Located off Waialae Ave, Yakitori Ando is a hidden gem. You need to have this wonderful Yakitori made by Ando-san himself. He is very good at his craft and works very hard! His staff is also very attentive and helpful. The BYOB part makes it fun as well. Aside from the taste of the food, my favorite part of this place is that it is omakase style. This means you do not order off a menu. Instead, you are served whatever is being cooked by Ando-san. I appreciate this because it takes the thinking out of a delicious meal so you can just enjoy what comes your way! Part of our omakase included prawns, chicken thighs, chicken meatball, bacon wrapped quail egg, bacon wrapped mochi just to name a few. Everything was very tasty! Parking in the lot right across the way ($1 per hour) or street parking on Waialae Ave. One more tip is they don't serve dessert so go support the other local dessert businesses in the immediate area after your meal. read more

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I would give this place 4/5 for food and atmosphere, but 3/5 for my overall experience from booking to service when in the restaurant. I planned my second solo trip to Honolulu just so I could visit Sushi Sho and Yakitori Ando, which were very high on my foodie tour list. I had my flights booked at least 8 months in advance. I called 6 months before my date of visit on 10/29/23 so that I could book a seat at Yakitori Ando because I knew that it is a very sought-after reservation. I spoke with a male staff member to book a seat at the counter at 7pm, and I was told about their omakase and BYOB policy. However, when I walked in on 10/29 at my reservation time, I was told I did not have one... I was quite disappointed at first, but they were able to last-minute arrange a seat for me, which I greatly appreciated. However, I realized as the omakase menu progressed that I was not given all of the meats that other guests had. I saw other guests getting pieces of chicken liver and heart, for example, so I was disappointed that I was not able to experience these. I also felt rushed through the menu, which may be because I was eating quickly as a solo diner compared to other guests who were with friends/family. Even though I was the last to enter the restaurant, I was one of the first to leave. The meal was only $60, much cheaper than I expected, to be honest. But I wouldn't have minded paying more for the full experience. For full disclosure, my menu was as follows: edamame and small appetizers, chicken wings, bacon-wrapped quail eggs, chicken thigh, chicken meatball, wagyu, bacon-wrapped mochi, whole shrimp, then motsunabe with beef intestines and veggies with soba added in the end. Everything fresh off the grill and delicious! The restaurant staff and Chef Ando himself were very apologetic when they realized they had missed a reservation on their books. They have a written bookkeeping system, rather than online/electronic, and they only take reservations by phone. I think I would have had a better experience had my reservation gone smoothly, as Chef Ando does a wonderful job on the grill. read more

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Finally we made a reservation and celebrate our best friend's birthday dinner at ANDO! It's only OMAKASE course. Started off "otoshi" Tebasaki Yagen Chicken thighs Bonjiri Bacon wrap tomatoes My favorite mochi bacon!!! And off course "motsu nabe" Broth was sooo good!! Okinawa soba for "shime" is perfect!! Definitely recommend to try this place!! read more

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I had to come back to update my review to note that Chef enjoys sweet potato shochu! We came back with my sister in law and had another incredible experience. We were worried about bringing the little one but they were so accommodating. The staff members were all so kind and helpful. Thanks for another fantastic dining experience! read more

Yummy morsels on sticks Famous samurai pig guts soup was amazing too Flavor was so rich and fatty. Aloha spirit from the chef to the servers So ono Delicious in Hawaiian ! Everything is paced slowly No ordering Chef's choice for everyone!!! Great sign: all local Japanese people except for me and my Ohana (family) read more

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Bruhhhhh, if you're in Kaimuki, check out this spot for some tasty eats! They offer omakase style skewers which will leave your taste buds happy! The omakase ends with a filling and very delicious motsu nabe! Soo freaking good! Everything costs only 60 bucks ish per person and it's BYOB. What else more can you ask for?! Making a reservation can be difficult but keep calling and you may get lucky, or pop in and make the res if you have the chance read more

