The food was amazing I had the Potama. Which was a spam masubi with egg which was very delicious. I would definitely come back when I come back to Honolulu again.Kid-friendliness: A sweet place great atmosphere for all agesWheelchair accessibility: They have ramps for people in wheelchairs which is also great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Li Y.
Ohh my wow, these have got to be the best musubis I have ever had. The portions are generous. The potama (pork tamago onigiri) Okinawan musubi are more protein to rice, compared to other musubi shops. And I love the combinations of flavors they make in their potamas! I was prepared to just walk on by as my friends and I checked out this new(er) food hall but I saw that the special flavor of the day was goya. If you like bittermelon you will absolutely love this selection! I had no idea that the goya onigiri would be lightly battered and tempura seasoned and fried to the perfect degree. Served with a slice of spam, fried egg, and bonito flakes. Sorry no photos of that one. I also got a katsuo konbu Okinawan musubi for later consumption. Both were loaded with delicious ingredients. Pork Tamago Onigiri is located in the new(er) smaller foodcourt in the Royal Hawaiian Center. You can find them on the 2nd floor beyond Noi Thai Restaurant and across the aisle from them. The ordering and pay process was extremely easy with an order directly at their counter. Credit cards now taken. Ample seating inside the foodcourt. Protip: Remember to ask for the kamaaina or local resident/military discount..! Take your parking card and receipt down to the concierge station right across from centerstage, with local or military ID, get a 3 hour validation. Can't wait to go back and try the shrimp tempura or the mentaiko musubi that I see written up about in other reviews... or another goya potama! Yumm!
Joanne S
Loved this place. A great find in the heart if Waikiki!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Taylor L.
Hit the craving spot perfectly! I had 2 and it was the perfect amount for a post snorkel snack. I would eat spam every day if I could, and they really know how to make a good onigiri. Definitely worth a stop!
Didi N.
My husband was super excited that there was a Pork Tamago Onigiri within walking distance. He went to one in Japan and raved about it. The one here is in a food hall on the second floor. The food hall was decent and clean and the customer service as friendly. If you ever had a musubi, this pretty much a bigger version of a musubi/onigiri but it's called a potama. It looks more so of like a musubi sandwich but I'm not complaining! The difference in a potama is that it is more so of like a foldover rice sandwich around a slice of omelet. We got two sampler pack (one of each flavor) and also a special one that had shrimp tempura in it (my husband's favorite). You order from the counter and then given a pager. It took about 30 minutes for 12 potamas. For the sampler box (all came with rice, spam, and egg): Mentaiko mayo: 8/10 - I didn't try this since I don't care for pollack roe but my husband, sister, and BIL loved it. Just wish it had a little bit more flavor from what they said. Tuna mayo corn: 8/10 - I enjoyed this very much as the the corn gave it a pop of brightness and sweetness against the saltiness of the spam and tanginess of the rice. I love how the tuna and corn was coated in every inch with the mayo and as I continue eating the potama, the tuna mayo soaked into the rice and added more flavor. We decided to get two of these instead of the cheese and ketchup potama. Kelp: 9/10 - I tried kelp at the other musubi place and fell in love and expected not to be disappointed her. It was worth it! I savored every bite and the kelp was seasoned so well (marinated in teriyaki or shoyu) that I didn't want to share haha. Like the tuna mayo corn, as I progressively ate the potama, the glaze soaked in the rice and provided an explosion of flavors. Regular potama: 7.5/10 - I didn't try this but my brother's gf seemed to like this one the best. She loves the simplicity of just the spam and egg. She said the spam and egg were cooked perfectly. Miso: 9/10 - I enjoyed this very much and besides the kelp one, this one was my second favorite. I loved the saltiness of the miso paste combined with the spam and eggs. The miso paste also had a hint of sweetness and miso is a taste that is unique. You either like it or not as it some people might think that it's too salty for their liking (Miso is fermented soybeans that are sometimes combined with barley, rice, etc. during fermentation) . They added a lot of the miso paste to the potama and while my brother's gf and sister didn't care for it too much, I thoroughly enjoyed it and ate it all! Shrimp special: 10/10 - I didn't try this one but my husband swears up and down that this is the best kind. The shrimp looked perfectly fried and golden and when he ate it, I could hear the crunch and crisp of the shrimp. I think it came with some type of tarter sauce too. We got the same potamas for the second sampler box. Overall, the price as good for how big the potamas are. I loved the protein, seafood, egg to the rice and seaweed ratio. The rice and also egg were fluffy. They don't skimp on the ingredients at all! We paid about $25 for 6 of them so it was definitely a steal! We would get this again! But I will say that these aren't as flavorful or seasoned as the musubi from the musubi cafe. I don't think the tamago was sweetened as well, but just the regular egg flavor. I prefer my tamago to be sweetened as I feel it adds a better flavor. However, these are a great alternative if you're in the area.
