If you want any sort of Japanese food, you would do well to come to Tin Hau. It seems to be…read moresomewhat of an enclave for Japanese cuisine, supposedly due to a long post war history (but don't quote me, I ain't no history major!). If you are after good Japanese food, then you would do well to come to Izakaya 88. 88 Is a charming little place, right on the Tin Hau "drag" of Electric Road. You'll spot it as it is one of the only places along said drag that doesn't get your attention by making your eyes bleed with the overuse of fluorescent lighting. The wood frontage will entice you with a caress so gentle, your retinas will thank their designer for it! The bulk of the menu is Robatayaki, which is the grilled skewers. There are a punchy number of different stick combinations, meaty, fishy and veggie, so you should be well satisfied. Price is anything from HKD25 for a simple chicken, through to over a hundred (note, this is per stick) for some of the more fancy options. As well as the Robatayaki, there is a small range of sushi, sashimi, and other more "typical" Japanese fare. I find the raw fish really tasty, and fresh to boot, so no complaints there at all! Whilst the selection is quite small, the sushi chef (who looks like my mate Gordon - but more on this later) can pretty much make you anything you want off menu. For me, the best value is the grilled sashimi bowl, which is tasty and filling, at only HKD220. The service is exemplary. The managers are friendly, welcoming, and will always try and accommodate you, even if like me you forget to book on a Friday night. The staff are also really pleasant and friendly. Look out for Alan, one of the waiters, who probably has the best English in the joint. Also, if it's your birthday, Gordon 2 can whip you up a sashimi birthday cake - yummers! Last tip for newbies, if you are only one or two, try and sit up at at the bar. You can watch the chefs at work, and it means your food comes out direct from them (rather than sitting on the pass for a waiter to bus).

The food was only so so for a Japanese place yet the price is not cheap. I ordered the set lunch…read morewith sashimi uni don and a ground chicken stick skewer. However, they missed the order for the chicken stick, when they finally got it readied, the chicken stick is cold from the inside. When I told them about it, they hastily apologized without sincerity and prepared a new one for me. What disappointed me is the the chicken stick came back with the core half frozen again. So, service is not good, they did not follow up nor pay attention. The bill came to me without a sign of apology, reflecting poor management. The chicken stick being freezing cold in the core indicated that the food might not be fresh and they care little of food quality. Overall, a terrible experience and I will avoid any chance of revisit.

A bit pricey for what it is, methinks, but I think in the broader HK context it's fine. Lovely…read moreatmosphere and space, with a few hilarious mis-translations for those JP speakers out there, earnest food and attentive staff. Would repeat. Small restaurant that fills up quickly, so be sure to book ahead if visiting at peak times. Those visiting as groups should ask for the cute tatami-mat rooms.

I get cravings to come here if I don't make a visit at least once every 2 weeks or so. They have a…read morelovely lady with purple colored hair (at the end) who greets us warmly and remembers our order. Your order gets grilled right at your table by them. The interesting things to try? Clam congee, tuna cheek, and the fresh abalone. Good selection of sakes and they have draft sapporo. The meal isn't cheap but the ingredients are fresh making it worth while.

Best place in Tai Hang (大坑) to have Japanese seafood. Its not a big place so its great for…read morecouples/group of 4. We ordered the BBQ seafood set menu and every dishes were delicious.

This place is situated in the basement of the building and it's quite hard to find. While this is a…read morefairly nice place to go for a light meal, and a fun Japanese themed alcoholic beverage, it's absurdly small and you will need to make a reservation AND show up right before the place opens. Should you get a table, use the crampness (aka coziness) to your advantage. Since the restaurant has a casual, yet somewhat intimate environment, this place can be considered for an earlier date, especially if you're particularly anxious. Yakitori here is good, there are other alternatives, but they're not particularly noteworthy. This is a small business, so you will actually get some good suggestions if you ask the waiter what he/she recommends. I would drop by this place again the next time I'm in Hong Kong, but until then, I'll just recommend it to people.

Restaurant is behind an unmarked black door so can be a bit difficult to find. Expect to pay around…read more$800-1000 HKD. They have both a tasting menu and a la carte, we opted for the latter. Menu changes regularly and everything is meant to be shared. Their signature dish is their flower crab that comes with uni. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed as the crab wasn't as sweet as I would have liked and the flavors were very mild. For the price, I wouldn't get it again if I came back Akagai arkshell clams: The clams were very sweet and delicate. Would order again. Scallop ebi tartare: BEST dish of the night. Do yourself a favor and get this dish if it's still available. This is a dish where you'll want to cherish each bite and have it last as long as possible on the tongue. The scallop and ebi were sweet and paired well with the uni. The pastry it was served on provided a nice crunchy texture. KFC Sawagani Crab: Think fried small crabs served in a spicy BBQ sauce. The crabs didn't have much taste aside from the crunch. Smoked BBQ Fish Collar: Fish was hamachi and was very tender. The BBQ flavor was nice but got a bit one note after awhile. Unagi chirashi: Flavors were exactly as expected. The unagi was sweet and the pickles added some nice acidity. I'm glad they gave this at the end as it was pretty filling. Overall a very solid Japanese restaurant that I would happily recommend to anyone for a date night! See

