Dining at Torishin was such a great experience!! I went for the select counter chef’s omakase, and it was fantastic from beginning to end.
Every skewer was cooked perfectly, and you can really tell how much care goes into each one. The chicken oyster was a standout—super juicy and full of flavor—and the heart and liver were excellent as well. Honestly, every single piece we had was really, really good, with no misses at all.
Sitting at the counter made the experience even better. The chef was friendly and knowledgeable, and took the time to explain each dish, which made the meal feel more personal and engaging. It was great to learn more about the different cuts and techniques while watching everything come together.
Service was also on point—attentive, smooth, and welcoming without being over the top. Overall, the whole experience felt thoughtful, relaxed, and very enjoyable.
If you’re into yakitori or just want an amazing meal with great service, Torishin is absolutely worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Luis Arevalo
First time trying Torishin and it is like being transported to Japan. Every skewer was so flavorful. I highly recommend booking the chefs counter where you can chat with the chefs if you are able to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
D C
Excellent food and service. Every course was superb, I’d definitely recommend this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Riccardo
Visiting New York from London, I try to eat with curiosity. I’m always chasing flavour, technique, and that feeling you only get when food really lands. Torishin delivered exactly that.
Every skewer was clean, precise, and deeply umami. Nothing overworked, nothing unnecessary. Pure balance. Sitting at the counter, watching the chef work, you feel the respect for the craft in every movement. The atmosphere is calm, elegant, and focused, which lets the food do the talking.
Big thank you to the chef and the team. This is serious cooking, done with humility and mastery. A place I’ll remember…and return to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jamie Schachter
Wonderful menu and incredible staff! Fabulous service and I look forward to coming back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
marsilla fujisawa
I had a higher expectation because of Michelin star rate. Honestly hachibei in Honolulu was far better.
Legato
I’m not sure how this place has a Michelin star with the way they treat their guests. We had a reservation and arrived on time. We had spent over $150 per person and the service we received was horrible. Incorrect food, forgotten orders and overall not attentive. When we went to complain the manager Ryu literally told us to book the chef’s counter if we wanted to get better service. Why would I pay even more for horrible service. This place does not care at all about their customers.
Food can be great but if the service is bad. Why would you even bother going. This came direct from the manager himself so easily this is a management/owner issue
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Kevin Michalski
I enjoyed the omakase experience at Torishin. Everything was cooked well and was flavorful. I felt like I got to experience a variety of different skewers in a short period of time. I'm not sure if the price justifies the meal - considering portion sizes and the selection of skewers served to us - but I suppose it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
It was a little difficult to have a conversation with my dining partner because we kept getting interrupted by the waitstaff bringing the next item.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Annabelle Veatch
The chef’s counter was fully reserved however they recommended us enjoy dinner in their bar area counter, which was still such an amazing experience! 🙌 We chose a short omakase experience that was focused on chicken 🍗 and it’s on skewers—WOW. We really enjoyed it. Definitely take the bartenders recommendation for a sake 🍶 that pair well with your meal. Order the sea urchin that’s char broiled 😋
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bar Omakase, Chicken Shoulder
JLExplorer
Amazing food! The chefs Omakaze was absolutely amazing!
I’ve come a few times but this last time I went was really disappointing. I’m not sure if they are having with staffing but we had this server I think name was Suman who just seemed confused throughout the whole service. Like he didn’t know what was going on. We had questions about the menu and he just seemed confused and didn’t know how to respond other than an awkward laugh. We made reservations and came on time to the restaurant. They told us that there was a reservation after us and we would need to “hurry” this the was moment we just sat down. After ordering over $600 worth of food they reminded us there’s a reservation after us 30 minutes in 1 hour in and 1 1/2 hours in but we didn’t even get all our food yet. Annoyed we just paid the bill and left. And realized we didn’t even get all the food we ordered. The food is good. Atmosphere was fine except the other customers were really loud. But the service definitely felt unwelcoming. The busboy was actually more knowledgeable and more polite than our server. I wish we gave the tip directly to him instead.
**UPDATE AFTER SPEAKING TO MANAGEMENT ** from two stars to one I was going to leave things as one review on Google but my experience at Torishin and speaking with the manager after made my experience even worse than before
During our visit, the service fell far below what we expected. We weren’t looking for compensation or anything free — just acknowledgment and accountability. Instead, when the restaurant manager Ryu reached out after my review, the focus was only on getting me to change it. At no point did they genuinely address what went wrong or show any real concern for the guest experience.
