Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Yakitori Ando

    4.6 (161 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndIzakaya
    Closed 6:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Yakitori Ando Photos

    YAKITORI ANDO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Yakitori Ando

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Chicken heart
    Kristin C.

    Yakitori Ando is one of those if you know, you know spots -- the kind you almost don't want to talk about... but absolutely have to. Small, unassuming, and tucked away in a crowded little hole-in-the-wall off Waialae Avenue in Kaimukī, this place is all about doing yakitori right. A couple of tables, a bar if you're lucky, zero frills -- and that's exactly the charm. This is mostly a chicken-focused Japanese spot, and they don't miss. Chicken heart skewers, juicy chicken thigh skewers grilled perfectly, plus a few non-chicken standouts like shrimp skewers, wagyu skewers, and a surprisingly addictive mochi wrapped in bacon. Every skewer comes out simple, intentional, and packed with flavor. But the real showstopper for me? The motsu hot pot at the end. Chicken intestines simmered in the most comforting, deeply flavorful broth with vegetables and yakisoba noodles -- rich, soulful, and the kind of dish you think about long after you leave. Absolute perfection. A few pro tips that make this place even better:    *   There's a dedicated parking lot across the street (clearly labeled for the restaurant -- don't skip this detail).    *   Bathrooms are in a neighboring building, and you're welcome to use them.    *   BYOB, which alone makes this spot a must. Chef also loves a good red wine, in case you wanted to share and make him happy! Yakitori Ando isn't flashy, trendy, or trying to be anything it's not -- it's just exceptional food, done with heart, in one of Honolulu's best hidden gem neighborhoods. Read the other reviews -- they don't lie. This place is special

    Amy X.

    Set menu, my favorite is bacon warp mochi. So yummy also BYOB, great great place to hang out with friends. Service is good too chef and staffs are very friendly.

    Mochi bacon yum
    Moe L.

    Yakitori Ando is an absolute gem. Every dish felt intentional and deeply flavorful, but the standouts for me were the chicken heart--perfectly grilled, tender, and rich without being overpowering--and the cow intestine nabe, which was unbelievably good. The broth was savory and layered, comforting yet bold, and clearly made with care. If you're into yakitori done right and aren't afraid to explore beyond the usual cuts, this place delivers in a big way. Easily a spot I'll be coming back to.

    Jaclyn C.

    We finally got a reservation here (I booked 6months ago) and already put in our next reservation after we finished our meal! All the yakitori are great and the star of the show is the nabe at the end.. it's just so good and tasty! It's BYOB and they only have 1 seating so usually dinner starts around 6pm but it is well worth it!

    A great way to finish a meal of charcoal-grilled chicken and vegetables: motsunabe.
    R K.

    The omakase is great. Ando-san selects high quality ingredients that vary day-to-day, lightly seasons them and grills them to lightly charred (not burned) perfection. Most people don't like or even know how uniquely delicious chicken skin, heart, tail area, cartilage and cock's comb are, so those delicacies unfortunately are not offered. But if Ando-san had them on a secret menu, he'd make more $ and use more interesting parts of a chicken. It is also incredibly difficult to get a reservation here, which ensures quality control. But, I still wish I could take more family and friends there.

    Chicken meatballs
    Tania T.

    Second time here and it was AMAZING! Omakase style with some surprises of chicken heart but most were normal yakitori with chicken thighs , mochi wrapped with bacon...texture and taste was just presented with plate perfection! On top of that chicken wings were tasty. A must try and a special treat. We ended with the special mostunabe soup! That is the best soup ever, tasty & always taken home for the next lunch meal! Made reservations to go back but in several months! Love how chef Ando has some nostalgic photos of his previous life and some artsy and fun inspirational paintings with him in it! Cool, hip joint with counter seating to interact with him or have a party with minimal and quaint seating .

    Fresh shrimp.yum!
    Lori W.

    Ambiance: Hole in the wall, neighborhood Izakaya. BYOB plus for a great time. Parking: Across the street at BOH. First hour paid by Ando-San. Food: Great tasting, no frills Yakitori and more Service: Outstanding, efficient and friendly service.

    Jen S.

    What can I say, the stars are aligned and we got lucky that when we called there's a spot for 2 and we immediately grab it! It's a great Omakase experience and just paid half price from our hometown in SF! Chef Ando and his staff were friendly and provided good service. Food is delicious and we finished everything! Highly recommend and hope you guys will have a fantastic experience like we did! We'll definitely be back but next time we won't be playing russian roulette and we will be calling ahead of time to make sure we'll get a spot.

    Seaweed salad appetizer
    Brandon L.

