Tsuruya Noodle Shop
98-1005 Moanalua Rd,Ste 219, Aiea, HI, 96701
Tsuruya Noodle Shop Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Aiea for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
98-1005 Moanalua Rd,Ste 219
Aiea, HI, 96701 - Phone (808) 488-0343
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Garage
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Kristy N.
The restaurant is pretty small with limited seating but you can also just take out and sit in the food court area. The food is great but the hospitality is below average. The welcomes, please, and thank yous are there but the lack of tone makes it sound forced. I enjoyed the food enough to still want to come back. I wish there was a little more to make this restaurant inviting. I was once told when I worked in customer service, when you don't want to be here, customers know. And it's true. Your presence and body language shows all.
(4)Gray G.
This place is in Pearl Ridge, located in the Downtown shopping mall upstairs in the food court by the theater. Small little place, great for dine in or take out. I used to go here as a kid, still do when I'm in the area. The curry is really good, probably my favorite. Better consistency and color than Curry House, and the udon is really good too. The staff is nice, very courteous. The menu is kinda small but I'm sure there's something just about anyone would like. This is a quiet place, but you can go here with anyone. You should check it out!
(5)Randi J.
I'm happy to say we finally tried Tsuruya again. It's been 10 months and things were much better (cleaner) this time around.
(4)Michael C.
Food was good, service was bad. After our waitress brought us out food she didn't come out from behind the counter once to check on us to see if we needed anything. EDIT NOTE: After looking at the photos that I took to post to instagram and compared it to the menu it looks like they forgot to put sesame seed & green onions in my miso ramen. Also after reading the other reviews It looks like I'm not the only one that thinks that they need to have better customer service.
(1)Chantelle T.
Eh, decent Japanese food court food at a good price. Their combo specials are probably the way to go when you come here. The chicken curry in the combo is decent but they definitely don't give enough sauce. Service here is average. The servers enjoy having side conversations right in front of the customers and you need to work pretty hard to interrupt their side conversations to get the bill or a refill on water.
(3)Cindy L.
Quick bite before/after you shop at Pearlridge. I tried the Hiyashi Kitsune Soba ($6.69), it was a cold soba topped with dried tofu and seaweed. The dressing was very tasty, but the portions were tiny. My husband had the Tsuruya Oyako don combo ($8.29), very good deal, because you also get a side of cold soba, but the oyako don was not tasty at all.
(2)eric e.
Teri chicken is da bomb! Can't go wrong w/ udon and teri chicken combo. reasonable prices and very filling.
(4)Richard B.
I've eaten here on several occasions and am writing my first review. First, the restaurant is small, but one of the very few restaurants that offers seating. The food in the window looks good...haha. Of course, it's plastic food. When we arrived, we waited a few minutes to be seated. The two waitresses were busy serving and cleaning up. So, we later notice that we were not seated because there was a sign that said to seat ourselves. It was not positioned in a spot that was noticeable. So we finally sat down and waited a good 5-minutes. No waitresses even approached or addressed us. In fact, the waitress delivered us the wrong food and and that's how she noticed that we didn't place our order. So, It seemed customer service was not really important because the waitresses were to overwhelmed with the big crowd. In addition, it was close to closing. I believe the restaurant seating area closes early and people can only order take out closer to closing time. This is kind of weird since closing was much earlier than the mall's closing time. Many people were upset because they couldn't eat in the food court area. The waitresses seemed tired and stressed because they were more focused on cleaning and closing up. As far as presentation, The menu was laminated sheets put together with metal rings. Not the most pleasant menu, but we ordered. The menu selection isn't the greatest and I would expect more variety of dishes and noodles. The food was okay. I was disappointed with the shrimp tempura. There was lots of breading and not much shrimp. However, the rest of the tempura set was good. The miso soup had no tofu, which I'm used to. There also wasn't a variety of tsukemono that came along with the dishes. The curry and other dishes are good portions. So, I would probably eat here again. There are many noodle shops and Japanese restaurants with a better selection and more generous portions, but it you're at Pearlridge you don't have much selection.
(3)Jennifer S.
Located in the corner of the food court of Pearlridge's Downtown, this little restaurant is usually always busy. I usually order their super combo with the teriyaki chicken. It comes with teriyaki chicken on rice, cold soba, a tempura (shrimp, zucchini and eggplant), cabbage tsukemono and miso soup. A lot of food for under $10!!
(4)Sunny D.
This is an okay place to eat if you want table service at the mall. First off, the tables are very small and it would have been VERY difficult to seat four ppl without feeling like a sardine! I mean, me and mom are petite women and we both had to push out the extra chairs in order to be comfortable. I actually had my legs slightly to the side in order to not kick my mom when I crossed my legs. These tables are like the ones you might find in elementary school art rooms, they are that small! Okay, so for the food, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there though since there are better options, but for mall food it's palatable. Maybe because I only had the shrimp tempura udon and not tried curry or anything else. The soup base was okay but nothing special, actually I like Zippy's soup base better. The shrimp tempura was fine. For a side condiment, they only give you green onions. What? No kamaboko (fishcake)? No char siu? I know the rent is probably pricy but it would be nice to have even one piece of each. Would I go there again? Maybe. If I do, I'll try something other than a noodle dish. But I think I'll try Mongolian bbq before I go here again.
(2)Anne I.
A little gem in the fast food haven at the Pearlridge food court. The prices are so-so, $6-$8 for a bowl of udon, which is usually what I get. Agemochi (fried mochi) udon is my favorite. I've had other things, curry and donburi before, but the udon is probably the best. I can't get enough of the soup/noodle combo! The seating area is small, but really cute--small wooden tables and seats, kind of like what you would find in Japan. They have bar style seating as well, so if you want to skimp on tip, maybe that's the way to go. If you're waiting around for a movie, you should check it out.
(4)Rachael R.
Always good, ALWAYS. My usual is the Ten Zaru Soba, YES! (: Hella' good. Service is great & fast. When it gets hella' busy, my BF & I are always lucky to beat the hungry crowd who wait for a while for seating & I enjoy the dine-in experience than the take-out. Haha.
(5)Catherine F.
Staff is lazy and slow. Food doesn't even come close to appearance in the menu. This business seems to not care about presentation. AT ALL. The food however was surprisingly tasty for being a fast food joint. I got the miso ramen and although it looked horrible it tasted pretty good. My son got the regular asinine and side Teri chicken both tasted pretty good
(3)Christine E.
Tsuruya has been around since I was a baby, which was...well, lets just say it was a long time ago! That alone should tell you something. I'm not gonna sit here and say that it's the best japanese food ever, cause come on, it's in a mall, it's NOT the best japanese food ever. BUT, for under $10, you can get tempura, soba, and curry and rice. That's a pretty awesome deal. It's cheap, they're fast, it's pretty yummy (comparable to a Gyotaku type of joint) , AND you can get it while on a break from shopping. Yes my rice was a little mushy, and my kamaboko in my udon looked a little grey, not pink. But everything was still full of flavor. So I can't really complain. Plus, we got SOOOOOOO much food for under $20. I'd definitely eat here again if I'm craving fast American style Japanese food.
(3)Pearlicell M.
I love the food but can't stand the employee they're rude and don't even acknowledge us when we walk in ..bad costumer service !!
(1)Daryl I.
Great bang for your buck!!!
(3)Tiffany Y.
Yelp 365 Challenge #95/365 I always bypassed this place in preference for blazin' steaks, Taco Bell (is it still there?) or McDonald's since they are in the same area. After reading a review on Tsuruya, I have been wanting to try it out but didn't find the time until this past week when my daughter was on the hunt for the Breaking Dawn CD. Since it was early afternoon, I figure the lunch crowd had minimized, which I was right. We were able to get a tiny table as soon as we walked in. After browsing the menu, I chose one of their combos with the teri chicken and rice as well as soba. For the price that we paid, it was generous. I loved it. I don't know what they use for their teri chicken but it was delicious. The soba came out hot and the noodles were not overcooked. I think I will drag my husband here but I know it will not replace his favorite, Ramen-ya by Walmart Pearl City. Banzai
(4)Guy K.
I've been getting lunch from this place over 5 years, but hadn't been here for a couple months. It's always had better than average soba entrees and a good value special lunch combo. But something has gone SERIOUSLY wrong with the food and stuff missing from the order. I had the oyako combo (as I've had many times before). Firstly, the price went up around 50 cents since the last time around 2 months ago. The soba was soggy and the sauce was not soba sauce; it tasted more like saimin soup base. There was no shrimp tempura and tempura veggies served with the soba. And the oyako don was a much smaller serving than what I had here 2 months ago. This place has gone from a 3.5 star lunch place, to a 1 star lunch place in under two months. I think the new staff doesn't know how soba is supposed to taste like and have change a good value $8-9 lunch special into a RIP OFF!! Soba had no shrimp and veggie tempura !! Nine dollars for a small bowl of oyako don and soba sauce that was not made for soba . . . I don't think so. My advice, avoid this place like the plague. I will not be going to this place for a VERY LONG TIME (perhaps when they change out the staff or ownership).
(1)Julia O.
This is not your typical food court spot! I was pleasantly surprised how good it was for the price and type of venue. Our total for the two of us was about $16 and here's the breakdown Hiyashi Kitsune Zaru Soba ($7.09): Their soba was really good, not too soggy not too dry. This dish came with fried tofu (the thin skin kind not like actual tofu), wakame seaweed, bean sprouts, green onions, and half a hard boiled egg. This was a good sized dish and was very tasty. Curry Combo w/Udon ($8.39): The bf got a little bowl of chicken curry and a small bowl of udon with his set. This was a great deal! The curry was good, you could tell it was just those packaged curry but the chicken was very moist and tender. The udon had green onions and fishcake and was pretty good too. The food looked so good and I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture! Oops. And yes get a stamp card!! They won't just give you one, we had to ask. But it's like buy 7 entrees get 1 free! We got ours today and it expires in January so we got about 2 months. Might as well try right? Now, this isn't your high quality Japanese cooking but if you're looking for quick, cheap Japanese noodles, then this is the place to go if you're at Pearlridge. Now would I drive out of my way from Mililani just to come here? Probably not. But if I'm already at Pearlridge and I'm craving Japanese and on a budget would I go here? Most definitely.
(4)Cely H.
Who would've thunk there would be awesome Japanese food in the heart of a mall food court? I've been here a zillion times and I always get the same thing: teri chicken and tempura combo. Its less than 10 bucks and you get a lot of bang for your buck! Shrimp tempura Teri chicken Miso soup Rice Tsukemono Macaroni Salad Zaru soba I like all the little touches that this place thinks of that a food court seems to forget like the sprinkling of green onions and a dab of wasabi for the zaru soba (served on a for real zaru, if you're dining in). Salty, crunchy, hot, cold, sticky, sweet, pickled....ahhhh! Food court bliss! I usually get take out for the food court tables as the dine in tables inside are smaller than the ones you would find in a Kindergarten class room.
(5)Brandon T.
