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    Yi Xin Cafe

    4.4 (474 reviews)
    Open • 10:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Yi Xin Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Yi Xin Cafe Photos

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    YI XIN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Yi Xin Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Green Beans
    Jolene L.

    We dined in for a family dinner. Not sure if it is required but we called to make a reservation in advance. As it turns out, the restaurant was full on a week day for dinner so it was good to have a reservation. We ordered six items and started with the salted egg yolk chicken wings. Incredible flavor, crispy outside and juicy inside. This appetizer was so delicious! Next came the green beans and the sweet sour pork. My goodness, talk about perfect green beans, this was still crisp and not over cooked. Nicely seasoned and not too oily...I could eat that everyday! If you enjoy Honey Walnut Shrimp, they do an excellent job here. I like that it didn't have an abundance of mayonnaise. In fact, our batch had an added bonus for a nice crunch effect....kettle potato chips, whole and not crumbs. Might even have been the Maui Onion flavor, not sure but it was good! Last but not least, our family dinner enjoyed the House rice noodles and steamed fish. The thin rice noodles had generous portion of shrimp, beef, and vegetables. Quite hearty, here's to long life :) Easy to find, lots of free parking, not in Chinatown, and BYOB. What's not to like?

    3/19/23 Singapore rice noodle with shrimp
    Liane U.

    Still one of our favorite restaurants! Located in market city next to Cafe Kaila and Earls Sanwiches. They've gotten busier too so if you want to guarantee a spot call ahead to make reservations! Some of our favorite dishes.. beef chow fun, eggplant long beans, shrimp crackers appetizer, pork cheeks appetizer, sizzling beef black bean platter, all of the curries and rice, shrimp dishes.... So many favorites! We have so many favorites it's hard to try new things here. We recently tried the honey walnut shrimp and it was good big shrimps fried perfectly with honey sauce and it's on top of potato chips so you get a little bonus of honey chips too! That was definitely a nice surprise and something different from any other restaurant. Service here is always great! We ordered and not even 5 minutes later our food was already coming out. They always come by to fill your water and check on you, They have their own men and women's bathroom located in the back which is clean. Their ac is nice and strong so nice on a hot day to enjoy good food and escape from the heat.

    HK Style Milk Tea (COLD) (冻)奶茶
    Glenn N.

    What rock have I been living under? My first time here to celebrate my birthday with someone dear friends. Yi Xin Cafe does not disappoint! True Hong Kong style Chinese food! The food took me back to my days of travel to Hong Kong in the 90s. The stand were the salt, egg, fried chicken wings, as well as the curry crab, and the fried green beans with minced meat with sambal! Definitely I must try. Also, the Hong Kong MilkTea was excellent with a cute little frozen tea, teddy bear on it. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves celebrating the service was excellent! Our server made great recommendations. I will definitely be back. Lots of parking available this place can get quite crowded so my recommendation would be to go in between lunch and dinner.

    curry crab
    George Kent A.

    OMG... the coconut milk curry sauce is sooooo yummy. ate it with crab... ate it with naan... ate it with rice... ate it with ong choy... i was tempted to dunk my shirt and suck it dry. i may order another dish to soak up every drop. the curry flavor shines without spicy heat. my wife usually likes spicy heat, but said she liked it as it was... a rare hit that pleased both of our palettes. the live dungeness crab are fresh in a tank near the back of the smallish dining area of 10 tables. i thank ours for his sacrifice. He never complained. I don't like the thought of any creature suffering, but did i mention the curry sauce? It helped him reach self-actualization. Back to sacrifice... my wife graciously unshelled the crab... it's a lot of work. don't expect a quick meal if you get the crab. i didn't know that the restaurant was rated the #1 seafood restaurant in Hawaii until i saw the award on the wall... the crab has a sea of supporters. it's shwell! another treat was the frozen tea bear hovering a pool of milk tea... i would have preferred more sweetness, nevertheless the novelty created joy for the table. the garlic ong choy was bland... definitely improved when i added salt. i've heard this place has a chicken wing following... may try it someday and beg for more curry sauce... lol. one final thought... the young man at the front register had an amazing positivity that was infectious without being overbearing... we really appreciated him walking us through the menu. i'm rarely this enthusiastic about a meal, but did i mention the curry sauce?