    Yakitori Ando was an amazing experience from start to finish. The food was incredible--each course in the omakase menu builds on the previous. Skewers were perfectly grilled by Ando-San himself behind the counter. Watching him work added to the whole authentic vibe--it really felt like being in a little yakitori spot in Japan. There was plenty of food too--way more than I expected for the set menu--and everything came out at a great pace so you could actually enjoy each course. The fact that it's BYOB is a huge bonus; bringing your own sake or beer just makes the evening that much more fun and relaxed. Highly recommend Yakitori Ando if you're looking for a genuine, delicious, and unpretentious dining experience. I'll definitely be back soon.

    Chicken Wings
    Jessica S.

    I heard there was a "new" omakase in town and that it wasn't the traditional sushi omakase - it was a yakitori omakase with motsunabe! I was craving motsunabe as I recently came back from Fukuoka, the origin of the dish where I first tried it. I wanted my boyfriend and grandparents to try this specific dish because it left such an amazing impression on me back in Fukuoka. It's located in the same lot as a jiujitsu dojo and behind the Bank of Hawaii in the Franklin Variety Building on Center St in Kaimuki. There's a free 1 hour parking offered to customers (peep at pic) or many free street parking, especially after 6pm, around the neighborhood. Just an FYI, the omakase lasted at least 2 hours, so after that 1 hour parking, you'll have to pay. It was a reservation only restaurant with maybe around 35 seats. My boyfriend and I were able to score a reservation a couple months in advance for Christmas Eve. Highly recommend calling early before the night starts for them as there are only 2 waitresses and 1 chef. A huge perk as part of the restaurant was that it was a BYOB restaurant - the workers went to every party to ask if we brought our own drinks/alcohol as they prepared glasses for parties who did bring their own drinks. How nice! Unfortunately, my party didn't bring our own drinks and stuck to water/hot water. We were offered to purchase non-alcoholic drinks that they had, though! We started off with five okazu (side dishes): edamame, kinpira renkon (Japanese Lotus Root Stir Fry), hijiki seaweed salad, kiriboshi daikon (I believe), and okara salad (soy pulp). The okazu were soooo good. We were caught off guard, in a good way, by the okara as none of us have ever tried it before. Then the yakitori rounds began! I won't be describing the taste as they're kind of "basic" yet everything was delicious and flavorful! - Bacon wrapped quail eggs - Grilled shrimp - Chicken wings - Chicken meatballs - Bacon wrapped mochi - A5 Wagyu - Chicken liver - a childhood favorite of mine as my mom cooked this a lot. If you've never had it before, definitely give it a try! My boyfriend tried it for the first time ever and didn't hate it - love that! Lastly, the "main" course/star of the show - motsunabe (Japanese hot pot with pork or beef offal)! Our pot was HUGE in comparison to all the other parties. We were already starting to get full from all the yakitori and seeing this was insane (peep at pic). While waiting for the dish to boil, I had asked one of the waitresses if the chef was from Fukuoka as the dish originated from there. Turns out the chef was a sumo wrestler from Yokohama who loved making this dish. Would have never guessed! What a fun fact. The motsunabe smelled soooo good and honestly the smell did not do it any justice because the broth was incredibly amazing. It was really addictive and flavorful that I could not get enough of it (could be the potential MSG but omg so good). The nabe had soooo much offal which I loved. They were also cleaned well and didn't have the strong stinky intestine smell that could stop people from trying. Just couldn't get enough of this at all! We were all getting very full that one of the waitresses informed us that noodles were also a part of this dish. Thankfully, we didn't need to eat the noodles there and was able to take the motsunabe and noodles home! The chef came by to all of our tables and apologized for the wait (to be expected!) and offered us 2025 calendars, showcasing one of his friend's artwork for each month. It was so cute! Overall, a really great place to experience. Especially for those who have never had motsunabe. The price we had was $72 per person for all the food we received. It wasn't too bad especially the last few items practically paid for 1/3 of the meal. Definitely enjoyed the motsunabe and quite sad I can't just order that as takeout in the future.

    Megan R.

    My favorite Yakitori omakase on the island. Food is simple and delicious. It is BYOB establishment and it's always a treat to share a drink with the chef and his team. To make a reservation - no walk ins. Best advice I can give is to call 10 minutes before they open to get connected with someone

    Toilet Key Mario is Man Kitty is Woman
    Yasu K.

    This restaurant is only Course style. Yakitori is so good. Last Motsu nabe is the best!! Every Food cooked by Mr Ando. Service also amazing. The staff work efficiently and it's a pleasure to watch.

    Real charcoal grill
    Roya J.

    What a unique and special experience. After visiting I get why it's popular with the local chefs and I had to make reservations months ahead. We had the privilege of sitting at the counter and watching chef Ando work. I'm having trouble describing the experience because on one hand it simple, but also elegant. The best I can explain it is the balance in the flavors and each skewer cooked to perfection is the experience. The restaurant is on the smaller side and it's byob. The parking lot is across the road and you pay nominal fee with a QR code at the restaurant. 2 hours was sufficient for our party of 2.