Super combo is awesome , get it
(5)Rose R.
this girl named myra and norma were just talking stories the whole time , it is very inappropriate. feloida was swearing in different language my friend could understand because shes filipino. food is very good it just the employees are embarassing. need a serious attention for the owner thanks
(1)Mac J.
Boiled chicken over rice topped with curry sauce is not good. Customer service needs improvement. Order to go if you decide to give this place a try.
(1)Arynn I.
I used to come here a lot...and I would only get one thing: Tanuki Udon. This is the udon with the tempura flakes on it. Yummmm...Conveniently, this is one of the restaurants at the Pearl Ridge Downtown food court, just outside the theatres. which would explain why i USED to come here a lot. Well, the price is still VERY low for the Udon - with my beverage, I spent less than $8. The flavor of the udon is also the same....although I don't foresee how you can screw up tsuyu (soup). Actually, I take that back, I'm sure it would be easy to screw this up. Anyways, I paid with my debit card which the cashier totally liked the photo on it. We talked a little about where I work because the debit card is the one set up through my work. I told her that I used to frequent this place and she got more excited and gave me a frequent visit stamp card. Cool, all these years I never know they had something like that. I'll definitely be back since this is my FAVORITE place for Udon. One day I'll try something else....MAYBE. #Yelp 365 Challenge = 021/365
(5)Consuela P.
It never fails!!! Each time we shop at Pearlridge...we make it a point to dine-in here either for lunch or dinner. I always get the udon and curry combo whilst my husband orders the teriyaki steak/beef. Service is good but the small wooden tables and seats is a bit tight and can get a tab bit uncomfortable after a while.
(4)Kasey J.
Oh the memories of going to Pearlridge in my intermediate and high school days.... we would always get a chicken bowl or teishoku and eat it in the middle of the food court while we looked for cute guys. Fast foward (ahem) a few years and my hubby and I still go to Tsuruya to get our Japanese food fix. If we're at the mall, its a given that we eat there but we love it so much we go to the mall just to eat there too. We don't even need to look at the menu because we always get the same thing. Ten Zaru Soba and Teri Chicken Combo with Soba. Sometimes he deviates and get the Hiyashi Kitsune depending on his mood. The consistency, taste and price is what keeps us coming back all these years. Yes, the space is a bit cramped but maybe they are trying to replicate how it really is in Japan. A few people may have had issues with the service but I think you can't go in with too high expectations. The food comes out rather quickly so I think it makes up for whatever is lacking in service. We always leave full and satisfied! Don't forget they have a stamp card. Buy 7 entrees get the 8th one free. They also have buy one get one entree 1/2 off coupons in the Midweek occasionally.
(4)Melody N.
When I run out of ideas of where to eat, this is my ol' reliable. Heck, even when I do have other options, this place is pretty high on my list of choices. The japanese offerings in Aiea are a little slim, but this place makes up for that. The broth for the udon or soba is, in my opinion, the best anywhere in Hawaii, and the noodles are fresh and always boiled to perfection. The teri chicken is super awesome, and the prices are very nice. If you have room for it, get a combo. You get a lot of food for what you pay, and it's GOOD. The tables are japanese sized. *haha* The servers are generally pleasant, of course it's not meant to be a full service sit-down restaurant, but they do get your food out to you very quickly, which is nice when you are starving! They also recently (last year) did a nice job of re-upholstering their furniture. A definite go-to.
(5)Nicole R.
Good place for a quick bite. The seating arrangement is a bit claustrophobic for me. The portions are really good though. I love their Udon!
(3)Jerico P.
You're hungry. Even when you're not hungry. You shouldn't eat when you're not hungry, right? That's wrong. If you eat only when you're hungry then your metabolism is taking a beating and you don't deserve that. Eat at Tsuruya and you'll be A-OK (3 star rating). Dining area is small, food is delicious, the staff works hard and the prices are good. Again, A-OK.
(3)Darcy K.
The side of Age Mochi was great. Water cup was consistently refilled until the end of the meal... to conserve water of course! Other than that I did not care for any other aspect of the restaurant. The server made me feel uncomfortable from the beginning. After being seated and distributing menus, she just hovered around for a whole minute waiting to take an order. She did not offer any help with the menu or to answer any questions. While standing in line to pay the bill, another employee was arguing with a customer about their stamp card. After standing in line to pay the bill and waiting for them to settle their dilemma, she rolled her eyes and just pointed at me and my friend. It was a signal to the other employees to help, but no one moved for a good five seconds. It was awkward. The curry was bland. The chicken in the curry had no seasoning. My udon was better, at least it had flavor. I mentioned age mochi earlier. A side order comes with two pieces the size of my palm. It was by far the best part of the entire experience.
(2)Tiffany H.
I'm being generous with stars in this review for a reason. Tsuruya is amazing! When I was younger, my grandpa and I used to go to Tsuruya pretty much every time we made a trip to Pearlridge. I'm pretty sure that's what started my love for this little Japanese restaurant. I come here maybe once a month or so, always excited to indulge in the best Udon I've ever tasted, and some pretty awesome chicken curry as well. There's about 5 four-top tables along the wall, and 10 counter seats. I usually like to sit at the counter because the chairs feel close to the ground or something. *Don't feel discouraged if you walk up and it's packed inside! The food comes really fast, so it usually won't take too long for some people to clear out. They have good combo deals, so you should probably check those out before anything else. My recommendations? The curry, udon, shrimp tempura, teriyaki chicken, and zaru soba are all delicious. Like I said before, check out the combo meals! The service is always great, water is always filled--especially if you sit at the counter. I highly recommend Tsuruya if you're craving some inexpensive Japanese food.
(5)Joanna L.
Wanted some kind of soup today so I ordered the miso ramen. Usually eat in but tried take out today. I think it taste better when you eat in. Still was pretty tasty and hit the spot.
(4)Seth H.
This place full fills the occasional craving for Japanese food we get without having to fork over huge amounts of money, I like their udon/teri chicken combo, cold soba noodles, they pretty much have everything you'd want but sushi. The Udon is the chewy type and the broth is flavorful. It's in a food court as others have said but I think the flavors are pretty close to authentic. For the most part the servers are nice, again remember you're at a food court so you can't expect too much.
(4)Michelle M.
My kids are junior foodies and they love to eat! After a day of shopping at Pearlridge Downtown, they were definitely hungry. This just happened to be the spot for the day! I like that they have the silicone entree displays. This really helps the kiddos to figure out what they want to eat! Decisions made, We ordered the Tempura Set with Udon and a Katsu Donburi. The Tempura set was HUGE!! having an order of Shrimp and Veggie Tempura served over rice and a steaming bowl of Kitsune Udon, it was a real value for $8.95. The Katsue Donburi was also a deal for $7.95 as it was served with Miso Soup and my daughter could barely finish it! The stamp card is a great idea! I know it definitely will have me checking them out the next time I am hungry at the mall. I think I will try one of the Soba noodle options next time, for sure!
(4)Jasmine D.
I love eating here. I always get the Teri Chicken & Tempura combo. Food comes out fast & fresh. Plus, the service is great.
(5)Lily B.
Tsuruya is probably my second favorite place to eat while I'm at Pearlridge Downtown (I just LOVE Yummy's!) They have a small area for seating inside, but I always feel like it's super warm and I'd rather have it super cold so we sit in the main dining area. There are only two things that I order from tsuruya: teri chicken bowl and saimin. Simple, but packed with flavor! The teriyaki chicken bowl is a decent sized bowl full of white rice and then covered with boneless, juicy, tender, teriyaki chicken cooked on a flat grill. You can see the cooks preparing it from the pick up window or even from the cashier's station. It smells DELISH! I've also had the regular saimin which I think is awesome... and usually I don't order saimin from anywhere (except D.K.'s crab ramen... ahhhhh heaven!!!) The saimin at Tsuruya has tender noodles, kamaboko, seaweed, and I think char siu but don't quote me on the char siu. The broth is FABULOUS. I dunno what they put in the broth but it's VERY full of flavor and like nothing I've ever had before. On a rainy night it's SOOOO good to eat, especially paired with some teriyaki chicken. Tsuruya is a little pricier than the other places... if my BF and I order the same thing (2 saimins and 2 teri chicken bowls) the cost is about $25... but oh so worth it!
(4)Alex E.
So how well would a Japanese restaurant run by Filipinos do? Pretty well, if Tsuruya is any proof of that. About 90% of the workers here are Filipino, but you wouldn't be able to tell on the food alone. My favorites from here would have to be the: Teriyaki Chicken Teishoku (pretty good meal, comes with toss/mac salad, miso soup, tsukemono along with your chicken & bowl of rice), Chcken Katsu Curry (be warned, you only pretty much get katsu, curry, rice, and mac salad for this one), the shrimp tempura (can either get it as a teishoku by itself, or half with the teri chicken), and.. well, that's actually all I can think of that I regularly order there! I haven't really tried the soups or noodles; but you'll have to ask my Dad about that, since he gets those a lot, so they must be good! Dining room in here feels a little cramped. Especially the four-man tables; where'd they get those, the Japanese elementary schools? lol, Well, there is a decent amount of room at the counter tables, so try to get those if you can. Finally, just a little warning if you order the Teri Chicken takeout: the sauce dries up really quickly and seeps out of the chicken and into the rice. So you gotta eat it soon after if you want the true flavor of eating here!
(4)Zach V.
Im gonna have to agree with alot of people when i say that the deal of the $7.99 special is one of the best bang for your buck when it comes to quality and quantity of food made at this place. 4 starz!
(4)Riana S.
When I eventually get sick of everything in Pearlridge mall, it's nice to take a break from all the crappy fast food and come here. I always get the Teriyaki Chicken Don and when you get the super combo, they give you the works. There's so much variety like shrimp tempura with vegetable tempura, soba, really good mac salad, miso soup, vegetables, I have the hardest time finishing this plate on lunch break because there's so much. Even though this plate is huge, everything tastes great.
(5)Baby G.
Small "hole-in-the-wall" place. Not bad prices. Food just ok. Do we go back, maybe.
(4)Lana H.
Went in for lunch today & asked if we could have the teriyaki chicken & rice (it was the daily special written on the menu board in the window). Simple, huh? No way. First of all, English was the 2nd language of the lady taking our order. Secondly, the teriyaki chicken & rice you want is only for TAKE OUT orders. Took a couple of tries with her English to get that out so we could understand what we couldn't order. So after scanning the menu AND finding teri-chicken & rice on the menu we order that and the oyaku-don & soba combo. Food was good. No real service, except for taking the order and bringing the food. No refills on water or checking up on us. As soon as we stood up a little older lady sits down on my chair. I know the place is cramped so it's like prime real estate but I barely got my purse off the other seat before she sat. Cheap lunch but expect no atmosphere.
(3)Kai A.
Love it cause service is QUICK you could be in & out of there in less than 20min. Customer Service is.. so so. I don't like how the two regular waitresses speak in, Filipino.... Kinda makes you feel like you're in a nail salon. But instead of Vietnamese... Home girls are going off in Tagalong... Or whatever. hahahahahha
(4)Kimberly L.