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Well, what can I say? You just have to come here to enjoy the whole experience! Please remember to make a reservation well in advance - as others mentioned. :) Ando-san and two other staff members welcomed us, and we just had to sit down to look forward to what we'd be served! The course started with izakaya-style amuse-bouche, and continued to individual yakitori items. Yes, everything was so good! While we were getting full, we didn't say no to Motsu-nabe (+ Soki/Okinawa soba)...and we were so glad not to say no! The nabe was so flavorful. Everyone including Ando-san was so friendly and polite, so I did not feel like it was my first time there. Well, it won't be my last time for sure! read more

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

First of all: WOW! Pro tip: make reservations months in advance so you can secure a spot! You have to call during business hours to make a reservation, so that's the only tricky part. It's also BYOB, so make sure you bring your own beer/drinks! They do provide glasses and water for your. This felt like a local spot because the majority of people there were familiar with chef Ando, so I'm guessing they're regulars or have been a few times. We were still treated with respect by all the staff members, and didn't feel left out at all! Chef prepares everything fresh so you're getting the best quality of foods. Everything was delicious and we wish we had the option to repeat dishes, like the shrimp and chicken thighs. My favorite dish of the night is probably the motsunabe, which was a hot pot served at the end of the meal (they'll ask if you want it before they prepare it) and I highly recommend it! Everything fit so well together, with fattiness but also freshness from the vegetables and the broth tasted super clean so it felt healthy too! After you're done and if you're still feeling hungry/want to have the full experience, they'll offer Okinawan-style noodles to finish with your broth. Overall, it's fairly priced for 12 courses, and the skewers might not feel like a lot but you'll end up leaving full and satisfied! We asked if they had any openings so that we could come back before we left the island, but they were fully booked at least a week out. read more

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I called and made reservation in January 2024 for 4 people with table seating for any Sat evening. Nothing was available until May 2024, but the wait was worth it. The environment was cozy, low key, and intimate. The amount of food was decent for the cost. The quality was good. It was BYOB, but we forgot. Master Ando and his two staff were friendly and welcoming. Everyone in my party had a good time and was so full after :). read more

AMAZING! This yakitori omakase ends with the most delicious motsunabe nabe and is well worth the $60pp. And it is BYOB! Make reservations ahead. It can be difficult to make reservations over the phone as they have limited staff and are generally busy, but do not give up. It might even be easier to stop by during business hours to make a reservation. There is a small paid parking lot across the street, with only a few that is available for free after a certain time. There is also street parking up the street that is a short walk. I highly recommend! read more

Yakitori Ando - Yakitori omakase - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Please read!!! Do not come here, I repeat do not come here!!! This place is straight up nasty, dirty, the servers are not friendly, bad service, no knowledge of the food. Don't get me started with Chef Ando and the way he prepares the food. Wait, why am I saying this and giving it 5 stars? To start with, if I could give them more stars I truly would as I am only saying this so you and your friends don't come here, so that me and my friends can. This place is so good that you will be fortunate to get a reservation right away. That's right, everything I wrote about is just the opposite. They have some of the most pleasant and knowledgeable servers and the place is very clean. Chef Takashi Ando who BTW used to be a sumo wrestler truly mastered his craft and is amazing to see him so focused on the timing of the different skewers cooking (if you can get a seat up at the bar, I recommend it as you and your friends/family will be in for a treat). Unlike at some yakitori places where you can order what you want, over here everything is omakase (chef's choice) although the servers will ask you if you have any allergies or if there is things you don't want to eat which is nice of them but hey let the man make for you his best stuff and I'm sure you will love it. To start you off, they will bring you the Japanese version of banchan. We recieved three things but the most memorable one to me was their salad The skinny: - You have to make advance reservations, however once in a blue moon due to a cancelation, you might be able to squeeze in but it's highly unlikely, so plan ahead, like way ahead. - It is omakase only, so don't think you will be ordering off a menu. However you may request certain things (see my pro tip on the bottom) as well as add on to the omakase (for extra money of course). - As of last year it was BYOB. (when making your reservation you can ask them if it's still the same.) - This place doesn't have any big signage. If you blink you will pass it for sure. When you turn onto Center St from Waialae Ave. it is on the right hand side above Bank of Hawaii. - Parking: you can either park in the municipal parking lot which is on the left hand side of Center St. (sorry you have to pay) or you can try to find free parking on Waialae Ave depending what time you get there. So like I was saying, do not make reservations, don't even think about coming here unless you are into some amazing food. Pro Tips: - When making the reservation(s) request for the motsunabe which is like a hot pot that will come at the end of the meal. Trust me, it is totally worth it. - If you like lamb, you have to ask them if they have some as it is soooooo good! Sometimes Chef Ando has some stashed away so ask. - When you are there and you are rubbing your stomachs because you are so full, ask them to make another reservation. However, if you don't care for it, lots of people will be happy that you wont come back as they will take your seats in a heartbeat. - Share some sake or shochu with the Chef Ando. read more