    Inside

    See all

    27 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gwen C.
    162
    220
    1332

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Tommie O.
    0
    73
    175

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 2

    20 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of R K.
    0
    144
    275

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Jen S.
    0
    5
    27

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 4

    9 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Yasu K.
    146
    18
    726

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 3

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 3
    Love this 3
    Oh no 5

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mike C.
    2
    158
    49

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 13
    Thanks 2
    Love this 12
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 7
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anna ..
    0
    19
    35

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 4
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Amazing food and had a great time! Staff and Chief were top notch! One of my Local favorite eat spots.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rob B.
    299
    775
    7316

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Yuki I.
    1149
    740
    4398

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lynn I.
    12
    5
    11

    9 months ago

    Cozy, BYOB, with the best Mosunabe ever! They are always very busy , so keep in mind that you need reservations way in advance.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 5

    Yakitori Ando Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Yakitori Ando

    Does this restaurant allow BYOB?

    Yes it's BYOB. And they don't charge.

    I kept calling from morning to evening, nobody answered the phone. Is there any other way to make reservation?…

    They only answer between the hours of 4:30 through 6:00 and possibly after 8:00.

    Nobody answered the phone. I have called several time. Is there any specific time when I should call?

    Call during 4:30-6:00pm and maybe after 8:00 until 10:00pm. Off days are Wednesday so they do not answer. They do not answer the phone during business hours since there are only 2 servers running the whole place and it does get busy.

    How long does the dinner usually take? If we start at 6pm, can we expect to finish around 7:45?

    Only two of you? Sure! Bigger group? Maybe not.

    Does anyone know what time they start answering phones? I have been calling all morning and afternoon and cannot get in touch with anyone. I also sent a DM through Instagram and have gotten no reply.

    Try calling around 5pm as soon as they open

    Can I bring kids? And do I need a reservation?

    No kids yes reservations

    How far in advance can I make a reservation?

    You can make reservations pretty far out. Getting an immediate reservation is the difficult part!

    Could anyone tell me how much per person it costs?

    It depends on how much you eat. The chef will keep it coming until you tell him to stop. I would plan on about $30-35 per person.

    Is this restaurant BYOB?

    Yes, it is!

    View All 12 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Izakaya 42,934 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Izakaya Naru - Miso Butterfish

    Izakaya Naru

    4.1(543 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Wanted to grab a bite late at night (11:30pm) and this spot was on our radar so we decided to check…read moreit out. They have shared parking lot with the surrounding establishments which was fairly open since it was so late (I think they were the only one open by that time). We were able to get seated fairly quickly (bar seating style, not individual tables, although they have a few of those as well). This spot is decently small but they seem to fit everyone in fairly efficiently. Upon seating we were given menus and waters after. The waiters are decently attentive since we were seated right by their kitchen/back of house opening. We got: * Chicken Karaage: 10/10, I would heavily recommend this. The chicken was juicy and lightly crispy. What MADE this dish was actually the egg sauce on top. It acts as the aioli but clearly much more homemade and heathier, with egg white pieces and the sauce made of egg yolk etc. We ordered this twice bc it smacked. * Taco Rice: 7/10, okay so... I'm not even going to lie when I say that I was a bit tipsy already when I agreed on ordering this. I THOUGHT this was a TAKO (octopus) rice. NOT a TACO (Mexican) rice. It tasted like I was eating taco bell, which wasn't bad per se but just felt weird being in an izakaya. * Beef Tongue: 9/10. I would recommend this as well. The beef tongue was tender and flavorful. They didn't go overboard with the sauce on top to let the meat shine through. * Seared Aburi: 8/10. The person I was with order it. It was good, no strong feelings about it. It was cool to watch them sear it though. It was on the fishy-er side tho, compared to other forms of sashimi (likely due to the skin still present). * Hot Sake: I would recommend this if you don't enjoy drinking. While its hot/warm, it helps it go down a lot more! Honestly I enjoyed the fried chicken so much I would actually come back just to eat that and maybe try some of their other dishes. Plus the izakaya experience definitely felt really authentic as it was bustling when we visited.

    I've been a fan of this place for a while, so it genuinely hurts to write this. The food itself?…read moreHighlights for sure -- the tacorice in the stone bowl was excellent, the hamachi with eggplant was a standout, and the rafute, while a bit dry, still had its moments. The kitchen is clearly talented. But everything else? A real disappointment. The server was cold and unfriendly the entire visit. The larger tables of four around us were getting great, attentive service -- smiles, check-ins, the works. But when she dropped food at our table? Not even a word. It felt pretty obvious that since the bigger tables had an automatic 20% tip guaranteed, our table just wasn't worth the effort to her. And that's exactly the problem with sneaking an auto-gratuity in fine print at the bottom of the menu -- it creates exactly this kind of situation. If the service had been genuinely good, I would have happily tipped 20% on my own. But to have it quietly tacked on after being largely ignored? That feels sneaky and disrespectful. This place used to be a go-to for me. Today really dropped the ball. Be upfront about the tip policy and treat every table like it matters -- because to the customer, it always does.