My mall favorite is Donburiya Don Don, but that was in Ala Moana and I had just spent the wage equivalent of too many hours of dough at Pearlridge. Without breaking the bank, I managed to achieve sit-down-service dinner with tip AND a full stomach for only $18 and change. Did I mention this includes TWO people? YEAH. Maybe you're not gonna take Lindsay Lohan on your first date to this place, but for $7 you can have an expertly executed oyako-don, the trick to which eludes me at home and now makes me marvel at the food court. Because I had just purchased party clothes to last me a solid month--of parties every day, mind you--I asked for hot water instead of the usual tea. What I beheld in the black Japanese mug was steaming murky slightly brothy-tasting water at boiling temperature. Interesting. I'm not complaining, it wasn't like in China where the hot water tastes like tinny dish detergent. It was slightly sweet, slightly lobstery, and just not meant to be thought too hard about. I liked my oyako-don. It was a winner over the tempura teishoku, which came with a dipping sauce that I actually thought was supposed to be my hot water, it was so weak. It was completely clear and had pretty much no flavor. Can we say sodium deficiency? Those are words I thought I would never utter about Japanese food. Meals come with pickled cabbage and miso soup too by the way. And don't forget that you have to walk up to the register to pay your bill (true Japan style!). You might be sitting there for a very, very long time if you expect your waitress to take care of it for you. (Lesson: learned). Rounded up from 3.5 Stars.
(4)Kat D.
I've been coming here for as long as I can remember, and I still love it till this day. Who knew that this place would continue to be so good even after all these years?? I always get the teri chicken and tempura teishoku. It's like comfort food to me. It warms my soul, and is something that I just can't get in the part of the mainland that I live in....let alone for under $10. Sucks to be me huh? Anyway, the food is always good, service is decent, and the price just can't be beat!
(5)Reuben R.
Whenever I went pearls with my parents long long time ago, they always ate here and I neva like cause was always crowded... man I missed out. But anyways, when we casually started going pearls because we avoid it now because of the huge crowds and limited space, we try to come here and at least take out. Over and over again, me and my friend always got the Tempura Tendon, and I liked it a lot. The last time I went, we actually ate in! Man those tables are cramped! but actually I got kind of used to it so it doesn't feel too bad. I ordered the special of the day which was yakisoba, and had it with an order of shrimp for like a dollar more. I was surprised that it didn't cost us more than 15 bucks together, but hey, I guess it really is just noodles. The yakisoba wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was pretty good, and I've been there before, so I already knew what to expect. My friend looked pretty happy with her soba, it looked yummy. saving grace?: I wouldn't come to pearls just for this place... but I like it.
(4)Queen Mel N.
I haven't gone there for so long but I notice all new workers. I never had a problem with my food before but this time...my soba noodle wasnt cook well, I had only 5 small pieces of chicken in my curry, and missing my fried sweet potatoes.
(3)Mida P.
This is my 2nd favorite place to eat at Pearlridge (downtown side). I usually get the oyako don combo (with udon) and I love the flavor. Service is good, food is always consistent. I really had no bad experiences from here.
(4)Marlon I.
This place could use some new tables and chairs. They're uncomfortable. The Tables are really low compared to the chairs, and It's really small. I'd Rather Prefer eating at the counter. But They Get 4 stars from me, because of they're yummy Teriyaki Chicken Bowl! Great food! It's A Lot for just the price of $4.99.
(4)robyn y.
Tonight the husband and I went to Tsuruya in Pearlridge and we were grossed out. Not because of the food... it was good. We were grossed out because we found BUGS in the salt shakers. To quote my husband... 1 bug in a 1 salt shaker is bad, 2 bugs in 2 separate salt shakers is really bad BUT 3... 3 bugs in 3 different salt shakers... that's GROSS. We were in the middle of our meal (we sat at the counter)... when I noticed something in the salt shaker in our area. We examined it and found 3 bugs in our salt shaker. We then took a look at the salt shaker to our left and found bugs in that salt shaker as well!!! We brought it to the attention of the one of the workers (she looks like the manager... was wearing a different color polo than everyone else), and while she did throw away and discard the salt in the shakers we told her about... she neither thanked us for bringing it to her attention nor did she apologize. *sigh* Needless to say... I was unable to finish my meal and will probably not eat there for a while. As we were leaving we couldn't help but notice that another salt shaker had bugs in it. :P GROSS.
(1)Michael J.
This placed used to be great. The butch looking lady with the super short hair and very hoarse voice wasn't working the night we went -- usually when she's working service is good. I have a feeling she may be the enforcer of the joint. In any case, we went in there to sit down and eat and first and foremost, the lady server blocked the aisle while she filled the other customers' drinks. She saw me too and she just reached on the counter for the water and then blocked the aisle. So after making us wait, we sit down and order. We get our food and not even 5 minutes in to eating she brings us our bill. She didn't ask if we wanted anything else, if we need more water, nothing! So after drinking all of my water and thinking that they'd come over and check on us -- nothing! I paid and left. Sorely disappointed with the service. Not sure why they wouldn't ask if there was anything else we wanted or at least REFILL THE WATER. How hard is it to refill the water? Remember earlier in my review when the lady BLOCKED us in the aisle as she refilled the other patron's water? WTF!!!!!
(1)Linda K.
It never fails, everytime I drive towards Aiea, Tsuruya is one of the first places that comes to mind to eat lunch or dinner. I've been eating here for 20 years. I normally choose to eat inside at the counter unless it's too crowded then I'll sit out in the food court area since the small table seating doesn't give me enough elbow space to eat comfortably. I normally always order the (light crispy batter) shrimp tempura udon and teri chicken combo, comes with tsukemono. I enjoy the flavor of the broth and the noodles that have the perfect texture. The customer service has normally been great. The miso soup is tasty and so far everything I have ordered has been great. There's also a stamp card after 7 menu item stamps, the 8th menu item is free! (excludes drinks, side orders and mini combo/drinks).
(4)Missy S.
Tsuruya is a cute little japanese restaurant in the food court of the downtown pearlridge. Usually when we go there are seats, so we have never had to wait for seating. The service is usually good. A woman with a raspy voice always works there and she seems very happy to work. I always get their teriyaki beef. Idk why its so good. Much better then their teriyaki chicken. The chicken is too salty. For a while I didn't like tsuruya because I felt their food was over powering with salt, but when I tried their beef and tempura, I gave them much more credit. What I don't really like about the restaurant is their tables and chairs. There is little room over there so if you are a small person this place is good for you. But this place is just like many japanese restaurants in japan. Very small, so that is just the style. Overall a satisfying place for japanese food. But I usually just go for sushi if im craving japanese food.
(3)Julie Ann P.
Stopped in on a week night with the fam bam waiting for traffic to die down. Used to come here often when I was much younger, so I was glad food quality was the same. Had the super combo special and shared it with my 4yo. My picky hubby and picky kids loved the food as well, so that was definitely a plus. And price is always very reasonable.
(4)Kristen C.
More like a 3.5 until i try more stuff. I finally tried my first bowl of hot soba here and it was pretty good. The noodles were perfectly cooked and the broth was a bit light on flavor but still good. My friend and I came here and its a seat yourself place so we were lucky get the last table open table. The seating is a bit tight but we're just here to get in and out to eat so no prob. I got the hot soba bowl (i forget what the exact name was called) and my friend got the special shrimp yaki soba. After ordering the food came out pretty fast and the waitress seemed like a hard worker as she waited on all the tables, she also seemed really rushed; as she talked really fast and loud jumping from table to table doing her thing haha. Overall i'd come back again to try some other dishes cause the aroma of the food being cooked smelled really good =P.
(3)Leigh N.
The udon here is one of the best I"ve had anywhere. I usually get the tanuki udon with the tempura crispies on top. If you are a big eater, try the amazing combos they have with rice bowls. If you want more, try their super combo that is priced under $9! How can you go wrong!! Last night when we were there, they were out of beef and the choi sum that they usually garnish everything with. So don't go on Thursday nights if you're expecting the choi sum garnish. The staff is Filipino with a tendency to speak to one another in Ilocano but not about the patrons. They are pretty attentive and like the other reviewers mentioned, the food comes out quickly.
(4)Art G.
The sight of an authentic looking Japanese noodle house, in the middle of a typical mall food court, ALMOST makes up for the fact that it's Saturday & I'm not watching a game on TV (sigh). There is a takeout window here, but a quick glance confirms a lack of open seats, so we decide to dine in. The first thing we notice is the narrow dining area. A sit-down counter and dining tables are separated by a narrow pathway, just wide enough for a person to pass thru. The wooden tables and chairs are noticeably small. The chairs felt a little awkward and sorely became a bit uncomfortable. Our server was polite, but not very personable. Instead of drinks, she asked us what kind of "juice" we would like. What? Our order - Super Combo - Zaru Soba, Shrimp & Veggie Tempura, Chicken Curry Don (choice of Teriyaki Chicken Don or Oyako Don also), Miso Soup, Macaroni Salad and Tsukemono $7.99 for me, and the Teishoku Shrimp & Veggie Tempura $7.89 for the Mrs. Yeah, for an extra dime you get soba, a don bowl & mac salad! After a few short minutes, our food was brought to our table. Zaru Soba - Nicely presented on an authentic "Zaru," as it should be. The Soba is served chilled and garnished with nori. Tossing tsuyu sauce along with the accompanying dab of wasabi & chopped scallions onto the noodles brought this dish to life. The flavors from the sauce, scallions & heat from the wasabi were perfect. Shrimp & Veggie Tempura - This was NO-DOUBT, the star of the entire meal. Light, airy and crispy done to perfection. Tempura shrimp, eggplant & zucchini dipped in tsyu sauce was worth the trip here. I just wish I had one more shrimp though. Chicken Curry Don - Curry was rich & flavorful. Chicken was tender & juicy, but even with curry, it lacked some seasoning. I ate most of the curry, but the portion of rice was a little too much for me to finish. Miso Soup - Like most places is tasty, smooth & not too salty. Macaroni Salad - Surprisingly tasty, taste kinda like Zippy's (almost). A little cramped, but the food is tasty & well presented, service is quick & prices are decent, a nice option to have in a mall food court. One more thing - there are a few blank walls here that could use a flat screen or two, with the game on, perhaps.
(4)Ka'ipolani G.
Haven't eaten here before. Decided to try it while waiting for our movie to start. We both ordered the Tsuruya Super Combo which consisted of Oyako don, Miso Soup, Tsukemono, Shrimp & Veg tempura, cold soba noodles and macaroni salad. All that for only $8.95. It wasn't a disappointing meal that's for sure. It was served nice and HOT. The Oyako don for me was a bit on the salty side, but the cold soba noodles evened it out. Didn't quite understand why the macaroni salad was on the plate, could've done without it but I was so busy eating everything else, I didn't even pay attention to it, lol! Will definitely be visiting again.