Recommended by friends, we promptly made reservations at Yakitori Ando for this past Sunday, 6 p.m. We were first in line and first to be seated at the end of the counter. Four of us fit perfectly there, where we could converse together easily and share sake. BYOB! Chef Ando was ready for us, greeted us. We wanted to share our huge bottle of award winning sake with him, but he had just taken meds and couldn't imbibe...Next time! We started with hot edamame, then various cold tsukemono, delicately seasoned, not overpowering. Note: there aren't any condiments on the table, except chili pepper, so that you can enjoy the delicate seasonings on each dish, as intended. The friendly waitstaff asked each of us if we had any allergies and/or things we didn't eat, such as organ meats i.e. hearts or gizzard, etc. Thereafter, course after course of hot offerings came in an easy, comfortable cadence, and we were able to eat everything! Note, rice isn't served with the omakase meal, to fill you up unnecessarily. Standouts for me were the bacon wrapped quail eggs, the light-as-air, flavorful meatballs, steak and prawns. The meal was wrapped with a hot pot soup that included tofu, aburage, fresh mushrooms, onions and garlic, cabbage and chives, and pork. While the broth came to a rolling boil, the smell was most enticing. Digging in was amazing! The taste was light and delicious, not too salty or overpowering. A perfect conclusion to an amazing meal. We made reservations before leaving that evening for our next dinner! Woo hoo! read more

Yakitori Ando - Chef Ando cooking! - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Second time here.. and a third reservation coming up in March! The trick is to make your next reservation when you're already there lol. I can see how they don't answer the phone since it they are so busy all the time! Yakitori Ando offers omakase style skewers! I love how we get to try a little bit of everything - my favorite bites included bacon wrapped quail egg & also chicken heart! But the reason I keep coming back when I have the chance... is the motsu nabe. The broth is so rich & tasty, I could probably drink it if I wasn't so embarrassed . Before Ando, I'd only ever tried yakiniku style motsu so this was completely new. I tried to recreate it at home using the leftover broth but.. it's definitely nowhere near the same. Cant wait for the next time I get to enjoy this gem! read more

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Motsu Nabe = perfection. My friend said that it was one of the best things he ate this year. I can't disagree. Broth rich but not greasy. Tripe chewy and not gamey. Veggies plenty. Okainawan soba noodles perfect toothsome ending. It was difficult to get through on the phone to make the reservation but somehow makes it seem all the more desirable. My faves were the starting veggies and the ending nabe. The skewers were all good the best is of course gizzard. We got full fast and stopped before we got to bacon wrapped mochi. Maybe I should fast the whole day before going next time. I saw people at the counter giving chef their booze offerings. I wasn't sure what the etiquette was since we were further away at a table. Next time ima bring him his own small bottle of sake bc he works so hard and has created a great atmosphere. Felt like I got a little taste of Japan again after having been away all the years of the pandemic. Have another reservation for next month. Wondering if I should just call and make another for every month after that... read more

Best value in town! Fresh ingredients with a variety of items to keep you interested. Everything was grilled perfectly. The nabe was delicious and filling. The yaki onigiri at the end of the meal was one of the best I've ever had. Highly recommend if you can get a reservation. read more