Mari K.
If you're looking for a quick bite or something grab and go, look no further. The spam is cooked well and has a light crisp to the outside. The egg is always fluffy and compliments the spam perfectly. The mentaiko mayo was just alright but definitely needed a bit of soy sauce. My favorite between these two was the Double Shrimp as the breading is perfect! The Waikiki Foodhall is tucked away on the 3rd floor above Cheesecake Factory next to Noi Thai. There's ample seating outside and a few tables outside. There's a bar located in the center of the Foodhall which plays college sports, football, and basketball. Service is quick and food is made to order. There is only one register that takes orders for two different food stalls, so it was a little confusing the first time I went.
shuang wu
it is in a food court. Not recommend coming after 8, sold out regulary.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 2
Hanna K.
This is located in the small food court area above Cheesecake Factory. Just keep taking the escalator up two floors. They have plenty of seatings with tables and a restroom is right next to this restaurant. We went pretty late around 8pm so it was not crowded. A very chill and relaxing time to be there. I ordered the mentaiko mayo which is usually what I get if I order an onigiri (triangle shaped type). When I first opened the package I first thought got the wrong order because I didn't see the main ingredients. But when looked closely it was there between the egg and rice. Very thinly applied. Because the spam is so salty, it overpowered all the other flavors. And because there were so little mentaiko mayo spread it was really hard to taste the flavor. The rice and egg was not seasoned which I like because the spam and the mayo should be the main flavors. But I didn't like how I couldn't taste anything other than the spam. I would rather just get the spam musubi. If you like mentaiko then get the onigiri. If they would have added more of the mentaiko mayo, it might have been a bit better. I have had this same type of musubi before so I was a bit disappointed.
Raphael Masinag
Reminds me of my creation SPAM cheese Musubi of High School days. Comfort food!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Spicy Cod
Ken Wong
January 2024:Ordered the two special ongiris. One was the shrimp tempura and the other was fried bitter melon.Both were very tasty. I really liked the bitter melon because the bitter melon complimented the saltiness of the spam and the sweetness of the sauce.The tempura shrimp was also very tasty ?. Portion is not bad for $8.Service was fine. The food court atmosphere is very chill. I would definitely come back again for more delicious food!
Tried two onigiri - one with spicy tuna, and one with bitter melon. They were okay, but nothing special.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Corey
So delicious!! Great snack to have while walking and window shopping! Great portion size, nice price point, and quick to make. Just look at all the different yummy layers!In the Waikiki food hall (above the Cheesecake Factory).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jacki Cardoso
Nestled in the heart of Waikiki, at the Food Hall in the Royal Hawaiian Center, Pork Tamago Onigiri, provides a nice twist to this Japanese “soul food” that can normally be found in all Japanese convenience stores.Deemed as the very first traveling food, onigiri were invented before the existence of refrigeration as a means to preserve fresh rice longer so it could be brought along to feed travelers, samurai, soldiers on the road, or farmers in the farm fields.The method was to fill the rice with a salty or sour ingredient as natural preservatives and lightly compact them into portable food that can be carried along and eaten with hands. To keep the rice safe, salt was first used in making the onigiri.PO provides a wide variety of choices on its menu. We had the classic Po-Tama, which has the rice, egg, Spam wrapped with Nori. DH had the double shrimp which is the standard Po-Tama with two tempura shrimp included. Food was made to order but came quickly! The meal was a great choice for a midday break!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 7 Potama, Spam Egg
Andie Serpas
Masubi was ok. I’ve never had it and didn’t expect for span to be so salty. I gave it a try.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Justin Clark
Really good musabi! Each different combo was really unique and nori was fresh. Really enjoyed it for a quick lunch. The tuna corn combo sounded odd but really glad I got it, so yummy. Picked up a $5 beer and a $6 Mai Tai at the burger stand next door. Great value for a quick lunch near the beach. Located on 3rd floor of the large shopping building.