(4)Jennica Megan B.
Prices for Japanese Food are quite expensive but not here. This place gives you good food at affordable prices. The Teriyaki Chicken Combo, Tempura Combo, and their Saba Special are good. But I really enjoyed their Miso Ramen. I was surprised by how flavorful their broth was. They have friendly dine-in service but seating is limited and space is tight. Despite that, this is a good place to have your Japanese fix at the mall.
(3)Amy Y.
A quick healthy dinner. Don't remember the name of the plate, starts with H or something. But its a veggie soba plate with sauce. It was soooo goood. It costed around $7. Will be back to try out other food. Yayayayyayay!
(5)Kiichi R.
I hadn't been here for at least a decade and a half. Once you're past your teen years, Pearlridge lost its appeal. However, despite all of the changes with stores and looks, Tsuruya is still there, same as ever. Now, I can't even recall what ever my prior experiences were like before but let me tell you that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and the price. The service was average, so nothing to complain about there, nor write home about. You can get a fairly good tasting set, all for under $10. I may be incorrect in saying this, but I can't recall anything that is ABOVE $10. And for the price, my personal favorite, the zarusoba. I definitely recommend this place for a cheap/yummy eat. And I believe they do phone orders! I will need to check that out myself. 4 stars - "Yay! I'm a fan."
(4)Brandy W.
Located in the food court of downtown pearlridge, this unique restaurant boasts dining in as well as taking your food out into the food court. The downtown food court seems so crowded with so little tables, I think it's nice that they have dedicated seating just for this restaurant. I was completely out of my comfort zone here. I didn't recognize most of the dishes and first ordered regular chicken teriyaki. The second time I decided to try the soba nabeyaki based on reviews I've read here. This is not your normal noodle bowl, friends. Chock full of ingredients, including 2 soft boiled eggs and more soba than you know what to do with, you will get full fast. I mean fast! Little ol me can spread this one bowl across 4 meals for sure. And for the price, you are probably getting your best value. Why only the 3 stars? Because if I waited a few weeks to write this review, I would not have remembered anything about the dish. It's not memorable. However, if you are in the mall and all that shopping has left you famished, I suggest going here above any other downtown food establishment. You won't be hungry for long.
(3)Lei N.
Since we came to watch a movie, we came early to eat dinner beforehand. Jeremy chose to eat here since I told him I hadn't eaten here before. It's a small place but we got some counter seating. Their menu, just laminated papers held together with a ring. The curry bowl looked the most appealing to me, but when my order came out, I don't think it was the same thing. Jeremy got a lot. What he ordered, I don't remember. instagram.com/p/d-TrGUIz… My dish came with mac salad but since I didn't like it, I traded with Jeremy for his miso soup. I liked what I ordered though.
(3)Kim M.
STAMP CARD Ask for a Tsuruya Noodle Shop Frequent Purchase Club Stamp Card if you don't already have one. Fill up the stamp card by purchasing 7 menu items (one stamp per item, excluding side orders, drinks, and mini combos) and you get 1 entree FREE! So buy 7, get 1 free. The stamp card expires several months out from the first stamp given, so plan your meals accordingly. Who doesn't love a free meal?! JAPANESE FAST FOOD Tsuruya Noodle Shop is located in the Pearlridge Phase II (Pearlridge Downtown) fast food central AKA the food court. It's in the same spot it's been for years--next to McDonald's in the far back right corner near the restrooms. This location is pretty random when you think about it, but super convenient for Japanese food lovers. What a nice change from the usual unhealthy food court food like burgers, pizza, and fries. UDON I've been dining here since I was a little kid. My regular dish of choice is and always was udon. I have had Tsuruya Noodle Shop's soba as well as some of the other popular and traditional Japanese noodle dishes, but the udon is still at the top of my list. The Agemochi (fried mochi) Udon is my favorite; the Tanuki Udon, with tempura crisps / flakes and veggie garnishing, is also good; and if you like cold noodle, you may want to try the Hiyashi Tanuki--cold noodle with tempura crisps & garnishings. **For most of the noodle dishes offered (excluding saimin), you can choose your noodle--either soba or udon. Soba is cheaper, but not by much. Agemochi Udon: yelp.com/biz_photos/xB14… FAST FOOD PRICES Prices are beyond reasonable for this kind of Japanese fare. Most of the noodle dishes range between $6-$9 each. And I believe that the most expensive dish off the entire menu is from the Teishoku section: Tempura & Teri Beef for $10.99. It's a combination dish that comes with tempura, teriyaki beef, salad, rice, miso soup, and tsukemono. The Tempura & Chicken Katsu Teishoku is priced just over $10. VERDICT Overall, Tsuruya Noodle Shop is a perfect option for those in the area looking for some tasty Japanese fare at fast food prices. Choose to dine in or take out. Either way, you get your food pretty quickly. Don't forget the stamp card! Yelp 365 - #273/365
(4)Troy M.
Hands down the best eats in pearl ridge food court. Katsu don is one of my favorites. Fast and Friendly service.
(4)Heidi N.
First introduced to me by my mother, who is from Japan. Japanese people judge a restaurant by it's ability to make tempura - crispy, but not oily or over-battered. My mom enjoys their tempura thoroughly, as well as their soba. Though there has been a change to their noodles, for the price, the place is still unbeatable for Japanese food. Their new combos - Super Combo and Double Shrimp Combo are a lot of food for a real cheap price. How do they do it?! I almost tired myself out of this place, eating the Super Combo every time. Then I realized they have an extensive menu and that I could change it up! Dumb? I know. I don't know what too tell you, but I was so hooked. After a short sabbatical from this place, it is back into rotation and I am excited to try other things!
(5)M O.
This place sucks big time!!!! Service was rushed and food was so awful!!!! We just just down and it was even 5 minutes when the waitress asked if we were ready to order. I was still looking at the menu. I shouldn't have left a tip at all. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone!
(1)Emy R.
I'm not a huge fan of Tsuruya but my mom is so whenever we go to Pearl Ridge this is where we always end up eating. We all know moms rule and there is no overruling them. I'm guessing the reason my mom likes it so much is because the soba is quite similar to any soba shop you might find in Japan. For the most part, the food is pretty decent and so is the service. It's a small restaurant located on the 3rd floor of Pearl Ridge Downtown. It's the only eatery in the food court (besides McDonald's) that has it's own seating, so this is a plus as you don't have to search & wait for open tables. It does get busy on the weekends so you might have to wait for a table but the turn around is fast. You can order from the walk up window and eat in the food court. This helps if other people in your party want to eat something else. Visual plated meals adorn their window so you can see what your ordering in 3D. This is typical in Japan at most restaurants. One friend from the Mainland thought this was real and asked me if Tsuruya made the food every day and placed it in the window....say what???....hahaha....no comment. I suppose she doesn't see the chopsticks and noodles hovering in mid air....Anywho, this is great for kids as they can see what the food looks like and can point out what they want to eat. They have counter space and about 6 tables that will sit a party of 4. It's not a big restaurant so think of it as a fast food noodle shop, it's not a place where you'll be lingering. Food comes out relatively fast once you've placed your order. I usually order the Hiyashi Tempura Soba which is cold buckwheat noodles with Tempura on the side. The cold noodle sauce comes on the side, you dip your soba noodles in the sauce before eating it. When placing your noodle order, you have a choice between soba (buckwheat) or udon (flour noodles that are thicker and chewier than ramen noodles) , if you're health conscious, order soba. Even though Tsuruya is a "noodle shop" they also have rice dishes. The teriyaki chicken is pretty good. It comes with miso soup and tsukemono (pickled vegetables). They also offer combos which includes some sort of mini soba or udon, a rice dish, like curry rice and tsukemono. I've recently noticed they've expanded their menu and are now offering ramen. I haven't tried the ramen yet so I can't say how it is. For the most part though, their food is pretty decent and a good place to rest your feet from shopping. Fun fact: In Japan, slurping noodles as loudly as possible is considered good etiquette. In fact, if you quietly eat your noodles with no sound, this is considered an insult to the chef...so get out there and start slurping!
(3)Ashlyne F.
I always grab lunch from here when I'm at Pearlridge. They are very accommodating since I order the combo teishoku with teriyaki chicken and tempura but substitute it for all potato and no shrimp. I think for a teishoku and a large drink comes out to alittle over $10.
(4)Holly B.
Standard Japanese fare at a neighborhood restaurant. The food is decent, though nothing unique or outstanding. The waitstaff are OK, but the service is poor. Once our order was taken and food was served, our table was never visited again; we were never given refills of water or asked if we'd like anything else, or how our meal was. And the waitstaff were constantly speaking loudly to one another in a foreign language and totally ignoring the customers. That behavior is fine at home or a night out with friends, but NOT in a restaurant with paying customers and certainly NOT while on duty at work! It's plain rude and annoying.
(2)Julie H.
Cheap? YES! Quick? YES! Tasty? YES! Japanese? Yes! Then Tsuruya is the place for you! It's right next to McDonalds at the Pearlridge Downtown food court. While it's not the best Japanese food out there, it fits the bill for the price and amount of food you get. I usually get one of the donburis because they never disappoint.
(4)Debbie D.
The workers are to busy talking story to take my order. The yummy Korean BBQ next door took my order right away. Their BBQ chicken is very tasty!
(1)Rhome Z.
This is a good Japanese place for a quick fix and its cheap! Service is mediocre which I don't complain about because this is not a five star restaurant. " Establishment closed down" recently.
(5)Cassie B.
I have gone to this place numerous times when I was younger and lived in the area, and I have decided to finally review it. I also wanted to give this place 3.5 stars, which technically rounds up to 4 stars. Tsuruya is a pretty good Japanese "food court" eatery. The noodle shop provides a little area where you can actually sit and "dine in" but also provides you with a to-go option. The choice is really nice. The servings are quite large (typical of Hawaii fast food) and you get a pretty good assortment of choice. You can have soba, udon, or regular ramen noodles...hot or cold...with different choices for your protein. You can have rice dishes and can even get curry. There's tempura (a local favorite)! You can also get teriyaki chicken, oyakodon, etc etc etc. Needless to say, you can get your Japanese fix (unless your craving sushi). So why not 5 stars? I just have high expectations for Japanese food. I am willing to spend more for a really amazing Japanese meal and have grown accustomed to doing so. I recently ordered the beef teriyaki and was surprised at the cut of meat I got and how the teriyaki tasted...artificial. However, I got the teriyaki beef teishoku and was pleasantly surprised at how much food I got. I had a ton of rice (too much actually), salad with really good thousand island dressing (probably from the bottle but still really good), some vegetables (meh), and miso soup (YUM). I was full and couldn't even finish everything. This place is pretty good for a food court noodle shop next to a panda express and mcdonalds. If you want to satisfy a craving, go here! If you are looking for high quality stuff that makes your mouth drop, look elsewhere but expect to pay a lot more. Pros - cheap - quick japanese fix - lots of food Cons - not authentic - quality of meat not the best My rating might also change when and if I decide to get a noodle dish (since it is a noodle shop after all).