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Heard if Sumo & Sushi? Add yakitori! Hole in the wall location in Kaimuki! If you enjoy Japanese "Omakase " cuisine, this is it! Experience and welcome many delicious presentations & exquisite surprises! BYOB! Share your your fun dining with former pro sumo wrestler turned yakitori chef. Very popular with native Japanese and locals. Kamaainas can experience Japanese style dining without leaving home. (Reservations well in advance recommended because of demand) You may just find your next favorite "hangout"! read more

literally RUN DONT WALK to try this place. Service: Impeccable, it's intimate seating and they are so attentive and sweet. You will learn VERY full, as it is plenty of food! I literally had been dreaming to come back for their nabe, and so we returned 2 years later and it tastes as good as we remember! Also I bought one of his shirts and it is one of my favorites, Ando San is such an icon!! read more

Yakitori Ando - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Superb excellent customer service! Chef Ando is amazing at all the dishes he creates! I absolutely loved dining here with friends! It's a great place to have a social gathering over drinks and good appetizers! We had ordered his omakase. So the chef chooses what to make for us! I can't wait to come back here again soon!! So good!!! read more

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

Excellent service, great food! Perfect place for family and group get together. w/BYOB option, enjoy your favorite beer or wine read more

A former sumo wrestler turned chef. Probably one of the best yakitori experiences I've ever had/ one of my favorite meals in Oahu. If you're going to Oahu you must make a reservation to go! He is booked out months in advanced so call ASAP. It is BYOB, can't beat that. * The courses include your usual yakitori skewers such as gizzards, bacon wrapped quail eggs, cartilage, & etc. The meal ended with a beef intestine nabe. So flavorful & clean. This meal is also chef's choice so no menu. You sit down and they bring the food. I cannot stop raving about this place to my friends. It is a must go! read more

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Husband and I come here at least 4 times a year. Food is always good. It's omakaze so you don't order, chef will be bring out food whatever he has in his pantry. Al the food is always on point. I love his motsunabe. Everything is good but.......... He caters more toward Japanese tourist or local. If you can pass that then you will be okay. read more

Yakitori Ando - Chef Ando in action. - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Can I please give this place 10 stars? 100 stars? An entire galaxy and beyond of stars? My mind was blown. Who knew that beef intestines were dreamy? And I was just fed and fed and fed. It was literally like being in a dream and I didn't want to wake up. Chef Ando and his staff are great. They really went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed everything. We had someone with some food allergies and chef was really nice about it and awesomely accommodating. I enjoyed everything about the experience. All the flavors came together in a joyful celebration for my tongue and everything was expertly cooked. It's quite an experience to see how chef quickly turns everything out for the entire restaurant. Standouts were the bacon wrapped mochi, chicken wings, and especially that beef intestine nabe! Wow!! I want to wake up to that every morning. I'm now Jone-sing for my Ando fix and have to wait for another lucky rez! Somebody take me please?! read more

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It surprises me that I just only discovered this place just last year, and I'm really upset about that! First and foremost, you have to make a reservation for this place! My friends and I had to wait almost a month to be able to eat at this place and it was well worth the wait! Don't get me wrong, this place seems like a hole in the wall but it is some fine dining experience. It is omakase course - basically you're being served a certain amount of food until you tell them to stop. I believe right now it is estimated to be 40-60 $ per person. But it is worth it!!!! We started off with some appetizers, then skewers (Chicken thighs, cartilage, chicken heart, mochi bacon), chicken tabe, abalone, and lastly ended off with motsu nabe! What I also love about this place is how nothing goes to waste, so if you have left over broth from your motsu nabe you could request for noddles to end the day! It is also BYOB, and with a 7 eleven just down the street - How can you not resist? There are also some generous people that will leave some leftover beers/wine/sake. My friends and I also brought some sake and soju, which they kindly placed in an ice bucket! Talk about amazing customer service! I highly recommend anyone to come and experience this amazing place! read more