    Alexander G.

    I do a lot of my shopping at Market City and always notice when new signs pop up. This one got great reviews right away, so I was thankful when I received a gift card to come in and try it. It's located in the corner next to Earl Sandwich and where Long's used to be. There's free parking in either lot. It was busy! Lots of happy customers were eating inside with more waiting for takeout. They have a waiting area outside for tables, put your name in inside. They ask people limit their time to 90 min during busy times, we ended up staying until closure. We ordered a nice variety of items: beef spicy fried rice, shrimp wonton soup, broccoli with oyster sauce, and chicken curry. We loved everything, different backgrounds of the dishes led for a fun combination. The big draw seemed to be the various crab dishes, as well as the sizzling steak. I'd definitely like to try those on a return visit. It's BYOB for alcohol. We tired a lemon iced tea, and a lemon fruit drink and enjoyed both with the spicy and salty foods. Our servers were so friendly and fast to attend. Prices are reasonable for large portions and great quality. I'll definitely be back!

    Cindy C.

    09.04.2026 @4:52pm Came for take out. A lots of options with Honk Kong, Singaporean and Malaysian style foods in one place. Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings: good & crispy. Ong Choy w/Sambal Shrimp Paste: not flavorful and more stems over leaves. (I like leave with this type of vegetable). Spicy Eggplant: not spicy at all and overly salty. Black Bean Sauce Clams: it ws huge and fresh. Baked Meat Sauce w/ Spaghetti: ordinary HK style.

    The star of the show: curry crab
    Stephanie T.

    Normally long waits if you don't book a reservation so make sure you book in advance. There a smaller restaurant and kind of tight in space. We were lucky to get in on a Wednesday evening. I hope they expand soon! We ordered so much food they had to move us to a bigger table. We tried the Curry Crab (of course), Thai style pork jowl, beef fried rice, salted egg chicken wings, and their milk tea and lemon iced tea with the cute bear ice. This place is so good, a little expensive, but worth every penny. My favorite was the curry crab and the salted egg chicken wings! I love their curry sauce and the naan bread. I typically dislike chicken wings at Asian restaurants like this but they really did their thing with the batter and sauce. The fried rice was a little plain but overall a nice balance to every meal. The sauce with their pork jowl was too good! I need the recipe.

    Crab Curry, Ong Choy with Sambal Shrimp Paste, Salt Pepper Fish
    Thy V.

    Would come back over and over again! 4 stars for some dishes being a bit expensive for what it is, and don't expect the cuisine to be authentic in any way, it's a fuse between Chinese/HK/Thai/Hawaii. However, every dish I've had was always delicious. + Food: Crab Curry is their most popular. Love their curry sauce (tastes similar to Thai yellow curry), but the crab doesn't have a lot of meat for a $80 dish. They didn't have a shell cracker so eating was tricky. Sambal veggies, Salt pepper fish, fried rice, curry fries were all delicious and well-flavored. + Ambience: Medium sized restaurant with good amount of tables. Usually no wait but can't say for peak dinner time. Good service + Location: in the Foodland plaza with plenty of parking spots

    Ginger onion crab
    Mia M.

    Yi xin is known for their crab, but really, everything here was excellent. The restaurant is small and in the space that used to be Anytime Cafe - I'd recommend making reservations because a lot of people were waiting outside when we left. We ordered 8 dishes for 6 people which was the perfect amount. Our standouts were the garlic onion crab, capital pork chops (so so tender!), salted fish chicken eggplant pot, and salted egg stir fried chicken wings. The salted fish fried rice was just okay, but other than that, everything was excellent. Great new addition to market city. We will absolutely be back!

    HK Style Iced Lemon Tea (COLD)  冻柠茶
    Joy H.

    Quick service, yummy food (pork cheeks and long beans) the ambience was fun. Our server was quick to answer any questions and made sure our food came out fast

    Ramon T.