(4)Missy S.
Tsuruya is a cute little japanese restaurant in the food court of the downtown pearlridge. Usually when we go there are seats, so we have never had to wait for seating. The service is usually good. A woman with a raspy voice always works there and she seems very happy to work. I always get their teriyaki beef. Idk why its so good. Much better then their teriyaki chicken. The chicken is too salty. For a while I didn't like tsuruya because I felt their food was over powering with salt, but when I tried their beef and tempura, I gave them much more credit. What I don't really like about the restaurant is their tables and chairs. There is little room over there so if you are a small person this place is good for you. But this place is just like many japanese restaurants in japan. Very small, so that is just the style. Overall a satisfying place for japanese food. But I usually just go for sushi if im craving japanese food.
(3)Julie Ann P.
Stopped in on a week night with the fam bam waiting for traffic to die down. Used to come here often when I was much younger, so I was glad food quality was the same. Had the super combo special and shared it with my 4yo. My picky hubby and picky kids loved the food as well, so that was definitely a plus. And price is always very reasonable.
(4)Lei N.
Since we came to watch a movie, we came early to eat dinner beforehand. Jeremy chose to eat here since I told him I hadn't eaten here before. It's a small place but we got some counter seating. Their menu, just laminated papers held together with a ring. The curry bowl looked the most appealing to me, but when my order came out, I don't think it was the same thing. Jeremy got a lot. What he ordered, I don't remember. instagram.com/p/d-TrGUIz… My dish came with mac salad but since I didn't like it, I traded with Jeremy for his miso soup. I liked what I ordered though.
(3)Michael C.
Food was good, service was bad. After our waitress brought us out food she didn't come out from behind the counter once to check on us to see if we needed anything. EDIT NOTE: After looking at the photos that I took to post to instagram and compared it to the menu it looks like they forgot to put sesame seed & green onions in my miso ramen. Also after reading the other reviews It looks like I'm not the only one that thinks that they need to have better customer service.
(1)Rhome Z.
This is a good Japanese place for a quick fix and its cheap! Service is mediocre which I don't complain about because this is not a five star restaurant. " Establishment closed down" recently.
(5)Jennica Megan B.
Prices for Japanese Food are quite expensive but not here. This place gives you good food at affordable prices. The Teriyaki Chicken Combo, Tempura Combo, and their Saba Special are good. But I really enjoyed their Miso Ramen. I was surprised by how flavorful their broth was. They have friendly dine-in service but seating is limited and space is tight. Despite that, this is a good place to have your Japanese fix at the mall.
(3)Amy Y.
A quick healthy dinner. Don't remember the name of the plate, starts with H or something. But its a veggie soba plate with sauce. It was soooo goood. It costed around $7. Will be back to try out other food. Yayayayyayay!
(5)Randi J.
I'm happy to say we finally tried Tsuruya again. It's been 10 months and things were much better (cleaner) this time around.
(4)Chantelle T.
Eh, decent Japanese food court food at a good price. Their combo specials are probably the way to go when you come here. The chicken curry in the combo is decent but they definitely don't give enough sauce. Service here is average. The servers enjoy having side conversations right in front of the customers and you need to work pretty hard to interrupt their side conversations to get the bill or a refill on water.
(3)Brandy W.
Located in the food court of downtown pearlridge, this unique restaurant boasts dining in as well as taking your food out into the food court. The downtown food court seems so crowded with so little tables, I think it's nice that they have dedicated seating just for this restaurant. I was completely out of my comfort zone here. I didn't recognize most of the dishes and first ordered regular chicken teriyaki. The second time I decided to try the soba nabeyaki based on reviews I've read here. This is not your normal noodle bowl, friends. Chock full of ingredients, including 2 soft boiled eggs and more soba than you know what to do with, you will get full fast. I mean fast! Little ol me can spread this one bowl across 4 meals for sure. And for the price, you are probably getting your best value. Why only the 3 stars? Because if I waited a few weeks to write this review, I would not have remembered anything about the dish. It's not memorable. However, if you are in the mall and all that shopping has left you famished, I suggest going here above any other downtown food establishment. You won't be hungry for long.
(3)Linda K.
It never fails, everytime I drive towards Aiea, Tsuruya is one of the first places that comes to mind to eat lunch or dinner. I've been eating here for 20 years. I normally choose to eat inside at the counter unless it's too crowded then I'll sit out in the food court area since the small table seating doesn't give me enough elbow space to eat comfortably. I normally always order the (light crispy batter) shrimp tempura udon and teri chicken combo, comes with tsukemono. I enjoy the flavor of the broth and the noodles that have the perfect texture. The customer service has normally been great. The miso soup is tasty and so far everything I have ordered has been great. There's also a stamp card after 7 menu item stamps, the 8th menu item is free! (excludes drinks, side orders and mini combo/drinks).
(4)Emy R.
I'm not a huge fan of Tsuruya but my mom is so whenever we go to Pearl Ridge this is where we always end up eating. We all know moms rule and there is no overruling them. I'm guessing the reason my mom likes it so much is because the soba is quite similar to any soba shop you might find in Japan. For the most part, the food is pretty decent and so is the service. It's a small restaurant located on the 3rd floor of Pearl Ridge Downtown. It's the only eatery in the food court (besides McDonald's) that has it's own seating, so this is a plus as you don't have to search & wait for open tables. It does get busy on the weekends so you might have to wait for a table but the turn around is fast. You can order from the walk up window and eat in the food court. This helps if other people in your party want to eat something else. Visual plated meals adorn their window so you can see what your ordering in 3D. This is typical in Japan at most restaurants. One friend from the Mainland thought this was real and asked me if Tsuruya made the food every day and placed it in the window....say what???....hahaha....no comment. I suppose she doesn't see the chopsticks and noodles hovering in mid air....Anywho, this is great for kids as they can see what the food looks like and can point out what they want to eat. They have counter space and about 6 tables that will sit a party of 4. It's not a big restaurant so think of it as a fast food noodle shop, it's not a place where you'll be lingering. Food comes out relatively fast once you've placed your order. I usually order the Hiyashi Tempura Soba which is cold buckwheat noodles with Tempura on the side. The cold noodle sauce comes on the side, you dip your soba noodles in the sauce before eating it. When placing your noodle order, you have a choice between soba (buckwheat) or udon (flour noodles that are thicker and chewier than ramen noodles) , if you're health conscious, order soba. Even though Tsuruya is a "noodle shop" they also have rice dishes. The teriyaki chicken is pretty good. It comes with miso soup and tsukemono (pickled vegetables). They also offer combos which includes some sort of mini soba or udon, a rice dish, like curry rice and tsukemono. I've recently noticed they've expanded their menu and are now offering ramen. I haven't tried the ramen yet so I can't say how it is. For the most part though, their food is pretty decent and a good place to rest your feet from shopping. Fun fact: In Japan, slurping noodles as loudly as possible is considered good etiquette. In fact, if you quietly eat your noodles with no sound, this is considered an insult to the chef...so get out there and start slurping!
(3)Ashlyne F.
I always grab lunch from here when I'm at Pearlridge. They are very accommodating since I order the combo teishoku with teriyaki chicken and tempura but substitute it for all potato and no shrimp. I think for a teishoku and a large drink comes out to alittle over $10.
(4)Gray G.
This place is in Pearl Ridge, located in the Downtown shopping mall upstairs in the food court by the theater. Small little place, great for dine in or take out. I used to go here as a kid, still do when I'm in the area. The curry is really good, probably my favorite. Better consistency and color than Curry House, and the udon is really good too. The staff is nice, very courteous. The menu is kinda small but I'm sure there's something just about anyone would like. This is a quiet place, but you can go here with anyone. You should check it out!
(5)Holly B.
Standard Japanese fare at a neighborhood restaurant. The food is decent, though nothing unique or outstanding. The waitstaff are OK, but the service is poor. Once our order was taken and food was served, our table was never visited again; we were never given refills of water or asked if we'd like anything else, or how our meal was. And the waitstaff were constantly speaking loudly to one another in a foreign language and totally ignoring the customers. That behavior is fine at home or a night out with friends, but NOT in a restaurant with paying customers and certainly NOT while on duty at work! It's plain rude and annoying.
(2)M O.
This place sucks big time!!!! Service was rushed and food was so awful!!!! We just just down and it was even 5 minutes when the waitress asked if we were ready to order. I was still looking at the menu. I shouldn't have left a tip at all. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone!
(1)Kristy N.
The restaurant is pretty small with limited seating but you can also just take out and sit in the food court area. The food is great but the hospitality is below average. The welcomes, please, and thank yous are there but the lack of tone makes it sound forced. I enjoyed the food enough to still want to come back. I wish there was a little more to make this restaurant inviting. I was once told when I worked in customer service, when you don't want to be here, customers know. And it's true. Your presence and body language shows all.
(4)Cassie B.
I have gone to this place numerous times when I was younger and lived in the area, and I have decided to finally review it. I also wanted to give this place 3.5 stars, which technically rounds up to 4 stars. Tsuruya is a pretty good Japanese "food court" eatery. The noodle shop provides a little area where you can actually sit and "dine in" but also provides you with a to-go option. The choice is really nice. The servings are quite large (typical of Hawaii fast food) and you get a pretty good assortment of choice. You can have soba, udon, or regular ramen noodles...hot or cold...with different choices for your protein. You can have rice dishes and can even get curry. There's tempura (a local favorite)! You can also get teriyaki chicken, oyakodon, etc etc etc. Needless to say, you can get your Japanese fix (unless your craving sushi). So why not 5 stars? I just have high expectations for Japanese food. I am willing to spend more for a really amazing Japanese meal and have grown accustomed to doing so. I recently ordered the beef teriyaki and was surprised at the cut of meat I got and how the teriyaki tasted...artificial. However, I got the teriyaki beef teishoku and was pleasantly surprised at how much food I got. I had a ton of rice (too much actually), salad with really good thousand island dressing (probably from the bottle but still really good), some vegetables (meh), and miso soup (YUM). I was full and couldn't even finish everything. This place is pretty good for a food court noodle shop next to a panda express and mcdonalds. If you want to satisfy a craving, go here! If you are looking for high quality stuff that makes your mouth drop, look elsewhere but expect to pay a lot more. Pros - cheap - quick japanese fix - lots of food Cons - not authentic - quality of meat not the best My rating might also change when and if I decide to get a noodle dish (since it is a noodle shop after all).
(4)Tiffany Y.
Yelp 365 Challenge #95/365 I always bypassed this place in preference for blazin' steaks, Taco Bell (is it still there?) or McDonald's since they are in the same area. After reading a review on Tsuruya, I have been wanting to try it out but didn't find the time until this past week when my daughter was on the hunt for the Breaking Dawn CD. Since it was early afternoon, I figure the lunch crowd had minimized, which I was right. We were able to get a tiny table as soon as we walked in. After browsing the menu, I chose one of their combos with the teri chicken and rice as well as soba. For the price that we paid, it was generous. I loved it. I don't know what they use for their teri chicken but it was delicious. The soba came out hot and the noodles were not overcooked. I think I will drag my husband here but I know it will not replace his favorite, Ramen-ya by Walmart Pearl City. Banzai
(4)Mac J.