The food was amazing I had the Potama. Which was a spam masubi with egg which was very delicious. I would definitely come back when I come back to Honolulu again.Kid-friendliness: A sweet place great atmosphere for all agesWheelchair accessibility: They have ramps for people in wheelchairs which is also great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ohh my wow, these have got to be the best musubis I have ever had. The portions are generous. The potama (pork tamago onigiri) Okinawan musubi are more protein to rice, compared to other musubi shops. And I love the combinations of flavors they make in their potamas! I was prepared to just walk on by as my friends and I checked out this new(er) food hall but I saw that the special flavor of the day was goya. If you like bittermelon you will absolutely love this selection! I had no idea that the goya onigiri would be lightly battered and tempura seasoned and fried to the perfect degree. Served with a slice of spam, fried egg, and bonito flakes. Sorry no photos of that one. I also got a katsuo konbu Okinawan musubi for later consumption. Both were loaded with delicious ingredients. Pork Tamago Onigiri is located in the new(er) smaller foodcourt in the Royal Hawaiian Center. You can find them on the 2nd floor beyond Noi Thai Restaurant and across the aisle from them. The ordering and pay process was extremely easy with an order directly at their counter. Credit cards now taken. Ample seating inside the foodcourt. Protip: Remember to ask for the kamaaina or local resident/military discount..! Take your parking card and receipt down to the concierge station right across from centerstage, with local or military ID, get a 3 hour validation. Can't wait to go back and try the shrimp tempura or the mentaiko musubi that I see written up about in other reviews... or another goya potama! Yumm!
Loved this place. A great find in the heart if Waikiki!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hit the craving spot perfectly! I had 2 and it was the perfect amount for a post snorkel snack. I would eat spam every day if I could, and they really know how to make a good onigiri. Definitely worth a stop!
My husband was super excited that there was a Pork Tamago Onigiri within walking distance. He went to one in Japan and raved about it. The one here is in a food hall on the second floor. The food hall was decent and clean and the customer service as friendly. If you ever had a musubi, this pretty much a bigger version of a musubi/onigiri but it's called a potama. It looks more so of like a musubi sandwich but I'm not complaining! The difference in a potama is that it is more so of like a foldover rice sandwich around a slice of omelet. We got two sampler pack (one of each flavor) and also a special one that had shrimp tempura in it (my husband's favorite). You order from the counter and then given a pager. It took about 30 minutes for 12 potamas. For the sampler box (all came with rice, spam, and egg): Mentaiko mayo: 8/10 - I didn't try this since I don't care for pollack roe but my husband, sister, and BIL loved it. Just wish it had a little bit more flavor from what they said. Tuna mayo corn: 8/10 - I enjoyed this very much as the the corn gave it a pop of brightness and sweetness against the saltiness of the spam and tanginess of the rice. I love how the tuna and corn was coated in every inch with the mayo and as I continue eating the potama, the tuna mayo soaked into the rice and added more flavor. We decided to get two of these instead of the cheese and ketchup potama. Kelp: 9/10 - I tried kelp at the other musubi place and fell in love and expected not to be disappointed her. It was worth it! I savored every bite and the kelp was seasoned so well (marinated in teriyaki or shoyu) that I didn't want to share haha. Like the tuna mayo corn, as I progressively ate the potama, the glaze soaked in the rice and provided an explosion of flavors. Regular potama: 7.5/10 - I didn't try this but my brother's gf seemed to like this one the best. She loves the simplicity of just the spam and egg. She said the spam and egg were cooked perfectly. Miso: 9/10 - I enjoyed this very much and besides the kelp one, this one was my second favorite. I loved the saltiness of the miso paste combined with the spam and eggs. The miso paste also had a hint of sweetness and miso is a taste that is unique. You either like it or not as it some people might think that it's too salty for their liking (Miso is fermented soybeans that are sometimes combined with barley, rice, etc. during fermentation) . They added a lot of the miso paste to the potama and while my brother's gf and sister didn't care for it too much, I thoroughly enjoyed it and ate it all! Shrimp special: 10/10 - I didn't try this one but my husband swears up and down that this is the best kind. The shrimp looked perfectly fried and golden and when he ate it, I could hear the crunch and crisp of the shrimp. I think it came with some type of tarter sauce too. We got the same potamas for the second sampler box. Overall, the price as good for how big the potamas are. I loved the protein, seafood, egg to the rice and seaweed ratio. The rice and also egg were fluffy. They don't skimp on the ingredients at all! We paid about $25 for 6 of them so it was definitely a steal! We would get this again! But I will say that these aren't as flavorful or seasoned as the musubi from the musubi cafe. I don't think the tamago was sweetened as well, but just the regular egg flavor. I prefer my tamago to be sweetened as I feel it adds a better flavor. However, these are a great alternative if you're in the area.