    Finding that perfect spot for a family-style feast in Honolulu? Yi Xin Cafe in Market City is an absolute must-visit. Their fusion approach to Cantonese, Malaysian, and Singaporean flavors is honestly next level. You cannot leave without trying the Salted Egg Yolk Chicken Wings-the crunch and flavor are unreal. Other standouts that hit the spot for me are the Thai Style Pork Cheeks and the Beef Omelette on Rice. Refresh your palate with the Instagram-able HK ice lemon tea with an iced teddy bear. Staff was attentive. Vibes gave me a Chinese resturant feel. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZOBd1dyCJH/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

    Beef & long beans (fresh veggies)
    Joe P.

    I saw local UTuber Sean Kaleponi (The Hawaiian Traveler) eat at YXC, and I said I gotta hit this place. Its located in the Foodland Mall in Kaimukī. We had to order one of their sig crab dishes, and we rounded out the meal w/ beef and long beans, sweet & sour pork belly, eggplant and fried rice. The crab was amazing! The curry sauce was so deep & complex. In addition, the crab was fresh bc they have tanks in the restaurant. Of course I called dibs on the head, and it was packed with goodies. I added rice to the head (in Ilocano this is called "labay", adding rice to soup or broth to extend the meal). I was in heaven. The other dishes were all big portions and very good. The meat was tender, and the veggies were fresh and crunchy. I believe all the other dishes were ~ $20/each. The staff was super nice. We didn't have a res, but luckily we were seated in 20 min on a busy Sun night. Regarding the dining area, its tight but comfy. You have to wash your hands after, and the bathrooms are clean. I will def return the next time I come home. I want to try another crab dish (about 8 versions), and build a meal around the crab.

    String Fried Green Beans with Minced Meat & Sambal Paste 马拉盏肉碎炒四季豆
    Craig T.

    Update on Yi Xin Cafe today my brother in law and sister treated lunch . Had their sizzling beef and Mince pork string beans which was delicious. We ordered something new shrimp curry my brother in law said that was good .support local

    Very cute interior.

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    Yi Xin Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Yi Xin Cafe

    Do they allow 'free' BYOB as of today (August 30,2025)?

    There is no corkage fee as this restaurant does not serve alcoholic beverages.

    Do they take reservations for dinner?

    Yes they do, call them +1 (808) 738-0818

    Do we get to keep the cup with the teddy bear ice tea?

    Hello Lee I m so sorry the cup is use at the restaurant only But for left over milk tea or iced tea… 

    Any crab or lobster dishes?

    They have live crabs in tanks, so I assume you can get something with crab in it

    Is MSG added to dishes?

    From what the kitchen says, most dishes do have MSG added.

    Do they have liquor license & serve beer & wine?

    No, no beer or wine served. You can bring your own!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Chao - Crab Pasta

    Chao

    4.4(445 reviews)
    3.3 mi•Punchbowl
    •$$

    Caleb our server was kind and exceptional. His recommendation for the Ginger Chicken Rice was spot…read moreon. The food and service improves with every dining experience. Be sure to arrive with enough time to find parking. Vehicles come in and out pretty quickly, but you may have to wait a bit to find a stall if your timing is off.

    I've now been to Chao five times and still keep coming back. I came shortly after they opened and…read moreloved it so much I came back the following week and have had business meetings and family dinners here. It's to the point that at least one of the servers has recognized me and welcomes me back. Each time, we have enjoyed every thing that we've ordered. Frankly, my only trouble with this restaurant is finding parking. I plan to get there early so I can have a few laps around to find a spot. Their apps are always tasty. I've loved their hamachi crudo, the calamari, the Spanish octopus and the street corn. My go to app is the maitake mushrooms. For lunch, I'm a big fan of their banh mi's as I've eaten both the brisket and lemongrass. The bread is nice and crispy and everything is oh so good. For dinner, my wife loved the soft shell crab pasta and I've really enjoyed the crispy pork belly. I'm going to come back to try the Picanha this next time! I normally take pictures but for whatever reason, I didn't these past times probably because I was too busy stuffing my face. Guess I have to come again and retry!