Boiled chicken over rice topped with curry sauce is not good. Customer service needs improvement. Order to go if you decide to give this place a try.
(1)Seth H.
This place full fills the occasional craving for Japanese food we get without having to fork over huge amounts of money, I like their udon/teri chicken combo, cold soba noodles, they pretty much have everything you'd want but sushi. The Udon is the chewy type and the broth is flavorful. It's in a food court as others have said but I think the flavors are pretty close to authentic. For the most part the servers are nice, again remember you're at a food court so you can't expect too much.
(4)Guy K.
I've been getting lunch from this place over 5 years, but hadn't been here for a couple months. It's always had better than average soba entrees and a good value special lunch combo. But something has gone SERIOUSLY wrong with the food and stuff missing from the order. I had the oyako combo (as I've had many times before). Firstly, the price went up around 50 cents since the last time around 2 months ago. The soba was soggy and the sauce was not soba sauce; it tasted more like saimin soup base. There was no shrimp tempura and tempura veggies served with the soba. And the oyako don was a much smaller serving than what I had here 2 months ago. This place has gone from a 3.5 star lunch place, to a 1 star lunch place in under two months. I think the new staff doesn't know how soba is supposed to taste like and have change a good value $8-9 lunch special into a RIP OFF!! Soba had no shrimp and veggie tempura !! Nine dollars for a small bowl of oyako don and soba sauce that was not made for soba . . . I don't think so. My advice, avoid this place like the plague. I will not be going to this place for a VERY LONG TIME (perhaps when they change out the staff or ownership).
(1)Kim M.
STAMP CARD Ask for a Tsuruya Noodle Shop Frequent Purchase Club Stamp Card if you don't already have one. Fill up the stamp card by purchasing 7 menu items (one stamp per item, excluding side orders, drinks, and mini combos) and you get 1 entree FREE! So buy 7, get 1 free. The stamp card expires several months out from the first stamp given, so plan your meals accordingly. Who doesn't love a free meal?! JAPANESE FAST FOOD Tsuruya Noodle Shop is located in the Pearlridge Phase II (Pearlridge Downtown) fast food central AKA the food court. It's in the same spot it's been for years--next to McDonald's in the far back right corner near the restrooms. This location is pretty random when you think about it, but super convenient for Japanese food lovers. What a nice change from the usual unhealthy food court food like burgers, pizza, and fries. UDON I've been dining here since I was a little kid. My regular dish of choice is and always was udon. I have had Tsuruya Noodle Shop's soba as well as some of the other popular and traditional Japanese noodle dishes, but the udon is still at the top of my list. The Agemochi (fried mochi) Udon is my favorite; the Tanuki Udon, with tempura crisps / flakes and veggie garnishing, is also good; and if you like cold noodle, you may want to try the Hiyashi Tanuki--cold noodle with tempura crisps & garnishings. **For most of the noodle dishes offered (excluding saimin), you can choose your noodle--either soba or udon. Soba is cheaper, but not by much. Agemochi Udon: yelp.com/biz_photos/xB14… FAST FOOD PRICES Prices are beyond reasonable for this kind of Japanese fare. Most of the noodle dishes range between $6-$9 each. And I believe that the most expensive dish off the entire menu is from the Teishoku section: Tempura & Teri Beef for $10.99. It's a combination dish that comes with tempura, teriyaki beef, salad, rice, miso soup, and tsukemono. The Tempura & Chicken Katsu Teishoku is priced just over $10. VERDICT Overall, Tsuruya Noodle Shop is a perfect option for those in the area looking for some tasty Japanese fare at fast food prices. Choose to dine in or take out. Either way, you get your food pretty quickly. Don't forget the stamp card! Yelp 365 - #273/365
(4)Troy M.
Hands down the best eats in pearl ridge food court. Katsu don is one of my favorites. Fast and Friendly service.
(4)Heidi N.
First introduced to me by my mother, who is from Japan. Japanese people judge a restaurant by it's ability to make tempura - crispy, but not oily or over-battered. My mom enjoys their tempura thoroughly, as well as their soba. Though there has been a change to their noodles, for the price, the place is still unbeatable for Japanese food. Their new combos - Super Combo and Double Shrimp Combo are a lot of food for a real cheap price. How do they do it?! I almost tired myself out of this place, eating the Super Combo every time. Then I realized they have an extensive menu and that I could change it up! Dumb? I know. I don't know what too tell you, but I was so hooked. After a short sabbatical from this place, it is back into rotation and I am excited to try other things!
(5)Richard B.
I've eaten here on several occasions and am writing my first review. First, the restaurant is small, but one of the very few restaurants that offers seating. The food in the window looks good...haha. Of course, it's plastic food. When we arrived, we waited a few minutes to be seated. The two waitresses were busy serving and cleaning up. So, we later notice that we were not seated because there was a sign that said to seat ourselves. It was not positioned in a spot that was noticeable. So we finally sat down and waited a good 5-minutes. No waitresses even approached or addressed us. In fact, the waitress delivered us the wrong food and and that's how she noticed that we didn't place our order. So, It seemed customer service was not really important because the waitresses were to overwhelmed with the big crowd. In addition, it was close to closing. I believe the restaurant seating area closes early and people can only order take out closer to closing time. This is kind of weird since closing was much earlier than the mall's closing time. Many people were upset because they couldn't eat in the food court area. The waitresses seemed tired and stressed because they were more focused on cleaning and closing up. As far as presentation, The menu was laminated sheets put together with metal rings. Not the most pleasant menu, but we ordered. The menu selection isn't the greatest and I would expect more variety of dishes and noodles. The food was okay. I was disappointed with the shrimp tempura. There was lots of breading and not much shrimp. However, the rest of the tempura set was good. The miso soup had no tofu, which I'm used to. There also wasn't a variety of tsukemono that came along with the dishes. The curry and other dishes are good portions. So, I would probably eat here again. There are many noodle shops and Japanese restaurants with a better selection and more generous portions, but it you're at Pearlridge you don't have much selection.
(3)Jennifer S.
Located in the corner of the food court of Pearlridge's Downtown, this little restaurant is usually always busy. I usually order their super combo with the teriyaki chicken. It comes with teriyaki chicken on rice, cold soba, a tempura (shrimp, zucchini and eggplant), cabbage tsukemono and miso soup. A lot of food for under $10!!
(4)Christine E.
Tsuruya has been around since I was a baby, which was...well, lets just say it was a long time ago! That alone should tell you something. I'm not gonna sit here and say that it's the best japanese food ever, cause come on, it's in a mall, it's NOT the best japanese food ever. BUT, for under $10, you can get tempura, soba, and curry and rice. That's a pretty awesome deal. It's cheap, they're fast, it's pretty yummy (comparable to a Gyotaku type of joint) , AND you can get it while on a break from shopping. Yes my rice was a little mushy, and my kamaboko in my udon looked a little grey, not pink. But everything was still full of flavor. So I can't really complain. Plus, we got SOOOOOOO much food for under $20. I'd definitely eat here again if I'm craving fast American style Japanese food.
(3)Pearlicell M.
I love the food but can't stand the employee they're rude and don't even acknowledge us when we walk in ..bad costumer service !!
(1)Daryl I.
Great bang for your buck!!!
(3)Julia O.
This is not your typical food court spot! I was pleasantly surprised how good it was for the price and type of venue. Our total for the two of us was about $16 and here's the breakdown Hiyashi Kitsune Zaru Soba ($7.09): Their soba was really good, not too soggy not too dry. This dish came with fried tofu (the thin skin kind not like actual tofu), wakame seaweed, bean sprouts, green onions, and half a hard boiled egg. This was a good sized dish and was very tasty. Curry Combo w/Udon ($8.39): The bf got a little bowl of chicken curry and a small bowl of udon with his set. This was a great deal! The curry was good, you could tell it was just those packaged curry but the chicken was very moist and tender. The udon had green onions and fishcake and was pretty good too. The food looked so good and I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture! Oops. And yes get a stamp card!! They won't just give you one, we had to ask. But it's like buy 7 entrees get 1 free! We got ours today and it expires in January so we got about 2 months. Might as well try right? Now, this isn't your high quality Japanese cooking but if you're looking for quick, cheap Japanese noodles, then this is the place to go if you're at Pearlridge. Now would I drive out of my way from Mililani just to come here? Probably not. But if I'm already at Pearlridge and I'm craving Japanese and on a budget would I go here? Most definitely.
(4)Julie H.
Cheap? YES! Quick? YES! Tasty? YES! Japanese? Yes! Then Tsuruya is the place for you! It's right next to McDonalds at the Pearlridge Downtown food court. While it's not the best Japanese food out there, it fits the bill for the price and amount of food you get. I usually get one of the donburis because they never disappoint.
(4)Debbie D.
The workers are to busy talking story to take my order. The yummy Korean BBQ next door took my order right away. Their BBQ chicken is very tasty!
(1)Kiichi R.
I hadn't been here for at least a decade and a half. Once you're past your teen years, Pearlridge lost its appeal. However, despite all of the changes with stores and looks, Tsuruya is still there, same as ever. Now, I can't even recall what ever my prior experiences were like before but let me tell you that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and the price. The service was average, so nothing to complain about there, nor write home about. You can get a fairly good tasting set, all for under $10. I may be incorrect in saying this, but I can't recall anything that is ABOVE $10. And for the price, my personal favorite, the zarusoba. I definitely recommend this place for a cheap/yummy eat. And I believe they do phone orders! I will need to check that out myself. 4 stars - "Yay! I'm a fan."
(4)Jerico P.
You're hungry. Even when you're not hungry. You shouldn't eat when you're not hungry, right? That's wrong. If you eat only when you're hungry then your metabolism is taking a beating and you don't deserve that. Eat at Tsuruya and you'll be A-OK (3 star rating). Dining area is small, food is delicious, the staff works hard and the prices are good. Again, A-OK.
(3)Darcy K.
The side of Age Mochi was great. Water cup was consistently refilled until the end of the meal... to conserve water of course! Other than that I did not care for any other aspect of the restaurant. The server made me feel uncomfortable from the beginning. After being seated and distributing menus, she just hovered around for a whole minute waiting to take an order. She did not offer any help with the menu or to answer any questions. While standing in line to pay the bill, another employee was arguing with a customer about their stamp card. After standing in line to pay the bill and waiting for them to settle their dilemma, she rolled her eyes and just pointed at me and my friend. It was a signal to the other employees to help, but no one moved for a good five seconds. It was awkward. The curry was bland. The chicken in the curry had no seasoning. My udon was better, at least it had flavor. I mentioned age mochi earlier. A side order comes with two pieces the size of my palm. It was by far the best part of the entire experience.