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Intestines never tasted so good!!! Like butter! I was lucky and got invited to join a dinner here. Food is amazing and reservation 1 month in advance is required! Yow. We had variety yakitori but the nabe at the end was the highlight of it all. It's BYOB allowed and parking is free after 6pm on street. read more

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Yakitori Ando is a hidden gem. Literally. They're off the beaten path hidden in kaimuki. They're somewhere between 10-11th Avenue near the bank of Hawaii on center street. There's no signage so look for a Japanese lantern next to a ju jitsu place (better yet look for all those students cause you'll definitely run into their madness) There's about 4 stalls there, but you can also park at the boh lot after hours. If that is full there's also street parking or the municipal parking across the street. Reservations are tricky. They're booked about 2-3++ weeks out. I know I called a week before Christmas and the next available slot was 6 pm on January 9th. They do take credit card (thank goodness) and the price range is about $40 a person and we left stuffed! The servers will ask you if there is anything you don't like - I said gizzards/intestine with the exception of the motsu nabe. From then the food came out one by one! We had a few nishime dishes to share (which I could do without) then a light salad (which I could also do without). Then the meats came rolling in! We started with bacon wrapped quail egg, chicken thighs, chicken wings, meatballs, and Mochi bacon and ended with the motsu nabe which was so nice in this blustery weather. Honestly I wish there was more meat but the nabe held us up. Chef ando is quite animated. You can catch him smacking his butt every so often like a sumo. Most of the patrons are Japanese japanese and they probably cater to them more. We probably would have had a more interactive experience with the chef if we spoke the language. We also sat at the bar. There's a vent so it wasn't too smoky and it was fun to watch them prepare the dishes. read more

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The owner chef Ando makes the experience at this restaurant remarkable. He is a retired sumo wrestler turned master yakitori griller, who is originally from Yokohama Japan and has been living in Hawaii for over 30 years. He is the star of the show - cooking all of the dishes by himself and entertaining the guests with his stories. He appreciates good alcohol, so be sure to share a glass with him if you'd like! The restaurant is in a very unassuming corner of town with no large signs that lead to it. There is very limited seating and with how popular this place is, I recommend calling for a reservations a week or two in advance. Be sure to bring any alcohol or drinks that you want to pair with your meal, as Ando is BYOB. They will supply the drink wares and ice. Yakitori Ando is omakase style which means that the chef chooses the menu on the fly. However, if there are any allergies or preferences you can let them know. I cannot eat chicken liver or heart, so they took the items off of the course and replaced Siri others. The meal started out with some edamame and small appetizers such as okara, hijiki, green bean gomaae, and spinach ohitashi. We had 7 skewers each and some chicken wings, all of which were absolutely amazing. - white shrimp - bacon wrapped quail egg - chicken thigh - tsukune chicken meatball - pork belly - marinated beef - bacon wrapped mochi The meal ended with an epic Motsu nabe. I was already pretty full by the time we finished the skewers, but when I took a sip of the soup, my appetite was back! The intestines were so rich with flavor and the variety of veggies were very unique. The aburaage (tofu pouch) soaked the soup up nicely as well. They wrapped up the hot pot by adding soki soba noodles! The meal ended up being around $70 per person for ALL THIS FOOD. Worth every penny and if I were here for more than a week, I'd probably come back again. read more

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Chicken Yakitori restaurant owned by Sumo Wrestler. Very small but very friendly and family style. I love Yakitori Chicken. We had course menu. Honestly I wanted to eat more variety of chicken but they had variety of Bacon... Quail egg rolled by bacon, Mochi rolled by bacon, Tomato rolled by bacon... I had enough bacon, I was already so full by eating so much bacon. Food were so delicious. I wanted to eat more Yakitori of chicken. The last menu was Yakitori Chicken fat skin... Ahhh. I couldn't finish. Price was not bad, $40/course. read more