    Photos
    Chao - Interior dining room with bamboo-like lighting

    Interior dining room with bamboo-like lighting

    Chao - Fried Spring Rolls - Ch Gi

    Fried Spring Rolls - Ch Gi

    Chao - Ube Dream

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    Ube Dream

    Ki Club - Huacatay Spiced Ahi - Seared Ahi in Dashi

    Ki Club

    4.5(137 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    •$$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Women-owned & operated

    Went here for my birthday dinner. Thoroughly surprised at how good the food was and the service…read more Beautiful, modern interior and the atmosphere was chic. The menu has changed to a more tapa style. We went with our two young children & they were very accommodating. We ordered a bunch of stuff but most notable was the Ensalada Salad, Croquette Cordero, Taco Raisu, Karaage Pollo, and for dessert, the Piña Borracha. We ordered some pork and steak skewers. These were ok, I would skip these next time. A little burnt. My favorite was the Ensalada Salad. The crab was sweet and the salsa opaca was so refreshing with the apple foam. Was told to smash the crisp on top and combine it with everything and that took it to another level! So good that we ordered another one. The price of this was so affordable too! The Croquette Cordero was like a mini curry ball with chimuchirri sauce. A little heavy but if you love curry, this is for you! The Taco Raisu surprised us. The taco meat was so flavorful!! Even though we were stuffed, we kept going back for more. It's like a deconstructed taco & you use the lettuce as a wrap. The Karaage Pollo came with a Cucumber Escabeche. It was so tangy and refreshing, which perfectly cuts through the rich, savory oiliness of the fried chicken. We got the Piña Borracha for dessert and that had a coconut cake, coconut lime mousse, banana lilikoi curd, and pasted pineapple on top. Amazing!! Great way to end the night. Everything was top notch. You can tell they put a lot of effort into each dish. Can't wait to go back!

    I go here on occasions. I've made to brunch a couple times but typically I make it to the…read moreevenings. The restaurant hours are relatively calm, but switches gears when it becomes a nightclub. Restaurant-wise, I believe the menu had a recent change-up to further explore fusion possibilities. I've been going down the list and the dishes have been pretty good so far; I haven't made it to the taco raisu yet, but I do need me some desserts. The picarones is like a peruvian andagi, which was pretty cool. The miso cream brûlée was from the prior menu, but also a Yes. The bar is knowledgeable and innovative their mixology- I've had the shizuku garden and that was amazing.

    Photos
    Ki Club - Lomo Saltado with Wagyu

    Lomo Saltado with Wagyu

    Ki Club - Feature Cocktails

    Feature Cocktails

    Ki Club - Kakuni Croquettes

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    Kakuni Croquettes

    Eating House 1849 - Waikiki - Seafood paella stew

    Eating House 1849 - Waikiki

    4.1(1.6k reviews)
    1.1 mi•Waikiki
    •$$$

    Located on the 3rd floor at the International Market Center, this restaurant is a must visit. The…read morebar staff was excellent, not sure which tap beer you want, sample away. They are friendly and will help make your life easier if you transition from the bar to a table. I was there with a small party, staff were friendly and informative. Unsure what to get, asked the waitress to surprise me based off a couple of items I could not decide on. She did not disappoint and after talking with kitchen, she brought out the Braised Beef Noodles. The meat was tender and noodles good perfectly. My understanding is that this is a newer dish and hope it stays. The tomatoes were cold, which was a initial surprise but nice compared to the hot dish. I will be returning and highly recommend. Be ready to spend $40-$60 per plate. Ordered a Caesar salad that is big enough for 2 ppl to share. Couple of appetizers included sushi rolls & grilled brussels sprouts that were also excellent.

