50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Kailua

“breakfast of Champs! go get some!“

“Dining at 22 Kailua was nothing short of magical. From the moment we walked in, we were wrapped in a sense of calm elegance—with soft lighting and the gentle hum of happy conversations setting the tone for an unforgettable night. Every dish felt like a love letter to the islands. The ahi crudo was delicate and bright, bursting with flavor in the most graceful way. The butter-poached lobster was rich, soulful, and beautifully balanced—each bite melted like a dream. But it wasn’t just the food. The warmth of the chef, the passion in every plate, and the attention to detail made it feel personal—like a special evening crafted just for us. 22 Kailua isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a culinary experience full of heart. One you’ll remember long after the last bite. Pure love. 5 stars. 🌺“

“Stopped by for their new takeout curry, saw their sign outside and decided to try it out. We got the pork katsu curry and the karaage curry. The food was seriously delicious. The katsu tasted amazing and the salt and flavor of the karaage was perfect. Highly recommend everyone come try it!“

“Very convenient after a haircut. Tasty, nice people, fast service.“

“Stop here and you will not be disappointed! Wonderful atmosphere and service, the sushi is delicious, fresh, and priced right. Picture is #8 Yummy Yummy roll and it is that! I had some toro sake nigiri and it was ?? to die for…I’ll make sure to stop here every time I’m in the area.“

“been eating here for over 20 years and they are friendly and consistent with everything. best pad thai n cashew nut chicken ever!!!“

“Food is so delicious and staff extremely helpful and attentive“

“Craving tempura, my husband found this highly rated restaurant, so we had to try it out. Located in Stix ASIA, one of several Asian restaurants in the basement of Waikiki Shopping Plaza.
Servers were attentive, yet not overbearing. We had fun teasing with our waiter, thankfully he was a good sport.
I ordered the Shrimp Tempura and the other two had the Kiki tempura bowls.
My husband thought his were greasy, but all were very good.“

“Aloha, Han No Daikoro has amazing cuts of wagyu meats, served fresh from Japan. We visited during the Taste of Ward week - good deal at $85, nice. Kim chee and namul sides come with the meal. Add the garlic stone pot rice too, all so yummy. Nice fun cocktails, beer and sake. Enjoy!“

“This place deserves 5 stars. They've probably gotten over $100 from me from the past week. l've been coming in here everyday for breakfast and the highlight is the pork kakuni & egg. Think of a braised taiwanese braised pork and a marinated egg ontop. They even stuff the masubi center with more meat! The pork melts in your mouth and you cant just eat one. I order 3 a day!! Service was amazing and always greets upon entry. Ambiance is welcoming a small area where there are trays of masubis and Bento boxes. Highly recommend for this is the best masubi place on the island.“

“Great service😊 Friendly staff ❤️“

“We had a lovely experience during our visit. The food is amazing, the sushi was very fresh and the fried rice was also very good. And the service was spectacular! Highly recommended!!

If you are a Korean and are traveling to Waikiki, definitely stop by!! It's really delicious and the owner is very kindㅜㅜ“

“Food is ALWAYS delicious and the staff is so kind and attentive! Katsu-san creates the most beautiful sashimi platters and omakase sushi!“

“One of top places I miss being able to walk to for lunch when I worked in downtown. The noodles are bouncy and delicious and definitely fill you up. They’re quick, courteous, and very affordable for the quality of food. So thankful they’re open weekends even in the downtown location. Strongly recommend!!“

“High quality sushi you can order by pieces, price point is on the higher end but food quality well justified it. All pieces we ordered didn’t have tendon parts you can’t chew, they were very fresh, decent sized. Their wasabi’s freshly grounded version. Would definitely come back again!

The decor looked a bit cheap tho and the lighting of the restaurant didn’t offer any ambiance, didn’t create a feeling that we’d like to stay for a long time and enjoy our food, but rather, let’s eat then leave. Efficiency seems to run in all aspects of the restaurant. You order food on a iPad and pieces delivered directly from kitchen via a conveyor belt.“

“Our favorite local katsu place. You can't go wrong with either tonkatsu or the shrimp katsu. The tonkatsu is layers and layers of tender pork. The shrimp katsu is chunks of shrimp in a patty, then coated with panko. The shrimp is always tender and never rubbery. The bentos come with rice, a small scoop of potato salad on a bed onf lettuce, hasu, edemame, takuwan, katsu sauce and toasted sesame seeds. The katsu comes on abed of finely shredded cabbage. Shrimp katsu comes with a remoulade type sauce.“

“Came here for the $32 lunch special, what a great deal! High quality meats and unlimited sides, soda, curry and Dave's ice cream!!! Nice atmosphere, comfortable and great music. Alex our server was exceptional as usual. Love everything about this place! Our new go to!“

“Fresh made to order Masubi“

“There's not enough space to right the good things about this place. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted and acknowledged by everyone, including the sushi chefs. Water and drink order is perfectly timed. Whether you order teishoku complete meals or sushi, the flavor and and portions are spot on. If you choose to sit at the sushi counter, the spread is just amazing. From white fish, tuna, to shellfish and sometimes even a fruit or plant to cleanse the pallet. I would recommend reservations as this place is always busy. Takeout is also very good!“