What made it worse was that, rather than trying to understand or resolve the issue, Ryu, pushed us to return and book their most premium tasting course. If we didn’t enjoy the service the first time, why would we spend even more money to go back? Clearly Torishin cares more about upselling than hospitality.
And of course when I confronted them about this, they went radio silent.
I honestly don’t understand how Torishin maintains a Michelin star if the standard of service we experienced doesn’t reflect it. There are plenty of other great places for yakitori in the city that treat their guests with respect. If you want a good casual time with good service Yakitori Totto, or Toriya. If you want a more elevated experience KONO does an amazing job, the space is amazing and the chef / service there is absolutely on point.
My friends and I won’t be returning. I’m sure that won’t affect their business, but I do hope they take this as an opportunity to reflect and improve, because hospitality should be about care, not damage control. Forget the star. It should be Michelin recommended at best.
TLDR: Food - 4/5 Service - 1/5
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Pengshan Cai
choose the counter if you can
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rashad Chowdhury
Torishin is worth it. Incredible experience - great execution.
You’ll get to experience a great yakitori course paired with fantastic banter from Jacky, the chef cooking our skewers.
Each skewer was delicious and perfectly seasoned. Should you wish, you can add the sancho pepper or the shichimi which are available at your counter.
I loved the chicken heart. Soft, steak like and juicy. It really is the best piece. You’ll also have the option of adding additional skewers - do this.
Really wish I got the pudding instead of the shiso gremolata/ice dessert. The pudding is phenomenal. Sweer, rich, and decadent. Perfect ending that I sadly did not get through my own idiocy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rita Sun
Beyond expectation. Food was absolutely delicious. Everything was great. Warm service. Will definitely come back.
This is a very different experience than Kochi or Totto. It is more refined. Some might find the lack of risk boring. Clean is the main word that comes to mind. Every bite we were served at the Chef's Table was the cleanest bite of what was on the skewer. Each cooked to perfection.
Beyond the skewers there bright bites of vinegar cured fig or fresh ground wasabi. A highlight for me was a bowl of chicken broth that reminded me of the broth at Nong's Khao Man Gai. But unlike that restaurant which specializes in refined broth this was one just one course for the evening.
You know how when you eat something really good but it's bad for you, so later in the evening it weighs on you? The food at Torishin was so clean that I felt like I had gained hit points by the end of the evening. I felt refreshed.
The venue is right but well organized. Our server was off his game that night, but the food was so good that it didn't matter.
Dining at Torishin was such a great experience!! I went for the select counter chef’s omakase, and it was fantastic from beginning to end.
Every skewer was cooked perfectly, and you can really tell how much care goes into each one. The chicken oyster was a standout—super juicy and full of flavor—and the heart and liver were excellent as well. Honestly, every single piece we had was really, really good, with no misses at all.
Sitting at the counter made the experience even better. The chef was friendly and knowledgeable, and took the time to explain each dish, which made the meal feel more personal and engaging. It was great to learn more about the different cuts and techniques while watching everything come together.
Service was also on point—attentive, smooth, and welcoming without being over the top. Overall, the whole experience felt thoughtful, relaxed, and very enjoyable.
If you’re into yakitori or just want an amazing meal with great service, Torishin is absolutely worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First time trying Torishin and it is like being transported to Japan. Every skewer was so flavorful. I highly recommend booking the chefs counter where you can chat with the chefs if you are able to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food and service. Every course was superb, I’d definitely recommend this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Visiting New York from London, I try to eat with curiosity. I’m always chasing flavour, technique, and that feeling you only get when food really lands. Torishin delivered exactly that.
Every skewer was clean, precise, and deeply umami. Nothing overworked, nothing unnecessary. Pure balance. Sitting at the counter, watching the chef work, you feel the respect for the craft in every movement. The atmosphere is calm, elegant, and focused, which lets the food do the talking.
Big thank you to the chef and the team. This is serious cooking, done with humility and mastery. A place I’ll remember…and return to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wonderful menu and incredible staff! Fabulous service and I look forward to coming back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had a higher expectation because of Michelin star rate. Honestly hachibei in Honolulu was far better.
I’m not sure how this place has a Michelin star with the way they treat their guests. We had a reservation and arrived on time. We had spent over $150 per person and the service we received was horrible. Incorrect food, forgotten orders and overall not attentive. When we went to complain the manager Ryu literally told us to book the chef’s counter if we wanted to get better service. Why would I pay even more for horrible service. This place does not care at all about their customers.