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Delicious!! I went to Ando with few of my friends and we had such a great time! Yakitori and Motsu Nabe was our favorite but honestly, anything you order here is amazing! I love the service too- our waiter was really courteous and everything was great timing. It is BYOB so make sure you bring whatever you want to drink (yes including mixer) with you and they have a fridge for you to store your drinks cold! Make sure to reserve your spot months in advance because it is always busy here and walk ins are very likely to get turned down. So plan your night and have a delicious meal! It's kind of hidden behind bank of Hawaii but Google map should take you right there! read more

Yakitori Ando - Izakaya Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place was somewhat difficult to get a reservation at. I had to call multiple times on several different days before I was able to get someone to pick up. I got lucky when calling 30 minutes before they open to get our reservation. My cousin really wanted to eat here and my patience definitely paid off. This is an omakase and so there won't be any menu's when you take your seat. You would not imagine that there would be a restaurant where Yakitori Ando is located. Parking may be a little difficult but we ended up taking a meter spot (after hours). There aren't any large signs or anything like that to signifiy that there is a restaurant here. Nonetheless, once you walk through the doors, you'll find a quaint little establishment with the head chef working the grills in the middle. We were seated and the waitress asked if we had any allergies. They started us off with four little appetizer dishes and gave us glasses for the drinks that we brought in. This place is BYOB and as we had multiple types of alcohol, they gave us appropriate glasses for each type and also a bucket of ice to keep things chilled! You're started off with a few appetizers. Everything was fairly unique and the flavors were subtle. Then slowly, the yakitori is brought out one after another. We had about six yakitori dishes brought out to us. Each skewer/dish was amazing in it's own way. The chicken wings were crispy, super juicy and flavorful. The bacon was crispy and wrapped around quail eggs where the yolks were melty and cooked perfectly. We had grilled chicken hearts which was just right. Truthfully, I never had chicken hearts prepared so nicely as the texture was just right. Though it doesn't look like much, these will slowly start to fill you up. After all the skewers, we had motsunabe. This was absolutely amazing. The dashi base that they used was super flavorful and all the ingredients were fresh. The motsu was very delicious as it had a good amount of fat that paired well with all the vegetables. When you're almost done with the nabe, you can ask them to bring over some rice/noodles to cook into the rest of your broth. As we had quite a bit of broth left, they separated the extra broth into a take out container and I happily took that home. We had the rice and they helped us cook that into the broth and swirled in an egg. This was my favorite part as the rice soaked up all that flavorful broth. As full as we were, we finished everything! We definitely had a great time here as they did not rush us out or anything like that. We took our time to enjoy each dish. The price is definitely worth the quality of food here. I would definitely return. What was great to see was that most of the patrons here are already making future reservations after their meals. As this place is BYOB, Tamura's is not too far off if you need to some drinks! read more

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Where do all the locals go: There are quite a few Yakitori eateries in the city and Yakitori Ando is no stranger to this list of eateries. Chef Ando was part of the old Khonotori today now struts a new location on Center Street in the heart of old Kaimuki town. This new establishment is known as Yakitori Ando. There are several reasons this place stands out: 1) Good food and service 2) BYOB (and bring an extra sip for Chef Ando as he will stop in and visit with you between his busy preparation schedule) 3) Parking plentiful 4) Priced right! There are several reasons you need to be aware of or else: 1) Reservations for early seating (early seating 6-8pm) a MUST 2) Groups max out at 10 for a good evening. Anything more than 10 may cause a serving issue (also groups get served omakase) 3) Omakase meal may not include your "favorites" The food is excellent but you need to be prepared for skewers with gizzards and inards. The motsonabe if available is a delicacy to try. The seasoning of the food is "perfect" not too sweet and not bland by any means. The portions are of good size and enough for you to taste the various skewers Chef Ando has for the evening. TIP: If you are hungry and in the area; you'll probably be able to get a seat after the 8:30-9:00 pm hour.... They open until midnight. read more

