillings and quality ingredients. Very friendly service. Support local businesses and give them a try!

Who doesn't love fresh, made to order hand rolls and sushi? Oh, that crispy nori!…read more Ilea's Kitchen is a true mom and pop food stall at the Kaka'ako and Kailua Farmer's Market offering that! I came to the Kaka'ako one. Each hand roll is $8, but cheaper with each additional one (2 for $15, 3 for $22, all the up to 8 for $57). There are regular and torched hand rolls with options from ahi to salmon to Hokkaido scallop to Big Island Kanpachi. For sushi rolls, they offer a Mommy's and Daddy's roll for $19. This time I got the Seared Ahi with Black Sesame Sauce Torched hand roll. Oh my goodness, that black sesame sauce was so tasty and flavorful! Really strong black sesame and soy and umami taste. I'd put that sauce on everything! Next was the Torched Salmon with spicy mayo and Unagi sauce. This one needed more sauce. While the salmon was good, and did get some Unagi sauce, it wasn't enough, so it was on the bland side. The spicy mayo didn't seem like it was in there. Didn't get any spice kick. Overall, I enjoyed it! Price was fine. Everything was fresh and solid quality. The owners were nice. Would visit to try other rolls! That black sesame sauce was awesome! Forgot to take photos as my hands were full! And hungry!

Mama-Ya is one of those downtown spots that makes lunch easy, affordable, and genuinely satisfying…read more I got the butterfish bento, and it was excellent: rich, tender, savory, and lightly sweet, with that classic buttery texture that makes butterfish so good. The multigrain rice, tamago, pickled ginger, simmered vegetables, and side pieces made the whole plate feel balanced and complete. The service is always great here, and they also have a nice loyalty card program where every $100 spent gets you $10 off. The menu is huge, with bentos, bowls, musubi, sushi, salads, okazu packs, desserts, drinks, and even new mochi products. It is a great grab-and-go option, but the Bishop Street arcade/courtyard setting also makes it a nice place to sit down and enjoy your food. Great value, plenty of choices, and a very convenient downtown lunch spot I would happily come back to again and again.

This great lunch spot has a plethora of affordable options!…read more Almost always a speedy line, ready-to-go bentos, salads, musibi, rolls (ahi or shrimp katsu), Japanese curry, and more. They will also make you items to order, including poke over salad or rice, which is a large portion for a great price. The bentos come with a free drink. Spend $10 and have your stamp card stamped...and you get a free $10 meal when you hit 10. Working downtown, I have been able to take advantage of this several times! Friendly service and their food safety sign is always green!

Maguro-Ya is the most dependable Japanese eatery for fresh seafood dishes in Kaimuki. This is my…read morego-to restaurant when I have out of town guests or a special occasion or event to celebrate. Comfortable setting insures a pleasant meal. Wait help are friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable of their menu items. I try to order something I never had before to add to my repertoire and Maguro-Ya hasn't let me down. I enjoy the no frills, laid back and nothing loud or distracting almost like eating at home with an outstanding chef preparing your epicurean delights. Try Maguro-Ya and you will just love this place.

Lunch in Kaimuki, Honolulu, Hawai'i…read more.. I had walked past Maguro-Ya many times, on my way to other restaurants on Waialae Avenue. Somehow, I was there at the wrong time, or I didn't have a plan to go to Maguro-Ya. This time, we made a decision to meet for lunch. We didn't have a reservation. I parked in the residential area for free and walked a couple of blocks to the restaurant. Service was very polite and efficient. The interior was cozy and seemed authentic. I didn't feel any air-conditioning, so drinking hot tea was a bit challenging. I let my miso soup cool off before I drank it. I got the Maguro Zukushi Teishoku ($1.50 less during lunch vs. dinner) because it had a variety of Maguro: grilled, deep fried, and raw. I could taste the miso flavor on the grilled fish. I appreciated the crunchy breading on the ahi katsu. The sashimi was fresh! The assortment of sides and beautiful presentation was worth the visit to this established eatery! Thank you for the wonderful experience!