“Nice atmosphere and tasty food 🍱“

“Please support your local businesses! This is a hidden gem and the food is delicious. The lady that waited on me was wonderful and informative. I had the Salmon Donburi (poke bowl) with the Miso soup (about 1/2 cup). For those of you who like the aesthetics of a meal, it was prepared in a delightful and beautiful manner. I felt bad that I had to eat the beautifully prepared dish. The soup was good and the Salmon donburi was salted to a perfection and the rest of the bowl (avocado, cabbage, greens) complemented it well.“

“These rice balls took me straight back to Japan. I’ve stopped here multiple times, one because they taste really good, two because I don’t want to pay $100 for every meal in a tourist trap. I’ve just grabbed more for my morning flight tomorrow. The kelp and pickle/pickle leaves can last a little over a day without being in the fridge. Love it! 🥰 🍙“

“お蕎麦はもちろん今回は雲丹、いくら、帆立の海鮮丼がとても美味しかったです。 ランチセットがリーズナブルです👍“

“Take and go musubi !! Second location both close by!!“

“Best tsukamem! Large portion of noodles with excellent dipping sauce. Neighbors eating fried chicken and fries which looked delicious. One wait staff took care of the entire place with great efficiency. Would go back again.“

“I was ono for some sushi and soki soup combo. So good.. just like baban used to make.?“

“Love the food. Delicious. Fresh and hot“

“**edit 10/20** been here 2 more times now, its my go to lunch place when im in the area for authentic Japanese food? Tried their Tonkotsu ramen with side rice and gyoza, and also the Daily Special which was the Aimori bento (chicken karaage and ginger pork). Friendly service and food that is made to order??**

Legit little authentic Japanese diner/take out place that I stumbled upon looking for another restaurant in Honolulu. Located in the building with restaurants on King Street and Keeaumoku, where Sushi Sasabune is located. This place is at the end to the left.

There was a late lunch crowd when i walked in so took a little while to be seated. Note that this place is run by two people so if youre in a rush, this isnt the place for you as the food is prepared on order so it takes some time.

They were running a promotion the day i went, which was Niku no hi, or Meat Day where if you ordered a specific meal, you would get 150% more. Since it was my first time here, the waitress suggested the popular Karaage Fried Chicken Plate, which I gladly ordered.

Took a while for the meal to arrive since there were two parties seated in front of me, and their meals looked great too... Especially the ramen. When my meal arrived it was piping hot, the way I like it. Squeeze the lemon on and it came with a shoyu dipping sauce that I felt didnt need. The chicken was crisp, not oily and already marinated before fried just like you would eat in Japan.

There was more chicken than I could eat in one sitting so I took half of it home. Would recommend if in the area, Im sure their other dishes are excellent too?5 stars.

Parking: Free parking lot in the back of restaurant and street metered parking in front (free if on Sundays)“

“small but very mighty. delicious food, friendly staff..... awesome“

“Had a good time at mr ojisans neo bar and sushi. Ordered the tempura udon.....it was very delicious. I would recommend this place again. Just a side note last seating at 130 pm for lunch. They open at 5 for dinner. Great tasting food and nice portions.“

“So delicious“

“Swung in just ten minutes or so before closing and snagged a 9 buck bento. The staff are so friendly and it truly is a little hole in the wall quick takeout spot. I tried the shrimp Tempura bento which was the perfect size for me and I loved the variety of vegetables and sides! Their sweet potato mochi is also phenomenal even at end-of-day. Looking forward to trying other daily bentos! :)“

“Wow! What a find! The food was delicious! I had the kimchee pork bowl with Japanese potato salad and tossed salad. The portion sizes are perfect. Our food arrived hot and served quickly. I've never had Japanese potato salad and this one did not disappoint. Give this spot a try and you will have leftovers worth eating later! Definitely recommend this spot!“

“If you’re looking for an ube fix, Nana’s Tea has an ube soft serve swirl will do you right. Aside from the creamy soft serve, they add a small dollop of fresh ube halaya and a couple of mochi ball. Will come back to try the other flavors!“

“The food was absolutely delicious! I love everything and how it was in such a good price for hot pot. The service was quick and got seated in minutes. The server was sweet and checked on us to make sure how everything is. I saw how quick our food came out. The food was hot and fresh and the chicken was crispy. The soup was very flavorful. Each plating was so unique and beautiful. And how we didn’t had to wait that long for our service. I will definitely come back and highly recommend others to come.“

“1st time visiting from California and my husband's 1st time trying sushi (which took a long time to finally get him to try it). We just happened to find the new place traveling around the island. Evan was working and was exceptional, very friendly and helpful with making selections off the menu. We Loved the atmosphere, especially the Christian music playing. Very clean and a good vibe. We loved it so much we had to buy some t-shirts. Thank you for a wonderful experience! We'll definitely be returning.