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Thanks to our very akamai Yelp Friends (Kathy H, Sherrie K and Sheryl M) for the invitation to dine at Yakitori Ando in Kaimuki. They extended the invitation a month ago (when they made the reservation) and we have been anxiously waiting to dine here. Our anticipation was heightened since we have heard about Chef Ando's culinary talents and his years at former Kohnotori izakaya on Piikoi Street but had never gotten around to try. Yakitori Ando is located on Center Street in Kaimuki behind the Bank of Hawai'i building. There are 4 reserved parking stalls that are right beside this restaurant or you can choose to park at either the Bank of Hawai'i (FREE after 6PM) or the lot above (I think you have to pre-pay at the lockbox). These lots do get crowded as there are many other businesses in the surrounding area. If you can't find a parking space, there are municipal parking lots directly across Waialae Avenue behind First Hawaiian Bank. Walking into Yakitori Ando this past Thursday evening, we were greeted by Chef Ando who was cooking in his open kitchen behind a sushi bar-like counter. This was the first time we had been there but my eyes caught a look at some photographs of a sumo wrestler... his features were immediately recognizable as a younger Chef Ando! The tiny restaurant was packed with a mix of locals and visitors from Japan. We wove our way toward the back of the restaurant to our reserved table. Being that Yakitori Ando is BYOB, many patrons brought their own alcoholic libations and some shared their beverages with the chef. There isn't a printed menu, so don't expect to just take a seat and peruse some print. Instead, the dining style here is called "omakase" aka TRUST THE CHEF. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please let the server know right away. There was only one server, so, this dining style makes it easier on both the kitchen (solely Chef Ando) and service. However, I caution you to please be patient! But, hey, you have more time to drink and enjoy the company of your friends in between courses while you take in the "izakaya" experience. Our appetizers arrived starting with edamame and several bowls of simmmered/braised items (no nimono) soybean pulp (okara), hijiki (seaweed) and kiriboshi daikon (shredded or strips of radish with abura-age). Glasses of Deschutes beer, ume and yuzu shochu and Suntory whisky started to flow among our table of friends as our taste buds readied for the feast to come. Our server brought us a fresh Spring mix salad with thinly sliced and tender pork with a house sesame seed dressing. Following the appetizers and salad was an assortment of grilled items. Tare or Yakitori sauce glazed chicken wings and skewers of bacon wrapped quail eggs, tsukune (Japanese chicken meatballs), and bacon wrapped grape tomatoes were delivered to our table in a nice pace. The skewer ingredients vary due to what is available from the market. The star of our meal was the huge pot called "motsunabe" or offal hot pot. Granted, the outside temperature was still around 84 degrees but tabletop cooked soup/stew was well-received. Its simple ingredients and non-greasy rich broth was so satisfying and comforting like a home cooked meal. Our server offered to bring us noodles to pair with the leftover soup/stew but we were just too full to take on any more food. It was an enjoyable evening with good friends with lots of great conversation over delicious food. One that we wouldn't mind repeating BUT remember, Yakitori Ando is so popular, you MUST make dining reservations, especially if you're planning on dining in a group. TIPS: - Be patient with the food and service as this isn't a fast food joint. - Be prepared for lively and boisterous crowd conversations as this space is tiny and voices carry. - Dress comfortably and casually as this restaurant is small and has an open kitchen. You might not be able to feel the full effects of their air-conditioning depending where you're seated so be prepared as you may break into a sweat. read more

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Growing up I used to dance Nextdoor at the movement center, and when I passed by I saw that yakitori ando had taken over the little health food store that used to be there. Of course I had to try it! Make sure you call ahead right when they open at 5pm to try and snag a reservation. Also, it's BYOB so make sure to bring some nice cold beer or sake to enjoy with your meal! All of the courses were extremely flavorful and had great attention to detail. The flavors were rich without being too overpowering, and the smoky yakitori flavor was perfect. The motsu nabe at the end was fatty, rich, and slurp worthy. We asked for Yaki onigiri (not on menu), and it was absolutely perfect! Definitely need to check this place out if you are in the Kaimuki area. read more

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Been back to Ando a few times and the experience has been consistently great every time, which is hard to do even for Michelin star restaurants. I prefer sitting at the bar where you can see all the actions and get to drink with the chef from time to time ;) read more