    Had dinner last night with family in town. Service was amazing & staff were friendly…read more The roof retracts and they have large fans to circulate air. That was so nice since it's been so hot lately. The food was amazing. We chose to eat family style. We started with a couple sushi rolls & all was really good and fresh. We also started with red Thai curry clams with mushrooms. That was delicious. We also had the pork belly boa which was also delicious. For the main entree we shared was the build your own fish plate. We opted for grilled Kanapachi with the red Thai curry with veggies and sweet potato and the butterfish Kamameshi. So so good. Everything we had was so good. Then we had dessert!! Seriously full and yet we ordered the chocolate lava soufflé, upside down cake, and the Thai Tea crème brûlée. I was so stuffed but the flavors of each desert were amazing! We couldn't stop eating it all. It's been a long while since I've been here so it was a nice refresher and reminder of how good everything is.

    Photos
    Eating House 1849 - Waikiki
    Eating House 1849 - Waikiki - Soufflé lava cake

    Soufflé lava cake

    Eating House 1849 - Waikiki - Kale salad

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    Kale salad

    Carte Blanche

    Carte Blanche

    4.5(81 reviews)
    1.0 mi•Kaimuki
    •$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Luxury

    Wow!! I really loved this restaurant. We had a big group in our reservation. My boyfriend and I…read morehave many dietary restrictions and the chef accommodated even though we told the chef about our dietary restrictions only when we got to the restaurant. Service is amazing and everyone was very nice. The restaurant is so cute and I really liked the decor. The food was INCREDIBLE! I would come back to Hawaii just to eat here again. Thank you so much!

    An evening to remember. Tonight's Prix Fixe Menu at Carte Blanche was nothing short of excellence…read more Each course was crafted with such creativity and balance: * Crispy Salt & Vinegar Chicken Skin with Smoked Trout Roe & Herbs: Each little section had its own unique flavors. * Soupe de Poisson with grilled City Bread from The Breadshop & Rouille: Sean said this was his favorite. He literally was wiping up the soup with his fingers. Haha! * Pina Colada Granita - the perfect palate cleanser! * Pan-Seared Scallops with Corn Béchamel, Polenta & Fresh Relish: Amazing texture and flavors. Scallops were super fresh and cooked to perfection. * Double Cut Rack of Lamb with Charred Savoy Cabbage & Miso Red Wine Sauce: I was thiiiis close to licking my plate. Super YUM! * Lemon Crème Brûlée Tart with Summer Berry Jam: There's nothing like pairing lemon and berries... but to brûlée the top, oh man!! And as a special treat, we even got to pre-sample the dessert for the upcoming November menu - such a sweet sneak peek of what's to come! + Hint: Favorite Local Snack. Grateful for this beautiful dining experience where every bite told a story in this beautiful atmosphere. 10/10 Highly recommended. 5 Stars!

    Photos
    Carte Blanche
    Carte Blanche
    Carte Blanche

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    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter - WESTHOLME RIBEYE (16 oz).

    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter

    4.5(422 reviews)
    1.1 mi•Kaimuki
    •$$$$

    Became a fan of Chef Kajioka after dining at Cafe Miro in January. As we were planning a trip back…read morein August for the wifey's bday, I definitely wanted to head back and made reservations for The Counter as I saw pics on IG of their meal here. We lucked out and found street parking nearby. As we walked into the restaurant, we were quickly greeted by the host/server who showed us to our seats along the U shaped counter. Loved the clean and modern decor inside the restaurant. As we sat down, our water cups were quickly filled and the only few questions they had for us was whether we wanted the wine pairing and we wanted to add the caviar toast and shaved truffles. We opted for the wine pairing, caviar toast and truffles. The meal was fantastic from start to finish. The most notable dishes for me were the ahi and caviar toast, cold corn soup, the lobster and the dessert. Sadly the portion of the toast here was about 1/2 the size of what we had at the cafe and unfortunately they didn't have uni for the night (maybe don't go on a Tuesday). Service was fantastic but they did have a few hiccups which were tolerable as the food was amazing. The wine pairing was also good and paired well with the dishes. As we are currently planning our trip back later this year, we will definitely head back to either the cafe (if the remodel is completed) or back to the counter for another meal. This is likely the best meal we've had in HNL in quite some time and highly recommend it.