Kid-friendliness: Family friendly

Wheelchair accessibility: Our daughter is in a wheelchair and we were very comfortable dining in the restaurant“

“Sushi is so fresh and Good service“

“10/09/24: My partner suggested we stop by here for Inari and I was very glad we did! We tried 6 different flavors: bulgogi, unagi, kimchi bacon, corn salad, imitation crab salad, spicy ahi. I had trouble figuring out what was my favorite because they were all very tasty. They were all reasonably priced as well. Would definitely stop by here again during our next visit!

Parking: Parking in the garage was fairly easy, but this was on a Wednesday morning/afternoon.“

“A really respectable Japanese curry at a great price. The server was super attentive even during the lunch rush (I'm pretty sure my drink was never empty). This place is all about the fundamentals and is really no frills, but it does those fundamentals really well and doesn't charge you out the ass which is pretty rare in downtown.“

“Anytime my mom asked, “Do you wanna go get Ayame ramen?” my answer was always, “Yes! YAY, Ayame!” As a kid, this was the first place I ever had ramen that wasn’t from a cup or a packet, and it made a huge impact on my tastebuds and what I’d be open to trying for the rest of my life.

Their curry and ramen are both incredible. I still remember staring at the fish cake, wondering what it was, but loving the flavor and texture, and thinking the bright pink swirl looked so cool. I even started putting chili oil in my ramen at a young age because of this place, I loved the heat and the flavor.

This place left such a lasting impression on me, and I would love to revisit and experience that nostalgia again, especially with my mom. That’s the heart of what makes a great restaurant, when someone loves their food enough to share it, and it becomes part of your memories together.

Wishing your restaurant many blessings and continued good fortune. I hope the families who come in today get to enjoy the ramen as much as I did, because 20 years later, I still remember that first bowl.“

“Amazing dining experience.“

“The beef curry is on point. They have a great variety of musubis to choose from and some very cool deserts as well.💯👏👏“

“Finally got back to this place on a lunch run in Kalihi. When you want a hearty local style brekkie plate with the famous garlic chicken that will leave a lasting reminder when you burp all day this is the place yessa?

The place moved a couple years ago to a newer shopping plaza with ample parking across New City Nissan, and now accepts credit card and they also answer the phone to take phone orders so that helps make the lines here shorter... Iykyk.

I always get the Breakfast Combo special deluxe with garlic chicken, 2 bacon, scrambled eggs and fried rice. A classic local brekkie when youre hungry. Prices have gone up so its around $13 bucks plus tax but its comfort food. Support local.... 5 stars??“

“They had GOOD WAIT Services , FOOD WAS AUTHENTIC & DELICIOUS!!!I WILL RECOMMEND TO ALL MY FAMILY & FRIENDS TO DINE THERE!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏AWESOME COOKS & RECIPES!!!“

“Excellent food. Friendly staff“

“Everything was great from entering the restaurant till we left stuffed. Ventilation is great knowing how the cooking is table side. Though as entertaining as it was throughout dinner, set up leaves little opportunities for conversations cross table, but that's not you go there for. Larger parties should definitely consider the private dining area available. Overall very nice dining experience.“

“お蕎麦はもちろん今回は雲丹、いくら、帆立の海鮮丼がとても美味しかったです。 ランチセットがリーズナブルです👍“

“From food to service this place knocked it out of the park! Coming from NYC and been to Japan twice I think this is one of the best Japanese restaurants I’ve ever had.
Seasoning for each dish was just right. The chef kindly gave me three pieces of dried stingray fin to try. Don’t be fooled by the name. I was surprised by how well seasoned and cooked it was. Moist yet crispy and sweet. It was so good that I ordered a whole plate.
Service wise, I dined solo at the counter. Chef and waiting staff were all super attentive but also gave me space to enjoy the food. During our conversation, I casually mentioned how good the mangos in Hawai’i were. The waitress kindly asked the pastry chef to add a few pieces of mango to my dessert. It was such a pleasant surprise!
Last but not least, they allow half sizes to some of the dishes. It was a huge positive cause it allowed me to try more dishes!“

“This is a very nice restaurant on the windward side serving up local style Japanese food. It is a restaurant frequented by locals in the area.

There is a good selection to choose from and the portions are generous. The food is delicious and prices are good. The staff is very friendly with excellent service.

Overall it is a nice clean and relaxing place to enjoy good food with good people.“

“The courses were expertly prepared, and each bite was incredible. Standouts were the eggplant with bonito/ginger, and the nori wrapped Hokkaido uni. The fish and shrimp tempura were expectedly amazing as well.

The staff was warm and sincere from beginning to end, including chef Kiyoshi Chikano, who greeted us as we walked in, and came over to say goodbye to us on our way out.

By no means do I consider myself a food expert, but I've had the pleasure of dining at a modest assortment of one to three star Michelin restaurants. I consider Tempura Ichikawa among the best experiences I've had. Can't wait to come again.“