(2)Cely H.
Who would've thunk there would be awesome Japanese food in the heart of a mall food court? I've been here a zillion times and I always get the same thing: teri chicken and tempura combo. Its less than 10 bucks and you get a lot of bang for your buck! Shrimp tempura Teri chicken Miso soup Rice Tsukemono Macaroni Salad Zaru soba I like all the little touches that this place thinks of that a food court seems to forget like the sprinkling of green onions and a dab of wasabi for the zaru soba (served on a for real zaru, if you're dining in). Salty, crunchy, hot, cold, sticky, sweet, pickled....ahhhh! Food court bliss! I usually get take out for the food court tables as the dine in tables inside are smaller than the ones you would find in a Kindergarten class room.
(5)Brandon T.
Super combo is awesome , get it
(5)Rose R.
this girl named myra and norma were just talking stories the whole time , it is very inappropriate. feloida was swearing in different language my friend could understand because shes filipino. food is very good it just the employees are embarassing. need a serious attention for the owner thanks
(1)Arynn I.
I used to come here a lot...and I would only get one thing: Tanuki Udon. This is the udon with the tempura flakes on it. Yummmm...Conveniently, this is one of the restaurants at the Pearl Ridge Downtown food court, just outside the theatres. which would explain why i USED to come here a lot. Well, the price is still VERY low for the Udon - with my beverage, I spent less than $8. The flavor of the udon is also the same....although I don't foresee how you can screw up tsuyu (soup). Actually, I take that back, I'm sure it would be easy to screw this up. Anyways, I paid with my debit card which the cashier totally liked the photo on it. We talked a little about where I work because the debit card is the one set up through my work. I told her that I used to frequent this place and she got more excited and gave me a frequent visit stamp card. Cool, all these years I never know they had something like that. I'll definitely be back since this is my FAVORITE place for Udon. One day I'll try something else....MAYBE. #Yelp 365 Challenge = 021/365
(5)Consuela P.
It never fails!!! Each time we shop at Pearlridge...we make it a point to dine-in here either for lunch or dinner. I always get the udon and curry combo whilst my husband orders the teriyaki steak/beef. Service is good but the small wooden tables and seats is a bit tight and can get a tab bit uncomfortable after a while.
(4)Tiffany H.
I'm being generous with stars in this review for a reason. Tsuruya is amazing! When I was younger, my grandpa and I used to go to Tsuruya pretty much every time we made a trip to Pearlridge. I'm pretty sure that's what started my love for this little Japanese restaurant. I come here maybe once a month or so, always excited to indulge in the best Udon I've ever tasted, and some pretty awesome chicken curry as well. There's about 5 four-top tables along the wall, and 10 counter seats. I usually like to sit at the counter because the chairs feel close to the ground or something. *Don't feel discouraged if you walk up and it's packed inside! The food comes really fast, so it usually won't take too long for some people to clear out. They have good combo deals, so you should probably check those out before anything else. My recommendations? The curry, udon, shrimp tempura, teriyaki chicken, and zaru soba are all delicious. Like I said before, check out the combo meals! The service is always great, water is always filled--especially if you sit at the counter. I highly recommend Tsuruya if you're craving some inexpensive Japanese food.
(5)Joanna L.
Wanted some kind of soup today so I ordered the miso ramen. Usually eat in but tried take out today. I think it taste better when you eat in. Still was pretty tasty and hit the spot.
(4)Zach V.
Im gonna have to agree with alot of people when i say that the deal of the $7.99 special is one of the best bang for your buck when it comes to quality and quantity of food made at this place. 4 starz!
(4)Michelle M.
My kids are junior foodies and they love to eat! After a day of shopping at Pearlridge Downtown, they were definitely hungry. This just happened to be the spot for the day! I like that they have the silicone entree displays. This really helps the kiddos to figure out what they want to eat! Decisions made, We ordered the Tempura Set with Udon and a Katsu Donburi. The Tempura set was HUGE!! having an order of Shrimp and Veggie Tempura served over rice and a steaming bowl of Kitsune Udon, it was a real value for $8.95. The Katsue Donburi was also a deal for $7.95 as it was served with Miso Soup and my daughter could barely finish it! The stamp card is a great idea! I know it definitely will have me checking them out the next time I am hungry at the mall. I think I will try one of the Soba noodle options next time, for sure!
(4)Jasmine D.
I love eating here. I always get the Teri Chicken & Tempura combo. Food comes out fast & fresh. Plus, the service is great.
(5)Lily B.
Tsuruya is probably my second favorite place to eat while I'm at Pearlridge Downtown (I just LOVE Yummy's!) They have a small area for seating inside, but I always feel like it's super warm and I'd rather have it super cold so we sit in the main dining area. There are only two things that I order from tsuruya: teri chicken bowl and saimin. Simple, but packed with flavor! The teriyaki chicken bowl is a decent sized bowl full of white rice and then covered with boneless, juicy, tender, teriyaki chicken cooked on a flat grill. You can see the cooks preparing it from the pick up window or even from the cashier's station. It smells DELISH! I've also had the regular saimin which I think is awesome... and usually I don't order saimin from anywhere (except D.K.'s crab ramen... ahhhhh heaven!!!) The saimin at Tsuruya has tender noodles, kamaboko, seaweed, and I think char siu but don't quote me on the char siu. The broth is FABULOUS. I dunno what they put in the broth but it's VERY full of flavor and like nothing I've ever had before. On a rainy night it's SOOOO good to eat, especially paired with some teriyaki chicken. Tsuruya is a little pricier than the other places... if my BF and I order the same thing (2 saimins and 2 teri chicken bowls) the cost is about $25... but oh so worth it!
(4)eric e.
Teri chicken is da bomb! Can't go wrong w/ udon and teri chicken combo. reasonable prices and very filling.
(4)Lana H.
Went in for lunch today & asked if we could have the teriyaki chicken & rice (it was the daily special written on the menu board in the window). Simple, huh? No way. First of all, English was the 2nd language of the lady taking our order. Secondly, the teriyaki chicken & rice you want is only for TAKE OUT orders. Took a couple of tries with her English to get that out so we could understand what we couldn't order. So after scanning the menu AND finding teri-chicken & rice on the menu we order that and the oyaku-don & soba combo. Food was good. No real service, except for taking the order and bringing the food. No refills on water or checking up on us. As soon as we stood up a little older lady sits down on my chair. I know the place is cramped so it's like prime real estate but I barely got my purse off the other seat before she sat. Cheap lunch but expect no atmosphere.
(3)Kai A.
Love it cause service is QUICK you could be in & out of there in less than 20min. Customer Service is.. so so. I don't like how the two regular waitresses speak in, Filipino.... Kinda makes you feel like you're in a nail salon. But instead of Vietnamese... Home girls are going off in Tagalong... Or whatever. hahahahahha
(4)Catherine F.
Staff is lazy and slow. Food doesn't even come close to appearance in the menu. This business seems to not care about presentation. AT ALL. The food however was surprisingly tasty for being a fast food joint. I got the miso ramen and although it looked horrible it tasted pretty good. My son got the regular asinine and side Teri chicken both tasted pretty good
(3)Alex E.
So how well would a Japanese restaurant run by Filipinos do? Pretty well, if Tsuruya is any proof of that. About 90% of the workers here are Filipino, but you wouldn't be able to tell on the food alone. My favorites from here would have to be the: Teriyaki Chicken Teishoku (pretty good meal, comes with toss/mac salad, miso soup, tsukemono along with your chicken & bowl of rice), Chcken Katsu Curry (be warned, you only pretty much get katsu, curry, rice, and mac salad for this one), the shrimp tempura (can either get it as a teishoku by itself, or half with the teri chicken), and.. well, that's actually all I can think of that I regularly order there! I haven't really tried the soups or noodles; but you'll have to ask my Dad about that, since he gets those a lot, so they must be good! Dining room in here feels a little cramped. Especially the four-man tables; where'd they get those, the Japanese elementary schools? lol, Well, there is a decent amount of room at the counter tables, so try to get those if you can. Finally, just a little warning if you order the Teri Chicken takeout: the sauce dries up really quickly and seeps out of the chicken and into the rice. So you gotta eat it soon after if you want the true flavor of eating here!
(4)Riana S.
When I eventually get sick of everything in Pearlridge mall, it's nice to take a break from all the crappy fast food and come here. I always get the Teriyaki Chicken Don and when you get the super combo, they give you the works. There's so much variety like shrimp tempura with vegetable tempura, soba, really good mac salad, miso soup, vegetables, I have the hardest time finishing this plate on lunch break because there's so much. Even though this plate is huge, everything tastes great.
(5)Baby G.
Small "hole-in-the-wall" place. Not bad prices. Food just ok. Do we go back, maybe.
(4)Cindy L.
Quick bite before/after you shop at Pearlridge. I tried the Hiyashi Kitsune Soba ($6.69), it was a cold soba topped with dried tofu and seaweed. The dressing was very tasty, but the portions were tiny. My husband had the Tsuruya Oyako don combo ($8.29), very good deal, because you also get a side of cold soba, but the oyako don was not tasty at all.
(2)Melody N.
When I run out of ideas of where to eat, this is my ol' reliable. Heck, even when I do have other options, this place is pretty high on my list of choices. The japanese offerings in Aiea are a little slim, but this place makes up for that. The broth for the udon or soba is, in my opinion, the best anywhere in Hawaii, and the noodles are fresh and always boiled to perfection. The teri chicken is super awesome, and the prices are very nice. If you have room for it, get a combo. You get a lot of food for what you pay, and it's GOOD. The tables are japanese sized. *haha* The servers are generally pleasant, of course it's not meant to be a full service sit-down restaurant, but they do get your food out to you very quickly, which is nice when you are starving! They also recently (last year) did a nice job of re-upholstering their furniture. A definite go-to.
(5)Kimberly L.
My mall favorite is Donburiya Don Don, but that was in Ala Moana and I had just spent the wage equivalent of too many hours of dough at Pearlridge. Without breaking the bank, I managed to achieve sit-down-service dinner with tip AND a full stomach for only $18 and change. Did I mention this includes TWO people? YEAH. Maybe you're not gonna take Lindsay Lohan on your first date to this place, but for $7 you can have an expertly executed oyako-don, the trick to which eludes me at home and now makes me marvel at the food court. Because I had just purchased party clothes to last me a solid month--of parties every day, mind you--I asked for hot water instead of the usual tea. What I beheld in the black Japanese mug was steaming murky slightly brothy-tasting water at boiling temperature. Interesting. I'm not complaining, it wasn't like in China where the hot water tastes like tinny dish detergent. It was slightly sweet, slightly lobstery, and just not meant to be thought too hard about. I liked my oyako-don. It was a winner over the tempura teishoku, which came with a dipping sauce that I actually thought was supposed to be my hot water, it was so weak. It was completely clear and had pretty much no flavor. Can we say sodium deficiency? Those are words I thought I would never utter about Japanese food. Meals come with pickled cabbage and miso soup too by the way. And don't forget that you have to walk up to the register to pay your bill (true Japan style!). You might be sitting there for a very, very long time if you expect your waitress to take care of it for you. (Lesson: learned). Rounded up from 3.5 Stars.