If you're looking for a quick bite or something grab and go, look no further. The spam is cooked well and has a light crisp to the outside. The egg is always fluffy and compliments the spam perfectly. The mentaiko mayo was just alright but definitely needed a bit of soy sauce. My favorite between these two was the Double Shrimp as the breading is perfect! The Waikiki Foodhall is tucked away on the 3rd floor above Cheesecake Factory next to Noi Thai. There's ample seating outside and a few tables outside. There's a bar located in the center of the Foodhall which plays college sports, football, and basketball. Service is quick and food is made to order. There is only one register that takes orders for two different food stalls, so it was a little confusing the first time I went.
it is in a food court. Not recommend coming after 8, sold out regulary.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 2
This is located in the small food court area above Cheesecake Factory. Just keep taking the escalator up two floors. They have plenty of seatings with tables and a restroom is right next to this restaurant. We went pretty late around 8pm so it was not crowded. A very chill and relaxing time to be there. I ordered the mentaiko mayo which is usually what I get if I order an onigiri (triangle shaped type). When I first opened the package I first thought got the wrong order because I didn't see the main ingredients. But when looked closely it was there between the egg and rice. Very thinly applied. Because the spam is so salty, it overpowered all the other flavors. And because there were so little mentaiko mayo spread it was really hard to taste the flavor. The rice and egg was not seasoned which I like because the spam and the mayo should be the main flavors. But I didn't like how I couldn't taste anything other than the spam. I would rather just get the spam musubi. If you like mentaiko then get the onigiri. If they would have added more of the mentaiko mayo, it might have been a bit better. I have had this same type of musubi before so I was a bit disappointed.
Reminds me of my creation SPAM cheese Musubi of High School days. Comfort food!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Spicy Cod
January 2024:Ordered the two special ongiris. One was the shrimp tempura and the other was fried bitter melon.Both were very tasty. I really liked the bitter melon because the bitter melon complimented the saltiness of the spam and the sweetness of the sauce.The tempura shrimp was also very tasty ?. Portion is not bad for $8.Service was fine. The food court atmosphere is very chill. I would definitely come back again for more delicious food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bittermelon Spam Onigiri
Restaurantji Recommends
Tried two onigiri - one with spicy tuna, and one with bitter melon. They were okay, but nothing special.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
So delicious!! Great snack to have while walking and window shopping! Great portion size, nice price point, and quick to make. Just look at all the different yummy layers!In the Waikiki food hall (above the Cheesecake Factory).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nestled in the heart of Waikiki, at the Food Hall in the Royal Hawaiian Center, Pork Tamago Onigiri, provides a nice twist to this Japanese “soul food” that can normally be found in all Japanese convenience stores.Deemed as the very first traveling food, onigiri were invented before the existence of refrigeration as a means to preserve fresh rice longer so it could be brought along to feed travelers, samurai, soldiers on the road, or farmers in the farm fields.The method was to fill the rice with a salty or sour ingredient as natural preservatives and lightly compact them into portable food that can be carried along and eaten with hands. To keep the rice safe, salt was first used in making the onigiri.PO provides a wide variety of choices on its menu. We had the classic Po-Tama, which has the rice, egg, Spam wrapped with Nori. DH had the double shrimp which is the standard Po-Tama with two tempura shrimp included. Food was made to order but came quickly! The meal was a great choice for a midday break!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 7 Potama, Spam Egg
Masubi was ok. I’ve never had it and didn’t expect for span to be so salty. I gave it a try.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Really good musabi! Each different combo was really unique and nori was fresh. Really enjoyed it for a quick lunch. The tuna corn combo sounded odd but really glad I got it, so yummy. Picked up a $5 beer and a $6 Mai Tai at the burger stand next door. Great value for a quick lunch near the beach. Located on 3rd floor of the large shopping building.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Tuna, Goya Tempura