My apologies for taking so long to post this review from Father's Day. My daughter had originally…read morerequested a lunch reservation for us, but then was notified the day before, that they wouldn't be about to take us, and switched us to a dinner at 5:30pm. It was okay, since my granddaughter needed to get to bed early anyway. This location is in the heart of the bustling Kaka'ako dining district, at the corner of Auahi and Kamake'e street. It's "cook your own" yakiniku style dining, at it's best. Their seating times are pretty strict (at least they were for Father's Day), and informed us that we're limited to 2 hours. That wasn't a big issue, since they control the pace of bringing out the food for us to cook. They actually cooked the special Wagyu meats for us, too ensure that they were done properly, and not overcooked. We ordered one each of the Father's Day specials, along with one Aloha platter. The prices are high, and the portions seemed small, but the quality was excellent, and we all left with very full bellies. Even my granddaughter, who's kinda picky (as most children are), liked most of the items that were served. I guess she knows good food when she tastes it. She loved the udon and the meats, along with several of the side dishes. Service was very good, with our server explaining each dish, and how to best cook and eat it. We finished well within our allotted time, and had time to relax and let my granddaughter run around outside on the walkway to burn off energy. Apparently, the next seating time was at 7:30, because while outside, another couple came for their reservation, but was asked to come back at their reserved time, because there's no bar, or other waiting area to sit inside. All in all, a great dinner, thanks to my daughter, and while the price makes this place a 'special occasion' location, it's certainly worth it.

Such an amazing experience! Me and my significant other came here for our anniversary and I was…read morejust dumbfounded by the food and the experience! We ordered the set for 2, I believe the sets are limited availability or seasonal (?) Our server was very accommodating and entertaining lol, he brought out the meat at such perfect times. Whenever we were nearing one of the cuts, he would bring out the next one and explain which part of the cut is which and his wellness recommendations! When I tell you every single piece of meat melted in my mouth, please know I am not exaggerating! The indoor of the restaurant was very classy but not too dim. Everything was very clean! It was also very nice of them to bring out a cheesecake with a cute sparkler/candle!!! Highly recommend!

This was a perfect post-golf spot to refuel and get a really nice lunch!…read more We got the famous oxtail soup which was so delicious! It is a must get here. The taste was perfectly savory and went very well with the ginger and cilantro. The loco moco with curry was also very good and their mac salad was one of our favorites! I will definitely come back next time when I want some delicious local comfort food!

Did take out since niece visiting but just got in so didn't wanna go out...and I didn't wanna cook…read more - Kalbi - no more pupu style so got it as a plate. Perfect for me. Not sweet. Strong sesame flavor. Yum. - Lechon Kawali - this was suuuuper fatty but at least not as dry as last time I got it. Not enough tom/onion but it's okay. - Adobo Fried Rice - did the upgrade. Price went up to like $6 I think. Maybe better off getting separate plate? I dunno. But anywho...YUM. Was really tasty and good. - Beef Stew - I'm not typically a beef stew person but this one had choke meat. 2 carrots, 2 manini potatoes. Perfect for me. Got couple other things but didn't taste it. Food seemed better than before. Some of the fish is now specials and not on the regular menu, so gotta remember to ask. LIke that there is parking ... I did go early so don't know if always that easy...but at 530-ish super easy. People nice as always there.

We came here for our anniversary. I've been wanting to try here and finally have a good reason to…read more Ching was our waiter and he also had help from Cory. They were both on hand to make our dining experience a memorable one. The place is actually kinda small. I think maybe like 8 tables and a counter space. The place got full so I highly recommend making reservations. We decided to get the wagyu set menu. It has a little of everything especially the wagyu. The cost for the set is $300. This will get long cause of the many food items. First was the Yoshi green salad. Lettuce, onions, tomatoes and radish sprouts. Next was namul, bean sprouts, broccoli, nori, assorted Kim chee and beef bao bun. I really enjoyed the won bok Kim chee. I'm sure that would make for a great Kim chee fried rice although I didn't get to see if that was available or not. My bad. The soup of the day was egg drop soup which was good. We also ordered the Garlic Butter Shrimp. This is NOT included in the wagyu set. It was so good. I'm glad we ordered it. We opted for beef tongue and miso scallops. It's so good I wish had more. Then came the star of the show. The Wagyu Ribeye. Talk about marbling. This ribeye had that and more. I like it medium rare so I think it was just a minute and flip it already. So tender and juicy. Oh the sauces included, sweet soy, ponzu and salt and pepper in same oil. Oh there's also a couple bowls of rice. We had soba but we were full and took it home. Oh i almost forgot. I had ice cream with coffee jelly. Overall I was very happy with the service and the food. Will that kinda sucks. Limited pictures here on yelp. I had the whole menu and pictures of everything we ate. If you want current menu just ask and I will send it to you. Five star rating should be able to include all pictures. Injustice to the restaurant.