    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter: An elegant, intimate experience that, sadly, left a lot to be desired…read more The service was great but I had a few qualms which influenced my decision of probably not returning. A couple things about Miro: - You have to pre-pay via OpenTable (unsure how it works if you call ahead), but just be aware you will be fronting the cost. Also, there are two seatings, one at 5pm, and one at 7:30pm. The 5pm seating is $165 per person and the 7:30pm seating is $195. I'm not sure if there is a menu difference but just know there is a difference in price depending on the time you choose. - Upon arrival you have to wait outside before being let inside. The restaurant locks the doors while they are in service, so if you are the 2nd seating (which is what we were) at 7:30pm, you will have to wait outside. Honestly my girlfriend and I were pretty confused as we've never had this experience before. We even tried to message/call the restaurant but didn't hear from them so we were close to leaving, but luckily some people were leaving from the earlier seating and let us know to wait outside and that the servers would let us in when the time comes. Now onto the most important part- the food. The menu was 6 courses (not including the bread). We got all of the add-ons and I also did the wine pairing. There wasn't any menu available but here's what I got based on photos: - First Course: 4 starters which reminded me of Bar Maze. This was probably the best course for me. I really wish I knew the names of each dish but it was an oyster, salmon tart, another tart (I think this was tomato or something), and ikura toast. All of it was super tasty. - Second Course: Ahi, Caviar, and Uni all on top of their special toasted bread. Now I am a big proponent of all three toppings, but the bread was so rich and dense, it overpowered all of the toppings. I felt the uni went best with the toast, but definitely not my favorite to start a meal so heavy. - Third Course: Almost like a bacon carbonara but without any pasta? It was kind of like a custard texture. It was good but felt a little out of place in the whole grand scheme of the tasting menu. - Bread: I don't count this as a course but we were served this beautiful baked bread with honey butter. Super yummy. - Fourth Course: Lobster - which, of course was tasty but not memorable for me. - Fifth Course: I can't remember if this was wagyu but this was also pretty good. Pretty small for an entree but the meat was cooked well and the presentation was very nice. - 6th Course: There were two desserts and one complimentary dessert for my birthday. The orange creamsicle dessert was the best one. My girlfriend and I didn't like the gummies as they were a bit too sour/savory for our taste (it was li hing flavored which isn't my favorite so I could be biased). The birthday dessert which was a dark chocolate cake thing- it was OK. The cocoa was a bit bitter and was a little too unsweet for our taste. Overall, I think Miro was just okay. For the cost of $195 per person + the wine pairing (which I believe was another $95), and the add-on's for both of us (~$60-70?) plus my girlfriends mocktail, this came out to a very steep $550+ dinner. I feel for 6 courses this is pretty overpriced, especially because the portions are super small and I don't feel the tasting menu was very cohesive. I would definitely rather go to NatuRe, Mugen, or Senia as they are relatively close (or at times cheaper) in price to Miro. Don't get me wrong, the ambiance was beautiful and intimate, and I think it's worth trying at least once if you want to splurge, but sadly this won't be a restaurant I return to regularly, if at all in the future.

    Photos
    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter
    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter - MIRO Sourdough. Furikake butter.

    MIRO Sourdough. Furikake butter.

    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter - Hamachi. Sun-Dried Tomato. Cucumber.

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    Hamachi. Sun-Dried Tomato. Cucumber.

    Morimoto Asia Waikiki - grilled miso black cod

    Morimoto Asia Waikiki

    4.1(1.2k reviews)
    1.1 mi•Waikiki
    •$$$

    This place has amazing food, great views, excellent service, and delicious drinks but it has been…read moreCLOSED for months due to a pipe burst (?) or something.