(4)Kat D.
I've been coming here for as long as I can remember, and I still love it till this day. Who knew that this place would continue to be so good even after all these years?? I always get the teri chicken and tempura teishoku. It's like comfort food to me. It warms my soul, and is something that I just can't get in the part of the mainland that I live in....let alone for under $10. Sucks to be me huh? Anyway, the food is always good, service is decent, and the price just can't be beat!
(5)Kasey J.
Oh the memories of going to Pearlridge in my intermediate and high school days.... we would always get a chicken bowl or teishoku and eat it in the middle of the food court while we looked for cute guys. Fast foward (ahem) a few years and my hubby and I still go to Tsuruya to get our Japanese food fix. If we're at the mall, its a given that we eat there but we love it so much we go to the mall just to eat there too. We don't even need to look at the menu because we always get the same thing. Ten Zaru Soba and Teri Chicken Combo with Soba. Sometimes he deviates and get the Hiyashi Kitsune depending on his mood. The consistency, taste and price is what keeps us coming back all these years. Yes, the space is a bit cramped but maybe they are trying to replicate how it really is in Japan. A few people may have had issues with the service but I think you can't go in with too high expectations. The food comes out rather quickly so I think it makes up for whatever is lacking in service. We always leave full and satisfied! Don't forget they have a stamp card. Buy 7 entrees get the 8th one free. They also have buy one get one entree 1/2 off coupons in the Midweek occasionally.
(4)Nicole R.
Good place for a quick bite. The seating arrangement is a bit claustrophobic for me. The portions are really good though. I love their Udon!
(3)Anne I.
A little gem in the fast food haven at the Pearlridge food court. The prices are so-so, $6-$8 for a bowl of udon, which is usually what I get. Agemochi (fried mochi) udon is my favorite. I've had other things, curry and donburi before, but the udon is probably the best. I can't get enough of the soup/noodle combo! The seating area is small, but really cute--small wooden tables and seats, kind of like what you would find in Japan. They have bar style seating as well, so if you want to skimp on tip, maybe that's the way to go. If you're waiting around for a movie, you should check it out.
(4)Sunny D.
This is an okay place to eat if you want table service at the mall. First off, the tables are very small and it would have been VERY difficult to seat four ppl without feeling like a sardine! I mean, me and mom are petite women and we both had to push out the extra chairs in order to be comfortable. I actually had my legs slightly to the side in order to not kick my mom when I crossed my legs. These tables are like the ones you might find in elementary school art rooms, they are that small! Okay, so for the food, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there though since there are better options, but for mall food it's palatable. Maybe because I only had the shrimp tempura udon and not tried curry or anything else. The soup base was okay but nothing special, actually I like Zippy's soup base better. The shrimp tempura was fine. For a side condiment, they only give you green onions. What? No kamaboko (fishcake)? No char siu? I know the rent is probably pricy but it would be nice to have even one piece of each. Would I go there again? Maybe. If I do, I'll try something other than a noodle dish. But I think I'll try Mongolian bbq before I go here again.
(2)Rachael R.
Always good, ALWAYS. My usual is the Ten Zaru Soba, YES! (: Hella' good. Service is great & fast. When it gets hella' busy, my BF & I are always lucky to beat the hungry crowd who wait for a while for seating & I enjoy the dine-in experience than the take-out. Haha.
(5)Art G.
The sight of an authentic looking Japanese noodle house, in the middle of a typical mall food court, ALMOST makes up for the fact that it's Saturday & I'm not watching a game on TV (sigh). There is a takeout window here, but a quick glance confirms a lack of open seats, so we decide to dine in. The first thing we notice is the narrow dining area. A sit-down counter and dining tables are separated by a narrow pathway, just wide enough for a person to pass thru. The wooden tables and chairs are noticeably small. The chairs felt a little awkward and sorely became a bit uncomfortable. Our server was polite, but not very personable. Instead of drinks, she asked us what kind of "juice" we would like. What? Our order - Super Combo - Zaru Soba, Shrimp & Veggie Tempura, Chicken Curry Don (choice of Teriyaki Chicken Don or Oyako Don also), Miso Soup, Macaroni Salad and Tsukemono $7.99 for me, and the Teishoku Shrimp & Veggie Tempura $7.89 for the Mrs. Yeah, for an extra dime you get soba, a don bowl & mac salad! After a few short minutes, our food was brought to our table. Zaru Soba - Nicely presented on an authentic "Zaru," as it should be. The Soba is served chilled and garnished with nori. Tossing tsuyu sauce along with the accompanying dab of wasabi & chopped scallions onto the noodles brought this dish to life. The flavors from the sauce, scallions & heat from the wasabi were perfect. Shrimp & Veggie Tempura - This was NO-DOUBT, the star of the entire meal. Light, airy and crispy done to perfection. Tempura shrimp, eggplant & zucchini dipped in tsyu sauce was worth the trip here. I just wish I had one more shrimp though. Chicken Curry Don - Curry was rich & flavorful. Chicken was tender & juicy, but even with curry, it lacked some seasoning. I ate most of the curry, but the portion of rice was a little too much for me to finish. Miso Soup - Like most places is tasty, smooth & not too salty. Macaroni Salad - Surprisingly tasty, taste kinda like Zippy's (almost). A little cramped, but the food is tasty & well presented, service is quick & prices are decent, a nice option to have in a mall food court. One more thing - there are a few blank walls here that could use a flat screen or two, with the game on, perhaps.
(4)Ka'ipolani G.
Haven't eaten here before. Decided to try it while waiting for our movie to start. We both ordered the Tsuruya Super Combo which consisted of Oyako don, Miso Soup, Tsukemono, Shrimp & Veg tempura, cold soba noodles and macaroni salad. All that for only $8.95. It wasn't a disappointing meal that's for sure. It was served nice and HOT. The Oyako don for me was a bit on the salty side, but the cold soba noodles evened it out. Didn't quite understand why the macaroni salad was on the plate, could've done without it but I was so busy eating everything else, I didn't even pay attention to it, lol! Will definitely be visiting again.
(4)robyn y.
Tonight the husband and I went to Tsuruya in Pearlridge and we were grossed out. Not because of the food... it was good. We were grossed out because we found BUGS in the salt shakers. To quote my husband... 1 bug in a 1 salt shaker is bad, 2 bugs in 2 separate salt shakers is really bad BUT 3... 3 bugs in 3 different salt shakers... that's GROSS. We were in the middle of our meal (we sat at the counter)... when I noticed something in the salt shaker in our area. We examined it and found 3 bugs in our salt shaker. We then took a look at the salt shaker to our left and found bugs in that salt shaker as well!!! We brought it to the attention of the one of the workers (she looks like the manager... was wearing a different color polo than everyone else), and while she did throw away and discard the salt in the shakers we told her about... she neither thanked us for bringing it to her attention nor did she apologize. *sigh* Needless to say... I was unable to finish my meal and will probably not eat there for a while. As we were leaving we couldn't help but notice that another salt shaker had bugs in it. :P GROSS.
(1)Michael J.
This placed used to be great. The butch looking lady with the super short hair and very hoarse voice wasn't working the night we went -- usually when she's working service is good. I have a feeling she may be the enforcer of the joint. In any case, we went in there to sit down and eat and first and foremost, the lady server blocked the aisle while she filled the other customers' drinks. She saw me too and she just reached on the counter for the water and then blocked the aisle. So after making us wait, we sit down and order. We get our food and not even 5 minutes in to eating she brings us our bill. She didn't ask if we wanted anything else, if we need more water, nothing! So after drinking all of my water and thinking that they'd come over and check on us -- nothing! I paid and left. Sorely disappointed with the service. Not sure why they wouldn't ask if there was anything else we wanted or at least REFILL THE WATER. How hard is it to refill the water? Remember earlier in my review when the lady BLOCKED us in the aisle as she refilled the other patron's water? WTF!!!!!
(1)Reuben R.
Whenever I went pearls with my parents long long time ago, they always ate here and I neva like cause was always crowded... man I missed out. But anyways, when we casually started going pearls because we avoid it now because of the huge crowds and limited space, we try to come here and at least take out. Over and over again, me and my friend always got the Tempura Tendon, and I liked it a lot. The last time I went, we actually ate in! Man those tables are cramped! but actually I got kind of used to it so it doesn't feel too bad. I ordered the special of the day which was yakisoba, and had it with an order of shrimp for like a dollar more. I was surprised that it didn't cost us more than 15 bucks together, but hey, I guess it really is just noodles. The yakisoba wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was pretty good, and I've been there before, so I already knew what to expect. My friend looked pretty happy with her soba, it looked yummy. saving grace?: I wouldn't come to pearls just for this place... but I like it.
(4)Queen Mel N.
I haven't gone there for so long but I notice all new workers. I never had a problem with my food before but this time...my soba noodle wasnt cook well, I had only 5 small pieces of chicken in my curry, and missing my fried sweet potatoes.
(3)Mida P.
This is my 2nd favorite place to eat at Pearlridge (downtown side). I usually get the oyako don combo (with udon) and I love the flavor. Service is good, food is always consistent. I really had no bad experiences from here.
(4)Marlon I.
This place could use some new tables and chairs. They're uncomfortable. The Tables are really low compared to the chairs, and It's really small. I'd Rather Prefer eating at the counter. But They Get 4 stars from me, because of they're yummy Teriyaki Chicken Bowl! Great food! It's A Lot for just the price of $4.99.
(4)Kristen C.
More like a 3.5 until i try more stuff. I finally tried my first bowl of hot soba here and it was pretty good. The noodles were perfectly cooked and the broth was a bit light on flavor but still good. My friend and I came here and its a seat yourself place so we were lucky get the last table open table. The seating is a bit tight but we're just here to get in and out to eat so no prob. I got the hot soba bowl (i forget what the exact name was called) and my friend got the special shrimp yaki soba. After ordering the food came out pretty fast and the waitress seemed like a hard worker as she waited on all the tables, she also seemed really rushed; as she talked really fast and loud jumping from table to table doing her thing haha. Overall i'd come back again to try some other dishes cause the aroma of the food being cooked smelled really good =P.
(3)Leigh N.
The udon here is one of the best I"ve had anywhere. I usually get the tanuki udon with the tempura crispies on top. If you are a big eater, try the amazing combos they have with rice bowls. If you want more, try their super combo that is priced under $9! How can you go wrong!! Last night when we were there, they were out of beef and the choi sum that they usually garnish everything with. So don't go on Thursday nights if you're expecting the choi sum garnish. The staff is Filipino with a tendency to speak to one another in Ilocano but not about the patrons. They are pretty attentive and like the other reviewers mentioned, the food comes out quickly.
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