Back years later for my birthday and prices haven't changed!!! Thank goodness…read more Got the $300 for 2 set again, sooooo fatty. Way too fatty. Casual but not busy. Not a lot of parking. Server said they'd take care of the scallops that were cooking and they were overcooked :( otherwise everything was good, definitely recommend getting the cheaper sets as the most expensive is almost like drinking fat haha.

Food was delicious and ambiance is great! Unfortunately I did find a small piece of plastic in my…read morefood, but the staff were very concerned about it and immediately comped my meal. And as we were leaving the chef chased after us and personally apologized + bowed to us! I've found stuff in my food before, but I've never experienced that level of concern and quality of service. Def recommend checking this place out!

The food is so good, meat is juicy and the crunch always the best. Service is always good and they…read morecheck up on you! Nice cozy place

This restaurant is such a hidden gem on the island! I often miss the Chinese food back home, and…read morethis place definitely satisfies those cravings. The skewers are incredibly flavorful, and I love that they're grilled to perfection so I don't have to cook them myself. My favorites are the beef, pork belly enoki mushrooms, and eggplant. The prices are super reasonable. If you're on Oʻahu and craving authentic Chinese skewers, this place is an absolute must-try!

I didn't know what to expect at this restaurant but been wanting to try…read more Took me awhile to go through the menu but decided to focus on skewers. Can opt for 3 or 5 skewers an order. They grill and season in the back and bring out to table and place on a warmer (which doesn't do much, heat wise - so just eat da skewers fast). You can control the spice level as well. Tried the pork belly, King Oyster Mushroom, chicken thigh, lamb, and pork wrapped enoki. Oh! And scallion pancake. Next time I skip da chicken. Lamb, pork, and mushrooms were excellent. The table next to us had a seafood extravaganza and I want to do seafood next visit. The peach shave ice was lovely. A milky kind of syrup with cornflake topping for crunch. The table next to us had the coolest drink thingy. If I go with a larger group, I wanna try the drink thingy! Super noisy with tables rather close together, so hard to talk story. The table next to us were talking super loud but once they left, noise volume went back to normal. Service was good.

When tonkatsu is crafted with as much care and attention as it is at Rokkaku Hamakatsu, it deserves…read moreto be shouted from the mezzanine level of Ala Moana Center for all to hear. Tourists and locals alike should know where to find it, because this is the kind of meal that's best experienced firsthand. Located in the rather large Ala Moana Shopping Center in the heart of Honolulu, Rokkaku Hamakatsu is a Japanese brasserie that specialized in a number of curated Japanese entrées, most notably tonkatsu, which is made by coating thick slices of pork loin or fillet with flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs and deep frying them. With a crispy exterior and a juicy interior, it has long been a beloved side dish in Japanese cuisine, especially in the case of set meals where diners can enjoy a combination of menu items in smaller portions and a wider variety of menu items can be enjoyed. Rokkaku Hamakatsu comes from the well established Tonkatsu Hamakatsu franchise of restaurants that began over sixty years ago and is still thriving with over eighty restaurants in Japan. This is Rokkaku Hamakatsu only location stateside and with the tonkatsu as nicely prepared as it is as it is here, I can see why this was a highly recommended destination by bloggers and influencers alike. That is the very reason that brought me to Rokkaku Hamakatsu on a weekday afternoon visit to Waikiki. The Ala Moana Center is a mammoth of a shopping center and finding this location was a challenge to say the least, but once I did and took a look at the menu, I was sold to get myself a set at their sushi bar for a hearty lunchtime meal. The menu at Rokkaku Hamakatsu is in both English and Japanese and is separated into categories including Today's Special, Sashimi, a la carte Rokkaku Hamakatsu, Rokkaku Shokadou Sets, Rokkaku Combination Set, Donburi, Yakimono, Tempura, Noodles, Appetizer, Salad, Dessert and Soft Drinks. Knowing that the menu at Rokkaku Hamakatsu is rather expansive, I decided to focus on my appetite on their Rokkaku Combination Set as they had many options to choose from to complete your set and I felt the options represented the best that Rokkaku Hamakatsu had to offer. Each combination set came with a bowl of steamed rice, miso soup, and a small salad. From eleven menu items, you can choose two items for your combination meal. They smartly have images of their various combination meals and there was something about their Miso Butterfish and Berkshire Pork Loin Cutlet Set that was calling my name. A meal that seemed like the best of both worlds, I ordered this combination set, in addition to three slices of Hamachi Sashimi from the Today's Special section of their menu. I would enjoy their sliced sashimi and mixed salad first and it was the perfect combination of freshness and umami. Finely sliced and fresh, it was the perfect way to start my meal. Then I would wait for my full meal of Tonkatsu and Butterfish and it was one of the more enriching lunchtime meals that I have enjoyed in quite some time. It was nice to dip the slices of the deep fried pork cutlet into the sweet sesame dipping sauce and the nice dollop of hot mustard, which provided a unique combination of flavors. The butterfish was as buttery as promised and only made me want a bigger piece of fish. My total bill for two menu items was $65.97, which was before gratuity was added in, which was on the higher end of pricing, but well worth it considering how good the food was upon this visit. A second visit to Rokkaku Hamakatsu is well in order, and I plan to bring additional out-of-town visitors to this posh location in a high-end outdoor shopping center. Their Rokkaku Shokadou Sets look like the best of all worlds with a combination of tonkatsu, sashimi, and tempura and looks right up my alley regarding quality authentic Japanese cuisine, and at Rokkaku Hamakatsu they are proudly offering it in spades!