Food can be great but if the service is bad. Why would you even bother going. This came direct from the manager himself so easily this is a management/owner issue
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
I enjoyed the omakase experience at Torishin. Everything was cooked well and was flavorful. I felt like I got to experience a variety of different skewers in a short period of time. I'm not sure if the price justifies the meal - considering portion sizes and the selection of skewers served to us - but I suppose it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
It was a little difficult to have a conversation with my dining partner because we kept getting interrupted by the waitstaff bringing the next item.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The chef’s counter was fully reserved however they recommended us enjoy dinner in their bar area counter, which was still such an amazing experience! 🙌
We chose a short omakase experience that was focused on chicken 🍗 and it’s on skewers—WOW. We really enjoyed it.
Definitely take the bartenders recommendation for a sake 🍶 that pair well with your meal.
Order the sea urchin that’s char broiled 😋
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bar Omakase, Chicken Shoulder
Amazing food! The chefs Omakaze was absolutely amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I’ve come a few times but this last time I went was really disappointing. I’m not sure if they are having with staffing but we had this server I think name was Suman who just seemed confused throughout the whole service. Like he didn’t know what was going on. We had questions about the menu and he just seemed confused and didn’t know how to respond other than an awkward laugh. We made reservations and came on time to the restaurant. They told us that there was a reservation after us and we would need to “hurry” this the was moment we just sat down. After ordering over $600 worth of food they reminded us there’s a reservation after us 30 minutes in 1 hour in and 1 1/2 hours in but we didn’t even get all our food yet. Annoyed we just paid the bill and left. And realized we didn’t even get all the food we ordered.
The food is good. Atmosphere was fine except the other customers were really loud. But the service definitely felt unwelcoming. The busboy was actually more knowledgeable and more polite than our server. I wish we gave the tip directly to him instead.
**UPDATE AFTER SPEAKING TO MANAGEMENT **
from two stars to one
I was going to leave things as one review on Google but my experience at Torishin and speaking with the manager after made my experience even worse than before
During our visit, the service fell far below what we expected. We weren’t looking for compensation or anything free — just acknowledgment and accountability. Instead, when the restaurant manager Ryu reached out after my review, the focus was only on getting me to change it. At no point did they genuinely address what went wrong or show any real concern for the guest experience.
What made it worse was that, rather than trying to understand or resolve the issue, Ryu, pushed us to return and book their most premium tasting course. If we didn’t enjoy the service the first time, why would we spend even more money to go back? Clearly Torishin cares more about upselling than hospitality.
And of course when I confronted them about this, they went radio silent.
I honestly don’t understand how Torishin maintains a Michelin star if the standard of service we experienced doesn’t reflect it. There are plenty of other great places for yakitori in the city that treat their guests with respect. If you want a good casual time with good service Yakitori Totto, or Toriya. If you want a more elevated experience KONO does an amazing job, the space is amazing and the chef / service there is absolutely on point.
My friends and I won’t be returning. I’m sure that won’t affect their business, but I do hope they take this as an opportunity to reflect and improve, because hospitality should be about care, not damage control.
Forget the star. It should be Michelin recommended at best.
TLDR:
Food - 4/5
Service - 1/5
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
choose the counter if you can
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Torishin is worth it. Incredible experience - great execution.
You’ll get to experience a great yakitori course paired with fantastic banter from Jacky, the chef cooking our skewers.
Each skewer was delicious and perfectly seasoned. Should you wish, you can add the sancho pepper or the shichimi which are available at your counter.
I loved the chicken heart. Soft, steak like and juicy. It really is the best piece. You’ll also have the option of adding additional skewers - do this.
Really wish I got the pudding instead of the shiso gremolata/ice dessert. The pudding is phenomenal. Sweer, rich, and decadent. Perfect ending that I sadly did not get through my own idiocy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Beyond expectation. Food was absolutely delicious. Everything was great. Warm service. Will definitely come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Yakitori, Chef's Omakase Course
This is a very different experience than Kochi or Totto. It is more refined. Some might find the lack of risk boring. Clean is the main word that comes to mind. Every bite we were served at the Chef's Table was the cleanest bite of what was on the skewer. Each cooked to perfection.
Beyond the skewers there bright bites of vinegar cured fig or fresh ground wasabi. A highlight for me was a bowl of chicken broth that reminded me of the broth at Nong's Khao Man Gai. But unlike that restaurant which specializes in refined broth this was one just one course for the evening.
You know how when you eat something really good but it's bad for you, so later in the evening it weighs on you? The food at Torishin was so clean that I felt like I had gained hit points by the end of the evening. I felt refreshed.
The venue is right but well organized. Our server was off his game that night, but the food was so good that it didn't matter.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chef's Omakase Course, Shiso Sorbet, Takoyaki, Tsukemen
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