Ronin is one of my favorite restaurants in Hong Kong. The dining experience is a bit unique. It…read moreisn't cheap but still worth the price. Worth a visit and a return. FOOD I expected omakse but ended up ordering exactly what I was to get. What was different here is that the plates are shared. I had a party of two and after I ordered, the waiter just left. I was assuming he would take both of our orders. Then, the majority of the dishes were plated on their own dish so the two of us just ate from the same dish. This wasn't a huge deal but I definitely have never seen that before. It kind of felt like we had ordered for one and were sharing everything. I'm curious what happens if you dine alone here. Not everything here is worth getting so I'd definitely read up a little before visiting to get the best experience. The flower crab is a must. It's worth getting more than one of those. DRINKS They have a good selection of alcohol. I only sampled a few of the sake. Simple and good. SERVICE Good. The restaurant is small and staff is never too far away. LOCATION Ronin is tricky to find. The door is unmarked and doesn't really look like a door. I first went for the glass door that was next door on the left. I've posted a picture incase you need a reference.

Last night was a spectacular fusion of tastes and artfully presented Japanese Tapas…read more The Kirin Ichiban was ice cold and the service was excellent. I'll definitely be back next time in HK. Order the grilled black cod and enjoy the surprise.

3.5 Stars Just…read morearound the corner from Via Tokyo, a quiet cul-de-sac awaits with hidden gem eateries like cafes, dessert shops and now a Japanese yakitori bar comically named Bilibala. Why is the name comical? Well "bilibala" is supposedly what loud chatters sound like in Cantonese and thus the name is aptly suited then for a bar serving drinks and yakitori which is perfect for a night out chit chatting with friends. Some of the things we tried were: Cold Japanese Tomato with Black Truffle ($58) - the black truffle was quite aromatic while the sweet and fresh tomatoes made for a very refreshing snack. Japanese Fish Ball with Wasabi ($48) - I was pleasantly surprised by this unique combination as the chewy fish balls went perfectly with the spicy wasabi. Tamagoyaki ($58) - the tamagoyaki was well executed with the many soft layers of sweet egg. Lychee with Bacon ($32) - whoever thought of this combination of lychee with bacon is pure genius. The sweetness of the lychee balanced the saltiness of the meat perfectly. Just be careful when eating this as the lychee may still be quite hot and may burn your mouth. Ox Tongue ($40) - the ox tongue was a bit average as the tongue could be thicker and bouncier in texture but the array of sauces for the yakitori were a nice touch. Fresh Eel ($88) - Loved the crispiness of the skin and the tenderness of the eel! Tsukune ($48) - the ever classic minced chicken meatball was delicious to eat as bits of chewy cartilage had been incorporated into the meatball so it was crunchy-licious! Grilled Rice Roll ($38 each) - in 3 flavors: cod fish roe, pickled plum, and bonito flakes. The rice rolls were quite crunchy to eat while I especially liked the spiciness of the cod fish roe and the tartness of the pickled plum. Japanese Mochi with Cheese ($28) - finally we ended the night perfectly with these scrumptiously soft and chewy mochi filled with melting cheese that were just heavenly to eat. Verdict - the affordable price tags and great quality of food at Bilibala make it a great spot for happy hour with friends to eat and drink the night away.

Do yourself a big favor.... The food leaves you…read morespeechless...!! "Real" Japanese Yakitori... Complete Japanese management and food one only finds in the mist respected Japanese Yakitori restaurants in Tokyo. Make a reservation, since it's not a big place

We come here for lunch regularly, probably once a week. It's such a great find in this part of…read moretown. The restaurant is tiny, located in the corner of the Regal Hotel (1/F), totally unexpected but will surprise you at how good it is. The food is consistently good and the restaurant is always packed. Their lunch specials are decently priced for this part of town where Japanese food usually costs around $200 HKD for ok places and over $300-500+ HKD for fancier and more elaborate places. There are only a few choices (~5 and a daily special) preset lunch choices that come with pickled veggies, main, side (usually soup or udon), tea and coffee at the end of your meal. My favorite is either the grilled fish or BBQ chicken skewers w/rice (particularly for the chicken meatball/sausage skewer). Always ask what the special of the day is and if you are lucky, it will be negi toro donburi day. You can also order a la carte (they do all sorts of skewers), but I recommend you stick to the lunch specials. At the end of your meal, you can choose iced or hot coffee, and make sure you try the creamy milk they serve with it - it really makes the coffee so decadent. I love all of the staff here, they are just so nice! The service here is always amazing; they are so kind, accommodating and funny. The food comes out fast and you are always attended to. They also make it easy when you pay in groups, somehow they remember what everyone ordered and can give each person their individual totals. But try not to come in a big group, the restaurant is pretty tiny. I would say four is the max. I only wish there was more ventilation because depending on where you sit, the grilling may make you smell a little BBQ-y when you leave. Highly recommended and my friends and I agree that someday when we don't live in HK, we will miss this place. The food and service are both soooo good.

Located on the 2nd floor of the old kowloon hotel, I felt like I was going back in time. This…read moreplace has really great lunch sets. Good value great taste. 5 of us had lunch and the total was usd $70. They were out of the pork cutlets so I was a bit disappointed. Tempura was good, portions were perfect.