Went for lunch on a Weds around noon and was able to get a seat right away…read more I had the Matsu set which came with a lot of food and all of the things I wanted to taste. It's a great option if you're hungry and want variety. However, it was pretty expensive at $56 before tip & tax and none of the dishes stood out. The katsu was ok and the miso butterfish was pretty standard. The tempura was ok, too, as were the spinach, tako, and sashimi. Now that I've had it all, I'd probably just go with the butterfish and call it a day. That said, a butterfish in Waikiki would cost way more than it is here, so there's that. I'm just giving it an extra star for good service. I probably wouldn't necessarily list it in my recommendations for folks visiting from the continent.

It hit the spot. The broth was sweet and perfectly savory…read more Nice person behind the register. No prices listed on the menu. As a tourist I expect higher prices for food but hot diggiity- $24 for a bowl of pho is a lot!

Amazing Vietnamese food truck with an extensive menu!…read more I came across this food truck the other night with a hankering for Pho. As I approached, I could see a huge photo collage of most of the dishes served. A very nice woman at the counter took my order, of which I went for the Oxtail Pho and a Pineapple Sugar Cane drink. After paying, I went to pick a table. Within 8 minutes the food arrived at the table and it smelled wonderful. First off, I've never had oxtail pho before... love oxtail, love pho, so perfect combo! The broth was delicious and the pho was fantastic! The only thing I'd say is that the portion was a bit small for Hawaiian and Vietnamese standards. As for the ambiance, it's very casual with a street food scene vibe that I was digging! There's ample parking as well. Next time I'd like to try the pork rice plate and the snails. If you've got a craving for Vietnamese food, this spot is worth trying!

We stumbled upon Shingen for a quick lunch and it was a great experience!…read more Our server was so nice and friendly. He's enthusiastic when answering questions about soba flavors and was even excited for me to try the Tsukimi Tororo. It's not everyday you experience such fantastic customer service. I wish I caught his name! The Tsukimi Tororo was delicious - Light and refreshing cold noodles with grated yam and poached egg! Moringa soba had a nice chewy texture. It was perfect for the hot weather!

Located in Stix Asia next to Kiki Tempura…read more 15% off for Kamaaina so make sure to show your ID to the server. Tried it here one day but it's so hard since there are so many places in Stix to go to. Tried the duck soba and wasn't that impressed, the broth was really good but it was also $30 for soba and a few pieces of duck. The duck was also a little tough. Soba was a little too soft for my liking but really enjoyed the broth. They had some items on happy hour so got the takoyaki for $5. We also got a really small bowl of curry rice $10, didn't think that was worth it but there were not many items for kids, no children's menu. Curry tsuke with soba was served cold with a hot (temperature) curry dipping sauce with onion and thin sliced pork $23 something different that you don't normally see. Not sure if I'd go back, with all the other choices nearby. Also $30 for soba seems a little $$$. They also charge 3% for using credit cards.