Owner/cook Lyndon Okata opened Okata Bento, an iconic, old-school, hole-in-the-wall, Japanese…read moretake-out plate lunch and bento shop on Dec. 1981 in Kaimuki. (Thanks to Yelper Craig T. who reminded me that it has been awhile since I last visited Okata Bento.) Initially started as a food truck, Okata Bento serves bentos, plate lunches, donburi, and sandwiches that are known for their quality and reasonable prices. Each bento comes in 2 sizes (medium & large) and has a layer of topped with furikiake, mahimahi, luncheon meat, egg roll, takuan, kamabako, and shredded cabbage; choices of entrée are teri beef/chicken, char siu chicken, mahi mahi, chicken/pork katsu, mix bento. Each plate lunch comes with 2 scoops rice, shredded cabbage, and mac salad; choices of entrees are the same as the bento and also hamburger/teri burger steak, loco moco, and luncheon meat/eggs. Donburis come in 2 sizes (mini & large) and include oyako, pork/chicken katsu, gyudon. Sandwiches include a variety of burgers, teri beef/chicken, mahi mahi, chicken katsu, luncheon meat/egg, grilled cheese. Hubby and I had the following: * Oyako donburi. Topped with sliced onions, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and a mixed egg on rice, it was not overly sweet, but simply delicious! * Large bento mix of teri beef/chicken. Cut to bite-size pieces (great for toddlers), the soft and tender chicken and beef were glazed with slightly different teri sauces that seeped through the rice, making it very delicious and flavorful! We enjoyed the sides - egg roll, takuan, fishcake, shredded cabbage, mahi mahi, and luncheon meat. Yes, a side of mahi mahi even! And real luncheon meat, not spam! * Teri cheeseburger. Tasty homemade burger topped with cheese and flavorful teri sauce, which was a little messy to eat with the teri sauce oozing out of the bun, but am not complaining because it was so good! The food items are simple, delicious, and old-school or how we remember them being made many years ago. No fusion cuisine, no additional add-on ingredients, but what it was, pure and simple. This is a one-man operation. Owner/cook Lyndon will write your order on a notepad, take your payment (cash only), and prep/cook your order. As all requests are made to order, there may be a wait if there are others before you. Lyndon is efficient, as he has been doing this for years. Prices are very reasonable and below market prices for what you get. Note that Lyndon has no plans of going digital, as he believes it would increase prices. This is literally a hole-in-the-wall takeout shop only. Once your order is placed, you wait outside on the sidewalk until your order is ready, as there is no room inside. Old school eateries such as this have mostly disappeared, as owners have retired without any interest by others to take over due to the hard work and long hours required. And this includes Lyndon, who has two grown children who are employed in respectable jobs in New York City. Hours of operation are Mon to Sat (generally) 12n to 4p, Sun closed; since Lyndon is the sole worker, he determines his work hours, so don't be alarmed if it's late to open. Located at the top of Waialae Ave next to Cowcow's Tea and between Center St and Koko Head Ave, the restaurant does not have its own designated parking. Parking is available in the municipal lots across the street or metered parking along Waialae Ave. We do not go as much as we would like to due to the sometimes long waits and lack of parking, but we enjoy the delicious offerings of Okata Bento. We hope to go more often before this shop disappears if owner Lyndon decides to retire. Yes, this is how it was years ago and brings back good kid-time memories! Support local!

Update on Okata Bento today for lunch decided to pass by the establishment if there was a meter…read moreparking I would stop . Luckily right in front of Bank of Hawaii there was a parking so I parked . I ordered a cheeseburger for my wife and a mini chicken Oyako Donburi. I loved their Donburi very plain which is good only onions, mushroom, eggs and of course the chicken Katsu on top . The sauce was not too sweet just right how I like it . My wife said the cheeseburger was very good she said old school type of homemade beef patty little crispy on the end. The bun also crispy left on the flat top grill for a few seconds. The sauce was all mixed in . Just a reminder cash only and if you're in a rush this place is not for you . It's a one man show the owner cooks on the grill and takes your order . He also cooks made to order so it takes a little longer . Also parking can be a hassle if there's no metered parking available you'll need to park in the municipal parking across the street . Support local

Whenever I am craving a poke bowl at work (which is not NOT often) this is my go-to place. I am…read morehonestly surprised at the bad reviews! I have never had a bad experience here--the food is fresh, delicious, and a really good deal. A medium with choice of 2 proteins is perfect for me. The ladies who work there are always very sweet and accommodating.

The most generous portions I have ever seen for takeout poke!…read more I'm glad I took a chance on this little poke shop in Bishop square. With it being an assembly line-type poke place, I didn't have high expectations. Among the businesses in the area, this one is relatively empty so there was little wait. The worker was very efficient and friendly. You can select your base (rice, greens, or both), then fish, sauce, and additional toppings. I liked how they offer multigrain rice! I got a medium bowl with spicy minced ahi, which comes premade, and salmon with dynamite sauce. Medium bowls come with 3 sides, so I chose crab salad, ocean salad, and takuwan. Extra points for having takuwan because it's my favorite thing to eat with poke. When it came time for the sides, the worker pulled out a whole second bowl and proceeded to pile the container high with my chosen items. I ended up with 2 full bowls: 1 with fish and rice, and the other with sides. The quality of the food was about what I would expect for takeout poke, which is to say it wasn't super fresh but it was satisfying nonetheless. Because of the huge portions though, I only ate half and saved the rest for another meal. My experience was honestly a breath of fresh air compared to other places that portion out skimpy amounts of food.