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You've probably had grilled skewers before. You've probably had omakase before. But have you had a grilled skewer omakase of this level of quality and service? Probably not. Call in advance for a reservation, because you're in for a treat. Yakitori Ando is an experience unlike any other on Oahu. My girlfriend and I walked in with our 6-pack of Asahi (it's BYOB with no extra charge!) and sat in anticipation as we waited for what would come next. No menus, no nonsense, just a check to make sure we didn't have any dietary restrictions. While I can see why you would want to know what's coming, there's a magic to the spontaneity of Ando's hospitality. But let's talk food: - Shrimp: Charred to perfection, making for a naturally sweet and savory experience. - Bacon-Wrapped Cherry Tomatoes: Like explosions of flavor, and somehow was perfectly cooked without scalding my entire mouth. If it had, it would've still been worth it. - Chicken Wings: Crunchy and umami with its beautiful glaze. It may look a little strange being desaturated in color, but it was delicious nonetheless. - Chicken Hearts: So meaty and juicy that it was almost like those cherry tomatoes. - Chicken Thighs: I'm not cooking them correctly at home because these were like drinking fat off of the skewer. - Tsukune: Also meaty and juicy and perfect, and delicious when paired with the mustard. I usually expect an egg yolk of some kind, but this was still amazing. - Bacon-Wrapped Mochi: It's bacon and mochi. Why do you need to be convinced that this is perfect? - Motsunabe: The star of the night was the deliciously flavorful and stacked with fixings. If you haven't had pig intestine before, it's chewy and fatty and supple and there's nothing quite like it. They'll ask you if you have room for it, and you better. All in all, a perfect and wonderful meal. Side note- a lot of people leave their excess alcohol at the end of the day, so I'm not sure if the staff is drinking it. I'd highly encourage to tip heavily in cash, not booze! read more

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ST says be sure to make reservations, and that was certainly the case tonight. The place was full, and we saw several people who couldn't get in. They really missed out, because this grill is nothing short of fabulous! It's おまかせ (omakase) and the food just keeps coming until you say stop. Everything was really tasty, and I can't tell you what it all was, but chef Ando even made me my favorite レバー塩焼き (rebā shioyaki) and 焼き結び (yakimusubi)。(*´`*) It's BYOB, which Is terrific, because you can mix and match. We started with Mio sparkling sake, Nutmegz brought iichiko Blū shochu, which was delightful, and we finished with Nigori lychee sake. The biggest shock of the night was the bill. Only $135 for 13 plates for 3 people. Then the chef grabbed it away and said, "Sorry, mistake!" We waited nervously for the revised bill. $102! Amazeballs for this much delicious food! read more

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My favorite yakitori "hole in the wall" place to dine well and be charmed by Chef Ando, retired sumo wrestler and expert at grilling and making the motsu chanko nabe at the end: hot pot filled with broth made from delicious organ meats, vegetables, fresh made soba. You'll leave happily stuffed. BYOB. Persevere in getting a reservation. It may take months, but be flexible and open to dine on a weekday instead of the weekend. Phone 808 739 5702 exactly at 5pm or between 11pm-midnight (yes, that's how late Ando's open) to get through to the hostess who'll look at the calendar and tell you what's available. read more

I want the old Kohnotori back please! No omakase(chefs choice) please. I want to be able to order my 5 orders of pork belly and chicken skin and breasts. I don't want hearts and gizzards and indards. We are not adventurous with our food and that is why we did not enjoy our time here. We left hungry and unsatisfied. The price was ok but again left unhappy. The service was a little slow but that wasn't their strength at the old kohnotori either. The really should advise it is omakase upon making the reservations. read more

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You definitely come to yakitori ando for the experience!l Andosan was a former sumo wrestler turned amazing omakase yakitori chef! The ambiance brings you back to japan, which was very comforting since we aren't able to travel there right now! The omakase yakitori sticks were so yummy, they range from a variety of chicken thigh, meatballs, to different types of innards, and finishes off with a motsunabe. Our meal was delicious and we loved the ambiance as well as the service. read more

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