    My bad review is entirely based on how terrible the food was. For context, we ordered Tonkatsu…read moreramen and Tsukemen dipping ramen. Ramen, according to the server, was the most popular thing on the menu, so how likely could it get messed up? Tonkatsu: Rich, but lacked any salt or had very little. We requested some salt and that instantly made the ramen better. The noodles had enough salt to carry it, but the broth was not great. It tasted like the broth was watered down or reconstituted, however no seasoning was added to re-adjust the broth. Broth: Had little salt and lacked punch, umami, and was brown instead of white. Noodles: Had enough salt to taste good, but was slightly overcooked Pork: Extremely bland. Tasted like zero salt was added during cooking. Toppings: Greatly lacking in toppings Tsukemen: The Tsukemen had a lot of the same issues. Now being a dipping ramen, the broth should be even richer and more flavorful than any normal ramen. Tsukemen -- no matter where you have it in Japan, should be richer and saltier than most broths, but the broth here was severely lacking. For $26 a bowl this was worse than your DIY frozen ramen packs. Now I'm not asking for Japan-level of ramen mastery here, this is after all, just a tourist spot -- but if your Tonkatsu is the best selling item, you have to step it up. Our server did mention that some people complained about the amount of salt in ramen, so they adjusted it. But dare I say, instead of diluting the normal salt/seasoning amount for everyone, couldn't you just add a separate, flavor-light version for people inexperienced with ramen, instead of diluting the original for everyone else? If you're reading this Mr. Morimoto, I would highly encourage you to fly here and order the ramen. I think you and I would share the same opinions. P.S. I've also been to your other Morimoto spots and it was not this bad.

    Photos
    Morimoto Asia Waikiki - Interior

    Interior

    Morimoto Asia Waikiki - Black pepper beef

    Black pepper beef

    Morimoto Asia Waikiki - Morimoto Asia Waikiki Ocean Front Lanai Dining

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    Morimoto Asia Waikiki Ocean Front Lanai Dining

    Lucky Belly - Shrimp Kim Chee Bowl

    Lucky Belly

    4.2(2.2k reviews)
    3.5 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    So glad we ate here! Looks like there are lots of hip options in Chinatown, and we would have…read morewalked around and tried even more if we had had more time. We had a 4 hour layover in Honolulu and it was a quick 15 minute Lyft ride here to Lucky Belly. We were the only party here right at 5:30 pm. Loved the art and clean simple elegance of the exposed brick wall and wood tables. We were greeted and served by a very friendly host. We had the duck tacos, plus the special dim sum appetizer combo of pork belly bao, lobster dumplings and oxtail dumplings. We could not pick a favorite. The variety of textures was fantastic and each of the meat fillings were perfectly seasoned and tender, delicious! Each had a different sauce- just enough, not too much. Nothing was spicy but there was chili oil on the table if you wanted to add more heat. We got 2 nonalcoholic spritzers, one lilikoi and one hibiscus, which were each refreshing and complimented the meal. Since the service was so efficient, after eating, we still had time to zip over to Magic Island to stroll around, take in the scene and enjoy the sunset before heading back to the airport. Our last evening in Hawaii was really special thanks to this delightful restaurant!

    Horrifying experience. We arrived to a nearly empty restaurant. The hostess asked if we had a…read morereservation. We arrived an hour or so before they were about to close. All of the window seats were empty. In fact the restaurant was nearly empty. We were told the only option for us was the inconspicuous booth at the back of the restaurant. Not a good start. The food was okay. There was more than we were expecting, however the short ribs were a little tough. The ambiance, it was nice and empty by the time we left. Overall, what had been something we'd been looking forward to for years turned out to be a dismal disappointment. The experience left us feeling unwelcome, particularly because it seemed the staff were uncomfortable with two men simply going out for lunch. Being a Black and Asian couple shouldn't have any bearing on how paying customers are treated, but unfortunately, that's how the experience felt to us. We can overlook mediocre food or service, but feeling judged or unwelcome is something we won't overlook. We were there as paying customers and deserved to be treated with the same courtesy and respect as anyone else. Unfortunately, this is a place we won't be returning to, and based on our experience, we would not recommend it to others.

    Photos
    Lucky Belly - Interior bar and dining room.

    Interior bar and dining room.

    Lucky Belly - Lobster Moco (Dec 2025 update)

    Lobster Moco (Dec 2025 update)

    Lucky Belly - Exterior front.

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    Exterior front.

    Yi Xin Cafe - hkcafe - Updated September 2026

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