    Photos
    Izakaya Naru - Inside

    Inside

    Izakaya Naru - Mackerel sashimi

    Mackerel sashimi

    Izakaya Naru - Mackerel sashimi

    See all

    Mackerel sashimi

    Izakaya Hideyoshi - Too spicy for me but it did try to eat more than 3.  It is called spicy ahi roll. Lol.

    Izakaya Hideyoshi

    4.7(24 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    If you haven't been to Izakaya Hideyoshi yet, do yourself a favor and check out this hidden gem…read morelocated inside of Osoyami Bar and Grill in town. Chef Hideyoshi is the former head sushi chef from Izakaya Torae Torae, and his food is delicious. Made fresh to order, the spicy tuna don is an incredibly flavorful family favorite. We also love the hamachi carpaccio with a wonderful balance of flavors. It's so ono we snagged two pieces before remembering to take a picture. He's added some great hand rolls to the menu, the Hideyoshi and Negitoro Ikura. For now his Happy Hour specials are all night Tues, Wed, Thurs, and Sunday 6pm-midnight and Fri/Sat 10pm-12am. Come soon to catch these great deals, you won't regret it! We love that you can order off the bar menu too, which has awesome burgers, pupus, and other bar grub at great prices. Our kids love the free, old-school arcade games. The drinks are solid, unique, and reasonably priced with $3 drafts and well drinks for happy hour. Chef Hideyoshi believes in only using the highest quality ingredients. If you appreciate supporting our local food scene, please take the time to check out Izakaya Hideyoshi.

    6/28/25 Izakaya Hideyoshi shares the same space with Osoyami Bar…read moreSo there's 2 Kitchens which equals 2 checks equaling 2 payments... equating to 1 less star Beers from Osoyami Cold n at a good price! Also Skinny Fries made to order came out simply Hot n Crispy! Hideyoshi's "Winner" Hamachi Kama deep fried moist n fatty w limited servings If you like to munch of Crispy Fish Fins... Ummm! Plus Great Friendly Service

    Photos
    Izakaya Hideyoshi - Look up!!!

    Look up!!!

    Izakaya Hideyoshi
    Izakaya Hideyoshi - Assorted sashimi

    See all

    Assorted sashimi

    Nami Kaze - Dining area

    Nami Kaze

    4.5(801 reviews)
    5.6 mi
    $$

    It was so sad this business is closing down by Oct 31st. With rising food costs, inflation and…read morestaffing, it's understandable but I wish best endeavors for Chef Jason Peel and his staff. My fiance won a gift card actually 2 of them (from his coworker whom could not get a reservation secured), we knew we had to make the trip over before they officially close. We had multiple dishes, but staff made Kauai prawns and tomato miso black cod dishes on the house since they ran out the Hokkaido scallops. We ordered the short ribs, lobster appetizer, hamachi crudo and lastly sashimi moriawase to finish food palate. Lukki lemon dessert was great way to end to night. Ordered the Milk tea bouquet cocktail while my better half had water ( either way the food coma knock him out cold the rest of the night lol). To be honest, it was difficult to determine which dish was the best because the staff kept quality there despite it being busy every night since they announce the closure. Sashimi moriawase, fish was so fresh, reminded me of my time spent in Hokkaido and Sapporo. Short ribs was soft and rich in flavor. Both me and my fiance liked the lukki lemon dessert, like lemon meringue pie but broken down version. If you have a chance to dine here before closing and got a reservation, definitely will have a lovely dining experience and your stomach will be full by end of the night.

    Husband and I tried Nami Kaze in our recent trip to Hawaii. This place is huge! I was so glad to be…read moreseated in the side room because I found it to be a lot calmer, less people and no TV. The staff were friendly and very helpful with giving us recommendations. We ordered 3 appetizers and 2 entrees, and honestly it was too much food for us. We had leftovers for breakfast the next day! - For appetizers we got: Ulu Tots, Japanese Eggplant, and Corn Beignets. The Corn Beignets was the best. - For entree we got: Tomato Miso Black Cod and the Short Rib. Both were delicious and worth a try. Sad to see that this restaurant appears to be closing.

    Photos
    Nami Kaze - Nami bento

    Nami bento

    Nami Kaze
    Nami Kaze

    See all

    Yakitori Ando - izakaya - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...